Ever been to a comic-con? Not necessarily San Diego. Not necessarily New York. I’m saying any comic-con. Why do I ask, you ask? ‘Cause you have been defamed, that’s why! It’s class action lawsuit time, baby!
Being retired and trying to stave off dementia as long as I can (I hear those snickers – too late for what?), I do the Sudoku and crossword puzzles found in the News Journal every day. They start out fairly easy on Mondays and get progressively more difficult as the week goes on – especially when the author uses puns or leaves out letters. These are produced by the LA Times through Saturday until the biggie – the NY Times puzzle on Sundays. Being a “numbers” guy and not a wordsmith, I usually don’t bother with it.
Anyway, on Tuesday, February the 8th, clue 14 down was “comic-con attendees”. The “correct” response was supposedly 5 letters, and probably ended in an “s”. I was pretty certain I had solved the puzzle and it was confirmed the next day when the answers to the previous day were printed.
So, fellow “NERDS”, is it time to rise up?! I guess it depends on how you feel about it. Some say shows like Big Bang Theory have made it “cool” to be one. Still, we are definitely in a litigious society and if there’s a buck to be made…
This wasn’t the only time I felt dissed while sitting in the barcalounger lately. Also being a coin collector (hmmm, maybe I am a nerd?), I subscribe to The Numismatic News. Like comics, this hobby has seen sky-rocketing prices and records being set, but mostly for the extremely rare and top-conditioned specimens. Reading an article about the values of coins in a particular set, the author chose to describe those us who could (would?) only spend $120 or so to plug that hole in an album as being of “small means”. Ouch!
The cold weather plus the NFL play-offs and Olympics have found me in the chair way too much. Besides reading Reddit blogs and the local Neighborhood emails (it’s amazing how many do not know the difference between there, their, and they’re or to, too, and two), I’ve actually read many crime novels THAT HAVE NO PICTURES! Regarding Olympics, it’s the speed and jumping events that I find watchable. Out of curiosity, I watched curling when it was introduced years ago, but I just don’t understand the amount of time the stations are devoting to it now – boring!
This Sunday, the 13th is Super Bowl # 56 – Rams vs. Bengals. Not having an allegiance to either, I’m rooting for the Rams due to hometown Troy Reeder. From everyone I know who do happen to know him, he’s a regular, down to earth kind of guy! Good Luck!
Unfortunately, I’m not at the shop to run our 100 block Super Bowl raffle this year. It was never “gambling” since each person entered had received something worth at least the $10 per block fee. It was a simple one whereby we used the number combos represented by the last digits of the scores at the ends of each quarter and the final score. For example, if the score was Rams 21, Bengals 17 at the end of any quarter, the owner of Rams 1, Bengals 7, would be a winner of part of the pot.
Now I have heard that if someone was to hypothetically run one whereby each block costs $100, there would be a $10,000 total pot. Now what if instead of doling out part of that pot only at the ends of quarters, $250 was given to the holder of a block that represented the correct combo every time the score changed, even counting extra points. For example, should the Rams score a touchdown first, the owner of Rams 6, Bengals 0 just scored 250 bucks. If they kick the extra point, the owner of Rams 7, Bengals 0 also just scored 250 bucks, and so on and so on through the game. If the Bengals then kick a field goal, the owner of Rams 7, Bengals 3 picked up 250! Should the Bengals then score a touchdown, the owner of Rams 7, Bengals 9 is a happy camper. But what if the Rams had kicked two FGs first instead of the touchdown, then the Bengals kicked one followed by their touchdown, then the block Rams 6, Bengals 9 would be a $250 winner. Hmmm, wouldn’t it be great if that first scenario or this last one came to fruition? Just speaking hypothetically. Wait a minute, at $250 per score change, there would have to be 40 changes in a game to use up the whole 10 grand – highly unlikely. However, if used up, it’s used up and the contest is over; but what if there are only like 16 changes during the game, that would still leave $6,000. The owner of the block that matches the final score gets the balance! Hmmm, wouldn’t it be great if that first scenario or this last one mentioned came to fruition? Sorry, got lost there.
For those who haven’t placed your bid in the one-of-a-kind Neal Adams comic book package being run by ComicConnect Auctions, it has started (2/11) and ends 2/20/22. Again, it would have been nice if those of us of “small means” had a chance to enter – see my previous blog. For an update on how the bidding is progressing, copy and click on the link https://www.comicconnect.com/item/941983 Hopefully, it is still “live” when you do. As of 7:00 AM on 2/12, it had already reached $3,700, NOT counting the 15% Buyer’s Premium!
ENJOY the Game!
Paul
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