Lookout Landing

It seems to be very scattershot today.

My dusting is now up to 1/2 inch plus in the Fremont area, but KOMO is saying that they’ve had almost 3 inches downtown.

I'm sad about the lack of snow here on the eastside so far, as my snowshoes gather dust in the corner. Snow in the forecast the next few days (fingers crossed.)

The one upside trade off though is the large number of cold, bluebird days we’ve had. Winter sunshine is so nice.

I'm on a hill...

thus there are a few inches of snow outside where I am right now. I haven’t heard the familiar spinning of tires, but I’m starting to think that if I go out to work today I may not be coming back tonight.

That's my fear for Tuesday. They're talking maybe 3-6 inches puget sound wide.

However, they’re talking Tuesday afternoon into evening..I don’t want to be stuck at work in that scenario.

kentroyals5 - January 15, 2012 reply

I have a morning class and an evening class.

I may be boned.

NO WORK

Shorts, t-shirt and sun here baby!

Aussie Mariner - January 15, 2012 reply

And the Australian open started today.

Joker is going down! (This is more hope than definitive statement)

Go Federer!

The Basques are having a snow dance in Boise this week.

yuniform - January 16, 2012 via Android app reply

Does anybody know why Boise has that huge Basque population?

Ask Boise's Basque mayor!

Or, go to BoiseBasques.com. Basically, the sheepherders all left Europe and knew a guy in Idaho. The result is awesome sausage and croquettes.

yuniform - January 16, 2012 via Android app reply

When my friend moved to Boise, all he could talk about was the Basque population.

Though it did introduce me to cali… xali… kally…. oh fuck. The red wine/coca cola drink. cali-mocho or however they want to spell it.

Yeah, their language is especially difficult, but kalimixto (phonetic!) is fine, though there's lots of better Basque food. Bean soup, for example.

yuniform - January 16, 2012 via Android app reply

Going into Basque country was one of the most jarring experiences of my life because holy shit what is this language?

Would you recommend a trip there?

I’m in southern Spain now and wondering if it’s worth the trip up north

bomdal - January 16, 2012 reply

I was there during San Fermin so my perspective on the area is different than it is most of the year I'm sure.

People tend to migrate to areas that look like where they were before.

Southern Idaho bears more than a passing resemblance to northern Spain- very similar climate, anyway.

That’s why there isn’t a huge Scandinavian population in Alabama

Corco - January 16, 2012 reply

Lewiston, Maine has a huge Somali population. No joke

Craptastic-J - January 17, 2012 reply

I should have said historic immigration trends towards undeveloped areas

The stuff that’s happened in the last 50 years has been a lot more random- now that we don’t have vast amounts of undeveloped land, people just go where somebody will take them

Corco - January 17, 2012 reply

War-torn refugee-ism is quite a bit different. Somalis in Maine was just very interesting to me when I heard it.

But then you also have things like the Danish colony in Solvang, California established about 100 years ago. Interesting topic.

Craptastic-J - January 17, 2012 reply

There are also a lot of Somalis in the Twin Cities, plus a few Somalis and Bosnians in Boise, which is now home to two mosques.

yuniform - January 17, 2012 via Android app reply

I believe there's also a pretty large Hmong population in Minneapolis

I think there's a bunch of Hmong in Wisconsin, too.

yuniform - January 17, 2012 via Android app reply

Gran Torino was about the Hmong population in, I think Detroit

Guess the Hmong like the Great Lakes region

Craptastic-J - January 17, 2012 reply

And in at least one case, to areas that SOUND like where they were before!

My great great grandparents moved from the Netherlands to Holland, Michigan.

royalcurve - January 17, 2012 reply

So far my new years resolution has gone swimmingly!

8 pounds lost since 1/4 (official start of the diet) thanks to a smarter food intake and a minimum of 66 miles ridden a week. How’s everyone else’s resolutions going?

Awesome work. My plan has just been to cut back on alcohol...Still drink, but less.

With so many different sub-set of friends it seems like each want to go out once a week for drinks but once a week, 3 times, adds up!

kentroyals5 - January 15, 2012 reply

This is proving the biggest thing for us

We used to go out at least three times a week, and have multiple drinks every time. We will probably still go out a fair amount, but in a nod to realistic thinking we designated Friday or Saturday night as “we don’t care about the diet night” – on one of those nights we can drink whatever we want (but if we do that Friday we won’t do it Saturday, and vice versa). Other nights when we go out, it’s either one beer or two glasses of wine (or one if it’s a place with generous pours).

This will probably evolve over time, but for now it seems to be working pretty well – we’re both dropping pounds and it doesn’t really feel like a massive sacrifice like we thought it would.

I also can't recommend enough 22 daily miles of bike riding as a weight loss aid but that's probably not realistic for most

Does that count if it's the distance between all of the bars you visit on a given day?

If it does, I’m either in or too drunk to care what shape my bar is.

hmmm…. I might want to re-type that when I sober up.

I still need to do that last weight drop after plateau-ing.

I am mostly amazed that after all the food everywhere during the holidays that I didn’t go way back up. The enforced bike ride is a good idea— I have someone at work who also wants to get a walk in, so we’re hoping to noodge each other out the door more often.

Yep

Men lose much faster than women do, and men lose really fast at first. I am not counting on a constant rate of 8 lb every eleven days; that was a nice surprise but if I can stay in the 1-2 lb a week average range I’ll be thrilled.

That's really great actually.

And the team aspect with your wife has got to be a bonus for staying motivated.

Absolutely

But the thing that we both discovered is that we can’t make it a “who can lose more” competition – that doesn’t work for me, especially, because I’m a very non-competitive person. Between us, it’s more of a collaboration, and something we’re doing because we both want to.

Yep yep.

I meant more in the way of helping each other stay focused/accountable when you don’t feel like working out or want something bad off the menu.

What's the general concensus on third base?

I haven’t seen much mention on it, but what’re you guys thinking?
I don’t really remember how Seager looked at the end of the year, UZR didn’t like him, but it’s UZR. I think his bat will be decent enough, but not really sure it’ll make up for the glove.

What other options are out there? Or do we need other options?

Two Rs and Two Ls - January 15, 2012 reply

I don't mind giving Seager a shot since Catricala isn't ready yet.

I wouldn’t mind signing Betemit either.

Mariner John - January 15, 2012 reply

Third base is hot.

Second Date.

joof - January 15, 2012 reply

Figgins!

Corco - January 16, 2012 reply

Since death by drowning seems to be popular these days, do that.

ToddK - January 16, 2012 reply

Thankfully I don't have to go to work till Tuesday, so hopefully the worst of it will be going away by then.

Goose - January 15, 2012 reply

Tuesday looks interesting to say the least. Heavy band of moisture coming in..sounds like cooling tomorrow into this band of rain.

From Komo’s forecast.

We’ll have a drier break with partly starry skies and only a few stray snow showers Sunday night. Lows will plummet into the 20s—even the upper teens in the colder locales near Bremerton and North Bend. Another batch of snow showers will rotate through on Monday, with scattered amounts totaling up to another few inches for some.

Tuesday may feature a much more widespread snow event…up until this point the snow will be scattered. Increasing moisture starts to override our cold air on Tuesday afternoon, and with strong north winds picking up, we may be in for a region-wide snowstorm with heavy amounts (6"+) of snow in parts of the lowlands.

kentroyals5 - January 15, 2012 reply

Cliff Mass is dreamy as always.

SLUSHMAGEDDON!

JAH - January 16, 2012 reply

Aaaah!!!! Aaaah!!!! Aaaah!!!! Aaaah!!!! Aaaah!!!! Aaaah!!!!

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2012/01/major-snow-event.html

msb - January 16, 2012 reply

I just saw that..Oh My Goodness. I'm so down for this. I already have an okay to stay home through Thursday

kentroyals5 - January 16, 2012 reply

YES YES YES

Benne - January 16, 2012 reply

I made it out to the store earlier.

Let’s do this thing.

JY - January 16, 2012 reply

Yup..made it out this afternoon. Bought enough food to keep me happy. Now let's go big!

kentroyals5 - January 16, 2012 reply

I'm with you.

Although it’s not snowing AT ALL in West Seattle right now, so it better get to dumping soon so my school can close.

royalcurve - January 16, 2012 reply

It will be off of the main roads before tomorrow morning.

The only problem is that all the cars that got stuck this afternoon will still be right where they got stuck.

And the roads are clear this morning! Huzzah!

Goose - January 17, 2012 reply

We've completely missed Winter this year in Montana.

It’s the weirdest thing ever. We’ve had more days over fifty than under 20, and hardly any snow below 6000 feet.
I spend the last couple days in Spokane. Overcast and 30. Drove back yesterday to 55 and sunny here in MT. It’s really weird.

Good news is our wildlife could use it after a couple rough winters.

"Improve-Ice ... featuring Styx"

Styx is on a stage next to an ice rink, playing Renegade.

And if you are wondering why Styx would be doing this, Brian Boitano asked them to.

When he fought the evil robot kings, he saved the human race again. You’re going to turn that man down?

I think that I saw a few seconds of that.

If that really is what I was seeing, Dennis DeYoung has aged about as well vocally as he has in image. Though his perm seems to be where all perms on men should be these days, I.E. non-existent.

Maybe I should have said "mullet-perm"...

Ordinary People speak up about the Mariners.

“I refuse to pay for any Mariners games or gear from the mariners. Until they prove they are not pocketing the money and paying for good players. TRADE MORE GOOD PLAYERS FOR BUMS”

“Well, maybe [Eric Wedge & Ken Griffey] should spend more time at home putting a WINNING TEAM on the field instead of prancing around in Japan!! DUHH!!!

“Sell the team to an owner who wants to win in Seattle. Focus on a winning product and not a Japanese tourist attraction. The Mariners are a joke. Seattle deserves better.”

“Clearly the mariners are a right off for the owners… they take their loss in the us to cover their other expenses….It becomes more and more obvious. We love our team but them it is just business…”

“How many guys obtained to jump-start our Safeco offense have to fail miserably before the M’s braintrust realizes that the only path to a pennant is top-notch pitching and defense?”

You know, there's a reason a lot of us don't usually visit comments sections.

I think this is just a transcript of some sports radio fan calls.

I listened to a few of those the other day.

For the amount of effort they put into getting on the air, you’d think they’d have something to say.

Maybe you and I would...

ToddK - January 16, 2012 reply

After reading Shannon's article on Losing the Stank, I learned that the Mariners are just a farm team for the Yankees.

Why do I ever clicked the goddamned comments link?

Shannon's article or the comments in Shannon's article?

Big difference.

Comments after the article.

Shannon is always money. I just feel bad she often has a bunch of comments from mouth breathers.

I visited my parents today, and came across some of these quotes while reading the letters section of their Sunday Seattle Times.

It made me happy I canceled my subscription.

katal - January 15, 2012 reply

This was a mix of the Times letters and the M's facebook page.

When I was listening to 710 as it went down, most people seemed happy.

The Mariners Facebook comments can burn in hell

Mariner John - January 15, 2012 reply

This is just for my zip code but

holy shit Wednesday. NWS doesn’t usually predict that much snow for here. This is after not really getting anything today.

Mariner John - January 15, 2012 reply

"Holy shit Wednesday" is now an actual day of every week for me.

Thank you my brothah!

Sistek at KOMO

Sunday evening update

The model runs generated Sunday evening still had a wide range of opinions. One (the “GFS”) has 4-8" of snow falling between roughly 7am and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, followed by a period of heavy rain and strong gusty winds of 30-35 mph with temperatures warming rapidly into the 40s .

Another American model (the “NAM”) had the storm coming in much further south into central Oregon, keeping the Seattle area colder but also less snowy.

The European model keeps the snow around longer, but gradually warms us up. Its solution would make a snowier picture for the Northwest.

It looks like we’ll just have to wait until the storm draws closer and develops more before the models will come to a closer consensus.

Kind of lame Fangraphs has five articles up about the Yankees and/or Pineda.

And none from the Mariners point of view or about Montero.

East coast bias!

katal - January 15, 2012 reply

Wasn't implying that. Just seemed odd.

BigR - January 16, 2012 reply

Harbaugh Bowl incoming!

Kirk - January 15, 2012 reply

gay

Robert - January 16, 2012 via Android app reply

Just like the BCS rematch title game

this can only be bad for football

bluemax - January 17, 2012 reply

I don't want a rematch of the Giant Snatch game.

yuniform - January 17, 2012 via Android app reply

Just watch the finale of Sherlock.

Good Television indeed.

EequalsMc2 - January 15, 2012 reply

We have to wait until May.

http://www.tv-links.eu/tv-shows/Sherlock_23592/

I have a link to a stream.

EequalsMc2 - January 15, 2012 reply

Did I also mention I live in Bellevue?

EequalsMc2 - January 15, 2012 reply

Wait, is the second series out?

joof - January 15, 2012 reply

Here:

EequalsMc2 - January 16, 2012 reply

Thank you!

I thought there was only one episode out for the second season!

I love the casting or Moriarty

Really I love the casting in general

Holy shit!

I became a Mod of an SBN site today.

Note to anyone who ever becomes a mod and can see EVERYTHING bad that anyone has ever said about them, have a thick skin. At least, MOST of those flags were from 2010, early 2011. You can’t have everyone like you, and I’ve come to terms with this. Even I would agree, the I made some pretty bad comments in the beginning (hey, probably still make a few today) but always give people a chance to get better.

Thanks for giving me a chance to get better.

Kenneth Arthur - January 15, 2012 reply

Congrats!

I do hope you will continue to write for us in FG or LL!

EequalsMc2 - January 16, 2012 reply

Thanks.

Of course, I will continue to write for FG and comment on LL, and if I feel I have something of value to write in a fanpost, I will do so until I’m told by Matthew or Jeff not to do so. That obviously has not happened. I credit Jeff as an inspiration (not as someone that I “plagiarize” and Matthew as an inspiration to dig deeper than just the bare facts and be more intellectual in any of my posts or comments.

Even if certain people don’t care for you, (I’m not implying that they do specifically) it doesn’t stop me from respecting or enjoying the work that they do. My writing over the last year on other sites has really helped me better myself as a writer and a more knowledgable sports fan, and for the most part things have been a lot better lately.

My advice to anyone who feels “attacked” by a community early on is to look inward, and not outward, for a reason and a solution. “Kenny Knows Sports” and “Humbled Fan” are less mature versions of the person I was before. Have I gotten flagged in the last six months? Sure, but you’d be surprised how much nicer the flags are, haha.

I have actually never flagged anyone, but I don’t see how “he’s a douche” really accomplishes anything. I just think it’s more constructive to say what the issue is rather than just comments or flags that imply “I just hate you and I always will.”

Just some things I’ve learned along the way. Still love the community!

So you would say Kenny knows blogging?

(please don’t box me)

Kenny knows that he'll never know everything.

But like anyone else, we all improve over time with practice, experience, and learning from mistakes!

Damn, hope I can hide all those times I flagged you, before you can notice...

Let this be a lesson to all of us that we can't really flag people lest they become mods later.

Too late!

Seriously, I hold NO GRUDGES over anything said. It’s not like it’s any “news” to me, and I don’t hold grudges anyway.

You are pretty much the model for "how to learn to be a good commenter" in my opinion

You took a serious beating when you first got here, and instead of flaming out, you did what you said above, absorbed the lesson that people were trying to teach you (tough love!!!!) and came back stronger.

Thanks!

This feels really weird to say about a website/online community, but LL made me a tougher person. I used to be pretty sensitive and would quickly lash back at people. Now, I realize that you can’t take everything so seriously, or you have to take a deep breath and maybe step away for a little while and then think on it again “Is it still worth it to be angry about this?” or “How can I have a reasonable discussion on this and not a flame war?”

The past two years have been like a huge emotional growth spurt. I mean shit, I’m almost 30. (Wow.)

Anything in life can be a learning experience, especially anything you screw up.

Nice work, and congrats.

Aussie Mariner - January 16, 2012 reply

I'm not even sure if I really did flag you ever.

That’s the story I’ll stick with…

A majority of mine came from the rash ass.

Scruffy Lefty - January 16, 2012 reply

Doesn't a person have to be a member of your blog first before you can read their LL flags?

Kermit. - January 16, 2012 reply

Nope

You can read all the times people have flagged you always.

Graham MacAree - January 16, 2012 reply

Oh, man, I'd love to to be able to see the comments from flagging. Must be hilarious.

I apologize if I ever said anything dickish to you in a flagged comment. I feel like I may have a long time ago.

My new years resolution was to be an even better Seattle sports fan and I feel like it's gone quite well thank you very much.

Robert - January 16, 2012 via Android app reply

How much were those Trailblazer season tickets?

ToddK - January 16, 2012 reply

AppeaLL to the Masses: Document Formatting Question

If you have a line on a legal document that reads: “NAME/SIGNATURE____________” with only one line following, do you take that to mean you need to provide both a printed name and signature or either a signature or a printed name.

I’m having a rather pointed discussion at work over the inclusion of just one line instead of two. My assumption is that, by providing only one line afterward and having forward slash between name and signature, you are stating OR instead of AND. Modern punctuation seems to be on my side with this one; however the counter argument is that, to represent valid acknowledgement, a signature must always be present so it’s taken to be AND.

ThomasG - January 16, 2012 reply

I would just sign my name.

This line was included in the middle of the document in which the person merely typed out his name; he signed the last page of the document.

The problem is by not signing that specific line does the clause that comes before the line now become invalid.

ThomasG - January 16, 2012 reply

Then, in my opinion, he was foolish. We should all know by the time that we're adults, that if something even suggests a signature, you sign it,.

If it is a legally binding document always include both

I agree that one SHOULD always include both.

In this case by not providing both, does it invalidate the document? I’m arguing no; he’s signed the signature (i.e. last) page of the document, which should bind the document and, since the section in question only has one line and a forward slash between name and signature, it can be interpreted as OR instead of AND.

ThomasG - January 16, 2012 reply

I am not a lawyer

but I believe that not providing both does not in fact invalidate the document as long as there’s a signature on it somewhere. In your specific example, I would take the forward slash to be an AND, but that’s just me.

Oh crap. holiday radio programming = Colin Cowherd.

Did you know he grew up in Washington State???

I try to forget.

He sure does a good job of trying to not let you, when the moment arises.

It's always nice when a cynical asshole continuously mentions his "hometown" teams always stinking.

My car radio went out, and now that I think about it, I’m grateful. (Because I feel obligated to listen to anything sports radio, and the only options are Dan Patrick and Cowherd, and when Patrick goes to commercial, I’d switch over. However, as much as I like Patrick, he talks about sports like 30% of the time.)

In Grayland!

Of all places…

bomdal - January 16, 2012 reply

New Storm Warning for tonight/Tuesday Morning...3-6 inches possible.

And we’re not even talking about the Wednesday storm! OH BOY!!

Scott Sistek is awesome.

kentroyals5 - January 16, 2012 reply

On the one hand, first world problems is kind of a stupid meme because of how far overboard people take it

on the other hand, it’s pretty appropriate in many scenarios – problems that suck, but could be much worse.

I have a first world problem right now, as my water heater up and died last night and I have no hot water in the house. Anyone else dealing with somewhat trivial shit that makes for major inconveniences?

seattlebruin - January 16, 2012 reply

Well, since you asked...

A problem with shoddy piping that was regulation when it was installed twenty+ years ago but now would not pass (to say nothing of the lazy contractors who build the house) left us with a water leak on the half bathroom facing the garage. Consequently, that bathroom was torn apart and gutted while dehumidifiers were installed. Further tests revealed that the water had also seeped into the adjacent laundry room and entryway, and those were eventually partially torn up and dehumidified. And the piping will probably be replaced at the same time as the bathroom is re-done, but we first need to clean everything up and no one knows how long that will take. Also the floors would have to be refinished, meaning we’d have to vacate the house at some point.

But as of yesterday, the major inconvenience was that a minor part in one of the two remaining toilets broke and now we only have one functioning toilet. Can’t exactly go out and get the replacement because there be snow and shit. Wheeeeeeee!

(I feel you on the hot water though. Every so often when I lived in NYC, it would get shut down for my block)

Literally? That's rough.

[N]ow we only have one functioning toilet. Can’t … go out … because there be snow and shit.

Matthew - January 16, 2012 reply

Ellipses make our dialogue so much more entertaining.

I love elipses.

I would be very sad … if they went away.

Are you an owner or a renter?

It's a non-issue.

Since I’m back in Seattle for grad school, I’m crashing at my mom’s place and we have USAA. The only issue is that she’s worried about them coming down on us because we’ve had a number of recent claims because the house is aging and the people who built it put in half an ass of effort on the good days. Seriously, when we blew out the air ducts several years back we found about twenty aluminum cans, just rolling around in there.

It's pretty amazing what some carpenters do.

I am the furthest thing from a handyman, but my brother is an excellent carpenter/handyman, and the horror stories has has told me about shoddy work… it’s scary business if you don’t know who you’re working with.

USAA is still the most awesome insurance company ever.

I’d venture if anyone was going to be ok with multiple claims it would be them.

wazzu93 - January 16, 2012 reply

I have no heat in my new house. (We forgot to call the gas company.) Hooray for space heaters!

yuniform - January 16, 2012 via Android app reply

I've done the no hot water thing for a brief stretch.

electric hot pot, big pots on the stove, and washing in the kitchen.

Dropped my cell phone and shattered the screen, sent it in for a replacement last week.

It’s definitely a trivial annoyance. There’s nothing I was doing on my cell that I can’t do through a variety of other tools like my computer or landline phone. Problem is that I’ve integrated so much of my work life into it. I check and respond to work issues via e-mail on my phone. Without it, I have to drop what I’m doing and head home, look up a contact, call them, and troubleshoot. If things are particularly bad, I can’t leave the house because someone might need to talk to me.

I can easily get by, but it certainly would be nice to get my cell back.

The "L" key on my keyboard wasn't working for awhile because I spilled water on it.

I was thinking about how much my communication patterns would change if I couldn’t use the letter L. How I couldn’t visit LL anymore.

But it worked this morning, so all is well.

I've gone without M on my laptop for nearly four years now. I just copy-paste it from the first URL I encounter and then use spellcheck to create capitals as necessary.

thehemogoblin - January 16, 2012 reply

My N key stopped working a couple months ago.

Yay for the on-screen keyboard!

wazzu93 - January 16, 2012 reply

You know you can buy a new laptop keyboard for like $20 and it's really easy to install, right?

Corco - January 16, 2012 reply

Well I do now, thanks.

wazzu93 - January 16, 2012 reply

Well maybe like 60-80

Just make sure you don’t break and of the clips when you take off the frame!

electronic Bay

and unless you’re super aggressive you shouldn’t break the clips- I’m not exactly the most graceful or steady handed person in the world and I managed to get it off my HP and put it back on without breaking anything

Corco - January 17, 2012 reply

Ebay was actually where I bought my keyboard from

Not every keyboard is priced the same. Sooo I guess we’re both right

My house caught fire a month ago and I just got my bathroom back yesterday.

There was a huge hole in my roof and my bathroom was totaled and everything else smelled like smoke and stuff, but none of my items were actually damaged. But still, it was a massive, massive inconvenience that involved me sleeping on the floor at a friend’s apartment for a time and interfered with the first week of school for me.

thehemogoblin - January 16, 2012 reply

I suspect this one is a little bit beyond a first world problem

seattlebruin - January 16, 2012 reply

Well, I just had a lot of inconveniences but I was still able to live juuuust fine.

thehemogoblin - January 16, 2012 reply

Looking at video game releases through December, does it look like a down year in gaming as a whole?

Granted there are a few titles I’m really looking forward to, Mass Effect 3 being at the top of the list. Beyond that, Xenoblade Chronicles, Bioshock, and Tomb Raider, I’m not seeing a whole lot that’s catching my attention.

On the bright side, that gives me plenty of time to catch up on all the great '11 games I missed.

Benne - January 16, 2012 reply

Crusader Kings 2 is probably my most wanted game of this year. I've played the first one for tens if not hundreds of hours.

Beyond that, I’m rather interested in Kingdoms of Amular: Reckoning (Apparently it’s made by Curt Schilling?), Paper Mario 3ds, The South Park RPG by Obsidian, Diablo 3, Risen 2, and Xenoblade Chronicles.

And maybe the new X-COM Firaxis just announced.

I thought that was pushed off to 2013?

I thought the XCOM Shooter was pushed to 2013, while the Firaxis Strategy game was still supposed to be 2012?

Ah that's right, got them mixed up.

I’m oddly looking forward to the shooter. I wonder if they can do to X-Com what Bethesda did with Fallout. Except with fewer bugs.

Halo 4 may come out at the end of the year, that's my most anticipated title.

Besides that, Diablo 3 and the new Counter Strike. I’ve really been trying to cut down on gaming, since I keep buying games that I don’t really get a chance to play because I’m busying playing other things.

Given that Bungie isn't involved with Halo 4, I'm wary of it.

I'm not too worried, several Bungie members did move over to 343i. 343i was built just for Halo, so I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt for Halo 4.

Bungie also did some questionable things past Halo 2, so, fresh blood might help.

I think I beta tested Halo 4

I might be wrong but it seemed to me like they were going the CoD route by adding changeable classes.

They did that stupid shit in Halo Reach. But I'm sure the option will be there in Halo 4 also.

I'm talking about being able to save a customized class

Not just picking a class. This was a while ago so my memory my be a bit fuzzy.

God, I would hope not.

I'm actually sure now

I did a eight hour session for reach and a four session for Halo 4

Some of the classes were pretty cool but the shield seems over powered. But it was a beta version and on some maps the grass wasn’t even colored in it just said grass

I meant that more as, god I hope they won't have that in Halo 4. Having classes shoved down our throats in Halo Reach was bad enough.

Oh it seemed pretty clear you didn't want it

I just wanted to bring you bad news.

Jerk.

Can't talk, SWTORing it up.

I'm having way, way more fun with TOR than I thought I would.

There are points where it feels kind of grind-y, but I’m having way less of an issue with that than I did with WoW. I think the voice acting goes a long ways to help.

My Reaction:

Jedi: Boring
Evil Jedi: Boring with a huge helping of evil
Smuggler: Weeeeee! Shoot guns, hit on everything that moves!

Drew_D - January 16, 2012 reply

Playing a smuggler has been a blast.

I read somewhere that Bioware teams had the most fun working with that class.

The non-force classes are a blast.

The game has a hideous UI, klunky combat, and archaic social system. However, the story stuff is an absolute treat, and the dialogue is genuinely amusing.

Drew_D - January 16, 2012 reply

90% of my dialogue as a Trooper is just my guy going, "Havok Squad Reporting in" and "Yes Sir." =(

Go dark side.

You give no fucks for this civilian bullshit.

But my first companion is voiced by Detective Lassiter, so I think I'm still happy.

I have a wookie!

Drew_D - January 16, 2012 reply

Troopwe is rad.

I’m Jack Bauer in Space! But my Sith Warrior is cool too :(

Its January

a lot of release dates haven’t been finalized yet.

bluemax - January 17, 2012 reply

I'll still be playing Skyrim.

Me too.

Especially because I haven’t played it in 3 weeks. Slow going, indeed.

royalcurve - January 17, 2012 reply

I think I'm in 70+ hours and haven't completed any storyline except for the Dark Brotherhood.

All I've done is

Murder some dragons, join the Thieves Guild and wander around shouting at town singers.

When are you going to get around to playing Skyrim?

Kenneth Arthur - January 18, 2012 reply

:D

Does it have a Coop option?

InSpokane - January 17, 2012 reply

Unfortunately no.

I just got it last week and my god it starts slow just like all the other Elder Scrolls games. But it is pretty fun fighting.

Kirk - January 18, 2012 reply

It's fun to punch a dragon to death.

So So So slow

I want to get into it but I just can’t

It can't be any worse than fighting giant rats in a dungeon for 30 minutes, can it?

Benne - January 19, 2012 reply

Goddamn Oblivion.

Benne - January 19, 2012 reply

I got bored after 10 hours. Gameplay is almost no different Oblivion.

lailaihei - January 19, 2012 reply

I'll still be playing Starcraft 2

lailaihei - January 17, 2012 reply

I for one am really looking forward to The Last Guardian.

Ico was awesome, Shadow of the Colossus was exponentially more awesome, so if the pattern holds, it should be easily the greatest video game of all time.

WhyGodWhy - January 17, 2012 reply

Here's hoping that game still comes out

Diablo 3

Kirk - January 18, 2012 reply

I've only just joined the next-gen crowd (unless you count the Wii) so the entire PS3 catalogue will be new to me this year.

What would you guys say are the must-have titles? I’ve just bought DA:O, FF XIII and Deus Ex: Human Revolution, would any of those make the list? I know the first two split opinion on here, and I seem to recall Deus Ex being well-regarded but may be mistaken in that.

Eyeball Kid - January 19, 2012 reply

Deus Ex is quite good, and I personally really liked DA:O (although it's a bit dated now).

The Uncharted series is definitely something you should check out if you enjoy platformers and FPSes, If you enjoy imports you may also want to look at Catherine.

Drew_D - January 19, 2012 reply

For PS3 exclusives?

God of War 3, Uncharted series (2 is the best one), Resistance 2, Metal Gear Solid 4 (not that great but worth experiencing), Folklore (early generation title but sort of unique), Demon’s Souls (if you’re a masochist), 3D Dot Game Heroes (if you want a poor man’s 8 bit Zelda clone), Little Big Planet, Mod Nation Racers (a poor man’s Mario Kart), Wipeout HD, Super Stardust HD, Fat Princess, Valkyria Chronicles (if you’re into Japanese strategy RPGs), Ratchet and Clank (3d platformer), Portal 2 (if you don’t have it on PC), LA Noire (not the best game but worth experiencing on the cheap), Heavy Rain (ditto LA Noire), Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection, Sly Cooper Collection.

And that’s just my list of PS3 exclusives.

Can you clarify what you're saying about LA Noire?

A friend is offering to sell me his copy for $15, and I remember being intrigued by it when it came out.

I'd say its probably worth $15

The game is kind of shallow and they tried to pad it out with mechanics that don’t really fit. The interrogation stuff is an interesting idea but it feels like its just not quite there. I think it also doesn’t help that they changed one of the options from “Force” to “Doubt” which leads to some really confusing moments.

I also don’t think the game is really Noir, it feels more like Law and Order 1950s edition.

Its not bad, it just feels like wasted potential, which considering how much it cost and how long it took to make just makes it more frustrating.

Awesome, thanks.

Uncharted 3 actually came with the console but I’ve only logged a couple of hours on it because I haven’t been able to pull myself away from Skyrim.

Eyeball Kid - January 19, 2012 reply

The new Batman games are also worth playing in my opinion

I expect I'll get Arkham City come payday

I considered buying it today but couldn’t really afford it at £40. The three I mentioned I got for £20.

Eyeball Kid - January 19, 2012 reply

The nice thing about coming in late is that there are plenty of good titles

that have been discounted heavily so you won’t have to pay full price for quality games.

I agree.

All that, plus the PSN is a goldmine for classic PS1 titles.

Benne - January 19, 2012 reply

Well, I have something to get excited about now.

I felt like RE5 kind of screwed the pooch by fucking u[ the inventory system and retaining only a few of those special elements that made RE4 uniquely charming.

That said, HOLY FUCKING SHIT

JY - January 20, 2012 reply

WHOA! Wonder if they'll retain the attache case system and the stop to shoot.

Slurvey - January 20, 2012 reply

Also survival-horror or action-horror is what I'm wondering as well.

Slurvey - January 20, 2012 reply

Survival horror for Leon, action-horror for Chris from the looks.

RE4 is one of my favorite games ever, hope RE6 is as badass as the trailer makes it seem.

lailaihei - January 21, 2012 reply

I think RE4 is just one of the best games to come out in a very long time.

I will never, ever understand the hype Resident Evil 4 gets

Its one of the most terribly confused games I’ve ever attempted to play.

How far did you get into it?

I don't even remember its been so long

the controls were so bad though for the type of game it was pretending to be.

Play it on the Wii, it controls best there.

The reasons I like it a lot:
- Great atmosphere; the graphics were great for its time, and the great atmosphere still holds even though the graphics are obviously dated now.
- Great level design; every area had multiple ways to complete it.
- Diversity in gameplay; the new guns and new enemies that could be gotten along the way changed the gameplay enough that I never felt the gameplay was repetitive.

And overall it was just a polished game, with an interesting (albeit generic) story, and great gameplay to go along with it.

Does the Wii version do away with the dog shit controls?

I’m guessing no.

I mean you still can't strafe or move while shooting.

But being able to point and shoot makes things feel a lot smoother than the rate-based scrolling of a controller (I really don’t like console shooters).

I think the controls fit the style of game, however. Not being able to run-and-gun, but having to stop and shoot adds to the intensity of the atmosphere.

I don't get the complaint about not being able to run-and-gun.

Then again, I never was a big player of first person shooters. There are games in which you have guns. In some of them you can strafe and run while shooting, and in some you cannot. Having one over the other is not a design flaw.

I like FPS games, but RE4 isn't one, and I'm completely ok with not being able to run-and-gun in the game.

That being said, it would have been nice to be able to strafe…

Overall though, with the weapon choices, upgrades, puzzles, cutscenes, melee combat attacks, enemy diversity, boss battles, it’s a complete game that doesn’t get stale, and has a good ~20-25 hours of gameplay the first time through.

That was just a soapbox moment for me.

There are certain instances in which the limitations of the games controls can be genuinely off-putting. I understand that the Castlevania games where you could jump on stairs and control movement while you were falling were unrealistic in the strictest sense, but in the ones where they took that aspect out I felt like I was playing a game that was sawed off at the knees.

Going in the opposite direction with it, if you could strafe or run and gun in a game like Silent Hill 2, it would take away a lot of the intensity from the game. Early REs had their tank controls and an aiming system that had little fine tuning, but they wouldn’t be as intense if you could strafe and shoot while moving. The difference in the controls just meant that you had to get used to what the game was asking you to do. It didn’t mean that the game was impossible to get good at.

I understand that it would reduce the atmosphere and fear level.

But having to stand there facing the horde without being able to step backwards while shooting drove me crazy. I didn’t need a full on run and gun, but the ability to inch back slowly to get some distance. And hating myself for mentioning realism and video games together, but this one just made me yell at the TV “WHY CAN’T I BACK THE FUCK UP LIKE TWO STEPS, THIS MAKES NO SENSE”.

So plan ahead and find yourself a defensible position?

Quick turn? Move around a bit?

You want me to adapt to the game? WHAT?

I get that you can employ other strategies, that aspect just didn’t work for me. The added atmosphere/fear or whatever they were going for by leaving out something simple turned out to just be frustrating for me. Apparently it worked for lots of people, that’s cool.
I still liked the game, just took it from being excellent to great for me.

SH2 was the first game I thought of as you two were discussing this.

It wouldn’t have been the same at all if it wasn’t clunky and awkward while you were controlling James.

In a lot of ways, it made the game more realistic… James wasn’t some Rambo warrior. He was an average dude looking for his daughter that happened to find some guns to use.

HititHere - January 23, 2012 reply

RE4 is pretending to be an action game

it was hyped as an action game. It controls like a drunk tank. If your whole design is predicated on action, reaction times and so forth and then you cripple me with a control scheme and movement system that makes no sense I’m not playing your game.

The only RE game I ever played was RE4 on Wii, and it was amazing.

I can’t imagine playing it without the Wii remote. It felt like I was one with the game.

HititHere - January 23, 2012 reply

I played it through on the GameCube, then again on the Wii when that version was released.

The Wii controls do indeed feel much more natural, even after spending 30+ hours with the GameCube version first.

ooh, IMDb comments!

“There’s a fantastic blend of European and Australian sensibilities here that makes this the least clichéd film to come out of this country for 20-odd years – and if it doesn’t do well, it’ll be because an increasingly soft and gutless nation is afraid to venture out of their frappuccino and mortgage comfort zone. This is powerful, worthy art.”

What movie is this?

Kermit. - January 16, 2012 reply

Porky's 2

Useless factoid?

Mark Herrier went to the UW drama school

Oz film called The proposition

which actually has had some good reviews (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421238/)

It's a fantastic movie

Aaron Campeau - January 16, 2012 reply

Great movie!

Transformers 3?

Benne - January 16, 2012 reply

Australian sensibilities?

I must have slept through the class they taught those in.

Aussie Mariner - January 16, 2012 reply

As mentioned above. Biggest storm in 15 years? OH YEAH? (caveat..maybe not..it's NW weather)

Cliff Mass with an update.

kentroyals5 - January 16, 2012 reply

National Weather Service just said "snow totals possibly exceeding anything since the November storm of 1985."

Yikes.

HititHere - January 16, 2012 reply

If we're trumping the 1990 snowstorms, then yikes indeed.

8 to 15 inches

Woah.

HititHere - January 16, 2012 reply

I'll believe 8-15 when I see 7 inches of snow, first.

kentroyals5 - January 16, 2012 reply

I never got anything more than the initial 1/2 inch.

U District's snow levels have been disappointing :(

Well they've certainly backtracked from "Yeah, maybe an inch or two if you're lucky" a few days ago.

I guess I should be happy we aren't getting snow at the levels of last year or what you're about to get in the NW.

It’s just hard to grasp being able to run this afternoon in shorts and a tank top because it was 67 degrees and sunny. If memory serves 6 inches of snow pretty much shuts down the Puget Sound area so I can only imagine what 15 inches would do.

KC Mariner - January 16, 2012 reply

Six inches of snow?

Try two.

My dog is going to be furious when we take her out to go potty.

I'm lucky.

My dogs are total snow hyenas. They absolutely love it out there.

royalcurve - January 16, 2012 reply

Same.

Just finished watching Dave Cameron make his MLB tv debut

after the show, the Hot Stove show came on. Apparently the Yankees got an untouchable pitcher in a trade. Too bad the Mariners never make trades that get on the tv.

He sounds as level-headed as ever.

New Danny Hultzen Q&A on MiLB.com

That's exactly the kind of attitude I enjoy in professional athletes.

Thanks for sharing.

Aussie Mariner - January 17, 2012 reply

Scott Sistek KOMO:

Silverdale’s Dr. Dale Ireland is ready with the Ichiro bobblehead to measure snow. Live cam/time lapses: http://is.gd/sW2YRj

And Monday night into Tuesday morning is widespread rain for pretty much everyone not in the foothills or convergence zone.

These weather forecasters better hope for some cold air. Cause it’s already mid 30’s and raining.

Scott Sistek about 2 hrs ago:

“Onshore flow from passing disturbance has some areas in mid 30s (and rain in the lower elevations) but it’ll cool
back down once north wind arrives later today. Don’t let it fool you into a lull for tomorrow — totally different setup.”

But, the scaling back begins

Cliff Mass, here.

I understand the forecasts change, but Cliff was one of the guys saying 6-14inches…now he’s back to, "well maybe the puget sound might get 2-4…WTF? His original forecast should show that 2-4 as part of what happens if the forecast changes. But no…he was huffing and puffing about a huge snowmageddon.

Now he’s acting like the common folk overreacted to his forecast and because he’s tweaking it, it’s our fault for getting hyped up and not realizing his forecast was off.

He's not really saying that at all.

He’s pretty consistent in pointing out that forecasting the weather here is absurdly difficult, and that his forecasts should all be taken with that disclaimer in mind.

I think the Snomaggedon actually had the caveat that it might still be Slushmageddon.

Yep

No Slushmageddon, just Snowmageddon. Near all modeling systems are taking the low south of us—thus the uncertainty is considerably less than a day or two ago. (But to be fair, there is a chance that the solutions we have are wrong!)

2-5 inches if you’re lucky says Cliff Mass.

Snowmagaddon? Nope.

Forecasters sure get a lot of deserved shit.

I mean, if you look at Cliff’s post from last night compared to this morning..it’s night and day. He doesn’t discuss the likelihood of a 2-5 event. That’s not even a big storm. But his post last night was literaly screaming about the likelihood of a huge event (not to mention he has now put in large bold ‘buts’ in that post. It wasn’t that way last night.

Now this morning, it’s like he’s screaming at the Seattle Times for posting what he put last night. Blah blah blah..the Seattle Times is hyping this event.

It isn't deserved at all.

Meteorology is really fucking hard and people need to be better at understanding that things can change really quickly.

I've been following Cliff for a while now. No where did I say it's easy. I realize it's hard.

But he said 6-14 last night…Seattle Times ran a similar headline about that amount and Cliff is like ’Pshhh..try like 2-5 inches"

No where in the past few days has he said that. His range has been 6+ for just Seattle.

I’m getting on Cliff for basically slamming Seattle Times headline, when that is EXACTLY what he was pushing last night. Now that he has his special models this morning that indicate a small event, he’s putting the hype on them. His blog had the hype before the Times!

From his post last night:

Since the forecast is so critically dependent on the exact position of the low, we need to watch that today. There is still a chance this could end up as a wet event….snow turning to rain, particularly over the southwestern portion of WA.

Cutting to the chase, Seattle may well get 6+ inches of snow during the next two days.

There has been some hype about this event…it is NOT going to be as bad as December 1996.

Keep in mind EVERYTHNG is dependent on the location of the low pressure…if it moves farther north than our models suggest we could see much more rain in the mix.

No mention of 14" anywhere in the post, and clear caveats that A) It looks like it could be bad, but it could also change pretty quickly and B) He sees no reason to believe this is going to be an historically bad storm. There’s a huge difference between what he posted last night and the Times story this morning.

As I said below...

in this instance, instead of saying may well get 6 inches plus…tell us what happens if this is a wet event, as he caveated above. More information is always better in this scenario. However, he only gives what will happen in one scenario.

I guess I’m just looking for a forecast based on what-ifs to have a better idea on what to expect if/when the forecast 24 hours out is wrong.

I think it's fair to want more information and different scenarios, but I also think it's important to consider the source.

Cliff Mass’ blog isn’t a forecast site; it’s a blog about meteorology. His posts are usually geared towards “hey, this would be/is interesting.” A wetter event is basically rain in Seattle in January, which isn’t really interesting at all.

To follow up.

I think meteorologists would be better off being more inclusive about their forecasts. (i.e. in this scenario)

For instance, in this scenario where a potential big storm is coming. State the other forecasts that are likely to happen. If 24 hours before the storm rolls in and you say 6-14 inches, you know what that indicates to the common folk? You’ll have at LEAST 6 inches. 12 hours later, only a small locaton south of Olympia is supposed to get more than 5? Be more inclusive of the details. . If this storm tracks 100 miles north or south, which is very possible, indicate what that would mean. The hype comes from the random listener of news hearing 6-14 inches and then 12 hours later finding out that wasn’t even close.

That's the random listener of news' fault for being dumb.

How hard is it to put in potential snow totals should the storm track 100 miles north or south?

That’s far more informative and helpful than saying, worst case scenario is x-y inches.

I don't know if it is more informative/helpful.

Presenting the most likely scenario is almost always best in these cases.

I think it is. If the storm goes 100 miles north or south are we talking MORE snow or LESS?

Will my office be closed if it tracks differently? 2-5" is a hell of a ways from 6-12" and meaningful enough to mention, IMO, as a possibility.

Then you're just getting into speculation though, because the models don't work that way.

I mean, how useful is this forecast? “Well, the odds are good we’ll get 6”+ in Seattle, but we may get 2" and hell, we might get squat." If a meteorologist says something like that they would lose their job.

That's what happens before any snow event around here.

This storm could bring 10 inches of snow to your house, or 3, or rain, actually.

At least tell me the likelihood of said scenarios. Forecasting, for the common folk, is about being able to plan a day around the weather. Heck, my office was closed today because it was supposed to snow overnight around the region (passing showers). Instead it rained..and the roads are clear of any snow/slush/ice. Wish I knew that it was going to warm up. No one mentioned that last night

It wasn't supposed to happen, though.

I mean, what you’re asking for isn’t a wider range of information; you’re asking for near perfect accuracy of information. That ain’t gonna happen.

Nope..not near perfect accurate information. You're wrong.

I’m asking, BECAUSE, it’s a hard region to forecast, give me more information on other scenarios.

If 20% of your models are saying 2-5 inches, that’s helpful information.

At least can we agree that Jim Forman is a dolt?

That's not what the models were saying though.

They were remarkably consistent.

Northwest weather is fluid and thus constantly changing

When Mass said prepare for a lot of snow, it’s because that was what the models were saying. Now he’s saying just a couple inches, which is what the updated models indicate. Unlike places like the southwest, where weather is pretty constant, up here it can change pretty much from minute to minute.

As Aaron says, the hysteria is the fault of the listener of news for not understanding that weather changes quickly around here, and not of the forecaster who is doing the best s/he can with the information available at the moment.

That's why I don't put stock into 3-5 day forecasts

Seriously..I think we can stop the ’it’s difficult in the northwest’ argument. I get it. I’ve acknowledged it.

I’m looking for more short-term information. 24 hours prior to the event, the models pointed to a HUGE storm. 12 hours later, I wouldn’t even consider it a storm. 2-5 inches is nothing. Did they have this information at 24 hours ago? How certain were they of the HUGE storm at the time? If they weren’t certain, then include other scenarios.

For what it's worth, I agree with you

We can blame listeners, yes, but it’s not like weathermen (Sistek and Cliff Mass, whom I both really like) were offering much caveat in this situation. All forecasters were hyping it a LOT and talk of blowing away records and most-snowfall-since-1985 gets people excited.

If that means everyone is dumb, so be it. I would’ve liked for some more emphasis on the “this MIGHT not happen” scenarios, instead of sounding so sure about it.

Again, for what it's worth, the National Weather Service just upgraded the alert

To a Winter Storm Warning for all of Western WA beginning at midnight tonight…

I only follow Mass

and if you, or anyone in this thread, think he wasn’t offering much caveat about the storm(s), then I think the fault lies totally with you. For example here, I thought he laid out exactly where his thoughts were coming from and the likely implications of the model runs while the whole time cautioning that they were predictions, not certainties and that it was extremely hard to forecast (several times mentioned and even highlighted) and that shifts in where the storm moved would produce big changes.

I read that. His subsequent article later that night was a lot more dire

Which he then edited this morning to add/bold/highlight additional caveats.

Maybe it’s our fault, yeah, but you can’t wave a steak in front of a starving dog without expecting them to get excited, even if you say “well there’s a POSSIBILITY you might not eat this.”

All us Seattlites are just bitter we might get dog food instead of steak

And the hilarious part is the storm isn’t even here yet and we’re all just bitching away, before we even know what happens.

I should change my name to BitchItHere instead.

I'm the same way, actually.

I’m really hoping we get a ton of snow, because a) I love huge weather events; b) I’m responsible for tire chain sales for Amazon, and so far this year the weather really hasn’t cooperated.

At least skiiers should be happy – no matter what, the Cascades apparently are going to get slammed.

Chris Hafner - January 17, 2012 reply

I'm still not really seeing the issue.

Weather forecasts are by their nature predictive, and like any other forecast can only represent what we, given the data we have, think is most likely to happen. Of course we would expect those forecasts to get refined as the actual event being forecast approaches and the variables settle down.

It seems as though Mass is being punished here for reporting what he thought would happen, based on his models. Expecting a weatherman (weatherperson?) to not report on what the forecast is predicting seems unrealistic. I would think that if anything we’d want the forecast to be a little more dire than underplay the danger, because there’s real value in people being prepared for a possibly big and dangerous storm.

Chris Hafner - January 17, 2012 reply

My larger issue wasn't with the forecast last night from Cliff Mass.

It was him getting on the Seattle Times for their headline/article today, which was a reflection of the model he reported on last night (6-12 inches..possible 14).

He got new models, shifted his numbers way down and lambasted the ‘media’ for hyping it. Mind you, they were reporting the same data he had the night before. He’s now removed his critique of the Seattle Times headline.

You’re right that with our geographic area, generally ‘underplaying’ the danger is warranted. Warn the worse case scenarios, but how often do they actually occur around here?

All this criticism comes with a caveat on my own end.

I enjoy Cliff’s work..and will continue to do read his blog. It’s good stuff.

His original comment on ST headline:

When I see the Seattle Times hawking a big headline of "Megastorm Looms for the Area" with talk about up to 14 inches and possibly exceeding the the all time record snowfall, I know I have to worry. ST headlines are often over the top…

That’s “lambasting” the Times?. I find that verb wildly out of proportion to his level of criticism.

But the 14 inches wasn't Seattle propoper..some models were indicating areas getting 14 inches.

And I don’t actually recall the original title of the ST article. It seems like it’s changed over the day. The ST article actually reported the same potential storm that Cliff was reporting last night. Plain and simple. Cliff got updated numbers and decided to go after a newspaper headline (when we all know newspapers/news are trying to get viewers…so of course they may be idiotic in their headlines. Doesn’t change that they were reporting the same potential for snow that Cliff did last night. Except Cliff updated his with larger print and bold letters to have caveats.)

A) My assumption is that he's referring to the physical rag, not the website

B) I still don’t see where he’s “lambasting” them. He implies it’s over the top. That’s all.

C)

we all know newspapers/news are trying to get viewers

Doesn’t this contradict your earlier argument about the forecasts causing panic by focusing too much on worst-case scenarios? If we all know they do that, how can it have an effect and not be the reader’s fault.

I wouldn't put Cliff Mass in the same boat as Komo or the Seattle Times.

I believe Cliff tries to put out the most accurate forecast he can. I don’t think he’s looking to Jim Forman things.

Secondly, the physical rag had to be printed last night/early morning before the udpates Cliff had. He was able to ‘poo-poo’ the headline/article because he had new data. But the ST reported on the same data Cliff was reporting on.

Cliff went from Major Snow Event..SNOMAGEDDON, etc to 2-5 inches. His forecast changed with numbers..the rag was unable to due to time constraints.

I don't see how your reply here addresses what I wrote above.

Totally mixed reviews happening now.

As pointed out below, Cliff Mass said 6-14 yesterday, now 2 to 5.

Komo4 is still pointing to the 6+ range for the greater Seattle area.

My poor heart is being treated like a punching bag.

Not sure if KOMO has updated yet.

Sistek is tweeting and saying that the totals are getting dialed back, but he hasn’t said by how much.

He's saying 4-6 in Seattle, increasing north to south.

Seems to roughly match what Cliff just posted.

Probably an inch or two as far north as Everett, but not much if anything further north of there.

Of course, Sistek just tweeted that NWS is still going with 5-10" for Seattle.

It was updated at 9:23, about 20 minutes prior to my post.

But yeah, it’s changing quickly. Even though the NWS just upgraded to a winter storm warning for tonight.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/More-snow-arrives-overnight-but-the-worst-is-yet-to-come-137472498.html?abc=wap1k3w3

updated

Blarg

ScottSKOMO Scott Sistek
NWS is still going with 5-10" for Seattle proper with higher amounts south, but also introducing potential Frez. rain Oly South. #wasnow
6 minutes ago

I opted to skip class today because I don’t even get out until 5:30 pm, but now I’m starting to feel like a jackass.

Yup..no work today..and with tomorrow's snow (2-12 inches, depending on who ya ask), the office is closed tomorrow.

Sure wish I had gone in today.

Everything adjacent to me is closed down, so I'm going to stand by that as my excuse.

Same here

But I have to get around on a motorcycle. Which sucks.

That's terrifying.

I wouldn’t touch my Vespa with a ten foot pole in this weather.

Like 12-18 inches in Seattle proper tomorrow.

Radar seems to show a blue blob heading up from Oregon as the temp drops around here.

RUN FOR THE HILLS!

THEN WRECK YOUR CAR AND STRAND YOURSELF TRYING TO GET OFF SAID HILL!

JAH - January 17, 2012 reply

Ridiculously, the National Weather Service is still saying crazy things

Am I correct in putting as much stock in NWS forecasts as I do when I lick my finger and hold it up in the air?

Robert - January 17, 2012 reply

If p0rtland gets a Snowmagaddon instead of Seattle I swear to christ....

Robert - January 17, 2012 reply

Tomorrow, we'll see pdb post pictures of snow-covered hospitals....

Assuming Robert drives as well as the average Northwesterner in the snow they have nothing to worry about

Most of the major hospitals in town are at the top of a really steep hill.

Driving in the snow is easy

Robert - January 17, 2012 reply

It's not even supposed to get below freezing here I don't think

Original forecast was for 2-4 inches of snow, as of this morning even that’s off the table.

It was snowing pretty hard on the West side this morning. Had about an inch of snow I had to walk through to get to the MAX.

Of course, get through the MAX tunnel and downtown Portland looks like most any other day.

joof - January 17, 2012 reply

Everybody in my office is trading how-much-at-your-house stories

My NoPo house got exactly no inches of snow, yesterday or today.

I have a foot of snow.

And it looks like Whatcom County is getting screwed. Again.

Fine, I’ll live with my 5-6 inches we have right now.

Oh, but we will get the Fraser Valley winds, and those are soooo much fun.

Jeff is cheating on Matthew

In case you don’t follow Jeff on twitter here is a link to a podcast with Jeff and Fangraphs

I think he's just trying to get closer, what with Matthew writing for them and all.

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120117&content_id=26366486&vkey=news_sea&c_id=sea

Can't post a fanshot on mobiLLe, so I'll just mention it here:

Mariners to induct Randy Johnson, Dan Wilson into Mariners HOF

Eyebrows - January 17, 2012 via mobile reply

If someone else wants to post a FanShot, that might be good.

Eyebrows - January 17, 2012 via mobile reply

I just put one up.

KC Mariner - January 17, 2012 reply

So apparently now that Michael Pineda is gone, Dave is contractually obligated to hate the guy he was traded for

I wonder how he feels about Chaz Roe

seattlebruin - January 17, 2012 reply

Dave has never really liked Montero all that much.

joof - January 17, 2012 reply

He's no Carlos Triunfel, that's for sure

Graham MacAree - January 17, 2012 reply

heh heh.

Scott Sistek: About to go on Schram on KOMO-AM at 1:05. I’m sure he’ll be asking about supposed 35 feet of snow predictions he’s “heard” :P

http://www.movies.com/movie-news/watch-your-favorite-movie-characters-sing-lionel-richie39s-quothelloquot/6227?wssac=164&wssaffid=news&wss=mdcmkttwitter

Changing the subject.... holy crap.

Tonight

Hot Stove League Show, 7-9 p.m. on 710 ESPN: Dan Wilson, George Sherrill, Larry Stone, Jeff Sullivan, Forrest Snow

So it gets pre-empted for minor league hockey?

Apparently

But it’s available here.

phiFiFoFum - January 17, 2012 reply

Someone is playing hockey?

Ahh...

Shannon Drayer: Can listen at mariners.com and podcast will follow RT @710ESPNSeattle The online stream isn’t working. It’s a hockey broadcast…

SNOWPOCALYPSE! (For Matthew!)

Yargh!

RALLY PUPPY!

Let’s go SNOWWWWW

Eyebrows - January 17, 2012 via mobile reply

I'll just be over here watching this again and again

RUN RUN RUN STOP!

RUN RUN RUN

Dogs wearing bandanas are the best.

JAH - January 17, 2012 reply

She has so many!

Is it just me or are GIFs getting better in quality? Like HD GIFs or something?

Kenneth Arthur - January 17, 2012 reply

Browsers are getting better at rendering them. Safari has made a huge jump the last update.

This is the first I've seen run smoothly on my iPad

Kermit. - January 17, 2012 reply

I'm sorry Scruffy..

I can’t watch this without mentally replacing the dog’s face with Jack Wilson’s….

Drew_D - January 17, 2012 reply

I love how she shows up, sniffs the camera and runs off

It makes me wonder how my dog would handle snow now.

bluemax - January 17, 2012 reply

I can't see your stuff anymore. :(

I get that little thumbnail thingy where the .gif is and when I right click on it to open in a new tab I get an unable to open network message. Why does my computer hate you? Must.See.Rally.Puppy.

wazzu93 - January 17, 2012 reply

Sehome Arboretum?

No - Above the Barkley/Railroad trail.

It connects to this huge loop inside the neighborhood up on the hill there.

YES

Alice was exactly like this until she ate some grody snow and has been sick for two days. :(

Look who I just met on my walk.

Baaawwwwww.

His name was Oscar. He was so fuzzy.

The big guy was pretty nice, too.

Was the big guy Felix?

truemsfan - January 18, 2012 reply

I love his big feets.

Mini rally puppy?

seattle_since_81 - January 17, 2012 reply

Justified season 3 premiere was just on.

This is my favorite show on TV at the moment. What other shows are looking forward to coming back from the mid season break or having it’s season premiere this spring?

Community

I can’t decide whether to put a smiling emoticon or a frowning emoticon after that.

Agreed.

Also, Mad Men

Smiling

that’s the only way to make sure it actually comes back!

30 Rock had a great first episode. Waiting for Cougar Town, which should be back next month, now that Work It was canceled.

yuniform - January 18, 2012 via Android app reply

Justified is so good

I think it is one of the few shows on TV I actually care about right now

Bah! Can't wait to watch it. Almost done with season 2.

Love me some Justified.

Jack Cust just got a major league deal from a National League team.

Astros!

Corco - January 17, 2012 reply

A two-year major league deal.

Jiminy Christmas.

Second year is an option which makes it less heinous.

I don't begrudge Cust a job but still, man!

JAH - January 17, 2012 reply

Holy what?

Did they not see him last year?
I mean it is the Astros but damn.

Aussie Mariner - January 18, 2012 reply

Weather or whether.

sounds like the most recent model runs are showing less and less in the central Puget Sound region. Cliff has it at “8-15 inches over portions of SW Washington. 7-8 inches near Olympia, 2-4 inches over Seattle, 2 inches over Everett. Very little over Bellingham.”

KOMO has “Later forecast models issued Tuesday night do take away some of the moisture and continue to lessen the threat of a major snow to the greater Seattle area but do still bring a widespread snowfall. To break this down, points from Olympia south to Portland and out to Pacific County could see 6-10” of snow. For Tacoma area over towards central Kitsap, we’re looking at 4-6 inches. For greater Seattle it’s now about 2-4" with the higher amounts toward the foothills. As you go north, the snow totals now get less. Everett, for example, is looking like 1-3" now — although that’s on top of what you got in the convergence zone Tuesday. By the time we get north toward Bellingham, they may just be windy and cold with blowing light snow in gusts to 55 mph and low wind chills near zero amid temperatures in the teens as the Fraser Wind ramps up"

What a bunch of malarkey, tomorrow should have been a snow day

The only way this is going to work now is if a significant number of people on the job live to the south or east and can’t make it in. Which is like backing your way into the playoffs by hoping all your competition loses.

Kermit. - January 17, 2012 reply

It is a snow day, for a lot of people.

I’m looking up the reports online and it looks like everything in my hood is once again shut down. Bellevue is out. Seattle is out. Most of the colleges and universities look like they’re still in session though.

Yeah, it doesn't sound like I'll have much of an excuse

UW is now officially cancelling all Wednesday classes.

And Odegaard went wild.

STOP CHEERING CANCELLATION OF CLASSES!

WE WANT TO FINISH SCHOOL BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF SCHOOL FINISHED WITHOUT US BEING THERE.

I JUST WANT A ONE DAY BREAK FROM MAKING COOKIES ALL DAY

AND YES! MY SCHOOL IS CLOOOOOSED! Take that, cookies.

That'll show them.

With their chewy centers and their 40 lbs batch yields.

Decisions, decisions.

annual leave? leave without pay? make up time missed?

what to do, what to do.

This sucks.

It sucks on the eastside as well.

We’ve been promised up to a foot since Sunday, tonight/tomorrow for sure. All we’ve had is a 1/2 inch dusting and frigging wind storms. Seems to keep moving south and hitting Pullman. Bastards. This winter sucks so far.

wazzu93 - January 17, 2012 reply

And it's finally snowing for reals. Yay!

Started in the Tri-city area last night and so far has been going non-stop with close to 6 in. on the ground currently.

Yeah, started about midnight in Puyallup and we've got at least four inches, probably more and it doesn't look to stop any time soon.

We've only got an inch or so but it's the small steady flakes and looks like it's socked in for the day.

Hard to believe the first significant snowfall of the season comes on Jan. 18th. I hope we get a lot more over the next couple months or this summer is going to suck.

Yeah it actually intensified over the past hour and from the radar it looks like we still have a solid couple hours of snow to go.

My college is the biggest tightwad assholes ever and refuse to cancel morning classes ever.

I'm still having to go into work so I'm with you there :(

Boise got snow at 7 a.m. Horrible commutes for everyone!

yuniform - January 18, 2012 via Android app reply

Scott Sistek:

“It’ll almost be too bad if we don’t get a massive snow because I haven’t seen a more perfect set up in a long time. Arctic air now marching south – 10 in Bellingham, mid 20s up north and Everett is just now about to drop into 20s. And with massive storm coming in on top of it? CLASSIC set up. Just need the moisture which theoretically should have been the easiest ingredient to secure.”

It's single digits right now in Whatcom County.

Fuck the Fraser winds.

^Meant to be a reply to msb.

I'm so happy I'm leaving for Oahu in 6 hours.

Hey, so weather.

Today is was 85, sunny and beautiful.
:)

Aussie Mariner - January 18, 2012 reply

You can't have summer forever.

We’re going to take it back some day.

I know.

But I’m enjoying what will probably be my last summer back home. Once I finish my degree this year I’ll probably be back off to the mainland where it gets closer to uncomfortably hot on a much more regular basis.
That and I’ll probably never have this much free time again for so long until I’m retired. Pitchers and catchers report before I go back to classes again.

Aussie Mariner - January 18, 2012 reply

Thank God our water heater broke this weekend

I would hate for it to have broken during the winter here

Enjoy your drop bears you son of a bitch!

Last night's TBS 0200 movie: Broken Arrow; tonight: Larry the Cable Guy.

Dear God I wish I had control of the remote at work.

So its SOPA day.

If anyone comes across any interesting news about the internet blackout, please share. (I believe we’ve established we can tiptoe around SOPA here)

Kenneth Arthur - January 18, 2012 reply

NPR said they're partnering with other outfits (WaPo, Guardian) to be a tweet reference desk. Do any libraries regularly do that?

yuniform - January 18, 2012 via Android app reply

Yup.

The UW reference librarians are generally online weekdays 9am – 5pm. They also are part of 24/7, where you can link up with a librarian from another academic library or from a national 24/7 cooperative reference service. SPL is also part of that service.

SBNation's Official Opposition

http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/18/2715768/why-the-verge-and-vox-media-are-opposed-to-sopa

Kenneth Arthur - January 18, 2012 reply

Vox Media's stance

Also Wikipedia is the perfect blackout

Gets the message out but still allows you access to the page if you contain a single ounce of intelligence which would automatically qualify you as somebody who is anti-SOPA

I realize that last statement might violate 'zomg no politics' but come on folks

As a follow up

https://twitter.com/#!/herpderpedia

Single ounce of intelligence eh?

I can not wait for you to get blacked out.

I love their local action page that pops up when you put in your zip code. Easy access info.

I got a form letter response one from office already. I don’t think we’re on the same side.

Is it kosher to link to call-to-action pages in the fanshot Matthew frontpaged?

Like click-to-call your representative etc.

lailaihei - January 18, 2012 reply

I just read a couple cosigners of SOPA are backing out.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/sopa-blackout-sopa-and-pipa-lose-three-co-sponsors-in-congress.html

Link

http://mashable.com/2012/01/18/pipa-sopa-abandon-bill/

And more...

We now have three additional PIPA-supporting senators that have pulled out.

Happy Snow Day, all.

Kind of a bummer at the snow totals, but at least it fell. I’d imagine The Weather Channel won’t be sending people to cover “PNW snow storms” in the future.

And unlike many had forecasted, it appears the switch over to rain is happening very early from south to north. This could get ugly.

I'm still getting snow down here in Puyallup and it's still below freezing.

Where’s it switching to rain?

Still snowing like a mofo on Alki.

Freezing fog, too.

It's raining in Maple Valley.

Although I was just scolded by my wife for saying as much.

katal - January 18, 2012 reply

An hour ago it was sleeting in Olympia. Definitely switching over early. Boo

My bus commute to First Hill was pretty shitty. They better keep plowing those snow routes or I will be Frodo'n it back to Green Lake :(

OK, someone clarify for me

is it a Snowpocalypse? Or the perfect blend of crap where everyone who wants Snowpocalypse doesn’t get it yet there’s still enough snow for everyone’s day to day lives to get disrupted?

It's not Snowpocalypse, but my ass ain't leaving the couch.

Pretty much perfect for me.

The latter.

Mariner John - January 18, 2012 reply

3-4 inches for most of the major population areas. Typical winter storm. Does cripple everything, but it's not horrible, like predicted

Depends where the person lives.

And it’s not over yet.

Close to 20" at my parents' house

Total meh

Road trip!

Yeah...Convergence Zone got hammered yesterday (not so much today) and Olympia southward got hammered.

Rest of the Sound area is tr-5. More as you get towards the foothills, obviously.

Yesterday we received our first appreciable snowfall since mid-October.

It was about an inch. Of course that didn’t stop Masshole drivers from acting like it was an all-out blizzard. You’d assume for people that have driven in snow all their lives, blah blah blah.

sNOwpocalypse indeed.

ThomasG - January 18, 2012 reply

I haven't decided if the snow makes me reminisce about Seattle

or if I’m just glad that the beach is a legitimate consideration later

I feel the same way

FORECASTS CALL FOR INCREASING DISAPPOINTMENT

What's your snow total?

5.5 inches off the deck.

It looks like it could be more in other spots but I’m not going out that far. That would require that I put on boots.

Youngsters these days!

When I was a kid we walked to school barefoot in 3 feet of snow, year round, uphill both ways.

Damned punks can’t handle a little cold.

I just spent about two hours shoveling the driveway and now I have icicles in my hair.

Sweatcicles?

Nah, I don't sweat that much.

Do you have to sleep under your house in the summer so you don't die?

Craptastic-J - January 18, 2012 reply

We are now at 8 inches on the deck and the stuff is still coming down.

http://drdale.com/cam/index.htm

Ichiro is up to his shoulders

Everett area got a bunch of snow yesterday.

Convergence zone set up shop around 6AM and didn’t let up until about 5PM.

BrianL - January 18, 2012 reply

8" at my folks and no signs of stopping

Graham MacAree - January 18, 2012 reply

Still trapped?

Yep

Almost a foot now…

Graham MacAree - January 18, 2012 reply

8 inches here as well.

Goose - January 18, 2012 reply

I have a foot of snow and my flight out of Bham to Oahu is still a go.

I think its the best situation I could ask for.

Fuuuuuuck that sounds awesome.

Live it up for the rest of us schmucks!

Work for me but there was a snowball fight at the end of a 1.5 mile tunnel

Don’t imagine that opportunity will ever come around again

Kermit. - January 18, 2012 reply

Gah, still no Darvish deal?

I’m beginning to dislike the Rangers. I feel like if they sign Darvish they probably won’t sign Fielder, but who knows-maybe they have money for both. And if they don’t sign Darvish, I would think they’d be almost a lock for Fielder. The possiblity of several seasons of facing Pujols and Fielder 18 times makes me ill.

Boy, will the Astros be peeved.

yuniform - January 18, 2012 via Android app reply

Signing Jack Cust is their counterattack.

Boy are we screwed!

Because they always get better?

I was going the "everyone else is getting good players" route, but that works too.

You're just now beginning to dislike the Rangers?

They're hard to hate, what with their nice fans and the campaign to ban the Wave and all.

My world used to be a pretty happy place to be.

Please don’t give me any more reasons to like the Rangers. I don’t think my tender psyche could handle it.

At least the hate for the Angels will always remain pure.

A friend of mine is an Angels fan and he worried that they sold their soul when they signed Pujols.

Do you think so?

Maybe we should ask Eyebrows…

Their fans really really suck

Cary Grant day on TCM!

whee!!!!!!!

YESSSS

And they now start one of the worst ones he ever made.

might be time to go for that walk.

Has anyone had to deal with the IRS before?

are they at all reasonable? Without going too much into detail, they essentially just sent me a letter that says I owe them a ton of money for not paying my taxes (much of which is withheld from my salary by my company)

The only thing I've had to do was take my dad in (the last year he did his own taxes) because he'd gotten messed up on some small capital gain number and needed to file an extension.

We went into the office, and they were very helpful about the extension and then when we went back in 6 months with getting the paperwork right. That was a small thing, of course.

I had something similar happen with state income taxes.

I was able to call and set up a payment plan because I didn’t have the cash to pay it all off at once. I made sure to explain that I wasn’t trying to avoid paying taxes, it was a simple mistake, and that I wanted to pay off my debt. It didn’t take very long to set up the plan – maybe a 1/2 hour on the phone with a rep. I paid the monthly bill on time until it was paid off and there were no other issues.

Jed MC - January 18, 2012 reply

Do you in fact owe the money?

If so, and I hate to be all corporate about it, be proactive. Call them ASAP – they’re really pretty cool about setting up payment plans, and they’ll totally work within your budget to do it as long as you make them a substantive offer (not $20 a paycheck). I owed some back taxes a couple years ago and they were actually pretty nice about it.

It can be a nightmare getting to them on the phone but once you do they’re pretty flexible.

pdb - January 18, 2012 reply

I do not owe the money

they are claiming that I withheld no money from my paycheck, which my W2 clearly shows isn’t true (I have no idea right now…)

I'd still call them and if I got someone on the line, say that and ask what kind of proof they need.

I’d also go to your HR dept or Legal if you have one and enlist their help

SSS but my father encountered a similar problem a few years ago.

The IRS sent him a letter saying that he had not paid taxes for two years in the mid-1980s; strange considering that he received the letter nearly 20 years, and an audit, after the alleged transgression. My father, being a normal human being, shredded his old tax information after a decade or so and had no hard copies; the CPA he used had long retired and could provide no help. Basically it turned into a nasty he-said/they-said argument that had my father seeking legal counsel. Their response was 1. nobody ever wins against the IRS and 2. for the love of god, do not EVER discard tax information, no matter how old.

The moral of the story is as long as you have proper paperwork documenting the situation, you should be OK. If not, you’re most likely screwed.

ThomasG - January 18, 2012 reply

Good advice since I thought you only had to keep tax records for the past 5-10 years

and anything prior to that was outside limitations or something.

That's what my father assumed as well. But the IRS can be very, very sneaky.

Three or six years is the typical statute of limitations on when the IRS has to file charges of noncompliance; there is no limitation on how long it takes them to actually notify the party or demand collection.

ThomasG - January 18, 2012 reply

I file online and have them saved in my email

Yup, keep all that stuff.

I’ve kept every W-2 and every tax return form I’ve ever done.

Goose - January 18, 2012 reply

So, uh, when are we going to hear anything official about the Pineda trade?

Corco - January 18, 2012 reply

I think Montero has to get to the states for a physical.

MLB.com won't let you make a Mariners jersey with Montero as the name

They can't stop you from buying a blank jersey and putting the name and number there yourself.

True

I was more curious to see if he had a number. Apparently he never got his “true” number when he was a Yankee.

Nice.

Of course some Yankee fans think he wouldn't have been given #51

since it is a number worth retiring for them, Paul O Neill and all that.

This was Grant Brisbee’s response to Jeff writing various Baseball Nation articles about the Giants.

Bernie Williams?

Patrick Stites - January 19, 2012 reply

I don't know how many of you saw this.

During this past season a friend was always on me about my attitude surrounding the Mariners.

He’d always tell me that they couldn’t be that bad and that I needed to stay positive. One day I told him to look at the 2010 and 2011 team pages on BR. He had almost the same reaction but I got the bonus of seeing the facial features to go along with it. He hasn’t given me shit since.

Yeah pretty much

the only people who can out do us are Royals and Astros fans.

Living in KC for the past few years has put my baseball fandom to the challenge.

God, that was poorly worded.

The Challenge huh?

This is what your fandom is like?

I envision Mary Kate playing the Mariners with Ashley as the Royals.

Special guest appearance by Dave Coulier as the Astros.

How did you even know that this was a thing?

Corco - January 18, 2012 reply

I did a google image search for "the challenge" and that was the first thing that came up.

Grant and Jeff are what I would imagine is the perfect baseball podcast

Look what you did! You made Matthew cry!

BAD SB!

Eyebrows - January 18, 2012 reply

You can always just make it Grant Jeff and Matthew

EequalsMc2 - January 18, 2012 reply

Throw Jon Bois somewhere in that mix too.

Matthew and Jeff have a way better dynamic.

Kirk - January 18, 2012 reply

They don't have the curse of success to dull their edge.

This is golden!

I've found myself going to Wikipedia 6 times today, forgetting that I'd need to press the stop button to read anything

I never realized how much I used it until today

Corco - January 18, 2012 reply

Did anyone else try to go to work this morning only to find their car encased in about 1/2" of ice?

I drove my car to work through torrential rains

We didn’t get a snowpocalypse. We got about an inch of snow and then it turned into 45 degree temps and heavy rain which won’t stop until Saturday. Ugh.

You have the rain, we have the fringe on that rain, and ...

“Most of the air above us is warm enough to support rain, but the bottom of the atmosphere — where we live — is still below freezing. This has led to widespread freezing rain, and this rain is creating a thick coat of ice on everything it touches, including road surfaces.Temperatures, thankfully, will likely remain above freezing overnight tonight, and a much wetter system arrives on Friday…”

So jealous.

I’m supposed to move tomorrow. Don’t think it’s going to happen.

truemsfan - January 19, 2012 reply

Sistek this am:

“I am among the thousands and thousands stranded around Sea-Tac today so updates are going to be sporadic. I must say this is by far far and away the greatest ice storm I’ve ever seen in Seattle and I’ve been here since 1990. This is way more widespread than 1996.”

I drove into work this morning and probably shouldn't have - even the major roads are extremely slick.

I found myself cursing myself for breaking my sunglasses again this morning.

Piss off.

It was 13 when I woke up this morning, but no clouds today means that I also lament losing my sunglasses.

Maybe he means that! (heh)

I can't even get to my sunglasses as they are inside the block of ice that used to be my car.

Wonder what the bottle of water inside my ice block is doing.

Probably expanding.

That was my guess.

Oddly enough

my Nissan, which I didn’t clear the snow off of, is accessible. The locks aren’t seized, the doors will open and stuff. If it weren’t for the fact that it’s a rear wheel drive I probably could have made it to work this morning.

Its like right on the edge of being too cold for just a hoodie

but not cold enough for an actual jacket

It's amazing how pussified living in Los Angeles has made me to cold weather.

It was 48 when I walked my dog last night

and I put on a scarf. In my defense I’m sick.

When I let my dog out this morning

the snow that she was romping through yesterday had changed. There is now a layer of ice on top of it that has her totally flummoxed. Watching a ~70 pound dog try to run around on ice covered snow is hilarious.

Watching mine try it is sad.

She’s 50 pounds, and the ice covered snow terrified her. She tried to walk on it, slipped, one paw punched through the ice (not all of them), and she just stood there trembling, looking at me with one foot under the ice. Both dogs have now completely rejected the idea of the outdoors.

I wonder how my parents dog is handling the snow

He’s a 40 some odd pound cattle dog.

I love cattle dogs.

Mine were fine with the snow while it was fluffy. Now that it’s hardened and became a disgusting mixture of dirty snow & thick ice, not so much. Now they’re huddled up waiting for it to be over.

Aww they look so cozy

I wonder how my dog would react to snow. He’s been in it once as a tiny puppy, but now that he’s older I think he might feel differently about it.

My previous cattle dog like to roll in the crunchy frost covered grass but he wasn’t a super big fan of snow.

I just had a report about the ACD of my acquaintance:

“now that the snow has iced over she doesn’t like walking in it, so she wont’ chase the frisbee and she looked so miserable on our last walk that I dont’ want to try that again – she keeps bringing me her toys one by one. "

Aww

That makes me sad

Nikki isn't scared at all.

Every time I let her out she tries again and, still, the snow remains the same. She tries to run and falls on her tukus. She gets stable again and just stands there for a second then gingerly wends her way back to solid ground. All the while managing to look totally bamboozled.

Watching it is both sad and sidesplittingly funny.

My cat is intrigued by the weather but ultimately wants nothing to do with it.

She races to the back door (where she can see the drifts anyway) and she goes out, walks over a foot or two, stands there for a minute and then runs back inside and stands next to the heat register.

Two Rs and Two Ls - January 19, 2012 reply

I lived in Chicago for a spring.

I was inoculated to the cold for like two years.

No.

:D

Podcasts!

As short of a time ago as last year, I would have never even thought of listening to any sort of radio talk program.

Now I’m hooked on Radiolab, and going through their backlog at a high rate of speed. I’ve also found that other NPR-style podcasts are not really my speed (such as This American Life, Car Talk, etc). There’s something about the pseudo-philosophical bent and the constant music and noise/interludes catches me.

Anyone have any others that might catch my interest, with a similar or more historical genre?

I'm not sure about historical ones but I loves me some podcasts.

but if you like intelligent talk about sports – and being on LL I know that’s a stretch – check out Slate’s Hang Up And Listen. It covers all sports, it’s pretty interesting.

I haven't listened to a lot-- I like Pop Culture Happy Hour, which is another NPR one, though not philisophical

I know people who like Mike and Tom Eat Snacks

PCHH is great

I just downloaded a bunch of Mike and Tom but haven’t started listening yet.

You might like the How Stuff Works family of podcasts.

They’re much more casually put together than Radiolab, which can be either a good or a bad thing depending on what you like. If you like comedy, there are quite a few good ones out there – I have an absurdist sense of humor and love Comedy Bang-Bang and Sklarbro Country (which talks about weird events in sports, but the guests are all comedians).

If you like history, the BBC’s a History of the World in 100 Objects is interesting.

For a public radio style history show, check out Backstory with the History Boys.

I also like Planet Money and Freakonomics Radio, for economic podcasts.

yuniform - January 19, 2012 via Android app reply

Oh, yay.

ICE is accumulating in many areas of Western Washington and will continue to add up for several more hours. An ICE STORM WARNING is currently in effect for steady freezing rain from Lynnwood/North King Sounty southward through the morning, as temperatures will remain below freezing until this afternoon. Driving conditions will be poor at best.

Significant ice accumulations are bringing down hundreds of branches, trees, and power lines, and this ice will continue to accumulate for the next few hours. This weather situation is likely to get worse before it gets better.

Meanwhile we are supposed to be getting two inches of rain by 9PM tonight down here

I want a goddamn icepocalypse. Riding to work this morning was a really bad idea. I will never be dry again.

Yah, he mentioned that y'all were getting rained on like crazy.

I haven't seen it rain this hard in years

This is the hardest I’ve seen it rain since I’ve lived in Portland.

Have you been getting any of the hurricane-force winds that have been hitting the coast?

I just had the weather channel on and whoo boy, that huge green band of moisture goes out past Hawaii at this point.

I think I might have broken my pinky toe last night. Is this worth getting checked out? I just sort of figure that there's nothing they could do about it.

In my limited experience, toes pretty much just have to heal on their own...

Otherwise, keep the swelling down, take some ibuprophen.

of course, I may the wrong person to answer as it took me a week to finally go in and ask about my broken finger…

The worst part is that I joined 24 Hour Fitness yesterday. I was going to start running this morning.

Yeah, don't do that.

Biking was good for me though.

Thanks.

And thanks everyone for the quick responses.

If there's a pool at your gym you could swim but I definitely wouldn't run on it

I'll have to start with some exercise like that now. Which is fine I guess.

By the way, if anyone wants to know the good deal (at least I think its great) on joining a gym… go to Costco and get the 24 Hour Fitness special. Its $320 and you’ve got a two-year membership. So, $13 a month. You just have to be sure you’re the kind of person to commit, but I love that it’s one quick, easy payment.

I ended up going the opposite route, and dropped my extremely expensive gym this year for a trainer twice a week and non-gym workout plan.

Comes out to about the same cost and I’ve been much more motivated and it’s been much more effective.

Oh wow, that does sound smart too.

Already locked in here, and $13 a month is pretty cheap, but having a trainer is good. I was at the Y for a year, then dropped it and did my own thing, jogging, etc. Ended up doing good at that for about six months. Now I need a gym again.

For 13$ a month (compared to the almost 40 for the ones in my town), I'd do a little of both.

Having someone to keep track of how your lifts are progressing and spotting is a huge benefit.

Just don’t get one of the ones that wants to “circuit train” or anything. I know that both pdb and I have shared this link before, but it seems apt now – Everything you know about fitness is a lie

I'll be working out with a buddy from work that's a former college QB and has been training for a long time.

Just having an kind of buddy helps though, but I will definitely check out that link.

Yeah if I didn't have my coworker pushing me to work out

I’d get lazy about it really fast.

My work has a "workout" room and I go down there on my lunch break

and do those “Insanity” videos.

I wish my work had something like that.

If they got that they’d get a shower and I could ride my bike to work year round.

Yeah its pretty nice

theres a couple of treadmills, a bike, an elliptical machine and a small weight machine (bench press, fly, shoulder press, legs) plus full locker rooms with showers. Its the only real employee benefit this place has.

The 24 Hour is literally two minutes from work, so I'll be mixing in morning/lunch/evening workouts.

Is it the one next to Ralphs?

No, but that's the one closer to my home that I'll use on the weekends...

if there is ever any parking.

Yeah good luck with that

almost every spot there is marked “not for 24 hour fitness”.

Try the elliptical.

It’s no impact so your broken toe will be less uncomfortable.

Yeah, I'm an elliptical guy typically as it is.

I just couldn’t even put my shoe on today.

Focus on weight training then?

You should be able to do most upper body/torso workouts without too much discomfort. True cardio work can wait a week or two until it heals enough to get some leverage with it. Even weight lifting has some cardio benefits.

Yeah, definitely. Need to do the weight training anyway, and this will help me focus on that for the first couple of weeks.

It's not really worth going to a doctor for, no

all they’ll do is say “yep, it’s broken” and give you a scrip for painkillers if you want. Just take some ibuprofen, try not to wear tight shoes for a week or so, and it’ll heal up fine on its own.

Did the same thing with my pinky finger a few weeks ago, and just reset it back to its normal shape and splinted it to the next two.

My last toe curls underneath though, so I don’t know about that one. However, I’ve broken other toes and just wrapped it for comfort and left it and it was fine.

From personal experience? Make sure you exercise your pinky finger, and keep the tendons stretched out if you don't want a permanently bowed pinky.

Yeah, definitely. Funny thing, it's still shanked a little to the right (on the right hand), so the bending is sort of diagonal.

I’ve tried resetting it a few times and just can’t get it to line up to the second knuckle on the ring finger. Any tips from anyone?

Um, no.

Ow.

My wife did this, and they essentially just splinted it and sent her home.

The splint is probably worthwhile.

Duct tape?

They applied duct tape, used chewing gum, a tiny amount of Tabasco, and a liberal application of WD40.

Aces.

Jesus, is it just me or does nobody know the proper applications for WD40?

For fucks sake, it mixes with Crystal’s, not Tabasco.

(Also, this is my evangelical moment for the day – WD40 is not a lubricant!)

Water repelent on intercontinental ballistic missiles?

joof - January 19, 2012 reply

This?

d0nkey - January 23, 2012 reply

You can splint it on your own though.

Little bit of gauze, break a popsicle stick into pieces, brace both sides, tape up, done.

Speaking as someone who has broken a toe or two and never gone to a doctor about it.

So, did we free the internet from it's oppressors yesterday or what?

Or is there still a need to hack the planet?

I think we won round one.

But it’s just going to come up again in a month or so.

Jamie Moyer was a freshman at St. Josephs University when Oliver Perez was born.

I just love Moyer facts. And they both sign minor league deals on the same day.

Moyer was just about to learn his version of the circle-change from Kevin Quirk...

I am still finding out a lot about Moyer. Only one other MLB player went to St. Josephs, and that was back in 1924.

Things I learned today that mildly annoy me

James Stewart, the guy who wrote the Calculus textbook that everyone on the planet seems to use, lives in a house that costs $22million dollars:

Woohoo, bachelor of arts!

thehemogoblin - January 19, 2012 reply

Would you rather own Apple or Greece?

Apple is worth more.

Greece is a better place to go in the summer.

Greece is awesome. One of my top 5 countries I'd do a return visit to.

As long as it’s not Athens.

What's the problem with Athens? Crowds of tourists or something?

I’ve never been to Greece, so I’ve no idea.

Kermit. - January 19, 2012 reply

It's a shithole.

Dirty urban sprawl. Athens is great only in that all the interesting historical stuff is clustered close and you can see everything in 2 days and then go somewhere nicer.

It's pretty dangerous as well.

I have family that live a few miles outside the city; there’s a lot of political and social unrest, and a hell of a lot of violence, in that part of the country.

ThomasG - January 19, 2012 reply

The islands are beautiful and mostly danger-free though.

ThomasG - January 19, 2012 reply

Well Greece itself is almost always in default...

lailaihei - January 19, 2012 reply

Day 5 of no work

Some times I hate working for a restaurant

Day 2 of taking a snow route bus that takes over an hour and trudging uphill to work.

Fuck being “essential staff.”

Yeesh, sorry you westsiders have freezing rain.

Over here it just keeps snowing and snowing and snowing. Finally!

I'm honestly curious about this:

If money were not an issue, would it be possible to implement a snow removal system in Seattle as good as say, Minneapolis or Madison. Do massive hills really make this impossible to do or is it just due to budget restrictions?

Did the city learn anything from that massive storm in 2008 that pretty much cost Mayor Nichols his job? I really can’t tell yet.

It’s just crazy that a piddly ass couple inches of snow (that then freezes due to lack of plowing) can cripple a city this large.

Sorry, that turned into a rant. Being inconvenienced 2 or 3 days a year isn’t that big a deal I guess. Just seems like we would start to adapt better at some point.

If money were not an issue, of course it would be possible

It’s not really about the massive hills, it’s about the allocation of scarce resources (granted, plowing Queen Anne Ave might not be realistic, but you know what I mean). Snow events like this happen once every 10-15 years; even routine snow events in Seattle are maybe once a year or once every two years. It doesn’t make sense for the city to spend what it would cost to implement a Midwest-city style snow removal program for something that wouldn’t see regular use.

I was shoveling the driveway for the past three days and it's been a sheet of ice since last night.

Snow can be managed somewhat, but freezing rain is another issue.

It's back to snowing on the hill

and I just went up on my roof to check it out and I have about 6-8 inches of snow now covered in enough ice/frozen snow that in some areas I was able to walk across it without breaking through to the snow underneath

It just started snowing again in Maple Valley, too.

Hours after I shoveled my drive way. Lesson learned.

katal - January 19, 2012 reply

I can't believe people actually do that in real life.

My roommate was doing that last night when the power was out

The rest of us sat inside wonder what the hell he was doing

Lesson: get a snowblower

Works great to throw leaves everywhere in the fall!

The snow/ice combination is knocking my neighbors arborvitae down

Which is great news as they’re 16 feet of ugly that shed crap all over when the wind blows. If they don’t straighten up come Spring I get to chop off everything that’s on my property! Hurray!

Kermit. - January 19, 2012 reply

We have the only shoveled walk on our street.

A few blocks over, however, there’s a fire department. And those fellas were out this afternoon shoveling their entire block.

Nice.

When I lived in Bozeman, one of the down the block neighbors got a 4 wheeler with a blade for Christmas. No one nearby had to shovel the walks the rest of the season.

I'm in Helena right now and we got like 14 inches last night.

Pretty cool how much effort goes in to snow removal on days like today.

BigR - January 19, 2012 reply

It has shifted slightly here in the last two hours.

I walked up to my dad’s on the solid ice crust, and on the way back I kept breaking through to the snow underneath. I don’t think it was just the extra poundage from the pastrami sandwich…

I just went for a walk down Alki.

It’s weird walking on top of four inches of snow without it giving way, which was the case for the entirety of the 45 minute walk.

Aaron Campeau - January 19, 2012 reply

Yeah, it's very weird.

It feels like walking on creme brulee. Earlier today my weight broke right through the ice, but now I can walk on it.

So I hear there's a state of emergency up there

Everyone okay?

Impatiently awaiting my FEMA check.

Oh, most excellent.

Oliver Perez is coming.

Awww.

I thought you meant to FanFest.

katal - January 19, 2012 reply

It is harder to use a laptop in your lap when 13 lbs of cat insists on sharing said lap.

It seems to me that 13 pounds of cat would be a rather handy little laptop table.

I’m not sure how one would deal with the whole shifting weight thing though.

He won't let me prop things on him, sadly

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/19/report-fausto-carmona-arrested-in-dominican-republic-for-using-false-identity/

"Fausto?? Fausto is the best you could come up with?"

I dunno Fausto is pretty slick

I like to think it's because he made a deal with the Devil to falsify records.

joof - January 20, 2012 reply

"Confirmed identification papers are the next market inefficiency."

Great comment.

CapSea - January 20, 2012 reply

All kidding aside about the weather.

Stay safe, you lot. I was always terrified by driving in the snow in Western Washington, where it seems everyone thinks they can drive in the snow, but display no abilities in line with those beliefs.

I have seen 7 accidents happen while driving around in the snow here the last couple days.

It’s always the same thing too. SUV driving too fast for conditions, thinking they’re immune, loses traction and blows out the safe driver they happen to be passing.

I've been out a few times with some jackass half a car length behind me.

Then I see them make a turn and spin out. Ugh.

Yeah, that was the stuff that always made me cringe.

I lived near the Kitsap mall for two years, one year when it snowed leading up to Christmas if I had to go anywhere near it I would walk, the traffic was that bad.
And I kept an eye on everything in case I had to dodge cars on the footpath.

I was walking across a street last night

This guy in a SUV saw me sped up and then honked at me as he passed. What a dick.

I walked past a couple of drivers who decided they didn't want to stop at the red light and so bombed through...

Watching the '64 Frankenheimer movie The Train for the first time in decades.

how did I not notice the annoying voice dubbing before?

LA Times - Seattle are "Snow Wimps"

Linky

The tone in this article is incredible – it reads like J.A. Adande wrote it.

It is a city of formidable hills and politically correct small cars …

The snowstorm had been forecast to be the worst to hit the Puget Sound region in 30 years, an ominous warning that scared easily scareable Seattleites. As a result — as is usually the case here when cold weather hits — the city collectively declared a snow day and gave up most thoughts of going to work.

My question is why the fuck does the LA Times think they can talk about aversion to driving in weather?

I’d love to see how LA handled snow.

Mariner John - January 19, 2012 reply

Let's ask sb.

It doesn't snow in LA

That comment was more of a

“hey, he’s driven around in both places. Maybe he could guess as to what it might be like to try to drive in L.A. with all this snow and ice” kinda thing, but whatever.

I thought it was like "let's ask katal"

I’ve actually never driven around in LA, but I suspect that people wouldn’t try to drive at all and those that did would be fairly successful

seattlebruin - January 22, 2012 reply

I would love to see it snow in LA just for the reactions

People around here can't even drive in the rain. It's terrible.

I’m not sure where he gets off calling out another city on weather driving.

Which poses another issue in the argument...

the author says “[t]he city has always marched unarmed into its infrequent battles with snow”. Right. Infrequent. This kind of weather happens, but only every few years. Los Angeles probably has to deal with enough rain to make their drivers lose their shit more often than we encounter enough snow to make us lose our shit.

I was there for a torrential downpour in March and the freeway was one lane it was so flooded.

Shouldn’t it be somewhat better drained than that? Perhaps my one experience was once in a decade or something.

Mariner John - January 19, 2012 reply

No, when it rains in LA, it pours

Maybe their freeway system shouldn't be crippled by it then.

Mariner John - January 19, 2012 reply

Their freeways are crippled by themselves

they hardly need help from the rain

seattle_since_81 - January 19, 2012 reply

Southern California doesn't design for rain just like Washington doesn't for hard snow so it's so infrequent.

The parking lot at my work is terribly designed. Everything slants down to the NE coast corner where there is one drain with a sump pump. There was one day of hard rain, and the whole parking lot was flooded. They finally are starting to redesign it.

If it's anything like Tucson, the soil is shit- it can't absorb any water so when it rains it just sort of sits on the surface

Corco - January 19, 2012 reply

So building drainage as good as Seattle's would be ridiculously expensive and not worth the cost given how infrequently it rains

Sort of like Seattle has some of the worst possible snow driving conditions- it would be more expensive to fit Seattle with an awesome snowplow setup than most other cities, and it snows infrequently enough that it’s not worth the cost

Corco - January 19, 2012 reply

LA has terrible fucking drainage EVERYWHERE

They redid the drain system on my street a year ago because it always gets flooded when it rains and nothing changed. I remember when I was in school campus the walkways would just be lakes.

Well the problem is that you can keep driving when it rains like crazy and Los Angeles County does it really, really poorly

there comes a certain point at which you cannot drive when it’s snowing without serious cleanup efforts

Thing is, we've handled the last few storms really, really well.

The arterials were sanded and then de-iced rather quickly, there was one plow dedicated full-time to the West Seattle bridge this morning, the buses were largely functional. This was just a really difficult to predict storm that threw some major curveballs.

Aaron Campeau - January 19, 2012 reply

The contrarian would now be saying "but they said there was going to be a foot of snow on Wednesday, couldn't you have handled today based off that?"

But you’re right. Last night’s freezing rain was bizarre. I went out on the porch and everything as far as I could see was just glazed over with ice.

Right, I don't think the snow was really the issue as much.

Also, the storm did something none of the models predicted; can’t prepare for something you haven’t been warned about.

Aaron Campeau - January 19, 2012 reply

I had to drive to Oly and back yesterday and it did not seem like they even bothered to plow the I-5.

InSpokane - January 19, 2012 reply

There are a number of people who are afraid to drive 60 on freeway when it's completely dry.

InSpokane - January 19, 2012 reply

This snowstorm is giving me flashbacks to a torrential downpour in SD a few years ago

in which Jeff and I posted screenshots of the SD traffic grid which was red all over the city with like 55 accidents in one day

Apparently WA state patrol responded to almost 800 incidents in a 24 hour period yesterday.

Same day last year, 74 incidents or something.

HititHere - January 19, 2012 reply

Goodness me

Graham MacAree - January 19, 2012 reply

On the bright side at least a loved one of his is likely to die in an earthquake.

Robert - January 19, 2012 reply

Or a gang shooting

Robert - January 19, 2012 reply

The byline suggests she's Seattle-based.

Northwest Bureau Chief, apparently.

On the bright side at least a loved one of his is likely to die in an earthquake.

Robert - January 19, 2012 reply

I think it's a chick

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/kim-murphy/

Not quite so snide on day 2.

This is really funny.

When I went to school in LA we actually had a “Rain Day” School closure. Only in SoCal.

Drew_D - January 19, 2012 reply

What's a "Los Angeles"?

I think it's like Port Angeles, but with more dicks.

Politically correct small cars?

Thanks, because I needed another reason to hate LA.

It's just such a weird and irrelevant thing to write.

There are plenty of SUVs in Seattle, and it’s not as if small cars are innately bad at dealing with snow. Sometimes quite the opposite.

http://www.973kiro.com/76/613172/Did-TV-news-kill-Seattle-sledding

I've never met a small car that can't hold its own in snow

It’s a hell of a lot better in snow than the 2WD SUVs those Los Angelinos drive

Corco - January 19, 2012 reply

Some times I wonder if I have severely underestimated just how many people are unbelievably petty.

katal - January 19, 2012 reply

Have you seen the woman bitching out Meg Coyle for ruining sledding in Seattle?

Everyone in Seattle drives a nut free Prius

while drinking Starbucks and listening to Grunge in their flannel shirts. Fucking hipsters man!

(Of course the same could be said about everyone in Silver Lake/Eagle Rock/Echo Park but shhh)

"Remember the 90s?"

Kenneth Arthur - January 20, 2012 reply

The Prius did not exist back then!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVmq9dq6Nsg

I was too focused on flannel shirts.

Kenneth Arthur - January 20, 2012 reply

You must not have had enough coffee.

JY - January 20, 2012 reply

That used to mean drip.

Kermit. - January 20, 2012 reply

The dream of the 90s is alive in p0rtland

seattle_since_81 - January 20, 2012 reply

Indeed

Art Thiel doesn't appreciate being called a wimp.

http://sportspressnw.com/2012/01/critics-of-seattle-in-snow-shut-the-hell-up/#.TxjavVxC8st.twitter

The thing that I love about this "piece"

is that in this one sentence

“It is a city of formidable hills and politically correct small cars, many of which spent the morning sliding ineffectually around places such as Queen Anne Hill and Capitol Hill.”

the writer mentions the prominent hills here 3 times with, what seems zero regard to what they represent while operating a vehicle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX_sGgjjvRE

It's depressing that I'll likely never feel the joy this guy gets on a daily basis.

BigR - January 19, 2012 reply

Baawww.

I like the video after that with the apparently retarded kitty that waltzes up the stairs while eating his tail.

Crazy torty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e88r2_SZkyY&feature=related

Oh, man you can waste time here.

.

Cats can be such jerks.

ThomasG - January 19, 2012 reply

Hahahahaha.

Sad.

R.I.P. Sarah Burke.

Two Rs and Two Ls - January 19, 2012 reply

Okay, I'll give.

I use a MacBook running OS X 10.4 (Tiger). My parents have a desktop computer running Windows 7. There is a printer attached to the desktop computer. My parents house has a wireless network, and their laptop (which runs Win7) can print to the machine attached to the desktop wirelessly.

I really want to know how to trick the printer attached to the desktop to print a document sent to it by my MacBook. I’ve done some Google searches, I tried this, and it didn’t work.

Does anybody have experience with this?

Just plug the printer in to your laptop.

InSpokane - January 19, 2012 reply

Pssh.

I’ve actually been doing that when I want to print (or emailing a file to myself and using the parents computer to print).

I guess I just want to do something that is apparently RIDICULOUSLY HARD.

Two Rs and Two Ls - January 20, 2012 reply

On the bright side,

at least you’re not running Windows.

I know nothing about Mac networking and printer sharing junk, but at least in Windows it's really not too bad accessing a printer on the network.

Patrick Stites - January 21, 2012 reply

Pretty easy actually.

But then it’s also pretty easy to watch windows fall apart and have to shut down when ever the mood strikes.

Uh, yeah, ok....

Patrick Stites - January 21, 2012 reply

Sorry.

Been dealing with Windows errors on a box for a week at work that our IT can’t seem to get the time to take care of. I’m just a tad on the miffed side that I can’t get all of my work done.

IT'S STILL SNOWING

truemsfan - January 19, 2012 reply

Here too. I've shoveled 3 times already.

Freezing rain again!

Graham MacAree - January 19, 2012 reply

.

The combination of freezing rain snow and a mixture of the two will begin to loosen its grip as warm air starts to move in and temperatures rise. That process is already underway. We’re starting to see stronger winds developing over on the coast. Those winds are coming from the southwest so they will be warmer which is what you need if you want to melt some of this stuff.

Overnight lows will be tricky in that some of the colder temperatures will be early in the evening and will gradually warm through the morning so the temperature where we start will be in the mid-thirties. There will be some differences especially in the north sound and Whatcom County. Colder air will linger and folks who live there will be dealing with snow or freezing rain through probably midday Friday.

The main trend however is for everyone to warm up and highs on Friday will generally be in the mid to upper forties. By that time of course everything coming from the sky will be plain old northwest rain. As a result there is a FLOOD WATCH up for rivers in western Washington.

Wet Hot American Summer: The Live Radio Play

Any thoughts about when the roads may be passable?

I have to make the call if we have a delayed opening at 9 or just cancel the day. So much pressure!

truemsfan - January 19, 2012 reply

Damn. Sold out.

Speaking of which, Paul Rudd is now on Parks and Rec.

I just noticed that. I also accidentally blurted out "OH MY GOD I HAVE THE BIGGEST CRUSH ON PAUL RUDD".

sanford_and_son - January 20, 2012 reply

His character is what Our Idiot Brother should have been.

yuniform - January 20, 2012 via Android app reply

When I read this, I thought, "Hasn't he been on before?"

Then I realized all the scenes I thought I remembered being in Parks and Rec were actually from I Love You Man. >_>

joof - January 20, 2012 reply

He's one degree from Rashida Jones a lot of ways.

yuniform - January 20, 2012 via Android app reply

Oh wow, I guess it snowed.

Good lord, what a week. Something like 200,000 customers without power in Western WA… Me included. Probably no power until Saturday, if not much longer. Looked like half an inch of ice over EVERYTHING.

I’m thinking about trying to go to work tomorrow, but it’s still not looking good. Hope everyone is staying warm and safe tonight.

HititHere - January 19, 2012 reply

My dad has been without power since yesterday morning in Edgewood. Getting a bit worried at this point.

I am very close to Edgewood, and the power just came back on.

Maybe hope is in sight.

HititHere - January 20, 2012 reply

Woo! Thanks for the update.

sanford_and_son - January 20, 2012 reply

Thanks!

My hot water bottle and a couple of dogs have been keeping me warm. I’m glad your power is back on!

royalcurve - January 20, 2012 reply

This used to be a tree in my backyard.

Hooray for ice storms.

Anyone else dealing with crazy icestorm effects?

HititHere - January 19, 2012 reply

My mom posted pics yesterday

of my dad going out and pruning the trees around the house to prevent them from falling on their car etc.

Good idea.

I think, even had I had the foresight to prune this tree, I would never have thought to prune…y’know, every single branch on the damn thing.

HititHere - January 20, 2012 reply

I was listening to KISW on the way to work yesterday.

They have this 10 question trivia segment where one caller gets to try to “beat the producer” by correctly answering more questions than Steve-the-producer.

So this guy gets on the air and gets something like 3 questions right. The producer aced it and the caller really sounded depressed about getting waxed so bad. BJ (the host) mentioned it and the guy stated that his car had been crushed by his carport the night before.

BJ, being a swell fellow, decided to give him the prize despite getting his ass kicked. The prize was tickets to a Nickelback concert. Talk about being kicked when you’re down…

I had never heard a Nickelback song before, that I was aware of.

Then I found out recently that the theme song to WWE Monday Night Raw is done by Nickelback. I was justifiably appalled at myself for having found it catchy all this time.

royalcurve - January 21, 2012 reply

My condolences.

Every time I hear a Nickleback song...

I think “man, Chad Kroeger’s rhyming dictionary has to be falling apart by now”

I think he may have bought an old Jim Morrison version.

I appreciate that.

royalcurve - January 21, 2012 reply

I have a co worker who thinks Nickelback is a swell band

then again his taste in EVERYTHING is terrible.

Rain! rain!

Did you see the last paragraph on Cliff Mass' blog?

Now I hate to bring this up…. but the forecast models for the next week indicate some intense weather in store for us. Heavy rains, strong windstorms, and the arrival of frigid arctic air. Jim Cantore from the Weather Channel may have to come back for another visit.

kentroyals5 - January 20, 2012 via mobile reply

Oh shit

royalcurve - January 20, 2012 reply

Ok, already tired of the sound of the rain and everything melting loudly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ezeYJUz-84

from Adam Savage:

OMG, watch this before it gets brought down. Star Wars by hundreds of unconnected peeps in 15 second bits. Brilliant.

Amazing.

Chris Hafner - January 20, 2012 reply

I kept hoping the kitty version would return.

This is great

bomdal - January 21, 2012 reply

I'll admit that I watched at least 30 minutes of this last week

The weather made it onto Australia's news.

It was showing shots of snow plows and a few other things, then the space needle.
…Which is apparently in the mid west.

Ayers Rock is in NSW, right?

:(

Uluru! You should see it change colour as the sun rises or sets. One of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen.
…Noooooooooooooooooo my fotopic page with my Uluru photos is gone. :(
Well, here’s the Google images search page for “uluru sunset”. Not the same but I guess it will have to do.

I love it when US tv shows the Sydney Opera House followed by Uluru :)

What, no harbour bridge?

I was lucky when I lived in Sydney and worked in the city – one of the city train stations I used to have to go through has a pretty decent view of both the bridge and the opera house as long as you’re sitting on the right side/in the right car.
No matter what else was going on, that was always a nice start to the day.

Of course!

I'd think that someone would have made a time lapse video of it by now.

The pics are pretty awesome though.

There's probably one out there.

I’m bummed by the possible loss of the pics I had up. I think I may have some of them on my desktop if I can dig it out of a box but it’s still meh.
And that way I could have linked to some taken from the same place with the same camera every few minutes.

That would be really cool to see.

I’m sure it’s nothing like actually being there to witness but, for those of us who will probably never get the opportunity to see first hand, it might be the best we can get.

Here.

This one isn’t bad. Also gives you a bit of a view leading up to it. It really is in the middle of nowhere.

Thanks.

That was really cool. The landscape looked a bit like the area around the town I lived in when I was in Utah.

The park usage fee sign kind of threw me a bit too. Is there a yearly pass you can get for all parks that doesn’t beat up the pocketbook so much?

Yes.

Well, sorta. There’s one for each state, then costs and coverage vary.
There’s also the point that Uluru is a recognised aboriginal site. They could restrict access to it if they chose to do so.

Uh oh.

all the many many sirens heading to 3700 Aurora Av N have switched from medic response to “water rescue” on the 911 page.

Jumper?

That is what it usually means....

Probably a L.A. transplant depressed beyond reason at our inability to drive in the snow.

sanford_and_son - January 23, 2012 reply

Was out running with my girlfriend down by Fremont and we saw the police boats go out and drag the body out of the water.

Huge bummer :(

Sitting in a Starbucks, still don't have power. I can see my breath in my bedroom.

Hope everyone else got their power back quickly. The upside of all that snow was when a fist size hunk of snow fell on my truck’s windshield, there was a thick layer of frozen snow to bounce it off!

JAH - January 21, 2012 reply

I have a friend down in Nisqually who is still waiting...

Sadly, the PSE service map which this a.m. had listed the Nisqually area as "repairs underway" at some point changed back to "assessment/mobilization""

msb - January 22, 2012 reply

Thankfully, our power was only out for 13 hours.

It was also helpful that the outside temp had come up enough that our meager fire put out enough heat to keep the birds from getting too cold.

A reminder that this still hasn't officially happened yet:

GregJohnsMLB
Jesus Montero in Seattle today undergoing physical, but no formal announcement of trade expected til Monday. #Mariners #Yankees
9 minutes ago

Reporter to Montero - "How do your knees feel?"

Montero – “Better”

Kermit. - January 21, 2012 reply

So apparently we've signed Kevin Millwood(hat tip to Brett Miller for pointing me to this article)

According to a weekend Facebook posting by his sister Erika, Millwood has agreed to a contract with the Seattle Mariners. That agreement comes a month after Mlbtraderumors.com reported the Mariners had an interest in Millwood and a week after The Denver Post reported Millwood has turned down a one-year, $1 million contract from the Colorado Rockies with incentives that could make him $2 million.

Goose - January 22, 2012 reply

Jeepers.

I wonder what he ended up signing for with us.

JY - January 22, 2012 reply

League minimum and a chance to boost his value by never pitching in Coors field again.

So what demon possessed the NFL so deeply that they had Steven Tyler sing the anthem before the Baltimore vs New England game?

Damn that was awful.

I can't stand Tyler so I changed the channel as soon as they announced his name.

After hearing about how shitty he did I kind of wished I had watched it now.

KC Mariner - January 22, 2012 reply

It was so bad it woke me out of a nap.

wazzu93 - January 22, 2012 reply

I must have watched so many bad anthem performances

that this one didn’t even phase me

Any interesting beer discoveries in the new year?

I bought a bomber of Perseverance from Alaskan Brewing on a lark a while back and finally cracked it open. It’s a stout, but not at all like most of the stouts I’ve had in my life: no coffee, very limited chocolate, sort of tastes like smoke and burnt cream. It’s only out as a 25th anniversary thing though and that makes me mighty sad indeed.

JY - January 22, 2012 reply

Hippy Highway Oatmeal Stout, Lone Peak Brewery.

I really like Oatmeal stouts, and this is a good one.

I’m hearing really good things about Bobo’s robust porter by Big Sky as well. I’ve been sulking all winter because they didn’t do Cowboy Coffee Porter, but evidently this is as good or better. Need to track some down when I get back to Missoula.

BigR - January 22, 2012 reply

Nothing yet this year but,

late last year I got hold of some Theakston Old peculier and loved it. It’s a bitter with great depth and tons of character.

While we're on the subject of beer, (this might be more for the foodies out there)

I paired planked salmon steaks with a sour today and ohmyfuckinggod was it perfect.

I planked the salmon with garlic and sweet basil and served it with steamed asparagus and red potatoes. The sour was The Dissident but I imagine just about any good ones will suit just as well.

Two last week, one good one bad.

Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout is avoidable. Lagunitas hops the crap out of everything they make, which is fine for a lot of beers but clashes with the earthy/smokey/malty/coffee notes I wanted from a coffee stout. Sierra Nevada’s Ruthless Rye IPA by contrast is an excellent use of hops (and rye), and worth picking up a six pack.

Drew_D - January 22, 2012 reply

For a relatively cheap beer, Alaskan's Black IPA is surprisingly tasty, and the best seasonal I've had in a few months. (I think it's technically a spring seasonal.)

yuniform - January 23, 2012 via Android app reply

Somebody needs to make sure that Eyeball Kid and Kirk don't wake up.

Robert - January 22, 2012 reply

Ever?

I stayed up despite having a 12 hour shift to start at 6am >:(

Well, I went to bed after we turned it over on on 4th down so I missed Cundiff shitting the bed. Reading that on my phone was bad enough.

Eyeball Kid - January 22, 2012 reply

Read any good books lately?

And what kind of books do you usually like? Fiction or Non? Genre?

I created a Lookout Landing group over at Goodreads, because I like to see what other people are reading, too. Join if you’re on, and consider joining Goodreads if you like books!

I've been reading Diamond Age

albeit mostly in 5 page intervals while on the toilet.

I've been meaning to start reading some Neal Stephenson.

Cryptonomicon is on my to-read list.

Cryptonomicon combines 3 of my favorite things

WWII history, cryptography, and the Marines. Also lots of stuff on the “invention” of computers.
Anathem is probably the hardest Stephenson read I’ve done, but I think the payoff makes it my favorite. First 200 pages are kind of tough, but Stephenson is known for his difficult stretches.

Reading through the remainder of the Hitchhiker’s Guide books right now. I made it this long only having read the first one and not knowing why. Reading Infinite Jest slowly on the side.

One of my favorite books ever.

royalcurve - January 23, 2012 reply

I am of the opinion it is his second best book.

Right after Zodiac. They’re part of his, pre-“I’m too famous to need an editor” period.

Drew_D - January 23, 2012 reply

I adored Snow Crash.

And Zodiac is the nuts.

harkening - January 23, 2012 reply

The Deliverator scene is pretty much the best bit in all of fiction.

Minus

Until a man is twenty-five, he still thinks, every so often, that under the right circumstances he could be the baddest motherfucker in the world. If I moved to a martial-arts monastery in China and studied real hard for ten years. If my family was wiped out by Colombian drug dealers and I swore myself to revenge. If I got a fatal disease, had one year to live, and devoted it to wiping out street crime. If I just dropped out and devoted my life to being bad.

Hiro used to feel this way, too, but then he ran into Raven. In a way, this was liberating. He no longer has to worry about being the baddest motherfucker in the world. The position is taken.

harkening - January 25, 2012 reply

I'm currently reading The Scar by China Mieville and it might be my new favourite book.

You’ll need to read Perdido Street Station first though.

I have The City and The City on my list to read.

I recently read news that Mieville is going to be writing a comic for DC, coming out sometime in the next few months.

That book was a weird one for me

I plodded through the first half, struggling to get into it, then read the last 200 pages in one sitting.

Good to know I shouldn't give up on it then.

Maybe I should slide Perdido into the list above it.

I don't think it really matters which you read first

TC&TC isn’t at all like the rest of his work so it should put you off if you don’t like it. Embassytown is his latest and while I haven’t read it yet it seems like it would be a good entry point.

*Shouldn't put you off

Got ya.

I say “give up on it” if I don’t like the first half or so, but I don’t think I’ve ever done that. Just good to know it picks up I guess, for those desperate times of struggle.
I’ll probably just pick up a few Mievilles at once and see which one has a prettier cover and read that one first.

I like that in the Poetry section, three of the first fifteen books are Shel Silverstein.

Also I want Jeff to join so that we can see his collection of Jane Austen-related books.

This site needs .5s on its rating system.

Totally agree, 5 star system is pretty limited for books.

I just started reading a book called Skippy Dies

it’s pretty awesome so far. SPOILER ALERT: Skippy dies. On page two. I also just re-read Brendan Behan’s “Borstal Boys”, which is my all time favorite piece of Irish writing.

pdb - January 23, 2012 reply

Twilight tops both the Best and Worst books ever lists.

God

Someone clearly mistakenly put it on the worst books lists

My most recently finished book is the unabridged audiobook of 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.

It was recommended by Leo on the This Week in Tech podcast, and I thoroughly enjoyed all ~48 hours of it. I’m listening to another Murakami audiobook now, Kafka on the Shore, and it’s quite enjoyable so far.

I can't speak to the audiobooks

But Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World is my favourite novel of his.

Added to my to-read list. Thanks!

I’m doing mostly audiobooks lately, as most of my reading is done during my commute, and reading on a kindle while walking or while in a crowded train or while hanging onto the bus hand-holds is more difficult than listening.

Still trudging along with Game of Thrones.

Book five now, at least. I’ll make it to the end one day. Hopefully not before George R.R. Martin finishes it.

royalcurve - January 23, 2012 reply

You've got plenty of time

he’s probably not even gonna start book 6 until next year.

By now I'm fairly confident he will die before he finishes it.

There’s always fanfic!

He's already got like 150 pages done

he’s spoiled like three chapters already. I’m really hopeful for a late 2013 release, which makes sense. Books 1, 2 and 3 all came out within two years of each other, it’s just when the plot got messed up in Feast for Crows and Dance With Dragons that he got bogged down, plus he knows what the ending is supposed to be now

Yes, I think he figured out all his story problems that he created with 4-5.

The way he says it books 4-5 weren’t even supposed to exist, there was just going to be a 5 year gap in story and then it would pick up again where book 6 starts. The gap was meant to give the kids times to grow up in time for the things they need to do for the end of the story. Or something, and irrelevant since it didn’t work out that way. It does help explain the issues with books 4-5 though.

Craptastic-J - January 24, 2012 reply

He also hasn't written anything in over 6 months

and has announced no plans to start writing soon. And the plot has spiraled out of control.

If GURM finishes it in less than 4 years I will be surprised.

bluemax - January 24, 2012 reply

I predict he will release the Winds of Winter before the next time UCLA plays in the Rose Bowl Game

seattlebruin - January 24, 2012 reply

Having no power reacquainted me with one of my favorites.

The Amber books by Roger Zelazny. I’d forgotten how complicated things get in such a short period of time, and how nobody trusts anybody. Shits all over Game of Thrones from a great height.

Seconded.

Zelazny is good.

Aussie Mariner - January 23, 2012 reply

Wow! I had totally forgotten those.

That IS the series where the royals walked “the pattern” to transfer between realities, isn’t it?

Yup, and they live forever and are really hard to kill

They are all born with the ability to shape reality, walking the Pattern gives them the ability to control it so they don’t accidently stumble into a world at the bottom of the ocean or with chlorine for air.

[Adds to list]

Sounds interesting.

Craptastic-J - January 24, 2012 reply

I hope all our Oregon Football fans didn't blow up any hospitals last night!

Nope, but I really do want to throw "sources" out of my office's third-story window this morning.

I was putting the newspaper to bed last night at like 11:30. By the time I biked home, grabbed something to eat and cracked a beer, it broke that Chip Kelly was staying at Oregon after all. So my newspaper’s inaccurate today and I’m unhappy, because this entire stupid wild goose chase went on without a single goddamned named source, or even a source referenced by position (i.e., “Tampa Bay executive” or “Oregon athletic department employee”).

thehemogoblin - January 23, 2012 reply

I'm just happy that Pete Carroll is coaching the Bruins now

While still coaching the Seahawks?

I knew he never slept, but that is impressive!

What the hell

The body text of my posts is disappearing and all my posts are being doubled.

They look okay to me.

yuniform - January 23, 2012 via Android app reply

Yeah it seems fine after closing the tab and reloading

Must’ve just been my browser.

Um.

Scary Sandwich Monday

Hostess and Kodak file for bankruptcy?

Bad week for nostalgia.

And yeah.. the hot dog looks… well, I’m always surprised how well salty and sweet go together.

Scary? Someone has never seen UHF, I take it?

Patrick Stites - January 23, 2012 reply

Long, long, long ago.

You should watch it again, it's on Netflix, if you happen to have that.

Side note: We made these once on a Boy Scout camp out, for breakfast. Best breakfast ever.

Patrick Stites - January 23, 2012 reply

fyi

The Hot Stove League Show will be broadcast Monday (Jan. 23) from 7-9 p.m. on 710 ESPN Seattle and can also be heard at mariners.com. Scheduled guests to include Jack Zduriencik, Carl Willis, Jim Caple and more.

Comment on randon CNN article

weucaowe, 12 minutes ago
The only thing nastier and more foul-tasting than coffee is alcohol.

HOLY SHIT!

These people are out there and they are stealing your oxygen.

They can have the oxygen as long as they leave me my booze

pdb - January 23, 2012 reply

Mormons!

Drew_D - January 23, 2012 reply

I'm thinking a good coffee stout is in order.

Or an Irish Coffee

Either way, dump one into the other.

Craptastic-J - January 24, 2012 reply

Neat

(pun intended)

Matthew - January 23, 2012 reply

that's kinda sweet

Starbucks selling beer and wine?

Apparently, they have already tested this in Seattle before. Anyone run across one of those cafes that sold beer?

Also, Burger King and Sonic to test alcohol sales?

Olive Way and Summit St is one of the Starbucks in question.

They only offer beers by the bottle, nothing on tap. And it’s a pretty lame selection.

The licensing to install taps is apparently cost-prohibitive. Not that Starbucks couldn’t afford it, but everything implied by it and to keep it open to the ages under 21 – just a hassle to do it store-by-store.

harkening - January 23, 2012 reply

And of course I mean Summit Ave.

harkening - January 23, 2012 reply

Seems lame unless they have like a really fancy pants cafe, but I don't go to Starbucks... ever.

Burger King is also testing out home delivery.

That's very interesting. You'd think if it was profitable, McDonalds would do it, right?

Since there is a McDonald’s within 5 minutes of seemingly every home, you could have hot and ready Big Macs to the door in 20 minutes. And it’s not like McD’s has never considered delivery, as I’m sure they get requests all the time. That last quote from Domino’s is pretty funny and probably pretty true. I mean, at least with pizza people are usually spending $20+ to begin with. The appeal of McDonalds or Burger King is getting a meal for under $7.

I don’t know why I spit-balled on that issue for so long.

Speaking of this

I hate to admit that I went to BK this weekend, but I did, and I was amazed at how expensive its become. I feel like the price of fast food has been on the rise.

I don't think it's really increased all that much, at least relative to other things.

And they still have dollar menu items at most places, and can get some alright stuff for a few bucks.

Patrick Stites - January 23, 2012 reply

Agreed, you still CAN be cheap, but I think they're being sneakier about the ways they profit.

A lot of places do still have value menus, and you can be cheap if you’re selective. But the price of a “meal” has gone up. Getting a #1 or a #7 or whatever can easily run me 8 bucks or more, even at cheap places like BK or McD’s.

I suppose that's true. I think it would be interesting to see how the price of a fast food meal compares to a casual dining restaurant meal, in terms of cost increases over the years.

Patrick Stites - January 24, 2012 reply

The delivery time is what might be an issue (at least it would with me).

With a pizza, you expect it to take at least a half an hour. It takes a while for a pizza to cook anyway, so you wouldn’t expect it to arrive within 15 minutes. With a burger and fries, you usually get your order within a couple of minutes of it being placed. If you live 10 minutes from a BK and it takes 30 minutes to get your food, what’s the hold up?

Ugh, gross cold fries and a soggy hamburger bun. Pass.

Unless they make BK food trucks that make your order while they drive to your house. Then I’m sold.

d0nkey - January 24, 2012 reply

Supposedly BK has developed some proprietary food warming containers, probably in the same vein as the ones pizza companies use.

Patrick Stites - January 24, 2012 reply

That solves the fries problem. But the buns.. THE BUNS!

d0nkey - January 24, 2012 reply

80's style McDonalds styrofoam boxes.

They keep the hot side hot and the cold side cold.

Jed MC - January 24, 2012 reply

Strung out on Mcnuggets is my guess.

Old news of some interest...

The Clinton Lumberkings have a new broadcaster, who was formerly of the Daytona Cubs. They lost their old broadcaster when he took off to do play-by-play for the Braves’ triple-A affiliate.

I hope work takes me to Des Moines for several weeks again this year.

Two years ago I was up there but too late to drive over to catch any games and missed out on Franklin. Last year I wasn’t able to make any trips and missed out on Walker, so I’m set on getting up there one way or another this season.

I don't think you'll have any guys of that calibre coming through.

There’s a chance you could get Guillermo Pimentel, but on the whole his plate discipline is still pretty bad and I’m not expecting a lot at the moment. He just has more power potential than most and some have him high on prospect lists as a result. Marcus Littlewood will probably make a return tour. Some people like him. I am not really one of those people. Jordan Shipers will probably get a spot in the rotation. He’s all right. Ambioris Hidalgo and Jose Valdivia might also get rotation spots. They’re both all right. Jamal ~~Strong~~ Austin could also be there and he’s fast. Alfredo Morales could get the bump and he has tools. Felipe Burin could also end up there and he’s kind of fun though his abilities are limited. I suppose it would be a different matter if they kept back Brad Miller, or Jabari Blash, or Carter Capps, or if they opted to agressively promote Tyler Marlette, or give Danny Hultzen an easy start to his career, but right now the Lumberkings don’t seem like they’ll be particularly interesting, at least in the first half of 2012.

Littlewood's switching to catcher, right? That might be interesting to watch.

I’d still like to get up there to check them out, even if the roster doesn’t have any highly rated names on it. Only getting 3 games a year when the Mariners visit sucks. Plus they visit mid-week in July this year and even though it’s not August, Ichiro is still right on when it comes to the heat. If I make the trip I’ll probably post a fanshot/post prior to it to solicite any advice on what to be on the lookout for.

It may be more interesting next year.

Besides, there’s a chance that they draft some interesting types and they’re in there by July or so.

So, apparently the Ms have at least 9 guys In The Best Shape Ever.

Were they named?

Jack was saying they talked to everyone at the end of the year, set them up with Rocket, challenged them, etc. and then arranged to have 9 of them come into town, check them out, have dinner with Wedge

Guti putting weight/muscle back on, Smoak apparently has lost some weight, but got stronger, Olivo was asked to lose upper body size and did, Figgins is supposedly in great shape having really worked like crazy, Wells was also mentioned …

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111206&content_id=26107674&vkey=news_sea&c_id=sea

What's Rocket?

wazzu93 - January 23, 2012 reply

Allen Wirtala, strength and conditioning coach

Wedge talked about it a bit here:

Just listened to Z on Hot Stone Report.

Wells, Olivo, Smoak, Gutz, Figgins, Seager, Ackley, and I forget others.

Despite the massive amount of rational thought against it, I have a weird hope for a non-terrible Chone.

My insanity has reached a new high.

I think people hoped that after 2010, and then worked it out of their system.

BUT HE WAS SO NOT-BAD BEFORE

I think this means I have finally fully deleted 2011 from my memory.

Floor, not actually there, etc.

Well if we keep going with the every other year theme....

Oh shit, this could end badly.

Or is it bad in this case?

I fuck that one up constantly.

Badly.

You want the adverb, since it’s modifying a verb clause.

It would be super to get some value out of him

and let the 3B depth marinate for another year in the minors

Matthew - January 23, 2012 reply

I kinda like the idea of giving Seager a shot

he seems like a guy who doesn’t have a ton of upside (maybe 3 WAR peak), but is pretty close to being a league average guy at third.

I’d like it if Figgins rehabilitated his value just enough to get dealt and not leave us paying the entire contract

I would settle for that.

But I confess I really do hope he has a bounce back and wins back some fanbase support.
/irrational, deluded hope.

Aussie Mariner - January 24, 2012 reply

I'm there with you.

I was a happy clam when we signed him. I never thought the cliff he fell off of could be so high.

I just think that he's too far gone to win back fan support

and that it would be better for all parties involved that if he were to have a resurgence, that he do so somewhere else

seattlebruin - January 24, 2012 reply

I'll take 2 WAR out of 3B this year in a heartbeat and hope that one of Liddi/Martinez stock shoots up and if we're really lucky, Catricala becomes a serviceable third baseman defensively.

They should sell a workout video.

For the tennis fans out there, if there are any.

oops!

While watching the match between Caroline Wozniacki and Kim Clisters, a question popped into my head. If Wozniacki never wins a major, will she be considered this generation’s Anna Kournikova?

Kournikova won literally one tournament. Wozniacki is ranked #1 in the world.

This is more of a case of “best player ever to not win a major” than anything else.

thehemogoblin - January 23, 2012 reply

I don't think she ever won a WTA singles tournament.

She and Hingis kicked ass at doubles though.

They are changing up the Mariners trivia at FanFest this year

“Mariner’s Melee”— more of a Family Feud set-up, with two groups of five going up against each other with their trivia knowledge

Two Rs and Two Ls - January 23, 2012 reply

I'm curious to see how that plays out.

I’m a veteran (and multiple-time champion) of Last Fan Standing.

I am now ineligible to play :(

Mariner John - January 23, 2012 reply

Why?

Probably because he's an employee of the team store.

Oh yeah.

Bobby Valentine Fake Mustache™ ?

Boo! Booooo!

~~One of~~ the only reasons I go to FanFest is to win my free tickets for the year. Boo!

… Anyone else making it to FanFest this year?

katal - January 24, 2012 reply

Can't you still win shit with this method?

Do you have to have 5 people you know to do it?

Two Rs and Two Ls - January 25, 2012 reply

I suppose so, but I'll have to trust others to help me win.

That’s why I’m hoping I’ll see some LLers there. You don’t know what you’re get by joining a random group.

katal - January 25, 2012 reply

I'm considering spending all day there on Sunday.

Aw.

I’ll be there Saturday.

katal - January 25, 2012 reply

I think Robert just became an Arizona fan

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/7495977/trey-griffey-son-ken-griffey-jr-commits-arizona-wildcats

He sure looks like his Dad.

Sunshine + a better shot to play?

I wonder if Trey will quit on the Wildcats as quickly and frequently as his old man quit on the Mariners or if he will just stick to using anabolic steroids.

Robert - January 24, 2012 reply

At BA, they finally posted a new team-specific notebook for the M's.

The title is “Peguero Still In Mariners’ Plans”

FFFFFFUUUUUUUU-

JY - January 24, 2012 reply

Happy Chinese New Year (yesterday) everybody.

What’s your animal?

I’m a Monkey; how fitting.

Goddamnit I'm a goat!!!!

How do I change screen names?

d0nkey - January 24, 2012 reply

Goats are good.

Goats prefer the couch because there they can relax and explore their minds.

I'm a pig.

Pigs came in effing LAST in Buddha’s race. I thought I was rather spritely, but I guess not.

Dragon motherfuckers

Eyeball Kid - January 24, 2012 reply

USAToday says Prince could make a decision today.

FINALLY.

Thank goodness.

I’m really tired of the media hard on for him to join Texas (please don’t choose Texas).

Rosenthal says Prince doesn't want to come to Seattle (think we already knew that, but whatever).

Left handed hitters do realize that Safeco actually helps them out, right? I mean really.

It's so far.

Baseball players aren't the brightest bunch. Fuck him.

At this point I just want him out of division.

When did he say that?

Softy tweeted it earlier.

Ooohh, I also see from his Twitter Elderkamp is choosing his school tomorrow on air. Fingers crossed.

On the radio about a half-hour ago

Safeco doesn't really help lefties out, it just hurts them less than it hurts righties.

If it wasn't in an infographic I refuse to believe it

pdb - January 24, 2012 reply

Heyman tweets Nationals, 8 years.

Yay Not Rangers!

BrianL - January 24, 2012 reply

Hmph.

Not Rangers!

And Larry points out that massively retweeted tweet is from a fake Heyman account.

We still don’t know!

BrianL - January 24, 2012 reply

Yay Twitter!

It's like last year when everyone was fooled by a fake Adam Schefter account

tweeting that the Seahawks had signed Favre!

Who the hell owns that account?

Logan Morrison is my #1 suspect.

Fooled Geoff Baker

Surprisedface.jpg

If you follow Jon Heyman, as I would suspect all of the sports reporters in this town do, how do you end up retweeting a fake account?

Did they end up following both and forgetting that one of them was a fake account?

Somebody typed in his name in the search box wrong,

selected the “John Heyman” account saw the tweet and retweeted it? I dunno, doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Glad if we weren't going to get him, he stays in the NL.

Yay Not Heyman!

But wait!!!!

Larry Stone: This is the real Tim Brown. RT @TBrownYahoo: Source: Prince is very close to 9-year contract with the Detroit Tigers, according to sources.

Guess they think that Martinez isn't coming back ever again.

If so, fair hitter's park, Midwest locale, spring training in Florida ... things that supposedly were important to Prince

Has Detroit even been mentioned in the mix? Weird.

His father's team. So fucking obvious, yet I never even entertained the thought until now.

Huh.

Prince Fielder and his father do not get along and have not spoken in years

I would doubt that played a part in Prince’s decision, and will probably just serve as an annoyance.

pdb - January 24, 2012 reply

Ahhh, that's right, I remember reading about that.

Who knows, though. He probably has good feelings towards the team in general from when he was a kid, but I’m in no position to speculate.

It seems more like... shouldn't Detroit of all places know better?

That's weird and kind of sad.

Now Heyman says so too.

Crazy Tigers.

That dick, releasing false info and then changing his mind like it never happened.

Heyman just confirmed it.

9 years over 200 mil

.

JonHeymanCBS Jon Heyman
fielder gets 9 yrs, $200_plus mil. @TBrownYahoo said close

The Fielder/Cabrera tandem, 2012-2015.

Holy shit. Sorry, AL Central pitchers.

$214m/9yrs.

That is way, way closer to what Pujols got than it should be.

Jesus Christ I wouldn't want to even touch that.

M's would've had to be in the $225m/10yr. range to beat that.

So glad that they didn’t.

I sort of wanted him for irrational reasons, but his just not going to a rival makes feel nothing but good about the way this turned out.

I do hope we add one more shiny thing before ST.

Wow. What a shitty deal for Detroit.

How could they possibly imagine he’ll be worth that?

Dave Dombrowski's not the brightest GM in the business.

Detroit's a borderline contender.

If he can get them up over the hump, he’s probably worth it.

joof - January 24, 2012 reply

If you lose Victor Martinez, a 3 win player last year, and replace him with Prince Fielder, a 5.5 win player last year...

I mean, they won the division by 15 games. I’m not sure he gets him over the hump from where they already were, but yeah, it can’t hurt their chances in the short-term.

Rats, I wish the Detroit series in May was on a weekend.

And now we get to read all of the Mariners "fans" on Facebook

about how the Mariners obviously don’t want to win because they didn’t sign Fielder! Hooray!

Those cheap Mariners, unwilling to go 10 years $250 million!!!!!

Can't be worse than Yahoo

@HittheCutoff “Jeeeez Fielder worth 200 million. REALLY . He dont e ven steal bases” — latest comment on Yahoo! Prince article.

heh.

Old Hoss Radbourn: In related news, “Little Caesar’s” is now charging $700 per pie.

So who should get more time at first, Fielder or Cabrera?

Eyebrows - January 24, 2012 via mobile reply

Is Cabrera decent?

All I’ve heard from Milwaukee fans is that it’s hard to watch Prince out there.

I got over my laziness and went to fangraphs:

Cabrera: -2.7 UZR/150 since 2008 (5126.1 innings)

Fielder: -6.4 UZR/150 since 2005 (8311.2 innings)

Eyebrows - January 24, 2012 via mobile reply

Heyman is saying that Fielder will be the first baseman.

@JonHeymanCBS
prince will be the first baseman, for anyone asking. cabrera will have to change role. #tigers

Stats seem to indicate that that's the wrong move.

But it doesn’t seem to be that big of a difference.

Eyebrows - January 24, 2012 via mobile reply

And I wouldn't be surprised if it's a split.

Probably not 50/50, but you want to keep both of them up to speed in the field.

Eyebrows - January 24, 2012 via mobile reply

It seems like they could put Raburn there if they really want to play Young

But then Raburn is apparently awful at 3rd too so who knows.

Still Not Rangers!

THANK GOD

JAH - January 24, 2012 reply

Victor Martinez must be much more hurt than they thought.

“Of course we’d consider Prince Fielder,” Detroit Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowksi said Thursday afternoon at a stop on the team’s Winter Caravan. “But realistically, it’s probably not a good fit,” he said.

He's probably just out for the year, but they'll end up trading him next offseason I would guess.

Eyebrows - January 24, 2012 via mobile reply

Victor Martinez to the M's in 2013.

Ok, they are fielding calls from 'fans'.

time to go.

ABORT.

I cringe even seeing you mention it

I can hear the voices in my head, oh God.

The irrationality and stupidity of people just never ceases to amaze me