All-Time #MLBRank, Nos. 10-1
1. Babe Ruth
4. Ted Williams
5. Barry Bonds
6. Mickey Mantle
7. Lou Gehrig
8. Ty Cobb
10. Stan Musial
Complete list (ESPN.com)
Friday, July 29, 2016
It's Worth The Money
For CA$14,900, This 1999 Mercedes Benz C43 Estate Might Be Another Reason To Move To Canada
(Jalopnik.com)
(Jalopnik.com)
Thursday, July 28, 2016
This Makes Watching The 2016 - 2017 Season Worth It
Jets' Marshall challenges Steelers' Brown to luxury car wager
LATROBE, Pa. -- Antonio Brown is shaking off Brandon Marshall's challenge like a cornerback.
After Marshall bet a new Porsche that he'll have more yards than Brown in 2016, the NFL's reception king said the 32-year-old Marshall must need some PR.
"He too old to be doing that," Brown, 28, told TMZ Sports.
Standing in front of a white Porsche -- the new sponsor of the New York Jets -- Marshall said on an Instagram video he'll give up the car if Brown outdistances him in receiving yards, but "if I have more receiving yards than you, you've got to give me the Rolls-Royce." Brown is scheduled to drive a Steelers-inspired Rolls-Royce Wraith into training camp Thursday.
Marshall recorded 1,502 yards last season, which was 332 short of Brown's 1,834.
"The RR (Rolls-Royce) is about $100K up (from the Porsche value)," Brown told TMZ. "If he really serious, call me ... I'll gladly accept. Don't Internet it."
Perhaps Marshall should have used scoring as the criterion. Last season, Marshall caught a career-high 14 touchdown passes, four more than Brown.
(ESPN.com)
LATROBE, Pa. -- Antonio Brown is shaking off Brandon Marshall's challenge like a cornerback.
After Marshall bet a new Porsche that he'll have more yards than Brown in 2016, the NFL's reception king said the 32-year-old Marshall must need some PR.
"He too old to be doing that," Brown, 28, told TMZ Sports.
Standing in front of a white Porsche -- the new sponsor of the New York Jets -- Marshall said on an Instagram video he'll give up the car if Brown outdistances him in receiving yards, but "if I have more receiving yards than you, you've got to give me the Rolls-Royce." Brown is scheduled to drive a Steelers-inspired Rolls-Royce Wraith into training camp Thursday.
Marshall recorded 1,502 yards last season, which was 332 short of Brown's 1,834.
"The RR (Rolls-Royce) is about $100K up (from the Porsche value)," Brown told TMZ. "If he really serious, call me ... I'll gladly accept. Don't Internet it."
Perhaps Marshall should have used scoring as the criterion. Last season, Marshall caught a career-high 14 touchdown passes, four more than Brown.
(ESPN.com)
How To Get Rejected By Ford
The Ford GT Rejection Letter Is The Saddest Thing In The World
Thank you for your interest in purchasing a Ford GT!(Jalopnik.com)
We are thrilled that you share our passion for performance and the all-new Ford GT.
The demand for Ford GT from enthusiasts like you has surpassed our very limited production. Unfortunately, we do not have enough Ford GTs to fulfill your request at this time.
We have confirmed our Ford GT production plans for only two years. However, if additional production is confirmed, you application information will remain in your profile for easy updating.
Meanwhile, we encourage you to stay connected to the latest announcements, news and information through our website: www.fordgt.com.
Thank you, again, for your passion for our all-new supercar.
Regards,
The Ford GT Team
I Want The Car Simply For The Air Jacks
The new BMW M4 GT4 carries the factory-prepped race torch
Race-ready out of the box.
The GT4 spec is the lowest class of FIA GT racing. It's meant for amateur racers, and as such the regulations are quite strict. Every car must have at least one amateur driver, and the rules as to what constitutes as an amateur are very specific and clear. Aside from BMW, Aston Martin, Porsche, and Toyota all field cars in GT4 spec races.
Like the M3 GT4, the new version of the M4 comes from the factory homologated to FIA GT4 spec. BMW says the M4 GT4 will use the standard coupe's 425 horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six cylinder engine, including the electronics – the outgoing M3 GT4 used the standard car's 420 hp, high-revving, 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated V8. The new car will also pull bits like a carbon fiber hood from the M4 GTS.
Specific details like weights or fluid capacities haven't been revealed, nor has the transmission been confirmed. It's unclear if the M4 will be heavier than the smaller outgoing M3, which weighed slightly over 3,000 lbs. Expect things like built-in air jacks, a roll cage, lightweight seats, and other race-ready parts to carry over.
The M4 GT4 will start testing at the end of 2016 in preparation for a 2018 debut. Customers with who can't wait can purchase one of BMW's other race-ready offerings.
(AutoBlog.com)
Race-ready out of the box.
The GT4 spec is the lowest class of FIA GT racing. It's meant for amateur racers, and as such the regulations are quite strict. Every car must have at least one amateur driver, and the rules as to what constitutes as an amateur are very specific and clear. Aside from BMW, Aston Martin, Porsche, and Toyota all field cars in GT4 spec races.
Like the M3 GT4, the new version of the M4 comes from the factory homologated to FIA GT4 spec. BMW says the M4 GT4 will use the standard coupe's 425 horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six cylinder engine, including the electronics – the outgoing M3 GT4 used the standard car's 420 hp, high-revving, 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated V8. The new car will also pull bits like a carbon fiber hood from the M4 GTS.
Specific details like weights or fluid capacities haven't been revealed, nor has the transmission been confirmed. It's unclear if the M4 will be heavier than the smaller outgoing M3, which weighed slightly over 3,000 lbs. Expect things like built-in air jacks, a roll cage, lightweight seats, and other race-ready parts to carry over.
The M4 GT4 will start testing at the end of 2016 in preparation for a 2018 debut. Customers with who can't wait can purchase one of BMW's other race-ready offerings.
(AutoBlog.com)
This Clears Up Nothing
Why do gas stations still put 0.9 cents on a gallon of gas?
Q: What on earth is the rationale for gas stations to list their prices to include 0.9 cents at the end? When gas was 29 cents a gallon (I remember paying 19.9 in Texas in 1968) the fractional cent might have made sense. Now it doesn't, so why keep implying that $2.39.9 a gallon is not essentially the same as $2.40?
— M.W., Glen Ellyn
A: That fraction of a penny goes back a lot further than 1968. Try 1918 or thereabouts, when a penny went a lot further, too. Around the time of the Great Depression, the federal government tacked a 1.5 cents per gallon tax on the stuff. Since times were already tough enough, gasoline retailers used the tried-and-true marketing trick of using the 0.9 instead of whole cents and it has been thus ever since.
(Yahoo.com)
Q: What on earth is the rationale for gas stations to list their prices to include 0.9 cents at the end? When gas was 29 cents a gallon (I remember paying 19.9 in Texas in 1968) the fractional cent might have made sense. Now it doesn't, so why keep implying that $2.39.9 a gallon is not essentially the same as $2.40?
— M.W., Glen Ellyn
A: That fraction of a penny goes back a lot further than 1968. Try 1918 or thereabouts, when a penny went a lot further, too. Around the time of the Great Depression, the federal government tacked a 1.5 cents per gallon tax on the stuff. Since times were already tough enough, gasoline retailers used the tried-and-true marketing trick of using the 0.9 instead of whole cents and it has been thus ever since.
(Yahoo.com)
A Different Kind Of Job Security
Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong, is
not allowed to bike to work because his safety is too important to
Nintendo
As Miyamoto’s role at Nintendo evolved and became increasingly important to the company’s bottom line, they began to grow more protective of him. He used to walk or ride a bicycle to work—but they eventually insisted he ride in a car to offset the potential for being clipped by a passing motorist.
17 Fascinating Facts About Nintendo Legend Shigeru Miyamoto
(CavemanCircus.com)
As Miyamoto’s role at Nintendo evolved and became increasingly important to the company’s bottom line, they began to grow more protective of him. He used to walk or ride a bicycle to work—but they eventually insisted he ride in a car to offset the potential for being clipped by a passing motorist.
17 Fascinating Facts About Nintendo Legend Shigeru Miyamoto
(CavemanCircus.com)
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
May He Remain The Only 1 Ever To Do This
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- The par-5 17th at Baltusrol Golf Club is a terror. It measures 650-plus yards and only one pro, John Daly during the 1993 PGA Championship, has hit the green in two shots during a tournament. Others have tried — GOLF.com camped at the 17th on Tuesday to see how the pros are playing it — but with no luck.
(Golf.com)
(Golf.com)
I Totally Agree
Under Armour Unveiled New Football Uniforms For A Few College Teams And Notre Dame’s Is A F’n Head Scratcher
(BroBible.com)
(BroBible.com)
I'd Take This Over the M4 GTS
BMW's New M5 Is Ultra-Exclusive And Packs An Insane 600 Horsepower
The
20” forged wheels are the first of the upgrades on the package. The car
is also lowered 0.4 inches and rests on stiffer dampers. Track prowess
is exacerbated by an active M differential that’s been updated to ensure
proper traction given the power upgrade. Even the M Dynamic mode gets a
software update to make the Dynamic Stability Control system play nice
with the special edition model, but carbon ceramic brakes come standard
in case the extra power proves to be too much.
Only 50 will be made so even if you had the money it'd be tough to get one.
Those
who were itching to write a check for an exclusive $130,000 BMW were
left disappointed when it was announced that all 700 units of the magical water-injected
M4 GTS were sold out. Thankfully BMW still wants fans to write it
checks, so it put its M Division engineers back to work to cook up the
hottest “high performance business sedan” to appease wealthy buyers who
enjoy bragging about their cars over cigars. Dubbed the Pure Metal
Silver Limited Edition, the car is based on the M5 sedan.
In
this special guise, the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 gets a 40
horsepower and 16 lb-ft of torque boost over its standard sibling to
yield 600 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. This unit sits in front of
a seven-speed M transmission with two clutches enabling the transfer of
kinetic energy. BMW estimates that the power boost will get the lardy
sedan from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, 0.1 seconds quicker than the
everyman M5. If the driver doesn’t relent, this M5 will keep on
rampaging up to 190 mph, an increase of 35 mph over the normal M5’s top
speed thanks to the M Driver’s Package that comes standard on this
special edition. Also included in the price premium is an enhanced
version of the M Competition package for track days.
That's A Damn Good Question
Preps to pros: Was Kevin Garnett the best prospect to make NBA jump?
Future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett is reportedly contemplating retirement ahead of his 22nd season, according to NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner. The Big Ticket, who won an NBA championship in 2008 with the Boston Celtics and league MVP honors in 2004 with the Minnesota Timberwolves, is among the best prep-to-pro NBA players of all-time.
Drafted No. 5 overall by the T-Wolves in 1995 out of Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, Illi., KG went on to become one of the game’s most accomplished big men. His skills have diminished significantly at 40 years old with more than 50,000 regular season minutes on the odometer, but he’s one of the last remaining relics of stars drafted in the 1990s following the retirement of both Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. While Garnett’s decision to play another year seems up in the air at this juncture, his legacy has already been solidified.
(SI.com)
Future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett is reportedly contemplating retirement ahead of his 22nd season, according to NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner. The Big Ticket, who won an NBA championship in 2008 with the Boston Celtics and league MVP honors in 2004 with the Minnesota Timberwolves, is among the best prep-to-pro NBA players of all-time.
Drafted No. 5 overall by the T-Wolves in 1995 out of Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, Illi., KG went on to become one of the game’s most accomplished big men. His skills have diminished significantly at 40 years old with more than 50,000 regular season minutes on the odometer, but he’s one of the last remaining relics of stars drafted in the 1990s following the retirement of both Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. While Garnett’s decision to play another year seems up in the air at this juncture, his legacy has already been solidified.
(SI.com)
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
An The Winner Is . . . . .
PGA Championship: Byeong Hun An hits 347-yard drive to win Long Drive Competition
Byeong Hun An’s 347-yard drive on Hole No. 1 of the Lower Course of Baltusrol Golf Club rolled past both Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (345 yards) and Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts (341 yards), to capture the 2016 Long Drive Competition at the 98th PGA Championship.
An’s tee shot was the longest drive in this competition since Andy Franks’ 346-yard drive in 1982, at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
(PGA.com)
Byeong Hun An’s 347-yard drive on Hole No. 1 of the Lower Course of Baltusrol Golf Club rolled past both Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (345 yards) and Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts (341 yards), to capture the 2016 Long Drive Competition at the 98th PGA Championship.
An’s tee shot was the longest drive in this competition since Andy Franks’ 346-yard drive in 1982, at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
(PGA.com)
How Is Disneyland Not The #1 Tourist Trap?
The Definitive Ranking of L.A.’s Tourist Traps
10. Disneyland
10. Disneyland
- Located just south of L.A. in Anaheim, Disneyland may technically be in Orange County but the pull of Mickey Mouse, Space Mountain (ahem, Hyperspace Mountain) and cotton candy is strong, and makes the short distance feel nominal for both tourists and locals. Sure, some criticize the high costs, lines and crowds — but none of Disneyland's pitfalls can outweigh the sheer magic of this amusement park experience. Whether you’re getting dizzy on the Teacups or getting dizzy on tropical drinks at California Adventure's Cove Bar, it's fun as hell for kids and grownups alike, even if you'll have to elbow a few Midwestern tourists along the way. 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim. disneyland.disney.go.com.
Nice One, Porsche
The Secret Message Porsche Left For Honda In A 911 GT3 Test Car
When Acura was developing the NSX in its Ohio plant, it assessed the steering on a Porsche 911 GT3 after buying one just like any other customer would, NSX vehicle dynamics project leader Nick Robinson told Automotive News.
However, after the GT3 was recalled to repair an issue with the connecting rods, Porsche engineers were somehow able to figure out who bought the car after going through the information in its black box.
Robinson recalled that Porsche sent back the GT3 with a message under the engine cover that read: “Good luck Honda from Porsche. See you on the other side.”
(Jalopnik.com)
Most everyone knows that automakers buy
competitors’ cars to test and take apart to see how they can make their
better and faster. But when Porsche caught Honda in the act, they left a
sassy little note.
However, after the GT3 was recalled to repair an issue with the connecting rods, Porsche engineers were somehow able to figure out who bought the car after going through the information in its black box.
(Jalopnik.com)
I Finally Understand This & It's Helped My Scores
The Formidable 3-Wood vs. The Indomitable Driver
In reality, a well hit 3-wood will go farther and more accurately than a poorly hit driver.
(GolfWRX.com)
In reality, a well hit 3-wood will go farther and more accurately than a poorly hit driver.
(GolfWRX.com)
Not Anymore
The GREAT Debate: Is Reliability OVERRATED? Can You Have Something FUN And RELIABLE?
For an enthusiast that would mean having an incredibly fast, capable, emotional and reliable vehicle.
(AutoSpies.com)
In an ideal world, we’d all like to have our cake and eat it too.
In reality, that’s just not possible.
Typically, the best automakers can deliver on three-fourths of those requests. One, and in some cases two, always get dropped.
(AutoSpies.com)
Monday, July 25, 2016
Did They Choose The Right Pair From Your Team? - NL Edition
Picking best Hall of Fame position player/pitcher pair for each NL team
Los Angeles Dodgers
Position Player: Jackie Robinson (1947–56)
Pitcher: Sandy Koufax (1955–66)
Robinson boldly crashed through the game's longstanding color barrier in 1947 and sparked the Dodgers to six pennants in 10 seasons, including their only championship in Brooklyn in '55. In that 10-season span, only Stan Musial and Ted Williams outdid his 61.5 WAR, and nobody outdid his courage. Koufax, meanwhile, took a while to harness his control, but from 1962 to '66, he put together one of the most dominant runs in pitching history. He lead the NL in ERA five straight times, threw four no-hitters, won three Cy Young awards, helped the Dodgers to three championships and set a single-season strikeout record (382 in 1965) before walking away at age 30 due to arthritis in his left elbow.
Complete list (SI.com)
Los Angeles Dodgers
Position Player: Jackie Robinson (1947–56)
Pitcher: Sandy Koufax (1955–66)
Robinson boldly crashed through the game's longstanding color barrier in 1947 and sparked the Dodgers to six pennants in 10 seasons, including their only championship in Brooklyn in '55. In that 10-season span, only Stan Musial and Ted Williams outdid his 61.5 WAR, and nobody outdid his courage. Koufax, meanwhile, took a while to harness his control, but from 1962 to '66, he put together one of the most dominant runs in pitching history. He lead the NL in ERA five straight times, threw four no-hitters, won three Cy Young awards, helped the Dodgers to three championships and set a single-season strikeout record (382 in 1965) before walking away at age 30 due to arthritis in his left elbow.
Complete list (SI.com)
Some Simple Course Etiquette To Follow
10 Unwritten Rules of Golf Etiquette
6. No talking during a no-hitter
If you’re a baseball fan, you know that you should never talk to a pitcher who’s throwing a perfect game or no-hitter, as to not disrupt him while he’s “in the zone.”
The same goes for golfers, but it’s even worse. For golfers, zones are particularly fragile, and any mention of performance, swing thoughts or score can be destructive.
So if a golfer just hit the first six fairways of the day, don’t ask something like, “How are you hitting all of these fairways today?” Chances are, they’ll snipe the next tee shot way left. And if they’re clearly playing better than their handicap suggests, they’re either sandbagging, or know exactly how well they’re playing that day. Don’t disturb them by saying, “Hey, you’re playing pretty well today, eh? Is this the best you’ve ever shot?” If it turns out they screw up their potential best round ever, you can bet they’ll be blaming you and your question when the round is over.
Also, don’t ever say this: “Hey, do you know you only need a bogey to break 80. Have you ever broken 80 before?” No they haven’t broken 80 before, and they won’t today because now it’s in their head.
8. Show some love
On the flip side, if your playing partner is faced with a difficult shot — maybe they need to hit a towering shot over a tree to a green guarded by water — and they pull it off, make sure to say something more than “nice shot.” Especially if you’re the one who said “nice shot” when that same player hit a semi-chunk from 100 yards on the hole before.
Since the mind of a golfer is fragile, it doesn’t hurt to stroke their ego a bit when they hit an amazing shot. The golf clap was invented for this reason.
Complete list (GolfWRX.com)
6. No talking during a no-hitter
If you’re a baseball fan, you know that you should never talk to a pitcher who’s throwing a perfect game or no-hitter, as to not disrupt him while he’s “in the zone.”
The same goes for golfers, but it’s even worse. For golfers, zones are particularly fragile, and any mention of performance, swing thoughts or score can be destructive.
So if a golfer just hit the first six fairways of the day, don’t ask something like, “How are you hitting all of these fairways today?” Chances are, they’ll snipe the next tee shot way left. And if they’re clearly playing better than their handicap suggests, they’re either sandbagging, or know exactly how well they’re playing that day. Don’t disturb them by saying, “Hey, you’re playing pretty well today, eh? Is this the best you’ve ever shot?” If it turns out they screw up their potential best round ever, you can bet they’ll be blaming you and your question when the round is over.
Also, don’t ever say this: “Hey, do you know you only need a bogey to break 80. Have you ever broken 80 before?” No they haven’t broken 80 before, and they won’t today because now it’s in their head.
8. Show some love
On the flip side, if your playing partner is faced with a difficult shot — maybe they need to hit a towering shot over a tree to a green guarded by water — and they pull it off, make sure to say something more than “nice shot.” Especially if you’re the one who said “nice shot” when that same player hit a semi-chunk from 100 yards on the hole before.
Since the mind of a golfer is fragile, it doesn’t hurt to stroke their ego a bit when they hit an amazing shot. The golf clap was invented for this reason.
Complete list (GolfWRX.com)
The Used P - Car Market Remains Suprisingly Strong
Used Porsche 911 Rs are selling for nearly $1.3 million
Don't act surprised.
Some cars are just born to be collector's items. Prices of Porsches of all years and styles have started to rise in recent years, particularly air-cooled 911s, but the 911 R seems to take the cake. Used ones are trading hands for almost $1.3 million on the used car market.
For a car that sold new for $185,950, that's quite a steep markup. In fact, at seven times the original MSRP, high-end car finance company Magnitude Finance told Motoring Research that it may be an appreciation record.
Porsche only built 991 911 Rs. The number is a reference to the current 991 chassis code for this generation of the 911. When it was announced, it was heralded as the purists 911: a lightweight special equipped with a manual transmission and backed by the 4.0 liter flat-six from the GT3 RS.
It's hard to say if this is a trend or simply an anomaly. The car hasn't been on sale for long, so few have publicly changed hands. Hopefully the next 911 GT3 will satiate those who desire a driver focused 911 experience at a slightly more reasonable price point.
(AutoBlog.com)
Don't act surprised.
Some cars are just born to be collector's items. Prices of Porsches of all years and styles have started to rise in recent years, particularly air-cooled 911s, but the 911 R seems to take the cake. Used ones are trading hands for almost $1.3 million on the used car market.
For a car that sold new for $185,950, that's quite a steep markup. In fact, at seven times the original MSRP, high-end car finance company Magnitude Finance told Motoring Research that it may be an appreciation record.
Porsche only built 991 911 Rs. The number is a reference to the current 991 chassis code for this generation of the 911. When it was announced, it was heralded as the purists 911: a lightweight special equipped with a manual transmission and backed by the 4.0 liter flat-six from the GT3 RS.
It's hard to say if this is a trend or simply an anomaly. The car hasn't been on sale for long, so few have publicly changed hands. Hopefully the next 911 GT3 will satiate those who desire a driver focused 911 experience at a slightly more reasonable price point.
(AutoBlog.com)
This Explains So Much
Scientists have a fascinating theory to explain why smart people should spend less time with friends
One of the study authors previously proposed that intelligence is the ability to adapt to novel environments — i.e., environments that would have freaked out our ancestors. So highly intelligent people aren't as bothered by living in über-crowded communities or by spending time alone.
(BusinessInsider.com)
One of the study authors previously proposed that intelligence is the ability to adapt to novel environments — i.e., environments that would have freaked out our ancestors. So highly intelligent people aren't as bothered by living in über-crowded communities or by spending time alone.
(BusinessInsider.com)
Friday, July 22, 2016
Dodger Pitchers Own 2 Hallowed MLB Records
The Dodgers and baseball’s unbreakable streaks
Fifty-nine. Eighty-four.
Those numbers represent [two] of baseball’s most unbeatable streaks — Orel Hershiser’s scoreless-innings run, Eric Gagné’s consecutive saves record
(MLBBlogs.com)
Fifty-nine. Eighty-four.
Those numbers represent [two] of baseball’s most unbeatable streaks — Orel Hershiser’s scoreless-innings run, Eric Gagné’s consecutive saves record
(MLBBlogs.com)
I'm Surprised It's Still For Sale
Michael Schumacher's Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Wagon Up for Sale
Spending more than $133,000 on a used-up, two-decade old Mercedes station wagon with around 123,000 miles on it might seem ridiculous. Then again, most Mercedes wagons aren't Michael Schumacher's 1998 Mercedes E55 AMG.
A dealer in Berlin, Germany is hoping the Formula One driver's famous name will allow them to sell the wagon for more than ten times the normal price of a late-Nineties, W210 Mercedes E55 AMG.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
You Won't Believe Where These Are Stored At
Look At This Amazing Collection of Historic Cars Inside A Japanese Shopping Mall
More pictures (Jalopnik.com)
More pictures (Jalopnik.com)
More Proof That It Takes Money To Make Money
MIT students found out that by buying $600,000 worth of lottery
tickets from Massachusetts’ Cash WinAll lottery they could get a 10-15%
return on investment. In 5 years they managed to game $8 million out of
the lottery through this method. (article)
They were so successful in their caper that they were eventually able to quit their day jobs and bring in investors to front the money they needed to purchase the requisite number of lottery tickets. Several other syndicates sprang up to capitalize on the Cash WinFall loopholes, but the MIT group remained one of the most successful and innovative. By 2005, the group had earned almost $8 million with its system, according to an investigation by the Boston Globe. By 2010, it had figured out how to win the entire jackpot in a single drawing.
(CavemanCircus.com)
They were so successful in their caper that they were eventually able to quit their day jobs and bring in investors to front the money they needed to purchase the requisite number of lottery tickets. Several other syndicates sprang up to capitalize on the Cash WinFall loopholes, but the MIT group remained one of the most successful and innovative. By 2005, the group had earned almost $8 million with its system, according to an investigation by the Boston Globe. By 2010, it had figured out how to win the entire jackpot in a single drawing.
(CavemanCircus.com)
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Why You Don't Mess With Coach K
Mic’d Up Coach K Gets Caught Telling Kyrie Irving ‘F*ck You’ For Interrupting Team USA Practice
During his short time at Duke, Kyrie Irving probably learned that it’s not a good idea to mess with Mike Krzyzewski’s practice sessions.
During yesterday’s Team USA practice, Kyrie decided to goof around and interrupted practice while Coach K was attempting to coach the team which led to Krzyzewski telling the Cavs superstar to fuck off.
Thankfully, the NBATV mics were on hand to pick up the hilarious exchange.
Video link (BroBible.com)
During his short time at Duke, Kyrie Irving probably learned that it’s not a good idea to mess with Mike Krzyzewski’s practice sessions.
During yesterday’s Team USA practice, Kyrie decided to goof around and interrupted practice while Coach K was attempting to coach the team which led to Krzyzewski telling the Cavs superstar to fuck off.
Thankfully, the NBATV mics were on hand to pick up the hilarious exchange.
Video link (BroBible.com)
2016 Offseason Team Review - Los Angeles Kings
Kings on lookout for more offense
With Milan Lucic leaving as free agent, Los Angeles must spread scoring
The Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014 and advanced to the Western Conference Final in 2013. But since winning the championship two years ago, they have failed to get past the first round; after failing to qualify for the postseason in 2014-15, the Kings lost to the San Jose Sharks in five games in the first round last season.
The good news for the Kings is they still have Vezina Trophy finalist Jonathan Quick and Selke Trophy winner Anze Kopitar, their new captain, who has led them in scoring nine straight seasons.
Defense rarely is a problem for the Kings, with Norris Trophy winner Drew Doughty leading the way. They allowed the third-fewest goals per game last season but were 14th in the League in goals scored. They won too many games 3-2 or 2-1. They didn't make many moves on offense but are hoping to spread the scoring more this season.
(NHL.com)
With Milan Lucic leaving as free agent, Los Angeles must spread scoring
The Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014 and advanced to the Western Conference Final in 2013. But since winning the championship two years ago, they have failed to get past the first round; after failing to qualify for the postseason in 2014-15, the Kings lost to the San Jose Sharks in five games in the first round last season.
The good news for the Kings is they still have Vezina Trophy finalist Jonathan Quick and Selke Trophy winner Anze Kopitar, their new captain, who has led them in scoring nine straight seasons.
Defense rarely is a problem for the Kings, with Norris Trophy winner Drew Doughty leading the way. They allowed the third-fewest goals per game last season but were 14th in the League in goals scored. They won too many games 3-2 or 2-1. They didn't make many moves on offense but are hoping to spread the scoring more this season.
(NHL.com)
Did They Choose The Right Pair From Your Team? - AL Edition
Picking best Hall of Fame position player/pitcher pair for each AL team
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
As for position players: Someday, Mike Trout could rank as the Angels' signature Hall of Famer, but until then, the spot is occupied by Carew, who spent the last seven seasons of his career in Anaheim. There, he made six All-Star teams and two postseason appearances and collected his 3,000th hit in 1985.
Complete list (SI.com)
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Position Player: Rod Carew, 1B (1979–85)
- Pitcher: Nolan Ryan (1972–79)
As for position players: Someday, Mike Trout could rank as the Angels' signature Hall of Famer, but until then, the spot is occupied by Carew, who spent the last seven seasons of his career in Anaheim. There, he made six All-Star teams and two postseason appearances and collected his 3,000th hit in 1985.
Complete list (SI.com)
Midsummer NHL Power Rankings - SI.com
2. San Jose Sharks
- The Stanley Cup finalists are deeper and faster with the addition of speedy winger Mikkel Boedker. If keeper Martin Jones can match his playoff performance, they'll be the favorites to claim the Pacific Division.
9. Anaheim Ducks
- There's lots to like about the defending Pacific champs, but still so many questions to be answered. Randy Carlyle brings a new voice, but is he really an improvement on Bruce Boudreau? Can Cam Fowler be flipped for a top-six left winger? If not, who steps up to fill the role? Nick Ritchie and Mason Raymond won't cut it.
10. Los Angeles Kings
- After the Kings blew a 16-point lead over the Ducks, then bowed out meekly in the first round to the Sharks, there was pressure on GM Dean Lombardi to pump new life into this roster. Instead, cap issues cost L.A. top-six winger Milan Lucic and the best option to patch over the holes on defense was Canadiens castoff Tom Gilbert. That's not going to get it done.
Did You Know - Geoducks Edition
Everything You Need to Know About Geoducks
What is a geoduck?
First off, it's pronounced "gooey duck." Contrary to what one might think, it's not related to a duck at all. The Nisqually — a Native American tribe located in western Washington — coined the term gweduc, meaning "dig deep" and referring to the way this bivalve burrows far below the seafloor. Europeans later reinterpreted the native spelling and pronunciation.
(Eater.com)
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Did You Know - Absolut Vodka Edition
17 Things You Didn't Know About Absolut Vodka
4. [A]merica has become the Swedish company's largest market
- Forty-five percent of it, in fact. Absolut's Åhus distillery cranks out half a million bottles a day just to satisfy the needs of American vodka enthusiasts.
5. There's a real geographical area called the "Vodka Belt"
- The area, which has Scandinavia at its western edge and also includes Russia and much of Eastern Europe, makes up the core of the vodka-producing world. Longstanding protectors of tradition, Vodka Belt countries only recognize spirits distilled from grain or potatoes as real vodka (sorry Diddy).
Monday, July 18, 2016
He's Not Mad 1 Bit For Losing This Bet
Bet's a bet: Henrik Stenson's win means caddie has to quit smoking
Gareth Lord, Stenson's caddie, made a different type of bet on his player. And it's one that's going to cost Lord dearly.
Gareth Lord, Stenson's caddie, made a different type of bet on his player. And it's one that's going to cost Lord dearly.
According
to Golf Digest's Tim Rosaforte, Lord and Stenson entered into a wager a
year ago: If Stenson won a major, Lord would have to quit smoking. A
bet Stenson kept Lord apprised of during the Open's final round.
On
the seventh hole at Troon, Lord, nervous at the building tension, lit a
cigarette. Upon seeing this, Stenson turned to his looper and remarked,
"You better enjoy that. You have about two and a half hours left."
Goalies Made A Name For Themselves In 2016
Evgeny Kuznetsov tops NHL Network's breakout players
3. Martin Jones, G, San Jose Sharks
Jones won the Stanley Cup as Jonathan Quick's backup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, but played 34 games in his first two NHL seasons. After he was traded to the Boston Bruins and then to the Sharks before the 2015 draft, Jones became a starter for the first time in his NHL career and was outstanding.
Jones, 26, went 37-23-4 with a 2.27 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and six shutouts in 65 games. He finished third in the League in wins, ninth in save percentage and tied for second in shutouts. Jones helped the Sharks to the their first Stanley Cup Final, going 14-10 with a 2.16 GAA, .923 save percentage and three shutouts in 24 playoff games.
5. Matt Murray, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
Murray, who turned 22 during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, topped off his rookie season by helping to lead the Penguins to the championship. He went 15-6 with a 2.08 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and one shutout in the playoffs, allowing two goals or fewer in 13 of 21 starts.
During the regular season, the highly-touted prospect was recalled several times from Wilkes/Barre-Scranton of the American Hockey League and went 9-2-1 in 13 games with a 2.00 GAA and a .930 save percentage.
7. John Gibson, G, Anaheim Ducks
In his third season with the Ducks, Gibson started nearly half of their games (38) and had a 21-13-4 record with four shutouts. Gibson also had a 2.07 GAA, tied for second among qualifying goaltenders, and a .920 save percentage.
Gibson allowed two goals or fewer in 26 of 40 appearances and had winning streaks of four and five games during the regular season. He made two starts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
(NHL.com)
3. Martin Jones, G, San Jose Sharks
Jones won the Stanley Cup as Jonathan Quick's backup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, but played 34 games in his first two NHL seasons. After he was traded to the Boston Bruins and then to the Sharks before the 2015 draft, Jones became a starter for the first time in his NHL career and was outstanding.
Jones, 26, went 37-23-4 with a 2.27 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and six shutouts in 65 games. He finished third in the League in wins, ninth in save percentage and tied for second in shutouts. Jones helped the Sharks to the their first Stanley Cup Final, going 14-10 with a 2.16 GAA, .923 save percentage and three shutouts in 24 playoff games.
5. Matt Murray, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
Murray, who turned 22 during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, topped off his rookie season by helping to lead the Penguins to the championship. He went 15-6 with a 2.08 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and one shutout in the playoffs, allowing two goals or fewer in 13 of 21 starts.
During the regular season, the highly-touted prospect was recalled several times from Wilkes/Barre-Scranton of the American Hockey League and went 9-2-1 in 13 games with a 2.00 GAA and a .930 save percentage.
7. John Gibson, G, Anaheim Ducks
In his third season with the Ducks, Gibson started nearly half of their games (38) and had a 21-13-4 record with four shutouts. Gibson also had a 2.07 GAA, tied for second among qualifying goaltenders, and a .920 save percentage.
Gibson allowed two goals or fewer in 26 of 40 appearances and had winning streaks of four and five games during the regular season. He made two starts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
(NHL.com)
Seriously? All This Just To Service The Car?
Dealers Will Have To Go Through Hell To Service The New Ford GT
Servicing the new Ford GT seems like a total nightmare based on an article from All Ford Mustangs, which claims to have a Ford internal memo detailing what dealers have to go through to do even basic work on the sexy GT. The hurdles include requiring a special clean room, transporting the cars to and from clients on $30,000 trailers, and flying in “doctors” from Canada for major repairs. Clearly, this car is kind of a big deal.
All Ford Mustangs says only a select few certified dealerships will be able to service the GT, and only Master Ford technicians with training from Multimatic—the Canada-based company that assembles the GT—will be able to turn a wrench on the hypercars.
Though All Ford Mustangs says that “in unique circumstances the certified technician may be required to perform repairs at the clients home,” most of the time, the cars will need to be serviced at dealerships. And to get the cars there, dealers will have to drop $30,000 on specialized enclosed trailers, which they’ll use to pick up the cars from clients’ homes or workplaces.
Once the car is at the dealership, it must be covered and kept in a special “clean room work area,” which will be off-limits to anyone but the Ford GT-certified Ford master techs and “Ford GT Designated member of service management”—who also happen to be the only two people allowed to drive the car while it’s in the shop.
But even once the car is in the clean room, those certified master techs can only conduct basic repairs. As soon as a GT needs major work, a Multimatic “fly-in doctor” will have to swoop in to the dealership and save the day.
Then there are the really serious repair jobs, like body work, major powertrain rebuilds, and fixes that require “splitting the back half of the car from the main vehicle tub assembly.” Those jobs, called “Group 3" repairs, will require the car to be transported to a Multimatic repair facility.
Clearly, fixing these things isn’t exactly straightforward.
But that’s not all. In addition to the approximately $30,000 that they’ll have to spend on a trailer, All Ford Mustangs says certified dealerships also need to spend approximately $1,500 on four GoJak 4520 wheel lift dollies (to lift the carbon-fiber monocoque) and about $700 on a transmission jack adapter.
On top of all of the money they have to spend and all of the
provisions they need to make in their shops in order to service the GT,
Ford dealers will also have to have someone on their management team who
is “directly reachable at all times should they be required to receive
the car after hours and store it inside the building for the sake of
safety.”
So, not only are dealerships going to have to spend lots of money, pick up and drop off cars, train their technicians, and fly in specialists from Canada, but they’re also going to lose sleep. That’s rough.
(Jalopnik.com)
Servicing the new Ford GT seems like a total nightmare based on an article from All Ford Mustangs, which claims to have a Ford internal memo detailing what dealers have to go through to do even basic work on the sexy GT. The hurdles include requiring a special clean room, transporting the cars to and from clients on $30,000 trailers, and flying in “doctors” from Canada for major repairs. Clearly, this car is kind of a big deal.
All Ford Mustangs says only a select few certified dealerships will be able to service the GT, and only Master Ford technicians with training from Multimatic—the Canada-based company that assembles the GT—will be able to turn a wrench on the hypercars.
Though All Ford Mustangs says that “in unique circumstances the certified technician may be required to perform repairs at the clients home,” most of the time, the cars will need to be serviced at dealerships. And to get the cars there, dealers will have to drop $30,000 on specialized enclosed trailers, which they’ll use to pick up the cars from clients’ homes or workplaces.
Once the car is at the dealership, it must be covered and kept in a special “clean room work area,” which will be off-limits to anyone but the Ford GT-certified Ford master techs and “Ford GT Designated member of service management”—who also happen to be the only two people allowed to drive the car while it’s in the shop.
But even once the car is in the clean room, those certified master techs can only conduct basic repairs. As soon as a GT needs major work, a Multimatic “fly-in doctor” will have to swoop in to the dealership and save the day.
Then there are the really serious repair jobs, like body work, major powertrain rebuilds, and fixes that require “splitting the back half of the car from the main vehicle tub assembly.” Those jobs, called “Group 3" repairs, will require the car to be transported to a Multimatic repair facility.
Clearly, fixing these things isn’t exactly straightforward.
But that’s not all. In addition to the approximately $30,000 that they’ll have to spend on a trailer, All Ford Mustangs says certified dealerships also need to spend approximately $1,500 on four GoJak 4520 wheel lift dollies (to lift the carbon-fiber monocoque) and about $700 on a transmission jack adapter.
So, not only are dealerships going to have to spend lots of money, pick up and drop off cars, train their technicians, and fly in specialists from Canada, but they’re also going to lose sleep. That’s rough.
(Jalopnik.com)
This Is Great Road Trip Driving Advice
Here's What No One Tells You About Driving 180 MPH On The Autobahn
During the fuel-destroying run, I did manage to best the manufacturer’s top speed figure by a marginal amount, but it didn’t actually result in me realistically getting to my destination any sooner.
The others in my four car group, driving mechanically identical cars, managed to accelerate to a formidable 150 mph and stay there for most of the journey, shifting to higher gears and remaining at a reasonable RPM, while I was accelerating like a frantic idiot. Their brisk pace gave them half a tank of usable premium fuel left, but my car was pleading with me to take it to the next fuel station before it gave me the silent treatment. I beat them to the scheduled stop by about 10 minutes, but managed to kill sixty Euros worth of fuel and took twice as long to refuel. It was also likely that they didn’t blow past unassuming trucks at a closing speed deemed unsurvivable in a crash, and may have probably been a bit better off had something catastrophic occurred.
This is the exact reason why planes don’t fly at top speed all the time, it’s because cruising speed matters in terms of fuel management, cost, and safety[.]
(Jalopnik.com)
During the fuel-destroying run, I did manage to best the manufacturer’s top speed figure by a marginal amount, but it didn’t actually result in me realistically getting to my destination any sooner.
The others in my four car group, driving mechanically identical cars, managed to accelerate to a formidable 150 mph and stay there for most of the journey, shifting to higher gears and remaining at a reasonable RPM, while I was accelerating like a frantic idiot. Their brisk pace gave them half a tank of usable premium fuel left, but my car was pleading with me to take it to the next fuel station before it gave me the silent treatment. I beat them to the scheduled stop by about 10 minutes, but managed to kill sixty Euros worth of fuel and took twice as long to refuel. It was also likely that they didn’t blow past unassuming trucks at a closing speed deemed unsurvivable in a crash, and may have probably been a bit better off had something catastrophic occurred.
This is the exact reason why planes don’t fly at top speed all the time, it’s because cruising speed matters in terms of fuel management, cost, and safety[.]
(Jalopnik.com)
Hallelujah!
Government abandons 54.5-mpg CAFE standard
Turns out, the 2025 CAFE standard wasn't a mandate, but an estimate.
Not for lack of trying, but the US auto industry isn't going to hit the government's 54.5-mile-per-gallon fleet average fuel economy target. While the industry has made dramatic strides to improve its fleet-wide efficiency, it's the American consumer's infatuation with pickups, SUVs, and crossovers in the face of affordable gas that's sinking fuel-sipping efforts.
That's according to a report from Automotive News (and former Autoblog Editor-in-Chief Sharon Silke Carty), which claims that regulators are abandoning the 54.5-mpg minimum, due to come into effect in 2025. The EPA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and California Air Resources Board made the announcement in the latest Technical Assessment Report draft.
During a conference call with AN and other reporters about the report, government officials said the 2025 mandate isn't actually a mandate, but an estimate of where the auto industry could be in nine years. The EPA's original 2025 standard expected cars to make up two thirds of the new vehicles sold that year, while trucks, crossovers, and SUVs represented just a third of MY2025 sales. But with consumers buying the latter in increasing quantity, the original percentages simply were not realistic.
(AutoBlog.com)
Turns out, the 2025 CAFE standard wasn't a mandate, but an estimate.
Not for lack of trying, but the US auto industry isn't going to hit the government's 54.5-mile-per-gallon fleet average fuel economy target. While the industry has made dramatic strides to improve its fleet-wide efficiency, it's the American consumer's infatuation with pickups, SUVs, and crossovers in the face of affordable gas that's sinking fuel-sipping efforts.
That's according to a report from Automotive News (and former Autoblog Editor-in-Chief Sharon Silke Carty), which claims that regulators are abandoning the 54.5-mpg minimum, due to come into effect in 2025. The EPA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and California Air Resources Board made the announcement in the latest Technical Assessment Report draft.
During a conference call with AN and other reporters about the report, government officials said the 2025 mandate isn't actually a mandate, but an estimate of where the auto industry could be in nine years. The EPA's original 2025 standard expected cars to make up two thirds of the new vehicles sold that year, while trucks, crossovers, and SUVs represented just a third of MY2025 sales. But with consumers buying the latter in increasing quantity, the original percentages simply were not realistic.
(AutoBlog.com)
Real Life Hidden Treasures
Top automotive barn finds in recent history
The single most outstanding barn find of our time was arguably the Baillon collection.
It was assembled by one Roger Baillon, head of a French transport
company, who put them in a series of sheds on his property in western
France in the 1950s, '60s, and '70s, and left them there for the decades
since. The collection included Bugattis, Ferraris, Maseratis, Hispano-Suizas, and more, in various states of disrepair.
The Baillon collection was found just a couple of years ago and consigned to French auction house Artcurial, which sold dozens of them early last year. Most notable were the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider that sold for a record $18.5 million, a '56 Maserati A6G that went for $2.2 million, and a '49 Talbot-Lago T26 that fetched $1.9 million – all well above their pre-sale estimates and contributing to an overall take of $28.5 million.
This last barn find wasn't found in a barn at all. Like the “condo-find” Ferrari, this one was right in the heart of the city, and included a staggering array of European machinery – mostly from Germany.
In the scrap yard out back behind Porche (sic) Foreign Auto on South Alameda Street in Los Angeles, Town & Country magazine discovered, in various states of repair, dozens of Porsche 911s, a handful of Lamborghini Miuras, a rare Horch roadster once owned by Eva Braun, and most notably, a rather unique Mercedes. The 500K of 1935 vintage was built specially for Benz's legendary Silver Arrow grand prix racer Rudolf Caracciola, and was estimated to be worth eight figures.
The Baillon Collection
The Baillon collection was found just a couple of years ago and consigned to French auction house Artcurial, which sold dozens of them early last year. Most notable were the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider that sold for a record $18.5 million, a '56 Maserati A6G that went for $2.2 million, and a '49 Talbot-Lago T26 that fetched $1.9 million – all well above their pre-sale estimates and contributing to an overall take of $28.5 million.
Rusty Germans in South Central LA
In the scrap yard out back behind Porche (sic) Foreign Auto on South Alameda Street in Los Angeles, Town & Country magazine discovered, in various states of repair, dozens of Porsche 911s, a handful of Lamborghini Miuras, a rare Horch roadster once owned by Eva Braun, and most notably, a rather unique Mercedes. The 500K of 1935 vintage was built specially for Benz's legendary Silver Arrow grand prix racer Rudolf Caracciola, and was estimated to be worth eight figures.
Complete list (AutoBlog.com)
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