Last night heralded the start of a new era. No, I'm not talking about the GOP's little party up in St. Paul. I'm talking about the start of the 2008 NFL season.
Hooray. The long summer of our discontent is over. And, since you're all wondering, I'm a Steeler fan. Born and bread. In fact, I think my momma used to put a little Iron in the baby bottle. Of course that could have just been to shut me up.
Anyways, The season is barely begun and my least favorite player in the league, the idiot formerly known as Chad Johnson of the Cincinnati Bungles is in the news again.
Apparently the league's number 1 knucklehead has gone and legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco in honor of the number 85 he wears on his jersey.
Even though it falls into the category of "If this guy worked for me he'd be fired so quickly his ass wouldn't catch up for two weeks" I'm glad also for the distraction he'll continue to cause his team. Along with the countless arrests of his teammates they'll have to answer countless questions about this limelight-seeking, attention-grabbing, me-first-and-always ass.
Well, that's two wins for the boys in the Black-and-Gold.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
How to Xcel in Politics
Some quick hits on John McCain's acceptance speech. And, since we need to start somewhere, first the bad:
He absolutely needs to remove the phrase "My friends" from any future public remarks. Way too many. Speechwriter needs to be beaten a little.
His delivery won't win any awards and the crowd's response reminded me a lot of the singing in a Catholic church. Everyone in the Xcel Center knew the words and when to sing them, but it just lacked a little...omph.
The line "Every American is going to thank God as I thank him." Really? The same way you do John? A three on the disturb-o-meter.
The crowd was also overwhelming white. Not a very good cross section of America.
I still don't like Sarah Palin. She represents the total whack-job demographic of the GOP.
That said, it was a pretty good speech, especially the end.
The speech sounded a bit like the old McCain, pushing back at the GOP and reasserting his maverick cred. We'll see how this works for him.
He made it very clear he has more experience, "I know how the world works," than Barrack Obama. I don't think that was ever a question.
Can he stop the partisan infighting?? "I've worked with members of both parties." Probably not. The two sides hate each other too much. We need a third party in the middle to fix the problems, but that's something for another time.
McCain's recollections about his time in Hanoi were touching.
"I wasn't my own man anymore, I was my country's."
"My country saved me and I will fight for her as long as I draw breath. So help me God."
"Nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself."
If you want to know more about his time in a POW camp, pick up "The Nightingale's Song" by Robert Timberg. Absolutely one of the best books I've ever read.
And McCain's closing comments, "We're Americans, we never give up. We never quit and we never hide from history. We make history," was pretty inspiring. I always respected McCain, until he started running waaaayy to the right. Perhaps, this evening, he backed up a bit. (But probably not. He can't win that way).
Ohh, also liked Cindy's pins. Especially the USMC one. Great fashion sense from the beer baroness.
Predicted here first
Almost a month ago (Aug. 6) Arjewtino commented "Hurricane Ike is going to pummel the Gulf Coast. 'cause that's what Ike does."
Well, from today's WaPo article about Virginia's state of emergency: "But Hanna was not the only worry on the horizon. A much more powerful storm, Hurricane Ike, is making its way across the Atlantic on an uncertain path."
Packing maximum sustained winds near 140 mph, "Ike is an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane" the National Hurricane Center said today.
"It is too early to determine what land areas might eventually be affected by Ike, but interests in the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands should monitor the progress of this system," the hurricane center said.
Ike always did like to get around. The only way that could have been better is if they'd said it is "weaving unpredictably across the Atlantic."
Now that would have been a perfect description for Ike.
Well, from today's WaPo article about Virginia's state of emergency: "But Hanna was not the only worry on the horizon. A much more powerful storm, Hurricane Ike, is making its way across the Atlantic on an uncertain path."Packing maximum sustained winds near 140 mph, "Ike is an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane" the National Hurricane Center said today.
"It is too early to determine what land areas might eventually be affected by Ike, but interests in the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands should monitor the progress of this system," the hurricane center said.
Ike always did like to get around. The only way that could have been better is if they'd said it is "weaving unpredictably across the Atlantic."
Now that would have been a perfect description for Ike.
This day, a really long time ago
As everyone was aware last week, a fact painfully drilled into our brains at every possible opportunity by the media, Barrack Obama gave his nomination acceptance speech on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.
This evening, John McCain will be giving his acceptance speech and, lo and behold, it too is also an important date in the struggle for civil rights here in America.
On this day, Sept. 4, 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus (D) called out the National Guard to prevent nine black students from entering Central High School in Little Rock.
This evening, John McCain will be giving his acceptance speech and, lo and behold, it too is also an important date in the struggle for civil rights here in America.
On this day, Sept. 4, 1957, Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus (D) called out the National Guard to prevent nine black students from entering Central High School in Little Rock.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Yawnnnnnnn……
While I still have concerns about Sarah Palin’s actual credentials for her recent VP nod, I think I’m going to have to take exception to some of the “dirt” being dug up on her.
The five big things that have come out so far (according to MSNBC and other news reports):
Seriously, 97 percent of all statistics are made up and 53.4 percent can be made to say anything you want.
Political campaigns are suppose to be about ideas. The only requirements to be president (or vice president) are that you be 35 years old, a natural born citizen and 14 years a resident of the United States. Everything else is gravy.
(But I still don't think she's a good choice.)
The five big things that have come out so far (according to MSNBC and other news reports):
- Her unmarried 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is pregnant. Really, is this any of our business? It shows irresponsibility on the part of her daughter, and a failure of the abstinence-only programs mom’s in favor of in our schools (along with intelligent design).
- Palin sought pork-barrel projects for her city and state, contrary to her reformist image. Yeah? So what? Every politician looks for pork. One person’s pork is another person’s vitally necessary project. It's the American way.
- She has acknowledged smoking marijuana in the past. Aside from sex, which might explain the five kids with weird names (no nasty comments about me not liking kids, I’m one of five and I have 10 nieces and nephews) and her own daughter’s recent “condition,” it seems to me smoking pot might be the only decent way to spend the winters in Alaska. And Alaska decriminalized pot possession (up to 4 ounces) in 2003. So even if she and Todd (hubby) were toking up in the mansion two weeks ago, it's not illegal.
- A private attorney is authorized to spend $95,000 of state money to defend her against accusations of abuse of power. I’ve heard two sides to this story, and I’m sure there’s a third, fourth and fifth out there somewhere. If she was dumb enough to actually leave a paper trail, well, she’s dumb enough to kill John McCain’s campaign in other ways.
- Her husband once belonged to a fringe political group in Alaska, with some members supporting secession from the United States. This one kinda bothers me. Some members supported it, but did Todd? But, as Sam Seaborn said on The West Wing when Charlie Young told him he’d never advocated the violent overthrow of the U.S. government, “Why the hell not?”
- Michael Sessions, then 18, was elected mayor of Hillsdale, Mich. (pop. 8,200) in 2005
- J.J. Raynor, University of North Carolina’s (enrollment 28,136, Go Heels!) student body president
- Austin Mayor Will Wynn, population 690,200 (16th largest city)
Seriously, 97 percent of all statistics are made up and 53.4 percent can be made to say anything you want.
Political campaigns are suppose to be about ideas. The only requirements to be president (or vice president) are that you be 35 years old, a natural born citizen and 14 years a resident of the United States. Everything else is gravy.
(But I still don't think she's a good choice.)
To Infinity and Beyond
I get the NYT every morning in my Hotmail inbox. Along with the headlines and news of the Yankees losing more and more ground each day to the Sox and D-Rays (don’t care if they dropped the “D” I’m still gonna to use it), at the bottom of each page is a little “this day in history” thing.
You never know what’s going to pop up there, but there’s always a link to the big story and a link so you can see what the front page looked like that day.
An aside: Looking at these stories kinda reminds me of an assignment a professor once gave: In the NYT (or similar paper) go back to the day you were born and your 10th birthday, the days preceding and the days after and look at the news. Also, take someone important in your life (in my case, my dad) and do the same thing.
Looking through these 12 papers I was interested to find a common link: in each three-day period I was able to find something related to the Irish struggle for freedom from Great Britain. In one case it was an announcement of a speech by Éamon de Valera, Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland and in the others stories about the fighting in Ulster. End of aside.
Today’s little “this day in history” takes us back to 1976, the year of the Bicentennial (anyone remember how the Bicentennial was described in Dazed and Confused?). On Sept. 3, 1976 Viking 2 landed on Mars at Utopia Planitia and sent back its first pictures. (Viking 1 landed June 19, in case you’re interested.) By the way, anyone know what was built at Utopia Planitia?
We look at this today and many say, “Big whoop. We’ve got rovers and probes all over Mars now.” True, but shouldn’t the more important question be this: Why do we only have rovers and probes on Mars when we were able to land a probe there 32 years ago?
We, America, that is, put a man in space on May 5, 1961 and into orbit a little more than 10 months later.
We, America again, sent men to the Moon in December 1968, and landed two of them there less than seven months later on July 20, 1969.
We, yep, America once more, landed Viking 1 on Mars July 20, 1976. The Ruskies beat us on this one, but their lander, Mars 2, crashed into the planet on Nov. 27, 1971 instead of actually, you know, landing. Viking 1 sent data home for more than six years after it gently kissed the surface of Mars.
So, let’s recap:
Seriously? Fourteen years? Minimum?
There are two things that will keep this country moving in the right direction as a world leader: energy independence and a vigorous manned spaceflight program. Both will spur innovation, something Americans are pretty good at anyway and, more importantly, inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers who will keep on inventing the things we don’t even know we need.
Yet.
If you’ve ever seen the movie October Sky and the story of Homer Hickam Jr., you know what I mean. Although he grew up in a coal town in West Virginia, the first time Hickam, then 14, saw Sputnik fly overhead in 1957 he decided he wanted to be a rocket engineer. He eventually worked on the Space Shuttle program.
Like John Hirasaki, a man I once interviewed. Hirasaki, the grandson of Japanese immigrants to Southeast Texas, was the fourth person on Earth to smell the moon.
Hirasaki was the recovery engineer who volunteered to man the Mobile Quarantine Facility, a sealed Airstream trailer where the crew of Apollo 11 was placed as soon as they returned from the Moon. Apparently, NASA was concerned they might bring back something other than rocks.
"One of the interesting things I noticed was that there was a unique scent I hadn't noticed on other Apollo capsules," Hirasaki said about opening up Columbia, Apollo 11's command module (in an article written by moi in July 2004). "I attributed it to the dust they picked up on the moon. It smelled like after you strike two pieces of flint together, or like a firecracker."
It was the kids inspired by the work of Hickam and Hirasaki and thousands more like them who went on to create the technology that is a part of our everyday lives. That cell phone you want to upgrade and so thoughtlessly toss in your purse or slide in your pocket? It has more power than the ship that took the first Americans out of our world to land on another.
Some people think any dollar spent by NASA is a dollar wasted, and everyone’s entitled to their opinion.
I’d like to think the money we spend today going to the Moon and Mars and beyond will come back to us ten- or even a hundred-fold in ways we can’t possibly imagine now, but won’t be able to imagine living without in the years to come.
You never know what’s going to pop up there, but there’s always a link to the big story and a link so you can see what the front page looked like that day.An aside: Looking at these stories kinda reminds me of an assignment a professor once gave: In the NYT (or similar paper) go back to the day you were born and your 10th birthday, the days preceding and the days after and look at the news. Also, take someone important in your life (in my case, my dad) and do the same thing.
Looking through these 12 papers I was interested to find a common link: in each three-day period I was able to find something related to the Irish struggle for freedom from Great Britain. In one case it was an announcement of a speech by Éamon de Valera, Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland and in the others stories about the fighting in Ulster. End of aside.
Today’s little “this day in history” takes us back to 1976, the year of the Bicentennial (anyone remember how the Bicentennial was described in Dazed and Confused?). On Sept. 3, 1976 Viking 2 landed on Mars at Utopia Planitia and sent back its first pictures. (Viking 1 landed June 19, in case you’re interested.) By the way, anyone know what was built at Utopia Planitia?
We look at this today and many say, “Big whoop. We’ve got rovers and probes all over Mars now.” True, but shouldn’t the more important question be this: Why do we only have rovers and probes on Mars when we were able to land a probe there 32 years ago?
We, America, that is, put a man in space on May 5, 1961 and into orbit a little more than 10 months later.
We, America again, sent men to the Moon in December 1968, and landed two of them there less than seven months later on July 20, 1969.
We, yep, America once more, landed Viking 1 on Mars July 20, 1976. The Ruskies beat us on this one, but their lander, Mars 2, crashed into the planet on Nov. 27, 1971 instead of actually, you know, landing. Viking 1 sent data home for more than six years after it gently kissed the surface of Mars.
So, let’s recap:
- 1962, Earth to orbit: 143 nautical miles. (eight minutes)
- 1969, Earth to the moon: 238,856.95 miles (three days)
- 1976, Earth to Mars: 36 million miles at its closest point (10 months)
Seriously? Fourteen years? Minimum?
There are two things that will keep this country moving in the right direction as a world leader: energy independence and a vigorous manned spaceflight program. Both will spur innovation, something Americans are pretty good at anyway and, more importantly, inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers who will keep on inventing the things we don’t even know we need.
Yet.
If you’ve ever seen the movie October Sky and the story of Homer Hickam Jr., you know what I mean. Although he grew up in a coal town in West Virginia, the first time Hickam, then 14, saw Sputnik fly overhead in 1957 he decided he wanted to be a rocket engineer. He eventually worked on the Space Shuttle program.
Like John Hirasaki, a man I once interviewed. Hirasaki, the grandson of Japanese immigrants to Southeast Texas, was the fourth person on Earth to smell the moon.
Hirasaki was the recovery engineer who volunteered to man the Mobile Quarantine Facility, a sealed Airstream trailer where the crew of Apollo 11 was placed as soon as they returned from the Moon. Apparently, NASA was concerned they might bring back something other than rocks.
"One of the interesting things I noticed was that there was a unique scent I hadn't noticed on other Apollo capsules," Hirasaki said about opening up Columbia, Apollo 11's command module (in an article written by moi in July 2004). "I attributed it to the dust they picked up on the moon. It smelled like after you strike two pieces of flint together, or like a firecracker."
It was the kids inspired by the work of Hickam and Hirasaki and thousands more like them who went on to create the technology that is a part of our everyday lives. That cell phone you want to upgrade and so thoughtlessly toss in your purse or slide in your pocket? It has more power than the ship that took the first Americans out of our world to land on another.
Some people think any dollar spent by NASA is a dollar wasted, and everyone’s entitled to their opinion.
I’d like to think the money we spend today going to the Moon and Mars and beyond will come back to us ten- or even a hundred-fold in ways we can’t possibly imagine now, but won’t be able to imagine living without in the years to come.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Van & Jerry & Stephen & Bob by Jimmy
OK, I’ll say it: Saturday’s Jimmy Buffett concert was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Like the other 60-plus-year-old rockers still pulling the crowds in, Buffett’s “The Year of Still Here” tour didn’t disappoint.
I saw my first 12 years ago in Atlanta, my second two months later at Walnut Creek outside of Raleigh (although, I did break up with a girlfriend at the show), and even saw a triple bill of Alan Jackson, George Strait and Jimmy four years ago in Dallas. All told, I’ve probably seen 11 or 12 shows and this one is definitely in the top three.
The worst? Merriweather Post in ’98 or ‘99. The audio was out of sync and sounded like refried ass.
But enough of the bad stuff; on to the good. After years of study and experimentation, I think my friends and I have finally figured out the best way to get to the show. Two years ago we rented a camper. Not bad, especially since it came with its own bathroom and places to lie down but, at the end of the night, we had to drive it home ourselves.
Last year was a full-sized bus that, in addition to a bathroom, included a driver to get us to where we were going. The problem was it was like the daddy bear’s bed: a bit too big.
This year we nailed it: a party bus. Just the right size for 17 fans, $300 worth of beer and booze and a bag of chips (and cheeseburgers, of course). As my friend the Doc said, “This is justification for higher education.” I quite agree.
The party in the parking lot before hand was excellent. There was a bit of a preemptive buzz-kill when we pulled into a space next to a “Don’t Drink and Drive” sign, but our tail-gating neighbors had a large banner they were kind enough to throw over the offending message. (Not that we didn’t take it seriously. We just didn’t want to be reminded of it all night long.)
A couple of pictures from the tailgate:
The Doc, trying out his wife’s clip-on earring in a more, ahh…tender area…
Some guy in the parking lot. At least he’s honest…
A regulation Beer Pong table. Who knew they made these?
Even the bathrooms come with a theme…
And, finally, from inside the confines of Nissan Pavilion, Jimmy and friends on stage…
Yes, I know, Buffett falls into the love him or hate him category. Truth be told, by the end of the night sometimes all I want to listen to is some Metallica. But really, how many other concerts can you go to and hear songs by Van Morrison (Brown Eyed Girl); The Grateful Dead (Scarlet Begonias); Crosby, Stills & Nash (Southern Cross); and Bob Dylan (Rainy Day Women #12 and 35)?
For those of you interested, here’s the set list:
INTRO: "Hot Hot Hot"
Homemade Music
Tiki Bar is Open
Fruitcakes
Pencil Thin Mustache
Mañana
It's Five O'clock Somewhere
Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes
Gypsies In The Palace
Jolly Mon Sing
Come Monday
Cheeseburger In Paradise
Brown Eyed Girl
One Particular Harbor
Intermission
Scarlet Begonias
Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw
The Ass And The Hole (featuring Mac)
Son Of A Son Of A Sailor
Volcano
Last Mango In Paris
Makin' Music For Money (featuring Nadirah)
School Boy Heart
A Pirate Looks At Forty
Far Side Of The World
Southern Cross
Margaritaville
First Encore
Fins
Band Intros: Tina Gullickson, Nadirah Shakoor, Ralph MacDonald, Peter Mayer, Sonny Landreth, Mac McAnally, Doyle Grisham, Roger Guth, Jim Mayer, Robert Greenidge, John Lovell, Michael Utley
Rainy Day Women #12 and 35
Second Encore (just Jimmy)
Reggabilly Hill
For those of you who enjoy Buffett and missed the show, hopefully there’ll be a next year and many more to follow. For those of you who don’t, well, you’re one more person I don’t have to battle when I’m buying tickets next year.
I saw my first 12 years ago in Atlanta, my second two months later at Walnut Creek outside of Raleigh (although, I did break up with a girlfriend at the show), and even saw a triple bill of Alan Jackson, George Strait and Jimmy four years ago in Dallas. All told, I’ve probably seen 11 or 12 shows and this one is definitely in the top three.
The worst? Merriweather Post in ’98 or ‘99. The audio was out of sync and sounded like refried ass.
But enough of the bad stuff; on to the good. After years of study and experimentation, I think my friends and I have finally figured out the best way to get to the show. Two years ago we rented a camper. Not bad, especially since it came with its own bathroom and places to lie down but, at the end of the night, we had to drive it home ourselves.
Last year was a full-sized bus that, in addition to a bathroom, included a driver to get us to where we were going. The problem was it was like the daddy bear’s bed: a bit too big.
This year we nailed it: a party bus. Just the right size for 17 fans, $300 worth of beer and booze and a bag of chips (and cheeseburgers, of course). As my friend the Doc said, “This is justification for higher education.” I quite agree.
The party in the parking lot before hand was excellent. There was a bit of a preemptive buzz-kill when we pulled into a space next to a “Don’t Drink and Drive” sign, but our tail-gating neighbors had a large banner they were kind enough to throw over the offending message. (Not that we didn’t take it seriously. We just didn’t want to be reminded of it all night long.)
A couple of pictures from the tailgate:
The Doc, trying out his wife’s clip-on earring in a more, ahh…tender area…
Some guy in the parking lot. At least he’s honest…
A regulation Beer Pong table. Who knew they made these?
Even the bathrooms come with a theme…
And, finally, from inside the confines of Nissan Pavilion, Jimmy and friends on stage…
Yes, I know, Buffett falls into the love him or hate him category. Truth be told, by the end of the night sometimes all I want to listen to is some Metallica. But really, how many other concerts can you go to and hear songs by Van Morrison (Brown Eyed Girl); The Grateful Dead (Scarlet Begonias); Crosby, Stills & Nash (Southern Cross); and Bob Dylan (Rainy Day Women #12 and 35)?
For those of you interested, here’s the set list:
INTRO: "Hot Hot Hot"
Homemade Music
Tiki Bar is Open
Fruitcakes
Pencil Thin Mustache
Mañana
It's Five O'clock Somewhere
Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes
Gypsies In The Palace
Jolly Mon Sing
Come Monday
Cheeseburger In Paradise
Brown Eyed Girl
One Particular Harbor
Intermission
Scarlet Begonias
Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw
The Ass And The Hole (featuring Mac)
Son Of A Son Of A Sailor
Volcano
Last Mango In Paris
Makin' Music For Money (featuring Nadirah)
School Boy Heart
A Pirate Looks At Forty
Far Side Of The World
Southern Cross
Margaritaville
First Encore
Fins
Band Intros: Tina Gullickson, Nadirah Shakoor, Ralph MacDonald, Peter Mayer, Sonny Landreth, Mac McAnally, Doyle Grisham, Roger Guth, Jim Mayer, Robert Greenidge, John Lovell, Michael Utley
Rainy Day Women #12 and 35
Second Encore (just Jimmy)
Reggabilly Hill
For those of you who enjoy Buffett and missed the show, hopefully there’ll be a next year and many more to follow. For those of you who don’t, well, you’re one more person I don’t have to battle when I’m buying tickets next year.
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