Aggie87

Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA 12/29/18

Again, Cure/Def Leppard/Janet Jackson/Stevie Nicks/Radiohead were all huge. Maybe not to you, but to many people. I suspect you aged out of that type of music by the time those artists were huge.

Maybe it's an age thing (and I have no idea how old you are). The Cure were huge in the 80's/90's. Def Leppard was *huge* in the 80's in commercial pop rock. Neither seem "small bore" to me at all. Stevie Nicks was huge in the 70's and 80's both with FM and solo (and with Tom Petty on a number of tracks). Radiohead's been pretty damn popular as well - very interesting but accessible rock. A little newer than the others. Janet Jackson isn't rock, but that's not a criteria for the "Rock and Roll" Hall of Fame. She was also big in the 80's on the pop charts, less so and more R&B since then. Older folks should know Roxy and the Zombies. PS - My wife goes to some shows she wouldn't normally go to (John Scofield, David Weiss, Opeth, Beach House, and others). 've gone to a number of more commercial rock/country shows with her over the past few years as well. They've been alot of fun - Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Tim McGraw, and Lady Antebellum, etc. But they're not likely shows I'd have gone to otherwise. But even seeing Def Leppard earlier this year showed me how huge they were (and still are) for many, so I get why a band like that goes into the RnR HoF.

Maneki Neko(s), Houston, 26 November

If that wasn't photoshopped somewhere along the line, that's amazing!

Prince perhaps.

Boston sports radio agrees it was a HR even. https://weei.radio.com/articles/column/reimer-jose-altuve-fan-interference-replay-review-embarrassing-low-point-mlb

Just read Betts' description of the play. He said he jumped and "went over". That means the contact was not over the field to me but in the stands, and it should have been ruled a 2 run HR. In a game the Astros lost by 2 runs. I get that the Astros pitching isn't producing like it has been. I get that perhaps their best player is hobbled with a knee injury and has to play DH. It's tough enough to overcome that against a quality team like Boston, but to have to fight against questionable calls too is difficult. Regardless, Betts and Bradley have impressed me. They are carrying the Sox in this series.

The replay officials "upheld" the call, meaning there wasn't enough evidence from the cameras to overturn Joe West's call. It didn't confirm the call. There's a distinction there. It is what it is. But I'll still argue if the Sox win by 1-2 runs, then the loss of that HR mattered.

How? Because Betts' arm and glove were over the wall and into the fan area. By baseball rules (and confirmed by the announcers), that's not interference, but a home run. From MLB's rules: "No interference shall be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk. However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator’s interference." Therefore the argument becomes whether Betts' arm and glove were over the wall/fence or not. I believe they were. I can understand if you're a Red Sox fan you might be relieved to be the recipient of an incorrect call that saved 2 runs.

I hope that terrible call on Altuve's 2 run HR isn't the difference in this game.

Maybe during the playoffs, but not during the regular season. It's 90-100 degrees out there for most of the summer, so the point of the roof in Houston is more to keep things air conditioned inside, instead of sweltering. Actually, maybe the Texas heat could be considered inclement.

We used to get annual "refresher training" on the topic of sexual harassment, and what constitutes said harassment. One of the instructors one year said that it often doesn't matter what the intent of a comment or action was, if it is received by someone as sexual harassment, then it usually is sexual harassment. Even if you as the harasser don't perceive it to be, you can suffer consequences because someone else saw it that way and was offended or victimized. Perhaps that is a corollary to this political issue - if it's being received as being political, then it is, regardless of what the person who posted it believed. It doesn't really matter how it's defended or justified.

In today's game, that really that only happened after Clevinger came out of the game. I thought he pitched really well, only giving up one run on Springer's HR in the 5th. The Cleveland bullpen kind of fell apart though.

I was in Austin, in a small club called C-Boys, a couple of years ago. Mike Flanigin and Jimmie Vaughan were playing on the small stage, with Frosty Smith on drums. In the middle of their set, this guy walks in the front door, past the small crowd, and hops on stage and just begins wailing along on harmonica. Mike and Jimmie's faces couldn't have been happier, and after the song was over, they all hugged and started another number. It was Lester. He stayed for a couple more songs, then just as he'd entered, he hopped off the stage, walked back through the crowd and out the door into the night. Here's a picture I took.

I watched that last night, and completely agree with you. BS call. I hope the Astros bats wake up today (and in general). It's been tough watching them over the past couple of weeks without Altuve, Correa, and Springer. Not sure any team could've done any better without their three best players. Hope Altuve's back soon.

This caught me by surprise - I"m happy that Ken Giles is no longer on this team. That's addition by subtraction, I think. Hopefully a change of scenery helps Giles regain his stuff. He's been lost in his own head for a year now. Osuna still has the remainder of his 75 game suspension I think though - or is that effectively over now? As an Astros fan I like his talent on paper, but I'm apprehensive about adding him to this roster, based on the domestic violence charge. Admittedly I haven't read enough about him to have a strong opinion there right now.

As sidewinder/Bob mentioned earlier, we got to meet in Stuttgart many years ago. Wish I still lived there, for many reasons. Due to move to Philly area next year though, so I'll take that. If you make it to this side of the pond we're due for a reconnect, Bob! Hopefully longer this time as well. In addition, I've since met Lon, Shawn, Ray, Big Al, David Weiss, and Mike Flanigin. Good people, all of 'em! Other than Al's questionable fondness for Styx, of course.

Here's a rundown of Prime benefits: https://www.consumerreports.org/online-shopping/pros-cons-amazon-prime/ (note - in some cases, the free 2 day delivery is actually free same-day, or in even free 2 hr delivery)

Another thing the in-shop experience gives you that you don't get online (at least I don't) is the discovery of something that you weren't expecting to find. Something that turns into an impulse buy based on an employee's recommendation. Something that you had in the back of your mind as something to check out some day in the future, but no specific plans to buy any day soon. Then you find it and it's in your hands and impulse takes over and you buy it. I don't find the thrill of that type of buy when I'm searching for things online at all. It's not as fun.

Padre Island National Seashore, 8 June 2018.

Since most of the major cities and towns are along the coast itself, it makes sense that they'd be closer to sea level, compared to the rest of southern Florida itself. Like the congressman in Alabama said, let's hope more dirt from the White Cliffs of Dover don't fall into the ocean, or else south Florida will all be under water.

I have some relatives in Elgin (near Austin, great sausage made there) who had a basement. Shocked me. So apparently there's at least one out there.

I suspect it's a generational thing. Neither of my kids do that when they stream music at all. One's 20 and one's 16. I do, but I'm not anywhere close to their age bracket. Even then, it may be a subset of a generational thing. My wife doesn't listen to full albums, ever - it drives her crazy, despite her overall love of music (which probably equals mine). She just has what we affectionally call music-ADD. So if I had to guess, there are generally far more people that don't, than do listen to full albums.

Glad to see you come up for air, Matthew! Hope all is well with you.