Buffalo Boy's Blog
Giving You More Than Just My Two Cents
May 2008 Archives
Hip For The Hell of It
This little tune is a lesser known but still awesome Tragically Hip work off Phantom Power. It is about a little place in Ohio called Chagrin Falls. Its a live video posted by a pretty reliable source called Hipfans.com and they usually have lots of good videos and Hip links on their site.
This is a live version of Chagrin Falls and Gordie is at his best! Enjoy....
Category: Music
White House Response Was Predictable
The White House responded predictably today about the Mcclellan book calling him disgruntled and his book sour grapes.
Whats disgusting is that all the crap that this administration has produced during their tenure, they will most likely get off easy yet again.
The media will swish the mouthful of mouth wash back over to the other cheek and forget about the importance of what Mcclellan wrote about and concentrate more on the White House's dumbing down of his book and insulting the intelligence of the American people who will read his book and be smarter for knowing what Mcclellan has to say.
We can only hope that this will boil over this time and the media will not side with the White House's spin this time and instead go after Rumsfeld, Rove, Rice, Cheney and the big idiot himself Bush with the tough questions. Hoe could they buy into it when Mcclellan himself is blowing a giant whistle up all our asses trying to wake us all up to the facts of this president and his cronies. They deserve to be questioned and one can only hope that enough gets questioned that it becomes a full scale investigation.
Breaking The Big Prize
The Spokane Cheifs of the junior league won the memorial cup this year and all was well until the trophy broke. Its quite comical actually and they manage to make lemonade out of lemons and continue the celebration.
My first thought? I could see that happening to the Stanley Cup and I hope the damn thing breaks when Hasek takes it.
Category: Sports
Time For Media To Do Their Job
This whole Scott Mcclellan book thing is exactly what the republicans and specifically the Bush administration didn't want. They are already on the defensive trying to divert the attention and focus it on Scott Mcclellan and that he wrote this book out of spite for his time as press secretary or that hes crazy or something.
I can assure you, Mcclellan is not crazy and this book should inspire our media to get after this administration and not accept no for an answer. If anything Mcclellan raises more questions about an administration that has had its issues with trust and telling the truth.
I haven't read the book yet but you can bet its on my summer reading list. According to what tidbits I have he came out with what we have been suspecting all along and where the trail of evidence already was leading us, now it comes from a Bush administration insider which now means, there is no denying that there was misleading and propaganda going on behind the scenes that led to this war. Its the medias turn now to take what Mcclellan has started and go with it. Serve the American people the way you should and don't take "no" or better yet "I don't know" for an answer.
The American people deserve real answers on this administration and hopefully, Mcclellan is just the tip of the iceberg.
One of the best quotes from his book so far:
“History appears poised to confirm what most Americans today have decided: that the decision to invade Iraq was a serious strategic blunder. No one, including me, can know with absolute certainty how the war will be viewed decades from now when we can more fully understand its impact. What I do know is that war should only be waged when necessary, and the Iraq war was not necessary.”
Addition To Sidebar
Please take your attention to the sidebar...I have added AM 1520 the Voice of the New Majority. Its one of the few Democratic stations but dare I say they have a much more open station when it comes to view and allowing those to express their views. Toronto Mike placed it there and has continued to be an excellent help in design of my bloggage page.One of my favorite shows on 1520 is The Stephanie Miller show, its a politcal show with a definite democratic twist but it is very funny for anyone with a politcal interest, they don't hold back in their humor on the show and definitely fill a need on the airwaves. Take a listen
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Category: Blogging
Bison Stampede
Im getting into Buffalo Bison Baseball mode again. Im ready to hit a game or two over the next couple months and in getting into their season now that the weather is showing signs of being and staying nice, I found this classic tune set to some random pics of Buffalo and the area surrounding what used to be known as Pilot Field but is now Dunn Tire Park.
Today, I heard that the park's name may be changed to honor the late Jimmy Griffin, I think that would be great for the city and much deserved for Jimmy as he was one of the ones who got us the park. Even though it is a AAA park, I consider it one of the most beautiful stadiums in all of baseball both minors and majors. It may not be as flashy as some of the major league stadiums but it is a great place to see a game and every seat is a good one.
Enough of my rant, heres the tune:
Smells Like Sour Rocks
If you have been a regular reader of my blog but never checked out any of the other sites on my sidebar, check out Mike Boon and go to a link of his that he designed and runs called Smells Like Sour.
It is a series of hypothetical series of compilation discs of new rock songs. I don't comment too much on Mike's site about the songs but let me tell you, if you are like me, and don't have a ton of time to listen to the radio 24/7 it gives you a taste of the new rock that is out there.
I only hope that some music exec is out there checking on the SLS site and thinking about using the series to develop it for real. I'd buy the whole friggin series if they were available either download on Itunes or otherwise.
An example of one of the hypothecial releases from SLS 17 (there is an 18th and 19th in the works) included the following tracks:
Fallout Boy- This Ain't a Scene
Smashing Pumpkins- Tarantula
Alexisonfire- Boiled Frogs
Chris Cornell- Billie Jean
Peter Bjorn and John- Young Folks
Queens of the Stone Age- Sick Sick Sick
The White Stripes- Icky Thump
Arctic Monkeys- Brainstorm
The Kaiser Chiefs- Ruby
Linkin Park- What Ive Done
The Fratellis- Flathead
Arcade Fire- Keep The Car Running
Tokyo Police Club- Nature of the Experiment
Silversun Pickups- Lazy Eye
Shins- Phantom Limb
Sam Roberts- With a Bullet
Modest Mouse- Dashboard
Incubus- Anna Molly
Billy Talent- Fallen Leaves
Illscarlett- OneA
Thats just an example and Mike posts the video of each song as he places them up for consideration and they are nominated on the SLS site. Check them out, they keep me up to date on the current stuff and if you are half the music fan I am, what Mike has done, is a great resource.
Category: Music
Not Impressed
The first two games of the finals between the Penguins and Red Wings has proven to be a horrible display of what the NHL should be about.
Sidney Crosby and the star studded Pittsburgh lineup has been held scoreless and even the goals that Detroit has scored have to me been of the opportunistic, ho-hum variety that result from playing a tight defensive system.
It doesn't bode well for ratings or for the fans because we don't get to see the offense the league has been preaching. The clutching has come back to an extent and the trap has reared its ugly head more than I care to see it.
I tuned in the last two games to see Pittsburgh and their stars move on the ice and score some goals, what I got was a 2 shot performance and a suffocated Pittsburgh team.
Don;t get me wrong, Detroit has done their homework and played well, but for the good of the fan, the NHL needs to find a way to open the game up yet again, otherwise, the momentum from the last few years and winning all their fans back is going to dwindle because honestly, Im becoming a Sabres fan first, NHL fan distant second because I really don't want to watch a league that is not entertaining its fans with offense.
As the offseason comes up, hopefully there are some ideas on the table to open this league up again. I have a few and as that part of the season nears, I'll be sure to put my two cents in, right now Im going to try to enjoy the rest of this finals and hope Pittsburgh can figure out a way to open things up, not for their sake, but for the sake of the league and the fans.
Category: Sports
Retro Tuesday?
With all the busy-ness of the holiday weekend I am doing some makeup posts today. This one makes up for my weekly Sunday Retro post.
This is a video and band that really only had one hit that I can think of....so as much as I hate the over used term one-hit wonder because I think its used on some bands unfairly, this one gets that label.
4 Non Blondes though not an 80s retro tune was an early 90's and fit right into the times with that grungy, alternative sounding classic What's Up?
Category: Music
John Rutsey
I was passing through the Rush website today and noticed some sad news. May 11th John Rutsey passed away. He was 55 years old.
John was the original drummer and lyricist for Rush. He quit the band after 6 years with Alex Lifeson and Jeff Jones (who was the previous bass player before Geddy Lee), leaving them in 1974 when the lineup that we all know and love formed featuring Neil Peart, Geddy Lee and Alex. John was actually the drummer on that very first Rush effort.
John left the band due to health problems and got into various things including body building. He had a long run with diabetes that contributed to the heart attack that claimed his life.
The Buffalo Marathon
Yesterday I worked the Buffalo Marathon. I worked in the medical tent with several other of my colleagues from People Inc's Elmwood Health Center.
It was fun and a learning experience. I have never seen a live marathon. We were stationed at the finish line so when they crossed if they needed any kind of medical attention including ice, stretching, medical, blisters popped or were fatigued and needed to lay down, we were there.
Watching runners cross the finish line, I realized that runners of this race are a different breed altogether. They are out there to finish that race, run, walk, or crawl across that line. Some propbably don't realize what they got into and those are the ones who come to the medical tent and there are the others have been there and done that.
It was great working it and seeing the runners and realizing that I could do it if I really wanted to. There were runners who were not much better shape than me crossing that finish line. Their faces with this look of both joy and the pain of completing the worlds most grueling sporting event other than the Iron Man Triathalon. A true runners high.
So, while I may not realize this goal, but next year, Im not volunteering. Im running in the damn thing. being there I got some motivation. I do have options if I chicken out of the whole marathon, I can do the half marathon but Im going to start out shooting for the full and seeing what happens. '
Jimmy Griffin June 29th, 1929- May 25th 2008
Its only fitting Jimmy Griffin left us on Memorial Day Weekend. He did so much for this area and city of Buffalo that he is probably one of if not the best man to serve in public office in the Western New York community.
I was too young to truly appreciate him when he was Mayor of Buffalo but one thing I did know about him was that he as A) Honest and B) He loved the city and people he served. He also was real. People identified with him. He was from south Buffalo and represented the true spirit of this community for years.
Jimmy Griffin will be missed and it is a phrase used too often but in this case so appropriate, it is truly the end of an era with his passing. Rest in Peace Jimmy.
Any Doubts Now?
Any doubts as to the depth and quality of the Blue Jay's pitching rotation and I point you to Jesse Litsch. I admit I was down on the guy before the season began, but look at the kid now.
Today, he improved his record to 6-1 and threw his first complete game and first shutout in the majors. Not bad for a kid in his second year and really first full year in the majors. He is on a staff with Roy Halladay, AJ Burnett, Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum. Right now, Jesse is the ace out of them.
How does that bode for a staff that has been outstanding and at times downright dominating. This staff is full of potential and Litsch is going out there and showing just how deep they are. Right now, they are five deep, five quality starters and not even New York or Boston can say they have that going for them.
I still say they need a lefty but as long as these guys pitch as well as they have been, let them go. Today marked the first time the Jays have thrown back to back complete games since Chris Carpenter and Kelvim Escobar did it in 2000 against none other than the Evil Empire, New York Yankees.
Litsch hadn't walked a guy since April 22 either going over 38 innings without issuing a walk. To quote a Sabre announcer, this guy is good, scary good!
Category: Sports
The Real Start Time
Fred Patterson has always made a good point about going to the movies. They should list the time the previews start and the time the movie actually starts.
There is so much advertising now on the screen before the actual previews start you have no idea where the previews even begin. With all that advertising why do movies need to be that expensive?
They have to be taking in a decent buck on companies advertising on those screens that could be put to decreasing the cost to the general public.
Thats all beside the original point. List the actual starting time so that I can walk into the theatre and not have to sit through 20-30 minutes of previews and get right to the actual movie.The start time for last night was 7:15, it didn't actually start into the first scene until a little after 7:40.
Some people eat up the previews and thats fine, they can show up for the previews and myself and others can go by the actual movie start time.
Category: Movies
$9.25
My first impression last night of going to the movies, unbeknownst to me as I walked away from the purchase counter at the Elmwood Regal, I just happened to notice that my ticket was $9.25. Since when did they go over $7.50?
My last time to the movies was with my wife on New Years Eve and tickets were still $8.00 I think. $9.25 for a movie is getting outrageous. They are supposed to be affordable. I look at it this way, last night I went on my own because frankly, my wife doesn't like Indy but lets say you are taking a family of four, which is how they compare things these days:
Fill up the tank and drive to the theatre (assuming a mid-size car): $55 (conservatively)
Four movie tickets (Im assuming the kids are not eligible for the child rate): 4X$9.25= $37.00
The kids all want popcorn and a drink: 1 large popcorn $6.00, a large drink for everyone to share $5.50
So by the end of the night and going conservatively on snacks, it costs ya over $100 to go to the movies. $9.25 is only a .75 cent jump to $10, how long before that goes into effect. Double digits for a movie ticket. They should come do a live stage performance of the movie for that price. My how times have changed.
Category: Movies
Out Of Gas
CNN has a special one hour investigation they are airing that is up to the minute. With gas averages cracking $4 last night here, I was really eager to hear the question they asked the Chevy Vice Chairman about why we are so behind in terms of energy independence.
He said the auto industry is not, they are prepared and waiting for the oil companies to take the lead. What a difference between his honesty and the round about answers from the oil executives that I watched yesterday on C-SPAN when the met with congressional and senate leaders on Wednesday. The oil executives outlooks for our energy independence are so much different and honestly none of them seemed interested in questioning about alternative fuels.
GM is ready, they have the flex fuel cars. And again I ask, if Brazil can do it why can't we? Why are we so hesitant and so unwilling to shift our energy paradigm? Why isn't the infrastructure being changed in this country.
Corn ethanol I agree is not the answer but what about a mix of ethanols? Corn, sugar, switch grass. Here's an idea, for all of us who mow our lawns, leave our clippings on the street and those can be converted to ethanol couldn't they? Why couldn't the grass clippings of our own lawns be used?
I think its embarassing the answers that were given by the oil executives, they went around the room and asked them all their salaries and none seemed to know for sure, Im sorry, but you should know how much money you make in a year when asked, its not rocket science. I know precisely how much I make and so does everyone else who cares about their jobs. After listening I trust none of them to give a straight answer.
This is a video clip from that CNN special, a real eye opener if you ask me.
Category: oil/gas
Indiana Jones
Im not going to ruin the plot for those who haven't seen it. I will say this though, its worth the trip and the $9.25 movie ticket prices (more on that later).
It combined a lot of the past in a nice way for the hardcore fans. There were several good chase scenes and Harrison Ford passes the test as Indy once again. Im not going to say anymore other than Im going to steal some of Mike Boon's thunder and give it a 7.5/10.
Go see it and enjoy it, its worth it just to see Indy and hear that theme over the loud speakers in front of the big screen one more time.
Category: Movies
Flying The Dumb Ass Skies
How stupid do the airlines think we are? Better yet how dumb are the airlines? No sooner than does American Airlines announce that they are charging to have ONE bag, count them, 1 bag checked for luggage, an announcement comes out about the billions of dollars of wasted fuel due to delays.
I call it stupidity on the part of the airlines. American Airlines I predict will be out of business for their genius move before the end of the year. Who in their right mind will fly an airline that charges you to bring one friggin suitcase? $15 for the first and then $25 for the second.
Why insult the traveler? Just raise the price of tickets, no one would notice a modest increase in ticket prices and you could quietly say it was for the increased cost of fuel even if they did. A move like that people might understand but no one is going to buy the charging for one suitcase. Almost everyone takes one suitcase with them when flying or one bag that needs to be checked.
But now we know why. The dumb ass airlines have a problem scheduling flights and therefore clog up runways creating delays and thereby burn billions worth of fuel away. I realize some of these delays are weather related, but most are under booked flights creating over crowded runways and so instead of eliminating needless flights the airlines keep them and waste fuel with their thumbs up their asses.
American Airlines just happens to be the biggest jack ass of them all with their little attempt to squeeze every last dollar out of the average traveler. I don't think we are that stupid even if American Airlines does and I guarantee that they will see a decline in patrons because of their bogus move.
In the meantime, the airlines better get their act together because traveling by plane is no longer a possibility for the average American. Eliminate their wasteful delays and maybe they could lower rates and wouldn't need luggage fees, wouldn't that be nice.
Category: News
Rush For President
My good friend Hank texted me today raving about Rush and saying they should be our next president. I was assuming he was talking about the band from Canada which puzzled me because I know that with Bush's 20% approval ratings we wouldn't want Rush Limburger as our president. Not that fat, overgrown, kiss ass who worships the ground George W. Bush and the fecal matter in his administration walks on.
So I assumed that it was Rush the band and as far as I know there is no way that we could have three presidents in Geddy, Alex and Neil, but amendments are made to be changed so what the hell.
What would life be like with Rush as president of the USA? I think we should change our national anthem to Tom Sawyer first:
Don't Even Go There
Sen. McCain really needs to think before he opens his hot head mouth. Today he criticized Sen. Obama's lack of military experience even going so far as to say that Obama has no right to criticize him over military matters.
Well excuse me Mr. McCain but last time I checked our military was a voluntary one. There is no draft and no one forces the citizens of this country to enlist.
There is also no military requirement to run for ANY political office in this country other than maybe the secretary of defense and that position is picked by our elected president which Im sure who ever Obama chooses for that position will be well qualified to assist Obama with any military decisions. (unlike many of Bush's appointees to various offices like the head of the EPA and oh I don't know the head of FEMA whose only qualification was running horse shows).
While you are attacking Obama over his lack of military experience maybe you should stop and get on President Bush about his lack of military experience, did Ronald Regan serve? what about John F. Kennedy? Before you attack someone on something make sure it is relevant.
Republicans seem to have backed George W. and his stupid ass military decisions despite his lack of experience so lay off Obama.
Wish I Had a Few More Pennies
I wish I had a few more of these in my pocket to pay for the gas in my car. We in the Western New York area if we haven't already at our local pumps will, by the time tomorrow and Saturday roll around, be paying $4+ per gallon. I have seen $4.05 at the corner of Elmwood Ave. and Forest. Don't go there, its too expensive.
There is a Mobil on the corner of Transit and Broadway that was up to $4.07 last night already. Don't go there, thats too expensive too. A year ago, Delta Sonic didn't fasten my hood and it flew off on the thruway. luckily we were in the right lane and pulled over. I haven't been back since.
I think I need to forgive and forget and start going there for gas again. They are still in the $3.89-3.93 range. The last time I filled up my little Corolla it cost me $45.00. Im on the downside of $50 a fill up. That is bone dry for an 11.5 gallon tank but still, boy am I glad I got a little rice burner that is paid off to boot.
For all you truck and SUV owners.....HA HA! Suck it up you made that call when this gas price thing started. You can't bitch if you drive a truck or SUV that gets 6 miles to the gallon. I actually laugh when I see jack asses driving Hummer's and watching them fill their beasts up. Brand new $80,000+ money (I mean gas) guzzlers. Its comical.
If you think about it, this day has been coming for the last 8 years. Since 9/11 gas has been on the rise. Back then is was more geo-political, now its supply and demand and the threat of peak oil combined with the geo-political. It wasn't long ago we were thinking that $2.00 gas was the end of the world, now its really getting ugly.
We were desensitized to the $3.00 barrier by Katrina, now that we are approaching $4.00 that mark won't surprise us or shock anymore either even if prices do fall again. Now not to bring up another negative but since I mentioned Katrina, the summer driving season also brings with it the hurricane threat to drive up prices.
I wish I had more pennies.
Category: oil/gas
The Crystal Skull
Tomorrow is the big day! Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Im going with no expectations other than for old times sake. If its good, great, if its great, even better, even if its just marginal, it will be nice to see that Harrison Ford can still pull it off. Some may be expecting the best movie ever, I expected that with the Simpsons and got just that, with this, Im keeping my expectations in check because, you can only get the best movie ever once.
This is the Indiana Jones Theme song which in my book ranks just ahead of Star Wars for the all time best movie theme.
Hip For The Hell of It
This Hip video is new even for me. This is from Fear No Art and features the tune Twist My Arm off the 1991 Road Apples CD which is really the CD that originally got me into the Hip. Its a great tune and live like many of the Hip's songs takes on a whole new life.
This live performance is from back then and features Gord Downie at his best:
Category: Music
The Republicans Are Digging a Hole
This video of Kevin James getting his ass slammed on Hardball was comical. It shows how empty the Republican's arguments against Obama and his wanting to meet with Iran/Syria and other "terrorist" countries. Let me state now that he has NEVER talked about sitting with Hamas or Al Qaida. He wants to meet with countries!
The insinuation that he would have negotiated with Hitler or anything like that is obscene. The Republicans saying that talking with these countries and pursuing diplomacy is a bad idea is absolutely absurd.
Regan negotiated with the former Soviet Union and talked with them during the end of the cold war and what happened there? Success! Carter negotiated with Iran to get all the hostages released during that crisis and there are countless other examples of how diplomacy and talking to countries that we do not see eye to eye with has worked.
In addition if you want to see John McCain's true colors here is a list of lobbyists that are traveling with John McCain who are currently in trouble for foreign lobbying. What does McCain have to say about these people? He thinks they are honorable people...lets look at a few off this list shall we?
Charlie Black: He just happens to be McCain's Chief Political Advisor, he is a part of a firm that has been hired by a Philippine client close to President Ferdinand Marcos to "improve his image"
Black's firm has also lobbied for Somalia's dictator who while representing them, Siad Barre's army killed 40-50,000 civilians.
Frank Donatelli: He has been working to improve Ethiopia's relationship with the US. Ethiopia's human rights record is horrible, yet here is another example of how McCain's people are reaching out to dictators and other questionable countries.
The full list is in the article and after reading it, the next time you hear McCain criticize Obama for wanting to promote diplomacy with Iran and Syria, realize just how full of shit he really is.
Category: Politics
What The Hell Is An Iron Pig? And Where The Hell Is Lehigh Valley?
The Buffalo Bisons are playing host to the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Yes, that is the name of a AAA baseball team. The first thing I thought of was gee, its nice that the Bisons are taking time out of their busy regular season schedule to play a high school baseball team.
Then it occurred to me yesterday when they were still playing them, that maybe Lehigh Valley, is an actual AAA franchise. It is. It moved from Ottawa and became the minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.
An iron pig, while I am still not sure is something that is used in the production of steel. Lehigh Valley is actually a conglomerate of cities on the eastern end of Pennsylvania that includes Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton with a total population of close to 800,000 for the region.
So, I consider myself educated and I apologize for my ignorance, though, if Lehigh Valley can have a AAA team, I think Buffalo needs to upgrade to a major league team, We are bigger than Lehigh are we not?
Oh yeah, I think I can officially make Lehigh Valley the most strangely named minor league baseball team, just behind my former favorite, The Toledo Mudhens.
Category: Sports
Not To Be Confused With......
Iron Pigs are not to be confused with Black Sabbath's War Pigs:
Or Iron Man:
Category: Music
Most Expensive Burger in NYC
You are looking at the most expensive burger in New York City. At $175 I can't imagine one more expensive in all the world. It is a kobe beef patty with black truffles, seared foie gras, aged gruyere cheese and flecks of gold leaf on a brioche bun. MMMM sounds tasty.
You can get this pricy delight at the Wall Street Burger Shoppe who is in competition for the most expensive burger with Daniel Boulud's DB Bistro Moderne.
If you want one now, you'll have to wait till next December when black truffles are in season. The burgers were made for investors who want to celebrate in style.
So, is this the most expensive burger in the world? or just in NYC? Im out to find out.
Category: Miscellaneous | News
Still Not The Answer
The house overwhlemingly passed a bill today to sue OPEC. They state in the bill that OPEC controls the oil market and its pricing my limiting supply and thereby violates anti-trust laws. The White House is against the bill which I am for once in total agreement on, but not for the reasons that they are.
The White House feels that this bill would create retaliatory reactions against US interests and possibly lead to a further reduction in foreign oil available for US consumption thereby creating less supply and even higher prices. That may be the case but Im against it for a whole other reason.
Look, instead of trying to think of ways to make the drug we are addicted to cheaper or spur up more supply that is limited no matter where you drill at this point, we should be forward thinking. OPEC is draining every last penny out of the ground that it can and maybe they are controlling supple to drive up prices and maybe they are not, but we should be thinking of ways to leave OPEC out of our energy equations.
If we create and promote alternative fuels, drive cars that are more economical and have better mileage standards, consume less and conserve energy, we will eliminate our need for OPEC without having to sue them and trigger more hate in that region.
Even if it worked, what would it solve? We would go back to our old ways and forget about the fact that there really are issues both with supply of oil and with the environment that need to be addressed more so than the fact that OPEC is controlling prices. Stop the addiction and you stop any influence OPEC has on our country, plain and simple.
Lesser of Two Evils
Honestly, I haven't watched all but two games of the NHL playoffs, I've been in full baseball mode ever since the Sabres bowed out of the post-season. I needed the break from the emotional ride that we have been through here in Buffalo following our beloved Sabres.
Now that it is the finals, I guess I have to choose. So, I am choosing the Penguins to win it in 6. Why?
Because I think that as talented as Detroit is I think that the Penguins youth and speed will outlast the grit and experience of the Detroit Red Wings.
I also think that between Fluery and Osgood, Fluery will stand on his head. I think that Osgood is due to have a rough series and he really hasn't been challenged that much in the playoffs so far and Pittsburgh may be just the team to through enough pucks at him to make him break a little.
That and I want to see Hasek's team go in the dumper.
Category: Sports
Rising Costs
Every thing is going up in price, gas, food, healthcare, and as I had known already but my friend Hank re-introduced me to it, beer.
SAY IT AIN"T SO MAN!
Of all the things, we need beer to drown our worries away in more than ever now but because the price of barley and hops are going up so is the price of that sweet, yummy, golden nectar, or blackened nectar depending on your beverage of choice.
So, Im stocking up now while the price is low and to avoid a beer shortage! DOOH!
Retro Sunday
The Specials are this weeks retro choice. The old school ska band from the 70's/80's has influenced everyone from Elvis Costello to Blur and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. They were one of the true innovators of the modern day ska sound that is very catchy and very danceable.
The band formed in 1977 and on April 7th, 2008, the band officially reformed.
Category: Music
Buck Rogers
I used to love this show. Looking back it was pretty primitive in terms of outer space shows. The effects were pretty awful but you have to love Twiki the robot. (I thought his name was Twiggy).
This is a little trailer from Buck Rogers featuring Gil Gerard as Captain William "Buck" Rogers. As the story goes, Buck is frozen in space for 504 years and revived in the 25th century. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after just 2 seasons. It debuted in 1979 and went until 1981. 1980 it did not air due to a writers strike.
Category: Television
I Still Don't Like Him
Bu this friggin catch from Manny the other day was simply amazing. He's one of those players that you love to hate until he's on your team, then you just love having him because he not only gets away with silly shit like this, he makes an incredible play with it. Not only does he make the catch but he also jumps up, gives the fan a high five and turns around and throws the ball back into the infield to get the double play:
Category: Sports
Mass Extinctions
We should not be surprised at this news and those of you who are surprised or even those of you don't believe the scientific evidence watch this video.
It puts into animation much of what a report today says is the biggest mass extinction since the last ice age. What will cause the greatest conflict though and probably generate the most responses is the fact that those extinctions are human induced.
Watch the video and leave me your thoughts, but I don't know how you can debate what the facts state. One incredible stat, we are now as a civilization using 25% more natural resources than our planet can sustain.
Category: environment
Look Who Is Still At Large
Gee I guess we never have caught the guy behind 9/11 and he sure as hell isn't in IRAQ. Bin Laden is still out there despite being the mastermind behind 9/11 and still the leader of Al Qaeda. He is also the man that George W. Bush swore to go after immediately following 9/11.
How hard could this guy be to find? Why aren't we, better yet, why haven't we and the media been questioning the Bush administration as to their motives for not going after the one who actually started this thing and instead going after a guy who yes he wasn't a saint, but he certainly wasn't the cause of it either.
Its a big lie, the war and this whole last 7 years. If George W. Bush was serious about finding the terrorists and winning this thing, he and his administration would have found Bin Laden long ago, instead they choose to ignore the guy who masterminded this attack and therefore, run around in a country that they have essentially invaded and have no idea how to get out of.
The first 6 months after 9/11 was Bin Laden, since that time its been ignoring him and all Iraq. I think we all have been duped in the long run and who ever takes office will be right in getting out of Iraq and focusing their attention, if they want to continue this offensive on finding Bin Laden. If that is not the objective then clear out altogether. But don't keep running a campaign that has no clear set goals and stop wasting valuable taxpayer money.
Get Out The Brooms
The Blue Jays got their brooms in gear as they swept the Minnesota Twins. This team has been through big highs and big lows and the result is they are one game away from .500 again. However, this recent surge combined with the lackluster play of the Yankees puts them a half game ahead of NY.
Will the real Jays please stand up? The outfield with the addition of Wilkerson and Mench looks like it will hold up through Vernon Wells absence and may even thrive and Scott Rolen has shown up and been productive since his return.
The key now is not to lose 4 in a row. Either keep winning or don't lose the next series but don't erase this latest surge by getting swept against the Phillies this weekend. We know this pitching staff is going to be lights out this year, all we need from the batters is production, it doesn't even have to be pretty, just be productive in key situations and let your starters and bullpen hold the leads. It doesn't matter if you win pretty 11-2 or win ugly 3-2 just score one more run than the opponent and everything else will work itself out.
Category: Sports
Long Course Season
Tomorrow through Sunday I will be at the Tonawanda Aquatic and Fitness Center for our first long course swim meet of the season. I have a big group of kids representing my group within the Stingrays Swim Club and we should be represented well.
Tomorrow night is all the big distance stuff including the 200's (IM and Freestyle), 800 Free, 400 IM and 1500 Free. For the 1500 they will swim two to a lane otherwise we would be there until 4 AM.
This really is my favorite season of the swimming year, shortcourse is all indoors and you feel like you never see the light of day, long course is beautiful out, you have a few ourdoor meets and its a time to hang out with the swimming community and enjoy the best of the sport. It is also the time of year we swim the sport it is meant to be swum. in the big 50 meter, olympic size pools.
These are double what you would see in most of your typical high school pools and are the most challenging for novice kids getting it for the first time.
Stay tuned and I will have some updates throughout the weekend.
Category: Swimming
No Offense To Gays
No offense to gays but this California passing of gay marriage rights may have come at the absolute worst time if you hope to get the republicans away from the presidency.
All this does is gets the political base of the republicans talking again and brings up an issue that quite frankly should not be talked about in the political forum.
Whether or not two people can be married or not, whether gay, straight, black, white, purple or orange shouldn't matter, if two people love each other, then they should be able to have the same rights as any other couple and that is to be able to marry.
You may argue that if they are going to share the same rights then it is a political matter and I still say that it is for their respective churches to determine if they are going to marry or not, certainly not the governments.
Its a religious issue not political one and therefore, politicians should be miles away from this issue. Now, it is the worst possible time for this to come up for democrats because it wakes up the republican right and distracts a lot of peope including eventually McCain and Obama from talking about the real issues that Obama can and will out duel McCain on in the general election including healthcare, the war and energy.
Watch for this to take shape in the coming month, next meaningless issue to rear its head will be flag burning. You watch, its Karl Rove playing his little crap tactics behind the scenes again.
Category: Politics
Playing God
It always pisses me off to hear about how our government or any government for that matter places a species on the endangered or threatened list. Today, the polar bear was placed on the threatened list and once again our politicians try to "play god".
Who are we as humans, politicians or otherwise to say what living things we are going to concentrate on protecting more?
We should be protecting all wildlife and doing what is right for all living things be it plants, animals or friggin insects and microscopic life. The polar bear is cute, its symbolic and its great that it gets people interested in the whole subject of protecting the environment, but that is what is wrong with it.
We can list the polar bear as what ever we want to list it as, but if we don't protect its environment and the overall rock on which we live, it won't matter what list its on, it will be extinct.
Category: Politics | environment
I Wish I Liked Lacrosse
The Buffalo Bandits have made it to the NLL Championship game, who says Buffalo ain't a winning city, we may not have won anything with the two major sports teams but we have the Bandits and the Bisons who have won their fair share are winners.
That said, I wish I was a lacrosse fan because something tells me I'd be loving every minute of it. From what I hear its a fantastic experience going to the games, they make it a fun, family atmosphere that is geared toward the kids and there are a lot of physical altercations.
Whats not to love? I can honestly say I have never gone to a Bandits game, however, next year, I am going to make it a point to go to one game to see what its like. Fact is, Im a hockey/baseball fan, and no matter what happens when I do go to a lacrosse game, hockey will always trump it. So I guess my point of view has been why bother going to a Bandits game.
Well maybe its time I try it.
Let The NFL Settle Their Own Disputes
Republican Senator Arlen Spector has clearly lost his mind. He wants to re-open the NFL spygate case which I may say, the NFL seemed to be handling pretty well on its own and in fact closed its own investigation the other day.
So why must the tax payers of this country pay for the US Senate and their indpendent investigation of a problem that the NFL and Roger Goodell should be able to handle on their own?
I mean come on, teams video taping other teams whether illegal by NFL standards or not, is not a cause for national security or worth the tax payer dollars of this country. Not to mention that the NFL should be able to police itself on this and other issues. It handles its own substance abuse issues and other problems.
It is especially insignificant when you take into consideration that we have a significant national debt, a lack of funding for medicaire and medicaid, a war that we are having trouble paying for and a whole host of other issues that our politicians and leaders in Washington should be spending their time on.
Spygate, to me isn't that big a deal all the teams do it and so what? Its no different than a guy on second stealing signs from the catcher and then relaying those signs to the batter in baseball but there will never be an investigation of that.
First we had the Mitchell report and I had the same issues with that, taxpayer dollars being spent on a drug issue in a professional sport that makes billions of dollars a year.
I think that if Arlen Spector really wants this investigation done, he should resign as senator and do it himself, if the NFL chooses to pay him, then so be it but the tax payers of this country shouldn't have to fork over a dime for this investigation of what is essentially the richest sports league in the world.
The Worst of the No Goals
The no goal against the Dallas Stars didn't bug me as much as this one still does to this day. As long as I have a memory, this one will stick out as the true no goal in Buffalo sports history. This really was no goal, no matter how you slice it. Play should have been stopped, time reset and the goal taken away.
I remember the image of Darcy Reiger in the officials replay booth standing on a chair pointing at the TV and screaming at the officials with no positive results to follow.
John LeClair, despite what the stats say, you do not get credit for this goal in my book!
Tasteless Picture
I don't know about anyone else who picked up the Buffalo News today but I found the picture on the front page of the gunman pretty tasteless.
Did we have to see the guy with a gun to his head? I think the point was made through 3-4 hour news coverage that the guy was suicidal but we didn't need this disturbing image to prove it.
I understand that the media needs to cover their stories in depth provide coverage as close to the scene as possible but they could have picked a different photo to put on the front page than the guy pointing a gun getting ready to blow his brain through the right side of his skull.
It took me a couple of looks to notice him in the picture but once I did, it really kind of disturbed me and not much does that to me.
Anyone else find that a little much to put on the front page?
Too Many Opinions
I have been listening and listening to the opinions on oil, Ed Schultz this afternoon on AM 1520 made the most sense with the numbers of it all. Glenn Beck on Headline News seems to think we should ignore the warning signs and go ahead and drill anyway. I personally, listen to the numbers.
One of the solutions that has been on the table for a while despite it not being very popular is drilling for oil in ANWAR. Even if they opened up, it would take two years to start getting oil into the system. That would amount to only 40,000 barrels of oil a day.
We currently use over 20 million (think about that number) barrels per DAY in the US alone. 20 MILLION. How much of a difference do you think 40,000 additional barrels will make? The ANWAR oil wouldn't be up and running full steam ahead for 10-15 years and that would be at about 780,000 barrels per day.
Again, assuming all things remain equal, 780,000 compared to 20,000,000+ ain't gonna make a huge bit of difference.
Thats assuming we remain at that consumption level, which knowing our history and our society, we probably will ignore the warning signs of global warming, the current energy crisis and barrel forward full steam ahead. All the signs of peak oil are there. The new stuff is hard to get to and more costly which even if found will drive up prices because of the cost it takes to get it.
One blog I read today featured a line from a peak oil expert and I agree with this 100 percent, "We better leave oil, before oil leaves us". Words we should be living by. History will repeat itself if we stay on the oil consumption path that we are on. Its time for some alternatives.
There are no short term fixes (that includes tax supposed tax breaks) and the only long term fixes are alternatives to the black sludge we are addicted to. Until we as a society learn this, we deserve the high prices we pay.
Category: oil/gas
Apparently I Missed The Trouble
One of the negatives of being a coach of any sport, especially swimming is you miss out on a lot of goings on. Tonight I missed the whole I-190 scuffle so Im not going to post about it. Its been done enough Im sure by our local networks.
However, I will post a song, I am a huge Rush fan, If I had to list my top five, they would easily crack the top 3 if not take top spot of all time.
Having said that, I don't post a lot of their stuff on here. I love posting music so here is some Rush, with The Trees off one of their recent concert DVD's Live in Rio from 2004. Like tonight on the 190, there is trouble in the forest......
Category: Music
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the great moms in our family. From left to right, my mom Grace, my beautiful wife Sandie who is not a mother of humans yet but a mother of a cat and dog, (I have no idea how that happened, maybe I should inquire into that), my mother in law Chris, and my wife's grandmother Wanda they are all fabulous ladies and I hope you all have a wonderful day! Love you all!
Category: Happy Mother's Day
Sunday Retro
This weeks version of Sunday retro is because I got that New Wave Hits of the 80's disc from FrizB's last week and just happened to play this song. Hearing it, you forgot how big this song was back then. Seemed like every where you went, you heard this playing somewhere. This is Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly) by Icicle Works
Category: Music
Guitar Wielding Chicks
Juliana Hatfield has had a great solo career and also played a lot with the Lemonheads including a little fling with Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando. Today we enshrine her into Chicks Wielding Guitars. This probably isn't one of her more "famous" songs but its one of my favorite, its called I See You off her 1991 CD "Hey Babe".
Category: Music
Blind Perfection
Dale Davis AKA "The Hammer" rolled a perfect game in Alta, Iowa. Big deal right? Only he bowled that perfect game...blind.
His fellow bowlers assist him with getting the right ball and placing himself in a position to begin his approach, but other than that he does the rest himself. He's 78 years old and has macular degeneration which is a chronic eye disease.
It was the first perfect game at the four lane alley since 1984.
Category: Miscellaneous | Sports
Leading To War
Humble Howard recently posted about the video Leading To War. It is available online for free or you can also get a copy of the DVD.
I dare anyone who still believes in this war and is one of the 20 some odd percent that still support George W. to go to the site, download the video and listen to the facts. Listen to the factual lies and spin that this administration laid out there as they were asked the tough questions.
Watching this was absolutlely disgusting how much this administration played and lied their way through this thing. Impeachment should have been considered long ago for their lies to the American people.
Donald Rumsfeld through the whole thing is the biggest jackass of them all (look for him early on setting that precedent, my head was spinning) with Dick Cheney a close second. I actually question who made those early decisions, was it Bush or was it Cheney and Rumsfeld doing the dirty work. There is also a direct yes or no question that Wolf Blitzer asks to Condi Rice and she skirts the whole thing.
Category: Politics
Ax Him
Its over, before its too late. They are still within shouting distance and its time before I have to sit there and watch this team be mis-managed one more night.
Two nights in a row this team has been handed losses late that should have never happened. Last night especially. Roy Halladay should have never been brought back for another inning, he was over a hundred pitches after the 7th and yet Gibbons leaves him go.
I understand that Halladay is your guy and you should stick with him in most circumstances but last night was not one of them. Then, after loading the bases the wheels fell off.
Sorry, but John Gibbons needs to be relieved of his duties. Give the managerial job to Ernie Whitt. This team needs some Blue Jay Blood in charge and I could just see Whitt cringing at the sight of the management job of Gibbons and waiting his turn.
This team has seen a ton of late leads blown and to me, its poor managing that loses games late, plain and simple. If you have a chance to win a ball game it is the managers responsibility to put the team in a position to win, the last two nights were glaring examples. I understand this team hasn't been hitting wtih runners in scoring position and maybe we need to look at Gary Denbo too for that answer. Hes the hitting instructor on this team. There needs to be some wholesale changes but not necessarily from the outside.
Ernie Whitt could take over managing and give Cito a call to see if he would like to take on a position as hitting instructor. Maybe he just doesn't want the responsibilities of managing a team.
I hope JP reads this because if he does, its time, make the change. I know you have had some injury problems but nothing like last year. This team for all intensive purposes is healthy and has more depth than it has had in years. Its time to take out the supposed leader and replace him with someone competent.
Category: Sports
DOES THIS WORK????
First, it was the Fish Pen, now its WATER4GAS. Seriously, If anyone out there who is reading this site either A) Uses this contraption or B) Knows someone who does and has used it successfully, let me know. This is too good to be true, it has to be, either that or I need proof. And if it does work, why don't we all have it and know about it?
Its called the Water4Gas system and there is a picture and a video below that show the system. IF this works, I am getting me one of these! (But not until someone out there gives me proof.)
Category: Miscellaneous | oil/gas
Parents Asking for Trouble
There have been many advances in technology over the years, cell phones, computers, HD TV. video games. They all have their positive contributions to our society and then come the negatives.
In the Pioneer school district there have been three cases of teenage girls sending nude or partially nude photos to their male classmates on their cell phones. The girls range in age from 13-16 years old.
Most schools that I have been in have rules against cell phone use. I go to graduate school at Canisius and I wouldn't think of having mine out or even on during my classes. its simply rude to have it on during class.
So, that said, I do not blame the school district for this one. As long as Pioneer has a rule or some sort of policy against cell phone use in their school then the responsibility needs to fall on the parents of these kids.
I am a believer that a kid should not have a cell phone until 1) they can pay for it themselves and/or 2) they need one for work and in that case, either their job should provide one or they can purchase one and pay for it on their own. In school there is absolutely no need for a child to have a cell phone. I don't care if they are 5 or 17 and a senior graduating in June. There is not one reason I can think of that a child needs to have a cell phone especially one with a camera on them in school or anywhere else.
When I was in school they had phones in the office or these things called pay phones. If I had to get in touch with my parents or family for any reason, I asked permission to go to the office and make a call home. I did that maybe once, and of course I can't even remember when that was. My parents also gave me two quarters to keep inside my swim bag incase something came up at swim practice. We also had a phone on the wall of the pool that dialed out if we had to call home from practice so the quarters were just to rub together.
Parents feel that their kids are not safe in school, well then move them to a private institution and pay tuition but for all intensive purposes, schools are just as safe now as they were back in the 80's and early 90's and my parents never felt the need to provide us with any alternative means to communicate with them other than the phone sitting in the schools main office.
This is also going to come down to the media and entertainment, they are already blaming the Miley Cyrus pictures which are inappropriate but all it is doing is externalizing and shifting the responsibility to something no one can control. The entertainment world has always been full of those types of things going back to Marilyn Monroe and Madonna. Miley Cyrus is no different and they can blame these celebrities all they want but its not getting to the root of the problem.
My whole point here is kids shouldn't have cell phones and any parent who provides their children with one before they enter college or before their son or daughter can pay for one on their own, is asking for the negatives of that technology to comeback to haunt them. I would be willing to argue that with any parent out there who feels otherwise. The parents of these children should be involved in what ever charges if any are being brought up because ultimately they are the ones who put the means into their son's and daughter's hands.
Category: News
Clifford Clavin on Jeopardy
One of the greatest Cheers episodes was when Cliffy was on Jeopardy, he was kicking ass until the end of course!
Category: Television
Remembering Air Wolf
Jan Michael Vincent and his super helicopter was......AIR WOLF. We were remembering this 80's super show and the creator of this Tou Tube special calls it the best show of the 80's?
I don't know about that, but it was the helicopter's answer to Kit and Knight Rider:
Category: Television
Hip For The Hell Of It
Whenever I feel like it I post a video of the Tragically Hip, today, I found this old, live video of Cordelia...Its vintage 1990 but the sound quality and video quality are surprisingly good.
Category: Music
This Is Getting Old
I mean really, the Jays haven't had a pitching staff this good ever. Even though their record doesn;t show it, the Jays starters have been superb all season so far. The first 6 games of the year were all quality starts lasting 6 innings or longer. Last night they lost 5-4 but AJ Burnett struck out 10. Tonight is a different story.
Shaun Marcum had a 1 hitter through 8 plus innings tonight and a shutout. He just lost the shutout bid and was replaced by Scott Downs but geez the starters continue to go deep into games and give this team a chance night in and night out.
Barring a minor Tampa Miracle inning this will be 6 wins in their last 7 games and they keep chugging along. Tomorrow has to be a win to take the series from Tampa and start making up some ground on the AL East.
Category: Sports
How Desparate Is He?
Rush Limbaugh is the lowest form of radio talk show scum. The guy gets away with murder on his show because I think no one who would challenge him can stand him long enough to listen to him.
I had him on for five minutes in the car today and I almost drove off the side of the road. He really is desparate. First hes talking about having his listeners vote for Hilary in the primary because he doesn't think McCain can beat Obama.Which lets face it, McCain couldn't beat either Obama or Hilary.
After that, he can't seem to drop this Reverend Wright thing and let it die. Instead he was talking about Reverend Wrights married life and his personal life. Why? It has absolutely nothing to do with Barack Obama, the story has been put to bed by Obama who has said that he disagrees with his now former Reverend.
I wonder why no one calls him and challenges him on the scum bags of the republican world in Pat Robertson and Chuck Hagee. Those two make Wright look like a saint.
Rush is grasping at straws and after tonight, Obama is going to be firmly entrenched as the likely winner of the democratic primary and once McCain and Obama go head to head, its over for the republicans. He knows it and everyone in the republican party knows it.
Category: Politics
Add Nigeria To The Forward Thinkers
Yes thats right, the African country of Nigeria is thinking as well, sorghum is going to be their pet project that they plan to have up and running by 2012.
They can harvest it 2-3 times per year and use only the stalks that are rich in sugar and it makes more ethanol per hectacre than sugar cane that the Brazilians use. It also has no effect on food prices.
Im not saying the US go and start growing sorghum but geez, for being supposedly the smartest, most powerful country in the world why can't we figure something out?
While we are talking about praying at the pump, removing gas taxes that obviously aren't doing anything because I honestly thought that those taxes were supposed to go towards exploration and development of fuel sources (or at least some of them were), these countries are making us look stupid and as our economy goes down the toilet, Nigeria and Brazil will be energy independent and prospering......
Brazil Is Officially Smarter Than The US
I am officially declaring our country and its leaders a bunch of morons. I have been saying it, scientists have been saying it can be done and now Brazil is all but laughing at us.
While the doubters are slamming the use of ethanol in this country Brazil is prospering because they know how to do it. Are we in the US too proud to take ideas from other countries and apply them here? Even when it will save us money and make us energy independent or create a better healthcare system.
Brazil is defending its use of ethanol and if done right like they are doing, shouldn't put a dent in food prices or supply. So instead of bitching about it, its time for the US to take the example and do something.
Brazil uses sugar cane. They use it because there is tons of it and in fact, they will be growing more of it and using more of it in fuel production. In the next three to four years they will also be using switch grass and bio waste such as citrus peels, hmmmm save up those orange peels and maybe they could power our cars.
What is even more interesting and though provoking is that Brazil started this back in the 1970's. Gee I can't think of anything that happened back then that would have prompted anyone to develop new fuels, OH WAIT, THE OIL CRISIS! Gee 30+ years ago we could have started thinking about that here. Guess what folks, Brazil is 30 years ahead of where we are today!
So while they are basking in their accomplishments we are slaves to $120+ oil and $4 gas and waiting for either the American Public to get their heads out of their ass or our elected officials to take action, we will be waiting for the latter until a Democrat is in the White House.
So if they can do it and are doing it why doesn't the rest of the world and the US follow suit? My response is that we are ignorant and too stupid to follow suit. We are also led by a president and administration that are oil barons who won't go against their oil roots until every last drop of that black sludge is used up.
We the American public need to cry out and should be outraged that more isn't being done like what Brazil is doing here. If anyone has a good reason why Brazil and Iceland for that matter, have figured it out and we can't Im open to your thoughts. Otherwise, you have to agree that the leader we thought our country was, is no longer.
Our politicians, auto industry and energy industry in this country have failed us and have basically ignored the needs of the American public in favor of huge profits on a dying fuel and we should demand better, not in 10 or 20 years, immediately.
Maybe instead of praying at the pump like these freaks are doing, we should start taking responsibility and demanding more of our leaders and throwing fits at the pumps and demonstrating at gas stations to force change.
Thinking instead of praying. god isn't going to change the fuel we use and he certainly isn't going to lower the price of oil. Right now the oil companies are playing god and it should be insulting. After reading the article about Brazil, which is no surprise to me because I read this stuff all the time, we should be ashamed that the richest, supposedly most powerful country in the world can not do something as simple as what a third world country has been able to do. Get ourselves off oil.
Who knows maybe if we use sugar for something other than to feed our fat, capitalistic faces maybe we could solve our fuel crisis in this country and our obesity/health problems.
Two Movies for the Summer
There are two movies Im focusing on this summer movie season. The first comes out in less than 3 weeks, I can't wait to see the results. Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull:
The other one comes out about a month after that featuring Mike Myers and none other than the Toronto Maple Leafs, The Love Guru, Finally some new Myers material:
Category: Movies
Coming Around
With pitching like this who needs offense? Dustin McGowan was sensational tonight as the Jays finished a four game sweep of the Chicago White Sox and pull to within one game of .500. They remain 4 games out of the top spot but here are some numbers to keep in mind:
Since April 26th their team ERA has been 1.02 that is tops in the Majors. They have won 5 in a row and though the bats have been showing signs of life, they still are not hitting on all cylinders.
BJ Ryan has been cleared for back to back games so he will start rounding into form and instead of going into May without the best closer in the American League and possibly the Majors they enter May of 2008 with him and with him healthy.
Next stop: .500 and beyond!
Category: Sports
Saturday's at Friz B's
Amongst all the excitement with the Police and Elvis Costello show I forgot to write about my Saturday's at Friz B's experience. While my trips have been few and far in between it does not mean I have forgotten about what is now probably the best place to get music in WNY with Home of the Hits and now New World Record extinct.
This past Saturday was a light day and with student teaching next fall, the $$ won't be as plentiful so I may not be able to do this post as often, however, I still support FrizB's and if I could afford anything it would be taking $5 and change over there and picking out one CD every now and again.
This past Saturday my haul included:
1. Counting Crows- August and Everything After- while not a huge fan of Counting Crows there is something about them lately that I like and crave in their music. Maybe its a bit of honesty in the lyrics and the way they write song but I picked it up, I probably will download it to the ITunes and listen to it as it mixes in with the rest of the tunes.
2. Counting Crows- Across a Wire Live in New York City- Same as above
3. The Offspring- Smash- Their debut CD and to me their best. They have this penchant for writing catchy punk jingles as I like to call them and this was their first crack at the big time.
4. New Wave Hits of the 80's- Vol. 13- This series is incredible for any of you 80's Alterna-New Wave/Punk peoples. Some of the standouts on this volume include: Relax-Frankie Goes To Hollywood, The Killing Moon-Echo and the Bunnymen and Whisper To a Scream (Birds Fly)- Icicle Works. Definitely full of potential Retro Sunday candidates.
Category: Music | Saturdays At Frizb's
Too Little, Too Late
Roger Clemen's apology today is too little, too late. He should have done this back when the whole thing started caving in around him. He has now apologized for his extra-marital affairs after coming forth with a defamation suit which holds no water at this point.
He says his romance with McCready was not when she was 15 but at this point whos to say? Hes been denying, denying and now apologizing? Apologize all you want now Roger but no one is listening. A few months ago maybe you had a shot at a caring ear, but now all you have said and all you have defended is in doubt.
This includes the steriod thing which now republican or not, they need to grill him at the next hearing. The republicans were so awe struck by his presence at the last hearings that they made it easy on him to answer their questions. Well now the man needs to get the full brunt of both parties and as usual the democrats asked the tough questions and probably will again.
If the tax payers are paying to get the truth then at the next hearing they better drag this guy through the mud to get what we need to get and the send him packing, preferably behind bars for being a complete and utter jack ass, not just through these procedings but for his whole career. His career has been one big joke.
He has been living a lie with his family, the fans and baseball and now he more than certainly lied to congress about having taken steroids. That my friends is perjury and now that we know the real man, let the hammer come down on the should have been hall of famer who now never will be. In this case, apologies don't cut it.
Changing Names
Steve Kreuscher wants to change his name to "In God We Trust". He says the name would help symbolize the help God gave him through tough times. How touching. Maybe, God was the one who put him through those tough times on purpose, did he ever think of that?
He is worried that atheists like me will succeed in taking the slogan off our currency. Look Steve, I really don't care about that phrase or where our federal government wants to paste it. Being an Atheist, I simply don't care about religion or God or what our money says. It really doesn't bother me.I don't care if our money says "fuck you" all over it, all I care about is that its worth something and buys me the means to live a comfortable life with shelter, food and what ever else I need to live a happy life.
Talk about a guy with way too much time on his hands and way too into his religion. I understand someone having faith in a religion, but this guy is sick. I want to meet this Steve Kreuscher but not before I change my name, to "You Are An Idiot". That way when he tells me his name, I can respond in kind.
Category: Miscellaneous | religion
I Have Done The Impossible
I have filled my IPOD. After several weeks between pluging into my computer, the volume of music on my computer is too much for the remaining space on my IPOD.
It maxed out at:
6383 songs and 27.69 GB
I either need a new, bigger IPOD or I need to be a little more selective of what I want on my IPOD and be a little more creative with playlists.
I am the type who wants to carry his entire music collection with him so while I may be okay with the selectivity option for now, I do have more stuff I am downloading and so the 80 GB IPOD may very well be in my future. Just not now. Maybe birthday this year?
Category: Music
Sunday Retro
For my Sunday Retro, its the last band I really want to see, okay well not the last there are others but this would complete the big boys....
For Sunday Retro a little U2, Bullet The Blue Sky from Rattle and Hum
Category: Music
Simply Awesome
My concert going days are almost complete. I have one band left to see. (Im exaggerating of course, once a music lover always a music lover). Last night was one in a million. As a fan of the Police and Elvis Costello two legendary acts in their own rights last night made for the perfect storm.
I have to admit, I was like a kid in a candy store, it was a once in a lifetime chance to see the Police reunion, I never got to see them back in the day and to see Costello with full band who seems to enjoy Buffalo as he was just here last September.
I also managed to meet Andy Summers before the show. I got there about 2 hours ahead of time just to soak it all in and walking by the security entrance it looked like Summers so I stopped and yes it was him!. It netted me some autographed stuff and he was one of the friendliest people you could ask to meet.
Then the show.....
Elvis came on first and ripped through new material that was well mixed with classics. The new stuff? It absolutely rocks. The only way to get it is to buy the Vinyl and then download the MP3 version of Costello and the Imposters new double album Momofuku. Costello continues to release quality stuff and when with a full band, plays with the same piss and vinegar he had back in the 70's when he broke on the punk scene.
His classics/crowd pleasers included Everyday I Write the Book which pleased me as one I wanted to hear, Radio Radio, Pump It Up, Watching the Detective and Allison. All made for a high energy set that on any other night would have stolen the show. He could have easily done a two hour set all by himself.
Then came the Police, they came out with a fan favorite Bring On the Night, one of their best written songs and it was a perfect version of it. Demolition man was next and from there they tore shit up. Message in a Bottle, Roxanne, Synchronicity II, Invisible Sun, Next To You, Every Breath You Take and really my favorite of the night, When the World Is Running Down that featured Andy Summers tear it up. Sting and Stewart Copeland were amazing on bass and drums and I think I can safely say that between Sting and Geddy Lee, I have seen the two best bass players in the world.
Stewart Copeland is right up there with the best drummers of all time. John Bonham, Keith Moon, Neil Peart, and Stewart Copeland. He was simply great with a huge array of percussion behind him including a huge gong. He would stand up and play the kit behind his sit down one for Wrapped Around Your Finger and through those sticking into the air as he raced back and forth between the two kits. Not bad for a guy in his 50's.
What the nearly sold out crowd was witness to was 7 of the finest musicians in the world, who despite their age, still have a lot to offer the rock world and could teach their younger peers in the music world a thing or two. We can only hope that Sting and co. will change their mind and do some new material.
Category: Music
Sting/Police and Elvis Costello Discography
I am going to see the Police and Elvis Costello tonight, combined the artists on stage tonight have written the following works:
Sting:
Albums
- The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) UK #3, USA #2
- Nothing Like The Sun (1987) UK #1, USA #9
- The Soul Cages (1991) UK #1, USA #2
- Ten Summoners Tales (1993) UK #2, USA #2
- Mercury Falling (1996) UK #4, USA #5
- Brand New Day (1999) UK #5, USA #9
- Sacred Love (2003) UK #3, USA #3
- Songs From the Labyrinth (2006) UK #24, USA #25
Sting Live Albums:
- Bring on the night (1986) UK # 16
- Accoustic live in New Castle (1991) UK Release
- ....All This Time (2001) UK #3 US #32
- The Journey and the Labyrinth (2007) UK #1 US #1
The Police:
- Outlandous D'Amour November, 1978 UK #6 US #23 Platinum
- Reggatta de Blanc October, 1979 UK #1 US #25 Platinum
- Zenyatta Mondatta October 1980 UK #1 US #5 Double Platinum
- Ghost In The Machine October 1981 UK #1 US #2 Triple Platinum
- Synchronicity June 1983 UK #1 US #1 8X Platinum
The Police Live Albums:
- The Police LIVE! US Sales: Platinum
The Police Compilation Albums:
- Every Breath You Take: The Singles October, 1986 UK #1, US #7
- Greatest Hits September 1992 UK #10
- Message In a Box: The Complete Recordings September 28th 1993 Platinum in US
- Every Breath You Take: The Classics September 1995 5x Platinum in US
- The Very Best of Sting and The Police November 1997
- The Police 2007
Elvis Costello:
- My Aim Is True 1977
- Live at El Mocambo 1978
- This Years Model 1978
- Armed Forces 1979
- Taking Liberties 1980
- Get Happy! 1980
- Trust 1981
- Almost Blue 1981
- Imperial Bedroom 1982
- Punch The Clock 1983
- Goodbye Cruel World 1984
- The Best of Elvis Costello and the Attractions 1985
- King of America 1986
- Blood and Chocolate 1986
- Out of Our Idiot 1987
- Girls Girls Girls 1989
- Spike 1989
- Mighty Like a Rose 1991
- The Juliet Letters 1993
- Brutal Youth 1994
- The Very Best of Elvis Costello And The Attractions 1977-1986
- Kojak Variety 1995
- All This Useless Beauty 1996
- Costello and Nieve 1996
- Extreme Honey: The Very Best of the Warner Brothers Years 1997
- Painted From Memory 1998
- For The Stars 2001
- The Very Best of Elvis Costello 2001
- When I Was Cruel 2002
- Cruel Smile 2002
- North 2003
- Il Songo 2004
- Delivery Man 2004
- Costello: My Flame Burns Blue 2006
- The River in Reverse 2006
- The Best of The First 10 Years 2007
- Rock and Roll Music 2007
- Momofuku 2008 (Vinyl or download only)
Folks, This doesn't even include the countless compilations and soundtracks these guys are on. The list easily cracks 100+ with compilations and soundtracks.
I can add a live double CD to the Sting collection as well. I purchased when I was down in South Carolina in 1999. It is entitled STING! Happy Birthday and was recorded live for Sting's 40th Birthday and featured to date for that time the closest to a Police Reunion with Andy Summers as a guest and many classic Sting Live cuts including Purple Haze and Little Wing both Hendrix covers that Sting always did well.
Costello, can you count the list, again that did not count albums that he either guested on, soundtracks and other compilations. He probably could crack 100 releases all by himself. The most amazing thing about him is not just the quality of his work but he has probably taken a grand total of 5 or 6 years off in his 30+ years of recording. For every year he took off he had years where he released two and sometimes three recordings. His latest has been released on Vinyl only, its a double album! It can also be downloaded called Momofuku (pronounce that one!)
I hope they both play two hour sets tonight, even that is not long enough to properly put the artists material on display tonight.
Category: Music
Long Term Solutions
All this talk about relieving prices at the pump is garbage. In the end all it is, is a short term fix. Thats it and nothing more. What it will do is get more people thinking they can use more instead of conserving.and making the necessary lifestyle choices and demanding what we should be striving for both short and long term.
What we should be striving for both short and long term is alternative fuels and getting the necessary infrastructures in place and better fuel efficiency out of the vehicles that are sold. Those will ultimately be the two long term solutions.
The other, no one in this country seems to be ready to embrace and that is just straight forward conservation whether its investing the smaller car that burns less fuel or simply getting in the habit of turning off lights to conserve electricity.
Our president and his party in general seem to think that drilling in ANWAR is the answer to all our energy needs. They say a million barrels of oil a day. No matter how clean they make it if they do it, there is A) no guarantee that oil is even there B) Its protected wildlife refuge that someday I wouldn't mind taking a trip to see and C) Even if the oil is there, its not a long term solution either. They say a billion barrels might be there. At our current consumption rate that is gone in three years.
Whether its a global warming thing, an environmental/pollution thing or just the fact that we as a civilzation cannot depend upon oil for the long term future of our energy needs we need to make more changes than just having a summer long holiday of the gas tax. What that will ultimately do is promote business as usual and by the end of the summer, when you look at supplies, prices will shoot right back up when the taxes are back in place and we will all be bitching about the same problem.
Instead of bitching, lets realize the facts, and begin to make the long term adjustments to the sources of the problem not a quick fix that will ultimately come back and bite us in the ass. We are supposed to be the leader of the world and yet all we can come up with is a tax break? Lets lead this world and figure out a real, long term solution.
Voices Inside My Head and When The World Is Running Down
I came across this video and had to post, I know Im going Police overload but I watched this in complete awe and it only got me more excited to see this show. Andy Summers, the oldest member of the band was 64 when this tour started hes 65 now and he looks and plays as if hes the youngest.
He literally sounds better than ever. This video is a warmup and announcement of the tour last year. It is two of their fan favorites Voices Inside My Head and When the World Is Running Down You Make The Best of Whats Still Around.
Take a listen to Andy's solo in When the World is Running Down. It is possibly one of the best solo's I have heard in a while, he is truly an under rated guitarist. While I didn't get into his solo stuff since the band broke up, by all accounts his solo material is worth a listen. He fuses Jazz and rock and world music without the same popularity as Sting but the music is supposed to be every bit as good.
Category: Music
Let The Innocent Boys Playball
The recent incident on the Wilson High School Baseball team had everyone talking this past week and as a future teacher and educator I listened and now its my turn to throw my two cents in.
I agree that there has to be consequences and if the coaches had to be suspended so be it that has to be done. The boys who did the hazing should be punished but not necessarily in the way that it is being handled.
There is a way of doing it so that these boys and all involved learn a valuable lesson about sportsmanship, behavior, and team sports in general.
I coach swimming and to say the least, I can count the number of issues amongst my athletes on one hand. I have been involved with the sport for almost twenty years as a swimmer and as a coach and again from my days as an athlete, I could count problems on one hand.
Maybe its the environment or maybe its the level of training the coaches at the respecitve sports receive. Part of the training for swim coaches and our continuing education is a age group sports psychology in which we are given ideas for teaching kids life skills and ways to cope with things in the sport and various psychological issues that may come up with athletes.
One of those things is how to treat your peers. I agree with the coaches being suspended but the students who did this should recieve a different punishment, one in which they are given the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
They were seniors and they have already done damage to any hopes of playing college ball and thats besides the point for them at this time, however, one thing that they should have to do is watch the teammates that they hazed take their spots in the starting lineup. Don't punish the group for the actions of a few. All you are teaching is that the innocent are guilty as well.
The two boys should have to meet with school counselors after school instead of playing and for the games? They should have to attend and serve as bat boys/equipment managers and should be forced to watch their teammates play.
I don't think the answer is to cancel a season for the ones who were innocent. The kids who did step up and report this should be commended for doing the right thing showing the courage to do what is right despite what their peers may think.
We still don't know the extent of what happened on the bus but what ever it was, to have the level of involvement of the police and law enforcement it must have been pretty bad, at the same time, there has to be some faith in the school to handle the situation as well.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out and if they can have enough trust to reinstate the baseball team next year. As a coach, I know high schoo, middle school or elementary school, you have to keep a watch on your atheletes because they will get into trouble at times if not watched and expectations are not set, these two coaches obviously failed to manage this team appropriately.
Songs I Want To Hear Tomorrow Night
I have been posting songs I want to hear tomorrow night and these two are probably long shots but hey, you never know.
The first is a song off the Police's first full length album Outlandous D'Amour called Masako Tanga. Rumour has it the language Sting sings this in was a made up language after a night of drugs, I don't know about that one, Sting and the boys have always been pretty clean as far as I can recall, even after reading several Sting biographies. Despite the rumours its a catching Punk/Reggae little tune that will probably not see the light of day tomorrow but one can always hope:
This one from Elvis Costello as well probably won't be played but it was an 80's classic that is catchy and was one of his most popular, Everyday I Write The Book:
Category: Music
Democrats Over McCain
I hear what people are saying about the democratic primary and I get the point. The more bashing that goes on between Hilary and Obama the better it will be for John McCain.
Well that may be, but believe me folks, once McCain draws fire from either Hilary or Obama it won't matter whos going head to head with McCain, everyone will see who the better choice is for President.
Sure Hiliary has her flaws and she has had her share of mistakes and Obama is inexperienced, so what! The fact is that Hilary should be commended for being a fighter and not giving up. Obama can ease his lack of experience by surrounding him with the right people, including Al Gore, Bill Richardson and even some bipartisan experience in his cabinet would go a long way towards easing that sense that he is inexperienced.
Once they start firing bullets at McCain, there won't be many fired back because McCain has nothing to throw. Take education for instance: John McCain essentially wants to keep no child left behind and privatize schools. Yes Privatize schools. Taking all the faith out of the great public school system and instead promoting a privatized system in which kids will be over tested and teachers underpaid and over worked.
That is essentially taking the George W. Bush plan and continuing to implement the same horrible system. Clinton and Obama want to abolish No Child Left Behind and reform the system. Take Hilary's plan for example over Obama's. She wants to expand after school programs which I fully agree with.
Outreach grants that gave me my first coaching position funded the Buffalo School Swim Racers amongst other after school activities. We had 300 inner city kids swimming and racing in USA Swim Meets and not just racing, Succeeding!. All of a suddent, the grants went dry because of George W. Bush cuts to after school funding. Those kids I coached were devastated.
Hilary also wants to
You want to read more go to her website. Im not endorsing her but I think her education plan is a great one. It says alot more than McCain's which basically promotes giving parents more choice instead of the Government helping its citizens attain a quality education.
I know why a lot of republicans favor that thinking and its because they think that a government should be as hands off and as conservative as possible, well this administration has been anything but conservative. And I think we would all agree that it is the governments responsibility to provide its citizens with access to affordable, quality education. I do not believe however, it is the responsibility of the government to put more kids through more standardized testing to meet an underfunded and really horrible program in No Child Left Behind.
Hilary's plan does nothing more than increase opportunities for youth to succeed, not fail. It provides choice with in our public school system.
Category: Politics
