Firing (?) watch.

October 29th, 2013

This is odd, and still developing:

The Dallas Mavericks have, according to reports, “parted ways” with Gersson Rosas, the team’s general manager.

There are two reasons why this is odd:

  1. Nobody seems to be clear on what “parting ways” means. Was he fired? Did he get a better job offer elsewhere? Did he need to spend more time with his family? Did he jump, or was he pushed? All of this is relevant, in that…
  2. …he’s been the general manager for three months.

    Rosas was brought in near the end of July from the Houston Rockets where he was the executive vice president of basketball operations.

    3. Edited to add 10/30: the second day coverage is spinning this as a resignation…

    …triggered by the fact that Rosas — hired by the Mavericks to work in support of longtime president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson — wanted a greater share of control over Dallas’ basketball operations. Concerns about how Rosas would fit into the Mavericks’ front-office structure and accept a supplementary role to Nelson, sources said, surfaced almost immediately after Rosas’ arrival in late July.

    Basically, the argument seems to be that Rosas expected a bigger role in management, but the Mavericks are, first and foremost, Mark Cuban’s team, and Donnie Nelson is his sidekick. Which leaves little to no room for Rosas.

Posted in Clippings, Sports | Comments Closed

Pictures of MatchBook men.

October 29th, 2013

Interesting.

Today, Amazon launched Kindle MatchBook, a new benefit that gives customers the option to buy—for $2.99, $1.99, $0.99, or free—the Kindle edition of print books they have purchased new from Amazon.

Why is this interesting? Well, I checked my Amazon account to see what titles were available to me. Right now, there are six: three of them were purchased as gifts for other people.

So, I can get the Kindle ebook edition, at a reduced price, of a physical book I bought for another person. Let me repeat that: for a considerably reduced price, I can get the electronic edition of a book I don’t even own. I’m not sure if this is by Amazon design, or a flaw in their process. I would have expected Amazon to do some checking, such as: did this go to the primary shipping address on the account, or a different address? Was this a purchase off of someone other person’s wishlist?

But hey! I can get Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for 99 cents!

Add the professional narration of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for a reduced price of $12.99 after you buy this Kindle book.

Yeah. $12.99 seems a little steep. How much for the amateur narration?

Posted in Books, Kindleing | Comments Closed

Down to the sea in cruise ships.

October 28th, 2013

NYT headline:

Too Big to Sail? Cruise Ships Face Scrutiny

First paragraph of the article:

One of the largest cruise ships in 1985 was the 46,000-ton Carnival Holiday. Ten years ago, the biggest, the Queen Mary 2, was three times as large. Today’s record holders are two 225,000-ton ships whose displacement, a measure of a ship’s weight, is about the same as that of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.

So we have an answer: no, they aren’t “too big to sail”, since the Nimitz-class ships seem to be working just fine.

More seriously, the article is the usual naval gazing about whether cruise ships have become so big that the safety of passengers can’t be guaranteed. This seems to be more of a question about ship design, crew staffing levels, and safety equipment.

Although most have not resulted in any casualties, the string of accidents and fires has heightened concerns about the ability of megaships to handle emergencies or large-scale evacuations at sea. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, introduced legislation this summer that would strengthen federal oversight of cruise lines’ safety procedures and consumer protections.

I was going to say something snarky about how accidents and fires at sea don’t exactly encourage customers to come back, and about how much damage the “poop cruise” did to Carnival’s brand. But, while you can see a dip in the stock in February, it looks like they hit their 12 month low point just a few days ago, and I can’t tie that to any specific event.

Today’s biggest ship, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, has 2,706 rooms, 16 decks, 22 restaurants, 20 bars and 10 hot tubs, as well as a shopping mall, a casino, a water park, a half-mile track, a zip line, mini golf and Broadway-style live shows. It can accommodate nearly 6,300 passengers and 2,394 crew members — the equivalent of a small town towering over the clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. It measures 1,188 feet long. Its sister ship, the Oasis of the Seas, is two inches shorter.

Mini golf? I am there, man. (Doesn’t it seem kind of odd that a cruise ship would have mini golf, while mini golf courses all over the country have been closing? I realize that land is probably more valuable for purposes other than mini golf, but as big as these cruise ships are, isn’t their real estate limited as well?)

This is my favorite part:

One result was a set of new global regulations in 2010 called the Safe Return to Port rules. Those require new ships to have sufficient redundant systems, including power and steerage, to allow them to return to port even in the worst emergency. Only about 10 ships built since then comply with this new rule.
“The idea is that a ship is its own best lifeboat,” said John Hicks, the vice president for global passenger ships at Lloyds Register, the largest ship classification society. “The idea is to do everything to keep the crew and passengers on a vessel.”

“A ship is its own best lifeboat.” Where have I heard that before? Oh, yes:

The lack of lifeboats was the result of a combination of outdated maritime safety regulations and the White Star Line’s wish to leave the decks unobstructed so that the passengers could have better views, as well as give the ship more aesthetics from an exterior view . In addition, it was believed that in the event of an emergency, Titanic’s design would enable her to stay afloat long enough for her passengers and crew to be transferred safely to a rescue vessel. It was never anticipated that everyone would have to be evacuated rapidly at the same time.

(Yes, I know I’m citing Wikipedia, but that’s just because that’s the first reference I can easily lay hands on. The argument that lifeboats weren’t needed because the Titanic was her own best lifeboat is mentioned in pretty much every Titanic history I’ve read, so pick your favorite.)

While ships are becoming bigger, the burden on crew members is growing. The Queen Elizabeth 2, which was launched in 1969, had one crew member for about 1.8 passengers. On the Triumph, the ratio was one crew member for every 2.8 passengers. The issue is also complicated by language and communication problems, and a high crew turnover rate that can reach 35 percent a year.

Hmmmm. One wonders what percentage of that “35% percent” turnover is among ship’s officers, crew, and other people who are important for safety? And what percentage is among people like cooks, restaurant workers, maids, and other people who are, shall we say, less important to the safety of a cruise ship?

Posted in Clippings, Ships | Comments Closed

And where did we get such men?

October 28th, 2013

Brigadier General Robinson Risner (USAF- ret.) has died.

General Risner, who was promoted to the rank of brigadier general at his retirement in 1976, was shot down in September 1965 during a mission to destroy a missile site. Then a lieutenant colonel, he turned out to be the highest-ranking officer at Hoa Lo Prison, which American prisoners of war called the Hanoi Hilton. For the first five years — after which higher-ranking officers came to the prison — he helped organize inmates to make complaints about the conditions and to boost morale.

General Risner spent a total of seven and half years in Hoa Lo Prison, more than three of those in solitary confinement.

One of his major acts of defiance was helping to organize a church service in 1971, even though he knew he would be punished. As guards led him away to yet another spell in solitary confinement, more than 40 P.O.W.’s sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” to show support. He was later asked how he felt at that moment.
“I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch,” he said. In 2001, a nine-foot-tall statue of General Risner was installed at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to commemorate that declaration.

Posted in Clippings, Heroism, History, Obits, Planes | Comments Closed

Metal Machine Music.

October 28th, 2013

Your Lou Reed obits: NYT.

The Velvet Underground, which was originally sponsored by Andy Warhol and showcased the songwriting of John Cale as well as Mr. Reed, wrought gradual but profound impact on the high-I.Q., low-virtuosity stratum of punk, alternative and underground rock around the world. Joy Division, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, R.E.M., the Strokes and numerous others were descendants. The composer Brian Eno, in an often-quoted interview from 1982, suggested that if the group’s first album, “The Velvet Underground & Nico,” sold only 30,000 copies during its first five years — a figure probably lower than the reality — “everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band.”

A/V Club.

Why, yes, I actually do own “Metal Machine Music“, though I haven’t listened to very much of it. (I bought it as a jape at a former co-worker of mine who thought he could engage in a battle of “who can play the most obnoxious music”; said co-worker seriously underestimated me.)

Posted in Clippings, Music, Obits | Comments Closed

S’il vous plaît ne pas déranger les canards.

October 27th, 2013

I was a little off the grid for the past couple of days, but I’m back now and getting caught up.

In the meantime, this one goes out to great and good friend of the blog (and new dad!) Weerd Beard: ducks!

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(I took these with the little Canon SD1000, which is still a really good camera many many years after I got it for Christmas. I didn’t bring the big Nikon because I didn’t feel like lugging it around (and I’m glad I didn’t, as it rained hard last night). I did bring the iPhone and took a handful of photos with that, but I forgot my Olloclip set. And this would have been a good chance to experiment with it, too.)

Posted in Photography | 2 Comments »

Your loser update: week 8, 2013.

October 27th, 2013

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

Jacksonville
Tampa Bay

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Obit watch: October 25, 2013.

October 25th, 2013

I nearly missed this one. The only coverage I’ve seen has been on the A/V Club.

William Harrison, novelist and screenwriter, died on Tuesday.

I was unfamiliar with much of Harrison’s work. Apparently, he wrote a lot of novels set in Africa. But perhaps his biggest claim to fame is a short story, “Roller Ball Murder”, which was published in Esquire in 1973.

Norman Jewison hired Harrison to do a screenplay based on the story. The result:

Posted in Books, Clippings, Movies, Obits | Comments Closed

Quote of the day (also, discussion question)

October 24th, 2013

Updating a more recent story, some Maryland state troopers are further upset with state AG Doug Gansler, who they have accused of being a horrible backseat driver, because he called their leader a “henchman” of his political opponents. That’s bad but better than being called a “lackey” or “flunky,” at least according to the results of an alcohol-fueled debate I once had about the hierarchy among minions. Henchmen rank more highly and so bear more responsibility for dirty deeds, or so we concluded. I think.

Okay. So it sounds like the hierarchy may run something like this:

  1. Sidekick.
  2. Henchman. (Or “henchperson”. Or should it be “person of hench”?)
  3. Peon.
  4. Lackey.
  5. Flunky.
  6. Pawn.
  7. Toady.
  8. Minion.

That sound about right to everyone? Discuss in comments. I guess the way I see it, “minion” is the term for both the super-set covering the entire sidekick-henchman-lackey-flunky hierarchy, and the title for the “entry level” position. “Honey, good news! I just got promoted from ‘minion’ to ‘lackey’! Now we can afford premium beer!”

Edited to add: a friend of WCD points out that we left out “toady”, so I’ve added it to the list above. I’m tentatively placing it one step above “minion”.

Also: “pawn” and “peon”. List revised, but the positions given are just starting points for discussion.

Posted in Clippings, Law | 2 Comments »

Notes from the legal beat.

October 24th, 2013

The courts are busy. Here’s a couple of quick things:

Posted in California Über Alles, Clippings, Guns, Law | 2 Comments »

Annals of law. (#8 in a series)

October 23rd, 2013

On September 22, 1985, Roy McCaleb was shot and killed in his Houston home. He was sleeping at the time, and was heavily sedated due to recent back surgery and a heart attack.

McCaleb’s wife, Carolyn Sue Krizan-Wilson (as she is now known) stated that the shooter was a man who had car-jacked and raped her 10 days previously, then broke into her home that night…

…threatened her, scraped her with a coat hanger and dripped hot wax on her. He again held a knife to her throat and raped her, she said. The man then took the gun she kept under her pillow, went to where her husband was sleeping and shot him, she said.

Krizan-Wilson went on to claim that, while the intruder was fleeing the scene, he dropped the gun; she said she picked it up and fired a couple of shots at him.

Why am I bringing up this cold case now?

Krizan-Wilson confessed that this whole story was a lie, and pled guilty to killing her husband.

But that’s not why I bring it up.

In exchange for the plea, Krizan-Wilson was sentenced to six months in jail, which will be followed by 10 years probation.

But that’s not why I bring it up, either.

James Stafford, an attorney for Krizan-Wilson said the septuagenarian is suffering from dementia and a host of other health issues and wanted to get past the case against her.

The courts in the state of Texas are taking pleas from people who suffer from dementia? I realize that there’s not a good alternative (how can a person with dementia effectively assist in their own defense at trial?) but there’s something about taking a plea under these circumstances that make me go “What?”

Posted in Clippings, Law | Comments Closed

Norts spews.

October 23rd, 2013

Posted in Clippings, Law, Sports, TMQ watch | Comments Closed

The bishop!

October 23rd, 2013

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis temporarily expelled a German bishop from his diocese on Wednesday because of a scandal over a 31-million-euro project to build a new residence complex, but refused popular calls to remove him.

I wanted to highlight this because of the illustration attached to the article:

What the FRACK is this? I don’t think it is a photograph: is it supposed to be an artist’s conception of the new residence? It looks like someone used a fisheye lens to take a photo of a Thomas Kinkade painting.

Posted in Clippings, Media, Photography | Comments Closed

TMQ Watch: October 22, 2013.

October 22nd, 2013

We were vaguely hoping TMQ would address the Grambling State situation this week. We know that sounds weird, but we were hoping he might have an original or interesting take on it. Or, failing that, something we could mock.

We also thought maybe he’d have something to say about Bum Phillips. Or Bud Adams. He’s usually pretty good about doing tributes to significant NFL figures who have passed away.

Nope.

So what does TMQ write about this week? After the jump…

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Clippings, Mixology, NFL, Sports, TMQ watch, TV | Comments Closed

Grambling thoughts.

October 22nd, 2013

ESPN reports that the Grambling State football team returned to practice on Monday. (Previously.)

It also looks like the team may be getting some financial help:

[Naquan] Smith [Grambling defensive back — DB] said [Baton Rouge businessman Jim] Bernhard told players he has their “best intentions at heart and that he would ensure we had updated facilities, but we had to agree to being back practicing Monday … and finish the remainder of our season.”

Also:

Cytosport, the makers of Muscle Milk, told ESPN’s Darren Rovell on Monday that they donated 384 cases of its product to Grambling. The 4,608 bottles will get the team through the season.

That’s great, and good on the Cytosport folks. (I’ve never used Muscle Milk, but I know people who do.)

I have to wonder, though: how sustainable is this?

The athletic department was asked to cut $335,000 this year from its overall department budget of $6.8 million. Sutton said football was cut by $75,000 to about $2 million.

And per SI, “In recent years, Grambling’s football program has run a deficit of between $1.2 and $1.8 million.”

In other news, Grambling State fired the online editor of the school newspaper and suspended the opinions section editor.

David Lankster, the online editor, claims his firing is in retaliation for photos he tweeted of the conditions the football team deals with. (Some of those photos are reproduced in the linked article.) The person who fired Lankster claims he did so over concerns about the use of anonymous sources:

As he explains, “It would be silly to compare this situation … to Watergate because even those Washington Post reporters knew that they couldn’t simply go with what ‘Deep Throat’ told them; they worked to confirm everything before publishing — and not before.”

The linked article doesn’t go into more detail on those concerns, and the complaint strikes me as odd. Is there material that Lankster published that was not confirmed by other sources? Is there material that Lankster published that turned out to be false? If either of these was actually the case, you’d think it would be mentioned somewhere.

On the other hand, the opinions editor was suspended “for organizing and participating in a ‘State of Emergency’ student rally calling out the school’s perceived flaws including ‘crumbling buildings and the student-teacher ratio.’” She admits to organizing the rally, but says “it grew into a media spectacle beyond her control or simple goals once football players decided to participate.”

It looks bad, especially in light of the Lankster firing, but I’m on the side of the school when it comes to the suspension. You’re supposed to cover the story, not be the story.

(Hattip on this: Jimbo.)

Posted in Clippings, Media, Sports | 1 Comment »

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