« September 2005 | Main | November 2005 »
This was one of the most absurd TV sports moments ever. During Green Bay's potential game-tying drive yesterday, the yahoo pictured above decided to steal the football from Brett Favre. We must have rewound that thing about ten times.
Hilarious. Did the guy kill Green Bay's last-second momentum surge? Maybe, but if your team's gotta lose, at least entertainment like this makes it sting a little less. Well done, crazy dude.
Posted by Mert at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)
The Discovery-Times Channel has a great show you should all check out sometime. It's called Off to War, and it follows the day-to-day lives of several members of the Arkansas National Guard called into duty. Some of it takes place here in the States with their families, and some of it is filmed in the field over in Iraq. It's interesting to hear them discuss their views on the War.
One quote that really struck me was from Sgt. David Short. He was overseeing some local sheiks from the Rashadia area convene for their so-called "council" meeting. Here's what he had to say:
"A democracy, as we know it, will not work here. What I see in alot of these sheiks are just little Saddams in their own little province. The main thing I want to do here is just survive so I can leave. Whatever they decide to do with it after we go, I really don't care."
Let's hope that's not true. Let's hope the democratic process really does include the gradual transfer of de facto political power into the hands of the everyday Iraqi. Let's hope the constitution is a legitimate step in the right direction.
Posted by Mert at 09:02 AM | Comments (0)
Ok, Packer Country, I'm gonna take advantage of this while I still can before tomorrow's Packers/Bengals showdown...
Denver legend John Elway - who, in case anyone has forgotten, helped end the NFC's Super Bowl domination on January 25, 1998 - trails only some loser named Dan Marino in career passing yardage and attempts.
You still da' man, John.
Posted by Mert at 10:34 PM | Comments (0)
Anyone catch what Iranian psycho president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had to say a couple days ago? After calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map", he unloaded this gem:
"And God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism."
Great. Just what we need - a hardliner that hates our guts at the helm of a country actively and openly pursuing nuclear capabilities. Gosh, if only we could find an enemy of the Iranians we could exploit to keep them in check.
Hmmm...
Update: Sharon calls for Iran's expulsion from the United Nations. Stay tuned...
Posted by Mert at 10:20 AM | Comments (0)
Yet another reason to hate Chicago...
Some Sox fan apparently got a little physical with Craig Biggio's wife the other day. What a dork.
Second City? Second to last, maybe!
Losers.
Posted by Mert at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)
I could have used a few pointers from this guy over the weekend. I'm a pretty tall dude, and the coveted "shotgun" position in Chuck's VW Jetta was an oft-contested event. I did my best, but Dan and Bryan perpetually scorched my pathetic attempts at victory. Heck, on one occasion it was almost like I wasn't even participating.
I suck.
Posted by Mert at 01:34 PM | Comments (0)
Today marks a significant anniversary in the history of the Cold War. Twenty-five years ago today, the Polish government legalized the Solidarity trade union. With all due respect to John Paul II and the Gipper, Solidarity deserves much more credit for unleashing the real death blow to the Soviet Union.
Well done, Poland.
Posted by Mert at 11:16 AM | Comments (0)
It's been quite a stroll down memory lane the last couple of days. About a week ago, I got a call from Jooky Vegas himself - Mr. Mark Kuca. Yesterday, I received a totally unexpected e-mail from one Nick Monroe. While returning a couple movies to the Oakland Blockbuster last night, I decided to stop by Benji's Deli and see Mike Price. We had a few drinks, then we had a few more. Remembering it was a weeknight, we responsibly left Benji's no later than half past midnight - and promptly made the decision to stop by Village Pub until bar time. This morning I awoke to one hellacious hangover. I called Chuck and told him I'd be sleeping in today, then rolled over and shut my eyes.
You know what's comin'...
Telephone: Riiiiiiiiiing!
Me: "Hello?"
Caller: "Hey, Les! It's Dave Russell! 'Sup?"
That's right, folks. Rogues' Gallery - every single one of 'em. Hell, I haven't been in touch with Nick for years! Same with Dave - it's been ages. Yet, for whatever reason, there they all were in some form or another. Weird stuff. Great to hear from all of them.
Vintage Six.
Posted by Mert at 11:45 PM | Comments (0)
This is some pretty slick new technology being developed by the military. It's called aluminum oxynitride - essentially transparent aluminum. That may sound familiar to some of my fellow geeks out there. It's from Star Trek IV.
Doesn't the above vehicle kinda remind you of the new Batmobile? Way cool!
Posted by Mert at 03:39 PM | Comments (0)
As I'm sure The Chuck will attest, HBO's Rome is freakin' awesome. This week, we finally meet Cleopatra. Lyndsey Marshal brings a unique and refreshing take on a character that's been rehashed countless times over the years. James Purefoy's Mark Antony has a magnificent vicious streak in him that always seems like it's just about ready to explode. Fantastic.
Posted by Mert at 12:52 AM | Comments (0)
2005 Team Payroll
New York Yankees - $208,306,817.00
Boston Red Sox - $123,505,125.00
Los Angeles Angels - $97,725,322.00
St. Louis Cardinals - $92,106,833.00
Atlanta Braves - $86,457,302.00
Houston Astros - $76,779,000.00
Chicago White Sox - $75,178,000.00
San Diego Padres - $63,290,833.00
Milwaukee Brewers - $39,934,833.00
No point here - just an observation.
Really.
Posted by Mert at 08:30 AM | Comments (0)
Well, it's all but official. Outgoing Chancellor Gerhard Schröder announced he will not be a part of Germany's new grand coalition government, effectively ending his political career.
I'm a big fan of social democracy, but I gotta say I'm a little disappointed with Schröder. After seven long years in office, he could never quite get Germany "over the hump" in terms of their biggest post-reunification problem - unemployment. It's somewhere around 12% right now. In one of the biggest economies in the world, that's just unacceptable. Although he did break ranks with the Social Democrats on issues of welfare reform with Agenda 2010, he just couldn't sell the German public on his vision. His attempt to help Jacques Chirac convince French voters to ratify the EU constitution was a colossal failure, and in hindsight was a rather accurate indicator of his diminishing political power.
Posted by Mert at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)
A rather grim "anniversary" of sorts today. On this date in 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt received a letter of critical historical significance, signed by one Albert Einstein. This letter provided details about a deadly new kind of energy being developed by the Nazis for military purposes. Roosevelt responded to Einstein's warning by throwing his whole-hearted support behind Anglo/American/Canadian research efforts on the subject - a sweeping experiment known as the Manhattan Project.
Posted by Mert at 12:34 PM | Comments (0)
It looks like Germany's got a new chancellor. It's the CDU's Angela Merkel. Congratulations, Angie.
After meeting with SPD officials to negotiate a deal following the hotly contested 2005 federal elections, Merkel will most likely emerge as the first female to ever hold the office. Facing the prospect of political gridlock when Germany's inevitable new grand coalition goes into effect, the SPD has spent the last few days scrambling to milk the CDU for all the concessions they can in exchange for the chancellorship. My guess is they'll pick up a couple extra seats, force the CDU to abandon its plans to help businesses fire their employees, or something of the like. We'll probably find out the exact details tomorrow.
Again, congrats to Angie Merkel, the new face of Germany. Expect the ice to thaw a bit between Berlin and Washington in the years to come. Is that a good thing? Time will tell - let's wait and see what happens with France's political climate in the next few years.
Posted by Mert at 04:47 PM | Comments (0)
Another game, another bloodbath. Violently flaunting my evil magical powers (pictured above) as I rolled the red bones of destruction, I spectacularly unleashed a RISK record 137 consecutive 6's last night. It's true - just ask Dan.
Some called it luck. They couldn't have been more mistaken - or dead.
Kneel before Mr. RISK.
Posted by Mert at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October 6 as "German-American Day". Officially instituted in 1987, the day has become a regularly celebrated annual occurrence.
So, whether your family lays claim to Teutonic stock or not, Happy German-American Day, folks. Go ahead and pour yourself an ice cold glass of Warsteiner, suck down some potato soup, and go file for unemployment.
Posted by Mert at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)
