Paul Bogan has a piece on the failure of big box retail, followed by a chilling list of chains with store closings. Notables (to me, at least) include Barbecues Galore, Dell (their kiosks?), Loews, Office Depot, Sprint/Nextel, and Starbucks. Check it out, the list is huge! If this keeps up, that $79 for Amazon Prime will easily be worth it.
Category Archives: Everything Else
Bump Keys: It’s Time To Buy a New Lock
Every once in a while I get to post something very Crack Team-y. This is one of those times.
I was forwarded this video on lock bumping and wanted to share it with our few loyal readers so they could protect themselves. Apparently you can buy something called a bump key that easily allows you to bypass many (most?) types of locks. According to the video, bump keys have been around for about 50 years and are well known to locksmiths (who are often the only ones allowed to own them), but the interwebs are making it easier for criminals to obtain them.1 So if unlike me, every realtor in town can’t get into your house already, $80 or so for a secure lock seems like a great deal.
- This is slightly better than finding out someone can steal your bike with a Bic pen. [↩]
You Talkin’ To Me?
There was a shooting in a theater on Christmas, and what’s most interesting is what isn’t being discussed. Here’s what went down: a family was laughing and talking very loudly during Benjamin Button, which annoyed other theater goers. Words were had, then popcorn thrown, then fighting broke out, then gunfire.
Here’s another way to put it: an Italian guy shot a black guy in a South Philly movie theater because the black guy’s family wouldn’t keep quiet and the Italian guy is clearly unhinged1.
And nobody is mentioning any stereotypes here. I’ve read several articles, and comments on those articles by people who did not have to pass any tests to comment, and still no mention of race, ethnicity, black, white, stereotypes, etc.
I think this is progress. But I’m not 100% sure.
- After the shooting cleared the theater, the shooter sat back down to enjoy the rest of the film. Ah, peace and quiet! [↩]
I love a parade–Stephanie Edwards is back!!
Sometimes, the Universe surprises me. Karma balances out and all is well with the world.
I was pleasantly surprised on New Year’s Morning to find out that Stephanie Edwards is back as co-host of the big Pasadena Rose Brou-ha-ha. As you may recall, she was unceremoniously dumped several years ago to the surprise of many traditionalists and to the detriment of the local KTLA parade coverage. I covered the outrage here and others also picked up this story. Here she is, soldiering on under one of the few rainstorms to hit the Rose Parade (2006):
But now she is back and her replacement was moved to the sidelines in an ironic turnaround that makes for gossipy good fun. And for good measure, she returns to a higher-paying salary; payback is a bitch.
The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 12
This article lists the times taken for the moves of game 12 of the 1972 World Chess Championship Match between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky.
Click here for info on other games of this match.
Game 12, August 8-9, 1972
Fischer Spassky
White Black
(ar) (0:09)
1. c4 (0:10)
(Spassky arrived 30 seconds after Fischer's clock was started and then disappeared until five minutes after Fischer made his move.)
1. ... e6 (0:05)
2. Nf3 (0:11) d5 (0:06)
3. d4 (0:11) Nf6 (0:06)
4. Nc3 (0:11) Be7 (0:06)
5. Bg5 (0:11) h6 (0:06)
6. Bh4 (0:12) 0-0 (0:06)
7. e3 (0:12) Nbd7 (0:06)
8. Rc1 (0:17) c6 (0:09)
9. Bd3 (0:20) dxc4 (0:09)
10. Bxc4 (0:20) b5 (0:10)
11. Bd3 (0:21) a6 (0:11)
12. a4 (0:40) bxa4 (0:12) Continue reading The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 12
The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 13
This article lists the times taken for game 13 of the 1972 Fischer – Spassky World Chess Championship Match in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Click here for info on other games of this match.
Game 13, August 10-11, 1972
Spassky Fischer
White Black
(ar) (-0:02) (ar) (0:06)
1. e4 (0:00) Nf6 (0:07)
(Spassky left when he made his move and returned 2 minutes after Fischer made his move. )
2. e5 (0:02) Nd5 (0:07)
3. d4 (0:02) d6 (0:07)
4. Nf3 (0:03) g6 (0:08)
5. Bc4 (0:05) Nb6 (0:08)
6. Bb3 (0:06) Bg7 (0:08)
7. Nbd2 (0:23) 0-0 (0:14)
8. h3 (0:25) a5 (0:22)
9. a4 (0:33) dxe5 (0:25)
10. dxe5 (0:33) Na6 (0:26)
11. 0-0 (0:47) Nc5 (0:35)
12. Qe2 (0:50) Qe8 (0:51)
13. Ne4 (0:58) Nbxa4 (0:54) Continue reading The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 13
The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 11
This article lists the times taken for the moves of Game 11 of the 1972 Fischer Spassky World Chess Championship Match.
Click here for info on other games of this match.
Game 11, August 6th, 1972
Spassky Fischer
White Black
(ar) (-0:01)
1. e4 (0:00) (ar) (0:03)
1. ... c5 (0:04)
(When Fischer arrived, Spassky had already made his move and disappeared, not returning until 6 minutes after Fischer made his first move.)
2. Nf3 (0:06) d6 (0:05)
3. d4 (0:06) cxd4 (0:05)
4. Nxd4 (0:06) Nf6 (0:05)
5. Nc3 (0:06) a6 (0:05)
6. Bg5 (0:06) e6 (0:06)
7. f4 (0:07) Qb6 (0:08)
8. Qd2 (0:08) Qxb2 (0:08)
9. Nb3 (0:08) Qa3 (0:08)
10. Bxf6 (0:08) gxf6 (0:08)
11. Be2 (0:08) h5 (0:20)
12. 0-0 (0:09) Nc6 (0:21)
13. Kh1 (0:13) Bd7 (0:24)
14. Nb1 (0:43) Qb4 (0:38)
15. Qe3 (0:45) d5 (0:44)
16. exd5 (0:48) Ne7 (0:44)
17. c4 (0:53) Nf5 (0:53)
18. Qd3 (0:54) h4 (1:20) Continue reading The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 11
The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 14
This article lists the times taken for the moves of game 14 of the 1972 Fischer – Spassky World Chess Championship Match.
Game 14, August 15th, 1972
Fischer Spassky
White Black
(ar) (0:07) (ar) (-:01)
1. c4 (0:07)
(Spassky appeared one minute before the game was to start. By the time Fischer arrived and made his move, Spassky had left and did not return until 3 minutes later.)
(ar) (0:03)
1. e6 (0:04)
2. Nf3 (0:07) d5
3. d4 (0:08) Nf6 (0:05)
4. Nc3 (0:08) Be7 (0:05)
5. Bf4 (0:08) 0-0 (0:11)
6. e3 (0:08) c5 (0:14)
7. dxc5 (0:08) Nc6 (0:15)
8. cxd5 (0:09) exd5 (0:20)
9. Be2 (0:09) Bxc5 (0:20)
10. 0-0 (0:09) Be6 (0:23)
11. Rc1 (0:11) (0:27)
(Spassky was gone for 4 minutes and so took only 9 minutes for his 11th.)
11. ... Rc8 (0:36)
12. a3 (0:12) h6 (0:47)
13. Bg3 (0:16) Bb6 (0:56)
14. Ne5 (0:24) Ne7 (1:08)
15. Na4 (0:45) Ne4 (1:17) Continue reading The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 14
The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 10
This article lists the times spent by Fischer and Spassky on the moves of the 10th game of their 1972 World Chess Championship Match in Reykjavic, Iceland.
Game 10, August 3-4, 1972
Fischer Spassky
White Black
(ar) (0:07)
1. e4 (0:08) e5 (0:05)
2. Nf3 (0:08) Nc6 (0:05)
3. Bb5 (0:08) a6 (0:05)
4. Ba4 (0:09) Nf6 (0:06)
5. 0-0 (0:09) Be7 (0:06)
6. Re1 b5
7. Bb3 d6
8. c3 0-0
9. h3 (0:10) Nb8 (0:07)
10. d4 (0:15) Nbd7 (0:09)
11. Nbd2 (0:15) Bb7 (0:12)
12. Bc2 (0:15) Re8 (0:14)
13. b4 (0:16) Bf8 (0:32)
14. a4 (0:18) Nb6 (0:39)
15. a5 (0:26) Nbd7 (0:41) Continue reading The 1972 Fischer – Spassky Times for Game 10
