I'm Eager to see how Long This Goes on

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

A dude brought an assault riffle into a townhall meeting. An AR-15, like in the first Bond Game. The most powerful gun in the entire video game (the rocket launcher, laser, and grenade launcher aren't technically guns). But he's not the only person to bring a legally-registered gun into a town hall. This is the same president that after inauguration everyone secretly feared could very well be assassinated in office. It's not like a crazy couldn't grab their gun and get off a quick shot at anyone in the room.








I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

I Thought This Headline was odd....

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

This headline seemed a bit odd to me:

Obama Administration Attempts to Weaken Constitutional Protections for LGBT Americans

As most of you know, LGBT stands for, "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual". It begs the question: The Constitution of the United States of America specifically mentions bisexuals and transsexuals? I think I would've remembered that my AP US Government class senior year of high school.

Although it would be awesome to see "..if you like the pole and the hole, and/or you got some messed up junk" written out in Gouverneur Morris's caligraphy on the Constitution.









I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

I Thought This Headline was odd....

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter









I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Awesome List

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

The Ten Embarassing Novelty Rap Songs

I'd recommend Hulk Hogan's rap where he preaches the importance of education. Nice to see considering his two kids "jail stints: high school diploma" ratio is 1:0.








I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Lookalikes v26.0- Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and the Steroids Dog

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

Female MMA Fighter Cristiane Cyborg Santos and a picture of a dog on steroids I saw in the news a few years go.









I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

The Least Important News of All Time

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter


Levi Johnson Willing to Pose Nude if the Price is Right.








I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Good Article about Facebook Battling Google

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter


Interesting article about how a recent move by Facebook could make them as dominant as Google in the near future.








I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

A Man-to-Man Question

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

Is it forgiveable/accteptable for do the following while hanging out with the children of very, very good friends/nieces and nephews- Say when they're in like 6th or 7th grade you hand the daughter of a good friend/family member a piece of a paper and say, "When your dad picks you up ask him what this means." Then written on the paper are the words "choking fetish". Nothing offensively crass that the kid wouldn't learn about it in a year or two from a friend anyway., but also enough to put your buddy on the spot. Is that acceptable or is just impossible to do without being thought of as a creep? Or giving their 8th grade son a piece of paper with, "The Shocker" written on it and asking to ask his dad what it means.









I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

I'm Starting the Rumor

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

I've been inspired by misinformed Town Hall attendees. Now I'm spreading my own rumor...

The abortion that Rick Pitino's mistress had was paid for by Obama's socialist health care!!! Kentucky taxpayers actually picked up the tab for it!!! Every last dime!!!







I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

More Blagojevich Talk

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

I love me some Hot Rod!

I tried to embed this video but the code was wonky. You can check out Jon Stewart giving it to him here.







I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Paul Helmke Keeping it Greezy Once Again

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

Former Fort Weezy Mayor and current anti-gun violence advocate, Paul Helmke making more good points on the Huffington Post. This time he is blogging about how bringing weapons into recent town hall meetings actually may in fact be unintelligent.







I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

The Cubs Have Humiliated Me For the Last Time!!

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

This was originally posted last year and I'm running an encore.



As many of you know, I recently had a creative collaboration with Alec Baldwin. Our agreement was that I would be the creative talent, and he would do basically everything else- production, distribution, etc. He also had the final directorial say.

My idea was to have Alec play me in the vignette, and call Cubs manager Lou Piniella to yell at him for the Cubs' recent poor performance. But in an attempt to avoid this tongue-lashing, Lou would then avoid my call, which would lead to "me" (i.e. Alec) leaving a vitriolic tirade of a voice mail about how their crappy play was starting to really piss me off.

I thought that idea was pretty good, but Alec had other ideas. Being a guy with a flair for the dramatic, he wanted to make this more of an allegorical saga; he wanted it to be about a father disappointed with his daughter. My disappointment with the Cubs would be symbolized by the father's disappointment with the daughter. I felt that was a little over the top, but he insisted that this allegory would ultimately make for a more heartfelt catharsis.

As you can see, we came to an impasse. And being that he had all the leverage, he got his way.
So in the embedded window below is the audio of Alec's finalized vision. Below that window is my original transcript and you may follow along as you listen and observe the alterations that Alec made to the text.






-At T.R.'s Apartment. It's messy with Cubs magazines scattered across the floor, and empty Old Style cans. The Cubs game is on the TV in the background. It's apparent T.R. has been crying.-


Alec: (Stern, Aggressive, Forthright, Fed up) "Hey I wanna tell you something, ok? And I want to leave a message for you right now. 'Cause again, it's 10:30 here in Chicago on a Friday, and once again I've made an ass of myself staying in on a Friday to watch your game at a specific time. When the time comes for me to watch the game, I stop whatever I'm doing and I go and watch that game at 11 o'clock in the morning in Chicago time, and if you don't pick up the phone at 10 o'clock at night. And you don't even have the goddamn phone turned on. I want you to know something, OK?

I'm tired of playing this game with you. I'm leaving this message with you to tell you, you have insulted me for the last time. You have insulted me. You don't have the brains or the decency as a human being. I don't give a damn that you're 64 years old, or 65 years old, or that you've won a World Series with the Reds, or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the ass who doesn't care about teaching you when to pull a tiring pitcher, as far as I'm concerned. You have humiliated me for the last time with this ball team.

And when I come out there next week, I'm going to walk up to Wrigley for the day just to straighten you out on this issue. I'm going to let you know just how disappointed in you I am and how angry I am with you that you've done this to me again. You've made me feel like shit and you've made me feel like a fool over and over and over again. And this crap you pull on me with this goddamn Soriano leadoff situation that you would never dream of doing to your fans when you were with Tampa Bay, or Seattle or Cincinnati, and you do it to me constantly and over and over again. I am going to get on Clark St. and I am going to come out there for the day and I am going to straighten your ass out when I see you.

Do you understand me? I'm going to really make sure you get it. Then I'm going to get on Clark St. and I'm going to turn around and come home. So you'd better be ready Friday the 20th to meet with me. So I'm going to let you know just how I feel about what a rude little pig you really are. You are a rude, thoughtless little pig, OK?"

[fade to black]

[End]







I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Getting my Andy Rooney on

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

*putting on my fake bushy eye brows*

I just realized that something I saw all the time as a kid is now outdated. It dawned on me while reading the Smithsonian Article about Charles Atlas and his wildly successful mail order business.

The advert at left was one of Atlas's ads. Check out the bottom right corner. Remember those? Did you even notice they don't really exist anymore? Those now old advertisements where you'd fill in your name and address, then cut it out of the magazine- as the dotted lines instructed you to do, and mail it in- or "send away" as was the parlance. You used to see that a half a dozen times in any magazine or comic book. I hadn't even realized that I never see them anymore.

I guess that's it. It just always strikes me as weird when I realize for the first time that I had forgotten about something that I didn't know I had forgotten about- like old friend's names or street names in the neighborhood you grew up in.













I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Two Ideas Regarding "The List" of 104 Players who Failed the Anonymous 2003 Baseball Drug Test

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter


1. I think bloggers should speculate about all of the 104 players. They should get some friends together, get a case of beer, just like they would for a fantasy draft, check out the 2003 rosters for every MLB team, and then start filling in the 104 slots.

Sure its conjecture and that isn't fair to anyone. You know what else wasn't fair? Players doing drugs and Selig effectively lying to the public and allowing this to happen, all while profiting from the juiced "ball" era. Baseball conned us out of our dollars, so us spectators have earned the right to speculate.

Worst case scenario? Any innocent player is accused and demands that the list be released in order to clear his name.

Sure it's no better than gossip/conjecture/yellow journalism but is the journalistic integrity any worse than the integrity of the game a decade ago? Let the punishment fit the crime. I think it would be cool if a bunch of reputable blogs were then aggregated and spit out how frequently players appeared on lists, like you see with %s of fantasy leagues taking certain players. Maybe Sosa, McGwire, and Brett Boone were on 100% of the lists, but Benito Santiago on only 95%. I'd be interested in those stats.


2. I hope no one thinks that anything ground moving will come from the list. Even the list comprises the 104 most shocking names, they will all issue tepid non-denials along the lines of, "I just didn't read my GNC labels as closely as I should have. Plus I took that supplement for only a week, anyway." I'll save the players and their attorneys some time and offer my own, pre-fab edition they are welcome to use.

"I'm sorry my name was on the list and the news had to come out this way. While I will not deny that my name was rightfully on the list of those who failed 'a drug test', I am here to vehement deny that I EVER purchsed, obtained, or used any steroid. In 2003 I was having difficulty over a nagging (insert muscle or joint name here) that I never reported to the media because I thought it would go away. When it didn't, I visited my local GNC to see if maybe something there could help me. Since there wasn't much of drug testing policy then, I didn't read the label of the supplements as thoroughly as I should have. My failure to do so has let down my family, myself, my teammates, my front office and the fans. For that I apologize. While it may not have been a steroid, I still cheated the integrity of the game I love so much, and owe so much. I used that supplement for 3 weeks and after realizing it did not help with my injury, I discontinued using it. The test was administered in that small, 3 week window, thus resulting in a failed test and my name being added to the list.

*cover mike and lean toward their attorney to hear what he is whispering*

Thank you for your understanding guys. I will not be fielding any questions regarding this matter. Thanks guys!"








I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Gio Ponti May Run in the Classic: More Evidence that a Breeder's Cup on Synthetic is Bad for Racing

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

As many know, a synthetic main track (i.e. the fake dirt track) runs more like a grass surface than a dirt surface. So? So, now Gio Ponti may run in the Breeder's Cup Classic, as Bloodhorse's Jason Shandler reported.

Would this turf savant try the dirt on an actual dirty surface? While it is possible, and similar things have happened in Breeder's Cups past, a synthetic surface certainly makes the switch more attractive to a turf horse. So not only will the Breeder's Cup Classic now be a crapshoot for dirt-only horses trying synthetic for the first time, but the Breeder's Cup Turf may now be cheapened in addition to the Classic being crapshoot-ified.

Thank you again, for awarding this to Santa Anita, Breeder's Cup.








I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

This Gentleman Has a Lot of Nerve

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

Never in my life have seen someone blatantly ripoff Dr. Kevin's choreography so brazenly! Kevin, I know those moves were like your children to you and the pilfering must sting. But you must admit- he did them justice and looked pretty amazing. These dance moves are objectively magnificent.

My Socratic Homage Regarding the Breeder's Cup

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter


As many of you know, much of Plato's philosophy was written in the form of dialogue. In fact, a lot of Philisophy is written in that manor, Socrates himself never wrote anything, all we know of his philosophy is what Plato recorded in his dialogues. With that background, allow me to analogize the Breeders Cup Zenyatta/Rachel debate.

Breeder's Cup Tweeter: Rachel Alexandra's avoidance of the Breeder's Cup is clearly a sign that her handlers admit that she would be defeated by Zenyatta, and is therefor the inferior race horse.

TR Slyder: I see. And why are you convinced of this?

BCT: Well, the challege has been issued. One party has accepted and the other one has backed away. Surely that is a concession of inferiority.

TRS: I see what you mean.

BCT: Indeed, I can see of no other explanation for her avoiding such a challenge if not for fear of humiliation in defeat.

TRS: Surely. And a wise man you are. Afterall, you Tweet on behalf of the Breeder's Cup. I assume that you are confident that, in a debate between you and me about Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra, you would emerge victorious.

BCT: I am confident of that, T.R., yes.

TRS: Being that your confidence is so high, I'd imagine that you feel you could defeat me in that debate regardless of circumstance- be it on an airplane, or at breakfast, or outside, or inside or on a paddle boat, standing up, sitting down, etc.

BCT: That is correct- very confident.

TRS: And being that your case for your horse is so strong, and your debate skills are so adept, surely you would have no fear or apprehension in debating me, would you?

BCT: That is absolutely correct.

TRS: Outstanding, my good friend. Well here is the thing, being that I had a late night out last night, I was groggy this morning, as can happen after late night bar crawls. When I awoke this afternoon all I had for breakfast was leftover chili, which I ate ravenously before having 3 espressos to counteract my grogginess from from my late night. If you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom rather urgently.

BCT: That is rather disgusting, T.R.. But I won't stand in the way of your personal biological necessities. This discussion may continue when you are finished.

TRS: Well, Breeder's Cup Tweeter, it is funny that you mention that. I think that I am ready to have this Rachel Alexandra v. Zenyatta debate once and for all.

BCT: Oh you are? Surely, you know it's a debate you cannot win.

TRS: A worthy advesary you are indeed. I am nearly ready for the debate now in fact, however I must use the restroom this instant. Please meet in there in exactly 75 seconds and we can then begin our debate over which is the better race horse.

BCT: Um, TR... I really rather would not. That sounds a rather crude venue for any competition. Debating was not intended to be carried out in a restroom, afterall.

TRS: What do you mean?

BCT: Well, I hardly think that is a reasonable forum to settle any kind of competition. In fact, didn't you offer to debate me there last year in October?

TRS: But you claimed your arguments were far superior to mine, and you had no fear of debating me. Yet you now express fear.

BCT: Well, I think this is different. This isn't what I had in mind.

TRS: Earlier you stated that such concession necessarily states that your point inferior, yet you profess to have the better argument. This perplexes me, Breeder's Cup Tweeter. How can both be true? Surely as a sagacious man, you can resolve this incongruity.

BCT: Well it isn't that my argument is any less cogent in your restroom, it's that I find the venue unsuitable to my liking, and given the circumstances of location and what would be going on in that venue during our debate, I find it to be more suitable to you as a debater than to me. A more fair debate can be carried out in a venue that disadvantages no one, then and only then can this argument be resolved. Being that this debate is so important to us both, you should not be allowed to pick a venue that favors you, yet repulses me and any debating purist. The suggestion of that venue is disgusting to anyone who respects debating. And you have suggested it two years in a row now, T.R.!

TRS: Ah, yes. All that have you just said is indeed correct and we agree most happily. Now you know what Rachel Alexandra thinks of Santa Anita's Synthetic surface, my dear friend.




See also: The Breeder's Cup Tweet that inspired this post

Cheering for Laundry with Socrates and Ron Santo






I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

In No Way is Rod Blagojevich NOT the man!

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

Just your average removed-from-office governor singing Elvis tunes.


Watch CBS Videos Online






I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Advice on how to Decrease Already Dwindling Revenue By Alienating Fans: Breeders Cup Twitter Edition

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

I follow two less people on Twitter now than when I woke up.

I follow a lot of horse racing Tweeters. One of them was a west coast handicapper whose Twitter ID is Pick4andWin. Today he posted the following Tweet aimed at owner of Rachel Alexandra, Jess Jackson:

Jess Jackson why don't you bring your superbowl horse to play on the artificial turf? A "NO-SHOW" in the B/C should be considered a forfeit

I don't blame a west coaster for feeling slighted that the best horse trainer doesn't want to run on their fake surface, especially after that fake surface swallowed up Horse of the Year Curlin last year. I disagreed, but didn't think much of it- he's entitled to his opinion.

Then I got a tweet from BreedersCup, which I can only assume is the official Twitter feed of the Breeder's Cup- it certainly looks convincing, and their tweets up until this point have all seemed in line with what I'd expect from their official Twitter mouthpiece. Until 3 hours ago. The (I assume) Official Breeder's Cup Twitter page re-tweeted the Pick4andWin tweet.

RT @pick4andwin Jess Jackson why don't u bring your SuperBowl horse to play on artificial turf? A "NO-SHOW" in BC shld be considered forfeit

For non-Twitter people, the "RT" means "Re-Tweet" which is like forwarding an email, and in essence is saying, "I echo this sentiment", or "Couldn't have said it better myself". So the (alleged) official Breeder's Cup Twitter page is now "callling out" Rachel Alexandra? For what? Being the best thing for this sport in several years?

Previously, I blogged about the inexcusable stupidity shown by the horse racing Powers that Be (very stupid) for scheduling TWO consecutive Breeder's Cups at a track with a synthetic main track- despite a reduced betting handle last year, and several disappointing performances by traditional dirt horses. I also defended Rachel's decision to sit out the Breeder's Cup on a surface that is alien not only to her, but to common sense as well.

Kudos to the head of the Moronic Department at the Breeder's Cup Twitter office for a job done all too well. Instead of drumming up enthusiasm and keeping your few followers (currently they are following 1,347 people and being followed by an anemic 1,383), you decided to draw a line in the sand and act provincial and tough. Simmer down there, tough guys- you're trying to attract the biggest number of fans you can, not draw sides. How about doing your job and being more PT Barnum and less Don King? This is horse racing, not West Coast versus East Coast rap feuds.

When the new kid in town hosts a party and invites everyone, and the popular kids sit the party out- who is the loser?



See my Socrates-inspired Follow up here.







I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.

Zenyatta Still Aint Nothin' to Eff With

ZeBy: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

The awesome Zenyatta is now 12-for-12 after winning the Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Sunday. The finish was actually pretty close on this one. What I'm about to say will surprise you- I still want to see her race Rachel Alexandra even though it now appears that Rachel would be a decisive favorite. After seeing their last two races I think of Zenyatta as undefeated and Rachel Alexandra as a Superhorse.

In her last race out, Flashing, a 3-year old filly finished third (of three) to Rachel Alexandra in the Mother Goose Stakes on June 27th- beaten by a wopping 31 lengths. So what did she do in her next race? Won the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga.








I'm T.R. Slyder, and that's how you Tangueray.