There is a long way to go.
The playoffs have yet to begun.
But if this were to be the year that the Giants won it all...
...that would mean a lot.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Hot Fall
Every time the temperature approaches 100 in late September, I think back to my first quarter at UC Berkeley, 30 years ago. At that time Cal was on the quarter schedule, so classes had started on September 22. The following week started out hot, and then turned miserable. Temperatures in Berkeley went to about 103, with very little cooling in the evening. That would have been bad even if you lived in an air-conditioned home, but if you lived in an 8-story dorm without air conditioning, you were in big trouble.
And so we were. No one got much sleep that week, and the people on my floor (3rd floor, Deutsch Hall) were just happy that we were on one of the floors with a common room that came complete with balcony. I remember sitting out there well into the wee hours of the morning, talking about nothing and everything, and generally having a great time.
But damn, it was hot.
And so we were. No one got much sleep that week, and the people on my floor (3rd floor, Deutsch Hall) were just happy that we were on one of the floors with a common room that came complete with balcony. I remember sitting out there well into the wee hours of the morning, talking about nothing and everything, and generally having a great time.
But damn, it was hot.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
College Football Quips
- I guess asking for Texas AND Alabama to lose on the same day was asking for a bit too much.
- It's really too bad that Andrew Luck didn't decide to attend Notre Dame, because then we could have spent for years making reference to "Luck of the Irish."
- It's really too bad that Andrew Luck didn't decide to attend Notre Dame, because then we could have spent for years making reference to "Luck of the Irish."
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Blast from the Past - PJ Harvey
This post first appeared on August 23, 2006. But now that I've discovered the video is available on YouTube, it seemed worth a revisit. The original title was "Great Random Moments in Rock History:"
Number One:
PJ Harvey on the Tonight Show
I can't pinpoint the exact date, but it was sometime in the early 1990s, probably 92-93.
Polly Jean performed solo that night, and apparently the NBC standards bureau (censors) hadn't taken too close a look at the lyrics of the song she sang, "Rid of Me." She looked great on stage, and began the song, slowly and quietly.
Tie yourself to me
No one else, no
You're not rid of me
You're not rid of me
One can just imagine Jay sitting at this desk, probably thinking, "oh, a breakup song." The danger in her voice now begins to become apparent, and the guitar gets a little louder.
Night and day I breathe
Hah hah ay hey
You're not rid of me
Yeah you're not rid of me
I beg you my darling
Don't leave me
I'm hurting
And then the bridge, and you're thinking that she can't possibly sing those lines on television, but sure enough, and in the harshest falsetto voice you're ever going to hear.
Lick my legs and I'm on fire
Lick my legs and I'm desire
If Jay is paying attention, it's probably becoming clear to him that the protagonist of this song is not a happy woman. The next verse makes clear just how unhappy.
I'll tie your legs
Keep you against my chest
Oh you're not rid of me
Yeah you're not rid of me
I'll make you lick my injuries
I'm gonna twist your head off, see
Till you say don't you wish you never never met her
Which is probably what Jay was thinking about this time. But, ever the gentleman, there is a brief interview, and the shell-shocked look on Jay's face makes it obvious that by now he's thinking, "what can I possibly ask this woman?"
Amazingly enough, PJ is invited back. But nothing will ever top this, her first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Number One:
PJ Harvey on the Tonight Show
I can't pinpoint the exact date, but it was sometime in the early 1990s, probably 92-93.
Polly Jean performed solo that night, and apparently the NBC standards bureau (censors) hadn't taken too close a look at the lyrics of the song she sang, "Rid of Me." She looked great on stage, and began the song, slowly and quietly.
Tie yourself to me
No one else, no
You're not rid of me
You're not rid of me
One can just imagine Jay sitting at this desk, probably thinking, "oh, a breakup song." The danger in her voice now begins to become apparent, and the guitar gets a little louder.
Night and day I breathe
Hah hah ay hey
You're not rid of me
Yeah you're not rid of me
I beg you my darling
Don't leave me
I'm hurting
And then the bridge, and you're thinking that she can't possibly sing those lines on television, but sure enough, and in the harshest falsetto voice you're ever going to hear.
Lick my legs and I'm on fire
Lick my legs and I'm desire
If Jay is paying attention, it's probably becoming clear to him that the protagonist of this song is not a happy woman. The next verse makes clear just how unhappy.
I'll tie your legs
Keep you against my chest
Oh you're not rid of me
Yeah you're not rid of me
I'll make you lick my injuries
I'm gonna twist your head off, see
Till you say don't you wish you never never met her
Which is probably what Jay was thinking about this time. But, ever the gentleman, there is a brief interview, and the shell-shocked look on Jay's face makes it obvious that by now he's thinking, "what can I possibly ask this woman?"
Amazingly enough, PJ is invited back. But nothing will ever top this, her first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Idol Iovine
For me, by far the most interesting news about the new "American Idol" lineup was the announcement that record producer/executive Jimmy Iovine will be the show's permanent mentor, replacing the week-to-week, almost unbearably frustrating procession of guest mentors. Some were great, some were awful. You just never knew.
I would suspect that few people in the Idol marketplace know much about Iovine, but consider this:
- In the mid-1970s, Iovine was engineering Harry Nilsson's "Pussy Cats" album, and commented to John Lennon, who was helping Nilsson record Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues," "wow, John, that's one of the best songs you've ever written."
- In 1978, Iovine engineered Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness on the Edge of Town."
- Also in 1978, Iovine produced Patti Smith's "Easter."
- In 1979, Iovine produced Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' "Damn the Torpedoes."
- In 1980, Iovine produced Dire Straits' "Making Movies."
- He produced the first "A Very Special Christmas" album, and has been the mastermind behind all of the rest.
- He is credited with giving Eminem's demo tape to Dr. Dre.
- He produced U2's "Rattle and Hum" album.
Only time will tell whether Iovine's involvement results in interesting and/or entertaining television, but no one can argue that his involvement doesn't raise the level of the show's authenticity.
Of course, it's not like "American Idol" was ever about authenticity.
I would suspect that few people in the Idol marketplace know much about Iovine, but consider this:
- In the mid-1970s, Iovine was engineering Harry Nilsson's "Pussy Cats" album, and commented to John Lennon, who was helping Nilsson record Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues," "wow, John, that's one of the best songs you've ever written."
- In 1978, Iovine engineered Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness on the Edge of Town."
- Also in 1978, Iovine produced Patti Smith's "Easter."
- In 1979, Iovine produced Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' "Damn the Torpedoes."
- In 1980, Iovine produced Dire Straits' "Making Movies."
- He produced the first "A Very Special Christmas" album, and has been the mastermind behind all of the rest.
- He is credited with giving Eminem's demo tape to Dr. Dre.
- He produced U2's "Rattle and Hum" album.
Only time will tell whether Iovine's involvement results in interesting and/or entertaining television, but no one can argue that his involvement doesn't raise the level of the show's authenticity.
Of course, it's not like "American Idol" was ever about authenticity.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Jim Croce
It was 37 years ago today that Jim Croce died in a plane crash, along with his friend and lead guitarist Maury Muehleisen.
Up until his death, Croce had been a successful, likeable pro - perhaps not quite Hall of Fame material, but solid, sincere and totally without pretension. He had his tender side, and he had his "trucker" side. His best known hit, "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," was definitely in the latter category. But "Operator," in the former, may have been his best song.
Shortly after he died, Croce hit it big. In early 1974, he dominated the airwaves and the charts, and at one time all three of his albums were in the top five. Hit followed hit followed hit, until eventually all the hits were used up. Had he lived, it's hard to know what level of success Croce might have attained. It's safe to say that, at the very least, he'd still be successful, performing his hits.
He didn't write "I Got A Name," but it was a great performance, and a great song.
R.I.P.
Up until his death, Croce had been a successful, likeable pro - perhaps not quite Hall of Fame material, but solid, sincere and totally without pretension. He had his tender side, and he had his "trucker" side. His best known hit, "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," was definitely in the latter category. But "Operator," in the former, may have been his best song.
Shortly after he died, Croce hit it big. In early 1974, he dominated the airwaves and the charts, and at one time all three of his albums were in the top five. Hit followed hit followed hit, until eventually all the hits were used up. Had he lived, it's hard to know what level of success Croce might have attained. It's safe to say that, at the very least, he'd still be successful, performing his hits.
He didn't write "I Got A Name," but it was a great performance, and a great song.
R.I.P.
American Top 40 Flashback - Special Edition
"Upside Down," 1980
Normally I would do this on a Friday, but I was otherwise engaged last week, so today is a special edition of Top 40 Flashback for my wife's birthday. Above and below are some songs that were #1 on her birthday.
"Fame," 1975
"Money for Nothing," 1985
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Birthday Dinner: Farfalle with Sausage and Chicken
I thought it might be fun to do a post in the style of my colleague and fellow blogger Marguerite, the proprietor of the blog called Starting in December. The construction of this post won't be nearly as artistic as what she accomplishes with hers, but I can attest that my heart is in the right place.This will also serve as a tribute, however small, to my wife Debra on the occasion of her birthday, which is tomorrow. In any person's life, there is a short list of people that you can say made you what you are today. In my case, she is at the top of that list. The least I could do was to cook a special dinner for her birthday, although it most be noted that she ably served as sous chef.
Back in the days before the kids got to an age where our daily meals had to be planned around what they would consent to eat, we actually got pretty creative and adventurous with our cooking. We subscribed to Bon Appetit for a long time, and would pick out recipes and give them a shot - particularly pasta recipes.
This is a good one.
In my book, great pasta is one the absolute staples of life. If I were forced (heaven forbid) to choose one type of food to live off of for the rest of my life, there's no doubt in my mind that it would be Italian. You can do just about anything with pasta - light, heavy, and anywhere in between. This recipe is perfect - hearty, but with a lightness at the same time. The sausage and the chicken complement each other perfectly, and the farfalle is light enough to encourage multiple helpings (and we were happy to comply).
The recipe:
FARFALLE WITH SAUSAGE AND CHICKEN
(from Bon Appetit, October 1998)
"A hearty and satisfying dish served at Capriccio Ristorante in Albany, Oregon"
(I have no idea whether it still exists today)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 skinless boneless chicken halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound hot Italian sausages, casings removed
2 cups chopped onions
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
12 ounces farfalle pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to bowl. Add wine to skillet; boil until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Pour wine over chicken. Add sausage, onions and bell pepper to same skillet and cook until sausage browns, breaking up with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Mix in tomatoes with juices, stock, tomato paste, garlic and rosemary; simmer until reduced to sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and juices; stir to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
Drain pasta; return to pot. Mix in sauce, and 1 cup cheese. Transfer to large bowl. Serve, passing remaining cheese separately.
Yum.
Recession Cards
When shopping for a birthday card this afternoon, I noticed something that I hadn't before - there now are "recession cards," for those special times when you've lost a job due to the economic meltdown.
Something about this just doesn't seem right. Does someone that has just lost their job really want to get a card to commemorate the occasion? Sympathy cards, I understand - but something about this one just strikes me as strange.
Something about this just doesn't seem right. Does someone that has just lost their job really want to get a card to commemorate the occasion? Sympathy cards, I understand - but something about this one just strikes me as strange.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Top Chef Finale
My blog assignment for the evening, courtesy of son #2, is to write something about the finale of Top Chef.
I didn't start watching the show on a regular basis until last year, so I don't have a lot to compare this season with, but overall, the chefs seemed to be slightly weaker than those who competed last year. But the final three of Ed, Kevin and Angelo was probably just as strong as last year's final three, a different Kevin and the brothers Voltaggio.
Last year's winner Michael Voltaggio returned last night as sous chef, along with two other past winners, Ilan Hall and Hung Huynh. Once the drama of whether Angelo would get well enough to cook was resolved, the testosterone flowed pretty freely in the kitchen, with all of the guys being expert trash-talkers (more bleeps in last night's show than any in recent memory).
The great thing about "Top Chef" is that anything can happen from week to week, and even though it may strike some as unfair that past performance is out the window, it makes things completely unpredictable because the outcome may hinge on nothing more than a small mistake or the fact that in any given week, every chef may create something flawless, which leaves the judges very little to pick from between the contestants. One shake of salt too much? Sorry, bud - pack your knives.
That seemed to be particularly true this year. Four weeks ago, I would have been willing to bet good money that either Tiffany or (SPOILER ALERT) Ed was a lock to win the whole thing. But nope, that's not what happened. And as Anthony Bourdain wrote in his recent book, as long as Tom Colicchio is the head judge, the show will be more about cooking, and less about the "reality." And that's just fine with me.
I didn't start watching the show on a regular basis until last year, so I don't have a lot to compare this season with, but overall, the chefs seemed to be slightly weaker than those who competed last year. But the final three of Ed, Kevin and Angelo was probably just as strong as last year's final three, a different Kevin and the brothers Voltaggio.
Last year's winner Michael Voltaggio returned last night as sous chef, along with two other past winners, Ilan Hall and Hung Huynh. Once the drama of whether Angelo would get well enough to cook was resolved, the testosterone flowed pretty freely in the kitchen, with all of the guys being expert trash-talkers (more bleeps in last night's show than any in recent memory).
The great thing about "Top Chef" is that anything can happen from week to week, and even though it may strike some as unfair that past performance is out the window, it makes things completely unpredictable because the outcome may hinge on nothing more than a small mistake or the fact that in any given week, every chef may create something flawless, which leaves the judges very little to pick from between the contestants. One shake of salt too much? Sorry, bud - pack your knives.
That seemed to be particularly true this year. Four weeks ago, I would have been willing to bet good money that either Tiffany or (SPOILER ALERT) Ed was a lock to win the whole thing. But nope, that's not what happened. And as Anthony Bourdain wrote in his recent book, as long as Tom Colicchio is the head judge, the show will be more about cooking, and less about the "reality." And that's just fine with me.
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