I avoided enough of the raindrops tonight and made it over to Cinemark to see "Senna". For this documentary, there were more in attendance than some features I have seen. It's not really difficult to see the hold that Ayrton Senna still has over people. The greatest Formula One driver ever. And this doc is actually quite brilliant, catching all of the Senna magic. Great use of archival footage and no talking heads. Uses interviews from the past and only voiceovers from the same participants today.

Covers a lot in Senna's racing career. You can't dream up a hero like Senna and the villains, across the board, in the world of Formula One. We get the drives in the rain (including Monaco), Senna in the John Player Special (the best looking car ever in F1) for Lotus, the rivalry with Alain Prost at McLaren and then Ferrari and Williams, the politics of the FIA, the many dramatic incidents at the GPs of Japan, the first win at Brazil, some late Nigel Mansell and early Michael Schumacher driving, the three World Championships, the move to Williams and the fateful weekend at Imola (including Barichello's horrific crash and the deaths of Ratzenberger and Senna).

This is an ESPN Films production, so I have to believe it gets an airdate there. Has to be a Documentary Oscar nominee...it's that great.

Top Gear Senna Tribute



Meal of Links

Cliff Robertson died today. For all of his roles, the one that sticks out for me was "The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid".

Uh, about that Arab Spring we heard so much about. You can't predict what happens in a vacuum.

Beers that America no longer drinks. All you have to do is see the expanded shelf space at your local grocer. Lots more choices.

Exercise Yard

Third weekend for the EPL. Is it already a two-team race?

Visitor

55 Across: "Dead Man Walking" Oscar wnner (8 letters) Answer: Sarandon

Last night was my first try at attending the Cleveland Oktoberfest . OK, I'll say it. I didn't have any German food. It was too warm to even think about having a pigout session. I just stuck with the beer at this sauna. Hofbrau's Oktoberfest Beer being a really keen brew. Beer was relatively cheap here. If you stayed away from promotional cups and all, the German beers were $5 and I think Buds were only $4 for a draft pounder. You cannot beat the carny food, as I had a gyro. Overall, a nice gastric experience.

The crowd showed up despite the heat, however. There seemed to be an unusual attraction from the human glockenspiel activity. These people would come out every hour on the hour. Do a little German dancing and then throw stuff to the audience. It sorta reminded me of the lines at the Food Show where people would stand in them for a lengthy time, just because something was free. The items tossed were mainly beads, but I think there were other trinkets and t-shirts were also distributed. I didn't really get this attraction, but it seemed to be very popular, so I won't quibble too much.

The Cleveland Pops Orchestra was scheduled to appear there during this evening's rain. Even with the shower, let's hope more people observed that than the clock.

Meal of Links

One of the great things about Harry Shearer is he tracks the Olympic movement. Well, lookee here. The no-fly zone in London next summer may bankrupt firms. You know, small companies like flight schools.

Not that I've watched it in years. And it's hard to believe that Channel 8 always used to cancel US Open Tennis coverage because of it. But it will be strange to see the MDA Telethon proceed without Jerry Lewis. Such an odd breakup.

How a cinema saved a town. Kind of a neat story.

Economy class is getting better. Apparently on airlines I don't frequent.

An R who left the cult. That's why even an off-year election is important.

Somehow this guy is always overlooked when it comes to hosting the Oscars. How about Eddie Murphy?

Another Ed Gein tribute. This time, it's "Ed Gein, The Musical". I am laughing so hard, I could barely type that.

Exercise Yard

The Cubs may stop serving Old Style at Wrigley field. That's a shame. However, even Giant Eagle has such a wide selection of beer these days, these old brands are bound to suffer.

Having said that, I'm off to finish a Modelo.

Visitor

None, on a cloudy Sunday.

Today, in tech world, it was like Black Friday. Because the HP TouchPads were being dumped on the market at prices that would make Crazy Eddie proud.

Two of the biggest online retailers haven't dropped their price yet. That would be Newegg and Amazon, but that'll happen later today or tomorrow. Best Buy claims they still have some in-store and will be sold starting tonight or tomorrow, but that seems completely random, as they allegedly sent all their stock back. But the Office Depot/OfficeMax/Staples Axis of Evil seems to be out. As are Target and Wal-Mart and your warehouse clubs.

Meal of Links

Groupon is running low on cash. This is really good insight as to how the company actually operates and how they get paid. And how accounting principles allow you to tell a story that is kinda true.

Probably the quintessential piece on the demise of Borders. The last time I was in the Crocker store was last Christmas and could not believe how much that store had changed. Especially when I found they now opened at 10:00.

Controversy about the Gay Softball World Series. Who knew?

Emeritus interviews Michael Vick in GQ. I found it interesting that after probation ends next summer, Vick can legally own a dog.

You can get a PBR around here for, what, $2? In China, that'll set you back $46 a bottle.

The new sports talker in Cleveland starts on August 29. Finally.

The Postal Service has to change for its survival. The battle starts in Washington when the recess ends.

Top 10 things you don't need to buy because they are already in your home. Vick's VapoRub solves itching? WTF?

Did the Libyan rebels actually pull this off? Gadhafi flees Tripoli. I guess illegal wars can work.

I see Wolf Blitzer once in a while. Yes, he's boring.

This is why Jon Huntsman matters. A Republican who says you can't shun science.

Finally got a look at "Ebert Presents: At The Movies", while stumbling around the dial after the Browns and Indians last night. A trip down memory lane as Roger and Gene talked about overlooked acting of the '80s. Got affirmation when Gene mentioned Gene Hackman in "The Conversation" and Roger piped up with James Caan in "The Gambler". Looks like WVIZ runs this on Fridays at 10:30 with overnight reruns on early Saturdays and Sundays.

Recent news about Ted Williams. The voice guy.

Exercise Yard

A nice story about the Tribe. Well done, men.

Visitor

37 Across: Classic Leontyne Price role (4 letters) Answer: Aida

They had polkas at the Market today with DJ Kishka. So what better way to spend an afternoon than guzzling beer at Great Lakes Brewing. Had only been there once since the Great Smoking Controversy. That was for the Bourbon Beer Debacle as the annals report.

They are still on high alert when someone's about to smoke. No smokes inside the railing, Mister.

Anyhow, it truly is a Cleveland success story. Outside was packed. Beer garden was packed. Bar was packed. Downstairs was packed. At 2:00 on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. I know they are closed on Sundays, but man, that's pretty good business.

Meal of Links

Bachmann left her church when she decided to run for President. Sort of a reverse Jeremiah Wright going on.

Fox News has a segment on hacking. Jocularity ensues.

Hope Solo: Blonde. Against Hope Solo: Brunette. Either way, she has to stop the type of goal she gave up against France.

Exercise Yard

Minnesota is in the throes of a government shutdown. Vikings owner decides this is the right time to continue lobbying for a new stadium.

Visitor

2 Down: Frontman on the 1987 debut album "Appetite For Destruction" (7 letters) Answer: Axl Rose

I really like my Saturday Plain Dealer. Not so much for any editorial or ad content, but the fact the Saturday Crossword has finally arrived on my doorstep. So, it pains me when I get that edition of the PD stolen. I've had that happen before at various times and it blows.

While I was recovering from some Ommegang Wittes last night, I finished up yesterday's version of the local daily newspaper. Looking at all of the Patio Issue, as it were. So, I didn't exactly get out there early for today's paper, grabbing it around 8:30. After finally getting to it 15 minutes later, all I could say was "Fuck me!".

Someone pilfered my PD and replaced it with the weekend version of the Wall Street Journal. So, I guess I have some sort of benevolent thief or some sort of overly aggressive WSJ deliverer. Which caused me to trudge up to the Circle K to get my fix.

Because the last time I went through this from the PD, I learned:

It was my fault.

and

They sorta kinda don't get there quick enough with a new paper for me.

Needless to say, I'm back on early sentry duty.

Meal of Links

The Best Muscle Cars. They are beauties.

Matt Dillon died yesterday. Not the actor. Well, yeah, the actor, but the other guy. The "Gunsmoke" Guy.

"Cash Cab" pays off. Ben Bailey hosts a network show. Hey, anything to have less Guy Fieri on my TV is a good thing.

Kid Learns To Ride Bike



"Pawn Stars" is the No. 1 show on cable. And sparked TV's hottest genre. Thrift TV.

Looks like Pat Coyne picked the wrong market for Krispy Kreme sites. Should have said the UK, instead of Brunswick.

Shades of Brian De Palma. If there are truly no cuts, as it appears so, it's pretty cool. Roger Ebert called it "the greatest music video ever made".

"The Grand Rapids LipDub"



Speaking of beer. how to enjoy it.

Exercise Yard

The Rangers pitcher who beat the Indians yesterday? He has an interesting story. And he's 6-0.

Visitor

1 Across: Candy vehicle (4 letters) Answer: SCTV

SCTV-The Great White North/Babe Ruth Story

Last night was a great opportunity to zip through the dial and see who gives you the best weather coverage. The combination of lots of storms and violent ones at that, allowed us to see who was at the top of their game.

Channel 3

Kling makes a strong case for being calm and not at all panicky. Although she kept using the phrase "place of safety", which I guess means your basement, closet or bathroom on your lowest floor. Not very compelling to see someone watching a computer, so they had the irritant of Ramona and then the 7:00 crew sit by and offer up some tidbits. Kling must have the stalkers though, because she showed her phone after receiving an alert from Channel 3 Weather. "I get alerts for Cuyahoga County because that's where I work. You can also choose additional counties. I have the "county where I live" and two adjacent counties, as well."

Channel 5

OK, Mark Johnson has the Power of 5 on his side. Too much begging for photos and interrupting the broadcast with them. Did a decent job, but had the line of the night, early on in the proceedings, when the wind and hail were issues for the western counties. "Three-inch hail? How'd you like that coming down on your car? Three-inch hail. How'd you like that coming down on your kids? What are they doing outside? Get'em indoors!"

Channel 8

Didn't linger here too much. But I did hear Andre Bernier at 7:45 mention we would not miss a minute of "American Idol". Even as storms were closing in on Cuyahoga Falls.

Channel 19

Easily the clusterfuck of the evening. It seemed that every storm chaser that went west got there after the storm had already passed. Tanchak had to redirect everyone eastward. The Vampire, Eddie Gallek, sent in some video that was not even legible. I guess they filmed from the car, but who could tell. Even Tanchak looked like he was gonna comment, but bit his tongue. Tanchak's highlight was demanding that a Tornado Warning be called for Portage County and actually said, "If the Weather Service is watching us...". No wonder they have no upticks in ratings when the weather turns sour.

Kling is probably the winner, with 5 and 8 reasonably close and 19 huddled somewhere in it's "place for safety".

Meal of Links

Friends of Jeff Bridges talk about Jeff Bridges. Good stuff.

Palin is making noise again about entering the fray. I'd like to see her in a legitimate Republican primary season with no holds barred.

Guinness does taste better in Ireland. Why? Crazy little thing called freshness.

Oh, boy. VH-1 decides it wants more "Pop-Up Video".

Outstanding. Mugatu will be back for "Zoolander 2".

Vermont adds another first. They go to single-payer health care.

The 10 Greatest War Movies. I've seen 9 of them. This is actually a very good list.

Gov. Kasich's poll numbers are pretty bad. And they are still dropping. I think part of it is he never seems happy. Always mad or grousing about something.

The Ted Williams Bio is on tonight. Wonder how that Cavs job is going.

Exercise Yard

It was rather interesting to see David Beckham back at Old Trafford for the Gary Neville Testimonial. The fans
still love him there.

Hey, I know it was a friendly, but he looked pretty good. Did a lot of passing to the opposite side of the pitch and was on target virtually all the time. And almost put in a free kick. Odd that he played the full 90 minutes, but they Probably figured if he got hurt, he doesn't play there anymore.

Visitor

2 Down: Baseball's "Old Perfessor" (7 letters) Answer: Stengel

Casey Stengel

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

It shocked me a few weeks ago when I heard a Pogues song used on a commercial. The times they are a changin'. But "Fairytale of New York" is the most unconventional one that gets some play around the holidays. I really enjoy this one as Shane and Kirsty do a bangup job on it. Plus you get Matt Dillon as a cop.

"Fairytale of New York"/The Pogues with Kirsty McColl



My brother and I went to the Cavs game tonight. We are streak breakers. The Cavs definitely took advantage of the Knicks having two tough games with the Celtics and the Heat and won in overtime, 109-102. Anderson Varejao proving to be the star of the game with 14 points and 17rebounds.

The Knicks could not shoot straight in the second half and the Cavs somehow scraped enough points to get this one. It appeared to be Tsingtao Beer Night, as the Tsingtao Girls danced at halftime. Yes, they were showing their Tsingtaos. I assume they sell that beer there, but I got a Bud Light from the Beer Guy.

Meal of Links

How to find better answers online. Google alternatives, that is.

Here is the easiest path to an Oscar for a woman. It's scientifically-approved.

Pitchfork has the top tracks of 2010. Well, you can't go anywhere without hearing "POWER" by Kanye West.

Best new beers. The Goose Island one with the 13% ABV looks outstanding.

DADT was repealed. Joe Lieberman deserves credit and how about President Obama who could have kicked him to the curb 2 years ago. And Voinovich was a yes. Maybe they should name a bridge after him. But this is the Senate and they are actually doing things this week? Too bad the DREAM Act went down. Next, it's the START treaty.

Turner gets it right with their Blake Edwards tribute. These are the essentials.

Remember when they turned off Niagara Falls? We have proof.

Exercise Yard

In the first of two big Cleveland basketball games today, Cleveland State visited West Virginia. They lost, 74-63. If they had won, they would have been ranked, as they would have remained unbeaten.

So, in typical fashion, the fans who may have whispered about them, perhaps be intrigued by them, maybe see them in person, will now be distracted by other things. And the crowds will remain small and then everyone will wake up when they have a shot at March Madness.

Visitor

9 Down: Plastic ___ Band (3 letters) Answer: Ono

Check out Banksy's opening for "The Simpsons" from last Sunday. Absolutely skewers Fox. Pretty dark. And it was originally darker.

"The Simpsons" Opening by Banksy



Meal of Links

Lots of times, financial issues are really difficult to grasp. But this is the best primer on the current foreclosure crisis.

You know the old saw about Canadians who cross the border for healthcare. Well, it isn't true.

Wes Anderson helps shoot an ad for Stella Artois. That is a beer I seldom drink. BTW, "The Darjeeling Limited" gets the Criterion treatment.

Alec Baldwin texts during a movie. Deservedly, he gets the M&M treatment.

"Castle" Bids Farewell to Stephen J. Cannell



Wal-Mart is already discounting toys for the holidays. Ten bucks for Monopoly seems reasonable.

Songs that mention other songs. Appearances by "Bowie" and Shooter Jennings.

Everything you wanted to know about "The Empire Strikes Back".

Jenn Sterger. The perfect harassment victim?

Anderson Cooper. The accidental gay activist?

Exercise Yard

Confessions of an agent. Good read, but I wish the guy had represented some better-known players.

Visitor

25 Across: Stand-up guy who played Tobias Funke on "Arrested Development" (10 letters) Answer: David Cross

I spent a few hours this afternoon at the Lake County Oktoberfest. This was held in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel parking lot. Beautiful day. Beer. Polkas. What more could you want on a Saturday afternoon. So, we dragged my Dad, my brother and my niece out there for the festivities.

Scary thing was when I got there around 1:00, there didn't seem to be too many people in attendance. And second, there were not a whole lot of people drinking beer. I soon corrected that. Music was provided by the Chardon Polka Band. Good group of 20-somethings playing the classics, some covers and some originals. Good stuff. They stopped when Mass started, although that's when the Sausage Eating Contest took place. That was the signal to head back home.





























It's interesting that at the real Oktoberfest in Munich, they drank a record 7 million liters of beer this year. And there were 37 kids who were lost. Hard to believe.

Meal of Links

Well, this has to be good. David Mamet writing and directing and Al Pacino starring as Phil Spector.

Speaking of HBO, I can't wait to see what Michael Mann does with "Luck". What, a series about horse racing? This combined with FX debuting a boxing series, "Lights Out", in January makes me wonder of these sports have enough interest in them.

What looks better the second time? "Barton Fink"...yeah. "You're a sick fuck, Fink."

Chick Transforms Into Jared Leto



They are remaking "They Live"! One of the greatest lines in cinematic history is in this film: "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

They tracked down the "Cigar Guy". I still can't figure out why so few got that Jimenez connection. I knew that immediately.

Exercise Yard

More Beadlemania. This time in NBA Jam for Wii.

Visitor

27 Across: It lost to "Moon River" for a Best Song Oscar (15 letters) Answer: Girl From Ipanema

"Girl From Ipanema"/Astrud Gilberto

I think I've finally reached the end of my rope with that schoolgirl in the Ellen Page ad for Cisco.

Annoying Character: "WE'RE GOING ON A FIELD TRIP TO CHINA!!!!"

TV Viewer: "AND I'M GOING ON A TRIP TO BUY A GUN!!!!"

Aaaaaaargh!

Regardless, I finally did it. I upgraded my 1G phone to the Blackberry Torch. As before, I got it through Amazon, which was $50 cheaper than my own AT&T upgrade price. I had to get one with a keyboard. Even with the touch screen on the Torch, I am typically sliding it open, so I can handle messages.

I like it so far. It has a decent enough heft. Good features. Frankly, I don't need that much in a phone. Let the power users bitch about it. And the messaging and security is outstanding, as one would expect from RIM. I know a lot of people hate AT&T Mobility, but I've never had an issue with coverage, support or really anything.

So, it was an easy transition.

Meal of Links

A hetero male watches "Eat Pray Love". It's just about what I thought it would be.

It is the 50th anniversary of "The Andy Griffith Show". TV Land celebrates daily with "50 Days of Andy".

Catching up with craft breweries. Magic Hat got sold! As did Anchor Brewing from San Francisco. I loves me my Magic Hat.

In case you missed it, those floods in Pakistan are really, really bad. You know it's bad when even the UN is begging for assistance.

Dexter Promo (Starts in Less Than 40 Days)



I have been a fan of "Austin City Limits" for a long time. Check out this year's current lineup. Spoon, Alejandro Escovedo and Trombone Shorty, and Rosanne Cash look like the early standouts.

Headline says it all.

Is there anything new that stands out with this fall TV preview? Looks like "Five-O", "Running Wilde" and the chick from "Undercovers" might be winners. Plus, Donal Logue returns in "Terriers". That has to be good. Plus, Windell Middlebrooks (the Miller High Life guy) shows up in "Body of Proof".

Exercise Yard

Almost 60 years has passed. It remains the most famous homer in baseball history.

In case you didn't know, the Giants win the pennant.

Visitor

32 Across: Hammer-wielding god (4 letters) Answer: Thor

Today is International Beer Day

and

National Underwear Day. I hope you enjoy both.

Last night, I decided to catch up on "Community". I actually was surprised on how many episodes I had neglected. "Archer", CSU basketball and March Madness really interfered with my Thursday viewing. Let's put it this way, the first catch-up "Community" was from the first week of March.

Therefore, I did not know that Senor Chang was relegated to student status. I also did not know that two women had professed their love for Jeff or that he welcomed Annie back with a kiss. And, most of all, I did not know about the "Paintball" episode. So, I am thankful I avoided all spoilers and got to enjoy these "lost" episodes.

Next: Catching up on "The Office".

Meal of Links

Toronto Film Festival has released its list of 25 docs. Looks like Errol Morris, Springsteen, the old master Frederick Wiseman on Boxing which has to be cool, Alex Gibney has Elliot Spitzer as a subject, and there is also one on Lillian Roxon. Sounds well done.

Hitch talks about his cancer. "Against me is the blind, emotionless alien, cheered on by some who have long wished me ill. But on the side of my continued life is a group of brilliant and selfless physicians plus an astonishing number of prayer groups."

More John Madden. But this one you'll like. The story of the development of Madden NFL.

Airships are making a comeback. Would you fly in one?

Lollapalooza starts tomorrow. No live streaming. I'm not even sure XM is there this year. But looks like Arcade Fire, Green Day, Soundgarden, Lady Gaga and The Strokes are the major players. But you can get Spoon, Devo, Black Keys, Against Me!, Social D among others. Easily 25-30 known acts.

I knew it was bad, but this? 27% of Republicans say President Obama was probably not born in the US and 14% say he was NOT born here. Hawaii IS a state, people.

Move over, Comic-Con. Next year, it's the Reality Rocks Expo in Los Angeles.

Good grief! This guy was running for Governor of Tennessee. Methinks he does not win today.

Things are heating up for Lance. Another of his US Postal teammates has testified against him. So, now we have Floyd Landis, Frankie Andreu and who else? Now, Levi Leipheimer is accused, as well. The issue here is not Lance's work for fighting cancer, but can he be above scrutiny when a lot of his closest rivals have admitted doping.

Exercise Yard

Manny Acta needs to stay out of the injury analysis business. Carlos Santana out for the year.

Visitor

29 Down: Midler's "Divine" nickname (5 letters) Answer: Miss M

Bette Midler Fan

Today, the men in my family took advantage of the rain and ventured to the Cedar-Lee to see "The Good, the Bad, the Weird". BTW, the title had nothing to do with the three of us. As one would expect, this was a similar story to "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly". But we had to read it, because this Western was done Korean style.

What a ride this Western set in 1930's Manchuria was. As one would expect, it pits three men who are pursuing each other for different reasons, but meet under the pretense of chasing down a map that allegedly holds the secret of a buried treasure. Eventually the Japanese army (who are occupying Manchuria) and some other freedom fighters join the chase, as well.

From the opening train robbery here, the action is as good as any you will find. The Bad guy is considered the nation's most ruthless killer. And he gets to kill a bunch of folks via some master gunplay and superior knife work. The Good guy is an awesome marksman and some of his scenes brandishing his rifle while on horseback are a throwback to the oaters of long ago. The Weird guy lives up to his billing and has an uncanny way escaping what always appears to be certain doom. They converge near the end in a classic three-way showdown.

I absolutely loved this movie. The action is top-notch, the story keeps you interested to see how it ultimately shakes out, and any of the three leads are what you want in a villain, hero or anti-hero. I know it's a couple of years old, but this Western was definitely worth the wait. The genre lives on spectacularly with this one.

"The Good, the Bad, the Weird" Intro



Meal of Links

On Memorial Day, please reflect on the ultimate sacrifice of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. All wars for that matter.

You could have used the holiday weekend for any of these afternoon projects. Uh, maybe July 4 would be better.

Woman sues Google for bad directions. She had no inclination walking down a state highway was asking for trouble.

Two big TV anniversaries today. It is the 20th anniversary of "Seinfeld", not "The Seinfeld Chronicles", which premiered on July 5, 1989. And it's also the 10th anniversary of "Survivor".

Exercise Yard

The Indians still suck. Anyhow, here are 11 choice beers from nations in the World Cup. Feel free to drink them during any Cleveland sporting event.

Visitor

53 Across: Born 5/31/1930, entertainer associated with the phrase formed by the starts of 20-, 31- and 41-Across (13 letters) Answer: Clint Eastwood

"The Good, The Bad and the Ugly"

How did you like the Browns draft? I thought the picks of Joe Haden in Round One and Colt McCoy in Round 3 went well. I'm very curious to see if the second rounders consisted of reaches or if the Browns are just smarter than everyone else.

Paul had that relative of Jumpy Geathers circled as late draft pick, so kudos to him, as the Browns used their last pick there. And we also got a guy named Asante, but not Samuel. And South Florida’s all-time leading receiver Carlton Mitchell, whoever that is. So, all in all, not a bad start.

Meal of Links

Forget the VCs. Buy a lottery ticket.

Female. Model. Astrophysicist. Poker player. I'm all in.

Dexter killed cancer. Now get back to work.

"South Park". The most patriotic show on TV. Last week's censored broadcast was unbelievably good. But they are not showing the replays nor is it online.

This looks like a must-see for me. Especially with Linklater, Sayles and David Lynch.

"Great Directors"



There is a guy who plays Joni Mitchell in a one-man show. And Joni Mitchell likes it. She does a number on Dylan, too. Mitchell, that is.

7-Eleven now has its own beer, Game Day. Talk about a Big Gulp.

Speaking of beer. Paste reveals the best 30 beer bars in America. None in Ohio.

Exercise Yard

Kevin Kennedy took care of some wacko on an airplane. He had help, but give him credit.

Visitor

21 Across: Costanza portrayer (9 letters) Answer: Alexander

Pee Pipes

Tollbooth Karma
















The Turnpike Gods must be mad at me. Yep, this is what happens when the E-Z Pass gate comes crashing down on your car or should I say windshield. The State Trooper (BTW, very accommodating) told me that's not supposed to happen. Oh, no, he dint. But, yes, it did happen. To me!

I was at the gate marked E-Z Pass/Tickets. The two people in front of me needed tickets manually, as the machine was not working. Obviously, something was not reset as I tried to get through on my sensor. Then, BOOM. I'm OK though.

The good people at "Safelite repair, Safelite replace..." helped me out. And late this afternoon, I was able to resume driving.

Meal of Links

20 things you should know about beer. Damn hippocampus.

You want a better ass? Think again. Don't cry for me, Argentina.

The best film performances of the decade. Hard to argue with most. Nice props for Christian Bale in "American Psycho" and Peter Sarsgaard in "Shattered Glass".

What if superheroes had beards? Well, they would probably get in the way.

Look what music is coming out in 2010. More like first quarter stuff, but the list looks promising.

You may wanna rethink the TV Box Set DVD as a Christmas gift. Some of them are still good.

Now here's a festival we can all get behind. The Po-Boy Preservation Festival.

Exercise Yard

The other woman in the Tiger Woods incident speaks out. She sounds fairly credible.

But there may be other women.

Visitor

38 Across: "Elder" or "Younger" Roman statesman (4 letters) Answer: Cato

With the holiday coming up, I stumbled upon this cheap beer taste test. What amazed me is that you can still get a 6-pack of Schaefer for under $4.00. I used to get a 12-pack in college for $3.18. So, the price actually hasn't gone up that much, relatively speaking. It's disturbing though that someone described its current taste as "Yuck."

Schaefer Beer Commercial



We also used to get Schaefer Pounders, too. Longnecks. For all the cheap beer available back then, we somehow glommed onto this one. Partially because of the slogan, "The beer to have when you're having more than one.". We also liked Hamm's because of the Hamm's Bear. He used to host the Hamm's Bear Hotline on the commercials. And, of course, coming "From the land of sky-blue waters..." didn't hurt either.

Hamm's Beer Commercial



Meal of Links

Time talks to Jeff Tweedy. Wilco is really good these days. Very impressive live.

There are some things Woody Allen doesn't get. Here are 12 of them.

Hustler is now producing pron with a nod toward classic TV shows. Even "The Munsters" gets some love...so to speak.

What up, G? Looks like "The Right Stuff", NASA'a sports drink.

The 50 Greatest Movie Trailers of All Time. Good ones throughout.

Exercise Yard

Shopping season starts in the NBA tonight, after Midnight. This has become even more significant than draft day. It's the start of NBA free agency.

Visitor

29 Across: Four-time Wimbledon champ Rod (5 letters) Answer: Laver

I really hate the song "Music Box Dancer". Hated it a long time ago, and hate it still. Last night, I took a walk up to the post office and on the way back, nightmare occurs. It's an ice cream truck playing "Music Box Dancer".

You have to understand, it's three blocks away from me, and I've got maybe a 20-minute walk back. Not as if it's a car and it can pass you by quickly. It's on its route, practically crawling along and begging for customers, basically torturing me. Slowly. Then, it continues slowly down that street, ever so close. I can hear it, but can't get a visual on it. Finally, it disappears before I walk into traffic.

Meal of Links



























Any time Gina Gershon is involved, I am there. She's dirty with just a smidgen of being scary. Helena Bonham Carter, on the other hand, is dirty to the point of terrifying. But would be so good!

The oldest bars in the US. Well, until the commenters took notice. Begs the question, oldest bar in Cleveland? We are guessing Harbor Inn.

"Control", the Ian Curtis biopic, is out on DVD today. Liked it very much.

Andy Warhol was shot 40 years ago today.

Hey, that R. Kelly trial is something. Great courtroom watching today.

A question I've often asked. Could you retire with $1 million?

Exercise Yard

Google Street Maps strikes again. Hey, is that Lou Piniella? (Click Street View, rotate 180 degrees). He's on the Bar Louie side of the street.

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50 Down: Golfer Garcia (6 letters) Answer: Sergio

Last night, I got to see Eddie Izzard, one of the greatest stand-up comedians of our era. It was the "Stripped" tour. This guy has made me laugh for so long, I was very anxious to see him, and Gale was along for the ride. He also has a voice in the new "Narnia' flick, I believe.

The Venue: The Palace Theatre. I believe I say this every time I see a show there, But it is really a great place to see a show. I love everything about the joint, the layout, the architecture, even those big old urinals in the men's room.

The Tickets: Can't stress this enough, gotta get those presale codes, if available. The tickets were first row of the mezzanine, center left, on the aisle. Just behind those loges where I always wanted to sit. Terrific view.

The Crowd: This had potential to be ruined by those who fancy themselves as Izzard cultists. But the crowd was actually very respectful and not disruptive at all. For instance, he was going off about one of the ancient cultures saying, "and they formed a democracy..." when someone shouted, "Ciao!". Without missing a beat, Izzard said, "...where you could shout things like that."

Opening Act: No warmup act, because Eddie goes on for about two hours straight.

The Outfit: He had his "boy clothes" on this time. Black coat with tails, like a ringmaster, white shirt, jeans.

The Sound: I could hear him fine. Maybe missed a couple of words due to the frantic nature of his speech or accent.

The Stage: Had a nice backdrop depicting ancient times. You know, hieroglyphics and stuff.

The Comedy: I liked it very much. He got in a few anti-Bush jabs. He had his talking animal shtick down, focusing on giraffes and tigers. Of course, he mentioned badgers a lot. He still goes off on very funny tangents and then comes back with, "So, yeah..." to get back to the routine.

Jeff, Janine, Steve and Kenny were names he tossed out for characters, mostly animals. Lots of musings on religion and why he doesn't think there is a God. Some Noah (kind of a throwback there) and Moses shtick. Great stuff on the Stone Age. Obviously loves the iPhone and Mac products. Ancient Greeks and Romans got some play. Love for Wikipedia.

I laughed a lot and I'd like to see him get another comedy special out of it.

Meal of Links

From the department of: "If you thought gas prices were high". Now that it's almost summer, if I know I'm gonna be outside for a while, I need to wear some sunscreen. For years I have used Bain de Soleil Mega Tan with Self Tanner, SPF 4. I don't care that I've never been to St. Tropez. Anyhow, last year I didn't have to order any and have just a little bit left from late 2006. I usually get mine from Drugstore.com.

Today, I notice the low stock I have and decided to reorder. I go to Drugstore.com and they don't sell it anymore. WTF? Then I find out that Coppertone bought Bain de Soleil while I wasn't looking and apparently has discontinued many of those products. So, the search was on to perhaps find some online. Found a listing at Amazon.com and was ready to order a bunch, until I saw they were selling their last bottle for 195 dollars! Huh? No, I did not place an order. It must be "Gold, Jerry, Gold!"

Anheuser-Busch may get bought by some bloody Belgian bastards. But A-B may buy Modelo to make a bid less attractive.

Hey, there's another Mars landing. i had the NASA channel on yesterday afternoon, and apparently, there was a toilet crisis.

Keith Olbermann is mad about Hillary's RFK comments:



Exercise Yard

Jensen Lewis got sent to Buffalo today. That's not a disappointment to me, but this is another move that smacks of arrogance of Tribe management and why it's so frustrating, at times, to wonder what the hell they are doing there.

If you recall, Lewis' velocity was way down in spring training. But no, Indians management would not cop to it and even Lewis himself tried to say he never lets it rip fully in spring training, his velocity gets better as the season progresses. Well, what do we hear from Wedgie today? "We need the guy we saw last year." The velocity was between 85 and 88 mph with a 90 tossed in, while last year he could throw at 92 and 93. But I read this next line as another copout, because he probably got pressed about it. "But it's not just velocity. It's command." That smacks of we know more than you, silly people. See, it isn't just velocity. Ugh!

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10 Across: 1973 Grammy-winning jazz pianist (5 letters) Answer: Tatum

The sun is out today. My God, what did we do wrong? After attending another Polka Happy Hour at the Happy Dog, I didn't have an opportunity to take advantage of the sun today, because I had the rest of my plumbing issues tended to.

I had originally scheduled it for the 29th, but I got a call yesterday that said I was scheduled for today, so I am not one to argue. They did a great job and it only took about 4 hours this time, because the work done was pretty straightforward. So, that headache is resolved.

It also allowed me to watch CSU play #9 Butler. A rare Saturday afternoon game for Cleveland State. Since I'm at all of the home games, I haven't been able to assess the broadcast team on STO. Uh, they are not good.

Case in point, with the score tied at 40 with 13:59 left, J'Nathan Bullock hits a short shot to tie and is fouled. I'm happy, because if he hits the free throw, CSU is up by three. Well, the refs reversed the call and the basket is taken away. CSU scores only 6 points the rest of the way (Butler only scored 11 more, to show you how ugly it was). And the announcers never mentioned how much or how long of a scoring drought CSU had the rest of the game!

Hey director, stat guy, anyone, whisper into the guys ears so they can tell us. Brutal. I don't think it's picky. I mean the score stayed 48-42 Butler from the 9:03 mark until 3:24 remained. That is beyond eternity in basketball. At a point in the game when CSU is trailing by 5 or 6 points with a little bit of time left, it would be nice to know how long it took them to score their last 6 points. That's all I'm asking.

CSU lost, 51-46.

Meal of Links

As if I have enough to worry about, now we are going to shoot a satellite down. Seems easy, right? Well, how come, I am reading things like:

"The government has placed six rescue teams across the country to be prepared to act if the satellite hits the United States." (Hopefully, one near me.)

"The Navy missile will be fired as the satellite reenters the atmosphere and has a reasonably high opportunity for success." (I was thinking how about 100% accuracy?)

"If it hits the ground, it could leak gas and cause potentially fatal injury over an area of the size of about two football fields." (Uh-oh.)

"Two other Navy cruisers with backup missiles have been dispatched and that they could take additional shots at the satellite, if necessary." (Again, I would think the first guy would get it right.)

John Cleese delivers a letter to America. Big changes forthwith.

The Number One underrated city in America is Baltimore. Hey, I watch "The Wire", I'm not sure I agree.

Exercise Yard

Plumbing also permitted me to watch one of the greatest upsets in F.A. Cup history this morning. Barnsley beat mighty Liverpool. Can't believe I just typed that. That would be the equivalent of the Kinston Indians beating the Red Sox.

Effin' Barnsley with a goal in the last seconds. After they had been hosed seconds earlier on a non-penalty call. Amazing.

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21 Across: Title assassin in a 1990 French film (6 letters) Answer: Nikita (A great opening scene)

Last night I found myself at Harpo's. I wanted to drink some beer and Gale said why not try that sports place, Rivals. But it was insanely crowded over there. Don't know too much about the place, but something must be happening. Can't be everyone there for the Cavs.

Anyhow, we moseyed over to Harpo's. They had trivia there. So, I was able to break out the mad skills and try to beat everyone. One problem, I think we led every game going into the last question, where I proceeded to choke like a dog. Even one of those games that took several rounds. I won every round until the last one, where you had to wager up to 50% of your points. Of course, I said, "Howie, that's a lot of points, but No Deal!" as I bet the 50%. Then they asked some lame-o question about animated lion voices. The answer was Walken did not do a voiceover, but the likes of Matthew Broderick and Ben Stiller did. How the hell am I supposed to know that?

My coup of the evening was knowing the title of Rockpile's 1980 album. Sadly, I have that on vinyl and it's "Seconds of Pleasure". At the time, it gave me enough of a cushion to eventually blow a big lead. Bah!

Meal of Links

Check this out. A place in Nicaragua thrives on cocaine tossed overboard by smugglers, about to be caught. Even the fisherman are on the prowl for "la langosta blanca", the white lobster.

I went to my new doctor yesterday and am trying to figure out why my body temperature was 97.5. I mean, nary a comment from the nurse. Oh well, I guess it's not bad and I'll live. Except for the potential of Brain Fog. Oh well, I guess it's not bad and I'll live. Except for the potential of Brain Fog.

This is something I will definitely try and see. EPL games in America! Regular season games that count. Regardless of the ultimate motive of greed, I think it's great to have an additional game abroad.

Exercise Yard

My brother notified me that Rick Pitino also sold ice cream a la Good Humor, in another one of those "White Out Nights" at the Louisville-Georgetown game tonight.































My Dad and I took in the latest CSU game (the second of three in five days), this one against Detroit-Mercy. What an ugly affair, as UDM is the worst team in the conference, with only one win. This was one of those games when you keep a bad team around and let them off the hook, you are presented real danger of actually losing.

The numbers...really bad. CSU shot 36% from the floor, but missed only three foul shots, which saved their bacon. They were an awful 3 for 22 on three-pointers. It's become apparent, outside of J'Nathan Bullock, CSU has no inside game and the zones they are facing are really packed in down low. That results in open jumpers, which they are failing to hit.

In a great escape, CSU wins, 60-56.

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15 Across: Fictional mustache twirler (15 letters) Answer: Snidely Whiplash

It's the Golden Globes Winners Special...live from Hollywood! But with the current writers strike, I have no idea what this show will look like except for no red carpet, no stars, and no speeches. I skipped the "glib" Matt Lauer pre-awards show, because I'm watching gridiron action and highlights.

9:00: Uh-oh. This looks like it's only going to be announcements of the nominees and then the winners. Two messages at the bottom of the screen are perplexing. "Portions are pre-recorded" and "Rebroadcast of a live program". Hey, we are in the East, you idiots. I think that last message was for our Western friends. I recognize Spoon, Arcade Fire and Beck as some of the background music.

9:02: Christ. It's Billy Bush and Nancy O'Dell behind a Golden Globes podium. This is gonna suck. They also have Shaun Robinson and an EW writer in a different area to give us some pre-award outlooks and post-award "assessments".

9:03: I guess they are gonna go right through the list of awards without much conversation. The first award is the Best Supporting Actress, which goes to Cate Blanchett for "I'm Not There", the Dylan movie. Unbelievably, Bush and O'Dell are gonna offer their opinions after the winner is revealed. WTF? Who cares. Just say "...and the winner is...". Oh, this is hopeless. Can't I go online and find out who won?

I continued to watch, and here some ads I noticed:

Good to see Sofia Vergara with some post-"Knights of Prosperity" work on the new Cadillac Escalade ad. I like the way she says, "Cupholders".

Bob Serpentini will do your taxes!

An odd, but funny Frisco Melt commercial from Steak N Shake.

Kid from "Weeds" is on a very special "Law and Order: SVU" this week.

"Hello Goodbuy" from Target. I think it's the same arrangement as always.

What the hell is COPD with Bronchitis? Sounds like a hip-hop duet.

Hey, the Cadillac CTS is Motor Trend Car of the Year. Who knew? Only saw that ad a 1,000 times today.

Tide Pure Essentials uses Baking Soda. And they also use "Linus and Lucy" from Charlie Brown as the music. Rats.

Gene Simmons proclaims, "I am the King of all women!".

Rare Earth's "Celebrate" is on an AT&T ad.

Beyonce still looks good.

Gee, that Applebee's Apple sounds suspiciously like Wanda Sykes. I can't wait for "Larry David. You a racist.". Seriously, why would they have Wanda do voiceovers for a while, then introduce something called the Applebee's Apple with her voice? Makes no sense.

Hey, "ER" is still on.

Meal of Links

Penn Jillette has started a venture called "Penn Says". He talks about a bunch of stuff, I guess, from time to time.

As I've said, a main argument against "Juno" is its soundtrack. And its dialogue and some other stances. I don't know, it made me laugh a lot. So there.

And you thought the Consumer Electronics Show only had 150-inch Plasma TVs. Williams-Sonoma announced the BeerTender will be available stateside come March 1.

Exercise Yard

It was a pretty good set of tackle football playoff games this weekend. Yesterday went to form as both Green Bay and New England looked really good in their wins. I thought those two teams would win. Green Bay made Seattle look pretty awful in the snow, after falling behind 14-0. You don't get many snow games at Lambeau, so that was fun to watch.

Jacksonville hung in there for a good portion of their game, but New England is so tough this year. I will say this, the drive that Jacksonville had to tie the game at 14, that was a man's drive. They just pounded the ball continually up the middle, and for a minute, I thought it might be the Browns defense out there in disguise. But Tom Brady was almost perfect and I'm really going out on a limb as I think they'll get to the Super Bowl.

Today's games show why you play the game. You had two coaches, Norv Turner at San Diego and Wade Phillips at Dallas, who could exorcise some demons with a win. I had no confidence in either the Giants or Chargers winning. I'm still puzzled at how Indianapolis did not win their game. Going in, who would have thought that it was gonna be a brutally physical game. Big-time hitting. I expected that in the second game, but not in the RCA Dome. Plus, the Bolts scored on a 56-yard screen pass. When was the last time you saw that? I'm not giving the Chargers much of a chance to go cross-country and have anything left for the Patriots.

The Dallas-New York game was pretty physical, as well. The G-Men did just enough to win, mainly playing superb defense and not turning the ball over. The turning point was right before the half after Dallas had a drive that lasted over 10 minutes to go ahead 14-7. The Giants got the ball with 48 seconds and drove for a tying TD. Stole that momentum pretty quick! In the second half, the Giants got that lone TD and hung on for the win. An outstanding effort by them. Wade Phillips still has that nagging record of having good regular seasons (this Dallas one his best), but still winless in the playoffs. They did not play well down the stretch, seemingly when Jessica Simpson arrived on the scene, but I thought they were a better team than to lose their first playoff game. Hard to figure the Giants can go on the road and win another playoff game, despite only one road loss win this year.

Next Sunday it is:

Bloody Marys to start my day.

San Diego at New England at 3:00.

New York at Green Bay at 6:30.

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None. It's a playoff football weekend.