Random Notes 3.28.09

- Earth Hour is today. It's in the papers today and was promoted by the Environmental Club at my school. There are several crucial environmental issues that we, as a global community, must start addressing now. So, therefore, I think this a nice symbolic idea.

However, why don't we shoot a little higher, like maybe not use unnecessary power for an hour every day? Or three times a week? Or, just don't use it unless it's necessary? Something that will actually make a difference? People are amazing. We do things like Earth Hour to "raise awareness" and then there's no follow-up. Why isn't recycling mandatory? Remember Earth Day starting when we were in high school?

And, remember the Kyoto Protocol that George Bush wiped his ass with? (Yes, I understand that he didn't want to sign something that China could ignore, effectively increasing their economic strength, but, isn't that a little... immature? Shortsighted?) Well, in a few months, there's this. I hope we come through this time. I know everybody's (rightly) worried about the economy... but think about how disastrous economic issues could become if, say, one day a few years from now New York City is 4 feet below sea level [or, insert health-related-concern-which-is-a-result-of-human-actions-on-the-environment here].

(By the way, I don't actually really know much about the environment or about the politics behind it. This is just a rant, expressing that George W. Bush and Co. certainly had the public appearance of not caring much about environmental issues, and whether this is true or not, we need to both change perception of environmental issues, and obviously actually do something about them!)

Anyway...


- The Harlem Globetrotters' theme song, Sweet Georgia Brown, has become a favorite of our cockatiels. I need to figure out how to shoot a video of them going crazy whistling back to the whistling song and post it on YouTube. That's my next project (that is, once I get posting regularly here down.)


- I've been into March Madness, but didn't fill out a bracket this year. The story lines that have kept me going are that Villanova is doing well and is local, and I love watching Blake Griffin (he'll be an NBA all-star within 5 years, barring injury). The tourney certainly does lose some excitement if one does not have money riding on who wins. However, having not filled out a bracket this year, I realized something (and this is not mock everybody who has one done - if my work had one going I would have done it): How do people actually place so much stock in their picks? How many co-workers or friends have you heard discussing brackets and say things along the lines of, "You know, I actually like Mississippi State over South Carolina in an upset. They're tough." It sounds pretentious and there's no way that anybody who lives in New Jersey has seen most of the schools in the tournament play more than once, if at all. I've done it myself, every year. I realize later that I'm just regurgitating sound bits I've seen on Sportscenter, either consciously or subconsciously, which is whatever everybody probably does - or just reads blogs somewhere to obtain their opinions.

This is not to be a killjoy. March Madness is one of the best annual sports spectacles we have in our country, if not the best. I just think people should just be like "Why did I pick this #13 over this #4? Fuck it, I wanted an upset and I know that (school in #13 position) was on ESPN a few times this year. Plus, my girlfriend's cousin goes there" rather than try to justify it with some manufactured knowledge of either school.

That being said, it's dope that Obama filled out a bracket.


- Check out Bob Dylan's discography. He put out 8 dope albums in his first 5 years! Well, his debut Bob Dylan was ok... but the next 7 are amazing through John Wesley Harding. Artists these days aren't as prolific. So did the Beatles - Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, White Album, and Abbey Road are were released in like a four year span. Artists seemed to go on hot runs in the past - I also think of Led Zeppelin's early years (Led Zep I - 1969 through Led Zep IV - 1971) and Stevie Wonder's run of amazing music which was five great albums from 1972's Music of My Mind through 1976's double album Songs in the Key of Life. Is music just too commercial these days, and designed solely to make money? Do record companies not want to oversaturate the market with music from one artist, or of one genre? There must be great musicians these days (and there are) who I'm sure wouldn't mind releasing album after album in a few months time.

My Favorite Assist

My all-time favorite assist highlight is #3 on this countdown.





And yes, even though I'm 32, I still search for basketball highlights on Youtube when I'm bored.

The New Guy at the Gym

My local gym has a basketball court where a nice group of guys, aged about 20 - 55, show up at regular times during the week for pick-up basketball. It's nice to know that during any given week, up to 4 times a week, you can go and get a decent pick-up game. I've lived down here (South Jersey) for 3.5 years now, and during that time everybody gets to know each other, at least by name, and there are regulars at the gym. Most places, I'd imagine, work that way.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago a regular guy brought his buddy "Al". Al was tall (maybe about 6'4" or 6'5"), skinny, and dressed from head to toe in official Villanova gear. He looked athletic, and was clowning around when guys were warming up waiting for the game to start. I figured one of two things must be true. Either this guy is really good, or he is just a goofy guy who happens to be a decent athlete.

Anyway, the game starts and I wind up guarding Al. As the game goes on, Al isn't doing anything. Passing the ball mainly, and not scoring. He also had a little bit of hobble to his kneeThe game gets tight. It is up to 11 baskets and it's like 9-8 us. Suddenly, Al wakes up. He hits a long three with my hand in his face. Then, he comes off a screen and hits a fade-away 18 foot jumper. Finally, with the score 10-10, he jukes me and pulls up from about 15 feet and hits a jumper all-net to win the game.

Our team goes and waits to get back on. A teammate of mine goes,
"Hey, [Walt], you did a good job on that guy." (not sarcastically).
I said, "Are you serious? He hit like the last three shots on me to win the game!" He goes, "Yeah, but he didn't score aside from that."
I shrug.
He goes, "You knew who that was, right?"
"Who?"
"Alvin Williams."





I immediately remember Alvin Williams from my many hours spent playing NBA Live 2003 for XBox, where he was the starting point guard from the Toronto Raptors. Turns out, he's not much older than me, but had a bunch of knee issues. He's a Philadelphia-area guy and is just playing at the gym to stay in shape.

Anyway, I wound up guarding him about 3 or 4 times as teams rotated on to face his team. He only played hard when he had to, and occasionally he would do something so athletic that it was incredible. He was "just trying to stay in shape". He was a nice guy and it was cool to say that I played against an NBA player. I did play well against him though I'm sure it was someone of a downgrade for him to go from playing against guys like Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce to somebody like me.