Thanks Hootster

I have never claimed to being computer savvy. But have learned "bits and pieces" ( apologies to the Dave Clark 5 ) throughout the last few years. Self-taught and help from colleagues and friends, most notably Hootsbuddie and ibbq4you2. Me and the latter two were once obsessed with the PIC Yahoo bored, er, board and posted all the time.

Hoots took a lot of heat for always being an unabashed proponent of the Company's directives. However, after many years of servitude, hoots left the PIC team and the company and the bored were never the same.

Ibbq4you2 was unceremoniously let go in May of 2001, because he was a district engineer and the Brass felt it could do without the maintenance team as well as the d.e.'s. The d.e.'s had beaucoup knowledge of the inner workings of the equipment. Skilled in replacing/repairing fryers and stoves; air conditioning; and adding freon to the coolers and walk-ins. In hindsight the decision was a complete disaster.

We began using companies like Quintuplet AAAAAAAA Repairs. Who for the most part didn't know shit. And we even sub-contracted a lot of the work to the old d.e's because they knew what the fuk they were doing.

Ibbq's story has a happy ending as he went into business for himself. And has tripled, er, quintupled his PIC salary which was peanuts. And hoots story is happy as well. No longer does he have to pick up trash on the floor before he pees.

Anyway I digress from the original story. Computer savvy I ain't. Excel, smexcel. But thanks to the hootster he has taught me how to link a story to the Pond. To which v.c. ltd. will be eternally grateful.

Thanks Hootster ( yes, I coined the name ) and may the force be with you. The synchronistic force, that is.

Farewell and adieu, v.c.

P.S. Let's give it a whirl, eh? Here is a sight which gives all the clues from a to z concerning the supposed death of Paul McCartney. I found the infamous butcher shop photo on this sight, which Hoots and Kitty saw yesterday on GPTV. It goes without saying: May the force be with you.
P.S.S. Cranberry sauce and in hoots case: blackberry jam sans seeds.

More Hodgepodge

Submitted for your approval and perusal. v.c.

My favourite series of all time. Don't ask me why. I have always like courtroom dramas. Perry embodied the right stuff. Ethics, morality, and the elusive search for justice. He never lost a case, allah Johnny Cochoran. But he never represented O.J. either. The theme music is awesome. ( imho ) When I watched it 20 years or so ago I never needed a sleeping pill to fall asleep. Hard as I tried to stay awake, I always dozed off. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, v.c.  

Stella, er, Della and Perry on the go looking for clues. 

Stella, er, Della, Paul Drake, and Perry. For sure, they don't make 'em like they used to, v.c. 

An old picture of me and Kitty, Charlie Jr. and our old companion and friend, Atlassie, whom we all miss and will always remember. Her life on Earth was cut short by the dreaded "C" word. I recall a synchronistic moment when I first heard Atlassie howl. A fire truck was going by. I then turned on the boob tube to watch Perry Mason. The episode, I swear was"The Case of the Howling Dog." May the force be with you, v.c. P.S. Help us, Hoki One Kanobi. 

Sun Records and Sam Phillips, the proprietor. Who sold Elvis Presley to RCA Records for a measly $100,000. What a blunder, eh? Which is similar to Decca Records who passed on the Fab 4. Their reasoning: guitar bands were on the way out. Wonder if the executive who made that horrendous decision kept his job? "The Killer" recorded on Sun as well. Love me do, v.c. 

The Redneck craze is popular these days so here's my two cents worth. Heartbreaker with your 44, v.c. P.S. Apologies to the Stones. 

January 1978, a ticket to see Aerosmith was a rousing $7.00. That's if bought in advance. How times have changed. And a big thank you goes out to Jimmy Carter. For further details consult Economics 1976-1980. Dude looks like a lady, v.c. 

"The Killer." As a youngster, I would imitate the man who crooned "what made Milwaukee famous, made a loser out of me," by pumping our green sofa, as if I was hitting those pearly keys myself. Jerry screwed up by marrying his 13 year old 2nd or 3rd cousin, allah Elvis and Priscilla-at least she was 15. Must be a southern thing, eh? Jerry made some memorable tunes be4 his career went down the tubes, Seems the world didn't cotton ( pun intention left to the discretion of the reader ) to Jerry's marriage. John Lennon once said that "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going on" was the best r/r song ever written. Great balls of fire, v.c. 

A neat picture from back in the daze. Yours truly has seen Neil Young a few times with Crazy Horse. Going to see his concerts was quite an experience. He would open with acoustical sets and follow with LOUD rock and roll, hoochie coo. Some of my favourite tunes by Mr. Young, who was immortalized in L.S.'s "Sweet Home Alabama," are "Like a Hurricane," "Out on the Weekend," and "Southern Man." Everybody knows this is nowhere, v.c. P.S. Neil was once married to Carrie Snodgrass. 

Mick just busted a button on his trousers. Hope they don't fall down. You wouldn't want his trousers to fall down now, would you? ....Here in the States no one uses the term "trousers." Pants, slacks, etc. Charlie's good tonite, isn't he? v.c. 

More hodge podge. The infamous Phi Zappa Krappa poster, which adorned many dorm room walls at Truck U. back when yours truly was a student. 

Can you tell what the picture to the right is supposed to signify? Exciting answer to follow. 

Ram On

"Ram," circa 1971.  

Truck You, eh?

The Back cover of Ram, Paul McCartney's second solo album. I loved "Monkberry Moon Delight" on side two. Also has "Uncle Albert." If you look at the right hand corner of the l.p. [ long playing ] you will see two beetles [ bugs ] gettin' it on. The symbolic message was simply: "Fuck the Beatles." John Lennon followed with his song, "Hiow Do You Sleep?" One line was: "The only thing you done was Yesterday. And since you've gone, you're just another day." Acrimony in the ranks of the former members of the Fab  

Leftovers

Leftovers for $2000, Alex. What is v.c.'s favourite sci-fi movie. Deja-vu, eh? Some people have deduced that perhaps I am from Canada. Went there once. Toronto ( 1986 ) the year Charlie Jr. was born. Maybe I picked it up there. P.S. Niagra Falls was great. Raincoat and all. P.S.S. Ray Harryhausen's "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad. P.S.S.S. Stuffed Peppers? Ooh, I'm sorry contestant. " 

( More ) Baseball Characters Volume 2

I started out researching Al "Mad Hungarian" Hrabosky but will save him for a later time. Possibly Volume 3. Here we go with another madcap "Baseball Characters" from back in the day.

Gimme shelter, v.c.

Richie ( Dick ) Allen

When he first entered the league he was known as Richie. Soon changed to Dick Allen. An excellent player. Some of his quotes:

If a horse can't eat it, I don't want to play on it... (Regarding artificial turf)

I know why they boo Richie all the time. When he hits a home run, there's no souvenir. (Willie Stargell, after Allen launched a home run that cleared two-deck Connie Mack Stadium)

Your body is like a bar of soap. The more you use it, the more it wears down

He's so strong that he has arms like legs... (Gene Mauch)

I once loved this game. But after being traded four times, I realize that it's nothing but a business. I treat my horses better than the owners treat us.

He also studied the game intently. I can remember being in the dugout at times when some of the White Sox players would be horsing around, playing grab-ass and goofing around. Dick would pipe up with, "Cut the crap and get your heads into the game. Watch the pitcher. Learn something." (Goose Gossage)

He was the greatest player I ever managed. ( Chuck Tanner ) 

Synchronicity with Marv

Marv Eugene Thorneberry. First player chosen by the expansion N.Y. Mets in 1961. His named spelled M.E.T. You got to love the synchronicity. One of the worst players in history on one of the worst teams in baseball. Marv was also one of the first Miller Beer celebrity spokesmen. "Taste Great; Less Filling." Remember, eh? From back in the day.P.S. With the Mets, Throneberry got his first chance as a big-league regular, and he responded by hitting .244 with 16 home runs and 49 RBI. However, he committed 17 errors at first base and his fielding percentage of .981 would not be equaled by a major-league regular first baseman until Cesar Cedeno fielded .981 in 1979 for the Houston Astros .
Throneberry's baserunning was also suspect. On June 17 , Throneberry hit a triple against the Chicago Cubs but was called out for not touching first base. In a famous story, manager Casey Stengel came out to argue the call, but was told by the umpire that Throneberry missed second base as well. (In another version of the story, Stengel was told by his first-base coach.) The next batter hit a home run, prompting Stengel to come out of the dugout and point at all four bases. Throneberry's mistake proved costly, as the Cubs won the game 8-7.
Throneberry, who facetiously came to be known as Marvelous Marv, maintained a sense of humor about his play and became a favorite with fans and the media. However, a disagreement the following year over his 1963 salary led to his abrupt retirement at age 29.
 

Connie

Included him only for his first name. I've never known a brotha to be named Connie. Connie was an accepted name back in the day. Connie Dierking for example, a pro basketball playa for the Cincinnatti Royals, circa the 60's. There were other men named Connie as well. Just your average every day joe. 

Cal McLish

Famous for having the longest name in baseball history. Calvin Coolidge Julius Ceasar Tuskahoma Buster McLish. Imagine trying to get all that on the back of a uniform. An Okie from Muskogee. Apologies to Merle Haggard.
 

Oops

Sorry fellas. Wrong photo shoot.  

Jim Bouton

Ball Four: The Final Pitch

"It is not just a diary of Bouton's 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots and Houston Astros," says sportswriter Jim Caple. "It's a vibrant, funny, telling history of an era that seems even further away than three decades. To call it simply a 'tell-all book' is like describing The Grapes of Wrath as a book about harvesting peaches in California."
 

Query

Dear Mr. Howe:
I know your time is valuable, but I wondered if you could tell me if you were surprised that Jim Bouton was invited to Old Timer's Day in 1998? What did you think of his book, "Ball Four?"
Yours sincerely,
Shawn Collins
 

Steve Howe

From Steve Howe in response to a query from a fan! P.S. But although he had the presence and poise to become a star in the bigs, his quick success with the Dodgers was tempered by his even quicker spiral into the world of substance abuse. Howe ended up battling his inner demons as much as opposing batters, and at the end of his career, his most impressive statistic was his record-number of drug-related suspensions (seven). P.S.S. I thought it was nine, v.c.

Dr. Stange Glove

Known as "Dr. Stangeglove" for his lack of fielding prowess at first base. Once hit 66 homers in one season in the minor leagues. Played in the '63 All-Star game in Fenway Park and became enamored with the famous "Green Monster." A short porch in left field. ( baseball term ) Asked to be traded there; the next season was granted his wish. The ball players back in the day were indentured servants and could not move from team to team as they do today. Owners "owned" the playas until they either croaked or were traded to another team. Who would believe it today? v.c.  

Fenway

The "Green Monster." They don't make 'em like they used to, v.c. P.S. What makes the monster unique? For a home run, the ball must clear the wall and land in the seats. Fenway seats less than 40,000. And is soldout every day of the season.  

Another view, eh?