Props To Josh Hamilton

The NY Times has a big Valentine to Josh Hamilton, recovering addict, batting champion, and likely MVP.  (If their goal was to ease the sting when Hamiltion wins the MVP over Yankee Cano, well, Mission Accompished.)

A point to ponder - A big chunk of Mr. Hamilton's is based on baseball's revenue from beer commercials.  He and his teammates would have to take a big paycut if all they could promote was pick-up trucks, Viagra and hair tints.  But he seems like the kind of guy who would be OK with that.

I have backed away from my prediction of Rangers in five, but I expect to see signs of life in Texas.

Comments

[Thomas Collins]

I wish Mr. Hamilton well in his efforts to stay on track. The folks I would really like to acknowledge are the family members of drug, booze, gambling and other types of addicts. Family members have to balance the extent to which understanding and tolerance (for example, allowing a drug addict back into the family's home in the knowledge that the addict may be selling drugs and has run up a debt to suppliers who will be showing up at the home to collect the debt) must at times give way to cutting ties with the addict, whose behavior may be threatening the fabric of the family. For those who spout the talking point that folks should be able to do what they want as long as they don't hurt others, I politely suggest that substance abuse ALWAYS hurts others, and that a family faced with an addict, far from erring on the side of intolerance, usually errs on the side of indulgence (for example, letting the addict borrow money for rent, which money will be immediately spent on the next fix).

[Thomas Collins]

Speaking of addicts, see LUN (via Instapundit) for an article on how certain big money addicts (namely, institutions of higher education) try to shake down their marks.

[Menlo Bob]

Backed away from picking the Rangers? Don't you mean flat on your back from a Giant brush-back pitch?

[Third Coast]

Miguel Cabrera, MVP, MVP, MVP......
Cano who?

[Gmax]

Josh has the sweetest swing for a lefthander I have ever seen. Now I only saw Ted Williams for a season or so at the end of his career and he was a shadow of his former self by then. But you just dont fool around with Josh and most pitchers know it, it just tough with that lineup to walk him every single time.

[peter]

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

Still don't like all those stupid antlers and sticking with rooting for the Giants. But props to you, Josh.

[Ignatz Ratzkywatzky]

--I have backed away from my prediction of Rangers in five--

TM's math skills remain undiminished.

[matt the komodo lizard]

the crowd at the "laugh at America" rally is estimated as "easily in the tens of thousands".

[Frau Lokus]

Colbert and Stewart are full of it. How many Porta Potties just for the two of them?

[Ralph L]

The Rangers, who are appearing in the first World Series in the franchise’s 50-year history
Weren't they the Senators until the early 70's? That's less than 40 years.

[daddy]

Just clicked on CSPAN for my annual 1 minute visit.

"Hello, calling in on the Republican line, go ahead."

"Hello, I just want to say that I've been a Republican all my life but I agree with your Democratic caller who just called in that Obama is wonderful and the partisan Republicans are blah, blah, blah..."

...58, 59, 60. Times up, back to football.

I'll let you know if it's any different when I tune in for my designated minute in 2011.

[mockmook]

Whatcha talkin' 'bout daddy?

I'm sure those CSPAN "republicans" are as true as Playboy letters.

BTW, thanks for your contribution to Operation Alaska Chaos. I still have faith that your State will go for Miller; in a just universe, all these LMookooski machinations can't go unpunished.

And, see the LUN for some poise and confidence.

[daddy]

Excellent link MockMook,

Here's one for DoT. ">http://www.dcpages.com/gallery/d/77908-2/DSC09203.jpg"> Go Navy!

[MarkO]

And, here's another one for DoT

The weather was mouldy as I watched smallish relatives cavort at football, so to match the weather, I employed my smart phone to confirm how badly my Dukies were losing to DoT’s armada. Then, and my step bouyed up, when I saw the fearsome Blue Devils were upon the hips and thighs of those Cadets or Sailors or something. 10-nil. Zero. Nada.

Immediately, I recalled Drake playing at bolls and felt as if the invading ships had been quelled.

But, I still realize that there is much left in the game and, as can be said, the stable is not sanguine.

[MarkO]

Egad. 24-zippie.

I tremble, however, in the face of the Navy coach's announced strategy to "take it one play at a time."

Think about it.

[Strawman Cometh]

24-0 at the half.
In other news, in the 4th:
Wm&Mary 17
UNC 7

[Strawman Cometh]

Daddy,
Sorry 'bout my previous post, didn't realize you had checked in. Nothing for you to see here, perhaps you should hoist another with Fagan.

[Jack is Back!]

daddy,

Next movie is titled "Mr. daddy Goes to Washington". I am thinking about using a William Shatner kind of character as daddy. What do you think? Figure I'll use a Jim Belushi character as Fagan.

[Delma Hart]

Aieee! I cannot live with this shame. The Blue Demons have put the Mids to rout. Danube is on the way to get of these wet clothes and into a dry Martini. Then perhaps seppuku.

[peter]

The Washington Senators franchise moved to Minnesota in 1960 and became the Twins. Major league baseball, fearful that it would lose its antitrust exemption, started a new expansion franchise, and they called themselves the Senators. They then became the Texas Rangers. So the team is fifty years old, actually, 49 and a half.

[PD]

I guess it's time to see whether there's anything on TV.

[PD]

Perfect game so far. 26 outs to go.

[PD]

No perfect game. Still 26 outs to go.

[Captain Hate]

Navy almost came all the way back, losing 34-31

[Danube of Thought]

Good Lord. I travel 3,000 miles to see them stink up the joint for three quarters, then get in the car to listen to a thrilling 24-point fourth quarter that barely fell short. Nice work by the Blue Demons.

[Jack is Back!]

And our Gators are stinking up the place. Georgia and Florida into overtime. Urban Meyers looks like a guy about to have a peptic ulcer attack. How the mighty have fallen.

[PD]

I'm surprised the Old Navy commercial hasn't aroused Jesse Jackson's ire, the way the black guy's head gets knocked off. Violence against blacks!

[Danube of Thought]

For some reason, my post at 6:28 came through as being from "Delma Hart.". Alas, it was I. But at least it was a bit respectable at the end.

[Captain Hate]

Gatooooooooooooooooooorz!!!!!

[PD]

That home run made Laura Bush happy.

[Janet the tea-vangelist!]

from "Delma Hart.".

I thought it was you, so I googled Delma Hart to see if there was some inside joke I wasn't getting. She is the lady that asked Obama the only hard question he has ever been asked.

[MarkO]

I believe I said the stable was not sanguine. I'm glad Navy waited to start playing or it would have been as I thought: the impending doom.

[Jack is Back!]

CH,

They still looked very suspect especially on defense for having such an "athletic" team but they're still my team.

Rangers - Whoa, who's laughing now. Mitch Moreland batting last leads in average and puts them up 3-0 shaking off 8 pitches before taking a lefty to right - being a lefty himself is pretty remarkable. With all due apologies to Sue, I think Fox is trying to show all the deebs in Texas from their shots of the crowd. They didn't do this in San Fran.

[Joe Esky]

If the Stewart Colburn rally had 150k then Beck had 600k. Photo comparison per Gateway Pundit (LUN). Circles of area size at bottom of each photo:

[Boatbuilder]

DoT--I am a very fair weather Duke football fan, and it has been raining heavily for a long time, so I can't crow. My respect for the men and woman of the US Navy is undiminished, although if we are subjected to an attack at sea I would hope that our guys wouldn't wait until the fourth quarter to respond.

[Captain Hate]

JiB, I'm an Urban Meyer (birthplace: Ashtabula, Ohio) fan so I've been cheering for your guys as long as he's been there; it wasn't always that way, especially under Squirrellier.

[Sue]

It would sure be nice if Josh would get a hit right about now. And way to go Mitch. We needed that.

[Jack is Back!]

CH,

I once spent a pretty hell raising drunken weekend in Ashtabula by the shore during a hot summer in my college days. I can't remember the joints but I know we hit them all.
I ended up swimming it off in the lake before we hit it back to the little cabin the 6 of us had rented. An unforgettable experience since I remember there was some kind of convention of College Democrats at the time and we were all ROTC. Lets put it this way, the girls were like - hi guys but not their male companions.

[Sue]

Seriously, could we try to hit the ball out of the infield?

[Danube of Thought]

The Duke QB had a spectacular day. He had only one incompletion in the first half, and it was dropped or it would have been a TD. Watching how fired up the Duke guys were, and how flat Navy was, reminded me of Notre Dame and Navy a week ago.

[Jack is Back!]

Air Force will beat Army at West Point and win the CinC trophy but how happy will they be knowing who the CinC is today? Hard to believe these are the same Rangers who played the last two games but its still early.

And by the way, let the media and the left have their moment no matter how exaggerated. Tuesday is a day they have to live with not this past Saturday.

[Clarice]

JIB, PUK's Brit friend was astonished we still remembered him and cared that much. He promised to send your cartoon around to the others.

[Jack is Back!]

Clarice,

Thanks for that. I only hope I did justice to his great sense of humor and cutting wit. The more I research from Hits tribute and the obits and Manchester Beat the more I knew I would need a hour long movie not one of 8 minutes. Some of his repostes were Cadillac classic - someone should write a book. He would stay up all night our time and morning his time and still be bright and sober. How did he take the pain? Incredibel guy.

[Sue]

Pretty, pretty hit, Josh. I sure wish someone had been on base.

[Jack is Back!]

Since this a blog about Josh Hamilton - Home Run by a lefty off a lefty into right field. What a sweet swing. He is a special player who has overcome his demons. Takes a lot of guts for a young guy to do that. Big play.

[Jack is Back!]

Nite all. Battery is at 10% and my TV is in the living room not my office where I can charge it up. New Movie under production "Mr. daddy Goes to Washington":)

[Danube of Thought]

Hamilton has the swing of Ernie Els.

I regret to announce that the Fascist Hyena has apparently been banished from Tapper's "Political Punch" again. I don't believe I will ever get again again without serious technical support.

[DebinNC]

Speaking of special folks overcoming demons...

[PD]

Huh. Didn't realize Sheriff Mathis could sing.

[Porchlight]

Nice "God Bless America" by Martha Plimpton (of whom I'm not generally a fan). Great shot of GWB at the end, too.

[OldTimer]

Ha! Harry's previously owned Democratic base just released a hard-hitting anti-Reid ad - See LUN

[Janet]

Great link Deb

[mockmook]

Thanks Deb, a terrific beauty.

Totally unrelated, the onions I'm cutting are really hurting my eyes...

[Porchlight]

Wonderful link, Deb. Thank you.

[Porchlight]

Yippee, Rangers!! Sue, where are you? Out celebrating I hope...

[Charlie (Colorado)]

the crowd at the "laugh at America" rally is estimated as "easily in the tens of thousands".

They're right. The Comedy Central folks got a permit for 60K and probably got it. Jim's picture is a bit misleading because the Stewart/Colbert crowd's on the Capitol end of the mall, while the Beck rally was between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. But if you look at the overhead pictures the AP has published, the crowd basically goes from about 4th St NW, where it appears the stage is set up, to about 7th NW, past the Air and Space Museum. In other words, roughly West Seaton Park and Henry Park, plus some on the sides. Notice behind the stage isn't crowded -- that's why they call that "backstage" at a rock concert.

I'll have my traditional crowd estimate piece up at PJM, I expect in the morning, but before I have the final figures, I think "tens of thousands" is pretty accurate. Multiple tens, but not 100K.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Holy crap! Duke beat Navy?

Was there an outbreak of food poisoning in Annapolis, or wtf?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I can't remember the joints but I know we hit them all.

I ended up swimming it off in the lake before we hit it back to the little cabin the 6 of us had rented. An unforgettable experience

Fascinating....

[Danube of Thought]

Shortage of good booze.

[MarkO]

Always in short supply. USC had a chance.

[macphisto]

i used to get up every morning and read all the comments on this site to revel in PUK's wit. not that i didn't enjoy the general level of discourse here, but i could always depend on him in particular to make me laugh out loud in a way that deserves more than just the initialism "LOL." i wish i could have told him how he brightened my days.

[Danube of Thought]

"USC had a chance."

Not really.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I don't believe I will ever get again again without serious technical support.

One word:

Anonymizer.

[Porchlight]

I'll have my traditional crowd estimate piece up at PJM, I expect in the morning, but before I have the final figures, I think "tens of thousands" is pretty accurate. Multiple tens, but not 100K.

Charlie,

If you haven't seen it, CBS is saying they hired a private firm, AirPhotosLive, that estimates 215K today, and that the same firm estimated in August that the Beck rally was 87K.

Sounds pretty crazy to me.

[daddy]

DebinNC,

Great link to Lamar, Mo. Wonderful.

JiB,

Waited tables on William Shatner once @ 1976-77 back in Boulder Colorado at The Flagstaff House. I think his daughter was in school there. He was very easy going. Obviously he knew we all knew who he was, but he was just enjoying himself and was fun and very down to earth and a very easy table. A real pleasure to wait on. Think he still had real hair.

Here's a picture of ">http://www.arcticgaspipeline.com/images/People2004-5-6/Dan%20Fagan%20-%20NGP%20Photo%20by%20Dave%20Harbour%207-06.jpg"> Dan Fagan, and here's a picture of ">http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/SimpsonsBeer.jpg"> me.

So Let Art flow. Please.

[daddy]

Yay,

North Carolina holds off that perennial powerhouse, William & Mary, 21-17.

Bring on Dook!

[Debt Cancellation Income]

We all want to see Josh do well. Hopefully, Texas can take care of SF. Go Rangers!

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Sounds pretty crazy to me.

And it is: that would mean 3+ times as many people as they estimated for Beck in 0.6 the space.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Waited tables on William Shatner once @ 1976-77 back in Boulder Colorado at The Flagstaff House.

You were in Boulder then and you didn't call me?

Sheesh.

You AND Jane.

[Porchlight]

that would mean 3+ times as many people as they estimated for Beck in 0.6 the space.

Charlie,

IIRC 87K was the absolute lowest estimate of the Beck rally, and I believe 215K is the highest estimate I've seen for Stewart. CBS went with both anyway.

Also, someone on Hot Air said AirPhotosLive is an unreliable source in general. If you have time to do some research on them, it might be fruitful. I'll send you anything I see.

[daddy]

Reposted from 2 links back:

Please give a listen to Ann's link ">http://bigjournalism.com/pjsalvatore/2010/10/30/anchorage-cbs-affiliate-caught-on-voicemail-conspiring-against-alaskas-gop-senate-candidate/"> Anchorage CBS Affiliate Caught on Voicemail Conspiring Against Alaska’s GOP Senate Candidate . It's about local Anchorage CBS TV News Reporters caught on tape, concocting scenarios of how to use their CBS platform to smear and slime Joe Miller negatively prior to the Election.

It is worth keeping in mind that Fagan works for a CBS Radio Station In Anchorage. Dan Fagan was just pulled off the air for (as I understand it) not for doing something illegal, but for supposedly doing something "Over the Line" in regards to electioneering (ie) using his CBS airwaves position to improperly influence the outcome of an election.

I am unable to determine positively if ">http://www.ktva.com/"> KTVA Anchorage (CBS TV-Channel 11) is affiliated with ">http://www.kfqd.com/"> KFQD Anchorage (CBS Radio-AM 750), though in the headline at the top of KFQD 750, (the Radio Station), is an ad for TV shows for KTVA Channel 11, therefore I believe there is a connection. We will find out tomorrow when and if this hits the fan.

The reporters in Ann's link discussing how to smear Joe Miller work for the former, Fagan for the latter. Again, I am not a Lawyer, but if Dan Fagan is subject to immediate suspension from his CBS soapbox for what he did, I cannot imagine that these CBS reporters should not suffer similar penalties or reprimands for what they are caught on tape discussing as an option. And if their comments are found to be simply 'hyperbole or jokes," as Fagan maintains that his were, then why a double standard?

I am unable to post at Big Government but if anyone thinks this is worth mentioning or posting there, please feel free to post it.

Also, FWIW, here is a link to Fagan's Blog which has a very recent interview of Joe Miller by a Reporter for KTVA TV. I am positive this reporter, if he is not the guy making the comments, would immediately recognize the voices of the Reporters on the tape who are discussing how to smear Joe Miller before the Election. ">http://www.thealaskastandard.com/content/ktva-s-matt-felling-interviews-joe-miller"> Link.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

The PJM crowd size pieceis up, with an update on CBS's ludicrous estimate to come.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Also, someone on Hot Air said AirPhotosLive is an unreliable source in general.

Oh, they seem to be very rel,iable. They always come up with the more "liberal" estimate.

If you have time to do some research on them, it might be fruitful. I'll send you anything I see.

I'll see what I can do. The update to my piece addresses their comments on the methodology, which includes the same "oblique photo" issue that I saw in comments on my first 9/12 piece.

Which is to say, a straw man that attacks an approach no one uses because it is, well, flawed.

[Jack is Back!]

daddy,

So, you're a Catholic, eh!!

Well something in common. I have an older son who played hockey for the Buffaloes and for a treat I would take him up the Flagstaff House whenever I came into Boulder. One of the best restaurants in the world for a starving winger - he always got the turf and surf (and back then it was over $30). If you've never been there, folks, you have to go - some of the greatest views in the West. Somehow, I have to get that scene of daddy waiting on Denny Crane and finding the inspiration later in life to follow his bravado and take on the political establishment with both guns blazing........

This one is going to be fun.

[daddy]

If anyone cares:

Commenter at Riehl says Fagan's Station is not CBS but is NBC.

I can't verify that. The ad at the top of KFQD750 (Fagan's Radio Station) is for CBS TV (KTVA the network of the recorded Reporters talking about how to smear Miller). The programming list today is for the WSJ roundup, then an hour of the CBS weekly roundup, then Newsweek, and then Meet The Press.

Wiki says it is owned by Morris Communications, so maybe it is a big smorgasbord of stuff from all over. I do not know but suspect we will find out through the day. Regardless, when they pulled Fagan, the replacement was a CBS News Show. Just trying to get the facts.

[daddy]

JiB,

I'm remembering back about 33 years ago, but I believe James T Kirk was sitting about where the guy with the white hair was sitting in this ">http://bouldercountygold.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/FLAGSTAFF2-copy.jpg"> picture. For some reason that sticks in my memory, which may not be so crazy when you remember I was a young kid just out of college and here I was waiting on Captain Kirk of the Enterprise.

Views out the windows were also amazing tho they don't come across well in these shots. This is ">http://www.mendosa.com/fitnessblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/flagstaff-view.jpg"> looking North and this sort of ">http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DcAkitIc1g8/Si5ztfBRMHI/AAAAAAAAAgE/GRSECtx4qsE/s400/flagstaff+2.jpg"> looking east.

Regardless, a great place for a young kid to work, except that having to take the garbage out at night to the dumpsters out back was difficult as the ">http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HwItslsVXD8/TG70TY1NVDI/AAAAAAAABtI/g546ucybbGg/s1600/raccoon+1.jpg"> raccoons were always in the dumpsters and were mighty mean and snarling at you. Much fun.

[Jane]

Waited tables on William Shatner once @ 1976-77 back in Boulder Colorado at The Flagstaff House.

Are you kidding? I was waiting tables at the Boulder Country Club where what's his name (I can see him) was the club pro.

Why were you in Boulder?

[Jane]

Hale Irwin

[daddy]

Jane,

My girlfriend at the time was in Grad school out there.
So finishing college in NC I loaded up the car and drove on out. Started out at The Mezzanine down on Pearl Street in the Boulderado Hotel waiting tables, then a few months later swapped to the Flagstaff House. Did that for about a year while mulling over the future.
2 things sort of collided. I was trying to make it as a SciFi writer (I was terrible) but it was good experience. I was doing a story on something about Astronauts and started looking at their backgrounds and saw they were military pilots. At about the exact same time one night a guy and wife came in to the Flagstaff, and he was excellent, and for some reason started asking me questions, and wound up he was a United Airlines Pilot. I had never even met a pilot, and he made it sound exciting, so he suggested I ought to think about it and go take a test. I did. It was with the Air Force. I remember walking down the hall and some guy stops me and asks what I was doing and I tell him I'm looking for the Air Force office to take a test. He says how about the Navy? I said I want to fly and he says we got planes. I didn't even know that--I didn't know anything! So I went in and took the Air Force test but it was real impersonal etc, and when I came out the guy was still standing there and he said they had a test and showed me some pictures and made it sound interesting. I came in the next day, took the test, had it graded in about 5 minutes (somehow passed), and then all that other stuff, Physical, transcripts, recommendations, etc. The military had dumped tons of pilots after VietNam and now they were desperate to fill holes and they were taking almost anybody. About a week later I get a call I'm accepted, and 10 days later I'm running around baldheaded and screaming in Pensacola and thats about it. Life is nutty eh?

And I never even made it to the Boulder Country Club.

[peter]

Al Gore is a hypocrite. I know, that doesn't shock JOMers. See LUN. h/t jimeo blogspot

[Janet the tea-vangelist!]

Yeah peter...here is a good video titled James Cameron - Hypocrite.

The whole bunch are hypocrites.

[Jack is Back!]

daddy,

You and Jane are bringing back too many memories, pangs of nostalgia.....The Boulderado Hotel is where I always stayed. And Hale Irwin played DB and Safety for the Buffaloes. He was pretty good. That is how he came to be the pro at Boulder CC before turning to the tour. What I liked about the Boulderado beside the bar was you only had a few blocks to Pearl St. to walk around and enjoy the faux-hippies and all the street performers. Plus there were some interesting shops to browse.

[Gmax]

Rangers rock the House. How about Feliz just raring back and blowing fastball after fastball by the heart of the lineup? 99 MPH heat is fearsome stuff. If he develops a curveball, he will be even more of a nightmare than he already is.

[narciso]

As Austin "Danger" Powers would say, yeah baby, in the LUN

[Janet the tea-vangelist!]

From Charlie's article -

"And that tells us the real story: they held a rock/comedy concert, with pro acts including two of the hottest TV comedians around, and professional production, with free admission and with Arianna Huffington paying for bus rides — and no matter what you think a “dense” crowd is, it was still only about six-tenths of Beck’s open-air church service."

a great point.

[Jane]

Geez Daddy, JIB, Charlie - we all had a prior life together.

I went out there in '72 to do my last 2 years of college; quit to work for McGovern and get my residency and graduated in december '76. I waited tables (or bagged groceries) the entire time. Then I moved to Dillon where I worked at the top Of Keystone and skied 176 days in a row.

JIB - I was one of those faux hippies, I think.

[Jane]

So Daddy,

You joined the Navy?

[Captain Hate]

Sarah Palin bringin' the heat on FNS. Repuke country clubbers that have been badmouthing and undermining Joe Miller grabbing their binkies.

[Jane]

Daddy,

Sarah Palin just mentioned the Fagan thing on FOX.

[DebinNC]

If you missed it, John Hayward, aka Doctor Zero, has a must read:

The Mind of America

[Captain Hate]

Any purported conservative who badmouths Palin is, quite frankly, an idiot. She embodies the relentlessly optimistic spirit of Reagan in a way nobody else does.

Chris van Hollen looking like a zombie on Halloween.

[Thomas Collins]

"perennial powerhouse, William & Mary"

Watch out, daddy! Two of my three kids have their undergard degrees from mighty Colonial Athletic Association powers (William & Mary and UMass). Deadhorse decided to go Big Ten, but I have a fond spot in my heart for the CAA. :-))

[Captain Hate]

Jane got it right: Fox may have given Juan Williams a huge new contract but he still has the same blinkered lefty orientation that remains defiantly resistant of any alternative.

[John]

Hamilton has provided the Rangers with a major boost, but you can go as far back as the Senators' years with Frank Howard (and Ted Williams as manager) and the franchise has always had periods of great-hitting line-ups. The difference is over the last few years since Nolan Ryan became team president the Rangers have finally figured out that while monster-hitting line-ups are a great short-term way to put keisters in seats, when it comes to pennant races and the post-season, pitching wins the games.

They needed the Lee trade this season to get them over the hump, but the team has finally started putting together a roster that's designed not just to hit home runs, as with Tom Hicks and his disastrous A-Rod signing (and if you look at the attendance over Hicks' final few years as owner, the people in the D-FW area had finally grown both wise and tired of that scam -- hiring Ryan and focusing on pitching was the desperately needed right move at the right time).

[Porchlight]

Also, Cap'n,she zeroes in on the opposition's weakness with ease. She zings them where it hurts every time. It seems effortless.

As narciso reminds us,the Russians don't call her the Akhanitsa for nothing.