Thursday Open Thread
Welcome to the Thursday open thread. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far. I know I’m enjoying the decreased morning traffic for my commute to work. What’s on your mind? Share it here on today’s open thread.
I don’t care about baseball, but this is heartbreaking. Detroit pitcher Armando Galaragga was one out away from a perfect game when the umpire botched a call.
To twist the famous newspaper lede, the imperfect call spoiled the perfect game Wednesday.
The Tigers were ready to celebrate when Indians shortstop Jason Donald grounded to first base with two outs in the ninth. Brandon Inge was jumping for joy. Don Kelly and Austin Jackson were rushing in from the outfield to join in the celebration that was sure. Gerald Laird and the rest of the Detroit dugout was readying to storm the field and mob pitcher Armando Galarraga.
It was tough enough for the Tigers to believe. For Joyce, who made the safe call that broke up perfection in Detroit’s one-hit, 1-0 win over Cleveland, it was heartbreaking. And as television replays showed, it was a mistake — an honest mistake, as Joyce explained.
“It was the biggest call of my career,” an emotional Joyce told reporters, “and I kicked it. I just cost that kid a perfect game.”
Seriously, I don’t understand why MLB can’t overturn the decision in this case.
Tags: Open Thread
Rue McClanahan, aka Blanche Deveraux, died this morning after having a massive stroke.
I remember seeing her on Broadway a few years ago in a revival of “The Women.” She was fantastic and looked great wearing a black teddy.
Hey UI, let me present you with a new Open Thread icon. Yes, I know it’s yarn . . .
Seriously, I don’t understand why MLB can’t overturn the decision in this case.
From what I’ve seen on ESPN and twitter feeds from sport sources, the MLB-powers are meeting to discuss this topic. It still can’t replace the lost moment of recording that last out, but it can still right a wrong – a wrong where the umpire completely and unequivocally threw himself (figuratively) at the feet of Gallaraga (pitcher) and Leland (manager), begging for forgiveness. That is something to note, too. MLB umpires for ages have mostly acted with some bizarre bravado, rarely conceding any hint of humility, and reminding everyone in attendance (fans and players) that they were in charge, let alone speaking a word to the media. What Joyce (umpire) did in retrospect last night is, I believe, completely unprecedented in my lifetime (40+). He made a terrible call and owned up to it with extreme humility. He won’t deserve what may be coming to him from fans and many internet avenues. Then again, maybe his contrite follow up last night will help. I hope it does.
More on Brewer:
I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt that she’s exaggerating rather than lying.
Ooo…a present for me? You shouldn’t have.
Bloggers are slowly taking over the mainstream media. The New York Times is hiring Nate Silver of 538.com fame:
David Hoffman on why nuking the oil leak is a bad idea.
Why the Family Research Council needs to be officially classified as a Hate Group.
They sent henchmen to lobby Congress *against* approving a resolution denouncing Uganda’s plan to execute homosexuals. Despicable — spending money to lobby for the execution of homosexuals. And not something Jesus would do, that is for certain.
I agree with Smitty and add that Joyce should be praised not condemned. What I find more puzzling is that the team did not ask for an appeal before the commissioner.
I have always opposed instant replay. This makes you wonder if it could be made to work.
I also agree with U. I. The environment can adapt to the oil. Setting off a nuke would do far more harm. Radioactivity, vaporizing marine habitats to the point of sterilization, unknown effects from shockwaves which could be interesting in a region with geological instability. It could destroy the infrastructure and give us other leaks that we do not even know were they are from initially. I think that a conventional explosion could be made to be very powerful explosion if we decide that is the best route. A small nuke would just bring extra problems not natural to the environment. The ecosystem is used to oil gushing into it. Marine life adapts to it. It is not the end of the world. We do need to deal with it. It does upset the current balance and can set the fishing industry back at least a decade, maybe two. Adding radiation would set it back 5 decades.
I am sure that Republickin David is enjoying all the pictures of wildlife adapting to the oil.
For this environment to *adapt* to oil, it would need serious evolutionary help. Which David does not believe is true and certainly would not happen in time to rescue these environments. The Alaska beaches and fisheries fouled by the EXXON Valdez were very fouled for quite some time and you can still sample pretty much any of those environments and still find some oil. Those environments come back as a function of the oil being washed away — not because of some adaptation.
And NO ecosystem is accustomed to oil rushing into it. But keep in mind you are reading the pontifications on science from a man who doesn’t *believe* in it.