Amtrak to DC - 'flying' on the Acela

I would say that I wonder why more people don't take the train instead of driving or flying, but I know the answer. It is cost and convenience. In the train's favor, It will only take me an hour and twenty minutes to get from Wilmington to DC on the train but driving it would take maybe 2.5 or 3, if I were lucky. The drawback is cost and I won't have a car when I get there. I am only going to the baseball game so I can take public transit, though I am meeting a friend with a car for the ride home.

The plus is that I can read or blog instead of paying attention to the road. Too bad it costs so much. I am going to vote for the guys who will save Amtrak.

One other interesting aspect of train travel is that the view out the window, especially on the Northeast Corridor, tends to be the back of things and the bad parts of town. There is usually some good graffiti too. There are also some pretty parts, like this shot of the Susquehanna river.

Losing at the Shoot Out the Star Carnival Games

We have earlier discussed how all carnival games are fixed. They can be won, but generally the money you put in is much more than the value of the prize you get out. This year St. Anthony's Italian festival(warning crappy flash interface, for a festival?) had no Wack-a-Mole! and no Bowler Roller! It was a fun carnival game desert. So I tried the Shoot Out game and then got out of there.

To win the Shoot Out the Star BB gun game you have to remove all of the red star from the card. Every single bit of it. This turns out to be hard to do. I am sure I will have commenters tell their winning Shooting Star stories, but for my part, I always leave some bit of red.

This one has a lot of red gone, but a lot left.










This one almost has it all gone, but almost only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and thermonuclear warfare.









I know to never use the sight because they are all messed up. What's the secret? Does anyone know?

Toad not startled by the flash

This friendly toad was walking around a friend's house in Maryland last week at night. He patiently posed for us and didn't even mind the flash. I didn't touch him though, you can get warts from that.

No endoscopies for me with Esophagus PillCam!

This post is a Father's Day present for my father the gastroenterologist. He would bring home pictures and then eventually videos of endoscopies that he would perform. He was one of the first doctors to use some of the newer endoscopic equipment, especially with film, cameras and then video, in the Philadelphia area. It good that he is semi-retired now because this PillCam is going to put him out of business, and may mean the end of my favorite longest word from childhood, esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Instead of scoping the esophagus the patient swallows this PillCam, which takes pictures of the esophagus on the way down. The pictures then allow the doctor to diagnosis any diseases of the esophagus. It takes 14 pictures/second. It's too bad that it stops once it reaches the stomach, wouldn't you want to see the whole trip? Perhaps it isn't oriented properly once it leaves the esophagus, or maybe it gets covered by food in the intestines.

Normal

Esophagitis

Suspected Barrett'sVarices

The product information is available. Perhaps my father can explain what all these diseases are.

(via Neatorama)

Phillies 6 Detroit 3

Phillies left 12 on but still win. Detroit only left 3 but if you don't have them on you can't send them home.

The big Detroit fan and I are concerned that Paul's earlier comment, "Go Phils" may have benefitted his team and jinxed the Tigers, even though we don't believe in superstition and stuff.

Philadelphia does have a nice park. Next baseball stop for me - Washington on Wednesday to see the Tigers beat the Nationals.

Tigers trying to pull it out in the 9th

Detroit 3 Phillies 6 at the top of the 9th.

1 out. Palanco on second after he sent Granderson home for the 3rd run above.

Ordoñez at bat. Through the middle single!

Tieing run is batting. Guillen who has already hit a home run already. "Let's go Tigers" being yelled off to my left. Full count. A few foul balls. Struck out.

Pudge Rodreguez to save the day? 2 outs. Ground out.

Detroit loses.

Detroit falls behind Phillies

Tigers 2 Phillies 3 bottom of the 6th inning. Miller's pitching is uneven to say the least.

Miller melting down in the first

Miller has had Victorino hit a home run. Utley ground rule double. He walked and hit a batter to load the bases. 2 outs.

Struck out Nuñez to save himself.

Detroit vs. Philadelphia Begins

The game has begun. Detroit is up. When the Tigers take the field Andrew Miller is pitching which should be exciting.

Top of the 1st: Granderson and Polanco grounded out. Sheffield got a hit down the 3rd base line. Ordonez is out.

I won't keep this us but I enjoy the visceral feel of reporting on the game without the express written consent of Major League Baseball.

Ryan Howard receives the Babe Ruth Home Run Award

Ryan Howard was presented with the Babe Ruth Home Run Award by Babe Ruth's 91 year old daughter. Here's a shot of the scoreboard since the field is far away.