You're Waiting For a Train...

Friday, November 5, 2010

Whistle Stops

Looking to be the first on your block to grab an 2010 Ohio State Pro Combat Jersey? Get it here. Currently available in #42 (LB Andrew Sweat), #22 (retired, Les Horvath - starting QB on the '42 National Championship team that the jerseys commemorate & '44 Heisman winner) & #2 (some scrub).

In even better news, the Tribe has DFAed Andy Marte to remove him from the 40-man roster. The Indians are down to 35 now with Grady Sizemore and Carlos Santana to be added back from the 60-day DL. This means the Indians can add 3 prospects to be protected during the Rule 5 draft. All of the following are possibilities: Rob Bryson, Paolo Espino, Connor Graham, Nick Hagadone, Beau Mills, Matt McBride, Jared Goedert, Josh Rodriguez, Jose Constanza and John Drennen. Anbny who are not added might be plucked by another team

Eponymity

Finally saw Inception. So, a theory within the film is that when in the dreamscape (and unaffected by heavy sedatives) the method to return to the real world is death. Also, if I'm on a similar plane, i.e. not the most essential level, then I am consciously unaware of my predicament. Something has influenced the rules here. Something has constructed a maze precluding death as a viable ;-j escape hatch. In fact, we're all taught that death is to be avoided at all costs, despite the fact that individual and aggregate demise is inevitable. We're taught to keep playing the game. Despite the seeming fact that the lexicon of philosophical thought is complete, ideas occur to me (including the notion of death as the path to ultimate reality) as if a personal synthesis of diverse information and then appear within cultural context (as that theory in the flick). Collective unconscious? A barely plausible construct to explain the much simpler explanation of a single consciousness influencing all machinations. The question is simple: how do I know I'm not "dreaming?" Apply whatever analogy, religious or otherwise. The answer is even more basic: I don't. I can't. Under no circumstances can I come to this understanding without the hand of an omnipotent being reaching in. There's always an architect. Ask the Wachowskis. How long can the noumena fail to appear before I channel my own train? The top just keeps spinning.

2:30 pm: As I've ranted before, the world seems to be spiraling down the drain before my very eyes. The great proportion of the populace seems much more attuned to mockery than actuality, to television than the streets outside their windows. The line between fantasy and reality continues to blur; the ramparts of the tangible life crumble to the sea. The seams tatter and the edges fray. It is very much like this vision cannot endure, as if transition is imminent. I suppose that the ending is the same either way, but can my soul survive the journey?

Pretty Girl 11.05.10 - Christie Clark

The reason I watched entirely too many episodes of my mother's soap operas during summer vacation at age 12.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

R.I.P. Sparky Anderson (1934-2010)

This is how I'll remember Sparky. I always thought he looked like my grandfather, the few times I saw the latter smile.

Whistle Stops

Cavs - "Where did you go?"
ETrain - "To the can, 'cuz watching you makes me barf!"
(Sort of like these weird CavsFanatic jerseys the team will be wearing later this season.)

4 more dropped from the Indians 40-man: Chad Huffman, Wes Hodges, Drew Sutton and Carlos Rivero. Rivero was claimed off waivers by the Phillies thus I, thank goodness, don't have to hear about how disappointing he is anymore.

Prompted by the Rays late season offer, expect several MLB teams to configure free ticket promotions next season. Believe it or not, this is a sound business plan in these troubled economic times. Think of the tickets as a sunk cost. For those of you that are not economists, this means you're going to eat the loss either way. Imagine you're fixing your car and you've already pumped $500 into repairs. The damn thing still doesn't run and you employ the logic "Well, I put $500 in already, I can't just flush that away, I need to make this junker work!" That $500 isn't coming back regardless of whether you can get the car going or not. Your decision should be based on a prospective view. If it seems likely that another two grand will be necessary to make the vehicle viable and the car is only worth $1500, just walk away and use the $2000 elsewhere. This is the same mentality big league ball clubs will be making use of. Regardless of whether the tickets are given away or simply unused, there is no revenue coming in from them. But, and this is key, all of those fans will be buying $8 beers and $5 hot dogs. Chances are that there will be some kids that sucker the rents into purchasing some over priced novelties. The city makes $10-$20 on parking and many in the crowd patronize downtown businesses before and after the game. No official plans for this type of give away have been announced by any team, but, given the "buzz," it seems inevitable.

Colt McCoy is expected to start against the Patriots on Sunday. It would be a crying shame if he did not, baring injury, start every game for the rest of the season. Who knows? Mangenius is a mad genius, I'm just some dude.

Cheers