Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Sci Fi History: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde investigates the dichotomy of good and evil. It also tackles the ideas of modernity, science, and civilization on one hand and barbarism and uncontrolled passion on the other. Jekyll used a potion to create Hyde which provided a Frankenstein-esque warning about unfettered science. At the time, the world witnessed several major technological advances ranging from the telephone to the light bulb. Frankenstein was a reaction to Enlightenment thinking. Dr. Jekyll provided a reaction to Thomas Edison and other major inventors. Eventually, the Hyde personality begins to take over and Jekyll seems willing to submit. Mr. Hyde provided Dr. Jekyll an escape. This last point is an attempt by Jekyll to escape the crushing Victorian ethos against anything sexual.


The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde proved extremely influential. The work led to several movies which helped advance special effects technology as well as provide an archetype for several movie villains. Additionally, the work clearly inspired comic book characters such as The Incredible Hulk and Two-Face.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Top 10 Right Fielders of All Time

Not in any order...other than Ruth is #1. Ichiro is probably the most glaring omission.

Babe Ruth

Hank Aaron

Al Kaline

Roberto Clemente

Sam Crawford

Mel Ott

Reggie Jackson

Frank Robinson

Paul Waner

Dave Winfield

Friday, May 20, 2011

Top 10 Designated Hitters of All Time

The greatest DH is David Ortiz. I know many claim Edgar Martinez, but look at Papi's postseason and that sets him apart. A lot of these other guys played multiple positions. If Frank Thomas had played his entire career at DH, then he'd be #1 with his numbers.

In no particular order:

Paul Molitor


Don Baylor

David Ortiz

Edgar Martinez

Frank Thomas

Harold Baines

Chili Davis

Brian Downing

Hal McRae

Andre Thornton

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Top 10 Centerfielders of All Time

In no particular order...cause I am lazy I guess...

Ty Cobb

Tris Speaker

Duke Snider

Willie Mays

Mickey Mantle

Joe DiMaggio

Ken Griffey Jr.

Earl Averill

Edd Rousch

Kirby Puckett

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sci Fi History: Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)

Jules Verne continued his string of great sci-fi writing with the publication of A Journey to the Center of the Earth. In the book, Professor Hardwigg believes man can travel to the center of the planet through volcanic tubes. His group enters the tubes and face many perils including dinosaurs and nature itself. At the end, they emerge from the tubes in Italy.

Unlike much of Verne’s work, this book has proven incorrect in its science. For example, prehistoric animals do not live underground. However, the book spawned major motion pictures, cartoons, and made-for-TV movies. It’s also influenced comic books, the Back to the Future films, games, and even concept rock albums.

What Happens When We Die?

No one knows for sure, but here are some interesting theories.

1. Fade to black: After the initial explosion of endorphins, a bright light appears, and then everything goes dark. The life cycle comes to an end as does consciousness. It's like the period in between dreams while sleeping. Absolute nothingness. Since there is no evidence for an afterlife, some scholars, including Stephen Hawking,  believe this is the inevitable result of death.

2. Heaven/Hell: The concept of an afterlife predates Christianity. Christians perfected and added to the Grecko-Roman concepts of heaven and hell. The only evidence for the existence of these destinations comes from near death experiences. However, those accounts are suspect. It is unclear as to whether these experiences are the result of the brain attempting to make sense of death, reacting to extreme stress of the event or something else.

3. Reincarnation: Reincarnation is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth advocated by Buddhists, Hindus, early Christians, and other faiths. People are born, live their lives, die, and then return to live again as another person (or even as an animal). Some faiths tie reincarnation to behavior in this realm. If a person behaves badly, they accumulate bad karma, and return in a lower state in the next life. If they accumulate good karma, they return better off in the next life.

Unlike options 1 and 2 above, there is some evidence for reincarnation. There are many stories of people speaking dead languages or recognizing images and people that they have no connection to. Some of these incidents are explainable. However, a number of them are not. This does not indicate that reincarnation is fact. However, it does mean that more research is required.

4. Become one with the Force: Any engineer will explain that there is no reason for the human body to function. The body runs on electrical energy. Once the body dies, that energy must go somewhere. Energy can not be created nor destroyed. Where that energy goes is anyone's guess. Christians claim it is the soul and it goes to heaven or hell. A Buddhist might say that energy is reincarnated or reaches Nirvana. Nirvana might simply be the natural world. What happens to consciousness is another question.

5. Nothing ever dies: Time is not linear. We just perceive it that way. As a result, we are born, grow up, get old, and die. However, all of time occurs at once as opposed to linearly. Therefore, nothing ever dies. Life is eternal because all of time happens at the exact same time. Some believe the mind simply reboots after death like a computer or a video game because of how we perceive time.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Presidential Songs: George Washington

To Americans of his time, George Washington embodied the American Revolution. He led the nation to victory over the British in the Revolutionary War and his mere presence was all that held the country together during the 1780s and 1790s. No song captured the revolutionary spirit like "Yankee Doodle". It became the anthem for the revolutionary generation. If campaign songs were en vogue in 1789, then Washington might have used "Yankee Doodle".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HOc9WVZbts

Friday, May 13, 2011

Top 10 Magnum P.I. Episodes

1. Did You See the Sunrise? (1982): A brutal Soviet colonel, Ivan, travels to Hawaii to kill Magnum and T.C. The episode features one of the greatest scenes in TV history when Thomas must decide whether to allow Ivan to live or die.


2. Home From the Sea (1983): Magnum’s tradition of spending the 4th of July alone on his surf ski turns into a struggle for life. The surf ski overturns and he spends hours treading water. Meanwhile, he friends experience an overwhelming sense of dread and begin searching for him.

3. Flashback (1982): Magnum travels back to 1936 while dreaming. The dream is populated by 1936 versions of his friends. Meanwhile, the case he is working on in 1982 is resolved in his dream.

4. Death and Taxes (1986): While Thomas struggles with a tax audit, a killer calls him with cryptic riddles about his crimes. At first, Magnum does not take him seriously, but later realizes a killer is on the loose.

5. Limbo (1987): Magnum was shot in a warehouse and hovered near death. While in a coma, he visits his friends in spiritual form. Originally, this was meant to be the series finale, but the show was renewed for one more season.

6. Infinity and Jelly Donuts (1987): The episode opens with Magnum in a coma. He wakes up returning from limbo and tracks down the gunman that shot him.

7. Memories Are Forever (1981): While working a case, Magnum sees his dead wife. He thought she died in Vietnam and begins a frantic search. He discovers she is alive and a suspected traitor.

8. Black On White (1982): Higgins’ past returns when someone is killing members of his old regiment.

9. Little Girl Who (1986): Magnum’s ex-wife leaves her daughter, Lily, in Thomas’ care while she flees assassins. It turns out Lily is his daughter.

10. Resolutions (1988): In the series finale, Rick decides to get married-or does he? Higgins admits to being Robin Masters-or does he? Meanwhile, Magnum re-ups in the Navy bringing his life and the series full circle.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Top 10 Managers in Baseball History

Here are the top 10 managers in Baseball history. They are in alphabetical order. If there is a number one, it is Joseph McCarthy.

Walter Alston: Dodgers (1954-1976) 2040-1613 record, 7 Pennants, and 4 World Series Titles


Sparky Anderson: Reds and Tigers (1970-1995): 2194-1834 record, 5 Pennants and 3 World Series Titles

Bobby Cox: Braves, Blue Jays (1978-1985, 1990-2010): 2504-2001 record, 5 Pennants and 1 World Series Title

Tommy Lasorda: Dodgers (1976-1996): 1599-1439 record, 4 Pennants and 2 World Series Titles

Connie Mack: Pirates and A’s (1894-1896, 1901-1950): 3731-3948 record, 9 Pennants and 5 World Series Titles

Joe McCarthy: Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox (1926-1946, 1948-1950): 2125-1333 record, 9 Pennants and 7 World Series Titles

John McGraw: Orioles and Giants (1899, 1901-1932): 2763-1948 record, 10 Pennants and 3 World Series Titles

Casey Stengel: Dodgers, Bees, Braves, Yankees, Mets (1934-1936, 1938-1943, 1949-1960, 1962-1965): 1905-1842 record, 10 Pennants and 7 World Series Titles

Joe Torre: Mets, Braves, Cardinals, Yankees, Dodgers (1977-1984, 1990-2010): 2326-1997 record, 6 Pennants and 4 World Series Titles

Friday, May 6, 2011

The Top 200 Albums of All Time: "K"

Tapestry: Carole King (1971)


Tapestry is the longest charting album by a female artist in history. King enjoyed considerable success as a songwriter. She recorded her own versions of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”, which she wrote. She added new songs to round out the album which sold over 25 million copies worldwide. The record proved so influential that two tribute albums were cut by various artists.

Key Tracks:

I Feel the Earth Move
It’s Too Late
You’ve Got a Friend

Face to Face: The Kinks (1966)

Face to Face provided the Kinks their artistic breakthrough. It highlighted Ray Davies songwriting abilities and growth. The band moved from a hard driving proto-punk band to full fledged artists complete with social commentary and witty observations.

Key Tracks:

Dandy
Rosie, Won’t You Please Come Home
Sunny Afternoon

Kiss: Alive! (1975)

Kiss struggled to sell albums and decided to risk a live album. They achieved notoriety as a live band and felt that it was worth a gamble. By this point, the band was surviving on their manager’s credit card. The project paid off and made the band superstars. On top of this, Alive! represented a landmark for live recordings as well.

Key Tracks:

Rock n Roll All Nite
Deuce
Strutter

Kiss: Destroyer (1976)

Kiss broke out with their previous album. The success of Alive! boosted the band’s confidence. The band added studio musicians as well as sound effects and other production additives. Some fans believed they sold out while the rock press shredded the work. Thirty years later, it is considered one of the greatest albums of all time.

Key Tracks:

Detroit Rock City
God of Thunder
Shout It Out Loud
Beth

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Atlanta Braves Top 10 Moments

The Miracle Braves (1914): The Boston Braves floundered with a 26-40 record in July. Boston had been terrible for over a decade and 1914 was nothing new. Then, the team rattled off 36 wins in 46 games and finished the season on a 25-6 run. They met the defending World Champion Athletics in the World Series. The A’s had won three of the last four World Series. In 1914, the Braves swept the A’s shocking the baseball world.

Joe Adcock totals 18 total bases (7-31-54): Adcock blasted four home runs, a double, and tallied 18 total bases on July 31, 1954. The feat is often forgotten and was surpassed by Shawn Green in 2002. However, only one person in history has had a better offensive day than Joe Adcock in 1954.

Eddie Mathews’ World Series Walk-Off (October 6, 1957 Game 4 World Series): The Yankees led the World Series two games to one and held a 5-4 lead in the 10th inning of Game 4 against Milwaukee. Johnny Logan’s double tied the score and Eddie Mathews’ two-run shot won the game and tied the series. A defeat would have put the Braves down 3-1.

Burdette wins his third (October 10, 1957 World Series Game 7): Lew Burdette defeated the New York Yankees for the third time in the 1957 World Series. In Game 7, he tossed a 7 hit shutout and defeated 1956 World Series hero Don Larsen 5-0. It was the Braves’ second world title and first in Milwaukee.
715 (April 8, 1974): Hank Aaron’s pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record made him the target of racists and those not wanting to see the Bambino’s name surpassed in the record books. On April 8, 1974, Aaron hit #715 to become Major League Baseball’s all time home run leader. Two fans jumped onto the field and rounded the bases with Aaron. Vin Scully summed it up as only he could:

"What a marvelous moment for baseball; what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia; what a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron. … And for the first time in a long time, that poker face in Aaron shows the tremendous strain and relief of what it must have been like to live with for the past several months."

Aaron was passed by Barry Bonds, but many fans still consider him the all-time home run king because Bonds cheated.

Garber ends Rose’s streak (August 2, 1978): Pete Rose hit safely in 44 straight games going into the August 2 contest in Atlanta. Braves starter Larry McWilliams held Rose hitless in his first three at bats. Gene Garber relieved McWilliams in the 7th. The first time the two squared off, Rose lined out to third. In the 9th inning, Garber and Rose faced off a second time. Garber struck out Rose and the Atlanta partisans roared in delight. It was one of the few highlights of the 1970s for Atlanta. After the game, Rose complimented Garber for challenging him with a fastball.

13-0 (April 21, 1982): The Braves opened the 1982 season with a 1-0 win at San Diego on April 6. They swept the Padres and then the Astros. In fact, Atlanta did not lose until April 22. The team started 1982 with 13 straight victories en route to the NL West title. The Braves lost the NLCS to St Louis in three straight.

Bob Horner hits four home runs (July 6, 1986): Ted Turner began the Goodwill Games to promote world peace and broadcast them live on his television network. As a result, baseball fans were forced to watch Bob Horner’s four home run game on tape delay. By 1986, the Braves were a terrible team. Unfortunately, the farcical Goodwill Games preempted one of the team’s greatest moments to stroke Turner’s inflated ego.

Francisco Cabrera single (October 14, 1992 Game 7 NLCS): Pittsburgh led the Braves 3-0 in the 9th inning of Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS with their ace, Doug Drabek, on the mound. Drabek failed to record an out in the 9th and manager Jim Leyland brought in Stan Belinda to save the game and the pennant. Belinda recorded two outs while surrendering one inherited runner. With two out and two on, Bobby Cox turned to little used Francisco Cabrera to keep the season alive. Cabrera promptly singled to left scoring David Justice with the tying run. The incredibly slow Sid Bream chugged at top speed to home and eluded the tag to win the pennant. Pittsburgh never recovered.

Justice is served (October 28, 1995 Game 6 World Series): The Braves lost the World Series in 1991 and 1992 and the NLCS in 1993. In 1995, they led Cleveland three games to two going into Game 6. Starter and future 300-game winner Tom Glavine pitched his greatest game allowing one hit through eight innings. David Justice homered off of Cleveland reliever Jim Poole for the game’s solitary score. Mark Wohlers pitched a perfect 9th and the Braves won their first title in Atlanta and first as a franchise since 1957. Glavine was named World Series MVP with two victories.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Quotes of the Month: April 2011


Quote of the Month: “People like crap.”

-Getty Lee on popular music



Stupid Quote of the Month: “I don’t trust your kind.”

-LeBron’s mom to the police



Political Quote of the Month: "Our leaders are stupid, they are stupid people. It's just very, very sad."


-Donald Trump (he had a big month)


And the rest:

“Will the universe end? many ask. Yes. Not with a bang but a whimper. Not in fire, but in ice. Not in light, but in darkness.”

-Neil deGrasse Tyson

"I see the same [expletive] you guys see. Exactly the same [expletive]."

-Ozzie Guillen on his team’s bullpen problems

“Take the vehicle. I have 10 more.”

-Allen Iverson after the police pulled his Lamborghini over.

“Your cat does not love you. It tolerates you day to day.”

-George Takei

“The WH has been remarkably consistent...in changing nearly all of his campaign positions.”

-Dana Perino

"Why don't you just arrest me?"

-Nicholas Cage to police