July Banter 2026

[RickinBaltimore]

Why thank you BGE for informing me you're going to be cutting power for 8 hours for "emergency repairs" 10 minutes before you are scheduled to do it. 

[pazzo83]

Seattle is such a perfect venue for this game - some of the craziest soccer fans in the country, beautiful stadium and city.

[nj2va]

Let’s go USA!!!

[pazzo83]

Fox just showed DC!!!

[MN Transplant]

Just getting completely outclassed

[WxUSAF]

34 minutes ago, MN Transplant said:

Just getting completely outclassed

This is the kind of thing I’ve seen in the orioles 

[Maestrobjwa]

Man I knew they were done the second that appeal to the FIFA president happened. Nothing good was gonna come from that, lol

[H2O]

The streak continues. Just ask the knicks. 

[Kay]

Power restored yesterday mid-day or so. In the evening I went past a long line of utility trucks along route 40, where I had posted earlier about a mile + stretch of poles that were mangled in one way or another, and they were getting toward the end of it.

[wxdude64]

And we are back. Spent 12 days zig-zagging across the country and actually back a day early. Wife bought 2 bushels of green beans and 60 lbs of 'maters from an Amish farm a bit down from my sister's house in TN on Saturday. THEN decided we needed to get them home so she could process and can them all! Meanwhile I picked another 1/2 bushel of beans off of ours when I got home last evening. She's gonna be busy. Least the house was in decent shape from my niece staying here and watching over the cat. We live in a beautiful country, get off the interstates and drive the US and state routes, much more to see!

[Maestrobjwa]

4 hours ago, H2O said:

The streak continues. Just ask the knicks. 

I alreadt chalked that up as a loss on Sunday when as we heard who was involved, lol

Soiled it! Soiled it! Soiled it!

[WVclimo]

Just finalized reservations for flights, lodging and an SUV rental for a week in the Northern Rockies the first week of August.  Planning to hike Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and Grand Teton with my son.

Looks like some of the trails we plan to hit have been closed recently due to heavy rain and snow melt.  Others due to heightened bear activity !  Hoping the forecast for that ridge to set up out west the next few weeks verifies.  Will rely on bear spray for the rest.

[CAPE]

On 7/4/2026 at 7:28 AM, SnowenOutThere said:

I’ll move our conversation over to banter. I fundamentally agree with you on the doom narrative of climate change or that the environment collapsing is bad. It sets people up to no longer believe in those crisises when the world doesn’t end. Nihilism doesn’t really promote people taking action to cause change. However, I think it’s important to recognize that we both know, you as an expert and myself as a student, that 1.5+ degree C change will be bad. There is no arguing that it is warmer than before the Industrial Revolution. Additionally, there is no arguing that greenhouse gases are responsible for the majority of this increase. Finally, there is no arguing that this increase has, and will continue, to exacerbate increasingly damaging events. The last four sentences aren’t a political narrative, they’re just our scientific understanding of the atmosphere as a fluid body. I recognize that you know more about it than me, so if my logic there was wrong please let me know.  
 

The scientific part said, it is frustrating to have people come up to me and say “oh it’s hot because of climate change”. I get that. We need better communication on what it is - an exellerant to extreme patterns - and what it is not - the sole cause of all weather. My last point I want to emphasize as someone who wants to go into environment policy: the ozone hole or acid rain “scares” were extremely detrimental. It is only because of that fear and the groundbreaking legislative effort, both abroad and at home, that we live in a timeline where the ozone hole is a little known fact and confined to the poles. It is because of that effort that acid rain is nonexistent in the US. It is because of that effort and clean air act that our AQI has been in the green despite being trapped under summer ridging. I’ve never known the world my grandparents describe where in summer the sun was dim with smog. It’s important to remember that these are policies that if removed, or gutted, we can and will go back to a more polluted and less healthy planet. 

For those interested in actual science-

https://www.climate.us/

[CAPE]

2 hours ago, WVclimo said:

Just finalized reservations for flights, lodging and an SUV rental for a week in the Northern Rockies the first week of August.  Planning to hike Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and Grand Teton with my son.

Looks like some of the trails we plan to hit have been closed recently due to heavy rain and snow melt.  Others due to heightened bear activity !  Hoping the forecast for that ridge to set up out west the next few weeks verifies.  Will rely on bear spray for the rest.

Have fun!! It will be incredible. Did both those on a trip quite a few years ago now(jeez). Went white water rafting and did the scenic float and plenty of hiking. All great fun. The Grand Prismatic is insane. Took high res shots of that and Yellowstone Falls. Both are framed and hanging on the walls along with shots from Canaan etc.

[MN Transplant]

6 hours ago, WVclimo said:

Just finalized reservations for flights, lodging and an SUV rental for a week in the Northern Rockies the first week of August.  Planning to hike Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and Grand Teton with my son.

Looks like some of the trails we plan to hit have been closed recently due to heavy rain and snow melt.  Others due to heightened bear activity !  Hoping the forecast for that ridge to set up out west the next few weeks verifies.  Will rely on bear spray for the rest.

Did the exact trip last summer.  Incredible stuff.  One note - parking in Glacier is damn near impossible, even with the reservation system.  Traffic flows, there is just nowhere to stop near the major trails/sights.  So, consider the buses.

[nw baltimore wx]

19 minutes ago, MN Transplant said:

Did the exact trip last summer.  Incredible stuff.  One note - parking in Glacier is damn near impossible, even with the reservation system.  Traffic flows, there is just nowhere to stop near the major trails/sights.  So, consider the buses.

We hiked from Logan Pass a couple of years ago and got there at about 5AM to ensure parking. It was already filling up so I definitely agree on the bus recommendation.

[WVclimo]

@MN Transplant@nw baltimore wx
Thanks for the bus suggestion guys.  Will definitely look into it.

[Chris78]

Going back exactly 2 years from today since  7/07/24 they are 151- 174. That's a .464 winning %

Time to do something different here. It's not working.

This team is not good and hasn't been good with this core in 2 years.

Pretty much everyone that is considered there core is either underperforming or not available. 

 

 

[Chris78]

Go back and take a look at their 2023 roster that won 101 games. Most are gone.

If there still here they've been progressively worse the last few years.

I think some of those players Elias lucked into as he was not planning on actually contending in 2023. He was thinking they were still a year away. 

Look at them the last few years when Elias thought this was the time for them to contend lol.

Time for Elias to go bye byes.

[CAPE]

Anyone watching Cape Fear, the series, on Apple TV? Pretty damn good.

[CAPE]

31 minutes ago, Chris78 said:

Go back and take a look at their 2023 roster that won 101 games. Most are gone.

If there still here they've been progressively worse the last few years.

I think some of those players Elias lucked into as he was not planning on actually contending in 2023. He was thinking they were still a year away. 

Look at them the last few years when Elias thought this was the time for them to contend lol.

Time for Elias to go bye byes.

The 'awesome' core is largely mediocre or gone. This team is awful. Elias has failed. As I have said, fire that fucker and rebuild. The hell with buying at the trade deadline. SELL. That's just Elias trying to save his job. Trade a 'valuable' commodity( to a contending team) like Alonso. Get a few prospects in return. Why the hell would he want to waste the prime years of his career with a loser? He would likely be amicable with a trade to an actual contender. 

[CAPE]

Thankfully, NFL training camp is just a few weeks away. Yeah baby!!

[Chris78]

10 minutes ago, CAPE said:

The 'awesome' core is largely mediocre or gone. This team is awful. Elias has failed. As I have said, fire that fucker and rebuild. The hell with buying at the trade deadline. SELL. That's just Elias trying to save his job. Trade a 'valuable' commodity( to a contending team) like Alonso. Get a few prospects in return. Why the hell would he want to waste the prime years of his career with a loser? He would likely be amicable to a trade with an actual contender. 

Yeap. This team is much less talented than they were made out to be. 

Lots of AAA mashers that weren't able to replicate the same success against MLB pitching.

And most are below average defensively. Pair that with Free agent signings like Tyler O'Neil and stop gap starters like Charlie Morton and Chris Bassett and this is what you get.

[Maestrobjwa]

3 hours ago, CAPE said:

The 'awesome' core is largely mediocre or gone. This team is awful. Elias has failed. As I have said, fire that fucker and rebuild. The hell with buying at the trade deadline. SELL. That's just Elias trying to save his job. Trade a 'valuable' commodity( to a contending team) like Alonso. Get a few prospects in return. Why the hell would he want to waste the prime years of his career with a loser? He would likely be amicable with a trade to an actual contender. 

I'll bet the under on that. Alonso is not gonna wanna just up and switch when he just got here just because things are rough this first year. Players do not always think the way fans do. (Why you are so hung up on this idea of him in particular I have no clue--it is incredibly rare for that kind of deal to be given up on by player or team in just half a season...c'mon you ever heard of that? Lol It would have to be an unusual, toxic situation for that to happen that fast. And besides, Alonso seems like the type to go all in when he commits to a team and a city. So between that and ownership, this being the biggest investment made so far, definitely stepping in and saying "heck no this is dumb" if anybody in the org even floated that idea...he is not going anywhere dude, lol

And I think the assumption everything will be torn down under a new GM is premature. There is more to work with here than some think. And what if...it's the system of over emphasis and micromanaging of analytics (and culture of the FO) is the culprit, and not the talent? You change that and this can turn around in a year, imo New GM could manage existing talent better, and then build around them better.

[Maestrobjwa]

12 hours ago, Chris78 said:

Going back exactly 2 years from today since  7/07/24 they are 151- 174. That's a .464 winning %

Time to do something different here. It's not working.

This team is not good and hasn't been good with this core in 2 years.

Pretty much everyone that is considered there core is either underperforming or not available. 

 

 

Only one thing to do: fire Elias and clean out the FO. But I'm not sure we need a full rebuild, or that all our young players are simply busts. Not buying that part...I think it's Elias & Sig's system that has been choking the core. Key example? Look at how much better Adley is doing this year. What did he say? "Simple thoughts at the plate". Which makes ya wonder...where did the complications come from? We were all ready to call him a bust! But his bat is all the way back, and now he can throw people out thanks to a change in coaching!

[Chris78]

8 hours ago, Maestrobjwa said:

Only one thing to do: fire Elias and clean out the FO. But I'm not sure we need a full rebuild, or that all our young players are simply busts. Not buying that part...I think it's Elias & Sig's system that has been choking the core. Key example? Look how well Adley is doing this year. What did he say? "Simple thoughts at the plate". Which makes ya wonder...where did the complications come from? We were all ready to call him a bust! But his bat is all the way back, and now he can throw people out thanks to a change in coaching!

I agree that Elias needs to go. 2 full seasons of games is a pretty big sample size for the players. At some point players need to play and they haven't done that in 2 years. The majority of this current roster hasn't won crap at the Major League level. Take a look at the 2023 roster that won 101 games. Most are gone now. I'm not sure if their underachieving or just not as good as they were all billed to be.  

For Adley he's having a better season but his last 2 were disasters .

If you look at his numbers he's probably back in the top 10 catchers in the League conversation but being the number 1 pick he also hasn't lived up to the billing.You can see his decline Athletically over the past 2 seasons. I hate to see when he's 33,34 years old. I certainly wouldn't entertain extending him.

There's plenty of other Catchers that are better offensively and defensively. 

If  Adley and Gunner are your big 1 ,2 punch to build around, that's a pretty soft 1 and 2 compared to other teams around the league.

[Maestrobjwa]

9 minutes ago, Chris78 said:

I agree that Elias needs to go. 2 full seasons of games is a pretty big sample size for the players. At some point players need to play and they haven't done that in 2 years. The majority of this current roster hasn't won crap at the Major League level. Take a look at the 2023 roster that won 101 games. Most are gone now. I'm not sure if their underachieving or just not as good as they were all billed to be.  

For Adley he's having a better season but his last 2 were disasters .

If you look at his numbers he's probably back in the top 10 catchers in the League conversation but being the number 1 pick he also hasn't lived up to the billing.You can see his decline Athletically over the past 2 seasons. I hate to see when he's 33,34 years old. I certainly wouldn't entertain extending him.

There's plenty of other Catchers there are better offensively and defensively. 

If  Adley and Gunner are your big 1 ,2 punch to build around, that's a pretty soft 1 and 2 compared to other teams around the league.

Underachieving--I am almost sure of it. Elias & Sig's system is the main reason. Get those voices out and I think players--especially Gunnar--are gonna do better.

Hey you're forgetting about Basallo in that 1-2 punch equation Who says they are the 1-2 punch? You can bring in other FAs to compliment them. See here's the thing: Things are not so bad that we need another 3-4 years rebuild from the ground up...which seems to be what you're suggesting (I mean you get rid of the young players ya gotta start over). Getting new young stars is bound to take that long because ya gotta draft and wait 4 years. I think there's a way to add to the young core and not go through 100-loss seasons again.

[Interstate]

12 hours ago, CAPE said:

Thankfully, NFL training camp is just a few weeks away. Yeah baby!!

I am happy Silo is back... I just hope that season 3 does not disappoint.

[Maestrobjwa]

34 minutes ago, Interstate said:

I am happy Silo is back... I just hope that season 3 does not disappoint.

Silo?

[CAPE]

16 minutes ago, Maestrobjwa said:

Silo?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14688458/