text:
PORTRAIT OF "L," Another Way to View The Chariot
The below poem was written as a birthday gift in 1990 for a woman friend. I've always seen a Chariot card in it, although I did not write it with that in mind. I just thought about my friend, her forthright way of speaking, and her intense search for truth.
The Lady lightly holds the reins
of Her golden chariot,
as it glides across the skies
and oceans, and rumbles
on the earth.
Wild and wondrous beasts, ridden
by singing children pull
her wheeling throne.
Their colors of russet and green,
silver, cerulean, and brown
echo in her wind-blown gown.
Dare a question as she approaches
and listen closely for Her answer.
For it may come in Her commanding
tongue, be roared from throat
of beast, or sung by vulnerable child,
but always it will open doorways
onto long-forgotten landscapes
or undiscovered dreams.
Long after passing through,
Her kaleidoscopic quest
will whirl in your heart:
no rest, no holding back,
only the hunt for truth.
*Please excuse the stripes my scanner introduced to this image. Some card surfaces seem to cause these more than others.
Resource: Colours. I thought I recalled the color corresponded to The Chariot is often said to be yellow; to be sure I checked it out on this site, and the chart agrees with my aging memory. :-)
Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.
'til next time, keep listening for and speaking the truth, and enjoying The Tarot,
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under "View my complete profile")**** SEE ALSO: Roswila's Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****
Labels: The Chariot


text:
House Watch: Updates From Ohio and N.M.
Although the 2006 battle for control of the House of Representatives doesn't have the sexiness of the struggle for the Senate, every day there are key developments in congressional districts that bear noting. Here are two:
OHIO's 13th
The leading name to replace Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) in the solidly Democratic 13th District is former representative Tom Sawyer (D). Sawyer held the neighboring 14th District from 1986 until 2002, when the Republican-led redistricting divided his base of support; he lost a Democratic primary to Rep. Tim Ryan (D).
"Of course I'm interested," said Sawyer when reached at his home earlier today. "I loved the 16 years I spent in Congress." Sawyer said he will make no decision on the race until after Nov. 8; his wife, Joyce, is running for clerk of the Akron Municipal Court -- a race the former congressman is heavily involved in. "I am the best campaign manager she could afford," he joked.
Sawyer does not currently live in the 13th District but estimates his house is a "seven iron" from the district line. Prior to coming to Congress, Sawyer served as the mayor of Akron for two years and served in the state House from 1976 to 1982.
Given the strongly Democratic nature of the district (Sen. John Kerry won there with 56 percent in 2004), Sawyer isn't likely to have the field to himself. But one potential major candidate -- Mayor Don Plusquellic -- may decide not to run if Sawyer gets in, according to informed party sources. Mark Williamson, a spokesman for Plusquellic, said his boss had not made any decision. "Don has not said one way or the other," according to Williamson.
Rep. Brown is giving up his seat to run against Sen. Mike DeWine (R) next year.
Are there other names out there on the Democratic side? Send an e-mail if you've heard of someone thinking about this race.
NEW MEXICO's 1st
State Attorney General Patricia Madrid is moving toward entering the race against Rep. Heather Wilson (R) in New Mexico's 1st District; an announcement of her intentions could come as early as the beginning of next week.
Landing Madrid would be a major recruiting victory for House Democrats who have tried to knock Wilson out of her Albuquerque-based district since she won a 1998 special election to claim it. Madrid, who is Hispanic, was elected the state's top cop in 1998 and reelected in 2002. She has seen her name floated for a variety of offices, from state land commissioner to lieutenant governor.
"With Madrid in, this would become one of the top races in the country and Wilson would be playing catch up," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokeswoman Sarah Feinberg.
That might overstate it slightly, but Madrid would undoubtedly give Wilson a very tough race. The district is 43 percent Hispanic, according to the 2000 census, and went for Kerry 51 percent to 48 percent in 2004. Wilson, however, is a resilient campaigner and star fundraiser. At the end of September, she had more than $730,000 sitting in a campaign account to spend on the race.
The National Republican Congressional Committee declined to comment on Madrid's potential candidacy.
Chris Cillizza
October 13, 2005; 4:57 PM ET
Categories: House
Save & Share: Previous: Dems Take to the (Video) Pods
Next: The Friday Line: Senate Races to Watch
Your site is realy very interesting.
Posted by: Dublin Flats | March 22, 2006 10:01 AM | Report abuse
Heather Wilson also takes money from Exxon/Mobil's oil-money PAC - more than any other New Mexico politician, in fact. After Exxon announced the other day that their net profit for the 4th quarter of 2005 - no, not revenue, PROFIT, was $10.7 billion (that's "billion" with a B), a lot of consumers who've had trouble paying their gas and heating bills while the oil companies were price-gouging are pretty angry, and might resent it that Exxon's already given Heather Wilson $5,000 toward the 2006 race.
Posted by: Christopher Walker | February 1, 2006 4:41 PM | Report abuse
Heather Wilson is a rubber stamp for the Bush Administration, if she isn't stoped now she will run for the U.S Seanate after Domminichi is through. Madrid has all talent it takes to beat such a lackluster congresswomen.
Posted by: Luis | October 16, 2005 6:20 PM | Report abuse
Chris, you're right that Patsy Madrid's decision to run in NM district 1 is big news. The Democrats have fielded one lightweight candidate after another against Heather Wilson for the past four races. Madrid, on the other hand, is articulate, well respected, and has proven herself to be an exceedingly competent attorney general. If I were in the Wilson camp (I'm decidedly not, and never have been), I'd be shaking in my boots right now.
Posted by: RedChile | October 15, 2005 5:21 PM | Report abuse
I think you should be commended for the hard work that you are doing on this blog. I have read some of the comments and I think they unfairly reresent the work and time that you put in for there to be a blog. Keep it up and I'll keep checking it out every day as I have done for the past two weeks or so.
Posted by: Marve | October 14, 2005 4:56 PM | Report abuse
I doubt there is a Republican house hopeful that didn't get some of "Tom's" money. After all, he had enough to spread around to cover even the also rans.
Posted by: CIDR | October 14, 2005 2:42 PM | Report abuse
"Mr. Fix," I'm not sure that any of the facts presented here are correct. Do they pay you for this tripe? Do your job better, you "reporter."
Posted by: Bort | October 14, 2005 11:58 AM | Report abuse
Isn't Heather Wilson one of the top recipients of Tom DeLay's PAC's money? Wouldn't/Couldn't that become a campaign issue?
Posted by: fixer | October 13, 2005 5:26 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Justin Moore on ACM Win: 'It's About … Time' [NSFW]
Want to know Justin Moore's thoughts on being named the 2014 ACM New Artist of the Year? He's not holding back.
"It's about F***in' time!" Moore says in a video on his Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The 'Point At You' singer made his message loud and clear on Facebook, thanking fans through a video. Says Moore, "Pardon my French. It's about F***in' time! We won. Thank you guys so much. We are gonna enjoy this."
He adds, "I will never be able to repay you for doin' this for me and my family, and everybody who busts their rear ends for me on a daily basis. God bless you guys. Thank you for this opportunity."
Moore is obviously ecstatic about this honor, and his acceptance speech on Sunday (April 6) made that point clear. He was visibly emotional about finally receiving this award, and it's been a long, hard process to get there ... but one that was worth the wait.


text:
How to Make Your Rotten Banana Fresh Again!!!
June 23, 2016 | Food | No Comments|
You'll never look at a banana the same way again after watching this unbelievable video!
In this helpful video, we will learn how to make your bananas fresh again. He first sticks a brown banana in a bag of rice to suck out some of the moisture, just like you'd do with a soaked cell phone and what comes next will completely shock you.
Please SHARE if you want to let your friends in on this awesome secret!


text:
News from the Communication Directorate General's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi de la Direction Générale Communication
10 / 08 / 09
Following up on an agreement in March and May this year, the parent banks of the nine largest foreign-owned banks incorporated in Romania have all signed letters committing their respective groups' overall exposure to Romania and increasing the capital of their bank subsidiary to maintain a 10 percent capital adequacy ratio throughout Romania's Economic Program.
Estimates from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) show that 200 000 hectares of land in the EU have already burnt in 2009, compared to a total of 180 000 in 2008. EFFIS continuously monitors the forest fire risk, which at present is still high, and has just released the 'Forest Fires in Europe 2008' report providing a comprehensive overview of the forest fire danger conditions and impact of forest fires in Europe for 2008.
- Autre matériel diffusé
• Memo on State aid: Review of national aid schemes introduced during the financial crisis
A disposition au secrétariat de Jonathan Todd (BERL 03/315):
Notification préalable d'une opération de concentration:
Crédit Mutuel/Monabanq


text: John wrote: > "I have no idea what you are trying to tell me - you cannot "subnet out" one > IP address to "your PIX firewall"." > > I wonder why I cant do that, seeing as have been doing it over 10 years. One > often misguided approach to setting them up is, facing it directly into the > open internet. Your as good as gone when someone hits up the ftp port on > that shiny new PIX and tunnels right in. I never heard anyone calling that "subnetting", as a subnet is a differently defined term. Ralph -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 194 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos/attachments/20081017/5348adeb/attachment.sig>


text:
On 27 June 2013 23:53, Joe Landman <email@example.com> wrote:

On 06/25/2013 04:55 PM, Paul English wrote:

 [...]

 >
 > For shuffling data around and the equivalent of what Salt's original
 > purpose in life was, we use prsync and pssh. They work very well. We can

To this day we still prefer pdsh from LANL. ĀIts (IMO) the best of the
 lot, and we leverage it extensively in tiburon.

 > use them with canned lists of hosts (generated by cf-engine for this
 > purpose eg: all hosts of type X), with ssh keys etc. I suspect they are
 > slower and and perhaps less "something" (scalable perhaps? we are a
 > relatively small site in HPC terms) than Salt's ZMQ based approach. But
 > they've been good enough for what we've done so far.

The problem with SSH based approaches is when you have failed nodes - normally they cause the entire command to hang until the attempted connection times out.

The message based systems typically don't have this problem because they use a pub-sub model where the clients subscribe to hear the commands from the server. If the client is down, the server doesn't wait on them

[snip]

 Honestly configuration management is largely a moot point for
 image/remote boot, and an annoying necessity for local boot/management.

I would like to point out that configuration management isn't something you only need to use if you have webscale sites. IMHO it's useful whenever you need to manage some configuration - including the configuration of binary images. How do you manage the creation of that image if not with some kind of configuration management tool (even if your "tool" is a set of shell scripts)?

The configuration problem is independent of the system deployment mechanism.

[snip]

 > I would suggest some caution when approaching Salt - which we did when
 > we were considering what to do after chef. While Salt seems to be an
 > exceptional approach to "do a bunch of things on a bunch of hosts," AND
 > it is in python (win!), it does seem that the configuration management

... some of us don't quite see language of implementation as a win or
 loss, with a notable exception (java)

 > part is an add-on and/or afterthought. Yes - configuration management
 > does involve lots of doing lots of things on lots of hosts. But
 > cf-engine is now in it's third iteration of "what does that _mean_ in
 > real terms - with tons of different configuration 'languages', files,
 > daemons, restart services etc.. even only on Linux?"

A big chunk of what you write about are best handled by a monitoring
 system as compared to a configuration management system.

Yes, monitoring is not the same as configuration.

Ā

 If you could completely eliminate the "install OS, run configure scripts
 on it" section of startup, would you? ĀThis isn't a sales pitch, its a
 genuine question.

I don't understand your question, how can you eliminate configuration? At some point you have to tell the system what it's supposed to do.

 Chef and puppet are popular in some circles. ĀThey handle some things
 nicely, though writing python objects as configuration is IMO a broken
 design by default. ĀRuby is a cool fad-dy language, but debugging it is
 ... interesting. ĀAlmost as much fun as debugging some other languages.

I thought languages didn't matter! :)

Ā

 At the end of the day, all of these things are about automation, work
 reduction, scaling, maintainability. ĀI am no fan of things that make
 maintenance hard(er). ĀI am a huge fan of positive automation benefits.
 Ā This is why the stateless OS systems scale so well, and are so easy to
 maintain. ĀIf you ever have a problem with a unit, you reboot it. ĀNo
 reloading required. ĀJust reboot it.

I'm in violent agreement. But for me, configuration management tools give you the "stateless OS" as well. Just reboot, install the OS to the point where you get the configuration management tools running, then run the tool to get to the desired state.

The advantage of configuration management tools for me is when you want to (de)compose part of your systems into discrete parts in order to test them.

Cheers

 --
 Joseph Landman, Ph.D

--
Jonathan Barber <email@example.com>


text:
Call us toll free: +1800-21-21442
Freestyle Optium Blood Glucose Monitor
Free Style Optium Glucometer is mainly manufactured by ABBOTT HEALTHCARE LTD widely used to monitor blood glucose levels in our body. Free Style Optium blood glucose meter, commonly known as the Optium Xceed, is designed for people who test frequently. With the technology used by hospitals worldwide, FreeStyle Optium blood glucose meters can test for blood ketones and assist in sick day management.
Features :-
• Foil wrapped strips protect from the air and moisture and convenient to store and carry.
• Back light for night time testing.
• Checks both blood glucose and blood ketones.
• Small blood sample required – 0.6 µl.
• Simple blood glucose testing.
• Large backlit display.
• Large memory with averaging.
• Ketone testing for extra reassurance.
Free style optium blood glucose monitor provides easy and reliable blood glucose testing. It helps you check your blood sugar level within the comfort of your home.


text:
Best Fitness Products June 2013
Beach Bound: Our June Fitness Must Haves
Beach Bound: Our June Fitness Must Haves
This month, our eyes are on the ocean. We're gearing up for warm-weather fun with a roomy bag that fits all our beach essentials (including a yoga mat), quick-drying workout capris that are begging to be worn on a paddleboard, and a crispy, addictive snack that's way better for any bikini body than potato chips. Click through to check out all our June Must Haves!
Source: Roxy
0previous images
-25more images


text:
It's almost here. Force Foundation Day 2018 is coming on October 20th at Olympic Sports Center and below are just a few of the reasons you want to miss out on this year's event:
- 5K/10K Race - We've added a 10K option for those serious runners. We've also upped our game and are using official timing software to help you keep track of just how well you did. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
- Extras for the Kids - Skills Challenge and Bounce Houses have been added to the event this year to help keep the kids busy and having fun as well as contests all day long.
- Force Women's Exhibition Game - Looking forward to the second ever Force Women's indoor game? So are we. More details coming soon.
- Army vs Navy - The Battle of Land and Sea will take place for the 3rd year in a row with each team holding a deciding victory over the last 2 years. Rubber Match!!
- Force Legends Game - As always, the highlight of the evening will be the Force Legends game featuring the original Force legends from years past and this year's current Force roster!
- Silent Auction, Live Music, Prizes, Food Vendors...the list just keeps going.
If all that wasn't enough, all the proceeds will support Breast Cancer Awareness, Kitsap Cancer Services and Force Foundation!! Last year we raised over $5000 to support the Wounded Warrior Project and local Kitsap Family Readiness Groups. Come out this year and help us blow that number out of the water!!
Special thanks already to the Suquamish Foundation and Eagle Harbor Insurance for their generous donations to FFD2018. If you have a business that would like to be involved in this great event please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Rachel Bilson Braided Hair | Tutorial
Get Rachel Bilson's Sexy Boho Braids in 2 Minutes Flat
Rachel Bilson continues to nail it with her fashion and beauty choices, and when she debuted this double-braided style, we knew it would be our next Summer go-to. But who knew it would take less than two minutes to re-create? Grab your comb, a few clear elastics, and dry shampoo, and you're in business. Watch now to see how to get her look.


text:
Academic Calendar
Start here for class schedules, academic deadlines and university breaks.
OU Athletic Calendar
Got some free time to cheer on the Sooners?
Pick your day and see who's playing!
OU Arts District Season
See what's happening in the OU Arts District!
Start here for all the plays, musicals, ballets, concerts, art exhibits, operas, recitals, and lectures in the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts


text:
Sir John Tenniel is an artist credited in the "Wonderland" supplement for the JAGS roleplaying game.
The cover image from the Sierra Madre Games box of Pax Pamir is from a political cartoon drawn by Sir John Tenniel for Punch magazine in 1878.
Tenniel is most famous for his many illustrations of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.
User information: "Very famous artist with a distinctive style. He illustrated the original 'Alice' books and those illustrations are much sought after. His images were used by Thomas De La Rue and Jaques for their card games. Later, Gibsons (with their purchase of the Pepys trademark) were able to use the original illustrations for their reprints of card games first published around the turn of the 20th century."


text:
The Phillies may have a buzzsaw in Cliff Lee, but the Phillies met the Red Sox version on Thursday afternoon in Jon Lester.
The Phillies couldn't lay a glove on Lester, who went seven strong innings, allowed just two hits and two walks in seven innings for his 10th win. Daniel Bard pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, but the disaster area known as Bobby Jenks gave up a two-run shot in the ninth before Jonathan Papelbon got the last two outs for a 5-2 win.
Jason Varitek belted two homers and Dustin Pedroia also went deep to cap the Red Sox scoring. Kevin Youkilis did not play due to a sore ankle, but will probably play on Friday.
Congratulations to Terry Francona, who won his 700th game as Red Sox manager today.
New York's win over Milwaukee this afternoon (nice of the first-place Brewers to roll over like dogs this week in the Bronx) keeps the red Sox at 2 1/2 games back in the AL East.
And I wish all the best to Mike Cameron, who designated for assignment today. He's a class guy all the way but it really looks like his career is coming to a close, as he was batting just .149 on the season. The Sox brought up infielder Yamaico Navarro to take his spot.
And as the travesty known as interleague comes to an merciful end this weekend for the Red Sox in Houston, I couldn't agree more with this Boston Globe writer who feels it should just die. Sooner the better.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
The Phillies may have a buzzsaw in Cliff Lee, but the Phillies met the Red Sox version on Thursday afternoon in Jon Lester.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 4:22 PM 1 comments
OK, Lackey Wasn't Terrible On Wednesday
Yeah, John Lackey went 7 2/3 innings, and allowed just two runs, and took a tough loss. 2-1.
Lackey was also the total Red Sox offense, as he drove in the lone Red Sox run with an RBI double.
Papi played first, and Gonzo played right field.
This interleague crap can't end fast enough to suit me.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:40 AM 0 comments
JW's Trivia Q&A: June 29
The Team of What's The Red Sox/Phillies Score? (which featured my friend Dave, a huge Phillies fan) wound up the winners, with 44 points. The second place team was Honey On My Nuts (which also won for Best Team Name) finished with 39 points, and Mortal Wombat, last week's winners, wound up with 35 points.
I want to thank all of you who came out on Wednesday night, and I hope to see more of you as the weeks progress.
1-2-3-4 Trivia
1. Cancer is this number sign of the Zodiac.
True or False Trivia
1. The original McDonald's restaurant opened in the state of California.
3. Almost all clouds are formed in the troposphere.
6. Isaac Stern is famous for playing the piano.
9. The most widely sung song in the English language is "Happy Birthday to You."
10. Panama hats are actually manufactured in Panama.
General Knowledge
1. What language contains the most words? ( 1 pt)
2. How many feet deep is a fathom? ( 1 pt)
3. What famous gangster was shot dead by FBI agent Melvin Purvis in 1934? ( 1 pt)
4. What famous rock group was originally called The Quarrymen? ( 1 pt)
6. "Eureka" is the motto of what US state? ( 1 pt)
7. What is the largest lake in North America? ( 2 pt)
8. What comedian wrote the novella "Shopgirl?" ( 2 pt)
9. The Rio Grande river originates in what US state? ( 2 pt)
10. Only once in history has both England and France had a king with the same name at the same time. What was the shared name? ( 3 pt)
IQ Trivia
1. If you travel due eat of New York City all the way to Europe, what country will you hit first? (4 points)
3. What individual, who owns over 2 million acres, is America's largest landowner? ( 4 points)
5. What did Russian Valentina Tereshkova do in 1963 that made her world famous? ( 5 points)
1. four; 2. two; 3. three; 4. two; 5. three; 6. three; 7. four; 8. one; 9. two; 10. one.
True or False Trivia
1. true; 2. false, Standard Oil; 3. true; 4. true; 5. false, Asia; 6. false, violin; 7. true; 8. true; 9. true; 10, false, Ecuador.
General Knowledge
1. English; 2. six; 3. John Dillinger; 4. The Beatles; 5. Brazil; 6. California; 7. Lake Superior; 8. Steve Martin; 9. Colorado; 10. Henry.
IQ Trivia
1. Portugal; 2. Michael Jordan; 3. Ted Turner; 4. eight; 5. First woman in space.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:39 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
At Least He Wasn't Wearing a Yankee Uniform
Cliff Lee was simply overpowering on Tuesday night as the Red Sox could manage just two hits against him as the Phillies rolled, 5-0.
I really thought Lee was going to throw a no-hitter. (I was waiting for the name "Chris Bosio" to surface during the NESN broadcast but fortunately it didn't. He threw the last no-hitter against the Sox, in Seattle in April 1993.)
But Marco Scutaro broke up the no-no in the sixth with a clean single. Darnell McDonald had the other hit, a double in the eighth. But Lee allowed nothing else, and pitched another shutout, his third straight, and extended his scoreless string to 32 innings. Amazing.
Josh Beckett went six innings, allowed all five runs, and took the loss.
And speaking of that team I'm glad he didn't sign with, they won over Milwaukee, 12-2, and now the Red Sox are 1 1/2 games back in the AL East.
Rumors are now flying that David Ortiz will play first base on Wednesday, and Adrian Gonzalez may make his second ever start in right field (the other was in 2005).
BTW, why is it that EVERY TIME the Red Sox play a series in Philadelphia, some dumbass Philly writer has to write a column that I would line my cat's box with about how spoiled the Boston fans are, or comparing how awful both fan bases are? (I won't dignify those columns by placing a link to them.)
Once again, I believe that sportswriters are in the same league with politicans and lawyers in the "trust" category.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 1:44 AM 0 comments
PT's Trivia Q&A: June 28
1. What troubled Hollywood star canceled an interview last week with Matt Lauer of the Today Show just before the cameras were set to roll?
3. Ryan Dunn, who starred on what cult cable TV show, was killed last week when his car, going over 130 MPH, flew over a guardrail and crashed into a ravine?
5. Nearly 50 gay couples exchanged vows in what country in a bid to set a new world record for mass gay weddings?
6. Congressmen Ron Paul and Barney Frank were among many who introduced legislation last week to let individual states deal with what issue?
7. What American comic legend had to cancel a sold-out tour in Sydney, Australia after collapsing from exhaustion as he was about to take the stage?
1. On this day in 1826, what two former US presidents both passed away on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence?
2. In 1863, the city of Vicksburg, MS surrendered after a 47-day siege to what Union general?
3. On this date in 1976, Israeli commandoes rescued hostages on an Air France jetliner at Entebbe Airport in what African country?
5. Al Davis, the longtime owner of what NFL team and three-time Super Bowl champion, was born on this date in 1929?
1. Australia
2. Canada
5. Spain
10. Italy
1. In Internet shorthand, what does "LQTM" stand for? ( 1 pt)
3. What continent is divided into the most countries? ( 1 pt)
4. What actor provided the voice of Sideshow Bob on "The Simpsons?" ( 2 pt)
5. East Pakistan changed its name in 1971 to what name it is known today? ( 2 pt)
6. Yuri Andropov succeeded what man as the Soviet Union's president in 1984? ( 2 pt)
7. What rock band has won the most Grammy awards in their storied career? ( 3 pt)
2. In what European city is Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" set? ( 4 points)
4. Which state has the largest Amish population? ( 4 points)
5. Who is the only performer to be nominated twice posthumously for the Best Actor Oscar? ( 4 points)
1. Lindsay Lohan; 2. Tom Hanks; 3. "Jackass;" 4. Santa Monica, CA; 5. Brazil; 6. marijuana; 7. Jerry Lewis.
1. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson; 2. Ulysses S. Grant; 3. Uganda; 4. Philippines; 5. Oakland Raiders; 6. Hawaii; 7. Stephen Foster.
1. yes; 2. no; 3. no; 4. yes; 5. no; 6. yes; 7. yes; 8. no; 9. yes; 10. no.
1. Baltimore; 2. Athens; 3. feet; 4. Ohio; 5. James Dean.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 1:06 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Trivia Returns to Josie Wood's on Wednesday
Our second Wednesday Night Trivia at Josie Wood's will be happening tomorrow at 8 PM, and the Special Categories will be "1-2-3-4 Trivia" and "True or False Trivia." The latter category will be ten questions where the answer will be the numbers one, two, three or four.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 6:18 PM 0 comments
Sad News From Raleigh
I was saddened to hear that Lorenzo Charles, the hero of the 1983 North Carolina State NCAA basketball championship game, was killed in a bus crash in North Carolina yesterday.
I always remembered Lorenzo because he brought some pride to us Brooklyn Tech graduates with his last second dunk that brought the Wolfpack the championship, as he went to my high school and graduated two years after I did. (And he was in the same graduating class, 1981, that Anthony Weiner was in at Tech.)
In his memory, here is the memorable finish to that game, Lorenzo slam dunking in the winner, along with the late Jim Valvano running across the floor looking for players to hug.
Godspeed, Lorenzo.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:43 AM 0 comments
Monday, June 27, 2011
In Honor of Birthday Number 235
Since we are not having another Trivia Night at Professor Thom's until July 5th (after this Tuesday night, that is), I thought it might be a good idea to have a round of "July 4th Trivia" this coming Tuesday night. So that will be our Special category. It will be seven questions about the day of America's birthday in history.
The Q Train lightning round will be a bit of an unusual one, but in the same spirit we will be doing a round I'm calling "Red, White and Blue Flags Trivia." I will give you the names of ten well-known countries throughout the world, and you have to tell me if like the USA they have the colors red, white and blue in their flags, too.
The Sneak Peek question is:
What continent is divided into the most countries?
We will get going right around 9 PM. The Red Sox have a big game in Philadelphia going at the same time which could very well be a World Series preview. But we should get rolling with no problems. Hope to see many of you on Tuesday night.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:06 AM 0 comments
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Salvage Job
The Red Sox avoided the embarrassment of being swept this weekend by the Pirates by pulling out a 4-2 win on Sunday.
Nice job by Andrew Miller, who went six innings, and got the win. He allowed both runs. The bullpen was stellar in the final six innings, as Aceves, Bard and Papelbon allowed just a walk by Papelbon in the ninth. They ended a hideous four-game losing streak to some of the NL lesser-lights.
One thing I really missed this weekend is the announcing of Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy, as I was stuck having to listen to the brutal Pittsburgh announce team on the MLB package all weekend. Today was especially awful, as color guy Bob Walk said the Red Sox play in a "softball league" among other gems. He went on about how much he hates the DH, especially after the both benches were warned after Andrew Miller threw at the feet of the Pirates rookie catcher in the sixth inning.
I consider NL baseball to be an inferior brand of baseball. I love these announcers (mostly from NL teams) and so-called "traditionalists" who bemoan the DH, and how it takes away "strategy." BS. There's still plenty of strategy needed with a DH, and having pitchers hit causes the average manager more headaches.
And may I point out to Mr. Walk that the DH is going nowhere. It's here to stay. The Players Association would scream bloody murder if there was a legitimate movement to ban the DH in the AL. The National League is the only league in the baseball universe that DOESN'T use the DH. It's in Japan, Latin America, Australia, every minor league, the NCAA and high schools. And I love when I hear those so-called "experts" who keep saying "get rid of the DH." I reply to that: "So when the hell is the NL going to come into the 21st century (or even the late 20th century) and get with the program and put both leagues in synch with each other?"
I guess announcing a team that has had 18 straight losing seasons can do damage to your brains in some ways.
New York's win over the Rockies today keeps the Red Sox at one-half game back, and they play the Phillies in a three-game series beginning Tuesday night. Josh Beckett comes back from his flu to make the start.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 5:28 PM 2 comments
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Did They Really Lose a Series To The Pittsburgh Pirates?
Yes, they did. And I'm glad I missed it.
6-4. Four straight losses for the Red Sox. An unhappy return for Tim Wakefield to Pittsburgh.
Second straight series they've dropped to a lousy or mediocre team.
New York's win over Colorado now puts the Red Sox in second place by a half-game.
My friend Peter wrote me on Facebook tonight, and it began "162, John, 162." I know it's still a long year, but these are the series you should at least take two of three. And tomorrow, the Red Sox will try to avoid a sweep in Pittsburgh (did I really just write that?) with Andrew Miller taking the mound.
Let's just say my optimism is not at an all-time high right now.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 10:33 PM 1 comments
Friday, June 24, 2011
Another Night of Waste
Three straight losses to the Padres and Pirates. Bloody hell.
And another night of leaving runners EVERYWHERE. One run scored, 11 men left on base, Sox were 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
Jon Lester retired the first six hitters, then struggled the rest of the night, giving up all three Pittsburgh runs. He suffered his first road loss of 2011.
These are the losses that REALLY drive me up a wall. Granted the Pirates aren't the NL doormats any more (Houston has that dubious distinction) and Paul Maholm pitched well. But the Sox had runners in scoring position with less than than two outs in four separate innings and came up with nothing. A beyond frustrating 3-1 loss.
Tim Wakefield faces his former team tomorrow night. New York loss tonight to the Rockies (how about Jason Giambi belting a homer?) keeps the Red Sox in first place by a half-game.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:31 PM 0 comments
No More Sox Games For You!
The moment I heard that Whitey Bulger got nailed by the FBI in Santa Monica, my first thought was:
I wonder if he hung out at Sonny McLean's watching the Red Sox games?
And BTW, do you suppose he has brothers nicknamed "Honky" and "Cracker?" (That's an old Saturday Night Live joke. I remember seeing a picture of Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog at the 1985 World Series with his two sons, and SNL made a joke that went: "Here's Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog posing with his two sons: Honky and Cracker." Still makes me laugh.)
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 10:48 AM 0 comments
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Useless, Useless
The dying words of John Wilkes Booth of April 1865 can certainly apply to one John Lackey of June 2011.
Another miserable performance by one of MLB's worst pitchers (Lackey now has the highest ERA, over 7.00, of any pitcher with at least 60 innings in MLB), this time against one of MLB's worst offenses. The Red Sox actually lost a series to the San Diego Padres, 5-1.
I watched the first inning, saw him give up a home run to Will Venable, his first of 2011 to lead off the game. Then I saw David Ortiz rap into a DP to kill a promising inning with the bases loaded. That's it, I've had enough and spent the day doing other things. I'm glad I did.
Four rain delays. The Red Sox left runners everywhere for the second straight game. Lackey walked in a run, hit a batter to force in a run and wild pitched a run in.
Do the Red Sox really need to score seven or eight runs a game every time Lackey pitches?
Horrific. He is simply stealing the Red Sox money. If his wife's illness continues to affect his head, the Sox should make up an ailment for him and disable him. I have all the sympathy in the world for what his family is going through, and I certainly don't wish cancer on anyone. But he has to go out there and do his job. And he's not doing that.
Say what you want about Barry Bonds, but when his father was dying, he went out there and continued putting up big numbers (with steroid help or not). He had a job to do and did it.
The Sox have little choice about what to do with Lackey. He is untradeable, and they won't cut him, as he is still owed close to $58 million on that putrid five year, $82.5 million deal he signed in 2010. With Clay Buchholz on the DL and Daisuke Matsuzaka gone for at least a year, they will have little choice but to march Lackey out there every fifth day.
It is Theo Epstein's worst free agent signing ever. Far eclipses Edgar Renteria, Matt Clement or Julio Lugo. And we have 3 and 1/2 more years of this loser to deal with.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:26 AM 0 comments
JW's Trivia Q&A: June 22
Wednesday Night Trivia at Josie Wood's made its debut last night and I have to call it a successful one. We had seven teams come in for it, and that was exactly the number of teams who were in for my debut at Professor thom's in 2006.
Martin, Josie Wood's manager, solved a problem he had with the bar's sound system by buying a pink karaoke machine shortly before it started, and the sound was perfect!
A number of familiar faces were in, including some old friends from my Tower Records days, and that was such a nice surprise.
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I met the bar's staff and they couldn't have been nicer.
The folks in all had a good time, and the winners were Matt and Monica, who are Thom's regulars, and I appreciated their coming in on my first night. As Mortal Wombat, they won by eight points over Honey On My Nuts, who finished with 29 points. Third place went to Towering Inferno (my Tower friends) with 27 points.
Best Team Name: My Couch Pulls Out But I Don't
Music Trivia
1. In 1985, the Live Aid concerts were held in London and what US city?
2. What R&B legend was known as "Mr. Dynamite?"
3. What rock group were Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett a part of?
4. What year did American Idol debut on the Fox network?
5. The songwriting trio of Holland, Dozier, Holland wrote 25 Top 10 hits for what record label?
6. What rock singer once attended the London School of Economics?
7. Name 1 of the 2 artists to win 8 Grammys in one year.
8. What city has the nickname "Music City USA?"
9. Madonna won the first MTV Best Female Video award in 1987 for what song?
10. Bruce Springsteen won an Oscar and Grammy in 1994 for what song?
Movie Trivia
1. What legendary singer won an Oscar for the film "From Here to Eternity?"
2. What was the highest grossing film of the 1980s?
3. What two films did Clint Eastwood win the Oscar for Best Director?
4. What was Elvis Presley's first film?
5. Which film did Woody Allen win a best Original Screenplay Oscar for?
6. What was the name of the first James Bond film, released in 1963?
7. What city is featured in the films "Good Will Hunting," "A Civil Action" and "Field of Dreams?"
8. What movie earned Tom Hanks his third straight Oscar nomination in 1996?
9. The film "Platoon" was set during which war?
10. What 1975 film won the four major Oscars: Best Actor and Actress, and Best Dircetor and Picture?
General Knowledge
1. In what US state is Kent State University? ( 1 pt)
2. What nation was ruled by "The Sun King" from 1643 until his death in 1715? ( 1 pt)
3. Victoria is the capital of what Canadian province? ( 1 pt)
4. The island of Malta can be found in what sea? ( 1 pt)
5. Olympic Airlines is the national airline of what country? ( 1 pt)
6. Name 1 of the 2 teams to win the World Series in the decade of the 2000s. ( 1 pt)
7. What is the world's largest nation by population that's all in a single time zone? ( 2 pt)
8. When the Hindenburg crashed and burned in 1937, what type of gas was it filled with? ( 2 pt)
9. "The Libert Bell March' is the theme song to what classic TV show? ( 2 pt)
10. In terms of area, what is the world's largest principally Spanish-speaking country? (3 pt)
IQ Trivia
1. Founded in 1852, what is California's oldest prison? ( 3 points)
2. What artist died in the 19th century having sold only painting, but a century later one of his works sold for $82.5 million? ( 4 points)
3. What is the northernmost world capital city? ( 4 points)
4. A monument in which state claims to mark the geographic center of the 48 contiguous US states? ( 4 points)
5. What famous figure was the basis for the main character Oliver in the best-selling novel "Love Story?" ( 5 points)
Music Trivia
1. Philadelphia; 2. James Brown; 3. Genesis; 4. 2002; 5. Motown; 6. Mick Jagger; 7. Michael Jackson (1983) and Santana (1999); 8. Nashville; 9. "Papa Don't Preach;" 10. "Streets of Philadelphia."
Movie Trivia
1. Frank Sinatra; 2. "ET;" 3. "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby;" 4. "Love Me Tender;" 5. "Annie Hall;" 6. "Dr. No;" 7. Boston; 8. "Apollo 13;" 9. Vietnam; 10. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
General Knowledge
1. Ohio; 2. France; 3. British Columbia; 4. Mediterranean; 5. Greece; 6. Red Sox and Yankees; 7. China; 8. hydrogen; 9. "Monty Python's Flying Circus;" 10. Argentina.
IQ Trivia
1. San Quentin; 2. Vincent Van Gogh; 3. Reykjavik, Iceland; 4. Kansas; 5. Al Gore.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:13 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Ace Walk Parade Dooms Sox
It was one of those nights.
Alfredo Aceves, subbing for the ill Josh Beckett, couldn't find home plate and gifted the San Diego Padres two runs in the second inning. He did something you rarely see: he walked five men in a row. And thoughts of the movie "Major League" creeped into my head when he issued 12 straights balls in a row. ("How could they lay off pitches that good?")
The Red Sox left 11 men on base and let upteen opportunities to score runs disappear.
Positive note: David Ortiz stole his first base in three years (pictured), as he caught the Friars napping in the fifth inning.
It was just the fourth Red Sox loss in seventeen games. With New York's rainout in Cincinnati, the Sox AL East lead is one game.
John Lackey stands between the Padres winning this series, as he takes the mound this afternoon.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:22 AM 0 comments
PT's Trivia Q&A: June 21
It was a close night for the first three rounds, but the team of I Need My Astronaut Husband to Retire Like I Need a Hole In My Head pulled away with the win by 11 points with 52, after having a perfect IQ round. They also booed all night, as the team name turned a lot of folks off, but we gave them Best Team Name anyway.
Second place went to I'm Trying To Watch The Royals Game with 41 points, and third went to Three's Company, Too with 39.
Current Events
1. What southern city was named "The Dirtiest City In America" according to recent survey by Travel and Leisure magazine?
2. According to a recent survey by Thomson Reuters, what country was chosen as "the most dangerous in the world" for women to live in?
3. What onetime talk show host announced he is opening a medical marijuana dispensary in Sacramento, CA?
4. Which Asian country's government announced last week they will double sales tax over the next five years to fund rising social security costs?
5. Key staff members of which 2012 presidential candidate resigned last week?
6. A major Mexican drug cartel kingpin named Marco Guzman was arrested last week. What superstar Hollywood actor was he nicknamed for because Guzman allegedly looks like him?
7. Female activists in what Middle Eastern country drove cars last Friday in protest to the male-only laws about driving automobiles?
Which Came First Trivia
1. a. Survivor TV debut; b. American Idol's TV debut
2. a. First man walks on the moon; b. Mets win their first World Series
3. a. John Lennon is killed in New York City; b. US hockey team wins the gold medal at the lake Placid Olympics
4. OJ Simpson is indicted for double-murder; b. Baseball players walk out on strike and two months later the World Series is canceled
5. a. The Berlin Wall comes down; b. Chicago Cubs play their first night game ever at Wrigley Field
6. a. George H.W. Bush becomes president; b. New York Giants win their first Super Bowl
7. The Simpsons TV show makes its Fox debut; b. Seinfeld makes its debut on NBC
Classic TV Characters Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Monica Geller
2. Hawkeye Pierce
3. Dana Scully
4. Mr. Mackey
5. Woody Boyd
6. Frank Costanza
7. Phyllis Lindstrom
8. DJ Conner
9. Corky Sherwood
10. Lennie Briscoe
General Knowledge
1. The nation of Zambia is located on what continent? ( 1 pt)
2. What rock group had a hit song in 1984 with "Jump?" ( 1 pt)
3. How many strikes make a perfect 300 game in ten pin bowling? ( 1 pt)
4. What was the one-word name of the magazine founded by John F. Kennedy Jr.? ( 2 pt)
5. 90% of the world's fresh water is located where? ( 2 pt)
6. How many tablespoons are in a cup? ( 2 pt)
7. In Greek mythology, who was the father of Perseus? ( 3 pt)
IQ Trivia
1. What US president was the first to visit Europe while in office? ( 4 points)
2. Charles Kingsford Smith of Australia was the first man to accomplish what feat in 1928? ( 5 points)
3. What now standard piece of automobile equipment was introduced at the first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911? ( 4 points)
4. Within five points, what percentage of the world's population is right-handed? ( 3 points)
5. What novel, originally banned in the US, became a number one bestseller in 1959, 31 years after it was originally written? ( 4 points)
Current Events
1. New Orleans; 2. Afghanistan; 3. Montel Williams; 4. Japan; 5. Newt Gingrich; 6. Brad Pitt; 7. Saudi Arabia.
Which Came First Trivia
1. a; 2. a; 3. b; 4. a; 5. b; 6. b; 7.b.
Classic TV Character Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Friends; 2. M*A*S*H; 3. The X-Files; 4. South Park; 5. Cheers; 6. Seinfeld; 7. Mary Tyler Moore Show; 8. Roseanne; 9. Murphy Brown; 10. Law and Order.
General Knowledge
1. Africa; 2. Van Halen; 3. twelve; 4. George; 5. Antarctica; 6. sixteen; 7. Zeus.
IQ Trivia
1. Woodrow Wilson; 2. Fly solo across the Pacific Ocean; 3. rearview mirror; 4. eighty-five; 5. Lady Chatterly's Lover.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 1:24 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
A New Night of Trivia Debuts On Wednesday
I'm proud to say that my second Trivia Night will begin tomorrow night, June 22nd, at 8 PM at Josie Wood's, a bar located at 11 Waverly Place, right off the corner of Mercer Street, one block west of Broadway.
I'm really excited about doing a Wednesday Night Trivia, and it will be slightly different from the Trivia I do at Professor Thom's. There will be four categories instead of five. There will be the old favorites General Knowledge and IQ Trivia, and the other two categories will be on a rotation basis as we start. This week we will be doing "Music Trivia" and "Movie Trivia" as those two.
IQ Trivia will be just like Thom's, as it will conclude the night, with five difficult questions worth 20 points. The other three categories will all be ten questions. General Knowledge will be a 15 point round, with the first six questions worth a point, the next three worth two points, and one final question worth three.
We will be giving out prizes on the night, still to be determined as I write this. We will also be giving away a free pitcher of beer to the best team name.
I will be putting up the Sneak Peek question up here along with the two rotating categories every Tuesday. The opening week's Sneak Peek question is:
The island of Malta can be found in what sea?
And for those of you wondering, NONE of the questions I do at Professor Thom's on Tuesday night will be used the next night at Josie Wood's!
I hope you can come out and join me at Josie Wood's on Wednesday night at 8 PM. It's a nice bar smack in the middle of the NYU community, and I hope it will be as much fun as Thom's Trivia Night is!
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:07 AM 0 comments
Once Again The Sox Stomp Their Foes In The 7th
Andrew Miller made his Red Sox debut on Monday night and made a decent accounting of himself, pitching five scoreless innings. But he allowed a three-run shot to Orlando Hudson, who hit his first home run of the season for the Padres. Miller wound up with a no-decision, as he left in a tie game.
The Red Sox squandered some golden opportunities early, as they came up with single runs when they easily could have been putting crooked numbers up on the board.
It remained tied into the bottom of the seventh, when the Red Sox exploded for 10 runs, as 14 men came to the plate. They did it getting just five hits, but four men walked, and two were hit by pitches in back-to-back at-bats. It was the first time the Red Sox scored 10 in an inning since they did it to the Indians in 2009. this season, and the most of any MLB team in the 7th. The Sox have now scored 64 runs in the 7th inning, the most in any inning by the team, and they lead all MLB teams in scoring in the 7th.
Adrian Gonzalez got two of those hits, and he drove in three runs against his former Friar mates. Kevin Youkilis, Josh Reddick and David Ortiz also had two RBI on the night.
Josh Beckett was scratched from his Tuesday night start, due to that evil "intestinal termoil" once again. The bug seems to be affecting a few players, but you wouldn't know it from the way the Sox are swinging the bats.
Alfredo Aceves will make the start on Tuesday. No word on when Beckett's next start will be.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:23 AM 0 comments
Monday, June 20, 2011
No Chicken Or The Egg Questions On Tuesday
The Special category this Tuesday night at professor Thom's Trivia Night will be "Which Came First Trivia." I will give you two events that happened relatively close to each other and you have to tell me which occurred first.
The Q Train lightning round will be "Classic TV Characters Trivia" and I will give you ten famous TV characters and you have to tell me which show they debuted on.
The Sneak Peek question on Tuesday night is:
What rock group had a 1984 hit song called "Jump?"
We should get going at the usual time of 9 PM on Tuesday night. Please do keep in mind that my new Trivia Night will make its debut on Wednesday night at Josie Wood's pub at 11 Waverly Place (at Mercer Street) at 8 PM.
I'll have more on that, including a Sneak Peek into Wednesday night, here on the blog on Tuesday.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 8:53 AM 0 comments
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wake Keeps On Rolling Along
Clay Buchholz was placed on the 15-day DL before Sunday's game with a stiff back. It was necessary due to Buchholz having left the last few games early, and with Andrew Miller being brought up on Monday to me=ake the start versus the Padres at Fenway.
After that it was all good news.
The Bruins made an appearance at Fenway with the Stanley Cup, as they paraded on the duckboats around the park. They placed the Cup on the pitchers mound, and all the Bruins players, all wearing Red Sox hats, threw out the first pitch to all the Red Sox players wearing Bruins hats. It was really a very cool moment.
Tim Wakefield took the mound after the Bruins left with the Stanley Cup, and the Sox exploded for six runs in the first, which included a three-run blast by Kevin Youkilis. Marco Scutaro added a two-run home run later in the game, Dustin Pedroia a solo shot and even Adrian Gonzalez hit a triple (a rare event) into the Triangle.
Wake was in command the entire game, and allowed just a two-run cheapie home run down the right field line by Nyjer Morgan. He pitched eight innings as the Sox coasted to a 12-3 win.
Timmeh got his career 197th win, and his 183rd as a Red Sox player. He now needs 10 wins to reach the all-time Red Sox record.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 10:52 PM 1 comments
Godspeed Big Man
We'll miss you Clarence. Here he is at his best, from Emirates Stadium in London in 2008 doing one of his most famous solos, on "Born to Run":
Thanks for all the wonderful, unforgettable music, Mr. Clemons.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 1:09 PM 1 comments
A Fine Day For Boston Ends Badly
The day began in triumph for Boston, as the Bruins showed off their Stanley Cup to a million fans on the streets of the city.
But as the day progressed, the news just got worse, as Carl Crawford was put on the DL with a hamstring strain. It is not considered serious, and he hopes to return as soon as the 15 days are up.
Josh Reddick returned from Pawtucket to take his place.
I missed the entire game on Saturday night, as I had tickets to the Brooklyn Cyclones home opener at MCU Park in Coney Island. The Cyclones opened with a win over the Staten Island Yankees in Staten Island on Friday. But the Cyclones bats were shut down on Saturday night and Staten Island pulled out a 3-2 win.
I followed the Sox-Brewers game on my cell, and the news was always bad. Jon Lester gave up three solo shots (one to ex-Sox catcher George Kottaras; did I read that right?), two in the first inning, and they trailed for most of the entire night.
Milwaukee wound up with a 4-2 win. The news was further lousy when New York and Tampa Bay both were victorious, so the Red Sox now lead the East by 1 1/2 games.
Tim Wakefield takes the hill on Sunday to try to get a series win. The Stanley Cup will also be on hand as the Sox will honor the NHL champions before the game.
At least they had a memorable day on Saturday.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:43 AM 0 comments
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Close Early, Rout Late
But Lackey settled down and retired 15 straight hitters at one point, and the Sox beat up on Milwaukee pitching. Adrian Gonzalez continued his torrent hitting, as he had three hits including a home run that just made it over the Monster. He was just a triple short of the cycle, and he walked in his last at-bat. I knew a triple was just a pipe dream, unless all three outfielders collapsed in a heap.
Kevin Youkilis left with "intestinal turmoil", which sounds like the trots to me. But he drove in two runs before the bug got him. But in rather more distressing news, Carl Crawford left with a left hamstring strain after legging out a single in the first, and was replaced by Darnell McDonald. No word yet on how severe the injury is.
The Sox put the game away late with three runs in the seventh. Lackey went 8 innings, and ended strong.
New York's loss to the Cubs in the afternoon now extends the Red Sox lead to 2 1/2 games.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:20 AM 0 comments
Friday, June 17, 2011
Jed to the DL; Pap Sits For Two
The Red Sox placed Jed Lowrie on the 15-day disabled list today with a shoulder injury, and recalled Drew Sutton to backup Marco Scutaro at shortstop.
Clay Buchholz' next start is being pushed back a couple of days because of his recurring back problems, and Andrew Miller will be brought up to pitch against the Padres at Fenway on Monday.
And Jonathan Papelbon will serve a two-game suspension for bumping up Tony Randazzo (he should have slugged him, but that's another story) during that crazy game with the A's at Fenway on June 4th. Pap will sit tonight and tomorrow, and Daniel Bard will take over the closing duties in his absence.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 5:19 PM 0 comments
But last night the Sox put the cherry on top of the sundae with a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay and will return to Fenway with just one loss in the last nine road games. It was the best Red Sox road trip with at least nine games played since 1977.
The Sox scored three runs in the first two innings while leaving the bases loaded in both innings. But Clay Buchholz gave the Sox five solid innings before leaving with a stiff back.
Adrian Gonzalez went deep in the ninth to make it 4-2, and Jonathan Papelbon put the first two men on before getting ther Rays out without any further difficulty.
New York's win over Texas kept the Red Sox lead at 1 1/2 games. The spectre of interleague rears its ugky head again as the Milwaukee Brewers come to Fenway for three games starting tonight.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 10:49 AM 0 comments
Thursday, June 16, 2011
My Trivia Empire Is Expanding
I'm proud to announce that I will now be doing a second night of Trivia every week.
I will be the Trivia host at Josie Wood's, a cool bar in Greenwich Village that is located on Waverly Place, just off the corner of Mercer Street. It's exact location is 11 Waverly Place, and it is one short block west of Broadway, and one block from the 8th Street subway station. It is right in the heart of the New York University area. It is also just a few blocks north of my former Tower Records store.
I will be doing the Trivia there every Wednesday night, and it will begin at 8 PM. It will be slightly different from the version I do at Professor Thom's. We will do four categories instead of five, and the first three categories will be 10 questions instead of 7. But we will have an IQ Trivia round of five difficult questions to end the night. We will be doing a General Knowledge round, a Special category round, and another round that will shortly be determined.
I will debut at Josie Wood's next Wednesday night, June 22nd, at 8 PM.
We will be giving away prizes to the two top teams and to Best Team Name.
The bar has plenty of sports on the tube, and pool tables in another side of the bar.
BTW, I will NOT be doing any questions that I will have done the previous night at Professor Thom's. But like Thom's, I will posting the Sneak Peek info for Josie Wood's Trivia Night every Tuesday here on the blog.
So I hope you will come out to Josie Wood's on Wednesday nights, and at an earlier time as well.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:00 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
So How Do You Top This Night, Boston?
Congratulations to my all my friends who support the Boston Bruins, as they won their first Stanley Cup championship in 39 years with a 4-0 whitewash of the Vancouver Canucks on the road in Vancouver.
The Bruins become only the third team to win a Game 7 championship game on the road in the last 32 years, joining the Pittsburgh Penguins of 2009 and the Pittsburgh Pirates of 1979 in turning the trick.
Tim Thomas was named Conn Smythe winner as MVP.
BTW, did you know there was a lunar eclipse tonight? Yep, the Bruins win their first Stanley Cup in 39 years, and when the Red Sox won their first title in 86 years in 2004 the same lunar eclipse happened on both nights. Wow.
It was a truly embarrassing performance by the hometown Canucks, as the Bruins outplayed them in every facet of the game. The Bruins truly deserved this trophy, especially after the really embarrassing loss in the playoffs last year, when the Philadelphia Flyers came from 0-3 down in the second round to beat the Bruins four straight.
It's been an amazing last ten years in Boston-area sports, and guess which of the four teams now has the longest title drought? Yes, it's the Patriots, who have not won a Super Bowl since 2005!
The city of Boston is now the first city ever to have a team in each of the four major sports to win a title within seven years. Quite amazing.
And I'm sure many Boston sports fans might not have been paying close attention tonight, but Josh Beckett pitched his first career one-hitter, as the Sox turned the tables on Tampa Bay with a 3-0 win.
The Sox had only one hit going into the seventh inning, but Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run home run off Jeremy Hellickson to give the Red Sox all the offense they needed. Reid Brignac singled off Beckett in the third and that was all the TB offense for the night. Brignac was also the only man left on base by either team.
New York's win over Texas keeps the Red Sox lead at 1 1/2 games.
A Tim Thomas shutout brings a Stanley Cup, and Josh Beckett just misses a no-hitter. Not a bad night to be a Boston sports fan.
And let's hope this isn't the last title for the city of Boston for 2011.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:08 PM 1 comments
All Good Things Must Come To An End
The nine-game winning streak is over. I had a feeling the Red Sox weren't going to win by double-digits three straight games.
They ran into a buzzsaw in James Shields, who pitched a five-hit shutout. Adrian Gonzalez had three hits, and everyone else had two.
Carl Crawford returned to St. Pete to a mostly positive reaction. Some boos, but he was shut down for the night, going 0-for-3.
New York won, so the Red Sox lead is 1 1/2 games, and 3 1/2 over third place Tampa Bay.
And this was an historic run by the Red Sox, as it was only the third time since the start of the 21st century that a team won nine straight and scored as many as 83 runs in those wins. And the first time the Sox have ever done it. (With thanks to Joy of Sox for that interesting tidbit.)
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 1:00 AM 0 comments
Trivia Q&A: June 14
We had 22 teams in for Trivia Night on its regular night again, and it was good to see so many of the regulars back. No worries folks, we are back on Tuesday night to stay!
The scores were generally high, and I think most of the questions before IQ Trivia were on the not-so-hard side. It was still a great night (even with that TV that was sitting next to my table, which was put there for the final two games of the Stanley Cup Finals).
The team of And Now, For One Week Only, No Pian (she was away, as she's one of my dedicated regulars) came out with a three point win, getting 4 of the 5 IQ Trivia questions correct and had a total of 52 points. Second place went to Team George Brett with 49 points, and third place went to It's Not The Heat, It's The Lack of Humility with 48.
I made no mention of it, as I kept it low-key, but this night was the 5th anniversary of me hosting Professor Thom's Tuesday Night Trivia. I first hosted it on June 14, 2006. Never would have guessed I'd still be doing it a half-decade later. But all of you who come out week after week make it a joy for me to do and I thank you so much for that.
Best Team Name: It's Not The Heat, It's The Lack of Humility
Current Events
1. What European country banned the words "Facebook" and "Twitter" from being spoken on TV or radio unless they are part of a news story in accordance to an old law?
2. What chocolate company issued an apology to supermodel Naomi Campbell that named and offended her in a recent ad?
3. What primetime network TV show had the highest cumulative audience for the 2010-11 season, with nearly 121 million viewers?
4. President Obama earlier today became the first sitting president to make an official visit to what place since John F. Kennedy in 1961?
5. What Academy Award-winning actor was awarded last week the CBE, or the Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth?
6. AEG Corporation said last weekend that they have spoken to the owners of 5 different NFL teams about moving to what city that has been without a team since 1995?
7. What Oscar winning actor apologized last weekend after he made comments on Twitter lashing out at the practice of male circumcision?
Q-Tip Trivia
1. Which of these US presidents served in the 19th century? a. Benjamin Harrison; b. W. H. Taft; c. Millard Fillmore; d. Grover Cleveland.
2. Which of the following actors/actresses won an Oscar in the decade of the 2000s? a. Jack Nicholson; b. Russell Crowe; c. Nicole Kidman; d. Susan Sarandon.
3. Which of the following books of the Bible are in the Old Testament? a. Leviticus; b. Deuteronomy; c. Romans; d. Philippians.
4. Which of these famous people lived to the age of 100? a. Bob Hope; b. Irving Berlin; c. George Burns; d. Strom Thurmond.
5. Which of these artists have had posthumous number one singles on Billboard's Hot 100 US chart? a. John Lennon; b. Jimi Hendrix; c. Michael Jackson; d. Elvis Presley.
6. Which of the following states entered the Union after the Civil War? a. California; b. Oregon; c. Minnesota; d. Michigan.
7. Which of the following cities are in the Eastern time zone? a. Milwaukee; b. Memphis; c. Nashville; d. Detroit.
True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. There are more chickens than people in the world.
2. You weigh less at the top of a mountain than at sea level.
3. Arizona is the only US state never to report a temperature of zero degrees F or below.
4. No piece of paper can be folded more than seven times. ( I tossed this question out, as I wasn't specific about how the paper was folded. I awarded everyone a point.)
5. The storytellers The Brothers Grimm were circus performers in their original profession.
6. Franklin D. Roosevelt never won a Nobel Peace Prize.
7. English is the official language of the African nation Ivory Coast.
8. The secret society Skull and Bones operates at Harvard University.
9. Invisible Woman was the only female founding member of The Fantastic Four.
10. Florence Nightingale first achieved fame while serving in World War I.
General Knowledge
1. How many zeros are in the number 20 billion? ( 1 pt)
2. In what city was the sitcom "Laverne and Shirley" originally set? ( 1 pt)
3. What novel features a character named Holly Golightly? ( 1 pt)
4. What actor played "The High Plains Drifter" in the movies? ( 2 pt)
5. What is the only letter of the alphabet not in the name of any US state? (2 pt)
6. Who was the original host of "The Tonight Show?" ( 2 pt)
7. What US state is the only one that borders just one other state? ( 3 pt)
IQ Trivia
1. What is the only US state with just one school district? ( 4 points)
2. What nation's coat of arms features a picture of Noah's Ark resting atop Mount Ararat? ( 4 points)
3. Rocinante was the name of the horse of what fictional character? ( 4 points)
4. Which "Seinfeld" character was the first to lose the bet regarding being "Master of Their Domain?" ( 3 points)
5. A person who is a toxophillist would compete in what sport? ( 5 points)
Current Events
1. France; 2. Cadbury; 3. "60 Minutes;" 4. Puerto Rico; 5. Colin Firth; 6. Los Angeles; 7. Russell Crowe.
Q-Tip Trivia
1. a,c,d; 2. b,c; 3. a,b; 4. all; 5. a; 6. none; 7. d.
True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. true; 2. true; 3. false, Hawaii; 4. true; 5. false, librarians; 6. true; 7. false, French; 8. false, Yale; 9. true; 10. false, Crimean War.
General Knowledge
1. ten; 2. Milwaukee; 3. "Breakfast at Tiffany's; 4. Clint Eastwood; 5. Q; 6. Steve Allen; 7. Maine.
IQ Trivia
1. Hawaii; 2. Armenia; 3. Don Quixote; 4. Kramer; 5. archery (hunting).
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:52 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
I'm Not a "Believer" Either
With all the genuflecting at the altar of Derek Jeter going on as he approaches the 3,000 hit mark, the Sporting News has a column called "Skeptic vs. Believer" and the topic is "Derek Jeter is the greatest shortstop in MLB history" and two writers take opposite sides of that statement. (Personally, I believe that Honus Wagner, Cal Ripken and Ozzie Smith are greater.)
My friend Dave, a huge Red Sox fan and big time stat cruncher, decided to answer back the "Believer" in the piece, some guy named Stan McNeal. He sent me an email about it, and it's done in a very "Fire Joe Morgan" style. I think you all might enjoy Dave's responses. (McNeal's column is in italics.)
I realize this is an advocacy piece, and McNeal's co-author writes the case why Jeter is not the greatest of all time, so it's not really so offensive that this is one-sided, but there are nevertheless glaring moments of inaccurate stupidity, or if that's too harsh, stupid inaccuracy:
In October, the argument is positively inane. In playoff history, Jeter is not in the top 10 in any rate stat---average, on-base, slugging, or OPS. He does lead several count stats---runs (by 18), hits (by 57), singles (by 54), doubles (by 1), and total bases (by 60). This of course obscures the real story; Jeter played his whole career in the era of long playoffs, whereas Ruth, Cobb, etc. only had seven games at most per postseason. Jeter hit leadoff or second for the Yankees, and accordingly had the most chances to get those hits, leading the list of plate appearances by 134 (no. 2 is Bernie Williams). Even with all those extra chances, he doesn't have the most triples or home runs, nor RBIs, walks, or steals. He does have the most strikeouts.
But why call him "in a class by himself"? His very nickname clearly puts him in a class with Reggie Jackson---to whom he's demonstrably inferior, at least in the postseason. Mr. November is .321/.384/.449 in the World Series. Mr. October is .357/.457/.755. Jeter has 20 postseason home runs. Reggie Jackson has 18... in fewer than half the plate appearances.
Weirdly, McNeal takes a gratuitous shot at stat-heads. I say weirdly, because Jeter's case for best-in-history really can be best made with the advanced SABR metrics that stat-heads are notorious for employing. Take a look at the analyses linked here, putting Jeter second or third. Posnanski puts Jeter third all-time, too, but he relies on WAR (can't find the link right now... may have been at the old blog that got hacked). Without those advanced stats, it's hard to see Jeter as anything but a very durable beneficiary of a lot of good luck (came up with the Yankees in the 1990s, kept at short by stubborn management and adoring fans, A-Rod moved to third, etc.) with a penchant for making big plays conspicuously. Best of all time? Sure, if it's a slow news day and the Post needs six inches. But if you're really asking the question? There's no way to make that case seriously, unless you're using WAR, etc.,... and then Jeter looks really pretty good.
This will, I hope, be taken as a swipe at the writer and not at the player. Jeter's of course a Hall of Famer on the first ballot; he deserved one MVP and possibly more; Joe Posnanski calls him the most underrated overrated player in baseball (in a really interesting bit of analysis). Considering his postseason success and the different eras Vaughn and Wagner played in, you can even make a plausible case for Jeter as the best at the position. (Again, I wouldn't agree with it, but it's plausible.) Which makes it all the more curious---and frustrating---to read a writer make such extensive use of obviously implausible arguments.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 3:03 PM 0 comments
How Hot Are The Red Sox Right Now?
So hot that they gained ground on a night they didn't play, as both New York and Tampa Bay lost.
The Red Sox lead the AL East by 2 1/2 games, as they face the Rays in St. Pete tonight.
They are expected to activate Darnell McDonald from the DL tonight and send Drew Sutton back to Pawtucket. Carl Crawford returns to Tropicana Field for the first time in a Red Sox uniform, and I would think he'll get a nice ovation from most of the Rays fans. He didn't leave on bad terms.
Good luck to the Bruins as they play a Game 7 for all the marbles in the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night. The game will be in Vancouver, and every home team has won in the series. Do you know the last time a Boston team won Game 7 on the road?
This might refresh your memory:
It NEVER gets old (especially seeing that long look on Billy Crystal's face). Bring home the Cup, Bruins.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 10:36 AM 1 comments
Monday, June 13, 2011
Back Where We Belong: On Tuesday Night
Trivia Night at Professor Thom's returns to Tuesday night to stay this week, and thank goodness for that. No more moving around!
Once again, I thank you all of you who followed Trivia Night to the various nights we had to move to (Sunday, Monday and Thursday) during these NHL and NBA playoffs. Your loyalty is great (and just wait until October when the Red Sox go to the playoffs) and I appreciate it so much.
This week the Special Category will be the return of "Q-Tip Trivia." That is where I ask seven general knowledge, multiple choice questions, and the answer can be 1, 2, 3 all 4 choices, or none of them. You will get a point for each correct answer you give (one point if the answer is none). However, if you give any wrong answers, you will get a zero for that question, so you have to be careful.
The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia."
The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
In what city was the TV sitcom "Laverne and Shirley" originally set?
We will get going at 9 PM. The smoking-hot Boston Red Sox have a big game against division-rival Tampa Bay, but that won't stop us from having a great night of Trivia on Tuesday. Hope to see many of you tomorrow night.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:09 AM 0 comments
Sunday, June 12, 2011
No Prisoners Taken. Again.
Another day, another slaughter north of the border.
So, how do you top winning by 12 runs on Saturday? Win by 13 on Sunday.
The Red Sox continue to be the hottest team in MLB right now, winning their 9th straight game, 14-1 against the helpless Toronto Blue Jays.
It was as perfect a game as could be played.
Like I did yesterday, here's how much of a rout this was:
-Four bombs (Pedroia, Ortiz, Gonzalez and Youkilis, and none of them were cheapies)
-Five of the nine starters scored two runs
-Every regular scored a run except Drew (who went 0-for-5 and 4 Ks) and Saltalamacchia
-Six starters had at least two hits, and the first five batters in the order batted six times
-Jon Lester pitched eight innings and allowed just a home run to Jose Bautista and a scratch single. He's now the first 9-game winner in the AL.
The third straight Sox sweep was a 35-6 composite score. It was also the second time this season the Sox had back-to-back games where they scored at least 14 runs, and did it last month against the Indians and Tigers.
They can't win by 14 runs tomorrow, only because the Red Sox have an off day on Monday, and face the Rays in St. Pete on Tuesday night on what will be Carl Crawford's return to Tampa. The Sox AL East lead, now the largest in MLB, is still at two games, and they trail the Phillies still by 1/2 game for the best record in all of baseball.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 5:12 PM 0 comments
Saturday, June 11, 2011
A Runaway Freight Train
That would be a good description of the Boston Red Sox right now, as they totally dismantled the Blue Jays today, 16-4, in Toronto.
It was a good day to score a lot of runs, as John Lackey took the mound. But he wasn't bad at all. He allowed four runs in six innings, while striking out eight.
So, how much of a slaughter was this?
-Every Red Sox starter drove in at least one run. And scored at least one run (except for Jed Lowrie).
-Jason Varitek and David Ortiz both hit three run shots. In the 6th inning.
-Six Red Sox starters scored at least two runs.
-Six Red Sox starters had at least two hits.
-The Red Sox batted around twice.
-J.D. Drew, the number 8 hitter, batted six times.
-Kevin Youkilis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia did not play.
-Mike McCoy, Blue Jays infielder, pitched the ninth inning (and retired the Sox 1-2-3).
18 hits for the Red Sox today, and they have now won eight straight. Before the road trip started, I was hoping the Red Sox could win 5 of the 9 games in New York, Toronto and Tampa Bay. They can now do no worse than that, as they are 5-0 on the trip.
New York beat the Indians again (are they falling to earth with a loud thud or what?), so the Sox continue to lead by two games.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 4:59 PM 0 comments
At Least One Boston Team Won In Canada Last Night
Clay Buchholz shrugged off the tightness in his back and gave the Red Sox seven solid innings last night. He struck out six and gave up just one run on three hits.
Seven straight wins, as the Red Sox went into Toronto with very little sleep and beat the Jays, 5-1.
The top of the order was tremendous, as both Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin (No Knee Surgery For Me) Pedroia both got three hits, and the Machine Known As Adrian Gonzalez drove in two more to increase his MLB lead in RBI to 57.
Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon both looked sharp, and with New York beating the Indians the Red Sox remain two games up in the AL East.
Can good fortune remain with the Red Sox? John Lackey takes the ball at Rogers Centre this afternoon.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:27 AM 1 comments
Friday, June 10, 2011
Nobody Ever Said Sportswriters Were Smart
I was enjoying the Yankee schadenfreude over at Joy of Sox this morning, when Allan put up this quote from some New York Times writer named Ben Shpigel:
Babe Ruth was a 17-year-old pitching prodigy at the St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys. The Red Sox had yet to win a World Series, and the Yankees did not exist. They were still called the Highlanders, playing not in the Bronx but in Manhattan, at Hilltop Park and the Polo Grounds.
What's wrong with this quote? Well, the Red Sox had already won a World Series, the first World Series in 1903 under the name "Pilgrims." But it is still the same franchise. The Yankees did exist, under the name Highlanders, which they changed to Yankees in 1913.
A team isn't different because they change their nickname. It's the same franchise.
And another writer named Tim Smith of the NY Daily News wrote this gem:
[Sabathia] served as the big enforcer when he nailed David Ortiz in the thigh with a fastball in the fourth inning ... [I]t was what they needed most from one of their strongest performers. It will reverberate long after this series is over. ...
Papi had a wry smile on his face after getting plunked, which said "we'll see who's laughing last." And he hit a single and double, scored a run and drove in two in the seven-run seventh.
So how did that work out, Tim? A great Yankee moral victory, eh? Smith spends a good part of his column blabbering how Papi getting hit was a really great thing for New York.
No, no one EVER said sportswriters were smart.
Especially me.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:06 AM 0 comments
A Bronx Massacre. Once Again.
Beautiful. Simply beautiful.
Another sweep. In the Bronx. Another ass kicking.
Red Sox score seven in the seventh against New York's ace after a 3 1/2 hour rain delay.
8-3 final. 25-13 in the series. The Sox win the last two games by five runs apiece. It's the first time the Sox have won six straight in New York since 1912.
The highlight of the night for New York fans was David Ortiz getting plunked for the first time EVER by New York in the fourth inning. Papi took it in stride, smiling on the way to first. But you know he had to be thinking "I'll get the last laugh." And he did, with a single and double (and two RBI) in the 7th. Another stellar performance by Josh Beckett, who threw seven innings, and just one bad pitch to Curtis Granderson kept him from another shutout against them.
I can't wait to hear Mike (Fatso) Francesa at 1 PM on WFAN on Friday.
8 wins out of 9 against New York this season. Six straight wins right now. A two-game lead in the East, and they trail the Phillies by just a half-game for MLB's best record.
And the news on Dustin Pedroia is better than expected, as he has just a kneecap bruise, and should join the Red Sox in Toronto on Friday and may even be in the lineup against the Blue Jays.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 1:46 AM 0 comments
Thursday, June 09, 2011
A Bizarre 25th Anniversary
My friend Chris Jaffe has a good article up at The Hardball Times about a truly strange injury Wade Boggs suffered on this day in 1986 that cost him a shot at hitting .400.
It involves him taking off his boots in a hotel room in Toronto and falling and suffering a rib cage injury. Check it out here.
Yep, 1986 was a truly strange year for the Red Sox, in more than just the obvious reasons.
Pete Nash of The Hauls of Shame sent me an interesting article from The Detroit News about how the Detroit Public Library is mishandling the late Ernie Harwell's great memorabilia collection and are putting it at risk for thieves.
And speaking of the Tigers, I was saddened to learn the passing of Tigers 1968 World Series hero Jim Northrup.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 2:44 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Is Pedey Out?
Rumors are flying that Dustin Pedroia may need knee surgery and be out a month.
Dustin is returning to Boston on Thursday to have his right knee examined and won't be available for the finale in the Bronx. The injury goes back to the one he suffered against the Orioles fielding a grounder on May 16th.
The Sox also put Bobby Jenks on the DL on Wednesday and recalled catcher Luis Exposito.
Daisuke Matsuzaka will have Tommy John surgery on Friday in Los Angeles. Rich Hill will have his TJ surgery tomorrow.
Guess who else was placed on the DL today? None other than Joba Chamberlain.
I'll find a way to hold back the tears reporting on that one.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:44 PM 0 comments
Asses Kicked. Names Taken.
The Red Sox will be playing with the house's money on Thursday.
11-6 win in The House The Taxpayers Built on Wednesday night. Papi goes deep again in the first inning. Carl Crawford and J.D. Drew both also left the yard.
Tim Wakefield pitched into the sixth inning and gave up five runs, but left with an 8-5 lead. It was his third win of the year, and his 182nd in a Red Sox uniform, 10 away from the team record.
The Sox are now 7-1 against New York this season. It's the third straight series they've taken from NY in 2011. They've beaten them five straight times in the Bronx, and haven't done that since 1939. It's the first time they've won the first five games in New York to start a season since 1913. They've won five straight and are one game up in the AL East.
The Sox have won 33 of their last 49 games, and are an MLB-best 16-6 on the road since April 20.
The Boston Red Sox were 2-10 after 12 games this season. Tonight they have the best record in the American League.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:14 PM 0 comments
Phil Dunphy's No Clown (Or John Sterling Fan)
My buddies at Surviving Grady put this YouTube clip up today, and I will also. The cast of "Modern Family" (one of the few network shows I watch with any regularity and is absolutely hysterical) appeared on Inside the Actors Studio and James Lipton asked Ty Burrell, who plays Phil Dunphy, the clown dad on the show, what sound he hates to hear. A classic response follows:
Don't know if Ty's a Red Sox fan or just a Yankee hater. Either way, cool.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:03 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
200 Means First Place
First blood drawn in the Bronx.
Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz go deep. Sox open with three in the first and never look back. Jon Lester goes six innings, allowed eight hits and three runs, is rather shaky but gets win number eight.
Alex Rodriguez goes 0 for 5 and strikeout against Jonathan Papelbon to end it. Pap is once again a ninth inning adventure, as he allows a run and Slappy was the tying run. But he nails down his 200th save of his career. (He was also suspended for three games over that ninth inning circus at Fenway last Saturday, but is appealing.)
The Red Sox are now tied with New York for the AL East lead. The Sox have taken six of the first seven meetings with the Yankees. Four straight wins now and Tim Wakefield tries to keep it going tomorrow night in The House The Taxpayers Built.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 10:40 PM 0 comments
At Least I Haven't Seen Anyone Grade These Picks
The Red Sox drafted four players yesterday in the first-year amateur draft's first round (and supplemental round). And they are:
Matt Barnes-RHP, University of Connecticut (19th pick)
Blake Swihart-C, Cleveland High School, Rio Rancho, New Mexico(26)
Henry Owens-LHP, Edison High School, Huntington Beach, California (36)
Jackie Bradley-OF, University of South Carolina (40)
Not surprised to see the Red Sox took a catcher in the first round.
I gave this post that title because every year in the NFL Draft I see these knucklehead "experts" who like to give each team a "grade" on how they did picking players. How can you even think of grading teams on players who haven't played one professional game yet? Same here. It will be a long road to the majors for the majority of players picked in the MLB Draft, longer than the NFL Draft of course. In the NFL you have to wait at least one year to determine a draft's value, and even longer for the MLB one.
We maybe looking at four stars of the future, or four huge busts. Time will tell.
And with the latest "war to end all wars" to commence at Yankee Stadium tonight, I found this last week at Bleacher Report, and some guy wrote that "the rivalry is dead."
Is this guy kidding? Hey, the rivalry has gone through ups and downs over the years. Remember the early 1990s, when both teams were lousy? It wasn't intense at all, but was it dead? Of course not. It was as high as it ever could be in the mid-2000s, but it would have to level off. But what if both teams meet in the ALCS this year? Would it still be "dead" then?
Both teams have an excellent chance to make the postseason. This guy just sounds like he hates both the Red Sox and Yankees.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:45 AM 0 comments
Monday, June 06, 2011
Lackey: Not Bad Really
As John Lackey was making his return to Red Sox rotation today, I thought I was glad that the Red Sox had already won the series, as this one could get ugly, and I wouldn't be too upset.
But Lackey turned in a decent performance, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs. He hit two batters, but got two double plays as well, so I really can't complain too much.
With Brett Anderson going for Oakland, I really thought the A's would take this, as he has beaten the Red Sox four straight times, including Lackey earlier this year in Oakland.
But Anderson threw a breaking pitch in the middle of the strike zone to Carl Crawford and he killed it, sending it into the Red Sox bullpen with two on in the second. That made it 3-0, and the Red Sox were ahead to stay.
Adrian Gonzalez hit his 12th home run into the Monster Seats with one on, and that made it 5-2. Was he born to play in Fenway or what?
6-3 was the final, a sweep of the A's, and the Sox remain one back as New York won in Anaheim. Next up, the Yankees in the Bronx on Tuesday night.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:01 AM 0 comments
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Trivia Q&A: June 5
We had 26 teams in last Tuesday, and on Sunday night we had the opposite end of the spectrum: just 7 teams were in to play. That wasn't a great surprise, as we've had turnouts like that before on Sunday nights we have had to do it. But those who came out seemed to enjoy the night.
The night was won by That's Not What I Meant By "Organ Donor", Congressman, and they won by 11 points with 43. They held first place all night long, and were the only team to get more than two of the five correct in IQ Trivia (they had four right).
Second place went to Who Needs Church When You Have Trivia? with 32 points and third went to Four Dudes One Trophy with 31 points.
Thanks to all of you who rescheduled and came out with all the moving around. I really appreciate it. We return to Tuesday night next week, June 14th at 9 PM.
Best Team Name: That's Not What I Meant By "Organ Donor," Congressman
Current Events
1. What actor/comedian recently revealed that a painting he bought for $1 million in 2004 was actually the work of a German art forgery ring?
2. Sepp Blatter was re-elected president of what sport's governing body despite corruption allegations and no one running against him?
3. What NBA star announced his retirement last Wednesday on Twitter?
4. What European country closed eight nuclear plants recently and said they plan to abandon nuclear power by 2022?
5. James Arness, who rose to fame in what TV western that ran for 20 years, died last Friday at the age of 88?
6. The president of what Middle Eastern country and seven other government officials were injured in a rocket attack on the presidential palace during a skirmish with armed tribesmen?
7. The NHL's Atlanta Thrashers were sold last week and the new owners plan to move the team to what Canadian city that last had an NHL team in 1996?
2000s Trivia
1. The 2000 Summer Olympics were held in what city in September of that year?
2. What MLB team won the World Series in 2005, 88 years after their previous win?
3. Martin Scorsese won his first Academy Award for Best Director for what 2006 film?
4. Daniel Pearl, the reporter who was murdered by Al-Qaeda in February 2002, worked for what daily newspaper at the time of his death?
5. In 2004, what country banned the use of cell phones, but brought them back in 2008?
6. In June 2006, Montenegro declared its independence from what country?
7. What British punk rock band refused to attend their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2006, and called the Museum "a piss stain"?
Sunday Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. The 1976 movie "Black Sunday" is about a terror attack at what event?
2. "Bloody Sunday" was a 1972 incident when 13 civil rights protestors were shot and killed where?
3. "Easy (Like a Sunday Morning)" was a 1977 top 10 hit for what R&B group?
4. True or False: a month beginning with a Sunday will have a Friday the 13th in it.
5. "Low Sunday" is observed one week after what holiday?
6. Sunday Island is a small, low-lying island off the coast of what country?
7. "Sundays at Tiffany's" was a 2008 best-selling book by what popular author?
General Knowledge
1. The Pony Express operated between Missouri and what other state? (1 pt)
2. Cleopatra died after having been bitten by what? ( 1 pt)
3. Actor Audie Murphy was a real-life hero in what war? ( 1 pt)
4. The game of jai alai originated in what European country? ( 2 pt)
5. What MLB Hall of Fame player was killed in a plane crash in 1972? ( 2 pt)
6. What 19th century author wrote the classic novel "The Count of Monte Cristo?" ( 2 pt)
7. The duffel bag gets its name from a town in what European country? ( 3 pt)
IQ Trivia
1. What is the only US state that does not have a rectangular flag? ( 4 points)
2. Bedloe's Island is currently known today by what name, which was changed in 1956? ( 4 points)
3. Because of its shape, what European nation is known as "The Hexagon?" ( 3 points)
4. What TV personality was the first to show Abraham Zapruder's famous film of John F. Kennedy's assassination on national TV in 1975? ( 5 points)
5. "Fidelio" is the only opera by what immortal classical composer? ( 4 points)
Current Events
1. Steve Martin; 2. soccer; 3. Shaquille O'Neal; 4. Germany; 5. "Gunsmoke;" 6. Yemen; 7. Winnipeg.
2000s Trivia
1. Sydney, Australia; 2. Chicago White Sox; 3. "The Departed;" 4. Wall Street Journal; 5. North Korea; 6. Serbia; 7. The Sex Pistols.
Sunday Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Super Bowl; 2. Northern Ireland; 3. The Commodores; 4. true; 5. Easter Sunday; 6. Australia; 7. James Patterson.
General Knowledge
1. California; 2. asp; 3. World War II; 4. Spain; 5. Roberto Clemente; 6. Alexandre Dumas; 7. Belgium.
IQ Trivia
1. Ohio; 2. Liberty Island; 3. France; 4. Geraldo Rivera; 5. Ludwig van Beethoven.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:07 PM 0 comments
Tony Randazzo's Flying Circus
OK, Jonathan Papelbon was awful in the ninth inning, and he was mostly responsible for Saturday's game going into extra innings. And Dustin Pedroia botched what looked like a sure double play grounder to end the game in the same inning. (I didn't see any of this. Once again, thanks to MLB Extra Innings. Please see previous post.)
But once again, incompetent umpires tried to make themselves a part of the game, and it nearly cost the Red Sox dearly. Tony Randazzo, another one who should be given his walking papers if MLB cared about quality umpiring, tossed out both Jason Varitek and Papelbon in the ninth inning. Tek questioned Randazzo's strike zone, and later in the inning, it appeared Randazzo was insulted by Pap turning his back on him, said something to Jarrod Saltalamacchia and then Randazzo sought out a confrontation with Pap. Papelbon went ballistic and was tossed.
After the game, a reporter from the Globe tried to get a comment from the umps and was rebuffed and told to talk to the league office. These umps are gutless cowards who avoid the press after any controversy happens during a game. And any player who talks about them after a game is sure to be fined by MLB. Yes, you can criticize the President of the United States, but don't you dare criticize any umpire!
Peter Gammons said it best on Twitter during the ninth inning:
"Does MLB have anyone administering umpires? Dreadful, with no interest in the sport's integrity."
Amen to that, Gammo.
It seems like being an MLB umpire is like being named a Supreme Court judge. You're there for life and have no accountability. MLB umpiring has become a bad joke, but MLB does nothing to weed out incompetents like Randazzo. And the on-field product suffers because of it.
And yes, the Sox came back and won in the 14th inning on J.D. Drew's single, 9-8.
Great job today by Alfredo Aceves, who pitched the last four innings and got the win.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 12:14 AM 0 comments
Saturday, June 04, 2011
MLB Extra Innings Ruins Baseball, Too
The Red Sox have just begun their Saturday afternoon game at 1 PM with the Oakland A's, and I am not watching it.
I'm not seeing it because MLB Extra Innings isn't showing it.
The game was originally going to be broadcast at 7 PM, but the Red Sox graciously moved it to 1 PM to accomodate the Sox/Bruins fans who want to see the Bruins Stanley Cup Game 2 tonight. I have no problem with that, and I thought 1 PM would be a better time today anyway.
The Red Sox are NEVER bumped off MLB EI. (The Mets and the Yankees aren't either; the only three teams that I have seen left off.) This game was on the original schedule, but the time change probably changed all that.
I noticed earlier this year that as long as a game did not run into the Fox exclusive three-hour time on Saturdays (it is 4-7 PM today), games can be shown throughout the country on MLB EI. Today's blackout reminds me of earlier years when the first games on Saturdays could only be seen at 7 PM.
From the Extra Innings web site:
On Saturdays where the first FOX game is scheduled to start at 4:10pm ET, no games that start between 1:10pm ET and 7:05pm ET will be available in the package
So where is today's Sox-A's game, EI? It started at 1:10 PM, so it should be on my TV, but it isn't. Awful, rotten job by MLB Extra Innings today. Thanks for spoiling my Saturday.
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 1:07 PM 0 comments
Trivia On Sunday Night? Why Not?
As many of you know, the Bruins Stanley Cup run has played havoc with Tuesday Night Trivia, as we've had to move it to different nights when it falls on a Tuesday. This week they are playing on Monday (Game 3) and that will bring out a huge crowd. But we also have the Red Sox playing the Yankees on Tuesday (as well as Wednesday and Thursday nights), so we can't have Trivia on any of those nights.
So this week we will do it on Sunday, June 5th at a special time of 7:30 PM. Many of the regulars told me they like the idea of doing Trivia Night earlier, so we will try it even earlier tomorrow.
The Special Category this week is "2000s Trivia," seven questions about the previous decade. The Q Train lightning round will be "Sunday Trivia," seven questions about the day we are doing Trivia this week.
The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
The Pony Express operated from Missouri to what other state?
I hope to see some of you who can make it out on Sunday night. I appreciate very much all of you who can alter your schedule and make my Trivia Night the success it is. Thank you so much. Next week we return to Tuesday nights for good (or until at least the last week in August).
Posted by The Omnipotent Q at 11:52 AM 0 comments


text:
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
jessica's law philibuster BUSTED!
Sen. Jake Knotts (R-Lexington pictured below) introduced a strike & insert amendment. This removes all the damage the SC House did to the bill then inserts the legislation that the Senate passed on March 28th. Last week the House removed capital punishment, removes "hearsay" clause, reduces minimum from 25 years to 10. Basically, the SC House "gutted" the bill. There was a failed attempt to block the vote by Sen. Phil Leventis (D-Sumter). A motion for cloture was made and passed. Below are the roll call votes:
AYES: Alexander, Bryant, Campsen, Cleary, Courson, Cromer, Fair, Gregory, Grooms, Hawkins, Hayes, Knotts, Leatherman, Martin, McConnell, Mescher, O'Dell, Peeler, Richardson, Ritchie, Ryberg, Scott, Thomas, Verdin
NAYS: Anderson, Drummond, Elliott, Ford, Hutto, Land, Leventis, Jackson, Malloy, Pinckney, Patterson, Reese, Sheheen, Williams
Not Voting or Absent: Lourie, Matthews, McGill, Moore, Rankin, Setzler, Short, Smith
On Wed May 31, the House "concurred" on S. 1267. This bill will now go straight to Gov. Sanford that has already announced his support.
Posted by Sen. Kevin L. Bryant at 5:54 PM