I finally caught up with "Lights Out" and finished the final four shows this past weekend. This was the boxing series on FX that I really wanted to be a knockout, but ended up a no decision. I think "Lights" Leary set a record for apologies by one man in a series that lasted 12 episodes. The last scene was terrific but could not make up for what seemed like weeks of plot twists and too many characters dropping in and out.

Interview with Warren Leight, the showrunner, is here. It was announced today that he is going back to "Law & Order", now that "Lights Out" has been cancelled.

Meal of Links

Some guy copyrighted the "Charge" theme years ago. You know the one, played at your favorite sports venue. Now he wants paid.

Is there a bubble out there right now? Yeah. The higher education bubble.

Congresswoman Quotes The White Stripes



Here is a movie game clocked "Clockbusters". I got 43 out of 50 after two passes through.

Sports movies that sorta stretched the truth. But Jimmy Piersall was cuckoo. If I recall, I don't think "The Rookie" acted like Jim Morris had some great career. Great scene with the speed limit sign, however.

A more measured outlook of the recovery of Gabrielle Giffords. Finally.

Exercise Yard

Half of the EPL is now owned by foreigners. Stan Kroenke is the latest, after he buys Arsenal.

Visitor

46 Down: Director Hitchcock (6 letters) Answer: Alfred

While still looking for Worcestershire Sauce at Marc's...

My new blender finally arrived. I ended up with a Blendtec. I have never seen their infomercials, but I guess they can chew up an iPhone. They had some insane sale around the middle of March that was so good, it backed up their shipping. BTW, I'd never buy it at its original price, but the sale was too good to pass up.

I like it, because it takes the place of a couple of machines I had. But the noise it makes will allow me to wake up the neighbors once the weather gets warm.

Meal of Links

Sidney Lumet died today. What a movie legacy this guy left. I mean the guy started with "12 Angry Men". Only got an honorary Oscar after directing "The Pawnbroker", "Serpico", "Dog Day Afternoon", "Network", "The Verdict" amongst others.

New Beasties?



No offense to the Art History folks. How to get a real education at college.

Budget talks point out that old Republican myth. We are for veterans rights.

King Kenny has no idea who LeBron James is. I'm sure they'll battle it out for kingdom rights. Anyhow, LeBron is now part owner of Liverpool. He joins the owners of the Red Sox for global icon marketing purposes. This seems to be replace Dan Gilbert's entree to Asia, as Liverpool is sponsored by Standard Chartered, and is already touring Asia this summer.

WTF? Iggy on "Idol"



Seems like a contrarian opinion. But maybe Pia deserved to be voted off "Idol".

Trump's hair? The rarely executed double combover.

Exercise Yard

Watching a lot of the Masters this weekend. Curiously, FIGJAM was hardly mentioned today until this exchange:

Feherty: "At -3, with the leaders at -9, I think Phil Mickelson has a chance to win."
Falso: "Really?"

That statement by Feherty was ridiculous and even moreso after Rory McIlroy still had 5 holes to play at the time. File that under Absurd Popular Name Invoking.

As his caddy said, McIlroy is playing beautifully right now. The only knock him coming in is that he hasn't learned how to win yet. But now that he is leading by 4, that point may be moot.

It was a strange day at Augusta. No one from the bottom of the pack played well. And McIlroy was the only one up top to play well. The middle was where all the action was, but at the end of the day, those guys were still anywhere from 4 to 7 shots back. If McIlroy strings another good round on Sunday, he'll have lapped the field.

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24 Across: 2003 Cy Young Award-winning reliever Eric (5 letters) Answer: Gagne

It was like Afghanistan around here today That could only mean it's Labor Day Weekend, because the jets were buzzing around today. Each year, it seems as if they are drifting further and further away from Downtown.

But I was a good boy today, as I opted to do yard work today. That way, I can enjoy all three days of the holiday without being bogged down with stuff to do.

BTW, when I pulled into my driveway after work yesterday, there was a box in my neighbor's driveway in front of the garage. Emblazoned on the side were these words, "Mega Ton Fireworks".

Should I be worried?

Meal of Links

The 7 Deadly Sins are mapped, American style. Locally, we are greedy and envious.

Here are two people I hadn't thought of in a while. Omarosa and Joe Millionaire.

Your Labor Day TV marathons. Beautiful weather forecast this weekend. Watch the evening ones.

You would think it would be great to hear the President speak to your students. I guess not. This canard about logistics and interrupting class time, especially on the first day of school, is absurd. Lemme tell ya, I went to school and time wasting cannot be much different now. Hell, I think I watched "Hemo the Magnificent" for about 5 years in a row and we never got tested on it.

Here is the cast of "thirtysomething". Did all the women get new faces? I also see Timothy Busfield going for the "Hi, I'm your neighbor" look.























Al Franken...the Voice of Reason on Healthcare



Exercise Yard

Jason Whitlock goes on the attack. Again. This time it's his sports media brethren. Uh-oh.

Visitor

10 Across: Steinbeck hero Tom (4 letters) Answer: Joad

Crap! Too late to make this card.

























Meal of Links

This language translator is the ginchiest. Dead on for: "Where is Pepe's house?"





















Looks like I'm gonna have to go back under the hood and take another look at Jennifer Aniston. Here's her GQ spread.

It's that time of the year. Best music lists: Here and here.

Heard an interview with Diane Ravitch on Bob Edwards' show today. Fascinating stuff about education in America.

Greg Oden? Not such a fun guy.

I saw a clip of Obama with Governor Strickland the other day. We may need the big guy's help. Our budget deficit sucks.

The approval rating of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich hits 7 percent. Somewhere, President Bush is relieved.

Exercise Yard

The Indians are Putzes. We overpay for Kerry Wood. Cannot believe that 2-year/$20 million deal. Then we have a trade involving J.J. Putz from Seattle, who would have been a great pickup.

Except we don't get him. We get the "well-known" Joe Smith from the Mets (where Putz goes) and some Josh Barfield-like second baseman from Seattle. And we only give up Franklin Gutierrez, to whom I say "Gut Riddance".

Our Hot Stove is still on simmer, I'd say.

Visitor

30 Across: Sports Illustrated's 1984 co-Sportsman of the year (6 letters) Answer: Retton