Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound.
Well, remember telling your kids that they were wasting their time playing video games all day long? It appears that may not be so true anymore. There is a thing now called eSports. We know there are competitions and tournaments, but now professional sports have started to set up their own leagues. The NBA has been in the lead, forming actual leagues with players to which they pay a salary ranging from $30,000 to $35,000 a year. Each team recruits and plays against other teams. The league is called the NBA 2K League. Seventeen teams have sponsored players, and there is a $1 million prize pool. They say eSports, which includes all video gaming competitions, is a $660 million industry, and by the end of 2019 it is expected to exceed $1 billion.
These games are getting so realistic that even some race drivers use these simulators to help them prepare them for races by helping them to learn track layouts and turn apexes.
Oh yes, how many of you remember the Necco Wafers, those cylinder packets of chalky, sweet, multi-flavor wafers that have been around since the Civil War? I used to pick them because you could make them last a long time by sucking on one until it dissolved in your mouth. There were eight flavors. Can you name them? I will help you: wintergreen, chocolate, lime, clove, cinnamon, orange, lemon and licorice. The reason I brought this up is that the New England Confection Co. went bankrupt and almost closed their doors until they were bought out by the Spangler Candy Co. They make Dum-Dum lollipops, Circus Peanuts and candy canes. So no need to rush out and stock up, but you might go ahead and put a few away for a rainy day since they have only committed to making the product through the fall. Let’s hope they agree to keep this iconic candy on the shelves.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“When you think about stopping, think about the reason you started.” – Dogpound Wisdom
SMILES
We had a power outage at our house this morning and my PC, laptop, TV, DVD, iPad and new surround sound music system were all shut down. Then I discovered that my iPhone battery was flat, and to top it off, it was raining outside, so I couldn’t play golf. I went into the kitchen to make coffee, and then I remembered that also needs power, so I sat and talked with my wife for a few hours. She seems like a nice person.
A gushy reporter told gold legend Jack Nicklaus, “You are spectacular! Your name is synonymous with the game of golf. You really know your way around the course. What’s your secret?” Nicklaus replied, “The holes are numbered!”
Two ladies were sitting in the living room waiting for their hostess, who was slightly delayed. The daughter of the family was with them on the theory that she would keep the visitors occupied during the wait. The child was about six years old, snub nosed, freckled, buck-toothed and bespectacled. She maintained a deep silence and the two ladies peered doubtfully at her. Finally, one of them muttered to the other, “Not very p-r-e-t-t-y, I fear,” carefully spelling the key word, whereupon the child piped up, “But awfully s-m-a-r-t!”
That is all I have for today. As always, be good, do good, play safe, and remember to eat a lot of Necco Wafers. Got to save them!
