dc.

How about jj Hardy having the worst defensive game of his life?

I think you're underestimating by a factor of about 100%

I didn't like dropping Pearce into the 2-hole yesterday. If Markakis is leading off and getting on (he generally is), is much prefer to see Jones, Davis, Cruz than Pearce then those three... Instead, as yesterday, Markakis gets on and inning is over before Cruz gets a swing.

Again... No OBP worth a damn in the line up. Unless we're knocking them out of the yard, we're not scoring much. Gallardo isn't quite mediocre, but we could have and should have done more. Really it's going to be hard to win any game where your pitching gives up eight runs

Thanks everyone! Big weekend of festivities!! I feel old... Even my grandmother thought I had passed the 30 marker (by a few years!)... Harumph.

I'm not really against gun ownership... But the opposite of "better make sure you make a good decision" is a reality of lax laws too... That being, "better pray the guy who's angry you took too long to order isn't carrying" and "gee I hope my teacher doesn't have a bad day and get jumpy with that gun behind his desk" Isn't coercing behavior we like through violence an element of totalitarian policy almost? "It's not that I think it was the right thing to do, but metaphorically I have been taught to imagine that everyone is holding a gun to my head... Because they might be!"

Only problem with that movie concept is that the 10% thing is a lie. Only 10%is used in conscious activity... But pretty much the other 90%in full is running at all times for involuntary or subconscious activity that keeps us alive!

Heard today that the House of Reps passed their defense funding bill... And explicitly included an amendment that prohibits the defense dept or any sub group from spending any money on climate change research. One because it would hurt the economy to abandon coal (?) And two because 90% of the CO2 in the world is naturally produced so we can't be behind it anyway.

I always wonder ... when you look back at the civil rights movement and see those photos of the first students going to mixed high schools in Birmingham and Selma and Jackson... and in the background are their peers, spitting and yelling and cursing and scowling... How do those people feel now? They've been immortalized - somewhat anonymously (good for them) - as the angry faces in the background. They are also saved by the fact that we so rarely really look at their faces, we look so much more at the students being attacked. Regardless, I wonder how long before people look at the pictures and videos of this time and feel similarly. Maybe never. Anyway... I never understand the "get it off my TV" mantra. You're yelling at Sam, but really you're angry at ESPN and the NFL. They have embraced it. If you don't want to see them embracing it, then make the free market choice to not watch the NFL and not watch ESPN. Find an alternative that meets your needs and wants and desires. That's how the market works and we should let it work, right? Why should anyone else get to tell me what I watch or what ESPN chooses to broadcast?

I also like the argument that: first - there are more sense that we either don't acknowledge or can't even really comprehend. But is emotion not a "sense?" Is "yearning" for companionship not a sense? We only pay attention to the tangible sense second - even the sense we have are exceptionally limited, but we never acknowledge that in our daily life. You saw what you saw... but what didn't you see simply because our eyes don't see them? AHHHH.

Here's what I find crazy - even before the last quote. The wife/partner/whatever admits they intentionally left a purse in the garage with the door open in order to lure someone in... so that they could see them on video... and then the guy could walk outside his house and shoot into the garage without knowing who was there!

Here's another one.... "Castle Doctrine" at work: http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/crime/2014/05/20/erin-dnt-lah-german-exchange-student-killed.cnn-ap.html According to Montana law as re-written in 2009, you can shoot if you have "a reasonable belief" it will "end an unlawful intrusion." Now, I am sympathetic to a homeowner who was burglarized multiple times. And sympathetic to the obvious argument that the student in the question about was also attempting a mild robbery (in a garage). But I am significantly less sympathetic to the idea that you can simply shoot - without warning, without sight of what you are shooting, without knowledge of what you are shooting. You have a voice, you have many tools at your disposal. And the attorney in that video saying, "people will learn there are consequences..." ... certainly. But what should the consequence be? And what lesson did this student learn?

I am pretty captivated by his justification for a 'supreme being' using the limits of our sensory perception. Very Thomas Aquinas of him. (Though he later goes anti-monotheism, which is less convincing... especially when he describes monotheistic religion as being individualistic... certainly not as 'earth-focused' as traditional 'pagan' religions, but hardly individualistic)

Russell Brand - Awakened Man: Much of what he says gets lost in the speed and energy pent up that suddenly spews out. But lots of cool thoughts in here.

I think he's back...

I'm torn on this but largely agree. As I said a few times in here, I get that some people just don't want to see it and that is different from hate. But I see more malice in the sentiment of "get that of my TV" or "stay in the closet" or other slanderous terms. That's what I struggle most with.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/us/science-standards-divide-a-state-built-on-coal-and-oil.html?hp&_r=0 States are rejecting new national science standards because they teach climate change ... namely conservative states and especially those who make lots of money in coal/oil industries. "They treat climate change like settled science" ... from an Oklahoma Rep... That's because it is.

It's weird. I don't consider it Buck's preference to have players bat this way... Though our hitting coach certainly has the rep. But we certainly don't do much even in the offseason to find guys who just get on base.

I know it happens all the time. It's pathetic.

So you get to shout your opinions but no one can shout back?

Runner on third. One out. Not one of the the guys to come to the plate even puts a ball in play. That's what's wrong with this team. How does Jones keep swinging at those hooks? If I was an opposing manager I'd forbid any pitcher on my team from ever throwing him a pitch that didn't bounce.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/17/the-political-power-of-michael-sam-s-liplock-with-his-lover.html Just to show both sides... A scientific poll in this article says a plurality (47%) found the airing of the kiss inappropriate. The gist of the article though is that a majority say homosexuality is OK - 65% of NFL fans said they would be OK with their team drafting Sam - but we still can't actually handle looking at something like that. So Tornado... Seems like there are lots of people who say they are OK with gay but not OK with the kiss. I'll give you that. But I still think telling him to stay in the closet and using the term faggot show that your position is a bit more extreme...

Machado's bunt wasn't a Buck call. Like Jones he has always used the bunt to get himself on when the situation is right. But it was a great call in a tight game with Guthrie pitching so well to that point.

I actually don't consider myself liberal. I am sure many will laugh at that but it's true. On this issue sure I side with the current view associated with liberals, but it's not overriding on all or even most issues. I don't agree with the general liberal worldview per se. I've already told you how it's not about not liking men kissing but it is about the way you've discussed and disparaged the whole situation - you claim you haven't, but we disagree on that. Crav and others here have expressed they didn't like the kiss without the level of vitriol you bring to the debate. I'll ask it this way - do you have any gay friends? If so, would you ask them not to kiss in front of you? Would you not go to their wedding knowing they'd kiss?

He's fine as a specialist. But clearly can't do much more.