WindyCon ended a week ago, and what I learned there won't be useful (for me, anyway) until next WindyCon, but you might want to add this to whatever archive of con-related tips you might keep.  The Westin Lombard, across from Yorktown Shopping Center, has its own parking lot, but on Saturday night the Harry Caray's restaurant in the hotel draws a ( Read more... )

No virtual gifts, please.  Paul's Winnie-the-Pooh honeypot would be all right, though.

Ken Burns had made, or is still finishing, the "Tenth Inning" to follow his Baseball documentary on PBS.  Promos are starting to show up.  I will, herewith, go out on a limb and predict what will and won't be in the film, and/or what there will be either too much of or not enough of, from the 16-year stretch since the original was made.

I should ( Read more... )

As I understand it, the central point of your campaign is to reduce the size and influence of government (federal at least, and possibly all other levels). If so, you might want to consider your positions on the following points, to see if they are consistent with that central point:

Do you want an actively enforced physical barrier along the entire ( Read more... )

Yes, another season is about to inflict itself upon us, and I can't let the moment pass without a rant or two.  Most urgently of all: The three-division approach to the major leagues has got to go.  We can keep the three-level playoffs, with four teams getting in from each league: The winners of the TWO divisions that will remain in each league, ( Read more... )

I've been enjoying the late-night TV follies as much as anyone, but now I'm starting to smell a rat.  Teasers for tonight's local news on Channel 5, not only an NBC affiliate but network-owned-and-operated, are all about the latest sniping between Leno and O'Brien.  Seems to me that NBC has decided that if it's going to be dragged through the ( Read more... )

I'll try to keep this short.  For the past few years, the league that wins baseball's All-Star Game has had the home field edge (four home games out of the possible seven) in the World Series.  Some people hate this.  As it happens, I actually had this idea a few decades ago, and on the whole I approve of how this has worked out, but I accept that ( Read more... )

. . . which is up in the air right now, because of the demands of my gainful employment, I've had an idea that's actually in keeping with the Steampunk theme.  Is anybody interested in participating in a panel on the topic, "Why Wasn't the Bicycle Invented Sooner?"  This is actually something I've thrown around as a conversational hook now and then ( Read more... )

Hi.  Lisa has already spread the glad tidings about Larry's audition, so there's not much for me to add, other than this: as a jazz fan, I'm delighted that my son has decided to make this music his calling; as a safely remote observer of the music business, I'm worried that he has done so.  But I accept that he has to follow his passion.  And, as ( Read more... )

Did anyone see that odd video footage from the Australian Open (of tennis)?  People reported to have been Serbs and Bosniaks were shown in an outdoor area (maybe near concession stands).  They got into an argument that apparently peaked with each camp throwing resin chairs at the other ( Read more... )