Buffalo Boy's Blog
Giving You More Than Just My Two Cents
October 2008 Archives
Lightning 5, Sabres 2
Halloween came early last night for the Sabres, they were scared right out of their own building right from the start as Tampa took a 5-1 lead and made easy work of the Sabres.
All of a sudden the defense looks awful, maybe there was something to having a good balance between right and left handed defensemen. Since Craig Rivet went down, this team has looked more and more shaky.
Vanek who has cooled off a little and missed on two great chances and scored on one which was too little too late. That one was his 9th of the season. Im still waiting for Derek Roy to get with it and Drew Stafford showed up for two games and has since gone night, night!
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, they are still an impressive 6-2-2 so its not like they are hanging on by a thread just yet. If this thing goes three or four games then I'll start calling for the heads of several players.
One guy I still don't like in the lineup, Andrew Peters, for three minutes of ice time is he really worth it? They have other guys who can be tough and fight if they need it, but most nights, they don't need a fighter, they need a goal scorer, Mark Mancari would be a nice fit, big and tough and hes tearing up the AHL right now with 10 points in 6 games. Nathan Gerbe is also worthy of a call up, 6 goals and 2 assists through 6 games.
Mid Week at Frizb's
This is Jeff the owner of Frizb's, hes a good fella and believe me, the store behind him doesn't look like much, but hes got a ton of music in this place and maximizes what room he has.
I stopped in on Tuesday, he is right around the corner, I was sick and just stopped in to pick up some tunes to listen to while I was laid up in bed, and picked up a couple of discs for about $20. I picked up:
Roger Waters- Amused to Death
Midnight Oil's DVD 20,000 Watt RSL which is basically everything they have ever done on video
and finally, David Gilmour's On an Island
I have been getting into Pink Floyd lately especially some of Roger Waters and Gilmours solo stuff. If you get a chance, stop in say hi to Jeff and tell him you heard of Frizb's through my site.
Category: Music | Saturdays At Frizb's
Molson The Swimmer
I swore I would never dress my dog for Halloween but it was too tempting, the goggles around the neck, the cap fit with a little string around his neck and tomorrow I will fit a suit around him.
Molson, will be a swimmer for Halloween. A Stingray to be exact. Maybe we can get him into a 50 yard freestyle next year.
Category: Halloween 2008 | Molson
Obama's Informercial
How many presidential candidates in modern history have taken the time out of their incredibly busy schedules to make a half hour infomercial? I watched it this morning and it was good, maybe a little too much cheesiness for my tastes but when you do something like that you have to make it a little emotional.
What is even more impressive is that Obama is up there front and center for a half hour giving details. Letting you get to know him. This guy went out on a limb, doing something that no candidate has ever done, put his campaign money to good use, not on clothes to present himself days before the election.
Its an informative watch, I learned some things by watching it too and I have been following this whole thing.
Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Category: Politics | Television
A Few Jays Connections
The Philadelphia Phillies have won the 2008 World Series, 15 years after their last appearance. More on that in a bit. There were a few Blue Jay connections on this Philly team.
Matt Stairs was traded to the Phillies back in August, Matt was the Jays proud Canadian on the team the last few years and the fans of the Jays loved him, but to see that he finally won one was great to see, he deserved it.
Pat Gillick the Philadelphia Phillies GM won his third World Series. The other two? 1992 and 1993. 15 years ago it was Pat Gillick's Toronto Blue Jays that did this:
Category: Sports
Halloween 2008
This is another classic to hear around Halloween time. Its Bauhaus with Bela Lugosi's Dead. Lugosi was probably best known for his role in 1931's Bram Stoker's, Dracula. Before becoming a film, Dracula was a Broadway play in 1927.
Lugosi has influenced numerous acts in pop culture from the Bauhaus to the Kinks who wrote a song called Celluloid Heros.This is not the original Bauhaus video, it is the 12" single of the song and includes some nice shots throughout. Its over nine minutes long but well worth the listen.
Bela Lugosi's Dead
White on white translucent black capes
Back on the rack
Bela Lugosi's dead
The bats have left the bell tower
The victims have been bled
Red velvet lines the black box
Bela Lugosi's dead
Undead undead undead
The virginal brides file past his tomb
Strewn with time's dead flowers
Bereft in deathly bloom
Alone in a darkened room
The count
Bela Logosi's dead
Undead undead undead
Category: Halloween 2008
Halloween 2008
My favorite Halloween movie series is none other than Mr. Michael Myers. To me Myers never got stale where as Freddie and Jason lost their punch as they went along. Last year Rob Zombie re-did the original Halloween and this is a clip from that:Category: Halloween 2008
Suspended!
No not referring to an NFL player, a World Series game for the first time in history was suspended? Im a big baseball fan and haven't written much because to be honest, I haven't had the time and you have to pick and choose your spots.
The election garners much more interest even locally than the baseball playoffs and the Sabres are much more important locally than baseball as well. That said, I flipped to Fox last night and looked for it, hoping to see the final outs for the boys of summer and got the Simpsons. Not disappointing, I love the Simpsons, but I wondered, was it finished in record time? or was it postponed?
Turns out they suspended the thing after 6 innings. The first time that has happened. First, isn't it surprising that this is the case given the weather we see in October tends to be inclement at times? I thought for sure they would have had a few others that were suspended.
I think in most cases they looked ahead and postponed. I hope it doesn't end on that note. 6 innings followed by the last three. That would not be appropriate. Not for baseball. Baseball should end with a complete 9 inning game played on the same day. You want to have a rain delay fine, but finish the whole game that day.
Now you have a situation where Cole Hamels pitched last night and was doing well and he bats first when they resume. Not ideal for your starting pitcher. Im rooting for the Phillies, I have some intrinsic and collectibles from Philly that have me leaning their way. Matt Stairs is there as well which is reason enough.
That said, part of me is hoping Tampa wins when this thing resumes so we can extend summer one more day and end this thing the way it should be ended, with 9 complete innings played the same day.
Category: World Series 2008
Senators 5, Sabres 2
Well, hopefully last night got it out of their system. After starting the season with 8 games with at least a point last night for the first time you can honestly say, they sucked.
Everything sucked last night, the officiating was awful, they missed wide open nets on at least two occasions, played poorly defensively and really the only player that showed up was probably Patrick Lalime. He was in net with no support from anyone so yes five went in, but two of those were breakaways and out of the other three, one was an errant pass directly in front of the net.
The two goals they scored late in the game came with powerplays that had the Sens down two men on one of them. They would have meant something had the wide open net chances gone in. Pominville had one, Vanek and Roy had chances all night and as usual, Max dances but he never finishes.
Nights like this will happen and lets face it, they were a tired bunch after coming home from the west coast. Get it behind you, just hope that the Sens didn't wake up permanently.
The record now is 6-1-2 for 14 points and a three point lead in the division. Next up Tampa Thursday night.
World Juniors in 2011
Here in Buffalo are in for a treat. Ask a lot of players, especially the Europeans in the league, what would they rather win, a World Juniors or a Stanley Cup and I bet they say the World Juniors.
This tournament features many future stars and prospects of the NHL and the caliber of hockey is just as high if not higher than the NHL.
I listen to a lot of Canadian radio and just a few minutes north of the border, they rave about this tournament. 2011 seems a long way away, but trust me, it will be worth the wait to see one of the biggest tournaments in hockey being played right here in our backyard.
Halloween 2008
Today I go back to Poltergeist II. The Reverend Henry Kane scared the living crap out of me in that movie, still does. This is the old trailer from the movie, surprisingly, not too many of the original clips out there featuring that scene of him singing the song as hes walking up the driveway. I almost forgot the Poltergeist curse in which four of the original actors were killed between Poltergeist I and III.
Category: Halloween 2008 | Movies
Mandatory Music Monday
Today's selection comes from The Beastie Boys and their 1992 release Check Your Head. It is my favorite Beastie Boys effort and last week on my way home I found myself pressing repeat for this tune. Pass The Mic is to me the best song off this record. Where have they been lately? They are due for a new release soon aren't they?
Category: Mandatory Music Mondays
8 Days To Go
Here we are, 8 days before the election and I can't help thinking that this election is going to in some way shape or form be stolen again or that something is going to go horribly wrong in one of the all important battle ground states. Its like rooting for the Bills and Sabres, you know they are doing well but your just waiting for them to fuck it all up.
All these stories about the voting machines in Ohio and Virginia that change your vote, denying people their vote because of some minor details that don't match at the polling place, long lines, confusing ballots in North Carolina. It all sounds too familiar. 2000 all over again.
I thought after that 2000 election and the whole Florida recount I heard George W. Bush say that he was going to implement voter reform to help with the ballots and insure the security of our elections? I guess I was wrong.
What is wrong with the supposed greatest democracy in the world that we can not even trust our own system? Why does one state do it one way and the state next to it do it completely different?
What is so hard about having a universal ballot, if not for the local races, but at the very least for the federal elections.
Its incredible that we think we can teach other countries about democracy and freedom, when we can't even get our system right. Lets face it, our voting system is far from perfect and yes ACORN is just one minor example of how its bad at both ends. The voter registration end is far more secure because they do screen every single registration, the whole thing with ACORN being "caught" is laughable, they are required to "catch" themselves and report it by law.
The other end of voting is the end where the fraud comes in. Provisional ballots being thrown away, computer glitches, confusing ballots (that shouldn't even be an issue after Florida). Its just surreal that we have this cockiness about us, that our shit doesn't stink and this voting thing is so great here in the US. Well, from my point of view, we have a long way to go.
Stealing elections by what the Republicans did in 2000, that is more communist than any liberal idea Barack Obama has. Power hungry politicians steal elections and there is a name for that. They are called dictators. John McCain with each passing day is sounding more and more like one with his incredibily odd statements that they will win despite the polls.
There is not one poll that shows McCain even close. The one I go to, the Yahoo! News poll shows Obama up by close to 7-10 points. CNN has Obama up on all their polls. Even Fox News showed leads for Obama.
So remember, come Election Day, barring any monumental slip up by Obama, if this thing is even close, somethings up. And if something does screw up, lets just say I have a feeling and it ain't good. After this election I think who ever the president ends up being, even if it is McCain, I will have a ton of respect for the one who tackles the issue of securing the voting system in this country.
For that kind of thing to even come up, being the world leader in democracy, it should embarass everyone that exercises their right to do so that this thing can be so in doubt and so corrupt.
Category: Election 2008
Why I Don't Post On The Bills
Yesterday I had an anonymous comment asking me why I don't post on the Bills. Honestly, being from Buffalo I don't know. I am more of a Cleveland Browns fan to start with.
My reasons for not posting on the Bills I guess amount to the fact that Im not as passionate about whether they win or lose. When I write about something I want to do it because it is of interest to me and is fun for me to write about.
I like the Bills, I don't feel enough about them though to want to write about them. When I started this site it was all about me. If it interested me I wanted to write about it. Do the BIlls interest me? Sure they do, Id have to be dead for them not to, Im from Buffalo and I am a sports fan so how could they not.
I believe that in order to write about something and make it interesting you have to be passionate about it. I am passionate about the Blue Jays, the Sabres, politics, music and various oddball trivial everyday culture.
I hope that answers your question and now that the question has been asked, maybe I will.
Maple Music Redirect Solved
If you tried to visit the site yesterday for a period of time it automatically redirected you to Maple Music. It has been doing this for quite some time off and on but usually only when you went to comment and the problem was only temporary. Yesterday, it took over the whole site.
Well, Im getting better, but not that good and so I emailed Mike Boon who at first was just as stumped at me. Apparently this was only happened in Internet Explorer. Firefox however, no problems. So after a while, Mike found the problem and last night, he posted on it on his site here
Apparently Maple Music latched onto the script of my Google Adsense, he explains it much better so if you care for a better explanation, see Toronto Mike. In the meantime, problem resolved after some head scratching.
Category: Miscellaneous
Sunday Retro
Today on Sunday Retro I feature a song that fits the weekend. Rain by the Cult from 1985's Love album. They were the Led Zeppelin of the 80's and 90's with hints of the Doors and AC/DC sprinkled throughout their music.
Ian Astbury is one of the great vocalists of his generation and Billy Duffy essentially are The Cult with other members floating in and out of the band during their career. They broke up for a brief period from 1995-1999 but have since been together and releasing new material on a pretty regular basis.
Category: Sunday Retro
Avalanche 2 Sabres 1
Last night was one of the most exciting 1-1 games I have seen in a while. There was not a lot of scoring but both teams had around 30 shots on goal and went long stretches in each others zones putting pressure on each other.
The goaltenders at either end could not have been any better and it went into extra shooters in the shootout to finally settle the score. Unfortunately we came out on the wrong end of that so we got the pity point.
I still say the NHL should make an overtime win worth 3 points. Ditch the pity point altogether. Though, I am not going to complain. A road game against a non-conference opponent like Colorado and that pity point helps.
Thomas Vanek's point streak is over though he had many chances, Daniel Paille got the lone goal which was his first. So one streak ends, another one begins.
Next up, Ottawa tomorrow night at home.
Man Up Canada
I was browsing Youtube for a while tonight and came across a brand new show that will be hitting the air in Canada in the new year starring none other than Humble Howard Glassman. He has been doing the morning show recently at EZ Rock. This is a new project that will be airing sometime in January. Currently they are looking for guys to go on and well, Man Up, (the random hot girls are a bonus) check it out:Category: Humble Howard | Television
Biden Destroys Barbara West
Barbara West showed no fear in asking the most ridiculous questions of Joe Biden and he probably had the best interview I have ever heard from any politician. She actually asked him about the possibility of Obama turning America into a socialist country like Sweden....He let her have it:Category: Politics
Rogue Ms. Piggy
This is the last thing McCain needs. Little Ms. Piggy is going rogue on him and not listening to her "handlers". No shit. Some of the crap that spew from her mouth could only come from one who is not listening to aides and advisors.
This campaign of McCain's is a mess and it started with the day he picked the tramp. Her intelligence level alone is causing havoc on the campaign trail and now she is having problems listening to and following through with the advice of her strategists.
Really, that is not that big of a surprise from someone who is guilty of abusing her executive power as governor. I wouldn't be shocked if her overall goal is to overthrow grammpy if he were to somehow miraculously win this thing. Which right now, how can you. The Obama campaign has been run cool and smooth.
Obama and Biden are organized, they have a plan and are solid on all the issues and have bipartisan support from more than just Colin Powell who by the way voted for the Bush administration in 2000 and 2004 because he was in the friggin administration. He like so many have just seen the light, that McCain has run a crappy campaign that has shown little coherence.
McCain has focused on negatives of Obama instead of presenting plans of his own and the plans he has are going to rip this country up even more than the current administration. If McCain can't control his little Alaskan bitch, how can he control a whole country?
Obama is in Hawaii spending time with his grandmother this weekend, if McCain's campaign keeps going the way it is, Obama can take a week off and stay in Hawaii and let McCain self destruct. Let the old man and little tramp keep hollering crap at their lynch mobs and this thing will crash and burn for McCain all by itself.Halloween Movies
One of my favorites every year around Halloween to shove into the VCR is Ghostbusters. Keeps the spokey season comedic. The cast was awesome and its a shame they couldn't get them back together for a Ghostbusters 3. The exchange between Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray in this clip is legendary by now.
Category: Halloween 2008 | Movies | comedy
Ron Howard's Pro Obama Video
I thought this video was great. Ron Howard gets back into his old characters from past shows including one of my favorites, Happy Days and provides his endorsement of Barack Obama.
Ron Howard has always been one of America's most honest and endearing actors. writers and directors and has always done great work on and off the screen.
This is pretty cool if not for the endorsement just for the fact that he undergoes some wicked costume changes that take him back some 30-40 years.
Category: Miscellaneous | Politics
Grammpy At It Again
Ya gotta love Grammpy, he just keeps making shit up and no one in the media checks him on it. He now says that Obama will say what ever it takes to win the White House.
I haven't heard that at all. All I have heard out of Obama is a positively run campaign that has focued on issues not on digustingly made up lies. Lets face it, McCain is the one falsely accusing Obama of being involved in terrorism and fraudulent voting. McCain is the one blaming the whole financial meltdown on Obama despite all of it being fabricated by his campaign. Im sorry, but you'll be hard pressed to hear anything as negative as what is coming out of the McCain campaign and really, its all in the name of his do and say what ever it takes to win attitude. Look in the mirror Grammpy before you make such statements. Sure, Obama will say what ever it takes, only one problem with your accusations Grammpy, what Obama says is honest, optimistic and issues driven, what you say Grammpy are all fabricated, racist, lies.Category: Politics
Clothing Welfare
I guess when it comes to democrats wanting certain rights in this country like healthcare or social security or unemployment benefits its called socialist or communist. When its Sarah Palin getting $150,000 worth of clothes that obviously she can't afford on a governors salary, then I guess thats just hard luck and a woman needing help.
Must be nice. Except is all wrong. How the hell does she get $150,000 worth of clothes because apparently her's won't impress enough? How is that? Hard earned money was contributed to campaign so she can have a $150,000 wardrobe? Seriously?
There is no excuse for this party anymore. They are officially no longer conservative. No woman or man needs to have $150,000 worth of clothes unless your Cindy McCain, which then you obviously need a $300,000 dress which all of us middle class folks can identify with. I have nothing in my closet worth the $150 part of the $150,000 and I go to my job everyday and look as professional as I need to.
Why is Ms. Piggy any different? Im sure her governor's salary paid her well enough to buy nice clothes, but thats right our politicians, at least in the repuke party shouldn't be expected to do what everyone else does, use their own money to buy their own necessities.
Category: Miscellaneous | Politics
Sabres 4, Wild 3
I admit it, after Ryan Miller put the puck in his own net and it was 3-1 I turned it off. I figured it just wasn't their night. How wrong I was. I woke up this morning to hear about the comeback kids finishing the job last night just 44 seconds into overtime.
To cap that off, who scored the winner? The one guy left on this team to get himself in gear besides Max, Derek Roy.
Thomas Vanek also got himself a few more points and nother goal which keeps his hot streak alive with 8 goals and 3 assists.
The scary thing is, I don't think we have seen this team play its best hockey yet. They have injuries to Craig Rivet, Paul Gaustad, and Tim Connolly. Get those three going and this team is that much better. Here they stand though, 6-0-1 and looking like a shade of the team two years ago that started 11-0-1.
Halloween TV
The best Halloween special of all time with ease is The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. You have to love Snoopy rising out of the patch.
Category: Halloween 2008
What A Fake
John McCain might be the biggest fake in the entire history of US politics. Listen to him talk about ACORN as a keynote speaker at an ACORN event not more than two years ago!
Let me repeat this, HE was the KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT AN ACORN EVENT! Don't listen to another word this man or his campaign or any of the Repukes say about fraudulent voting or questioning Obama's involvement with ACORN. What about McCain's involvement?
Category: Politics
John "Barack" McCain?
Take a look at this video from 2000 in the Republican primaries, John McCain was talking taxes with a college student who basically exposes him for being a complete hippocrit of what Obama supports now.
This is your republican leader saying tax the rich 8 years ago: Gee, where have we been hearing that from lately? Oh I think It is Obama!
Category: Politics
Scary Tunes
I saw Alice Cooper two years ago, having absolutely no expectations and really never being a fan of him, I walked out impressed and blown away by the 58 year old's stage show along with the quality of the music.
I knew the classics but had no idea what to expect live. What I got was one of the best shows I have ever seen and the guillotine scene was like no other concert experience I have ever been to.
Category: Halloween 2008 | Music
Faith and Medicine
Here is another two that simply should never mix. Apparently there are pharmacies now that are pushing their religious beliefs on consumers. A pharmacy in Virginia known as the Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy is pushing their religious beliefs on those coming in with legitimate scripts for contraceptives and other drugs.
Basically, if they don't believe in the drug based on their religious beliefs, they will not fill it. Should that not be totally illegal? If I walk into a pharmacy for a drug from a doctor, be it a contraceptive or otherwise, that pharmacist by law should have to fill that prescription. God should have nothing to do with what drugs they dispense. Its a dangerous mix. More dangerous than religion and politics, this kind of thing can get someone killed. No medical facility should have religious beliefs affecting the decisions made by the medical practitioners. Nor should they affect whether or not the pharmacy provides the treatment prescribed. I hope they don't expect many customers because I think that those who believe the way they do are few and far inbetween. Whats next? Oh we are a pharmacy but we don't give out drugs, we give out prayers instead. Here is a prayer for your disease, good luck! Not the pharmacy people would want to attend I would think.Category: healthcare | religion
Sabres 3, Bruins 2
5-0-1 now on the season after beating the Boston Bruins. Another come from behind style game that saw them down 2-0. They kept their cool and came back and gave Thomas Vanek a chance to score in the shootout with the game winner. He can score short handed, on the power play, five on five, and yes we forgot, he can score in the shootouts too.
I think the league should consider counting the game winning shootout goals. The win leaves them tied with Montreal for first.
Exorcism of Emily Rose
One of the scariest if not the scariest movie to me was The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Based on a true story, it shows some horrific scenes. I am not religious in any sense of the word but seeing this movie leaves you wondering a little. Either way, it ranks right up there amongst my favorite scare movies of all time and being a great Halloween night candidate to throw in the DVD player:
Category: Halloween 2008 | Movies
Dumb Ass
Rush Limbaugh should have his ass taken off the air. He is so dumb that he actually outsmarts himself. He pretends to bring up scenarios like hes saying what he is saying on purpose. Its actually kind of entertaining but listening to him today, I have to say that if people that mattered actually listened to him, he would be kicked off the air before Imus or any other shock jock.
He accused Colin Powell of being racist and elitest for his endorsement of Barack Obama. Yeah okay, elitest. I think that word should be pointed toward Limbaugh and McCain. Remember that huge, ridiculous contract Rush signed? I can't imagine the radio network that supports him is making money on that deal. His listeners are dwindling because they realize how full of crap he is.
Then there is McCain, pointing the elitest finger at Obama. Yeah okay Mr. I own nine homes and my wife wears $300,000 dresses. Thats not elitest in anyway shape or form.
Then calling Powell racist. Picking Obama just because he is black. Wow. that is an insult to African American voters all over this country who vote based on the issues and being educated on Obama's policies.
Then he says that the media talking about his statements is playing right into the hands of his plan.....plan for what Rush? Your plan to make a complete and total ass out of yourself? You are the biggest loser on the radio, followed closely by Sean Hanity.
If Rush had any African American listeners, which he doesn't because they are too smart to listen to him, they would be asking for his head right now. Thats okay though, because the end is near for Rush, Randi Rhodes will be taking his place after Obama wins as the landscape of political radio changes to represent the true majority of this country. Better yet, replace him and his fat contract with Humble and Fred!
Fantasy Hockey Update
Through two weeks of play, I am officially 1 point out of first place in my fantasy hockey league. I started my first week on a losing note going 4-6, however last week I turned it up a notch against (this is a team name in the league) The Miley Cyrus Fan Club). I went 11-0 and am now standing at 15-6-3 going into play this week.
Last week my top performers included:
Ales Kotalik with 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) and Shea Weber with 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists).
My goaltending was solid too:
Ryan Miller- 2 wins, 1.50 goals against average and a .933 save percentage and Martin Brodeur with 2 wins, 1.96 goals against average, .920 save percentage and 1 shutout.
Miikka Kiprusoff is off to a slow start but realistically if he gets it going, I have three of the best goalies, if not the three best goalies in the NHL.
Category: Fantasy Sports | Hockey
Obama's Birth Certificate
This is a copy of Barack Obama's birth certificate. Apparently now there is the new smear from the right wing that Obama is not qualified to run for president because he was not born in the United States.
Again, totally false and more garbage tactics being used to win cheap votes. He was born in Hawaii. Last time I checked, Hawaii was a part of this country and therefore, allows him to run for the highest office. He is a US citizen.
Category: Politics
Check Out YPM
For all of you bitching about ACORN, take a look at YPM. YPM is a group in California, hired by the Republican Party to tricked Californians into changing their party affiliation by having them sign a petition that they thought was supporting tougher child molestation laws.
Some were told they had to switch parties in order to sign it and others were not told at all. This is even worse than the ACORN thing. ACORN was just a few people trying to cheat a few extra bucks from their employer and really, in these economic times who could blame them.
YPM on the other decieved voters into this and trapped them into signing something they were not properly informed of. YPM gets $7-$12 per registration. Those who used to be democrats will be given a republican only ballot unless they switch back to their preferred party.
So stop trying to lay ACORN on Barack Obama, this is more than just a democrat thing. Its going on on both sides.
Mandatory Music Mondays
Today I feature a band that emerged in the early 1990's with the release of Pablo Honey and the single Creep. Today I feature a tune from their second CD The Bends, its the title track from that CD, The Bends, I only feature it because it was the first song to come up on my IPod this morning on my way into work and I found myself playing it on the way home as well. As Radiohead goes, The Bends was probably my favorite Radiohead project to date but if you haven't checked out In Rainbows yet, do so, its a must listen.Category: Mandatory Music Mondays
Powell's Reasoning
Colin Powell was on CNN and answering questions about his reasoning for endorsing Obama. Today I turned on the radio to hear that republicans are calling him a RINO- republican in name only or that he is racist because he will only support the black candidate.
No, the reason why Powell is support Obama is because he sees through the negative campaign ads, the false claims about Obama's involvement with Ayers and all the other crap that McCain and his bitch keep throwing out there.
Powell Jumps Ship
Colin Powell today caught all republicans by surprise by endorsing Barack Obama on Meet The Press. Good for him. He saw the light a few years ago by jumping ship on the Bush administration.
Powell was brave in his endorsement and was not shy in stating why. He thinks the republican party has gone over board with their false statements about Obama and his religious status and his so called involvement with terrorists.
My bet is, this move by Powell sways more voters than many think. He had a lot of followers who were moderates and may follow his lead in his choice. He wasn't a far right wing republican and my thought is maybe, when Obama takes the White House, Powell would be looking for a cabinet position.
For a take from north of the border check out Toronto Mike's take on it.
Category: Politics
Retro Sunday
Time for some early 90's retro today. Ned's Atomic Dustbin should have been so much bigger here in the States back then but they had some stiff competition from the Seattle grunge scene.
They featured two bassists who were just awesome, a great lead singer and a bunch of great, loud, pop songs that just flat out rocked.
Kill Your Television was probably their best known, though they also had a bunch of other releases and singles, mostly in the UK. If you want to get into them check out 1991's God Fodder album. The band reunited recently and is still recording stuff.
Category: Music | Sunday Retro
Thrashers 3, Sabres 2
Okay, so last night they struggled and we found out shockingly that the Sabres will not win 82 games this year. They lost their first game of the season but not without a fight. They clawed back after being down 2-0 and games like that are going to happen.
Kari Lehtonen was great in goal for the Trashers late when Buffalo poured it on. Early though Patrick Lalime had to be just as stellar as Atlanta had 19 shots on goal in the first. Lalime was great early and in my opinion you can't fault a goalie for the shootout loss. All you can do is get there and keep your fingers crossed. Without Lalime it would have probably been 5-0 after the first.
So, first loss yes, but they scrounged up a point, 9 points on the season and Thomas Vanek scored his league leading 7th goals and we found that Jason Pominville's contract must have fallen off his back last night because he woke up with 2 points.
Next up the big, bad Boston Bruins.
Real Time Last Night
I missed my show last night, Real Time with Bill Maher, so I decided I would post it and watching it on here. Someone out there does a great job getting up on You Tube the next day. His guests included Martin Short and Ben Affleck. Opening Monologue: New Rules:Category: Television
Scary Songs
Halloween is fast approaching and I seem to be enjoying this holiday more and more every year. Today I have a scary song, Concrete Blonde's Bloodletting (The Vampire Song). Concrete Blonde actually formed in the early 1980s and they were originally named Dream 6 until none other than Michael Stipe of REM suggested the new name.
The song and album entitled Bloodletting was released in 1990 and I saw them the following year open for Sting at Skydome on Sting's Soul Cages tour.
Category: Halloween 2008
Start of Short Course Season
This weekend is the start of short course season. During the summer we have long course. Short course season is swum in pools that are 25 yards long instead of 50 meters. Long course is my preferred season only because if any of our kids make it to the next level (national or international competition) meters is what they will be doing.
This weekend we are at ECC for STAR Swimmings short course meet. Next week we have one at the Aquatic and Fitness Center in Tonawanda and the following weekend we are in East Aurora. That is probably the one good thing about short course is it is the busier time of year for competition and it keeps the kids focused.Category: Swimming
Buffalo 5, Vancouver 2
This is officially a great start. 4 games, 4 wins. One was against the lowly Islanders but the other three were against very tough teams. Montreal, NY and Vancouver tonight.
Thomas Vanek is off to a red hot start with 6 goals now in his first four games and Ales Kotalik had a two goal night to help Buffalo to a win over a tough Vancouver team.
That win puts us in 1st place in the Northeast and only one of three undefeated teams in the NHL. I would say that Montreal was in the undefeated category but they have what they call an overtime loss.
I may be rehashing an old argument from last year, but an overtime loss, is a loss and it just so happened to come against the Buffalo Sabres, who recieved a win. Last year we debated a little whether an overtime loss was an official loss, if it wasn't it wouldn't have the L in the OTL which stands for loss.
So, to get back on track there are three undefeated teams in the NHL, Montreal is not one of them. After tonight, there may only be two. San Jose is playing Anaheim.
I'd Love To Have Him Back
Take a look at Steve Bernier, its a young season still but I'd really like to have him back, hes only 23, he fights, he scores, he skates.
The other night he took on Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames which is a death sentence for the most part. Phaneuf took a run at one of his teammates on a borderline knee to knee hit and Bernier came to the rescue. I liked him last year when he was with Buffalo and didn't think they gave him a fair shake.
This year I am sticking by my prediction, he will have a 30-40 goal campaign, 70-80 points and 100-150 penalty minutes. Him and Alex Burrows are combining to make Vancouver a pretty formidable team.
Against Phaneuf, he actually handled it well, he held on tight and limited the damage all while sticking up for a teammate:
Hmm, I remember something similar last year, the only problem after this game, he didn't play with Roy and Vanek again, he was on the fourth line the rest of the year:
Category: Sports
Puzzling Things Humans Do
Look, I know I am a blogger and sometimes the stuff I post people might say, gee, he really has way too much time on their hands, but then there are these people:
Have you ever read an article online, scrolled down and seen the comments people leave only to find in the first 20 or so people leaving comments such as this.
1st!
2nd!
And the killer is, they actually argue over it. If you look at the link, the fourth comment down who goes by the name "Poop" (I can't make this stuff up) actually gives a growl over being 3rd, "grrrrr 3rd" which I scratched my head over, he's actually 4th, should someone tell him this? The first 20 or so make no attempt to comment on the topic discussed in the actual article. If I was the author of the article I'd be a little pissed.
Not only that but these people who do this, do they have jobs? Is there a prize for getting there and posting comment first? Some things humans do puzzle me. This is one of them. We get ourselves all excited about commenting on an article 1st. Yeah, now I've won something, what? Not a damn thing you were just 1st. 1st to what? 1st to type 1-s-t......who cares.....
Category: Puzzling Things Humans Do
Barack Obama and Joe
Barack Obama took 6 minutes to answer Joe "The Plumber's" question about taxes. He clearly states that he is restoring taxes to those making more than $250,000 (a very comfortable lifestyle) to Clinton rates from 36% to 39%. Thats 3 cents on the dollar. Last time I checked, during the Clinton years, things were going pretty well at the higher tax rate for the rich. Other case he made, if the folks below Mr. $250,000+ a year guy will have more to spend and therefore more to hire Mr. Small Business/$250,000 a year guy. So, because of the money that I save through reduced taxes, I can afford to go out and hire the small business guy who therefore gets more business and grows to a $500,000 a year guy. Well I specifically heard in there that Obama would then eliminate the capital gains tax. Also, for Mr. Small Business guy (and gal, want to be gender correct here), he would have a 50% tax credit on healthcare paid out to his/her employees. So, case in point, you might be paying 3% more in income tax, but you will be getting 50% back on healthcare costs and no more capital gains tax, doesn't sound so bad now does it?Frank Kerr Dead at 51
"Frankie Venom" as he was called, the lead singer of the Canadian punk rock band Teenage Head passed away today at 51 years old. Yet another leaves us way too soon.
Unless you were a big fan of alternative music and listened to CFNY 102.1 regularly or maybe 105.1 The River you would probably be hard pressed to name a song.
Mike Boon posted on this before I got home today and he correctly referred to Teenage Head as "Canada's Ramones". I couldn't agree more, they took on the same approach to their songs with three cords, two minute rockers:Sesame Street Jingles
Today I made the wrong claim on a popular Sesame Street jingle in the classroom today. So I am correcting myself, I said it was Bob that sang "One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other". It turns out, it was a lot of different Sesame Street Characters, here are two of those jingles, one with Cookie Monster and one with Big Bird.
It was easily in my top three Sesame Street tunes of all time:
Category: Television
Here's The Deal With ACORN
There is no voter fraud going on with ACORN. All ACORN does is register low income voters who just happen to be democratic leaning voters. The fact is, ACORN checks every single registration they take in and if they get ones that appear bad or that they can not verify, they flag it.
By law they are required to hand in all registrations to election officials and this includes the bad ones. The fraud that you hear about is ACORN announcing that fraud to officials. They are reporting those illegalities so that THEY are covered. They are constantly monitoring themselves!!!! If there is any fraud in this its voter registration fraud which has to this date resulted in ZERO fraudulant votes.
The reports of The Dallas Cowboys signing up to vote in Ohio or where ever they signed up, its true. We know this though because ACORN reported it to the officials to document!!!!!
So this whole thought that ACORN is stealing the election and has any connection what so ever to Obama is just smoke and mirrors and misguidance by the McCain campaign. They are full of shit.
You can see the charges here, they are a matter of improper employee supervision that allowed 6 people to go out and fraudulently sign up voters. McCain will have you think Obama is orchestrating the whole thing and its simply untrue. There was no scam involving Barack Obama and his name was not even mentioned. Obama's involvement with ACORN was 13 years ago as an ATTORNEY! The employees of ACORN get paid according to the number of people they register. Listen to the video below where he CLEARY states his involvement.Category: Politics
The Simpson's Monster Mash
No television series has given us Halloween quite like the Simpsons over the years. This is a great way to kick off the two weeks leading up to Halloween with some Simpsons Halloween classic cuts put to the Monster Mash:
Category: Halloween 2008
Buffalo 3, Rangers 1
The 5-0 Rangers are now 5-1. Buffalo was behind 1-0 and thanks to a hit by Patrick Kaleta, drew the Rangers into a penalty that Thomas Vanek capitalized on.
Nothing is more encouraging right now than to see Thomas Vanek and Ales Kotalik off to hot starts. Vanek scored his 4th and 5th goals tonight giving him two short-handed goals already on the young season.
The other encouraging sign is Ryan Miller and Patrick Lalime both look sharp only allowing 1 goal in all three games. Buffalo is now 3-0. Next up Vancouver who I am liking a lot to win the west. It will be another good test in this early season with two young strong forwards Alex Burrows and Steve Bernier whom the Sabres traded away in the offseason.
New Relevance for This Song
Driving into student teaching this morning the song by the Cure called Killing An Arab came on my IPod. Thinking about the meaning of the song and what is was in reference to, it kind of takes on a whole new meaning given the ugliness of McCain/Palin supporters and their racist overtones/comments in my earlier posted videos of the angry mobs at the rallys.
The Cure did not write the song specifically about Killing An Arab, the song was written in reference to a book by a great French writer Albert Camus called The Stranger. The book was about a man (Meursault) who killed an Arab on a beach and feeling no remorse or sympathy about his actions. He feels he could shoot this guy or just as easily walk away. Its a great read and after hearing the outright disgusting and racist comments from several McCain supporters is it really that big of a stretch to think that someone couldn't attempt something like that? The only difference is Obama is not an Arab, he is not Muslim or Islamic, he is an American and a Christian.
The Cure have changed the lyrics apparently on recent tours to Kissing an Arab or Killing Another because they don't want the wrong message to be put out to fans.Either way, its a great tune and promotes a great piece of literature from one of the great writers of the 20th century:
Category: Literature | Music
Obama V. McCain Round 3
I am still puzzled why this is a two person debate. There should be a third party, but for now I will focus on the two that are on the stage. Obama for all intensive purposes has this thing won. McCain has gone into the toilet to dig out his campaign slogans and attacks over the last few weeks and its not working.
Mark my words, if McCain goes after Obama with anything about Bill Ayers or The Reverend Wright (which I thought was already done 100 times over and dismissed) then it should and will blow up in his face and there will be backlash.
The backlash will be from the independent voters who have half a brain that know that all McCain is doing is fighting a losing campaign that has run out of ideas. Instead of talking about real issues that this country needs to focus on when he takes office, McCain has instead gone to the past and dug up connections that aren't even substantial as far as any terrorist connection with Obama.
Obama has remained consistent, his message has remained calm and strong. Though I lost some repsect for him when he voted for the bailout, I still think that given the choice between McCain and Obama, Obama is the better of the two.
I would still much rather see Nader get his shot at these two. I think if he had been involved from the get go, it would be a whole different ballgame.
Category: Politics
Religion To The Extremes
The main focus of Religulous wasn't that religion is bad but that religion to the extremes is bad. When you take the Bible literally as does the creators of the Creationist Museum.
This museum teaches the history of Earth literally through the eyes of the Bible ignoring all science. Children and followers are encouraged to ignore science for what the Bible says about the scientific history of the Earth. 99.9% of all scientists believe in the theory of evolution which can be documented through thousands of peer reviewed scientific papers, journals and textbooks. It is also proven through these pieces of hard evidence called fossils. Yet, these "creationists" literally believe that the Earth was created 5000 years ago and humans walked with dinosaurs. They even have a Triceratops with a saddle on it. Its these kind of beliefs that are inherently dangerous and teaching a whole generation of kids to ignore science which is evidence based, backed up by data. There are other examples of these extremes and in the end it boils down to the question, where did this idea of God come from? Did humans create God or did God create us? I think the Greeks have it right. They have many gods who are mythological gods, yet all tell a story with a moral to it. What is wrong with that? Why do we have to be so taken in by our respective religions that we can't separate ourselves from the fairy tale like stuff and say okay, there wasn't a giant ark that held two of every single species, its a story that is told to teach us to be good to other animals? Whats wrong with having some humility and saying that we just don't know and instead of saying this one book, the Bible is the truth and everything else is bullshit? Whats wrong with acknowledging that evidence based science is ultimately where we will have to trust in for society to make progress and solve issues we have facing the world we live in? Religion is philosopy, its not any different from Aristotle or Henry David Thorreau. The only difference is no one has build temples to Aristotle or Thorreau, but maybe we should. They at least were logical philosophers and spoke in rational terms using realistic examples.Category: religion
The New Odds?
One of my favorite all time Canadian acts was a band out of Vancouver called The Odds. Well, today while searching for Hip For The Hell Of It, I stumbled across an old Odds video and discovered that they are still touring and making albums under the name The New Odds.
Here is some old Odds though while I learn about The New Odds lineup. They have a recent release called "Cheerleader" which I have heard nothing about but if its anything like the old stuff its worth a look.
They had a knack for writing quirky, yet powerful, guitar laden pop songs. Here is Someone Who is Cool:Category: Music
Hip For The Hell Of It
Its been awhile since we did some Hip, so here is a song off Day For Night, a live gem that I have only heard them do live maybe two times, this is The Inevitability of Death live in 2002 at the Hummingbird Center in Toronto:
Category: Hip For The Hell Of It | Music
Sabres 7, Islanders 1
If there is a team that is destined for dead last this year it may very well be the NY Islanders. After watching the Sabres tear them up it was obvious its going to be a long season on the Island. The Sabres handed them a 7-1 defeat yesterday afternoon and the Islanders deserved every goal that was scored against them. The Leafs can't possibly finish last in the East unless the Islanders either fold mid-season or move to the Western Conference.
Their best offensive players include Mike Comrie, Doug Weight and Bill Guerin. Not exactly high caliber players there anymore, Rick Dipietro was injured and he may be their best player and honestly I think he is an overrated goalie. On Defense, Brendan Witt, not exactly big names anywhere in that lineup. The Islanders have a long season.
As for Buffalo, it was one of those games where it may have done more damage than a game like that did good. Jochen Hecht was injured which leaves them pretty shorthanded at center going into a big match up with the Rangers. I say big because they have to prove they can play with the Rangers. Last year they lost all four meetings and with the Rangers being 5-0 already they are clearly the team to beat in the East.
Wednesday will be a big test and it will be interesting to see if they call anyone up to play from Portland on Wednesday perhaps Nathan Gerbe or Mark Mancari. I would like to see what Gerbe has in a regular season game.
Mandatory Music Monday
I searched and I searched for something with the word Thanks in it, ideally Thanksgiving and I came up with the best song on my list for the Canadian holiday today. Its Sloan with I Wanna Thank You. This Mandatory Music Monday is for the Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday enjoy:
Category: Mandatory Music Mondays
Only In The US
Here in the US today we celebrate Columbus Day. Why? He didn't discover the United States, he discovered "the Americas" He landed well south of the US and therefore, it would be a holiday more for Southern and Central America than the US.
Also, Columbus wasn't that nice of a guy anyway. He was cruel to the natives when he arrived and was a religious nut job just like the ones we are dealing with at the Palin rallies. He wanted to obliterate non-Christians. My how things have changed.
So, celebrate today for what it is, the guy after all gave us a day off. Can't have too many of those can we?
Category: Columbus Day 2008
HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers!
Category: Canadian Thanksgiving 2008
October Surprise 2 Years Ago
Its been two years now since the October Surprise snow storm. I remember my drive home that day. A drive that normally takes 15 minutes took 3 hours. I quickly cancelled my homecare visit as tree branches were collapsing on either side of my car as I was driving down streets in Amherst attempting to get to my visit.
This video that someone shot, accurately portrays the carnage of that night. I got home to a sparking electrical wire in our backyard. Half our street went without power, we were on the half with power. The only thing we lost was TV, the satellite went out for a few hours.
I went out to try to brush it off when I noticed the sparking wire overhead so I figured a night without TV would be nothing compared to getting electrocuted.
It will be a storm that will be remembered for a long time to come, no it wasn't the windiest, no it wasn't the snowiest, no it wasn't the longest lasting, but it was the earliest, catching all of us by surprise:
Category: Weather
Tax His Church First
Pat Robertson is a prime example of a religious whack job that needs to stay the hell out of the business of politics and stick to what he does best, brain washing those that choose to believe his load of crap. He is also a prime example why Bill Maher made his documentary.
He recently predicted that between Election Day and Inauguration Day US coastal cities would be struck by nukes due to escalating violence against Israel. The fact that he is even going to this place is just mind boggling. He did this two years ago and again during the 2004 election.
Sooner or later you would have to believe that his followers would have to wake up and say gee, maybe this guy doesn't have the answers, hes wrong time and time again. The guy is a nut job and when we start taxing churches for getting involved in politics we should start with his. His little enterprise makes a fortune through the 700 Club Im sure, we might take a huge chunk out of our national debt by collecting 30% from Pat Robertson's place of worship.
Sunday Retro
This week Im featuring one of the most important bands not just of the 80s but of all time. The Smiths have influenced just about everyone in modern/new rock from their peers to bands like Hot Hot Heat, The Tokyo Police Club from todays artists. Morrissey and Johnny Marr are still out there doing their solo work and contributing to other bands. Johnny Marr is working with Modest Mouse who has had a string of really good releases, while Morrissey is still doing the solo thing.
The song Im featuring this week isn't my favorite song by the Smiths but lyrically it might be one of their best, its The Queen is Dead off the album of the same name:
Category: Music | Sunday Retro
Religulous is a Must See For All Faiths
I went tonight to see Religulous, the new documentary by Real Time host Bill Maher. As most of you know he is no supporter of religion and spends portions of his show and his comedy bits tearing holes in religion, not just Christianity, all religions.
I left the movie, and I mean this in the most positive way, being even more assured of my Atheist self. I would be considered a non-practicing Catholic, but how can you be considered non-practicing when you don't believe in the whole thing to begin with. So, that leaves me with atheism, which I don't just leave that out there for everyone to know but after seeing the movie, I don't mind saying it as much because really, I think that when it comes to most, not all who are highly religious, I am of the rationale minority who don't believe in any religion.
Did you know that Atheists represent 16% of the population of this country, more than African-Americans, Jews and the NRA yet don't get represented at the political level? That point is made in the movie too, name one politician that doesn't parade the fact that they are religious or a believer in God, 99.9% of the time if not 100% of the time in some form of Christianity or Catholic faith. Would anyone reading this website vote for an openly Atheist president? Would that mean that in your eyes that person would not be morally responsible enough to run our country?
Bill spends much of the first half the documentary on Christianity and Catholicism because, at least in this country thats where most of us identify with. Even to me, I can at least be familiar with the names that are tossed around in those religions just from being around those who believe in it.
After the first half, all religions are fair game to the scrutiny. At times Bill comes off as stand offish, but its more him asking tough questions of those who are closest to their faiths. As you know when you get people who are highly immersed in their faiths to the point of believing their specific books or religions literally, things can get heated.
He talks to those from Mormonism including being kicked off the front lawn of the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah just for being there doing the documentary. He does get to talk to two former Mormons who left their faith and talked of their issues with the faith including being literally isolated from friends and family because of their withdrawal from their religion.
There are several holes that were punched into Christianity, Catholicisims, Muslims, Islam, Scientology, Judiaism and Mormonism that left you with the feeling that if you were Atheist going in, your not wrong about not believing and I truly believe that if one of faith goes in, no matter how immersed in your religion that you are, if you watch with an open mind, you will leave with a new outlook, that maybe religion isn't as important as some of us make it out to be.
Our leaders, our elected leaders and other leaders from around the world, including George W. Bush believe that the end of the world is coming in our times. The point that Maher makes is that we actually have the capacity as humans to see it to the end if we chose whether its nuclear, pollution or otherwise. We have that power, more so than anyother species that lived before us. All religions preach some end to our time here on this planet in some round about way.
Its comedy with serious overtones and serious questions. It brings up legitimate questions, all the while making light of the seriousness of what is being discussed.
Its a bold movie and covers things that some in the Muslim and Islamic world like Solomon Rushdie would have been killed over not more than 20 years ago. It covers topics and asks questions that get some pissed off and others answer him but with reluctance.
One thing it does do though is brings to light the "moral" fairy tales that represent what is written in our respecitve religious books and how dangerous it is to take them literally and in some cases how silly it is to believe in them at all. Its definitely worth a trip to see this daring documentary Bill Maher who is in my mind one of the great intellectual comedians of our time.
More Ugliness
More from the land of the brainwashed. This clip is from Bethlehem, Pa, thats right, the state just to our south. Thats not too far away and these people were lining up to see a McCain/Palin rally. Be prepared to vomit in your mouth folks, its more of the same. How can these people call themselves Christian, rightwing what ever they are. They are bigots and racists. Its not the republican party anymore, its the racist party.
Category: Miscellaneous | Politics
Sabres 2 Montreal 1
Thomas Vanek scored the only regulation goal for the Sabres last night and Max Nation did everything but score on Carey Price but the Sabres found a way to get two points in the shootout. Their secret? Go stick side on Carey Price.
The Sabres had 35 shots on goal last night and saw not one rebound from price. Thats because all night, Price's glove was like a magnet and he gave up not one rebound that I could see. Ryan Miller wasn't bad either when it counted and the Sabres win game one 2-1.
The question marks were solid like Teppo and Drew who also scored on his shootout attempt. Both Ales Kotalik got the winner in the shootout and both he and Stafford went backhand on the stick side on price and both found the back of the net.
What was even more encouraging was Ryan Miller made two great saves in the shootout, the Sabres were 14-18 last year in one goal games and their losses in shootouts were a major reason why they were so bad. Improving the shootout goaltending will help a lot.
So there you go Leafers, if you find yourself on a breakaway or in a shootout on Carey Price go stick side, he's vulnerable, anywhere else and hes going to eat the puck. Its too bad it took Buffalo that long to figure him out they could have won in regulation.
Three Home Openers in 2008
Last night completed the trifecta for me. Three home openers in 2008. The Jays back in April at Roger's Centre (Skydome), The Bills home and season opener, and last night at a spur of the moment I went to the Sabres season opener against the Habs. So two of them were season openers.
I checked online and there were only 100 level and 200 level club seats left single seats only so I grabbed one and headed off. It was my first game in over a year and a half.
If I was a Raptor fan or a basketball fan period, I would try to shoot for four home openers but that won't happen. Maybe theres a ticket out there floating around for the Leafs home opener? Anyone?
Category: Miscellaneous | Sports
Terrorist Talk Is Skirting The Real Issues
Bill Press is the morning show guy on AM 1520 and is one of the best political talk show hosts in the nation. Hes intelligent, insightful and when he has to will hit politicians on both sides of the political fence. He is also not biased toward his party, the democrats. What he does is tells it honestly.
Its refreshing to have such a station like AM 1520 because it allows you to escape the republican/conservative laden radio that we have been exposed to here in Buffalo with Rush Limbaugh and WBEN over the years.
Have a listen to Bill commenting on the McCain campaign and them accusing Barrack Obama of hanging out with terrrorists:
Happy Birthday John Lennon
I think John Lennon would appreciate this video on his birthday. He was one of the most political song writers of his time and was out in search of the truth, something that so many of us want out of our government now.
Today would have been Lennon's 68th birthday. He was way too young when he left us.
Category: Music
Every Little Thing She Does is Peanuts
This is awesome:Category: Music | Television
Total Brainwash
Check out these pathetic excuses for human beings, these are the people who should have their right to vote taken away this election for being exactly what Sarah Palin is, a racist. She has been promoting this by using Barack Obama's middle name and stating a totally false and outright lie that he has been buddies with terrorists.
Look, when Ayers was doing what he was doing Obama was 8. 8 Years old. I don't think so folks. So what, even if he was Muslim, what in our consitution denies a Muslim the right to run for and win the presidency of the United States? What says that our president has to be A) Christian and B) white?
These people are exactly the reason why I support no religion nor do I worship any god, because these people have been brainwashed. Totally and utterly brainwashed and its dangerous. Its no better than belonging to the KKK or the Nazi's.
Turned Down Again
John McCain was turned down again, this time by the Foo Fighters. This adds to a lengthy list of artists who have said a resounding no to Grampy using their songs that includes John Melloncamp, Heart and Jackson Browne.I have a great song for McCain to use. Im sure the artist would be more than willing to let him use it because it would after all be telling the TRUTH about John McCain and warning people before he walked on stage, as a matter of fact, they should play this before he comes out for the next debate:
Buffalo Sabres 2008/2009 Preview
This week Ill look at the forwards, but before I do, the choice of Craig Rivet for captain was awesome. Though he hasn't played a regular season game yet with the team the guy is hard nosed, works his tail off and is a true veteran leader who will rub off on the rest of the team and apparently, already is. This is the players choice, not the coaches or managements, so ultimately if its the wrong choice, the players made it, they have to live with it.
Now onto the forwards, they are knee deep in forwards, there are guys who I wish were on the team who will be in Portland and there are guys on the team who I wish were in Portland. Max Afinogenov is one of the ones who I am surprised wasn't shipped out. They are stuck with him through this year and anything short of 30+ goals out of the guy would be a shame. He has been due ever since he skated onto this team years ago but every year falls short of expectations.
Drew Stafford is the other forward on this team that I expect to see have a much better season. This guy is 20-25 goals, 60-80 points and should be a consistent 3rd to 2nd line forward.
Tim Connolly is the other huge question mark. There is no doubt he is talented, the only question can he get back to what he was two years ago before the latest concussion. Also his hip thing has to go away and apparently he has had more leg issues during camp, so there are concerns and realistic ones at that. If hes healthy all year they have two number one centers in Roy and Connolly, if not, they will have to play Stafford on the second line and hope he has a bit of a breakout season.
Other than Stafford,Max and Connolly, the rest of this team just has to be themselves and be consistent. No slow starts and no prolonged droughts and this forward unit to me is as good as anyone in the league. Remember last year they still were 4th offensively in the entire league.
If Max falters expect to see Nathan Gerbe around sooner than later.
Overall this year, Im looking for this team to be right up at the top of the Northeast, Ottawa is significantly depleted with the loss of Redden and still question marks in goal, Toronto is not going to be a factor according to many up there, Montreal is really the cream of the crop in this years Northeast and I think that Buffalo after a little re-tooling and some healthy seasons from the above mentioned players can skate with anyone including Montreal.
Opening night is Friday against those Canadians so right off the bat we will see where this team stacks up against them.
More For The Greedy Rich
What the hell is our Federal Government doing? AIG last month got $85 billion. Today, they get another $37 billion because as they say it will help them secure funds on an "as needed basis". Whats the matter, can't do that with the first $85 BILLION? Seriously? The killer is this news just goes right under the radar of the average American who if they knew would be outraged about this. This $700 billion deal is getting worse all the time. They got their money and they keep asking for and getting more. Eventually, you have to pry the baby away from the tit and let them go down in flames. They showed how irresponsible the were with money by having a $440,000 spa retreat for their executives which is really just obscene that they could do that and not expect people to be paying attention. McCain meanwhile last night if you caught it said we need $300 BILLION dollars to go towards buy bad debt and foreclosed homes and re-negotiate the deals.........at which point my jaw dropped and wondered again, what was that $700 billion for? McCain, we just gave the who thing $700 billion, why another $300 billion? The bailout was to secure the bad debt was it not? All at the same time he said that we needed a spending freeze, well what way are you going? Spending freeze or $300 billion? These people are as bad as Dr. Evil asking for money. They are evil in real life too for running this country into the ground.D Is For Democracy
I don't post on this band nearly enough. Spirit of the West, one of my all time favorite Canadian bands has a tune that fits the day with all the politics, D For Democracy. This is a great live clip of them, I haven't checked up on their website much lately, is there a new live DVD out that I don't know about? They are some of the best musicians I have seen play together and I have seen a lot of good groups. Maybe they have a Buffalo show coming soon.
Category: Music
Mandatory Music Monday (Late Again)
Once again I'm a day late on the Mandatory Music Monday. Mondays have been hellacious for getting time to write but today, I think I make up for it with my choice in song. Its a 90's CFNY staple from the Canadian band Artificial Joy Club called Sick and Beautiful. Sick and Beautiful was released in 1997 and led the band to appearing at Lollapalooza that year. They broke up in 1999. Have a listen!Category: Mandatory Music Mondays
McCain's Crappy Idea of Healthcare
Anyone involved in healthcare, anyone who is eligible or receiving medicare benefits or anyone who is disabled and receiving medicaid benefits should read this. John McCain plans to pay for his healthcare plan by reducing medicare and medicaid by $1.3 trillion dollars. Thats a lot of Medicare, a program for the elderly that is needed by people after they retire. Medicaid a program that yes its abused, but is needed by those with developmental disabilities who can't work or those with life altering illnesses, conditions and injuries. His plan, gives you and me a $5000 TAX CREDIT to buy our own healthcare. The only problem is the average family plan costs $12,000 a year. How do you and I, the average citizens of this country cough up the other $7000? Chump change to a guy whose wifey wears $300,000 dresses and has nine homes I'm sure, but to average citizens of the middle class, we don't have $7000 floating around for healthcare. Cuts to medicare and medicaid of that size should worry a lot of people, especially those medical facilities whose income is primarily medicare and medicaid based.Category: News | Politics | healthcare
I Feel Old
Over the weekend I didn't do much bloggage because Saturday, my youngest sister Katie got married to her fiance JP. My little sister married. Holy crap, I feel so old now. It was a great wedding and lots of family who I haven't seen in so long and its a shame that its only a couple of days that we got to see everyone.
So, if you get a chance make sure you all leave a comment and congratulate the new couple!
Category: Miscellaneous
John McCain's Speech
Again, John McCain has nothing better to say than to plant doubt in his followers minds instead of convincing them he is the better candidate to run this country.
McCain should be ashamed of himself, If he can't make himself look good on the issues we should hear about then maybe its time for him to fold up his campaign and admit he doesn't have it. He talks about Obama being angry, I have never seen Obama angry, but, seeing McCain, he looked angry in these speeches.Category: Politics
Disgusting Politics
Regardless of who you are voting for, Sarah Palin's comments about Barack Obama's supposed involvement with terrorists is disgusting. If John McCain and Sarah Palin can't win this election on the issues, then pack up your shit and don't just go back to Alaska, swim your asses to Russia.
Her comments are so horrendous. They really are not even worth a response because they only ones who truly are brainwashed into thinking that are hardcore, far right wing, right wing, racists. That said, I hope tonight in this oh so important debate, Barack Obama shows some spine and in front of the world, shoots back about these outrageous claims.
Anyone with half a brain should be able to see through those comments. I haven't heard McCain or Palin make any significant statements about a plan or what they intend to do. Barack Obama is far more issue driven in this campaign. All I hear out of Grampy and Palin are crude jokes, remarks and nasty, untrue statements about Obama.
Well, if they want to play that game lets talk about McCains ties to the Keating 5 other racist organizations. Lets talk about Sarah Palin's involvment with organizations that openly sought the succession of Alaska from the United States or how she attends a church that is openly anti-Jewish. This kind of campaign will blow up in McCain's face.
Obama has already been asked about Ayers in debates during the primaries, he has already gone through the Reverend Wright thing. Its been done, John McCain and Palin are trying to skirt the issues because THEY CAN'T WIN ON THE ISSUES.
Category: Politics
Sunday Retro
Heres a little tune that I actually picked up the last time I was at Frizb's about a week ago, $5 was all I spent for a $5 Saturday at Frizb's and all their used CD's are guaranteed. This week for Retro Sunday is Rusted Root and Send Me On My Way
Category: Music | Sunday Retro
Matt Gonzalez On The Debates
Matt Gonzalez, Ralph Nader's VP running mate has this video giving his comments on why him and Nader have not been allowed in the debate. Matt is a great speaker, great on the issues and really deserved to be there. They raised their money, they are on the ballot officially in 45 states and counting and both he and Nader if not for coorporate finance of these debates would be on that stage. Have a listen to what he has to say, he hits on all the issues that were discussed at the debates:Category: Politics
Obama Speaks, McCain Votes and Runs
Okay republican peoples, your highly regarded candidate who has been stating throughout this campaign that he is totally against pork barrel spending voted on this "bailout" that was loaded with all kinds of extras EXCEPT HELP FOR THE HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE GOING UNDER WITH THIS THING!!!!!!
Take a look at the list of "extras" that were attached to this thing:
- Economic incentives for American Samoan businesses
-$10,000 tax credit for training of mine rescue worker teams (suggesting that maybe those rescue teams aren't trained very well or at all to begin with)
- 50% immediate expensing for extra underground mine safety equipment (the republicans voted this down a while back after those workers were trapped, so much for supporting the worker)
- Tax credit for businesses with employees from an Indian reservation
- Accelerated depreciation for property used mostly on an Indian reservation
- 50% tax credit for some expenditures on maintaining railroad tracks. (I'd like to know which ones the next time I'm on a train.)
- 7-year recovery period for motorsports racetrack property (That is NASCAR pork! Could only be republican)
- Expensing of cleanup for brownfield contaminated sites (I would have to look this one up but if the Superfund bill was fully funded, which it is not because of the environmentally irresponsible administration in power, this would be not only funded already but paid for by companies that leave these sites in that state)
- Enhanced deductions for businesses donating computers and books to schools, and for food donations (This is good pork and much needed in inner city schools lacking resources)
- Reduction of import duties on some imported wool fabrics, transfers and other duties to Wool Trust Fund to promote competitiveness of American wool........(Sorry, but what the fuck where these guys doing the last two or three days?)
- Special expensing rules for film and TV productions (Huh?)
- deduction for income from domestic production in Puerto Rico (again WTF?)
- Increasing cover of rum excise tax revenues to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands (This might be the wierdest and most meaningless of the bunch and who the hell thought of this one?)
- Making it easier for film and TV companies to use deduction for domestic production.
-Exempting children's wooden arrows from excise tax.......(Okay I lied, this one is the wierdest one, was Palin and Quayle sitting in on this? Where did this shit come from? Where does this type of thing even warrant enough attention to even be talked about by any Senator or Congressman? Prior to reading this, I haven't seen a wooden arrow, well, I have never seen a wooden arrow and what parent in their right mind would let their kids play with arrows?)
-Income averaging for Exxon Valdez litigants for tax purposes.
Okay, there is a huge problem with this, not just because of the ridiculous crap that our lawmakers, and there is NO debating, both Republican AND Democrats had their hand on this, but while we are being told that this country is facing an economic meltdown these heartless, gutless, overpaid, lying politicians are sitting on Capital Hill coming up with shit so meaningless to attach it to a bill of this magnitude!
We should be outraged! Total crap, we were told when this thing first came down the pipe that last MONDAY if they didn't get this $700 billion that the economy would certainly crash, so far SO GOOD!
These stupid additions cost this thing an additional $150 billion dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That brings the price tag to $850 billion of our money. 8 out of 10 congressmen don't have economic educational backgrounds. Thats shameful, these guys voting on this don't have the background to understand the problem.
I have a lot of republican readers and Im sure democrats would agree, this is totally irresponsible. Notice that nothing of what was in the above and nothing in any of the other add ons addressed the middle class of this country and nothing addressed the root of the problem. I have a great idea, let the American taxpayers vote on this thing on November 4th, and in the process of us voting for it, VOTE THEM ALL OUT, EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WHO SUPPORTED THIS PIECE OF CRAP!
Senate Passes Bailout Without One Vote From You and I
How bad is this, not just $700 billion, $810 billion including tax breaks to businesses and middle class families. They voted on it and passed this "bailout" in the Senate, citing that they were doing it for the "American people".
Really? I don;t remember getting the chance to vote on whether or not I wanted my politicians, the ones that are supposed to be acting on our behalf when they spend our money, to actually spend that money on a bailout.
They voted on it without asking us, the American people first. This bill and bailout is bullshit and they know it, I know it and if the people of this country don't think so then they are blind to what has been going on.
Its a sad night and we can only hope that congress acts like they did on Monday and vote it down again. This bailout is fraudulant and they are spending our money without our consensus. Its the biggest robbery in the history of this country and its been done by the people we elect.
There's only one thing left to do, vote each and every single incumbent out of there. All of them. Everyone I have talked to over the last several days feels this bailout is wrong. I can't see that attitude being any different amongst the vast majority of this country.
We Have 33 Days
We have 33 days to stir up the pot and get enough support for Ralph Nader to win this thing. I am in no way shape or form supporting this bailout. Its a scam by the Bush administration and Wall Street to basically steal taxpayer dollars.
The original bill was insane, $700 billion with absolutely no oversight? That had Bush and Cheney and the repukes written all over it.
Now you have not just McCain, but Obama saying that we must hand over taxpayer dollars. Now its $850 billion. Its fleecing the American public and if this thing goes through and our money, mine and yours, gets handed to Wall Street, we should and have every right to storm the White House and impeach every single last one of these bastards.
So, I am speaking out against all these current repukes and democrats from here on in. I am democrat, but I believe, after listening to and reviewing the plans on Ralph Nader's website, this is the guy that the democrats should be running.
How can Obama be in favor of the same thing as John McCain that is so drastic, such a large sum of money. Obama, a democrat should have an opposing if not varied point of view on this thing as John McCain and instead he is spewing the same fear tactic BS that McCain, the village idiot president of ours and the rest of White House people are giving us.
We have put up with the fear tactics long enough, Nader is my man, I don't give a shit if the democrats win, Im making a stance and voting for something I believe in. We need more choice, we need someone who gives a crap about the people of this country.
Category: Politics
The BS Keeps Piling Up
Surprise, Surprise! Nothing Palin has said about seeing Russia or being in a position to see Russia. The lies man, all that the Republicans are about and she keeps losing any credibility.
Category: Miscellaneous | Politics
Sabres 08/09 Preview
The defense is coming back with one new addition who will certainly up the toughness factor and one who will upgrade the age factor (not in a good way).
Craig Rivet was the Sabres free agent signing on defense and it is a move much needed. This guy is as tough as they come on the blueline and it addresses something Sabre fans have been craving for years, a guy who will take the heads of opposing fowards in the crease.
Teppo Numinen on the other hand I couldn't help be scratch my head about bringing him back. Hes 40 years old, played all of one game last year and his health is in question after open heart surgery amongst other injuries. I would personally rather see Mike Weber who played great over the last 10-15 games of the season last year.
The rest of the defense remains essentially unchanged. Andrej Sekera is a year older and hopefully continues to improve over his performance last season, Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder will hopefully return to 2007 form and lead this team on the blueline after a subpar season last year from both of them.
Then there is Jaroslav Spacek, he is entering a contract year and most likely will not be back after this year, especially if Buffalo sees the positives continue to grow in Mike Weber and Andrej Sekera. It will be interesting to see how Spacek performs, you would have to think hes going to go gang busters to impress the rest of this league come free agency for some big money.
Overall with the addition of Rivet and a return to form for Tallinder and Lydman, there is no reason why this defense can't rank right up there with any top 6 in the NHL, the only question is will they?
