Things I Learned from the movie "Moneyball"

Mike, Keith and I went to "Moneyball" last night, and it was a pretty ok movie.  Much better than "Transformers 3", and I actually liked it more than "Warrior".

YAAAAARRRRRR THERE BE SPOILERS DOWN BELOW, SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION. YE HAVE BEEN WARNED, but as this is a movie based loosely on actual events nothing too earth-shattering is contained.

• I learned that people that don't chew tobacco in real life, look very uncomfortable doing in on film.

• I learned that Billy Beane let money make his choice for him, and he would never do it again.

• I learned that he turned down $12,5000,000.00 to be the GM for the BoSox

• I learned that I personally think that Brad Pitt and Robin Wright would make a much better looking kid than Kerris Dorsey.

• I learned that in 2002 the A's paid $240,000.00 in salaries per win. That Same year the Yankees paid $1,4000,000.00 per win for the same number of wins.

• I learned that Art Howe wasn't on board with the whole "moneyball" theory.

• I learned that in order to get Howe to play Hatteberg at first he traded the probable rookie of the the year and all-star Pena.

• I learned being forced to fired people is dumb.

• I learned when your plan works out and your start winning, people will say there is not reason other than luck.

• I learned that Billy Beane was superstitious about attending the games.

• I learned that if your daughter seems smarter than you you should tell her that planes crash all the time as she is about to board a plane(1 year after 9/11), as that'll show her.

• I learned that if you are superstitious you will get much more fit if you just work out for 3 hours during every game.

• I learned that losing isn't fun

• I learned that Billy Beane hates losing more than he likes winning.

• I learned that silence is the sound of losing.

• I learned that 40 games of Pena starting at first will make you flip you desk, litteraly.

• I learned that is movie was filmed when Jonah Hill was still fat Jonah Hill.

• I learned when you lose the last game of the season nothing else matters.

• I learned Billy Beane didn't really care for his ex wife's new husband.

• I learned if your kid is an accomplished guitar player she will pick out new guitars on how they look, not how they sound.

• I learned that good parenting advise is to stay off the internet, and don't read, or talk to people.

• I learned that silence is the sound of losing.

• I learned that the A's blew an 11 run lead to win 20 games in a row, but Hatteberg hit a home run to secure the win and the record for 20 wins in a row.

• I learned that players don't like paying a dollar for soda in the club house, additionally I learned that you can get three years worth of soda when trading a player to another team.

• And Lastly, I learned that when Billy Beane points at you that is when you talk..

Up next Iowa State vs. Texa$ in Ames on Saturday Night, FX game of the week, should be a good one!

Movie Invite for tonight (9-29-2011)

Tonight we are hitting "Moneyball" at Cobblestone Theaters for the 7PM showing.  Will be hitting Joe's Pub prior for fun and games.

Why "Moneyball"? excellent question.

1. Why not?
2.  When I was growing up the bash brothers were winning pennants so they quickly became "my team"
3. I am one of the few people left that seem to like baseball 
4. Brad Pitt is a good looking guy.... 

So if you think you are coming, give a shout

it sometimes seems typical.....

So the following photos are just what I would call typical.

The first would be a typical day where I park my car.  you can ask anyone I work with, that is what the lot looks like where I park nothing funny about it, sometimes there may be 4 or 5 more cars in the near shot of the photo.

The second is a photo on the note left from the "facilities manager."  I mean really someone spent time and energy and resources to do this.  Maybe they are expecting a big hiring rush that I don't know about.

The third photo is how the facilities' leaky roof spots are dealt with (full disclosure they did just have people up there this summer putting a new roof on this bad boy, it seems they missed a few spots, luckily it hasn't really seemed to rain much lately). Point is what I see as wasted time, energy and resources.  I admit I am a waste of space in more way than one, just never been called out on it I guess.

The last is what is on my windshield last night after bowling at the alley, I do have friends that listen and are indeed as funny as they are inclined to think they are.  No one will fess up to it yet, maybe it is better that way....

Typical parking day at work

the note

ceiling next to cube farm, I wish we had these in college to pound beer from, like a boss of course

Note left from friends after bowling at the alley

song of the day, I took a long tube trip last night just clicking on video after video, ended up here and it made me happy.  Local boy done good I say:


This one might have a few bad words in it, so may not be OK for work, but it doesn't make it any less cool! ;-)

Things I learned from the movie "Warrior"

The movie last week was "Warrior" I would describe it as a trying to do better, while following in the footsteps, while hating your father, while being down on your luck kind of movie.

Mike, Angie and I did it up right that night, got there a little early even, which was a nice change from the usual for this rag-tag group of heathens.  So with peanut butter M&Ms in hand here is what I learned form the movie "Warrior"


YAAAAARRRRRR THERE BE SPOILERS DOWN BELOW, SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION. YE HAVE BEEN WARNED.

• I learned that Paddy Conlon doesn't have a woman around not because he doesn't like them, more because they can't take a punch like they used to.

• I learned that I didn't recognize Tom Hardy with hair after seeing him in "Bronson" (which I recommend as a mind eff along the lines of "A clockwork orange".

• I learned that Tom Hardy must lift a few weights in real life.

• I learned that Kurt Angle can play a really convincing Russian bad ass..

• I learned that the youtube video of Mad Dog getting beat up wasn't a fluke.

• I learned that if you did on the street what happened to the Mad Dog in the ring, you'd go to jail.

• I learned that Tommy liked his dad better when his dad drank.

• I learned that Tommy found out he was wrong.

• I learned that Paddy wanted Ahab to turn his boat around.

• I learned that Brendan used to be one of those animals.

• I learned that there is a difference to fighting in a parking lot next to a strip club and fighting in a strip club.

• I learned that the superintendent of schools might not agree with that.

• I learned that if you somehow go AWOL from a battle zone and they find you much later using a different name they will let you finish your fighting tournament before taking you into custody

• I learned that not only will they wait until after the tourney, but after the fight they will let you walk back to the locker rooms and all of the MPs will be nowhere to be seen.

• I learned that Tommy took a lot of pills.  You could tell how many bottle he was carrying just by the sound.

• I learned that that Tommy must have the strength of 100 men, as he tore the door of a sinking tank.

• I learned that you have to have a training montage, even rock had a montage.

• I learned that it is sometimes funny seeing people play themselves in movies.

• I learned that Tapout seems to be doing fine without Mask.

• I learned that 2 unknown people will just be let into a 16 man tourney to find the best fighter in the world. 

• I learned that the bank can't help you if the city re-values your house at a lower price.

• I learned that the banker doesn't know how lucky he is scoffing at a high school physics teacher's decision to spend the extra money from his refinancing of his home to pay for a life saving procedure on his daughter. As the teacher will turn out to be the baddest man on the planet and could have easily chocked the banker to death.

• Lastly, I  learned that at the time I thought this movie was great, but as the days have passed by I now think this movie was fine.  A little silly, a lot formulaic, and kind of boring.  I give it a B-, also it is better than "Transformers 3"

Next movie I am guessing will be "Moneyball" because hey, I love the A's, and it looks to be pretty good.

Song of the day, let's take it to a darker place this time:

hmmmm embedding disabled on my first choice: http://youtu.be/v_09wFxoaeQ
so we will go like this for number 2! Best Metal song ever IMO:

Things I learned from the movie "Apollo 18"

Well, the Merle Hay Cinema had "Apollo 18" on the big screen, so it was decided that was the movie for the night.  I was going to be joined by Keith, Mike and Angie for this awesome movie experience.  I beat the other three to the movie theater, bought my ticket and was the first one in.

I know it is hard to see, but it is kind of a creepy place when you are the only one in there.

I got the reaction I was looking for when I hear Mike laughing all the way from the back as I had chosen to sit in the front row right in the middle.  I am not sure why as children we ever thought that was a cool place to be, maybe because to the bigness of it all, maybe because kids are dumb, I guess I will never know.  After moving to the perfect seats both visually and sound wise we settled in for the movie. see below for the trailer that grabbed my attention the most.

With that here are the things I learned from the movie Apollo 18:

YAAAAARRRRRR THERE BE SPOILERS DOWN BELOW, SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION. YE HAVE BEEN WARNED.

• I learned that in preivious moon mission 840 pounds of rocks were brought back to earth.

• I learned that most of those rocks were given away as gifts to foreign leaders or stolen

• I learned that Apollo 17 was the last official trip to the moon.

• I learned that Russian moon landers look and work pretty much like the American ones

• I learned that their suits were not rated to go into the cold of the craters.

• I learned that Russian cosmonauts did not have tread on their boots

• I learned that Russia can just patch you over to the American DoD in real time.

• I learned that flashlights are over rated, using your flash from  your camera is a much better way to search in the dark

• I learned that even in space NASA will require you to shave.

• I learned that putting your balls in a glass of milk can make the jalapeno pain go away

• I learned that the government's need to know basis goes away when they know you are going to die, once they know that they will tell you everything, even though the Russians are still listening.

• I learned that they government will then let you know that they will let your family know you died as a hero.

• I learned that if you make a choice between peas and carrots, you will be given the opposite of what you ask for.

• I learned that his wife left him because he snores

• I learned that he doesn't snore

• I learned that the government will give you a 60 second count down if you are disobeying a direct order to leave your infected friend.

• I learned that moon aliens that look like spiders will make me sing "ROOOOOCK LOBSTER" every time I see one.

• I learned that while "Ice Pirates" had space herpes, it looks like the moon has rock crabs.

• I learned that moon aliens hate flags, and rovers for that matter.

• I learned that if these astronauts hadn't died on a mission that never existed "Top Gun" may have had some different players

• I learned that if the moon rocks are actually spider aliens, the 840 pounds brought back to earth might be a bad thing.
• I learned that if you ever have trouble sleeping, buy this movie on DVD, pop it in the player and nighty night, it is the land of Nod for you.
• Lastly I learned that this movie was better than Transformers 3

So I am sure there are tons more, but this move was pretty "Meh"  like Blair Witch meets Jason X meets Transformers.  I give it a C-.

Saw a few trailers the only one that really stuck out to me was "In Time" starring JT:




Song of the Day, still sad I turned down the guy's offer at the record store to go to Omaha and see them.  I mean why would a 16 year old want to go with strangers to a concert....ugh:


Here is some thing that was just suggested on the side from youtube, and I really liked it. the style gangster country, the genre? High. the result? FANTASTIC!

Movie tonight

Invitation to Apollo 18 at the Merle Hay Theater tonight at 7:00PM

We will be hitting up the Old Chicago at Merle Hay prior for dinner and drinks. So join me, Mike and Angie for dinner and a flick if you like!


Oh, and I will blog a little about love found and love lost and a 3 point triple overtime win by Iowa State over Iowa in the not so distant future.  It was a good good time, had by most....
here is a photo just after the game:

Back!

According to the Google doodle is is Freddy Mercury's birthday, and it is one of my favorite doodles ever, with one of my favorite queen songs.


but this is my favorite use of that same song in Shawn of the Dead.  Be warned there is bad language in it...

Upcoming Mexico! I-State! B-days! New Friends!

DON'T STOP ME NOW!