INTERESTING: Baseball rules changes

Sunday, February 18, 2007

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-ruleschanges&prov=ap&type=lgns

Scuffing baseball could lead to 10-game suspension for non-pitchers
February 16, 2007

*** begin quote ***

NEW YORK (AP) — A major league position player who scuffs or defaces a baseball would be ejected and receive an automatic 10-game suspension under changes approved Friday by the sport’s playing rules committee.

*** end quote ***

I like baseball. Don’t know why. Not on tv. Not with distractions. But there are somethings I don’t like. Domes.

Or any game with umpires, referee, or judges. It just seems that the politics of human beings gets in the way of the sport. Was it a foul or wasn’t it. Who did what first. And, my particular favorite in bball, the second foul gets called.

I like games where it’s absolute like how far did you throw that caber. a caber is the big heavy Scottish stick that drunken Scotsmen and other celts throw around for fun. No ref. The contestants measure the divot the darn thing leaves. There are no arguments since it’s usually obvious to the naked eye just whose hole is where. That’s my kind of “referee – less” game!

In baseball, the umpire can really screw a player, manager, and team. The sport needs a feedback loop. I don’t know how to construct it. But, I’m tired of seeing games decided by “zebra ball”.

It’s amusing when the technology shows you the exact path of the ball and the umpire’s call doesn’t match the box. You can usually tell when the call is wrong because the TV folks don’t show the box on THOSE pitches. Only on the ones that confirm the umpire on a close call.

Sheesh, like I didn’t notice it was a bad call. It’s dishonest TV reporting.

And, you trust these guys to report news or entertain you?

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: I liked this summary of Covey’s 7

Saturday, February 17, 2007

1. Take responsibility for everything in your life.
2. Set long term goals and criteria for success.
3. Prioritize a to do list with the long term goals in mind.
4. Seek solutions that are beneficial for all involved parties.
5. Listen to others in order to understand their motivation.
6. When working as a group assign tasks according to a the strengths a person has demonstrated in the past.
7. Take care of yourself first, both physically and emotionally.

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Yesterday I inadvertently changed the theme (i.e., wordpress’ style)

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Upon discovering it this morning, I reverted to my old one. (I check it at least once a day. And, yes, I have an Outlook reminder to nag me about it.) I don’t like change. Change is not usually good. I know the Chinese proverb that “opportunity rides the dangerous winds of change”. But, I like my changes, like my challenges, to be small. Anyway, sorry if you couldn’t read the blog, that theme was for the younger eyes. Did anyone but the spammers notice? :-)

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: First offer accepted wins

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

{Begin Quote}

How would you handle a conflict between a 20 year old client and a completely new client with significant potential, each needing their projects delivered at approximately the same time and each project requiring full-time attention?

{End Quote}

VW:

I think this is really easy.

By way of background, I was a one-man consulting firm twice for a total of seven years. Like the baker making bread, I was selling my time. When I “sold” my time, I was overjoyed. When I had time that went “unsold”, I would put it on the “day old bread shelf”. When it was that time, and I still hadn’t sold it, I unhappily “consumed” it myself. I would down the “most valuable use of my time list” (i.e., deliver value [earns money now], sell value [earns money in the future], develop my value proposition [make selling easier], see where there was future value [anticipate what will be valuable in the future], develop skills [get something to sell]).

You are presenting the opposite problem. An oversold condition. You’d really like to do both, but know you only have a limited number of loaves of bread … err … hours in the day. Like the airline who sells 110 tickets for 100 seats, you are going to have a lot of unhappy people. AND, you may damage your reputation.

Unfortunately, you have the “sultan’s bride” problem. On any individual offer you receive, you have to ask is this particular “maiden and dowry combination” the best I’m going to see. My “policy” was “bird in the hand is dinner, rent, and happiness”. I would accept the first firm offer that met my minimal acceptable conditions. If another came along, even if it was better, I was already “out of stock”. The only choice you have is to raise your rate. And, that’s fine tuning.

If I had a block of time sold and a better offer came along, I’d try to help find an alternative (… … and get a finder’s fee from both sides of the transaction) for the person. But, the first acceptance was binding. And, it was binding on both sides.

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTIING: VWBBIE tested this evening

Monday, February 12, 2007

Just wanted to make sure it was working for Thursday.

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: The “Ministry of Love” sends 1984 to politicians!

Sunday, February 11, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOq5yHDkQgY

I loved this video. It’s the little people speaking out. Think the gooferment will get the message?

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: FUP Exodus army of shmoes quote

Friday, February 9, 2007

What was the quote from the movie starring Kurt Douglas and written by Leon Urris?

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Systematically Aligned

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

http://www.systematicallyaligned.com/

Global consulting to create a framework for normalizing business requirements and technical constraints.

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Obedience versus conscience?

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

http://reinkefj.newsvine.com/

_news/2007/02/06/554919-dale-noyd-vietnam
-objector-dies-at-73-new-york-times?
threadId=74121&cmt=514707

http://tinyurl.com/25pqyd

Dale Noyd, Vietnam Objector, Dies at 73 – New York Times
News Type: Event — Seeded on Tue Feb 6, 2007 7:58 AM EST
Seeded by reinkefj

{Begin Quote}

Dale E. Noyd, who as a decorated Air Force captain and fighter pilot attracted worldwide attention in the 1960s as a conscientious objector who objected to only one war, the one in Vietnam, died Jan. 11 in Seattle.

{End Quote}

Interesting that while the Nuremberg defense (“I was just following orders”) was disallowed for Nazis, he was convicted for not following orders. An interesting paradox. I remember in Heinlein’s novel “Starship Troopers” that soldiers were never forced to do anything. And, unless there was something about “in the face of the enemy” or other factors, in his novel troopers were just sent on their way. Seems like the gooferment wants it both ways whenever it suits their mood. Gooferment is a terrible master. I wonder how much of his two divorces and his death are related to his ordeal.

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Why do we check back on old contacts?

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

WRITTEN TO A COLLEAGUE WHO WAS ASKING WHY HE INTERESTED IN OLD STUFF:

Yes, it’s important to keep in touch. Well, the reason is probably closure. I’m active in my high school and college alumni hobby. There comes a time later in life where we regret all the choices. Some people want to say FU to some people. Others want to say ThankYou, MissYou, or GoodbyeYou. It’s hard to understand. Probably some sort of biological clock wanting to tie up loose ends. You want to compare what you’ve done with others. If for no other reason than to say “I done good”, “gooder”, or “worse”.

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Posted by reinkefj

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