73 days until Opening Day
29 days until pitchers and catchers
21 days until the Iowa caucuses
12 days until Fan Fest
10 days until the new Picard show
What are you waiting for? Let’s grill.
Waiting Room Grill 379
379 thoughts on “Waiting Room Grill”
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This NYT editorial board interview with Bernie Sanders is a pretty fun read. Hard not to like the guy on a personal level, even if his “organizer in chief” plan for legislating is kind of bogus.
This is my favorite part, because he refuses to buy into the panel’s bullshit question (the bracketed part is the panel reflecting on his non-answer).
That is likable.
I just wish he would show how he gets his policies implemented and not tell us its happening because of the movement.
It annoys me greatly how he skates on that.
Ron Dellums did this when running for Oakland mayor. “It’s not what I’ll do, it’s what you’ll do when I’m in office.” Thankfully Bernie does not appear to have the same entitled-to-be-lazy sensibility.
I think that the whole discourse on this question is stupid. Bernie is not going get the masses to rise up and demand that his measures be enacted. Biden is not going to convince even one R senator to support whatever bland proposals he makes. For me there are three things that actually matter (I am going to assume a Biden/Bernie race):
1. Electability. Sort of hard to say, but Biden seems to be a better choice. This also has relevant senate coattail effects that will have a larger effect on the victor’s legislative agenda than what the candidates want to do.
2. Appointments: Biden will appoint the usual folks. Bernie will appoint a mix of interesting people who will do creative good stuff, and clowns who will do stupid bullshit. I would personally take Biden on this by a bit.
3. Foreign policy. Huge advantage to Bernie, best reason to vote for him. Could potentially permanently get the D’s out of our ridiculous bipartisan foreign policy.
I liked Booker…..
that’s fair.
I am supporting Warren. Biden is fine, which I think may be a problem. HR Clinton didn’t win because she didn’t mobilize people the way Obama did. I don’t think Biden will mobilize people either. I think Warren Can do a better job of that (plus my politics are closer to warren/Sanders)
I like Warren too:
– She is running on actual policies (most of which are ones I like). It is probably a tactical mistake to go all-in on single payer (and some of the other more ambitious ones too) but even on that count she at least is more specific than Bernie about how the details of how they could work.
– When asked about issues outside of her core policies, she usually gives smart answers focusing on the parts that are actually important. This seems astonishingly rare.
– She seems to have pretty broad support across demographics, and does best in all the polls that include both first and second choices, or approve/disapprove as the nominee. In contrast, Biden will turn off the Bernie voters, and Bernie will turn off some of the establishment.
– She is a Democrat.
For me, Warren closest at 14/20.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/policy-2020/quiz-which-candidate-agrees-with-me/
It’s tricky when you’re offered yes/no answers which could mean many things.
For example, no on universal basic income because minimum wage is meaningless without maximum wage is very different from no on universal basic income because the poor are feckless ne’er-do-wells.
Also a lot of questions where I went with “should consider” but could see myself either agreeing or disagreeing depending on the details of plan.
Bloomberg: 16/20
Biden: 15/20
Sanders and Warren: 5/20
Sounds about right. I’m surprised I have even that much in common with the two farthest to the left.
I think many of the policies that are punching bags for the right wing troll media are far more conservative in the abstract
so it makes sense to me that you wouuld score some points on the warren/sanders scale
I closed the tab and can’t remember the exact details, but my top two were Warren and Steyer (!) at about 11, with everyone but Tulsi fairly close behind.
For me, primary elections don’t really come down to specific policy positions. I mainly look at the full group of people who I think are broadly on my side of the important stuff and then look at what they seem to care most about and how effective I think they will be at drawing up and executing plays in office. That leads me to Warren in this case.
Should have given them the death penalty, SMU football style.
Reading between the lines, I’m guessing we won’t be seeing Alex Cora for a while either. I am very curious what is going to turn up on the 2018 Red Sox.
My wife has heard rumors about a lifetime ban for Cora. Seems like a lot, but maybe if they get him for cheating in Houston and Boston with warnings in between.
This is meh. I think most teams would be willing to make this trade for a World Series title.
From Passan:
The punishment for the organization seems inadequate in the short term (apparently $5M fine was the maximum possible). The lost draft picks may hurt a few years down the road.
The fact that all players were given immunity in advance is crazy. Since many of them will be gone from the organization by then, it means they face essentially no consequences at all for blatantly cheating.
Even getting caught isn’t a mistake any more.
At some point, I have to think the names of these players from the report will come out:
We live in an age where the coverup is no longer worse than the crime.
There is at least some chance that Carlos Beltran is going to get canned before he manages a single game.
Crazy to think that the Dodgers, instead of still having that title as their last, could have had the only back-to-back of the millennia.
LOL
Good.
I mean, they cost him a year of a 7th inning reliever!
He’s secretly firing Hinch for not using Cole in game 7.
Crane was shocked, shocked! to find that sign stealing is going on here.
Luhnow: “I am deeply upset that I wasn’t informed of any misconduct becasue I would have stopped it.”
Come ON man.
shit, am I going to have to agree with manfred that the astros front office culture is bad?
This guy is mostly an idiot, but his fine university training helps him identify and share quality memes
I really enjoy how committed he is to hating on the Astros.
Obligatory:
https://www.youtube.com/SGJFWirQ3ks
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good.
Huh, 43 games at 2B last year. Bats lefty.
Also says it is a multi-player deal.
Kemp himself looks pretty meh, but maybe he can help set up a trash-can banging system.
Two words: Jon. Lester.
Also says Hinch is a “superb person.”
I will actually agree with that. Loved him in his time in Fresno. But that was as a good AAA player, which seems pretty darn close to his ceiling.
He made some incredibly smug and condescending comments during the playoffs when questioned about sign stealing when, per the report, he clearly knew it was going on. That knocks him down a lot in my eyes.
This dude is only good against the A’s.
Oh wow:
.258/.347/.530 against the A’s for his career.
.233/.314/.367 against everyone.
3 of his 15 career homers (Hatcher, Petit, Trivino).
I just don’t get the point of this. Is this 2B they’re going to go with? He projects to be replacement level and he’s out of options which just adds to the current mess at 2B. You’re better off just rolling the dice with Barreto/Mateo/Neuse because at least there’s some upside there.
His only value is that he’s left handed and now he can no longer hurt us – not that there was much of a chance of that since he was out of the division.
Seems like they are planning to platoon a lot at 2B and do a lot of pinch hitting, pinch running, and defensive replacing there and in the outfield to take advantage of the extra roster spot. Most importantly, he’s cheap.
Isn’t this pretty much the approach the A’s have taken to fill every roster hole since, I dunno, the Jon Lester acquisition?
Hm, I’m not quite sure I follow. Do you mean the acquiring him cause he won’t hurt us anymore part?
No I mean plugging holes with cheap players who are wishcasted to be at best marginal upgrades.
Ah, yes this would definitely qualify as one of those many examples.
He hit .212/.291 last year. WHY ???
who dis?
new decade.
In a different age, a different time, a different blog that shall not be named, I was “goodmeat” which is not a sexually-suggestive inference but rather a nod to my career of the past 25 years…A’s fan since 1972.
Welcome!
oh, phew, I thought you were someone changing their name and I was supposed to figure it out from the signature line
you welcome, we are not as prolific as we once were, I blame bed
Yeah – FK those name changes
I see you
Me so Hornsby.
nice. great. hello!
If anyone else is wondering, there was one spot open on the 40-man.
I am waiting for this college basketball season to end, omg what a terrible team Carolina turned out to be this year.
NIT Finals vs. Syracuse
Kony Temp
Bolstering our standing with the Lord’s Resistance Army.
RC Colaseum?
They’re missing the obvious co-branding opportunity.
RC=RC, or RC=Ring Central?
Depends on how much they have budgeted for finder’s fees.
“Boy Wonder” indeed.
They should’ve just thrown him in the pool before each scene.
Donaldson to the Twins
Not making anything out of it, just putting it out there:
Astros 2017/2018 Home Record:
94-68
Astros 2017/2018 Away Record:
110-52
H/A wRC+ wOBA R/G K% B%
H 114 .331 4.70 17.9 8.8
A 116 .344 5.71 18.8 8.5
what about the opponents of the astros? how was their batting at the astrodome v their home parks?
Aslo, wasn’t there allegations that they had some road scheme too?
Memes? Memes!
An Oakland treasure.
“start taking care of y’all mentals, y’all bodies and y’all chickens…”
Drunk-driving-hit-and-run piece of shit.
I don’t remember the details (2008 in Buffalo) but Googling suggests no proof of drunkenness, pled to a misdemeanor, very minor injuries. I’m inclined not to deem that damning for a then-23 year old.
The victim was lying in the street for 15 minutes. No, no proof of drunkenness because he left the (3:30 AM outside a bar) scene. He also had a gun charge prior to that, and another DUI after, all of which get conveniently memory-holed in the recounting of his colorful past in those “national treasure” takes.
It’s problematic to hold any celebrity up as an example of goodness, or to imagine we “know” anyone through a media lens. But Lynch is demonstrably an Oakland treasure, from his substantial local charity work to his voter registration efforts to the clip I linked above, where he speaks directly to young poor black men in their (his) vernacular. He has remained Oakland real to his core, and I respect that.
I’ve been intermittently half-watching more NHL this season because of all the local broadcasts being on ESPN+ and the Warriors sucking. Is my impression correct that this is some sort of golden age for offensive, skilled hockey? The action feels more back and forth than I remember it being, and there are a lot of spectacular goals. Like this one I happened to catch last night.
The clampdown on obstruction a few years back has definitely opened up the ice for a more fluid game. Scoring is up for 4th year in a row.
It’s too bad that your increased chance to watch hockey coincides with the worst Sharks team since 2014-15 (coincidentally the last season before the obstruction emphasis).
All of this information from Lev Parnas flooding out on Impeachment Trial Eve is quite something for the history books.
Starting to think my congressperson’s timing on when to name managers and ship the articles over was sound.
if only the content and timing would reach anybody — a single person — who doesn’t already know it’s true.
i’m sure we all already hate-checked front page fox news.
She is such a rollercoaster, but I never feel bad about voter for her
Man, tough to get rid of a guy who hasn’t lost a single game in his managerial career.
why do people so misunderstand every aspect of this story, like, you know, Jessica Mendoza
get ready to hit pause to catch all the names.
This comment has aged pretty well.
Manfred wants everyone to believe that the Astros cheating was limited to 2017. I’m sure they saw the error of their ways and stopped after winning a championship with no consequences whatsoever.
People seem to be questioning whether that person is really Beltran’s niece or really knows anything, though I agree with your larger point.
The loss of Deadspin feels particularly acute with all of this going on.
Bloomberg is campaigning in Oakland today. Feel the excitement.
With Iowa looking muddled and likely undefinitive, Bloomberg’s March primary strategy is looking prescient. Avoids getting dragged into the 20 person debates and the horse race reporting that sunk Kamala and others
That strategy is only available to a candidate who can self-fund, so basically him and Steyer.
It’s still hard to see how he catches on. Which people are going to vote for him in the primaries? For Biden, Warren, and Bernie we have pretty clear answers to that. I have a harder time seeing it for Bloomberg, or for Buttigieg for that matter.
Supposedly he has said he will continue spending lavishly for whoever the eventual nominee is against Trump, so maybe it’s more than the usual billionaire vanity campaign. We’ll see.
Caucuses are a net negative, but the one benefit is it forces anot insignificant amount of voters into their second choice because of non viability in the precinct. I am hoping there is enough nomentum for Steyer and Bloomberg to sink them before California
Nah, both of them will still be running hard on March 3. Bloomberg in particular is throwing enough $$$ on TV that he’ll be able to claim some support after Super Tuesday. His path depends on people turning to him after that as a moderate/electable alternative. So probably requires some kind of Biden implosion.
Steyer OTOH will be dead in water March 4
This has been another FSU’s Locks production.
who is “Steyer?”
Biden hasn’t quite imploded yet, but structural integrity is waning after Iowa. I have a hard time seeing the non-Iowa/New Hampshire party rallying around Mayor Pete as the Bernie alternative, so the big machers may have to choose between Warren or Bloomy as their standard bearer.
538 delegate forecast now has Bernie at 37%, no majority 27%, Biden 21%, Warren 10%, Buttigieg 6%.
saw that. I am not sure what to make of any of it. I can’t see Sanders topping his base. they are so alienating.
But biden does not seem into it at all.
In this field, I don’t see anyone getting a majority. It’ll make for an ugly convention.
Brokered convention (no one with majority) now in the lead, with 38% to 36% for Sanders.
Biden is looking pretty implody now. So, unfortunately, is Warren. So it’s down to Buttigieg, Bloomy, or Klobuchar for the machers to rally behind against Bernie.
Since the Dems always seem to nominate the Biden, the fact that they seemingly won’t this time is great news.
Biden always seemed like the place-holder front-runner to me, with good name recognition but not much real enthusiasm for him. Though I didn’t think he would fade this early.
OTOH, per my comment above I thought Buttigieg was purely a product of media narrative with no real constituency behind him, and it seems like I was very wrong about that one. I’m still not really clear on who thinks he is the best candidate (or why they think that).
Me twenty or thirty years ago probably would have been thrilled by someone like Bernie. Me now sees him getting crushed by Trump.
I had been excited about California getting our primary early this year. Now if Warren has really faded, I may be voting for … Klobuchar? Didn’t see that coming.
We have an opportunity for an “early voting” expression preference for the caucus, for whatever that’s worth, this Saturday (actual caucus is at the high school a week from Saturday; thanks for inviting me but I’ll pass). I’m not voting for Warren or Sanders unless it’s against Trump; am kind of leaning toward “Amy For America” but will think about it over the next few days.
This was a ranked-choice ballot, must list 3 but not more than 5. I think they were going to use the Iowa app originally, but for some reason they didn’t; it was ballpoint pen on plain copy paper which will have to be hand-counted. Bloomberg missed whatever deadline they set so he wasn’t on there.
I went with:
1. Klobuchar
2. Buttigieg
3. IDGAF (technically “Uncommitted”)
iono. that warren memo seemed to imply not giving up before california.
and i think buttigieg needs to face some real states.
and if you caught those horny klobuchar screengrabs, that’s even stranger to see coming.
Horny what now?
i mean, it’s just a representative two or three. but they leave a mark.
https://twitter.com/search?q=horny%20klobuchar&src=typed_query
Voting for Warren no matter what. I like her and feel no need to game the vote.
I’ll get behind the nominee, can’t vote for a prosecutor in the primary.
the delegate race is not a wide
Could you vote for Chesa Boudin?
heh. Turns out, I was running around so much in the week before the election, I didn’t!
I really really thought it wouldn’t matter.
posted too quick
anyway, vote for who you want. March 3 is the last day of the primary race
The problem with Biden is that historically he’s horrifically bad at campaigning. Not entirely sure how he ever gets elected but I’ve saw an article a year or so ago dedicated to his various campaign trail blunders. I wouldn’t count him out based on these two states, but if the next two don’t see a rise started, he’s done.
Weird situation. Pete and Klobuchar are both set up poorly to compete in the nv, sc, and super Tuesday states, especially since they are competing for the same voters (and the same voters as Bloomberg.) If Biden has some type of semi-comeback that would make it even more crowded/good for Bernie. I’m slightly annoyed by Bloomberg getting all these endorsements when he’s basically a mainstream 90s-00s republican.
Like some above, I’d be inclined to vote for Klobuchar as of now and I’d be pleased if she got the nomination. but I don’t like her chances very much. Pete seems very likely to beat her in NV which could kill the momentum. Not happy at all about Bernie, Pete, or Bloomberg, but I think they may have the best chances now (obviously Bernie has the best chance at this point)…
Ed and AV are probably right that Warren is not dead yet.
Still, I’ll be holding onto my absentee ballot until the last few days before deciding how to vote.
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In theory a donor-funded big name candidate like Hillary could have taken the late entry route. Too late now of course, barring the oft-discussed but rarely seen brokered convention scenario.
With the Dem primaries mostly resulting in split delegations (unlike Republican ones, which are more often winner take all), and 3-5 candidates who seem to have significant support, it seems like no one having a majority before the convention is a real possibility. But maybe that’s not unusual for this time of year, as the horse race can change pretty significantly once voting starts, and someone can go from front runner to out within a few weeks.
This got me thinking, because the non-majority/brokered convention is a quadra-periennial storyline. Recent non-incumbent Democratic nominees:
Hillary
Obama ’08
Kerry
Gore
Clinton ’92
Dukakis
Mondale
Carter
McGovern
It’s been since 1988 that one was even remotely close approaching the convention (Jesse Jackson. I’m also reminded that Joe Biden ran that year and dropped out early from a plagiarism scandal). Before that it’s 1972 and McGovern, still not so close come convention time but stayed broadly close late into the primaries. You have to go back to the ill-fated 1968 Chicago convention to find even an opportunity for a brokered convention.
AS I recall, Jerry brown in 92 made it to march before the comeback kid steam rolled
Jerry was a funny candidate in ’92, the outsider who found traction because the many mainstream pols were so tepid. His schtick was to recite his 800 number any time a camera pointed his way, to directly reach voters early because the horse race pundits otherwise wouldn’t cover him. All the other candidates looked down their noses at Jerry but I actually remember Clinton in a debate expressing admiration for the clever 800 number gimmick.
That said, Brown had more a lot more buzz than votes come mid March, was never really very close.
I used to use that number when asked on various forms. I totally forgot about it
My kid is now getting Bloomberg 2020 ads during the YouTube videos he watches of people playing Nintendo games.
big if bloomberg can get 60% of 10-16 year olds
I’m intrigued by London Breed’s endorsement of Bloomberg, following the endorsements by the San Jose and Stockton mayors.
I have to admit that there is a lot I personally find appealing about Bloomberg. I think he genuinely cares about cities, about environmental policy, and about reducing gun violence, and he’s putting his money where his mouth is. Noblesse oblige has it’s virtues sometimes. I think he would make a perfectly cromulent president.
More cynical take: Bloomberg gives a lot of money directly to cities. A mayor stands to benefit quite a lot from being in his good graces.
Bloomberg is running an ad that is just pictures of him and Obama doing stuff together, and Obama calling him a leader and whatnot. Biden must be seething over that.
My arm started tingling today, so I thought I should visit the homeland.
Welcome home, Dorothy!
DMOAS!
This is probably the worst way to handle it
Just here for the memes
I’ll pick KC and SF to each cover -7.5, but will root for the opposite and a Green Bay vs Tennessee Super Bowl.
I don’t like either team, but Mahomes sure is fun to watch.
How perfectly on point that Mike Pence’s profile in courage is a guy who took bribes to agree to vote with the racists.
I’m in the middle of reading the Ron Chernow biography of Grant right now. It is astonishing what a racist shithead Andrew Johnson was. That impeachment was all kinds of weird though, what with there being no vice president in place and the articles being based on violation of a prettly clearly unconstitutional law. Just a tragic era all around.
This Mahomes kid is pretty good.
– 42 rushes, 8 pass attempts; there were some NFL games like that when I first started watching sports in the early 70s but that’s almost unimaginable today unless it’s an extreme typhoon or snow bowl game.
– “Mike Will Get It Done” doesn’t quite grab me as a campaign ad slogan (Bloomberg).
– There is no FKing way I am going to watch a show that has Rob Lowe cast in the lead as a firefighter.
– I could have missed something but I think Phish pulled an upset on the Grateful Dead’s home turf. In Fox’s outro music going to commercials I had First Tube and Axilla from Phish but only Estimated Prophet from the Dead.
I’ve heard “Bertha” and “Free” so far today (and apparently missed “Character Zero”).
That Fox Sports producer is still at it.
Since it’s for the iRacing series I assume he’ll be using Guitar Hero.
“Althea” during the NLCS.
And “Happy Hour Hero” from moe. for the Monday Afternoon Football game in Buffalo. Well played Fox bumper music guy.
Somehow I hadn’t noticed that two of the best teams in the NFL were playing at (checks watch) 3:00 on Monday afternoon.
Maybe if you split KC in two.
“Stash”!!!
Somebody must have a Twitter account that’s keeping track of all of these. I went looking for it but didn’t find it right away.
Getting warmer…
I think my detective work is closing in on this.
Yes, looks like that is the guy.
Or at least one of them:
I didn’t see this until today: SI piece on Jake Jolivette from a few weeks ago.
I hadn’t seen that either. Thanks.
“Whose hippie cousin took the aux cord?” Taglined.
And another one in Billboard.
It’s been a bit since I’ve been in these parts but I bumped in to AV on Saturday and today BA released the A’s top 10 so I’ll take it as a sign. BA’s top 10:
1 Jesus Luzardo, LHP
2 A.J. Puk, LHP
3 Sean Murph, C
4 Daulton Jefferies, RHP
5 Austin Beck, OF
6 Robert Pauson, SS
7 Sheldon Neuse, 3B
8 Jorge Mateo, SS
9 Logan Davidson, SS
10 Nick Allen, SS
Jim Bowden has a top-50 prospects list at The Athletic:
8. Luzardo — “my pick for American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 2020”
24. Murphy — “He’ll be a Rookie of the Year candidate this year”
Puk didn’t make the list.
that’s a lot of graduates.
Good I guess that BA doesn’t see Beck as a bust yet.
I’ll bet we see Jefferies in Oakland this summer. Not much point in letting a guy like that suffer through pitching in Vegas too long when he is already on the roster and you are trying to limit innings for Luzardo and Puk.
always happy to be part of a sign!
BP Top 101:
9. Luzardo
17. Puk
44. Murphy
Seattle has two in the top 10.
Fangraphs:
6. Luzardo
25. Puk
62. Murphy
Have they scrapped KATOH?
The creator took it private.
wow, the Rays have another Lowe on the way.
This happened last night two streets over from where I live. This place was occupied by an elderly couple. I saw the Sunnyvale DPS performing CPR on the person who was taken to the hospital (my guess is the wife).
Edited to actually include the link. My FK-fu is weak from too long of a layoff.
ohhhh. i didn’t know glenn greenwald was married to a man. now i get the exile. wondering if now they do qualify for a greencard visa. not sure how it’d work with the kids tho.
stuff i found out while wondering if he was looking for a new country.
His husband is in Congress now, so I doubt they would leave Brazil even if they could barring a true return to dictatorship there.
Man, Greenwald has gone full propaganda rage mode against Biden and basically every other Democrat since Tuesday. If it weren’t for Trump and Bolsonaro being Mar a Lago buddies, there would be no doubt that he would be supporting Trump in about two weeks.
haven’t been keeping up.
against bernie too?
No, just against Democrats.
he is fun.
I got a mailer today from Berkeley mayoral candidate Wayne Hsiung prominently featuring Glenn Greenwald’s endorsement. Fitting, as Hsiung is a fanatic Direct Action Anywhere organizer known to locals for extorting the Local Butcher Shop.
Nothing says “People’s Champion” like getting paid huge money to shill for an entity that gets is sources arrested.
FK those people even more than before.
Adam Schiff is a wonderful advocate.
Excellent drive-by slam of Dershowitz: “They have to bring in a criminal defense attorney to make an argument that no reputable consitutional lawyer would make”
“I’m sure if we could read under these redactions it would be a ‘very perfect’ email.”
He’s really a joy to watch.
Intellectually I love the line of argument about carrying Putin’s water. I mean, if anything was going to make Republicans actually waver you’d think doing the bidding of our biggest rival might be it.
But hoping for a Republican return to rationality is probably a sucker’s bet.
Presumably Rob Drake is sitting in his living room watching Fox News and angrily polishing his AR-15.
I guess we will hear from him soon.
Wow, I did not think Larry Walker was going to get there after seeing so many stupid ballots with people leaving him off only to vote for Omar Vizquel or Jeff Kent or whatever. Good for him.
LOL
Stathead type, or (more likely I think) one of the old codgers who thinks nobody short of Babe Ruth should be unanimous? (“I grudgingly voted for Mariano Rivera but the next position player will be over my dead body.”)
– Schilling up from 51% 2018, 61% last year, 70% this year. He’s going to get in next year, isn’t he?
– Bonds and Clemens remain stalled out around 60%.
– Of the also-rans, Rolen seems like a way better choice than Vizquel (to state the obvious).
– Giambi got 6 votes, and will be off the ballot after one year. He was more HoVG anyway, but the steroid stuff combined with more general anti-slugger bias really kills him.
– Chavez got 2 votes, 1 of them public. Guess who?
A lot of reconsideration /change of perspective among the Chron crew this year. Didn’t John Shea used to be a no steroids guy? I can’t find the linkable chron story but on print SuSlu wrote: “My formerly small-Hall stance has gone out the window because I’d like worthy candidates to stay on the ballot more than a year or two. That’s why I included Chavez this year…”
Bed bait
Zephyr Teachout is a real name?!
“It looks like ‘Middle Class’ Joe has perfected the art of taking big contributions, then representing his corporate donors at the cost of middle- and working-class Americans,” Ms. Teachout wrote. “Converting campaign contributions into legislative favors and policy positions isn’t being ‘moderate.’ It is the kind of transactional politics Americans have come to loathe.”
Not unique to Biden but that seems like a spot-on take to me.
it is spot on. Is it also, kinda the system? I mean, its like pointing out water is wet, yeah?
the whole bernie thing seems to be driven by people who think they have made a discovery. Such children
The best democracy money can buy.
Murdering a journalist is one thing, but hacking Jeff Bezos’ phone is serious.
Just had a travel expense claim refused because the receipts only show the last 4 digits of my credit card number, which turn out to be exactly the same as the campus credit card!
the amount of effort that went into rejecting your claim would pay for the claim itself.
Yeah. I mean it’s not his fault that Lamborghini dealership gives out partial receipts.
The Lamborghini of brewing systems at least.
Irma had to beg her way back to her old job in Reimbursement because the Social Security checks weren’t covering her expenses, but the last time she worked there she was dealing with stacks of carbon paper with the full imprint of the embossed card.
This thread hlep me process the MLB OAA. It *looks* wrong to me and this illustrated a problem with the comparing all positions together.
It’s pretty fun watching Man United settle into extended mediocrity.
So much fun.
NBC has a new trailer for their Premier League coverage that touts their resurgence. Ha!
One of the most disrespectful bat flips ever, in a good way. I’m excited about this guy now. (Ignore that he is batting .197/.289/.235 in the Dominican Winter League)
If you want to keep being excited about him, don’t look at his Dominican winter league stat line.
LOL, edited to add. It’s very bad!!
Este bestial indeed. The very last clip going over the stadium lights is awesome.
I think my favorite Trumpist anti-impeachment talking point is “they’re trying to use this constitutional provision to undo the result of an election!”
Setting aside that Pence becomes president and that Trump would still have gotten to be president for more than 3 years and done all manner of shit we’ll never be able to undo, a constiutional provision undoing the result of an election is why Trump became president in the first place!
In a season of so many Liverpool superlatives, is it churlish to so bitterly begrudge the 2 dropped points?
Yes, but I’ll allow it becuase they were to Man U.
And their goal included a blatant foul in the build-up – certainly much more than the “being in the 6 yard box” that had Firmino’s beauty disallowed last weekend.
I’ve never seen a player quite like Traore.
Epic Serena Williams match on ESPN2 right now
Thoughts on Picard for those who partake? I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
I liked it!
The set up felt a little rushed, particularly in one overly expositiony scene, but the overall vibe is cool and it is just so great to have that character played by that actor back in my life.
I also finally started watching Discovery now that I ponied up for the subscription. I like it too! And the captain is Zhukov from The Death of Stalin!!
I’ve watched both seasons and really enjoyed them. By the end of season 1 I really had thoughts that I might not like S2 (spoilery reasons so I wont discuss for now). But then really enjoyed S2.
I was worried it wouldn’t feel Star Treky enough based on the online whining I picked up, but it’s totally Star Treky. Right down to the incompetent admirals and the dropping of a goofy time loop episode right in the middle of the ongoing story.
The one thing I’m having trouble warming to are the Klingons. I can deal with them looking weird, but they are just pretty boring so far (episode 8).
The Klingons are a huge problem for me throughout. I think the writing for them is absolutely awful. Especially given all the potential that they have it is criminal that the dialogue is so stilted and bad.
Agreed for the most part. I think they have had a lot of wasted opportunities for the biggest ST “enemy race”.
I mean the biggest enemy races are:
1 Borg
2 Dominion
3 Romulans
3 Klingons
Having fallen off between DS9-ENT I have to defer to you on 2.
I actually just started a watch of DS9 so I guess I will have to make it and someday come back and agree or argue.
I really like DS9. It shows the value of star trek as a place in a way that I like. Its also more character-centric because of the longer story arcs
Pike is great. Bold choice casting Young Mitt Romney to play him.
I’m going to try and forget that image thank you. And yes, I think Pike was great and I very much want a Pike/#1/Spock series. Would prefer they had done that before a Section 31 show.
The whole Section 31 thing is pretty awful, imo (at least it is halfway through season 2). They are supposed to be this ultra-secret organization, and yet they seem to be operating completely in the open in a farily cartoonish manner.
Pike/Beardy Spock/Rebecca Romijn series is officially a go!
And they say it will be more episodic, which I think I will prefer. I dont want there to be NO continuity, but I like the “planet of the week”.
I’m starting to think there must be a sign in the Discovery writers room that reads “Can We Work In A Scene Where Michele Yeoh Does Kung Fu?”
are you guys on the Greatest Generation podcasts train?
I am….now. Thanks!
start from the beginning. Also greatest discovery is their discovery/picard pod
Yeah this podcast is great. Multiple times already laughing like an idiot on the muni.
Still really enjoying these podcasts. I’m growing more and more concerned, however, about how much the hosts are drinking! Many episodes now where they are taking a shot of beer every minute for an hour while recording or are just generally getting wasted.
can’t. too busy on the GOPiest generation gravy train.
Will have to check it out.
Disco 3 starts Thursday. Some of my friends seem down on it but they have given me 2 good seasons so I am giving them plenty of rope.
I’m into it. I haven’t loved everything about the show so far, but the cast is great, the characters are interesting, the look and feel of the show is cool, and I’m excited about the weird extreme future stories they are presumably going to be telling.
I think I may be in love with the Irish Romulan woman who looks after Picard.
I like them both and I am scared they are both spies who have been watching JLP this whole time.
I was starting to wobble a little, but the latest episode is fantastic. Sir Patrick’s still got it.
I also need to speed up my Voyager watch given the number of references they are dropping.
I will make it through S1, but it has been fading for me. The last 2 episodes have had good pieces but the overall feel was still meh.
I was pretty disappointed in the end. The overarching story just wasn’t interesting enough for me, and (not to get too Yogi Berra about it) there weren’t enough episodes to properly tell it.
Meanwhile, I’m nearing the end of Season 4 of Voyager. There are a some very good episodes, but also sooooooo many boring and/or problematic ones.
The Chilean guy who plays Rios, Santiago Cabrera, is a revelation. How is this guy not a massive movie star?
AV?
[clears throat]
BECAUSE IT’S A YOUTUBE CHANNEL NOT A PODCAST, THE FUCKING MORON!!!!
SHEESH.
https://rudygiulianics.com/podcast/
That site is too suspicious for my firewall.
pretty much all you need to know is:
hero banner photo of when he wasn’t yet out of his prosecutorial mind but already a media whore.
lots of clips of his fox appearances.
the one epp of his “podcast”
and that the CS stands for common sense.
can that happen? can you get a virus just by looking at a site?
i thought you had to at least click to renew your Aclobe Acrobat.
He’ll certainly be shoveling something this summer.
Fair enough, but the confidence is encouraging. I doubt he’d say something that firm without thinking he has the votes lined up and the environmental issues under control.
I mostly just went for the easy joke. I’m sure he’s not just making up the optimism out of nothing. Best case by summer they have a joint team-City agreement on using the land and paying for the infrastructure. Which would be huge! But no way they clear the expedited CEQA review by then, much less the lawsuits.
I think the idea is to have political approval this summer, starting a 9- month clock to resolve CEQA law suits under the expedited schedule. That means breaking ground in spring 2021, leaving around 2 years for construction to open in April 2023.
I’m skeptical that they can build the thing in 2 years (or slightly less) given the need for clean up of the site, but maybe they plan to get a lot of that done during the CEQA period.
Good article about the transportation plans in today’s Chron.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Oakland-not-counting-on-gondola-promised-by-A-s-15005665.php
Story was worth it for the map alone.
Threw on my A’s cap for errands today in honor of fanfest.
One of those errands was pucking up pizza at this place in Echo Park. Aces still doesnt really instinctively lnow LA geography.
Related, it is Dodgers fanfest too apparently. I am a stranger in a strange land.
Pulling for Ausmus here.
Unfortunately, it looks like it will be Dusty.
That seems like a fine choice.
Bolton sent his manuscript to the White House on December 30. Soleimani was killed on January 3. Is it even a conspiracy theory to think that these two events were linked?
how do any of these people get out of this? Bolton has to testify in the house, yeah? not on these articles, but something.
Collins can’t continue to be troubled?
it’s literally a conspiracy theory to think any two events are linked!
till proven, anyway.
On another note, how dare this dude name his cashout book after the best song from Hamilton.
There are going to be a million Bruce Jenkinsish columns claiming is the end of the world, and then within two months every NL fan will secretly love it.
https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2011/6/24/2242275/an-introduction-to-national-league-baseball
Are you FKing kidding me.
A defense team with Starr and Dershowitz could just start a “grab her by the p****” chant on the Senate floor and I’d still not be surprised by their shamelessness.
sigh
OK then, I guess we’re done here.
If it weren’t for Trump’s lawyers allies associates and himself, Mitch would have been able to quash this whole trial already.
So, Kobe…
Thanks, and go As.
It’s complicated.
The outpouring tells me he made more of an impact on pop culture than had occurred to me; it seems to go well beyond the on-court achievements.
He appears to have succumbed to one of the peculiar risks of celebrity: sticking to the helicopter plan in crappy weather rather than going to the backup limo. As I recall Bill Graham died exactly the same way.
Angelinos dont understand fog. As a Fresnan who grew up watching PBS in the morning praying for a foggy day schedule, I wouldve just stayed home…
I like this analysis because I want to think Bregman and Gurriel are frauds but Altuve isn’t.
Tony Kemp is clean! (0 trash can bangs in 23 AB)
I wonder if Beaneforst asked Fiers about this.
And yet he didn’t seem to speak up about it.
So, they were asked?
The hater in me is having a very hard time with the game on Sunday.
with my decade-worth experience not watching a superbowl, i predict the best day in and for a long time to go do something semi-touristy that you normally avoid because of the crowds of carpetbaggers.
even the drive to/back is going to be like buttah.
Even driving back from Tahoe on Superbowl Sunday afternoon is a breeze.
See, I like the Super Bowl. I’m a big fan of mass spectacle, love the ads, love the over-the-top seriousness, all of it entertains me greatly. Also the excuse to eat unhealthy food and drink beer all day. I am just having a really hard time conjuring up a rooting interest between two franchises I’ve loathed for decades.
So much this. There is no way in hell I could ever root for the Chefs, but I just can’t get behind the Santa Clara 49ers.
Santa Clara is a great place to put a stadium. Not a real city. Full of rich people. Let them fight the 49ers for the next 30 years.
6:30 pm in Miami = 1:30 pm on Maui. I ain’t watching but it will be easy to take in on the radio while enjoying beverages on some beach.
Where in Maui? I was able to stream NCAA hoops games from a Maui beach on hotel wifi a few years back.
I like to stay in Kihei. The condo I’ve had the last couple times wasn’t available but I found something affordable just a block or so away. There are several really nice beaches from the south end of town down past the Wailea resorts, so can hit a different one every day. Sitting on a beach watching a game on the phone just seems wrong to me; the radio broadcast will be fine.
Love the Makena area, Big Beach is one of my very favorites anywhere.
Breaking news: Nurse Upgrade drew 61 total points in her work pick-a-square pool. So I have that to root for.
oh. you like that stuff. ok!
there was no-wait inside seating at the marshall store.
JUST SAYIN’!!
I’m rooting for good commercials and the Goodyear blimp deflating and falling over the field leading to a cancellation.
As one who now lives far away, I’m enjoying all the attention on a team I’m so familiar with.
I hope I get to experience this feeling again, and much more poignantly, in October.
37/50 or so on the Jeopardy test. As usual, at least another 4 that I should have had.
The last one for this go-round is tomorrow.
I was going to take the test tonight but smoked pot instead. Tomorrow 8 pm.
I thought today’s was the easiest of the half dozen of so I’ve ever taken. Also FK-heavy, answers included ptbnl’s first name and “nevermore”. Maybe 44/50?
41/50. Damn Christopher Marlowe. Also Gregory, not (ptbnl first name). Apparently many others found this easier than previous Jeopardy tests.
I got 44/50, based on this reddit thread. Missed Bull Run, Shallow, canon, Florence, Magellan, and jade blade. This assumes that I get credit for “Gregory” rather than “Gregory XIII”. I also left off the first names for Marlow and Farrow, but I think that’s usually ok.
I think that is one of my better scores, which was surprising because I felt bad at the end of the test. My pessimism was likely because I missed three of the last eleven.
All three tests are here.
I had something like 39, 37 (the one I actually took) and 41 (including, surprisingly, 5 out of the 6 colin missed) so I agree that the last one was a bit easier.
And bed’s favorite food.
I just did the new one you can take any time. Not too bad. Pretty sure I was over 40.
Whoa, I passed!
Meaning you got an invitation to one of the regional tryouts? Congrats!
Virtual audition
So…I passed this too!
It was just the 50-question test of random categories, with the response time shrunk to 8 seconds. I think I probably got around 45 out of 50 right (missed about three pop culture questions, one fine art question, and one literature question). The way it worked is I signed up for a time slot on one of three days last week, and then took the test while on a zoom call with six other people and the J! guy (he muted us during the test). No interview or anything like that. Yesterday, I got this:
If my googling is accurate, the in-person test would normally be followed by some sort of interview and a mock game with the board and the buzzer and stuff. I’m guessing those parts are still to come, but I don’t know how they are going do it. I really want to play with the dang buzzer.
That’s awesome man, I am excited for you.
I may have told this story before, years ago I reached the mock game stage to be on the show “Win Ben Stein’s Money” on Comedy Central (good show, amusing set up, didn’t realize at the time that Stein was such a prick. Also the launch pad for Jimmy Kimmel). The mock games were held in a hotel convention room near SFO, and much to my disappointment the buzzers were just hotel desk-style bells. I won my game, engaged in pleasant banter, so they put me on the short list for the next season. Then the show was cancelled.
I loved that show! Bummer you didn’t get to do it.
For obsessive posterity, here are the five questions (as much as I can remember of them) I know I missed:
1. Winner of a Tony for “Kinky Boots” and an Emmy for “Pose”
2. Actress who played the daughter in “Crazy Rich Asians” (there was other info too maybe)
3. Author of “The Age of Innocence” (mad at myself for this one)
4. One word Spanish title of hit song by Sean Mendes and Camilla somebody (even madder at myself for this one because I knew it but brain-farted and typed “Despacito”)
5. American painter whose masterpiece [title with two colors, Blue and something] was completed in 1870something
I know #3. No idea on the others.
Congrats, GM! Awesome!
Awesome, you can do it. Ted did
http://tedquarters.net/2019/09/26/i-lost-on-jeopardy/
what is congratulations?
Not much information available about Shohei Tamioka. This doesn’t seem too promising.
On the other hand, it would be an awesome story if he works out (and it’s just a minor league contract).
Hey, Roger Clemens pitched for the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant team. Anything is possible.
Him and Nathan Patterson will be anchoring our bullpen by July.
“Greatest Japanese A’s player ever” seems within reach though.
I’d say Yabu sits on that (porcelain) throne now. Matsui’s 585 PA were tough to endure (.251/.321/.375). A couple other guys who had cups of coffee in Oakland. There was also the shortstop who couldn’t hit who never got to the big leagues; I saw him in spring training but have gladly forgotten his name.
Hiro Nakajima. I was pumped for him and he called Beane sexy, although I think it was a translation issue more than any cool comment. He did lead Midland to a championship or two though IIRC.
Not the greatest, I think he never actually pitched in Oakland, but Kaz Tadano is the one who I recall most vividly.
Pirates are looking for a CF – can we build something around Fowler for Adam Frazier?
The disheartening prospect of going into the season with Kemp/Barreto as the 2B tandem is becoming ever more likely.
I really enjoy Richard Sherman’s lack of humility or filter.
wtf
And the whole game played on ice.
I’m fine with home run hitting contests, three-point shooting or trick shot contests, etc., but none of these sports should actually make its all-star players play a sorry excuse for a “game”.
Baseball has the only All Star Game which doesn’t totally suck. It still resembles the real game of baseball, mostly because players still want to play defense.
Even if they dont want to they sort of have to. The clock won’t run out.
Interesting
I think I would really enjoy going to Mexico to work on VAR
Thanks, and go As.
1) I cannot stand hearing the presidents lawyers talking about fruit of the poisonous tree. a)It does not mean what they think it means. b) there are no rules of evidence here c) the “fruit” is the illegal contraband, or in other words, proof of guilt
2) why are the senators asking “what is impeachable?” impeachable is whatever you say it is dudes
3) Holy shit Elizabeth, what to put Roberts on the spot
4)BREAKING NEWS Sen. Alexander is going to blah blah blah along with Murkowski and collins!!!! God would they stop with the charade?
5) I only listened for about an hour today, I heard every house manager but noticeably I did not hear all the presidents lawyers. On twitter I discovered that Pam Bondi accused Hunter biden of going on fishing trips with Joe biden’s family. Now I understand why I didn’t hear her
Meanwhile, Dersh wasn’t even there to elaborate on his “Trump is king now” argument because he had already departed for the Super Bowl.
Alexander landed on the only honest place for Republicans who were always going to protect Trump: He did it. He did it all, exactly as the Democrats and the whistleblower said he did it. And it was bad. But we’re not going to impose any consequences for it, so we’re not going to hear any more about it.
The thing is, as Bolton’s continuing leaks show, we don’t actually know the full extent of the scheme just yet. Bolton’s testimony (and Mulvaney’s, and Pompeo’s, and Giuliani’s etc.) would be highly relevant to sentencing/remedies — the thing Alexander is claiming further evidence couldn’t change his mind on — because it would show the severity and extent of the offense.
Anyway, Democrats should claim a win (median senator said Trump is guilty as charged but declined to sentence him) and also take it as a mandate to continue investigating even harder.
I support this as long as Rep collins isn’t part of the panel asking questions, that guy gives me a headache
Murkowski, meanwhile, just threw up her and hands and said “meh,” presumably after being strong-armed by McConnell so that Roberts wouldn’t have to rule on a tie vote for witnesses. Real profiles in courage here.
the talk of precedent is driving me batty as well. there is no precedent to be had. they illustrated that when the 98 House managers voted against witnesses
So now she is expressly saying that she voted against witnesses to protect John Roberts from having to do something. And Trump was naughty but something something Democrats were mean so no consequences. Inspiring stuff.
Some much needed good news:
unnamedtemporarysportsblog.com
I havent even seen it yet (assuming work blockers dont like the sketchy name) but now just wishing the FJM guys will show up for an article or 2. Heck, Ken Tremendous now has some extra time on his hands…
Supposedly just a pop-up that will end after today, but if you’ve missed Drew and Burneko and Diana Moskowitz and Ratto they have cranked out an impressive amount of content. The luxuries of unemployment, how I miss them.
After weeks or buildup and hours of pregame blather I still can’t talk myself into caring who wins. But I think the game will actually be good! I see SF getting a lead and KC coming most but not all the way back as SF wins 27-25.
God Bless America and The Star Spangled Banner are now part of a joint WE CELEBRATE AMERICA package. Hate you NFL.
Edit: America the Beautiful, not GBA. Somewhat better.
Is it safe to turn on my television yet?
Yes, but you missed a very awkward Pat Tillman…thing.
Mike Pereira is in the FKing booth!!
Too much red in this game imo.
The beach cleared out nicely. By the end of the first quarter I didn’t have anyone for 30 yards in either direction. Niners fans do have plenty of time to come back if it gets ugly.
Hey, FSU and bg never handicapped this year’s puppy bowl.
This sounds like a good ending. Much easier to visualize with Kevin Harlan describing it rather than Starkey whom I’m usually stuck with.
Iowans really like this Mayor Pete character I guess. Weird state.
The whole caucus process is almost too ridiculous to believe. Just a complete clusterFK in all respects.
I am out of trashbags, but only notice once a week too late. My hands are dirty and I don’t remember to put them on the list after I scrounge for a bag to use and wash up.
I feel like every 4 or 8 years we remember how shitty the caucus is but forget to fix it because we get distracted by the general.
From popup laden sfgate live updates page. Yeah, this is quite a system:
Also a caucus goer named Pollpeter, who’s writing this farce?
somebody on twitter made the point, we spend a year sending our best organizers , building our best databases to…iowa, instead of Florida/Wisconsin/Pennsylvania
Iowa is one of the few swing states for the presidential election… but way obviously way smaller than Florida or Pennsylvania. Not so different from Wisconsin though.
Anyway, the caucuses are the dumbest thing ever.
LOL at Mayor Pete just going out and claiming victory based on nothing. May as well.
there is no victory here. why are people so obsessed with “winning”
there is a person who gets the most delegates, but its gonna be split and it doesn’t tell us much, unless yang wins
Yes, we do.
I didn’t remember that.
Fantastic
i am liking this clusterfuck in iowa. iowa is making itself meaningless
Yeah, that’s good stuff. However, the predictable shrieks and “jokes” about everything being rigged against them coming from Bernie fanatics are dispiriting. I guess that was inevitable though.
Yeah, the process he fought for…
Caucuses, as opposed to primaries, are good for Bernie but:
which is pretty good fuel for their paranoia.
I like Bernie, but I am so FKing tired of the paranoia. I realize that this is like 90% his supporters and probably less than 10% from Sanders himself. But can people just stop and listen to the convoluted arguments they are spouting and then consider that probably some officials just screwed up?
It’s the combination of paranoia and the need to make every Democrat not with him the enemy that is wearing me out. I hope that when he gets the nomination (I think he is the favorite at this point) they chill the hell out and realize that he can’t win the general or effectively govern if his team operates that way.
I am sure they learned their lesson
-susan collins
In 2004 I went to an event before an A’s game featuring Rob Neyer, David Forst, and Ken Korach, organized by SABR and Baseball Prospectus. The local contact for BPro was James Click, who was just named GM of the Astros.
This is really annoying if it comes to be. Joc would’ve been a perfect fit for the A’s but of course we can’t afford to pay him his 8.5 million salary this year. Instead that spot goes to Grossman. The slegnA have a really scary lineup.
Since we’re in this thread:
Pederson: 96 PA, .207/.316/.427
Grossman: 109 PA, .267/.422/.558