OT ideas for the day?  I don't know but EVERYTHING HAS TO BE IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION!  And if you don't?  You will single handedly be responsible for jinxing the M's into a ten game losing streak!!!!!

Holy crap I'm enthused by the M's this year!  Optimistic even, it's fun to watch.  The things stand out when I think of last year?   Bedard refusing the money quote, the constant wondering/bitching about whether or not Vidro's option was ever going to vest (I don't even know what this is and the explanation was everywhere, and I love you Mike Sweeney!), and lastly  Ichiro being selfish.  What a difference a record makes, and a defense.  So those of you who are waiting for the doom and gloom stuff it!  Stop taking a piss on my happiness!  Go find the guy who took the jelly out of your donut, and chew on his ear thank you very much! 

How about this little exercise, you're only allowed to talk about the upside for today, and today only!  Everybody sees the downsides, all the ways things can fall apart- not everybody chooses to talk about them.  I've always called the long shot chance Threading The Needle, and the M's just might thread the needle this year. Enough with the 75 word filler!

The last OT thread that was properly titled as such quickly fell off the list, the sidebar post that unofficially became the next OT has also fallen victim to a similar fate.  I recently changed my mind about topics for discussion, previously I just chucked something in here that I found interesting since I firmly believed people will talk about whatever the hell they're going to talk about.   Upon further review, I'm starting to believe that topics are often the seeds for some interesting conversation.  Not that LL is a chat room! 

Billy Bob Thornton has a band the Boxmasters.  I've enjoyed some of BBT's acting work, but I would really hate to interview him.  What a cock, this gives  the Joaquin Phoenix appearance on David Letterman a run for it's money. Cosmic cowboy music, WTF?

The television shows I was following via Netflix are all on indefinite hold, even though I know several of them have been released.  Is this an outcome of the writer's strike? 

I'm actively rooting for the entire cast of Lost to die, except for perhaps Jin. 

There's been a lot of novels adapted to the big screen, some notable others not so much.  Elmore Leonard writes some incredibly snappy dialogue, hip protagonists, sexy locations.  Out of Sight, Get Shorty, Hombre, Jackie Brown are all adapted from  his novels.  Favorite adaptations?  Best or worst.

Zoe Bell, stunt woman extraordinaire, ooooh la la!  Online series, just found it and haven't watched it yet.  Angel of Death.

Video games, computers, virus protection, interesting websites, weird pics, items that make everybody go AHHHHHHH!!!!

Santa Fe Institute.   Rather innocuous title, it's a think tank.  From their website:

"...emphasizing multi-disciplinary collaboration in pursuit of understanding the common themes that arise in natural, artificial, and social systems." 

Listed topics of research range from war time sexual violence to the dynamics and quantitative studies of human behavior and institutions,  or the physics of complex systems if you'd like.

What's interesting about this group is their approach. 

"As many as 50 scientists and researchers can be accommodated at SFI for visits of varying intervals of time. While there are no permanent faculty, there is a mix of residential research professors (up to six-year appointments), postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, visitors, and external faculty members. SFI considers itself an "institute without walls." " 

Maybe you are participating in a research project.  Right now!  Ever thought about that?

Perhaps this approach isn't exactly unique within the scientific community, but how many think scientific think tanks claim the membership of Cormac McCarthy?  I'd love to know just what he's bringing to that table. 

Have a look at these beauties!  Check out the vintage one atmosphere suits, insane! (have a nice day at the office!).

My gaming experience ended with N64 GoldenEye, which wasn't a bad place to stop I guess.  Online gaming has a sweet siren song... but that topic doesn't need prompting from me.  Or movies, done to death, soooo five minutes ago.

And I've can't help but throw this little gem in the stew.  It's got furries, Mark McGuire, and widespread panic!  Makes me laugh every time.

Growing old is never a ball of fun, but when you live long enough to retire having survived a century that included a Great Depression, two World Wars, born in an era of horse drawn transportation and steam powered trains to witness men land on the moon,  to have your local utility turn you into a popsicle must be the final indignity. Cheers!

How many friends you have may be controlled by your genes.  And there's  a genetic tendency to introduce friends to each other!  Happy times.  Next thing you know they'll try and tell me my taste in beer is controlled by my genes, but that's just crazy talk.

And Tenacious D everyone!   Just 'cause this isn't the greatest OT post in the world, it's just a tribute.   My keyboard ate that other one. 

Tender Crisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch!  Bacon porn for all the bacon lovers out there. 

If you don't know the glory of Patton Oswalt, familiarize yourself!  Patton goes to Black Angus (every time you eat a steak, a hippies hacky sack goes in the sewer)!

From Chapman's Sailors Lexicon;  FOG: a mist at sea, consisting of the grosser vapours floating in the air near the surface of the sea. 

This definition is preceded by FOENUS NAUTICUM:  nauticul usury, bottomry. 

Other than that, I'm really happy for Dave Niehaus.  Hopefully the man gets to call a few more post season games before he hangs up his spurs.  When I think of the Mariners, Mr. Niehaus is the first person that comes to mind.  He's been here since the beginning, and many of my favorite Mariner's memories have been described to me from the ether in the unique and measured cadence of his voice. 

He's always been a gentleman, respectful of the game and the players, yet has often voiced the frustration of the fans with the strained plea, "Can't anyone throw a strike?!", or the despair often heard in "...and the runner is left stranded at third with another 6-4-3 inning ending double play."  May Dave Neihaus always be the Voice of the Mariners, I can't imagine the team without him.