Justin and Jessica spotted together in Canada anew

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel were spotted riding bikes together in Toronto, Canada over the weekend. Justin and Jessica also took brunch together at hip diner Swan restaurant.

A video report of Justin and Jessica being spotted together in Toronto | Courtesy of "PopSugarTV"

It is not the first time Justin and Jessica were seen in public together after splitting last March. On July 3rd this year, many saw them spending time together in Canada as well.

Are they back as a couple?

There are no official statement from the both sides, yet. But according to a report, the two "have a very strong love for each other" and thus it is possible that they might be reuniting.

Quoting a "close Timberlake ally", Sun Times reported, “Justin feels right about things with Jessica. He knows he’s tough to live with and has a mercurial personality, but the two of them have a very strong love for each other. … Justin also believes that she is the only woman who truly understands him and will be able to roll with the punches — able to keep their relationship going, living in the fishbowl existence that celebrities are forced to deal with.”

Singer-actor Justin Timberlake, 30, and model-actress Jessica Biel, 29, stayed as a couple for nearly four years before breaking up in March.

Apart from Jessica, Justin's former flames include Britney Spears and Cameron Diaz.

Lib Dem Blog of the Year 2011 Nominations

I've been a bit slow on this one what with Bank Holidays and birthdays and Council work, but thanks to a tip-off by Spiderplant Land, I have noticed that nominations for the Lib Dem Blog of the Year Awards 2011 have opened and close this Friday, 2nd September.

A number of readers of this blog have already told me that they've nominated me in the recent Total Politics Blog Awards which is madness but a very nice, fluffy and warm kind of madness all the same.

I remember keeping Steph Ashley company at her first conference in Brighton (was it as far back as 2007?!) and she was deadly excited to attend the BOTYs - the Lib Dem Blog of the Year Awards ceremony. I can recall gently scoffing at the thought as the whole idea of blogging had passed me by. But last September in Liverpool conference, just a week or so after I started blogging seriously, I did make a tentative first appearance in the BOTY Awards ceremony to put faces to illustrious names!

Since then, as I stated here in my blog just a few weeks ago, I have greatly enjoyed blogging during these past 12 months.

The 2011 Lib Dem BOTY Award categories are:

• Best new Liberal Democrat blog (started since 1st September 2010)


• Best blog from a Liberal Democrat holding public office (The Tim Garden Award)


• Best use of blogging / social networking / e-campaigning by a Liberal Democrat


• Best posting on a Liberal Democrat blog (since 1st September 2010)


• Best non-Liberal Democrat politics blog


• Liberal Democrat Blog of the Year

Up to 3 Nominations per category can be made and they need to be e-mailed to helen@libdemvoice.org.

I've just cast my nominations for the blogs that I have enjoyed reading over the past year and for Lib Dem minded readers out there, if you haven't done so yet, I would encourage you to do so as well. The only one that I will mention by name now is that of my blogging mentor Andrew Reeves who I nominated for Blog of the Year in recognition of his blogging before his untimely death recently.

If you feel that my little addition to the blogosphere merits a nod in any of the categories above, then it would be great for you to do by nominating them to the e-mail address above.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today. . . .

I'm not sure what the experts would call it, but I measure my life in increments. Two weeks ago today. . . one week from today. . . ten years from now. . . . etc. I'm not sure why I do it, but it helps me to both remember and to plan ahead. Playing that little game today has some extra special meaning for me. The first words of The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" have been in my thoughts for several days. You see, we moved here to Elizabethtown on August 31, 1991. Twenty years. So hard to believe. Our days truly are like the grass of the field.



This anniversary is important to me for what it reminds me of. We had been living in the Philly area for six years and were one year into what we are doing now. We had three of our four children and they were little. . . sharing a tiny bedroom we called "the bunkhouse" in a house we were renting from my folks. A move to a bigger place was necessary but the rent for anything bigger in that market was way out of our league. Through a series of miraculous God-planned circumstances, we discovered we could build a house in Elizabethtown for less than renting in the Philly suburbs. Not knowing where the money would come from, we started the process. Along the way, God provided in some amazing and very humbling ways.



That's why I need to pause to celebrate and remember. We never asked for financial help. . . but offers of all types came in from God's people. Generous checks came as we needed them. . . appearing from almost nowhere. I still thank God for those folks. You know who you are. A builder named Gerry Horst stepped up out here and built us a house at what we could afford, making it affordable by allowing us to leave some of the house unfinished while also allowing us to drop the price by doing some of the finish work ourselves. My brother Mark - the most talented wood-working craftsman I know - hung doors, trim, and cabinets. His miter joints still look remarkably perfect! A small army of people came out to help us paint. I can't remember everyone who helped us apply two coats of Pittsburgh Paint's "Bone White" to every square inch of the place, but I do remember Jeff, Bob, Randy, Judy, and Dave as being among the many who drove the 90 miles to help us out for a few hours. Then there was the moving day with the big rented truck and the host of people on both ends who helped to load and unload. Every day that I walk out into our driveway I am reminded of that moving day by the small indentation left in my driveway from the corner of the rental truck lift.



Lots has happened in the twenty years since. I've been thinking about that all week. Over the years I've tried to remember to thank God everyday for the gift of the house we live in. In many ways, I still can't believe that it all happened. We added a child at this house and they are now all grown. The place is filled with amazing memories both inside and out. I've thought a lot about that over the last few days. But there are two overwhelming thoughts I've had as I've pondered the twenty years we've spent in this place.



First, God has reminded me that life on this earth is not what it's meant to be. There's been a lot of pain and heartache since 1991. When I think about the army of people who contributed to our house and our move, I realize that the years and all of our lives have been filled with disease, death, divorce, discord, and all other sorts of messy stuff and brokenness. The rotting window wood I fixed this summer is really representative of life. Moth and rust continue to creep into everything.



But I'm glad there is a second reality. I've also learned that God is and that God is in control. He's in the business of carrying burdens, redeeming suffering, and making all things new. There's a day coming when He'll fix it all and we'll inhabit the new Heaven and the new Earth.



Today, I look back to a great day and thank God for what He did. Today, I look forward to an even better day when all that bad stuff I already mentioned will be healed and happening no more. I was reminded of that once again just yesterday when a pastor friend told me about a woman he knows who was asked, "Tell me about the best day of your life." She answered, "It hasn't happened yet!" I look forward to that moving day as well.

Iglot debuts strong on primetime TV ratings race

Iglot , the newest fantasy series on GMA-7, debuted strong on the primetime TV ratings race during its premier last Monday.

Iglot ratings high enough to place third on the primetime TV ratings race

According the People/Individual Ratings of AGB Nielsen in Mega Manila, Iglot received a rating of 12.6%, making it the third most watched primetime show during that day in Mega Manila.

Amaya, an epic series on the same network, topped the race with 16.9%, closely followed by another Kapuso show Munting Heredera which got 15.4%.

Iglot is being topbilled by Claudine Barretto, Marvin Agustin, Jolina Magdangal, Luis Alandy, Patrick Garcia, Pauleen Luna and newcomer, Milkach Wynne Nacion. It airs weeknights on GMA-7.

During its premier on August 29, Iglot trended on Twitter as well as on Yahoo! Philippines.

Check out one of the trailers of Iglot below:



Data courtesy of PEP Scoopbox

Old School Pic of the Week 8.30

As the lockout approaches its second month, more and more players have made plans for the upcoming season aside from the NBA. When Deron Williams inked a deal with the Turkish club Besiktas in early July, his decision lead many fellow players to pursue playing overseas as well. Since Williams' signing, the likes of Ty Lawson (Lithuania), Jordan Farmar (Israel), Sasha Vujacic (Turkey), and Leandro Barbosa (Brazil) have agreed to play abroad for the upcoming season in the event of a continued work stoppage.

The league's reigning scoring champ, however, has an entirely different agenda for the upcoming year. Kevin Durant will be taking his talents to South Beach Baton Rouge, Louisiana to star in an upcoming Warner Bros. Film. Little is known about the project at this point, but if Durant's acting prowess is anywhere comparable to his shooting touch then we could have the next Jesus Shuttlesworth on our hands. Even if his performance does not merit any Oscars, Durant can let this week's Old School Pic serve as a reminder that a man's movies don't have to be good for him to sleep with 20,000 women become one of the best basketball player's ever

Wilt Chamberlain as Bombaata in the
1984 film, Conan the Destroyer

 

Alyssa Milano welcomes baby Milo

Alyssa Milano's baby arrives!

Alyssa Milano, a Hollywood actress known for her childhood role as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom "Who's the Boss?" and for her character in hit TV series "Charmed," has given birth to a baby boy Wednesday, reports said.

Milano and her husband David Bugliari welcomed 7 lbs Milo Thomas Bugliari who arrived at 9:27 am PDT Wednesday morning.

Milano and Bugliari married on August 15, 2009 in New Jersey and Milo is their first baby. Via Twitter, Milano announced they were expecting their first child in March this year.

It is going to be a busy few months for the 38-year-old "Charmed" actress after giving birth since she is part of the cast of the upcoming films "New Year's Eve" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked," which are both to be released this year.

Prince Harry filmed diving fully clothed into pool at a club in Croatia (Video)

Prince Harry was caught on cam jumping with his clothes on into a pool at Veneranda Club on Croatia's trendy Hvar island.

An amateur video shows the British royalty dancing beside the pool and then diving right into it after he lost his balance a bit. He comes up from the water and dances again.

Check out the said video below:

Prince Harry spotted dancing at a club, diving into pool fully clothed | Video courtesy of Telegraph

"Harry was dancing around with his arms in the air. He was having a great time and seemed pretty tipsy," a fellow clubber told British tabloid The Sun. "Suddenly he just jumped into the pool and one of his friends jumped in after him. Everyone thought it was really funny and Harry was laughing his head off. He was soaked to the skin but he didn't care. He loved being the center of attention."

Another onlooker said, "Harry's dancing wasn't great. In fact it was embarrassing. But once they realized who he was, everyone wanted to have a photo with him."

Prince Harry, 26, who recently broke up with British lingerie model Florence Brudenell-Bruce, reportedly left the club at dawn arm-in-arm with two local models.

Hvar is said to be a favorite summer destination of celebrities. Gwyneth Paltrow, Gerard Depardieu and Steven Spielberg have reportedly visited the island in the past.

Justin Bieber involved in minor car accident

Justin Bieber | Photo: Justindrewbieberblog

Justin Bieber got into a minor car crash in Los Angeles, Tuesday afternoon.

According to several entertainment sites, a Honda Civic collided with Justin Bieber's super expensive black Ferrari. Justin was driving at that time and he was with a companion believed to be his assistant.

No one was hurt from the car accident. The teen pop singer is fine, so as his car and passenger.

"Justin Bieber was driving a Ferrari and the other car was a Honda... we have no injuries, no damages to either car," a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman told AFP.

The LAPD added that Justin's car was "tapped" from behind by the Honda Civic.

as the crow flies

It's coming up on Autumn. Rapidly. The past two days have decided to put Summer back up on its shelf and await a new year because for now, the winds are changing again.

Watch me eat those very words when we get some spastic, late-September heat wave that leaves me wanting to wring myself into the Willamette River. 

Nonetheless, the air smells different and I find myself wanting to listen to The Frames and Joanna Newsom. And Sundowner - a singular and eternal season in and of itself. With just two days of temperatures below 70 degrees and already I'm ready to trade my leather sandals for boots of the same breed. My bright green asparagus and fuschia radishes for deceptively citrus-colored gourds and squash, earthy mushrooms and toasted hazelnuts from orchards that neighbor the winery. 

Robin sent me a message earlier today while I was running amuck throughout my apartment cleaning ("running amuck" meaning here that I was dodging the landmines of laundry and dust bunnies camping in the 500 square feet I call home):

"How does the air smell to you? Fallish? I think so.... It's so awesome. Can't stop smiling."

The girl was on to something. With my windows and front door open, trilling the Northwestern atmosphere into my home, I couldn't deny that there was something distinctly different from the warm(ish), blackberry scented breeze that I'd only just begun to get used to over the past few weeks. You've heard me prattle about the autumn air up here, and Brigette knows exactly what I'm talking about, but I'll never quite get over it: that ecstatic sensation of inhaling those first few whiffs of the season above all seasons. The Alpha and The Omega of weather patterns. That perfect time of year before the harshness of Winter bites into your life and begins to crystalize your blood and plasma until the next thaw. 

This is not to downplay winter, I love to play in the snow and splash through my fair share of puddles, but the fact that it steals away my autumn pisses me off sometimes. 

Anyway, I count it as no rare coincidence that a few hours later, as I was wiling away a couple of hours at the laundromat waiting for my wardrobe to come back to life, Dean cast a kindred-thought my way:

"I think fall is officially here!!! <3.... It smells and feels gorgeous outside. :)"

(The kid likes emoticons almost as much as I like parentheticals)

Having been inside for about an hour and a half, reading the seasonally appropriate Ray Bradbury,  inhaling only what I hope was Tide with a hint of Downey softener (oh God, please, let that have been the extent of it) I stood up and walked outside. Trees were being whipped ever so by the wind and oh! there... There it was, a flourish of leaves being discarded from their respective perches on the branches of oaks and maples and into the street. Back to the earth, back to feed new life, back from whence it came. 

And so it comes. People all get ready. 

(photo taken last year in front of Powell's, just off Burnside)

waitaminute

There's something funnier than that? My whole world just crumbled.

A Gareth Epps Sized Lib Dem Conference Security Farce

I've been following with some incredulity this evening an astonishing exchange of messages on Facebook between Gareth Epps and the Chair of the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference Committee (FCC), Andrew Wiseman.

A few days ago, I received an e-mail that said:

"Dear Mark, just to confirm, we have received information from Greater Manchester Police that you have been successfully accredited for the upcoming Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference 2011. Your conference pass will be posted to you in September".

My e-mail response to the Lib Dem conference office was this:

"It's good to know. I was worried my past in the Colombian rainforests would come back to bite me. Maybe next year?"

The additional security measures at this year's conference has been met with hostility by a great number of long-standing liberals who deem the illiberal measures enacted for this September's Birmingham conference as a front against our civil liberties.

I sympathise with the sentiment and feel that having been a regular voting conference attendee, as designated by my local party for nearly a decade now, the concept of being 'checked out' by the police to ensure that I am suitable to attend is pretty demeaning.

But then I suppose I should count my blessings because at least I've been given permission to attend.

Gareth Epps
The same can not be said for many long-standing members who have had difficulties with their accreditation. Despite having paid for accommodation and planned for travel months in advance, delegates are now facing the uncertainty of whether they can attend or not.

Gareth Epps

More so, hundreds of already paid-up delegates are still awaiting news from Greater Manchester Police and are therefore in a state of limbo with only 2 weeks to go.

Gareth Epps is one of those in the former category and anyone who knows him realises what a ludicrous situation this is. Andrew Wiseman the FCC Chair has reacted on Gareth's Facebook wall tonight in a very matter of fact way which has not helped matters. Complaints that Gareth hasn't been sending the right passport style photo through to the conference office is missing the point entirely. Gareth Epps is a long-standing and well known Liberal Democrat activist, Federal Committee member and PPC (and nearly an MP in Reading for his efforts). He's opinionated, passionate in his views and is also very importantly, a keen member of the conference Glee Club.

Gareth Epps you could almost say is your stereotypical Liberal Democrat conference delegate for crying out loud and he's being refused entry now not only apparently by the police but by our own conference committee! If this can happen to someone like Gareth Epps who has the stomach to raise his voice and fight back against the authorities and these draconian measures, what about the quieter members who may not be so confident to challenge these dubious decisions? How many delegates may end up missing the conference because of these ill-conceived measures?

It is a complete and utter bloody farce.

Andrew Wiseman and his committee need to sort this out with a cold, sharp dose of common sense. If the likes of Gareth aren't able to enter conference, there'll be a blood-bath on the conference floor in the debate on this very issue on Sunday morning and it will be the members of the FCC that will be scrapped off the walls.

Communication, Communication, Communication

It's a re-hash of Tony Blair's old mantra that is the focal point of this week's edition of our local paper here in Cardigan.

The Tivy Side reports fairly in today's paper and on its website here, on a public meeting that I organised and chaired last Thursday between housing association Tai Ceredigion and local residents regarding a potential development of 6 single bedroom flats in the Maes-Yr-Haf area of town.

As the article states, it was an angry meeting that faced senior officers of Tai Ceredigion last week in the Bethania Chapel vestry here in town. It dealt with the twin issues of the plans to build these 6 flats and also Tai Ceredigion's closure of a well used local path adjacent to the development site just days earlier, despite my protestations to them to leave it open until the meeting at the very least so that they could hear the views of local residents on the matter.

In my 7+ years as a Councillor, it was one of the most challenging meetings that I have had to chair because of the understandable frustrations that were felt by residents who disagreed with Tai Ceredigion's concept of consultation on both of these issues. Anger was expressed at the lack of consultation in general and also, some of those who had had discussions on the issue of the footpath closure refuted the statements that Tai Ceredigion stated that they had made. I therefore organised Thursday's meeting to give the community an opportunity to air its feelings and it did so without hesitation. There was no point having a short half hour meeting so instead we went on for two hours. I hope that I gave everyone ample opportunity to have their say during that time to those making the decisions.

Today's Tivy Side editorial dealt with the twin issues covered in the meeting and concluded with this statement:

"Communication is more about listening than it is about talking. Tai Ceredigion is very good at putting out its spin in smart press releases throught its consultant PR company, particularly about how much it 'consults' with people. But it is engagement with the community and listening to their views that really counts. That's real, effective public relations".

The community are gathering together to launch a potential legal challenge to the closure of the footpath.

In the meantime, the planning application for the adjacent build is being submitted this week and the community will have 21 days to respond with its views to Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Planning Department, Penmorfa, Aberaeron, Ceredigion, UK, SA46 0PA. I'll be writing a letter to the Tivy Side later this week with the details once I know the application number.

College Football Picks: Week 1

Enough with the preseason press conferences, it’s time to get on the field. College football season is finally here. That means, for better or for worse, my picks are back. I did it for the past two years on another site, and now I’m moving it over here. For those new to the program: I put my already questionable reputation on the line by picking ten games every week from the local (in Oklahoma) to the big national games to the totally obscure, all the while providing links (some informative, some humorous) to enhance your blog-reading experience. Let’s go!

 

The locals

Tulsa at # 1 Oklahoma

I didn't like TU's chances WITH Damaris Johnson.
Without him, Tulsa could be in for a beating in Norman.

Oh, Damaris Johnson, what have you (allegedly) done? He hasn’t been charged with anything yet, but it appears that he helped his girlfriend steal about $3,000 worth of good from Macy’s. TU head coach Bill Blankenship had no choice but to suspend his do-everything star until the investigation is completed. While Johnson’s crime may not be the dumbest decision in sports history, it’s up there. In just a couple ill-conceived moves, he may have thrown away his senior season, a chance at conference title, a shot at being a first team All-American, an outside run at being in the Heisman discussion, and he’s probably hurt his NFL stock as well.

I didn’t like TU’s chances in Norman before Johnson’s suspension. Now? Oh, boy. The hope coming in was that Johnson might be able to give G.J. Kinne some short fields with his return abilities, spread out the defense to help the running game and maybe break a big play or two. Now, Kinne has to rely on a lot of inexperienced receivers, and Norman is not the place to break in some new blood. It could get ugly, folks.

The pick: OU 56-10.

Louisiana at #9 Oklahoma State

Look for Weeden and Blackmon to put on a show Saturday.

They would prefer to be known as the University of Louisiana, but you and I will always call them UL-Lafayette. In Stillwater, they’ll probably just be known as the first win. OSU came out sloppy in Lafayette last season and actually trailed at the half, 21-17, before blowing out the Cajuns 54-28. Expectations are sky high in Stillwater, and it sounds like the focus has been there throughout fall camp. The Cowboys look ready to get into the BCS. Whether they do or not remains to be seen, but I expect this team to be fully focused from the opening kick and take care of business in the opener.

The pick: OSU 51-17

 

Opening Night

Villanova vs Temple at Lincoln Financial Field

I suppose I should pick one game from opening night on Thursday, and this one is as good as any. If it were a basketball game, we’d call it a Big 5 match-up. It’s not, so we call it the Mayor’s Cup. Despite the fact Villanova is FCS and Temple is FBS, they’ve split their meetings in 2009 and 2010. Villanova is consistently one of the top teams in FCS, and rumors of the Wildcats stepping up to join the Big East have been floated out there for a while now.

As for this game, Villanova is breaking in a young quarterback, and Temple returns several key starters on defense. Temple wins with turnovers.

The pick: Temple 28-17

Friday Night Lights

#14 TCU at Baylor

Is Casey Pachall ready to lead
the Frogs? He better be.

I want to pick a Friday game, and where better to go for a Friday night contest than Texas? The Horned Frogs are looking to build off their Rose Bowl championship and get back into the BCS, but they are breaking in a new quarterback in Casey Pachall (pronounced PAW-haw). On the other side, Baylor returns an experienced playmaker at QB in Robert Griffin III. I saw a little of both of these guys during my days covering high schools in Texas, and the gap back then between Pachall (at Brownwood) and Griffin (at Copperas Cove) wasn’t as big as you might think. Pachall was highly recruited and is capable of making plays with his arms or his legs. He’s obviously not as fast as Griffin, who has world-class speed, but I am curious how Pachall’s game translates to college. Having a more experienced quarterback and being at home is normally enough to get my pick, but not in this case. TCU returns a lot of talent on defense and a very deep collection of running backs. I think there’s just a little more overall talent on the TCU roster.

The pick: TCU 27-21

Shaping the national title picture

#4 LSU vs #3 Oregon at Cowboys Stadium

I like the experience of Darron Thomas and LaMichael James
to lead the Ducks past LSU in this week's marquee match-up.

I said last week that this is one of my most anticipated games of 2011, and it still is. The messy situation at LSU, however, has certainly cast a bit of a shadow on this game, but not enough to completely take the excitement out of it. It’s still a top-five showdown that will give the winner a leg up in the national championship hunt.

The suspension of LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson isn’t as devastating as it sounds. I’m not 100 percent sure starting Jarrett Lee over Jefferson is a downgrade. Losing a playmaker like Russell Shepard at wide receiver, however, hurts a little more. LSU’s defense, on the other hand, is still loaded and will give the Ducks fits, much like Auburn’s defense did in last season’s national title game.

The Ducks aren't without suspensions either. They'll be without All-American corner Cliff Harris, who also contributes a lot on special teams. Oregon, though, returns an experienced quarterback and a Heisman contender at running back. So, to recap: Oregon is missing a corner and punt returner. LSU is missing a quarterback and receiver. I have to go with the team that has the Heisman contender and is more confident in its starting quarterback. The Ducks want to return to the national title game, and this is a critical step.

The pick: Oregon 20-17

The Big 12 present… past?... future???

SMU at #8 Texas A&M

The Aggies want out of the Big 12, and that could become official any second now. SMU wants in the Big 12, and we’ll just have to see how that plays out. While one game certainly won’t persuade the Big 12 presidents one way or the other, June Jones and his Mustangs would love to make a statement by pulling a stunning upset in College Station. While I think A&M may be ranked a tad high at number eight, they do have a lot more talent, especially on defense and in the running game. SMU should be able to score some points, but A&M will get turnovers to pull away in the second half.

The pick: Texas A&M 38-21

The Holtz Bowl

South Florida at #16 Notre Dame

Putting my reputation out there a little with this one, but
I think Crist has NFL potential. We'll see if he shows it.

Former Notre Dame walk-on and assistant coach Skip Holtz returns to South Bend, a place he would probably love to finish his career as a head coach if he ever gets that opportunity. As usual, Notre Dame enters the season with BCS hopes, hopes that (as usual) may or may not be realistic. The Irish should be very concerned about USF quarterback B.J. Daniels, who has the skills to have a Denard Robinson-type day against Notre Dame.

That said, I think Irish quarterback Dayne Crist is finally ready for a breakout season. After last season’s crushing loss to Tulsa, Notre Dame showed steady improvement by knocking off Utah, USC, and Miami down the stretch. They did that with Tommy Rees at quarterback. Rees played well, but I don’t think he has the NFL pedigree that Crist does. Yes, I think Crist can be an NFL quarterback. I’m not saying first round (yet), but I’m saying he has the skill set: big arm, accurate, mobile, good size. I think the Irish are headed in the right direction under Brian Kelly. Daniels may cause some problems for the Irish defense, but I think Notre Dame will find a way to squeak out a win at home against a USF team that could compete for the Big East title.

The pick: Notre Dame 31-27

Battle for respect

#5 Boise State at #19 Georgia

This game was also on my list of most-anticipated games for 2011 because it’s a measuring stick for both teams. Boise State can do what it did last season: go on the road to a semi-neutral location and knock off a BCS opponent to beef up its computer numbers. Last season, you may recall the Broncos defeating eventual ACC champion Virginia Tech in Baltimore. This year, they meet Georgia in Atlanta.

Of returning college quarterbacks, the signal caller with the highest rating in 2010 was Boise State’s Kellen Moore. Number five on that list? Surprise: Georgia’s Aaron Murray. The Bulldogs may be more desperate for respect than Boise State, especially with some calls for Mark Richt to be fired. While going against Boise State has proved foolish in the past, I like the Bulldogs’ talent and home-state advantage.

The pick: Georgia 33-28

Independence Day

BYU at Mississippi

BYU begins life as an independent football program in SEC country. It seems like quite a challenge, but the Cougars actually are a slight favorite in this game. BYU sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps will look to build off an impressive freshman season while Ole Miss will be breaking in a new quarterback after the graduation of Jeremiah Masoli. This might be my toughest call of the week, because I’m not totally sure what either team will bring to the table, but I’ll go with the more experienced offense.

The pick: BYU 24-20

On the hot seat

UCLA at Houston

Yes, Case Keenum is still in college.

Bruin fans want to see their program finally make a leap forward under Rick Neuheisel, who is just 15-22 in his first three seasons. A road trip to Houston might not be the best place to get a “save my job” campaign started. Houston should be a top contender in Conference USA, and Case Keenum is entering his 17 season… okay, it’s only his sixth, but the 23-year old has experience. After missing most of 2010 with a torn ACL, the Houston quarterback is poised to make a run at a conference title and maybe an outside shot at a Heisman. He flourishes in Houston’s spread offense, and I expect big numbers from him in this game and all season.

The pick: Houston 38-27

I’d like to conclude by thanking colleagues Chris Singleton and Morrell Carter for a blurb about me in a recent feature about Morrell in the Houma Courier. It was cool to hear I’m still remembered down on the bayous of Louisiana.

Enjoy the first week of games, and come back next week to check how I did.

Comic Book Characters Should Play Baseball: DC Edition

The other day I was thinking about comic book characters and how silly it is that all of these characters become heroes/villains when they realize they have some kind of power or ability.  If I found out that I had enhanced strength or something, I would probably go into professional sports.  Much easier to make millions.

I started to wonder which comic book characters would make the best baseball players.  I decided to only use the humans who had minor enhancements.  Obviously Superman would destroy a baseball.  And yes, the Flash would just tap the ball and make it home in under a second.  People would probably notice they were a little different.

Shortstop
Remember the days before Alex Rodriguez played for the Yankees?  Or before he took performance enhancing drugs?  He was a big guy, who could hit and play his position.  He was quick, agile, and powerful.  Who does that sound like?

Batman is 6'2, 210 lbs. and is a master in multiple forms of martial arts.  He would be amazing in the field.  Throwing batarangs probably means he would be pretty accurate throwing to first from awkward positions.  Oh, and he is big and strong, and could probably be a 40 HR type guy.

Second Base
You need someone quick at second, who can help turn those tricky double plays.  Well if Batman is at SS, then you would definitely want Robin at second.  Obviously I mean Tim Drake.  He was my favorite Robin.  Tim is listed at only 5'1, 115 lbs, but I think he may have grown a little bit.  Anyways, he would have the quickness to make those turns and throws to first.

Also, since he loves to use his bo staff, he would probably be a great slap hitter.  I could imagine him being more like Ichiro, high average and a ton of stolen bases.

Third Base
This is one of the positions where you want some serious power.  This is the character that got me thinking about this whole post.  Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke.  He has enhanced abilities:  strength, agility, reflexes, and a healing factor.

This guy is a mercenary, but he could easily make a crap-load of money hitting 50 HRs per year and also hitting around .400.  If Albert Pujols or A-Rod can get over $200 million (I am sure Pujols will get that kind of money), Slade would probably be even higher paid.  Plus, his extra abilities would not be noticeable as long as he did not jump twenty feet into the air or something.

Oh, and with that healing factor, he could probably break Cal Ripken's consecutive game streak.

First Base
This is another one of those big, power-hitter type positions.  You would someone who is a big target for the other infielders to throw too, but also someone who can just crush a baseball.

Bane would make a great first baseman.  He is 6'8 and as long as he does not overdo it on the Venom, he would not look a muscle-bound freak.  Just use it on occasion and keep belting out HRs, probably would strikeout a few times though.  He would be like Adam Dunn.

Luckily, as of now, MLB does not test for Venom.  If they did, Bane could be banned for a few games.  Although, he has stopped using it in comics, to get started in baseball, while growing up in the Caribbean, I am sure he would have been juicing. 

Center Field
When you think of a center fielder, you want someone who is a natural athlete, and very fast.  They usually have a lot of ground to cover.  Well, who better than Nightwing?  He is built almost exactly like Andrew McCutchen.

Dick Grayson was a fantastic gymnast and acrobat long before he met Batman.  That kind of thing probably would come in handy when making ridiculous catches.  Also, he probably has a cannon from throwing batarangs and whatnot.  I picture him as .300 hitter, who steals about 30-50 bases per year.  Not a huge HR guy, maybe 15 to 20, but probably a fantastic gap hitter.

Left Field
Here is another one that has super powers, but those could easily be hidden.  Animal Man could play left field.  He could summon the speed and power of any animal he wanted.  As long as he does not overdo it, he could become one of the greats out there.

I picture him putting up numbers similar to CarGo last year.  35-40 HRs, 40-50 SBs, an average around .350.  Yeah, people would probably remember Buddy Baker as a player more than they remember him as a superhero.

Right Field
You want an amazing athlete out there who can throw the ball to third base and home on a rope.  Who would be better than Mr. Terrific?  The dude has won the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon and has multiple black-belts.

I bet he would put up a .300 average, hit about 25-35 HRs, and probably gun down about 15 guys a year trying to tag up on him.  The guy just seems to excel at whatever he does.

Catcher
This is such a tough position because most people do not realize how difficult it can be.  Also, there are so many different types of catcher.  Personally, I look for a good defensive catcher.  The abilities you want in that kind of catcher are quick reflexes.  People forget that a catcher has about the same amount of time to react to a pitch as the hitter.  If his pitcher misses his target, there is not a lot of time to move the body to make the catch.

Captain Boomerang Jr (Owen Mercer) would be perfect.  He is an expert at throwing objects, so he could probably throw out a good amount of runners, plus he has a little bit of super-speed, which means he can probably use that to slow down the rest of the world.  A runner stealing second would not distract him as the pitch is coming in.  Plus, he could use a little bit of that speed to allow him to steal bases.  I could see him racking up somewhere around 60-100 SBs in a season, probably have a huge OBP with all of his walks since he can slow the world down and know if a pitch is a ball or strike. 

Pitchers
If you want a good starting staff, you might as well look no further than the Green Arrow and his family.  Ollie, Roy, and Connor are all expert marksmen.  Using a bow makes a person have a very strong arms and chest.  They could easily become a pitcher with that kind of skill-set.  You might as well add Merlyn to that mix as well.  Instead of becoming an assassin, why not make millions throwing a baseball?

 And what about a late inning reliever?  How about Hourman?  The dude could just pop one of his Miraclo pills and be a hard throwing closer for about an hour.  He could be a two inning closer as long as it does not take more than an hour.

Alright, well that is it for this installment.  Next time I will look at some Marvel characters.

Brian Blessed, Chancellor of Cambridge University?!

I couldn't believe it myself. But Brian 'Gordon's Alive!' Blessed is standing to be the next Chancellor of Cambridge University!

This has passed me by but apparently, Cambridge University is preparing itself for its first election to the Chancellorship since 1847!

Will this man be the next
Chancellor of Cambridge University?!

The University's choice to succeed the retiring Prince Phlilip (who has served as Chancellor for 35 years since December 1976) is Lord Davd Sainsbury, the former Labour Party Minister for Science and Innovation between 1998-2006. However, his expected unopposed elevation hit the ropes when a local shopkeeper Abdul Arain threw his hat into the ring in opposition to the Sainsbury empire's growing dominance over Cambridge High Street.

Brian Blessed's name then appeared after a successful Facebook campaign encouraged him to stand. Finally, before nominations closed back in June, the successful socialist barrister Michael Mansfield QC became the 4th candidate for a role that has previously been undertaken by Lords of the Realm, a Prince Consort (Prince Albert) and former Prime Ministers (such as Balfour and Baldwin).

Here is Blessed's You Tube pitch for the role in which he describes his humble origins and argues that the next Chancellor "must sweat blood to help people who are underprivileged", "with humour, and drive and soul and appreciation".



With no hint of irony, his most quotable line in the video comes at the end when he states "I love silence"!

But then this doesn't sound like a video meant for laughter. This, for once, is Brian Blessed being serious and being passionate about education. The concept is so ludicrous, it's positively brilliant. Can you imagine Brian Blessed handing out honorary degrees at every Cambridge University graduation ceremony?! The odd thing is, I can!

The last proper contest in 1847 saw Prince Albert, the Prince Consort score a narrow victory over the Earl of Powis by 954 votes to 837. It may have been a 164 year wait for the next contest but similarly, this looks like being another hum-dinger!

Brian Blessed? Chancellor of the University of Cambridge?! It could happen!

Ready Or Not. . . Here She Came. . . .

It's hard to believe that in our post-Katrina world, people would actually be complaining about over-preparation for Hurricane Irene. . . but they are. The older I get, the more convinced I become that you can't be too prepared for the things life throws at you. . . whether it's the weather or the storms of life.





I was thinking about this over the course of the weekend as we worked to get prepared and as we watched a diminished Irene blow through. Our preparation started unexpectedly during a two-day trip to visit our friends Randy and Tammie at their place in Ocean City, NJ. Just as we were preparing to say goodbye and head home on Thursday afternoon, the rains started. Randy has a 16-foot Hobie Catamaran sitting among a dozen other almost identical boats on one of Ocean City's three boat beaches. With only a couple of days until he was heading home for good, he was thinking ahead to the annual routine of getting that boat off the beach and back into storage. He accepted our spontaneous offer to help him with the task before we left. The entire ordeal would have made a great YouTube video as the four of us struggled to lower the mast and carry and trailer the boat in the midst of rain, thunder, and lightning. When Randy asked me to steady the mast with both hands I wondered how long it would be until I was treated to a flash, crack, and front row seat to seeing my entire life re-run before my eyes. Still, we got it done, we laughed, and we wound up with a great memory. Most important. . . we prepared for the storm that was coming.



I did the same when I got home. Our patio furniture and all other potential projectiles were put in the garage. My garbage cans and lids joined them. Since we have a well at our house, I filled coolers with water just in case there was a power outage. I think we were ready.



Storms in life are inevitable. The big difference between life and the weather is that forecasters don't exist who can give us details about the tragedy, struggle, or surprise that might come blowing unexpectedly into our lives as soon as tonight or tomorrow. That's why constant vigilance and preparation are so important. The Scriptures tell us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. The Psalms are full of laments occasioned by those rains. Wise men and woman build the houses of their lives on the solid and rocky foundation of God's Word. Remember singing that song? The older I get, the more and more convinced I become of my need to go to the well of God's Word moment by moment each and every day. It is from that well that we are able to draw our strength.



No storms may hit me today. . . or maybe they will. I don't know. I just need to be prepared. . . over-prepared.

Matthew Fox arrested after attacking a woman in Cleveland

Matthew Fox arrested in Cleveland

Matthew Fox was arrested Monday morning after allegedly attacking a female bus driver in Cleveland.

According to reports, Fox was accused of punching a lady driver named Heather Bormann, 29, in the chest and stomach after the latter blocked the entrance of the private party bus she was driving when the "Lost" actor attempted to hitch on the vehicle which was already rented out by someone else.

Fox reportedly received a blow to his mouth in return, sustaining a cut on his lips. He was briefly detained and was later released to a friend.

An American actor and former model, Matthew Fox's first major role was playing older brother and family patriarch Charlie Salinger on "Party of Five" in the 1990s, co-starring with Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Lacey Chabert. He is also known for his role as Dr. Jack Shephard on the ABC drama series "Lost."

Kim Kardasian - 'Jam (Turn It Up)' music video leaks

Kim Kardasian is yet to release the steamy music video of her single "Jam (Turn It Up") but a segment of the clip has made its way online.

Kim Kardasian's "Jam" poster

The 54-second video shows Kim Kardashian clad in pink latex shorts while crawling around and "sings" about living it up at nightclubs. Check out Kim's "Jam" music video here: http://perezhilton.com/tv/Kim_Kardashian_Jam_Turn_It_Up_Music_Video_Snippet/?ptvid=b6d29c5c6b56e

In her past interview, Kim's sister Khloe had said the video "was never meant to be played publicly. I've seen it. It's to die for. Her body is banging, baby. [...] The song was for charity; it wasn't for her to have a recording deal. [It was] something she just wanted to be for herself and for fun, so the video she made just for herself".

Kim Kardasian released the single for charity purposes - it is not part of any album. A portion of the proceeds from it will reportedly be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Rihanna gets waxed by Madame Tussauds again

Rihanna has a new wax figure at Madame Tussauds, this time in Berlin, Germany. The said Rihanna's wax double came almost a year after when the first one was unveiled in the Washington, D.C branch of the museum.

Rihanna's wax figure | WENN.com

Rocking the same funky outfit from her "Who's That Chick" music video, the latest statue has been updated with the Rihanna's more recent red coif and new tattoos, making it more life-like.

Meanwhile, 9 months after shooting, the music video of Nicki Minaj and Riri song "Fly" has debuted a few moments after Nicki's win at the MTV Video Music Awards 2011. Check it out here: http://noypistuff.blogspot.com/2011/08/nicki-minaj-fly-music-video-featuring.html

Cebu Pacific 'Piso Fare' ends today

Cebu Pacific announced a seat sale yesterday wherein base fares for all domestic flights scheduled on December 1, 2011 to January 31, 2012 were all set to Php1. The said "Piso Fare" seat sale will end today, August 30, 2011.

Cebu Pacific Piso Fare 2011

To book a flight, please visit the Cebu Pacific website: www.cebupacificair.com.

Here are more details about the promo:

--Domestic Seat Sale
--Pick your favourite seat from as low as P200
--Supersize your baggage! Pre-book and SAVE up to 50%
--Get insured in travel insurance.
--Choose from available domestic and international rooms with Hotels
--Get exclusive deals! Sign up for SeatSaleAlert!.
--Sale Period: Up to Aug. 30, 2011 or until seats last
--Travel Period: Dec. 1, 2011 - Jan. 31, 2012
--Quoted fares are one way. Limited availability. Fares are non-refundable.
--Fares are exclusive of government fees, taxes and fuel surcharges.
--Flight changes must be made more than 24 hours before scheduled time of departure.
--At time of booking, pre-purchase your baggage allowance to save time and money at check-in.
--CAB approved terms and conditions of carriage apply and are available online.

Beyonce pregnant with first child

Beyonce pregnant with first child | Photo courtesy of MTV

Beyonce is pregnant!

Beyonce herself revealed the news at the recently concluded 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.

While walking on the red carpet, she hinted the press she has "a surprise."

On stage, following her electrifying performance of her song "Love on Top," Beyonce unbuttoned her jacket, showed her baby bump and told the crowd that she is expecting her first child with Jay-Z.

“I want you to feel the love that’s growing inside of me," Beyonce said.

In her recent interview with In Style magazine, Beyonce had said,  “Now I’m a woman, and because I gave it my all, I can focus on my marriage. I can decide I want to have kids. I can be the mother I want to be and dedicate myself to my children.”

The pregnancy announcement made history in the popular social networking site Twitter.

"Last night at 10:35 pm, Beyonce's big MTV #VMA moment gave Twitter a record bump: 8,868 Tweets per second," Twitter Global announced.

The previous record was 7,196 tweets per second which was made last July during the grand final match between Japan and USA in the women's World Cup.

Meanwhile, among the tweets pertaining to Beyonce's pregnancy included those from the singer's friends and family. Among them were the following:

“I’m sooo happy for Beyonce & Jay Z,” reality TV star Kim Kardashian tweeted. “Be’s preggo!!! Congrats!”

“I Finally get to say congratulations to Beyoncé and Sean Carter,” singer-song writer The Dream tweeted. “Bless You Both!”

“We couldn’t be more excited,” Beyonce's little sister Angie tweeted. “The sweet anticipation of the new arrival!”

Beyonce, 29, and Jay-Z, 41, got married on April 4, 2008 in New York City.

'Game of Thrones Season 2' new cast revealed

Just a couple of days after its debut on TV in the US last April, HBO's medieval fantasy series "Game of Thrones" was immediately picked up for a second season.

Games of Thrones Season 1 Trailer

A month later, casting was started for Season 2. And the list of new cast and characters looks like this so far:

--Gwendoline Christie as the female warrior Brienne of Tarth
--Liam Cunningham as the former smuggler Ser Davos Seaworth
--Oliver Ford Davies as Maester Cressen
--Stephen Dillane as would-be king and Robert's brother, Stannis Baratheon
--Natalie Dormer as Lady Margaery Tyrell, betrothed of Renly Baratheon,
--Carice van Houten as Melisandre of Asshai
--Gemma Whelan as Yara Greyjoy
--Nonso Anozie as Xaro Xhoan Daxos
--Tom Wlaschiha as Jaqen H'ghar,
--Kerr Logan as Matthos Seaworth,
--Roy Dotrice as Pyromancer Hallyne,
--Hannah Murray as Gilly
--Karl Davies as Alton Lannister
--Ben Crompton as "Dolorous Edd" Tollet,
--Michael McElhatton as Roose Bolton,
--Robert Pugh as Craster,
--Patrick Malahide as Balon Greyjoy
--Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne
--Ian Hanmore as Pyat Pree

The first season of the series ended last June, 2011 in the US -it premiered just this August in some other parts of the world. The premiere of "Game of Thrones Season 2' is yet to be announced.

Justin Bieber's videos on Youtube gone?

Justin Bieber's videos on Youtube reportedly were inaccessible for a short period of time today because they have been temporarily removed after copyright claims from a user named "ilCreation."

A screen cap of the most watched video on Youtube, Justin Bieber's "Baby"

"ilCreation" is said to be responsible for similar removal of Lady Gaga's and Rihanna's videos today as well.

However, it was found out that they were all fraudulent claims and the videos were immediately restored.

On Facebook, VEVO said they worked on having the videos back.

"We're aware of the shady activity happening now with our channels on YouTube. The videos have not been deleted, there have just been fraudulent copyright claims. We are working with YouTube to restore everything now. Thank you for your patience," VEVO announced.

According to unverified reports, "ilCreation" is a 13-year-old boy from Pakistan.

"ilCreation" trended for sometime today on Twitter.

Fantasy Baseball Week 21

I definitely owe Jason a few dozen cookies!  Okay, not like he actually benched everyone, but he could have been a dick and started paying attention this week.  I beat him 7-3, which is great, but there is even better news:  I am now in sixth place!!!

I decided to pick up John Danks and he was a very pleasant surprise.  A win and 10 Ks.  I will take it all day long.  Verlander picked up two wins this week, but Sabathia did not have one.  I tied that category, ugh.

My best hitter was Ortiz, the dude was a beast this week.  Ryan Braun also had another huge week, with four stolen bases.  Unfortunately, he did most of his good work against the Pirates, so he deserves this picture:

Picture via the always awesome Rumbunter...

impromptu dinner party

With new jobs, crazy schedules, boyfriends, friends, car trouble, overtime hours, unexpecteds and, oh yeah, the fact that she lives in Vancouver, it's been a long time since Ashley and I have been able to slow down enough to catch up with each other. And so this weekend when her boy Brandon was out of town, we jumped at the chance to play.

Of course, this past weekend at work left me with my head spinning around like those damn plates Radiohead has been singing about all these years and even when we got our act together and decided "Yes! Saturday night! SAT-UR-DAY NIGHT!" by the end of the work day I was about to fall down and wail helplessly trying to figure out what just happened to the last nine hours of my life ("busy, busy, busy") (Vonnegut point for Moshboy, who probably doesn't even read this... That's fine).

So Saturday didn't work. I didn't have the stamina to make the hour drive from Dundee to Vancouver at that point. Sunday though... Sunday was the day. Armed with a bottle of 2005 Leland Vineyard Pinot Noir (ooooh) I crossed the border into Washington and landed at the Briley/Gamble household. At this point, Brandon was home and dinner was being made (not a bad event to walk into). The menu? Lime & jalapeno marinated tuna steaks on the grill, fresh salad with veggies (most of which were from their garden), oven-roasted potatoes and strawberry shortcake (which gave Ash, who rarely drinks, some trouble there when trying to perform kitchen conversions for the butter and egg components after a glass of wine - entertaining for me though)

Dinner aside (which was amazing) the evening was much needed. I've known Ashley for almost three years; one of my first friends at Living Room and Portland in general. Our initial bond formed when we took that leap of faith and became Facebook friends (isn't that, after all, the true validation of any relationship?) (wait, it's not? I need to go reevaluate my belief system...) and discovered we both had had religious experiences reading Shantaram. As far as I'm concerned, this novel is the perfect cornerstone for a friendship. Fast forward to the past year and that's when I really realized that she had become one of my best friends. A true and solid member of the Portland family I have found myself fortunate enough to be a part of.

The three of us ate our tuna, doused our potatoes with Creole seasoning (Brandon's addition to the meal... Hey, these kids are from Louisiana, they know what they're talking about) and finished off the Leland. Leaving us to girl time, B headed off to bed but not before prepping the hot tub for the ladies (here meaning, taking the cover off while we popped open another bottle of wine). And for the next two hours Ash and I alternated bubbling in the hot tub and perching on the edge to bring our body temperatures back down to a normal level. We talked about the classics - love, life, faith and philosophy -  you know, solving the world's problems. We've both found ourselves in similar situations in the past year and both come out better, stronger women for it. Not taking for granted these lessons, we decided that the pits of despair we have teetered on the edges of off-and-on for the past few months were all entirely worth it. and above all else, we are thankful for them - something we were only able to realize here in hindsight.

My point is this: that old saying, "Wherever you are, it's your friends who make your world" is entirely true. My best friends, the ones who make my heart beat and soul strong, are peppered all over the place (here, there and everywhere). My utopia would have them all within arm's reach (alas...) but it's sure nice to know that wherever I go, they'll be there.

cutest nephew contest

Jack

Kamdyn

 I win.

Note: That's a whole lot of ravioli on K's face... And apparently when he sneezed, ravioli came out his nose... Yes, even THAT is adorable.

hunt

First of all, it's a Sundowner kind of day. 

I stumbled into a new blog. Tales of Me & the Husband is the voice of Bridget Hunt (above) and I kind of wish I could be her friend (Bridget, if you're reading this I'm only halfway kidding, but seriously, you and your blog are awesome).

Anyway, just throwing that out into the blogosphere (I think I hate that word).

Now though, I must scamper off to pick up an early birthday treat (Dad knows what I'm talking about!) that I will share, along with too much excitement (no such thing? kind of like cheese!) on here soon.

Love.

football season

This kid is ready. GO COLTS!

The Joy Of Cheap Plane Flights

For the first time in a long time I haven't spent chunks of the summer following the Mets around the country, which means two things. The first is that 2011 is likely to be the first year I haven't seen a Major League Baseball game outside of New York in, oh, 11 years or so. The second is that it's been a surprisingly long hiatus for me without seeing a sporting event of any kind outside of the New York Metro area. Since April, in fact.

Now that doesn't mean I haven't traveled at all. Most of you know that I spent nearly three weeks traipsing around Europe. But something has been lacking in the sports travel department since I saw the Red Wings host the Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena on April 8. My goal is to make up for all of that this fall with several jaunts to see pro teams around the country -- and by several I mean three.

Putting all of that together is still up in the air, but I know that one of those trips isn't because I managed to book myself a flight to San Francisco for the second weekend of November this year, which puts me squarely in the stands for a showdown between the Coyotes and Sharks on Saturday, November 12 and even more excitingly for me, the Giants and 49ers on November 13 at Candlestick Park. I rather enjoy trips to the Bay Area where I have several friends and at this point know that city at least mildly well, but I'm particularly intrigued to see my Football Giants and the building that stole away the baseball variety.

But what makes this even better? Part of the trick to doing this whole cockammamie thing is finding ways to cut costs, preeminently the need double up sporting events in the same trip and if possible stay with friends for free. I'll have both of those taken care of but the last crucial fixture is to get transport as cheaply as you can do it, and managing that trick on a cross country flight is not the easiest thing.

Generally if you can get from east coast to west coast and back for $400 or so you're shooting par, so when I found that I could make my way from Newark to San Francisco for the grand sum of $253, I knew I had won. It make require a transfer in Atlanta on the way there and a stopover in Detroit following a redeye on the way back, but every little penny counts. I can stand one day of work with sleep deprivation in the name of pushing the journey forward.

Also, given that I spent most of this weekend cooped up in my sister's apartment courtesy of "hurricane" Irene, it would really feel good just to go, well, anywhere. I will be the first to say that I was fortunate in that Hurricane Irene did not affect me in nearly as dramatic a way as it has others -- my hometown of Millburn, NJ for one took on some pretty major flooding -- but I did have to evacuate my apartment for, what proved to be, no reason, and it also through a major kibosh into that most sanctified of all pre-fall activities, the fantasy football draft.



Initial my keeper league had scheduled a date to select players six months in advance because we knew getting all of our schedules coordinated would be a trial. The date we settled on just happened to be when a hurricane was barreling into town. A live draft turned into an online draft and even that was nearly not thrown together in time. It's amazing that I experienced a hurricane and an earthquake in the same week and the rain was the one that caused me the most logistical issues.

Hopefully there won't be some natural disaster that causes issues for me when I head to the bay area or when I go on my next sports-centric trip this weekend. What trip is that, you ask? Well, you probably didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyway. College football, at long last, will be back in five days, and when it is, I will be in Boston to see Northwestern open up its season in Chestnut Hill against B.C. This is a big season for Northwestern with all of us hoping that Heisman hopeful Dan Persa leads the Cats on an impressive, potentially Rose Bowl-worthy campaign. That's all likely a pipe dream, but at least it's a dream I can still have for now, and it all starts on Saturday in Boston.

I will be there. I will be in purple. I will be excited.

Hopefully it doesn't rain.