More Ukraine

 

 

It is a photo op for sure.  The European Council is a new one.

It is the way almost all of Ukraine sees itself.  No one knows where Europe starts and Russia ends and that is a fact.  The clean but old blue trains, the pretty but efficient hostess for overnight commutes (leave in the evening and arrive anywhere in the country by the next morning), and last but not least, the blonde Caucasians hugging.  It is how Europe wants to see it too.

Pause for Google:  the European Council is the part of the EU that defines "general political direction and priorities."  WTF does the EU do?  That includes countries like Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, and Finland that are in the EU and not NATO.  They have money--the EU recently raised its aid to 1.5 billion Euros.  The U.S. and the U.K. of course have even more money, and hardware too.

The war continues.  It is total destruction and murder.  Good, get the civilians out of the east.  Do everything possible to stop the killing.  Then pummel the hell out of the Russians in the Donbas.  They can have it for a price.

It is not over, but...

Ukraine will rebuild the rest of the country.  Once it is over or at least defined, the people will return; it will eventually reach a stage where if you bomb us we will bomb you too.  Russia's cowardly retreat into just attacking nearby will fail.

Kaliningrad is the reason, over the next few years, that Russia will end up worse than they were before.  In Kaliningrad the communist-style apartment buildings are made to look like native Konigsberg architecture; the Germans were removed and Russians were imported.  The small "oblast" serves as a naval base and reputedly houses nuclear missiles.

Now we can all see the plan, or why it doesn't matter that the population is killed or removed and the city destroyed.  They'll just build a bunch of apartment buildings and bus people in.

It is a grotesque plan and the Europeans (regardless of the borders), like Americans, are probably against that too.  How can that succeed given the culture in Kiev?  We all saw the failure of Plan A.  Plan B is a violent land-grab.

Get out and pound them.  It is dollars, euros, and pounds well spent.

Thankfully it is Over

Michigan lost to Villanova yesterday 63-55.  

They made the Sweet 16 by beating Tennessee and Colorado State, both good teams.

It brings to a close an acrimonious and contentious season.  Fans were complaining, the coach was suspended, and it could not have been fun for the eight players.  

Hunter Dickinson, who has put himself on a two-year course to the NBA was forced to mature, expand his game, and do it all himself on the court for the team.

Super prospects are just that:  prospects.

Juwan Howard and Fab Five are in charge and "Black as Hail" is not my cup of tea.

Talk about winning ugly.

BTW, Villanova is a good team --top 10, Final 8--because they have a few experienced, all-around, very good players.  As a team they play expertly until the end of the shot clock.

NCAA Hoops: Villanova

I have conducted extensive research.  Villanova beat Ohio State by 10.

Michigan 75 Colorado State 63

You don't always get what you want.

NCAA Hoops: Colorado State

Please lose.  I mean, go Rams.

I'm so exited I'm thinking of driving up from Evergreen to Fort Collins for the game for the 10 AM MT game..  Wait, it is going to snow 10 inches tonight.  Plus I would have to drive all the way to Indiana.

Somebody has to say or write it:  Now they're attacking each other in practice!  My God.  DeVante Jones is sidelined--perhaps his last game(s)--at Michigan because a teammate smacked him in the schnoz.

It isn't funny.  It is not a scratch on the face:  he is in concussion protocol; easy on the lights and noise and not with the team. The word "violent" fits and the word "smart" does not.  All year he has been grimacing on the floor in games and he has continued.  This is stupid.

This blog goes back a long time--longer than a sane person should admit.  Last year's team entered the NCAA tournament as though it was a boxing WWE match.  It is documented here for the bored.  Chaundee Brown was a particular culprit.  It was obvious they were out to prove that lesser-knowns cannot compete with the Big Ten physically.  Remember, Howard is coaching again now.

So we get to watch Frankie Collins' hair.  Oh my.  The question is, does CSU have anyone who can guard Hunter Dickinson?  Me thinks that will be important.

Old Habits

God I hope they don't make it.

If they do I might spend time and it is a waste of mine and everyone else's time.  The NIT is easily avoidable.

Going back, the team was somewhat fun to watch after the latest blow-up; it was self-made news that was all about me, me, me on different levels.  The overall impact was and is negative.  No one benefits except those who either need therapy or to be left alone, or both.  To be left alone includes staying out of the news, computer screens, and phones that are unavoidable.

Included in the irrelevant history was a blowout of MSU.  That was unexpected.  Probably the most memorable part is the bizarre behavior by Hunter Dickinson that resulted in an away from the play technical.  Tom Izzo won the argument with officials.  

It was followed-up by the surreal comments by Phil Martelli that basically reinforced why he was fired years ago and no one has called, except Howard, since.  If a 7-foot sophomore fails at basketball he will be in WWE.  

I would encourage him to check the facts or demographics.  First, you don't wish failure or WWE on anyone.  Second, Michigan students and alumni have nothing to do with WWE.  I had to look it up:

 

If Michigan had won against IU they would have lost decisively to Illinois again.

They played hard and well in the beginning, even without Caleb Houstan contributing.  They were locked-in and you could see it on the players' faces.  It was impressive--they let it all hang out, from full court pressing, to effective post play, to near-instant fast breaks.  That was what they did against State, full court, one pass outlets for points within seconds.  It leaves a lasting impression.

Then, I missed the beginning of the second half, Houstan made back to back 3's and soon after Michigan flopped.  Indiana played great to be sure and whatever Coach did worked; they have talent and they rose to the elimination occasion.  

But Michigan went something like ten minutes, not for the first time this season, the post was not working, and overall they are not a strong 3-point shooting team.  Indiana's stars made plays.

It was the same as the rest, or at least the beginning, of the season.  Jones looked terrible and turned the ball over.  Diabate was all over the court but not in the box score.  Dickinson couldn't do it every time and couldn't do it all himself, and he had some "personality" breakdowns too.  Brooks cannot hit an open shot from the free throw line and, while his outside shooting occasionally helps, he is not a go-to guy.  Houstan is only a freshman minutes-eater.  Let me see...  Johns spurts but overstays his welcome; Williams is a spot player; Collins has a disastrous jump shot, makes a lucky layup now and then, and tries to provide a spark off the bench; Bufkin has body and talent but has lapses that prevent more.  The rest of the team are along for no discernible reason.  (Obligatory aside:  more Howard family members arrive next year.)

Howard is by most standards (not mine), an excellent coach.  He recruits top players, he knows X's and O's, and for those he selects, he motivates them.  So far in his tenure there have not been any player or coach scandals; I won't deal with "other" things or repeat them here.

Howard loves Michigan and he was calmer and seemingly happy to be back.  Players said positive things about having Coach back.  They were all talking about family and in the IU pregame they were hugging, touching, and smiling a lot.

Michigan basketball is not very good.  They are a strong family for those few who are included.  Included by Howard, that is.

I don't care if they all go pro today.  None of them are invested in the school, the team, or the long term.  They all look as though they care more about themselves first, the NBA second, and everything else is a distant third.  

Please, don't make the NCAA Tournament.

Other teams don't wear BLM patches.

Ukraine

Personally, I'd prefer Phil Martelli as coach.  Even with a depleted lineup, Michigan looked relaxed and they won rather easily against Rutgers.  It was strange, anyone attending or watching after what happened and the cover-up was insincere as hell.

I was about to write this about the Wisconsin game until I found out what happened.  I feel for the players who have to go out there every game try.  Someone has to.  It just isn't a good situation.  BLM and the Howard family on the team too.

It is a lot of self-made news about Juwan Howard we can all do without.

---

The much more important and relevant news is Ukraine.  Who am I to predict?  I think, in the long run, Russia and dictator Putin will fail.

I have been to Ukraine.  I did business--cellular and marketing--in several cities and spent time in Kyiv.  I believe the people there are way too far along to ever go back.  "Bohemian" is the word for it.  And the country is too big; the Russians are going to get sabotaged up the ying-yang and they will not be able to put down demonstrations like they can in Moscow.

Ukrainians threw out their president Viktor Yanukovych as a Russian-leaning dictator in 2014.

The outpouring of freedom protests is amazing--blue and yellow lights in Berlin, Melbourne, Paris, Tbilisi, and London.  Forget the stupid truckers, this is worth it.  

Finland, Turkey, Romania, North Macedonia...  The list goes on of NATO members.  Ukraine couldn't really join the way things were, i.e., 20-percent Russian occupation.  Something had to give.

Who, there is only one person, will give?  Russia has $1 Trillion frozen and their GDP is $1.5 Trilllion.  The oligarchs begged Putin to reconsider.

The world needs to survive on less gas and oil anyway.

At home, Andrew Bates said it best.  Trump and Putin are both "nauseating, fearful pigs."  He added something about "rubbing snouts."

Come on.  The tanks and troops were already at the border.  Belarus already capitulated.  As Biden so wisely said, "He has to do something."  Let's hope they have a plan inside the borders.

Of course I am wrong at the moment.  How can Russia occupy Ukraine?  How can Putin beat the entire free world, including wannabes in his own country?  Every single death is blood on his hands.

There are so many cracks, fractures and factions in the world today, but not with regard to democracy.  It is different than 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed.  Putin is clinging to a delusional past.  Information will boomerang around the world.  Every child, each senior citizen, and every casualty will be on him.  It will backfire.

Every free leader has said the same.  Britain, Germany, France, Australia, Canada, Japan, etc.  Plus the Western Ukrainians themselves.  Long term, I just don't see it.

Phil Martelli is a lot like President Biden:  he is an older, experienced, calming influence.  And he gets along well with others.

Juwan Howard should go

He should go so everyone can move on.  Sadly, there is no other way.

This is a watershed moment for the University of Michigan.

I used to have a writing problem.  I could write marketing and research reports just fine but I had an issue when it came to creative writing.  It concerned writing in the passive voice.  

"You can get away with it in reports," a friend and English professor finally said to me.  "You can't in creative writing."

Juwan Howard needed his aggressive and competitive nature as a player.  He needs it as a coach too, but he simply cannot get away with it.  Therein lies the paradox, and the difficulty in the decision.

It has happened before.  If someone doesn't stop it, it will happen again.

All the incidents and signs are there.  (That is passive voice.)  I can see the signs and others, e.g., Warde Manuel, should be able to see them too.

The spotlight is too bright.  The incidents and evidence are too obvious.

At this point, Monday morning, no one knows.  Everyone and their brother has an opinion and they are diverse.   Talk of suspensions and anger management training are appropriate.  Maybe after they are completed and there is something to hold on to in terms of progress and maturation Howard can be reevaluated as a college head coach.  For now, that is what he needs, and Michigan needs a coach.

In today's world it is all about appearances and being perfect.  Howard is far from it and he needs help.  Just like an addict, an alcoholic, a stalker, a rapist, or any number of criminal or behavioral addictions he needs to solve his problems.  Monday morning and still there is no apology or allocution.  He doesn't get it, and he is going to have to if he is to move forward.

For Michigan basketball, the season is basically over.  The team will likely lose players as well as its head coach for at least a while.  Recruiting, and signed recruits may be affected.  Perhaps there will be an interim coach or a replacement coach.  Somehow, for the remainder of this year and the future, the team needs to heal and move on too.

I vehemently disagree with those who say it isn't a big deal.  "I'm gonna remember that shit" Howard yelled at the opposing coach because he called a timeout and coached his team on an in-bounds play, and from there it was a gross and disgusting brawl.  Howard had two technicals in the previous game and almost lost it there too.  And of course we are all reminded of when he did it at Maryland.

It is sick.  A thug as the head basketball coach at the University of Michigan.  My God, you can't even send a nasty email to a fraudulent seller on eBay these days--or on Facebook and elsewhere--and you're going to assault and threaten opponents at a sports game?  Disgusting.  The head coach has to understand that there are lines that you do not cross. 

And then, of course, there is the disgrace to your employer, its employees, and all us alumni.

It is a tough decision, Mr. Manuel.  That is what sometimes you have to do.  But it is also very clear and if you see it for what it is it is a simple one because it is linked to the exact personality of the team and the way he coaches.   Howard is a pretty good basketball coach--this year's Michigan team is decent only because of the tenacity that coach has instilled...

Nonetheless, for the team now and for the team and the university in the future, Juwan Howard needs to go.

Michigan 84 Iowa 79

How did Michigan beat Purdue?

It is a trick question.  Both "I don't know" and "they made 3's" are correct answers.

Ohio State is too good.

Iowa isn't as bad as Northwestern, Maryland, Nebraska, Indiana, or Penn State.  Strange, their home fans actually like them.  They're about average.  At the half, Iowa is winning.

Michigan shooters are fucking bricklayers.  1/12 on wide open 3's.

Caleb Houston is a wallflower.

Seriously, Michigan has shown some improvement.  Jones is getting better at dishing it.  They are running.  And Diabate has begun to learn the ball screen and pick and roll; he is scoring.

This one, in Iowa City, is lasting a long time.  It only seems that way.  Covid may be waning and it is back to normal, but they are two teams going nowhere.  Making the tournament is a hollow victory.

I forget, does Juwan Howard have some kind of bone to pick with Fran McCaffrey too?  What a bonehead--he just walked on the court and picked-up the ball.  He is affable when he smiles, but this is not the time.  Boot him, please!

It is time to relax.  This is not a good team.

I don't know why Trerance Williams isn't playing, except that...  I won't write it.  Bufkin, Faulds, Johns, Collins is it.

This game is like other recent games against mediocre opponents.  They hang in and keep trying.  Size in Dickinson and Diabate pays off.  They grind it out and the opponent--except good teams--cannot capitalize.  Jones is error-prone but dependable enough.  Brooks is veteran, a strong defender, and he provides almost enough.  Houstan is there, and the bench is patchwork.

Jace Howard is in.  And of course Houstan (2/8 and 0/4) never comes out.

Brooks mad a couple of threes and Michigan is up by 11.  They should win.  

Strange team.  These games are not fun to watch.  Correction:  Diabate is now making jump shots.  It is just that, Iowa is not great and these teams are not going anywhere.  

To be fair, Michigan--Dickinson, Diabate, and Jones--has improved.  Plus, Brooks is there.  The coaches have created open shots.  This season the team is not going to change much and, from there, it is anybody's guess.

Penn State 57-58

Indiana, Nebraska, Northwestern, and now Penn State, are terrible teams.  Michigan State is not great.  Michigan is above .500 in conference play.

Last year Hunter Dickinson made Michigan a top ten team and this year he is sustaining them at the level they are currently at, which is 49.

If there is one thing Harbaugh, and Mel Tucker too, get it is that each season stands on its own.  No one--and I mean no one--is going to stay so the only thing you can count on is the next season.  All the theatrics don't matter much if you are prepared for the season.  The roster for that season, as well as the "staff" (i.e., the entire organization), is built during the off-season, hopefully quickly and in advance.  At Michigan, you can usually outspend, and steal from, just about anyone.  The portal is more important than recruiting; you must know who is going to leave and seek a portal replacement.  The portal is more dependable for the next and only season that can be controlled.  The recruiting budget is now the recruiting/NIL budget.  

It is a whole new world of roster and organizational management.  The institution will still be there next year, but will you?

That is the dooming problem for Michigan basketball.  Dickinson is right in announcing this as his last year because he is a 7-footer with proven skills and moxie.  The rest of the roster is going to be endless speculation about mock drafts, transfers, and bad or ending career decisions.  

Diabate is averaging 9 points a game and he plays all the time (except when in foul trouble), his name is called all the time, and he has never taken a shot.  Maybe Houstan should have played the Duncan Robinson role if the roster could sustain it a long time ago because his minutes are wasted.  Brooks is a role player on a good team and this is not a good team; specifically, his floaters don't go in and he is slow.  I saw it in the Indiana game:  DeVante' Jones (I've finally mastered the spelling nuances) is so slow, clumsy, and predictable that if you stand in the right place he will clunk into you for a steal.

Collins was in the box score but didn't play against Penn State.  Williams and Johns are beginning to resemble each other.  I respect their ability to remain enthusiastic and to keep going out there.  I missed it but I believe Kobe Bufkin was the recipient of Howard's ominous stare; he has received minutes recently and has not done--or shown, because they're all so talented--much if anything.

The rest of the roster is in quarantine.

Howard is bouncing up and down and coaching his brains out.  He can be intimidating.

As for the season, the team is showing grit, and that comes from Howard, but that is it.  But the team is really Dickinson, and he is showing growth and maturity too.  Plus, at times he controls his fouls and gets blocks and plays great defense too.

Moussa Diabate' is 6' 11" and could be the only center next year.

But I just don't see the bench and the team staying together.  Losing makes things worse and the tension is going to ratchet up.  All these kids are either unprepared or they can't hack it and in today's world that translates into transfers.  Either that or they are destined to be career dead-weight like Adrien Nunez.

By tension, I mean, the good teams are feasting.  Michigan has pulled-out some ugly wins and that is commendable, not to mention beneficial in terms of the Big Ten tournament, but...

The post-season could be quick and ugly.  They'll be plenty of time and rumors.

---

Arkansas-Aurburn was a treat.  The talent on both sides was light-years ahead of Michigan basketball.  Sleazy (Bruce Pearl), but a far cry from Michigan at Penn State.  Kessler is ready.  One play in particular, JD Notae--he of the "I ain't $2 comment RE the indoor gym-was dribbling in the open court, going slowing and the defender was facing him in good position, and Notae turned him completely around.  Another time, Auburn, including Kessler, was standing all all over but not in the paing; Notae took the ball at the free throw line and went straight to the basket.  And Jones, for Auburn:  6' 10" jumping at the 3-point line is unstoppable.

Harbaugh and the Rest of the Cast

It is not being a fan.  It is not trolling or negative recruiting either.  It is simply observing real life and/or a circus, whichever you prefer.

Farce is the only way to describe it.  Football is something that in the wider scheme serves no purpose other than entertainment.  The educational and team values part of it went out the door with CTE.  There are performers and directors, stagehands, money and marketing people, and new business (i.e., recruiters) staff.  The athletes do it for a free education with training for a bigger payday; now, with NIL, even that is corrupted.  There is no longevity or security at all--everything is grab now.

Jim Harbaugh is a leader on and off the field.  Do as I do.  Get it while you can.

And now he is stuck right in the middle of close to nothing.  Michigan has no offensive or defensive coordinator.  Both left with nary a nice word to say about the brief stint that launched their career into the big-time.  Each made a million dollars a year in their thirties for a seasonal gig.  Neither showed an ounce of respect for the educational institution, and all associated with it, that made it possible.

Harbaugh showed the same scorn and once the toothpaste...  Nine NFL openings.  Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, and frozen Minneapolis.  You can read it for the same satirical entertainment value, but the only real news is what actually happened.  Harbaugh must be delirious in addition to exceptionally greedy and egotistic.  He tried for a month and eventually flew off to Minnesota fully expecting an offer and exit.

"Do you want me?" He called Warde Manuel after being unanimously rejected.  He wanted to win a Super Bowl and get a $100 million contract.  No one can blame him and he is just being honest.

It is great entertainment .

What is more is that Harbaugh is under contract.  Recruiting, the portal, and other things can be a year-round job if you make it that.  Spending time hiring coaches is only a prelude to making progress on the actual team.  

The defense lost almost two-thirds of its starters and without a leader; more to the point, all the stars are gone.  Offense, who knows?  While much of the talent returns, there have been problems in the past.

I'll keep an eye on the actors and players.  But for now it is time to return to the real world.

 

Football coach.

 

Wait, it gets worse.  Michigan hires Jesse Minter as defensive coordinator.

Jim Harbaugh's reliance on his brother John is a bad look and throwing around million dollar salaries, helping the Baltimore Ravens, and complete and unchecked power is just plain nepotism and cronyism.  But no, Michigan doesn't pay enough, and Harbaugh doesn't have enough analysts and staff.  

"Hello Vanderbilt, this is Michigan calling."  It is as if the good season has emboldened everyone.

What's next, a contract extension?  The bonuses will probably disappear.  Now that everyone is warm and fuzzy again we are probably stuck with him for life.

Sports News

Offseason News

Harbaugh, Harbaugh, Harbaugh.  The season ended abruptly with the wooping by Georgia.  There has been the expected, i.e., more than expected, attrition, then Harbaugh announces that he will entertain billionaires and NFL offers; the news is that he is actually wooing them, this after announcing that Michigan is where he wants to be and claiming the CFP represents a "new beginning."

Coach received a huge bonus and said he gave it away.  The assistants got, and kept, a million too.

The defensive line coach left for the same job at a less successful peer.  Three-fourths of the line is gone and about half of the rest of the defense is too.

Then Macdonald leaves without a word and both brothers are pretty much speechless too.

Michigan Basketball

Dickinson, Brooks, Jones, Johns, Nunez, and Jackson are gone, plus or minus.  There is another primo class coming in.  In terms of the team, what you see is likely to be what you get.

Add in that there is going to be constant chatter about who is staying or leaving.  There is no doubt that each of the four freshmen who play have talent.  Diabata may be the most mentioned name in a broadcast, hustling and knocking the ball around, but he shows up less in the box score.  Houstan, all of eighteen, shows personal growth; Collins didn't play his senior year either.  Kobe Bufkin has potential but inexperience also.

Will Tschetter and Isaiah Barnes?

Is it safe to say Coach is playing for now?  It is anyone's guess why Indiana did not make a run.  Maryland and Northwestern are not good teams.  Unless something happens out of virtually nowhere, Michigan is going to end the season at or below .500.

It is hard to tell what is going on.  You can see it in the box scores--huge shooting percentage, assists, and bench strength differences.  A losing season is going to make everything worse.  There is likely to be more than expected attrition and transfers....  They're just too young.

Dickinson is solid.  Brooks is starting and supporting.  Right now, the rest is pretty hard to predict.

In terms of Harbaugh, I don't really care if he stays or goes.  I was hoping the basketball team would lose to State and they were beaten badly

Elsewhere, Schlissel was fired and decided to stay as a tenured professor.  Coleman retired but is back.  The university paid $490 million for their version of a creepy sports doctor.

Just reporting the news.

No Wires, Part 2

Home networks to all!

A post below needs updating and correcting.  Remember, you may edit but never delete a blog post.  (Uh oh, guilty when I really thought Michigan could hold their own.  That was until I realized Georgia has really high character players also; more and better is always open to debate.)

The topic here is how to get rid of Comcast, CenturyLink and others.

How much quantity and speed do you need?

The speed test sites say that if you are getting around 10MB/second you should be able to operate several computers and watch HD video.  These same annotations when you perform a speed test say things should work better with higher speeds.  There is an improvement in strength of connection (fewer skips or interruptions) and by inference picture quality, computer responsiveness, and downloads and such, with the single speed measure.

This is the fastest speed recorded in s month and a half.  It is a strong connection and much better than anything I ever obtained with wires and a modem.  With the old telephone company/DSL provider (CenturyLink) upload speeds were under 1.0 and if I used that it would be a huge difference.  I would caution that my wireless modem speeds fluctuate much more and are generally lower; sometimes they are under 10 and they go up to around 25 or so, with the Alcatel/Boost Mobile set-up.  They both work on the same T-Mobile 4G network.

My single and sometimes more household uses 50-60gb of data per month.  This includes phone and PC browsing and shopping, email, TV and movie and sports watching and downloading, and household file sharing.  Internal (not leaving the local network) data transfer (e.g., watching a video hosted on another computer) is not counted.  Personally, I'm a downloader, and I'll do it even if I think I might like a show, game, or file.  I usually use Ant Video Downloader and FreeCam8 for these purposes.  With the amount of data (60gb) currently available per month I feel I am covered; if I need more I can recharge my cellphone. 

 I get 35gb with Boost and 25 with my cell (Tello).

Over this period as many as 10-12 different phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops have been on the network at various times, and everything has updated itself and was used normally.  The biggest hogs data-wise by far are live HD streaming like sports events.  Normal use, including some watching and file saving, and everything on the web, appears to be under or well under 1 GB/day on average for most people, including myself.  This leaves room to splurge for the big or rare events.

The range is limited for phone and hotspot device coverage but it works fine for any large room or area; if beyond that, you probably have to move it.  Internal file data transfer is slow, but with well-working devices, you can certainly play videos and music over the network; it helps to have portable/usb drives for large tasks.  For Android, I use VLC Media Player for network files and the hotspot(s) work well.

It is important to have equipment that works on a wireless network and that play well together.  I have one older desktop that just didn't work fast enough on the wifi network with a USB (Tenda) wireless modem; time to phase that out.  In an earlier post I wrote about ethernet cables and file sharing; forget that and go all the way.  Also, scratch what I wrote about AT&T--don't get involved in any contracts or installments or companies that do things that way.

My main network computer is a Lenovo Tiny with 6.5 TB (2 external hard drives) of storage. Wifi and bluetooth work great and everything plays well together.  Other rooms or people...  You have to move it, get another one, or use a cellphone, which is fine by me.  There is no reason to have a network of stuff no one is using.

I still have some cancellation and credit card squabbles with the old line companies, but I am very pleased with the better and simpler transition.  I am thrilled to cut the wires in my home, remove the wires from my house, and pull the cables up from my yard.  I find everything in my home works better if it isn't on an unnecessary network all the time and it is only used for what it is needed.  "Prepaid" is a misnomer because you pay once a month anyway, but no contracts, strings, surprises, disputes, credit qualifications, or anything like that.  If you don't pay, they shut if off.

Finally, I would add, there are companies that provide simple products and that are easy to work with and others that are not.  This is especially true during Covid in that some have strong business models, or management, or products, or whatever it is that helps them adapt and thrive while others do not.  Companies like Comcast and CenturyLink are outdated in more ways than just their products.  I found I was almost brainwashed into thinking streaming quality is poor and inconsistent.  Getting rid the headaches of the dinosaur providers is an added bonus.

Adele

So I tuned into Vipbox today looking to get my fair share of abuse and it is tomorrow.  I can't believe Michigan is the number 30 team (that high) or that they are in prime time on Sunday.

I took a look at the Illinois box score though.  Everyone was so proud...  Jace Howard's stat line was of interest.  Smaller guys, 6'7" guys guard big guys in pick-up games all the time.  It was not impressive.

Anyway.  I'll get my jollies another way.  The news is Adele Adkins.  I admit, I have barely seen her perform nor have I paid attention to anything I may or may not have heard; I have survived just fine.

That video is the whiniest, phoniest, most self-absorbed thing I have ever seen.  Of course I don't care much/at all, but Geez.

It is the risk of communicating such a thing via Instagram.  How about issuing a real statement instead?

Remember in high school when the teacher said write a 500 word essay and don't use the word "I" once?  Instead of "I have the best fans" try saying "You are the best fans."  Everything she says, sings, wears, and Tweets is about her.  "I don't want my fans to get Covid and... I don't want to get it myself."  So yeah, real smart to schedule concerts when a million people a day are getting it and 2,000 are dying.

How 'bout a nice game of tennis?  In Serbia.

She still hasn't said one thing constructive.  When are the concerts rescheduled for?  What are you going to do for each person who spent thousands on you?  Do you really expect more people to be suckered-in if you say you are going to hold them again?  And finally, why did you fail to prepare and put your shows on as contractually obligated?

Sorry, just one more.  Have you ever heard of Billy McFarlane?

She puts her face on jackets, t-shirts, and I hope ashtrays; wine, tissues, and a whole store full of Adele crap.  How about a little, you know, something for the effort?  I mean, gifts from the store.  But wait, she is fine relaxing in her room and FaceTiming.  So I've got that going for me.  Man, those people are gullible.

By the way, free drinks are not at all hard to come by in Las Vegas.

And LeBron James, now there's a role model.  I'll bet her de facto new agent bragged about the coup they pulled this time.  Imagine we're up here partying and you didn't have to do a thing!

Her albums are named 21, 25, and 30 and you can wear the ingenious names as patches on your Adele jacket.  They are her ages.  Her first marriage failed quickly and her songs are about herself and her problems.  Yawn.  Listen to the way she communicates; she is a complete narcissist.  These shows, her shows, are about putting herself in the spotlight and adulation, nothing more.  Britney Spears is another one to look up to.  Who on earth did what that resulted in the conservator disaster?.

And greedy too.  Anyone who thinks she cares about anything but money is delirious.  She has stomach-vomiting stage-fright fergodsakes.  Oh, and she is smart and classy and educated too...

"I'm so sorry, but my show ain't ready."  Fuck this, fuck that, and most of all, fuck my fans.  She likes the F-word.  She had some kind of education, one appropriate for such a gifted artist, up to the age of 17.

I think, if you want to be a star you need to shine when the spotlight is on you.  I have no idea why after 25 years Simone Biles couldn't concentrate because of Larry Nasser.  I say the same thing about champions:  if you want to be one you have to it against the best, when the heat is on, and when you have the opportunity.  You aren't always fortunate enough to get another chance, Ms. Adkins.

 

Congratulations Schlissel

Good job, Mark Schlissel, you made the front page of The Daily Mail.  Actually, you made the top story.

Next time buy a burner phone or a spare computer.  Or get another email address.