THE NERD REPORT
Nerds around town: Comicpalooza, Thrones, Rockets
May 9, 2019, 7:22 am
THE NERD REPORT
Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio, Sports and Wrestling. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
Hey Nerds!
It's Thursday and I don't know if you can tell but this is one of those times I am genuinely happy for the weekend because guys, this weekend is COMICPALOOZA!
Today on reddit there was an Ask Me Anything from a 17 year old girl who has twice had to deal with the effects of fighting cancer. Stuff like this just breaks my heart and frustrates me to no end, kids with cancer? Like how does a family handle that? What wouldn't a parent do to save their kid, so now that you're thinking about that. Help Crits For Cancer help people in the battle against cancer. #NerdsUnite
There are so many great and fun things to do when you're at Comicpalooza one of the biggest things to partake in and enjoy is Artist Alley. Tons of great crafters and writers and artists set up shop in Artist Alley and are trying to make a living or supplement their living, selling art. Which honestly, is a pretty cool thing. You'll see all kinds of stuff there from all kinds of people, there are usually crafted goods like leather working and knitted things and there are self published books and indy comic books and music and small television shows and all kinds of assorted oddities to partake in. You can get commissions from artists, you can buy their prints, there are literally all kinds of things available and you won't find them anywhere else and that's the fun part. So seriously, go buy a weekend pass and check out Artist Alley.
Britain yesterday marked the first time since the industrial revolution that they had gone a week without using any coal to power their nation. That is an awesome and impressive step in the right direction and while it isn't perfect it absolutely should be celebrated. Last year renewable sources of energy were over 27% of how Britain got its power and natural gas was a little over 43% of how they got their power which is down 1% from the year before which also is a step in the right direction. They hope to be completely renewable powered by 2050 and honestly I hope it's sooner than that, I think if nations got serious about getting off of oil it would do several things. First of all it would take money and power out of the Middle East and OPEC, and if money and power drain from those areas than all of those people who are upset about "all these Muslim countries" well, most of those extremist religious regimes would go away because they are backed by oil. The thing that blows my mind, is even if you ignore the global warming component of all of this, people are getting mad and fighting against the concept of having an essentially free power grid. Let's say you hate everything "liberal" and are completely anti-"green" concepts, are you so against these things that you would rather pay a $200 monthly power bill every summer than just have free electricity or if not free then VERY cheap?
So I found something that's fun and worth a little bit of time to play with today if you have a few minutes to spare. It's an interactive map of the world of Game of Thrones and on it you can track the movement of your favorite characters by book or by episode. It's fascinating to see the distances some of these characters have traveled in this story, including Tyrion Lannister and Brianne of Tarth, if you think about it, Brianne has gone back and forth across the seven kingdoms like three times by this season. Have you ever done that? I know I haven't and to think she did it on horseback this whole time, not a plane or train in sight although she has seen a few dragons. It's really worth checking out and playing with for a few minutes, I recommend killing some time with it today.
The Rockets game last night was so frustrating. The Warriors lost Kevin Durant and we still couldn't pull ahead. We had a whole fourth quarter where we finally could control all the match ups and they still got ahead and stayed ahead. It was perhaps the most disappointing fourth quarter of the season, also why the heck aren't we fouling every possession with the last like 60 seconds to play down by four at one point? Foul, foul, foul and foul some more, put them right on the line and then get CP3 and Harden some shots behind the line or easy dunks to Capella. But you have to do something more than traps and lazy defense. That might have been the season right there and I am of the opinion that it is unlikely for the Warriors to get back to the finals, because it's just so impossible to go five straight seasons, remember no one has done that as a team, ever, but if we're going to quit like that then there chances increase significantly.
I'm going to jump out and wish you guys a great Thursday and remind everyone to be kind to each other and try a little harder to have a great day! I'm coming back Friday and we'll be bringing more good times your way. Feel free to check out my digital short story The Wilson House or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help fight cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio or support our Patreon Page. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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