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True Dough

True Dough's Journal
True Dough's Journal
May 25, 2026

Anyone ever had a swollen laptop battery?

I dropped my laptop on the floor today. First time I've ever had that happen.

Picked it up and the trackpad popped out at the bottom left corner. I spent a while trying to snap it back into place. It just would not reinsert in that corner.

So I Googled it and I saw warnings that it's the battery underneath the trackpad that's damaged. It's known as "swollen" or "spicy" battery.

You're supposed to stop using the laptop and get a replacement battery ASAP because the damaged one can be a fire hazard.

Oh joy!

I'm lucky to have my old laptop still kicking around and still functioning, although it's a tad slow.

May 23, 2026

What famous person do you most resemble?

Not today, but about 25 years ago, I heard a few times that I looked like Michael Andretti, race-car driving son of Mario Andretti.

May 23, 2026

How will you explain this period of American history to your grandchild/great-grandchild?

Let's say in a decade from now, your grandchild or great-grandchild is learning history in school.

He or she approaches you and asks, "How did America allow that to happen?"

What will your response be?

May 23, 2026

Did this work for you?

May 19, 2026

Teams faring best and worst in using the automated balls & strikes system

The Minnesota Twins are the most liberal challengers under the new system, leading the way with 124. The most conservative team has been the Boston Red Sox at 63. These two teams, for all their differences in the rate of challenges, both spread those challenges fairly equally between their batters and defenders. That's not the case with everyone.

The Miami Marlins are by far the MLB leader in challenges from defenders (90), mostly their catchers (remember, only hitters, catchers and pitchers can challenge a call). But the Marlins rank 29th in challenges from their hitters. The Baltimore Orioles flip that around -- they're tied for sixth in challenges from hitters, but 29th from defenders.

According to the run values applied to ABS challenges by Statcast, the Twins and Colorado Rockies lead the way with 4.4 runs better than expectation, which translates to a little under a half-win. Those clubs are six runs better than the last-place Texas Rangers, at minus-1.6 runs against expectation. That six-run spread, translated to the full season, could mean a difference of around three wins. It's no small thing.

The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are tied for first with an average of 0.13 runs gained per challenge. The Red Sox are among the clubs tied for second at 0.12, but because Boston challenges so infrequently, their bottom-line total of 1.3 runs below expectation ranks 28th. The lesson: Challenge more, Red Sox!


https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48807610/mlb-2026-abs-automated-balls-strikes-system-early-numbers-lessons-analytics
May 19, 2026

NHL conference finals are set

In the East, it's the well-rested Carolina Hurricanes vs. the Montreal Canadiens.

In the West, the Colorado Avalanche take on the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

It's the final four! Action starts tomorrow night in Denver.

May 18, 2026

Don't call me Shirley!



May 17, 2026

What type of juice do you drink most often?

Cranberry for me!

May 17, 2026

What do you think of The Guardian's list of the 100 best novels of all time published in English.

Here's their top 20:

20 Wuthering Heights
19 The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
18 Persuasion
17 One Hundred Years of Solitude
16 Nineteen Eighty-Four
15 Moby-Dick
14 Mrs Dalloway
13 Emma
12 Bleak House
11 The Great Gatsby
10 Madame Bovary
9 Pride and Prejudice
8 Jane Eyre
7 War and Peace
6 Anna Karenina
5 In Search of Lost Time
4 To the Lighthouse
3 Ulysses
2 Beloved
1 Middlemarch

The full list can be found here:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2026/may/12/the-100-best-novels-of-all-time

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