Ten Piece Nuggets-Sports, Random, and News.

Posted on August 21, 2020 by thependulumswings staff

It’s Friday. And it’s time to get your happy hour started a bit early. We’ve got ten hor deurves. You need to make a beer run. And, do not forget your mask. To the Ten Piece Nuggets we go.

Joe Maddon, manager of the 8-18 and last place LA Angels, is mad. He’s tired of seeing SF reliever Shaun Anderson throw at Mike Trout’s head. “Enough is enough,” Maddon said after Thursday’s 10-5 road loss dropped the Angels’ record to 8-18. “This is the major leagues. There’s a level of accountability here also.” Just wondering, who should be held accountable for the 8-18 record?
Do you remember when we all used to sing happy birthday to a family member or friend and then have them blow out all of the candles? Then you would all have a slice of that cake. Turns out that singing and a strong exhale or two (blow them all out!) might not be what the doctor advises in 2020. Maybe in 2021?
The Washington Football Team continues to be in the news. A few days after hiring the first-ever black President, this time the news isn’t so good. Washington coach Ron Rivera has been diagnosed with cancer but plans to continue coaching. Rivera was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma located in a lymph node, the team said in a statement. Rivera said the cancer is in the early stages and is considered “very treatable and curable.” That part is good news.
It’s way too early to deem the NFL protocols a success in holding COVID-19 at bay. But, a few days into 32 training camps a total of only four players have tested positive. It’s a start. And, there is a long way to go. The NFL is pretty adamant about starting the season on time.
No so fast NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. His league is likely to delay its planned Dec. 1 start for the 2020-21 season. The hope is to get paying fans back into arenas. The league’s gross revenue is roughly 8 billion with a “b.” The fans in the areas account for 40% of that, or 3.2 billion still with a “b.
MLB has postponed 34 games this season because of positive tests and counting. Two Mets’ games this weekend are postponed after two members of the traveling team tested positive yesterday. MLB soldiers on though. And, that is a good thing.
The NFL Kansas City Chiefs are putting in place new policies during games at Arrowhead Stadium with regard to Native American imagery. Fans are now prohibited from wearing headdresses into the stadium. Face painting that is styled in a way as to imitate Native American cultures is also prohibited. The Arrowhead Chop and the pregame beating of a drum, often by a former player or coach or other local celebrity is also on the chopping block. Maybe they can announce if the “chop” stays or goes by beginning with, “after further review, the ruling on the field….” So, let’s see, keep the stadium name of Arrowhead, and keep the arrowhead logo, and keep the name Chiefs is fine. But the fans, those dreaded creatures, they can’t be allowed to do anything to offend anyone. After further review, this makes no sense.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended the Chicago Police Department’s ban on protesters being able to demonstrate on the block where she lives. She told reporters yesterday that she and her family require heightened security because of threats she receives daily. If it’s a peaceful protest, as we’ve been told repeatedly by the good mayor, why worry about safety? It only takes 51% of the voting population to put someone into office. Does anyone have a tent big enough to put over the Chicago circus?
Meanwhile, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms suggested that the GOP is using the Chinese coronavirus pandemic to “spread misinformation and interfere with voting,” forcing many to “risk their lives” to exercise their right to vote. Risk their lives? Really? It only takes 51% of the voting population to kick someone out of office as well.
Joe Biden’s acceptance speech last night was only 24 minutes long. But, most analysts and reporters thought it to be quite effective. Hillary’s was twice as long four years prior. Fans of the nominee turned out to watch the speech. The DNC built security walls to barricade supporters and voters into a specific outside area to watch Biden’s speech. The walls were set up to keep both progressive and conservative protesters at arm’s length. Again, there was no word on why this was needed for the “mostly peaceful” protests that have been popping up across the country.

Have a peaceful weekend.

Perception May Not Be Reality

Posted on March 10, 2020 by thependulumswings staff

Yesterday we labeled “Tough Monday.” One week ago most everyone agreed was “Super Tuesday.” Joe Biden was at first the lone dissenter to that mantra, but after the results came in from about 15 states he quickly changed his mind about the public perception of him. What will today bring us?

There is perception and there is reality. When the perception becomes so strong that it changes behavior, a new day has dawned.

Once upon a time it was considered in style, even sexy, to smoke cigarettes. The surgeon general told us enough times that smoking will kill you. Our perception of smoking changed to the point where we frown upon anyone who smokes.

Stated plainly, if everyone thinks the COVID-19, aka the Coronavirus, will do them great harm or even kill them, then human behavior is dramatically changed. If you don’t believe BBR, then head to your local food or drug store. Try buying hand soap, cough or cold medicines, or egads, toilet paper. When is the last time you shook hands with anyone? Check your 401k lately?

Human behavior has dramatically changed until our perception changes. We cast no judgment. It’s better to be safe than sorry we heard.

However, we cannot help but wonder if this has reached the point of being a bit overblown at least in the U.S. We highly recommend that you take three minutes and read this link. We’ve found it to be the most unemotional, fact-based, and intuitive piece on the virus that we have read.

In the meantime, we cannot help but wonder as well that people would actually (on TV and Twitter yesterday) find the time to debate the “insensitivity” of calling COVID-19 the Wuhan Virus. Chris Hayes, MSNBC’s resident word policeman, called it a social injustice.

Good Lord people, get over yourself. What about Peking Duck? If you don’t want the blame for the virus, you don’t get credit for the duck anymore either.

Was your perception of that insensitive? We hope it wasn’t. But, if it was, so be it. It’s our perception.

Please wash your hands to help keep the virus away. And, please wash them again of this overblown politically correct BS.

Down to Three Approaching Fourscore

Posted on March 3, 2020March 3, 2020 by thependulumswings staff

It’s Super Tuesday. It’s a super big day for Bernie Sanders, running for his party’s presidential nomination. And, it’s a super big day for Joe Biden, too, even though he thought it was Super Thursday.

And it’s a big day for the Democratic National Committee(DNC). Assuming the vote tally process works better in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia than it did in Iowa the DNC will have a much better idea of what else they need to throw at Bernie Sanders to halt the assault from the far left.

Crazy Bernie has no chance in the general election of even coming close to Donald Trump. You know it. Your dog knows it. And, the DNC knows it.

And, apparently, that is very bad as it sounds like our time here on terra firma is running short. Ask Beto O’Rourke. Last evening while endorsing Biden, Beto shrieked, “The man in the White House today poses an existential threat to this country. To our democracy. To free and fair elections. And we need somebody who can beat him. And in Joe Biden, we have that man.” Biden embraced far-left anti-gun extremist O’Rourke during a rally on Monday night in Texas. He declared that the failed Senate and presidential candidate was going to lead Biden’s anti-Second Amendment efforts. At least the unemployment figures will drop by one.

Most nominee hopefuls call climate change the biggest existential threat. Tom Steyer was a loud one of those, but no more. He dropped out over the weekend. If a tree falls in the forest but no one hears it, is it still climate change? If he endorses Biden and no one hears it, is it still an endorsement?

No word yet on if Steyer will endorse Biden. But, the others are lining up and doing their party’s work. Pete Buttigieg dropped out just in time to try to swing his votes to Uncle Joe. Mayor Pete endorsed Biden last night. Biden said that he was surprised that he did that. Maybe he was as it’s 50/50 that he knows who Pete is. The DNC wasn’t surprised. Pete is young and dutiful. Promises made?

Amy Klobuchar dropped out yesterday. Whew. Just in time for Super Thursd, er, Tuesday as well. She also is expected to endorse Biden today. Amy isn’t as young as Pete but is as dutiful.

After tonight the DNC will have a better feel for how many more ducks they have to get in a row to prevent that pesky Bernie Sanders from quacking too much in mid-July in Milwaukee.

The party (after Elizabeth Warren realizes it’s over today) of inclusion and diversity will be down to 77-year-old white male Joe Biden, 78-year-old white male Bernie Sanders, and 78-year-old white male Michael Bloomberg. All would be fourscore and more after one term.

Sanders stayed along for the ride all of the way to the convention four years ago. It drove Hillary harder and further than the then 69-year-old wanted. As crazy as it seems he’s riding shotgun again. No Beto, it’s not that kind of shotgun. The DNC is trying desperately to play traffic cop.

Meanwhile, get some more endorsements, Joe. There’s a guy named Obama. He might stand behind you as you did with him especially if the DNC asks with a “pretty please.”

And, get some rest.