by Matt | Apr 2, 2014 | Aggravation, Web
In case you haven’t noticed, or are reading this through a RSS feed reader, the blog got a little update today. There were a bunch of reasons why, but primarily for security. The theme I had been using was full of security holes and old depreciated plugins. I had dodged a couple previous bullets with people trying to hack in but this time I wasn’t so lucky. Someone exploited a PHP hole and injected some evilness into one of my plugins. My host caught it nearly immediately, but in the 3 minutes it was there the person turned off notifications (so I would get emails about new users), registered themselves as an admin, and injected code into just about a half dozen PHP files. I spent most of today cleaning up the mess.
The real kicker is that my passwords are strong, unique, and 30+ characters. My passwords are all different and never reused. WordPress itself was completely up to date, as were the major of the plugins I use. It was the old theme that let them in. They exploited the only hole they could find. Let that be a lesson, nothing is 100%. I installed a couple additional plugins as well, just to help things a long. A security suite that actively bans IP ranges with failed login attempts, as well as one for traffic monitoring and a service for cloud backups.
That leads us to the theme, which is new. Among other things, it allows for some newer bells and whistles. The Cards page now has dropdowns for the sections and the About page has a little CSS trickery, to name a few. I’ll be messing with it more over time.
That’s all for now.
by Matt | Oct 23, 2013 | Aggravation, Baseball, Personal, Red Sox
With Game 1 of the World Series starting in mere hours, I had a few things I wanted to get off my chest.
For starters, the reaction of most in the baseball community thus far has been that this series isn’t unique, or interesting. Most people couldn’t have picked two less interesting teams to be playing in the fall classic. Clearly, I’m going to disagree with that entire notion, but I also realize that I “have a horse in this race”, so my thoughts towards it are going to be a bit skewed.
I myself would have preferred a Dodgers or Pirates vs. Red Sox World Series. I think those more historic match-ups would have been more interesting. But, interesting to who? Does the St. Louis fan base deserve a title shot less than Los Angeles or Pittsburgh or Atlanta? Numbers wise, there are less fans of the Pirates nation wide than there are of the Cardinals. Does that discount what they did this season? Of course not.
That’s also the entire point of playoffs; to determine finalists. So, when people say “this World Series is going to suck, I’m not watching it”, simply because their team isn’t in it, it’s doing a disservice to the entire sport. If you’re a fan of baseball, in general, you should enjoy at least a little bit of this series. These are the two best and/or luckiest teams in baseball, for October of 2013, whichever way you choose to look at it. There may have been better teams in June, or August, but this is October. There are great players on both sides. Exciting line ups, great hitters, remarkable closers. This should be very interesting to watch. It’s ok to “not like” the teams playing, but you should be able to at least appreciate the talent on both sides for what it is.
So, don’t give me this Debby Downer crap about how this series will suck, I’m tired of it. You don’t like the teams? Fine. But don’t tell me it will be “bad baseball”, because that’s just a flat out lie.
I also have a huge issue with cocky ass Red Sox fans. Yeah, you heard me. I have issues with my own team’s fan base. Every pink beard I see in the stands makes me want to hit people. Every idiot who thinks “we deserve this” and “this is our year” is incredibly misguided. These are the fans that jumped on board in 2004, NOT the fans that were crying in 2003. I’m old enough to have watched several “curse filled” self-destructions, several post-season endings that didn’t go our way, and to remember the pain of each and every one of them. Most people won’t understand it, but bonding through shared grief is a real thing. I remember watching in ’86 and wondering why my dad, my uncle, and my neighbors were so upset. Now I understand. I saw it and felt it first hand.
That didn’t get wiped away in 2004. For all we know, as Red Sox fans, 2004 and 2007 were complete freak accidents, but ones that went our way for a change. It could very well be another 86 years before we raise another World Series banner. ANY Red Sox fan that tells you otherwise doesn’t understand their history. Any cocky, sideways hat wearing, fake beard buying, douche-canoe from Gloucester, MA that says “We got this, this is our year” is a fucking idiot. On behalf of true Red Sox fans, I apologize for “those” people. If that’s the impression you’ve received online or in person, please disregard anything they said.
I also have to take issue with major sports media. Apparently they didn’t get the match up they wanted, so outside of Boston based media, I’ve yet to actually hear any coverage of the World Series. An entire two hours of sports radio/tv this morning, on THE major network for such things, was devoted to college football happening THIS SATURDAY. There were analysts, experts, call in guests, all talking about Oregon football. Fuck you. No, seriously, fuck you. That’s ridiculous. I’m sorry, it is. I don’t know anything else to call it. We’re on the eve of a major sporting event and it’s being entirely ignored. That says something about the state of the game and it’s relationship to national media. We are so far removed from “America’s Pastime” now, we should really just stop using that expression.
I’m so glad I live in a society were I can get BETTING numbers from nationally syndicated hosts, but can’t get a single thought on the World Series with the exception of the commercials for it on the same exact station. Sadly, it’s not just radio, the TV coverage is even worse. The single saving grace is that this is Tim McPumpkinhead’s last year. I’m sure they’ll find someone equally aggravating to replace him, but at the very least they won’t be unabashingly obvious Cardinals fans. They’ve almost over-compensated this year. They were making things up, Madden style, during the ALCS, just to have something to fill the dead air with. I swear I heard one of them say “the team the scores the most runs usually wins”.
I digress. All this is merely pent up anxiety over all sorts of things, both baseball and non-baseball related. I’ll save the non-baseball for another time.
In the end, I’m going to enjoy watching this series. Win or lose, the Red Sox have proven that with hardwork, and copious amounts of facial hair, you can recover from a fairly dismal season. They’ve exceeded all preseason expectations, and for that I’m already considering this a successful year.
I hope you all enjoy watching it. I hope, even if you don’t have a team in the series, that you can find something to root for, even if it’s merely baseball itself.
I don’t make predictions, they’re always wrong, but I know my team is hard working, scrappy, and very very clutch, I hope that’s enough to bring another one home.
Go Sox!
by Matt | Jun 24, 2013 | Aggravation
On Friday, I won 5 auctions from the same ebay seller. $0.01 each. $2.75 for shipping, FOR EACH. The seller won’t combine shipping, despite it being listed as part of the auction. Ebay CS told me that sellers don’t have to combine shipping, and aren’t obligated to do so, and it’s nothing they can reprimand them for. I totally understand not combining shipping on larger items (video games, clothes, etc), but we all know these are baseball cards. They could all fit within a single envelope, with hardly any additional weight. So, what would you do?
Pay the shipping and give them five 1-star ratings? Not pay and tell them to go stuff it and take the negative feedback? $14 isn’t the end of the world, but it’s sort of the principle of the thing on this one.
by Matt | May 24, 2013 | Aggravation
I was checking on the status of three un-shipped (and still pending!) auto redemptions from 2012 Bowman Platinum and decided, on a whim, to click over to the main Topps website. They had a banner up for “The Chase” thing they’re doing for the main Flagship set and I logged in. I had put in 3 or 4 codes before the season started and I was wondering how it even worked.
I had all sorts of trouble actually adding people to a roster to try and get a streak, but that’s not what this post is about. This post is about this little nugget in the “How to Play” section…
SELECT YOUR HITTER CAREFULLY– IF YOUR PLAYER DOES NOT GET A HIT, THEN YOU LOSE THAT PLAYER FROM YOUR ROSTER. You will only be able to pick that player again if you have another “copy” of that specific player or if you unlock that player again with another code card.
WTF? So, wait… Wait just a damn minute. A code, that you bought, to unlock a player, for a game, will be LOST if that player doesn’t get a hit in real life? Are you fucking mental Topps? What kind of bullshit is that?
You know that “Beat the Streak” is a thing, right? It’s a fantasy game that people play. The MLB even has an official one, FOR FREE, for a chance to will millions of dollars, and not some bullshit coin card set from you.
You’re taking away peoples unlocked players? Wow. I think we’ve found the bottom Topps. You can’t really get much lower than that.
Please tell me no one is actually participating in this bullshit!
by Matt | Mar 25, 2013 | Aggravation
I learned this morning that SCAD has completely dismantled their baseball program. The 2012 season was their last and there will be no more SCAD baseball or softball going forward. Apparently they did the same for basketball a couple years back as well. In all honesty, Division III ball in the Florida Sun Conference isn’t exactly top-level, but they were fun to watch. The rumors surrounding the closing of the program involve, and no one from SCAD will be surprised at this, the President’s daughter becoming head of the “Equestrian Team” and the funding for those horse-jumpers surpassing all other SCAD sports combined. The “official” reason is that it helps reallocate money to the scholarship fund and that baseball, being the largest sport, was easier to cut that a lot of smaller programs combined (cross country running, golf, etc). I don’t buy it.
The sad part is that the SCAD baseball program was actually pretty good, even for being in a crappy division. They routinely competed in the playoffs, they had multiple players on All-Star teams, and they even had two players drafted. Ryan Pope, currently playing for the Yankee’s Double-A team, the Trenton Thunder. And Charlie Zink, minor league knuckleballer for the Red Sox, then Angels and free agent released in 2011.
I might have to pick up a Pope and Zink card, or even auto if they exist, just to say I collect something from the old alma mater. What I really want to know is where the baseball jerseys ended up? My brother tells me that all the jerseys they had at Dartmouth, they had to routinely turn back in, and weren’t allowed to keep, but they could keep their hats. I can only presume it’s similar for SCAD, especially with them being such cheapskates. I would love to get my hands on one. I bet you anything they’re sitting in a closet in the Athletic Directors office somewhere, just going to waste. That also reminds me, I can’t get a decent fucking SCAD hat anywhere. Right before we graduated, they switched companies and eFollett, those text book assholes, took over the out-sourcing of our college tshirts, hats, coffee mugs, etc. Now I can only get cheap, generic “campus” style hats from the bookstore. I really wanted one of the nice, pro-style, wool hats with the bees logo.
Edit: It’s come to my attention that this post is actually #1 on Google if you search for “SCAD Baseball Jersey” and #7 if you search for just “SCAD Baseball”. That said, hopefully someone from SCAD and/or any alumni that have old baseball jerseys will see this. If you’re either of those things, please contact me. I’d be very interested in getting my hands on a jersey for old times sake.
by Matt | Mar 18, 2013 | Aggravation, Baseball
With the beginning of the season right around the corner, and the “season ticket holders first” bullshit embargo finally over with buying tickets, I took a look at getting some seats to all the Astros vs Red Sox games this year. I had heard on the radio that they had artificially inflated the prices of the Red Sox, Yankees and Rangers games since they figured they would draw larger crowds, and that people were pissed, but I hadn’t heard any prices. Sadly (and this isn’t a slight against Houston fans, just Houston management), they didn’t realize that Astros fans just weren’t willing (yet) to shell out that kind of cash for tickets. If you’re used to paying less than $30 a ticket for the past decade or so, you’re not going to shell out $400 suddenly, just because a particular AL team is in town. Case in point.
I don’t sit in the outfield at Astros games. I don’t. There just isn’t any reason to. I hate to sound like a snob, but if I’m going to a game, and can get seats along 1st/3rd for under $30, why would I pay $7.50 to sit where I can’t see the game? $30 isn’t breaking the bank, and for me going to a game is a treat. A treat I’m willing to pay for. Now, that’s the direct result of having the Astros as my local team. Back home in Boston, there simply aren’t any seats available near the infield, and certainly not for less than $100, it just doesn’t happen. Hell, to get season tickets someone has to die. Literally. There’s a waiting list. I’ve sat out in the bleachers at Fenway for most of my life, so, this isn’t a slight at the seats either. It’s FUN out there. I like it.
Minute Maid park is the complete opposite. I take full advantage of the low ticket prices and I treat myself to a good seat. This move to the American League might bring some more of the “fan favorite” teams to town, but Houston ownership needs to realize people won’t pay THOSE prices. Sure, add $20 to a ticket. I get that. A $30 seat becomes $50. I’d still buy it. $450 a ticket? No, no, nope, nupe, noooope. Not going to happen.
That’s a MONDAY NIGHT game as well. That’s a “leave work early and sit in traffic” game. That’s just not going to happen.
I think I might actually wait a bit. I have until August. I’m guessing with the Astros perceived level of play this year, and the Red Sox equally mediocre predictions, that those ticket prices are just high because the season hasn’t started yet. It’s going to feel damn good to sit next to people in August, knowing that I got a ticket for a tenth of what some sucker is paying this week… if those suckers exist. I doubt too many people are jumping on $400 tickets this year. Please keep is real Astros front office! You might be in the AL now, but you’ve got a long way to go before we’re dropping $462.35 on a ticket. Just saying.
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