| Al's Ramblings | |
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Sunday, February 05, 2012 (2/05/2012 01:02:00 PM) - Al General agreement at church this am that Super Bowl would be much better if Packers were in it.--Governor Walker I took in the service at the Rambling wife's church this AM because the Rambling son's Pioneers had a big part in it, and the pastor mentioned the game and how most wished the Pack were involved. I would guess many businesses would have had a nice 10-20% bump. 2/05/2012 01:02:00 PM (2/05/2012 12:54:00 PM) - Al $350 to park near the Super Bowl. Well, if you paid thousands for tickets, flights, and a hotel (not to mention lavish food, drinks, and gentleman club visits), $350 isn't that much to pay for convenience. The Indianapolis economy is thankful. 2/05/2012 12:54:00 PM (2/05/2012 12:44:00 PM) - Al Heh. The old media is the last bastion of prejudice. When someone calls Obama President Black, get back to me. When Obama won, many hailed it as some kind of amazing thing. I said it meant nothing to me, because I never for one second thought a black person could not win. To truly not have racial, sexist, or prejudiced thoughts, one must stop making references to them. You never hear me talking about Russell Wilson as a black QB like the fools at the JS, to me, he's a QB. 2/05/2012 12:44:00 PM (2/05/2012 12:39:00 PM) - Al Dominos' IT department on the busy day. They sent me an e-mail every day this week asking me to pre-order. That helps "spread out" the rush, and in case the system goes down, I'm sure they printed out "hard" orders each night just in case. The funny thing is, I worked at a pizza place for five years, and the Super Bowl wasn't any busier for us than a regular Friday/Saturday dinner rush. Of course, our advertising was minimal. 2/05/2012 12:39:00 PM (2/05/2012 12:14:00 PM) - Al Never witnessed so many people so excited about the national anthem, as Kelly Clarkson is trending on both Twitter and Google. Many of the mentions say they are looking forward to an understated anthem not about the person singing it, or an overlong version. Of course, I think Clarkson's looks may play a part as well. 2/05/2012 12:14:00 PM Saturday, February 04, 2012 (2/04/2012 11:16:00 PM) - Al Against wind farms? I'm not anti-wind, but realistically, I'd focus on a dozen other types instead. Including all those icky ones the left hates, like...all of them that work. 2/04/2012 11:16:00 PM (2/04/2012 10:45:00 PM) - Al Fangraphs wonders if a ground rule double should be changed to a ground rule home run. I wonder what the hell happened to the writing at Fangraphs. 2/04/2012 10:45:00 PM (2/04/2012 10:20:00 PM) - Al We will build an America where hope is a job and a paycheck, not a faded word on a bumper sticker. He began by apologizing for America...now he should apologize TO America.--Mitt Romney Romney playing to the anti-Obama crowd. Considering that's about 65% of the electorate, that's a sound strategy. 2/04/2012 10:20:00 PM (2/04/2012 05:28:00 PM) - Al I assume Newt is out of money, and tired of pretending there is a race. The only question was whether there would be a 50 state sweep, and that's over. This race was pretty much over when Daniels and Christie declined to run. 2/04/2012 05:28:00 PM (2/04/2012 05:20:00 PM) - Al These fictional racial incidents make real racism go unnoticed. Crying wolf is pathetic, and those who do so should be scorned and mocked relentlessly. 2/04/2012 05:20:00 PM (2/04/2012 04:32:00 PM) - Al Even Bill Maher is tired of Occupy. The problem is, as is usually the case with Maher, is he failed to think this through, which is often a problem if your mind is preoccupied with busty women thirty years younger than you and getting high. He's patently inconsistent on most things political, going so far to proudly call himself a libertarian, while all of his rants and policy thoughts are way far-left. He can't bring himself to be a boring liberal, so he calls himself something he feels is hip and cool...but continues spouting the same jargon. Let's be honest, anyone that goes to work each day tired of the "gimme, gimme, gimme" druggies and vandals 24-48 hours after they began their display of public criminal behavior. 2/04/2012 04:32:00 PM (2/04/2012 04:29:00 PM) - Al Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15.--Ronald Reagan Some would have you think it's a bad thing to be patriotic and proud of your country every day. They would be wrong. 2/04/2012 04:29:00 PM (2/04/2012 02:53:00 PM) - Al Badgers played a heckuva game, but no way you beat Ohio State missing your open 3's. I'm not sure why Sullinger came back, he would have been a top three pick had he gone pro. Maybe he picked up an insurance policy, maybe he felt he could win a title, but it's a risk no one could advise with a conscience. 2/04/2012 02:53:00 PM (2/04/2012 11:29:00 AM) - Al Santorum leads Obama in head-to-head matchup. Someone in the reelection campaign office just read that and said to themselves, "We've hit rock bottom, nowhere to go but up." Dennis Miller's joke about someone changing their name to Not Obama was so funny because it was true. 2/04/2012 11:29:00 AM Friday, February 03, 2012 (2/03/2012 10:07:00 PM) - Al Implied unemployment at 30 year high. Luckily, those people don't really exist, because the government says they don't. I'm a rube, so, I believe them. 2/03/2012 10:07:00 PM (2/03/2012 09:32:00 PM) - Al Jack In The Box introduces the bacon shake. What took so long? 2/03/2012 09:32:00 PM (2/03/2012 08:41:00 PM) - Al Wouldn't this be hilarious? The first comment on Ann's site says it all: Sneaky, underhanded, totally disrespectful of the process. I love it. And the funny part is, the more Dems run, the fewer votes it would take. This may eliminate the primary and save us a boatload of money. EDIT: Yes, the Dems could still run a write-in campaign. But it would still be very funny. 2/03/2012 08:41:00 PM (2/03/2012 06:20:00 PM) - Al The Bucks are looking at Kyrylo Fesenko and Joel Przybilla according to sources. Fesenko is an unrestricted free agent who has three years of NBA experience. Milwaukee has also contacted the New Orleans Hornets about Chris Kaman.--HoopsWorld I don't see a match with the Hornets, and Pryzbilla has offers from several teams, including the Bulls and the Heat. Never heard of Fesenko. 2/03/2012 06:20:00 PM (2/03/2012 04:31:00 PM) - Al 1000+ days without a budget, Reid does not care, no plans to bring one to floor. All I need to hear. I'd vote for the devil himself over Hank Reid, who should be ashamed of himself. Not even pretending to care about America's future, just playing politics. Who's that remind you of? 2/03/2012 04:31:00 PM (2/03/2012 03:41:00 PM) - Al Dodgers to sign Coffey, $1.3M. I think Todd would have ended up in MIL has KRod turned down arby. The Crew has at least a dozen viable candidates for five open spots, but if Axford, KRod, or Loe go down, we'll wish they had signed him. 2/03/2012 03:41:00 PM (2/03/2012 02:36:00 PM) - Al Ray says I need to add wings to the menu. I thought about it, but they're too messy. We took the plastic off our sofa a long time ago. And, I can have chicken anytime. 2/03/2012 02:36:00 PM (2/03/2012 02:36:00 PM) - Al Meghan McCain's first photo caption winner is up, and mildly amusing. 2/03/2012 02:36:00 PM (2/03/2012 02:08:00 PM) - Al Aramis Ramirez will be the final bobble of 2012. Lucroy, Yo, Morgan, Italian, and Uecker were announced earlier. 2/03/2012 02:08:00 PM (2/03/2012 01:50:00 PM) - Al Brewers and Shaun Marcum have avoided arbitration with a one-year deal. Leaves RHP Jose Veras as the club's only remaining case.--Adam, MLB.com Veras should get done easily, they're barely apart. Marcum signs at midpoint, just before hearing. That seems like it should have been done weeks ago. 2/03/2012 01:50:00 PM (2/03/2012 01:39:00 PM) - Al Planned Parenthood to Komen Foundation: “Nice foundation you got there. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to it.” The Chicago way...--Rachel Campos Duffy My neighbor, wife of my Congressman, and mom to six is unhappy. She speaks for about half the public. Mammoth PR blunder. 2/03/2012 01:39:00 PM (2/03/2012 01:34:00 PM) - Al FanGraphs on Jayson Werth in CF. My take? He's played 800+ innings in CF, and has a UZR of 3.9 out there. He hasn't played there much for a few years, so he's probably slowed down a bit. Hence, I would expect him to be average or a bit below. If he can hit like his career norms, and it allows Bryce Harper, Mike Morse, and Adam LaRoche to all get in the lineup, a couple runs allowed over six months isn't a very big deal. 2/03/2012 01:34:00 PM (2/03/2012 01:22:00 PM) - Al People not in labor force down 2.5%, or about 10M, since January 2008. Funny, I expected things to take off using government spending to spark the economy...those textbooks and computer models just don't get it.:) 2/03/2012 01:22:00 PM (2/03/2012 12:51:00 PM) - Al Al, My fiancee and myself are hosting our first party as a couple Sunday (engaged Christmas Eve). Sadly, I was laid off a couple months ago, so we're forced to go cheap, otherwise, we'd probably have steak and shrimp on the grill. I enjoy your menus you list (all sinfully unhealthy), and was wondering if you could provide a link to easy, and not expensive appetizers. Matt My advice, Matt? I mean congratulations. Sunday is my "off day" on my plan this week, and I just saw a promo for Dr. Oz, that he is calling "Faturday." Eating well 6 days and whatever you wish 1 seems to be "in" right now, to say the least. The Rambling son has a pinewood derby "practice" Sunday, so he'll probably come home about 3 and be hungry, as some people think one hot dog fills up a 9 year-old (he eats three at home). The Rambling wife and I planned our menu last night (Matt wrote on Tuesday and I replied then). We're having: pretzel dip (cream cheese, dried beef, cream soup) quesadillas (the Rambling son requested "heavy cheese") cheesy bacon fries (we had these early in the day T-giving, and the Rambling son requested them again) crab dip (recipe the Rambling wife found, basically cream cheese, imitation crab, cheese, heated in the crock pot) meatball sliders (meatballs with sauce on a dinner roll) Of these, none are very expensive...the pretzel dip can't be more than $3.50 or so; each Q is about 50 cents, plus meat if you wish, and each slider is probably about 50 cents, depending on if you use beef or turkey. I'm no expert, but if you google any of the above, you can find 50 examples and change things to utilize inexpensive/sale items. Heck, don't forget, Pizza Hut has all pizzas for $10 and there's always Little Caesar's $5 Hot n Readys. 2/03/2012 12:51:00 PM (2/03/2012 12:42:00 PM) - Al Daniels claims phone is ringing off the hook since IN became right-to-work. Note the sentence toward the bottom, saying if union protests disrupt the Super Bowl, it will hurt their cause. Yes it will, as we saw in WI. It's tough not to chuckle out loud at the WEAC ads suggesting it's all about the kids; after bad language, sickouts, and vandalism were witnessed a year ago. I'm not sure if they do not have a PR firm, or if they ignore them, but trust me, when taxpayers that average about half of what your union members make, being seen causing mayhem is a horrible idea. 2/03/2012 12:42:00 PM (2/03/2012 12:24:00 PM) - Al When we want to give money back to you, they say it's irresponsible. When we want more money from you, they call it investment.--Chris Christie Watch the whole thing. I so wish he would have ran for president, it would have been a Reagan/Mondale blowout. 2/03/2012 12:24:00 PM (2/03/2012 11:54:00 AM) - Al I'm truly embarrassed Josh Hamilton is having a press conference. He doesn't need to say anything, and if he wants to, just issue a press release. 2/03/2012 11:54:00 AM (2/03/2012 11:41:00 AM) - Al A few readers have asked us to find some ugly Republican women to add to this list. We are still searching. They are hard to find.--Republican Security Council Heh. 45 under 45 is the list, and yes, it's an attractive group. 2/03/2012 11:41:00 AM (2/03/2012 11:27:00 AM) - Al Scott Skiles says no move is imminent with open roster spot, though he wouldn't tell us regardless. I just read yesterday that non-guaranteed contracts would be guaranteed soon, in the next week or so...it was obvious Hobson was the 15th man (he spent much of the year in the NBDL), so if a move is expected, best to do so now to save cash. 2/03/2012 11:27:00 AM (2/03/2012 10:56:00 AM) - Al Anger is palpable on Twitter. You can sense pro-lifers searching out other charities as I type. A PR disaster for Komen, and I doubt they ever recover. The American Cancer Society and Planned Parenthood are the largest likely beneficiaries. 2/03/2012 10:56:00 AM (2/03/2012 10:44:00 AM) - Al Komen foundation caves. I'd say the brand is irrevocably damaged. They have gone from a research group to a political entity, and there's no going back. They will probably just become a pro-choice charitable foundation now, that is ignored by pro-lifers. 2/03/2012 10:44:00 AM (2/03/2012 10:37:00 AM) - Al The Bucks have requested waivers on guard Darington Hobson. The roster now stands at 14 players.--Bucks I'd say a 2 for 1 trade or a FA center acquisition is soon to come. 2/03/2012 10:37:00 AM (2/03/2012 09:01:00 AM) - Al Al, So, why is it considered a "relapse" for Josh Hamilton to have a drink of alcohol? I know of many people who have struggled with alcohol and drugs, and some still drink socially. While it is accepted by many that people with issues should have zero contact, many ignore it, and through willpower or social pressure, get along just fine. Hamilton taking a sip of alcohol doesn't defeat his rehab, it defeats the most common way society treats the problem. I have to agree with you, this should not be in the news, as alcohol is legal. Charles 2/03/2012 09:01:00 AM (2/03/2012 08:57:00 AM) - Al People working in Jan. 2009: 142,099,000. People working in Jan. 2012: 141,637,000.--Garrett Murch We're in the best of hands. 2/03/2012 08:57:00 AM (2/03/2012 08:50:00 AM) - Al As an amateur futurist, I think we'll veer closer to a libertarian attitude toward these things...though if someone would have told me there would be a penalty for "hitting a defenseless receiver" a couple years ago, I would have giggled for days. 2/03/2012 08:50:00 AM Thursday, February 02, 2012 (2/02/2012 11:13:00 PM) - Al Rice University keeps their word, honors scholarship offer to player whose career has ended. The Badgers had a basketball player they took care of about 5 years ago, though his name has slipped my mind. 2/02/2012 11:13:00 PM (2/02/2012 10:56:00 PM) - Al The ultra-rich are buying up land elsewhere...just in case. I don't recall having this conversation during the Reagan years... 2/02/2012 10:56:00 PM (2/02/2012 09:31:00 PM) - Al Call it a hunch, but I think we may hear something about Braun tomorrow or Monday. 2/02/2012 09:31:00 PM (2/02/2012 08:29:00 PM) - Al Pathetic that this is in the media first of all, as soft drinks and juice look similar to booze. Secondly though, it's a reason that when a guy has an underlying "condition," like Hamilton or Greinke, long-term contracts take on even more risk. 2/02/2012 08:29:00 PM (2/02/2012 08:01:00 PM) - Al It's only cheating if you get caught. C-A-U-G-H-T. 2/02/2012 08:01:00 PM (2/02/2012 07:57:00 PM) - Al The Rambling wife is on her way home from the parent teacher conference. Apparently, the Rambling son is a good student and a role model for others. Thankfully, not caring about school skips a generation. 2/02/2012 07:57:00 PM (2/02/2012 07:30:00 PM) - Al There was a common refrain during the lockout, which was: Doesn't the NBA realize that whenever they get back in business, the fans won't be there waiting? Not so, evidently. The first 325 games of this NBA season averaged attendance of 17,094. That's better than 89 percent of capacity, and a hair better than the first 325 games of last season, which averaged 17,057. But almost every other indicator blows those in-arena numbers away. Viewership is going a bit nuts: ABC has had just three games, so it's hard to say anything conclusive, but the audience is up five percent compared to a year ago. ESPN viewership is up 23 percent. TNT viewership is up 50 percent. NBA TV viewership is up an insane 66 percent. NBA on regional cable sports networks are up 12 percent. Local over-the-airwaves broadcasts are up 36 percent. NBA TV is particularly interesting. Five of the channel's ten most viewed games ever have been this season, with January's Lakers-Clippers game the most viewed game in network history.--ESPN.com I wonder if the NBA might shorten their schedule by a couple weeks in the future, as fans seem to enjoy the extra games and less rest. I think much of the credit goes to the free advertising from the lockout, and the simple fact most fans still have no idea what the stoppage was about (including me, for the most part). 2/02/2012 07:30:00 PM (2/02/2012 05:55:00 PM) - Al Komen donations up after disagreement as well. Plenty of money to go around, even without tax dollars. Funny how that always seems to be the case, yet DC insists the world would end with less spending. 2/02/2012 05:55:00 PM (2/02/2012 05:51:00 PM) - Al Cassy says to stop fondling her. 2/02/2012 05:51:00 PM (2/02/2012 03:24:00 PM) - Al This is what happens when states approve high speed rail...it's a bottomless pit, the estimates keep rising, the completion dates further off, with no idea where the cash will come from. 2/02/2012 03:24:00 PM (2/02/2012 02:57:00 PM) - Al Yes, I think it's hilarious that the GAB is not accountable at all. At some point, they might goof up and tell the truth. 2/02/2012 02:57:00 PM (2/02/2012 02:23:00 PM) - Al Brewers' group tickets go on sale Saturday at 9AM. Incredible deals on super bargain games, $10 or less a ticket for almost any seat in the house. 2/02/2012 02:23:00 PM (2/02/2012 02:00:00 PM) - Al Today's bobblehead announcements are the Italian and Bob Uecker. They join Lucroy, Yo, and Morgan. I think there's one more left. 2/02/2012 02:00:00 PM (2/02/2012 01:00:00 PM) - Al Megan McArdle sums up my feelings perfectly...I have no problem with Planned Parenthood, but let's not pretend it is what it is...a thinly veiled abortion provider. People who are against it should not pay a penny to them, be it through taxes or charitable donations. However, it is legal, and supporters have every right to fund it...which is exactly what's happening. I am pro-choice, though I despise abortion. I wish PP used some cash to pay for births and set up an adoption network, but there are other organizations that do that, as PP focuses on abortion. 2/02/2012 01:00:00 PM (2/02/2012 12:54:00 PM) - Al Ally Sheedy is more attractive in her 40's than she was as a young adult. Goodness. 2/02/2012 12:54:00 PM (2/02/2012 12:52:00 PM) - Al when CBO is saying federal employees are making 48% more than private sector you have to have a reset of system.--Tommy Thompson TT gaining points with me today. Fiscal responsibility and common sense. 2/02/2012 12:52:00 PM (2/02/2012 12:47:00 PM) - Al Rail can be good if we can afford it. We can't. Walker was right to kill train.--Tommy Thompson on high speed rail, per WI Reporter Take out "train" and insert "most every spending item" and you'll know how I feel. Phil Gramm called this "the Dickey Flatts test," basically that hundreds of great ideas are voted against because they involve taking money from those who earned it. 2/02/2012 12:47:00 PM (2/02/2012 12:42:00 PM) - Al Nats to sign Edwin Jackson, trying to trade John Lannan to make room. 2/02/2012 12:42:00 PM (2/02/2012 12:18:00 PM) - Al Shawn Johnson, still rehabbing her knee, still cute as a button. 2/02/2012 12:18:00 PM (2/02/2012 12:05:00 PM) - Al AZ and IN are now apparently Hitler-like as Governor Walker. It's really just common sense. The old way led to deficits, which cannot be sustained long-term. 2/02/2012 12:05:00 PM (2/02/2012 11:53:00 AM) - Al Bo Ryan's teams are 5-1 at home vs. AP Top-5 teams, with 5 straight wins. OSU comes to the Kohl Center ranked No. 3.--Patrick Herb Bo's numbers, especially at home, challenge belief. 2/02/2012 11:53:00 AM (2/02/2012 11:16:00 AM) - Al Union despises free choice, very unhappy. Oh, now we're talking Indiana. If only they can keep their money laundering system in place... 2/02/2012 11:16:00 AM (2/02/2012 08:33:00 AM) - Al This is where the unions and left wish we would be right now. Thankfully, we had real leadership who understood raising taxes and pushing bills into the next fiscal year is not "progressive"...it's just gutless and pathetic. IL is proving it's not a revenue problem. 2/02/2012 08:33:00 AM (2/02/2012 08:27:00 AM) - Al Daniel Pearl was killed ten years ago, and the old media had a fit about it...oh wait, that's not true. The media got upset when some dead terrorists were peed on, they don't much care about terrorists killing Americans. And sadly, the above is not even a stretch. 2/02/2012 08:27:00 AM |
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