Entries from March 2008
I Love Microsoft Excel
March 22, 2008 · 1 Comment
I spent today doing work of all kinds, but ended up devoting most of my time to preparing for my fantasy baseball auction, which is tomorrow. Any more on the topic is best left to this post, written by a friend and co-league owner, about the joys of intensively using math/logic once a year.
I also get to use Microsoft Excel, which is really a joy. It’s nice to intensively like a computer program, as I mostly use a computer to print out words that I lump together. When I’m using Excel (and there are likely hundreds of exquisitely-designed programs that fit this bill), I know that if I work hard enough, I can get a result that is exponentially better than the effort I put in. When I write, I’m just hoping to combine the words that make them greater than their sum; the feedback comes later. Once a year I get the answers.
Categories: Sports
Tagged: excel, fantasy baseball
A trip to China… Could there be a catch?
March 20, 2008 · Leave a Comment
I just received an invitation for a guided trip to China through the University of Chicago Alumni Association. Sounds fun!
University of Chicago Alumni Study Trips invites you to join fellow travelers on a 12-day tour of China’s most dynamic cities, beautiful countryside, Tibet, and the Yangzi River. In Beijing, visit the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace. Tour the old Beijing district by pedicab for a firsthand view of traditional life. Marvel at the Great Wall, the most enduring symbol of China. Next, fly to Xian to view the legendary terracotta warriors at the tomb of China’s first emperor, Quinshihuang.
In Chongqing, board the Victoria cruise ship for a memorable cruise down the Yangzi River to see the breathtaking Three Gorges and the engineering feat of the Three Gorges Dam construction site. Finally, fly to Shanghai for an exploration of this European-influenced city that features beautiful colonial buildings on the historic Bund. Visit the world-class Shanghai Museum and classical Yuyuan Gardens.
Professor Guy Alitto from the Departments of History and East Asian Languages & Civilizations will accompany this program.
I actually took History of Modern China with Professor Alitto, so this could be great. I wonder… could there be a catch?
TRIP PRICE: from $4,590 per person, double occupancy
Well that’s not bad. I love bunking with others! And airfare alone is probably $1500.
DOES NOT INCLUDE: : international airfare, domestic airfare to and from San Francisco or New York, visa processing, excess baggage charges, travel insurance, two dinners, and items of a personal nature.
Bummer! Well, at least I can save up for it, right?
TRIP DATES: April 7-18, 2008
So the details are… they’re asking me to go on a $6000 trip before any other expenses and it leaves in two weeks. And here’s the kicker: you have to hang out with other U of C alumni for 12 days. Quite. Tempting.
Categories: Travel
Tagged: china, ridiculous things, the university of chicago
The Arizona State Preview That Wasn’t
March 18, 2008 · Leave a Comment
In honor of Arizona State’s opening-round game in the NIT tonight, here’s the ASU preview that would have run on Deadspin had they made that elitist NCAA tournament.
- The Herbivores. The Tempe fans have nicknamed themselves the “Herbivores” in loving deference to second-year head coach Herb Sendek, late of NC State. And let’s face it: Herb Sendek is a just a terrible name. At least someone is having fun with it. Though I’d like to think the fans got the name after eating at the Crapplebee’s on ASU’s campus. Its slogan should be, “In sober — out a vegetarian!” Every night they have half-priced beers after 9 p.m., which are expected to make up for the Rottweiler-meat burgers. They do not. The nachos, however, are excellent.
- Tucson Raiders. Wait, why are we talking about the NCAA Tournament? WE BEAT U OF A TWICE. Let that sink in for a second. Twice. Do you really think we care about the NCAA Tournament? We care about the Wildcats not making the tournament. Since domestic disputes aren’t (always) funny, we won’t make fun of Lute Olson, but without Lute, the university’s got nothing to hang its hat on. And don’t yell “Jennie Finch!” There are a dozen Jennie Finches in every class at ASU, and for that matter, three Amanda Beards and one Jake Plummer. The Snake’s no fool.
- Harden fast. Fast ‘N Hard. No wait — the first one. From ASU ’07 Grant Joiner’s lips to your eyes, I present to you the 2007-2008 Arizona Sun Devils offense: “So it’ll be the end of the game, and James Harden will have the ball. He’ll dribble. Then he’ll drive a little bit and get double-teamed. Then he’ll get triple-teamed. Then he’ll stop and shoot it over three guys and it will go in. That’s it. That’s all they ever do.” Rumors persist that a second ASU player — named “Pendergrass,” “Pendergraph,” or “Pie Graph” — actually exists, which Deadspin associates were working feverishly to confirm at press time.
Categories: Sports
Tagged: arizona state, deadspin, ncaa tournament, nit
I’m in hot water
March 18, 2008 · Leave a Comment
The great shower debacle of ‘07-’08 has come to an end.
You know what the problem was? The lever only went halfway from cold to hot.
I am serious. When they redid the bathroom, they didn’t rig up the lever correctly. It took me over a year to figure this out — I just always pulled the thing until it stopped and never looked at the fixture. I looked at it this weekend and finally realized that it stopped before the hot water could kick in. Wonderful. Thanks.
Things are getting more exciting on this blog by the day.
Categories: Random
Tagged: please contain your excitment
Sometimes the best laid plans are ruined by a B.S. over the back call
March 16, 2008 · 1 Comment
I wrote an Arizona State preview for Deadspin last week for the NCAA tournament, which they were likely to make. They did not. The University of Arizona Wildcats, whom the Sun Devils beat twice, did. There was an inflammatory paragraph about the opposite scenario — an ASU berth with U of A out — shows what I know.
N.I.T.! N.I.T.!
Categories: Sports · Writing
Tagged: deadspin, sun devils
Now That’s An Opening Sentence!
March 14, 2008 · Leave a Comment
The first line of A.O. Scott’s review of Horton Hears a Who!:
What distinguishes “Horton Hears a Who!” from the other recent Dr. Seuss film adaptations —“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “The Cat in the Hat,” in case you need reminding — is that it is not one of the worst movies ever made.
I know praise when I see it.
Categories: Writing
Tagged: a.o. scott, horton hears a who
Pacifists!
March 10, 2008 · Leave a Comment
From my Starbucks cup:
The Way I See It #290
On the battlefield of ideas, winning requires moving toward the sound of the guns.
– Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives
The is the author’s opinion, not necessarily that of Starbucks.
Fight back, you coffee drinking hippies!
Tongue solidly in cheek.
Writings on other sites
March 7, 2008 · Leave a Comment
I wrote a very thorough and, in retrospect, early Sports Guy-esque column evaluating whether the Yankees front-office family compared more favorably to that of The Godfather or Arrested Development over here.
I also had a good Republican/Democrat give and take with a friend of mine in the comments to this post.
Categories: Sports · Writing · Yankees
Tagged: arrested development, the godfather, Yankees
