The TPC at Sugarloaf, site of the BellSouth classic, was my last stomping grounds to test my golf game. Mind you, although we all struggle at times with golf (or tennis, whatever), on the whole, I am a solid 3 handicapper and have recorded 4 rounds underpar, my lowest being a 3 under (one 68 and one 69). I play top notch clubs, a nice little right to left draw off the tee, and average around 260 with the big dog.
But I got my ass handed to me...granted, I have been fighting my swing the last couple of months, with ascending scores of 73-73-76-78-80-81. Frustrating as all hell, but I saw the light yesterday at Sugarloaf. However, let me tell you the difference between public (even private) courses and professional venues. If you miss by a little (the amateur version of little), you take it on the chin. Hard. But the BIG/HUGE/MONUMENTOUS difference is the greens. Slicker than ice in Norway, hidden breaks, nasty pin positions, you find NONE of this sort of stuff on the cow pastures we call our local publinks. And while you're working at your 9-5 job, that course is out there practicing every day, waiting for you. I shot an 85. Two 3-jacks, a snowman, another triple, 5 lipped out par putts (the kind that drop on YOUR course), and the sort of humbling you only receive on fraternity initiation night. Granted, I almost drove the 295 yard 13th hole uphill, and I played the closing 18th hole perfectly, the first 13/14 holes were just ugly. It's a great course, one I'd like to take on with my normal/A game, but yesterday, I ripe for the pluckin...score one for the course. :(
I DOES get a little better than that, but it's all a matter of perspective - having a cold Coke (beer?) with my 11 year old son after 18 holes, overlooking the 18th green, is nirvana for me.
Bernie Ecclestone is yet another example of high powered owners leaders who have no frikkin common sense, and never keep their mouth shut. Jimmy the Greek? Al Campanis? Marge Schott? Welcome to the club asswipe. Yet another prejudiced, misogynistic, butthead in a position of high power. Will they never learn. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to dress Danica in something white, like a linen nightie, but I can't see myself playing "open the microwave and turn up the oven baby". Mind-boggling.
I LOVED the final round of the US Open. Despite my semi-prodigious golfing skill (when you compare me to the golfing public at large), I enjoy seeing the pro's really have to work hard to make par, to see them struggle like Joe Average. It helps us yell at the TV "you see, now you know what it feels like". To see the pros shoot high numbers and fight to make par binds us all by encouraging us to empathize with each others' struggle, and to show that they, like us, are human and can be pummelled by a course. I felt bad for Jason Gore, but he'll gain a few endorsements because of his showing, I think. Little extra lettuce in the salad bowl.
ON a final, and personal note, my beautiful wife is a great cook. It's a struggle to keep my waistline below 32, even at my advanced age. And she makes a mean bowl of chili. But this time, she added chipotle peppers to the mix. Oh man, those mofo's are HOT. This time, and she'll find out later in the evening, the term "mean chili" will take on a whole new definition...
6.28.2005
Baseball Update
My Boys looked good over the weekend; winning 13-4 in 95 degree heat on Sunday. With the exception of one inning where they looked like the Keystone Cops (and gave up 2 runs), it was a solid outing. They quickly went up 2-0, but the other team battled back to go up 3-2 after 2 innings. My son pitched the 2 middle innings and gave up a run in each with 2 Ks, generally an excellent outing against another All-star team. Of course, he also notched the W. (He was also 1 for one, with a stolen base, 2 Ws and three runs scored. Papa was proud.) We scored 5 runs the next inning, 1 in the fourth and 5 in the fifth. As the home team, we did not need a sixth inning.
Our closer was money. This young man has got a great arm: he faced their 1 - 6 batters and K'd them all. Our defense record 3 DPs (doubling up runners on line drives) and the kids generally adapted to the new rules pretty well. We were shaky at points, but out of their 6 innings at the plate, we shut them out 3 times due to good pitching and heads-up fielding.
One cute story is that one of our lead-off batters walked and was given the steal sign. He broke down the base path and...nothing happened. Their 2nd baseman and shortstop did not move; their catcher did not hurry to throw and, more disconcerting to our runner, the was no shouting. (Normally on a play like that, everyone, coaches, players, fans, is shouting directions at the same time.) Assuming the play is dead, our runner stops. Finally, I yell to keep going and he gets to second base. He was just totally taken aback by the silence.
All-in-all, no complaints.
Our closer was money. This young man has got a great arm: he faced their 1 - 6 batters and K'd them all. Our defense record 3 DPs (doubling up runners on line drives) and the kids generally adapted to the new rules pretty well. We were shaky at points, but out of their 6 innings at the plate, we shut them out 3 times due to good pitching and heads-up fielding.
One cute story is that one of our lead-off batters walked and was given the steal sign. He broke down the base path and...nothing happened. Their 2nd baseman and shortstop did not move; their catcher did not hurry to throw and, more disconcerting to our runner, the was no shouting. (Normally on a play like that, everyone, coaches, players, fans, is shouting directions at the same time.) Assuming the play is dead, our runner stops. Finally, I yell to keep going and he gets to second base. He was just totally taken aback by the silence.
All-in-all, no complaints.
6.24.2005
Around the Horn...
I am coaching an 8 year old All Star team which my youngest son plays on. We were able to get one practice in before the first Tournament starts tomorrow. It is a big deal for these guys because they are playing with rules from the next age group (so, for example, stealing is permitted). I bring this up because I get a tremendous satisfaction from coaching. More specifically, when a kid who has struggled with something all of the sudden "gets it," it is a great feeling. I am sure that teachers get this feeling, but as an amateur coach, it is very special to me.
In our last game of the regular season, we were down 9-5 going into the last inning to the first place team. This team was the "ringer" team - every league has one and these guys were it.
We then proceed to score 5 runs (the inning limit) to go ahead 10-9. I bring in my best pitcher (in two years, he has yet to let in a run) who promptly strikes out the first batter on three pitches, but yields a triple to the second batter. The next batter his a fly ball that my left fielder makes a GREAT running grab and promptly doubles up the runner on third.
A sunny evening coaching a great bunch of kids. Life does not get much better than that.
* * *
I am ready to write Steinbrenner and offer him my 8 and 9 year olds. Unfortunately, they are 30 years too young and millions too cheap.
But they could not play much worse.
Danica Patrick is a domestic appliance? F1 president Bernie Ecclestone puts his foot in his mouth TWICE. Of course, I could be too harsh. After all, I have not seen Bernie's kitchen...
U.S. Open. Amazing. Three of the Top 4 golfers shoot 80 or above on Sunday to blow it. Even Tiger goes bogey-bogey on 1 and 2, which accounted for his deficit. But think about that: Retief Goosen 81; Olin Browne 80; and Jason Gore 84. Not to take anything away from Michael Campbell, but DAMN.
Connecticut is taking a closer look at coaches' deals outside of the university. The state has said that Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma are "no different" then other state employees. Are you friggin' kidding me? No different except that they put UConn on the map. Except that they and their teams bring in countless dollars in ticket sales, TV deals and booster/alumni cash. The fact is that allowing Calhoun to get a Nike deal allows UConn to pay him less then they would otherwise. So, I am all for this, but Jim and Geno deserve a considerable raise if you cut out their endorsement deals.
The Revolution and FC Dallas are the class of the MLS this year. (I love the trend in the MLS to use "international" names like CD Chivas USA and DC United, though Real Salt Lake does not quite do it for me.) The Revolution has lost only one game and FC has lost only two. At this point, it looks like these teams are a lock for the title game.
* * *
One final kids baseball note. My team ended up 9-3 this year after starting the year off 2-3. While I would love to take some credit, the thing that was amazing was our pitching. As a team, we had a solid 7 or 8 kids who could pitch. Most of the other teams had 4 or 5 if they were lucky. As a result, we out scored our opponents a whopping 25-6 when kids pitched. (In our league, coaches pitch for the first three inning and kids for innings 4 through 6.) My boys were money on the mound.
Just goes to show, at any age, pitching wins games.
In our last game of the regular season, we were down 9-5 going into the last inning to the first place team. This team was the "ringer" team - every league has one and these guys were it.
We then proceed to score 5 runs (the inning limit) to go ahead 10-9. I bring in my best pitcher (in two years, he has yet to let in a run) who promptly strikes out the first batter on three pitches, but yields a triple to the second batter. The next batter his a fly ball that my left fielder makes a GREAT running grab and promptly doubles up the runner on third.
A sunny evening coaching a great bunch of kids. Life does not get much better than that.
* * *
I am ready to write Steinbrenner and offer him my 8 and 9 year olds. Unfortunately, they are 30 years too young and millions too cheap.
But they could not play much worse.
Danica Patrick is a domestic appliance? F1 president Bernie Ecclestone puts his foot in his mouth TWICE. Of course, I could be too harsh. After all, I have not seen Bernie's kitchen...
U.S. Open. Amazing. Three of the Top 4 golfers shoot 80 or above on Sunday to blow it. Even Tiger goes bogey-bogey on 1 and 2, which accounted for his deficit. But think about that: Retief Goosen 81; Olin Browne 80; and Jason Gore 84. Not to take anything away from Michael Campbell, but DAMN.
Connecticut is taking a closer look at coaches' deals outside of the university. The state has said that Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma are "no different" then other state employees. Are you friggin' kidding me? No different except that they put UConn on the map. Except that they and their teams bring in countless dollars in ticket sales, TV deals and booster/alumni cash. The fact is that allowing Calhoun to get a Nike deal allows UConn to pay him less then they would otherwise. So, I am all for this, but Jim and Geno deserve a considerable raise if you cut out their endorsement deals.
The Revolution and FC Dallas are the class of the MLS this year. (I love the trend in the MLS to use "international" names like CD Chivas USA and DC United, though Real Salt Lake does not quite do it for me.) The Revolution has lost only one game and FC has lost only two. At this point, it looks like these teams are a lock for the title game.
* * *
One final kids baseball note. My team ended up 9-3 this year after starting the year off 2-3. While I would love to take some credit, the thing that was amazing was our pitching. As a team, we had a solid 7 or 8 kids who could pitch. Most of the other teams had 4 or 5 if they were lucky. As a result, we out scored our opponents a whopping 25-6 when kids pitched. (In our league, coaches pitch for the first three inning and kids for innings 4 through 6.) My boys were money on the mound.
Just goes to show, at any age, pitching wins games.
6.14.2005
How to fondle little boys and beat the rap...
The big distinction between being guilty and being PROVEN guilty
Michael Jackson. Not guilty. On all counts. I tried my best to NOT follow this circus, even though I was flooded with images and info from all news sources across the TV (although thanks to ESPN for sparing me). I was hoping he'd get convicted and then he could know what it's like to TRULY be someone's little kid. Let's face it, how you can sleep alone with all those little boys pretty much EVERY night without performing some lewd sex act is a difficult concept to accept, especially because of apparent damaging testimony from security personnel. But although MJ is a child molester in the court of public opinion, he's not according to this case. By all accounts the prosecution did not present sufficient and secure enough evidence to erase all shreds of doubt - and remember, reasonable doubt is all it takes. So I ask, "is Michael Jackson a child molester"? I would say "yep". I also ask "was there sufficient evidence to convict him in this case"? I would say "nope".
*sniff* *sniff* You smell that? Oh yeah, smells like the OJ Simpson trial...
The San Antonio Spurs are like Pete Sampras...not flashy, not edgy, but talented and precise in their dismantling of teams. They are efficient, and even though Manu Ginobli is sort of flashy, their identifying player, Tim Duncan, is quiet and reserved and the person around whom ANY championship team should be built. I'm a big fan of KG, but Duncan has the ability to carry a team to a championship.
Hockey...
Well, Bettman and the NHL Owners won. Only a fool wouldn't admit that a hybrid salary cap/luxury tax system with a ceiling in the neighborhood of $36 million is a victory for Bettman and the owners. But at what cost? Faction and allegiance of the fans...oh yeah. But what about the financial aspects of the game in respects to the fan? This raises the question of whether franchises whose payroll costs will be drastically cut will roll back ticket prices - okay, well, we are now at a point where our costs are being monitored and will be MUCH more predictable and fixed, we're going to pass on some savings to you, the fan? HAH! If you believe that, I've got some land to sell ya...
Michael Jackson. Not guilty. On all counts. I tried my best to NOT follow this circus, even though I was flooded with images and info from all news sources across the TV (although thanks to ESPN for sparing me). I was hoping he'd get convicted and then he could know what it's like to TRULY be someone's little kid. Let's face it, how you can sleep alone with all those little boys pretty much EVERY night without performing some lewd sex act is a difficult concept to accept, especially because of apparent damaging testimony from security personnel. But although MJ is a child molester in the court of public opinion, he's not according to this case. By all accounts the prosecution did not present sufficient and secure enough evidence to erase all shreds of doubt - and remember, reasonable doubt is all it takes. So I ask, "is Michael Jackson a child molester"? I would say "yep". I also ask "was there sufficient evidence to convict him in this case"? I would say "nope".
*sniff* *sniff* You smell that? Oh yeah, smells like the OJ Simpson trial...
The San Antonio Spurs are like Pete Sampras...not flashy, not edgy, but talented and precise in their dismantling of teams. They are efficient, and even though Manu Ginobli is sort of flashy, their identifying player, Tim Duncan, is quiet and reserved and the person around whom ANY championship team should be built. I'm a big fan of KG, but Duncan has the ability to carry a team to a championship.
Hockey...
Well, Bettman and the NHL Owners won. Only a fool wouldn't admit that a hybrid salary cap/luxury tax system with a ceiling in the neighborhood of $36 million is a victory for Bettman and the owners. But at what cost? Faction and allegiance of the fans...oh yeah. But what about the financial aspects of the game in respects to the fan? This raises the question of whether franchises whose payroll costs will be drastically cut will roll back ticket prices - okay, well, we are now at a point where our costs are being monitored and will be MUCH more predictable and fixed, we're going to pass on some savings to you, the fan? HAH! If you believe that, I've got some land to sell ya...
6.13.2005
Back on to Serious Topics
I finally saw Star Wars
Good movie. I was, in fact, a bit disappointed by the true reason for Anakin's turn to the dark side (to save Padme from death during childbirth), but if you follow the plot of episodes 1 & 2, you'll see that Anakin is very much ruled by emotions, which isn't good for a jedi. His emotional frailty allows him to be manipulated by Darth Sidious into swapping sides. The interesting conundrum here is that Anakin moves to the dark side to save Padme from death, yet Padme dies because she "loses the will to live" because Anakin has turned to the dark side. Nice loop. Some more musings on the movie:
- Darth Vader did NOT "kill all the jedi's" as was mentioned several times in other episodes. The renegade (order 66) storm troopers did the killing.
- I was SO glad that Mace Windu got whacked. Samuel L Jackson's portrayal of the Jedi master was as wooden as a baseball bat (although not as interesting).
- the lightsabre battles were TOP NOTCH.
- interesting how Anakin complete catches on fire but then flames out after he's burned badly enough. I thought clothes (and flesh) just continue to burn.
- Anakin loses half of both legs and half of his other arm...a true cyborg now.
- there is a HUGE hole between episode3 and episode4, but oh well, we'll have to take it on faith - although I'd LOVE to see a Han Solo/Chewbacca based movie to fill in the gaps of their adventures.
All in all, it was a good ending to the "trilogy", but it still left me somewhat unsatisfied. Is that because there are still some questions and that long gap in time, or is it because I've come to expect so much from George Lucas? Not sure...
*****
The Yankees are the most talented lineup in MLB, but they are not the best TEAM. And they are playing like it.
Singularity...god, the good lord must be coming soon, since I agree with Tilam yet again. The idea of a singularity is silly, to me. Advances in technology cannot occur "too fast for us to understand or predict", aren't we the ones making those advances? Are they saying that we are reinventing the wheel without having a clue as to what we are doing? What is this, 10 monkeys around a typewriter banging away, only to come up with "War and Peace"? I disagree - mankind might not be able to predict coming advances in technology to some degree, but truly, any advance we make is because we understand and cognitively pursue that advance. Also, computers are able to out-think mankind in terms of speed, but they will NEVER reach the depths of the human mind unless we can program emotion and feeling into them. Sure, a computer can figure out what 2375 / 47 is MUCH quicker than I can, but it'll never understand the MEANING of that answer, if such is the case. Any reasoning based on logic and hard black/white fact can be passed through a computer to get the same answer as a human, albeit much faster. But to ask a computer a question that requires emotion and intuition and Tilam's "fuzzy logic" is like trying to reason with a Paris Hilton - all you'll get is a blank stare. :)
Annika...nuff said. :)
And finally, atheletes who should just "give up the comeback, yer too old to play":
Martina Navratilova
Deion Sanders
Ricky Henderson
Oil Can Boyd
Good movie. I was, in fact, a bit disappointed by the true reason for Anakin's turn to the dark side (to save Padme from death during childbirth), but if you follow the plot of episodes 1 & 2, you'll see that Anakin is very much ruled by emotions, which isn't good for a jedi. His emotional frailty allows him to be manipulated by Darth Sidious into swapping sides. The interesting conundrum here is that Anakin moves to the dark side to save Padme from death, yet Padme dies because she "loses the will to live" because Anakin has turned to the dark side. Nice loop. Some more musings on the movie:
- Darth Vader did NOT "kill all the jedi's" as was mentioned several times in other episodes. The renegade (order 66) storm troopers did the killing.
- I was SO glad that Mace Windu got whacked. Samuel L Jackson's portrayal of the Jedi master was as wooden as a baseball bat (although not as interesting).
- the lightsabre battles were TOP NOTCH.
- interesting how Anakin complete catches on fire but then flames out after he's burned badly enough. I thought clothes (and flesh) just continue to burn.
- Anakin loses half of both legs and half of his other arm...a true cyborg now.
- there is a HUGE hole between episode3 and episode4, but oh well, we'll have to take it on faith - although I'd LOVE to see a Han Solo/Chewbacca based movie to fill in the gaps of their adventures.
All in all, it was a good ending to the "trilogy", but it still left me somewhat unsatisfied. Is that because there are still some questions and that long gap in time, or is it because I've come to expect so much from George Lucas? Not sure...
*****
The Yankees are the most talented lineup in MLB, but they are not the best TEAM. And they are playing like it.
Singularity...god, the good lord must be coming soon, since I agree with Tilam yet again. The idea of a singularity is silly, to me. Advances in technology cannot occur "too fast for us to understand or predict", aren't we the ones making those advances? Are they saying that we are reinventing the wheel without having a clue as to what we are doing? What is this, 10 monkeys around a typewriter banging away, only to come up with "War and Peace"? I disagree - mankind might not be able to predict coming advances in technology to some degree, but truly, any advance we make is because we understand and cognitively pursue that advance. Also, computers are able to out-think mankind in terms of speed, but they will NEVER reach the depths of the human mind unless we can program emotion and feeling into them. Sure, a computer can figure out what 2375 / 47 is MUCH quicker than I can, but it'll never understand the MEANING of that answer, if such is the case. Any reasoning based on logic and hard black/white fact can be passed through a computer to get the same answer as a human, albeit much faster. But to ask a computer a question that requires emotion and intuition and Tilam's "fuzzy logic" is like trying to reason with a Paris Hilton - all you'll get is a blank stare. :)
Annika...nuff said. :)
And finally, atheletes who should just "give up the comeback, yer too old to play":
Martina Navratilova
Deion Sanders
Ricky Henderson
Oil Can Boyd
6.10.2005
The Singularity Myth
Instapundit and Centerfield have blogged about singularity. Since I need to save Thew the actual effort of clicking, singularity is the point where advances in technology occur so fast that it exceeds humans' ability to understand or predict. Singularity gained ground in 1993 with a paper by noted sci-fi author Vernor Vinge, who believes it is inevitable. In fact, according to singularity proponents, it could be happening right now.
Nonsense.
While I firmly believe that developments in technology and our understanding of the world are accelerating, I am incredibly unconvinced that singularity will ever happen. If it does, I am in Glenn's camp that super intelligent does not mean a malevolent force. (E.g. "Colossus: the Corbin Project." The new sci-fi action thriller "Stealth" has the same premise.) In fact, one could make a stronger argument that super intelligence would be a benevolent force.
My disbelief focuses around two points: the nature of human thought and the capacity of humans to learn (a point made by Jon Kay at Centerfield).
Being smart or super smart does not make you human. The human thought process involves not only raw computing power (IBM could not even attempt human thought until Blue Gene's 22.8 teraflops or about 22,000x your home PC), but emotion and intuition. So called "fuzzy logic" was created because Boolean logic was not smart enough to operate a refrigerator. The point being that the "raw computing power" in the human brain is only partially involved in thought and decisions. I am not yet convince that computers can be programmed for abstract thought or imagination. If so, I think we will be well beyond the capability of current computing. (What is beyond petaflops?) I am convinced that computers will continue to solve known problems very fast.
Second, I think an underlying assumption in Vinge's notion is the idea that the human capacity to learn and grow is less then the computers. This strikes me as particularly dubious. I see humans' capacity increasing at a pace to keep us well ahead of our silicon creations. Our brains and our capacity to learn is THE reason we are still around and are the dominant creature on this planet. While I am sure that there will be individuals without the capacity to comprehend and use the new technology, I am equally sure that there will be plenty that will. In addition, the flip side of learning is teaching. I may not get every advance mankind has made, but I trust the rocket scientists who do will teach me. Some IBM computer may well be smarter than I am, but singularity states that ALL of mankind will be left in the dust. I don't think so. Mankind is a giant, distributed supercomputer, so while I am pushing the boundaries of my expertise (and spreading the good to anyone who wants it), there are billions of others doing the same. I think I will continue to bet on that team.
Further, it is also unclear that computer learning will maintain its initial pace. To use an analogy: watch how fast a small child learns. It is amazing. But should you abstract that learning capacity to adulthood? I think computing is in the small "child phase." It is unclear to me that the pace of learning can be sustained at the present rate.
Of course, simply because I do not yet believe it, that does not mean that it will not happen. But I do not understand what is fundamentally different about a brain made out of silicon that will allow it to perform so much better and different then a brain made out of gray matter. And billions of brains at that.
Nonsense.
While I firmly believe that developments in technology and our understanding of the world are accelerating, I am incredibly unconvinced that singularity will ever happen. If it does, I am in Glenn's camp that super intelligent does not mean a malevolent force. (E.g. "Colossus: the Corbin Project." The new sci-fi action thriller "Stealth" has the same premise.) In fact, one could make a stronger argument that super intelligence would be a benevolent force.
My disbelief focuses around two points: the nature of human thought and the capacity of humans to learn (a point made by Jon Kay at Centerfield).
Being smart or super smart does not make you human. The human thought process involves not only raw computing power (IBM could not even attempt human thought until Blue Gene's 22.8 teraflops or about 22,000x your home PC), but emotion and intuition. So called "fuzzy logic" was created because Boolean logic was not smart enough to operate a refrigerator. The point being that the "raw computing power" in the human brain is only partially involved in thought and decisions. I am not yet convince that computers can be programmed for abstract thought or imagination. If so, I think we will be well beyond the capability of current computing. (What is beyond petaflops?) I am convinced that computers will continue to solve known problems very fast.
Second, I think an underlying assumption in Vinge's notion is the idea that the human capacity to learn and grow is less then the computers. This strikes me as particularly dubious. I see humans' capacity increasing at a pace to keep us well ahead of our silicon creations. Our brains and our capacity to learn is THE reason we are still around and are the dominant creature on this planet. While I am sure that there will be individuals without the capacity to comprehend and use the new technology, I am equally sure that there will be plenty that will. In addition, the flip side of learning is teaching. I may not get every advance mankind has made, but I trust the rocket scientists who do will teach me. Some IBM computer may well be smarter than I am, but singularity states that ALL of mankind will be left in the dust. I don't think so. Mankind is a giant, distributed supercomputer, so while I am pushing the boundaries of my expertise (and spreading the good to anyone who wants it), there are billions of others doing the same. I think I will continue to bet on that team.
Further, it is also unclear that computer learning will maintain its initial pace. To use an analogy: watch how fast a small child learns. It is amazing. But should you abstract that learning capacity to adulthood? I think computing is in the small "child phase." It is unclear to me that the pace of learning can be sustained at the present rate.
Of course, simply because I do not yet believe it, that does not mean that it will not happen. But I do not understand what is fundamentally different about a brain made out of silicon that will allow it to perform so much better and different then a brain made out of gray matter. And billions of brains at that.
6.08.2005
6.07.2005
Alderaan Goes Ka-boom
Professor Bainbridge's post on the Death Star's destruction of Alderaan had me rethinking my position on the incident. (He refers to Robert Hayes' post on the not so "Evil" Empire.) But only in one regard.
There is a strong argument that Leia was lying to Grand Moff Tarkin. If so, the destruction of Alderaan is a perfectly justifiable thing to do. Now, I happen to believe that Leia was obviously lying, but Grand Moff Tarkin had every reason to suspect so. The distinction is huge. If Alderaan is a rebel staging ground, destroying it is the smart thing to do. If not, well, it sucks to be Alderaanian. (BTW, the evidence for her lying is the fact that her foster father, Bail Organa, Alderaanian royalty and Senator, was one of the Founding Fathers of the Rebellion. There might not have been rebels, per se, on the planet, but it was the Rebellions' heart and soul.)
I think Robert's argument is tongue-in-cheek. (But Perry Eidelbus certainly does not think so.) The evidence for the "evil" is too overwhelming. (Wander through Perry's posts and you'll get the gist.) I guess I feel that it is such a non sequitur that I cannot take Robert's stance seriously. Evil or not, blowing up Alderaan was sensible: it just the universe to so darn big, and you can't be wasting time with precision weapons or minor life forms (e.g., Ewoks).
From a certain point of view.
There is a strong argument that Leia was lying to Grand Moff Tarkin. If so, the destruction of Alderaan is a perfectly justifiable thing to do. Now, I happen to believe that Leia was obviously lying, but Grand Moff Tarkin had every reason to suspect so. The distinction is huge. If Alderaan is a rebel staging ground, destroying it is the smart thing to do. If not, well, it sucks to be Alderaanian. (BTW, the evidence for her lying is the fact that her foster father, Bail Organa, Alderaanian royalty and Senator, was one of the Founding Fathers of the Rebellion. There might not have been rebels, per se, on the planet, but it was the Rebellions' heart and soul.)
I think Robert's argument is tongue-in-cheek. (But Perry Eidelbus certainly does not think so.) The evidence for the "evil" is too overwhelming. (Wander through Perry's posts and you'll get the gist.) I guess I feel that it is such a non sequitur that I cannot take Robert's stance seriously. Evil or not, blowing up Alderaan was sensible: it just the universe to so darn big, and you can't be wasting time with precision weapons or minor life forms (e.g., Ewoks).
From a certain point of view.
Conference Call Diaries
Celebrity Gossip Time! WOO WOO!
Kelly Osbourne enters rehab! Like, this is a surprise?!
Russell Crowe arrested for assault! Like, this is a surprise?!
Okay, enough stupid shit...
Medical Marijuana...
According to USA Today, that bastion of staunch journalism, the Supreme Court's ruled Monday that state medical marijuana laws do not protect thousands of medical-marijuana users from federal prosecution. Hehe. Here's an interesting subject. Do we allow people with "incredibly painful debilatating conditions" to use marijuana to ease their suffering? What makes pot different from, say Vidodin, other than the fact that Bret Fav-ruh was never addicted to it? Comments reflect the concern Monday of medical-marijuana users who said the court's 6-3 decision had left them with a difficult choice: Break the law in order to take a drug that makes life tolerable, or give up marijuana and be miserable. Hmmm. I'm kind of torn on this front, mostly because I think there is a TON of opportunities for this to become an abuse of the system - "gee doc, i got dis hangnail, ya think ya can perscribe some weed fer me?". And I guess I'm mostly clueless on the "why do they need marijuana when we have plenty of pain killers?". Is medical technology so bad that we have to use illegal drugs to supplant our available options? I'm sorry, not a fan...
Kelly Osbourne enters rehab! Like, this is a surprise?!
Russell Crowe arrested for assault! Like, this is a surprise?!
Okay, enough stupid shit...
Medical Marijuana...
According to USA Today, that bastion of staunch journalism, the Supreme Court's ruled Monday that state medical marijuana laws do not protect thousands of medical-marijuana users from federal prosecution. Hehe. Here's an interesting subject. Do we allow people with "incredibly painful debilatating conditions" to use marijuana to ease their suffering? What makes pot different from, say Vidodin, other than the fact that Bret Fav-ruh was never addicted to it? Comments reflect the concern Monday of medical-marijuana users who said the court's 6-3 decision had left them with a difficult choice: Break the law in order to take a drug that makes life tolerable, or give up marijuana and be miserable. Hmmm. I'm kind of torn on this front, mostly because I think there is a TON of opportunities for this to become an abuse of the system - "gee doc, i got dis hangnail, ya think ya can perscribe some weed fer me?". And I guess I'm mostly clueless on the "why do they need marijuana when we have plenty of pain killers?". Is medical technology so bad that we have to use illegal drugs to supplant our available options? I'm sorry, not a fan...
6.03.2005
The Beautiful Game
Thew acts as if I hate hockey. Au contraire, I enjoy hockey as a game, but I just can't get past the goonishness and cluelessness of the players and corporate interests. The fact of the matter is that the US has two sports: baseball and football. Others need not apply. There is room for other sports, but don't act like you are the second coming.
Basketball and hockey will never catch on. Basketball because of its inability to distinguish between felons and players and hockey because of its inability to distinguish...I mean because it is a sport with small participation. I still fundamentally believe that youth and young adult participation drives viewership. You need to feel an emotional connection to the sport and usually that comes from your experiences as a player. That is why I think soccer can become a bigger sport, but not to the level of baseball or football. Youth participation.
As for Danica in a bikini...and how about leather? Something tells me she will be in SI next year.
Ta-ta.
Basketball and hockey will never catch on. Basketball because of its inability to distinguish between felons and players and hockey because of its inability to distinguish...I mean because it is a sport with small participation. I still fundamentally believe that youth and young adult participation drives viewership. You need to feel an emotional connection to the sport and usually that comes from your experiences as a player. That is why I think soccer can become a bigger sport, but not to the level of baseball or football. Youth participation.
As for Danica in a bikini...and how about leather? Something tells me she will be in SI next year.
Ta-ta.
6.02.2005
Tilam posting about hockey?!
ESPN's decision to not pick up the contract with the NHL FURTHER illustrates the simple fact that hockey, and I hate to admit this, is pretty much a dying, if not dead, sport in the US. As if they were a HUGE draw on TV before the strike, they are on life support at this time. Of course, this decline in revenue will also bolster the owner's contention that they cannot support hockey as it is currently given the revenue stream, but I find it hard to support that because aren't they the idiots who allowed the salary structure to escalate? Let's fact it, if I were to double Tilam's salary to approximately $25K a year next year, of COURSE he'd take it. And he'd be more than happy to accept another increase the next year - minimum wage cementheads like Tilam are all about the benjamins. But then, 3 years from now, piss and moan at him and say "well, I bolstered your salary too high, now you have to take a cut or limit" why would he say no? He'd cackle at me in that old guy voice of his. Of course, this is a two pronged issue - the owners let things get out of hand, but the normal environment between the owners and players is so acrimonious even when at rest that the players weren't willing to pitch in and correct the owner's mistakes. The very people who just paid the players too frikkin much are being screwed by the very people who benefited from their stupidity. This time, well, I have to side with the owners. Yes, they were wrong to let salaries get out of hand and screw up the economies of the "business of hockey", but how much is too much? How much more than $1 million can you POSSIBLY need to earn? F**Knuts...
I can go WAY off about Danica Patrick and being the hot guy in the winners circle. About playing "gear shift". Lewd comments about "getting into the cockpit" of the car. Playing "engine and dipstick" with a bottle of champagne and mazola corn oil on the nightstand. But I won't. Wait, I just did. Ooops. Anyway, like I said, the girl can race. And who cares if she's a girl, if you discount the minor spinout she had on her first qualifying lap, she WINS THE POLE AT INDY! Fearless, and with a great team (Rahal-Letterman) behind her, she's got a bright future in store. I'll let you know if she's in the swimsuit issue next year, but I bet you a six-pack of beer it won't happen - because she's a driver, and won't want to cheapen herself by posing for the cheese shot in the bikini issue (MUCH to my disappointment, btw).
MLS soccer...French Open...*WHA?*...oh, sorry, I was asleep too. But I WILL comment that I am cautiously encouraged by the talent that is being home grown in MLS soccer these days. In a few years I think we will be among the world powers in soccer. That is, until the owners let salaries spiral out of control and the sport gets shut down.
Speaking of shut down, there are HUGE rumors that the NBA is going to experience a lockout. Billy Hunter, the Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson wanna be, played the assinine race card, intimating that people disrespect him and don't believe in his leadership because he's black. Nope, Billy, we think you're an ASSWIPE! You are being controlled by the high powered agents and the greedy players, and you're nothing more than a puppet. OMGz, the NBA just annoys me to no end - buncha no-moral, greedy, immature thugs, very few of whom have actually basketball skills, just are athletic and can run and dribble and dunk. What is MORE annoying is the fact that the union and owners HAD AN AGREEMENT, but when Hunter met with the agents, they all changed their tune! Man I hope this league goes away and hockey returns to the fold.
LAX. Exciting game. Johns Hopkins deserves kudos as a major and ongoing collect lacross power.
So the runaway bride was fined and forced to repay some of the cost of the frantic search for her when she was "missing". Fair enough. I sure hope she has saved more money, because she's going to make some therapist VERY rich.
My opinion on the most stress moment in sports - the Spelling Bee. Tilam couldn't spell "cat" if you spotted him the "c" and the "a", but the words that those kids are spelling these days are mind boggling!
I can go WAY off about Danica Patrick and being the hot guy in the winners circle. About playing "gear shift". Lewd comments about "getting into the cockpit" of the car. Playing "engine and dipstick" with a bottle of champagne and mazola corn oil on the nightstand. But I won't. Wait, I just did. Ooops. Anyway, like I said, the girl can race. And who cares if she's a girl, if you discount the minor spinout she had on her first qualifying lap, she WINS THE POLE AT INDY! Fearless, and with a great team (Rahal-Letterman) behind her, she's got a bright future in store. I'll let you know if she's in the swimsuit issue next year, but I bet you a six-pack of beer it won't happen - because she's a driver, and won't want to cheapen herself by posing for the cheese shot in the bikini issue (MUCH to my disappointment, btw).
MLS soccer...French Open...*WHA?*...oh, sorry, I was asleep too. But I WILL comment that I am cautiously encouraged by the talent that is being home grown in MLS soccer these days. In a few years I think we will be among the world powers in soccer. That is, until the owners let salaries spiral out of control and the sport gets shut down.
Speaking of shut down, there are HUGE rumors that the NBA is going to experience a lockout. Billy Hunter, the Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson wanna be, played the assinine race card, intimating that people disrespect him and don't believe in his leadership because he's black. Nope, Billy, we think you're an ASSWIPE! You are being controlled by the high powered agents and the greedy players, and you're nothing more than a puppet. OMGz, the NBA just annoys me to no end - buncha no-moral, greedy, immature thugs, very few of whom have actually basketball skills, just are athletic and can run and dribble and dunk. What is MORE annoying is the fact that the union and owners HAD AN AGREEMENT, but when Hunter met with the agents, they all changed their tune! Man I hope this league goes away and hockey returns to the fold.
LAX. Exciting game. Johns Hopkins deserves kudos as a major and ongoing collect lacross power.
So the runaway bride was fined and forced to repay some of the cost of the frantic search for her when she was "missing". Fair enough. I sure hope she has saved more money, because she's going to make some therapist VERY rich.
My opinion on the most stress moment in sports - the Spelling Bee. Tilam couldn't spell "cat" if you spotted him the "c" and the "a", but the words that those kids are spelling these days are mind boggling!
6.01.2005
Around the Horn
ESPN declined to pick up their $60 million television option with the NHL. While they could pick up the option for less (which I consider likely), it just makes the strike and labor dispute seem stupider by the day.
Danica Patrick. Male or female, it was the best finish by a rookie in a while. Kudos to her. So my questions is: if she had won, would there be a hot GUY in the winners circle with her? (Thew is available at a moments notice.) Anyone want to bet me that she will be in the SI Swimsuit issue next year?
French Open. It seems the unheralded...ZZZZZZZZ.
MLS. So DC United gets Freddy Adu while the Revolution manage to get Clint Dempsey from that soccer school Furman. So who is in the Top 3 in Goals, Assists and Game-winning Goals? Which team is undefeated? Will the Revs add another title to Beantown? A home and home against the Kansas City Wizards will help us answer that.
Lacrosse. Congratulations to Johns Hopkins for winning the NCAA men's lacrosse championship. Both their OT win against Virginia and the title game against Duke were great games. It was the Blue Jays first win in 18 years after dominating the sport. (Think UCLA NCAA Hoops win in 1995.) In fact, both JHU and Northwestern (the girls' champion) went undefeated this year. And this is with competition getting better and better. If you have not watched lacrosse, give it a try.
As an aside, I have to tip my hat to Duke's lacrosse program. This year they lost the championship by 1 goal and had a total of three losses (twice to JHU and one to semi-finalist Maryland). Last year, Duke won only 5 games. Read that again. 5 games. Duke continues its excellence in sports and academics and has become THE school for the scholar-athlete.
(Oh, how I hate to say that.)
Danica Patrick. Male or female, it was the best finish by a rookie in a while. Kudos to her. So my questions is: if she had won, would there be a hot GUY in the winners circle with her? (Thew is available at a moments notice.) Anyone want to bet me that she will be in the SI Swimsuit issue next year?
French Open. It seems the unheralded...ZZZZZZZZ.
MLS. So DC United gets Freddy Adu while the Revolution manage to get Clint Dempsey from that soccer school Furman. So who is in the Top 3 in Goals, Assists and Game-winning Goals? Which team is undefeated? Will the Revs add another title to Beantown? A home and home against the Kansas City Wizards will help us answer that.
Lacrosse. Congratulations to Johns Hopkins for winning the NCAA men's lacrosse championship. Both their OT win against Virginia and the title game against Duke were great games. It was the Blue Jays first win in 18 years after dominating the sport. (Think UCLA NCAA Hoops win in 1995.) In fact, both JHU and Northwestern (the girls' champion) went undefeated this year. And this is with competition getting better and better. If you have not watched lacrosse, give it a try.
As an aside, I have to tip my hat to Duke's lacrosse program. This year they lost the championship by 1 goal and had a total of three losses (twice to JHU and one to semi-finalist Maryland). Last year, Duke won only 5 games. Read that again. 5 games. Duke continues its excellence in sports and academics and has become THE school for the scholar-athlete.
(Oh, how I hate to say that.)
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