tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199990552024-03-07T01:15:06.189-05:00clevo-dot-comFriends, Romans, Countrymen...Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-88628883267151993002009-01-17T12:40:00.008-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.625-05:00More Black FlagFlag playing American Waste in 1982. Look at these guys. Do they look like punks? Hardcore originators? or homeless Vietnam Vets? Say what you will about later era Flag, but nothing comes close to it. 1982. What a year for the Flag. The 1982 demos are arguably the best thing they recorded, straddling the line of previous and future sounds for the band. While nothing could have prepared the world for the My War lp, some of the songs were on the demo. Dez leaves the band soon after this to form DC3, Chuck quits to manage soon after, Kira comes in, drummers change. After the 5 piece lineup, it pretty much becomes the Greg Ginn show with Henry (although Kira could clearly hold her own, as seen in the previous post.)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qTBwCu6Du6Y&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qTBwCu6Du6Y&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />and if you have never seen it, the history of Black flag through their haircuts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnYliFLAnjrcGeKQHhW8eVUBJOFL1kf0Bf0VwUWoMesByur-lXl4MIP1MpNFauwj1p16kswbi_gAfiDlb1q1FciIZQHyThpWwQqP92WRv8b5AnlsopdsjS98MA9tjANh9P-el/s1600-h/blackflaghair.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 219px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnYliFLAnjrcGeKQHhW8eVUBJOFL1kf0Bf0VwUWoMesByur-lXl4MIP1MpNFauwj1p16kswbi_gAfiDlb1q1FciIZQHyThpWwQqP92WRv8b5AnlsopdsjS98MA9tjANh9P-el/s400/blackflaghair.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292395399582154850" /></a>Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-61415983964641963002008-11-29T10:37:00.005-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.622-05:00Try to stop us, it's no useI've been on Black Flag overload for the past few weeks, which was kicked off by reading Rollins' book <span style="font-style:italic;">Broken Summers</span>. <br /><br />early flag. I love the 5 piece lineup. 2 Guitars. Skinny Henry. Chuck the Duke. Short "fast" songs. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wHk7zahvDFI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wHk7zahvDFI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />(bonus footage of Dez Black Flag. Dez is my least favorite of the vocalists, but they're still better than just about anything else.)<br /><br />Later Flag. Kira. Hippy Greg. Cro-Magnon Rollins wearing doinks. Long songs. Bummed out fans.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qOD0l0LA3I0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qOD0l0LA3I0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-1163263659156106932008-11-11T11:11:00.001-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.610-05:00Eleven- Eleven<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3432/1991/1600/remembrance-poppy-badge.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3432/1991/320/remembrance-poppy-badge.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />In Flanders fields the poppies blow<br />Between the crosses, row on row,<br />That mark our place; and in the sky<br />The larks, still bravely singing, fly<br />Scarce heard amid the guns below.<br /><br />We are the Dead. Short days ago<br />We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,<br />Loved, and were loved, and now we lie<br />In Flanders fields.<br /><br />Take up our quarrel with the foe:<br />To you from failing hands we throw<br />The torch; be yours to hold it high.<br />If ye break faith with us who die<br />We shall not sleep, though poppies grow<br />In Flanders fields.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3432/1991/1600/ww_trench_dogs_01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3432/1991/400/ww_trench_dogs_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />here's the Pogues playing "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" about the Battle of Galipoli<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dKj2ZPEY7pY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dKj2ZPEY7pY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-3022841308687614462008-11-05T07:50:00.003-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.613-05:00The Presidentof hittin that ass...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mi_c6D8SPcE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mi_c6D8SPcE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />All kidding aside, I am glad that this campaign is over, and it ended painlessly. since the winner was called at about 11pm last night, there were no all night talking heads with dry erase boards going over scenarios. There were no lawyers, injunctions or recounts. There was not a Katherine Harris or a Kenneth Blackwell. McCain bowed out gracefully, and his concession speech took the high road in a campaign full of smear ads. Too bad the Nuremburg rally that was present for the speech booed McCain every time he tried to congratulate the President elect.<br /><br />One point Obama made that must be held to is that we are not red states and blue states but the UNITED STATES. I hope the House and the Senate takes those words to heart when tackling the major issues that need to be answered ASAP.Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-3063607301533178372008-11-02T17:56:00.003-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.615-05:00Something to think about before Tuesday<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5mihMjjLIK4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5mihMjjLIK4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />It's the new morality <br />Programmed media is all we see <br />Refuse to question <br />We believe the lie <br />Worship the only thing that currency buys <br />For god and government <br />For the rich and the affluent <br />The church and state support the upper class <br />With greed deceit and prejudice <br />Who set that standard <br />Who made the call <br />For so many to have nothing <br />And so few to have it all <br />And how can you resign to say <br />Everything is fine when a man is only seen as a dollar sign <br />Eradicate the deviant <br />Deviate the education educate with <br />Ignorance for the protection of our nation <br />Illegalize diversity <br />Remove it so no one can see <br />Out of sight and out of mind <br />Making sure the public eye is blind <br />Refuse to see we can only be <br />A casualty of the major immorality <br />If they talk should we listen <br />Haven't I asked this before <br />And in reality none of us are free <br />And they'll be no end to this war <br />Leave it all up to fate <br />And we'll spend our lives on our knees <br />Fight back <br />Those who don't remember the past are only forced to repeat it again and again <br />We've all seen this before <br />And those who remain will end up mopping up the blood off the killing floorClevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-46563018147864808292008-06-23T12:28:00.005-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.618-05:00All my heroes are dead.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyGSHk0Yd3QRcW3K18AfzpHAnj5U3u-4KstT-Rp4oEcgQtHJ1KF6A3haKAa_NtViqIcXXozYuotI13akRNSUmPU-_n_RRP7ZwDpMQ7nxcGVOOwL6piHMUYcm90FuCZrT3KQgD/s1600-h/George_Carlin.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyGSHk0Yd3QRcW3K18AfzpHAnj5U3u-4KstT-Rp4oEcgQtHJ1KF6A3haKAa_NtViqIcXXozYuotI13akRNSUmPU-_n_RRP7ZwDpMQ7nxcGVOOwL6piHMUYcm90FuCZrT3KQgD/s320/George_Carlin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215132645022762674" /></a><br /><br /><br />It seems I only update this when a public figure that was important to me dies. George Carlin probably helped shape my sense of humor more than any other comedian. Always on top of his game and always bringing the laughs, whether he was being nonsensical or dead serious. George blended fart jokes with political humor and daily observations seamlessly, and made you think while he made you laugh. The world became a little worse today. Godspeed, George.<br /><br />My Favorite Carlin special, Carlin on Campus. (if you are at work, you probably don't want the sound up too high)<br /><br /><embed id="VideoPlayback" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowFullScreen="true" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=4075838670787447873&hl=en&fs=true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed>Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-19993561264928306012007-04-12T10:37:00.000-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.612-05:00Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT02z0UtusmOdAtOikq95DRkCK7acbD_EXKN0xOc5TBq_dMg6Vo_mxHBpu2wano5qcyl7kM_ouoQM_5KMQcAHUWuGtUStNkNcT8khGCOaDQxAnbMv8xPONiMtQ1HhrktnOk19A/s1600-h/fartaroundez2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT02z0UtusmOdAtOikq95DRkCK7acbD_EXKN0xOc5TBq_dMg6Vo_mxHBpu2wano5qcyl7kM_ouoQM_5KMQcAHUWuGtUStNkNcT8khGCOaDQxAnbMv8xPONiMtQ1HhrktnOk19A/s320/fartaroundez2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5052550410558863186" /></a><br /><br />Kurt Vonnegut passed away yesterday at the age of 84. He has probably seen and experienced more than most people ever will, and fortunately he relayed these experiences through his writing. In 1995 I was lucky enough to see a lecture he gave in Boston. I can't really remember much of what he said. I know he talked about war, and children and adulthood. whatever he said made a lot of sense, and I think that's what most people liked about Kurt- he could be writing about the most nonsensical topics, but in the end it all made sense. And for that, we should all be thankful that Kurt Vonnegut wrote books for us to read. We have lost a national treasure.Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-81789535295318318852007-03-23T16:20:00.000-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.624-05:00Go, little record go...<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JwyO6sCGEWE"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JwyO6sCGEWE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />my favorite song from my least favorite Pixies record as played by the band and Letterman's house band, including Nick the Lounge Singer's <br /><a href="http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/96/starwarsbillmurrayzk8.jpg"target="_blank"> keyboard player </a> (who gets way into it.) I was really bummed on this when it came out, but it has grown on me over the years. This track and Alec Eiffel are good jams. Still, I'll listen to <br /><a href="http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/1705/pixiesdoolittlezo3.gif"target="_blank"> Doolittle </a> when I need a Pixies fix. I love that Nirvana was worried that everyone would think <a href="http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/1176/nevermindoc1.jpg"target="_blank"> Nevermind </a> was a blatant Pixies ripoff. Fifteen years later and Nirvana are remembered as the band that changed the music industry and the Pixies are that band at the end of Fight Club.<br /><br />Note: how crazy does the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longbox"target="_blank"> longbox </a> look when Dave holds it up?Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-59887714676670268192007-01-17T12:22:00.001-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.619-05:00last.fm top ten surveyName your top 10 most played bands on Last.fm:<br /> 1 Elliott Smith<br />2 Belle and Sebastian<br />3 The Beatles<br />4 Misfits<br />5 Descendents<br />6 Morrissey<br />7 Leatherface<br />8 Hot Snakes<br />9 Naked Raygun<br />10 Lucero<br><br /><br />Now answer the questions according to the numbers:<br><br /> What was the first song you ever heard by 6?<br />Suedehead<br><br /> What is your favourite album of 2?<br />Probably If You're Feeling Sinister, although I listen to the 1998 Black Session the most <br><br /> What is your favourite lyric that 4 has sung?<br />"Texas is the reason that the presidents dead"<br><br /> How many times have you seen 5 live?<br />Twice. I'm still kicking myself for not going to NJ to see them in Asbury Park with Dave Murphy.<br><br /> What is your favorite song by 7?<br />Andy<br><br /> What is a good memory you have involving the music of 10?<br />watching them play requests live, and acting like they were having a good time doing it.<br><br /> Is there a song of 3 that makes you sad?<br />not really, although I'm sure I'm forgetting something<br><br /> What is your favorite lyric that 2 has sung?<br />"There's a lot to be done while your head is still young"<br><br /> What is your favorite song by 9?<br />Vanilla Blue<br><br /> How did you get in to 3?<br />The Beatles are probably testament to the fact that at one time, our parents had good taste in music.<br><br /> What was the first song you heard by 1?<br />Probably Miss Misery.<br><br /> What is your favorite song by 4?<br />Bullet<br><br /> How many times have you seen 9 live?<br />Just once.<br><br /> What is a good memory you have involving 2?<br />Listening to Black Session driving through the park with the windows down.<br><br /> Is there a song of 8 that makes you sad?<br />nope<br><br /> What is your favorite album of 5?<br />Milo Goes to College<br><br /> What is your favorite lyric that 3 has sung?<br />"And curse Sir Walter Raleigh, for he was such a stupid get"<br><br /><br />What is your favorite song of 1?<br />Christian Brothers<br><br /> What is your favorite song of 10?<br />Raising Hell<br><br /> How many times have you seen 8 live?<br />zero. I suck.<br><br /> What is your favorite album of 1?<br />either/ or<br><br /> What is a great memory you have considering 9?<br />Finally getting to see them at Riot Fest last year<br><br /> What was the first song you heard by 8?<br />If Credit's What Matters, I'll Take Credit<br><br /> What is your favorite cover by 2?<br />Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son (Serge Gainsbourg)<br>Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-36436632111484752182007-01-12T14:54:00.001-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.616-05:00Naked Raygun<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYFnSyIZJRW-aLKKwiM3TVTb4KOPYtIczH2znp5k6ad7xCELve-ui4c6y_5iD3OfUJ3qWiaChRptQ51zeksYA1PoEryRzNfEpiULNHzKPJ_8bx4D_7GkVW1oAJzR-Oky5ZDudw/s1600-h/nakedraygun_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYFnSyIZJRW-aLKKwiM3TVTb4KOPYtIczH2znp5k6ad7xCELve-ui4c6y_5iD3OfUJ3qWiaChRptQ51zeksYA1PoEryRzNfEpiULNHzKPJ_8bx4D_7GkVW1oAJzR-Oky5ZDudw/s200/nakedraygun_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019236731822846002" /></a><br /><br /><br />After playing a few shows in late 2006, <a href="http://www.nakedraygun.org/" target="_blank">Naked Raygun</a> has announced that they are back as a full time band.<br /><br /><i>Well, we think it’s about time to stop all the rumors that have been flying around since our show at Riot Fest 2006. So, we can now officially say it: Naked Raygun is back for good! More shows, releases and of course some unexpected surprises! We’re all really excited about this and cannot wait to connect with new fans and reconnect with the fans who have never let us down.</i><br /><br />I went to the Riot Fest show, and although it was in a huge room, not usually condisive to punk or hardcore, they were awesome. I really wish I had gone to the "unannounced" show on the night before Riot Fest. Hopefully I wont have to go to Chicago to see them again.<br /><br />As an added bonus,<span style="font-style:italic;"> here's a live set from Cleveland in 1990</span>. Coincidentally, this was the day after my 18th birthday, and I didn't go to the show. I think False Hope played too. What was I thinking? The sound quality is great, the set was broadcast over the local college airwaves. (link removed)Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-1160031252531851382006-10-05T01:54:00.001-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.609-05:00In case you were wondering who was the greatest band in the world...<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xZur5v3uLJI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xZur5v3uLJI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />This video should give you a pretty good idea. Another video from the now defunct CBGB's. If you haven't already, get the Bad Brains DVD. Now if Interpunk would send me mine, my life would be closer to being complete.Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-1156460683543291242006-08-24T18:04:00.000-05:002013-03-28T10:32:45.500-05:00Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer, CBGB's 1977<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/W1Tb3DT-mjA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br>In honor of CBGB's imminent closing, I want to post a bunch of videos from the club. Here we have the Dead Boys playing Sonic Reducer at the club in 1977. This track is a total classic, and one of the best rock songs ever written. I think it's amazing that someone had the foresight to film this back then, especially with the multiple angles. It's weird to see the club on film, it always looks so big, but the smallness (and the filth) never translates, making CBGB's something you had to experience for yourself.Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-1153487149658037022006-07-21T07:50:00.000-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.607-05:00Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.Maybe that's an exaggeration, because if you are a Cleveland Indians fan, you have seen the same things that I have in recent times that make me think the end of these troubles are nowhere in sight. Eric Wedge can not manage his way out of a paper bag. He is supposed to be a great teacher, yet he can't teach a group of professionals how play defense, or how to bunt. When I played ball as a kid, every single coach I played for stressed fundamentals, so why are fundamentals killing this team? What makes all of this worse is the fact Wedge was a catcher in a former life, yet no catchers on this club can throw out a baserunner. How is that even possible? <br /><br />I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is we will not see Bob Wickman blow any more saves. And we will not have to hold our breath during the saves he converted, since we shipped him off to Atlanta for a bag of balls and some broken bats. Remember when Larry Dolan said he would increase the payroll? Does anyone think by dumping Wickie's salary, this will open us up to trade for some ML talent? NO F'ING WAY. When Hollandsworth, Mota, Boonie, Belliard, Broussard, etc get traded, we are only going to receive prospects in return, meaning our salary will be terribly low. So what is Dolan doing with the money from the gate, the revenue sharing that will come from the Yankees and Red Sox (among others), and SportsTime Ohio (you know, the Indians baseball network that was supposed to increase revenue and therefore payroll)? Larry Dolan may rank as one of the worst owners in all of professional sports. Now I am not asking that he just spends money to increase payroll just to bring new players in. I am fully behind the idea that we spend wisely. But at some point the front office will have to grit their teeth and pay more than they feel a player is worth to bring them here. I am a firm believer that something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. But in baseball, if 25 teams are willing to pay more for a player than you are, you are not spending wisely, you are being cheap. <br /><br />I am sure Larry Dolan is a decent businessman. He has/ had money, and he had to make it somewhere. But was buying the Cleveland Indians such a good idea? When Dolan bought the club, they were a team full of allstars, with an increasing payroll, a good mixture of young and old guys. The team won ballgames and division titles in bunches. The stadium was sold out every game for years (455 straight games, for those who forgot.) Now, I am not an economist, but one would think that if the stadium was constantly full, the team was probably at it's maximum earning potential. How could Dolan increase the teams margin? Well, he could have started a television network to gain revenue in order to keep players OR he could cut payroll. Dolan cut payroll, shipped off established players for prospects. He chose not to resign veterans at high wages (I am not totally against these moves, more on that to come) and let them leave as free agents. You know what happened? The team started losing. The stadium was less and less crowded. Then economics dictated that payroll had to be cut even more. Which leads us to where we are today.<br /><br />I still love this team. But they make it harder as time goes on. I am glad they did not saddle themselves with huge contracts that would not have allowed them to surround a few superstars with any talent. I'd rather see a team full of solid players that will help get wins than one overpaid superstar and an uninspired supporting cast. But are these the only 2 options? Before this season, the Jim Thome decision looked to be so right. There was no way in hell they could have paid Millwood what he was asking. The Manny contract is one of those things we may never see again. Although the Sox won a WS with Manny (and others) making huge contracts, how has the A Rod contract worked out for the teams he's played for? But the Yankees and Sox will always play off of each other in a game of Keeping up with the Jonses. If either team decided to ignore the other, the press and fans in that city would be outraged to the point there would probably be bloodshed. But the Indians plan of dumping players and not bringing suitable replacements will not lead to a championship. When the Indians were running away with the AL Central there was more leeway, but with the White Sox winning a WS, the Tigers resurgence, and the Twins having some success this year, the Indians have reached the point of no return. The either have to compete or rebuild. They can no longer do both. There are holes that must be addressed. Players need to be paid to come here. There is a lackluster manager who seems to be on autopilot and can not win a close game. This will not be solved today, it will not be solved at the trade deadline, and I do not think we will have any clearer view going into spring training next year. Wedge should be gone. Shapiro may walk, going to a team willing to spend money. Dolan going may be the best bet, but he's the guy that supposedly signs the checks, and unfortunately I think he's staying. That's the bad news.<br /><br />Bill Livingston had a good column in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer. The text of that follows:<br /><br /><b>Indians failing chemistry class</b><br /><i>Friday, July 21, 2006</i><br />Bill Livingston<br />Plain Dealer Columnist<br /><br />Thank goodness for the Wedgiro partnership. Or maybe it should be called the Shapedge partnership. It's hard to tell.<br /><br />The Indians, a distant fourth-place in a five-team race, say General Manager Mark Shapiro and Manager Eric Wedge are partners. They go together like meat and potatoes, or, given that the Indians are the topic of discussion, a walk and a steal of second.<br /><br />You would not want a chief because, after all, they are all Indians. When John Hart had Shapiro's job, he was known, not so secretly, as "chief of all chiefs." What an outmoded and authoritarian approach that was! What's worse, he and manager Mike Hargrove were as different as the Yankees' payroll and Larry Dolan's. They didn't complete each other's sentences. You just can't have such a disconnect in the front office.<br /><br />What, other than five straight division titles and two pennants, did they ever win?<br /><br />Those were, of course, the days of a big payroll and a new ballpark. It was easier to subordinate personality differences when the lineup card listed an All-Star at every position.<br /><br />But is the only alternative the Wedgiro/Shapedge Indians?<br /><br />A GM is the manager's boss. When you declare a partnership with the manager, where is the accountability? Where is the creative tension? Where is the impetus to shake things up when a season is circling the drain?<br /><br />Shapiro deserved more credit than Wedge last year, because, despite the Casey Blake-Aaron Boone-Ben Broussard busts, more of his deals worked out.<br /><br />The Tribe lost more one-run games than anyone in baseball. Because you manage more in tight ballgames than in blowouts, Wedge's style was a poor fit for a close race. He stuck with his pets too long. He managed without a sense of urgency, in the way of a minor-league manager who was developing talent.<br /><br />This year, Shapiro missed on a lot more acquisitions. The partnership has produced a team with a lot of third basemen (Boone, Jhonny Peralta, Andy Marte in waiting) and no shortstop. Peralta plays there, but his range limitations show how much Omar Vizquel covered up.<br /><br />They could have kept Brandon Phillips, a fine defensive player who could also play short, but Wedge thought he would ruin the team chemistry as an unhappy utility infielder. Phillips has flourished since going to Cincinnati for a bowl of Skyline chili.<br /><br />They also have no second baseman if Ronnie Belliard, who plays it in the manner of a softball rover, leaves.<br /><br />First base? Travis Hafner seemingly can't play it, and Victor Martinez, who can, is still behind the plate, struggling with his throwing.<br /><br />Problems crop up at the corners in the infield and outfield. The whole lineup, other than Hafner at DH and the currently slumping Grady Sizemore in center, is full of question marks.<br /><br />What's interesting is that Wedge definitely got his way on Phillips. Shapiro was also a big admirer and personal friend of Eddie Murray, fired last season as the hitting coach.<br /><br />Next year will be Wedge's fifth. That's a long time without a playoff appearance. But no one expects Shapiro to dissolve the partnership early.<br /><br />Dolan's unopened wallet is always going to be the biggest fan complaint. But the sense that nothing will change hurts, too. The front office marches on, side by side, with an incomplete team, but with complete sentences, conjoined in what amounts to an endorsement of mediocrity.<br /><br /><A HREF="w.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/bill_livingston/index.ssf?/base/sports/1153471053195450.xml&coll=2"> this article can be seen in it's original format here</A>Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-1152738448972601172006-07-12T15:33:00.000-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.605-05:00Not only has Hollywood run out of ideas...<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3432/1991/1600/finster011.0.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3432/1991/320/finster011.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />...but now they are coming after something I hold dear. From the looks of the commercial, the new Wayans Bros. movie "Little Man" seems to remind me a little too much of a Bugs Bunny cartoon from 1954, "Baby Buggy Bunny". In the cartoon, a diminutive robber robs a bank, and the baby buggy with the loot mistakenly goes into Bugs' hole. The crook dons baby clothes to get back to the loot. Bugs' discovers the crook shaving, roughs him up in his special Bugs Bunny way, and hilarity ensues. In "Little Man" a diminutive jewel thief who goes on the lam and poses as a <a href="http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/4714/lm8iy.jpg">baby</a> when the heist goes awry. In the trailer, they steal the shaving bit, and the slapstick humor of hitting people with frying pans that works so well in cartoons does not seem to really work in real life.<br /><br />I really hate the lack of new ideas in Hollywood, which is pretty much the reason I have not seen a movie in the theatres in a long time. It's very rare that anyone with a good idea gets something made on a major level, instead the studios make blockbusters, and then pick up indie films after there is a buzz about them. I understand that the studios are running a business and have to make money, but they could give some of these smaller films money that could be used towards production and casting, they still could get off much cheaper than the average blockbuster or the rehashed idea with big names.Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-1151337811669736142006-06-26T11:03:00.001-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.604-05:00Smash It Up- Young Ones style<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3jNsyuTBvgI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3jNsyuTBvgI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br>I stumbled across this looking for Young Ones content for a friend. I wish it was the Damned version, but according to the creator at pinkbucket.com, the Offspring cover worked better. I'll take their word for it.Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-1150457976852718482006-06-16T06:32:00.001-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.603-05:008 Carmel represent<b>TERRORIST IN A BOOTLEG T-SHIRT</b><br /><br /><i>The author mingled at madrasas and hung with Hezbollah, but that's not why Homeland Security picked him up. By Ray LeMoine, Ray LeMoine is coauthor, with Jeff Neumann and Donovan Webster, of "Babylon by Bus," an account of LeMoine and Neumann's experiences working for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq.<br /><br />June 13, 2006</i><br /><br />Arriving at JFK from Dubai recently, I was stopped at customs by an officer from the Department of Homeland Security and directed to a drab backroom filled with Arabs, South Asians and Africans. I wasn't surprised, really, having just spent six months working and traveling in the Islamic world — Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and Pakistan. If ever there were a DHS red-flag candidate,<br /><br />I was it, and I assumed this was just protocol.<br /><br />Four of those months were in Pakistan, and I had just spent a week with a journalist friend going to different madrasas, including one Islamic school visited by one of the bombers in the July 2005 attacks in London. Possibly I caught their attention by poking around the Karachi Marriot's parking lot, across from the U.S. consulate, where a suicide bomber's attack had killed a U.S. diplomat just two months before.<br /><br />How about the hundreds of phone calls I made from Pakistan to friends and family back home that inevitably mentioned the Taliban's resurgence and criticized President Bush. Was I wiretapped? Certainly Homeland Security, whose stated mission is to "lead the unified national effort to secure America … prevent and deter terrorist attacks and protect against and respond to threats and hazards to the nation," had detained me for such a reason.<br /><br />Or maybe officers had questions about the Jamaat-ud-Dawa rally I'd witnessed in Kashmir. The group was protesting against the United States because it recently had been added to the State Department's list of groups designated as terrorist organizations. Then there was Lebanon, where I'd traveled deep into the Hezbollah-held south.<br /><br />If only.<br /><br />No, these frontline warriors in the global war on terrorism at Homeland Security had far more pressing issues to question me about. "Why did you infringe on the Boston Celtics' copyright in Boston in 2003?" asked my case officer, Malik — ironically a Pakistani — from behind his high desk. Uh, because I used to sell T-shirts outside sporting events, I said, wondering what this had to do with national security.<br /><br />"You've got a long record," he said. Sure, for peddling "Yankees Suck" T-shirts — sans permit, which isn't a crime but a code violation — not for promoting "Bin Laden Rulz!" DVDs or the "Idiot's Guide to Suicide Bombing."<br /><br />"You know, we could have you sent up to Boston for the unresolved T-shirt infractions," Malik said. "But what we're holding you for is an NYPD bench warrant from 2004. You were in a fight with a parking attendant, found not guilty and then missed a court date." All true. But how and why does Homeland Security share the NYPD's jurisdiction in cases unrelated to counter-terrorism? A fight over a parking space hardly counts as terrorism.<br /><br />"We're calling NYPD to come to pick you up," Malik told me, without asking a single question about Pakistan, terrorism, Islam or madrasas.<br /><br />So I sat and waited. Four DHS officers working two cases — a Senegalese guy who was caught with $100,000 in a suitcase and mine — couldn't even get the NYPD on the phone. A debate then broke out among Malik, his co-worker and their boss about how to call the NYPD. Six hours later, the DHS still hadn't gotten word from the NYPD. A shift change was coming up, and officers aren't allowed to leave until finishing all their cases.<br /><br />Instead of protecting the homeland from such a dangerous T-shirt-selling, off-road-rager like me, Malik set me free, so he could get home in time to watch Mike and the Mad Dog ("Eh, is Pedro pitchin' tonight?" I overheard an officer ask). As he closed out my paperwork, Malik asked, "So, ah, Mr. LeMoine, why did you miss that court date anyway?"<br /><br />"I was in Iraq."<br /><br />"Doing what? Like a contractor, soldier?"<br /><br />"No. I had volunteered to run a humanitarian program for the Coalition Provisional Authority but left when they started killing Westerners."<br /><br />"Damn terrorists. Take care of that warrant. And welcome home."<br /><br />Welcome home indeed.<br /><br />Homeland Security, the $40-billion-a-year agency set up to combat terrorism after 9/11, has been given universal jurisdiction and can hold anyone on Earth for crimes unrelated to national security — even me for a court date I missed while I was in Iraq helping America deter terror — without asking what I had been doing in Pakistan among Islamic extremists the agency is designated to stop. Instead, some of its actions are erasing the lines of jurisdiction between local police and the federal state, scarily bringing the words "police" and "state" closer together. As long as we allow Homeland Security to act like a Keystone Stasi, terrorism will continue to win in destroying our freedom.<br /><br /><A HREF="http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-lemoine13jun13,0,1507648.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions"target="_blank"> this article can be seen in it's original format here</A>Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19999055.post-1150159990850424882006-06-13T16:44:00.000-05:002012-09-06T18:33:52.601-05:00I'm up in this muthaI know what you're thinking.<br /><br />The last thing the world needs is another blog about music, sports and food by some hack that thinks he's some sort of <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/3493/legs3xn.jpg">Legs McNeil</a>, <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/9343/povich4iu.jpg">Shirley Povich</a>, or <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/4006/js6wh.jpg">Jeffrey Steingarten</a>. Between <a href="http://nottobeadickoranything.blogspot.com/">PL</a>, <a href="http://doyoucompute.blogspot.com/">AP</a>, and myself there are enough washed up coremen trying their hand at these topics. But this is something I have been meaning to do, and now that I am done with school (sort of) I finally have the time to put a little effort into this and update it on the regular. God knows I have enough opinions to put forth. The real issue is taking the time to type them out.<br /><br /><b>WRAPPED UP IN BOOKS</b><br /><br />As I stated earlier, I am sort of finished with school. I took an incomplete to finish my research project. A little more research and 10 pages or so and I will be done with my M.A. and then I have the luxury of finding a job. I have been in school for about four years straight, and in that time I have had almost zero time to read for pleasure. But I have been stockpiling books that I have been planning on reading over that time. While I was recently on vacation, I finally got to dig into my pile of books. Reading these were a breeze compared to what I have been reading over the past few years.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/074347659X/qid=1150242708/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/002-2280545-6886459?s=books&v=glance&n=283155"><u>One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey "The Kid" Ungar, The World's Greatest Poker Player</u></a> (Nolan Dalla and Peter Alson)<br />Biography of <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/6175/stueyungarbiography3gd.jpg">Stuey Ungar</a>, 3 time <a href="http://www.wsop.com/text/home.html">WSOP</a> champion that blew all his money at sportsbooks and on drugs, namely cocaine. He did so much blow his nose looked like it melted. He came back from haggard condition to win his last tourney, but blew all of that money too. Ungar grew up around wiseguys, was never really told what to do, and did what he wanted. He was always on, and in his prime was near unbeatable, first in Gin Rummy, then when he could not get a game, he switched to high stakes poker. The authors started this as a tell all from Stuey, but after he died they continued their project. As messed up as Ungar was on drugs, the book devotes very little space to his addiction, portraying sports gambling as his real weakness. I blazed through this in about two days, so it's a fast read, if you have any interest in the poker world, the WSOP, or Vegas its worth a read, but not as good as...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0374236488/qid=1150242874/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/002-2280545-6886459?s=books&v=glance&n=283155"><u>Positively Fifth Street</u></a> (Jim McManus)<br />Continuing my poker motif, I read this next. I bought this right before I finished my BA, and had a hard time getting into it, barely reading the first chapter before putting it down, Figuring I would need something else to read on vacation, I took it along. Once the book got going, it was actually pretty good. it sucked me in and I had a hard time putting it down. You would need to have an interest in poker and have some familiarity with the game of Texas Hold'em to get into the poker parts. <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/4793/mcmanus3ko.jpg">McManus</a> was hired by Vanity Fair to cover women playing in the WSOP and the Binion murder trial. Being a poker player, McManus used his advance to play a satelite tourney and played in the WSOP, making it to the final table. Between studying the case and various poker books, he manages to interview some of the women playing in the tourney long enough to piss them off. He can get off on tangents, but overall the book was a good read. You'll want to grab this one before the Ungar book.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060822554/qid=1150242942/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-2280545-6886459?s=books&v=glance&n=283155"><u>Ask the Dust</u></a> (John Fante)<br />Since I tore through my two books so quickly, and nowhere to buy any English magazines or books, I was forced to read a book Beth brought with her on the trip. <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/5956/fante0ty.jpg">John Fante</a> was a writer in LA in the early to mid 20th Century that played a role in influencing <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8269/buk1bt.jpg">Charles Bukowski</a>. Buk wrote the foreward for this version, and this printing features correspondence between the two authors from 1979. Fante's influence on Bukowski is pretty obvious. He writes about his fictional personna Arturo Bandini (Bandini is to Fante as Henry Chinaski is to Bukowski) The major difference is Fante's protagonist tries to do the right thing, and usually does. Fante's Bandini evoked images of <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/5492/salingerfront7tb.jpg">Holden Caulfield</a> and <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8272/rushmore2iq.jpg">Max Fischer</a>, a young kid that huge visions for himself, but didn't know what he really wanted or how to go about getting it. I don't know if I'd reread <u>Ask the Dust</u> like I have Bukowski's Henry Chinaski/ LA novels, it was cool to go back to one of Bukowski's influences years after the fact.<br /><br />Currently I am reading the novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0688149553/qid=1150243063/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-2280545-6886459?s=books&v=glance&n=283155"><u>MASH</u></a> by Richard Hooker. If you have seen the movie, you pretty much know what happens in the book. If you only know the TV series, do yourself a favor and read this or watch the movie (or both.) I am so psyched to be able to read for pleasure, and have so much on deck to read, I'll report back here when I get through a couple more books. In the coming weeks/ months I am planning on reading John King's football (soccer) <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0099731916/qid=1150241459/sr=1-9/ref=sr_1_2_9/026-1027634-9654844">trilogy</a>, <a href="http://21361.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=2&Product_Code=2098&Category_Code=Books"></u>Broken Summers</u></a> by Henry <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/3589/rollins7tc.jpg"> Rollins </a> and plan on tackling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553213113/002-2280545-6886459?v=glance&n=283155"></u>Moby Dick</u></a> one of these days. It's only been sitting untouched on my pile for 3 years.<br /><br />I didn't plan on writing this much about the books, and don't want to shoot my wad, so I'll save my rantings on the Indians/ baseball for later. Considering how disgusted I am with the team, it's probably better that way. I am heading up to <a href="http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/display/router.asp">Milwaukee</a> this weekend to see them play, so I'll have a review and pics of <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/6184/milmillerparkbaseball9to.jpg">Miller Park </a> next week. More importantly I am going to score some <a href="http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/7498/sollyspage8qi.jpg"> butter burgers </a> (as seen in <a href="http://www.hamburgeramerica.com/"><i>Hamburger America</i></a>) and hit up the <a href="http://jellybelly.com/">Jelly Belly</a> factory, and I may try to cop some kicks seeing as Mil has multiple <a href="http://www.nike.com/nikeskateboarding/">SB</a> dealers as opposed to the one in Cleveland.Clevohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17913266398726952750noreply@blogger.com1