Favre Beats The Chargers

The Chargers coming into Sunday's game at Green Bay hadn't shown any flashes of the team that dominated most of the regular season last year. The Charger offense looked at least functional against Green Bay with Rivers seemingly passing to Gates whenever needed. But the other side of the ball is how Green Bay won this game and the Charger defense is a far cry from what it was able to do last year.

Brett Favre will be the lead story on every major sports show for the entire week and the Chargers are the byline to the story. Favre was able to pass to Donald Driver whenever he wanted too and the Chargers had sloppy/no tackling for the entire game. The Packers all but abandoned the running game and passed almost exclusively against the Chargers who were unable to defend against the pass at all. Shawne Merriman, and the rest of the Charger defense, barely were ever to get any pressure on Favre. And to put an exclamation point on the game, the Packers score the game winning touchdown on a pass, catch and long run by Driver, who seemed to just run by Charger defenders standing around...similar to what folks saw in the game against New England in week 2.

Charger fans are in various states...there is a strong faction of fans that has already seen enough of Norv Turner and Ted Cottrell ruining this football team. Other fans are still in the 'wait and see' approach and no need to panic...things are fine. I'm somewhere in-between. Is this season already lost? Are these signs of a team that is going to compete at a higher level? The primary flaws of this team, right now, is pretty simple, I think...both their offensive and defensive lines are not playing well. Tomlinson has had very little blocking and like the previous 2 games, Tomlinson is oftentimes met with defenders as soon as he receives a handoff. The defensive line hasn't been able to get much pressure on any of the quarterbacks they've faced so far this season which has prevented Merriman, Phillips and others to be successful in pass rushing. I think it is quite clear that both the offense and defense are going to be ineffective against most teams if these areas are not addressed asap.

The next three games have the Chargers going against division foes. If the Chargers are able to get 3 consecutive wins against division rivals...and by all indications I think they could because Denver, Oakland and KC all stink...it would be a huge step in calming the Charger fans about ready to jump off a bridge.

It sucks being a Charger fan in an area where there are plenty of Green Bay fans, so for the rest of the year I get to hear their shit and hear how great Favre is.... bleah...

(AP recap here)

Landis Found Guilty - Must Forfeit Title

The Floyd Landis doping case is one I followed, because I was genuinely curious as to what would happen to someone who won a world championship in a sport and then was found to have cheated. Well, the arbitrators in this case have spoken and they say that Landis did indeed cheat and that he must forfeit his title.

Just reviewing the history of this saga I think Landis, like other cyclists, do indeed cheat because they know that the testing procedure and then the appeal process is so riddled with flaws and uncertainties that if you assemble a top-notch legal team the chances of you dodging any repercussions might be likely.

But you look at the stage that Landis tested positive for doping...a stage that he gained 8 minutes on the leaders in what was a difficult mountain stage of the Tour de France, many cycling 'experts' were likely questioning whether or not he was doping or not without any testing done at all.

I did hold some skepticism for Landis until the hearings conclusion where I felt he was guilty despite his continued profession of innocence. But as I cited in a post wrapping up the arbitration hearing, there is still a final level of appeal for Landis...it is now a question of whether or not he will exercise that option. Regardless, I think this will be the final blow to his reputation and will forever be branded a cheater and a disgrace.

Fact Checking Unit

I've been going to Funny Or Die.com lately and they got some pretty funny videos... of course some are hit and miss, but here is a pretty good on in my opinion... just under 10 minutes and features Bill Murray...

Center Of The Universe: New York/Boston - And Why MLB Sucks

Let's turn back the clock...oh, let's say 3 months...

If a person turned on ESPN - The Official Channel Of The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox - you would have thunk that the Red Sox had all but won the World Series and the Yankees are done for the year... but of course as I said in June it is all ESPN hype. Anyone with half a clue knows that the Yankees and Red Sox will make the playoffs in the MLB until further notice... the league is a frickin' joke... Let a club spend as much money as they want to on their team... have a pittance of revenue sharing and call it square. And then when you have ESPN making sure anyone that even bothers to tune into their 24/7 coverage of the Yanks/Red Sox you only have more drones to fuel the machine.

It's even sad, when I am the only person on the planet that doesn't care about the Red Sox and the Yankees and yet I am posting about them... and you know why? Because the Yankees, according to the ESPN hype, were all but dead 2 months ago... but now find themselves just a game and half out... and you know why I must comment? Just to prove how fucking stupid ESPN and their programming and their analysts are. 2 months ago, all the ESPN talking heads agreed that the Yankees are dead...they ain't making the playoffs...they are done... It's time to trade A-Rod, it's time to do this...blah, blah, blah... of course no one on the ESPN staff knew that there was 80 games left to play and being 8 games out of first place means exactly what they are saying... that there is absolutely no way a team can make up 8 or 10 games on anyone with 80 games left to play... give me a fucking break... as if they didn't know George Steinbrenner would just go out and buy whoever is needed to insure the Yankees made the playoffs...and yes, I realize he didn't do that this year but only because he didn't need too...

I am tired of the MLB ... I am tired of ESPN covering the MLB ... which they really don't do, they actually only cover the Yanks and Sox ... and I am glad that the strike of '95 and the results of it have squashed any interest I had in MLB. You can have your steroids and money-ball games because ESPN is willing to be right there aiding your cause - hyping everything. The best part for ESPN is that they will embrace Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and the rest of the roid boys when they blast the records...and then after they are done, they are the first ones in line to start blasting them again...or at least willing to keep them as a story ... so they never lose.... Only people with a clue do because they are deprived of any real substance and an impartial look at sports.

And to prove my point...what will be the lead story on EVERY ESPN show tomorrow and every day from now on? It will be the Yanks/Red Sox until either one of them is eliminated from the playoffs or it is a Monday morning and they may have a few NFL highlights of the Giants, Jets and Patriots... sure they'll throw some Colts highlights in there just for fun...

Please, I beg of you, could someone start up a real sports network!

NFL Week 2 Review

Well week 2 of the NFL is in the books and what have we learned this week:

1. The Chargers are not as good with Norv Turner and Ted Cottrell is an understatement. Marty Schottenheimer may not have won any playoff games with the Chargers but Turner and Cottrell are taking a good team and having them get embarrassed on national television. Losing a close game is one thing but to get blown out in what is turning into a rivalry is a whole different matter. The Chargers go to Green Bay and if Turner can not motivate this team on the road, double-digit wins for the 2007 season are unlikely.

2. The Chiefs continue to not impress anyone. It looks as if the Chiefs and Falcons may vie for the worst team in the NFL at this point.

3. The Broncos aren't that good. 2 games in a row they sneak out a victory. This week they used their typical bullshit to call a timeout at the very last second which negated a Sebass game-winning field goal. Sebass then goes on to miss the kick after the timeout, Broncos win in overtime. Last week was one thing when they were in Buffalo but to have essentially lost this game at home to a bad Raiders team just goes to show that Cutler & Co. are crappy.

4. The Texans aren't bad this year. Sure they really haven't beaten anyone yet, but a win at home and now on the road just shows that Matt Schaub can and will make that team better.

5. Cincinnati has absolutely no defense. When you let Cleveland score 51 points, let Jamal Lewis run wild on you and Derek Anderson look like an NFL All-Pro, the future does not look for Cincinnati.

6. McNabb's run in Philadelphia is about done...and maybe Andy Reid's as well. Sure they have been on the road for the first 2 games but they haven't played anyone super-special yet. The loss last night, I am sure, has sent Eagle's fans into a tirade...losing to the Redskins, a division rival, and putting the Eagles at 0-2 can't sit well with their fans.

Chargers Don't Get Even, They Get Embarassed

Many times in the NFL the most hyped game of the week is a snoozer... a blowout with one team dominating the other. Last night's Charger-Patriots game was just that with the Patriots dominating the Chargers for the entire 60 minutes.

Phillip Rivers first pass was intercepted and the Chargers are the only team in the NFL that hasn't scored a point in the first half and LaDainian Tomlinson has the lowest yards per game out of any starting running back in the NFL after week 2.

Sure the Chargers started 2-2 last year before reeling off 12 straight wins but with being blown out so badly by the Patriots I think it is a clear indication that Norv Turner and Ted Cottrell have done exactly what I feared...ruined the Chargers.

The defense was absolutely horrible. Tom Brady had no problems passing against the Chargers and many of the Patriots TD's the receiver - especially Randy Moss - appeared to not be guarded at all. The offensive play calling was just plain stupid. Turner did not use Tomlinson much at all and was determined to have Rivers throw the ball, even though Rivers was under pressure at all times.

The Chargers are on the road against Green Bay next week ... if the defensive schemes are the same next week as they were this past week, Brett Favre will have a field day just throwing bombs to his wide open receivers... and I don't think Green Bay is all that good but neither are the Chargers at this point.

Sunny In Philadelphia Season 3: Buzzkill

So last night was the premiere of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's season 3 and all I can say is what a disappointment. I should have been braced for a let down after noticing that the show had commercials running almost non-stop on every channel for the past week.

2 new episodes aired last night and I have already ranked as the worst ones yet. In both episodes, it seems as if Danny DeVito's character is going to be a bigger role...and sure, his character is the "Kramer" of the show in that you never know what zany tact he will have but in both episodes were very unfunny. Taking acid in the second episode, seems as if the show wants to involve the drug culture a little more but having DeVito be that connection and with acid??? Just didn't work for me.

Both episodes would occasionally have a humorous moment but all-in-all I thought both of the new episodes seemed to be over-produced compared to their previous shows. Little time was spent at the bar, which was the focal point for the show in most all other episodes until these episodes. The athletic competition between Mac, Dennis and Dee seemed similar to the storyline of when they were coaching the children's basketball team and was way more entertaining in the previous episode. Tailgating at an open Eagle's tryout seemed like a funny premise, but again, DeVito's 'acid trip' ruined that story line.

My recommendation for the show would be to move DeVito's role to a complimentary one, like it seemed to be in previous episodes. I also have to think that someone in corporate had to 'suggest' potential plots or affected the writing somehow. The show is seeming to want to carry over certain plots or at least the beginnings of that...ie: Charlie wants to know if Frank is his father...whereas in the past, that would likely have been one episode. It would be as if a network big-wig said "We need a continuing story to keep people coming back to watch." But it seems as if the continuing plot is glossed over just enough for a person to say "Huh?" but not really be interested in continuing to watch.

I will continue to give Season 3 a chance and hope that the first 2 episodes are the worst of the batch...but if this is a foreshadowing of what the show is going to become, I know I will drop it from my regular viewing.

Chargers vs Patriots: Chargers Seek Redemption

This week's San Diego Charger - New England Patriot game has been a game the Chargers have waited to replay since their bitter playoff loss to the Pats in January. Most everyone that viewed that game know the Chargers had all but won that game but a series of mental mistakes - muffed punt, personal foul, dropped interception - in the second half had the Chargers literally handing the Patriots the game. It's one thing if you get out played and lose a game but to self-destruct in such a huge game for the Chargers still has a lingering sting. And if losing a game you should have won wasn't enough, the Patriots decided to taunt the Chargers on their field after the game...making choking gestures and mocking Shawne Merriman's "Lights Out" dance.

The Chargers have not forgotten and instead are fully focusing on redeeming
themselves this weekend. They are trying not to put any fuel into the Patriots tanks by making comments that might become bulletin board material, but rather, are quietly going about their business but are assuring everyone, they have not forgotten and it should be reflected this weekend.

Week 1 Observations

Not that the first week of the NFL season is a definitive determination of how a team will be for the remainder of the season, but it could be a bit of a foreshadowing...so here are some of my thoughts on the outcomes of week 1.

1. Kansas City could be vying for the worst team in the NFL. Sure, I think Houston will be a better team then in the past...likely being the best Texans team in franchise history, but that really isn't saying much. Schaub is a considerable improvement than Carr and it was evident on Sunday. Also, Damon Huard - who Chiefs fan embraced as they kicked Trent Green out of K.C. may be rethinking that move. And finally...not that I really thought Herm Edwards was anything special, but it doesn't seem that he makes a team better with his coaching style.

2. St. Louis defense is awful and Jake Delhomme isn't that bad. I got Delhomme on my fantasy team and many kind of chuckled at this acquisition of mine...and sure in week 1 it paid off. But I think last year the Panthers were hit with the injury bug and it prevented the Panther team as a whole from being a force in the NFL. With Atlanta and Tampa in their division, a good defense and Steve Smith, I think Delhomme will do just fine this year especially playing teams with a poor secondary, he will pick them a part.

3. The Cowboys and Giants, despite putting up the highest point total of the weekend, neither are any good. It was two mediocre offenses playing against 2 sub-par defenses. But with the Eagles losing to a Packer team that isn't that good proves that the NFC East is weak this year.

4. The AFC is still much better then the NFC. Sure the Colts over the Saints and the Chargers over the Bears had 2 top AFC teams beating 2 top NFC teams isn't an overall indication that the AFC is so much better, but watching the Jets-Patriots game and then later watching the Giants-Cowboys game was like watching 2 leagues. The Pats-Jets game seemed so much quicker, just as one example.

5. NFC North: Bad teams beating bad teams doesn't make a bad team a good team. Vikings beat the Falcons...really not a big surprise, but I don't see the Vikings being any good this year. They just beat a bad team, the Falcons and I wouldn't be buying your Super Bowl tickets yet their Vikes fans. The Packers beating the Eagles may be a statement for the Eagles. The Eagles played poorly and the Packers were able to capitalize...if the Eagles don't improve their play they will quickly descend to mediocrity when many had them as a potential contender from the NFC. Lions beat the Raiders, the worst team in the NFL last year...again, nothing to be bragging about. But who would have guessed that the Vikes, Packers and Lions would all be 1-0, tied for the NFC North lead and the Bears are 0-1? Crazy! Bears lost Mike Brown (early reports are) for the season...that could be a huge blow for that defense as he is the leader in the secondary.

Chargers Survive Week 1

With football season in full gear, my job prevents me from posting as much and as timely... I apologize for that...

The Chargers survived a tough week 1 game with the Bears. The Chargers defense played fairly well, causing several turnovers which ended up being the difference maker. The Chargers got screwed out of a potential score when a non-call against the Bears being offsides when the Chargers had the ball on the goal-line almost had me dooming the Chargers. LaDainian Tomlinson didn't have a big game rushing but made up for it by throwing a touchdown pass to Gates which provided the spark the Chargers needed. The Bears defensive line proved too much for the Chargers as Tomlinson was swarmed by Bears' defenders almost as soon as the ball was handed off to him. But Gates was big all day long. Several times Gates was extremely wide open and that made it clear that the Bears were going to make Rivers beat them and not L.T. running the ball...Rivers was up to the task.

I think Vincent Jackson had a very poor game, dropping a ball in the end zone, an offside call and basically being non-existent for much of the game. The Bears also blocked an early field goal attempt by the Chargers, so the Chargers weren't totally sharp but had enough gas in the tank at the end of the game to push them over the top and put the pressure on the Bears offense which was unable to do much all day.

AP wrap-up here.

iPhone's So Hot They Are On Sale

Apple, with it's consistent stance of overhyping and overpricing any of their products because their products are just so cool to have that people are willing to pay more for anything with an Apple logo on it and get an inferior product, has lowered the price of it's crappy iPhone. Yes, the must have pile-o-shit iPhone is so popular and so highly sought after that you can now get it for $200 cheaper then when it first went on sale.

If the iPhone was truly as good as it was hyped up to be there would be no price reduction...rather Apple would have came out yesterday saying that they are trying to get production to meet the demand for their product...but this clearly indicates that the iPhone isn't luring people to purchase it, likely because the word on the street isn't positive towards this device, and those that are becoming informed before purchasing this are shying away from all the negatives the iPhone currently has.

Welfare At Convenience Stores

Ok, here is an honest question that I want an honest answer for... Why do some people that are on welfare do their grocery shopping at convenience stores? Welfare checks (now EBT cards) were given out last week and 3 times I was unfortunate enough to have stopped at a convenience store for 1 item (a soda) and ended up waiting forever while someone is checking out a week's worth of food... I mean come on, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that they could easily be buying twice as much food if they went to a grocery store, so there has to be a reason...is it so they can buy cigarettes? Gas? What? I want to know because it has to be something and if this was only an isolated incident then maybe not but 3 separate convenience stores on 3 different days.

Whatever the reason may be, it just magnifies that the people that are on welfare do so because they are taking advantage of a system that will let them.

LT Commercial Riles Bears

The latest Nike commercial featuring LaDainian Tomlinson has some of the Bears' defenders a little more jacked up for their opening game against the Chargers. I'm hoping the commercial is a fore-shadowing of the game...

Chargers vs 49'ers: Preseason Finale

The final preseason game for the Chargers and 49'ers was exactly as advertised for the Chargers. No Rivers, no Gates and no Tomlinson. Both the offensive and defensive lines played a few possessions in the first quarter but backups and those on the 'bubble' saw most of the playing time.

On the other side of the ball, a different gameplan. The 49'ers had Alex Smith, their starting quarterback, in at the start of the game. He was unable to do anything with the 49'er offense against much of the first-team Charger defenders. Rookie Charger Safety Eric Weddle was in for several plays with the first team and looked sharp all night with 2 interceptions and 6 solo tackles.

Vernon Davis had probably the only highlight of the game and that was after catching a first down pass decided it was the right time to mock his former Maryland teammate Shawne Merrriman by mimicking his celebration...pretty cocky to be doing that kind of stuff in a preseason game but from all reports, Vernon Davis is a loser. 2 plays later Smith was intercepted.

The 49'ers were horribly sloppy. Several pre-snap penalties, 6 turnovers (4 interceptions) and overall played a very sloppy game.

The game was basically a non-thrilling, starless affair ending 16-13 with the Chargers on top.

(Read the AP recap here.)

Playing Tag Banned: America's Descent Continues

A Colorado Springs school has banned the game of tag from it's playground...yes the game of tag. Are you freakin' kidding me? The game of tag? This is just another example of how each generation of kids will become bigger and bigger pussies. No dodge ball, no kick ball, no merry-go-round ... they might as well ban fun. Right alongside this article they should post the articles about the obesity rate in American kids continuing it's rise because this is exactly why kids will sit in their house and watch tv and play video games...because they aren't allowed to have any fun if it might hurt someone else's feelings. Not to mention in this world of political correctness any activity children are involved in, no one can win and no one can lose for fear of hurting someone's feelings.

When I was a kid there were bullies you tried to avoid but confrontation with them was inevitable and what would happen? You would get beat up or pushed around or shoved into the girl's locker room or whatever ... not like it, but take the licking like a man and go home...you can't win every battle. Heck, we were allowed to play tackle (YES! TACKLE and of course with no pads you wusses) football on the playground. I distinctly remember coming in after recess more than once with scrapes, cuts and blood oozing out of various parts of your body after a great game of tackle football with my classmates. If you were bleeding bad enough you would be allowed to get a band-aid prior to class starting but you better hustle up or you'd have to stay after school. I would think that even touch football might be too aggressive for the sheltered youth of today.

Today, bullies are expelled, tag is banned and kids bring a gun to school and go on a rampage because they were made fun of. I shudder to think how spineless and helpless future Americans are going to be because they have been coddled their entire life and sheltered from anything that is even remotely objective.

Chargers Final Preseason Game vs 49'ers

Tonight is the final preseason game for the San Diego Chargers (matchup here) against the San Francisco 49'ers. Starters (with the exception of Tomlinson) are likely to get a few reps in, but it would be foolish to have them play any extended time with the regular season starting next week. Darren Sproles who had an undetermined ankle injury from the previous preseason game looks like he can dress and play tonight.


The game doesn't start until 9:00 CT, so I am unsure on whether or not I'll stay up and watch the entire game but I do plan on catching the first half if I am not bored to sleep...

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Season 3

I was happy to see that "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" is returning to FX for it's third season. The season premiere is September 13th. I think the show is pretty funny... it's one of those comedies that you are won't see a romantic storyline and each episode won't conclude with a 'feel good' type ending where everything is resolved happily. It's pretty nonsensical, yet comical, similar to Seinfeld but more risqué and profanity filled...

In advance of the upcoming third season a short has been released that details a stipulation in Danny DeVito's contract...

Miss South Carolina: As Bright As A Bag Of Hammers

Supporters of pageants have always tried to explain how 'beauty' is just one of the criteria that a contestant was judged upon...

After seeing this clip from the Miss Teen USA pageant, a person has to wonder what level of intelligence does one of these contestants actually need win? Obviously not much, she took third...I wonder how dumb the losers were?



The reason why 1/5th of Americans can't find the USA on a map is because many don't have a map...starts out the whole rambling...classic. You could tell she was just itching to talk about more worldly issues like "the Iraq" and South Africa...something that matters more to U.S. Americans.

iPhone Hacked

To prove that Apple is just as vulnerable as any other technology developer, a teenager hacked an iPhone so that it will work on any network and not exclusively on AT&T. Apple's big 'plan' to try and keep everything a secret first meant that they would use antiquated technology for their iPhone and unmarked chips. It is refreshing to see that people are willing to go the extra mile to hack Apple's lame products.

I just can't believe the hacked phone was worth a Nissan 350Z ... I need to get into the hacking business asap!

Briggs Crashes Lamborghini

Lance Briggs crashed his Lamborghini late Sunday night and was charged with a few traffic violations...

But I am sure I am not the only one to speculate that he was probably drunk and/or under the influence of something...crashed his car...was lucky enough to get a ride home, get a good nights rest and then accept a few minor traffic violations that will have minimal punishments compared to a DUI.

Getting wasted and wrecking a $350,000 Lamboghini, sounds like a fun time... wish I had that kind of money to just piss away...

Really?!?

When Michael Vick was busted with marijuana last year SNL had a pretty good segment during their Weekend Update... his dog-fighting happenings all happened while SNL was on vacation over the summer so hopefully a follow-up segment is in order... and if you missed the first one, here it is...

Recap Preseason Game 3: Chargers vs Cardinals

The Chargers' offense continued to look good in the preseason and I am especially impressed with Rivers, who continues to prove himself as a top-notch NFL qb. He, with the young Charger receivers, played into the 3rd quarter which one could only think will only improve their timing with each other. Gates looked solid, blocking looked good as both Micheal Turner and Darren Sproles had several impressive runs.

But now to the flip side...the Charger defense, especially the secondary, looked really shaky. Giving up several big passing plays. Merriman, although I didn't see how much he was playing, wasn't much of an impact. Quentin Jammer continues to look very beatable and even the Chargers #1 DB from last year, Cromartie, missed an easy tackle and was out-played on at least one pass defense. Hopefully the Chargers' coaching staff is keeping their defensive schemes under wraps during the preseason as to not alert other teams their defensive game-plan before the season even begins.

It is preseason so nothing really matters. The last preseason game for the Chargers will be this Thursday vs the 49ers.


(AP Wrap Up Here)

Preseason Game 3: Chargers vs Cardinals

The Chargers play their third preseason game Saturday night against the Arizona Cardinals (Matchup).

Don't think we'll see too much out of this game...Tomlinson better be on the sidelines. I think Rivers should get some reps in but likely not see any extended play. If any group, I think, that would need some extended time would be the receivers.

I've been DVR'ing the games and watching them on Sunday...when there is literally nothing else on to watch...

U.S. Open Must Be Close: Sharapova's Outfit Announced

You know you've reached 'superstar' status when your outfit is 'announced' prior to the event...

Only the lamest of papers/blogs would even consider posting a story like that because it would be clear that their only interest would be to post pictures of a hot tennis player... And unlike Kournakova (sp), Sharapova is not only good looking, but she is a very good tennis player.

Chargers: Vick Trade Even Sweeter Now

In 2001 the Chargers traded the number 1 overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons, who in turn picked Micheal Vick...The Chargers then used the picks they got from Atlanta to draft Drew Brees and LaDainian Tomlinson. In case anyone still thought Atlanta may have gotten the better end of that deal, Vick will plead guilty to dogfighting conspiracy charges. Vick may have had some exciting plays and he may be an exciting player to watch, but he never was a good quarterback.

The Chargers got screwed in the Ryan Leaf ordeal...it must be justice that they got the better end out of this deal.

Preseason Game 2: Chargers Looking Better

The Chargers played their second preseason game on Saturday night against the St. Louis Rams (AP recap). The entire team looked pretty good...offense, defense and special teams. Darren Sproles provided the big play highlight with a 81 yard punt return for a touchdown. Rivers had a touchdown toss, Michael Turner ran good, Merriman had a fumble recovery and Tomlinson was in street clothes... all-in all a good game for the Chargers.

If there were any negatives it would be that Jammer has not played well this preseason and the Chargers continue to have penalty issues.

Vick's Plea Deal Includes Year In Jail

Earlier this week the NFL denied a possible year long suspension for Michael Vick was about to be handed down. The NFL is likely waiting to see if Vick takes a plea bargain or decides to fight the accusations in court and early word is that the plea deal has a year long jail sentence...which would be less if Vick decides to try and fight charges and loses. With all the other co-defendents accepting plea deals - likely in exchange for testimony against Vick - I would think that Vick will not play in the NFL for a year because he will be in jail for the duration of the season. And of course because he is a superstar and will have a kickass legal team, his one-year sentence might turn out to be 60 days because of good behavior or some bullshit like that...but regardless, I wouldn't plan on drafting Vick for my fantasy football team this year!

Tomlinson: Nike Zoom Commercial

The Nike Zoom commercial featuring LaDanian Tomlinson is finally hitting the airwaves... looks like it has some foreshadowing of the first game for the Chargers vs. the Bears...at least I hope so! Other current Charger superstars making cameos include Phillip Rivers, Shawne Merriman and Antonio Gates.

This Weekend Only: Police Going To Do Their Job

The local paper had an interesting story this morning...the police force in this town are actually going to be enforcing laws this weekend! Adding to my theory that cops, especially in my town, are more interested in getting DUI's and cracking skulls then actually serving and protecting the community. I thought that catching speeders and law breakers was an everyday task for police officers but this just proves that law enforcement is very 'selective'. You'd be hard pressed to find an on-duty police officer in this city from 8 AM until 8 PM but the streets are swarming with police once the night-time hours hit.

Speed and run red lights all day with little worries of being apprehended but once the sun goes down, going even a couple mph over the speed limit will get you pulled over. This police force is looking for one type of criminal and one kind only...drunk drivers. It's a big cash cow for the department, looks like they are actually catching 'criminals' and occasionally they'll get a bonus drug paraphernalia charge out of the stop.

The funny thing is that the police department is 'announcing' this stepped up law enforcement activity to the public, which leads me to believe that this is just a big rouse. Having undercover cops dressed up as city workers? Who are they looking to bust? Pan handlers?

Barren Wasteland, ND is very close to living in Nazi, Germany because the police know that if you are not part of the police then you must be a criminal and you will be caught.

Roast Of Flavor Flav: Whitey's Prominent

So last night I watched the Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav...yes, it originally aired on Sunday but I have a DVR so I watch TV on my schedule (just like the commercials say!).

Did anyone noticed that the 'comedians' that were at the roast were all white folk? Jeff Ross, Greg Giraldi, Jimmy Kimmel, Carrot Top, Patton Oswalt and Lisa Lampinilli - all white and all comedians. Sure Kat Williams was the host of the show but was about as funny as the black 'stars' - Ice-T, Snoop Dog and Somore, which were not funny at all with the exception of maybe one or two jokes.

Was this an overt attempt of Comedy Central to get black folks to start watching the Comedy Central stable of comedians? Sure seemed like it...

Goldman's Want Cash

Here's a good twist for you...

Last year OJ Simpson, moron that he is, thought he could get away with publishing a book as to how he 'would have' killed his ex-wife and her boyfriend. Of course public outrage and a court ruling against Simpson awarding the publishing rights to the Goldman family.

So the Goldman's, proving that they are just as shallow as anyone, are deciding to let the book get published. Are they that hard up for the cash? Doubt it. Do they need to, once and for all, prove to everyone that OJ did indeed murder innocent people? No. Everyone knows he did it. So the only logical reason for the Goldman's to have this book published is for the cash.

Chargers' First Preseason Game

Chargers played the Seahawks in their first preseason game yesterday... I did casually watch the game... Things I noticed...

Billy Volek couldn't throw a nice pass to save his life...if Rivers goes down I shudder to think how bad the passing game will become with Volek back there.

Seahawks, especially early in the game, looked as if they were playing for 'keeps'. Blitzing and really going after Rivers in the short time he was in... I thought that was pretty weak...no need to deliberately try and lay the hate on a team the first preseason game of the year.

Nate Kaeding made all of his field goal attempts (3), including a 50 yarder.

Best part about the game was that no notable Charger was injured, Tomlinson didn't even dress.

Oh, and as if it matters, Hawks win 24-16.

Giuliani Is Nobody Without 9/11...Soon To Be Nothing

Rudy Giuliani wouldn't even probably be considered as a presidential candidate if it wasn't for 9/11. Now the more you hear Rudy Guiliani talk about that fateful day one can only conclude that he is still using 9/11 as his centerpiece for getting elected...but his use of 9/11 for personal gain is becoming extremely transparent...he claimed to have been at ground zero working side-by-side with all the firefighters and police officials as long as anyone...but of course didn't. He previously was in a verbal sparring match at the first GOP debate with Ron Paul claiming that American diplomacy had nothing to do with the attacks...which of course the 9/11 Commission report says American Mideastern diplomacy was a big reason for the attacks.

Yet, he is the GOP front-runner for the nomination for President... American politicians seem to be bigger and bigger liars and losers at every election time...

Sunday: Charger's First Preseason Game

The NFL preseason kicked off last weekend with the Hall Of Fame game but tonight is the beginning of a full weekend of preseason football. The Chargers play Sunday night and on television. As Tomlinson better not be playing and the early word is the 1st team will get 15-18 plays...probably 2 possessions.

I may tune it in for a while, but I take nothing out of the preseason games other than it is good to see NFL football back on television.

The Charger girls look like they are ready for the season...

Diamond Dave Back With Van Halen

Huge news 80's rock fans...word is that Diamond David Lee Roth is going back on tour with Van Halen.

So apparently Eddie is broke and/or tired of no longer being mentioned in any rock mag it was time. DLR knew it was just a matter of time and when Van Halen tours with Diamond Dave, it will most likely be a top dollar tour raking in millions of bucks as long as they don't suck...but that is just one intangible... Eddie Van Halen is a prick and wants the spotlight... by playing with Roth again Eddie will regain some spotlight but if DLR can deliver, he will easily outshine Eddie...but DLR is nothing without VH...and it's been almost 20 years (or has it been 20+?) since DLR even mattered... drugs, booze, women and time...the rock star's worst enemies....

Regardless...it's almost a guarantee the first few shows of Van Halen with David Lee Roth will be huge...

Clutch - Playmaker's - 8-6-07

Clutch put on a great show in Fargo this past Monday. My friend that works at the venue was able to snag a show flier and one of their set list from the stage...which are pictured with this post.

Clutch always puts on a good show and I was pleasantly surprised that they played for a good hour and half in Fargo and I even think the show ... as far as quantity of songs - was better than the show we saw in Minneapolis earlier this year...but of course that show was the first show since Neal (the lead singer) had strep throat and they had to cancel a few shows prior to that one. I was glad that they played Red Horse Rainbow and Dragonfly. Also, the Devil And I was a song I really wanted to hear at the Minneapolis show that they didn't perform, but got to here it in Fargo.

I 've also included some of the videos I took with my cell phone...so the quality isn't all that good, but may give you some idea of what the 'atmosphere' was like.

Had a bunch of friends from out of town come down to go to the show and we all had a good time. I used much of yesterday to recover...

I35W Collapse Will Cost Us All

The I35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis last week will end up costing everyone in the U.S. more because of this country's knee-jerk politicians.

There are literally 1,000's of structurally deficient bridges in the United States and because the I35W catastrophe all of these bridges will be looked at closely and likely needing repairs... is this bad? No, not really except that the common citizen will end up footing the bill in lieu of taxes. Is it just a coincidence that this structurally deficient bridge collapsed or was there more factors? But I think it is safe to say that if a structurally deficient bridge collapsed in North Dakota (aka: The Barren Wasteland), there may have been some national coverage but not near the attention that this accident received and within 24 hours news and national attention would be focused on other things... but because this happened during rush hour in a large metro area, it doesn't matter if 1 car crosses a structurally deficient bridge every day or 100,000 the government will require that all of them be upgrade to be structurally sound...which will cost us all untold millions of dollars.

Cheater Ties Aaron, ESPN Lovin' It

One of the biggest cheaters in professional sports will soon have his ultimate prize, the all-time homerun record. I was having a couple of beers with some friends and as we discussed how much we hated Bonds and the fact that ESPN is loving it and MLB doing nothing...then, like a strike of lightning the pieces fell together as to why MLB is doing nothing and why ESPN is loving every second of this...

Following Barry Bonds is like a reality show - a specialty in television programming these days especially for ESPN - people are following this story for 1 of two reasons...either they despise Barry Bonds with every fiber of their being (such as I) or they are cheering for him for whatever reason that may be. The end result is people actually paying attention to MLB. Having people come to the ballpark to either boo or cheer Bonds is better than no one coming at all...which may be the case when the San Francisco Giants come to your ballpark if he wasn't part of the team. Of course you then have ESPN keeping everyone on the planet aware of exactly where Bonds is at all times (ESPN Breaking News: Bonds just took a shit, expected not to play tonight), so of course no one can miss watching Bonds' every at bat.

I only hope that after all the hype dies down that this loser is erased from all the MLB history pages...along with Sosa, McGwire, Palmerio, Canseco, Ivan Rodriguez, etc..

NFL Hall Of Fame: Lowering The Bar

The 2007-08 NFL Season will officially kick off this weekend with the Hall Of Fame induction ceremony and 1st preseason game. The NFL Hall Of Fame was the last Hall Of Fame with any legitimacy in my eyes but that is all being washed away this year with the induction of Michael Irvin. Loud-mouth, coke-snorting Michael Irvin will be inducted this year. He's all-time stats are respectable but not mind-blowing and considering he was on a 'stacked' team discounts his accomplishments, in my eyes.

He is part of my "I can't understand a fucking word he is saying" dream team which, so far, is just him and Shannon Sharpe. These two guys stick up for the losers in the league and will SHOUT everything they say because they have nothing interesting to say in the first place but by shouting it makes a person think they are saying something of substance.

After the ceremony there will be strippers and plenty of blow at his hotel.

Time To Switch It To Glide

On the way to work this morning I stopped to buy a Coca-Cola and the convenience store I stopped at had a radio playing and what did I hear? None other than "The Beat Goes On/Switch It To Glide" by The Kings. Not that should be anything special to most people, but when I was going to college in Phoenix in 1988-89 (man, that sounds like a long time ago), I recall 98 KUPD (the radio station I exclusively listened too) would play that song EVERY Friday at noon, which is when I got off work from my part time job and would be driving back to my apartment before I would skip my afternoon classes. Of course the kick ass stereo system I had in the '81 Chevette (no air conditioning) would be cranked to 11 because the song (imo) is so infectious.

The song is one of things that really stirred up a lot of old memories for me and my time in Valley Of The Sun so I had to Google the song this morning as soon as I got to work because I had to hear it again and to my surprise there is a video on YouTube, so here is the video and it is required listening every Friday until further notice for everyone.

Enjoy!

35W Bridge Collapse - Minneapolis

As most people have seen and heard about the 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis happened last night. The early morning reports have just 4 people dead with lots of injured, but those reports are also saying that there are cars under the concrete and in the river with 30 people reported missing after the accident. I have several friends, family and acquaintances that live in the twin cities and I hope to hear from all of them. I have personally been on this bridge many times and was stunned to see the reports and watch the video that was coming out of the twin cities last night.

UPDATE:

A webcam captured the collapse of the bridge on video.... courtesy the Pioneer Press, it can be viewed here: http://extras.twincities.com/video/web_collapse/index.html

iPhone's: Battery Issues

In my continuing coverage of how crappy the iPhone is, another issue was revealed today just as Apple announced it had a patch for the phone's security flaws. Something that wasn't first reported, and I am willing to bet most took it for granted, that you can not simply change the battery for the phone. It needs to be sent in for service, that you will pay for, and if you wish to have a phone while a new (expensive) battery is being installed, you would also need to pay for the loaner.

For such an 'advanced' device, Apple sure doesn't let a person do anything simple on it...like change the battery...

Tillman: Murder Cover-Up

This came out last week and I meant to comment on it so will do so now...

That is, the more I continue to learn more about Pat Tillman's death, the more it seems likely that he was murdered by his comrades because they didn't like him.

The main points of that article, to me are the three bullets put into his forehead, no signs of enemy fire nor was anyone hit by enemy fire.

Seems like it should be story straight from Vietnam...but must be inherit in military operations where when you do not like someone in your squad, you take matters into your own hands, find the right opportunity and then get away with murder.

Moss-Garnett: Traded To Champions?

So the offseason had a couple of big name moves that have the sportsheads talking and me wondering why. First, we'll go back a month or so ago when the New England Patriots acquired Randy Moss. This move alone has many 'experts' picking the Patriots to go to the Super Bowl - proving that the 'experts' don't know shit and are more about sensationalizing a move and disregarding reality.

Unless these 'experts' haven't watched a game of NFL football in the past 5 years, Randy Moss has been nothing but a cancer to the two teams he has been on and his 'prime' was almost 10 years ago. Not sure how an aging, whiny, all-about-me receiver helps the Patriots and doesn't hurt them...oh yeah... the Patriots are picked to win it every year as long as Brady and Bellicheck are there...

Now today, Kevin Garnett goes to the Boston Celtics, one of the worst teams in the NBA last year, and again, many 'experts' have the Celtics being a team to beat...just like that. Sure they acquired Ray Allen and have Paul Pierce...but last I checked both of those guys are injured every other day. Kevin Garnett, even in his MVP season and a team that was built around him, could not win an NBA championship. KG also has shown through his time in the NBA that he is more willing to pass the ball then take (and miss) a game winning shot.

I really need to become a sports-hypester because I would easily be on 6-10 ESPN shows a day. My basic premise will be that any player involved in any move will guarantee instant success for the Yankees or Red Sox because in the end, every sport revolves around the Yankees or Red Sox...at least according to ESPN.

ESPN Bias Seen Again - MLB vs Tour de France Drugs

The Tour de France ended over the weekend and had plenty of doping and drug scandals to plague it's event this year...as with other recent races, including last year's Floyd Landis positive doping charge. So, as I flipped on the ESPN in the afternoon to watch some talking heads hype up Barry Bonds and how great his accomplishment will indeed be when he breaks Aaron's homerun record. They quickly change the topic to discuss the Tour de France and almost every single sports 'analyst' had the opinion that the Tour de France is the most corrupt, drug-enhanced sport on the planet and some even suggested that the bike race be suspended until it can get 'cleaned up'. What an interesting take on the Tour de France, yet they have such sympathy and patience for the MLB and it's drug related woes.

But of course, this ESPN which shows absolutely zero coverage of the Tour de France and will show you every at bat of Barry Bonds' attempt to break Aaron's record...so you know how their feelings will be affected.

The Simpsons Movie

So I went to The Simpsons Movie over the weekend...the first movie I've seen in an actual theatre in about 5 years...got to see it on the 'Extreme Screen' which made it even more enjoyable.

Well, I think the obvious can be said about this movie, that is, if you like the television show you'll like the movie. If you don't watch The Simpsons and/or don't like them, you will not enjoy the movie.

I thought the movie was essentially a long television episode...is that bad? I didn't think so. I enjoyed the movie and I will gladly hand over my $7 to watch an extended Simpsons episode (movie) than watch most any of the other garbage that is coming out of Hollywood.

But I do have a minor complaints regarding the movie, and if you haven't seen the movie yet and intend too, you may want to stop reading now because I will detail some items from the movie that may ruin it for you...

I think the writers took several plotlines from previous episodes, kind of re-worked them and then threw it into the movie. Lake Springfield being polluted, Bart pissed at Homer seeks out Flanders as his 'fill-in' dad until Homer coaxes Bart back and Homer introducing a pig as a new 'family member' are all plotlines that have been explored in the television episodes to one degree or another. Lisa falls for an Irish boy, but that story line isn't developed much at all and the boyfriend, Collin, is introduced early in the movie, but then is essentially omitted until the end of the show where a short moment is spent to complete his role in the film, which was nothing other than a non-developed plot-line.

I think the movie itself could have been longer if the writers would have chosen to show some of the activities that were occurring within Springfield while the Simpsons were away - most Simpsons fans are fans of all the Characters in Springfield, not just the family itself. And the ending with the protagonist was about as anti-climatic as you could have gotten...even for cartoon standards...Maggie - out of nowhere - dropping a rock on Russ Cargill...end of story.

But despite the minor issues I have with the movie, I thought it was worth going too...but I am a Simpsons fan. And again, if you are not a fan of The Simpsons, there will be little in this movie that you will enjoy.

iPhone Security Flaws Discovered

In my continuing coverage of how crappy the iPhone is, it didn't take long for a security flaw has already been uncovered and will send Apple scrambling to build a patch for their iPhone which has been out for all of a month.

I'm willing to bet that this won't be the first patch for these crappy phones.

Chargers: Rookies Reported

Well the NFL season is almost ready to go into full gear. The Chargers had their rookies/1st year players/etc. report yesterday, with their full training camp opening up on Saturday.

Good news is that the Chargers have agreed to contracts with all their draft picks. So no notable holdouts to cause a distraction for the team.

Tour de France Still Scandal Filled

It was just yesterday that riders in the Tour de France staged a protest about the drug testing procedures after the race favorite, Vinokourov, came up with a positive drug test. Now, the current current Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen was sent home by his team because he missed 2 drug tests earlier in the year and apparently his excuses for missing the tests are very transparent. So the big news today was that there was no doping related incidents announced today. Just put an asterisk on every Tour de France until they can prove that no one is doping for sure, because it seems clear that riders are still trying to get away with it.

Doping Cloud Hangs Over Tour de France, Again

The Tour de France is becoming synonymous with doping because just like every other Tour de France of recent, doping has been uncovered. It is interesting to read that there are some riders that are protesting the current policies in place that attempt to prevent cheating but seem to do little to deter it. I think it is quite clear that if the Tour de France is going to be seen as a legitimate event again, the officials have to implement some air-tight testing that will make sure that riders won't want to cheat because they know they would not be able to get away with it.

It Is Hot!

I've been busy at work lately which has prevented me from doing much blogging...

But it is freakin' hot around here! The heat index has been over a hundred the past couple days and is expected to remain there at least until tomorrow. At 8 AM this morning, it was already 75 with a dew point of 70 degrees... that is crazy hot and humid.

iPhone - Not So Hot

AT&T released some initial numbers regarding the iPhone and they are far from the expectations of many. According to the article, some analysts were thinking a 1/2 million iPhones would be sold in the first weekend...AT&T activated less than 150,000 - a little lofty expectations? As the article also points out, many consumers are finding out about many of the problems the iPhone has and their interest for the iPhone has waned...

Apple products suck.

Vick Indicted For Dogfighting

Not sure why it took so long, but Micheal Vick was finally indicted for his alleged role in dogfighting. The first line of the article tells you how 'hardcore' Vick and his buddies are into dogfighting that "...losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot." Note to self, don't draft Micheal Vick in my fantasy football draft...oh yeah, I already knew that. What a freakin' loser.

So let the jokes begin! A friend has already directed me to this one... enjoy.

Tennis Channel To Air Wimbledon

The All England Club is adding The Tennis Channel to it's Wimbledon coverage next year. The article also states that NBC agreed to a 4 year extension to it's coverage and ESPN is likely getting an extension as well... so there will be plenty of Wimbledon coverage next year which is awesome... I can hardly wait for DirecTV to add it to the channel lineup.

Me And Rob Zombie

Here are exclusive photos of me and Rob Zombie at the Bismarck Civic Center, and I do believe it would be November 1995 because I am wearing my 55th Anniversary Sturgis shirt (as you can clearly see) which I was just at a few months earlier. I recall it was shortly after Halloween because Rob was throwing out candy at the end of the show.

So, how did I get to meet Rob Zombie? I was reading the editorial section of the worst paper on the planet aka: The Bismarck Tribune, and person writing the editorial was appalled at the fact that White Zombie would be playing on a Sunday night - which it was. I was pretty pissed off to read that someone was so upset at something they didn't like was happening on a Sunday and it was devil music, blah, blah, blah.... I mean come on... The devil has been the source of rock music since it's existence so why would it be wrong to play on any day let alone a Sunday?

Well, as the band was pulling into town, read the article, called me up, liked my article, hooked me up with backstage passes+3 and I got to hang with the band, get some pictures... I do have photos of me and Rob's girlfriend, who is tall and super hot but I will have to dig for those photos... and that leads me to this next point, yes, I look like a dork...why? Because I was wasted... And there were also many photos taken - with every band member except for the chick bassists who hurt her leg at the show - but because this is the worst photo that is why it is readily available (i have cruel friends...)

Anyways... a blast from the past...

PS:

Also, the 2 opening bands were the Super Suckers and the Toadies... It was a freakin' awesome show!

Video Gaming On TV

The Championship Gaming Series, a video game league, began airing on DirecTV last week. Now I am an avid video gamer...have been essentially all my life... I went from Pong to Atari 2600 to Commodore 64 & 128 to now, a PC. Throughout this time there have been shows devoted to computers and even more specifically to gaming...but there has never been a gaming show that has appealed to me for one big reason...that is, I would begin to watch a gaming show to try and pick up tips and tricks on how to play a particular game...but there has never been a show that can successfully do this. The show(s) are typically like the crappy Madden Nation show that ESPN produced... that is, you would see highlights of the game and never really learn how to get better. Also, in previous shows that I have viewed that involve first-person-shooters, the competitors are so familiar with the game and, more importantly, the game's quirks, that the normal player will likely never attain the skill of the players that play the game 24/7. And then finally, the final obstacle is the games themselves. Because there is only about a billion video games and unless you are playing the 'latest-greatest' game, the show will be uninteresting...and then you may even tune in to see how the game looks and plays...but again, a person usually only gets select scenes and action and never a full representation of the game.

Sure I will check it out...but I doubt that I will watch more than one episode...

Die Hard Video

A friend of mine pointed this video out to me...

It is a music video that essentially recaps all of the Die Hard movies...the lyrics are funny and there is a verse that was added previewing the upcoming Die Hard movie, I would think the the creators' (GuyzNite) of the song/video will update the song after the movie has been released...

Be warned, you will catch yourself singing this song all day after you hear it!

"No one dies harder than John McClaine"...




Yipppeee-kiii-a M*ther F*cker!

New Story About Morrison's Death

I had always thought the Jim Morrison died of a drug overdose, and didn't everyone else? But I was wrong. The actual 'official' story of how Jim Morrison died is: "On the last night of Jim Morrison's life, the rocker went to a movie in Paris, listened to records, fell ill and died of heart failure in his bathtub at the age of 27."

There is now a story emerging that alleges he overdosed on heroin and died in a nightclub. So I now I know...Jim Morrison died of a drug overdose, boy, who would of guessed? Of course there was no autopsy done on Morrison so the truth may never be known.

Award Shows - Lame

So last night was ESPN's lame award show, 'The Espy's'. ESPN sucks and is doing whatever it can to not air actual sports anymore. But I can not believe that athletes/celebrities would actually want to associate their name with this farce...so I have to think that many are contractually obligated to do so. At one time the Academy Awards were seen as being respectable and was the epitome of award shows, but since most everyone knows the Academy Awards are no longer legit it opened the door for all these other award shows. I don't think the ESPY's could be a better example of a 'fake' awards show. Giving out awards to athletes, most of which have already accumulated some of the greatest awards in their respective sports. I can not believe that any sports-minded person would actually watch this show or give it any credit what-so-ever. Of course the reason I even know that the ESPY's were even on TV last night was because of the AP story stating that Tomlinson won 4 ESPY's. If I was Tomlinson, I wouldn't have any of the 4 awards in my possession by the time the show is over, instead they would be placed appropriately in the nearest trash can from the stage.

Simpson's Movie Trailer #4

Here's the 4th Simpson's movie trailer...

2007 Season Officially Begins - Charger Arrested

So the NFL season must be getting close... 1 Charger already arrested. If it wasn't for the Bengals, the Chargers over the past 2 seasons have had plenty of players in trouble.

Million Dollar Ideas

I will often come up with what I think is a 'Million Dollar Idea' that will eventually get invented and sold by someone...but I thought of it first and that and a nickel will get me a cup of coffee...

So I thought I should at least start documenting my Million Dollar Ideas so I can reflect on all the money I should have...

My first documented Million Dollar Idea is to place a USB plugin port on car radios, portable radios and tv's. Then any music/media files that are on a person's jump drive and/or portable device can be found and played on all these devices... a person could literally have their entire CD collection on their jump drive/media device and plug into a person's radio and hear their library...

Wouldn't that be cool?

Million Dollar Idea #2 is an awesome music device for your vehicles. A person would have a player in their vehicle that would play mp3's, wav's, etc... (the normal). The way a person would load their playlist to their vehicle would be done wirelessly... A person would/could be sitting at their PC in their house and drag-drop the songs they would like in their vehicle and then the device in the vehicle would automatically download and update the playlist in the vehicle. Obviously if the vehicle leaves or is not present when the playlist is updated, it would automatically seek out and update the playlist whenever in range of the wireless transmitter.

Bam, 2 kick-ass ideas right off the get-go... of course both of these ideas may already exist but if not... I thought of them first and deserve my untold millions of dollars for thinking of them first...

Back From Vacation

Back from a long Fourth of July vacation. Here's some quick pics taken from the spillway overlook on the Garrison Dam of Lake Sakakawea - close (Pick City) to where we spent a fair amount of our time. A good, fun, relaxing time...

Kwik-E-Mart: Now Open

In advance of the movie release of "The Simpsons", select 7-Eleven's have converted into "Kwik-E-Marts". Sucks that there isn't one in my town because I would certainly get some Buzz Cola, KrustyO's cereal and a Squisshee, all of which are being sold at these locations.

iPhone = iCrap

The iPhone is finally here...this past Friday was the big iPhone onsale and I happened to be around to watch a few different interviews about the 'first impressions' of the iPhone. A person can see why Apple did not give iPhone's out early for early critiques...because basically every interview regarding the iPhone over the weekend went like this:

Newsperson: So what's the early buzz on the iPhone? Is it delivering everything it promised?

Interviewee: The iPhone is a nifty little device that is basically combining your iPod with your cell phone and offer even more.

NP: So are there any drawbacks?

Interviewee: There are a few minor issues that people will notice right away, like you can't send a text or picture message you need to use their internet messaging, and the internet portion of the phone is painfully slow if you are not in any wi-fi hotspots, the cell phone technology doesn't utilize any of the newer protocols so quality may become an issue and since you have to sign an exclusive 2-year contract with AT&T to use the phone, you will most likely be roaming almost constantly unless you live in one of the 5 or 6 major metro areas in the U.S. And of course you need Apple's iTunes to put any music on your phone and most other applications will also likely require exclusive sync software from Apple, unlike other phones that you can just plug into your pc and copy/paste. Oh, and despite having a camera, it doesn't record any video. You can only take stills.

NP: With all those issues, people are still encouraged to get the iPhone?

Interviewee: Absolutely. This device was heavily marketed and hyped that every moron with $600 is waiting in line to get one of these and I'm right in line with them!

NP: Thanks.

The iPhone is basically your crappy iPod put together with a crappy phone...

And just his morning there are already complaints about even getting the friggin thing to activate! But that is what Apple is all about... you have to become dependent upon them or their corporate partners to even use the clock!

Holiday Plans

So our holiday plans are semi-set and they involve going back to Bismarck and Lake Sakakawea (sp?)....

Should be a fun time...