Wacky News Stories

My goodness .... August already! Summer's almost over ... sigh.

1. On a woman dying after receiving injections of silicone to the buttocks:
"Sure she might be dead, but what a nice ass!"
http://www.aolnews.com/article/woman-dies-after-receiving-silicone-injections-to-buttocks/19576192

2. On the Gamerator - a mix between and arcade machine and a kegerator:
"My God ... this may indeed be the greatest creation ever!"
http://www.thegamerator.com/index.htm

3. On a wife who found out about her husband's second marriage in Disneyland on Facebook:
Oh, that's just plain 'Goofy!'"
http://www.wesh.com/news/24452059/detail.html

4. On a city penalizing a handicapped man who wants to run a marijuana dispensary out of his storefront ... because they say it's not handicapped accessible:
"That handicapped guy better stop using what he sells."
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2010/07/pot_dispensary_handicapped.php

5. On a man who was arrested for pushing a stroller whilst intoxicated:
"The baby was taken in as an accomplice ..."
http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-news-mansfield-ohio-man-arrested-drunken-stroller-pushing,0,4308578.story

Dope or Nope ...

Most people like dipping their fries in ketchup, right? There are a few "tortured" souls who enjoy dipping fries in mustard ... but what about those who like dipping their fries in mayonnaise? I've talked to two people in the last few weeks who swear by this.

I can't even fathom it - fries and ketchup go together like Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, and Reilly and Ferrell. Adding mayo to fries is like putting Ellen on American Idol as a judge ... just a terrible idea entirely.

So, what are your thoughts? Dope or nope?

Song of the Week ...

Tegan and Sara did a song covered by the White Stripes called "Walking with a Ghost." Usually, remakes of originals never quite live up to or surpass the original (take, for example, Guns and Roses' remake of Live and Let Die). And, even though Jack White is immensely talented, his remake of this Tegan and Sara song is sub-par (probably because his ex-wife ... or girlfriend ... or whatever she is, has no talent).

From Wikipedia - Tegan and Sara is a Canadian indie pop/indie rock/New Wave band led by identical twins Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Kiersten Quin (born September 19, 1980). Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write songs, most often separately. Whoever writes each song typically sings the lead vocals for it.The band has released six studio albums since 1999, most recently Sainthood in 2009.

I'll be honest, I haven't really heard any of their other music, but this song stuck with me. Great chorus ... a little light on the drums, but good supporting instrumentals in the background. It's a song that sticks in your head.

80's Corner

Back in the day, we didn't have cd writers for computers ... nope, we didn't even have 3 1/2 inch diskettes. Nope, we had these 5 1/4 inch floppy diskettes - lots and lots of them. I remember buying them all the time up at the local K-Mart. The single-sided, double density ones were the best, because you could get a hole-puncher, and punch a hole on the one side of the diskette and make it double-sided - we were genius!

We "burned" all kinds of Commodore 64 games onto these disks, with the help of "pirate disks," with names like "Mr. Hacker." My goodness, I probably accumulated hundreds of C-64 games like this!

These were indeed the good old days!

Fast Food Corner

I've probably blogged about this before, but is there a better fast-food chicken sandwich than Burger King's original chicken sandwich? It's kind of crazy, isn't it? I mean, this sandwich was introduced in the 1970's, and hasn't changed much in the 30+ years it's been around.

It's simple, but effective, really. A breaded chicken breast (I'm sure it's processed - how could they get a breast to look so much like a patty - but, to me it doesn't matter). They put some mayonnaise and lettuce on (the lettuce probably to make it seem healthy), and toast the sesame-seed roll. And for some reason, nothing compares to this, and nobody can seem to duplicate it. This is one area where McDonalds falls far behind (Chick Fil-A does a good job with their own sandwiches, though).

Now, if Burger King could only make some good fries ...

Stoppage Time ...

Just some random thoughts I had creepin' and crawlin' inside my melon:

* God, I miss the pre-teen splash party ... it was the coolest thing when I was a kid. We got to go swimming at night, watch a movie at the pool, and had all kinds of contests, like the water balloon toss, and the egg and spoon races. Things were so much simpler then ... sigh!

* Tiger Woods is probably secretly thanking LeBron James for being a more egotistical jerk than he is.

* Hank Williams, I am indeed ready for some football!

* Has anybody else heard of this alcohol concoction - 1 case of bad beer (Natural Light will do), 1 case of 7-up, 1/2 gallon of vodka, and a container of Country Tieme Lemonade mix? I had it for the first time last weekend, and it was REALLY good, and REALLY potent ... I just didn't like the name that was given to this - "Mr. Skippy." There's gotta be a better name, right?

* The Rolling Stones are touring again next year ... I'm torn. I've seen them every tour since Steel Wheels, and they are my favorite Rock and Roll band in the world ... but my goodness, they're going to be near 70 ... This has gotta be their last tour (I've been saying that every tour since 1989, strangely enough), so I should probably go, right?

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's weekly homework assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: It was a bad burn. Tell about the worst sunburn you ever received. How did that happen!?!

Well, to be honest, I've never had a really bad sunburn ... oh don't get me wrong - I'm fair skinned, and could easily burn, but I've done pretty well protecting myself over the years (and after repeated exposure, I tan pretty well).

So ... I have a friend who probably takes the cake. We'll call him "The Reverend." For our senior week in high school, a group of us took a trip to Cancun, Mexico. It was awesome! And, it was also quite hot - a very dry heat ... one that sneaks up on you. I was warned about this. So were all of my friends. Most took it to heart. The Reverend didn't.

He was sitting under an umbrella the first day we arrived. We all jumped in the pool, and he decided to relax. Rev fell asleep ... for about an hour. And unfortunately, the sun shifted ... and his legs were exposed ... and they were exposed for a good 1/2 hour before he even noticed. By that point, his skin was an unhealthy pink.

The unhealthy pink continued to get darker pink, until his legs looked as if he was wearing purple leotards. He claimed he felt no pain that evening and night ... but the next morning, he rolled over, and let out a yelp as if a dog had gotten its tail caught in the hinge of a car door ... except his yelp was longer. Poor Rev could only lay there and swallow the pain for hours before doing anything about it. It was the worst case of sunburn I'd ever seen ... but all the credit in the world goes to the Reverend - he found a way to still enjoy the rest of senior week.

Wacky News Stories

Yep ... still really, really hot ...

1. On french fries in Germany possibly being significantly shorter this year due to the heatwave that has baked Germany and much of Europe this month:
"Good thing Hitler isn't the dictator there anymore ... the French would be in BIG trouble ..."
http://www.latimes.com/features/odd-news/la-odd-german-fries-reuters,0,6780559.story

2. On the "invention" of the Candwich - a sandwich in a can that looks like a soda:
"In order to eat this, I'll have to have a bag of soda though ..."
http://markonefoods.com/

3. On WalMart putting radio tags in clothes:
"Wait, maybe Hitler isn't dead yet ..."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704421304575383213061198090.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird

4. On a Vancouver police officer apologizing after he was caught on video tape pushing a woman with multiple sclerosis down to the ground:
"Wait, when did Barry Bonds become a police officer in Vancouver?"
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/839218--vancouver-cop-apologizes-for-pushing-disabled-woman

5. On the underground revival of cassette tapes:
"Can 5 1/4 inch diskettes be far behind?!?!?!?!?
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/07/23/the_underground_is_rewinding_to_revive_the_cassette/

Dope or Nope ...

I may have used this one before, but who cares ... most people like chicken salad, right? You know - the traditional chicken salad with chunks of chicken, onions, and other stuff mixed with mayo. It's good on rolls, rye bread, or even by itself.

Well, some people just can't leave good enough alone ... some of these "healthy" stores add grapes and other fruit to chicken salad. To me, that is a total 100% nope - I can't stand fruit with my chicken salad - it just doesn't seem .... umm .... natural.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Do you like chicken salad with fruit in it? Or is this a big nope?

80's Corner

Ladies, do you remember the Epilady? It was this "revolutionary" device to help you remove hair from your legs for months. The commercial made it look easy, but from what I was told, this device would grab your leg-hair, and violently rip it out of your legs by the root.

Somehow, that was never conveyed in the commercials. Everybody who used it was smiling ... no hint of discomfort whatsoever. But this device was a pretty popular fad for a little while.

Song of the Week...

Hockey ... one of my favorite posts ... but I just found out, it's also a name of a band. The song "Song Away" is the one they're currently pushing. It's got a Stones feel, with regards to the guitar riffs. The lyrics are kind of goofy, and I'm not really sure what they mean (probably nothing).

The video is pretty funny, in that it takes place in someone's basement during a party - and there is an awkward kid trying to get the guts up to talk to a girl, and when he finally does, the basement party picks (my god, it's like they actually recorded my teen-age life!).

Unfortunately, Youtube won't let me embed the official video, but here's the song:

Fast Food Corner

Ice ... doesn't seem like a big deal, does it? But when it comes to putting ice in a soda, it really is, apparently. Wendy's seems to be the worst culprit about over-icing a soda (adding too much ice into a cup, in order to save money on soda). Wendy's has those huge ice cubes that take up tons of space. All other fast food places seem to have the big cubes as well, again, probably to save money. On a side note, did you know there was a time when these fast food restaurants used shaved ice? It was awesome - I love shaved ice. I guess it wasn't too cost effective ... but, I digress.

A couple of years ago, I went to Chick Fil-A and got some sort of combo meal. Chick Fil-A is normally pretty good with their ice-to-soda ratio, but for some reason in this store, they basically gave me a cup of ice with just a little bit of soda. Being the passive-aggressive person that I am, I went to the Chick-Fil-A website, and complained. About a week later, I received a letter from Chick Fil-A. First, it included a coupon for a free combo meal (gotta love Chick-Fil-A!). But, it also included a letter apologizing, and also explaining some sort of mathematical equation Chick-Fil-A uses to determine the right amount of ice for a cup of soda.

That was pretty cool, but the letter went on to explain how more ice is needed for iced-tea, and again gave reasons. I had no idea there was science behind keeping your drink cold. Isn't Chick-Fil-A awesome?

Umm .... what?!?!?

As many of you know, the wife and I are expecting our first baby ... we're about 21 weeks along now. We had our big ultrasound last week, and everything went great ... except one "tiny" surprise.

You see, we had a 12-week ultrasound, and our fertility doctor informed us that we were having a boy. So, for 8 weeks or so, we had been coming up with boy names ... we found a handful we liked - names such as Reiner, Aleksander, Owen, Grant, Braden ...

Here's the thing ... in our 20-week ultrasound, the nurse informed us that we were having a girl. Truthfully, I have no preference. If the baby is healthy, I'm ok with either sex. But, now I gotta come up with female names ... so, if you have any suggestions, let me know! Keep 'em clean, by the way!

Wacky News Stories

I'm melting ... I'M MELTING!!!

1. On a of a FedEx tractor-trailer rig choking on some spicy pork rinds, losing control of his truck on an interstate and jackknifing it before coming to a stop in a muddy ditch:
"Gives a whole new meaning to the term 'What can brown do for you ...'"
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/bizarre/7105813.html

2. On a man getting a DUI whilst riding a lawn mower:
" I thought the concrete was getting a bit long ..."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/bizarre/7098779.html

3. On an argument over butter in a macaroni and cheese recipe turning into violence between a brother and sister:
"Gives a whole new meaning to the term, 'I can't believe it's not butter!'"
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/bizarre/7064767.html

4. On unwelcome feral cats being spotted at Bush library site:
"They claimed they smelled something fishy ..."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/bizarre/6968497.html

5. On an Iowa teen wearing a bubble gum wrapper dress to prom:
"I'm hoping those aren't Big League Chew wrappers ..."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/moms/6956300.html

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's weekly homework assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Write about your wedding song. What was it and why did you choose it?

Our wedding song was "All I want is you" by U2. If I had my way exclusively? Sure, I probably would've chosen a Stones song, but hey - life is a compromise. And the compromise was this - we can have a Stones song for the bridal party dance. The choice for that one was obvious - "Waiting on a Friend."

But, why did we choose a U2 song? Well, that again is a compromise. If we throw the Stones out from my side, then we have to throw Madonna out from the wife's side, and then we'd have to throw out The Who from my side, and we'd throw out Janet Jackson from the wife's side ... and so on, and so on, and so on ... until we reached U2. Well, both of us really like U2, and they had a couple of good contenders for songs.

"One" is probably far too popular of a song to have as a wedding dance. But "ALL I Want Is You" gets forgotten quite a bit. The lyrics are fantastic and memorable, and it's just a really good song to slow dance to. I'm happy with our choice, personally.


You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
You say you want
Your story to remain untold

But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you

You say you'll give me
A highway with no one on it
Treasure just to look upon it
All the riches in the night

You say you'll give me
Eyes in a moon of blindness
A river in a time of dryness
A harbour in the tempest
But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you

You say you want
Your love to work out right
To last with me through the night

You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold

All the promises we break
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you

You...all I want is...
You...all I want is...
You...all I want is...
You...

Dope or Nope ...

It seems like every time I watch a baseball game now, I notice fans in the background on their cell phones waving at the camera, or making some stupid face at the camera. I HATE THIS! If I ever had seats in a location in which I had a good chance of being on camera, I doubt I'd even notice the camera ... I can't stand this! The last thing I need to see when I'm watching sports is fans on their cell phones asking their friends if they can see them on TV. It takes away from the game in my opinion.

What are your thoughts? Do you like this? If you were at a game and the camera was pointing at you (at least in the background), would you dial a friend?

80's Corner

Remember Laser Tag? Yep - it started in the 1980's, and you could actually buy laser tag gear in places like WalMart, K-Mart and the like. I doubt you can do this anymore, but they do have Laser Tag "arenas" around the country, where you can take your laser tag skills and see how they compare to others ... I think we have one in the King of Prussia Mall (or at least we used to have one).

My friends and I all had Laser tag gear, but all we had was the gun and the hit-counter thingy that you placed around your chest. In the outside, Laser tag wasn't very good - I don't think the hit counter thingy performed well in the outside, but I hear it's supposed to be pretty cool indoors.

Ah, I can still remember running around with my laser tag gear and my acid-washed jeans ... good times.

Song of the Week ...

The D4 is an Australian rock band that had moderate success in Europe, and hardly any success in the States (shocking, I know). Surprisingly, I discovered this band when I was in a Tower Records store about 9 years ago (god, I miss Tower) ... they were one of the featured artists that Tower was displaying, and I sampled the CD, and immediately purchased it.

The band is very raw, and almost "garage-ey," but definitely a little more refined. They've only released a couple of albums, but it seems they've been influenced by bands like the Ramones (and even possibly the White Stripes ... although, they seem to have come out around the same time).

Their album, 6Twenty, is a pretty good listen all the way through. The one song I particularly enjoy is called "Heartbreaker." Starts off with a rolling drum beat and bass, and builds into a very cool chorus of "I wish I never would've met you at all," while the lead singers screams "Cryin'" over and over. Another great song overlooked by American mainstream radio.

Fast Food Corner

Boston Market was once named Boston Chicken ... back in the day when they only served ... you guessed it ... chicken! Sure they sell other foods, like ... gulp ... ham, but in my opinion, they still do chicken the best.

My favorite meal is the chicken carver sandwich. Believe it or not, it's actually on the "healthier" side, as far as fast food goes. Here's the way it's described on the Boston Market website - Rotisserie chicken with dijon mayo, cheddar, tomatoes and greens on a white or multi-grain roll.

They do a pretty good job of piling on the chicken, so you should probably get a fork, so that you can easily pick up the chicken that has fallen from the roll. And speaking of the roll, it is of really good quality (as I've said before, the roll is the most underrated important part of a sandwich).

I usually get it with a side of corn ... now I'm pretty sure the corn isn't the healthiest, because it tastes REALLY buttery, but that's the way I like it. Just plain delicious - and more of a guilt-free fast-food eating experience.

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's Weekly Homework Assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Write a funny story involving socks.

My college roommates and I hardly ever agreed about music ... well, let's just say I hardly ever agreed with them on music. I was (and still am) an HUGE Rolling Stones fan, and many a night, we'd have a similar argument as to which band is the greatest rock band of all time.

This one particular evening, as I was boiling some noodles, my roommate "Mung," probably just trying to get under my skin, proclaimed that Nine Inch Nails is the best band of all time. This immediately threw me into a tizzy ... how could he possibly claim that a band that had only been around for a handful of years was better than a legendary band that, at the time was celebrating 30 years in the business?!?!?!?

We argued, screamed, yelled, and cursed each other ... and this went on and on until my noodles were done boiling. I proceeded to continue arguing as I strained the noodles ... unfortunately, I didn't strain them in the sink. In all of the commotion, I forgot what I was doing, and ending up straining the scalding hot water onto my feet! Now, thankfully, I had socks on, and I think this helped to keep the burning to a minimum.

The good news is that the argument ended pretty quickly after that ....

Dope or Nope ...

LeBron James is the current king of basketball ... many, many kids look to him as a role model and hero. However, what he did this past week was certainly controversial. Basically, he decided that he needed a 1-hour tv special to announce his free agency intentions. Never before has something like this happened.

In a sense, he let down the city of Cleveland by leaving for Miami. Two schools of thought here - LeBron was interested in winning a championship, and decided to skip the max contract and the chance to be "The Man" in Cleveland (or Chicago or New York), so that he could play on a "super team" to win championships. OR, Lebron is a self-centered jerk, who could care less about his home-town, and only cares about himself, and this is why he decided he needed a 1-hour special to make his announcement, thus screwing his city on national television.

So, what are your thoughts? Did LeBron do the right thing? Dope or Nope?

80's Corner

We all have MP3 players that we carry around, work out with, plug into our car, but there was a time when we didn't have MP3 players ... oh it's true ... it's damn true! Back in the day, we had transistor radios which we carried around ... they sucked. Sony realized this, and created the Walkman. There were all kinds of Walkman players - some with cassettes, some with cds, and some with just the radio.

It was awesome - now, we could play our own music on the go! We could jog and listen to the latest Foreigner cassette (cds sometimes skipped with a bunch of movement), and didn't have to carry those annoying transistor radios with those long antennas around anymore. We were in heaven! Could life get any better ... apparently so. But still!

Song of the Week ...

Van Halen is an interesting band ... Lindsay Lohan thinks this band is unstable. Eddie Van Halen can't seem to decide on which lead singer (or bass player) to keep in the band, and the antics of this entire band has probably kept them from becoming an even bigger super group over the years.

Still, they are very resilient. They started with David Lee Roth, and had much success. When Roth decided he was too big for the band, they plugged in Sammy Hagar, and became a different band (sound-wise), and were still successful. Then, when they produced their first greatest hits album, they brought Dave back for a couple of songs, which angered Sammy. Then, they made amends with Sammy, which angered Dave. Then, they threw Sammy and Michael Anthony out of the band, and brought Dave back, along with Wolfgang Van Halen (on bass). Phew ...

Anyway, they haven't really produced much music in recent years, which is sad. But there are a couple of relatively "new" songs they did. One was Human Beings (which was on the soundtrack for Twister), and showed the band could still kick it. You hardly ever hear this song, but it rocks, and is probably the last good Van Halen song Sammy will ever be on.

Another great "newer" song is a song Dave recorded on the greatest hits album, called "Me Wise Magic," and it showed that the band could go back in time and have a little fun. It also showed that Dave could still hit the high notes. I'm wondering if they'll produce more music with Dave ...



Humans Being


Me Wise Magic

Fast Food Corner

About a month ago, I mentioned that Chick Fil-A was adding a new menu item - the spicy chicken sandwich. As you may remember, I had my doubts ... Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich is far from hot or spicy. I didn't expect much from Chick Fil-A's version.

Folks, while not overpowering, it certainly provides some punch. The heat is just right, and is a terrific addition to the Chick Fil-A lineup. No, I did not produce any sweat when I ate it (usually a good tell-tale sign that the food is spicy), but that's ok. For a fast-food restaurant, this was a heckuva "production." I was very impressed with it.

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's Weekly Homework Assignment. This week, I chose the following prompt: A collector you know.

I have a friend who is absolutely nuts about collecting autographs. He routinely waits outside the major stadiums in South Philly, getting famous athlete's autographs. He's done it for years. I remember going to a Sixers game with him when we were in high school, and waiting by the players' entrance/exit ramp for autographs - I remember getting a couple of autographs from some no name Boston Celtics players.

He's gotten autographs of famous actors too. Philly has been alive with movie and TV show tapings the past 10 years or so, and my friend has taken full advantage of this. I believe not long ago, he actually got Mark Walberg's autograph.

It's never been a big deal to me. I mean, I have a few autographed pictures of athletes, but it's not a priority in my life. I'm not enamored by this is what I'm saying. Heck, I worked as a PR intern for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1996, and met many, many famous people. I never had the urge to get an autograph. In fact, I'd rather not be "that guy." It just seems like many of these autograph hounds are royal pains in the butts.

But, hey, I guess it's a better hobby than drug use, right?

Wacky News Stories

My God ... 100 degrees! Is there anything more to say?

1. On a mother and a daycare teacher trying desperately to free a 15-month-old baby boy from a locked car in the scorching heat Monday after emergency services refused to send help:
"Hmmmph ... looks like 911 has even outsourced their services overseas ..."
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/07/06/14623696.html

2. On a quarrel between occupants of two vehicles at a McDonald's restaurant drive-through in southern Finland erupting in gunfire Tuesday, leaving three men dead:
"Guess we can't really laugh at that 'Give me back that Filet-o-Fish' commercial anymore, can we?"
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/07/06/finland.shooting/index.html?hpt=T2

3. On a Porn star offering oral sex to Twitter followers if Dutch win World Cup:
"What happens if the Germans win?"
http://guyism.com/2010/07/bobbi-eden-dutch-porn-star-offers-sex-to-twitter-followers.html

4. On a fire at a New Hampton telemarketing office causing minor damage:
"See, this is where you wish the 911 operators would refuse to assist ..."
http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/97856404.html

5. On a man who was arrested for masturbating in the electronics department at Walmart:
http://www.wdsu.com/news/24141800/detail.html

Dope or Nope ...

Bluetooth headsets. Need I say more? Probably not, but I will. You've seen people walking up and down the street with them on. What are your thoughts? Personally, I'm not a fan of this. If you're walking down the street, and you have a bluetooth headset on, and you're talking on it, it looks like you're talking to yourself, and you should be in an insane asylum.

I have no problems with the headsets in the car. I think this is a MUCH better option than driving and holding your phone up to your ear ... just my personal opinion. I have a headset, and I ONLY use it when I'm driving. (Oh, and don't get me started on the driving texters ...).

So, what are your thoughts?

80's Corner

Here's something interesting that I found. Do you realize that Microsoft Word first made it's debut in the 1980's? Pretty fascinating, huh? I remember having some kind of word processing software for my Commodore 64 that I NEVER used ... I only played games on the Commodore. Anyway, I can't remember what the software program was.

But, here's what PC World had to say about Microsoft Word 2.0 - This second version of the world's most popular word processing software—well, now at least—boasted an expanded Spell dictionary, better integration of the mouse, and some really long load and save times.

Good times indeed! Now, we have a ribbon ...

Song of the Week ...

A band that just never seemed to peak ... well, I guess that could describe a bunch of bands. But, was there another band as hot as Tears for Fears in the mid 1980's? They just seemed to have that "it" sound ... like we'd be hearing a lot more from them. Sad that they couldn't get along (and their solo stuff, for the most part, was uninspiring).

Now that we're smack dab in the middle of the summer, a song that reminds me of this time of year is their uber-hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." The opening screams summer-time ... almost like something you'd hear in a Beach Boys song. The title of the song itself gives you what the song is about - a quote from Curt Smith (a band member) - "The concept is quite serious – it's about everybody wanting power, about warfare and the misery it causes."

But for some reason, I don't get misery out of this song. Maybe it's because it was played at the end of Real Genius (by the way, if you've never seen this movie, I don't know if I can be friends with you). Maybe, it's because ... well, it came out in the summer-time, and when I was growing up, I LOVED the summer (who didn't?).

Fast Food Corner

It's summer-time ... and that means one thing ... MILK SHAKES!!!!! The fast food chains have 'em. Now, I normally don't go to a fast-food place for milkshakes. In and around the Philly area, there are many, many better options. But, I have, on the occasion broken down and tried milkshakes at fast-food restaurants.

Wendy's, in my opinion, is probably the best. Their Frosty kicks some serious butt. Not too hard, and not too soft. Plus, it tastes like real ice cream. AND, if you want fancy, Wendy's has fancy milkshakes too (I've not tried these yet, though).

McDonalds probably has the most disappointing milk shake. First, I'm not sure if they even have milk in it. Second, it's WAY too hard - you could get an aneurysm trying to suck the shake through a straw. And, it's a little too sweet for some reason. McDonalds seems to have done an overhaul on other items, like their coffee. Why not overhaul the shake?

The one place I want to try is Sonic - they probably have a great milk shake. And, as of right now, it's still too far of a drive to just get a shake at Sonic (but soon, I think we're getting a Sonic in good ol' Delco!!!!).

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's Weekly Homework Assignment. This week, I chose the following post: Write a poem about a memory you sometimes wish would disappear.


The fourth of July ...
A day to hold your head up high ...

But on that day, my brother did die.
And sometimes I still question why.

I try not to think about it.
But to this day, I can't understand why he quit.

He thought he took the easy way out.
But he never really thought about ...

The family and friends that still mourn to this day.
There really must've been another way.

On the fourth, I'll probably raise a shot or two.
Because, brother, I really do miss you.

Wacky News Stories

Happy 4th of July weekend, all! Grill and eat some great food, and be careful with the fireworks.

1. On former 80s teen pop sensations Debbie Gibson and Tiffany being cast opposite each other in a Syfy original movie.
"Hopefully they'll allow somebody else to do the soundtrack ..."
http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/24/debbie-gibson-and-tiffany-to-appear-in-syfy-film/?hpt=T2

2. On Spirit Airlines ad that feature oil-drenched women in bikinis with the slogan: "Check Out The Oil On Our Beaches."
"Good thing Spirit wasn't around during World War 2 ..."
http://www.couriermail.com.au/travel/news/sexy-spirit-airlines-oil-disaster-ad-sparks-outrage/story-e6freqwo-1225883735645

3. On Kellogg Co. voluntarily recalling about 28 million boxes of Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops and Honey Smacks cereals because an unusual smell and flavor from the packages' liners could make people ill:
"In a related story, they're considering renaming Fruit Loops to Fruit Pukes ... than you, I'll be here all week!"
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/article/wireStory?id=11013306

4. On a 6-year-old Ohio girl who was placed on 'No-Fly' list:
"That'll teach her to build Lego bombs!"
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/26/year-old-ohio-girl-placed-fly-list/?test=latestnews

5. On a man who allegedly entered a woman’s apartment on Thursday night, and pushed the woman around, grabbing $38 out of her purse and demanded she “make him an egg:"
"I'm guessing this theft didn't go "egg-shell-ent."
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/jun/25/make-me-egg-robber-tells-evansville-victim/?partner=popular

Dope or Nope ...

A coworker of mine came up with this one - I think in response to the Joran Van Der Sloot situation. Apparently, Joran (or should I call him Mr. Scumbag) has been getting a lot of marriage proposals since he's been behind bars. This seems to happen everytime some heinous murderer who gets a lot of public attention goes behind bars.

It's happened with Manson and a bunch of his minions. In fact, I think one of the females who went to jail was married 3 different times ... WHILE SHE WAS IN JAIL! Here's my guess as to why this happens - the people doing the proposing (a) want to get their 15 minutes of fame, (b) are mentally unstable themselves, (c) really don't think the person will ever get out of jail and find it kind of funny, or (d) for one reason or other think that there is some good in this jailed numbskull.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Proposing to someone in jail - dope or nope?

80's Corner

I'm pretty sure roller derbies became huge in the 1970's, but I first "discovered" roller derby on ESPN in the early 1980's. Note, this was back when ESPN didn't really have enough options to fill their stations, so they relied on pro wrestling, roller derby, and Australian Rules Football back in the day.

Roller derby was interesting in that I think there were only 4 or 6 teams, and I specifically remember one being called the Bay City Rollers. It was all scripted, much like wrestling. There were "good guy teams" and "bad guy teams," and it usually depended on who the coach was.

I remember there being trades involving "good guys" going to "bad guy" teams, and all kinds of crazy storylines. But, as ESPN grew up, I guess they saw no need in roller derby programming anymore. Sad days indeed. I know that there was some sort of revival going on in roller derby, and I believe they even had a tv contract. Not sure where they stand now.

Song of the Week ...

ACDC is a hard-rockin' band. They don't stray too much in their songs - you get simple, yet great and heavy guitar riffs, adolescent lyrics (I'm not complaining), and a pretty simple yet up-beat drum beat in every song. You know what you're getting (again, I'm not complaining).

There is one song they did in their "earlier" days with their first lead singer Bon Scott (who died the classic rock-star way - via alcohol and drugs). The song - "It's a Long Way to the Top If You Wanna Rock and Roll" is similar in that it has classic ACDC guitar riffs, BUT they include a bag-pipe towards the middle of the song and it takes it to a whole-new level.

Somehow this song is often forgotten by radio stations who seem to focus on the "standards" like "Back in Black" or "Shook Me All Night Long."

Fast Food Corner

I guess theoretically, Panera Bread can't really be considered a "fast-food" place, because the food is ... well ... healthy. However, the concept of fast food is to get your food fast, right? So, if this is the main qualifier, than Panera is indeed a "fast-food" place because they get you the food fast.

Now, this is not my normal idea of fast food, but I don't mind going there from time-to-time. I went there this past Friday, and ordered one of their "two-fors," which basically gives you the option to purchase 2 of the following - soup, salad, or sandwich.

I chose the soup and sandwich. The sandwich was some sort of turkey and bacon sandwich with a honeyish spread, on some sort of white/wheat bread. The sandwich was forgettable. But, the soup wasn't.

Panera makes a damn good french onion soup ... sure, sure, it's not a difficult soup to make ... BUT, it is a difficult soup to make "perfect." Panera does it well. The cheese is perfectly melted, and not burnt. They throw just enough croutons (or whatever the bread-like stuff is in the soup) as to not overwhelm the soup. Just a perfect piece of soup. Next time, I'll probably just forget about the sandwich and just get an extra-large bowl of the soup.

Breaking News !!!!

Big news, folks ... after a few years of trying, the wife and I have finally done it ... and God help us all! Yep - we are pregnant (finally)! It looks like the stork could be paying us a visit as soon as Thanksgiving (gulp!). And, it also looks like it may be a boy ... which would mean that I finally have my "mini-me!"

I'll keep y'all posted as we progress through this most exciting time ... and feel free to pass along any tips!

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's Weekly Homework Assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Write a letter to whatever is stopping you from losing the extra weight you’d like to lose.

Dear Oreo Cookies,

Why? Why, oh why do you taunt me? I can make it through an entire day without thinking about you. But, not long after dinner, I hear you calling. At first, it starts with a whisper. I ignore. The whisper gets louder. Beads of sweat begin to accumulate on my forehead.

I go upstairs, running from the inevitable. Maybe if I surf the net for a while, I'll forget about you, Oreo. But you won't let me, will you? The whispers turn into screams, and these screams are answered by the rumbling in my belly.

Like a magnet, I'm attracted to the cabinet where you reside. It seems like there is no force that will be able to prevent me from eating you. You win again, Mr. Oreo ... well played!

Wacky News Stories

Thank goodness for air-conditioning!!!!

1. On incidents of drunkenness plummeting since Budweiser became the only alcohol available at the World Cup:
"See, I knew the South Africans had good taste!"
http://www.thedailymaverick.co.za/article/2010-06-18-open-letter-to-budweiser-please-will-you-sponsor-all-south-african-sport-wholesale-rates-available

2. On a man being jailed for making a bubble with his gum in court:
"BP is considering using this as a solution for the gulf oil mess ..."
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/melbourne-magistrate-jails-man-for-blowing-bubble-in-court/story-e6freooo-1225881131218

3. On Joran van der Sloot's Mom claiming her son is not a murderer:
"Oh, I didn't realize she had another son besides Joran ..."
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/article/exclusive-joran-van-der-sloots-mother-speaks-time/story?id=10935217

4. On a man calling 911 because the stripper he ordered off of Craigslist was too old:
"Looks like we have another great candidate for congress!"
http://www.ocregister.com/news/reported-253482-woman-caller.html

5. On a report that pot smoking can worsen schizophrenia:
"In an unrelated report, lots of drinking can worsen driving ..."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37779968/ns/health-addictions/

Dope or Nope ...

How 'bout those Vuvuzelas (sp) at the World Cup? Lots of news stories on them. It seems like most people are annoyed by them, as they sound like a swarm of hornets. These South Africans blow them the ENTIRE game.

To me, it's not a big deal - it's part of their culture. Plus, after a few minutes, you don't even notice them anymore. Why should we go into South Africa and complain about their culture anyway?

And besides, who are we to complain - we have those absolutely ridiculous thundersticks at basketball games!

80's Corner

The 1980's was the decade of the "Buddy flick." We saw some great movies like Lethal Weapon (Danny Glover and Mel Gibson), numerous Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder movies ... but who could forget (or remember) the "classic" Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell flick called "Tango and Cash?"

OK, truthfully, it ended up being more comedic than anything. There were such "memorable" lines like the following:

Ray Tango: When this is over, we have to pay Jabba the Hutt here a visit.
Gabriel Cash: I'll bring the chainsaw.
Ray Tango: I'll bring the beer.

This happens throughout the movie, folks. There's even a line in the movie when Stallone says, "Rambo's a pu**y." Crazy stuff indeed!

Song of the Week ...

I once followed this local band that became semi popular towards the end of the 1990's. The band, which still exists today but has gone back to being a cover band, is Love Seed Mama Jump. They can pretty much be explained as a party band with uppity and catchy music. We followed them all around the Philadelphia area in the 1990's - they were just plain awesome.

Their first "studio" album is called "Baked Fresh Daily," and is quite entertaining all the way through, with a mix of covers and some great original material, including a song called "Free." It's a "hippie-type" song in its message, but is catchy, simple, and complicated at the same time, with an enjoyable harmonica played throughout the song.

For one reason or another, it was not meant to be for LSMJ. In some ways that's good - for instance, my brother and I got to see Pete Weidmann (sp) play a show recently and chatted with him (Pete is a member of LSMJ, and wrote most of their songs).

There's not much out there on youtube, but here's a video of them that might give you a taste:

Fast Food Corner

I wouldn't call Hibachi a fast food place, but it is a chain. It is similar to Benihanna(sp), in that it is a Chinese/Japanese style restaurant where the chefs cook the food directly at your table. Hibachi also has a sushi section, which is quite nice. Not sure if the the other Hibachi's have this, but the one in Springfield (Delaware County) has an "all-you-can-eat" sushi experience in the downstairs section ... I recommend going there if you are extremely hungry, because the price per person is about $25 ... not outrageous, but not cheap either (you can sometimes find coupons in the clipper magazines).

Anyway, they used to serve the sushi "buffet" style, but now, you order it, which keeps it fresh. Folks, let me telly you, the food is delicious! You have to have the shrimp-fried rice - words cannot describe it. The sushi is above average (or at least the cooked kind that I get), but they also have other non-sushi items on the menu like chicken wings (which are ok at best), and chicken strips in some sort of honey-glaze (which are unbelievably good), and their soups are fantastic too. The service is friendly and relatively quick, and it never seems to be too crowded.

I highly recommend this all-you-can-eat in Springfield!

Wacky News Stories

Can't wait for the "Hot enough for ya?" comments to start!

1. On a study that reports anticipation can raise happiness for weeks before a holiday, but afterward the boost can end quickly:
"In other news, birds have feathers."
http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-vacay-20100613,0,2600430.story

2. On a 6-year-old boy who wandered naked into a bar:
"I guess the parents needed a baby-sitter?"
http://www.wlky.com/news/23865493/detail.html

3. On Pat Robertson telling a woman to make herself look more attractive to stop ‘flirting husband:’
"I can't understand why Pat Robertson is so misunderstood ... no wonder God thinks very highly of him ..."
http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0612/pat-robertson-tells-woman-attractive-stop/

4. On a new study that reports that professors who rate highly among students tend to teach students less, and professors who teach students more tend to get bad ratings from their students:
"In other news, water is wet ..."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/06/study_high-rated_professors_ar.html?hpid=sec-education

5. On Van der Sloot planning to tell where U.S. teen Natalee Holloway is buried:
"He's also planning to tell Bud Selig all the players he sold PED's to."
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Dutchman+tell+where+teen+Natalee+Holloway+buried+report/3142891/story.html

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's weekly homework assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Describe a happy reunion. This one has nothing to do with me ... directly.

I became a Rolling Stones fan in the mid 1980's ... right around the time they released their Dirty Work album. Shortly after this album, the band broke up, and it seemed as if they might not ever get back together. Mick was more interested in his solo career. Keith was so pissed that Mick would leave "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band," that he vowed never to talk to Mick again.

I remember sometime my freshman year of high school wishing that I was born earlier, so I could experience a Stones concert ... something that was probably never going to happen again. Oh well, at least I had their music, right?

However, things began to happen around 1988. Mick's second solo album, Primitive Cool, was a flop. The Stones were being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they actually all agreed to be on stage together. During the ceremony, Mick and Keith actually hit it off again, and ... well, they decided it was time to get the band together, make another album, and put on a monstrous world tour (probably all for me I'm guessing).

The tour was Steel Wheels ... I remember hearing that tickets for the concert in Philly were going on sale the week I was on vacation with my parents in Myrtle Beach. I was pissed and sad! There was no way I'd ever get to see them live again, because obviously, this would be their last world tour (I've seen them 7 more times since, by the way).

As luck would have it, my good friend Johnnay slept out for tickets (remember when we had to do that?), and was able to get me one. It was an historical moment for me .... that summer I got to see the Who AND the Stones! I remember being in line at Veteran's Stadium for the concert (The Stones opened in Philly because their original venue, JFK Stadium was condemned after a Grateful Dead show ... weird) and getting a picture taken by a photographer from Life Magazine ... sadly, the picture never made it to the mag, but that's OK, it was a fantastic show!

I remember the opening band, Living Color - a pretty popular band at the time (it makes sense that they opened, because Mick produced their first album). They were great, but they couldn't hold a candle to the Stones. Mick, Keith, Charlie, Ron, and Bill rocked out - I remember hearing the intro "musical" part of the song Continental Drift ... it kept getting louder and louder, until a loud "Boom!" And, that's when the Stones hit the stage with "Start Me Up!" The rest of the concert is a blur to me, but man did I have a great time!

80's Corner

The 1980's gave us "candy-rock," and "hair-metal" with bands like Cinderella, Poison, Motley Crue, Kix, and yes, even Bon Jovi. It seemed like the more hair and ripped jeans, the better the band.

I've always wondered what the true heavy metal bands of that era thought about the candy-rockers - you know the bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath. Was this the same way that bands like U2, the Stones, and Zeppelin felt of the candy-pop artists?

Dope or Nope

It seems like most cell phone companies offer "mail-in rebates" for popular phones. You buy the phone at the list price, then you send in a receipt with the UPC code, and in 4-6 weeks, you get your rebate. The thing is that most cell phone companies do not give you a check ... nope. Instead, they give you a rebate "gift card," which acts like a credit card.

Seriously, I'd much rather just have the check. Why are you making me use this stupid gift card? Do I even have an option for a check (I believe the answer is no, by the way)? Why do they do this?!?!??!? (I know the answer - so that we can continue buying more, more more!).

How do you feel about this? Shouldn't a rebate be given as a check (or at the very least, shouldn't you be given the option to take the rebate as a check)?

Song of the Week

Cheap Trick often gets forgotten when it comes to "rock." Truthfully, they are more of a power-pop band, known really only for one major song - Surrender, but their catalog of music has many, many great songs.

One song I absolutely can't get enough of is Dream Police - it's along the same lines as Surrender, having a similar beat, and guitar riffs/hooks that could probably be placed in Surrender without anybody knowing the difference ... but that's a good thing, right?

It's just a fun song, light-hearted, and toe-tappingly addicting (which most Cheap Trick songs are, with the exception of "The Flame," which was far more serious than Cheap Trick should ever get ... but I digress ...).

Congrats Cori and Melissa!

I had the pleasure of attending my cousin Cori's wedding on Saturday down near the D.C. area, and we had a great time - it's not often I get to see him, his sister or his parents (my uncle and aunt), so it was extra special.

The ceremony was held outside in a beautiful setting, and was about 15 minutes (which is what every wedding ceremony should be, by the way). The weather was humid, but we managed to stay "cool" with beverages. Just a fantastic beer selection at the reception - Guiness, Magic Hat, and Stell Artois to name a few beers.

The food was fantastic - it included a pasta station, fish station, and a "meat" station which offered the tri-fecta of steak, pork, and turkey (and yes, I partook in the tri-fecta).

Afterwards, we went back to Cori's parents' house for a picnic/barbecue. Good times all around!


The Fam!



Cori and Melissa


My brother and I "chillin.'

Fast Food Corner

As you may have read a few weeks ago, I was quite upset with the folks at Subway because they didn't open their restaurant early enough for breakfast. Well, I finally got a chance to sample the Subway breakfast ... and folks, it was worth the wait!

I ordered myself a double bacon egg and cheese omelet on flat-bread, and my wife ordered some sort of ham, egg, onion, pepper and cheese on a muffin. We both also got a side of hashbrowns. Both our orders came to around $8.00, and it was money well spent.

First, the sandwiches were nowhere near as greasy as McDonalds and Burger King breakfast sandwiches (this is usually not a problem when hung over). They also seemed to just taste fresher. Plus, Subway gives generous side portions of hashbrowns ... and no, they're not as good as McDonalds, but they are a pretty close second.

The price and quality of the breakfasts are outstanding ... now, if they can just open earlier!

Wacky News Stories

Heckuva season, Flyers! Thanks for the memories!

1. On an off-duty Chicago cop who was caught on video downing five shots before getting into his car and killing two people having charges dropped:
"Really, something underhanded going on in Chicago?!?!? Next thing you'll tell me is that water is wet!"
http://www.suntimes.com/2354708,thanksgiving-day-crash-charges-dropped-060410.article

2. On seven seniors at a Southern California high school facing disciplinary action for participating in a game called "Beat the Jew" in which losers were subjected to "incineration" or "enslavement:"
"Apparently, the ring leader was named 'Bob' Hitler ..."
http://cbs2.com/local/Facebook.Beat.The.2.1732981.html

3. On a judge extending workers compensation for a Montana man after ruling that while smoking marijuana before feeding grizzly bears is "ill advised" and "mind-bogglingly stupid," it was not a "major factor" in his mauling:
"However, the 85 boxes of Twinkees he was eating may have been a culprit ..."
http://www.krtv.com/news/man-mauled-by-grizzly-after-smoking-pot-gets-workers-comp/

4. On a gym telling a woman that she's too fat for workout equipment:
"Interesting use of reverse psychology ..."
http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=12593024

5. On the FDA to start enforcing standards on what constitutes "virgin" and "extra-virgin" olive oil.
"Sounds like something that should be displayed on Cinemax After Dark ..."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100604/ap_on_bi_ge/us_olive_oil_standards

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's weekly homework assignment! This week, I chose the following prompt: Soundtrack of your life: Pick 10 songs that you would have on a soundtrack for your life, pick a line from each that you most identify with and write a short statement of why this song made it.

As you probably know, I love me some music! To some, I'm probably a music snob. I'm always looking for new music to listen to, or to inspire me (inspire me to do what? good question!). Anyway, this list isn't going to be new music - just music that I've been inspired by in the past/present. In no particular order ....

10. Waiting on a Friend by the Rolling Stones - One of my all-time favorite lines ever is in this song - "A smile relieves a heart that grieves." Just absolutely wonderful.

9. Days by the Kinks - A hauntingly beautiful song ... kind of reminds me of my older brother. The line "Thank you for the days, those endless days, those sacred days you gave me" brings a tear to my eye almost every time.

8. All Together Now by The Farm - I picture college in my head ... our apartment, senior year ... I see the bar we built, and the awesome stereo system ... ah, the memories! My favorite line from this one - "The same old story again, All those tears shed in vain, Nothing learnt and nothing gained, Only hope remains."

7. Fight For Your Right to Party by the Beastie Boys - This song reminds me of high school, and high school parties (most of which my parents wouldn't let me go to ...). This song just brought on a major adrenaline rush! Love the opening lyrics - "You wake up late for school man you don't wanna go, You ask your mom "please?" but she still says "NO!""

6. All I Want is You by U2 - It's my wife and my wedding song ... best day of my life! How 'bout these lyrics - "But all the promises we make, From the cradle to the grave, When all I want is you."

5. TNT by ACDC - Say what you will about this band, but their music as awfully catchy. This would be my entrance theme if I was a wrestler. These are some crazy lyrics (not sure exactly what is meant) - "So lock up your daughter, And lock up your wife, Lock up your back door, And run for your life."

4. Wir Lieben Die Sturme by Heino - A German "volks-musician" that my parents absolutely love - I probably heard his music almost every day as a child growing up ... yes, at the time it was annoying, but it reminds me of my parents and of my childhood ... you probably wouldn't understand the lyrics, so I won't bother ...

3. You Just Don't Move Me by Keith Richards - I had gone through a pretty hard breakup in high school, and this song soothed me. My favorite lyrics - "Now you wanna roll the dice, You already crapped out twice ..."

2. Bandages by Hot Hot Heat - We had just purchased our house, and were working on it almost every day in the spring and summer, and this song was being played quite a bit on Y-100 ... it reminds me of the excitement of our first house. Fitting lyrics (based on the cuts and bruises I got from working on the house) - "These bandages cover more than scrapes, cuts and bruises from regrets and mistakes."

1. Give it Up by K.C. and the Sunshine Band - This was when I was in middle school and just getting into "pop-music" before I smartened up with rock music ... It just reminds me of listening to 98-WCAU-Hot-Hits as an adolescent. Love these lyrics - "Everybody wants you - everybody wants your love. I'd just like to make you mine oh mine."

80's Corner

Remember New Kids on the Block? They were like the Backstreet Boys of the 1980's ... they were a certified teenie-bopper group that little adolescent females fell head-over-heels for. Thankfully, the fad died out by the early 1990's. However, these guys have made a comeback of sorts in recent years ... going on two semi-successful "world" tours.

Even though those adolescent females grew up, they never grew out of NKOTB ... for some reason.

The Gaslight Anthem ... interesting name for a band that sounds an awful lot like the Replacements ... which is not a bad thing. They have a number of good songs on their "The '59 Sound" which debuted in 2008 ... and shockingly enough has been mainly ignored on America's mainstream stations.

Their song, Casanova, Baby! has a snappy beat to it, with a nice guitar undertone in the background ... certainly not a "garage" sound, but not far from it. In addition to the Replacements, I detect a little Springsteen ... again, not a bad thing. Someday, maybe, the U.S. radio stations will smarten up and give this group a shot.

Have a listen - see what you think:

Dope or Nope ...

So, what are your thoughts on pro wrasslin'?

Is it an escape from reality, where you get to watch complex stories unfold, and latch onto good vs. evil? A "show" where you can tune in every week, and root on your favorites? Do you hearken back to the 1980's when Hulk Hogan was taking on Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful in the "Rock vs. Wrestling" era? Do you wish you could see another Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Rock match? Were you in heaven when the Monday Night Wars were at their height?

Or is it absolute horse-crap? Would you rather watch paint dry? Does this seem more absurd than NASCAR (sorry, NASCAR fans) or Paris Hilton? How can people possibly sit and watch this fakeness and talk about it?

So, where do you stand?

Fast Food Corner

Burger King recently started promoting barbecue ribs ... I know what you're thinking - "This may be the single worst idea in the history of fast food." Well, being the blogger that I am, I needed to try these ribs for myself.

First, a little background. McDonalds every once in a while promotes a McRib sandwich ... apparently, it's barbecue pork patties on a sandwich. For the record, I've tried this sandwich once, and it was awful. The Burger King ribs are actual ribs, which already makes this better than the McRib.

A couple of things about this "entree." The ribs themselves are actually not that bad. I'm not saying these ribs are as good as something you'd get at a fine steak and ribs restaurant. But, they're not bad.

The problem is that Burger King gives you so few ribs - 6 of them ... AND they're cut in half, so they are tiny. Plus, the price for such little food is quite high. I bought a value meal with 6 ribs, and it costs around 8.50 ... you can probably go to Chili's or Appleby's and get an entree that is cheaper than this.

All in all, it was not as bad as I thought, but pricey.

DBT 2010

Today is a very, very special day! Sure, it's special partly because it's close to my birthday ... but it's special for another, much more important reason. Today is our annual DBT ... dive bar tour! This is our 6th edition of this wonderful event, and we couldn't be more excited about it.

Basically, we take public transportation up and down Mac Dade Blvd. and Chester Pike, going from bar to bar. Truth be told, not all bars on this "tour" are dive bars, but quite a few of them are ... and that's kind of what makes it fun. For instance, one bar has no beers on tap, and sports an air conditioner on a dinner tray. Another bar still has records in its juke box (or at least this was still the case a few years ago).

We've had some classic moments over the years. For instance, one DBT regular was actually giving directions to the bus driver ... the bus driver who drives the route probably 8 hours a day. This DBT regular also almost got into a fight with a biker - the biker made fun of his shirt (we all wear the same shirt on the bar tour), and asked said DBT regular who made the shirt. He responded, "My friend and I ... and your mom." Good times!

Here's our shirt design for this year. If you're in Delco and are planning on going to a bar on Mac Dade or Chester Pike in the afternoon thru night, maybe you'll catch us there.

Funny Movie Scene

I'm a HUGE fan of Anchorman ... I know that there are some of you who don't like it ... I beg of you to go back and watch it again ... just so many quotable lines.

One of my favorites is this scene:

Weekly Homework Assignment

It's time once again for Mama Kat's Weekly homework assignment. This week, I chose the following prompt: “What did you once lose? Write about your search to find it again.”

The middle school dance was a big happening - you actually got to go back to the middle school at night, drink orange soda, eat pretzels, listen to cool music, and tell diarreah jokes (well, that's what my friends and I did there). Every once in a while, you might even be lucky enough to dance with the "hot" girl during Stairway to Heaven (longest slow song ever!). The cost of the dance was $2.00, from what I remember, and the orange drink was $0.25 a cup. This, of course, meant that I had to bring money with me, and instead of just leaving the money in my pocket, or better yet, using a wallet, my mom gave me some sort "coin purse."

But, this "coin purse" wasn't an ordinary coin purse ... no, because it was made of leather, and had a soccer player on it (obvious to all that it was made for a man). And the purse was small enough to fit in my pants-pocket, without looking too weird (hey, that kid must be really excited!). I carried my dance money and orange soda money in said purse ... a bounty reaching nearly $3.00. The "D.J." began playing that song "Shout" that was made popular in Animal House, and let me tell ya, the kids all were "ga-ga" over it. My friends and I even took time out from the diarreah jokes to partake in the dancing to this diddy! It got to the point where we all did the "alligator" on the floor and were having a great time.

After the song ended, I went back to my usual spot on the wall with my friends, when I noticed I lost my cool coin purse and the remaining 50 cents in it! I was devastated. How could I possibly go home without it? What would my mom say? Would I ever be allowed to go to a dance again? I began to cry (certainly not a manly thing to do, but understandable considering the treasure I had just lost). My cousin Trish got her friends together to help form a search party for the coin purse. The D.J. even made an announcement to assist in the search.

The tears running down my face did apparently touch the heart-strings of a few gals at the dance, as I was able to slow-dance with quite a few of the popular girls ... a fantastic tactic if I do say so myself. The search party was successful, by the way, finding the soccer player coin purse in about 15 minutes. What a relief that was! All in all, a successful night - I found my coin purse, I was able to slow dance with the cute girls, AND I was able to purchase some orange soda.

Wacky News Stories

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day with lots of grillin' and lots of "beverages."

1. On police arresting a teen they say broke into a high school after hours and released a bag of crickets:
"I'm just hoping they weren't 'crotch crickets.'"
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/maryland/teen-arrested-after-allegedly-releasing-bag-of-crickets-into-school-building-052810

2. On two high teachers being placed on paid administrative leave this week after a parent complained that they distributed classroom materials that gave advice on how to deal with police if stopped:
"First piece of advice - don't say, 'I smell bacon!'"
http://hamptonroads.com.nyud.net/2010/05/two-norfolk-teachers-put-leave-over-material-about-police

3. On police pulling over a mother with two kids in her car for allegedly driving drunk with a blood-alcohol level of 0.39:
"The late Ted Kennedy thinks she was too drunk to drive ..."
http://wcbstv.com/local/mom.dwi.drunk.2.1719565.html

4. On a man being arrested for robbing someone at the Family Dollar.
"He almost made off with another to get on the bus ..."
http://www.kentucky.com/2010/05/27/1282143/lexington-man-charged-in-armed.html

5. On an intoxicated man interrupting a memorial service at a funeral home before passing out in the visitation room:
"Hey ... burp! What does a guy have to do for a beer around here?"
http://wvgazette.com/ap/ApTopStories/201005260286

Happy 4th of July Weekend, All

Sometimes, we forget what this country is all about ... sadly, we all let politics divide us. It would be great if we all could just look around every once in a while and realize just how good we have it.

I have friends on both (all?) sides of the political spectrum, and my political beliefs probably fall somewhere in the middle (moderate?). I can see the good and bad in both ideologies. In theory (an ideal world), both probably would work great - sadly, it's never ideal, and there are always people (again, on both sides) who take advantage of situations, which end up hurting many, many more people (the entire country?), and ruining trust in our political "leaders." But I digress ...

The hope is that instead of throwing stones at each other, that we try and work together to improve the country. We have far too many "rabid" people on the radio and in the press who make it a point to divide us even more. We need to stop listening to/reading these narcissists (again, on both sides). Hopefully, someday, we'll be able to do so.

Happy 4th of July, all!

80's Corner

Gummy Bears have been around for quite a while ... heck, I remember getting "care packages" from Germany with Gummy Bears when I was little (think 1970's). I don't think they truly took off in this country until the 1980's ... this is when gummy bears flourished in our culture.

Thought gummy bears were only chewy foods? Wrong! They became SO popular that a cartoon was created in their honor ... I'm pretty sure there were gummy teddybears too ... heck, maybe even gummy-bear trading cards.

Personally, I was fine with just the gummy-bear chewy candy ... but that's just me.