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Postgame Notes from Andrew Baggarly

I had the day off Wednesday, but sat out in the right field arcade with out-of-town family for the afternoon game. It’s a sickness, I know.

Observations: The concourses are pretty crowded, but it’s amazing how it doesn’t take long to walk all the way around the ballpark. Yes, there really are kayakers still out in the cove. It’s nice to see people with cups of beer and actually be able to buy one. It’s not nice to pay $8.75 for it, though. I have to wait in line to use the men’s room? Whaaat’s that about?

Mostly, I was struck at how everyone seemed to be in a good mood, having a good time. It’s funny. In the press box, it’s not like I’m hermetically sealed off from the rest of the stadium. But it isn’t until I wade out into the stands that I fully realize it: This team is a big deal to a whole lot of people.

via Extra Baggs

Rockies 4, Mets 2

Hubble reawakens, snaps image of Jupiter scar

Earth-based telescopes have been trained on Jupiter since an amateur astronomer in Australia noticed the new mark, probably created when a small comet or asteroid plunged into Jupiter's atmosphere and disintegrated, early Monday.

via CNN.com

Nirvana vs Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give Your Teen Spirit up

via Persephone

Wonderful!

Report: Steve Jobs Happy With Apple’s Tablet, Fast Tracks It For Early 2010

So what other details are there? Well, the device will apparently have a 10-inch screen (slightly bigger than the 7 to 9 inch screen prototypes our sources had seen). It will also have built-in 3G wireless access. This is where things start to get really interesting, because there have long been rumors of Apple talking with Verizon about a device that was not the iPhone. Apple, of course, has an exclusive deal in the U.S. with AT&T for the iPhone through next year, but there have been no shortage of whispers in recent weeks that it’s not just us that is displeased with AT&T, but that Apple is as well. And Yesterday, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson made a comment indicating that the iPhone would not be AT&T exclusive forever, perhaps indicating that the end is near for the exclusivity of the partnership.

via TechCrunch

Amazing catch saves perfect game

Go watch this.

Voice technology firm under fire

Spinvox's service aims to convert voice messages into text messages using advanced speech recognition software.

But claims to the BBC suggest that the majority of messages have been heard and transcribed by call centre staff in South Africa and the Philippines.

via BBC

Goldman Sachs Internal Memo

I’d like to thank everyone who made this possible—for a second time. Respect to President Obama for keeping us in the green. Thanks to the big guy upstairs (me). And let’s not forget all the ordinary Americans, who, for some unfathomable reason, have refused to put us behind bars. We are literally taking money out of their wallets. Seriously, with these returns we are making Madoff look like a little kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. Amateur!

via The New Yorker

El Lefty Goes Out on a Limb

Between now and July 31, the Giants make a minor trade or two for a right-handed bench/platoon player, perhaps another bullpen arm or back-of-rotation starter. And that’s it.

Why not a major trade before the deadline? Because the Giants aren’t motivated enough — ie, desperate — to do so. With their honest rebuild and exciting play this year, they’ve earned enough goodwill among fans to withstand the disappointment of standing relatively pat. We all want the Giants to go for it, but enough people — probably plenty in the organization, too — think pushing on without a major trade is in fact the best way to go for it, both short– and long-term. 

via El Lefty Malo

Apple Sold Twice As Many iPhones As Macs Last Quarter

The quarterly numbers are in for Apple. And once again they'€™re very good. It was another non-holiday record quarter in terms of revenues and earnings. But the real number that jumps off the page is the iPhone sales. Let'€™s just say it: The iPhone looks well on its way to being Apple’s primary business.

via TechCrunch