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Thursday, July 31, 2008

The washington nationals suck.

I think they are now 38 and 70.... but the bottom line is they suck.. last year we kept hearing all this stuff about how they were bulding for the new stadium.. well boys the new stadium is here and the TEAM IS WAY WORSE THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN! and that includes the montreal expos! what are we waiting for???? Karsten and Lerners what are you waiting for? Washington DC is not a big baseball as evidenced by the fact that its lost at least two major league clubs (one left and became the Minnesota Twins and another left and became the Texas Rangers which has the ignominous distinction of having given George W. Bush his shot at redemption and the big time).. basically DC is not a baseball town and when you put a completely loser team on the field you're not giving people much of a reason to come back.. There has been a big miscalculation by the team brass: they think that people in DC are so hungry for baseball they will go watch the games no matter what product is on the field.. this just ain't going to fly.. people are getting seriously turned off! the team ownership and management should be trying to win over and woo the residents of DC many of whom are pretty mad that they even had to fork over $600 million for a new stadium to lure the historically sorry Expos......
 
Washington DC like all towns has its own characteristics.. I think many of us think of ourselves- rightly- as the political center of the world.. a power capital of sorts.. its a competitive town and many of us come here from all over drawn by politics, multilateral and non governmental organizations... many others originally based in other big cities in the northeast such as New York and Philly come here to study and stay for a while.. these people all share one thing in common: being from places that are used to being taken seriously... moreover, the greater DC area is an important economic center home to many IT industries - for example along the Dulles corridor, etc.- very important law firms, consulting firms, defense contractors, etc... We are a  powerful town- like it or not rest of America and the world- and yet the current ownership of the team is running it as if we're- no disrespect meant- Winnetka, Kansas or Podunk, Indiana.. come on!!!!! you can't have your cake and it eat too here Nationals: you have very expensive tickets and concessions (tickets behind home plate here are three to six times more expensive than in Baltimore at the lovely Camden Yards) and at the same time beg poverty as a reason for not being able to make any acquisitions..
 
Basically Karsten, Lerner and company run the team as if we are a small market team and thats just not accord with the facts.. we've heard the endless stories that the team is going to be built from the ground up but eventually you do have to add a few proven veterans on the free agency market or through trades..  right now the team acts as if its the Pittsburgh Pirates trading all its proven players for unproven could be major leaguers in a few years.. meanwhile the team stinks! Now we're told to be patient and wait a few years but a few years ago we were told to be patient and wait for the new stadium...
 
Also, I'm sorry but Manny Acta is not impressing me...last night he left Redding in too long and it resulted in him giving up a three run homer that proved to be game set and match...And somebody has to take responsibility for having a major league team with players that wouldn't start anywhere else: Austin Kearns? the guy is hitting 214!!!!!!!! He is just not major league material...But as follows from above what I really don't understand is why our front office can't spend any money to improve the team?? I mean tickets are expensive..attendance isn't bad (and would be great with a better product on the field)... its all very shortsighted...

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Huge news: NEW AC DC TOUR CONFIRMED!

Finally!!!!!!!!! From Billboard magazine..
 
Extensive AC/DC Tour To Begin In October
AC/DC
Similar Stories | Topics

July 28, 2008 , 8:05 PM ET
Mitchell Peters, Anaheim, Calif.
As expected, AC/DC will embark on an 18-month world tour beginning this October. Creative Artists Agency managing partner Rob Light confirmed the news during a touring panel today (July 28) at the 83rd annual IAAM conference and trade show in Anaheim, Calif.

Light didn't reveal further details about the trek, which will come in support of AC/DC's upcoming Wal-Mart exclusive release. A single is expected to hit radio in August.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Ziggy Marley live video snippet- Pier Six Pavilion Baltimore July 26 2008 Redemption Song

Roots Rock Reggae at Pier Six Pavilion July 26, 2008 Ziggy Stephen Damien Marley Live Review and photographs


Great show last night at the Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore Maryland with the Roots Rock Reggae Festival. Basically a Bob Marley lovefest with Ziggy, Stephen and Damian. Really seeing three of Bob's talented sons performing together is just about as good as it gets! Barrington Levy played a great set a bit earlier in the evening. Local State Theatre reggae band Soja helped provide a bit of local flavor and were strongly supported by the crowd. For me the highlight was Ziggy Marley as I guess over and beyond my deep love for Bob I have really found a lot to enjoy in his music. He played an acoustic set- shorter than it should have been by about two songs- which opened up with an absolutely killer Redemption Song just him on acoustic... He also did a mean Lively up Yourself...Not playing Tomorrow People- I think- is a lost opportunity. After the set break which was a bit shorter than necessary Stephen Marley came out and played a long set which included much contribution from special guest Damian Marley who has great stage presence and charisma. Ziggy also came out and there was a even a little kid - probably a Bob Marley grandson- dancing around the stage...But there's just nothing like thousands of people singing Three Little Birds, Buffalo Soldier, Roots Rock Reggae or Could You Be Loved with the Marleys... A great night for lovers of reggae and in particular the music and legacy (in song and in the flesh) of the great Robert "Tuff Gong" Nesta Marley.
 



(Thanks to Ziggy Marley crew for link from his page... if you're coming from there be sure to check the main page of this blog for a brief video snippet from last night!)

Friday, July 25, 2008

quote of the week...

of course its Robert "Bob" Novak...
 
best journalist working in dc currently.. NO ONE gets as many people as high up to tell him as many secrets and let him publish them.. if thats not being a great journalist in washington dc i don't know what is
 
people have all kinds of reasons for telling secrets...when its NEWS its news.. regardless of themotive...if anyone is using anyone its novak using the politicians..he's still around and plenty that spilled their secrets long since left washington

and its not just republicans that talk to the guy... he's a huge journalistic presence in this town and repeatedly drives the political agenda..

you want a bitch? read some david broder.. thats your bitch.
 
novak:
"I really hate jaywalkers. I despise them. Since I don't run the country, all I can do is yell at 'em. The other option is to run 'em over, but as a compassionate conservative, I would never do that."
 

Thursday, July 24, 2008

More initial reactions on Obama speech

really as an american i felt and feel quite proud that we essentially US were able to send this man out there to represent us.....

wow!

just finished watching barack obama's speech in berlin.
 
i have to say this speech is the moment when all the talk, hoopla and hype about obama and john F. Kennedy met reality...
 
goosebumpage causing for all but the biggest cynics/most jaded among us
 

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Mark Knopfler Vienna Wolftrap July 22 2008 live video

Mark Knopfler Wolftrap July 22 2008 Vienna, Virginia

First time seeing Mark Knopfler last night.. lived up to the hype.... Fortunately for me it was at Wolftrap which is a national park with essentially low subsidized ticket prices..with perks like the fact you can bring food and drink in....Wonderful venue...this is no Nissan/Merriweather!.. the acoustics to my ears ring truer... In any case per his latest set lists he played mainly songs from his "solo" albums since breaking up dire straits but the reality is that his "solo" albums are no more nor less "solo" than his work has ever been.. anyways he's got a crack band he's visibly very proud of which includes at least two musicians (including the drummer) that played with dire straits probably towards the end of that group.... in any case he has a violin and on some tracks a wonderful accordeon which gave it a bit a of a new orleans sound and essentially that points to the fundamental- in my mind- difference between dire straits and "mark knopfler".. he is now just a bit more rooted in the sounds of americana.... knopfler gave each of his musicians a long and laudatory intro.. basically said these all guys trying to become better jazzmen or some such.... at times knopfler's voice came in crystal clear while at other times - to me who admittedly was not familiar with the new material- a bit more on the cool mumble side.. the new material held up very well but of course it could not, nothing could, hold up against knopfler's twin classics: romeo and juliet and sultans of swing which have to be two of the greatest songs ever written.. romeo and juliet diverged at the end from the studio version with an unsatisfying climactic solo which rewrote the original... while the latter provided that wonderful solo, finally after teasing in another direction, at the end of the song...to hear knopfler sing classic lines as "check out guitar george he knows all the chords.." was pretty special... Knopfler also gave long time fans "telegraph road", "brothers in arms" and "so far away".... the wolftrap crowd traditionally known for extreme politeness and mellowness lived up to the latter even largely sitting down after initially standing for the familiar strains of "so far away" but there were a few scattered hooters, catcallers, and out of tune and time clappers...i suppose my main impression was that i had not realized what an amazing guitarist mark knopfler is...his guitar playing is just so crystal clear and soulfully sweet..he closed the show with the instrumental "theme from local hero" which I guess he does not perform all that much pushing past the 10:45 mark which was the expected end of show....also, his singing reminded me quite a bit of bob dylan... in sum: guy puts on a good show... oh yah one more: i think i saw mark knopfler before the show by the bus in yellow shorts and black shirt... it was in the back and very private picnic area of wolftrap and he seemed surprised to observe someone gawking at him..

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

viewer feedback!

hi MSNBC.. i like you guys.. you do allright
 
listen lets not fall to the level of preschool morons ok? general wesley clark merely stated a FACT ..an obvious fact.. as much as well love and do we ever love and respect the greatest american ever mccain..well i think its a fact that his judgment on the irak war ie. debacle kinda stunk up the joint no? so ok we respect him but we kinda would like our next presidente to have a little better judgment .. .the wild west/cojones/idiocy combo is a little bit dangerous n'est pas?
 
so lets report the wesley clark comments straight ok amigo: mccain war hero we respect/mccain poor judgment but no experience that can be translated to being commander in chief
 
in the words of casey kasem until next time keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for those stars
 
serge magnacca in washington dc