Wednesday, December 28, 2011

funny gifs

Monday, November 21, 2011

New Michigan Coach Probably the Right Guy


Thoughts on the Ohio State-Michigan Rivalry...from a Buckeye Fan's Perspective

My first thought about first-year University of Michigan Head Football Coach, Brady Hoke is that he passes two of those tongue-in-cheek intuitive sports "tests" you hear announcers and maybe even coaches or scouts talking about now and then.  First, there's the look test.  Yep--he's got it.  He definitely looks like a Michigan guy.  The other one that you probably wouldn't understand unless you were a fan of the Wovelerines or their arch-rival, The Ohio State University Buckeyes, is that he passes the name test.  Brady...Hoke.  Brady...Hoke."  It's a Michigan name all the way and I'm not saying that because

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Right Sandwich

Well, I'd been searching all over for the best sandwich in town.  Sure enough, it was hiding at a little deli right around the corner all that time.  I'm not even sure what the name of the place is, but it's on Ellis or Eddy at Franklin.  This is it:



This is what they give ya:

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Meatballs

Cut the crap, Morty!

The Perfect Italian Meatball?

I suppose this guy must be right since he's actually Italian and has that thick accent.  He says Ricotta is a must.  That's a new one on me, but I bow to his native-ness and it sounds like a winner anyway.  There's more than one way to skin a meatball, though.

A few alternatives:
  • Don't use breadcrumbs.  Use bread soaked in water for a few minutes and wrung out.  You don't actually wring it like you would a wet T-shirt.  Just kind of ball it up in both hands and squeeze it.  Be sure to remove the crust from the bread first.  Your meatballs will come out more moist this way. 
  • Fennel is key to Italian sausage, but it won't hurt your meatball either.  Toss some in.
  • Yes, there aren't many Italian recipes that don't call for garlic, but how many don't call for Basil?  Toss some in.
  • Early in the video,  I was worried he was going to stick them in the oven.  I was still surprised though when he cooked them on the stove-top in sauce.  Very interesting.  Stay on the stove-top, but I say live a little and fry 'em in oil.  They get a nice, crispy thin outer layer that way and they're nice and juicy.  They're great that way even without sauce.   Cover them in sauce before serving, of course--if there are any left.
Bon Apitito




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Sunday, September 11, 2011

"No matter How Long It Takes..."

Anyone who reads this blog knows I'm not a fan of former President, George Bush.  Nevertheless, one should consider exactly what he was thrown into ten years ago today.  I've actually heard people criticize his reaction upon being notifying of the attack on the World Trade Center--political hyperbole at its best--or worst.   Look again when you see that clip today and

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Windows on the World

I dined once at Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top of the World Trade Center.  To be honest, the food was average, but the night-time view was nothing less than stunning.

After I looked out the back window that day, I tried to call Carrie but couldn't get through.  It stayed that way all day.  I ran and got my camera and headed up to the roof.  After getting a few shots there, I went outside and walked down Noble Street and turned left, heading south along the East River.  There's a line of factories there between the street and the water that trails off as you head south.  I was less than a hundred feet from

Friday, September 9, 2011

Building

I took a few photos of the World Trade Center while living in New York--the old fashioned way, on film.   I also have maybe a dozen photos of the events of September 11, 2001.  I was home at the time and I heard the planes hit, but didn't know what it was.  I thought a building in the neighborhood was being demolished by a wrecking ball.  Then I got a voice mail

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Pregnant Woman Pushes Husband out 17th-Floor Window


"They said Josh, who was in the Air Force, didn't leave because Amber was eight months pregnant with their first child."

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/josh-hilberling-pushed-window-dies-alleged-male-spousal/story?id=13813096


Geeee...I just can't put my finger on it, but this story rings a bell.
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Thursday, September 1, 2011

Bonzo Bingo with Goober and Junior

It turns out there are quite a few Goober & The Peas videos on Youtube.  Here's a few of them...


Detroit Municpal Recordings: "The Most Distinguished Recording Cartel on Earth."...



Give a Holler for Goober & The Peas


"Because love is something that needs to be nurtured, watered, cared for, and...talked to."
                     --Junior


Well, folks, I dug deep in to my stash of CDs and ran in to some old friends.  I first encountered Goober & the Peas by chance during a night out at 700 High, also known as the 700 Club, in Columbus, Ohio way back in the early 90s.   As the boys warmed up, it was impossible not to notice their nearly perfect Honky-Tonk period, Grand Ol' Opry outfits.  I had no idea what was coming, but most of the people in the crowd appeared to be pretty excited.  When the single from their first album, The Complete Works of Goober & The Peas, "Funky Cowboy," kicked in and all I saw was a flash of the bottom of lanky front man Goober's shoe about level with his the top of his head as a spray of hay engulfed the crowd, I knew I was in for a fun night.  I actually believed their opening lines about being from Arizona until my friend, Julie, pointed out that everything about their clever, highly amusing 50's-era Honky-Tonk culture-spoof shtick is an act, and that they're actually from Detroit.  Of course, there was no way for me to know at the time that they appear on Detroit Municipal Recordings. 

Please, allow me to introduce you to the boys.  In the photo at the top, at left, on lead guitar, is "Junior."  Always a gentleman, that Junior.  Tough to get a

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Bo Derek.........United States Special Envoy



Where do I apply?  I'll have to take a break from all the fun I'm having and start working on getting Madam Secretary's number... 

http://news.yahoo.com/bo-derek-backs-calif-bill-banning-shark-fin-193839605.html



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Sunday, August 14, 2011

A Match Made in Rock and Roll Heaven

If wishes were horses we'd all ride.
            --Doyle Bramhall II

It was only a matter of time.  I recently learned that my boy, Doyle Bramahall II, the best barrelhouse blues-rock guitar player you never heard of, is now dating my girl, Sheryl Crow, the most under-rated lyricist in pop music.  Isn't that sweet?  Lucky him.  Mr. Bramhall boasts a notable Rock and Blues pedigree which I'll leave you to explore for yourself on the bio-page of his website.  I discovered Mr. Bramhall when he opened for Gov't Mule at Irving Plaza some time around 2000 or so.  I thought he blew those fellas off the stage and to be blunt, after perusing his personal site and considering his relative pop-culture obscurity, I can't help but think he's been

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

War of Words: NYT v. WSJ in Copy-Editing

Journal Wins by Early-Round K.O.

Media Bistro ran a story today about a spat between The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal over The Journal running a story and not crediting The Times for breaking it.  Bistro Writer, Chris O'Shea calls that and other disputes between the print-journalism behemoths, "meaningless."  I'm not too sure about that.  Scoops still mean something to the folks digging them up, as well they should.  Maybe someone should start looking at the big boys' copy-editing.

It's easy to kick back and pick on The Times for oversights in editing and proofreading as I have recently.  I'm not the one battling high-pressure deadlines every day.  I recently ran into a copy of The Journal, though, and while reading about a half-dozen or more articles in it, I did not come across any

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

A Few Scenes From the San Francisco Jazz Fest

Here are some snippets from the 2011 San Francisco Jazz Fest.  If you care to check them out, you might want to turn the audio down first and then turn it up after starting each video, since it came out distorted through my cheap camera.


I hate to say it. SF, but

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Burn, Burn, Burn...

The fact that at the time there were a half-dozen bands better than these guys should tell you something about the early to mid 90s ...



Yeah...they know how to belt it out.


Hi, Joey.


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Friday, June 10, 2011

Copy-Editing Problems at the Times?

This from a recent article in the NY Times:
In Britain, reducing carbon dioxide emissions was one of the few policies supported by political parties of both the right and left, which both accepted that climate change was a serious problem and saw clean technology investment as a growth opportunity rather than an onerous obligation.
Guys, guys, guys!!  I've got better things to do.  Break it up into two sentences next time.


...And furthermore, what really disappoints me is that the mistake is very, very similar to the problem we covered last weekend! 


...If Judy Prebish was over there, somebody'd get busted down to society page copy boy! 


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Wednesday, June 8, 2011

NY Times Paywall? So Far, So Good.

This is a great sign for journalism.  Ideally, the rest of the industry will follow suit in descending order of prestige and size, or everybody just do it all on the same day...

http://www.businessinsider.com/time-for-a-lot-of-people-to-eat-crow-the-new-york-times-paywall-is-working-2011-6#ixzz1Oho6d8NC


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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Shaq Attack

Do Your Homework, Bob. (An Open Letter to Bob Frantz)

J. Paul Zoccali


Mr. Frantz:

I enjoyed your lucid essay on the career of recently retired NBA superstar, Shaquille O'Neal.  I agree with you--to a certain point.  Indeed, in the final third of his career, Shaq's bread-and-butter move was backing guys down in the paint until he was nearly under the hoop before dunking or dropping in a baby hook.  And, yes, during that part of his career he got away with

Rhythm Kings

From the Fuhkingruvin Dept.

Eat your heart out, Mr. Watts. (It's really the bass line that makes this so tasty, though.)...

Monday, June 6, 2011

Dr. Jack and a Note on Grammar

Thoughts on The Times

Dr. Jack
Saturday's New York Times included an obituary on Dr. Jack Kevorkian.  A Times obit is the best condensed, easily digestible biography you'll ever read.  It's one of my favorite things about the paper.  I have a single reflection on the hotly contested issue of Kevorkian's work.  Every person over the age of

Monday, May 16, 2011

(Of Course I Did)

From The Skipping Record Dept.   

The headline, the photograph, the predictable narrative of futility, the matter-of-fact brevity.  The level of accuracy with which the various elements of the article compliment each other is uncanny.  The hallmark nondescript style of the photography, with its deceptively understated, slightly

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Jim Page, Microbiologist

The quintessential opener for a Zeppelin cover band:



...straight into this one...





"If we could just join hands..."

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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

And Now for This Message...

Watch the face of the guy to the left of the boss immediately after he says "Ideas."  It's in the wide shot:



"Makes all the difference."   Very funny.

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