Last year, it was a trip with our friends Monte and Margaret (from Munich) to Oxford,
England to see Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds…and a fantastic trip it was.
This year, it was Vegas and Elton John at the Coliseum at Cesar’s Palace. A shorter trip for my wife and I, but a longer trip for our traveling companions….but, again, well worth the air miles. This wasn’t just a concert, but a multi-media event. Elton and his band were fronting a huge screen, which showed a video or photographic collage for each piece played. David LaChappelle, a somewhat surrealistic photographer and film director, designed the set and the movies. (more…)
Following today’s 109-88 mauling by the Spurs, the Rocks are 3-4 following their record setting 22 game winning streak.
There’s not much to speak about today’s game: Scola and Landry showed why there is still hope for the Rockets; T-Mac’s shoulder and Rafer’s reversion to poor shooting showed why there is worry. (more…)
1st place in the Western Conference must feel good, but how they got there, with many people playing a part, must make them feel even better. Lakers down, Celtics next up in Tuesday night (after playing in SA on Monday night).
Watch the ESPN highlights for a nice graphic of Shane Battier’s hand in Kobe’s face…on almost every shot. And a nice 4th quarter block of a Kobe jumper. (Fran Blinebury from the Houston Chronicle has a nice shout out to Shane on the work he does every night).
T-Mac gets zero points in the first half but the Rockets still lead by 15.
Rafer Alston cements himself into the elite point guards of this season with trey after trey after trey.
And Bobby Jackson, whom I and many others were about to dismiss and start a “play Aaron Brooks more” campaign, finally shows why Adelman traded for him.
Playoff season is looking better and better.
Spring cleaning…the only part I enjoy about it is finding things I’d forgotten about or thought I’d lost. Luckily, I found my 1973 copy of Martin Bookspan’s brilliant compendium of classical music. Though the references to recommended LP and Tape recordings (LP and Tape!) are dated, the biographies and descriptions of the pieces are not.
This is an excellent introductory guide to classical music, and is also a thorough reference to the great composers and their works. Unfortunately you will have to look at your local used bookstore or on eBay, as this book is no longer in publication. It is well worth the hunt, however. (more…)
We are still not sure which was better:
- Mutumbo getting 5 blocks + finger wagging opportunities….all in the first half (bless
his 41 year old body);
- Richard Jefferson of the Nets dunking on Mutumbo, trying to wag his finger at Deke, and getting T’d up for taunting (yes, we know Deke is protected by a double standard, and we like that);
- Novak the designated three point shooter draining a few 3’s;
- T-Mac having only 2 points for a long time, then moments later he has 19 and can sit out Q4;
- Rice University grad Mike Harris making the most of his playing time with some hustle plays;
- Carl Landry, the rooking Harris is replacing, looking sharp in a suit on the bench (resting up for the Lakers this weekend).
(more…)
I grew up in Texas. Dallas Cowboy country. But I’m a Packer’s fan through and through. I
was one of the few kids that took the Packer Backer newsletter back in the day.
I read two books, a kids biography of Bart Starr, and Jerry Kramer’s Packer Diary. That was all it took. The Pack has 21 Hall of Famers, second only to the Bears. The Pack has won 12 NFL Championships, including 3 Super Bowls. (more…)
In Texas your party affiliation resets every year. So even though I’ve voted republican in the last six presidential elections (except for a minor dalliance with an independent for which I have forgiven myself) , today I invaded the democratic primary polling place.
McCain didn’t need my vote. Ron Paul could have used it but while Mr. Paul has some great ideas, his debate appearances have not convinced me that he has enough leadership and charisma for the big office.
My wife went to the republican polling place. She said there were 8 people in line.
I tried to get here (I typing this from the voting line) early but couldn’t shake free and now I am enjoying the voting process with lots of Dems. Lots. (more…)
Take a little of Graham Hancock’s theories on Earth’s ancient
civilizations, mix in some Clive Cussler-type adventure and action, put on your scuba gear and grab your archaeological text books. Let me see…that’s one part action, one part speculative fiction, one part underwater adventure, one part…aw, heck, don’t classify it. Just read Triangle, the third and concluding novel in R. J. Archer’s Seeds of Civilization series (Tractrix and Tsubute were books one and two).
The book industry as a whole does not enjoy hard to classify novels, but (as you can tell by my own novel) I am quite partial to “genre busters”. If needed, the best categorization of Mr. Archer’s works is “speculative fiction”. (more…)
England to see Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds…and a fantastic trip it was.
