This post is mostly to myself to remind me (waves!) to not be such a dumbass and do a little more research before buying any individual stock.
I purchased 40 shares of Xyratex (Ticker XRTX) in my Roth IRA on September 3, 2008. It is a company that manufactures external disk drives, parts and components and the machines used in making those drives. Given the explosion of data available online ready for downloading and media being created and uploaded daily from people's digital cameras, iPods and other devices this certainly sounds like a growth industry.
The first thing I did wrong was I bought too many shares. My standard practice is to buy 25 shares of any company the first time out. Then if it drops in price, a minimum of 10%, preferably 20%, I do more research to determine if I should scoop up more shares at a lower cost basis. But I bought 40 shares instead of the normal 25 because I was being greedy.
The second thing I did wrong was to base my purchase decision purely on earnings estimates of the stock. Earnings estimates are helpful when researching a stock, but they are not concrete - they are ESTIMATES and they can change very rapidly. At the time XRTX was expected to earn $1.09 per share this year and $1.77 per share next year - solid earnings growth.
What I also should have done in September was go onto their company website and review their Annual Report for 2008. This would have given me more insight into their business. Where their revenue comes from, how much debt they have, future expansion plans, an overview of their industry and tons and tons of financial data for the past 3-5 years.
Alas, I didn't do that and bought the stock purely based on the earnings estimates for the two upcoming years. As we all know, the economy has tanked and now XRTX is estimated to LOSE $.25 this year and post a profit of.....wait for it.....$.01 next year. As a result the stock, which I bought at $13.85 per share, now trades at just North of $2.00 per share.
The 2009 Annual Report for Xyratex came today in the mail so I gave it a look while eating lunch. If I had bothered to look at the 2008 Report, which I could have accessed for free on the company's website, I never would have purchased the stock. It turns out XRTX got 70% of all its revenue for 2008 from only 3 customers. So if one of those cancels some orders, goes bankrupt or even merges with another company XRTX will probably be screwed. (Ironically, one of XRTX's major customers is another stock that I have owned in the past Western Digital [WDC].) Having a few customers account for the overwhelming majority of a company's revenue is a Major Red Flag with "Don't Buy Me!!!" printed in huge, bold letters on it.
Greed 1, Jon 0.
Mood: Inquisitive.
Movie Quote of the Day:
"Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive." - Van Wilder
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Working For A Living
Today is kind of a special day. It marks my 10 year anniversary as an Ameriprise financial advisor. With the ongoing market turmoil my job has become more stressful than ever the past few months at the same time my income has been plummeting. In honor of my 10 years on the job here are a few careers that I could never stomach. Just something about them that rubs me the wrong way.
1) Water Boy - at pretty much every major sporting event there are people on the sidelines with water bottles at the ready to service the players as they come off the field, court, ice or what have you. A water boy (or girl I suppose) is responsible for squirting water or Gatorade or something (could be steroids for all we know) into the players' mouths when they come to the sidelines. They may also have the extra special task of wiping the sweat off the athletes. Nope, can't do it.
2) Realtor - this one may surprise you since a Realtor is a fairly nice, cushy professional job with solid earnings potential. Sell one $500,000 house in greater DC and your commission is $15,000. Certainly the housing slump has made this career a challenge but that is not the reason for my disdain of it. Realtors have to work Sundays and show houses. There is no way I could ever bring myself to have an open house on Super Bowl Sunday as I saw many Realtors doing just a few weeks ago.
3) Special Interest Lobbyist - Certainly DC is packed with associations for everything under the sun and they all have lobbyists. That is all well and good to a degree but it is not a career my conscious would allow me to pursue. Trying to persuade Congress that cigarette taxes should be lowered or that we should repeal the Clean Air Act is just not in my soul.
4) Commercial Actor - while I wouldn't be opposed to fame and money the path to reaching that nirvana does this career in for me. You have to start out at the bottom, in commercials. You have to feign excitement for a sale at Kia Motors or dance around like a spaz because you ate some Jello Pudding. No thanks. There are some really lousy commercials on the airwaves and I am very glad you will never see me in one.
5) Sweat Boy - This is perhaps the next step up from water boy in the NBA. At each end of the court there is a guy (never seen a girl) with a big mop and his job is to mop up the sweat the basketball players leave on the court. Once upon a time this was a very respected profession. Sweat boy would mop up the sweat after a collision or foul when players would end up on the floor. It was a valuable service and only performed when needed. That is not the case anymore. Sweat boys are whoring themselves out between every possession mopping up even the tiniest beads of perspiration on the court or perhaps mopping up nothing at all. Sweat boy, you have lost your soul for all eternity, pfffftttttt.
Someone told me they thought it would be fun to be a water boy because you could pretend that the players are your pets. You pat them on the head, squirt some water in their mouth and send them on their way. Unfortunately, that would only work until payday when you realize you get $8.50 per hour and they get $8.5 million per season.
Mood: Jovial
Song of the Day:
"I'm taking what their giving, cause I'm working for a living."
- Working For A Living
Huey Lewis and The News
1) Water Boy - at pretty much every major sporting event there are people on the sidelines with water bottles at the ready to service the players as they come off the field, court, ice or what have you. A water boy (or girl I suppose) is responsible for squirting water or Gatorade or something (could be steroids for all we know) into the players' mouths when they come to the sidelines. They may also have the extra special task of wiping the sweat off the athletes. Nope, can't do it.
2) Realtor - this one may surprise you since a Realtor is a fairly nice, cushy professional job with solid earnings potential. Sell one $500,000 house in greater DC and your commission is $15,000. Certainly the housing slump has made this career a challenge but that is not the reason for my disdain of it. Realtors have to work Sundays and show houses. There is no way I could ever bring myself to have an open house on Super Bowl Sunday as I saw many Realtors doing just a few weeks ago.
3) Special Interest Lobbyist - Certainly DC is packed with associations for everything under the sun and they all have lobbyists. That is all well and good to a degree but it is not a career my conscious would allow me to pursue. Trying to persuade Congress that cigarette taxes should be lowered or that we should repeal the Clean Air Act is just not in my soul.
4) Commercial Actor - while I wouldn't be opposed to fame and money the path to reaching that nirvana does this career in for me. You have to start out at the bottom, in commercials. You have to feign excitement for a sale at Kia Motors or dance around like a spaz because you ate some Jello Pudding. No thanks. There are some really lousy commercials on the airwaves and I am very glad you will never see me in one.
5) Sweat Boy - This is perhaps the next step up from water boy in the NBA. At each end of the court there is a guy (never seen a girl) with a big mop and his job is to mop up the sweat the basketball players leave on the court. Once upon a time this was a very respected profession. Sweat boy would mop up the sweat after a collision or foul when players would end up on the floor. It was a valuable service and only performed when needed. That is not the case anymore. Sweat boys are whoring themselves out between every possession mopping up even the tiniest beads of perspiration on the court or perhaps mopping up nothing at all. Sweat boy, you have lost your soul for all eternity, pfffftttttt.
Someone told me they thought it would be fun to be a water boy because you could pretend that the players are your pets. You pat them on the head, squirt some water in their mouth and send them on their way. Unfortunately, that would only work until payday when you realize you get $8.50 per hour and they get $8.5 million per season.
Mood: Jovial
Song of the Day:
"I'm taking what their giving, cause I'm working for a living."
- Working For A Living
Huey Lewis and The News
Monday, February 9, 2009
A-Fraud
I love baseball. Anyone who knows me well knows that. Any other sporting event I watch is just a way to kill time because there is no baseball on. MLB Network has certainly helped out in that department.
The big scandal these days in the world of professional baseball is that Alex Rodriquez now admits that he took steroids. What a shocker this is, um, no not really. I am not here to droll on and on about that. There is more than enough of that going on elsewhere.
I don't like Alex Rodriquez as a player or as a person. He openly cheats on the field - see the ball slapping incident of the 2004 playoffs for proof - and off the field too - on his wife. Still, he is arguably the best offensive player in the world. He is a grown man who gets paid millions to play a child's game. He will make more money per at bat than the average American will make all year. And I actually feel bad for him today.
To me, the real controversy here is really the betrayal by the very organization that is supposed to protect players like him - the Major League Baseball Players Association - MLBPA for short. Back in 2003 when baseball finally decided to do something about steroids they tested all players on each team's 40 man roster for steroids and illegal substances. The point of the testing was to serve as a benchmark, to find out how bad it was out there. Were 15% of players doing roids? Or was it 3%? Or 48%? The testing was mandatory but anonymous. Everyone participated because there was no other option.
About 1200 players were tested (30 teams, 40 players per team) and 104 of them tested positive for steroids or illegal substances. Break that number into a percentage and you get 8.7% of players who tested positive. Just like the Mitchell Report, a serious number but not an eye popping outcome in my opinion.
However only 1 name of the 104 guilty parties has been leaked to the press. MLBPA failed Alex Rodriquez and every other player by not ensuring that these anonymous test results stayed anonymous. Their sole purpose as an organization is to protect the rights of MLB players and they have supremely failed.
MLBPA should have made absolutely sure all test results were destroyed years ago the second they were no longer needed by MLB. While I do not care for A-Rod as a person or player I certainly don't want to see his civil rights violated. Even he deserves to be treated better than this.
Mood: Shocked.
Movie Quote of the Day:
"Your middle name is Ralph, as in puke." - The Breakfast Club
It's Ironic:
Kinda funny that both my trail running cousin and I took pictures of our shadows yesterday while we were out on the trail. Mine was taken in VA with a temperature of 67 degrees while his was up in Maine at a slightly lower reading, lol.
The big scandal these days in the world of professional baseball is that Alex Rodriquez now admits that he took steroids. What a shocker this is, um, no not really. I am not here to droll on and on about that. There is more than enough of that going on elsewhere.
I don't like Alex Rodriquez as a player or as a person. He openly cheats on the field - see the ball slapping incident of the 2004 playoffs for proof - and off the field too - on his wife. Still, he is arguably the best offensive player in the world. He is a grown man who gets paid millions to play a child's game. He will make more money per at bat than the average American will make all year. And I actually feel bad for him today.
To me, the real controversy here is really the betrayal by the very organization that is supposed to protect players like him - the Major League Baseball Players Association - MLBPA for short. Back in 2003 when baseball finally decided to do something about steroids they tested all players on each team's 40 man roster for steroids and illegal substances. The point of the testing was to serve as a benchmark, to find out how bad it was out there. Were 15% of players doing roids? Or was it 3%? Or 48%? The testing was mandatory but anonymous. Everyone participated because there was no other option.
About 1200 players were tested (30 teams, 40 players per team) and 104 of them tested positive for steroids or illegal substances. Break that number into a percentage and you get 8.7% of players who tested positive. Just like the Mitchell Report, a serious number but not an eye popping outcome in my opinion.
However only 1 name of the 104 guilty parties has been leaked to the press. MLBPA failed Alex Rodriquez and every other player by not ensuring that these anonymous test results stayed anonymous. Their sole purpose as an organization is to protect the rights of MLB players and they have supremely failed.
MLBPA should have made absolutely sure all test results were destroyed years ago the second they were no longer needed by MLB. While I do not care for A-Rod as a person or player I certainly don't want to see his civil rights violated. Even he deserves to be treated better than this.
Mood: Shocked.
Movie Quote of the Day:
"Your middle name is Ralph, as in puke." - The Breakfast Club
It's Ironic:
Kinda funny that both my trail running cousin and I took pictures of our shadows yesterday while we were out on the trail. Mine was taken in VA with a temperature of 67 degrees while his was up in Maine at a slightly lower reading, lol.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
I Hate January
Boy do I hate January, boy oh boy. Not because it's winter - although that is certainly a good enough reason - not because of the end of pro football, not because there are six more long months before my birthday. I hate January because of New Year's Resolutions.
I think that New Year's Resolutions, NYR from here on out, are a bunch of crap. It really all goes back to the general lack of personal responsibility that pervades the world these days. If you notice a flaw in yourself, you get to put off dealing with it for upwards of months at a time. I say why wait until some arbitrary day to remedy it. If you notice something out of whack or an area you could improve upon, fix it on the spot.
The most annoying NYR, or at least the one that affects me the most, is the whole "I'm gonna get in shape!" NYR. Face it, if you were a fat ass in November you are going to be a fat ass in March, now get the hell out of the gym. Stop wasting your time and everyone else's - especially mine - with that pathetic, feeble attempt to get some exercise in January. Just go to the store, buy a 12 pack of cupcakes, sit down on the couch and accept it - you have a big, fat, monkey butt!
Every January, gyms across the world are crammed with oodles of people who have turned over a new leaf to get in shape. They clog up the treadmills of the world, walking slower than they could on the sidewalk, watching Survivor and I hate them all. Here are some of the things I hate most about January at the gym.
Machine Hogs:
You know you have seen them, people who stay on the treadmill, cross trainer or bench press for what seems like hours at a time. These are usually the people who are doing the least amount of exercise in the whole gym. My favorites are the fatties who come to the gym to walk on the treadmill. Instead of driving to the gym to walk, why don't you just walk around your neighborhood, it's free!
TV Watchers:
You've seen them too. Staring intently at something mundane on TV. It might be American Idol or better yet the Food Channel. They are glued to the TV but hardly put any effort towards the exercise they are doing. God forbid they apply that much attention to getting in shape. I say if you want to watch American Idol so fuckin' bad, stay the fuck home.
Phone Whores:
OMG, it's not a baby, it's a phone. Leave the damn thing at home. I used to regularly see a girl at the gym who was always on her phone while on the treadmill. She would be talking nonstop to some poor fool on the other end. I always wanted to elbow her in the face and then step on her phone once it fell to the floor. Luckily I haven't seen her in months.
Tagalongs:
Why do some people who have a friend that is working out at the gym feel compelled to go with them? Is your friend retarded? Do you think that hanging out in the corner texting your mom is going to impress the ladies? Tonight I had to ask this guy who was just sitting on various machines to move 3 times so I could get all my sets in. If Timmy needs to bring you to the gym for moral support, he should just end his life once and for all and take you with him.
Mood: Cockfuckballs!
Song of the Day:
"And every penny from my last paycheck, I've blown it on you."
- Bouncing Off the Walls
Sugarcult
I think that New Year's Resolutions, NYR from here on out, are a bunch of crap. It really all goes back to the general lack of personal responsibility that pervades the world these days. If you notice a flaw in yourself, you get to put off dealing with it for upwards of months at a time. I say why wait until some arbitrary day to remedy it. If you notice something out of whack or an area you could improve upon, fix it on the spot.
The most annoying NYR, or at least the one that affects me the most, is the whole "I'm gonna get in shape!" NYR. Face it, if you were a fat ass in November you are going to be a fat ass in March, now get the hell out of the gym. Stop wasting your time and everyone else's - especially mine - with that pathetic, feeble attempt to get some exercise in January. Just go to the store, buy a 12 pack of cupcakes, sit down on the couch and accept it - you have a big, fat, monkey butt!
Every January, gyms across the world are crammed with oodles of people who have turned over a new leaf to get in shape. They clog up the treadmills of the world, walking slower than they could on the sidewalk, watching Survivor and I hate them all. Here are some of the things I hate most about January at the gym.
Machine Hogs:
You know you have seen them, people who stay on the treadmill, cross trainer or bench press for what seems like hours at a time. These are usually the people who are doing the least amount of exercise in the whole gym. My favorites are the fatties who come to the gym to walk on the treadmill. Instead of driving to the gym to walk, why don't you just walk around your neighborhood, it's free!
TV Watchers:
You've seen them too. Staring intently at something mundane on TV. It might be American Idol or better yet the Food Channel. They are glued to the TV but hardly put any effort towards the exercise they are doing. God forbid they apply that much attention to getting in shape. I say if you want to watch American Idol so fuckin' bad, stay the fuck home.
Phone Whores:
OMG, it's not a baby, it's a phone. Leave the damn thing at home. I used to regularly see a girl at the gym who was always on her phone while on the treadmill. She would be talking nonstop to some poor fool on the other end. I always wanted to elbow her in the face and then step on her phone once it fell to the floor. Luckily I haven't seen her in months.
Tagalongs:
Why do some people who have a friend that is working out at the gym feel compelled to go with them? Is your friend retarded? Do you think that hanging out in the corner texting your mom is going to impress the ladies? Tonight I had to ask this guy who was just sitting on various machines to move 3 times so I could get all my sets in. If Timmy needs to bring you to the gym for moral support, he should just end his life once and for all and take you with him.
Mood: Cockfuckballs!
Song of the Day:
"And every penny from my last paycheck, I've blown it on you."
- Bouncing Off the Walls
Sugarcult
Friday, January 16, 2009
Coldest Day of the Year
Brrrr, it's cold out there today boys and girls. Doesn't matter if you are in Bangor, Maine or Atlanta, Georgia. Today was one of the coldest days in a long time over a wide swath of the country. Here in the NoVa (Northern Virginia) suburbs of Washington DC the high temperature was 17 degrees.
Now I know all you people out there with zip codes like 02492 and 04938 think I am a pansy for writing about a temperature of 17 degrees. That's balmy you say! But temperature is all relative to what you are used to. The normal high temperature here on January 16th is 41 degrees, so a high of 17 is pretty much unheard of. In fact, the last time we had a day this cold was February 4, 1996 - 13 years ago - when the mercury also topped out at 17 degrees.
I actually remember that day as a matter of fact. I had only been in DC for about 5 weeks and so 17 degrees didn't phase me a bit then. I actually went sightseeing downtown that day and walked all around the mall. Here's a pic in fact.
The ironic thing is that while much of the United States in in the deep freeze Alaska is having record high temperatures this week. Temperatures have been in the 40s and 50s in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness. Places like Denali National Park and Fairbanks, Alaska have set record high temperatures for the MONTH of January this week. All time records there have been shattered not by one or two degrees but by 10 to 15 degrees.
It's not unusual for it to get cold in DC, we have a few days every year where the temps don't get out of the 20s. The weird thing is we don't have any snow this time around. In fact, we haven't had any measureable snow all winter. We got a dusting one evening back in December but that is it. That simply means that we are due. Hopefully it won't all come at once, in March. That would totally suck.
Mood: Frostbitten
Song of the Day:
"We'll run away together. We'll spend some time forever. We'll never feel bad anymore."
- Island In The Sun
Weezer
Global Warming Stat of the Day:
There is enough water frozen in Antarctica to raise sea level by 160 feet. (Yowzah!!!)
It's Ironic:
That the only thing the 'prevent defense' used in football prevents is winning.
Now I know all you people out there with zip codes like 02492 and 04938 think I am a pansy for writing about a temperature of 17 degrees. That's balmy you say! But temperature is all relative to what you are used to. The normal high temperature here on January 16th is 41 degrees, so a high of 17 is pretty much unheard of. In fact, the last time we had a day this cold was February 4, 1996 - 13 years ago - when the mercury also topped out at 17 degrees.
I actually remember that day as a matter of fact. I had only been in DC for about 5 weeks and so 17 degrees didn't phase me a bit then. I actually went sightseeing downtown that day and walked all around the mall. Here's a pic in fact.
The ironic thing is that while much of the United States in in the deep freeze Alaska is having record high temperatures this week. Temperatures have been in the 40s and 50s in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness. Places like Denali National Park and Fairbanks, Alaska have set record high temperatures for the MONTH of January this week. All time records there have been shattered not by one or two degrees but by 10 to 15 degrees.
It's not unusual for it to get cold in DC, we have a few days every year where the temps don't get out of the 20s. The weird thing is we don't have any snow this time around. In fact, we haven't had any measureable snow all winter. We got a dusting one evening back in December but that is it. That simply means that we are due. Hopefully it won't all come at once, in March. That would totally suck.
Mood: Frostbitten
Song of the Day:
"We'll run away together. We'll spend some time forever. We'll never feel bad anymore."
- Island In The Sun
Weezer
Global Warming Stat of the Day:
There is enough water frozen in Antarctica to raise sea level by 160 feet. (Yowzah!!!)
It's Ironic:
That the only thing the 'prevent defense' used in football prevents is winning.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Twenty-Oh-Eight
This time of year you can't turn on the TV, read the paper or surf the net without running into "The Year in Review" over and over again. Those things seem to come earlier and earlier each year, just like Christmas decorations at the mall. The problem with airing your "Year in Review" show on December 10th is that there are still 21 more days for stuff to happen. Here are two examples of that:
Bernie Madoff - he was arrested on December 11th and charged with investment fraud. His hedge fund investors may have lost $50 Billion - that's Billion with a B. Family fortunes, entire life savings and charitable trusts gone forever in an instant. This is major, big time news and should definitely be in your Year in Review show, list, blog...
The Shoe Thrower - that guy in Iraq threw his shoes at President Bush on December 14th. In the grand scheme of 2008 this is a relatively lame event, but the entire incident is over in 10 seconds. Surely you could cut out 10 seconds of Paris Hilton or Kanye West to fit it in.
Here's my attempt at a review of 2008.
Favorite Memory: Bonfire in Maine
Friday, October 10th. A warm fall night with copious amounts of Miller High Life, smores and Red Sox Playoff baseball via radio in Freeport, ME. It was the perfect ending for my last night of the year in Maine.
Best Song: "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" by O.A.R.
Best Play: The Catch, Superbowl XLII
Up until February 3, 2008 if you mentioned "The Catch" it was understood that you were talking about the throw from Joe Montana to Dwight Clark to win the 1982 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys. Not anymore. Now you are talking about the ball Eli Manning flings in the direction of David Tyree. Tyree leaps into the air to grab the ball, takes a pounding hit from the Patriots' Rodney Harrison and comes down with the ball clutched between his hands and helmet. Thirty six seconds later the Giants score the winning touchdown to end the Patriots hope of a perfect season.
Best Movie: Ironman
Biggest Surprise: Stock Market Collapse.
With one day of trading left the S&P 500 Index, which represents the 500 largest public companies in the US, is down a mind boggling 39.3% for the year. This is the worst year for the S&P Index since 1931. We have had bear markets in the past, but none as severe and swift as what we have seen in 2008.
Underdog of the Year: Tampa Bay Rays
You might expect me to pick my NY Football Giants win in Superbowl 42 but you would be wrong. The Giants proved that they could play with the Patriots in the final game of the regular season on December 29, 2007. It's awfully hard to beat a good team twice in a season, so I don't consider their Superbowl win much of a surprise.
What was a surprise to me was the Tampa Bay Rays making it to the World Series in 2008. This is a team that had never had a winning season since they came into existence in 1994. In fact, they had never finished better than 21 games under .500 in a season. They had finished in last place in their division every year except 2005 when they finished in...next to last place. A worst to first story indeed.
Mood: Hopeful
Song of the Day:
"Banks back then was lendin' money, the banker was the farmer's friend."
- A Month of Sundays
Don Henley
Bernie Madoff - he was arrested on December 11th and charged with investment fraud. His hedge fund investors may have lost $50 Billion - that's Billion with a B. Family fortunes, entire life savings and charitable trusts gone forever in an instant. This is major, big time news and should definitely be in your Year in Review show, list, blog...
The Shoe Thrower - that guy in Iraq threw his shoes at President Bush on December 14th. In the grand scheme of 2008 this is a relatively lame event, but the entire incident is over in 10 seconds. Surely you could cut out 10 seconds of Paris Hilton or Kanye West to fit it in.
Here's my attempt at a review of 2008.
Favorite Memory: Bonfire in Maine
Friday, October 10th. A warm fall night with copious amounts of Miller High Life, smores and Red Sox Playoff baseball via radio in Freeport, ME. It was the perfect ending for my last night of the year in Maine.
Best Song: "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" by O.A.R.
Best Play: The Catch, Superbowl XLII
Up until February 3, 2008 if you mentioned "The Catch" it was understood that you were talking about the throw from Joe Montana to Dwight Clark to win the 1982 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys. Not anymore. Now you are talking about the ball Eli Manning flings in the direction of David Tyree. Tyree leaps into the air to grab the ball, takes a pounding hit from the Patriots' Rodney Harrison and comes down with the ball clutched between his hands and helmet. Thirty six seconds later the Giants score the winning touchdown to end the Patriots hope of a perfect season.
Best Movie: Ironman
Biggest Surprise: Stock Market Collapse.
With one day of trading left the S&P 500 Index, which represents the 500 largest public companies in the US, is down a mind boggling 39.3% for the year. This is the worst year for the S&P Index since 1931. We have had bear markets in the past, but none as severe and swift as what we have seen in 2008.
Underdog of the Year: Tampa Bay Rays
You might expect me to pick my NY Football Giants win in Superbowl 42 but you would be wrong. The Giants proved that they could play with the Patriots in the final game of the regular season on December 29, 2007. It's awfully hard to beat a good team twice in a season, so I don't consider their Superbowl win much of a surprise.
What was a surprise to me was the Tampa Bay Rays making it to the World Series in 2008. This is a team that had never had a winning season since they came into existence in 1994. In fact, they had never finished better than 21 games under .500 in a season. They had finished in last place in their division every year except 2005 when they finished in...next to last place. A worst to first story indeed.
Mood: Hopeful
Song of the Day:
"Banks back then was lendin' money, the banker was the farmer's friend."
- A Month of Sundays
Don Henley
Thursday, December 11, 2008
No Soup For You!
I tend to eat a lot of soup in the winter when the weather is cold outside. Since graduating from Ramen Noodles in college to actual soup a few years ago my soup buying habits haven't changed much. I buy Progresso soup, cause it tastes so good. My standing favorites are Chicken Noodle and Chicken Rice but I have been known to buy Clam Chowder, Italian Wedding Soup and even Minestrone if the mood strikes.
There is a bit of a soup war going on right now between Campbell's and Progresso. They have been trading barbs in their TV ads about MSG. Your soups have MSG and ours don't, blah, blah, blah. I decided to try the Campbell's Select soups after seeing one of their ads saying their soup is MSG free, so the ads worked on me.
Soup was on sale at Giant (not my trailrunning cousin, the local grocery store I patronize) last week. In fact both brands were on sale, so I decided to have a little taste test to see which I preferred better. Progresso was 2 for $5 and the Campbell's Select was 2 for $4. 1 point for Campbell's! I bought cans of Chicken Noodle and Chicken Rice from both brands.
Upon closer inspection back at the ranch the Campbell's cans are taller but they are also skinnier. They hold 18.6 ounces of soup while the Progresso cans hold 19.0 ounces. 1 point for Progresso! Skimming over the ingridients did indeed show that both Progresso soups contained MSG and neither Campbell's soup contained it. 1 point for Campbell's!
Now the good stuff - the taste test. I started with the Campbell's Chicken Noodle. Poured it in a pot, threw in some minute rice and heated it up on the stove and waited for it to cool. The first taste was...hot! Got to let it cool some more. Once I could wolf it down I really wasn't that impressed with it. I thought it was too bland. It just didn't have the flavor the TV commericals promised. Next was the Progresso Chicken Noodle which I have been eating for years. No comparison here. Progresso wins hands down. It was much more flavorful and hearty. 1 point for Progresso!
A few days later I tried the Chicken Rice soups, starting with Progresso. Same routine - pour, rice, heat, wait. The Campbell's Chicken Rice was very close in taste to the Progresso Chicken Rice. The Progresso seemed to have more chicken in it, the Campbell's had more carrots. I would give Progresso the edge here but by the slimest of margins. 1 point for Progresso!
Final score: Progresso 3, Campbell's 2.
My conclusion is that you get what you pay for and MSG stands for "Makes Soup Good".
Mood: Satiated.
Cheezy Pick Up Line of the Day:
Are you from Mars? Cause your ass is out of this world!
Random Movie Quote:
"We just get Miami Wice on television. Miami Wice is number one new show!" - Eurotrip
There is a bit of a soup war going on right now between Campbell's and Progresso. They have been trading barbs in their TV ads about MSG. Your soups have MSG and ours don't, blah, blah, blah. I decided to try the Campbell's Select soups after seeing one of their ads saying their soup is MSG free, so the ads worked on me.
Soup was on sale at Giant (not my trailrunning cousin, the local grocery store I patronize) last week. In fact both brands were on sale, so I decided to have a little taste test to see which I preferred better. Progresso was 2 for $5 and the Campbell's Select was 2 for $4. 1 point for Campbell's! I bought cans of Chicken Noodle and Chicken Rice from both brands.
Upon closer inspection back at the ranch the Campbell's cans are taller but they are also skinnier. They hold 18.6 ounces of soup while the Progresso cans hold 19.0 ounces. 1 point for Progresso! Skimming over the ingridients did indeed show that both Progresso soups contained MSG and neither Campbell's soup contained it. 1 point for Campbell's!
Now the good stuff - the taste test. I started with the Campbell's Chicken Noodle. Poured it in a pot, threw in some minute rice and heated it up on the stove and waited for it to cool. The first taste was...hot! Got to let it cool some more. Once I could wolf it down I really wasn't that impressed with it. I thought it was too bland. It just didn't have the flavor the TV commericals promised. Next was the Progresso Chicken Noodle which I have been eating for years. No comparison here. Progresso wins hands down. It was much more flavorful and hearty. 1 point for Progresso!
A few days later I tried the Chicken Rice soups, starting with Progresso. Same routine - pour, rice, heat, wait. The Campbell's Chicken Rice was very close in taste to the Progresso Chicken Rice. The Progresso seemed to have more chicken in it, the Campbell's had more carrots. I would give Progresso the edge here but by the slimest of margins. 1 point for Progresso!
Final score: Progresso 3, Campbell's 2.
My conclusion is that you get what you pay for and MSG stands for "Makes Soup Good".
Mood: Satiated.
Cheezy Pick Up Line of the Day:
Are you from Mars? Cause your ass is out of this world!
Random Movie Quote:
"We just get Miami Wice on television. Miami Wice is number one new show!" - Eurotrip
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Gasoline + Collusion = Gasollusion
I started buying gasoline in 1991 and ever since that first day at the pump the spread between the different grades of gasoline has been 10 cents per grade. Premium costs 10 cents more than Midgrade, which costs 10 cents more than Regular. It hasn't mattered if Regular is $1.00 per gallon or $4.00 per gallon, just add 10 or 20 cents to it and you will have the price of the other grades. This means that the spread is a fixed cost. The only variable cost is the price of the gasoline derived from the base commodity oil which constantly changes in price.
Now as prices for gasoline are cascading down the spread between the grades has suddenly increased for no apparent reason. At my local Shell station yesterday Regular was selling for $1.659 per gallon, Midgrade for $1.959 and Premium for 2.059 per gallon. So here in 2008, the spread between Regular and Midgrade has magicially increased to 30 cents per gallon while the spread from Midgrade to Premium remains 10 cents per gallon. This is a clear indication of collusion in the gasoline markets in my opinion.
If the spread between the grades was a percentage of the cost then it would naturally increase as prices went up and drop as prices fell. 5% of $1.00 ($.05) is less than 5% of $4.00 ($.20). This is exactly why Oil Companies like Exxon Mobil and Shell have been seeing record profits as oil rose in price. Their profit is a PERCENTAGE of the base commodity, so as it rises in price so does their profit.
For example, if Regular cost $4.00 then Midgrade might cost $4.20 - 5% higher than Regular grade - and Premium might cost $4.40 - 10% higher than Regular. However that is not what has happened over the past 18 years of ups and downs in the gasoline market. The spread has ALWAYS been 10 cents per grade, no matter what the price.
But suddenly in 2008 the exact opposite has happened. As gas prices have fallen the spread between the grades has RISEN!!! There is no logical answer for this except collusion. I have long wondered why gasoline goes up in price 10 cents at a time but only comes down a penny at a time. That does not speak of an efficient, free flowing market, it speaks of price fixing and collusion in the system between retailers and suppliers.
The next time you hear Congress is holding hearings on something stupid like Steroids in Baseball, call your Representative and ask him why Congress never looks into actual important issues. Things like Collusion in the Gasoline Markets, the Effect of Unregulated Hedge Funds on the Financial Market Meltdown and the Fabrication of Evidence for the War in Iraq to name a few.
Mood: Annoyed
It's Ironic: That my neighbors smoke outside so they don't stink up their own house but they stink up my house if I have my windows open.
Random Movie Quote:
"Brenda?" - Mallrats
Now as prices for gasoline are cascading down the spread between the grades has suddenly increased for no apparent reason. At my local Shell station yesterday Regular was selling for $1.659 per gallon, Midgrade for $1.959 and Premium for 2.059 per gallon. So here in 2008, the spread between Regular and Midgrade has magicially increased to 30 cents per gallon while the spread from Midgrade to Premium remains 10 cents per gallon. This is a clear indication of collusion in the gasoline markets in my opinion.
If the spread between the grades was a percentage of the cost then it would naturally increase as prices went up and drop as prices fell. 5% of $1.00 ($.05) is less than 5% of $4.00 ($.20). This is exactly why Oil Companies like Exxon Mobil and Shell have been seeing record profits as oil rose in price. Their profit is a PERCENTAGE of the base commodity, so as it rises in price so does their profit.
For example, if Regular cost $4.00 then Midgrade might cost $4.20 - 5% higher than Regular grade - and Premium might cost $4.40 - 10% higher than Regular. However that is not what has happened over the past 18 years of ups and downs in the gasoline market. The spread has ALWAYS been 10 cents per grade, no matter what the price.
But suddenly in 2008 the exact opposite has happened. As gas prices have fallen the spread between the grades has RISEN!!! There is no logical answer for this except collusion. I have long wondered why gasoline goes up in price 10 cents at a time but only comes down a penny at a time. That does not speak of an efficient, free flowing market, it speaks of price fixing and collusion in the system between retailers and suppliers.
The next time you hear Congress is holding hearings on something stupid like Steroids in Baseball, call your Representative and ask him why Congress never looks into actual important issues. Things like Collusion in the Gasoline Markets, the Effect of Unregulated Hedge Funds on the Financial Market Meltdown and the Fabrication of Evidence for the War in Iraq to name a few.
Mood: Annoyed
It's Ironic: That my neighbors smoke outside so they don't stink up their own house but they stink up my house if I have my windows open.
Random Movie Quote:
"Brenda?" - Mallrats
Saturday, November 15, 2008
November 15, 1988
I was a 15 year old sophomore at Hermon High School on Tuesday, November 15th, 1988. It was just another day for me. Six hours of school and then walk home. My house was about a half mile from the school via a snowmobile trail that ran through the woods but over a mile away by road, so I always walked home the short way.
On that very afternoon, less than two miles away, a gunshot from a hunter changed the Maine Woods forever. That was the day that hunter Donald Rogerson shot and killed a young mother named Karen Wood while she stood hanging clothes in her own backyard. The most outrageous thing about this unnecessary tragedy was that the hunter was acquitted of any wrongdoing.
An innocent woman was killed and the hunter's excuse was literally - "I thought she was a deer" and that was good enough for a jury to acquit him. An absolutely unacceptable outcome in my opinion. The good news is that Karen's death did shake up the laws and attitudes about hunting in the State of Maine and things have changed for the better since then.
I think this is a perfect example of one of the things that is truly wrong with modern America - personal responsibility. The hunter never took responsibility for his actions. To this day he still won't admit he made a mistake that cost a woman her life. Karen Wood did not get a second chance and I don't think that Donald Rogerson deserved one either.
We are far too eager to let people off the hook for their mistakes or for circumstances beyond their control. Did your daddy molest you as a boy? Then it's OK to kill and eat your neighbors, it's not your fault. Hello, McFly? No, it's not! It's never OK to kill your neighbors or shoot up the school or kill your ex-wife. Certain actions demand consequences, period.
I certainly am glad that Dick Cheney wasn't hunting with Donald Rogerson that day. Who knows how many more innocent Mainers would have been taken out then!
Bangor Daily News Article
Mood of the Day: Empathetic
Song of the Day:
"We both got dreams, we could chase alone, or we could make our own."
-Want To
Sugarland
On that very afternoon, less than two miles away, a gunshot from a hunter changed the Maine Woods forever. That was the day that hunter Donald Rogerson shot and killed a young mother named Karen Wood while she stood hanging clothes in her own backyard. The most outrageous thing about this unnecessary tragedy was that the hunter was acquitted of any wrongdoing.
An innocent woman was killed and the hunter's excuse was literally - "I thought she was a deer" and that was good enough for a jury to acquit him. An absolutely unacceptable outcome in my opinion. The good news is that Karen's death did shake up the laws and attitudes about hunting in the State of Maine and things have changed for the better since then.
I think this is a perfect example of one of the things that is truly wrong with modern America - personal responsibility. The hunter never took responsibility for his actions. To this day he still won't admit he made a mistake that cost a woman her life. Karen Wood did not get a second chance and I don't think that Donald Rogerson deserved one either.
We are far too eager to let people off the hook for their mistakes or for circumstances beyond their control. Did your daddy molest you as a boy? Then it's OK to kill and eat your neighbors, it's not your fault. Hello, McFly? No, it's not! It's never OK to kill your neighbors or shoot up the school or kill your ex-wife. Certain actions demand consequences, period.
I certainly am glad that Dick Cheney wasn't hunting with Donald Rogerson that day. Who knows how many more innocent Mainers would have been taken out then!
Bangor Daily News Article
Mood of the Day: Empathetic
Song of the Day:
"We both got dreams, we could chase alone, or we could make our own."
-Want To
Sugarland
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
270
On any other day I would hear the number 270 and think it was about traffic. I270 in Maryland is just one of the many commuter hells that lurk in greater DC. But not today. Today the number 270 signifies something else entirely. As you all know by now it represents the number of electoral votes needed to be confirmed as the President of the United States.
As I write this it appears that Barack Obama is on his way to doing just that. No matter who wins today it is a truly historical day in the world of American politics. We will either have our first black president or our first female vice president. A glass ceiling will be broken today for sure.
The biggest surprise to me today at the polls was the return of paper ballot. We have had electronic ballots here in Northern Virginia for as long as I can remember. They were still there this year too but in addition you could vote by paper ballot instead if you prefer.
I chose the paper option because I thought when else will I get the chance to do it the old fashion way again? Then an election official told me on the way out that next year it will probably all be paper ballots. It appears the more things change the more they stay the same.
It actually looks as though Virginia may be a crucial cog in the Obama wheel this election day. He has apparently carried the state. A state that has not voted Democratic for President since 1964. Good to know that I was a part of history in the making.
Mood: Energized
Band of the Day:
The Presidents of the United States of America
As I write this it appears that Barack Obama is on his way to doing just that. No matter who wins today it is a truly historical day in the world of American politics. We will either have our first black president or our first female vice president. A glass ceiling will be broken today for sure.
The biggest surprise to me today at the polls was the return of paper ballot. We have had electronic ballots here in Northern Virginia for as long as I can remember. They were still there this year too but in addition you could vote by paper ballot instead if you prefer.
I chose the paper option because I thought when else will I get the chance to do it the old fashion way again? Then an election official told me on the way out that next year it will probably all be paper ballots. It appears the more things change the more they stay the same.
It actually looks as though Virginia may be a crucial cog in the Obama wheel this election day. He has apparently carried the state. A state that has not voted Democratic for President since 1964. Good to know that I was a part of history in the making.
Mood: Energized
Band of the Day:
The Presidents of the United States of America
Monday, October 27, 2008
Free Taco Day!!!
Another wonderful day is drawing near. A day that is up there with Christmas and Talk Like A Pirate Day. It's Free Taco Day and this year is is tomorrow, Tuesday October 28th from 2pm-6pm at your local Taco Bell.
For the second year in a row Taco Bell has offered America a free taco if someone steals a base in any game of the World Series. Last year it was Jacoby Ellsbury of my beloved Boston Red Sox who won us all a free taco, this year it was some Devil Ray. I don't even know which one and his name is not important. It's as trivial as who gave up Mark McGwire's 62nd home run in 1998. The answer to that is: who cares, give me my free taco dammit!
If you are really bored you could go to www.stealabasestealataco.com and read more about Free Taco Day. I nearly fell asleep just typing the name of the website in my browser window so good luck with that. The only thing you really need to know is it's tomorrow, from 2pm-6pm. I learned last year you want to get there early, right at 2pm, before the high school kids get there. You want to savor your free taco, live in the moment and take it all in - and this is all hard to do with 15 whiny teenagers in close proximity.
I even thought about making a map of all the local Taco Bells in the area and hitting each one for a free taco but then I decided that sounds like work. Besides, one meal from Taco Bell is plenty. In fact, the last time I ate at Taco Bell was on Free Taco Day last year.
Mood: Hungry!
Song of the Day:
"I said pressure drop, oh pressure, oh yeah pressures gonna drop on you..."
-Pressure Drop
The Specials (Or Izzy Stradlin's version if you prefer)
For the second year in a row Taco Bell has offered America a free taco if someone steals a base in any game of the World Series. Last year it was Jacoby Ellsbury of my beloved Boston Red Sox who won us all a free taco, this year it was some Devil Ray. I don't even know which one and his name is not important. It's as trivial as who gave up Mark McGwire's 62nd home run in 1998. The answer to that is: who cares, give me my free taco dammit!
If you are really bored you could go to www.stealabasestealataco.com and read more about Free Taco Day. I nearly fell asleep just typing the name of the website in my browser window so good luck with that. The only thing you really need to know is it's tomorrow, from 2pm-6pm. I learned last year you want to get there early, right at 2pm, before the high school kids get there. You want to savor your free taco, live in the moment and take it all in - and this is all hard to do with 15 whiny teenagers in close proximity.
I even thought about making a map of all the local Taco Bells in the area and hitting each one for a free taco but then I decided that sounds like work. Besides, one meal from Taco Bell is plenty. In fact, the last time I ate at Taco Bell was on Free Taco Day last year.
Mood: Hungry!
Song of the Day:
"I said pressure drop, oh pressure, oh yeah pressures gonna drop on you..."
-Pressure Drop
The Specials (Or Izzy Stradlin's version if you prefer)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Hookup!
There is nothing better than a hookup. No, no, no - I am not talking about THAT kind of hookup. I am talking about GETTING hooked up. You know - free stuff, special deals, insider stock tips (ok, maybe not that last one). Getting something for nothing is one of life's purest pleasures. There are a lot of cool places to have the hookup - the bar, the clothing store, the restaurant, the bike shop. I have been fortunate enough over the years to have the hookup in a variety of areas.
In high school and college I had the hookup at the local rock n roll radio station. That meant all kinds of freebies - t-shirts, cassettes, (remember those?) CDs, concert tix, bumper stickers, unclaimed prizes. It wouldn't surprise me if nearly one third of my current music collection was from being hooked up at WKIT-FM 'back in the day'. I still have a "K100 Bangor's Home of Rock n Roll" t-shirt which I wear all the time. I always listen to Bobby Russell and the gang when I am in range.
A few years later at my first real job after college I had the hookup when it came to sporting events. I got to go to dozens of Orioles, Capitals and Wizards games and never had to pay for any of them. The Caps tickets were the best of the bunch - center ice, 2 or 3 rows behind the penalty box. Left field, club box Orioles tix weren't too shabby either. Gotta love it when they bring the food to you!
Currently, the only place I appear to have the hookup is at Dunkin' Donuts. It doesn't seem to matter what time I go in - 6am, 7pm - or even what state I am in - Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusetts - I always seem to get the hookup now at Dunkin. If I order a box of 6 donuts I usually end up with 7 or 8. One time they even stuffed 9 donuts in the box. They were a little smushed but still very tasty. My last visit I bought a box of 25 munchkins and there were actually 45 munchkins in it. (Yes, I counted them before I ate them.) Not really sure why I am getting this royal treatment by DnD. Maybe they have pity on me because I come in at the weirdest hours. Perhaps I just look really good compared to the weight and IQ of their average customer. Whatever the reason the donut gods are smiling on me is I am very grateful.
Mood: Magnanamous
Quote of the Day:
"Mmmmmmm, donuts." - Homer Simpson
In high school and college I had the hookup at the local rock n roll radio station. That meant all kinds of freebies - t-shirts, cassettes, (remember those?) CDs, concert tix, bumper stickers, unclaimed prizes. It wouldn't surprise me if nearly one third of my current music collection was from being hooked up at WKIT-FM 'back in the day'. I still have a "K100 Bangor's Home of Rock n Roll" t-shirt which I wear all the time. I always listen to Bobby Russell and the gang when I am in range.
A few years later at my first real job after college I had the hookup when it came to sporting events. I got to go to dozens of Orioles, Capitals and Wizards games and never had to pay for any of them. The Caps tickets were the best of the bunch - center ice, 2 or 3 rows behind the penalty box. Left field, club box Orioles tix weren't too shabby either. Gotta love it when they bring the food to you!
Currently, the only place I appear to have the hookup is at Dunkin' Donuts. It doesn't seem to matter what time I go in - 6am, 7pm - or even what state I am in - Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusetts - I always seem to get the hookup now at Dunkin. If I order a box of 6 donuts I usually end up with 7 or 8. One time they even stuffed 9 donuts in the box. They were a little smushed but still very tasty. My last visit I bought a box of 25 munchkins and there were actually 45 munchkins in it. (Yes, I counted them before I ate them.) Not really sure why I am getting this royal treatment by DnD. Maybe they have pity on me because I come in at the weirdest hours. Perhaps I just look really good compared to the weight and IQ of their average customer. Whatever the reason the donut gods are smiling on me is I am very grateful.
Mood: Magnanamous
Quote of the Day:
"Mmmmmmm, donuts." - Homer Simpson
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
A Process of Elimination
Two very wonderful things happened yesterday to all those members of Red Sox Nation and for the benefit of the rest of the world too.
1) The Boston Red Sox secured a spot in the MLB playoffs for the 5th time in the last 6 seasons.
2) The New York Yankees were eliminated from post season contention.
The Sox making the playoffs is nothing new. The members of the Nation are getting accustomed to it. I won't say we expect it but there is a feeling every spring training that we will put a competitive team on the field and have a fair shot of ending up in the post season after the 162nd game is in the books. This year certainly had its trials and tribulations and may even be a sweeter reward than last year when they lead the division coast to coast.
The Yankees not making the playoffs is really the cherry on top of the sundae. Damn is that sweet! The Evil Empire had been in the playoffs for 13 years running with a whole string of division championships over most of those years. Frankly I was surprised the Yankees played as well as they did with their pitching woes. I think they will miss Joe Torre a great deal over the coming years.
In a perfect world the Yankees would have lost to the Orioles Sunday night on national TV and been eliminated from the playoff chase in the last game ever at Yankee Stadium. I had the headline all written in my head: "O's No Hit Yanks, Wait Til Next Year". But of course the Orioles have been no competition for the Yankees for the last dozen years or so. I think it really all goes back to the Jeffrey Maier homerun game. The Yankees have owned the Orioles ever since that game in 1996.
If that play were to happen this postsason it would surely have a different outcome now that MLB uses instant replay. It is designed exactly for that type of play -fair or foul? home run or ball in play? There is no doubt in my mind that the Maier ball would have been ruled fan interference and the batter would have been ruled out. That ruling would have totally changed the outcome of that game, maybe the entire series, perhaps the entire postseason history of both the Orioles and Yankees.
Whoa, that is pretty deep. I better stop now before I mess up the space-time continuum and end up in 1885 with Doc Brown shoeing horses in the Old West.
Mood: Optimistic
Random Movie Quote:
"Marty, you're not thinking fourth dimensionally!" - Back to the Future Part III
1) The Boston Red Sox secured a spot in the MLB playoffs for the 5th time in the last 6 seasons.
2) The New York Yankees were eliminated from post season contention.
The Sox making the playoffs is nothing new. The members of the Nation are getting accustomed to it. I won't say we expect it but there is a feeling every spring training that we will put a competitive team on the field and have a fair shot of ending up in the post season after the 162nd game is in the books. This year certainly had its trials and tribulations and may even be a sweeter reward than last year when they lead the division coast to coast.
The Yankees not making the playoffs is really the cherry on top of the sundae. Damn is that sweet! The Evil Empire had been in the playoffs for 13 years running with a whole string of division championships over most of those years. Frankly I was surprised the Yankees played as well as they did with their pitching woes. I think they will miss Joe Torre a great deal over the coming years.
In a perfect world the Yankees would have lost to the Orioles Sunday night on national TV and been eliminated from the playoff chase in the last game ever at Yankee Stadium. I had the headline all written in my head: "O's No Hit Yanks, Wait Til Next Year". But of course the Orioles have been no competition for the Yankees for the last dozen years or so. I think it really all goes back to the Jeffrey Maier homerun game. The Yankees have owned the Orioles ever since that game in 1996.
If that play were to happen this postsason it would surely have a different outcome now that MLB uses instant replay. It is designed exactly for that type of play -fair or foul? home run or ball in play? There is no doubt in my mind that the Maier ball would have been ruled fan interference and the batter would have been ruled out. That ruling would have totally changed the outcome of that game, maybe the entire series, perhaps the entire postseason history of both the Orioles and Yankees.
Whoa, that is pretty deep. I better stop now before I mess up the space-time continuum and end up in 1885 with Doc Brown shoeing horses in the Old West.
Mood: Optimistic
Random Movie Quote:
"Marty, you're not thinking fourth dimensionally!" - Back to the Future Part III
Sunday, August 24, 2008
The Puppy Who Lost His Way...
I have been quite troubled for some time of what has become of ESPN. You remember ESPN don't you? The original cable sports network, been on the air since 1979, has spun dozens of regional and national clones. Unfortunately ESPN is not what it used to be.
I think it all began a couple years ago when they aired that made for TV drama about the New York Yankees 1978 season. I forget the name of it and I don't feel like looking it up right now. Needless to say it has all been downhill since then.
Here is what is wrong with ESPN in my not so humble opinion.
1) Sportscenter:
What's not to love about a show full of the best plays of the day and highlights from all the days sporting events? Nothing of course, but that isn't what Sportscenter is anymore. Sportscenter is now four hours long and has amazingly little actual sports highlights. It instead has hours of endless commentary. Experts talk about and debate anything they can think of. Did Tiger Woods have a broken leg when he won his last major? Will swimming take off in America thanks to Michael Phelps? Will Barry Bonds urine smell like asparagus tomorrow? Needless to say I have stopped watching Sportscenter.
2) The Ticker:
The sports ticker in itself was a brilliant idea. Flash some scores across the screen at regular intervals to let folks know what other important sporting events are occurring or have occurred today then let them get back to the game at hand. Once again, the ticker ain't what it used to be. The sports ticker these days is a constant stream of information, some of it not even vaguely related to actual sporting events. Things like "Pacman Jones wants to be referred to as Adam Jones" and "Brett Farve and his wife have boarded a plane for Wisconsin" now regularly scroll across the screen taking valuable space away from the sporting event you actually tuned in to watch. Every now and then a sports score or two will slide across the screen too. I bow to the TV and scream "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!" when that happens.
3) Non-Sports Content:
As mentioned above, the 78 Yankees drama was the first real crazy thing I remember seeing on ESPN. It was on in prime time and I think it was over the summer and fall months - prime sports time. It seems to me that it would have been pretty easy to pick up a few extra actual sporting events and air them instead. Extra MLB baseball games, preseason NFL football or college football. Perhaps even go so far as to introduce America to a new sport or venue - minor league baseball, major league lacrosse, ultramarathoning. Non-sports content seems to be a regular theme on ESPN these days. My least favorite is when they show the National Spelling Bee. I know that those little dorks need exposure but for gawd's sake put it on ESPNU.
4) Schizophrenia:
The final thing that drives me bonkers is when they interrupt a show with another show. This happens a lot on those four hour Sportscenters. Sportscenter is going along and poof all the sudden you are right back into PTI. Hello - didn't those blowhards already have 30 freakin' minutes to spew their goo? Remember the night they interrupted Sunday Night Baseball two or three times to show Brett Farve's fucking plane? What the fuck was that all about? (OK, take deep breaths...Sorry, I'm all better now.) Please pick a topic/event/show and stick with it fellas. If something important happens put it in the (constant) ticker or on ESPNNEWS. Better yet, have the ticker direct people to ESPNNEWS for more coverage of breaking events. I understand breaking into a show for a moment of history - Jon Lester's no hitter for instance - but don't interrupt a live baseball game to show Brett Farve's plane taking off in the dark.
Wow, I'm so worked up I can't even think of a clever ending. The title of this post - The Puppy Who Lost His Way - is from Billy Madison with Adam Sandler in case you were wondering.
Mood: Unimpressed
Random Movie Quote:
"Professional what?" - Ferris Buehler's Day Off
I think it all began a couple years ago when they aired that made for TV drama about the New York Yankees 1978 season. I forget the name of it and I don't feel like looking it up right now. Needless to say it has all been downhill since then.
Here is what is wrong with ESPN in my not so humble opinion.
1) Sportscenter:
What's not to love about a show full of the best plays of the day and highlights from all the days sporting events? Nothing of course, but that isn't what Sportscenter is anymore. Sportscenter is now four hours long and has amazingly little actual sports highlights. It instead has hours of endless commentary. Experts talk about and debate anything they can think of. Did Tiger Woods have a broken leg when he won his last major? Will swimming take off in America thanks to Michael Phelps? Will Barry Bonds urine smell like asparagus tomorrow? Needless to say I have stopped watching Sportscenter.
2) The Ticker:
The sports ticker in itself was a brilliant idea. Flash some scores across the screen at regular intervals to let folks know what other important sporting events are occurring or have occurred today then let them get back to the game at hand. Once again, the ticker ain't what it used to be. The sports ticker these days is a constant stream of information, some of it not even vaguely related to actual sporting events. Things like "Pacman Jones wants to be referred to as Adam Jones" and "Brett Farve and his wife have boarded a plane for Wisconsin" now regularly scroll across the screen taking valuable space away from the sporting event you actually tuned in to watch. Every now and then a sports score or two will slide across the screen too. I bow to the TV and scream "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!" when that happens.
3) Non-Sports Content:
As mentioned above, the 78 Yankees drama was the first real crazy thing I remember seeing on ESPN. It was on in prime time and I think it was over the summer and fall months - prime sports time. It seems to me that it would have been pretty easy to pick up a few extra actual sporting events and air them instead. Extra MLB baseball games, preseason NFL football or college football. Perhaps even go so far as to introduce America to a new sport or venue - minor league baseball, major league lacrosse, ultramarathoning. Non-sports content seems to be a regular theme on ESPN these days. My least favorite is when they show the National Spelling Bee. I know that those little dorks need exposure but for gawd's sake put it on ESPNU.
4) Schizophrenia:
The final thing that drives me bonkers is when they interrupt a show with another show. This happens a lot on those four hour Sportscenters. Sportscenter is going along and poof all the sudden you are right back into PTI. Hello - didn't those blowhards already have 30 freakin' minutes to spew their goo? Remember the night they interrupted Sunday Night Baseball two or three times to show Brett Farve's fucking plane? What the fuck was that all about? (OK, take deep breaths...Sorry, I'm all better now.) Please pick a topic/event/show and stick with it fellas. If something important happens put it in the (constant) ticker or on ESPNNEWS. Better yet, have the ticker direct people to ESPNNEWS for more coverage of breaking events. I understand breaking into a show for a moment of history - Jon Lester's no hitter for instance - but don't interrupt a live baseball game to show Brett Farve's plane taking off in the dark.
Wow, I'm so worked up I can't even think of a clever ending. The title of this post - The Puppy Who Lost His Way - is from Billy Madison with Adam Sandler in case you were wondering.
Mood: Unimpressed
Random Movie Quote:
"Professional what?" - Ferris Buehler's Day Off
Monday, August 11, 2008
Pine Tree Top Five
I spend at least one week each summer back in my home state of Maine. No matter what else is on the itinerary I always time to fit these 5 things into each visit.
Lobster – You think lobster and you think Maine, no doubt about it. I always partake when I am there because the lobster there is fresh and crazy cheap. I can crack open a lobster with the best of ‘em but my favorite way to eat it is via the Lobster Roll. Let someone else do all the work and give me the reward. Am I an American or what?
Star Gazing – I always find a few spare moments to make my way out to a dock or a field to star gaze. I am always amazed at how many more stars I can see in the sky without the street lights of the suburbs. I truly understand why our galaxy is called the Milky Way after a few minutes of star gazing in the Pine Tree State.
River Rat – That is the brand name of the inner tube I use to float on Clearwater Pond each summer. There is nothing I enjoy more than paddling out in the River Rat and dubbing around the lake for a few hours or until I need another beer. Good times!
Red Hot Dog – In Maine, the hot dogs are red, bright red. Not exactly fire engine red but pretty much exactly the color red of the red socks in the Boston Red Sox logo. They crunch when you bite them, much like a good dill pickle does. I have never seen Red Hot Dogs anywhere else in the world besides the State of Maine.
Hammock Time – my second favorite way to kill time after the River Rat is to chillax in my mom’s hammock. It is one of those big fancy ones with its own metal stand – no trees harmed thank you very much. Swinging in the breeze with my iPod or WKIT supplying the tunes is a great way to kill a sunny afternoon.
Mood: Refreshed
Song of the Day:
"There's a fire that's been burning, right outside my door..."
-Take Me Home
Phil Collins
Lobster – You think lobster and you think Maine, no doubt about it. I always partake when I am there because the lobster there is fresh and crazy cheap. I can crack open a lobster with the best of ‘em but my favorite way to eat it is via the Lobster Roll. Let someone else do all the work and give me the reward. Am I an American or what?
Star Gazing – I always find a few spare moments to make my way out to a dock or a field to star gaze. I am always amazed at how many more stars I can see in the sky without the street lights of the suburbs. I truly understand why our galaxy is called the Milky Way after a few minutes of star gazing in the Pine Tree State.
River Rat – That is the brand name of the inner tube I use to float on Clearwater Pond each summer. There is nothing I enjoy more than paddling out in the River Rat and dubbing around the lake for a few hours or until I need another beer. Good times!
Red Hot Dog – In Maine, the hot dogs are red, bright red. Not exactly fire engine red but pretty much exactly the color red of the red socks in the Boston Red Sox logo. They crunch when you bite them, much like a good dill pickle does. I have never seen Red Hot Dogs anywhere else in the world besides the State of Maine.
Hammock Time – my second favorite way to kill time after the River Rat is to chillax in my mom’s hammock. It is one of those big fancy ones with its own metal stand – no trees harmed thank you very much. Swinging in the breeze with my iPod or WKIT supplying the tunes is a great way to kill a sunny afternoon.
Mood: Refreshed
Song of the Day:
"There's a fire that's been burning, right outside my door..."
-Take Me Home
Phil Collins
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