July 2010 Archives

Still no invite. Looks like I'll probably miss the newest wedding of the century. For what it's worth, I would have had to use one of those $15k toilets ... even if I didn't have to go.

Despite the rough outing yesterday, trading for Roy Oswalt was a great move by the Phillies.

Last night, I closed comments on all but the last 10 days' entries here. A newer antispam defense called TypePad AntiSpam had eliminated the need to do this for a time but spammers are like cockroaches ... in more ways than one. They've figured out a way to get around my TypePad defense in sufficient enough numbers that another step had to be taken. Spammers are impossible to get rid of entirely. They're determined and very resilient. You just have to be diligent in your defenses and squash the few that do get through ... or quit. Closing comments on older entries is a practice I used to use as an antispam defense at one time. It is effective but was somewhat tedious. I found a plug-in last night that made it easier to do this on a lot of entries at once and all is quiet here this morning. I'll no longer accept trackbacks, either.

Sam Bradford makes as much as or even more money than Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre ... and Sam hasn't thrown a pass in an NFL game yet. He'll get $50 million if he never throws one. Nice work if you can get it.

The QOTD is John Harbaugh's response to losing a starting cornerback for the season to injury on "a day before the first full-team practice of Ravens training camp". What else could he say?

40 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Four Star playlist:

1. Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Déjà Vu
2. Calling Elvis - Dire Straits - On Every Street
3. Ebony Eyes - Bob Welch - Rock Of The 70's
4. Little Ducks - Hans Zimmer - Crimson Tide
5. Shine On - Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive! [Disc 2]

Quote of the Day

We're going to have a great defense. We're going to have a really, really good football team.

John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens Head Coach

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Cleaning shelves
recently at my Mother's house in New Zealand I found her Elna Sewing machine handbook"

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Would kinda like to see what a $15,000 toilet does that the $129 toilets don't do but I still haven't received my invitation. Mail is still a little slow around here.

A little off of the beaten path in New Orleans, especially for tourists, but if you like steak ... Good to see they've re-opened.

I've never been to Cleveland and it's not high on my list of cities to visit but I don't believe for a moment that it's dying or that it's remotely as bad as people say. There are many great cities in America and they all have their share of problems. Cleveland is surely one of those great cities.

41 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks, 1964-1971 [Disc 2]
2. Have A Cigar - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
3. Further On (Up The Road) - Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
4. New Slang - The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
5. Ballroom Blitz - Sweet - Rock Of The 70's

Quote of the Day

No power in the verse can stop me

River Tam, Firefly - War Stories

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Meanwhile, a Marylin Monroe impersonator arouses the old men and a portly Elvis makes you (if you happen to be that age) incredibly nostalgic (and maybe aroused too)."

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The Saints report to camp in Metairie, Louisiana today. First practice tomorrow morning. Everyone but first round draft pick, Patrick Robinson, is signed. I'd be very surprised if that doesn't get done today or, at least, by the weekend. The shortest and most joyous Saints offseason is over and this Saints fan is not in the least bit sorry to see it go. Football season can't get here soon enough.

Over the offseason, they lost running back Mike Bell on offense, linebacker Scott Fujita and defensive end Charles Grant on defense. I'm not going to minimize their losses. All of those guys contributed last season. The team signed a couple of guys to replace Grant and have guys already on the roster to step into Bell's and Fujita's roles. They picked up some young talent in the draft. They had a whole hospital ward on injured reserve last season, including some of last year's draft picks, and they'll all be back to compete for roster spots. On paper, it's not outrageous to say the team is even stronger and deeper than they were last season. Of course, they don't play the game on paper.

For once in every Saints fan's life, it seems like the team is ahead of the organizational curve. The general manager has a plan that is getting results. They have a great coaching staff led by one of the youngest, most innovative, and, easily, the most fearless head coach in the NFL. They have a roster loaded with young and veteran talent led by one of the best quarterbacks in the game. As the BOTD says, "Welcome to the New Normal". Handle with care, though. It's very fragile.

Vikings v Saints in the SuperDome --- 6 weeks ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Border Reiver - Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky
2. A Light In The Black - Rainbow - Rising
3. St. Vitus Dance - Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol. 4 (Remaster)
4. Halo Of Flies - Alice Cooper - Killer
5. Natural Thing - UFO - No Heavy Petting

Quote of the Day

The Super Bowl that will take place on Feb. 6, 2011. The big game will be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Spoiler alert: The Cowboys won't be playing in it.)

Adam Watson, ESPN

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Hey, I'm just sayin'. Welcome to the New Normal. Takes a little getting used to, no doubt about it. Kinda cool though, don't you think?"

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Jack Tatum died yesterday. He played safety for the Oakland Raiders back in a different era, the 70s. He was a vicious player and most opponents were afraid of him. No one wanted to go across the middle against the Raiders. That's where he was ... waiting to hit receivers that were crossing in front of him. About two minutes and fifteen seconds into that Tatum clip at NFL.com is a tackle he made on Earl Campbell in the Astrodome. That one is worth seeing. I was watching that game when it happened. I think it was a Monday night. I never saw anyone go at Campbell like that, especially someone at least 50lbs lighter.

Tatum played by the rules of the time and what was allowed then doesn't detract from the player he was. He was a good safety. Most of his tackles, clean at the time, would result in personal foul penalties now, though. Almost all of them were helmet to helmet. He was hardly alone in the league playing that brand of football. If you started following the NFL in the last 15 years, you would be appalled by the way the game was played then. I'm somewhat appalled by it. While channel-surfing the other day, I saw a clip of Tatum's contemporary and rival, Hall-of-Fame Steeler cornerback Mel Blount, pick up a receiver, flip him, and slam him to the turf on his head. I like hard-hitting football as much as the next fan these days but I don't want to see that kind of stuff any more. Call me a wimp. R.I.P., Jack.

43 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. White Wedding - Billy Idol - Billy Idol
2. Burn - Deep Purple - Burn
3. Green Grass And High Tides - The Outlaws - Harley-Davidson Cycles: Road Songs [Disc 1]
4. Rock The Nation - Montrose - Montrose
5. On The Turning Away - Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason

Quote of the Day

Adored by Raiders fans and generally despised by those who followed every other team, Tatum was a key part of the fabric of the game in the 1970s. There hasn't been another Jack Tatum, and there likely never will.

Mike Florio, MSNBC

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "If you haven't, please read The Raider Way's post below about the passing of Jack "The Assassin" Tatum. A true Raider legend. His passing cast a gloom over this otherwise glorious day, but let it remind us all of the way he played football. He was a true Raider. I would love to see the Raiders play with a 32 patch this year."

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Well, who can resist a peanut butter sandwich? His insurance company is going to love that. Not as much as I do, though. :)

The guy featured in today's BOTD is quite unique. Love his blackout poetry.

Another no-hitter tossed last night. That's the fifth (Should be the sixth) this season. I hope baseball doesn't feel the need to fix this by further lowering the mound or shrinking the strike zone. Hitters don't need any help. They'll adapt.

My typos are getting worse by the day. No idea how they keep showing up here. I think my keyboard is possessed.

About today's QOTD: It is the most overused expression in sports. In professional sports, particularly the ones that use scouting and film study, no one sneaks up on anyone. Players have a different plan and give a different effort from one game to the next. It's human nature. Nothing more. I would like Mr Farmer to point to one team the Saints sneaked up on last season. It just doesn't happen.

44 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "D" :

1. Diamond Dogs - David Bowie - Diamond Dogs
2. Devil Baby - Mark Knopfler - The Ragpicker's Dream
3. Day Of The Eagle - Robin Trower - Bridge Of Sighs
4. Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss & Union Station - Live [Disc 2]
5. Doctor Doctor - UFO - Phenomenon

Quote of the Day

The Saints were able to sneak up on people last season, but now they're the team in the spotlight; how will they handle success?

Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times

Blog of the day via TravelingMermaid is here.

Quote from said blog: "The coolest artifacts from the panel are the amazing Scout Books that Pinball Publishing had printed for us: read all about them."

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We spent yesterday afternoon at the emergency room. Patsy has a 2-millimeter kidney stone. She was in a lot of pain. They gave her morphine before we left. She's resting now and still hasn't passed it. Hopefully, that will happen sometime today.

Speaking of health care, the tables were turned for me not too long ago. Not sure where this person worked or what she did but she wore a uniform and a name tag that indicated she worked in that industry. I was doing something for one person on the phone and had another person waiting who was ahead of her. I excused myself to the man who was next to go into the next room to finish up the phone conversation. I told him I'd be right with him. At this time, the woman, who was put out all of 20 seconds by now, launched into a tirade about our service. The person ahead of her was so uncomfortable that he graciously told her she could go ahead of him. She refused. By the time I got to her, she had been in the building less than five minutes and it took me less than a minute to answer all of her questions at no charge.

The scorecards read like this: She entered my building, was in no pain whatsoever, had two people in front of her, was served and on her way in about five minutes, and did not have to pay a cent to see anyone. We entered a building in her industry yesterday, it's hard to tell if or how many people were ahead of us, was in excruciating pain for a good portion of the time, saw various people at 5 to 20 minute intervals, was on our way in just four hours, and I can only imagine what the final bill will be.

Is it any wonder why EVERYONE wants to tinker with that industry?

Now that about 100 games have been played, these are my thoughts on Major League Baseball after one glance at the current standings (Bet any house you have to lose): The wildcards will come out of the east in the American League and out of the west in the National League. The central division in both leagues will provide the best races. I also don't think the Rangers' 7-game lead is safe or that the Braves' 5-game lead is safe.

Speaking of baseball, how bout the headline below?

Padres Grounds Crew Dims Stadium's Lights For Romantic Night Game

Everyone who follows and writes about the NFL is convinced there will be a lockout by the owners next spring. Can I simply ask what good it does to lock out players making millions AFTER you've given them at least a year's notice at their current salaries? This is a game of brinkmanship with no brink. With apologies to Nike, JUST DON'T DO IT.

45 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Four Star playlist:

1. Woodstock - Joni Mitchell - Ladies Of The Canyon (Remastered)
2. I Don't Wanna Know - Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
3. King Of Pain - The Police - The Police Greatest Hits
4. Mustang Sally - The Commitments - The Commitments
5. Bring It On Home - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II

Quote of the Day

Went to the men's room in center field about 75 minutes before the game. In the middle of the empty place: a naked man washing himself, his pile of clothes off to the side. I did a double-take, and he was quickly soaping up his armpits with the hand soap out of the dispenser, then using a cup to rinse off. On a weirdness scale of 1-10, this was a 46.

Peter King, CNN/SI

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Boo. Tonight was officially hat-tip worthy."

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It's been raining off and on all weekend. The sun is out now and it's more than a little steamy. If the rain is still gone in an hour or two, I'll be on the tractor. I started doing yardwork yesterday but couldn't finish.

Between the rains Saturday afternoon, I was able to pull up the 2010 CrabAppleLane spring vegetable garden. The tomatoes have been done for a a few weeks but I wanted to let the peppers fill out a little more. I'm not a big fan of bell peppers normally. They're usually a little too thick when you buy them at a store, when they come on a pizza, or when they're in a dish at a restaurant, particularly Chinese dishes. Homegrown bell peppers are a whole other thing. Commercial bell pepper varieties have a much thicker skin because they've been developed that way so they can travel better. Homegrown peppers are thin-skinned and have a much lighter and sweeter taste. In the bowl below: "Big Early" bell peppers. On the rail: "Italia" sweet peppers. There is almost no difference in taste, texture, or size between them. They're both delicious. We haven't decided what to do with them yet. We may stuff them or we may add them to some scrambled eggs but we're most likely to add them to a huge batch of Patsy's sausage rice casserole. I'm fine with any one or more of those options.

Last of the CrabAppleLane 2010 spring crop - July 25, 2010

It was an average year for CrabAppleLane tomatoes and peppers. It got too hot too early and there was too much rain toward the end of the season. I don't think the eggplants did well at all. I haven't done a fall garden in many years but I think I will this year. Patsy and I both love homegrown baby Brussels sprouts so there will surely be a lot of those planted. I'll throw in a row of broccoli and maybe some red and green cabbage, too. Patsy makes good coleslaw.

I like to rate the songs in my iTunes library. I haven't done it with all of them yet but I've got a substantial number of them rated. Five stars is the highest. Today's iTunes shuffle is from the Four Star list.

There are probably a few funnier things about the upcoming NFL season but the New York Times Fifth Down Blog picking the brash, loudmouthed Jets to finish third in their division behind the Patriots and Dolphins is pretty good. The QOTD plugs into that. Thank you, Judy. :)

46 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Four Star playlist:

1. Mean Mistreater - Grand Funk Railroad - Live Album
2. Heartless - Adrien Reju - A Million Hearts
3. Space Truckin' - Deep Purple - Machine Head (Roger Glover Remixes) [Disc 2]
4. Behind With The Rent - Mark Knopfler - Kill To Get Crimson
5. Boogie With Stu - Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti [Disc 2]

Quote of the Day

Is there enough oxygen in Cortland, N.Y., to sustain all the Jets’ talk?

Judy Battista, NY Times

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "I wrote about this soup two years ago when I first found the recipe in the New York Times. Since then, I've made it many times, making a few tweaks here and there. It's definitely remained a favorite – in fact, it's one of two soups that I constantly go back to. You know, the ones I know I can really nail."

Looks like a lot of work. Also looks fantastic. I've never heard of smoked paprika. Might have to try it. -Rob

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The CrabAppleLane septic tank was pumped out yesterday. The digging I spoke of saved us a few bucks. Our tank is only about 8 inches below the surface at the deepest point. The little bit of dirt you see below represents about two hours of old-fashioned shoveling on our part. Professionals could probably do this by hand in 20 minutes. The wife did about half of the digging before I got home and I finished up. Red clay is as hard as bricks when it's dry. When it's wet, it's very heavy. It was wet where water was seeping out near the square service cover and dry everywhere else. We really only needed to dig enough so the maintenance guy could access the square cover but we didn't see the tank installed and we knew nothing about where the most likely placement would be so a good bit of our shoveling was unnecessary.

When the crew came out to restore our power after Hurricane Katrina (Last image), they were worried about two things. They were worried about ruining our lawn when they backed the truck up and they were worried about where the septic tank was. One of those answers was easy. After 12½ days in the August/September Bush heat without electricity (Air conditioning), BACK THAT THING UP. They parked so far away and used their cherry picker because I couldn't tell them exactly where the tank was. The weight of their truck would have caved it in and that would have been a whole other disaster.

The guy worked for two whole hours yesterday morning in the sweltering Bush heat and humidity. He also dealt with the other thing that you might associate with an overdue-for-service septic tank. I won't get too graphic about that and I'm thankful I wasn't home but Patsy said it wasn't as bad as she expected. We have the kind of septic system that is being phased out of existence because of its poor aeration properties. Our homebuilder probably got it at a discount because of that. If we ever sell the house, I'm told it will have to be replaced before we can close. We'll worry about that another day. When Tropical Depression Bonnie's rains stop, I'll get outside and move that wet, heavy, and messy red clay back over the tank and I've made a note over where the access cover is for next time.

CrabAppleLane Septic Tank - July 24, 2010

Top four roast beef po-boys in New Orleans? I don't think so. I'll reserve judgment on Parasol's because I still haven't tried theirs even though I'm dying to do so. I have had roast beef po-boys at the other three places on the list and I'd rate at least four places higher. My favorite is Come Back Inn. Theirs is the roast beef po-boy I measure all others against. Sammy's Deli would also be on my list because theirs is excellent. I'd put Liuzza's on my list and I'd also put Parran's on my list. Come Back Inn, Sammy's, Liuzza's, and Parran's would be my top four and in that order. Parkway Tavern's is good and Radosta's is good but I put Bear's at only average. A NorthShore po-boy is not as good as a SouthShore po-boy mainly because of the bread. Bear's is NorthShore. All others listed are SouthShore, where the french bread is just better. Also, just about everyone would throw rocks at the very best Philly cheesesteak sub after eating just about any of the po-boys I've mentioned. Not even close.

It's a sad day for NFL fans. Best CrabAppleLane wishes to the Cowher family on the loss of Kaye. 54 is entirely too young. AllTheBest.

The Saints open training camp this Friday. Only two of their draft choices have signed contracts. I expect the rest will start signing soon. They're working on long term deals for some of their signed players, too.

47 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Mrs. Rita - Gin Blossoms - New Miserable Experience
2. Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
3. We're An American Band - Grand Funk Railroad - Caught In The Act
4. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX) - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
5. War Pigs/Luke's Wall - Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Quote of the Day

I'm not drinking anything wrapped in road kill, even if it was free.

Dave E, Fish Fear Me

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Understand the Sanitary Code!"

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Even if I was inclined to pay $765 for a bottle of beer, NO THANKS.

I will spend more time trying to figure out how to copy&paste text or a url than it would take for me to type it out. It's a rather disturbing obsession.

Thin crust pizza beats deep dish all day and all night. A less disturbing and much more delicious obsession.

Not as sore this morning as I expected to be. I did about 45 minutes of shoveling hard and wet red clay last night. The septic tank maintenance crew charges about $100 if they have to do it when they come to your house. I think I'd charge more.

Today's QOTD is about New Orleans Hornets superstar, Chris Paul. Apparently, he wants out and wants to go to a team more committed to winning.

48 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Dante's Prayer - Loreena McKennitt - The Book Of Secrets
2. Something The Boy Said - Sting - Ten Summoner's Tales
3. Great Gulf Wind - Sonny Landreth - South Of I-10
4. The Lonely Shepherd - Gheorghe Zamfir - Kill Bill, Vol. 1
5. Sugarhigh - Coyote Shivers - Empire Records

Quote of the Day

Paul can’t publicly state he wants to be traded, or he’ll be fined by the NBA.

John Reid, The Times-Picayune

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Legende Maakt Van Verkrachting Een Masturbatie"

It's a Dutch blog about American football. The entry I selected is about Lawrence Taylor's pending trial, I think. I don't speak Dutch and my high school German (Similar, I'm told) is long gone. Make your own jokes about the title. Check, please. -Rob

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Why Aye Man is a phrase I came to know listening to Mark Knopfler. It's the first track on The Ragpicker's Dream. I like the Urban Dictionary's definition because of the invading Vikings reference but I think it's more likely just as it sounds ... an emphatic expression of agreement. It's been Knopfler's opening song for a while now. Good rendition of it below. Enjoy.

02 - Why Aye Man - Mark Knopfler - Get Lucky Tour - Live in Helsingborg - 12 06 2010

Found at: - FilesTube

7 weeks until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Why Aye Man - Mark Knopfler - The Ragpicker's Dream
2. Electric Funeral - Black Sabbath - Paranoid
3. Should, Woulda, Coulda - Wishbone Ash - Bona Fide
4. Love Under Fire - Tom Cochrane & Red Rider - Tom Cochrane And Red Rider
5. Budapest - Jethro Tull - Crest Of A Knave

Quote of the Day

We had the back of Maggie's hand
Times were tough in Geordieland
We got wor tools and working gear
And humped it all from Newcastle to here

Mark Knopfler, Why Aye Man

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "One thing I discovered in so many restaurants and cafes in Europe is that they are very often understaffed. Many times before I had meals in establishments where the waiters/patrons ratio was so ridiculously low that no wonder service took bloody forever. This is in contrast to most places I had dined in while in North America, where it’s not uncommon to see waiting staff twiddling their thumbs waiting for action. I guess it’s either the norm here to have slow service, or the fact that waiting staff earn respectable salaries (contrary to USA / Canada where waiting staff typically earn minimum wage – sometimes even less – and rely primarily on tips); or both. Anyway, when going to a restaurant in Western Europe, my advice to you is to plan for delays."

I've heard this many times. -Rob

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Everyone knows Brett is coming back for another year with the Vikings. The Brad Childress visit and the subsequent statements coming from him and the team are just more of the 39 steps. I expect to see him in the SuperDome on September 9. I looked into going to that game but ticket prices are a little out there.

50 days until football season ...

Do it.

About today's QOTD: If I ever get whisked off to jail, I wonder if anyone is going to report what I'm wearing ... right down to my belt. Well, no, I don't.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "I" :

1. I Can't Hold Back - Survivor - Greatest Hits
2. I Hear Them All - Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World
3. I Will Find You - Clannad - The Last Of The Mohicans
4. I Don't Need No Doctor - Humble Pie - Rockin' The Filmore
5. In The Light - Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti [Disc 2]

Quote of the Day

Wearing dark denim jeans, a gray top, black corset belt and black jacket, the 24-year-old Lohan showed up at the Beverly Hills courtroom about 10 minutes late.

Associated Press

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "14-year old Laura Dekker's plans to sail solo around the world received both good and bad news this week, as the courts in the Netherlands have announced that they'll decide her fate next Tuesday, July 27th."

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41 years ago ...

Our septic tank needs to be pumped out. We went longer than the normal, recommended service interval and that pretty much sums up the story of our lives. :( Time, energy, and money are the three critical ingredients. At least one is in short supply on most days.

About today's QOTD: Love the title of the book and love the neurotic statement about whether she's too neurotic or not neurotic enough.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "I" :

1. I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick/In Color/Heaven Tonight (3 Pak)
2. If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot - Complete Greatest Hits
3. Icarus (Borne on Wings of Steel) - Kansas - Masque
4. Im A Doun - Meav - Méav
5. I Think It's Going To Rain Today - Bette Midler - Beaches

Quote of the Day

Whenever I manage not to be neurotic, I worry, in turn, that I am not being neurotic enough.

Amy Wilson, When Did I Get Like This?: The Screamer, the Worrier, the Dinosaur-Chicken-Nugget-Buyer, and Other Mothers I Swore I'd Never Be

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "When I say New Jersey, what is the first image that comes to mind?"

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Watched the free five-minute preview of New Moon yesterday because my nephew trashed the Twilight series of books and movies and I just had to see if it could be as bad as all that. Craig Ferguson trashes them relentlessly on his show but I thought he was just being funny. The only thing I can tell you, for sure, after five minutes is that I did not want to see five more. One user at IMDb said the acting was "so wooden I got splinters". That pretty much sums up what I saw, too. The rest of the film may be Citizen Kane but I'll never know because what I saw was MST3K bad. Read a few of what IMDb calls "Memorable Quotes".

52 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "M" :

1. Madame Geneva's - Mark Knopfler - Kill To Get Crimson
2. The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo) - Manfred Mann - Rock 'n Roll Relix 1968-1969
3. Maybe Not - Cat Power - You Are Free
4. Misty Mountain Hop - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
5. Mr. Bojangles - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy

Quote of the Day

You can't really run with vampires. They're very fast.

Bella Swan, New Moon

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse has officially hit the quarter billion dollar mark in domestic sales and it will soon be making half a billion dollars worldwide!"

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Patsy had a gift coupon or certificate for two free movie passes and I talked her into Inception last night. I owe her the next 8 or 10 movies now. Inception was much more my type of movie than hers. Director Christopher Nolan also did Memento. The two films share two traits. The first one is that they are both utterly bewildering for the first half and Nolan never slows down. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) leads a team of dream invaders. They insert themselves into peoples' dreams to discover secrets or intentions and there are all sorts of rules and techniques that are explained throughout. Once the rules have been established for the audience, the team embarks on a mission of "inception", thought to be impossible and dangerous. They plan to plant an idea into someone's head without that person's knowledge or consent. Check your ethics at the door, please.

The rest of the film is about that mission. It is very well done and here is where I started to catch up but Nolan still has a few twists up his sleeve. The subject has built up defenses against people doing what Cobb and his team wants to do and Cobb has demons of his own that only Ariadne (Ellen Page), the newest member of the team, has discovered. The other trait Inception shares with Memento is that its worth your time. It's a whale of a ride. Loved the ending.

I offer the only relevant image from the CrabAppleLane Backyard, where the yardwork was canceled this week due to rain. The mirlitons are loving it, though.

CrabAppleLane Backyard - July 18, 2010

Some other tidbits for a CrabAppleLane Sunday:

So far, the oil cap is still holding but no one is calling it a success yet. A delightful and heartbreaking series from the Times Picayune told from a Brown Pelican's point of view. I cannot look at any more real pictures or video of Brown Pelicans covered in oil. It kills me.

Joe Montana's son was arrested for underage drinking and, somehow, that passes for news. Nate Montana is 20. I'm shocked, shocked to learn that underage drinking occurs amongst college students. Come on. Besides the kid and his parents, who else should care about this?

The Saints finally signed a draft pick this past week. Training camp starts next week. What's the hurry?

53 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "L" :

1. Long Distance Runaround - Yes - Fragile
2. Love To Love - UFO - Essential UFO
3. Locomotive Breath - Jethro Tull - Aqualung
4. Love, Reign O'er Me - The Who - Quadrophenia [Disc 2]
5. The Load-Out - Jackson Browne - Running On Empty

Quote of the Day

Long distance runaround
Long time waiting to feel the sound
I still remember the dream there
I still remember the time you said goodbye

Yes, Long Distance Runaround

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Christopher Nolan's 'Inception' hits theaters today, and with glowing reviews it's poised to become this summer's intellectual blockbuster -- a mind-bending experience that will dazzle you as much as it will make you scratch your head. (In its review, Entertainment Weekly called the film "brainiacally engaging.")"

"Brainiacally engaging"? See, this is why I can't review movies professionally. I don't have the necessary vocabulary. -Rob

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As I blog, the water well people are out trying to figure out why we have no water this morning. I reset the breaker a few times and tapped on the electrical junction box at the well a few times. That's pretty much the extent of my ability in this area. Before lightning struck and we had to drill a new well, there was a capacitor I could have replaced. I had a spare for the old pump. The new one doesn't use one. Update: An hour and $149.95 later, we have water. It was the junction box that I tapped on. It had some corrosion so they replaced it.

About today's QOTD: There must be more there than what was reported. One line in the piece says:

Lower Swatara Township police say Herneisey forged papers saying she needed weeks of chemotherapy and would be unable to teach.

Weeks, not years. Another line thrown in by me for fun says:

Her attorney, Terry McGowan, says Herneisey is battling depression.

Hope he had THOSE papers notarized. :)

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "D" :

1. Dreamer Deceiver - Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny
2. Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...) - Queen - A Night At The Opera
3. Durham Town (The Leavin') - Roger Whittaker - New World In The Morning: The Encore Collection
4. (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Öyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
5. Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss & Union Station - Live [Disc 2]

Quote of the Day

Police in central Pennsylvania say a middle school teacher lied for years about having an inoperable brain tumor.

Associated Press via WWLTV.com

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "And here’s the real reason for those shocking numbers: Most people think geography is boring! Most people think maps are boring! When we push maps on people when we want them to take action for conservation, we are actually stepping on our own feet because we are boring them."

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Stolen from Delmer because it is irresistible.

For my Green Zone post, I wrote like Stephen King.

For A February Morning, I wrote like David Foster Wallace.

For Road Construction, I wrote like William Shakespeare. Yeah, I had to laugh at this one, too.

For Time Running Out on 2008, I wrote like James Joyce.

For One of the dumbest questions ever - Part 25879877, I wrote like Douglas Adams.

The only one that came up more than once for me was David Foster Wallace. For what it's worth, I don't write like any of them except that I may utter some of the same words as them (The, and, if, what, upon, too) once in a while. Give it a try.

I watched Covert Affairs the other night. I liked it. It's good, fun CME and Piper Perabo, most famous for Coyote Ugly, has found a star-making vehicle. If the first episode is any indicator, she's up to it. I wonder about one thing, though. In the series, they established that her character is 28. In real life, she's 33. She can pass for either, of course, but why do that? Is it really that big a deal? Anyway, I'm in.

I also want to thank the USA Network, TNT, and a few of the other smaller networks for bringing "scripted television" back to the fore, where it belongs. I love White Collar and In Plain Sight. The major networks are too busy bringing us Dancing with the Stars and Survivor. I don't care for reality shows and have never watched one in its entirety. I have enough reality in my life.

Saw my first Kindle yesterday. Quite a bit thinner than I expected. When the price of content starts coming down, they will be almost irresistible.

So far, so good. The oil cap is holding. Please continue.

A look at the Indianapolis Colts for this season. I tend to agree with that sports pundit. Peyton Manning, alone, makes them serious contenders. I think they have to stop putting games on him to win but I agree that they have the team to beat in the AFC. Says here the power is in the NFC, though. The sports pundits think otherwise. We'll see.

55 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Victim Of Changes - Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny
2. Stargazer - Rainbow - Rising
3. Limelight - Rush - Chronicles [Disc 2]
4. Knocking At Your Back Door - Deep Purple - Perfect Strangers [Bonus Track]
5. Classical Gas - Mason Williams - Am Gold 1968

Quote of the Day

Did you ever wake up sober after a one night stand, and the person you're next to is layin' on your arm, and they're so ugly, you'd rather chew off your arm then risk waking 'em? That's coyote ugly.

Lil, Coyote Ugly

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "For the Writers Guild of America, West, Denis Faye asks Robert Wittman, the founder of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, for the truth about heists."

Two questions - two great answers. -Rob

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Seth Meyers and the ESPYs had a lot of fun last night with Lebron James and the ridiculous show ESPN put on last week that they called "The Decision". I don't know why the ESPYs needed over two hours, though. They hand out 20-30 awards but most of them off-camera. They only do about 8 on camera. I'm so thankful for my DVR because it allows me to zip through the stuff I don't care about. Meyers had the best joke of the night:

Cheer up, Cleveland. You don't need LeBron to win a championship. Literally every single team that's ever won a Championship has done it without LeBron James

Zing

Drew Brees and the Saints had another great night.

About today's QOTD: Al Davis is talking about his old buddy, George Steinbrenner.

8 weeks until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) - The Hollies - Rock Of The 70's
2. Somebody To Love - Jefferson Airplane - Women In Rock, Vol.1: 1953-1971
3. Glycerine - Bush - Sixteen Stone
4. Wind Up (Quad Version) - Jethro Tull - Aqualung
5. Tall Cool One - Robert Plant - Now And Zen

Quote of the Day

I judge sports figures based on individual achievement, team achievement and contributions to the game. George was right up there with me at No. 1 -- bright, aggressive and, most of all, not afraid.

Al Davis, Oakland Raiders

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Hello and welcome to another episode of The Thursday Blog, equipped with staplers, hole-punchers and that red pen that always seems to be around every time you need a blue or black pen (but the moment you need a red pen it has the incredible ability to disappear only to show up again when it is not needed)."

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Anyone who loves Major League Baseball and has been watching it for a while knows of and has an opinion of George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees. He passed away yesterday. How he ran his ball club was of little concern to me. I didn't care how many managers he fired, I didn't care if he ranted to the media about his under-performing players. As a long-time Yankee hater, I considered it screwball comedy. My only issue with him was how he brought all of his and his market's financial advantages to bear into the competitive arena. He "unleveled" the playing field. It's no secret how he did it. In most years, the Yankees have the highest payroll in baseball. They drive the market. That said, I've softened on him over the years. Once free agency came into existence, Steinbrenner magnified the big market / small market dilemma that MLB has but it was there all along. He didn't create the problem. He just made it worse and baseball was powerless to stop him. I read someone somewhere yesterday who went on and on about how Steinbrenner's free spending revolutionized the game but I forget whether he was praising or detracting. He used his money to get what he wanted. That one is fairly tried and true. Nothing revolutionary about it. R.I.P., George.

Congratulations to the National League All Stars on their 3-1 win last night over the American League All Stars. About damned time.

If you're really concerned or if someone asks, the chicken came first.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Time Stand Still - Rush - Chronicles [Disc 2]
2. One More Tomorrow - Henry Gross - One More Tomorrow The Best Of Henry Gross
3. Further On (Up The Road) - Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
4. I Hear Them All - Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World
5. Layla - Eric Clapton - Time Pieces - The Best Of Eric Clapton

Quote of the Day

Don't talk to me about aesthetics or tradition. Talk to me about what sells and what's good right now. And what the American people like is to think the underdog still has a chance.

George Steinbrenner, 1930-2010

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "He was a force of nature, a completely unique individual. He changed how baseball goes about its business."

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Was never much of a fan of Four Sticks off of Led Zeppelin IV. It was always a "B" side song to me. When I saw Page & Plant play it the last time I saw them, they changed my mind and I look at it quite differently now. It was the best song they did that night and it was all because of the great drummer they had found. That's him in the video below. He comes in at about 1:35 and listening to it on a computer can hardly do it justice but it's still pretty good. He uses the "four sticks" just like John Bonham did. I can do without the orchestra and I'm still not a big fan of the studio version but when you experience it live with a great drummer putting the thunder in your chest, it's a whole other thing. Relentless.

I think I picked the last two tomatoes of 2010 yesterday afternoon. The rest are rotting. It's that time of year. Too much rain followed by too much heat. When it's like that every day, it's just too much for them. It wasn't the best season I've had but it wasn't bad. I have enough to last the week if we eat them every night. They're starting to get very ripe and juicy.

OK, these are some people who need adult supervision and maybe some jail time.

58 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Four Sticks - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
2. Footstompin' Music - Grand Funk Railroad - Caught In The Act
3. Dear Landlord - Joe Cocker - Joe Cocker!
4. Cold Cold Heaven - Earlimart - Mentor Tormentor
5. She's Waiting - Eric Clapton - Andrea's Gift Mix

Quote of the Day

Oh, Baby, it's cryin' time
Oh, Baby, I got to fly
I've got to try to find a way
I've got to try to get away
'Cause you know I gotta get away from you, Babe

Led Zeppelin, Four Sticks

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Here is an image for those great friends that still stop by here! Don't forget to stop by my website at http://www.percyandbloom.com/ for TONS more free images!"

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I can't imagine a nationwide celebration of a World Cup title here in the US ... and not only because it may never happen. :)

A look at the upcoming Saints season from the New York Times. Best not to get too worked up about the opinions you don't like ... or the ones you do. It's a long season and it's still over two weeks before training camps open. Saints first two practices are July 30.

59 days until football season ...

About today's QOTD: Love the battle cry. All I can think of is Dan Aykroyd's battle cry in Ghostbusters and the result. :) Has it really been 26 years since that movie was released?

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band) - The Moody Blues - Moody Blues Greatest Hits
2. Baby Blue - Badfinger - The Very Best Of Badfinger
3. Don't Stop Believin' - Journey - Rock: The Train Kept A Rollin' [Disc 2]
4. Temptation Eyes - The Grass Roots - 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of The Grass Roots
5. Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks, 1964-1971 [Disc 2]

Quote of the Day

Crowds began dancing and singing one of the team's battle cries, "Let's Get Them."

Ciaran Giles, AP via MSNBC

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Proton Charging's fan base does it again by finding this awesome interview from My San Antonio, which does all of three things"

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Congratulations to Spain on their World Cup victory today.

I didn't really comment much on "The Decision" this past week, mainly because I don't care that much. If you don't even know what I'm talking about, I envy you. The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy pretty much sums it up.

I'll only be in one Fantasy Football League this season. Kinda sad to see the league I founded discontinued but it was for the best.

60 days until football season ...

I offer one from the CrabAppleLane backyard. The summer weather pattern has set in. At CrabAppleLane, it goes like this: Blistering heat in the morning, scattered thunderstorms, and then, steamy, blistering heat until dusk. Rinse and repeat. As the sun was peeking in and out of the clouds, I saw one 5" X 5" sunny spot on my backyard trail. It found the little toadstool below. The sun went back behind the clouds about 5 seconds after I took this.

CrabAppleLane Backyard - July 11, 2010

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas - The Best Of The Mamas & The Papas: 20th Century Masters
2. Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) - Pink Floyd - The Wall [Disc 1]
3. You've Got Another Thing Comin' - Judas Priest - Living After Midnight
4. The Jean Genie - David Bowie - Aladdin Sane
5. Back On The Road Again - REO Speedwagon - Nine Lives

Quote of the Day

Well I've loved you since the day I met you
And I'll love you til the day I die
But we both know the life I'm livin'
And we both know the reason why

REO Speedwagon, Back on the Road Again

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Best photos of the week (50 Photos)"

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The headline reads:

New Orleans Saints fans line up outside Metairie bookstore overnight to see Drew Brees

They're lined up outside in the stifling Louisiana heat. It's nearly 100 degrees during the day and drops down to about 85 degrees at night. The humidity is in the 90%-100% range. I'm afraid the bookstore might end up smelling like the Superdome locker room. Drew probably won't even notice. :)

61 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "W" :

1. Whistle Theme - Mark Knopfler & Alan Clark - Local Hero
2. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
3. Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who - Who's Next
4. White Wedding - Billy Idol - Billy Idol
5. Wicked Game - Chris Isaak - Heart Shaped World

Quote of the Day

What a wicked game you play
To make me feel this way
What a wicked thing to do
To let me dream of you
What a wicked thing to say
You never felt this way
What a wicked thing to do
To make me dream of you

Chris Isaak, Wicked Game

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Wedding season is officially here. The flowers are out, the sun is shining, and love is in the air… and all over Twitter."

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A substantial portion of the mortgage crisis that very few are talking about. We mostly like to blame Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for making bad loans to poor or irresponsible people that bit off more than they can chew. It's not always the case. For what it's worth, I have sympathy for the homeowners who can't make their mortgage payments. I have something else for those who refuse to make them. Both types put the economy where it is now. What does it do for credit? Who can lenders trust?

From The Blue Screen. Should have been QOTD:

ESPN rumored to be planning similar "Decision" show with Brett Favre in August. Sponsored by The Waffle House. Betty White to host

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Oh Well - Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On
2. Rock 'n Roll Soul [Live] - Grand Funk Railroad - Caught In The Act
3. The Load-Out - Jackson Browne - Running On Empty
4. Anyone's Daughter - Deep Purple - Fireball
5. Already Gone - The Eagles - On the Border

Quote of the Day

Just remember this, my girl
When you look up in the sky
You can see the stars and still not see the light
That’s right

The Eagles, Already Gone

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The other day I was at an open house for a duplex in Larchmont Village listed at $465,000. The listing agent ended up with 100 offers and really only considered the ones that were all cash."

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When I first downloaded iTunes, My Sweet Annette by the Drive By Truckers was part of the sample song package. That was my introduction to them. There are a lot of fan videos on YouTube but most of them are pretty awful recordings of live shows. Below is the Drive By Truckers on Halloween Night some years ago. I guess it would be described as a music video of a live performance. It's really good, though. Enjoy.

D’Brickashaw Ferguson got himself a nice, fat contract from the Jets. In last year's Jets-Saints game, rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez dropped back to pass in his own end zone. Not only did he hold on to the ball too long, he held it away from his body down low by his hip. Tim Tebow does that, too. I digress. Ferguson was trying to block Will Smith on the play when Smith saw where Sanchez was holding the ball. He didn't have a chance.

9 weeks until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. The Real Me - The Who - Quadrophenia [Disc 1]
2. Lookout Mountain - Drive-By Truckers - The Dirty South
3. Day Of The Eagle - Robin Trower - Bridge Of Sighs
4. Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) - Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve And Other Stories
5. 20th Century Boy - Placebo - Velvet Goldmine

Quote of the Day

Who will end up with my records?
Who will end up with my tapes?
Who's gonna pay my credit card bill?
Who's gonna pay for my mistakes?

Drive By Truckers, Lookout Mountain

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Repair has been superseded by a newer model called Replace. Still, some of us look back warmly on the days of being able to buy every part down to the last washer and micro-gasket individually wrapped in tissue paper; of being up to our elbows in grease; of squeezing our arms down small, hot gaps and singeing skin; of shredding knuckles to the bone when that bolt that just won't move suddenly ... "Aaaargh!""

Small price to pay if you actually broke the bolt loose. If all you did was strip the head ... -Rob

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Proponents would say running with the bulls is about the same as skydiving or swimming in the ocean. I suppose.

There is no adequate substitute for luck. Hard work doesn't come close.

So, you've been shot and you decide the best course of action is to NOT cooperate with the police? Witnesses aren't cooperating, either. Sounds like a fun place.

About today's QOTD: 3-2 is considered a "goalfest" in soccer. Carry on.

64 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. American Pie - Don McLean - AM Gold 1970-1974
2. Crazy On You - Heart - Dreamboat Annie
3. The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo) - Manfred Mann - Rock 'n Roll Relix 1968-1969
4. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III
5. Roundabout - Yes - Fragile

Quote of the Day

FIFA World Cup: Netherlands hold on in goalfest to reach final

New Zealand Herald

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "The automaker sent a memo to staffers this week urging them to abandon the iconic nickname "Chevy" and to refer in all instances to the brand by its proper name, Chevrolet."

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The weekend, I mean. That has to be the fastest three-day weekend ever. Feel good about it, though. Got some things done Saturday and Sunday. Back to work today to get some rest. :)

Maglites are the only flashlights we have at CrabAppleLane. I don't remember how I got the first one. It was a freebie. I won it in a raffle or it was given to me as a gift. Flashlights and ice chests are great gifts. They can always be put to use even if the recipient already has as many as their household needs. Maglite produces quality products and is fighting the good fight.

Oh, and Jamarcus Russell is an idiot. I hope he isn't as stupid with his money as he is with his career and his life. He got a huge contract right out of LSU and a substantial portion of it was guaranteed. He should have pocketed an amount somewhere in the $35-40 million range over the last three years. A look back at when Russell and two of his draft mates came out. The quarterbacks, Russell and Brady Quinn, are busts although some still think Quinn can start somewhere eventually. In my view, they both have "career backup" written all over them. In a few years, I think Quinn will be saddled with the "journeyman" label. I don't think Russell will last that long. The other draft mate, Calvin Johnson, was selected immediately after Russell and is not a bust.

Calvin Johnson is a great wide receiver stuck on a bad team. I'm not sure any wide receiver is worth the money he got in today's NFL game. Wide receivers have to work as a team. They have to run every route like they're the primary receiver and they have to convince the defense that they are. The Saints have the best group of four (Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Lance Moore) in the NFL. In the Super Bowl, they ate the Colts lunch. The Saints have all four under contract for about what the Lions are paying Johnson. On the plus side, Johnson is a #1 WR fantasy stud. The Saints guys, except for Colston, are mostly "spot duty" guys. Give me those four over that one any day.

65 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. On The Turning Away - Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason
2. In The Evening - Led Zeppelin - In Through The Out Door
3. All Mixed Up - The Cars - The Cars
4. Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks, 1964-1971 [Disc 2]
5. Welcome to the Machine - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Quote of the Day

Argentina's national team returned home Sunday amid high security after an exit from the World Cup that many fans felt was humiliating and premature.

Associated Press via ESPN

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "When disaster or crisis hits, any corporation or organization must act swiftly to create special and separate news update online sites. It’s easy to do in today’s online environment."

I'd rather BP devote ALL of their time and energy to plugging the hole and cleaning up the mess. If they'd done that, their image would not have taken such a beating. Because they didn't, no amount of good PR or media crisis management can save their image now. -Rob

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I'd like to personally apologize to the internet historian who will stumble upon the hundreds of unremarkable photos I've added to the web. It will probably only take your computer a second to scan them for anything that might add to your understanding of 21st century humanity. It's a second better used on something else, anything else. But while you're here, I offer one from the hot and steamy CrabAppleLane Backyard today. There are many colors in the tended gardens near the house but the backyard sticks to green and brown.

CrabAppleLane Backyard Trail - July 5, 2010

66 days until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Durham Town (The Leavin') - Roger Whittaker - New World In The Morning: The Encore Collection
2. Working Man - Rush - Rush
3. Clocks - Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
4. Promentory - Trevor Jones - The Last Of The Mohicans Soundtrack
5. Long Hard Road Out Of Hell - Marilyn Manson & The Sneaker Pimps - Spawn Soundtrack

Quote of the Day

I wanna live
I wanna love
But its a long hard road out of hell
Long hard road out of hell

Marilyn Manson & The Sneaker Pimps, Long Hard Road Out Of Hell

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "On a recent trip to the Middle East, which involved flying from Denver to Newark, where I had a four-hour layover before a lo-o-o-o-ong flight to Tel Aviv, I parked my inner cheapskate and used miles (30,000 each way) and money ($500 eastbound, $350 westbound) to upgrade from the caboose section of Economy to Continental's Business/First. The idea of a seat that lies flat on theses flights, both overnighters, held immense appeal."

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Happy Independence Day

Got plans?

We're having jambalaya at CrabAppleLane. It is a Louisiana staple and a favorite here. There are a million recipes and everyone has their own variation. Jambalaya is a poor folks' dish. You brown rice and throw in whatever meat or seafood you have. Traditional jambalaya has sausage, chicken, and shrimp or crawfish. Shrimp is expensive now but it was once cheap in Louisiana before some traitor first shipped some up north and demand started outgrowing supply. :) Just chicken and sausage today ... and then maybe the siesta. :)

About today's BOTD: He and I have a different view on the oil drilling moratorium. I'm not opposed to it. I'm not really for it, either. I just don't think it will do much good. It doesn't work as punishment and it doesn't allow enough time to find scientific, practical solutions.

In unrelated BP news, the QOTD is about the Lockerbie terrorist. 270 lives were lost in that act of terrorism. He was given a "compassionate" release from a Scottish prison and allowed to go home to a hero's welcome in Libya because he only had "3 months to live". Turns out he may live 10 years or more.

I offer two from the CrabAppleLane backyard on a spectacular and very hot Independence Day. The fig trees have found some elements in their environment they like because they have taken off. They have tripled in size in the last month or so. Found the whirligig in a corner of the garage I hadn't seen in a few years. Yes, there was quite a bit of clutter in the garage.

CrabAppleLane Fig Trees - July 4, 2010

CrabAppleLane Whirligig - July 4, 2010

Well, it's been money for muscle
On a .. another whirligig
Money for muscle
And a ... another girl I dig
Another hustle
Just to ... just to make it big
And rock away rock away
Oh rock away rock away
Dire Straits, Tunnel Of Love

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. Walk The Line - Live - Live At The Paradiso
2. Just What I Needed - The Cars - The Cars
3. Going Home - Theme From 'Local Hero' - Dire Straits - Alchemy: Dire Straits Live [Disc 2]
4. Lick Your Fingers Clean - Jethro Tull - Aqualung
5. Mississippi Queen - Mountain - Climbing!

Quote of the Day

According to an earlier Sunday Times report, a former British justice secretary wrote to his counterpart in Scotland that it was "in the overwhelming interests of the United Kingdom" to make it possible for al-Megrahi to return to Libya.

The letter was written in 2007 during stalled negotiations over a BP oil exploration contract worth billions of dollars.

msnbc.com staff and news service reports

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Part of the rationale for the deepwater drilling moratorium is that we've not identified the cause of the failure. We know that the drilling crew attempted to activate the shear rams of the blowout preventer."

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I watched Green Zone last night on DirecTV "On Demand" Pay-Per-View. "On Demand" is really cool. You click on it any time you want (No waiting for a scheduled time) and the movie starts. You get a five minute free preview before you decide whether you want to pay to see the rest. Unfortunately, I think it will change how movies are made. I think studios will pressure filmmakers to hook an audience in the first five minutes for its Pay-Per-View market. Anyway, Green Zone is a film about the various agendas on the ground in Iraq immediately after Saddam's government was toppled. If you focus on the politics, one way or the other, you'll be missing a great movie.

Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon): I thought we were all on the same side.
Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson): Don't be naive.

That exchange pretty much sums up the film's premise. I don't really know how accurate the depictions of the various agendas are and it's not important to me. This is a movie and, as such, it works ... big time. Green Zone is a first-rate thriller. There are two main factions at work throughout the film. One who wants to know the truth and the other who knows it. They are both racing to find the one person who can verify what one faction knows and the other suspects. One wants to talk to him and the other wants to silence him. There's a third main faction that appears toward the end and I will not spoil it. Green Zone doesn't have the same buzz about it as The Hurt Locker did last year and it surely doesn't have as cool a title but it's every bit as good a film. I loved it. Highly recommended.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist:

1. The Weight - The Band - Music from Big Pink
2. Black Betty - Ram Jam - Ram Jam
3. Jane - Jefferson Starship - Freedom at Point Zero
4. Fall Down - Toad the Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea
5. Happy Home - Garbage - Bleed Like Me

Quote of the Day

Genetic engineers, move over: the latest scheme for creating children to a parent’s specifications requires no DNA tinkering, but merely giving mom a steroid while she’s pregnant, and presto—no chance that her daughters will be lesbians or (worse?) ‘uppity.’

Sharon Begley, Newsweek

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "So the Falcon Club endures the suspicions of Iraqi soldiers at Mosul’s innumerable checkpoints who have never heard of a paraglider, have never seen a hot air balloon outside of an American movie and who believe — reasonably — that Iraq is dangerous enough without courting death."

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I'd have to think these Russian spies are happy about the saturation coverage the tabloids are giving them. The lurid headlines, steamy photos, and sensational tabloid treatment this story is generating make it seem like a typical Washington sex-capade. It's really not. Espionage is a serious crime.

A cute story in New Yorker from Nora Ephron. It was good for a smile this morning.

R.I.P., Don Coryell. His teams in St Louis and San Diego were always a blast to watch.

About today's QOTD: That is one of the most awesome ideas ever.

5 song iTune shuffle from the CrabAppleLane Five Star playlist starting with "F" :

1. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues Featuring Kirsty MacColl - If I Should Fall from Grace with God
2. Fire And Rain - James Taylor - Sweet Baby James
3. Firefly - Main Theme Song - Joss Whedon featuring Sonny Rhodes - Firefly
4. Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen - Jazz
5. Fall Down - Toad the Wet Sprocket - Dulcinea

69 days until football season ...

Quote of the Day

Sixty pianos have been scattered throughout the five boroughs since June 21, each emblazoned with the invitation, "Play me, I'm yours."

Benjamin Soloway, USA TODAY

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Anthemic guitar riffs and double-entendre laden lyrics from the best AC/DC songs have been burned into the collective consciousness of rock and roll fans for decades now. And with hit albums like last year's 'Black Ice' and this year's 'Iron Man 2' soundtrack, that perception is unlikely to change anytime soon."

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The postal experiment I mentioned the other day somehow worked. See the Blog of the Day. The postal worker that I handed that box of tomatoes to wasn't all that gentle with it. It's a bit of a miracle they made it, folks. As soon as I left the post office, I didn't think they would survive several such not-so-gentle touches from here to Nashville.

I had consulted the web a few weeks ago about how to ship homegrown tomatoes. There are quite a few places online to get that advice and many, many methods were mentioned. I mixed and matched a few of them but I'd be lying if I told you I thought this had much chance of success. I had a willing lab rat, though. :)

The tomatoes I picked Sunday and shipped Monday were getting riper by the minute. Of course, I knew that as tomatoes ripen, they get softer. The ones I chose to ship were still fairly firm. Besides the initial not-so-gentle handling, they would have to survive a plane ride with its attendant pressure changes, several intense temperature and humidity changes from air conditioning to summer heat and back, more rough handling, a ride in a postal vehicle, and a potential stay in a hot mailbox. If they were dropped along the way or had a bad experience with a sorting machine, well, they'd make good ketchup, I'd bet. I gave this endeavor a 30% chance of success/survival but the more I think about it, the more I think that estimate was overly optimistic. I may tempt the postal gods again one day but I think I'm going to give them time to forget the way I slipped a half-dozen ripe tomatoes past them one late June.

10 weeks until football season ...

5 song iTune shuffle:

1. Brighton Rock - Queen - Sheer Heart Attack [Bonus Track]
2. The Revenge Of Vera Gemini - Blue Öyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
3. Get Back Up - Tom Cochrane - Mad Mad World
4. Tiny Broken Heart - Alison Krauss & Union Station - Live [Disc 1]
5. Takin' Care Of Business - Bachman-Turner Overdrive - The Anthology [Disc 1]

Quote of the Day

When Kurt Warner joined the rest of the Phoenix metropolitan area in retirement, the Cardinals’ era of prosperity ended.

Andy Benoit, New York Times Fifth Down Blog

Blog of the day is here.

Quote from said blog: "Summer has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute we’re casting off the sweater and the next we’re looking forward to a day it’s cool enough to have it back again."

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