51 thoughts on “March 18, 2016: The parking lot seemed sparse…”

  1. Hey, there isn't even any stock coffee in that stock photo! I bet that guy didn't even actually tell a joke!

      1. "...So I sent him over to accounts payable. You should have seen the look on his face."

      1. Reminds me of something you'd see in an airport terminal or one of those airline seatback magazines.

  2. Last night I used the typewriter I bought almost twenty years ago to write a letter to a friend. I had to rethread the ribbon, which had broken, through the vibrator, and I wasn't entirely successful in getting it to stay put or taut. There's also some kind of odd skip in the mechanism that produces spaces where there shouldn't be any (it definitely wasn't me hitting SPACE by mistake), but otherwise it worked pretty well. Holy smokes, the effort & dexterity required to type on a manual keyboard is something else when you've become accustomed to the easy action of computer keyboard switches! But it was fun to be able to format the letter manually, without using built-in justifications or anything. And the sound is very, very satisfying when you're at full tilt.

    I got curious after I finished the letter and hunted around until I found the serial number, which I was able to look up online. My Remington Rand Model Seventeen was produced in September 1939, making it the oldest mechanical device in our mid-century house by over twenty years. Apparently there are people out there who collect typewriters (of course there are), which seems like something you'd need a ton of space to do properly. But I already could see myself warming up to writing on mine more frequently; it's absolutely charming when you're doing it for fun.

      2. Back at college hardware lab we had the idea of interfacing a computer to a robotic hand to type on a typewriter, then decided it should type on a computer keyboard, then decided that would be the coolest way to create self-modifying code.

      3. I'd probably type better on the iPad with that than the touchscreen.
        I really don't like touchscreens. And for some reason, I have a problem activating no-touch faucets. Maybe I'm part vampire? At cub scout summer camp, I had to have HPR turn on the faucets for me. Sometimes in my work washroom, I've got to wait and wiggle my hands all around. (I've got no problem activating automatic doors though.)

        Shorter AMR: "GOML"

        1. I'm not a huge fan of typing on touchscreens, if for no reason other than half the screen gets used up by the keyboard in landscape mode. (Portrait mode, not so big a deal.) Usually I take a Bluetooth keyboard with me whenever I'm taking my iPad (which has replaced the need for a laptop) somewhere, but it's nice to have the option to leave even that bit of additional encumbrance behind if I'm just going to my mother-in-law's for the weekend or something.

          Re: faucets – I've wanted a faucet with a foot pedal actuation for our kitchen sink for a long time. When you have raw meat (especially chicken) or are simply really messy, it'd be awesome to be able to run the faucet with your foot instead. I'm not similarly enthusiastic about an automatic faucet, though.

          1. I'm fine with the old-fashioned faucets when there's paper towels so I can turn off the sink with the towel. It bugs me when there's a manual faucet and an air-dryer. Or I love it when there are paper towels and the garbage can is nowhere near the door (because I use the towel to grab the door handle, too). If the garbage is on the other side, I open the door with the towel and then do my best to chuck the towel back. If I miss, oh well.

            I'm not even a germaphobe. I just figure bathroom handles kinda suck.

            1. Dido on your procedure. I get fairly frosty when I notice someone is exiting the restroom without having washed their hands.

              1. Depending on the cleanliness of the facility, sometimes I'm convinced I'm better off not touching anything besides my zipper.

            2. Also hated: stacked paper towels at the sink. How in tarnation am I supposed to pick one of these up without getting the entire stack soaked? By thinking a few seconds ahead and pulling one before I begin to wash my hands? Puh-leaze, this is the 20th 21st century!

            3. OK this LTE branch is somewhat 1Q16 Festivus'ish so I'll bite:

              The meat counter at my grocery store in WeHa decided to implement a number-system (you pull the next number, and they call it out).

              I am the only one there, and refuse to pull a number.

              He (the butcher): We have a new system. You have to pull a number.
              Me: One sweet and one spicy Italian sausage.
              He: ...
              Me: I'm not pulling a stupid number. I'm the only one here.
              He: Umm... OK.
              (He wraps the sausages, then just before I leave)
              He: What do you think of the new system?
              Me: It sucks, I probably won't shop here anymore.
              He: Mannn!!

              OK so I still shop there, but am avoiding the meat counter. And cholesterol. I got shrimp today instead in defiance.

              1. More 1Q Festivus:

                At Starbux in WeHa, they now have it where you can mobile in your order, and then just pick it up.

                After an 8 mile run this morning, I stopped in to get a Flat White, and the line was really long. I placed my order, and stood and waited. While waiting, many people waltzed in the door, walked up to the counter and said, I'm -name-, is my -drink- ready? Then they would scurry about and see if it was done, and the walk-ins would be like: 'Hey, I pre-ordered, hello?'

                So what you thot was a line of 12 was actually a line of 12 plus 12 pre-order-walk-in's.

                Not doing that again.

    2. I have my grandfather's old Royal #10 out in the garage. They debuted in 1914 and it's one of the early years with two glass windows, so it's got to be close to 100 years old now. I've always wanted to get it fixed up but gave up after the last typewriter repair shop in the metro closed several years ago.

      1. Fixing that is exactly the kind of thing I'd love to know how to do. If it was mine, I'd give it a shot, but I'd be too worried about ruining someone else's family heirloom.

          1. Yeah, that's part of my motivation too. But in the interim it'd be "my {item}" so if I did wreck it, I'd be out, not someone else. Buying, repairing, and flipping, I really would like to do more of that.

          2. Why aren't there about sixteen semi-restored diesel VW Rabbits, Cabriolets, and Rabbit Pickups in your yard?

            1. Lord help my bank account and FW's patience if I ever have room for a garage where I can wrench on stuff.

            2. Oh man, there's a guy in Edgerton that does have an old Rabbit pickup diesel. I ran into him at a gas station once and its pretty awesome. Of course, I don't really have the full auto mechanical abilities to restore an old vehicle, otherwise my own might not look quite as rough.

  3. Alex Meyer and Jose Berrios sent down. Berrios hadn't pitched well in ST but he'll be in the bigs soon. No concern there.

    What's up with Alex Meyer? He seemed on the verge 2 years ago and now can't even crack a sniff at the bullpen? A good Alex Meyer could be a nice part o. Having a respectable pitching staff.

    1. I'm a little disappointed that they didn't give Berrios a legitimate shot. Not surprised, but a little disappointed.

      Kennys Vargas was sent down, too. Again, no surprise, but I really wish they would trade him. They don't have a spot for him unless someone gets hurt, and it's not going to do him or the Twins any good for him to spend another year in AAA. I don't know what they can get for him, but whatever it is, it's likely to be more than they can get for him a year from now. I still think he can play, but the Twins disagree, so they might as well get what they can.

      1. You just said that they don't have a spot for him unless someone gets hurt. If they trade him, then who comes up when someone gets hurt? Sounds to me that the Twins DO have a spot for him, and it's backup insurance when someone gets hurt. Do you really think the Twins think he can't play? I think they think he can't play as well as others on the team, that's all.

            1. No, I mean if they thought he could play reasonably close to as well as Park. They didn't spend a bunch of money on Park to get a slight upgrade. They spent it because they think Park is significantly better. And maybe he is, I don't know.

              I'm not sure what we're arguing about. The Twins have three DH/first base types. They can't play them all. To me, it makes sense to trade one of them, and the logical one is Vargas.

              1. I wouldn't say they spent a "bunch of money" on Park. From a resource standpoint, his signing is more significant for the slot on the roster he takes up than the money. He's costing them less than some of their arbitration players. But yeah, three DH/1B types, not including Mauer. They must feel Park is significantly better, otherwise they'd trot out Vargas and Arcia and hope one of them sticks and spend their resources on a catcher or relief pitching or something (or an outfielder so Sano could DH).

              2. You NEED three DH/first base types: one first baseman, one DH, and one reserve when someone is injured, like you stated earlier. The fact that the Twins haven't traded him isn't because they don't feel he can play, it's because they don't feel he can play as well as the two ahead of him, but he is an adequate insurance towards injury. You don't just trade away players because there is no spot on the big league roster, particularly if they are your backup plan.

    3. I'm also disappointed that they've already made the decision to move Trevor May to the bullpen. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy - they think he can still be a starter but really need the bullpen help. Of course they need better arms in the bullpen, that's what happens when you decide not to do anything about it in the off-season.

      Maybe the Twins mean it and really think he can be a starter down the road, but I have a hard time seeing them moving him from the bullpen if he does a good job out there.

      1. He's 26 and turns 27 before the end of the season. These are prime years and they're going to be used out of the bullpen instead of the rotation.

        1. It is really annoying to remember this started because the team chose to keep Mike f'ing Pelfrey in the rotation instead.

      2. I hope the Twins actually do have five starters better than Trevor May, because if they do, they should have a pretty good rotation.

      3. I'm not saying that this is what the Twins are doing, but I feel like there was something to be said for the somewhat old-school tactic of putting a rookie starter in long relief for a while before putting him in the starting rotation. Obviously May's appearances last year were way too short to be considered long relief, but if you look back to Santana in 2003, he had 48.0 IP in 27 appearances out of the bullpen.

        Even just having a strong-ish long reliever seems like a lost tactic. It seems not uncommon that a starter will struggle to make it through the 5th inning, but the other team's starter has struggled as well, so the game is close. Instead of blowing out your entire bullpen to make it to the 9th, it's a great option to have someone come in and give you 2-3 innings. No, it's not a "high leverage" situation, but that's not the only sort of value that you can get from your bullpen.

        And if you're trying to limit a younger pitcher's workload moving him from the minors to the majors, it has benefits there, and even just putting a less experienced pitcher in lower leverage situations has its benefits.

    1. Kevin Love part 2! Nice to know Rambis didn't learn from his experience with the Wolves.

  5. Well, here we are again. 11 games to go in the NHL season and the Wild are hanging around the wildcard race. It's time for...

    Wild Playoff Watch 2016 - They Aren't Going to Make this Easy Edition

    The Wild are one point behind the Avalanche for the final playoff spot. Everyone else is either 10+ points ahead of them or in the Pacific Division so it doesn't matter. So it seems it will be a two-team race for the 8 seed.

    Colorado -- 71 games played, 76 points
    Minnesota -- 71 games played, 75 points

    First tiebreaker is non-shootout wins -- COL has 33, MIN has 31
    Second tiebreaker is head to head - one game remaining (April 26 in Denver), but the Wild have already clinched this tiebreaker taking 7 points to Colorado's 2 in previous meetings.

    The Wild have 7 home games remaining and 4 on the road.
    The Avs have 5 home and 6 away remaining.

    If Dallas wins the Central, they will be the fourth different team in four years to do so. There is also the chance that the Wild will, for the 4th year in a row, face said division champ in the first round.

    WEEKEND GAMES OF INTEREST:

    Friday -
    Colorado @ Calgary, - Calgary is not good overall, but they've actually been pretty decent at home (20 wins in 37 games)

    Saturday -
    Carolina @ Minnesota - Carolina is 11th in the East and 6 points out of the last spot.

    Sunday -
    Minnesota @ Chicago - Maybe the Wild can convince the Blackhawks to play this one outside.
    Colorado @ Edmonton - Edmonton is at the bottom of the West again, although with a .500 record at home.

    1. the Wild will, for the 4th year in a row, face said division champ in the first round

      Ees Tradition!

      1. I was in first place in my pool (124 people!) after day one.

        By day two, my runner-up was out and my bracket, she is busted.

    2. I have 3 teams left from that entire Midwest region and only 1 , Virginia, advancing past tomorrow

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