INTRODUCTION
"Do it if you're lucky....[or] would'ya punk?", said by Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry,
reminds me of the idiom called Hobson's choice. The quote is not just related to the bad guy who gets terrified seeing the barrel of Dirty Harry's .44 magnum gun. It also reminds people that in life, you make choices that can hurt you or help you. And some choices are not easy to make. For instance, during a period of high inflation, you have a choice of either paying the gas bill or paying the health insurance premium. Another instance is when a recession occurs, and you have the tough choice of trying to find a job in your home country--or go overseas.
THE SIX FAVORITE MOVIE QUOTES
My first favorite movie quote is "I'm gettin' too old for this", said by Danny Glover in most of the Lethal Weapon movies, is a little bit scary to me as I go into what I call the midlife. Of course, I hear things like "midlife crisis" so much that it seems like that phrase is less important. Moreover, the way Danny Glover said this quote makes one go through another Ash Wednesday, which in religion depicts that the human flesh will eventually go to futility.
My second favorite movie quote is "This is my jail! And I'm the law! That is why I get to violate your constitutional rights!" said by Ed Lauter in Death Wish III, is a powerful quote. This reminds me about the Rodney King beating by Los Angeles police officers and the riots that followed in South central Los Angeles when the officers were exonerated from the beating charges in a criminal court. It also reminds me of the Patriot Act, that was meant to take away civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism, and also smacks of McCarthyism in the 1950s.
My third favorite movie quote is "Well, I wouldn't talk to professionals about it,", said by Vanessa Williams in the movie Dance With Me, reminds me about people keeping secrets. Some secrets, of course, are needed to protect national security. That is why most of the CIA agents in the United States do their work almost always incognito. Other secrets are necessary to prevent gossip that can turn an innocent-looking blunder into a major disaster. Still other secrets are necessary to keep relationships from falling apart, so, for instance, married men who fall in love with an additional woman will try anything to avoid being caught as a cheater.
My fourth favorite movie quote is "Chief of the boat.....Captain Ramsey's under arrest! Take him to his state room!" This was said by Denzel Washington in the movie Crimson Tide. All of this reminds me of house arrest, which I hear about these days as an alternative to prison. House arrest is supposed to relieve the strain on America's prison population, but even this is not enough to relieve prison overcrowding.
My fifth favorite movie quote is "I say, you do, no questions!", said by Pat "Noriyuki" Morita from the first of the Karate Kid movies. All of this reminds me of slavery. Not just antebellum slavery that a lot of Americans know about through history classes. There is also a new type of slavery I hear often--sex slavery that mainly involve young girls. It also reminds me of the Mildred Experiment, where one authority threatens you with electric shocks on your wrist if you don't correctly answer an analogy question...even though the shocks are just pretend.
My sixth favorite quote is "The gentleman will suspend", said by Al Gore in the movie
Fahrenheit 9-11. In context, the quote is an allusion to fighting for whatever you want in life....even when the odds are astronomical. But even more than that...the quote also reminds all people that losing big opportunities can cause bad events that can last for months or even years.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
Some 4th of July Fireworks Types
Some of these are legal in some states, some others illegal, and there are a few fireworks that are illegal in all states as "explosives".
And regrettably some recreational fireworks enthusiasts on the 4th of July try so hard still to get around the strict fireworks laws in their jurisdictions especially when it comes to the much louder fireworks, because they like the loud explosions anyway.
BOOBY-TRAPS
This is a variant of the "snappers", with a small charge (with a size something to a ladyfinger firecracker) attached to two strings to either side. To set off the charge, the two strings need to be strongly pulled away each other taut for about 2 seconds - and within about 1/2 to 1 second after you pull it, a loud pop results. They are considered "novelty fireworks" and most states including Illinois allow them for consumer use.
BOTTLE ROCKET
There are two types of them, and some states (especially Illinois) outlaw this because simply these are fireworks that go up in the air and explode. Typically they are small-scale single-shot aerial fireworks which start with a whistle and then a report (pop or bang) following it. They have a red stabilizer with a cylinder attached to it
with the black powder charge inside it an a fuse sticking out. To fire it, the device is put straight up with the stabilizer end downward and the cylinder charge on top of it. Sometimes it is fired from a glass bottle (and that is why they are called bottle rockets). Note
Type 1 - Traditional - fires off with a downward glissando and then a report follows.
Type 2 - Whistling Moon Traveller - probably one of the more famous of the bottle rockets - same fireworks result (whistle and the report), but this time, the whistle has an upward glissando instead of the downward.
M-80
A ground firecracker that sets off a loud bang. Often they were used in military boot camp to simulate the sound of gunfire. They are cylinders with a fuse from the side, with the cylinder skin with a brownish-tan color. The loud sound of it is why some states outlaw it in some of its fireworks laws.
CHERRY BOMB
Usually outlawed in all states as "explosives", this is a variant of the M-80 but it has a circle cylinder in the form of a red (or other colored) cherry with a hollow fuse in it. An example of the use of a cherry bomb before fireworks laws became stricter happened during Disco Demolition Night at White Sox Park on July 12, 1979.
QUARTERSTICK
All states outlaw this as an "explosive device", and possession of a quarterstick can be a felony offense. Often called an M-250, is usually bigger than the M-80, and also with a hollow fuse. Extremely unstable and it can explode at any time. Static electricity can also set it off too.
ROMAN CANDLE
It is almost like a large firecracker in some ways, but it is actually a portable mortar tube with multiple shots of flaming balls that can be treated almost like the multiple-shots in an mortar tube but less dangerous than the former.
Type 1 - Traditional - fires flaming balls usually with colors and with some varieties.
Type 2 - California - you light the fuse and it is like a sparkler in some ways as you hold it in your hand, being careful not to touch the sparkling end. The cylinder is designed to eat away as the sparkling part burns more and more of the cylinder. When the cylinder is about to go away, you drop the cylinder and leave it alone for the rest of the cylinder to be eaten away by the sparkles - and eventually the charge will run out on its own.
Especially for type 1, since it is a firework that shoots, it is illegal in some states (like Illinois). Type 2 is the one that does not shoot at a longer distance and is legal in more states (but not Illinois).
SALUTE
They can be ground or aerial. Ground salutes have a booming report from the mortar shell without being fired in the air. Aerial salutes (most common in professional fireworks displays) are rockets fired from a mortar tube and then burst with a white flash and a loud concussive bang or boom....and the term "salute" was derived likely from the type of blasts common from cannons. This firework gives some strong punch and that is why some states outlaw it.
SATURN MISSILE BATTERY
Basically, this is a type of fireworks cake where there will be streaming shots in the air with lots of glissando whistles. Usually 100 shots to up to 500 shots. The shots that are fired into the air are a bit like the traditional bottle rockets but are inspired likely from the rocket emplacements that are fired in war. Because these are fireworks that are shot in the air and sometimes explode (even with the strong emphasis on the whistle sounds), some states outlaw them (especially Illinois).
SMOKE BOMBS/SMOKE DEVICES
Generally, these are devices that emit smoke without setting off any explosive charge. They are not the traditional smoke grenades like often seen in the military or by riot police departments, so most states allow these devices for consumer use as "novelty fireworks".
The most common smoke device is the stink bomb. Looks like a firecracker in some way, and you place it on the ground and you light the fuse as usual like a traditional firecracker, but when the fuse goes down, you see smoke for 1 to about 3 minutes. Sometimes the smoke will be a single color or a changing series of colors, until it finally goes out. No explosions whatsoever.
SNAPPERS
Also call "snap-its", this is a type of firework that you do not need a fuse with. It is in a shape of something like a piece of white tissue with a long slender handle that you use, to throw it on a hard surface. When it hits the hard surface, detonation happens and you hear a "pop" and that's it. They are considered "novelty fireworks" and most states including Illinois allow them for consumer use.
SPARKLERS
Basically, this emits a spark flourish (usually white-colored)on a long red stick and is legal in most states, including Illinois, because they don't generally shoot or explode and the fireworks stuff remains usually stationary. The main danger of any sparkler is the high heat it gives off. Sparklers can reach up to 1,000 degrees F at the burning end. This is good enough for 2nd or 3rd degree burns if the skin is exposed. If the stuff goes directly into your eyes, this can lead to blindness. So be very, very careful with them. A variant of it appears in novelty firework devices known as trick candles (where, when you blow out a flame on a candle, the flame re-appears like magic). Sparklers had even been used on non-4th-of-July events, especially on certain birthdays.
And regrettably some recreational fireworks enthusiasts on the 4th of July try so hard still to get around the strict fireworks laws in their jurisdictions especially when it comes to the much louder fireworks, because they like the loud explosions anyway.
BOOBY-TRAPS
This is a variant of the "snappers", with a small charge (with a size something to a ladyfinger firecracker) attached to two strings to either side. To set off the charge, the two strings need to be strongly pulled away each other taut for about 2 seconds - and within about 1/2 to 1 second after you pull it, a loud pop results. They are considered "novelty fireworks" and most states including Illinois allow them for consumer use.
BOTTLE ROCKET
There are two types of them, and some states (especially Illinois) outlaw this because simply these are fireworks that go up in the air and explode. Typically they are small-scale single-shot aerial fireworks which start with a whistle and then a report (pop or bang) following it. They have a red stabilizer with a cylinder attached to it
with the black powder charge inside it an a fuse sticking out. To fire it, the device is put straight up with the stabilizer end downward and the cylinder charge on top of it. Sometimes it is fired from a glass bottle (and that is why they are called bottle rockets). Note
Type 1 - Traditional - fires off with a downward glissando and then a report follows.
Type 2 - Whistling Moon Traveller - probably one of the more famous of the bottle rockets - same fireworks result (whistle and the report), but this time, the whistle has an upward glissando instead of the downward.
M-80
A ground firecracker that sets off a loud bang. Often they were used in military boot camp to simulate the sound of gunfire. They are cylinders with a fuse from the side, with the cylinder skin with a brownish-tan color. The loud sound of it is why some states outlaw it in some of its fireworks laws.
CHERRY BOMB
Usually outlawed in all states as "explosives", this is a variant of the M-80 but it has a circle cylinder in the form of a red (or other colored) cherry with a hollow fuse in it. An example of the use of a cherry bomb before fireworks laws became stricter happened during Disco Demolition Night at White Sox Park on July 12, 1979.
QUARTERSTICK
All states outlaw this as an "explosive device", and possession of a quarterstick can be a felony offense. Often called an M-250, is usually bigger than the M-80, and also with a hollow fuse. Extremely unstable and it can explode at any time. Static electricity can also set it off too.
ROMAN CANDLE
It is almost like a large firecracker in some ways, but it is actually a portable mortar tube with multiple shots of flaming balls that can be treated almost like the multiple-shots in an mortar tube but less dangerous than the former.
Type 1 - Traditional - fires flaming balls usually with colors and with some varieties.
Type 2 - California - you light the fuse and it is like a sparkler in some ways as you hold it in your hand, being careful not to touch the sparkling end. The cylinder is designed to eat away as the sparkling part burns more and more of the cylinder. When the cylinder is about to go away, you drop the cylinder and leave it alone for the rest of the cylinder to be eaten away by the sparkles - and eventually the charge will run out on its own.
Especially for type 1, since it is a firework that shoots, it is illegal in some states (like Illinois). Type 2 is the one that does not shoot at a longer distance and is legal in more states (but not Illinois).
SALUTE
They can be ground or aerial. Ground salutes have a booming report from the mortar shell without being fired in the air. Aerial salutes (most common in professional fireworks displays) are rockets fired from a mortar tube and then burst with a white flash and a loud concussive bang or boom....and the term "salute" was derived likely from the type of blasts common from cannons. This firework gives some strong punch and that is why some states outlaw it.
SATURN MISSILE BATTERY
Basically, this is a type of fireworks cake where there will be streaming shots in the air with lots of glissando whistles. Usually 100 shots to up to 500 shots. The shots that are fired into the air are a bit like the traditional bottle rockets but are inspired likely from the rocket emplacements that are fired in war. Because these are fireworks that are shot in the air and sometimes explode (even with the strong emphasis on the whistle sounds), some states outlaw them (especially Illinois).
SMOKE BOMBS/SMOKE DEVICES
Generally, these are devices that emit smoke without setting off any explosive charge. They are not the traditional smoke grenades like often seen in the military or by riot police departments, so most states allow these devices for consumer use as "novelty fireworks".
The most common smoke device is the stink bomb. Looks like a firecracker in some way, and you place it on the ground and you light the fuse as usual like a traditional firecracker, but when the fuse goes down, you see smoke for 1 to about 3 minutes. Sometimes the smoke will be a single color or a changing series of colors, until it finally goes out. No explosions whatsoever.
SNAPPERS
Also call "snap-its", this is a type of firework that you do not need a fuse with. It is in a shape of something like a piece of white tissue with a long slender handle that you use, to throw it on a hard surface. When it hits the hard surface, detonation happens and you hear a "pop" and that's it. They are considered "novelty fireworks" and most states including Illinois allow them for consumer use.
SPARKLERS
Basically, this emits a spark flourish (usually white-colored)on a long red stick and is legal in most states, including Illinois, because they don't generally shoot or explode and the fireworks stuff remains usually stationary. The main danger of any sparkler is the high heat it gives off. Sparklers can reach up to 1,000 degrees F at the burning end. This is good enough for 2nd or 3rd degree burns if the skin is exposed. If the stuff goes directly into your eyes, this can lead to blindness. So be very, very careful with them. A variant of it appears in novelty firework devices known as trick candles (where, when you blow out a flame on a candle, the flame re-appears like magic). Sparklers had even been used on non-4th-of-July events, especially on certain birthdays.
Baseball Scorekeeper Particulars - How To Record Ejections
I am thinking that the symbol should be EJ for "ejection" or "ejected" - this means an ejection from the ballgame (someone has been ejected).
We know that umpires eject ballplayer personnel for a number of infractions in some games (whether it is Little League baseball, high school baseball, college baseball, Major League Baseball, or whatever), and I am thinking of details on how a baseball scorer can record not only the ejection - but also the reason why the ejection happened. Most baseball ejections mainly fall on managers and coaches but mainly it is the players that are ejected more often than managers and coaches. So with this, the suggestions I have are as follows.......(there are other infractions that are worthy of ejection, but these are the common detailed infractions):
EJ/ABS - ejected for arguing balls and strikes (the most common ejections right now)
EJ/AAW - ejected for arguing after a umpire warning
EJ/KDAU - ejected for kicking dirt at the umpire
EJ/OBS - ejected for bad-mouthing or trash-talking at the umpire (usually with obscenities)
EJ/SBAU - ejected for slinging the bat at the umpire
EJ/SHD - ejected for slamming the helmet down
EJ/SHDAU - ejected for slamming the helmet down at the direction of the umpire
EJ/SBD - ejected for slamming the bat down
EJ/SBDAU - ejected for slamming the bad down at the direction of the umpire
EJ/PSH - ejected for pushing the umpire
EJ/TG - ejected for making a non-verbal threatening gesture at an umpire
(things like "pointing-the-gun" sign, pointing at him, making a pretend punch, or a decapitation gesture, etc.) EJ/OWE - ejected for ranting obscenities within earshot of the umpire
EJ/PT - ejected for illegal pine tar on the bat
EJ/IE - ejected for improper equipment
EJ/CTAD - ejected for creating a tantrum in the dugout (within line of sight for the umpire to see)
EJ/CAU - ejected for purposely colliding into (or at) the umpire (or bumping into an umpire)
Sometimes, there are other lesser-known infractions that may lead to ejections.....here is one of them:
EJ/DOG - ejected for delay of game (usually this happens to a catcher who goes onto the field to talk to the
pitcher and continues to talk after the umpire asks the party to stop the conversation and get the game going again. If the catcher continues talking and fails to disperse after given a warning to stop, the catcher could be thrown out.)
If the manager is ejected for a DOG, it would be EJ-M/DOG.
Pitchers are generally ejected for throwing a spitball, using spit on a ball before throwing (except in very cool weather where pitchers are allowed generally by the umpires to blow their own air on a baseball before delivering a pitch), or bean-balling (intentionally trying to hit a batter where in the meaning of the umpire is not a traditionally accidental hit-by-pitch ball).
Special ejection shorthand especially for pitchers who are tossed would be:
EJ/SPB - ejection for throwing a spitball
EJ/SPB-BP - ejection for putting spit on a ball in the umpire's line of sight before delivering the pitch
EJ/BEAN - ejection for bean-balling (usually on the 2nd infraction of such; usually there are ejections for the first infraction without an umpire warning)
Now consider that the coach, player, assistant manager, or coach can be ejected. Take the following list:
EJ - coach
EJ - player
EJ - assistant manager
EJ - manager
This could be shortened as:
EJ-C
EJ-PLYR
EJ-AM
EJ-M
Or even this:
EJ/C
EJ/PLYR
EJ/AM
EJ/M
When a player is ejected, you should blank out the remaining innings for the player that he/she would be in but cannot be because of the ejection penalty.
We know that umpires eject ballplayer personnel for a number of infractions in some games (whether it is Little League baseball, high school baseball, college baseball, Major League Baseball, or whatever), and I am thinking of details on how a baseball scorer can record not only the ejection - but also the reason why the ejection happened. Most baseball ejections mainly fall on managers and coaches but mainly it is the players that are ejected more often than managers and coaches. So with this, the suggestions I have are as follows.......(there are other infractions that are worthy of ejection, but these are the common detailed infractions):
EJ/ABS - ejected for arguing balls and strikes (the most common ejections right now)
EJ/AAW - ejected for arguing after a umpire warning
EJ/KDAU - ejected for kicking dirt at the umpire
EJ/OBS - ejected for bad-mouthing or trash-talking at the umpire (usually with obscenities)
EJ/SBAU - ejected for slinging the bat at the umpire
EJ/SHD - ejected for slamming the helmet down
EJ/SHDAU - ejected for slamming the helmet down at the direction of the umpire
EJ/SBD - ejected for slamming the bat down
EJ/SBDAU - ejected for slamming the bad down at the direction of the umpire
EJ/PSH - ejected for pushing the umpire
EJ/TG - ejected for making a non-verbal threatening gesture at an umpire
(things like "pointing-the-gun" sign, pointing at him, making a pretend punch, or a decapitation gesture, etc.) EJ/OWE - ejected for ranting obscenities within earshot of the umpire
EJ/PT - ejected for illegal pine tar on the bat
EJ/IE - ejected for improper equipment
EJ/CTAD - ejected for creating a tantrum in the dugout (within line of sight for the umpire to see)
EJ/CAU - ejected for purposely colliding into (or at) the umpire (or bumping into an umpire)
Sometimes, there are other lesser-known infractions that may lead to ejections.....here is one of them:
EJ/DOG - ejected for delay of game (usually this happens to a catcher who goes onto the field to talk to the
pitcher and continues to talk after the umpire asks the party to stop the conversation and get the game going again. If the catcher continues talking and fails to disperse after given a warning to stop, the catcher could be thrown out.)
If the manager is ejected for a DOG, it would be EJ-M/DOG.
Pitchers are generally ejected for throwing a spitball, using spit on a ball before throwing (except in very cool weather where pitchers are allowed generally by the umpires to blow their own air on a baseball before delivering a pitch), or bean-balling (intentionally trying to hit a batter where in the meaning of the umpire is not a traditionally accidental hit-by-pitch ball).
Special ejection shorthand especially for pitchers who are tossed would be:
EJ/SPB - ejection for throwing a spitball
EJ/SPB-BP - ejection for putting spit on a ball in the umpire's line of sight before delivering the pitch
EJ/BEAN - ejection for bean-balling (usually on the 2nd infraction of such; usually there are ejections for the first infraction without an umpire warning)
Now consider that the coach, player, assistant manager, or coach can be ejected. Take the following list:
EJ - coach
EJ - player
EJ - assistant manager
EJ - manager
This could be shortened as:
EJ-C
EJ-PLYR
EJ-AM
EJ-M
Or even this:
EJ/C
EJ/PLYR
EJ/AM
EJ/M
When a player is ejected, you should blank out the remaining innings for the player that he/she would be in but cannot be because of the ejection penalty.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
The Big Problem Every Summer at the University of Illinois Campus - The Foraging Yellow Jacket
Well, late summer in my years as a student of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus was exciting to meet people of different kinds and different cultures.
But within all of the midst of people, one insect I witnessed as a very annonying pest was attempting to ruin it for me as well as everybody else....I am talking about the foraging yellow jacket.
And they were plentiful. I had never been a beekeeper, but I have researched and found that when queen yellow jackets lay a lot of eggs for their offspring to hatch in mid-summer, the result can be millions of yellow jackets in late summer. As spring comes, these stinging critters first stalk their prey--grass--to find dead insectes to eat, and of course, they target most flowers for their nectar and pollen.
However, when the food supply for them runs out in the late summer, they get even more voracious. The workers are kicked out of their original hives and as a result, they have no choice but to "forage" for food. I saw plenty of foraging yellow jackets (workers) outside near the Illini Union, most of them hovering over open garbage cans that had exposed waste and food. Why? They are honing for discarded food to eat - and to make it worse, the foul odors in the cans also attract these black-and-yellow flyers.
I had witnessed a lot of college students who got near those garbage cans being targets for these jackets. Just like mosquitos will target people for their blood, yellow jackets target people who have virtually any type of exposed food. People holding Coca-cola or other caramel-laden sugary pop drinks are especially affected, and I saw some students jump crazily as the jackets harrssed them.
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