Across The Universe.

Have you ever really wanted to like a movie, but after you watch it you find yourself very disappointed? I love The Beatles music, and I had read good reviews of this movie. When I looked Across The Universe up on the IMDB it was rated 7.6. So what disappointed me so much? The first was this is an anti-war movie, using Vietnam as the background. It could be because of my age, but I don't need any more reminders that war is bad. Not many people find glory in it. Even Robert E. Lee was quoted as saying, "It is well that war is so terrible -- lest we should grow too fond of it." The second problem I have is when you are making a musical the songs need to fit the story. I didn't feel the selection helped tell the story very well. I listened to the commentary track to see if I had misinterpreted anything. Sadly, I had not. I got what writer/director Julie Taymor was trying to tell. (Taymor wrote the story along with Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Clement and La Frenais wrote the screenplay.) The music was pleasant enough. They didn't butcher any of the songs, but there only 2 songs that I felt came out well. Bono did a great version of I Am The Walrus, and Eddy Izzard's For The Benefit Of Mr Kite was my favorite of all the songs. This movie is better than 1978's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but that isn't saying much. My score on the IMDB was a 3.

Al was right. Athens is known as the birthplace of democracy.

The weekend question is Grade 3/Canadian History.

What province in Canada used to be called New France?

American History I am good at, Canadian, well...... I took a guess and missed. After I looked at it I kicked myself. 39-11.

The New Eight Men Out.

The New York Daily News had an interesting article the other day. They looked at the Hall Of Fame chances of 8 men, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Raphael Palmeiro, Gary Sheffield, and Ivan Rodriguez. The original eight men out were the members of the 1919 Chicago White Sox who conspired with gamblers to throw the 1919 World Series. Over the next couple of weeks I am going to look at each of these 8 individually and voice my opinion on them. I will state now that I don't believe any of them deserve to be in the Hall. I will give my reasons when I discuss them.

The steroid era has given baseball a black eye. I have talked about it before and I am sure I will talk about it again. If they want to clean it up, and there is no indication that they do, the solution is simple. Get caught once, automatic 60 day suspension without pay. Get caught again, you're done. A lifetime ban. The Players Association will not allow that of course. At one time the Players Association was needed. Now they are ruining baseball. The players need to wake up and see just how fortunate they are. When someone like Manny Ramirez sneers at an offer of $25 million for one year, it makes you wonder what is going on in his head. Part of Manny's problem is his agent is the poster boy for excess, Scott Boras. There is no interest in Manny because Manny is only for himself. He can tear a team apart. The only team in baseball even remotely interested in him is the Dodgers. I would like to see them now tell him, Well since $25 million wasn't enough, we are no longer interested. Again, it probably won't happen but I would like to see it.
Al and Travis were both right. Spiders are invertebrates.

Today's question is Grade 2/Geography.

What city in Greece is known as the birthplace of democracy?

I had to guess on this, but I guessed right. 39-10.

Mad 498

I am getting behind on my Mad entries. Since I already have number 499 I figured I had better get this one done. First there has been some news from Mad. They have cancelled Mad Kids, which I never bought, and Mad Classics, which I did. Classics reprinted old stories. Mad has let a lot of the staff go and will be publishing every quarter instead of monthly. The name Mad is worth too much to let it die so it will be around in this form. Mad's Editor claimed that since only every third issue was funny, they were eliminating the non-funny ones. I felt Mad had been improving, but a quick glance at 499 was not impressive. Anyway on with the review.

This issue has a great cover by Mark Fredrickson.

The Fundalini Pages are worse than usual. The only thing I liked was a "rejected comic strip" called Borrowsville. LOSE.



Lame Attempts By TV To Explain The 2008 Presidential Vote by Writer Barry Liebmann and Artist Ward Sutton. This is simply a lame article. LOSE.

A Mad Look At Snow. Written And drawn by Sergio Aragones. Sergio rarely disappoints and here is no exception. WIN.

Mad's 12 Surefire Tips For Stand-Up Comics by Writer Jeff Kruse and artist Rick Tulka. Howard's one surefire tip for Mad writers: Make it funny. LOSE.

Mad's Sucky Twilight Outtakes. No writer listed, pictures from the movie Twilight. I can understand why no writer wanted to take credit for this. LOSE.

The 2009 Al Jaffee Calendar. Of course all months were pictured folded. It is a two page spraed covered with the months plus a lot of Al's drawings. WIN.

Mad Exposes Who's Thinking What At The Obama Inauguration by writers Desmond Devlin, Jeff Kruse, Jacob Lambert, Frank Santopadre, and Dennis Snee, art by Tom Richmond. In some cases where you have this many writers it helps because you get the best lines, instead of a few good ones and too many lame ones. Another plus for this is the art by Tom Richmond, whose caricatures are the best I have seen since Mort Drucker. Tom has a blog and you can visit it here. The best line is Oprah thinking "Look at him--the second most powerful African-American in the country." WIN.

Spy Vs Spy, writer and artist Peter Kuper. I think they should retire this feature. It is no way as good as when Antonio Prohias did it. LOSE.

When Adults Say...Remind Them... by writer Jacob Lambert and art by Peter Bagge. Out of the 8 featured I only thought 2 were funny. LOSE.

The Mad World Of Pets by writer Stan Sinberg and artist Marc Hempel. I liked 9 out of the 10 gags. WIN.

Monroe And The Plane Trip by writer Anthony Barbieri and artist Tom Fowler. Have I mentioned before I totally dislike this. Add another one to the pile. LOSE.

What The Heck Is The Difference? They print 2 old Mad covers side by side and make 9 changes to the second one. I like these. WIN.

Mad's All-Inclusive Do-It Yourself Celebrity Scandal Blog Posting by writers Frank Jacobs and Bill Fibbers and art by Mort Drucker. Mort turns 80 next month. His skills have not diminished at all. Mort is not the oldest artist featured in this issue. Al Jaffee will be 88 next month. WIN.

Tell-Tale Signs That You've Got A Really Bad Psychic by writer and artist Teresa Burns Parkhurst. I liked it, especially the line you know the psychic is bad if she uses baseball cards instead of Tarot cards. WIN

The First 100 Minutes Of The Obama Presidency by writers Bill Fibbers and Frank Santopadre and artist Drew Friedman. As with most long articles like this there are a few clinkers, but overall it hits. WIN.

Fold-In by Al Jaffee. WIN.
Totals are 9 wins, 7 losses, plus one extra win for having both Mort Drucker and Tom Richmond in the issue. Final score:59.
Not great but not bad either.
Al was right. Ivan the Terrible was the Czar of Russia. Actually, I think Russia is the only country to call their leader a Czar. One of my favorite lines from Fiddler On The Roof is when the Rabbi is asked if there is a proper blessing for the Czar. He responded "There is a blessing for everything. May God bless and keep the Czar.....far away from us."

Today's question is Grade 3/Science. True or False? A spider is an invertebrate.
Even though that was a science question, I actually knew it. 38-10.

Coffee Anyone.

I realize that times are hard for all coffee shops, but a new shop in Maine is going in a different direction from Starbucks. The name of the place says it all, the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop. That's right you can get your coffee served by a topless waitress. The owners don't discriminate, the waiters are topless too. The windows to the place have been darkened and a sign says no admittance to anyone under 18. I guess we will see if sex really sells. Personally I don't drink coffee, but even if I did I wouldn't go there. If that is what it takes to sell their coffee it probably is pretty bad. When it comes to food and beverages I want quality at a reasonable price. That is one reason I have never ate at Hooters. There prices are higher than I like to pay, and I have had several friends tell me that the food is not worth what they charge. Since that coffee shop is in Maine, maybe Stephen King could use that coffee shop as a springboard for his next novel.

Al was right. A flute is not a percussion instrument.

Today's question is Grade 4/World History. Ivan the Terrible was a czar of what country?

This was an easy one for me. 37-10.

The Oscars.

I love movies, but I have no plan on seeing this years best picture, or any of the other nominees. My tastes in movies are more action, comedy, and science fiction, areas that the Academy tends to ignore. I like reading movie reviews to get an idea about movies that I am not sure whether or not I want to see. I am a little prejudiced about this, but The Dark Knight should have at least been nominated. It was my favorite of last year.

I know conditions are bad in India and I don't really want to watch that so the winner, Slumdog Millionaire is out. The background story of The Reader kind of creeps me out, so that one is a pass. Frost/Nixon is historical, but I already know the story and I don't need to revisit it in a version that has a few discrepancies with the truth. (I know I blogged earlier about not learning history from the movies. The inaccuracies are not the main reason that I don't want to see this movie.) Milk is also based on history. The main reason I don't want to see that is I don't care for Sean Penn. I know that is illogical, but even Spock realized we are illogical people. If I were to watch any of the nominees, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button would be the one. I like Brad Pitt, but reading what this movie is about just leaves me indifferent.

I saw 5 movies in theaters last year. I am not sure how many I will see this year. I know of at least 2, Watchmen, which comes out next month, and Star Trek, which will be out in May. I will review those after I see them.

Al was right about yesterday's question. Franklin Roosevelt was elected 4 times. Because of that the rules have been changed and it won't happen again.

Today's question is Grade 2/Music. Which of the following is NOT a percussion instrument? A) flute B) triangle C) drum
I knew this one. 36-10.

These Aren't My Pants.

Mondays are a hectic day for me. I go straight from Wal-Mart to Taco Bell and it usually is at least 10:00 AM before I get home. That doesn't leave much time to do anything before I go to bed. I have challenged myself with this blog and I am making myself do it almost daily. I have decided from now on on Mondays I am going to highlight those geniuses who think they are criminal masterminds, but in reality should be looking for a new line of work. The title I used, these aren't my pants, is the title of a book I bought several years ago. The book was based on the television show Americas Dumbest Criminals. Many times when cops arrest a man and find weapons, drugs, ect. in the pockets the immediate response is "These aren't my pants." They supposedly belong to a brother, cousin, or some other acquaintance of the person being arrested. Now on to our would be Moriarty's.

An officer in the Atlanta area stopped an 18 year old male for speeding in a school zone. There was something on the drivers license that the officer was handed. When he returned to the car he noticed the aroma of marijuana. He found 2 ounces in the car. To top it off, the drivers license was also fake. The young man had just purchased it over the internet.

An Oregon man returned home to find a man inside his home enjoying a mixed drink. When confronted the man said he was a realtor.(The house was for sale.) He left, taking a box containing a Sony Playstation, some perfume, and other household items with him. The man really was a realtor and has been charged with 2 counts of burglary. (This wasn't the first home he has 'visited'.) In order to show homes while the owner is away there is a special lock put on them. To access those homes the realtor puts in his code, which is unique to him. It's kind of hard to say it wasn't me under those circumstances.

The last one explains why the fashion of "sagging" is a bad idea. A man did a smash and grab at a liquor store in Pensacola, Florida. He had his hands full with several packs of cigarettes. This prevented him from holding his pants up. When the officers caught up with him his pants were down around his ankles and he was surrounded by cigarettes. Maybe he will want to get a belt when he gets out.
George Washington was born in 1732.

Today's question is a Grade 5/U.S. History. Who was the only person to be elected U.S. President four times?

An easy one for me. 35-10.

More Presidential Cards.

Here are 3 more Presidents from the Topps American Heritage set.

These Presidential Pastime cards were a special subset from the 2004 Topps set.


There will be at least one more Presidential post next Sunday.

Don't Try This At Home.

If you have ever thought it would be a good idea to drop a thirty pound box of frozen french fries onto your shoulder, take my advice, it's not. Last night I was pulling a pallet of frozen foods into the freezer. The pallet was poorly stacked and poorly wrapped. To go into the freezer you have pass through some heavy plastic strips. The case was snagged on one of the strips and fell. I was looking down guiding the pallet when it hit. Nothing was broke but my shoulder is very sore. I have been putting heat on it and am planning on going to work tonight. This is the second time since I have been working for Wal-Mart that something like this has happened. The first time a fifty pound box of meat hit me in the head. I did go to the hospital for that one and found out what I knew all along. There was nothing there.

As for yesterday's post, Al I thought at first you just liked your beef the way Woody Harrelson ordered it in the movie The Cowboy Way.

"Just knock its horns off, wipe its nasty ass, and chunk it right here on this plate."
Don, Travis, and Al were all correct. One kilowatt hour is 1000 watts.

The weekend question is Grade 2/U.S. History.

Today, February 22, is George Washington's birthday. "The Father Of Our Country" was born 277 years ago today. In what year was he born?

I knew this one without doing the math. 34-10.

My 5 Worst Foods.

The dining critic of the Atlanta Journal-Register posted her list of 5 foods she doesn't like. She makes a good point that those who review restaurants are believed to like everything. I like watching Iron Chef America and there are shows that I wonder how the judges could eat what is put in front of them. The one I really wondered about was Battle Offal. While looking up a link for that I found out the the challenging chef, Chris Cosentino was offering his dishes at his restaurant. For only $95 you too could enjoy such succulent dishes as County Fair Gut Fry and "Turf and Surf": Tripe and Clam. Are you hungry yet? You can find the entire menu here. Any way, here is my list.

1. Liver. I don't care how you fix it, you can't mask that flavor.

2. Spinach. Not only does it taste bad, I have always believed that eating spinach causes physical abnormalities. It causes your forearms to bulk out, one eye to go shut, an irresistable urge to start smoking a corn cob pipe, and you walk around muttering to yourself. People think I am weird enough as is. Of course if Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez had eaten spinach instead of using steroids they wouldn't be having any trouble today.

3. Sushi. I have tried it in 3 different restaraunts and I still think it should be cooked.

4. Turkey. This is because of my personal beliefs. I think cannibalism is wrong.

5. Tuna. Just opening the can is enough to drive me away.

When it comes to eating I am willing to try almost anything. That is why I tried sushi 3 times. I realize that a chef could have an off day, so I usually will give foods 2 chances before I reject them.
Mike and Al were both right, paragraphs should start with indents. I knew that but have been lazy about doing it. I am starting using them today.

Today's question is Grade 5/Measurements. How many watts are used during one kilowatt hour?

I guessed on this one. My guess was correct. I am smarter than I look.(At least that's what I tell myself.)

Too Many Eggs In The Basket.

I consider myself very fortunate. In this area, unemployment is skyrocketing. Dalton, GA, 20 miles north of me, has the second highest unemployment rate in the country. This is carpet country. 85% of all carpeting made in the country is made in Georgia. Some believe that the situation is even worse than the numbers reflect. There is a large Hispanic population here, both legal and illegal. A lot of those have left the area because there simply are no jobs. Most of the factories that are operating are working on a reduced schedule. They are trying to diversify and bring different business' in this area. Calhoun has been doing that for the last few years. When you rely too heavily on one industry this is what happens.

I work for one of the few companies that are doing good. It also helps that I am not in management. Wal-Mart is putting a lot of pressure on the managers. They have announced layoffs at the corporate level, but the stores are not being hit. I am not worried about my job because I am one of the better stockers, plus I can be put almost anywhere in the store and still do a good job.

I feel sorry for those who are out of work. Hopefully we will see a recovery soon.
Travis and Mike were right about the bubonic plague, or the Black Death as it was called. Al, the Medieval acne plague hit about 50 years later. (It is nice knowing there is someone else out there with a weird sense of humor.)

Today's question is Grade 3/English. What is used to indicate the beginning of a paragraph? A) a capital letter B) an apostrophe C) an indent.
Even though I am guilty of not using it, I know the answer. 32-10.

OOOOO-Kay.

I ran across a couple of things yesterday that brought on the expression that is in the heading. The first is a website that is currently in beta testing. It is called Bedpost. It is for keeping track of how active your love life is. You put in when you started, how long it lasted, who with, rate it, and enter a short description. If you have seen the Austin Powers movies, this is where Dr Evil would utter his line "Right." Why you need to keep track of that is beyond me. To make it even more interesting,(or disgusting, depending on your point of view) you can put this on Twitter. I don't have a twitter account, but even if I did this would not be on it. People really are amazing.

The second thing is a new movie that is going to be made. It is a period piece based on Jane Austin's Pride And Prejudice. I know, they did a version of that in 2005 that is highly rated on IMDB. But that version could be considered a chick flick. So what do you need to do to bring the guys in? Add a Predator, of course. The movie is being called Pride And Predator. The executive producer is Elton John. They start filming later this year. I think I'll pass.
A new reader, Al got it right. (Hi Al and welcome.) The Ganges River is in India.

Today's question is Grade 4/World History.

What is the name for the terrible disease that killed one-third of the population of Europe in the late 1340's?

I knew this one. 31-10.

Writers Block.

I have had a very busy morning. I am tired and can't think of anything to write. Since I am doing the Fifth Grader questions I wanted to do something so I did a Google image search for writers block and I found that cartoon. Tomorrow should be more interesting.
Travis was correct. James Monroe was our fifth president.

Today's question is Grade 3/World Geography.

The Ganges River flows through Bangladesh and what other country?

I knew this one. 30-10.

Here We Go Again.

I realize I write a lot about Illinois. I spent the first 39 years of my life there, my Mother and one of my brothers still live there, as well as many other relatives and friends. I like keeping up with what goes on there. You have to admit it can be quit interesting, especially Illinois politics. The Rod Blagojevich show was canceled, although he keeps trying. One of his last moves was to appoint Roland Burris to the senate to replace President Obama. Burris testified before the Illinois House Of Representatives that he had had no contact with Governor Blagojevich's brother or any other member of his staff. Now the story changes. He talked with Robert Blagojevich three times. I have a feeling one or more of those conversations are on the tapes the U.S. Attorney has on Blagojevich. Burris of course is proclaiming innocence. He said "I've always conducted myself with honor and integrity. At no time did I ever make any inconsistent statement." He was asked point blank about Robert Blagojevich, consulted with his attorney before answering, and denied it. Now he claims he wasn't given a chance to respond to the question. Illinois is trying to get over the mess of Blagojevich, and now this. Before now, I actually had liked Burris. I voted for him every time he ran, first for State Comptroller, then for Attorney General. The honorable thing for him to would be to resign now, but that won't happen. Burris comes up for election next year. If he is wise he won't be a candidate.The answer to the weekend question was Psyche. I agreed with Travis and thought the answer was Venus. Had it been Venus there would have been a Jerry Springer show waiting. Venus was Cupid's mother.

Today's question is Grade 4/U.S. History. Who was the fifth president of the United States? A) Thomas Jefferson B) James Madison C) James Monroe

I can name all the presidents in order from memory so this one was easy. 29-10.

Non-Sports Card Sunday.

I had been taking Sundays off from blogging. I have decided to start posting pictures of non-sports cards. Until I run out I will be doing Presidential cards. These are the cards I have from the Topps American Heritage set.

The Female Blagojevich.

Obviously Rod Blagojevich is not the only clueless person in this country. Stewart Parnell of The Peanut Corporation Of America is another one. PCA has filed for Chapter 7, so I guess he now gets it. Of course, he could follow the Blagojevich example and go on talk shows and blame everyone else for his troubles. My main point today, however is Nadya Suleman, the mother of the octuplets. She now has a website. I am not going to link to it. If you want to check it out it is not hard to find. there is not much to it. It shows a picture of Nadya and the 8 babies. You can leave a comment or you can give her money. She accepts all major credit cards and PayPal. I think it is ridiculous. She made the decision to have the babies, now she wants people to pay her for that choice. The statement that got to me the most was this one.

“What human on this planet is capable to take care of 14 independently without support from family, from friends, from church? No human is.”

She already had six. She made the decision to have the rest. Why is it anyone else's problem to assist her? I have no problem with helping someone in need. But when they go to the extent she did my sympathy is gone. As far as I'm concerned, Nadya, you're on your own.

Travis was correct. The answer was republic.

The weekend question is Grade 3/Literature. Who did the Roman god Cupid fall in love with? A) Psyche B) The Little Mermaid C) Venus

I missed this one. It is research time. 28-10.

More Peanut Problems.

Yet another peanut facility has been closed. This time the offending plant is in Plainview, Texas. It was owned by the Peanut Corporation Of America. It is believed that after their plant in Georgia was shut down some of those peanuts were shipped to Texas. Apparently this plant in Texas must have been using a cloaking device from Star Trek. They had been in business for 4 years and were not licensed and had never been inspected. Surely there are health inspectors for other places in Plainview. Either money changed hands or these inspectors had worse eyesight than a baseball umpire. The CEO's appearance before Congress placed him in the Rod Blagojevich arrogance category. He just can't seem to understand why people are picking on him. After all, only 8 people have died and 500 are sick. Why, compared to the population of the United States that is only a drop in the bucket. Another clueless individual. More of those seem to pop-up every day.

Travis was right about yesterday's question. The answer of course was Gettysburg.

Today's question is Grade 3/World History. What new form of government was created by the Romans? A) Republic B) Monarchy C) Feudalism
I knew this one. 28-9.

It's Good For You.

Vitaminwater. Sounds healthy doesn't it. It is a product from Coke and that brand is a sponsor of the NCAA basketball tournament and the Final Four. It comes in 15 flavors, but if the athletes drink 6 of the flavors they run the risk of failing drug tests. I am not sure what is so bad about some of the substances, but the NCAA forbids them. They are trying very hard to educate the players on what flavors are alright. I question the NCAA's judgment on this. They want the bucks from Coke, yet say a player faces a ban if he drinks some of them. Greed once again plays a part in life. My feeling is either except them all, or have another Coke product replace it. I personally don't buy any of those enhanced drinks. I will stick with my Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi. I prefer Diet Coke, but I am wallet loyal, not brand loyal. I buy whichever one is on sale.
Sorry Travis. You got them reversed. Tendons was the right answer.

Today's question is Grade 3/U.S. History. Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Following what famous Civil War battle did he say, "This Nation...shall not perish from the earth?
Do I really need to say I knew this? 27-9.

More Baseball Woes.

The hits just keep on coming. It was bad enough to have Alex Rodriguez exposed as one of the steroid 104(and how many are sweating that they will be next?) now we have Miguel Tejeda being charged with perjury regarding his testimony before congress. Who do we blame for this. Actually there is plenty of blame to go around. Let's start with 1994 when the players went on strike and the last half of the season was canceled. Baseball fans were naturally upset and stayed away from the park. Baseball needed something something to reignite the spark. What is more exciting than home runs? Somebody got the bright idea that the best way to produce more offense was to bulk up. Remember the Mark and Sammy show? 1998 brought the fans back in droves to watch the mighty Maris record fall. There was the touching way that Roger Maris' family was there the night that Mark McGwire hit home run number 62. Equally touching was Sammy Sosa's presence that night and the big hug that he gave Mark that night. All was well in the baseball kingdom again.

Another advantage was players would not feel the effects of the wear and tear on their bodies as much and come back from injuries quicker. This blame I place squarely on the players and their union. More hits meant more money and the players union loved that. So what if players would drop dead in their 40's. Get the money while you can and raise the bar so that those coming after you will get the big buck contracts too. What some men will do for the almighty dollar.

Blame must also be placed on the owners. Don't tell me they didn't suspect something was going on. In 1996 Brady Anderson of the Baltimore Orioles hit 50 home runs. In 1995 he hit 16, in 1997 he hit 18. One year he is an OK player, then he becomes the all powerful Oz, and then someone opens the curtain and reveals the true Brady. The owners only saw people coming in and would do whatever it took. How could the Giants have accepted the freakish growth of Barry Bonds as an intensive work out regiment? I will look for some baseball cards of Barry from 1998 and 1999 and you be the judge. Barry bulked up after the Mark and Sammy show had its run. He was knocked out of the spotlight and would do anything to regain it. The Giants, Major League Baseball and the players union all ignored the situation. Nobody would ask the tough questions. Now the bill has come due.

As if the steroids weren't bad enough, another even sadder baseball story came out today. Roberto Alomar's girlfriend filed suit against him for giving her HIV. According to her suit, Alomar has AIDS and passed it off to her. Of course this was not MLB's fault, it just come out at a rotten time for them. You can read the suit here.Travis and Mike were both right yesterday. The answer was pupa.

Today's question is Grade 4/Life Science. In humans, muscles are attatched to bones by which of the following? A) ligaments B) Tendons C) marrow

I knew this one. 26-9.

Looking At The News 2.

Yesterday I talked about Alex Rodriguez and his steroid usage. I will give A-Rod credit, he has come out and admitted what he did. That puts him one step above Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Mark McGwire. He claims he took them to help himself live up to the $252 million contract that he had signed in 2001 with the Texas Rangers. Back then players looked at it differently. Not everyone was doing it, but 103 other players tested positive. That doesn't justify it, but he wasn't alone. As far as I am concerned, since he admitted it and has not done it since, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. One of my favorite parts of the movie Gettysburg is when Robert E. Lee chastises J.E.B. Stuart, who was supposed to scout out troop movements and didn't. This is based on a historical truth. I won't swear Lee said this exactly, but from what I have read about him it was probably close.
You must take what I have told you, and learn from it, as a man does. There has been a mistake. It will not happen again; I know your quality.
I hope A-Rod lives up to it.

Another story I talked about was the Pizza manager who pistol whipped a customer. Some new information has come out about that story. It seems the Pizza manager was actually from Brooklyn. He was in Florida because he is in the witness protection program. He was actually a mob hitman and he testified against his boss. That is a great way to keep your cover.

Since I mentioned his over-reaction, how about a customers reaction at a Burger King in Florida? I really am not picking on Florida, it just happens to have taken place there. A customer felt they were too slow in serving him and was upset that they didn't have lemonade any more. So did he call the Burger King office and complain. Of course not. If he had I wouldn't be mentioning this. He called 911. Now he will get to explain it all to judge. Any one want to bet the judge will not be amused?

The final story I have is about a very persistent woman in South Korea. She has been trying to get a drivers license since 2005. She has taken the test 772 times and has yet to pass it. She is not giving up and tries almost every day. Hopefully she will pass sometime. That kind of persistence should be rewarded.


Travis knows science much better than I do. The right answer was a neutron.

Today's question is Grade 3/Animal Science.

What is the last stage that a butterfly goes through before it becomes an adult?

A) pupa
B) larva
C) egg

I knew this one. 25-9.

A-Fraud.

Joe Torre wrote a book about his years with the Yankees, called of course The Yankee Years. One of the people who did not come off well in the book was Alex Rodriguez. According to Torre A-Rod's teammates call him A-Fraud. He does have a reputation for putting himself above the team. Of course some people quickly accused Torre of stretching the truth in order to sell books. They also felt he wrote it because he was upset with the way he departed the Yankees. Now the story comes out that A-Fraud is the truth. Some have suspected but until now it has not been proven. A-Rod failed a steroid test in 2003. He is another one that makes you wonder why he would do it. His statistics up until then were great. Part of A-Rod's problem is his ego. He has extremely high expectations of himself. Until now he has always denied using steroids. He has never come out and directly denied it, but he always said talk to the players association, knowing they would never reveal the truth. Had he come out then and admitted it I think people would have been more forgiving. We are now seeing a steroid backlash. Mark McGwire received less votes this year than he did last year. A lot of that comes from the fact that Mark will not admit to taking anything. He was caught with it and still insists it was nothing. It will be sometime before baseball cleans up this steroid mess. If they would get serious about it that would help. Give a suspension for the first offense and then ban them on the second offense. Of course the players Association would never go for that. After all, in the '90's they insisted Steve Howe keep getting another chance. Howe was suspended 7 times for drug use. It seems in their eyes the players can do no wrong.

The answer to the weekends question was 2, with good and hairy being the adjectives.

Today's question is Grade 5/Science.

What is the name for a sub-atomic particle that has no electrical charge?

Science is definitely not my strong suit. I had no idea. 24-9.

Topps American Heritage.

To borrow a phrase from Monty Python, "And now for something completely different." After 2 very personal posts let's delve into a light-hearted subject. Topps has just released an American Heritage set. They have been doing Heritage sets for the last few years, putting modern players on the designs of their past cards. I have always liked these. Now they have gone one step further. This set takes historical figures, authors, industrialists, explorers, ect. and put then into a 150 card set. 25 of the cards cover the past election and those cards are short printed, meaning there are less of them. I like sets like this. It is small and fairly easy to get. Being a history buff I also enjoy it from that aspect. There are a few cards here of people that I was not aware of. I like researching things so I am going to expand my knowledge. If you are interested here is a total overview of the set from the blog Cardboard Junkie.

I selected the John Deere card because it reminded me of growing up on the farm. Motorcycle enthusiasts can identify a Harley-Davidson just from the sound. Farm boys are the same way with John Deere tractors. Dad always preferred Allis-Chalmers and International Harvester over John Deere, but there were enough around that we soon learned what the sound was.

There is also a set for the Presidents. They used the Topps 1952 card design for them. They are randomly packed. I hope to eventually get a full set. I currently have John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Grover Cleveland(second term0, Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush. Right now on eBay you can find the President Obama card going for as much as $54.95. I will wait for the price to go down. I also got a redemption card for a Jesse Ventura relic card. I am not exactly sure what it will turn out to be. I redeemed the card on-line and was told by Topps that I would receive the card by May 22. I will scan and post it here when it arrives.

I did have a winner of the trivia question from Thursday's post. My friend Jason from the Captain Comics board new about the song 200 Years.

Travis was right about yesterday's question. The answer is true.

This weekends question is Grade 2/English.

How many adjectives are in the following sentence? "David takes good care of his hairy dog."

I got overconfident and missed this one. 24-8.