June 2006 - Posts
So, here it is – the final season to see one of the greatest players and arguably the greatest returner of serve to ever play the game.
Andre Agassi made the announcement that after this year’s U.S. Open – he will officially retire at the age of 36.
Seeded 25th in this years Wimbledon (which begins on Monday) Andre will step on to the grass for the last time. He’ll play 4 hard court events between Wimbledon and his final tournament as a professional at this year’s U.S. Open.
Watching Andre play and watching his career progress has been quite a ride. From the “image is everything” days of the 80s with his long hair, bright colors and loud patterns on the court to the clean shaven wiser more storied player days we’ve seen more of over the last 10 years. It’s all been exciting. Hell – I even owned a pair of Agassi Assaults back in the day.
I for one (of many) will miss seeing him on the court. Eyes WIDE – bent over at the baseline – twirling his racquet - waiting to pounce on his opponent’s serve.
There are many BIG baseline pounders in the game today – but Andre, in my opinion, is one of the trail blazers. One of the first to come around on the ball with so much power that both feet were off the ground in his follow-through. One of the original “giant killers” when talking about returning the serve of such greats as Pistol Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick and Roger Federer.
A storied career he has had, indeed:
- One of only a few men to ever win at every Grand Slam Event (Australian Open – 1995 and 2000, French Open 1999, Wimbledon 1995 and U.S. Open 1994 & 1999).
- Ranked in the Top Ten of the world for more than 13 years at one point – something only two other men in the world can say they’ve done (Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl).
- Ranked Number 1 in the world as recently as 2003.
- Olympic Champion 1996
While I will enjoy relish watching you this year at The All England Club and Flushing Meadows – I will surely miss your presence next and years to come.
So, thank you, for the years of excitement and entertainment. Enjoy your deserved retirement.
THEN 
and 
NOW
Another gem on YouTube. Thanks to Troy Woods for passing this along.
So there’s gonna be some folks out there that don’t know who this is – that’s ok.
View HERE
But I think he was talking about YouTube not a life being like a box of chocolates - since – with You Tube – you never know what you’re gonna get.
There are those of us that have been aware of YouTube for a while now – but of late – there is a veritable cornucopia of entertainment being posted.
You can find anything from leaked security camera videos from a police station of a DUI candidate face planting a wall while preparing to take a breathalyzer - HERE
You can see (from Hard Copy) some punk get his *** handed to him (with one punch) after he (for some unknown reason) attacks some unsuspecting tourists – HERE
Or even an idiot kid get busted after doing a donut in his ricer RIGHT IN FRONT of a cop - HERE
Either way - YouTube is fun for the whole family (well, not really) - -check it out and get lost searching the scads of clips (from music videos to webcam broadcasts – from Leonard Nimoy singing about Bilbo Baggins to Iron Maiden’s live cut of Number of the Beast)
I’m sure – the RIAA will be contacting YouTube soon about all the music <and videos> the allow people to post.
Thank all that you consider holy that the Department of Defence is FINALLY developing a new FM (that’s Field Manual to you non military types) that addresses the policies on how detainees and enemy combatants can be (note I did not say can NOT be) treated.
Most notably, this FM would be excluding a key item from the Geneva Convention that pertains to the “humiliation and degrading treatment” of prisoners.
I mean – the “evil’s” of the world decapitate and draw & quarter our soldiers (and civilians) and dangle their dead (and beaten) bodies from bridges --- it’s about time we allow our soldier and civilian interrogators let their dogs bark at people (no matter how close that dog is)
In the recent past people have been up in arms about our soldiers making prisoners stand in uncomfortable positions for more than 4 hours at a time, or wearing sacks over their heads or hooking them up to electrodes and threatening them, or going through with (low voltage) eletro-shock.
I say if it saves American (or Allied lives) or decreases the amount of time our service members have to be deployed in a hostile theatre – Black is Negative and Red is Positive.
More on the story here.
When it comes to ending a war or saving our troops’ lives, you have a choice between
this 
or this 
either one is fine with me.
It’s been a while since I’ve done a TOP list – so – I figured it was time to another list.
I was talking with a friend about when we were teenagers and how, while there were some good albums, movies and TV shows – most of the “entertainment” that came out in the 80’s was absolute garbage.
So, to prove to myself that there was in fact good entertainment that came out of the 80’s – here’s my most recent list.
Oh yeah, before I begin, a minute ago I said a word that may be like another language to your young ones out there. I said the word “album”. In the event you’ve never seen one or aren’t really sure what exactly an album is – they were they large vinyl disks that you put on a “record player” to play music. They came in great big cardboard sleeves called “album covers”. Think of them like REALLY big CDs.
In no particular order:
Top 10 Movies of the 80s
- A Nightmare on Elm Street. – as far as I am concerned – the 18 gajillion sequels that followed were pure unadulterated garbage – but this movie was not only an absolute stroke of genius as far as plot line for a horror movie but it was chock full of the prerequisite slicing and dicing of poor dimwitted teenagers in the most graphic of ways.
- Better off Dead – One of the best John Cusack movies ever made. While the “Everybody wants some” scene could have stayed on the editing room floor – the rest of this movie was a riot. From Lane’s little brother to Ricky’s mother blowing up.
- The Blues Brothers – I don’t even need to describe how great this movie was. I’ll just list some of the cast: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Ray Charles, Cab Calloway, John Candy, and John Lee Hooker.
- A Christmas Story – One of (if not the) greatest holiday movies ever made. Just a brilliant comedy. RIP Darren McGavin
- Fast Times At Ridgemont High – Cameron Crowe actually went “under cover” in a California High School to get a first hand view of teenagers and social interaction in the 80s. This movie is not only a classic comedy – but it is typical of a 80s movie in that there are so many (at that time) either barely or completely unknown actors in this movie that later became some of the biggest names in Hollywood. (Eric Stoltz, Anthony Edwards, Sean Penn, Forrest Whitaker, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates – ok maybe Phoebe Cates isn’t one of the biggest names in Hollywood now – but she played an integral role in one of the most memorable scenes in cinematic history in this movie.)
- Uncle Buck – I may be going out on a limb here – because there are so many great ones – but this movie may just be John Candy’s finest work as a comedic actor.
- Full Metal Jacket – not only a great book (Short Timers) but a fantastic depiction of Marine Corps life in the Vietnam era. Plus, while he was in The Boys in Company C and Purple Hearts (as well as uncredited in Apocalypse Now) this movie is really the first good look we get at R. Lee Ermey as Gny Sgt Hartman – that is until PVT. PYLE shoots him in the chest in the latrine.
- Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior) – early Mel Gibson in a post apocalyptic world as a lone wolf ex-cop just trying to stay alive and keep moving. Great movie and some really memorable lines (if you read my post a few months ago about The Movie Line Game - .
- The Princess Bride – a classic Rob Reiner (comedy) film with another all-star cast (both regular players and cameos). From the R.U.S. <Rodents of Unusual Size> to Max the Magic Man - - from André the Giant actually having a main role to the INCONCIEVABLE and everything in between. This movie is set as a Grandfather (Peter Faulk) comes to visit his sick grandson (Fred Savage) and reads him a book (The Princess Bride). Over all a very funny movie and another prize winner in the Movie Line Game)
- This is Spinal Tap – another Rob Reiner (comedy) classic and yet another prize winner in the Movie Line Game.
While there are only 10 up there – there are a TON of other good movies from the 80s - - I had to limit this list to 10 or I’da been here all night. Feel free to list some more BEST OFs in the comments section.
Top 10 Albums of the 80s
- Appetite for Destruction – this album is on my Top 10 Best Freshman OF ALL TIME list. Guns N Roses 1st release was an amazing album. From end to end this album was a gritty return to guitar driven rules be damned rock n roll. While it was lumped in to the Heavy Metal category – this album is every ounce traditional rock n roll. If they would not have imploded (from drug addiction, alcoholism and egos/self importance) Guns could have very well been the 80 generation’s Led Zeppelin.
- Metallica – I am naming the group rather than take up so many slots on the list. In the 80s – Metallica gave us Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightening, And Justice For All AND Kill Em All - - - it’s amazing that this juggernaut of a band cranked out so much fantastic music inside of 10 years.
- Purple Rain – say what you will about Prince and his antics/theatrics – he's a hell of a musician and this album was a testament to that fact.
- Number of the Beast – I remember bringing this album into school my senior year of High School to religion class. We used to be able to bring in our music and (as a class) discuss the lyrics in the songs. I can still see the looks on some people’s faces – including Fr. Heron.
- Fair Warning – Van Halen – nuff said
- Blizzard of Ozz – the first solo effort from Ozzy Osbourne. While he was at one time the front man for the Godfathers of Heavy Metal – Ozzy showed us, with this album, that he and Randy Rhoads as a collaborating team were a force to be reckoned. Can you believe that ONE album had so many incredible songs? I Don’t Know – Goodbye to Romance Suicide Solution, Mr. Crowley, Revelation, No Bone Movies and of course Crazy Train….. unreal
- Scarecrow – this album was the first album of that era that I remember purchasing and having a lot of my friends see it and say “Dude, what is this” – great album – John Mellencamp is not only a very good rhythm guitarist but a phenomenal lyricist.
- Joshua Tree – in my opinion still U2’s best album
- Operation Mindcrime – while I am still to this day blown away by their EP release (The Lady Wore Black) Mindcrime was probably the best work Queensryche gave us. Jam packed with powerful guitar riffs and topped with the words and truly phenomenal voice of Geoff Tate.
- A Monetary Lapse of Reason – while it was not the full compliment – this album marked the return of Pink Floyd
Is Joe Vento (of famed Geno’s Steaks at the legendary “X” intersection of 9th & Passyunk) South Philadelphia’s own version of the Soup Nazi – rather the Cheese Steak Nazi?
It seems Joe has a new policy. If you come to the “Order Here” window of the 24hr/day 7day/wk 52 wk/year curb side Geno’s Steaks to order “one wit” – you better do it in English or “you ain’t getting no cheese steak”.
There is an age old battle between Geno’s and Pat’s steaks (at the exact opposite axis of the X intersection) as to which is the better cheese steaks. The battle (between the shops, their patrons, softball teams, frequent visitors to the city et al) gathers a lot of attention.
That being said - I believe Joe Ventos’s new policy of Order in ENGLISH or walk away hungry (which includes not being allowed to simply point at the menu) will get a bit more attention in the near future.
The most curious part of this turn of events (while the sign on the curb clearly reads SPEAK ENGLISH) - Joe Vento (like many of we Philadelphia area natives) comes from Grandparents born in Italy that barely spoke English. Talk about a da pota callin da kettlea blacka!
Is he right? Is he wrong? That’s definitely a question with as many opinionated answers as there are customers of both Geno’s and Pat’s combined.
While I prefer Geno’s over Pat’s – there are certainly far better cheese steaks to be found (and eaten) in the Philadelphia and surrounding suburban area. So, if you find yourself in the Philadelphia area hungry for a cheese steak and Joe’s new policy is less than appetizing to you – just keep on going. You can’t swing a dead cat in Philadelphia without hitting a steak shop. (Did I just say that?)
Geno’s Steaks at 9th and Passyunk
more on this story here
UPDATED INFORMATION passed on to me this morning by a friend – “Channel 10 news did a short piece on Geno's last night. No one from Geno's was willing to speak on camera but they quoted a manager who said that the sign was not official policy and that no one would actually be turned away because of language.”
I have lost a little respect for Joe Vento in this case. Not because they will serve people who don’t order in English – but because he (and his shop) went on record saying they would not and now they have reversed their stance. Who’s running Geno’s ? John Kerry?
While we’re on the topic of FLASH (that’s what they are running on over at IKEA for the Kitchen of your Dreams site) - - ABC is availing free (full length) viewing of its top rated shows on the web.
It’s all in ON2 FLASH and the quality is pretty good. They’ve been doing this for a few weeks now – but I just spent a little time over there checking out the quality and content. It’s worth checking out.
So – if you missed the Season Finale of LOST (or the retrospective special “Reckoning”) or any of the last 5 episodes of Desperate Housewives, ALIAS or Commander in Chief and you don’t have a TivO (or you do have a TivO but just didn’t record any of them) jump over and check it out.
Click the LAUNCH button below to jump to the site.
Here are some screen shots of the last episode of LOST just to show you the quality
WASHINGTON - President Bush on Saturday backed a resolution to amend the Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman even though the idea has little chance of being passed in the Senate. Story HERE
I just don’t understand what the big deal is (to those opposed to marriage being between other than a man and a woman).
I have friends that are bible beaters, friends that are somewhat religious, and friends that are complete Atheists. I have friends that are straight and friends that are gay. If I did not want any of them in my life – I would not call them friends.
The fact that they are friends of mine means only one thing, in regards to their lives. Whatever they want to do that makes them happy, as long as they are not hurting anyone else in the process, is fine with me.
I look at same sex marriage the same way. If you’re a woman and want to marry another woman or a man and want to marry another man – I could care less – as long as you don’t hurt anyone in the process (which, I’m not sure how you could hurt someone in this process ) – have at it.
Some states now allow same-sex partners/life mates/lovers to be on the others’ health insurance, they allow the same folks to be named as benefactors in an end of life contract (said WILL), financial institutions will grant loans/mortgages etc - - - why not marriage?
What is the big deal, really? How does two women or two men getting married effect your life (if you are among those opposed)? How exactly is this in “violation” of the “sanctity of marriage”?
People get divorced every day – people get married 3, 4, 5 times in their lives. Here, you have a group of people FIGHTING to actually GET married. Why try to keep them from being able to do that? Because it’s against some “law” in some book (said The Bible) or some archaic belief system?
Does anyone remember one of the core reasons why people got on those boats hundreds of years ago seeking out the “new land”? If you don’t let me refresh your memory – it was to flee from religious persecution. Does anyone (in the group of those opposed to same sex marriage) remember that as citizens of this country we have a Freedom of Religion? Does anyone (in the group of those opposed) realize that there is (well, supposed to be) a Separation of Church and State in this country?
This is not some country in the Middle-East where our government and some (any) religion are intertwined. Where our “moral-code” is engraved in the laws and customs of the land.
This is The United States of America. Leave these friggin people alone. Let them get married if they want to get married. They’re not bothering anyone when they do it. Get over yourselves and your self-importance.
You’ve seen it everywhere - everyone is using bullet-time in their films, television shows, music videos and ad-campaigns.
Bullet-time is that cool technique used when a director/editor/whoever displays the passage of time in slow or frozen moments in order to allow his/her audience to observe the details of otherwise fleeting events (like the path of a flying bullet).
Recently 
launched an ad-campaign (Dream Kitchen for Everyone) with an accompanying website. You can check it out HERE.
In my opinion, this is the best use/display of this technology to come along in quite a while. You can navigate from model kitchen to model kitchen as if you were passing from room to room. All the while getting a good view of the various aspects of their “packaged” kitchen setups (kinda like the Rooms-To-Go stores you see down south. When my wife and I lived in Florida – those stores were EVERYWHERE).
Check out the website. If you have an appreciation for things like this, you will not be disappointed. Plus – it’s got good background music on a loop as well.
Some other uses of bullet-time you may have seen in the last 10 years or so:
Movies: (various fight scenes)
- The BLADE trilogy
- The Matrix Trilogy
- The Mission Impossible trilogy
- Charlie’s Angels (both)
- Wing Commander
- Lost in Space
TV:
- The opening sequence for the Howard Stern Show on E!
- Various GAP commercials
- The Simpsons (yeah it’s animated but it’s a spoof on the overuse of bullet-time)
- NFL broadcasts use it for a new way to show instant replay ( I believe CBS, FOX and ABC all use it – but I could be wrong and it’s only ABC on Monday Nights)
. . . .and countless video games use this technique as well.
Just in case the link above does not work – you can check out this site HERE
SGT Santos A. Cardona got – 90 days hard labor (which SUCKS) – reduction in rank – reduction in pay – and a GPLD (taking of his money) $600 per month for 12 months.
Essentially he , as a dog handler, let his dog get close to an Iraqi detainee and ordered him to (aggressive) bark.
Cardona was charged with Dereliction of Duty and aggravated assault (for allowing his dog to bark in the face of the kneeling detainee at the request of another soldier that wasn’t an interrogator).
He was acquitted of other charges (unlawfully having a trained dog bite a detainee and conspiring to frighten prisoners.)
Army Sgt. Santos A. Cardona leaves the magistrate court in Ft. Meade, Md., Monday, May 22, 2006, after a court martial hearing accusing Cardona of abusing Iraqi prisoners with his Belgian shepherd dog, Duco. Cardona, 32, of Fullerton, Calif., was convicted of dereliction of duty and aggravated assault for allowing his dog to bark within inches of a prisoner's face.
(AP Photo/Matt Houston)
Outfits like this get folks in trouble with their ISPs.
We all used switches and routers with our Broadband modems before the ISPs “allowed” us to – in order to put more than one system at home on the web.
But these guys offer a service that most definitely violates the agreement you have with your ISP pertaining to hosting web sites/email etc on a home/personal account.
My guess is this is a fly by night outfit that will most certainly get some folks in trouble (if ISPs don’t already have them in litigation that is)
Besides with the opening sentence on your “professional web site like this We provides reliable DNS Services free you know it’s a couple of chuckle-heads running this outfit out of their basement. Yes that’s right I <of all people> am pointing out an error in someone’s spelling.
If you want to take the risk – – I put a hyper-link behind the logo up top.