fee fi fo fonny... Johnny!!!
So the Yankees signed Johnny Damon. Now in New England, the world is ending. Johnny's a traitor, the Yankees stole him, blah blah blah. Get over it. Bob Ryan says it best...
First of all, why on earth should Johnny Damon show any loyalty to the Red Sox? They were his third team!!! It's not like he came up through the system!!! Second of all, he wanted to stay with the Red Sox, but the Yankees offered him 12 million more!!! Now, I have a coworker who asked me, with a straight face, how three million more dollars a year could possibly make a difference. Seriously? This argument sucks. Three million more dollars a year is a lot of fucking money. That makes a difference to just about anybody that can add.
As far as the Yankees stole him argument.. He was a free agent for Christ's sake! The Red Sox, the Royals, the Devil Rays, and the Yankees all had the same opportunity to sign him. He gave the Red Sox a chance to match the offer the Yankees made, and they refused! So where in this is stealing?
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So enivitably, this will lead to more of the "Yankees are buying a championship" argument. Horseshit. You know who the richest owner in sports is? Carl Pohlad, the owner of the Twins. Now, I'm not sticking up for Steinbrenner, who is a pompous old asshole in a lot of ways. But at least he puts his money where his mouth is and puts the best team he can afford on the field. Would anybody seriously prefer to root for a team where the owner pocketed money instead of spending it on players? Anybody that would is an idiot.
Just like anybody that would take a job, all other things being equal, with a three million dollar per year disparity in pay, needs to go back and review their basic math skills.
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So if you want to feel bad because the Sox just fucked up and lost your favorite player, go ahead. I don't want to hear about it being anybody's fault but the management of the Red Sox.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Hopping all over the cable bandwagon
Goody appears to have remembered how to type! And he was paying $120 for cable? What the fuck? I had digital cable and hi speed internet through ahellphia, and it never got up above $90. Particularly once my boss agreed to pay for the internet portion of it since I work at home so much. Still, for once, Goody's point is valid.
Digital cable is a rip-off, and the regular "classic" package isn't much better. I mean, I like a good informatial as much as the next person, but come on. 15 channels of QVC? (On a very related note, somehow I don't yet own a Ginsu knife. Yet.) I do know people that like the home shopping network, but very few of them also want Sportscenter and MTV. (On another related note, why is there no retirement network? Or is this what QVC stands for? Quit Vorking, Corporation? Quick, Vhile Cicking? What?)
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So why is it that there is no competition amongst cable companies? If you can read (I know, I said IF dummies) then you've read about how movie companies are going broke because people are staying home to watch tv instead of going to the movies. How hasn't this translated into some price competition? I mean, is it harder to get cable up to Maine than it is to get oil? Off the top of my head, in Orono I have the option of Dead River, RH Foster, Irving, Weber, Standard Oil, Murphy Bros... I'm sure there's more. Off the top of my head, I can name one competitor to Adelphia. DirectTV. Great fucking options people.
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As far as Goody's idea about a la carte cable companies, great idea. Not the first time I've heard it... But great idea. In fact, that might be another blog, what channels would I choose...
Digital cable is a rip-off, and the regular "classic" package isn't much better. I mean, I like a good informatial as much as the next person, but come on. 15 channels of QVC? (On a very related note, somehow I don't yet own a Ginsu knife. Yet.) I do know people that like the home shopping network, but very few of them also want Sportscenter and MTV. (On another related note, why is there no retirement network? Or is this what QVC stands for? Quit Vorking, Corporation? Quick, Vhile Cicking? What?)
---
So why is it that there is no competition amongst cable companies? If you can read (I know, I said IF dummies) then you've read about how movie companies are going broke because people are staying home to watch tv instead of going to the movies. How hasn't this translated into some price competition? I mean, is it harder to get cable up to Maine than it is to get oil? Off the top of my head, in Orono I have the option of Dead River, RH Foster, Irving, Weber, Standard Oil, Murphy Bros... I'm sure there's more. Off the top of my head, I can name one competitor to Adelphia. DirectTV. Great fucking options people.
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As far as Goody's idea about a la carte cable companies, great idea. Not the first time I've heard it... But great idea. In fact, that might be another blog, what channels would I choose...
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Thank God I Cancelled Cable
Busy, busy, busy.
Our friends in the federal government decided that the 12th day of Christmas looked like a nice due date for our renewal grants, so I've been crunching numbers this week. It's amazing how hard it is to get data from schools when they're on holiday...
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So I have to admit, I am addicted (sort of) to a couple tv shows. To be honest, I can't actually remember the last time this happened. Seinfeld, Friends, Cheers, all good shows. I never could even remember what day they were on, I was always to busy either with sports in HS, working, or partying/studying in college. Now, as I am an old, broke fucker, I turn on the boob tube every night, and try to stare through the static to catch a rhyme or meaning to the trashiness. While I still can't understand the appeal of reality shows, there are a few shows that I do kind of like.
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Lost - I like this show, I think. I missed the first season, and most of this season, but it's an interesting format for a show.
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Grey's Anatomy - I am absolutely confused by the fact that I like the show. As far as I can tell, it is basically a simple formula of:
Does that sound good? It doesn't to me. Maybe I like it because the cute girl from Old School gets drunk a lot. Maybe I need to stop drinking partaking of the crack pipe while watching the tv.
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How I met your Mother:
OK, this show I've only seen twice, and I can't even remember what the name actually is, but whoever wrote this show, while they need to stop laying on the cheese, definitely knows people our age. And each time I've watched it (remember, twice) there have been a few laugh out loud moments. The first show I saw had a scene where one couple had to go to a wine party, and weren't allowed to drink the wine because wine had to air out. The other couples were talking about stock options and babies. The guy took the only rational response, and jumped out the window of their apartment's bathroom, and went to the bar to meet up with his buddies. I mean, haven't we all been there? Whatever. I have no life.
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OK, that's all I'm admitting to for now. If I feel braver tomorrow I might dive into my unexplicable laughter at a t.v. show involving Freddie Printz and Brian Austin Green. Crap.
Our friends in the federal government decided that the 12th day of Christmas looked like a nice due date for our renewal grants, so I've been crunching numbers this week. It's amazing how hard it is to get data from schools when they're on holiday...
---
So I have to admit, I am addicted (sort of) to a couple tv shows. To be honest, I can't actually remember the last time this happened. Seinfeld, Friends, Cheers, all good shows. I never could even remember what day they were on, I was always to busy either with sports in HS, working, or partying/studying in college. Now, as I am an old, broke fucker, I turn on the boob tube every night, and try to stare through the static to catch a rhyme or meaning to the trashiness. While I still can't understand the appeal of reality shows, there are a few shows that I do kind of like.
---
Lost - I like this show, I think. I missed the first season, and most of this season, but it's an interesting format for a show.
---
Grey's Anatomy - I am absolutely confused by the fact that I like the show. As far as I can tell, it is basically a simple formula of:
(90210 + ER)
__________
( 1/4 Cheers + Scrubs.)
__________
( 1/4 Cheers + Scrubs.)
Does that sound good? It doesn't to me. Maybe I like it because the cute girl from Old School gets drunk a lot. Maybe I need to stop drinking partaking of the crack pipe while watching the tv.
---
How I met your Mother:
OK, this show I've only seen twice, and I can't even remember what the name actually is, but whoever wrote this show, while they need to stop laying on the cheese, definitely knows people our age. And each time I've watched it (remember, twice) there have been a few laugh out loud moments. The first show I saw had a scene where one couple had to go to a wine party, and weren't allowed to drink the wine because wine had to air out. The other couples were talking about stock options and babies. The guy took the only rational response, and jumped out the window of their apartment's bathroom, and went to the bar to meet up with his buddies. I mean, haven't we all been there? Whatever. I have no life.
---
OK, that's all I'm admitting to for now. If I feel braver tomorrow I might dive into my unexplicable laughter at a t.v. show involving Freddie Printz and Brian Austin Green. Crap.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Mini-rant Friday...
So apparently I wasn't meant to post twice in a day, as I forgot all about my pseudo-promise almost as soon as I made it. By the way, thanks for the reminder, Goody, that peepee jokes are still funny. It'll be great in two or three years when you and your kid just sit around telling poop jokes and laughing hysterically. Poor Amy.
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I was listening to the radio on the way to work yesterday, and it was time for the sports talk newsflash. Item number one was that NASA has just announced that this past year was the warmest year on record. (Sure as hell doesn't feel that way in Orono right now, but whatever.) They also said that it was warm in an unnatural way that can only be explained by, wait for it... Global Warming!!! (Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out, oh wait...)
I'll let Johnboy explain why our government is cutting funding in environmental studies, as I'm just not smart enough to understand. Assuming of course that his brain bucket is still intact.
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Another rant: Yesterday in class my professor asked, "Who has read "Player Piano" by Kurt Vonnegut." One person. Me. He then asked, "Who has heard of it?" Same person. Finally, "Who has heard of Kurt Vonnegut?" Three hands went up. I was amazed that on a college campus, in a room of people who are, generally anyways, not idiots, only three people had even heard Kurt Vonnegut. And then I read this article in the Times, affirming what I already knew:
Kids these days just can't read like they used to.
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I was listening to the radio on the way to work yesterday, and it was time for the sports talk newsflash. Item number one was that NASA has just announced that this past year was the warmest year on record. (Sure as hell doesn't feel that way in Orono right now, but whatever.) They also said that it was warm in an unnatural way that can only be explained by, wait for it... Global Warming!!! (Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out, oh wait...)
I'll let Johnboy explain why our government is cutting funding in environmental studies, as I'm just not smart enough to understand. Assuming of course that his brain bucket is still intact.
---
Another rant: Yesterday in class my professor asked, "Who has read "Player Piano" by Kurt Vonnegut." One person. Me. He then asked, "Who has heard of it?" Same person. Finally, "Who has heard of Kurt Vonnegut?" Three hands went up. I was amazed that on a college campus, in a room of people who are, generally anyways, not idiots, only three people had even heard Kurt Vonnegut. And then I read this article in the Times, affirming what I already knew:
Kids these days just can't read like they used to.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
What's this? A blog?
Apparently I am a creature of routine. I never would have thought that, until I stopped writing the blog daily. It's hard to start back up again, isn't it Goody?
Gonna start back up nice and slow, get it going again, you know?
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Apparently John has been hard at work proving that his brain can take a beating. Those of us that knew John in college already knew that, of course.
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My class of this semester is almost over, which means I have a final next week. Good times, good times. It's been a little while since I actually studied for one of these bad boys, I'm guessing, oh, maybe senior year in HS? Maybe junior year? Should be interesting.
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So I haven't gotten around to signing up for a new class yet. Partially due to being busy, but mostly due to the fact that I simply can't decide what program I want to do a master's in. Right this second I am kind of leaning toward creating my own, something like a "Effects of technology on education" or something like that. No doubt I will think that is a bad idea one class in.
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OK, that's all for now. I might check back in a few hours to rant about a small scientific discovery that was announced recently...
Gonna start back up nice and slow, get it going again, you know?
---
Apparently John has been hard at work proving that his brain can take a beating. Those of us that knew John in college already knew that, of course.
---
My class of this semester is almost over, which means I have a final next week. Good times, good times. It's been a little while since I actually studied for one of these bad boys, I'm guessing, oh, maybe senior year in HS? Maybe junior year? Should be interesting.
---
So I haven't gotten around to signing up for a new class yet. Partially due to being busy, but mostly due to the fact that I simply can't decide what program I want to do a master's in. Right this second I am kind of leaning toward creating my own, something like a "Effects of technology on education" or something like that. No doubt I will think that is a bad idea one class in.
---
OK, that's all for now. I might check back in a few hours to rant about a small scientific discovery that was announced recently...
Friday, December 02, 2005
My Kingdom for a Plot!
Got a phone call from a polish kid the other day requesting a movie review of Jarhead. Sorry buddy, doesn't work like that. Especially since I've already left my house once this week, and I'm going to be in Puerto Rico next week. By the way, Cpt Polish, I swear I'm going to call you back one of these days, but I was busy hosting a bachelorette party until all hours of the night. Tonight might be the night that I return some phone calls, as the gf will be off getting pampered or some such thing in preparation for marrying off a friend from school.
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Watched Kingdom of Heaven last night, and I have to say...
It wasn't good.
But it had potential. It was actually the only bad movie I've ever seen where I was thinking, this movie needs to be longer. It wanted to be an epic a la braveheart or gladiator, but they kind of forgot to make you give a shit about any of the characters. There was just a bunch of action scenes involving Legolas the elven wonder, and then the big guy from Braveheart would say some thing zany and kill some people, and then Legolas would look serious and sad, and some girl would look strung out and sad like she was missing a fix, and then there would be more action and blood, maybe some fire, and all of a sudden the movie was over. Looking back they did have some almost plot development, but then all the characters were killed before it got too far.
It's too bad too, because the cast actually wasn't bad. (Except for miss heroin chic, who was supposed to play the hot queen who hooks up with the main character, except she wasn't hot, and I wasn't even aware that heroin chic existed in 1041.) Liam Neeson (Rob Roy), Jeremy Irons (Crazy Fucker), Brendan Gleeson (Big Guy in Braveheart,) and even Orlando (The Elf) Bloom weren't bad, they just didn't have quite enough to do.
All in all, watching this movie is kind of like watching a movie while taking a nap on the couch. Don't be surprised if you keep pinching yourself to make sure you weren't missing anything. (Like when people die that you don't give a shit about, but the music says you should, for example.)
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FYI: For anyone who gives a shit, odds are that I don't write too much next week, sorry. Unless something down in PR super-motivates me.
---
Watched Kingdom of Heaven last night, and I have to say...
It wasn't good.
But it had potential. It was actually the only bad movie I've ever seen where I was thinking, this movie needs to be longer. It wanted to be an epic a la braveheart or gladiator, but they kind of forgot to make you give a shit about any of the characters. There was just a bunch of action scenes involving Legolas the elven wonder, and then the big guy from Braveheart would say some thing zany and kill some people, and then Legolas would look serious and sad, and some girl would look strung out and sad like she was missing a fix, and then there would be more action and blood, maybe some fire, and all of a sudden the movie was over. Looking back they did have some almost plot development, but then all the characters were killed before it got too far.
It's too bad too, because the cast actually wasn't bad. (Except for miss heroin chic, who was supposed to play the hot queen who hooks up with the main character, except she wasn't hot, and I wasn't even aware that heroin chic existed in 1041.) Liam Neeson (Rob Roy), Jeremy Irons (Crazy Fucker), Brendan Gleeson (Big Guy in Braveheart,) and even Orlando (The Elf) Bloom weren't bad, they just didn't have quite enough to do.
All in all, watching this movie is kind of like watching a movie while taking a nap on the couch. Don't be surprised if you keep pinching yourself to make sure you weren't missing anything. (Like when people die that you don't give a shit about, but the music says you should, for example.)
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FYI: For anyone who gives a shit, odds are that I don't write too much next week, sorry. Unless something down in PR super-motivates me.
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