Book Log 2007 #10: Monopoly - The World's Most Famous Game and How it Got That Way by Philip Orbanes
As a former Parker Brothers executive and current president of Winning Moves Games, Orbanes has a unique vantage point to write about gaming in America, and I really liked his book about Parker Brothers, The Game Makers. Orbanes has also previously written about Monopoly, and serves as a judge at the major Monopoly tournaments. So I was happy to see this book, and looked forward to the history of America's most famous board game.
This happiness turned to tedium as the book progressed, as it felt a little thin. The early history was very good, discussing the precursors to Monopoly and the people who invented them. But many chapters included large sections about what was going on in the world at the time, which didn't quite mesh with the game history. The book was written without input from Hasbro, who bought out Parker Brothers, so I wonder if this extraneous writing was to make up for planned story lines that couldn't be written without Hasbro's help.
Some of the later chapters could have been more detailed as well. The accounts of Monopoly's world championships were good, but could have been more engrossing with better detail of game play and stuff from behind the scenes.
So while it's worth a browse, I don't think this is the best history of Monopoly that could be written. Hopefully, Orbanes and Hasbro will get together and come up with something definitive.
31 March 2007
Book Log 2007 #9: The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell
The continuation of Cornwell's series on Alfred the Great, although Alfred barely appears in this installment. Rather, we get to follow Uhtred as he travels to the north of what is now England as he travels to the north to work on some unfinished business, such as finding his step-sister and settling the score with some enemies.
Clearly this is going to be more than a trilogy, as there's still a fair bit of Alfred's reign to go (not to mention Uhtred's drive to regain his rightful inheritance). Looking at the website, it appears that this is now a series called the Saxon Stories, so it may be more in line with the Sharpe books as far as how long it'll go. In any case, it's a solid story, I'll be back for the next one.
The continuation of Cornwell's series on Alfred the Great, although Alfred barely appears in this installment. Rather, we get to follow Uhtred as he travels to the north of what is now England as he travels to the north to work on some unfinished business, such as finding his step-sister and settling the score with some enemies.
Clearly this is going to be more than a trilogy, as there's still a fair bit of Alfred's reign to go (not to mention Uhtred's drive to regain his rightful inheritance). Looking at the website, it appears that this is now a series called the Saxon Stories, so it may be more in line with the Sharpe books as far as how long it'll go. In any case, it's a solid story, I'll be back for the next one.
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's person is Knute Rockne, who is best known for his stint as the head football coach at Notre Dame, where from 1918 to 1930 he ran up a record of 105-12-5. He won six national titles, and coached the Four Horsemen, George Gipp, and future Notre Dame head coach Frank Leahy.
Rockne is credited with introducing the backfield shift and popularizing the forward pass, which was being used regularly by several midwestern teams. His interest in the pass was evident in his playing days, as he and quarterback Gus Dorias used plays they'd drawn up the previous summer in their 1913 win over Army, who ND bested 35-13.
Rockne died on this day in 1931, when a wing on the Fokker Trimotor came apart in mid-flight. While it was initially thought that the crash was caused when the plane flew through or near a thunderstorm, investigation showed that moisture had invaded the plane's wood laminate wing, weaking the glue holding the pieces together. A wing spar failed, allowing the wing to flutter to the point of coming off the airplane.
The crash led to all US airlines taking the Fokker out of service, which almost put TWA, who operated Rockne's fatal flight, out of business. It also spurred the development of all-metal airplanes (such as the Boeing 247 and the Douglas DC-2), and led the Civil Aeronautics Authority (a forerunner of the FAA) to abandon its policy of keeping crash investigation results secret. So Rockne helped to advance civilian air travel as well as football, though at the highest price.
After his death, a town in Texas allowed its children to vote on whether or not to rename the town after Rockne or Joyce Kilmer. The story goes that all the boys voted for Rockne and all the girls for Kilmer (wonder how many of them knew he wasn't a woman?), resulting in a tie. One of the girls changed her vote the next day, and the town of Rockne, Texas came to being.
And while you wouldn't expect a guy born in Norway to be Catholic, he apparently converted. There a quote saying that he was sick of being the "lone Norwegian Protestant among the Catholic Hibernians," and he apparently converted in time to make his First Communion at the same time as one of his sons.
Today's person is Knute Rockne, who is best known for his stint as the head football coach at Notre Dame, where from 1918 to 1930 he ran up a record of 105-12-5. He won six national titles, and coached the Four Horsemen, George Gipp, and future Notre Dame head coach Frank Leahy.
Rockne is credited with introducing the backfield shift and popularizing the forward pass, which was being used regularly by several midwestern teams. His interest in the pass was evident in his playing days, as he and quarterback Gus Dorias used plays they'd drawn up the previous summer in their 1913 win over Army, who ND bested 35-13.
Rockne died on this day in 1931, when a wing on the Fokker Trimotor came apart in mid-flight. While it was initially thought that the crash was caused when the plane flew through or near a thunderstorm, investigation showed that moisture had invaded the plane's wood laminate wing, weaking the glue holding the pieces together. A wing spar failed, allowing the wing to flutter to the point of coming off the airplane.
The crash led to all US airlines taking the Fokker out of service, which almost put TWA, who operated Rockne's fatal flight, out of business. It also spurred the development of all-metal airplanes (such as the Boeing 247 and the Douglas DC-2), and led the Civil Aeronautics Authority (a forerunner of the FAA) to abandon its policy of keeping crash investigation results secret. So Rockne helped to advance civilian air travel as well as football, though at the highest price.
After his death, a town in Texas allowed its children to vote on whether or not to rename the town after Rockne or Joyce Kilmer. The story goes that all the boys voted for Rockne and all the girls for Kilmer (wonder how many of them knew he wasn't a woman?), resulting in a tie. One of the girls changed her vote the next day, and the town of Rockne, Texas came to being.
And while you wouldn't expect a guy born in Norway to be Catholic, he apparently converted. There a quote saying that he was sick of being the "lone Norwegian Protestant among the Catholic Hibernians," and he apparently converted in time to make his First Communion at the same time as one of his sons.
29 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Issue number one: today's person is John McLaughlin. After earning a Ph.D. from Columbia, McLaughlin was ordained as a priest and taught at a Jesuit high school in Connecticut.
Issue number two: In 1970, he asked for permission from the order to run for the US Senate in Rhode Island. His request was turned down, but he ran anyways, losing to the incumbent.
Issue number three: His friendship with Pat Buchanan led to an offer of a White House job as a speech writer for Nixon, but Jesuit rules forbade him from being in the society and holding a political job. Given his options, McLaughlin left the priesthood.
Issue number three, part two: For good measure he would then marry his campaign manager, Ann Dore; she would later serve as Reagan's last Secretary of Labor. They divorced in 1992, but he's remarried since.
Issue number four: McLaughlin took the reins of his signature show, The McLaughlin Group, in 1982. His panel was a mix of talking heads from both sides of the aisle, from Buchanan and Fred Barnes on the right to Eleanor Clift on the left.
Issue number five: His freewheeling style and creative use of language made the show an excellent target for satire, most notably on Saturday Night Live. McLaughlin himself appeared in one of these skits, playing the Grim Reaper.
Issue number one: today's person is John McLaughlin. After earning a Ph.D. from Columbia, McLaughlin was ordained as a priest and taught at a Jesuit high school in Connecticut.
Issue number two: In 1970, he asked for permission from the order to run for the US Senate in Rhode Island. His request was turned down, but he ran anyways, losing to the incumbent.
Issue number three: His friendship with Pat Buchanan led to an offer of a White House job as a speech writer for Nixon, but Jesuit rules forbade him from being in the society and holding a political job. Given his options, McLaughlin left the priesthood.
Issue number three, part two: For good measure he would then marry his campaign manager, Ann Dore; she would later serve as Reagan's last Secretary of Labor. They divorced in 1992, but he's remarried since.
Issue number four: McLaughlin took the reins of his signature show, The McLaughlin Group, in 1982. His panel was a mix of talking heads from both sides of the aisle, from Buchanan and Fred Barnes on the right to Eleanor Clift on the left.
Issue number five: His freewheeling style and creative use of language made the show an excellent target for satire, most notably on Saturday Night Live. McLaughlin himself appeared in one of these skits, playing the Grim Reaper.
28 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
We move northward today with Juan Bautista de Anza. Born in New Spain (in the current Mexican state of Sonora), he joined the military and, in 1772, proposed to lead an expidition into Alta California (which includes the US state of California and territory reaching up into what is today Wyoming). Starting in Tubac (now in Arizona), he went west along the current US-Mexican border until he hit the coast, then went north to Monterey, getting there in April, 1774.
Upon returning to Tubac, he was promoted and ordered to bring colonists into Alta California to help counter the growing Russian presence. He led the colonists Monterey, arriving in Monterey. He then led a small scouting party and, on this day in 1776, founded the sites of the Presidio and Mission San Francisco de Asis. They'd be built later, as would Mission Santa Clara and the town of San Jose de Guadelupe, which he also sited (the latter being current-day San Jose).
Upon his return from this trip, de Anza was made governor of New Mexico, and initiated a series of battles against the Comanche, whom he eventually defeated, leading to their migration to Oklahoma and Texas.
Once his term as governor ended, he returned to Sonora and was named commander of the Presidio in Tubac, but he died before he could take command.
We move northward today with Juan Bautista de Anza. Born in New Spain (in the current Mexican state of Sonora), he joined the military and, in 1772, proposed to lead an expidition into Alta California (which includes the US state of California and territory reaching up into what is today Wyoming). Starting in Tubac (now in Arizona), he went west along the current US-Mexican border until he hit the coast, then went north to Monterey, getting there in April, 1774.
Upon returning to Tubac, he was promoted and ordered to bring colonists into Alta California to help counter the growing Russian presence. He led the colonists Monterey, arriving in Monterey. He then led a small scouting party and, on this day in 1776, founded the sites of the Presidio and Mission San Francisco de Asis. They'd be built later, as would Mission Santa Clara and the town of San Jose de Guadelupe, which he also sited (the latter being current-day San Jose).
Upon his return from this trip, de Anza was made governor of New Mexico, and initiated a series of battles against the Comanche, whom he eventually defeated, leading to their migration to Oklahoma and Texas.
Once his term as governor ended, he returned to Sonora and was named commander of the Presidio in Tubac, but he died before he could take command.
27 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's person is Maria da Graça Meneghel, known to millions the world over - but mostly in Latin America - as the minimally-dressed children's star Xuxa.
Prior to hitting it big with the kids, Xuxa was a model, Miss December 1982 for the Brazilian edition of Playboy, and starred in a movie where she played a prostitute who seduces a 13 year-old boy (the rights to which she's apparently bought in order to keep it from distribution). She also had a six year relationship with Pele after meeting him at a photo shoot in 1980.
For whatever reason, a Brazilian TV exec made the mental leap from nymphette to children's host, much like PBS did with Fred Rogers. Her first show was a hit, and the folks at Globo TV picked her up. Her Show da Xuxa made her a star across Latin America, and allowed her to broaden her international appeal with shows in Spain and the U.S, where she taped 65 episodes of Xuxa in 1993.
All this exposure (so to speak) proved a bit much, and Xuxa re-focused her career in Latin America. She still hosts TV shows, sings, and appears in movies (she's apparently starred in the nine highest-grossing Brazilian films of all time, many of which involve no plot and a lot of singing and celebrity cameos).
Apparently, Xuxa's penchant for skimpy dress isn't a big deal in most countries, but it was at best confusing to those of us up here who are used to Captain Kangaroo and the like. She was parodied on The Simpsons episode where the family goes to Brazil and is exposed to the show Teleboobies, whose host jiggles quite a bit and favors pasties as work attire.
Today's person is Maria da Graça Meneghel, known to millions the world over - but mostly in Latin America - as the minimally-dressed children's star Xuxa.
Prior to hitting it big with the kids, Xuxa was a model, Miss December 1982 for the Brazilian edition of Playboy, and starred in a movie where she played a prostitute who seduces a 13 year-old boy (the rights to which she's apparently bought in order to keep it from distribution). She also had a six year relationship with Pele after meeting him at a photo shoot in 1980.
For whatever reason, a Brazilian TV exec made the mental leap from nymphette to children's host, much like PBS did with Fred Rogers. Her first show was a hit, and the folks at Globo TV picked her up. Her Show da Xuxa made her a star across Latin America, and allowed her to broaden her international appeal with shows in Spain and the U.S, where she taped 65 episodes of Xuxa in 1993.
All this exposure (so to speak) proved a bit much, and Xuxa re-focused her career in Latin America. She still hosts TV shows, sings, and appears in movies (she's apparently starred in the nine highest-grossing Brazilian films of all time, many of which involve no plot and a lot of singing and celebrity cameos).
Apparently, Xuxa's penchant for skimpy dress isn't a big deal in most countries, but it was at best confusing to those of us up here who are used to Captain Kangaroo and the like. She was parodied on The Simpsons episode where the family goes to Brazil and is exposed to the show Teleboobies, whose host jiggles quite a bit and favors pasties as work attire.
26 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
After a too-long hiatus, we return with Curtis Sliwa, who went from being a night manager at a McDonald's to the founder of the Guardian Angels, the red beret and white T-shirt wearing volunteer crime-fighting (or vigilante, depending on how you look at it) group. Formed in 1979, there are now units in cities worldwide.
Sliwa is also a talking head, as he's had a radio show in some fashion since the early 1990s. His first show allegedly got him in a little trouble with the Gotti family, as remarks about the Teflon Don may have led to an assassination attempt. John Gotti, Jr. was tried three times on attempted murder charges, with each ending in mistrial due to a deadlocked jury. Not surprisingly for the founder of the Guardian Angels, Sliwa has occasionally subbed for the likes of Sean Hannity.
Sliwa is also a fan of stickball and competitive eating. In the latter, his favored food are pickles, apparently holding the current world record by eating 4 and three-quarter pounds worth in under 10 minutes. Talk about a Renaissance man.
After a too-long hiatus, we return with Curtis Sliwa, who went from being a night manager at a McDonald's to the founder of the Guardian Angels, the red beret and white T-shirt wearing volunteer crime-fighting (or vigilante, depending on how you look at it) group. Formed in 1979, there are now units in cities worldwide.
Sliwa is also a talking head, as he's had a radio show in some fashion since the early 1990s. His first show allegedly got him in a little trouble with the Gotti family, as remarks about the Teflon Don may have led to an assassination attempt. John Gotti, Jr. was tried three times on attempted murder charges, with each ending in mistrial due to a deadlocked jury. Not surprisingly for the founder of the Guardian Angels, Sliwa has occasionally subbed for the likes of Sean Hannity.
Sliwa is also a fan of stickball and competitive eating. In the latter, his favored food are pickles, apparently holding the current world record by eating 4 and three-quarter pounds worth in under 10 minutes. Talk about a Renaissance man.
Your Frozen Four pool standings, which may be a misnomer given how few of us actually have teams still standing:
Harper-Nixon 11
Coen, M. 9
Coen, S. 9
Hight 9
DeVeau 9
Rosenberg 8
Crowley 7
Martindale 7
Bruce 6
Sorenson 5
And it turns out I was wrong (again) about this being over. Should the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota top that team from Chestnut Hill, Chris Rosenberg will take his four points and eke out a win. Should that not happen, Matt Harper-Nixon will take the title. And as much as I count him as a friend, I really hope that the second scenario is not the one that plays out. I can get through the father-in-law's ribbing if Maine wins this thing, but the media aspect of a Newton College win is something I would like to avoid. I can only hope that Dice-K's first start is on April 5.
Kind of funny to look back at last year's results and see how many people scored over 20 points, as opposed to this year when we will have, at most, two in double digits. I suppose that happens when too few people call the upsets and no one has a champion left.
Moving on to a different sport, I have set up a Baseball Challenge group for those who are interested:
Name: Macho BC Donkey Wrestler
Password: donkey
Harper-Nixon 11
Coen, M. 9
Coen, S. 9
Hight 9
DeVeau 9
Rosenberg 8
Crowley 7
Martindale 7
Bruce 6
Sorenson 5
And it turns out I was wrong (again) about this being over. Should the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota top that team from Chestnut Hill, Chris Rosenberg will take his four points and eke out a win. Should that not happen, Matt Harper-Nixon will take the title. And as much as I count him as a friend, I really hope that the second scenario is not the one that plays out. I can get through the father-in-law's ribbing if Maine wins this thing, but the media aspect of a Newton College win is something I would like to avoid. I can only hope that Dice-K's first start is on April 5.
Kind of funny to look back at last year's results and see how many people scored over 20 points, as opposed to this year when we will have, at most, two in double digits. I suppose that happens when too few people call the upsets and no one has a champion left.
Moving on to a different sport, I have set up a Baseball Challenge group for those who are interested:
Name: Macho BC Donkey Wrestler
Password: donkey
24 March 2007
Hockey pool, with half of the Frozen Four set:
Harper-Nixon 11
Coen, S. 9
DeVeau 9
Hight 9
Coen, M. 7
Bruce 6
Crowley 5
Martindale 5
Sorenson 5
Rosenberg 4
And while it's not quite over, I think Hyph is actually going to wind up winning this, given his lead and how everyone who has a champion left has Minnesota. But I screwed up trying to predict this last year, so I'll give it a better check when the Frozen Four is set after tomorrow's games.
Harper-Nixon 11
Coen, S. 9
DeVeau 9
Hight 9
Coen, M. 7
Bruce 6
Crowley 5
Martindale 5
Sorenson 5
Rosenberg 4
And while it's not quite over, I think Hyph is actually going to wind up winning this, given his lead and how everyone who has a champion left has Minnesota. But I screwed up trying to predict this last year, so I'll give it a better check when the Frozen Four is set after tomorrow's games.
21 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Staying with the world leaders, today we look at Benito Juarez, who was born on this day in 1806. The only indigenous person to serve as president of Mexico (he was Zatopec), he is widely recognized for his role in La Reforma, the liberalization of Mexican government and move towards a more capitalistic economy. He also served as president during the French intervention that saw the breif reign of Emperor Maximillian, and was (not surprisingly, as president) deeply involved in defeating Maximillian's forces.
Part of the liberalization involved ending the hold that two groups specifically held in influencing previous governments - the military and the church. And to think we were happy to have them stop saying the Mass in Latin.
Plenty of people to choose from today - Charles Martel defeated Ragenfrid at the Battle of Vincy, Henry V took the throne of England, Pius VII became Pope and had to be crowned with a tiara made of papier-mache because the French had taken the real one. Lots of good stories, and it was hard to pass up The Hammer or getting to quote the St. Crispin's Day speech from Henry V, I will say.
Staying with the world leaders, today we look at Benito Juarez, who was born on this day in 1806. The only indigenous person to serve as president of Mexico (he was Zatopec), he is widely recognized for his role in La Reforma, the liberalization of Mexican government and move towards a more capitalistic economy. He also served as president during the French intervention that saw the breif reign of Emperor Maximillian, and was (not surprisingly, as president) deeply involved in defeating Maximillian's forces.
Part of the liberalization involved ending the hold that two groups specifically held in influencing previous governments - the military and the church. And to think we were happy to have them stop saying the Mass in Latin.
Plenty of people to choose from today - Charles Martel defeated Ragenfrid at the Battle of Vincy, Henry V took the throne of England, Pius VII became Pope and had to be crowned with a tiara made of papier-mache because the French had taken the real one. Lots of good stories, and it was hard to pass up The Hammer or getting to quote the St. Crispin's Day speech from Henry V, I will say.
20 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's person is birthday boy Brian Mulroney, who turns 68. A Progressive Conservative from Quebec, Mulroney gained leadership of the party in 1983 and led it to a majority in the Canadian Parliament the following year. The party would have the largest majority in Canadian history, winning 211 seats while no other party won more than 50. Even with this clear mandate, Mulroney had difficulty charting a direction for the country, as he inherited a massive debt. He also made his own trouble with patronage-related gaffes and an inability to quiet Canada's regionalism, a pet issue.
The Tories were returned to office in 1988, but with a smaller majority. During this term in office, things really turned south for him, as he took personal heat for introducing a national sales tax (which replaced a manufacturing tax) and the Bank of Canada's adoption of a zero inflation policy, which exacerbated the effects of an ongoing recession. During this time Mulroney also saw his various attempts to amend the Canadian constitution fail, and his closure of cod fishing grounds made him even more unpopular in the Maritimes.
This unpopularity hurt his party as the 1993 elections approached. The Bloc Quebecois broke off from the PC, and a 1992 poll reported an 11 percent favorability rating for Mulroney. In a position similar to that of Pierre Trudeau, Mulroney decided to retire, leaving Defence Minister Kim Campbell to be Prime Minister for the scant months between Mulroney's final departure from office and the election. Needless to say, she did not find this very helpful, as she had little time to either rally the party or make changes as the head of government.
The 1993 election resulted in the greatest loss of seats for one party in Canadian history, as the PC went from 151 seats to just 2 in Commons. The party would never recover, eventually merging with the Canadian Alliance (formerly the Reform Party) to become the Conservative Party of Canada, which currently is in power in a minority government.
After retirement, Mulroney went back into law and consulting, and was caught up in a scandal regarding payments by Airbus as "commissions" for Air Canada's purchase of Airbus jets. He also survived a bout with lung cancer, and became one of only two former foreign heads of state to eulogize a US President when he did so at the funeral for Ronald Reagan, with whom he had a good working relationship.
Mulroney remains one of the least popular PMs in Canadian history, although he has been noted as one of its most environmentally-friendly PMs.
Today's person is birthday boy Brian Mulroney, who turns 68. A Progressive Conservative from Quebec, Mulroney gained leadership of the party in 1983 and led it to a majority in the Canadian Parliament the following year. The party would have the largest majority in Canadian history, winning 211 seats while no other party won more than 50. Even with this clear mandate, Mulroney had difficulty charting a direction for the country, as he inherited a massive debt. He also made his own trouble with patronage-related gaffes and an inability to quiet Canada's regionalism, a pet issue.
The Tories were returned to office in 1988, but with a smaller majority. During this term in office, things really turned south for him, as he took personal heat for introducing a national sales tax (which replaced a manufacturing tax) and the Bank of Canada's adoption of a zero inflation policy, which exacerbated the effects of an ongoing recession. During this time Mulroney also saw his various attempts to amend the Canadian constitution fail, and his closure of cod fishing grounds made him even more unpopular in the Maritimes.
This unpopularity hurt his party as the 1993 elections approached. The Bloc Quebecois broke off from the PC, and a 1992 poll reported an 11 percent favorability rating for Mulroney. In a position similar to that of Pierre Trudeau, Mulroney decided to retire, leaving Defence Minister Kim Campbell to be Prime Minister for the scant months between Mulroney's final departure from office and the election. Needless to say, she did not find this very helpful, as she had little time to either rally the party or make changes as the head of government.
The 1993 election resulted in the greatest loss of seats for one party in Canadian history, as the PC went from 151 seats to just 2 in Commons. The party would never recover, eventually merging with the Canadian Alliance (formerly the Reform Party) to become the Conservative Party of Canada, which currently is in power in a minority government.
After retirement, Mulroney went back into law and consulting, and was caught up in a scandal regarding payments by Airbus as "commissions" for Air Canada's purchase of Airbus jets. He also survived a bout with lung cancer, and became one of only two former foreign heads of state to eulogize a US President when he did so at the funeral for Ronald Reagan, with whom he had a good working relationship.
Mulroney remains one of the least popular PMs in Canadian history, although he has been noted as one of its most environmentally-friendly PMs.
18 March 2007
I know most folks are wrapped up in basketball's March Madness, but the real madness starts on Friday with the regional tournament that will decide the Frozen Four.
As usual, I am running a free and (hopefully) fun bracket pool for the NCAA divison I men's hockey tournament. You can check out the bracket over at US College Hockey Online, and email me your picks by Thursday at 2 pm EDT.
I will again be using upset points in each round of the tournament, but as with last year it'll only be using regional seeding. So if Minnesota is once again vanquished by the champions from Atlantic Hockey (Air Force this time around), and you were smart/crazy enough to call it, you'd get 3 points.
Wins per round are scored 1-2-4-8. Ties will be broken by number of winners picked, and if we're still tied after that it'll be by number of upset points earned. If there's still a tie after that, well, you'll stay tied. It's not like there's any money running on this.
As usual, I am running a free and (hopefully) fun bracket pool for the NCAA divison I men's hockey tournament. You can check out the bracket over at US College Hockey Online, and email me your picks by Thursday at 2 pm EDT.
I will again be using upset points in each round of the tournament, but as with last year it'll only be using regional seeding. So if Minnesota is once again vanquished by the champions from Atlantic Hockey (Air Force this time around), and you were smart/crazy enough to call it, you'd get 3 points.
Wins per round are scored 1-2-4-8. Ties will be broken by number of winners picked, and if we're still tied after that it'll be by number of upset points earned. If there's still a tie after that, well, you'll stay tied. It's not like there's any money running on this.
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's person is Patrick McCartan, who today was named the winner of the 2007 Laetare Medal by the University of Notre Dame. Not conincidentally, McCartan is the chairman of Notre Dame's board of trustees. It seems that he's won it for how his leadership of the school's board has put ND on its current course. I don't know if that qualifies under the medal's purpose of honoring an American Catholic "whose genius has ennobled the arts and sciences, illustrated the ideals of the Church and enriched the heritage of humanity," but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
McCartan is a senior partner at Jones Day, and is nationally-recognized for his work as a trial lawyer.
The Laetare Medal is awarded each year on the fourth Sunday of Lent, known as Laetare Sunday, from the phrase "Laetare Jerusalem" or "Rejoice, O Jerusalem" that appears at the start of the day's Mass. Laetare Sunday is supposed to be a break from the rigors of Lent, kind of a day off that helps people focus for the rest of the season. Its marked in Mass by the appearance of flowers on the altar, priests wearing rose vestments rather than purple, and increased use of organ music during the ceremony. It is also the day that the Pope blesses any golden roses that he awards to churches and Catholic royalty for their devotion to the faith.
Sorry to say I'm not getting any medals or roses today. I suppose musing on a Tom Brady - Mother Angelica union didn't quite enrich the heritage of humanity.
Today's person is Patrick McCartan, who today was named the winner of the 2007 Laetare Medal by the University of Notre Dame. Not conincidentally, McCartan is the chairman of Notre Dame's board of trustees. It seems that he's won it for how his leadership of the school's board has put ND on its current course. I don't know if that qualifies under the medal's purpose of honoring an American Catholic "whose genius has ennobled the arts and sciences, illustrated the ideals of the Church and enriched the heritage of humanity," but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.
McCartan is a senior partner at Jones Day, and is nationally-recognized for his work as a trial lawyer.
The Laetare Medal is awarded each year on the fourth Sunday of Lent, known as Laetare Sunday, from the phrase "Laetare Jerusalem" or "Rejoice, O Jerusalem" that appears at the start of the day's Mass. Laetare Sunday is supposed to be a break from the rigors of Lent, kind of a day off that helps people focus for the rest of the season. Its marked in Mass by the appearance of flowers on the altar, priests wearing rose vestments rather than purple, and increased use of organ music during the ceremony. It is also the day that the Pope blesses any golden roses that he awards to churches and Catholic royalty for their devotion to the faith.
Sorry to say I'm not getting any medals or roses today. I suppose musing on a Tom Brady - Mother Angelica union didn't quite enrich the heritage of humanity.
17 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today we look in on Keith Michael Patrick Cardinal O'Brien, the current Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, who is celebrating his 69th birthday today. He's held that post since 1985, and was made a cardinal in 2003. He worked up from a parish priest to posts of a more administrative nature, and was for a time the rector of a Scottish seminary.
He's also been noted as supporting Scottish independence, noting the positive impact self-determination has had in smaller countries. This apparently didn't make him many friends with the Labour party (which, perhaps not surprisingly, is pretty tight with Scottish Catholics).
Today we look in on Keith Michael Patrick Cardinal O'Brien, the current Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, who is celebrating his 69th birthday today. He's held that post since 1985, and was made a cardinal in 2003. He worked up from a parish priest to posts of a more administrative nature, and was for a time the rector of a Scottish seminary.
He's also been noted as supporting Scottish independence, noting the positive impact self-determination has had in smaller countries. This apparently didn't make him many friends with the Labour party (which, perhaps not surprisingly, is pretty tight with Scottish Catholics).
16 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today you get Patsy Donovan, born on this day 1865 in Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland (where I've been!), who moved to the US and broke into baseball in 1886 with the New England League's team in Haverhill, Massachusetts (where I've been!). He'd eventually make the majors and play 17 seasons with the Pirates, Cardinals, Senators, and Superbas (and served as player-coach for a few, too).
At his retirement, Donovan held the major league record for games played by a right fielder. He was a career .300 hitter, and was in the top 10 career for games played, assists, and double plays.
After retirement, he was a scout and manager for the Red Sox. In the scouting role he was key in the team landing Babe Ruth, as he got tipped off from one of the Xaverian brothers at the Babe's orphanage. So, in a way, he's to blame for everything.
Sullivan died on Christmas Day in 1953. I'm willing to bet that wasn't on his list.
Today you get Patsy Donovan, born on this day 1865 in Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland (where I've been!), who moved to the US and broke into baseball in 1886 with the New England League's team in Haverhill, Massachusetts (where I've been!). He'd eventually make the majors and play 17 seasons with the Pirates, Cardinals, Senators, and Superbas (and served as player-coach for a few, too).
At his retirement, Donovan held the major league record for games played by a right fielder. He was a career .300 hitter, and was in the top 10 career for games played, assists, and double plays.
After retirement, he was a scout and manager for the Red Sox. In the scouting role he was key in the team landing Babe Ruth, as he got tipped off from one of the Xaverian brothers at the Babe's orphanage. So, in a way, he's to blame for everything.
Sullivan died on Christmas Day in 1953. I'm willing to bet that wasn't on his list.
On-package advertising that I would only notice during Lent:
"Now Even More Lentils!"
Not surprisingly, this was being used to tout Progresso's lentil soup in the microwavable bowl. And while I don't have previous lentil soup-eating experience to make a comparison, there were no shortage of lentils.
I've been trying to come up with the most unusual/funniest item you could advertise with this phrase. So far the best I've been able to come up with is Massengill's most famous disposable product. Do your worst.
"Now Even More Lentils!"
Not surprisingly, this was being used to tout Progresso's lentil soup in the microwavable bowl. And while I don't have previous lentil soup-eating experience to make a comparison, there were no shortage of lentils.
I've been trying to come up with the most unusual/funniest item you could advertise with this phrase. So far the best I've been able to come up with is Massengill's most famous disposable product. Do your worst.
15 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Born on this date in 1905, Berthold Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg was the oldest of three brothers born into an aristocratic German family from Wurttemburg. He went into law, and was a professor of international law at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. He joined the navy in 1939 as a staff judge and advisor on international law.
But as noble Prussians, Berthold and his family and friends weren't too keen on the Nazis, and a group of them planned to assassinate Hitler (with many of the meetings taking place in Berthold's apartment in Berlin). Berthold's brother Claus was the only one of their group with access to Hitler, and on July 20, 1944, he brought a bomb (hidden in his briefcase) into a staff meeting where Hitler was in attendance. The bomb went off, but Hitler escaped with minor injuries.
The Stauffenbergs, along with their fellow co-conspiritors, were not so lucky. Roughly 200 people were executed, though that includes a number of folks who the Gestapo just wanted to get rid of, and saw this as a good pretext. Many of the central plotters were hanged and killed by slow strangulation. Berthold was somewhat luckier, as he was executed by firing squad.
Born on this date in 1905, Berthold Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg was the oldest of three brothers born into an aristocratic German family from Wurttemburg. He went into law, and was a professor of international law at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. He joined the navy in 1939 as a staff judge and advisor on international law.
But as noble Prussians, Berthold and his family and friends weren't too keen on the Nazis, and a group of them planned to assassinate Hitler (with many of the meetings taking place in Berthold's apartment in Berlin). Berthold's brother Claus was the only one of their group with access to Hitler, and on July 20, 1944, he brought a bomb (hidden in his briefcase) into a staff meeting where Hitler was in attendance. The bomb went off, but Hitler escaped with minor injuries.
The Stauffenbergs, along with their fellow co-conspiritors, were not so lucky. Roughly 200 people were executed, though that includes a number of folks who the Gestapo just wanted to get rid of, and saw this as a good pretext. Many of the central plotters were hanged and killed by slow strangulation. Berthold was somewhat luckier, as he was executed by firing squad.
Unless Stanford does something really impressive, I am going to start the men's tournament 0-3. Which may lead you to ask why I took Davidson, Texas Tech, and Stanford. All good questions. The only one that has a good answer is Texas Tech: I took them because they were playing Chestnut Hill College. Otherwise, I just like the upsets? Sure, we'll go with that.
There's a bit of a hullabaloo (or is it a foofraw?) coming in the near future for college hockey, centering around the disposition of College Hockey America, a five-team conference that will likely disband at the end of the season. The problem arises with where these teams will go, as they're pretty diverse geographically (New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, and Alabama) and the closest leagues to some of them are pretty full already (the ECAC and CCHA having 12 teams already).
Oh, and there's also a problem that, with 59 division I teams, one league is going to have to have an odd number of teams.
Of course, I've worked up a modest proposal, which I will bore you with now. Note that I make no claims to this being based in reality, though I'll try to keep close.
Hockey East would see the least change, only adding UConn, which currently plays in Atlantic Hockey. Given that all the other flagship state university campuses play in Hockey East, it's a logical fit. The UConn women's team also already plays in Hockey East.
This makes Hockey East the conference with the odd number (11), but they went for a few years with 9, so they've at least had some experience with the scheduling issues this would raise.
Teams: BU, BC, Northeastern, Providence, Vermont, UNH, Maine, UMass-Amherst, UMass-Lowell, Merrimack, UConn
The ECAC currently has 12 members, six who are otherwise in the Ivy League and six who are not. This suggests a couple of moves.
First move - split the six Ivies into an Ivy League hockey conference. Six is the minimum number needed, and given the reputation of the schools I think they'd be able to pull this off.
Teams: Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale
Second move - with the remaining six teams, add RIT (who has just made the jump to divison I and was this year's regular season champ in Atlantic Hockey) and Niagara. They'd both fit in well with the ECAC's core of New York teams.
Teams: Clarkson, St. Lawrence, RPI, Union, Quinnipiac, Colgate, RIT, Niagara
Atlantic Hockey stands pat as an eight-team league after losing RIT and UConn. I've kept Air Force in the league as they intentionally joined so they could play Army each year. Of course, they moved from College Hockey America, so in a way this is all their fault.
Teams: Army, Air Force, AIC, Bentley, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Canisius, Sacred Heart
The CCHA keeps most of its current membership, divesting itself of its two most outlying members - Nebraska-Omaha and Alaska - and taking on Robert Morris and Wayne State. The latter is a no-brainer, given its Detroit location. Robert Morris is a bit more of a stretch, but Pittsburgh is a more CCHA-friendly location than Omaha or Fairbanks, so I figure it would work.
Teams: Michigan, Michigan State, Ferris State, Western Michigan, Northern Michigan, Lake Superior State, Ohio State, Miami, Bowling Green, Notre Dame, Wayne State, Robert Morris
The WCHA gets a pretty radical makeover, in one of two options:
Option 1 sees the league take on Alaska, Nebraska-Omaha, Alabama-Huntsville, and Bemidji State and grow to a 14 team league. There is actually a decent way to split into two seven teams divisions:
Teams in the Upper Midwest Divison: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minnesota State, Minnesota-Duluth, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, St. Cloud State
Teams in the Everywhere Else Divison: North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Alaska, Alaska-Anchorage, Nebraska-Omaha, Alabama-Huntsville
Option 2 would take the two Alaska schools, the two Colorado schools, Omaha, and Huntsville and make a conference out of them (which I'm dubbing the Rocky Mountain Hockey Association; if Air Force can play in Atlantic Hockey, Huntsville and Omaha can play in the RMHA). Everyone else stays in the WCHA.
This would help to counter-balance the creation of another "Eastern" league with the Ivies spinning off. Still, the second option here would lead to seven conferences, with two of them having the minimum number of members. I did work out a plan with six conferences, but it's ugly. Let's just say the resulting Great Lakes Hockey Association is more of an organizing principle than geographic fact (and even then sees the three teams in the Buffalo area spread over three leagues).
I'm sure some of you have better ideas than me on this, so please share!
Oh, and there's also a problem that, with 59 division I teams, one league is going to have to have an odd number of teams.
Of course, I've worked up a modest proposal, which I will bore you with now. Note that I make no claims to this being based in reality, though I'll try to keep close.
Hockey East would see the least change, only adding UConn, which currently plays in Atlantic Hockey. Given that all the other flagship state university campuses play in Hockey East, it's a logical fit. The UConn women's team also already plays in Hockey East.
This makes Hockey East the conference with the odd number (11), but they went for a few years with 9, so they've at least had some experience with the scheduling issues this would raise.
Teams: BU, BC, Northeastern, Providence, Vermont, UNH, Maine, UMass-Amherst, UMass-Lowell, Merrimack, UConn
The ECAC currently has 12 members, six who are otherwise in the Ivy League and six who are not. This suggests a couple of moves.
First move - split the six Ivies into an Ivy League hockey conference. Six is the minimum number needed, and given the reputation of the schools I think they'd be able to pull this off.
Teams: Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale
Second move - with the remaining six teams, add RIT (who has just made the jump to divison I and was this year's regular season champ in Atlantic Hockey) and Niagara. They'd both fit in well with the ECAC's core of New York teams.
Teams: Clarkson, St. Lawrence, RPI, Union, Quinnipiac, Colgate, RIT, Niagara
Atlantic Hockey stands pat as an eight-team league after losing RIT and UConn. I've kept Air Force in the league as they intentionally joined so they could play Army each year. Of course, they moved from College Hockey America, so in a way this is all their fault.
Teams: Army, Air Force, AIC, Bentley, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Canisius, Sacred Heart
The CCHA keeps most of its current membership, divesting itself of its two most outlying members - Nebraska-Omaha and Alaska - and taking on Robert Morris and Wayne State. The latter is a no-brainer, given its Detroit location. Robert Morris is a bit more of a stretch, but Pittsburgh is a more CCHA-friendly location than Omaha or Fairbanks, so I figure it would work.
Teams: Michigan, Michigan State, Ferris State, Western Michigan, Northern Michigan, Lake Superior State, Ohio State, Miami, Bowling Green, Notre Dame, Wayne State, Robert Morris
The WCHA gets a pretty radical makeover, in one of two options:
Option 1 sees the league take on Alaska, Nebraska-Omaha, Alabama-Huntsville, and Bemidji State and grow to a 14 team league. There is actually a decent way to split into two seven teams divisions:
Teams in the Upper Midwest Divison: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minnesota State, Minnesota-Duluth, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, St. Cloud State
Teams in the Everywhere Else Divison: North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Alaska, Alaska-Anchorage, Nebraska-Omaha, Alabama-Huntsville
Option 2 would take the two Alaska schools, the two Colorado schools, Omaha, and Huntsville and make a conference out of them (which I'm dubbing the Rocky Mountain Hockey Association; if Air Force can play in Atlantic Hockey, Huntsville and Omaha can play in the RMHA). Everyone else stays in the WCHA.
This would help to counter-balance the creation of another "Eastern" league with the Ivies spinning off. Still, the second option here would lead to seven conferences, with two of them having the minimum number of members. I did work out a plan with six conferences, but it's ugly. Let's just say the resulting Great Lakes Hockey Association is more of an organizing principle than geographic fact (and even then sees the three teams in the Buffalo area spread over three leagues).
I'm sure some of you have better ideas than me on this, so please share!
14 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's victim is Charles de Lorraine, duc de Mayenne, who was the military leader of the Catholic League during France's Wars of Religion. On this day in 1590, he led his troops against Protestant forces led by Henry of Navarre. Charles had the edge in numbers, but that was reduced early in the fight when his mercenary troops, sympathetic towards the Protestants, put down their weapons. The fight continued, but when the Protestants were able to best Charles's cavalry things were pretty much done.
Things would not get easier for Charles after this. He managed to raise the siege of Paris that Henry laid on after Ivry, but faced dissention in the League from a radical wing that wanted to accept the help - and claim to the throne - from Spain. Charles would eventually present this claim to the Estates-General, but at the same time was negotiating with Henry to take the throne once he completed his conversion to Catholicism. A truce was signed in 1593, allowing Henry to take the throne as Henry IV. Charles didn't get to live peacefully until 1595, given continued League strife.
Interestingly, Charles turned down support to claim the throne for himself, opting instead to back the League plan to install Cardinal de Bourbon as Charles X. This may have worked out better had the cardinal not died after the loss at Ivry.
Today's victim is Charles de Lorraine, duc de Mayenne, who was the military leader of the Catholic League during France's Wars of Religion. On this day in 1590, he led his troops against Protestant forces led by Henry of Navarre. Charles had the edge in numbers, but that was reduced early in the fight when his mercenary troops, sympathetic towards the Protestants, put down their weapons. The fight continued, but when the Protestants were able to best Charles's cavalry things were pretty much done.
Things would not get easier for Charles after this. He managed to raise the siege of Paris that Henry laid on after Ivry, but faced dissention in the League from a radical wing that wanted to accept the help - and claim to the throne - from Spain. Charles would eventually present this claim to the Estates-General, but at the same time was negotiating with Henry to take the throne once he completed his conversion to Catholicism. A truce was signed in 1593, allowing Henry to take the throne as Henry IV. Charles didn't get to live peacefully until 1595, given continued League strife.
Interestingly, Charles turned down support to claim the throne for himself, opting instead to back the League plan to install Cardinal de Bourbon as Charles X. This may have worked out better had the cardinal not died after the loss at Ivry.
13 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today we've got Victor IV, born Gregorio Conti, who was elected antipope on this day in 1138. He took over for Anacletus II, who actually has the more interesting story.
When Honorius II lay dying in 1130, a group of cardinals put the succession vote in the hands of a commission led by Haimeric, chamberlain to Honorius. They elected Innocent II, who was consecrated as pope the day after Honorius died.
This didn't sit well with the majority of cardinals, who elected Anacletus. Innocent wound up fleeing Rome, and was in reality the antipope in this situation. At least until he won the backing of several European royals, leaving Anacletus with little support. Anacletus was reasonably well liked, but couldn't command much power, staying in Rome until his death. At which point Innocent returned to Rome and, a couple months later, had Victor IV submit to him thanks to the intercession of Berard of Clairvaux.
(The Catholic Encyclopedia gives more info on both Innocent and Anacletus, and differs on some points, such as Innocent being consecrated the day after Honorius died. Anyway, more detail there for those who want it.)
Today we've got Victor IV, born Gregorio Conti, who was elected antipope on this day in 1138. He took over for Anacletus II, who actually has the more interesting story.
When Honorius II lay dying in 1130, a group of cardinals put the succession vote in the hands of a commission led by Haimeric, chamberlain to Honorius. They elected Innocent II, who was consecrated as pope the day after Honorius died.
This didn't sit well with the majority of cardinals, who elected Anacletus. Innocent wound up fleeing Rome, and was in reality the antipope in this situation. At least until he won the backing of several European royals, leaving Anacletus with little support. Anacletus was reasonably well liked, but couldn't command much power, staying in Rome until his death. At which point Innocent returned to Rome and, a couple months later, had Victor IV submit to him thanks to the intercession of Berard of Clairvaux.
(The Catholic Encyclopedia gives more info on both Innocent and Anacletus, and differs on some points, such as Innocent being consecrated the day after Honorius died. Anyway, more detail there for those who want it.)
Book Log 2007 #8: A Taste for Death by P. D. James
Another good Adam Dalgliesh, as he and his newly-formed squad try to solve what may be a double homicide involving a government Minister.
Unlike some of the other books I've read in this series, I got more background about Dalgliesh and his associates, making a nice balance with the mystery. It was a case where I wish I was reading these in order, as I get the feeling there are details that would have helped me when the book dealt with personal matters. There's also part of me that would have liked an approach here more in line with A Certain Justice where the book focuses mainly on those involved in the case. I'd have liked to known more about what the Minister went through in the day or so before his death, and his noble family could have easily carried a book by themselves.
Anyway, recommended as always.
Another good Adam Dalgliesh, as he and his newly-formed squad try to solve what may be a double homicide involving a government Minister.
Unlike some of the other books I've read in this series, I got more background about Dalgliesh and his associates, making a nice balance with the mystery. It was a case where I wish I was reading these in order, as I get the feeling there are details that would have helped me when the book dealt with personal matters. There's also part of me that would have liked an approach here more in line with A Certain Justice where the book focuses mainly on those involved in the case. I'd have liked to known more about what the Minister went through in the day or so before his death, and his noble family could have easily carried a book by themselves.
Anyway, recommended as always.
I used to run a March Madness pool. It was reasonably successful, with a number of entries in the teens. I spent the two weeks watching games, going over brackets, and working out situations where my best bracket could still lead to victory. Let's just say that the infernal Christian Laetner shot against Kentucky is still something I care not to watch.
But as years passed, and as the usual pool entrants have moved along, I've stopped running the pool. Too hard to collect the money, and given what little I watch of college hoops now it feels like throwing money away even moreso than usual.
Even so, I find that I've used four of my five ESPN.com bracket entries. One went to Craig's group (info on his blog), one to the Deadspin group (info on their blog), one to the default group of BU fans, and one to a group set up by Matt Harper-Nixon. He said to invite anyone along that might be interested. I assume that includes some of you.
Group name: Blind Guessing is the Key
password: timesuck
I may do my last entry for fun in the "which mascot could defeat the other?" style. Learning today that buckeyes are poisonous for many creatures puts a new spin on things, for certain.
But as years passed, and as the usual pool entrants have moved along, I've stopped running the pool. Too hard to collect the money, and given what little I watch of college hoops now it feels like throwing money away even moreso than usual.
Even so, I find that I've used four of my five ESPN.com bracket entries. One went to Craig's group (info on his blog), one to the Deadspin group (info on their blog), one to the default group of BU fans, and one to a group set up by Matt Harper-Nixon. He said to invite anyone along that might be interested. I assume that includes some of you.
Group name: Blind Guessing is the Key
password: timesuck
I may do my last entry for fun in the "which mascot could defeat the other?" style. Learning today that buckeyes are poisonous for many creatures puts a new spin on things, for certain.
So as bothersome as it might be to have a hymn stuck in your head, I've been going most of the day with parts of "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood making regular appearances. It was the last song we heard on the radio driving home last night, and like virus it incubated overnight before overwhelming whatever parts of the brain cause a song to get stuck in your head.
That being said, I think it's pretty clear that Mary Magdalene could shoot the whiskey and a combo. Probably in short order, too.
That being said, I think it's pretty clear that Mary Magdalene could shoot the whiskey and a combo. Probably in short order, too.
11 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's person is Sister of Mercy Suzanne Toolan. Born in Michigan, she moved to Hollywood while in her teens. She's lived in California ever since, and in her calling has been involved in prison ministry and, most notably, liturgical music. Among the many contemporary hymns to her credit is "I Am the Bread of Life," which was our communion hymn today and has been stuck in my head for most of the afternoon.
Sister Suzanne also has some connection to the Taize movement, an offshoot of an ecumenical Christian community in France.
Today's person is Sister of Mercy Suzanne Toolan. Born in Michigan, she moved to Hollywood while in her teens. She's lived in California ever since, and in her calling has been involved in prison ministry and, most notably, liturgical music. Among the many contemporary hymns to her credit is "I Am the Bread of Life," which was our communion hymn today and has been stuck in my head for most of the afternoon.
Sister Suzanne also has some connection to the Taize movement, an offshoot of an ecumenical Christian community in France.
10 March 2007
Ran across this and thought it was amusing. Consider yourself tagged.
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next three sentences in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
6. Tag five other people to do the same.
"To be effective a team must be clear on its roles (who does what?) and goals (what are they trying to accomplish?). Norms are the assumptions or expectations held by group members that govern the kinds of behaviors that are appropriate or inappropriate in the group. They are the ground rules which regulate the group's behavior."
(from The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams by Ken Blanchard, Donald Carew, and Eunice Parisi-Carew)
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next three sentences in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
6. Tag five other people to do the same.
"To be effective a team must be clear on its roles (who does what?) and goals (what are they trying to accomplish?). Norms are the assumptions or expectations held by group members that govern the kinds of behaviors that are appropriate or inappropriate in the group. They are the ground rules which regulate the group's behavior."
(from The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams by Ken Blanchard, Donald Carew, and Eunice Parisi-Carew)
09 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's person is Tom Brady, a nice Catholic boy who not only has led the New England Patriots to three Super Bowls, but who, by the end of the year, will be the father of children by former girlfriend Bridget Moynihan and, if reports are to be believed, uber-rebound girl Gisele Bundchen.
Which leads to the question, who's next in line to sow the seeds of love and earn a Brady bump? I've got some ideas.
Britney Spears - she's an obvious choice, given her single status, celebrity, and apparent willingness to couple with anyone. But she's kind of the pace-setter, to use a horse racing analogy. She'll burn out early and not be around at the end. Oh, wait, I just described her career.
Anyway, there are some impediments to this happening, such as Britney's kit bag full of crazy, her Flowbee-on-crack hairsyle, and the public familiarity with her labia. Plus, does Tom really want to go in the footprints (so to speak) of K-Fed? Not the best idea for a guy who, based on past results, doesn't like to wear a raincoat. Odds of hitting her with a baby one more time: 500 to 1.
Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson, Tara Reid, Hillary Duff - to continue with the horse racing analogy, this is the field. None of them really has a a better chance than the other, and none have a really great chance at that. Of course, if this were actually a horse race, I'd have included Ashlee Simpson.
The only way anyone in this group gets that knocked up feeling is if Tom hits them all at once. And do you doubt he could do that? Odds of hitting the reciever in stride: 250 to 1. Special odds of making step-quints: 80 to 1.
The entire female population of Lehi, Utah - Utah has the highest birth rate of any state in the US, and Lehi has the highest birth rate of any city in Utah. Seems like a pretty fecund place, just the location where Tom can plant his flag. Repeatedly. I have complete faith in Tom's superhuman loins; I just worry that the Roman faith will clash with the Mormon faith. Odds of some really Big Love: 837 to 1.
Rachael Ray - she's popular, has her own career, and with her recent deal to promote Dunkin' Donuts, she's got ever greater cachet for New Englanders. Tom could easily make a 30 minute meal of her, and she won't be yelling "Yum-O" due to their pre-coital repast. Only thing is, I'm not sure Tom is willing to get with someone who vaguely looks like a Muppet. Odds of bunning her oven: 50 to 1.
Mother Angelica - she's Catholic, unmarried (temporally), and clearly doesn't fool around. But she's also over 80 and clearly doesn't condone fooling around. That and she no longer wears an eye patch, which limits the pirate nun fantasies that Tom may have had in his head. Still, if he has faith... Odds of a Maculate Conception: 666 to 1.
A woman named Jennifer - Aniston, Hudson, that girl you know who works at the Starbucks. Could be any one of them. Tom could take care of business during a TV time out and get back in the huddle with time to spare and water bottles for his teammates. He's that good. Odds of zygoting: 40 to 1.
Reese Witherspoon - Reese may be a little on the nose for Tom, as she's an actress who is older than him. On the other hand, her career is more equal to his than Bridget's was, and Reese already has two kids. She probably wouldn't even notice another. Problem here is that Reese has been linked with Jake Gyllenhaal. I don't think the universe could withstand a confrontation between that much man-pretty. Think of humanity, Tom! Odds of making a sweet home in Alabama: 25 to 1. Odds if Jake is still in the picture: 2.4 quadrillion to 1.
Tom Brady - If you want perfection, you keep the job in-house. Sure, there are hurdles - Tom doesn't have the lady parts to make a baby, and even if he did he'd have to figure out a way to knock himself up - but does anyone doubt that Tom could do this if he put his mind to it? You can almost see Peyton Manning futiley trying this after Tom has self-sired a dozen strapping young sons. Odds of self-service Brady production: 1.00000004 to 1.
Today's person is Tom Brady, a nice Catholic boy who not only has led the New England Patriots to three Super Bowls, but who, by the end of the year, will be the father of children by former girlfriend Bridget Moynihan and, if reports are to be believed, uber-rebound girl Gisele Bundchen.
Which leads to the question, who's next in line to sow the seeds of love and earn a Brady bump? I've got some ideas.
Britney Spears - she's an obvious choice, given her single status, celebrity, and apparent willingness to couple with anyone. But she's kind of the pace-setter, to use a horse racing analogy. She'll burn out early and not be around at the end. Oh, wait, I just described her career.
Anyway, there are some impediments to this happening, such as Britney's kit bag full of crazy, her Flowbee-on-crack hairsyle, and the public familiarity with her labia. Plus, does Tom really want to go in the footprints (so to speak) of K-Fed? Not the best idea for a guy who, based on past results, doesn't like to wear a raincoat. Odds of hitting her with a baby one more time: 500 to 1.
Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson, Tara Reid, Hillary Duff - to continue with the horse racing analogy, this is the field. None of them really has a a better chance than the other, and none have a really great chance at that. Of course, if this were actually a horse race, I'd have included Ashlee Simpson.
The only way anyone in this group gets that knocked up feeling is if Tom hits them all at once. And do you doubt he could do that? Odds of hitting the reciever in stride: 250 to 1. Special odds of making step-quints: 80 to 1.
The entire female population of Lehi, Utah - Utah has the highest birth rate of any state in the US, and Lehi has the highest birth rate of any city in Utah. Seems like a pretty fecund place, just the location where Tom can plant his flag. Repeatedly. I have complete faith in Tom's superhuman loins; I just worry that the Roman faith will clash with the Mormon faith. Odds of some really Big Love: 837 to 1.
Rachael Ray - she's popular, has her own career, and with her recent deal to promote Dunkin' Donuts, she's got ever greater cachet for New Englanders. Tom could easily make a 30 minute meal of her, and she won't be yelling "Yum-O" due to their pre-coital repast. Only thing is, I'm not sure Tom is willing to get with someone who vaguely looks like a Muppet. Odds of bunning her oven: 50 to 1.
Mother Angelica - she's Catholic, unmarried (temporally), and clearly doesn't fool around. But she's also over 80 and clearly doesn't condone fooling around. That and she no longer wears an eye patch, which limits the pirate nun fantasies that Tom may have had in his head. Still, if he has faith... Odds of a Maculate Conception: 666 to 1.
A woman named Jennifer - Aniston, Hudson, that girl you know who works at the Starbucks. Could be any one of them. Tom could take care of business during a TV time out and get back in the huddle with time to spare and water bottles for his teammates. He's that good. Odds of zygoting: 40 to 1.
Reese Witherspoon - Reese may be a little on the nose for Tom, as she's an actress who is older than him. On the other hand, her career is more equal to his than Bridget's was, and Reese already has two kids. She probably wouldn't even notice another. Problem here is that Reese has been linked with Jake Gyllenhaal. I don't think the universe could withstand a confrontation between that much man-pretty. Think of humanity, Tom! Odds of making a sweet home in Alabama: 25 to 1. Odds if Jake is still in the picture: 2.4 quadrillion to 1.
Tom Brady - If you want perfection, you keep the job in-house. Sure, there are hurdles - Tom doesn't have the lady parts to make a baby, and even if he did he'd have to figure out a way to knock himself up - but does anyone doubt that Tom could do this if he put his mind to it? You can almost see Peyton Manning futiley trying this after Tom has self-sired a dozen strapping young sons. Odds of self-service Brady production: 1.00000004 to 1.
08 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today we look at three guys named John of God, or more accurately Joao de Deus, as all three are from Portuguese-speaking countries. One is a Portuguese friar turned saint, so the only thing I'll mention about him here is that he was born and died on March 8, which I assume wasn't what he wanted for his 55th birthday.
The second, also born March 8, is apparently considered Portugal's greatest mid 19th century poet. He also dabbled in politics and education reform.
The third is a faith healer living in Brazil. I don't think he's very Catholic, so that is all I have to say about that.
Today we look at three guys named John of God, or more accurately Joao de Deus, as all three are from Portuguese-speaking countries. One is a Portuguese friar turned saint, so the only thing I'll mention about him here is that he was born and died on March 8, which I assume wasn't what he wanted for his 55th birthday.
The second, also born March 8, is apparently considered Portugal's greatest mid 19th century poet. He also dabbled in politics and education reform.
The third is a faith healer living in Brazil. I don't think he's very Catholic, so that is all I have to say about that.
07 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today we look at Stephen Tempier, the bishop of Paris who, in 1277, published a list of 219 condemnations, philosophical and theological ideas and theories that were not to be taught at the University of Paris due to their deviation from Church orthodoxy. He'd previously published 13 other condemnations, and several more would be issued from the University of Paris in the coming century.
From what (admittedly little) I've read on this, it's hard to tell how much of this was Tempier's idea and how much it was influenced by Rome. Most of what I've read paints this as an important event for philosophy moreso than religion, given its impact on the development of philosophy as an independent field of study.
In any case, click here for a much better discussion of the event than I can give.
Today we look at Stephen Tempier, the bishop of Paris who, in 1277, published a list of 219 condemnations, philosophical and theological ideas and theories that were not to be taught at the University of Paris due to their deviation from Church orthodoxy. He'd previously published 13 other condemnations, and several more would be issued from the University of Paris in the coming century.
From what (admittedly little) I've read on this, it's hard to tell how much of this was Tempier's idea and how much it was influenced by Rome. Most of what I've read paints this as an important event for philosophy moreso than religion, given its impact on the development of philosophy as an independent field of study.
In any case, click here for a much better discussion of the event than I can give.
06 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's person is Michaelangelo, who was born on this day in 1475. David, Pieta, the Sistine Chapel paintings, the dome of St. Peter's, Julius II's tomb, and so on.
And while there's all that connection between religion, art, and architecture, what may be less well known is Michaelangelo's poetry. Probably because much of his written work was penned for younger males. That's something they didn't really hit on in The Agony and the Ecstacy.
Today's person is Michaelangelo, who was born on this day in 1475. David, Pieta, the Sistine Chapel paintings, the dome of St. Peter's, Julius II's tomb, and so on.
And while there's all that connection between religion, art, and architecture, what may be less well known is Michaelangelo's poetry. Probably because much of his written work was penned for younger males. That's something they didn't really hit on in The Agony and the Ecstacy.
05 March 2007
Book Log 2007 #7: The United States of Arugula by David Kamp
This books seeks to chronicle how, in roughly 50 years, we went from a nation of Jell-O salads and processed everything to one that, while still too happy to buy processed crap, has McDonalds talking about the 16 greens they put in their salad.
It starts with the "Big Three" of post-WWII gourmandism: James Beard, Julia Child, and Craig Claiborne. Kamp tracks how their influence over what Americans ate (and what they read and watched about what they ate) led to a new generation that took the traditional fine dining and took it back to its roots, simplifying technique and presentation while looking for the freshest local ingredients. It's here that we're introduced to Alice Waters, Chez Panisse, and the rise of California cuisine.
It's at this point that the book veers away from the broad analysis of American foodways and into celebrity chef territory as we hop from Waters to Wolfgang Puck to the current crop. There are some side trips (notably organic farming and the rise of specialty stores like Dean & DeLuca), but for the most part the latter half of the book is more about how the top chefs and their restaurants than ways in which their influence trickled down. There is a stab at this at the end with talk of sustainable agriculture and a movement to educate American kids about food during lunch, but there's fertile ground left unsowed.
Still, it was an interesting read. If nothing else it's rekindled an interest in reading bios on Beard and Child.
This books seeks to chronicle how, in roughly 50 years, we went from a nation of Jell-O salads and processed everything to one that, while still too happy to buy processed crap, has McDonalds talking about the 16 greens they put in their salad.
It starts with the "Big Three" of post-WWII gourmandism: James Beard, Julia Child, and Craig Claiborne. Kamp tracks how their influence over what Americans ate (and what they read and watched about what they ate) led to a new generation that took the traditional fine dining and took it back to its roots, simplifying technique and presentation while looking for the freshest local ingredients. It's here that we're introduced to Alice Waters, Chez Panisse, and the rise of California cuisine.
It's at this point that the book veers away from the broad analysis of American foodways and into celebrity chef territory as we hop from Waters to Wolfgang Puck to the current crop. There are some side trips (notably organic farming and the rise of specialty stores like Dean & DeLuca), but for the most part the latter half of the book is more about how the top chefs and their restaurants than ways in which their influence trickled down. There is a stab at this at the end with talk of sustainable agriculture and a movement to educate American kids about food during lunch, but there's fertile ground left unsowed.
Still, it was an interesting read. If nothing else it's rekindled an interest in reading bios on Beard and Child.
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today's person is Karl Rahner, who is considered one of the most influential Catholic theologians of the 20th century (if not the most influential). An ordained priest who spent most of World War II tending a congregation in rural Bavaria, he spent most of his life as a professor and writer.
While he wrote on many topics, and combined the writings and thoughts of Aquainas, Heidegger, and Kant, his most influential theory had to do with the individual's knowledge of God. He posited a natural knowledge of God which was incomplete, and that complete knowledge could only come through a supernatural revelation. Grace plays a role in there, but I have to admit I'm lucky that I was even able to make what I've written to this point sound coherent. No theologian, I.
Rahner was also appointed as a theological expert to Vatican II, and apparently exerted a fair amount of influence.
P.S.: Given that it's the first Monday in March, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Casimir Pulaski, the Polish hero of the US Revolutionary War, whose holiday is being celebrated today. I figured he'd be OK to mention given that Poland is one of the more uniformly Catholic countries out there, but his bio is in the Catholic Encyclopedia, so I'm taking that as confirmation.
Anyway, a happy day off to our friends in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Today's person is Karl Rahner, who is considered one of the most influential Catholic theologians of the 20th century (if not the most influential). An ordained priest who spent most of World War II tending a congregation in rural Bavaria, he spent most of his life as a professor and writer.
While he wrote on many topics, and combined the writings and thoughts of Aquainas, Heidegger, and Kant, his most influential theory had to do with the individual's knowledge of God. He posited a natural knowledge of God which was incomplete, and that complete knowledge could only come through a supernatural revelation. Grace plays a role in there, but I have to admit I'm lucky that I was even able to make what I've written to this point sound coherent. No theologian, I.
Rahner was also appointed as a theological expert to Vatican II, and apparently exerted a fair amount of influence.
P.S.: Given that it's the first Monday in March, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Casimir Pulaski, the Polish hero of the US Revolutionary War, whose holiday is being celebrated today. I figured he'd be OK to mention given that Poland is one of the more uniformly Catholic countries out there, but his bio is in the Catholic Encyclopedia, so I'm taking that as confirmation.
Anyway, a happy day off to our friends in Illinois and Wisconsin.
No good excuse for the past weekend's radio silence, just found other stuff to do. Sadly, none of it was particularly more exciting than posting here, just the usual chores that dot a weekend with no planned events. Kind of nice, actually.
We did not go out to visit the USS John F. Kennedy, probably a smart move given that (on Saturday, at least) they capped the line at about 9:30 am. By that point it was roughly a mile long and four people across.
There was also some talk of going to New Bedford and taking in the various whaling and maritime sites before seeing if Wentworth could best nationally-ranked UMass-Dartmouth for the ECAC Northeast crown and a trip to the NCAAs. This plan died mostly of inertia - though Saturday would have been a nice day to mill around a waterfront - and the realization that it'd be odd to head down there while the New Bedfordian (New Bedfordite? New Bedfordvillian? New Bedfordianite?) we best know is in Florida (and his better half is likely out at Amherst watching their hockey team sweep two games from Maine).
(FWIW, Wentworth couldn't quite get it done, losing 4-3. However, former employer Babson College knocked off New England College to win the ECAC East crown and make the national tournament. Their reward is a game against Manhattanville, the second-ranked team in the country. Good luck!)
Anyway, quiet weekend. At least we got to enjoy the higher temps before we get back into the deep freeze this week.
We did not go out to visit the USS John F. Kennedy, probably a smart move given that (on Saturday, at least) they capped the line at about 9:30 am. By that point it was roughly a mile long and four people across.
There was also some talk of going to New Bedford and taking in the various whaling and maritime sites before seeing if Wentworth could best nationally-ranked UMass-Dartmouth for the ECAC Northeast crown and a trip to the NCAAs. This plan died mostly of inertia - though Saturday would have been a nice day to mill around a waterfront - and the realization that it'd be odd to head down there while the New Bedfordian (New Bedfordite? New Bedfordvillian? New Bedfordianite?) we best know is in Florida (and his better half is likely out at Amherst watching their hockey team sweep two games from Maine).
(FWIW, Wentworth couldn't quite get it done, losing 4-3. However, former employer Babson College knocked off New England College to win the ECAC East crown and make the national tournament. Their reward is a game against Manhattanville, the second-ranked team in the country. Good luck!)
Anyway, quiet weekend. At least we got to enjoy the higher temps before we get back into the deep freeze this week.
02 March 2007
Book Log 2006 #6: The Last Templar by Raymond Khoury
Another in the spate of post-Da Vinci books about the Templars and their ilk, this one involves a female archaeologist who is witness to an odd theft during a show of Vatican artwork. She winds up teamed with an FBI agent, who is not thrilled at her becoming more of a partner than a witness. They risk life and limb in a race against those who would like to reveal the secret of the Templars and bring down the modern Catholic church.
It's all pretty standard for the genre. Not as dopey as Da Vinci but not exactly crackling prose, either.
Another in the spate of post-Da Vinci books about the Templars and their ilk, this one involves a female archaeologist who is witness to an odd theft during a show of Vatican artwork. She winds up teamed with an FBI agent, who is not thrilled at her becoming more of a partner than a witness. They risk life and limb in a race against those who would like to reveal the secret of the Templars and bring down the modern Catholic church.
It's all pretty standard for the genre. Not as dopey as Da Vinci but not exactly crackling prose, either.
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
We're back with someone who, unlike JFK, wielded power both political and religious: Pierre Guérin de Tencin, who died on this day in 1758. He went to Rome to assist a cardinal during the election of Innocent XIII, and stayed on for several years as the French representative to the Vatican. During this time he was made a cardinal, and was given the see of Lyons in 1740, two years before becoming French minister of state. He'd retire to his diocese in 1752.
Part of the reason for his retirement, and a certain curb on his power generall, was his sister Claudine. A former nun, Claudine would form a literary circle and become a novelist in her own right, but prior to that she was a courtesan whose influence in political affairs initiall helped her brother, but would ultimately hurt it given her affairs, whose results included an illegitimate son and a suicide of a former lover. I can't imagine there were a lot of family reunions.
We're back with someone who, unlike JFK, wielded power both political and religious: Pierre Guérin de Tencin, who died on this day in 1758. He went to Rome to assist a cardinal during the election of Innocent XIII, and stayed on for several years as the French representative to the Vatican. During this time he was made a cardinal, and was given the see of Lyons in 1740, two years before becoming French minister of state. He'd retire to his diocese in 1752.
Part of the reason for his retirement, and a certain curb on his power generall, was his sister Claudine. A former nun, Claudine would form a literary circle and become a novelist in her own right, but prior to that she was a courtesan whose influence in political affairs initiall helped her brother, but would ultimately hurt it given her affairs, whose results included an illegitimate son and a suicide of a former lover. I can't imagine there were a lot of family reunions.
01 March 2007
Lentorama 2007: The Non-Canonized Catholic Person of the Day
Today it's John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States and only Catholic to hold the office. He's also in no danger of being canonized any time soon.
I'm going with JFK because of two ties to today. The first is that it was on this day in 1961 that he authorized the Peace Corps, one of the highlights of his administration. The other is that today, the USS John F. Kennedy pulled into Boston harbor for a weekend visit, the last before it is decomissioned. It is either the last or next to last conventionally-powered aircraft carrier in the US Navy (I've read both).
Today it's John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States and only Catholic to hold the office. He's also in no danger of being canonized any time soon.
I'm going with JFK because of two ties to today. The first is that it was on this day in 1961 that he authorized the Peace Corps, one of the highlights of his administration. The other is that today, the USS John F. Kennedy pulled into Boston harbor for a weekend visit, the last before it is decomissioned. It is either the last or next to last conventionally-powered aircraft carrier in the US Navy (I've read both).
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