138 thoughts on “February 11, 2013: Musical Gold Gloves”

  1. Bleck, I had a harrowing adventure getting to Orlando last night. And by harrowing, I mean that my 7:30 flight out of Detroit was delayed two hours (mechanical problems! in a Boeing!) so I didn't arrive here until 1 am, getting to the hotel at about 2. I did manage to wake up at a bit after 6 to work out, but I'm still going to be dead most of the day.

  2. So, I was bit by a friend's dog at a party last night, and if I hadn't been wearing my sweatshirt the pooch would have ripped out a good chunk of flesh. As it is I'm left with a 2 inch tearing of sub dermal tissue, but no bleeding so no visit to the doc. My friend feels pretty bad, and his wife was really upset, but I'm not sure what my response is. It's likely that I'll just drop the issue and move on, but I'm still a bit pissed off about the whole thing.

    2. A friend's dog gave me a similar-sounding bite during my time in LA. The bruise it left was the biggest of my life. The worst part was that I was to be the dog's sitter for the next five days.

    3. That sucks, meat. Its never an easy situation with dogs. I'm a dog bite veteran, although it was our dog so I had to put up with it for 6 or so god damned years. Eventually, when the Trinket started to move around more I had to put him down. So, in summary, I hope this was an isolated incident and not a symptom of a larger problem with the dog, but if it is, your friends don't ignore it.

      1. Aww, geez. I know I've been gone awhile, but I'm sorry to hear you had to put him down. Seemed like a nice enough pooch in my limited interaction with him.

        1. That was what was hard. At times it seemed like he had turned a corner and only show his nice, lackadaisical side, but then after a few days it was me having to get a hold of him before he could get a hold of me. So, I did what I had to do before I snapped and strangled him, which I was close to doing a few times. But hey, things are far less stressful around the house now and we don't have to worry about the other dog or the cat being a problem with the Trinket.

          1. sympathies.

            I had to have our first cat put down after The Boy was born. She'd always been nasty to everyone but me (and sometimes the Mrs.), but she had a nervous breakdown after the The Boy entered the fold. Stopped grooming and got much more unpredictable. It was very hard.

            1. we're lucky so far. one of our cats is scared of his own shadow, so he's nowhere near the boy. the other is remarkably laid back as it is, but has still shown amazing patience.

              1. The amazing patience applies to our cocker. Its incredible what she'll let the Trinket do, including laying on her with all her weight, which is incredibly cute and hilarious to see. The cat is less laidback, but has shown a willingness to get the heck out of the area when she's getting annoyed. There's been a couple nips, but nothing to worry about.

                Thanks for the sympathies, bS. I drowned those sorrows in a six pack of Tyranena Oktoberfest and a good chunk of a bottle of Bulleit.

                  1. Yesterday, GRZ but a headband around our male cat's back. I'm amazed how much patience they have, too.

  3. I heard Prince's strut out on stage to present the Best Record of the Year stole the whole show (Grammys).

    2. I'm kinda disappointed we haven't seen the Mumford and Sons .gif in celebration of their win last night.

        1. I only saw a commercial leading up to the show, but when they said M&S would be performing, that was all I could think about.

        2. Thank You.

          My wife listens to Cities 97 a lot so I hear a bunch of M&S. I can't hear the band without this image in my head.

    4. most of the evening for me was putting names to horrible songs that i've been hearing. for example, when bruno mars (?) was playing, i thought to myself, "ohh, so that's the guy that's blatantly ripping off the police." and then sting joined him on stage so i figured he must be okay with it.

          1. He's got a song about throwing himself in front of a grenade for you.
            Or he'll throw a grenade in front of you.
            Or maybe he is a grenade for you.

            It didn't stick, but my introduction was the lyrics when my SiL made fun of them and I had not context.
            I seem to remember that the video reminded me of UNKLE's "Rabbit in Your Headlights."

            1. As far as I can tell, you win...something

              Is I'd catch a grenade for ya
              Throw my hand on the blade for ya
              I'd jump in front of a train for ya
              You know I'd do anything for ya

              See I would go through all this pain
              Take a bullet straight through my brain
              Yes I would die for ya, baby
              But you won't do the same

              1. you know, i'd heard something about these lyrics, but seeing them in their entirety... wow. that's godawful. what situation would require you to jump in front of a train for someone?

                1. As I remember your eyes
                  Were bluer than robin's eggs
                  "My poetry was lousy", you said
                  Where are you calling from?
                  A booth in the Midwest

              1. Linds loves him so, so much.

                My daughters are like that about Justin Beiber. I'm getting lots of practice in biting my tongue and not saying anything since I can't say anything nice.
                Can't wait until they are teenagers.

                  1. Eight and six, respectively. The best part is that I'm pretty sure the eight-year-old is already taller than Bieber.

                    1. Value of homeschooling, I tell you what.
                      HPR digs Colin Stetson, Lydia Loveless, and the Bottle Rockets, but he's a boy, and that's different.
                      CER thinks Lydia drinks too much and that Colin Stetson is very noisy.
                      CER digs her mom's music, Lana Del Rey, and Björk.
                      AJR is all about Bob Marley, though I've caught her grunting along with Koko Taylor.

                      CER, HPR, and my wife, were all very impressed with Purity Ring's "Fineshrine", but I don't think that one has deciphered the lyrics yet.

      2. Im am not afraid of saying that I really like the song 'Locked Out of Heaven' (the one that sound like a Police song)

        I would never buy his album

  4. 1978 World Series, Game 7:
    In the second inning, Otto Velez doubled to lead-off and advanced to third and scored on two separate ground balls. Dick Bremer would have died and gone to heaven!
    In the fourth, Denver tied it back up when Darrell Porter scored from second base on a two-out single by Bob Jones.
    In the fifth, Velez homered to push the lead back to 2-1.
    Denver put together a rally in the eighth as they loaded the bases with one out. Will McEnaney entered to reliever Steve Rogers and struck out both Porter and Pedro Guerrero to escape. McEnaney then pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to clinch the World Series for the Empire Builders!

      3. Not sure, my team is slowly but surely getting old. Gary Thomasson wants $1.7mil/yr for 8 years to resign. On the one hand, that's beyond crazy. On the other hand, he is probably the best left-handed platoon bat in the league. Still, that's not happening on a $12mil payroll. I don't have any other key players up for free agency. Ken Oberkfell is probably ready to be on the Major League team for good, but neither Richie Hebner, nor Davey Lopes justifies getting supplanted at this point. Pascual Perez is also ready for the rotation, so he might bump Dennis O'Toole to long relief.

          1. Catcher: Fisk, 30 years old (best prospect in my minors is probably Masataka Nashida who is already 25)
            First base: Tony Perez, 36 years old (no prospects in the minors, but I can probably shift a lot of players there - Richie Hebner could shift there from 3b if necessary)
            Second base: Lopes, 33 years old (best prospect is Oberkfell, but Steve Macko, Tim Flannery, and Neil Fiala all could be useful, but would probably be stretched as full-time starters)
            Third base: Hebner, 30 years old (best prospect is Oberkfell, also Skeeter Barnes)
            Shortstop: Art Howe, 31 years old (best prospect is Dickie Thon)
            OF: Reggie Smith, 33 years old; Otto Velez, 27 years old and _____ with Thomasson department - probably Yasushi Tao, 24 years old (prospects include Mike Davis, Kaname Yashiki, and Tao; 26 year old Jerry White - yes, that Jerry White - could also be a decent 4th outfielder)

            SPs: Phil Niekro, 39 years old; Bert, 27 years old; Steve Rogers, 29 years old; John Denny, 25 years old; Dennis O'Toole, 29 years old (prospects include Pascual Perez, Pat Underwood, Mike Morgan, and Brian Holton)
            Relievers: Bill Campbell, 30 years old; Will McEnaney, 26 years old; bunch of scrubs (prospects include Willie Hernandez and Victor Cruz)

            Basically, John Denny was my only core player under 27 years old and my farm system ranks 13th out of 20th, but doesn't really have any impact players, but mostly role players. It might get ugly if all the players get old at once.

  6. Deadspin digs into some anomalies in that NFL fan map.

    The mascot of Plymouth High School, one of the two high schools in Washington County [North Carolina], is the Vikings. They even use a mirror image of Minnesota's logo. We called the school system and the local paper, but were were informed that anyone who might have known how this came to be has long since retired.

      1. IIRC, NFL allows high-school teams to use their logos free of charge.
        The NCAA does not and some schools got nicked recently for using the Sconnie W.

        Champlin-Park Rebels use the Flying Elvis Patriots logo.

        1. Wisconsin is pretty hardcore about enforcing that. Seems to me like it would be decent marketing/awareness - particularly if just using a Vikings logo can cause some sort of Viking fandom bump in North Carolian - but whatever. I think I read that Kasnas State licenses their logo for like a dollar or something.

        2. Breck or Blake (I always get those two mixed up) uses the the Denver Broncos mascot. I think they are the Mustangs.

          Didn't the North Dakota Fight Sue use the Chicago Blackhawks mascot on their sweaters?

        4. I want it noted for the record that Spamtown's Finest came by their nickname honestly and independently of those cheesehead poseurs by the bay. Scarlet and white, baby.

        5. I don't know if my alma matter still uses it, but UW-Stout was the Blue Devils. I was never a fan.

    2. the padre should like this one:

      Bears in Alpine County, Calif., and McCreary County, Ky.
      Alpine County is almost all U.S. National Forest land and has no incorporated towns. McCreary County too overlaps National Forest land and also has no incorporated towns. While I can't prove it, I believe that both of these counties are primarily occupied by bears, and these bears have access to Facebook.

  8. So I was stranded in St. Paul because of the Fargo blizzard last night. My friend recently moved to St. Paul, and I had to park on the street. My car was parked on the plow route Friday & Saturday evening. Last night I went to get food, and moved it to an east/west street near by. His girlfriend spent the night, and she moved to an east/west street as well. I parked directly in front of her.

    I went out to move my car at 7:30 and it was gone. I called her to see if it was there when she left, but it was not. I called the impound lot and they fucking towed me.

    So, it looks like I'm out several hundred dollars (that I don't really have). And I'm about 100% positive that I was parked legally. It seems like the system is designed to make recourse impossible. And I feel like I have none. Do any of you know of a way I can uh... perhaps deal with this? I can't remember the last time I was this mad.

      1. This is somehow even worse than that. I wasn't sure that was possible!

        I just checked the official St. Paul snow emergency map, and the side of the street I was parked on was not designated a Night Plow route. I was parked in a legal parking space on that street. It's not too cynical of me to think they saw an out of state license plate and assumed they could get one over on some idiot in town from North Dakota is it?

        I am furious.

    2. I had a similar situation in 2006. The cost is ludicrous. I had to come up with $285, said the little prat behind the bulletproof glass. I made several calls and got the cash I needed after walking a mile in each direction, all on a day that I'd hoped to spend finding Skim's second birthday present. I got back to the prat and presented the money. He said it had to be exact change - my stack of 20s couldn't add up to $285. You should have told me that in the first place, I said. I'm pretty sure I did, said the prat. Would I have come back without it if you had, prat? Meanwhile, he sits there in front a stack of five-dollar bills. He's got exactly what I need to make $285.

      Walked a half-mile to the closest convenience store. Get the change. Go back. Give the prat his hard-earned money. Glare at him for an uncomfortable amount of time, and finally say "I fully understand the bulletproof glass now." His fearful look is the only positive that comes from the situation.

      1. Ugggggggh. That sounds miserable.

        So after several phone calls, I finally found the right office to talk to. They said that the street I parked on WAS legal to park on and that my car should NOT have been towed. She found the ticket and confirmed the location they wrote it for was incorrect. As long as her superior approves it, they will reimburse me for all my fees. Now, I don't think that probably includes the stress I've felt all day and the hours I spent on the phone, but at least I'm not out close to $300 due to their error.

        I still have to go to the impound lot and get my car, and I have to pay them today for the full cost while I wait for reimbursement. It could've gone much worse. And the woman who I spoke with was extremely helpful. But what a cluster.

        1. It could've gone much worse. And the woman who I spoke with was extremely helpful. But what a cluster.

          Yep. That sounds like my city services department...sorry you had to experience it. Between the overzealous parking enforcement and because of the plow drivers, if it snows, I move my car even when there isn't a snow emergency. They'll bury your car up to the mirrors without a moments hesitation and last month managed to hit the tree on my boulevard - 4 feet off the curb and in no way small. Took a 6-inch chunk out of the bark at shoulder level! I'm hoping it seals up before spring so the tree doesn't die.

  9. Jonah Keri rates the 15 worst (i.e. untradeable) cont(edit: r)acts in baseball. Where do you think Mauer's contract lands?

    Spoiler SelectShow

    1. Not sure about his contract, but I'm assuming Mauer has good vision and would thus not be on a list like that.

      1. I'm surprised the Commish has not invoked the "best interests of baseball" clause to simply reassign him to Boston or the Yankmes.

    3. Who is mentioned in the list, albeit in only a "possibly honorable mention" way: Kevin Correia. Speaking of which, anyone listen the Gleeman's podcast to see if he was mentioned yet again?

          1. I think I'm good- assuming our IT department got everything rolled out at 10AM like they claimed they were going to.

      2. I just got to the part where they talk about Bonnes' gout. I'll take a million repetitions of the Correia deal over that.

  10. So... how about that Pope guy, huh? Treading lightly with religion here, but... on a historical front, this is pretty remarkable. Of course, it was suggested for JPII a lot too, so maybe the normal mode of things is changing a bit?

      1. As a Catholic, I admit some trepidation about people deciding to stick by this guy despite him clearly indicated that they shouldn't. I'm more curious about the next guy though. There's always a next guy. That's part of the fun!

                1. That one and the one with the bear traps.
                  I was always falling asleep before this show came on, so it was always even less coherent than it should be.

      1. A Vatican reporter for an Italian news agency. Seems like knowing Latin is part of the job description.

  11. Well, we're getting a new firewall at work in about twenty minutes. In the past, they've only filtered Internet Explorer, so I was basically unaffected. I can't wait to find out if our IT department has finally realized there are other browsers that people use.

  12. I used to think that Magic Johnson was worthless as a TV commentator. Worth. Less. Maybe it's me, but I think he's really gotten pretty good in the last year or so. Does this mean that Shaq will eventually become listenable?

  13. So, 18" of snow in SBGville yesterday. The streets are impassible and the city's snowplow is stuck. The state highway towards work is impassible. I'm stuck where I am.

    1. I kind of miss forced days off, particularly in long workday stretches like the one I'm in. Of course, I live two blocks away, so if the store opened I'd be one of the few who was expected to make it.

      1. we're told that if we don't feel comfortable coming in, we don't have to, but we have to use our vacation time. When I worked at the nursing home, there was no excuse. If you had to call a cab or a tow truck or a helicopter to get to work, you better do it

        1. Oh the joys of being able to "work from home" (quiet Rhu) to avoid wasting vacation days on mother nature. If the weather looks like its going to be terrible, I bring my laptop home with some files and the what not. Send out a couple emails during the course of the day and boom, no vacation wasted.

          1. Yeah, I suppose it's nice to know I'll never be burning vacation time because of weather out here.

            In Yakima, I once had to use a vacation day because there was a power outage that took out a mile stretch that included our store. That was a kick in the teeth.

                1. We wondered the same thing.

                  We merchandised as much as we could in the dark until we got to the stuff that was so far back in the store that there was no seeing it. By the time the three of us went outside, the brightness of the sun made us feel like vampires.

                  1. I hope there was plenty of goofing around during that time. All work in a power outage would make you guys some sort of weirdos.

            2. When the downtown water main was cut a few weeks ago, we got let off for the afternoon and weren't told to take vacation time.
              Here I am imagining them telling us to "work until you can't hold it anymore."

              1. Plus, we had all spent the past 30 to 60 minutes staring out the windows remarking about how that's a lot of water.
                "That sure is a lot of water."
                "Yep, not as much as the river, but it's at least one block each direction."
                "Yep."
                "Wish there weren't buildings in the way so we could see if its pouring down the side of the bridge."
                "That'd be cool. Too bad about the buildings in the way."
                Etc.

  14. I got this in an e-mail today:

    Thank you for saving your money with HSBC Bank USA, N.A. We want to let you know that your HSBC Advance Online Savings account Annual Percentage Yield (APY) was lowered to 0.10% APY1 as of February 11, 2013.

    When I opened this account in 2006, the APR was 6.05%

    1. Ditto. It has been depressing watching it drop. I think I have all the emails still; sounds like a graph is needed.

  16. this was going to be the year 🙁

    Alan Horton ‏@WolvesRadio
    In dropping 15 of their last 17g the #twolves are now just 3 games ahead of #suns for last in the Western Conference.

  19. 30+ inches of snow on The Aussie (grill) up till 2 hours ago:

    On The Grill (no-purchase nacht):

    2 Xmas-gift bacon-wrapped tenderloins
    Boiled baby potatoes in tin-foil with Irish butter
    last of the Haricots verts and asparagus sprayed with olive oil Pam
    a piece of corn cut into 2 (prolly from So. Hemisphere)

    NBB 1, Nor'Easter Nemo 0.

  20. She: The dryer just seems to run for hours, nothing getting dried.
    Me: Perhaps the 30+ inches of snow is a problem, blocking the dryer vent?
    She: Unh. What do we do?
    Me: Grab a shovel (me having been grabbing a shovel all day/weekend long) and clear the snow from around the dryer vent.
    She: Unh.

    (half an hour later)

    She: Problem resolved.
    Me: (nothing)

    4. I hope you hired him on the spot.
      You gonna go for the quick canning, or you gonna string him along for a while before you fire him?

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