No soccer this Week

Since it will be first day of Spring tomorrow, we are cancelling the game because of snow.

Nice. More info as we get it.

Directions to Saturday's game.

Our soccer game begins at 1:00 on Saturday 3/13 at Sweetbriar field in Fairmount Park. The Sweetbriar playing fields face the Sweetbriar Mansion on Lansdowne Road.

This map of the area (in PDF format) shows the Sweetbriar Mansion location.

Directions to Sweetbriar Mansion:
1. From the Art Museum driveway, turn right at the traffic light and pass in front of the Museum.
2. Get onto West River Dr. from the middle-right lane.
3. After about 1.3 miles turn left onto Sweetbriar Dr., and then turn right onto Landsdowne Dr.
4. Take the first right at the top of the hill and proceed to the stop sign.
5. Facing the Civil War Memorial, take the second right and go straight to Sweetbriar Mansion.

The playing fields face the Mansion.

Go Cachinnaters!
I apologize in advance for our team name-- it came from this Merriam Webster Word of the Day...

Also, for your viewing pleasure, is the list of Saturday's scheduled games.

West Virginia Jokes

Nobody loves and respects their family more than I do. So it is always with great pride that I speak of how we can all make fun of each other and have a great time while at it. But then one of my cousins from Virginia sends me a joke about West Virginia, a really funny joke, and it's so funny I have to share it with you.

You see, I have only seen my paternal cousins a few times in the last 10 years or so, so it was great when they came up to our wedding last year. There are even pictures of it that we are supposed to order from the photographer some day! But I enjoyed kidding them about all of the West Virginia hillbilly stereotypes, as if they were from West Virginia. Then my cousin Vicki, who has excellent taste in jokes, sends me this little doosey:

Subject: HILLBILLY VASECTOMY

After having their 11th child, a North Georgia Mountain couple decided
*11* was enough, as they could not afford a larger bed. So the husband went to his veterinarian and told him that he and his cousin didn't want to have any more children.

The doctor told him that there was a procedure called a vasectomy that could fix the problem but that it was expensive. A less costly alternative, said the vet, was to go home, get a cherry bomb, (fireworks are legal in the North Georgia Mountains), light it, put it in an empty beer can, then hold the can up to your ear and count to 10.

The redneck said to the doctor, "I may not be the smartest man in the world, but I don't see how putting a cherry bomb in a beer can next to my ear is going to help me."

"Trust me, " said the veterinarian.

So the man went home, lit a cherry bomb and put it in a beer can. He held the can up to his ear and began to count:

"1"

"2"

"3"

"4"

"5"

At which point he paused, placed the beer can between his legs, and resumed counting on his other hand.

This procedure also works in Kentucky, Mississippi, and West Virginia.

Hah! What a great one. Thanks cousin! Steph and I hope to get down there soon as you all get some running water!

GHOSTS

GHOSTS - Nothing gets me more excited than trying to understand very complicated things with the goal of getting an appreciation of he big picture than an understanding of the details. I stumbled across the DELCA project recently, which stands for Disembodied Location Specific Conversational Agents. It is a very cool concept and one that I will track. Most interesting to me is the concept that “ghosts” that are ignored will go away. As you move from location to location, specific routines run to assist you. Depending on your reaction, they alter their behavior. Check it out and make sure that you have the sound on when you visit!!

Coin Flipping

Today in Science News Online they have an article that there is a 1% percent advantage in calling a coin flip if you call the side that the coin started out on. You've gotta wonder why there isn't some casino game based on this. This combined with the data on spinning a coin on its side and you can be assured not to be hustled by any street sharpies.

Soccer on Saturdays

The soccer season is finally here! We'll be playing in the Philadelphia Sport and Social league Co-Ed Recreational division. Notice Recreational. That means for fun! No uptight people, please. If you have unfulfilled high school soccer fantasies, this is not for you. If you like to be outside and enjoy some exercise, this is for you. More on the rules and schedule as I get them. So far, it's 7 v 7 with no goalies. There must be 4 men and 3 women on the field at all times.
The initial roster is loacted here Download file

League Registration was $400. Given the confirmed number of people on the roster (16), I'm asking for $25 per head. Please get the money in so we know you are serious. Email me and let us know if you want to send a check, paypal or "other services" (Pete - no other services for you) If other folks join after that, I'll add the money to happy hour. We also need co-capitans. Steph and I will be one Captain, and we need another person or pair. Go team!