Roulette

Did you know that if you added together all the numbers on a roulette wheel (1 to 36) – that the total would be the number 666? Yes roulette is an evil game. You cannot play roulette and expect to make money (it’s almost as bad as playing Keno).

You can play roulette for fun. Here is what I would suggest as a way to enjoy roulette without getting too hurt in the wallet or pocketbook. (I originally read about this method in Cigar Aficionado magazine.)

Get $40 worth of chips and pick five numbers. Play $1 on each of the five numbers for 8 spins. Even if you never hit a number – you would have only lost $40 but will have had about a half hour worth of excitement (and maybe one comped drink).

If you hit a number – then double your bets to $2. Remember to quit after 8 spins of the wheel. Now the most you could possibly lose is $38 (you can use that $2 to tip your waitress). If you hit a second time – double your remaining bets to $4. Now you are guaranteed to win at least $26. If you hit a third time – then you can pay for a nice steak dinner with martinis. Just remember to quit after 8 spins. Get up and look around the casino – the worst thing you can do is just sit at a table forever – because at some point you’ll run out of money.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (76) I Will Buy You a New Life by Everclear.

Linky Links

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

- Belichick gets drunk and lets people know what he's really thinking (NSFW language)

- Who is Sam Adams rooting for on Sunday? Why the Patriots of course

- This is what people in Massachusetts have to deal with all the time. Good bet guy's name is Sully or Fitzy or sum such. (NSFW language)

- Interesting article on Ernie Adams - the Patriots mystery man

- I've read this JK Rowling story before but it's still touching.

- Awe inspiring - the Milky Way as seen from Chile.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (75) Nutrocker by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. If you are a Boston sports fan of a certain age - this song holds a special place in your heart.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thought and observations.

Beginning to wonder if NFL has hired the same guys who investigated Richard Jewell to do the Deflategate investigation...  It's not about cheating NFL coaches - it's about hating Bill Belichick... Perspective - if you had a minute of silence for every person killed in the Holocaust - you'd have to be silent for 11 and a half years... Heh heh... With an all female Ghostbusters in the works could a 12 Angry (Wo)Men remake be next? Maybe with Jane Fonda taking her dad's old role (you know there's some putz in Hollywood who would think this was a good idea)...  Bill Hicks' 12 principles of comedy... On second thought - that volcano prank might have been a bit over the top... When Barack Obama took office he was boasting about being able to stop the oceans from rising. Too bad he was out of the country during this blizzard. Stopping the snow should have been a snap...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (74) I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie.

Top 5 - Paul Newman Movies

Monday would have been Paul Newman's 90th birthday. Here's my 5 favorite Paul Newman movies.

1. Slap Shot - perhaps the best sports movie ever.
2. The Sting - a classic but these days seems a little long
3. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
4. Cool Hand Luke
5. (tie) The Verdict (tie) Absence of Malice

Just missing the list was The Hustler.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (73) Mrs. Robinson by the Lemonheads.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I hope that during the Super Bowl Media Day at least one player answers every question by simply saying, "I am Groot"... The US jobs picture without Texas is not pretty... Good advice often comes from unexpected places at unexpected times... Stephen Strasburg for Mookie Betts? I think a Tanner Roark for Betts works better (no pun intended) or how about Shane Victorino (and prospect) for Doug Fister?... Heh heh - Star Wars (Age of Ultron Style)... Its been pointed out elsewhere but President Obama's foreign policy can be explained in a nutshell by pointing out he plans to attend the funeral of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah but he skipped the funeral of Margaret Thatcher... Heh heh... If you've been anywhere on the Internet the past five days you probably already seen the video of this incredible archer... Forget the Legion of Boom - how will the Seahawks score against the Patriots?...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (72) Someone Like You by Adele (I'm comfortable enough in my manhood to say that I like Adele).

Deflategate II

So at yesterday's press conference Bill Belichick started out like this. He did a good job basically saying what this guy said about the science and physics involved in air pressure. And did ESPN's so called "Sports Science" folks also agree with Belichick?

Just remember Bill Belichick is not a scientist. (And for that matter neither is Bill Nye - he is a comedian/actor who parlayed a catchy nick-name into a career.)

Even though "the science is settled" some Patriot haters are going to grasp at articles like this that say the Patriots ability to grasp the football is "off the charts". Look - something's fishy they'll say. This despite the fact that the Patriots finished this "historic" season 2nd in the NFL with a +12 turnover mark (25 to 13). If they were historically off the charts shouldn't they have finished first? For comparison's sake the Seahawks finished 4th in the NFL with a +10 mark (24 to 14). So one turnover both ways and the Pats and Seahawks would have been tied. How is that off the charts?

Haters are going to hate no matter what. It is what it is.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I wonder if Bill Belichick hates Chris Mortensen more today than he hated Tom Jackson back in 2001... Incredible - these are not still photos... Hard to believe but Pete Carroll is almost a year older than Bill Belichick... Charlie Pierce has the best piece I've read yet on how ridiculous Ballghazi has become (and was to begin with)... How great would it be if someone replaced Stephen Hawking's computer voice with Emo Phillips... Heh heh - Bad Lip Reading NFL 2015...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (71) The Pretender by the Foo Fighters.

Linky Links

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

- Call Me Lucky

- Heh heh

- An American flag was burned in front of an elementary school but a US Marine stepped up in the classiest way possible

- Speaking of Bill Cosby

- A win-win Super Bowl bet

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (70) No One Knows by Queens of the Stone Age.

Deflategate

As usual my mind works differently than most people - so if you want real reporting on what the ramifications may be to deflategate try Tom Curran (Pats fan) or Mike Florio (not a fan of the Pats). For my take...

When I originally heard about this late last night my first thought was, "This is pure genius by Belichick!" Not deflating footballs by 2 PSI but the possible mindfuck that could be going on here. You have to remember that all of this hinges on a single report from Chris Mortensen of ESPN. Remember the league is not commenting at this time. What if the "leak" on this came from the Patriots? What if it's wrong? Bill Belichick just set up a perfect "Us against the world!" mentality in his locker room on the eve of the biggest game of the year. Genius!

Keep in mind that when this story first broke it was greeted as somewhat of a joke by the Patriots. What if Belichick took a nothing story and turned it to his advantage?

In my mind I picture Belichick pulling a Tyrion Lannister move. Maybe have three people in the organization you are unsure of. Invite the first into your office and in the course of conversation tell them in confidence that the league has found 9 of the 12 game balls to have been underinflated. Tell the next guy 10 out of 12. Tell the last guy 11 out of 12. In my mind Belichick might have found the mole in his organization and set up an "Us against the world" mentality. Genius!

Of course I am most likely 100% wrong on this. But if I'm right? Genius!

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offerings (67, 68, 69) Sailing Shoes / Hey Julia / Sneaking Sally Through the Alley by Robert Palmer. These three songs just have to go together.

Linky Links

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

- You might defeat Bill Belichick but it won't be because you out-worked him

- 11 words and phrases popularized by Teddy Roosevelt

- Wow - this is very impressive

- Excellent advice from Terry Crews

- Fascinating read on George Raveling and how he came to possess the original copy of MLK's I Have a Dream Speech

New England Patriots

I went to the game on Sunday night and it was awesome! And speaking of awesome the 45-7 victory now means the Patriots are an amazing 88-0 at home since 2001 when they hold an 8-point or greater lead at any point during the game.

It's hard not to think about that stat without comparing it to what happened to Green Bay on Sunday. I know the Packers were the road team but can you picture this year's Pats team or any Bill Belichick team losing a 16-point lead? Tough to picture that - isn't it? That's because Belichick keeps his foot on the gas pedal when he's winning. That 88-0 mark is proof. Some people complain that he runs up the score but Seattle showed why you have to keep trying to pour it on.

If Bill Belichick was coaching Green Bay on Sunday the Packers would be going to the Super Bowl. No doubt in my mind about that. No doubt.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (66) Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits.

The Greenbrier Ghost

An interesting nugget of US history. The only instance of the testimony of a ghost making its way into a murder trial in US history. 

Origin of the Poolroom

Back in the day before state run lotteries - local bookies would run numbers games and these tickets for the "pool" were often sold in a "poolroom". The numbers would be drawn once or twice a day and in order to fill the time between drawings - the operators at many locations put in billiards tables. Billiards was changed or Americanized by adding pockets and creating the game pocket billiards which we now know simply as pool.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (65) Feeling Good by Nina Simone.

Battle of Cowpens

Today is the anniversary of one of the most significant battles in the history of the United States and nobody seems to notice. A short history of the Revolutionary War could read like this:

- The British surrendered at Yorktown after being surrounded by the Continental Army on land and bottled up by the French fleet at sea.
- The British were stuck at Yorktown because they had been so long occupied in the South by battles like the disaster (for the British) at Cowpens
- Cowpens was made possible by Valley Forge and the victory over the Hessians at Trenton
- The French navy was brought into the war because of the overwhelming victory over the British at Saratoga.
- Trenton was made possible by the Continental Army slipping out of Long Island where they really should have been trapped and destroyed by the British
- Long Island was made possible by the victory over the British in the siege of Boston which in turn was made possible by the guns taken from Fort Ticonderoga and by the start of the war at Lexington and Concord.

Of the above - the Battle of Cowpens (which happened 233 years ago today) is probably the least remembered.

If it is remembered it is probably the version that was put forth in the Mel Gibson movie The Patriot. In the movie there is a battle without a name in which Gibson's character asks his irregular infantry to get off two shots and then retreat to trick the British into chasing after them. This is the same basic "plot" to the Battle of Cowpens. The Jason Isaacs character of the dark-hearted Col. Tavington is loosely based on Col. Banastre Tarleton who led the British troops at Cowpens. Unlike the battle in the movie, however, in real life Tarleton (nee Tavington) escapes to fight another day.

One other note that may only interest me. In the movie The Patriot, Gibson's character uses straw soldiers to convince the British to let captives escape. In real life this trick was used but it was used by the British to allow the "captive" loyalists to escape Boston via ships in the harbor under the cover of "troops" placed overlooking the city on Bunker Hill. The troops later turned out to be straw dummies.

Linky Links

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

- Netflix keeping Doctor Who, Luther and other BBC series. Good news. However Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and others will no longer be available after February 1st. Plan your viewing accordingly.

- How can you not like Dirk Nowitzki?

- Took me a second

- Pets with diplomas. Funny and depressing (because some of these animals have better degrees than I do)

- Actual climate change pronouncements over the years

- Heh heh

- Interesting look at Ed O'Neill and Jiu-Jitsu

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (64) Hello ... I'm Johnny Cash by Alabama 3.

Harry Potter's Recipe for Courage and Success

I like to take away wisdom or at least a better understanding of history from the books I read. That doesn't mean that I only read philosophy or history books. Take the Harry Potter series of books. Here's something I took away from the books - Harry Potter's recipe for courage and success - you can apply it to business or your personal life:

1. Prepare for the challenge
2. Surround yourself with support
3. Engage in positive self-talk
4. Focus on what is at stake
5. Take appropriate action

Linky Links

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

- Holy crap - hippos are scary creatures

- Ralph Steadman on Charlie Hebdo

- Interesting article on the Amazing Jonathan who unfortunately is dying

- Why would anyone ever want to mess with Zdeno Chara

- Mike Martz has a pretty good perspective on the Patriots success this season

Boston Olympics

Boston was chosen as the US representative city to host the 2024 Olympics. Make one thing clear though - Boston is not going to host the Olympics and any time discussing the possibility is a waste of breath. Boston was chosen to be a patsy. The 2024 Olympics are going elsewhere - my guess is somewhere in Africa (the games have never been held on that continent) or somewhere in Germany.

Boston was chosen so the US Olympic committee can look like they are spreading the wealth around. Chicago last time - Boston this time but the real end-game I think is to get Los Angeles the Olympics in 2028.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (63) Shipping Up to Boston by The Dropkick Murphy's.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I agree with Ian O'Connor that the Bills basically replaced a 9-7 AFC East coach with a 4-12 AFC East coach. As Bill Parcells would say, "You are what your record says you are"... What me jihad?... True story - I only bet on Ohio State once this year. It was against Virginia Tech... Wow - map of the Internet in the US in 1969... There is a very good chance that Bill Belichick will lead the Patriots to another Super Bowl. Yet when the votes are counted for coach of the year - the award will go to another. Belichick so good that this type of year is just expected... I laughed way too hard at this...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (62) Alive and Kicking by Simple Minds.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today offering (61) Lips Like Sugar by Echo and the Bunnymen.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

My favorite stat from the weekend - Tom Brady is about to go to his 9th AFC Championship game meanwhile Peyton Manning now has 9 one-and-done playoff appearances... Lazy or awesome?!?!... It is rumored that the Denver Broncos may want to part ways with head coach John Fox. If true they should look for a top offensive coach to take his place. You know - someone like Josh McDaniels... Heh heh... The wife of Moses was Zipporah. It's amazing how lost to history she has become. We really know zip about Zipporah... Heh heh... If they had called it an iSegway instead of just Segway - would everyone own one by now?... Ratio wise - I wonder if the distance between stars is much different than the difference in distance between atoms... Peyton Manning lines up another commercial opportunity...

Cinderella

The story Cinderella was written in 1699 by a Frenchman named Charles Perrault. In the original story, Cinderella wore slippers made of squirrel fur but when the book was translated into English the word "vair" (squirrel fur) was mistranslated as "verre" (glass) and the rest is history.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (60) Downeaster Alexa by Billy Joel.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

How about them Patriots!?!?... 23rd century meets the 7th century... Who has more statutory rape allegations - Meathead Rob Lowe or real Rob Lowe?... Nice explanation by Matt Chatham on the Pats "deception" plays... Hard to believe but Tom Brady now leads all active QB's with 5 playoff rushing TD's... Speaking of Spock... The Patriots are now 13-2 when winning the coin toss. Just 2-2 when losing the coin toss. How do they win the coin toss so often?... Heh heh... Shouldn't calling someone a "hot shit" be more of an insult than a compliment?... Neil Gaiman explains how to become a writer... Still can't believe 49 baseball writers left Pedro Martinez off their Hall of Fame ballots...

Linky Links

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

- Heh heh - Harry Shearer got fooled by fake congressman from non-existent congressional district. I love the fact that there was not just a fake twitter account for the fake congressman but also one for his "Chief of Staff".

- This week would have been Elvis Presley's 80th birthday. Here's the story of when Donald Rumsfeld met the King.

- After seeing this - I'm guessing Peter King won't be getting an interview from either coach in today's 4:30 game.

- Funny - Nick Dipaulo's Mitch Hedberg story

- Heh heh

- Holy crap what a shot!

- Definitely lost some respect for Mark Jackson after reading this

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (59) Till It Shines by Bob Seger.

Linky Links

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

- Black Jack Pershing would be tried as a war criminal today instead of lauded as an effective leader dealing with barbarians in an effective manner. Not sure if I'd call that progress,

- Today would ave been Elvis' 80th birthday. Here's a great cover of him singing Bridge Over Troubled Water.

- I agree

- A day late but happy 70th wedding anniversary Mr and Mrs Bush

- Heh heh - karma is a pre-existing condition

- Increase in minimum wage forces Michigan non-profit restaurant to close

- How can you not love Pedro Martinez? "You tell Clemens, he hits one of mine, I take two of his."

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (58) Running Down a Dream by Tom Petty.

Baseball Hall of Fame - Thought One

Here's a thought I had immediately after seeing that Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio had been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame - combined the four players made a little over $539 million during their careers.

The most controversial quartet of players on the Hall of Fame ballot associated with PED's - Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa combined salaries came close to almost the exact same amount ($537.5 million). The question that keeps popping up is if this group didn't do PED's would they be in the Hall of Fame today? I think the more accurate question is - if this group didn't do PED's would they have been paid like Hall of Famers? More than two-thirds of Roger Clemens money came after he left Boston in the "twilight of his career". The majority of Barry Bonds money was made after he left Pittsburgh. In Bonds last six years he made more in a single season than he made his whole time with the Pirates.

These guys cheated (allegedly) to get paid. Good.

They don't get Hall of Fame induction too. They made their choice and got their big money. They don't also get to enjoy something that Dale Murphy or Don Mattingly will never get close to. That's not right and that's something many sportswriters don't seem to understand.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (57) How I Wish It Would Rain by The Temptations.

Linky Links

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

- Bitcoin off to a rough start in 2015. I don't own any Bitcoin but wouldn't turn it down if anyone wanted to donate.

- Johnny Football gets heckled, doused with drinks. I feel bad for Browns fans at this point.

- Is this story getting so little exposure because this is now expected behavior for Bill Clinton? Hillary can forget any thoughts about running in 2016 because I have a feeling there are people out there just dying to share their Slick Willie stories.

- Harvard professors upset because Obamacare is now costing them money. I have to laugh but then I remember that Obamacare costs me an extra $320 per month for the same plan I had before the country was snookered by Harvard mouth-breathers.

- My  heart aches for Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and his wife.

Shit Pats Fans Say

Book Review - Killing Floor

The other night I watched the Tom Cruise move Jack Reacher for the second time. Obviously for me to watch it a second time - I must have enjoyed it the first time around. Watching the movie made me curious about the books. I knew there was a lot of controversy among Jack Reacher fans casting the diminutive Cruise as the hulking Reacher so I wanted to read the books for myself to see what the fuss was about.

I ordered Killing Floor the first Jack Reacher book by Lee Child. The book was a paperback with the blurb "See Jack Reacher now in his first major motion picture" on the cover and a new introduction by the author. In the new introduction Lee Child makes it clear that Jack Reacher is supposed to be 6'5". So I'm going out on a limb to say he wasn't pleased with the casting of Cruise as his hero (though going out on another limb I'm going to guess that Lee Child still cashed the movie rights check).

The book was enjoyable. It was Travis McGee / John D. McDonald-eque. Big hero who lives by his own rules finds himself at the center of a mystery that only he can solve and save the day. I will order a few more of the series but I'm going to have to space them out - too much candy rots the brain.

For what it's worth - Tom Cruise is scheduled to star in a second Jack Reacher move - Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (no release date).

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

The Patriots are now a 7 point favorite over Baltimore next Saturday. The line opened at New England -8.5 - at that many points I would have been tempted to take the Ravens too... Those were the days - FDR's 52nd birthday celebration was a toga party... Just a reminder of the needle and the damage done - in 2007 when Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi took leadership over Congress the unemployment rate was 4.6% and the national debt was $8.6 trillion... I just love this photo... "Too Big to Fail" would have been a great title for an Andre the Giant biography... No matter what happens Saturday - when Tom Brady finally hangs up his spikes his record of playoff wins will be untouchable. I can't foresee any team ever having the type of run of sustained greatness like the Patriots have had these past dozen years (and counting)...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (56) Do I Want To Know? by Arctic Monkeys.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (55) Come a Little Closer by Cage the Elephant.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Paul Pabst from the Dan Patrick show and others have made this point but in other years the NCAAF Championship game would most likely have been Florida State vs Alabama. Both of the losing teams in this years playoff format... Sony most likely an inside job... I've said this before but if Peyton Manning changed his audible from "Omaha! Omaha!" to "Obama! Obama!" - would he lose half his endorsements?... Was the Shire from Lord of the Rings based on Kentucky?... Meat Slurry would be a good name for a band. Or for an entree companion to Golden Corral's Chocolate Waterfall... Who knew? After the attack on Pearl Harbor - Canada declared war on Japan before the US did... Coffee naps! I'm so in!...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (55) Come With Me Now by Kongos.

Advice for Men

Two simple rules for men.

Linky Links

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

- Cool photo of a great white about to breach the surface.

- We will never ever again have a President so unphotogenic as Nixon

- Excellent New Year's advice from Neil Gaiman

- Cool - when a strawberry starts to germinate its seeds. If you just showed the picture to people - how many would be able to guess what it is?

- New Year's taxes

- 2015 will be a big year for Gallipoli

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (54) Time by Pink Floyd. Seemed an appropriate song for the first of the year.

Linky Links

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

- I agree 100% with Brian Kenny on Curt Schilling

- File this under "you have to be F'n kidding me!" FDA may ban ice cream sprinkles.

- Tom Brady's restructured contract is a Win-Win for him and the Patriots.

- Soldier's wedding had to be moved so Obama could play golf.

- Put me in the camp that doesn't think North Korea was behind the Sony hack

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (53) Mrs. Potter's Lulaby by Counting Crows.

The Buckler

There's Christian Rock but no Christian Wrestling - I say we change that.

This time of year I always think of the following Bible verse:

"As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all those who trust in him" - Psalm 18:30

I got to thinking that "The Buckler" would be a great name for a Christian wrestler. I went out to to dinner once when this idea first hit me and there was a non-alcoholic beer on the menu called - you guessed it - Buckler. Vince McMahon has to make this happen.

Here's the idea - a Christian wrestler who only wrestles to spread the Gospel. He' gets sponsored by Heineken (they make Buckler beer) and the other wrestler's make fun of his religion in order to get him to lose his cool. Can't you picture the Undertaker getting the Buckler in a choke hold and saying, "Where's your Moses now?" (like Dathan from The Ten Commandments). Triple H could pile drive him and ask, "Your God, your God - why has he abandoned you?"

The Buckler in turn could come out with a signature surrender hold called "the crucifixion." The Buckler's entrance music could be some gospel standard or something by Creed. You hear "Onward Christian Soldiers" over the PA and McMahon says, "Is that the Buckler's music I hear?"

It would be controversial and that's what wrestling thrives on. This could be huge.

John Milius

John Milius is a screenwriter and a director who was involved in some of the most important movies of my childhood. Yet I had never even heard his name until I came across a documentary on Netflix called appropriately enough - Milius. Here's just a few of the watershed movies John Milius was involved in:

Apocalypse Now (written by)
Magnum Force (screenplay)
Jeremiah Johnson (screenplay)
Conan the Barbarian (written and directed by)
Clear and Present Danger (screenplay)
Red Dawn (screenplay and directed by)

In addition he created the HBO show Rome (one of my favorites) and he wrote the "Indianapolis" speech in the movie Jaws for his good friend Stephen Spielberg. How did I not know this guy's name? Fascinating guy. Well worth the time to watch the documentary.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (52) Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (51) Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) by Looking Glass.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I'm confused. When George W. Bush was President I kept hearing that dissent is the highest form of patriotism. Now these same people are screaming bloody murder because thousands of cops turned their backs in silent protest?... I call this one "Peaceful Protest" or "Respect is Earned not Entitled"... The word "panned" comes from the French word for "breakdowns". So in essence when a movie is panned by critics it is usually because it "breaks down" and things don't work... Just 97 more days until Opening Day in baseball... Just for old times sake - Lima Time!... If "evade" means to escape - shouldn't "vade" mean to get caught?... Once again I expect Jeff Bagwell to get more Hall of Fame votes than Fred McGriff but as I've said from the moment Bagwell retired - that's not right...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (50) For Those About to Rock (We Salute You) by AC/DC.

Linky Links

Some things I found interesting or amusing.

- Good on this man. He's a hero.

- This is a few years old but still holds up - National Geographic's top 100 adventure books of all-time.

- Good point - is Bill Belichick the NFL Executive of the Year?

- Heh heh - Temple University receives anonymous donation to build center for disproving rape allegations.

- 12 of the most distracting extras in movie history. They missed number one for me - John Cusak in Broadcast News. He's the angry young man who storms out of the newsroom when the layoffs are announced. You only see his back.

Happy Birthday to Ray Bourque

Happy 54th birthday to Boston Bruins legend Ray Bourque. Above is one of my favorite moments of all-time in Boston sports history and a moment that in a nutshell shows how classy a guy Ray is.

Charles Bukowski Question

My mind works differently than most. This morning I lay in bed wondering if the They Might Be Giants song Birdhouse in Your Soul was inspired in part by the Charles Bukowski poem Bluebird.

Then I wondered how mind-blowing would it be if the reverse were true? The They Might Be Giants album Flood was released in 1990. The Bluebird poem was part of The Last Night of the Earth Poems released circa 1992.

How awesome would it be if this were true?

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (49) Brick by Ben Folds Five. I have a dark sense of humor and I'm kicking myself that I didn't play the Boxing Day Abortion song yesterday.

Linky Links

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

- 12 things JK Rowling has revealed after the publication of last book. No real news here for big Harry Potter fans.

- Grantland has a look back at the failure of the Russian Sochi Winter Olympics.

- I just love this photo - Stonehedge's gardener mowing the grass 1955

- Cool - nice summary of places to go for free content for your iPhone, iPad, Kindle, etc.

- The 20 most popular Ted Talks

- Good on you JetBlue

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (48) Dirty Paws by Of Monsters and Men.

The Russian Economy

The economic news out of Russia this week was not good. This piece in The Telegraph details how the Rouble (Ruble?) is now worth just about half of what it was worth against the US dollar from just a year ago. The damn has broken and now the Russian economy is worth in real terms a little less than that of the State of Texas or half of that of California. Put another way - the Russian economy is now worth less than Google. "A Russian downgrade to junk is just a matter of time."

Who could have seen this coming? Well 9 months ago I smelled a rat.

The Russian moves in the Crimea and Ukraine both make sense in the hindsight of a Putin government acting certain ways because they were basically broke.

I wonder how the Russian people feel about that $51 billion Putin spent on the Sochi Winter Olympics now?

It's a Wonderful Life (in 30 Seconds)

It's a Wonderful Life (in 30 Seconds).

And re-enacted by bunnies.

Merry Christmas.

Silent Night by Enya

Silent Night by Enya in Gaelic. Merry Christmas.

The Christmas Truce

Very interesting bit of history. Be sure to watch till the end for the reminder that war is hell.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (47) The Man's Too Strong by Dire Straits.

State of the Red Sox

The 2015 Red Sox are poised to be very different from the 2014 version. The offensive potential of the new and improved line-up is just scary. Here's the potential line-up:

1. Mookie Betts
2. Dustin Pedroia
3. David Ortiz
4. Hanley Ramirez
5. Mike Napoli
6. Xander Boegerts
7. Pablo Sandoval
8. Rusney Castillo
9. Christian Vazquez

That's a solid, solid line-up. And you potentially have Allen Craig, Daniel Nava, Shane Victorino, Ryan Hannigan and Brock Holt coming off the bench (though I fully expect either Craig or Victorino to be dealt prior to Spring training).It should be pointed out that the defense is just as potent as the offense with four potential Gold Gloves (Pedroia, Napoli, Panda and Vazquez).

Much has been made of the revamped starting rotation. Ben Cherington has added Rick Porcello, Wade Miley and Justin Masterson to Clay Buchholz and Joe Kelly. Skeptics may say that rotation is just a collection of number 3 starters. Yeah but it's a group of solid number 3 starters. If you have one guy step up to be an ace or two guys emerge as solid number 2 guys then you have the makings of perhaps the best rotation in the American League. Having said that - would I mind if Boston went out and traded for a Cole Hamels, Doug Fister or Jordan Zimmerman? Hell no! I would love that.

Overall I'm feeling pretty good about the 2015 Red Sox.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

It would be cool if Adult Swim had a New Years Eve show featuring a zombie Dick Clark who would just appear every few minutes to say "BRAINS!!"... Interesting look at Kipling and The Jungle Book from the Times of India... Is it me or is the guy in the Cialis commercial seeing like three different girls? No wonder he needs boner pills... Andre the Giant at age 19... Where did the phrase "piss-ant" come from? What could be the possible origin of that phrase?... Heh heh... FWIW - Todd Helton's career road OPS (.873) is greater than George Brett's overall career OPS (.853)... The Mesopotamian god of the moon was called Sin which is appropriate since most sins happen at night... I hope this gets you into the Christmas spirit...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (46) Living on a Thin Line by The Kinks.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (45) The Bad in Each Other by Feist.

Linky Links

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

- Nice article on Tommy Amaker. I didn't realize Harvard never won an Ivy League championship till he arrived. I hope he retires at this job.

- Heh heh

- What is time? Articles like this I have to read two or three times for the concepts to sink in.

- Cool - 10 of the US most intriguing archaeological mysteries

- Google is now worth more than the entire Russian stock market

100 of My Favorite Songs

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

The Sony Hack

Here are three very good links to get you up to speed on the Sony hack and the movie The Interview.

This first link is a timeline of all the events that have unfolded.

The second link is an excellent point about risk and how Sony pulling The Interview from movie theaters may become a clarion call for tort reform (innocent third parties should not be liable to be sued because of something evil a nutcase does).

The third link is just fun. The Sony Hack gets the Taiwan animation treatment.

Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo was one of my favorite Celtics players and I always viewed him as a hybrid of two of my favorite Celtics from the past.

On the court I always viewed him as the closest thing to Tiny Archibald who was one of my favorite players growing up (got to meet him at a basketball camp one year and he really impressed me). Off the court it was said that Rondo could be difficult and that he had an "attitude". That reminds me of Dennis Johnson - who it should be remembered came to Boston in a trade for Rick Robey (Wick Wobey with the Webound) and two 2nd round picks. At the time Johnson was supposed to sort of a problem player. In Boston he proved to just be a winner. Larry Bird called him the best player he ever played with.

There are probably more parallels with Johnson than with Archibald. Dennis Johnson was an excellent defender who was not the greatest shooter in the world. Sounds like Rondo right? DJ also won a championship early in his career in Seattle (the team that drafted him) then found more championship success after being traded to the Celtics. Maybe the same will happen for Rajon in Dallas?

Godspeed Rajon Rondo. Thanks for all the memories.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (43) Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Why can't Sony release the movie The Interview in Canada? Even the North Koreans can't hate the Canadians... Heh heh - John Wayne chased them down an alley... Think about it - even if you won $1 million in the lottery every month for the rest of your life - you would never become a billionaire... Heh heh... Who knew? Barry Manilow's hit "I Write the Songs" was not written by Barry Manilow... Interesting interview of Joss Whedon regarding the new Avengers: Age of Ultron movie... Idea for a new TV channel; ESP-N (the Extra Sensory Perception Network). Psychics would make sports predictions and pick games... Who knew? The Russian economy as measured by GDP is smaller than that of the State of Texas...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (42) I'm Losing You by The Faces.

A Very Calvin & Hobbes Christmas

Linky Links

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

- The Simpsons first aired 25-years ago today. Here are 17 facts you might not have known about the first episode.

- Footage of the extent of the damage Greenpeace did to the Nazca Lines. Fuck Greenpeace!

- Heh heh - don't ever change Slick Willy - don't ever change.

- Nice remembrance of Christopher Hitchens who died three-years ago yesterday.

- 40-years ago Young Frankenstein was released to the world. Here's 15 fun facts about the classic comedy.

The Truth About the Island of Misfit Toys

I had an epiphany the other day. It was in regard to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys. The thing about the misfit toys wasn't that they were squirt-guns that shot jelly or cowboys who rode ostrich's. The really strange thing about these "toys" was the fact THEY WERE ALIVE!

Now any high school biology student can tell you that life comes from life. These misfit toys were probably the offspring of some sick minded magic elves who must have gotten too "friendly" with some of the toys they were working on and fondling day after day. They were put on the Island of Misfit Toys probably as an attempt by upper management of Santa's Workshop to cover up some of the sick shit that was going on when the lights got turned off at night.

Let's be clear here - we aren't talking about misfit toys either - we are talking about FREAKS! If my kids got a choo-choo with square wheels that was alive - I would freaking BURN IT WITH FIRE! I would also then have to start spending thousands of dollars on therapy probably for the whole family. You could bet that Christmas and Santa would take on whole new meanings (and nightmares) from that day forward.

God help the children who ended up getting those freak misfit toys on Christmas morning.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (41) Traveling Man / Beautiful Loser by Bob Seger. (Yes I know that it's technically two songs but you almost always hear the live version paired together.)

Linky Links

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

- Can't argue with this - Carrie Underwood does have nice legs

- Heh heh - RG3-11

- Allen Craig is an overlooked trade piece. But other than a salary dump or a chip in a trade for an ace - the Red Sox have very few needs.

- Washington Post, Greenpeace thinks "they walk on higher ground". Fuck Greenpeace.

- Interesting amendment to Cromnibus may have ended war on legal marijuana

- Heh heh

- What Greenpeace's apology should have looked like
.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (40) Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (39) Father of Mine by Everclear.

Linky Links

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

- Former White Sox player now US Ambassador to New Zealand

- This Frank Sinatra letter is so Sinatra

- I would have to agree with Jeff Passan's Hall of Fame ballot

- Santa Claus as a shroom-tripping shaman?

- Good point

Greenpeace and the Nazca Lines

You should be outraged when you read what the clueless, self-absorbed, entitled idiots at Greenpeace did to the Nazca Lines in Peru. It was an unprecedented desecration of a 2,000-year old UNESCO site and for what? So Greenpeace could have a centerpiece to a new marketing campaign!

The "ad" they placed was in English. Not Spanish so they could send a message to the host country of Peru. Not Japanese - for whom Greenpeace is best known for combating in their anti-whaling campaigns. Not Chinese - the most populous nation and the country who needs the most change when it comes to pollution and carbon emissions. The "ad" was in English because that's the language that gets Greenpeace the most return when they do fundraising.

Imagine the outrage if Chick-Fil-A spray painted "Eat More Chicken" onto the rocks of Stonehenge. Imagine the outrage if Coke chiseled their logo onto George Washington's forehead  on Mount Rushmore. There would rightly be a world-wide boycott of those products if those companies did that. That's the type of lasting damage that Greenpeace just perpetrated on the Nazca Lines. There is not enough outrage over this. Fuck Greenpeace!

I hope the Peruvian government not only throws the book at the Greenpeace folks who did this - I hope they also go after anyone at Greenpeace who had a hand in planning this "ad" or helped in the logistics of making it happen.

Fuck Greenpeace! And fuck you too if you send them even one dime in contributions.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (38) I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (37) Expresso Love by Dire Straits.

The Peanut Friends TV Show

Here's an idea for a TV show - take the format of the show Friends (including opening song and everything) but instead of the cast of Friends you'd have a real-life grown up versions of Charles Shulz' Peanuts characters.

Instead of a coffee shop - most of the action would take place at a piano bar with Schroeder being the "piano man". Lucy van Pelt, despite having a Ph. D in psychology, is the hostess at the piano bar restaurant (just to be close to Schroeder). Each week Lucy could give an psychoanalysis of whatever issue one of the gang is dealing with. Sort of a running gag. Schroeder could insist everyone call him "maestro" as a Seinfeld shout-out.

Charlie Brown's sister Sally could be played by a blonde hottie and the character would be sort of a slut. His best friend, Linus van Pelt could be played by one of The Big Bang actors who could geek slap big sister Lucy any time one of her on the spot psychoanalytical diagnosis makes no logical sense.

Peppermint Pattie and Marcie would, of course, be lesbians. Maybe Sue Lynch for Pattie and KD Lang for Marcie? Pig Pen could be a recovering drug addict. How could this not work?

And for Charlie Brown - I picture a younger version of Paul Giamatti. I would seriously watch this show if it were ever made.

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (36) No Quarter by Led Zeppelin.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

My initial reaction to the Red Sox obtaining Wade Miley was "Meh". But I am willing to give Ben Cherington the benefit of the doubt... Geek joke - two chemists walk into a bar, first says "I'll have H2O." Second says "I'll have H2O too". Second chemist dies... Wade Miley does look like a pretty far out dude though... If you replace the word "ham" with the word "condoms" then Green Eggs and Ham becomes a very strange gay cruising book...  Very classy move by the Canadiens... There should be a Cracker Barrel Prevention Hotline that gives people options of much better restaurants in the area... "You're branded as a liar and you'll remain a liar for the rest of your life"... Speaking of lying - funny how some people who think it is wrong to lie to children about Santa Claus still cling to the idea that Obamacare is a workable solution... Heh heh... I think Craigs List should rename "Casual Encounters" to "Hob-Knobbing" - just because... Bonnet de douche means "shower cap" in French but doesn't it sound more like a more snarky version of the insult "ass hat"?... Santa painted into great works of art...

100 of My Favorite Songs

Today's offering (35) Sinnerman by Nina Simone.

It Wasn't Personal - It Was Business

So Jon Lester has signed with the Chicago Cubs for $155 million over 6-years. I agree with Rob Bradford that the reason this happened was simply because Boston didn't want him as much privately as they publicly claimed. An extra $20 million and a vesting seventh year was the difference. That difference would mean NOTHING to ownership if they really wanted Lester back.

Simply put - the team didn't want to sign a 31-year old pitcher to a long-term deal. But publicly they had to make it look like they did.

I like Jon Lester and will continue to root for him but what is becoming increasingly clear to me is what I really root for is laundry. Whoever is wearing the Red Sox uniform is the guy I cheer for (unless that guy is dickhead AJ Pierzynski).

Many people will place the blame for losing Jon Lester on Larry Lucchino and to a certain degree they would be right. I would guess that the low-ball $70 million over 4-years offer the team made to Lester in the Spring had Larry's fingerprints all over it. Larry is also the guy to blame for ownership thinking Bobby Valentine was a competent manager. Balancing the negatives, however, are the undeniable positives of three World Series Championships in the last decade and the fact that Lucchino was the man mainly responsible for turning Fenway Park from what was becoming a urine soaked rathole into a great (albeit expensive) place to experience an MLB game.

The real blame for losing Lester rests with principal owner John Henry. Simply put - he didn't want to sign a 31-year old pitcher to a long term deal. If he really wanted Lester back - then the extra $3 million a year (the cost for a below average veteran back-up outfielder) would have been no obstacle.

So now the Red Sox have a pretty potent line-up, some spare parts to deal and some starting (and bullpen) holes to fill. It should be interesting to see what laundry Ben Cherrington can come up with for me to root for.

Meanwhile - Godspeed Jon Lester.