MikeL

The New York Times Sunday Review has an interesting opinion piece on baseball titled Is the Game Over.

I have a collection of quotations from famous football players and coaches. If interested, watch my status updates over the next five weeks or so.

End-of-Ramadan rush hour in Bangladesh:

Libraries and schools are still banning Huckleberry Finn for it's use of the "n" word. The fact that Twain used authentic, contemporary dialogue in his novels to great effect escapes many people. My wife taught English, including Twain's masterpiece, to high school freshmen for many years and took a lot of grief each year from each new batch of ignorant parents. To her credit, she explained the historical significance of the book so well to her students that they all told their parents to cool it. There are many reasons to ban a book. Chief among them is ignorance.

YAY!

Happy Birthday, Dave!

More Facts for Football Fans:

Facts for Football Fans:

Baseball is my game, but some strange things do happen. Take for example Jason Villar's slide into Brandon Phillips' butt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=15L7IjGASg0

Sasha, I don't know why you don't allow comments on your book cover gallery. I was intrigued by this one. My own hearing aids are rather petite by comparison to those depicted on the cover for Don't Shout. They are very good hearing aids, but I never have to tell anyone not to shout. It amazes me how soft spoken so many people are. Even more amazing is how many people mumble, how indistinct their speech is. I can hear them well, thanks to the hearing aids, but I can't understand them. That said, I now have another story I want to read...this one. Be back soon with a review.

UNDEAD? LOL

I am rethinking my opposition to "Dislike This" buttons.

I can't see any good coming from a negative point option. An anonymous dislike is the worst possible option.

What? Not quite what I had in mind about being nice.

Sounds mean to me. I think we could say something nicer about a member who reaches this reputation level. No suggestion. If someone does cheat, they should be admonished. Otherwise, be nice.

I don't think Photoshop was used. It's simply a picture of a girl holding a mirror; the mirror reflects the lawn in front of the girl.

What is ironic is your blog title since one of the leaders is a bantam rooster and the other is merely chicken.

I appreciate thebrinkoftime's comments about Facebook. I, too, am a former user of Facebook. I found it demanding and intrusive...always wanting information from me that is none of their business and clearly sharing information where it didn't need to be. I have real friends with whom I share my life. I'm satisfied with that. If GA links with other social media and that meets the needs of GA members...great! I will opt out. If I am required to sign in to GA through Facebook or to like something in order to have access, I'll take a pass. If GA can use social media to expand its reach or enhance the experience of members, then I am in favor even if reluctant.

Spend some time in chat. https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/chat/

Vince Gill took exception to Westboro Baptist Church members picketing his recent Kansas City concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=AvJQo_6tW3c Country singer Vince Gill, due to the fact that he is divorced and remarried, was the target of Westboro Baptist Church protestors on Sunday at his concert at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Mo. The confrontation was captured on video and uploaded to YouTube (by a user who claims to be against the WBC) and begins with a protestor asking, "Vince Gill, what in the world are you doing out here?" Gill answers simply: "I just came to see what hate looked like." When asked by the woman "What are you doing with another man's wife? Don't you know that divorce plus remarriage equals adultery?" America's newest hero fires back: "Don't you know you fuckers are lucky that you don't have a sign that says something about my wife?" Gill also lets the protestors know they're lacking in grace and, then turning toward another protestor, says, while laughing: "I've seen you on TV, man. You're a big dipshit." The glorious video ends with Gill asking, "Are any of you guys Phelpses? Or are you guys like the C-team?" A spokesperson for Gill told CMT on Monday that he has "no plans" to comment on the encounter. The next musical artists targeted by the WBC will be Mumford & Sons on September 20 in Bonner Springs, Kansas.

Does anyone feel sorry for the Yankees? The past three games, they have scored eight or nine runs...and lost all three games. How about those Red Sox? September 5, 2013 R H E BOS 9 16 0 NYY 8 10 1 September 6, 2013 R H E BOS 12 15 0 NYY 8 7 0 September 7, 2013 R H E BOS 13 14 0 NYY 9 12 0

As much money as the NCAA, the SEC, and Texas A&M make on Johnny Football, they are standing on shaky ground when they suspend or bench him. That said, I don't think he should be selling his autograph. A little jawing back and forth between players on two teams is not a big thing. Taken to excess, it deserves an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Two things need to happen: (1) Johnny Manziel needs to grow up and (2) the coach needs to get him under control if he expects to have any control over the rest of the team. One thing did surprise me after last week's game. Manziel was escorted off the field by three police officers. That seems a bit excessive...on a par with Nick Sabin. Is Manziel's autograph really worth that much?

Happy Birthday, Robert!

You don't? What other things?

TV producers adopt stereotypes for their main characters for fear the stupid audience will not understand. The producers may never have met a straight acting gay.