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by Salty
(The Most Boring Time of the Year)
Yeah, yeah, yeah…all voluntary, CL says! A real “slave driver”, she is! OK, I’m kidding, actually She’s a Beauty. Oh well…let me ramble aimlessly with music, humor…boring observations. ZZZZZZZ…fitting for the slowest time of the year…in my humble view. Summer’s ‘Dead Zone’.
Grinch…problem solved…Mrs. Grinch opportunity! SINGLE FEMALE seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I’m a very good girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I’ll be at the front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me. Call (404) 875-6420 and ask for Daisy, I’ll be waiting…. Let us know how the date goes!
Things to do when retired:
Working people frequently ask retired people how they keep their days interesting. For example, the other day Paladin went downtown to a shop. He was only in there for about 5minutes and when he came out there was a cop writing out a parking ticket. He went up to him and said, ‘Come on, man, how about giving a retired person a break’? He was ignored, and the cop continued writing the ticket. Paladin called him a ‘Nazi.’ He glared at Paladin and started writing another ticket for having worn tires. So Paladin called him a ‘doughnut eating Gestapo.’ The officer finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first, then started writing a third ticket. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more Paladin abused him, the more tickets he wrote.
Personally, Paladin didn’t care. He had come downtown on the bus with Nurse Cratchet, and the car that got the tickets had a bumper sticker that said ‘Obama in ’08.’
Paladin tried to have a little fun each day, now that he’s retired; it’s important to his health!
Hmmm:
The media says there’s an oil crisis. I can get all the gas or oil I want…it’s money I need!
We’re addicted to oil? Nah…we’re addicted to mobility.
Ethanol: higher-priced hush-puppies! Be careful what you wish for.
Watermelon juice biz. Any takers? You did hear about watermelon’s amazing benefits…no four-hour issues! SG, you can do the ad campaign, ok? Make it uplifting spirited, OK? Pfizer can fund the start-up…make up for the lost Viagra sales!
The cover of this past week’s Economist magazine: ‘What a Way to Run the World’ with a picture of the United Nations as the Tower of Babel. Funny…sad.
A spot o’ humor:
One morning a man comes into church on crutches. He stops in front of the holy water and splashes some of it on both of his legs, then throws away his crutches. An altar boy witnessed the episode and runs into the rectory to tell the priest what he’d just seen. Without batting an eye, the priest says, ‘Son, you’ve just witnessed a miracle. Tell me, where is this man? ‘Flat on his arse, Father, over by the holy water.’
Does it feel like the early ‘80’s to you? This song rather captured the angst of the day. Hey, if you’re gonna feel down in the dumps, let the music lift you up…just don’t listen to the lyrics! Synchonicity II
OK, baseball…anyone recall the NL’s MVP in 1971? How about the ROY? Hint: Braves connection. Wow, where have the years gone. Reelin’ in the Years
Bored yet?
Remember when you Stuff-villians were in school? I don’t know the origins…but they’re cute enough.
Teacher: Berigan, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
Berigan: You told me to do it without using tables.
Teacher: FBG, go to the map and find North America.
FBG: Here it is.
Teacher: Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?
CLASS: FBG!
Teacher: George Washington not only chopped down his father’s cherry tree, but also admitted it.
Now, Lew, do you know why his father didn’t punish him?
Lew: Because George still had the axe in his hand.
Teacher: Hillbilly, why do you always get so dirty?
Hillbilly: Well, I’m a lot closer to the ground than you are.
Teacher: Now, Gil, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
Gil: No sir, I don’t have to; my Mom is a good cook.
Teacher: Grinch, how do you spell ‘crocodile?’
Grinch: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L’
Teacher: No, that’s wrong!
Grinch: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
Teacher: WW, name one important thing we have today that we didn’t have ten years ago.
WW: Me!
Teacher: Raisins, your composition on ‘My Dog’ is exactly the same as your brother’s. Did you copy his?
Raisins: No, sir. It’s the same dog.
Teacher: SG, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
SG: A teacher
Teacher: CL, give me a sentence starting with ‘I.’
CL: I is….
Teacher: No, CL….. Always say, ‘I am.’
CL: All right.. ‘I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.’
Teacher: Sscribe, what is the chemical formula for water?
Sscribe: H I J K L M N O.
Teacher: What are you talking about?
Sscribe: Yesterday you said it’s H to O.
Oh, Grinch…her picture!
Courtesy of Atlanta SPCA
Enjoy the rest of the season, Stuff-villians! Try to remember, more often than not, we’re aren’t ‘and idiots’, We Just Disagree
Take me outta here, Gerry! Baker Street
~Salty~
What a neat post, Salty! Perfect for this blah time of the baseball year! Many thanks!!
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Yep, too good a cook…. Great post Salty 🙂 Anyone remember how optimistic we all were about this team coming out of spring training?
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Good evening y’all. 🙂 Salty. Daisy is adorable. Wonder what Frieda would think about having a sister?
So does this mean all the cities named Columbus have to change their name? They wouldn’t be happy, I have a longish Czech surname.
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Finally… I’m in. I thing the blog number 50 has melted down. Tried multiple times to get on only to find a WordPress note: “Error 404 – Not Found“.
Anyhoo, Salty, that lead was funny stuff… and music too. Nice.
So, are the Braves playing tonight? Rumor is they are in San Diego but the body snatchers have replaced them with non-hitting clones. You can tell if you look close… their eyes are glazed over and they seem to just go through the motions. The clones don’t like running bases.
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Owww! That looked like it got Mac’s elbow.
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Very funny Salty!!! 😀
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3 hits in 6 innings…. Is it any wonder I have been watching Final Countdown with Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen instead of the game????
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Nice, Salty; just wish I’d scrolled down before I called the number and asked for her.
Sigh. Does anyone here REALLY believe we could do anything when we got there even in the unlikely event we made the playoffs? It’s trade time, and with the right trades we may even have a better chance this year. Just not like we are.
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How could you resist that face, Grinch?
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I imagine it would be a quick exit from the postseason. Pains me to say that but it’s the truth.
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She’s adorable, FBG, but Frieda’s eating me out of house and home as it is. As much as I love her, she’s really just too much dog (not in size, but in general).
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Yeah, I think Dad & Melissa have just about talked Mom out of getting a dog when we move. I haven’t given up on kitties yet though.
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Bleh. Mac hit well but other than that… 😦
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Man, did anyone catch Jerome, Gant, Joe and Boog after the game??? They really let it all hang out…kind of surprised how honest they were.
Except for Boog saying teams like the Red Sox and Yankees are the way to go with being patient, grinding out AB’s ,getting starters out and working on teams middle relief(Sure, it’s the way to go, but we just hope for 3 run homers on the first or second pitch, and pop it up instead) everyone else was in agreement that the team doesn’t or can’t play smallball when the homers aren’t there.
Gant was sounding like an old man(Back in the early 90’s we…) but he made some very good points. He said back when he was playing there was more stealing, more hit and runs, and how that puts pressure on pitchers, they end up making hitter friendly pitches, and the pressure it put on defenses as well.
Then Chipper was shown saying he didn’t know how far back we were tonight(It was 7 1/2 but none of the reporters chimed in)but if the team was down 10 games, how’d they’d more than likely be sellers…and Gant said Chipper is usually up, and positive….and Jerome said he hadn’t seen Chipper look so down in years…
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And did anyone see what the A’s did after trading away Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin to the Cubs??? It sure wasn’t give up on the year…they just won their last 2 games, a big one tonight against the Angels, now they are just 4 back!
Two guys that were in Pinella’s doghouse for the unpardonable sins of being young and raw, helped them win tonight. Sean Gallagher went 7 innings and gave up 2 runs, and Mike Murton drove in 2.
Oakland is used to this by now, and don’t seem to bat an eye at trading away players….I hope the braves hierarchy will not be afraid to pull the trigger on a trade, for fear of looking like they are giving up. They really wouldn’t be, IF they made the right moves….
I quickly checked out the AJC blog, and even DOB seemed to think it would be a good match with the Angels….He mentioned that they only have one lefty, and how Ohman would make a deal sweeter.
Kotchman, some prospects and perhaps Juan Rivera might make for a quite interesting deal! Rivera is only hitting .213 in 80 AB’s this year, but before he broke his leg last year, he hit .310 in 2006 with 23 HR’s and 85 RBI’s in only 124 games. Oh, and he bats right handed! I know a lot of teams were interested in him earlier in the season, but the Angels really have a tough time trading players. A REALLY HARD TIME.
So, cross y’alls fingers that the Rangers and A’s keep putting pressure on them to the point they feel they have to make a move.
The season doesn’t have to be over……
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and one more thing….I really hate to see the Mets coming on! 😡 They are doing it without Alou, (Done for the year, and most likely the career) Ryan Church(Still having concussion issues from not sliding against us) Jose Castillo on the DL, and Beltran and Delgado having sub par years(Though Delgado is hitting better of late)
They are a sucky team, with decent pitching. That’s all. Oh yeah, Pedro has an ERA over 6 as well….
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Well, at least Jake Peavey helped out my fantasy team.
Trading Tex DOES NOT mean we’re giving up on the season. I will bet anyone who wants to bet RIGHT NOW that if we trade him for either Kotchman or Youkalis (or someone similar) plus prospects the team will suddenly get more competitive (especially if we include some more and get some more in return). Whether it’s just a new infusion, or other players mad that we “gave up,” or whatever; they will be better. As currently constructed, this team is as stagnant as a Mississippi suck-hole.
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If nothing else, the fewer businessmen we have in the dugout, the better.
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Good morning y’all. I don’t think trading Tex = giving up either if they get someone in return who will help now.
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Well, it looked like another listless, barely hitless, losing game last night. I’m glad I didn’t see all of it and got some sleep. Wonder what that means in terms of lost viewership for the advertisers? My eyeballs accounted for too little to even register on the Nielson ratings graph no doubt. The good news: Buddy Carlyle has been incredible. The bad news: unfortunately, Buddy’s now a marked man. He’ll be used in relief until his arm drops off, ala many in the pen under the Cox rule.
Here’s some ugliness: In the last four games, our Braves have scored one run in one game, no runs in two games and 9 runs in one game. That’s not run production. In 96 games we’ve scored 3 runs in 15 games and we’ve managed an anemic 2 runs or less in 28 games. That’s 3 runs or less in almost half of our games. We’ve been shutout in 9 games. The fact that we’re still not “out of it” in our division isn’t relative to our play but to the fact that the East is the least. Like the Bible taught and Dylan sang, “he who is first will later be last”. And so it goes.
Lady luck frowned on our pitching staff, but given all the givens, injuries to key staff and such, pitching has done a yeoman’s job. Considering what we’ve endured, for the most part pitching has been stellar. Seems Lady Luck has played only a minor role in our season. Lady luck had nothing to do with our offense. Besides, the Lady can’t sustain her spell over 96 games. She specializes in single games and sometimes a series… especially in October. No, the Lady is innocent here. I think she must be interested more in the Central Divisions of both leagues this year. Or so it seems.
So, while we fans and bloggers go back and forth on whether to buy, sell, trade, bet or fold, hold’em, fold’em, walk away or run… the season takes on a life of it’s own. Something obviously has to change with the Braves, but I just don’t see it in the cards. The charts are off. Sure, we could trade Tex and get a few pieces (humans that can play baseball), but that won’t change our approach. Folks, change starts at the top. So far this season I’ve seen no evidence to believe that Wren will right the ship… which may mean that there will be no substantive trades, or at least no trades until it’s too late to compete for the playoffs this season.
It’s probably not so much an issue of determining when trades must occur to save the season or build on next season as it is a corporate mindset of maximizing shareholder value while spinning a nice, affordable PR story for the loyal fan base. Besides, PR departments, even the one as large as the Braves National League Baseball Team, Inc. are much cheaper than players. Corporate shareholder value is important, but undercutting the value of the product threatens the viability of success. When that relationship between Corporate priority and ‘product’ quality and investment becomes apparent to the fan base, the very core of consumer support erodes… the loyal, baseball savvy fan.
Now, I’m not saying that the loyal fan (most Braves bloggers) interest will disappear, although the frequency of support (watching all games and/or attending games) will wane if it appears that the corporation isn’t funding enough to field a competitive team or if franchise management seems to be either inept, ineffective or less than committed to excellence.
Is Cox capable of managing in this new era? Is Wren the right man for the job? Does Wren say one thing and three days later change his mind for no apparent or justifiable reason? Is Schuerholz still pulling the strings and making decisions based on corporate or team motivations? Is Greg Maffei myopic, assuming that his ‘operating company’ is maximizing shareholder value instead of building a successful franchise? Are the Braves being treated as a spinoff, where the Balance Sheet is worked on for three years and then the franchise sold for the perceived ‘paper value’… which will certainly be a higher value on paper than on the field. Does John Malone watch baseball?
We may never know the answers to these questions. By no means do I know any more than anyone else outside the corporation’s inner circle. Cox doesn’t know either, would be my guess. He’s just happy doing what he, uh, does.
So, where does that leave me? Well, it leaves me full of questions… and frustration and mild lethargy (like our team) about this year, but I’m still a Braves fan as long as we have players that want to win on the field.
Or maybe I’m just venting. Yea, that’s probably it. Or maybe it’s just as simple as baseball’s natural cycles, ups and downs and such.
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Cliff Notes: Don’t blame the pitching, they’ve held up their end of things. Does anyone in ownership/ management even care?
🙂
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Sorry, SG, but I couldn’t resist.
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FBG…wow! You do as much with ‘liner notes’ as SG does with an … Hmmm…what’s the word I’m looking for? Ah…an ‘epic’! 😆
Thanks for the comments, all…I’ve been scarce as ‘hens’ teeth’…and I truly dislike this time of the year. Yech!
I am embarrassed, terribly 😳 , however. I omitted one my most favoritest and bestest folks from my lead…’Stuff-ville’s’ finest barkeep: Klobber! You were supposed to be one of the ‘remember when’s’ I picked on and totally screwed up. My most humble apologies! Warm milk for me, please! I deserve it…over my head!
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But then FBG, it would have just been a simple statement of fact. That’s not what blogging is about. Without lots’a words, it wouldn’t be WordPress, they’d have to call it FactPress. 😀
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Anyways… I love the journey and the circling and such on the way to finding some truth or at least some reasonable questions…
Speaking of journey’s, I’ve gotta journey on out’a here for a while.
Gimme sumpin’ ta read when I get back and I’ll prolly add summore.
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It’s all good, SG. You say it in 10 paragraphs, I say it in 1. I just tend to not be much of a talker.
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Salty, I love how you matched the comments to the personalities.
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Boy, y’all better have some good excuses for not being here today! 😡
😆
Lew has finished the portrait of William Faulkner that he is doing for Bobby Dews. Have a look!
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Just managed to find my way in, Just like SG. Not too sure what happened. The Faulkner portrait was started the day after the surgery. CL will confirm, my eye is basically useless at this point.
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Lew, your Faulkner portrait is great! Very nicely done. With one eye or two… you nailed it. Thanks CL for posting it. Hope the eye patch is working out. Thing is, by the time you get used to it you won’t need it. Well, except for those occasional trips to the biker bars and such.
Not sure what happened to the No. 50 blog. Just gone… blank. Lost in cyberspace? Danger, danger Will Robinson.
Well, the Phils lost today. They got smacked around pretty good by the Nats. Mets won, so I guess it’s a horse race at the top. But there are still many miles to go.
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#50 should be back up. Try refreshing and see if that does it. ‘Course it has 815 comments on it so it’s slooooooooooooooooooowwww. (I think we blew some fuses…..) 😆
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SG, it was the Diamondbacks actually that beat up the Phils. I saw the Diamondbacks were up 2-0, then Shane Victorino hit a 2 run homer off Johnson, and figured it would be a long game.
Arizona then drove in 8 runs with 2 out the next frame, including a 2 run double by the big unit! Kept me from wasting any more time with that game though! 😉
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SG-Thanks. Look at it again and tell me that if they ever make a bio pic of Faulkner, that Tom Selleck shouldn’t be the one to play him. I swear they share common ancestry.
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Selleck would be perfect! You’re right! Never noticed that before.
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Just checked back to correct myself and I see Bear beat me to it. Not Nats… Snakes beat Phils.
Tumbleweeds blowing through Stuffville all day long… then make one mistake with a score report and the streets start buzzing again.
Hey, that gives me an idea. OK then denizens, FBG decided to stop baking today and write very long posts. In other news, Lew tossed all of his Deep Purple, Tull and Zepp and bought all of the Michael Jackson’s Greatest Hits collection. CL decided to take up deer hunting. Hillbilly sold all his guns and started a local PETA office. Klobber quit liking bourbon. Grinch traded in his guitar for a Tex jersey. Bear cut all his hair off and bought some gel. Raisins decided to work only on weekends. Gil sold his boat to buy season tickets for the AAA Gwinnett County Braves next year. Salty decided to hang up the paws and become a UGA fan. Scribe decided he didn’t like fried fish. JB has decided to stop watching baseball and go into the jelly bean business. Pappy, after many, uh, shock treatments, has eloped with nurse Rached and is working for a local Obama campaign in Chicago.
How long will it take these hermits to come out and see that? Only time will tell.
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Lew, I’m not seeing Tom Selleck there. Maybe a bit. Could be the ‘stash. Definitely not Giambi. There is an actor that favors him… it’s on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t spit it out. Very dignified. Could play Faulkner. Spittin’ image.
He does look quite a bit like my grandfather on my mom’s side… especially if he was wearing a Fedora.
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Salty decided to hang up the paws and become a UGA fan.
😯
On the Faulkner…I see some Selleck…I see a lot of Dennis Farina.
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Mad Dog is carvin’em up. But then, who hasn’t lately.
Maddux has put on some belly. Love that guy.
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I knew that UGA reference would get Salty out of the shaker.
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Yep, SG…the thought rips the fabric of my universe! 😆
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Good evening y’all. Where was everyone today?
Lew, that’s terrific. I see the Selleck resemblance.
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Sam Elliott, SG? Is that the guy? Deep voice, plays a lot of cowboy roles.
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The person whose family I’m researching is a distant cousin of Faulkner. The name, way back in the ancient days of England, was Falconer, from an obvious profession. It has evolved into Faulkner, Falkner, Forkner, Fortner, etc.
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Cool, CL. I’d love to hang over your shoulder while you were working on that stuff.
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It is absolutely fascinating! 😀
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😆 Check out Maddux stealin’.
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It would be to me too, I’m sure. I like history & I like puzzles so putting all the pieces of names & dates & places together would be incredibly interesting.
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Bear cut all his hair off and bought some gel.
What would I need the gel for??? 😀
Cut off all my hair and traded the Lincoln for a Toyota….with gas prices as they are, not too far from the truth! 😥
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Yeah, I guess your land yacht would take a lot of gas. 😦
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First Maddux beat out an infield hit, then stole second, a true speed merchant! 😛
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FLB, and it’s getting worse! 😡 The carb, from everything I have read is unrebuildable(Gil if you have any secrets about the Autolite 4300 Let me know!) So, I would have to buy a new carb, which runs about $300 and might as well get a better intake manifold…and swap the points ignition for Electronic…that might get me better mileage as well….but, to spend around $1,000 to get 1-2 more MPG….it doesn’t make cents 😉
Sort of like folks buying a hybrid to save gas, then hearing the extra 10K they spent means no savings for the first 5 years of ownership…..
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It’s killing my mom too. She travels between the facilities she oversees (spread over 5 or so counties) & her Acura takes premium only.
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B… I use to run into the same problem with the carb off the 460 Fords. It is not that they are unrebuildable, just they don’t take rebuilds well. It may be time for you to bring the Lincoln out only on Sundays anyway, it is just too nice a car to put in harms way with all the crazies out there.
Likely however, the ethanol they put in gas these days caused your carb problem. That stuff is really bad for older cars, come to think of it, it’s really bad for new cars too….
Charlie Morton really throws a nice curve ball… He looks a little off on his mechanics though. His release point is a bit off.
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After watching the current addition of the Braves fail to hit the past two months I would have to think opposing pitchers much jump for joy at the prospects of facing this team…
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FBG, no, not Sam Elliott. I know Sam well, he’s one of my favorites… but he doesn’t quite have the shnoz of Faulkner.
Salty… is that avatar the footprint of UGA VII?
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Have we seen this movie before? Jeff Francoeur coming to bat with the bases loaded.
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Good for Jeff….
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Morton is all pumped up and showin’ out duelin’ with Mad Dog. I like the kid… he’s got lots of promise.
Bravos score two. French is showing promise.
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Thing is, I like Maddux so much, I’d rather just win this one 3-1. Or after he leaves score 10 more.
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That’s how I feel too, SG. Always enjoyed Maddog’s games.
Now, I am not an expert but Francoeur’s swing is looking better to me. Great to see him actually drive in those runs.
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That’s got to help the ol’ confidence!
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Really good work from Boyer tonight.
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Lil’Bridge just hit a homer!!!! In SD of all places!!!! 😯
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Way to go, Lilly!!!! 1st major league home run!
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Who knew that little guy could hit one 406 feet?!?
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I sure didn’t FLB! He is about as tiny a player as I have ever seen. Tiny in that his legs, arms, heck, his face just look small….If nothing else, something to build on for him, 2 extra base hits in the same game, Frenchy getting 2 hits, and a big one with the bases loaded, Gonzo not messing around…we are ready for the WS! 😀
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Good good game. Well-pitched by Morton & the bullpen. Good to see Chipper getting back in the groove & I am thrilled by Frenchy’s swings. Even some of his outs now look harder-hit, as opposed weak little ground balls or &$%#@ strikeots.
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strikeouts
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Well, Morton is most likely to go back down, but did do much better of late. I think Gil is right, his motion/mechanics look a bit off(I don’t recall him standing quite so upright during his first start, but might be mistaken) but that he still pitched a good game is great. Reyes better get it together though, if he has another bad outing, it might be he who goes back to AAA. (3 of his last 4 starts have been 4 1/3 innings or less)
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Might be interesting to watch Sunday’s Futures Game (ESPN2, 12:30 p.m. ET).
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weak little ground balls or &$%#@ strikeots.
Looks like I left too early last night… missed a rare opportunity to see FBG cussin’ like a sailor. Must’a been Lew’s eyepatch that set her off.
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Good morning all… Just a quick comment about last night’s game. The Brent Lillibridge we saw last night was the Brent Lillibridge I raved about last year. He played the type of game I grew to expect from him in comparing him to Craig Biggio. Now, let’s hope he has turned the corner and can consistently string together this high level of play.
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SG, kittens have claws, too! 😆
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I sure hope so, Gil! That would be so exciting!
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SG…not that you care…and it’s not like I’m not terribly outnumbered (Lew, Grinch, Paladin, Raisins, etc.), but you’re doing nothing for Dawg/Tiger relations! I could be mean, but I’m going to take the ‘high road’…this time! 😆
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Brief observations from last night (because I fell asleep in the 4th inning!):
Charlie Morton reminded me a of Mad Dog with his delivery, style, game management. Pretty impressive.
Lillibridge’s at bat when he got the double was quality; fouled off some good pitches. He had a different look in his eye last night.
Was last night a ‘coming of age’ game? Hmm…then again, how many times have we thought that? Oh, well, we’re the nuturing ‘parents’ and this team is working through the adolescent stage! We hope beyond hope for their well-being…and holding our collective breath that the phone doesn’t ring!
Thus concludes my ‘SG-like’ epic! Hey, think how long it could have been had I stayed awake! 😯
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Kittens with claws and lions and dawgs and tigers and bears… oh, my. 😀
Gil, I’m with’ya on Lil’Bee. The ‘Biggio’ effect was back last night.
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Thus concludes my ‘SG-like’ epic!
Salty, in the length of your post I’d still be setting the stage, establishing the characters and introducing the protagonist. Just gettin’ warmed up and such. 🙂
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Excellent analogy, Salty! Loved the parental parallel. I sure wish Bobby would use them correctly. 2010 maybe?
I still don’t have a clue who might be the new manager? TP ain’t it! Corrales will probably be retired. CHINO??? Noooooooooo!!!!! Eddie? Dunno. Yost? Possible. Snitker? Hmmm. I think it will be someone with either current or past Braves ties, though.
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SG writes the equivalent of a new lead with almost every post! 😆 😆
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Salty-Kathy and I were at our local eatery a few weeks ago-we go every Saturday for breakfast. We were seated next to two older guys (my age, for all you yutes) who were talking football. They were discussing a Southern college coach, that for the life of me sounded like Mark Richt. I interjected myself into their conversation (Grinch will tell you I have a positive proclivity for doing this) and asked them. They were, it turned out, talking about a Clemson assistant. The HUMNANITY (or lack therof)-Clemson. Yarrrgh, Gahhhh!!!!! Clemson.
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Terrific comment by Randy Hill, Fox:
“Almost everywhere you go, nobody’s talking about Barry Bonds. I used the word almost, because there’s been some talk in Boston. It probably won’t happen, but it might be fun to see Barry and Schilling in the same clubhouse.”
😆
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I’m sorry, Lew! Hope the experience didn’t ruin your breakfast! 😛
You, interject? I find that preposterous! 🙄
CL…that’s gonna come back to bite you when SG’s turn in the order pops up. He’ll freely, and rightfully so, remind you he’s been a durable pinch-hitter for months now! A regular Lenny Harris.
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Salty-Nah, I have a healthy appetite at most times and this place makes the best Spanish omelette you’ve ever had, with Vermont Cabot cheese and (though I shouldn’t have them-one a week), the best cranberry apple pancakes with Vermont Maple Syrup. Even Clemson couldn’t ruin that. But in Vermont? Only problem is I can’t convince them to make me grits.
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Salty, I sure hope not!! 😆 😆 😆
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Hey, I didn’t say he wouldn’t step up, but…he’s arb-eligible this year, I do believe. In light of that, self-serving posturing is definitely in order! 😛
You know we’re jibing you, right SG? For this blog, you’re our ‘Billy’, of Family Circus fame! Anyone can walk straight across the street to get home; not everyone can do it with your color and flair!
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Again, you’re right, Salty! Hmm. Hey! Gil is a negotiator!!! GIL???? You busy?
😆
(Actually, I enjoy reading them!) 😀
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Maybe Klobber will let us use a table in his establishment!
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ww can be the advisor.
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Good afternoon….
Don’t you love feel good stories???
http://www.ocala.com/article/20080710/NEWS/216986732/0/VOZLATINA
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Of course the suspect claimed his hearing loss was due to the sounds of sirens speeding by his house.. 🙂
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Don’t know if everyone heard about Bobby Murcer’s passing yesterday….
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-obit-murcer&prov=ap&type=lgns
Once again, a nice guy leaves too soon. I saw Joe Girardi was quite shaken up about the news last night as well…
From the article…
Murcer delivered one of the eulogies in Ohio after captain Thurman Munson was killed in a plane crash in August 1979. The team flew home after the funeral and, that night, Murcer hit a three-run homer and then a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to beat Baltimore 5-4.
A tearful Murcer fell into the arms of teammate Lou Piniella after the game and gave his bat to Munson’s wife.
“There is no way to explain what happened,” Murcer said. “We used every ounce of strength to go out and play that game. We won it for Thurman.”
The Yankees learned of Murcer’s death Saturday after a 9-4 victory in Toronto. Visibly upset, players such as Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte spoke softly about how much Murcer meant to them.
“He touched everybody,” Rivera said.
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you’re our ‘Billy’, of Family Circus fame! Anyone can walk straight across the street to get home
Salty, uh… thanks, um, I think. Never heard of Billy or the Circus, but I’ll take it as a compliment. I’ll dedicate to you, a little ditty you just inspired:
The long and short of it.
The soul of wit is oft expressed with brevity,
And is most compelling when told with levity.
Ideas are contagious if we express them well,
Especially with an opinion we’re trying to sell.
Other news, music, sadness and joy…
Ian Anderson and Tony Snow were friends. If you ever heard Tony play flute you would at least assume that he had been inspired by the music of Jethro Tull. These gents are/were two of the good guys indeed. God bless them both and RIP Mr. Snow.
The Student.
The teacher who inspired his friend.
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CL, if you get bored, would you please fix the 3:32. Lest I be accused of, uh, no brevity. 😀
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Unbelievable!!! Just turned on the tube and Ian Anderson was on… talking about his friendship with Tony Snow. Just found out they played together in ’03, when Tony was allowed to take the stage during a concert and play flute along with Ian. That was one of those ironic coincidences when the TV came on and I saw that. If you’re interested, they’ll surely replay the Greta clip on Fox News.
Anderson said, “when we got together Tony wanted to talk about music and I wanted to talk about world politics”.
Ian credits Tony for convincing him to get a colonoscopy, which Anderson said was “and it was a good thing he did”. They must’ve removed a polyp or something, even though he didn’t go into that detail.
People… if you haven’t had the procedure, please do yourself and all of us that care about you a favor and get one soon. I’ve already lost one of my best, oldest friends to colon cancer.
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SG, never heard of Family Circus??? What are ya, a commie???? 😯 Or are you faking being an old man, and are too young to have read it? 😛
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SG, I saw a clip of Tony Snow last night playing the flute, seemed pretty good to me! Missed the clip with Ian Anderson though…
Tony Snow never complained, never said why me, and event though you expect people to say nice things about the recently deceased , you can tell everyone that came in contact with him truly loved him….He and Russert dying within a month or so of each other….the wrong folks die it seems sometimes…
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We’re out to an early lead…this isn’t looking good for out trade deadline prospects.
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Yep Bear… seems the good die young. If that trend holds, I should be around for a while longer.
I’ve never, ever read a single Family Circus, am the exact opposite of commie… and yet I don’t consider myself an old man either. Well, old being relative to whom you’re talking with, how you’re perceived and how old you feel, your attitude, health, etc. I feel 30 years young most days… on other days, not so much. I woke up with a hangover once and discovered I was 97.
The only comic strips I’ve ever read regularly were, ‘They’ll do it every time’ (created by Jim Hatlo), when I was a little kid (wish they were still being created/printed) and now I like Dilbert. Comic books, yes. First, the old ‘rag’ detective stuff, Spiderman, Sgt. Rock and such… then Mad Magazine, then Zap Comix and all the underground stuff and then no more comics per se.
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http://www.familycircus.com/
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Grinch, I know what you mean….It feels good after a win, then you realize it means a win means standing pat, or trying to get a Ryan Freel as a “big” move(actually, I’d be all for getting him, energy personified-but not a real difference maker )
Good to see us score off a lefty starter today…
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Those are the two ugliest uniforms I’ve ever seen on the field at the same time!
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CL, those are some ugly uniforms. Maybe the camo would come in handy at the in the inner city, San Diego zoo or something… or hiding in the dugout.
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Good way to end the first half. The boys did good.
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Gee… I kinda liked them both… Uniforms that is.
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OLYMPIC BOUND: Braves infielder Scott Thorman was named to the Canadien team that will play in the upcoming Olympic tournament in Beijing.
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SG…well, clearly my post was ‘lost in translation’ then, but it was a compliment, of course. I’m not a comic reader myself, but Family Circus fit with the kids when they were young, so my wife often showed strips that paralleled our own adventures.
Thanks a ton for showing the Snow/Anderson clips. Incredible!
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Good evening y’all. Great way to end the first “half” of the season. (Yes, I know the halfway point was really a little while back.)
SG, that #&%$@ was for effect. I don’t actually swear.
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CL, thanks for clearing up that link that went in the drink. Much cleaner now.
Salty, no translation problems… I got your drift and I took it as a compliment. Thanks. That Snow clip sounded pretty good, eh. He was such a multi-talented guy. I had no idea how much so until he died and all the news coverage. Too bad we can’t see more of the ‘good’ news about people like him instead of the murder, mayhem and madness that dominates TV.
FBG, also no translation problems with your #&%$@ language. Translated, that means ‘aw shucks’. I’m just glad you didn’t let a $@#& slip out. 😀
G’night y’all.
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Good morning y’all. Everybody taking the AllStar break off?
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‘Morning, FBG! Don’t know where everybody has put themselves!
Some thoughts:
Can you cry under water?
How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
Why do you have to “put your two cents in”… but it’s only a “penny for your thoughts”? Where’s that extra penny going to?
Once you’re in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?
Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
What disease did cured ham actually have?
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Why is it that people say they “slept like a baby” when babies wake up like every two hours?
If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?
Why are you IN a movie, but you’re ON TV?
Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
Why do doctors leave the room while you change?
They’re going to see you naked anyway.
Why is “bra” singular and “panties” plural?
Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?
Can a hearse carrying a body drive in the carpool lane ?
If the professor on Gilligan’s Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can’t he fix a hole in a boat?
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours?
They’re both dogs!
If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn’t he just buy dinner?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
Why did you just try singing the two songs above?
Why do they call it an asteroid when it’s outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it’s in your butt?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
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CL, those are pretty funny! Some of them reminded my of George Carlin’s stuff! 😀
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😆 CL!
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From mlbtraderumors.com….
Braves Offered Teixeira For Youkilis?
By Tim Dierkes [July 14 at 8:29am CST]
Several readers have written in regarding a rumor from ESPN’s Peter Gammons during last night’s broadcast. Reportedly Gammons said the Braves offered Mark Teixeira to the Red Sox for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen, but the Sox declined.
Given Youk’s superior numbers and team control through 2010, hanging on to him makes sense. But it is interesting to see that the Braves might be shopping Teixeira already.
Too bad… Youkilis has really been on a roll of late, having the best year of his career…. and is a fan favorite…plus David Ortiz seems to be doing just fine recovering from the wrist injury…..
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Not really surprising. If I were Theo, I wouldn’t make that deal.
Wonder why the Braves can never seem to develop a first baseman? They always come from somewhere else.
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FLB, good point! What was the last decent 1st baseman??? I guess LaRoche…I guess…but before him????
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Well, he didn’t get to stick around long. Klesko never really got to be a 1st baseman, so who knows how he would have done there. Every good one we’ve had has been free agent / trade.
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That would be the Big Cat, the Crime Dog, the “Thundering Herd” Sid Bream (defensively) were the latest of note. If you’ll notice… they were all animals.
Therefore, we need another animal at first.
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CL, those were very good. That post is a keeper.
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And Tex is more like a robot than an animal.
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SG, true….all animals! 😉 Thing is, none of them came up via the organization! I forgot that Sid hadn’t…If I knew he had been with the Pirates for 5 years before the braves got him, I had since forgotten!
Also looking at his numbers…wow…. well, check him out!
http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/breamsi01.shtml
We’d cry if we had a first baseman put up numbers like that today…well, no more than we did with Thorman last year I guess…
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Man, I sure wish that trade could go through! I just haven’t been able to ‘cotton up’ to Tex.
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I feel the same, CL. Past the initial excitement of getting him, he hasn’t done anything to endear himself to us. I like Youki. He’s feisty, fun to watch & plays like his life depends on it. The Red Sox would be crazy to give him up, IMO.
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I know we are all less than crazy about Tex…but…what do we replace his offense with if he just walks??? Our really pretty weak offense even with him??? He’s missed opportunities to drive in runs especially early in the year, but he still has 16 more RBI’s than anyone else….
Kelly can become the 1st baseman next year, but does anyone see him as a 100 RBI a year guy?? Diaz may find his stroke again, but he’s never been a RBI guy….
If we aren’t going to pay Tex 20-25 Mil a year, we aren’t likely to give Pat Burrell the 15+ Mil a year he’s going to ask for either…not much available on the free agent horizon it appears….
At least it sounds like the Braves are shopping Tex….
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Funny, when I first tried to post the comment, wordpress said, sorry comments are closed for this post…or something like that! 😡
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He’s made some great plays at first, but I guess it’s a let-down after all the hoopla of his arrival. Hasn’t lived up to the expectations. As for him personally, maybe he just has a reserved personality – but he’s hard to warm up to. Perceptions, maybe. I do think he knew that coming to the Braves would just be a stepping stone to NY/BOS/etc. I just expected more offense from him. Overall, at this point, it’s just a disappointment. Having him hitting behind Chipper, both switch-hitters, should have been a dynamite combination, but it just hasn’t panned out.
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Berigan, I had that happen yesterday. And I can find nothing to cause it, so it has to be in the master system somewhere.
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Even Michael Jordan couldn’t carry his team alone. Tex is a great defensive first baseman but the real problem with the Braves this year has been the lack of productivity by the supporting cast. When you are constantly leaving guys on base then you are not doing your job. Remember Andruw last year, trying to hit homeruns when a single would have won the game. See Francoeur this year for a similar run….
Now, expectations of Tex were pretty great. we were all looking for McGriff type clutch hitting and uplifting of the club’s spirit.
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Thing is, none of them came up via the organization!
Bear, who cares? It makes absolutely no difference whether we bring a player up through our system or acquire them by trade. Personally, I couldn’t give a hoot whether they come from Georgia or Alaska, Richmond or Savannah, as long as they can play. The last half dozen years or so, I think the Braves give way too much credit (and advantage) to home grown players… I’m not talking about our farm system but from the state… the Georgia boys.
Hey, it’s nice when it happens that we get a star from Georgia, but other than Tim Hudson and Brian McCann, when did that last happen? Marquis Grissom?
As long as we draft good talent and bring them up right, our minor league system will be a success. That doesn’t mean we EVER have to play them… trade pieces are valuable commodities in sports.
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Youkalis is under control through 2010 for next to no money, has better numbers than Tex (and has increased every year of his career), is a fan favorite (something Tex will never be wherever he goes) and we offered two months of Tex to the Sox for Youk AND Chris Hanson? That’s just…stupid. That was so far from a fair deal Wren won’t be able to get anything now without looking like a fool in the eyes of other GM’s; he’ll have to stand pat if he wants to keep any semblence of a reputation intact. Which is ALSO lose/lose, because then we don’t trade someone we need to and other teams will know in the future not to even bother listening to our first offer. I sincerely hope he adds another good player or two to that deal (and the sox add a bag of baseballs to make Wren look better) so we can get it done.
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By the way, I was talking about Braves that were Georgia born with the above players. How about our ‘pure’ farm system/minors, no matter where they were born… what recent Braves stars came up through our system directly to the Braves and became stars without ever leaving?
I’d be interested to know that, if anyone knows.
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Agree Grinch. Wren ain’t JS. Hell, JS ain’t even JS any more.
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Well…SG, based on you final criterion….hmmm…I guess that would be Chipper! Hopefully, Heyward will be next, from a purely Georgia perspective, and Charlie Morton, from the ‘no matter where they were born’ angle, could be as well.
So, how many players have been drafted or originally signed as a free agent by the Braves since Chipper? Not very good odds on developing ‘stars’, are they?
I’m with you…get the player, period. The farm is currency, not a hatchery!
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Yaaaaaaaaawwwwwnnnnn……Just getting back to work after a week of “vacation,” which amounted to one day on the lake and 6 days of air conditioning, television, and babysitting. I had to burn a week that I had previously designated for Pre-Rut November Bowhunting because the damned pre-school/daycare decided to shut down for the summer, so I just sat around watching hunting shows and baseball all week. Thank the lord I’m back at work so I can finally get a little rest.
I’m going with Uggla over Longoria in the Derby tonight. I bought into the whole “lefty-advantage” b.s. last year at San Francisco and was proved foolish by Vlad the Bad. That’s why I’m going against the grain and picking a righty this season. Anybody else?
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The farm is currency, not a hatchery!
Good’un Salty. I like that.
Now, speaking of hatcheries, how’bout some hot wings… based on the outrageous money that players are getting and the premium on pitchers, maybe it’s time some entrepreneur (outside the MLB) will step up and start an ‘arm farm’ to develop young pitchers. Hold high school summer camps for focused training and year-round bi-monthly weekends, then tutoring for the grads through college and A ball… then serve as player agent when the kids are ready for the pros.
Has anyone done this? I think not.
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SG, on the surface that sounds like a terrific idea to me! Wonder if it has ever been tried before?
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Yep… That is what the baseball academies in the Dominican and Valenzuela are all about.
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Here’s some links:
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/dekalb/stories/2008/07/14/beer_truck_overturns.html
They say “the fire’s under control and no serious injuries occured.” BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BEER?
Now, some baseball satire y’all might appreciate:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/jamie_moyer_change_up
And:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/girlfriend_wants_to_leave
I wonder how they found my last half dozen girlfriends?
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Dunno CL… but just reading Salty’s hatchery line made me wonder if there was another, efficient, profitable way to approach the instructional and management thing for players, where those that haven’t ‘washed out’ could be in the best possible hands. If a group did that and were backed with bucks along with big name pitcher-coaches and such, I’d be an investor.
Anyway, was just wondrin’. Maybe it’s similar to the Venezuelan/Dominican academies as Gil says, but these would be professionally managed as opposed to government run.
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Gil, I know Fernando’s getting a bit chubby in his old age, but are you sure he’s big enough to hold multiple baseball academies? Or did you mean Venezuela instead?
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If I had to guess, I’d say that the Grinch would more likely be hanging around the Beer truck on I-20, doing his humanitarian deed of trying to rescue strewn beers, than hanging around a gift shop with his date during a game.
Now, it is possible that he’d be hanging around at the beer stand with his girl during the game. Nah… even that is far fetched, ’cause the Grinch don’t like missin’ the action. I’m thinkin’ he’d just hand her a wad of cash and send her up there to buy a herself a frilly pink hat and then grab a few cold brews on her way back to the seats. Then, every time she had to, uh, excuse herself during the game, he’d give her more cash for the next beer run. She’d be flyin’ and he’d be buyin’. That’s just my guess anyway.
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You forgot the part about me pulling a Jack Nicholson with the empties, but then this is a family blog. 🙂
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Suffice to say the empties would be reused in a most discreet way… hopefully they’ll be screw on caps when, uh, finished for safe transport. Jack can’t get away with that time-saving technique watching Laker’s games… being front row and all.
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I usually get draft in plastic cups.
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Hillbilly, is the rut you’re referring to associated with the deer or is that something you go into from time to time on your own? I’ll take Josh Hamilton in the derby; he’s carried my fantasy team so far.
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Easier to empty and, uh, refill.
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Hillbilly’s neck swells up occasionally, which always coincides with horn development… but not necessarily deer season.
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Well, I’m back from eye surgery number two in two weeks. Good news, bad news and more good news.
Good-No more lasering!!!! At least not for some time-dion’t even see him for five weeks and that’s to evaluate the
Bad-Something going on in my good eye.
Good-The damage in the good eye is quite minimal and not in a vision critical area of my eye and should be easily dealt with.
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Lew, I believe we’re gonna have to trade you in on a newer model if you keep this up. You picked the wrong economy to break down in.
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Grinchy-I’m not breaking down. I’m like one of those 57 Chevy’s in Cuba with 900,000 miles on them. Like that old Timex watch commercial, I take a lickin and keep on tickin. Just like the Energizer Bunny with out the drum, big ears or furry tail. Long way before I’m down and out.
Showed the Faulkner portrait to the Doctor. He was extraordinarily impressed. Stunned, actually that I could do that with an eye patch.
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Grinch, I think we oughta keep him. He’s all house broke and everything.
😆
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That’s right, I haven’t made a mess on the sofa in years-Of course we don’t HAVE a sofa, but…..
Now shirts during a meal? Nother story altogether. Got to carry one of those little Tide Kelly Ripa pens around for that.
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Lew 😆
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Good news Lew. Well, good bad and good. Mostly good it sounds like. Now, if you’re comparing yourself to one of those jalopies in Cuba… you’re gonna need to replace all your tubes, wires, gaskets and seals… then get a total lube job. There are advantages though… with a car at least it’s a good thing when your full of gas.
Oh, and get those velvet dice and voodoo chicken feet off’a that rearview mirror.
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The chicken feet, too??
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They’re only appropriate when listening to Southern Culture on The Skids on the eight track. Fried Chicken and gasoline and Voodoo Cadillac.
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I remember rockin’ to Smoke on the Water cruising around in my VW minivan… on eight-track of course.
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WordPress is acting up again. Every time I post I get that annoying message: Duplicate comment detected blah blah blah.
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Y’all watching the HRD? The only way I can stand Chris Berman is to imagine him sitting on the toilet in a Yankee Stadium men’s room and calling it from there. I’ve always thought if he had the proper sized dose of metamucil he’d suddenly sound like Marv Alberts.
Erin Andrews has a big nose but otherwise she’s pretty hot.
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My current stereo has a built-in 8-track player. 😯
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Grinch, a regular-sized nose couldn’t accommodate that nasal twang she has.
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Chris Berman may be full of vinegar and, uh, that other stuff… but at least he doesn’t have the ‘bite’ of Marv.
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Ma’am-Not too sure how to respond to that.
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The stereo, that is, not the twang.
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CL, and 8-track? C’mon girl, that’s an antique. Does your turntable play 45 or 33rpm’s or is the gerbal too old to run? 😆
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My lovely stereo plays 78s, 45s, and 33s. Am/FM radio. And 8-track tapes. Wouldn’t trade it for the world! 😆
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Well, at least it has an FM. Plays Ted Mack?
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I have a stack of the old vinyl LPs and several 8-tracks, though the 8-tracks don’t sound too good anymore. 4 big speakers are plugged into it. Sounds great!! At least it did the last time I heard it. It is in the same room as Mother’s TV, so the last thing I want to hear after 12 non-stop hours of Little House on the Prairie and Animal Planet – is more noise! 😆
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Well-I suppose it is a step up from anything that requires hand cranking.
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True enough, Lew! 😆 Bought it in 1979.
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9:00 – an hour of Kelly time! Later! 😀
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Pardon me, Lew; I have two Victrolas (really) and I love them both. One is so old it plays glass records. Besides those I’ve got a big old piece of 70’s furniture that plays records and 8-tracks, two modern component systems I use daily (including that Yamaha reciever you gave me that has an EQ and Bose 301’s now), three other older ones upstairs in my attic, a killer home theater system in my den and 480-watt, 5.1 surround on this computer. Don’t even get me started on my vehicles (even my ’82 Chevy work truck has a Clarion system). I take my sound seriously.
CL, I could never spend more than an hour or two with Erin at a time because of that voice. Can you imagine what it sounds like when she’s complaining loudly? Not that women ever do that around me, or anything. 😉
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Clint Hurdle has Chipper batting 5th???
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NL starting lineup:
1: Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins
2: Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies
3: Lance Berkman, 1B, Astros
4: Albert Pujols, DH, Cardinals
5: Chipper Jones, 3B, Braves
6: Matt Holliday, RF, Rockies
7: Ryan Braun, LF, Brewers
8. Kosuke Fukudome, CF, Cubs
9: Geovany Soto, C, Cubs
SP: Ben Sheets, Brewers
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Yeah, I’d personally swap Berkman and Chipper in that lineup, but it’s hard to go wrong either way. Maybe he was just going with the hot hand.
How MANY times must a man get punished by the format for putting on a show? There should be a series about those who should have won the derby instead of those who did.
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Ok, just finished the recording of the HRD.
😯 That was the stuff of myths and legends. They need to change the rules to allow all HRs to count. Even Morneau very graciously said Josh deserved to win. Have the movie rights been bought yet?
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Green one, forget your girlfriends & take your friend who’s a girl ( Me! ) with you to the games instead. My idea of a good time is to get there in time for BP, eat & stop by the ladies’ room before the game starts & not miss a pitch. And I wouldn’t be caught dead in a pink hat. Now my lavendar & white Braves’ cap is a different story.
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I’d love to, FBG; it just seems like when it’s game time there are a number who are closer and don’t mind driving my drunk behind home. 🙂
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Just got a chance to watch the Derby I recorded (When I got home around 11, I was very confused as to why it was still on-and that Justin Morneau was the one to win it) and I’ve got to say….wow. WOW!!!! :excited: It was fairly interesting all the way thru, but then seeing Hamilton come up, and you know there had to have been pressure on him, what with him dreaming of doing this…and to put on a show like that, just amazing!!!!! Everyone at ESPN was talking about how different the ball sounded off his bat than anyone elses( I heard Milton Bradley saying that to his fellow Ranger teammates as well) I still can’t get over how utterly effortless his swing appears.
I also heard Rick Reilly(Never heard of the guy before, sue me! Never been a fan of SI) bring up the crying shame that Yankee stadium was soon to be no more, and all the big non baseball events played there….glad to hear him have the guts to say that….Then he had to whine about the HR contest being all white, looking like a kiwanis club meeting. 🙄 He neglected to point out Vlad was afraid of injury, and A-Rod is a wuss, and wouldn’t do it. Would he have felt compelled to say it was a darn shame if there wasn’t a white guy in the contest????
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Sorry about the language there CL! 😳 Forgot myself! Can you clean that up for me, pretty please??? Or Gil???
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Why’d I miss the whole thing, and had to watch it off the DVR????
Glad you asked! 🙄
Have I mentioned my friend Dale who has ALS, AKA Lou Gehrig’s disease????
He’s been having a tough time of it for quite some time. First, he was dealing with a dumb doc who didn’t know what was wrong with him, but wasn’t sending him to any specialists…instead, Dale tried to apply for SSI, with a weak report from the Doctor…turned down. Then, let’s just say Dale was going thru some very trying times with his “Partner’s” serious drug problem, and putting his own problems on the back burner.
After his Mother had issues with his lifestyle, he went to live with his Dad(who while just as old, didn’t have a problem with it) His father Died last year, and he had to move in with his Mother, who to put it bluntly is not a nice woman, to say the least….
There may be some dementia creeping in, I don’t know, but even though Dale and his brother own the house she lives in 50/50, she has kicked him out of his house several times, even changing the locks, only to take him back in when she needs something from him.
Well, since Dale’s flat broke, can’t pay any bills now, and has fallen several times on her precious furniture(Who cares that your son is going to die in a few years, that dining room table’s an antique!!!) She has not only kicked him out, but even had his mail stopped, without him knowing this fact!
So, he is trying to get by on some money from an Aunt, living out of hotels for a bit…then his car’s engine threw a rod, and was stranded. He called a friend’s Mother, who was nice enough to just plain give him the money to get the car fixed where it was towed, and Dale’s staying with us for a few days….
Amazing when someone you barely know is willing to help you financially, and your own Mother could give a damn if you lived or died!
We aren’t going to be able to keep him here for too long, but it was the least we could do…
Oh, he has a lawyer that is doing him no good trying to expedite the SSI process(And everywhere I have searched on the web says “they” will speed up the process for people diagnosed with ALS )
Dale is starting to realize he needs to do more towards getting his congressman, and others involved and get this done, since his lawyer is in no hurry…..
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That is a sad story Berigan…
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(Dale should be an illegal from south of the border; he’d immediately get anything he needed, no questions asked.)
There are lawyers who specialize in SSI, Medicaid, etc. They usually work on the basis of no-pay until the case is won, then they take a government-set percentage of the award – which is retroactive. Sometimes takes a while but they are successful 99% of the time. There is sometimes a $50 up-front fee but that is all that comes out-of-pocket.
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Woke up this morning thinking about what the Braves would look like with Kevin Youkilis at first, Josh Hamilton in CF, Matt Holliday in RF and Magglio Ordonez in LF. We’d start to look like the southern version of the Bosox. Monsters throughout the lineup. I know, I know… dream on. It was fun while it lasted.
Bear, CL is right about the disadvantage that your American friend is in when it comes to medical or financial help.
Thing is, the layers of red tape and the bureaucrats that work in our departments of SSI, Medicaid, Disability and other ‘safety net’ systems of our government is filled with people that do everything they can to stifle, confuse, stall, mislead and reject applications for help. They will bury you in paper before they’ll ever send a dime or approve a doctor’s visit or a check.
The problem is systemic. Even the lawyers that advertise specialties in those areas are part of the problem in many cases because they become part of the bureaucracy. If you are ill or broke and an American seeking help, you have to run the gauntlet to prove that you are not guilty of fraud and that you are telling the truth and truly need the help. The process goes way beyond weeding out the lazy, dishonest cheaters… it demoralizes the innocent.
Tell your friend to seek a local specialist attorney and contact his state Rep. with a letter, following that with a phone call to the Rep’s office every few days to check on the status. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
If that doesn’t work, tell him to walk into an emergency room and collapse on the floor and keep his mouth shut until he has been diagnosed and is being treated. Unfortunately, other than the steps of Capital Hill, there is nowhere to collapse on the floor for SSI attention and help.
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SG-Are you sure you were awake?
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Red Sox: No truth to Teixeira rumor
Posted: Tuesday July 15, 2008 05:26AM ET
Theo Epstein just responded to an E-mail I sent him in regard to the Mark Teixeira trade rumors that have been floating around the past two days. The ESPN report was that Sox and Braves were discussing Teixeira for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen. Asked if there was anything to it, Epstein responded, “No, not at all.”
Boston Globe
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Agent: Bonds unlikely to return
Posted: Tuesday July 15, 2008 05:15AM ET
Agent Jeff Borris acknowledged that time is running out for Bonds to play this season, saying he is not optimistic a team will sign him. He said the soon-to-be 44-year-old slugger could be ready to play in two weeks, but no teams have shown interest. People around Bonds believe he’s been black-balled from the game. A little more than a month ago, Borris offered Bonds’ services as cheaply as he could to teams and still had no interest. “I’d offered him for the league minimum – $390,000 – to numerous clubs and not one of them would take him,” Borris said. “If that doesn’t create a level of suspicion I don’t know what does. How can a guy who was a National League All-Star last year not have a chance to put on a major league uniform in 2008? He’s completely healthy. Everyone knows that his trial date is not until March of 2009, so there would be no interruption with the 2008 season.”
New York Post
And they have no clue from that???
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Ma’am-Does his agent not realize his client is almost 44, has had extremely bad knees for years, has not been a full time player for years, is walked so he can’t hit, a massive distraction, is a defensive liability, will bring a media circus, is a total jerk and hasn’t faced ML pitching in almost a full year?
Yeah. He must be blackballed. It couldn’t be anything else.
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Lew, it was one of those half dream state things when you wake up. Those Braves acquisitions were made right after Muslims denounced radical Islam, world peace was declared and I won the lottery. Started off being a great day… then I woke up.
Now that I consider all, it’s still a great day. Just not as good an outfield.
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Lew, you have a way with words. Your 10:37 was hilarious… and true.
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You won the Lottery? Damn-You just ruined MY dream.
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SG-Yeah, I’ve used the same rant on the other blog, where several denizens still think Bonds is our outfield answer. Some people’s thought processes absolutely amaze me-especially after the same people gripe that we rely too much on old, injured players. As McFann would say-Sheeesh!!! Some people.
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Y’all-On a serious note-The eye is doing great this morning. Still some blurriness due to the fact there’s still some dilation, but no pain, no more swelling and the redness is receding. Thanks for all the good thoughts and positive energy sent my direction. Apparently it worked.
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Good morning y’all.
Black-balled, huh? 🙄 Was his agent actually delusional enough to think someone would want to put up with the Evil Giant Head for the rest of the season?
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Glad to hear it, Lew.
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SG said….
Thing is, the layers of red tape and the bureaucrats that work in our departments of SSI, Medicaid, Disability and other ’safety net’ systems of our government is filled with people that do everything they can to stifle, confuse, stall, mislead and reject applications for help. They will bury you in paper before they’ll ever send a dime or approve a doctor’s visit or a check.
The problem is systemic. Even the lawyers that advertise specialties in those areas are part of the problem in many cases because they become part of the bureaucracy. If you are ill or broke and an American seeking help, you have to run the gauntlet to prove that you are not guilty of fraud and that you are telling the truth and truly need the help. The process goes way beyond weeding out the lazy, dishonest cheaters… it demoralizes the innocent.
SG, talk about hitting the nail on the head! 😯 He’s got a SSI lawyer that he’s had for years, claims cases are backed up to 2006, nothing he can do…Bull!!!! He just won’t do any heavy lifting.
So very maddening! Dale has only a few years left, it would be nice if he didn’t have to worry about where he was going to live, might be able to enjoy the time left that he is semi-mobile….
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Thanks to whomever cleaned up my potty mouth! 🙂
Here’s an abbreviated Round of Hamilton’s
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3487661&categoryId=2521705
Anyone know why only a few teams are playing on Thursday??? Seems strange that some teams get 4 days off…Glad we are one of them!!!!
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the Evil Giant Head
FBG, that was funny and true. Well, I don’t know about evil but can you just imagine having a Barry Bobblehead night at the stadium? Can’t have a top-heavy toy that takes an adult to even lift.
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Lew, that’s good news about the eye. We that pray are never surprised at ‘surprise’ healing and such. But save the eye patch… it may come in handy as a sling shot to throw eggs at Vermont judges and legislators who oppose Jessica’s Law.
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morpheus45 Says:
July 14, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Hillbilly, is the rut you’re referring to associated with the deer or is that something you go into from time to time on your own?
Grinch, those two ruts actually go hand in hand. Hard to be in two places at once. 😉
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All-Star pregame was very cool. My childhood hero Whitey Ford was lookin’ great and Yogi, Hank and Knucksie were lookin’ real sharp too. Love those guys. So many greats in one place… pretty awesome.
And who gets the first hit for the NL? None other than our Chipper. I think he’s in the zone again. McCann should be starting over the overrated Soto.
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Anyone else noticed Earl Weaver even LOOKED an awful lot like Bobby? I wonder if they’ve switched places and nobody’s noticed?
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Well, the parade might have been really cool if Fox had actually shown any of it. Pregame was great. My dad was in heaven.
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Coud’ve let Josh sing the long version. Love that kid’s voice. A better choice than Sheryl Crow for the anthem. I like her but she’s not an anthem singer.
This is zipping along pretty quickly here. Probably making the Fox people crazy, since they like to drag everything out to ridiculous lengths.
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The New York fans once again remind me why I have no desire to visit that city. What a bunch of losers they are…
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Well, now the New Yorkers are showing themselves to be the usual buttheads. Are they happy now that they ruined the whole AllStar experience for Papelbon? Jerks.
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Okay NL… Hold them….
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The wife says she would just as soon not have any of the Braves players participate in the game as she thinks they need the rest.
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Uh oh… here comes Mr Gopher ball…..
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Doesn’t inspire much confidence, does he, Gil?
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NY is NY: Booing Papelbon, their own AL pitcher… I don’t know how Jeter puts up with it.
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Why did I see that coming??? 😦
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I know, SG. By all accounts, Jeter is a good guy. Too bad he’s a Yankee.
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Didn’t need a crystal ball, Gil. Do we have a “choke” emoticon?
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Ok, we start with a guy from a bad team with a 4.56 ERA, pulled to insert Billy Wagner for his second consecutive blown All-star save (recon next year they’ll figure out to “save him for extra innings?), and now Ryan Dempster? Is the pitching in the NL really this bad? And is Wagner not perhaps the worst high-dollar closer in the history of the game?
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The only positive is the Braves will get a few whacks at him this season.
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This has turned into a pretty Uggla game.
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I know they are sizing up the goat horns for Uggla but it was Wagner that lost this game for the Nationals…
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Ho hum… another AL win. Selig is still an idiot for making it count for anything.
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Agreed Grinch and Gil. Wagner is the choke King.
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For Uggla’s sake I hope this thing goes another inning. And for McCann’s sake.
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That is some pitching display by Cook
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whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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WOW!!! Now I like our chances.
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That was a danged impressive wriggling-off-the-hook.
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Should give Cook the MVP trophy now… However, it will go to the guy that hits the game winning RBI… Let’s hope Brian gets a shot at hitting a long one…
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History may make it out otherwise, but no matter what happens don’t be fooled. Clint Hurdle is a moron.
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That said, I like our chances now.
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Will Trevor Hoffman pull a Billy Wagner?
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And Casey, mighty Casey strikes out…
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Did McCann bat while I was in the showers or has he still not played?
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Nope… Still on the bench…
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Maybe he is still nursing a sore forearm from Sunday.
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He’s the last one on the bench. 😡
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I feel sorry for you folks that actually have to wake up early in the morning.
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Actually, I would enjoy the game were it not for Tim MCCarver…
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what… couldn’t stretch out for a catch of that can ‘o corn in center?
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I don’t know what they pay him but what ever it is it is too much.
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Now I don’t like our chances. And Selig is still an idiot.
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Okay, don’t have to give in here…
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Man… this team refuses to lose
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Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Now I like our chances again. 😯
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I hope Chipper and Brian are taking notes.
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Gil, I would enjoy it without McCarver & the idiot Yankee fans. Actually the stands are kinda clearing out.
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Hurdle is still an idiot. he must be saving McCann to pinch run, and Lidge to pitch the 16th.
SG, is it just me, or does Aaron Cook’s chin remind you of Julianne Moore? 🙂
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In the meantime… I like the new Verizon campaign.
Now I really like our chances. 😀
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does Aaron Cook’s chin remind you of Julianne Moore? 😆
Uh, yes.
Now I want McCann or Uggla to win it.
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Still no Mac. 😦
OK, Uggla needs to homer here.
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Uggla has stage fright.
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Man… That was Uggla…
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Man.. This game is longer than a NASCAR race..
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Bleh. He may hide under the bed for the next few days.
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Uggla does resemble Billy Wagner. Too many eyeballs, too much pressure. Blah.
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She sez bleh, he sez blaz… let’s call the whole thing off.
Oh, let’s keep McCann on the bench… idiots idiots idiots. Blech.
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Think Bud is starting to sweat a little?
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Call it a tie… no one wants to win this game.
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Selig is still an idiot.
Now I don’t like our chances… again.
Does it seem like the AL gets the men and the NL gets the boys or what?
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Fox almost blew that one… Would that be embarrassing or what?
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Now there can be no doubt. Hurdle has three pitchers left, including two starters and the NL’s best closer. Cook for the third inning?
MMMMOOOOOOOOORRRRRRROOOOOONNNNNN.
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here’s the game folks…
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Hurdle wants someone to win it, but not us. What a bloody fool.
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I forgive you for not getting the earlier reference, SG.
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Wow… talk about a magician… Cook is leading a charmed life.
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but Grinch… I like Julianne.
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now I like our chances again… 😯 🙄
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I believe No-Doz is missing an advertising opportunity here…
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Cook should get an award for heroic service or something.
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I guess Hurdle’s planning on going about 20 innings.
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Has anyone in recent memory owed anyone a steak dinner more than Hurdle does Cook? If he doesn’t get fired from Colorado before the season’s out, he’ll owe whatever positive legacy he has to that man.
SG, I do too. Forget it. “Boogie Nights?” Geez.
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David Wright mashes one to center (NY headline tomorrow).
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No, Grinch… Dirk. Who could possibly fergit.
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At this point… I don’t give a damn who wins. The NL has a genetic issue.
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Did I mention… Selig is an idiot?
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Hear, hear; Selig is beyond an idiot. This is awful. At least the AL’s running out of pitchers faster.
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Now… once again… I-don’t-like-our-chances.
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Uggla must’ve really screwed up recently. The ball is seeking him out. Bad karma type stuff.
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This is crazy. Think they’ll still be going at sunrise?
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You know… the really good thing here: no matter who wins, the Stanky fans at the game have to sit through this. Hard seats, beer sales have been cut off, they have to watch other AL teams try to win… priceless stuff there.
Now, if NL could muster just one run. I know… that’s asking a lot. But still… it’d be sweet to see the Jankees go home losers.
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OK, obviously Mac is not getting in this game. I no longer care who wins. Just end it so I don’t have to listen to McCarver anymore.
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Maybe Longoria will hit one out. That would fit with the Rays’ year.
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ditto FBG.
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or maybe not…
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Did we lose Gil to his pillow?
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Hurdle… now is on my ‘s’ list for not playing McCann.
At some point in the next dozen innings he’ll have to give in and play Mac. Would it not be so sweet to see Brian hit the winning HR?
And Uggla is still playing.
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I agree, SG. Why the heck won’t he use Mac?
Not like he’s got someone to go in for Uggla.
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Finally.
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I’m gone. Hopefully this will go 30 or 40 innings so I can see the end.
Brian McCann is behind the plate now. Well, it’s about time.
Trouble is, Lidge is Wagnerish. Brian may not see an at bat.
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Bleh. Not exactly Lidge’s best outing. Oh well, at least it’s over. Wish Mac had gotten an at bat.
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Am I the last one standing? 😉 Good night!
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What an utterly sickening display of ineptitude. Not just by Hurdle, who’s pitching faux pas aside wouldn’t bat McCann who had better offensive numbers than SEVEN of the guys who did play. But representatives of the Phillies, Marlins and Mets collectively combined to be as useful as goose $%#@ on a pump handle. Any other major league roster could’ve produced more effective players than the ones represented by those teams, and none other could’ve squandered such a series of extremely advantageous circumstances. And we can’t beat any of THEM? Y’all, please write in and voice your opinion for us to do some trading sometime soon. PLEASE.
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Yes, ironic isn’t it?
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BLAH!
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>:-O
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Wakey Wakey, time for tea and cakiee…
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‘Morning, Gil! How are you and Miss Josie?
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Mornin’ CL and Gil. Good morning Stuffians. Moving slow this morning. I know the Grinch’s head must hurt, ‘cause by the time he shut down he was writing in hieroglyphics. Or maybe he’s a spy and that was some sort of code.
Now, baseball: They should play the ASG mid-day on Saturday or Sunday, so the working adults don’t have to stay up so late and the future generation of potential baseball fans could actually see the game. Wonder if that idea has even crossed Selig’s mind. Probably not, he’s too busy thinking about how to get Barroid a job or impress Congress with steroid testing.
Youth soccer and football cold not possibly have a better PR person than Selig or a better competitor for youth sports than the MLB.
Anyhoo, so much for free baseball. Up until the 10th inning it was a good game… after that, just painful. Baseball after midnight ain’t free.
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Good morning y’all. I’d have to say that the highlight of the AllStar festivities was Hamilton in the HRD ’cause it sure wasn’t that game. The AllStar game should not turn into “please let it end!” I like SG’s suggestion of a weekend day game but Fox would never go for that.
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Keep in mind that what I’m about to say is commentary only, not a personal complaint. We are lucky and we know it.
My wife is Senior Administrator at a Law School. She makes damn good money and we do fine-certainly no complaints, as it hasn’t always been like this.
She just received a 3% raise (probably more than most are receiving) on a very good salary. We just found out today how much this truly amounts to in real dollars, once all the new charges for Health Insurance, higher heating oil costs, taxes and raises in RX and Dr. visit co pays were factored in.
This three per cent raise equals MINUS $190 a month over 07 rates-not counting the rise in gasoline and food prices.
Something is not computing here. I sincerely wonder what those with lousy salaries or no jobs are going to do. It’s scary-moreso even, than in the late 70’s and early 80’s-which were bad times, indeed.
We’re increasing donations in money, food and time to the local food bank. We all need to do something to help-whatever we can. There’s a lot of people up the creek out there.
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It’s getting scary, Lew. There are going to be layoffs in the Post Office soon which is just unheard of. My dad is very happy he’s fixing to get out of there. Expect an end to Sat. delivery sometime soon.
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FBG-The Post Office is still making a fortune off of me!!!!! I have to mail to packages today. I’m thinking another $20 in Postage. However, you’re right-I’ve NEVER heard of Postal Employees getting laid off. Maybe shot by fellow postal workers, but never laid off. Hope your Dad enjoys retirement.
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They’re not making money at all actually. The gas is killing them.
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Lew, you’re right about a 3% raise is actually falling behind. Inflation is very real when the items you mentioned are on top of taxes.
I considered not posting this for obvious reasons… but since there are things that can be done by each of us, I decided it was my duty as a friend of all those in Stuffville. You can say you heard it here first or you can call me crazy, but the American economy and the US stock market are about to take a dramatic dive… very soon. This movement in the markets anticipates this and has already begun. The global markets are about to rocked in a big way by a big event in the world. Not sure what the event will be (Israel/Iran?), but it will test the global economy in a serious way.
It’s bunker-in time because it’s going to get worse… a LOT worse… before it gets better. Your dollar will soon get down to 50 cents. We taxpayers will have to bail out Freddie and Fannie in addition to paying higher fuel prices (and higher everything else). Let’s just say I have a ‘guy’ that knows this stuff. I hope I’m wrong… but unfortunately I don’t think I am.
Best move any savings into T-bills, foreign currency or precious metals. Really… no kidding. Talk to your banker or broker and make sure your money is insured. Money markets typically insure up to $100k, but please make sure.
Now, for those that have the least and need help, you are a good man Lew for thinking of and doing your part in helping. We all should be doing that… even moreso today and particularly in the coming months.
Don’t think of this as doom and gloom… think of it as a heads up and a global ‘correction’ or ‘shakeout’, if you will.
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I didn’t watch the debacle last night. Watched ‘America’s Got Talent’ with Kelly. Most of it is a total waste of time – with this exception:
A 45-year-old man, Donald Braswell, used to be a professional singer. He’s married with three precious daughters. Eleven years ago he was in some sort of accident that ruptured the muscle in the side of his neck and damaged his vocal cords to the extent that all the doctors told him he would never be able to speak again, much less sing.
He proved them wrong. Over time he learned to speak again – and eventually learned to sing again. This performance was the first public performance he had given in 11 years.
The audience last night had totally lost touch with reality and was booing and screaming NO at every person who came on stage – granted most deserved it.
When Braswell came on and started to sing the same madness prevailed in the audience despite the fact that it was immediately evident that he has a beautiful voice.
The judges were listening to him through the roaring jeers and boos – but he kept singing. And by the middle of the song, he had the entire audience on their feet, cheering and applauding! It was truly a thrilling and stunning moment.
He goes through to the next rounds. What a triumph over tragedy!
I hope to goodness that he gets a recording contract; I will be one of the first customers to buy one! That’s one moment on TV that I’m glad I saw.
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I got ticked off at the post office suits several years back when they said they had too much mail and they had to raise the cost of postage to deal with it.
Then, email and e-everything really kicked in, lessening the amount of mail – and the same people came back and said they needed to raise the cost of postage because the amount of mail had dropped off.
Wanted it both ways. Sounds like there’s some poor management in there somewhere. Poor management in government? Sorry, I lost my head there for a moment! 😆
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SG-Still have most of our Retirement in TIAA Cref’s real estate. It made money last quarter-not much but better than the bonds and any mutual funds. I have one friend who has a clue that said I should take much of ours out of TIAA’s Traditional, which is like a 3.5% savings account, but I’ll be damned if that isn’t what is making the most money right now, though I imagine the inflation linked bonds might do well given today’s news on inflation. Where is Jersey Gil when you need his advice?
We’re just going into a holding pattern trying to rack up cash reserves and pay down the credit cards as much as possible. A diet might not be a bad idea, either. The Grinch and I have decided we will appear at Spring Training as mere shadows of ourselves. Who can afford food, anyway? Right?
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SG, agreed there are some incredible times coming quickly. The airlines will not survive in this current fuel-price climate. Passengers don’t want to accept the reality of the situation; everyone feels ENTITLED to relatively cheap fares from anywhere (including Possum Paw Junction) to anywhere. At whatever time of day suits their plans. Can’t happen.
The operational cost of an airliner is very high – and the fuel costs have risen out of all reason. None of them can afford to operate the aircraft.
Air travel has devolved into an abysmal experience, which breaks my heart. I was blessed to work in it when air travel was fun, exciting, happy – with excellent service, plenty of free meals even on very short segments, and all the beverages you could drink. Now, they couldn’t pay me enough to even ride as a passenger. If I ever have to go somewhere, I’ll drive.
Things are going to change drastically in this country – and IMHO, rather quickly. We’re just seeing the tip of it.
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Incredibly poor management, CL. It makes my dad really sad to see how it’s gone downhill. When he started he was taught the right way to do the job by the old-timers. Now the supervisors don’t care if you do the job right, just as long as their numbers look good on paper.
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BTW-Not positive, but pretty sure I heard that 401K plans are insured for double what savings or banks deposits are.
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A staggering expense that no one is talking about is the BILLIONS the government (our tax dollars) spends every year on the cost of illegals. And it IS billions. The last figures I saw were something like $386 billion every year, and climbing.
Why is it being so ignored???
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The only way we’ll all make it through is to help each other. Of THAT I’m quite certain.
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Ma’am-It’s being ignored because without the votes of the interest groups concerned with those illegals, none of the candidates will see election.
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I thoroughly understand your Dad’s feelings on it, FBG. I think we see it everywhere in everything. No standards to adhere to, no sense of responsibility, no personal pride in doing something well.
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It is everywhere, CL. Not just in the workplace (customer service no longer exists) but in everyday life. People are so inconsiderate of everyone else. I guess my family is old-fashioned because I wasn’t raised that way.
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You’re probably right, Lew. But just for once, I’d like to see someone with the backbone to stand up and say NO! That person would be very surprised to see how many people would rally to him. This pandering bunch of political prostitutes aren’t worth a second’s thought – yet one of them will wind up in charge of my nation. Sickening and terrifying. Especially you-know-who.
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Maybe we need tough times to wake most of the people in America out of their narcisstic oblivion.
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Lew, most 401-k’s have equities, T-Bills, muni-bonds, etc. It’s the equities that have been and will continue to get hammered. Some 401-k’s allow the owner to choose their own investments… some don’t. If you do have that choice, you’re in better shape. With mine I can choose anything in the world, not just a handful of ‘broker select’ stuff.
CL, you are so right about air travel. It’s really gotten to be a royal pain to fly. Still do it because I have to… but it’s no fun like it used to be. Can you go into the Stuffville coffers and buy us a small jet for our own use? I think we have a pilot around here somewhere.
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Neither was I, FBG. And neither was my daughter! There is no thought of anything except ME! ME! ME!!! There’s a commercial on TV with the song “I want it all – and I want it now!”. Disgusting. No body is willing to EARN anything anymore. Again, it’s that juvenile sense of entitlement that so many have now. And will throw a toddler’s tantrum if they don’t get it. I don’t have the time of day for ’em! Couldn’t tell, though, could you??! 😆
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narcissistic… Sorry, I’m still a little fuzzy-brained from last night.
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Sure, we can get a nice corporate jet or two, SG. Got so many millions from all those lotteries they say we’ve won that I don’t even open most of them anymore.
Got 2 pilots that I know of – though one of them is AWOL right now.
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The only things the politicians in Washington know how to do is enrich themselves and get re-elected time and time again. They have their own selfish agendas. Educated morons. That’s not even the bad part, which is… WE elect them.
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Unfortunately, there’s not a “none of the above” choice.
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Now we have to choose the lesser of the evils.
Dental appt this afternoon; cleaning for Kelly and me. Boooorrrrring.
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CL, that is GREAT!!! Maybe we can charter some games soon. Those jets do have multiple HDTV’s in them, right? 😀
Before I run… been meaning to ask:
Can Grinch and/or Pappy give us their take on the whole Brett Favre thing. Would he be a good one-year, full-circle guy for the Falcons?
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SG-I have one that let’s me choose within certain limits-but I think I described it to you before.
Now Aliens (of a different Kind)-Has anyone else noticed recently how we’re being barraged by “True Real People Sightings” recently? Even Larry King is having people on a weekly basis coming out. The History and Discovery Channels have weekly segments, too. Several governments (including Ours) have been allowing military personnel (some pretty High Ranking) to report THEIR sightings in recent months. The Mexican and Belgian Governments have released actual footage of sightings.
Makes one wonder if we’re about to be told that we’re not alone and many Poobahs have known as much for decades. SOMETHING is going on, anyway.
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SG-I’m betting he’ll end up with Gruber and the Buccaneers. Hope so, too.
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Lew, nothing would surprise me in this stupid, upside-down world where common sense is more rare than hen’s teeth!
Used to be when I read some things in the Bible, it was simply beyond my comprehension how such things could EVER come into being. People just had too much common sense for it to happen. Now I know. The stage is set and the curtain is about to go up.
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CL, you really want dental appts. to be boring. That means nothing’s wrong.
Lew, they might decide there’s not enough intelligent life here & leave without making contact.
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FBG-I won’t dispute you on that one.
Ma’am-My step sister once told me that Common Sense is anything but common. I did not dispute her, either.
Have we also noticed that Mulder and Scully are making a reappearance in coming weeks? X Files movie is about to be out-at the wrong time, too.
I’ve made a very informal study of what type of movies are released at different economic times. When times are good, Sci Fi is released-Star Wars, Star Trek, etc-far seeing type things. Types of movies we have not seen for several years-mainly since the boom days of the late 90’s.
When things are getting bad (as in recent years) Horror movies dominate. Such has been the case the past few years, too.
When things are terrible, you get Fantasy movies-Indiana Jones, Harry Potter-stuff that takes your mind to other places and off of the reality.
Given this, why is a Sci Fi movie coming out now? They’re here or coming soon, mark my word!!
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Greetings all…. Too much for me to take in today. I try not to think about inflation vs having a fixed income…
One comment about unions and I will let that go. Most Union members see membership as a way to demand more money and do not realize the single most important concept is having a “for cause” exception to the contract. Something about common sense should be inserted here.
When the post office became privatized, they played the cut hours and benefits game and like anything else, you get what you pay for.
Now baseball…. DUH!!!!
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Just talked to Bobby Dews for about a half hour. I’ve got to tell y’all that man is something else. Now he’s taken up painting, too. Amazing Man.
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Hello everyone! Where have I been??? Trying to catch up with the All star game I missed! 🙄
I wasn’t going to be able to watch the ASG live, so I DVR’ed it…even was smart enough to set it up for an hour later than it was scheduled, what with all the pre game stuff and all….and It still cut off in the 12th! Then put on the baseball tonight I had recorded….it was sportcenter, and the game was still on in the 14th! Fast forwarded to the point they said the NL lost. Man, it was like a braves playoff game! Get into extras, with no way to win….It was still fun to watch for the mostpart… til extras at least..
Glad McCann didn’t have to catch 10 innings. Did y’all hear that over the last 2 1/2 years, no one has caught more games than Russell??? And I thought McCann was overworked!
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😆 You’ve just gotta read this!
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The boss and I just returned from dinner and made an additional stop at Tractor Supply to pick up 50 pounds of chicken feed. Some of the local teens were hanging out in the parking lot showing off their four wheel drives.
Now, being a redneck boy myself, I can hardly see any harm in it but I did remark to Josie that the parking lot of Tractor Supply seem to be a very appropriate meeting place.
I made the comment to Josie that I could be widely accepted in many circles when driving my pick up truck… She said except maybe funerals. Running an exhaust system sans mufflers might be a bit too loud and conspicuous at such events and could be considered in poor taste… 8)
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Gil, y’all aren’t far enough back in the country if you can’t drive your pickup to a funeral! I do agree about the loud mufflers, though……. don’t like those at all! 😆 😆
Talk about ‘from the country’ – when my grandmother died at age 92, all my cousins attended the funeral. Including one cousin who was wearing a square-dancing type skirt and her boots. I’m not talking fancy or pretty boots, but the “I-just-came-from-the-barn” boots!
Her husband was telling about their place up on the Black River. Up on a little hill and how the grass goes all the way down to the river – and the nice view from the double glass doors of the family room. I was picturing a lovely setting until another cousin asked him, “Did y’all ever get that thing level?”
😆 True story! 😆
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Nothing going on right now – so here’s one of my favorite stories:
As a young minister, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave side service for a derelict man who had died while traveling through the area and had no family or friends.
The funeral was held way back in the country. This man would be the first to be laid to rest at this cemetery. As I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost.
Being the typical man I didn’t stop for directions. But I finally arrived an hour late, I saw the crew and backhoe, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.
The workmen were eating lunch. I apologized to the workers (who looked puzzled) for my tardiness. I stepped to the side of the open grave, to find the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers that I would not hold them long, but this was the proper thing to do.
As the workers gathered around, still eating their lunch. I poured out my heart and soul. As I preached the workers began to say “Amen, Praise the Lord” and “Glory” (they must have been Baptist). I preached, and I preached, like I’d never preached before. I went from Genesis all the way to Revelation. I preached for two hours and 45 minutes. It was a long and lengthy service. I closed in prayer and it was finished.
As I was walking to my car, I felt that I had done my duty and would leave with a renewed sense of purpose and dedication, in spite of my tardiness.
As I was opening the door and taking off my coat. I overheard one of the workers saying to another, “I’ve been putting in septic tanks for 20 years, and I ain’t never seen anything like this before.”
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CL, it gets funnier, every time you post it! 😀
This is going to be one long All star break! Only 5-6 games tomorrow. 😥
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Hey, Berigan! I LOVE that story! 😀
A friend just sent this link: http://www.militarytimes.com/hancock
If that doesn’t bring a tear to your eyes, there’s something wrong! What a lady!!
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OK. Still talking to myself…..
HOW MANY DOGS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB?
Golden Retriever: “The sun is shining, the day is young, we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and you’re inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?”
Border Collie: “Just one. And then I’ll replace any wiring that’s not up to code.”
Dachshund: “You know I can’t reach that stupid lamp!”
Rottweiler: “Make me.”
Boxer: “Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.”
Lab: “Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!”
German Shepherd: “I’ll change it as soon as I’ve led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven’t missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.”
Jack Russell Terrier: “I’ll just pop it in while I’m bouncing off the walls and furniture.”
Old English Sheep Dog: “Light bulb? I’m sorry, but I don’t see a light bulb!”
Cocker Spaniel: “Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.”
Chihuahua: “Yo quiero Taco Bulb.”
Pointer: “I see it, there it is, there it is, right there…..”
Greyhound: “It isn’t moving. Who cares?”
Australian Shepherd: “First, I’ll put all the light bulbs in a little circle…”
Poodle: “I’ll just blow in the Border Collie’s ear and he’ll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.”
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I just spent a lot of time clearing out my mailbox; it’s amazing how much stuff accumulates there! I had to click on almost every one to see if it was something I needed to keep, answer, forward, or whatever –
and then something terrible happened! I don’t even know how to describe it, but BE CAREFUL how much you use your mouse at one time or it may happen to you!!!! See for yourself!
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Gee CL, all it says is….
no such forward entry. If there was supposed to flame or somethin’ it didn’t happen!
Editor’s note:
Oh, no! The link won’t work! And it is a terrific graphic, too!! Rats! 😦
Editor’s note 2:
Yes, it does!! Using Firefox, I had to ‘allow’ the script and it worked perfectly! 😀
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Letter from a farm kid at USMC Recruit Training
Dear Ma and Pa,
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.
I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. but I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.
Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there’s warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food, plus yours, holds you until noon when you get fed again. It’s no wonder these city boys can’t walk much.
We go on “forced marches,” which the DI says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it’s not my place to tell him different. A “forced march” is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.
The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don’t bother you none.
This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don’t know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don’t move, and it ain’t shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don’t even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.
Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain’t like fighting with that ole bull at home. I’m about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I’m only 5’6″ and 130 pounds and he’s 6’8″ and near 300 pounds dry.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.
Your loving daughter, Alice
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🙂 CL! I’m having some connection issues so I may be in & out. Not sure what’s going on with Roadrunner.
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Hope RR gets itself together, FBG!
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Almost 11. Time for me to put my toys away and get ready for another wonderful day in paradise! 😆
(Now y’all know better than to leave me unattended for too long!) 😆
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So Hampton tweaked his groin, huh? There’s a shocker.
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The flaming cursor worked fine for me.
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Hampton out again??? He’d better just give up.
‘Night, FBG! Sorry to leave, but that clock has no mercy in the mornings! 😆
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Good night CL! I know, I didn’t want to get up this morning after staying up watching that darn game… but the plumber was coming to fix my kitchen faucet. Then he rescheduled for Fri. 🙄
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tweaked his groin…..I’ll let Grinch comment on that! 😛
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That’s what the article said, B. Behave.
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Mike Hampton’s motto-“So many muscles, So Little Time”. Maybe the Braves should sign the Old Dude who pitched Josh Hamilton’s Home Run Derby. At 71 he’ll likely give you more innings than Hampton.
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Wasn’t that a great story? Just one more thing to add to the movie to be made of Josh Hamilton’s life.
How’s the eye feeling, Lew?
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FBG-It’s doing great.
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Mike Hampton hurt, who would have thunk it?
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I’m beginning to wonder if all these tweaks, pulls and tears with Hampton are not random minor injuries at all, but symptoms of a more serious problem. I sure hope not of course, but it’s way past being coincidental or a run of bad luck.
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SG-You might have something there. Don’t know what it could be, though.
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I don’t know that Hampton was ever on steroids, but if he was this continual breakdown may be payment for that.
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Mike Hampton: “You ready for one of the best in the business, babe?”
Hot chick: “I’ve been hearing about you forever, and laying in this bed ready for at least three weeks. PLEASE HURRY.”
Hampton (emerging from bathroom and dropping towel): “Whaddaya think?”
Hot Chick: “Wow; you really look impressive! This is SO gonna be worth the wait!”
Hampton: “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet…” (climbs onto bed but suddenly falls backward onto the floor in pain) “OW! OWWWWWWW!”
Hot chick (concerned): “What is it, babe? did you break something?”
Hampton (writhing on the floor): “No, I got a speck of dust in my eye!”
Hot chick (confused): “well go back to the bathroom, use some visine and come back.”
Hampton: “It’s not that easy, but I’m a warrior so I’ll try.”
SIX MONTHS LATER
Hampton (emerging from bathroom): “Hey, B—”
Hot Chick (without looking up): “I’m in the middle of a crossword puzzle; just don’t even say anything ’till you think you can make it all the way into the bed this time.”
Hampton: “I won—”
Hot chick: “Yeah, I know, 22 games in Houston. I was 12 then.”
Hampton: “Uh…I KNOW I can make it this time.” (sound of battery powered device drowns him out as he turns dejectedly back to the bathroom).
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Grinch at 10:47a.m.
Oh Snap! 80
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Ma’am-I think steroids are not well understood. I think it’s just as unrealistic for Clemons to get one shot and then totally turn a season around-twice as it is to think that the body just self destructs after they quit taking them. I think it’s likely much more subtle than that. There were too many players we knew took them that received seemingly little benefit from them. There’s just no way they immediately turn athletes into supermen and just as quickly leave them invalids.
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Anyone interested in learning more about steroids should see the documentary “Bigger, stronger, faster.” It’s informative, funny and poignant. It’s also quite a commentary on the American psyche. It was in the theaters a couple of months ago; should be out on DVD by now.
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For the record, I don’t think Hampton used them, at least not often. If he did, he would’ve recovered much quicker (or at all, for that matter).
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Good morning y’all.
Grinch, that was a bit rude but funny as all get-out.
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Gee… I wonder what they expected, a parade?
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/sports.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-07-17-0080.html
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This was sent to me in an e-mail…appropriate for the MBTOTY! I’m sure some have seen it…me, I live a sheltered existence! 😦
Five surgeons are discussing the ideal patients to operate on.
The first surgeon, from New York, says, “I like to see
accountants on my operating table, because when you open them up,
everything inside is numbered.”
The second, from Chicago, responds, “Yeah, but you should try
electricians! Everything inside them is color coded.”
The third surgeon, from Dallas, says, “No, I really think
librarians are the best– everything inside them is in alphabetical
order.”
The fourth surgeon, from Los Angeles, chimes in, “You know, I
like construction workers…those guys always understand when you have a
few parts left over.”
But the fifth surgeon, from Washington, D.C., shut them all up
when he observed: “You’re all wrong. Politicians are the easiest to
operate on. There’s no guts, no heart, no
‘little round thingies’, no brains and no spine, and the head and the butt are interchangeable.”LikeLike
Struggling to stay awake.
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Dozing off.
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Salty. 😆
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Must continue to type meaningless posts to keep from falling out of my chair. Hope the boss doesn….
zzzzzzzzzzzzz……..zzzzzzzzzzzzzz……zzzzzzzzzzzzz
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WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Uh-oh. Somebody give Hillbilly a nudge.
Salty 😆
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Look!!! A huge 8-point buck just walked through the blog!!! (Did that wake him up?)
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More Tex Trade Talk! http://trades.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/07/no_reason_for_tex_to_pack_yet.html
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I could be wrong of course, but as I have said before, getting 2 picks after the most highly touted picks have been….picked….just doesn’t make sense. We could get some good players for sure….it certainly happens. But, how long before we see them in a major league uniform???2010? 2011???
We will have lots of money saved, and nowhere to spend it. And a weaker team.
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Look!!! A huge 8-point buck just walked through the blog!!! (Did that wake him up?)
Was Tiffany Lakosky chasing it? (Google “Gettin’ Close” or try http://www.gettinclose.com )
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I wonder if Hampton could have that illness that Rocco Baldelli has???
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Well 😕 how naive are we…or at least, me? Hillbilly, here I thought you watched hunting shows for the trophies…uh, ok, let me try again…for the game…yeah, that works…the game. Now…I have my doubts!
>
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by the way, what network does that show come on anyway. I like
deardeer! 😆LikeLike
Baldelli: “metabolic and/or mitochondrial abnormalities”
I think that means they don’t have a clue!
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Out of curiosity:
Mitochondrial DNA Abnormalities
The Merck Manual Minute
Each cell has several hundred mitochondria in its cytoplasm. Mitochondria contain DNA in a single circular chromosome that codes for 13 proteins, various RNAs, and several regulating enzymes. However, most (> 90%) mitochondrial proteins are coded by nuclear genes. For practical purposes, all mitochondria are inherited from the cytoplasm of the egg; thus, mitochondrial DNA comes only from the mother.
Mitochondrial disorders (see also Inherited Disorders of Metabolism: Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation Disorders) can be due to mitochondrial or nuclear DNA abnormalities (eg, deletions, duplications, mutations). High-energy tissues (eg, muscle, heart, brain) are particularly at risk of malfunction due to mitochondrial abnormalities. Particular mitochondrial DNA abnormalities result in characteristic manifestations.
Mitochondrial abnormalities may occur in many common disorders such as some types of Parkinson’s disease, which may involve large mitochondrial deletions in the cells of the basal ganglia, and many types of muscle disorders.
Maternal inheritance patterns characterize abnormalities of mitochondrial DNA. Thus, all offspring of an affected female are at risk of inheriting the abnormality, but no offspring of an affected male are at risk. Variability in clinical manifestations is the rule and may be due in part to variable mixtures of inherited mutant and normal mitochondrial genomes within cells and tissues.
I still don’t know what it means! 😆
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Hillbilly… nice rack….
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CL, the nuclear reactors in his DNA have had a meltdown, which in turn have caused mutations. My DNA, by contrast, is still analog. 🙂
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Man, if I could find a girl like that that was into guns and hunting (remember, Hillbilly ain’t the only redneck here), I’d be one happy Grinch.
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Grinch, your DNA is probably pickled! 😆
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A blonde was shopping at Target, and came across a shiny silver
thermos. She was fascinated by it, so she picked it up and took it
to the clerk to ask what it was.
The clerk said, ‘That’s a thermos … It keeps hot things hot, and cold
things cold.’
‘Wow, said the blonde, ‘that’s amazing . I’m going to buy it!’
So she bought the thermos and took it to work the next day. Her
boss saw it on her desk. ‘What’s that?’ he asked.
‘Why, that’s a thermos … It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold,’
she replied.
Her boss inquired, ‘What do you have in it?’
The blonde replied ‘Two popsicles and some coffee.’
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Gil 😆
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Mitochondrial DNA Abnormalities: “Maternal inheritance patterns characterize abnormalities of mitochondrial DNA. Thus, all offspring of an affected female are at risk of inheriting the abnormality, but no offspring of an affected male are at risk.” CL:I still don’t know what it means!
CL, it simply means that men can drink all kinds of things and be, uh, OK, yet women can drink the same amount of stuff and go nuclear.
Grinch, are sure you want a female huntin’ and fishin’ buddy or just a nice girl that looks great and doesn’t complain while she’s cleanin’ and cookin’ the fish, waxing the boat and oilin’ the guns?
Where is that old doghouse key, anyway?
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SG… Josie is not much on oiling the guns or waxing the boat but she is always willing to clean the fish… 🙂 Of all the things mentioned, it is the chore I gladly give up.
And she likes baseball…. Am I lucky or what?
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SG, the key is right over there. I’ve just cleaned the carpets out there so don’t mess them up!
😆
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Gil, you forgot to mention that she is also beautiful! 🙂
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“…and go nuclear.
No, no, no, SG…it’s ‘Nuculer’ (‘new-cue-ler’)! ‘Tis the season! 😆
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Another filler (e-mail I received) for the MBTOTY!
HOW TO CALL THE POLICE WHEN YOU’RE OLD AND DON’T MOVE FAST ANYMORE.
George Phillips of Meridian, Mississippi was going up to bed when his wife told him that he’d left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window.
George opened the back door to go turn off the light but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.
He phoned the police, who asked ‘Is someone in your house?’ and he said ‘no’. Then they said that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be along when available. George said, ‘Okay,’ hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again.
‘Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people stea ling things from my shed Well, you don’t have to worry about them now because I’ve just shot them.’ Then he hung up.
Within five minutes three police cars, an Armed Response Unit, and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips’ residence and caught the burglars red-handed.
One of the Policemen said to George: ‘I thought you said that you’d shot them!’
George said, ‘I thought you said there was nobody available!’
(True Story) I LOVE IT – Don’t mess with
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😆 Salty!
Holy cow! We’ve scrabbled ourselves right on up the Hit List! It had slowed so much I hadn’t checked it lately – reads : 49,986. Almost 50,000. That’s a bunch of hits!
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Well… I didn’t want to pile on CL… 🙂
Now this will be cause of an extra load needing to be put in the washer… Snakes on a plane anyone??
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Feature_Stories/ODD_Snake_Washing_Machine.html
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Oh, jiminy! Now how did the thing get underground into the pipes???
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Now wait a minute! I just re-read that. The snake had been through the entire cycle of the washer WITH detergent – and survived? Agitate, rinse and SPIN. Tougher than I thought!
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I bet that thing made the spin cycle really unbalanced…
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What did Samuel L. (*&^%$%#$%@-in’) Jackson have to say about that?
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Can you imagine what that snake experienced in the spin cycle??? He’ll never get his eyes uncrossed! What a story! 😆
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Comment by Francoeur on being sent to the minors… Felt betrayed by the Braves… DUH.. Frenchy, get a life. Maybe the Braves couldn’t afford for you to work it out at the major league level. I hope you like playing in DC after your butt is traded to a last place team….
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Hey, Grinch!
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SG, at this point I’d just be happy with one that was good looking and DIDN’T COMPLAIN. Hell, I’ll clean the danged fish.
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He’s still saying that, Gil? Wow. He’d better get over it in a hurry!
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Hey, CL!
Gil, I hear that.
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Wouldn’t it be nice if the Braves did what the falcons just did and dumped all the apathetics and malcontents and started over?
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What are they complaining about, Grinch?
Gil, that sorta proves to me that Jeff was getting ‘too big for his britches’ in thinking that he was untouchable. No, Jeff. You’re not wearing #10! Got some more maturing to do!
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“I’M TIRED OF ALL THESE $%#^%@$^#&-IN’ SNAKES IN MY $%#^%@$^#&-IN’ WASHIN’ MACHINE!”
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Well, I’ll be checking MY washer a little more closely from here on! 😆
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CL, it has long been my experience that women (yourself excluded, I’m sure) just simply live to complain. They don’t need a reason. But lord if they ever get one it’s just that much worse. You can see the glow in their eyes when it happens.
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Hm! Empty coffee cup! Must rectify immediately!
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Interesting observation, Grinch. Don’t know what to say! 🙂
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Well, you boys were in full caveman mode this evening, weren’t you? What’s up with that?
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Salty, love your 8:46. That is great!
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Actually, upon further review I have a theory about Grinch’s woman troubles. This is what made the light go on: “good-looking And didn’t complain”. Now I don’t know that this is the case with you, green one, but a lot of guys always home in on the “hot chick” in any room. I’ve observed that the hot chicks often tend to be spoiled brats because there are always guys falling all over themselves trying to get their attention. Of course there are exceptions, there’s plenty of beautiful women who are also wonderful people. Just try to avoid the spoiled ones.
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Back again for a moment: CL, the fact that you “didn’t know what to say” instead of complaining speaks well of you. 🙂
FBG, you may be on to something. I do have success with hot women sometimes but only when I treat them very badly from the get-go. I guess they prefer that as a change-up (baseball reference!), though I don’t particularly enjoy it myself. As for my earlier shouting and bad language, I was imitating Sam Jackson from “Snakes on a Plane.”
Later.
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Darn, he’s gone already. Where is everyone tonight?
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Good night y’all.
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Morning. We’re 6 1/2 games behind the Phillies, and Oakland is 6 behind the Angels (which means Oakland’s WAY better than us). They just traded their second starter in a week to Philly. Philly picks up a guy who’s 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA and says by doing so they’ve “…significantly improved their starting rotation.” Hmmm, a team that’s better than us (and has consistently shown in the past that they have smarter management) is having a fire sale, and the team we’re chasing and not likely to catch just blew the All-Star game and “significantly improved their starting rotation” with a guy who…sucks. Anyone else think IT’S TIME TO TRADE TEXIERIA?
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I’ve observed that the hot chicks often tend to be spoiled brats because there are always guys falling all over themselves trying to get their attention. FBG
Purty is as purty does.
There. Maybe that’ll get me out’a the doghouse. It was rainy out there last night… and skeeters too.
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Grinch, I’m with you on trading Tex… but they’ll probably wait until after the Philly series to decide about trades… and whether we’re a’buyin’ or a’sellin’.
Either way, we’re about to get more insight into how Wren is going to preside over this club and whether it’s a short term fix to compete this or next year, a long term strategy to compete in 3-5 years… or an entertainment property of Liberty that is promoted by the Atlanta CVB while improving the Balance Sheet for sale.
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From Carroll Rogers ajc Q&A with Frank Wren:
Q. What’s been lacking?
A. We’ve had a difficult time getting key hits and being in position to win some games when we’ve had opportunities from an offensive perspective. I don’t know the answer to that. I guess if I did, we’d have solved it already.
Tough question. Could be the soft recliners in the dugout? No bunting practice? Wrong hitters inserted at wrong times? Hmmm… there must be a solution.
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Good morning, y’all!
That was a good interview Carroll posted. Some very telling lines in it here and there.
Some true stories:
A Washington , DC airport ticket agent offers some examples of why our country is in trouble. I hope you get a chuckle, too. . . . . WHY OUR COUNTRY IS IN TROUBLE
1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn’t get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!)
2. I got a call from a candidate’s staffer who wanted to go to Capetown.
I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information.
Then she interrupted me with, ‘I’m not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts ‘Without trying to make her look stupid, I calmly explained, ‘Cape Cod’ is in Massachusetts , Capetown is in Africa .
Her response, “click”.
3. A senior Vermont Congressman called furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando .
He said he was expecting an oceanview room.
I tried to explain that’s not possible, because Orlando is in the middle of the state.
He replied, ‘Don’t get smart with me, I looked on the map and Florida is a very narrow state!’ (Oh, my God!)
4. I got a call from a lawmaker’s wife who asked, ‘Is it possible to see England from Canada ?’
I said, ‘No.’ She then said, ‘But they look so close on the map.’
5. An aide for a cabinet member once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas .
When I pulled up the reservation, I noticed he only had a
one-hour layover in Dallas .
I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he replied, ‘I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.’ (Aghhhh!)
6. An Illinois Congresswoman called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:30 AM and got to Chicago at 8:33 AM.
I explained that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois , but she couldn’t understand the concept of time zones.
Finally, I told her the plane went really fast, and she accepted that.
7. A New York lawmaker called and asked, ‘Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?’
I said, ‘No. Why do you ask?’
She replied, ‘Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said FAT, and I’m overweight. I think that’s very rude.
After putting her on hold for a minute while I looked into it –I was laughing–, I came back and explained that the code for the Fresno, CA airport, is “FAT” = Fresno Air Terminal, and the airline was just putting a destination tag on her luggage.
8. A Senator’s aide called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii . After going over all the cost info, she asked, ‘Would it be cheaper to fly to California , and then take the train to Hawaii?’
9. I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman who asked, ‘How do I know which plane to get on?’
I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, ‘I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them.’
10. A lady Senator called and said, ‘I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola ,
Florida. Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?’
I asked if she meant she was flying to Pensacola , FL on a commuter plane. She said,’Yeah, whatever, smarty!’
11. A senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he needed in order to fly to China .
After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded him that he also needed a visa. ‘Oh, no I don’t. I’ve been to China many times and I have never had to have one of those.’ I double-checked, and sure enough, his stay required a visa.
When I told him this he said, ‘Look, I’ve been to China four times and every time they have accepted my American Express!’
12. A New Mexico Congresswoman called to make reservations, ‘I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York .’
I was at a loss for words. Finally, I said, ‘Are you sure that’s
the name of the town?’ ‘
Yes, what flights do you have?’ replied the lady.
After some searching, I came back with, ‘I’m sorry, ma’am, I’ve looked up every airport code in the country and can’t find a Rhino anywhere.’
The lady retorted, ‘Oh, don’t be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!’
So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, ‘You don’t mean Buffalo, do you?’
The reply? “Whatever! I knew it was a big animal.”
Now you know why our Government is in the shape that it is in, and who is causing it!
😆
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That’s funny stuff CL… scary too. Almost unbelievable that these legislators could be so dense, but having watched them for so long, it’s not surprising in the least.
Now, baseball: I’ve been wondering… why would the Braves have their class A minor league team play in Italy? Makes no sense. The plane fare alone could buy a few more players, no?
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Steve Hummer has written an excellent (and entertaining) article:
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/17/bravesfive_0718.html?cxtype=ybuzz
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I wonder how old that “Senior” Vermont congressman story is. Vermont only has ONE representative and we just voted him in for his first term. When it comes time to blame the elected officials in Washington, consider only three of them are from Vermont. The rest of the country-well, the blame is on them.
Vermont has a Republican Governor, a Democratic Senator, an Independent Senator (he gave me my copy of the Constitution) and a Democratic Congressman. Pretty diversified place, actually-considering there’s no minorities. Too cold.
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The story is several years old, Lew. It’s been around a while.
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Well-Now you know why we voted the guy out of office. Actually, none of the situations mentioned by the travel agent surprise me at all. There are And Idiots galore running around trying to run things in Washington. Just not many from Vermont. We only have about 600,000 people in the entire state.
We also have the distinction of being the only state never visited by our esteemed President Mr. W. He’s set foot in the other 49, but never Vermont. We also have the distinction of being the state with the most per capita deaths in Iraq. Wonder if that has anything to do with the President never visiting? Give a shout to the Green Mountain Boys. They’ve gone way above and beyond.
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Many a truth haft been spoken in jest… Great little piece by Hummer CL.
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He had some great lines, Gil. “Benny Hinn in the bullpen…” 😆 😆 😆
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Amen…. :-0
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Blog Stats:
Total views: 50,021
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Can you hit the ball? It will change color every time it is hit.
http://mazzanet.id.au/ball.php
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I am watching the Nationals’ feed tonight, Richmond is considered National territory so Peach Tree is blacked out…
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Go Lilly!!!! 🙂
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Uh… Another Friday night and home alone 😦 … Nobody on the blog either. Folks still on the All-Star break?
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I’m with you, Gil! Spent nearly an hour on the phone with mlb.com to find out why I was getting the blackout notice. All is well and I actually have a picture!
I don’t know where everybody else is! Raisins is in Alaska, Pappy is AWOL, the rest?????
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Bergman is the Nat’s ace
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Lilly is getting some good swings… Maybe he is out of his funk.
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I really hope that kid gets some time in ATL. The more I see of him the more I like him.
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Shades of ’91… I love 2 out magic.. 🙂
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Is this blog slow loading or is it my machine?
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After touting him so highly last year, I am sure folks thought I had lost my credibility when Lilly could not hit this year. I know what I saw last year was no fluke, the kid can play…
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It’s not too bad, of course I am using Mozilla
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Ain’t it the truth!!!
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And where are the Langer Hands?
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Yeah, your field reports sparked my interest in him so I’m really glad to be able to actually see him play well.
I’m using Firefox for the blog, IE for the mlb feed. Maybe I just have too many things going at once….
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I hardly recognized him in the beard. I sure hope Francoeur gets over his ‘beard thing’ quickly. Ugly as homemade soap!
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Flash players will really slow things down…
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If it meant that he (Francoeur) could hit in the clutch, I wouldn’t care if he shaved his head…
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Man, I hate letting a team back into a game….
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Shhhh. That’s not my favorite ‘look’, either! 😆
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Nice play CHIPPER!!!!
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Tim stayed one inning too long.
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That was incredible!!! Way to go, Chipper!
I just figured out why I’m a beat behind here – there is a delay of several minutes on the computer feed. 😀
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He did not have his best stuff for sure, not as much movement on his pitches.
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Direct TV is just as bad… almost anyway, about a one to two minute delay
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Grinch must be at the game tonight…
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Time for some watermelon! Care to join me? 🙂
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🙂
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Salt?
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Of course..
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Good job by Boyer and Ohman!
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I get the feeling CL would not like my “look” 😦 😥
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What B? Bald and bearded? 🙂
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Not bald…opposite of that! 😛
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Hey, Berigan! JF’s beard, mustache, etc is all too black. Just not an attractive look AT ALL. All that on dark-haired men makes them look foreboding – like villains. Bad guys. Can’t think of one I’ve ever seen that I found attractive WITh all the facial hair. So that doesn’t apply to you since yours is lighter. 😀
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People think that’s my hair combed in front of my face, not true!
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I’m afraid to ask!!! 😆
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I LOVE watching Gonzo pitch!
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Gee Berg, I have never seen a beard growing out of the top of someone’s head before.. 🙂
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Please tell me they aren’t going to lose this to the Nationals!
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They are playing the Nats way to close here…
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Whew!
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Of course it’s better to be close and win than close and lose… Okay, I’m gone for the night, later ya’ll
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Bluto! That’s who JF’s black facial hair reminds me of! 😆 😆
Well, we’re now 6-18 in one-run games.
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‘Night, Gil!
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Baseball took too long a break, everyone forgot about it! 😀
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Don’t know where they are!
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It’s Friday night! They should be in front of their computers. Blogging!
😆
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That’s only for us senior citizens’ CL! 😛
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Senior citizen? Me??? 😯
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I shouldn’t joke if my computer connection is going to go south! 😳
Neither of us are senior’s….I think….I forget my age!
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Got in late. Lil’ Bee looked good… at least in his last at bat, which was all I saw. Groundout to first but a good AB. He’s seein’ the ball. I like the kid, even if he is fourteen. By the time he has to shave he’ll be Biggio.
What was up with Gonzo tonight? Has he fallen in love with the curve and change? The only fastball I saw was the one he hit whatsisname with. But for the chance of that last drive to right that was caught, Nats would’a tied or gone ahead. I’d rather see the Gonz rockin’ and hurlin’.
Whatever. One run win… whoopdie doo. Until the Braves can win one run games regularly, we won’t watch a pennant race and we certainly won’t see October with the Braves. These next two or three series will tell the tale I spoze…
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I won’t be old when I’m 90, Ber! 😆
SG, I don’t think they’ll make it this year. Too many injuries has seen to that.
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But CL… the injuries have mostly been pitching, and that ain’t been the problem.
Maybe our batters were just worried about our pitchers so much they couldn’t hit. 😯
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That’s a point. They just don’t have it. Tex has been a terrible disappointment, in particular. Maybe we just expected too much.
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I was just reading about the death of singer Jo Stafford. What a voice.
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62 lbs of explosives stolen from French security site. That can’t be good!
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Off to bed! Tomorrow! 🙂
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The high expectations of Tex were promoted, expected and understandable. Hell, he even had a dweeb fan song upon his grand entrance.
Even a good player walking into the fog at the Ted these last few years would be lost or not up to par. Throw in the Boras factor and… huge gap between price and result. Too many people and things were/are not right with this club now.
Hate to hit and run, but I’m out for the night… ‘nuther early day tomorrow.
Nite.
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Wicked thunderstorms and lightning (and 60MPH winds) here last evening. We’ve got tree branches all over the place including a pretty big one across the driveway and one in the yard (right next to the house)-from lightning strikes. Our next door neighbors lost an 80 tree-lucky it didn’t hit their house.
This is Vermont. We’re supposed to get snow, not lightning storms.
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Excuse me-80 FOOT TALL tree.
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Lew, that sounds like a bad southern storm instead of what you’d typically get up there. I think of Vermont as Nor’easters, blizzards and such.
It’s been quite a summer for lightning storms around here too. I’ve counted at least a half dozen trees, tall pines mostly, that have the telltale ‘barber pole’ scars around them… all within a quarter mile of our home. Pretty electric summer.
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OK… you knew this was coming.
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Chris has a pinch-hitter filling in for him this time around – so –
NEW BLOG IS UP!
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