f/k/a archives . . . real opinions & real haiku

called third strike–
the slow roll of the ball
back to the mound

 

two outs in the ninth–
the reliever bangs the ball
against his cup

behind barbed wire
the banter of baseball
in two languages

jim kacian,

Co-editor, with C. van den Heuvel of Past Time: Baseball Haiku,

(Red Moon Press, 1999) Sorry, it’s out of print.

 

potluck

HMMMMMM. I discovered this morning that neither the noun “ethics” nor the
adjective “ethical” appears as part of any definition in the Law.com dictionary.

Alphagrams & Alphamales: Amber, at Class Maledictorian, gives her perspective
on John Tierney’s op/ed in the May 31st NYT, “The Urge to Win,” which uses
evolutionary theory to explain why men dominate competitive Scrabble. Tierney
suggests that men have always had bigger payoffs from winning big (and downsides
to losing) — such as getting the most desirable women. This makes the most-competitive
male Scrabble players memorize lists of two- and three-letter words, and even lists of
which words can be made from thousands of 7-letter alphagrams (the arrangements of a
group of letters alphabetically). Amber would rather make an enjoyble word than use the
highest scoring word. Even in the noncompetitive Scrabble world, I bet that most men —
myself included — still go for the high score (even if — again like myself — they inwardly
also enjoy discovering a creative or fun word that appears on their racks).

• I’m always amused when female Scrabble partners act offended (as if I’m
  somehow cheating), if I use an unusual two-letter word, such as the names
  for letters of the alphabet (e.g., “en” and “em”.) The two-letter-word problem
  has been reduced considerably as my vocabulary slides down the drain of
  peri-dementia, and I forget a list learned many years ago. When a distaff
  Scrabble opponent plays a non-word and then wants a do-over, I always
  point out that it would be paternalistic and insulting of me to not enforce the
  rules. [It’s a whole different game with do-overs.]

• Tierney points out in the op/ed that there are Scrabble groupies at the
  tournaments. Like him, “I’m not sure how many women want to marry
  someone who spends his weekends memorizing alphagrams.”

Issa for the iPod: Eric Antonow of i.am.large, has made 300 poems by
Issa, translated by David G. Lanoue, available for iPod. What would our lovable,
mendicant poet think? [Not me, Issa.]