45 thoughts on “December 9, 2014: Glutton for Punishment”

  1. This new wave of dystopian fiction is just so bland. I like my dystopian fiction to have some political undertones. Stuff like Hunger Games and Divergent have too much teeny bopper lovey-dovey angst. Maze Runner so far has been entertaining (only through first two). But, like you, I'm a glutton and have been reading them. Mostly because I like staying on top of pop culture.

    1. I thought Hunger Games had the appropriate amount of teenage angst considering it's a book for teenagers featuring teenagers. What bothered me most about the books was that political undertones were bland. The evil people were too evil, and the allegories were too simple to be so heavy-handed.

      1. it's a book for teenagers featuring teenagers

        Somehow, I am not shocked to learn that the politics are cardboard.

      2. The evil people were too evil

        There it is. I can't take it seriously.

        The movie also seems like five minutes' worth of action stretched across 146 minutes, which is strange considering the source material is a novel. I finished it and thought, wait, that's all there is?

        1. That's pretty close to the book. They really lost me during all the pageantry and training to the actual hunger games. In the book the games don't begin until the last 3rd. I also didn't like that it was focused on one main character. I like the idea of the Hunger Games, but would like it much better GRRM style with 7 different points of view (not GRRM in the gore or sex sense).

          1. agreed. I feel like there's so much about the brutality as well as the beauty of man that goes unexplored because we only see it from one character. Heck, there's 24 human beings in the ring with each their own history, and we only get the names of about half of them and only get to know a handful at any level.

            1. this comment makes me think of the TV series Mission: Impossible and the farce that it became as a Tom Cruise-vehicle action film series.

              1. I dunno, I like the Tom Cruise movies. At least I, III, and Ghost Protocol. II could've been an hour shorter had they played it real time instead of slo-mo.

                1. Two was one of those weird movies during the time where they decided that Bond movies were corny and old, so they needed a new rad superspy. There were some horrible movies that came out of that thought (XXX chief among them).

                3. Which one was from Brad Bird? Ghost Protocol?
                  I found that enjoyable. (Though I think he should stick with cartoons. The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Iron Giant were better. (I also think that Wes Anderson should stick to animation.))

                  I don't know if I've watched the others or have a prior M:I reference for comparison.

                  1. yes, Ghost Protocol is Bird.

                    My point is that M:I was an ensemble-cast show. Peter Graves was the leader, but he had a regular ensemble (Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Greg Morris, and Peter Lupus) who all had prominent, recurring roles.

    2. Who needs dystopian fiction after living in the contemporary world?

      I kid.

      Well, only slightly.

    1. Condensed for twitter

      Jon Krawczynski @APkrawczynski
      Flip on GSW: "ever play RISK? I feel like I'm Macedonia with 2 people and I'm surrounded by 50 people and have to roll 12s 49 str8 times"

      2. You not say Macedonia weak!
        Macedonia is game to you?!
        How about I take your little board and smash it?

    1. And, as Gleeman points out:

      Pirates re-signed Francisco Liriano for $39 million over three years.
      Twins still owe Ricky Nolasco another $37 million over three years.
      @AaronGleeman

      1. Liriano last year: 1.5 fWAR. Nolasco: 1.2 fWAR. Gleeman is bitter about Liriano having a great 2013, in front of a great defense. He would not have had that performance on the Twins I think. Let's also ignore the Twins' signing of Hughes go better than anyone's wildest expectations. Not everything can work out great and I think Nolasco can still be just fine.

        1. I still don't remember many people complaining when we cut bait on Liriano, myself included. It's unfortunate for the team that he ended up turning into a useful pitcher, but it happens.

          I think that Nolasco can still work out.

          Either way, we'll have to revisit this in three years before we get too bent out of shape. Right now it looks bad, but after Nolasco leads the team to a 162-0 World Series victory in 2017, we'll be clamoring for the team to pick up the 2018 option and maybe even sign an extension.

          1. This is true for me too - I thought it was a good time to move on from F-Bomb when we did.
            Also, I posted that Gleeman link because that's where I first heard that he wasn't coming back. I should have thought about their respective performances last year before doing so.
            Also, also, I need to do a better job of remembering the good pick-ups before getting all bent out of shape about what this front office is or isn't doing.

            1. I think there's definitely plenty of room to be frustrated with the way the transactional process has progressed (or how it hasn't, rather) over the past few years. The Torii signing is just the latest, ugliest indicator that the front office doesn't seem intent on changing the way they go about things.

              That said, the Hughes signing has been great so far, and they've managed to avoid some landmines the last couple of years, too (granted, they've managed to run into a few, too). This particular battle (Liriano vs. Nolasco) feels half-formed at the moment. I'm willing to be disappointed in hindsight if it doesn't work out. I'll save my instant disgust for i-i.

          2. I didn't have a problem letting Frankie go, but I still like him and wish him all kinds of success in Pitt-town. Heck, the Pirates have become my default NL Central team because of him (and because I'm in the middle of Cubs/Cards country and can't really cheer for either). I would've liked to have seen the Twins get him, but I hope all goes will in Pittsburgh.

        2. Exactly. Both of these things are likely:

          1) Liriano is not as good as he was in 2013.
          2) Nolasco is not as bad as he was in 2014.

          I've stayed quiet about Gleeman lately, not wanting to sound like a broken record. (It helps that I quit listening to his show or paying attention to him on Twitter.) But he's becoming the LENIII of Twins blogging - nowhere near as Souhan as some Twins blogs, but more a comfortably average afterthought. (Does anyone really long for Gleeman's take on anything Twins these days? There seem to be more interesting voices out there.) The guy has legitimate talent, so hopefully he's just burnt out on mediocrity.

          1. I hadn't looked at Gleeman in months. I think I'll go back to not looking.
            Banner Idea:

            The guy WGOM has legitimate talent, so hopefully he's we're just burnt out on mediocrity.

                1. Stop ruining the narrative!

                  (Also, yes, a quick perusal of stats shows it used to be even years that were good. Then, until 2013, it was none years.)

  5. H'istan weather last Saturday was teh Suck. I did get in some quality endurance swimming, but no fitness post. Blech. And I haven't run since Moustache Run (two day work offsite sessions. Blah).

    But did run into this. Dude rocks.

    1. Backup catchers have the highest longevity per production of any players.
      Henry Blanco. Pat Borders. Corky Miller.

        1. If there was a guy who could be a backup catcher and crafty lefty (tough to get that glove though), he could play into his 50's.

  7. In case we always forget that it's not just baseball announcers who are full of teh stoopid, this just happened during the Wild telecast:

    Screenshot showing all 6 NHL players who have won 20 faceoffs in a game this season. Mikko Koivu is listed twice. They say, he's the first Wild in history to do so, and add that he has won 21 faceoffs tonight, so he'll go on the list a third time.

    Color man (Terhaar? I forget who it is): "You want to know Mikko Koivu's value? He brings it in so many ways that aren't always statistically obvious."

    Umm, hello! You just showed part of his value USING NOTHING BUT STATISTICS!!!!!

    1. Mike Greenlay

      I was watching that and shook my head.

      For being "The State of Hockey", both the Wild and Gophers have awful tv announcers.

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