WEEI is on my list

WEEI broadcast today's Red Sox game only on their AM station. That means the only people that could listen to the game are the people that live in Boston.

WEEI also streams its broadcast on the internet but once a Red Sox game comes on, they cut the live feed and run a show with a couple of talking heads who prattle on about how to coach every sport despite the fact they have never played any sport.

So I ended up listening to a Minnesota radio station that streamed the game on the internet. Thank you WCCO Radio, 830 AM from Minneapolis for carrying the game. I thought your announcers, Corey Provus and Dan Gladden, were very good.

I look forward to tomorrow's game when NESN will allegedly broadcast it to us loyal fans.

As for today's game, the Red Sox lost to the Twins in their first spring training outing. It was an interesting game and the Red Sox would have won if it wasn't for a two-run error they committed in the second inning.

Baseball is back and I am glad to have it. And it looks like there will be fans in the stands this season.

Baseball games need fans in the stands. The sounds of the game have always included the fans.

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On the upside, the Bruins beat the Rangers 4-1 this afternoon. Seems the coach, Bruce Cassidy, decided some guys weren't playing their hardest and he sat them down on the bench. He then pulled up some youngsters from the minors to see what they could do.

Sometimes, shaking up a team roster causes the veteran players to wake up and start playing like professionals. That was the case today. The revamped lines all played with gusto and in synch with each other. Players were where the puck was and their shots were all on net.

If they can play like that all the time, they will be untouchable.

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Here are some links to entertain you:

• Turns out the governor of New York thinks all the chicks dig him.



• So does this mean he keeps his mustache?



• Oh Canada.



• I can think of higher quality restaurants to go to.



• Remember kids, if you commit a crime, don't post it on facebook.

Well that sucked - day 2

The Bruins managed to once again get their ass kicked.

Last night the Rangers ran roughshod over them and the Bruins are now in second place in the east. I don't even want to think about where they are overall in the NHL (9th).

They are not playing good hockey. All of the lines seem confused when they are on the ice, with players skating without paying a lot of attention to where the puck is going. It's good that they are still playing physical hockey but they also need to play intelligent hockey and right now, they aren't doing that.

Relying on the goalie to stop the puck 100% of the time is a bad game plan.

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I have once again repaired a side table that my mother-in-law managed to break. This time, instead of making the legs out of some clear pine, I used plywood because I figure if she leans on it again, the plywood will hold up a lot better than the pine.

Yes, it looks like shit but trust me, it's a helluva lot stronger.

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So Biden's covid bill has been approved by the senate and it's now in the house.

The senators all added their special addons to the bill and the congress will now add their's to it. As of today, the bill is valued at $1,900,000,000.00 (in government-speak, that's 1.9 trillion) and by the time all the congressmen get through adding their little piece of pork, it'll be worth $2 trillion.

My question is where is Biden going to get the money to pay that $2 trillion bill?

I have a feeling I know where he's going to get it - he's going to tax the shit out of me.

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Dinner is ready and I'm going to go eat.

You should think about visiting these:

• Only in Florida.



• Key phrase in this story: "...you almost killed that homeless lady."



• Maybe Don Corleone is trying to get his godson a job.



• I'd like to say "Also only in Florida" but this shit happens all over the place.

Well that sucked

The Bruins got their ass kicked last night and are now tied for first in the east. They have also dropped to the eighth slot in the NHL.

I gotta be honest with you, they looked bad. Just pain bad. The passing was non-existent and they just weren't hitting the net with their shots. They also looked tired, like they had no energy.

There is still a lot of season left but as I said earlier in the year, it's easier to stay at the top than it is to climb to the top.

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No one tried to reset my Amazon account today but they did try to reset my facebook account. That means my request to delete that damned account has once again been reset.

If you want to delete your facebook account, they tell you, "Oh. Okay. It'll be thrity days before we can delete it. If you want to cancel the deletion, just log back in!" That means every time someone tries to hack that account, facebook sends me a text asking me to approve or deny access. As soon as I deny access, they take me to the account, which means I am logged in and they remove the deletion request.

I dislike Zuckerberg and his damned POS facebook.

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This Sunday, the Red Sox will drive 5 miles down the road to CenturyLink Sports Complex and play their first spring training game against the Minnesota Twins.

It doesn't look like NESN is carrying the game (What the hell NESN!?!) but it will be broadcast on WEEI radio. I actually have a small portable radio so hopefully I can listen to it.

On Monday, they will host the Braves and it looks like NESN is going to carry that game.

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I'm going to eat some dinner and watch some hockey.

Here are some links that you can waste time looking at:

• I've been to Chicago. I believe this.



• Some people will bet on anything.



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, could probably kill ya.



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, kills ya.



• I am never going to China.



• One of these days, I am going to Lake Winnipesaukee.

They keep trying

I'm receiving fewer notices from Amazon about someone trying to reset my password but they are still trying.

I gotta give them credit for being persistent.

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I know of at least thirty people that have had covid and of those people, five of them have had issues.

I'm not telling you this because I don't think covid is a big deal. On the contrary, I think covid is a big deal. What I am saying is that covid will kill or critically disable some people but for most of us, it's a survivable disease. I'm also saying that if you are eligible to get vaccinated, you should do so as soon as possible.

Why should you get vaccinated?

Because of those five people that I know, one is dead (he was 63 years old), one spent four weeks in the hospital and still can't walk around without oxygen (he is 67 years old), two of them have trouble catching their breath after a short walk (both are in their 40s) and one of them, my cousins middle child, is being evaluated for heart and lung issues (he's 20 years old).

Trust me, get your shot. Most of us will have no ill effects from covid but you also might be the one that ends up with a lifetime of trying to breath with scarred lungs, loss of muscle strength or swollen heart muscles.

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Yes, there is hockey tonight. The Bruins are in New York to play the Islanders.

Since I hung out with the boys last night, I'm kinda tired today and the chances I will make it through all three periods is pretty slim.

While I watch the game, you can click the links:

• Pennsylvania: Yin'z need to start paying attention.



• Key phrase in this story: "Unsurprisingly, there are no bids on this listing..."



• I think it's kinda funny that there is a town in Canada named "Chilliwack".



• Oh Canada.



• This is probably the most disgusting video you will watch today.



• Only in Florida.

Short post

I decided to meet up with the boys over at Tommys and enjoy some adult beverages.

While I fall asleep on my couch, you can click on these:

• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, takes a swim with you and then kills you.



• People from Massachusetts: "We just felt the earth move. We should call the police."



• I don't know who Chelsey Amer is but I like the way she thinks.



• Oh Canada.

Let the finger pointing begin

Today was the first day of the senate hearings on, "What the hell happened on January 6th and who can we blame!"

I've been reading a lot of news stories and so far it's a lot like Joliet Jake Blues explaining to the character played by Carrie Fisher why he stood her up at the alter. In other words, this whole thing is an incredible waste of time. We aren't going to learn anything and the current scapegoats, both sergeants-at-arms & the Capitol police chief, will take the fall for this no matter what anyone says.

The motto of our elected officials should be, "Whenever something goes wrong, blame the other guy."

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Someone has made it their life work to hack my Amazon account and it's kinda interesting to watch them.

This all started last week when someone was able to log into my Amazon and order a "gift". Since I receive an email for any purchases made, I immediately canceled the order and my wife notified our credit card company who issued us new cards.

My best guess is the individual was able to gain access using the Amazon password recovery process. Since I did not have 2factor turned on (it's on now), they were able to reset the password and gain access.

So now that I have 2factor turned on, I get at least three notices a day from Amazon of someone trying to reset the password. I also get four or five emails a day claiming to be from Amazon telling me my account has been hacked and I need to "click here to reset your password".

I can see the frustration level building with this individual because he/she figures once they got in, they were good to go. By shutting them off, I appear to have touched a nerve.

By the way, if you don't have 2factor turned on for your Amazon account, you really should do that.

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No sports tonight so I guess I'll be watching Gold Rush DVRs.

While I do that, you can do these:

• This doesn't sound good.



• Looks like Catania, Sicily is gonna have some problems.



• Why do I get the feeling that the majority of it is coming from Springfield and Holyoke.



• Things like this are why they call it FloriDuh.



• Vermont: The Florida of New England.



• Key entry from our favorite police log: "11:12 a.m. A man who butt dialed 911 said everything was OK except he was spending too much money at Costco."

Things might be getting interesting

A few years ago, a DA in the Bronx began investigating alleged criminal activity within the Trump organization. I'm not entirely clear on what the alleged criminal activity is. It seems to have something to do with that pron actress Stormy Daniels and maybe some other women but whatever it is, the DA decided they needed Trump's tax returns to aid in its investigation. They issued a subpoena for the records from Trump's accountant and Trump immediately sued to block the subpoena.

I'm guessing he lost in a few courtrooms so Trump decided to take the fight to the Supreme Court of the US. Today the SCOTUS said, "Uh, no. Go away." They don't want to have anything to do with this and I'm thinking it might be because the SCOTUS really only rules on matters of constitutionality, not crime.

The DA can have the tax information but cannot make them public. I suspect that if the court case proceeds and it appears there has been criminal activity, those tax records will end up in the public domain by virtue of the fact they will be entered as evidence in the matter.

If that happens, the Nancy "Psycho" Pelosi, Adam "Robot" Schiff, Jerry "Penguin" Nadler and Richie "I'm Irish! Kiss Me!" Neal are all gonna have a mental orgasm.

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The Bruins ran roughshod over the Flyers last night.

When I went to bed at the end of the 2nd period, the Bruins were up 6-2. When I woke up this morning, I found that the final was 7-3.

They are still in first place in the east but have fallen into a tie with the Panthers for third place in the league.

The next game is Thursday at 7:00 when they go to New York to play the Islanders.

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I've had my dinner and now I'm watching bad television.

You can enjoy these links if you want:

• Key phrase in this story: "...including their excrement..."



• I remember when we used to just tell people.



• Brilliant Criminals of the Day.



• Speaking of Brilliant Criminals...



• Scottish women: Do not mess with them.

Taxes - day 3

My daughter has successfully completed her tax obligation and I'm pretty sure she found the experience whelming

She was neither underwhelmed nor overwhelmed, just simply whelmed. I think she's just glad to have them done and filed.

On a high note, she is all set for next year, software-wise.

She has always been able to use the free online options because, as I explained in an earlier post, she has been a poor college student for the last ten years. This year was no different because she only worked a portion of the year and came in just under the income limit. When she was done with filing her taxes, TurboTax asked her if she wanted to download the tax file and I told her to do that.

Having the tax file means that next year, when she buys TurboTax and starts it up, she will be asked if she has a prior year tax file to open and she will be able to say, "Yes". TurboTax will then load all of her information.

Trust me, having all of your information preloaded saves quite a bit of time.

And with that, my 2020 tax season has thankfully come to an end.

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Hockey is still scheduled for 7:30 tonight. Since it's starting a half hour later than normal and it's being played in a fancy outdoor arena, I suspect it won't end until after 10:00 tonight.

I'll try to watch as much as I can but my sleep schedule seems to have shifted drastically to the morning. For the last two weeks, I've been waking up at 4:45 / 5:00 every morning.

I can't wait until we "spring ahead" and 5:00 in the morning becomes 6:00 in the morning. Maybe then I'll get on some kind of normal person schedule.

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You can enjoy these links if you want:

• Sounds like Joleen found what she was looking for.



• Apparently the Secret Service has a policy of contracting with nutbags to protect the president.



• Disarmed Kittens would be a great name for a 1980s new age band.



• Man, that's a shitload of booze.



• You gotta love dogs, dude.

Taxes - Day 2

We got my mother-in-law's taxes done today.

There is only one more day left in my tax marathon.

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The NHL decided it would be cool to host some outdor hockey games up at Lake Tahoe. Problem is, it got up to around 40° today and after one period of play, they had to put the game between the Golden Knights and the Avalanche on hold until midnight.

The Bruins and Flyers were scheduled to play at Tahoe at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon but after what happened today, they rescheduled the game to 7:30 tommorow night

It's kind of hard to play hockey on slush. Trust me, I know.

When I was a kid, we played hockey every weekend on a small farm pond we called "Kinney's Pond". We called it that because the farm was owned by Al Kinney. He was a nice guy.

Anyways, when it got into the 40's, the top inch of that ice turned to slush. Don't get me wrong, we still played but not because it was hockey. We played because it was a hell of a slush fight. You can really sling slush a long way with a curved hockey stick.

Good times.

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I'm going to find something to eat and then watch some bad television.

Here are some links:

• Key phrase in this story: "He thought it'd be fun."



• I'm pretty sure this is not authorized by the Pope.



• My question is, "Where is the foot that was in that sneaker?"



• It's a shitty job but someone's gotta do it.



• In case you don't know, a heroin overdose is not your body reacting to something bad in the drug. It is caused by your brain going so unconscious that it forgets to tell your lungs to breath.

Short post today

Today was tax day for us. For the record, we broke even and that is, in my opinion, the perfect tax situation. We don't owe them and they don't owe us.

Tomorrow is also tax day when I do my mother-in-law's taxes. I'm not really looking forward to that but someone's gotta do them.

Sunday will also be tax day when I sit down with my daughter and walk her through the process of giving the government a bunch of money. It will be her first venture into the world of taxation because she has basically been a poor college student for the last 10 years. This is the first year she's actually earned decent money.

All of that means that I did not, and will not, have a lot of time for reading news and other odd stories.

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The damned Bruins looked like crap last night and they lost 3-2 to the Devils.

They need to get back to playing like I know they can play. They are a team that is in pursuit of Lord Stanley's cup and they need to play like a championship team.

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Here are a few links that I dug up:

• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, comes to visit you at the emergency room.



• I have no idea what anyone is saying but I bet it has something to do with him having to go home and change his shorts.



• Those crazy Scots really know how to party.



• Only in Florida.

A rover with a twist

NASA has successfully landed its latest rover, Perseverance, on the surface of Mars and this robot comes with a new twist - it has a helicopter.

The helicopter, which is named Ingenuity, doesn't have much a science mission. It's main mission is to test whether flight in the thin Martian atmosphere is even possible. If they are successful, future missions may have helicopters that perform serious science or even lay the groundwork for human flight on Mars.

Another cool little package on Perseverance is called Moxie, which stands for Mars Oxygen Experiment. This experiment will attempt to extract oxygen from the Martian CO₂ atmosphere. If you are on Mars and you can make oxygen, you can make rocket fuel, breathable air and fire.

All of those things are important to surviving on Mars and maybe even getting back to Earth.

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The Florida Panthers have moved into a tie with the Bruins for second place in the NHL. This means the Bruins really need to beat the Devils tonight and move back into sole possession of second place.

Fortunately, the only Bruin out on IR is Kase so they are essentially at full strength. They are also fully rested after being off for the last four days.

I'm hoping they beat the soundly defeat the Devils and take that winning high into Sunday when they play the Flyers.

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I'm out of things to prattle on about.

Here's a bunch of links for you to click:

• Ted Cruz is not a bright guy.



• Well, at least the ferrets are safe.



• Along with John McCain, Dole is one of the few politicians that I respected.



• Personally, I think the United States should adopt this policy.



• Apparently, boys have always been boys.



• This seems like a very Alaska kind of thing.



• Key really disgusting phrase in this story: "...you can wear this underwear for days/weeks without washing them..."



• The people from New Jersey worry me.

They need to play

Because the Bruins games have been postponed, they were unable to gain any points. The Leafs and the Flyers however are both playing and they are both winning. This means the Leafs have added one point and are now two points ahead of the Bruins in the league. The Flyers have also added points and are now only three points behind the Bruins in the east.

The Bruins play the Islanders tomorrow and they need the win to hold on to what they got.

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The Red Sox continue to be active as we approach spring training. In a deal with the Rays, they sent some cash and two minor league pitchers (both of which had been recently designated for assignment) to the Rays for a minor league catcher with a big bat and an outfielder.

Bloom is working to build a team, I just hope it's a team that can play good baseball. After the last two seasons, I'd like to see them make the playoffs instead of going on an early vacation in September.

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I have things to do before settling in to watch bad television.

Enjoy these links:

• Can't say I'm going to miss him since I only listened to him once or twice. He always did something I dislike in talk radio - he told his listeners he was reporting news stating his opinion as facts. His opinions were not facts, they were opinions.



• If you need gas, get it now because between the freeze in Texas and higher general demand, it's gonna get expensive.



• Key entry from our favorite police log: "5:44 p.m. A man who reported his car stolen remembered he parked it somewhere else."



• To all my LEO friends, don't take this the wrong way but...
  The cops in Wales are way better looking than the cops in the United States.



• Only in Florida.



• This is just the kind of thing I would have enjoyed.



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, kills ya and then eats ya.

Little slippery this morning

I damn near ended up on my ass when I stepped out to take my trash barrels down to the end of my driveway.

Fortunately, I have ice melt in a bucket in my garage so I used a liberal dose of that and successfully navigated the ice.

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How about some humor.

Things like that make me laugh.

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Texas is freezing and I never thought about the problems that causes.

Turns out that since most of Texas is tropical, they don't build their buildings with cold in mind. This means that pipes are freezing all over the state and the flooding is causing more damage than a natural disaster like a hurricane rolling in. It's particularly bad in apartment complexes because of the stacked dwellings.

The last time I was in Texas, I was in Dallas and the temperature was 108° at 8:00am. Right now, it's 20° down there and the cold is causing rolling power outages.

Those people are screwed. They have no idea how to deal with cold like that and I'm betting most of them don't even own a decent coat.

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Once again, there are no sporting events for me to watch this evening.

Speaking of sports, I just discovered some terrible news: Curling is postponed until sometime after May! What the hell?!?

While I whine over a complete lack of curling, you can click on these links:

• Krazy Kim is up to his old tricks.



• When I read this story, all I could think of was this story.



• Isn't this the opening scene from many sci-fi horror movies?



• Oh Canada.



• Only in Florida.

Promises have been made

I heard back from the vaccination coordinator (Boy, are they not happy with the state!) and she informs me that the state will supply them with the "second dose" vaccines for everyone they have already vaccinated. This means I do not have to go hunting down sites that are using the Moderna vaccine.

I gotta be honest with you, this is a load off my mind because I was genuinely concerned about what my options would be. If I couldn't find a suitable "round two" within the recommended 28 days, what are my options?

Do I have to start all over again?

I don't want to start all over again. I hate starting all over again.

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Pitchers and catchers report in three days.

Bloom hasn't been flashy or loud but he has been busy. The Red Sox have added several new pitchers, a few outfielders and several infielders.

None of them are huge names but they are all good, steady players who, in the right environment, could suddenly blossom into that guy who came out of nowhere and wowed everyone.

It's possible that Franchy Cordero could be the guy that wow's all of us. I read an article that the Royals think there is a possibility he could become the next David Ortiz - a late-bloomer who becomes one of the most prolific home run hitters in the league.

As long as he doesn't hit into double plays all the time, I'll be happy.

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Okay, it's 7:45 and I'm out of things to say.

Here are some links:

• Columbia: It's different than where you live...



• I hope it was an enjoyable twenty minutes.



• Key phrase in this story: "...put a steel nut on his manhood to make it bigger..."



• Oh Canada.

So much for volunteering

The state told all the municipalities that they will no longer distribute the vaccine to them. This means all those little clinics being set up, including the one I volunteered at, are no longer in operation. Instead, the state has decided to ship the vaccine to CVS and Walgreens. In the case of Massachusetts, it looks like 16 CVS stores will offer the vaccine.

Of those sixteen stores, two are in Western Mass. One in Holyoke and one in Palmer. The other locations are all out east. Guess only Bostonians can get vaccinated under the state's new plan.

As for me, I'm concerned that I may not get my second vaccination as scheduled since the clinic is now essentially shut down. I can't go to the Eastfield Mall clinic because they use Pfizer and I received Moderna.

I've reached out to the clinic coordinator to find out if they can provide any guidance. I'm really hoping they have the second dose sitting in a freezer waiting for me to show up as scheduled and I don't have to spend my days hunting down the second shot.

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Biden is about to push the bozo-buttons on all the crazies out there because he is asking congress to enact "common-sense gun laws", whatever that means.

For some reason, Biden seems to think it's a good idea to take a sharp stick and poke a large number of heavily-armed people. Some of the same people that recently decided to invade the capital building and trash it like we were Somalia in the midst of trying to overthrow the latest warlord.

This is a terrible idea for several reasons. Who gets to decide what "common sense" means? Then, after they finish up bastardizing the bill by attaching all of their latest pet projects to it and enacting it, who gets to go before the Supreme Court to defend the results as it relates to our civil rights under the constitution?

If he pushes this, you can expect to see more civil unrest in this country. This may not be the best time to piss off half the country.

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The Bruins lost last night but so did the Leafs. This means the Bruins are still one point behind the Leafs in the NHL.

I can't say I was surprised they lost. It was their second game on two days and they looked tired. They weren't attacking the puck like the normally do and they were slow to get down the ice as a line. And they failed miserably when they were on a power play. As a matter of fact, the Islanders managed to score on the Bruins while they were short-handed.

Since the New Jersey Devils have some covid issues, this Monday's game has been postponed. That means the Bruins are off until next Thursday. Hopefully they get some much needed rest.

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We had Chinese food tonight. We love Chinese food.

Here are some links for you to click on:

• Dead Butt Syndrome would be a great name for a 1980's German techno-band.



• This is why they invented the internet.



• I did not realize that The Sun has a US edition.



• Again, this is why they invented the internet.



• It's the old, "I'm allergic to drunks" defense.

He's free to run again

The U.S. Senate acquitted Trump of all charges this afternoon. That means he is free to run for president in 2024.

And you just know he's gonna run.

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The Bruins won last night and are firmly in first place in the east. They are now only 1 point behind the Leafs for first place in the league.

The Maple Leafs have one more loss than the Bruins but they also have one more win than the Bruins. This puts them one point ahead of the Bruins in the league standings.

The Bruins are playing the Islanders tonight so I'll be watching that game. The Canadians are playing the Leafs tonight as well so there is a chance the Bruins will take over first place.

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I had a chat via text with my lunch buddies today and we are all in agreement on getting the vaccine as soon as possible so we can start getting back together again. One of them has already gotten his first shot (he's over 75) and will be getting his second shot in two weeks. I got mine last week and will get my second on March 8th. The other two are hoping to get their shots in April/May. Once they are all set, we can start up our monthly lunches again.

Three of us are shooters and the one guy that didn't have his permit recently decided to get it. Because of that, we've decided that we would do a lunch / range day. We can stuff our faces and then take out our frustrations on a bunch of paper targets & old computer parts.

There is something satisfying about the sound of a ⅓ inch chunk of lead going through a 5¼ inch hard drive...

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I'm going to watch some hockey.

You can do what you want.

If what you want is to click on random links, here you go:

• The new Bad Lip Reading is out.



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, takes over your kids toys.



• Yea, because covid didn't spread fast enough.



• Canada: Land of Excitement...



• "Your power is on!"
  "No, it's not."
  "Yes it is!"
  "No, it's not."



• Now we know what it takes to get service from the cable companies.

Sneaky bastards

My wife almost got caught by a hacker...

She received an email from Spectrum saying our statement is ready. For the record, she receives one of these emails every month from them so this particular email was not unusual.

When she tried to open the statement, her Macbook basically said, "Nope, that's not gonna happen" and tossed up a message box indicating it had no idea how to open the file.

Turns out the file was an .ISO (joliet) file that contained a .VBS text file that launched a powershell to a server to download an executable and run it. This was all contained in a file that was 64kb in size.

Fortunately, Mac's don't run powershell or visual basic so nothing happened but if anyone on a Windows machine had tried to open that file, they would have downloaded the executable and probably trashed their machine.

So if you get a notice from Spectrum that your statement is ready, be careful.

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I was called "a unicorn" today by a guy I haven't talked to in several years.

Yesterday I was contacted by a tech firm looking to hire a mainframe security guy for a contracting job out in Marlboro MA. I wasn't interested once I found out it was a contract spot but since I knew someone who worked at the company that was looking for the contractor, I figured I would reach out to him and find out what the place was like.

Before I go any further with this story, no, I will not be taking a contract position. It's like being pimped out to the highest bidder and given a small piece of the funds for your effort. I am not in the business of making money for someone who doesn't have to do anything other than sell my skills. I am not a product.

So anyways, the guy I called is an actual employee of the company looking for my particular skill set. He was glad to hear from me and we chatted for quite a while about things. Eventually he said, "Man, you mainframe guys are like unicorns: magical beasts that we keep looking for but no one can find."

It's nice to be wanted. Just not as a product being sold at market like a bad piece of meat.

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The Red Sox have brought another utility player on board. Marwin Gonzalez signed a one year contract with the team today.

This is a guy I've heard of. He's a better-than-average player who is also a switch-hitter. He can play both infield & outfield positions and he is only 31 years old. That's not terribly old for a utility player.

I'm beginning to feel better and better about the team that Bloom is building. I still don't know who Franchy Cordero is but his stats look reasonable. His 2019 OBP was .450. That means he managed to get on base around half the time he came to the plate.

I'll take a guy who gets on base half the time.

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Yes, there is hockey tonight. The Bruins are still in New York to play game 2 of their two-game series against the Rangers.

While I yell at my tv and fall asleep early, you can visit these websites:

• I have only on thing to say about this, "Old guys don't heal as well as young guys..."



• Oh Canada.



• If you are planning a rtip to Warren, Michigan, be careful where you drive.



• You gotta love dogs. Just maybe not this much.



• Utah: The Australia of the United States.



• I would vote for Chad Christensen.

They won - just barely

The Bruins just barely beat the Rangers last night. The game ended in a 2-2 tie but the Bruins managed to score the sudden death goal and take the win.

They are now firmly in first place in the east and in sole possession of second place in the NHL. They are 3 points behind the Leafs which isn't terrible.

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The Red Sox traded Andrew Benintendi and some cash for 5 players today.

They got two guys I never heard of, outfielder Frenchy Cordero & pitcher Josh Winckowski and three additional "players to be named later".

I gotta be honest with you, the whole Player To Be Named Later thing worries me. The Royals (2 guys) and the Mets (1 guy) could decide to offer up a cripple or something and the Red Sox might just be desperate enough to take him...

As for Benintendi, he needed to move to another team. He wasn't getting very much playing time and because of that, his skills were beginning to suffer. Now, he's a member of the Royals and they are very excited to have him. I mean very, very excited. If you visit the front page of the Royals team website, you'll see at least three stories and two videos about him. He'll become an every day player, start getting his skills ramped back up and become the ball player that he once was.

This means that every outfielder from the 2018 World Series championship Red Sox is no longer a member of the team. Bradley is the only one left who is not a member of any MLB team (he's a free agent) but with this trade, there is a possibility of the Red Sox making an effort to bring him back.

My problem with that is his tendency to suddenly stop hitting the ball for weeks at a time. His defensive play is second-to-none but his streakiness at the plate is frustrating as hell.

Guess we'll see how things go in the next few weeks when camp opens and players start showing up to play.

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No sports tonight but hot sausage subs for dinner!

Here are some links:

• Suspected Ice Cream Thief would be a fantastic name for a 1980's Hallmark channel movie.



• I'm trying to get the image of old people sending nudes out of my brain.



• Only in Florida.



• The media needs to get their stories straight. It's not beer, it's Mich Ultra...



• There is nothing more devestating than a wheelie-bin tragedy.



• I like that the word "innocent" is in quotes...

Hockey it is

The Bruins are in New York to play the Rangers tonight and I'm really hoping the Bruins win. If they lose, they will have lost to one of the worst teams in the NHL.

I seriously doubt that the Rangers will win but my concern is that the Rangers are due for a win. I'm kinda hoping they stumble into their next win when they are playing anyone other than the Bruins.

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My brother received his second dose of the vaccine yesterday and this morning he sent a text that said, "Just so you all know, the 2nd shot is a bitch!"

In order to ease any concerns I might have about getting the second shot, he followed up with, "Don’t worry Steve they also say the reaction is less in the elderly 😂😂😂"

He likes to remind me that I am older than him. A lot older than him...

In other covid news, one of my sisters managed to get vaccinated today. She's a teacher and works in the classroom. If anyone needs to be vaccinated, it's teachers who are teaching in person.

Those kids are nothing more than oversized petri dishes...

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Yes, I watched a several minutes of the impeachment hearings today.

While I try to get flush that crap out of my head, you can click on these links:

• Why is this news? Why is it news that a Jersey boy turned rock&roll singer went out drinking?



• I always enjoyed watching Tony and Billy play ball. They were damned good.



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, might just save your life.



• Only in Florida.



• Acording to his students, it was the best lecture ever.



• Apparently the New Zealand parliment just relalized it's not the 1950's anymore.

Good tip for you

I have never understood when people complained that their arm was sore after they get an injection. I have never been sore after any injection. Ever.

Until today...

Here's my covid vaccination tip of the day for you: When you get your injection, get it in your non-dominant arm.

Man, my right arm felt like someone hit me in the muscle with a baseball bat and it hurt to do pretty much anything that required me to move my arm, which, by the way, is pretty much everything.

Fortunately the soreness went away around 3:00 this afternoon and I am once again back to my usual spry self. Still, I'm going to make sure I get the second shot in my left arm.

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Today they started the impeachment trial of Trump and I made the mistake of listening to the opening round of testimony. Jeebus, those people love to listen to themselves talk. Blah, blah, blah.

This is worse than the Watergate hearings...

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Another night with no Bruins hockey. The Flyers are playing the Capitals again so I can watch a bit of that if I feel like it but I also have some Gold Rush DVRs in the queue, ready to go, so I'll probably watch them instead.

Oh, and at some point, I need to go clear my driveway. Sure hope The Beast is fully functional.

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While I clear my driveway, decide what to watch and eat some dinner, you can click on these:

• Oops.



• The Irish really know how to party.



• Vitaly and Yuri sound like real assholes.



• Here's your Naked Guy In The News story.



• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, tries to kill ya.



• I hope he's not right.

Round 1 is done

I got my first covid vaccination today. It was the Moderna vaccination which is the same one my brother got.

So far, I have not grown a third eye, a second nose or any additional appendages but I do have a strong desire to search the internet for one-hit-wonders from the 1970s...

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As I predicted, the alleged sports experts were wrong and the Buccaneers beat the Chiefs.

Never underestimate Brady. That man knows how to play football.

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The Beast made it through yesterday's snow storm but just barely.

I did my driveway from the bottom up so the first thing I did was the pile left by the plow. I made it through the entire driveway and as I was finishing the swatch in front of my car, the machine died.

I got it restarted and finished up but I'm concerned.

The weather dweebs are predicting 3-6 tomorrow and I'm really concerned it won't make it. Fortunately, I have the new carburetor and if I have to, I'll install it and see how things go.

As I've said, I'm hoping to make it through the winter and do the swap this spring/summer because, well, I hate working on machines in the cold.

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While I try to figure out what to make for dinner this evening, you can check these links out:

• Key phrase in this story: "...posted videos from inside a secret nuclear base."



• Only in Florida.



• I like her.



• Key phrase in this story: "I can’t wait to sue your ass."



• This sounds awful.

Well, it's snowing

I'm really hoping The Beast makes it through the remainder of the winter.

The other day, I took the cover off the carburetor to make sure I ordered the correct one and man, it's a mess.

My uncles, the farmers, always told me, "When you own a machine, it will break down. You should know how to fix it."

I always thought that was sound advice.

I pride myself on my ability to repair things but I will admit to always having a problem adjusting a carb so the engine runs efficiently. I've been studying up on this particular carburetor and it seems pretty straight forward: Set the idle jet at 1¼ turns, the main jet at 1½ turns and then fine tune them from there.

What I really hope is that I can wait until this summer before I have to replace the carb. Waiting until then has three pluses: 1) I don't have to work in the cold. 2) I have ample time to fix it if I screw it up and 3) I have time to get it to a repair guy if I fubar it.

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I discovered this afternoon that the Bruins are off until Wednesday.

I watched some of the Flyers / Capitals game this afternoon and the Flyers managed to beat the Capitals. This puts them back into a tie at 18 points each with the Bruins but since the Bruins have fewer games played, they lead by point percentage which is simply total points divided by maximum possible points.

This situation is actually a good example: The Bruins have played 11 games and they have 18 points. The Flyers have played 13 games and they have 18 points. If the Bruins has won all of their games, they would have a total of 22 points. 18/22 = .818. If the Flyers had won all of their games, they would have a total of 26 points. 18/26=.692. This is why the Bruins are in first place.

First place is the best place.

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I'm going to watch some football.

While I do that, you can click on these:

• Well, it's not romantic but it works for me.



• What the hell happened to the old tried-and-true, "It's a boy!" method of telling people what the baby is.



• A) Anything that tastes like "mango cheesecake" is not beer and 2) this is why I drink out of bottles.



• Only in Florida.



• Ain't nothin' lower'n a cactus smuggler.

First place is the best place

After last nights 2-1 win over the Flyers, the Bruins are in first place in the east. They are also tied for first place in the league.

They are currently 11 games into a 56 game season and being in first place at this point means they aren't in a battle to climb the ladder, they are in a battle to stay at the top of the ladder.
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Pitchers and catchers report in 11 days and ther Red Sox will play their traditional first spring training game against the Northeastern Huskies in 20 days. The very next day, they will play the Pirates.

Baseball is fast approaching my friends and I am looking forward to watching it.

And before I forget to remind you, the Superb Owl will be played at 6:30 tomorrow evening. I'm rooting for the Chiefs but I suspect the Buccaneers will prevail.

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No hockey this evenings so I guess I'll watch The Pacific. It's not as good as the Band of Brothers but it comes close.

Here are a few links for you:

• He should not be charged with a crime. He was defending himself from an armed attacker.



• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, overwhelms you in sheer numbers.



• I wonder if he got her number.



• In Jamaica, this constitutes a national tragedy.

More snow heading our way

The weather dweebs are starting to hedge their bets by saying things like, "The coastal storm that is developing will move out to sea but how much snow we'll get depends on how far north it moves before heading out to sea. If it comes close to us, we'll get more snow. If it stays well south of us, we'll get less snow."

Hell, I could make that prediction.

That's not a prediction, that's a forecast based on "what if". It's like saying, "Fire is hot. If you get close to it, you'll get burned. If you stay away from it, you won't get burned."

My main concern right now is my snowblower is running like crap. It needs a new carburetor because the freaking ethanol they put in gasoline has pretty much destroyed the innards of the one that's on there. Carburetors aren't all that complicated and replacing one is reasonably easy & cheap. I can get a replacement for around $20.00.

I'm holding off on replacing the carb until spring because if I screw it up when I replace it, chances of having a blizzard in the spring are pretty low. If I replace it this weekend and screw it up, there's a good chance we'll have a blizzard and I'll be without a snowblower. That means I'll have to shovel.

I hate shoveling.

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Robin Williams once provided the following definition - "“Politics: Poli - a Latin word meaning "many" and tics - meaning "bloodsucking creatures."

Biden has proposed a 1.9 trillion dollar covid relief package and I have no idea where he's gonna get the money to fund it. I suspect it's going to come out of my wallet. But then again, we need to do something...

What I do have a problem with is this little bit of snake oil:

Biden is calling on Congress to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and to end the tipped minimum wage and the sub-minimum wage for people with disabilities..

If they end the tipped minimum wage for service workers, you can bet I will stop tipping those workers. They will be earning as much as everyone else so they don't need tips to offset their wage.

Why do I need to tip the bartender for bringing me a beer if she/he is making $15.00 an hour? No one tips my wife after she teaches a class. No one tips my daughter after she neuters their dog. No one tips me after I write a new policy or procedure.

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Yes, there is hockey this evening. The Bruins and the Flyers will play game two of their two-game set at 7:00 this evening. That means I may very well be able to stay awake long enough to see all three periods.

As I pointed out the other day, they are currently tied for first place in the east with the Flyers so the winner of this game will take sole possesion of first place.

First place is the best place.

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I have eaten dinner, I'm in my sweats and I have NESN on the tube.

While I watch hockey, you can check these links out:

• Brandon Robert is a good human being.



• It's been 50 years since Alan Shepard did the coolest thing on the moon.



• Key entry from our favorite police log: "3:22 p.m. Men were acting very strange."



• Huh...



• Well, this sounds incredibly uncomfortable.



• Only in Pennsylvania.

You gotta love dogs

Once or twice a week, we have to clean the windows in the family room. This is because we have a dog who is convinced she is an artist.

Her nose is her brush and the window is her canvas.

Another thing she is very good at is protecting the house from delivery people but only when those delivery people are outside and she is inside. If one of them comes inside, she hides behind one of us so we can protect her.

Every time a delivery truck shows up in our neighborhood, she hears it and runs to the window where she barks and smears a liberal amount of nose gerb to the glass. The truck doesn't even have to be on our street, just close enough for her to hear it.

It's nice to be protected from the UPS guy but we're gonna have to start purchasing Windex™ by the gallon.

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The Bruins once again came from behind to win a game last night.

They started out like a house afire when Pasternak scored a goel in the first 15 seconds of the game and held that 1-goal lead through the first period. Unfortunately, the Flyers managed to score a goal in the second and then two more in the third, taking a 3-1 lead.

Proving that he is back in form, Pasternak scored two goals in the third to tie the game (the tying goal came with 15 seconds left in the game) and force the sudden death OT.

It only took Bergeron 30 seconds to score the game winner in OT, giving the Bruins the win and a tie for first place in the east. As a matter of fact, they are now in a three-way tie for first place in the NHL.

First place is the best place.

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The majority of the alleged "sports experts" (70% of them) are predicting that the Chiefs will win the Superb Owl this weekend.

I think Mahomes is a great quarterback, the Chiefs are a great team and they deserve to be in the Superb Owl but I've watched Tom Brady play football for 20 years and I'm pretty sure that no one should ever discount him.

I've seen Brady march a team down field and come from behind to win high pressure games after being down 20 points. I've seen him command a team, take a lead in the first two minutes of a game and hold on to that lead for a win at the final whistle. The man is amazing and I think we are going to see pretty damned good football game.

It better be good because from what I can tell, the commercials are going to suck.

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There are no sportings on the television this evening but there is Kentuck Fried Chicken for dinner!

As far as I'm concerned, any night you have KFC is a good night.

While I go wash the chicken grease off my fingers, you can enjoy these links:

• The story does not say it but I'm pretty confident that either drugs or alcohol were involved. Perhaps even both.



• Welcome to eastern Massachusetts where the word "Masshole" was invented.



• Hay Foot - Straw Foot.



• I'm thinking she might just be an attention whore.



• Apparently snow can burn in Virginia.

Late and short

I spent most of my day working because, well, that's what I do.

Then I made a Costco run to pick up some stuff. When you need stuff, Costco is the place to go. They got stuff.

Finally, I spent a few hours filling out forms, scanning documents and signing my life away because I'm an idiot.

Two weeks ago, the University I work for collaborated with the town they are in to provide covid vaccinations to the residents. They put out an email asking for volunteers and I made the mistake of saying, "Sure, I can give you some time."

Actually, it's not a mistake because they need people to step up and provide as much help as they can if we want to have any chance of getting us out of this pandemic. We can't rely on just the doctors and nurses because they are the ones that administer the medicine. We also need people to manage crowds, drive the elderly and file all the papers that need to be filed. That's where the volunteers come in.

I can't give you a shot but I can pick you up and drive you to the clinic.

So anyways, the problem is that since I'll be working with people in a private setting, the town needs to to a cori check on me and they also need to have my insurance information (they are going to vaccinate me). That was all taken care of by email which meant printing, signing, scanning and emailing numerous items.

I'm telling you all that so you know why this is late and why it is short.

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The Bruins take on the Flyers at 8:00 this evening which means I will not be able to watch all three periods.

Such is my lot in life.

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Here are a few links for you:

• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, tries to cover you in goo.



• Ouch!



• Only in Florida.

Only one point behind

After being down 3-0 last night, the Bruins pulled four goals of their ass and they beat the Capitals 4-3, picking up 2 points. This puts them one point behind the Capitals and the Flyers.

Tomorrow, they start a two game set against the Flyers so if they can win those games, they might just move into first place.

First place is the best place.

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Two FBI agents were gunned down by a pedophile today. That leaves two people who don't get to finish living their lives and two families who are currently wondering what they do now.

Oh, and the piece of snakeshit that ambushed them is also dead. Rumor has it he committed suicide. In my humble opinion, suicide is something he should have done long before he committed sexually violent acts against little children.

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Not much else to prattle on about tonight.

How about we get to the links:

• There shouldn't be any charges. He/she was doing their job, defending the defenseless.



• Here's a headline I bet you never thought you'd see...



• Face tattoos are always a sign of bad life choices.



• Oop.



• Apparently the New York groundhog is a liar.



• Anal Covid Swabs would be a fantastic name for a 2020 ska band.

They lied to me

The weather dweebs told me the snow was going to start around noon today. My original plan was to run over to the store and pick up some swiss cheese. It is my firm belief that if you run out of swiss cheese, you've run out of the nectar of the gods. You should never run out of swiss cheese.

So anyways, my plan was to run over to the store, get my cheese, and then cover my car before the snow fell. Unfortunately, mother nature did not listen to the weather dweebs and she started dumping snow on my car before I woke up at 5:00 this morning.

This means that at some point in the next day or two, I'm going to have to clean my car off.

I dislike cleaning my car off almost as much as I dislike running out of swiss cheese.

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I'm really hoping the Bruins can beat the Capitals this evening.

DeBrusk is still listed as injured but hopefully Pasternak has the cobwebs out of his system and he is back to his old ways of scoring goals and shit.

The Flyers won last night so they are tied with the Capitals for first place in the east. This leaves the Bruins three points behind both teams. They need to grab some points and they need to grab them soon.

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Dustin Pedroia finally decided to retire, freeing up a roster spot on the Red Sox.

I really hope the Red Sox offer him some kind of position with the organization. Maybe infield coordinator or base coach. Maybe just a job as the guy who sits in the dugout and offers advice to the younger players. I still haven't figured out what Jason Varitek does for the Red Sox but he seems to be around a lot.

Pedroia played his heart out and he gave everything he had to that team. He signed a team-friendly contract extension just because he liked playing in Boston. They probably paid him less than he was worth and now they should do the right thing by making sure he has a spot in that organization.

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Here's a real treat for you direct from The People of Walmart

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I made one pass with The Beast to clear the first 5 inches. Tomorrow, none of us have anyplace to be so I'll wait until the storm ends and do the next 5 or so inches.

Right now, I'm going to eat some dinner and watch some hockey.

While I do that, you can enjoy these links:

• Key phrase in this story: "He’s a happy monkey."
  (Why do I think he says the same thing about his employees...)



• Whenever I see the line, "It was not immediately clear whether Cowan had an attorney", I can't help but wonder if it's because there is no attorney crazy enough to defend him.



• Only in Florida.



• I guess that settles that.