Sunday, August 18, 2013

Another Cleaning out the inbox

We finish our cleaning of the inbox with a few more notes and complete things before a return to normal.

The big news is the debut of FOX Sports one as a challenger to ESPN.
I haven't watched anything yet,although there is a boxing show on Monday,so I might watch a little of their programming then.
I'll have a upcoming look on FS1...


The Baltimore Orioles have hired Hall of Fame knuckleballer Phil Niekro as a tutor to a few of their players including the Frederick Keys pitcher Zack Clark.
I think this is a smart move as it only takes one success to make this small investment a winning one.
I love the knuckleballer and taught Ryan how to throw it when he was very young.I wish I had used him more in that role,I think it would have blown some kids minds!
And yes,I have Phil Niekro cards in the briefcase in the event that I see him in Frederick!
The NY Times article is here.

Former Indian slugger Rocky Colavito recently turned 80.
The Rock is such a cultural icon in Northeast Ohio that people that weren't even born for years after his retirement know his name,
Colavito was one of those very good but not great players that tend to be forgotten.
Not in Cleveland.
Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer talks to the Rock here....

The Washington Post takes a look at the Library of Congress and their efforts to save early videotapes of the television age.
The tape used of the age were of the 2 inch "quad" variety and were never designed for long term durability.
The WP quotes Jim Lindner of Media Matters,a company charged with attempting the saving of the tapes,on the problems that need to be dealt with- "The videotapes have delicate coatings — essentially “polyurethane paint with magnetic particles inside it,” says Jim Lindner of Media Matters, which specializes in transferring videotaped material to more stable formats. Over time, these coatings absorb moisture, grow sticky and sometimes separate from their backing. With every fleck that peels away, Lindner says, “a bit of recorded history does, too.”
The machines to play quad tape are rare,hard to find and makes one think closely of people tossing their VHS machines.Imagine the things that will not be digitally converted when machines and parts are hard to find.This could be a great loss.
The process is a delicate one and one well worth pursuing.

Grantland takes another look at Andy Kaufman,who still makes people talk almost thirty years after his passing.
A recent release of tapes made by Kaufman on a "record" shows the continued fascination with the comedian.
I must admit to finding some of Kaufman's work ground breaking.
I also find some of it mind numbingly dull and overbearing...

We wrap up with pulling up to your driveway and finding a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket in your yard.
As in the huge one that welcomes you to KFC.
Well,this happened to a family and they have little choice as their landlord put it there!
Sounds like something I would do!
Anyway,it made me remember my picture with a large chicken bucket with Kendall Morris at a Salisbury MD Tastee Freeze!


Back soon with a signing front hit!

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