Blog 21

Personal Reflection

2008-04-21T09:33:00.003-04:00

I've been blogging a bit more on the obscure and pop culture (when I been able to)....

I heard a song on my iPod this morning for the first time (not uncommon, I shuffle a lot) from a cd that I had not listened too all the way yet... Though the words are not exact to the situation I'm posting as this where I had been for the last year or so, and perhaps longer. I just hope the words speak to someone else as much as they did to me.

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I've done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You
Complicated circumstances have clouded his view
Lord, I lift my friend up to You

I fear that I won't have the words that he needs to hear
I pray for Your wisdom, oh God, and a heart that's sincere
Lord, I lift my friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You
My best friend in the world, I know he means much more to You
I want so much to help him, but this is something he has to do
And Lord, I lift my friend up to You

'cause there's a way that seems so right to him
But You know where that leads
He's becoming a puppet of the world, too blind to see the strings
Lord, I lift my friend up to You
My friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You

Dancing Machine

2008-02-26T21:35:00.001-05:00

I still like Bush. I 'd vote for him again.

iPod Functionality

2008-02-26T21:29:00.002-05:00

One of the bad habits I have is that I never utilize my tech to its fullest. I have had a video iPod for over a year (my previous one got repo'd by the Best Buy lemon policy - thank you Dan Van Winkle) and am just now starting to really load videos on to it. Amazing what that thing does.

Hall of Fame Talk : Jim Rice

2008-01-14T14:41:00.000-05:00

Lots conversation going on about what constitues a HOFer and not. (Amazes me the Dave Concepcion is not in the HOF)

Interesting piece here from ESPN's Buster Onley ...

Rice production and OPS+

A lot of e-mail landed here about Friday's Jim Rice column, most of which suggests: First, that I cherry-picked statistics to make Rice look good; second, MVP voting is irrelevant; and third, I'm an idiot. There's no point in trying to defend my own idiocy, but the cherry-picking and MVP observations are interesting.

So if I understand the argument from some e-mailers: If you criticize Rice's candidacy by relying on Adjusted OPS+, through which Rice fares badly, that's analysis. But if you support Rice's candidacy citing home runs and RBI, then it's cherry-picking.

Hmmmm …

Adjusted OPS+ is a useful number. And if this your be-all, end-all statistic, keep in mind that:

Mark McGwire and Frank Thomas rank higher than Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Joe DiMaggio.

Jim Thome ranks higher than A-Rod and Gary Sheffield.

Lance Berkman ranks higher than Ken Griffey Jr.

Brian Giles ranks higher than George Brett, Al Kaline, Orlando Cepeda, Tony Gwynn, Rod Carew and Roberto Clemente.

Adam Dunn ranks higher than Eddie Murray.

And if you think that Adjusted OPS+ is a set of numbers that generally creates a level statistical playing field for all of the eras of baseball, then you'd have to ignore the following. Of the top 63 players all time in OPS+, there are:

Nineteen players who performed the bulk of their careers in the years leading up to 1920.

Eight players who performed the bulk of their careers in the years from 1920-1939.

Seventeen players who have performed the bulk of their careers from 1990-2007.

And a total of 17 players from the 50-year period of 1940-89.

To repeat: According to Adjusted OPS+, there are an equal number of players, among the top 63 of all time in the statistic, in the 50-year period of 1940 to 1989 as there have been in the 18-year period from 1990 through 2007.

Part of the reason, of course, is there are more teams now. But part of the reason is that in years in which there is less offense, generally, it is more difficult to create a plus/minus disparity in this statistic. From 1940-1989, there were a total of 11 league leaders with Adjusted OPS+ numbers of 200 or higher; there wasn't a single Adjusted OPS+ leader of 200 or higher from 1981-1991. Since 1992, there have been eight leaders of Adjusted OPS+ of 200 or more in the NL alone, and nine overall.

Let's go one step further. In the 16 seasons since the start of the 1992 season, there have been only three instances in which an Adjusted OPS+ league leader registered less than 171. But in the 50 years prior to that, there were 42 instances in which a league leader was at 170 or lower. If you don't think that Adjusted OPS+ is a statistic that skews toward the elite players of the Steroid Era, well, then that's your story and you're sticking to it.

It's not a perfect statistic. There aren't any perfect statistics.

A lot of the Rice critics say the focus on his best years -- 1975-1986 -- is arbitrary. Well, not really. Those are the years in which he was at his best, when he built his Hall of Fame candidacy, and considering that a player must have 10 years in the big leagues to qualify for HOF consideration, focusing on a 12-year span is hardly a cherry-pick. And in that time, in some power statistics -- maybe not Adjusted OPS+ -- Rice was the best in his league.

While I'd generally agree that to focus on building a Hall of Famer's credentials around a single year of MVP voting might be dubious, the numbers cited in Friday's column accounts for hundreds of votes from every AL city over more than a decade. A lot of writers who watched Rice play daily, at the time he was on the field -- rather than through the time-machine prism of Adjusted OPS+ -- thought he was pretty damn good. (Keep in mind, most writers will talk to players, managers and coaches throughout the season as they formulate their ballots.)

If you want to quibble with the fact that he won the award in 1978, or with his placement in some particular year, OK, I get that. But to ignore the MVP voting entirely, as if it isn't at least some kind of barometer of his play over the course of his career, is embarrassing. This is like saying, "Hey, forget the Oscar voting of the 1950s. Marlon Brando was clearly overrated."

Look, I've never met Jim Rice, didn't grow up a Red Sox fan, don't think he is one of the very elite players of all time. I understand why someone wouldn't vote for him (but don't agree). But to portray his career as entirely unworthy of Hall of Fame consideration is silly.

More Fred

2008-01-11T15:52:00.000-05:00

Fred Thompson calls it right

2008-01-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

Fred Thompson calls it right. Period.

Hiatus Over

2008-01-08T08:09:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I 'm back from Christmas and New Year's. (Happy New Year btw) I survived and only got sick while on our New Year's trip (still recovering).

I ran the blogging everyday experiment as I had time, but time is fleeting and I don't know with what I need to do and hope to accomplish in this New Year if I will be able to maintain the blog that way. So what this means is that the blog won't have regular daily features (Verbum Diurnum for example), but will be used hopefuly as an inspirational and aspirational and some comic relief for the readers out there, while Tidbit of me are intertwined (hey, it's my blog after all).

Sit back and enjoy this New Year.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T17:02:00.000-05:00

The Gospel according to St. Luke (2:1-14)
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register. 4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Merry Christmas ! Enjoy the video below.

non sequitur

2007-12-23T09:19:00.000-05:00

non sequitur (plural non sequiturs)

(logic) An invalid argument; one in which the conclusion cannot be logically deduced from the premises.
The argument "All ravens are black; this object is black; therefore, this object is a raven" is a non sequitur.
Any abrupt and inexplicable transition or occurrence.
Having a costumed superhero abduct the vicar was an utter non sequitur in the novel.
(humor) A kind of pun that uses a change of word, subject, or meaning to make a joke of the listener's expectation:
"Take my wife - please." -- Henny Youngman
"If all the girls who attended the Yale prom were laid end to end, I wouldn't be a bit surprised." -- Dorothy Parker
"A fool and his money are soon partying." -- Steven Wright

Marvelous Light

2007-12-23T09:15:00.001-05:00

Reader Response

2007-12-22T09:30:00.001-05:00

Ok. The one week milestone has been reached. So readers (if you exist.) please chime in with your thoughts. I have started with a a few regular bits (hopefully more to come), and added a bit of personal flare. Let me know your thoughts.

Enjoy this piece of flare as well.

Prerogative

2007-12-22T09:29:00.001-05:00

prerogative • \prih-RAH-guh-tiv noun

1 a : an exclusive or special right, power, or privilege: as

b : one belonging to an office or an official body

*c : one belonging to a person, group, or class of individuals

d : one possessed by a nation as an attribute of sovereignty

2 : a distinctive excellence

Coulter still doesn't like Huckabee

2007-12-22T09:27:00.000-05:00

Riverbank Cafe

2007-12-21T14:26:00.001-05:00

So today I ate at the Riverbank Cafe just across the river from downtown Hamilton. It's just three blocks from my Grandmother's home growing up and not far from where I grew up in Hamilton. I had lunch with an old friend from Elementary School, Will McAdams ( goto to An Act of Will for more on Will). Good food (first time eating there) and good times catching up with a friend going back to first grade. The manager, whom I will refer to by "V" when to Elementary School with us as well. Hamilton is like that, you can't go far into town without running into someone you know. Click the post title for more on the Riverbank Cafe and the history of the building (We bought our Wedding Invitations there when it was Pen and Ink). Try the Westside Burger, it's for the Hamilton Westside we all know and love, not the facsimile down south in Cincinnati.

Even More on Franklin

2007-12-21T14:24:00.000-05:00

Rich Franklin had to pull out of a UFC 82 fight with Travis Lutter and will be sidelined until approximately June because of a torn meniscus he suffered in his right knee.

Franklin’s camp alerted MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the injury earlier today.

In the past 24 hours, Franklin’s fight manager, Monte Cox, alerted UFC officials of the injury, which was identified by a recent MRI exam.

News of the injury came approximately one day after the Cincinnati-based Franklin had signed on to fight Lutter at UFC 82, which takes place March 1 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The Franklin-Lutter fight was expected to earn co-main event status with an Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson title fight also scheduled for the event.

According to J.T. Stewart, Franklin’s publicity manager, the 33-year-old fighter recently experienced swelling of his knee — the same knee in which he tore a meniscus “several years ago” in a UFC match. His doctor determined that floating particles from the first injury had caused swelling, and while examining the knee, he realized Franklin had again suffered a similar tear.

The UFC’s former middleweight champ will fly to Las Vegas for corrective surgery, which will take place during the first week of January.

Franklin expects to return to the octagon sometime in or around June, Stewart said.

Franklin last competed at UFC 77, where he suffered a second-round TKO to Anderson Silva in a hometown event. Franklin initially lost his belt to Silva at UFC 64 in October 2006 but rebounded for victories over Jason MacDonald and Yushin Okami to earn the rematch.

Prior to the UFC 77 fight, Franklin signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC that goes into effect for his next fight.

Franklin debuted with the UFC in 2003 and has fought exclusively for the organization since 2005. He owns a career 22-3 record, which includes a 9-2 mark in the UFC.

Halcyon

2007-12-21T14:23:00.000-05:00

halcyon adj

Pertaining to, or resembling, the kingfisher, which was anciently said to lay her eggs in nests on or near the sea during the calm weather about the winter solstice.

Calm; quiet; peaceful; undisturbed; happy

Update on Rich Franklin

2007-12-19T20:25:00.000-05:00

Apparently the Travis Lutter fight is rumor... sorry folks...

Hi guys. First off, I would like to thank everyone for the support. Thank you for the support leading up to, and since the fight with Anderson. He is a great fighter and deserves everyone's respect as a fighter, person, and ambassador to our sport. Also thank you for supporting American Fighter.

Todd tries to maintain our Myspace account because of my hectic schedule. Hopefully he is doing a good job for you all. He spends a good amount of time on here and does it for free. Sometimes he gets a t-shirt.

I am told there are rumors of me fighting multiple people in March. I have not signed for a fight in March. I don't believe that I am allowed to fight more than once in a night. I hope this clears up any confusion. I have not signed to fight anyone in March, or any other month.

Happy Holidays

RF

Langeweile

2007-12-19T20:22:00.001-05:00

Langeweile

Noun

Langeweile f.

boredom

PF Changs

2007-12-19T20:08:00.000-05:00

Today was nice as my commercial director and associate director for R&D took out to lunch, double nice it was Changs. PF Changs simply rocks. I never ate Chinese food growing up, and really have only ate it for about 9 years (co-incides with meeting my wife). Needless to say, Chang's Spicy Chicken (add Cashews) is in my top echelon of foods to eat. More on Changs below from Wikipedia.

P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Inc. is a restaurant chain founded in 1993 offering American Chinese cuisine in an upscale atmosphere. The elaborate décor is designed to give the impression of a Chinese village. The chain is based in Scottsdale, Arizona. The initials "P.F." stands for the founder of the chain, Paul Fleming, while the "Chang" is derived from Fleming's co-developer, Phillip Chiang. As of December 2005, P.F. Chang's maintained 133 restaurants in 34 states.

More on Rich Franklin

2007-12-18T06:50:00.000-05:00

UFC 82: Rich Franklin vs. Travis Lutter fight booked

Former middleweight champion Rich Franklin will look to get back on the winning track against 185-pound winner of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 4, Travis Lutter, at UFC 82 on March 2 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Dave Melter from WrestlingObserver.com confirmed the rumored bout in a recent print edition of his newsletter. In fact, it will serve as a co main event alongside the middleweight showdown between current division titleholder, Anderson Silva, and PRIDE FC Welterweight Champion, Dan Henderson.

More on this match up coming soon. In the meantime check out the latest UFC 82 rumored fight card right here.

See you at BW3's or Wings N Rings March 2nd.

Echelon

2007-12-18T06:46:00.000-05:00

Etymology

French échelon, from échelle 'ladder'.

Pronunciation

(RP) IPA: /ˈɛʃəlɒn/
(US) IPA: /ˈɛʃəlɑːn/

Noun

Singular
echelon

Plural
echelons

echelon (plural echelons)

A level or rank in an organization, profession, or society.
(military) A formation of troops, ships, etc. in parallel rows with the end of each row projecting further than the one in front.

Translations

A level or rank in an organization, profession, or society.

A formation of troops

valetudinarian

2007-12-17T09:47:00.000-05:00

valetudinarian (comparative more valetudinarian, superlative most valetudinarian)

Of infirm health; seeking to recover health; sickly; weakly; infirm.

Richards

2007-12-17T08:03:00.001-05:00

Let's say that I was fasting for some reason or another. This would be the place I break the fast at. Richard's is one of two hometown pizza places, and though I don't frequent their pizza these days (I had plenty of it as a kid though in the era before Pizza Hut, Papa John's and Domino's) the "famous" steak sandwich is in my opinion jsut that. It is simply phenomenal. It's in my top five of foods that I would eat if I were on my death bed. A little aside that Richard's served Mexican food when I was kid (pre-Taco Bell, 30 years ago) and I can remember eating a taco and burrito quite often. Those items vanished about 2- years ago but the memories still taste great. Richards has a holiday steak sandwich sendoff and has shipped them to steak sandwich lovers all over the United States. People send them to relatives and friends - and even place orders for themselves says owner Karen Underwood.

Here's how it works:

Each order of six sandwiches - precooked, frozen, packaged in dry ice in
heavy-duty reusable coolers and complete with reheating instructions - can
be sent anywhere in the United States. (Prices higher to Alaska and Hawaii).
Unfortunately, customs regulations prohibit shipments to foreign countries.

All of the sandwich ingredients are packaged separately including six 88%
lean beef patties, sweet Spanish onions, crunchy pickles, tasty
secret-recipe sauce, and toasted Italian buns.

Orders can be placed in person, by phone, or on the website. People phoning
in orders or using the website may use Visa, MasterCard, American Express,
or Discover.

To avoid shipping problems with perishable products during the holiday
season, we take orders each year from November through December 31 and ship
the sandwiches on January 8 to arrive before January 11. We will send each
recipient an acknowledgment card and free gift from Richards. All orders
placed before the deadline of December 12 will have the card and gift
arrive before Christmas Day. The final order deadline is December 31.

Prices vary each year depending on the shipping rates and fuel surcharges
charged by the shipping company. The prices for the 2007 Send Off (for all
states except Alaska and Hawaii), including shipping, are:

$68 - 6 regular steak sandwiches (original sauce, pickle and onion)
$71 - 6 steak sandwiches with cheese added
$74 -6 steak sandwiches with cheese and mushrooms.

If you have additional questions, you can send an email to steaksendoff@richardspizza.com, or you can click here to order.

Rich Franklin

2007-12-16T18:08:00.000-05:00

Some of you are well aware that I am huge Rich Franklin fan, and of course a main part of that is that he is a hometown guy who train minutes from my house and resides in the same neck of the 'Nati. I thoroughly enjoy the UFC and the Ultimate Fighter Reality Show (aka TUF). The UFC is not for everyone (my wife especially) but it has it place. I am of the firm opinion that the UFC is safer than boxing, which is well accepted. Fights are often stopped well before serious injury can occur. Of course if the fighter is "too macho" to refuse to tap (see Marlon Sims of TUF5) that is the fighter's own ignorance. More on Rich Franklin here and check his workout below.

More on North Point

2007-12-16T10:03:00.000-05:00

Reader Rich Barrett has chimed in with more North Point news !
this new worship CD from Access worship leaders Steve Fee, Todd Fields, Chrystina Fincher, and Eddie Kirkland and was recorded live this fall.

In-N-Out Burger

2007-12-16T09:10:00.000-05:00

The first in the series of Faves - Raves - Craves (basically things that define me) has to be In-N-Out Burger as I have only had it once, but boy was it memorable. It was late summer of 2000, when my wife (then pre-fiancée by a month girlfriend) visited my fraternity big brother and his wife in Santa Barbara, CA. The burgers, fries and milkshakes are incomparable . The California based franchise is the mecca of all things that are fast food today.

For your view pleasure, I have included the "secret menu" sourced from Wikipedia.

The Secret menu

There are also "secret" item specials, variations of the basic menu that are not listed on the menus in the stores, nor advertised. A few of these variations are detailed on the company's web site for all to see.

Some items on the "secret" menu have a slightly different price due to the addition or removal of ingredients — in particular, the meat and cheese.

X by Y: X meat patties and Y slices of cheese (for example, a 3 by 3 or a 2 by 4) In the past one could order as many meats and cheeses as they had wished. However in recent years the limit became an 8 by 8, then eventually the limit was lowered to a 4 by 4.

Triple Meat: Three meat patties without cheese.

Animal style: In addition to the usual condiments, mustard fried on the meat, pickles, extra spread and grilled onions are added.

Animal Style Fries: Fries with cheese, spread, and grilled onions.

Double Meat: Two meat patties without cheese.

Extra Everything: Adds extra spread, tomato, lettuce, and onions (regular or grilled).

Flying Dutchman: Two meat patties and two slices of melted cheese.

Extra Toast: Bun is cooked longer so it is extra toasted.

Fries "Light": Almost raw fries that are cooked for less time.

Fries "Well": Fries that are cooked longer to be extra crisp.

Fries with cheese: Fries with two slices of melted cheese placed on top.

Grilled Cheese: Two slices of melted cheese, tomato, lettuce and spread on a bun, with no meat. There is also a Grilled Cheese Animal Style (grilled onions are added).

Choco-Vanilla Swirl Shake: Chocolate and vanilla flavors combined in one shake.

Neapolitan Shake: All three shake flavors (strawberry, vanilla and chocolate) combined in one shake.

Root Beer Float: Vanilla shake with root beer combined.

Protein Style: Instead of a bun, the burger is wrapped in lettuce. This style of burger was created when customers started asking for it in the early 1970s.In addition to burgers, a protein style Grilled Cheese is available.

Veggie Burger: A burger without the meat and cheese.

Spread: Extra packets of refrigerated Thousand Island dressing in packages marked "Spread".

Lemon up: 1/2 lemonade 1/2 7-up

Fred08

2007-12-16T08:20:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, as of now, I am supporting Fred Thompson in the Republican Debates. Here's a little "propaganda" (j/k) for you. Please vote in the Primaries and the General Election. Voting is a privilege that is often taken for granted. Your vote does count.

Tableau vivant

2007-12-16T08:12:00.000-05:00

Tableau vivant (correct plural: tableaux vivants) is French for "living picture." The term describes a striking group of suitably costumed actors or artist's models, carefully posed and often theatrically lit. Throughout the duration of the display, the people shown do not speak or move. The approach thus marries the art forms of the stage with those of painting/photography, and as such it has been of interest to modern photographers.

Sidewall Prophets

2007-12-16T07:56:00.000-05:00

Enjoy this from Sidewalk Prophets... Anderson University grads mostly, who are friends with our Pastor's Daughter. They do "fill-in" worship at our Church when our Worship Pastor is out of town.

Their music is available on iTunes here
This one is just pure fun.

Adonai

2007-12-16T07:51:00.000-05:00

North Point Community Church Worship

2007-12-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

So for a bit now I have been trying to track down a song that we sing at church by Todd Fields called "You Are", with not much success. In fact I found another "You Are" on iTunes on a Women of Faith CD (it's actually decent). So anyhoo I stumble upon the version I really want on iTunes on Friday by pure divine act of God. It's a live version (even better, I totally prefer live albums... err... tracks..... I mean .mp3 files) that is on North Point Live. The cool part is has a bunch of other stuff I like as well. I need to talk to my worship pastor and crack his music collection. (Click the post title to see the CD at Amazon.)

Interesting enough North Point Community Church offers some of the same programs that our church does, that Andy Stanley (yes... son of Charles Stanley) is really making some waves.

For more on North Point Community Church -Alphretta, GA
visit North Point Community Church

For more on First Church of God - Hamilton, OH
visit First Church of God – Hamilton, OH

The Republican Jimmy Carter ?

2007-12-15T18:34:00.000-05:00

Ann Coulter doesn't like Huckabee. Interesting . . .

Star Wars Holiday Special ...

2007-12-15T16:51:00.001-05:00

Have yourselves a Jedi little Christmas ...

Lucasfilm is trying to out do the White House !

Click the post title for more Holiday goodness from Lucasfilm.

25 Skills Every Man Should Know: The List, Ready for Your Debate

2007-12-15T16:07:00.000-05:00

The List: How to...

1. Patch a radiator hose
2. Protect your computer
3. Rescue a boater who has capsized
4. Frame a wall
5. Retouch digital photos
6. Back up a trailer
7. Build a campfire
8. Fix a dead outlet
9. Navigate with a map and compass
10. Use a torque wrench
11. Sharpen a knife
12. Perform CPR
13. Fillet a fish
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid
15. Get a car unstuck
16. Back up data
17. Paint a room
18. Mix concrete
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle
20. Change oil and filter
21. Hook up an HDTV
22. Bleed brakes
23. Paddle a canoe
24. Fix a bike flat
25. Extend your wireless network

... 19 out 25

Portmanteau

2007-12-15T16:04:00.000-05:00

A portmanteau (IPA: /pɔrtˈmæntoʊ/), plural portmanteaux, is a word or morpheme that fuses two or more words or word parts to give a combined or loaded meaning. A folk usage of portmanteau refers to a word formed by combining both sounds and meanings from two or more words (e.g., spork from spoon and fork, animatronics from animated and electronics, guesstimate from guess and estimate, wikipedia from wiki and encyclopiedia, or ginormous from gigantic and enormous). Typically, portmanteaux are nonce words or neologisms. Portmanteaux are commonly used in science fiction for a wide variety of technical words, such as cyborg from cybernetic and organism.

Something...

2007-12-15T14:50:00.000-05:00

So here we are again ...

Something a little more eye catching and likable to my tastes.
Something that actually looks and responses to way I set up the template.
Something that makes me want to visit my blog.
Something that may make me feel more cyber entrepreneurial.

Something that I may actually keep up with.