It's Easter

Or as my friend Brad used to say, "It's Zombie Jesus Day!"

If he said that anywhere around his catholic mom, she would beat the shit out of him which told me that I probably should not say it around my uber-catholic mom.

So anyways, to all you christian peoples, have a nice Easter. To everyone else, go clean up your lawns fer cripes sake. Your leaves are blowing all over the place.

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The Bruins beat the Capitals in a shoot-out last night, grabbing the two points and securing a spot in the playoffs.

They have also moved up a bit in the overall league standings.

Their next game is Tuesday when they take on the Predators down in Nashville. Puck drops at 8:00.

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The Red Sox managed to lose 4-3 in the tenth inning last night but I didn't see that. When I went to bed, it was tied 1-1 at the top of the eighth inning.

I thought Crawford pitched a great game. He went six innings, gave up one run, walked one and struck out seven. The problem happened when Cora sent a kid named Joely Rodriguez in to pitch in the tenth who probably should not have made the team out of spring training, never mind being put into a high-stress situation in his first appearance.

When the Red Sox broke camp, they sent Cooper Criswell, Joe Jacques and Brennan Bernardino down to Worcester and kept Rodriguez. I was a little shocked by that decision because Bernardino spent last season proving himself to be a pretty good reliever.

Todays game was at a much more sensible hour and since I was able to watch the whole game, the Red Sox decided to win.

Cora still brought Rodriguez in during the ninth inning but he faced only one batter and walked him. That was when Cora decided that rather than have another melt down, he pulled him out and put a guy named Slaten to shut down the Mariners and win the game.

They need to re-evaluate their decision to put Rodriguez on the roster...

So the Red Sox split their four game series with the Mariners and are now 2-2. They face the Athletics tomorrow. First pitch is at 9:40 so I won't be watching all of that game.

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I'm going to watch Nelly Korda try to win the Ford Championship and then fall asleep.

Just to be clear, I'm going to fall asleep, not Korda. Although she might fall asleep. I don't know. All I know is that I'm talking about me falling asleep.

You can see if these are any good:

• When it comes to the battle raging over Pluto's status as a planet, Arizona is taking a stand.



• It seems to me that telling soccer fans that they'll be served stronger beer will only make them want to drink more.



• If you are thinking about taking the MassPike (I-90) into New York, get off before you hit Albany.



• Yes, alcohol was involved.

I thought they had it.

I managed to stay awake long enough last night to see six innings of baseball and it turned out that the one homerun I saw the Mariners hit in the sixth was the only run of the game. The Red Sox lost 1-0.

Pivetta pitched a great game, going six innings, giving up three hits, one of which was the aforementioned homerun, striking out ten and walking zero. That is a pretty good outing.

Touching home plate was the problem last night. They had four hits and three walks but were unable to move a baserunner home. It certainly didn't help that their big hitter, Devers, was scratched from the lineup prior to game start with shoulder soreness.

Tonights game is once again at 9:40pm and I will try to make it through at least five innings, maybe six.

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Rita Mae Brown, in her book Sudden Death, wrote the famous phrase, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Now I'm not saying that Rita was wrong or that I'm insane but I did spend a few hours today raking dirt and spreading grass seed in the hopes that one day in the near future, I will have a lush, green lawn.

Long time readers of this spewage will make note that despite my best efforts, I have never been successful with growing grass.

Oh sure, it sprouts and gives me hope but shortly after it reaches a point where I think I might need to mow it, it dies.

Guess we'll see what happens this time.

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I'm going to make some burgers, watch a little golf, then a little hockey and try to stay awake long enough to watch some baseball.

Here are some links:

• Trust me, it's really, really hard to break one of those.



• This is why I don't let my dogs dig in the yard.



• Maybe it was Theodoric of York, Medieval Barber.
  (Here's a video for you youngsters...)



• Hey, he was just trying to get to school.



• Man, They got world records for everything.

Off to a good start

The Red Sox beat the Mariners 6-4 last night and my optimism level is now off the chart.

Look, I understand that the Red Sox ownership has decided to spend as little as possible on the team. I get that they didn't make any big acquisitions of players over the off-season. With Giolito out for the season, I know they do not have any pitchers that can currently go more than six innings.

I also know that they have a bunch of ball players that seem to love playing the game and really want to win. Every player on that team appears happy to be there and I get the impression that they are looking to end the season laughing in the face of all the "experts" that said they were a last place team

And for the record, I made it through three innings before going to bed. Not bad for an old guy...

First pitch is at 9:40 tonight so maybe I'll make it through four innings tonight.

Speaking of baseball, the so-called "experts" have once again made their predictions for the season.

Here's what they predict the ALEast will look like at the end of the season:

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I found this picture and the more I look at it, the more I laugh:

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Before I leave you for the day, I just want to remind you that the President of the United States once used the Oval Office to sell beans.

Now he's selling bibles but currently not from the Oval Office.

⧫
Time for dinner and then watching the LPGA Ford Championship until it's time for baseball.

Here are a few links:

• I'm pretty sure this was a Twilight Zone episode titled Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up.



• They got some weird rules over in England.



• Yea, because I Am The Walrus was deep and intellectual.



• Key phrase in this story: "individually wrapped beetles".

A loss they didn't need

The Bruins lost in regulation last night, losing by a score of 3-1 to the Lightning.

Since the Panthers didn't play last night, the Atlantic division standings remain the same with the Bruins in first place, two points ahead of the Panthers

They take on the Capitals tomorrow. Puck drops at 7:00pm.

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The baseball season kicks off today with the Red Sox in Seattle to open the season against the Mariners.

First pitch is at 10:10pm and I will make every attempt to watch at least the first inning or two. I will also record the game so I can watch it on Friday morning.

Oh, and the Red Sox have once again acquired someone I've never heard of and I have no idea if he will help them win games.

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No, I have not bought a ticket to the PowerBallers game:

I'm waiting for it to reach a bazzillion...

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Enjoy these links:

• Looks like Phil got lucky.



• Clear-cut case of knife violence.



• Every time I see a picture of this guy, I'm reminded of the serial killer in the original Dirty Harry movie
  
  
• Key line in this story: "The person then shot at one of the other robots and an outdoor swimming pool..."
  (I wonder what he had against the swimming pool?)



• I'm beginning to think Mike Tyson is a pretty smart guy.

Excellent win last night.

With less than five minutes left in the third period, the Bruins were down 3-2 and it didn't look great for them. Then, with four and a half minutes left in the game, Pasternak put on into the goal to tie the game and it started to look good. Still not great but good.

Almost exactly two minutes later, Zacha put on into the goal, giving the Bruins a 4-3 lead and it looked great.

And that is how the game ended. It was a good game with a lot of action. Both teams were fighting for first place in the division so there was a lot of "interactions" between the players, if you know what I mean...

So now the Bruins are in first place in the Atlantic and the Panthers are not.

That win also moved them up to third place in the NHL.

If my calculations are correct (and they probably aren't), if they beat the Lightning tonight, they will secure a playoff spot. Puck drops at 7:30 and I will probably be yelling at my tv around 8:30 or so.

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At 9:00 yesterday morning, this is what our rear patio looked like. Note the large cracks.

At 5:00pm yesterday afternoon, this is what our rear patio looked like. Note the lack of patio.

At 2:30 this afternoon, this is what our rear patio looked like. Note the lack of cracks.

It's going to be nice having a level, uncracked patio.

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Time to figure out what to do about dinner and then watch some hockey.

Enjoy these links:

• I think this means Amazon is about to have a lot of late shipments.



• I guess I won't be going to Manhattan anytime soon which is okay with me because I've never been to Manahattan.



• I gotta give the guy credit, he sure knows how to make money off his cult followers.



• Apparently his pillow isn't that great.



• Key line in this video: "One pair of beaver for each box."



• Seems to me that this might not be a good thing.

Optimism restored

The Red Sox beat up on the Rangers last night, winning the game 9-2.

They did that because their pitching was sharp, the hitters were on target and the base runners were aggressive. And more importantly, they looked like they were having fun.

As for this afternoon's game, they didn't beat up on the Rangers but they did win 4-1.

Again, they looked like they were having a good time. There was a lot of laughing and smiling in the dugout.

I'm once again beginning to think they might just stand a chance this season. When they win two games against the 2023 World Series winners, that's a pretty good sign.

Oh, and it looks like the rotation is going to be Bello, Pivetta, Crawford, Whitlock and Houck. That means the seasons starts like this:

Thursday v Mariners - Bello
Friday v Mariners - Pivetta
Saturday v Mariners - Crawford
Sunday v Mariners - Whitlock
Monday v Athletics - Houck

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The Bruins will take on the Panthers this evening and they really need to win this game.

If they win, they regain sole posession of first place in the Atlantic division

If they lose, well, let's just say they shouldn't lose. Losing would be bad.

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

Here are some links:

• At 1:30 this morning, a ship crashed into a bridge down in Baltimore and that bridge collapsed like it was made of toothpicks held together by spit.



• I was kinda hoping he would pick Aaron Rogers because those two nutcases would have made for some entertaining sound bites.



• Severe Woody only made it to 65.



• No, I did not buy any lottery tickets.



• Sex Toy Bootlegging would be a fantastic name for a 2010s all-girl Russian techno band.



• Clear case of flash drive violence.

Late ballgame

The Red Sox / Rangers game isn't on until 8:00 this evening so I've got that to look forward to.

There have been no further roster changes but they still have some decisions to make. I'm not sure what Dalbec's status is but with Grissom and Refsnyder starting the season on the DL, they don't really need to make a decision. They have room for Dalbec.

My optimism is still in place but I might not be as optimistic as I was at the start of spring training. The season-ending injury to Giolitio is a major hit to the starting rotation and I'm not entirely sure thay have anyone capable of eating up innings like Giolitio could.

Hey, it's baseball and no matter what they do, I like watching baseball. I'll still yell at them when they are losing but I won't stop watching them.

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The Bruins are getting their ass kicked and they aren't even playing!

Right now, they are in second place in the Atlantic division and in seventh place in the NHL

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No, I did not buy any tickets.

If I happen to find a couple of bucks in an old jacket pocket or something, maybe I'll run out and pick one up but I figure my chances of finding lost money is as good as my chances of winning the lottery - slim and none.

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Here are some links:

• Dissemination of information like this is the reason they invented to internet.



• Key entry from our favorite police log: "10:16 a.m. A Kalispell resident asked officers to issue them 12 stop signs for him to put up to slow down speeding cars through the neighborhood. The officer told him they don’t hand out stop signs, and he should go to a city council meeting to express his concerns instead."



• Yes, durgs or alcohol were involved.



• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, is just tryin' to get a little action...



• Key phrase in this story: "I’ve heard it’s not real."



• The Red Sox (double A Portland Sea Dogs) finally won something.

Final game at Jet Blue

In their final spring training game at JetBlue Park in Fort Meyers, the Red Sox tied the Braves 5-5.

Now they head off to Arlington Texas where tomorrow and Tuesday they play the Rangers in their two final spring training games.

They are off on Wednesday while the travel to Seattle for opening day against the Mariners on Thursday.

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With yesterdays loss, the Bruins are once again in third place in the NHL but remain in first place in the Atlantic division

With ten games left in their regular season and a difficult stretch of games ahead of them, they need to push hard if they want to go into the playoffs with any kind of home rink advantage.

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I'm going to watch some golf and then figure out what to do about dinner.

You can check these out if you want:

• We have pretty much screwed up the present and the future. Let's not screw up the past.



• I know a lot of people with dead butts.



• If you win $5,000, put it in a pocket that it won't fall out of.



• It's like Reverse Goldilocks.



• Those murderous Boston thugs need to step it up.



• Key phrase in this story: "...doctors believe that the slippery animal crawled from the anus to the patient’s colon..."

More channel flipping

The Bruins faced off against the Flyers at 1:00 this afternoon and that game was on NESN.

The Red Sox had split squad games today. One group traveled the 75 miles to Bradenton to play the Pirates at 1:00 while the other group stayed home in Fort Meyers to play Twins at 6:00. That away game was carried by NESN+ which means I was flipping back and forth between NESN and NESN+. The home game at 6:00 is carried by NESN and I don't have to do any flipping.

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The Bruins played okay but the Flyers played better. A lot better.

With less than two minutes left in the game, the score was tied 2-2 when the Flyers scored and they ended up winning the game 3-2.

Too be honest with you, the Bruins should have won that game but they just didn't seem to have the drive. They looked tired.

They are off now until Tuesday when they will play the Panthers. That is a must win game for the Bruins becuase if they lose to the Panthers, they will drop to second (or maybe third) place in the NHL and second place in the Atlantic division.

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The Red Sox put Bello on the mound for his final spring training game and had a great outing. He went 5½ innings, gave up one earned run, walked three and struck out seven.

The game this evening will feature Pivetta in his final spring training start.

Oh, and here we are, five days to the start of the season, and in order to beef up their pitching staff, the Red Sox have once again added a guy I've never heard of...

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Might be time to buy another ticket...

Then again, I've got better things to spend $2.00 on...

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Is Donald "That's not what I said! I said, 'Grab 'em by the posse! The posse...' " Trump still ranting?

Well, I'm glad you asked.

The answer is, "Yes, he is indeed still ranting. And he's doing it in all caps."

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Time to change the channel from the Golf Channel to NESN.

Here are some links:

• Hey, as we age, we all get a little "leaky"...



• If I were in college, I would definitely take this course.



• Hey, sometimes imaginary friends are the best friends.



• Well, if they get my data, all they're gonna discover is that I watch a shitload of home & car repair videos as well as computer programming & electronic build videos.



• Pineapples in Massachusetts are about to get expensive.



• Something tells me that a bowl of chili being dropped by a drone is not going to end well.

Eleven games left

The Bruins have eleven games left in their regular season and they remain in first place in the NHL.

The problem is, they are now only one point ahead of the two second place teams.

The Rangers beat them last night in what was a very close game until the end of the third period when the Bruins, down 3-2, pulled their goalie and the Rangers proceeded to drop two empty netters. This gave them a 5-2 win over the Bruins.

The Bruins now head off on a six game road trip against some pretty tough opponents. Their next game is tomorrow against the Flyers. Puck drops at 1:00pm.

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The Red Sox are now less than one week away from the start of the regular season and I remain optimistic.

They still have two relievers that they need to get healthy with Jansen (back) and Martin (arm) both dealing with nagging problems.

During yesterday 3-2 win over the Orioles, Jansen got in one inning, faced three batters, gave up no hits and struck out two. Martin only got in half an inning, face three batters, gave up two hits, one run and didn't strike anyone out. The starting pitcher, Criswell, went an excellent four innings, giving up two hits, no runs and struck out four.

As for today, the Red Sox took their minor league team over to play the Blue Jays and they did okay. They lost 5-1 but considering they were playing against guys like Vlad Guerrero and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, that's not a bad showing.

Like I said, I remain optimistic.

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Busy day and I didn't spend a lot of time hunting for links.

Enjoy these few that I did find:

• You got your story. Now leave the woman alone.



• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, shits in your face and swims away.



• It's from Australia so it will probably kill you.

Channel flipping kind of evening

The Red Sox are on NESN+ at 6:00pm and the Bruins are on NESN at 7:00. That means I will be flipping between those two channels.

Actually, I'll probably be more focused on the regular season hockey game than I am in the spring training baseball game.

⧫
At 6:05 this evening, the Red Sox will play the Orioles. Criswell is on the mound and I'm curious to see how he does. The talking heads seem to think he could be in the starting rotation and since he hasn't been DFA'd or sent down to "minor league camp", I'm assuming the Red Sox are also hoping he fit's into a starting slot.

Personally, I hope he pitches lights out but he's one of those guys that just might suck. He played for the Rays last season and he spent quite a bit of time in the minors. In November, they DFA'd him.

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As for the Bruins, they remain in first place in the NHL.

They take on the second place Rangers this evening and it should be a hard-fought game. The Bruins and Rangers always rock the rink when they play...

Hopefully they win but even if they lose, they will remain in first place because the second place teams are three points behind them and a win for them only gives them two points. They can't catch the Bruins today. Maybe tomorrow, but not today.

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Donald "This is yuuuuge! The biggest fine ever. No one has ever had a fine this big!" Trump is about to lose his property and he is not happy about it:

⧫
I'm going to make some breakfast for dinner and then watch some sportings.

Here are some links:

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



• Pretty soon they're gonna start shooting.



• I have never seen anyone smiling while running. Runners looked pissed off all the time.



• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, burns your house to the ground.



• Back in my day, we called "Freelance Sperm Donation" sex with a stranger.



• My kind of workout.

The Bruins remain in first place

With last nights 6-2 win over the Senators, the Bruins increased their lead in the NHL.

Tomorrow evening they take on the Rangers. Puck drops at 7:00pm.

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No Red Sox today.

The way things are going for them, there may not be any Red Sox left to play...

⧫
No, I did not win.

No, I did not match any of the numbers.

No, I did not buy another ticket.

⧫
I have some DVRs to watch.

You have some links to click:

• Key line in this story: "...he may be weighing a little-discussed option: Doing nothing."



• Well, that clears that up...



• Just because he was an admiral doesn't mean he didn't go full-on nutcase after he retired.



• Only in Florida.



• This probably won't end well...



• Cops: Sometimes they do funny stuff.

Happy Vernal Equinox

As I always say at this time of the year, don't go sacrificing any virgins at Stonehenge, or any other henge for that matter

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The Red Sox beat the Rays 5-2 and Crawford pitched really well. He went 5 ½ innings, giving up two runs, no walks and struck out six. He started out rough, giving up those two runs in the first inning but after that he was lights out.

They are taking tomorrow off. They will play the Orioles on Thursday. First pitch is at 6:05pm.

Oh, and the roster changes have begun with several players assigned outright to Worcester and several others being listed as "minor league training camp", which means they might also end up in AAA Worcester but more likely they'll be in the AA or HighA clubs. For the most part, there were not surprises.

There are still roster moves to be made before opening day but the big league roster is starting to take shape.

⧫
The Bruins are still in first place in the NHL, one point ahead of the Rangers and the Canucks.

Tonight they take on the Senators. Puck drops at 7:00pm.

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Time for hockey.

Enjoy these links:

• SCOTUS has ruled that the individual states have the right to decide who gets to live in the United States.



• What a loving family of thugs.



• Key phrase in this story: "Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020".



• Yea, this should astop them.



• I'm pretty sure that the Daily Mail doesn't understand what the word 'compelling' means...



• No, I did not buy a lottery scratcher in East Longmeadow.

The Red Sox lost

They lost 5-2 to the Twins but Pivetta pitchecd a pretty good game. He went five innings, gave up two earned runs, including one home run but he struck out five.

According to the talking heads on WEEI, there is a good possibility that Pivetta will be the opening day pitcher.

They are now ten days away from the season opener. That will be a 4-game series out in Seattle against the Mariners. I will be pleased if they manage to win two of those games, I will be happy if they win three of those games and I will be ecstatic if they win all four of those games.

But before then, they still have some spring training games. Tomorrow they face the Rays with Crawford on the mound to start. First pitch is at 1:05pm and NESN will be carrying the game.

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Yes, I bought a ticket.

No, I have no idea why I bought a ticket.

If I win, lunch is on me.

⧫
Here are some links you might find interesting:

• Looks like Psycho Vlad is still in charge.



• Ground Control to Major Tom...



• When I went to college, they had courses like chemistry, english, math, etc...



• Remember when Trump looked at an eclipse without any eye protection...



• Damn. I missed World Sleep Day.



• Speaking of The Donald...

First place?

As of 7:00 this morning, the Bruins were back in first place in the NHL after beating the Flyers 6-5 last night.

They are off today, as are the Panthers and the Canucks. I expect they will still be in first place tomorrow morning.

Next game is on Tuesday when they take on the Senators. Puck drops at 7:00pm.

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The Red Sox split squad game against the Braves ended in a 3-3 tie.

Bello went 5 innings and gave up for hits, one earned run, walked one and struck out five. That, my friends, is a pretty good spring training outing

The Red Sox split squad game against the Yankees ended with the Red Sox beating the Yankees 12-6.

Houck went three and half innings, gave up 4 hits, two earned runs and struck out four. Once again, that is a pretty good spring training outing.

Tomorrow they take on the Twins. First pitch is at 105pm and NESN is not carrying the game.

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Enjoy these links:

• Hey, the Alaskan Malamute is a beautiful dog.



• I've driven around Los Angeles and I can tell you, it isn't easy to hit the ocean.



• Now you know why monks spend a lot of time going "oommmmmm"...



• It's only a matter of time before Rudy Giulani moves to Washington state.



• Oh Canada.

The prospects won

Today was an interesting split squad day.

The full team of regulars went up to Sarasota to take on the Orioles where they lost 5-4. The starting pitcher was a kid named Cooper Criswell who is trying to get a slot in the rotation. Too be honest with you, if he is as good as he was today, he should be in the rotation. The guy went 4 innings, gave up 4 hits, 2 earned runs and struck out 3. He's not an ace but he didn't get shelled either.

The other game was the Red Sox prospects against the Braves prospects and it was carried by NESN. I have a feeling a few of those prospects will be playing on the major league team this season but I hope to see most of them in Worcester.

Tomorrow they play another split squad set. The away game will be against the Braves and the home game will be against the Yankees. NESN will carry the home game and first pitch is at 1:05.

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I'm looking for someone who can replace a concrete slab in my backyard.

This is a 15' x 15' raised slab that has a giant crack in it. We need the old slab removed and a new one poured in it's place.

If you have any good recomendations, and you know my email address, let me know. If you don't know my email address, oh well. You can leave a comment on this post if you want.

⧫
Time to watch hockey.

Here are a few links:

• Looks like Psycho Vlad is campaigning for reelection.



• Man, they got world records for everything.



• Only in Florida.



• Attention North Carolina family members: Be On The Look Out.



• Key phrase in this story: "...nobody is really going to listen to it."

A win in OT

The Bruins once again did not play the best game last night but they still managed to pull off a win, beating the Canadiens 2-1 in sudden death

They really look tired on the ice. Their passing is not great and they are getting beat to the puck more often than not. A win is a win and they are now in second place but I'm beginning to wonder what's going to happen when they reach the playoffs.

No one wants a repeat of last season when they went into the playoffs with the best record in the NHL and fell apart in the first round, getting beat by the Panthers.

Their next game is tomorrow against the Flyers. Puck drops at 7:00.

In other hockey news, if someone tries to sell you a Jaromir Jagr bobblehead, just walk away.

⧫
I'm going to watch the Red Sox and the Twins play baseball.

You can see if these are of any interest to you:

• Pay attention people. This shit is not good and it's not just your car that is spying on you.



• Art: I don't get it.



• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, show you its ass.



• Key lie in this story: "...similar to chicken..."



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

Not a good day for Winckowski

Winckowski started todays game and he made it through 3 ½ innings. During those innings, he gave up 6 runs, 5 of them earned, walked 1 and struck out 2.

Not a great start for him.

The Red Sox ended up losing the game 6-1 mostly because they were the visiting team and they didn't bring a lot of their starters. The Phillies, however, rolled out their big league team.

When you have a AAA team playing a MLB team, you get a lopsided score.

Tomorrow they are home against the Twins and NESN will carry the game. First pitch is at 6:05pm

⧫
The Bruins take on the Canadiens this evening.

With only 15 games left in the regular season, they are currently in second place in the Atlantic division.

Unless they fail miserably, they will make the playoffs but it would be nice to see them move back into first place in the division and the league.

I'm hoping they win tonight's game.

⧫
While I watch hockey, you can click on these:

• Who the hell does Schummer think he is? Netanyahu is the democratically-elected Prime Minister of Israel. Schummer has no right or authority to call for his overthrow.



• Key phrase in this story: "...I think it’s a great decision."



• Either Jane had a hell of a late night of partying or she started drinking the minute she got out of bed..



• Researchers: Contributing to the betterment of our society or a complete waste of perfectly good oxygen...



• Key phrase in this story: "...the state has refused to help them..."
  That's because it's a lost cause.



• I like to think if I live to 103, I won't own a car.

Lawn equipment tests out just fine

Today was the day I dragged out the lawnmowers & leaf blowers to make sure everything worked and I'm pleased to say that all is well.

I still need to change the oil on everything and I probably should get new blades for both my push mower & lawn tractor. I also need to change the air and oil filters on everything.

Maintenance is key to having a machine last as long as possible. I priced new lawn tractors the other day and cheap one is around $2,000. To replace mine with the same model would be around $3,200.

An oil change and replcement of both filters costs about $20.

Seems that it is smarter to spend $20 every spring instead of $3,000 every five years

⧫
I'm in trouble with The Vet.

I took The Dog in for her annual checkup this afternoon and it turns out she may have gained a few pounds.

I am now under orders to not give her a constant stream of treats. One in the morning and one in the afternoon is okay but no more than that.

You know what? She's right. I have been giving The Dog way too many treats. Problem is that The Dog knows how to turn on those puppy dog eyes while standing in front of the cabinet that houses her treats. I just need to remember to not give in.

I'll let you know how that goes...

⧫
The Red Sox beat the Yankees 9-4 this afternoon and I did not watch the game.

When I turned on NESN, I was greeted with the crew from YES. Turns out that NESN's new approach to spring training away games is to take the feed from the home team.

I really hope they don't start doing that during the regular season

Tomorrow they play the Phillies and I'll be streaming the game on WEEI-AM. First pitch is at 1:05.

⧫
If you are currently on I-91, you are screwed:

Turns out there is a multi-vehicle accident at the south end bridge and that means you are not going anywhere.

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Enjoy these links:

• Irritated Turkey would be a fantastic name for a 1970s rock band.



• Oh Canada.



• Researchers: Contributing to the betterment of our society or a complete waste of perfectly good oxygen...



• Japan: It's not like where we live.



• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, hucks up everything it has recently killed.

The Bruins looked bad.

Really bad.

The Blues beat them 5-1 last night and it was painful to watch.

It seemed to me that the puck was always on Blues hockey stick.

When a Bruin passed the puck, it was intercepted and stolen a Blues player. When a Bruin shot at the goal, it was blocked and stolen by a Blues player.

In other words, the Bruins could do nothing right.

They are off now until the 14^th when they will be in Montreal to play the Canadiens

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The Red Sox lost 7-5 to the Cardinals this afternoon. The problem with that is they played what Castiglione kept calling "their possible opening day line up". That means that according to Castiglione, the team that took the field today is probably the best they can do and they still lost.

I'm really hoping Castiglione is full of shit.

As for the game, Bello did not have a stellar outing. He went three innings, gave up six hits, two walks and four earned runs while only striking out one.

Not the best...

Tomorrow they take on the Yankees and it looks like NESN will be carrying that game. Nothing against Castiglione but I think watching a baseball game is a lot better than listening to someone describe a baseball game.

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My book is overdue at the library so I gotta finish it up before the library cops come looking for me.

For the record, it's a non-fiction history book about the Office of Naval Intelligence in Hawaii prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The ONI is the predecessor to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service which is more informally known as NCIS because of the numerous television shows called NCIS:[insert city name here].

The original NCIS television series starred a guy named Mark Harmon who also happens to be the author of this book. The book is called Ghosts of Honolulu and it's a pretty good read. I recommend it.

Enjoy these links:

• This is what happens when you chew random things you picked up in the woods.



• Only in Florida.



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



• Key line in this story: "...failed to win any of the 90 cases filed against volunteers from Food Not Bombs."
  



• Once again, I'm betting that Psycho Vlad is pissed off.

Yet another win

There were a few names in todays lineup that I recognized so maybe yesterday's travel wasn't too much of a burden.

The Red Sox beat the Pirates 1-0 this afternoon.

Tomorrow they take on the Cardinals. Since NESN won't be carrying the game I'll have to stream it on WEEI-AM.

Bello is scheduled to start so it will be interesting to see how he performs now that he has a big contract.

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The St. Louis Blues are in town to play the Bruins this evening. Puck drops at 7:00.

They are currently holding their own in the NHL, tied for second with the Canucks and one point behind the Panthers.

Hopefully they win tonight.

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Leftovers for dinner followed by trying to stay awake long enough to watch tonight's hockey game.

Here are some links:

• Key line in this story: "...a security door was breached by a student who let the assailants inside."



• He was against it before he was for it.
  I wonder what caused him to suddenly change his mind...



• Key line in this story: "Can’t you go after Diesel Trucks instead of pizza ovens?"



• Yea, it's the rats that are consuming the confiscated weed. They are also drinking the confiscated beer and setting off the confiscated fireworks. They also ran off with that $10,000...



• You gotta love dogs.

The experiment is over

Looks like Mac Jones time with the Patriots has come to an end.

It's going to be an interesting season for the Patriots. They have a new coach, a new GM, and maybe a new quarterback. I'm not sure anyone in the Patriots organization thinks Zappe is ready to be the starter but you never know. Maybe they'll run with him since he didn't do terrible last season.

Either way, like I said, it looks to be an interesting season.

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The Red Sox beat the Rays yesterday 4-0 and then they beat them again today 7-6.

Yes, it's only spring training.

Yes, I know these games don't count.

I don't care.

I'm enjoying watching them and I suspect I will continue to enjoy watching them until at least September 29^th.

They are currently travelling the 900 miles from Santa Domingo, DR to Fort Meyers, FL where tomorrow they will play the Pirates. I suspect that the players that appeared in these last two games in the Dominican will not be playing tomorrow and instead we will see a contingent of players with names I don't know.

I will still enjoy watching the game.

And yes, I will be watching it because NESN appears to be carrying it.

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After baseball it was time to watch the end of the Arnold Plamer Invitational and man, Scott Scheffler can play some pretty damned good golf.

And that is all I have to say about that.

Time to make some dinner and then struggle to stay awake until at least 9:00.

Have I mentioned that I hate the time change we inflict upon ourselves twice a year?

While I do that, you can check these out:

• This is why Biden will lose the upcoming election.



• This officially marks the end of the Republican Party. It is now the Trump Party.



• It's past time for Bernie to shut up and fade away..



• Yet another reason to not fly commercial.



• Remember back in the good old days when we used to call this "having a credit card"...



• Oh Canada.

Busy day = no post

The house got cleaned, hobbies got hobbied and errands got run.

Also, there was hockey at 3:00 and the Bruins beat the Penguins 5-1. After that, there was baseball at 5:00 and the Red Sox are currently up 4-0 over the Rays.

Here are a few links:

• Australia: What doesn't try to kill, interrupts your golf game.



• I can only imagine what they must smell like.



• Key line in this story: "...pickled pork being used as a weapon..."

Nice win.

The Bruins beat up on the Maple Leafs pretty good last night, beating them 4-1 in regulation.

They are currently in third place in the NHL and second place in the Eastern division.

They take on the Penguins tomorrow at 3:00.

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The Red Sox are off today while they travel to the Dominican Republic for a two-game series against the Rays starting tomorrow.

I would like to point out that the Dominican Republic is a country that makes up half of the island of Hispaniola. The other half of the island is made up of Haiti and Haiti is currently enjoying yet another civil war.

I would also like to point out that the Red Sox just signed Bello to a six year contract. In my opinion, that is a good thing.

He is young and has a lot to learn but he's learning it from the best. Seems that Pedro Martinez, arguably one of the best pitchers ever to stand on a mound, is working with him.

When it comes to pitching, it doesn't get any better than having Martrinez as a teacher.

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Not much else to chat about today.

Here are some links:

• If you thought our government couldn't get any more screwewd up than it already is, you were wrong.



• Bostons has a claim to fame.



• Only in Florida.



• Man, they got world records for everything.



• This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.



• She's gonna have to pay taxes on that.

Those girls can play golf

I watched the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Woman's Golf Tournament yesterday evening and man, those college kids can play some pretty damned good golf. One player shot a 7 under par 64.

For those of you that don't golf, seven under is a great score. It's what the majority of professional PGA/LPGA players shoot.

But my question here really is, "What the hell does Hootie have to do with college woman's golf and why is he sponsoring that tournament?"

I gotta be honest with you, the last thing I expected from a country singer named Hootie would be a golf tournament, but after reading his wikipedia entry, it turns out that he is deeply involved in both philanthropy and sports.

Rucker has regularly worked with charities that support sick and underprivileged children, via benefit concerts, volunteering, the World Golf Foundation's The First Tee Program, and the Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation which has raised nearly $4.5 million to provide funding to public education systems throughout South Carolina.

In other words, he's basically a good person who likes sports and can sing.

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I don't care what the courts say, I still think these are a violation of the fourth amendment:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

You should notice that the amendment does not specify special places or say "sometimes" when defining your right to personal security.

You have a constitutional guarantee of personal security and privacy at all times. If you are operating your vehicle on a public road in a safe and legal manner, obeying all the rules of the road, any interruption and/or detention by government authorities seems unreasonable to me.

Then again, I'm no legal scholar so what the hell do I know.

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Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution says:

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union...

So my question is, do I watch the comedy that will undoubtedly ensue when Goofy Joe bumbles his way through a speech where he attempts to speak english in a comprehensive and clear manner while identifying people/locations correctly or do I watch the Bruins play the Maple Leafs?

I'm betting the hockey game will be more to my liking but that speech is probably going to be a goldmine for the late-night tv shows.

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Time to eat some dinner and then watch some hockey.

Enjoy these links:

• I'm betting Psycho Vlad is pissed.



• India: It's not like where we live.



• Australia: What doesn't try to kill ya, gets shit all over you.



• Key phrase in this story: "When I had my last colonoscopy, they were playing it on the operating room speakers."



• This is probably not going to end well.



• Attention scientists: Did none of you watch Jurassic Park all the way to the end?

Two losses

The Bruins lost on OT again last night. I'm not suprised since they played the night before and were probably spent by the time they hit the ice for this game.

Still, it wasn't like they played poorly. The score was 0-0 through 2¼ periods when the Bruins went up 1-0. Then, with about one minute left to play in the game, the Oilers. tied it 1-1.

The Oilers scored the game winner about two minutes into the OT period, ending the game 2-1.

The Bruins are off today and they pick it up again tomorrow against the Maples Leafs. Hopefully with the same results they had the last time they played the Maple Leafs.

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As for the Red Sox, they got whomped pretty good by the Twins this afternoon. The final score of the game was 7-1 but I don't worry too much about these games. This is the time in spring training where they start finalizing their roster so they are playing everybody.

They usually start the guys who are already on the roster and then swap them out for guys that are trying to get on the roster. This leads to some interetsing game play. And by interesting, I mean maybe not so good.

Tomorrow they take on the Braves and Pivetta will start the game. If I were Cora, I'd want to see him go three innings, maybe four. I'd want to see him deliver 50 or 60 pitches before calling it quits.

Tomorrow's game starts at 1:00 and it looks like ESPN is carrying it. This means I will probably have Castiglione streaming over my Alexa while watching the game on television because I don't like the way ESPN covers a ball game. They spend way too much time talking about the New York Aaron Judges.

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With Haley dropping out of the race, it's safe to say that the presidential primaries are now officially over with.

Our choices this November will be Donald "Drink some of that Lysol to cure your covid!" Trump and Joseph "Egypt, Cuba, Gaza, Ukraine, whatever." Biden.

Am I the only one that is concerned that of all the people in this country, the best the two political parties can offer us is those two?

Once again, we are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils and, unfortunately, they are both equally poor choices.

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Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank, spoke before congress today and amazingly enough, I did not lose my shirt.

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Here are some links:

• I have been to New York City twice. Once in a helicopter and all I did was step out of the helicopter to let someone else off and got back on to continue on down to New Jersey. The other time was when I took a bus to Yankee Stadium to watch the Red Sox play the Yankees. I can think of no reason that I would never go back there.



• Key line in this story about Voyager 1: "...the aging spacecraft has suffered some kind of stroke..."



• Okay, this is extra cool. It is a NASA website that shows what the James Webb Space Telescope is currently looking at.



• I think I'll pass.



• In my opinion, Fart Spray is never funny.



• Oh Canada.