Cars and Candy

Today was a busy busy day. I took Stephanie to work so that I could take the Car to Midas to have it checked out. I was pretty nervous about this. Its an older car, and its been across country twice already in the last couple of years. Turns out, its ok. They said that its really in pretty good shape. Its got an oil leak but not too major. They even said the shocks are ok. Wow. After all the bouncing around on these Utah hills and stuff. So we are good to go. Or so I'm told.

Oh by the way, its Halloween. I was expecting a decent turnout of kids and stuff. Our apartments are loaded with kids. So we got some candy, and I decided to get a costume. I went down to Savers, a local thrift store, to see what I could find. A 2 dollar Darth Vader mask is not too shabby. Then I found some Darth Vader kid pajamas. And then a red whiffle ball bat. PERFECT!

I went home, dug out my black ski pants thing that I used last year and a small black cape that I borrowed once from a small town theater. Put them all together and what have you got?

This.......


Unfortunately we only got three sets of trick-or-treaters, and some of them were like 20 years old.

But the ones we did get got a kick out me. So that was cool. And we have plenty of extra candy.

-T

One last Sunday in Utah

The first thing that happened was that I asked Stephanie if we beat Tennessee last night. And she said we did!!!

Today we have spent most of the day working in the house. We talked about going to a last movie in Utah, but we didn't. So we packed and organized and packed and packed some more. This is hard. There is so much stuff. SO much stuff. I am packing boxes to ship. I am sifting through stuff to determine what I actually want to keep. Its going to be a fun week.

Oh, and the Redskins got their butts cut. But thats ok, and do you know why?

-T

We Beat Tennessee? WE BEAT TENNESSEE!!!!!!!!

We beat tennesee. We beat Tennessee? We beat Tennessee! WE beat tennessee. we BEAT tennessee. we beat TENNESSEE.

I don't know what to do. I'm not sure. I'm sitting here. Its kinda quiet in my living room. ESPN is rambling on and on about Tedy Bruschi and now they have switched to horse racing. Oh, now we turned to Nick at Nite and the Jeff Foxworthy Show is on.

The problem is that I don't really understand whats happening. I'm confused. I'm serious. I don't understand why the TV didn't explode with Fireworks. Why didn't we get raptured away to South Carolina? Why didn't Sonny turn into a person? Why is ESPN now talking about NASCAR? Why isn't Nick at Nite covering the postgame at Tennessee? I'm not being stupid. I'm just blown away.

We never beat them. No, never. I have been to games vs. Tenn. I have watched on TV. I saw in 2000 when we were winning with 30 seconds to go and couldn't stop them at the very end. I watched in 2003, when we were supposed to get beat by 40 and took them to overtime. Only to barely lose.

I have watched us play game after game when we couldn't kick a field goal to save our collective lives. And then there was tonight.

Down by 2 with 2 and half minutes to play. 4th down and a 50 yard field goal ahead of us. We can't kick. Never could. We can't hit easy field goals when the game is on the line. We never make kicks longer than 40 yards. Staring down a 50 yard field goal, being 2 points behind there were two things I knew.

1. We can't make a kick like this.

2. If by some chance we made it. We could never keep Tennessee from taking the ball downfield to win the game in the last minute.

If anyone is reading this and you think it sounds like a typical little guy wins sports story, thats fine, but stop that and listen.

Did you ever drop an egg on the ground, see it hit the ground. See it spill egg all over the floor? Pretend someone asked you, while you were staring at the egg already broken, if you could catch it before it gets there. What would you say? That is this. Those two things that I said. They are as true as saying Ice is cold, water is wet, ESPN is obnoxious, Sonny is a wild dog, or Star Wars will make money. You just don't understand how impossible this was.

Yet....we beat Tennessee. We made the field goal!! We made the field goal. He hit it. It was straight, it was long enough by about 6 inches. Then guess what. We stopped them. No really. They got one first down. We got the ball back. We got a first down. They called their time outs. And we stopped them.

We beat Tennessee!!! I simply don't know what to say. I'm dumbfounded. I really feel almost like if this happened, the world was supposed to become like Zathura. Like I was going to walk out the door and see the rings of Jupiter or something. I guess I'll just sit back and try to enjoy it. But the truth is. I feel like the world is a different place. Like we will all start saying "South Carolina can beat Tennessee, but the can't make a trash bag that won't tear open"

Oh well. In other news. The Dodgers were expected to name a new manager soon, but they fired their GM instead. Pretty wild and surprising news. But to be honest, I don't have anywhere near the energy to care.

Dan: Carolina beat Tennessee.
Casey: They beat Tennessee?
Dan: That's right, they beat Tennessee.
Casey: Dana!
Dana: They beat Tennessee Casey
Dan: See?
Casey: The Dodgers fired DePodesta
Dan: That's right.
Casey: But Tom doesn't want to talk about it?
Dan: Nope....And do you know why?
Casey: Because they beat Tennessee?
Dan: Because they Beat Tennessee!

Roseanne

I never watched an episode of Roseanne until two years ago. It started coming on Nick at Nite. Now this is a pretty funny show. I like it. Its funny and sarcastic. But I have a real problem with the way the show went downhill in the last seasons. Most significantly, the way they killed any hope for their kids.

They talk often about how a parent is successful if they can give their kid 50% more than they had. But Dan and Roseanne both graduated from High School and neither Becky nor Darlene did. Darlene did get some sort of equivalency because she was in college. Until they made her drop out because she got pregnant.

Becky got inspired by Darlene and decided to go back to college. She thought that she might have to leave her husband, Mark the not-so-smart mechanic, to do it. Roseanne told her that she should not give up on her marriage. Not a bad piece of advice necessarily, except that she made Becky think that she had to choose between Marriage and College and that it should be Marriage. Why not both? My parents both got college degrees after they were married.

In the end, it just annoys me. They made a show that was supposed to be what "real life" people were like. Instead of Leave it to Beaver. Yet they wanted to make it not a cartoon like Married with Children. But in the end, it was just a cartoon. The idea seemed to be that they could prove that regular working class poor people are good people. What they proved to me that these particular working class poor people will be doomed to repeat the same mistakes and never actually make any progress.

I don't know. The character Roseanne is a really great one, but the show seemed to sell her out. Because they need ratings, they just kept pushing this family back down by making them do stupid things. It's sad to me. I'd have liked to seen Becky and Darlene make something of themselves. They didn't have to get rich. But they could have escaped upward to middle class. Instead we have Becky thinking that a 30,000 dollar a year job is the living the high life.

Its not that its all about money. But Roseanne and Dan sucked up doing what they had to do so that Becky and Darlene could do something that they wanted to do. But in the end. They just crapped out. And that sucks.

-T

ESPN....I can't take them.

I'll make this short. As short as I can. To be honest. I think I could write a book. And one day I will. Tommy Tuberville, coach of Auburn Football, recently called out ESPN for affecting the way the football rankings work.

Maybe he explained himself badly or something, I don't know. But the ESPN rank and file acted out exactly as the usually do. They got offended and made Tuberville look like an idiot.

If the playing field was level, this would be fine. I mean if it was a fair debate between one guy from ESPN and Tommy. And if it was on a neutral station and they had a chance to talk about it, that would be fine. But ESPN is 24 hour 3 channel, radio, and internet. And Tommy Tuberville is, well, just a coach. So ESPN has every chance to make Tommy look bad and all Tommy can do is try to coach his team.

This is mostly what Tommy's problem is anyway. ESPN's dominance over the sports world is so widespread and pervasive, he contends, that it can actually influence the voters as to who goes to the championship game. ESPN will defend themselves not by saying it isn't true, but by blaming college football for having a system that allows them to screw with the system. Think about that.

You know what? ESPN is screwing up sports. Its not their fault. I don't think they have made any unethical decisions. Its just that their dominance has created a bad byproduct. That byproduct is this stange world of sports where people care more about off the field "drama" then on the field games. Where people are football fans and not fans of a team. Where people are fans of single players on teams they never cared about more than a team from their hometown. It has become the world wrestling federation all over again. Only this time its not scripted. However anyone who knows anything about media editing, directing and general presentation knows that you can take anything unscripted and make it into whatever you want.

The fact is, I'm not mad at what they do. Just at their refusal to acknowledge it.

-T

Up All Night/White Sox Champs

The big questions of today were "Did anyone stay up late last night to watch the end of the World Series Game 3. It ended somewhere after 2 am on the East Coast. I did. But, then again, I live in Utah. It was exciting. Damned exciting, and I watched it. Yes it was a weeknight and yes it was late. And I don't blame people for going to bed. But I dislike the implication that this proves that TV rules sports and the games are on too late. It was a 14 inning game. It was the longest baseball game in World Series history. The point is, the game was a bit of a freak show, so its not a good example to use if you want to say that games are starting late. I'll add that it was pretty much only ESPN that was implying this. 2 things about that. 1. Of couse it was only ESPN implying it, because isn't it only ESPN.....uh....that exists?
2. ESPN rules the world in sports reporting, sports discussion, sports over saturation, but do not rule the world in broadcasting the actual games. Of course that might seem like the least important part of stats. But I promise you, I've never heard ESPN complaining about games starting to late on their own network.


The White Sox are champions. They broke their curse....or did they? People are already talking about how this was the lowest rated World Series in history. I'm sorry ChiSox, you are the ultimate cursed team. Not the Red Sox, not the Cubs..Just you guys.

You cheated the game. You offended the Baseball Gods. You threw the world Series. Your punishment is to go 88 years before you win another, to have nobody notice that you haven't won in a long time. To have nobody care that you haven't won in a long time. To have no network try to sell the broadcast on you your curse/slump and then when you do finally win to have nobody notice or care. And there you have it.
I hope now your punishment is over. I hope now that you can go out and do well. And potentially win a World Series that people will care about. And I hope now that people will remember WHY you were cursed and what happens to teams that do offend the gods of baseball.

-T

Toilet Seats: Politeness or Secret Key to Women's Domination of the World?

I am a generally polite person. I do believe in the yes sir/yes ma'am theory of talking to people when you are a kid. I believe in please and thank you as well. Somewhere along the line, however, I missed the part where putting the toilet seat down was polite and appropriate. I did not miss the part where I was taught to put the seat up so as not to pee on the seat. I learned this very easily and I understand why its a good idea. In turn, I have not peed with the seat down, in about 25 years.

I'm sorry. I don't know how it happened. But the problem that arose was that no one ever did a good job explaining this theory to me. Oh, its not that I never got anyone explaining it to me. Just not doing a good job.

Let me first explain a little something about men and peeing. In case you don't know. This is a very very easy thing for us to do. It requires the bare minimum of energy. And some times we do need the seat down when we use the bathroom. And the energy that it takes to engage in toilet seat management is not even measurable it is so small.

So I have spent all of my adult life and almost all of my kid life living under these circumstances. So I must say, I get a little offended when people accuse me of being insensitive, stupid, obnoxious, or a slob because I forgot to put the seat down.

First off, I didn't forget, because it was not my intention to put it down. Now I sound like a jerk don't I? Ok I'm sorry. I don't want to be a jerk. And I'm sorry that I didn't put it down. I didn't forget, I'm just not in the habit of doing it.

Should I be? This of course is the question. Let me first say, that the answer to this question is yes. But I want it to be because its right, and because I think its right. Not because I'm bossed or bullied into it.

Maybe its my fault. Maybe I'm irritated at a bunch of people for no good reason. Maybe I live in a world where I'm the only one who feels this way. But I feel like most of my life women have been telling me that I'm a jerk for not putting the seat down. And yet, at no point that I can remember, have any of these women ever stopped to say why. No no...more than that. At no point that I can remember have any of these women ever said anything to me about the toilet seat without it being specifically to embarrass me or put me down or assert some sort of symbolic dominance. Now this might just makes me look like I'm nuts. But its true.

I should be in the habit of putting the toilet seat down. Yes, its true. But why? Because it is polite, sanitary and generally more classy. And that is something I can get behind. But women are lousy explainers. Or men are lousy understanders. I am of course willing to say that both of these things are true. Women are not willing to say anything but men don't listen, don't understand or just don't care. Or at least most women I have known aren't willing to. They do seem to be willing to say that I am a pig. That I am a jerk. That toilets seats are nasty and they are too delicate to be asked to touch them. Or that if they go to the bathroom at night, they might fall in.

That has pretty much been my entire experience with the toilet seat issue. So I'm sorry if it is difficult for me to put these experiences behind me. The fact is that toilet seat management is so incredibly insignificant in a man's life that it is difficult for us to accept the level ire that women seem to put out toward us. I am willing to listen, if they are willing to tell me. And not treat my like a jerk. If I am to understand that seat management really is a bigger deal to women, than I would ask that women be willing to explain it to me as though it was ok that I have not understood it to this point. But I am treated as though I'm a jerk, and a sexist for not getting it.

There is no room for me in this world apparently. At this point, it seems that I have only 2 choices in this matter. 1 is to accept putting the toilet seat down because I have been insulted, embarrassed and bullied into doing so. Or 2, to be an unapologetic a-hole and tell women to kiss off and I'll do what I want.

I'm lucky that I have Stephanie. It was Stephanie who said, that its a good thing to do simply for the politeness factor. It was also Stephanie that helped me to understand that for women, it really is an issue that matters and for a few different reasons.

So I will develope a third choice. I will accept that its the right thing to do fundamentally, and I will rationalize to myself that I am doing it because its the right thing to do. And I will endure my belief that women will be looking at me with a satisfactory "we broke another one" grin on their faces. And I will take on faith that they are not, in fact, thinking that. But in my experience, that is what I have been lead to believe.

-T

Packing, Packing, Packing

Steph and I are moving back East. Woo Hoo. Well sorta Woo Hoo. Its a means to and end. And its waaaaayyyy better than living in Utah. So today, I began really packing. Boy is there a lot of crap that I aquired here. Not the least of which is many many Star Wars toys. I have dedicated my life to several ideas. One of these is that stuff is the enemy. People are basically chained to their possessions. They reduce your freedom to do what you want. I try to avoid picking up things I don't really need.

There are of course some exceptions. I like movies. A lot! I like DVDs. I like the Library of movies I have created. So I buy them. I collect them really. The other, is Star Wars toys. It is my hobby. I go in spells. The last 6 years have been a return to the golden Star Wars age. And this past year was the final real Star Wars year. So I made no attempt at self control. 77 figures have been released this year and I have bought 70 of them. And I had the most darn fun doing it. However, they take up space, and now I have to move. Oh by the way, I bought a lot in 2004 too and they have to move with me.

One good thing is, that while Star Wars figures do take up a lot of space, they are pretty light. So I'm hoping the bill won't be too high to ship them.

The rest is pretty easy, I'm getting rid of a bunch of clothes that I don't need. I packed my computer bag up full. And the good thing about DVDs is that they are flat and small and slide into most free spaces in the car. Shouldn't take too long.

-T

JFK

Steph and I watched JFK. Or at least most of it. Its a little boring, lets be honest. So I thought I'd weigh in on the subject. Seeing as it is so timely and all.

So what do we know? Its questionable if anyone could make those shots from that spot in the time determined by the film footage. Ok, that seems reasonable.

Witnesses say they saw another shooter or shots coming from another place. Thats less credible I'd say. Just because of the chaos that was happening. I'm not sure anyone's memory could be trusted.

One bullet caused 7 wounds. Ok, that sounds far fetched.

Oswald doesn't seem like the typical lone nut? I don't know about that. For me, the movie did a good job of convincing me that he was the type of guy that would do it.

Funny business by FBI and Warren Commission in the investigation process. I buy that one I guess.

So what do I think?

I think Oswald probably shot from where they said he did.
I think its quite likely that there was a second shooter.
I think that it is unlikely that the two shooters were part of any conspiracy larger than just the two nutcases
I think its pretty likely that the FBI, Secret Service and Warren Commision did whatever they could to wrap it up as neatly as possible. My guess is that if there was a second shooter, they could not find that person. So they made their report to make it very clear that they got their man and that there is nothing to fear.


I do not, through any stretch of the imagination, think that our government had anything to do with the assassination. Not the planning of, the participation in, or the enabling of the shooting. I think that is just ridiculous.

Besides, we would know by now. Someone would have spilled their guts by now. Deepthroat style I mean.

As far as the movie goes. Its pretty good. I think its the beginning of Oliver Stone's way over-the-top style. I haven't liked much that he has done since. Any Given Sunday I liked, but its pro football, so the over-the-top thing worked.

I guess we'll never know right?
-T

Yo..its Saturday again.

Ah football. Could anything be better than last week's classic. The greatest College Football game ever? mmm probably not.

Football first. USC won, Texas won, Georgia won, Alabama won same ole same ole. The Gamecocks beat Vanderbilt. Which should be a sure thing. But Vandy is better this year and who knows what we are. The neat thing was that Syvelle Newton was playing running back for us. Here is a guy who was our quarterback last year and a wide receiver for most of this year. Spurrier put him at Running back. He ran for 80 yards and a touch down. He caught one pass. He threw for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. A breakout performance by any standard. And then, to top it all off, he got stepped on in a celebration pile. Ruptured Achillies Heel, out for the season. Chicken Curse? Could be. I don't think so, but whadyagonnado?

Baseball next. The World Series began today. I wont go on about how I don't want the Sox to win. They won game 1 tonight, so we will see what happens. Its really just about who breaks serve, so to speak. Otherwise it ends up in Game 7, where anyone can win. I don't really enjoy Games 1 very much as series games go. Its not until you get one out of the way that you know where you stand. Now we know. The Astros, really want to win tomorrow, but they don't have to. The Sox really do need to win though or else, the home field swings the other way. We will see.

-T

Movie Drought

The weekend is here and there is still nothing I am dying to see. Steph and I had such a great...no well...ridiculous summer of movie watching. I do want to see Elizabethtown. But not so much that I'm really dying too or anything.

So I don't think we will be seeing anything new this weekend. I am really waiting for Walk the Line to come out. Plus the onslaught of winter movies will be coming soon. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter, and I suppose King Kong. Plus whatever the big Oscar movies are in December.

Steph and I will be leaving soon. Leaving fabulous Utah behind us. I think we should try to see one more movie at our favorite theater before we go. The Century 16 on State St. and 3300 South. Once more at the place that I will forever remember as the theater at which we saw the Final Star Wars. Ahhh memories.

-T

Chicago-Houston World Series

So this is a pretty cool World Series. No Red Sox, No Yankees. No Dodgers. but...drama nonetheless. The Astros have never even been to the World Series, and the White Sox haven't been since before the Astros were even a team.

Now I must say that I don't want the White Sox to win. I have no beef with them. I like Ozzie Guillen a lot. But I also happen to believe in Curses. I actually believe that of the Red Sox and Cubs and White Sox, only the White Sox really have a curse. They gambled and purposely lost the 1919 World Series. For that, they have been cursed. I hope they do not win the World Series until 2019 at the earliest. They deserve what they get. They deserve to lose. They deserve to not get any of the fun attention that the Red Sox got and the Cubs still get. You know they are the truly cursed ones when no one even roots for them to end there losing streak.

As for the Astros. I dig em. They're pretty cool. I like their ballpark except for that cheapie home run porch down right field. Where its only like 100 feet to the wall or something. Otherwise cool. I like Clemens, Oswalt, and Pettitte. So this should get interesting. And maybe when its over we will know who the Dodger manager is.

-T

A new TV strategy

Ok, we are trying something new tonight. iTunes has started a little program of downloading television shows for their new iPod. Turns out that you can download the shows off of iTunes and watch them on the computer instead. So what we did is watch Veronica Mars tonight and will download LOST tomorrow when it becomes available.

Last week's LOST was surely a step up in quality, but I' still not convinced that there is much going on. This show is well...Lost right now. Its spinning its wheels. I still like it. But mostly on credit from last year.

Veronica Mars on the other hand is smokin hot. Tonights episode was pretty darned good. And though I have not yet watched LOST, I was told that I made the right choice. I guess we will see this weekend.

-T

Taking a new job.

So its official...finally. I'm taking a new job. Its not working out quite the way I'd hoped but its going to be good. I'm going to have to live back home in Charleston for about 6 weeks. That could be kinda cool. We will see. Hopefully I'll get back out on the road ASAP. This is a good chance to put away several thousand bucks for the big movie next year. Thats really all I have to say about that for now. We will see what happens.

-T

Home Field Advantage

Ok, its about that time again. Lets talk about the home field advantage controversy in Major League Baseball. First off there is the All Star game issue. Ok, so the winning league of the All Star Game gets Home Field Advantage in the World Series. I won't get into this. Like it, don't like it whatever. I don't care. The thing is that most people hate it. They think it isn't fair. They think it should be whichever team has the best record. And this seems quite obvious to all. Well all except for anyone who isn't stupid. Like oh uh me for instance.

Ok, heres the deal. Nothing is fair in sports. No one gets this. There is no way to be fair, especially based on records. The main point is this. You can only be somewhat fair. There is no way to be completely fair. So the only way to be fair is to be completely unfair.

An example......The Dodgers and the Padres play in the same division. The play each of the other three teams in the division 19 times each. Thats somewhat fair. Then the play all of the other teams in the other divisions the same amount of times. Thats somewhat fair. Then they play some of the same interleague teams. But then the Dodgers play 6 games against their "AL Rivals" the Angels, while the Padres play their "AL Rivals" the Mariners 6 times. Clearly not fair this year. Lastly they play each other 19 times. Also not fair. The Padres won the division and the Dodgers finished 4th. That means the Padres got 19 extra games against a 4th place team, while the Dodgers played 19 games against the 1st place team. Also not fair.

The NL and AL teams in the World Series haven't played hardly any of the same teams. The Cardinals have a better record than the White Sox. But if the White Sox played in the NL, they might have won 150 games. Probably not, but maybe. We surely don't know.

Furthermore, even if two teams did play the exact same schedule its still not fair, because they don't play those teams on the same day. The Astros were awful in the first half of the season and smokin hot in the second half. The Cubs played the majority of the 19 games vs the Astros in the first half when the Astros were bad, the Cardinals played most of their games against them in the second half. Again, not fair to the Cardinals.

Now understand, I actually don't think any of this is particularly unfair. But if you are looking for "fairness" then you can't be half assed about it. There is only one solution. And that is to be totally unfair.

Until just a few years ago, the World Series was determined simply by alternating every single year. NL then AL. You see, that is fair. Its simple and its the same for all. You know what to expect, and there is nothing to argue. See....Fair.


-T

Speed and other underappreciated movies

So Steph and I watched Speed today. I just want to take a quick second to mention this. I love this movie. If you can't get into a movie like this, what is wrong with you? I mean its not brilliant, but its fun. Its exciting. Its reasonably well-acted. If anything, its shot well and edited well. Which is pretty much the point of thrill ride movies.

What I'd like to know is this. What action movies would you like? I mean, what action movies actually get decent ratings? Minority Report did well for the most part, but people hated the ending. Anything else? War of the Worlds did well. Anything non-Spielberg? Nothing I can think of. So the point is, if you think they shouldn't make these movies at all, then say so and don't review them. But otherwise, treat them as they are supposed to be treated. As fun.

National Treasure was one that I really liked. The Island, which made about 10 dollars total off me and Stephanie was great. The Rock, True Lies, Armegeddon, Day after Tomorrow. All of these were fun. So just relax and enjoy.

-T

Its Football again.

Ok, like it or not, I'm going to say it. Today's USC/Notre Dame football game was about the best I've ever watched. I don't mean to get all Kurt Warner on the subject. (Kurt Warner, if you don't remember..and you probably don't, had 3 really great years and was promptly annointed greatest quarterback that ever lived by most everyone. Now he's a back up on the 2nd worst team in the NFL) So I don't want to just go on and on about how it was the greatest college football game ever.

That said....WOW. This is the kind of exciting game that the NFL simply can't have. The NFL is not designed for this kind of excitment. Notre Dame lost a close game early in the year. Which means they had to win this game just to have any prayer of staying in the title hunt. USC was riding a 20 something game winning streak and also couldn't lose this game if they wanted to stay in the hunt. They are huge long time rivals and two of the top 10 teams in the country.

In the NFL, good teams never play in elimination type games in the regular season. You don't see anything like this until December. And then its usually just 3 teams with 6 or 7 losses each vying for 2 playoff spots. Big deal. If you lose 7 games you go to the playoffs? Blech.

So this game MATTERED for one, the teams were some of the best in football for two, and oh by the way it was close all the way through and finished in an unbelievably close manner. Again WOW.

But I do hope that College Football establishes some sort of playoff system so that games like this won't happen anymore. I mean really, isn't that what we want? To get rid of games like these just so we don't have to debate the end of the year.

As Michelle Tanner would say....Oh Puhleeeeeezzzeee.

-T

Cars and Video Tape

So I hate cars right? No, thats not true. Its really not. I just don't like the system of cars. There is some better perfect system out there that combines Cars, Public Transit and good old fashioned pedestrianism. The thing is, somehow, Cars just got father into our culture than they were supposed to. There is no earth shattering next developement to displace the car. Its like the day video tape took over the Earth. Hold on, I'll explain.

For years and years there were records. Then came magnetic tape. Its more convienient, but not particularly better. It allowed people to listen to music in a smaller more practical form. Music was much more portable. It was great. Then to movies. Home ownership of movies was nearly non-existant. The video tape revolutionized the movie industry. Its difficult to say in strong enough words, but the video tape changed everything about the movie industry.

That said...Tape sucks. Its an awful type of technology. It degrades itself every time you play it. It was the idea of an easily portable and recordable delivery system that was great. So then came the laser. Cds, Laserdisc, DVDs, Rewritable Discs. Digital Information.

What happened was that the technology of magnetic tape was replaced by digital information. The same great benefit, but in a far better form.

AND.....

That format lead to newer and better advances. The Mp3. Downloads. Ipods. Something magnetic tape has no part in.

Tape did its job. It ushered in a new era of media and entertainment. And now its gone. In its place are a multitude of different options. All allowing entertainment seekers to get their media in just about whatever form they prefer.

So the car right? If magnetic tape is the car, then CDs are....well I just don't know. They'd be some sort of electric car that can be driven separately on roads and then connect to a commuter train and then fold up into a briefcase or something.

The point of all this is that our system of automobile dependance is as though we were all still buying our music on cassette tapes. Electric and hybrid cars would be an upgrade to CDs perhaps, but without the possibilities of ipods, mp3s, downloads, or anything else. So while our media systems have advanced well into the future, our Cities are still stuck in 1986.

-T

Two-a-days started today

Today I began my two-a-day workouts. I went out this morning and ran sprints. I figured that I the best shape I was ever in was when I was in football. So I figured the best way to get back in shape was to do some of my football warm ups and exercises. And the worst thing we did was sprints. Windsprints

I did some stretching just to get loose. Then I marked off about 15 yards of grass at a nearby park. And then I just busted loose. I stopped running and walked about 5 yards or so, turned around and walked back to the line and then sprinted back to the beginning. I did that 5 times and then took a little walk around.

I'm out of shape and I hated. This felt good though. Real good. I got good and winded for a while. Heart pumping and what not. But I didn't have to run and run and run to get there. Running is the most boring thing ever.

So I did that this morning. This afternoon, I did more of a traditional run. Run a little walk a little run a little walk a little. Then push-ups, sit-ups and some leg lefts.

It felt good. I think this will be a good plan. Two weeks of this will do some good I think. We will see.

-T

The end of Sports Night

Steph and I watched the final two episodes of Sports Night tonight. In addition to another so-so episode of LOST. But Sports Night was great. It ended well. It had a lot of stuff going on. Clearly aware of some kind of finale coming, it made it seem as if the team would be broken up. As if it could be a sad ending. Will the sell the station? Will Dan and Casey split up? But in the end, the guy that bought the station said he wanted to keep the show going. So we just pull back and leave the gang doing what they do best. It might seem like a lame way to end. Its a great way to end a show that is going before its time. I'm reminded of Dead Like Me. Another two season ended before its time show. It also took the we are just going to reasure the viewer that things are good and will go on without us. I love those two shows. They did not end like the disastrous ending to Joan of Arcadia last year. Its Second Season just sort of fell off the edge of a cliff. I'm not even sure they ever aired the finale. I don't think I saw it. If it was the last one I watched, then it was the worst finale ever.


Here are three shows that Should have lasted longer than 2 seasons but didn't, and 1 show that really needs end after 2 season but won't. LOST. I like the show. Last Season Was great. This season has been problematic at best. I just don't think they have that much stuff. I hope they finish it this year. But its too popular, so they will string it out as long as they can. Go figure.

-T

Steph is Back!

Stephanie came back today. Yay! I can eat a decent meal again. Sonny is happy too. Really happy. I always wonder what he thinks when she is gone. He's weird. But he's my buddy.

It was kind of nice to have the weekend to myself I guess. I used it to relax. After having worked again all last week. Oh my! A whole week of work. I DID need a vacation.

I watched Die Another Day. That went ok. Much better than I remember. Not exactly great though. I watched quite a bit of sports on the weekend, which was pretty nice as well. I also watched Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi with the commentary on. That was quite interesting. Carrie Fisher is hilarious.

But I've got to say. I love her being back. I can now speak out loud again. Well I did talk to the dog a lot more than is socially acceptable though. He doesn't really understand me the way Steph does though. So once again, all is right with the world.

-T

Theeeeee Yankees Lose

Now while I freely admit that I do hate the Yankees, I do consider myself a Yankee Hater. Not in the same sense that the rest of the world seems to hate them.
The Yankees, along with Clemson, were my first sports nemesis. I was born in 1975. The Dodger lost to the Yankees in the World Series in 77 and 78 and beat the Yankees in the World Series in 1981. So in my earliest formative years, the Yankees were very much on the Dodgers' radar screen. So I learned early on that the Yankees and Dodgers were long-time rivals. It was only years later that I learned the True Nature of the Dark Side: The San Francisco Giants. Yet through all of this time, I have certainly never learned to love the Yanks.

Stephanie is a Boston Red Sox fan. An actual fan at that. She also hates the Yankees of course. And always has. Both of us were quite pleased tonight to see the Yanks go down.

But one of my good friends was happy too. This guy, whos favorite baseball team is Penn St. Football. Who likes Hockey. Who didn't know anything about baseball until I got him hooked on Fantasy Sports. So my problem is this.

Its just no fun to hate the Yankees. It hasn't been for quite some time. Its like hating the Lakers, or the Miami Hurricanes or Duke/North Carolina basketball. everyone hates them, and it make legitmate haters look petty.

And I'm sure that Red Sox fans might think I'm not a legitimate hater either. But I feel I have a just reason for hating.

Now, on related note. If you are bored and you like baseball and you want a laugh, go to The Yankees Message Board. They are ripping their team apart there. Especially Alex Rodriguez. A-Fraud, Mr. May-Rod, Pay-Rod and my personal favorite nickname Alice Rodriguez.

Its going to be fun to watch them for the next month or so.

-T

A great day for sports

I can't believe this baseball game that I watched today. Im sure most of you watched it too. The Braves and Astros. The Braves were winning going into the last inning and they ended up giving up a game tying home run. 6-6 and going to extra innings. Then they played another entire game. 9 more innings. Tie game. 9 more innings of nasty pitching. Finally won in the 18th inning with a solo home run. Roger Clemens pitched 3 relief innings for the win. Now this might not sound all that exciting, but it was. I, of course, like games with great pitching and not a lot of scoring. This was like 2 games. A 6-6 game and a 1-0 game. And it was exciting.

Ok, after that, I turned on the Redskins vs. Broncos. The Redskins were losing 21-10. Then, the infamous "Tuck Rule" reared its ugly head again. Bronco Jake Plummer starts to pass, pumps his arm forward, but decides not to throw the ball. He starts to pull the ball down to his side and is hit. He fumbles the ball in the end zone. He jumps on the ball to recover. Ha ha. Its a safety...2 points for the Skins... But wait. After Further Review....The quarterback did not tuck the ball in to his side, therefore it is an incomplete pass. Take the 2 points off the board for the Skins.

Now the Broncos punt to the Redskins. In case you don't know. Had the Safety counted they would have had to kick the ball to us anyway. So the result would be the same just without the two points. So we drive down field, kick a field goal. 21-13. We get the ball back. 5 minutes 94 yards to go. 8 points down. We drive. We pass. We run. We have to go for it on 4th down and don't make it. But a penalty gives us a second chance. We keep going down the field. 1 minute to go, we score!. Its now 21-19. We line up for the 2 point conversion, we pass, but it is blocked!!! Errrr. We lose the game by 2 points!!!!!!!! Frustrating but exciting nonetheless.

After that. It was Baseball time once again. Not quite as exciting, but a good set up. The Yankees beat the Angels. They are headed back to LA...errrr Anaheim for Game 5 tomorrow.

-T

Subways Again

I hadnt brought up Subways in a while, but I was thinking about it today. How did the build Subways in New York City in the early 20s? I mean it must have cost a fortune. Yet there is no money for it anywhere apparently. Where does the money come from?

Some say we should privatize public transportation. Let some private company build it, and then let them charge people to use it and make money off it. I have a better idea. Lets privatize the regular highways. Interstates and Larger thoroughfares. Lets sell the 405 free way in LA. From Sylmar to Anaheim. We will sell it off to the highest bidder and then they can charge whatever tolls they want on it. They will be responsible for the up keep. And we will use the profits to build a subway.

Look, I don't want to sound like "tin-foil hat wearing crazy person" but this is nuts. I recently read that in the next 20 years. 120 Billion Dollars will be spent on transportation in Southern California. Of that 120 Billion, 100 Billion will go to upkeep and maintaining surface roads, highways and interstates. Of the other 20 about 18 billion will go to new highway projects. With the rest going to public transit.

Ok this is really outrageous. And I hate to use that word. Subways and trains cost a lot to build in the beginning, but they cost next to nothing to maintain. People refer to transit projects as boondoggles and money pits. Am I the only one who sees this over dependance on the automobile as a much bigger money pit than transit could ever be. 5 billion dollars a year just to keep repaving higways in LA and San Diego???

There must be a better way.
-T

Last Days

Last Day of work, yet again. I am the Michael Jordan of security installation. Not because Im the best installer that every lived, just that I have seemingly retired from that line of work twice and come back to it yet again. So I took the rental car back to the airport. There I picked up Stephanie's car. She left today to go to Boston for the long weekend. I drove her car home. All the while listening to the Red Sox vs. White Sox on XM.

Last Day of the Red Sox 2005 season. Funny thing is; I care. I mean, I actually care. I have become a sort of ceremonious Red Sox fan over the last 3 seasons. I started living with Stephanie during the end of 2002 season. We visited Boston and Fenway park in August of 2003. We watched the exciting 2003 playoffs, when Boston finished one game short of the World Series. I also fell in love with Manny Ramirez in the offseason of that year. We watched all of 2004. We watched their absurd comeback in the ALCS. Which was kicked off by ex Dodger and Tom and Steph LA favorite: Dave Roberts. Who had just been traded to Boston. We watched their triumphant first World Series victory in 86 years. And we watched them this year.
They lost today. And oddly enough I was upset. Not horribly upset, but actually upset. Which is a real indicator that I like them. Not just like a team that I choose to pay attention to for some reason or another. But actually feel it a bit.

Honestly that has never happened before. In my life there have been only Gamecocks, Dodgers and Redskins. I have paid attention to other teams. For various reasons, but none have ever really "taken" None have ever really made me "feel it" Until now. I'm not sure how to deal with it. I'm not sure I have the right to feel it. I'll have to ask some Sox fans. But I'm not sure I'm ready to do that. We will see.

-T

How to watch Star Wars

Probably the greatest debate in all the world is that of "How to watch Star Wars?" Most of us watched episodes 4, 5 and 6 and then 1, 2 and three. As that is how they were released. Lucas designed it to be watched 1-6. The argument against that however is that watching it in sequence will destroy the surprises of the original trilogy.

Lets be honest. There is only one surprise that we are talking about. This is not Citizen Kane people. Theres a movie with a particular surprise that has significance. What does Rosebud mean? The entire movie is a big setup. It gives you everything you need to know, except for the overall point. And in the end, you find out what Rosebud means, and it all makes sense. Brilliant.

"I am your father" is nothing like that. It is a revalation that is not designed to answer any questions, it is just meant to be a bit of a cliffhanger. It is made just as a tease to get you to say. "Whoa, I've got to see what happens next." But so what? Its only cool because when you watch it 4-6, Luke is our boy. We love him. Vader is a bit of a side character. If you watch 1-6 Anakin is our Boy, and Obi-Wan too. Luke becomes the side note. The secondary character. At least to this point. Its much better with Anakin as the main character. And there is no shortage of alternate "whoa" moments.

On top of that, the "I am your father" moment hasn't dissappeared from being significant. It has just changed. We are just watching it from a different angle. We watch it from Vaders side. Knowing Anakin as well as we do. We are waiting for him to acknowledge his past. And he hasn't really done it to this point. Just a smidge with the Emperor earlier. So those words, while not surprising, are significantly more impactful than they used to be.

Watching it 4-6 and hearing those "surprising" words "I am your father," is the Star Wars equivalent of finding out Rachel is pregnant in the season finale of Friends. And then having to wait all summer to find out if Ross is the father. It is a TV style cliffhanger, nothing more.

But watching 1-6, having seen Anakin the wide-eyed boy. Having seen his innocence and puppy love for Padme. His desire to become something great being the very thing that helps lead him to ruin. His loss of his mother and wife, the only two people that he believes ever loved him. And the fact that he blames himself for the loss of both. Having watched him turn into a cold robotic killer. Having now spent the better part of ANH and ESB searching for any sign of Anakin within Darth Vader. We now see him face to face with his son. With all that was good about him. Luke, the product of his better self and his true love. The words "I am your father" are now as significant to Vader as they are to Luke. This is good storytelling. No its great storytelling.

Lucas made a great moment in 1980. A legendary pop culture catchphrase. Misquoted usually too, which is the mark of most great catch phrases. Luke, I'm your father...Play it again Sam...Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a damn...Rosebud...Stellaaaaaa...Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me...Make him an offer he can't refuse...We're gonna need a bigger boat...Yo Adrian!...I Love the smell of Napalm in the Morning...E.T. Phone Home...They're Heeeerrre...Just When I thought I was out, they pulled me back in...Vegas Baby, Vegas...Show me the money...I see dead people. Anything else? So I have great respect for "I am your father" as a legendary movie moment.

But GL did something amazing. He took a singular moment. A clever catch phrase, a bombshell, a cliffhanger. And he turned into something more than a gimmick. He turned it into something that actually matters within the film. Something that brings real emotion with it. Its now a moment that makes your heart leap or sink. Not just another "Oh Snap!" moment. A "whats in the Hatch?" moment. He took a moment that "rocked" and turned it into a moment that mattered and has weight. Thats amazing.

Watch it 456123 if you want. But anyone who says watch it that way because of "surprises" is just another fanboy who doesn't understand what real storytelling is.

-T

Lost again

Ok, another episode of Lost this week. Another episode where they showed us the same thing. This is getting frustrating. I wonder if they don't have much for this season. I mean, I feel like they just don't have enough stuff.

It happens with TV. Someone works for years on a concept, and writing a full season. Then they don't know if it will last. Then about 3/4 of the way through the season the network says "Ok, whats going to happen next year?" and then writer/creator says "Next year?" Then they have like 2 months to figure out what to do and how to change the end of season 1 to fit with next year's plan.

I think they are still figuring with LOST. I am really not confident that they know where this is going. And I am going to be mad if this show turns into crap because of it. If it had just quit after last year, it would be legendary. It will suck if it just dissappears into know where. Draggin on 4 seasons too long. When shows like Sports Night get cancelled to early because the network wasn't selling it properly.
Errrrrrrr


Maybe I'm wrong. Theres always Next Wednesday.

-T

So Long Jim Tracy

So the Dodgers let go of Jim Tracy last night. This was a sure thing as far as most people were concerned. We finished 71-91 this year. 20 games under .500. One of the worst seasons the Dodgers have had in a long long time. Was this Jim Tracy's fault? No it wasn't. Whose fault is it? I don't know. Dan Evans, Frank McCourt, Depodesta, Tommy Lasorda? I don't know. It is what it is. A series of things over the last 5 years or more have lead to this.

So what do we do now? Jim Tracy's 5 years added some stability. Compared to before him. The Dodgers had only 2 managers for 42 years. Walt Alston and Tommy Lasorda from 1954-1996. The Bill Russell took over. Former Dodger Shortstop who had been groomed to take over for Tommy. It didn't work out. I don't know why. He had just one full season. In 1999 it was time to pick a new manager. Mike Scioscia was available. He was an "up and coming" talent. Dodger Legacy, fan favorite, understanding of what Dodger Baseball is all about. But the FOX people thought it wasn't a splashy enough move. They wanted a big name. All they could do was dig out Davey Johnson. He had won the world series with the Mets a mere 13 years earlier. Johnson was hired. A year later Scioscia was hired by the out of town rival Angels. Johnson was fired after two years. Fox decided then that it was time to get an "up and coming" manager in Jim Tracy. Scioscia won the World Series with Anaheim a year later.

Where are we now? Back to square 1. Hire a big name, hire a Dodger Legacy. I don't know. Tracy was fired for not fitting with Depodesta's philosophy. So whoever we hire, that will be a main focus. What is Depo's philosophy? Win as cheaply as possible? That is what we are lead to believe. And in the abscence of any real leadership from the McCourts, I guess that is what I am inclined to believe. I guess we will see. This offseason may be one of the most important ones ever.

-T

A couple of things

First off its Aris's birthday. My baby niece is 1-year old today. And now I'm about to say all of the things that everyone else always say. And yet here I go. She is so incredibly cute. She walks a little she talks a little, and shes spending the big 1 at Chuck-E-Cheese tonight. I love that kid.

Second. My Dad is trying to get me hooked up with his new job. I never thought I'd work in this mechanical field for this long. And certainly never thought I'd never go anywhere else on this kind of work. But I am ready to do it now. Mostly because I want out of Utah so badly.

Third. It was nasty today. Cold and rainy. It snowed a little on a couple of the mountain tops. I really can't stand it here. See above. It just going to get worse. And I don't do cold very well. One winter here will suffice I think. Perhaps I can go work in Miami this winter. We'll see.

-T

The end of Baseball

Another season has come and gone. I can't believe it. It's been two full seasons since I went to Opening Day at Dodger Stadium in 04. This one went by fast. The Dodgers finished in 4th place. I finished in 4th place in both of my Fantasy Leagues. Next season will be better. I will win fantasy, the Dodgers will make the playoffs, and Steph, Sonny and I will be travelling around from stadium to stadium making a film. I can't wait.

Until then. I'll be assisting Stephanie in rooting for her Red Sox. Watching to see if the matchup seemingly of destiny will take place. Yankees vs. Red Sox III: the rubber match. Or will the Angels and White Sox decide that America is tired of "The Greatest Rivalry in Sports" And will anyone actually care about the National League at all? These questions and more to be answered beginning Tuesday.

woo-hoo. Its October.

-T

Pummelled

Tonight is just yucky. I have little to say other than our football team got their rear ends handed to them by Auburn 48-7. This is among the worst losses we have ever had. Its been a while. I remember getting drubbed by Arkansas 45-14 in 1999.

On a good note however, the score of the game made it easier to switch over to UPN to watch Veronica Mars. A very good season opener and I'm pretty excited about that. So VM, Lost and Ghost Whisperer (which was awesome on Friday) look like the best shows to watch.

Anyway, errr I hate losing like this. But its all part of the rebuilding process I guess. One game at a time.

-T