Maybe I was a little harsh. No, I won't take back anything I said, because that is really how I feel. The facts are the facts., and sometimes truth is hard to take. I probably should have been more diplomatic and more reasonable, but, oh well.
On to other things. I have made the Super Bowl in my fantasy football league (one of them, anyway) and don't know what to do. Most of my good players are on playoff teams (Matt Hasselbeck, Corey Dillon, Brian Urlacher), but that is a problem that faces most fantasy players. This is the league with all my old buddies, and I have never won a league with them. That's 9 baseball seasons, 7 football seasons, 5 basketball seasons, 5 hockey seasons ans even 2 NASCAR seasons. That's 28 chances to win. Never a 1st, never a 2nd. Only 1 3rd. It's not that I suck at Fantasy sports, I've won many other leagues, I'm actually the 3 time defending champion baseball player in my work league, and the 2 time defending champ on football with the same group. However, my buds are a tough group. I want this one BAD! I haven't wanted something so bad since this one time at band camp...
Oh, by the way... The COWBOYS SUCK! I HATE THE NFL AND ALL THEIR REFEREE MINIONS! MAY THEY BURN IN HELL FOR ETERNITY.
Ahem, anyway. Fortunately it has been pretty nice around here, relatively warm, pleasantly so. Nova, the wonder dog has been sniffing around and is currently ticked off at me. I gave her a bath (you can't understand how bad a teacup chihuahua can smell, even when bathed regularly, man, a rott isn't as bad!) but what a nut! She's old and 3/4 blind, but when there is a strange noise, she growls and barks like she's going to do something about it. Yeah, right, like run into some unsuspecting burgler's ankle because she can't see more than six inches in front of her! No matter, she's cute, if bald, old, and blind.
One more thing, is there any news show more entertaining, witty, and insightful than "The Daily Show"? I know, people my age know all about it, but man, how great is that show?
Next posting will be the last in line for albums, I am still debating which one it will be. You'll know when I do.

OK, I'm going to piss off some people here, but that's what I feel. Christmas is a pagan consumer debauchery-fest that has nothing to do with what some people feel it should be about. Even leaving out the truth that Jesus was not born on December 25th (no one knows what day he was born on, but reasonable readers of the Bible can see that the time was more around mid October). The date was chosen to conform with the Roman celebration of Saturnalia, when gifts were given and parties were had by all. Even if the date was correct, Jesus himself said not to celebrate a person's birth, but to remember his death! Look at what goes on on the 25th: Christmas trees. The legend comes straight from the depths of paganism. Druids and other Nordic religions used the tree to symbolize "everlasting life" (never mind that they cut the tree down, thereby KILLING it!). Santa Claus. Either he was a nice guy who gave gifts to poor families, or he is a jolly elf at the North Pole. How do millions celebrate this? By lying to their children and saying that this guy is still around and spying on them. Who is he supposed to be? The President? Parents spend years teaching their children that lying is a horrible thing. Meanwhile, the whole time, they spin this web of deceit. No wonder many kids become disillusioned. How hypocritical. And, don't give me that bologna about Santa being the "spirit" of Christmas that ship sailed long ago. The only spirit of Christmas is the finance charge. That's what people do this time of year, get hopelessly deeper into debt buying things for each other, because the commercial interests out there pound this into their heads from November 25th until December 24th, then release news bulletins about how bad the buying season was. The sad fact is that the largest percentage of people do not even go to church on the supposed day that they celebrate the birth of their savior. They are too busy opening presents that they will be paying for for six months. Give me a stinking break. Christmas is bull and anyone who thinks otherwise is a sap.

OK, it's Sunday morning, and I have calmed down enough to be able to compose myself and write this. WE WUZ ROBBED! It is very difficult to win when your team is outnumbered 19-11. Let's review the Carolina Panthers/Dallas Cowboys fiasco: 1. Steve Smith, the Panthers best offensive player was ejected from the game in the 3rd quarter on very questionable grounds. This followed three different penalties all called on the Panthers on third downs that gave the Cowboys 1st downs. Up to this point the Panthers had been able to overcome all obstacles. Then came the surreal, Panthers go ahead very late 20-17, then the defense stiffens up, stopping the Cowboys and forcing a field goal try. Wonder of wonders, Julius Peppers slices through and gets his arm on the ball, field goal no good, less than :30 on the clock, all Jake has to do is sit on it, division title ours. But, what's that? A yellow hanky on the field? Refs call roughing the kicker, even though replays show the ball was tipped, so there should be no call (don't say that to the Cowboy-leaning announcers, though, they insist that there is no conclusive evidence, just what your eyes can clearly see, you bozos.) Cowboys get the ball back on like the nine yard line first down. Bledsoe then throws a corner fade to Terry G;en that also is clearly bobbled all the way, he doesn't control is until he is out of bounds, right? WRONG ref signals touchdown, game basically over right there, 24-20. Unbelievable, If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I never would have thought that refs would be so blatent. I know that Dallas will get the calls and all, but geez, could they at least give another team just one?

Let me tell you something. When making a list, the first few are the easy ones. No matter what you are talking about, Movies, candy, toys (when you're a kid, anyway), loves. Every time you start, it's narrowing it down to the final couple that's the challenge. I started my list with a clear idea that a top ten album list would be a snap, then I would move on to other topics, finishing up just in time for spring training and my game by game review of my favorite subject, my beloved Mets. The first 8 albums were pretty much a snap. I was so cocky that I even included one in an artistic listing that I would not have ever included otherwise, but I was upholding the premise, after all, and considering myself the ultimate amateur critic, I went with it. But now, here's my dillema: I have two slots and at least four prospects! Really, I don't care who you are, try it sometime. No matter what the subject, keeping to the form of only ten is more difficult than you would think. No matter how you look at it, it is virtually impossible, you keep thinking of more, and they all have legit reasons to be in there. It will be interesting which way I will go with this. I have gone so far as to bring as many of the prospects with me to work to review them again, even though I already have memorized them all! Alas, the decision will have to be made, and it shall.
For tonight, though, here's number 9:
Reckoning REM 1984
The apex of indie college rock of the early 80's, back when REM was an underground sensation, and their fans could sniff down their noses that they were ahead of the curve, while the bleating sheep stuck with the pop jusnk that was out there at the time. Let's do the song by song:
1. Harborcoat. Nice melodies, even if Michael "mumbles" Stipe was almost indecipherable in his inflection (really, throughout the entire recording, but it's fabulous, nonetheless) 2. 7 Chinese brothers. pulsing, haunting, uplifting, cool. 3. So. Central Rain 2nd best song of the set. I LOVE THIS ONE. Listen to it yourself, you'll see why. 4. Pretty Persuasion. Great tempo, great harmonies another fantastic one. 5. Time after Time. A song of longing, what lyrical images he weaves in this one. 6. Second Guessing Rant that can be interpeted any way you want, is he mad at himself? her? life? 7.Letter Never Sent. curveball song. 8. Camera. Dark, sad, longing, deep. Ultra Seminal work. 9. Don't Go Back to Rockville. Simply the best song done by REM, bar none. THis song is pretty much my life in 4:34. If I had a band, this definitely would be the one song I had to do. The set closes with little america, a nice little after dinner mint that following the great sonic meal you just finished enjoying.
OK, here it is we have reached the final listing:
NOT, one more to go, just not now. Deal with it.
On a personal note, things are pretty much the same since I last posted. This past weekend was a waste. That's the way we wanted it, though. We didn't get anything accomplished, but that was ok. My wife, Ms. Special is a Dallas Cowboy fan, and I hate them, so I had great fun rubbing the slaughter in. I, on the other hand simmered in the glory of the Carolina Panthers beat down of the Saints. This weekend should be extremely fun, since Dallas plays Carolina. I just hope that after my squad stomps butt, Steph will speak to me. I just hope that My two boys, Justin (15, no football affiliation at this time, but a Met fan like his old man, and a pretty decent second baseman, also like his old man) and Cody (13, New England Patriots fan , believe me , I hate that, but a Mets fan of course, and also working on that second base thing) will be with us. Sunday afternoons in the wintertime are fun like that, four tv's, four different games, it's like the Stark family sportsbar.
Well, enough for tonight, I have a class to attend.

OK, as promised:
Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd 1973
Ninth album from the quintessential 70's trip band. From start to finish, this is a great album. The show starts with "Speak to Me" and "Breathe" the latter, a flowing, melodious tune that sets the tone for the rest of the album. While dark thoughts abound, along with witticism galore, "Breathe", with it's references to home, glows with longing languidity. "On the Run","Time" and "The Great Gig in the Sky" follow and are marvelous in their use of technology of the time to set a tone and broaden mental horizons, this is 70's pot rock at its best. The next song "Money" is the best known song on the disc. How ironic that it is used in commercials now? It was meant to be a diatribe against greed and materialism, now they hawk cars with it, Wow. "Us and Them" returns us to the dreamy vibe, and is one of my favorites. I remember when I was younger, listening to that song at night, half asleep,a little freaked out with the voices in the background. Of course, the beginning of "Time", with it's clocks striking the alarm at the same time, usually had disoriented me enough the I was mostly awake by then. "Any Colour You Like", "Brain Damage", and "Eclipse" close out the session. What fun that disc is. I know, a little trite, but really, how can one not include a disc that was on the charts for over 566 consecutive weeks! Really, 566 weeks+, you can look it up.

Well, that's 8, just 2 more to go! Who will make the cut? Tune in next time.