Archive for December, 2021

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Notes on money. And other things.

Thursday, December 23rd, 2021

Gift cards are, gloriously, privately issued bank notes backed by the full faith and credit of Chipotle.

I suspect that, politically, there’s a lot of stuff we’d disagree about. But Patrick McKenzie of Stripe has been writing a lot of smart stuff: both on his Twitter (for example, this thread on buying new glasses, or this one about tax filing) and his newsletter.

The quote above is from a recent issue of his newsletter about “The secondary market in gift cards“. There’s a lot of stuff in here that I didn’t know, or hadn’t thought about:

Consider the corner bodega, for example. If you go there for a routine purchase, ring up $16.29, and then discover that you only have $15, that might mean you have to return some items. But some bodega owners will ask you “OK, if you don’t have money, what do you have?” And if you have e.g. a $20 Fandango movie theatre gift card, the bodega owner might say “Good enough! See you later.”

…

It becomes known that you can text an unbanked relative money by walking into any retailer and buying a gift card in cash, and that they will be able to convert that back into cash in minutes without needing to e.g. show ID that they may not have.

Totally unrelated, but I don’t have another good place to stick this:

I am amused by this because: a while back (it may have been Christmas 2019) a group of Saturday Dining Conspirators got into a discussion of the Hallmark Christmas Movie Cinematic Universe (HCMCU). If any of us had drawing talent (and could get past the copyright issues) we’d start doing HCMCU graphic novels.

Speaking of bad ideas…

Posted in Geek, TV | 1 Comment »

Obit watch: December 23, 2021.

Thursday, December 23rd, 2021

Nicholas Georgiade.

He was “Enrico Rossi” in 113 episodes of “The Untouchables”. Other credits include two episodes of “Get Smart”, the good “Hawaii 5-0”, “Mission: Impossible”, “The Rockford Files”, four episodes of “Quincy M.E.”, the Andy Sidaris film “Picasso Trigger”…

…and “Mannix”. (“Deadfall”, season 1, episodes 17 and 18. We have not seen this yet, as we are saving season 1 until after we’ve watched seasons 2 through 8. But this is kind of a legendary episode: Joe Mannix gets into a bloody fight with his boss at Intertect.)

Robbie Roper. He was a high school quarterback in Georgia and one of the top recruits in this year’s class.

He was only 18 years old, and passed away after a routine surgery.

Posted in 1970s, Mannix, Movies, Obits, Sports, TV | Comments Closed

Bowl watch.

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

Doesn’t count as a firing, but still kind of interesting. Lawrence tipped me off to this earlier today, but it was just a rumor at the time: now it seems to be confirmed.

Texas A&M is out of the Gator Bowl.

Is it the Wuhan Flu? Sort of.

News broke on Tuesday that A&M’s football team had not practiced since last Saturday as a number of athletes had tested positive prior to the Aggies hitting the practice field on Sunday and then again during the next two days.

But they’ve also got “as many as ten upperclassmen” who are eligible for the draft and have said they don’t want to play. They’ve got two more players in the transfer portal, and “as many as 12 players” who are out because of injuries.

Those items push the Aggies down towards approximately 60 scholarship players being available for the game including just one quarterback in Haynes King (who missed most of the season himself due to a broken ankle and has just returned to workouts).

ESPN:

Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork told ESPN that the program was down to 38 scholarship position players, of which 20 were offensive and defensive linemen.
In addition to the outbreak and the injuries, Texas A&M also had tight end Jalen Wydermyer and running back Isaiah Spiller declare for the NFL draft. Quarterback Zach Calzada, who started 10 games this season, entered the transfer portal.
“So if you take running backs, receivers, quarterbacks and defensive backs, we had 13 of those guys and only 13 scholarship players on defense,” Bjork told ESPN. “We had over 40 guys out between COVID, season-ending injuries, transfers and opt-outs.

The Gator Bowl people, the NCAA, Wake Forest (the other team) and the ACC are all supposedly working to find another team to play. At this date, though, it seems to me like a long shot: the game is scheduled for December 31st. I imagine many teams have already released their players to go home (Texas A&M was supposed to release theirs Tuesday, and have them come back after Christmas) and I doubt a lot of teams that aren’t already scheduled for bowls are going to want to scramble and take risks just to compete in a lower tier bowl game.

On a completely related note:

A new College Football Playoff policy written this week in response to the surging omicron variant allows for a team to advance to the national championship — and ultimately win it — by its opponents having to forfeit, according to an updated set of COVID-19 policies the CFP released on Wednesday.

The national championship game could be pushed to January 14th (it is scheduled for January 10th) but:

If one team is able to play in the title game and the other can’t because of COVID-19 — and the game can’t be rescheduled — the team that can’t play will forfeit and its opponent will be declared the national champion. If both teams can’t play on either the original or rescheduled date, the game will be declared a “no contest” and the CFP National Championship will be vacated for this season.

…

If both teams are unavailable to play in a semifinal game, it would be declared a no contest and the winner of the other semifinal game would be declared the CFP national champion.

Not that I am hoping for anyone to come down with the Chinese Rabies, but man, a national championship by forfeit would be a sight to see.

Posted in Sports | Comments Closed

Obit watch: December 22, 2021.

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

Sally Ann Howes.

She was most famous as “Truly Scrumptious” in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”. She did some TV work, including “Mission: Impossible” and “Run For Your Life”.

She also did a fair amount of theater:

Ms. Howes moved to New York in 1958 when she married the composer-lyricist Richard Adler and made her Broadway debut in Lerner and Loewe’s “My Fair Lady.” She replaced the original star, Julie Andrews, in the role of Eliza Doolittle, the smudged Cockney flower girl who is transformed by the demanding speech lessons of Professor Henry Higgins to a radiant lady from a draggletailed guttersnipe.

…

Ms. Howes toured Britain in 1973 in “The King and I,” and the United States in 1978 in “The Sound of Music.” In the 1970s and 1980s, she sang operettas like “Blossom Time” and “The Merry Widow” in American regional theaters. A half-century after her triumph as Eliza Doolittle, Ms. Howes toured the United States in 2007 in “My Fair Lady,” playing Mrs. Higgins, the mother of Henry Higgins. It was her 64th year in show business.

Posted in Movies, Obits, Theatre, TV | Comments Closed

You’re going down in flames, you tax-fattened hyena! (#78 in a series)

Tuesday, December 21st, 2021

This is a couple of days old, but I’ve been busy. I’ve also been going back and forth on posting this one, for reasons that I’ll get into directly.

Brian Downey, the deputy mayor of Airmont, New York (in Rockland County, population 8,628 in 2010) has been indicted.

On 120 felony charges.

But: most of these charges are gun charges, and the sort of gun charges that I’m not sure should be a crime in a free country, much less New York state.

The charges come after a Sept. 2 search of his home turned up 12 firearm silencers, 19 assault rifles, and more than 85 high-capacity magazines, Rockland District Attorney Thomas Walsh said.

…

Prosecutors said they began investigating after being tipped off by Homeland Security agents to a package being mailed to Downey’s home containing a firearm silencer. Further investigation revealed other packages had been delivered to his residence.

There’s a semi-meme in the gun community about people ordering “fuel filters” from Chinese vendors…and getting a knock on the door from the Feds. I wonder if that’s what happened in this case. (The only online reference I could find to this was on a site that I have a policy of not linking to or acknowledging in any way.)

Downey acknowledged that weapons were not licensed in an interview with federal agents, according to the complaint filed in federal court.
“He stated that he lacked any registration or authorization for controlled firearms, such as the short-barrel rifle or the sawed-off shotgun,” said Daniel Suden, a special agent with the US Department of Homeland Security.

Really, seriously, just shut the f–k up.

It sounds like he may have been planning on using an “only ones” exemption. Except…he wasn’t one of the “only ones”.

Federal and local authorities also found numerous fake federal law enforcement badges and insignias, as well two bogus New York State Court Officer shields and a New York State Court Officer ID card, prosecutors said.

So I can’t gloat too much over the gun charges: after all, if I believe that silencers, modern sporting rifles, and normal capacity magazines should be legal, I can’t throw stones at this guy.

But fake law enforcement credentials? He deserves whatever he gets for that.

Posted in Guns, Law, Politics | Comments Closed

You’re going down in flames, you tax-fattened hyena! (#77 in a series)

Friday, December 17th, 2021

This is a couple days old, but I missed it. Hattip to Mike the Musicologist.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith was formally accused of “willful and corrupt misconduct” by a civil grand jury that had investigated the embattled official.

…

Court documents filed Tuesday revealed that jurors accused Smith of seven corruption-related acts, including favoritism and improperly issuing concealed-carry weapons permits.

…

Six involve ongoing criminal indictments alleging Smith engaged in political favoritism and traded favors by leveraging her control over issuing concealed-carry weapons permits.
The seventh accuses her of failing to cooperate with the county law-enforcement auditor in an investigation into negligence allegations stemming from a 2018 jail inmate’s injury that led to a $10 million county settlement, the Mercury News reported.

The articles I’ve read don’t say, but I’m 99 44/100ths percent sure that this is related to the Apple scandal that I wrote about a while back.

Now, I am not a lawyer, I am not a California lawyer, and I am especially not Perry Mason. (They renewed that crap for a second season? What is wrong with people?)

But, as I understand it, the “civil grand jury” indictments are not criminal. The “civil grand jury” in California is chartered to investigate “actions or performance of city, county agencies or public officials.”

The jurisdiction of the Civil Grand Jury is limited by statute and includes the following:

  • Consideration of evidence of misconduct against public officials to determine whether to present formal accusations requesting their removal from office
  • Inquiry into the condition and management of public prisons within the county
  • Investigation and report on the operations, accounts, and records of the officers, departments, or functions of the county including those operations, accounts, and records of any special legislative district or other district in the county pursuant to state law for which the officers of the county are serving in their ex officio capacity as officers of the districts
  • May investigate the books and records of any incorporated city or joint powers agency located in the county

So this isn’t the equivalent of criminal charges, but it is a grand jury saying “We think you’re corrupt as fark”.

It also has the authority to launch the process of removing an elected official from office. Accusations can be taken to trial by district attorneys.

More from KRON4:

Count 1: Illegally issuing concealed carry weapon permits (CCW) to VIP’s
Count 2: Failing to properly investigate whether non-VIP’s should receive CCW permits
Count 3: Keeping non-VIP CCW applications pending indefinitely
Count 4: Illegally accepting suite tickets, food, and drinks at Sharks game
Count 5: Failing to report Sharks game gifts on financial documents
Count 6: Committing perjury by failing to disclose Sharks game gifts
Count 7: Failing to cooperate with internal affairs investigation surrounding treatment of Andrew Hogan

Posted in Apple, California Über Alles, Guns, IANAL, Law, Politics | 1 Comment »

Where do we get such men?

Friday, December 17th, 2021

I briefly touched the other day on the story of Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, who was awarded the Medal of Honor on Thursday.

Sgt. Cashe was one of three soldiers who received the Medal of Honor that day. Task and Purpose has a good profile of all three men.

The other two are Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz (who received the medal posthumously, along with Sgt. Cashe), and Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee (who is still alive, and currently serving with the US Army).

Posted in Heroism, History | Comments Closed

Obit watch: December 17, 2021.

Friday, December 17th, 2021

John Mueller, one of the great Texas barbecue guys. He was only 52.

Mueller grew up working for his father, the late Bobby Mueller, at family patriarch Louie Mueller’s barbecue restaurant in Taylor, bussing tables from the age of 8, according to his sister and La Barbecue owner, LeAnn Mueller, and eventually learning how to smoke and slice meat at his father’s side.

…

Mueller built his reputation on sturdy but supple brisket cooked hot and fast, gargantuan beef ribs with a soft side that belied their imposing stature, and a mercurial personality that often burned with the same intensity as his off-set smoker.
Franklin Barbecue owner Aaron Franklin worked briefly for Mueller in 2006, cutting onions and helping with other prep work, and says that the Taylor native had a talent that could not be taught.
“He spent all those years hanging out in Taylor learning from his dad. The guy really just had such a natural gift for cooking barbecue,” Franklin said. “I’d be surprised if there was anyone else in the world who has cooked more briskets than that guy.”

…

Mueller would play up the caricature of “the dark prince of Texas barbecue,” a moniker bestowed on him by Texas Monthly, later in life, blending barbs with banter that made him an unpredictable if entertaining presence at his businesses.
But despite his love for giving people grief and straddling the line between famous and infamous, Mueller at his heart was a classic Central Texas barbecue man who took the lessons from his father and then burned his own path through the barbecue scene.

…

John Lewis worked briefly for Mueller at his South First trailer before going to serve as pit boss at La Barbecue. Lewis, who now runs the lauded Lewis Barbecue in Charleston, S.C., says that despite his reputation as an ornery cuss, Mueller could be an affable guy who loved to share a laugh.
“He was a really, really kind guy. He had a huge heart and I didn’t really get to know that until we worked side by side,” Lewis said. “He would act really tough but the next second he is goofing on you. He had a great sense of humor.”

Additional coverage from the Dallas Morning News (by way of archive.is).

Edited to add 12/18: Texas Monthly tribute.

(Crossposted to The Logbook of the Saturday Dining Conspiracy.)

Posted in Beef, Food | Comments Closed

Obit watch: December 16, 2021.

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

Elfrida von Nardroff, historical footnote.

She kept a low public profile for much of her life, but back in the 1950s, she was on television. Specifically, the quiz show “Twenty-One”.

Over several months in 1958, Ms. von Nardroff charmed television viewers as she defeated one opponent after another on her way to winning $220,500 ($2.1 million in today’s dollars). That dwarfed the $129,000 (nearly $1.3 million) that the show’s most famous contestant, Charles Van Doren, an English instructor at Columbia University, had won in 1956 and 1957.

Of course, you know where this is going, right?

Within months after she took home the $220,500, Frank S. Hogan, the Manhattan district attorney, convened a grand jury to investigate quiz shows. Herbert Stempel, whom Mr. Van Doren had defeated on “Twenty-One,” had revealed that the producers had coached him extensively. An investigation by the House Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight in 1959 followed. (The scandal became the focus of the 1994 film “Quiz Show,” directed by Robert Redford.)

…

Mr. Stone delved into Ms. von Nardroff’s claims of deep research and found them dubious. He saw little evidence for her claim that she had analyzed “Twenty-One” topics so extensively that she had filled numerous notebooks.
He sent investigators to the main branch of the New York Public Library at 42nd Street, where they showed her picture to see if anyone recognized her from all the time she said she had spent there. They did not. (Ms. von Nardroff said she had taken out books but did not do research at the library, Mr. Stone recounted.) She admitted that the article in This Week was only “impressionistically true.”

…

She, Mr. Van Doren and 12 other contestants were arrested that October and charged with second-degree perjury, a misdemeanor. She and nine other contestants, including Mr. Van Doren, pleaded guilty in early 1962 and received suspended sentences.

For the historical record: bell hooks.

Posted in History, Law, Obits, TV | Comments Closed

Shad don’t like it…

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

Urban Meyer out as Jacksonville Jaguars coach after 13 regular season games.

His record was 2-11.

The final straw seems to have been yesterday’s report that Meyer kicked Josh Lambo, a former kicker with the Jaguars. I’m just gonna go out on a limb here and say physically assaulting your employees is not a good idea.

Meyer couldn’t deliver as speculation persisted that he treated players like kids instead of grown men. He appeared to be too caught up in having control and power instead of having the right answers to win football games.
This past weekend NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported, citing sources, that Meyer had multiple run-ins with players and coaches that had developed into an ongoing tension at the Jaguars facility for months.

…

The Jaguars suffered their first shutout defeat since 2009 this past Sunday against the Titans, 20-0, after finishing with a franchise-low 8 yards rushing. It was the team’s fifth consecutive loss, and the Jaguars’ have dropped 15 straight road games.

And Shad Khan is looking for tax money to upgrade the stadium and improve “the fan experience”.

To quote a comment at Field of Schemes:

You know what would “fundamentally change the fan experience” for Jags fans?
Not losing 10+ games each and every year.

Posted in Firings, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Art (Acevedo), damn it! watch. (#AI of a series)

Wednesday, December 15th, 2021

CNN had an opening, now that they’ve canned Fredo. So who better to hire?

I missed this, probably because I don’t pay much attention to that network. Thank you to Gun Free Zone for tipping me off.

Posted in Law, Media | 2 Comments »

Responsible use of category tags.

Wednesday, December 15th, 2021

I hate to link to Crimereads two days in a row, but this is another one of those articles I feel like I have to link. Especially since it lets me tick off multiple categories from my list:

“Fireworks at Graceland: How Elvis Spent His Last Christmas Before Boot Camp“.

I’m not going to add it to my wish list yet, but Christmas with Elvis (affiliate link) sounds like it could be a fun book.

Posted in Bagatelle, Books, Christmas, Elvis, Explosives, History, Music | Comments Closed

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