COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- July 31, 2024

cdc.gov

COVID-19 statistics have been going up. 

We had an insane month, with an awful debate between President Joe Biden and convicted felon Donald Trump, the Republican National Convention, President Biden withdrew in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. 

We seem to have a stalemate in Ukraine. 

The Paris Olympics started with an entertaining opening ceremony.

Bivens -- Wow -- July 6, 2024

Sunday we went to our first Giants game since COVID-19. There was a full house because we were playing the Dodgers and the first 15,000 fans received Giants caps with mouse ears. The kindergartners should like them when I do yard duty. 

Spencer Bivens made his first start and went five scoreless innings. As you can see from the image above, the Giants scored in each of the first four innings. He left with a 5-0 lead. We saw Shohei Ohtani for the first time in person. Bivens struck him out twice. Things got a little close in the last innings, but the Giants won. BART and Muni were crowded coming and going because of the game and the Pride Parade. 

The weather was warm and sunny. 

Tributes to Willie Mays surround his statue.

The scoreboard displayed this animation after Matt Chapman's home run. 

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- June 30, 2024

kp.org

"Respiratory illnesses are on the rise, so it's important to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine now." We haven't gotten our update yet. 

Willie Mays died. That same week, the Giants and Cardinals played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham in a tribute to Willie Mays and the Negro Leagues. The ceremonies were nice, but the Giants lost. The Giants came home on the 24th, appropriately, and all the players wore the number 24. The Giants beat the Cubs on a walk-off walk. 

Later in the month, Orlando Cepeda also died. 

We finished the 2023-2024 school year. 

Orlando Cepeda, RIP -- June 28, 2024

Giants Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda has died. We are losing our Hall of Famers. The Giants had two great hitters who were only suitable to play first base, Cepeda and Willie McCovey.  I have been to many special games that were graced by the appearance of Willie Mays, Gaylord Perry, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal and Willie McCovey. Now only Marichal is left. 

This blow is made worse because it comes so soon after the death of Willie Mays. 

I took the photo of the new statue of Orlando Cepeda, on King near Second Street, on 16-September-2008.

Tribute to Willie Mays -- June 20, 2024

Major League Baseball had been planning to have a tribute to Willie Mays tonight at Rickwood Field, where he broke in with the Birmingham Black Barons. When he died this week, the tribute became even more important than it had been.  Before the game, a large group of Negro League veterans took the field. 99-year-old Reverend Bill Greason, a Black Barons teammate, threw out the first pitch. 

The Giants wore their San Francisco Sea Lions uniforms and the Cardinals wore Saint Louis Stars uniforms. 

Unfortunately, the Cardinals won 6-5. 

sfgiants.com

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- May 31, 2024

cdc.gov

Covid-19 trends are rising slightly because of a new strain. 

Our former so-called president was found guilty on all 34 felony counts related to election interference. He is the first former president to be convicted of a felony. He won't go to jail yet.

The Giants made a nice surge towards the end of the month.

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- March 30, 2024

cdc.gov

Covid-19 trends seem to be going down. Many people seem to be coming down with Covid-19 again, but the cases may be milder.  

More food aid is getting to Gaza, but there is still a risk of mass starvation. Israel is preparing to enter the last city in the south of Gaza, Rafah. President Biden called on the Israelis to be more careful of innocent lives. The whole world is calling for a ceasefire. 

The House is still delaying aid to Ukraine. The Republican Party is beholden to Putin. I am sorry to have to write that. 

The Giants have had a mixed record in spring training. It has been nice to see Pablo Sandoval again. He probably made his last appearance as a Giant during the Bay Bridge Series. 

Our former so-called president had until 25-March-2024 to post a huge bond after losing his real estate fraud case. His lawyers were able to get the bond amount reduced and to get an additional ten days. 

My students are making good progress with Code Avengers. 

Terry's Terrific Wallop Thrills Giants' Observers -- February 28, 2024

Buffalo Courier, 29-February-1924

Spring training games have started. In 1924, Bill Terry made his spring training debut with the New York Giants. He played first base for the team from 1923 until 1936. He managed the Giants from 1932 to 1941. He entered the Hall of Fame in 1954. He hit .401 in 1930, becoming the last National League player to hit .400. "Robins" was another name for the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

Terry's Terrific Wallop 

Thrills Giants' Observers

New York, Feb. 28 -- William Terry, $50,000 first baseman bought from Toledo, joined the Giants at Sarasota yesterday and astonished observers by cracking out the longest home run seen in Florida in ages, according to enthusiastic reports reaching here. Terry hit .311 and made fifteen home runs for the Mud Hens last season.

Frank Frisch, regarded as a candidate for the "most valuable man" honors this season, will leave today for the camp. Other veterans are slated to depart Monday.

New from Clearwater, Fla., where the Robins are tuning up, has Manager Robinson worrying about his catchers. Zach Taylor of last year's squad is a holdout, and the purchase prices of Mike Gonzales from St. Paul is being held up. President Ebbets refused to comment on the rumor that Same Bohne of the Reds was to be traded to Brooklyn. 

Yankee officials have served notice on holdouts that the club has made its final offers, Sam Jones, Bob Shawkey, Herb Pennock, Wally Pipp, Aaron Ward, Bob Meusel and Whitey Witt have not yet signed. 

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- October 30, 2023

cdc.gov

My wife and I have been beset by bad coughs, so we have not yet gotten our new COVID-19 boosters. We hope to get our flu shots at the same time.

The Giants signed Bob Melvin as their new manager. I remember when he played for the Giants. He was very good when he managed the Athletics. Working for a team that pays people in money rather than hot dogs should be even better. 

Bruce Bochy's Texas Rangers beat Dusty Baker's Houston Astros in the ALCS. Dusty Baker announced his retirement. Texas and Arizona played in the World Series. 

We went without a Speaker of the House for most of the month. The guy they chose voted against certifying the election and is a Trump cultist. 

We have been able to use the computer lab at Good Shepherd and it is working well. 

There are reports that Russian troops in Ukraine are performing acts of insubordination..

Cub's Park -- In All the World No Park Like This -- July 11, 2023

Chicago Tribune, 27-July-1923

Cub's Park is now called Wrigley Field. The Cubs and the Giants still meet there. 

Baseball Legends -- Willie Mays -- June 6, 2023

mycomicshop.com

Willie Mays is the greatest player I have seen in person. This 1992 issue of Baseball Legends, Number Two shows him as a Giants and after he was traded the Mets 50 years ago last month. I am still sad about that.

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- April 30, 2023

nytimes.com

Covid-19 is still there but people don't seem to pay much attention anymore.

I returned to teaching technology and coding during the last week of April. This year I am also teaching fifth grade. I am happy the kids remembered things I taught them last year. 

I continue to wear a mask when I am out in public around other people. 

Russia is making no progress in its war on Ukraine. Ukraine may be preparing for a counter-offensive. Many people say that Putin is tottering on his throne. 

The Giants started with a bad stretch, but were nearing .500 by the end of April.

Pulp -- All America Sports Magazine -- April 4, 2024

coverbrowser.com

The season has started. The Giants opened in New York for the first time since 1956 or 1957, when they were still in New York. The Yankees won 2 out of 3.

The cover of the June 1936 All America Sports Magazine has an image that looks a lot like Joe Dimaggio.

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- March 31, 2022

nytimes.com

It took me a while to test negative for COVID. I continue to wear a mask when I am out in public around other people.

Russia is making no progress in its war on Ukraine. Ukraine's allies are supplying main battle tanks and may soon provide airplanes. There are rumors swirling that Putin is in bad health or may be taken down by the oligarchs. In March the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant because he kidnapped Ukranian children. 

I hope to get back to teaching soon. 

The Giants brought Sergio Romo back to pitch an inning in the last Spring training game. 

We had heavy rain, strong winds, landslides, flooding and an earthquake. 

Jesus Alou, RIP -- March 15, 2023

I was sad to learn that Jesus Alou, who is most famous for playing one game for the Giants with his brothers Felipe and Mateo in the outfield, has died. I can't say how many times I heard the joke about their sister, Bebop. 

Comic Book -- The Amazing Willie Mays -- March 7, 2023

mutoscope.listal.com

Spring Training is in progress.

Willie Mays is the greatest player I have seen in person. 

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- February 28, 2023

nytimes.com

Governor Newsome is cancelling the Covid-19 emergency at the end of February. Ironically, a fully vaccinated family member came down with it the week before, probably the omicron variant. I came down with Covid-19 the following week. 

nytimes.com

24-February-2022 marked one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. I think Putin knows by now that he made a terrible mistake. 

I have not yet returned to teaching technology and coding at Good Shepherd School, but I am feeling better and hope to start soon. 

mlb.com

Major League Baseball introduced some new rules. I like the larger bases. I am uncomfortable with the pitch clock. It will damage the careers of some pitchers. I know why they are trying to eliminate the shift, but I think more batters should have tried to hit to the big holes it opened.

Spring Training has started. 

KPO -- World Series by Radio Today! -- October 18, 2022

San Francisco Examiner, 04-October-1922

San Francisco radio station KPO began broadcasting 100 years ago today, on 17-April-1922. I remember reading about the 50th anniversary of successor KNBR in the Chronicle. The photos of the early studios caught my attention.

The original KPO studios were in the Hale Brothers department store at Fifth and Market. Hale Brothers owned the station. In 1929, the station moved to the Hale Brothers annex, seen behind the corner store. In 1927, the station became an early affiliate of the NBC Red Network. NBC acquired KPO in the 1930s and changed the call letters to KNBC. Later, they wanted to use the call sign for a Los Angeles station and changed the San Francisco station to KNBR. KNBR currently carries the broadcasts of San Francisco Giants games.

In 1922, KPO carried broadcasts of the World Series between the New York Giants and the New York Yankees.

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- September 30, 2022

nytimes.com

COVID-19 infections are down, but some people are still being hospitalized with complications.

I had two procedures this month looking for the cause and potential solution of my shortness of breath.

I was supposed to start teaching again at Good Shepherd School in Pacifica, but first we have to fix my medical problem.

The Giants are out of it, but they have brought up some interesting players. The team might be able to make it to .500.

nonprofitjenni.com

Ukraine launched a counter-offensive and the Russian army is in disarray. Putin has called up the reserves and may institute conscription. Some people in Russia are protesting.

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- August 31, 2022

covid.cdc.gov

I see fewer people wearing masks, even in crowded places like baseball games. The general trends of cases, deaths, hospitalization seem to be going down. 

The Giants have gotten some of their injured players back, but are still performing unevenly.

I am getting ready to start teaching again at Good Shepherd School in Pacifica.

I am having trouble with shortness of breath. I'm seeing the doctor next week.

unsplash.com

It has been six months since Russia started its war against Ukraine. This must be deeply humiliating for Putin and his helpers. He is looking at using 100,000 mercenaries from North Korea.