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| More MLS News, That Isn't News |
| As you know I am not a fan of soccer that is played in the USA. I am a fan of world football that is played abroad. Yes, there is a difference. Yesterday on Fox Soccer some this story out of Los Angeles, home to the Galaxy and their "golden boy", David Beckham. Unfortunately, fellow teammate and so-called "superstar" thinks Becks is a"bad teammate." Let's go back to when the Galaxy made the announcement that David Beckham would be sporting a Galaxy jersey for a sum of $250 million dollars! Ridiculous? Yup. Dumb move by the MLS and the Galaxy? Yup. Did they not think this would happen? Guess not. Donovan stated, ""My sense is that David's clearly frustrated, that he's unhappy and, honestly, that he thinks it's a joke." Landon, my boy you hit the nail on the head with that comment. The MLS is a joke, league play is nowhere near the level of competition seen in England, Italy or worldwide. I think a player of his caliber would be unhappy in a situation like this. Guess he came here for the money, huh? This "experiment" has been a failure clearly. I think the fans, the city and the league expected big things from a single player to jolt the league to a new level. Obviously that was never going to be the case. It has been attempted in the past and yielded very little in terms of results. What should happen, now that Landon is unhappy with David? Not that it will matter much, cut Beckham and that salary loose, let him go back to Italy and AC Milan on a full time basis as he prepares for World Cup 2010. Sure the Galaxy loose a big name, be headed, bad teammate as a player, but in the long run will be better off as a team. Of course this still isn't saying much for a sub par league, in the the MLS. |
| W6ONV on Friday 03 July 2009 - 12:36:55 | Read/Post Comment: 0 |
| $1000 Fine! |
| If the Governor of California want to help attain a balance budget, why the hell not increase fines for those assholes who continue to talk on their mobile phones while driving. Yes you in the Caddy. Yes you in the Jetta. And yes you, dumb blonde in the Jeep. Put down the mobile phone and drive your damn car. I did a little unscientific research today on the way home from the train station, a total about about 15 miles. I counted 55 people, driving using their mobile phones. This without any sort of hands free device. Yes, idiot, holding the phone up to your mouth is NOT considered hands free. Where the hell did you get that dumb idea? I'll admit I have begun using earbuds and a microphone in order to call and talk to someone on my mobile, if I must. But rarely do I use it like I did before. And where do drivers get off holding a mobile in front of their eyes, attempting to read what it says and drive at the same time. Idiot! Pull over and get off the damn road. I think fines need to thoroughly increased. $50 is nothing but a slap on the hand and will constituted a second offense. Fines for this offense need to shoot up astronomically. I say $1000 minimum for being caught using a mobile phone while driving. You ARE endangering everyone around you by doing this. Yet you don't seem to get it. So to the State of Califorina. Get off you ass and up the fine. Maybe that will help balance this budget downfall. |
| W6ONV on Thursday 02 July 2009 - 20:38:47 | Read/Post Comment: 0 |
| No, USA Is Not That Good |
| Team USA in the Gold Cup match of the Confederations Cup. Great news for those fans of US soccer, but for those who enjoy world class football the result was to be expected. I will give the US credit for beating Egypt 2-0 in order to advance to the cup, but then again Egypt is not a world powerhouse when it comes to football. Unfortunately, the strong, yet aging Italians could not put together much of a showing versus Brasil and ended up watching from the sidelines. I was able to watch the second half of the USA v Brasil match yesterday while at work. I was shocked, as probably most football fans were. First because the US was up at the break. But second they were up 2-0! Not sure which came as a bigger surprise. Yet one of the problems with being up by 2-0 is complacency. It's that false sense of security a team gets when they know they can make a mistake and still leading the match. Yet the game does not end until the whistle blows and the US could not manage much in the second half. It was quite evident within minutes that Brasil was faster, stronger and better on the pitch when the whistle blew. But again, we football (not disillusioned US Soccer fans) fans knew that going into the Gold Cup game. After the first goal by Luis Fabiano, you knew the Brazilians meant business and were not going to let the match slip away. Though out much of the second half Tim Howard (Everton) was under siege by the multifaceted threats that Brasil possessed. If it was not Kaka, it was Robinho. Yet in the end it was excellent control and execution by Brasil that just worn the US defense down to a point where they were ball watching by the 60 minute mark. While I am not a US soccer fan, I am a big fan of Tim Howard, goalkeeper for Everton. He is one of the "elder statesman" along with names like Beasley, Donovan, Bocanegra and Hedjuk that have been together for years. Yet each year we hear there will be grand things from this team and each year they underachieve. Although *sigh* if I must I will give them credit for beating the top ranked Spaniards, 2-0. Howard played very well between the sticks, but his defense let him down. He made some great saves, yet was on the side of luck a few times as well. The US defense is not as solid as what Howard has in front of him in Everton. Props to Howard for a job well done. So why is US Soccer not competitive? Let's ask Bob Bradley. After their monumental win against Spain he was quoted as saying, that the victory was in part of the success to his players' development in Major League Soccer. What sort of bullshit is that? The MLS is the laughing stock of world football. Sorry, the league is at best mediocre and probably rivals some the first and second divisions of other countries. The problem in the Brasil match was the lack of experienced bench players and the right strategic moves by Bradley to secure a victory for the US. At the 75th minute Bradley brought on Bornstein and Kljestan, a defender and midfielder in order to show up a very tired lineup. Brasil was consistently in control and dominating play. Many of the US players, especially in the defensive third were caught ball watching or out of position, as the outside players for Brasil and time and opportunities in which to capitalize. Once the game went level, it was a given the US would not be able to muster a win. Brasil was too strong, to experienced to let this potential upset bite them in the ass. They proved once again why they are one of the BEST nations when it comes to international football. Maybe when the US realized the game is called FOOTBALL and not SOCCER they will have a better understanding why they will never win major games. As for 2010, don't expect much of a showing. Their bench players are not strong enough and the starting eleven, while somewhat experienced don't all play at the same competitive levels for their club team, which in turns hurts when they come together as a national team. Sorry US, stick with a game you are good at, like American football, baseball or basketball. |
| W6ONV on Monday 29 June 2009 - 09:26:32 | Read/Post Comment: 0 |
| My 3% (as opposed to $.02 cents) |
| I recall a former train controller trainee, when asked how he heard about the job, he Googled $100,000 BART jobs and was surprised to find an Excel file that held his answer. Being inside the proverbial "glass house" and looking out I think I am paid very well for what I do on a daily basis. Looking at this realistically coming from an airline that has been sliding downhill since 1999 (or a few years prior) I felt very fortunate to be hired. My pay had been reduced nearly 35% over the course of 4 years at United, in addition to furloughs and changes and more job responsibilities. The hiring process at BART was long and the training even longer and more stressful than I ever imagined. I believe I earned every penny I was offered. Still do in fact. Now that the media has made all 3,200 BART employee salaries available via an organized database that can search by last name, department or job title. Amazingly enough each work has their pay broken down based on gross, net, overtime and other pay. Wow! Who would think the entire world could know how much I make. Again though, I stand by my previous comment, I believe I am worth every penny I make. While the job I do is not for everyone, there is a very high (70%) failure rate for candidates who just cannot make the grade and end up failing out of training. Again, I should know because at a few points during training I could have been a statistic. Thankfully after countless discussions with managers and trainers I was able to refocus and adequately demonstrate my learned abilities to be certified. This was not a simple process. I don't ever recall having such a difficult time during training, this training was different. I won't comment on the unions and their proposal for a 3% raise. Would it be nice? Sure, it would. Can I live without it, yup. I am more worried about medical benefits and retirement more so than giving concessions for a 3% raise of a proposed 2 year period. We all know the economy will turn around and the current situation will get better for everyone. Hopefully I don't find myself walking a line with a sign in my hands because that is the last place I expect to be. I would much rather be at work, helping patrons get to work by keeping all the trains moving. |
| W6ONV on Sunday 28 June 2009 - 13:22:14 | Read/Post Comment: 0 |
| The BigIR has Arrived! |
| I was actually preparing to show when I heard the doorbell ring and then a UPS truck drive away from the front of the house. A fleeting thought went though my mind, "wonder if that was my SteppIR being delivered?" I sort of wrote it off because I had not received any confirmation e-mail from LeAnn at SteppIR regarding processing my order for the actual antenna. I was surprised when the XYL came into the bathroom and told me I had just received two big boxes. Hot damn! My antenna arrived! I told her I had upgraded the current antenna and was selling the 6-BTV. I have a nice starter setup to sell with an IC-718, Z-100 tuner and the 6-BTV. Any takers? I have been thumbing through the instructions I printed off their site for about 2 months now, as well as referring to other installs by hams who own the BigIR MkIII. I spent two days a few weeks back finishing up the mounting post and radial system. Unfortunately, I am trying to figure out the best way to bury the control cables and the coax. Eyeballing the run distance, it's approximately 50-70' depending on the direction I go. Not sure I cam make a straight run, as some of the conduit would end up under (or on top) of the patio. Right now the shack is located on the second story, in a spare bedroom. Future plans include a detached shack in the backyard about 25' across from the antenna. Unfortunately, I cannot get the shack built right now, so I must make some concessions and make the cables run to the second story bedroom. Whatever I do, I will most likely end up pulling some 16 radials (my 40' radials) in order to dig a trench in the grass. It would run approximately 16' east, make a turn south for another 16' before going vertical into the floor of the second story. Not the optimal install, but you must work with what you have. The SteppIR has already set me back some $1300, this includes the 80m coil, which I have received mixed reviews about. Originally I did not intend on purchasing it, but if I didn't do it now, I probably would have passed on it altogether. A new shack will set me back at least $1800 and this does not include the electrical work that needs to be accomplished or insulating the inside and putting up drywall or the famed faux wood paneling. So the interim decision is to use the "shack" I currently have until I get the new one built. Even if the cables are run in conduit above ground I am sure I will be just fine, depending on how I route it to the radio. Regardless, I am thrilled to finally have the antenna and look forward to the next step in the process. |
| W6ONV on Friday 26 June 2009 - 15:09:16 | Read/Post Comment: 0 |
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