Saturday, April 25, 2009
Admin Post
It appears that the comments section of yesterday's post has been disabled. I think though, if everyone stays real positive and hopes real hard, maybe I'll get around to enabling it to give the optimists their say. Keep a stiff upper lip!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Wings Win First Round
The Wings have won their first round in the 2009 playoffs (a.k.a. the 'cock fight: Hitchcock v. Babcock) and I would just like to be the first to congratulate me for correctly predicting (2nd comment) the first-round sweep.
Sadly, the future looks grim. It is increasingly likely that the Wings will face a re-energized Ducks in the next round and meet certain doom. "Elbows" Pronger and the hot goaltender du jour will end the series in six. Like the Wings, the Ducks found their "on switch" at the right time and are currently demonstrating why you should never pick San Jose as your cup favorite. Unlike the Wings, the Ducks don't seem to have the magic "off switch", an Osgood who may or may not be hurt, a Brad Stuart who put in three really great games before becoming Brad Stuart again, nor the mindset that, in the face of tenacious and effective forechecking, simply clearing the damn defensive zone and not getting scored on in not nearly as cool as making a fancy pass with an 80% chance of getting picked off on the wrong side of the blue line. It's sad, but demonstrably true.
I suppose if there is some pollyanna-ISH, overly optimistic fool wishes to argue otherwise or provide other forms of fact checking, there is always a comments section following my posts.
Sadly, the future looks grim. It is increasingly likely that the Wings will face a re-energized Ducks in the next round and meet certain doom. "Elbows" Pronger and the hot goaltender du jour will end the series in six. Like the Wings, the Ducks found their "on switch" at the right time and are currently demonstrating why you should never pick San Jose as your cup favorite. Unlike the Wings, the Ducks don't seem to have the magic "off switch", an Osgood who may or may not be hurt, a Brad Stuart who put in three really great games before becoming Brad Stuart again, nor the mindset that, in the face of tenacious and effective forechecking, simply clearing the damn defensive zone and not getting scored on in not nearly as cool as making a fancy pass with an 80% chance of getting picked off on the wrong side of the blue line. It's sad, but demonstrably true.
I suppose if there is some pollyanna-ISH, overly optimistic fool wishes to argue otherwise or provide other forms of fact checking, there is always a comments section following my posts.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Northwest Airlines -> Delta Airlines = Suck
I have to say that I've been seeing signs the slow transition of Northwest to Delta post merger, and I don't really care for it: Delta planes with their crap seating configuration servicing Northwest routes, Delta logos replacing Northwest logos, and so forth.
In general Northwest employees are a bit apathetic, disgruntled at management, but otherwise nice people. Today is the first day I've flown when the Detroit Metro staff are wearing the Delta jackets and magically, with the costume change, they've gone from being a little slow and lackadaisical, to being actively and aggressively rude. I actually told one of them to "f**k herself" when, at the end of berating me, trying (unsuccessfully) to make me feel guilty and stupid for checking in at the wrong computer (despite the utter lack of indication that it was in fact the wrong computer) she finished by sweetly telling me to enjoy my flight. Granted I'm a little sleep deprived, but I'm not really in to being abused by airline attendants. I see with the Delta jacket comes the Delta attitude.
Southwest's scary and inexplicable corporate sunniness is suddenly significantly less off putting.
In general Northwest employees are a bit apathetic, disgruntled at management, but otherwise nice people. Today is the first day I've flown when the Detroit Metro staff are wearing the Delta jackets and magically, with the costume change, they've gone from being a little slow and lackadaisical, to being actively and aggressively rude. I actually told one of them to "f**k herself" when, at the end of berating me, trying (unsuccessfully) to make me feel guilty and stupid for checking in at the wrong computer (despite the utter lack of indication that it was in fact the wrong computer) she finished by sweetly telling me to enjoy my flight. Granted I'm a little sleep deprived, but I'm not really in to being abused by airline attendants. I see with the Delta jacket comes the Delta attitude.
Southwest's scary and inexplicable corporate sunniness is suddenly significantly less off putting.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
NHL Playoffs to Commence
It's hard for me to get worked up about the playoffs this year. Being frigging exhausted following the arrival of the Weasel Meme probably doesn't help.
The Wings' play this season doesn't particularly help either. Goals and shots against have been terrible. Two blowout losses against Central Division opponents (giving up 8 goals) and Ozzy tanking this year are sickening. It appears that we miss Todd McLellan (former defensive coach, now head coach for the Sharks) more than I ever thought we would.
This AP article about how the Sharks have their sights set on the Wings as their main target just has me wondering if the Wings have a chance to even get to the Conference Finals to (potentially) meet them. Also, the Sharks have a history of playoff under-performance themselves that they need to address. At least the new baby has not dulled my pessimism. You want cheerful thoughts? Well, we resigned Zetterberg and Franzen. Lilja's brain may stop bleeding any day now.
Annual humiliation playoff picks coming soon.
The Wings' play this season doesn't particularly help either. Goals and shots against have been terrible. Two blowout losses against Central Division opponents (giving up 8 goals) and Ozzy tanking this year are sickening. It appears that we miss Todd McLellan (former defensive coach, now head coach for the Sharks) more than I ever thought we would.
This AP article about how the Sharks have their sights set on the Wings as their main target just has me wondering if the Wings have a chance to even get to the Conference Finals to (potentially) meet them. Also, the Sharks have a history of playoff under-performance themselves that they need to address. At least the new baby has not dulled my pessimism. You want cheerful thoughts? Well, we resigned Zetterberg and Franzen. Lilja's brain may stop bleeding any day now.
Annual humiliation playoff picks coming soon.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Creme Eggs
For anyone who obsesses as much about Cadbury Creme eggs as much as I do at this time of year:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137883380?bctid=17252662001
Remember whne we all thought we'd have the kind of time to devote to important matters like building something like this? Now, I don't really have time to watch it.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137883380?bctid=17252662001
Remember whne we all thought we'd have the kind of time to devote to important matters like building something like this? Now, I don't really have time to watch it.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Weasel Meme Photos
Hot out of the womb:
Her with some guy:
Now some girl:
Cute, cute, cute...
Cleaned up:
Her with some guy:
Now some girl:
Cute, cute, cute...
Cleaned up:
Well, I'm Amused
Maybe you too can audition to be a victim of the apocalyptic pink storm.
It's helpful in a movement like this to try to dredge up some actual victims of the purported "crisis". When it comes to traditional "victimless crimes" (e.g. prostitution, drug use, pornography) if you look around, you will find someone who has been injured by them in some (reasonably direct) manner. It may not be the norm for said activities; it may be entirely preventable of even partially the result of governmental prohibition, but there is at least some demonstrable harm. Gay marriage victims? We get actors.
It's time to privatize marriage.
It's helpful in a movement like this to try to dredge up some actual victims of the purported "crisis". When it comes to traditional "victimless crimes" (e.g. prostitution, drug use, pornography) if you look around, you will find someone who has been injured by them in some (reasonably direct) manner. It may not be the norm for said activities; it may be entirely preventable of even partially the result of governmental prohibition, but there is at least some demonstrable harm. Gay marriage victims? We get actors.
It's time to privatize marriage.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Weasel Meme is Here
Born: 04:03:2009:03:21
Go here for a picture and some measurements. You should try to remember the date above and the mother's name.
http://www.allegiancehealth.org/content.aspx?id=732
Labor was hard (baby face up for a long time) and the hospital stay a little longer than I expected (about 27 hours before birth and 59 after). The baby was a little jaundiced requiring her to sleep on a fiber optic UV blanket for a few days. They let go home just before the snow struck and took out our power. Since UV blankets require power, we went to a hotel for the night.
All is well now. Super tired.
Real post to follow with better pics than are available in the link.
Go here for a picture and some measurements. You should try to remember the date above and the mother's name.
http://www.allegiancehealth.org/content.aspx?id=732
Labor was hard (baby face up for a long time) and the hospital stay a little longer than I expected (about 27 hours before birth and 59 after). The baby was a little jaundiced requiring her to sleep on a fiber optic UV blanket for a few days. They let go home just before the snow struck and took out our power. Since UV blankets require power, we went to a hotel for the night.
All is well now. Super tired.
Real post to follow with better pics than are available in the link.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Stephen Strikes Again
NASA must now ponder whether it is more dedicated to democratic principles or to stodgy, boring, loftyish names for its new toys as Stephen Colbert handily won the online contest to name the new module of the International Space Station (ISS):
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090330/sc_nm/us_space_colbert_3
He got his viewers (and their bots) to vote en mass to name a bridge in Hungary after him, did they think he would miss a NASA project?
Maybe this will lead to an image update for NASA. No more 1950's inspiry names like Discovery, Serenity (sorry Joss), Lethargy, ... The future will be littered with pop culture references: the Simon Cowell Magnetic Field Array (SCMFA) or the Grey's Anatomy Orbital Mind Control Laser (GAOMCL). Maybe there could be commercial tie ins: the Aquifina Lunar Water Detection Probe (ALWDP) or the Viacom Astrometric Gammaburst Inventory & Naming Array (VAGI... um, hmm, this one turned out badly).
Excitement.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090330/sc_nm/us_space_colbert_3
He got his viewers (and their bots) to vote en mass to name a bridge in Hungary after him, did they think he would miss a NASA project?
Maybe this will lead to an image update for NASA. No more 1950's inspiry names like Discovery, Serenity (sorry Joss), Lethargy, ... The future will be littered with pop culture references: the Simon Cowell Magnetic Field Array (SCMFA) or the Grey's Anatomy Orbital Mind Control Laser (GAOMCL). Maybe there could be commercial tie ins: the Aquifina Lunar Water Detection Probe (ALWDP) or the Viacom Astrometric Gammaburst Inventory & Naming Array (VAGI... um, hmm, this one turned out badly).
Excitement.
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