Quincy

Something funny is going on, that's for sure. As for childhood AL rooting interests I went Yankee, so I'm paying for my sins now. And then some! One other cool thing thing going on before the game was outside the stadium. There's a wall with a large photo tribute to Ichiro and Japanese families and couples kept showing up to take photos posing in front of it. It was just fascinating to see. There were only 16,000 there and because of the promotion I think more people were in the upper decks. So the gulls average was as probably as poor as the home team. And not to sound like a shill but they're very good uppers thanks to modern architectural design, or at least much better than the top deck at old Busch which is the only other time I've gone for them. I like to move around and take in different views. Last time at the park the seat was $90 or $120 (I traded 4 given by a lawyer friend for 1), something obscene for 1/162nd of the season, right behind Pujols a couple of years ago. But no way I'm paying bucks to see these guys (sorry Felix). Funny Jim should mention spring training in Sarasota as I've seen quite a few games there. The THWACK happened just like that at a class A game at Civic Stadium in Eugene. Better a seat than a jaw which I've also seen.

I was in Seattle during the time the Rays were there and had 1 game to go to. Which one did I see? Well there was Monday, a 4-1 win for the Rays on a jack by B.J. in what was otherwise a lackluster game. On Tuesday the Rays again took the lead but the M's scored 2 in the 9th to win! And then on Wednesday afternoon there was the perfecto, a common practically everyday occurrence in 21st century baseball. I of course saw…Monday! It had to be Monday as Tuesday we had the Hendrix museum amongst other things in that part of town and we had a 6 hour train ride on Wednesday that required getting a good linner beforehand. How did I hear about Felix's game? We're walking past Pioneer Square and all of the sudden to my left is a transient masturbating in front of a cookie shop. Please, pick the door of a rug shop if you're going to do that! To my right not half a minute later I hear the phrase "…it was a perfect game." Does she mean a perfect day for baseball, sunshine, a breeze, no masturbating transients, or…And I realize it has to be a perfect game, so I check the phone, and no hit, no walks, 12 Ks, no errors. Should have realized a day game following a night and the team flying out that day and facing Felix who has been better than ever it was all lined up. Oh well, we ended up (intentionally) with upper deck $12 promo tickets for Monday, as the current offense isn't worth paying for. Except when Felix pitches that is. They are amazingly good seats for upper deck and it was great for watching the defensive alignments. The M's looked like they were hitting easy infield practice grounders to boost little kids fielding confidence. Between batting practice and his game HR B.J. Upton looked like a young Willie Mays, until the game wore on and he looked like a kid in need of glasses. The most entertaining part of the game? Around the 6th inning seagulls started gathering and flying around, and from the upper deck you could see them poop on the people below. It wasn't all that funny as we in danger of being bombed too, but to hear the crowd murmur and gasp, put hoods up was the most exciting part of watching a very bad baseball team.

I should probably try them again. I should have loved Fear & Whiskey as I like quite a bit of punkish stuff and "good" country but at the time I felt smug in that I listened to Hank Williams and other prime source material for them. Yet I had no trouble with The Knitters who were kind of doing the same thing.

I'm all for it. While not a fan I'm not a hater either, but as I see a Laker game almost every week during the season w/ a couple of SoCal expats I'm all for seeing a more entertaining team. As you note the passing should be fun as well as watching how Kobe adjusts to handling the ball less and the soap opera of how Dwight fits in and whatever is going on Metta's world.

The way I see it the starting lineup lacks 2 good knees, 2 good backs, a spine and a brain. It should be interesting, but I don't think it wins the title.

Ah, thank you! Last night I let out a stream of obscenities last night that amounted to "still with the gymnastics?" mostly because it meant more amped up routines that they can't even practice much lest a neck get broken. And they need to give these girls anti-helium before they talk.

Thank you sir, I was too lazy to scan my own. The artists rarely bothered with the necklines, so Jose is still wearing his Cardinal jersey.

That '80 team (er...years past Don) played exciting baseball and the NLCS vs. Philly was one of the great ones. For some reason as a young fan I fixated on Jose Cruz as a Cardinal and it stunned me when he was traded to Houston. On his first baseball card with Houston Topps painted the emblem on as they often did back then. Jose then went on to play some mighty fine baseball in that 8th Wonder of the World. Although they've never won a title I have big respect for the franchise. J.R. Richard was legendary and Andujar was infinitely quotable. And going back Jim Wynn, Bob Watson & Lee May all are in the Hall of Very Good. Most of the time the late '70s-'80s squads played a type of ball a little similar to the Royals of the late '70s to mid-'80s. Lots of doubles rather than home runs and turf speed. While I love a ballpark to have real grass in person there are times where I miss the Astroturf when watching a game on TV and seeing the type of ball the 'stros and Cardinals played in the '80s.

From what I've read the ones to get are those from the original analog tape: Absolutely Free - No more Ryko digital reverb. Hot Rats - Lacks extended versions of Ryko (along w/ the reverb). Burnt Weeny Sandwich - I never had a problem w/ the Ryko but many are saying it's a big improvement. If you first heard it on Ryko you might not be as gaga about the lack of reverb. I'll have to get it since it's BWS. Chunkga's Revenge - Sounds better than anything, even the original LP. Weasel's Rip My Flesh - Again, original mix w/out digital reverb. Just Another Band From LA - More good reports as above. Fillmore East - Better sound and both parts of Willie The Pimp are on it though with fades. ----- Same as the Rykos - Freak Out, We're Only In It For The Money, Lumpy Gravy, Uncle Meat, Ruben & The Jets. If there's any difference between the Rykos it's very small. I believe the waveforms say they're the same. The next batch is supposed to be similar. Some will be remasters, some will be the same old Rykos in new clothing.

Thank goodness the children weren't woken up for nothing less! Meanwhile Lo Lo Jones taught an important lesson to all. Virgins are losers! Give it up!

Maybe plenty of people know this, but Moshcam is available on Sony blu-rays (w/ an internet connection obviously) and might be on other brands too. And this very Opeth show is still available there. Heritage didn't really click for me until about 1/2 a dozen plays. That can take a little longer to do in this day & age. The funny thing was just before it came out I finally got the death growl vocals and loved them, rather than sort of accept them to get all the rest. (I went through the same thing with John Wetton's vocals with King Crimson). So while I knew that Heritage wasn't going to have them I sort of missed them for awhile. No harm though as I really got to learn their earlier material in that time and eventually come around on the new one.

Ooooo, I detect an ongoing "oh yeah, well my team sucks more" battle with the Mariner fans here. (Insert laughing/crying emoticon here). Somebody is going to finish 4th, which finally won't be last place in the AL West!

He's scored some big points in the US for stopping an interview in deference to the US anthem being played while Richards-Ross was on the medal stand.

Proggy birthday!

Holy crap indeed! I more or less watched Rupp grow up around here. He was such a little spindly thing even 2 years ago. I honestly used to wonder why the hell he bothered as it seemed no way he'd beat any of the East Africans. Then I noticed this year he looked like a man and not a kid. I guess between aging and running a few thousand miles that'll do it. What a great race! An all-time Olympic favorite moment. Only the 3rd US male to medal in that race. I grimaced a little when after finishing Rupp puked a little, Farah is rolling on the ground in front of the bent over Rupp and almost rolled into it.

It reminds me a little of what Townshend went through in the mid-to-late '70s, only with less booze involved and more musical possibilities. I agree with you but I understand how he could compartmentalize certain sound ideas to PT vs. the other options. I'm looking forward to the live Incident set, especially I finally unplugged the old 100 lb. Sony WEGA and got a modern bigger TV w/ blu-ray playing on its way.

A Saturday birthday. The townsfolk better watch out tonight! Happy birthday!

KC can be just what a team needs to get firmly on the winning track. Even the Mariners can beat them!

A few years ago I bought about 30 bottles of barley wines, old ales, double IPAs and whatnot from a friend who was moving to Alaska. He kept some of cellar but there wasn't room for all of it for the drive north. He had done the hard part of aging some of the bottles 2 and 3 years. For about 9 months I was able to do dutiful things like buy the 6 of Bigfoot, add a few 22 ozs that are better aged and not totally drain the cellar. Then came along the semi-annual news story about how we're due in the next 10 minutes or 500 years for a 9.7 earthquake that'll cause Eugene to have ocean front property. La la la la drink for today. Cellar free since 2009. But try to hide 2 or 3.

Utterly pointless observation as it has no bearing on his career, but I'm surprised to see that this 22 year old has yet to commit an error. His total innings equal over 31 complete games (if it helps to visualize 283 IP) and it's not unheard of for a pro to do that, but to have not committed one in A ball?! I've been to quite a few 7 (total) error A ball games, so that kind of blows my mind. Even if he didn't face many bunt attempts I'd think sooner or later a young pitcher would screw up a toss to 1st. Oh, pretty nice looking pitching numbers, and I'm more impressed that humans can be 6'4" and just 185.

Utterly pointless observation as it has no bearing on his career, but I'm surprised to see that this 22 year old has yet to commit an error. His total innings equal over 31 complete games (if it helps to visualize 283 IP) and it's not unheard of for a pro to do that, but to have not committed one in A ball?! I've been to quite a few 7 (total) error A ball games, so that kind of blows my mind. Even if he didn't face many bunt attempts I'd think sooner or later a young pitcher would screw up a toss to 1st. Oh, pretty nice looking pitching numbers, and I'm more impressed that humans can be 6'4" and just 185.

Agreed. In bicycling, there's very little use for a size 10 1/2 head. I had to special order a bike helmet last spring. XXXL. My hat size is only 7 7/8. So Barry's must have a lot more Xs.

Last year I ran into an article about what a huge prog rock fan he was. Somehow I never detected that when watching All In The Family or The Jeffersons. Here's Daevid Allen of Gong's encounter with him.

Did you go to Northwestern? Maybe you could get away with that kind of talk at Indiana, though never never never suggest such thinking about the basketball program.

No thanks. I was on it from the early '70s until '95 when I wondered which team I would root for in the ALDS, my old favorite or the "local" squad that drew me in with Pee Wee Briley and young Edgar. I picked the right one and even rooted against Donnie Baseball in his final season and have stuck with them since. You can keep your precious rings from '96 on, I have Griffey's smile at the bottom of the pile at home from '95. As for the trade, Ichiro has next to nothing left. He's been hitting like a 140 lb. shortstop from the '70s vs lefties and even against righties he has little business batting near the top of the order. Sure, he almost hits .300 away from Safeco but he doesn't walk so he's hurting you there too given it's all singles. In the old days he'd hit .350 and have an OBP of .370, now subtract 60 points from both. Perhaps Yankeeland, the friendly park, a stronger batting order and change will light him up. I hope so as I like the guy and he deserves better than the shit Seattle has played for the past few (10?) years. It had to be done as it would have been stupid to re-sign him. Maybe with the NY press we'll hear more of the fun & goofy things he sometimes says.