Rite of Passage

Rite of passage: received my Medicare card in the mail recently, so I am officially old. Just in time for the rates to go up. Not too many more rites of passage remaining for me, except that really big rite of passage (to Heaven).

Pizza tonight at Lloyd's on Dekalb Avenue, considered the best in Atlanta. Hot Ass Ted, Jordan, Matthew, Anna, Caleb, and me & Ceil. Last time A&C are there, the cast of Stranger Things was there.Lloyd's is next door to Hell Yeah, the gluten free bakery where M used to work.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff was penalized for wearing black uniforms on the road at Arkansas on Thursday night – 15 yards in each half. Like Pine Bluff, both Colorado and UCF wore head to toe black uniforms. Georgia State wore head to tow blue. Tech wore head to toe white.

Article: hard truths of the world. Certainly not from a Christian viewpoint, but true nonetheless.

1. Stop comparing yourself to other people.

2. Some people aren't going to like you, no matter what you do.

3. Things are just things. They don't have feelings.

4. Not all friendships last. Most are based on convenience. Coworkers are rarely true friends.

5. To some people, you may be the bad guy. Don't spend time worrying about it.

6. You can't change people. Some people don't want help.

7. We judge others by their action. We judge ourselves by our intentions.

8. You can't completely depend on others.

9. Nice people aren't always good people.

10. Everything is temporary (except God).

11. Nobody is thinking about you. People are pretty much oblivious to you. You're not even a blip on their radar. No one cares how you look.

12. No one is coming to rescue you. Plan on doing it yourself.

13. Nobody knows what they're doing. They're just going through life the best they can.

14. Love is reciprocal. Ask Paul McCartney.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.upworthy.com/15-hard-truths-that-once-people-accepted-them-their-lives-got-so-much-better__;!!AE29DT8V!SYT7kZzWrzVXviE6B9kmICg8_jmR9eo-nvOGTpqoCa07k4PgLGvuEnd8AyigS-S7EUoV7eFH9luCQAdJKV4$

Usually when I am backing my car out of the driveway almost every morning, God will put one song or another on my heart. Always interesting on what that song will be.

Tuesday: lunch at Firebirds, the nice steak place similar to Stoney River. Yes Stoney River is expensive, even for burgers. We've only been a few times, for special occasions or work. Houstons is just as pricey. I have a $10 off birthday deal for Firebirds, but burgers are $17. Guess I could get a $12 piece of cheesecake. Ceil would rather go to Taqueria.

Since Kamala's campaign website does not detail her proposed platform, another website compiled Kamala's various campaign promises for review: www.kamala2024policies.com  

Henri Nouwen: "Jesus' primary concern was to be obedient to his Father, to live constantly in his presence. Only then did it become clear to him what his task was in his relationships with people."

FERNANDO VALENZUELA  [B-R Bio] was so successful in his rookie season he garnered almost overnight an enormous following, beginning with fellow Mexican natives. His popularity exploded and was dubbed "Fernandomania". LAD beat NYY in the 1981 WS after a 50 game player strike. On 19-Feb-1983 Valenzuela was awarded $1,000,000 through salary arbitration, the first seven figure settlement. On 29-Jun‑1990 he no hit St. Louis 6-0 in L.A. Former teammate Dave Stewart had thrown his first no-hitter just 3 hours earlier in Toronto. Valenzuela debuted with LAD in 1981. He won a Cy Young Award, rookie of the year, was a 6 time all star, a two time Silver Slugger, and garnered MVP votes 4 times, the Dodgers released him in spring training 1991. He pitched successful professional baseball for 7 more seasons.

Rookies who started an All-Star game. BAL's Jerry Walker was the first overall rookie pitcher to start an All-Star game.  He had cups of coffee with the Orioles in 1957 & 1958,but not enough to erase his rookie status when he started the 1959(2) ASG. 

 Year   Player         Team   Lg Career WAR

1936...DiMaggio......NYY....AL.... 79.1

1956...Robinson......CIN.....NL...107.2

1962...Stenhouse...WSA....AL...... 2.9

1964...Oliva.............MIN.....AL.....43.0

1976...Fidrych.........DET....AL.....11.3

1981...Valenzuela....LAD....NL.....41.5

1995...Nomo............LAD....NL.....20.9

2001...Suzuki...........SEA...AL......60.0

2017...Judge............NYY...AL......50.6

2024...Skenes..........PIT.....NL...... 4.4

ARTICLE: there was one US President who worked well with his opposing political party.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.winepatch.org/blog/ronald-reagan-and-the-dp__;!!AE29DT8V!Shx7RKeILwWbY81WNJuGlV3-OOkvGiKAKXOmr9GPXCJ6ceelp_XF3DYAFfb16AZcuuPYpPNt5Ir6XiKyAAY$

Thursday Night Football

A treasure trove of college football to watch all weekend. I think for a Thursday night there were too many games on last night (so it’s not as special), but that gives teams more time before playing again on Sept 7th.

How bad was UNC’s QB hurt? Might be good news for GT. 

Colorado was lucky to come out of that game with a win. Buffalos had two great players, and an overall more talented roster. Looked like North Dakota State may have had better coached players.

29 North Dakota State 26 @ Colorado 31

29 UNC 19 @ Minnesota 17

29 Western Carolina 21 NC State 38

29 Kansas 48 Lindenwood 3

29 Missouri 51 Murray State 0

29 Utah 49 Southern Utah 0

29 UCF 57 UNH 3

30 Temple@Oklahoma

31 1200 Clemson @ UGA

31 1200 Penn State @ West Virginia

31 0330 Miami@Florida

31 0700 Western Kentucky @ Alabama

31 0730 Notre Dame @ Texas A&M

31 0800 Georgia State @ Georgia Tech

01 0730 USC@LSU

02 0730 FSU vs Boston College 

Thursday: left work about 525. Stopped by Dollar Tree to stock up on drinks for the weekend. Ceil fixed Mexican, so I plopped everything on top of a bed of chips.

Watched some Colorado vs North Dakota State, as well as Kamala’s first interview since she was selected by her party to run for President last month. The CNN interviewer asked some tough questions. The candidates did a lot of talking, but it didn’t seem like those tough questions actually got answered. Still seems like they’re trying to say anything in an effort to get elected, with zero intent to keep a majority of the promises they’re making. Just making it up as they go along.

Friday: up early to hit the gym. A feast of food at the office: Chickfila biscuits, McDonalds bacon egg & cheese McGriddles, sausage balls, ham@cheese sliders, hot dogs, brownies, chips, dips. I was stuffed by 9 am. Ceil baked me some caramel brownies to bring. Usually her brownies aren't the best, but today they received rave reviews. I was already stuffed by 9 am.

Not much on tap for the weekend. After golf I might have to stop by to see Matthew, Anna, and the Sandy Springs pop up Famers Market.

TOMMY LASORDA  [SABR Bio] was Hoyt Wilhelm’s last minor league manager. Wilhelm pitched 37 innings for Lasorda on the 1971 Spokane Indians. Tommy’s last name translates to ”the deaf one”. Source: Collins Dictionary online. He coached the Dodgers from 1973-76.

How catcher Danny Jansen managed to play for both teams in the same MLB game.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.mlb.com/news/danny-jansen-could-play-for-both-teams-in-a-game__;!!AE29DT8V!WhOfrils-GBC30xdpZN4-ObaSOVvnXtTz4Fvoi2Wr-f7RkfU1AjAXJUodnjPVm18F8OcgYzijdCN--ky8wo$

DENISON: Kamala Harris interview avoids major DNC agenda (denisonforum.org) – At the top of the Democrat’s list are drastic reforms for the Supreme Court. They intend to get around the 60-vote threshold and pass an omnibus bill to legalize abortion nationwide, grant additional voting rights, and enact sweeping changes to the nation’s highest court: 18-year term limits, a new justice selected every two years, and stricter rules for ethics and recusal standards. These suggested changes are not new, as President Biden and Harris outlined similar proposals just last month. What is fairly new is that now Harris seems disinterested in discussing them. That approach stands in stark contrast to the President’s op-ed in The Washington Post or the Vice President’s tweet outlining many of the same views. But making such changes by a simple vote of Congress is likely unconstitutional. Adam White—a legal scholar at the American Enterprise Institute whom President Biden appointed to the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court—notes that such measures would lack the legal backing to pass and amount to “court-packing by another name.” Any legislation they pass would be challenged. Those challenges could rise to the Supreme Court, meaning that the most likely outcome is that the court would have to approve the measures intended to impose limits on themselves. Harris has concluded the American consensus on such changes is not nearly as widespread as they imagined, so they have adjusted their rhetoric accordingly.

Looks At Books

I finished up two more books, and started on a third. Michael J Fox read his audiobook “No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality”. Fox provides a narrative to his life in the years leading up to covid, dealing with Parkinson’s, delicate spinal cord surgery, and a broken arm suffered from one of his many falls. Michael’s last acting gig is a cameo in the Spike Lee movie “See You Yesterday” about two students who invent time travel. As a nod to his Back to the Future movies, Fox plays a skeptical science teacher who doubts his student’s success. I usually listen to audiobooks at 1.25 speed, but had to slow down to normal speed so I could completely understand Fox’s slightly slurred speech.

Also finished “Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere”, by Savannah Guthrie, the host of NBC’s Today Show. Didn’t realize she was a Christian. Grew up in a devout home. Attends church in NYC.

Starting up on “12 Months to Live” by James Patterson & Mike Lupica. “Jane Smith is an ex cop and undefeated defense attorney. She has a year to live – unless they kill her first”. Mike Lupica is a sportswriter, and one of the novels he and Patterson wrote concerned the owner of a football team. I really enjoyed Patterson’s series of novels related to golf, co-written with Peter de Jonge: Miracle on the 17th Green, Miracle at St Andrews, and Miracle at Augusta. I also read the novel Patterson wrote with Bill Clinton: The President Is Missing.

Wednesday: had a late lunch from meeting leftover from Honey Baked Ham, a ham sandwich on a croissant and potato salad. Left work shortly after 5 pm. Both C and I had small group.

Ceil’s been watching the BBC drama series “Death In Paradise” about a stodgy criminal investigator from London transplanted to the relaxed atmosphere of a Caribbean island, which inexplicably experiences one murder after another. Not sure we have this many murders in Atlanta. I sort of halfway pay attention.

Thursday: up early to lift weights at the gym. Tomorrow we’re having a tailgate party at work, sort of an all day eat. Chips, chips, sausage balls, Chickfila biscuits, hot dogs, brownies, etc. An excuse to wear a football jersey to work. Would be a good morning to golf, but I don’t want to miss out on the food.

JOHNNY SAIN [SABR Bio] was the first pitcher to face Jackie Robinson in a regular season National League game. Sain, the Braves’ starting pitcher on 15-Apr-1947, got Robinson to ground out, fly out, reach on an error, and ground into a double play. Sain later faced Jackie in the World Series in 1952 & 1953. Robinson went hitless, but walked 4 times, twice intentionally. Sain was the pitching coach for the Yankees from 1961-63, when Whitey Ford finished stringing together his 33-2/3 consecutive scoreless innings streak in the World Series, breaking Babe Ruth’s most cherished record (29-2/3 innings, set in 1918).

DENISON: Oxford professor Samuel Ramani warns that the weapons technology of our enemies is surging ahead of our own. His article is a response to reports Biden ordered US forces to prepare for nuclear confrontations with Russia, China, and North Korea. In Dr. Ramani’s view, the US must urgently modernize our nuclear capacities to deter these unprecedented threats. In related news: (1) Chinese government hackers have penetrated deep into US internet service providers to spy on us. A cybersecurity expert calls the latest attacks “an order of magnitude worse” than previous hacks. (2) Russia and China are escalating their diplomatic relations with the global south, infringing on America’s influence in this region. (3) Russia is claiming America’s support for Ukraine risks World War III, which it warns would not be confined to Europe.

“Nuclear war is much closer than we dare imagine” (denisonforum.org)

ARTICLE: the UK thinks Putin will be attacking them soon.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://endtimeheadlines.org/2024/08/uk-government-officials-warn-that-putin-is-coming-for-us-and-we-must-be-prepared-for-the-inevitable/__;!!AE29DT8V!T-1PBHVk9LSHlnRNLDE8V9-7HV130eCWgx_23hOaSpsWKKwxhdRHNfmN3us0B9Ca4IWeXlXyIb-MR-XVgDU$

Top Ten Burgers

My own top ten Atlanta burgers list.

1. Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, East Cobb

2. Ted’s Montana Grill, East Cobb

3. Goldbergs Deli, The Battery Atlanta

4. Moxie Burger, Roswell Square

5. B&W Burgers Buns & Brews, downtown Norcross

6. The Vortex, Little Five Points

7. Lucky’s Burger & Brew, Roswell

8. Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Piedmont Road

9. Firebirds, Alpharetta

10. Wahlburgers, The Battery Atlanta

11. Houston’s, West Paces Ferry

Article: Infatuation.com’s Top Ten burgers in Atlanta

1. NFA Burger, Dunwoody

2. The Chastain, Buckhead

3. Fred’s Meat & Bread, Inman Park

4. Holman & Finch Public House, Midtown

5. Che Butter Jonez, Cleveland Avenue SWAT

6. The Companion, Westside

7. Evergreen Butcher + Baker, Kirkwood

8. LOL Burger Bar, Westside

9. Little’s Food Store, Cabbagetown

10. Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Piedmont Road 

https://www.theinfatuation.com/atlanta/guides/best-burgers-atlanta?utm_campaign=cm&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_source=fb&utm_audience=atl&utm_term=&ifsb=yes

Tuesday: worked past 530. Ceil made homemade pizza.

Made the crust from flour, and the sauce from basil and other fresh ingredients.

Watched the Season 4 debut of Only Murders In The Building. Pretty good. As usual they keep adding stars. Steve Martin, Martin Short, Meryl Streep. Eugene Levy, Jake Z, Molly Shannon, Scott Bakula. Jayne Lynch’s character was murdered.

Wednesday: up early to go to the gym. Busy again at work. Had one coworker out this morning and another out this afternoon.

Tonight is my first small group meeting for the new school year. We’re studying the Gospel of Luke. Our Sunday School co-teacher Dan is leading. He is a machine, both in Bible knowledge and service. Gentle and loving and hardworking. Looks like Teller from Penn & Teller. It’ll be hard to keep up with him. Also my previous small group leader John, a retired architect from GT. And another Dave, who lives around the corner from me.

Anna & Caleb are going to the UGA vs Clemson game on Saturday.

BREAKING NEWS: Andy Stanley has joined the white sneaker movement. Like me, for the longest time he favored the black sneakers with white soles.

For Greg Maddux, an Unassuming Presence Masked a Master of the Pitching Craft - The New York Times.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/10/sports/baseball/for-greg-maddux-an-unassuming-presence-masked-a-master-of-the-pitching-craft.html__;!!AE29DT8V!Xb9-vpw3djxcekLTKijrnXvTRDMnmA5Jpk83xliNjFX3HpQ2dgqYCEJDxIvgmhhaLF2AFbDgGaIN5lu7zIY$

How to Stop Being a People-Pleaser

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.wellandgood.com/how-to-stop-being-people-pleaser/__;!!AE29DT8V!SrWApvYQ7V8jPQ6TUrQCJPiChb4MfvLd41sm9rwF_9sCdVHTgD_IrwEOSmuj-1fEicIFJwS5-iU71xShUT8$

HARMON KILLEBREW  [SABR Bio] retired with 573 home runs, having passed Jimmie Foxx’s 524 on 28-Jun-1972 for the most be an American League righthanded batter. The current title holder is Alex Rodriguez with 696, having passed Killebrew on 02-Aug-2009. Killebrew hit more home runs during the Kennedy administration than any other batter, with 139 total - 1961 (46), 1962 (48), and 1963 (45). Click for the others who were right behind him. The Harmon Killebrew Awards for Community Service are handed out by each of the Minnesota Twins four full-season affiliates to a player who represents the affiliate, the Twins, and the work of legendary Harmon Killebrew and his kindness in the community.

Report: a Christian officer was stripped of his National Guard position for expressing biblical beliefs on his own personal time. And people say the US government does not persecute Christians.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://notthebee.com/article/christian-infantry-officer-stripped-of-position-accused-of-expressing-hatred-for-lgbt-people__;!!AE29DT8V!RBz1WhpJThr3DrNPEv8dVR9s1y3kjDe_rdjjUI4jrdUThGyqGejwzOl8XBtVtoWVlZ6ot917Jn3e7y68lk0$

Mad Dog vs. Pedro

Watched the excellent Greg Maddux special on MLB Network, that detailed his life growing up in Vegas all the way through the end of his career in LA and San Diego. Featured his wife and kids, brother, Glavine, Smoltz, Mazzone, Chipper, Eddie Perez, Barry Bonds, Rick Sutcliffe, Tom Verducci, and Randy Johnson. As much as I've read about Maddux, there was still amazing stories that I'd not heard before.

Young yahoos sitting in their basements love to claim that Pedro had a few good years after Maddux won four Cy Youngs, but Martinez only won 15+ games in six seasons. Maddux won 15+ a record 17 straight years, and in 18 of 19 seasons. Sure wins aren't as highly thought of as they used to be, but that'd because starters these days barely make it to the 5th inning. I'd say wins are even all the more impressive. Get off my lawn.

They say that Pedro's prime (97-00) was better than Maddux's (92-95). Not so fast. Maddux pitched more innings and had a lower average ERA over both their best 4 year period, as well their best 7 year period as well.

…1……2……3……4…avg ERA…IP… 

1.90 2.89 2.07 1.74 = 2.15 905.1 Pedro

2.18 2.36 1.56 1.63 = 1.93 946.2 Maddux

 

2.20 avg ERA 97-03 Pedro

2.12 avg ERA 92-98 Maddux

Maddux vsPedro

106.6 WAR 83.. 9

109 complete games 46

5008.1 inn pitched 2827.1

999 walks 760

3371 strikeouts 3154

18 gold gloves 0

355 wins 219

35 shutouts 17

4 Cy Young Awards to 3

Maddux led the league 5 straight years in innings pitched. Pedro never did. In 23 seasons Maddux managed to accumulate almost double the innings pitched, wins, complete games, and shutouts that Pedro tallied in 18. Martinez was one of the top pitchers in his era. Maddux was the greatest righthanded pitcher in the past 85 years, since the end of the dead ball era. Compared to Maddux, Pedro was a flash in the pan.

Friday: C fixed BBQ for supper, with slaw. Anna was driving to the beach for her cousin's bachelor weekend, and got stuck in a Taco Bell drive thru line for an hour on the way.

Saturday: AM golf. Played terrible. Returned home in time for a zoom call with friends in the far east. Then ESPN College GameDay and GT vs FSU.

Dinner at Houston's. Took a relaxing, scenic route: Lower Roswell to Johnson Ferry to Mt Vernon to Northside Drive, to Mt Paran to Northside Parkway. We had a 545 reservation, so no wait. As usual, I got the burger and C the salmon. And wine.

Sunday School with 24 in attendance. Prayed over Renice, who is scheduled to return to Israel on Thursday, Lord willing. After worship I drove C to Costco. I was looking forward to getting a hot dog, but the concession stand was being renovated. Instead I went home and ate leftover BBQ. After a nap I mowed the grass. Pancakes for supper.

Monday: up early to go to the gym. Left work at 515. Stopped by RaceTrac for a free candy bar. Ceil cooked boneless chicken breasts out on the new grill. French fries, grilled okra, and steamed broccoli. I was still stuffed from eating lunch at the CiCis Pizza buffet, so I didn't eat much.

Tuesday: lifted weights this morning for the first time in two months, so I had an excuse for taking it easy. For the most part my sciatic issues are over. Just a little pain remaining. With the sunrise not until 7:05 and getting later and later, I'd better limit my weekday golf to at most one weekday per week. I walk, and the course is up and down hills, about 2+ miles.

Do use a lap counter when you walk? What is your system? Back in the day when I ran at the FLC before work (in the 1990's), meeting up with Scot Wright and David McDaniel, if I couldn't get a lap counter I would move my keychain from finger to finger to count laps.

Using the FLC and preschool to recruit new members is spot on. That's exactly what Johnson Ferry's goal is from their sports programs and preschools !!! Just saw where our pastor wants to emphasize Christian education all the more.

When asked who currently she would want to swap places with for a day, Jamie Lee Curtis would want to be Caitlin Clark.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://athlonsports.com/wnba/indiana-fever/caitlin-clark-receives-head-turning-take-hollywood-legend-jamie-lee-curtis__;!!AE29DT8V!TC1QVdTq4cERuGTc3Np6ZYnU1en5lcbpnTESgcfII6Vun5142SEaJdw0EGDQV-cet863BVHMejRKtOz_qC8$

PAUL SKENES [B-R Bio] is the most recent winner of the John Olerud Award to make it to the majors. The award is given to the best two-way player in college baseball. Skenes won it as a sophomore playing for the Air Force Academy in 2022, then made the majors in 2024. He is only the second pitcher, 21 years old or younger, with at least ten strikeouts at Wrigley Field, while allowing no more than one hit. Skenes' 2nd MLB game was on 17-May-2024. Only rookie Kerry Wood had accomplished this previously, on 06-May-1998 when Wood K'ed 20 batters. Skenes pitched for the Air Force Academy Falcons and the LSU Tigers.

DENISON: sociologist Philip Rieff observed: "No culture has ever preserved itself where it is not a registration of sacred order." He then made an important statement our secularized society needs to hear: "The notion of a culture that persists independent of all sacred orders is unprecedented in human history." For a culture to flourish, it needs the right "sacred order." The Taliban recently codified morality laws requiring Afghan women to cover their faces and men to grow beards. I doubt this will help with the escalating humanitarian crisis raging, with poverty afflicting 90% of the population. In the Old Testament we read "the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lᴏʀᴅ" (1 Sam 2:12). And so these sons of the high priest, while externally religious, committed grave sins leading to their demise (1 Sam 4:17).

 NASA astronauts will be stuck in space for eight months (denisonforum.org)