Singles and Doubles Vol 4
Here We Go Again
1st INNING
Here’s my concern about electric cars. According to the EIA (Energy Information Administration), in 2022, about 60% of the electricity generated in the US came from fossil fuels. So, to burn less fossil fuel in our cars, we develop electric cars that use electricity produced predominantly by burning fossil fuels? How is this helping the environment? Shouldn’t our goal be to stop burning fossil fuels? Shouldn’t we be totally focused on the development of clean renewable energy sources and getting off the stuff that is pumped and mined from the Earth? The only way this makes sense to me, is if the technology to produce electric cars is further along than the technology to produce clean renewable energy to power the electrical grid. And, when we are at the point that all our electricity comes from clean renewables, then the transition will be painless because our cars will already be electric. Is that it? Hope so.
2nd INNING
Who in the hell is this Joe Rogan guy? A $200 million deal from Spotify? For what? A quick Google search reveals him to be a spreader of misinformation and conspiracy theories, such as the January 6 Capitol insurrection was a false flag operation instigated by the FBI. In other words, he is a purveyor of bullshit. Perhaps there is entertainment value in that. The problem is that too many goobers in this country believe if they hear something on the radio, or see something on the TV, well, it must be true. They think they are consuming news, not entertainment.
Recently, this Rogan spoke up in support of Arizona’s most recent gubernatorial loser, and national laughingstock, Kari Lake. Of her recent defeat, Rogan said, “That Kari Lake stuff in Arizona that they’re trying to dismiss. It doesn’t look like that’s invalid. It looks like there’s real fraud there. It looks like there’s some real shenanigans there.” Who is he to cast aspersions on Arizona’s elections?
Nevermind the inconvenient fact that all the court cases filed by Lake over her election loss have resulted in a big fat zero in the win column and, at least in one case, the Arizona Supreme Court fined her lawyers for making false statements of fact.
To all the election deniers out there who believe that there has been massive voter fraud, whether in the 2020 presidential election or in other elections around the country, just let me say this: Produce the proof. In court. Under oath. Or shut the fuck up.
3rd INNING
Keith Moon is the greatest rock drummer ever, although it can be said he was not the most technically proficient time keeper behind the drum kit. And, he did things that a drum teacher would never teach. Keith’s greatest attribute was that he played the drums like a lead instrument, with freedom and abandon, going where others dare not go, He was not there simply to keep the beat and belt out an occasional drum solo. In fact, Keith hated drum solos. He was there to lay down the thunder with his own unique style of barely controlled chaos, and still provide whatever the song required from him. Keith was the powerhouse who turned The Who into THE WHO.
A perfect example of Keith’s prowess is on YouTube. Check out the isolated drums from Quadrophenia’s The Real Me. This was Keith at the absolute peak of his powers. That he could produce drumming such as this within the confines of the song, proves his greatness. Here’s the link:
For those unfamiliar with the song, here’s the link to the whole thing:
4th INNING
Apparently, I have a syndrome (at least one). I did not even know it was a thing, but I now know I have Clean Plate Syndrome. I am compelled to clean every last bit of food off of my plate. For sure, as a child, I was taught to not waste food. If it was on the plate, it was going to wind up in my stomach, or else. And, that is still the code I live by.
In all the decades my wife and I have known each other, she has only seen me take a doggie bag home from a restaurant maybe two or three times. And, each time it felt like a personal defeat.
I regularly eat past the point of being full because I would rather be overstuffed and bloated than leave a bit of food. I just keep shoveling it in, as stopping to rest or relax for a moment makes it more difficult to finish.
When dining with other people, I secretly root for everyone to clean everything off of their plates. Some do, but most do not. Do I also secretly judge them for not doing as I do? Nah. As anyone who has read my stuff knows, I have plenty of other things to fret about.
5th INNING
I recently did a count and discovered that we had fifteen clocks in our little house. Fifteen seems like a lot. And, that does not include our phones, laptops, and the desktop computer. Fifteen! Chicago asks the musical question, “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” The answer is, “Yes. My wife and I do.”
6th INNING
I have always liked geography. I enjoy knowing where places are and how to get there. As a child, I would pore over the Rand McNally Atlas for hours, learning about different places and plotting the best routes.
We lived along US Route 62 where I grew up in Pennsylvania. I thought of 62 as my road. From a young age, I thought when I was old enough, I would drive the length of 62, from Niagara Falls, New York to El Paso, Texas. Never did it. I rocked a lot of road trips back in the day, but I never did that one. Now that I’m old, the thought of a week or two out on the road depresses me. Dang. Should have done it way back when.
7th INNING
Keep drinking the Kool-Aid all you MAGA dummies. As the indictments continue to roll in, the time is getting closer to your guy having a semi-private room in the ol’ Graybar Hotel. And when that happens, I’ll only have one thing to say: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
8th INNING
Baseball has been my favorite sport for practically my entire life. I played some in my youth, and I’ve watched a lot more over the years. But there is something about the game that as I get older, I seem to be less and less able to tolerate. (What did you say? The distance to the restroom? Very funny.)
It’s that there is too goddamn much spitting in baseball! There is no good reason for it, other than baseball players have been spitting for 160 years or whatever it is.
And, it is so unnecessary. Basketball players run and jump and exert themselves as part of their sport, but they are not spitting every two seconds. So, to all the MLB players, just stop it. Yes, it is part of the baseball culture to spit, but just stop it. And, while I have your attention, we do not want to see any more nose-picking, ass-scratching, or crotch-grabbing, either. Thank you.
9th INNING
We spent a few days in Budapest, Hungary last fall, and I came away convinced that the dogs of Budapest are the world’s smartest animals. How did I arrive at this conclusion? Well, near our hotel, there was a dog park. One day, we were walking by and I noticed several people speaking to their dogs, you know, giving what I guessed were commands, and the dogs were responding. And I thought, “Wow, those dogs are really smart! They understand Hungarian!” Does your dog understand Hungarian? No? So, there you go.
