Reminder: Today is NOT "Mexican Independence Day"

The Battle of Puebla, not the parking lot at Cozumel in about three hours

Nota bene, dear readers.....today's celebrations commemorate the initial victory of Mexican forces over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. This was a momentary triumph, however, as the superior French army continuted their advance and captured Mexico City and the nation within a year of this battle. Though it is mostly a regional holiday in Mexico and certainly not as important a national celebration in Mexico as Independence Day on September 16, it has been adopted in the United States as a celebration of Mexican-Americans (or Chicanos) and their culture. similar to St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest and Chinese New Year. As well as an excuse for Anglos to put on Frito Bandito moustaches and a poncho while doing their worst Speedy Gonzalez impressions and power-slugging Dos Equis until they puke on their sandals. Arriba!

From the Department of "Now There's a Headline You Don't See Everyday"

Candidate speaks at Hitler birthday party

I can faintly remember a time where a candidate's address to a Neo-Nazi group with members wearing swastika armbands on either side of his dais, a giant swastika flag in the backdrop and standing in front of a huge painting of one of history's greatest monsters was sufficient to get your ass kicked in the street without mercy, let alone political suicide in the midst of a campaign. I'm so glad to see times have changed.

There must be some interesting voters in Indiana's 2nd District if this clown got 30% of the primary vote two years ago.

Friday YouTube Nugget

I've been overdosing on Miami Vice episodes on Hulu.com (my new reason for existence) and this week's nugget comes from an episode I just finished watching. Apparently, there were some slimy characters selling drugs in Miami and to catch them, Don Johnson had to squint his eyes and smoke a lot of cigarettes while Philip Michael Thomas displayed the worst Jamaican accent in the history of recorded entertainment. Here's Honeymoon Suite and "New Girl Now"

Hooray.....a 21st Century Poll Tax

"Okay....so we'll replace the whiny broad with Alito and everything will be in place..."

On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling on the biggest voting rights case since the Bush v. Gore debacle around the 2000 Presidential election. The Roberts Court ruled, by a 6-3 margin, that states can require voters to produce photo identification without violating their constitutional rights. These are the kind of verdicts one can expect with a majority-conservative bloc on the Court, but it is disappointing to me personally to see Justice John Paul Stevens join the majority in upholding this ridiculous law.

Identification requirements for voting are currently in place in more than 20 states with varying degrees of specificity. This decision upheld an Indiana state law that requires a government-issued photo identification document, such as a driver's license or a passport, in order to vote. Republicans, who have pushed these voter ID laws across the country, say they will combat voter fraud. Democrats decry these laws as unnecessary and as having a disenfranchising effect on the poor, minorities, the elderly, the handicapped and other social classes who do not have easy access or funds to purchase photo identification. I side, of course, with the Democrats on this for the following reasons

1) "Voter fraud"....the Phantom Crime:
Care to take a guess how many voter impersonation cases were prosecuted in entire history of the state of Indiana? Zero. Zip. Nada. Hardly the "burning issue" that the Republicans make it out to be. Nationwide, out of the 120 federal prosecutions for voter fraud brought by the Bush Justice Department (which has made vote fraud one of its top priorities), there have been a grand total of 86 convictions for vote fraud between 2002 and 2006....during which period close to 400 million votes have been cast.

The Brennan Center For Justice, a non-partisan civil rights advocacy group, knocked down each of the allegations of voting fraud to show it is a phantom crime, one hardly worthy of state-level review, let alone the Supreme Court.

2) "Voter Fraud"...the last refuge of whiny Republicans who couldn't steal the election themselves:
But then, that is the Republican's M.O. - screaming "voter fraud" when they can't win an election legitimately at the polls. When asked for proof, they point to the well-worn myths of voter fraud in Chicago during the 1960 election. While this makes for a chuckle-worthy urban legend, the truth is that voter fraud was investigated and the findings of vote-count error (not fraud) fell short of reversing the results for either Nixon or Kennedy. Not to mention the embarassment of Republicans having to go back 48 years for proof of Democratic shenanigans in a national election. Everyone knows that, for the past half-century, no one has been able to lie, cheat and steal to win elections better than Republicans.

3) "Voter Fraud"....or the new Poll Tax
Republicans have tried for years to devise new methods to disenfranchise traditional Democratic voting blocs. From busting and weakening unions to fraud robo-calls to poor and minority areas to outright poll intimidation, Republicans have used the forces of thuggery and fraud to depress the Democratic vote in crucial contests. The newest cudgel used by Republicans to disenfranchise Democratic voters is the ID requirement.

This photo ID requirement to vote is nothing less than a 21st century poll tax or literacy test, a undue burden placed on the lower classes to deny them what is their right, not their privilege. Jeffrey Toobin explains further:

"So it will be in Indiana, where the law creates a series of onerous barriers to voting. Consider one: you can get a government photo I.D. by showing your birth certificate, but you can’t get a copy of your birth certificate unless you can produce certain official photo I.D.s. And, with up to twenty million Americans of voting age lacking government-issued identification, the matter of requiring photo I.D.s has broad implications. "

It's safe to assume that the folks reading this blog have either a driver's license or a passport or both. However, we must consider the millions in this country who have to take some form of public transport to work each day, who never travel outside of the country, who are paid in cash or do not have checking accounts, who do not have the ability to drive.....in short, the classes in our society who do not have the luxury to stand in line at the DMV and pay $50 (for a driver's license") or even $15 (for a state photo ID) or go to their local post office or county clerk's office to purchase a passport for $100. This is everyone's right, not a pay-to-play boondoggle. Why on earth are we putting obstacles in the way of citizens to exercise what is their Constitutionally-ordained right?

Because Republicans will lie, cheat and steal at every opportunty to win elections they can't win legitimately.

This Week's Rock Death - Runner-Up

It was so close for this week's choice for Rock Death that I felt I had to give space to this week's runner-up, Leslie Harvey. This guy died in pretty horrific fashion:

(from his Wikipedia entry):
Leslie (Les) Harvey (1945, Glasgow Scotland - May 3, 1972, Swansea, Wales) (brother of Alex Harvey) was a guitarist in several Scottish bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s, most notably Stone The Crows - previously known as 'Power'. It was while on stage with Stone the Crows at Swansea Top Rank in 1972 that he was killed, electrocuted by touching an unearthed microphone with wet hands.

Holy. Shit. Could you imagine being at a concert, rockin' out and such, when the lead guitarist gets Kentucky-Fried onstage? That would probably not be a memory to hold onto. As bad as the audience must have felt, pity the poor roadie who realizes that he's picking up the charred remains of his summer meal ticket and now must hope there's another tour where they aren't as lax with the live electrical equipment.

Anyway, poor Les gets screwed over this week because a) I'm a huge fan of Lester Bangs' writing and b) I couldn't find a picture of the poor dead bastard on the Interwebs.

Friday YouTube Nugget

Amid all the detritus and nonsense on YouTube, one can occasionally find a gem of artistic presentation....an interesting reinvention of an existing (familiar or not) song or film. This week's installment takes one of my favorite Pixies songs (1989's Wave of Mutilation) and sets it against scenes from Jean-Luc Godard's Pierrot le fou (Pierrot Goes Wild) from 1965. The song and the film share common themes of alienation and a desire to escape from convention...another clever touch was recognizing that the film's heroine is name-checked in the song. Cheers to the creator of this video:

Hey....Wha'Happened?!!

The "Hillary in '08" Campaign: January 20, 2007 - April 22, 2008


Dearly beloved:

We are gathered here today, not to mourn, but to celebrate an historic campaign. No woman in U.S. history has won as many primaries or delegates as the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. She has inspired millions and crashed through the "glass ceiling" of electoral politics and, for that, I applaud her.

However....she will go down with the 2004 Yankees, the 2007 New England Patriots and Goliath as one of the biggest choke artists ever. How did she squander a commanding lead in the polls, a vise-grip lock on superdelegates, all that campaign funding and the momentum she got from New Hampshire?

In the words of the great Fred Willard as Mike LaFontaine in "A Mighty Wind" (click on image):





Will Senator Clinton be able to return to her work in the Senate after this crushing choke job?

Will Senator Clinton decide to run for President again, given how much of a trainwreck her campaign turned into?

Anything else, Senator Clinton?

Friday YouTube Nugget

Inspired by their frenetic performance on Saturday Night Live last week, I'm posting Gnarls Barkley's Run from their new CD, The Odd Couple. Enjoy.

Questions Inspired By Netflix Choices

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT









In Hostel, how is it that the protagonist gets two fingers cut off by a chainsaw, but appears neither to go into shock nor bleed to death. In fact, he seems not much worse for wear a few hours after losing his digits. Hmmmmm.....

A Message From The Boss

Dear Friends and Fans:

Like most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.

He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where "...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone."

At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man's life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, Dreams of My Father, often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.

After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans.

Over here on E Street, we're proud to support Obama for President.


Bruce Springsteen

http://brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html

And Now....a Word From Our Sponsor....

I'm very happy to introduce our first corporate sponsor. This is a local attorney who specializes in.....well, I'll let him explain

While You Were Sleeping

Lost in the hubbub of Friday's news dump (Red Sox jersey buried in new Yankee Stadium! Vanilla Ice arrested for smacking his wife!) was a pretty fucking important story....the President of the United States of America admitted he approved the use of torture:


"President Bush says he knew his top national security advisers discussed and approved specific details about how high-value al Qaeda suspects would be interrogated by the Central Intelligence Agency, according to an exclusive interview with ABC News Friday.

'Well, we started to connect the dots in order to protect the American people.' Bush told ABC News White House correspondent Martha Raddatz. 'And yes, I'm aware our national security team met on this issue. And I approved.'"

Allow me to repeat this, since this is a fairly gobsmacking revelation....our President, who swore twice on the Bible to uphold the Constitution, was briefed on and approved the use of torture on captured suspects. High-level cabinet meetings, involving the President's closest advisers.....all to discuss whether they should smash testicles, pull out fingernails or deliver atomic wedgies to the poor saps, er, "suspects" they happen to capture. No consideration of 231 years as an independent nation which respects human rights and due process. Not to mention, not having our highest levels of government approving torturing innocent people.

It's been asked before and I will ask it again here and now: Will someone please give this asshole a blowjob so we can impeach him already?!!!

Friday YouTube Nugget

To commemorate the change in seasons, how about a classic song from the mid-70's holiday special A Year Without A Santa Claus. Ladies & Gentleman....may I present Mr. Snow Miser & Mr. Heat Miser:

High On You

Apropos of nothing, I think this is one of the great album covers of all time. Dig the irony...

Stanley Cup playoffs start on Wednesday...

and the Sabres are nowhere to be found. This sucks.

Funniest. Rick Roll. Ever.

"Me-me-me-me-me-me...."

Friday YouTube Nugget

40 years ago today, an assassin's bullet robbed us of one of our nation's greatest figures and a man who inspires all of us, even today, to dream of a better world for all people. In honor and loving memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:



His last public words, April 3, 1968:

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

I'm famous

Check out the cover of today's JobFinder in the Buffalo News and you'll find a rapidly-aging, fat-necked, squinting corporate drone who looks like he'd rather be anywhere but the middle-management hell he finds himself in day after day after day...

Great Moments In Latent Racism On Cable TV, Part XXI

Lou Dobbs, who is as racist as the day is long, is mostly successful in covering up his ugly, nativist prejudice on his CNN show by dressing it up as populist "I'm for the common worker" rhetoric. There are a few choice moments, however, when Lou's xenophobia and raging racist tendencies get the better of him and he can't help but unleash the truth. Like this episode, where as he's explaining how sick he is of black people telling him what he can and can't talk about, he comes this close to using the term "cotton-picking"



Hahaha....CNN's advertising slogan for the Lou Dobbs Nativist Hour should be "Lou Dobbs - fighting for your right to say 'nigger' since 1980"

Cheers to the Washington Nationals fans

who know how to greet a war criminal when they see one:



(from last night's Opening Night game at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.)

Almost as funny as the Smirking Chimp getting showered with rightfully-deserved boos was that the guy who was originally supposed to catch the first pitch, Paul LoDuca, was quickly replaced by the team manager, Manny Acta. Why, you may ask, was the team catcher yanked from what is the traditional responsibility of, you know, catching? Well, it may have to do with LoDuca being mentioned 37 times in the Mitchell Report on steroid abuse in professional baseball. So, to avoid the spectre of one drug addict pitching to another, they put in the manager....hooray!

Friday YouTube Nugget

You've been Rick Rolled!!!

I Want Barack (Jay Jay French version)

Say what you will about the Presidential candidates....only my man, Barack, could inspire the founder of Twisted Sister to rework one of his greatest hits into a campaign song. While it's no "Obama" by Motorhead, it's damn close

What a Dick

"I kill puppies for fun"

As if we needed any more proof that the current Vice-President of the United States is a soulless, heartless asshole, this four-heart attack, five-deferment chickenhawk douchebag decided to crawl out from his sewer kingdom and open his yap about the disaster of a "war" he's mired this nation in and, specifically, who bears the biggest burden of a debacle that just crossed the 4,000 U.S. death milestone. Sayeth Sith Lord Cheney:

"The president carries the biggest burden, obviously," Cheney said. "He's the one who has to make the decision to commit young Americans, but we are fortunate to have a group of men and women, the all-volunteer force, who voluntarily put on the uniform and go in harm's way for the rest of us." (emphasis mine)

I'll give you a minute while you pick your jaw up off the floor. THE PRESIDENT? Fucking President Bunnypants bears the biggest burden of this shitpile? I thought this prevaricating bastard couldn't top himself when he claimed, in 2003, that we would be "greeted as liberators" in Iraq, but this takes the goddamn cake. Or even his mind-numbingly evil line last week, when he responded to a reporter's question thusly:

CHENEY: On the security front, I think there's a general consensus that we've made major progress, that the surge has worked. That's been a major success.

REPORTER: How does that assessment comport with recent polls that show about two-thirds of Americans say the fight in Iraq is not worth it?

CHENEY: So?

Nay....these were mere coming attractions before this week's gutter pronouncement. And notice how he not only works in the ridiculous plea for sympathy for a criminal president who has sent 4000 men and women to their deaths, but he also works in the standard neoconservative meme that "hey, these saps volunteered". When this coward racist shitstain was dutifully reminded that some 58,000 soldiers, Air Force members, and Marines have been on multiple deployments and have been sent back to Iraq because of the stop-loss policy — an involuntary extension of a service member's enlistment contract, Sith Lord Crashcart vomited up this rationale:

"A lot of men and women sign up because sometimes they will see developments... For example, 9/11 stimulated a lot of folks to volunteer for the military because they wanted to be involved in defending the country."

Ah yes, what would a Bush administration PR stunt be without a reminder that 9/11 died for your sins, or something along those lines. I think the presidential campaign/5 car pileup of Rudy Giuliani is ample proof that the American public will not be swayed by venal opportunists standing in the street yelling "9/11!!! 9/11!!!!".

We are, however, stuck with this flabby jackass and his monkey helper in the Oval Office for 10 more months. One hopes a quick and lethal impeachment can be achieved in half that time before this boorish clown gives another interview about how hard this war is on the President.

Soon to appear with Supply-Side Jones or Death Penalty McGee on the GOP Dream Ticket....

I found this charming story on crooksandliars.com....apparently, a strawberry farmer in Idaho who's angling to replace the soon-to-retire Senator Widestance aka Larry Craig (he of the airport men's room arrest for soliciting), isn't content to let his advertising or his stump speeches make his case for him. No....this man of the earth, this heartland champion of "traditional" conservative values is going that one extra step to show the voters that he means business...



and that he's completely batshit insane. You see, Marvin Richardson is legally changing his first name so that he will appear on the ballot as "Pro-Life Richardson"




"A Senate candidate has legally changed his name to Pro-Life and will appear on the ballot that way this year, state election officials say.

As Marvin Pro-Life Richardson, the organic strawberry farmer from Letha, 30 miles northwest of Boise, was denied the use of his middle name when he ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2006 because the state’s policy bars the use of slogans on the ballot.

Now, though, officials in the Idaho secretary of state’s office say they have no choice because Pro-Life is his full and only name. He says he will run for the highest state office on the ballot every two years for the rest of his life, advocating murder charges for doctors who perform abortions and for women who obtain the procedure."

Wonderful....as if the poor voters in Idaho hadn't had enough egg on their faces with their longtime Senator trolling for dick in a Minneapolis airport restroom. Now, they get to gaze at a ballot with a grown man who's defaced his own name to make an insane argument. C'mon...who the hell isn't "Pro-Life"? Other than zombies, Sylvia Plath and the Bush Administration (at least when it regards pro-Iraqi and pro-U.S. troop Life)? What he meant to change his name to (or would have, if he had any balls) would be "Anti-Choice" Richardson. Because the extremist wing of the anti-choice movement, which includes farmer Richardson and James Kopp (assassin of Dr. Barnett Slepian), doesn't give a shit about life or children or the sanctity of being or any of that....they only care about imposing their 12th century views and morals on women in the 21st century and you bet that includes preventing women from exercising choice about their health and bodies. These clowns want to control every uterus in the land and turn women back into breed mares.

"If I save one baby's life, it's worth it."??? Hey asshole, how about adopting a newborn? Plenty of them to go around that need loving homes....lots of different colors and creeds too!

4,000

I read the news today, oh boy:

"BAGHDAD — A roadside bomb killed four U.S. soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday, the military said, pushing the overall American death toll in the five-year war to at least 4,000. The grim milestone came on a day when at least 57 Iraqis also were killed across the country. "

Friday YouTube Nugget

I'm jetting off to Niagara-On-The-Lake in a few hours for a getaway weekend with the GF, so enjoy this David Bowie clip from his classic era - "Oh You Pretty Things"

You Should Be Dancing.....Yeah!

It's mid-March and that can mean only one thing....it's now the only time in the year that I give a shit about basketball of any kind - NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship. 64 schools of varying talent and reknown will vie for the most coveted prize in all of collegiate sports. Since neither of my teams are in it this year (Syracuse and Maryland), I have no rooting interest, nor any clue who is favored. Yes, I can read seedings on a bracket, but how can I divine which will be the shocking upsets, the titanic games which will render the favorites with a crushing early defeat and reward a small, upstart school with the dream of a lifetime?

Fuck it....I'm taking North Carolina by 9 in the title game.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

courtesy of the Leprechaun Brothers:

Friday YouTube Nugget

In honor of our ex-governor, I quote from the book of Big Daddy Kane:

"Well, it's Friday night, ain't a damn thing funny

Bitch better have my money!"

and here's "Hey Big Spender"from Sweet Charity

(Chita Rivera is the shit, BTW)

Never Give A Saga An Even Break

Some of you may recognize this post's title as the alternate name to Mel Brooks' timeless sendup of Westerns, Blazing Saddles (1974). I've been thinking a lot about that film, particularly with this week's revelation of Governor Spitzer's extracurricular activities. He evokes, for me, another Governor - Governor Le Petomane from the film. He's a buffoon - constantly chasing his buxom secretary and running around with "GOV" painted in white on the back of his jacket. I don't know if Governor Le Petomane ever floated the idea of wagon licenses for illegal immigrants or busted Howard Johnson for only offering one flavor of ice cream, but it seems that he and Governor Spitzer shared the same sweet tooth for the ladyfolk.

The Blue Mistake Loses Its Dance License....Awwwwww

Good news for those of us in the "I Hate The Goddamn Blue Mirage Faux-Ultra Lounge Bullshit" Club....it seems this abortion of a bar got its dance license taken away after hosting an all-ages party. Just the type of genius thinking that has endeared the Blue Mistake to all its neighbors.

Can we ask for one more act of benevolence and mercy and get this shithole closed down permanently?

Gov. Spitzer Involved In Prostitution Ring.....or, Holy Shit, He Did WHAT?!!

I've been let down by so many politicians, I've lost count. I told myself, time and time again, don't get emotionally involved with a campaign....you're bound to end up disappointed and betrayed.

That's why I'm approaching the breaking news that Governor Eliot Spitzer is "involved" in an online prostitution ring with some surprise, a little shock, but not a lot of sorrow. I thought he was a good man of integrity and seriousness and would do great things for both the state and Western New York....but, alas, not to be. Another politician hoisted on his own petard, too self-involved and caught up in the hubris to keep it in his pants and do the work of the people who put him in the Statehouse. Color me meh.

Friday YouTube Nugget

A little electronic funk, courtesy of Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney from Macca's 1982 album Tug of War. The duo's big hit that year, of course, was the execrable "Ebony and Ivory", but this song reveals what aural delights could have been mined from a Wonder-Macca combo.

What's That You're Doing

Kiss of Death

King Midas in Reverse

Congratulations to Sen. John McCain, who wrapped up the Republican nomination this week. Unfortunately for him, he also picked up an 800-lb. albatross around his neck in the form of the Worst President Ever.

Let's look at that man-love in super close-up:

Friday YouTube Nugget

This week's nugget honors Buddy Miles, who passed away this week at the age of 60. Buddy was one of the preeminent rock and funk drummers of the 60's and 70's who gained his greatest fame playing with Jimi Hendrix in his "Band of Gypsys" incarnation in 1969-1970. Here's an appearance Buddy made on "Playboy After Dark" in the early 70's...the sync on this video sucks, but the tune (Them Changes) is pretty good.

Senate Endorsements for President

I like Obama's list a whole lot better:

CLINTON:
Pryor (AR)
Lincoln (OK)
Feinstein (CA)
Nelson (FL)
Inouye (HI)
Bayh (IN)
Mikluski (MD)
Stabenow (MI)
Menendez (NJ)
Schumer (NY)
Whitehouse (RI)
Cantwell (WA)
Murray (WA)

OBAMA:
Dodd (CT)
Durbin (IL)
Kerry (MA)
Kennedy (MA)
McCaskill (MO)
Nelson (NE)
Conrad (ND)
Johnson (SD)
Leahy (VT)
Feingold (WI)

No Soup For You!

SABRES TRADE CAMPBELL TO SAN JOSE SHARKS

My Oscar® picks

Best Picture:

No Country for Old Men

Best Actor:

Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Actress:
Ellen Page, Juno

Best Supporting Actor:
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actress:
Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Best Director:
Ethan and Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody, Juno

Best Adapted Screenplay: Ethan and Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Cinematography: Seamus McGarvey, Atonement

POST-MORTEM: I went 6-for-9....ecch. Not one of my better years. I was (pleasantly surprised) by Tilda Swinton's upset win in Best Supporting Actress (over Ruby Dee and Cate Blanchett) and I think Marion Cotillard single-handedly torpedoed Oscar pools around the world in the Best Actress race. A few other random observations:

• So that's how they whipped together an Oscar extravaganza in under two weeks - montage, montage, montage! Christ, was it really necessary to list all 79 previous Best Picture winners?
• In what is pretty much a thankless, no-win job, I thought Jon Stewart did a pretty decent job as host.
• I didn't see Enchanted, but based on the zillion or so nominated songs performed last night, I'd rather see Norbit. What horrible, horrible music...I wasn't too fond of the mopey song that won, but at least I didn't want to stick a screwdriver in my ear whilst listening.
• My favorite moment of the evening? Regis Philbin on the pre-show, calling Javier Bardem "Xavier". That and Gary Busey going insane and interrupting a Jennifer Garner interview on the Red Carpet. Busey is the 21st century Howard Beale.
• I'm happy for No Country for Old Men and the Coens, but I have a nagging feeling that I really should have seen There Will Be Blood.

Friday YouTube Nugget

It's a Sabbath-type day, so here's Never Say Die (1978) from an appearance on Top of The Pops.

Hello Sen. McCain: BIMBO ERUPTION!!!!!

This is so sweet: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/us/politics/21mccain.html?_r=2&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

"Mr. McCain, 71, and the lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, 40, both say they never had a romantic relationship. But to his advisers, even the appearance of a close bond with a lobbyist whose clients often had business before the Senate committee Mr. McCain led threatened the story of redemption and rectitude that defined his political identity."

Divine, sweet, sweet retribution is in the house tonight. After the GOP howled like syphilitic hyenas and led this country through a year and a half of torture because a Democratic president couldn't keep it in his pants, I am loving this story. The GOP establishment had to swallow its pride and rally behind this fraud and now it turns out that his libido is every bit as active as Bubba's. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Of course, this whole story is alleged and may be proven not to be true. And you can be damned sure I'm going to give John "Straight Talk Express" McCain the same benefit of the doubt and deference that the criminal GOP establishment have given Democrats for the past 30 years. Which is to say, none. Fuck John McCain and all the hypocritical GOP bastards who've run our proud nation down in the past decade.

The Wire: When Bunk Met McNulty

Not to sound like I'm jumping on the cultural elite bandwagon or anything, but The Wire (HBO, Sundays at 9 pm) is about the only part of television in the last decade that has never.....NEVER disappointed me. It has some of the best writing, best acting, best directing. best everything a series could feature. That it takes place in my old stomping grounds (Baltimore aka Charm City aka Bawlmer aka D.C.'s red-headed step-sibling) is a added bonus.

HBO onDemand is such a wonderful and fulfilling tool because it allows me to see upcoming Wire episodes a week before they air. For example, the episode that will air this Sunday (2/24) was available on onDemand last night and.....wow. It contains a scene that will shock the living daylights out of even the most casual fan of the show. I won't spoil it here, but I will say - you never saw it coming.

My favorite part of the show is the obviously close, jovial relationship enjoyed by the two homicide detectives, McNulty and Bunk. Out of all the contrived, hackneyed "buddy" cop duos network TV has spit up over the years, the team of McNulty and Bunk stand apart for the brutality of their partnership - these guys are brutal in their humor, their drinking, their hatred for authority and bureaucracy and their relentlessness in pursuit of their criminal prey.

Another great feature of HBO onDemand (since this post is one big shill for it) is that extra features filmed especially for the show are available. One example was the strange but funny series of Z-list "stars" (ex-WWF wrestlers, former sitcom regulars, etc) reciting whole scenes, word-for-word, from Entourage. For The Wire, the producers present short films on the orgins of key characters....this scene examines the first meeting of Bunk and McNulty and makes me laugh everytime I see it. These are two TV characters I'd love to sit in a bar with and knock a few back one evening.

Friday YouTube Nugget

A slice of quality 80's pop cheese this week....from 1987, T'Pau's Heart & Soul

"You have a uterus...therefore, I don't have to listen to you"

There was a book published a few years back titled "What's the Matter With Kansas"...it was a fascinating exploration of the rise of conservative populism in the U.S., viewed through the transformation of the author's native state of Kansas from a center of leftist populism to a thoroughly conservative area in the 20th century. Even today, with a female Democratic governor, many parts of Kansas still exemplify all the backwards, reactionary bunk that has marked the rise of the fundamentalist conservative movement in the U.S. and how poorer it has made our society in terms of ethics, values and respect for others. After all, if the state Board of Education isn't fighting to throw teaching evolution out of their classrooms, they're banning female referees from officiating high school basketball games because boys shouldn't have to take orders from something with boobs:

"The Kansas State High School Activities Association said referees reported that Michelle Campbell was preparing to officiate at St. Mary's Academy near Topeka on Feb. 2 when a school official insisted that Campbell could not call the game.

The reason given, according to the referees: Campbell, as a woman, could not be put in a position of authority over boys because of the academy's beliefs...

The Activities Association said it is considering whether to take action against the private religious school. St. Mary's Academy, about 25 miles northwest of Topeka, is owned and operated by the Society of St. Pius X, which follows older Roman Catholic laws. The society's world leader, the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, was excommunicated by Pope John Paul II in the late 1980s..."

This would be the same nutjob Marcel Lefebvre who praised the Vichy collaboratists with the Nazis in WWII, who lavished kudos on the dictatorships of Argentina and Chile in the 1970's and who also loved what Francisco Franco was doing in Spain.

At what point do we stop being deferential to assclowns like "Archbishop" Lefebvre and their institutions that peddle their drool-flecked nonsense simply because they're wearing a pretty robe and a cross around their neck?

My hope is that St. Mary's Academy is chucked out of the athletic league and sent back to their hidey-hole in East Bumfuck, KS where it's 1870 everyday and those poor, oppressed Traditionalist Catholics don't have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, with our wild and wacky ideas like respect for all, regardless of race, creed and gender.

A tender Valentine's Day song

Dedicated to my ex with all due care and feeling

A "Surge" That's Actually Working

There Will Be Blood

Let me say first that I'm very glad and relieved that Richard Zednik of the Florida Panthers is resting comfortably following 2 hours of surgery to repair his carotid artery and should make a full recovery. In case you didn't hear, a serious injury occured during last night's Sabres-Panthers game....midway through the 3rd period, a teammate's skate came up by accident and sliced Richard Zednik's throat, causing a serious cut to his carotid artery. The game was suspended 15 minutes while Zednik was led to the medical room and then loaded on an ambulance to Buffalo General for emergency surgery.

Thanks to the speedy work of the trainers and medical personnel at HSBC arena, we the fans were spared the awkwardness and inconvenience of watching a man bleed to death in front of us. Plus, the NHL displayed its usual savvy P.R. sense by forcing the teams to finish the game. I imagine Gary Bettman's entreaty to the Panthers went something like "Nevermind you just watched your teammate skate past you in a frenzy, bleeding like a stuck pig....get out there and finish the game!"

How about suspending the game, or cancelling it altogether to be made up later in the season? The guy was in an ambulance on his way to emergency surgery and the Panthers looked like somebody had just shot them up with horse tranquilizer. The remaining 9 minutes of that game was a farce and the league should be ashamed of themselves for forcing the players back on the ice.

Friday YouTube Nugget

This week's nugget was inspired by an article I read on the plane back from Vegas on Monday night. I subscribe to MOJO magazine, which is an excellent music monthly from jolly ol' England. This month's issue had a lengthy article on the Cult and traced the band's highs and lows (plenty of each). I had forgotten what an unique position the Cult occupied in my teen years...not quite New Wave, not all the way metal. They represented a fresh exciting meld of the genres and were the obvious precursors to the bands that followed in the late 80's/early 90's - you can hear their influence in everything from Guns 'n Roses to Alice in Chains to Concrete Blonde.

Anyway, here's their first big smash, She Sells Sanctuary. Anyone up for their Toronto appearance on April 12th?

David Pwned Goliath

What a catch.....what a game. I made mucho bhat in Vegas on the wing (Eli Manning) and a prayer (that Tyree could pin a ball to his helmet while falling backwards and with Rodney Harrison all up in his bizness). A great weekend overall and such lovely, sweet schadenfreude at the Patriots' expense. Oh well...guess they'll have to go cry in their three Super Bowl trophies. Meh.

Bart Simpson Worships At The Temple Of L. Ron Hubbard's Fat Ass

Wow....the lady who provides the voice for Bart Simpson is a Scientologist, which is neither surprising nor disturbing to me. What does knock me for a loop is that this chick gave the Church of Scientology $10 million in 2007:

"Longtime Scientologist Nancy Cartwright — best known as the voice of Bart Simpson — last year gave the church $10 million to help spread the word of founder L. Ron Hubbard into other galaxies.

It was all part of Scientology’s Global Salvage effort, which aims to “de-aberrate” Earth — meaning to rid mankind of psychology ills and other “aberrant” behavior.

Surprisingly, Nancy, 50, forked over twice as much as the Scientology’s most prominent member, Tom Cruise, who only gave $5 million in an installment plan... "

And here I thought Tom Cruise was Scientology's global ambassador. Ms. Cartwright puts his cheap ass to shame!

It's her money and all and she's free to flush it down the toilet, if she so desires....but damn! $10 million! When we have impoverished Haitians eating dirt for sustenance, there's got to be better uses for all that filthy Simpsons lucre...

Shorter State of the Union Address

"Y'all are fucked. Goodnight and God bless"

Friday YouTube Nugget

The YouTube title says it all - "Australian Party Goes Tits Up"

This guy is my new hero. A mix of McQueen-esque cool with a definite air of detachment and, I daresay, obliviousness. My favorite part is where the over-officious interviewer keeps asking him to take his sunglasses off and he refuses, saying "They're famous"

This guy should plan Gabs' going-away party.

Friday YouTube Nugget

I've always loved the instrumental version of the Smiths' "Please, Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" that appeared in Ferris Bueller's Day Off....I believe it was a version by the Dream Academy. Anyway, I went-a huntin' on YouTube and could only find this clip of it being used as background music for the Weather Channel. Oh well....

Can't. Turn. Away. Won't. Turn. Away. Televised. Opium.

Welcome to another exciting season of American Idol!

I'm not as addicted as I used to be, but God-damn, I love me some AI Audition trainwrecks. My favorite tonight was the Star Wars nerd girrl whose gruff exterior no doubt masks some heavy, bitter pain that's been internalized way too long. And fake Leia curls? Boooo!

Anyway, the classic moment occurs right after her inevitable rejection by the panel. She storms outside, into the waiting arms of her normal-looking grandparents, who I'm sure are thrilled that their legacy dresses like a bondage slut and boasts about being the belle of the ball at a Star Wars 30th anniversary convention. Grandpappy was positively beaming.

Faux-Leia is screaming and cursing up a storm about how they won't give somebody different-looking a chance (apparently, young Leia forgot what show she's auditioning for) and Grandpappy is trying to shush her...no doubt motivated by his belief that people on TV shouldn't swear. This guy probably holds The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour as his model for how people on TV should act. Granny and Gramps are hugging their poor, misbegotten nieta to calm her down and....oops! One of Faux Leia's ear curls falls right off! Snark!

I never laughed as hard this week as I did when Grandpappy kept trying to hand her back her curl while Leia the Drama Queen was ranting about postmodern biases on television against non-mainstream people, or some such shit. Damn, this season is going to be good....

UPDATE - as per Greg's request, here's a video of the whole sad saga

Re: "Who Is Obama" - I Hate Goddamn E-Mail Sometimes

So my mother's friends think it's cute when they (rabid, reactionary conservatives) send me (bleedingist-of-hearts liberal) chain e-mails about how Hillary is conspiring with Al-Queda to take over our country and how John Kerry faked getting shot (twice, mind you) to win his Purple Hearts in Vietnam. I usually dump them in the trash without looking, but I got this one yesterday that is making the rounds again and is a particularly ugly, pernicious smear:

Who is Barack Hussein Obama?

Very interesting and something that should be considered in your choice.

If you do not ever forward anything else, please forward this to all your contacts...this is very scary to think of what lies ahead of us here in our own United States...better heed this and pray about it and share it. We checked this out on "snopes.com". It is factual. Check for yourself. Who is Barack Obama?

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHEIST from Wichita, Kansas. Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii . When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. Hi s father returned to Kenya . His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia.? When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocate to Indonesia . Obama attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta . He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school."

Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that that he is not a radical. Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son's education.

Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school i n Jakarta . Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States , Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegiance nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches.

Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy.

The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the President of the United States , one of their own!!!!

Please forward to everyone you know. Would you want this man leading our country?...... NOT ME!!!

Sigh....

To paraphrase Martin Sheen from Apocalypse Now, the shit is piled up so high in this e-mail, you need wings to stay above it. Here's the response I sent to all:

All:

I usually delete these e-mails, but this is a particularly ugly e-mail that's been making the rounds and I would appreciate the opportunity to set some things straight about the claims made in it. It is filled with inflammatory exaggerations of Senator Obama's background and is intended to play to our worst xenophobic, anti-Muslim fears. One can imagine a simliar type of this message distributed 80 years ago to warn voters of Al Smith's Presidental campaign and the fact that he was a CATHOLIC - religious affiliation marked in capital letters to inflame and scare. This is a shameful tactic and people of all faiths should reject its use.

The facts on Senator Obama are:

- Senator Obama has never been a Muslim (radical or otherwise) at anytime in his life. He has been a member of the United Church of Christ since 1985 and describes himself as a "Christian"
- Senator Obama barely knew his father, who left the family when Obama was 2 years old and died when he was 21. There is no evidence that the senior Obama was a "radical Muslim"
- In his 2006 book The Audacity of Hope, Obama elaborated on his early schooling, explaining that he attended both Catholic and Muslim schools in Indonesia - not out of any particular religious affiliation, but because his mother wanted him to obtain the best possible education under the circumstances. Senator Obama did not attend "radical" or "Wahabi" schools - quite the contrary, Senator Obama is a product of public schools!
- Senator Obama's Indonesian step-father, Lelo Soetoro, was an observant Muslim, but there is no evidence that he was a "radical" or that he applied "radical" teachings about his faith to his stepson
- The statement that "when he (Obama) was sworn into office, he did not use the Bible but instead the (Quran)" is completely false and is most likely a reference to the first elected Muslim to Congress, Rep. Keith Ellison from Minnesota. Also, no religious texts (including the Bible and the Quran) are used during the swearing-in ceremony for new House members. The new members simply stand in front of the speaker's podium, raise the right hands and swear to uphold the Constitution. Many members carry Bibles with them for the post-ceremony photo opportunity with the Speaker of the House (as Rep. Ellison did when he posed with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a copy of the Quran that was once owned by Thomas Jefferson)

A fuller debunking of this e-mail may be found at the real Snopes.com at the link below:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp

I would also urge you to hear Senator Obama's views on the issues that really matter, directly from him:
http://www.barackobama.com/

Yours in honest appraisals of our candidates,
Eric

Friday YouTube Nugget

Welcome back! For the inaugural Nugget for 2008, I'm featuring a song from my favorite album of 2007 - Amy Winehouse's Back To Black. We're all familiar with the sad, tabloid-greased decline Ms. Winehouse has suffered since she hit the big time, but this album leaves little doubt that the girl was born to sing. A voice that practically demands you sit up and take notice, a classically brassy production that is the closest thing to Motown I've heard in years and you have a female soul album that even Ms. Aretha would appreciate. I hope she gets her shit together...the world needs more like her.

Amy Winehouse - "You Know I'm No Good"

Pictures At An Exhibition

January 1, 2008, Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park NY

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres

"Da Ice Bowl"

"Durrrrr......I got tickets to da outdoor game. Say, is that a blizzard I see headed our way..."

The player's entrance....a special moment

The Ralph at full capacity


Opening Faceoff



Ryan Miller with a nice glove save



The Ralph was rockin' in the 2nd period



"Hey Eric...you've been sitting out in the cold for 3 hours and the game's going to overtime. How do you feel?"

"Hey Eric....Sidney Crosby just scored, so the game's over and we can go back to the car and crank up the heat. What say you?"

My Candidate in 2008

Welp, after this exciting first two weeks in the primary season, I've decided on my candidate. I'm putting my faith in a candidate who carries the hopes and dreams of a free people yearning to restore our proud nation's mission to be the beacon of freedom and hope for a better day.

Also, my candidate rocks almost as much as this song (with apologies to Sadly No! for the blatant steal)



Ain’t a hope in Hell,
Nothing’s gonna bring us down,
The way we fly,
Five miles off the ground,
Because we shoot to kill,
And you know we always will,
It’s Obama, it’s Obama!

Scream a thousand miles,
Feel the black-death-rising moan,
Firestorm coming closer,
Napalm to the bone,
Because, you know we do it right,
A mission every night,
It’s Obama, it’s Obama, it’s Obama…

No night-fighter,
Gonna stop us getting through,
The sirens make you shiver,
You bet my aim is true,
Because, you know, we aim to please,
Bring you to your knees,
It’s Obama, it’s Obama, it’s Obama!

Happy Friggin New Year

Apologies for my churlishness, but I just spent 6 hours out in a blizzard watching the Sabres lose. Again.


More later when the feeling returns to my extremities.

God bless Japanese game shows

I swear I'm going on Amazon right now and pick up every DVD of this show...the 9 minute clip alone has me soiling myself...

Apparently, the premise (such as it is) is a group in a library being subjected to all forms of cruel torture...the catch is that they must remain silent during the brutality. This episode features a guest appearance by one "Ernesto Hoost" - a quick perusal of Wikipedia reveals he is a famous Dutch kickboxer, but I think his best work is on this show.

I feel a twinge of sympathy for the poor bastard who gets picked three or four times in a row for abuse. At least he didn't get picked for "Old Man Bites Tenderly"

Silent Library

Friday YouTube Nugget

For the final nugget of 2007, I'm reaching back to 1980 and an infectious tune from one of my favorites from the nascent days of MTV. With his minor hit, "Ah Leah", here is Donnie Iris:



An interesting footnote on Mr. Iris - he was a "one-hit wonder" three times over. He hit the pop charts the first time in 1970 with his song "The Rapper" performed by his band The Jaggerz. Then, after the inevitable break-up, Donnie made his way to Wild Cherry, who hit the big time with the execrable "Play That Funky Music" in 1976. Donnie went solo a few years after and hit the Top 30 with "Ah Leah".

Fare-thee-well 2007, Aloha 2008

Well, that was a nice long blogging break. I lost the BlogWar and now live in exile from GabsOSteel-ville. Wars are hard.

I anticipate a nice long weekend of blogging about what's happened in the last month....or vegging out in front of the TV watching the Extras series finale for the 10th time. ("was that really Karl Pilkington as the autograph hound?"). Anyway, Friday YouTube nugget on the way...

Absenteeism in Blogging

If this past week has taught me anything, it is that blogging is way down on my priority list. Not necessarily a bad thing....but my higher priorities are work, drinking and more drinking. There are so many things to discuss - the NIE on Iran debacle, the upcoming Presidential primaries, the Led Zeppelin reunion in London, the resurgence of the Bills against the collapse of the Sabres on their West Coast trip - and I'm running out of days to do it before I have to switch into "End-Of-Year" mode. And you know what that means.

Top Ten Lists.....a whole week's worth.

Like Johnny Rotten once sneered, "I'm a lazy sod...."

Paging Emily Post

Scenario: A good friend invites you to go out one evening....you suggest dinner and she agrees. Unfortunately, your job requires you to work late, so you suggest a time slightly later than normal - 7:30 pm. Your friend agrees. You, who have skipped breakfast and lunch because you're such a slave, er, dedicated worker, are starving....but, out of respect and courtesy to your very good friend, you refrain from snacking on anything until dinner. Even when you manage to make it home for a quick 15 minutes before the appointed dinner time. Even when your hunger pangs are about to drive you insane. Even when a co-worker drops off a piece of birthday cake saved especially for you. You abstain, you sacrifice, you suffer....all in the name of basic, common courtesy.

Which you find out means precisely jack shit at dinner when you discover, to your horror, that your dining companion has already eaten a full meal. One and a half hours before this dinner. A full sandwich and a yogurt. You suspected something was amiss when you asked your friend if she would like to split an appetizer, only to be told "I'm getting soup as my entree". Soup.....as an entree. Yep....that should have been the obvious tipoff. Then, your very good friend orders salad and soup, only to cancel the salad five minutes after ordering it.

I guess I should be flattered that my friend thought enough of me to tell me the truth, instead of claiming some "virus" or other such malady that would have curtailed the appetite in the few hours before meeting for dinner. I choose, however, to be amazed that this friend couldn't wait 90 minutes for nourishment.

Woke up, fell outta bed, dragged a comb across my head...

Well, not really a comb. I cut my hair really short last weekend because my bald spot was rearing itself again.

Not much to report so far today. The snow doesn't get me down as much as people who can't drive in snow. It's not a boxcar rally, people!

I'll check in later to document what fun my workday has in store for me

Declaration (of Blog War)

Well, it's on. I accept the challenge issued by Ms. GabsOSteel and pledge to post nothing this week but commentary on my life and other sundry issues. No easy YouTube links or witty image files to fill space on this here blog. You wanted the best, you got the best.

BTW, the good folks at Maker's Mark bourbon seem very receptive to my initial inquiries into corporate sponsorship...

Better Late Than Never Nugget, Neil Young Edition

What can I say....I'm sluggish after a holiday break. To commemorate his excellent recent show at Shea's, Neil Young gets the love this week....from 1983's Everybody's Rockin (which led his record company to sue him for not making "Neil Young" albums), this is Wonderin'.

Monday, Monday

Oy...whatta weekend. So many topics to cover, so this will be more stream-of-consciousness, Spinal Tap Mk IV vibe....

1) Neil Young at Shea's Friday night - Awesome, awesome concert. Easily the best show I've seen all year and probably the best I've seen since the Cream reunion at MSG in 2005. His wife Pegi opened the show with a nice country-folk set. Neil came out for an acoustic set that was something special. He played my personal favorite ("After The Goldrush") and pulled out some surprises ("Harvest" and "Mellow My Mind"). After a break, the full band came out and blew our minds. He opened with two Crazy Horse classics, "The Loner" and "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" and never let up. I'm definitely picking up his new album Chrome Dreams II if only for the staggering "No Hidden Path" which clocked in at 25:13 during the concert! Encores were "Cinnamon Girl" and "Like a Hurricane". My friend and I were floored by the whole experience - it's been 20 years since I've seen a show at Shea's and the grand ole' theater did not disappoint. There were some VIP sightings - former Mayor Masiello was sitting four rows in front of us and we did notice, walking past us in the aisle....Thurman Thomas?? I guess ol' Thermal digs Rust Never Sleeps.

2) Sabres vs. Carolina Saturday night - OK, the game was of secondary importance...Buffalo steamrolled the hapless Canes en route to an 8-1 laugher. The real fun began when my buddy and I went out after the game. We ran into the wife of a prominent local businessman who was having a girls night out with her friend. Turns out my friend knows her well, so we were hanging with them most of the evening. They were a lot of fun and even managed to get me dancing. The real revelation was when said wife told me she used to be a Playboy Bunny way back in the day (in the Playboy Club, not in the magazine). I'm not really used to women telling me they had any affiliation with Playboy, so I tried to do the polite thing, but there really is no etiquette for a moment like that. So I looked at her chest.

She was very nice about the whole thing, so no damage done (I think).

3) Bills vs. Redskins on Sunday - It's a good thing Joe Gibbs is suffering from early onset dementia because we really should have lost this game. But for Washington's inexplicable failure to run out the clock in the 4th and Gibbs's mental fog in forgetting you can't call consecutive timeouts to freeze the kicker, we'd be staring down a 5-7 hole today. The defense played superbly, as usual, especially shutting down Clinton Portis. Trent Edwards played well, but he's not setting the offensive world on fire. We'll get nowhere with more zero-offensive touchdown performances like yesterday. Our defense is game, but it ain't the 2000 Ravens D. Once we get healthy (read: the return of Marshawn Lynch), we have be more productive in the red zone.

Also, Joe Gibbs should retire before he embarrasses himself and his organization any further. Has anyone tarnished such an impeccable legacy in so short a time span? That a man who won 3 Super Bowls with 3 different quarterbacks failed to remember what any 7th grader knows about calling consecutive timeouts is a sad commentary on how much the game has passed him by.