So, in my home the VCR is all but dead. Not that I watch a ton of movies on the DVD player, but at least that one still seems to get used periodically.
As we were looking through the house for Christmas decorations I came upon several shopping bags full of VHS tapes that are not being used. A wide assortment, really. There are many tapes containing the old "Must See TV" Thursday nights from when I traveled all week and wanted to catch "my shows" when I got home on the weekend. There are a few others with random movies recorded from HBO or free TV and then many purchased movies.
I got to thinking that just taking these bags of movies to the trash was probably not the most environmentally friendly answer. I went online and found that there really isn't a good answer out there. The answers ranged from donating to hospitals and senior centers to selling on ebay. No good answer for those once-blank tapes that are now no good.
Does anyone have any ideas on how/where to recycle the blank tapes? Would a group of you be willing to join me in combining our pre-recorded collections and donating to the local hospitals and senior centers? I doubt that I am the only one out here with these piles of useless VHS tapes. I would even be willing to donate my perfectly functioning VCR along with some of the tapes.
Let me know if you are interested in joining in this collection and if you have any ideas on how to dispose of the self-recorded tapes.
Serge
momesso.blogspot.com
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Reactionary Airline Security Proceedures
It sucks to hear that there was another potential terrorist attack on an US flight. The flight headed to Detroit on Christmas day that the Nigerian-born man is about to change the way we fly once again.
Of course, measures should be taken to keep these flights and our skies safe. What really bothers me is that when something happens the TSA strips another "freedom" from their travelers. A few years ago there was the concern over the liquid bomb, so no one could carry on beverages any longer (now you can buy them past security). Also, there was the fear of shoe bombs, so now you have to take off your shoes to go through security. Now I read that since this man tried to attack during descent that there will be great limitations to what passengers can do during the last hour of a flight.
The last HOUR? It is already crazy that electronics (anything with an on/off switch) has be to turned off for landing. This should be a huge boon for the magazine industry. Especially with the growth of ebooks (did you hear that digital books outsold physical books this Christmas?) becoming a household term and soon a household item, this is going to be tough for passengers. Everything has an on/off switch now.
All I ask is that the TSA step up and try to take care of the real issue. They had received warnings about this guy, he was being watched. But they let him on the flight anyway. The descent of the flight IS NOT THE ISSUE!
Please stop telling me what I can't do on a flight. It is bad enough that I have to listen to 5 minutes of rules of what I can't do at the beginning of the flight. Please go after the root cause, and not the method.
Stepping off my soapbox...
Serge
momesso.blogspot.com
Of course, measures should be taken to keep these flights and our skies safe. What really bothers me is that when something happens the TSA strips another "freedom" from their travelers. A few years ago there was the concern over the liquid bomb, so no one could carry on beverages any longer (now you can buy them past security). Also, there was the fear of shoe bombs, so now you have to take off your shoes to go through security. Now I read that since this man tried to attack during descent that there will be great limitations to what passengers can do during the last hour of a flight.
The last HOUR? It is already crazy that electronics (anything with an on/off switch) has be to turned off for landing. This should be a huge boon for the magazine industry. Especially with the growth of ebooks (did you hear that digital books outsold physical books this Christmas?) becoming a household term and soon a household item, this is going to be tough for passengers. Everything has an on/off switch now.
All I ask is that the TSA step up and try to take care of the real issue. They had received warnings about this guy, he was being watched. But they let him on the flight anyway. The descent of the flight IS NOT THE ISSUE!
Please stop telling me what I can't do on a flight. It is bad enough that I have to listen to 5 minutes of rules of what I can't do at the beginning of the flight. Please go after the root cause, and not the method.
Stepping off my soapbox...
Serge
momesso.blogspot.com
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Early Winner of the Hot Stove League
It is mid-Dec. The owner's meetings have come and gone. Right about now, there are few names that are sacred in trade talks. Seems that there is a rumor on just about every player. And if there isn't a rumor, there is a sportswriter who is trying to create a rumor. Maybe it isn't this way around the country, but here in St. Louis where the Rams are vying for the #1 pick in next year's draft and the Blues can't seem to string together two solid games in a row, the Hot Stove League setting is on HIGH.
But the Cards are taking their "wait and see" approach again this year. Probably not the worst strategy as they would be bidding against themselves now for the likes of Holliday or DeRosa or Bay, but it is enough to keep the sportswriters busy. I still feel optimistic about the Cards landing a big bat to hit in the #4 hole and shag some flies in leftfield. It is obvious the Cards are trying to win again. The signing of Brad Penny as our #4 starter was a huge indication that this team mean business in 2010.
But the winner so far in the offseason moves is many miles away from St. Louis, and coming to town this summer for a 3 game series.
The Seattle Mariners are making some shrewd moves and turning their team around this December. First the signed the super-utility Chone Figgins. This guy can play 2nd, 3rd or the OF and be a great top-of-the-order hitter. Then they weaseled their way into the blockbuster trade of the winter and were able to extract Cliff Lee from the Phillies when the Phillies acquired Roy Halladay from Toronto. Then, yesterday they pull off a trade with the Cubs to get Milton Bradley for Carlos Silva. Bradley has a ton of baggage, but he also has a ton of talent when he is happy. Silva is a #4 starter. Not a bad gamble by the Mariners.
The M's already had Ichiro in place for a few more years, this is a great way to build around him and to bolster their team in a rather weak AL West. The Angels will be tough again, but losing Figgins to a team in the division, losing Lackey to the Red Sox and possibly losing Vlad this offseason too they don't look right to repeat.
Watch out for the Mariners in 2010. I'm glad that my Cards ticket pack has a M's game in it. They should be fun to watch.
Serge
momesso.blogspot.com
But the Cards are taking their "wait and see" approach again this year. Probably not the worst strategy as they would be bidding against themselves now for the likes of Holliday or DeRosa or Bay, but it is enough to keep the sportswriters busy. I still feel optimistic about the Cards landing a big bat to hit in the #4 hole and shag some flies in leftfield. It is obvious the Cards are trying to win again. The signing of Brad Penny as our #4 starter was a huge indication that this team mean business in 2010.
But the winner so far in the offseason moves is many miles away from St. Louis, and coming to town this summer for a 3 game series.
The Seattle Mariners are making some shrewd moves and turning their team around this December. First the signed the super-utility Chone Figgins. This guy can play 2nd, 3rd or the OF and be a great top-of-the-order hitter. Then they weaseled their way into the blockbuster trade of the winter and were able to extract Cliff Lee from the Phillies when the Phillies acquired Roy Halladay from Toronto. Then, yesterday they pull off a trade with the Cubs to get Milton Bradley for Carlos Silva. Bradley has a ton of baggage, but he also has a ton of talent when he is happy. Silva is a #4 starter. Not a bad gamble by the Mariners.
The M's already had Ichiro in place for a few more years, this is a great way to build around him and to bolster their team in a rather weak AL West. The Angels will be tough again, but losing Figgins to a team in the division, losing Lackey to the Red Sox and possibly losing Vlad this offseason too they don't look right to repeat.
Watch out for the Mariners in 2010. I'm glad that my Cards ticket pack has a M's game in it. They should be fun to watch.
Serge
momesso.blogspot.com
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Definition of Insanity
...is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results each time.
I have to say that this defines my approach to fantasy sports. I recently looked at my online fantasy sports statistics and found out that my overall performance is 37%! Ouch! That covers about 9 years of fantasy baseball, a couple of miserable hockey seasons, a few NFL leagues and some college hoops pick-em tourneys.
This gets me to wondering...do the same people keep winning? I don't seem to see any real spread in my leagues among the winners. It is usually one of the same 3 teams that wins the season. I may be wrong here, honestly I typically forget who won about 2 days after the season. For instance, I could not tell you who won this past baseball season in our league. I do know it is not me. I also know that I always seem to be battling it out with the same group of underperformers for the 7,8,9,10 spots in the league.
If the same people keep winning, are there a large number of people whose performance % is 75%+? Maybe the middle is real thin. Maybe it is the opposite of the bell curve. All I know is that I find it interesting that each year I go into March thinking this is my year. Then I make it through the 3 hour draft thinking I am in good shape this year. Then, beginning with week 1, my team does not support my thoughts or hopes.
Insanity on my part?
Maybe. We'll it is time to change strategy. While I am not going to unveil my new strategy on this blog since several readers are opponents I will have a new approach. I may have to hire my own Billy Beane. I may have to invest heavier in Caribbean players. I may need to up ticket prices to afford some bigger name players. OK, none of those will work in this fantasy world, but I do know that I have 3 months to create a new draft and management strategy and be ready to try out my new approach.
Word is that my Dad is going to drop out of our league this year. I hate to seem him go since it is some good father/son bonding throughout the summer. I also hate to see him go because he is the one team I can count on keeping me out of the cellar. Dad, I'll hate to see you leave the league.
I have to say that this defines my approach to fantasy sports. I recently looked at my online fantasy sports statistics and found out that my overall performance is 37%! Ouch! That covers about 9 years of fantasy baseball, a couple of miserable hockey seasons, a few NFL leagues and some college hoops pick-em tourneys.
This gets me to wondering...do the same people keep winning? I don't seem to see any real spread in my leagues among the winners. It is usually one of the same 3 teams that wins the season. I may be wrong here, honestly I typically forget who won about 2 days after the season. For instance, I could not tell you who won this past baseball season in our league. I do know it is not me. I also know that I always seem to be battling it out with the same group of underperformers for the 7,8,9,10 spots in the league.
If the same people keep winning, are there a large number of people whose performance % is 75%+? Maybe the middle is real thin. Maybe it is the opposite of the bell curve. All I know is that I find it interesting that each year I go into March thinking this is my year. Then I make it through the 3 hour draft thinking I am in good shape this year. Then, beginning with week 1, my team does not support my thoughts or hopes.
Insanity on my part?
Maybe. We'll it is time to change strategy. While I am not going to unveil my new strategy on this blog since several readers are opponents I will have a new approach. I may have to hire my own Billy Beane. I may have to invest heavier in Caribbean players. I may need to up ticket prices to afford some bigger name players. OK, none of those will work in this fantasy world, but I do know that I have 3 months to create a new draft and management strategy and be ready to try out my new approach.
Word is that my Dad is going to drop out of our league this year. I hate to seem him go since it is some good father/son bonding throughout the summer. I also hate to see him go because he is the one team I can count on keeping me out of the cellar. Dad, I'll hate to see you leave the league.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Bo Knows Running Plays
Ah, back in the good ol' days of college I spent more than my share of time playing Techmo Bowl. In fact, our freshman year, we actually hosted Techmo Tournaments. It's any wonder that the Nintendo did not crap out during the season. Luckily we all knew the "blow in the cartridge, blow in the Nintendo" move to magically restore what ever was ailing the games.
This video clip is compliments of Jimmy-D's searching on youtube.com. I never had Bo dance quite like this, but he was my #1 horse in the backfield and with the coupling of Marcus Allen, running plays for the Oakland Raiders were hard to stop. Since most of my college buddies that freshman year were Cheifs fans, the Raiders were always available to take.
While I was cleaning out the basement yesterday I came across my old Sega Genesis. While I decided to part with a few games I had to keep NHL 94, 95, 96, Super Techmo Bowl and RBI III. Let me know if you ever want to fire up a classic from the early 90's.
momesso.blogspot.com
This video clip is compliments of Jimmy-D's searching on youtube.com. I never had Bo dance quite like this, but he was my #1 horse in the backfield and with the coupling of Marcus Allen, running plays for the Oakland Raiders were hard to stop. Since most of my college buddies that freshman year were Cheifs fans, the Raiders were always available to take.
While I was cleaning out the basement yesterday I came across my old Sega Genesis. While I decided to part with a few games I had to keep NHL 94, 95, 96, Super Techmo Bowl and RBI III. Let me know if you ever want to fire up a classic from the early 90's.
momesso.blogspot.com
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