Hot Time In Old Hollywood

Drive to the center of any small town in America and chances are good you find yourself on Main Street. It's the artery of the town, and probably has the only stoplight to be found for miles. As the towns get larger, finding that defining center becomes a little harder. For example, for all the streets names that appear within the borders of Los Angeles, there is no "Main Street".

But there are still iconic intersections that can be found in La-La. New York has Times Square; San Francisco has Haight and Ashbury. Los Angeles has Hollywood and Vine. It's one of those intersections that you can mention to most people without telling them the city and they already know it's the heart of Hollywood.

Of course, like most things SoCal, the reality doesn't match the perception. Many a bright eyed teen has gotten off the bus from Iowa seeking the bright lights of Hollywood only to find the seedy underbelly of town. Over the years, efforts have been made to improve the intersection, and now they're going to get a new chance, as a major fire has taken out a building on that corner.

For most of us, the fire at 6200 West Hollywood Blvd will have no impact. But if you're one of the young and pretty among the Hollywood elite, it's a tough day, as one of your trendy hangouts - the Basque nightclub - went up in the fire. This was the setting for Lindsey Lohan's supposedly dry 21st birthday party a couple of weeks back, and was seen in a scene in the George Clooney movie "Ocean's Eleven" a few years back. Only a few doors down from the iconic Capital Records building, it also served as the base of one of the famous billboards that line the boulevard. That one's been removed, though, to keep what's left of the building from collapsing.

As you might expect in LA, the politicians were on the scene before the flames had died, making speeches about the loss and the future of the intersection and Hollywood in general. Considering the amount of renovation going on around this building, which didn't really fit into the plans (it had a tattoo parlor, for example), you have to wonder what they'll find when the start to look for the cause of the fire ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:13 PM PST [link]

An LA Moment

Whenever I talk to people from other parts of the country and they find out I live in Los Angeles, they inevitably say something like, "Know any movie stars?" They apparently forget that this is a city with nearly 4 million residents, and it's not like they're just walking down every street. Once in a while, though, you do run into the periodic celebrity ...

Most Sunday mornings, you can find me at the Riviera Car Wash in South Redondo. There's seldom a crowd if you get there early enough, and it's a great opportunity to enjoy an early morning coffee break. I use that particular car wash in part because it's near where I grew up, but also because it's frequented by the successful folks who come down from Palos Verdes. As they say, if you want to be successful, watch successful people.

This past Sunday I rolled in for the usual wash, and settled in the waiting area. While I was paying for the wash, I'd noticed a guy walking around in a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey bearing the name and number of Maury Wills, the great basestealer (and probably the best player not in the Hall of Fame). As we passed each other on the way to the waiting area, I noticed that the jersey was autographed by Wills - several times. I thought it was pretty strange to be wearing an autographed jersey around like any other shirt, but didn't give it much thought as I began my wait and watched those also getting their cars watched.

There's a mix of personalities in any such group setting, but there's always that one that stands out from the rest. In this case, it was a large black man in his 50s, who was talking at length about his career as a cook and his desire to open his own restaurant. His much older, much smaller companion was trying hard to feign interest, but clearly had little. At the same time, Jersey Guy is hovering around the pair, anxious as a catburgler. The whole scene was surreal, and didn't make much sense until the larger man stepped aside and I got a good look at the smaller man. He was older and smaller than in his playing days, but it was Maury Wills himself - and a well dressed Wills at that. In a flash, it all became clear - the big guy is putting the pinch on Maury to invest in his dream restaurant, while Jersey Guy is just a toady fan suffering from serious idol worship.

Most of the bench I was sitting on was open, and Wills and his would-be business partner settled in on the other end. With his back to me, I couldn't hear most of the pitch, but clearly the guy was trying to convince Wills that he was ready to step up from fry cook to entrepreneur. In the meantime, the toady fan continued to hover, clucking about how he'd already tipped the guy cleaning Wills' car. It was all I could do to keep from laughing.

Soon the big guy stood up and moved off to take a call. Not one to be star-struck, I wouldn't stare, but I glanced over at Wills. He caught my eye, and said with a sigh, "It's always something" and laughed. I smiled as well and said, "Mr Wills, I don't want any more than to shake your hand and tell you you were my grandmother's favorite." As he shook my hand - and rolled his eyes at how old my grandmother must have been - I asked him what his plans were for the day. "I have a lunch date with three beautiful ladies", he said, and with that his car was ready. With posse in tow, he was gone.

I love LA ... :-)

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:13 PM PST [link]

Girls On A Roll ... Again

I don't know if there's something in the air, but once again we have a story of a female driver making history on the track. Just a week after Danica Patrick won her first IndyCar race, drag racer Ashley Force became the first woman to win a funny car national event by taking the title at the NHRA Southern Nationals outside of Atlanta. Making the win all the more dramatic, she had to face - and beat her father, 15-time series champion John Force, in the final. Ashley, who was already leading in the championship points before the weekend, beat her dad like a drum - and no one was prouder to be beaten.

It's been a pretty amazing week for the lady racers. All we need now is a solid candidate in NASCAR ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:24 PM PST [link]

Weekend Eye Candy Tex-Mex Style

I know it doesn't often appear to be so, but I really do put thought into the Eye Candy selections. After all, the world is full of hot women - but it takes something special to win this prestigious honor. Yes, I know - there has been the occasional Random Eye Candy entry (specifically, here, here, here and here). But I usually try and find someone that fits an appropriate theme for the entry.

Take today, for example. I've been reporting from San Antonio all week, so it only makes sense that for this week's subject we would dip into the local talent pool. Actress Eva Longoria is a San Antonio resident and is best known for her role on Desparate Housewives. Come to think of it, that's pretty much all she's known for professionally. Just goes to show how a career can be launched from a single event. But hey - she makes it work.

Longoria is a Texan by birth (Corpus Christi), but a San Antonian only by injection - she's the wife of Spurs point guard Tony Parker. She's now also the spokesperson for Bebe, and this shot comes from a photo shoot for that advertiser.

That officially ends San Antonio Week here at the MB. Let us never speak of it again ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 01:44 PM PST [link]

Fatal SoCal Shark Attack

Having just returned from San Antonio, where I did the typical tourist-y things, I can understand the need to see the sights when visiting a new area. In three months, the group I met with this week will reconvene, this time in Carlsbad, CA, where they'll probably want to visit the usual places, like the Zoo and Sea World and the beach. They might want to think twice about that last one, though - a swimmer was killed by a shark this morning just south of there ...

The man was swimming with a group of about 10 other swimmers, heading north from Fletcher Cove, when the attack occurred. The group regularly swims at the cove.

Witnesses told lifeguards that a "big gray shark" attacked the man, biting both his legs, said Craig Miller, a Solana Beach lifeguard.

"I can't remember a shark ever being in this area before," Miller said.

Certain websites (*cough* 976-TUNA *cough*) are already spreading the hysteria by claiming it was a great white shark, and it's true that they've been seen in that part of the ocean before. But lifeguard helicopters are currently searching the area, looking for the shark, and it would be very premature to make such a declaration.

And if anyone is thinking of recreating the shark hunt in "Jaws", well, just go have another beer ...

More as we hear it.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 01:12 PM PST [link]

San Antonio Wrap

Home in one piece from San Antonio and, frankly, I'm looking for nothing more than a quiet place to take a nap.

The trip went well, and the town turned out to be better than expected. Like a lot of the places I go on business, all I knew about San Antonio were the most superficial of details - the home of the Alamo, the Riverwalk, and the Spurs. I can tell you, though, that there's a lot more going on. The town was in the middle of a week-long fiesta celebrating the anniversary of the capture of Mexican General Santa Anna during the war for Texan independance, and these guys know how to party - parades, bands, block parties. As mentioned earlier, I had a chance to visit the Alamo, and also spent several evenings on the Riverwalk.

The San Antonio River runs through the middle of town, and much like the LA River here it's used for flood control. But unlike our concrete rivers, the San Antonio is fully landscaped - and fully utilized by the population. There are paths and bridges and many access points to the river. The Riverwalk itself is a loop of the river that was bypassed by a cutoff earlier in history. Because of that, they can protect it with sluice gates when there is a flood - and that means that businesses can operate at river level, 20 feet below the streets above. At first glance, it looks a lot like the Jungle Ride at Disneyland - right down to the boats. But there are fantastic restaurants, lots of trees and birds, and floating bands of mariachis to serenade you as you dine. I had dinner one night at the Iron Cactus, an upscale Tex-Mex eatery, and our group dinner was at Landry's Seafood. Both were outstanding, and the fact that the local brew is Shiner Bock only made things better.

But now it's back to the real world ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 01:02 PM PST [link]

Remember The Alamo

OK, I promised you a picture of the Alamo, and you know how I hate to disappoint, so here it is - taken just before we headed to the airport for our return flight.

For a lot of us, this picture is all we know of the Alamo - a famous facade. After today, though, I can tell you that there's a lot more to know - and it's a story we should all learn.

Imagine you are one of the Texian fighters, hunkered down in March of 1836 in the former Mission San Antonio de Valero, under siege by the Mexican forces of General Santa Anna. Santa Anna is pissed at you because you defeated his forces earlier and kicked them out of Texas; now he's back to teach you a lesson. You already know from his activities against other rebel Mexican states that Santa Anna is a ruthless leader, willing to slaughter his own people to make a point. You have two choices - stay and fight and probably be killed in the process, or retreat and leave the town of San Antonio de Bexar defenseless against Santa Anna. Not only did the Texians stay, but more snuck into the mission during the thirteen day siege. Many mistakes were made on both sides, but in the end - despite a valiant effort by the Texians - Santa Anna prevailed and killed all but a handful of the defenders.

In defeat, though, the Texian forces found victory. The two weeks spent in the siege, coupled with Santa Anna's need to replace the losses inflicted upon the Mexican forces, gave Sam Houston and his main forces the month's time they needed to regroup. This ultimately led to the Texian defeat of the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto and the capture of Santa Anna. The battle cry, "Remember the Alamo", first heard at that battle, echoes through the years.

Much of the Alamo that exists today, including the iconic church facade, were rebuilt by the Army during the 1840's after Texas became a state. Today, it is surrounded by civilization, including some tacky tourist fare, but the Alamo itself sits in a beautiful park-like setting. Dedicated docents provide context via short lectures (if you go, ask for Monte - he has the dramatic flair for the job ), and you are free to walk around the well-labeled complex. I had thought it something that I ought to see while in San Antonio - I know now it is cause to visit the town in the first place.

Remember the Alamo indeed ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 09:50 PM PST [link]

Whoa-ho China Grove

When the sun comes up on a sleepy little town
Down around San Antone ...

One of the fun parts of having to travel for business is the opportunity to see new places - often, places I'd otherwise never see. Today, while sitting in a rather dull meeting, I was perusing an online map of San Antonio, when I noticed a familiar name as a suburb. Could it be? Yes, it is that China Grove - the one about which the Doobie Brothers sang back in 1973.

On my way back to the hotel, I took the long way and swung through China Grove. Gotta tell you - a little disappointing. Frankly, although I knew where I was, I never saw a sign identifying the town. Even the one shown to the left was stolen from the "town"s website. But it just goes to show you - from small things, baby, big things sometime come ... :-)

Posted by MarlinNut @ 03:05 PM PST [link]

Greetings From San Antonio

Looking out the window of my room on the 16th of the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk in San Antonio. No doubting where I am - there's a huge flag flying right across the street. Welcome to the Republic of Texas. It's pea-soup fog outside right now, which should make me feel at home - if it weren't 85 degrees and damned near 100% humidity - like living in a lobster steamer!

Got a little time between meetings, so I hope to visit the Alamo (3 blocks away) and the Riverwalk (running right below my window) before I leave on Thursday. If I find anything interesting, you know you'll see it here.

And be good to your mother - Mother Earth, that is. Today is Earth Day, so go out and hug a tree!

Posted by MarlinNut @ 06:19 AM PST [link]

Off To San Antone ...

I'm sitting in Terminal 8 at LAX, waiting for my flight to San Antonio. I'll be there on business the next 4 days, so I don't know what the postings will be like. Plan on at least one picture of the Alamo, though ... :-)

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:42 AM PST [link]

You Go, Girl!

It was a great weekend of sports, and there are lots of stories that could be told. But while many were compelling, only one was historic.

Yesterday, Danica Patrick won the Japan Indy 300 at Twin Ring Motegi, with Helio Castroneves placing second and Dan Wheldon third. It was the first victory by a woman in a major closed-course racing series.

And one hell of a relief for the driver.

Most racing fans first met Danica at the 2005 Indianapolis 500, where she nearly took the pole and was within a handful of laps of winning. But it was a month earlier at Motegi that everyone first saw the talent she had, as she led laps in what was one of her first races. She's always run well there, and one ESPN.com columnist actually called her victory a few days ago. Anyone who appreciates racing talent knew it was a question of when, not if, Danica would win an IndyCar race.

But the pundit were on her early, as her good looks garnered her as much or more press than her performances. As the number of races in her career increased, the whispers got louder, and she was compared with other attractive but unfulfilled sports personalities such as tennis star Anna Kournikova. Danica's performance yesterday will end that forever.

Ironically, Patrick's historic victory came in one of the IRL's least visible races. When the ChampCar series folded into IRL earlier this year, the only schedule hiccup was this weekend. ChampCar had their biggest race - the Long Beach Grand Prix - while IndyCar was at Motegi - the home track of IRL engine provider Honda. When the problems couldn't be resolved, it was decided that the heritage IRL cars would race in Japan while the ChampCar teams would return to their old equipment one last time for the LBGP - and both races would award IRL championship points. The Motegi race was scheduled for Saturday morning (Friday night here in SoCal), only to be postponed due to track weepers. When it was rescheduled for Saturday night SoCal time, few people realized it. I only found it by accident, and with the race half over. Boy, am I glad I did!

I make no bones about being a Danica fan, and the first thing I did was to determine her position. She was running in the second five, behind the leaders, which has been her usual position the last few races. The commentators mentioned that she and Helio had both pitted out of sequence with the rest of the leaders, but it seemed that all would need to make at least one more stop. Once most of the frontrunners realized they didn't have enough fuel to make the end of the race, they turned up the wick and raced hard, while Danica and Helio continued to try and conserve. Sure enough, each of the main competitors peeled off in the last few laps for a splash of ethanol, leaving the pair of racers out front. But you knew they'd have to stop - or would they?

With three laps to go, Danica trailed Helio by about a straightaway. Her pit crew determined, though, that she had enough fuel to both catch Castroneves and finish the race. She dropped the hammer and passed Helio like he was standing still, and raced towards the flag. The only question was would she have enough fuel, and I like everyone else squealed like a little girl when she took the historic checkered flag.

A lot of pictures came out of yesterday's race, most of her crying after the race. Hey, let the girl be a girl - she earned. But I've chosen one I believe better represents Danica for who she it - a racer who happens to be a woman, not a woman racer. Just like any other winner, she's striking a pose with the trophy - even if she's better at posing than the average driver, and the trophy is damned near as big as she is. Personally, I think the look on Castroneves' face says it all.

Move over, boys - there's a lady coming through!

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:30 AM PST [link]

Aussie Eye Candy

Pretty thin on the postings this week, as it's been one long meeting - and today will be no exception. Next week will probably be just as bad, as I'll be on business travel. Hopefully, this helps make up for it ...

For our Eye Candy this week, we travel south - waaaaay south. From the Land of Wonder ... the Land Down Under ... we bring you Australian Model Miranda Kerr. Miranda first made a splash, so to speak, as a Victoria's Secret model - the first from Australia. Compared favorably to the legendary Elle McPherson (the supermodel equivalent of a basketballer being called the "Next Michael Jordan"), Kerr has become the face - as well as the body - for several stateside advertising campaigns.

Kerr has found herself a tabloid target recently, as the girlfriend of actor Orlando Bloom - you remember, the guy who seemed a little too comfortable dressed as a pirate in the "Caribbean" series? The speculation is that she's just his cover for a - how shall we say it, "alternative" lifestyle. No matter what the deal, she's getting a lot of publicity over it - and in the model game, no publicity is bad publicity ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 06:07 AM PST [link]

RIP Danny Federici

Organist Danny Federici, one of the original members of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, has died. It was Federici, playing in the New Jersey dive bars so richly described in many of Springsteens lyrics, that invited the future Boss to join his band in the late 60s. The rest, as they say, is history. Content to let other, more flashy players enjoy the spotlight, it was Federici's organ that provided the foundation for much of the era's greatest rock and roll. Federici had been battling melanoma since 2005, and had been forced to take time away from the recent Springsteen tour to receive treatment. Danny Federici was 58.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 06:04 AM PST [link]

Does This Make Me A CrackHead?

Been in all-day meetings all week, so it's been a little tough breaking away to blog. May have a solution to that problem, though ...

I've never been a fan of the so-called "smart phones", partly because I didn't see a need for one in my life, and partly because they all seemed so clunky (read: Windows-driven) that they were little more than expensive toys. My job these last few years, however, has had me on the road a lot, and away from my office even when I'm on site, so the ability to take my tools with me is increasing in importance. It's always been a pain in the ass having to stop periodically to fire up my laptop just to read and respond to email. But with a perfectly good cell phone, and a corporate policy that makes it verrrrry hard to justify a smart phone, I didn't give an upgrade much thought.

This last weekend however, my cellphone died a horrible death when I was tossed in a pool with it in my pocket (don't ask). When looking at the various replacement models available, I didn't see anything that really caught my eye. But then I saw the BlackBerry 8830. What the heck, I thought, and headed off to find my manager to approve my replacement. To my surprise, she agreed to the need, and now I'm a BlackBerry user.

One of the first things you learn is why they call them CrackBerries. Now admittedly, I only got it yesterday, and I'm still going through the "new toy" phase. But I live my life through email, and to suddenly have ready access to all my email accounts is very powerful indeed. My sense it that it's not as good as an iPhone, but 1) it's Company-approved, which means they set it up so you can access company email and 2) it's company-paid. The iPhone can wait. I even found a theme for the display that makes it look like an iPhone. Best of both worlds ... almost ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:16 PM PST [link]

Yup ... It's The Monday Sports Rant

Spent most of the weekend hiding from the heat (96 degrees - damn!) and watching the "Deadliest Catch" marathon. But squeezed in a bit of sports, too ...

- A lot of lessons were learned this weekend (like Brandt Snedeker, who learned that real men don't cry when they choke the Masters ... dude, please!) But the guy who learned the biggest lesson was one Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, who learned that braggards fall hard. Everyone knows he's the greatest golfer on the planet - maybe the best ever - but the golf gods don't care. When he repeated his pre-season statement about how the Grand Slam was "doable", you could feel the cold chill in the room. He may yet win the four majors in one season, but it won't be this one. Tiger ran a distant second to winner Trevor Immelman, himself only a few months removed from major surgery. Blustery conditions and iffy decisions by others on the leaderboard made the results appear closer than they really were, as Immelman wasn't really challenged on Sunday. Even a double bogey on 16 was easily absorbed, and he cruised home with a 3-shot victory. If anything, this weekend should remind us all just how hard the so-called "Tiger Slam" of a few years back really was. Tiger didn't play bad, he just didn't play great - and that's what it takes to win the Masters.

- Every once in a while, a player will have a rule named after them, usually because of some interesting or unusual circumstance in which they were involved. I doubt any will ever have it be for a more embarrassing display that the Rangers' left wing Steve Avery. Known alternately as the boyfriend of actress Elisha Cuthbert or the most annoying man in hockey, he now has the dubious honor of having the NHL institute a rule change specifically because of his antics. During Saturday night's game against the Devils, Avery planted himself in front of goalie Martin Brodeur and waved his arms and stick directly in front of him. the officials looked at this crass attempt to distract Brodeur and decided it wasn't specifically against the rules, although all present agreed they'd never seen such a pathetic attempt at bad sportsmanship. The thought was that the rules committee would address the apparent rules loophole during the offseason, but league director of operations Colin Campbell made the necessary changes to the rules today. As one player put it, it was the kind of thing you did when you were seven or eight, but no one really thought someone would try it in the NHL. Now we know ...

- The Florida Marlins are still in first place. Enjoy it while you can, Fish Heads ...

- Just when you thought the stupidity between the Yankees and Red Sox couldn't go any further, we get a world-class example of taking the whole sports thing too far. During the construction of the new Yankees Stadium, a construction worker - and, apparently, rabid Boston fan - buried a Sox jersey in one of the concrete pours, presumably to put a "hex" on the hated Bronx Bombers. Not content to let the jersey work its "magic", he had to tell the media and get his 15 minutes of fame. This brought on a slew of talking heads debating the effect of this new "curse" - as if. You'd like to think that was the end of it, but you'd be wrong. The Yankees, never one to miss a trick or spend a buck, tracked down the other, "loyal" members of the crew in an attempt to locate the burial spot of the jersey. And they found it - after digging a two-foot deep hole in the brand new concrete, a ragged David Ortiz jersey was extracted. It's going to be auctioned off - the only good news in this whole pathetic tale.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 07:23 PM PST [link]

Someone Deserves Credit For This Eye Candy ...

I'm just not sure who:

a) God
b) Her implant surgeon
c) The guy who Photoshopped this pic within pixels of its life.

And I guess at some point, I don't even care. After all, it's really about the result, isn't it?

We've talked before here at the MB about the uniquely British phenomenon of the Page 3 Girl, and the fame some gain for nothing more than losing their clothes (specifically, here, here, and here). If there's a queen amongst the mammarily-gifted, though, it has to be Keeley Hazell. So far as I can tell, she's demonstrated no other talents than an ability to look smoking hot on command, and makes a pretty fine living doing it.

From our friends at Wikipedia:

Keeley Rebecca Hazell (born on 18 September 1986) is an English Page 3 Girl and glamour model noted for her large, natural breasts (UK bra size 32E).

And I guess that about says it all. I'm still waiting for proof on the "natural breasts" thing - as we demonstrated in our last entry, you can't always trust a photograph ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 11:28 AM PST [link]

Hey, I'd Be Grinning, Too ...

Now, this is one of those things I'd never even consider unless the photo came from an unimpeachable source. And, you know that people will see in photos what they want to see - hence all the pics of UFOs, Big Foot and Nessie. But look closely at the reflection in Dick Cheney's glasses and tell me what you see (click on the pic to see the original size).

I see a naked, big breasted woman laying out for his enjoyment. And I'm not the only one. The folks over at Wonkette apparently have too much time on their hands, so they cruise around looking at the pics on the Vice President's official website. There, along with other shots from one of his recent fly fishing trips, was this picture of a grinning Vice President. And it's pretty clear he's not checking out the contents of his creel.

Frankly, my respect for the Veep only goes up having seen this. Hey, it's not easy being the #2 in power, especially when you know you're just a heartbeat away from the presidency - or, in Cheney's case, the grave. I can see where a guy might want to blow off a little steam. And let's face it - this gives a whole new meaning to the term "wetting a fly".

There will doubtless be some kind of spin response from the White House - they probably brought in the same guy who explained Cheney's little hunting accident a couple of years ago. Should be an interesting press release.

More as it becomes available ...

UPDATE: The official story is that it's the back of his hand holding the rod. Hmm ... maybe. I still like my story better - actually, it involves Cheney holding a rod, too, technically ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 11:05 AM PST [link]

Gotta Say It While I Can ...

I'm just gonna put it out there, because 1), it's true and 2), it ain't gonna last:

First place Florida Marlins.

Yes, the Fish - with their sub-ARod payroll, are 6 and 3 and leading the National League East. They're even coming off a road sweep of the Washington Nationals after today's 4-3 victory.

Is it smoke and mirrors? Probably. But it's also some strong pitching and timely hitting - not to mention the occasional outstanding defensive play, like the one made today by left fielder Josh Willingham. Tracking a Nick Johnson fly ball to the fence, he tipped what would have been a game-tying home run back into the park, turning it into a double. That run he saved was the final margin of victory.

Now, it's unlikely they'll be in the running for long. Our opening day starter, Mark Hendrickson, was the #4 pitcher for the Dodgers last year. Our third baseman wasn't even on the roster a week before the season started. But what the heck - every team has 25 guys who play 162 games, and when they add up the scores you win or lose.

And right now, we're winning, baby ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 09:28 PM PST [link]

Way To Sack Up, Frisco ...

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that the Olympics will come to Beijing, China this summer, and that it's not a very popular decision. As part of the run-up to the games, the Olympic flame has been making it's usual tour around the world, giving folks the chance to run with it and support the Olympic movement. However, with the controversy regarding China and some of their policies of late, there's been a lot of protesters at the flame run. With the only US appearance of the flame scheduled for today in San Francisco, and knowing the Bay Area's open-minded attitude and all-inclusive nature, you'd think they'd find room for all points of view when the torch made it's appearance.

As if.

Apparently leery after several pro-Tibet protesters climbed up the Golden Gate Bridge to display their banners earlier in the week, San Francisco organizers suddenly changed the route of the run today, cutting the distance in half and insuring that the protesters - and those who simply wanted to support the Olympics - didn't get near it. After a short opening ceremony at AT&T Park, the flame runners were supposed to follow a 6-mile path along the shoreline that was lined by spectators - and, admittedly, protestors. But after completing the opening remarks, the flame was taken into a nearby warehouse where it was whisked away via motorcade to a distant neighborhood where the relay continued. After only 3 miles, the flame was moved again to an undisclosed site - away from the public - for a "closing ceremony", after which it was taken to the airport to catch a flight to it's next stop, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Now, I understand that no one likes controversy, but you'd think a town that encourages gay marriage would understand protests. If they were that worried, they could have simply cancelled the event, rather than their cowardly attempt to squeeze out the publicity without any of the controversy. Pretty pathetic. I suspect the publicity they'll get for their lack of civic courage will be much larger - and much less flattering - than any they might have gotten by simply following the original plan.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 05:17 PM PST [link]

Introducing ... Bruce Radio?

One of the lesser known facts about your humble host is that I was a frustrated radio DJ in my earlier days. I spent two years on the air on a college station and did an internship with a rock and roll station in the Inland Empire ("96-7 K-CAL FM ... Redlands ... Riverside ... Saaaan Bernadino ... "). In fact, were it not for the depressing stories told by the KCAL jocks of the gypsy lifestyle, I might have gone that route. Although I chose a different path, my love for radio and the people who make the magic remains.

One of the most exciting events in radio is the flipping of the format at a station. I've watched changes that worked when they shouldn't have (94.7 The Wave), and others that should have worked when they didn't (100.3 Pirate Radio). Ironically, the same frequency that once housed the Pirate Mothership is flipping again as we speak. What was yesterday 100.3 The Beat, an urban R&B format, is today Bruce Radio - all Bruce Springsteen, all the time.

Now, I'm as big a Boss fan as the next guy - maybe more than most. If you were going to base a station on a single artist, Springsteen is a pretty good choice. The Beatles and Rolling Stones have larger catalogs, but both long ago stopped being relevant. Springsteen has been a rock icon since 1975, but continues to ride popular and critical success, and is currently touring in support of his platimun album "Magic" - I assume the timing of the flip is meant to coincide with Springsteen's appearances at the Honda Center in the OC this week. But even I wonder if this can work. You see dedicated stations on satellite radio - hell, even Oprah has one - but they're one of a hundred choices all supported by subscription fees. Can standard commercial advertising support such a narrow format?

The format flipped at midnight, and I listened in as I drove to work this morning. Like most changes, they're starting out with a period of jock-free format that transitions to the new format. It's all Springsteen songs (caught "Born To Run", "She's The One" and "Tunnel of Love" during the drive), intersperced with snippets of TV theme music - I heard the themes from Seinfeld, Law and Order and ... The Price is Right? Not sure what exactly that means. There was at least one non-Bruce song, a old-school bluesy rocker that I couldn't identify. I also heard them cut off a song mid-chorus to do the 7AM station ID - not sure if that was deliberate or accidental. In the world of modern radio, I guess you just don't know ...

We'll watch the progress and report back. Should be interesting to see if a new format can survive in the difficult world of modern radio.

UPDATE: Turns out it was all a stunt. At 10AM (5 minutes ago), they rolled out the real station - 100.3, The Sound - World Class Rock for Southern California. By their own definition, "On The Sound you'll hear everything from the geniuses that gave birth to the seminal rock of the '60s and '70s to the ever evolving offspring of that music, including great stuff that came out last year...or even last week."

Whew ... that sounds a lot more appealing that all-Bruce, all the time ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 09:37 AM PST [link]

RIP Charlton Heston

The term "larger than life" gets tossed around pretty easily these days, but I challenge you to find anyone who fit that description better than actor Charlton Heston, who died Saturday at the age of 84. From a series of towering screen roles to a politically active personal life (he both walked with Martin Luther King Jr. and served as the president of the National Rifle Association), Heston always stood out. No actor in the last half-century has had more memorable screen lines than did he:

Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!

You've gotta tell them! Soylent Green is people!

Let my people go

From the chariot race in "Ben Hur" to flying a fighter in "Midway" to crawling through the rubble in "Earthquake", you never lost sight of the fact it was Heston, yet that never got in the way. He played the strong leader so well, we just came to accept that was what a leader looked like.

One fact often overshadowed was that he had been married to his wife Lydia for an amazing 64 years at the time of his death.

Stars come and go, but we won't soon see another like Charlton Heston.

Posted by MarlinNut @ 07:22 AM PST [link]

Random Thoughts Eye Candy - Part II

Several months back, we posed the question, "How can you look this ridiculously hot doing nothing more than selecting a grade of gas?" The "someone" in question was Maria Menounos, and we never did receive a satisfactory explanation. Never one to accept defeat, or to leave a question unanswered, I'll try again:

How can you look this ridiculously hot doing nothing more than selecting a song on their iPod?

In this example, the aforementioned Ms. Menounos is setting out on her morning jog, and has stopped to give the paparazzi a good look ... er, select inspirational running music on her iPod. Now, do we really think she dressed like this just because it was efficient exercise attire? Do we think she was maybe - just maybe - pandering to folks like us who like to watch? Do we care?

Now, it's true this is the second time we've used Maria as an example - and as eye candy - this year. But we at the Home Office feel it is important that we pursue this issue vigorously until it is resolved.

It could also just be that there's something special about a little Greek girl ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 11:41 AM PST [link]

Good News ... I Guess ...

Remember all that time you spent agonizing that you just didn't have enough in the tank to do a good job with the old lady? Turns out she probably doesn't really care ...

A survey of sex therapists concluded the optimal amount of time for sexual intercourse was 3 to 13 minutes. The findings, to be published in the May issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, strike at the notion that endurance is the key to a great sex life.

If that sounds like good news to you, don't cheer too loudly. The time does not count foreplay, and the therapists did rate sexual intercourse that lasts from 1 to 2 minutes as "too short."

Dr. Irwin Goldstein, editor of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, cited a four-week study of 1,500 couples in 2005 that found the median time for sexual intercourse was 7.3 minutes. (Women in the study were armed with stopwatches.)

It's difficult for both older men and young men to make sexual intercourse last much longer, said Marianne Brandon, a clinical psychologist and director of Wellminds Wellbodies in Annapolis, Maryland.

"There are so many myths in our culture of what other people are doing sexually," Brandon said. "Most people's sex lives are not as exciting as other people think they are."

Just think - all those people who waited until after Johnny's monologue to have sex ... they could have wrapped it up in about the same amount of time ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:06 PM PST [link]

You Get What You Pay For

As a rabid Florida Marlins fan, I already know it to be true, but it nonetheless pains me to have someone point it out: the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez makes more than the entire Marlins 25-man squad.

Boosted by his new deal with the New York Yankees, A-Rod tops the major league baseball salary list at $28 million, according to a study of contract terms by The Associated Press. The 33 players on the Marlins' opening-day roster and disabled list total $21.8 million.

"The Marlins? It's amazing,'' Rodriguez said. "And they still seem to find a way to be very competitive. They have a great pool of talent; they made some unbelievable trades, so they have great personnel people. To win two championships in 11 years, that's really admirable, and I'm very proud of that organization, being from Miami.''

Leave it A-Rod to find a way to kiss our ass without tickling our cheeks. If you really care, Alex, send a check to Larry Beinfest at Dolphins Stadium ...

BTW - the Mets whipped our asses 13-zip today. So much for the upside to the Cabrera-Willis trade - Maybin is in the minors, and Miller got shelled today.

Of course, not all the news is bad - Moises Alou finally came clean and admitted he couldn't have gotten the Bartman ball even if he wanted to. Maybe now they'll lift that fatwa ...

If only this could make everyone - starting with Florida's front office - forget about the Manatees ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 08:05 PM PST [link]

Attack Of The Crane Flies

Still woozy from the flu, so you never know where the mind will wander ...

I remember back when I was a kid, I'd see these things that looked like monster mosquitos. We called them "Mosquito Hawks", and the common belief was that they munched on the smaller bloodsuckers. Always wondered how they looked at us, but never really saw enough of them to worry.

I mention this only because of the current invasion that's going on now in the South Bay. Seems like every time you shake a bush, a dozen of those bastards fly out - or, more correct, try to fly, since they don't seem to be very good at it. I'm not sure if it's all the rain we got this winter, or global warming, or some other unexpected adjustment to the food pyramid, but they seem to be everywhere.

Intriqued - and a bit worried, recalling them from childhood - I called on the source of all knowledge ... Wikipedia.

Turns out I couldn't have been more wrong. First, they're called a Crane Fly. Second, they're not even closely related to the mosquito, although they do bear some passing resemblance. Third, they don't eat mosquitos. Fourth - and this is the first one I like - they don't bite.

So, they aren't harmful, but not particularly helpful, either. I have a policy in my garden that you have to pull your own weight, or stay out of my way. Sounds like once the flu is a goner, so are the crane flies ...

Posted by MarlinNut @ 10:04 PM PST [link]