We're All Dodgers

Fun and creative, these commercials made me smile everytime.



YouTube Link: willsbitch:

Merkle's Boner

In honor of 6-4-2's daily birthday posting please see above my only Fred Merkle baseball card. It is a strip card from circa 1919 and is called W514. It's not the most attractive card or the best conditioned card. Nevertheless, it's a very unusual card.

These cards came in horizontal strips of typically 10 or more players side by side. Fans would cut the cards along dotted lines to make individual cards. Most of the artwork is much like the one above. They are a bit drab and not very good. They seem to never resemble the player at all. Strip cards in general were produced from the 1910's to the 1920's. Over the years these type of cards received very little respect, but has seen a small resurgence in interest over the past several years. From a cost perspective, they are very affordable compared to tobacco or candy issued cards.

Check out 6-4-2's post for historical background of the long forgotten "Merkle Boner."

An Early Christmas Present for my Family

This past week I've been MIA from this website primarily due to a brand new addition to my family. Check him out above. On Friday afternoon my sister gave birth to their 2nd son, Mr. Tyler Alexander Star. Aint he a beaut!

It was a ruckus and crazy week.

On Thursday afternoon, last week, I offered to help out my sister and brother-in-law by baby-sitting their oldest son, Trevor, while they headed out to a doctors' appointment. Trevor is 21 months old, and, as you can imagine, he is a hand-full. He will scamper around the house running from one toy to another- almost in a schizophrenic rage. He'll drag me along by grabbing my fingers. He is just so excited about playing with Uncle Ernest.

Anyway, Thursday baby-sitting went just fine. No hitches and no problems. Trevor and I had a great time.

Then, later that evening my brother-in-law calls and ask me to spend the night. Since most of our family is too far away I am the most logical person to spend the day with Trevor when the new child is born. Apparently, my sisters just knew that Friday would be the day and they feared having to call me at 3:00 AM to come over. So, I slept on a guest bed.

6:00 AM comes around and a knock on my door wakes me from my slumber. "Ernest, wake up! We are going to the hospital." I wipe the sleep from my eyes, focus my vision and jump out of bed. The day would start off with nervous parents heading out of the door and a waking child wondering, "why is Uncle Ernest here?"

We have a busy schedule. First breakfast, then playtime. My sister lets me know about a video that Trevor adores. Thankfully it's "The Polar Express" and not "The Wiggles." They drive me crazy. Lunch, playtime, then nap time fill up the rest of the morning. In the afternoon, Trevor is awake and snacks and play dominant our time.

During Trevor's nap I get word of Tyler's birth and rejoice with Trevor when he is awake from his afternoon nap. "WooHoo!" He is healthy and complications are minimal.

Anyway, my folks head into town later that evening, driving in from Las Vegas after hearing about the news, and my full day of baby-sitting is over.

If I may add, this was the first time I had the opportunity to baby-sit for a full day. And ya know what? It is hard work.

By the time I got home I was dirty and sweaty from running around. I had food all over me. I must have smelled like a horses behind. I was more tired that I could have ever imagined.

So, during this holiday season I would like to pay special kudos to all of those folks who stay at home with their young children. You should all be given medals.

UPDATE: OK. I'm getting a little crazy here. Check out the pic I made of Tyler at Times Square.
Generator: Billboard Maker:

New Blog: Sons of Steve Garvey

Welcome to the Giant Blue tent I like to call "Dodgertown On-Line." Check out a new group blog of rabid Dodger fans called Sons of Steve Garvey.

Gagne Becomes a Ranger

Gagne is going to the American League. He joins the Texas Rangers relief staff.

At least he isn't a Giant.

That would have been unforgivable.

Below is a video of Eric heading to the mound. Do remember those goose bumps when Gagne entered the game?



YouTube Link: BGRobocop:

Hat Tip: Dodger Thoughts:

OT: Don't Buy a Dell

I've been wanting to go on a little diatribe about Dell and their customer service. Dell sucks. Their computers suck and their customer service sucks.

Our head researcher at my day job has been struggling with Dell for well over a month now- almost 3 months, if I'm not mistaken. I've had my own problems with the Dell computers we got at work earlier this year.

It was finally determined that the computer we received had some internal hardware issues and requires a full replacement. A new computer was suppose to be shipped last week. We where even given a shipping number and told it would arrive in 7 days. Of course, it never arrived.

Upon checking on its whereabouts, we find that the shipping number we where given is a fake number. Also, customer service reports that their notes indicate we where having problems with a printer and not a computer. (We do not have a Dell printer in the office.) Furthermore, there is NO notation that anything was to be replaced at all. It is as if Dell representatives willfully lied.

They lied about sending a replacement computer- even going as far as providing a fake shipping number. They lied in their own internal notes.

Their lies have caused us to rethink our future purchases. We recently cancelled our order for a new server from Dell and plan an aggressive, yet light-hearted, campaign against Dell with all of our clients. We will make sure everyone we know understands how terrible that company is.

Dell willfully and purposfully lies to their own customers.

...

Okay, I feel better now.