141 thoughts on “January 9th, 2013: Does My Computer Work?”

    1. Bush types his memoirs in his car hole.

      George: [typing] And since I'd achieved all my goals as President in one
      term, there was no need for a second.

      1. "James K. Polk" by They Might Be Giants

        In four short years he met his every goal
        He seized the whole southwest from Mexico
        Made sure the tarriffs fell
        And made the English sell the Oregon territory
        He built an independent treasury
        Having done all this he sought no second term

        1. "William Howard Taft" by The Two Man Gentlemen Band

          Oh William Howard Taft
          Got himself stuck in a bath
          It took the Secret Service and the police to
          Pry him out with a tub of grease.

      2. That episode of the Simpsons contains on of my favorite bits of all time

        [Santa's Little Helper goes off running with George Bush, leaving Homer all alone]
        Homer: I guess you might say he's barking up the wrong Bush.
        Homer's Brain: There it is, Homer. The cleverest thing you'll ever say and nobody heard it.
        Homer: D'oh!

    2. And he's got some statistical things that I don't believe in, and he's got a lot of things that I do believe in.

      heh.

  3. oy. I was asked to do some freelance installation work for my former employer this week, and agreed to four days of work for them. I asked for comparison salaries because the Historic New Orleans Collection has also asked me to help them install an upcoming exhibition. The supervisor at my former job was coy with me regarding salaries but then let it slip that they pay other freelancers between 25 and 45 dollars an hour. I make significantly less than the low end of that scale, but offer far more in terms of related professional experience and education. She saw the look in my eye and realized that she screwed up, and now she knows that I won't be returning to work for them on the cheap ever again. Man. If I wasn't hard up for work I'd tell them to pound sand./venting

    1. It boils my blood to see artists taken advantage of. I could go on for a while about this, but I'll leave it here before I get all amped up before work.

  6. seriously, the people who run baseball are stupid, part 569

    The game changer, and most controversial element, in all this is the fact that Fox Sports One games featuring RSN teams will be blacked out on local affiliates, moving those fans to watch on the national cable network. For instance, if a home Yankees game were broadcasted on Fox Sports One, fans in New York would have to watch the game there instead of YES. As if blackouts in baseball weren't a big enough pain as it is, this only further complicates things.

    1. ...expected her to confirm their ideas about a bleak and flat state, but she remembered it as a place of uncommon beauty.

      I'd read that. With hunting & fishing visits of varying duration over the past 9 years, this has become an opinion I whole-heartedly endorse. North Dakota (especially your part, apparently) sure produces some noteworthy folks. ND & Proud!

    1. Flag-desecration hats. Heh.

      I want to see Gardy fined for refusing to wear a bullshit interview cap. C'mon Gardy, you can do it!

    2. Gardy gets by without wearing a jersey (just the jacket) (or so I've assumed).
      Also, from the link:

      “From what I hear its purpose is to be worn during interviews and off-the-field stuff (charity events, blood drives, etc.). Unlike the NHL’s version, however, it will not be mandatory for players/coaches to wear the cap during interviews. It’s more if just a ‘Here if you want it’ type of thing.”

    3. He should have no problem making the Providence HS Hall of Fame, since he is the only alum to make the major leagues.

          2. reading articles the last week or so, I thought it would be more
            maybe they didnt mail in the ballot, which doesnt affect the percentages.

    4. Full list:

      Spoiler SelectShow

      2. Schilling with 38%

        Next year, the ballot will have Maddux, Glavine, and Mike Mussina. Plus Morris and Clemens. And Frank Thomas and Barry Bonds and Bagwell and Biggio....

        is 38% his ceiling?

        1. Lofton falling off the ballot after one year is more damning to me than no one being elected at all. I'm not saying Kenny is an indefensible snub, but he deserved much more consideration than a one-and-done. He's the new Lou Whitaker.

          1. This is pretty much exactly what I've been thinking since the voting was announced. I could see a case for and against him being in the Hall, but to be so glib in tossing him to the curb is ridiculous.

              1. I'd really like a major writer to point out that the BBWAA seems just as committed to endorsing only certain kinds of player evaluation as legitimate as it is keeping those undeserving non-"first ballot" Hall of Famers from getting in during their initial year on the ballot. The message the BBWAA sends to younger fans who grew up watching guys like Kenny Lofton and Larry Walker and who value things like WAR or park adjustments (or ISO, or UZR, or what have you) is that their way of being baseball fans is illegitimate. You can only be a real baseball fan (or HoF voter) if you value things like wins and RBI and bogus tropes like "pitching to the score," because you were there, man, you were fucking there, in the press box, instead of watching the game on TBS or FOX before you went out in the back yard with your kid brother to emulate Kenny Lofton stealing a homer or Larry Walker hitting a game-winning bomb up into the Purple Row.

                1. I've long thought that the NFL's method of electing HOFers was kind of a joke, but it's looking good today.

                    1. I would not be surprised if this were the high-water mark for Black Jack. Some of the writers will have felt that they've done their moral duty by not voting for Clemens, Bonds, etc., this year, and you KNOW they are gonna vote for Maddux and Glavine next year. Plus, you know, Morris's numbers were not that great.

                  2. No, your long-running thought is right.
                    Two jokes with different set ups, but both with the same punch line.
                    "Cris Carter and Mike Piazza!"

    8. It just donned on me how completely idiotic these writers at: they've ma d Barry Bonds into a sympathetic figure. Barry effin Bonds.

    9. Average ballot had 6.6 votes on it.
      Here's a 30 years of that stat:

      Spoiler SelectShow

      I guess I was hoping this would show more.

  11. Apparently a group lead by Steve Ballmer is buying the Sacramento Kings and moving them to Seattle. I feel bad for Sacramento, but poor Seattle too. To have a team as great as OKC stolen from you, only to get the dysfunctional Kings back? Yuck.

    3. the Rochester/Cincinnati/Kansan City-Omaha/Kansas City/Sacremento/Seattle Kings. The team no city wanted.

                    1. Honestly, I'd forgotten all about it. I haven't owned a Windows machine in five years (which hasn't stopped family members from asking me to help them fix theirs).

  13. A nice scouting report on Sano. This was the most interesting part:

    His balanced, quiet yet powerful swing looks a lot like the swings of players Sano could one day be: Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols.

  14. Souhan:

    Wolves assistant Bill Bayno admits Love might be done for season, and thinks organization will add to roster to replace him if that's case

      1. yeah, his santa gig just ended:

        After moving back to Serbia, Darko Milicic spent his first Christmas home as a Santa at the Belgrad Robne kuće. Although the kids liked his gentle demeanor and the cigarettes he covertly palmed off, the department store owners thought his notoriety would bring in more sales. They were mistaken and Darko wasn’t asked back for a second year.

    2. I was listening to that interview on the radio. Bayno was asked the worst case scenario and he replied that missing the season is worst case.

      Then they asked him if he would add a player. His reply was that he isn't in the front office but he would look to add.

      I think Souhan is twisting it a bit.

        1. I wouldn't be shocked to see him shut down if the Wolves were to be out of the race when he's close to healthy, but yeah, treating TJ as a 'source' is a recipe for bad things.

          In ok news, though, word is Bud is getting his lnee checked out and coukd have a good timeline update.

  15. Well, I'm back. I don't know if anyone noticed I was gone, but I'm back.

    I've been suffering from the stomach flu, and suffering is exactly the right word. It came on with incredible suddenness. I went to bed Sunday night feeling great. I woke up at 1:30 in the morning feeling awful. I thought I was getting better Monday afternoon (hence the winterball posts), but was worse again Monday night. Tuesday was no better, and by mid-afternoon Mrs. A insisted I go to the clinic. They put me into the hospital overnight and pumped about three bags of fluid into me. I got out early this afternoon and am feeling much better now.

    I have mixed feelings about going to the hospital for the flu. On the one hand, I feel like kind of a weakling--when he was age, my dad would've put on his coveralls and gone out to feed the cattle. On the other hand, it's the first time since I was born that I've spent a night in the hospital, so I guess maybe it was time. Plus, I heard something on the news today about five people in Minnesota dying because of the flu, so I guess maybe it's better to play safe.

    At any rate, I'm back and ready to take on, if not the world, at least the tri-county area. We'll catch up on winterball posts as time permits.

    3. Padre, I hope I don't have what you had. Heading home early with I would normally describe as "gut-rot from too much cheap bourbon"...except I haven't had any bourbon, cheap or otherwise, in quite a while. Here's hoping you all see me tomorrow instead of Sunday.

      1. I hope you don't have it, too. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Today is the first day since Sunday that I've felt at least somewhat like myself.

        1. I'm here but I'm full of Imodium, Tylenol, probiotics, vitamin C and occasional pulls of generic Pepto...see how long I last

                1. Thanks. Your IV fluids comment tipped me off. I've been alternating water, gatorade and apple juice. The oj this morning was not a bright idea on my part.

  17. Who said it?

    Time to start pro Jack Morris hall campaign. Guy can't get break. All-AL SP in dh era hurt by roid guys and 'net negativity

    Spoiler SelectShow

    4. He (Black Jack) was also hurt by being only a league-average pitcher for most of his career.

      and for a clutch pitcher, he sure compiled a lot of -WPA (his WPA was negative in 5 of his last 7 seasons)

    5. I can't listen to the radio right now. Both Reusse and Barreiro are completely indignant that anyone is upset about their subjective opinions on who maybe did steroids and who maybe didn't. They're being very talk to the hand about it, thinking because it's subjective they shouldn't have to defend themselves.

  18. Jeff Mangum is tonight, and I'm super excited. This'll be the first concert I've been to since seeing The Hold Steady before I went to Prague last October.

    1. Awesome. Might I get to see their stuff my way if all this works out. (Not that y'all got to see any New Glarus when they built a 20 million dollar brewery.)

          1. My mom stocks the vodka, which is very good. I'll have to request the bourbon next time I head up there.

            1. Ok, I see its only available at the distillery. Maybe I should pay them a visit next time. Its not like New Richmond os far from Somerset.

              1. Chicone's carries it, though call ahead to see if they have any on hand. They were out the last time I headed over there. Or, hit up the distillery - might be fun.

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