Bits & Pieces

Arbitrary Randomness

By Kim J. Harmon

Random thoughts as they occur to me or come to me from others founts of wisdom and insight such as the television (wisdom?) and newspaper (insight?) …

Cal Sr. Yard in Aberdeen is the finest youth baseball field I have ever seen, a close replica of Camden Yards in Baltimore complete with the brick building behind right field; in fact, the whole complex, with seven smaller replica fields (still being improved) is just spectacular … I will never – especially in light of the success of Project Runway – understand the appeal of “reality” television …  do you think the authorities in England were able to foil that terrorism plot without listening in to a phone call or two? … when it comes to hotel rooms, all I care about is a comfortable bed and cable teevee but it kinda ticked me off that the room I had Sunday night – at a well known chain – had visible cracks in the walls, a hole in the ceiling that had been hastily re-plastered, a spigot in the show that wouldn’t turn off all the way, and an air conditioning unit that leaked onto the carpet once it was turned off … I love football, but the pre-season – even with the New York Giants – bores me to death and I can’t work up any enthusiasm over a 17-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens … want a movie recommendation? V is for Vendetta, an adaptation of a graphic novel that is – much like Sin City – a visual treat and quite thrilling … a woman transferring from Penn State to a school in Chicago thought it would be fiscally prudent to mail her extra flour and sugar – obviously both being white, powdery substances – to her new residence; of course the packages leaked, setting off a post office panic … no, you know what’s wrong with pre-season football? Games that are hyped way too much by the networks and announcers who keep trying to downplay the meaningfulness of the game … just this week futbol club Reggina in Serie A was indicted on match-fixing charges in the big Italian soccer scandal but – get this! – Reggina finished 15th. What, were they paying off the officials to be sure they lost? … look out for Matt Simms, the second son of Phil Simms getting ready for major college football. Simms signed with Louisville after a junior season in which he threw for 2,744 yards and 30 touchdowns for Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey … am I the only one a little unsettled by how much coverage – and how much exposure for all these 12-year-old kids – the Little League World Series gets from ESPN? … does anyone, anywhere, play pick up baseball anymore? … anyone who picks Reggie Bush in the first round of their fantasy football draft will miss the playoffs … it was kinda cool seeing that van decorated with NEWTOWN BLAZE stuff all over its windows zoooom past me on the New Jersey Turnpike as I headed home on Monday afternoon …