Sports!

It's one thing to say that the Redskins nickname is offensive.  It's quite another to suggest replacement nicknames that are offensively bad.

ESPN is standing by Chris Broussard (for now) after his comments about Jason Collins.

This was a close call.  Even so, it would have been better if she had someone to swat the ball away...

If you're looking into real estate, how about this place?  Or this place?

Responses:

2. I think that's right.  Most conservatives object to the philosophy behind the environmentalist movement more than environmentalism itself.  I like clean parks, clean air, and clean water, and I don't object on a principled basis to reducing emissions, but don't shut down the economy to do it.  I read this book and really liked it because it took this approach.

5. I have a little.  There are fewer homeless people on my walk from Farragut West to the office now than when I was paralegal.  Maybe half as many.  That's obviously not a huge sample size.

7. What's racist about giving you a high-five?  Also, I think the term "second-generation immigrant" is incorrect.  I'm pretty sure you're a natural-born citizen and not an immigrant.

8. This makes me less likely to support gay rights...

Also:

1. The comments about Tebow not being very good were there (reread what I said; I never said his teammates didn't say anything bad about him), but since when do players get press coverage for being below average?  To wit, how much did you know about Jason Collins before he came out?

4. You would not be invited to the white prom because the white parents would not know or like your parents and thus would not invite you.  So you would go to the integrated prom, or as it will be known in a couple of years at that school, the prom.

5. Are there cruises to Alaska in October?

B

after a hiatus

the upright app?

another article about a study that seems a little questionable about methodology but i guess i can't argue too much with it. i also don't like buying things that proclaim too much about their environmental-ness.

i don't care what they say - i'm conservative and i like to reuse things

may have posted this before but just for my reference

i'm not sure i've actually noticed this phenomenon

the gibson and sundresses?

of course we are. that last sentence was pretty racist.

is this supposed to be applauded?

well, i believe in the headline

responses
1. i do remember the media trumpeting anonymous sources saying that tebow was not very good. i'm pretty sure that source might be named "mark sanchez" but it's not completely true that no one said bad things about him.

2.  i'm probably more willing to read about rg3 doing anything as opposed to other people doing big things.

3. but why is gas cheaper in arlington than in the real suburbs? the question remains.

4. terrible and strange. i guess i would have to go to the black prom?

5. i can't go on a cruise in the summer. but how about october?

The Jets will suffer for eternity for their damnable crimes.

The New York Jets have released Tim Tebow.  I don't understand why there is a circus around Tim Tebow.  Every report from teammates (especially in Denver, but also in New York) had him being a great teammate, a hard worker, a humble guy, and a good leader (in Denver anyway).  It's unfortunate that the media "can't get enough" of covering Tim Tebow's every waking moment because it means that it'll be harder for Tim Tebow to get a job.  Since he's a UF guy I can't get too bent out of shape, but still.

Because this is apparently news.

I kinda noticed this too - I don't like it.

This reminds me of what I was suggesting about race earlier.

Here's an idea.

Just FYI, our billing cycle ends on the 22nd of each month.  I'll probably monitor the account to see how our usage looks, but you should definitely feel free to use the data plan as much as you like.  I check my email, use Gchat (you can download the app IMO if you want to Gchat from your iPhone), download podcasts, get real-time directions, and even download app updates while at work, and I have yet to cross even the 1-GB threshold.  (We should get an email when we hit 50% usage.)  Your usage will probably grow as you use your iPhone for more and more things, and it's a comfort thing, but I guess I just mean to say that if you ever find yourself thinking, "Hmm, that might be too big," and it's not because you're trying to decide whether to download a seriously gigantic file, then just go for it and it should be fine.

Limited responses:

1.  I felt dirtier reading the sugar daddy article than I thought I would.  I really hope that this is not where personal relationships are headed.

3.  Maybe the ideal is finding someone to join you on your ambitious road, i.e. a power couple?

5.  Bring your camera to NYC.

6.  We probably could have used this clip after the heavy episode yesterday.

12.  I'll probably hold onto the laptop until the end of the year, and then it's all yours.

B

this might not be allowed

But you know I had 2 drafts on the backburner. Plus, if you're like me, you enjoy reading our blog posts.

I've been reading some articles about feminism and I stumbled upon this and I don't know what to think.

thinking beyond gay marriage already

the search for happiness always

thumbs up

will try to work on my photography in many different ways

let's watch this later as an antidote to mad men

i called verizon and they said that if you added another line, the contracts would be completely separate from each other.

i read tlo's mad men recap.  they said the scenes between dawn and her friend were weird because mad men needs black writers. i don't know how that would change anything.

there are plastic wrap covered cake pops downstairs because of earth day, which was yesterday. i don't really understand it but i got a coconut flavored one.

i don't really understand these ag gag laws.  well i guess i do, but this article did a poor job of explaining it.  it seems that if you're filming animal abuse - wouldn't you want to get that tape to authorities pretty quickly? but i guess somehow it keeps people from recording videos. in any case, it's just another example of how people understand the right to free speech as long as you are pro- or indifferent towards gay marriage.

noooooooooooo!

i rethought it and if you get a new macbook, i can take your old one.  if no one in your family or circle of friends has a more pressing need for it or something. my pro is turning 6 this year

We just hired a staff attorney - UVA Law '11.

Buying an iPhone 5

Current prices for the 16-GB iPhone 5 are as follows:

Unlocked: $649.99
With 2-year contract: $199.99
One-time activation fee: ~$36
If you buy the 16-GB version from Verizon Wireless:

Share Everything Plan: $40/month
Data Plan of 1 GB/month: $50/month (you can add 1 GB for $10/month extra if 1 GB is insufficient)
Total: $90/month plus taxes

If you buy from AT&T:

Nation Plan: $39.99/month
This includes 450 anytime voice minutes, 5,000 minutes on nights and weekends, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes.
Data Plan of 3 GB/month: $30/month (you can go down to 300 MB for $10/month less)
Total: $69.99/month plus taxes

If you buy from T-Mobile, their pricing strategy is somewhat different.  Essentially, you are buying the phone unlocked for $579.99 (which is cheaper), but you can choose to "finance" the phone over the course of two years by paying $99.99 up front and then paying $20/month for two years.  They are effectively giving you a two-year loan of $480 payable in 24 installments at 0% interest.  They do not have reduced-price phones if you sign up for a two-year plan.  That said, they have three plans to choose from, all of which come with unlimited talk and text (the variable being the data plan):

500 MB/month: $50/month plus taxes
2 GB/month: $60/month plus taxes
Unlimited: $70/month plus taxes

If you buy from Sprint:

Everything Data Plan: $79.99/month
This includes 450 minutes, unlimited messaging, and unlimited data.
Sprint also takes $100 off if you transfer your number.

For a two-year cycle, here is the total cost you're looking at (assuming you pick the 2-year contract for Verizon Wireless and AT&T):

Verizon Wireless:

$209.99 - phone (plus tax)
$35 - one-time activation fee
$2,332.80 - 24 monthly payments
Total: $2,577.79

AT&T:

$209.99 - phone (plus tax)
$36 - one-time activation fee
$1,814.14 - 24 monthly payments
Total: $2,060.13

T-Mobile:

$608.99 - phone (plus tax)
$35 - one-time activation fee (currently being waived)
$1,555.20 - 24 monthly payments (note: you are not locked into a 2-year contract)
Total: $2,165.19

Sprint:
$104.99 - phone (minus discount, plus tax)
$36 - one-time activation fee
$2,073.34 - 24 monthly payments
Total: $2,214.33

On price, the main issues with the Verizon Wireless plan are that 1) my plan (which is cheaper than this) is no longer available and 2) under the Share Everything Plan, you really need to have not just other people on your plan, but other people who use data.  Otherwise it's a waste of money (though note that it's only $21.57/month more than AT&T, which is the cheapest).

Another consideration is data usage.  I checked my data usage, and my average over the last six months is about 1 GB/month.  This month will be closer to 0.6 GB.  That said, 1) I tend to travel more than you, and I use more data then, and 2) I use my phone for personal email while at work, whereas you have the option to use your computer or work Blackberry.  It's probably a good idea to start with the 1 or 2-GB plan since overage charges are killer, but if you want to ease into it, you can usually save about $10/month if you go down to the 300-500-MB data plan.  Some carriers do not have this option, though.

Aside from price, one final consideration is coverage.  I don't have any good links (here's one, and this might be useful), but most of what I've read in reviews and the like says that Verizon is hands down the best carrier in DC.  Since the iPhone 5 uses 4G, there is some merit to this issue because 4G is not quite as ubiquitous as 3G or plain voice service yet.  Also, the Metro can still be a little spotty for some services.  You'll never get reception when you're under the Potomac River, but I find that my iPhone 4S (Verizon) does better than my Blackberry (AT&T) when I'm on the Metro.  I think AT&T is probably in second place, though.  And there is likely a bit of a drop-off for the other services.

B

Maybe you should just read Grantland yourself.

They produced a Youtube collection of Tom Cruise.

They also talk about TV a lot, and we talk about TV a lot.

This is probably not a reason why you should read Grantland, but it is a reason I do.

Apparently the cupcake fad is coming to an end.

You might be interested in this.

This could be easier than planning a trip to South America.

B

Finally, My Mad Men Recap

I could never write something like this because I would never think about some of the connections and issues they bring up.  Then two thoughts come to my mind: 1) they're just making stuff up, and 2) I have no idea what's going on in the worlds of art and media.  Of course, I rarely watch shows more than once.  Alan Sepinwall said on Bill Simmons's podcast that he did not like the season premiere that much, and then he watched it again and thought it was fantastic.  Due to space restraints on my DVR, we will not be doing that this season.  (But I would like to rewatch the show after it finally ends.)

Articles like this are nice because they try to discover answers to interesting and important societal tensions and issues without resorting to claims of invidious discrimination.  I wonder what the answer to his question towards the bottom is:  if women at second-tier business schools had more financial aid, would they work less?  If the answer is yes, then that has pretty serious implications for the debate over equal pay and the like.

How many of the things on this list do you do?  I do 10/16.

This is a tough question on which I am ambivalent.  On the one hand, it seems like a fairly minor incursion on your freedom to have to stick the switchblade in your checked luggage.  On the other hand, we have to pay $25 minimum to check a bag now.

Responses to "butter, beer, cake, picnic":

1. I would believe it for Land o' Lakes, despite the fact that I buy it over store brand.  That said, recall the study about how people enjoy wine more if they pay more for it, even if they can't appreciate better wine.

2. This story seems too obvious... Would the taste of beer trigger a desire to drink other kinds of alcohol?

4. That sounds like fun.

Responses to "speaking of puppies":

1. I'm not confused about what to do - burn him at the stake.

A puppy will have to wait, sadly.  I'm always a little jealous when someone gets on the elevator with a cute doggy to go for a walk, though.

B

butter, beer, cake, picnic

didya know? although i still don't think the butter thing is true.

mmm beer

mm cake

picnic at the tidal basin on sunday?

speaking of puppies

who would do that to a puppy?

one puppy's happy ending

spring cleaning on the mind. but i would never throw out a puppy.

this might be a lame idea or it might be a great one.  i know you want a puppy but your schedule is erratic right now but how would you feel about volunteering at the local shelter? or we could just peruse the available puppies - so cute!

interesting theory.  do puppies get allergies?

totally unrelated to puppies
“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” —Rick Warren 

responses to your responses
4. see it later. 
5. i had to look up FOMO, even though i know i've looked it up before. to me, it always reads as "foaming at the mouth."
7. why hate rand paul? he is kinda like a goofy dad tho.
10. i think they make the same things with cheaper material. so if it was plastic before, now it's made out of cardboard. =P i looked at an article today from the wsj saying that jcpenney will be even harder to turn around now since the ousted ceo disdained jcpenney's in-house brands, so those brands laid of a lot of people that they might not be able to get back. also jcpenney itself has lost a lot of people.

Ready for Round Two?

Psy is back with his second single.  Get pumped, I guess.  (I thought it was catchy.)

Round 2 at the Masters has not been kind to Guan Tianlang.

Some people actually think that Happy Endings deserves a second chance, however unlikely ABC is to grant it.  But maybe USA?

This might make Columbia Pike a more desirable place to live - I hope Virginia can find a way to do it without federal funding.

Responses:

1. I'd rather have nothing (though maybe that is the point, since that too would be eco-friendly).  Also, it looks as though the models in the first picture are pooping out the furniture.

2. I did - we'll see what they discovered...

3. Styx will never be part of my yoga experience.  Actually, none of those songs will.  I went to a yoga class recently, and the music was essentially this lady's playlist - 80s and 90s soft to medium rock.  There were even a couple of songs I liked - but not while doing yoga.  Also, she was fat.  I know I'm no lightweight, but I'm also not a yoga instructor, and if you're supposed to look to your instructor as the ideal, then I think nachos and beer are more enjoyable than downward dog and lead to the same place.

4. My firm's web filter blocked that page.  Speaking of stupid internet things, I can't see the full Mint website at work anymore because my browser is too far out of date.  I also can't access Tuition.io.

5. I saw an article just like this a few months ago.  It's a Generation Y problem, especially FOMO

6. This is why 1) a national gun registry would be needed for this to be effective, 2) organizations like the NRA think that a national gun registry is next, and 3) the NRA opposes expanded background checks.

7. Many of my (liberal - though some conservative) friends especially hate Rand Paul, but I like him because he puts himself out there.  It's the same reason I like Paul Ryan.

8. Sometimes I think you forget about that incident.

9. The target one room thing is absolutely true.  I would tell myself over the weekend that my one goal was to get the kitchen clean (or the living room, or the bathroom), and I didn't have to worry about the fact that the rest of my apartment was in shambles.  And now it isn't.

10. Are these supposed to be loss leaders, or were the other stores just severely overcharging everyone?

B

perfectly symmetrical

yeah, pretty sure i would never be this eco-friendly

remember to call your maintenance people about your ceiling.

morning yoga playlist with ...styx?

it's the anticipation that's killing me

telling it like it is

true

i like that rand paul is trying

thanks again for saving me from that softball

ideas for cleaning - oh how exciting

this would not be normally interesting to you - actually it wouldn't be interesting to you at all.  but they ousted the CEO and i'm wondering where JCPenney is going to turn out and how it's going to get there. seems like everyone is trying out the Target model?

responses:

i say we put a month-long-moratorium on things that people get offended at. it makes me sad about america.

response to the couch comment: i saw now that we had couches AND somewhat nicely furnished apartments. they're exclusive of each other. =P but your couch isn't bad.  your apartment - strangely -has a little retro vibe to it.  your couch looks kinda 70's especially with the zigzag Missoni-esque pillows, the dressers seems like a 60's or 70's style and you have a record player.  all in all, more stylish and more mad men than before. all you need is a wet bar.

that mcdonalds ad was weird for this reason - are they getting rid of the big mac? if not, then why would you be sad?

i dunno - i thought the irwin joke was funny but the reeves jokes at the broncos was not. well, i mean it was funny but it also hurt a little too.  i guess better than funny or die where i'd just die and not laugh even a little.

the meghan mccain - ann coulter thing is stupid. we need new conservative women role models.

we can start up with tennis again.  find a court. and now that i'm less busy, maybe i'll fix up the ol' chicken and dumpling logo.

i'm better looking than matt ryan. =P

Thin Skin

I don't like a lot that comes out of McDonald's, but this ad was funny.

Everybody needs to calm down.  There is nothing wrong with a good Steve Irwin joke.

You're going to tell a world-renowned neurosurgeon to go away because you don't like what he said about gay marriage?  Your loss.

You may not be that eager to take Ann Coulter's side, but Meghan McCain needs some cheese with that whine.

I can understand firing the coach (though I can also understand fining him and giving him a 3-game suspension and seeing if he actually changes his behavior, which could also work and not destroy a man's livelihood), but you have to fire the Athletic Director for not firing the coach fast enough?  And you have to fire the school's lawyer for not recommending the coach's termination?  And you have to fire the assistant coach for (likely) following orders so he didn't get fired for insubordination or else blackballed for being a snitch (btw, that's a real thing)?  And the whole time, the actual players who were allegedly harmed by this behavior are not even that troubled by it?

Everybody needs to calm down.

Responses to "on beauty":

1. That makes sense.  I think you can strengthen your "willpower" muscle over time.

2. I don't know where to buy bean leaves.

3. I've wanted to go to Chile and Tierra del Fuego.

4. They're talking about Matt Ryan.

5. I think there's definitely some truth in that.  The problem is that many people would rather continue to do things their own way than use this information to get along better with each other.

6. I'd vote not guilty, either by reason of insanity or because the guy deserved it.

Responses to "doughnuts and cucumbers":

1. I believe it.

2. Resolutions?

3. Newspapers still have some use in society after all.

4. Don't you mean double entendre?

5. I think the reason it makes us (yes, me too) feel inferior is because we *are* inferior to her.  I'm not going to sit here and let some 14-year-old girl punk me.  Thanks for pointing this out to me, Runner's World.

6. Common-sense gun laws?

7. What third kind of fun will you be trying?  FYI, tennis, swimming, Chicken and Dumpling, and golf all called. :P

8. Agreed.

9. What does my couch have to do with nice stuff?

B

on beauty

kinda flouts that idea that if you show discipline in one area, you're going to go all loosey-goosey somewhere else

interesting?

now i want to go to south america

i think they're talking about us

a lot of stereotypes and maybe a grain of truth?

i did like this comment: Spent weeks feeling that my girlfriend was a moron for caring so much about which way the roll sits, until she admitted that what we were really arguing about is that she didn't always feel that she was welcome at my apartment (which was valid, because sometimes she showed up when she wasn't welcome).

i don't know why this would be controversial although in the long run - hit and runs might be more common

doughnuts and cucumbers

I think this is very true even though i'm embarrassed when Yahoo has good relationship insights

new resolution for next week

a survey of local doughnuts? yes please

there's a euphemism in here somewhere

this is why i don't subscribe to runner's world anymore - it just makes me feel inferior

i mistakenly thought the background check gun laws were useless; this article proves me wrong

the third kind of fun

the real question is why this made the news when you can clearly see the previous story was "penguins" and the next story was "groin punch." but yes, he should be embarrassed.

now that we both have working couches and somewhat nicely furnished apartments, maybe we should take pictures of our apartments in case something happens to our nice stuff and we have to prove that we owned it and other good things to do

Things Aren't Always as They Seem

Apparently this photo was one of the things that turned public opinion on the Vietnam War.  But there's more to it.

At first blush, Target is making fun of fat people.  Then again, maybe not.

One would think that the opening of the Silver Line would be nothing but good news for us, especially since it adds a second line for Ballston and a third for Rosslyn.  Maybe, but then again, maybe not.

(These two don't fit the theme, but I'm posting them anyway.)

Here is some more Mad Men prep.
And here is still more Susan Patton coverage.

B

Odds and Ends

I think the Visa process is broken, and here is some evidence for why.

This is one of those things that would make me want to keep watching the show out of solidarity... or not start watching the show.  I could be talked into watching, though.  Also, RIP.

Here is a follow-up on the article you posted about music at the gym.
I hope 5 years is the long end of the spectrum for how long before this happens - not because of HBO per se, but because of other channels.  ESPN offers something like this too (called WatchESPN), where you can, well, watch ESPN programming from a computer or smartphone, but you have to have a cable subscription in order to use it.  I assume ABC/Disney knows that I would be willing to pay a certain amount of money per month just to have WatchESPN, but I guess the model isn't there yet.  Actually, I'd probably buy that and not HBO because I could always 1) buy the shows separately on iTunes and 2) watch the movies on Netflix.

This is adorable.

This is yummy.

B

Responses

Let's move to Chicago!

1. No?

2. Do people spend more time building playlists than using them?  I think yes.

3. Also no?

4. That sounds interesting.

--

3. Both?

--

2. Apps, unlistened-to podcasts, and music.

The race issue

1. No?

2. That's terrible.

3. That article seemed awfully generic - worthwhile, but it could have easily been entitled "leave black conservatives alone," which would have been less obviously topical but in a way more provocative.  I was expecting commentary related to his stance on gay marriage (and specifically what he said about it to get in a little bit of trouble).

4. Because a child is going to get shot for talking back to a teacher?

5. No!

---

Here is a Mad Men "preview."

Here are some things to consider for your next trip, courtesy of the Canadian government.

The Rock is on a roll.  I would buy Wrestlemania for fun if I weren't assured of watching it by myself...

B

the race issue

a question no one was asking but hey, could be a career opp for me

this isn't an awful lesson - it's a good one to learn

hey, at least one dem understands free speech and free thinking although this article wasn't very compelling. (it won't impede progress because no one is listening!) ben carson also wrote that white liberals were the most racist people, but that article already made the rounds.

it's like two trains passing. lawsuit unrelated to problem. umm maybe you should stop incarcerating kids for minor school misconduct (also, stop doing the school misconduct). what does having armed guards have to do with it?

i think we've seen this before

let's move to chicago!

Yahoo reports that Chicago homicides are down this year and offers a "possible explanation." (I think they said it was police presence.)  Here are some other ideas.  1) colder this year 2) everyone left chicago 3) gangs have moved towards beatings rather than killing people.

other work out songs.

time to give constantine a barbie?

interesting and different

Responses:

1.  That was a funny april fool's joke.

2. I didn't think these April Fool's Jokes were that funny.  I did like GooglePaper or whatever it was back in the day - where they would give you hard copies of your email.

3.  which show- that zero hour or that red revenge knockoff? would this help you decide to watch or not watch?

4. i don't really have any issue with the mother saying to find a husband in college because it does get harder later. it just seemed that she thought everyone else was inferior and that all non-princetonians were intimidated by a princeton degree.  that part seemed to show her age.  but i wonder what school her husband went to.  it'd be funny if it were uva.

responses to The New York Times??
1.  the article says you have to work at least 50 hours to have an honest 40 billable hour week. where are those extra 10 hours going? he says he is not counting lunch or bathroom breaks. do people spent a lot of time calculating their DTE and surfing the internet? also, 50 hours a week is normal pretty much everywhere - not just law.
2. what is your iphone filled with?
4. you always defend the bears.

buying qdoba is always a waste. ALWAYS!

April Fools?

This is a funny joke.  It's a joke, right?

Here are some other April Fools jokes from today.

The first part of this article read my mind completely.  That's why it's still on my DVR, unwatched.

Here is more coverage of the Susan Patton letter, this time a take from James Taranto, who generally mirrors my own take on social issues.

B