Upon the 100th watching of the Avengers

Marvel Questions:

Why would Captain America's costume ever have a mask on it? The whole world knows he's Steve Rogers, so no one has to hide an identity.

What is a "god" in the MCU version of Norse mythology? Loki was adopted from Frost Giants. How does he get elevated to god stats as the god of mischief? ("the humans think US immortal" but no one thinks Frost Giants are immortal).

At the end of the Avengers movie, how does Thor take Loki back to Asgard? They both hold on to some device and Thir twists one end and they go. Was that via the bifrost? Something else? Did the device call the bifrost? Was it Helmdal? Or what?

Why they hate us

I have been hearing and reading much, this high holiday season, about the dual natures of the day and even the (seemingly) dual nature of our relationship with Hashem. he is both father and king and the two separate roles contextualize aspects of our prayer. More about that maybe later. But first, a note about dual natures.

We, as a people, are driven by our need to reconcile a variety of approaches and ideas. Our pilgrimage holidays are both remembereances of the Exodus and agricultural celebrations. Channukah has both the mirculous oil and the miraculous victories in war. Our sabbath is marked by the obligation both the guard and remember. Even in that relationship to God we start with a concept of "the attribute of justice" and the "attribute of mercy" and then we move to "father" and "mother" (or the aforesaid father and king).

But we, too, are defined by a split nature. We pray for peace. Our daily and holiday texts are filled with wishes for a peaceful present and a messianically peaceful future. We avoid conflict and sing songs about not having to be at war. And the world knows us as its door mat because our history is full of people oppressing us. Only rarely do we fight back, do we assert our natural right to existence. And when we do, we expect to lose so our cultural stories are of surprising victories and unlikely heroes.

However in our historical texts, we are taught to pray for peace but prepare for war. The world needs to stop seeing us as the default patsy and eternal victim, and it doesn't want to. We are so expected to let people stomp on us that when we respond, our actions are addressed as a unique behavior -- we are judged by a separate standard imposed upon as "peaceful people."

Why do they hate us?

Historically, the answers included "because we are different" and "because we did something which was an affront to their religious ideals" and we can add to it "because we are supposed to roll over and yet we fought back."

The DH and why I don't like it

 Recently, I listed my view of the newer rules in baseball (I have opinions about football, but that's a story for a different blog post). I have help strong opinions about baseball rules for a while and one which I have been against for a long time (in either league) is the designated hitter rule. Now that it has infiltrated the National League, I fear that its insidious nature will begin to infect the game as a whole.

Baseball is a chess match, slow and minute. The pace should be comfortable until it needs to be otherwise. The tension is often subtle and a result of the limited roster and the fact that the players play both offense and defense. The direct competition is (or was) highlighted by the face off of the pitchers, one pitching and one at bat, until the situation is reversed. In football, when does the quarteback of one team confront the QB of the other? Football fields two separate teams per side: the offense of one competes against the defense of the other. Offenses never meet, nor do defenses. Two simultaneous games are being played. Two separate quarterbacks are passing in the night (or mid afternoon).

But baseball requires that the players do double duty and see each other on both sides of the ball, and this should include pitchers. All players contribute to both phases of the team's efforts. The designated hitter upsets this balance (unlike the momentary pinch hitter or runner) as in the DH situation, one player is only playing offense and one is only there for defense. So we lose both the interaction between pitchers (I mean, in what sense is a game QB 1 vs. QB 2? It isn't. But when pitchers have to bat, they are more fully invested in the battle) and the full involvement of all players in the entire of the game.

What's next, official pitchers? Dead Fields?

Get rid of the DH and let the players play.

For music creators

I have written a song, with its basic chord progression, a central melodic motif, a counterpoint, a bridge, the whole thing. It is scored a capella with voices doing the "instrumental sections." 

Trick is, each "instrument" is on a separate track. The complete and priced final product is marketed and packaged with an audio app which helps makes editing music easy and making remixes a snap. The song is bundled and users can practice on it, raising, lowering and even eliminating parts while doubling others. All the studio tricks built in. People are encouraged to record their own sections over the selected tracks, replacing, copying or harmonizing with other tracks. 

Even the most beginner will be able to create. And any piece of music using one of my foundational tracks that makes it big invokes an essential clause that the musician has to pay royalties.

My View of Baseball Rules

I'm against the use of a clock -- for pitchers, or hitters...no clocks!

I'm against not allowing the shift.

I'm against metal bats.

I'm against the automatic man on 2nd in extra innings.

I'm against limiting how a manager can use position players as pitchers, or swapping in and out pitchers per batter.

I'm against the DH.

I'm against limits on throws to first.

I'm against the automatic intentional walk.

I'm totally FOR play review, challenges and appeals that use replay to get a call right.

Maybe it would be interesting if we started using some street rules (official catcher who is the way younger sibling of one of the players, ghost runners, and dead fields).

A bunch of random stuff

 1. Idea for a skit or movie or something: a modern day pitcher gets transported back in time to the late 1920's. There, the player demonstrates a slider and they think it is witchcraft.

2. My apartment is a shoe closet. I don't mean that metaphorically or as any sort of figure of speech. I literally live in a shoe closet inside so other lady's apartment.

3. There is a commercial on for a car dealer and in it some guy explains how he ended up buying the car...he says "dud, CRAZY story" except that the story isn't the slightest bit crazy. He walked in, test drove and bought a car. Not crazy. I hate that commercial. It makes me want to punch people.

4. Sometimes I wish I lacked all human empathy and was a sociopath, a sadist and a downright evil person, because once I become a serial killer, I'll have a useful hobby to fall back on. If I ever get bored, I can always just kill someone and voila, not bored anymore!

5. The injet printer maker advertised on the baseball game coverage by sponsoring the game recap and calling it the "Epson Flows of the game."