I woke up this morning to a text inviting me to a Zoom wedding this afternoon. I feel so bad for my friend. He was supposed to get married in March, but his wedding was postponed because...pandemic. Then, the wedding venue went out of business. He and his fiancé planned to wait until it was safe for large gatherings again (so...indefinitely), but now with the SCOTUS and election upheaval, they think it's best to get married while they still can.
My everyday drinker is local gin 209. For big brands, I prefer regular Bombay, which is more flavorful than Sapphire (a vodka drinker's gin, IMO). There are a lot of good boutique gins these days, but some of them are too out there for me, too aggressive to be enjoyable.
my current favorite is Old Tom Gin, which is less of a brand than it is a style.
i make a negroni (or two) most nights. gin - campari - vermouth, or some variation.
Old Tom Gin tends to pairs well in terms of the distinct flavor and have a more traditional flavor profile. i dont particularly like the floral and aromatic gins that are better suited for a good gin & tonic.
This FB post from my friends who caught it in Illinois. Again, not dead, but surviving Covid has wrecked them. The cavalier attitude of "oh, I'm unlikely to die" worries me. I can already see some pandemic fatigue amongst even my most cautious family and friends.
"The woman was not tested between infections, so researchers have no confirmed negative tests. However, upon examining the samples from both cases they found the genetic makeup of the two viruses to be different."
Is that language for a different strain? Maybe antibodies don't keep you from getting a different strain. TBB help a guy out here...
It depends! There is an antibody from a 2003 SARS patient that can neutralize the current SARS-CoV-2, but not all antibodies from SARS can do that. So, it depends WHERE the mutation is in the virus and where the antibody targets.
So, let's say your virus is a door, and your antibody is a key that fits in the doorknob. If I change the lock, then that key won't work. But, if, say, your antibody were a key to the deadbolt, and the new doorknob wasn't locked, then your original antibody key would still work. Does that make sense? It depends on what part of the virus has changed and what they key was supposed to fit into.
I would love for him to be put to trial and sent to prison, but let's be honest, how likely do you think that is?
If did kick the bucket from the virus, then he might spare us a constitutional crisis over the peaceful transfer of power. That'd be a great benefit to the country.
That would spare us his constant tweets, speeches, rallies (you know he is still going to hold rallies post presidency) and appearances on Fox and OAN trying to undermine the Biden administration.
I saw video on The Daily Show of Ron DeSantis walking through the crowd, high fiving people, and then rubbing his mouth with the hand he just used. Waiting for him to say he has it in 5..4..3..
This has been a very Dem-friendly poll so they're probably not really that far ahead. But it has pushed 538's average to very slightly favoring a Biden win.
NY Post front page is a "blockbuster" story. It's about a computer repairman who had a damaged laptop dropped off at his store a few years back and couldn't remember who dropped it off. So he goes onto the computer and - surprise - it appears to be Hunter Biden's with all sorts of incriminating evidence on it. So the first thing he does is send a copy of the hard-drive to Rudy Giuliani's lawyer. What a coincidence! That's totally what a normal human would do! Not stupid or ridiculously fake!
When I saw the word "blockbuster" and somehow my eye also caught the name Rudy Giuliani right away, I was half-expecting some other conspiracy story about how somebody made a sex tape and accidentally returned it to Blockbuster (and somehow this only came out now).
Does PR want statehood? They have had votes for more than 25 years since I first went there and I don't think there's a consensus if they want statehood, independence, or to stay as they are.
If giving them representation is a step too far... how about eliminating the state residency requirement that only gets applied to some people. US expatriates and long-term diplomatic/military personnel don't meet state residency requirements but are allowed to vote in Presidential elections. But not usually-not-white-people in US territories.
They meet the requirements based upon their previous voter registration. I don't think they can register for the first time from overseas (but am not positive). If PR wants statehood, they absolutely should get it, but I think that desire is unclear.
Too much Zack Greinke tonight for Tampa Bay, and Houston stays alive. The Astros beat the Blue Rays 4-3, on an RBI double & HR by Altuve, and a 2 run HR by Springer.
Dodgers take a lead after 2 pitches. Multiple doubles and multiple HRs and its 6-0 after LA bats around in the top of the first, chasing the Atlanta starter before they start through the lineup again. This game may already be over not 1/2 inning in.
The problem for the Braves is they have 2 bullpen games coming up. Luckily they had 2 pitchers that aren't top of the line eat up most inning so they are all available the next two games. Then it's a question what happens in game 6 or 7 if we get there.
Dodgers get Kershaw, hopefully, tomorrow. Then maybe a bullpen game for game 5. Maybe May or they'll keep him in relief. Then Buehler back in 6 and Gonsolin back in 7.
I was out reading until it got dark. Came in to make dinner and the news says 11-0. Doesn't surprise me that they win tonight but doubt anyone expected that.
The degree of the blowout is the surprise, but there was a good chance the Dodgers would bounce back. That's why last night was so important for the Braves.
Ashtyn Davis questionable for Sunday's game, groin problem. He originally was injured on a kickoff return hurdling a tackler (something we used to see at Memorial).
Tampa pitching and defense do it again, and the Blue Rays take a 3-0 series lead with a 5-2 win over Houston. The Astros had multiple at bats in the 9th with the tieing run at the plate, but instead, the Blue Rays win their 52nd in a row when leading after 7. And for just the 2nd time this post season, a team has been out-homered and still won.
It could have been more decisive, but the Blue Rays left more runners in scoring position than they plated. And the 2nd Houston HR came when TB got cute with Yarbrough, and sent him out cold after sitting a half hour. 1 pitch and the Astros doubled their run production.
But then Tampa's offense was mostly terrible, making nothing out of multiple scoring opportunities. All 5 of their runs came after yet another Altuve error opened the door in the 6th. Houston's own excellent pitching gets a lot of the credit for that.
And Houston would have won going away were it not for 4 separate outfield catches that were all SportsCenter worthy, each of which saved 1 or more runs.
Tampa gets a good non-break break, as Kevin Kiermaier got drilled on the wrist, but the xray was negative. The Blue Rays will need their stellar CF going forward.
(Did someone say pitching and defense win in the post season?)
There's been some speculation trying to explain what's been a very unusual and unexpected series of miscues. If it has anything to do with his hands, it certainly hasn't affected his swing.
Atlanta's bullpen melts down, and would have blown a 7-0 bottom of the 7th lead had the Braves not got an insurance HR in the top of the 9th. But with Kershaw scratching, the Braves built a 7-0 lead before uncharacteristically poor pitching (by Atlanta standards) and a terrible decision to not make a change BEFORE letting Muncy hack a 2 run HR, the Dodgers fell short, and fell behind in the series 2-0 after falling 8-7. Atlanta got the win as the visitor despite easily the worst finish to a game they have had in the postseason, and miraculously is still unbeaten in the postseason.
It will be interesting to see if this proves pivotal in the series. LA historically loses the series 70% of the time when they fall behind 2 games to 0.
I guess it was not a surprise that not everyone in the 15-men pitching roster was going to be phenomenal this postseason, but I was initially fine with the decision to try to preserve the better arms in the pen in game 2 when the Braves had a decent size lead. Anyhow, this series is still far from over and I think this game 3 is pivotal for the Braves with bullpen games planned for games 4 and (if necessary) 5. Josh Tomlin, who stunk in the 9th in game 2 for the Braves, may have bigger importance on this series if Kyle Wright pitches well today; the veteran Tomlin suggested for Wright to pitch from the opposite end of the rubber and it has made all the differences in very small sample size.
I think a 70% chance is also what Fangraphs is currently predicting for the Braves to get through with this 2-0 lead.
Technically, you can always manipulate the roster with an injury (the joke on the Braves board is often "burst success gland") to Tomlin to replace him on the roster with another pitcher. Sure, he would be out for the potential next round, but you do get a fresh arm (that may or may not be able to throw strikes...which is the only thing that Tomlin is good at, not walking guys).
It made total sense for the Braves to let their worst relievers pitch with a big lead. It only got as close as it got because the second baseman kicked an easy grounder that would have ended it at 8-6.
The Dodgers also played the long game by not pitching their best relievers when the Braves were up 4-0 or 5-0. There are still potentially 5 more games so they weren't going to blow their relievers this early.
That's probably true, but they didn't want to burn their closer if they didn't have to. And even then, worse case, they still have a 2 run lead in the event Muncy HRs.
I woke up this morning to a text inviting me to a Zoom wedding this afternoon. I feel so bad for my friend. He was supposed to get married in March, but his wedding was postponed because...pandemic. Then, the wedding venue went out of business. He and his fiancé planned to wait until it was safe for large gatherings again (so...indefinitely), but now with the SCOTUS and election upheaval, they think it's best to get married while they still can.
Does one of them face deportation or something?
They're both men.
That's quite a slide.
Is that an outdoor science museum where you get to learn about the anatomy of an elephant?
Kind of like the scene from The Boys when they impale an anatomically correct whale with a boat.
As Butcher says, that was faulking DIABOLICAL!!!
I love Butcher. Karl Urban is one of my favorite actors. I loved him in Dredd and am still holding out hope we get a sequel to Dredd.
Yeah, that and there was a similar exhibit of the inside of the whale when I visited the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam two years ago.
Ace Ventura - Rhino scene
Something South African
Vuvuzela
Brings back memories of the Landon Donovan goal to advance the US in the World Cup. Maybe the best US soccer moment ever.
The husband of Canadian musician Grimes.
Charlize Theron
biltong!!
for those that dont know .. it is something like beef jerky but better
there are a couple places in NYC where you can get imported SA biltong and it has become a thing is made in the US as well.
a lot of small companies are making biltong these days. i see it next to where you find fancy beef jerky a lot these days.
Biltong means "buttock tongue" in Dutch.
Is that what they call eating ass?
The Goema
The bad guys from Lethal Weapon 2...
Diplomatic immunity.
Yes... has just been revoked!
Gin
Gin is fine. I rarely feel the urge to drink it, but a G&T on a warm summer day is lovely.
My everyday drinker is local gin 209. For big brands, I prefer regular Bombay, which is more flavorful than Sapphire (a vodka drinker's gin, IMO). There are a lot of good boutique gins these days, but some of them are too out there for me, too aggressive to be enjoyable.
my current favorite is Old Tom Gin, which is less of a brand than it is a style.
i make a negroni (or two) most nights. gin - campari - vermouth, or some variation.
Old Tom Gin tends to pairs well in terms of the distinct flavor and have a more traditional flavor profile. i dont particularly like the floral and aromatic gins that are better suited for a good gin & tonic.
*sung in drunken band style* "Oh it's Gin Gin Gin that makes you wanna sin...."
I prefer Hendricks if it’s a London Dry gin and Few American for Genever gin. Can’t say I’ve ever had Old Tom or Plymouth style gins
Some people Hendricks isn’t a true gin.
i have had Few rye and bourbon, but not their gin. i really like the rye, it is one of my favorites
Bombay Sapphire
https://www.crownwineandspirits.com/bombay-sapphire-distilled-london-dry-gin-1-75l/
when I very infrequently partake of the spirit
I rarely drink gin, but I do enjoy Bombay Sapphire.
same
Today in Covid19
Nick Saban has La Rona
This should be interesting
Apparently Barron Trump has tested positive for Covid but is asymptomatic.
I imagine he got it from his mom because you know trump doesn’t hug that boy or come within 6 feet of him even pre-Covid.
I’m surprised Melanie allowed Donnie within 6’ of her
she gets more in the divorce settlement so yeah, I can see it
This FB post from my friends who caught it in Illinois. Again, not dead, but surviving Covid has wrecked them. The cavalier attitude of "oh, I'm unlikely to die" worries me. I can already see some pandemic fatigue amongst even my most cautious family and friends.
https://www.facebook.com/nancy.frohman/posts/10159117891758598
Uh-oh
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/dutch-woman-dies-after-catching-covid-19-twice-the-first-reported-reinfection-death-1.5144351
A colleague of mine has just tested positive after having it a couple of months ago and testing negative in between. This is going to get ugly.
Also, her first case was relatively mild. She feels worse this time.
That’s terrifying...
"The woman was not tested between infections, so researchers have no confirmed negative tests. However, upon examining the samples from both cases they found the genetic makeup of the two viruses to be different."
Is that language for a different strain? Maybe antibodies don't keep you from getting a different strain. TBB help a guy out here...
It depends! There is an antibody from a 2003 SARS patient that can neutralize the current SARS-CoV-2, but not all antibodies from SARS can do that. So, it depends WHERE the mutation is in the virus and where the antibody targets.
So, let's say your virus is a door, and your antibody is a key that fits in the doorknob. If I change the lock, then that key won't work. But, if, say, your antibody were a key to the deadbolt, and the new doorknob wasn't locked, then your original antibody key would still work. Does that make sense? It depends on what part of the virus has changed and what they key was supposed to fit into.
If Trump thinks he's now immune, gets it again, and he croaks, that would be almost poetic.
but is he getting off easy then? No trial and no jail.
I would love for him to be put to trial and sent to prison, but let's be honest, how likely do you think that is?
If did kick the bucket from the virus, then he might spare us a constitutional crisis over the peaceful transfer of power. That'd be a great benefit to the country.
That would spare us his constant tweets, speeches, rallies (you know he is still going to hold rallies post presidency) and appearances on Fox and OAN trying to undermine the Biden administration.
that's true. Hadn't thought about it that way.
Elsewhere in college
Alabama Coach Nick Saban and AD Greg Byrne both test positive for Covid. Neither have symptoms, but it does put the Alabama-Georgia game in question.
Florida Suspends football activities after 19 players test positive for coronavirus
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/florida-suspends-football-team-activities-amid-19-positive-covid-19-tests-within-program/
Dan Mullen with an interesting apology.
https://twitter.com/dennisdoddcbs/status/1316402377608626176
heh...in one thing I read the interviewers gave him chances to roll back his statement that he wanted 90000 in the stadium. Never did.
Curious to see if their home game with LSU Saturday will be postponed. Sounds like "Pack the swamp" might not be such a great plan either.
Game now has been postponed, with no target makeup date yet.
They now hope to make it up Dec. 12. Several teams are running out of schedule wiggle room.
UF really needs to allow full capacity for fans in their stadium. I need to see what a 90,000 super duper spreader event looks like.
Trump would be so jealous that he couldn't get 90K into one of his events.
Trump can attend the game as well, in fact I encourage him to do so and to mingle with the crowd as often as possible.
I saw video on The Daily Show of Ron DeSantis walking through the crowd, high fiving people, and then rubbing his mouth with the hand he just used. Waiting for him to say he has it in 5..4..3..
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
Quinnipiac poll: Georgia now slightly leaning toward a Blue sweep
https://twitter.com/JacobRubashkin/status/1316446091454410763
This has been a very Dem-friendly poll so they're probably not really that far ahead. But it has pushed 538's average to very slightly favoring a Biden win.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-election-forecast/georgia/
As long as voters go and vote regardless of what the polls say.
I think it was Georgia that I saw yesterday with a line snaking around a parking lot on the first day of voting.
I enjoyed listening to Trump beg Pennsylvanian suburban white women to vote for him.
NY Post front page is a "blockbuster" story. It's about a computer repairman who had a damaged laptop dropped off at his store a few years back and couldn't remember who dropped it off. So he goes onto the computer and - surprise - it appears to be Hunter Biden's with all sorts of incriminating evidence on it. So the first thing he does is send a copy of the hard-drive to Rudy Giuliani's lawyer. What a coincidence! That's totally what a normal human would do! Not stupid or ridiculously fake!
https://twitter.com/RidT/status/1316363540421316609
I refuse to link the NY Post.
When I saw the word "blockbuster" and somehow my eye also caught the name Rudy Giuliani right away, I was half-expecting some other conspiracy story about how somebody made a sex tape and accidentally returned it to Blockbuster (and somehow this only came out now).
jfc.
Trump asks Puerto Rico to vote for him.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/trump-puerto-rico-vote-florida-vote-rally-president-b1003476.html
I really hope PR gets statehood soon, same with DC. I would actually like to see USVI and PR come in together as a state.
Does . . . does this mean he supports PR statehood?
Does PR want statehood? They have had votes for more than 25 years since I first went there and I don't think there's a consensus if they want statehood, independence, or to stay as they are.
It seems to be at least a "leaning yes" at last check, possibly more so after the hurricane debacle.
Just give them statehood. Problem solved. (and add DC while we're at it)
Give them statehood, and DC, and American Samoa, and US Virgin Islands, and Guam, and Northern Marianas.
If giving them representation is a step too far... how about eliminating the state residency requirement that only gets applied to some people. US expatriates and long-term diplomatic/military personnel don't meet state residency requirements but are allowed to vote in Presidential elections. But not usually-not-white-people in US territories.
They meet the requirements based upon their previous voter registration. I don't think they can register for the first time from overseas (but am not positive). If PR wants statehood, they absolutely should get it, but I think that desire is unclear.
PRO
Too much Zack Greinke tonight for Tampa Bay, and Houston stays alive. The Astros beat the Blue Rays 4-3, on an RBI double & HR by Altuve, and a 2 run HR by Springer.
Fuck the Assterisks
Dodgers take a lead after 2 pitches. Multiple doubles and multiple HRs and its 6-0 after LA bats around in the top of the first, chasing the Atlanta starter before they start through the lineup again. This game may already be over not 1/2 inning in.
15-0 Dodgers in the top of the 3rd.
11-0 Dodgers in the top of the 1st.
Biggest half inning in MLB postseason history.
Braves get 2 of the most meaningless runs ever in the bottom of the 9th, but still lose 15-3.
The problem for the Braves is they have 2 bullpen games coming up. Luckily they had 2 pitchers that aren't top of the line eat up most inning so they are all available the next two games. Then it's a question what happens in game 6 or 7 if we get there.
Dodgers get Kershaw, hopefully, tomorrow. Then maybe a bullpen game for game 5. Maybe May or they'll keep him in relief. Then Buehler back in 6 and Gonsolin back in 7.
Braves have pulled a couple of starters by the end of the 3rd, including Freeman. Appear to be avoiding some wear and tear.
LA making lineup moves too, A spring training game has broken out.
I was out reading until it got dark. Came in to make dinner and the news says 11-0. Doesn't surprise me that they win tonight but doubt anyone expected that.
The degree of the blowout is the surprise, but there was a good chance the Dodgers would bounce back. That's why last night was so important for the Braves.
I didn't word that well. Meant that I doubt anyone expected 11-0.
15-0 Dodgers in the top of the 3rd.
Biggest half inning in MLB postseason history.
Jets cut Le'Veon and will pay him another $27m to not play for them.
https://twitter.com/AroundTheNFL/status/1316182217878511616
I will accept $20m to not play for the Jets if they would like to save some money
My first thought was this sounded like a DC-T kind of deal.
I believe they are only paying $6m for the rest of the season for Bell to not play for them. The rest of that contract was sunk cost.
J E T S Jets Jets Jets!
Ashtyn Davis questionable for Sunday's game, groin problem. He originally was injured on a kickoff return hurdling a tackler (something we used to see at Memorial).
Good work if you can get it!
Stat of the week: For the past 3 years, the active quarterback with the most wins at the Browns' home stadium doesn't play for Cleveland.
https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/nfl/browns/browns-baker-mayfield-ties-roethlisberger-stadium/95-71308bc1-1d17-460e-8423-e482684723c5
ouch.
Also, Coach G says: "... Being a Browns fan is not as tough as they said it was, 😉"
https://twitter.com/CoachLindsayG/status/1312834884361228289
Tampa pitching and defense do it again, and the Blue Rays take a 3-0 series lead with a 5-2 win over Houston. The Astros had multiple at bats in the 9th with the tieing run at the plate, but instead, the Blue Rays win their 52nd in a row when leading after 7. And for just the 2nd time this post season, a team has been out-homered and still won.
It could have been more decisive, but the Blue Rays left more runners in scoring position than they plated. And the 2nd Houston HR came when TB got cute with Yarbrough, and sent him out cold after sitting a half hour. 1 pitch and the Astros doubled their run production.
But then Tampa's offense was mostly terrible, making nothing out of multiple scoring opportunities. All 5 of their runs came after yet another Altuve error opened the door in the 6th. Houston's own excellent pitching gets a lot of the credit for that.
And Houston would have won going away were it not for 4 separate outfield catches that were all SportsCenter worthy, each of which saved 1 or more runs.
Tampa gets a good non-break break, as Kevin Kiermaier got drilled on the wrist, but the xray was negative. The Blue Rays will need their stellar CF going forward.
(Did someone say pitching and defense win in the post season?)
This is the first description of that game that I have read that didn't say that Altuve gave the game away again with his yips.
I did note another Altuve error opened the door. Don't know if yips or something else caused the error.
One thing I read said that maybe he's got an injury?
There's been some speculation trying to explain what's been a very unusual and unexpected series of miscues. If it has anything to do with his hands, it certainly hasn't affected his swing.
Atlanta's bullpen melts down, and would have blown a 7-0 bottom of the 7th lead had the Braves not got an insurance HR in the top of the 9th. But with Kershaw scratching, the Braves built a 7-0 lead before uncharacteristically poor pitching (by Atlanta standards) and a terrible decision to not make a change BEFORE letting Muncy hack a 2 run HR, the Dodgers fell short, and fell behind in the series 2-0 after falling 8-7. Atlanta got the win as the visitor despite easily the worst finish to a game they have had in the postseason, and miraculously is still unbeaten in the postseason.
It will be interesting to see if this proves pivotal in the series. LA historically loses the series 70% of the time when they fall behind 2 games to 0.
I guess it was not a surprise that not everyone in the 15-men pitching roster was going to be phenomenal this postseason, but I was initially fine with the decision to try to preserve the better arms in the pen in game 2 when the Braves had a decent size lead. Anyhow, this series is still far from over and I think this game 3 is pivotal for the Braves with bullpen games planned for games 4 and (if necessary) 5. Josh Tomlin, who stunk in the 9th in game 2 for the Braves, may have bigger importance on this series if Kyle Wright pitches well today; the veteran Tomlin suggested for Wright to pitch from the opposite end of the rubber and it has made all the differences in very small sample size.
I think a 70% chance is also what Fangraphs is currently predicting for the Braves to get through with this 2-0 lead.
When O'Day appeared in the 7th, the Fox broadcaster stated that with expanded rosters, Atlanta still had 31 pitchers left in the bullpen.
Technically, you can always manipulate the roster with an injury (the joke on the Braves board is often "burst success gland") to Tomlin to replace him on the roster with another pitcher. Sure, he would be out for the potential next round, but you do get a fresh arm (that may or may not be able to throw strikes...which is the only thing that Tomlin is good at, not walking guys).
It made total sense for the Braves to let their worst relievers pitch with a big lead. It only got as close as it got because the second baseman kicked an easy grounder that would have ended it at 8-6.
The Dodgers also played the long game by not pitching their best relievers when the Braves were up 4-0 or 5-0. There are still potentially 5 more games so they weren't going to blow their relievers this early.
There is no scenario where Tomlin should have ever pitched to Muncy.
That's probably true, but they didn't want to burn their closer if they didn't have to. And even then, worse case, they still have a 2 run lead in the event Muncy HRs.
Yeah, I think that was fine. Leave the guy in if one HR swing still doesn't tie the game.
I mean, doesn't everyone lose about 70% of the time after going down 0-2?
Derrick Henry inflicts the worst defeat on a Norman since the Battle of Crug Mawr.
https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1316168080737918976
Marshawn would be proud
Had to look that up...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Crug_Mawr
Now THAT’S funny, SG...well done
CAL
Go Bears!