Sunday, August 31, 2014

AZ Tidbits

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Friday, August 29, 2014

Arizona State 45, Weber St 14

Arizona State started their season last night with a 45-14 win over Weber State at Sun Devil Stadium.  It was Weber State though, so temper your enthusiasm, they are not a good football program.  Still, you need to dominate teams you are suppose to dominate.  Plenty to clean up as they move forward.  1-0 is a good start!

Observations:

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Minnesota 42, E. Illinois 20

The Gophers kicked off their 2014 season tonight with a 42-20 win over Eastern Illinois at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.  It was a nice win for the Gophers, 2 late E. Illinois TD's made it look closer than it appears.  They've still got some work to do though, their passing game still needs to get better, and their depth will be tested but all in all you have to be happy with this win.  1-0!!!

Observations:
  • The Gophers secondary is very impressive, they go pretty deep too. 
  • Depth along the interior DL may be tested this season.  
  • The Gophers RB depth is very impressive, they go at least 4 deep.  
  • Berkley Edwards looks like he can really provide a different look to the Gophers offense.
  • The Gophers passing game is still a work in progress.  
  • Back up QB Chris Streveler looked solid in his first college game action.
  • The Gophers special teams looked like they could be a very special unit this season.
  • LB Damien Wilson was in beast mode tonight.  
  • Hitting someone in the groin is frowned upon in college football.  
  • Tracy Claeys just may be the best Defensive Coordinator in college football.  
  • Donovahn Jones is progressing nicely at WR.  
  • Alex Keith looked very good starting for injured Michael Amaefula at DE
  • Pete Mortell averaged 51.2 yards on 5 punts!  
  • Turnovers:  Eastern Illinois 3, Minnesota 1.  
  • The Gophers played a lot of true freshman tonight.  It looks like a good class!  
  • Kicker Ryan Santoso has got one hell of a leg.  
  • David Cobb continued right where he left off last year.  
  • Eastern Illinois is a solid FCS team, I predict a good season for them. 
  • It was nice seeing Peter Westerhaus leading the Gophers on to the field.
  • Up next?  Middle Tennessee State @ home next Saturday. 

Jon Stewart on Ferguson

No more vacations for Jon Stewart!


Nice work from Michael Che too.


Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Top 10 Summer TV Shows 2014

I've once again been pleasantly surprised by the quality of television this summer, hopefully it's a good sign as we move towards the fall.  Kudos to FX too, I love all of original programming they produced this summer.  Anyways, here are my Top 10 Television Shows/Series for the summer of 2014:
  1. The Bridge (FX) 
  2. Under The Dome (CBS) 
  3. America's Got Talent (NBC) 
  4. Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
  5. Tyrant  (FX)
  6. Married  (FX) 
  7. Halt and Catch Fire (AMC) 
  8. Last Comic Standing (NBC) 
  9. Gang Related  (FOX) 
  10. The Leftovers (HBO) 
I can't say enough good things about "The Bridge", their second season has been just as strong as their first.  "Under The Dome" slipped a little, but it has still kept me entertained.  "America's Got Talent" is always amusing, it's fun summer programming.  "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" does a nice job of utilizing John Oliver's talents.  "Tyrant" is a very timely look at the troubled mid-east region.  "Married" is crude and rude, and very funny.  "Halt and Catch Fire" took me back to the days of early personal computers, it's amazing how far we've come.  "Last Comic Standing" is a great show for up and coming comics.  I had low expectations for "Gang Related" but I was pleasantly surprised by it, it got much better as the season progressed.  Conversely, my hopes for "The Leftovers" was sky high, they didn't quite reach those heights, but it's still worth a watch.  I didn't include "Orange is the New Black", their second season was released on Netflix in early June, it would be number one on this list if I had, it's hard for me to include Netflix on a list like this though as it's a one or two day binge for most people. 

Summer 2013

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The Ice Bucket Challenge has really been a godsend for ALS research!

 

Some just do it better than others too!

Monday, August 25, 2014

AZ Tidbits

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was a smart man.

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Saturday, August 23, 2014

Love-Wiggins Trade

It's official.  Finally.  The Timberwolves deal Kevin Love to the Cavaliers for Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and a future first round draft pick (Miami's 2015 first round pick).  The Timberwolves then flip that number one pick, along with Alexey Shved and Luc Mbah a Moute to the 76ers for Thaddeus Young.  The Wolves will also apparently receive a $6.3 million trade exception in the deal.

Don't make any mistake here, Kevin Love is the best player in this deal, and it's really not even close.  This is a great deal for the Cavaliers, they now have a fearsome threesome of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving & Kevin Love.  That's a damn good combination and immediately makes the Cavs the team to beat in the relatively weak NBA Eastern conference.  Being a Timberwolves fan though (and yes, there are a few of us left), I'm ok with this deal, I think it's probably the best the Timberwolves could have done considering that Kevin Love had threatened to leave as a free agent after next season.

The Wolves essentially trade Love before he leaves as a free agent, dump a couple of salaries that were weighing them down and got 3 nice young pieces in Wiggins, Bennett and Young.  Keep in mind, Wiggins & Bennett were the first overall picks in the past 2 NBA drafts.  Wiggins, although still raw, has star potential, he could eventually make the Cavs regret they made this deal.   Bennett, although a bust last year, still has some upside, he looked healthy, in shape and ready to redeem himself in the Las Vegas Summer League last month.  Young is a quality replacement for Love in the Wolves starting lineup and he fits perfectly with Rubio, LaVine & Wiggins.  The biggest downside to Young is that he'll be a free agent next offseason, although I'm guessing the Wolves will make every effort to resign him.  Overall, not a bad return at all in exchange for the Wolves disgruntled big man.

So, as things stand now, the Timberwolves lineup looks like this:

Point Guard:   Ricky Rubio, Mo Williams, J.J. Barea
Off Guard:  Kevin Martin, Chase Budinger, Zach LaVine
Small Forward:  Andrew Wiggins, Corey Brewer, Shabazz Muhammad, Glenn Robinson III
Power Forward:  Thaddeus Young, Anthony Bennett, Robbie Hummel
Center:  Nikola Pekovic, Gorgui Dieng, Ronny Turiaf

That's 16 players so a few tweaks are obviously still forthcoming.  I'm expecting that J.J. Barea is dealt before camp opens (I don't know why they would have signed Mo Williams otherwise).  I suspect that Glen Robinson III will spend plenty of time in the developmental league.  With the large number of wings on the roster I wouldn't be shocked to see one of them dealt too (Martin, Budinger, Brewer or Muhammad).

That's not a bad lineup, I doubt that it's a playoff lineup though, especially in the tough NBA Western conference.  I'm guessing 30-35 wins is within reach, along with another trip to the lottery.  Would that be so bad though?  They could then add another solid young player to their roster in next years draft.  I do really like the Rubio, LaVine, Wiggins, Dieng building blocks (along with Young & Bennett), it's loaded with potential and looks like it could be a team to watch moving forward.  C'mon, admit it, Rubio pushing the ball with Wiggins and LaVine on the wings, that'll be fun to watch too!

Finally, props to Flip Saunders, he's had a nice offseason for the Timberwolves!  I was skeptical, but I've been impressed so far.


Friday, August 22, 2014

Ashley Sky

It doesn't get much better than Ashley Sky.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

TPSG Top 10 Movies of 1989

Continuing with my look at the best movies of years gone by.

Top 10 Movies of 1989:
  1. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - Harrison Ford, Sean Connery
  2. Field of Dreams - Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones
  3. When Harry Met Sally - Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan
  4. Do The Right Thing - Spike Lee, Danny Aiello
  5. Dead Poets Society - Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke
  6. Born on the Fourth of July - Tom Cruise, Raymond J Barry
  7. My Left Foot - Daniel Day Lewis, Brenda Fricker
  8. Say Anything - John Cusack, Ione Skye
  9. Crimes and Misdemeanors - Woody Allen, Martin Landau
  10. Driving Miss Daisy - Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy
I absolutely loved the first 2 Indiana Jones movies, they don't get much more fun than those.  "Field of Dreams" is without a doubt one of the best baseball movies ever.  "When Harry Met Sally" attempts to answer that age old question of whether men and women can be friends.  "Do the Right Thing" was Spike Lee's breakout movie.  "Dead Poets Society" could very well have been Robin Williams best movie.  "Born on the Fourth of July" tells the tremendous tale of Ron Kovic.  Daniel Day Lewis' performance in "My Left Foot" is worth the price of admission.  Who hasn't seen John Cusack holding that boom box over his head outside his girlfriends house in "Say Anything"?  "Crimes and Misdemeanors" is classic Woody Allen.  I loved the relationship between Morgan Freeman & Jessica Tandy in "Driving Miss Daisy".

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Monday, August 18, 2014

GOP on Foreign Policy

It may be wise to give pause to any right wing foreign policy suggestions.  Just saying.

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Yes, that's John McCain when he was suggesting that we arm ISIS to fight in Syria.


Sunday, August 17, 2014

Top 10 Robin Williams Movies

In honor of Robin Williams, I've decided to list my Top 10 Robin Williams Movies:
  1. Good Will Hunting  (1997)
  2. Dead Poets Society  (1989)
  3. Good Morning, Vietnam  (1987)
  4. Insomnia  (2002)
  5. The Birdcage  (1996)
  6. One Hour Photo  (2002)
  7. Mrs. Doubtfire  (1993)
  8. Aladdin  (1992)
  9. Jumanji  (1995) 
  10. The Fisher King (1991)
The top 3 are pretty clear choices.  Robin won an Oscar for "Good Will Hunting", great story, great character, great acting.  Who wasn't inspired to 'seize the day' after  watching "Dead Poets Society".  "Good Morning, Vietnam" was probably his breakout film, he was perfect for that role.   "Insomnia" and "One Hour Photo" were clear departures for Robin and he really pulled them both off.  "The Birdcage" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" were probably his funniest movies.  "Aladdin" and "Jumanji" were 2 very good family movies.  Robin gave a great performance and was nominated for an Oscar in "The Fisher King".   RIP Robin Williams, you will be missed!   

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Better Call Saul

"Better Call Saul" is set for a February 2015 debut on AMC.

Friday, August 15, 2014

POTpourri

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Manning Brothers Part II

I'm not sure if this tops their last commercial, but it's not bad.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Favorite Movie Villians

A good villain can really make a movie!

TPSG Top 10 Movie Villains:
  1. Heath Ledger as the Joker in "The Dark Night"
  2. Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs"
  3. Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill "The Butcher" Cutting in "Gangs of New York"
  4. Arnold Schwartznegger as the Terminator in "Terminator"
  5. Tony Moran as Michael Myers in "Halloween"
  6. James Earl Jones as Darth Vader in "Star Wars" series
  7. Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in "Psycho"
  8. Richard Kiel as Jaws in "James Bond" series
  9. Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
  10. Glenn Close as Alex Forrest in "Fatal Attraction"  
Heath Leder and Anthony Hopkins are clearly the top 2, the others are pretty much bunched together.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

RIP Robin Williams

RIP Robin Williams.  A true comedy icon.  He will be missed!

Monday, August 11, 2014

AZ Tidbits

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Shark Week Is Upon Us

Check it out on the Discovery Channel!

Impeachable Offenses

Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution states:  "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

That definition seems rather clear to me, why isn't it clear to Republicans?   President Obama has done absolutely nothing that merits impeachment.  

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Inaguration Night

Remember that night Barack Obama was inagurated as President?

block-black-guy_n

Friday, August 8, 2014

TPSG Top 10 Movies of 1990

Continuing with my look at the best movies of years gone by.

Top 10 Movies of 1990:
  1. Goodfellas - Robert DeNiro, Ray Liotta
  2. Dances With Wolves - Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell
  3. Misery - James Caan, Kathy Bates
  4. The Hunt For Red October - Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin
  5. Total Recall - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone
  6. The Godfather Part III - Al Pacino, Andy Garcia
  7. The Grifters - John Cusack, Anjelica Huston
  8. Ghost - Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore
  9. Home Alone - Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci
  10. La Femme Nikita - Anne Parillaud, Marc Duret
"Goodfellas" is one of the best gangster movies ever, I loved it.  "Dances With Wolves" is a great Western about a white man who goes to live amongst the Sioux Indians.  "Misery" is probably the best movie adapted from a Stephen King story.  "The Hunt For Red October" is another great submarine movie!  "Total Recall" is one of the better sci-fi films I've ever seen.  "The Godfather Part III" is without a doubt the weakest film of the Goodfather trilogy, but it's still very entertaining.   I loved the interplay between Cusack & Huston in "The Grifters".  "Ghost" has really held up well over the years.  "Home Alone" is a lot of fun, it's easily Macauley Culkin's best movie.  Seeing Anne Parillaud in that tight little black dress in "La Femme Nikita" was just mesmerizing.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Lawrence O'Donnell on Income Inequality

Good stuff from Lawrence O'Donnell on income inequality.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

POTpourri

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Presidential Executive Orders

Why are Republicans suddenly opposed to the use of Executive Orders?

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Speaking of the use of Executive Orders, why isn't the media reporting on the why the President feels the need to use Executive Orders?   Don't give me the bluster about the constitution either, the framers knew exactly what they were doing when they gave the President the power to execute Executive Orders.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Arizona Primary Elections

It's time for my Arizona Primary Election endorsements!

Keep in mind, I'm a democrat, I almost always vote democrat, I suggest other follow suit.

I'm only listing the districts that I will be voting in, I honestly don't know the other districts well enough to give a valid opinion on them.

Governor
Democrat - Fred DuVal, this is an easy one, he's the only candidate
Republican - Scott Smith, everyone else is to the far right.

U.S. Congressional District 9
Democrat - Krysten Sinema, she's not the perfect candidate, but does deserve another term.
Republican - blah, nobody worth mentioning.

Arizona House of Representative District 24
Lela Alston & Ken Clark are easy picks, Richard Bauer is not my cup of tea.

Secretary of State
Democrat - Terry Goddard - there is nobody in the state more qualified for this position.
Republican - Michele Reagan.  I'm not comfortable with Wil Cardon or Justin Pierce.

Attorney General 
Felecia Rotellini - if only she had won last time.  It's time to fix this mistake.

Scottsdale City Council (3)  
1-Linda Milhaven - I have no issues with the job she has done so far.
2-Dennis Robbins - I have no issues with the job he has done so far.
3-Jennifer Peterson - supports the bar district & McDowell Road corridor redevelopment.
Others:  Bill Crawford would be horrible for the bar district.  Michael Auerbach has the dreaded Tea Party support.  Kathy Littlefield's connection to Bob Littlefield is not a good thing in my opinion.  Cindy Hill would probably be fourth on my list, followed by David Smith I just haven't heard enough from either of them to warrant selecting either of them over the top 3 though.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

AZ Tidbits

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Courtney Stodden

I'm really not quite sure what to think of Courtney Stodden.

Friday, August 1, 2014

TPSG Top 10 Movies of 1991

Continuing with my look at the best movies of years gone by.

Top 10 Movies of 1991:
  1. Silence of the Lambs - Jodi Foster, Anthony Hopkins
  2. Terminator 2:  Judgement Day - Arnold Schwarzengger, Linda Hamilton
  3. Boyz n the Hood - Cuba Gooding Jr, Ice Cube
  4. Thelma & Louise - Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis
  5. Bugsy - Warren Beatty, Annette Bening
  6. JFK - Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman
  7. Cape Fear - Robert DeNiro, Nick Nolte
  8. Barton Fink - John Turturro, John Goodman
  9. City Slickers - Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern
  10. Point Break - Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze
The Hannibal Lecter character in "Silence of the Lambs" is one of the films all time best.  "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" is one of those rare sequels that is better than the originals.  "Boyz n the Hood" brought us the brutality of South Central Los Angeles.  "Thelma & Louise" is perhaps the best female buddy film ever. Any movie about the life and times of Bugsy Siegel cannot help but make a list of top films.  Oliver Stone's interpretation of the JFK assassination was interesting to say the least.  Robert DeNiro as Max Cady was outstanding in "Cape Fear".  "Barton Fink" is yet another in long line of great Coen Brother movies.  "City Slickers" was a lot of fun and Billy Crystal & Jack Palance were both terrific in it.  "Point Break" was my introduction to Kathryn Bigelow, I just loved everything about it, from the surfing to the brotherhood, to the action, it's very entertaining.