Wired Cricket Balls to Enhance Play

[Buck]

Australian IT
Wired Balls to Enhance Play
Jennifer Foreshew
OCTOBER 28, 2003

"A SMART cricket ball that can help analyse a bowler's performance will begin field trials soon."

Our resident cricketer is not here at the moment, but I'd thought I would post this article anway.

 

[flagreen]

Tannin no doubt is out gathering up more cricket balls with an exacto knife and a magnifying glass. Poor little bastards. Ever seen a cricket limp? Now you know why. Some sport!

 

[Buck]

I figured someone would comment on that side of things regarding this topic. I couldn't help but think about it myself.

 

[flagreen]

It's a well known fact around here that I have no taste. Therefore I felt obligated to post what several others here were probably wondering about but unlike me have a good reputation to think of and were unable to. "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose".

 

[Mercutio]

May I ask about the attribution on your quasi-profound .sig, Bill? "Oven Mitt" sounds like one of the hipsters Andy Warhol was hanging out with in the 70s.

 

[flagreen]

Andy would be turning over in his grave if he could hear you say that. I got my snappy signature off of a large soft drink cup from Arby's. And they say I have no class.

 

[timwhit]

Man I hate Arby's. I swore I would never eat there again after New Year's eve 1999. I ate there with some friends and we all got sick. No one threw up or anything, but I will never eat that shit again.

 

[flagreen]

I like Arby's ok. Hardies have to be worst run fast food chain of all time in my opinion. The service always sucks no matter where you find them. And I have never seen a clean Hardies. Everyone I've ever been in is filthy. The help behind the counter are usually rude and grease looking. Beats me how they have managed to stay in business as long as they have.

 

[blakerwry]

I like arbys... but then i know a couple managers.

 

[i]

Mmm...Arby's.

 

[Mercutio]

MMMmmmm... Big Montana

(that's 250g of roast beef and a couple of pieces of bread, if you don't have Arby's in your country).

I'm pretty regularly disgusted by Burger King myself. And Wendy's - home of the burgers so greasy their buns turn liquid.

 

[i]

And Wendy's - home of the burgers so greasy their buns turn liquid.

Yes, but their salads are good. Way better than those sad things McDonald's throws together.

 

[Fushigi]

Well, now that the thread has been sufficiently hijacked...

McDonalds: Yuck. Home of the Bland. I do everything I can to not eat there. Especially following my last trip there where I was shortchanged and got a beef patty that was barely cooked & still mostly pink. My wife's wasn't raw but she became ill from the meal. Fries are nothing but grease sticks.

Burger King: I typically get the fish sandwhich. Or the occasional Western Whopper. Better fries than McDs. Maybe once every 3 months.

Hardies: Haven't eaten there in years; their presence in Chicagoland is minimal.

Arbys: The Big Montana & the Beef 'n' Cheddar are my favorites, but the Market Fresh sandwiches aren't bad. Add curly fries and a Jamocha shake. Maybe once every 2 months.

Wendy's: Get a baked potato & a bowl of chili. Skip the burgers. Decent fries. It's been at least a year...

Subway: Decent sandwiches. Skip the chips. Fast food for when you want to eat 'healthier'. Maybe every 3 weeks or so.

Boston Market: Owned by McDs, but don't let that stop you. I generally get the Turkey meal. About every couple of months.

There's also Steak 'n' Shake, Taco Bell, and any number of other fast food chains. But overall I prefer casual sit-down restaraunts to fast food. For just a few $ more you can get a good Indian food buffet, Chinese, or even pancakes & eggs at IHOP.

 

[Buck]

...Indian food ...

Yummy, lamb curry or lamb bhuna. Vindaloo for the unsuspecting guest.

 

[flagreen]

The market fresh sandwiches at Arby's are excellent - BLT is the best. I don't go for the Big Montana though, I'm a Super Roast Beef sandwich guy. Arby's sauce is tops.

Boston Market - Great but not cheap. Best mashed potatoes around. Meatloaf is ok, forget the ham, turkey is decent - Chicken is excellent.

Steak and Shake is a rip off - too expensive. Their drive through window is a joke - takes forever. The food is decent but nothing to write home about. And what's with the stupid "takhomasak" crap? Someone ought to shoot the guy who thought that one up.

Burger King - Mc Donalds without class. Need I say more?

Wendy's is Ok. Bacon Double cheeseburger is the best in town. Stay away from any of their other burgers though.

Champs (anyone else have these?) - the food is cheap but tastes like puke.

Taco Bell - One of my favorites. Grilled Stuffed Burritos - awesome. They had a Chicken Cesar Grilled Stuffed Burrito for a while that was to die for. So of course they removed it from the menu.

We've got a new Drive-In chain down here in Fla now. Can't think of the name. But it's cool. You sit in your car and young girls in shorts and on roller skates bring your food out to you.
Good food too.

Bennigans - Excellent. Decent food - Monte Cristo sandwich is great, decent price - atmosphere is ok. Stay away from the Steaks - never had a good one there. There's usually at least one or two nice looking ladies to glance at there while you eat as well.

Applebee's (Sp?) - Good food, steaks are great. Good value. Waitresses are usually decent looking. But it's mostly a place to bring your Grandma to when she comes for a visit.

 

[Buck]

If I visit a fast-food establishment, it would be In N Out Burgers. The rest, in my opinion, are horrible. Besides the hours of heartburn and indigestion that I must contend with afterwards, the food is not very good. I'm better off cooking for myself, or getting invited over to a friends house for a meal. Aside from those typical fast-food dietary-hari-kari places, we do have some local food chains that turn out some good fare. There is the Natraj Tandoori chain that offers decent Indian food, and then we have some Mexican chains like Las Golondrinas and Senior Pedro’s. There was also a chain called Fat Burgers that had outstanding chow, however, the owner left the chain and reopened as Biggies. Thankfully, the food is just as good as before. We have a lot of mom and pop places that serve great food (thankfully); plus the usual sit-down chains (which I normally skip).

 

[SteveC]

I don't eat fast food very often, but when I do McDonalds (they have the only fries I like) and Taco Bell are usually what I prefer. There's lots of very good small restaurants around here, serving just about every type of food, to choose from, so if I wanted to eat out, the only reason to pick a fast food place would be because it was quick.

 

[Mercutio]

Anyone here live near a Jimmy John's? $3 for a really excellent sub.

I've never had Indian food. I like Thai, but both the Thai places I've been to are out of business.

Burger King's fries are a crime against humanity. They're proof that BK hates us. They taste a lot like fried packing peanuts. Burger King also uses only the most noxious onions and pickles imaginable.

McDonalds: Good fries, and I like McNuggets. Cheeseburgers are a comfort food. Not so much that they're good, but that they are what they are.

White Castle. Possibly worse than Burger King. They used to have mini-corn dogs, which were awesome. Now they have only items better suited to greasy, soggy construction materials. Certainly nothing I'd put in my mouth.

Boston Market. There's only one in Northwest Indiana. I like their Meatloaf and the creamed spinach, but quality is really uneven on the side items.

KFC: Wraps are good. I've also noticed that the twice-fried "Extra Crispy" is less greasy than "Original Recipe". I'm not a fan.

Popeye's: Chicken is mostly gross. Red Beans and Rice is a fast food meal of the gods, however, and redeems all other sins.

Long John Silver's: Good in small doses. I like fried clams.

Wendy's: Salads are good. Chili is good. Everything else they serve is another sign that there is no god.

Taco Bell: In 1995-6 I had the most visited Taco Bell page on the internet. Some famously weird rock band had it linked on their page. I worked a graveyard shift at a computer lab with scanners that was about two blocks from a Taco Bell, so I scanned everything I could take out of the store in my backpack, up to and including the food. People sent me Taco Bell stories, including stuff like descriptions of working at Taco Bell while high. There was Taco Bell fiction, theme music in painstakingly transcribed MIDI, Taco Bell testimonials, and comparisons between Taco Bell spokespersons (Willie Nelson) and other product spokesmen (Rush Limbaugh for Orange Juice, Michael Jackson for Pepsi et al). Then Purdue and I got a C&D letter from Tricon (parent of Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut) and I didn't have a web page any more (Taco Bell didn't have a page of its own until 1999, by the way).
Anyway, Taco Bell food is hopelessly generic, made with the same 7 ingredients, but somehow they continue to tricking me into eating it. I like "7 Layer Burritos" best.

Subway: I'm annoyed that Subway costs so much more than Jimmy John's, and isn't as good. I suppose it's reasonably healthy food but why am I paying $6 for a sandwich?

Quizno's: Same as Subway, only add another $1.50. Good Clam Chowder, though. Plus every one I've been in has had a clerk incapable of making change.

Panera Bread: I think they pave the streets of DuPage County (Fushigi's neighborhood) with these things. Someone once gave me directions to a meeting including "Turn right at the fourth Panera Bread". Food is great. It's healthy. There are always lots of employed, business-type image-conscious women in them. Too bad they don't have them where I actually live.

TGI Fridays/Chilis/Applebees: Like Wendys, but without the redeeming qualities. Not really fast food either, but somehow they seem to be everywhere. Do people not have any taste?

Panda Express: Fast food Chinese. Almost always overcooked 'cause it's been on the steam table too long, generic and fairly tasteless for Chinese, but STILL better than most of the other fast food places.

Papa Murphy's: If you don't have these, you will, soon. $10 bake-it-yourself pizzas prepped before your eyes. They're phenomenal.

Papa John's: Best of the chain pizza joints, without question.

Pizza Hut: Used to have a stuffed pizza called a "Priazzo", which was awesome. Now has gimmick crust of the week and no redeeming qualities at all.

Dominos: Gives Free Will a bad name.

Fazoli's: Italian food should at least in theory should be very do-able as fast food. Messy, but easy to prep ahead of time. Fazoli's, at least, serves as a counter-proof to this possibility, being only technically digestable and only fast in comparison to a pensioner with a broken hip.

Why yes, I do eat out quite a bit.

 

[mubs]

"Fat Burgers"

If there ever was marketing I didn't understand at all, it's this one......

 

[Buck]

"Fat Burgers"

If there ever was marketing I didn't understand at all, it's this one......

LOL -- Indeed mubs. The owner's change to Biggies leaves me speechless too.

 

[timwhit]

I stopped eating out about 18 months ago. I only rarely eat out at fast food joints. But, a couple years ago I used to eat fast food all the time.

We have Big Mikes which is pretty similar to Jimmy Johns. It's good and I would get it before Subway any day of the week.

I hate Thai food, though I have only had it once. I only had Indian food on an Airplane. The airline happened to be Air India.

BK: They changed their fries a couple of years back. Now they have a hard outer shell on them. And they taste like hell.

McDonalds: I like the dollar menu. I can get too geasy sandwiches for $2.11. And then I ask for a water.

White Castle: I haven't eaten there in a while. Chicken rings...what can I say.

Boston Market: I haven't eaten it in probaly 8 years. Right after it came out. Will never eat it again. I don't care how much they have changed.

KFC: Chicken is not crispy enough.

Popeye's: I love Popeye's. The only problem is that they are only in Ghetto areas. Like near where I grew up. But, their chicken is great.

Long John Silver's: I don't eat fish...so I don't know if it's good.

Wendy's: ehhh, not that great. My dad loves it though.

Taco Bell: My roomates eat this crap like it grows on trees. I used to when I was in High School. I don't eat it anymore. Makes me sick.

Subway: Yes it is ridiculously overpriced. Not that great either. And everytime I go there it seems I have to wait in line for 15 minutes.

Quizno's: Good subs, just too expensive.

Pantera Bread: (Which is what they should be called), I don't like it. Too trendy. Always in places like where Fushigi lives.

Chili's: My roomate waits tables there. She gives us good deals on food. I like there food.

Papa John's: I work there, so I get free food. Too expensive, if I actually had to pay for it. Otherwise, it's good. I just eat it too much.

Fazoli's: I like it ok. The unlimited breadsticks ploy is a scam.

I'd rather just eat at home most of the time. I only like to eat out every few weeks. It's a waste of money, not healthy, and half the time I don't even like it.

 

[Buck]

Chilis/Islands -- respectable food, but expensive. Went to Islands last week at the behest of some acquaintances. I happily paid for the bill, but for three burgers (no fries or other side dishes), two sodas, and one smoothie, the total came to $30.00 plus tip. That is a little outrageous in my opinion for a very simple lunch. For less money, I could have purchased three large Indian meals (entrée (your choice of Chicken Vindaloo, Chicken Korma, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Curry, Aloo Gobi, Mushroom Matter, or another veggie dish), Basmati rice, Naan bread, salad, and drink) around the corner at the Natraj Tandoori (to bad not all guests like Indian).

 

[Mercutio]

I'm obviously missing something in Buck's posts for not knowing my Indian food.

For the record, Chinese food from the local hole-in-the-wall places is usually the cheapest and best meal I can get on a given day. I eat a lot of Lo Mein and Hot and Sour Soup.

 

[Buck]

Mercutio. I never realized what I was missing until an English friend and his Indian wife persuaded me to try some of their Indian food. Once I did, I was hooked, and was subsequently happy to find some Indian resturants nearby my house. However, I must point out, that Indian food, like any other cultural food, is never prepared the same way in different eateries, so you could come across some versions you don't like.

 

[mubs]

Circa 1994, I worked here in Southern CA for a recently arrived Brit. He constantly complained bitterly that the Indian food here was terrible. He missed his thrice-weekly fix of it at some joint in London. I've eaten at Buck's favorite joint (Natraj) just once, when I lived closer to it (Laguna Niguel). Was acceptable.

The joints that make Indian snacks (not food) usually do a better job.

I don't eat out much (with Timwhit on this one), but do know people that regularly eat at Indian joints in central and north Orange counties. Buck if you're in the mood to try some other joints, let me know.

 

[flagreen]

KFC is not what used to be. When I was a kid they sold it in Tops resturants - kind of like a Bob Evans. There were no KFC stores. Just seemed better then. Nothing special about it today though.

When I was a kid there were no McDonalds or fast food joints. No cable TV. No PCs or Video games. Four channels on TV and that was it. No ATMs or even Visa or Mastercards. No digital nothing - not even touch dial phones. Transistor radios and Stereo record players were at the top of the technology pile. FM radio? Nope it was all AM.

No blenders, no Zip codes, no seat belts, no VCRs, no fuel injection, and so on and so on. Life was a lot simpler then.

 

[Buck]

Mubs,

The Natraj Tandoori is a chain and serves their food in a cafeteria style (they also will cook items off the menu, but that costs more). There is also a sit-down place in Laguna Beach named the Natraj, they have very good Indian food in my opinion. My English friend laments like your acquaintance. They apparently have Indian restaurants like we have Mexican.

Thanks for the tip, but normally I don’t make it to the north county area, Irvine is far enough for me.

 

[Fushigi]

Anyone here live near a Jimmy John's? $3 for a really excellent sub.

I like Subway better. Could be the obnoxious staff at the JJ's my wife & I went to.

I've never had Indian food. I like Thai, but both the Thai places I've been to are out of business.

Indian & Thai are both great cuisines. I have a coworker from India; he finds all the great places in the area and we hit 'em for lunch once in a while. Fantastic stuff.

White Castle. Possibly worse than Burger King. They used to have mini-corn dogs, which were awesome. Now they have only items better suited to greasy, soggy construction materials. Certainly nothing I'd put in my mouth.

Let's just say they don't call 'em sliders for nuthin'.

Boston Market. There's only one in Northwest Indiana. I like their Meatloaf and the creamed spinach, but quality is really uneven on the side items.

I typically will get the creamed spinach and the dill potatoes. Fairly hard to screw up. Somewhat pricey for what you get but it feels like higher quality than the average fast food. I haven't tried the latest McRestaraunt, Chipotles, yet although one just opened by work. $6 for a burrito?

A Chicagoland chain, El Famous' "football sized burritos" are excellent and only about $3.50

Popeye's: Chicken is mostly gross. Red Beans and Rice is a fast food meal of the gods, however, and redeems all other sins.

RB&R is truly a great thing. Popeye's sides are decent, although I haven't eaten there in probably 3 years or more.

Long John Silver's: Good in small doses. I like fried clams.

Indeed. About once every 4 to 5 months for my grease quota. I go for the chicken & fish combo.

Taco Bell: <snip>
Anyway, Taco Bell food is hopelessly generic, made with the same 7 ingredients, but somehow they continue to tricking me into eating it. I like "7 Layer Burritos" best.

7 layer & grilled stuffed are both pretty decent. BTW, I know the manager for most of the TBs around Valpo & the surrounding area.

Subway: I'm annoyed that Subway costs so much more than Jimmy John's, and isn't as good. I suppose it's reasonably healthy food but why am I paying $6 for a sandwich?

I figure part of the price is the fresh ingredients like bread baked on-site and part is for the convenience since there's a Subway roughly every 50 feet around here.

Quizno's: Same as Subway, only add another $1.50. Good Clam Chowder, though. Plus every one I've been in has had a clerk incapable of making change.

Had it a couple of times; didn't care for it. I like grilled subs, but Quizno's just didn't strike me as any good. And too expensive.

Panera Bread: I think they pave the streets of DuPage County (Fushigi's neighborhood) with these things. Someone once gave me directions to a meeting including "Turn right at the fourth Panera Bread". Food is great. It's healthy. There are always lots of employed, business-type image-conscious women in them. Too bad they don't have them where I actually live.

Hmm. I think I only pass 2 on the way to work. No, wait, 3. Good food but too fashionable for my taste and a bit pricey.

TGI Fridays/Chilis/Applebees: Like Wendys, but without the redeeming qualities. Not really fast food either, but somehow they seem to be everywhere. Do people not have any taste?

We refuse to patronize Chilis as we went to several different ones and had lousy service 4 times in a row. We finally realized it was systemic and decided to ban the place. TGI & Applebees both have a couple of dishes that are good enough. At Applebees I get the chicken fingers platter.

Why yes, I do eat out quite a bit.

:lol:

 

[Mercutio]

Fushigi, have you ever eaten at McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook? They have (or had. I haven't been there in years) table service, which is fun for the sheer incongruity of it.

 

[timwhit]

Fushigi, have you ever eaten at McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook? They have (or had. I haven't been there in years) table service, which is fun for the sheer incongruity of it.

I watching this program on the Travel Channel awhile back about fast food and there is a McDonalds in NYC that is sitdown with table service and is quite fancy. I would consider going there sometime, it looked pretty cool. And it even had live music.

 

[CougTek]

No blenders, no Zip codes, no seat belts, no VCRs, no fuel injection, and so on and so on. Life was a lot simpler then.

Yeah, and it was half-a-century ago too...

 

[Handruin]

I've had good experiences at Chili's in my area. I enjoy their food, especially their mushroom jack fajitas. The service has been decent the many times we’ve eaten there.

My favorite restaurant is Vinnie Testas of Boston, which happens to be in my town as well as Boston. If you like Italian food, everything is made to order at this place.

Another good place to eat is Tennessee's BBQ. I enjoy their pulled chicken and corn bread.

I'm a picky eater and I actually like a Thai cuisine place near my work. I also enjoyed some Japanese Hibachi.

Another good place I enjoy is an Irish restaurant named O’Connor’s. As far as I know it isn't a chain, so you probably won't find this unless you are in my area. Probably not worth mentioning because of this, but if you are ever in the area, it is worth a trip.

I don't care for Applebee’s very much. I find their food to be bland and not very appetizing. I'd rather go to Friendly's than Applebees.

If I had to pick a sub shop, I like D’Angelo’s better than subway. The subway's around here have changed over the years. They don't seem to make very good sandwiches any longer.

 

[timwhit]

I hate Applebee’s. I have gotten their chicken sandwich more than once and each time it is extremely undercooked. How hard is it to cook a piece of chicken all the way through? I can do it quite easily on my $30 George Forman Grill. I try to avoid eating at Applebee’s at all cost.

I ate at Biaggi's last week. It is a new Italian chain, with about 10 locations. I thought the food was excellent, kind of like Olive Garden, but better food and comparable prices. Check their website, I bet some of you are close enough to one of the locations. Try it out, it will be worth it.

 

[flagreen]

No blenders, no Zip codes, no seat belts, no VCRs, no fuel injection, and so on and so on. Life was a lot simpler then.

Yeah, and it was half-a-century ago too...

That reminds me, I forgot to add that back then "All Canadians were Canadians".

 

[timwhit]

KFC is not what used to be. When I was a kid they sold it in Tops resturants - kind of like a Bob Evans. There were no KFC stores. Just seemed better then. Nothing special about it today though.

When I was a kid there were no McDonalds or fast food joints. No cable TV. No PCs or Video games. Four channels on TV and that was it. No ATMs or even Visa or Mastercards. No digital nothing - not even touch dial phones. Transistor radios and Stereo record players were at the top of the technology pile. FM radio? Nope it was all AM.

No blenders, no Zip codes, no seat belts, no VCRs, no fuel injection, and so on and so on. Life was a lot simpler then.

Actually zip codes were introduced in large cities in 1943. And FM Radio has essentially been around since 1937 when it was granted a construction permit by the FCC (the year my dad was born). I doubt you were born before either of these things. Since you were 50 on February 2nd 2002, the oldest you can possibly be is 52 now.

 

[flagreen]

KFC is not what used to be. When I was a kid they sold it in Tops resturants - kind of like a Bob Evans. There were no KFC stores. Just seemed better then. Nothing special about it today though.

When I was a kid there were no McDonalds or fast food joints. No cable TV. No PCs or Video games. Four channels on TV and that was it. No ATMs or even Visa or Mastercards. No digital nothing - not even touch dial phones. Transistor radios and Stereo record players were at the top of the technology pile. FM radio? Nope it was all AM.

No blenders, no Zip codes, no seat belts, no VCRs, no fuel injection, and so on and so on. Life was a lot simpler then.

Actually zip codes were introduced in large cities in 1943. And FM Radio has essentially been around since 1937 when it was granted a construction permit by the FCC (the year my dad was born). I doubt you were born before either of these things. Since you were 50 on February 2nd 2002, the oldest you can possibly be is 52 now.

Ok smarty - I grew up in Northern Virginia. We didn't get a zip code until I was 11 or 12 years old. "22003" was ours in Annandale. Even then using them was not mandatory. Ask you parents Mr. Gotcha they'll confirm what I have said.

Yes there was such a thing as FM back then. But Rock and Roll stations were all AM and most radios didn't have the FM band on them. That's all I meant.

Shees.. kids today.

 

[Fushigi]

Fushigi, have you ever eaten at McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook? They have (or had. I haven't been there in years) table service, which is fun for the sheer incongruity of it.

I've driven by their HQ literally hundreds of times as I used to drive by it on my daily commute from LaGrange Park to Lombard. Even now I work just about 1.5 miles away. But no, I've never actually eaten there.

BTW, my employer has a relationship with McDs and I can get their banquet facility free as long as I pay for the catering. I had considered it for our wedding reception but in the end, we decided to hold it in Indiana.

 

[Mercutio]

Ok smarty - I grew up in Northern Virginia. We didn't get a zip code until I was 11 or 12 years old. "22003" was ours in Annandale. Even then using them was not mandatory. Ask you parents Mr. Gotcha they'll confirm what I have said.

Yes there was such a thing as FM back then. But Rock and Roll stations were all AM and most radios didn't have the FM band on them. That's all I meant.

ZIP codes weren't made mandatory until 1967. The post office does still make an effort to deliver mail without them, though. There's all kinds of stories about oddly-addressed or lost mail that manages to get delivered to the right person.

FM really wasn't interesting until it could do stereo broadcast. Why would it be? It's short range and reception can be affected by local terrain.

I built a kit radio when I was 8 or 9. I could tune AM stations in Kansas and Ohio (from central Illinois) on a clear winter night, which I thought was really, really cool.

 

[flagreen]

I built one of those crystal radios too. I think it was a "Scientific America" kit. They used to make little jars of chemicals that you could buy in hobby stores as well. All sorts of basic chemical and minerals were available for "scientific experiments". They had sulfur, potassium nitrate and powdered charcoal in little jars. My brother and I had great fun making crude gunpowder with it. Can you imagine such a thing being available today? The law suits?

 

[Buck]

I don't care for Applebee’s very much. I find their food to be bland and not very appetizing. I'd rather go to Friendly's than Applebees.

You must have a bad Applebees Handy. Where I have some relatives in Connecticut, its the other way around, the Friendly's has gone downhill and the newer Applebees is pretty good.