Hill I'll Die On

Springsteen fan but I'll take Bob Seger very time. (Via)

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

If I were to run for office in 2022 my campaign slogan would simply be "Enough is Enough." I think that would resonate so much that an Enough is Enough Third Party could actually win a good number of elections taking voters from both sides of the aisle... We are less than 3-weeks from the White House Correspondents Dinner (April 24th) yet we've heard surprisingly little about the event. What are the odds it gets postponed or cancelled for *cough* COVID *cough* reasons? The real reason will be that President Biden isn't competent enough to handle such a non-scripted event. If the Nerd Prom gets cancelled look for articles about the 25th Amendment to suddenly become de rigueur... Hill I'll die on - Bob Seger is a superior artist to Bruce Springsteen. Love them both but seriously when do you ever hear a Bruce Springsteen live version of any of his songs on the radio or elsewhere? Meanwhile Bob Seger songs are almost always the live versions because he's that damn good. Also willing to bet Seger had more "hits" than Springsteen... The hospital in the Harry Potter books was called Saint Mungo's. Did you know there was an actual Saint Mungo? He's the patron saint of Glasgow, Scotland... Cult of Inhibitions - band name or all-inclusive singles resort?...  

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

So the Super Bowl had the fewest total viewers in the past 15-years and the lowest ratings since Super Bowl III but that's nothing for TV executives to be worried about - right? My guess is next year's 30-second commercials will be sold for 30% less than this years commercials. But nothing to see here... Speaking of Super Bowl commercials - Bruce Springsteen arrested for DWI. What I want to know is what kind of car he was driving. I'd bet anything it wasn't a Jeep and better than even money that it was foreign made vehicle or brand... Wonder how enrollment in Krav Maga self-defense classes have been effected by the political atmosphere of the past few years? Have people shied away from it because they just see MAGA in the name? Or have some people signed up because they mistakenly think it is self-defense against "MAGA people?" Genius Jussie Smollett may have signed up for classes for that reason... One underrated aspect of viewership and ratings on live sporting events going down over the years is the commercials themselves. People hate commercials and most of their other TV watching experiences are now pretty much commercial free. Except live sporting events. So the casual view no longer tunes in because of the commercials...  

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

In the old days when SNL was funny it would almost be guaranteed that there would be a spoof of the Springsteen / Jeep commercial. I'd be surprised if they went there today...  Heh heh - NFL 2021 Bad Lip Reading... Not sure about you but I'm not paying any attention to the "Second Impeachment Trial." Not worthy of my time nor attention. The exception is any Republican Congressman or Senator who goes along with this sham. That I will pay attention to and remember... I've avoided reading this book for some time. Probably for the same reason I've never seen Schindler's List. I don't want to put myself through that emotional trauma. To understand where I'm coming from - I choked up in tears just walking through the Holocaust Memorial in Boston. But time to get over that. Ordering the book today... In the old days (meaning just 2 or 3 years ago) after the Super Bowl I would be counting the days until Spring Training. Not this year. Kind of could care less.... 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Cool - Rick & Morty creator Dan Harmon is making an animated series set in ancient mythological Greece.

-  The [Macro] Economics of Living to 100. Not mentioned - raising the retirement age from 65. Also most pensions are municipally related (teachers, police, firemen, etc.) so people living to 100 has big-time costs and risks in that arena too. (HT Steve Layman)

- Where are the feminists?

- The 3 worst things about that terrible Jeep Super Bowl ad. Don Draper would not approve. As I've said - it will be interesting to track how Jeep sales pre and post Super Bowl ad. 

More Flotsam and Jetsam

More miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Would be interesting to track Jeep sales pre and post Springsteen Super Bowl ad. My instincts say Jeep's sales will be down because personally I know a good number of people who will now never buy a Jeep because of the ad. Go Woke Go Broke is a real thing... Imagine that football fans in Buffalo and other AFC East cities were especially thankful watching the Super Bowl that Tom Brady is now in Tampa Bay instead of on their schedules twice a season... I'm an awful person - if I'm playing cards in a bar with some of my friends who now hate Bruce Springsteen because he's become so preachy and left-wing and I'm losing - I will purposefully throw a few Bruce songs on the jukebox to throw them off their game... If I'm Pat Mahomes I would immediately become a devoted disciple of the TB12 Method. And if I'm the Kansas City Chiefs - I'd pay all expenses for him to do so... I'm also known for putting Richard Harris' MacArthur Park on the jukebox when playing pool to throw my opponent off their game. I'll even yell/sing the lines "Left the cake out in the rain and I'll never have that recipe AGAIIINNN!!" (Seriously not kidding about this)...  

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

American Greenland would be a good name for an alternative history novel where Trump won his second term... Reminder of how much of a blue collar hero Bruce Springsteen is... Has it ever been proved that Ted Cruz isn't the Zodiac Killer? I mean he must have an alibi - right?... If something annoys or irritates you it can be said that it "raised your hackles" but what the hell are "hackles?" (Technically those are the hairs on the back of your neck.)... Biden cancels Elon Musk's adventures in space. Musk moved his businesses from California to Texas because of state bureaucratic meddling. How much of a public relations nightmare would it be for the Biden Administration if Musk moved his SpaceX operations to Mexico or some other cooperative nation for similar reasons?...  Donald Trump resigns from SAG-AFTRA. Good for him. The union is tone deaf to the problems their membership are going though. I don't think they understand how much his letter may resonate with disgruntled union members who will ask themselves "Why am I paying dues to this organization?"... 

Top 5 - Perfect Albums

Cultural Offering has a list of "Perfect Albums". I agree with most of his selections and the ones where I'm not in 100% agreement is only because the album is new to me (but I'll try to rectify that). That said - here's 5 albums I'd suggest adding to the list:

1. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
2. Live Bullet - Bob Seger
3. Back in Black - AC/DC
4. London Calling- The Clash
5. Frampton Comes Alive - Peter Frampton

Just missing the cut - The J. Geils Band "Live" Full House and the Grosse Pointe Blank Soundtrack (highly recommended but not sure if soundtracks are allowed).

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The great undoing continues. History will not be kind to Obama's foreign policy choices.

- The Zombie Tit Menace. As an aside Zombie Tits would be a great name for a post-menopausal Spice Girls cover band.

- Lefsetz on Springsteen on Broadway. I tried watching but couldn't make it to the end. I used to be a super fan but no more. This show was like a more upbeat Nebraska and I really did not like the album Nebraska.

- I will never think of Nietzsche the same (you fucking pussy).

- The compelling case for greater economic freedom

- I really like Dan Crenshaw

- I just love the words "vacation cheese". I think it should also be slang for spending money you've saved for when you go away.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- I don't say this lightly and I know it makes me sound horrible but I really hope this guy gets repeatedly raped in prison.

- Heh Heh

- Why you should stop reading the news

- Where do we find such men?

- This is cool

- Don't tell me Adam Vinatieri isn't an athlete. He once chased down and tackled Hersel Walker FROM BEHIND!

- If Elizabeth Warren runs for President the real harsh attacks to her lie about being Native American will come from the Left.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- The old trade routes and trade between Boston and China. Interesting history.

- That settles it. I'm never going to eat "artisanal cheese"

- And they say the Irish can drink

- Wow - Tesla unveils both a new Semi and a $250,000 super-sports car.Don't get too excited though as the Semi won't be available until at least 2019 and the sports car until 2020.

- This could be viewed as the argument for just drinking beer, relaxing on the couch watching TV instead

- Don't understand how these NHL players missed their opportunity to pet Charlie.

- Well ladies - that answers that question

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- I used to know this album forwards and backwards

- Something is melting the ice in Antarctica but surprise - it's not your SUV

- Why President Trump isn't the end of the world. Agree 100% with this..

- Interesting - astronomers struggle to explain "zombie star"

- The best use of 280 characters on Twitter yet

- Strength based exercise can lower all-cause mortality by 23% and cancer based mortality by 31%

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The New England Patriots are now winless since Donald trump was elected President... Amazing photo of the "Super Moon" over the Saint Louis arch... Is there a stat for Ben Roethlisberger getting hurt when Steelers are losing vs when they are ahead? Just saying... New TV show idea - Scott Baio is an LA real estate agent selling homes of Hollywood stars who are moving to Canada because Trump was elected President... Cool - Bruce Springsteen rescued from roadside by NJ bikers... Still surprised that Zima was never actually the Official drink of the US Men's Figure Skating Team... Damn it! The Twitter handle "ThanksTrump" is already taken... This is true... Just saying but Al Gore was born 9 months after aliens supposedly landed at Roswell, NM. Coincidence or something else?... "A man is what he wills himself to be." - Jean-Paul Sartre... I would be curious to see which number is larger - the number of Liberal Arts Colleges that cancelled classes because Donald Trump was elected President and the snowflakes had trouble dealing with that or the number of Liberal Arts Colleges that had no school on Veterans Day to honor those who served in the military...

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Let me state what should be obvious - Donald Trump is a dangerous clown. I'm voting for Marco Rubio... Heh heh - Jeremy Roenick needs to hit the gym... Carl Soderberg has 42 points and a -5 plus/minus for the Avalanche while his replacement in Boston, Ryan Spooner, also has 42 points and a -4 plus/minus but at a much lower pricetag. Nice roster move by the Bruins... Heh heh... Really surprised by this - Troy Tulowitzki ranks first in MLB history in fielding percentage by a shortstop. Ahead of people like Omar Vizquel!... Maybe Ted Cruz really is the Zodiac Killer... Charlie Pierce writes that name Reince Preibus, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, must be an anagram for something. But what? Scribe ruin pee? Be epic insurer? Inscribe rupee? Inquiring minds want to know!... Heh heh... If I had a science / physics blog I would call it Particle Man after the They Might Be Giants song... Heh heh - Bruce Springsteen shouts out Pittsburg (in Cleveland)...

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Interesting - Michael Jackson may have been the reason for the break-up of Guns and Roses

- Messed up - these two circles are perfectly round

- Holy crap - he does sound like Stevie Nicks

- 1,300-year old fortress in Siberia baffles archaeologists

- Honestly never thought of this before - masturbating birds (gonna file this one under "science")

- Cool Larry Bird / Kevin McHale story

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (44) Jungleland by Bruce Springsteen.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (27) Backstreets by Bruce Springsteen.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Love TJ Oshie for what he did in the shootout vs Russia. Love him even more for what he said about being a "hero"... Random thought - I still say Luis Tiant was better than Catfish Hunter but it is Hunter who was rewarded with a spot in the Hall of Fame... I have a soft spot in my heart for They Might Be Giants - especially for Birdhouse in Your Soul and the whole Flood album for that matter... When I see Vladimir Putin I can't help but think he's the real life character Karla out of all those John Le Carre novels... According to Ted Talks - the 100 websites you should know and use... I've said it before but John Travolta's best role may have been as the Boy in the Bubble. All downhill from there... PGA golfers Ricky Barnes and James Driscoll share what it was like golfing with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick... Patrick Swayze's Sex Pottery would be a good name for a band or a fantasy baseball team...  Who knew? Great Britain won the Olympic Gold for hockey in the 1936 Winter Olympics... Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play Highway to Hell in Perth, Australia... Funny to remember that Donald Trump blamed Derek Jeter breaking his ankle in the 2012 playoffs on karma because Jeter had just sold his apartment in Trump Towers...

Backstreets - Bruce Springsteen

40-years ago today - Columbia Records signed Bruce Springsteen.

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting and thought I'd share.

How the real Jaguar marketing people felt about their car being the center of Mad Men attention.

The Wire - The Musical (and I know everyone on the Internet has linked to this but that's because its good)

Cool story of original  E Street Band drummer Vinny Lopez being a caddy at the US Open

Inspiring story of high school sportsmanship 

Good story on Anthony Bourdain moving to CNN

Jack Twyman - the greatest teammate in NBA history. Words cannot do justice to how great a human being Jack Twyman was. The world is poorer for his passing. (Thanks to Keith for the link.)