PU DONG to L.A.

PU DONG to L.A.

Ahhhhhhhh back in this blessed country. Well I made it back from China again and again I made it back with a sickness. Trip went great until my last day. I woke up ill and only got worse on the way home. After 23 hrs of travel I was down to my last Alka-Seltzer cold plus. All I can say is I was lucky to make it home....I woke up with a 102 degree and thanking God I could go to the doctor. I would have been screwed in China with out that steroid and antibiotic shot. I am still recovering 4 days later but should be back up to speed on Monday.

TYLER TINKOFF'S

TYLER TINKOFF'S

U.S. cyclist Tyler Hamilton, cycles before the start of the second stage of Etoile de Besseges race between Nimes and Saint-Ambroix, near Nimes, southwestern France, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007. Hamilton returned to his first stage race Wednesday after a two-year doping ban, finishing deep in the pack. The Olympic gold medalist was 66th in the first stage of the Etoile de Bessages race between Pezenas and Palavas-les-Flots in southern France, 11 seconds behind stage winner Angelo Furlan of Italy.

I for one am glad to see Tyler back in the saddle. I really hope he is up for it. He has always been one of my favorite riders. Well liked by all, modest, and probably the highest pain threshold in the pack. Got to love a good ole American boy.... well he was sentenced two years for a doping violation..., which he denies...but was unable to prove. Who knows maybe he was clean.... well I assume he is now so good Luck Tyler and hope to see you in the Tour again!

MORE ON TYLER'S DOPING CASE

TYLER'S SITE

EXCELLENT POINT

EXCELLENT POINT

"So I Married a Tooth Fairy..."

"So I Married a Tooth Fairy..."

In case your wondering....Lynn and Josie participated in the Annual City of Chelsea Christmas Parade. We had a blast last year, so this year she dressed as the tooth fairy. She threw tooth paste while the rest of her staff threw taffy and jawbrakers.

HO,HO

This is a self portrait of Jim Kemp (my former boss.) He drew this card in 2000 for his employee gifts. I have asked him for some more work, so I could post it, but he stays busy so no luck yet. Maybe if enough people leave comments I can use that as a public outcry for his work! Maybe pressure him…..hahaha. Hopefully there will be more Kemp art in the future. Until them Merry Christmas and …. HO, HO!

Wicked!!

Wicked!!

This is one Bad Ass GUN!!!!!

I ripped this post from JIMSMASH!!!

NOT MY JOB

NOT MY JOB

Award goes to..."Street-Line painter man"

Spider-Station

Spider-Station

Does this bug anyone as much as it does me? I have to assume the creator of the Playstation logo was well aware they were using the EXACT same font as the spider-man logo. With that said.....WHY? This happens allot with movie logo's and I have never understood why. Alien’s green gets ripped off quite a bit and I hate it every single time. It’s pretty pathetic to think that one products image was consciously linked to another products image for the sake of marketing. For the life of me I can think of no other reason and I refuse to accept that it’s just coincidence. How could it be?

Bama Search Committee

OFF TO CHINA

OFF TO CHINA

Well it’s that time again. I am headed to China for the 9th time. Well I think it’s the 9th time, I have lost track. I am only going to be gone for 8 days so that means I get the full affect of jet lag. I will be flying in to Shanghai and then traveling to Wujang City (1.5 hr drive) for 2 days, then back and forth to Hongzhou a couple times. They are about a three hour drive apart. I will take some photos for later post.

TOTAL RECALL

TOTAL RECALL

This is cool. The technology, called backscatter, has been around for several years but has not been widely used in the U.S. as an anti-terrorism tool because of privacy concerns. It’s basically like the full body scanner in the movie “Total Recall.” I remember watching that thinking this would be awesome in reality. Looks like its going to be a reality (here is the article.) They are going to install one of these in the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Az. It will be up and running by Christmas. The top picture is from teh 1990 film "Total Recall." The bottom picture is from the Backscatter machine.

HEAVY DOWN

Heavy Down

This is today’s (yesterday’s now) play list......Heavy Down tempo TUNES. Heavy = audibly darker, nothing really cheery sounding. Down = nothing to high energy.

(click image to read)

Mr. PEEPS

Mr. PEEPS

Well, month number three is just around the corner so its time for a new profile pic. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Peeps to j’s Place.

When I look at him the first thing I see is two eyes floating with a little wry grin between them. I think there is something humorous about him as well, like there is a joke that I am missing. I am not real sure what the flat line and arrow are all about but I think it adds a sense of curiosity (actual size ½” x ¾” on lined note pad paper.)

I hope you like him......he worked hard to make the doodle cut so be nice.

R.I.P. Issac

R.I.P. Issac

World track cycling champion Issac Galvez died Saturday night after crashing against the railing during the next-to-last day of the Madison competition, event organizer Rob Discart said. Galvez, who raced for the Caisse d'Epargne team, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, Discart told VRT radio (full story.)

YAO THAT HURT!!!

“YAO THAT HURT!!!”

I was nodding off in bed the other night watching sports center when I was awakened by a video of 5’-9” Nate Robinson blocking 7’-6” Yao Ming. Watch the whole clip and check out the graphic of both players’ feet at the time of the block.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

(click HERE for turkey anthem)

THIS JUST IN

THIS JUST IN

It looks like we might get a satirical news program, in the vein of “The Daily Show," with out having to lean to the left to enjoy it. Fox is currently in talks with a group that produced a pilot called “This Just In” which aims at poking fun at some of the “Sacred Cows,” on the left which frequently get omitted from the punch lines on other shows (read article here.)

Best Tops

Best Tops

This is my current desktop. Its winter...and I like the penguins...thats why.

(click image....then right click to set as your desktop)

SEGREGATION

Segregation in Alabama

Basso Agreed!!

Basso Agreed!!

Discovery Channel and Ivan Basso confirmed Friday that under the terms of their contract, the Italian rider has agreed to provide a DNA sample if this is requested in a national judicial or disciplinary investigation.

"There has never been a DNA issue," Johan Bruyneel said. "Ivan agreed through his lawyer even before we signed to give a sample. He just wanted to make sure that the guarantees provided by the law would be respected."

So I guess those upset pro-tour managers can take a pill!!! Looks like they get there DNA if they want it.

REUSABLE

REUSABLE

A friend of mine in china sent these to me. I though they were some pretty good ideas. Reminds me of a "reusable" project I once had in school. Chop sticks and votive were my favorites. Thanks Leeanne!!

AUBURN FIGHT SONG

WAR EAGLE

(The Auburn Fight Song)

(click here to listen)

War...Eagle, fly down the field, Ever to conquer, never to yield.

War...Eagle fearless and true. Fight on, you Orange and Blue.

Go! Go! Go!

On to vic'try, strike up the band,

Give 'em hell, give 'em hell.

Stand up and yell, Hey!

War...Eagle, win for Auburn,Power of Dixie Land!

BAMA FRIENDS

To my BAMA Friends and Family:

I love you guys......Just NOT this weekend!! Oh....and fear the thumb.....and WAR DAMN EAGLE!

JimSmash GPK Post

THANKS JIMSMASH!!!


For the memories....I loved me some Garbage Pall Kids and JimSmash brought it all back in a flood of emotion. I could not hold back the tears. Please go see JimSmash GPK Post Here, he has a link to all the GPK cards...so check it out!!! Go see all of JimSmash Here!!!

HACK

HACK

OH yea this lab is TOP NOTCH!!! Let’s ruin a career based on this labs findings……

A hacker stole data from computers at the French anti-doping lab where tests are being challenged by American cyclist Floyd Landis, police said Tuesday. The complaint was lodged by French Anti-Doping Agency president Pierre Bordry on Nov. 7.

"Intruders penetrated the lab's information systems and used material taken inside in order to denigrate the lab," Bordry told France Info radio Tuesday.

According to sports daily L'Equipe, a hacker accessed data and sent out letters to the IOC and WADA with the aim of discrediting the lab by calling into question its reliability.(Full article)


Well I would have to say “GOOD QUESTION!!!” This place is about at secure as a nurse’s station in elementary school!! GIVE ME A BREAK!

ISIS

ISIS

In The Absence Of Truth

Heavy, down tempo, metal……ahhhh…. just the way I like it. I have just recently (6 months or so) started listing to ISIS (band info.) I have been looking for this type of band for a while. I wondered where all the heavy instrumental stuff was. Where was the blanket of dark sound I could wrap myself in? I found just that in ISIS.

Their new album “In The Absence Of Truth” was released on the Ipecac label October 31st. It’s easily as good as “Panopticon,” their 2004 release. If anything, it's a bit smoother. The transitions from ambient to driving metal are seamless and flowing. Lyrics are still few and far between, as well as indecipherable. The traditional growling vocals are still there but are highlighted with traditional clean vocals on a couple of tracks. The clean vocal is something I had not heard on the previous two albums, at least not to this extent, and it helps add to the over all depth of the album. Guitars and drums remain simple and heavy through out. The average track length is around 7 minutes and total playing time is 1 hour. There is a type of sensory deprivation I get when listening to ISIS and I think that’s the reason I want more (Buy Here.)

NEW KIT

NEW KIT

Check out Basso in his new Team Discovery Kit. That didn’t take long! I am sure the Disco crew was eager to reap the benefits of the Basso signing (publicity, publicity, publicity.) So here he is, in Disco Blue but much to the chagrin of other pro tour team managers. The managers were hoping to collectively force (full story) all the riders implicated in Operación Puerto to submit blood samples for DNA testing. The plan was to cross reference the results to those from the bags of blood that were discovered in Operación Puerto. Team Discovery signing Basso as soon as the charges were dropped erased thier hopes of forced submission to DNA testing.


Former T-Mobile team manager Olaf Ludwig comments:
"Discovery regards dropping the legal proceedings as the same thing as being cleared," Ludwig told the Berlin Kurier daily. "What's left of a code of honor among team managers is questionable - the dumb one here is CSC (Basso’s Former Team) boss Bjarne Riis, who dissolved his contract with Basso."

Discovery Team Manager Bill Stapleton’s remarks: "I think he's been exonerated," Bill Stapleton said. "The ProTour required we wait until there was a decision. Now it's time to move on."

Quick Facts:

Operación Puerto - Spanish police uncovered a major doping network run by Madrid-based sports doctor Eufemio Fuentes at the end of May, allegedly implicating a host of top names in the sport, including former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich and Italy's Ivan Basso, as well as team managers.
Blood doping - The practice of illicitly boosting the number of red blood cells (RBCs) in the circulation in order to enhance athletic performance. RBCs from a compatible donor (or the athlete themselves) are harvested, concentrated and then transfused into the athlete’s circulation prior to competition.

MEGA!!!!

MEGA!!!!

I thought this video really captures the scale of the Mega-ramp. Oh, the whole video just happens to be set to "Orion" from Metalica's "Master of Puppets." So... its worth listening to, if nothing else.

“FAT SQUIRREL”

Wild Life Cholesterol At All Time High!!

House and Senate approve bill banning trans fats and high calorie garbage. The bill, referred to as “Fat Squirrel,” will lower wild life cholesterol by 0.00345% by the year 2020.

I think that’s Dominos......

GO GIRL!!!

GO GIRL!!!

The SI.com Cheerleader of the Week is .....

Auburn's Krista Klumpp -- a senior from Smiths Station, Ala. -- is a Radio, Television and Film major and a second generation Auburn cheerleader. When not rooting on the Tigers, Krista likes to watch The Price is Right and cheer for the Yankees.

Not only is Krista a dedicated Auburn cheerleader but her great grandfather invented Velveeta Cheese!!!!

Name: Krista KlumppBirth Date: July 7, 1985

Hometown: Smiths Station, Ala.

School: Auburn UniversityYear: SeniorMajor: Radio, Television and Film

1. In 10 years, I'll likely be: In the field of Sports Broadcasting and starting a family.

2. Why I love Auburn: Auburn, to me, is a family tradition. My grandfather attended Auburn University, as well as both my parents and my older sister. My mother was a former Cheerleader at Auburn during the late 70's. At Auburn, we are all a part of the "Auburn Family". We also known for having the best traditions in the country, including Tiger Walk, Rolling Toomer's Corner and War Eagle.

3. Movies I can't live without: Sister Act II and Sweet Home Alabama

4. Music I can't live without: I listen to all types of music. My favorite singers are Mariah Carey and Kelly Clarkson.

5. TV shows I can't live without: The Price is Right and Desperate Housewives

6. One misconception about cheerleaders: "We are not just Cheerleaders". As Auburn Cheerleaders not only do we cheer at Auburn Football games we also cheer at Men's and Women's Basketball games, Volleyball games and Gymnastics meets. In addition to cheering for Auburn athletic events, we are heavily involved in and around our community. On average, we make 4-5 appearances per week at local elementary schools, retirement homes and alumni club events.

7. My favorite sport is: Football and Baseball

8. My favorite teams are: Auburn (of course), the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Yankees.

9. I like to spend my weekends: After cheering for Auburn and Rolling Toomer's Corner, I like to tailgate with my family and friends. After church on Sundays, I finish homework and rest up for the week ahead.

10. Strange and unusual fact about me: My great grandfather invented Velveeta Cheese.

11. My friends would be surprised to know that: My ultimate dream job would be to become a Game Show Host.

12. If I Had More Time I Would: Sleep ... and I've always wanted to learn to play the piano.

13. Favorite Foods: Pretzels and Sour Cream

14. Five People I'd Like To Have Dinner With (Living or Dead): Bob Barker, President George W. Bush, Bo Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, and Michael Vick.

15. Favorite Activity: Water Sports

16. Next Risk I Want To Take: To become Miss USA

17. Every Woman Should Have: A Credit Card and Mascara

18. Places I Want To Visit And Why: I've always wanted to visit Hawaii to learn how to surf and hula dance.