In the history of March Madness prior to today, there have been four #15 seeds beating a #2. There were TWO today: Norfolk State and just now, Lehigh over Duke. Both underdogs tried hard to give it away, too. But the "better" teams didn't rise to get through the open door. In other words, lousy play by both teams at the end.
A 13 also won, Ohio over Michigan. An 11 won. A 10 won. It's upset city today. I love it.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Norfolk State Spartans vs. Missouri Tigers - NCAA Tournament Game - Recap - March 16, 2012 - ESPN
Norfolk State Spartans vs. Missouri Tigers - NCAA Tournament Game - Recap - March 16, 2012 - ESPN:
"They became the fifth No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 and the first since fellow conference member Hampton in 2001.
When it was over, O'Quinn led Norfolk State back to the locker room shouting, "We messed up some brackets! We messed up some brackets!""
"They became the fifth No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 and the first since fellow conference member Hampton in 2001.
When it was over, O'Quinn led Norfolk State back to the locker room shouting, "We messed up some brackets! We messed up some brackets!""
#15 seed Norfolk State wins!
I was born in Norfolk, so this is really sweet. Major upset over Missouri! Well, NS tried to lose: 2 pt lead, 2 seconds left, 2 free throws -- and missed them both! So M got a final shot but missed.
Earlier #14 see St. Bonaventure blew a lead, collapsing at the end, which is par for Davids. And Norfolk gave Missouri a chance to win here.
This is sweet, only the 5th time it's happened in the tourny, I think.
Earlier #14 see St. Bonaventure blew a lead, collapsing at the end, which is par for Davids. And Norfolk gave Missouri a chance to win here.
This is sweet, only the 5th time it's happened in the tourny, I think.
Recent reading
Cole Porter by William Mcbrien
I love Porter's music but this biography got tiresome by its repetition of parties of the very wealthy. Yep, they sure are different.Angry Mobs and Founding Fathers: The Fight for Control of the American Revolution by Michael E. Newton
"The meaning of the American Revolution is still debated more than 200 years later. The ideological descendants of the angry mobs believe that the principles of liberty espoused in the Declaration of Independence are most important, whereas the followers of the Founding Fathers who wrote the Constitution believe that the political system established by the Constitution must be strictly maintained."Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime by John Heilemann, Mark Halperin
A very entertaining page-turner, full of surprises. Everybody comes off imperfect.Quantum Enigma : Physics Encounters Consciousness by Bruce Rosenblum, Fred Kutter
I've read most of the popularizations of the new physics. Some tell the story historically, others personally as a battle between Einstein and Bohr. This is the most successful one, I think, in communicating the theory and its marvelous contradictions of common sense. I haven't finished this yet but like it very much.
"But before we look, the atom is simultaneously in both boxes. The atom is in two places at once.
“But you’re saying something crazy about the world!” the questioner exclaims. “You’re saying that what previously existed is created by the way we look at something.” Most heads nod in agreement; others just seem baffled."
Having written
![]() |
| Dorothy Parker |
But I don't even get to do that any more. This is the end of the trajectory The whole cloth has been folded and put away. It's a whole new ball game.
It's going to take me a while to get used to it.
4 for Saturday
There are only 4 of yesterday's survivors I care about: VCU, Colorado, Gonzaga, New Mexico.
Maybe there'll be more upsets today. Probably fewer. I'll likely have 5 or 6 in the sweet 16 to root for, then 1 or none after that, and so switch to the women's dance. That's the way it usually works. In women's, I have a passion for someone to beat Baylor.
Maybe there'll be more upsets today. Probably fewer. I'll likely have 5 or 6 in the sweet 16 to root for, then 1 or none after that, and so switch to the women's dance. That's the way it usually works. In women's, I have a passion for someone to beat Baylor.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Inside Story of How John Carter Was Doomed by Its First Trailer -- Vulture
The Inside Story of How John Carter Was Doomed by Its First Trailer -- Vulture:
"“This is one of the worst marketing campaigns in the history of movies,” a former studio marketing chief told Vulture before the film opened. “It’s almost as if they went out of their way to not make us care.” If that was the goal, it worked."
"“This is one of the worst marketing campaigns in the history of movies,” a former studio marketing chief told Vulture before the film opened. “It’s almost as if they went out of their way to not make us care.” If that was the goal, it worked."
Heart stopper
Colorado played great for most of the game, had a 20 pt lead with less than 10 mins -- and fell apart. With 3 mins left, UNLV was 2 behind -- and Colorado remembered how to play again. The rest of the game was a heart stopper, Colorado missing free throws late that could ice it, finally held on for a 4 pt win, advancing as an 11 seed, only the second upset of the day. But this team falls apart on a full court press. I'm sure their next opponent noticed.
Finally!
#12 VCU beats #5 Wichita State, 62-59, down to the buzzer.
LATER. Colorado looking great in first half against UNLV, giving the Pac 12 some needed respect after Cal's poor showing. Hope this continues.
LATER. Colorado looking great in first half against UNLV, giving the Pac 12 some needed respect after Cal's poor showing. Hope this continues.
By the book
No upsets yet, though VCU (#12) leads early in 2nd half, though UNC-Ashville and Harvard were very respectable Davids in their games. Man, we need at least one non-seeded victory today.
Robert Reich: Why Republicans Aren't Mentioning the Real Cause of Rising Prices at the Gas Pump
Robert Reich: Why Republicans Aren't Mentioning the Real Cause of Rising Prices at the Gas Pump:
"But the rise in gas prices has almost nothing to do with energy policy. It has everything to do with America's continuing failure to adequately regulate Wall Street. "
"But the rise in gas prices has almost nothing to do with energy policy. It has everything to do with America's continuing failure to adequately regulate Wall Street. "
John R. MacArthur: Internet con men ravage publishing |
John R. MacArthur: Internet con men ravage publishing | This New England Blog | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journal:
"However, as much as I object to free content, I am even more offended by the online sensibility and its anti-democratic, anti-emotional, even anti-intellectual effect. Devotees of the Internet like to say that the Web is a bottom-up phenomenon that wondrously bypasses the traditional gatekeepers in publishing and politics who allegedly snuff out true debate. But much of what I see is unedited, incoherent babble indicative of a herd mentality, not a true desire for self-government or fairness.
Can it be seriously argued that popular government in America - with our two-party oligarchy, 90 percent-plus re-election rates, and money-laundered politics - has progressed in the age of the Internet? Have WikiLeak's disclosures on Afghanistan moved us any closer to withdrawal from that country? Would American be any less democratic without e-mail?"
"However, as much as I object to free content, I am even more offended by the online sensibility and its anti-democratic, anti-emotional, even anti-intellectual effect. Devotees of the Internet like to say that the Web is a bottom-up phenomenon that wondrously bypasses the traditional gatekeepers in publishing and politics who allegedly snuff out true debate. But much of what I see is unedited, incoherent babble indicative of a herd mentality, not a true desire for self-government or fairness.
Can it be seriously argued that popular government in America - with our two-party oligarchy, 90 percent-plus re-election rates, and money-laundered politics - has progressed in the age of the Internet? Have WikiLeak's disclosures on Afghanistan moved us any closer to withdrawal from that country? Would American be any less democratic without e-mail?"
Great interface
I'm watching the big dance on my office computer and, man, this interface is really cool! More info than watching on TV actually. However, the downside are the ads, which lock you in.
Very big day
March madness begins in earnest -- and it's the last day of class for the term. Watch student videos, see how they did. And come home to watch games.
Alas, the two games I really want to see happen during my class time, but maybe I can catch the end of them in my office afterwards (and I'm taping them to view later). Today and tomorrow are the best days of the tournament in terms of David-Goliath, which is where my main interest lies. If Harvard can stay within ten points, man, I dig it! The more the underdogs get eliminated, the less interest I have. I have no interest in jocks who use college as a minor league warm up for the pros. If you got rid of all athletic scholarships and got tough on academic requirements for jocks, college sports would be college sports again. Never happen. That's why the best sports left in college are those with no meaningful professional league, like track and field, swimming. Even college baseball because the pros have their own minor league, as football and basketball should.
So I want actual true student-athletes to hang in for as long as possible in the tourny, before the pros masquerading as students take over. Then I stop watching and get ready for the Triple Crown.
But who knows, maybe a small school will make the final four! Happens amazingly often. Reason to watch.
Alas, the two games I really want to see happen during my class time, but maybe I can catch the end of them in my office afterwards (and I'm taping them to view later). Today and tomorrow are the best days of the tournament in terms of David-Goliath, which is where my main interest lies. If Harvard can stay within ten points, man, I dig it! The more the underdogs get eliminated, the less interest I have. I have no interest in jocks who use college as a minor league warm up for the pros. If you got rid of all athletic scholarships and got tough on academic requirements for jocks, college sports would be college sports again. Never happen. That's why the best sports left in college are those with no meaningful professional league, like track and field, swimming. Even college baseball because the pros have their own minor league, as football and basketball should.
So I want actual true student-athletes to hang in for as long as possible in the tourny, before the pros masquerading as students take over. Then I stop watching and get ready for the Triple Crown.
But who knows, maybe a small school will make the final four! Happens amazingly often. Reason to watch.
The Passive Voice
The Passive Voice:
I subscribe to this blog on Kindle and highly recommend it if you are interested in publishing, ebooks, and other issues and changes raised by the digital revolution. First rate digest with commentary. "Passive Guy," the author, is a lawyer, a writer, and a very level-headed observer of the publishing scene. This is updated several times a day.
I subscribe to this blog on Kindle and highly recommend it if you are interested in publishing, ebooks, and other issues and changes raised by the digital revolution. First rate digest with commentary. "Passive Guy," the author, is a lawyer, a writer, and a very level-headed observer of the publishing scene. This is updated several times a day.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Leslie Kean: UFO Caught On Tape Over Santiago Air Base
Leslie Kean: UFO Caught On Tape Over Santiago Air Base:
"Astronomer Luis Barrera from the Metropolitan University of Sciences in Chile, who has an asteroid named after him, was one of eight highly skeptical scientists who analyzed the footage. He was able to rule out a meteoroid, pieces of meteors or comets, space junk, a bird or an airplane.
"The object performed a risky flight maneuver in front of the Halcones from W-E-W, at low altitude and high speed," Barrera concluded. "It had intentional movements. It moved east with 25 degrees inclination, which is the same angle of spacecraft when entering the atmosphere."
Alberto Vergara, an expert in digital imaging, reported that "when we examine the whole scene frame by frame, we have been able to realize that it has, apparently, moved at a speed far superior to any flying object of known manufacture."
Has Chile found proof of something possibly extraterrestrial?
"At this time, this incident cannot be scientifically explained," Bermúdez wrote in a recent email. "As agreed by those who have studied the videos, we can affirm that there is an unidentified aerial object present. We do not know what it is or where it came from.""
"Astronomer Luis Barrera from the Metropolitan University of Sciences in Chile, who has an asteroid named after him, was one of eight highly skeptical scientists who analyzed the footage. He was able to rule out a meteoroid, pieces of meteors or comets, space junk, a bird or an airplane.
"The object performed a risky flight maneuver in front of the Halcones from W-E-W, at low altitude and high speed," Barrera concluded. "It had intentional movements. It moved east with 25 degrees inclination, which is the same angle of spacecraft when entering the atmosphere."
Alberto Vergara, an expert in digital imaging, reported that "when we examine the whole scene frame by frame, we have been able to realize that it has, apparently, moved at a speed far superior to any flying object of known manufacture."
Has Chile found proof of something possibly extraterrestrial?
"At this time, this incident cannot be scientifically explained," Bermúdez wrote in a recent email. "As agreed by those who have studied the videos, we can affirm that there is an unidentified aerial object present. We do not know what it is or where it came from.""
Pac 12 blown out
South Florida put the brakes on after a 30 pt lead over embarrassing Cal and won by 11, a very misleading score. This was a blood bath. Cal didn't belong here, and So Florida got its first tournament win.
Vermont wins!
Vermont beats Lamar by 12. Love watching teams like Vermont, much ball movement, over 50% shooting, only 5 turnovers the entire game, a player with a 90% free throw average, old school team play, no primadonas.
Now Cal plays South Florida. Go Cal!
Now Cal plays South Florida. Go Cal!
March madness
Vermont has a big lead on Lamar, which I love! However, given the 16 and 25 pt incredible comebacks last night, no lead is safe in this wonderful tournament. So the tension stays taut.
Battle of the blogs
Round Bend Press: Band Wagon Fans:
Ah, my publisher and I are in a blog fight about basketball, he thinks the Pac 12 is great this year, I think it sucks and therefore we WESTERNERS should root for the Mt West teams. He thinks it's better to sulk and watch the NIT. There is no resolution.
Ah, my publisher and I are in a blog fight about basketball, he thinks the Pac 12 is great this year, I think it sucks and therefore we WESTERNERS should root for the Mt West teams. He thinks it's better to sulk and watch the NIT. There is no resolution.
Divine Comedy is 'offensive and discriminatory', says Italian NGO | Books | guardian.co.uk
Divine Comedy is 'offensive and discriminatory', says Italian NGO | Books | guardian.co.uk:
"Human-rights organisation calls for Dante's 'racist, Islamophobic and antisemitic' epic poem to be removed from classrooms"
If it goes, the Bible goes, ha ha.
"Human-rights organisation calls for Dante's 'racist, Islamophobic and antisemitic' epic poem to be removed from classrooms"
If it goes, the Bible goes, ha ha.
Sundays in Graduate School
From Sodom, Gomorrah & JonesTHEY SLEPT IN on Sundays, coming to the day slowly, lazily, waking, making love, napping, and making love again. It would be almost noon before they dragged themselves out of bed to make breakfast.“I ran into Nancy,” said Helen one Sunday. “She invited us to go to the Unitarian Church with them some Sunday.”
CJ rested his cheek on her pubic hair, full of the smell of her, drugged by the musky dampness of her sex.“Do you want to?” he asked.“No. Do you?”“Never. I already have my church.”“Oh?”“My church is your pussy.”Helen laughed and said, “Oh God, what have I created?”
Why I don't fill out a bracket
I used to fill out brackets for March Madness. But I learned that it ruined the entire spirit of the tournament for me. Filling out a bracket required too much head, not enough heart. I have much more fun rooting for underdogs and upsets without being stressed about whether I'm right or wrong on my bracket. For me it's the perfect David & Goliath tournament, and I always root for David. I mean, I even loved it when Princeton beat UCLA, my alma mater, which was unheard of at the time. I don't give a shit who the best college basketball team in the country is. I give a shit about a bunch guys from Princeton, actual student-athletes, who on one rare magical night upset a basketball legend. That's something to write home about! (Or when I was in grad school, to see a heavily underdog Oregon beat Wooden's UCLA at Mac Court, a surreal wonderful experience!)
So that's why I stopped doing brackets. I hate pro basketball (and will continue to do so unless they raise the baskets about 3 feet), why would I want to watch the equivalent at a corrupt university? I like true STUDENT ATHLETES and root for them passionately. Let's ban all athletic scholarships and get it real again. Let the pros form their own minor leagues and stop pimping the colleges. At the very least, require a B average in real college courses to qualify for going out for a team. Blah blah blah etc etc etc, sorry, didn't mean to get started.
In the right hand column of this blog, the Devil's Dictionary says it all.
So that's why I stopped doing brackets. I hate pro basketball (and will continue to do so unless they raise the baskets about 3 feet), why would I want to watch the equivalent at a corrupt university? I like true STUDENT ATHLETES and root for them passionately. Let's ban all athletic scholarships and get it real again. Let the pros form their own minor leagues and stop pimping the colleges. At the very least, require a B average in real college courses to qualify for going out for a team. Blah blah blah etc etc etc, sorry, didn't mean to get started.
In the right hand column of this blog, the Devil's Dictionary says it all.
From The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
ACADEME, n. An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.
ACADEMY, n. (from ACADEME) A modern school where football is taught.
CJ Watches the News
From Sodom, Gomorrah & JonesCJ MADE A frozen chicken pot pie for dinner and watched the news.An Afghan in exile warned that civil war will break out as soon as U.S. troops leave the country. The Taliban quickly will return to power, he predicted, causing renewed civil war against contrary tribes and especially against the country's minority of Christians. There will be a blood bath that makes the current beheadings and suicide bombings look like a family squabble.CJ finished dinner and dozed off before the news was over. He slept through the story of the young man who had chopped up the body of his fiancée and kept her in his basement freezer for six months. By the time CJ awoke to canned laughter, a sitcom was on. It was all he could do to drag himself to bed.
Not dark enough?
One of the recurring vignettes in my novel is called "CJ Watches the News," which hopes to convey the environment of horrific news in which we all live today. However, watching the news myself since finishing the book, I fear CJ gets off too easy, that the news in the book isn't dark enough, that the world I live in is far darker than the world CJ lives in. I wanted them to be more or less the same. Maybe I'm wrong. Hmm.
Wind?
I thought the wind was blowing outside. I went out to check and it turned out to be all the whining from Pac-12 diehards about how they belong in the REAL tournament, now that their teams have won in the IMITATION tournament. So sad. They should be sending good karma to the Mountain West's FOUR teams in the REAL tournament.
Progress report
I am so loving your book.Nice to get these strokes early on. Too bad they'll be so few of them in the long run. Nature of the beast if you don't spend many, many hours marketing yourself. Life's too damn short for that, especially from my perspective these days. So this will have to do.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Comeback city
Down by 16 with less than 5 mins to play, Western Kentucky stages record comeback to win by one. And in second game, BYU, down by 25 at one point, takes one pt lead with a few minutes left. Gotta run to watch ending.
March Madness begins!
Home from class just in time to see the first tip off of MM. It's magical, no matter who is playing. Best designed sports tournament in the country.
Ebooks: defending the agency model | Technology | guardian.co.uk
Ebooks: defending the agency model | Technology | guardian.co.uk:
"Did book publishers gang up against Amazon to shore up their position in the tumultuous publishing business?"
"Did book publishers gang up against Amazon to shore up their position in the tumultuous publishing business?"
Studs Terkel's study of race in the US: 20 years on | Books | guardian.co.uk
Studs Terkel's study of race in the US: 20 years on | Books | guardian.co.uk:
"What have we learned in the two decades since the oral historian Studs Terkel published his classic book Race? In the introduction to a new edition, Gary Younge weighs up what has changed – and what hasn't"
"What have we learned in the two decades since the oral historian Studs Terkel published his classic book Race? In the introduction to a new edition, Gary Younge weighs up what has changed – and what hasn't"
Portland State Currently | News
Portland State Currently | News:
"Charles Deemer writes novel Sodom, Gomorrah & Jones
Author: Currently
Posted: March 12, 2012
Charles Deemer, English adjunct faculty, has written a short novel, Sodom, Gomorrah & Jones, published by Round Bend Press. It's also available in a Kindle edition. Sodom, a dark comedy, is the story of Carlton "CJ" Jones, a retired PSU history professor and widower, who struggles to live a life with meaning without his wife, and a life with integrity in a corrupt world that denies the coup d'état of the Kennedy assassination. He discovers a secret in his wife's personal belongings that shakes the foundations of his life."
The university publicity. I can't even get our local paper to review this. Once upon a time ...
"Charles Deemer writes novel Sodom, Gomorrah & Jones
Author: Currently
Posted: March 12, 2012
Charles Deemer, English adjunct faculty, has written a short novel, Sodom, Gomorrah & Jones, published by Round Bend Press. It's also available in a Kindle edition. Sodom, a dark comedy, is the story of Carlton "CJ" Jones, a retired PSU history professor and widower, who struggles to live a life with meaning without his wife, and a life with integrity in a corrupt world that denies the coup d'état of the Kennedy assassination. He discovers a secret in his wife's personal belongings that shakes the foundations of his life."
The university publicity. I can't even get our local paper to review this. Once upon a time ...
Round Bend Press: In-Game Blog/Timbers v. Philly
Round Bend Press: In-Game Blog/Timbers v. Philly:
This is a hoot. Actually a 0-0 soccer game can be a zillion times more exciting than a 0-0 American football game! You have to be in far better shape to play soccer. American football, which I played, is very over-rated actually. But how can you beat the excitement of a 5000 meters run!???
This is a hoot. Actually a 0-0 soccer game can be a zillion times more exciting than a 0-0 American football game! You have to be in far better shape to play soccer. American football, which I played, is very over-rated actually. But how can you beat the excitement of a 5000 meters run!???
Monday, March 12, 2012
Dance TV schedule (ET)
March 15 | CO ST vs MURRAY | 12:15 PM | CBS | |
| S MISS vs KAN ST | 12:40 PM | TruTV | ||
| DAVIDSON vs LOUISVILLE | 1:40 PM | TBS | ||
| MONT vs WISC | 2:10 PM | TNT | ||
| BYU/ or IONA vs MARQ | 2:45 PM | CBS | ||
| UNC ASHVILLE vs SYRACUSE | 3:10 PM | TruTV | ||
| LBSU vs N MEX | 4:10 PM | TBS | ||
| HARVARD vs VANDERBUILT | 4:40 PM | TNT | ||
| W KY or MS VAL vs KY | 6:50PM | TBS | ||
| VCU vs WICHITA ST | 7:15 PM | CBS | ||
| WVU vs GONZAGA | 7:20 PM | TNT | ||
| S DAKOTA ST vs BAYLOR | 7:27 PM | TruTV | ||
| UCONN vs IOWA ST | 9:20 PM | TBS | ||
| NM ST vs IND | 9:45 PM | CBS | ||
| LOYOLA MD vs OHIO ST | 9:50 PM | TNT | ||
| COLO vs UNLV | 9:57 PM | TruTV | ||
| March 16 | TEXAS vs CINCY | 12:15 PM | CBS | |
| NC ST vs SDSU | 12:40PM | TruTV | ||
| ALA vs CREIGHTON | 1:40 PM | TBS | ||
| UVA vs FLA | 2:10 PM | TNT | ||
| ST BONA vs FSU | 2:45 PM | CBS | ||
| BELMONT vs GEORGETOWN | 3:10PM | TruTV | ||
| LAMAR/or VT vs UNC | 4:10 PM | TBS | ||
| NORFOLK vs MISSOURI | 4:40 PM | TNT | ||
| SLU vs MEMPHIS | 6:50 PM | TBS | ||
| LEHIGH vs DUKE | 7:15 PM | CBS | ||
| OHIO vs MICH | 7:20 PM | TNT | ||
| PURDUE vs ST MARYS | 7:27 PM | TruTV | ||
| LIU vs MICH ST | 9:20 PM | TBS | ||
| XAVIER vs NOTRE DAME | 9:45 PM | CBS | ||
| CA/ or S FLA vs TEMPLE | 9:50 PM | TNT | ||
| DET vs KANSAS | 9:57 PM | TruTV | ||
Two games I really want to see ... I'm in class Thursday. Tape them but not quite the same thing in the strange mind of a sports fan.
Round Bend Press: March Madness No Longer
Round Bend Press: March Madness No Longer:
TS is very upset that Washington didn't make the dance. As I noted in a previous blog entry, however, I would have been upset if they HAD gotten into the dance, based on their overall record (not a single win against a top 50 team, losing to Cal in Seattle). I assumed they would be in on basis of regular season championship and so am DELIGHTED the committee had the balls to keep them out. They suck, compared to other and smaller schools all across the nation.
So TS is pissed, and I am delighted! But I don't think Cal should have got in either, especially since Drexler didn't. The Pac 12 deserved only the tourny winner, Colorado, this year, in by the rules. The Pac 12 really sucks this year.
But I'll concede TS one point: I think the regular season champ should be an automatic bid and they should abandon the conference tournaments. Alas, they make money and greed wins out. But it's really stupid to have a champ and then a new champ that's more important. It's the conf tourny that's bullshit.
I'm very excited that lots of small western schools got in, including 4 from the Mountain West. Different strokes for different folks. I think this is one of the least controversial fields of all time.
I'll enjoy the early games but then only follow if some high seeds remain. The Top Schools don't excite me as much as the small schools. I'm a Mountain West guy this time around.
Of course, my ideal tournament is impossible: a final four that includes not one of the top four seeds! Man, I'd love it.
TS is very upset that Washington didn't make the dance. As I noted in a previous blog entry, however, I would have been upset if they HAD gotten into the dance, based on their overall record (not a single win against a top 50 team, losing to Cal in Seattle). I assumed they would be in on basis of regular season championship and so am DELIGHTED the committee had the balls to keep them out. They suck, compared to other and smaller schools all across the nation.
So TS is pissed, and I am delighted! But I don't think Cal should have got in either, especially since Drexler didn't. The Pac 12 deserved only the tourny winner, Colorado, this year, in by the rules. The Pac 12 really sucks this year.
But I'll concede TS one point: I think the regular season champ should be an automatic bid and they should abandon the conference tournaments. Alas, they make money and greed wins out. But it's really stupid to have a champ and then a new champ that's more important. It's the conf tourny that's bullshit.
I'm very excited that lots of small western schools got in, including 4 from the Mountain West. Different strokes for different folks. I think this is one of the least controversial fields of all time.
I'll enjoy the early games but then only follow if some high seeds remain. The Top Schools don't excite me as much as the small schools. I'm a Mountain West guy this time around.
Of course, my ideal tournament is impossible: a final four that includes not one of the top four seeds! Man, I'd love it.
What if the old masters' nudes were today's skinny models? | Art and design | The Guardian
What if the old masters' nudes were today's skinny models? | Art and design | The Guardian:
"A website that reduces the waistlines and curves of nudes in famous paintings has something powerful to say about our modern ideals of beauty"
"A website that reduces the waistlines and curves of nudes in famous paintings has something powerful to say about our modern ideals of beauty"
Starwatch: Venus on 147-years high | Science | The Guardian
Starwatch: Venus on 147-years high | Science | The Guardian:
"The conjunction between Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets, has been building for weeks and reaches its climax on 13th March when Venus passes 3° above-right of Jupiter."
Alas, rain is forecast for the week here. But I've been enjoying the spectacular view when I can.
"The conjunction between Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets, has been building for weeks and reaches its climax on 13th March when Venus passes 3° above-right of Jupiter."
Alas, rain is forecast for the week here. But I've been enjoying the spectacular view when I can.
British author's 'mommy porn' becomes US bestseller | Books | The Guardian
British author's 'mommy porn' becomes US bestseller | Books | The Guardian:
"Kindles and iPads have brought a degree of anonymity for readers who would in the past have balked at being seen fingering a book identifiable as erotic fiction."
Very interesting development.
"Kindles and iPads have brought a degree of anonymity for readers who would in the past have balked at being seen fingering a book identifiable as erotic fiction."
Very interesting development.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Thanksgiving, 1962
From Sodom, Gomorrah & Jones
AS HELEN AND CJ applauded, Mrs. Stevenson set the turkey in front of her husband. The bird was golden-brown and aromatic, large enough to feed three times their numbers.CJ had never seen anyone use an electric knife before. Instead of picking it up, Mr. Stevenson looked at CJ and asked, “Would you do the honors, Carlton?”“Excuse me?”“Say grace?”CJ had never said grace in his life. He shot a glance at Helen across the table, who nodded.“Of course,” said CJ.Mrs. Stevenson smiled at him.CJ closed his eyes, getting ready, then opened them.“Thank you,” he began. He stopped and started over. “Dear Lord. Thank you for the bounty of food we enjoy today and for the opportunity to share it with family and loved ones. Let's not forget the noble savages whose kindness got us through our first winter, even though we later rewarded them with a policy of genocide that--”Mr. Stevenson bolted to his feet with such effort that his chair toppled to the floor.“That's enough!” he said.He was so red in the face that CJ wondered if he were having a stroke. He turned and hurried out of the dining room.Helen was on her feet, also red but rising more carefully, and chased after her father.CJ closed his eyes again. What had possessed him? How could he be so stupid?When he looked up, Mrs. Stevenson was smiling at him.“Carlton, would you carve the turkey, please? You do know how to use an electric knife, don't you?”
Countdown
Getting excited to see the brackets! I think Washington, the regular season Pac 12 champ, may get bumped -- and rightly so. This rarely happens and speaks to how terrible the Pac 12 is this year. In fact, I'd put Colorado in because I have to but I don't think I'd put another Pac 12 team in, esp since there are strong teams in smaller west coast conferences. I'd put in Gonzaga before Washington. Lots of small Calif teams deserve in before Pac 12 teams. Be interesting to see what happens. If there is ONE Pac 12 team, then I applaud the committee but I think they will get stuck in the "big" conference syndrome and put in 2 or 3. And better smaller schools will lose out as a result. This is a GREAT YEAR for small schools! Man, I hope a lot make it but I'm doubtful. Politics and mythology rule.
Another reader gets it
It is so refreshing to read a book written in spare prose, with short chapters and various literary mediums, which manages to say so much.
Big Three
Great sports ahead: March Madness --> Triple Crown --> Summer Olympics
And in the middle of it all, baseball season begins.
And in the middle of it all, baseball season begins.
Oregon track & field rundown: Ducks' string of indoor victories continues; now what about the outdoor season? | OregonLive.com
Oregon track & field rundown: Ducks' string of indoor victories continues; now what about the outdoor season? | OregonLive.com:
"NAMPA, Idaho -- The Oregon Ducks continued their remarkable string of NCAA Indoor Track & Field success last night at Jacksons Indoor Track.
The Ducks made it look easy while rolling to their third consecutive women's NCAA Indoor championship. The UO men won the meet in 2009."
The summer Olympics are ahead! Track and field rules!
![]() |
| Jordan Hasey leads Ducks to victory |
The Ducks made it look easy while rolling to their third consecutive women's NCAA Indoor championship. The UO men won the meet in 2009."
The summer Olympics are ahead! Track and field rules!
Selection Sunday
Selection at 3pm ... before then, I'd like to get four projects evaluated, which would leave two more for tomorrow.
I'm rooting for teams in the west and teams with high GPAs.
Rain, rain. Just as well.
End of term blahs. End of novel blahs. End of the world blahs.
I'm rooting for teams in the west and teams with high GPAs.
Rain, rain. Just as well.
End of term blahs. End of novel blahs. End of the world blahs.
Cactus League
Granted, spring training is not the regular season, but Seattle heads the league at 7-2, which is worth mentioning because normally they are near the bottom, even in spring training. Maybe they are looking at a better season than recently. One can hope.
William Golding's crisis | Books | The Observer
William Golding's crisis | Books | The Observer:
"One of Britain's most original writers was also one of the most troubled, beset by fears of failure and memories of war. Yet he found solace at sea – until a shocking accident. Here, his daughter talks about life with the Nobel-prize winning author"
"One of Britain's most original writers was also one of the most troubled, beset by fears of failure and memories of war. Yet he found solace at sea – until a shocking accident. Here, his daughter talks about life with the Nobel-prize winning author"
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Championship Saturday
Caught up on projects, finish tomorrow before Selection Sunday show.
Rain, which is great -- keeps me inside with my things to do.
Great game last night, Colorado going to final.
Maybe only team I'll be rooting for will be Harvard men and Stanford women. We'll see how it breaks down. Pac 12 men suck, I know that.
Rain, which is great -- keeps me inside with my things to do.
Great game last night, Colorado going to final.
Maybe only team I'll be rooting for will be Harvard men and Stanford women. We'll see how it breaks down. Pac 12 men suck, I know that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)





