November 2009 Archives

The title alludes to tonight's Saints-Patriots game in the SuperDome. Former Saints quarterback, Bobby Hebert, has suggested that everyone wear black tonight to blackout the Dome. Word has spread. Curious to see how far by gametime.

Don't know what to make of tonight's game. The Saints have injuries in the secondary that gives all of their fans concern. That's not the area you want injuries when you're playing the Pats. The pass rush will be critical. The Jets were able to put a decent pass rush on them last week with 4 guys. The Saints will have to do that, too. I think they can but I think they'll mix in some blitzes. They are not likely to confuse Tom Brady but they need to hurry him a little. The joint'll be jumpin'. I'm looking forward to it. The formula has been simple for the last few seasons here. It remains simple for tonight. If they take care of the ball, they'll take care of the Patriots.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Flip Strings 05 Sound Effects Kill Bill, Vol. 1 Soundtrack
2. Boogie With Stu 3:53 Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti [Disc 2]
3. Blue Train 6:45 Page & Plant Walking Into Clarksdale
4. Blue Highway 5:10 Billy Idol Rebel Yell
5. Walk Of Life 56 Dire Straits On The Night (LIVE)

Quote of the Day

I don't want no tutti-frutti, no lollipop
Come on, baby, just rock, rock, rock

Led Zeppelin, Boogie with Stu

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Still, many are picking New England to roll all over them, some aren't even calling it close."

The Saints started as a 3pt favorite across the board. The line is down everywhere, 1pt in some places. The smart AND heavy money is on the Pats. -Rob

Anyone else think Tiger Woods one car accident is much ado about nothing? If the police have already determined that alcohol wasn't involved, then what else is there to investigate? I doubt he meant to hit a fire hydrant or a tree so why not just call it an accident? Why not give him the benefit of whatever doubt there may be? Has he been a troublemaker in the past? Let his insurance cover the relatively minor damages and move on. Why waste time on this? It may be embarrassing to him but it surely seems to be nothing otherwise unless embarrassing Tiger Woods is your thing.

LSU got themselves a nice win over Arkansas yesterday in overtime. The Hogs have been tough on the Tigers the last two years. The game still doesn't have the arch-rival feel to it but it's getting there. The games have always been close and exciting. The win gets them to 9-3 and that, coupled with their large, devout, and heavy-spending following, assures them of a prominent bowl game ... probably against Penn State or Iowa in the Capitol One Bowl.

Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith are semifinalists for NFL Hall-of-Fame induction. It is a mere formality. I'd be surprised if Rice isn't a unanimous selection and would remove the vote from anyone who didn't have him on their ballot. It would be that ludicrous. The Saints used to be in the same division with Rice's 49ers and I was a season ticket holder then. I saw him first hand every year for the duration of his stay in San Francisco. The Saints played him better than most teams but he was still unstoppable. He redefined his position. I will describe him this way: He made touchdowns. Smith was a great player on a great team in Dallas. He deserves to go in with Rice but I'd be hesitant to vote anyone else in with those two.

Plumbing problems made for a really bad day yesterday that is still kinda lingering over me ruining a perfectly decent weekend. Could not have come at a worse time and it kept me up most of the night. I hate it when this happens. I offer one from the repair area this afternoon. Just below the cracked stepping stone lies the new plumbing. It was at such an angle at such a time in the afternoon in such a tight spot that I decided to let a professional do it.

CrabAppleLane Backyard - November 29, 2009

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Sanctified 5:48 Nine Inch Nails Pretty Hate Machine
2. Copycat 2:54 The Cranberries Bury The Hatchet
3. Sweet Lorraine 4:19 Uriah Heep The Best Of Uriah Heep
4. Since You And I Were True 3:35 Meav Méav
5. Copland: Billy The Kid - Celebration 2:19 Aaron Copland: London Symphony Orchestra Copland: Greatest Hits

Quote of the Day

My professional life is good and in turn my personal life is good. My wife loves me no matter what, so I think I will be OK.

LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Here is BB's phone call to Pats fans ala Crying Ryans phone call to Jets fans."

Funny video. -Rob

I find myself down this morning, 0-30, in both fantasy football leagues. Tony Romo, Kevin Smith, and the Giants defense and special teams are responsible in one league while Donald Driver and Mason Crosby did the honors in the other. I had no players on any of the six teams that played yesterday, starting or on the bench.

Speaking of yesterday's games, Giants fans have to be disappointed in that pitiful effort last night.

Another seventh round steal for the Saints.

A story I read a few days ago ... and again this morning ... via Pitcherlady.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Oh Daddy 3:58 Fleetwood Mac Rumours
2. 700 > 100 3:19 Earlimart Mentor Tormentor
3. Loves Me Like A Rock 3:18 Paul Simon Negotiations And Love Songs 1971-1986
4. Hats Off To (Roy) Harper 3:42 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III
5. Long Hard Ride 3:51 The Marshall Tucker Band Greatest Hits

About today's QOTD: I don't doubt that someone somewhere might sip drinks from a "jelly jar" but I haven't seen it in my many years going to the SuperDome.

Quote of the Day

By Monday night, after a holiday weekend and a start time that will give fans nothing better to do than tailgate outside the Louisiana Superdome and sip their drink of choice from a jelly jar, the stadium will transform into perhaps the NFL's most ear-splittingly difficult building to visit.

Adam Kilgore, Boston Globe

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Welker reached out with his hands of iron and stopped that missile with his fingertips just before it hit the ground. Then he curled up like a beetle hiding behind its carapace, as he always does, and let the defensive onslaught pile on top of him. When the dust cleared, he popped up and headed back to the huddle, ready to line up for his next diving self-sacrifice. After the nuclear holocaust: cockroaches and Wes Welker."

Happy Thanksgiving from CrabAppleLane

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Dark Lady 3:29 Scorpions In Trance
2. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues 4:44 Elton John Greatest Hits 1970-2002 [Disc 2]
3. Swing Low Sweet Chariot 3:29 Eric Clapton Time Pieces - The Best Of Eric Clapton
4. Super 16 (Excerpt) 16 Neu! Kill Bill, Vol. 1 Soundtrack
5. Too Rolling Stoned 7:31 Robin Trower Essential

Quote of the Day

Thankfully, the long bread lines that characterized the Great Depression are mostly absent. But anyone looking hard enough can find the signs of lean times in communities across the nation: in soaring applications for food stamps, in waves of home foreclosures, in high unemployment. Especially troubling at Thanksgiving -- when charity organizations traditionally step up with food for those who can't afford it -- many pantries report that they can't keep pace with demand.

USA Today

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "If you've been to Times Square in New York City over the past couple weeks, on any day from 12:30-20pm or 6:30-80pm, you may have noticed that Google Search by voice is powering Times Square's largest combined displays -- the Reuters Sign and the NASDAQ sign."

There will be a new facet to the health care debate if the NFL decides to add two more games to the regular season schedule. If it's up to me (It most definitely is not), the preseason schedule gets reduced by one or two weeks and the regular season schedule remains the same. Yeah, the extra games will create more jobs and more money for the NFL and the players but it will also create more broken bones, more season-ending and career-ending injuries, and two more weeks worth of concussions. For money? Just not worth it, guys. It aint broke. Don't fix it.

This Monday night's Saints game versus AFC heavyweight New England is the most losable game on the schedule. Much too early to look at playoff positioning but people are. The Saints are vying for homefield advantage for the playoffs with the Minnesota Vikings, who have lost one game to an AFC opponent and are rudely not letting up. They don't play the Vikes this season so if the two teams end up tied record-wise, the first relevant tiebreaker will be conference record so an AFC loss is preferable. Tiebreakers get stupid and unmanageable after conference record. That said, I want them to win this game more than any other. I'd rather give up homefield to the Vikes than lose Monday night. The Saints and Vikes both play indoors and it will undoubtedly be no picnic for either team should they end up playing each other. Monday night's tilt should be a great game. Oh, and one more thing:

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Gerundula 3:19 Status Quo STATUS QUO The Collection
2. Big Man With A Gun 1:36 Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral
3. Loves Me Like A Rock 3:18 Paul Simon Negotiations And Love Songs 1971-1986
4. Goodbye Blue Sky 2:49 Pink Floyd The Wall [Disc 1]
5. Turn Me On 3:58 Cowboy Mouth Mercyland

Quote of the Day

Next Week: Oprah announces she will come out of retirement if she's traded to the Minnesota Vikings.

Gregg Easterbrook, ESPN.com

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Just think, at this time next week we'll be celebrating the #patriots knocking the #saints from the undefeated ranks." And I'm not just saying that."

Saw some store advertising that they'll be opening at 4AM, Friday. Think it was Kohl's but that's not important. The ad says, "Be first in line". To me, that's encouraging a Black Friday tradition that can just go away as far as I'm concerned. How many human stampede injuries and deaths will it take before we decide this isn't that great an idea? When I was a kid, I don't think retail stores had any kind of budget for security. If they did, it certainly wasn't much of one. They all do now. It's reflected in the prices we pay. If you didn't know already, I hate shopping.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. She's Got Balls 4:51 AC/DC High Voltage
2. Better Life 38 3 Doors Down The Better Life
3. Wake Me Up When September Ends 5:43 Green Day (Live)
4. Radio Ga Ga 5:49 Queen Classic Queen
5. A Moment So Close 6:56 Béla Fleck & The Flecktones Live At The Quick

Quote of the Day

For many of us, lying naked on a beach is a spiritual experience that helps cleanse our souls and free our spirits.

Kenneth N. Bauer - Bunnell, FL

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Basically, Wes doesn't give fantasy owners a lot of points (he's not a touchdown machine), but he's consistent. The ball is in Wes's hands A LOT for many reasons, but the most important is this: he produces. That's all that matters, isn't it? Production? And as the best slot receiver in the business today, that means moving the chains. His job has little to do with scoring the actual touchdown. However, he's the guy who sets it up."

I agree. Welker is a great player, particularly the way the Pats use him. -Rob

After the Saints game yesterday, I sat down and watched The Illusionist, hoping for CME. It's a film I recorded some days ago on the strength of its' cast and the Mystery/Crime description DirecTV's guide gave it. I had never heard of this movie and, for that, I am very thankful. Zero expectations is always best. Mystery/Crime is fitting but I really think it's more of a love story between childhood soul mates separated by their respective family's stations. She's destined for aristocracy. He isn't. After they're separated, he travels the world and becomes "Eisenheim The Illusionist". She assumes her aristocratic role. When they meet again, she is with a power-hungry, abusive prince. I won't say what happens from there. I love magic. I don't understand it so I can't say, for sure, if the illusions performed are even possible without the magic of modern film's special effects. They are that spectacular. This is a very good film. It's set in pre-WWI Austria/Hungary and I think that adds to its' delightful and dark flavor. Give it a try. It's not CME.

Having seen the three main rookie QBs in the NFL (Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Freeman) play against the Saints this season, I will say unequivocally that Stafford is the best of that group. Easily. What a gutsy performance yesterday.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You 37 Louis Armstrong Back Through The Years (Disc 2)
2. Helena 4:46 Nickel Creek Why Should The Fire Die?
3. I'm Going Slightly Mad 4:23 Queen Classic Queen
4. 29 4:20 Gin Blossoms New Miserable Experience
5. Crimson And Clover 3:27 Tommy James & The Shondells Rock 'n Roll Relix 1968-1969

Quote of the Day

As a boy, I'm told, he had a chance encounter with a traveling magician.

Chief Inspector Uhl, The Illusionist

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Lots to still work on before we hit New Orleans next week, but let's enjoy this one for now."

The Saints cleaned up some of their recent issues today in Tampa but they need to pick up their game a little and maybe get healthy in the secondary for next Monday Night's game against New England. Lots of buzz in New Orleans this week. Tom Brady and the Patriots are coming to town.

46 years ago today.

The word for today is dreary. Been pretty much overcast and raining all weekend. I offer one from the CrabAppleLane Backyard.

CrabAppleLane Backyard - November 22, 2009

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. You Shook Me 6:28 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin I
2. Sons Of Freedom 47 Page & Plant Walking Into Clarksdale
3. I Shot The Sheriff 4:24 Eric Clapton The Cream Of Clapton
4. Don't Stand So Close To Me '86 4:53 The Police The Police Greatest Hits
5. Antichrist Superstar 5:14 Marilyn Manson Antichrist Superstar

Quote of the Day

The songs of birds seem to fill the wood
That when the fiddler plays
All their voices can be heard
Long past their woodland days

Loreena McKennitt, The Mummers' Dance

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "The Patriots like it at Gillette Stadium and their record shows it. This season the Patriots are 5-0 at home, which is turning out to be the difference in their season. Today's game will be the first of the final three regular-season matchups at home. After back-to-back weeks at New Orleans and then Miami, the Patriots return home on Dec. 13 to face Carolina and then play their last regular season game at home against Jacksonville on Dec. 27."

As I was leaving for work yesterday, I heard a sound I hadn't heard in a while. I am almost positive it is my wintering friend, Buffy. Didn't have time to wait for him/her to approach the freshly-filled feeders for confirmation but I heard what I thought was the rapid tap-tap-tap sound he/she makes just before coming to feed and glimpsed what looked like a hummingbird flying overhead but it was just a quick dart and could have been something else. The tap-tap-tap seemed to be a shorter burst than I remember, too. Hope to confirm this afternoon. I haven't seen a ruby-throated hummingbird in almost a month but my sister still has some hanging around a bit south of here so it could be one passing through. Buffy is welcome at CrabAppleLane any time but it probably means filling feeders all winter. A small sacrifice for that joy. Passer-throughs are welcome, too. No sign of any hummingbirds this morning yet.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Eat For Two 4:23 10,000 Maniacs MTV Unplugged
2. Fred's World 31 Angelo Badalamenti Lost Highway Soundtrack
3. Overton Square 3:12 Henry Gross One More Tomorrow The Best Of Henry Gross
4. Washed Away 5:21 Tom Cochrane Mad Mad World
5. Little Ducks 23 Hans Zimmer Crimson Tide Soundtrack

So sad. CrabAppleLane's condolences to the Brees family.

Quote of the Day

I don't want Woodworth to feel that I am leveraging the death of one of our soldiers to get him to fight.

2nd Lt. Ryan Corken, Fort Hood

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Now, with the Wolverines in trouble and LSU not in the national championship hunt, the timing makes more sense. It's very comparable to the Roy Williams Kansas-North Carolina thing a few years ago with a twist. He turned down the job the first time because Carolina was still in good shape and he had a potential national championship team at Kansas. Two years later, he had taken KU as far as he could and the Tar Heels were reeling. Now there's nobody at Michigan as powerful as Dean Smith, but it's not inconceivable that a call from Bo Schembechler's widow could get Miles' attention pretty quickly."

Wandering around on YouTube, looking for something else, I stumbled upon a fabulous live rendition of Foghat performing Drivin' Wheel. Foghat came over in the British Invasion (Wikipedia describes it as the period from 1964-1966 but I think it's more like 1964-1973) and Drivin' Wheel is one of my faves of theirs. Lead singer, Lonesome Dave, died of cancer in 2000. The video says it's from a concert some 4 months before he succumbed to it. He looks very gaunt in this although the man could still rock. Lead guitarist, Rod Price, not in the video although the lead guitarist does look quite a bit like him, died of a heart attack some years later. I miss them. I went to many rock concerts at The Warehouse and Municipal Auditorium in New Orleans. Foghat were regulars at the Warehouse but they played the Auditorium at least once because I remember sitting in the balcony when they played Drivin' Wheel. I don't know how many times I saw them overall but it was surely more than I saw any other British rock band. They were always, always a good time. Go Foghat.

About former Saints first round pick, Ricky Williams: It appears old Ricky still has some life in his legs. He had a whale of a game last night. Hard to believe he came out the same year as the now washed-up Edgerrin James and a year before the now washed-up Deuce McAllister. Actually, Deuce and Edge were washed up last year or even the year before. I know Ricky hasn't played the whole time and the hits haven't accumulated as much on him as those two but he's still running very well at 32. Good for him. The Saints gave up a lot when they traded for him but got a lot in return when they traded him away. His slate is clean with me and I wish him well.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Maggie May 5:45 Rod Stewart Unplugged... And Seated (LIVE)
2. I Dont Want To Go On Without You (Alternate Edit) 3:24 Nazareth Play 'N' The Game
3. A Hole To Hide In 46 Foghat Foghat
4. Tennessee Pusher 5:31 Old Crow Medicine Show Tennessee Pusher
5. Mother And Son 0:41 Trans-Siberian Orchestra Night Castle (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)

Quote of the Day

Powerful love, steady roll, move my body and it rocked my soul
Let me ride, let me slide, got that lovin' feelin', way down inside

Foghat, Drivin' Wheel

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "The collection, which was originally issued in 1989, includes all of FOGHAT's hits and rock radio standards, including such anthems as "Slow Ride," "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "Fool for the City," "Drivin' Wheel," and "Ride, Ride, Ride," among others."

About today's QOTD: A federal court has ruled that the Army Corp of Engineers can be held responsible for the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (Referred to locally as the Mister Go) levee failures. For those unfamiliar with the Greater New Orleans area, there were other levee failures besides the Mister Go. I'm not sure if there are trials upcoming on those but I would have to think there are. What made Hurricane Katrina so devastating to New Orleans was the flooding due to the levee failures. If there had only been wind and rain damage, it was substantial but would have been a fairly quick recovery. The Mister Go system flooded Chalmette and the Ninth Ward. No one would be talking about all of the other failures that came afterward if the levees had held. For the record, I am thoroughly disgusted with the blame game, with injured parties aiming to get rich rather than being made whole, and with people seizing the easy political opportunity that presented itself in this tragedy. Basically, I'm disgusted with Katrina.

About tonight's Carolina-Miami game: These are two teams I've seen this year a few times. Both played the Saints recently. This should be the shortest game of the season. Both teams are all about ball control and they both run the ball about 75% of the time. The clock will hardly ever stop. Carolina is playing better now, they're at home, and they stop the run a little better. I give them a slight edge.

From the For What It's Worth Department: I find the competing health care commercials comical. According to them, they're not on the Republicans side or the Democrats side. They're on YOUR side. As Dick Shawn once said, "And I'm Queen o' the May".

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Bird Of Prey 49 Uriah Heep The Best Of Uriah Heep
2. Treat Her Right 3:39 The Commitments The Commitments
3. Easy To Be Hard (Live At The Forum) 4:26 Three Dog Night Captured Live At The Forum (Reissue)
4. I Just Want To Make Love To You 4:21 Foghat Foghat
5. Into The Sun 11:24 Grand Funk Railroad Live Album

Quote of the Day

The ruling is also emotionally resonant for south Louisiana. Many in New Orleans have argued that the flooding in the aftermath of Katrina, which struck the region Aug. 29, 2005, was a manmade disaster caused by the Army Corps' failure to maintain the levee system protecting the city.

Associated Press via MSNBC.com

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Our first adventure and probably not our last."

I agree with the New York Daily News. There's NO CRYING IN FOOTBALL. Rex Ryan is living, breathing testament to the old adage that the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. His dad, Buddy, was a loudmouth braggart and a pretty decent defensive coordinator but a lousy head coach. Rex is stepping into that tradition quite nicely but I don't think Buddy would have cried in a player's meeting. They're in new territory now. Jets fans are beside themselves. Some say he should Man Up. Others want everyone to leave him alone. If I gave much of a rat's a$$, you'd have to put me squarely in the first category. As Craig Ferguson would say, "What a douche".

PSA for new drivers to Louisiana: Yield signs and Stop signs are reversed here. We stop at Yield signs and we slow down and roll through Stop signs. Get with the program or move along. Actually, move along either way. I'd rather the signs were observed properly.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Things I'd Like To Say 2:22 New Colony Six Rock 'n Roll Relix 1968-1969
2. Sweet Wine Of Love 2:56 Robin Trower Essential
3. Black Sabbath 6:21 Black Sabbath We Sold Our Soul For Rock 'N' Roll
4. Bella Linda (Single Version) 2:59 The Grass Roots 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of The Grass Roots
5. Die Hard The Hunter 6:16 Def Leppard Pyromania

About today's QOTD: I was never her biggest fan but I have always loved that song and she always gave her audience their money's worth. I don't think she sang anything the same way twice and that was in the days of rampant lip-synching on TV. I never saw her do it. On stage, she was always live and always on. There is no one like her today.

Quote of the Day

You say that it's over, baby, no
You say that it's over now
But still you hang around me, come on
Won't you move over

Janis Joplin, Move Over

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "And the Buccaneers just didn't have enough to go around. Not enough playmakers. Not enough experience. You can point the finger at the offense, the defense, the coaches or at the officiating, but the fact remains: When the game was on the line, the Bucs simply didn't get it done."

I'm expecting a charged-up Bucs team Sunday at home against the Saints and a very physical game. -Rob

When I got up this morning, I decided to walk downstairs and head out on the front porch before turning on any lights. The theory was that my eyes wouldn't need any time to adjust to the dark. My front porch faces due south and the constellation, Leo, was positioned almost directly overhead. I was out there for about 5 minutes in the crisp and cool morning air. I saw three Leonids. If I had gotten a better night's sleep, I might have gone back inside, bundled up a bit, and gone back out to watch the show. Unfortunately, I think I would have fallen right back asleep out there in that magnificent, crisp, clean night air and I have things to do this morning. Meteor showers used to be my favorite astronomical events. Note to self: Plan next time.

Explored a new section of the subdivision across the highway Sunday. It wasn't much to look at when we first started coming out here almost 20 years ago. A few houses here and there, overgrown grass, raggedy trees, you get the idea. Pretty scenic over there now. Enjoy.

Whippoorwill Grove - Near CrabAppleLane - November 15, 2009

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. A Kiss To Build A Dream On 33 Louis Armstrong Back Through The Years (Disc 2)
2. I'm In Love With My Car 35 Queen A Night At The Opera
3. Glycerine 4:25 Bush Sixteen Stone
4. Drinking, Thinking, Sinking, Feeling 3:39 Slow Club
5. Miracles [Single Version] 3:32 Jefferson Starship At Their Best

About the iTunes-shuffle-inspired QOTD: I like the song but I have no idea what it's about. If a reader has a theory, I'd like to hear it.

Quote of the Day

We live in a wheel
Where everyone steals
But when we rise it's like strawberry fields

Bush, Glycerine

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "While there may be no pressure to win right now, the Bucs still fought for 60 minutes and showed us some signs to be optimistic about this team's future."

A tip of the cap to the St Louis Rams for a terrific effort yesterday. My hope yesterday was to just get out of St Louis with a win and no injuries. Well, they got the win but I think they're going to lose starting cornerback, Tracy Porter, for the season. He was carted off of the field with a knee injury. Hope it's just sprained but I'm thinking it's more serious than that.

From the Boston Globe on last night's over-hyped-but-lived-up-to Pats-Colts game:

Here's the situation: With the Patriots leading, 34-28, and 28 remaining, Coach Hoodie elected to go for a first down rather than punt when he faced fourth and 2 from his 28-yard line. Guess he was afraid of what Peyton Manning might do.

It didn't work but I don't think it was the worst decision ever. Punting wasn't a great option, either. With that much time left, I don't think it mattered much where Peyton Manning and the Colts got the ball. It did show a terrible lack of trust in his defense, though.

Both of my fantasy teams pulled out come-from-behind wins and got off of the losing streak. Need them to start a new win streak. A bye for both teams is the goal.

If you liked Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, you will like his RocknRolla. It has a lot of the same kind of situational elements. Lots of different groups and agendas all intertwined but nothing going right for any of them. There are lots of laughs along the way. I won't spoil my favorite scene but it involved what happened to two guys showing each other their occupational hazard injuries. Anyway, this is a fun film. Not quite Lock, Stock but almost. Great soundtrack, too. I loved it.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Slow Ride (Live Version) 8:21 Foghat Live
2. Jump Start 4:53 Jethro Tull The Best Of Jethro Tull [Disc 2]
3. Country Road 3:23 James Taylor Sweet Baby James
4. Crazy Eyes 4:18 Old Crow Medicine Show Tennessee Pusher
5. Dreams We Conceive 5:10 Trans-Siberian Orchestra Night Castle (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)

Quote of the Day

People ask the question... what's a RocknRolla? And I tell 'em - it's not about drums, drugs, and hospital drips, oh no. There's more there than that, my friend. We all like a bit of the good life - some the money, some the drugs, other the sex game, the glamour, or the fame. But a RocknRolla, oh, he's different. Why? Because a real RocknRolla wants the fucking lot.

Archy, RocknRolla

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Every movie that Jason Stratham is in is the same (you could say the same for every Guy Ritchie movie, too). That said, this one had a more far fetched and interesting premise and I wasn't disappointed. Give it a shot."

I think I agree with that but I tend to like Stratham's and Ritchie's films. -Rob

The Saints have a chance to equal the longest winning streak in team history today at 9 games. The St Louis Rams are not very good but they usually play hard and close for three quarters. They're coming off of their bye week and are likely to have a charge in them at their place. The Saints ran into that against the Dolphins a few weeks ago. It's a concern. I'd like to see the Saints get off to a fast start and remove all doubt early because they haven't been doing that lately but, really, the only goal for today is to just get out of St Louis with a win and no injuries. it is just about the worst thing to wish for, though. Just one more thing.

I haven't been watching a lot of non-Saints NFL football but I think I'll watch tonight's Colts-Patriots game. I'll be rooting for the Colts because Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Joseph Addai all have Louisiana connections but also because I've lost all respect for Belichick and their organization since 2007. That's when they got caught spying and ran up a few scores en-route to their almost perfect season. They haven't changed much since then. Belichick is more than a little vindictive if you ask me.

St Tammany Trace - Covington, LA - November 14, 2009If you continue, it's end of horse. It's about a 15ft drop off into granite boulders.


St Tammany Trace - Covington, LA - November 14, 2009 - Rising up alongside.

St Tammany Trace - Covington, LA - November 14, 2009There was a time in my youth I might have tried to climb something like this. Not something I would try to do today. Doesn't interest me at all. Yeah, that's it.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Cajun Song 2:57 Gin Blossoms New Miserable Experience
2. Empty Spaces 28 Pink Floyd The Wall [Disc 1]
3. Ace of Spades 2:48 Motörhead The Very Best of Motörhead
4. Believe 4:52 Elton John Greatest Hits 1970-2002 [Disc 2]
5. Signs Of Life 4:24 Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse Of Reason

Quote of the Day

Look, we're not trying to do anything but run our offense. We went into the game with a game plan and I know the score got out of hand, but we were just trying to run our offense.

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Saw a bit of Will Smith's awful 1999s Wild Wild West movie. I had to get the taste of derivation and giant spiders out of my mouth, so I searched YouTube for episodes of the original TV show that starred Robert Conrad and Ross Martin. It was a fun and imaginative combination of James Bond, Steampunk before it was coined, science fiction, fantasy and of course, kick-ass western."

I agree. The movie didn't nearly capture what made the TV series great. -Rob

Finally watched The Graduate again last night. It is the first R-rated movie I ever saw. It would probably rate a PG today. I think I was 15 or 16 when I saw it. I can say, without qualification, that it sailed right over my head then. I didn't think much of it mainly because I didn't get it. Now that I do, I still don't think much of it although Anne Bancroft's performance was fantastic. It's an OK movie with a great Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack and there are some funny moments, mainly concerning how far out of his depth the Dustin Hoffman character was. Hoffman was only 6 years younger than Bancroft but her Mrs. Robinson perfectly nailed the older, more experienced woman. The end is just plain silly, though.

Just a note about something I read earlier this week: I've seen Navy play many times over the years both in person and on TV. They are usually out-manned against the elite teams but they play hard, they play clean, and they shake your hand afterward, win or lose. That's not to say there is NEVER an exception or a personal foul. ALL teams get some of those. I'm not wild about cut blocking but it's legal. Notre Dame has better players than Navy but they were out-hustled, out-coached, and outplayed. That's why they lost. Nothing dirty about it. The Notre Dame family would do better to stop offering excuses and, even more importantly, stop accepting them. Their advantages far outweigh their disadvantages. They have no excuse whatsoever for not competing nationally.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Quadrophenia 6:15 The Who Quadrophenia [Disc 1]
2. Another Day In Paradise 5:23 Phil Collins
3. Venus 36 Shocking Blue Rock 'n Roll Relix 1968-1969
4. Stone Cold Crazy [1991 Remix] 2:15 Queen Sheer Heart Attack [Bonus Track]
5. Here It Comes Again 2:41 Please Empire Records Soundtrack

Quote of the Day

Here come the law
Gonna break down the door
Gonna carry me away once more
Never never I never want it anymore
Gotta get away from this stone cold floor
Crazy
Stone cold crazy you know

Queen, Stone Cold Crazy

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "I remember watching the replay on that illegal cut block on Blanton and thinking to myself that if it wasn't a Navy player doing that, he'd get shredding. But that's one of the other elements that go into playing Navy, the sentiment that because they're a service academy and because they are heroic off the football field that they're above reproach."

Happy Birthday, Mom

Hope to see you later today or tonight.

Not super wild about this one, either, but it's infinitely better than Who Dat, the worst cheer ever. Like The Saints Are Coming by U2 and Green Day best but I'm open to others, too.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Back Home Again 4:47 John Denver Back Home Again
2. Peace Train 4:14 Cat Stevens Cat Stevens: Greatest Hits
3. Thank The Lord For The Night Time 34 Neil Diamond Classics: The Early Years
4. Things I'd Like To Say 2:22 New Colony Six Rock 'n Roll Relix 1968-1969
5. Old Pigweed 4:35 Mark Knopfler The Ragpicker's Dream

Quote of the Day

Who put old pigweed
In the mulligan
Was it you?
Who put old pigweed
In the mulligan stew

Mark Knopfler, Old Pigweed

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Unfortunately, the optimism could come to a crashing halt, as our boys face up against the brilliant New Orleans Saints, who even when they seem to be ready to lose a game, shrug it off at halftime and find this extra gear of pure awesomeness to cruise to victory."

Don't know about that but it sounds cool. -Rob

From WWLTV.com, I ran across this New York Times article. It pains me to say there is a great deal of truth in the article. Po-boy restaurants in the New Orleans area are dwindling. The biggest reason is cited:

A creeping monoculture is the most frequently cited threat, exemplified by chains like Subway and Quiznos, which are making inroads south of I-10.

It's always difficult for locals to compete with national mega-chains. Hurricane Katrina only exacerbated the already bad situation for them. Katrina wiped out the two I frequented most in Gentilly and New Orleans east. One of them failed at a comeback and the other took a long time to recover. The mega-chains had the resources to get up and running quicker than the locals. As Adrian Monk might say, here's the thing: There is a whole generation, maybe two, that don't know the difference between a real New Orleans Po-Boy and a Subway Sandwich. I quoted the relevant passage from the BOTD to tell you what a New Orleans roast beef po-boy is about. Roast beef is the standard and the most popular po-boy made. If you ever have a good one here, you would throw rocks at the next Philly cheesesteak sub you see. Some day, we may only have Philly cheesesteak subs. I rue that day.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Red Barchetta 6:11 Rush Moving Pictures
2. Highway (Killing Me) 3:51 Foghat Foghat
3. Going Home - Theme From 'Local Hero' 65 Dire Straits Alchemy [Disc 2]
4. The Railroad 6:18 Grand Funk Railroad Caught In The Act
5. Sanctified 5:48 Nine Inch Nails Pretty Hate Machine

Quote of the Day

Oh, you know, the railroad
Is a mighty good line
Come on and ride the railroad
One more time

Grand Funk Railroad, The Railroad

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "The object of the Po Boy Bread in this recipe is to make the eating experience as messy as possible. During your first bite the sandwich should flatten somewhat and your hands (as well as chin and possibly clothing) should be awash with gravy, beef debris, mayonnaise and possibly a few shreds of lettuce as the contents spray from the sides as if the sandwich was stepped on. Relax and enjoy, resist the urge to reach for that over sized stack of napkins until the last morsel is gone. In my humble opinion, the best Roast Beef Po Boys in New Orleans are judged by the amount of napkins used to clean up the aftermath."

Happy Veterans Day

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. I Know I'm Not Wrong 36 Fleetwood Mac Tusk
2. Early In The Morning 5:45 Bad Company Desolation Angels
3. Sons Of Scotland-Quiet Theme 31 A Shot At Glory Soundtrack/Mark Knopfler
4. We're An American Band 3:26 Grand Funk Railroad Caught In The Act
5. An American Hero 24 Mark Knopfler Wag The Dog

Quote of the Day

People scared of flying can now press a button on their iPhone to help them deal with their panic.

Reuters News via MSNBC.com

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "And guess what, the NFL has far more money than Limbaugh, and believed that his presence would be detrimental to the bottom line. In the end, money spoke louder than Limbaugh's words."

I was asked to pick up a prescription on the way home last night. No problem. As I pulled into the drive-thru of our local pharmacy, the inside lane (Lane 1, I'm told) had a car in it so I pulled into the outside lane. I spent a good 15 minutes in Lane 2 while the clerk had a long conversation with the drive-up customer ahead of me in the Lane 1. My window was down while I waited my turn and I could hear the whole thing. Asked that customer for her address two different times, asked for and received much more information about allergies, doctor's name and phone number, insurance, payment, etc. This pharmacy must be hard on their clerks' necks. Their computer keyboard is on the counter at waist level but the monitor is mounted up above eye level. The neck gets a workout even if you're a pretty good typist. It would wear me out. I digress. After that lengthy conversation, the customer was told that it would be about 45 minutes before her prescription was ready. She was just dropping off a prescription? At that moment, I was pretty perturbed that that conversation and that bit of business was conducted in the drive-thru. Should have been done on the phone or inside rather than letting the drive-thru back up.

My turn comes up and I'm told I need to get in Lane 1, now 4 cars deep, or come inside because the pickup is too big to fit in the tube for Lane 2. I was not quite exasperated yet. I get inside to the counter and there's a problem with the "Express Pay". Our health insurance company provides a credit card for prescriptions and other medical/health expenses. That information was supposed to be on file with the pharmacy but somehow, this time, it wasn't. After I made a phone call to get that information, the clerk had to open the bag, relabel and rescan the prescription, close the bag, and ring it up again. What should have been a 2-5 minute drive-thru experience turned into a 40-minute drive-thru and in-store experience. Not fast or convenient and I was a tad exasperated but I considered myself fortunate when I saw the lines outside as I was leaving. Good thing I wasn't needing and picking up blood pressure medicine but I'd wager at least some of the cars now wrapped around the building were.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Don't You Get It 5:17 Mark Knopfler Golden Heart
2. It's Money That Matters 48 Randy Newman Land of Dreams
3. Good Times Roll 3:45 The Cars The Cars
4. Clock Strikes Ten 33 Cheap Trick Original Album Classics
5. Alabama 42 Neil Young Harvest

Today's QOTD is about Hurricane Ida preparedness. Ida brought CrabAppleLane some cooler, drier air. That's about it.

Quote of the Day

This time of year, our summer season is over, so there aren't a lot of tourists in town. The folks we're dealing with mostly are permanent residents and our permanent residents know what to do.

Police Chief Arthur Bourne, Gulf Shores, Alabama

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "End CJ Ah You (ankle) was limited in practice."

Great name. -Rob

Looks like Ida will miss us although we could still get tropical storm winds and rain today. The Swillers will get a bit more of it but Ida doesn't look like a killer storm. Most area schools here will be closed all day or will close early. This is no fun for anyone but it surely could have been worse.

It was another tough day at the office yesterday for the Saints but they got the win. Carolina is a physical team that knows the Saints very well. It figured to be nasty all along. Never discount the W.

From Andrew Perloff's Against the Grain Column today:

Have there ever been less scary 8-0 teams than New Orleans or Indianapolis? What is New Orleans' signature win? The Saints beat the Eagles without Donovan McNabb, reeling Giants and Jets teams, and a Falcons squad that can't play on the road. And they had to come from behind against slightly below-average Miami and Carolina.

He's wrong about some of that. 5 of the 8 teams they've played (Eagles, Giants, Dolphins, Falcons, Panthers) were playoff teams last season. The Jets and Giants weren't "reeling" when the Saints played them. The Jets were 3-0 and the Giants were 5-0. They beat the Eagles fairly resoundingly at the Linc without McNabb. I think the Panthers, Dolphins, and Falcons are better than he gives them credit for. The Saints are not unbeatable. Who is? They're winning their games. That's all.

Both of my fantasy teams continue to nosedive. They both got off to fast starts but have been pretty bad the last couple of weeks.

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Misfire 1:50 Queen Sheer Heart Attack [Bonus Track] Rock


2. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover 3:32 Paul Simon Negotiations And Love Songs 1971-1986 Pop 60 1


3. Shotgun In My Soul 31 Cowboy Mouth Mercyland Rock 1


4. Searchin' For A Rainbow 3:52 The Marshall Tucker Band Greatest Hits Rock


5. Kinderfeld 4:52 Marilyn Manson Antichrist Superstar Metal

Quote of the Day

While the Panthers drew in, the Saints attacked with a confidence that bordered on disdain and outscored them 24-3 in the second half.

Tom Sorensen, Charlotte Observer

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "If memory serves, wasn't it a couple years ago when a dismal Scott Linehan 0-8 Rams club came off the bye week and beat a pretty decent New Orleans club?"

Very tough game for the Saints today in the SuperDome. Carolina has been their nemesis pretty much since they've been in the NFL. Jake Delhomme very generously throws interceptions to just about everyone ... except the Saints. This game will give me a better barometer of where they are than any game they've played so far. The formula hasn't changed here in several years. If they take care of the ball, they'll take care of the Panthers. One more thing:

On the upcoming 40th anniversary of Sesame Street, I am reminded of their silly decision to change probably their most beloved character, Cookie Monster. Don't do that again.

My ambivalence to capital punishment stems from A) because of appeals, it is probably cheaper to keep people in jail for the rest of their lives than it is to execute and I think life imprisonment is strong punishment and B) this guy. I just do not care one way or the other.

Premiering a new CrabAppleLane Blog daily feature this morning.

5 song iTune shuffle for November 8, 2009:

1. Scotch & Chocolate 38 Nickel Creek Why Should The Fire Die? Country 1


2. Before The Beginning 3:26 Fleetwood Mac Then Play On Blues


3. Hey You 4:39 Pink Floyd Pulse [Live] [Disc 1] Rock


4. Lazy 7:23 Deep Purple Machine Head 25th Anniversary Edition [Disc 2] Rock


5. I'm So Excited 5:39 The Pointer Sisters Working Girl Soundtrack

Speaking of iTunes, below is the most-played song in my iTunes library. It's a song by former U.S. Marine, Elijah Bossenbroek. I like a lot of his stuff but this one is my favorite. It's called The Calm Before. Enjoy.

About today's QOTD: Yes.

We bought or were given a bird feeder about a year after we moved in. It was painted nicely and said "Seed for a song" on the sides. It was similar to the one pictured only it was built by a much better carpenter than I, the worst carpenter you know. It quickly became the CrabAppleLane backyard birds' favorite. They seem to like the openness of it. That first one was repaired several times before it gave way to the second feeder for this location, one very similar to this one because it was also built by me. That one was also repaired several times before I decided on this third one. I cobbled this one together this morning in about 30 minutes in my garage. It looks it but I don't think the birds will mind one bit.

CrabAppleLane Bird Feeder - November 8, 2009

Quote of the Day

The Cowboys stand for everything that's wrong with the NFL.

John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens Head Coach

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "While the UK initially appeared to have been ignored - its homepage featured Wallace and Gromit celebrating their 20th birthday instead - it has now been brought in from the cold, with a doodle of the Cookie Monster having apparently taken a bite out of a Google logo. (Made out of cookies, naturally.)"

Kickoff in 10 minutes.

Today's QOTD is about Officer Kimberly Munley of the Fort Hood Police Department, the first armed responder. It's a pretty succinct assessment. She was wounded in the exchange. Good on you, Officer. Get well soon.

Quote of the Day

She moved to the threat and eliminated it

Chuck Medley, Director of emergency services at Fort Hood, Tex

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "This is a full recording of the whole broadcast (inclusive intro to If this is goodbye and journal break)."

Seems the Oakland Raiders have serious competition for the Most Dysfunctional NFL Team. Love the headline from Sporting News:

In Cleveland, GM Mess Leaves Brown Stains

I make the Raiders a slight favorite to take that title by year's end. The Tom Cable wife/girlfriend/assistant abuse scandal should trump almost anything the buffoons in Cleveland can do. I have to go with the team whose head coach likes to punch everyone. Teams in Washington DC, Tampa, St Louis, Kansas City, and Detroit are mere pretenders. And, NO, I do not miss the days when the Saints were perennial contenders for that title. Thanks for asking.

A few years ago, I marveled at a Korean man who finally passed his driver's license exam after 271 failures. I thought then that Korea should have just issued him a lifetime bus ticket and quit wasting everyone's time. I didn't think that could be topped. I should never think that. A Korean woman finally passed hers after 949 failures. If that's going to be topped, my money is on it being someone from Korea. Wonder what kind of insurance rate she will get.

Quote of the Day

That team that spent $50 million more than any other team, that team with three sure Hall of Famers and as many as four others, that team that bought Milwaukee's best pitcher and Anaheim's best hitter and Toronto's No. 2 starter and Boston's favorite Idiot and the most expensive player in the history of baseball and so on, that team will win the World Series, and spray champagne on each other, and they will tell you that they won because they came together as a group and kept pulling themselves off the ground and didn't listen to the doubters.

Joe Posnanski, Sports Illustrated

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Always leave room for assumption!"

Congratulations to the Yankees.

A paragraph from ESPN's Jayson Stark in a somewhat contradictory article says everything about Major League Baseball that concerns everyone not from New York, Boston, or Los Angeles about the game.

We understand this is no tale of some plucky underdog battling to this place against all odds. This was a $208-million baseball team we're talking about. This was a team that paid its four infielders alone more money ($81.225 million) than 16 of the other 29 franchises paid their WHOLE TEAM. This was a team that had spent nearly $1.8 billion hard-earned Steinbrenner-family dollars in between trips to the Canyon of Heroes.

That they can spend that kind of money on players AND still make a huge profit gives them an unfair advantage. That isn't a startling revelation, I know. That baseball can do nothing about it is eventually going to kill the goose that lays the Yankees Golden Eggs.

Later in the article, Stark says this:

But contrary to popular belief, it's never dollars alone that make that happen. You need talent. You need brains. And you need people -- people who understand what winning is all about, what leadership is all about, what being a teammate is all about.

What a silly thing to say. It's the dollars that gets the talent, that gets the brains, that gets the people, that gets the leaders, that builds the stadium, that buys the championship for the franchise that George built. It starts and ends with the money. In a true free market, competitors go out of business when they no longer can compete. In professional sports, they move to another city. Cities don't have the money to welcome those franchises like they once did and I think most of them are a little tired of being used that way. Baseball has issues that aren't going away any time soon but I suppose it's good to be a Yankee fan.

Quote of the Day

We play the game the right way.

Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Fox's Little Voice: I will never again call for a forward pass."

I've never heard of a 4D film but I surely want to see this one. We've only been to the museum once and we're both dying to go again. Next time we're in the city ...

The headline says "Rumors fly of a postseason strike". I doubt it. The twit writer, Mike Florio, is the only person floating that one.

Today's QOTD came to me as I read about how UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid West Wing writers to help him with a speech before Congress. Not the actual West Wing, the television show West Wing. The thing about Havel wasn't his very own words (He's a playwright), although they're wonderful, it was his perspective and humility that wowed Congress. In my opinion, paying people to throw American references into a speech kind of misses the point of having foreign leaders speak before Congress.

Quote of the Day

My advisers advised me to speak on this important occasion in Czech. I don't know why. Perhaps they wanted you to enjoy the sweet sounds of my mother tongue.

President Václav Havel, Czech Republic

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Next week we head down to New Orleans to take on the Saints, in a big matchup. The Saints are (6-0) facing the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. They could be facing an undefeated team, or hopefully in our case (6-1). But whatever the case maybe, I know the Panthers can pull out a win."

Not a very good performance last night by the Saints although it's a W just the same. The offensive line is giving up too many hits on Drew Brees. There's more than a little concern at left tackle, Jermond Bushrod. After shutting down the Giants Osi Umenyiora, who I thought was one of the best, Jason Taylor of the Dolphins and John Abraham of the Falcons both gave him a lot of trouble. Both teams made too many mistakes. Both can play better.

I'm also compelled to make an observation about the officiating. It's getting pretty bad and I don't know why. Most of the time, officials are in good position to see the plays. Some of the infractions that were called last night were pretty ticky tacky and some of the most blatant ones were no calls. An important Saints drive was kept alive by a defensive holding call which was pretty minor. A long Falcons touchdown pass to Roddy White should have been offensive pass interference. I'm also concerned about some very slow whistles once forward progress has been stopped. I don't know what their mandate from the league is but I don't know anyone who is happy with the officiating this season.

Another division game for the Saints coming up this week. Carolina played a good game this week against the Cardinals and they beat the Saints twice last year with essentially the same players. Not an easy out.

Big game in Tuscaloosa against the Crimson Tide this week for the LSU Tigers. A win would change their season into something else.

I find myself very concerned about events in the Florida-Georgia game this past Saturday. The eye-gouging was scary. What was he thinking? That he was going to emerge from the pile and raise that guy's eyeballs up to the crowd? The punishment (Half-game suspension for a game your team is favored by 100) meted out by Urban Meyer was inadequate. He should be suspended for the rest of the year or even thrown off the team. And this, from Heisman Trophy winner and leader of the team, Tim Tebow:

I don't think that we did anything in that game that they didn't do.

The Southeastern Conference needs to look at suspending that series or penalizing both programs somehow.

My two fantasy teams are both in tailspin mode. After a 5-0 start, one is 5-3. After a 6-0 start, the other is 6-2.

Quote of the Day

I don't think we played that great today

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Good morning Panther faithful and welcome to the Monday Morning Optimist; and boy oh boy, do we have a lot to be optimistic about this week!"

Fun game in the SuperDome tonight. The Falcons are the Saints oldest and fiercest rival. They've played 79 times. Falcons lead the series, 44-35. They know each other very well. The records don't mean much. Atlanta and New Orleans have been rivals since before the Civil War. They were the two biggest cities in the old south. It's all good fun, though, and an economic boost for both. Saints fans travel to Atlanta in large numbers for the games in the Georgia Dome and Falcons fans travel to New Orleans in large numbers for games in the SuperDome. I looked into tickets for tonight's game. Bring your big wallets, Falcons fans.

I feel for Aaron Rodgers. He will always be unfavorably compared to his predecessor, Brett Favre. The Packers didn't make the playoffs last season just one year after almost getting to the Super Bowl with Favre and they've lost two high-profile games to the Favre-led Vikings this season. He's a terrific quarterback playing behind probably the worst offensive line in the NFL. Favre is playing behind one of the best. Not a fair comparison. Surround Favre with a mediocre team, like the Jets, and the results are different. Brett finagled his way into a perfect situation. Good for him. Aaron's time will come ... if he survives. Vikings look very tough.

Good thing New York has the Yankees because the Giants and Jets are disintegrating. They're both pretty good against the Raiders, though.

Quote of the Day

Our second favorite team -- whoever is playing the Falcons.

Glen Helmstetter, Atlanta, GA

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "On a related note, I'm officially listed as "out" for Monday Night Football."

Jes pics today. Inspiration tomorrow, I hope.

Christmas Tree Farm - Bush, LA - November 1, 2009

Whippoorwill Grove - Bush, LA - November 1, 2009

Hemphill Road - Bush, LA - November 1, 2009

Hemphill Road - Bush, LA - November 1, 2009

Quote of the Day

And she handed me twenty dollars for a two fifty fare
She said, "Harry, keep the change"

Harry Chapin, Taxi

Blog of the day here.

Quote from said blog: "Yep, the eternal Dirty Bird optimist is a little down heading into this one. It's going to be a heckuva lot closer when it's in our dome, but after seeing the Giants get dismantled in the Big Easy, I can't pretend we're going to stop these guys from scoring."