Catching up

After a thrilling weekend, and a thrilling Duke win, it's good to be back.  I was amused; the broadcasters -- and everyone else -- was ranting about the play of Jack White, the Australian who never plays, but, with the game in hand and Notre Dame missing some bigs...well, he played pretty well.  On the one hand, Coach K knows what he is doing; on the other, one wonders why he doesn't play more.  Not saying a lot more, but with the young players being young, doing occasionally dumb things, and their propensity for foul trouble... 

Up to 622 on the film list; watched "Sink or Swim," a feminist film from the 90s that was not very good, and "Dumbo," which -- I know this will surprise my readers -- I had never seen.  It was... ok; sort of cute, sort of funny.  I mean, I am not one for the genre, but it was decent enough, and some of the scenes were... if not dramatic, fairly well done.

We were discussing the MSU thing at work; aside from the joy over this in Waco and Happy Valley.. well, couple of things.  First, there are two scandals here; one is the Nasser thing; the other is how people are now poking around at the other sports and deciding there is something there.  I mean, there is, but I wonder how people will react if both Izzo and Dantonio go at the same time; let's face it, beating Big Blue means something up there... to say nothing of the fact that it's not like Izzo is Rick Pitino.  Anyways, I pointed out that it is getting to the point that some school will go and start appointing a counsel for each team (hell, it could even work at Mount Union) who could...well, handle these things.  Of course, it would be better if players didn't pull any shit, especially, say, rape, but no one is that naive to expect that to happen...

Off

Took a personal day today -- oil change, lab work, other things needed to be done; I guess I sort of needed it, not that I was able to sleep in -- I couldn't, so I woke up and went to the gym, which was prolly wise, as I had a solid workout.

One of my coworkers asked me why the Tribe couldn't have offered the deal the Giants did to Austin Jackson...my first thought of course was that he was young for the Giants.  :)  I told him that I thought a lot of people thought that Ajax would self-correct next year, he has an injury risk issue, especially with his skills, and he is an old 30...  but you know, he wasn't wrong... hell, you could say the same about the currently penciled in at LF for the Tribe, and while it is a longer commitment, it also is cheaper...

Up to 620 on the film list; crossed two short ones off today.  One was "They Call it Pro Football," an NFL Films documentary from 1967. The other was "Think of Me First as a Person," a short film about a child with Down's syndrome... both were interesting, more or less; more seriously, sort of, are the facts that 1) I will eventually hit a bunch films I can't access and 2) this will piss me off.  Well, I mean, I will have to pay for them, maybe, and that will suck, but... I have 105 films to go, and I suspect half may be in that category, which will be most unpleasant..

Down and Up

I was surprised by the government shutdown, but... I mean, I think the Dems could have gotten that deal any time without shutting down and taking a hit (I don't think it is that bad for them, optics aside, but you get the drift).  I mean, DACA seems to be what everyone wants, more or less, and if in turn you trade that for a wall that is likely to never really be built... I don't know, you take that and go home.  Now, with this and the taxes, the GOP might be able to save that House majority...  depending on any number of other things, of course.

Up to 618 on the film list -- watched "Where Are My Children?," a silent film about... abortion and birth control of all things, cleverly wrapped with a discussion of eugenics.  Interesting, given the time and the subject.  Also watched was "Hail The Conquering Hero," a Preston Sturges film from 1944... I don't want to give away the plot, but it was interesting and mildly humorous in its own right.  Finally,  I saw "Within Our Gates," an African-American film from 1920... also interesting given its portrayal as the anti "Birth of the Nation" of its time.

Survived

After another long and thrilling week, it is good to be home, doing very little... ok, I am reading the Bill James Handbook, catching up on email and various other things, not cleaning my house... you get the drift.  I did eradicate one paper pile last nite and went through a drawer of knick knacks this morning (also had a very good workout, rah).

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-01-18/men-aren-t-exactly-stampeding-back-to-work

I get a kick out of these articles and the ones complaining about states imposing work requirements on Medicaid; I don't know, I would think in part that these requirements are exactly the thing to get the people who should be working into work.  Let's face it; most MDs and other people will find ways around the system, but for those who cannot fake it... this doesn't seem all the egregious.

I am a little surprised by the shutdown, given that it would seem that everyone would have been better off to at least pass a compromise to keep things open while the sniping continued.  I suspect the GOP will get blamed -- even if DACA would be an advantage -- because the media, well, they are what they are....

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-01-18/how-public-unions-enthralled-the-u-s

I think the solution is to ban them, or at least, cull the herd; I mean, I've always said it is one thing for the guy at the business end of a shovel to have a union, but a paper-pusher at a desk... puh-leese.

Moving On and Up

You know, I am surprised -- ok, not that surprised -- the Pirates are making the trades they do.  They're not really making a killing, and while they are saving money, I don't think the returns are all that high...  the Giants are being gerontology-minded, as always, while the Astros...well, it was a very good move for them, adding to a rotation that challenges... ours.  I wonder more about the McCutheon deal in SF, odd to see how he reacts to the ballpark, defensively.

Upto 614 on the film list, having watched "What's Opera, Doc?" and "So's Your Old Man" this weekend.  The first is a Bugs Bunny short; the second, a W.C. Fields silent from the 20s... sort of funny, actually; his humor, situational comedy, and some digs at well, pretension.  I could see it being made today; not sure who the lead would be, but there is a lot about the story that is sort of...timeless.

https://www.vox.com/2018/1/11/16878316/shitty-media-men-list-katie-roiphe-moira-donegan

I don't know... I immediately thought of this story when I read this one:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/nov/04/harvard-men-soccer-team-season-lewd-rankings-female-players

I mean, no, they aren't that similar, but... a secret list, if you will, got out, and the creators were unable to handle the backlash.  And, in the first case... well, I can see people getting miffed about it; it is the sort of thing that is ideal for revenge -- plant an accusation and see what happens...to say nothing of due process.  More to the point, as with most things...that which should be hidden should always stay hidden...

Smooth sailing

Have to admit, for all the talk of snow and ice and traffic armageddon...it wasn't that awful.  It was slow, but, for me, the ride home was...steady.  The worst was that my side windows weren't exactly clean due to the ice, but I was able to maneuver around that issue by only changing lanes once on the way home....  I am tempted to NOT leave the house tomorrow, but of course one does need to hit the gym and all.

Watched "Lost Horizon" tonight -- up to 612.  Didn't know it was a Capra film, and while it did have the happy ending, it didn't seem forced... in the novel, I guess the ending was roughly the same, so... I liked the film, but, like the last one, I am not quite sure why it made the list...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/healthtrending/megyn-kelly-said-that-some-women-%e2%80%9cwant%e2%80%9d-to-be-fat-shamed-and-here%e2%80%99s-why-that%e2%80%99s-deeply-problematic/ar-AAuzufL?li=BBnba9O

I am not sure about this; for one thing, as a feminist, I am appalled by the suggestion that women aren't tough enough to take the criticism.  :) For another... I realize the Fun Run Bunch is a bunch of deplorables, but we fat shame each other all the time, and, well, shame is a motivator to keep it up.  I would argue it is like AA; for some people, it is exactly what they need; for others, not much help; and another set, one of many tools used to treat the illness.  

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fox-host-on-trump-%e2%80%98s-hole%e2%80%99-remark-this-is-how-%e2%80%98the-forgotten-men-and-women%e2%80%99-talk/ar-AAuzL15?li=BBnb7Kz

I think this is largely correct, though, let's face it, the President shouldn't be calling ALL countries a shithole, save for maybe, North Korea.  But it is still funny as hell.

links

Almost a week without a post...alas.  Work is going thrillingly, let me assure you...  watched "East of Eden" last nite, crossing yet another off the list... I mean, I liked it, but not all that much, and I am not really sure why it was included.  Certainly wasn't Dean's best role, and I couldn't think of another reason why it would be on there.  Alas.  

https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/1/8/16866628/roseanne-new-season-trump

I thought this was interesting, given that I have made the case that Democrats have given up on the "Roseanne" voter, more or less, so... the natural tendency would be for them to start voting Republican, or at least Trumpican...

https://www.vox.com/2018/1/8/16822374/school-segregation-gerrymander-map

I did this for some of the districts around here -- especially those with more Democrats than Republicans in them -- and, lo and behold, they were segregated!  Ok, I am not really surprised by this, given how segregated our area is, but, as I always note, it is not like the local Dems are moving into neighborhoods to make them less segregated...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/embezzlement-plagues-union-offices-around-us-records-show/ar-BBI4916?li=BBnbfcN

I am shocked, shocked by this one...I mean, they are the friends of the worker.  I mean, some are, but, in all due respect, those days are long gone, but, like the Japanese soldiers in the Philippines, only the true believers carry on in their delusion...

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/15/13593670/donald-trump-social-media-culture-politics

The problem I have with this argument is that it is the left that unleashes these forces, and then, when someone else adopts them, well, they complain... mind you, a lot of what Trump represents is a reaction to what they have been offering; if people think that Plan A is a bad deal, they will opt for Plan B, and you really cannot blame them...  well, you can, but it won;t really do any good, and generally only pisses them off more...

Victory or Death!

Big win for us at PQ last nite; just Thom and myself, so we got a big boatload of cash... to be sure, the questions were favorable for us, but we didn't do any usual Team XI fuckups, like outguessing ourselves, and we got the missing link early enough to make some points.  Anyways, like all victories, it was glorious.

I have to admit I am bemused by the latest Trump/Bannon contretemps.  This could be me, but doesn't this help Trump if discredited advisor releases tell-all book written with the help of a highly sketchy journalist?  I mean, I realize looking Presidential is something the Donald will not ever do, more or less, but...

https://donsurber.blogspot.com/2018/01/trump-may-slap-30-tax-on-newsprint.html?spref=fb

This amused the hell out of me.

Reading Shattered, about the Clinton campaign; I am halfway through the Democratic primary, and, honestly... it's really hard to feel sorry for HRC.  I mean, between the cadre of sycophants, the Trump-style list of feuding advisors, the paranoia, the automatic deflection of blame or responsibility...well, for all of the people who are miffed that the Donald is in charge...

https://www.vox.com/2017/12/29/16826084/mr-brightside-memes-2017

I hate to say this, but I never realized the song had the same verses...

Ideas

Happy New Year, my fellow readers... the old one went out fine and the new one...well, it is off to a raging start, let me assure you.  :)  Up to 610 on the list -- watched two shorter films:  "Why Man Creates" and an early silent that showed Native Americans in a fairly favorable light:  "White Faun's Devotion."  Both were...well, meh.  Alas, alack. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/31/business/high-tax-states-law.html

I get a kick out of shit like this, because, as we know, Democrats love it when someone else pays taxes, but never when they do it...  sort of like when I tell people complaining about the poverty in the inner cities that if they truly cared, they would sell their People's Socialist Republic of Cleveland Heights victorian or Shaker Square condo, give the money to the poor... and then move to Glenville/Hough/East Cleveland and buy a house there...thus boosting property tax collections, and of course income tax collections.  Most of these people, of course, never talk to me again, so this is actually double to the good, but...the principle still applies.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/scott-frost-tears-into-cfp-selection-committee/ar-BBHLV4P?li=BBnbfcL

I am of both schools here; yes, UCF should have been in the discussion, but they do suffer in terms of schedule.  Of course, it's not like the SEC is letting them in tomorrow, and, well, short of UCF playing OSU, Bama, Clemson, and Oklahoma -- on the road -- nor will they get in on their own.  The issue of course is how big of a playoff...  I secretly think (until now) people want the regular season and then a bracket of 1 to 119 or whatever the number of teams so people could bitch about OSU-5 playing KSU-114 or something.  More seriously... every other NCAA sport accepts both conference champs and wild cards (if you will) in the playoff and seeds them via committee; it seems to work in basketball... so why not here?

For one, there are ten conferences, so... a neat bracket is impossible.  You can't have too many games for the student athletes, either.  (Ha!)  Plus, in football there are independents, one of whom is sometimes good, and, more importantly, has a disproportionate pull on TV ratings.  On the other hand, you could do, say, 12, like the ACC; the first four teams get a bye, then 5 through 12 play, then you have eight teams... it is of course FIVE games to play, but I really don't think people mind all that much (save for the guys who get hurt).  This gives you two wild cards, so, of course, you could have the requisite arguments about who got jobbed...