A Discussion About Trades...

by Al Yellon on Dec 31, 2005 11:45 AM CST in Chicago Cubs News

I had another discussion with the conversation-bot at Jabberwacky, about one proposed Tejada deal.

My head hurt after this one.

(my comments are in italics)

Should the Cubs trade Mark Prior for Miguel Tejada?
No. I see now that it was a dumb idea. But, still, the situation in the middle east is potentially explosive--especially with the spread of nuclear weapons.
Now, are you saying that someone might nuke Jim Hendry if he does this?
No. Are you?
Not at all. But you brought up nuclear weapons.
Yes, but this is about you and your political ambivalence as a sign of deeper neuroses!
I'm not ambivalent about Tejada. I want the Cubs to get him.
If you're not American why do you have such an interest in their politics?
Who said I wasn't American?
I don't think I understand your answer, but you do not need to fix it if you don't want to.
I do think Tejada would help fix the Cubs. Don't you?
What is your favorite movie?
Recent movie? I liked 'The Family Stone'.
I did too, but that's completely unrelated.
Of course it is. But you were the one who brought it up.
No, you did, you said 'Because it's from the movie!'
No, I sure didn't. I was asking you about Miguel Tejada.
I'm not from a city.
So? Neither is Tejada.
What does tea have to do with words?
I didn't say 'tea', I said 'Tejada'.
I'm... Not sure. Who are you?
I'm Al. Who are YOU?
Someone.
I know that. But who?
Was that a trick question?
No. Are you going to answer my question about Tejada?
Yes. I'm going to eat peaches.
Have a good time, then. I'll ask someone else.

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Comments

i went for the hell of it

experienced the same problem. was a bit amusing though

by geetarnwhiskey on Dec 31, 2005 12:05 PM CST reply actions

my conversation with George...

George: What are you?

Shawn: I'm a baeball blogger. What are you?

George: I am an artificial intelligence computer program.

Shawn: Cool! Can I ask you a question?

George: Ok, ask me a question!

Shawn: Should the Cubs trade for Barry Zito?

George: Maybe you should ask someone older.

Shawn: How old are you?

George: I'm 39.

Shawn: I think you're old enough to answer my question.

George: What makes you think that?

Shawn: 39 years is plenty to understand baseball well enough to have an opinion on a trade.

George: How well?

Shawn: Well enough to have an opinion on a trade!

George: How old are you?

Shawn: I'm 26.

George: Cool.

Shawn: Yeah, and I have an opinion on this trade, so you're old enough to have one.

George: Go on then.

Shawn: Do you think the Cubs should make a trade for Barry Zito?

George: Yes, in the sense of the risks we take - with the world, and where we live.

Shawn: OK, then. Should they sign Preston Wilson?

George: Yes, we have muscles to move with.

Shawn: I'm not quite sure what that means, but I'll take that as a yes!

George: Go on.

Shawn: Should they trade for Miguel Tejada?

George: Not

Shawn: OK, so lets recap here: the Cubs should trade for Barry Zito, sign Preston Wilson, and stay away from the Tejada sweepstakes. Is that correct?

George: Well, using your twisted logic, the square root of 2 is 4.

Shawn: Take root away from that sentence, and you've got me pegged... Thanks for the advice!

George: You are very strange. And not very sensitive.

Shawn: You're the one who insulted me! You're also the one that went blabbing on about muscles! It would seem that you're the strange, unsensitive one!

George: I'm not god, and I don't think someone else would be.

The Cubs will thrive in twenty-oh-five... or sometime thereafter!

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 31, 2005 12:27 PM CST reply actions

It was going well...

until the 'someone' said 'middle'.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes. Time to sPaRkLe Jimmy!

by sparkles721 on Dec 31, 2005 12:46 PM CST reply actions

I went

to The Family Stone partly based on this site's recommendation and found the performances great and the script so bad and manipulative that I wanted to strangle Tom Bazooka or what ever the hell he calls himself.

A few questions and observations.

Why were they so mean to the fiancee right off the bat? They just know immediatley that she's not right for their wooden brother?

Could the deck have been more stacked to pile on the sympathy for the gay brother more than adding that he's deaf and has a black partner? Only a complete pig would attack this couple. They should have just cast a loveable fuzzy bunny in the role of that brother.

Who is Sarah Jessica Parker's sister? What has she given up to spend Christmas with these people? What is either of the sisters' relationship with the other? Why does she even come there except to meet her opposite?

Could Dermot Mulrooney's character be more of a cipher? Could the opposites coming together have been handled even less believabley? I don't think so.

I think there were more well drawn three dimensional characters in 'The Great Escape' or 'Towering Inferno' than there were in this movie. But I'll give you one thing: The people in the audience laughed at almost every poorly observed human behavior and unmotivated outburst.

This movie is a great comment on the sad state of comedies for adults made by Hollywood these days. There are only a handful each year and of those, maybe one or two are decent. The rest are like 'The Family Stone': A bad sitcom with unearned manipulative scenes that are supposed to give it heart and weight.

For actual interesting and well observed human behavior in a famly setting, might I suggest 'The Squid And The Whale'? More humor and truth in the credits than in two hours of 'The Family Stone'.

by TR on Dec 31, 2005 1:25 PM CST reply actions