Saturday, December 30, 2006

Winter Is On The Way

Only a week or so in, a couple of major snowstorms have already hit the Denver/Colorado area so far. Luckily the weather in this area isn't normally that severe, it rarely gets to the upper extremes of either heat or cold. Lest we forget about how awful the worst winter weather can be, a reminder from Switzerland.




MORE PICS HERE

A Goat Head For Christmas.............Not On Everybody's List I'm Sure



Sorry, not gonna post a pic of a bloody goat's head, which is what the general manager of Palermo, an Italian football team, found under his tree Christmas morning at his home in Cesena.


STORY

Oregon 76 Oregon State 73

Kyle Jeffers, uh, defends Aaron Brooks



The University Of Oregon Ducks improved their record to 13-0 by holding off the Oregon State Beavers 76-73 at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis Saturday afternoon.


The first half was an uptempo, lively affair with both teams shooting well over 50%, along with great percentages from beyond the three-point stripe as well. There was some sloppy play, but there was also some good defense in the mix as well, and I do recall sitting in the stand when the score, halfway through the first half, was 23-19 in favor of the Beavers and thinking that sometimes that used to be the halftime score in some years when both teams were throwing bricks at the basket.

The Beavers had forged a 30-19 lead with 7:18 to go in the first half, but the defense suddenly improved, helped a bit by the 1,000+ Duck fans in attendance who were loudly chanting DE-FENSE in the cavernous Coliseum, which was a bit empty, maybe, due to the student body being largely gone from campus, and from some boosters who hadn't made it back from yesterday's Sun Bowl in El Paso, TX. The Ducks ended the half on a 22-4 run to take a 41-34 lead.


It still wasn't a great game for the Ducks, there were several times down the stretch when a big physical presence in the paint might've altered the outcome of several OSU layups, there were a couple of times when Chamberlain Oguchi gambled on defense by anticipating a pass only to get beat by his man, with the Beavers then scoring by quickly whipping the ball inside, and true freshman Tajuan Porter played like it, the worst play was when he was stripped by Marcel Jones with less than a minute to go, and the resulting basket ended with the Ducks clinging to a 3 point lead with 31 seconds to play.


Bryce Taylor had a monster game, Maarty Leunen was his usual dependable self, Aaron Brooks was everywhere, sometimes too quickly, not sure of how many turnovers he had, but I'd bet it was about equal to the number of assists that he had.


Good job to the Duck fans present for sure, in the several years that I've been attending the men's Civil War basketball game in Corvallis, it was the best and loudest showing yet by the good guys.


BTW: even though the Ducks are 13-0 right now, I'm hardly making plans to attend the Final Four to watch them, the Pac-10 looks plenty tough right now, for instance the Washington State Cougars put up a helluva fight against UCLA on Thursday, and beat USC today.


RECAP

Friday, December 29, 2006

Oregon State 39 Missouri 38

Congrats to all of the swell Beaver fans that I know on a fabulous come-from-behind victory in the Sun Bowl against the University Of Missouri. My father was happy, he said that he couldn't lose , being that our family hails in part from the Show-Me State.


I dunno much about the specifics of the game as I didn't have any horse in this particular race, I'm sure they're available somewhere on this interweb thingy, just not much on my radar other than the linked ESPN story, which I honestly haven't read, nor do I plan to.

For all of the Beever fans who were clamoring for this....




you'll be glad to know that Nurse Ratchett is available now to help you in healing all of those broken and sprained ankles from jumping off and on the bandwagon repeatedly.......





GAME RECAP

Thursday, December 28, 2006

7 Is Not The Lucky Number For Mets, Zito

Yes, it was disappointing to hear that Barry Zito had signed a 7-year, $126 million dollar contract with the San Francisco Giants this afternoon. It seemed like the major item of contention between the free-agent pitcher and the Mets was the length of the contract, apparently Zito and agent Scott Boras were absolutely determined not to settle for a contract length less than seven years, while it appears that the tops that the Mets were willing to go was five.


Given that Omar Minaya's done a heckuva job assembling last year's National League East division champs, I'm inclined to agree with his reasoning for not pushing the lengthy issue with Zito and Boras, story linked below. A guaranteed seven years is a lot for anybody, especially a pitcher, so we'll see how Zito's health remains out in the Bay Area. I'm not saying this just to make myself feel better, but I honestly don't think the addition of Zito to the Giants will automatically make them the favourite to even win their division. Yes, I'm gonna keep saying that to myself until I'm proved wrong, of that you can be certain.



ZITO

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

There's nothing like dealing with people who work for soul-sucking mindless huge corporations, is there? One man's account after dealing with Wal-Mart ( I still shake my head about the time an acquaintance of mine, working at one of the Salem stores, told me that his supervisors had encouraged the employees to get together for the store Christmas party by making it a potluck of sorts, presumably to save the parent company a lot of money).





WAL-MART

Big Red Figurines (Coming Soon)




A nice effort to remember the official town mascot of Scio, Big Red, the Rhode Island Red Rooster that lived in the Scio Feed And Country Store for several years before it was tragically mauled to death by a dog last July. The figurines are to be made in China, and are expected to be available for sale in mid-January.


BIG RED

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Gerald R. Ford, R.I.P.




Sad passing of the 38th President Of The United States, the only one who was unelected by the populace, on Tuesday the 26th at the age of 93. I have to admit that as a kid I liked the guy because it meant that the endless drone of information about Richard Nixon and the incident known as Watergate would soon come to an end, at least on the network evening news. "Our long national nightmare is over" was too right by half. A list of the accomplishments and failures of his presidency can be found on other obits, this is just a little note of remembrance by me. Oh yeah, can't forget the Whip Inflation Now campaign either. R.I.P. Gerald.




FORD



MICHIGAN REACTIONS

Jessica Biel.......On The Beach



You could do worse, much worse, than checking out the holiday pics of Jessica Biel on the beach in Hawaii. Link is to What Would Tyler Durden Do?. Well, I know what I would, in this case.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Spurs 2 Aston Villa 1

Things are never easy with this year's Spurs, are they? The flip side of their woeful road record is the fact that they've been quite effective at getting positive results at White Hart Lane, where they've lost but one time this year (back in August to Everton).


Jermaine Defoe tallied both Spurs goals midway through the second half, but Villa's Gareth Barry replied to Defoe's latter goal just a couple of minutes later in the 81st. Barry's goal was basically created due to his own hard work in front of the goal, to further create those latter-match anxious moments we've all grown accustomed to over the last few years.

The first half, dominate mostly by the home side, was an energetic affair, but one with a lot of broken down chances at goal due to sloppy passing. (Not to pick on him especially, but it just didn't seem to be Steed Malbranque's day in that regard). To be fair though, there was some excellent defensive play as well, particularly the impressive tackle made by Ledley King in front of Paul Robinson in just the third minute. (Sorry can't recall the attacking Villa player, but hey, it was 5:05 a.m. local time). Dimitar Berbatov was key in both of the Spurs goal, with some excellent passes deep in enemy territory, drawing in the Villa defense to set up Defoe.


A fair result to be sure, Villa have slipped a bit under Martin O'Neill of late, and they're now losing games rather than grinding out a tie for a result, but it's to the visitors credit that they never quit their manager's game plan.



Spurs 2 Villa 1

Monday, December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas

May all of your wishes go from ....
to this....

James Brown, R.I.P.


Godspeed to the "Godfather Of Soul". Thank you for your great music James.......you will be missed.


STORY

Sunday, December 24, 2006

NY Giants Fail To Take A Snap In Saint Territory

Not that I'm the biggest National Football League fan around ( going to and attending college football games all day on Saturday leave me very little time the rest of the weekend to get anything accomplished), but I must say that the news that the New York Giants failed to take a snap in visiting New Orleans territory, in a 30-7 loss, is something that I can't quite comprehend. Not even in garbage time or with the aid of turnovers, a couple of factors that sometimes lead to increased yardage or great field position, did the men in blue cross the 50-yard line, with their only touchdown coming on a 55-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, a pass from Eli Manning, who was 9 for 25 for only 74 yards, to Plaxico Burress.


Other horror numbers for Giants fans (yes, I'm thinking about you Colin): 142 total yards of offense, time of possession in favor of the Saints 40:34 to 19:26, 0 for 10 on third down conversions, 0 for 1 on fourth (makes sense, there's no need to go for it deep in your own territory until late in the game), plus the fact that the aforementioned touchdown grab by Burress was his only catch of the day.




ESPN REPORT

"Don't Try This At Home........One Way To Get Rid Of Bees"




Desperate situations usually call for desperate actions: I have no doubt that the homemade attempt of these Floridians to rid themselves from the unwanted attention of several thousand bees is not recommended by most professional exterminators, or of the local fire department.


I have no problems with the local bees making their honey, spending the rest of their time away from my yard out of my sight and my mind; a swarm like that in my backyard would certainly make me reconsider my options. It's those damn yellow jackets that instantly aggravate me, especially those sons-of-bitches that lived in the rotten stumps of the trees on the south side of my house.


The entire episode is posted for posterity below, first noticed via Digg.



BEES

Christmastime Crime

Not that one could get away with this behaviour the rest of the year, it's just that this time of the year makes each crime just that more sad.




CHRISTMAS CRIME

Saturday, December 23, 2006

More Road Woes: Newcastle 3 Spurs 1

Now who can say that this match didn't promise a whole lot? Less than two days after a lengthy 1-0 Carling Cup match win over lower division Southend United , no Aaron Lennon and a warm-up injury to Jermain Defoe, visiting resurgent Newcastle, with all of the Spurs well-documented disastrous road performances this year?




Add some sloppy defending in the first half, poor work by Paul Robinson, plus Dimitar Berbatov working alone up front..........and voilá...........Spurs found themselves in a 3-1 deficit at the half. A much better defensive effort in the second half followed, but there was no offensive magic to be found from the rest of the beleaguered Spurs crew, with the end result being the same score as it was for the half. Yippee. Come On You Spurs.........take it out on Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Keeping Oregon Green (Via Stupidity)

How? By combining one of Oregon's top cash crops *allegedly*, baked into cookies and served to unsuspecting co-workers at a loud and dangerous workplace, a veneer plant, where one needs to be keenly aware of their surrounding situation. 15 of the people who had some fell ill from the added ingredient of marijuana. Happened in Stayton this past week.



COOKIES

"Take Me Down To The Hospital"

Damnit, Paul Westerberg, I'm really cringing just reading about your accident of having a screwdriver go through your left hand. Best wishes on a speedy recovery.




PAUL

Friday, December 22, 2006

Links To Yesterday's Debacle In The Desert

GOOD BLOG TAKE



DESERET NEWS #1



DESERET NEWS #2


REGISTER GUARD # 1


RON BELLAMY


HELMET REPORT



PROVO



Ach, still shaking my head at the truly awful level of wretchedness exhibited last night.

As If The Aroma From Millersburg Wasn't Clue Enough




People, even the homeless vagrants who wander around the train tracks, the Helping Hands shelter and the city jail, will know exactly what city they are in. The newly built tower, which is close by all of the above areas, is located at the refurbished train station, right in the middle of town. The brick facade work is just about complete, which means that the electrical side of things, which will include the city name in illuminated letters, will be started shortly.



TOWER

Giant Squid Filmed Live




Well, maybe it's not quite the size of the mythical kraken from days gone by, but Japanese scientists have filmed a live giant squid in its habitat.










REUTUERS VIDEO STORY ON THE SQUID

Thursday, December 21, 2006

"Cubs Woo Dave Matthews Despite Poo"

I honestly didn't write that headline, it was written by someone on the Chicago Sun-Times staff for a Cubs proposal to host a night-time Dave Matthews Band concert at Wrigley Field in an effort to earn extra cash not subject to Major League Baseball revenue-sharing (hey, no one was forcing the Cubs to give players such as Aramis Ramirez and Ted Lilly all of that money, were they?).


Still can't imagine what it must've been like on that tour boat back in 2004, when up to 800 pounds of human waste came raining down from up above. THAT STORY



WRIGLEY NIGHT TIME SHOW?

Where's The "O" (And The "D"?): BYU 38 Oregon 8

In an anticipated match up between two prolific and high scoring offenses, it was thought that the total point number between the two teams (Brigham Young and Oregon) would be over sixty. It was with some surprise that it took both offenses some time to get on track, and not many believed that the first quarter would end up scoreless. Well, it did, but the Cougars found their rhythm offensively in the second quarter for 17 points behind a well-balance offensive attack that kept Oregon guessing for the rest of the game, while the Ducks could find absolutely no one making plays on the offensive end, with a grand total of just 73 yards for their first half effort. Doesn't take a genius to figure that one's defense would be on the field for far too long, becoming tired and giving up more and more in the way of yards and points.


Oregon's problems offensively started with not being able to get the running game going, protecting the quarterback, especially as starter Brady Leaf isn't the most nimble-footed athlete when avoiding the pressure, and catching the passes that were thrown to them. That about covers all facets of production, doesn't it? The play calling was also questionable, and the dependability of big time receiver Jaison Williams was not on display, as he wasn't even thrown to until well into the second half when the outcome was no longer in question.


More info later when the stats come out, but total congrats to the BYU Cougars for an outstanding effort in the Las Vegas Bowl; tis just a pity that the Oregon Ducks never really showed up.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Basketball Game Called Due To Rain

Sounds like a headline straight from the wild days of the old American Basketball Association (ABA), which once had to postpone a game when an airline lost both teams luggage, including uniforms, before a game.


No, this instead was a college women's basketball game held outdoors yesterday at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the Texas Tech Red Raiders, in a stadium with a retractable roof. The game was called with 4:18 left in the contest, with the Sun Devils holding a 61-45 lead. It was 56 degrees at the start of the game, though there was no official word about the temperature close to the end of the game close to two hours later. Maybe one can get away with this, even in Arizona, in November...........maybe.


TECH VIEW


ASU VIEW


As for the ABA, one could do worse, a whole lot worse, than to check out the terrific website...Remember The ABA....or read the essential book LOOSE BALLS, an anecdotal remembrance of the innovative league by some of the people who were there, including Bob Costas, Julius Erving, Steve 'Snapper' Jones, etc.

$110 Hamburger (They'd Better Have Complimentary Beverage Refills With That)

Yumm, Kobe beef, foie gras and Portobello mushrooms........it all adds up to a $110 (in U.S. dollars) hamburger, tasty enough to satisfy even the richest and wealthiest appetites in the world, though this burger is on the menu at the Four Seasons in Jakarta, Indonesia. Caviar dreams to all of those who partake in this offering, obviously the price is that high because of the quality of the ingredients, unlike other restaurants where one sometimes suspects that the charges for food are high just because the proprietor feels like making them that high.


BURGER

Monday, December 18, 2006

Because I Had A Suit Like This Once........................Once.






Worst album cover lists are always fun to look at, even if many of the covers show up on every list, like the one above. Still, no Turntable Dave, no Julie's Sixteenth Birthday, and no Joyce on this comprehensive list, of which there are quite a few I'd never seen before.




BEHOLD

Salem Bus Arson




Still no leads on the suspected arson at the Salem-Keizer School District bus garage, which occurred early on Sunday morning the 17th. I'd always wondered why the garage, on Hawthorne Avenue near the Lancaster Mall, was so near major traffic routes, causing traffic delays as they enter and leave the roads near Lancaster. It was good, then, that such a location led to an early detection of the fire. Still, there was considerable and extensive damage to both buses and the building itself.



THE BUS, THE BUS, THE BUS IS ON FIRE

You Better Jump...We Wanna Dump,....Some Goo Goo Muck

The problem in Florida is now where to dispose of more than 18,000 tons of soggy muck, from a road-widening project, and which now sits on the side of the road in the construction zone. Previous agreements for disposal of said muck in a state park have fallen through via concerns over material in the muck, some of which is reported to have started massive algae blooms in some of the Floridian waters. Of course, there are always new concerns and questions that need to be asked in such environmentally sensitive issues, and the bottom line for most people, aside from the contractor, legally responsible for the disposal of the muck, and the Department Of Transportation, who initially okayed the dumping plan, is "Why take a chance?" I think I heard that line in a gangster movie before.


MUCK ADO ABOUT A LOTTA MUCK

Everything You Might Have Wanted To Know About Public Restrooms In Japan





Including information as to why men's facilities are visible to people passing by, and why women are reluctant to use them at all. I personally did not know this, and have not had the chance to ask my cousin who lives there about it yet.



LOO

House Of Cash Restored By A Brother Gibb

Good news for those Johnny Cash fans who might've wondered what was to become of the famous Cash home in Hendersonville, TN ( I didn't automatically assume that one of his kids was first in line for it; lawyers and greed can turn small disagreements into a version of internecine warfare when it comes to divvying up the property). Bee Gee Barry Gibb and his wife Linda have bought the house, are currently restoring the house to its original condition, along with plans to make his own country album there. Good on ya Barry........I might just forget about the Sgt. Pepper's movie you were in.




HOUSE OF CASH

Saturday, December 16, 2006

1 In 48 Million

Those are the odds, apparently, of three people in the same family having the same birthday. What makes this occasion more interesting is that the father, mother, and new born son are the only members of the family. The happy day for all three, who reside in Illinois, is December 14th.



GOOD THINGS IN THREES

Friday, December 15, 2006

Behind Closed Doors




Not a tribute to a Charlie Rich song, or the obscure New Order track, but rather where Spurs may wind up playing their UEFA Cup match against Dutch team Feyenoord, due to latter's trouble with some of the more unruly elements of their fan base, and instituted after their UEFA match last month against Nancy.


NO AUDIENCE

Top Ten States For Biggest Speeding Tickets

I had absolutely no idea that the fines for speeding here in Oregon were among the highest in the United States. Being that I tend to be very calm and relaxed when it comes to being behind the wheel, I suppose that the penalties for the violators of the speed limit had just escaped my notice; my motto when driving is "I'd rather get there later than not at all", which pertains to reckless drivers weaving in and out of traffic (cue the idiot last week on southbound I-5 at the Enchanted Forest exit who passed up the hill on the shoulder on a two-lane highway; when I saw him fishtail going nearly 80 mph I wondered aloud if it was my responsibility to call the cops and ambulance when he was so recklessly endangering others).



Anyway, the top ten states are listed in this Forbes Magazine article.



SPEEDING

14th December 2006 Windstorm

Thousands and thousands of people all over the state, primarily on the coast and in the Willamette Valley, lost power to their homes and businesses as a fierce windstorm pounded both Washington state and Oregon Thursday night. Gusts of up to 114 mph, at Mount Hebo, were reported on the coast, while the valley numbers reached up at 80 mph, which was recorded at Salem.


Lots of people I know, mostly those who lived in Corvallis, lost power for up to a couple of hours last night, starting around 7:30 p.m. Those in Albany who reported lost power said the return for service took about half an hour, all of whom were Pacific Power customers.


Can not complain about my losses at all (primarily, my backyard fence was destroyed), and when I spent some time trying to imagine being in a hurricane.............well, I felt lucky that nothing severe really happened. No power lost here at all, some flickering lights around the time Corvallis lost its power, I got off very very light.




REPORT

Bill Plympton In Salem





Cartoonist Bill Plympton, another cartoonist I became acquainted with from my days of reading the National Lampoon in my youth, and who originally hails from Oregon, will be appearing in Salem at the Salem Cinema for a three-day run, starting on December 21st, as the theater begins its showing of his new animated film, Hair High. Very nice to note in a chat that he did with readers from the Salem Statesman-Journal that he appreciates the Salem Cinema, which is truly a wonderful place to watch quality films.



S-J CHAT



INFO ON BILL

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Paging The Ghost Of Marie Prevost

A Kirkland, WA man, who claimed that rats were his friends on his cluttered property, has passed away, and when a King's County deputy investigated the smell at his house, prompted by calls from disgusted neighbors, she found his body inside, with rats gnawing away at the corpse. Another example of no matter how careful you are with you and yours, one can't control what's going on in the next car, or next door, etc.



STORY

How Borat Plays In Israel





Very well indeed, as one might expect. Something that gives Israeli audiences an inside view about the film is the fact that the character Borat does not speak in Kazhakh or gibberish, but rather in Hebrew, which delights audiences.




Full USA Today story HERE

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Velvet Underground Acetate Update

Read a blurb earlier today in one of the Portland weeklies about the "winning" bid for the acetate of the first VU album being a hoax of sorts; here's an actual article with some more detail than what I saw.



VELVET BID

Berlin Live In New York





Lou Reed will be performing his classic solo album Berlin in its entirety, in a series of four concerts, and as part of a multi-media presentation of the album, which was released in 1973. Berlin is usually called one of the most depressing and darkest albums ever released, a collection of songs, almost cinematic in style, centering around the turbulent relationship between Caroline and Jim. Coming as it did after the relative commercial success of Transformer and the unlikely hit single Walk On The Wild Side, it wasn't the commercial, hit follow up that most artists would release in hopes of building their audience, but one doesn't need me to tell anybody that such strategy has never been high on Reed's intents as an artist.




NEW YORK TIMES STORY ON 'BERLIN'

Tell 'Em "You Need A Diamond In Your Life"

Driving to Portland at 3:30 in the morning, there are a few stations that I hit up and down the dial. Coast To Coast With George Noory is one that I'll give an ear to occasionally, totally dependent on the guest, topic, etc. Today, filmmaker Alex Jones was on, talking about things like the New World Order, the North American Union, and other similar ideas that tend to relate to shadowy orders or syndicates or groups hell-bent on conforming the world to their ideas, getting rid of many of the basic liberties that we Americans take for granted.

One topic broached was that of the diamond and its role amongst the gems of the world, brought up with relation to a new film entitled Blood Diamonds, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly, which I have yet to see. Once the subject was addressed, Jones went on explaining how diamond sales have been tied to advertising, especially in the very recent past, as well as the mining conditions for those apparently often practically forced to mine them for their living, usually with a gun at their back and with comprehensive x-rays at the end of the shift for every worker.


How co-incidental (?) then that a 1982 Atlantic Monthly article has been brought forward again via another news service, Digg. A lengthy but fascinating read is linked below.


Atlantic Monthly


COAST TO COAST




For the record, the other stations I listen to are KBOO's Shocks Of Sheba (quality reggae at 4 in the morning is a treat indeed), 94.7 KNRK (for some alternative stuff), or maybe some classic rock at 106.3 on the FM dial. The Coast To Coast show is on the AM side, KEX 1190, spun to between Mike & Mike In The Morning on ESPN/The Fan 1080, or the old, old country of 1460. Once I get to Portland though, it's usually back to KEX for all of the latest traffic updates on the battle for I-205.

$5,870 USD, 850 Pages, And 80 Pound Weight.

Not a coffee-table book mind you, a coffee table in and of itself. Speaking of course about the book about the history of the Manchester United football team entitled Opus. A limited edition of 10,000. All copies signed by both Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton. Luxurious binding and craftsmanship...........all can be yours for this special price about a special team. (Not a Red supporter mind you, just a bit jealous cause Spurs don't quite have the history behind them as Man U does.)




OPUS DETAILS




AUTOGRAPH WORK



M.E.N Facts & Figures

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Young @ Heart Sings Sonic Youth

What, Death Valley '69 or I Killed Christgau With My Big F*ckin' Dick weren't smarter choices? A group of 70 & 80 somethings still have a go at one of the Youth's top tunes, Schizophrenia. Rock on dudes, this will all be us in a few years.




First noticed by me at METAFILTER




Monday, December 11, 2006

This Will End Predictably

The opening day of a two-day conference in Tehran, Review Of The Holocaust: Global Vision, in which various people from around the world have come to "debate" Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's contention that the Holocaust, if it indeed ever happened at all, is now to be seen as a result of myth-making propaganda from Zionist interests. Erm, okay, if you say so. How do we know that the oppression and murder of the Bosnian Muslims isn't also a product of myth?





IRAN CLERIC SAYS "MYTH"





GUARDIAN FIRST DAY REPORT

Corvallis 17 West Albany 14

Well, at least we don't have to hear too many people woofing around these parts. Corvallis High overcame a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter to tie West Albany at 14. The winning field goal in the third time, was by Wade Penner, who'd already missed on two attempts earlier, and the last TD was on a 75 yard touchdown pass to Jordan Fred from Drew Hubel with less than three minutes to play, forcing the overtime. The game was played Saturday the ninth at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.


It appeared that West was well in control of the game with the two touchdown lead at the end of the third, especially with its ball control offense that lead to two touchdowns in the third after a scoreless first half. West had possession for 9:30 seconds in that quarter and with Corvallis QB Hubel overthrowing his receivers most of the time, things didn't look too well for the Spartans.


Corvallis had first shot at the scoreboard on its first possession in the first half, but Wade Penner, who eventually kicked the winning field goal in the third overtime, missed from 26 yards. West drove down the field behind the running and passing of QB Jake Haberly, but he fumbled as he was hit going into the end zone at the one yard line, and the ball scooted out of the end zone for a touchback. West also had an interception return nullified by an early whistle; deep in its own territory at the end of the first quarter, Hubel threw a pass that was deflected off his receiver's foot, and was caught by a West player and retured 12 yards for the score, until the referees stepped in.


Fred also had the catch of the game, a 34 yard over the shoulder Willie Mays-type catch deep in Bulldog territory that set up the first field goal attempt.


After Corvallis tied the score at 14, West had 2:20, plus all three of its time outs, to go the 80 yards to try to set up some kind of winning score, but West coach Randy Nyquist played it safe and did not attempt to go down the field, it seemed that he had faith in his defense to hold the Spartans down in overtime.


From my view, West's Wayne Stearns was the player of the game, running hard all over the field on offense, defense, and special teams.




STORY

Salma's Campiri 2007 Calendar




Thank you to the lovely people at GORILLAMASK for posting the pics from Ms. Hayek's upcoming promo calendar for Campiri (allegedly). I dunno, I don't remember seeing any bottles in these pics.



ALL THE PICS

Saturday, December 09, 2006

I said , Don't touch my popcorn!!!

Remind me to never go out on a date to a movie with a woman like this. If she can stab her son for eating her popcorn, what chances does anybody else have?







POPCORN

$155,401

That's how much a lucky bidder paid for this:





A rare acetate of the first Velvet Underground album, with alternate takes not heard before the finished, and much beloved, classic:





If one's got the money, I can't really argue with ones buying it, I just wish and hope that the digitized back-up copies somehow make it to the marketplace one way or another.




E-BAY

Tottenham 5 Charlton 1

Okay, so Charlton are bottom of the table. Still, it was still nice to be able to see the Spurs finish their chances, and in numbers, and paste the hapless Attics in a London derby at White Hart Lane.

The first half was energetic with a lot of activity, particularly in front of Spurs goalie Paul Robinson, but Charlton wound up with nothing to show for it despite leading in terms of possession at the 30 minute mark 71% to 29%.


Dimitar Berbatov then got the goal deluge under way in the 30th minute with some lovely passing from Tom Huddlestone and Aaron Lennon, and then making a well-timed break for the open area with no defenders, leaving the hapless Charlton goalie with little chance for a stop.

Teemu Tainio scored on a well-placed kick outside the penalty box just a couple of minutes later, getting the instinctive shot off from a poor clearance by the defenders, and getting the ball to bend off a defender at the last second, which sent the ball into the back of the net.


Charlton got their goal in the 41st as an own-goal gift from Spurs, a mix-up between Micheal Dawson and Paul Robinson that left the goalie struggling to retain a batted-up ball while being off-balance, and the scored ended up 2-1.


Spurs put the game away with a 3-goal blitz in 13 minutes in the second half, starting in the 55th, when Steed Malbranque controlled the ball off of his chest in the box, turned and blasted the kick into the net for a 3-1 lead, the goal being Steed's first for the club.

Jermaine Defoe scored in the 62nd, when Aaron Lennon intercepted a forward Charlton pass on the visitor's side, and quickly sent the ball to Defoe on the right side of the goal, where the striker rocketed the shot from well outside the box.


Berbatov got his second goal a couple of minutes after on more poor marking and defending by Charlton, and left the game to a huge ovation in the 75th minute.


With the game well in hand by that point, it was left to Robinson to show off some nice work at the end, starting with a great tackle on Darren Bent inside the box at the 87th that had to have left the visitors to shake their heads and mumble "It's not our day, is it?".


Maybe some pics later, the match just got over half an hour ago. A great start to the day though. Come On You Spurs!






MATCH REPORT

Friday, December 08, 2006

Waitresses As "Naughty Nurses"; Look At The Bright Side, They Know CPR


Cyndi Altman of the Heart Attack Grill in Tempe, photo by Matt York of the A.P.




Just because everything is about sex, and there isn't enough absurdity (of the good kind) these days. Imagine how Borat would've reacted had he gone to this place on his way to Los Angeles.


From today's Arizona Republic, by Amanda Lee Myers of the A.P.




The Heart Attack Grill - a Tempe theme restaurant whose specialties include the Quadruple Bypass Burger and Flatliner Fries, cooked in pure lard - is making health-care professionals' blood pressure rise, and not because of the menu.

It is because of the waitresses' naughty nurse uniforms.

The waitresses wear skimpy, cleavage-baring outfits, high heels and thigh-high stockings - a male fantasy that some nursing organizations say is an insult to the profession.


Several nurses have complained to the Arizona attorney general's office, and a national nursing group has repeatedly asked Heart Attack Grill owner Jon Basso to stop using the outfits.



"Nurses are the most sexually fantasized-about profession," said Sandy Summers, executive director of the Center for Nursing Advocacy, based in Baltimore. "We're asking people, if they're going to have these fantasies, please don't make it so public. Move these sexual fantasies to other professions."



Basso shrugs off Summers' complaints, and refers to her and her supporters as prudes, cranks and lunatics.


"If anything, I think it glorifies nurses to be thought of as a physically attractive and desirable individual," Basso said. "There's a Faye Dunaway, Florence Nightingale hipness to it. Nobody wants to think of themselves as some old battle ax who changes bedpans for a living."

The most serious complaint Basso has faced was made to the Arizona attorney general's office by the state Board of Nursing. In September, the attorney general's office wrote Basso a letter informing him that he is illegally using the word "nurse" at his restaurant and on his Web site. Citing Arizona Statute A.R.S. 32-1636, the attorney general said only someone who has a valid nursing license can use the title "nurse."

Basso refused to remove "nurse" from his Web site but inserted an asterisk next to every nurse reference and included the following disclaimer:

"The use of the word nurse' above is only intended as a parody. None of the women pictured on our Web site actually have any medical training, nor do they attempt to provide any real medical services. It should be made clear that the Heart Attack Grill and its employees do NOT offer any therapeutic treatments (aside from laughter) whatsoever."


Basso said the complaints have been good for business, "all they've done is ensure there's going to be a gajillion of these all over the country."

The Heart Attack Grill opened a year ago with a Hooters-like formula of red meat and sexy waitresses. Diners choose from among four cheeseburgers: the Single, Double, Triple and Quadruple Bypass. The Quadruple is a towering monstrosity with four half-pound beef patties, four pieces of cheese and a mound of bacon.

"Essentially, it's nutritional pornography. It's so bad for you it's shocking," Basso said.

If "patients," as customers are called, finish a triple or quadruple bypass, waitresses will push them out to their cars in wheelchairs at no additional charge.


"The service is fantastic," Steve Koebensky of Scottsdale said with a snicker. "But they're overly dressed."

Phoenix resident Amanda Price, one of the few women customers at the restaurant, said the outfits did not offend her. "You don't hear nuns complaining about pregnant nun costumes, and that's more disgraceful than sexy nurses," she said.

But Scottsdale nurse Kira Wilder, who contributed to the letter-writing campaign against the Heart Attack Grill, complained: "Why do they have to denigrate the nursing profession and sexualize nursing? It's just not necessary."

Courtney Chapman, a 20-year-old waitress at the grill, said she found nothing wrong with the uniform or the stares she gets.

"They definitely look at us, but they're guys," she said. "If our butts are coming out the bottom of our skirts, and our boobs are coming out the top of our shirts, we're kind of asking for it."







NURSES

The Battle In Seattle: Coming To A Screen Near You

A riotous day in Northwest history is being filmed where it took place in November 1999, downtown Seattle, home to the first World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting on American soil. According to the story in today's P-I, the film, starring Charlize Thereon, Woody Harrelson, and Ray Liotta, is taking great care not to take any specific stance, rather it seems like they'll be doing it in a near-documentary style, leaving the audience to ponder things themselves (along preconceived notions, undoubtedly. ) Why then didn't they contact the then-Mayor of Seattle at the time? We shall see how they turn this story out.





SEATTLE

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Rob Some Banks To Point Out U.S. War Crimes

I'd posted about the Army Rangers from Fort Lewis robbing a Tacoma bank HERE. Now, one of the suspects is planning to use the notoriety from his trial to speak out and spotlight atrocities, according to him, committed by the U.S. Government and military in the Iraq quagmire. For another twist, the suspect is now in Canada, a dual-citizen, awaiting extradition to the U.S., and that the suspects allegations may contain classified information.






CRIMES

West Albany V. Corvallis

Hmmm, who to root for this Saturday at the OSAA 5-A Championship game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene? Never have rooted for either school in my life before. Yes, there has been a buzz about the town as of late, building up toward the game. Heck, even some former South Albany grads I know have caught "Bulldog Spirit" (I think you can get a shot for that).



The pros of West: my mom and sister and some of my cousins have worked at their at some point in their life (the current principal is now related through marriage). Also, I've known the football coach from a long time back, when my mother used to work at his family's business, Lakeshore Lanes, and my brother and I would hang out at their house in North Albany.


Those are the immediate reasons to pull for the Dogs (can I really count all of my co-workers who attended West as reasons to cheer for 'em ;) )


The pros for Corvallis: they're not West Albany...........but they are from Corvallis. Oh poo..........I hope the Bulldogs win, so that my family (and Randy) will be happy, I just don't wanna hear about it for the next year.






BUZZ

Man! I Feel Like A Woman!!!






.........and you're looking like one as well, Shania. From the recent Kennedy Center Honors. I feel like one as well, but I can't afford the current rates for one.... this week anyway.




SOME MORE PICS

The Ah....crap Syndrome





What else can be said (and what pic used) regarding the news regarding Mr. Klinsmann's declination of the U.S. National Soccer Team coaching seat, and the appointment of Chivas USA, of the U.S. Major Soccer League, coach Bob Bradley, as the interim? Howzabout don't believe everything that the Fox Soccer Channel columnist quoted in the post below writes? Maybe wait until an official announcement is truly made? Blame Sunil Gulati for not being able to meet the demands of Klinsmann? Cross our fingers and toes and hope that he does say yes, in some bizzaro world where there are no wars? Twas a nice dream for a couple of days, sadly.



KLINSMANN SAYS "NEIN"



BRADLEY SAYS "YES"

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Jürgen Klinsmann, Coach Of The U.S. Men's National Team


Well, not exactly totally 100% official as of this minute 6:22 PST, but Fox Soccer Channel feels confident enough to run this story on their website. Lots of football fans here in the states have been expecting this news ever since the end of the 2006 World Cup, where Klinsmann lead the home country to a third-place finish. For the moment, I am very happy with the news, I think he's the right man for the job (seeing as how he lives in California). Once again I thank Bruce Arena for helping to build the U.S. team to where it is now, where the results of last year's team failed to make it to the knock-out stages is viewed as a disappointment by the general public. Of course, I have to include a pic of Klinsmann from last years WC, and one from his days as a lilywhite at Tottenham.






STORY

0.364????

I think I would probably pass out and be near death if my blood alcohol level was anywhere near that of the unfortunate two-year old Colorado Springs girl who was hospitalized on Sunday December 3rd. Luckily the girl has been now reported to be in good condition, great news to hear.


There's a possibility the whole thing is a totally unfortunate accident (vodka being mistaken for the water being used to mix in the infant's formula), but I have a feeling that the courts will find that the mother should have known what was in the bottle, especially if the now-missing boyfriend was driving the car where the mother mixed the formula for the girl.




0.364

Jail Is Too Hard, Says Teen Killer

News about a teenage killer in Holly Hill, Florida who joined in with some of his friends and beat a homeless man to death. The teen in question, Warren Messner, a large boy, jumped on the man's chest, and during the trial for the crime, was asked:


"Did you feel bad when you are doing it?" Messner was asked during questioning.

"Not really, no," he replied.



Now, after eight months in prison, he's decided he's learned his lesson. Luckily the state of Florida didn't agree with his appeal for leniency in the 22-year sentence Messner received. Still yet another example of the diminishing respect for human life that's seemingly been on display in this country in increasing numbers.






JAIL

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Asteroid's Revenge

Bah!!!! Big rocks smash puny ships to pieces!!! Must die!!!





ASTEROID'S REVENGE

That Green Gloop DOESN'T Have Much Avocado In It

A bi like the Monty Python cheese shop skit in which said establishment was totally devoid of the fermented curd, now a lady has brought forth a suit against one of America's largest food manufacturers, Kraft, for foisting a "guacamole" product on the American public that contains less than 2% avocado in it. Well, of course, all those food technicians can work late into the night creating all sorts of approximations of food with a bevy of ingredients, none of which are actually related to the avocado in any way, shape or form.


Gotta love the quote from the Kraft representative: "We think customers understand that it isn’t made from avocado,” said Claire Regan, Kraft Foods’ vice president of corporate affairs.. Maybe in the back of our minds we would've liked to have thought that there was more of it than that little tiny bit, but the rest of our brain would tell us we shouldn't be surprised that it's just a mix of those varying ingredients.





THEY'RE MAKING "GUACAMOLE" ALL NIGHT LONG




Wonder if that Kraft lawyers are acting like the beloved lawyer Lionel Hutz?

Army Rangers, Bank Robberies, Crime Families........All In One

Unbelievable story out of Fort Lewis, Washington, in which five members of the Army Rangers had robbed a Tacoma bank this past summer, and one of the Rangers had visions of challenging the Hells Angels in British Columbia for control of some of the trades that they use to make money. Is bad really the new good, and are things that bad in the Rangers?




RANGERS

Ryuichi Sakamoto


An interview with one of the leading musicians of the day, one who can move effortlessly between various genres and artists. Most Americans will probably remember him for his score for the move The Last Emperor, for which he won an Oscar in 1987 , or perhaps the one for the 1983 film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, in which he also appeared in front of the camera alongside David Bowie, or perhaps his work with the Yellow Magic Orchestra back in the 70's and 80's.




An informal chat in which he expresses the same concerns that many of us do about the troubling aspects of our world view today, such as Iraq, nuclear weapons and plutonium production, etc. , and for his appreciation for all kinds of music.






RYUICHI

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Chips Ahoy! (I Think They're Supposed To Taste Salty)

All residents of the Outer Banks in North Carolina need now is for a beer truck to have an accident.



CHIPS ON THE BEACH

Friday, December 01, 2006

A Literal Take

Nice construction of an Alice In Wonderland scene, from actual pages from the book. Hope it wasn't a first edition.

CLICK PIC FOR LARGER VIEW




Energy Solutions Arena? We Don't Think So

Even if the Utah Jazz are in the same NBA division as the Trail Blazers, I still hadn't heard about the name change for the arena that the Jazz play in. The Delta Center was a good name, at least there was the possible non-corporate linkage in it due to the location of the venue. But the Energy Solutions Arena? I'm sure that the people who run these companies and then go out and spend a wad of cash for the naming rights to the local stadium are well-meaning, but even in these cynical days of Americans who've seen or heard it all (they would like to think), even that is an awkward moniker that creates a negative impression. In this case, I would think of a small-ish company trying to create a splash for itself; I mean, at least I'd heard of Target, United, and Dunkin' Donuts before. I hear that name, and I can honestly say that my interest to learn more about the company has not been increased. I know, small things in the grand scheme, but.........it still sounds awful.


At least the good people of Salt Lake City are making a concerted effort to rebuff the name change.




SLC PETITION

Mets Re-Sign Glavine (Step One To Dethroning The Cardinals, No Matter What Pujols Says)




Excellent news for Mets fans as free agent left-handed pitcher Tom Glavine has resigned with the Mets with a one year deal. Glavine proved to be the Mets most consistent pitcher, and his return is a great sign for a pitching staff that is still wondering about the status of Pedro Martinez' health. The New York Mets article on the signing noted that the team would be less likely to pursue free agent pitcher Barry Zito, who is the most appealing player out there, though his price tag would undoubtedly be very high.


Some nice words about the Mets organization, and the way they left Glavine to ponder his future with his family is also in the story.




GLAVINE

Daring To Teach Girls (Not For The Squeamish)

A grotesque report of a teacher slaughtered by the Taliban in Ghazni, Afghanistan, in which the man would not pay heed to their orders to stop educating girls. In a previous post I mentioned about being embarrassed to have a penis with regard to the story, well this makes me embarrassed to be a human being. A total crime against God and humanity.





MURDER

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

There Were Giants In Those Days


Gee Dunkie, what a big mouth you have


The top o' the food chain, the Darth Vader of fish at 33 feet long with armour, able to snap puny sharks in half, achieved with 8,000 psi biting power. Yep, that'll do the trick.


DUNKIE

Oregon To The Las Vegas Bowl

Oregon was rewarded with its loss in the Civil War today with an invitation to the fifteenth Las Vegas Bowl on December the 21st; the winning Oregon State team was punished with a trip to El Paso/Juarez for the Sun Bowl on the 29th. What a tragedy indeed. Most Duck fans I know aren't torn up by having to "settle" for Vegas over El Paso.

The opponent for Oregon is Brigham Young University (BYU), which should be a great match-up between the two high powered offensive teams. It is also a rematch of one the greatest games in Oregon history, from September 29th 1990 when the fourth ranked Cougars, behind the Heisman trophy candidate Ty Detmer, fell to the Ducks 32-16. Detmer got his passing yards in the game (442), but the Ducks held their running game in check, and limited them to -47 yards total.


The Vegas Bowl, at Sam Boyd Stadium, has been host to the Ducks before; in 1997 a 6-5 team took on a higher ranked Air Force Academy, many of whose fans felt more than a little bit miffed that they weren't playing a team with a better record. Two offensive plays for the Ducks in, barely 3 minutes into the game, and Oregon was leading 14-0, the first touchdown a 69 yard pass down the left sideline to Pat Johnson from Akili Smith, the second was a 76 yard gallop up the middle by Saladin McCulloch, who was mostly untouched as the Air Force defenders were basically left dead in their tracks on both plays. A complete recount of the game is HERE

I attended the game on a package tour from Azumano Travel and stayed in the same hotel as the team did, the MGM Grand. Caesar's Palace was the team hotel for Air Force. I had a wonderful three days and two nights doing what people do in Vegas, of which I can dutifully report that I remember nothing of ;)



LAS VEGAS BOWL

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Bikini Billboard Ruins Business Meeting










............or something like that in Auckland, New Zealand this week, if you wanna read the story HERE, you may be a better man than I ; Ms. Hayek was not depicted on the billboard though. If you don't wanna read, you can continue to be distracted by Salma. What?

When Cellphones Are Outlawed.......

Outlaws may not the only ones owning them, but the Zimbabwe military is concerned that cellphone operators using systems not controlled by the state are a grave concern to national security. Of course it's for the best for all of us, one can never be too sure in things like this. So said the frog in the pan on the top of the stove.




ZIMBABWE

Monday, November 27, 2006

Ghost Of Yogi Can Rest

Country music singer (I really hesitate to use the word "star") Troy Gentry has pleaded guilty to tagging a bear he shot as wild when actually it was a captive one that he had raised. An avid sportsman, as part of the agreement with the U.S. District Court is that he can not hunt, fish or trap in the state of Minnesota for five years, which has to be an eternity for him. He also apologized for not respecting the law enough. Good going Troy, that's nice to see.







GUILTY

Anti-War In Iraq Sign? Of Satan? It's A Freakin' Wreath





Because everything in this world is a symbol for something else, some Colorado members of a homeowners association are up in arms over what exactly a Christmas wreath in the shape of the peace sign signifies. Umm, how about not much? Is that too difficult of a concept to handle?




WREATH

A Fish Day-Spa For Your Skin

Doctors have used maggots in years past to eat away the diseased flesh of their patients, now here's a fish that'll exfoliate the dead skin that you may have on your feet and hands; somehow, I can just imagine someone is trying to figure out a way to be able to stick one's face in the water for the same luxurious treatment. Bon appetit, little fishies!!!




GET YER GRUB ON!!

Untouchable Indian Woman Burned Alive

For refusing to drop rape charges against her alleged upper-casted attacker. Unfortunately it's a true, sickening story............and yet another incident that makes me embarrassed to have a penis.



STORY

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Listen To Less Music,(But Buy My Box Set First)





Some fuzzy warbling done by XTC's main man Andy Partridge upon the release of "The Fuzzy Warbles Collectors Album", a nine-disc set of assorted demos and outtakes. As usual, the man with a clever turn for using words (demonstrated in tracks such as Complicated Game, No Language In Our Lungs, or Snowman) has likened listening to music the same as eating chocolate cake: less is more in his idea. Whatever Andy, it's all good for me, still a damn shame about not having toured in well over 20 years, your set opening up for the Police in 1980, in support of the Black Sea album, was utterly brilliant.





ANDY WARBLES

Saturday, November 25, 2006

'They disrespected our house.'

An horrific example of girl on girl crime. Reports and studies of why crime committed by girls is usually a shocking concept may not have drawn any one specific conclusion as to motives, but it is still even more shocking when one stabs and kills a 12-year old girl for reasons rooted in rivalry.







DISRESPECT

Roz Chast Interview






One of the many talented cartoonists that used to be published in the National Lampoon whilst I was reading it was Roz Chast. (Ron Barrett's Politenesman, the works of B.K. Taylor and M.K. Brown, the Trots And Bonnie strip from Shary Flenniken, amongst others, were favourites of mine as well). She has a new book composed of a collection of her strips out entitled Theories of Everything: Selected, Collected and Health-Inspected Cartoons, 1978-2006. She captures and exhibits a feeling, idea or moment in a way which I've always related to. Can't say that I've actually ever seen her work in the New Yorker, which is where most of her stuff is published, but this is certainly one book I'll be looking to buy.





ROZ INTERVIEW

Friday, November 24, 2006

How Honest Are You? Well?????

I got a 27.


Even Stephen - You judge what's right according to your internal moral compass, but your compass takes in more than the immediate situation. You'll often wait to see if others notice a problem before you offer up the truth, and if an immediate confession becomes a bother, you'll look for an easier alternative. You've got good intentions, but make sure you don't go down a slippery slope.




HONESTY QUIZ

Spawn Of Satan 30 Oregon 28

Heckuva effort by both teams in the 110th Civil War at Corvallis today. The slumping Ducks took on the surging Beavers in a steady cold drizzle (not much wind though) and the game went down to the final seconds, as the Beavers blocked the possible winning field goal with 16 seconds left to seal the victory. Turnovers played a big part in the game, especially in the first half when two Oregon to's led directly to 14 points, and the one OSU fumble led to the lone Oregon score, and the tally at half was 20-7 to the home team.

The Ducks battled hard and played with a bit more confidence than in their recent slide, but in addition to the turnovers, missed field goals and point afters were also factors that led to the actions of both head coaches down the stretch of the fourth quarter as the Ducks mounted their comeback.

More info and pics later................I'm just a little disappointed, but at least the Ducks didn't roll over when they got behind as they did in their last visit to Reser Stadium in 2004.

Among The Thugs

More ugly racism from ultra-right supporters of another club makes headlines. Supporters of French club Paris Saint Germain outnumbered a lone supporter of Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv, and were chasing him down when a plainclothes police officer intervened, tried to disperse the crowd, and then suddenly found himself under attack. He let loose with a couple of shots, and one PSG supporter was killed and another was wounded. Another sad example of the racist crap that is still prevalent among some of the supporters of the top European clubs.






DIRTY JEW?

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Dirk Dirksen, R.I.P.

The big name of promoting punk rock shows in San Franciso at the "fab" Mabuhay Gardens, has passed away, on the 19th of November at his home. Thank you for your work Dirk in helping change the musical landscape of this country.




DIRK




VELVET ROPE THREAD ABOUT DIRK

Harrington Leads The Lions To Another Loss

Thankfully Joey Harrington doesn't have to play for the hapless Detroit Lions anymore, being involved in a trade that sent him to the Miami Dolphins. As the young high-profile draft pick, Joey was singled out by the fans and media as the total saviour of a franchise looking to break themselves out of a lengthy stretch of mediocrity, lasting four years from 2002 until 2005. As the Lions continue to flounder as one of the worst franchises in the National Football League, it's become painfully obvious to even the most vocal anti-Joey fans (not so sure about Lions cornerback Dre Bly or ex-Lions coach Steve Mariucci) that the problem with the Lions wasn't the total fault of Joey.

Okay, the Dolphins were only playing the Lions, but it was still enough for them to chalk up their fourth straight victory and put them right back into playoff contention. We shall see as the Dolphins schedule toughens down the stretch how Joey fares, but the big picture is that he's played very well on a team that knows how to block and catch passes (the Dolphins still need a bit of work on the running game part though). The defense stepped up as well, clamping down on Lions receiver Roy Williams who was their primary offensive weapon in the first half as the Lions stepped out to a 10-0 lead. As the Lions fell apart, Joey and the Dolphins went to work on nice ball control drives.

Bly, who had said last year that Harrington was the problem for the Lions, was curiously unavailable for comment after the game, and I didn't hear Mariucci, working the Tampa Bay at Dallas game, comment at all on what the Dolphins did. It was nice to see Joey get the Gatorade shower (when was the last time a non-coach got that?) as well as the blackberry cobbler and All Iron award from CBS as the player of the game.

Some lovely pics of a game that I thoroughly enjoyed (this coming from a person who has very little time to watch the NFL on tv).



ESPN STORY








Thanksgiving

As an American, it could always be better, and it could always be worse than it is now. I am thankful for everything I've got, and am always humbled by the fortune that has been sent my way. Thank you God...........and for everybody else who's helped me out along the way, I hoped I've repaid you in kind at some point. How apropos that on the Macy's Day parade on NBC right now, the ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE song from the Monty Python play Spamalot is currently being aired. Quite a different setting from its debut in Life Of Brian






Wednesday, November 22, 2006

"I Wanna Drive The Zamboni, Yes I Do"

Heh heh heh................no one will notice if we take it out for a quick stop for some food. Nope, no one at all.





ZAMBONI

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Coachella Gets A Country Cousin

Besides adding a third day to the popular music festival, Coachella organizers have revealed plans for a country music festival at the Empire Polo Field in Indio about a week after the Coachella Festival itself has ended. How will it play down in the southland, where there are currently no country music radio stations? Will the "pop" airplay that people like Kenny Chesney get be enough to attract profitable audience numbers? Will country music fans travel from all over the U.S. (or world) as they do for the main event itself? We shall have our answers in about six months.


COUNTRY @ COACHELLA

Hail Hail The Bhoys Are Here (To The Knockout Stages)

Manchester United may have had the most talent on the pitch (as well as paper), but a scoreless match was broken with a driving free kick from Shunsuke Nakamura in the 81st minute, and was cemented in the 89th minute by Celtic goalie Artur Boruc on a penalty kick from Louis Saha, in a Champions League match at Celtic Park on Tuesday. Those two decisive plays sandwiched a monumental mental lapse from Saha, who, while still onside, believed that he was off the line and held up play on his own in the box, giving Boruc enough time to react to the ball once Saha realized that he was indeed onside.

Hope yer happy, the Sludden clan of Corby............sympathies to you Inta-Don, at least you still have Micheal Carrick.