I follow two sports teams. Both are currently plagued by an unreasonable segment of the fanbase. Patience is a virtue possessed by an alarmingly small percentage of people if these fans are any indication. The Cubs have been in rebuild mode ever since Theo Epstein took over. A proper rebuild of an organization with a poor farm system and a major league team with few assets is always going to take time. The idea is that the farm system starts producing, and then you can sign a few free agents to fill in the weak spots in your lineup. The holdup is the time it takes for the farm system to develop longtime major leaguers. Three years for them to start trickling in, with a steady flow by the fifth year. This timeline means that it probably will not be until the fourth year (2015) before the team has a winning record, and 2016 before it is a legitimate playoff contender. How hard is that to understand? Some people apparently believe that this is the wrong way to build a contender. These people never have an answer for what is the right way. The Yankees, whose farm system has not been very productive lately, have had one championship in the last thirteen years, despite far outspending every other team.
Tanaka would have been an interesting signing, but the price might have been too high. There are three issues with Tanaka. First, no one knows how effective he will be against MLB pitching. Second, can he remain healthy? He has thrown a considerable number of pitches in the Japanese league. His young age made him very attractive to many teams like the Cubs, but the mileage on his arm might quickly start to take its toll. Another factor in his health is the forkball pitch. Very few forkball pitchers are able to stay healthy for very long. He might not throw it near as much as Hideo Nomo, but if he is throwing 30-40 a game that could still be very hard on his arm. The third issue is the length of the contract. Seven years is a long time to rely on a pitcher to be healthy. The last few years of that contract could be an albatross to the Yankees. Even worse, if Tanaka does pitch very well and stays healthy, he can opt out after four years. If he is bad, the Yankees are stuck with him for another three years. Maybe by then they will be done paying Arod. I know that Epstein has a policy against "no trade clauses." I wonder if he also has a policy against player "opt out clauses," which seems to me is worse for the team than the no trade clause.
Illinois' basketball team has been in rebuild mode for a season and a half, and already people are bemoaning the lack of success on the court. This year's team consists of three Weber players, two transfers, and five freshmen. Three other transfers are sitting out this year. Considering the lack of recruiting time Groce had for that first recruiting class, he did quite well considering at least three of those freshmen have already shown themselves to be legitimate Big Ten players. Recruiting success can only be judged over a period of years. Only a few programs "recruit themselves," meaning the school attracts the biggest recruits regardless of the coach. Illinois is not one of those schools.
Another problem with the program is that early season success leads to raised expectations for the Big Ten Season. For whatever reason, Illinois has had a tough time with the Big Ten schedule over the last few years. The most popular theory is that the Weber's players are not physically or mentally capable of competing in the physical Big Ten, where sometimes talent is overwhelmed by a will to win. That might apply to this year's team. But I would stress three big reasons why the team has struggled lately. First, Ravonte Rice has been slowed due to an issue with his groin. Since he relies on driving to the basket for the vast majority of his points, obviously his production has fallen. Second, this team really needs a point guard or two. Third, this is a dreadful shooting team. The best shooters are the freshman and the transfers who cannot play this year.
The good news? The 2014-15 team only loses one player, the erratic Bertrand, and gains a couple more freshman, along with those three transfers I previously referred to. That being said, it might not be until the following year before it will be possible to judge Groce, as that will be the first team without any Weber players.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
Schlachthof-fünf
How does one ascertain that a book is a "classic?" Before the Internet, it was not so easy. "Greatest Novels" lists were hard to come by. I suppose encyclopedia entries were one way. Certain books just seemed to be part of the American vocabulary. It helped when a book was adapted into a movie. It also helped when an author was famous for something besides writing books. Prizes enabled the book to remain a permanent fixture in the previously mentioned encyclopedias. What books are assigned in the classroom is also a surefire designation of a book as a classic. After all, a teacher would not waste our time on anything less, would he/she?
Closely associated with classroom assignments are Cliff's Notes. I actually only heard them called CliffNotes, but that was in error. Even in my small hometown back in the 1980s I knew of a place that sold them, albeit a limited selection. Here were all the summations, meanings, and answers that one would need for the purposes of the classroom-according to Cliff. It was difficult to look at the list of Cliff's Notes offerings and not come to the conclusion that it was as good of a source for a definitive list of classics. Of course, the shorter books were more likely to be Cliff's Noted, as those are the ones more likely to be assigned in the classroom. Back in the 1980s, one of the more recent books in the collection was Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, released at the end of the 1960s.
I struggled a bit trying to construe Vonnegut's message. Perhaps another reading is needed. [Kids, what follows are topics for that three page paper the teacher is forcing you to write.] The themes included death, perception, and predestination. Death of the unnatural kind permeates the book, and Vonnegut underlines every passing. So it goes.
Perception is interesting. While it seems to revolve around Billy Pilgrim's view of the world, Vonnegut slips in his own views, along with a few other characters like Roland Weary and Kilgore Trout. Billy's view of the world is shaped by his war experience at a young age. Then the plane crash seems to jumble everything up. Kilgore Trout's writing comes to life in his head. He has visions of the future. He is even abducted by Troutian aliens. Reality comes unglued.
Predestination, the belief in the inability to change one's future, is a part of the alien creed. But maybe it is merely a defense mechanism for Billy's traumatized mind. And what does Montana's locket signify, the one whose message is important enough to warrant the only illustration in the book? "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom always to tell the difference." This is at odds with the gospel according to Billy.
Vonnegut's description of the war is troubling. Those English prisoners of war and their cushy lifestyle does not seem possible that late in the war. Why would the Germans, who had to be running short on amenities, allow it? Maybe this is a true story related by Vonnegut's own experience. Then there is the whole issue of Dresden, which is damaged by Vonnegut's insistence, both in the "prologue" chapter and in Billy's experience, that the bombing of Dresden was as bad or even worse than Hiroshima and the like. Vonnegut says that 135,000 were killed. Where does he come by that number? A short investigation reveals that this number was quoted from a "historian" who had written a book about Dresden. This "historian" apparently used Goebbels as a source, and unsurprisingly he has been labeled as a holocaust denier, among other things. That book has been largely discredited. In recent years Dresden has claimed at most 25,000 people killed as a result of the bombing. Quite a difference from what Vonnegut espoused, and it is damaging to the book. Unless, that is, this is seen as another issue in the theme of perception. To Billy and Vonnegut, the destruction had to result in over 100,000 deaths, because that is what their eyes and minds were telling them.
So, is Vonnegut's book a classic? That is not really for me to judge, particularly so soon after just one reading. It does offer a lot to chew on. And it will probably stay with me longer than the movie version, about which I remember practically nothing from my viewing 15 years ago. Or maybe I did not see it at all? I do not have the power to recall the events of nearly every day of my life. If you are a regular watcher of 60 Minutes you know what I am referring to. A very small number of people have that power, including Marilu Henner. It sounds a lot like Billy Pilgrim, does it not?
Friday, January 17, 2014
Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown.
Oops-Saving Mr. Banks is now in more theaters than any Best Picture nominee, despite doing weaker business than Wolf or American Hustle over the last two weeks. I guess Banks will be riding the wave that the Best Original Score nomination will provide it.
Scandal!-It turns out it's not necessarily important how many Academy members see your movie, but rather how many you are buddies with. It will be interesting to see how much more press this particular controversy receives. It is the kind of thing that other, less prestigious awards used to be known for. At this point The Golden Globes is not looking all that bad, now that the 31 year old Pia Zadora fiasco is starting to fade from memory.
Stick to what you do best?-"Director" Spike Jonze received three nominations, and none of them are for direction.
Reality Bites-Julia Roberts is in the "Supporting" category despite a role that is a lead performance. This is more chicanery by Harvey Weinstein, but really all studios do it, probably because it works.
It's a lock!-Keep in mind that in recent history the Globes winner rarely matches the Academy winner for Best Picture. Argo did, but last year was a bit of a strange year for predictors. This year the Globes managed to make winners of the two top picks to win at the academy, thanks to the questionable inclusion of American Hustle in the comedy category, so look for another match this year. The guild awards are the true indicators of who will win, as there is significant crossover in the voting constituencies.
Scandal!-It turns out it's not necessarily important how many Academy members see your movie, but rather how many you are buddies with. It will be interesting to see how much more press this particular controversy receives. It is the kind of thing that other, less prestigious awards used to be known for. At this point The Golden Globes is not looking all that bad, now that the 31 year old Pia Zadora fiasco is starting to fade from memory.
Stick to what you do best?-"Director" Spike Jonze received three nominations, and none of them are for direction.
Reality Bites-Julia Roberts is in the "Supporting" category despite a role that is a lead performance. This is more chicanery by Harvey Weinstein, but really all studios do it, probably because it works.
It's a lock!-Keep in mind that in recent history the Globes winner rarely matches the Academy winner for Best Picture. Argo did, but last year was a bit of a strange year for predictors. This year the Globes managed to make winners of the two top picks to win at the academy, thanks to the questionable inclusion of American Hustle in the comedy category, so look for another match this year. The guild awards are the true indicators of who will win, as there is significant crossover in the voting constituencies.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Drop the Pretentiousness
Awards shows are promotional pieces. Perhaps at some point they were geared more towards the ideal of rewarding excellence. That time is long past, for various reasons. The voters' qualifications are suspect. Many nominations and wins are purchased. In the case of the Academy Awards, without a "campaign" one will be lucky to receive a nomination, and a win is nearly impossible. This includes glad-handing and working the room during the season.
Regardless, I have a fascination with the whole process. How the movies rise and fall in the rankings, the problem with being the early favorite, the mystery movie no one has seen that receives the end of the year release. How the whining and the attacks keep the dialogue going. The resulting four hour borefest cannot help but be anticlimactic .
Best Picture appears to come down to two movies. 12 Years a Slave is considered too intense for the older crowd that dominates the Academy electorate. If they turn it off thirty minutes into the movie, they probably are not going to vote for it. American Hustle is a showcase for actors, which is beneficial because the actors' branch is by far the biggest branch in the Academy. It will be hard to beat if it manages nominations for Christian Bale and Jeremy Renner or Bradley Cooper, in addition to Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams. By the way, most people consider her to be iffy for a nomination due to the veteran actresses in the category this year, but Adams has two things going for her: four previous nominations, and the most difficult role in the movie, in addition to juggling accents.
The Wolf of Wall Street's unorthodox handling of a serious topic has been a turnoff to some people, and its meaning and purpose have been misconstrued by people who cannot see past the broader elements of the film. Saving Mr. Banks has a story that normally results in victory come awards time, but some people might be turned off by the unwarranted deification of Walt Disney. Gravity, the favorite to many, is too dominated by special effects (i.e. Star Wars and Avatar). Gravity's consolation prize might be in the director category. None of the other potential nominees have ever been on anyone's radar to win the big prize, and it is too late now for that to change.
Regardless, I have a fascination with the whole process. How the movies rise and fall in the rankings, the problem with being the early favorite, the mystery movie no one has seen that receives the end of the year release. How the whining and the attacks keep the dialogue going. The resulting four hour borefest cannot help but be anticlimactic .
Best Picture appears to come down to two movies. 12 Years a Slave is considered too intense for the older crowd that dominates the Academy electorate. If they turn it off thirty minutes into the movie, they probably are not going to vote for it. American Hustle is a showcase for actors, which is beneficial because the actors' branch is by far the biggest branch in the Academy. It will be hard to beat if it manages nominations for Christian Bale and Jeremy Renner or Bradley Cooper, in addition to Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams. By the way, most people consider her to be iffy for a nomination due to the veteran actresses in the category this year, but Adams has two things going for her: four previous nominations, and the most difficult role in the movie, in addition to juggling accents.
The Wolf of Wall Street's unorthodox handling of a serious topic has been a turnoff to some people, and its meaning and purpose have been misconstrued by people who cannot see past the broader elements of the film. Saving Mr. Banks has a story that normally results in victory come awards time, but some people might be turned off by the unwarranted deification of Walt Disney. Gravity, the favorite to many, is too dominated by special effects (i.e. Star Wars and Avatar). Gravity's consolation prize might be in the director category. None of the other potential nominees have ever been on anyone's radar to win the big prize, and it is too late now for that to change.
Realism Schmilism
One of my favorite games for the 8-bit Nintendo was R.B.I. Baseball. What it lacked in realism it made up for in fun factor. Because it included real names and stats from the 1986 and 1987 seasons (despite not being licensed by MLB), it included the flukey 1987 season in which home runs were flying out of the park in great contrast to the rest of the 1980s. It never was explained what happened that year. Some might claim it was the beginning of PED use (see Canseco and McGwire), but that does not explain why home runs went down to normal levels after that. Anyway, being able to hit with Andre Dawson, who clubbed 49 that year, is one of my fond memories of this game. In stark contrast to all the power numbers was the Cardinals team from that year, which featured several base stealers instead of the normal power laden lineup. Plus Jack Clark, of course.
There was also an arcade version that I remember playing at Wal-Mart. It was similar to the Nintendo game, except that it used much older lineups featuring players like Ruth, Mays, etc. I loved using Carl Hubbell since he was a left handed sidearm pitcher.
Anyway, what brought this to mind is that a new version, R.B.I. Baseball 14, has been announced for release this spring. I have no idea what the 14 refers to, unless they are counting all the versions released in Japan. This version is licensed by Major League Baseball, so it should include real names and stats, and hopefully places like Wrigley Field, etc.
Here is video that a guy made using the R.B.I. game and Vin Scully's call of the bottom of the tenth of game 6 of the Mets-Red Sox World Series.
There was also an arcade version that I remember playing at Wal-Mart. It was similar to the Nintendo game, except that it used much older lineups featuring players like Ruth, Mays, etc. I loved using Carl Hubbell since he was a left handed sidearm pitcher.
Anyway, what brought this to mind is that a new version, R.B.I. Baseball 14, has been announced for release this spring. I have no idea what the 14 refers to, unless they are counting all the versions released in Japan. This version is licensed by Major League Baseball, so it should include real names and stats, and hopefully places like Wrigley Field, etc.
Here is video that a guy made using the R.B.I. game and Vin Scully's call of the bottom of the tenth of game 6 of the Mets-Red Sox World Series.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Jersey Con Job
Spoilers ahead.
There really is not much to say about it. To those people whining that it does not make sense, at least it is a lot less ludicrous than Argo. And this movie has stylish direction and riveting dialogue. Christian Bale dives into his role with ease. Bruce Wayne has been erased. 58484When Rosenfeld is struggling to pop that pill in his mouth, does anyone see a hunky movie star on screen? Of course, understated does not win awards, and it will not this time either.
American Hustle is pleasant enough without really saying anything. It does briefly try to portray the murky waters of political favoritism where legality does not always match the right thing to do. But Rosenfeld's repentance towards Mayor Polito does not seem credible considering Rosenfeld has swindled people his whole life, with little regard for the consequences of his actions. The portrayal of Rosenfeld for a few scant minutes as an apologetic atoner comes across as a strained attempt to make the protagonist of the film a sympathetic figure.
A triumphant Rosenfeld emerges at the end. He has escaped from the FBI's clutches, he has placated the mob, he still has his son, and he still has Amy Adams. That upbeat note rings false. If allowed, Rosenfeld will surely return to the only life he has known, a life built on lies, deception, and enriching himself at other people's expense. Will most filmgoers realize this? No, because they have been hustled by David O. Russell.
There really is not much to say about it. To those people whining that it does not make sense, at least it is a lot less ludicrous than Argo. And this movie has stylish direction and riveting dialogue. Christian Bale dives into his role with ease. Bruce Wayne has been erased. 58484When Rosenfeld is struggling to pop that pill in his mouth, does anyone see a hunky movie star on screen? Of course, understated does not win awards, and it will not this time either.
American Hustle is pleasant enough without really saying anything. It does briefly try to portray the murky waters of political favoritism where legality does not always match the right thing to do. But Rosenfeld's repentance towards Mayor Polito does not seem credible considering Rosenfeld has swindled people his whole life, with little regard for the consequences of his actions. The portrayal of Rosenfeld for a few scant minutes as an apologetic atoner comes across as a strained attempt to make the protagonist of the film a sympathetic figure.
A triumphant Rosenfeld emerges at the end. He has escaped from the FBI's clutches, he has placated the mob, he still has his son, and he still has Amy Adams. That upbeat note rings false. If allowed, Rosenfeld will surely return to the only life he has known, a life built on lies, deception, and enriching himself at other people's expense. Will most filmgoers realize this? No, because they have been hustled by David O. Russell.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Not Such a Good Thing
It always surprised me that "Good Thing" by Fine Young Cannibals was a number one song. Rather slight and repetitive, is it not? Sure, those are two ingredients for a successful pop song, but in this case they do not add up. The song does have a nice retro-feel (not pop), and a soulful piano solo (not pop). This song was also not as popular in their native England, where the band already had several hits. Curiously, the song debuted in 1987's Tin Men, two years before its release as a single.
Roland Gift's high pitched voice and pronounced accent made the lyrics largely unintelligible. After reading them, I do not think I was missing much. Certainly the lyrics do not match the video, which celebrates motor scooters. Wha, wha, what?
The one good thing in my life
Has gone away
I don't know why
She's gone away
I don't know where
Somewhere I can't follow her
The one good thing didn't stay too long
Woo who who who
My back was turned and she was gone
Hey hey hey
Good thing
Where have you gone
Doo doo doobie doo
My good thing
You've been gone too long
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
People say I should forget
New friend tomorrow
Don't get upset
People say she's doing fine
Mutual friends I see sometime
That's not what I want to hear
Woo who who who
I want to hear she wants me near
Good thing
Where have you gone
Doo doo doobie doo
My good thing
You've been gone too long
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
Good thing
Then one day she came back
I was so happy that I didn't act
Morning came
Hey hey hey hey
Into my room
Woo who who who
Caught me dreaming like a fool
Good thing
My good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
My my my my my good thing
Where have you gone
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
My good thing
Hey hey my good thing
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
Girl
Where have you gone
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
It's been so long
Good God girl
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
Good God girl
Good God girl
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
Good God
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
Good God
Roland Gift's high pitched voice and pronounced accent made the lyrics largely unintelligible. After reading them, I do not think I was missing much. Certainly the lyrics do not match the video, which celebrates motor scooters. Wha, wha, what?
The one good thing in my life
Has gone away
I don't know why
She's gone away
I don't know where
Somewhere I can't follow her
The one good thing didn't stay too long
Woo who who who
My back was turned and she was gone
Hey hey hey
Good thing
Where have you gone
Doo doo doobie doo
My good thing
You've been gone too long
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
People say I should forget
New friend tomorrow
Don't get upset
People say she's doing fine
Mutual friends I see sometime
That's not what I want to hear
Woo who who who
I want to hear she wants me near
Good thing
Where have you gone
Doo doo doobie doo
My good thing
You've been gone too long
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
Good thing
Then one day she came back
I was so happy that I didn't act
Morning came
Hey hey hey hey
Into my room
Woo who who who
Caught me dreaming like a fool
Good thing
My good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
My my my my my good thing
Where have you gone
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo
My good thing
Hey hey my good thing
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
Girl
Where have you gone
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
It's been so long
Good God girl
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
Good God girl
Good God girl
Good thing
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
Good God
Doo doo doobie doo good thing
Good God
Unwelcome Thaw
The reason I did not contact a roof specialist for help is that I thought maybe these incidents were just flukes, since this problem had not cropped up to this extent in the first five years of living in the house. Last year the winter was mostly mild with very little snow until March, so it was not a concern then. But this winter, with the first big windy snowfall, quite a bit of snow must have blown in, as four days later when the temperature warmed wet spots showed up on the living room ceiling. This is an entirely new spot for the problem. I have also come to the conclusion that this has only became a problem recently because my next door neighbor added on to his house in the back. His house is a two story, whereas mine is a ranch, and so logically snow could blow off of his house onto my roof. The part that he added onto his house must have changed the wind pattern enough to make it much more likely that snow can blow into the vents on my roof.
At first I was skeptical that this could happen. Why would it be acceptable to install vents that would allow snow to blow in? I know that builders are prone to using cheap materials when not under the direction of a future homeowner, but shouldn't there be standards for this? I guess not. I live in one of the windiest parts of the country. Combine that with a fair amount of snow each winter, and this should be foreseeable. It could be that the vents are not the wrong vents, but that they were installed incorrectly. Either way, I guess I am going to have to do something about it. Over the long term this could lead to rotting wood, in addition to messed up insulation and the stained ceilings.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
The Closer
With all the Maddux talk, my mind has been on the 80s Cubs. I was too young at the time to fully comprehend personnel moves, but now it is pretty clear. Jim Frey was a horrible general manager. How bad? Keep in mind that he took over the job from the highly regard Dallas Green. Green made quick fixes to the team through trades-Sandberg, Dernier, Moreland, Sutcliffe, Matthews, and Eckersley were all acquired, while giving up Carter and Buckner. Green rejuvenated the Cubs' minor league system by drafting Maddux, Moyer, Palmeiro, Grace, Dunston, Girardi, Smith, and Walton.
So Frey had big shoes to fill, and he proved to be not up to the task. One of the first things he did was trade Lee Smith to Boston for Calvin Shiraldi and Al Nipper. This looks like it might have been a salary dump. Whatever the reason, it was a disaster in 1988. To replace Smith Frey traded Moreland to San Diego for an over the hill Goose Gossage. Gossage still had good enough stuff to be a setup man, but his days as a competent closer were over.
The next offseason Frey, desperate for a closer, traded Palmeiro and Moyer for Mitch Williams. The trade made little sense, as Palmeiro and Moyer were still very young, were coming off good seasons, and Mitch Williams had been little better than mediocre for Texas. The trade looked a lot better when the Cubs won the division that year with Williams saving 37 games, but Williams reverted to bad after that. It should be noted that it took Moyer several years before he fine tuned his control enough to be a consistent winner, and Palmeiro needed some extra "help" on his way to 500 home runs. So even if Frey had not made the trade, it is not clear whether Palmeiro and Moyer would have benefited the Cubs.
When Williams bombed out, Frey turned to free agency and signed Dave Smith. Smith was awful. Paul Sullivan has the details about Smith, Gossage, and other horrible Cub closers.
Frey also signed George Bell and Danny Jackson. Bell had one ok year for the Cubs before Himes, the Cubs replacement for Frey, traded him for Sammy Sosa. Danny Jackson was one in a long line of erratic left handed pitchers for the Cubs (Shawn Estes and Rich Hill being two other examples).
Himes must be grateful that Jim Frey was so bad. Otherwise Himes might have the title of "worst Cubs G.M." Letting one of the greatest pitchers of all time (Maddux) leave over two million dollars ranks as the worst Cubs move ever.
One last tidbit from my 80s Cubs memory archives-when I was in high school one of my teachers, a big Cubs fan, hung up a poster or a magazine page that was titled "Future Stars." It was a grid divided into four square pictures of "future stars." Who were these future stars? I don't remember exactly, but looking at the date (the class was the fall of '87 and spring of '88) I think those four players would have been Maddux, Palmeiro, Moyer, and the one who did not pan out, Drew Hall. If that is true, then this would be quite the poster. Anyone else remember a poster like that?
So Frey had big shoes to fill, and he proved to be not up to the task. One of the first things he did was trade Lee Smith to Boston for Calvin Shiraldi and Al Nipper. This looks like it might have been a salary dump. Whatever the reason, it was a disaster in 1988. To replace Smith Frey traded Moreland to San Diego for an over the hill Goose Gossage. Gossage still had good enough stuff to be a setup man, but his days as a competent closer were over.
The next offseason Frey, desperate for a closer, traded Palmeiro and Moyer for Mitch Williams. The trade made little sense, as Palmeiro and Moyer were still very young, were coming off good seasons, and Mitch Williams had been little better than mediocre for Texas. The trade looked a lot better when the Cubs won the division that year with Williams saving 37 games, but Williams reverted to bad after that. It should be noted that it took Moyer several years before he fine tuned his control enough to be a consistent winner, and Palmeiro needed some extra "help" on his way to 500 home runs. So even if Frey had not made the trade, it is not clear whether Palmeiro and Moyer would have benefited the Cubs.
When Williams bombed out, Frey turned to free agency and signed Dave Smith. Smith was awful. Paul Sullivan has the details about Smith, Gossage, and other horrible Cub closers.
Frey also signed George Bell and Danny Jackson. Bell had one ok year for the Cubs before Himes, the Cubs replacement for Frey, traded him for Sammy Sosa. Danny Jackson was one in a long line of erratic left handed pitchers for the Cubs (Shawn Estes and Rich Hill being two other examples).
Himes must be grateful that Jim Frey was so bad. Otherwise Himes might have the title of "worst Cubs G.M." Letting one of the greatest pitchers of all time (Maddux) leave over two million dollars ranks as the worst Cubs move ever.
One last tidbit from my 80s Cubs memory archives-when I was in high school one of my teachers, a big Cubs fan, hung up a poster or a magazine page that was titled "Future Stars." It was a grid divided into four square pictures of "future stars." Who were these future stars? I don't remember exactly, but looking at the date (the class was the fall of '87 and spring of '88) I think those four players would have been Maddux, Palmeiro, Moyer, and the one who did not pan out, Drew Hall. If that is true, then this would be quite the poster. Anyone else remember a poster like that?
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Controversy Becomes Her
For forty years, Meryl Streep has avoided controversy. Her life outside of movies has been nondescript, to say the least. So it is nice to read that she is taking a stand on Walt Disney. And no, I do not buy the argument that Walt Disney was a product of his time. Plenty of intelligent people during this time period were enlightened in their opinions about "commonly accepted" views. They might have been a small minority, but that doesn't forgive Disney or anyone else who really should have known better.
The Maddux Narrative
Watching the baseball stuff today I was amused by the talk about how Greg Maddux was calm and collected on the mound. That is not the Maddux I remember from the Cubs years. Whenever there was an argument with an umpire it was fairly common for cursing to be heard over the crowd mics. Well, any Cubs fan who paid much attention in the late eighties should remember Maddux cursing whenever he missed his location. It was easiest to hear in a road game with a sparse crowd. The smaller the crowd (especially make up games or games interrupted by really bad weather), the more one could make out individual voices. Maddux would let loose with G__Dammit! time and time again. I never heard the broadcasters acknowledge this, and I have never heard anyone else talk about this, but it did happen. He might have calmed down by his first Cy Young year, and probably seemed very mature when pitching with the Braves, but I remember the guy who was temperamental.
Back then Maddux was a half-season guy. He would be spectacular for half a season, and then struggle to do anything right for the other half of the season. I do not remember his debut season, but in 1988 he had one of the most spectacular pre-All Star Breaks halves that any pitcher has ever pitched. 15-3 record. The only reason that he did not start the All Star Game is that he pitched the Sunday before-a win against the Padres if I am remembering correctly. [yes, i did remember] After the break he went 3 and 5. I think it was less about the league figuring him out and more about Maddux losing his way with his control. He would have similar years in 89-91, before his Cy Young season in 1992.
Two specific games involving Maddux stand out in my mind. The first was when I saw him win against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Maddux was textbook Maddux. Great fielder on the mound, and back then he made more of an effort at hitting, frequently legging out infield hits.
The second game was also against the Cardinals. I think it was in that 1988 season. Wow, I just found the box score for that game. I must have been in school that day, but I must have gotten home just in time to see the end of the game, because I remember it clearly. Or, at least, I thought I remembered it clearly. According to the box score, Maddux pitched into the 11th inning. Even more incredible, Maddux threw 167 pitches. 167 pitches! Today, a manager would be fired for leaving a 22 year old in for 167 pitches. Now I wonder if Maddux had a tired arm in the second half of the 1988 season. Anyway, Maddux got the first two outs in the 11th. Then after two singles, he gave up an infield hit to third base. Even with the bases loaded, Zimmer left him in. Which is a good thing, because Maddux forced a weak grounder to second-OH WAIT! THE BALL HIT THE SEAM AND BOUNCED OVER SANDBERG'S HEAD! So that was one of the losses that Maddux had when he went 15-3 before the break.
Back then Maddux was a half-season guy. He would be spectacular for half a season, and then struggle to do anything right for the other half of the season. I do not remember his debut season, but in 1988 he had one of the most spectacular pre-All Star Breaks halves that any pitcher has ever pitched. 15-3 record. The only reason that he did not start the All Star Game is that he pitched the Sunday before-a win against the Padres if I am remembering correctly. [yes, i did remember] After the break he went 3 and 5. I think it was less about the league figuring him out and more about Maddux losing his way with his control. He would have similar years in 89-91, before his Cy Young season in 1992.
Two specific games involving Maddux stand out in my mind. The first was when I saw him win against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Maddux was textbook Maddux. Great fielder on the mound, and back then he made more of an effort at hitting, frequently legging out infield hits.
The second game was also against the Cardinals. I think it was in that 1988 season. Wow, I just found the box score for that game. I must have been in school that day, but I must have gotten home just in time to see the end of the game, because I remember it clearly. Or, at least, I thought I remembered it clearly. According to the box score, Maddux pitched into the 11th inning. Even more incredible, Maddux threw 167 pitches. 167 pitches! Today, a manager would be fired for leaving a 22 year old in for 167 pitches. Now I wonder if Maddux had a tired arm in the second half of the 1988 season. Anyway, Maddux got the first two outs in the 11th. Then after two singles, he gave up an infield hit to third base. Even with the bases loaded, Zimmer left him in. Which is a good thing, because Maddux forced a weak grounder to second-OH WAIT! THE BALL HIT THE SEAM AND BOUNCED OVER SANDBERG'S HEAD! So that was one of the losses that Maddux had when he went 15-3 before the break.
A Big Dustup
A few years ago I had to stop using Tidy Cats litter because of excessive dust. Three months ago I noticed the successor to that cat litter was suddenly very dusty. I chalked it up to a bad bag/pallet of bags. Two months later a third bag contained the same dusty litter. Maybe I should have heeded the warning when a few months back I noticed that the packaging now advertised "low dust" litter instead of "99% dust free" litter.
The dusty litter was not a long term option. The litter is under the stairwell in the basement. An out of the way place, but it is part of a larger room and the litter dust coats everything in the room, and some of it manages to float out into the rest of the finished basement. I tried an air purifier in that room a few years ago, but it could not keep up and seemed to spread the dust around. And that was when the litter was not so dusty.
So I tried a different litter. I was worried about this because I was not sure how the two cats would like it. The one cat has already had bladder issues, and the last thing I need is for this to make his situation worse. Luckily that cat had no problem with the litter. The other cat did not take to it very well. I mixed some old litter in with the new litter, and he jumped right in. He still seems to prefer that mixture, but he is doing some of his business in the purely new litter, so the old litter will be going away very soon.
The litter I switched to is World's Best Cat Litter-the green bag. It is a corn litter, and has a strong odor up close, but I am happy with it. It is a huge improvement in that there is very, very little dust. It also is much easier to scoop. I broke one of the big plastic scoopers trying to scoop the old litter.
The bad part is that this litter is more expensive, but I expect it to last longer. Regardless, the extra cost is worth it.
The dusty litter was not a long term option. The litter is under the stairwell in the basement. An out of the way place, but it is part of a larger room and the litter dust coats everything in the room, and some of it manages to float out into the rest of the finished basement. I tried an air purifier in that room a few years ago, but it could not keep up and seemed to spread the dust around. And that was when the litter was not so dusty.
So I tried a different litter. I was worried about this because I was not sure how the two cats would like it. The one cat has already had bladder issues, and the last thing I need is for this to make his situation worse. Luckily that cat had no problem with the litter. The other cat did not take to it very well. I mixed some old litter in with the new litter, and he jumped right in. He still seems to prefer that mixture, but he is doing some of his business in the purely new litter, so the old litter will be going away very soon.
The litter I switched to is World's Best Cat Litter-the green bag. It is a corn litter, and has a strong odor up close, but I am happy with it. It is a huge improvement in that there is very, very little dust. It also is much easier to scoop. I broke one of the big plastic scoopers trying to scoop the old litter.
The bad part is that this litter is more expensive, but I expect it to last longer. Regardless, the extra cost is worth it.
Cold as Ice
Frozen
Full of spoilers, and I don't care.
The princess, let's call her Ten Inch, for that ten inch waistline, is not the brightest bulb. She chooses to confront her sister at the coronation in front of a lot of people. She also wants to marry some guy she just met. At least the story acknowledges this blunder.
Then there is the newly-crowned queen, let's call her Twelve Inch, for that twelve inch waistline. Evidently she put on a couple pounds while in hiding. Never mind that shut-ins are not normally the healthiest looking people. For whatever reason she goes years without divulging her secret to her sister. One has to wonder what she is waiting for. There does not seem to be anyone to confide in, and keeping yourself confined to one room for years is a rather lonely existence. And then we have the whole young mutant "cannot control my power" aspect that has been done to death in X-Men comics for the last few decades. I guess it could not be more appropriate that Disney now owns Marvel.
Which brings me to the deceased king and queen. They are so concerned about the health of their children that they go visit trolls to save their daughter's life. And yet, they run off on a boat for no apparent good reason, in what amounts to child abandonment. Even if they were not parents it would seem ludicrous. In recorded history, kings and queens rarely if ever left their homeland, or even their castle. There are very good reasons for this. First, who is left in charge? In this movie, apparently NO ONE is in charge except for the princesses. Second, leaving creates a fantastic opportunity for a rival to move in and take over. Third, how reckless is it to go off in a ship? In the 21st century it is not even all that safe to vacation on a cruise liner.
The animation is fine. What it is lacking is a creative spark. The wow factor is lacking. Part of the problem is a lack of direction. Say what you will about Spielberg, but he does know how to ramp up thrilling moments. Brad Bird is another example. Frozen inexplicably has two directors, which ironically enough might explain the lack of direction. Functional, and nothing more.
The story is ordinary. The usual Disneyfied characters are on display. They could not come up with enough humor for the main characters, so they added in a wacky snowman. Great. Some people have raised the fact that the main hero is a woman. Is that really much to brag about for a movie in 2013? Not really a Brave stance, and it ignores the fact that the princess still needs help from the ice merchant.
We are signaled beforehand that Hans is not all he seems to be. First, there are those mutton chops. What Disney hero has a physical trait like that? Once the ice merchant comes into the picture, it is clear that either Disney will uncharacteristically present a love triangle, or Hans will be exposed as a fraud. And of course Disney took the easy way out. After all, you can never have too many villains.
The songs are weak. Typical Broadway schlock. The music is forgettable, and the lyrics are bland. There might have only been ten songs, but it sure felt like more. Anyone who likes these songs must have really low standards for what is good in a musical.
Unfortunately the success of Frozen means that we will have more animated mediocrity in the future. Notice that while recent Pixar and Dreamworks films have diminished in quality, other studios are taking advantage of the void, and Disney branded films are now creeping back into the dominant position. It is a sad state of affairs for animation.
Full of spoilers, and I don't care.
The princess, let's call her Ten Inch, for that ten inch waistline, is not the brightest bulb. She chooses to confront her sister at the coronation in front of a lot of people. She also wants to marry some guy she just met. At least the story acknowledges this blunder.
Then there is the newly-crowned queen, let's call her Twelve Inch, for that twelve inch waistline. Evidently she put on a couple pounds while in hiding. Never mind that shut-ins are not normally the healthiest looking people. For whatever reason she goes years without divulging her secret to her sister. One has to wonder what she is waiting for. There does not seem to be anyone to confide in, and keeping yourself confined to one room for years is a rather lonely existence. And then we have the whole young mutant "cannot control my power" aspect that has been done to death in X-Men comics for the last few decades. I guess it could not be more appropriate that Disney now owns Marvel.
Which brings me to the deceased king and queen. They are so concerned about the health of their children that they go visit trolls to save their daughter's life. And yet, they run off on a boat for no apparent good reason, in what amounts to child abandonment. Even if they were not parents it would seem ludicrous. In recorded history, kings and queens rarely if ever left their homeland, or even their castle. There are very good reasons for this. First, who is left in charge? In this movie, apparently NO ONE is in charge except for the princesses. Second, leaving creates a fantastic opportunity for a rival to move in and take over. Third, how reckless is it to go off in a ship? In the 21st century it is not even all that safe to vacation on a cruise liner.
The animation is fine. What it is lacking is a creative spark. The wow factor is lacking. Part of the problem is a lack of direction. Say what you will about Spielberg, but he does know how to ramp up thrilling moments. Brad Bird is another example. Frozen inexplicably has two directors, which ironically enough might explain the lack of direction. Functional, and nothing more.
The story is ordinary. The usual Disneyfied characters are on display. They could not come up with enough humor for the main characters, so they added in a wacky snowman. Great. Some people have raised the fact that the main hero is a woman. Is that really much to brag about for a movie in 2013? Not really a Brave stance, and it ignores the fact that the princess still needs help from the ice merchant.
We are signaled beforehand that Hans is not all he seems to be. First, there are those mutton chops. What Disney hero has a physical trait like that? Once the ice merchant comes into the picture, it is clear that either Disney will uncharacteristically present a love triangle, or Hans will be exposed as a fraud. And of course Disney took the easy way out. After all, you can never have too many villains.
The songs are weak. Typical Broadway schlock. The music is forgettable, and the lyrics are bland. There might have only been ten songs, but it sure felt like more. Anyone who likes these songs must have really low standards for what is good in a musical.
Unfortunately the success of Frozen means that we will have more animated mediocrity in the future. Notice that while recent Pixar and Dreamworks films have diminished in quality, other studios are taking advantage of the void, and Disney branded films are now creeping back into the dominant position. It is a sad state of affairs for animation.
PEDs and the Baseball Hall of Fame
The 2014 nominees for the Baseball Hall of Fame are soon to be announced. If I had a vote, I would not vote for someone who I feel used PEDs to enhance his performance. Of course, not everyone who used PEDs has been outed. So then how do I decide who to vote for? Somewhat similar to the way that juries decide whether someone is guilty. Only I am using a civil burden of proof, i.e. more likely than not.
What evidence do I use? What do your eyes tell you? With Mark McGuire, it was obvious. With Maddux, it was obvious that he was not using. Statistics are really more useful than the eye test. Did the player accomplish something in a season that seems incredible, if not record breaking? Did the player achieve some of his better seasons at an advanced age (35+)? Those two questions go a long way toward eliminating all the questionable candidates.
Some people claim that this is merely guesswork, and that it is impossible to be sure about the PED use that has not been confirmed. Yes, it is guesswork, but the HOF voters have already made a lot of questionable choices in the past, and my choices will at the very least match that level of responsibility.
The steroid era pretty much began with Canseco in 1986. McGuire showed up in 1987. Lenny Dykstra was a small guy who appeared more bulked up each year, culminating in statistics that did not look right for a guy who was a mediocre hitter for the Mets. Regardless of Dykstra's PED use, his career numbers are nowhere close to HOF caliber.
1993 was Mike Piazza's rookie year. Piazza's numbers each year were stunning for a catcher, very Yogi Berra like. Not for a second do I believe that they were legitimate. The story on Piazza is that he was drafted in the 62nd round by the Dodgers as a favor to Tommy Lasorda. Lasorda thought so little of Piazza's hitting ability that he advised him to learn the catching position. And yet, Piazza was able to quickly transform himself into one of the greatest, if not the greatest, hitting catchers of all time. Steroid use probably became much more widespread beginning in 1992, and the numbers started to become outrageous in the strike shortened season of 1994. The first testing of any kind was 2003. Piazza's peak years were from 1993 to 2002. After 2002 his highest batting average was .286 and his highest homerun total was 22. Are we to assume that it is a coincidence that his numbers immediately dropped off the very same year that testing began? He turned 34 in 2003, so a fall in production could be expected. But still, it is quite a coincidence. Too much of a coincidence for me.
Jeff Bagwell is another guy whose best years fit almost entirely in the peak steroid era. He didn't hit over 20 homers until his fourth full length season. That season, 1994 was the strike year. He hit 39 home runs in only 110 games. 39 home runs, in a shortened season, when he had never hit over 20 home runs before, and last but not least, playing half his games in the hitter unfriendly Astrodome. Seems like quite an unlikely feat. Bagwell's last productive year was 2004 (which was also Bonds' last big year), the year that baseball began penalizing players for testing positive. Bagwell admitted taking Andro, which was later named a banned substance. Sure, his career essentially ended at age 36, which seems "normal." But with the testing in place it would have been very difficult for him to take the same substances that prolonged the careers of so many hitters pre-2004. Another peculiar aspect of Bagwell's career is that he was not much of a power hitter in the minor leagues (only 6 homers?), which is why Boston traded him for relief pitcher Larry Anderson. Bagwell fails the "more likely than not" standard.
The other guys, Maddux, Glavine, Biggio, and Thomas all pass the test. Biggio is a little iffy to me because he was more of a longevity guy. I would not put him in this year. Thomas is the stereotypical big first baseman with a natural body type that is going to result in a lot of home runs. Is it possible he took something? Sure. But Thomas was a first round draft pick who was always expected to be a big power hitter. He also always had that big hulking body throughout his career-no huge transformation during the off-season. Originally Thomas was given a football scholarship at Auburn before switching to baseball due to injuries.
What about Jack Morris? Well, it is kinda ridiculous that one of the writers voted for Morris and left Maddux off his ballot. However, it is hard to argue with his reason that he would not vote in players from the steroid era. Except, Morris played well into the 90s. Who can say for sure that Morris didn't have help during those later years? Morris is quite the anomaly for somehow managing to stay healthy throughout his career despite throwing a ton of forkballs and a ton of innings. In fact, I cannot think of another pitcher who threw that many forkballs who came close to having a long career. Suspicious, but I'm just going to call Morris a freak of nature and assume he did not use PEDs. But was Morris good enough for the HOF? The numbers seem to say no. But I would put him in for one reason-he was the most dominant pitcher in the 80s who had good enough numbers to be seriously considered for the HOF. Go ahead and look at the list of the top pitchers from the 80s. Either they had better decades in the 70s or 90s, or they flamed out too quickly. The two Dodgers pitchers, Valenzuela and Hershiser, are good examples of guys who were dominant for a few years and then played out several seasons of mediocrity. Morris should be in, though evidently he will have to wait for the Veterans Committee to put him in.
What evidence do I use? What do your eyes tell you? With Mark McGuire, it was obvious. With Maddux, it was obvious that he was not using. Statistics are really more useful than the eye test. Did the player accomplish something in a season that seems incredible, if not record breaking? Did the player achieve some of his better seasons at an advanced age (35+)? Those two questions go a long way toward eliminating all the questionable candidates.
Some people claim that this is merely guesswork, and that it is impossible to be sure about the PED use that has not been confirmed. Yes, it is guesswork, but the HOF voters have already made a lot of questionable choices in the past, and my choices will at the very least match that level of responsibility.
The steroid era pretty much began with Canseco in 1986. McGuire showed up in 1987. Lenny Dykstra was a small guy who appeared more bulked up each year, culminating in statistics that did not look right for a guy who was a mediocre hitter for the Mets. Regardless of Dykstra's PED use, his career numbers are nowhere close to HOF caliber.
1993 was Mike Piazza's rookie year. Piazza's numbers each year were stunning for a catcher, very Yogi Berra like. Not for a second do I believe that they were legitimate. The story on Piazza is that he was drafted in the 62nd round by the Dodgers as a favor to Tommy Lasorda. Lasorda thought so little of Piazza's hitting ability that he advised him to learn the catching position. And yet, Piazza was able to quickly transform himself into one of the greatest, if not the greatest, hitting catchers of all time. Steroid use probably became much more widespread beginning in 1992, and the numbers started to become outrageous in the strike shortened season of 1994. The first testing of any kind was 2003. Piazza's peak years were from 1993 to 2002. After 2002 his highest batting average was .286 and his highest homerun total was 22. Are we to assume that it is a coincidence that his numbers immediately dropped off the very same year that testing began? He turned 34 in 2003, so a fall in production could be expected. But still, it is quite a coincidence. Too much of a coincidence for me.
Jeff Bagwell is another guy whose best years fit almost entirely in the peak steroid era. He didn't hit over 20 homers until his fourth full length season. That season, 1994 was the strike year. He hit 39 home runs in only 110 games. 39 home runs, in a shortened season, when he had never hit over 20 home runs before, and last but not least, playing half his games in the hitter unfriendly Astrodome. Seems like quite an unlikely feat. Bagwell's last productive year was 2004 (which was also Bonds' last big year), the year that baseball began penalizing players for testing positive. Bagwell admitted taking Andro, which was later named a banned substance. Sure, his career essentially ended at age 36, which seems "normal." But with the testing in place it would have been very difficult for him to take the same substances that prolonged the careers of so many hitters pre-2004. Another peculiar aspect of Bagwell's career is that he was not much of a power hitter in the minor leagues (only 6 homers?), which is why Boston traded him for relief pitcher Larry Anderson. Bagwell fails the "more likely than not" standard.
The other guys, Maddux, Glavine, Biggio, and Thomas all pass the test. Biggio is a little iffy to me because he was more of a longevity guy. I would not put him in this year. Thomas is the stereotypical big first baseman with a natural body type that is going to result in a lot of home runs. Is it possible he took something? Sure. But Thomas was a first round draft pick who was always expected to be a big power hitter. He also always had that big hulking body throughout his career-no huge transformation during the off-season. Originally Thomas was given a football scholarship at Auburn before switching to baseball due to injuries.
What about Jack Morris? Well, it is kinda ridiculous that one of the writers voted for Morris and left Maddux off his ballot. However, it is hard to argue with his reason that he would not vote in players from the steroid era. Except, Morris played well into the 90s. Who can say for sure that Morris didn't have help during those later years? Morris is quite the anomaly for somehow managing to stay healthy throughout his career despite throwing a ton of forkballs and a ton of innings. In fact, I cannot think of another pitcher who threw that many forkballs who came close to having a long career. Suspicious, but I'm just going to call Morris a freak of nature and assume he did not use PEDs. But was Morris good enough for the HOF? The numbers seem to say no. But I would put him in for one reason-he was the most dominant pitcher in the 80s who had good enough numbers to be seriously considered for the HOF. Go ahead and look at the list of the top pitchers from the 80s. Either they had better decades in the 70s or 90s, or they flamed out too quickly. The two Dodgers pitchers, Valenzuela and Hershiser, are good examples of guys who were dominant for a few years and then played out several seasons of mediocrity. Morris should be in, though evidently he will have to wait for the Veterans Committee to put him in.
The Wolf of Wall Street
Start with the title. The animal metaphor runs throughout the movie. Where is the humanity here? That is the whole point, is it not? A story detailing a hero's showdown with a villain is too easy. The FBI agent would have been the hero if the adaptation had been in other hands. Here he is shown as just another cog in the machine, waiting for orders from above and riding the subway home.
The likeness to Goodfellas is obviously intentional. Who is more gangster? Except for a couple instances, Goodfellas "wins" in the area of violence. Otherwise, the difference in profession is in name only. Even Belfort's "captains" start out as small time hoods. No one had to be dangled from the top of a building for the comparison to be valid.
Sometimes the general response to a movie can shape one's perception. The more objections there are, the more I am convinced that Wolf is a brilliantly constructed movie. Whereas Goodfellas had a bleak ending, with Henry Hill's life uprooted and the threat of revenge hanging over his head, Belfort's ending suggests something different. Some people have qualms with that last five minutes, as if movies are supposed to follow the old Hays Code (1930, though it was not really enforced until Joseph Breen took over in 1934, which is why movies released before 1934 are considered to be pre-code). If the evildoer does not receive appropriate comeuppance, it is an offense to society. Or, as the Hays Code enumerates, "the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin." Even in 2014 people object to being told that crime pays. I am reminded of the classic episode of The Simpsons where Bart learns that "crime doesn't pay" only to observe the line of limos owned by Fat Tony. The main indictment in Wolf is not Belfort at all, but the system that propagates, encourages, rewards, and protects people like Belfort. Some viewers evidently do not see it that way, but to me it is obvious.
The impetus for Scorsese to make this movie had to be The Great Recession of 2008 and its aftermath, which made the literally dated events relevant again. The parallel between Belfort selling worthless penny stocks to lower class people and the bankers who sold mortgages to people who could not really afford them in the early 2000s is striking. The lack of prosecutions by the Justice Department in the wake of the recession really point to the difficulty in prosecuting white collar crime cases of stocks and investments, even with the added regulations of Sarbanes-Oxley (2002). Paper or digital trails do not seem to be enough, perhaps because much of the trail can be eliminated with the click of a button. Consider also the top lawyers that millionaires can afford, and the case becomes very difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Better for the government to settle than embark on a costly prosecution. These defendants have the bargaining chip of many millions of dollars, enabling them to buy their way out of jail time. If that is not enough, then rat out your friends. All of this assumes that the government has some kind of case. The government did not have much on Belfort until the the flukey Florida bust, when they found someone willing to testify against him. Eyewitnesses must be hard to come by.
While Goodfellas is also memorable for its music, the music in Wolf did not make much of an impression on me. Or rather, it failed to enhance the viewing experience. Maybe I need a second viewing to better appreciate it. When I say music, I mean the multitude of songs that are used throughout the movie. The songs reflect several genres, and their use is often anachronistic. As far as I noticed Wolf does not have a score. What it does have is "The Money Chant," which is almost as memorable as "Layla" was in Goodfellas. By the way, "The Money Chant" appears to be a new creation from frequent Scorsese collaborator Robbie Robertson.
The Wolf of Wall Street is not the first movie with that title. Go all the way back to 1929 for the first version. Leonard Maltin provides plenty of details on his blog
Wolf has only played for about ten days, but already many critics have weighed in above and beyond "review" critiques:
Andrew O'Hehir-"The War over Wolf of Wall Street." Plenty of links herein.
David Haglund-"How Accurate Is The Wolf of Wall Street?"-Not that it really matters for the purposes of the movie, but this is an interesting rundown of the real people and factual events.
The likeness to Goodfellas is obviously intentional. Who is more gangster? Except for a couple instances, Goodfellas "wins" in the area of violence. Otherwise, the difference in profession is in name only. Even Belfort's "captains" start out as small time hoods. No one had to be dangled from the top of a building for the comparison to be valid.
Sometimes the general response to a movie can shape one's perception. The more objections there are, the more I am convinced that Wolf is a brilliantly constructed movie. Whereas Goodfellas had a bleak ending, with Henry Hill's life uprooted and the threat of revenge hanging over his head, Belfort's ending suggests something different. Some people have qualms with that last five minutes, as if movies are supposed to follow the old Hays Code (1930, though it was not really enforced until Joseph Breen took over in 1934, which is why movies released before 1934 are considered to be pre-code). If the evildoer does not receive appropriate comeuppance, it is an offense to society. Or, as the Hays Code enumerates, "the sympathy of the audience should never be thrown to the side of crime, wrongdoing, evil or sin." Even in 2014 people object to being told that crime pays. I am reminded of the classic episode of The Simpsons where Bart learns that "crime doesn't pay" only to observe the line of limos owned by Fat Tony. The main indictment in Wolf is not Belfort at all, but the system that propagates, encourages, rewards, and protects people like Belfort. Some viewers evidently do not see it that way, but to me it is obvious.
The impetus for Scorsese to make this movie had to be The Great Recession of 2008 and its aftermath, which made the literally dated events relevant again. The parallel between Belfort selling worthless penny stocks to lower class people and the bankers who sold mortgages to people who could not really afford them in the early 2000s is striking. The lack of prosecutions by the Justice Department in the wake of the recession really point to the difficulty in prosecuting white collar crime cases of stocks and investments, even with the added regulations of Sarbanes-Oxley (2002). Paper or digital trails do not seem to be enough, perhaps because much of the trail can be eliminated with the click of a button. Consider also the top lawyers that millionaires can afford, and the case becomes very difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Better for the government to settle than embark on a costly prosecution. These defendants have the bargaining chip of many millions of dollars, enabling them to buy their way out of jail time. If that is not enough, then rat out your friends. All of this assumes that the government has some kind of case. The government did not have much on Belfort until the the flukey Florida bust, when they found someone willing to testify against him. Eyewitnesses must be hard to come by.
While Goodfellas is also memorable for its music, the music in Wolf did not make much of an impression on me. Or rather, it failed to enhance the viewing experience. Maybe I need a second viewing to better appreciate it. When I say music, I mean the multitude of songs that are used throughout the movie. The songs reflect several genres, and their use is often anachronistic. As far as I noticed Wolf does not have a score. What it does have is "The Money Chant," which is almost as memorable as "Layla" was in Goodfellas. By the way, "The Money Chant" appears to be a new creation from frequent Scorsese collaborator Robbie Robertson.
The Wolf of Wall Street is not the first movie with that title. Go all the way back to 1929 for the first version. Leonard Maltin provides plenty of details on his blog
Wolf has only played for about ten days, but already many critics have weighed in above and beyond "review" critiques:
Andrew O'Hehir-"The War over Wolf of Wall Street." Plenty of links herein.
David Haglund-"How Accurate Is The Wolf of Wall Street?"-Not that it really matters for the purposes of the movie, but this is an interesting rundown of the real people and factual events.
Falling Apart
Early March, 2013. Not sure why my workouts have been going so
poorly. No energy at all. Would not be able to go were it not for
the pre-workout protein bar. My bench seems to be going backwards. Arms
not handling the stress well. Had previously had problems with pain in
elbow, causing me to back off for a few weeks. Hope that is not
returning. That being said, it has been ten years since I have been in
this kind of shape. I look a lot better than I feel.
Middle March, 2013. The mildest winter I have ever seen becomes the worst March weather in my lifetime. At one point with the temperature in the high 20s, warm comparatively, I run outside to try to stay ahead of the impending snow and clear my driveway. No gloves. Not long outside, as there was not much more than an inch on the ground. I come back into the house. Hands cold. Really cold. Hmmmm. I was not outside that long, was I?
Three or four days later. Have to dig out driveway, buried under 2 to 3 feet of snow in parts. It's a struggle. Yes, I wear gloves this time.
A week later. My fingers have been numb for seven days, with no improvement. What is this? Frostbite? No external damage, so that does not fit with the pictures I have seen. Starting to worry now. I have not been to a doctor for a physical in ten years. As I had a milestone birthday this year, I was already planning to go, if I could find a good recommendation. I called to make an appointment. Two months away. Woman I talk to tells me to go to an immediate care clinic about my problem. Whatever I have to do, I guess. The immediate care doctor is a young guy. Seems on the ball. Tests out the strength in my hands. Everything checks out. Doctor perplexed. Suggests that I have my blood checked. I agree. Nurse comes in. In awe of my veins. Seriously. Take your pick. Complimented by second nurse. Nice to have some positive in all of this.
Couple days later. Results in. I have hypothyroidism. No surprise, as thyroid problems are rampant in my mother's family. So that is what my problem is. I read that a thyroid imbalance can lead to numbness.
Another day passes. Now my feet are numb. This is not good. I call back appointment office to try to have my appointment moved up. She moves it up. Still a month away.
A few days later. Now my abdomen is numb. MY ENTIRE ABDOMEN IS NUMB. Before the problem had been limited to extremities. I call appointment office again. Wondering what condition I have to be in to see the doctor. Appointment moved up to the following week. Also having a horrible time sleeping. 4 to 5 hours (if I am lucky) and then I am wide awake.
The following week. Doctor is skeptical that numbness is caused by hypothyroidism. Doctor tells me more blood is needed. Ok. Sends me over that day to a neurologist.
Neurologist is mystified. He does eliminate multiple sclerosis, which was high up on my list of causes. Gave me a test in which various parts of my body were zapped to see if my nerves would respond appropriately. Passed the test, in fact he said I was above average. I now feel numb and beat up as those zaps really did a number on me. Has nothing else for me except a prescription of Xanax, which he says should help me sleep.
Few days later. Phone call. My B12 level is low. Very low. 115. Normal is around 500 and above. Ok. Have to go in for an injection. One injection a week for four weeks.
I see the neurologist again. He calls the B12 problem "weird, wild stuff." Evidently it isn't something he sees a lot, and he has been practicing since the mid 1980s.
After four weeks, I am feeling substantially better. But still way, way off. But I did not know it at the time. The neurologist and my doctor agreed that I should not be given any B12 for a month to see where I bottom out levelwise. Big mistake.
I begin to feel nerve impulses shooting through my body. From my abdomen up into my arms, and down into my spine. Certain movements set them off. I should now stress that during this entire ordeal not once did I feel "pain." And it is very difficult to tell a doctor how messed up your body is when there is no pain involved.
By the end of the four week period with no B12 I am feeling terrible again. Level is way down. Doctor puts me on every other week injections. After a few weeks of that, level is still not very high, so I am now doing eight weeks of weekly injections.
During this time stomach begins feeling amiss. Thinking it might be caused by injections. I had previously asked doctor about an endoscopy to figure out what is going on in my stomach and causing the B12 to not be absorbed. Pernicious Anemia is presumably the problem. She told me that we would deal with the B12 problem first. Well, when I tell her about my most recent problem, she acquiesces and sends me off to a G.I. doctor.
G.I. doctor agrees to do the endoscopy. Unfortunately the first appointment available is four weeks away, and that week I will be out of town so I schedule it for five weeks. Ugh. This is the kind of thing that you just want to get out of the way.
I meet with the neurologist again. He tells me that he probably should not have been so conservative with the B12 injections, and that it has substantially interfered with the healing process. He has had one other patient who was around my age with similar issues, and that person took close to a year to return to normal. He says that keeping the B12 at an elevated level for several weeks should help a lot. I am not sure why he did not have this opinion to begin with.
The endoscopy day finally arrives. I know that I am going to be sedated, and I am told that the procedure should last about twenty minutes. A second later I wake up an hour and twenty minutes later. Groggy. They had to cut a two inch polyp out of my stomach. The description in the paperwork summary called it "huge." A later meeting with the GI doctor reveals that the diagnosis of pernicious anemia. I also have a thin stomach lining. Oh, and one last thing. The biopsy of the polyp revealed gastric dysplasia, "the penultimate stage of gastric carcinogenesis." I will have to undergo another endoscopy in eight weeks to determine whether any of the cells with dysplasia remain in my stomach.
After that first scope, I feel discombobulated. Numbness feels more pronounced, and my stomach frequently feels unsettled. The problem is not that I feel like I am going to throw up. Rather it feels like a war is going on in my stomach. The only way to alleviate the problem is by keeping my stomach lined with mild foods. I begin eating plain oatmeal every morning. I chomp on crackers throughout the day. I start drinking stale ginger ale, though I am unsure whether it is helping or not. I finish up each day by eating a cup of plain white rice. Physical activity can also set off my stomach, so any exercise is limited to things that I really have to do.
This condition lasts several weeks. I feel like the numbness is starting to dissipate again, though it is a very gradual process. The day for the second endoscopy arrives. This time the procedure was very quick. Biopsies were taken, but that is all the information they provide me. More important, I wake up feeling great. Very strange. Stomach discomfort mostly gone. Evidently the trauma caused by the removal of the polyp significantly affected my stomach, causing the healing process to take a lot longer than the three days espoused by the doctor.
My fingers are still numb. It has now been seven months since it first started, and I am beginning to wander if I suffered permanent nerve damage. The biggest problem is not the numbness but the coldness. My fingers rapidly turn cold when the temperature is below seventy degrees, and it takes forever to warm them back up. Of course, during the heat of the summer this is less of a problem, but I am starting to feel nervous about the approaching cold weather. More cause for concern-my doctor takes my B12 injections back to once every two weeks.
After a rough week I ask about testing my B12 level. The test comes back "within normal range." I am still a bit concerned. Luckily after that setback I return to gradual improvement. During this time I go cold turkey on the Xanax. Luckily I do not have any withdrawal symptoms or cravings. I am not even sure how much the Xanax was helping. Maybe it was not helping at all during the last few weeks. I never took more than one pill in the morning and one pill at night, so my body probably built up a tolerance.
It is the end of the year, and the tips of my fingers no longer feel numb, and my hands are warming up like normal. I am pronouncing myself 100% recovered. It looks like I will need the B12 injection every two weeks for the rest of my life, but that is a minor inconvenience.
It was only after feeling better that I was able to reflect on what the B12 deficiency did to my body. Here is one list of potential symptoms:
I also had skin problems. But the extremely dry skin on my hands and feet, some hair loss on my legs, and the loss of pigment in a couple spots I am chalking up to hypothyroidism.
Time to go shovel snow.
Middle March, 2013. The mildest winter I have ever seen becomes the worst March weather in my lifetime. At one point with the temperature in the high 20s, warm comparatively, I run outside to try to stay ahead of the impending snow and clear my driveway. No gloves. Not long outside, as there was not much more than an inch on the ground. I come back into the house. Hands cold. Really cold. Hmmmm. I was not outside that long, was I?
Three or four days later. Have to dig out driveway, buried under 2 to 3 feet of snow in parts. It's a struggle. Yes, I wear gloves this time.
A week later. My fingers have been numb for seven days, with no improvement. What is this? Frostbite? No external damage, so that does not fit with the pictures I have seen. Starting to worry now. I have not been to a doctor for a physical in ten years. As I had a milestone birthday this year, I was already planning to go, if I could find a good recommendation. I called to make an appointment. Two months away. Woman I talk to tells me to go to an immediate care clinic about my problem. Whatever I have to do, I guess. The immediate care doctor is a young guy. Seems on the ball. Tests out the strength in my hands. Everything checks out. Doctor perplexed. Suggests that I have my blood checked. I agree. Nurse comes in. In awe of my veins. Seriously. Take your pick. Complimented by second nurse. Nice to have some positive in all of this.
Couple days later. Results in. I have hypothyroidism. No surprise, as thyroid problems are rampant in my mother's family. So that is what my problem is. I read that a thyroid imbalance can lead to numbness.
Another day passes. Now my feet are numb. This is not good. I call back appointment office to try to have my appointment moved up. She moves it up. Still a month away.
A few days later. Now my abdomen is numb. MY ENTIRE ABDOMEN IS NUMB. Before the problem had been limited to extremities. I call appointment office again. Wondering what condition I have to be in to see the doctor. Appointment moved up to the following week. Also having a horrible time sleeping. 4 to 5 hours (if I am lucky) and then I am wide awake.
The following week. Doctor is skeptical that numbness is caused by hypothyroidism. Doctor tells me more blood is needed. Ok. Sends me over that day to a neurologist.
Neurologist is mystified. He does eliminate multiple sclerosis, which was high up on my list of causes. Gave me a test in which various parts of my body were zapped to see if my nerves would respond appropriately. Passed the test, in fact he said I was above average. I now feel numb and beat up as those zaps really did a number on me. Has nothing else for me except a prescription of Xanax, which he says should help me sleep.
Few days later. Phone call. My B12 level is low. Very low. 115. Normal is around 500 and above. Ok. Have to go in for an injection. One injection a week for four weeks.
I see the neurologist again. He calls the B12 problem "weird, wild stuff." Evidently it isn't something he sees a lot, and he has been practicing since the mid 1980s.
After four weeks, I am feeling substantially better. But still way, way off. But I did not know it at the time. The neurologist and my doctor agreed that I should not be given any B12 for a month to see where I bottom out levelwise. Big mistake.
I begin to feel nerve impulses shooting through my body. From my abdomen up into my arms, and down into my spine. Certain movements set them off. I should now stress that during this entire ordeal not once did I feel "pain." And it is very difficult to tell a doctor how messed up your body is when there is no pain involved.
By the end of the four week period with no B12 I am feeling terrible again. Level is way down. Doctor puts me on every other week injections. After a few weeks of that, level is still not very high, so I am now doing eight weeks of weekly injections.
During this time stomach begins feeling amiss. Thinking it might be caused by injections. I had previously asked doctor about an endoscopy to figure out what is going on in my stomach and causing the B12 to not be absorbed. Pernicious Anemia is presumably the problem. She told me that we would deal with the B12 problem first. Well, when I tell her about my most recent problem, she acquiesces and sends me off to a G.I. doctor.
G.I. doctor agrees to do the endoscopy. Unfortunately the first appointment available is four weeks away, and that week I will be out of town so I schedule it for five weeks. Ugh. This is the kind of thing that you just want to get out of the way.
I meet with the neurologist again. He tells me that he probably should not have been so conservative with the B12 injections, and that it has substantially interfered with the healing process. He has had one other patient who was around my age with similar issues, and that person took close to a year to return to normal. He says that keeping the B12 at an elevated level for several weeks should help a lot. I am not sure why he did not have this opinion to begin with.
The endoscopy day finally arrives. I know that I am going to be sedated, and I am told that the procedure should last about twenty minutes. A second later I wake up an hour and twenty minutes later. Groggy. They had to cut a two inch polyp out of my stomach. The description in the paperwork summary called it "huge." A later meeting with the GI doctor reveals that the diagnosis of pernicious anemia. I also have a thin stomach lining. Oh, and one last thing. The biopsy of the polyp revealed gastric dysplasia, "the penultimate stage of gastric carcinogenesis." I will have to undergo another endoscopy in eight weeks to determine whether any of the cells with dysplasia remain in my stomach.
After that first scope, I feel discombobulated. Numbness feels more pronounced, and my stomach frequently feels unsettled. The problem is not that I feel like I am going to throw up. Rather it feels like a war is going on in my stomach. The only way to alleviate the problem is by keeping my stomach lined with mild foods. I begin eating plain oatmeal every morning. I chomp on crackers throughout the day. I start drinking stale ginger ale, though I am unsure whether it is helping or not. I finish up each day by eating a cup of plain white rice. Physical activity can also set off my stomach, so any exercise is limited to things that I really have to do.
This condition lasts several weeks. I feel like the numbness is starting to dissipate again, though it is a very gradual process. The day for the second endoscopy arrives. This time the procedure was very quick. Biopsies were taken, but that is all the information they provide me. More important, I wake up feeling great. Very strange. Stomach discomfort mostly gone. Evidently the trauma caused by the removal of the polyp significantly affected my stomach, causing the healing process to take a lot longer than the three days espoused by the doctor.
My fingers are still numb. It has now been seven months since it first started, and I am beginning to wander if I suffered permanent nerve damage. The biggest problem is not the numbness but the coldness. My fingers rapidly turn cold when the temperature is below seventy degrees, and it takes forever to warm them back up. Of course, during the heat of the summer this is less of a problem, but I am starting to feel nervous about the approaching cold weather. More cause for concern-my doctor takes my B12 injections back to once every two weeks.
After a rough week I ask about testing my B12 level. The test comes back "within normal range." I am still a bit concerned. Luckily after that setback I return to gradual improvement. During this time I go cold turkey on the Xanax. Luckily I do not have any withdrawal symptoms or cravings. I am not even sure how much the Xanax was helping. Maybe it was not helping at all during the last few weeks. I never took more than one pill in the morning and one pill at night, so my body probably built up a tolerance.
It is the end of the year, and the tips of my fingers no longer feel numb, and my hands are warming up like normal. I am pronouncing myself 100% recovered. It looks like I will need the B12 injection every two weeks for the rest of my life, but that is a minor inconvenience.
It was only after feeling better that I was able to reflect on what the B12 deficiency did to my body. Here is one list of potential symptoms:
- strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet
- difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)
- anemia
- a swollen, inflamed tongue
- yellowed skin (jaundice)
- difficulty thinking and reasoning (cognitive difficulties), or memory loss
- paranoia or hallucinations
- weakness
- fatigue
I also had skin problems. But the extremely dry skin on my hands and feet, some hair loss on my legs, and the loss of pigment in a couple spots I am chalking up to hypothyroidism.
Time to go shovel snow.
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