Thursday, May 27, 2010

Standard Baseball Score Card - W3C XHTML 1.0 Strict! - I'm a code writer!



I've been working on a baseball scoring form since early in May. I started with a hack of an ESPN table that I liked the look of (it had 10 columns across). ;)

Through trial and error I learned how to build a table with html. To make it look good though, I needed a way to stabilize the table so that when I added data through the course of a baseball game, it wouldn't distort sideways and up and down.

For that, I taught myself how to write some Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) code.



If you've been following my posts on this project you know I've been tweaking the html/css tables by live scoring baseball games in my new, extra-wide blog, the "Internet Baseball Score Card Blog". It is an exercise to learn how best to accommodate all the info one would like to put in a score card, and moreover, using a computer keyboard rather than pencil and paper.

I had to be sure the scoring form was flexible enough that one could accommodate all the changes that can possibly occur; like the game goes into extra innings, a pinch runner replaces a base runner, or a double switch happens, and so on. I scored ten games including three in a National League park. Each score card created a subsequent change in the form until now - it works in every situation I can imagine.



A friend of mine who has been helping with poignant suggestions - he must find obvious - has helped me navigate the geography of writing and publishing code; making sure it's up to standard and as simple as it can be. After I'd gotten the code as simple as I could (he says it can be smaller), he directed me to the W3C site - where you can test your coding for errors.

W3C is the internet standards body, it holds regular summits of code writers from around the world to come up with and updates world wide web coding standards. An example are the protocols that make html the standard language of the internet. Right now they are debating the new html5 protocols, the foundation of Google Wave.

They have a page in W3C Vadidator where you can upload your code and a program checks it. I had two errors - directions missing from the top because I wrote the code in blogger - which doesn't allow those directions.

I added the missing protocols and Bingo! - I'm a code writer! :)



You can save a copy of this template (opens in a new tab):


The Plan


So... that's stage one.

Next is to turn this template into an application where baseball scorers can login and score games, save them to their own private suite, or share with a community of baseball scores though an in-house wiki and a micro-blog. Users will invent new ways of scoring and create new icons to score with. I envision a way to upload your own icons so a user can score a game any way they see fit.

After 140 years of scoring there are still problems getting it all on paper. When crazy stuff happens in a baseball game a scorer is tested to get all that happened onto their scoring form - so the more games that are scored using the different and inventive ways to score the game the better baseball scoring will become. I envision a template that will allow as much flexibility for the users as possible. This will enable the continuing evolution of the craft of baseball scoring.

A wiki and micro blog will be an important part of an Internet Baseball Score Card website, the group will edit out mistakes in the scoring and an echelon of dedicated scores will emerge. Then, once the wiki is humming, the data, stored in specific places in the cards code can be easily transferred into a program that will amass the Official Statistical Record of the game.

I think this interactive iconographic structure will use Project Scoresheet scoring innovations, but will replace the front end, the point where humans input data.


I'd especially like to thank Kathryn Barrett, O'Reilly Media Webcast Producer for 'Prizing' me the "Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML" book. Thank you very much.
(I answered a Webcast questionnaire - and won the book that was really important reference source to get me started.)

These are some of the great resources I used at the W3C website:


Free Webmaster Tutorials - Quackit.com

Scoring a Baseball Game the Project Scoresheet Way by David Cortesi (pdf)

O'Reilly's Safari Books "Baseball Hacks" By Joseph Adler Chapter 1. Basics of Baseball: Keep Score, Project Scoresheet–Style

Baseball Hacks by Joseph Adler at Google Books.



mh

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Michael Bryant and Spin Doctors 'Diminish Us All'

(Originally published at BikingToronto, where I write, "Michael Holloway's BikingToronto Blog" and "Toronto/GTA Bicycle Route Mapping Wiki".)



Audio of Michael Bryant's press conference of May 25th 2010 - juxtaposed with video testimony of witnesses from the night of the killing of Darcy Allan Sheppard.

“We are all diminished by any loss of life,” said Mr. Bryant

I would opine that we are all diminished when after one takes the life of another, the institution we have built that maintains our civilization offers no sanction.

The starting point, the point where Michael Bryant losses his humanity to fear and objectification of the other happens before the hellish ride that kills Darcey Allen Sheppard. It starts with an assault at the intersection when Bryant uses his car to throw the cyclist onto the hood. He then brakes and backs up, spilling the injured man to the pavement, then wheels right around the man and over the bike, trying to effect an escape of the scene of his criminal act - at this point Sheppard grabs onto the side of the car. It is in this attempt to escape the consequences of his assault on Sheppard that Bryant embarks down the road to murder - and becomes Sheppard's Chauffeur of death.

Here's audio of the carefully scripted stage play that served as a news conference this morning. After, reporters pose questions that seem intended only to help Mr. Bryant flesh out the details of his spin of the story he has just delivered, to add colour to his script:



"28 seconds..." This is the theme the script writers are going with, it talks to the fact that at a moment of fear and surprise you might have done what Michael Bryant did: cross to the opposite side of Bloor Street at 90 kph and use a mail box and a light pole to "brush off", to snuff out the life of, a man hanging onto your car for dear life.

From the witnesses:



What charges do you think should be brought that will have a reasonable likelihood of resulting in a conviction?

Assault?
Dangerous Driving?
Assault with a weapon?


Story from the National Post (note the spin in the headline): Former Ontario AG Michael Bryant was ‘terrified’ during fatal encounter with cyclist.

Thanks to The National Post for the audio of the press conference.
(http%3A%2F%2Fnationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fbryantpresser.mp3)




mh

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Internet Baseball Score Card Blog



Update # 4 on my html/css Internet Scoring Form.

I've started a new blog called the "Internet Baseball Score Card". It's a place for me to score baseball games. To get the twenty columns across that I needed to score nine innings and show batting statistics to the right of the game score I had to create a blog with a wider format. It makes for a nice compact score card; it's a lot easier to use and to 'pencil' in all the totals at the end of the game.

Below is the top half of the latest game scored, Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners, May 19, 2010.





mh

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Hollywood authoritarian bullies, "People want to be free!"

Saying information wants to be free does more harm than good

It's better to stop surveillance control because it is the people who really want to be free

by Cory Doctorow
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 18 May 2010

[..]

"So what do digital rights activists want, if not "free information?"

"They want open access to the data and media produced at public expense, because this makes better science, better knowledge, and better culture – and because they already paid for it with their tax and licence fees.

"They want to be able to quote, cite and reference earlier works because this is fundamental to all critical discourse.

"They want to be able to build on earlier creative works in order to create new, original works because this is the basis of all creativity, and every work they wish to make fragmentary or inspirational use of was, in turn, compiled from the works that went before it.

"They want to be able to use the network and their computers without mandatory surveillance and spyware installed under the rubric of "stopping piracy" because censorship and surveillance are themselves corrosive to free thought, intellectual curiosity and an open and fair society.

"They want their networks to be free from greedy corporate tampering by telecom giants that wish to sell access to their customers to entertainment congloms, because when you pay for a network connection, you're paying to have the bits you want delivered to you as fast as possible, even if the providers of those bits don't want to bribe your ISP.

"They want the freedom to build and use tools that allow for the sharing of information and the creation of communities because this is the key to all collaboration and collective action — even if some minority of users of these tools use them to take pop songs without paying."


Read the whole thing at Guardian.co.uk

Read the whole thing at Cory Doctorow's Craphound.com



mh

Friday, May 14, 2010

Internet Friendly Baseball Score Card update # 3

Html/CSS Game Ready Template - rationalized box sizes and columned legend - 05/13/10


On May 7th I introduced a skeleton html score card that became bent out of shape as one added data to the columns. On May 10th I introduced a fix using CSS boxes that added horizontal and vertical stability.

Now I've rationalized the space used; I've made some data entry boxes smaller and some bigger, depending on how the score card worked while actually scoring a baseball game.

Next I intend to float text data in each box for a cleaner look. Also I want to add a set of columns beside each batters set at-bat boxes for AB, R, H, RB, BB, SO, PO, A, LOB. A score card should have a space to record every pitch that is thrown during a game; this too will come.

You can download this score card


To take a copy for yourself simply high light the entire table by holding the left click button on your mouse down while dragging the cursor from the bottom to top of the table, copy, and in your blog (with the "New Post" page tabbed to the "Rich Test"), paste - and save.

To score a game, copy the saved template and paste it to a new post, click to Rich text and start typing in-side any box.

Each batters at-bat box has room for three characters across and three lines down for a total of nine characters. This is tight for all the info scorer's find themselves entering during and after each at bat. To fit all this data I have revised some of the standard notations. The legend below shows the notations that I have used so far in scoring 4 MLB games. Some are the old standards, some are new.

One of the most difficult things to show on a score card is what's happening with the base runners - and when.

"Scoring a Baseball Game the Project Scoresheet way" is a new way of scoring a baseball game published November 2001 by David Cortesi. It invents new protocols and notations towards entering penciled score card data into a computer via scanning.

I borrow one of David's ideas; the box on the left shows an at-bat box from Project Scoresheet, with three lines. My html/css scoresheet below-right also has three lines. The top line describes what happens before the play (a runner on base steals), the middle line shows the play (a hit, walk or out) and the bottom line shows what happens after the play (advances a base, scores...).

Below is a good example; Jeter walked to lead off the 3rd. During Gardner's at-bat Jeter steals second (#1s). Then Gardner strikes out looking. In the next at-bat Jeter scored when Teixeira's hit the ball to right for a base hit (BH9). Teixeira got an rbi (r) and was left on base, at first (-).
Enjoy scoring games! Any feed back is appreciated.
(michaelholloway111(at)gmail(dot)com

Legend:
- on 1st
= on 2nd
--- on 3rd
r = rbi
<> run plated
p pitch count
/// end of inning
E4t E4 throwing
#2s - base runner (batting second) stole a base
-
-
-
B bunt
B bunt
PO pop-up caught
BH base hit
K batter strikes out
Ks batter strikes out swinging
UA un-assisted
#1s first batter in the line up stole one base
#1ss first batter in the line up stole another base in the same at-bat


Away Team123456789
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

123456789Totals
Runs
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hits
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Errors
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
LOB
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
PitchingIPHRERBBKHRp/sERA
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Home Team123456789
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

123456789Totals
Runs
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hits
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Errors
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
LOB
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
PitchingIPHRERBBKHRp/sERA
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Legend:
- on 1st
= on 2nd
--- on 3rd
r = rbi
<> run plated
p pitch count
/// end of inning
E4t E4 throwing
#2s - base runner (batting second) stole a base
-
-
-
B bunt
B bunt
PO pop-up caught
BH base hit
K batter strikes out
Ks batter strikes out swinging
UA un-assisted
#1s first batter in the line up stole one base
#1ss first batter in the line up stole another base in the same at-bat



Away Team101112131415161718
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

123456789Totals
Runs
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hits
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Errors
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
LOB
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
PitchingIPHRERBBKHRp/sERA
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Home Team101112131415161718
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

123456789Totals
Runs
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hits
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Errors
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
LOB
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
PitchingIPHRERBBKHRp/sERA
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Legend:
- on 1st
= on 2nd
--- on 3rd
r = rbi
<> run plated
p pitch count
/// end of inning
E4t E4 throwing
#2s - base runner (batting second) stole a base
-
-
-
B bunt
B bunt
PO pop-up caught
BH base hit
K batter strikes out
Ks batter strikes out swinging
UA un-assisted
#1s first batter in the line up stole one base
#1ss first batter in the line up stole another base in the same at-bat



mh

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

I'm reading this now and I thought, I'd better put it into my Google Library list for easy access.

Then I saw this widget top right, "embed" ?? I can embed this book?

Yes I can. So, I might a well read it here, here where I spend most of my time, a place that is becoming link central to everything I do on line.






mh

Monday, May 10, 2010

html/css Baseball Score Card - worked well in live blog



Over the past few days I've been working on learning to write computer code. I've produced a 'Score Card' that baseball fans can use to score ball games on their computers or Laptops but more importantly, on there cell phones! I'm sure fans will want to score games at games on their laptops or blackberry's, iphone, android or what have you.

Lots of work to do on it yet to make it push button friendly - but it's getting there.

So, Here it Is!
below:

Pretty boring - just a sheet of boxes but I think this is very important, no one has made one of these for computer so far as I know - but if I know these types of things - somebody is right now.

Properly done this could be worth some fame and maybe some fortune.

Tonight I scored the New York Yankees at Boston live and publishing after each change. (See Here). It worked really well. In the 7th the Yankee's sat two of their stars; Jeter (#1 batter) and Rodriguez (#5 batter); so I had to add a new line of boxes, in game, I did it and it was fairly easy.

It's been a dream of mine for quite some time to get newspapers to run these score cards they're perfect for print but now I hope they'll also be perfect for the internet. One could build a networked team of reporters who would score at every game in the majors on laptops - and other leagues - and then sell the bundle.

I've learned a lot about coding on this project - I'm very happy.


Away Team12345678910
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
----------Totals
Runs
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hits
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Errors
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
LOB
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
PitchingIPHRERBBKHR_/_ERATotals
Starting Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Home Team12345678910
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
player name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
----------Totals
Runs
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Hits
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Errors
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
LOB
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
PitchingIPHRERBBKHR_/_ERATotals
Starting Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Pitchers name
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-




mh