The Baseball Book Club discussion
Current Books & Discussions
>
Non-baseball items, part II
Lance may find this of interest. The album Buckingham Nicks is to be rereleased in September (the 19th I believe) on Vinyl and CD.
British Jazz singer Cleo Laine has passed away at age 97. She was the first British artist to win a Billboard award in a Jazz category. Here is a clip of Laine and her husband John Dankworth performing one of the songs she was known for "Turkish Delight".https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXa8m...
Apparently it was on this date that the Egyptian president, Nasser, nationalized the Suez Canal. As I was only 1 at the time I don't recall that.
Lionel Messi is not a happy camper. He didn't show up for the All-Star Game and thus has been suspended by MLS for a game. He claimed he was too fatigued to play it. MLS didn't accept that and therefore they meted out the standard punishment for missing the game. Even Messi has to follow the rules.
The England and Irish Lions defeated Australia in the sedond test match. Given that tere are three games in this series and the Lions have akready won the first match this means they have won the series. They will still play the third game though. This is Rugby we are talking about by the way. There was some controversy at the end of the match mind you.
Well they did it. The Lionesses are once again the winners of the EUROs. They defeated Spain on penalty kicks. Why am I not surprised it went down to that. I do feel sorry for the Spanish side though as they were hoping for a victory to remove the taste of what happened after the Womens' World Cup.
Tom Lehrer has passed away at age 97. If you aren't overly familiar with his music I suggest checking out his album "That Was the Year That Was". The album was a live recording (at The Hungry I in New York City) and his introductions can be as amusing as the songs.
Tottenham Hotspurs are not in a happy mood. They thought they were going to be adding Morgan Gbbbs-White to their team. Instead he resigned with Nottingham Forest, the team he has been with for the last few seasons. This was a player they were looking forward to having in the team next season so this is a major blow for them. As Forest is the British team I root for I am not going to complain.
Today is apparently the anniversary of the 14th Amendment to your constitution. It was adopted in 1868. I wonder if it is tied into the Civil War and Emancipation somehow. Despite what some people might think I am not that old so I really don't know.
From today's Morning Brew newsletter.Not a football fan? Thursday through Sunday, the annual ESPN8: The Ocho event will serve up off-the-wall action in obscure sports, like Outhouse Racing, Mailboat Jumping, and Slippery Stairs, which is exactly what it sounds like.
Outhouse Racing. I have no comment save to say I doubt this will ever make it to the Olympics.
I have to mention this. The upcoming by-election in the Battle River-Crowfoot riding as of Sunday had 209 candidates. I really feel sorry for those who are going to have to wade through that ballot to find the person they want to vote for.
Morecombe FC of the English National League have been suspended due to financial issues.The current ownership is trying to sell the team but is having difficulty doing so.
I have been talking about the number of candidates for an upcoming by-election. Well Elections Canada has decided that instead of a rather large list of candidates it will print a ballot that contains only a space where the voter can write in the name of the candidate he prefers. This should get interesting. Glad I am neither counting nor scrutineering this one.
Donald Trump (or The Donald as the British press sometimes refer to him as) still hopes of host The Open at Turnbury. Starmer was quick to point out that the UK government has no say in that matter, though apparently Whitehall did approach golf's bosses concerning the practicality of hosting the tournament there.
It seems we may not know what punishment, if any, Manchester City will receive for its alleged violation of financial fair play rules. This delay is starting to get people really annoyed. Two possible punishments have been mentioned, a loss of points or relegation. However as we get closer to the start of the 2025/26 season to my mind relegation becomes less of an possibility. A points reduction that is almost sure to put Man City in The Championship at the close of the season becomes more likely. Of coure they could be simply fined a really huge amount of money instead, or not be allowed to participate in the transfer market for a two or three years.
Mod
Yes - very simply, it granted all people born or naturalized in the US full citizenship including former slaves.
Mod
I hope this isn’t an election when a candidate needs at least 50% + 1 to be declared a winner. No one would come close with that many candidates
As you probably know Manchester United of the Premier League plays their home games at Old Trafford. Will Manchester City have gone and singed a goalkeeper by the name of James Trafford. I doubt that there is any connection.
Justin Trudeau was spotted having dinner with Katy Perry. No one knows is this was just a casual thing or an actual date. Doesn't really matter, the Internet went crazy anyway. Of course his father dated Liona Boyd at one point and was linked to Barbra Steissand as well.
FYI today is National Avacado Day. As I am not fond of avacados I don't really care. But if you like them have one today to celebrate.
For fans of James Bond. If you recall Thunderball you may remember the villain's yacht. Well I have discovered that its name, Disco Volante, is Italian for flying saucer. It was also the name of an Italian comic that reprinted a number of strips from the UK comic Eagle, including Dan Dare, which was an Sci-Fi strip.
For F1 and racing fans Max Verstappen has confirmed he will still be with Red Bull in 2026. He has a contract until 2028 apparently but he has only confirmed next season so far.
Mod
Mod
After the date, did she mention if he's a Firework? Or, did Justin proclaim that he Kissed a Girl and he liked it? If so, was Katy using cherry chap stick? (Sorry, couldn't resist)
Since I am not familiar with Ms. Perry's oeuvvre the references went right over my head and are heading out to space now, thoughnot the planet Krypton. Far as I know they did not talk to the press. However he was spotted at one of her recent concerts.
Emma Peel was apparently introduced to the world 60 years ago. I think if fair to say Diana Rigg's career was never the same.
Reading my emails and came across this. It shows how different the US and Canada, at least parts of it can be.The Trump administration issued a memo this week declaring that federal agencies will allow workers to promote their religious beliefs to colleagues, display religious items and pray at work. According to the guidance, a federal worker “may engage another in polite discussion of why his faith is correct and why the non-adherent should re-think his religious beliefs.” But there is one caveat: “provided that such efforts are not harassing in nature.”
A few years ago the province of Quebec passed what they called the Secularism act which prohibited the wearing of religious symbols by members of the provincial public service. They want it extended to federal public servants in the province but so far that hasn't happened. This law applies to teachers in case you are wondering. Anyway I daresay that most, if not all, of what this order allows would be disallowed by that law.
Here is the link for the Pub Quiz. Hopefully I will do better this week than last week.https://www.mirror.co.uk/play/quizzes...
They are building a Black Panther Heritage Trail in Illinois. Now who, back in the sixties and seventies would have seen this happening?
Australia took the rugby match against the British and Irish Lions but the Lions took the test series 2-1. The conditions were not ideal, but both teams have to play in the same conditions.
Couple of items from today's (Saturday's) Londonist newsletter concerning sporting events coming up. First up is an item on The Great River Race. It is sort of like the London Marathon but it takes place on The Thames.https://londonist.com/london/things-t...
Second is an item on The One Hundred which is a cricket tournament. The games take much lest time than a Test Cricket match. I have heard about this tournament but now know more about it.
https://londonist.com/london/sport/th...
Actress Loni Anderson has passed away at age 79.
Not sure but I think only one of our children wished the wife and I a happy anniversary today. Sometimes I can't believe we have been married since 2002.
C. John wrote: "Not sure but I think only one of our children wished the wife and I a happy anniversary today. Sometimes I can't believe we have been married since 2002."Happy Anniversary!
Thanks. I will cut the oldest son some slack as he was gone to work before I got out of bed and he could very well have wished Christine a happy anniversary before he left.
Depending on where you live today is Emancipation Day, though some places celebrated in on August 1st and of course some don't celebrate it at all. It is the anniversary of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, This abolished slavery throughout the British Empire. The only colony that I know did not take kindly to this act were the Boers of South Africa, who were descendents of the original Dutch setters. They are better known today as the Afrikaaners, and really still haven't gotten over that particular law. It is a holiday here in Canada but each province seems to have its own name for it.
Mod
Mod
Lance wrote: "Here in the US, it’s not really celebrated - that’s reserved for June 19, when the last slaves held in Texas were freed as word finally got there about the end of the Civil War. Juneteenth is now a..."As well, you weren't part of the Empire by then anyway so it didn't really affect you.
Lance wrote: "I finally get a chance to see the Lynx live - going down to Brooklyn Sunday to see them take on the Liberty - and my favorite player, Napheesa Collier, is out with a high ankle sprain. Bummer I can..."Have fun at the game.
A very quick match here. I am not sure where this is from but I do recall the Mulkeys wrestling for Jim Crockett at one time. No idea who The Gladiators were under those masks.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpfOP...
In yesterday's final Cricket Test match between India and England the latter need 35 runs with four wickets remaining. I am given to understand this was achievable. Unfortunately England ended up losing by six. The telegraph describes it as the maddest hour of Cricket you will ever see. It ended with Chris Woakes batting one handed with his other hand in a sling. He was last man standing,.And no, I don't know what all the terminology means. I suppose if I watched more Cricket I might but I have only watched one match, and that was in, I think, the T20 format.
Item that I read states that NASA is fast tracking the idea of building a nuclear reactor on the moon. Why is the old television show Space: 1999 going through my head.
Since we are a group of readers I am posting an item on the upcoming Liverpool Book Festival in case anyone is going to be in the UK when it is taking place. The novelist they mention is a writer I am familiar with, though it is with his short fiction rather than his novels. He use to be known as J. Ramsey Campbell but he dropped the J. for some reason several years ago. Sounds like it would be a fun time.https://downthetubes.net/liverpool-bo...
You can tell what sports my mind is on. Headline on an item referred to the Celtics latest signing. Before I had read the entire headline my mind said Glasgow Celtics but of course the team referred to was the Boston Celtics.
The longlist for the Booker Prize has been announced. I will admit that I have not heard of any of these books.https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booke...
From the Telegraph Sport Briefing, so this is referring to the UK.Also in football, a DNA tagging spray is to be used by police on football fans to prevent disorder at matches. It marks skin and clothing that remains present for months and shows up under UV light.
The Baseball Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Game (other topics)The Game (other topics)
Rory Land: The Up-and-Down World of Golf's Global Icon (other topics)
A Deadly Endeavor (other topics)
The Last Hope (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Jenny Adams (other topics)Susan Elia MacNeal (other topics)
1. Romeo and Juliet*
2. The Great Gatsby*
3, The Crucible
4. MacBeth*
5. Of Mice and Men
6. To Kill a Mockingbird*
7. Night
8. Hamlet*
9. Farenheit 451
10. Frankenstein
The ones I have marked with an * are ones I actually studied in high school.