Monday, November 30, 2015

It's a Wonderful Cure for Bad Eyesight

Now that the Christmas season is upon us let me nitpick something that bugs me about the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life.   

When Jimmy Stewart is alive and him and Donna Reed are busy making kids - her eyesight is perfect. No eyeglasses for Donna Reed. But when Jimmy never existed - all of a sudden the librarian / spinster Reed needs eyeglasses. What happened? 

Now you can argue that she needs glasses because as a librarian she reads more books but I'm not buying that. I think Frank Capra was trying to send out a pro-sex message. Sex is so good it makes your eyesight better! Jimmy Stewart's cure for nearsightedness (that would be a good name for a band - well maybe not). 

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Cool - animated map shows Civil War's front lines in 5 minutes

- Heh heh

- I think the unit of measure should be Free Bird because 'Merica

- These were pretty funny

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

I think the crisis in faith in the Catholic Church stems from the fact that a big deal is made out of First Communion but second communion not so much. That's when things start to get off the rails... Heh heh - advice from tech support... Wladimir Klitchko lost the heavyweight title he's held for 10-years last night. It might be true that Klitchko was the strongest man to hold the title since Jess Willard. Maybe George Foreman should also be in the conversation... It would have been a little cooler if she yelled, "That's Captain Jack Sparrow"... Seriously - how soon before universities in the US ban images of Uncle Sam because it gives some precious snowflake the vapors?...  How many men are going to read this and think, "I got to get me a BMW motorcycle"... When Jack Dempsey started boxing he used to splash bull urine in his face because it was believed it would make his face tougher and so protect against cuts. What weird belief do you think athletes have today that will look just as ridiculous 100-years hence...  That was true of Lincoln... George Washington wasn't perfect. He didn't like whiskey... Sometimes evil just looks silly... Pretty sure Rape Whistle would be a bad name for either a band or a coconut rum drink... Cool... If you raped Peter Pan would you also be charged with statutory? What about possible elder abuse? Legally how old is Peter Pan? Asking for a friend...

Friday, November 27, 2015

Worricker Trilogy


Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, over-eating and also for binge watching. What I ended up binge watching on Amazon Prime was the Worricker Trilogy. I highly recommend this smart "spy thriller". I put "spy thriller" in quotes because it isn't exactly James Bond. In fact in the three movies there was just one murder (by boat oar) and the only time you ever see a gun is if they belong to a guard. Maybe the best way to describe the series is a modern John LeCarre meets Walter Matthau's Hopscotch (another personal favorite).

The three movies Page Eight (2011), Turks & Caicos (2014) and Salting the Battlefield (2014) feature some fantastic acting led by the smooth Bill Nighy in the title role of Johnny Worricker. The supporting cast in the three movies includes Rachel Weisz, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes, Winona Ryder, Christopher Walken, and Helena Bonham Carter. Not too shabby - huh?

The politics of the series is tilted left and if there are any bad guys there's a good chance they are American or support the Americans. However, the writing gives Ralph Fiennes who plays the Prime Minister a chance to express his point of view which leaves even Johnny Worricker questioning what is right and wrong.

If you are looking for something smart to watch that is a little off the beaten path - give the Worricker Trilogy a shot. I recommend it.

Johnny Appleseed



A little Joe Strummer to start off your day just because.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

For the next few weeks I'm purposefully going to be that super annoying guy who keeps asking, "So got your Christmas shopping done yet?"... This is true - Turkey remembers... Who knew? Great Britain was once the world champion of ice hockey. They won the Gold Medal in hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics...  Just a reminder - Russia and Turkey have a quite a history of not getting along... Barack Obama - Less Competent than Carter and More Paranoid than Nixon". Wish that could fit on a bumper sticker... Heh heh - "Revis Island"... I think LSU would be crazy to fire Les Miles. If he wins this weekend he'll have pretty much the exact same record that Nick Saban had at LSU (49-15 for Miles vs 48-16 for Saban). If anything get the man better coordinators. Where's Les Miles version of Lane Kiffen on offense?... Cool quick cartoon explanation of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity...

Put Joe Biden in the Movie Title

I amused myself by replacing part of some of the greatest movie titles of all-time with Joe Biden. Some of these movies actually should be made:

The Good, the Bad and the Joe Biden
The Silence of the Joe Biden
Forrest Gump
Joe Biden 2: Judgement Day
Joe Biden of Arabia
Eternal Sunshine of the Joe Biden
Joe Biden: A Space Odyssey
Inglorious Joe Bidens
Mr. Joe Biden Goes to Washington
Cool Hand Joe Biden

Monday, November 23, 2015

Epic Brawl Between Galway And Dublin At Fenway Park



This is awesome! Makes hockey fights look like tea parties.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Can anyone recall the last time Bill Belichick mismanaged the game clock? How come almost every NFL coach seems to have problems with this?... This is pretty amazing... I think the word "orgasm" should be replaced by the word "culminate"... Some historians suggest that the new invention of chlorinated water may have saved more lives of soldiers at the front in World War I than were lost by deaths from chlorine gas in that same war... Obamacare is a dumpster fire... Hey look at me! Just an observation but guys with tattoos on their calves are more likely to wear shorts in the winter... The Jets are saddled with a 5-year $71 million contract to Darrelle Revis. Just saying but you don't see the Patriots getting stuck with deals like that... Excellent point... A "monger" of fish and a "monger" of whores engage in two very different activities... Dear Santa - all I want for Christmas is for you to bring back Orange Zima... The work of art Dogs Playing Poker sells for over $650,000...

Sunday, November 22, 2015

ND vs BC

I was going to post something about the latest chapter of the Holy War yesterday but I was kind of busy. You knew last night's game was going to be special starting with yesterday's beautiful sunrise over Fenway.

There were a lot of storylines attached to this game starting with the death of Doug Flutie's parents just an hour apart after 56 years of marriage and Flutie's decision to still call the game for NBC. A moment of silence were held for the elder Flutie's prior to the game. There was the return of native son Brian Kelly who got his football coaching start in nearby Assumption College in Worcester. How about Torii Hunter's son getting to use David Ortiz' locker? There was the story of the Irish trying to remain in the hunt for a berth in the college football playoffs. Then there was the very idea of a college football game at Fenway Park where Boston College had a record of 75-21-5 in 101 previous games at Fenway but were the "visiting team".

All the storylines seemed related and seemed to weave in and out of each other. The last time Boston College payed at Fenway was a 7-0 loss to Holy Cross in 1956. Decades later it was the dominance of Doug Flutie's Eagles team that led Holy Cross to end the Crusaders rivalry against the Eagles. And now another team with a Worcester connection was about to make Boston College 0-2 in their last two Fenway tilts.

You had to know that this was going to be a close game though. Sure the Eagles offense is anemic but their defense is one of the top 5 in the country. Besides this game has historically been close. The last two times these teams met the Irish were 20 and 24 point favorites but the final scores were 21-6 in 2012 and 16-14 in 2011. Boston College was getting 15.5 points last night.

Hope you enjoyed the game as much as I did.

 

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Reggie Lewis



Today would have been Reggie Lewis' 50th birthday. He is still missed very much by Boston sports fans.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

David Ortiz

Today is David Ortiz's 40th birthday - Happy Birthday Big Papi! Ortiz is also in the news because he's rumored to be retiring after this season. 2016 will mark Ortiz's 20th year in MLB and over that career he will have made over $160 million on the field. I'd say that's a nice career.

I'd even say that's a Hall of Fame career. Ortiz is just one of four players all-time to have over 500 HR and 3 World Series rings - the others are Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson. That's some pretty good company right there. Ortiz also just needs 16 more doubles this season to become just the third player in MLB history to have over 500 HR and 600 plus doubles - the other two are Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. Again that's some pretty good company.

If for whatever reason you're on the fence about Ortiz being a Hall of Fame player consider that most in Boston - the people who have seen him play the most - would generally consider Ortiz the greatest living Red Sox player. Sure some might prefer Carl Yastrzemski or Pedro Martinez and I understand those arguments but once again - look at the company Ortiz is keeping in this argument. And nobody I think would even argue that Jim Rice was greater and Rice is also in the Hall of Fame.

In making Ortiz's Hall of Fame argument I haven't even brought up his otherworldly heroics in helping Boston win 3 World Series. Or how much he meant to the City after the Boston Marathon bombings.

So happy birthday Big Papi and I hope you enjoy your final season as much as we've enjoyed watching you. And six years from now we will see you in Cooperstown where you belong.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Even if many on the left don't care that ISIS could easily slip in terrorists among the Syrian refugees - you would think at some point they would realize that so many new unskilled workers will be taking all those jobs that normally go to people with Philosophy and Women's Studies degrees... Got to love Gronk being Gronk... Every time my doctor talks to me about ADHD - I change the subject... Flippertigibbet is such a great word. We all know a flibbertigibbet... I'm going to start using the word "feisty" randomly this week. What a feisty potato chip! What a feisty gas pump! What a feisty use of language... Andre the Giant is soo cool... So if someone says, "You look familiar - were we in a police lineup together?" What's the proper response?... It's funny because it's true... Any time I see Newt Gingrich - I try to picture him as Santa's gay half-brother to see if it makes him more likable...

Monday, November 16, 2015

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Went to the Pats game in New Jersey yesterday. What a game! Only way it could have been better is if the Pats covered the 6.5 points I layed on them on Monday... This is a serious showing of disrespect... Does Budweiser even make regular Michelob anymore?... Can I be the only one who thinks Patton Oswald and Amy Shumer stopped being funny once they started taking themselves so seriously?...  Excellent column on Ronda Rousey's loss to Holly Holm on Saturday. I went out to watch the event and am still kicking myself for not putting $20 on Holm. As soon as I saw all the freckles I was rooting for her. Nothing like a pretty woman with freckles... The Russian track and field cheating scandal is probably the biggest sports story worldwide but getting very little attention in the US... Heh heh... I am going to add Founder of the Lynch Research Institute to my LinkedIn page. I will also buy a sign saying Lynch Research Institute to place in my bathroom... Soon to be the most popular app on the Internet...

Friday, November 13, 2015

Linky Links

Stuff I found interesting or amusing and thought I'd share.

- Captain Groberg Medal of Honor awardee - where do we find such men?

- Sounds like a plot to a Tom Clancy novel

- Good for Governor Baker - "fantasy football is not gambling"

- This is hilarious (but also why I don't watch network TV news)

- My new favorite language blog - Strong Language: A Sweary Blog about Swearing

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Figured it out - Tom Brady is John Wick and Roger Goodell stole his car and killed his dog... I really enjoyed this photo of Queen Elizabeth... This Thanksgiving is President Obama going to ask us to talk about Obamacare around the dinner table again or is there another political hot button he'd like for us to ruin our holiday with?... People keep wondering how the Patriots will replace the productivity of RB Dion Lewis. I would expect them to use Julian Edelman and Danny Amanadola out of the backfield on 3rd down this Sunday...  Cool - Former Navy Seal breaks wingsuit distance record for a good cause... If Justin Beiber made a Christmas CD - I'd give it to people I hate as a gift... Interesting - what happens to your body during an ultra marathon... I keep thinking there's a skinhead couple out there who named their baby Hitler and now they are wondering why everyone wants to kill their child... Heh heh - Liberal Arts Education... Ronda Rousey is a -$1,900 favorite this Saturday vs Holly Holm. That means you'd have to risk $1,900 to win only $100... I agree that Greg Hardy is a horrible person but it bugs me that but many of the same sportswriters expressing outrage were silent when it came out that Philly sportswriter Bill Conlin was a child molester...

Should We Trust the Colts?

First there was Jay Glazer saying that Colts QB Andrew Luck was playing with broken ribs but was not being listed on the team's injury report. Now the Indy QB will be out 2-6 weeks with a lacerated kidney. That's a similar injury that has put Chargers WR Keenan Allen out for the season. Why should we trust the Colts' report on this?

Could the Colts be saying 2-6 weeks for Luck because they don't want to adversely affect ticket sales for the last two home games of the year against the Texans and Titans? Neither of those teams is a real draw and would be even less so if the Colts were to be playing without their franchise QB. The Colts do have a motive to lie.

What if Indianapolis knows Luck is done for the season but is misleading the public again? Will the NFL punish them for this fraud? Will they punish them for treating the injury report as a joke? Does the NFL and Roger Goodell have any integrity at all?

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Veteran's Day


Thank you to all the veterans out there. Is service is greatly appreciated.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Happy 240th Marines

Today is the 240th birthday for the United States Marine Corps. 

In honor of the Marines - here's my favorite Ronald Reagan quote:
Some people live their entire lifetime and wonder if they ever made a difference to the world. Marines don't have that problem. -- January 1995

Sunday, November 08, 2015

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

When they introduce Peyton Manning they should say 5-time "regular season" MVP just to make sure people understand it doesn't include playoffs... Heh - probably the most unfortunate dot dot dot in any political retweet ever... If Budweiser is the King of Beers then Michelob Ultra is the Tofu of Beers... Heh heh... Would The tenderloin be a better name for a strip club or for a lesbian bar?... Stunningly beautiful... I hope the Pagano / Grigson issues don't cause Colts owner Jim Irsay to relapse into drug use. Or maybe he already has which would explain a lot... I like the word "lumberjacks" and really think florists should instead be called "flowerjacks"... I will never be able to look at Andy Reid the same ever again... When I heard people were arguing to have the NFL strip Houston from hosting the Super Bowl I just assumed it was because of their awful field turf not because of the city's bathroom policies...

Saturday, November 07, 2015

Just Saying

Yesterday the Internet was abuzz about photos of two NFL players.

First there was this photo of Tom Brady.

Then there were these pictures about Greg Hardy.

One of these guys the NFL is going all-out trying to punish. If I had to bet I would say one of the guys will end up in the Football Hall of Fame while eventually the other guy will wind up in prison for a violent felony. The NFL is spending millions trying to punish the guy going to Canton Ohio. Just remember that the next time Roger Goodell uses the word "integrity".

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

Deadwood

The rumors are out there for a new Deadwood movie. Count me as unimpressed. Not only do I not think the logistics will work out to align all the stars for a movie - I'm not sure even as a big Deadwood fan that I want it to happen.

Can you think of any series or movie that was resurrected after 10 or so years that was satisfying or successful? The whole thing makes me think it would be a flop somewhere between Rescue from Gilligan's Island to Godfather III.  Sure there have been a few science fiction franchises like Star Wars, Aliens and Terminator that have been able to take breaks from the storyline but Deadwood is based upon historical characters. Do you want to see Seth Bullock talk about alfalfa farming? Me neither. Although I do admit a Teddy Roosevelt story line would be interesting but how would that involve Al Swearengen?

I think I'm just going to enjoy my re-runs on HBO Go.

Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity



The Theory of Relativity just turned 100 years old. In the video above uber biographer Walter Isaacson explains the Theory of Relativity in under 3 minutes.

Also - here are 12 things you may not know about the Theory of Relativity.

Sunday, November 01, 2015

Mount Whoredom

Long before Archer had Whore Island there was an actual Mount Whoredom.

Prostitution was so rampant in Boston in the 1770's that a British military cartographer marked the red light district in Boston as Mount Whoredom. The American troops surrounding Boston back then may have been short of military dress and ammunition but they were drinking about a bottle of rum a day - apiece. Viva the American way!

This may be one of those historical facts that only twisted minds like mine find interesting.

Business Plan 59 of 317

I think I'd like to come out with a line of generic vodka and generic gin. I'm going to call it "Borg Vodka" and "Borg Gin". The tag line will be "We will assimilate you!"

Just the sales to Star Trek fans will make the company turn a profit.