The situation in Wisconsin was inevitable with their newly-elected Governor Walker. Trust me, this is the start of John Kasich's wet dream. he's got a lot in common with Walker. They have both rejected high-speed rail and want to balance their respective state budgets with a little union-busting along the way.

I don't think Madison's seen these types of protests since Vietnam. The pictures are pretty awesome. And Columbus hasn't seen anything like this in 25 years.

Time to join Progressives United.

Meal of Links

With the Oscars coming up soon, how about a look back at "Inception"? This deals with the architecture and the mind.

Banksy has a unique Oscar campaign. How can he not be seen doing his work?

We knew it was coming. Post-bankruptcy Borders.

Uncle Leo died. Can you believe he was only in 15 "Seinfeld" episodes?

Uncle Leo



Working at the Apple Store. True confessions.

Why Meg White matters. Maybe not so much today.

One scene wonders. Alec Baldwin: "Fuck you is my name." Also, "Boogie Nights" and "Network". Should have had Wilford Brimley in "Absence of Malice".

Scott Raab talks to Chris Rock. Rock is pro-LeBron, pro-Howard Stern and pro-Louis C.K. and a tip to this funny guy:

Hannibal Buress



The Ghost Signs of Chicago. There are still a few of of these in town.

If Walker and Kasich think they have government employee issues, look at California. Jerry Brown adopted a real mess.

Exercise Yard

Speaking of "Seinfeld", the poisoning of the Auburn trees is nuts. That Bama fan holds a grudge longer than Khomeini.

Visitor

32 Across: #1 tennis player for much of the '80s (9 letters) Answer: Ivan Lendl

Our long national nightmare is over. CAVS WIN!!!!

And then this...

Wayne Rooney Goal



I was in the midst of eating a piece of bacon when, all of a sudden, it was a goal for the ages in Manchester. My jaw dropped, but the bacon hung on my lip like a cigarette. Last view shows how great it was. Goal of a career material.

Meal of Links

I saw "Blue Valentine" on Wednesday. Terrific piece of film making, but it would be hard-pressed to find an audience, given its $6 million gross, thus far. It's such a a gut punch, but not a proverbial country record, it's like a proverbial country album, complete with a dead dog.

After watching it, here's what the demographics say:

Singles: "Thank God!"

Divorced: "Hey, I lived that."

Happily married: "Whew!"

Hardly married: "Uh-oh."

Box office is around $7 million after 7 weeks. It's a hard sell.

Acting is superb. Michelle Williams is great and Ryan Gosling, as ever, just kills it. It's the story of a couple who has been married about 5 or 6 years and their marriage is coming apart at the seams. There are some flashbacks to when they first met, seeing their relationship develop and evolve into marriage, no matter how blindly they may have got into it.

For, you see, Williams was studying to be a doctor in Western PA, while Gosling worked for a moving company in Brooklyn. All their dreams come to a grinding halt when, shortly after dating Gosling, Williams realizes she's pregnant from another guy. They decide to get married.

Eventually, she becomes a nurse and he becomes a house painter. He winds up attached to the daughter more than her, as Gosling tends to act as a child for the most part. So, Williams is, in effect, raising two kids. Gosling wants nothing more out of life then what he has, she can't stand what's happening to them both.

And you get two hours of that. As I said, extremely well done, and a great movie for winter where it's already dark and gloomy.

Boeing's next-generation intercontinental plane. Much attention to first class space, in which you will never fly.

John Hughes-inspired art. There is some good stuff here.

This critic really dislikes Martin Lawrence. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Martin Lawrence, sole owner-occupier of his own special zone of terrible."

Mubarak used most of the last three weeks to save his fortune. Seems he may have gotten ahead of the Swiss banks.

Bourdain is doing some writing for "Treme". Even scenes with the infamous Alan Richman.

From the time flies category, "Arrested Development" has been off the air five years.

Uncle Jack



Speaking of John Hughes, there has been a recent news item. They have determined the dates of the baseball game played in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

Algeria might be next.

Mark Wahlberg. Big-time producer. Another show. This time, CBS hires Rob Riggle for "Home Game".

Now this guy can fill a scorecard. It shows how personal these can be. I'm just happy someone still keeps core at the ballpark. You have a better shot at seeing a Yeti.

John Dahl has been mostly involved in TV lately, directing some episodes of "Dexter" and "Californication". Hell, he even did an episode of "Terriers". But he also directed the noir gem, "The Last Seduction".

The hardest part about giving up drinking? Dating.

Regrets? The FDA Scientist who approved LASIK surgery has some.

Porn. An industry in financial trouble.

Exercise Yard

Norris Cole was a man today. 41 points, 20 rebounds (!), 9 assists. One shy of the first triple-double in CSU history. And they needed him, too.

In perhaps the sleepiest game of the year, CSU beats the Fighting Penguins of Youngstown State, 86-76. YSU is in last place and pushed the Vikings to almost the end of the game, as the three-ball kept them in it. Cole needed to be dominant and, thankfully, he was.

Visitor

49 Across: Knighted son of King Ban (8 letters) Answer: Lancelot

The wingnuts have gone over the edge. I was listening to the Magic Radio at Noon yesterday and they interviewed a lady who was in charge of some Eastern Pennsylvania Tea Party. Now there were two parts, actually three, that would have driven me to the bottle, if I had one handy.

First of all, they don't "endorse" candidates, they just "back" them. Someone needs to explain that difference to me. She claimed her Tea Party wasn't the cause of the R's losing the Senate. Basically, don't blame me, we don't endorse anyone.

Second, her thoughts on Social Security were misguided. She acted as if she is getting back what she and her husband paid into it, completely ignoring the fact she is reaping the benefits of those who have paid into the program before her. It's nuts. She also acted as if the government would cut her SS benefits, she and her husband would get by, as they always do.

Third, the CBO report on healthcare is, in her words, "baloney". You know, the fact that it will actually cut into the deficit. "I don't believe one word of that." Of course, she couldn't name anything to cut to make up for the deficit, just that "they need to get on a budget" citing welfare, Medicaid, and any other entitlement buzzword. Then she brought up, as a place to start, this insane rumor that President Obama's trip to India would cost $200 million a day.

This was the first I had heard about it. Believe me, I looked. I could not find one credible news source yesterday afternoon that reported it. It came from a quote from some Indian website and it was pure speculation. Completely overlooking the US operation in Afghanistan runs at about $190 million per day.

Absolutely confounding.

Meal of Links

I used to watch MTV. Whatever happened to Gideon Yago? Do you care whatever happened to Gideon Yago?

Are we talking Olympics already? Danny Boyle says the Opening Ceremonies in London will have some rock and roll.

Danny McBride talks about his faves in pop culture. "Locked Up Abroad" looks scary.

Toronto cops get disciplined for actions during the G20 summit. That was a bad scene.

FT has a long piece on why there isn't much of a market for Annie Liebovitz photos. Seems the art galleries aren't exactly enamored with here, and I guess you have to play that game.

Exercise Yard

One of the all-timers died today, Sparky Anderson. Obviously known more for managing the Reds, but we got to see him a lot as manager of the Tigers. Regarded as one of the nicest people in baseball. And that 1984 Tigers team was quite a ride. First place the entire season.

Two Sparky lines have always stuck with me. "You can have the guy who loses the 3-2 games, I want the guy who wins the 5-4 games." And when he gave a pitcher the hook, you were to hand him the ball "like it was an egg."

Kirk Gibson, my all-time favorite non-Indian, with some words.

Visitor

6 Across: ___ Mahal (3 letters) Answer: Taj

Let's see what the Browns do with the Chiefs tomorrow. Lots of the early picks seem to be going the Kansas City way. Weather may be a factor, 50% chance of rain. Let's not forget the Chiefs played in a monsoon on Monday and it didn't seem to bother them.

I think this is a good test. Once again on paper, a beatable team at home. The X Factor tomorrow is Seneca Wallace. Over the years, he has been a steady performer, so let's see how he does. Keep in mind, in last year's game against KC, despite Jerome Harrison gaining 286 yards, the Chiefs had a chance to win on the last play of the game. BTW, Wallace will be the 15th QB to start for the Browns since their return.

The other 14:

Detmer, Couch, Pederson, Wynn, McCown, Holcomb, Garcia, Dilfer, Anderson, Frye, Quinn, Dorsey, Gradkowski and Delhomme.

Announcer Alert: Don "Eric Wright is a shut-down corner" Criqui and Steve Beuerlein.

Meal of Links

Baltimore celebrates Frank Zappa Day tomorrow. Today is the 25th anniversary of his PMRC testimony. "Anal vapors"...Hah!

Lemurs as pets. Good God, that look would freak me out every time it greeted me at the door.

"As The World Turns" closed up shop yesterday. My favorite soap, "Ryan's Hope", is long gone.

"As the World Turns" Final Scene



Rolling Stone lists the 25 best record shops. Gotta go to Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati or Louisville to find one close.

Who knew that Gwyneth Paltrow had a website called "Goop"? Worth it for the GO section. She knows her food.

Kindles for kids. School saves money.

9 regrettable sports tattoos. That Mickey Mantle look is as freaky as a lemur.

Chocolate recipes.

Exercise Yard

Might wanna hold back on the Michigan resurrection talk. It's not a Rich Rodriguez problem anymore. It's a defensive coordinator Craig Robinson problem now. Whatever mojo this cat once had defensively, is long gone. Jeezy creezy, they gave up 217 yards rushing today.

Michigan gives up 37 to an FCS school, UMass. At home. Ugh!

Visitor

21 Down: Moe, for one (6 letters) Answer: Stooge

Floyd Landis finally comes clean. But then decides to take down Lance and everyone else on the former Postal Service team with him. I'm not sure what the answer is to the why now question, I take him at his word that he's tired of lying and maybe he thinks this is his Jose Canseco moment. I watched that stage in 2006 where the test came back positive. I've never seen anything like it before or since. So, maybe that day haunts him more than we know.

In typical fashion, WADA seems very interested in what Landis has to say. Especially if he has kept any sort of meticulous records. And, of course, US Cycling continues to discredit him. I'm not saying Lance did or didn't, but as the de facto face of cycling in the US, it's easy to see why US Cycling lines up with Lance. And there are a huge number of people out there who say his off-track work with LiveStrong far outweighs any on-track doping.

I think the overlooked word in all of the PED talk, is that Landis mentions a dalliance with insulin. Bodybuilders use insulin a lot as a PED and it's use as such is generally an unknown to the public. Estimates claim as many as 25% of athletes use it for doping because the tests aren't really there yet and it gets out of your system really quick.

So, with Landis today and Dr. Galea yesterday, it's a big week for the anti-doping crowd.

Meal of Links

Wow. Google TV looks cool. Me (remember I have Time Warner Cable) wants it.

Bret Michaels cannot catch a break. Gotta slow down just a bit.

Pee Wee goes to Broadway. I predict that will be a hot ticket.

Craig Kilborn is back on TV. Well, in some places. When he was on CBS, I had a long stretch of coming home late on Fridays and he would be on the TV, regardless of what time I arrived. Very strange, uncanny phenomenon.

It's the latest David Lynch movie! Well, sorta movie, it's a lengthy ad for Christian Dior.

American scientists did something awesome. They developed the first synthetic living cell.

I don't know if it's the worth of the paintings, the actual planning and process used or whatever. But in the world of theft, isn't stolen art from a museum the neatest crime?

Spaghetti westerns! And, yes, Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time In The West" is mentioned. Saw it again a few weeks ago on Turner. Bronson is unbelievably good here as Harmonica. Only have to mine the Comments for a short time to grab this all-time quote by Henry Fonda: "Never trust a man who wears a belt with suspenders. Man can't even trust his own pants." Jason Robards as Cheyenne is superb (hell, it's a great movie) and his line in his agonizingly painful death scene is choice; "Hey, Harmonica, when they do you in. Pray it's somebody who knows where to shoot." If you have a spare three hours, watch this one. Or if you have a spare few minutes, the quotes that are quoted in the Comments are worth it.

Nice Birthday Surprise for a Bus Driver



Exercise Yard

The Indians are having a rough go of it. They have lost two games within 24 hours for the second time this week.

But the schedule afforded me the opportunity to hear two games on the radio. You have to listen to Hammy and the return of Homer Mike. Hammy ripping the opponents and Homer Mike paddling upstream once more. It's hilarious to hear the sell job they are saddled with, calling games for the last-place Indians.

Visitor

30 Down: Frontiersman Carson (3 letters) Answer: Kit

We were greeted with the news that the Fulton road Bridge won't open until next spring. That wasn't hard to tell, as the deck doesn't even appear to be finished. They claim the sidewalks and fencing need to be constructed with little rain and temps above 50. Which eliminates any late fall work.

Any detours I use are beyond pain-in-the-ass by now. They've become routine, but I wish they would finish the damn thing already.

Meal of Links

So, I was reading WomansDay.com today and ran across...A link to WomansDay.com? Yes. Only for optical illusions.

Ten weird celebrity commercials. Jason Alexander for the McDLT is rightly at the top. Remember that one? Your burger was "Hot", but your lettuce and tomato were "Cold". Throw in wasteful packaging and you have a winner!

A look back at Lance Armstrong's battle with cancer. And with a tidbit on how he had to become an employee of Oakley to get health insurance.

W. talks about lots of things. Wow.

Exercise Yard

How Columbus dealt with the big game on Saturday. With an interesting note on the...uh....er...cleanup following the 2005 Texas game.

Visitor

17 Across: Toon rodent who's a British secret agent (11 letters) Answer: Danger Mouse

Matt LaPorta finally got called up by the Indians today, But coming from either Toledo or Columbus (still in our state, I think), he was not in the starting lineup today. What, did he make a wrong turn at Albuquerque?

Wedgie quote:" At-bats before September are always a little different than in September."

How long does this guy have left?

Meal of Links

Might be a surprise to some. But Ted Olson is trying to overturn California's Prop 8.

Viewing the world from a 45-degree angle. The photos are pretty neat.

What obese people do at the buffet. Besides eat.

I saw "Big Trouble in Little China" recently. It's still a whole lotta WTF?

Oh, Canada! The Great White North is becoming a leading producer and exporter of illegal synthetic drugs. 62% of meth seized in Japan comes from Colombia North, er, Canada.

More of Pitchfork's best songs of the aughts here (where I liked 184, 177, 174, 158, 154 (and I still can't believe I am missing that Beachland concert next month), 151, 130, 116) and here (where I liked 99, 88, 78, 72, 69, 61, 58 (crank it!), and 53).

Have fun with this anagram generator. Wyatt Toregas = A Grotty Sweat.

Here's a question you probably didn't ask this week. What's A-ha up to?

Mozart may have died from strep throat. I thought that was a 20th-century invention.

More employers are now screening social networking sites. And a few really hate your use of emoticons.

Bill Simmons saw the US-Mexico soccer Match last week. He is fairly accurate in his descriptions of the crowd, the security, the stadium itself, the nationalistic pride. I've been in Azteca Stadium and those memories have not left me all these years later.

Exercise Yard

I've been watching the IAAF World Championships from Berlin this week, but one question remains. Is this a guy?

Visitor

31 Across: Slapstick actors, e.g. (6 letters) Answer: Zanies

They know they can't use them in a game. Right?



























I was at an OFA today. You know, an Organized Family Activity. Today's was a graduation party.

But I played Cornhole today. Years of avoidance tossed asunder, so I expect to be on the disabled list shortly. I teamed up with my Dad against Cousin Ron and my cousin's husband, Kevin. Man, I was having trouble early, as we got our asses kicked in the first two games. Geez, I was barely hitting the board, while the points were going off like a pinball machine for our opponents. Finally eked out an epic (well, in my eyes) 21-20 win. One on the board for them with a 20-19 score in their favor and on my last bag, I threw the ringer for 2 points.

Meal of Links

Annie Leibovitz can shoot a damn good photo. But clearly, she has no idea how to keep track of her money.

eHarmony doesn't accept everyone. God, that me laugh out loud.

What happens when novelists sober up. Nice read.

Exercise Yard

Stephon Marbury is insane. Might be worse than Glenn Beck-insane.

Visitor

None, on a beautiful latter half of a Sunday.

Since, March Madness has returned, so has March Madness on Demand. The video quality is superb this year. I mean, scary superb.

The hatred of Duke. And homophobia, if you've got it.

Kind of a so-so day picking today. The Upset Special of American over Villanova lasted 35 minutes before falling apart. And I lost BYU and Clemson for down the road, both with really poor efforts. But I did have Western Kentucky and UCLA escaping with wins.

And this is how Memphis planned for their game.

Remember, CSU is on Channel 43 Friday about 9:40 p.m. at the earliest.

Friday's Winners:

Syracuse, Tennessee, Utah State, North Dakota State

Temple, Pittsburgh, Missouri, West Virginia

Louisville, Utah, USC, Portland State

Ohio State, Wake Forest, Michigan State, Florida State

Meal of Links

This series on Nashville is pretty good. It's starting with Johnny Cash. And lookee here. "Behind the Music" returns.

To be Shakespeare or not to be Shakespeare. That is the question.

A superb story on the decline of the Jigsaw Saloon. Very good local reporting, I thought.

Exercise Yard

Finally, this guy has 7 things to hate about this year's March Madness. Even North Dakota State gets a mention.

Visitor

9 Down: San Diego State athletes (6 letters) Answer: Aztecs

Looks like the "War on Terrorism" got a big conviction. Bin Laden's driver. Shouldn't we be taking all this money and effort and put it into actually finding Osama himself? That might put a big dent in the situation. Just a thought.

Meal of Links

I don't know if you saw the U.S. Olympic cyclists upon their arrival in Beijing. They already had their smog masks on. In the airport, for cryin' out loud! Maybe someone was there to bleach them. But it was pretty ridiculous. They apologized.

All about Old Masters and Young Geniuses. Pretty interesting.

Iggy had his gear stolen. That really sucks.

The Top 20 Albums. Again. Sales had a big piece of the criteria. Also, 50 One Hit Wonders.

"Seinfeld" rides the bus. And ever closer to the J. Peterman Reality Tour.

Exercise Yard

I'm surprised Carl Monday never investigated this. Weird headline, stranger story. \

Wait a minute, the Indians played this afternoon? Oh, let's see the score. Huh? They blew a three-run lead in the ninth?

Great game. Ryan Garko gets benched for not running out a grounder. Asdrubal Cabrera injures himself by tripping on the carpet and spraining an ankle. And the Tribe bullpen gave up six runs in the ninth, while getting no one out.

Double-Double-Homer for three runs off of Mujica.

Infield Single-Walk-Homer for three runs off Kobayashi.

I saw the replay tonight. Oh, that hurts!

Visitor

32 Across: Medal-winning Hamm (3 letters) Answer: Mia

I stumbled upon the ABC network last night and was amazed to find the show "According to Jim" still on the air. Quite frankly, I thought this show had been cancelled about 4 times already. I keep wondering about America when a show like that can outdraw "Knights of Prosperity".

Anyhow, I had to make sure it was still sweeps month as ABC aired not one, but two of these shows back-to-back. And I thought to myself has the President of the network fallen asleep or has he just given up. I mean, what would possess ya? I thought since I was there, I might as well see if the show had become funny in some sort of miraculous way and not everyone (meaning me) had been let in on the secret. Uh, no, it still sucked. Badly.

So, is my brain now destroyed?

Meal of Links

Robert Rauschenberg died. He was 82. I liked his art very much. I guess because it was for lack of a better word, accessible. And, of course, he did the cover for the Talking Heads album, "Speaking in Tongues". That actually got him a Grammy.

Speaking of the Heads, "Our President's crazy...did you hear what he said?". Our President said he showed solidarity with the troops by giving up golf, supposedly a big sacrifice for the guy. You can't make that up.

The last "Seinfeld" aired 10 years ago. "What am I supposed to do with all this paella?"

Exercise Yard

Bill Simmons has a preview of Doc Rivers' pregame speech.

The Cavs certainly had a chance in Game 5. I let the thought that the Cavs were playing superb defense cross my mind. And they got to that 43-29 lead, with LeBron scoring his series high...in the first half! But then, of all people, Rajon Rondo, hits not one, but two threes and the Celtics get right back in the game. And to think the Cavs went from a 43-29 lead to a 71-59 deficit near the end of the third, that's being outscored 42-16. Attribute some of that to Boston's hot shooting in the third, but, man, what a turnaround.

The playoffs are turning into an easily-solved mystery this year. San Antonio has looked so awful at New Orleans, but so good at home. I'm afraid the Cavs are heading to the same sort of fate. The pressure is mounting on both teams for Friday's game here.

Look at the box score shows Rondo had more assists than the Cavs, that's not good. Cavs only got 13 points from the bench. Bad three-point percentage from the Cavs, who were getting to the line, but only shot 68% on fouls. Plus, they got outrebounded, especially in the second half.

The Celtics lack of depth, and perhaps their eventual downfall, really showed tonight with only 9 points. Rondo had to go 42 minutes at the point and had his best game, by far. They finally got Paul Pierce going and Kevin Garnett had an all-pro game. The Celtics shot 48% and most of that was after that 14-point deficit.

We'll see which Celtics team shows up on Friday, but their confidence has to much better after tonight's game. Cavs are hanging by a thread.

Cavs lose, 96-89.

Visitor

45 Across: "Family Circus" cartoonist Keane (3 letters) Answer: Bil

I've finally digested the list of the Top 50 TV Icons. Omigod, Jimmy Smits is on there. I can't help but think of Krusty the Clown when I see him. "And I'll be played by Jimmy Smits!"

I Don't Get The High Ranking:

49. Calista Flockhart
39. Jennifer Aniston
37. George Clooney
31. Sarah Jessica Parker

Should Be Higher:

50. Larry Hagman
34. Bob Barker ("Truth or Consequences and "The Price Is Right". Enough said.)
28. Howard Cosell (Monday Night Football. Ali. Dominant for a long time.)
19. Andy Griffith (We are almost cradle-to-grave with that guy.)

Missing:

James Garner (What a serious omission. I'm such a fanboy, I have some of his phone messages from "Rockford" on my iPod. "Jimmy, old buddy, buddy. It's Angel. You know how they allow you one phone call. Well...this is it.")
Bugs Bunny (Every Saturday morning. Damn, every week and he's not on here.)
Steve Allen (Hello? What am I missing?)
Dave Diles (C'mon. The Prudential College Scoreboard! Bah!)

Other TV sounds on my iPod that I like:

Frank Costanza: "I find tinsel distracting."

Fox Mulder: "Whatever tape you found in that VCR isn't mine."
Dana Scully: "Good. Because I put it back in that drawer with all those other videos that aren't yours."

"THEY BROKE ELIAN"S BED!!!!!"

Meal of Links

Well, Hugh Grant sold his Warhol for $24 million. I guess he can afford a few more box office disasters. However, this exhibit looks something to check out in Big D. Foreigners doing karaoke to The Smiths. I dunno, I think it looks interesting. I do a pretty good version of "Ask" myself.

The Cal Marching Band salutes old video games. Pong was funny.

TV is pushing the race card. And I think I laughed at everyone of the jokes.

Exercise Yard

The Henne/Hart/Carr Chart at the University of Michigan. Let's hope for a big win this year, men.

Visitor

65 Across: 1969 baseball upstarts (4 letters) Answer: Mets