We sports fans love a good “what if?” debate, and there are millions of them. What if Portland had drafted Michael Jordan instead of Sam Bowie? What if Roman Abramovich had left José Mourinho alone instead of meddling? What if Barry “The Asterisk” Bonds hadn’t decided to become a walking pharmaceutical test facility? What if Don Shula had pulled Earl
Read moreIn case you haven’t been tracking along, the folks at Maker’s Mark (which is owned by Beam, Inc.), faced with more demand than they could meet, recently announced that they’d be lowering their alcohol by volume (ABV) from 90 proof to 84 proof. You won’t even notice, they assured us. The backlash was swift and loud. Makers Mark customers pitched
Read moreThe truth is that I have never really cared for most of the American poetry canon. Yes, there are exceptions. If you count TS Eliot as an American (and since he was born in St. Louis, you kind of have to), then he was my favorite (although, since he abandoned the US and went to Europe, I also wound up
Read moreIt’s way too early in the year to be talking best of, especially since we’re anticipating 2013 releases from some of our favorite artists (like Jeffrey Dean Foster, for instance, and The Lost Patrol, to name another). But there is some new tuneage out already that we’re digging on. So for your ArtsWeek SVR, have a listen. Up first, Bear
Read moreChardonnay – Gravity: Summer Solstice, 1992 Go tell it to the sea, how he should let go his moonstruck, his shameless high tides – climbing each day, each night kissing at her cloudless indifference. Perhaps he’d answer that it’s all cyclical – hope driving him up the beach and the brooding low tides. Even so, most of his time is
Read moreA question arose in a comment thread on an earlier post. To wit: I love reading, and Kindle is cool, but books are expensive. (Okay, that’s really more of a statement than a question. You get my point.) It’s true. Now granted, the average e-book is a lot cheaper than even a paperback, but still, if you read a lot you
Read moreYou’ve probably heard the old challenge: You’re stranded on a desert island and you can only have X albums to listen to for the rest of your life. What would you choose? I’ve probably heard this one a hundred times and have thought about it informally for maybe 30 years. But I’ve never actually sat down and tried to tackle
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Usually, when I put together my year-end music roundups, I have identified a theme or two and am able to sort of construct a series that tells a larger story. 2012 was weird, though. I’m sure there were themes, and perhaps they’ll become apparent as I look back with the benefit of time and distance, but I’m damned if I’m
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Walt Whitman once said, “I see great things in baseball. It’s our game, the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us.” You could look it up. – Annie Savoy My grandfather used to tell stories about his sister, my aunt Janie. She played baseball. Not softball, but baseball. And was better than most of
Read moreI had this little Facebook exchange yesterday with Tony Hamera, guitarist and songsmith for one of my favorite bands, The Blueflowers. Tony Hamera MBV – I don’t think there is a more overrated band in the annals of music history….. Sam Smith Even if they were overrated, what happens to the last 20 years of music without their influence? They’re tremendously
Read moreI am not anti-gun. I am, however, anti-NRA, which isn’t pro-gun so much as it is the advocacy wing of the arms dealer industry. Anyway, the organization has now released a compilation of National Organizations With Anti-Gun Policies (aka an enemies list). In their words: The following organizations have lent monetary, grassroots or some other type of direct support to anti-gun organizations.
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