We learn from this article, Beachwood cancels Rec League all-star baseball game, that all-star games should not be held for 9-12-year-olds because competitiveness at that age is not good for the kids.
Aw, c'mon. It's pretty clear, even at relatively early ages, that some kids are better athletes than others, just like there are better students, musicians, artists, and Wal-Mart greeters. By the time I was 11, I knew I couldn't hit the inside fastball and that I'd enjoy baseball a lot more by watching good players than by watching myself strike out. Providing a showcase where talented kids can play with and against other talented kids is a great way for those kids to improve. The other kids who didn't make the all-star team? Sorry. Maybe there's stuff to do in the a-v room.
via Fark.com
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Guns. We can haz them.
Let's see. If guns could be outlawed, then only outlaws would have guns. The SCOTUS rules that guns are inlawed. So, only inlaws can have guns. Wait, lemme think. Oh, anyway, be nice to your neighbor because he may be packing heat.
Supreme Court Rules That Individuals Have Gun Rights - NYTimes.com
Supreme Court Rules That Individuals Have Gun Rights - NYTimes.com
You don't need a weatherman ...
As a follow-up to last week's review of weather forecasting resources, When you need more weather, here are a few more tips:
6/26/08, One more: Redneck Weather Station
- Predicting the Weather with Clouds - Instructables - DIY, How To, outdoors, life
- Predict the weather without checking the forecast
6/26/08, One more: Redneck Weather Station
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Travelers in the world of whatever
Marley never misses a chance for a ride. We keep one basket for stuff that's going to the camp. As soon as I pick up the basket (for whatever reason), he races to the door all awiggle.
This morning we took a ride to the camp to meet with a friend who will do some work on the fireplace. While there, I did some fishing, catching two large kivvers. Catching the fish was almost an interruption to the fun of casting and reeling in the lure.
The mountain laurel are stunning this year, in massive blooms and lasting longer than usual.
This morning we took a ride to the camp to meet with a friend who will do some work on the fireplace. While there, I did some fishing, catching two large kivvers. Catching the fish was almost an interruption to the fun of casting and reeling in the lure.
The mountain laurel are stunning this year, in massive blooms and lasting longer than usual.
It's a bit creepy for Red Sox fan to claim that he's a Yankee.
This one's for Kevin, 'nother Yankee in Raleigh:
You Are 90% Yankee, 10% Dixie |
 You're so Yankee, it's possible you've never even been to the South! |
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
In praise of good service
Earlier this year, we bought a new desktop computer and multi-function printer from Dell. We've been pleased with the purchases, but I've been even more pleased with Dell's service.
Early on, I had a problem because of an interaction between Norton Internet Security and Vista. I called Dell tech support and, in a short while, was able to diagnose and fix the problem. The Dell tech support rep was able to connect to my system and verify that all was well.
Recently, a small piece broke off of the printer's document feeder. (You can scan, fax, or copy multipage documents.) I contacted Dell via their online chat service. Within a few minutes, the tech support rep arranged for a new printer to be sent my way. (I'll then send the old one, although with the broken piece, back to Dell.) I'll have my new printer in 2-5 business days.
Given the slim profit margins that the computer manufacturers can generate, it's amazing to me that they have such good service, handled by live people who know their stuff and are empowered to make things right.
Early on, I had a problem because of an interaction between Norton Internet Security and Vista. I called Dell tech support and, in a short while, was able to diagnose and fix the problem. The Dell tech support rep was able to connect to my system and verify that all was well.
Recently, a small piece broke off of the printer's document feeder. (You can scan, fax, or copy multipage documents.) I contacted Dell via their online chat service. Within a few minutes, the tech support rep arranged for a new printer to be sent my way. (I'll then send the old one, although with the broken piece, back to Dell.) I'll have my new printer in 2-5 business days.
Given the slim profit margins that the computer manufacturers can generate, it's amazing to me that they have such good service, handled by live people who know their stuff and are empowered to make things right.
Monday, June 23, 2008
When you need more weather (updated)
Mark Twain said, "Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it."
[RB note: I've cleaned up the formatting on this article. The table didn't display completed on the blog page.]
I've been interested in weather since I first watch Don Kent on Channel 4 in Boston. Kent was Boston's first TV weatherman and, for a long time, was synonymous with weather forecasting in New England. (A friend tells the story of riding a bus in Boston. The forecast had called for a nice day, but a surprise snow squall dumped a bunch of inches of snow on the city. A woman got on the bus, shook the snow from head, and said, "Damn you, Don Kent."
One of these days, I may invest in some weather reporting gear and become an official, trained weather-spotter. (Here's a bit more about being a trained weather spotter.) In the meantime, I'll look out the window. At both home and camp, we have good views of the northwestern sky. Most thunderstorms come from the northwest. (Although they're called Nor'easters, big winter storms come at us from the southwest. The name of the storm refers to the direction of the wind, northeast, that delivers the damage.)
The following table outlines some of the weather-related resources available on the web.
Email updates: Yes
Specials:
Email updates: Not really. You can subscribe to tsunami warnings and space weather forecasts. You can get text message alerts.Specials: All weather forecasting services start with data from the Feds.
Notes: If you stray from the forecast pages, it's easy to get lost, in part because of the site's design, but, more importantly, because there's so
much interesting stuff to see.
Email updates: Well, kinda, but not really. You can have alerts delivered to your phone and desktop.
Notes:
Email updates:Yes
Specials: Lots of gadgets.
Notes: Accuweather provides forecasting services for many radio, TV, and other media. (See WBZ, for example.) As a result, the paid services, while more expensive than others, give you access to big league forecast information.
Email updates: Yes
Specials: WCVBhas an interactive radar feature that lets you zoom in to theneighborhood level to see how much its raining. (You could also lookout the window, but, if you have a computer, why would you use a window?)
Notes: The features and resources are typically tailored to meet local needs.
In addition, there are lots of browser add-ons (such as these for Firefox) and desktop widgets that will bring the weather to you.
[RB note: I've cleaned up the formatting on this article. The table didn't display completed on the blog page.]
I've been interested in weather since I first watch Don Kent on Channel 4 in Boston. Kent was Boston's first TV weatherman and, for a long time, was synonymous with weather forecasting in New England. (A friend tells the story of riding a bus in Boston. The forecast had called for a nice day, but a surprise snow squall dumped a bunch of inches of snow on the city. A woman got on the bus, shook the snow from head, and said, "Damn you, Don Kent."
One of these days, I may invest in some weather reporting gear and become an official, trained weather-spotter. (Here's a bit more about being a trained weather spotter.) In the meantime, I'll look out the window. At both home and camp, we have good views of the northwestern sky. Most thunderstorms come from the northwest. (Although they're called Nor'easters, big winter storms come at us from the southwest. The name of the storm refers to the direction of the wind, northeast, that delivers the damage.)
The following table outlines some of the weather-related resources available on the web.
Weather UnderGround
Cost: Free (with ads)$10/year (ad-free)Email updates: Yes
Specials:
- Lots of custom stickers that you can add to your web site.
- Personal weather stations - You can get detailed reports from other weather geeks in your area.
National Weather Service
Cost: Free (Your tax dollars at work.)Email updates: Not really. You can subscribe to tsunami warnings and space weather forecasts. You can get text message alerts.Specials: All weather forecasting services start with data from the Feds.
Notes: If you stray from the forecast pages, it's easy to get lost, in part because of the site's design, but, more importantly, because there's so
much interesting stuff to see.
Weather.com (aka The Weather Channel)
Cost: Free (with ads),$24.99 (ad-free)Email updates: Well, kinda, but not really. You can have alerts delivered to your phone and desktop.
Notes:
- It did not recognize Phillipston as a valid location. (Phillipston doesn't have its own ZIP code; it shares one with Athol.)
- It can suffer from feature-overload by providing too many options.
Accuweather
Cost: Free (with ads),$7.95/month, $79.95/year -Premium (no ads, extra features.),$24.95/month, $249.95/year, Professional (no ads, even more features)Email updates:Yes
Specials: Lots of gadgets.
Notes: Accuweather provides forecasting services for many radio, TV, and other media. (See WBZ, for example.) As a result, the paid services, while more expensive than others, give you access to big league forecast information.
Local radio and television sites
Cost: FreeEmail updates: Yes
Specials: WCVBhas an interactive radar feature that lets you zoom in to theneighborhood level to see how much its raining. (You could also lookout the window, but, if you have a computer, why would you use a window?)
Notes: The features and resources are typically tailored to meet local needs.
Features in common
All of the weather services have these features in one form or another:- You can specify a location - You can then bookmark that page and be able to get a weather forecast with a single click.
- If your cell phone has a web browser, you can see customized views of these sites on your phone. You can also have text messages sent to your phone, messages such as forecasts, severe weather alerts.
- National and international weather - You can browse weather reports and forecasts for most regions of the world. The amount of detail is dependent on the weather services in that area.
- Weather history and almanac - You can find out when the moon will riseor temperature averages and precipitation totals.
God Loves Worcester
I pass by this sign often on my travels around the Greendale section of Worcester. (Photo from I'm from Worcester.) Each time I see the sign, I'm reminded of God's Song (yt) by Randy Newman.And the Lord said:
"I burn down your cities--how blind you must be
I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we
You must all be crazy to put your faith in me
That's why i love mankind
You really need me
That's why i love mankind"
Damn
Comedian George Carlin dies at 71 - Celebrities- msnbc.com
From his early days as Al Sleet, the hippy-dippy weatherman through his evolution as the sage of political and social commentary, Carlin took us the new places, places that we weren't always ready to see.
He also reminded me of my friend, Don. Both had this crackling wit that could turn into a pack of firecrackers exploding on a dark road in the night.
I'll miss them both.
From his early days as Al Sleet, the hippy-dippy weatherman through his evolution as the sage of political and social commentary, Carlin took us the new places, places that we weren't always ready to see. He also reminded me of my friend, Don. Both had this crackling wit that could turn into a pack of firecrackers exploding on a dark road in the night.
I'll miss them both.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Lemme see if I understand this
According to this article, all smoking is banned in public places in Holland. You, however, can smoke pot in licensed cafes, so long as you don't try to sneak any tobacco into your weed.
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