Rise and Shine --- Biting the apple

Good Morning and welcome to Monday in the summer!

Well, it might feel like summer, but it is still mid-October so these nice temperatures won't last forever. It's best to enjoy them when you can.
By the way, driving around Sunday (being a Sunday driver?), it was interesting to see the variable prices at the gas pump. Here, prices were anywhere from $3.05 to $3.19. Go a bit north and you have to add about a dime to to the price.
Don't they all get the gas from the same place? Shouldn't the prices be the same all over? Somebody smarter than me can probably figure this out.
Anyway, the best part of this time of year, besides the cool Halloween decorations that are popping up all over, has to be the apples.
There's nothing better than biting into a crisp, sweet apple during the month of October. Sure, now markets carry different fruits all year round. You can get a pineapple or watermelon in the middle of winter thanks to those trucks that drive way to fast on the highways.
Still, local apples in the fall are about the best that can be had. Just think about how much better a meal becomes with an apple pie at the end. How about some apple crisp or baked apples? Nothing better.
The best thing about apples, though, is how they are portable. You can eat one while driving, walking, sitting, taking the train, just about everywhere.
Hey, there has to be something after a long weekend.
Of course, there's always this:

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning weekend warriors!
Wasn't it nice for the Phillies and Dodgers to play a two-and-a-half hour game?
For the first time in 25 years, I was actually able to sit down in front of the television and watch a Phillies playoff game.
Yeah, yeah, they were in the playoffs in 1993, but, in a former life, I was able to work the games, so I didn't get the pleasure of listening to these national announcers.
Now, the Phillies announcers, especially Chris Wheeler, get a lot of flack, but, after watching the Fox broadcast Thursday night, I missed the banter.
Here are some observations:
n One of the best parts of postseason baseball is watching as the players are introduced to the fans. They are announced, run out one-by-one and tip their caps. It might be corny, but they used to show this on television all the time. So, when 8 p.m. rolled around Thursday, we got some goofy Fox talking heads trying to be funny. Hey, this isn't 'America's Got (no) Talent.' Mark Grace was a good player for the Cubs, but he has no real insight on this series. Get rid of the useless pregame show and give us the warmups.
n Is it just me or is Tim McCarver not aging nicely. How about this separated at birth:

n The usual Viagra commercials don't shock any more. We've seen them all for years and, well, whatever. Scarier was the Craig T. Nelson Poltergeist/Direct TV deal. Where McCarver is one thing, Nelson appears to have had some work done. By the way, is it just me or is this commercial in bad taste. After all, Poltergeist star Heather O'Roarke is DEAD!
n It's amazing how the national announcers change sides as the game goes along. When the Dodgers were winning, Joe Buck was gushing about Joe Torre and the job he's done. When the Phillies took the lead and eventually won, Buck was falling over himself to praise the Phils. How about calling it down the middle? What happened to that? Joe Buck you are no Jack Back nor are you a poor man's Howard Cosell. Just call the game.
n Who the heck is Ken Rosenthal? This guy was a dugout reporter for Fox. After seeing his one report then post-game interview with Pat Burrell I think Hollywood has found its star for a 'Robocop' remake.
Here's the video:

Phillies power past Dodgers

Here's Robocop:


So, Go Phillies and if you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Rise and Shine

Good Morning. You are looking LIVE a the NLCS!
OK, it's not live, but you get the picture. Also, if we actually "Paint the Town Red" can we get in trouble.
By the way, ever notice how sometimes the universe keeps you grounded.
I can remember as a child getting banged up all the time. I remember two times being rushed to the hospital to get stitches. Once for a broken leg.
Well, we have been lucky for the last nine years. Despite having two boys and a precocious little girl, there haven't been many major injures or illnesses.
Sure, there was a banged head here and there and the younger boy did have to spend a day in the emergency room after banging his head. That was a quick staple (staple?) to keep it closed. Despite having children jump off couches, ladders, down steps, off trees and falling off bikes, there have been no broken bones. There was no need to head to the hospital.
That was until yesterday.
After answering the phone and hearing: "There's been an accident. We are stopping the blood, but he should get somebody to take a look."
You have to jump back in the car, call the doctor (by the way, thanks, Kids First, for hanging up during an emergency. What is it, "Kid's First unless we have to make some coffee"). Finally get to school. Rush to the hospital. Wait in the emergency room. Pull a scared little boy to see the doctor and still keep as normal as possible.
Thankfully, the person who had to do all this is adept at handling about 100 things at any given time, then adding about 20 more.
Once again, luck held and the injury was just a deep gash and could be fixed with glue (glue?).
In the end, it all worked out all right, but what fun?
Speaking of fun:

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning and hope everybody has recovered from their debate parties!

By the way, while Tina Fey has popularized the 'Maverick' drinking game for Sarah Palin, how about a couple more. For John McCain, every time we here 'My Friends,' crack one open. Pour a drink for Barack Obama's 'Fundamental.' Although it's probably 'Change' out there, that's too easy.
Now that that's out of the way, we are getting ready for the Phillies vs. Dodgers in the NLCS. A 'Back to the Future' series between two storied franchise, one a loser one a winner.
So, there will be many of comparisons between L.A. and Philadelphia. Check out our Phillies preview section Thursday for one by Phillies writer Ryan Lawrence.
One that Ryan brings up is the song about the city. He uses Elton John's 'Philadelphia Freedom' against Randy Newman's 'I love L.A.' He probably could have gone with Springsteen's 'Streets of Philadelphia,' but that's a bit too depressing.
So, here you have the candidates. Get out and vote:


and...



If you have a preference or any other comparisons, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

RISE AND SHINE

Good (Chilly) Morning out there in the dark!

Yeah, it's kind of cold out there this morning. I was actually able to see my breath heading out today. Bring back the summer. It's supposed to get chilly in October, but I, for one, am not quite ready yet. Is it too much to ask for one more 80 degree day?
Anyway, forget the weather, we have meaningful baseball being played in mid October for the first in what, 15 years.
Thankfully the Dodgers won the other NLDS and get to come to town to play the Phillies. The Phillies have been around since 1883 and this will be only the seventh time the franchise has been to this level of playoffs. (OK, the League Championship Series didn't begin until 1969, but why split hairs.)
Of those seven times, this will be the fourth time the Phillies are playing the Dodgers.
Now, it's not like there's been a lot of fun times playing the Dodgers in the playoffs. Remember 1977 when Danny Ozark should have taken Greg Luzinski out of the game in the ninth. He didn't, Luzinski booted a ball and the Phillies lost.
How about 1978? Garry Maddux made maybe three errors his whole baseball life, but dropped a fly ball then watched another go through his legs as the Dodgers clinched the series.
Sure, there was a victory over L.A. in 1983, but that team was less 'Phillies' and more hangers on. They were led by Joe Morgan, Tony Perez and Pete Rose, three key members of the 1970s 'Big Red Machine' in Cincinnati. Even getting beaten by the Orioles in the World Series didn't seem that bad.
So, now we have the Dodgers again. At least this time if history repeats itself we won't have to see Tommy Lasorda dancing around.
Or will we...


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Delaware County and all the ships at sea!

Sometimes, people amaze me.
Just when you think you know something, it gets shot out of the water.
Case in point, Saturday morning.
Spent the morning watching a couple of Cub Scouts attempt to sell popcorn, their annual fundraiser. The money helps fund some of the things during the year like camping trips, hikes, you know, those kind of scout things.
Anyway, with all the bad news floating around about the economy, I didn't have much hope heading into Saturday morning. Hey, most people are just trying to keep their heads above water for the basic things. Those basic things don't always include fundraising popcorn.
Still, lo and behold, people helped out. They engaged the sellers in conversation. They purchased some of the popcorn. They brought smiles to the parents of those selling.
Sure, there are always those curmudgeons who just ignore everything and give nasty looks. Those, though, were few and far between. Even if people couldn't help out, they were friendly.
In a world where more and more depressing news hits us every day, sometimes, it's good to have your faith in humanity renewed.
By the way, even popcorn can be funny:

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning debate fans, Phillies fans and those who don't care about either!

Well, hope everybody has recovered from the spin that came out of Thursday's vice presidential debate. While there were no YouTube moments, I'm still waiting for several questions to be answered.
While the hot button issues for this election are the economy, the war and the distrust of government, both candidates glossed over something that should join the big three, that's the subject of education.
The 'No Child Left Behind' laws are leaving more and more children behind by the day. They are still being taught for standardized tests. Forget freedom of thought, get these worksheets done so you can be prepared for the PSSAs.
Teachers, while it's obvious some don't buy into the program, are forced to structure everything. Really, when you think about it, the best part of school is discovery.
You learn something new and apply it in ways you never thought possible. A lot of schooling now is memorization. Once you get us a good score on the test you can move on. If you forget it by next week, oh well, there's another test to memorize things for.
On the whole, children want to learn. They want to discover new things. What they don't need is the pressure put on by those in Washington who believe our education is falling behind.
Let the children play chess, let the children do some hands-on science work, let the children have fun. The pressure becomes too much. There's enough time for overwhelming pressure when you get older.
One candidate tried to raise add an education discussion to the debate, but he was rebuffed by the standardization of the questions.
Oh well. At least we now know they can smile.
The government's plan has left no room in school for something like this:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Phillies fans, debate watchers and all those in between!

Now that the Phillies got over the playoff hump and won Game 1 of the NLDS Wednesday, Game 2 seems to be forgotten. Sure, the Brewers have their best pitcher going, but, while he's been pretty good the last two years, he doesn't have the best history. Just win Game 2 and relax for the weekend.
Speaking of relaxing, tonight's vice presidential debate should at least offer some light moments.
Not much is expected from Republican Sarah Palin and, truth be told, not much should be expected. She hasn't so far shown any reason to be in the position except for a humorous convention speech. Then again, it's not like Democrat Joe Biden is the best speaker in the world.
So, why not just enjoy it for the political 'America's Got Talent' that it is (the presidential debates are more like 'American Idol'). If nothing else, it should be a reason for some comedy.
So, let's meet the candidates:


and...



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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Phillies fans and those who don't care about the playoffs!

Our government is great, isn't it? The House of Representatives voted down the bail out package. The way it's supposed to work, that would be the end. A new package should be put together and presented to the House members again.
Instead, they tweaked the plan, by-passed the House and it is going to the Senate. That branch of government will vote on the plan today, then send it back to the House for another vote. Won't be any pressure there, huh?
Meanwhile, another ring of the political circus is coming to town Saturday.
Bruce Springsteen is playing a free concert in support of Barack Obama on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philly at 3:30 Saturday afternoon.
According to the release, to get 'preferred' tickets you have to sign up as an Obama volunteer.
That's great. Sounds like a good deal. Free concert from one of the best showman on the earth. Springsteen's always been political, so a rally for Obama isn't surprising.
It's the volunteering thing that's a little out of whack.
There's no doubt the Democratic party picked up a lot of 'volunteers' over the last day. Many though are probably just looking to get tickets. Are they really going to do anything for the campaign beyond Saturday?
Some might, but most will forget about signing up by 3:35 p.m. Saturday.
Look, we need some dialogue about this election and it's always good to get involved, but this smacks as a big numbers-grab.
By the way, how do you sign up?
Anyway, here's another celebrity both sides are probably recruiting:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Wall Street watchers and the rest of us who have to work every day!

So the bail out plan failed in the House yesterday. There will undoubtedly be another plan some time this week. It will probably end up passing in some form. Be sure, though, none of that money will help us who are in the hole every day trying to dig out.
By the way, maybe John McCain should have stayed in Washington instead of going to that debate Friday night. It couldn't hurt his poll numbers.
Enough about bail outs, though, there are more important things on the horizon.
Like the Phillies playoffs.
Sitting watching the end of Saturday's game when the Phillies beat the Nationals to clinch the N.L. East sent the memory part of the brain in motion.
It's been 30 years since the Phillies have repeated as division champs. The years between 1978 and 2008 have been mostly lean. Sure, there was the World Series championship in 1980, by then we were tainted. We expected the Phillies to win. When they reached the playoffs in 1980 after finishing out of the money in 1979, there wasn't the same sense of dread as in 1977 or 1978. We had Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton. Sure, it was a heart-wrenching series against the Astros. Once over that hill, though, the World Series was a forgone conclusion.
There was the 1983 and 1993 run to the World Series, but those teams really were winning with smoke and mirrors. Sure, we would take a title, but, looking back, it would have been a miracle.
I was 9-years old when the Phillies first made the playoffs in 1976. I remember getting caught up in baseball for the first time. I remember jumping around when the Phillies clinched the division and were going into the playoffs.
Flash to this year and I saw the same look on another 9-year old boy. Much like the children of the 70s, the young ones of today are seeing a Phillies team that can win. They are expected to win.
Sure, history shows the tide will turn, but now is the time to join the ride. I'm glad I can come along.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning fellow owners of Wall Street!

That's right. It appears the $700 billion bail-out package is going to streamline through the government today.
Somebody much smarter than me forwarded an e-mail that broke down what really should be done with all this money (this breakdown when the talk was just the $85 billion for AIG):

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.
Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up...
So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion that equals $425,000.00.
The plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.
Of course, it would NOT be tax free.
So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.
Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.
That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.
But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.
A husband and wife has $595,000.00.
What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.
Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads.
Put away money for college - it'll be there...
Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car - create jobs.
Invest in the market - capital drives growth.
Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves.
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else!
Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.
If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

So there you have it. I actually sent a version of this to U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-7 of Edgmont) as well as Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey. Of course, none of them even took the time to answer my e-mail.
I forget, is this an election year or not?


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning everybody hoping for a bailout of their own!

First and announcement: I am suspending my presidential campaign until the bad weather passes. Once the rain stops and the sun comes back out, I will feel the time is right to resume my campaign. Until then, there is a lot of work to do. I have to find an umbrella, dry out the dogs and use the window wipers on the car. There is much work to be done here.

This is as good a time as any to thank John McCain for giving us a brand-new excuse to change things up when our poll numbers are down.
Just think of the possibilities:
n I am suspending my bill paying until I build up enough money to pay such bills. Until that time, there is work to be done and that can't involve writing checks.
n I am suspending driving to work until gas prices go down to a 1980 level. Paying $3.55 a gallon is way too much for me to continue going to work.
n I am suspending my responsibilities to get out of bed. The rain is falling and there's no better place to be than under the covers. I will emerge once the rain stops.
n I am suspending the goal of eating healthy. In these times, it's a lot easier, and yummier, to eat doughnuts and cookies all day. Until the tide changes, the consumption of vegetables must stop.
n I am suspending my exercise regime. Until the doughnuts run out, exercise is just an effort in futility.
n I am suspending my driving habit of actually stopping at stop signs. If nobody else in Delaware County is going to follow the rules, why should I.
n I am suspending my drinking of tequila. Um.... never mind.
Really, this can work with everything. So, thank you John McCain, you may not be a future president, but you are already acting like one.
By the way...


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning and get that rain gear ready!

So, has there ever been a more blatantly bad political move than the one pulled by John McCain yesterday.
Now, truth be told, I am still a bit undecided on the November election. We need to move away from the current administration, but I'm not sure which candidate is the better one right now. And, no, I'm not voting for the vice president, so those candidates don't matter.
What exactly is McCain going to do when he 'suspends his campaign' and goes back to Washington, strong arm the rest of Congress? Maybe he'll give them the short-arm, thumb's up and tell them to keep up the good work.
Look, neither McCain or Democrat Barack Obama are on the committee working on this ridiculous buyout plan. The only thing happening here is not a 'suspension of the campaign,' but a political move to bolster poll numbers.
Here's an idea, let's here from both candidates on how they would fix the mess. Everything else is just more rhetoric.
By the by, I still can't believe that the only way to save the economy is to give a small amount of people more money while the rest of us sharpen pencils.
Why do I get the feeling our President is just trying to take care of his buddies.
"Fellow citizens, we must not let this happen."
By the way, the more things change the more they stay the same:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Wednesday and let's keep the rain away!

So, despite warnings to the contrary, it appears the government is pushing ahead with its $700 billion bank bail-out plan.
Here's another idea: Take that $700 billion and pay off all the mortgages for everybody in the country making less than $300,000 a year.
That way, there would be more money to buy useless things and thus boost the economy as we head into the end of the year.
Imagine the gifts, big-screen TVs, cars, cameras clothes and food we could all buy if mortgage payments weren't taking us all down.
Suddenly, there would be a major influx of money into the system. Little companies wouldn't be struggling. The vacation industry would see a major uptick. All those who have been laid off thanks to the catch-all 'tough economic times' excuse would get their jobs back.
Hey, if our grandkid's grandkids are going to have pay for this folly, why can't we all benefit.
We would be a nation of happy people instead of people who are just fighting to get through every day.
We would be happy. Our children would be happy. Our businesses would be happy.
It's a win-win for everybody. I can't believe it hasn't been talked about down in Washington.
Tell you what, the political party that starts to push this plan would get a lot of votes. After all, that's what it's all about anyway.
By the way, here is some exclusive video of those big business CEOs after convincing the Government of its dire straits:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning crazy school boys and girls and those who have to do a full day's work just getting them ready for school!

So, how about some straight talk?
The circus left town last night. Rest assured, if you missed it, another circus will certainly come through between now and November.
They shut down Media yesterday to get ready for the circus. The show went on, the performers walked on and then off the stage. Just wondering, though, if the McCain-Palin ticket makes it to the White House, does the bus go up on e-bay.
The next circus doesn't have any set dates, but a stage will be built somewhere in the county over the next few weeks. The performers, either the same or different ones, will get out of their vehicles. Sign some autographs and then move to the next town.
How's that for a whoop-de-doo review?
By the way, did anybody else find it ironic that when George W. Bush campaigned in Media four years ago he was relegated to the back of the courthouse. There was no stage, just a few hundred people.
Now, the television media reports when the candidates go to the bathroom, how many socks they own and if they clean the wax out of their ears.
We've come a long way... or maybe not.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Summer and Good Afternoon Autumn!

That's right, Summer officially ends around noon today, when Autumn officially takes over. Nowadays, though, the seasons all seem to blend together, so the big 'Kick Off Autumn' parties can wait until the weekend.
That is, unless you are treking out to Media some time today. Then again, it's probably not a good idea to trek out to Media unless you want to get stuck in traffic and the crush of John McCain/Sarah Palin supporters.
Took a drive out there Sunday evening to do some food shopping and swung around near the courthouse to see what was happening.
Tell you what, McCain and Palin can joke all they want about Barack Obama's stage during the Democratic National Convention (Yes, it was gaudy, but what about this election isn't gaudy?), but it from the amount of steal and stage being built on the courthouse steps, you would think Van Halen or Bruce Springsteen was playing this afternoon.
It appears this whole election thing is all a rock concert with stars standing on a stage. Here's hoping they can entertain as much as Van Halen or Springsteen.
By the way, in case you were wondering, Ron Reagan made a stop in Media during his march to re-election in 1984. Here's what it looked like:






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Rise and Shine

Good Morning and welcome to the weekend!

Well, almost, but Friday's seem to have a little more traffic on the road a little earlier, so at least we have that.
By the way, I have requested a government bailout similar to what is going on Wall Street today. I contacted the offices of Sen. Arlen Specter, Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak with my request.
I haven't heard back from any of them, which is surprising, this being an election year and all. Of course, they don't need our votes, right?
Speaking of Wall Street, after hearing all day yesterday how we were in for an epic crash, all of sudden the numbers jumped up 400 points.
So, I'm going to start a new side career as a market analyst. Wait a second while I check out my stats (which means get out a quarter).
OK, it came up tails which means a moderate upswing on the day. Let's see if I have what it takes.
Meanwhile, had to trek out to that annual right of fall last night. That's right, Back to School Night.
No offense to anybody, but is there a bigger waste of time?
Over at Garretford Elementary, the principal talked for a few minutes (mostly about testing), had the home and school lady talk then somebody else gave a presentation. We were then rushed off to the classrooms where the teachers had about 10 minutes to give a presentation that is supposed to preview the entire year.
So, the teacher rushes through the presentation, then they rush everybody out.
Then again, maybe that's better. We don't, you know, want to know too much about school. That way we have more time for this:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Wall Street and everybody else getting our money!

So, even though the government has bailed out another Wall Street firm to the tune of $85 billion, the numbers sunk to new lows Wednesday.
Thanks a lot.
Now, not only do those of us who work every day and struggle to make it from check to check have to pay the bill for bad management at AIG, but our stocks are also bleeding money.
So, we get two shots at once. First the shot to the head, then to the gut.
Meanwhile, the head of these firms are taking home millions a day then complaining about our 'economic situation.'
According to reports, AIG CEO Robert Willumstad will lose his job over this. Of course, he won't have to give back the nearly $20 million in bonus money he made this year. He will also get a pretty sweet severance, although nobody is talking what that may be. You can be pretty sure, though, Willumstad won't be working in the local Wawa any time soon.
Here's a quick question: If AIG is so far in the red it was going to collapse until the bailout, where is the money coming from to pay off the executives? I have a better idea, make them pay back everything and go from there.
All of this stock market turmoil comes down to one thing: greed.
There was a relatively small group of companies who grabbed the opportunity to climb on the back of consumers and make billions. They made it easy to get loans, credit cards, mortgages, then used high interest rates and strong-arm tactics to strangle the average person.
We didn't pay attention to the warnings and let these few run us down.
Now, they are sending jobs overseas and many are losing their homes.
Hope they enjoy the view.
Or, how about we give them a view. Divest from the stock market. Take the money away from these companies. We might be mad as hell, but until we don't take it any more the only way to go is down.
Make them sweat.
After all, they are sitting in the ivory tower telling us to eat cake.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning and welcome to another Wednesday!

Phillies Hall-of-Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt once said in Philadelphia you can experience the thrill of victory and the agony of reading about it the next day.
Schmidt, until he was at the tail end of his career, was no friend of the media. Much like other superstars, he hid after games, rarely talking.
Schmidt wouldn't be able to leave his house if he played today. The proliferation of sports talk radio has taken the fun out of the games. You can just watch the game and enjoy it for what it is, a break from normalcy. The next day, though, don't turn on the radio unless you want to hear about how bad it really was. Had it on in the car for about five minutes Tuesday and actually heard one of the hosts say the Phillies should cut or trade Ryan Howard in the offseason because he's no longer helping the team.
As someone says, 'Genius.'
Speaking of genius, how about the government giving $85 billion to AIG so the insurance company can stay afloat.
While we on the ground struggle with food prices, heating prices and the general overpricing of everything, these big companies are getting bailed out.
How about if I petition the government for money so I can remain solvent?
By the way, AIG's CFO Steven J. Bensinger took home a salary of $2.1 million last year. Meanwhile, former CEO Martin J. Sullivan got a $4.7 million severance package when he was forced out last year. Current CEO Robert Willumstad, who is rumored to be on his way out after the buyout, got an annual salary of $1 million, but took home a reported $21 million in bonuses and stock options once worth $36 million.
They need saving? How about this, instead of bailing out these companies make the greedy execs reinvest their money until the company becomes solvent. That's the way it works in the real world.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning everybody who stayed up to watch the Eagles-Cowboys game and everybody else who's a bit smarter!

Yes, the Eagles lost to the Cowboys on Monday Night Football last night. Yes, it was an exciting game that ended with a frustrating play. Yes, it was on way too late, though not as late as it used to be. Yes, times have changed.
I remember staying up way too late to watch Monday Night Football with a bunch of people a case of beer and a couple of pizzas. The games, back in the old days, wouldn't start until 9 p.m. and they would stretch until 1 a.m.
For the most part, the games would be boring, but it was more about getting together and having a little fun. Every once in a while, something exciting would happen on the television screen.
The turnaround didn't seem too bad back then. Of course, time changes all that.
I learned to hate Monday Night Football (and, by association, Hank Williams Jr.) when I started working in newspapers. Now, Monday Night Football wasn't about pizza, beer and people, it was about waiting forever until the game ended. Then waiting again for a quick story, then waiting again until a longer story came through.
It was bad enough during a 'normal' week. When the Eagles were playing, though, it was pure hell.
An Eagles Monday Night Football game meant being in the office sometimes until after 2:30 a.m., most of the time spent waiting and waiting and waiting.
Now, the games are over at a relative decent time of midnight and I don't have to wait for the story.
Still, when the alarm goes off at 4 a.m., midnight isn't such a good idea.
Hey, at least there was a reason to laugh last night:

10 Iggles Not Smart @ Yahoo! Video

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning and welcome to Monday Night Football!

Well, that seems to be all anybody is talking about this morning. The Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys on the big stage tonight. Never mind that the stock market is about the fall apart.
Never mind that thousands are out of power and/or missing in Texas. Never mind that Tina Fey is actually running for vice president.
No, it''s Eagles-Cowboys. Monday Night Football.
Whoopee.

Speaking of excitement. I met Darth Vader Saturday afternoon. That's right, the real Darth Vader.
Apparently he didn't die at the end of 'Return of the Jedi.' In fact, he apparently is a good guy now.
That's right. Back in the 70s and early 80s there was nobody more evil than Darth Vader. Nobody wanted to be Darth Vader. He was the scourge of the galaxy, hellbent on taking over us all.
Now, though, thanks to some revisionist history and the need for George Lucas to make millions more, Darth Vader is a sympathetic character.
So, with the help of a 9-year old, 6-year old and 3-year old, I was able to stand in line at the King of Prussia mall all day Saturday to meet Darth Vader. We even got an autograph.
So, thanks Darth for teaching us all we can change our stripes.
By the way, he can dance:

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning and welcome to the last day before the weekend (whatever that means)!

Well, we've gone and done it again.
'Travel + Leisure' magazine's survey of the American cities ranked Philadelphia last for attractive people. Now, apparently we have great monuments(No. 3) and museums (No. 4), but we are ugly and have no style (No. 25, last as well).
Then again, this poll was probably taken during and Eagles game...
So, revel in it. We may not have any championship teams to celebrate. We may not be a hot vacation spot. We may not be able to offer speedos and bikinis (Miami was ranked No. 1), but we are ugly. Then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Here is the complete list, by the way

Speaking of ugly, despite a small break yesterday, it appears this presidential campaign is going to get uglier by the day.
Right now, it might be better if Barack Obama, John McCain, Joe Biden and Sarah Palin just go home, sit in their kitchen and eat Ben 'n Jerry's until November.
Every little comment on both sides is being taken apart. Sound bites are all over the place. One calling the other names. The other faking some kind of outrage. The television media buying into it all.
Let's wait until after the World Series, at least, before we get back to the rhetoric. Really, is any of this changing votes.
Probably not, but maybe this will.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning and welcome to another Thursday!

Well, it's been seven years since airplanes piloted by terrorists slammed into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon and a field outside of Pittsburgh.
Do schools cover this material during social studies class or is it still too new for everybody?
In those seven years, the world has changed all over. We are locked in a couple of unending wars and many more are wondering where their jobs went and how to pay the bills.
Still, think back seven years and most people probably remember what was happening.
It was a nice, sunny day, not unlike today. There was a leak in the car and I was standing out back with the hood up while a 2-year old was running around.
A neighbor came out his back door and said something like, "I was listening to Howard Stern and he said there is something happening in New York."
OK, I thought, some kind of stupid radio joke thing. Then the phone rang:
"Have you seen what's going on?"
No. I was outside. Wes said something about Howard Stern.
"Turn on the news. NOW!"
So, I gathered up a 2-year old who just wanted to stay outside. Ran up the steps and saw what was happening. Planes were crashing into buildings. There were reports of others in the air. All flight was grounded. Really, in those first few moments, nobody knew what was going on.
The rest of the day is kind of a blur. Eat lunch, drive to work. Everything was shut down. Suddenly, the 'normal' things were not so normal.
Even if you didn't know anybody killed in New York or Washington or Pennsylvania, you have been changed.
Now, seven years later, nothing is 'normal.' Sure. We've moved on. We've gotten back to our lives. We've fought, loved, played. Maybe that's the best way we can remember. Try to make our world better every day.

Rise and Shine

Good Morning readers and listeners!

All right, we are sick of politics. Sick of Phillies loses. Sick of hearing about the economy. Sick of hearing about the housing market. Sick of hearing about layoffs. Sick of hearing about 'Change.' Sick of hearing about FoxNews, CNN and MSNBC. Sick of hearing blowhards yell over us when you have a different opinion. Sick of high gas prices. Sick of hearing about all the violence. Sick of listening to the President talk about "winning in Iraq." Sick of computers that don't work or are outdated. Sick of seeing all the traffic on the roads. Sick of the high prices for groceries. Sick of hearing about how the Eagles are Super Bowl-bound. Sick of hearing how the Cowboys are Super Bowl-bound. Sick of being sick.
So, we need a reality check, which, of course, comes from a 9-, 6- and 3-year old.
Well, saying to the 6-year old, it's been a long day, what did you do in school today?
"The toilet overflowed," the 6-year old said.
Huh?
"The toilet overflowed," he was saying once more with emphasis.
OK. So, you spent the whole day at school and the only thing you can remember is the toilet overflowed?
"Yeah, but it was all over!"
Um. OK. What else did you do today.
"Can I tell you something?"
Sure.
"The toilet overflowed."
I can see where this is going. So, saying to the 9-year old, what did you do in school today?
"Nothing."
You spent the whole day in school and did nothing?
"Not really."
Not really? Did you just sit there all day? Did the teacher just sit at her desk?
"We did stuff." Pause. Laughing. "What happened when the toilet overflowed?"
I don't know, turning attention to the 3-year old. What did you do in school today.
"Princesses."
Princesses?
"Toilet."
Well, to all those who clean up our messes, I leave with this:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning everybody who forgot their umbrellas and those who carry them all the time!

Maybe it's because my mind always flows in 17 different directions at the same time or maybe its because I don't watch a whole lot of television any more, but I could win a gold medal in a remote control Olympics.
For instance, I give you Monday night.
After throwing a load of laundry in the washer, I sat down expecting to watch the Phillies-Marlins game. When I clicked on the television, the Packers-Vikings football game was on.
So, I checked the Phillies score, then went back to the football game. Well, that lasted about two minutes before I checked the food channel and watched about five minutes of 'Unwrapped.' Then it was back to the Phillies game for two pitches and to the Monday Night Football game for about three plays. OK, let's check to see what else.
Well, about three minutes of 'Alexander' on AMC was about enough before heading back to the Food Network. Then back to the Phillies, then a rip through all the channels, a check on the football score. Five minutes of CSI-Miami and back to the Phillies, where I managed to sit while Brad Lidge finished off the Marlins.
If you are wondering how anybody could follow all this, well, you can't. The biggest reason for all the switching: There are too many darn commercials. Every couple of minutes there seems to be a break with some annoying people talking about Cheerios or wanting our vote for president.
By the way, what is more annoying: Food commercials or election commercials.
I think we should merge them. Have Barack Obama lauding Trix, while John McCain does a spot for Uncle Sam's. Then we can cut down on the commercials and save the batteries in the remote.
Wait, they've already appeared together in a commercial hawking breakfast:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Monday warriors and all those who wish the weekend was longer!

After that bit of rain Saturday, the weekend turned out pretty nice. Even if one day is a washout at least Sunday gave us a beauty and we could enjoy being outside.
Speaking of outside, took in the Green Philly event Sunday on 2nd and South. It was interesting to see all the environmentally friendly products and services we can use. Even if you are one of those who believe the global warming phenom is made up, you can't argue that using things without chemicals is better for you and your family.
Right next to the Green event was Sunday's weekly farmer's market. Whether the market be in Lansdowne, Havertown, Philadelphia or wherever, the allure of a farmer's market can't be beat. Fresh vegetables, tasty baked goods and a lot of people enjoying it all.
All in all, it made for a fun day, if not a little hectic.
Fun, that is, until you have to get involved with SEPTA. Despite all the government money and big talk, SEPTA still has a lot to be desired.
It's undoubtedly better to use the trains than drive everywhere, but SEPTA does not make it easy. When the packed people on top of people after the Live 8 concert a few years ago then claimed everything went well, I started to doubt it was the best way to travel.
After trying again Sunday, I am starting to have even more doubts. Try buying a subway token during the weekend. Unless you have exact change for the machine, forget about it. I was looking for one token Sunday and only had a $10 bill. There were workers in each of the booths at the 2nd and Market stations, but neither would help. One wouldn't even look up when I asked if I could get one token. The other told me to buy $10 worth.
Luckily, I was able to scratch up $3 in change for the machine. Sometimes I wonder if they really want you to use the trains.
Here are the only trains you can rely on:


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Rise and Shine

Good morning hurricane watchers and everybody else ready to swim!!

Well, the week started with a storm and is ending with a storm, but at least the political conventions are finished.
Now, we can get down to the nitty gritty and find out where these political candidates really stand. There will still be plenty of rhetoric coming out of both sides, but there are some one-on-one debates coming down the pike. That means the scripted talks and friendly crowds will be gone. Let's find out how these people will really help us all out, then make a decision.
By the way, it appears this election is drawing pretty serious lines in the sand. Too many people have their favorites and refuse to hear from the other side. Too many believe if they talk louder, their point will win out.
Somebody once said never to talk politics or religion because it always ends badly. That's unfortunately true. If you support the Democrats, anybody who listens to the Republicans is 'stupid,' 'uninformed,' or 'should just shut up.' If you support the Republicans, those that listen to the Democrats are 'un-American,' 'more concerned about yourself,' 'want the terrorists to win,' or 'hope we are invaded by a foreign power.'
There are good points on both sides. Live with it. Really, when you look at it, these parties are just the different sides of the same coin. It's still a dime, no matter if it's heads or tails.
Maybe Hillary and Bill can run on the Clinton ticket and put this all to rest.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Sept. 2 and welcome to the other side!

Since politics has become the fifth major sport, it can be somewhat entertaining to see the spin masters do their work. Much like a great pitcher (one who doesn't use steroids) unfurl a masterpiece or a great quarterback lead his team back from certain defeat, the good spinners can turn anything around.
Your candidate played craps on the street? He knows what it's like to be a real person.
Your candidate was once in the Communist party? She cares deeply about workers.
Your candidate spent most of his youth in a detention center? He was misunderstood, but that kind of history only makes him stronger against lobbyists.
Your candidate listened to rap music? She has her hand on the pulse of the young.
Your candidate smokes marijuana? He didn't inhale.
Your candidate roots for the Temple Owls football team? Sorry, he's dropped out of the race.
A friend of mine from college got into politics after graduation. He worked for the Clinton campaigns. He engrossed himself in Washington. Somehow, the road took him to Wisconsin, where last year he ran for Secretary of State.
I told him if he ever runs for President, he better send me a 'care' package because I can give the spin doctors plenty of work.
Speaking of Spin Doctors:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning and Happy Labor Day!

So today is Labor Day, the unofficial end to summer. Sure, the temperature will push back up into the 90s at some point over the next couple of weeks. Sure, there are still opportunities to hit the beach or take a short trip, but Labor Day is some kind of bookmark.
All of a sudden, there seems to be more pressure, there is more to do, the roads get busier (as if that's possible) and we break out of a mental slumber.
It probably goes back to all those years in school. Once Labor Day hit and the picnics were over, it was time to get back to the books. We had to pack our book bags, get the pencils sharpened and get back on the bus.
There weren't any more late nights watching television or staying outside as the moon dominated the sky. Starting the next day, we HAD to get up early. We weren't ready to go by 6 a.m., because, well, there was only school ahead. That meant work, not play.
Mentally, it's tough to break out of that mode even all these years later. Even when work is year-round. Even when there really is no different between July 10 and Sept. 10 and Oct. 10.
There's always a little bit of sadness on Labor Day. It's time to get back to the real world.
So, since there is still today, here you go:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Obama-ites, McCain-ites and all those in between!

Well, the Democrats had their say this week and the Republicans get the stage next week. After all the speeches, rhetoric, commercials and analysis, do these big gatherings really change anything?
What it comes down to in November is which candidate each individual feels can make their life a bit better. Who can get us out of this economic spiral? Who can get us out of the wars quicker? Who can pull a nation of depression into the sunlight?
Probably not one person, but one person has to be the face. Whether you vote for Obama or McCain or Nader or that guy who sold everything he owns to walk the country in hopes of getting on the ballot, it will only matter if we hold them all accountable.
Which, I guess, is the way it's supposed to work anyway.
Speaking of working, this is Labor Day weekend. Labor Day was started in 1882 as a way to celebrate "the social and economic achievements of American workers," according to the Department of Labor.
Now, like Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Columbus Day, President's Day, the Fourth of July, Arbor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, it's an excuse for stores to open early and stay open late, which, of course, keeps everybody working. The more you buy, the more can keep working, so, in a way, it all works out in the end.
Then again, maybe we should be like this guy:

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning out there in the great wide world!

So, Bill Clinton upstaged the rest of the speakers at the Democratic National Convention last night. Really, though, is that much of a surprise. Here's a former two-term President who knows how to work the crowd. When you watch somebody who is the best doing what they do best, it's exciting.
By the way, skeletons and all, Bill Clinton would probably be elected president again if he could run.
Anyway, the Phillies head to Chicago after coughing one up against the Mets last night, the Eagles are fleecing their fans with another 'preseason game' against the Jets tonight and Larry Mendte is still floating around out there somewhere.
So, how is all that connected. Well, it's not really, but as we approach Labor Day weekend and the unofficial end of summer, the mind does wonder.
Funny thing about summer. In June, when school is done and the children are at home, there seems to be a long stretch ahead. Then comes July and you're into some kind of routine which usually means keeping them occupied so they don't want cookies all day (it doesn't work).
Now, we are a week away from school (Yeah, I know, some have already started) and the routine shakes up. After getting all the school supplies, there's a small amount of nervousness and excitement running through their little bodies. It can lead to some intense times where the energy level leaps through the roof. Of course, they are getting up around 6 a.m. and ready to go. Let's do everything we did all summer in the next two hours, then start over.
Somehow, though, when school does start, getting them up by 7:30 a.m. takes a lot of work. That is, until the weekend, when the summer returns.
Speaking of the mind wondering and back to school:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning bleary-eyed Phillies fans and the rest of the Wednesday warriors!

It appears Hillary Clinton did a good job of rallying the troops at the DNC Tuesday night. Like her or hate her, Clinton has a lot of good ideas. She also has a lot of baggage (not the least of which is her husband), so, in the end the change needed in this country may not have come with Clinton on the ticket.
Still, comparing Clinton to Michelle Obama is like, sorry for the old cliche, comparing apples and oranges. Clinton is presidential in her mannerisms and her language. Obama, well, what was that look on her face while Hillary talked? Disdain? Jealousy?

Speaking of jealousy, if you get a chance check out the pirate exhibition ongoing at the Franklin Institute. From a cool opening to the maze of pirate memorabilia, sunken treasure and information, it's well worth the price.
The Franklin Institute has come under some heat over the last couple of years because of the 'special' exhibits they have added.
From Titanic to King Tut to Star Wars and, now, Pirates, the Franklin (as it now wants to be called) has been able to re-invent itself.
Those who run the Franklin have found out a way to keep people interested even as their entertainment budget has shrunk. They've been able to do this by, heaven forbid, throwing caution to the wind and changing. Which is something other industries (ahem, newspapers, ahem) are scared to do.
Twenty years ago, the Franklin could rely on repeat business and school trips to keep things alive. Now, it needs to stay fresh.
You can only walk through the heart so many times before it becomes just a heart. You can see pirate treasure over and over and still see something different.


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Rise and Shine

Good morning everybody reading in Denver and those back here at home!

Speaking of Denver, there's some kind of big party going on there or something. Apparently some political party is celebrating everything about itself. Oh, that's right, it's the Democrats and they are holding their convention to announce Barack Obama as their candidate for president. I forgot, we've been beat over the head for a year about the election.
By the way, is Sen. Ted Kennedy 'change?' Hasn't he been around forever?
While that's neither here nor there, well, actually it is there, but here we are reacting with ... a shoulder shrug?
Until Obama and Republican John McCain stand center court at Chester High School and really tell us where they stand on issues such as education and the economy it's all hot air.
Of course, those debates won't be held at Chester High School, or any other high school for that matter. They will be held in television studios as we have the premier of the big fall reality TV show.
On this side of the Schuylkill, though, the big thing over the next two days isn't happening in Denver, it's going on at Citizens Bank Park.
The Mets are in town, so Phillies fans can show their true colors and berate anybody wearing a New York T-shirt.
Way back when, I never believed Philadelphia fans got the rap they deserved. Then I attended the Eagles/Rams playoff game on New Year's Eve 1989. The Eagles jumped out to a lead and the fans were beside themselves, yelling and screaming at Ram fans to go home. The Rams came back to take the lead and one Rams' fan had the audacity to stand up and cheer.
Security had to come down.
Bankee Stadium may be different the next two nights, but, just to be safe, don't cheer for either team.
Then again, maybe the election is more exciting:

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Bidenites and everybody else out there!

So, Barack Obama's first reality show came to an abrupt end Saturday morning when he sent out the text message naming Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate.
Which, goes to show you, the more things change the more they stay the same.
Hasn't Joe Biden launched several failed attempts at running for president? Not that Obama made the wrong choice or whatever, but just asking.
By the way, just and observation, but Biden is being positioned as a normal guy who takes the train to work. Of course, his millions sitting in the bank and huge mansion in Delaware kind of pales in comparison to the 'normal' people. Don't paint it what it's not. These are extremely wealthy people asking for our votes. Obama, Biden and John McCain won't ever worry about heating their house or getting enough food on the table for the family.
You know, just saying.
By the way, the other reality show starts tonight in Denver with the Democratic National Convention.
Years ago, the exact year fails me in my advancing age although McCain could probably remember, cable television wasn't in every household.
A neighbor was turning 65 and his family hosted a big birthday party. While he appreciated all the gifts, from golf clubs to gardening tools, he was happiest to get cable TV into the house.
The reason? That meant he would have something to watch other than the political parties tell us who we should vote for. Instead he was able to watch the Phillies and probably get just as frustrated.
Well, there's always this:

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning to those Vice Presidential candidates and the rest of us!

So, the news is out. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has decided on his running mate. He knows who it's going to be. The person probably knows it too, since Obama and his VP choice are going to have a rally in Illinois Saturday.
Republican John McCain, meanwhile, probably knows as well, but he's not talking either.
Is it just me or does this sound like some kind of ridiculous 'American Idol' ripoff.
Call it 'Vice Lock: Who's No. 2.' The talking heads on all those 'news' channels will no doubt debate the choices from now until November. Why not just get a panel of three down-and-out celebrities (I'm thinking Larry Mendte, Steve Guttenberg and Britney Spears) judge a talent contest. Then we can call in the 800 number and vote for our choice.
Thanks to our 24 hour news cycle these days, every little bit of something is news. We are waiting on the edge of our seats for ... something. Anything. Give us news. Give us information. Who is Jennifer Aniston dating?
Anyway, just a quick thought: The names most mentioned for the Dem's VP are Delaware Sen. Joe Biden and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh.
Hmmm, so much for change. Look, I understand these candidates have to cross pollinate between parties and philosophies, but maybe it is time to blow the whole thing out of the water.
Maybe Walter Mondale was so far ahead of his time we couldn't appreciate it.
Just my two cents, though.
Meanwhile, check out this clip. The movie looks pretty funny. Can't wait for it to come out on DVD:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning everybody!

I think, after all these years, I've figured out the Olympics. It's not the athletic competition, it's not the views of other countries and it's not the crazy fans that pack the arenas. No, the good thing about the Olympic games is watching some sports you don't get to see every day.
First was swimming, which, except for the most chlorine filled, doesn't get a lot of pub except during the Olympics.
Then there is track & field, which is the best Olympic sport that gets no recognition in the U.S.
To see Jamaica's Usain Bolt blow away the competition in the 100 and 200 dashes was electrifying. So what if he's a bit cocky, when you have the kind of speed that's never been seen before you can be cocky.
Really, when you break it down, track & field is sports at its most basic. It's you against me. Who is the fastest? Who can jump the highest?
There is drama in every event, but, except for Olympic years, we here miss most of it. With few exceptions, track events aren't shown on television. They are never covered on SportsCenter and, in the day of shrinking newspapers, don't get a lot of daily print.
Contrast that to Europe, where track rivals soccer (football?) for popularity. A few years ago the U.S. hosted the world championships. Every great athlete in every event was on the track in Los Angeles. Every event was exciting. Every event was dramatic.
Of course, unless you were in Paris watching it on a 12-inch television, you would never know.
Speaking of Olympics, this is pretty funny:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning August warriors!

There was a bloodletting over the past couple of days and it had nothing to do with the war in Iraq.
For those of you who follow such things, those in control of the newspaper business claim to be having tough times. Their stock prices are shrinking, advertising is shrinking and now the size of staff is shrinking.
Gannett Co., the publisher of USA Today as well as hundreds of other newspapers around the country, announced last week it was laying off 600 workers. It is the biggest mass-layoff in newspaper history. The powers that be then let everybody think about it through the weekend and past Monday before starting to alert those let go Tuesday. The layoffs continue today. The company claims everybody will know by Thursday.
Gannett years ago left Pennsylvania, but still owns the News-Journal in Wilmington and the Courier Post in Cherry Hill, N.J. There are various reports of numbers of layoffs at both sites.
The bottom line isn't that the newspaper industry is changing. We all know that. The fact you found this blog just shows how much it has changed. Thanks to the Internet, we are quickly (faster than most would like to believe) becoming an hourly news source instead of a daily news source.
If we don't have the information about the fire down the street as it happens, we are behind the eight-ball. Those quick hits can serve as a jumping point into the newspaper, where you can get more information, photos etc.
Gannett, though, found a new way to put a knife into the heart of the industry. If the company feels it needs to lay off people, fine, but don't make them stew. Don't make them work four days while not knowing if they are going to be escorted out.
Gannett was on the cutting-edge when it comes to news gathering. They were the first to use color on daily pages. They were the first to use information graphics as a way to enhance a story. They were the first to really jump into the Internet.
At the heart, though, they are heartless. Once the managers decide you have been there too long, they make life miserable. Now, they make life miserable for everybody.
It's just another corporate owner who doesn't really care about those in the trenches.
Treat people with respect.
Just remember: Karma's a bitch.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning everybody!

So, a couple of members of Philadelphia City Council are talking about introducing a bill that would ban the use of cell phones while driving.
Even though I am guilty of this on too many occasions, it's about the best new law that could be introduced.
Talking on the phone while driving is dangerous. Even though you might be concentrating on the road, you are also concentrating on the phone call. Unless you have some kind of double brain, there's no way you can concentrate on both.
Too many accidents are caused by people not paying attention to where they are driving. People blow by stop signs, red lights and school zones.
We are already a nation of bad drivers. Cell phones just make it a little worse.
If you need to make a quick call or answer the phone, wait until a traffic light is red. Do it quickly, then drive. Or, pull over to the side.
A number of years ago before cell phones became as necessary as air, you had to walk to a pay phone or knock on a door if your car broke down. While cell phones can make us safer in those situations or if you are in some kind of accident, they can also cause trouble.
Just drive. Get where you are going and talk.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning Mr. and Mrs. Delaware County and all the ships at sea!

Well, here we are a week and change into the Summer Olympics and, once again, the 'experts' have been proved wrong.
For weeks leading up to the Games, there was a lot of talk about how everything is going stale. How the Games don't matter any more. How China can't possibly get everything together.
Well, thanks to Michael Phelps, some inspired gymnasts and ferocious back-and-forth in beach volleyball, the Games do matter.
When you see an 9-year old boy, who up until last week had never seen a swim meet or a volleyball game, jumping up and cheering, well, the perspective has changed.
There are always going to be be nice stories and the like at the Olympic games. When you have so many people gathered in one spot for an extended period of time, that's bound to happen.
While the national pride thing may not be as big as it once was, it's fun to watch the best athletes in the world going head-to-head.
With Tiger Woods not playing golf, the Phillies doing an August swoon and the NFL not really relevant for a couple of weeks, the Olympics have really saved the summer.
It's not only fun to watch, but really inspiring.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning weekend warriors and all the ships at sea!

Well, we made it through another week. Sometimes, a week seems like it's going to stretch on forever, then, suddenly, it's Friday. Hey, at least the heat's been turned down this week. We have that.

By the way, today is also the start of the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Check out our Olympic page here. You can get all the latest stories, medal count and everything else Olympics.
Sometimes I wonder if these big events hold any meaning any more. Sure, there are lot of exciting moments. There are great stories. Not so great stories and stories in between.
You have amazing feats of athletic prowess and major failure that tugs at our heart strings.
Still, with the oversaturation of events, maybe the Olympics are being pushed into the background. For the next few weeks, some of us will watch and others will ignore everything.
I think the best things about the Olympics is how much we can learn about other cultures. Even though most of us will be watching everything on television, we will get a glimpse of China. We will see the food, the people and the views. That's where we can learn. A lot of us don't know much about the Far East. We know what we hear and the Americanized version of the food, but we don't really know what it's like.
Maybe the Olympics aren't about sports, but about opening our eyes to a larger world. More exists outside a small bubble.
Or maybe not:

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

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Rise and Shine

Good Morning everybody!

Hope you are enjoying this nice weather outside. It's been a lot less humid than we are used to, but, I'm sure we'll be back. Remember, it's still only August.

It doesn't look like we are ever going to get away from reality TV. What was started as just game shows like 'Price is Right' and 'Who wants to be a millionaire' has dominated the networks over the last few years.
So, after catching the finale of 'I survived a Japanese Game Show' over the last two nights, my brain has obviously been turned to mush. That means I have some ideas to pitch to TV execs looking for the next level in reality TV.
n 'Sleep, Don't Sleep': Get a group of 10 people and have them watch an NHL game. The last one to fall asleep wins tickets to the Super Bowl. The rest get tickets to another NHL game.
n 'Don't Bet On It': A bunch, maybe 12, are broken up into two teams. They then have to lay down bets on NBA games. One group bases their picks on the teams playing, the other on the referee assignments. The winning team gets to cash in their first-class airline tickets for coach and keep the difference.
n 'Cable Olympics': One person has DirectTV, the other Comcast. The winner is the first person who doesn't have to get another job to afford the rate increase. The winner gets a gym membership. The loser gets coupons for McDonalds.
n 'Delco Olympics': Take six teams of two and give them a map of Delaware County. They then have to race through, getting a new tattoo at every spot. The winner gets a house in Chichester.
n 'The Paper': A panel of former newspaper executives judge people on their ideas on how to save the medium. Actually, there are no winners. Before announcing the finalists, the execs pull out golden parachutes and leave the building. Leaving everybody else to figure it out.
n 'Guess the Weather': One person looks at the computer models, the trends, the winds, the clouds, the angle of the sun, the moon's brightness, the temperature of ocean water, the amount of ice in the polar regions, the number of sea turtles at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the color of clown fish and the amount of cows sitting down, then gives a prediction. The other looks out the window. Whoever is closest to the actual weather gets a replaces Larry Mendte at CBS3.
Then again, maybe I'm behind the curve:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning sleepyheads!

Hope everybody was able to survive National Underwear Day. I'm sure those parties were something ... to see.

August, meanwhile, is apparently some sort of National Idiot Month. As proof, I give you these stories:
This guy somehow justifies calling 9-1-1 twice because his Subway sandwich wasn't up to snuff
A Florida man was arrested after stealing the shirt off a McDonald's drive-thru worker
Apparently everything is fine in Iraq because a new KFC has opened
People camp out to be first to get new pair of Nikes

Now, that's just a few, but as society continues to go downhill, maybe we need a blast from the past:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning fans, non fans and Jeffrey Lurie!

OK, now we've gone and done it. We've officially walked over to the other side, gone from sublime to ridiculous (or something like that).
Today is, apparently, National Underwear Day.
Daily Times Features Editor Jim Atkins alerted us to this phenomenon after reading a nicely worded press release.
Believe it or not, this isn't just a trumped up 'holiday' by a company to sell underwear. Well, actually it is a trumped up 'holiday' by a company to sell underwear, but, hey, we need something to break up the summer.
As a part of National Underwear Day, a survey was done that is either eye-opening or disturbing, you make the call.
Here are the facts according to the highly scientific survey:
n Men prefer their significant others where briefs (34 percent) over thongs. Ironically, it's the same as women (54 percent);
n One in five women ages 18-34 admit to going commando at least once a month;
n 61 percent of women admit they have at least one pair of 'granny panties' in their underwear drawer;
n 50 percent of women surveyed admit that wearing their favorite underwear makes them feel special and more confident.
There are the highlights. For some reason, men's preferences weren't addressed in the study. I guess Fruit of the Loom is just Fruit of the Loom.
So, enjoy your underwear today. Embrace it. Wear it. Or not, if that's your thing.


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning gentle readers!

So, to take a break from anything serious this weekend, we rented the movie 'School of Rock' with Jack Black. It's kind of funny, definitely better than other Jack Black movies. It's also kind of neat to think all the students in the movie played their own music. Something many adult 'groups' can't do any more.
Here's the trailer

Anyway, as part of the DVD extras was a music video for the 'big' song in the movie.
Sitting there with the boys, we suddenly realized they had never seen a music video.
Now, if you grew up in the 80s or 90s, music videos were as much a part of the song as the actual music.
MTV was the biggest thing on the air, but when they actually played the music. Everybody who was anybody had a music video. You couldn't sell the album or single without the video.
They started out simply as the band or singer just jumping around and such, but quickly became mini-movies. It culminated with Michael Jackson's Thriller, which actually was a movie.
I remember when that video was going to debut. We all rushed home from school to check it out. MTV scheduled it to run every few hours and you knew the schedule.
So, since MTV no longer actually shows videos, it was off to an Internet search for some of those classics. Now, they are funny and the boys were bored after about five seconds.
They didn't get the point. Questions came about the meaning of the video, what they were doing in the video, why they weren't playing the music, etc.
I guess the time has passed. Still, it was fun while it lasted.
Here are a couple of good ones:

and:


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Rise and Shine

Good Morning weekly warriors!

Well, it's getting ugly out there and I'm not talking about a Saturday night Phillies game.
Politics, thanks to our new (improved?) 24 hour news cycle, the Presidential election is already mucking up the mud.
Over the last few weeks, Republican John McCain's campaign has run commercials saying Democrat Barack Obama is to blame for the gas-price problem. Obama has also been compared to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. Today, there's a story with McCain saying he's taking the high road and not talking about race.
Obama, in a speech, said the McCain Team was using his race and name to sway voters. Here's what he said: "You know, 'he's not patriotic enough, he's got a funny name. You know, he doesn't look like all those other presidents on those dollar bills, you know, he's risky."
McCain's response: "Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck. It's divisive, negative, shameful and wrong."
Really, though, this election is all about race. It's also about economics, war, gas prices, taxes, home ownership, schools and everything else that runs our lives.
So, let's not pretend we are something we are not.
If Hillary Clinton was going to be the Democratic candidate, the other side would be putting out stories about how she should stay in the kitchen and take the children to soccer practice.
Don't take the high road when you're already in the sewer.
By the way, most aren't really interested in politics anyway:


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