This collection of entries is from September 2004.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Just couldn't do it
Sorry, I just couldn't do it tonight. I couldn't get myself (or Carol for that matter) to watch the debates.
This entire presidential campaign is making me angry. ANGRY! It's just pushing all my buttons and my blood pressure goes up (which is bad because I have not been taking my medication regularly) and I get overwhelmed by the need to throw something at the TV set.
Best to avoid this crap and vote the way I intend.
posted at 09:36 PM | Link | Current Events § |
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
X Prize - Part 1 - completeIt looks like SpaceShipOne may have passed its first qualifying flight to win the Ansari X Prize . They had a demonstration flight back in June that showed that the whole system worked. Today was the first official flight for qualification. It was pretty scary to watch this time, though. They had a live video feed from the back of the craft, so you can see the engine exhaust, wings, earth and space. Well, during the powered ascent, the spacecraft started to roll and just kept spinning-up. The pilot (Michael Melvill, again) was instructed to shut down the engine, but he intentionally kept it burning long enough to get the minimum altitude (320,000 feet). It still had 11 seconds left to burn. Unofficially, even without the 11 seconds, radar on the ground measured the height at 358,000 feet. (Update: 337, 569 feet (64 miles)) If SpaceShipOne's altitude is confirmed, it will also have beaten the X-15's top altitude of 354,200 feet (67 miles) set on August 22, 1963. Wonder how far it can go?
Now, to actually win the Ansari X Prize, the team has to fly a second flight with 14 days of the time of touchdown of the first successful flight. The team has scheduled that next flight for Sunday Monday, October 4.
Richard Branson also announced that he is forming Virgin Galactic, using the Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites technologies (the SpaceShipOne technologies), to create the first commercial space tourist flights by the end of the decade.
posted at 11:43 AM | Link | Space § |
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
I'm mentioned in a book!?!
This past weekend, my sister bought me a book that I've read about and, well, was curious about - The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television by Ted Okuda, Jack Mulqueen. I mean, I've always thought that I was part of the whole Chicago Children's Television movement by working for one of the major people in the business at that time.
So, I needed to see what it said about my boss.
And there it was. Page 151. Bill actually mentioned me in an interview and there it is in print. Not only that, I'm referenced in the index of the book.
Do you have any idea how much this means to me? This was the best times of my life, something that I don't think I realized at that time. No, I'm sure I didn't fully realized it back then.
And here's Bill Jackson immortalized along with Ray Rayner, Bozo, Garfield Goose... and I get mentioned along the way.
Wow.
posted at 08:20 AM | Link | Puppeteering | 1 comment § |
Monday, September 27, 2004
Jay's run is overThis past week seems to be just an endless list of things that have come to an end. It's weird.
The latest - Jay Leno will step down from The Tonight Show and hand it over to Conan O'Brien. (OK, not for a while, but the end comes in 2009)
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NBC LATE NIGHT SUCCESSION PLAN ANNOUNCED: JAY LENO TO TURN OVER 'THE TONIGHT SHOW' TO CONAN O'BRIEN IN 2009 Published: September 27, 2004
BURBANK, Calif. -- September 27, 2004 -- In 2009, after what will then be a 17-year run as "America's Late Night Leader," Jay Leno has announced that he will turn over "The Tonight Show" to Conan O'Brien. Leno will officially make the announcement during this evening's "Tonight Show" -- a show that also celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the late night institution.
Said Leno: "In 2009, I'll be 59 years-old and will have had this dream job for 17 years. When I signed my new contract, I felt that the timing was right to plan for my successor and there is no one more qualified than Conan. Plus, I promised Mavis I would take her out for dinner before I turned 60."
"It is a great accomplishment and testament to both Jay and Conan that we were able to all work together on a long-term plan for this important institution," said NBC Universal Television Group President Jeff Zucker. "We look forward to more years of laughs from Jay and are thrilled to have Conan's future be as part of the NBC family."
"Late night talent is a rare commodity," echoed NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly. "Cultivating it and keeping it has always been a priority here and with this announcement, we couldn't be in a better place."
Conan O'Brien has signed a new contract with the network in a long-term deal that will keep him at the helm of the critically-acclaimed and top-rated "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" for the next five years and then has him taking over has host of "The Tonight Show" from Leno.
"'The Tonight Show' is one of the great franchises in television and I am thrilled to get this opportunity," said O'Brien. "I am thankful to everyone at NBC -- which has been my home for the last eleven years -- and I am particularly grateful to Jay for all the generous support and kindness he has always shown me."
Rick Ludwin, Senior Vice President, Late Night and Primetime Series, NBC Entertainment added, "Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien continue to be the most successful combination in all of late night. With today's announcement about Conan, we have locked in the future of this daypart for years to come."
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" continues to dominate late night and has won nine television seasons in a row, 34 consecutive sweep months and 36 consecutive quarters (including ties) with its largest 18-49 audience in three years and its largest 18-34 audience in four years.
In its eleven years on the air, "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" has dominated its time period, winning every quarter and every sweep month over that period. For the 2003-04 season, "Late Night" averaged 2.5 million viewers (nearly one million viewers ahead of its nearest competition) and won by a 71% margin among adults 18-49, its highest in five years and his adult 18-34 audience was "Late Night's" biggest in six years.
On its 50th Anniversary, "The Tonight Show" continues to be the most dominant late night institution in television history. Since it first premiered on September 27, 1954 with Steve Allen, "The Tonight Show" has had just four permanent hosts, including Jay Leno. Allen, host of the then titled "Tonight," eventually left late night to start his own primetime variety series on NBC. Jack Paar premiered on July 29, 1957. On October 1, 1962, Johnny Carson stepped on stage for day one of his nearly thirty-year tenure as host of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Jay Leno, who began guest-hosting "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in September 1987, became host of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on May 25, 1992. Conan O'Brien joined NBC as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" in 1988 and premiered as host of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" on September 13, 1993.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Rebecca Marks, NBC Entertainment Publicity, 818/840-3914
Jennifer Skorlich, NBC Entertainment Publicity, 818/840-4630
Carrie Simons, NBC Entertainment Publicity, 818/840-2515 (Jay Leno)
Marc Liepis, NBC Entertainment Publicity, 212/664-5424 (Conan O'Brien) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 08:07 PM | Link | TV § |
Sunday, September 26, 2004
White Sox 5 - Royals 1 - Final Home Game
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The last visit of the year to "The Cell". I always hate this game - no matter the outcome. This game signifies the end of the season for me. Most people would think of the last game of the season, or the last game of the World Series, but to me - this is the game. Why? There are no more games for me to go to. Everything else will happen away from Chicago. Oh, then there's the realization that another year has passed without a playoff game, let alone a World Series game. Today, I am filled with melancholy.
The weather is gorgeous, but on the chilly side. It's fan appreciation day (though Carol & I were not officially "Appreciated" as we didn't win any giveaways). The crowd is pretty thin - 18,949.
The game was interesting. Jon Garland pitched one of his better games this year - by the end of the 8th, he had only thrown 88 pitches. Unfortunately, when he came out to start the 9th, he didn't have it any longer and Damaso Marte had to finish (and finish he did - FOR A CHANGE). We had 4 homeruns (by Ross Gload, Wilson Valdez (his first one), Jose Valentin (his last in a Sox uniform at home?), and whipping-boy Joe Borchard).
The team ends the season 46-35 at home with 145 homers at U.S. Cellular Field, short of the record set by the Colorado Rockies in 1996. The team fell short of drawing 2,000,000 fans this season, but we had 10 sellouts, the most in the 14-year history of U.S. Cellular Field.
After the game, we sat and watched Ozzie's news conference on the big screen and then quietly left the park.
See you next year - you will be missed.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 05:51 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Saturday, September 25, 2004
White Sox 5 - Royals 1
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Our last Night Game and Fireworks of the year.
Janie commented about the night: "It feels like I went to a circus and a baseball game broke out." She was referring to all of the people sitting around us. Our first group is all of the people that showed-up severely under-dressed, usually all with t-shirts and shorts. Gametime temps were 68° and going down with a 13mph wind. Clearly, they didn't listen to the weather reports and the famous phrase "cooler near the lake". Then we have the Group Sales idiots who are in the section next to us, closer to the plate than us Partial Season Ticket Holders. All they want to do is drink and socialize, usually standing up and blocking our view of the pitcher, the plate, or both. Then we have The Yellers. yes, these are the idiots that think any given player on the field can hear them, no matter how far away they are, no matter that there's a total of 20,625 people trying to say something as well. It doesn't matter, they want to yell, they need to yell. And the crap they yell - at times - makes no sense. Let's take Mr. "Throw The Ball!" who yells this while Mark Buehrle is on the mound. Buehrle, is the fastest no-nonsense pitcher on the Sox, and throws a Complete Game tonight, earning him his 15th win, all within 2 hours and 13 minutes. Then we have the females that show up wearing things that nobody "that size" should ever wear (What the HELL is it with the bare midriff and hip hugger jeans craze when the person has so much friggin' flab hanging over the front of the jeans - let alone the sides - that you just want to either laugh in her face or just puke?) Then we have the normal groups of drunks, some loud, some just stumbling and bumbling. Nothing unusual, but they're just adding to the carnival atmosphere tonight. The one that takes the cake that's driving us nuts is the girl a few rows down in front of us. She looks 14-16. She has a baby that's maybe 4 months old. First, the kid looks cold. Second, every break in-between innings she grabs the kid from a car carrier, puts the kid up in the air next to her, trying to get one of the stadium cameras to put the two of them on screen in the scoreboard. When that's over, she's literally flinging the kid around to wrap her in a pink blanket. Arms and legs are flailing as she flops her back into the car seat. The baby never says a peep. And she's damn cute, too. Too bad she looked like a rag doll as her mom was throwing her around as she yanks her from her seat or wraps her up and drops her back into the seat.
Now, through all this, we were still somewhat able to watch the game. Buehrle looked really good for a change - he's struggled over the last month or so. Jose Valentin finally is productive and gets a homerun (his 28th) along with still another error (his 20th of the year). Carols Lee got his 29th homer of the year as well. I think it might be his 150th career homerun as well.
Last Fireworks of the year as well. Tomorrow - our last day of the year at the park.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:47 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Warm weather overThere seems to be so many things that have come to an end over the past week. Today, it's the warm weather. The temperatures have been in the 80's for the past week or so, which is 10 degrees above the average. Well, Mother Nature likes to average things out, so it's 61° right now. The high is going to be 70° today.
Figures. We've got our last Sox games today and tomorrow.
posted at 07:39 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, September 24, 2004
Bunnies update
Just a quick bunny update.
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Chip is eating and eating and eating and growing and growing. He's also starting to develop a little personality of his own.
Chip has still not fully "met" Indy, except for that first unfortunate meeting. Their cages are right next to each other and they stick their noses through the cage bars when one of them is out and the other is still confined. They don't seem aggressive and actually look a bit ambivalent toward each other.
Lately, in the late evening when Indy is usually out and Chip is in his cage, I've been feeding them. Indy always comes up to me and desperately tries to get my attention. It's as if she's trying to tell me "Stop that! Stop feeding him! If you stop feeding him, he'll go away!"
Tonight I left Chip's cage door open while Indy was out and I was trying to feed Chip. Again, Indy is trying to get my attention, so keep petting her. Chip was just frantic for food (he's just wants to eat and eat and eat...) so he's focused on that. Eventually, the two kind of see each other and both go nose-to-nose. They aren't licking or biting, or even smelling (their noses really don't twitch while this happens). They just touch noses and that's it. There's no sense of that aggression or attack posturing. I'm trying to be careful since Chip still hasn't been fixed yet - his little hard-wired brain may explode if things aren't exactly right.
Anyway, they've been separate this whole time and will be for a while, but at least they realize each other is here, vying for my attention, and learning to live with each other. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 08:23 PM | Link | Bunnies § |
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Another Matinée
I took off and spent the afternoon at the AMC South Barrington 30 to catch a matinée (1:30pm) of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. OK, there is hardly any resemblance of a plotline. Hell, this movie would fit well on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Everything is played pretty broadly, like a SciFi movie of the 30's.
BUT... This movie looks great. Why? Other than the actors, the entire movie is computer generated. The actors worked on blue screen/green screen sets. Watching this movie, it's hard to believe that there were no sets - no cars, no aircraft, no walls, no water... NOTHING. It was all generated. If you are interested in that type of cinematic technology, go see this movie on a big screen and see how far the technology has come.
Just don't go looking for a well written script.
posted at 03:35 PM | Link | Movies § |
Hmmm... that doesn't look good
About a year and a half ago, the village came by and "trimmed" our maple tree. Well, judging by that shape the bark is in as well as the obvious changing of colors on half of the tree, I'm thinking the tree is in trouble and we're never going to get a decent tree in front of our house. This is the second maple tree in the 20 years we've been here.
posted at 12:35 PM | Link | Mundane § |
NOOOO!!!! Don't take my Twinkies away from me!!!!!
No! NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Interstate Baking is Filing Chapter 11!!!! That's Hostess!!!! That's Twinkies! That's Ho-Ho's! Even my favorite cupcakes and little chocolate donettes!
I had to go to Dominick's to pay my last respects! They better come out of bankruptcy and keep making these sweets!
posted at 08:37 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Oh, *gack* THEME
I'm watching The Early Show on CBS and Phil is presenting the $1 Million check to Chip & Kim. But the more upsetting thing is that Colin proposed to Christie and she said yes...
posted at 08:49 AM | Link | Amazing Race | 1 comment § |
What do you mean it's over?
How could summer be "over" already? It's the first day of autumn?
You can tell, though. The school buses are buzzing around the neighborhood. The nights are so much cooler and obviously longer. I went outside this morning to take out the garbage and recyclables, The sun was low on the horizon - the time of year when it's a bitch driving into the sun on the way to work... if you were employed. I noticed, too, that the air smells different. It's not spring, it's not summer... it's the smell of leaves on the ground, so that must be the smell of fall.
posted at 08:32 AM | Link | Mundane | 1 comment § |
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
The summer's Guilty Pleasures are over... THEME
THEME
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Big Brother has been our Guilty Pleasure Of Summer since it started in 2000. What we enjoy so much more than the packaged shows that CBS airs is the live Internet feeds. It allows anyone with a Real Networks player to watch up to 4 different feeds live from the house 24/7... or thereabouts. The voyeur aspect of the feeds is unbelievable. Depending on who is up and what is going on, Carol and I could watch the house for hours. This year's crop of people weren't too bad, though they weren't the best we've seen over the years. We so addicted, we have a computer connected to our Sony 27" TV so we can watch with ease - the audio going out through the stereo system.
Anyway, it's over for the year. The winner this year - Drew Daniel of Urbana, Ohio gets over Michael "Cowboy" Ellis of Durant, Oklahoma.
Then, my favorite multiple-award-winning reality show - The Amazing Race - ended tonight as well. Tonight's show seemed like it was the most physical legs at the end of a race since the show started. Anyway, due to fog and luck, Chip & Kim McAllister wound up as the winners on The Amazing Bathmat in Dallas.
Fortunately, Amazing Race 6 will be starting in just a few weeks! « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:41 PM | Link | Reality TV § |
Sunday, September 19, 2004
White Sox 6 - Tigers 1
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Today is Minnie Minoso day in Chicago. No, really, the mayor proclaimed it so. The White Sox held a ceremony on the left-field concourse to unveil a statue of Minnie. Minnie is a goodwill ambassador for the team - I see him all the time around the park, signing autographs for people that remember. This statue is supposed to be the first of 5 over the next five years that will be unveiled at the park (no idea who the next 4 will be). The ceremony was really moving, with Minnie and his family around him. In fact, there were so many family members, they weren't allowed into the small area for the unveiling - they stood outside with the schlubs like me. Some snapshot items: Minnie was the first Black Ballplayer for the Sox, he played in 5 different decades in Major League Baseball, and then pushed it into another decade by playing for the St. Paul Saints in the independent Northern League June 30, 1993 (... doesn't Bill Veek's son own the team?) He was a seven-time American League All-Star and a three-time Gold Glove outfielder.
Minnie threw out the first pitch to fellow Cuban Jose Contreras. We've always joked that it seemed that every time you turned around, you saw Minnie. It was like he never left the park. Now, it will be true.
On the way back to my seat after the ceremony, I saw a gentleman walking by that looked really familiar. Sure enough, it was Vince Galloro, the author of a great White Sox blog that I read with regularity called Exile in Wrigleyville. If you're a Sox fan, please read his take on the team as well as his experiences. He's a good writer, someone that I consider has a fair view on the team. Go - visit his blog. (BTW - the only way I recognized him is because he had some pictures posted at his blog recently that he happened to be in - and he happened to be wearing the same black jersey and Sox hat, so he just stood out). However, I just realized that I never introduced myself, so I'm going to have to fire-off a quick email.
The game was again a good outing, nibbling away at Detroit. Freddy Garcia lasted 7 1/3 innings and gave up only 1 run with 8 strikeouts.
And even though it was another Kid's Day, with autographs and running the bases after the game, the fair weather fans have indeed turned their backs on the Sox - the attendance was only 19,269.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:20 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Polish Drinking Sausage Water
I pass by this Polish delicatessen at Addison and Laramie a few times a month, and every time I see that sign in the window I just can't seem to read it correctly. I know what it's supposed to say, but the two signs seem too close together, so, to me, the signs say "Polish Drinking Sausage Water".
posted at 05:52 PM | Link | Mundane | 1 comment § |
90,000
While screaming down the Northwest Tollway on the way to the Sox game today, my Infiniti turned-over 90,000 miles.The car's remarkable. It's wearing well, too so it sounds good and looks good.
posted at 11:47 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Saturday, September 18, 2004
White Sox 9 - Tigers 8 - 12 innings
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So much about this game is familiar - the attendance is back down (23,533), the weather is cool again (73 degrees at first pitch and I had to put on my jacket by the end of the game), ups and downs and ups and downs and ups.
The game lasted 4:05, the longest I've been to without a rain delay in some time. It hurt to watch. It was disgusting and exhilarating.
Jose Contreras is pitching an erratic game, not nearly as bad as his last few outings but no where near his potential. The entire pitching staff makes me anxious with every single damn pitch lately - I mean, you really don't know who is showing-up at the mound at what the ball is going to do when they release it. It's scary, not to mention the entire damn offensive staff when you just don't know who you can count on regularly for a hit, a sacrifice to move somebody over. Hell, you don't know if anybody can get on base...
The game is tied 4-4 in the 6th, and we go into extra innings tied. Neal Cotts pitched OK in the 8th and 9th and gets 2 strikeouts in the 10th, but the next thing you know, he gives up 2 2-run homers. We're losing 8-4 in the 10th and it's looking like an extension of last night (We lost 11-10 in 10 innings).
Wilson Valdezcomes in for Jose Valentin and gets a pinch hit single, Ben Davis flies out to center, and my whipping-boy Joe Borchard homers (he's still batting .158). OK, we're halfway there... Timo Perez comes in for Joe Crede and doubles to right (I love those hits - they're right in front of our section as they scream down the line) and Aaron Rowand homers to left. TIED! The substitutions worked, but that's as far as we get, and we go further into the night...
In the bottom of the 12th, Ben Davis grounds-out 1-3, my boy Joe Borchard walks, Jamie Burke grounds out 5-3 and Borchard goes to 2nd.
Aaron Rowand hits a slow grounder to 3rd and is running his ass off. Borchard gets a good jump and is running his ass off. Rowand beats the throw for a single, Borchard scores - game over and WE WIN!
BEST FINISH TO A GAME THAT I'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME...
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:28 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Michael and Carol - 25 Years
25 years ago this afternoon, Carol and I got married.
25 years later, we're still together.
25 Years, people. 25 Years.
I can't tell you how much I want to do something to celebrate this wondrous event. Unfortunately, my extended bouts of unemployment are not allowing us to do that. I wanted to buy her stuff, I wanted to take her somewhere. I wanted this day to be special.
Instead, we'll probably celebrate quietly and enjoy each others company, like we have done for the last 25 years. It's great being married to a best friend. It's great being married to someone that understands you. It's great to be married to someone that you can share with everything that you can.
I just want to do so much more for her. I hope that after all of this time, she understands. I still have something up my sleeve...
Update: 12:05 pm Went to the bank to get some money for a few items today - Checking Balance: $0.00. Not the way I wanted the day to go...
Update: 4:05pm Doorbell rang. Received what appears to be a HUGE - gi-normous - flower arrangement from Mom, Diane, and Melinda (Thank you, Guys!!!!) I'm not going to open it until Carol gets home...
Update: 7:05 pm Just got back from dinner. Carol and I had our anniversary dinner tonight at Wildfire in Schaumburg. Recognizing a major mistake last year, we steered clear of alcohol this year. We ate ourselves silly - Carol at the fillet I had a Trio Of Fillets - each 3 oz, but with different coatings (I chose blue cheese, peppercorn, and horseradish). Then we topped it off with dessert - I had cheese cake, Carol had a Chocolate Malt Creme Brulet.
That's how we celebrated our 25th - quietly. If it weren't for the flowers we received earlier and the cards that we exchanged, you never would have known it was our 25th Wedding Anniversary. Life continues...
posted at 06:38 AM | Link | Family | 1 comment § |
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Marlins 8 - Expos 6
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I'm back at The Cell again today for the second (and last) Home Away From Home series of the Florida Marlins and Montreal Expos. I went alone and this time sat in Section 130, but in the very first row in front of the screen. Though the angle is gorgeous and the proximity to the players is wonderful, the netting still plays 3-D tricks on you and it gets hard to focus sometime. The people around me are... strange again, though not as vocal as yesterday. The attendance is up slightly to 5,457 from yesterday's 4,003, and they are at least as vocal as yesterday. The concessions seem to be more organized today and, in general, everyone seems to be more organized and settling-in to the "Home Away From Home" concept.
The game was good again and the Expos almost came back to win (or the Marlins almost allowed themselves to lose).
The teams go back to Miami. Hurricane Ivan (or "Pudge" as the team call it), went way west and didn't touch anywhere near Miami, making it feel like the teams never had to use "The Cell" in the first place.
Still, it was awfully unique and I am glad that I had a chance to experience it.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 05:33 PM | Link | Baseball § |
Monday, September 13, 2004
Marlins 6 - Expos 3
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Carol took the day off. We drove downtown to pickup our friend Barry, and we drove to U.S. Cellular Field to see a little piece of baseball history.
If you follow sports, you know how important it is to play at your home field - you play the most number of games there during any given season. You get used to the quirks of your own stadium and - typically - can outplay your opponents there. Your local fan base comes out and cheers you on, giving you more incentive and energy to play better. And, of course, you help the local community revenue streams.
Hurricane Ivan has its sights set on Florida. The Florida Marlins have already missed 3 games against the Cubs due to rain-outs (that are being made-up) and can't afford to miss any more games. They have 5 games to play against the Montreal Expos (at least one is a makeup for a rainout). Since the Marlins were in Chicago to play the Cubs, and the White Sox are out of town, the teams worked-out an agreement to allow 2 of the Marlin-Expos games to be played right here in Chicago at U.S. Cellular Field.
The Marlins will be the home team in a Home Away From Home series.
The use of another stadium for a regularly scheduled game is rare. It's only happened twice before in the entire history of Major League Baseball.
General Admission Tickets were $15, with $5 going to a Florida Hurricane Relief Fund. Parking was $10. The upper deck would be closed (it turns out, there appears to be work being done with seats down the 3rd-base line).
We got there before the gates opened, since we'd have to find seats. It was a mad dash at the open, but we got our seats in Section 131 - just to the first base side of home plate, 4 rows up. When was the last time you spent $15 to a MLB game and were able to sit behind the plate???
It was an odd experience. We really didn't know either team. THere were Sox fans, Cub fans, Marlin fans, Expos fans, Red Sox fans... and there was only 4,003 of us. The park was quiet so every heckle easily carried out onto the field. The Marlins brought their own Stadium Announcer, their own music and video clips, and their mascot Billy Marlin. There was only a half-dozen concession stands open, so lines were long. All of the other stands and stores were closed. There were hadly any vendors, either. I'm sure they had to scrape together the staffing for today.
(It was a bit creepy - it was like seeing a White Sox game of the future - players you don't know, no Gene Honda announcing the games, Nancy Faust's organ silent and locked-up...)
It was a sunny, hot day (that Carol didn't tolerate very well) and we had to endure the oddest, strangest, nerdiest Expo fan hecklers that sat behind us. Ignoring the idiots behind us ("Hey Lo Duca! You're a communist!", "Hey Lo Duca! You're an anarchist!", "Hey Lo Duca! You're a Calvinist!"), and a guy who was after Expo 3rd base coach Acta (claiming he's the worst 3rd base coach in the game), there was some serious chanting going on later in the game. A few "Let's Go Expos! (Clap!-Clap!-Clapclapclap!)" were mightily beaten back with "Let's Go Marlins! (Clap!-Clap!-Clapclapclap!)". And the 7th inning stretch was very odd, when there was almost no way to tell what team everyone was rooting for. Only one fan ejection that I could see - due to touching a ball in play down the right field line.
The view was great and the game was good. Carol had so much fun that, even though she couldn't take the day off, said that I should go to the game tomorrow!
I just may do that...
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 06:35 PM | Link | Baseball § |
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Not ready
Sorry folks, It's baseball season. I don't care if my team is 9 games out and not in the Wild Card.
It's baseball season - even though football started today. I can't wrap my head around having a new coach and a team that almost doesn't look familiar.
posted at 01:02 PM | Link | Bears § |
Saturday, September 11, 2004
AnniversariesB & B's anniversary is on the 23rd.
Ours is on the 15th - and it's a BIG ONE this year (Silver, my friends).
So, we took today (a different kind of anniversary) to celebrate our anniversaries.
The four of us went out to Mon Amí Gabi to celebrate our anniversaries tonight. We keep forgetting how much we love the food there.
We really do enjoy these people - they really are our best friends, and it's just great being able to be together, drink, eat, and celebrate our anniversaries.
Afterward, we just drove around downtown. It was such a gorgeous night, I didn't want to go home. I just wanted to drive and see the beautiful city we live in. We've got one of the best skylines around, and that view from the Adler Planetarium is indeed the "Money Shot" of the city.
What a nice night. I miss going out to dinner with them. We need to do this more often... of course, we'd need some money to do that...
posted at 09:26 PM | Link | Friends § |
3 Years
We must never forget.
Nothing much else to say. Just that.
posted at 07:46 AM | Link | Current Events § |
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
GenesisGlued to NASA TV watching the the failure of the return of Genesis.
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NASA's Genesis Mission is the first sample return mission since the last Apollo mission - Apollo 17 - back in 1972. Instead of returning lunar samples, Genesis spent time capturing solar wind particles.
What made this mission so interesting is that the samples are embedded in silicon wafers so fragile, that a helicopter has to snag the capsule's parafoil and then gently land (the samples probably wouldn't survive and shatter if the capsule was allowed hit the ground).
So, instead, it's being snagged by this helicopter. This was being done over the U.S. Army's Dugway Proving Grounds of the Air Force's Utah Test & Training Range. (Dugway serves as the nation's chemical and biological defense proving ground). And the helicopter team are veteran's of the Hollywood film industry!
When I saw videotape of the tests and what was actually going to occur, it was shocking to me how much it reminded me of The Andromeda Strain!
Well, unfortunately, the mortar for the drogue chute never fired, so none of the chutes deployed and the craft just buried itself into the Utah desert at 193mph. It's, um, "relatively" intact for hitting at that high rate of speed, but I just can't imagine that any of the science survived. A PI (Principle Investigator) for the project was quoted as saying that they have an "unquantified science degradation". Gotta love the definition. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:38 AM | Link | Space § |
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Frances at Kennedy
Looks like the Kennedy Space Center didn't get by unscathed from Hurricane Frances. It could impact the Shuttle Return To Flight tasks.
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PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Tuesday, September 07, 2004 Source: NASA HQ
NASA Kennedy Space Center Cleans Up After Hurricane (photos)
Workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla. are continuing damage assessments and making repairs to get the center back up and running after Hurricane Frances. There is no indication spaceflight hardware or spares were damaged, and there are no reports of injuries to any KSC employees.
Numerous buildings and center infrastructure sustained wind and rain damage. KSC will remain closed to most personnel until Monday, while damage assessments and repairs continue. Video b-roll of KSC hurricane damage is airing on the NASA TV Video File. NASA will release additional footage as available.
Approximately 1,000 operations people are working at KSC today, up from about 200 yesterday. Power and phone service was restored to most of the center. Preliminary assessments of the center's two launch pads indicate they're in good shape. The SWIFT spacecraft, which is scheduled for launch early next month, also appears fine, but the building where it rode out the storm did sustain damage. Also, power was restored today to the third and final Orbital Processing Facility, which houses the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Assessment of KSC's landmark facility, the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), shows about 820 panels were torn off during the storm. Initial review of the VAB's interior indicates no serious damage to equipment, including two Space Shuttle External Tanks. Engineers are continuing their damage assessment. The Thermal Protection System Facility, where Space Shuttle tile and blankets are manufactured, suffered significant damage. Work is under way to recover critical spaceflight material, such as tile molds, from exposed areas.
NASA TV is available on the Web and via satellite in the continental U.S. on AMC-6, Transponder 9C, C-Band, located at 72 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA TV is available on AMC-7, Transponder 18C, C-Band, located at 137 degrees west longitude. Frequency is 4060.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:09 PM | Link | Space § |
Monday, September 06, 2004
Labor DayNo laboring today. Just another day for me, but Carol is off today and there's no way she should be doing anything today.
Just watching TV (catching-up on TiVo) and playing with the bunnies.
posted at 03:09 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, September 05, 2004
White Sox 6 - Mariners 2
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Sweep? SWEEP!!! I'd never thought I'd see that and say that considering how this team had been playing. Perhaps it was the Mariners that the Sox really needed to play against to get them back in the grove.
I actually had my hopes up after last night's game and after hearing that Jamie Moyer was 0-6 in day games.
Highlights? Homers by Konerko and my whipping-boy Joe Borchard.
Things going on around the park: Today was Teamster Day, so they were all over the place, mostly standing around the outfield concourse drinking smoking and talking, but not moving one bit.
It was also the MDA's Jerseys Off Their Backs promotion. For a $5 scratch card (donation) you could win a chance to go onto the field after the game and have a White Sox player actually take off his jersey, sign it, and give it to you (*ew*). The players were part of the charity ticket thing, while the coaches were involved with a silent auction that also included a signed 8x10 and a signed baseball. Last time I looked, Ozzie was going for $300 and bullpen catcher Man Soon Lee was $100.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:13 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Saturday, September 04, 2004
White Sox 8 - Mariners 7
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Back at the park on Labor Day weekend, and I can finally say the weather is perfect for baseball - 81° and winds that are 15mph, but are actually warm for a change.
Seattle started Ryan Franklin who was 3-13 for the year. It was easy to take him, something we desperately needed to stroke our ego and get us going. Pour guy gave up 4 homeruns (out of 5 total) in 3 2/3 innings (and 86 pitches in 3 2/3 innings isn't that good either) and struckout only 1. He also had a throwing error, one of 4 for the team.
On our side of the card, we had 5 homeruns including Willie Harris's first one of the year. Paul Konerko had 2 homeruns and now has 34. We had a look at reliever Jeff Bajenaru, who got called-up when Cliff Politte had an emergency appendectomy this week. He gave up 3 hits in a third of an inning, all of which eventually scored. Shingo Takatsu had to come in and cleanup (he allowed 2 of those 3 runs). It's nice to see that they stadium crew slightly changed "Shingo Time" so that the gong doesn't sound like a Chinese gong, but sounds more like a Buddhist temple bell. Timo Perez was the guy that won us the game with a throw from right field to third baseman Juan Uribe, who tagged out Bret Boone.
Let me get on my anti-Joe Borchard horse again. Ozzie had him bat 9th as the designated Hitter. How embarrassing is it to have a DH that's batting .154 (.150 by the end of the evening)? I'm tired of the Borchard Experiment. It's time to move on.
The man of the night, however, was Ichiro Suzuki. He's focused on breaking the hit record for a season by going 5 for 5 in tonight's game, earning him a standing ovation from the White Sox fans. He is now batting .379 with 223 hits. (The single-season record for most hits in a season is 257, set by Hall of Famer George Sisler of the St. Louis Browns in 1920. He also has 34 more hits to go to set a record for the most hits during a four-year span, a record currently held by Bill Terry, who had 918 hits from 1929-32.)
Mark Buehrle got the win and improved to 13-8.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:07 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Friday, September 03, 2004
Japanese advertising
I'm watching the white Sox-Seattle game on Fox Sports Net from U.S. Cellular Field and I just noticed that the rolling advertizing sign behind the plate has Japanese advertising in it!
I'd like to think it's because of Shingo Takatsu, but I'm sure it's because of Ichiro Suzuki. Or perhaps, both.
I've NEVER seen that before in the park.
On a side note, I read today that there a rumor that the Cubs will apply to the Historical Commission to be able to put a rolling advertizing sign on the brick behind the plate at Wrigley Field. Ha! Join the ranks of ugly advertising inside the park, dear Cub fans...
posted at 09:46 PM | Link | White Sox § |
KobeOn Friday nights, Carol and I usually go out for dinner.
Nothing fancy at all. mind you. It's just a once-a-week thing to get out of the house and not have Carol feel like she needs to cook. The idea is just to grab something that will cost less than $20 for the two of us. We have our regular haunts, all of which are not flashy at all - the local China Buffet, Gulliver's Barnaby's (for a Pub Burger, not a pizza), Steak n Shake, or Rosati's (for the buffet).
Tonight we went to another standby - Fuddruckers. I was floored by the sign that I saw at the entrance:
KOBE BEEF BURGER
Fuddruckers has Kobe beef? WTF? It's a half pound American-Style Kobe Beef Burger for $9.99
I've always wanted to try Kobe beef... but not as a burger at Fuddruckers...
posted at 06:15 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Thursday, September 02, 2004
'SkeetersThe village just went through the neighborhood with the Mosquito Abatement Trucks, throwing chemicals into the air trying to kill mosquito larvae. Illinois had their first fatality from the West Nile Virus today.
posted at 10:50 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Matinée
I went over to the AMC South Barrington 30 to catch a matinée (1:50pm) of Collateral. I didn't know what to expect, I had heard a few good things about the movie so I thought I'd check it out.
WOW. I was blown away - much better than I had thought. First, acting - Jamie Foxx was great and Tom Cruise was OK. The thing that got me was the look of the movie. It takes place all in one night. To get the look right, it was shot in HDTV. That's right - digital video instead of film. This allowed the crew the freedom of shooting in very low light levels with richness of color and not having to wash a set in high intensity lighting. In fact, it's hard to see any lighting in the film. It was wonderful and magical - I don't know how to explain it - you felt the night. I would highly recommend the film.
posted at 04:27 PM | Link | Movies § |
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
*nose wiggle* *nose wiggle*"Rabbit, Rabbit!"
(Had to give two wiggles - we've got two bunnies in the house now!
posted at 07:58 AM | Link | Memes § |
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