The Black Donnellys: Pilot

Thanks to iTunes, I am watching the first episode of The Black Donnellys. Just FYI, I have never watched The Sopranos, so I don't know whether there are comparisons to be made, and I won't be making them.

First impressions:

• Is it just me, or does Joey Ice Cream's voice not match his face?
• "Hey, that's mine! I stole that!" Heh.
• The fight scene at the wake is kind of awesome too.
• These guys need more distinctive names, because I can't keep Tommy, Sean, Kevin and Jimmy straight.
• I like that, while the language is network-safe, there's some in the scuffles that sounds like cursing, but it's unintelligible. That's classy and it seems realistic
• The last 2-3 minutes? Whoa. Also? Hah!
  

Overall:

• This pilot is super put-together. I've heard it described as "cinematic" and it totally is. We learn the main guys we need to know, and get a feeling for the drama and comedy that will probably run through the series. That's important in a pilot. More, it's also engaging and compelling, which is often missing in a premier episode (especially one that's the usual 44 minutes.)
• I will probably watch this show a couple more times, but they're going to need the humor to keep me involved with this series. The characters are interesting, but if the dramatic situations wear out (like they do on so many dramas), the humor can carry it through rough patches. That's what shows like Lost and Studio 60 have missed out on for me lately.

So, THAT'S what happened

In case Because you were wondering what happened, here's the deal with that Purdue player who got three free throws late in the 2nd half yesterday.

It was not, as I had suspected at the time, a lane violation. Because who violates the lane (and what ref calls it) on the first of two shots? In fact, the defense is required to occupy both of the lowest positions on the lane during a free throw. Since NU apparently didn't do that, on one of the first two attempts, there was a violation and an extra foul shot.

Thus endeth the mystery.

Special thanks to Bad Idea Blue Jeans for breaking this story wide open.

More fun with words

You know I like words. I like using them, and I like making fun of Tom when he uses them.

So, I just learned a new word. The word is shambolic, and it is defined thusly: (British slang) disorderly or chaotic.

I heard it used twice in the last two days. In both cases, it was used to describe sloppy defending by soccer teams. Different games. Different broadcaster (I think).

So, I'll be saying that as much as possible from now on. Don't say you weren't warned.

Two things that I love about soccer

Well, one thing I love about soccer and one thing I love about loving soccer. Got that?

I am watching DC United take on CD Olimpia in Honduras in the first leg of the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. I DVR'd it, so don't spoil the result for me! What I love is that the Hondurans have a couple of songs that they are singing non-stop. Now, that's not unusual for a soccer match. The part that gets me is that they are whistling. Whistling. And it carries through on the crappy FSC broadcast. Awesome.

GOAL! Christian Gomez! CD Olimpia 0:1 DC United in the 30th minute.

What I love about loving soccer is that I didn't have to worry about getting spoiled on this result. ESPN was not running Copa de Campeones scores on the Bottom Line. It's nice to not have to avoid the bottom 15% of the screen. I'm sure only 3 people* at ESPN are aware of this competition.

GOAL! CD Olimpia 1:1 DC United in the 34th. I'm not live-blogging the rest. Or even delay-blogging it. Check the second leg of the aggregate score match next week from DC.

* - Eric Wynalda, Tommy Smith, and whomever Wynalda is talking to.

What's more exciting than census data?

Well, just about everything except for Tom's recent bugaboo. That is to say, the chief and his accoutrements are not exciting. Tom's bloggage is far more worthy of your time than most census data.

So, why am I presenting 6-year-old South African census data? Well, to help answer some of the many questions I get about Amanda's village and to stimulate conversation in general.

These data refer to her electoral ward, which includes Amanda's village and the village next door.

• Population: 15,492
• 41% of the population is between the ages of 0-14.
• 30% of the adult population has had no schooling. 18% have completed Grade 12.
• 3,018 of the 15,492 (19%) are economically active (have jobs or seek jobs). 59% of those are unemployed.
• 80% of the population receives no income. 5% receive $0-54.80/month. 10% receive $54.81-109.60/month.
• 7% of the population suffers from a known disability.
• Less than 1% drive a car.
• There are 3,222 total households. 1/2 of the households have more than 5 people.
• 1/2 of the household have 3 rooms or fewer (total rooms, not total bedrooms).
• Only 30 households have a flush toilet.

Stayed tuned to this channel for your chance to contribute to a photography project that Amanda will be developing for her village's school.

PSA: Daylight-Saving Time 2007

I consider it my solemn obligation to let everyone know what time it is. So, here's an update:

On Sunday, March 11 at 2:00 am, it will be 3:00 am.

Yes, Daylight-saving time starts three weeks earlier this year, and it ends one week later on Sunday, November 4. Make sure your cell phones and PDAs get software updates, so they can maybe do that for you. You're probably still on your own for watches and alarm clocks, unless you have a manservant like I do.

The more you know.

Gadget owners beware: Daylight-saving time has changed [C|Net news via Engadget]
Energy Bill [US Senate]

Robert H. Lurie

Hopefully this gets picked up by Google Image Search, so future generations will know what we mean by the bust of Dr. Lurie.

Lurie with hat.

Next time, don't narrate my demise

Instead of commenting on Tom's bloggage today, how's about I write my own damn post about getting to work in the cold....

An Open Letter to the Woman Who Drove the 147 Bus this Morning

Dear Woman Who Drove the 147 Bus this Morning,

I don't want to get off on the wrong foot here, so first, please accept my thanks for getting me to work today. I got in a little late, but I expected that since I stayed home this morning to make a phone call.

Sadly, my ride on your bus was not as enjoyable as I'd hoped it would be. Please allow me to give you some advice, so that future CTA patrons will be more pleased than I: Don't tell your passengers that you're going to drive the bus off the road and kill everyone.

I know this may be a surprise to you, but I think I speak for all bus-riders when I suggest that we don't like to see our lives flash before us as we ride down Lake Shore Drive. We like to see Marine Drive (if we sit on the right) or kamikaze cyclists (if we sit on the left) flash before us.

Woman Who Drove the 147 Bus this Morning, your driving was actually quite good, considering the snowy conditions. Also, your advice that commuters in a hurry consider transferring to the Red Line at Thorndale was probably well-headed by some clock-punchers. I'm just saying: Next time, don't tell us that you're going to "jack-knife the bus into a tree" and please don't repeat your predictions of a harsh future when we're churning along the LSD.

See you next time the Northwestern bus deserts me,
JoshEatsBirds

A Dream Fulfilled

Not Payton Manning's dream or Tony Dungy's. Although, I guess it probably was for them. And it's not that it was my life-long dream to see the Colts win the Super Bowl.

It was however my dream last Thursday night, when I found myself wandering through an electronics store and all the TVs were proclaiming that Indy tight end Ben "Matt" Utecht had finally won a title. It is likely that this was mostly due to my ongoing confusion between Utecht and backup guard -- and Wildcat -- Matt "Ben" Ulrich.

A more exciting interpretation ignores the Super Bowl angle. Maybe I'm really destined to have an awesome new TV? Stop by some time and find out! If my dream turns out to be prophetic, maybe I can get them to base a Heroes character on me...