oblong

Translation: We are partners with the bookies and we have to let them know.

I came across a batch of pictures from that time period. My seats were about 20 feet to the right of mine now. They had zip tied seats you weren't supposed to sit in.

Regarding Ed White. He really did say this. This photo is real. Here's a clip from the HBO Series from the Earth to the Moon. white was played by Chris Isaak.

I usually end up going alone a few times a year. I enjoy it. Last year I went to the Angels game that started at like 10 pm. I was already down there when they delayed it and the small storm system would.not.move. Otherwise I never would have went. I stayed in my car for almost 2 hours waiting for it to stop raining. At that point I was determined to see the game... and I needed to go to the bathroom so I figured I would walk in to at least have a beer and use the bathroom, then leave. But by that point they announced a starting time. I was the only person in my section. It's nice to just have your own thoughts and not have to entertain or whatever.

The 2012 WS was a sweep.... Game 1 was a blowout (Verlander, go figure), in game 2 the Giants scored on a DP and SF. In game 3 the Tigers had chances but also had Quentin Berry at the plate for them. Game 4 was extra innnings. So 4-0 looks dominant. The individual games show a closer series.

The history behind Apollo 8 is fascinating. They were worried about meeting JFK's deadline, and also worried about the Russians beating us to the moon. CIA reports showed them rolling out some Moon capable rockets and they had favorable launch windows that would have beaten us. The development of the Lunar Module was falling behind. So a NASA manager had the idea to swap Apollo's 8 and 9 and have 8 go to the moon directly without a Lunar Module. The decision seems like a no brainer now to space geeks because they accomplished so many objectives. They could prove out the work by the mathemticians, they could test the spacecraft's engines to go into and out of Earth and Lunar orbits. They could take photos of potential landing sites. But it was very risky as they were totally reliant on their engine working. They only had one (Apollo 13 for example survived because they could use the LM engine). Then you throw in the historical impact of 1968 being such a horrible year in the US. Them going and reading from Genesis on Christmas Eve "saved 1968" as one telegram writer put it. And there was the Earth Rise Photo. Some insiders at NASA had the crew surviving as 50/50. There was a risk of getting stuck in lunar orbit, there was a risk of being off on the trajactories and the math and they would have crashed into the moon... And the other thing that mission did was change who the first person to walk on the moon would be. By swapping missions you swapped crews and that meant the backup crew as well. Backup Crews flew 3 missions later. So crews for 8 and 11 became 9 and 12. Pete Conrad missed out on history. He's the third man instead of the first man. Of course Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were fortunate that all primary objectives were met on the previous missions or else the landing would have been pushed back. Neil Armstrong wasnt picked to land first, he was picked to command the mission that ended up being the first that landed. And to the original commander Jim McDivit's credit, he was offered to swap missions and go to the moon on Apollo 8 but these guys being intelligent and driven and all of that, he focused on the science and challenge. He felt all the stuff he'd do on Apollo 9, while only in earth orbit, was more of a challenge and "fun" than just "going on a sight seeing" tour around the moon. I could talk about this stuff all day

Some of my "worst" would be simply ones my wife dragged me to but I don't count those because I drag her to shows too. But for "normal" shows the worst performance would have been Motley Crue a few years ago at Comerica Park. They shared billing with Def Leppard and Poison and Joan Jett. They were all awesome as could be at their age. But Motley Crue had sound issues beyond just walking and mumbling through. I could barely tell what song was playing. Poison was awesome because Bret Michaels knew where he was, he engaged with the audience, talked about playing St. Andrews and Harpo's and filming a video at Joe Louis. Jesus... Harpo's. I went once around 1995 and a friend got beat up and was hospitalized.

but Friday's forecast here is looking spotty. Getting conflicting reports. Have some friends driving in to go with us. But yeah... Skubal would be nice!

one thing I never do as a sports fan is "look forward to" or "would rather face" with an opponent. It never works out.

Props to the Tigers PR department. This account has been very informative.

Best concert, hands down, was Prince in 2004. And what bugs me about it is I had no expectations. For me Prince was the guy from the 80s and 90's who had some songs I liked but I didn't appreciate him like I do now. I wish I could go back and anticipate it and I would also have not had anything to drink. But yeah... he was ****ing awesome.

Researching it more.... there were test flights that filled those slots. (AS-201 and AS-202, AS stands for Apollo-Saturn) They just weren't officially Apollo's 2 and 3 at the time. The Apollo 1 fire mission was unofficially and casually referred to as Apollo 1 internally, never publicly announced that way, but those two test flights preceeded it. The widows of Grisson, White, Chaffee, asked for their husband's mission to remain Apollo 1 and NASA Admin agreed to do that. But the problem is they had to figure out how to go forward so they just said "Screw it, we'll make the next one 4. So what could have been Apollo 2 and 3 preceeded Apollo 1. They just were never called that in the paperwork. I don't know what they would have done if there hadn't been a fire and Apollo 1 launched, if it would have stil been called Apollo 1. For example, the first manned Gemini mission was Gemini III. So they had history of not starting with 1 for manned missions. I suspect Apollo 1 sounds better for memorial purposes than Apollo 3 or 4. There was another unmanned mission but it didn't carry a CSM (Command and Service Module) boilerplate so it didn't get an official designation internally, like AS-201, AS-202, etc. Apollo 7, the one you first remember, gets forgotten because they didn't go the moon like Apollo 8, or have a LM, like Apollo 9 in low earth orbit to play with, so nothing very sexy about it. But it was the first manned mission after the fire and they had to test out the completed CSM spacecraft. Everything had to go well in order to continue on with the missions to meet the deadline. What was originally going to be 3 missions was crammed into one. The crew won an emmy award for their broadcast from space. Commander Wally Schirra donated his to the San Diego Air and Space museum and I saw it 2 years ago.

But what do you suggest we do? Ranting on social media isn’t going to make a lick of difference. Getting angry doesn’t solve anything. All I can do is vote for the other side, put up a yard sign, and donate some $$ if I can afford it. Merely saying “I care” doesn’t solve the problem. Telling someone they are wrong doesn’t change their behavior in this circumstance. I don’t know what “off the hook” means in this context. We can’t send him to jail. We can’t prosecute him. Congress can’t do anything. It’s the “wearing a ribbon” conundrum. Ok. Wear it. People still have cancer.

I was a Cardinals fan too back then, after the 82 world series, and that pissed me off. Then 1987 came and that hurt too b/c no way could I root for the Twins.

I would think that whoever the POTUS was in 2020 would be interested in finding out what happened.

I don’t even react anymore. It’s as if you told me you bought blue socks instead of navy blue socks. The people we need to care about this do not. It’s not worth my time anymore. I’m not dismissing it or being indifferent. I dont know what the word is. There’s nothing more to say to try to convince people.

Old school weather channel layout.

The reason why is because TJ is very tough to go thru and I doubt any pitcher wants to unless they have to.

That’s on it true if you think the team that wins the World Series automatically can be called the best team rather than a team that won a 4 week tournament. the national media can say whatever they want but they don’t set the rules. Their opinions are just as valid as anybody here. I grant them no authority.

His strength was also his weakness. He let people do their jobs, had patience, and wrote big checks. That’s good when you have Jimmy D and Dave Dombrowski and no salary cap. It’s bad when you have Randy Smith. He also got attached to players and I think signed them out of sentiment.

I copied this from an AI Generator May 30 1922, a 78-year-old Robert T. Lincoln, (President Lincoln’s only surviving son) is helped up the steps at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Robert Todd Lincoln did not deliver remarks but listened with great interest as other speakers paid tribute to his father. Robert took great interest in the memorial as it emerged within Potomac Park and frequently requested that his driver pass the site so that he could observe the progress; he even secured permission once to visit the site in the midst of ongoing construction. Born in Springfield, Illinois in 1843, Robert was the eldest of the four Lincoln sons. He was graduated from Harvard College, and then served briefly with Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant, being present at General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House. Robert went on to have a successful career as a lawyer and businessman, and served as Secretary of War under Presidents James Garfield and Chester Arthur. During Benjamin Harrison’s administration, Robert served as Minister to Great Britain. He died at his home in Vermont in 1926 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery within sight of his father’s memorial.

I don't agree with that. That's last year. Rosters turnover year to year so they can't claim credit today for what happened with different people.

You've inspired me to read it again. I've probably read it 3 times but not in the last 5 or 6 years. I like to read books more than once. What I do is get on a subject, then go back to previous books to act as a cross check. Maybe something in the 2nd or 3rd book brought to the surface a detail that I missed in the first book. Like a damn Marvel Movie or Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul.