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Friday, January 17, 2025

by fasted86

Briefly.

I don’t mind being old, I just thought it would take longer.

Trivia #1: On January 11, 2014, what player became the became the 1st player, in NFL history, to rush for > 150 yards with 4 or more rushing TD’s in a playoff game?
Trivia #2: What player is NOT in the top five all-time in NFL divisional round rushing touchdowns? – Tom Brady, LeGarrette Blount, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, John Riggins, Terrell Davis
Trivia #3: On January 17, 1997, the NBA suspended Dennis Rodman indefinitely for what? Kicking a cameraman, shoving a referee, punching a referee, punching another player, spitting on a fan, kicking a basketball

On this date: January 17, 1773, Captain James Cook becomes the first to cross Antarctic Circle (66° 33′ S)
January 17, 1917, US paid Denmark $25 million for Virgin Islands
January 17, 1954, Jacques Cousteau’s 1st network telecast airs on “Omnibus” (CBS)
January 17, 1995 7.2 earthquake destroyed Kobe, Japan and kills 5,372

The Vikings’ QB Sam Darnold had a great regular season but he still sucks.

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: Last 4 Wild Card games: TD’s – 18; Punts – 9; PF – 143; PA – 72. The Buffalo Bills are King’s of the Wild Card round.

Cheap Trick’s singer Robin Zander sang the national anthem before the Buccaneers/Redskins game last weekend. No flare, no frills and he may not have the best voice in the world, but he just sang the song as is and did a great job, I thought.

Go away: Deion Sanders (again)

A prediction, for the sake of argument. The Buffalo Bills vs. The Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX

The Geico commercial with the guy yelling at the Alabama football players as they walk by coming off the bus; “High Tide!” instead of “Roll Tide!”. That’s funny.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse:

Good news: Cancer death rates dropped 34% between 1991 and 2022. That equates to approximately 4.5 million deaths avoided due to early detection, reductions in smoking, and improvements in treatment.

Bad news: Homeowners insurance across the country is still rising, and 2025 isn’t expected to be any better for homeowners. Premiums may climb by as much as 15%, on average, with states like California seeing even higher hikes due to more frequent natural disasters plaguing the area. Insurers are passing their significant losses off to homeowners. In the first half of 2024, insurer losses hit $62 billion. Losses are expected to be even greater this year, which means higher premiums for homeowners as insurers attempt to recover.

I put on the Australian Open the other day and quickly realized why I have such trouble watching tennis: It’s the yelling and grunting.

Relax Celtics’ fans. Again, the regular does not matter. Don’t fret that the reigning champs are 7-7 in their last 14 games, the most recent being a 13-point loss to Toronto who happened to be 13 ½ point underdogs. Relax.

Article I’ll skip: Ellen DeGeneres returns to US after fleeing the country, looks thrilled to be back

I pretty much got away from this but R.I.P.: Robert George “Bob” Uecker (90) – Actor, comedian, professional baseball player, sportscaster. In 731 career at-bats, his lifetime WAR was -1.0. Base stealing? He was 0-3 in his career. A very quotable man… and philanthropist.

DYK: In the movie, Major League, Bob Uecker was told he could do whatever he wanted with the character, broadcaster Harry Doyle. Uecker ad-libbed everything. “Juuuust a bit outside!”

Trivia #1 answer: On January 11, 2014, what player became the became the 1st player, in NFL history, to rush for > 150 yards with 4 or more rushing TD’s in a playoff game? – The Patriots’ LeGarrette Blount (166 yards, 4 TD) vs the Colts
Trivia #2 answer: What player is NOT in the top five all-time in NFL divisional round touchdowns? – Tom Brady, LeGarrette Blount, Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, John Riggins, Terrell Davis – Terrell Davis is #6 on the list
Trivia #3 answer: On January 17, 1997, the NBA suspended Dennis Rodman indefinitely for what? Kicking a cameraman, shoving a referee, punching a referee, punching another player, spitting on a fan, kicking a basketball – He kicked a cameraman

I feel bad for parents nowadays. They have to explain the birds and the bees, the bees and the bees, the birds and the birds, the birds that used to be bees, the bees that used to be birds, plus the bees that look like birds but still have a stinger!

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Bootlegger’s Day!

It would be my honor and privilege to serve you downtown this afternoon. Come on down!

“I’ll shine up the old brown shoes
Put on a brand new shirt
I’ll get home early from work
If you say that you love me”

– Cheap Trick (I Want You to Want Me)

                        Not great, I know. Try this.

That is all…

Friday, January 10, 2025

by fasted86

Briefly. (I was up a little late watching the Fighting Irish!)

My heart goes out to anyone/everyone effected by the southern California wildfires. I’ve found myself glued to the TV following all of this. Incredibly devastating. To see the helplessness on people’s faces and hear it in their voices is gut-wrenching.

To everyone I offended last year… work on yourself so I don’t have to do it again this year.

Trivia #1: What is retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction (R-CPD)?
Trivia #2: What quarterback has the most wild-card round passing touchdowns all time? – Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Brett Favre

On this date: January 10, 1863, 1st underground railway opens in London.
January 10, 1916, in retaliation for President Woodrow Wilson’s recognition of Mexico’s Carranza government, members of Pancho Villa’s revolutionary army take 17 US mining engineers from a train and shoot 16 of them in cold blood.
January 10, 1949, RCA introduces the 45 RPM record.
January 10, 1958, Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire” reaches #1 on the UK pop charts.

There’s nothing like Jerry Lee singing that song but Goose does a pretty good version himself.

So here we are. Recent research shows that millions of new cases of diabetes and heart disease every year are caused by sugary drinks. Another study showed that alcohol causes several types of cancer. Driving like an idiot can cause instant death and general stupidity can cause increased harm to yourself and others. Carry on…

More football! An instant classic last night in the first CFP semi-final, the other semi-final is tonight, two NFL wildcard games Saturday, three on Sunday and one Monday night. Bring it on!

Meanwhile, the Bruins lost last night, the Celtics are six back from the Cavs, the Red Sox are getting stingier by the day and well, the Patriots…

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: See trivia question #1.

Go away: Any and all articles about NFL teams asking permission to talk to/interview coaches from other teams. Enough already. When it’s over, just tell me who is coaching what team.

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: So, it really isn’t the apocalypse but there are many people describing the aftermath of the southern CA wildfires as “apocalyptic.”

Good news: Countless stories are being reported of good Samaritans/neighbors/first responders doing what people do to help one another in many different ways in respect to the wildfires. Some saving homes, some saving lives, others just doing what they can.

Bad news: Aside from the horrific CA wildfires, a Michigan couple died in two separate accidents between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Scott Levitan, 66, and Mary Lou Levitan, also 66, were both residents of Livonia. The sequence of events unfolded after Scott Levitan, who was ice-fishing with his 15-year-old grandson on Dec. 26, fell into a frozen lake while he was drilling a hole into the ice on Lake George in Addison Township. He was pulled out and taken to the hospital. The next day, Mary Lou Levitan was on her way to pick up her husband’s vehicle when she was fatally injured in a car accident. Scott Levitan was on life support at that time but did not survive.

Article I’ll skip: Aroma of meat drives some vegetarians and vegans to ‘cheat’, survey says.

So far, at least seven college football transfers have committed to Bill Belichick and his North Carolina program.

Trivia #1 answer: What is retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction (R-CPD)? – The inability to belch (no burp syndrome). The main muscle of the upper esophageal sphincter (the top gate of the food pipe), does not relax, which interferes with the burping process.
Trivia #2 answer: What quarterback has the most wild-card round passing touchdowns all time? – Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Brett Favre – Ben Roethlisberger with 16

No parent ever turned the car around. It was an empty threat we all fell for!

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Save the Eagles Day! And, more importantly, Happy National Quitters Day! Go ahead, throw those resolutions right out the window. Have that burger, have another drink, extend your middle finger towards the gym as you drive by, kick that puppy… OK, a little much there, but you get it.

“You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will, but what a thrill
Goodness gracious great balls of fire”

– Jerry Lee Lewis (Great Balls of Fire)

I need a little more today.

Friday, January 3, 2025

by fasted86

Briefly. Though it doesn’t appear that way.

My wife: The can opener is broken.
Me: You mean it’s a can’t opener?
My wife: I can’t believe I married you.

Trivia #1: On January 3, 1938, the March of Dimes was created to fight what disease? – Influenza, Polio, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Cancer, Venereal diseases
Trivia #2: Who is credited with coining the phrase “March Madness” to describe the NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament? – Al McGuire, Billy Packer, Dick Vitale, Jimmy Valvano, Rich Wysocki, Shaq, Brent Musburger
Trivia #3: What does VSiN stand for?

On this date: January 3, 1890, the 1st US college-level dairy school opens at University of Wisconsin
January 3, 1918, US Employment Service opens as a unit of the Department of Labor
January 3, 1920, Boston Red Sox baseball club owner Harry Frazee announces agreement to sell slugger Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $125,000 in cash and a $350,000 loan; start of the 84 year “Curse of the Bambino”
January 3, 1967, “The Tonight Show” is shortened from 105 to 90 minutes
January 3, 1977, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs incorporate Apple Computer, Inc
January 3, 1987, Aretha Franklin is the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

So far, favorites are 8-0 straight up and 7-1 against the spread in the College Football Playoff, while the teams with first-round byes went 0-4.

Go Irish!

Fun fact, not! – The Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase had more receiving yards this year than every player listed as a WR on the Patriots’ roster.  Ja’Marr Chase – 1,612, Patriots WR’s – 1,543

Tom Brady is actually a pretty good analyst.

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: If Drake Maye doesn’t start on Sunday due to injury, three quarterbacks drafted during Bill Belichick’s regime – Jacoby Brissett, Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe – will be starting on Sunday.

Go away: Is it too early to tell winter to go away?

Relax people! More than 3,000 people have signed a petition urging the owners of a chapel-turned bar in a Maryland Marriott property to abstain from serving liquor from the former high altar. Catholics are asking the Wye Oak Tavern in the recently opened luxury boutique Visitation Hotel in Frederick, Md., to restore the dignity of the chapel. The restaurant features a bar around the former high altar, which is flanked by large stained-glass windows and statues of kneeling angels. The restaurant, which opened on Dec. 19, is located in the former chapel of the Visitation Convent and Academy, a Catholic all-girls school that was established in 1846. It shuttered its doors in June 2016 due to low enrollment and was then purchased in 2017 and opened as a hotel in 2024. 

“You are what you do, not what you say you will do.” – Carl Jung

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: This tragedy in New Orleans. It’s disturbing and similar incidents continue to happen. What is wrong with people?

I mentioned I had watched some of the 2024 Plumbing National Championship. Well, how about the Auto Tech National Championship?? It’s a thing!

Speaking on Things, Dunk Score is a thing. These poor, young basketball players of today. They are being scarred at such a young age.

Will Howard played a huge role in Ohio State’s 41-21 victory in the Rose Bowl. After the eighth-seeded Buckeyes advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals, members of the team took the stage with roses in their mouths. However, Howard was too late to the party and was never able to join his teammates and head coach Ryan Day. Several people, including some Buckeyes, tried to inform those in charge that he was the quarterback who had just thrown for 319 yards and three touchdowns. But a man blocking the entrance stood firm in not allowing Howard on board. “They’re blocking me over there. There’s a weight limit, apparently.”

The Vrbo commercial with retired Alabama football coach, now ESPN analyst, Nick Saban is hilarious.

Good news: There are more than 500,000 children around the world live with advanced heart failure that requires transplantation. Ongoing research is to develop new therapies that can transform the lives of children with heart failure. A technology called induced pluripotent stem cells, where one can convert blood or skin cells of patients with heart failure into stem cells that then turn into heart cells … or even make engineered heart tissues that can be stitched onto the patient’s heart to help it pump. Incredible.

Bad news: A tragic accident on New Year’s Eve claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy during a ski trip at Cranmore Mountain in New Hampshire. The boy was skiing on a trail for intermediate skiers when the accident occurred. North Conway Fire and rescue team arrived on the scene and the boy had already been transported to the mountain base where he was unconscious. He did not recover.

Saquon Barkley, let the guy play. Though, even if he does, he still needs 101 yards to break the all-time record. Not exactly automatic.

Article I’ll skip: ‘Shazam!’ star says biblical disaster is looming thanks to artificial intelligence.

Weeks can feel like days, months can feel like weeks, and before we know it, another year has come to pass, so don’t wait to live—this isn’t a rehearsal.

Trivia #1 answer: On January 3, 1938, the March of Dimes was created to fight what disease? – Influenza, Polio, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Cancer, Venereal diseases – Polio
Trivia #2 answer: Who is credited with coining the phrase “March Madness” to describe NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball tournament? – Al McGuire, Billy Packer, Dick Vitale, Jimmy Valvano, Rich Wysocki, Shaq, Brent Musburger – It is Brent Musburger
Trivia #3 answer: What does VSiN stand for? – Vegas Sports Information Network

Guy to clerk: Excuse me, I ordered a dozen bees but you gave me thirteen.
Clerk: Ya, that extra one is a free bee.

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day!

I hope you all took the time at the end of the year to reflect back on 2024. To celebrate your victories and try to forget about your regrets. To be thankful for all you have and not crave for more materialistic things. To appreciate the ones you love and not hate. To commit to being a better person in 2025. I know I didn’t.

“Looking out on the morning rain
I used to feel so uninspired
And when I knew I had to face another day
Lord, it made me feel so tired

Before the day I met you, life was so unkind
But you’re the key to my peace of mind”

– Aretha Franklin (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Keep Yourself Alive!

Friday, December 27, 2024

by fasted86

Briefly.

Waitress: “I see your glass is empty, sir. Would you like another?”
Me: “Why would I want another empty glass?”

Trivia #1: How large is the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball in diameter? – 8 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet, 14 feet, 15 feet
Trivia #2: What two years did the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball not drop, and why?
Trivia #3: Which conference has never sent a team to the College Football Playoff?  – Mountain West, American, Sun Belt, Big 12, Merrimack Valley
Trivia #4: Which New Year’s Six bowl has Georgia never played in? – Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Bowling Bowl

On this date: December 27, 1831, the HMS Beagle, with Charles Darwin on board, departs England for a survey of South America, a voyage Darwin later said “determined my whole career.”
December 27, 1945, the World Bank was created with the signing of an agreement by 28 nations.
December 27, 1979, Sire Records releases “Pretenders”, the debut album of The Pretenders, in the US.
December 27, 2000, Pittsburgh Penguins center and part-owner Mario Lemieux scores a goal and 2 assists in his return to the NHL after more than 3 years out with injury problems and lingering cancer issues.

Were you able to delete your browser history before Santa got a hold of your phone?

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: WalletHub released its 2024 list of the most festive and affordable cities in the United States after conducting research across all 50 states in key dimensions: traditions & fun, observance, generosity, shopping, and costs. They determined that Atlanta,GA is the best place to celebrate Christmas. What?!

Go away: 2024 – actually, it wasn’t the worst year ever but I do hope 2025 is better.

Education, you’re doing it right. 40 Notre Dame football players had finals the night before their College Football Playoff game last week.

“A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.” – Lao Tzu

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Social media users, primarily young women, are fawning over Luigi Mangione, the suspect accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Briain Thompson. Mangione is charged with first-degree murder in furtherance of an act of terrorism, stalking and a slew of other state and federal charges in both New York and Pennsylvania, for allegedly gunning down Thompson, a married father of two from Minnesota. Since the attack and Mangione’s arrest, social media has erupted with positive posts about the murder suspect. A TikTok video of an artist sketching Mangione’s face over Alexander Hamilton’s face on a $10 bill to the sound of news anchors talking about the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” — the same words found on shell casings at the crime scene — has more than a million views and 234,000 likes.

Going for it, you’re doing it wrong. The college bowl season is always crazy, but on the day after Christmas, college football fans saw something they had never seen before. Thursday’s GameAbove Sports Bowl between Pittsburgh and Toledo took nearly five hours to finish as the contest saw six overtimes, the most ever in a bowl game, en route to Toledo’s 48-46 victory. Editor’s note: Pitt had a chance to win at the end of the 2nd OT but chose to kick a field goal when they had the ball on the 2-yard line  on 4th down. Serves ‘em right.

Good news: I’m heading into 2025 on a pretty good streak of consecutive days alive. Here’s to 2025!

Bad news: Will Robinson, an Oklahoma high school basketball coach and his family, were reportedly driving in their SUV on Tuesday morning when the vehicle left the roadway, got caught in a drainage ditch in Sherman, TX and was carried away by strong currents. All six family members were trapped inside. Robinson did not survive, while four other family members were rescued. The family’s 8-year-old daughter has not been found. Terrible.

Article I’ll skip: Super Bowl champ, Martin Gramatica, shares heartbreaking details from childhood

Trivia #1 answer: How large is the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball in diameter? – 8 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet, 14 feet, 15 feet – 12 feet
Trivia #2 answer: What two years did the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball not drop, and why? – 1942 and 1943, due to wartime lighting restrictions in WWII
Trivia #3 answer: Which conference has never sent a team to the College Football Playoff?  – Mountain West, American, Sun Belt, Big 12, Merrimack Valley – The Sun Belt conference
Trivia #4 answer: Which New Year’s Six bowl has Georgia never played in? – Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Bowling Bowl – The Fiesta Bowl

Before we work further on artificial intelligence, why don’t we try to do something about natural stupidity?

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Fruitcake Day!

“The middle of the road is trying to find me
I’m standing in the middle of life with my plans behind me
Well I got a smile for everyone I meet
As long as you don’t try dragging my bay
Or dropping the bomb on my street”

– The Pretenders (Middle of the Road)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, everybody!

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?”

Friday, December 20, 2024

by fasted86

Briefly. Hmmm, it didn’t turn out that way…

Merry Christmas (and Happy Holidays, I guess) to everyone reading and their families. I love Christmas time!

If anyone is alone with no family or nobody to spend Christmas with, please let me know… I need to borrow some chairs. (Oldie, but still gets a chuckle)

Trivia #1: What does CERN stand for?
Trivia #2: How much is a petabyte?
Trivia #3: What country’s tourism record was broken between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30? – Japan, United States, Iceland, Spain, France, Italy, Dracut
Trivia #4: In the movie “Home Alone,” where are the McCallisters going on vacation when they accidentally leave Kevin behind? – Greece, Paris, Disney, Hawaii, Aruba, Italy
Trivia #5: Which NBA player has played the most Christmas Day games – Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James?
Trivia #6: From what country does the poinsettia plant originate from?
Trivia #7: What was the first company that used Santa Claus in their advertising?

On this date: December 20, 69 (that’s right, 69 AD) General Vespasian’s troops occupy Rome after defeating the Emperor Vitellius
December 20, 1820, Missouri imposed a $1 bachelor tax on unmarried men aged between 21 & 50 (Can you imagine how many men then moved out of Missouri!)
December 20, 1967, Ian Anderson and Glenn Cornick form rock group “Jethro Tull” in Blackpool, England
December 20, 1969, Peter, Paul & Mary’s cover of John Denver’s song “Leaving On A Jet Plane” reaches #1
December 20, 1974, “The Godfather Part II”, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is released (Academy Awards Best Picture 1975)

Tomorrow is the shortest day of the year. It’s all downhill after that.

Rare ending to the first half in last night’s Denver/LA Chargers game. With eight seconds left in the half, and the Broncos leading 21-10, they punted the ball away in hopes of the time expiring and sending both teams to the locker room. The good news is that the clock hit zeroes – the bad news, however, is that Denver was called for fair catch interference. Of course, a half cannot end on a defensive penalty or a flag by the kicking team, so the Chargers had the opportunity for a “fair catch kick” after the penalty moved them up 15 yards. Cameron Dicker was able to line up for a 57-yard kick without any sort of rush, in fact, the ball didn’t even need to be snapped. He nailed it. That hadn’t happened in the NFL since 1976.

The Army/Navy football game, last Saturday, is such an event. The tradition, rivalry and respect given from all directions.

Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: The Bruins are tied for their most wins when trailing by 2 or more goals when entering the 3rd period in team history 2024/25 – 3, 2020/21 – 3, 2017/18 – 3.

The U.S. national debt is $36,189,345,826,140.62. Oops, sorry. That was yesterday. Right now, it’s up to $36,248, 090, 851, 924.00.

I kid you not. The other day while channel surfing, I came across the 2024 Plumbing National Championship. The winner, from Peabody, MA, took home $10K and a new set of tires. You cannot make that shit up.

Go away: Luigi Mangione, the thug who shot the healthcare CEO in the back. Just invoke capital punishment law (not that simple, I know) and get this guy out of our lives.

“Understanding the question is half an answer.” – Socrates

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: NYPD officers were seen sitting in the entire front row of the court room where Luigi Mangione’s court proceedings took place in the Blair County Courthouse. Several people outside the courthouse held signs that read “Deny, Defend, Depose,” the same message that Mangione allegedly left on shell casings at the scene of Thompson’s murder and words that are commonly used among insurance providers when they reject claims. 

Fewer people are watching the NBA than in previous years. Ratings for NBA games on ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV are down 25% through Saturday and there are many ideas floating about why. Three-pointer propensity and lack of defense are the two main bugaboos observers point to. Oh, don’t me going about the state of professional basketball…

Smuggling drugs, you’re doing it wrong. A Florida fisherman hoping to catch a big one recently hauled in more than 50 pounds of cocaine wrapped in watertight plastic and branded with a scorpion. “If you happened to have lost or misplaced approximately 25 kilos of cocaine and would like to have your property returned, please contact our Narcotics Agents and we will be more than happy to reunite you with your lost property,” the Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey joked alongside a photo of the drugs.

OK folks, you can relax now. The world’s largest hornet, an invasive breed dubbed the “murder hornet” for its dangerous sting and ability to slaughter a honey bee hive in a matter of hours, has been declared eradicated in the US, five years after being spotted for the first time in Washington state near the Canadian border.

Good news: For us football fans, that is. After last night’s NFL game, tonight is open but that is followed by one or more games on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday (Christmas), Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Whoa!

Bad news: ESPN’s Randy Moss has been diagnosed with cancer. What can I say, I like the guy.

Winning an award, you’re doing it wrong: Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty’s, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy last Saturday night, came up short to two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter in the voting. Jeanty thought so highly of his chances to win the award, he wrote and practiced an acceptance speech and even told the world he did so. DOH!

Article I’ll skip: Santa Claus might be real after all as a stunning new discovery proves it

This just in, the Patriots’ QB Drake Maye has been ruled out of Sunday’s game versus the Bills, due to a back injury. Apparently, Maye suffered the injury sometime during the past several games where he was carrying the team on his back…

Trivia #1 answer: What does CERN stand for? – European Organization for Nuclear Research
Trivia #2 answer: How much is a petabyte? – 1,000 terabytes or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000
Trivia #3 answer: What country’s tourism record was broken between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30? – Japan, United States, Iceland, Spain, France, Italy, Dracut – Japan saw 33.4 million visitors (247,500 were Americans)
Trivia #4 answer: In the movie “Home Alone,” where are the McCallisters going on vacation when they accidentally leave Kevin behind? – Greece, Paris, Disney, Hawaii, Aruba, Italy – They were going to Paris
Trivia #5 answer: Which NBA player has played the most Christmas Day games? – Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James? – Kobe Bryant (16)
Trivia #6 answer: From what country does the poinsettia plant originate from? – Mexico
Trivia #7 answer: What was the first company that used Santa Claus in their advertising? – Coca-Cola

Speaking of Japan, KFC is the preferred Christmas meal in Japan. Hey, I read it on the internet!

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

“Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero

Happy National Underdog Day.

Ya’ll got 5 days to get in the spirit. Let’s go!

First, the Eagles

Then, the boss!

Friday, December 13, 2024

by fasted86

Briefly.

I overheard a child at the park the other day tell his sad friend; “It’s OK to be sad. Sad stands for ‘Secretly a Dinosaur’.” Then he let out a big roar. Let me tell you, that kid is going places!

Trivia #1: On December 13, 1956, the Dodgers attempted to trade Jackie Robinson to the Giants for pitcher Dick Littlefield and $35,000. Why did the trade not go through?
Trivia #2: Who won the Heisman Trophy on this date in 2003? – Eric Crouch, Carson Palmer, Jason White, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush
Trivia #3: Who is Brian Thompson?
Trivia #4: What is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins’ first name? – Timothy, Tamaurice, Tyrone, Teebone, Teether, Tyler, Taylor, Tee, Who-gives-a-shit

On this date: December 13, 1769, Dartmouth College in New Hampshire receives its charter
December 13, 1928, the clip-on tie was designed
December 13, 1993, Dow Jones Industrial Average hits a record of 3764.43 (closed yesterday at 44,200)

Remember when teachers used to say; “You won’t have a calculator everywhere you go.” Well, we showed them!

Last night’s Thursday Night Football game featured the overall, number one draft pick in 2009, Matthew Stafford, versus 2022’s last overall draft pick “Mr. Irrelevant” Brock Purdy. Yup, Stafford won.

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: December 13, 1928, the clip-on tie was designed

Go away: Jay-Z

Go away, part deux: Los Angeles Lakers’ head coach J.J. Redick said Thursday that LeBron James is away from the team due to “personal reasons.” Turning 40 later this month, it seems that Father Time may just be sneaking up on the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. In fact, Redick admitted that James has felt “gassed” and the team feels they are mismanaging his minutes in his 22nd season. Redick also said James has asked to be taken out of a couple of games for some breaks. (Hey, if you can’t hang… don’t!)

They said it: “Understanding the question is half an answer.” – Socrates

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Amazon.com Inc. will begin testing a rapid delivery service in India this month, marking the company’s determination to compete with top players in the country’s fledgling quick-commerce business. They will be piloting a 15-minute delivery service in Bangalore. The product catalog on offer will vary from groceries to household items, depending on the neighborhood being served. (15 minutes!)

This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: Jersey residents frustrated with a lack of answers regarding dozens of potential drone sightings in the skies above their homes are threatening to take action on their own if the government doesn’t start providing answers. “A good shotgun will fix that problem,” one commenter replied.

I believe yesterday was the first day since Thanksgiving that I have not had any form of turkey to eat – sandwich, soup, pick-it-out-of-the-tupperware container…

Good Bad news: Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow home was burglarized while he was in Dallas facing the Cowboys on Monday. The NFL recently sent out a memo regarding the incidents. He is the latest NFL star to be the victim of a home burglary, joining Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. At least one other NFL player had his home burglarized. (That really sucks)

NFW: Bill Belichick could be headed to parts unknown to him. The legendary coach has interviewed for the head coaching job at the University of North Carolina. (No way this happens) – Hmmm. That was last week. I watched Belichick’s press conference yesterday. I was already a big fan and that hasn’t changed. I’ll be shocked if UNC (University of National Champions or… now… Chapel Bill) is not in the playoffs.

Article I’ll skip: ‘Golden Bachelor’ dating new woman since cancer led to divorce.

Trivia #1 answer: On December 13, 1956, the Dodgers attempted to trade Jackie Robinson to the Giants for pitcher Dick Littlefield and $35,000. Why did the trade not go through? – The trade didn’t go though because Jackie Robinson chose to retire rather than be traded.
Trivia #2 answer: Who won the Heisman Trophy on this date in 2003? – Eric Crouch, Carson Palmer, Jason White, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush – Jason White (Oklahoma QB)
Trivia #3 answer: Who is Brian Thompson? – The UnitedHealthcare CEO who was gunned down by the gutless thug, Luigi Mangione. Countless articles I’ve read don’t even mentioned the poor bastard’s name but instead “UnitedHealthcare’s CEO.” I say… a public stoning in Central Park is a pretty good sentence.
Trivia #4 answer: What is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins’ first name? – Timothy, Tamaurice, Tyrone, Teebone, Teether, Tyler, Taylor, Tee, Who-gives-a-shit – It is Tamaurice

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Happy National Violin Day.

“I worked like a slave for years,
Sweat so hard just to end my fears.
Not to end my life a poor man,
But by now, I know I should have run.”

The Moody Blues (Ride My See-Saw)

Vastly different version.

Friday, December 6, 2024

by fasted86

Briefly.

I got a new stick deodorant. The instructions said: Remove cap and push up bottom. I can barely walk but when I fart, the room smells lovely.

Jeez Ed, grow up!

Trivia #1: What US President gave the first presidential address on radio. – Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt
Trivia #2: Seven major “Negro Leagues” (baseball) competed between 1920-1948. Which was of the following was NOT one of those leagues: Negro American League, Negro National League I, Negro National League II, American Negro League, East-West League, North-South League, Eastern Colored League, Negro Southern League.

Fun fact: The average prison meal is more nutritious than the average school lunch.

On this date: December 6, 1735, first recorded appendectomy performed by Claudius Amyand at St George’s Hospital in London
December 6, 1957, 1st US attempt to launch a satellite fails – Vanguard rocket blows up
December 6, 1964, “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” 1st aired on TV
December 6, 1969, 300,000 attend free concert featuring The Rolling Stones in Altamont, California; the event is marred by violence and four deaths
December 6, 2017, “Supermassive” most distant black hole discovery announced by astronomers in journal “Nature”, 13 billion light-years away, 800x bigger than the Sun (who’s going to question that!?)

Do you get the Omaha Steaks offers? $89.99 for steaks, chicken breasts, jumbo franks, scalloped potatoes, caramel apple tartlets and now they throw in 8 steak burgers. I tell you what, Omaha Steaks, take a little off the price and keep the freakin’ caramel apple tartlets. Yuke!

The Bruins have scored 20 goals in the past 5 games!

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: The Celtics won another regular season game.

Go away: Weekly CFP rankings. Actually, these are kinda fun You know, listening to people bitch about how their team got screwed one way or another. It’s what helps make talk radio.

I bitch about the snow/cold now and again but I’ll admit, I can’t wait to use my snowblower in 12+ inches of snow and then walk around the block with a beer and watch everyone else do the same. It’s even better if someone doesn’t have a snowblower!

They said it: “I’d rather leave a couple of years too early than a couple of years too late.” – Pat Sajak

I prefer 4-5 practice beers before my actual first beer.

Good news: Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 497 yards on Monday night, a MNF record, though the Browns lost the game.

Bad news: Winston also through 171 yards worth of interceptions yards (2 pick-6’s) which, combined with his passing yards, set an NFL record of 668 combined yards. Yikes!

NFW: Bill Belichick could be headed to parts unknown to him. The legendary coach has interviewed for the head coaching job at the University of North Carolina. (No way this happens)

The later the Thanksgiving NFL game, the less I remember of it…

Cleansing, you’re doing it wrong. Marcela Alcazar Rodriguez, a Mexican actress, is dead after voluntarily participating in a spiritual cleansing ritual during which she reportedly consumed poisonous Amazonian frog venom.

Article I’ll skip: People are learning degrading practices from the porn industry.

In case you forgot, it’s Christmas movie season on AMC!

Local Dave McGillivray, race director of the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and longtime endurance athlete, completed the Ironman World Championship triathlon in Hawaii back in October. Keep in mind that McGillivray, who’s 60 and hadn’t competed in the event in 25 years, is a member of the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame, completed eight Ironman Triathlons in Hawaii in the 1980s, finishing 14th overall in 1980. McGillivray was diagnosed with severe coronary heart disease a year ago.

Trivia #1 answer: What US President gave the first presidential address on radio. – Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt – Calvin Coolidge, on December 6, 1923
Trivia #2: Seven major “Negro Leagues” (baseball) competed between 1920-1948. Which was of the following was NOT one of those leagues: Negro American League, Negro National League I, Negro National League II, American Negro League, East-West League, North-South League, Eastern Colored League, Negro Southern League. – Tough one. There was no North-South League

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do.

Happy National Bartender Day! (Speaking of which, maybe I’ll see you on Sunday afternoon?)
Also, Happy Microwave Oven Day!

“Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game”

The Rolling Stones (Sympathy For The Devil)

Friday, November 29, 2024

by fasted86

Briefly. (Ed’s head… large, this morning)

If I got five dollars for every math test I passed, I’d have $37.

Trivia #1: Where is (The Republic of) Mauritius?

On this date: November 29, 1887, US receives rights to Pearl Harbor, on Oahu, Hawaii
November 29, 1890, the 1st US Army – US Navy football game, Score: Navy 24, Army 0 at West Point
November 29, 1924, NHL’s Montreal Forum opened
November 29, 1934, Chicago Bears beat Detroit (19-16) in 1st NFL game broadcast nationally
November 29, 1975, US President Gerald Ford signs Education for All Handicapped Children Act requiring states provide free education for children with a disability
November 29, 2002, “The Concert for George”, a benefit memorial to George Harrison held at the Royal Albert Hall, London, features Eric Clapton; Paul McCartney; Ringo Starr; Jeff Lynne; Tom Petty; Joe Brown; Anoushka Shankar; Billy Preston; and members of Monty Python

Think of me what you will, I’ve got a little space to fill.

What? Football? Today???

Bruins – Have now gone 244:00 consecutive minutes at home without scoring a goal in the 3rd period – (12+ games)… And the B’s have just one 3rd period goal at home the ENTIRE season.

Go away: Roger Godell.) Not his first time mentioned here) For the first time in league history, the NFL is flexing a “Thursday Night Football” game. The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals were scheduled to play the Thursday night game during Week 16, but the NFL is replacing that matchup with the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Chargers. The change is unprecedented because of how drastically different team preparation is between a Thursday and Sunday game. (My opinion: Not to mention the fans and travel arrangements.

Don’t look now but the Patriots’ Drake Maye has five interceptions, four fumbles and has been sacked 12 times over the last four games.

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: Pluto is only 4 hours away if you travel at the speed of light.

Article I’ll skip: Former Van Halen singer shares what he’s thankful for head of Thanksgiving

Trivia #1 answer: Where is (The Republic of) Mauritius? – It is an island country in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa. Physiographically, it is part of the Mascarene Islands. The capital is Port Louis

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do.

Happy National Buy Nothing Day!

I heard the word “icy” is easy to spell. Looking at it now, I see why.

“So let’s get to the point
Let’s roll another joint
And let’s head on down the road
There’s somewhere I got to go
And you don’t know how it feels
You don’t know how it feels
No, you don’t know how it feels
To be me”

Tom Petty (You Don’t Know How It Feels)

Friday, November 22, 2024

by fasted86

Briefly.

A elderly woman is in department store lift when the door opens and two younger, well-off looking women step in.
Younger woman to the other younger woman: “Smell this. Christian Dior! $50/oz.”
The other woman back to her: “Smell this, Chanel No. 5, $60/oz.”
The elderly woman then farts and says, “Smell that! Brussel sprouts, $2.50/lb!”

Jeez, Ed. Grow up!

Trivia #1: On November 22, 1957, Simon & Garfunkel appeared on “American Bandstand” as who? – Simon & Garfunkel, Tom & Jerry, Paul & Art, Neal & Bob, Sonny & Cher
Trivia #2: Last weekend, the University of Memphis defeated the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), 53-18, claiming the “Battle of the Bones.” The associated trophy is a bronze statue of what – a skull, a rack of ribs, a skeleton, a skeleton of a foot, a chicken wing
Trivia #3: The NFL record for consecutive wins over a single opponent is 20. Which team over which team?

Cool football last night, in the snow. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want snow, I just want to watch it falling elsewhere.

On this date: November 22, 1910, Arthur Knight patents steel shaft golf clubs
November 22, 1927, 1st snowmobile patent granted to Carl Eliason (Sayner, Wisconsin)
November 22, 1963, US President John F. Kennedy is assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald while riding in an open-topped motorcade in Dallas, Texas
November 22, 1986, 20-year-old Mike Tyson becomes youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history when he stops titleholder Trevor Berdick in round 2 at Las Vegas Hilton to earn the WBC title
November 22, 1995, “Toy Story”, the first feature-length film created completely using computer-generated imagery, directed by John Lasseter and starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, is released

So, the site I use to get these “historic dates” lists November 22, 1903, when Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt got engaged. What is that? Now, I can see the date they got married, but engaged? Do they mention the first time they dated? The first time they… oh, never mind.

Bonus trivia: The first snowmobile patent was granted in Sayner, Wisconsin (see above). Where was the first snowmobile actually invented?

Speaking of Mike Tyson, the fight last weekend was pretty much a yawn-fest. The woman’s fight before Tyson’s was not! That fight actually made staying up worth it! Wow!

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: A Florida man has filed a class-action lawsuit against Netflix over the poor streaming quality that affected millions during the widely viewed boxing match between former heavy weight champion Mike Tyson and YouTube personality Jake Paul on Friday night. The class-action lawsuit filed in Florida state court is seeking damages of at least $50 million.

The Buffalo Bills did indeed end Kansas City’s undefeated season. Step one. Step two is keeping KC from winning three Super Bowls in a row.

Enjoying a deer-hunting trip, doing it wrong! At least three deer hunters in Michigan have died from heart attacks this hunting season. The act of deer hunting typically involves hiking to a tree stand or blind, waiting in the cold for hours and then dealing with a sudden surge of adrenaline when a deer is spotted. Once a hunter hits the deer, they have to track the deer, often for a long distance over rugged terrain.

If you can’t laugh, you have to leave.

Go away: Ellen DeGeneres, literally. Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi are reportedly saying cheerio to the U.S. following President-elect Trump’s victory earlier this month. The embattled comedian, known for her robust real estate portfolio, has allegedly settled in the Cotswolds in England. The DeGeneres source told the outlet that Trump’s re-election had inspired the couple’s decision to jump ship. (Finally! Someone who said they would leave the country based upon election results and actually did it!)

Viewers of the Netflix series Yellowstone are fired up with how John Dutton’s death was handled, they’re upset with how the story is developing down the final stretch and anything else you can think of has also made the list of things not making fans happy. People, relax. Frankly, I like where the series is going.

Quote of the week: “I hope you donated your body to science so they can study how much of a bitch you are.” – Summer to Beth (Yellowstone)

I haven’t heard a single fan complaining that the Bruins fired coach Jim Montgomery.

Don’t be that guy. After Thanksgiving dinner, just sit there quietly on the couch and watch football. Don’t silently fart and act like nothing happened.

Article I’ll skip: New York Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones bids farewell to Giants in emotional statement: “100% accountable for my part”

Trivia #1 answer: On November 22, 1957, Simon & Garfunkel appeared on “American Bandstand” as who? – Simon & Garfunkel, Tom & Jerry, Paul & Art, Neal & Bob, Sonny & Cher – They appeared as Tom & Jerry
Trivia #2: Last weekend, the University of Memphis defeated the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), 53-18, claiming the “Battle of the Bones.” The associated trophy is a bronze statue of what – a skull, a rack of ribs, a skeleton, a skeleton of a foot, a chicken wing – It is a 94-pound, bronze statue of a rack of ribs
Trivia #3: The NFL record for consecutive wins over a single opponent is 20. Which team over which team? – The Miami Dolphins over the Buffalo Bills between 1970 and 1980.

Bonus trivia: The first snowmobile patent was granted in Sayner, Wisconsin (see above). Where was the first snowmobile actually invented? – Ossipee, New Hampshire

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do.

Happy National Cranberry Relish Day! (yuck!)

If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, I assume those other “genders” were pulled out of Uranus? (Uh oh, that might offend someone…)

You locals, stay home today and build your thirst for tomorrow as I’ll be serving on Saturday this weekend.

“Well, I’ve been afraid of changing
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m getting older too”

Fleetwood Mac (Landslide)

Bonus: Toy Story (Theme song – Randy Newman)

Friday, November 15, 2024

by fasted86

Briefly.

Maybe it’s just me, but I find it annoying when someone just keeps talking while I’m trying to interrupt.

Trivia #1: The first US law school was established at which university? – University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Northern Essex Community College
Trivia #2: Who is Kool-Aid McKinstry?
Trivia #3: Who is Jesse Bongiovi?
Trivia #4: Which NFL franchise is the oldest in professional football history? – Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Chicago Bears

On this date: November 15, 1925, 1st hockey game at Madison Square Garden, NYC: Montreal Canadiens 3, NY Americans 1
November 15, 1939, “Gone With The Wind”, drama film directed by Victor Fleming and starring Clarke Gable and Vivien Leigh, premieres in Atlanta (Best Picture 1940, inflation not adjusted highest-grossing film of all time)
November 15, 1944, American bandleader Major Glenn Miller (US Air Force) was lost over the English Channel
November 15, 1979, Chris Haney and Scott Abbott develop the board game, Trivial Pursuit

The Washington Redskins lost last night.

And I’ll be rooting for Buffalo to knock off Kansas City on Sunday, ending their undefeated season.

Go away: In-season NBA tournaments

Don’t be that guy. Don’t be turning on your Christmas lights now. Go ahead and set them up, but don’t be turning them on until after Thanksgiving. Don’t do it!

Good news: A breast cancer vaccine could be closer to reality, according to Cleveland Clinic, as its researchers have announced some encouraging results. At the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer earlier this month in Texas, researchers shared updated findings from a study of a new vaccine designed to target triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a highly aggressive type of cancer.

Not good news: A 1-year-old was found dead in a vehicle outside of a Florida middle school after a relative allegedly forgot to take the 15-month-old child to daycare. Deputies with the Sumter County Sherrif’s office were called to South Sumter Middle School in Webster around 4 p.m. on Nov. 1. The child was left unattended in a vehicle parked at the school and was later found deceased. Webster is about 50 miles West of Orlando. Temperatures in the city reached a high of 86 degrees Fahrenheit that day. This devastating event marks the 37th child to lose their life in a hot car nationwide this year, well above last year’s total of 29. On average, 37 children under the age of 15 die each year from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle. Nearly every state has experienced at least one death since 1998. The highest number of deaths occurred in 2018 with 54 reports.

I used to love watching Mike Tyson fight and tonight is no different. The 58-year-old takes on 27-year-old Jake Paul in Tyson’s first professional fight since 2005. I’m rooting for him, but I don’t know…

Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: Any information regarding the NBA in-season tournament. More proof of the uselessness of the NBA regular season. They’ll try anything to get our attention. (Jeez Ed, let it go!)

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Reports that several universities across the nation canceled classes and provided safe spaces for students to recover from the presidential election prompted a wave of criticism that these schools aren’t preparing students for the “real world.” Georgetown University in Washington D.C., drew mockery on social media after news broke the college invited students to a “self-care suite” last Wednesday to recover from the stress of the 2024 presidential election. 

In case you missed it, the Notre Dame marching band played a tribute to Bon Jovi during halftime of ND’s thrashing of FSU. Jon Bon Jovi’s son, Jesse, was a walk-on at Notre Dame in 2017

Article I’ll skip: Bill Clinton reportedly opens up about fallout from Lewinsky scandal in new memoir

College GameDay, just a great show. And I do like the addition of Pat McAfee. Like him or not, the “Kicking Contest” segment is a hoot. Catch them tomorrow at the University of Georgia. (Expect a lot of signs and general moaning regarding Georgia’s slip to #12 in the CFP rankings. Poor Georgia…)

Speaking of tuning in, “Making Manson”, a docuseries about Charles Manson, premiers on Peacock on Nov. 19th.

Can anyone figure out the Bruins?

Trivia #1 answer: The first US law school was established at which university? – University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Northern Essex Community College – The University of Pennsylvania
Trivia #2 answer: Who is Kool-Aid McKinstry? – Kool-Aid is the New Orleans Saints’ 2nd round draft pick last year, a cornerback out of Alabama
Trivia #3 answer: Who is Jesse Bongiovi? – Jon Bon Jovi’s son
Trivia #4 answer: Which NFL franchise is the oldest in professional football history? – Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Chicago Bears – The Cardinals started playing professional football in 1899 in Chicago under the name of the Morgan Athletic Club.

Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.

Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)

Do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do.

Happy National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day!

Come on downtown this afternoon. I’d love to serve you…

“But I walk these streets, a loaded six-string on my back
I play for keeps ’cause I might not make it back
I’ve been everywhere, (Oh yeah) still I’m standing tall
I’ve seen a million faces and I’ve rocked them all”

– Bon Jovi (Wanted Dead or Alive) – some pretty good guitar, here

Bonus: Glenn Miller