Convention Review

I am enjoying the little bits of the convention that I am watching. Trying not to overdo it.

I love-love-love Michelle Obama, so I was sure to watch her speech. It was OK, but not the best showcase for her qualities, and I thought her brother's intro was way too long.

I missed Hillary's speech -- seeing too much of her in the winter and spring is what led to my cold-turkey giving-up of the blogosphere except for Tyler Cowen.

Did see Bill C and Joe B last night. I like Joe B as a speaker very much and his mother is great. Will probably check out Obama at the Stade Fasciste football stadium tonight as well.

So Long, Buchholz

The consensus on the Sons of Sam Horn website is that we won't see Buckminster Fuller on the big league club again this year. Many want him out of the organization entirely. His 2-3 innings per start screw up the bullpen for days afterward.

I said that Buchman Turner Overdrive was a flash in the pan way back in April. He lacks mental toughness. That no-hitter last year went to his head and according to reports he partied all off-season, dumped his straight-arrow agent and generally lost his bearings.

I briefly met the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox manager at an autograph signing last week. He'll have Buckyball running laps and sweeping out the dugout faster than you can say Frank Tanana Daiquiri.

Splashdown: Jays 15, Sox 4

Just got back from jumping off the Tobin Bridge with the rest of the Red Sox fans. Miraculously, I survived the plunge into the Mystic River.

If Beckett was going to pitch that badly, it's a shame they didn't pitch him against Halliday on Saturday, when we had no chance anyway. Byrd coulda beat Marcum.

Toys of the 1970s: Fisher Price Garage

The top floor of the garage featured a turntable mechanism that was fun to crank but which I have never seen in an actual parking garage; perhaps such contraptions were before my time. In addition, elevatoring cars to the various levels was made obsolete starting in the 1940s with the arrival of the reinforced-concrete ramp-up-to-the-next level system. On the other hand, outdoor glass elevators were just entering their heyday in the early 1970s and grease racks were still going strong in those days before the arrival of sealed joints. Also, a gasoline pump in a parking garage does seem like a good idea. All in all, hours of fun for the low low price of $10.85.

Zipcar Review: Mini Cooper

Very peppy and fast. A heavy and solid car, too, for its size. Only problem was, when I was stopped at an intersection, I couldn't see the stoplight-- the ceiling was too low! I had to lean way forward over the steering wheel and crane my neck up:

– or stick my head out the side window. Another option would have been a periscope through the sunroof but I lacked the necessary materials to make one. Later I found out that I could have cranked my seat down toward the floorboards so that might have helped.