By Contrast

When you are charitable you are sure of never being mistaken.  Learn how to understand, to forgive, to be gracious.  That’s Christianity.  By contrast, it is the way of the world to push, to parade, to use violence.
—    Pope John XXIII (now Saint)
.
On This Day In:
2013	A Very Long Time…
2012	Raise And Support
2011	Naturally
2010	A Quick Sunday Morning Read
	Giants Win Game 4 In Shutout 4 to 0!!!

Read Full Post »

Nothing Is Known Absolutely

Science is a way to teach how something gets to be known, what is not known, to what extent things are known (for nothing is known absolutely), how to handle doubt and uncertainty, what the rules of evidence are, how to think about things so that judgments can be made, how to distinguish truth from fraud, and from show.
—    Richard P. Feynman
Quoted by James Gleick, in his book: “Genius“
.
On This Day In:
2013	Decoration Time
2012	The Beatitudes
2011	Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
2010	Back On The Asphalt
	No Sweep – Rangers Win Game 3 by 4 to 2
	Greek Myths For Kids

Read Full Post »

Orange October (XII) – Giants Win Game 7 (3 To 2) And World Series (4 To 3)

Yesterday, the Kansas City Royals turned in one of the dominating performances of any World Series Game 6 winning by 10 runs to nil to tie the Series three all.  Going into today’s Game 7, NO home team has lost a Game 7 since 1979 (35 YEARS), so it was looking pretty dim for the boys in Orange and Black.
Amazingly, the S.F. Giants got it done.  They jumped out to a 2 to 0 lead.  The Royals stormed back to tie the game at 2 – 2.  The Giants managed to squeak ahead by 1 run and then – in what can only be described as a performance for the ages – Madison Bumgarner came in to pitch five scoreless innings to close out the game with the tying run sitting on third base.  A pop-up foul ball was caught by Pablo Sandoval to end the Game and Series!!
I am emotionally spent…  The game was so close, so dramatic, so tense…  Wow!!  And that’s why it’s so easy to love Baseball !!!
I AM ORANGE INSIDE !!
It’s looking like it’s going to be an ORANGE OFF-SEASON!!
My wife (Hil) is a massive Giants fan and has watched almost every single game this year (and last).  She was extremely disappointed by last night’s crushing loss because she knew what it meant to throw the Series into the “toss-up” of a Game 7.  Today is Hil’s birthday.  (Happy BD, again!!)  Our daughter texted Hil just after the game ended.  “Happy BD, Mum!!  The Giants won it for you!”  It’ll be a birthday present she’ll remember!!  LOL!
.
On This Day In:
2013	Hours, Days, And Years
2012	In Kev Are In Hil
2011	No Game, Didn’t Really Happen
	A Good Post

Read Full Post »

Nothing Is The Same

“Listen to me, Amin,” I said slowly.  “Listen to me very carefully.  Nothing is the same.  Nothing will ever be the same again.  There lives on this earth a woman who can be my friend and my lover.  Do you understand that?  Do you understand what a marvelous thing that is?”
“A friend is a friend,” Uthman interrupted, “and a woman is a woman.  You can’t have them in one person.  The whole world knows that.”
“If that’s what the whole world knows, …then the whole world is wrong.”
―   Barbara Cohen,
From: “Seven Daughters and Seven Sons“
[This quote has been significantly modified and does not convey the original meaning.  Apologies to the author.  I like it better my way.
Happy Birthday, Hil !!
All my love,
—  ALWAYS  —
Your Kev
(XXX – OOO – XXX) ]
.
On This Day In:
2013	Hours, Days, And Years
2012	In Kev Are In Hil
2011	No Game, Didn’t Really Happen
	A Good Post

Read Full Post »

Sure Experiments And Demonstrated Arguments

In the discovery of secret things and in the investigation of hidden causes, stronger reasons are obtained from sure experiments and demonstrated arguments than from probable conjectures and the opinions of philosophical speculators of the common sort.
—    William Gilbert
.
On This Day In:
2013	Irrational Complacency
2012	Why Criticize?
	Giants Sweep 2012 World Series With Game 4 Win (4 To 3)!!!
2011	Saying Just Enough
2010	Giants Win Game 2 Shutout of Rangers – 9 to 0!!!

Read Full Post »

Pragmatic Religion

Religion is a part of every society.  It is a cultural product of mankind, a tool for survival.
…
What is Japanese religion, then?  In a word, ancestor worship.
…
In this patriarchical value system, there could be no room for the concept of an “Almighty God,” as in the traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  On the contrary, Japanese kami (gods) are not considered separate personalities from men.  In need of salvation and help, people turn to the superiors of ie (that is, their ancestors), who are believed to be gods.  Another traditional belief in Japan is that the dead go to the place of their ancestors and become kami. …
…
Maintaining its hereditary good name and continuing its ancestors’ glorious work was the most important responsibility of a family.  The religion also set up certain ethical standards for family members.  However, no provision was made for the salvation of the individual, instead, the ultimate destiny of an individual was to lose his identity and merge with his ancestral spirits after death.
—   Mitsuyuki Masatsugu
From his book: “The Modern Samurai Society“
[I believe this is the first time I have ever heard of religion as being a “cultural product” or as a “tool for survival“.   This is an interesting way of viewing “religion”.   —   KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2013	How’s Your View?
2012	Giants Win Game 3 Of The 2012 World Series 2 To 0!!!
	Still Haven’t…
	Accidental Me
2011	What Is Your Ratio?
2010	Giants Win Game 1 With 11 Runs Scored – Repeat 11 Runs!!

Read Full Post »

Orange October (XI) – Giants Win Game 5 (5 To 0)!!!

The San Francisco Giants stormed to a Game 5 victory winning 5 runs to 0 on the complete game shutout pitched by their ace Madison Bumgarner!  In a golden age for Giants baseball, which seems to be hosting a handful of potential hall-of-famers – MadBum is emerging as one of the strongest of all.  Across three World Series (2010, 2012, and now 2014), Bumgarner has now won four games in four opportunities with a combined score of 1 run allowed in all four games!  He now has the lowest runs allowed average (career) in World Series history for pitchers who’ve thrown more than 20 innings.
But now the Giants face a tough test of going into Kansas City having to win one of the last two games.  The odds are in their (the Giants) favor.  Historically, the winner of Game 5 goes on to win the Series 68% of the time (.683), but it would have been so much more satisfying to have swept the Royals at home in S.F.  Still, the main thing is to keep the pressure on and try to take Game 6.  We don’t want a let down to give the Royals (and their fans) hope for a Game 7.
So now it’s time for the team to get a good night’s sleep and board a long flight to K.C. tomorrow for the Tuesday Game 6…   (And for those of you who’ve lost track: my prediction was Giants win Series 4 Games to 2.)   Go Giants!!!
I AM ORANGE INSIDE !!
.
On This Day In:
2013	Hard To Deserve
2012	Cloudy Between Games
	Admiration, n.
2011	One, Two, Three – Blink

Read Full Post »

[!(±*=)/≠], [!<]

I am different, not less.
—    Temple Grandin
[We all have different abilities.  We are all equally people.  We should not let our differences divide us.  And, being different doesn’t make me less!  —    KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2013	Hard To Deserve
2012	Cloudy Between Games
	Admiration, n.
2011	One, Two, Three – Blink

Read Full Post »

Orange October (X) – A Blue Morning Turns Into An Orange Evening

And yes, we’re in for one heck of a World Series!!  As I said a few days back, you can’t have a great World Series until both teams lose at home.  So far, the Giants have taken Game 1 in K.C.  The Royals won Games 2 (in K.C.) and 3 (in S.F.) and now the Giants have evened the Series with a big 11 to 4 victory in Game 4 (again in S.F).  All 15 runs were scored without a single home run!  Solid pitching (by both sides), great defense (by both sides) and exciting hitting (by both sides).  Whew!!
With three games left, it’s the first team to win two which gets to raise the trophy.  Hopefully, it’ll be the boys in Orange & Black.
As trite as it sounds, this Series is revolving around hitting it (the ball) where they ain’t.  In games 1 and 4, the Giants have done this.  In Games 2 and 3, although the Giants hit the ball hard, it was mostly hit hard right to the Royals players.  Almost all of the “spectacular” defense has come from both teams outfielders.  With a few notable exceptions by the Giants infielders in Game 4, this has remained true.  The teams are turning out to be incredibly balanced.  It’s a bit of a shame the TV numbers are so low.  The rest of the country is missing some great baseball.  (Of course, the numbers are strong in the S.F. Bay Area and phenomenal in the K.C. region, but elsewhere, only so-so.)
I must admit to being nearly crushed when the Giants fell behind 4 to 1 in the third inning.  I was even saying, “Well, that’s the series…”   It just goes to show you how much I know – and my wife cheerfully reminded me of my comment in the 9th inning.  (LOL)  Needless to say, there was even more elation when the Giants tied the game in the 5th inning and then scored seven more runs (3 in the 6th and 4 in the 7th) to cruise to the Series tying victory.
So, tomorrow is Game 5 and it comes down to the two teams’ aces to see which team gets the key victory.  If we win the game, we fly back to K.C. with a lot of optimism looking for a split.  If the Royals win, it’ll be a long flight into a steep climb of two must win games.  So, it looks like the Series will turn on the strong left arm of Madison Bumgarner.  Go Maddy!  Go Giants!!
I AM ORANGE INSIDE !!
.
On This Day In:
2013	License Problem
2012	Giants Win Game 2 Of The 2012 World Series 2 To 0!!!
	Adage, n.
	Questions Women Should Ask Before Voting…
2011	What Are You Looking At?

Read Full Post »

The Creeping Death Of Civilization

Not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance, is the death of knowledge.
—    Alfred North Whitehead
.
On This Day In:
2013	License Problem
2012	Giants Win Game 2 Of The 2012 World Series 2 To 0!!!
	Adage, n.
	Questions Women Should Ask Before Voting…
2011	What Are You Looking At?

Read Full Post »

Match Book

There is more than one way to burn a book.  And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.
—     Ray Bradbury
.
On This Day In:
2013	Disservice And Disingenuous
2012	Giants Win Game 1 Of The World Series 8 to 3!!!
	On Death
2011	The Spirit Of Universal Connectivity
2010	SF Giants Pitchers Witness Protection Program
	Orange Outside (Too) & Fear The Beard
	Non-Taxing Read

Read Full Post »

Indispensable Wits

To an extent greater than the officer corps, the NCO lives and breathes the Army.  The officer is obliged to mix with the civilian community, and to a degree derives his prestige from it.  The NCO does not.  The public does not distinguish between senior sergeants and junior ones; to the average civilian, “if they were any good they’d be officers.”
…
Senior sergeants affect a cool disdain both upwards and downwards, toward the unprofessional enlisted man on the one hand, and toward the better-paid officer on the other.  An officer is respected precisely to the degree that he allows the NCO to do his job with a minimum of interference.  Gillis: “I can always tell a good officer because he walks through that door and he asks rather than tells.  My job?  My main job is to make that troop commander look like the best troop commander in the Army.”  Beyond that, it is to see that orders are carried out.  The officer commands, the subordinates obey, and the job of the sergeant is to enforce, to see to it that subordinates obey.  Because he understands the process, the adroit NCO can make it work for him precisely as a mechanic can tune an engine.  If you are the only one who understands the machine, you are very close to being the indispensable man.
The senior NCO acts as a buffer as well: he looks after “the welfare of the men: (the phrase recurred a dozen times in interviews), and expects that when the commander wants to know what the men think, the commander will come to him to find out.  The role is somewhat Miltonic: explaining the ways of God to man, and man to God.  The NCO is successful to the degree he protects his men and serves his commanding officer.  It is a job which calls for enormous objectivity, a total dedication to the rules of the institution, and a thorough knowledge of the Book, both that which is written and that which is not.
…
All that is required is that he understand the system; he has that, and the knowledge that the Army is run on the wits of sergeants.
—     Ward Just
From his book:  “Military Men“
.
On This Day In:
2013	I’d Like To
2012	2012 National League Champions – San Francisco Giants!!
	2nd Viewing – No Change
	Light Shining Out of Darkness
2011	Just Kickin It
	Are These The “Real” Protectors Of America’s Constitution?
2010	Giants Advance To 2010 World Series!!!

Read Full Post »

Orange October (IX) – Giants Lose Game 2 In Bullpen Collapse

Well, it looks like we’re in for one heck of a World Series!!  In what can only be politely called a “collapse” by their bullpen, the Giants gave up five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to the Royals and Kansas City never looked back rolling to a 7 to 2 victory.
The Royals pitching, particularly the bullpen, looks formidable with everyone throwing heat in the 95+ mph range and off-speed in the low 90’s.  By comparison, low 90’s are what the Giants were throwing as their top end pitches.
The disappointment of the game was a squandered first inning, lead off home run by Gregor Blanco.  It was a thing of beauty.  We touched the Royal’s starting pitcher (Yordano Ventura) just as frequently as they got to our starter, but in the end, Ventrua outlasted Jake Peavy and the K.C. bullpen was “all that and a bag of chips”.   Real deal…
So, the Giants leave for home with doubts and the Royals leave for San Francisco with hope.  There is a saying in sports that you can’t have a great Series until both teams have lost a game at home.  Now we find out if the Royals can turn the 2014 Series into a great Series.  The next three games are in S.F.  I’m still predicting a 6 game, 4 to 2 victory by the Giants.
But it’s back to being interesting…
I AM ORANGE INSIDE !!
By the way, this post is my 1,901th post – not counting pages.  What a long, strange trip it’s been…  I’m looking forward to 2,000.  🙂
.
On This Day In:
2013	Complacent Reality
2012	Two-minute Sex
	Just Staring, Why?
2011	A World Of Difference

Read Full Post »

A Prayer

O my Lord, Jesus!
Teach me to be generous;
Teach me to serve Thee as Thou deserves;
To give, and not to count the cost;
To fight, and not to heed the wounds;
To toil, and not to ask for rest;
To labor, seeking no reward, save that of knowing I do Thy will.
Amen
—    Saint Francis Xavier
[For those who believe other faiths (or none at all), please substitute your God’s name (or “universe”) wherever you see, “Lord” or “Jesus“, “Thee”, “Thy” or “Thou”.   —    KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2013	Complacent Reality
2012	Two-minute Sex
	Just Staring, Why?
2011	A World Of Difference

Read Full Post »

Orange October (VIII) – Giants Win Game 1 Of 2014 World Series!!

With another dominating playoff pitching effort, Madison Bumgarner followed his team mates to an impressive 7 to 1 win over the Kansas City Royals!  The Giants can now play loose in Game 2 and try to steal another out-of-town win.  The Royals, on the other hand, are in their first MUST win game of the World Series.  They do NOT want to travel to San Francisco for three games behind two games to none.  In recent history, the winner of game one has gone on to win the series in 10 of the last 11 series.  Bumgarner is 60 wins and 3 loses in his career in games when his team has given him a three run lead.  The Giants provided the three run lead in the top of the first inning!!
The Royals will now be facing the Giant’s Jake Peavy with their fast ball flamer – Yordano Ventura.  He of 100+ fastball fame.  Peavy, who joined the Giants for the second half of the season, has been an emotional spark for a team which had fallen into a major slump.  Peavy is now an elder statesman, but he still has demonstrated great command and competitiveness.  So far that’s been enough to make up of an aging arm and decreasing mph fastball.
The good news is that if the rest of the team can supply half tonight’s output, Peavy and the bullpen should have enough to bring us home with the heavy (2-0) advantage.  Even if we return home with a split, we will stand a great chance of holding serve and Bumgarner can close out the Series in Game 5 (at home).
Man, I can’t wait for tomorrow’s game two!!
I AM ORANGE INSIDE !!
.
On This Day In:
2013	Trying To Capture Serenity
2012	Above The Vaulted Sky
2011	Active Learning

Read Full Post »