Lenny-White, Carl-Black

Do you remember?

The craze of Simpson's T-Shirts from the early 90's

Surge the green Mountain Dew rip from Coke

Everybody likes to joke about Crystal Pepsi, but let me tell you the joke is on Pepsi Twist, like diet Coke with lemon it was a bomb. The true loser was me who loved diet Coke with Lime.

I miss cartoons on Saturday mornings, I guess kids today watch them on cable. From classics like Bugs Bunny and the Smurfs, to Camp Candy featuring John Candy and that animated version of Ed Grimley.

How about when Nostalgia was for decades like the Forties and Fifties? Not for last month when Paris Hilton did something.

And while I'm thinking of stuff from the past, here is one for ten years from now. Ugg Boots. I loathe these things. Didn't Hillbilly Jim wrestle in these? Can that really make anything fashionable?

To Bill Bratzke!!!!

'05 Year of the Gamecock...please

Hot for Teacher

I've calmed down a shade, since I've seen the United States has stepped up a little more than before. At the time I wrote last I certainly questioned our committment, but hours later was happy to see that we were doing more. I now see that Jeb Bush and Colin Powell will make an assesment of the damage for our future plans.

So we are a few hours away from a New Year. New Year's is my bust holiday. For some reason I haven't had fun on New Year's in probably ten years. Why? I don't know. I haven't had a bad Cinco de Mayo in all of my years, but who has really?

You know what's better than seeing a lower back tatoo on someone for the first time? Not seeing one. I am so tired of predicting which girl does or does not have a tatoo on their upper ass. Odds are anymore, she's got one. Sure they're hot but come on let's get original.

I'll tell you what else is hot. Tortise shell glasses, hair up, kinda tussled a bit, and in a bun. Its the sexy librarian thing, the bad girl clawing to get out. The girl I've become friendly with does this and it drives me wild. Of course I officially have eight days before she goes to freakin' England for this semester of college. I've got work to do, so I guess I should sign off.

Your trio for tonight is in honor of Artie Shaw's passing, get you zoot suit pressed...
Begin the Beguine, Artie Shaw Satin Doll, Duke Ellington Baby It's Cold Outside, Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting.

Who's your Baby Daddy?

This is the post I could have avoided forever. Beloved television character Lennie Briscoe died today from prostate cancer. Jerry Orbach, a famed Broadway star and Disney voice was best known for his wisecracking Lennie of Law and Order fame. I never watch any episodes that don't feature Lennie. He was easily the best character the show has had. Screw Dzunda and Farina. Jerry Orbach was the man. This saddens me. Johnny Cash I took hard especially when immediately followed by John Ritter, who I grew up idolizing as a kid. Jerry Orbach's death certainly takes a minute to catch up to.

Now on to what pisses me off. Let's see $35 million pisses me off. I don't blame anyone for calling this stingy, I call it selffish. Without doing research, I am hedging that this is a top ten natural disaster in terms of lives lost. I am willing to say top four, maybe even the greatest casualty count ever considering the long term. These countries are already poor, but to add such destruction is devestating. The dollar amount of damage in Flordia from this year's hurricane's is one thousand times greater that what we are able to donate to the rescue/reconstructive efforts of these coutries. There were ten countries involved, each receives 3.5 million? Do you know what $3.5 million will do for Thailand? Bury the dead, maybe clean up. What about infrastructure? Are we going to do that work and add to what is probably a sizeable debt?

I cannot for one second believe that we won't act in these countries best intrest, but to publish small amounts and then double them to a still small amount is stupid. Don't tell anyone how much is being used for a week or so. We look heartless by attaching a monetary figure before we know anything.

Enough of the bad, here is some good. Gamecocks @ Pitt tonight. Pitt is fairly untested, we can see what they are really made of tonight.

Songs for today are: World on Fire, Sarah Maclachlan, So Much Trouble in the World, Bob Marley.

Peace

G'roh!!!!

All I asked Virginia to do was score seven more points that Fresno St. They had that accomplished until 4th and Goal with :11 remaining in the game. They blew it and then sank in OT. My hopes drained faster.

Now time for one of those harsh best of lists. This one is devoted to music. But it isn't like the ones you see everywhere else listing favorite song or album. This is devoted to the bands I discovered, was turned on to, saw live or chose to delve into deeper.

This year I was turned on to My Morning Jacket, The Shins, discovered Idlewild, Interpol, Kings of Leon, The Mooney Suzuki, Sloan, Loose Fur, figured out what makes Jimmy Cliff cool, and Roxy Music influential and immersed myself into Dylan. I'm sure there were others, but my two favorite albums of the year that I never would have predicted were Interpol's Antics and Kanye West's College Dropout. Through the Wire and Jesus Walks are constantly in my lobe.

I also gifted myself U2 who I used to loathe. I can't imagine why I was so oblivious. My favorite new trick of the year is to order fast food or make pointless announcements in my Bono voice full of grandiosity. "I'll have a number faur with a Coke" the Irish accent is key...

This year I saw some really great bands live. I had a lull in the last few years, but made up big this year by seeing The Bottle Rockets, Lucinda Williams, Liz Phair, Wilco, and John Hiatt. Liz Phair was the biggest surprise. I did not have high expectations for her performance, but it was tremendous. I had really high expectations for Lucinda Williams, but felt she was upstaged by The Bottle Rockets. She was great but not what I had hoped. Of course Wilco played the best show of my live experiences with them. That is saying a lot for me, I have half of Jeff's guitar from years ago lets not forget. And I left John Hiatt's solo acoustic performance a fan for life. That guy is awesome. I love stripping back a song the way he did, raw and fresh.

So your three tunes for the day are my favorite three songs I heard live this year; Buffalo River Home, John Hiatt...Favorite, Liz Phair and finally Still I Long for Your Kiss, Lucinda Williams.

Until next time.

Monday I'm in Love

My hiatus is coming to an end. Off from work for the last three days has felt pretty good. I have done very little. The usual: get up, watch tv, do stuff, eat food, have drinks, go to bed. Not too many units used for any direct purpose.

UVa better hurry up and put some points between themselves and Fresno St, I've got UVa to cover a -6.

Anyway my three song suggestion for today is Photograph by Weezer, Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix, and Don't Panic by Coldplay. Rhapsody is better than candy.

Certainly make a point to buy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Garden State on DVD tomorrow. Garden State has the potential to be a major rental smash ala The Bourne Identity and Swingers. And while speaking of Swingers, find the Mr. and Mrs. Smith trailer online. Doug Liman has yet to fail in movie making, this has a major cast but also looks like a great popcorn feature.

Real World Road Rules challenge looks good tonight. The dude from Las Vegas, Steven is going to bitch slap Shane from some Road Rules in the noggin for really no good reason. Ah free violence.

Guy Hall of Fame

Van Morrison should be immediately inducted into the Hall of Fame for Guys trying to be romantic. He will accompany puppies, flowers, jewelry, silk sheets, chocolate, money, Veuve Clicquot, cashmere, Porsche's, donkey tranquilizer, etc. as great aphrodisiacs. If you need help in that department, please by all means buy a copy of Astral Weeks. We are all issued Moondance by 20. Astral Weeks you have to get on your own. I've had it for about three years, added with even decent wine you cannot miss.

Things that will impede your progress, Star Trek, roaches, G.G. Allen, plastic lawn furniture, unibrows, not flushing or cleaning your toilet, and finally having Mom parade naked photos of you at 19. Luckily I haven't experienced but maybe two of those.

Arrested Development tonight.

Grand Opening

Today is day one. I read blogs all day and have needed one for some time. I send my daily ramblings in email form to my closest associates, to aleviate their inbox sludge, I will post here henceforth. So welcome one and all.

I have accomplished nothing today, essentially I have watched four West Wing episodes, Peyton Manning break the passing TD record, listen to Bruce, Jimi, and Milt Jackson. Gotta love Milt Jackson, vibraphone master. Do yourself a solid and jam a little of the Boss today. Do some Badlands, Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, Hungry Heart and listen to how good Roy Bittan was. Actually just give the band their due from the big man to Patti, to Max, David Sancious, Danny Federici, Gary Tallent played bass and tuba ( tuba? ). It is amazing to listen to these guys on disc live, imagine the experience in person. Between Springsteen and U2 I don't know who I want to see more.

More to come.