I am NOT a FAN

 There are several rule changes that will be tried out in the Minor leagues this year,  for implementation in Major league baseball in the next year or so - If Successful = although I don' t know they are going to measure  success...

Let's look at these....

First one is sorta a two part change,,,, 

1st Part - a Requirement that you have FOUR fielders in the the Infield, that is there are 4 players that have BOTH feet in the DIRT of the Infield or what ever the Infield  / Out field line/barrier is...  so no more playing the second basemen or short stop as a Short Fielder that plays mostly in the outfield - and yes , you see this more against Left handed hitters.  You can position them all on one side of 2nd base - but thay all have to be in the Infield.

2nd part - IF the 1st part is successful in increasing the number of hits / Batting average of Left hand hitters,,,,  the 2nd part will be to require that there are 2 fielders on each side of 2nd base,,,  thus eliminating the SHIFT. NO more throwing out the Batter from a short to Short right filed. 

Next change is to increase the Size of the Bases.... from 15 inches to 18 inches.  In the hope of again - increasing the infield single and the Stolen base. I have always thought that 90 feet between bases was a magical distance.   Think about it... as runners have gotten faster, hit are harder so they get to the Fielder faster, Players arms got stronger over the years,,, that 90 feet is still a bang bang play,... the Throw from the catcher to 2nd base on a steal still needs to be strong and accurate - shorten that distance by say 6 inches,  and everyone (damn near) is safe at 1st ..... increase it by 6 inches - everyone is OUT !  So we will see if that 2 inches makes a difference on infield ground balls and/or Steals.

Speaking of Stealing ,......  The Pitcher will now have to Step off  the  Pitching rubber - they are calling it disengaging from the pitching rubber to throw to a base,,, no more Andy Pettitte  slide step (Balk Move) when a lefty throws over to 1st,.... Kinda eliminates the Pick-off .... AND AND  - the pitcher is only allowed TWO attempts every at bat -  "two step-offs or pickoff attempts per plate appearance"....  WOW  if they make a 3rd attempt and are not successful - it's a balk and the Runners move up .....  Which - hey in practicality - once the pitchers throws over twice - that pretty much gives the Runner at 1st - 2nd Base,,, and forget it , if there are other base runners.... and if this adds to successful Steal ...............   The consideration is to reduce it to ONE throw over...

In low level minors - implementing the Automatic Strike Zones, where the Technology calls the Balls and Strikes,,,  you have seen the Box that they are able to put up on the screen to show if the pitch really was a ball or strike, and the majors have used that to grade the plate umpires on accuracy over the past few years,,,  Now I guess you still have plate umpire as they have to call a Strike if the batter swings at a ball outside the Strike Zone, and foul tips , Catcher interference, things like that ... but I suppose that ump has an ear piece that tells them ball or strike,,, and they call/signal it..... 

Lastly - The other changes are a HARD timers on the  teams  to enforce time between pitches, inning breaks and pitching changes.

Now - if that last one seems counter to the others - you are correct,,,, in one way you are making changes that will increase the amount of Base Runners and make it easier for the runner to steal 2nd base,, they-by decreasing the possibility of a Double play...   and then you want the Teams to Hurry up and change pitchers quicker, and pitch faster,,,, to decrease the Time of the Game !! HUH ??? 

They would not need these changes  to speed up the game... IF the Umpires called the Strike zone in the Rule book !  

Definition. The official strike zone is the area over home plate from the midpoint between a batter's shoulders and the top of the uniform pants -- when the batter is in his stance and prepared to swing at a pitched ball -- and a point just below the kneecap.  - 

However - you seldom if ever see that "high Strike" called a Strike,,,  most players bitch if the Ball is a bit above their waist called a strike,,,, and also squak if its a bit under the Knee called a strike. ....

I also think  the Batter MUST MUST MUST keep a foot in the Batters box between Pitches,,, No wandering around,,, no fixing your batting gloves sixteen times between EVERY Pitch - See Nomar Garciapara !  

And - have another Ump at each game that reviews plays in real time. If the Ump got it wrong FIX it immediately - don't make us wait minutes for the Call - and If you gotta play that clip in slow mo - 20 times to see of the Players hang nail hit the base before the tag - them leave it be ! That is NOT what Replay was for anyway ! 

Gas Price analysis for Assholes

 all right - I have read about enough about gas prices and what President Biden did to increase them ! Have you been listening to Fake (FOX) news, and the new Lying Bastard - Tucker Carlson ??  Or others with that level of dis-interest in the Truth ??  Come on - do a Little research  on your own !! 

First - Where were they and you -  when Gas prices and I am talking average Prices in the US,  States (as we are all aware here in NY) tax gas at different rates, so Pump prices are DIFFERENT across the Country !  When the price of Gas during  the DUMP administration was higher than today  ?!?!? That was in MAY of 2018 and 2019 !! Yup - gas hit a much lower prices in April / May of 2020 in the beginning of the Pandemic !! NO travel !!  No gas use !!  Can you say "Supply and Demand"

Secondly - shouting about our dependance on  Foreign Oil and then equating President Biden stopping construction of the KeyStone Pipeline on Indian Land  with that and the Price at the Pump makes you sound like a JERK !! Why >????  The Keystone Pipe line carries TAR SANDS - from ???? Say it with me ....    A Foreign County !!!  now you might think Canada is one of the United States but it is not and Canadians don't think so !!! 

While we are on the Subject of TAR SANDS - Refining the sticky black gunk produces piles of petroleum coke, a hazardous, coal-like by-product. What’s more, the whole process of getting the oil out and making it usable creates three to four times the carbon pollution of conventional crude extraction and processing...  

AND - Let me be clear ,.....  The pipeline that carries this stuff between Canada and the Gulf coast refineries EXISTS TODAY !!!  What Biden did was STOP / Remove the permits for the Oil companies to construct a shorter pipeline across private Land, Indian Reservations Ect.... So there is still a way as there has been a conduit to get this stuff to the Refineries...

Do yourself a favor and read this article on the Pipeline...

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/what-keystone-pipeline

From a No Nukes concert  - John Hall (Orleans) and friends......Jackson Browne, Carly Simon , Bonnie Raitt,, Graham Nash,,,etc,,

Best Role in Life

 SO the best role by far in this life is a Grand-Parent !  yea yea - you gotta be a parent 1st, and that i a huge responsibility that I bet each one of us has thought that we failed in some way - that we could have , should have done better or different in some way ...   

the Grand Parent role is wonderful - you kinda get all the "fun" out of your Grand children. While you don;t need to be a huge disciplinarian... you can laugh when they do crazy shit ! You can play with them, hold them, hug them, kiss them,,, and then when they have a melt down,,,, Whoops - Back to the Parents !!

If you are a Grand Parent - I ain't telling you nothing that you don't already know !!

We have been extreemly fortunate in the last month just over 2 weeks really - that our Grandchildren have increased from 4 to 6  !!  Ronan (8lb 4 oz)  born last month and Lena (9lb 2oz) just yesterday !!!  OH - - one down side,,,the license plate frames on or vehicles that have the Kids names - well they now need to be replaced to add the Other 2 names !!

Holy $shit ! Bet you did not see that coming !?!?

 From the  HBO series  - DEADWOOD - a Quote from  AL Swearengen  (played by Ian McShane)

"Announcing your plans is a good way to hear God Laugh"

- Let's start with - that I have a new Grandson = #5  !! RONAN .. born on the 22nd,,, Everyone doing well...

Ronan - a very Irish name for a boy that at best is 20% or so Irish ,,,, a great name - none the less...

they came home on the 25th of February -  the plan was for me to fly to Vegas to be there for the birth of our 1st granddaughter. I rented a car and was driving to Atlanta airport - about 45 minutes from the airport,   I got a call that my wife was being taken via ambulance to the hospital - with severe abdominal pain .   Obviously she was fine when I left and hour  and 1/2 earlier...  I do an about face and head back to SC.   They don't let you in to the ER - Covid Restrictions - so I wait outside for 2 hours - until I can finally speak to an ER nurse .... she is being admitted.  Fast forward a bit to a Diagnosis of Acute pancreatitis..  5 days. Morphine and Oxycodone and an IV diet with Ice chips... for days - to let the Pancreas rest and treat the Severe pain - a bit of hallucination, but she improves to the point of Coming back to my daughters... they give her 2 Prescriptions upon discharge - we pick them up at the CVS in SC ... then the  decision two days later to drive home,,,, this is a 12 plus hour ride,,, we do 9 1/2 hours the 1st day and near 6 the next,,,, so the other time  is stopping  for meds, and Bathroom breaks.....   

Get an appointment the following day with the primary Dr back home,,,,, virtual appointment - as they wont see us on the office as we traveled from another state and need to quarantine,,, Ok - that goes well,, they reassure her that some pain is normal , especially after eating, as that is when the pancreas works,,, they want to redo a CT of the Pancreas and do a covid test...It was negative ... and they re-up the 2 prescriptions .....  Fast forward to going to CVS to pick them up Friday evening,,, they are not ready...

Go back Saturday - not only are they not ready , they don;t even have them ....  How can that be as we got a text from them saying they were ready....   Ok - I call my wife - read me the text that you got ... the prescriptions ARE ready at the CVS in SOUTH CAROLINA !!   Ok - Can CVS transfer them from SC to their NY location ???  Well - yes and no.... one they can and the other is a Narcotic - so that one they can;t do... I call the DR answering  service,  by luck - the one on call is the one that we talked to on Friday ...  they then redo the scripts to the NY CVS...  I go back into CVS - 1/2 hr later,  yes they got them... BUT they cannot fill the Narcotic one as it still shows at the CVS in SC,... I go back out and call that CVS - they have to back the Narcotic out of their system, and confirm it was not picked up....  that takes 20 minutes,,,  Ok,,, Finally that gets done and the 2 scripts get filled,,,, an hour and 1/2 after I stop in ,,I leave.....  Seriously  ?!?!?

Here are Susan and Derek ....   this is clearly a Marriage that was meant to be,,,, 

they have been married for nearly 20 years...  Each a great musician in their own right,,, but as is usually the case the Synergy is apparent - the combination is far great than the Parts  !!  this was from the Fureside session last week ... Can't wait to see them again in concert.,,, 

If you don't want to listen to the whole thing,,, Go out to  about 12:30  and check out the cover of 

You Got the Silver - lyrics by two guys ... named Jagger and Richards ,,,

let me follow up with  Brandi Carlile - Turpentine,,, it is Women's day afterall

   

Let's check out a few things here,,,

 I heard an interview with a long time friend of Mitch McConnell - wish I remembered his name,,   the Interview was done on the Show "The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth" - Showtime,,,   It was done by Mark Mckinnon - and one of his points was about a Political party - in that case the GOP - had earned the Majority in the White House and the Senate - and they should use it .....  they were discussing the appointment of Federal Judges and a Supreme Court Justice - even though it was the last days of the Presidency.  and McKinnon was making the point about McConnell not even giving Obama' s Nominee a hearing with 11 months to go in his presidency,  but  then confirming Amy Coney  Barrett on October 26th - thats like two weeks before the election....  Anyway the Point was that When a Party has the Majority - has the Votes - they fought hard  (pardon that expression) to get them - THEY SHOULD USE THEIR POWER, while  they can,,,,  SO all the Bitchin and Moaning the GOP is doing right now about what Biden and Dems are doing - is exactly what the GOP did in the last breaths of the Dump Presidency. 

SO - Expect MORE of that !! 

2nd Topic - I see and hear things about - "Where are all the Biden supporters - now that he has been elected ??"  Folks - we support him,,  hey we or many of us voted for him.... however,,, he is NOT the Lord and Savior !!  He is not our Samurai War Lord,  We don;t see him and Jim Jones (The Peoples Temple Leader) so are not awaiting the Kool-aid to drink !! We do not feel the need to fly flags with his name on them on our Trucks & Cars.... we do have Signs in our yards anymore with the Biden / Harris Name on them !!  We Know the Election is over ,,, he was elected and Sworn in...   As I expect that there will be more and more "normal" people coming to that conclusion,,, will those Dump supports be happy - NO - no more happy than we have been the last 4 years.  

3rd topic - OMG - can we stop with the Conspiracy   theories  !!?!?!?  - Dumpo is not in Florida amassing the military to come to DC and take back the Country. March 4th or 5th what ever it is ,, will come and go,, and he will not be sworn in as the POTUS on that Date - you are Delusional !

The latest I read was that Dump and Biden had face transplants - yea - face transplants  - that it is really Dump in the WH ,, with Bidens face and Biden is living somewhere else with Dumps face !! Come on ! Who believes this shit !?!?!? 

4th Topic - Funny how the insurrectionists that invaded the Capital  now want clemency and seems to be actually surprised that they were arrested for being on and in that building ! What Assholes ! Did you really think you could invade the Capital building of the United States, threaten Senators and Representatives , smash windows, Steal Laptops, podiums, Personal & government Belonging,  then just go back to East Armpit Illinois and continue your life - with no repercussions ???  Really - that's what you thought ! You did not know that the Government has very sophisticated means of tracking you down,  Call phone Identification, Social media postings, Face Recognition, Etc etc,,, You must be a special kind of Stupid ! 

All right ,, let's do some Rock and Roll,....

Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa -  I probably posted this before

The Head and the  Heart

Susan with ROCK ME RIGHT !!!

I know ,,, I know I said enough is enough,,,,, but

 Ok - let's talk 2nd Impeachment of Dump..

And forget those who say that he has not been impeached the 2nd time - yet - HE WAS !! 

Now I hear arguments - from Senators and Others that it is not constitutional to Impeach him and have a Senate Trial as he is not holding any office.... hummmm  so 2 things,

1) Does that give Lame duck POTUS/VP/Senators/Representatives a Blank check - do and say what you will - you cannot be held accountable as you will be out of office before a trial ever Takes place ?!?!

2) We have a branch of Government that deals with the Constitutionality of things - Don't we - !!  It's the Judicial Branch ...   The Supreme Court .....  Senators - you do your job , let the S.C do it's job - if that day ever comes .....   don't let  the defense or the Senators be the Judges of the Constitution... 

Next - this Bat SHIT crazy  person.......  

Marjorie Taylor Greene Is a One-Stop Shop For All Things Insane..

before we start let me say that I agree   - People make mistakes and say Stupid things,,,IF - IF they make amends - say they are sorry for saying them, and saying that they do not think that way anymore... OK - 

But let's look at this Full Goose Bozo .......

- Says that Jews have a Space Laser that they pointed at California to start the Wild Fires there.

- Greene believes that the Parkland shooting, which killed which killed 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Valentine’s Day in 2018, was a hoax.  if that was not enough,,, she Shared a Facebook post -  “Sandy Hook was a “STAGGED SHOOTING.” Greene replies “That is all true.”

- 9/11 was a hoax, no plane hit the Pentagon,...  

- She agrees with QAnon  -and thinks that a cabal of rich Hollywood actors, prominent Democrats, and super rich people (mostly Jewish) hold Satanic rituals, engage in child trafficking, pedophilia, murder, and organ harvesting. Donald Trump was supposed to suddenly rise up and expose it all! Except, he didn’t. Yet. 

- she thinks that the Las Vegas mass shooting was a planned event - she asked: “How do you get avid gun owners and people who support the 2nd Amendment to give up their guns and go along with anti-gun legislation? … Maybe you accomplish that by performing a mass shooting into a crowd that is very likely to be conservative, very likely to vote Republican, very likely to be Trump supporters and pro-2nd Amendment.

- Greene said regarding Q - that's the QAnon . “He has talked about an interesting triangle — Saudi Arabia, the Rothschilds and (George) Soros are the puppet masters who fund this global evil. OK, so, I would definitely believe that.”

-  Greene served as the national director of a far-right Facebook group that expressed support for executing leading Democrats and featured violent memes amplifying conspiracy theories.

Ok - the list goes on and on,,so - don;t believe me - go look your self - you will find interviews, Videos, etc that prove what I just wrote here is 100% true !

You have to ask - why isn't ever Republican Person in the Congress condemning this and calling for her ouster !?!?? i can't answer that one !