69 thoughts on “November 5, 2013: Guy Fawkes”

  1. It'll probably be someone else you know being burnt in effigy soon enough.

    I'm not saying anything, but y'all should make plans away from the new Vikings Stadium on the August 5 before it opens.

    1. I know of no reason why the 5th of August should be forgot. Not quite the same roll off the tongue, but I'm sure we'll get used to it.

  2. I'm not entirely sure there isn't anything more unbearable than working in northern Illinois the day of and the day after a Packers-Bears game.

    1. Seriously, this has been brutal. Did something happen to Aaron Rodgers last night? Because it sounds like he was injured and people around here are ecstatic about it and its making me a little grossed out.

      1. broken collarbone or shoulder sprain. I dont think anything is 'official' yet other than Rodgers is out

        1. So I'm justified in finding the "Da Bears" and "How do you like that one Packer fans?" people to be repugnant?

          1. I'd say so. That's pretty gross. I follow a couple of Bears fans on Twitter who weren't necessarily cheering the injury, but they were talking about how they had a chance to win the game then. That was gross enough for me.

            Mostly I'm sad. And a little thankful that I care a lot less about football than I did a few years ago, because otherwise I'd be crushed.

            1. I follow a couple of Bears fans on Twitter who weren't necessarily cheering the injury, but they were talking about how they had a chance to win the game then.

              I feel like tone matters a lot with a comment like that. It could be a sort of acknowledgement that Rodgers is a really good player and he is a key to the Packers' offense, so it obviously hurts the Packers and helps the Bears if he's injured. Or it could be someone being a jackass.

  3. While listening to the reaction of NFL people to the Richie Incognito story, the thought occurred to me that the NFL needs a new post-season award: The Captain Louis Renault Trophy.

    2. I've only read a couple articles and heard an espn.com video blurb on this story, and maybe this is low expectations, but I was actually surprised at how offended the ESPN talking head seemed to be by Incognito's messages to Martin. As in, he seemed as offended as you would expect a decent person to be.

        1. The first and only comment I saw on this story was from a Dolphins fan who said Martin needed to "Grow a pair" so this would go away and they could put their best team on the field. White guy with a shaved head.

      2. I agree that they've sounded offended. I just think it's PR. I don't believe this is an isolated incident, and I don't believe no one knew about it until now. I think it happens in other places, too, and people either are okay with it or turn a blind eye to it.

        1. I don't know that the talking heads were aware of the extent. They might have heard through the grapevine that Incognito was a bad guy, but the details likely didn't make it far out of the organization. I haven't really seen any solidly sourced comments from the Dolphins, but I'm sure they were aware on some level.

    3. While at the repository, I found this.

      Good Guy Award
      The Good Guy Award is given out by the Pro Football Writers Association in each NFL city to the player(s) who best helps the media do its job. In the 2012 season, Incognito was awarded this honor by the South Florida Chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association

      Seriously, this is a thing?

        1. I'm wondering how much of it was providing access to the media or just his behavior giving them a lot of easy stories to write.

    4. My initial comment was really directed more toward the ex-athletes, coaches, and executives I heard interviewed.

      1. Apropos of that, it is rather stunning how much gambling discussion there is in the media regarding the NFL. For all the talk about point spreads, you would think that gambling was legal everywhere. Newsflash: in the overwhelming majority of the country, gambling on NFL games is not legal.

  5. Seeking some feedback on appropriate level of anger:

    I am less than 2 hours away from being maxed out on my vacation time at work, and will earn that + before this pay period ends (max is 250 hours). I also have 11+ hours of comp time that I'll burn through before I even touch vacation time. I am scheduled to take 4 days starting tomorrow.

    I was recently assigned work for an area that I do not usually practice, because no one else was available on the relevant day. The relevant day got switched by powers outside our influence to a different day - specifically, a day I am on vacation. Other people in the office, who routinely handle this issue, are available that day, though it'll be a little bit of a chore for them to handle the matter.

    Yesterday several supervisors had a discussion about what to do with the matter. Ultimately they decided to check whether I would be out of town or not, because if I was in town they wanted me to come in and do it anyway.

    I was fairly stunned.

      1. I certainly can be out of town, but... I'm more interested in the level of anger others would feel, than the solution to the particular problem.

        Oh, also, all of the supervisors - who routinely handle this kind of matter - are available that day, but want to go to a baby shower. The other person who would likely take this matter - and routinely handles them - is the wife of one supervisors.

        1. Yeah, outrage. Are you in a position to say something with fear of reprisal? Yes? Then say it. No? Be out of town or be prepared to be working.

            1. Do you actually have to be out of town, or just say you will be? Unless you have a creepy stalker....

              1. I had to justify my absence with a specific location and reason (St. Cloud, deer hunting). When I did so, they questioned whether deer hunting was really starting this weekend.

                1. Oy. Supervisors can't (read: won't) do it because baby shower, but don't mind interrupting a staff member's scheduled vacation time? That is not cool.

                    1. Well crap.
                      Then I'd better change my plans to blow up the coming Vikings Stadium with barrels of gunpowder, eh?

                    9. However... AMR's spelling was used by 8.7% while Spookymilk's spelling by a mere 8.1%. Of course, this also shows that 1.8% are idiots and a majority of the country are just ignorant.

                      Wikipedia points to Twain's Tom Sawyer, Detective as a source for mumblety, but I can't find proof that mumbledy is in The Yearling. (It appears that the text is not in the public domain. Can that be so?)

                      FWIW, our scout troop played "Stretch" with teams (started 1-on-1 and kept adding) and it was played with moderately-sharpened branches. Or it was, until it was banned by the adult leaders. Probably afraid we would start using knives.

                    12. Wow...some of those spellings are hilarious.

                      I don't know that I've seen it written more than two or three times in my life. I committed to a spelling, Chrome didn't dislike it and I moved forward.

    2. Ugh, your management sucks. Someone turns in a vacation request, has enough hours for it and gets it approved, then they don't work those days unless they volunteer.

      I wouldn't be seeing red in your situation, but my heart rate would sure be starting to accelerate.

      2. As someone who supervises staff and sometimes has externally-generated-crisis-deadlines, I can appreciate that the world can change, necessitating calling staff back from planned days off. I avoid it like the plague because it's not cool. But I can appreciate that sometimes it is not avoidable.

        I have friends in the private sector who've been boned much worse (vacation plans disrupted at the last minute, sent on out-of-town travel for business purposes). Not that that helps here.

        In this case, the "crisis" is fake. From your description, this is clearly something that the supervisors should be handling themselves.

        1. Indeed. I've cut vacation short/delayed going in the past for legitimate reasons. But this is... uncool.

    3. You and I have chatted about similar things in the past. I'd say you're best served by being "out of town" as we've already established that logical decision making fairness common decency a healthy supervisor/subordinate relationship is nigh on unattainable.

    4. Be out of town and unable to reach neither phone nor computer for the duration.
      At least officially.

      Vent some to those around you and slam some beers and let off some steam.

    5. My supervisor has been dragging his feet as to my vacation time over the coming holiday season. There is nothing on the schedule that would prevent me from taking the week off, but he is determined to cost me hundreds of dollars in increased airfare for some reason. I had to talk to hr to finally get the process moving. I was pretty pissed that a simple request for time off took this much finagling.

        1. agreed. Your conditions of employment or employment contract should clearly stipulate the leave to which you are entitled, and the conditions under which it may be taken or denied. And those conditions really shouldn't have anything to do with why you want to take the leave. They should have to do with business needs.

          1. In my case, the supervisors determine "business needs," real or imagined, and there is no recourse for questioning that. I really work for an awful organization.

  6. from Britt Robson

    The first time I knew in my bones that the Timberwolves could be something special this season occurred right after Love had nailed the clutch three-pointer to send the game into overtime against Orlando on opening night. As the Wolves strolled on the court for the extra period, Love walked up behind Rubio, massaged his shoulders, and tousled his hair. The team’s best player was providing affection, encouragement and confident solidarity to the second-best player, right after performing as the hero. Kevin Love is all-in for 2013-14.

  8. The Twins have formally expressed interest in free agent hurler Ervin Santana, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Santana could prove to be too pricey for Minnesota, however, as Tim predicts that he will command a deal in the range of $75MM over five years.

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