Went to the Phillies vs. Twins game in Clearwater FL. First of all, Clearwater is a delightful town, if you like vape juice, puppy mills, tattoo parlors, and Scientology. Secondly, the game was 97% Philly fans and they were there to watch a game, not be there for a good time. The game was sold out and I was one of perhaps 20 non-Caucasian people who were not players or workers there. Philly oddly started almost their entire starting line-up; despite that, they needed to come from behind in the 9th to win. We also went up to Dunedin, where it was a far better experience where the Blue Jays play - but the average age of residents was 240 years old.
The Giant's cactus league experience is perfect. The stadium is walking distance from Old Town Scottsdale. It's not a serious experience. The ballpark is beautiful. And the fans aren't dicks, albeit not really into the game.
Trump says he want to withhold all Federal funding from schools that require vaccines - which is essentially every school. I try to keep my expectations low, but he keeps digging.
NYT reports that SCOTUS to rule today on state's ability to disqualify Trump from ballots. They are expected to rule in favor of Trump and against individual state's ability to do this.
ABC news is reporting that Allen Weisselberg - the former CFO for Trump Org - will plead guilty to perjury today. If true, this would seem to support the news reported by the NYT that the plea deal is meant to strengthen the Manhattan District Attorney's hand in the business expense fraud related to hush money. With the national document secrets case on hold, the Manhattan criminal fraud case will be next in the pipeline.
7:30 AM sunrises aren't much fun, either. Those also happen around the winter solstice. They also happen after the start of DST on the 2nd Sunday in March. Now, if DST started in early April, sunrise would occur in the range of 6:45 to 6:50 AM. If DST was delayed until late April, sunrise would occur in the range of 6:15 to 6:20 AM, which is much more tolerable.
The first Sunday in April (April 7 this year) is soon enough to start Daylight Saving Time. If DST didn't start until the first Sunday in April, sunrise would be delayed from 5:44 AM to 6:44 AM. Compare that to a delay from 6:27 AM to 7:27 AM on March 10. That's a difference of 43 minutes and a much smoother morning segue if DST is delayed until April 7. In April, most adults and kids wouldn't be getting out of bed in the dark to go to work or school.
Sunsets on the other hand would be delayed from 6:12 PM to 7:12 PM on March 10; from 6:38 PM to 7:38 PM on April 7, a difference of 26 minutes.
When the Uniform Time Act was enacted in 1966, DST started on the last Sunday in April. In 1987, the start of DST was moved to the 1st Sunday in April. In 2007, the start of DST was moved to the 2nd Sunday in March. The cumulative effect of those changes was to move the start of DST up by 6-7 weeks and the delay of sunrise was moved from about 6:15 AM on the last Sunday of April to a sunrise of about 7:30 AM on the 2nd Sunday in March, a difference of 75 minutes.
By contrast, sunsets on April 23rd (Standard Time) would be around 6:53 PM while sunsets on March 8 under DST would be around 7:10 PM.
DST ended on the last Sunday in October starting with the Uniform Time Act in 1966. It did not change until 2007 when the end of DST was moved to the 1st Sunday in November. The effect was to delay the end of DST by one week.
How about adjusting time 15 minutes per week for four weeks, starting second Sunday in March? I know, sounds inane as hell, but much better than jumping ahead one hour. This, and just making Halloween the last Saturday in October and I'd be one happy parent.
We used to celebrate at Cugel's home. This year, AndBears and Rags are taking up the mantle, so if you're in the Bay Area on March 17 and would like to join the group, please contact me for details. We'll get together for sweet and savory pies, imbibe some green drinks, and toast to Cugel.
CAL
Go Bears!!!
Saw lots of blue and gold this weekend. Mostly Michigan, but also Pitt, West Virginia, and Marquette. No Cal.
Grapefruit League report:
Went to the Phillies vs. Twins game in Clearwater FL. First of all, Clearwater is a delightful town, if you like vape juice, puppy mills, tattoo parlors, and Scientology. Secondly, the game was 97% Philly fans and they were there to watch a game, not be there for a good time. The game was sold out and I was one of perhaps 20 non-Caucasian people who were not players or workers there. Philly oddly started almost their entire starting line-up; despite that, they needed to come from behind in the 9th to win. We also went up to Dunedin, where it was a far better experience where the Blue Jays play - but the average age of residents was 240 years old.
Spring training ball park checklist:
Cactus League: ALL
Grapefruit League: NONE
MLB Spring games are relatively affordable somewhat near MLB experiences for mostly retired fans and some small number of baseball junkies.
The Giant's cactus league experience is perfect. The stadium is walking distance from Old Town Scottsdale. It's not a serious experience. The ballpark is beautiful. And the fans aren't dicks, albeit not really into the game.
It is great, but I was shocked last year at how expensive the tickets have gotten -- $40+ per game.
Plus it’s not the same with Don & Charley’s gone…I blame Farhan.
Dunedin - where the population is sustained by the Fountain of Youth
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
Trump says he want to withhold all Federal funding from schools that require vaccines - which is essentially every school. I try to keep my expectations low, but he keeps digging.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-public-school-threat-vaccines/
It was Bill Clinton who shut down Manchin's presidential run
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/bill-clinton-hillary-clinton-joe-biden-2024-election.html#/
Nikki Haley wins DC primary vs. Trump
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/03/haley-dc-primary-results-00144502
NYT reports that SCOTUS to rule today on state's ability to disqualify Trump from ballots. They are expected to rule in favor of Trump and against individual state's ability to do this.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/03/us/supreme-court-trump.html
SCOTUS indeed ruled that states can't kick Trump off ballot
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/04/states-cant-remove-trump-from-ballot-supreme-court-says-00144673
Yeah, I don't think that was ever going to be upheld.
<my shocked face>
Bipartisan Wisconsin Election Committee refers Trump PAC to district attorney for felony election finance violations
https://www.axios.com/2024/02/23/trump-wisconsin-campaign-finance-laws
ABC news is reporting that Allen Weisselberg - the former CFO for Trump Org - will plead guilty to perjury today. If true, this would seem to support the news reported by the NYT that the plea deal is meant to strengthen the Manhattan District Attorney's hand in the business expense fraud related to hush money. With the national document secrets case on hold, the Manhattan criminal fraud case will be next in the pipeline.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/trump-organization-cfo-allen-weisselberg-plead-guilty-perjury/story
LAWYER
One of my favorite lyrics from the song The Pot by Tool
"Liar, Lawyer, mirror, show me what's the difference?"
My lawyer joke of the day is the God damned Supreme Court.
PRO
I am 6 years older, 5 inches shorter, wasn't a professional athlete a year ago, and I can still probably run faster than him.
https://twitter.com/TomBrady/status/1763208898331254830
I thought he was going to pull something.
JFC. There is having an off-game and then there's this. Warriors lose by 52 to Celtics
https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401585500
Just giving the Celtics false confidence for the eventual meeting in the finals.
Johnny Manziel Vows to Skip Heisman Ceremony Until NCAA Gives Trophy Back to Reggie Bush. That'll teach 'em.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/johnny-manziel-vows-to-skip-heisman-ceremony-until-ncaa-gives-trophy-back-to-reggie-bush/ar-BB1je9al
Johnny who?
DBD AV CLUB
Deadpool 2 (Hulu, 17/19 WB). Not quite as good as the first, but it's still a stupidly good time.
Any film with Morena Baccarin is a masterpiece.
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
University of Florida dissolves its DEI program thanks to DeSantis
https://www.advocate.com/news/ron-desantis-university-dei
Texas Tech has some education issues
https://people.com/nfl-prospect-tyler-owens-doesnt-believe-in-space-8603318
It's about time someone questioned the existence of outer space. I'm beginning to have my doubts about the existence of a so-called "sun."
Enjoy Standard Time while you can - Daylight Saving Time (misnomer) starts next Sunday (March 10).
FUCK OFF 5PM SUNSETS!
7:30 AM sunrises aren't much fun, either. Those also happen around the winter solstice. They also happen after the start of DST on the 2nd Sunday in March. Now, if DST started in early April, sunrise would occur in the range of 6:45 to 6:50 AM. If DST was delayed until late April, sunrise would occur in the range of 6:15 to 6:20 AM, which is much more tolerable.
DST starts way too early. Give it until April at least!
I wholeheartedly agree.
The first Sunday in April (April 7 this year) is soon enough to start Daylight Saving Time. If DST didn't start until the first Sunday in April, sunrise would be delayed from 5:44 AM to 6:44 AM. Compare that to a delay from 6:27 AM to 7:27 AM on March 10. That's a difference of 43 minutes and a much smoother morning segue if DST is delayed until April 7. In April, most adults and kids wouldn't be getting out of bed in the dark to go to work or school.
Sunsets on the other hand would be delayed from 6:12 PM to 7:12 PM on March 10; from 6:38 PM to 7:38 PM on April 7, a difference of 26 minutes.
When the Uniform Time Act was enacted in 1966, DST started on the last Sunday in April. In 1987, the start of DST was moved to the 1st Sunday in April. In 2007, the start of DST was moved to the 2nd Sunday in March. The cumulative effect of those changes was to move the start of DST up by 6-7 weeks and the delay of sunrise was moved from about 6:15 AM on the last Sunday of April to a sunrise of about 7:30 AM on the 2nd Sunday in March, a difference of 75 minutes.
By contrast, sunsets on April 23rd (Standard Time) would be around 6:53 PM while sunsets on March 8 under DST would be around 7:10 PM.
DST ended on the last Sunday in October starting with the Uniform Time Act in 1966. It did not change until 2007 when the end of DST was moved to the 1st Sunday in November. The effect was to delay the end of DST by one week.
HOORAY
How about adjusting time 15 minutes per week for four weeks, starting second Sunday in March? I know, sounds inane as hell, but much better than jumping ahead one hour. This, and just making Halloween the last Saturday in October and I'd be one happy parent.
Booooo!!!!
Pi Day
We used to celebrate at Cugel's home. This year, AndBears and Rags are taking up the mantle, so if you're in the Bay Area on March 17 and would like to join the group, please contact me for details. We'll get together for sweet and savory pies, imbibe some green drinks, and toast to Cugel.
I am considering of taking the controversial path of bringing chocolate guinness cake in honor of the actual date rather than the planned occasion.
Ooooh I would eat the hell out of that. I was looking into grasshopper pie but then got distracted by the idea of grasshopper cocktails.
Grasshopper pie was one of my mom’s holiday regulars. I didn’t always appreciate it but now love it if my sister makes one when I’m visiting.
Thank you for the invite! I do have other plans.
Aww maybe one day we'll meet you in person.
Someday!
OSKI DISCIPLE’S TRIVA FUN, A DAILY DBD FEATURE
Before performing his own compositions, Johannes Brahms led a Beethoven cover orchestra.
(All trivia verified by the International Trivia Foundation.)
Beethoven, about Brahms: "never heard of him"