SUMMOARSTUFF

You're out, You're out, You're out, you're out!

How many "outs" in an inning?  Three?  Yes, ordinarily, but in a recent baseball game between the Pirates and the Nationals, the "bizarre" tagging four-outs rule was encountered.

Please don't ask me to explain this weird rule. Just check out MLB rule 5.09(c)(4) if you are curious.

Joyce the Trickster

You all know how I love Ulysses by James Joyce. Its a little difficult to read, but it rewards the reader who pushes through it.

As an answer to his critics who reported that the novel had too many literary allusions, Joyce wrote another massive novel called "Finnegan's Wake," which was filled with such allusions, plus jokes, word play in several languages and tricks.

I tried to read it years ago and was so stymied by page 1 that I couldn't continue.  I may try again if I can fit it on my Kindle.  Please let me know if you have experienced this wondrous book.

National Comedy Hall of Fame

Located for some time at Holiday, Florida, this Hall of Fame has had lots of well-known members, such as 

Abbott and Costello

Laurel and Hardy

Milton Berle

Minnie Pearl

Charlie Chaplin

George Kirby

Jimmie Durante

W.C. Fields

George Carlin

Sid Caesar

Timmie Rogers

Lucille Ball

Moms Mabley

Jack Benny

Red Skelton

Burns and Allen

Ernie Kovacs

Flip Wilson

Richard Pryor

Jackie Gleason

Senor Wences

Bob Newhart

Jackie Nason

Mort Sahl

Norm Crosby

Mimi Hines and Phil Ford

David Letterman

How many of these comedians have you not seen or heard perform?  I've seen or heard all but two, but then, I'm an old dude.

This reminds me of a time when I gave a speech at a Baltimore Mensa Convention.  I figured that the attendees were acquainted with all of the jokes I was going to tell, so I decided to just give the punchlines.  I bombed.  Not one person laughed,

Apparently, they wanted to hear the whole setup of each joke leading to the punchline, even though they had heard it many times before.  

By the way, I believe that all jokes are in the public domain.  So, go for it!  Our troubled Country needs some humor.

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