Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Florida basketball

I've played in, watched and covered a lot of basketball games. And I've never seen anything quite like this.



Poor kid. He'll be living with that for the rest of his life.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Midnight

Want to see a normal ball drop? Head to NYC. Want to see something a bit more unique? Here's a look at some wild ball drop traditions from around the country.

Across the country, crowds will gather to watch everything from whopping watermelons to massive Moon Pies fall at the stroke of midnight.  The Moon Pie drop is a Mobile, Alabama tradition that started in 2008.  Knox County is Indiana's biggest melon producer, hence the 500 pound melon crafted of steel and foam.  Bethlehem, Pennsylvania will lower a giant Marshmallow Peep.   Key West, Florida lowers a real-life drag queen named Gary "Sushi" Marion, who's sitting inside a giant high-heeled shoe. 

In Eastport, Maine residents celebrate twice.  At 11 p.m. they lower a giant maple leaf to salute their Canadian neighbors.  When midnight rolls around, the townsfolk celebrate by dropping a giant sardine.    

Other Notable Drops: 

Flagstaff, Arizona drops a giant pinecone 

Hershey, Pennsylvania drops a giant Hershey's Kiss 

Plymouth, Wisconsin drops a big chunk of cheese 

Mount Olive, North Carolina drops an illuminated pickle 

http://www.mtolivepickles.com/

Monday, December 29, 2014

Suh Step

Ndamukong Suh was suspended for the Lions' playoff game after stepping on Aaron Rodgers' leg during Detroit's loss to the GREEN BAY PACKERS yesterday. The statement released from the NFL is interesting.


I'm not convinced that the action in and of itself was enough to warrant a suspension for a playoff game. But I do think context has to be thrown out to a certain extent. Shouldn't matter if it was Week 17 or a preseason game, just like it shouldn't matter if it was a rookie lineman or a league MVP. But, Suh's track record speaks for itself, and the suspension certainly furthers the NFL's stance that it wants to do all it can to protect its players.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Clown Car

In today's age, just because you think you might be doing a good thing, doesn't mean you won't lose your job for it.

Via NY Daily News:

An Oklahoma middle school math teacher was fired Wednesday after she made a snack run with 11 students in her car — including two in the trunk.

Heather Cagle's fuzzy math and poor judgment led to her dismissal by the Catoosa School Board after she was suspended with pay Oct. 23, two days after her ill-advised snack run, the Tulsa World reported.

It took five minutes for the students, members of the school's yearbook, to cram into the teacher's Honda Accord, a road trip fail caught on school surveillance video. Two 12-year-old girls made the journey locked in the car's trunk while seven more created a human pyramid in the back seat, the school said.



Going on a snack run for some kids? Sure, ok, harmless enough. Cramming 11 in the car and two in the trunk? Hmmm.

I'm not sure that firing her was the right outcome, because I'm pretty sure she'd never do anything like that again, but still, she didn't leave the school board much of an option.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Go Badgers...and the Broncos defense

I don't think I've ever been more thankful for a Badgers basketball game as I am for their game tonight.

You see, I'm in the midst of a tight race for the championship of my fantasy football league. It's the league I've been playing in for 10-plus years with my high school buddies, and I've never won. That could all change tonight.

I have a slim lead, with Denver's defense playing tonight. He has CJ Anderson and Jeremy Hill, aka the starting running backs for the Broncos and Bengals. If I were a betting man (which I clearly am), I'd put this pretty damn close to 50/50.

I can't sit there and watch every play tonight, constantly refreshing the live stats on my phone, or I'll go crazy.

Enter Wisconsin basketball, tipping off at 8pm tonight. Something to distract me from the football game that I shouldn't care about but I really, really care about.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Interview

I don't totally understand what is going on between Sony, North Korea and the release of the movie The Interview, but what it seems like to me is that the terrorists have won.

(This article from Deadline helps a little.)

Here's the threat that ultimately caused Sony to decide not to release the movie in theaters.

We will clearly show it to you at the very time and places The Interview be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to. Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time.

Hmmmm. They demand, and Sony caves. Maybe it was the right thing to do? Who knows.

All I know is that I'm pretty sure the Sony hack has nothing really to do with North Korea. I don't know. Maybe. Again, who knows.

But, unsurprisingly, parts of The Interview are making their way online. Here's one snippet that maybe kinda sorta might be offensive to North Koreans.


Yep. Kim Jong Un being burned alive. Can't see that sitting well. 

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

College Flip Flop

Of all the places to hack, this has to be one of the cruelest.

Per the Washington Post:

Like 293 others who had been turned down or deferred in their bid for early admission to the prestigious private university in Baltimore, Sam had received a welcome-to-Hopkins e-mail by mistake. The university, tipped off to the error by another rejected student, sent an apology Sunday evening to those affected by the head-spinning goof. Sam got the word at 5:28 p.m.: There was no reversal of his denial.


“The decision posted on the decision site reflects the accurate result of your Early Decision application,” the follow-up said. “We regret this technical mistake and any confusion it may have caused.”



Brutal. Toying with your emotions like that? I can't imagine. I got a rejection letter from my dream school, and then if they would have flipped the switch like that, albeit by accident, before coming crashing back down to earth? That'd be tough to take.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

The American Dream

America...the land of opportunity.

Or, lying about said opportunities.

Did you see the article in New York magazine about the 17-year old high schooler that allegedly made $72 million between classes?

Well, turns out he's a liar.


 From Fox News:

The Stuyvesant High School senior said his story to the magazine was "total fiction." Islam really runs an investment club at the high school and has only simulated trades with "extremely high relative to the S&P."
New York reporter Jessica Pressler was in touch with Islam through a friend of his who works for the magazine, which he then led her to believe he made even more than $72 million.
Shame on him. But really, shame on the reporter too.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Game Day Rituals

It's a question that you probably wouldn't see at an NFL press conference.

But on late-night cable TV? Anything goes.

First Lady of Wisconsin Olivia Munn (who I'm starting to talk about a lot, I know) appeared on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live and was asked by host Andy Cohen whether or not Munn and her boytoy/Packers QB Aaron Rodgers have sex on game days.

"Many people say he's playing so well because of you, his girlfriend," added Cohen.

Said Munn, according to E! Online: "Well, I will say that all the good luck charms are on the field and in the stands, so it has nothing to do with me. And, uh, no we don't. Not on game day. There's not a rule, but it just doesn't happen because there's other things to focus on."

"If he plays well, do you have sex after the game?" Cohen prodded.

"Depends on how late the game is," Munn replied.

IT'S A NOON GAME ON SUNDAY. Just saying. Go Pack Go.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

UW Football

It's been interesting to see the level of surprise that people are showing about Gary Andersen's departure for Oregon State, but what's been even more interesting to me is the rumblings about how it may not have been a perfect marriage for Andersen, Barry Alvarez, and Wisconsin. I think he'll end up being simply a blip on the radar in the tradition of Badgers football, and hopefully, Alvarez and Co. can find a suitable successor quickly. It doesn't have to be a big name hire, but I wouldn't mind if it was. 
A couple of names I like: Darrel Bevell (unlikely), Paul Chryst (front runner), Pat Narduzzi (intriguing).

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Presidential Humor

Say what you will about Obama's politics, but I kind of like the way he's handling being a second term president. He's self-aware, and knows how to take a joke.

Here's the President last night on The Colbert Report



Check out the rest of the interview here.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Kind of Sort of Eaten Alive But Not Actually Really Eaten At All

I've talked about the Eaten Alive special that aired on the Discovery Channel last night quite a bit, and as it turns out, well, nobody as eaten alive.

Per the Discover Channel:

"Paul created this challenge to get maximum attention for one of the most beautiful and threatened parts of the world, the Amazon Rainforest and its wildlife. He went to great lengths to send this message and it was his absolute intention to be eaten alive. Ultimately, after the snake constricted Paul for over an hour and went for his head, the experiment had to be called when it became clear that Paul would be very seriously injured if he continued on. The safety of Paul, as well as the anaconda, was always our number-one priority."

Obviously they didn't shoot this live, so maybe they could have changed the title.

And then today, God bless Deadspin. They posted this list of the animals that would f%$k you up hand-to-hand combat. Anacondas come in ranked at #14.

1. Elephant

2. Tiger

3. Rhinoceros

4. Hippopotamus

5. Gorilla

The rest of the list is equally terrifying. I'd last maybe one minute combined vs. all of them.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Bears Cowboys fight

I watched a good portion of the Dallas-Chicago game last night, and I was very pleased with the outcome. The Bears lost, first and foremost, and the players that I had a vested interest in for fantasy football reasons (Alshon Jeffrey, DeMarco Murray) had good games.

These fans? Not so happy.

Per the Chicago Tribune:

Two Bears fans were stabbed during an alcohol-fueled fight with Cowboys fans in a parking lot outside Soldier Field after the game, police said.

The fight started around 10:45 p.m. Thursday in the 400 block of East 18th Street when four men began yelling "the Bears suck" at two men from Oak Lawn, according to a police report.

“The victims yelled back 'Cowboys suck,' " and someone from the group of Cowboys fans threw beer into the eyes of one of the Bears fans, the report said. The Cowboys fans then jumped on the Bears fans and cut them, the report said.

Oh, and then the best part. 

Police said both groups appeared to have been drinking.

Not that anything like this is really justifiable, but the Cowboys fans have a point. The Bears do suck. I've chanted "The Bears Still Suck" on plenty of occasions. I now feel fortunate never to have been stabbed.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Hanky Panky

Former first kid Jenna Bush went on late night cable TV on Wednesday and was presented with the question as to whether or not she'd ever fooled around with anyone in the White House. She admitted to some "hanky panky" and maybe "a little kiss on the roof."

Oh really.

The way I see it, there are two schools of thought.

1) If I were a guy trying to date the First Kid, I'd be way too freaked out to attempt anything even remotely naughty anywhere in the White House. Not worth the trouble.

Or...

2) Let's get busy in every possible room.

Rock on, indeed.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Stick Shift Spoiler

I can kind of drive a stick shift, but I think I'd end up like this pair, most likely. That is, if I was ever going to take part in an armed carjacking. Which, at this time, I have no plans to do.

A stick shift is being credited with foiling a carjacking in Houston over the weekend.  According to KPRC-TV, police say a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old held a University of Texas at Houston student at gunpoint and tried to take his car when he pulled up to his apartment.  They first tried to force him out of the car, but once they saw the manual transmission they tried to make him teach them how to drive it.  The victim was finally let go after they drove a few blocks away.  Once he was free, the man called police and they quickly caught up with the pair, who were still having trouble driving the car.  They eventually gave up and took off on foot, but were quickly caught

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Birdman

I went to go see Birdman at Marcus Cinemas last night because it looked really interesting to me, and I liked the idea of how it might parallel Michael Keaton's real life. I'm a big Keaton fan, from his work in the late 80s/early 90s Batman movies through the hilarious The Other Guys, so I figured I'd give this movie a shot.

I still have no idea what I watched.

Stay with me here for a second: I felt like the movie was one that critics felt like they should like. If that makes sense.

Here's a review I found from the Oregon Daily Emerald:

Birdman is unlike any other film in theaters this year. It raises many more questions than it answers. Like the spastic, percussive score that pounds throughout the film, it’s electrifying. It’s profoundly original, from the opening take to the last curtain fall.


That's a fair review. But it's really unlike anything I watched before. It's a complicated movie and obviously very personal, with dizzying camera sequences and pulsating noise/music throughout. I went with my roommate, and multiple times throughout the movie, we looked at each other and asked what the hell we were watching.

The acting is great: Keaton, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and other can bring great performances when given unique characters. And that certainly fits the bill.

Check out the trailer here:

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Binge watching

Ever wonder how much time you spend binging on Netflix? Or maybe do you want to budget how long you can avoid family this weekend? This chart should help.

How Long Will It Take to Watch

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Jurassic World

I didn't really like the first Jurassic Park movies (because I was scared) but this looks legit. And I love me some Chris Pratt.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Tailgate Oddity

I've been to plenty of tailgates. You might go as far as to call me a connoisseur. But I saw something yesterday in Minneapolis that I had never seen before, and in all honesty, hope I never see again.

Let's set the scene: there was a crew of boisterous Vikings fan that had quite the set-up. Multiple grills, a TV, booming stereo, hammerschlagen, trophy bucks on a plaque, and...a kiddie pool filled with live fish. Strange, but whatever. It was impressive.

Until...one of the guys grabbed a live fish, took a hammer and nail, played to the crowd a bit, and then proceeded to skewer this live fish right into the tree stump. There just so happened to be a portrait of Aaron Rodgers in between the fish and the tree, so that might be the message he was trying to send, but I really felt bad for the fish.

I'm not much of an outdoorsman, but I know that before you filet a fish, you bash it over the head. Boom, done. But this guy proceeded to drive a nail right through its midsection. I wasn't gonna call PETA, but come on dude, you're better than that. And no one thinks you're a big tough guy.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Champagne Stanton

$325 million is just a stupid amount of money. No way the contract ends well. But Giancarlo Stanton gets to live a life of luxury now, because he's really good at hitting baseballs.

How would you celebrate signing a contract worth 1/3 of a billion?

giancarlo-stanton-julz

I'd probably celebrate in a very similar manner.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Golden age of football in Wisconsin

They may not result in national championships or Super Bowls, but there is some incredible football being played in Wisconsin, and it starts with ridiculous individual performances.

We've become accustomed to games like Aaron Rodgers (and Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb) had Sunday vs the Philadelphia Eagles. 341 yards...3 touchdowns...no interceptions...yawn.

And I sound dismissive of that in the most appreciative way ever. Aaron Rodgers is a golden god that needs to be worshipped at football altars all around Wisconsin.

But Aaron Rodgers plays on Sundays. On Saturday, Melvin Gordon III stole the show.

Against Nebraska this past weekend, Melvin had a better day than any college football running back has ever had. Ever. And they've been playing college football for a long time.

25 carries for 408 yards. That's stupid. 16.3 yards per carry. That's just absurd.

If the season ended today, Gordon would have the 36th best season ever with 1,909 yards. But the Badgers still have two games left. It's crazy to think that he'd be able to duplicate his 400-yard day against either Iowa or Minnesota, but he could average 200 yards per game against those two. Hell, he's averaging 190 yards per game, so why not? Another 400 yards total could vault him into elite all-time territory, like top 5 single season, all time.

If he wasn't stuck behind the likes of James White and Montee Ball, who, by the way, are both in the NFL, he'd be mentioned among the all-time greats.

He's firmly in the thick of the Heisman race too. He's a distant second at 2-1 odds, with Oregon QB Marcus Mariota at 1-4 odds, but he's in the conversation.

It's crazy that every weekend, Wisconsinites get to see such talent on both Saturday and Sunday. Treasure it while you can.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Chicks

I understand making a point, but this might be a bit much.

Kind of funny though.

Some animal sanctuaries in Maryland and Virginia have new additions after a man tried to prove to his ex that he had moved on. Last week, the Washington, DC Humane Society had 15 fluffy baby chicks turned in by a postal worker after they were mailed to the woman. Her ex-boyfriend included a note with the baby birds indicating they were proof there are "plenty of other chicks" out there. Turns out, there's nothing illegal about mailing baby chicks in the U.S. Mail.

What a guy: an unhappy ex-boyfriend recently mailed 15 baby chickens to a woman in Washington, D.C.

The best part is that last line. The USPS had to update their policy on mailing birds. 

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Wednesday night in Madison

I haven't been to a rock show at an arena in, well, ever.

They're awesome.

The majority of the shows I've been to were various outdoor concerts, whether it be UWL, Fort McCoy, Summerfest, fairs, etc.

None of them were like Alice Cooper and Motley Crue last night.

It's fascinating to see the amount of thought that goes into the theatrical side of things at a show like that. Lights, pyrotechnics, props, costumes, so on and so forth. It's a lot. And when done right, it's awesome.

Plus, Gary and I got to meet this guy, who insisted that we take a picture of us choking him.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Bucket'o'deer

I'm not a hunter, but this can't help the deer blend in.



A deer seen running through a northeast Ohio neighborhood with a plastic pumpkin on his head is free to eat and drink again. An animal sanctuary employee found the deer Monday and knocked the bucket off its head when he tried to tackle the animal. Folks in the town of Mentor spotted the deer last week and were concerned about the bucket's effect on its ability to survive.

The effect would be that it would get shot quicker than normal. 

Monday, November 10, 2014

Making history

It's always cool to be a part of something historic. And luckily for me last night, it was the good kind of history the Packers were making.

The first, and relatively minor, note was the record crowd at Lambeau Field last night. I was just one of the 78,292 fans at the Packers game last night, which set a record, largely because they sold standing-room only tickets to the game. The crowd was awesome at the game. Especially on plays like this.



The second was Aaron Rodgers. That dude is pretty good. Six touchdowns in one half? Jeeze. Selfishly, I wish he would have been able to get seven or eight TDs, you know, just to rub it in, but still. It was remarkable. Laughable at times. I wanted him to get the touchdowns so I could say I WAS AT THE GAME WHEN RODGERS SET THE RECORD, but I'll settle for a 55-14 ass whoopin'.

Go. Pack. Go.




Friday, November 7, 2014

Cutler being Cutler

I'm pretty pumped to head to Lambeau this weekend to watch the Packers take on Chicago.

This made me even more excited.

Every Interception Jay Cutler has thrown against Green Bay from Vegard Vangstad on Vimeo.

GO PACK GO

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Billy and Paul

Billy Joel. Doing the damn thing.



Billy's version of the classic will kick off The Art of Paul McCartney, a tribute compilation for Sir Paul.


Here's more from Rolling Stone:

Joel's version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" kicks off the massive Art of McCartney compilation, which sees release on November 18th. The rest of the roster is filled out by big names like Bob Dylan ("Things We Said Today"), Brian Wilson ("Wanderlust"), Barry Gibb ("When I'm 64"), B.B. King ("On the Way"), Chrissie Hynde ("Let It Be"), Smokey Robinson ("So Bad"), Heart ("Letting Go") and many more. McCartney's own son James appears on the album as well, recording a version of the Beatles' "Hello Goodybe" with the Cure, which Rolling Stone exclusively premiered in September.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

My anaconda don't

As soon as I was about to be really surprised by this story, I saw that it was from Australia, and my reactions was "Oh. That makes sense then."

Either way, it's still a little crazy - a man wants to get eaten by an anaconda. No truth to the rumor that Nicki Minaj is somehow involved.



From News.com.au:

Paul Rosolie, a Naturalist and Wildlife Filmmaker, has made a custom-built snake-proof suit that he will test when he is eaten by the beast.

The risky experiment, which aims to document what it’s like to enter the belly of the creature, will air on the Discovery Channel on December 7.

The show has already copped some criticism though with animal welfare organisations worried about the welfare of the snake.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

This is one of my favorite internet videos to come out every year.

I think it's a good judge of which kids have good parents.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Hello, Newman

I read this story, and couldn't get a certain image out of my mind.

According to WatchDog.org -

An investigation has been launched into a Neenah postal carrier who allegedly dumped into a recycling bin hundreds of political advertisement mailers from the campaign of Mike Rorhkaste, Republican candidate for Wisconsin's 55th Assembly District, Rorhkaste tells Wisconsin Reporter.

Neenah Postmaster Brian Smoot, who was alerted to the incident on Thursday, confirmed there is an ongoing investigation into the matter, and referred Wisconsin Reporter to the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Postal Service. OIG representatives there did not return several phone calls seeking comment.


Mail? Sabotage? That could only mean one thing.


God I can't wait for this election to be over.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Free For All

It seems like the scene out of a movie, but apparently, it's real life.

According to the Washington Post,

A door malfunction on an armored vehicle sent money flying along Interstate 270 on Friday morning.

The incident, which began about 8 a.m., initially was thought by officials to involve the crash of an armored vehicle that was headed northbound on I-270 near Route 80 in Urbana.

The driver of the vehicle, which was owned by Canada-based GardaWorld, was in the far left lane of the interstate when a lock on a door of the Ford E-350 van malfunctioned. A bag of cash fell out, sending bills flying.


Drivers stopped, got out of their vehicles and started grabbing the cash, police said. So many vehicles stopped that they essentially shut down the northbound lanes of the road. No one was injured. When a fire official also stopped and turned on the emergency lights of his vehicle, drivers fled onto Route 80 with money, police said.

Something seems fishy. How do locks on armored trucks like this suddenly "malfunction?" And are you allowed to keep money that you find flying about? Do you have to declare it on your tax return?

Thursday, October 30, 2014

KC Trolling

I love myself some intelligent sports fans.

Steve Perry, a diehard SF Giants fan, had been making his presence known throughout the playoffs. And he ultimately did get the last laugh, but this is pretty good.

Steve Perry

Garth Brooks spent time with the Royals spring training back in 2004, so I guess, that's the best KC can do. But trolling Steve Perry from like 20 feet away is pretty solid.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

GAME 7

This is one of my favorite sports moments of all time. I hope tonight's game can live up to expectations.



PS - Tim McCarver totally called exactly what was going to happen.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Friday night comedy

David Testroet is coming to the Black River Bar & Grill on the north side of La Crosse this weekend. Want to win tickets to check him out? Head to the contest page.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Oscar Tavares

I hate the St. Louis Cardinals. I really do.

But more than anything, it comes out of a deep-seeded respect for the way they run their franchise. I hate them because they're so good at what they do.

Oscar Tavares was a shining example of that.

Just 22 years old, Tavares made an impact with the Cardinals this season and was poised to be a nuisance for the Brewers and the rest of the MLB for a long time.

Tavares died Sunday in a car crash in the Dominican Republic.

It's an impossible situation to try to handle. First and foremost, his family having to deal with their loss, but the Cardinals' family too.

It also put the journalists at FOX in a tough spot, having to handle, verify, and relay the news during the broadcast of a World Series game. And, to use a baseball cliche, they knocked it out of the park.

Journalists are people too, as evidenced by the emotion you can see in Erin Andrews' eyes here.

Watch the video, it's worth it.


Friday, October 24, 2014

Bueller? Bueller?

I don't call into work all that often, as the nature of my profession (and good health! knock on wood) doesn't really allow me to, but if I were going to, I might use one of these.



According to Career Builder, here's a list of the top 10 most unbelievable excuses used this year for calling in sick.

When asked to share the most dubious excuses employees have given for calling in sick, employers reported hearing the following real-life examples:
-Employee just put a casserole in the oven.
-Employee's plastic surgery for enhancement purposes needed some "tweaking" to get it just right.
-Employee was sitting in the bathroom and her feet and legs fell asleep. When she stood, up she fell and broke her ankle.
-Employee had been at the casino all weekend and still had money left to play with on Monday morning.
-Employee woke up in a good mood and didn't want to ruin it.
-Employee had a "lucky night" and didn't know where he was.
-Employee got stuck in the blood pressure machine at the grocery store and couldn't get out.
-Employee had a gall stone they wanted to heal holistically.
-Employee caught their uniform on fire by putting it in the microwave to dry.
-Employee accidentally got on a plane.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

High Life Heist

YOU MESS WITH HIGH LIFE, YOU MESS WITH ME.

Well, kinda. 


Van Thomas was trying to live the American dream. After years as a trucker, he bought a semi three weeks ago and started a company of his own.

Thomas was traveling from Texas to Pompano Beach and was on his last stop before a delivery in Orlando when his entire truck and alcohol cargo was stolen.

"I don't mean to cry about it but I'm just trying to do the best I can and make a better life," Thomas told WFTV.

Inside the truck was 44,000 pounds of Miller High Life, which comes out to about 9,700 four-packs.


Just when Thomas thought he lost everything, he received a phone call telling him the truck and most of the cargo had been located.

"Oh, my God. That's beautiful," he said.

The call came in from detectives that the truck had been found in Miami.

I'm not sure I see the upside to stealing 38,000 beers. It's not like you're gonna be able to sell them second hand, and you can't even make a dent in the supply before it goes skunky. Glad the guy got his truck back though, even though only "most" of the beers were returned.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Jesus pay my tab

I don't think "Jesus take the wheel" and "Jesus pay my tab" have the same sentiment.

Oklahoma's KOKH TV reports that after drinks and a meal Kristi Rhines told workers at a restaurant in Lawton that Jesus Christ would pick up her tab. Apparently, she explained that she was married to Jesus and that he would enter the restaurant with the money. Police were called to the scene and confirmed that Rhines didn't have any cash on hand to pay the bill. She was arrested on a fraud charge.


Married to Jesus. Hmmm. If that excuse doesn't work in the south, I doubt it'd work anywhere.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Eddie Vedder

Eddie Vedder is the man.

vedder gossard
Photo/OnMilwaukee.com

Plenty of Packers players took in Pearl Jam's show at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee last night, and they got Eddie, a diehard Bears fan, to rock the Green and Gold.

Even though Matt Flynn was there, and having a great time, it wasn't his #10 jersey that Vedder was wearing. It was one that the Packers players had made up in honor of Pearl Jam's debut album.

Aaron Rodgers said that the show was "unbelievable." Check out the review here.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Football weekend

I was emotionally invested in two football games this weekend, and it's crazy how different my emotions towards both ended up playing one. 

Let's first start with the second one: Green Bay vs. Carolina on Sunday afternoon. It was a case of Aaron Rodgers being on his game, the defensive front making plays and the Lambeau crowd taking the Panthers completely out of the game. The game was over as soon as Jordy Nelson beat Roman Harper for the 59-yard touchdown pass early in the first quarter. Carolina stood no chance of coming back. Five touchdowns by five different Green Bay players. I even fell asleep for a bit in the third quarter. The Packers took care of business, and it was relatively drama free.

How good was James Starks on Sunday? (photo/Racine Journal Times)

The first game I watched start to finish was the Notre Dame vs Florida State game on Saturday night. I'm a huge ND football fan, so it was a game I had not only been anticipating all week, but all season as well. A chance to knock off the defending champs on the road doesn't come around too often. The Fighting Irish played extremely well, and had the ball in their hands with a chance to win the game with the clock winding down. High. Drama. I was as tense as I've been in a long time (well, probably since the Packers beat the Dolphins last week, but who's keeping track, anyways) and I even had a brief moment of exuberance! before it was wrenched away from my leaping heart. (Right or wrong, HOW DO YOU CALL THAT PENALTY THERE. Jeeze.) As the 4th and goal pass from the 18 fluttered into the FSU defender's arms, I went silent. No yelling, no groaning in discontent. It was crushing. All I did was make a stiff whiskey drink and watch the Food Network. Ugh. I spent a good deal of Sunday and this morning reading about the game and the last call and the game winning play that wasn't, and it's no less crushing than it was a day-and-a-half ago. So this is me venting. Grrrrr.

The game winning touchdown that wasn't. (photo/RedEye Chicago)


Friday, October 17, 2014

Gone Girl

I went to go see Gone Girl last night at Marcus Cinemas, and I was very excited to do so.

I had some pretty high expectations based off of what people had been saying on social media, and for the most part, the movie lived up to the hype it had been getting. I did have a few takeaways, however...


1) The movie had me checking my phone to see what time it is, which I take as an indication that it might be a bit too long.

2) On the same token, I still wanted more from the movie. There were certain aspects of plot points that I want elaborated upon, but alas, they didn't come. The movie probably would have been much better as an HBO miniseries, but as a friend told me this morning, what good movie wouldn't? (I should probably read the book.)

3) David Fincher is the man. There's just something to the way he shoots movies. Wow.

4) The acting was actually really good. Ben Affleck was awesome, Rosamund Pike wasn't someone I knew but I thought she was also very good. NPH worked in his role, and I came away really liking Tyler Perry as well.

5) I'm not sure it's good enough to come away with any of the top Oscar wins, but it was good enough for some nominations and maybe a win for cinematography or something like that.

All in all, it's a captivating story line that was done well. Worth a few hours at the theatre.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

EBOLA

I really hope we look back at Ebola and can say it was much like the swine flu, the bird flu, anthrax and SARS in that it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

Unsurprisingly, there are people trying to profit from the craze or hysteria or whatever you want to call it.

I wonder how many of these I'll see out and about for Halloween.

costume

If you need to re-use your Breaking Bad-themed outfit, this might be the way.

Read more about strange Ebola related items for sale here: http://mashable.com/2014/10/16/ebola-panic-fueling-rise-in-alarmist-products/

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Tom Wrigglesworth

This is the greatest.

British comedian Tom Wrigglesworth bears a bit more than a passing resemblance to a certain Packers quarterback.

Here's his quest to not only meet Aaron Rodgers, but also immerse himself into the Green Bay culture.



It's 10 minutes long, but it's certainly worth your time.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Nightm-air

Well this is up there with every air traveler's worst nightmare.

According to NBC News:

An American Airlines flight from San Francisco to Dallas made an emergency landing at SFO after panels inside the plane's cabin began to come apart in mid-air, the airline confirmed Monday afternoon.

AA Flight 2293 landed without incident at about 2:15 p.m., an hour after takeoff, and taxied to the gate, according to FAA spokesperson Ian Gregor.

The plane's captain decided to return to San Francisco "after several interior wall panels came loose while in the air," American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller said.

That's exactly what you want to see when you're at 30,000 feet: the walls of the plane starting to come apart.

I can't imagine that feeling.

Here are some pictures from passenger James Wilson:

Monday, October 13, 2014

Streaker

I help out in the sports department at the Tribune and the thing that was the biggest talking point from the weekend wasn't Logan's demolition of Central to retain this year's Ark of Victory (well done, Rangers), but rather it was the 17-year old that decided to have a little fun by streaking at the game. The reason I mention that I work at the Trib is to say that in monitoring social media, it was immediately flooded by the #FreeEthan hashtag. The majority of high schooler voiced their support for the young man, while a select few decided to take the high and mighty approach in saying that he was a disgrace, or whatever.

I'm of the opinion that the streaker needs some punishment, but only really a slap on the wrists. By all accounts, he's a pretty good kid that got caught up in trying to do something funny. And to most, he succeeded.

It's understandable if the city wants to slap a disorderly conduct and lewd behavior fine on him, but it shouldn't go much more than that. Give him some community service to do as well, if you well. But the "crime", if you want to call it that, was momentarily and had very little lasting effect. In a way, the punishment should be as well. Nothing on the permanent record, no sex offender registry, none of that. It was a kid doing things that, every once in a while, kids are bound to do.

And, because, for the most part...

Friday, October 10, 2014

Putin's tiger

It's getting to the point where you could make up something completely bizarre about Vladimir Putin, and there's a good chance that I'd believe it.

Here's an example, via BBC News:

A Siberian tiger released into the wild by Russian President Vladimir Putin has wandered across the Russian border and into China, according to officials.

The endangered animal, named Kuzya, was one of three tigers freed by Mr Putin in May.


But forestry officials said the big cat had now entered Chinese territory after crossing from the wilds of eastern Siberia in search of food.

Chen Zhigang, director of the Taipinggou nature reserve in north-eastern China, said that the tiger would not have to worry about finding food as cattle would be released into the reserve if necessary.

So Putin released a tiger as a part of a publicity stunt, and now it's hungry. But don't worry, they're gonna release cattle into the wild too for food. 

What's he gonna do next?


Thursday, October 9, 2014

Taco John's

Big thanks to Taco John's for bringing some of their boneless wings into the studio today.

Lots of good flavors, and you can find your match here: http://www.tacojohns.com/wingsquiz

Here was the result of my quiz:


The Sweet Chipotle BBQ were very tasty, but I like to be adventurous and had the habanero and ghost pepper wings too. Not too spicy, but a good little punch. A tasty lunch, thanks Taco John's!

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Poo Poo Ca Choo



Well, this story stinks.

Via the Hull Daily Mail (in the UK):

A MAN who claims he is abused because he is a dwarf has been warned by a judge he could be jailed after a dirty protest in a Hull council office.
Ian Salter-Bromley, 54, exposed himself and spread excrement and urine in the main reception and toilets of Hull's Wilson Centre after he went in to complain, Hull Crown Court heard.
Salter-Bromley, who is 4ft, outraged staff on two separate visits, pulling his arm back as if to punch a female receptionist and telling an Asian man: "You should go back to your own country."
Salter-Bromley appeared at court for sentencing after being found guilty of being in contempt of a court injunction granted to city council staff to protect them from his repeated abuse.

Now, it's not niced to be picked on, but you also can't take a dump on the floor at City Hall. Although, that would be an interesting way to protest a parking ticket.

Monday, October 6, 2014

JJ Watt

I love JJ Watt. He makes Wisconsin proud, for a number of reasons. He's a phenomenal NFL player, charitable, hard working, etc.

But he's also a Wisconsin boy through and through. He eats the way a top-tier athlete should, but he dreams about what he shouldn't be eating too.

Check out what he told ESPN's Michelle Beisner.

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Watt would you like to eat?


That's right: "Burgers, brats, cheese curds, beer, and ice cream."

I might have that for dinner, just because I can.

Friday, October 3, 2014

BUCKY

I love that there are people whose job it is to make things like this.



That's right. Wisconsin is as singular a color as they come when it comes to college football allegiances. BOOM.

According to the New York Times:

The most consistently loyal fans in America live in Wisconsin. More than 87 percent of fans in some Wisconsin ZIP codes support the Badgers, a level that isn't reached anywhere else, our estimates show. That's why the red in the map is so dark. Though the numbers aren't nearly so high elsewhere, Wisconsin territory also stretches into Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan.

Now stomp Northwestern on Saturday, would ya?

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Porsche

Everyone loves a good heist movie. And Gone in Sixty Seconds, even though it has Nicolas Cage, is surprisingly watchable.

This story, out of Memphis and courtesy of the Commercial Appeal, sounds like it's a part of a plot for a movie.

The seven Porsches stolen Tuesday from a dealership on Covington Pike were newer models with an estimated value of $646,367, according to a police incident report on the heist.

Memphis police said Wednesday that they have recovered five of the seven Porsches stolen and have detained four people in connection with the crime.

The cars stolen were: four 2014 Porsche Panamera's; a 2015 Porsche Panamera; a 2015 Porsche 911 and a 2013 Porsche 2013, according to the incident report.
2015 Porche Panamera...I'd probably steal it too

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

First born

So you know those "Terms and Conditions" pages we all click through? Well, there's a lot of text you're probably not reading. And a security firm in London wanted to conduct an experiment to prove that the majority of people sign their lives away without so much as giving the contract a second glance.

Well maybe not their lives, but the lives of their first borns.



What?

Read here, via the Washington Post:


A good Wi-Fi network is hard to find, but six Londoners were willing to pay the ultimate price - based on the Terms and Conditions they agreed to, anyway.

In an experiment sponsored by security firm F-Secure, an open Wi-Fi network was set up in a busy public area. When people connected, they were presented with lengthy terms and conditions.

But to see just how little attention we pay when checking that agreement box, F-Secure included a "Herod clause" - one that offered up free Wi-Fi in exchange for the company's permanent ownership of the user's firstborn child.

The experiment was intended to highlight the dangers of connecting to unknown Wi-Fi networks, the Guardian reports. While only six people clicked through the Herod clause, another 33 devices connected once the researchers removed all Terms and Conditions. Meanwhile, users left their personal data - including passwords - completely vulnerable to the network.

So. It may behoove you to READ for the sake of the CHILDREN.

Monday, September 29, 2014

No-No

I luckily switched over from watching football to catch this on TV as it happened.


Preserved the no-hitter for a great Wisconsin pitcher. Well done, Jordan Zimmermann!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Jimi Hendrix

I'm a big movie guy, and when that genre crosses paths with classic rock, sign me up.

I'm pumped for Jimi: All Is By My Side, which features musician Andre 3000 as Jimi Hendrix. It's gonna be good.

Andre Benjamin as Jimi Hendrix (courtesy of The Telegraph)

Here's a snippet from a recently released Rolling Stone article, the rest of which can be read here:

In Jimi: All Is By My Side, set for a Sept. 26th release, Benjamin takes on a crucial year in the life of the iconic rock guitarist, as Hendrix was being discovered and embraced by the London music scene in 1966-67. He lost 20 pounds for the role "because I am not naturally a skinny man," studied Hendrix interview footage, learned to play guitar left-handed before four weeks of rehearsals and six weeks of filming.

"To get that gait, to move in that way, I had to feel that way. I worked out twice a week, and ate just enough calories to keep myself going," Benjamin recalled. "Guitar training was strenuous because I’m a right-handed guitar-player. Left-handed is completely opposite. It’s like walking backwards."



Talk about commitment to the role.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

FOOD

I like to eat. So when I was on vacation over the weekend, I made sure to avoid eating things that I could get any day around here. I think I was successful.

For example:



That's a Vietnamese dish called Pho. Pronounce "fuh" or "fah". I don't know exactly. But it's definitely not "faux".

It was amazing.And I've since googled how to recreate it on my own and it's clear I'll never be able too.

And then, my "When in Rome" meal for the weekend:



Steamed crabs. I had no idea what I was doing, but boy were they delicious.


Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Texting and Driving

Texting and driving is scary. I hate driving next to people when I see them buried in their phone. It's literally an accident waiting to happen.

Thankfully, police technology is catching up.


Via PilotOnline.com:

A Virginia company is developing a radar gunlike device that would help police catch drivers as they text.

The technology works by detecting the telltale radio frequencies that emit from a vehicle when someone inside is using a cellphone, said Malcolm McIntyre of ComSonics. Cable repairmen use similar means to find where a cable is damaged - from a rodent, for instance - by looking for frequencies leaking in a transmission, McIntyre said.

A text message, phone call and data transfer emit different frequencies that can be distinguished by the device ComSonics is working on, according to McIntyre. That would prove particularly useful for law enforcement in states such as Virginia, where texting behind the wheel is banned but talking on the phone is legal for adult drivers.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Stanton Selfie

Remember when Mike Fiers hit Giancarlo Stanton in the face with a 88 mph fastball?

Well, at least Stanton is smiling about it now.

Embedded image permalink

Glad to see he's begun the healing process.

As for the Brewers, they've got a HUGE series with the Cardinals tonight, leading up to quite possibly a bigger series with the Pirates this weekend. C'mon Crew.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Fish surgery

I don't want to knock the relationships that people have with their pets, because I know how important those animals can be in their lives.

Having said that...this is a bit extreme.

Via the Melbourne (Australia) Herald-Sun: 

A MELBOURNE vet has performed a delicate surgery on a 10-year-old goldfish, slicing open the beloved pet to remove a growth that was half the size of its head. It's likely George the goldfish has already forgotten the ordeal, but not his relieved owners, Lyn Orton and Pip Joyce, who say they wouldn't hesitate to pay the hundreds of dollars again to save a pet's life.The couple paid about $200 for the 45-minute surgery at Lort Smith Animal Hospital in North Melbourne last week.

George the 10-year-old goldfish undergoes surgery to have a tumour removed from his head

Surgery costs $200. How much does a new goldfish cost?


Just saying.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Pocket golf

Ever seen anything like this?



He's arguably the best player in the world right now, but in golf, well, $#!+  happens.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

13 years later

As you might have noticed, today is September the 11th.

I, like everyone else, remembers exactly where I was that day, what I was doing, so on and so forth.

But does that really matter? Sure, it helps us to contextualize our lives a bit and may make us feel nostalgic to whatever was going on in our lives 13 years ago, but how has your life changed since?

It struck me this morning, as people kept mentioning that 9/11/2001 was 13 years ago, that 13 years is half of 26, as in my age. That morning quite literally bisected my life at a crucially important stage in my upbringing.

At 13, I still had a bedtime. Now, I have an IRA.

I absolutely loved what Allison Geyer wrote in the La Crosse Tribune this morning, and every word resonated with how I was feeling.

She hits the nail on the head here.

The years dragged on and the world grew darker, more fearful. Hate crimes against Muslims, Sikhs and anyone with brown skin proliferated. As we entered high school, the U.S. invaded Iraq, looking for weapons of mass destruction and a connection to al-Qaida - and found neither.

As we became adults, we grappled with the conundrum of supporting our country while embroiled in a war we didn’t understand and maybe didn’t support. Pundits argued. Political divides deepened. Our leaders told us to "stay the course." Meanwhile, kids my age got blown apart by roadside bombs.

What's that thing people say about 9/11? Never forget?

Well, there’s no chance of that. Especially to a generation that’s never known any different.


I'll never forget because I can't. It's all I know. My parents remember a world before 9/11. For all intents and purposes, I don't. I'm going on vacation next week, and I've never been on an airplane without having to take my shoes off first, and probably will never board one without doing so.

Sure, we remember today, and rightfully so. But in all honesty, for people my age, we're always remembering because it's all we know. 

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

High Stakes Madden

This is fantastic. It's a college president trying to beat students at their own game. And the thing is, I bet he's pretty good.




What's an average semester of books cost...$800? Give or take. That's some high stakes video gaming.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Tip Shaming

I was at a restaurant last night, and I ended up with an entree that I didn't really like. I was a little upset, not because the food was prepared poorly (it wasn't), but because I took a chance on something on the menu and it didn't appeal to my taste buds the way I'd hoped.

Oh well, such is life. One thing I wanted to be cognizant of was not to tip poorly just because I didn't like my food. It wasn't my server's fault (she did a wonderful job) so I didn't want her to suffer because of it.

I'm not trying to take the high-and-mighty approach to tipping here, but it's an interesting subject matter. A tip is just that, going about and beyond. Is it expected? To a certain extent, yes, but it's not 100% automatic. Which is why I don't really have a problem with what LeSean McCoy did here.

Sure, he was millions of dollars, but he also has principles too, right?

And for the PYT restaurant in Philly to try to "tip shame" McCoy on social media is wrong, and I'm glad it backfired in their face.

Read more of the great details here: http://uproxx.com/webculture/2014/09/restaurant-tip-shames-lesean-mccoy/


LeSean McCoy