Self-Help: the Ninja
May 12, 2007
Alright ladies and gentlemen, this week we’re going to explore the ins and outs of becoming one of the most feared warriors in history: the ninja. What makes a ninja a ninja? Who can become a ninja? What are the steps to becoming a ninja? Which ninja myths can be trusted and which are malarkey? and so on. By the time you’re finished reading, you will have the wherewithall to embark on your own spirit quest for enlightenment and stealthy assassination missions.
I know you’re salivating, I know you can’t wait to get to the meat, but bear with me while I’m legally bound to make the following disclaimer:
DISCLAIMER: Neither Mr. Thursday nor any of his affiliates, friends, writers, acquaintances, family members, pets, co-workers, or aliens within his gates can be held in anyway liable for any malicious, devious, ill-conceived, harmful, dangerous, illegal, malfeasant, or idiotic actions which any reader may attempt following appraisal and evaluation of the data contained below. This data is for personal use and is not, under any condition, to be shared with anyone who has a penchant for violence, a chemical imbalance, exaggerated testosterone levels, an overactive adrenal gland, a mean-spirited disposition, or scowls a lot. There is no 100% guarantee on the effectiveness of following the steps as any particular reader may fit the exclusion criteria and not even fully be aware of it at any given time. The author also disavows any personal knowledge or interaction with any ninjas themselves, or anyone who has ever claimed to have been at any time or even known at any time a real ninja, plenty of posers though. The following are all creations from the mind of a being far superior in intellect to you (me), and that is why the reader should read, attempt to comprehend as best he or she can, and meditate on the following teachings for years before actually ever attempting to complete any of the steps. The author also disavows any belief in the occult, magic, love-at-first-sight, bigfoot, million dollar bills, happily-ever-after, and the loch ness monster. Read the rest of this entry »
Dito Montiel’s A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006) is serious stuff. I watched it last Wednesday to write this piece and it’s been turning around in my brain ever since. It’s now Friday morning and my piece should be up by now. So I’m just going to share some thoughts. It will be none too structured and I ask your forgiveness in advance. After you click, we’ll discuss the plot, the editing, and then we’ll take on the title.
Sine Macula - In The Aeroplane Over the Sea
May 10, 2007
Neutral Milk Hotel’s history is fairly well-known among the indie music faithful. They came onto the scene in Georgia in the early 1990s. Their music was a lo-fi mish-mash of folk, indie, noise rock, and any other bits of music they could grasp onto for a fleet moment. They gained some attention to a larger audience with their brilliant, but very strange, On Avery Island and finally gained a huge following with this album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Shortly after the album was released, and its attentions gathered and swelled, Jeff Mangum, NHM’s principal member, their singer and songwriter and leader, decided he has had enough, and disappeared.
Since then, he’s released an CD of field recordings in eastern Europe, he’s appeared playing instruments on his friend’s albums, and he’s appeared on stage with Apples In Stereo and The Olivia Tremor Control. Every time his face appears in public, or anything related to music has his name attached to it, people come running, desperately hoping for the next Neutral Milk Hotel album. Such was the power of Aeroplane, released in 1998. It asked every question that every frightened, ignorant youth had, and evoked every emotion. It provided very few answers. In this sense, the album is absolutely devastating. That Mangum would open this door for us, and that he would never follow it up. I can’t blame him for it. But I can’t help but wonder at the album that will never be.
Rearranging the Furniture
May 10, 2007
David Pinto (formerly of Baseball Tonight, presently of the excellent Baseball Musings, and Baseball Prospectus) recently wrote one of the more interesting articles I’ve read in a long time. Pinto’s article, part of his The Big Picture series (subscription needed, I think), entitled Rescheduling, speaks to the difficulties of major league schedule making in the current day and age.
To paraphrase: Once upon a time, there were 16 teams, in two groups of eight. The teams in one group only played the seven other teams in their grouping, and that was that. Scheduling was easy–154 games, 8 teams. Each team played each other team 22 times–11 times at home, and 11 times on the road. Then the leagues expanded, and with them, the number of games played. 10 teams per league, coupled with a 162-game schedule meant that each team played each other team 18 times. Still, pretty easy.
Now, of course, there are 14 teams in the AL, and 16 in the NL. They’re divided into 3 divisions per league, with divisions of 5, 5, and 4 teams in the AL, and 5, 6 and 4 teams in the NL. Each team plays all the other teams in their LEAGUE, in seemingly random amounts (7 games against Team A, and 11 against Team B). In addition to the league games, every team plays a number of Interleague games. Every year, each team plays a number of other teams so few times that it’s immensely difficult for to make up postponed games.
Furthermore, rivalries are diminishing by either (A) a dearth of games played or (B) a lack of quality competition, and thus, interest. Baseball’s justification for playing as many varied games as they do is to give fans a chance to see the superstars of the other league when they come to visit. After all, the average fan can’t afford to fly out to California to see Vladimir Guerrero tomahawk neck-high fastballs.
After the break, Pinto’s idea, which I’m going to extend almost as far as I can.
(Image from Worth 1000)
Google Earth
May 9, 2007
Google is a benevolent empire that has invaded every portion of our technological lives from basic information search to U.S. patent searches to shopping. Everything is on Google. Therefore, it wasn’t much of a stretch that their new feature: Google Earth would be equally amazing. “Hey! I can see my house from space!” Who doesn’t enjoy that?
When exploring Google Earth, one can scan over areas of the entire world. The United States and much of Western Europe are highly detailed. When you zoom in enough, you can pick out roads, favorite parks, cars, etc. When you drift farther away from the West, the picture becomes a little fuzzier. Tajikistan shows all of the physical characteristics of the country, but I couldn’t see one hut. (But if you want to look at something fun, find Mount Everest). However, there is one part of Google Earth that stands out when you scan the world. In the middle of Africa, you can see a series of fires, videos, and what appears to be a chaotic conglomeration of links and pictures. This is Darfur.
GoodEnough for Me: Regression
May 9, 2007
Our season-long leader, Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka, was brutal in his last start. 5 innings pitched, but 5 walks, 5 hits, and only 1 strikeout. Needless to say, he took a big hit. His past performances kept him in the lead, in addition to the rest of the starters having less than stellar weeks, but the gap is narrowing. Phil Hughes had a fabulous, no hit outing, before getting injured. He’ll miss the next month, but in the meanwhile, he’ll sit in second place.
Tim Lincecum debuted for the Giants on Sunday, and struck out 5 in 5 innings, but he walked 5 as well, and the Phillies capitalized on his mistakes. The top seven rookie starters are all around league average. Everyone else has been a significant detriment to their team.
All the relievers have been good for their teams. Hideki Okajima’s no-look delivery is getting plenty of attention, but Joe Smith has been every bit his equal, and hasn’t allowed an earned run yet in 15 1/3 innings pitched. Smith has been a bit lucky, but his numbers so far indicate a superb performance. Smith is walking a few too many, but striking out a ton of guys, and has been paltry with the hits. Of concern, however, is that Smith is on pace for nearly 100 appearances. This is hard on anyone’s arm, but especially a player so young and fresh, I have to assume the Mets are going to scale back Smith’s appearances in the near future.
Missafrackin WordPress
May 8, 2007
Nice big post about GoodEnough…Poof! Gone.
I quit. I’ll post tomorrow. Argh.
We’ll Get Around to It
May 8, 2007
How were your weekends?
The past two days were busy, spending time seeking pizza in Boston (Regina’s in the North End, fantastic), watching baseball, and harassing Mrs Thursday as she finishes her final paper for Boston University. And that was just Sunday. Yesterday, we had to drive 5.5 hours to get back to Philly. Needless to say, we didn’t want to write then, either. But, joy of joys, I’m back today! Got up at 4AM, and I’ll still give you a post or two before House starts.
Just didn’t want ya’ll to get lonely. We’re around…
