I guess it would help if I actually posted this, instead of draft mode...

Anyhow, I took my Dad down to the Happy Dog for Oktoberfest. They had the DJ who spun polka records and the staff was in full Oktoberfest apparel. So, in a surreal way, we were both in our respective elements. He had polkas to tap his toe to and, well, I had beer. Hey, Becks was only $3.00. Polkas are such a happy genre of music, but he was playing a couple of maudlin waltzes that he had to stop midway through because of the depression. Uncle Joe could have won a free drink if he had just blurted out louder "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" during a Name That Song portion.

I was also happy with the non-polka selections. Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, and "Slip Kids" by the Who, and noted polka king Elvis Costello with "Sneaky Feelings". Good times.

Meal of Links

While you're looking live at the Speedway, Brad Daugherty tells us how the drivers will be "driving hard". ESPN announces its NASCAR crew.

As you know, I'm bullish on Roger Ebert. Roger sends out a big howdy to all his fans.

Alec Baldwin was terribly inconvenienced by the Cory Lidle plane crash, as this picture shows:














Cop: "What's your name?"
Baldwin: "Fuck you. That's my name."

Premiere gives us Hollywood's 50 biggest disasters. "Fitzcarraldo", hah! Of course, another jab at "Hudson Hawk". Get off it already. Tee hee, Ashton Kutcher is No. 35. "Gigli". "Ishtar". Cleopatra. "Heaven's Gate". Jar Jar Binks!

Amazing how the books or DVDs about the making of some of these movies are incredibly interesting. Check these out if you can:

Books:

"Final Cut" by Steven Bach ("Heaven's Gate")
"The Man Who Heard Voices" about M. Night Shymalan's "Lady in the Water"

DVDs:
Terry Gilliam's "Lost in La Mancha"
"Burden of Dreams" about "Fitzcarraldo"
"Hearts of Darkness" about "Apocalypse Now"

Exercise Yard

Something that isn't mentioned very often among all of the tributes to Cory Lidle, is that he was a replacement player. Don't think players have long memories. There are still a few replacement players out there.

Visitor

4 Down: 1965 Nobel Peace Prize recipient (6 letters) Answer: UNICEF