Shorts

The answer isn’t to make electric/hybrid cars louder. The answer is to re-train ourselves that not all cars make the same kinds of noise anymore. Yes, that’s a challenge for the blind, but let’s not look backwards for a solution. Let’s not force the new world into the rubric of the old. Let’s look forward for a new solution.

Hybrid Cars Pose Risk to the Blind, Visually Impaired


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Here’s another thing I missed while I was home this weekend, and it was just blocks from my house:

SF Zine Fest

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Don’t get me wrong. I had a fabulous time this weekend at home. I’ll write about it more soon, probably on Our Intrepid Hero, but it did seem like everything was happening last weekend: birthday parties, trips down rivers, Burning Pirate, Batman opening, Jaws at the Castro… I could go on and on.

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I turned the radio broadcast of the Cubs game on last night in the 6th inning and the first play I heard was Romero’s home run to break up Harden’s no hitter. D’oh. Harden’s pitched two brilliant games and not gotten a decision in either. We need to start hitting.


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Hot to get a free haircut in San Francisco:

Random Cub

Andre Dawson “The Hawk”.

When he became a free agent after the 1986 season, Dawson really wanted to play for the Cubs. He hit far better during the day and he wanted to get off the artificial surface he’s played on for so many years in Montreal, hoping the natural grass at Wrigley would prolong his career.

The Cubs didn’t really want him. They didn’t think one player could turn a last place team into a contender and didn’t want to spend the money to sign Dawson an MVP runner-up twice in Montreal.

Dawson, determined to be a Cub, showed up at training camp anyway and presented the Cubs with a signed blank contract. The Cubs paid him a modest $500,000 plus $250,000 in incentives.

Dawson hit 49 home runs that year, threw a runner out at first base from the outfield, started in the All-Star Game, and was the NL MVP, first MVP ever to play for a last place team. You see, the Cubs were right, one player couldn’t turn the team around.

Andre Dawson on Wikipedia

Random Cub

May 11, 2000

Glenallen Hill

from baseball-reference.com:

• He was the victim of perhaps the most bizarre injury in baseball history. He suffered cuts, scrapes, and bruises while sleepwalking during a nightmare about spiders.
• He once was arguing balls and strikes with an umpire, who ordered the pitcher to deliver the next pitch while Hill was standing several feet out of the box. With a two strike count, Hill jumped into the box while the ball was being delivered and amazingly slapped the ball to right field for a single.
• Hill admitted in February of 2008 to using performance-enhancing substances during his career. He said he had made poor decisions in his past life.

(link)

The Best Team in Baseball

The Cubs have the best record in baseball right now. I'm savoring it while I can. They haven't had the best record in baseball as of June 1 since 1908, a century ago. Lets hope this year turns out like that one.

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I'll post all about my weekend in L.A. stalking Neil Gaiman soon. Don't you worry.

Opening Day

Today’s Opening Day. Ok. Ok. Technically there were two games last week in Japan and the Nationals opened their new park last night in DC, but today is really Opening Day. Today’s the day they close down the streets and have a parade in Cincinnati to commemorate the first pro baseball team that went 2-2 in 1869. Today’s the day the Giants and the Dodgers celebrate 50 years on the west coast. Today’s the day the Cubs take the field a century after winning their last World Series back in 1908.

I am a Cubs fan.

If you know anything about baseball, that will illicit some sort of response from you, most likely one of sympathy or pity.

Inevitably I am bound to spend some time on this blog musing about the Cubs season, especially now that I’ve plunked down the change to listen to the games online. I will try to keep such musings accessible to the average reader who might not follow baseball.

I am a baseball fan.

Over the years I have introduced many skeptics to the beauty of the game. Admittedly it’s not for everyone, but if you think baseball’s boring, you’re missing the point. But I won’t go into that right now.

Opening Day is about potential, about the one day every team is in first place. That is until you lose 4-3 in extra innings and join half the league in last place heading into game 2. Ah, that’s the Cubs starting off the season in style.