Friday, January 20, 2006
Song of the day:
I know a girl
She puts the color inside of my world
But she's just like a maze
Where all of the walls all continually change
And I've done all I can
To stand on the steps with my heart in my hand
And I started to see
Maybe it's got nothing to do with me
Fathers be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers be good to your daughters, too
-John Mayer "Daughters"
-Picture by Lydia VanRoy-Amundson
History on Jan 20th when I first started this update:
In 1801, John Marshall was appointed chief justice of the United States.
In 1841, the island of Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain. (It returned to Chinese control in July 1997.) (Whereupon it was promptly destroyed by Godzilla.
In 1887, the U.S. Senate approved an agreement to lease Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as a naval base.
In 1896, comedian George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum in New York City.
In 1936, Britain's King George V died; he was succeeded by Edward VIII.
In 1942, Nazi officials held the notorious Wannsee conference, during which they arrived at their "final solution" that called for exterminating Jews.
In 1945, President Roosevelt was sworn into office for an unprecedented fourth term.
In 1954, "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial," a play by Herman Wouk based on part of his novel "The Caine Mutiny," opened on Broadway.
In 1986, the United States observed the first federal holiday in honor of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1986, Britain and France announced plans to build the Channel Tunnel.
Jan 20th's Birthdays:
Country singer Slim Whitman is 82.
It's also possible he's Zorro.
Actress Patricia Neal is 80.
Comedian Arte Johnson is 77.
Verrry interesting, but stupid.
Former astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin is 76.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!
Rock musician Paul Stanley (KISS) is 54.
Murderers and the like are re-incarnated when they die as the hair traps in his shower.
Political blowhard, pissant, and general annoyance Bill Maher (MAR) is 50.
Actor Lorenzo Lamas is 48.
There wasn't a picture of him on the internet. I swear.
Actress Stacey Dash is 39.
I know, I was thinking the same thing... she's Ms. Dash, only spicier!
Actor Skeet Ulrich is 36.
For those that don't know, he's like Johnny Depp, only without the career.
Word of the day:
panacea \pan-uh-SEE-uh\, noun:
A remedy for all diseases, problems, or evils; a universal medicine; a cure-all.
Ok, REALLY...TODAY in history:
In 1783, Spain recognized U.S. independence. It looked like...
Touriya.
In 1809, the territory of Illinois was created. Well, not really created. It was already there. More like a group of people decided how a plot of land should be divided.
In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, providing for a federal income tax, was ratified. Stupid 16th amendment, anyway.
In 1916, Canada's original Parliament Buildings, in Ottawa, burned down. Let the mutha burn! Burn, baby burn!
In 1917, the United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. Psssh. What's the worst that could happen?
In 1924, the 28th president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, died in Washington at age 67.
In 1930, the chief justice of the United States, William Howard Taft, resigned for health reasons.
In 1943, during World War II, the U.S. transport ship Dorchester, which was carrying troops to Greenland, sank after being hit by a torpedo. (Four Army chaplains gave their life belts to four other men, and went down with the ship.)
In 1994, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off, carrying Sergei Krikalev, the first Russian cosmonaut to fly aboard a U.S. spacecraft.
In 1995, the space shuttle Discovery blasted off with a woman, Air Force Lt. Colonel Eileen Collins, in the pilot's seat for the first time in NASA history.
Review of A & E's "Flight 93":
I really had every intention to go to sleep last night. Or to clean the bathroom. But Flight 93 was on A and E last night…
It was good TV, but beyond that there seemed to be a moral obligation to watch the thing once you started. If you missed it, it was ok. But if you caught any part of it, you were obligated to follow it to its inevitable end, to bear witness to what they had to go through.
The show itself, because of the nature of the content, comes perilously close to being above criticism. You cannot criticize it, because this is a re-enactment of a real and horrifying event, and the rules of decorum in reviewing a show such as this are not he same for something that is fictionally based, or some of the other so-called reality shows like American Idol. While not everything in a re-enactment can be accepted as scripture, there is something sacred about watching the final moments of some very brave people. It’s just very un-cool to assail the words and actions of those being portrayed. The portrayers, however, are another story.
More on that in a moment, though. First, the question of why I was watching it in the first place. It wouldn’t be an accurate description to say that it was “fun to watch”. It wasn’t. It also wasn’t the “can’t watch the car wreck, but can’t look away” cliché either. It was gripping, however, in much the same way Schindler’s List is. It’s a representation of the account of a group of people who faced their eminent death, and all of the aspects that come with it. As a viewer, you’re transfixed by what you see. If you are anything like me, there is an ever-present concern that your interest in such shows will be misinterpreted as some masochistic glee at seeing others suffer. I watch these shows because it makes those moments in history all the more real for me, and makes them easier to connect to. It adds the human element to it, instead of having a statistical breakdown of the number of deaths, or pounds of fuel, or whatever it may be. Seeing the implications and connections to others, like a mother and daughter talking on the phone for the very last time, or watching a child ripped from the arms of a father as the Nazis carry out the liquidation of the ghetto. These aren’t scenes I like to see, but it allows me to feel them for myself, so that I better understand what they went through. However, from an outside view, those feelings may not be shared by others, and so I keep them to myself. In a sense, you become almost embarrassed for liking these tales of grief and despair. Which is not, repeat, NOT saying that watching Jewish families from Poland suffer is my guilty pleasure. Or from any other nation, for that matter.
Flight 93 does an exceptional job of capturing those true emotions laid bare for the viewer to see. I happened across only the last half of the show as I prepared for bed, and quite honestly, should have been in the process of cleaning the bathroom. Once I came across it however, I was transfixed. It was 11pm, but there wasn’t a chance I was going to sleep until the show ended. It was one of those events in history that you look back at, and wonder what you would have done if put in the same situation. I’m not sure that I could have been as brave as they had been. The people on that plane are praised for being heroes, which they are, there is no doubt of that. But I think that some people get the idea that they sacrificed themselves in fighting back to save those in the buildings they might have hit. That’s wrong. They fought to get home to their own lives. To get back to those on the other end of the phones, who could only sit and strain to listen to every crackled word on the cell phones they heard. They fought to live on. They weren’t able to accomplish that. But the fact that they tried –that they fought back the fear and panic and horror they had to feel to repel and ruin the plans of some horrible monsters to humanity- prevents anyone from saying they failed. To think of what it would have meant, to be able to take back the plane, and do away with their tormentors…to simply get to the point where the passengers would have had control of the cockpit, and to have a chance (just even a chance) to land it on their own! You can’t help after watching it to think about what it would have been like for them to be able to re-unite after everything that had happened.
The show had only a few points that fell out of harmony with the rest of the show. And it should be reminded again, that this nitpicks are leveled at the production of the re-enactment, and not at the moments themselves. There was a moment where Todd Beamer is talking to an operator, and reciting The Lord’s Prayer. The moment actually happened, and fit with the context of the show, but the portrayal of the actress playing the operator seemed forced and wooden. The other small complaint revolved around the director, and his insistence that nearly every character that wasn’t on the plane should be holding a baby, or looking out onto a lawn full of children. It’s not lost upon me that there were a multitude of children that were affected by this. As a father myself, I blubbered when Thomas Burnett eschewed talking to his 3 daughters one last time, not wanting to upset them further, or possibly risk losing his resolve to do what needed to be done. It became an issue, however, when every person involved on the ground was holding a child or infant, as if it were a mandatory prop. There again, it felt forced and unnatural. It was a minor twinge that for a brief moment made it feel more like propaganda instead of the memorial it is. And had it not been noticed by me, I am sure that you’d agree that it’s a fitting memorial at that.
Random Picture of Grace Park:
“Gun” review:
You need a horse.
No, correction.
You NEED a horse. All this running around on your feet crap is for the poor bastards who don’t have a Winchester. Oh sure, popular opinion of you in town might drop…but the hick in front of you has the only horse in sight, and you’ll be damned if you’re gonna spend the next few minutes dodging bullets when you could be galloping away. Or running them down on the beast yourself. So you do what you have to. You skin your bullet-wagon and make it a mercy killing, sending a metal angel through the owners brain bucket, just behind the ear. It’s a bit of a surprise to see his head explode like a piñata with a stick of dynamite inside, but you recover quickly enough when a bullet cracks the dusk and rock at your feet. You quickly mount the horse (NO, NOT THAT!), and get a quick feel for your bearings. There’s 5 hoodlums coming at different directions. You could beat the trail to Empire City and hole up for a spell, and come back later to wreak havoc on Dodge. Or you could stand and deliver the lungers to the sweet here-after.
It’d be smarter to make a break for it. But you’ve never been the type to run away. So you quickdraw your pistols and time suddenly slows down. Their movement compared to yours is so slow, it’s almost comical. They never stood a chance. Your concentration narrows as you plug the first man 2 times in the gut, and move to the next target. He’s blazing away at you, but his shot is wide. Yours are dead on, and you run a bullet through his throat. Any other time, you’d call it a lucky shot, but there are more targets yet. The third guy is caught re-loading and a shot in the chest and leg puts him down. The 4th man grazes your shoulder, but it doesn’t keep you from getting off 3 shots to end his misery. The 5th guy feints to gallop away on his own ride, but a well placed shot in his back has him slumped over. Out of nowhere, a hail of bullets rains down on your steed from above. A quick glance reveals a whore with a rifle of her own, atop the balcony of the Amstead Saloon. Your horse falls over, leaving you on your feet again, but you’re able to take your time, because she’s got terrible aim (which is surprising considering her reputation for working with her hands). You take your time, line up your shot, and take pleasure in giving her something she’s never had before…
But dammit! Now you’re without a horse again. No, wait! The dead guy who tried to ride away. You amble over to the now rider-less painted pony, and climb aboard. Now, with a fresh horse, and no one in town to get in your way. Still, there isn’t anything in town for you anymore. May as well head over to Empire City, and see if there’s any bounty work. Maybe stop by the Rancher, and see if he needs a hand along the way.
Gun allows you to get in touch with your inner-Clint Eastwood. Only just last night, I got “A Fistful of Dollars” from Netflix, and no sooner had the first shootout occurred (“My mule don’t like it you laughing. He gets the crazy idea you’re laughing at him.”), then I felt a compelling urge to set the movie next to my video game console and watch the movie while going through my own shoot-outs.
There is a larger mission to accomplish, but in the meantime, you have plenty of lee-way to go where you want when you want. Wanna take a side job for the Pony Express? Why not! Feel like talking things over with an Indian trader? Just head on up to the lake shore, and get some medicinal herbs. Go mining for gold? Friend, there a bunch of offbeat places to do it. Got a craving that your horse can’t scratch? Sorry. There are “Billiard rooms”, but no one is ever in them, and you can’t spend your hard earned bounty cash on the ladies of the upstairs. And as with all a-moral games in which you play a character who is a bit of an anti-hero, there is a testing out phase of what you can shoot and what you can’t. Or who, for that matter.
It took some time to get to Dodge, but immediately upon my arrival, I used some of the common citizens for practice. At first, it was innocent warning shots, just to get the hang of the capabilities of my character. But as my own ability grew, so did the darker side of my desires. I found that I could sneak up behind people, and grab them, holding a knife to their throat. I wouldn’t execute them however…I just pretended to be a badass, and a bully. I suspect it’s because I wasn’t held enough as a child. (Which would also explain why I hold myself so often.)
(It’s a special type of hug, just for me.)
It was inevitable, though. After a time, I simply couldn’t resist the temptation to squeeze off a round into an innocent bystander. Channeling my inner Johnny Cash, I shot a man in Reno (Actually Empire).
Just to watch him die.
Now at this point, I’m sure many of you are wondering to yourselves the following:
“Clint Eastwood?! Johnny Cash?! Just how many men do you have inside you?”
You’ll simply have to wait until it reaches the video shelves to find out. (Look for “BuckBack Mounting 2: The Turning Out of Young Eddie Colbort” at your favorite adult novelty stores next week!)
It’s a small part, but it’s a start.
…
Maybe the phrase “It’s a small part” wasn’t the best choice of words there.
Gun is one of the better non-Star Wars, non-Madden games I’ve played in a long time. If I ever find a way to play the cool whistling theme from “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” while playing, I’ll never leave my room.
Postscript note…When watching a spaghetti western, which is the better food to accompany it…burritos/tacos or spaghetti?
Super Bowl XL preview/prediction:
My Michigan readers, I am sure, are tired of hearing about the Super Bowl. Some might even prefer we skip straight to spring training, and the upcoming Red Sox season. Because Lord knows no one looks forward to watching the Tigers play.
There really isn’t anything further that I can add that hasn’t already been written about this game. But rather than cut and paste what others have said, I’ll post my thoughts anyway.
All year, Seattle has run the football behind a great run blocking offensive line, and Shawn Alexander followed behind. There isn’t much reason for them to do much different in this game. They’ll do what they can against a very tough defense. I think Pittsburgh has the players to stop the run, but it will be a heavy toll on their bodies, and possibly wear them out towards the end of the game. It will be important to stop the run and force the Seahawks to pass. Pitt isn’t as good on defense in coverage, but they make up for it by getting to the quarterback better than most. But to get to the QB, they’ll have to go through that same tough offensive line. For Pittsburgh to win, they’re gonna need their offense to have long sustained drives to give the defense a chance to rest on the sideline. Pittsburgh will bring 8 guys into the box, and try to stop the run. Seattle, I think, may come out throwing, trying to take advantage of the 1 on 1 match-ups on the outside. The Steelers Troy Polamalu has the agility to play the role of the 8th defender in the box and still get back for deep coverage, so the Steelers won’t lose much if Seattle goes to pass. And I haven’t seen many successful screens against this team while he was on the field. The Seahawks WR’s aren’t great; merely solid. If they’re able to take Alexander out of the game, and force Seattle to pass, they’ll have taken a huge step to winning the game.
On offense, Pittsburgh is much better at passing the ball than people give them credit for. Quite honestly, they could easily shed any notions that the Steelers are a run-first team without any problem at all. But because the running game fits their aura so well, and because they are so good at what they do, Pittsburgh will try to strike at the Seahawks with the more agile Willie Parker as much as they can, and then sprinkle in carries for Jerome Bettis as they can. The offensive line for the Steelers isn’t as good as Seattle, but they’re in the top 5 of the league, especially the center and guard combinations. When it comes time to pass, they won’t have any hesitation to hit the secondary receivers, like the TE, or 3rd or 4th WR. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that if they get in a goal-line situation, they’ll play action to Bettis, and hit a rolling out TE, like Heath Miller. The defense will be thinking about the Steelers trying to get Bettis a TD, so they’ll be aggressive to stop him from getting in. A fake to Bettis could leave the TE open in the back corner of the end zone. Antwaan Randle-El could also have a significant role in this game. With he and Hines Ward both having QB experience, I hope we’re lucky enough to see some gadget plays executed.
Of course, that is only if and when the Steelers get into a goal-line situation. Seattle has a defense that had the most sacks of any team in the league, so they’re no slouch, despite not having any all-star like players of notoriety. Just good solid players without much weakness across the board.
I think, given the strength of the Seattle running game, that they actually may have an edge in this match-up. Despite that, I am going to join in with the Steeler following. This is for many reasons. One of which is that I don’t want to be on a coast surrounded with a bunch of Seahawk fans who believe that their team is the best, carrying on like fools. Other reasons range from the former allegiances of my step-father to a simple hope to see Bill Cowher win a Super Bowl, rewarding the faith that the owners of that football team with the loyalty they showed their coach. The Steelers have had only 2 coaches since 1969,and in an era where most teams swap coaches every 3-5 years…it says a lot about staying the course and having faith and common sense.
There are a couple of other reasons as well. One poignant, and the other not as much.
The last time the Steelers were in a Super Bowl was Super Bowl XXX. Cowboys-Steelers. Big game. (Well, of course it was. It was the Super Bowl. ) I don’t have many memories of the game, beyond the fact that the Steelers had a chance to win it a few different times, if only Neil O’Donnell hadn’t thrown some horribly bad passes that were picked off. Most of my memories were of the day, and of going to a local bakery to get a cake decorated, and presenting the cake to my fiancée, embedded within the frosting on the top, an engagement ring she and I had both picked out. I can’t remember why I had chosen to do it on Super Bowl Sunday, but I can think of what my feelings were at the time. I was much more wrapped up in football then, and it was a way of getting her involved in that passion of mine. Combining my love for her and for the Super Bowl seems embarrassingly silly now; she deserved a whole separate occasion to herself. But at the time, no idea seemed more right. The only thing that didn’t go right that day was that the wrong team won. Ten years later, it’d be nice to see that corrected.
And if you need further reason (and this is for those MI readers again) the Steelers have more Michigan and Michigan State players on their roster, and NO Ohio State players. Seattle? They’ve got a few Michigan players as well, but they’re harboring a buckeye. You know what that means.
Steelers win.
Beyond that, I’m just hoping for a good close game that’s entertaining, with few punts, and great commercials that make you laugh the laugh of 30 tickled babies. But not 31, because that would be excessive. There have been good commercial years (Bud Bowl, when they actually animated the bottles; Terry Tate Office Linebacker; etc) and really bad years (Pepsi clear, with Van Halen’s Right Now. I still hate that damned song from over-exposure). Let this be a good year. We need the laughs.
I know a girlShe puts the color inside of my world
But she's just like a maze
Where all of the walls all continually change
And I've done all I can
To stand on the steps with my heart in my hand
And I started to see
Maybe it's got nothing to do with me
Fathers be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers be good to your daughters, too
-John Mayer "Daughters"
-Picture by Lydia VanRoy-Amundson
History on Jan 20th when I first started this update:
In 1801, John Marshall was appointed chief justice of the United States.
In 1841, the island of Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain. (It returned to Chinese control in July 1997.) (Whereupon it was promptly destroyed by Godzilla.
In 1887, the U.S. Senate approved an agreement to lease Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as a naval base.
In 1896, comedian George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum in New York City.
In 1936, Britain's King George V died; he was succeeded by Edward VIII.
In 1942, Nazi officials held the notorious Wannsee conference, during which they arrived at their "final solution" that called for exterminating Jews.
In 1945, President Roosevelt was sworn into office for an unprecedented fourth term.
In 1954, "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial," a play by Herman Wouk based on part of his novel "The Caine Mutiny," opened on Broadway.
In 1986, the United States observed the first federal holiday in honor of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1986, Britain and France announced plans to build the Channel Tunnel.
Jan 20th's Birthdays:
Country singer Slim Whitman is 82.
It's also possible he's Zorro.
Actress Patricia Neal is 80.
Comedian Arte Johnson is 77.
Verrry interesting, but stupid.
Former astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin is 76.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!
Rock musician Paul Stanley (KISS) is 54.
Murderers and the like are re-incarnated when they die as the hair traps in his shower.
Political blowhard, pissant, and general annoyance Bill Maher (MAR) is 50.
Actor Lorenzo Lamas is 48.
There wasn't a picture of him on the internet. I swear.
Actress Stacey Dash is 39.
I know, I was thinking the same thing... she's Ms. Dash, only spicier!
Actor Skeet Ulrich is 36.
For those that don't know, he's like Johnny Depp, only without the career.
Word of the day:
panacea \pan-uh-SEE-uh\, noun:
A remedy for all diseases, problems, or evils; a universal medicine; a cure-all.
Ok, REALLY...TODAY in history:
In 1783, Spain recognized U.S. independence. It looked like...
Touriya.
In 1809, the territory of Illinois was created. Well, not really created. It was already there. More like a group of people decided how a plot of land should be divided.
In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, providing for a federal income tax, was ratified. Stupid 16th amendment, anyway.
In 1916, Canada's original Parliament Buildings, in Ottawa, burned down. Let the mutha burn! Burn, baby burn!
In 1917, the United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. Psssh. What's the worst that could happen?
In 1924, the 28th president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, died in Washington at age 67.
In 1930, the chief justice of the United States, William Howard Taft, resigned for health reasons.
In 1943, during World War II, the U.S. transport ship Dorchester, which was carrying troops to Greenland, sank after being hit by a torpedo. (Four Army chaplains gave their life belts to four other men, and went down with the ship.)
In 1994, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off, carrying Sergei Krikalev, the first Russian cosmonaut to fly aboard a U.S. spacecraft.
In 1995, the space shuttle Discovery blasted off with a woman, Air Force Lt. Colonel Eileen Collins, in the pilot's seat for the first time in NASA history.
Review of A & E's "Flight 93":
I really had every intention to go to sleep last night. Or to clean the bathroom. But Flight 93 was on A and E last night…
It was good TV, but beyond that there seemed to be a moral obligation to watch the thing once you started. If you missed it, it was ok. But if you caught any part of it, you were obligated to follow it to its inevitable end, to bear witness to what they had to go through.
The show itself, because of the nature of the content, comes perilously close to being above criticism. You cannot criticize it, because this is a re-enactment of a real and horrifying event, and the rules of decorum in reviewing a show such as this are not he same for something that is fictionally based, or some of the other so-called reality shows like American Idol. While not everything in a re-enactment can be accepted as scripture, there is something sacred about watching the final moments of some very brave people. It’s just very un-cool to assail the words and actions of those being portrayed. The portrayers, however, are another story.
More on that in a moment, though. First, the question of why I was watching it in the first place. It wouldn’t be an accurate description to say that it was “fun to watch”. It wasn’t. It also wasn’t the “can’t watch the car wreck, but can’t look away” cliché either. It was gripping, however, in much the same way Schindler’s List is. It’s a representation of the account of a group of people who faced their eminent death, and all of the aspects that come with it. As a viewer, you’re transfixed by what you see. If you are anything like me, there is an ever-present concern that your interest in such shows will be misinterpreted as some masochistic glee at seeing others suffer. I watch these shows because it makes those moments in history all the more real for me, and makes them easier to connect to. It adds the human element to it, instead of having a statistical breakdown of the number of deaths, or pounds of fuel, or whatever it may be. Seeing the implications and connections to others, like a mother and daughter talking on the phone for the very last time, or watching a child ripped from the arms of a father as the Nazis carry out the liquidation of the ghetto. These aren’t scenes I like to see, but it allows me to feel them for myself, so that I better understand what they went through. However, from an outside view, those feelings may not be shared by others, and so I keep them to myself. In a sense, you become almost embarrassed for liking these tales of grief and despair. Which is not, repeat, NOT saying that watching Jewish families from Poland suffer is my guilty pleasure. Or from any other nation, for that matter.
Flight 93 does an exceptional job of capturing those true emotions laid bare for the viewer to see. I happened across only the last half of the show as I prepared for bed, and quite honestly, should have been in the process of cleaning the bathroom. Once I came across it however, I was transfixed. It was 11pm, but there wasn’t a chance I was going to sleep until the show ended. It was one of those events in history that you look back at, and wonder what you would have done if put in the same situation. I’m not sure that I could have been as brave as they had been. The people on that plane are praised for being heroes, which they are, there is no doubt of that. But I think that some people get the idea that they sacrificed themselves in fighting back to save those in the buildings they might have hit. That’s wrong. They fought to get home to their own lives. To get back to those on the other end of the phones, who could only sit and strain to listen to every crackled word on the cell phones they heard. They fought to live on. They weren’t able to accomplish that. But the fact that they tried –that they fought back the fear and panic and horror they had to feel to repel and ruin the plans of some horrible monsters to humanity- prevents anyone from saying they failed. To think of what it would have meant, to be able to take back the plane, and do away with their tormentors…to simply get to the point where the passengers would have had control of the cockpit, and to have a chance (just even a chance) to land it on their own! You can’t help after watching it to think about what it would have been like for them to be able to re-unite after everything that had happened.
The show had only a few points that fell out of harmony with the rest of the show. And it should be reminded again, that this nitpicks are leveled at the production of the re-enactment, and not at the moments themselves. There was a moment where Todd Beamer is talking to an operator, and reciting The Lord’s Prayer. The moment actually happened, and fit with the context of the show, but the portrayal of the actress playing the operator seemed forced and wooden. The other small complaint revolved around the director, and his insistence that nearly every character that wasn’t on the plane should be holding a baby, or looking out onto a lawn full of children. It’s not lost upon me that there were a multitude of children that were affected by this. As a father myself, I blubbered when Thomas Burnett eschewed talking to his 3 daughters one last time, not wanting to upset them further, or possibly risk losing his resolve to do what needed to be done. It became an issue, however, when every person involved on the ground was holding a child or infant, as if it were a mandatory prop. There again, it felt forced and unnatural. It was a minor twinge that for a brief moment made it feel more like propaganda instead of the memorial it is. And had it not been noticed by me, I am sure that you’d agree that it’s a fitting memorial at that.
Random Picture of Grace Park:
“Gun” review:
You need a horse.
No, correction.
You NEED a horse. All this running around on your feet crap is for the poor bastards who don’t have a Winchester. Oh sure, popular opinion of you in town might drop…but the hick in front of you has the only horse in sight, and you’ll be damned if you’re gonna spend the next few minutes dodging bullets when you could be galloping away. Or running them down on the beast yourself. So you do what you have to. You skin your bullet-wagon and make it a mercy killing, sending a metal angel through the owners brain bucket, just behind the ear. It’s a bit of a surprise to see his head explode like a piñata with a stick of dynamite inside, but you recover quickly enough when a bullet cracks the dusk and rock at your feet. You quickly mount the horse (NO, NOT THAT!), and get a quick feel for your bearings. There’s 5 hoodlums coming at different directions. You could beat the trail to Empire City and hole up for a spell, and come back later to wreak havoc on Dodge. Or you could stand and deliver the lungers to the sweet here-after.
It’d be smarter to make a break for it. But you’ve never been the type to run away. So you quickdraw your pistols and time suddenly slows down. Their movement compared to yours is so slow, it’s almost comical. They never stood a chance. Your concentration narrows as you plug the first man 2 times in the gut, and move to the next target. He’s blazing away at you, but his shot is wide. Yours are dead on, and you run a bullet through his throat. Any other time, you’d call it a lucky shot, but there are more targets yet. The third guy is caught re-loading and a shot in the chest and leg puts him down. The 4th man grazes your shoulder, but it doesn’t keep you from getting off 3 shots to end his misery. The 5th guy feints to gallop away on his own ride, but a well placed shot in his back has him slumped over. Out of nowhere, a hail of bullets rains down on your steed from above. A quick glance reveals a whore with a rifle of her own, atop the balcony of the Amstead Saloon. Your horse falls over, leaving you on your feet again, but you’re able to take your time, because she’s got terrible aim (which is surprising considering her reputation for working with her hands). You take your time, line up your shot, and take pleasure in giving her something she’s never had before…
But dammit! Now you’re without a horse again. No, wait! The dead guy who tried to ride away. You amble over to the now rider-less painted pony, and climb aboard. Now, with a fresh horse, and no one in town to get in your way. Still, there isn’t anything in town for you anymore. May as well head over to Empire City, and see if there’s any bounty work. Maybe stop by the Rancher, and see if he needs a hand along the way.
Gun allows you to get in touch with your inner-Clint Eastwood. Only just last night, I got “A Fistful of Dollars” from Netflix, and no sooner had the first shootout occurred (“My mule don’t like it you laughing. He gets the crazy idea you’re laughing at him.”), then I felt a compelling urge to set the movie next to my video game console and watch the movie while going through my own shoot-outs.
There is a larger mission to accomplish, but in the meantime, you have plenty of lee-way to go where you want when you want. Wanna take a side job for the Pony Express? Why not! Feel like talking things over with an Indian trader? Just head on up to the lake shore, and get some medicinal herbs. Go mining for gold? Friend, there a bunch of offbeat places to do it. Got a craving that your horse can’t scratch? Sorry. There are “Billiard rooms”, but no one is ever in them, and you can’t spend your hard earned bounty cash on the ladies of the upstairs. And as with all a-moral games in which you play a character who is a bit of an anti-hero, there is a testing out phase of what you can shoot and what you can’t. Or who, for that matter.
It took some time to get to Dodge, but immediately upon my arrival, I used some of the common citizens for practice. At first, it was innocent warning shots, just to get the hang of the capabilities of my character. But as my own ability grew, so did the darker side of my desires. I found that I could sneak up behind people, and grab them, holding a knife to their throat. I wouldn’t execute them however…I just pretended to be a badass, and a bully. I suspect it’s because I wasn’t held enough as a child. (Which would also explain why I hold myself so often.)
(It’s a special type of hug, just for me.)
It was inevitable, though. After a time, I simply couldn’t resist the temptation to squeeze off a round into an innocent bystander. Channeling my inner Johnny Cash, I shot a man in Reno (Actually Empire).
Just to watch him die.
Now at this point, I’m sure many of you are wondering to yourselves the following:
“Clint Eastwood?! Johnny Cash?! Just how many men do you have inside you?”
You’ll simply have to wait until it reaches the video shelves to find out. (Look for “BuckBack Mounting 2: The Turning Out of Young Eddie Colbort” at your favorite adult novelty stores next week!)
It’s a small part, but it’s a start.
…
Maybe the phrase “It’s a small part” wasn’t the best choice of words there.
Gun is one of the better non-Star Wars, non-Madden games I’ve played in a long time. If I ever find a way to play the cool whistling theme from “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” while playing, I’ll never leave my room.
Postscript note…When watching a spaghetti western, which is the better food to accompany it…burritos/tacos or spaghetti?
Super Bowl XL preview/prediction:
My Michigan readers, I am sure, are tired of hearing about the Super Bowl. Some might even prefer we skip straight to spring training, and the upcoming Red Sox season. Because Lord knows no one looks forward to watching the Tigers play.
There really isn’t anything further that I can add that hasn’t already been written about this game. But rather than cut and paste what others have said, I’ll post my thoughts anyway.
All year, Seattle has run the football behind a great run blocking offensive line, and Shawn Alexander followed behind. There isn’t much reason for them to do much different in this game. They’ll do what they can against a very tough defense. I think Pittsburgh has the players to stop the run, but it will be a heavy toll on their bodies, and possibly wear them out towards the end of the game. It will be important to stop the run and force the Seahawks to pass. Pitt isn’t as good on defense in coverage, but they make up for it by getting to the quarterback better than most. But to get to the QB, they’ll have to go through that same tough offensive line. For Pittsburgh to win, they’re gonna need their offense to have long sustained drives to give the defense a chance to rest on the sideline. Pittsburgh will bring 8 guys into the box, and try to stop the run. Seattle, I think, may come out throwing, trying to take advantage of the 1 on 1 match-ups on the outside. The Steelers Troy Polamalu has the agility to play the role of the 8th defender in the box and still get back for deep coverage, so the Steelers won’t lose much if Seattle goes to pass. And I haven’t seen many successful screens against this team while he was on the field. The Seahawks WR’s aren’t great; merely solid. If they’re able to take Alexander out of the game, and force Seattle to pass, they’ll have taken a huge step to winning the game.
On offense, Pittsburgh is much better at passing the ball than people give them credit for. Quite honestly, they could easily shed any notions that the Steelers are a run-first team without any problem at all. But because the running game fits their aura so well, and because they are so good at what they do, Pittsburgh will try to strike at the Seahawks with the more agile Willie Parker as much as they can, and then sprinkle in carries for Jerome Bettis as they can. The offensive line for the Steelers isn’t as good as Seattle, but they’re in the top 5 of the league, especially the center and guard combinations. When it comes time to pass, they won’t have any hesitation to hit the secondary receivers, like the TE, or 3rd or 4th WR. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that if they get in a goal-line situation, they’ll play action to Bettis, and hit a rolling out TE, like Heath Miller. The defense will be thinking about the Steelers trying to get Bettis a TD, so they’ll be aggressive to stop him from getting in. A fake to Bettis could leave the TE open in the back corner of the end zone. Antwaan Randle-El could also have a significant role in this game. With he and Hines Ward both having QB experience, I hope we’re lucky enough to see some gadget plays executed.
Of course, that is only if and when the Steelers get into a goal-line situation. Seattle has a defense that had the most sacks of any team in the league, so they’re no slouch, despite not having any all-star like players of notoriety. Just good solid players without much weakness across the board.
I think, given the strength of the Seattle running game, that they actually may have an edge in this match-up. Despite that, I am going to join in with the Steeler following. This is for many reasons. One of which is that I don’t want to be on a coast surrounded with a bunch of Seahawk fans who believe that their team is the best, carrying on like fools. Other reasons range from the former allegiances of my step-father to a simple hope to see Bill Cowher win a Super Bowl, rewarding the faith that the owners of that football team with the loyalty they showed their coach. The Steelers have had only 2 coaches since 1969,and in an era where most teams swap coaches every 3-5 years…it says a lot about staying the course and having faith and common sense.
There are a couple of other reasons as well. One poignant, and the other not as much.
The last time the Steelers were in a Super Bowl was Super Bowl XXX. Cowboys-Steelers. Big game. (Well, of course it was. It was the Super Bowl. ) I don’t have many memories of the game, beyond the fact that the Steelers had a chance to win it a few different times, if only Neil O’Donnell hadn’t thrown some horribly bad passes that were picked off. Most of my memories were of the day, and of going to a local bakery to get a cake decorated, and presenting the cake to my fiancée, embedded within the frosting on the top, an engagement ring she and I had both picked out. I can’t remember why I had chosen to do it on Super Bowl Sunday, but I can think of what my feelings were at the time. I was much more wrapped up in football then, and it was a way of getting her involved in that passion of mine. Combining my love for her and for the Super Bowl seems embarrassingly silly now; she deserved a whole separate occasion to herself. But at the time, no idea seemed more right. The only thing that didn’t go right that day was that the wrong team won. Ten years later, it’d be nice to see that corrected.
And if you need further reason (and this is for those MI readers again) the Steelers have more Michigan and Michigan State players on their roster, and NO Ohio State players. Seattle? They’ve got a few Michigan players as well, but they’re harboring a buckeye. You know what that means.
Steelers win.
Beyond that, I’m just hoping for a good close game that’s entertaining, with few punts, and great commercials that make you laugh the laugh of 30 tickled babies. But not 31, because that would be excessive. There have been good commercial years (Bud Bowl, when they actually animated the bottles; Terry Tate Office Linebacker; etc) and really bad years (Pepsi clear, with Van Halen’s Right Now. I still hate that damned song from over-exposure). Let this be a good year. We need the laughs.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Uh, I like it like that
she working that back
I don't know how to act
Slow motion for me, slow motion for me, slow motion for me
Move it slow motion for me
John Stewart and the Oscars
It was recently announced who will be hosting the Oscars. Normally, in such instances, there is a pause between that announcement and the stifled yawns of the Daily Update writers.
However, whichever PR floozy was responsible for making this press release must have sounded as though they were speaking in tongues, because as the statement that John Stewart was hosting the show left their mouth, it was simultaneously announced that The Daily Update would post a live notation of the event. Mr. Stewart's witty humor and class will provide just what the Oscars need. Hopefully someone will make a pro-Republican statement, giving Stewart a chance to steal the show right then and there. So those of you who enjoy those commentary pieces from me...it's something to look forward to. And a chance to watch it and wonder if I will comment on this or that or the other.
That shot of Jessica Simpson in the dress? Oh yeah. I'll comment on that too. She deserves it really, since she's not about to get anything for her work in "the Dukes of Hazzard". Except maybe syphilis.
Which brings up a good point now. She was a virgin going into the marriage right? So now that she's had relations, she's free game, right?
Right?
Then again, the syphilis might be a bit of a drawback, I'm thinking.
This Day in History:
In 1776, Thomas Paine published his influential pamphlet, "Common Sense." To date, not a single woman has read it. (Yeah, I'm gonna have to answer to a few people on that one.)
In 1861, Florida seceded from the Union.
In 1863, London's Metropolitan, the world's first underground passenger railway, opened to the public. Homeless whinos throuhout the city rejoiced at the site of a portable urinal.
In 1870, John D. Rockefeller incorporated Standard Oil.
In 1920, the League of Nations was established as the Treaty of Versailles went into effect.
In 1946, the first manmade contact with the moon was made as radar signals were bounced off the lunar surface. They pinged the moon! Now all I can think of is the scene in Hunt for Red October.
"One ping Vasilli. One ping only, please."
In 1946, the first General Assembly of the United Nations convened in London.
In 1947, the musical fantasy "Finian's Rainbow," with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, opened on Broadway.
In 1957, Harold Macmillan became prime minister of Britain, following the resignation of Anthony Eden.
In 1971, "Masterpiece Theatre" premiered on PBS with host Alistair Cooke introducing a drama series, "The First Churchills." I remember watching this with my Dad when I was a kid. He'd have it on now and then, and I got some culture now and then because of it. I specifically remember the Sherlock Holmes episodes, and Moriarty. Including the final one. Waterfall. There's a tussle. Something happens.
Today's Birthdays:
Singer Rod Stewart is 61.
Comb? What's that?
Boxer George Foreman is 57.
Singer Pat Benatar is 53.
MIddle-age is a battlefield.
Rock singer Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies) is 42.
You will now start humming "Mmmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm" and alternately cursing me for planting the song in your head.
Rapper Chris Smith (Kris Kross) is 27.
Say what you want, but we all remember them.
Shakespeare Quote of the Day:
This kindness will I show.
Go with me to a notary, seal me there
Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.
-Merchant of Venice
Sealing of a debt to Shylock of 1 pound of flesh for the wealth needed to woo fair Portia.
Word of the day:
It was recently announced who will be hosting the Oscars. Normally, in such instances, there is a pause between that announcement and the stifled yawns of the Daily Update writers.
However, whichever PR floozy was responsible for making this press release must have sounded as though they were speaking in tongues, because as the statement that John Stewart was hosting the show left their mouth, it was simultaneously announced that The Daily Update would post a live notation of the event. Mr. Stewart's witty humor and class will provide just what the Oscars need. Hopefully someone will make a pro-Republican statement, giving Stewart a chance to steal the show right then and there. So those of you who enjoy those commentary pieces from me...it's something to look forward to. And a chance to watch it and wonder if I will comment on this or that or the other.
That shot of Jessica Simpson in the dress? Oh yeah. I'll comment on that too. She deserves it really, since she's not about to get anything for her work in "the Dukes of Hazzard". Except maybe syphilis.
Which brings up a good point now. She was a virgin going into the marriage right? So now that she's had relations, she's free game, right?
Right?
Then again, the syphilis might be a bit of a drawback, I'm thinking.
This Day in History:
In 1776, Thomas Paine published his influential pamphlet, "Common Sense." To date, not a single woman has read it. (Yeah, I'm gonna have to answer to a few people on that one.)
In 1861, Florida seceded from the Union.
In 1863, London's Metropolitan, the world's first underground passenger railway, opened to the public. Homeless whinos throuhout the city rejoiced at the site of a portable urinal.
In 1870, John D. Rockefeller incorporated Standard Oil.
In 1920, the League of Nations was established as the Treaty of Versailles went into effect.
In 1946, the first manmade contact with the moon was made as radar signals were bounced off the lunar surface. They pinged the moon! Now all I can think of is the scene in Hunt for Red October.
"One ping Vasilli. One ping only, please."
In 1946, the first General Assembly of the United Nations convened in London.
In 1947, the musical fantasy "Finian's Rainbow," with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, opened on Broadway.
In 1957, Harold Macmillan became prime minister of Britain, following the resignation of Anthony Eden.
In 1971, "Masterpiece Theatre" premiered on PBS with host Alistair Cooke introducing a drama series, "The First Churchills." I remember watching this with my Dad when I was a kid. He'd have it on now and then, and I got some culture now and then because of it. I specifically remember the Sherlock Holmes episodes, and Moriarty. Including the final one. Waterfall. There's a tussle. Something happens.
Today's Birthdays:
Singer Rod Stewart is 61.
Comb? What's that?
Boxer George Foreman is 57.
Singer Pat Benatar is 53.
MIddle-age is a battlefield.
Rock singer Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies) is 42.
You will now start humming "Mmmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm" and alternately cursing me for planting the song in your head.
Rapper Chris Smith (Kris Kross) is 27.
Say what you want, but we all remember them.
Shakespeare Quote of the Day:
This kindness will I show.
Go with me to a notary, seal me there
Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.
-Merchant of Venice
Sealing of a debt to Shylock of 1 pound of flesh for the wealth needed to woo fair Portia.
Word of the day:
sine qua non \sin-ih-kwah-NON; -NOHN; sy-nih-kway-\, noun:
An essential condition or element; an indispensable thing
Random Picture of Morena Baccarin:
There is talk of a Wonder Woman movie. And she's rumored to be up for the main role.
The life and times of Markus Vick:
Markus Vick is the younger brother of Michael Vick, the most electric and exciting QB's in the NFL today (You'll note that does not mean he's the best). Both are tremendously talented, but thanks to Michael's accomplishments in college and on the professional level, he has opened doors for Markus to follow, including a college scholorship (FREE LEARNING) to play football. Instead, he spent time getting teenage girls drunk, smoking pot, driving on a suspended license, getting a DUI, and what was thought was the coup de grace...a stomping on the leg of a prone defender on the ground after the play was over.
The college he was attending, Virginia Tech, kicked him off the football team after getting fed up with all of his shenanigans, and rightfully so. While he is tremendously physically talented, he is woefully short on any sort of control over himself, his actions, or any accountability that might follow. The word "punk" had barely cleared my mouth by the time it was announced he was arrested for brandishing a gun at some people at a McDonalds.
What was he gonna say...they were after his fries?
He has announced his eligibility for the football draft, and there is enough physical talent that a team might convince themselves it's worth the risk. It won't be, but some team will still roll the dice. But being a Qb in the NFl is more than just physical ability. It's being a leader, and it's making the right decisions in pressure situations. What about the past 2 years says anything positive about his ability to make good decisions?
He's not the first Qb to be called a punk, and he's hardly the last athlete or football player to make a series of horrible decisions off AND on the field. I don't see him on a daily basis, but there isn't anything about him that shows signs of a decent human being inside.
Cavemen, women see things differently...
There was recently a story on Yahoo.com that talked of how cavemens hand prints were in different places than women. So now you've got a large enough cave to house both genders, and they're lining each wall, as if it was some sort of City of Bedrock prom. The guys are lining up along one wall, and the girls along another.
"Grock, you look good. Not it stag-on-stag way, but..."
"Rar! New Loin cloth! Get it from kitty with sharptooth."
"Grock lie!"
"Go drink tar Slag! I kill sharptooth kitty with you momma skullbone!"
"Grock all talk. You so brave, you go talk to Ayla."
"Grock brave, not foolish."
Hey, I'm just trying to put words to what all of you readers are thinking.
Arrested Development
When the show first came out, it had a few bright spots, but it was a throwaway show to get to the Simpsons. Now? It's one of the better comedies that I would steal material from if I could. In fact it's so good, it's almost allowed me to forgive Jason Bateman for Valerie, The Hogan Family, and for the sake of all living things...Teen Wolf Too.
Or for that matter, being the more successful Bateman.
Justine deseved more work.
Sidebar: Why hasn't there been a Family Ties reunion show? There's been about 7 Facts of Life shows, but not a single one of Family Ties?! You can't tell me that Michael Gross and Tina Yothers are doing better without. Or Skippy, for that matter.
Oh, come ON. You remember Skippy. The nerdy neighbor.
Anyway, Arrested Development deserves your attention, for the little time they have left, before they're cancelled. Fox is cutting them loose, and they'll find another home. Admittedly it's not exactly must watch, but it's a decent enough show that deserves some extra life.
A scene from the show, if I may...
Though if I am to be completely honest, I usually turn into the show to listen to the narrator, and it's not just the melodious tones of his clear annotation and snappy delivery.
Well, Ok, maybe it is.
More later.
The life and times of Markus Vick:
Markus Vick is the younger brother of Michael Vick, the most electric and exciting QB's in the NFL today (You'll note that does not mean he's the best). Both are tremendously talented, but thanks to Michael's accomplishments in college and on the professional level, he has opened doors for Markus to follow, including a college scholorship (FREE LEARNING) to play football. Instead, he spent time getting teenage girls drunk, smoking pot, driving on a suspended license, getting a DUI, and what was thought was the coup de grace...a stomping on the leg of a prone defender on the ground after the play was over.
The college he was attending, Virginia Tech, kicked him off the football team after getting fed up with all of his shenanigans, and rightfully so. While he is tremendously physically talented, he is woefully short on any sort of control over himself, his actions, or any accountability that might follow. The word "punk" had barely cleared my mouth by the time it was announced he was arrested for brandishing a gun at some people at a McDonalds.
What was he gonna say...they were after his fries?
He has announced his eligibility for the football draft, and there is enough physical talent that a team might convince themselves it's worth the risk. It won't be, but some team will still roll the dice. But being a Qb in the NFl is more than just physical ability. It's being a leader, and it's making the right decisions in pressure situations. What about the past 2 years says anything positive about his ability to make good decisions?
He's not the first Qb to be called a punk, and he's hardly the last athlete or football player to make a series of horrible decisions off AND on the field. I don't see him on a daily basis, but there isn't anything about him that shows signs of a decent human being inside.
Cavemen, women see things differently...
There was recently a story on Yahoo.com that talked of how cavemens hand prints were in different places than women. So now you've got a large enough cave to house both genders, and they're lining each wall, as if it was some sort of City of Bedrock prom. The guys are lining up along one wall, and the girls along another.
"Grock, you look good. Not it stag-on-stag way, but..."
"Rar! New Loin cloth! Get it from kitty with sharptooth."
"Grock lie!"
"Go drink tar Slag! I kill sharptooth kitty with you momma skullbone!"
"Grock all talk. You so brave, you go talk to Ayla."
"Grock brave, not foolish."
Hey, I'm just trying to put words to what all of you readers are thinking.
Arrested Development
When the show first came out, it had a few bright spots, but it was a throwaway show to get to the Simpsons. Now? It's one of the better comedies that I would steal material from if I could. In fact it's so good, it's almost allowed me to forgive Jason Bateman for Valerie, The Hogan Family, and for the sake of all living things...Teen Wolf Too.
Or for that matter, being the more successful Bateman.
Justine deseved more work.
Sidebar: Why hasn't there been a Family Ties reunion show? There's been about 7 Facts of Life shows, but not a single one of Family Ties?! You can't tell me that Michael Gross and Tina Yothers are doing better without. Or Skippy, for that matter.
Oh, come ON. You remember Skippy. The nerdy neighbor.
Anyway, Arrested Development deserves your attention, for the little time they have left, before they're cancelled. Fox is cutting them loose, and they'll find another home. Admittedly it's not exactly must watch, but it's a decent enough show that deserves some extra life.
A scene from the show, if I may...
George Michael Bluth: [George Michael is in love with his ethics teacher] I don't want to let down Miss Baerly. She's nice, you know?
Lindsay Funke: She's interesting... and pretty?
George Michael Bluth: Well, I don't know why I'm telling you this. I guess there's just some things you can't always say to your dad.
Lindsay Funke: Ah. sounds like you'd like her to be more than just your teacher.
Narrator: Lindsay believed that George Michael wanted to fix up his father so he could fill the role of his mother.
Lindsay Funke: There's nothing wrong with that. Although... I must say I'm a little hurt that you haven't considered me.
George Michael Bluth: You're my aunt.
Lindsay Funke: That doesn't matter. Aunts can fill that role. Teachers can fill that role. And, someday, you're going to find the right woman to fill that role. But until then... I'll be right across the hall.
Narrator: Lindsay had never been more proud of anything she had said in her entire life.
George Michael Bluth: Yikes.
Though if I am to be completely honest, I usually turn into the show to listen to the narrator, and it's not just the melodious tones of his clear annotation and snappy delivery.
Well, Ok, maybe it is.
More later.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Song of the Day:
Random image of Angelina Jolie
Grey eyes. Fricking GREY eyes...
Today in history:
In 1610, Galileo Galilei sighted four of Jupiter's moons. When Gallelio had to sign papers that denied his scientific findings that the Earth moved around the sun and not vice versa, he muttered to himself "And yet it moves."
The 4 he DID discover were the following:
1. Io.
Io, by looking at it, is proof of what happens when you don't listen to your mom, and pick at it. What is really happening is that the surface of the moon is under such heavy pressure and frictional heat keep the subsurface under the top layer molten and pressurized, which is great for the volcanoes, because they've got an endless supply of molten material. But much like a lonely teenage boy working the fry vats at Burger King, it's murder on the complexsion.
2. Europa (ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA. ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE.)
Europa is one of the better-known moons for Jupiter, having earned a special place in the hearts of sci-fi fans and the chronically insomniac sufferers. But it has good reason. The surface of Europa is covered with more lines and scars than Bea Arthur. However, unlike the Golden Girls, there is a theory that life exists underneath the surface of ice and frost that covers it. The idea is that the core of the moon is like Earth, running with hot lava at the center, and that heat is expelled through vents on the floor of the ocean that encircles the planet core. Now, on Earth, in our own oceans, there are small microbes that feed off of the enriched flecks of detrius that spews forth from those vents. If Europa has those same bacteria or microbes...voila! LIFE!
There was talk at one point of sending a satellite to Europa, with a radioactive drill heated by a nuclear power plant within. The drill would push through the ice and keep the ice water below from filling the hole, so that they could send a probe down into the vast ocean beneath to look for life. Course, that is way off in the future, so don't hold your breath.
3. Ganymede.
It's like Europa, with the frozen crust and the liquid center. But not as sexy or at least as much of a department of Self Promotion like Europa. However, it also is the largest moon in the solar system, even larger than Saturn's Titan, which is a bit bigger than Mercury.
4. Callisto
Callisto still harbors many a crater from the meteor storm the entire solar system went through billions of years ago, and the throught is that some of the debris that Callisto coughed up helped to form Jupiter's rings. Callisto itself is about the size of Mercury, and even is supposed to have a thin atmosphere.
If you thought that THIS was Callisto:
well, you're watching too much Xena for one. That's Hudson Leick, who played a character NAMED Callisto.
It's obvious that she's one of those girls who are bound to snap and go crazy on you so you enjoy the bouts of sanity and loving with her until she does.
In 1789, the first U.S. presidential election was held. Americans voted for electors who, a month later, chose George Washington to be the nation's first president. 200 years later, I would choose Baskin Robbins' Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream as my first and best choice for Ice cream.
There's no correlation between those, if you're thinking about asking.
In 1800, the 13th president of the United States, Millard Fillmore, was born in Summerhill, N.Y.
There is a reason you don't hear about kids going to Fillmore Elementary.
In 1927, commercial trans-Atlantic telephone service was inaugurated between New York and London. The first three calls were from some snickering radio jockeys asking if London had Prince Albert in a can.
In 1942, the World War II siege of Bataan began.
In 1953, President Truman announced in his State of the Union address that the United States had developed a hydrogen bomb. Today, through the advancement of technology, we have "Jury Duty" with Pauly Shore.
In 1955, singer Marian Anderson made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."
In 1955, the opening of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa was televised for the first time. Insomniacs rejoice!
In 1972, Lewis F. Powell Jr. and William H. Rehnquist were sworn in as the 99th and 100th members of the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 1989, Emperor Hirohito of Japan died in Tokyo at age 87; he was succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Akihito.
In 1999, for the second time in history, an impeached American president went on trial before the Senate. President Clinton faced charges of perjury and obstruction of justice; he was acquitted.
Todays Birthdays:
Singer Kenny Loggins is 58.
He keeps forgetting we're not in love anymore.
He keeps forgetting it's never gonna be the same again.
Actor David Caruso ("CSI: Miami") is 50.
"Today" show co-host Katie Couric is 49.
Actor Nicolas Cage is 42.
There are reasons he wasn't allowed to play the role of Superman. That Widows peak being reason #1, for my money. That, and the Frenchman's nose thing he has going on. Sorry. He just doesn't project alpha-male genetic superiority.
Shakespeare quote of the day:
-Merchant of Venice
Word of the Day:
Black Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola:
A little while back, I documented the loss of Vanilla Coke. AS a trade off to the good customers of the Coca-Cola brand, they gave us a new creation; Black cherry Vanilla Coke.
There are times that I worry that I drink as much pop as I do, that I wouldn't be able to discern the difference in taste between the varieties avilable. Those fears were laid to rest within the first sweet gulp of this new nectar. The meld of cherry and vanilla work as well in soda as I imagine they would in ice cream. Oh, crap. Now I need ice cream. Ooooh....cherry vanilla ice cream floats!
The taste is sublime and impressive in its depth, because it provides the taste of coke I love in a familiar way...a soothing manner that says "It's ok. I'm still here underneath it all." Beyond the familiar, it shows me a playful side that says "It doesn't have to be missionary every time, you know." Grace isn't a word often associated with a liquid, but BCV-Coke has it aaaaaaallll working inside the bottle.
Great work, Coca-Cola. Keep the innovations coming.
My next guess? Well, there is a pattern. There is a long-forgotten restaraunt in Crystal MN called Arnold's. It didn't go out of it's way to draw comparisons to the Happy Days restaraunt, but it was the kinda place that had some similar vibs to it, and it was comfortable with that. Primarily a palce that concentrated on making good burgers, and providing a burger bar to decorate your slab of beef, it was a great place to get a full tummy and have some fun. Great shakes or malts, and typically played 50's music.
Oh, and the old-time fountain drinks. Cherry Cokes with the grenadine syrup. Lime Cokes. Vanilla cokes. and what I think is next, which is Chocolate coke. IT wasn't all that great then, but I think it may be the next thing coming. I base this off of my past experiences, and the fact I have an inner craving for Cocoa Puffs.
NFL Playoffs
I am watching the end of the Buccs and the Washington team, and it's been a great game so far. It's my hope that the Buccs can come back and tie it and then go on to win it, since I think that the Bears can handle them (the OL has looked horrible all game for the Buccanneers) and more importantly, I think the winner of the Panthers-Giants stands a better chance of beating the Seahawks in the next round, setting up an easier opponent in the NFC title, and a clearer path to the Super Bowl.
I'd break this game down, but there isn't much point in the 4th quarter. I had the Buccs going in though.
Jacksonville @ New England Patriots
The Jaguars get the ignomanity of goinig up against the one team who noone wnats to face. While the Patriots have their weaknesses, they are getting healthy right before the playoffs, and they have momentum from winning late in the season headed into the playoffs. His best friend will be an effective running game with Greg Jones, who has been a favorite of mine since coming out of college. Greg has a no-nonsense running style, and can pound out some tough yards. That'll be important against a gritty Patriots defense. THe passing game could pick on a weak secondary, but the Jags aren't the team that can take advantage of that (see Colts, Indianapolis).
This game boils down to Tom Brady vs the defense of Jacksonville, and I don't see the defense of the Jags being good enough.
Winner: New England Patriots
Random picture of Kate Beckinsdale:
Jack Schnobrich
One of my very best friends back in MN recently celebrated the birth of his 2nd son on December 30th. Had I known earlier, I would have written something even sooner.
Either way, the very best hopes and dreams for you I send to God, and hope that you become the sort of friend your dad has been for me. It is hard not to be there and to say that I have held you in my arms, because though it is not my place, it is a wish that I selfishly indulge in to be able to say I had the honor of doing. Instead, I will hold you in spirit, through our many mutual friends, and cradle you in my heart.
And probably be the really disturbing uncle who takes you to gentlemne's clubs on your 18th birthday. Your dad said I would go there whether it was your birthday or not, since I will be working there at that point. But that isn't the real reason. the real reason is that the drinks are cheaper,a nd for once, I can see what it's like to be in the audience instead of on stage.
Oh, don't think I can dance? Ask your dad about his wedding reception sometime. But don't ask your mom. Little kids shouldn't hear those sorts of words.
Did I happen to mention this before?
I hate Charlie Sheen.
But the good news is, apparently so does Denise Richards, because they are steamrolling their way to a divorce, according to those in the know at imdb.com. Denise's impending re-entry into the market probably won't be a long stay. I'm willing to bet that she'll end up with some other unworthy schmuck, like...Mario Lopez. Or worse yet, John Stamos. I hate John Stamos.
So you can bet I'll be avoiding his new sitcom for the 3 episodes that it lasts.
More tomorrow, including such topics as "what is as smooth as sex with pudding?", "NFL PLayoffs part II", and Markus Vick getting kicked off a college team. Wow. That's alot of football stuff. We'll find some other things to write about, I am sure.
Well everytime I move Every step I make
You know I just can't seem to take the right direction
I'm always wrong I'm never right
Right or wrong there always seems to be a correction
And I give everything I got
And they take Take Take Take Take everything I'm giving
My back is tired My legs both ache
In this life There is no cake This life I'm livin'
I stand alone today WHY YOU FEEL Don't ask me why I feel
I just know I feel this way WHAT YOU SAY I stand alone today
I stand alone today WHY YOU FEEL Don't ask me why I feel
I just know I feel this way WHAT YOU SAY I stand alone today
Random image of Angelina Jolie
Grey eyes. Fricking GREY eyes...
Today in history:
In 1610, Galileo Galilei sighted four of Jupiter's moons. When Gallelio had to sign papers that denied his scientific findings that the Earth moved around the sun and not vice versa, he muttered to himself "And yet it moves."
The 4 he DID discover were the following:
1. Io.
Io, by looking at it, is proof of what happens when you don't listen to your mom, and pick at it. What is really happening is that the surface of the moon is under such heavy pressure and frictional heat keep the subsurface under the top layer molten and pressurized, which is great for the volcanoes, because they've got an endless supply of molten material. But much like a lonely teenage boy working the fry vats at Burger King, it's murder on the complexsion.
2. Europa (ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA. ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE.)
Europa is one of the better-known moons for Jupiter, having earned a special place in the hearts of sci-fi fans and the chronically insomniac sufferers. But it has good reason. The surface of Europa is covered with more lines and scars than Bea Arthur. However, unlike the Golden Girls, there is a theory that life exists underneath the surface of ice and frost that covers it. The idea is that the core of the moon is like Earth, running with hot lava at the center, and that heat is expelled through vents on the floor of the ocean that encircles the planet core. Now, on Earth, in our own oceans, there are small microbes that feed off of the enriched flecks of detrius that spews forth from those vents. If Europa has those same bacteria or microbes...voila! LIFE!
There was talk at one point of sending a satellite to Europa, with a radioactive drill heated by a nuclear power plant within. The drill would push through the ice and keep the ice water below from filling the hole, so that they could send a probe down into the vast ocean beneath to look for life. Course, that is way off in the future, so don't hold your breath.
3. Ganymede.
It's like Europa, with the frozen crust and the liquid center. But not as sexy or at least as much of a department of Self Promotion like Europa. However, it also is the largest moon in the solar system, even larger than Saturn's Titan, which is a bit bigger than Mercury.
4. Callisto
Callisto still harbors many a crater from the meteor storm the entire solar system went through billions of years ago, and the throught is that some of the debris that Callisto coughed up helped to form Jupiter's rings. Callisto itself is about the size of Mercury, and even is supposed to have a thin atmosphere.
If you thought that THIS was Callisto:
well, you're watching too much Xena for one. That's Hudson Leick, who played a character NAMED Callisto.
It's obvious that she's one of those girls who are bound to snap and go crazy on you so you enjoy the bouts of sanity and loving with her until she does.
In 1789, the first U.S. presidential election was held. Americans voted for electors who, a month later, chose George Washington to be the nation's first president. 200 years later, I would choose Baskin Robbins' Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream as my first and best choice for Ice cream.
There's no correlation between those, if you're thinking about asking.
In 1800, the 13th president of the United States, Millard Fillmore, was born in Summerhill, N.Y.
There is a reason you don't hear about kids going to Fillmore Elementary.
In 1927, commercial trans-Atlantic telephone service was inaugurated between New York and London. The first three calls were from some snickering radio jockeys asking if London had Prince Albert in a can.
In 1942, the World War II siege of Bataan began.
In 1953, President Truman announced in his State of the Union address that the United States had developed a hydrogen bomb. Today, through the advancement of technology, we have "Jury Duty" with Pauly Shore.
In 1955, singer Marian Anderson made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera."
In 1955, the opening of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa was televised for the first time. Insomniacs rejoice!
In 1972, Lewis F. Powell Jr. and William H. Rehnquist were sworn in as the 99th and 100th members of the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 1989, Emperor Hirohito of Japan died in Tokyo at age 87; he was succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Akihito.
In 1999, for the second time in history, an impeached American president went on trial before the Senate. President Clinton faced charges of perjury and obstruction of justice; he was acquitted.
Todays Birthdays:
Singer Kenny Loggins is 58.
He keeps forgetting we're not in love anymore.
He keeps forgetting it's never gonna be the same again.
Actor David Caruso ("CSI: Miami") is 50.
"Today" show co-host Katie Couric is 49.
Actor Nicolas Cage is 42.
There are reasons he wasn't allowed to play the role of Superman. That Widows peak being reason #1, for my money. That, and the Frenchman's nose thing he has going on. Sorry. He just doesn't project alpha-male genetic superiority.
Shakespeare quote of the day:
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night
Become the touches of sweet harmony.
Sit, Jessica: look, how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold:
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins;
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
-Merchant of Venice
Word of the Day:
firmament \FUR-muh-muhnt\, noun:
1. The region of the air; the sky; the heavens.
2. The field or sphere of an interest or activity
Black Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola:
A little while back, I documented the loss of Vanilla Coke. AS a trade off to the good customers of the Coca-Cola brand, they gave us a new creation; Black cherry Vanilla Coke.
There are times that I worry that I drink as much pop as I do, that I wouldn't be able to discern the difference in taste between the varieties avilable. Those fears were laid to rest within the first sweet gulp of this new nectar. The meld of cherry and vanilla work as well in soda as I imagine they would in ice cream. Oh, crap. Now I need ice cream. Ooooh....cherry vanilla ice cream floats!
The taste is sublime and impressive in its depth, because it provides the taste of coke I love in a familiar way...a soothing manner that says "It's ok. I'm still here underneath it all." Beyond the familiar, it shows me a playful side that says "It doesn't have to be missionary every time, you know." Grace isn't a word often associated with a liquid, but BCV-Coke has it aaaaaaallll working inside the bottle.
Great work, Coca-Cola. Keep the innovations coming.
My next guess? Well, there is a pattern. There is a long-forgotten restaraunt in Crystal MN called Arnold's. It didn't go out of it's way to draw comparisons to the Happy Days restaraunt, but it was the kinda place that had some similar vibs to it, and it was comfortable with that. Primarily a palce that concentrated on making good burgers, and providing a burger bar to decorate your slab of beef, it was a great place to get a full tummy and have some fun. Great shakes or malts, and typically played 50's music.
Oh, and the old-time fountain drinks. Cherry Cokes with the grenadine syrup. Lime Cokes. Vanilla cokes. and what I think is next, which is Chocolate coke. IT wasn't all that great then, but I think it may be the next thing coming. I base this off of my past experiences, and the fact I have an inner craving for Cocoa Puffs.
NFL Playoffs
I am watching the end of the Buccs and the Washington team, and it's been a great game so far. It's my hope that the Buccs can come back and tie it and then go on to win it, since I think that the Bears can handle them (the OL has looked horrible all game for the Buccanneers) and more importantly, I think the winner of the Panthers-Giants stands a better chance of beating the Seahawks in the next round, setting up an easier opponent in the NFC title, and a clearer path to the Super Bowl.
I'd break this game down, but there isn't much point in the 4th quarter. I had the Buccs going in though.
Jacksonville @ New England Patriots
The Jaguars get the ignomanity of goinig up against the one team who noone wnats to face. While the Patriots have their weaknesses, they are getting healthy right before the playoffs, and they have momentum from winning late in the season headed into the playoffs. His best friend will be an effective running game with Greg Jones, who has been a favorite of mine since coming out of college. Greg has a no-nonsense running style, and can pound out some tough yards. That'll be important against a gritty Patriots defense. THe passing game could pick on a weak secondary, but the Jags aren't the team that can take advantage of that (see Colts, Indianapolis).
This game boils down to Tom Brady vs the defense of Jacksonville, and I don't see the defense of the Jags being good enough.
Winner: New England Patriots
Random picture of Kate Beckinsdale:
Jack Schnobrich
One of my very best friends back in MN recently celebrated the birth of his 2nd son on December 30th. Had I known earlier, I would have written something even sooner.
Either way, the very best hopes and dreams for you I send to God, and hope that you become the sort of friend your dad has been for me. It is hard not to be there and to say that I have held you in my arms, because though it is not my place, it is a wish that I selfishly indulge in to be able to say I had the honor of doing. Instead, I will hold you in spirit, through our many mutual friends, and cradle you in my heart.
And probably be the really disturbing uncle who takes you to gentlemne's clubs on your 18th birthday. Your dad said I would go there whether it was your birthday or not, since I will be working there at that point. But that isn't the real reason. the real reason is that the drinks are cheaper,a nd for once, I can see what it's like to be in the audience instead of on stage.
Oh, don't think I can dance? Ask your dad about his wedding reception sometime. But don't ask your mom. Little kids shouldn't hear those sorts of words.
Did I happen to mention this before?
I hate Charlie Sheen.
But the good news is, apparently so does Denise Richards, because they are steamrolling their way to a divorce, according to those in the know at imdb.com. Denise's impending re-entry into the market probably won't be a long stay. I'm willing to bet that she'll end up with some other unworthy schmuck, like...Mario Lopez. Or worse yet, John Stamos. I hate John Stamos.
So you can bet I'll be avoiding his new sitcom for the 3 episodes that it lasts.
More tomorrow, including such topics as "what is as smooth as sex with pudding?", "NFL PLayoffs part II", and Markus Vick getting kicked off a college team. Wow. That's alot of football stuff. We'll find some other things to write about, I am sure.
