Softball: Ruminations on a Work in Progress
Dear People,
My team disposed of Mike Davey’s with a certain insensate efficiency, 17-10. Still, his floundering contingent had only themselves to blame, what with their most fearsome hitters—Jonathon, Dave Ross and Michael himself— all swinging away with the raw unbridled power of pre-pubescent grazing deer.
In all candor, it was a disturbing display of the occasionally stark gap between performance and potential, and if you must know, it got me thinking of an article I read last week about exciting advances that Japanese scientists have recently made in human robotics. I refer you to the following, where we can see first hand how the convergence of athletic passion, artificial intelligence and delightfully fake skinage may soon transform our own little experiment in aerobic democracy:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1073609/Unveiled-Robogirl--human-like-robot-created.html
Now look, I’m not saying that I think Robogirl should already be added to the roster (as cute as she is), or that she should immediately replace occasional underperformers like the Daveyator. The hard scientific reality is that it may be weeks or even months before she has the necessary hand-eye coordination, and regardless, her English is still utterly incomprehensible unless you happen to understand quasi-fluent Japabot.
Nevertheless, this is no time for emotional correctness, for one fine day, non-carbon-based aerobinoids will be hitting harder and fielding better than our finest homosapian people-players! So yeah, I suppose one could just “accept” that we’ll always have to rely on great athletes who sporadically suck, but my guess is that for all of you reading this, the future of unaffiliated email-organized sport lies with the subtle androidic grace of Robogirl and her ilk. And therefore there will be a game at Codornices this Sunday at 11, IF I get enough commits by this Friday morning…Ray
11/20/08
Softball: Confirmatory Evidence of a Roster Renewed (and Other Stuff)
Dear People,
There will be a game at Codornices this Sunday at 11AM, and as of now, it is full. As always, you are welcome to contact me later for word of reopened slots, and of course, if you committed and need to cancel, please let me know ASAP.
This week’s field fee is $3, but in fairness, that includes all taxes, gratuities and court fees….Raymond
PS: You Need a Master in Sales and Marketing!…
My beloved friend Charles, a constant in my life since the halcyon days of our Santa Monica youth (circa 1973, when we first dabbled in weed and rocked out to early Aerosmith, Foghat and The Carpenters), would like to offer you a brief but powerful pitch:
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It was the worst of times. It was the age of foolishness. We had nothing before us. These gloomy phrases, dear softball friends, were pulled from Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. They aptly reflect what the global financial crisis has wrought worldwide, and alas, for some of us personally. Indeed, I was laid off recently from a marketing/sales management position and, like the huddled masses who landed on America’s shore a century ago, find myself in need of work.
So softball brethren, players of great and small ability alike, I am swinging away in the hope that one or more among you can lend a hand. More specifically, if you know of anyone hiring in sales, marketing or communications, please email me at charlesr90@yahoo.com or call Charles Robins at 510-520-1133.
And perhaps for one hungry soul, you can make a difference as well as restore the balance to a classic piece of English literature. For our times, Charles Dickens was right: This is (or should be) the Best of Times, The Ages of Wisdom and a time when everything is before us. Thank you!
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PPS: For those of you who, like Charles, are going through tough economic times, or even worse, failed to grab a slot for this week’s game before it was too late, I offer you some wise and tuneful solace:
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo
PPPS: Word on the street (God, how I love that expression) is that Tom O’s group will be playing their own game when you arrive. Do not be frightened; They are benign and kindly and will make way for us when we’re ready to start.
PPPPS: Let’s make it a twofer….
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=9DkqU-uWojc