Diamond Talk

Since 2004 Texas Ranger fans have been regaled with tales of how good our future pitching rotation will be with the prospects of John Danks, Edison Volquez, and Thomas Diamond. They were wittily called DVD. They were going to be the guys to rival what the A's did with their home grown pitching. With the trade of Volquez to the Reds last week for Josh Hamilton the Rangers are now left with just a single 'D'. That would be Thomas Diamond who underwent Tommy John surgery last year and missed the entire season.

The Danks trade of last year for Brandon McCarthy is still up in the air, as neither player exactly dazzled anyone in the majors last year. They both might turn out to be fine players.

The Volquez trade is the one that irritates me. I wouldn't have a problem with them trading Volquez if they don't think he will be that good, but only if they got some pitching in return. The Rangers are a team that has been starved for pitching pretty much their entire existence in Texas, and trading for another outfielder (making I think 50 outfielders coming into spring training) doesn't do it for me. I know Hamilton has shown flashes of greatness in his career, but trading a guy who was going to be in your starting rotation for a player with as much baggage as Hamilton just seems...I dunno stupid. Hamilton may turn out to be an awesome player. The Rangers have had plenty of great hitting outfielders, to me he will just be another name. A great...hell a good pitcher is hard to come by for the Rangers.

Well, Mr Diamond, I hope for the best for ya as the last piece of the great DVD trio. Of course the Rangers could still very well trade him too.

Bah...Humbug?

With the Christmas season upon we have a all of the Christmas carols upon us. A ton of them or good, but I do have some requests:

1. I don't want to hear any fart versions of any songs. I heard one of "Silent Night" this week, and it wasn't funny. It was awful
2. I don't want dogs barking "Jingle Bells"
3. I also don't want cats meowing "Jingle Bells". Heck, let just ban any song made out of animal songs.
4. Since I am no longer 10, and I have heard this song about a million times. I want a ban on "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer" If I ever have kids I will allow it back in my house.
5. Why don't we hear more of the newer Christmas songs? I like the classics fine, but on the radio it seems you have about a 12 song rotation. Lets bust out some new tunes.
6. Also there are a bunch of fairly old tunes that you never hear on the radio. Like "I Believe in Father Christmas" by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer just to name one off the top of my head.
   

Lets just make some changes. That is all I am saying.

You Probably Think This Post Is About You

Most, if not everybody suffers from vanity in one form or another. I used to work with a guy who would borrow money from me to buy diapers for his baby, but he wore a couple thousand dollars in gold chains and rings.

I also have a friend who for a while seemed like he could rub to nickels together, but was driving a new car every couple of years.

I am not immune myself. I wear a baseball cap most of the time. Usually, because I am too lazy to fix it. Sometimes though. Sometimes it is because I have tried my hair in a couple of different styles. I didn't like how it looked. Got pissed, and just threw a hat on.

That is nothing compared to one lady I know. Now I have known her for quite a few years, and in the entire time and I have never seen her walk by a mirror with out at least pausing to check herself out. It was one of those things I had seen in a TV show, but I never imagined people like that really existed. They are out there though.

Sometimes she will stop to fiddle with her hair. Sometimes she will actually stand there and pose. It doesn't bother me at all. I find it pretty funny myself.

Yes, I am wearing a hat today.

Dream a little dream

Now I am not one who often remembers his dreams, but I had one this morning that has stuck with me. It went like this:

I was in the house that I was raised in. In the house I was being chased by a wasp. Not a giant wasp. Not like a hundred wasps. Just one single, solitary wasp. And it had me freaked out. I was running all over the house trying to get away, but it just kept chasing me. I never felt comfortable in the dream to squash it. Now the funny (funny-strange) part is that the entire time "Suffragette City" by David Bowie is playing the entire time. It was like a chase scene in a movie, and that was the theme song.

Finally, I am on the ground, and I have a couple of books in my hand. I am waving them frantically at the wasp using the wind I create to keep it at bay, but I can never get rid of it. The persistent bastard. I quit waving the books and the wasp proceeds to land on my fingers. I slowly turn my hand up side down and squash the bugger. That is when I wake up. When I do, that damn song is still playing in my head, and has been all day now.

Ahoy! Ahoy!

This is part of an actual phone conversation I had with a customer this week:

Customer: "Mr. Ladd faxed me over some documents earlier, and I lost them. Can you re-fax them to me?"

ME: "Uh, sure. What did he fax you?"

Customer: "I don't know."

Me:"Well if you don't know. I certainly don't know."

_________________________________________________

Was that rude of me? Maybe, but that was probably as nice as I could be about it. I was much, much ruder (or more rude?) to another customer earlier.

The Time is Now

Well seeing as how it is now December 5th. I think I can take my swim suit home from my bosses' house.

Wow that is awfully short...uhh, go Cowboys!

I Just Need a Little Chill

With the coming winter a just a little nip in the air I get to enjoy my favorite foods of soup, stew or chili. Last night I made a batch of chili, and broke down and made some corn bread as well.

I don't want to hurt myself too much patting myself on the back, but the chili was awesome. My cornbread was alright, but I am a little out of practice on that. I need to get my cornbread making chops back. I was really full after the one bowl, but I went back and had another bowl about 2/3 full. Good stuff especially on a chilly night.

Happy Happy! Joy Joy!

My pal, Rob, tagged me a while back on a meme on what makes me happy. That list follows:

1. I am happy. No. No. I am fucking ecstatic that I currently don’t have a long commute to work any more. It is just a few miles. After just a couple of days of fighting traffic during Wizard World weekend. I really appreciate not having to go through that crap. Including having one highway completely shut down for construction Saturday morning.

2. In a few weeks my brother makes his annual trip here, and that is cool because it is when our old gaming group gets together. We usually go out to dinner somewhere and then actually have a night of gaming. Anything from Trivial Pursuit, to Zombies, to Scene It. Maybe bowling.

3. When I first come home and the dogs are there to greet me.

4. When something I cook comes out perfectly.

5. Catching an episode of one of my favorite shows that I haven’t seen in years.

6. Going to my family reunion every year.

That’s it, that’s the list for now

Oh, and “I’m only happy when it rains”

Thanksgiving Lights

Like a whole mess of other people, I too get tired with how early the Christmas decorations come out. Thanksgiving really gets the short shrift. As I was going through downtown Frisco last night with a friend of mine and saw all of the building lit up, I just commented "I sure do like all of the Thanksgiving Lights they put up this year."

If I can pretend certain stories in the comics I read didn't happen. I can sure as hell make myself believe that the city loves Thanksgiving so much that they put lights up.

Gobble, gobble

Are you co-kidding me?

Well the Dallas Stars continue their descent into hockey irrelevance. No, not by the firing of GM Doug Armstrong, but by naming co-interim GMs of Brett Hull and Les Jackson. As far as I know, there have never been co-general managers of a sports franchise. Was a change needed at the Stars? Sure.

Dallas hasn’t drafted a 20-goal scorer since Brenden Morrow in 1997. The Armstrong managed Stars have only won one playoff series during his tenure. Pretty pathetic. But is now the time to get rid of the general manger? Will a new one put butts in the seats?

The main point though, is the whole co-GM thing. Some spokesman for the Stars was trying to spin it that no team has just one GM they have guys going to the colleges, others to European leagues, etc. So having co-GMs would be fine. No shit. I didn’t think Armstrong was flying to Sweden to find the next big thing. Every team does have people doing all of those other things, but you still need that one singular voice. One person to make the ultimate decision.

Les Jackson has plenty of experience, and maybe the best person for the job. Brett Hull was the Stars “Ambassador of Fun” last season. With no management experience. He very well maybe great at the job, but I would like to him spend at least a season or two learning the job.

As a bonus, if these two can’t come to a mutual decision, owner Tom Hicks will make the final judgment. Splendid.

I see fun in your future.

At the beginning of each and every sport season everyone makes their predictions. Everyone makes them, but no one follows up on them. And no one calls people out the predictions. SI.com NBA writers made their predictions, and I am going to cherry pick some of them to mock them later when they fail, and hey, if they are right. I will be the first to congratulate them. I do want to see some picks that out these guys out on a limb. Here is the link

1. Who will win the NBA finals?

Most of these are pretty boring. Mavs, Spurs, or Celtics everywhere. The only interesting one is Steve Aschburner picking the Suns and Cavaliers in the finals. And there are some people saying the Cavs may not even be in the playoffs this year.

2. Who will be the regular-season MVP?

A bunch of Lebron picks. (yawn) Chris Mannix picks Duncan, and 2 guys take Kevin Garnett. No one really taking a chance

3. What team will be the biggest surprise?

The Bulls? Some have them in the finals. I do like Paul Forrester's taking the Hawks, of course they have been bad for so long I think .500 would be a surprise. Iam Thomsen picked the Knicks, ok, whatever.

4. What team will be the biggest disappointment this?

Skip this. These are all kind of boring

5. What player will break out and become a star?

Mannix picked Bostjan Nachbar, and I will be honest, I have never heard of him. So if he breaks out and becomes a "star" way to go dude. Plus, picking him because he led his team in scoring during the preseason is a bold move. I like Mannix's moxie.

6. Which coach opens on the hottest seat?

Another boring one. Most guys picked the coach of the Hawks. Fine.

7. Who will be the best rookie

Almost a landslide for Kevin Durant. What a shocker. Only Marty Burns has the temerity to pick Luis Scola of the Houston Rockets. I love this pick. Honestly, I would have picked Durant too. I watched most of his games in college and he was awesome.

8. What will be the season's biggest controversy?

For some reason the one that interested me the most was if the NBA can be viable in New Orleans. The All-Star game will be there this year, and Mannix points out that the Hornets left Oklahoma City and all of that money, to go back to New Orleans. A city who didn't support them in the first place. Not really a prediciton, but interesting.

The last two questions are if Kobe will be traded, and if not who will be the biggest name traded. The all pick Jermaine O'Neal.

Hopefully I will remember to come back and check these predictions out.

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I like Mike!

Well, congratulations to Mike Modano for being the new all-time American born point scorer. He earned that mark November 9th. He is also the all-time goal scorer, a mark he earned last season.

Since the Stars have been in Dallas, Modano has been the face of the franchise. It is a lot easier to get the women to go the games when he is playing. For quite a few years he was the number 1 eligible bachelor in the area. But beyond being another pretty face, he has been great on and off the ice.

He has had his ups. Including when the Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999











And his downs: Being stripped of his captaincy last season. Being demoted to the fourth line this season because of his lack of scoring (and what better way to spark his offense than to put him on the fourth line? That is a post for later). He has taken these hits without much complaint at all.

so, uh, way to go, man....
I ran out of steam.

Pardon me?

Personally, I like Michael Wilbon more than Tony Kornheiser on Pardon the Interruption. There is just one thing that Wilbon has been saying for the past few weeks that has been irritating me. That is "the Cowboys are running their mouths, and haven't won anything." He hasn't said it a bunch of times, but probably 4-5 times the past month or so.

I agree with haven't won anything part. The Cowboys haven't won a playoff game in over a decade. It's the running the the mouth part that bothers me. The sports radio station I listen to is the flagship of the Cowboys. I read and hear damn near everything said about the Cowboys. Even the boring ass Wade Phillips press conferences everyday. I don't hear anyone really running their mouth about how great they are, or going to beat everyone.

The only person who did was Patrick Crayton after the Patriot game saying how if the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl the Cowboys would beat them then. What a shock a wide receiver running his mouth. If Terry Glenn was healthy he would be the fourth option in the passing game. Who gives a crap what he has to say? I don't and I root for the Cowboys.

Outside of that knucklehead I haven't heard anything outrageous being said by anyone on the team, and that includes the blowhard Terrell Owens. I don't know what Michael Wilbon is talking about.

He Hates Batman!!!

Now some might see this sketch and think, "Man, he hates Batman."
Others, "Wow what a Predator fan."
Still others, "What a weirdo."
Well, I neither hate Batman, nor have any great love for Predator. The third you will have to decide on your own.

This tale begins back in the Spring of 2003 when I was at a comic convention talking to local artist Chris Medellin. He had a request to do a sketch of the Predator killing Batman, but he had no reference for ol' Pred. I was helping a friend of mine at a booth, and my friend allowed me to sell some 25 cent comics there. I had about 2 longboxes, and I knew that I had some Predator minis by Dark Horse in there at one point, but I had sold a bunch that day. No one else had any so, I went and looked, lo and behold I still had some and provided the comics. Cool. Chris completed the sketch, and gave me the funny books back.

Flash forward to Wizard World 2006. I am walking through Artist Alley, and see Chris there. He has a new comic out, and I pick it up. He has a few sketches lying on his table, and I flip through them. Out pops the above sketch.
"Oh, man! You still have this? I remember this one." I tell him
"Yeah the sonuvabitch never came back, and I can't get rid of it!" Chris exclaims
"Man that sucks."
"Look, Travis, five bucks and it is yours."
"Sold"
"Seriously, thank you for getting off of my hands."

It only took 3 1/2 years too.

Radio Line of the Week

Nothing has really tickled my fancy in a while, but this week something did

"I wish announcers would quit telling us kick returners and punt returners are 'dangerous' or they can 'fly', because, unless they start putting offensive lineman back there I am going to assume they are fast."

To quote the great Homer Simpson, "It's funny because it's true."

Well...

In retrospect, I think I may have made a mistake by wearing shorts to work today. It barely got out of the 50s, which wouldn't have been bad, if I didn't spend a bunch of time out in our little shoe warehouse.

Somehow I made it though...

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Drinking for sport?

A new report about a beer being better for you after exercising than water.


Beer after sport 'is good for the body' - Telegraph

I find it is even better if I have the beer, and skip the exercise all together.

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Blaze of Glory

One of my favorite westerns is the movie, Once Upon A Time In The West. This was Sergio Leone’s epic masterpiece. Whereas The Good, The Bad and the Ugly is several stories held together by a longer arc, Once is a long narrative. I put them as 1A and 1B as far as how I rate them greatness.

One of the greatest build-ups of tension and suspense is the opening scene with three outlaws waiting for a train. The scene seems drawn out, but is perfectly paced. When the train arrives you hear a lone harmonica playing. As the train pulls away, Charles Bronson is standing there playing the harmonica. There is a brief, but humorous, exchange between Bronson and the creepy Jack Elam. Then Bronson guns the outlaws down.

An interesting story I read is that Leone wanted Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach, and Clint Eastwood as the outlaws in the opening sequence. This would have been his final story about “The Man with No Name”. Man, that would have been so cool. What better way to end that story, than to show him in the beginning and having him gunned down before the opening credits roll? Also it is a perfect noir element to introduce to a western. It would have been great. My understanding is that Van Cleef, and Wallach were on board to do it, but Eastwood was still early in his movie career and didn’t want to be tied too closely with one director or genre and declined to do it.

Oh what could have been.

Check it out...

The following link is an article by the great Jon Ronson, the man who created one of the best documentaries I have ever seen: Secret Rulers of the World. (Which, hopefully, will be released on DVD someday.)

It is a story of a cruise he took that had the "psychic" Sylvia Browne aboard:


Jon Ronson on America's most controversial psychic Sylvia Browne | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

My favorite quote:

"My years," she replies. "My years of validation save me." She pauses. "If after 53 years I was a fraud, don't you think they would have found out?"

People believe what they want to believe, and I think her record truly does speak for itself.

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I don't understand...

So I am on the phone yesterday with one of my customers, having a discussion with her about an order. At one point she puts me on hold. I sit there waiting, and some dude picks up the phone.

"May I help you?"

"Actually, I was just talking to Phyllis (not her name)."

"Oh, well she wants me to transfer this call over to her, but I don't know how to do that." Click.

He just hangs up on me. The moron doesn't even know how to transfer a call at his place of employment. I don't expect people to know every nook and cranny of their business. I would appreciate rudimentary knowledge though. Like how to transfer a fucking call. I would have been less pissed off if he hadn't told me he didn't know how to transfer a call, and had just hung up. Then I would have figured it was an accident. I am surprised he knew which end to talk into.

Sometimes I just can't take it.

Rain today...

It rained today, and whenever it rains and I think I need an umbrella I think of the one I have been missing for a while now. I know...know that I have one. I used to keep behind the seat in my truck, but it isn't there. Where is it? I can't find it!

Now I have been lucky, in that when it rains I often don't need to go out. During the weekend I don't have anything important to do, so I will just stay in. If I am at work it is usually done by the time I leave, or usually isn't raining when I am out. That is why I don't often think about finding my umbrella. I have looked before, but I just can't find it. I used to be so sure it was in my truck, but I moved almost a year and half ago. This has lead me to look in all of my boxes. I have never found it in any of those. Where is it!?

I'm not too cheap to buy one, but I figure if I have one why go buy a new one? And I do have one right? I just haven't been able to find it. Today I get to thinking though. I had my truck in a shop about three years ago. It was broken into while there...and every thing was stolen. That is what happened to my umbrella. I never put it together until today. I guess I can finally break down and by a new one. I feel like an idiot, but my mind is finally at ease about the damn thing.

I couldn't have said it better myself

Dallas Stars Blog:: SHINE UP THOSE RINGS

After the magical Cowboy win in Buffalo Monday night, I've been wondering how to address it. The great Daryl Reaugh says it better than I could ever dream.

My favorite part:

I mean come on, other than running the wrong direction and scoring on themselves the Cowboys couldn't have done much more to gift the first Monday Night game for the Bills in 13 years to you.

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Did I see him in a Warner Bros. cartoon?

I was watching the ESPN program Pardon the Interruption, and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was on. While watching the interview, I realized that if he wasn’t the owner of my beloved Cowboys, just how much I would make fun of him. He is really a cartoon character.

1) When he forces a smile he reminds me of Jack Nicholson’s Joker from Batman.

2) He has had so much plastic surgery, and, and one of his eyes look bigger than the other eye. It is really weird looking.

3) He also suffers from an affliction that seems to affect a bunch of rich business men. A bad hair cut. Not really cartoonish, but it adds to the whole ensemble.

3) When he talks, he has this real gravelly voice on top of sounding like he has been sucking on helium. I hardly hear him talk with out smirking.

The only thins missing was he didn’t have any of those weird grammatical expression he makes on his weekly radio show that leave you scratching your head. For example, “I don’t know when I knew that.”

All that being said though, if he isn’t the best owner in the NFL he is definitely in the top 3. He does a great job of making you believe all he cares about is winning, and not the money.

Chocolate Chex Cereal

I eat cereal at least once a day, sometimes more. It depends on how lazy I am feeling once dinner rolls around. One of the trends I have been noticing lately is established brands adding sweetened versions to their line. One of the new ones is Chocolate Chex.

The genius part of this cereal is that not all of the Chex pieces are chocolate. Which gives it a milder flavor, and not super sweet like your traditional “kids cereal”. Also it is a mix of both Rice and Corn Chex, borrowing from the excellent Kellogg’s Crispix. Plus I have felt that the rice and corn flavors are the two best flavors anyways. Like other Chex cereals it does a pretty good job of not getting soggy to quick. It holds it form really well.

Another good point about it is that it is only 10 calories more than regular, or plain Chex. The only problem I have is the chocolate is kind of chalky. Even that is just a small gripe.

This is a good cereal. Not too sweet, not too plain. Just as healthy as a regular Chex cereal. Plus it is a nice change of pace if your are burned out on traditional cereals. It really hits that sweet tooth.

Stop...Just Stop

Something has been bothering me for a while now. Can we please…please quit naming ever scandal “Whatever Gate”? This new bally-hoo with the New England Patriots is just another example in lazy journalism. “Video Gate” “Videotape Gate” “Camera Gate”. A team from MENSA must have worked long and hard on those names. I mean come on, Watergate was 35-fucking-years ago. Pre-Disco. America was still in Vietnam. The Godfather hits theaters. The last manned mission to the moon. What I am saying is that is was a looong time ago. Lets move on people. At least one person at ESPN called this new scandal “Spy Ware” which is culturally relevant. So I plead with all journalists out there no more Gates! For the sake of all that is holy!

Favorite Radio Line of the Week #2

Heard this week on the radio:

"Would you break off your engagement to bag a president's daughter?"

I'd like to congratulate myself

Nanu-nanu! On bringing back the word "Shazbot" to my office. Those of the appropriate age should appreciate that. I've gotten a couple of other people around here saying it as well as me. It is a pretty proud moment.

Favorite Radio Line of the Week

I pretty much listen to one radio station when I am at work, and this was my favorite from last week. It was a "man on the street" interview:

Host: How long after you met this woman before you consummated the relationship?
Man: About 30 minutes.

Dream Theater Concert

Last week I went to the Dream Theater concert at the Nokia Center in support of their new CD Systematic Chaos. The last time I saw them, they were on tour with Queensryche on a double headline bill, and this was during the Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence tour, I believe.

The opening acts. First up we had Into Eternity. I only caught the last few songs from these guys, and I think I am a better person for. At times they degenerated in to that awful Speed Death Metal “singing”. At other times it didn’t even look like the guitarists were playing anything but the most basic of chords, they didn’t even have their fingers on the frets. I’ve seen better acts playing on the streets in New Orleans

The other opening act was Redemption, or as I like to call them Dream Theater Jr. Similar musical style, and I thought the lead guitarist was really good. Their main problem was that the lead singer seemed to be singing a different song than the band was playing. Also they had some really weird musical transition in their songs that would throw me out of the tune. They have a keyboardist like Dream Theater but the others drown him out too much.

Now we get to the main act. I think Dream Theater is quite an awesome band, and their drummer Mike Portnoy is probably my favorite drummer out there right now. He is just awesome, and he has the best stage presence in the group. He really knows how to get the crowd riled up. I think the guitarist, John Petrucci, is quite good, I don’t go ga-ga over him like others do. Like others, John Myung, the bassist, fascinates me, because he seems so detached from everyone else. He seems to have his part of the stage staked out and everyone just leaves him alone there to do his thing. James LaBrie still has a great voice. Keyboardist Jordan Rudess is not drowned out and he is pretty great too.

Jordan had a couple of really nice solos, and I think a keyboardist can never look cool, but he does try and he can almost pull it off. The last time I saw Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy seemed to have a bunch of solo sections, but this time he didn’t have any which I was a little disappointed in. I have only listened to their new album once, and a few other songs a couple of times. That was mostly what they were playing so I wasn’t as familiar with what they were playing. The encore paled in comparison to when they played with Queensryche. This time they came out and played a couple of more songs. Mike Portnoy returning in a Dirk Nowitzki jersey which is cheap pandering to the crowd, which I like. With Queensryche both bands came out together and played the Who’s Baba O’Riley. That would be hard to beat. No complaints really with Dream Theater, they were just great.

Side Note: One guy sitting by me, from Indianapolis, purposefully scheduled his business trip so that he could see Dream Theater. I don’t think there is any band I would do that for.

Loaded Questions #22

This week from Loaded Questions:

Hypotheticals: If 50 people in your age group were selected randomly, how many do you think you would find leading a happier life than yours?
Hmmm, I actually have a pretty carefree, easy going life, but even considering that I will hedge my bets and say 25.


Anything Goes: What nasty habits do you have?
Nasty? I have bad habits, but nothing I would really consider nasty.

No-Brainers: What is/was your worst subject in high school?
Easy: Math. I probably should have failed 10th grade geometry.


Personals: What is the grossest thing you have ever done in public?
Easy questions this week: vomit. Thankfully(?), I was too drunk to really remember it.

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Ever wanted to see an exploding whale?

Well now you can:




The 70s ruled...

A new fish

Because I am a big dork, I can't tell you how much this tickled me:

New fish is named after Batman | Practical Fishkeeping magazine

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I still love me, some ME

Well here we are again with a small interview, and this time it is from Greg! Let's have look see shall we?

1. The obvious: if you could have any one superpower, what would it be?

Now this is something I have actually thought about quite a bit. You know the most obvious one is flight, and while quite cool, I’ll pass. Super-strength? Another good one, but scratch that one as well. Invisibility, this one almost passes the muster. It really appeals to my voyeuristic tendencies, but not his one either. The reason I passed on these is because they call all be simulated to a certain degree.

Flight – planes, trampolines, hang gliders, etc.

Super-strength – Do you know how strong you feel when you
are moving 2000 lbs of rice even if it is with the aid of a pallet jack? You
feel pretty damn good.

Invisibility – It seems there are always ways to spy on people, and feed the voyeur in all of us.

That is why the power I chose is: invulnerability. Sure if a plane is going down, with flight you can jump out and fly to safety. But that will be little help in a car crash. With invulnerability I would be able to walk away from both. It would be a pretty cool party trick having people whack you over the head with baseball bats or whatever. With flight you would get pretty tired of giving people ride. Invisibility is pretty much a one-trick pony at parties. Plus, with invulnerability it would seem you could parlay that into a bunch of different jobs.

2a. You must watch some reality show for two hours every day. Which do you choose?

Now this I could do. If I am flipping through the channels and see Top Chef on, I will drop in. Or Hell’s Kitchen because Gordon (Ramsey?) is just SO over the top he is hilarious. I enjoy cooking so these actually entertain me.

2b. Okay. But suppose you don't have a choice. The show is chosen for you. Which show would you most dread being forced to watch?

I Love New York. Look it up.

3. Muppet Babies -- cute or creepy?

Growing up, kind of cute. Now….creepy

4. What comic do you really enjoy but are sort of embarrassed about or at least cannot defend liking so much?

I’ve been thinking about this one for a while now, and I can’t think of anything that comes to mind. There maybe a comic or two… I would have to go through a whole months worth of comic to get a better idea. There are a bunch of T&A comics out there, but I don’t read any of those. I figure if I am going spend that much on that kind of material I’ll just buy some porn. If I think of something maybe I will come back to this.

5. Is there something -- comic, movie, book, TV show -- that you loved
as a kid but have looked at now and wondered WTF was I thinking?

In this case a picture will truly speak a thousand words:

SMURFS. Even when they were popular I think I was outside of the demographic they were trying to appeal to. I really loved them. And I didn’t just watch the cartoons. I had little figures. I read the books. I think you get the idea. Plus I stuck with them even after the popularity had faded I’m talking into…junior high school.

So there ya go. More crap about me. And again:

Wanna play? Here’s how!

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."

2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions. (They probably won't be the same ones you see above!)

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Don’t worry if you don’t know anything about comics – I won’t assume you’re a comic reader – or a superhero comic reader – when I pick my questions. (If you are, though – fair game!)

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Loaded Questions #19

I haven't done this in a while, but it is nice to be back. Here we go from Loaded Questions:

Hypotheticals: If you had to run a marathon, how many miles do you think you could last?

Do I have to run? Running 1-2 miles. I could walk forever...

Anything Goes: What is life's greatest mystery?

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?

No-Brainers: What is your favorite flower?

Not something I have really thought about. In the spring time I do love seeing all of the bluebonnets off the highways around here.

Personals: What do you generally sleep in at night?

Wow that is personal...boxer shorts.

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Garden State

One of the things I really didn’t appreciate while growing up was the garden that my parents planted every year. I always liked the fruits and veggies a bunch, but I don’t think I fully appreciated. Well this year my dad planted a garden for the first time since 2001, and I was by there a week or so ago, and got some fresh zucchini and squash. Nothing else was ready yet, but man, just eating those 2 veggies last week was great.

I can’t wait to go back and get some tomatoes, beans and other stuff.

Slammin' Sammy hit 600

I have been reflecting on Sammy Sosa and his 600^th hundredth home run for a while now, and I have some mixed feelings about.

1. He is a proven cheater. He used a corked bat, and I find it pretty damn hard to believe that the one time he got caught was the one time he used it.
2. A bunch of people continually harp on the fact that it was never proven that he took steroids. I am not a court of law he isn’t innocent until proven guilty in my eyes. He also all but admitted by claiming he didn’t understand the questions during the original senate meetings. Plus I remember an interview he gave before when someone asked him about steroids, and his reply was, “Do you want me to get into trouble?”
3. I am impressed though that he missed and entire season of baseball, and he is one of the best players on the Rangers. Of course that may not say much about the Rangers club this year (last in MLB).
4. I couldn’t get over all of the ding-dongs going crazy at the ballpark. It is should feel like a hollow stat for the fans around here. He hit all of 13 of his 600 home runs in a Ranger uniform.
5. After the home run, the announce on the TV said, “ How would you like to be Frank Catalanotto? Trying to follow up Sammy’s 600^th.” Catalanotto then hit a home run himself. I loved it.
6. I liked the fact that the home run landed in the bullpen. There was no mad scramble by the fans to get it. No one getting trampled. No litigation from 2 jerks over who “owns” the ball so they can turn around and sell it.
7. All of that being said. It was still kind of cool watching that live. How often does someone get to watch that? I didn’t see Barry Bonds’ 600^th live. This one I did, and watching all of those flashbulbs go off was a really cool sight.

Ultimately, after processing this all in my head, it feels like such an empty stat. Because I just know he probably hit half of his home runs, if not more, by cheating. Why should I, you or anyone celebrate cheating?

I love me some ME!

There is a comic book meme going around, and my friend Rob has agreed to interview me. Its not all comic books though, but you will get the idea.

1) There are lots of superscientific or magical items in comics. What's your favorite?

In the unofficial poll in my head the winner by a landslide (and maybe a bit clichèd) is Green Lantern's ring. He was the guy I pretended to be the most as a little kid. You can make anything with you can imagine? That was way too cool for me.

;



In a distant second place though, is Captain America's shield. I truly loved that one as well.


2) What toppings do you prefer on your pizza?

Italian sausage and mushrooms. And depending on my mood extra cheese and/or jalapenos


3) What one writer who hasn't yet written comics would you like to see try his or her hand at it?



That is a tough one. But as I am a big fan of noir and crime novels, how about James Ellroy or Elmore Leonard? And someone who was written a real good spy novel, and some decent sci-fi would be Dean Ing. But Ellroy would be my top choice.



4) Movies: What's your favorite sequel?

The Empire Strikes Back. The best out of all of them



5) Star Wars or Lord of the Rings?

I may have tipped my hand here, but obviously Star Wars. I have seen all of the LOTR movies, but I haven't felt the need to watch them again. I could watch the original Star Wars trilogy right now.

_____________________________________________________________________



Thanks, Rob it was fun. If anyone stumbles across the blog and feels a need to be interviewed let me know.

or: Don’t worry if you don’t know anything about comics – I won’t assume you’re a comic reader – or a superhero comic reader -- when I pick my questions. (If you are, though – fair game!)

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Free Lunch!

One of the better aspects of working out of my boss’ house is having free reign over the kitchen. I can grab snacks or eat leftovers. I don’t usually, and I bring my own food for lunch, just using their exta fridge in the garage as my own. This week though I have been eating the food here. My boss and his wife hosted a baby shower over the weekend, and they have WAY to much food leftover. So I have been eating little mini sandwiches. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Little desserts. Plus, shrimp cocktails. It has been good. Heck, I even took some of the shrimp home last night and made some stir-fry with it. Does this disprove the rule that “There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch”? I dunno, but this at least comes pretty damn close.

eBay Auction Fraud

eBay jewellery store fined $400,000 for shill bidding | The Register

I wonder how much to a lesser degree this goes on auction sites like eBay all the time. Seems like it would be easy to have a friend artificially raise the price of a lot for you. I'm interested to see how many other stories like this come out.

I've been to a couple of charity auction before were I have seen people bid on items they didn't want to drive the price up to help out, and then sweat it out as they worried that they might win.

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Leopard Trap

This is a very cool story i thought.

Popular Science Blog - If A Leopard Calls... Hang Up!

Pretty crafty idea if you ask me...

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8 Things You May Not Know About Me

My friend Rob was tagged for a meme a while back to post 8 things you may not know about him, and he tagged me to follow him. I have been putting it off, because the challenge to me was not to think of 8 things, but to make them mildly interesting. I think I finally got a handle on what I
wanted to say. So, here we go, 8 things you may now know about me.

1. I am a very competitive person, but I think I hide it pretty well. There is almost no game I will back down from if I am challenged. Although knowing how I am, and how I will react internally (sometimes externally) I try not get myself into trouble. No one is harder on me, than me when I lose at a game.

2. I will almost never discuss politics with people. I have my opinions, and I respect everyone else's, but I learned a long time ago that you will NEVER change any one's mind. I used to listen to a lot of talk radio, and not once did I hear someone say, "Good points. You've convinced me, I have changed my stance." No one wants to back down.

3. I don't get when people talk about movies that changed their life. The 2 closest movies that I would rate that high for me would be Reservoir Dogs. When I saw this movie, I told all my friends about it, and got them to watch it. I watched this move at least once a week for 2 months. The other movie would be Clerks. The first day I watched it, I saw it three times in one day. Really restored my faith that independent movies could be great.

4. I would be almost perfectly content to eat the all of my meals out of bowls. Cereal, Soups, Stews, Ice Cream, Salads. I don't, but I could.

5. There are 2 things people told me when I was growing up, that if I didn't do them I would regret for the rest of my life. Senior Prom and finishing college. I didn't do either one, and I couldn't care less. No regrets whatsoever.

6. I am a hypocrite. I hate it when someone I don't know calls me "Man". Drives me up the wall. I do it to guys I don't know all of the time that is why I am a hypocrite. What is weird, if someone I don't know calls me "Dude", that doesn't bother me.

7. If I could have done anything in the world of arts, I would have been a drummer in a punk rock band. Don't ask me why.

8. I hate potato salad. I know, I know. I haven't tried yours, but I have tried enough that I have probably had a pretty close facsimile of yours. Cold potatoes, mayo, and onions? I'll pass. And yes I have had mustard , German, and dill as well. I don't like any of them.

So there ya go. That is 8.

This how they should handle cheating in baseball

STLtoday - News - Missouri State News

Jones, 60, is an avid angler. A divorcé with no family nearby, he sometimes stayed at the shop for hours. He had friends here. So when he placed second in a fishing tournament two weeks ago, the regulars expected he would show up the next morning to crow about it, just as he did after a win the week before.



But his moment of triumph — his trophy plaque and $886 — was the one that got away. He left the winner's circle that day in handcuffs, facing a felony count of theft by deception. Fishermen at the boat ramp cheered his arrest. Others were moved to anger. Fishermen can forgive all kinds of transgressions, but not cheating.

I found this story fascinating. Who knew that cheating was so rampant in professional fishing? Even in rinky-dink tournaments like this.

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Loaded Questions #13

Hypotheticals: If you were to give yourself a creative title for your personal business cards, what would it say?
Cog in the Machine

Anything Goes: What do you consider the most noble field of medicine?
Oncology

No-Brainers: What is the biggest advantage of being small?
I used to be really short, and it was easier to move through crowds. That was I liked the most.

Personals: What person have you always wondered whether or not they liked you?
Good one. I would probably have a whole list of young ladies actually.

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More global-warming BS

I love global warming stories. The more studies that are published, the more full of shit enviromentalists appear. 2 more news articles about global warming:


Agriculture: We are what we eat - National - theage.com.au

The world's livestock (mainly cattle and sheep) are the fastest growing source of agricultural greenhouse emissions, already producing more greenhouse gases than all the world's planes, trains and automobiles.

Targeting rice paddies may reduce greenhouse gas emissions

I am certain that eliminating rice paddies will go over real well in Asia.

So to save the earth all we have to do as a global community is quit eating meat, quit eating rice, stop driving our cars, going on airplanes, never use coal again (that will make winters pretty tough), don't breath to hard, don't listen to rap, or Neil Diamond. Sounds easy enough to me...

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A weird side note to the Virginia Tech Shooting

Cho sold Peach Bowl tickets to University students last winter - News

The students plan on selling the ticket stubs, and donate the money to a charity for they Virginia Tech shooting families.

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Loaded Questions #10

Hypotheticals: If you were a professional wrestler, what would your ring name be?
Any of the million nicknames people have given me: Hat Trick, Hairball, Trevino, Travisu, Travinator, etc, etc. Pick one. Pick 'em all.

Anything Goes: Who makes the most stylish clothes in the world?
No clue, I pretty much stick to t-shirts and jeans. Never payed attention

No-Brainers: What is your favorite kind of chocolate bar?
For me it pretty much begins and ends with Reese's Peanutbutter Cups

Personals: What is the biggest inconvenience about the place you are currently living in?
I don't have near enough space.

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So which is it?

An interesting news story:
FOXNews.com - Study: Global Warming May Suffocate Hurricanes - Science News | Current Articles

So since 2005 we get all of these weather "experts" that global warming is going to give us all of these Katrina-like hurricanes, and now some of them are saying that global warming retards hurricanes.

This is why they are all full of shit. They can't tell me if it is going to rain tomorrow, but I am supposed to believe them when they tell me that it is going to be 5 degrees hotter 25 years from now.

William Gray of Colorado State University expects at least nine hurricanes, with a good chance one will hit the U.S. coast.

Really? Wow, way to go out on a limb there fella. I could have told you that. What next snow in New York this winter?

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Under New Management

I went to my favorite fast-food restaurant today for the first time in a LONG while. Gourmet China in Dallas, Greenville and Forest Lane. It is just too far away from where I live now. I just happened to be in the area today. I was quite dismayed to see that it was being run by new management. I figured since I was there I would get something to eat.
Big Mistake.
When I got back to work, I found that they had forgotten my egg roll. That wouldn't have been a big deal, except not one time in the previous 12 years of the old owners did they once forget anything. And I ate there I lot more regularly then.
The food tasted similar, like they were using the same recipes, but there was just something off about the food. One thing that was noticeable, was that it was significantly greasier than it had been before. It was the first time that plain fried rice really tasted oily to me.

I really don't know if I will be going back....

Saturday Six - Episode #157

1. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #90 from Remo: In
the event of a disaster or act of disorder, are you currently prepared
to remain self-sufficient for a day, a week, or a month until measures
could be taken to restore order and services?

Maybe, and I mean maybe a couple of days



2. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #91 from Frida: Feng shui: Totally serious, totally crapola, or just another cool way to get redecorating ideas?

Total crap...



3. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #92 from Call Me Betty: Do you feel comfortable being yourself in public or do you feel you have to hide certain aspects of your personality?

I am pretty comfortable for the most part.



4. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #93 from Wil: Name your favorite flower to appear in the Spring around you?

Bluebonnets...definitely.



5. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #94 from Cat.: From this list, are there any places you would never travel.

Nah, I don't think so.



6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #95 from Kathy: Who is your favorite [motion picture] director?

Probably, Scorsese, for continued excellence.

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Loaded Questions #8

Hypotheticals: If you had to spend the rest of your life in one place, where would it be?

Probably not Frisco, TX where I am now. I find it kind of a soul-less town, but I would like to live somewhere in the Dallas area though.



Anything Goes: At what age did you have your first boyfriend/girlfriend?

I don't remember.



No-Brainers: What do you consider the biggest turnoff?

Young ladies who "act" stupid. It really pisses me off.



Personals: What do you bring most to a friendship?

Dropping anything to help one of my friends out.

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Saturday Six - Episode 156

1. Do you believe that there is some form of intelligent life on a planet other than Earth?
Yes, I do.



2. If there was, and we were to encounter it, which do you think would do more harm to the other: the Earthlings or the Extra Terrestrials?
That is a toughie. Probably Earthlings, we are such a fearful race. We would probably do something stupid.



3. If a close friend or family member told you that they had been kidnapped by aliens, how likely are you to believe them if they can offer no physical evidence?
Honestly, not much. I would need something.



4. Take the quiz: How likely is it that you would be abducted by Extra Terrestrials?

You have a 22% chance of being abducted You don’t really believe in extra-terrestrials, but you should! The chances that another intelligent life form exists is far greater than the chance that it doesn’t. Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

5. If you could fly in a spaceship to get a close look at any of the planets besides Earth, which would you choose and why?
Saturn. without a doubt. I would love to get to see its rings, and all of the moons that it has. Different varieties of moons. It just seems the most interesting.



6. If you had the chance to live on a fully-developed colony on Mars, would you do so?
Only if I was able to leave if I didn't like it. Then it would be worth it.

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Three Day Weekend

I get a three day weekend, this weekend because of Good Friday. Every time I get one of these things I think of all of errands, chores, and other stuff I am going to do with this extra day. I never, and I do mean never do any of them.
Clean the house? No.
Wash my truck? No.
Go the grocery store? No.
Laundry? Nope.
Yard work? Sounds like a lot of fun, but no thank you.
I usually just do what I do on two day weekends: sit around and relax.
Well, I think I am off to give the dog a bath.

Yeah, right...

Happy Opening Day!

Baseball is out about minutae, stats, and weird trivia. Here is a very cool bit of trivia for opening day:



Sports Review Magazine - Go Diego, Go! An Opening Day Starter Never To Be Equaled



Technorati Tags: baseball

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Drought!

I have been living in the city of Frisco now for about a year. The entire time I have been here we have been under a water restriction, which means we can only water the lawn on trash days (once a week), and only about 16 hours during that day. This led to a lot of dead lawns last summer.
Ok, the water level is low I can understand that. The problem I see is this: People all over the city a building swimming pools like there is no tomorrow. My boss just built a swimming pool, and I see them being built everywhere. So, the lakes are so low we can't hardly water anything in our lawns, but we can take the time to put literally 1,000 of gallons of water in all of the new swimming pools being built. Make sense? Not to me either...


Thanks to The Jamoker for the pic.

My Three Dads

There are somethings in this life that amuses me, and it makes me a pretty sorry person. Like this for instance:
I of course have my real birth father. But at my job at the Japanese Grocery Store and the job I have now. People think I am the son of the owner. I rarely do anything to dissuade them of the notion. It always makes me laugh.
Also, it confuses me at times. My boss at the grocery store is Japanese, and people always I thought I was his son. I am not Japanese. I am pretty much white as can be. Never the less, people came there all of the time asking me were my "Dad" was at. Most people there thought I was half-Japanese half-Caucasian.
At the job I have now. People continually think I am my boss' son here as well. Which, I would think would give me a lot more sympathy than I get. The reason being that I am left to run the office by myself a couple of times a year, and no one finds it odd that my "family" left me all alone again!
You know I am getting all of the shit work from my family.

Loaded Questions #7

Hypotheticals: If you could be a character in any novel, who would you be?



Wow, probably one of the toughest questions for me to answer. Maybe someone like Philip Marlowe. Smart, but not too smart, plus street-wise.



Anything Goes: What outdoor activity do you consider the most dangerous?

Bungee Jumping



No-Brainers: What is your favorite genre of movies?

Crime, noir type films



Personals: How good is your long-term memory, on a scale of one to ten?

7

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Blogging Paradox

I always think of something to say or write when I am at work, but can't. When I get home, I can't remember what I wanted to say. I can write about anything I want, and I have all the time in the world, but I can't think of anything. Oh well...

Global Economy

I just don't get how the global economy works. Especially, after reading this story. Why in the world would the price of oil go up, because some English navy men are captured in Iran? I just don't understand why people panic so much over something that happens half a world away. Maybe I should read a book on it sometime...



Technorati Tags: global economy, oil

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Loaded Question #6

Hypotheticals: If you were any animal, what would you be?

Hmm, I always liked the tiger. An awesome look, with so much power, and grace.

Anything Goes: What animal do you enjoy seeing most at the zoo?

I dunno, I haven't been to a zoo since I was 5...

No-Brainers: What store is represented most in your wardrobe?

Old Navy. No question about it.

Personals: What is it about you that people find irresistible?

My sense of humor

From the Loaded Questions Meme

Saturday Six - Episode 153

1. What was your favorite animated cartoon series when you were little?

Super Friends...with out a doubt

2. What was your favorite "live action" children's series when you were little?

Banana Splits. It was just too funny and crazy to little brain

3. Who is your favorite muppet character?

Rowlf the Dog. The coolest of them all.

4. Take the quiz: What is your Sesame Street personality?

You Are Big Bird

Talented, smart, and friendly... you're also one of the sanest people around. You are usually feeling: Happy. From riding a unicycle to writing poetry, you have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy. You are famous for: Being a friend to everyone. Even the grumpiest person gets along with you. How you life your life: Joyfully. "Super. Duper. Flooper."

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

5. Have you ever appeared on a locally-produced children's show, or would you have ever wanted to?

I never did, but I always wanted to some how get to see Mr. Peppermint, a local show in Dallas. I did see him filming at the Fort Worth Zoo one time though.

6. Cartoons like "The Flintstones," though animated, were really intended for adults. What's your favorite adult (non-porn) cartoon?

The Simpsons. Still funny after all of these years.

Comic Strip Websites

I now have 2 comic strip websites that I go to often, and make me laugh hysterically. I don't read many of the strips in the paper any more, because I don't think they are funny. These 2 I think are great.

1. The Argyle Sweater by Scott Hilburn

2. Thanks to Rob for pointing me to: The Perry Bible Fellowship by Nicholas Gurewitch

Travis

Loaded Question #3

Hypotheticals: If you could ask the president of the country one question, what would it be?

Was it worth it?

Anything Goes: Fill in the blank: ______ stole the cookies from the cookie jar.

The cookie monster! (naturally)

No-Brainers: What do you consider to be the most dangerous creature on Earth?

Man, we can kill things in any climate, and any terrain.

Personals: What have you tried in life, and simply were not good at?

Anything musical, so far. Maybe someday there will be something musical I can do right.

Take Me Back Tuesday 2/27/07

What songs make you think of spring break, or make you want to take a spring break.

Geez, I dunno. How about:

"Steal My Sunshine" by Len

Anything from 1984 by Van Halen. Any of those pop/rock bands from the '80s. That is what reminds me of Spring Break.

"Pour Some Sugar on Me" something like that.

Did you ever take a break/vacation just to see a concert? Did you ever want to?

Nope, and not really

How far would you travel to see a band?

Maybe a couple of hours.

What would be your dream spring break concert?

If Brad Nowell was still alive: Sublime.

Otherwise the Beastie Boys

Socks

Ya, know I have been living in my new location for about 9 months now, and I have never sorted my socks completely once? After I was them I pile them on the floor, and just match them as I need them. Whenever is run out of matches I wash all of them again. Now when the pile gets low I may match up the last few pair, and put them in the drawer, but never that fist big group.

I don't feel the one bit bad about it either.

Bum Phillips

I was listening to the radio this morning, and they were interviewing former NFL coach, Bum Phillips. Before then I would have bet everything I have that he was dead. Go figure. He is great to listen to, very funny.

Thursday Threesome 2/8/07

Onesome: Pitch-- What is your singing range? ...and do you sing at all? Laurie, you're leading off here !

I have no idea what my range is, I've never tested it or whatever it is you for that. If I am drunk enough I will sing in public. I will also sing to dogs...eh, you know.

Twosome: Yaw--'ll ken that one? Do you have any 'dialect words' that you use as a matter of course? "Ken", meaning "to understand" (Scottish and other derivations) in this case...

Just ya'll.

Threesome: and Roll-- on down the road? Hey, if the roads were as icy as they've been in the Midwest and East would driving to work even be a consideration for you?

Not really. I just don't trust the other drivers around here. It iced up here last week just a bit, and there are just some people who don't care. The speed limit is 40, and by God, they are gonna drive 40. I can get my job done from home if I need to.

COWABUNGA!

While listening to the radio the other day, one commercial starts out with the exclamation: "COWABUNGA!" The rest of the ad follows. Anyway, I told a friend of mine that being part American Indian, this offended me. Which brought on this witty exchange:

"'Cowabunga,' is an Indian word?"

"I dunno, it sounds like one though."

"You're Native American?"

"Part."

The rest of the talk was determining that all we knew about the word was that surfers said it, as did Bart Simpson. Not a real endorsement to fuel my fake indignation of the white man stealing my heritage which I know almost nothing about. Clearly some etymological research was needed. My initial research revealed nothing. An unknown origin.

Then I had a breakthrough. The word was from the "Howdy Doody Show" It was spoken by Chief Thunderthud as a greeting and such. Well, clearly I was in the right, and I could resume my indignation. I mean doesn't this look like someone who is an authentic Native American:



That was the only pic I could find. But he looks pretty real to me. And if you can't trust a children's show from the 1950s to give you an accurate, historical Indian expression then this world is in real trouble.

2 TV Quickhits

30 Rock - I saw one of the first episodes, and I thought it sucked. A couple of friends of mine told me to give it another try. I did. It was awful. I can't remember another sitcom that didn't make me laugh at least once. Or hell even crack a smile. I am talking this show is Joey bad.

The Sarah Silverman Program - Also, not funny. I find Sarah Silverman kind of hot, but I can only take her in about 5 minutes doses. She loses something to me for any time period longer than that.


A 30 Rock footnote, who thinks Tina Fey is funny? She is probably one of the least funny people. Ever. I don't blame her for SNL not being funny, it wasn't funny before she became the head writer, but her and Jimmy Fallon's "Weekend Update" was so bad it drove me from even watching that clip of the show.

Thursday Threesome

Onesome: Slicing-- your way through the fairways of life? Terrible metaphor, -eh? Do you have metaphor or simile that just drives you bonkers when you hear it?

Eh, not really. Maybe there is, and nothing comes to mind...

Twosome: and-- on and on and on. What's the duration of your 'long' phone calls? You know, the ones where you just chat and chat and chat? Guys, you may be able to pull an exemption on this one...

Probably half and hour or so, but it would have to be someone I haven't talked to a quite a while.

Threesome: dicing-- up anything for the game this weekend? ...or are you taking advantage of the sales? ...or is it a case of "what game?"

I am going to my boss' house for a party. It was going to be a small affair with some beer, and people providing there own meal (some snacks provided though). My boss' wife decided to invite her friends, and now she has to "put on airs". It has now turned into a full blown catered affair, with kegs and a margarita machine. What was one 10-12 people or so has blown up to over 30.

...in other words... Meme Jan 30th

What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?

-- Henry David Thoreau

This one has actually gotten me to think a bit. Mainly, about the word "tolerable" and what it means in the context of the quote. Does Thoreau mean a tolerant society? Did he ever imagine a world with such religious, racial, sexual, and political intolerance? In some respects our world is certainly more open to these issues, but the opposition to them is more vocal, more fierce. Perhaps a "tolerable world" is a peaceful world. I don't know. It does make you think though.

Jason Garrett Coach's The Boys

Everyone, around Dallas, seems to be pretty excited about the hire of Jason Garrett as at least the new offensive coordinator, and possibly the new head coach. I feel that I am the only one around here who doesn't see it as such a coup. Before I continue, I do like the idea of having him coaching the Cowboys a better proposition than some of the other people rumored to be coming here for the head coaching job (Wade Phillips, Norv Turner, etc.)

BUT, his only coaching experience so far is as the quarterbacks coach in Miami. Let me, repeat that, the quarterbacks coach in Miami. The quarterbacks who somehow were worse this year than they were last year.

The 2 headed monster of Gus Frerotte (the very definition of "journeyman quarterback") and Sage Rosenfels combined for 22TDs and 16 INTs in 2005, and threw for almost 3,500 yds. While also leading the Dolphins to a record of 9-7

The big free agency signing of Culpepper as well as the addition of Joey Harrington (with some Cleo Lemon thrown in) had these numbers:
3577 yds, 16 TD, 19 INTs. With a dismal record of 6-10 (and how many fools picked them to make the Super Bowl?) Not exactly Dan Marino numbers, hell they are barely Jay Fiedler number.

And lest I forget, lets compare the all important stat of QB Rating (which most of us don't understand anyways)
2006: 71.2
2005: 76.7
Which sucks for both years, but it was 5 points worse in 2006.

Like I said, Garrett could be an awesome coach, but lets just hold off on the coronation for a little while, OK?

All-Star Hockey Game

A couple of days ago the local sports station (The Ticket), had a little competition: "North America vs. The World" in which they asked 4 different players a variety of questions. One Finn, One Russian, One Canadian, and One American. I found some of the stats from the questionnaire interesting.
All four of the correctly answered the question that was approximately, "Who is the richest woman in the world, worth $1.5 billion?" The answer is of course Oprah Winfrey. They all know who she is. That blew my mind, and gave me a good chuckle.
Only one or two of them knew that Abraham Lincoln is on the $5 bill.
The other question that troubled me was that only one of them knew that Benito Mussolini was, "the ruler of Italy who joined Hitler."
All four of them knew that the U.S. President lives in the White House. Conversely, I have no idea where the PM of Canada or the President of Russian lives.
Heck, three of them knew that JFK was killed in Dallas.
Finally, only the American got any of the measurement questions right (how many yards on a football field, and how many quarts in a gallon) , as the other 3 are only familiar with the metric system.
I did feel bad for the Russian guy though, as he struggled a bit with the language barrier, and he apologized a few times for not knowing more of the answers.

Another Saturday Night

Have you ever had one of those night were it seems nothing can go right?No matter what you think of, it just doesn't work out? Last night was definitely one of those nights. My friend, Steve, and his cousin drove up to Dallas this weekend to visit some relatives, and hang out with another friend (Sam), and me.

It started out innocently enough, with Sam calling me, and saying "Hey lets all go out to dinner together." Sure why, not? We decided to make the safe choice, and to Chili's. As I am driving to the restaurant, Sam calls me again. They don't want to go to Chili's, now they want to go to Bennigan's (like there is that big a difference). The rest of dinner goes off without a hitch.

Now it is time to decide what to do after dinner. No one wants to go to a bar, or club. I have an idea, "Let's go bowling!" Everyone is agreeable to that. We get to the bowling alley. It doesn't look that crowded from the parking lot, but once we get inside, holy crap! It is a 2(!) hour wait to get a lane! 2 freaking hours! When the hell did bowling become the thing to do on a Saturday night? And these people are dressed up to. They aren't just there in jeans and t-shirts. They're dressed in pretty nice clothes. Blew my mind.

Ok, so bowling is out. Now there is something in the back of my brain that tells me we aren't doing crap tonight. I don't know what it is, but I know. Now we decide we are going to go to Dave and Buster's close to my house in Frisco to play some pool. There were 2 other locations we could have gone to, but I flat out told the other's that I wanted to go to that one in case we couldn't do anything, and it would just be a few minutes from my house. Does anyone think we go to play pool? Of course not. We get there, and we only see 3 pool tables there. WTF!? We ask the waitress what is going on. Well there was private party going on,a nd they converted the other pool tables in to regular tables for the party. We couldn't play until after 11PM. It wasn't even 10 yet. Well ain't that shitty.
We can still pull something out of this night, can't we? Dave and Buster's is in a mall, there is a movie theater here with 24 screens. Surely, there is something we can watch there. We go up the escalator check out what is showing. There is not one thing listed on the marquee that I,or the others, are interested in seeing. At least not for the night price of $8.50. Oh, I'm sorry the price of the ticket is $9.00, I just looked it up. As a last gasp, out of desperation, Steve wants to go to Barnes & Noble to look around. The guys say, "Sure!" Now as far as I know, none of these guys read regularly. We are in there for maybe 90 seconds, and Steve says, "Well this isn't as much fun as I thought, let's go." I don't know what kind of "fun" he was expecting a book store, but whatever it was he didn't find. So, that's it. We called it a night.

I went home, and thought of the perfect for us to do...


Special thanks to Omar Omar for the picture used