"So, we're the what now?"

Team names, especially when it comes to the pros, can be pretty bland. Though every once in a while, you do get the odd ball.

On the one hand, you have the Giants (NY and SF), variations on Bears (Cubs and Grizzlies), and of course all the cats (Bengals, Tigers, Jaguars, Panthers, etc.). There also tend to be a lot of birds (Cardinals, Eagles, Thrashers, Falcons).

On the other hand, you have those select franchises that want to tread the unbeaten paths. You have your Lightning, Heat, Wild, Magic, and Avalanche. A team like the Dodgers is unusual, but there's a whole back story behind that, and it's been around so long, it's just accepted. And given these names, you have to try really hard to get original.

Well, you've gotta hand it to those crazy Texans. I mean, soccer team names can be kind of odd: United. FC. But Houston 1836? That's a new one for us Americans. Formerly the San Jose Earthquakes, the team moved to Houston this offseason and needed a new name, seeing as how earthquakes are pretty uncommon in Houston. After much debate, the team was named after the year Houston was founded. Now, there are German teams with a numbers in their names, but again, not here in the New World. Here's a pic of the logo.


I gotta say, though - I think it's a pretty cool name. Houston 1836. It's got a certain ring to it that Drew 1978 just doesn't have. I'd say that I just might have to add another jersey to my collection, or a hat, at the very least. But I gotta get my Galaxy kit first, and to be honest, I dunno if I wanna give any Texans the satisfaction.

Get the Rimshot Ready

With the Super Bowl now less than two weeks away, and seeing as how the teams have been set, it's high time everyone starts to think about their Super Bowl Parties.

Of course, you could go the pizza route, but if you want something delivered, order early. Really early. Or, you could go with something like the chains where you order the pizza so you can take it home and cook it. Take out would work, if you order in the morning and pick up. Or heck, ask them to under cook it the night before, and then stuff it in the over before the game!

I've never had the chance to go the fast food route. Just buy a bunch of Famous Stars or Quarter Pounders. Maybe that might work. Have some fries.... Or if there's a Weinershnitzel nearby....

But then there's the good ol' BBQ. You might have hot dogs. And how can you refuse a nice "steamed ham?" (It's a regional dialect. Upstate New York. Not from Utica, no. It's an... Albany expression.) For those of you that don't speak Simpson, a "steamed ham" is a way of referring to a 1/4 lb. patty on a bun. Or if you wanna take your time - some slow cooked pork in BBQ sauce. Mmmmm - tasy! You'd be able to call them Ben Roethlis-Burgers and Matt Baby Hassel-Back Ribs!


For those of you who may be wondering (or are very confused):
Yes. I did in fact write this entire post in order to make very bad football/food fusion puns. And I was able to slip in a Simpson gag for good measure. I'm not very proud, but I am prouder than I should be.

And I can live with that.

It's January 20th

Happy Birthday

Lisa !!!

So, send her a note. Post on her Blog. Smack her in the
back of the head (but be festive about it). She deserves it!

Way to not die, Lis! Keep it up!

= D

And Now...

A moment from FoxTrot:

This comic always has these kinds of moments, and like Family Guy, I love them for it.

Another Reason I Hate People

I'm at work, checking up on things on Google News* when I come across the headline: "What Scientists Hope to Learn From a Wisp of Comet Dust." Which, of course, makes me wonder: "What do they hope to find?" Which leads to: "Something useful?" Which in turn makes me ask: "How long until space exploration is privately funded?"

I mean, we already have Virgin Galactic courtesy of "that Branson bloke" and last year's X-Prize winners. So it seems the development of global travel via space is going to be taken private. Next step, moon holidays?

And speaking of the moon, we all know there are large bounties of resources beyond our planet, and eventually, someone's gonna wanna go get 'em. What if there's something valuable/useful in that comet's tail? What if there're other things we could use out there? On the moon? On an asteroid? On Mars? On any other planet?

How long until a cement company really wants to go to the moon? Why put up with ever more stringent environmental contraints on your quarries and mining processes when you can just go somewhere with no environment to speak of?

And then there's waste disposal! Just imagine - collect everyone's trash, put it all in a rocket, and off she goes. Question is, do we fire it off into the asteroid belt to be obliterated, or just send it off into the biggest incinerator in the Solar System? Make a huge mess, or potentially screw with the Sun's chemistry? You know there'll be someone down the line who'd be willing to make that decision, and also willing to make the "our waste is killing our planet, but if we send it off the planet..." argument and who'd be willing to provide the service at a reasonable fee.

Or what if a company wants to make a huge real estate coup and lay claim to another planet? Disney's Pluto. Talk about Space Mountain! Or screw Venus - now it's G-nus!

But the bigger questions are: Who's gonna stop it? Who's gonna control it? And environmentally - right now we're all working with stuff found here on Earth. What happens when we start to import and process large quantities of extra-terrestrial matter? Will our eco-systems be able to handle the new materials and wastes? Will we, as an "intelligent" species, care as long as we can have Moon Slate marking the path to our front door?

I know it all sounds pretty silly right here, right now. My style tends not to mitigate the silliness. And heck, this is coming from the guy who hates the woman on the TV commercial, waits on pins and needles for Endless Shrimp at Red Lobster, and is seriously considering his costume options for the coming "International Talk Like a Pirate Day" (only 245 days!).

Fact is, though, we've faced, and continue to face, these kinds of questions right here, right now. When it comes to mining places like the rainforests, the oceans, and large tracts of undeveloped land** in search of the things we "need," we're already making tough decisions, sometimes at an unforseen or rationalized cost. And if it comes to privatization and profit, I'm personally not too comfortable with where our collective heads are.

Wow. Read one stinking headline and all of a sudden, I'm an environmental crusader. I should stick to the sports and entertainment sections. This blows. Funny thing is - I never even got around to reading the article.



*Damn you Google and your enfuriating propensity to provide services which I find useful! I've still got my eye on you. But two quotes come to mind:
"I pure straight HATE you [Google]. But Goddammit, I respect you!"
And to wax William Wallace: "You can give me my news, but you will never have... my e-maaaaail!"

**Trying really hard not to make the Python joke, here.

My Stanford Fund

So, I remembered the that the new Stanford Stadium project is on the way and I head on over to the web site so I can see shots from the WebCam.

And while I'm checking out all the angles, I notice there's a 3d video of the stadium. Cool! So I'm watching as the stadium fills in goes in closer and start to rotate, and I think "This is gonna be fun wh...." And it hits me:

This stadium business is gonna cost me at least $100. Probably about $400-$500.

'Cause I gotta go out, get a new NCAAinsert-year-here game so I can have the new stadium. And since All-NCAA QB Drew Arballo has a story book career for Stanford (Go Card!) before dominating in the NFL (in SF, 'cause it's close and practically the entire O-line are former team-mates), I gotta go out and get the corresponding new Madden. At least $100 right there.

But hold on. The new PS3 is most likely going to be hitting the shelves soon, so I may just have to get me one of those. Another $300 on top of the games (if I'm lucky).

Dangit! At least it'll be fun.

For the record:

I hate Donovan McNabb's mom.

Yeah, I said it.

Those damn, stupid Chunky Soup commercials. Every time I see one, I lose more respect for the guy. And if I ever see that woman on the street... God help me, I may just punch her in the face.



The commercials are silly. No, wait - I actually like silly. They're stupid. Childish. Simplistic. Devoid of any true creativity or intelligence. And as annoying as all get out. And it's a shame 'cause some of the soups are good!

And that woman! I HATE that woman. I hope that's just some actress, 'cause if it's not, then I really do hate Donovan's mom, and that'd be sad. I'd do the research, but I don't want to find out the worst.

Anyway, I think I'm done ranting now.

Ummm...

Not to be insensitvie or a jerk or anything, and I understand the intent and the actual audience, but...

This strike anyone else as a little... odd?



Just wondering.

Depending on Your Mood

(in an outrageous "African" accent)

Merry New Year !!!!