The Weekly Tendown (500 Monthdown!) May 20-26 2012

Dear Internet:


I'm 500 months old.

That's it.  That's the deal.  I'm stopping.  The back half of the ride isn't nearly as fun.

Here's how I celebrated turning 500. I read this piece in New York Magazine:

“Why do we want to cure cancer? Why do we want everybody to stop smoking? For this?” wailed a friend of mine with two long-ailing and yet tenacious in-laws.

In 1990, there were slightly more than 3 million Americans over the age of 85. Now there are almost 6 million. By 2050 there will be 19 million—approaching 5 percent of the population. There are various ways to look at this. If you are responsible for governmental budgets, it’s a knotty policy issue. If you are in marketing, it suggests new opportunities (and not just Depends). If you are my age, it seems amazingly optimistic. Age is one of the great modern adventures, a technological marvel—we’re given several more youthful-ish decades if we take care of ourselves. Almost nobody, at least openly, sees this for its ultimate, dismaying, unintended consequence: By promoting longevity and technologically inhibiting death, we have created a new biological status held by an ever-growing part of the nation, a no-exit state that persists longer and longer, one that is nearly as remote from life as death, but which, unlike death, requires vast service, indentured servitude really, and resources.

This is not anomalous; this is the norm. 


I don't want to go to there, and I say that as certain as a person could be that there is absolutely nothing on the other side of that.  In 2050 I will not be one of those 19 million, but I'll be able to hear that train rumbling.  Or I won't. Neither is a good result.  Let me know when we have a viable third option.

Until then...

Here's 128. This is Tendown 129.

1. Who is Going to Win the NBA Title?


Answer: The Spurs.
4 teams left in the NBA playoffs - prior to the season I had OKC, the Spurs, the Heat, and the Bulls as the final four teams.  Presumably had Rose and Noah not gone down that would be the case.

San Antonio's won 18 straight.  They're the best team in the league.  Pick them if you're picking.

2. What's the 15th best match in WWF/WWE History?



Answer: Bryan Danielson v. CM Punk, from Sunday's WWE PPV.

I went 4 1/2 stars on the match, there won't be a better WWE match this year unless it's these two again.

It wasn't the best match I saw this week though, as evidenced by my running count of the best wrestling matches of 2012. Here are the 4 star matches I saw this week:

4 stars DGUSA March Gargano v Yoshino 

4 3/4 DGUSA March Low Ki BB Hulk Tozawa v PAC Mochizuki Ricochet

5 stars ROH March Richards v Elgin

4 1/2 WWE April Danielson v. Punk 

4 stars April DDT Omega v Irie

4 1/4 April NOAH Morishima Nakajima v Otani Hashimoto

4 stars April NOAH Morishima Nakajima v Marufuji Yone 

3. So, what's the full list of the 20 best matches in WWF/WWE history?





Answer:
1.Razor Ramon d. HBK 5 (WM 10)
2.Owen Hart d. Bret Hart 5 (WM 10)

3. Kurt Angle d. Chris Benoit  5 (Rumble ‘03)

4.Ricky Steamboat d. Randy Savage 4 ¾  (WM 3)

5.HBK d. Mankind 4 ¾ (Mind Games '96)

6.  Bret Hart d. Steve Austin 4 ¾  (SSeries ’96) 

7.Bret Hart d. Steve Austin 4 ¾  (WM 13)

8.HBK d. Bret Hart 4 ¾ (WM 12)

 9.Bret Hart d. Owen Hart 4 ¾ (SSlam ’94)

10..Davey Boy Smith d. Bret Hart 4 ¾  (SSlam ’92)

11. Edge/Christian d. Hardys & Dudleys 4 ½ (SSlam 00)

12. Chris Benoit d. HHH/HBK 4 ½ (XX 04)

13. HBK d. Kurt Angle 4 ½ (Vengeance 05)

14. Kurt Angle d. Shawn Michaels (WM XXI) 4 ½

15. Bryan Danielson d. CM Punk (Over the Limit 2012) 4 ½

16. CM Punk d. John Cena MITB 2011 4 ½  

17.  Kurt Angle/Chris Benoit d. Rey Mysterio/Edge 4 ½ (No Mercy’02)

18.  HBK d. Diesel 4 ½ (Good Friends, Better Enemies ‘96)

19. HHH d. Steve Austin 4 ½ (No Way Out ‘01)

20. HBK d. Razor Ramon 4 ½ (SSlam ’95)

4. What's the Best Game Saving Catch You've Ever Seen?
Answer: It's by the left fielder at Lower Columbia College.

5. Who's Selling His Perfect Game Jersey?

Answer: Don Larsen

6. How Many People Got Shot in Oklahoma City after Game 5 of the Laker series?
Answer: 8

Were I to go into a history PhD program today, I think my dissertation would be about fan violence in American sport.

7. Where Are Your Golden St. Warriors Going to Play Hoops Beginning in 2017?


Answer: San Francisco.  Real answer...yeah, we'll see.


8. Why Did This Dude Pull a Gun At the McDonalds in my Old 'Hood?

Answer: He wanted to cut in line.

9. Who Says Homosexuality Should Be Illegal?

Answer: Professional Christian liar David Barton.

10. Which part of Leviticus Didn't This Dude Get To

Answer: 19:28.

That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time.  If there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

Athlete of the Month - May, 2012

April and the winners of each month so far in 2012 can be found here.



Josh Hamilton

Runners-up: Floyd Mayweather, Justin Verlander, Martin Brodeur

5 months down, 7 to go in the race for Athlete of the Year.

Every College Football National Champion (1901-) Ranked by Pythagorean Record+Strength of Schedule

Using the same formula as discussed here.

Every College Football National Champion Ranked.  Through 2018.

1.1943 Notre Dame 34.77
2.1945 Army 33.35
3.1949 Notre Dame 32.35
4.1946 Notre Dame 32.91
5.1944 Army 32.17
6.1971 Nebraska 31.49
7.1972 USC 30.33
8.1930 Notre Dame 29.23
9. 2018 Clemson 28.78
10.1917 Georgia Tech 28.62

11.1948 Michigan 28.49
12.1947 Notre Dame 28.31
13.1970 Texas 28.29
14.1931 USC 28.05
15.1974 Oklahoma 27.80
16.1940 Minnesota 27.66
17.1970 Nebraska 27.63
18.1964 Notre Dame 27.32
19.1954 Ohio St 27.08
20.1965 Michigan St. 26.75

21.1995 Nebraska 26.86
22.1932 USC 26.25
23.1991 Washington 26.22
24.1977 Notre Dame 26.18
25.2001 Miami 26.17
26.1973 Alabama 26.10
27.2004 USC 26.06
28.1966 Notre Dame 26.01
29.1978 Alabama 25.99
30.1973 Notre Dame 25.67

31.1952 Michigan St 25.65
32.1941 Minnesota 25.57
33.1978 USC 25.51
34.2008 Florida 25.37
35.1905 Chicago 25.19
36.1934 Minnesota 25.15
37.2005 Texas 24.98
38.1958 Iowa 24.78
39.1993 Florida St 24.68
40.1936 Minnesota 24.61

41.2011 Alabama 24.44
42.1933 Michigan 24.49
43.1965 Alabama 24.39
44.1988 Notre Dame 24.35
45.1975 Oklahoma 24.15
46.1970 Ohio St. 24.04
47.1961 Alabama 24.03
48.1991 Miami 23.75
49. 2015 Alabama 23.72
50. 2009 Alabama 23.69

51.1996 Florida St 23.61
52.1999 Florida St. 23.50
53.2013 Florida St 23.36
54.1959 Syracuse 23.36
55.1969 Texas 23.32
56.1903 Princeton 23.32
57.1962 USC 23.29
58.1963 Texas 23.25
59.1924 Notre Dame 23.21
60.2003 USC 23.14

61.1982 Penn St. 23.10
62.1976 Pitt 23.06
63.1987 Miami 22.73
64.1979 Alabama 22.70
65.1997 Nebraska 22.30
66. 2017 Alabama 21.25
67.1986 Penn St. 22.16
68.1964 Alabama 22.05
69.1925 Alabama 21.87
70.1968 Ohio St 21.84

71.1918 Michigan 21.71
72.1960 Mississippi 21.64
73.1955 Oklahoma 21.62
74.2000 Oklahoma 21.55
75.1958 LSU 21.50
76.1960 Minnesota 21.49
77.1966 Michigan St. 21.45
78.1981 Clemson 21.34
79.1904 Penn 21.31
80.1953 Maryland 21.30

81.1942 Ohio St 21.22
82.1956 Oklahoma 21.08
83.1902 Michigan 21.06
84.1939 Texas A&M 20.96
85.1985 Oklahoma 20.94
86.1974 USC 20.90
87.2003 LSU 20.85
88.1901 Michigan 20.82
89.1935 Minnesota 20.79
90.2010 Auburn 20.65

91.1994 Nebraska 20.65
92.1938 TCU 20.65
93.1957 Ohio St. 20.61
94. 2014 Ohio St. 20.43
95.1951 Tennessee 20.39
96.1967 USC 20.33
97.1989 Miami 20.29
98.1904 Michigan 20.25
99.1983 Miami 20.18
100.1997 Michigan 20.13

101. 2016 Clemson 20.1
102.1964 Arkansas 20.05
103.1937 Pitt 20.05
104.1916 Pitt 20
105.1998 Tennessee 19.95
106.1954 UCLA 19.95
107.1926 Alabama 19.76
108.1928 Georgia Tech 19.74
109.1929 Notre Dame 19.73
110.2006 Florida 19.66

111.1980 Georgia 19.48
112.1990 Colorado 19.45
113.1990 Georgia Tech 19.28
114.1950 Oklahoma 19.21
115.1961 Ohio St. 19.20
116.1992 Alabama 18.97
117.1906 Princeton 18.95
118.1918 Pitt 18.88
119.1922 Cornell 18.58
120.2007 LSU 18.41

121.1923 Illinois 18.28
122.2002 Ohio St 18.13
123.1922 California 17.73
124.1957 Auburn 17.63
125.1922 Princeton 17.61
126.1912 Penn St 17.61
127.1903 Michigan 17.60
128.1908 LSU 17.33
129.1915 Cornell 17.22
130.1920 California 17.18

131.1909 Yale 17.01
132.1921 Cornell 16.91
133.1907 Yale 16.68
134.1923 Michigan 16.53
135.1927 Illinois 15.77
136.1913 Harvard 15.76
137.1910 Pitt 15.65
138.1912 Harvard 15.48
139.1910 Harvard 15.34
140.1984 BYU 14.68

141.1919 Harvard 13.98
142.1926 Stanford 13.88
143.1914 Army 13.53
144.1908 Penn 12.70
145.1911 Penn St 11.18
146.1919 Texas A&M 10.51
147.1911 Princeton 10.14
148.1919 Notre Dame 9.78

Every USC Hoops Team Ranked (1950-)

Based on the same formula used here.

1. 1971 19.28 Westphal
2.2001 16.53: Clancy, Scalabrine, Trepagnier(Lost in Elite 8)
3.2002 16.50: Clancy (Lost in NCAA)
4.2000 14.17: Clancy, Scalabrine, Trepagnier
5.2009 14.09: Gibson, DeRozan (Lost in second rnd)
6.2008 13.88: Mayo, Gibson (Lost in NCAA)
7.2007 13.78: Young, Gibson, Pruitt(Lost in Sweet 16)
8. 1975 13.63 Williams
9. 2016 13.52 Jovanovich (lost in NCAA)
10.1997 13.38: Rhodes (lost in NCAA)

11.1991 13.18: Miner, Pack, Cooper (lost in NCAA)
12.1992 12.93: Miner, Cooper (lost in second rnd)
13. 2018 12.89: Metu, Boatwright, McLaughlin
14. 1974 12.66 Williams
15. 1970 12.55 Westphal
16. 1951 11.96 Boyd
17. 1962 11.90
18. 1955 11.84
19. 1960 11.53
20. 2011 11.52: Vucevic (lost in NCAA)

21. 2020 11.51: Okongwu, Mathews, Rakocevic
22. 2017 11.48: Metu, Boatwright, Stewart (lost in second rnd)
23. 1968 11.38 Hewitt
24 1999 11.27: Clancy, Scalabrine, Trepagnier
25. 1961 11.26 Rudometkin
26. 1972 10.26
27.1982 10.19: Anderson (lost NCAA)
28. 1965 10.09
29. 1979 10.08 Robinson (lost NCAA)
30.2010 8.93: Vucevic, Lewis

31. 1953 8.89
32. 1973 8.84 Chapman, Williams
33. 1985 8.69 Carlander (lost NCAA)
34.1993 8.52 Glenn, Hackett
35. 2019 8.23 Boatwright, Rakocevic, Mathews
36.1969 7.80 Powell
37. 1963 7.55
38. 1954 7.54
39 .2006 7.44 Young, Pruitt
40 .2003 7.25: Farmer

41. 2013 6.31 Wise, Wesley
42. 1956 6.30
43.1981 5.97: Anderson
44. 1967 5.70 Hewitt, Jennings
45.1983 5.62 Carlander, Hill
46. 1966 5.43
47.1989 5.20: Cooper. Munk
48. 1978 4.87 Robinson, Smith
49.1990 4.79: Miner, Pack, Munk
50. 1976 4.77

51.2005 4.53: Pruitt
52.1994 4.45
53. 1964 4.43
54. 1995 4.0
55. 1952 3.37
56.1980 3.25 Miller
57. 1950 3.20
58. 2004 3.13 Farmer
59. 2014 2.6 Wesley
60.1986 2.60: Kimble

61. 1959 2.41
62. 1996 2.31 Boseman
63.1987 2.30: Munk
64. 1958 2.21
65. 2015 2.15 Jovanovic
66.1998 2.13: Trepagnier
67. 1977 1.26 White, Safford
68. 1957 .31
69. 1984 .15 Carlander, Holmes
70.2012 -.51: Jones

71.1988 -4.28: Cooper, Munk

NCAA Basketball Champions Ranked (1950-)

Ranked by College basketball reference SRS; their combination strength of schedule+pythagorean theorem formula for each team is listed.

1.1996 Kentucky 36.14
2. 1972 UCLA 33.79
3. 1968 UCLA 32.56
4.2001 Duke 32.19
5. 1967 UCLA 29.39
6.1993 North Carolina 29.04
7.2005 North Carolina 28.43
8. 1973 UCLA 27.98
9.1989 Michigan 27.63
10.2008 Kansas 26.89

11. 1969 UCLA 26.69
12. 2018 Villanova 26.64
13. 1976 Indiana 26.53
14. 1960 Ohio St 25.88
15. 2019 Virginia 25.46
16.2009 North Carolina 25.45
17.2010 Duke 25.21
18. 1974 NC St 25.05
19.2000 Michigan St. 25.04
20. 1970 UCLA 25.02

21. 2015 Duke 24.97
22.1991 Duke 24.9
23. 2013 Louisville 24.81
24. 2017 North Carolina 24.8
25.1992 Duke 24.8
26.1999 UConn 24.74
27.2012 Kentucky 24.73
28.1990 UNLV 24.45
29. 2016 Villanova 24.08
30.1994 Arkansas 23.88

31.2007 Florida 23.74
32.1995 UCLA 23.74
33.2002 Maryland 23.55
34. 1951 Kentucky 22.97
35.1998 Kentucky 22.95
36.   1962 Cincinnati 22.85
37.2004 UConn 22.62
38.  1979 Michigan St 22.53
39. 1964 UCLA 22.51
40.1997 Arizona 21.60

41. 1963 Loyola 21.43
42. 1965 UCLA 21.33
43.1981 Indiana 21.18
44. 1978 Kentucky 21.11
45.1975 UCLA 21.07
46.1955 San Francisco 21.00
47. 1971 UCLA 20.91
48.1987 Indiana 20.69
49.1986 Louisville 20.64
50.2006 Florida 20.21

51.1982 North Carolina 20.17
52. 1953 Indiana 19.98
53.2003 Syracuse 19.01
54. 1961 Cincinnati 18.80
55.1984 Georgetown 18.75
56 1956 San Francisco 18.14
57.2011 UConn 17.95
58. 2014 UConn 17.23
59. 1977 Marquette 16.77
60. 1958 Kentucky 15.95

61. 1952 Kansas 15.83
62.1988 Kansas 15.71
63.1980 Louisville 15.57
64.1983 NC St. 15.22
65. 1959 Cal 14.77
66. 1954 LaSalle 14.72
67. 1957 North Carolina 14.70
68. 1950 CCNY 14.67
69. 1966 UTEP 13.86
70. 1985 Villanova 11.99

The Weekly Tendown May 13-19 2012 (Quizdown)

Dear Internet:

Presumably this was O'Reilly's last Fox broadcast.

127 is here. This is Tendown 128

1. How Long Was 89 Year Old John Paul Stevens's Dissent in Citizens United?
Answer: 90 pages.

Stevens’s conclusion was despairing. “At bottom, the Court’s opinion is thus a rejection of the common sense of the American people, who have recognized a need to prevent corporations from undermining self-government since the founding, and who have fought against the distinctive corrupting potential of corporate electioneering since the days of Theodore Roosevelt,” he wrote. “It is a strange time to repudiate that common sense. While American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this Court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics.”

2. What Should You Do if Your Neighbor Has a Statue of Buddha?
Answer: Destroy it.


3. Who Didn't Have Teeth Until She Was 11 Years Old?
Answer: Charlize Theron


4. Sports Betting is a Trillion Dollar a Year Industry - 70% is Bet on_____________?
Answer - Soccer.


5. What Did Chael Sonnen Win This Week?
Answer: The Smack Off


6. What Can You Buy At Auction?
Answer - Lawrence Taylor's last Super Bowl ring.


7. Who Is the Most Dominant Competitor of 2012?


Answer - The Newest Survivor Winner, Kim.

8. What 4 Star Wrestling Matches did Jividen See This Week?




Answer - 2 from TNA's PPV, Angle v. AJ and Roode v. RVD

9. We're A Quarter of the Way Through the MLB Season, Has Jividen Posted The Current All-Star Rosters Yet?
Answer - Yup.

10. What Stand Up got a Profile Piece in New York Magazine?
Answer - Patrice O'Neal.

That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time.  If there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

At the Quarter Pole - MLB All Star Rosters

The Giants have played 40 games that means the MLB season is a quarter over; time for the first evaluation.

Let's over a brand new prediction for the postseason, my first since the season started.

AL East - Yankees

AL Central - Tigers

AL West - Rangers

WC1-Rays

WC2-Red Sox

NL East-Braves

NL Central-Reds

NL West-Dodgers

WC1-Phillies

WC2-Reds

Now the All-Star rosters.  Last year each league had 34 men, I'll decide they're doing that again this season.  That meant 20 position players and 10 pitchers.  When I do this at the 80 game mark (maybe the 60) I'll make sure each team gets a rep and I'll include 4 closers for each team, even though some will be undeserving of the slots. 

AL

C Wieters

    Santana

1B Konerko

     Gonzalez

2B Johnson

     Pedroia

     Kipnis

SS Cabrera

      Hardy

      Andrus

3B Lawrie

     Hannahan

     Moustakas

LF Willingham

      Joyce

CF Hamilton (MVP)

      Jackson

      Jones

RF Reddick

DH Ortiz

P Verlander (CY)

    Weaver

    Peavy

    Lowe

    Price

    Hernandez

    Sabathia

    McCarthy

    Darvish

    Vargas

    Hammel

    Rodney

    JJohnson

    Strop

NL

C Ruiz

    Ellis

1B Votto

      LaRoche

      LaHair

2B Infante

      Barney

SS Furcal

     Castro

     Lowrie

3B Wright (MVP)

      Headley

LF Braun

      Prado

      Cabrera 

CF Kemp

      Bourn

      McCutcheon

RF Beltran

      Bruce

P Beachy (CY)

   Hamels

   Zambrano

   Cueto

   Lynn

   Cain

   Gonzalez

   Kershaw

   Bumgarner

   Greinke

   Strasburg

   Halladay

   McDonald

   Rodriguez

The Weekly Tendown: May 6-12 2012(The Eagle Has Landed)

Dear Internet:




We bought new phones this week.

I hung onto blackberry after everyone else had jumped ship; historically, I tend to remain after the evidence suggests I should walk. But this week I cut the cord.  I've got, as it turns out, a mysterious Verizon discount of which I was previously unaware, and between that, combining our two lines into a family plan, and our being grandfathered into unlimited data, we're spending a solid amount less than were we for lesser phones.

We'll see how it goes. I'll take whatever advice anyone cares to offer.

126 is here. This is 127.

1. Shep Smith
The gay marriage soundbite that was most surprising this week wasn't Obama's, it was Shep Smith on Fox.

He's right.  Conservatives stand opposed to the minimum wage and social security and medicare and unemployment insurance.  Conservatives stand opposed to legal equality for African-Americans and women.

And they lose - and they'll lose here too.  Every single conservative criticism of Obama's stance on gay marriage is the modern day equivalent of segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.

Shep Smith told that to the Fox Flock this week.  He's right.

2. Yikes

The Nuggets losing in Game 7 to the Lakers is not nearly the worst thing that happened to Chris Anderson this week.

3. Dog Bites Man
Shockingly, the Republicans screwed the Democrats on that debt deal this week.

4. Do You Have a Couple Hours?
Watch this documentary on evolution vs. intelligent design.

5. Romney Economics


Romney plans to increase military spending by 2 trillion dollars.

6. The Cooler Me
If you're a longtime reader, you've probably hit upon my fascination with other versions of me; several years ago I discussed a book idea where I'd track down people who, for all demographic intents and purposes, were me when I was headed off to college to see the decisions they made that diverged their paths from mine; my proposed title was The Road Not Taken.


Well, this road not taken was that book - as instead I've spent the past several years working seven days a week.  But in the current GQ - someone's picked up that ball.

7. Would You Like to Download a Free, Really Good Book About the Constitution?
You're welcome.


The reason the United States Constitution is the world’s most enduring written constitution is not simply the genius of fifty-five men who met in Philadelphia in 1787. Rather, it is the way that generation after generation of Americans has made the Constitution ours. The Constitution endures because its meaning 
and application have been shaped by an ongoing process of interpretation. That 
process includes both judicial interpretation and transformations in constitutional 
understanding pressed by political leaders and ordinary citizens throughout our 
history. Our Constitution retains its vitality because it has proven adaptable to the 
changing conditions and evolving norms of our society. Its words and principles 
still resonate centuries after they were written because time and again, as Justice 
Holmes urged, we have interpreted the Constitution in light of “what this country 
has become.”


 Americans of all backgrounds can wholeheartedly take an oath to 
support and defend the Constitution when they are naturalized, join the armed 
forces, gain admission to the bar, or are sworn into elective office not because of 
how our founding text was understood in 1789, or even in 1870, but because of 
how we understand it today.


8. Don't Get Scammed
Consider this clip.


9. Oh, I Have News
My lady friend fixed my computer.  It required a total scrub of my hard drive; it had been...maybe 8-9 months since I backed everything up, so it's not ideal, but I didn't lose my really important stuff.

10. I Have Other News
I'm off the job market.

I'm moving to the university level, full time online position.  Solid salary bump.  Probably, it'll be awhile before I reference it in this space.  I spent a portion of virtually every day for about 8 months since I got adjuncted at my current place banging my head into the wall looking for a full time spot.  There are some negatives to the new position - they are outweighed.

So, to where should we move?

I have the ability to support the house entirely remotely.  My thought is we go someplace with a lower cost of living, hunker down, and live our lives.

I start in mid-June.  I won't miss a paycheck.

That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time.  If there is a next time....

Your pal,

Jim

The Weekly Tendown Apr 29-May 5 2012 (Guess Who Doesn't Have a Computer?)

Dear Internet:

The Giants trailed for 42 consecutive innings this week and we lost our best player for the next couple of months.

Kuip had the right idea.

125 is here. This is Tendown 126

1. Thursday
Here was my Thursday.

I teach 3 four hour classes on Thursday, it's a 15 hour day and I haul all I have up the hill.  That's normal. I don't sleep well Wednesday nights, this Thursday I was up at 4 AM.  That's also pretty normal.

I added to that this Thursday a computer that wouldn't start.  I've since taken it to the shop; it looks like a hard drive fail.  It's a 5 year old PC that was on the medium/low end at the time, so that means I (1) need a new computer and (2) currently am using one which is not mine.

I have two hours in between my first and second classes; I live 40 minutes away so I never go home, but my lady friend had a weekend trip that began Thursday so I was on dog duty, meaning I drove home, then drove right back.

I had an out of nowhere meeting with the Dean Thursday, as I had a student complaint.  I've got a couple hundred students at any one time, and yes, essentially any time any one of them complains, that means a meeting.

I also had an unexpected performance observation from an associate dean Thursday; I say unexpected as if there were any other type, but at my place of employ scheduling observations isn't thought to be professional courtesy.

After getting home, taking care of all of the animals, and eating for the first time all day, I locked up, readied for bed, and took one last trip to the garage to throw some trash away...

And heard the door lock behind me.

At 10:30 PM, I had been up for more than 18 hours and now I was locked in the garage.

I don't want to say what state of undress I was in, but it wasn't cute.

I' m not particularly handy, but after a quick call to my lady friend, it turns out there's a not particularly difficult way to break into my house.  It involves a screwdriver.





Sort of a good news (I didn't die in my garage) bad news (basically anyone can break into my house, come on over) situation.

2. So, I Don't Have Any Tendown Links
Here's how the sausage gets made; I read stuff throughout the week and collect, sometimes I use it that Sunday, sometimes I save for a future Sunday when I might get stuck for material.  All of that's on my computer that does not work.

So, I have not much for you this week.  I've got job news - I got a call from the online job, agreed to a couple of changed circumstances and was told I'd be hearing from personnel some time this week.  I still haven't received an offer, but am not sure what would have to happen not to get one.  I didn't hear about the one remaining community college job that's sitting out there, but they should also make a decision this week.  I recognize I've been saying this for a couple of months, but I should, once again, have a full time position the next time you read Tendown.

3. Watch This Speech
This is the first lady giving the commencement at Spelman last year.

I'd like you to watch, consider the essential message and ask yourself what is it about the Obamas that causes such a visceral dislike from a Tea Party sized percentage of the electorate.

4. Ad Hominem
I teach critical thinking and am always looking for ways to explain cognitive biases.

Here's a billboard from this week.




One assumes Kaczynski also believes that Tuesday follows Monday, that doesn't make it untrue.

5. Ric Grenell

Mitt Romney had an openly gay security spokesman.  Now he does not.  And you already know why.

6. David Barton
Professional Christian liar David Barton did another Daily Show shot. He lied.

7. I See 4 Star Matches


I went four on Brock/Cena, the booking as dumb as it could possibly be.

I may have seen other four star matches since last we spoke...but, maybe I haven't mentioned...I don't have a computer.  I was planning on finishing Mania weekend, I had blocked off yesterday for, among other matches, Richards/Elgin, but this did not happen.  I now need both a computer and a new phone.  That's a lot to do at one time.

That's all I'm doing this week.  There was a pastor, I think in North Carolina, who advocated beating the gay out of your children, and I know its North Carolina that has a referendum coming that would limit marriage between a man and a woman as the only domestic unit the state will legally recognize - but you can find those stories on your own if inclined.  If you aren't watching Mad Men already you're unlikely to start because of something I say - and you should be watching Girls.

Okay, I'm done.  That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time...if there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

2011-2012 All NBA Teams

Using the niftiest of advanced metrics, here are the 3 All-NBA Teams for the just completed NBA season, and then the additional 20 best players in the NBA this year.

1st Team
C D.Howard
F  L.James (MVP)
F K.Durant
G C.Paul
G R.Westbrook

2nd Team
C A.Bynum
F K.Love
F B.Griffin
G D.Wade
G J.Harden

3rd Team
C A.Jefferson
F P.Gasol
F. P.Millsap
G K.Bryant
G T.Parker

And now the next 20 best players in the NBA for 2011-12.

16.G.Monroe
17.M.Gortat
18.D.Nowitzki
19.T.Chandler
20.R.Anderson
21.J.Smith
22.L.Aldridge
23.J.Noah
24.M.Gasol
25.T.Duncan
26.P.Pierce
27.C.Anthony
28.T.Lawson
29.C.Boozer
30.K.Garnett
31.D.Granger
32.A.Iguodala
33.S.Nash
34.R.Gay
35.J.Johnson