All I want for Christmas is this
Dr. Sammy, fashionista. Know what I want? One of these. Know what I’d do with it? This.
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Nigeria 1:0 Bosnia-Herzegovina: how bad was the officiating?
Edin Dzeko’s disallowed goal was clearly onsides, but a close review of the replay suggests that it was a simple missed call. Yesterday’s pivotal Nigeria/Bosnia-Herzegovina match featured a blown offsides call that deprived BIH of the only goal it scored. Moments later Nigeria scored courtesy of a controversial no-call on the play that produced the goal by (of all people) Peter Odemwingie. The
Read moreSummer Solstice 2014
22 is my lucky number. 22 years ago I wrote this poem, one of my best ever (or at least the one that a lot of people seemed to like). It’s a Solstice poem, and today is Solstice. So here you go. Happy Solstice.
Read moreDoco’s Freeway Camping Life: political, personal, progressive
Trevor and Joshua Booth’s music has always been political. On their most recent CD they make clear that progressive values begin at home. We have a long, proud tradition of politically active, strongly progressive musicians in the US. Woody Guthrie, Peter, Paul and Mary. Dylan. The Beatles. Punk in general. Green Day’s American Idiot was an iconic classic straight
Read more20 years ago today: OJ’s famous ride
Remembering one of the most bizarre moments in American popular culture history. JFK’s shooting. The Challenger explosion. 9/11. Where were you? Our history occasionally presents us with events so iconic, tragic, traumatic, or perhaps flat-out weird that we can always tell you where we were when they happened (or when we found out). June 17, 1994 was one such moment for many
Read more#USMNT 2:1 Ghana: eight quick thoughts
So far so good, but it’s not going to be easy the rest of the way. 1: CLINT DEMPSEY! CLINT DEMPSEY!
Read moreFIFA World Cup: Netherlands 5:1 Spain – Dutch murder tiki-taka
For years now, Pep Guardiola has been getting credit that belongs to Xavi and Iniesta. Yesterday’s result is more evidence that proves it. The first matches were played in Group B yesterday, and the marquee event was Spain/Holland, a rematch of the dour 2010 final won in extra time by Spain. That meeting was a contrast in styles, with the elegant
Read moreWorld Cup 2014: nine divers to watch
Soccer gets almost as much attention in America for its flopping as it does for its beautiful play. Sadly, World Cup 2014 probably won’t be any different. Here are some players to keep your eye on. The 2014 World Cup is upon us, and casual American fans are eagerly awaiting their chance to bitch about all the diving in soccer. Before
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P-51 Mustang
Read moreDir En Grey: Japanese Metal from Hell (Saturday Video Roundup)
Godzilla ain’t the only hardcore badass from Japan. I’m not the Japan expert around here – that distinction falls to blogger, poet, photographer and Japanophile extraordinare Dan Ryan – so I won’t pretend that I know anything about J-Pop. It just felt like a nice day to do something a little different for SVR, and I’ve been thinking about Dir
Read moreThe best CDs of 2013 that I didn’t get around to until 2014, part 3
Hot Nun, Veronica Falls and Fish released wonderful CDs last year that belong on my top albums of the year list. As noted some time back, there are always CDs I don’t get around to during the year in which they’re released, and with the great ones I accordingly fail to include them in my year-end mentions. I’ve already done a
Read more10-second beer review: New Belgium Trippel
While New Belgium‘s transformation through the years from kick-ass Colorado craft brewer to pretty big time national brewer resulted in a predictable decline in quality of the product, it must be acknowledged that the Trippel remains a not-half-bad Belgian for your basic no-special-occasion drinking pleasure. 1554 isn’t bad, either. I wish Fat Tire was what it was back in 1993,
Read moreWorld Cup friendlies are a necessary evil. Emphasis on the “evil.”
It’s Hold Your Breath Season. At least three World Cup dreams ended today and the USMNT plays tomorrow. For the 32 national football sides heading to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, pre-tournament friendlies are a necessary evil. Necessary because competitive tune-ups are essential if they hope to be in top form for their opening matches. Evil because players
Read moreEven high jumpers get the yips
The yips plague athletes in many sports, and even musicians. Hopefully sports psychologists can find a cure. Golfers know all about “the yips.” If they’ve never experienced it themselves, they’ve probably played with someone who has. And they certainly know the stories of famous golfers whose careers were challenged, if not devastated by the phenomenon. This list includes Tommy Armour, who
Read moreRIP Maya Angelou: maybe it’s time I finally read her work
Bad first impressions linger, but perhaps it’s time I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou reciting her poem “On the Pulse of Morning”, at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration, January 1993 It’s shameful how many authors and books that I “should have read” I haven’t yet gotten around to. Especially given that I hold an MA in English and
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lullaby pit 