Random Thoughts That Don't Deserve Their Own Thread Go Here

[ColtCrazy]

On a lighter note, came back from my history conference in St. Augustine (great city center). Took a side trip to Jacksonville to take the wife shopping and I was impressed with the city.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

So the news ran a story about how the city just 5 miles north of ours is now an HIV infested hell hole of drugs and prostitution. Couple that with my state governor's idiotic ideas, and my wife has decided this is all the last straw and wants to move. Currently polishing up my CV to apply for a position at the school in England where I used to work in the summers.

I understand wanting to move because of that, but all the way to England? That's your best option is leaving the country altogether?

[molson]

Maybe that shithole needs a quality educator more than England does?

I think like that when people talk about how Ferguson would never have any quality police applicants ever again. But I think plenty of people who are motivated by public service would love such a challenge. I've always thought that if you really hate bad police officers or prosecutors, the best thing to do to improve the situation is to become a good police officer or prosecutor. Depending on our motives, etc, we should consider running towards, not fleeing away from, difficult situations.

Obviously its more complex than that, especially if you have other considerations like kids and stuff. Just a random thought. For the random thought thread.

[Dodgerchick]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

I think I get more joy in life from putting my boss in his place than from like 95% off everything else I do in life. Maybe if I didn't constantly get thrown under buses, I wouldn't take such joy out of it.

I don't blame you, a lot of bosses are asswhites. It's a good thing you put him in his place, most wouldn't dare.

[Easy Mac]

Salt n Pepa performed Push It on American Idol tonight. That song came out over 27 years ago. 27 years before the song came out, the Beatles just started performing together.

Time is old

[molson]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Salt n Pepa performed Push It on American Idol tonight. That song came out over 27 years ago. 27 years before the song came out, the Beatles just started performing together.

Time is old

We're also now 30 years from Back to the Future, in which Michael J. Fox traveled 30 years back in time to 1955.

[Groundhog]

The Philadelphia Sixers have a lot of Biblical/Christian-ish names on their roster

Jakarr Sampson, Ishmael Smith, Jerami (derived from Jeremiah) Grant, Nerlens Noel, Isaiah Canaan, and stretching it a bit too far Joel (derived from Hebrew Yo'el - Yahweh is God) Embiid.

[stevew]

They're still a godless abomination.

[korme]

This quote from 68-year-old Tom Coughlin using his GPS has me rolling:

"Two weeks ago I'm trying to get to a roller hockey game that my grandson is playing in, so Marc Ross [the Giants' director of college scouting] had showed me how to talk to this phone," Coughlin said. "I don't trust the lady in GPS, I don't trust her, because they don't send you the right way. I hit the button and I go 'Park Ridge, New Jersey.' And she comes back on, she's giving me directions. So now I figure out where I am. I hit the thing and I said 'Thank you very much, I know exactly where I am now.' And she comes back and says, 'You don't have to thank me.' I swear to God that's what she said. And then I couldn't get her to shut up. Every turn. 'Take a right here.' I know where I am. I know where I am. I'm a block away from my house and she's telling me where to go. I said 'I know where I'm going.'"

[MikeVic]

The result of that recent plane crash just ruined my day. People suck.
Germanwings plane crash: Co-pilot 'wanted to destroy plane' - BBC News

[ColtCrazy]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I understand wanting to move because of that, but all the way to England? That's your best option is leaving the country altogether?

Honestly, not sure. The big bonus to it is they have two position which my wife and I are suited. That'll be a consideration regardless. It helps I have a connection there, but I still think it's a bit of a long shot so I'm not convinced it'll work out.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

Honestly, not sure. The big bonus to it is they have two position which my wife and I are suited. That'll be a consideration regardless. It helps I have a connection there, but I still think it's a bit of a long shot so I'm not convinced it'll work out.

Hey, if it works for you guys and you're not opposed to leaving the US, then go for it. I would be surprised if there isn't someplace you could both find good jobs and that is nice in the US, but if you liked it there and it's a good opportunity and community, then good luck.

[Lathum]

City mourns first active-duty firefighter death in 12 years

Cincinnati is mourning today over the first loss of a firefighter in the line of duty in 12 years. One of my best friends out here is a Cinci firefighter. Knew the guy, worked with him sometimes, said he was a good guy. I can tell my buddy is a bit shaken, taking him out tonight for a few beers and the games. I can't imagine the reminder it is for him that it can all end in a hurry. He has two young kids at home, yet he puts his life on the line every day for complete strangers, he is a true hero.

We lost a true hero today.

[bob]

I was expecting some conversation of the Germanwings crash or the Bergdahl desertion charges on here...

[stevew]

Are Under Armour shoes any good?

[CU Tiger]

Not according to one former SC qb who was punished for blaming UA for their rash of foot injuries.

[Grover]

My local credit union can suck it. I love that buying a house 3 months ago and getting a new (better paying) job last year means they won't give me a small personal loan.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Either espn.com is playing a helluva an unfunny April Fool's joke OR they turned their website re-design over to a group of 10 year olds & told them to try to guess what drunken 20 year olds would like to see for site layout & design.

What an inglorious clusterf.

CBSsportsline as the replacement I guess? Or does someone have a better suggestion for a simple site with headlines by category & a nice workable score ticker?

[Lathum]

looks for real

ESPN.com redesign: It's a whole new website

[jeff061]

It can only be an improvement..

[stevew]

Oh man. That redesign is horrible

[Logan]

Originally Posted by jeff061

It can only be an improvement..

I HATED the old site and never went to it. This looks much cleaner at least. Seems like they could have done some things to fit more stories on the left side but overall I like the look.

[jeff061]

Same. Every once in awhile I'd try, but no, I couldn't do it. It was really really bad. This new one seems a lot better.

[Draft Dodger]

add me to the list of people who never ever went to the old site because of the design (and also because ESPN sucks). I still won't go there (because ESPN sucks), but I do think the design has improved tremendously (but ESPN sucks)

[Logan]

Yeah I don't plan on going there either. I actually don't end up visiting many sites home page because I tend to go to articles directly through links (mostly Twitter) and then click around from there if necessary.

[Buccaneer]

For many years now, I have refused to go to espn.com, it was an unreadable mess - much like their over-hyped, over-produced philosophy on everything. I do agree that this is cleaner but I will stick with cbssports.com as I have for years.

[NobodyHere]

This is probably the best april fool's page I've seen so far today.

Urban Meyer: Browns 'fantastic' at pre-draft scouting - NFL.com

[Barkeep49]

A forum that I check in on is autocorrecting the to teh for April's Fools Day. I can't stand it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I don't know that I've ever considered ENORMOUS chunks of whitespace as "cleaner" web design.

Virtually the entire right third of the page is empty, at least when I view the page. The center is not a lot better either. It's mostly a string of stories (with stupidass embedded video that I'll watch maybe 1 time out of a million) down the left frame.

And the whole "neverending page" design thing is a particular hate point of mine anyway.

I'm sure I've seen a design I hate more, I just can't remember when.

[cartman]

https://com.google

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by molson

I'm going to argue in front of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for the first time this spring -

Here's some essential advice. If it is good enough for the Supreme Court, it is good enough for you:

An important message from the Supreme Court - The Washington Post

[molson]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Here's some essential advice. If it is good enough for the Supreme Court, it is good enough for you:

An important message from the Supreme Court - The Washington Post

HA - I'm definitely more worried about breaking some courtroom rule or policy than I am about the actual argument. Things are very casual at my state appellate court that I've argued at many times. I'm expecting a much more uptight scene at the 9th Circuit.

[Coffee Warlord]

Seriously, how is it that smoke detectors ONLY low batter chirp in the middle of the fucking night?

4:30am, I'm wandering the house trying to track down the culprit.

[PilotMan]

Ping Lathum lol.

[Lathum]

Fraud costs the U.S. insurance industry an estimated 80 billion a year.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

Seriously, how is it that smoke detectors ONLY low batter chirp in the middle of the fucking night?

4:30am, I'm wandering the house trying to track down the culprit.

Seriously.

I think I have all of one smoke detector left working because of this. The chirping sounds also freaks my dog out like nothing else and lots of things freak him out. But when he hears that chirp he is a shivering mess for a good half hour.

[stevew]

Get the hardwired option or the one with a 10 year battery ffs

[PilotMan]

Lol, I've got them hardwired too, but when the backup batteries quit they still start chirping and he's right, it's always in the middle of the night when they start.

[CU Tiger]

Any new-ish house (say last 25 years) is required to have hardwired smoke detector with backup batteries.

If they are installed correctly the smoke detectors should also "network" and if one battery is dead they all should beep.

Just a few nerd smoke detector facts

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Lol, I've got them hardwired too, but when the backup batteries quit they still start chirping and he's right, it's always in the middle of the night when they start.

Mine are just like PilotMan's - hardwired, but chirp when the backup battery quits.

I had one go out on me last week. The chirp woke me up around 4:45 am and my poor dog immediately started to freak. Luckily, I was able to identify the culprit on the 3rd chirp, remove the battery and pull it from the ceiling.

I do need to go out, buy a bunch of new batteries and re-hook some of them up at some point.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I do need to go out, buy a bunch of new batteries and re-hook some of them up at some point.

Trust me, it's a good idea

[Easy Mac]

Am I the only one who refuses to respond to people when they use multiple question marks in an e-mail? Especially in a work setting. Just confirms my feeling that you're a dick.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Am I the only one who refuses to respond to people when they use multiple question marks in an e-mail? Especially in a work setting. Just confirms my feeling that you're a dick.

My old boss used to forward me e-mails and his e-mail would contain only this: "?".

So, I would have to go back through the forwarded e-mail chain to try to determine what exactly his question was. It was super awesome.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Am I the only one who refuses to respond to people when they use multiple question marks in an e-mail? Especially in a work setting. Just confirms my feeling that you're a dick.

To me, it depends on their point? If the attitude is in line with the issue, I wouldn't have an issue with the multiple question marks thing.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

My old boss used to forward me e-mails and his e-mail would contain only this: "?".

So, I would have to go back through the forwarded e-mail chain to try to determine what exactly his question was. It was super awesome.

Seems efficient to me. Probably why he is the boss.

[stevew]

All these guys being named Shaquille in sports makes me feel very old. I suspect 5 years from now there will be a ton of draft prospects named Kobe. Also probably a ton of 9-12 year olds named LeBron in the pipeline as well.

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by stevew

All these guys being named Shaquille in sports makes me feel very old. I suspect 5 years from now there will be a ton of draft prospects named Kobe. Also probably a ton of 9-12 year olds named LeBron in the pipeline as well.

Related: the kenpom.com blog

[stevew]

Oh wow. That's hilarious. I just noticed 5-7 Shaqs in the nfl pool and didn't realize people did data on this.

[albionmoonlight]

One of my co-workers has been posting on facebook how this terrible stomach virus has been going through her family. And she got it bad. But she's managed to drag herself out of bed and get to work today.

I HATE when people do that. Just stay home. Don't spread the virus. Work from home if you have to.

(FWIW, my office is very cool about covering for sick people. This was not a case where she had to come in for her job. She just felt some need to prove that she was tough enough to make it in.)

[Draft Dodger]

there are some illnesses I will work through depending on severity. stomach bug is not one of them.