unclevlad

In other words, forming a parliamentary coalition. I don't know. NYT's running updates included thoughts on both Reps voting for Jeffries...never happen, would be considered a betrayal...and Dems voting for McCarthy...same. NOT on Dems voting for someone centrist, but the betrayal notion's probably still there. It's also unclear if the coalition could be kept happy...but that's probably going to be an issue no matter what.

He's #2 for me. But that's getting down to rather small stylistic aspects, and perhaps that I was stuck with Bayless more often.

Awful Announcing ran a story about the top 10 media stories of the year last week: I've noticed this. I simply can't get as many of the RSNs as, say, 5 years ago. Baseball's where this showed. I'd have to double check, but without paying a LOT more for a massive deal, I think I'm down to...5-6.

Perhaps on this, but Bayless has been the worst, most clueless, biased and toxic bloviator for many years. And still is; Stephen A. has different, MAJOR flaws, but still, he's not as bad. I'm wondering if this might mark the breakup moment for Undisputed. He's worn out his welcome before. Anyway, much more important if equally speculative. I'm getting worried. I believe that, in general, the longer the patient stays down like this, the more the concern for a less than ideal outcome. It's coming up on 24 hours now. I am NOT!!!! a doctor, so maybe this is still in the typical time frame, but it doesn't feel like it. I note they're still saying critical...with no qualifier. So he's not considered stable. That means his teammates have no chance at closure at all...so how can anyone expect them to prepare for a stupid game Sunday. EDIT: one positive sign, just saw this. Couple hours ago, family members said the doctors have taken him from 100% oxygen to 50%, so his lung function is improving.

This is feeling like the worst aspects of the 2-party system merging with the worst aspects of the multi-party parliamentary system.

The House has adjourned for the day, and will reconvene at noon tomorrow. The first government shutdown has unofficially started.

Holiday size. The pandemic-quarantine size would be a full barrel.

Third ballot is another failure. I suspect this thought may have crossed the mind of others, but I'll be the first to say it openly: it now seems inevitable to me that the MAGATs will force a government shutdown, and even a debt default, during this term.

Walk out. Call an Uber or taxi if they drove you.

If the base only understood that 19 Republicans voting against McCarthy are playing Russian roulette with our hard earned Republican majority right now. This is the worst thing that could possibly happen. https://t.co/ncY6GgGIM1 — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) January 3, 2023

The Democrats may use it as their symbol, but the Republicans are the ones making TOTAL asses of themselves. 3rd vote is in roll call right now, and I've already heard "Jordan" called several times. Seems certain this one fails too. Note that it's not funny any more; Congress can't formally be seated until a Speaker is named. Also this comment from the NYT reporter there: I think this will backfire SPECTACULARLY in '24...but not before doing massive damage to the country first.

No change to the week 18 schedule *yet*. I think they have 1 more day to see about shifting the schedule a week. If they can't do it by this time tomorrow, I don't think it'll be practical. The obvious problem is that it shifts all 3 rounds of the playoffs, and the networks might not be amenable. IF! they just go with winning percentage, and I agree that seems the most likely, the Bengals clinch their division. KC has the inside track for the #1 seed. The 2 and 3 seeds would be Bengals and Bills, but the order...I'm not sure. Pretty clearly, the Bills may have a very hard time preparing for the Pats, so there's a plausible case for a tie between them. They'd have the same conference record, so it'd be common opponents. The other side is...if the Bills lose to the Pats, the Pats lock up the last WC. It's very unfortunate, but it may well be unavoidable.

Vote hasn't happened yet. NYT reports they'll start live coverage at noon eastern, along with C-SPAN and PBS.

I cannot comprehend how that could be considered remotely desirable...not least of which is the sheer difficulty in trying to eat it. The notion of a burger with Oreos is horrifying to me, but YMMV. But that's, what, a pound of meat? Those look like 1/3 pound patties, and appear to be 3 of em. With multiple layers of Oreos, and all that drippy, gooey junk...? YUCK.

The Clairsentience doesn't have targeting. Too pricey, what with Megascale. That's why the Fixed Location workaround; for them, it doesn't need it. But thanks.

I'm sure by now many of you have heard that Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed after a hit. Report now is, he went into cardiac arrest. CPR and a defib were required. In the hospital; last report, some hours back, his vitals were better, a tube to help support breathing was inserted, and he was put to sleep. In critical condition, I presume in the cardiac care unit. No word since, but it was getting pretty late and further evaluation will come later. You can read all about that in the NFL thread. I started to post this here, but...can't. Cheapest of the cheap, lowest of the low. A few 'pundits' have made comments about "gee, NFL players are dropping like flies, well, that's not surprising." I saw one such...I think it was a response, but I don't recall...and at the time, I basically said "he can't mean what it seems he means..." Some of them make sure you can't miss their point by tossing in syringe emojis. That one didn't. Yeah...the <BLEEP>s are claiming it's vax related...because 99% of NFL players are now vaccinated. No basis. No factual support. No clue. No scruples. No shame. Note that I don't think this was widespread. I think it's some of the hardest of the hardcore; one was Grant Stinchfield, who was so divisive that Newsmax canned him. I even looked over on Fox News, and they're reporting it as a straight, tragic story, it looked like.

You may have seen it reported that Hamlin has a charity GoFundMe page. It was at a few thousand dollars…it is about to blow through the $3M mark.

EDIT: just heard from a Bengals reporter on scene. There will be no press conference tonight, according to hospital media people.

From Twitter: Update on Damar: His vitals are back to normal and they have put him to sleep to put a breathing tube down his throat. They are currently running tests. We will provide updates as we have them. The source is his marketing rep. A full evaluation can't be completed until he wakes up; there's no way to know if he's got cognitive impairments...so this means, I suspect, not until tomorrow at best. Same with some of the neurological examinations. So at this point we'll just have to wait. An interesting discussion going on the El Paso news, where they've brought their medical doctor. The observation he's making...BIG qualifier, from what he saw on TV...was that the hit was his chest going into the shoulder of the Bengals player. So it may NOT be brain-related...it might be that the blow created an acute heart trauma. And the cause for hope is, if something like that is gonna happen...the response could not be faster.

The lawsuits are starting against Musk and Twitter, for things like the unpaid rent and private charter flights. Not necessarily significant financially to Musk, but it's that much more piling on. I'm still kinda feeling he's aiming at bankruptcy for Twitter. But by the same token...Musk is reported to have lost $200 BILLION in 2022. Most ever, said another story. Hard to believe he's reacting normally...whatever 'normal' might be with him...so these suits may be more impactful to him than any potential financial consequences.

The only event that seems comparable to me was in baseball. Forget the teams and players, but not the play. SMOKED line drive caught the pitcher square. It deflected and bounced...on one hop...into the stands. The good thing was, doing so? Made it a dead ball. Trainers got out there immediately. I've watched pro and college football games for 40+ years. I remember the Theismann hit, the Alex Smith hit. A few hits that led to neck braces. I do not recall ever seeing CPR on the field. OK, for those who weren't watching. It is gut wrenching, I will warn you of that now.

Game now officially suspended. No follow-on decided yet. Assuming Hamlin comes out of this in decent shape...and mind, that's for argument ONLY, that heart stoppage scares the *#$#@ out of me....I'd back suspending week 18 for a full week, and have this game picked up say, Friday or Saturday. The players can probably get through the initial shock by then. There's a gap week between the conference championships and the super bowl. If it's worse? If Hamlin's taken serious, permanent damage? Good god, I do not know. OHGODDD...he's in critical condition, according to the NFL official postponement. Damn....

I have no idea what the league will do later, but there's no way this game restarts tonight, that seems clear. I don't know if calling the game off has ever happened, but...when would you restart it? Tomorrow? Really? I don't see it, I just don't. I don't think I'm overreacting...not when the poor kid had to be lowered back to the ground as he was being lifted into the ambulance, then have *extensive* CPR and defib. You don't need an MD to know that was to save his life. EDIT: no official word but coaches and players...with pads off...shaking hands...equipment is being taken off the field. The game clearly won't continue.

Oh gosh... Oh that's so bad. Bills player Damar Hamlin closes to make the tackle. Stands up. Wobbles. Falls. Fortunately seen by a ref who's right there, who stops play immediately. Back board and ambulance on the field. Every precaution being taken. He's still on the ground yet...10 minutes after the hit. Just bad... OH GOD...they're adminstering freaking CPR...according to Joe UPDATE: note what CPR means. It means his heart stopped. The game HAS BEEN SUSPENDED for the time being...the teams are going back to the locker rooms to try to gather themselves.

Ahhh...I'd seen the final play (as a score update) but not what led up to it. That's gonna be an SVP Bad Beat...because the line was MSU -3.5...... And of course, botching a pitchy-pitchy woo-woo guarantees a place on the ESPN Not Top 10 plays.... EDIT: Since Chris mentioned Stanford Steve... The O/U on the game was 54...so that touchdown with 30 seconds left was "significant to some...." to steal Al's line....