Newt

Those things are tanks.

...and was thoroughly enjoying raising a child, according to the piece I heard on BBC radio this morning.

The middle grandchild (4 at the time last summer) calls them "Spotterins". Now all of us call them that. The kids have developed an ingenious killing system featuring fat waffleball bats. 1. Locate a spotterin. 2. Use fat bat to strike the area beside the creature with force. 3. The spotterin will leap into the air and fly away a short distance. 4. Locate the spotterins' landing spot. 5. Quickly move in and destroy the spotterin with the fat wiffleball bat. Key discovery by the children: Spotterins have evolved an aggressive first defense. When threatened and before any contact, they detect the motion and launch themselves into the air for a short distance out of the range of the attacker. The children discovered that the effort to escape slows their ability to elude an immediate second attack. It's like they need a moment to recharge. That's their weakness. Using their discovery, my grandchildren have murdered thousands of spotterins since last summer. I'm very proud of them. *This method also works on cave/camel crickets. ** Edited by Newt at 7/29/2026, 5:16:12 PM

I can tell you, based on personal and painful experience, you don't want to eff with the lightning. It's not fun.

Simply Rediculous. ;)

These are exciting times.

I toured their School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in May of 2025. What an amazing facility- like a space museum. Also, the university adorns the street light poles with giant banners honoring astronauts who went through Purdue and different NASA missions. A really fun school to visit. Triple XXX Diner is a must visit.

My picks were look strong for a moment before GE faltered and GT assumed his throne.

Came to me in a magical moment. Renegade Growth Equity Commandment (trifecta Box)

I never could explain it.

He would have dominated any field in the Belmont on that WIDE track. Pimlico is a much narrower track, but the fields are traditionally much smaller. CD would be a much tougher track for him, but with his tactical speed and ability to pick his position in the race, he would have likely made it his race. Prime Secretariat was an animal to behold. He was like Lance Armstrong (without the drugs) and The Grinch after his conversion. He was Pistol Pete Wilt Chamberlin.

Not sure that’s feasible in the existing building. I wouldn’t mind it, however.

While the canned brews had a certain chemical burn, the special bar bottles were amazing. (Bar bottles were/are heavier gauge glass that were reused. Regular grocery store glass bottles were/are a thinner glass container. I used the Schlitz bar bottles for my home brew as well.)

What a year! Thank you for your supreme efforts this season. Selfishly, watching your games on television or in-person at VT and Moyers brought me great joy! Thanks for a great season.

I had every note memorized.

…like people at a movie theater talking loudly in the seat behind you during the movie. I wish there was a TV option to just watch WITH the actual sound of the game only.

*Thanks to Roald Dahl for his description of The Baby Austin in "Danny, The Champion of the World".

;)

Watch out

She has the knack.

...due to the obliging nature of the rest of the conference in head-to-head basketball competition.

Sorrow floats.

Truly

$350k means he must have strong lineage.

1-0-2 He raced at Fairgrounds (New Orleans) for all three. He’s shown to be a deep closer, as he demonstrated yesterday. Having a top jockey on him- a jockey known for his tactical prowess, should have unstuck me from my preconceived bad picks.

I should have listened to my own advice. My first comment below is something like “never bet against the Ortiz’s”. A few minutes before post time, I sent this text to my sister, “The Annoyed Handicapper”. “Ocelli is a most beautiful horse. I was watching FanDuel Thursday when they announced that Ocelli had been scratched from whatever CD race he was about to run so that he could enter the Derby. They showed him being led away to the stables. He looked like a king. Impressive looking horse.” If I followed my inner voice, I would have had the trifecta and $11,000 of imaginary money.

Go against Ortiz at your own risk. Yesterday, Irad (Renegade) and Jose (Golden Tempo) won 8 of the 11 races. The brothers are special jockeys. Other Stuff: Renegade and Further Ado had the most impressive stakes wins leading up to the Derby. Commandment seems to know how to navigate a crowd for a tough win. So Happy has Karma on his side. Tough trainer story. The greatest modern jockey (Mike Smith). I'm picking Renegade (despite the cursed post position*), Emerging Market, and Chief Wallabee for no solid reason. The top 7/8 horses all stand a decent chance of winning. Plus, I guarantee that at least one or two longer-shots will be right in the mix. That's why I also like a horse like Golden Tempo and Incredibolt (VA Derby winner). Betting on the Kentucky Derby is nothing more than a crapshoot. The horses are the best. The trainers are the best. The jockeys are the best. This year, the overall field is strong. * #1 post position-- Rarely wins. However, Churchill Downs moved their starting gates out from the rail in 2019/20. Now the #1 post horse has a better and more fair chance to enter the race on their own terms. ** Edited by Newt at 5/2/2026, 6:19:14 PM

…despite the ridiculousness of it.

…so much for control.

Avery pitched great against a strong line-up.

I wish him the very best.