Soccer Hall of Fame in US to Close

This is a sad day for soccer fans.  The US Soccer Hall is closing.  Of course that the hall is in Oneonta, New York did not help matters. 

Reading about the closing I began to wonder why isn't it in a place associated with soccer like, oh I don't know, Portland, Or. (Disclaimer I lived there for 11 years).  Portland is billed as Soccer City, USA.   If the Hall didn't want to go that route, why not locate in a major city.  It is bad enough-at least to those of us who played and are fans-that soccer gets the short shift as a fan favorite here in the States.  Being in Oneonta, I am sure it is a fine city with fine people, does not contribute to the development of soccer or a fan base in the US.  That they spent millions on new buildings and fields is a shame.  The money would have better spend hiring moving vans. 

The sad thing is the Hall knew that being in Oneonta wasn't the best place for it.  How else to explain the Why Oneonta? link on the About Us page.

The story about fan exuberance leading to someone asking about the location of the US Soccer Hall of Fame after Oneonta State University won the 1977 NCAA Division I National Championship, is emblamatic of soccer's place in America.  A big game is won and much excitment surrounds the celebration.  Big talk about how great the game was, and how it will lead to great things for US soccer, or Oneonta, as the case may be, begins.  Soon plans are under way and yet, the great things never materialize.  Sure a grand musuem was built and is surrounded by pitches, or fields, but how many people showed up?  Obvisiously not enough people showed up. 

It is a shame that the Hall is being closed.  But until I read the news of its closing, I wasn't even aware of the existance of the Hall.  The sad part of that is I am a fan of soccer. While I am not a super fan like my cousin, I am not a band-wagonner, either.   I played for years and played some in high school and junior college.  I watch matches all the time. And yet I was unaware of the US Soccer Hall of Fame.  Perhaps instead of a grand building in an out of the way place, a little PR would have been in order.  That and locating in a more soccer friendly place could have done wonders for attendence. 

 

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The Socialist Are Already Here!

Here is a letter for any out there concerned about the Socialist direction the country is taking. However from the look at the institutions, programs, and entities on the list, America is already infected with Socialism. Apparently, this has been going on for some time. Let us hope that enough of us sign this petition, this resolution, that America can once again become a great non-Socialist country.

Urge your Congressional Representatives in the House and the Senate to forgo the Socialist medical care they and their families receive. It is unbelievable our Representatives have allowed themselves to become ensnared in such mischief and un-American activities.

If they refuse I say we begin to vote them out. They should have the same non-Socialist medical care we Citizens have. Here is the letter. Copy it. Sign it. Send it. Your Representative will thank you for saving them and their family from the Socialist blight which has taken root in this great Country.

I, ________________________, do solemnly swear to uphold the principles of a socialism-free society and heretofore pledge my word that I shall strictly adhere to the following:

I will complain about the destruction of 1st Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 1st Amendment Rights.

I will complain about the destruction of my 2nd Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights by legally but brazenly brandishing unconcealed firearms in public.

I will foreswear the time-honored principles of fairness, decency, and respect by screaming unintelligible platitudes regarding tyranny, Nazi-ism, and socialism at public town halls. Also.

I pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life. I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:

* Social Security

* Medicare/Medicaid

* State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)

* Police, Fire, and Emergency Services

* US Postal Service

* Roads and Highways

* Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)

* The US Railway System

* Public Subways and Metro Systems

* Public Bus and Lightrail Systems

* Rest Areas on Highways

* Sidewalks

* All Government-Funded Local/State Projects (e.g., see Iowa 2009 federal senate appropriations)

* Public Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)

* Public and State Universities and Colleges

* Public Primary and Secondary Schools

* Sesame Street

* Publicly Funded Anti-Drug Use Education for Children

* Public Museums

* Libraries

* Public Parks and Beaches

* State and National Parks

* Public Zoos

* Unemployment Insurance

* Municipal Garbage and Recycling Services

* Treatment at Any Hospital or Clinic That Ever Received Funding From Local, State or Federal Government (pretty much all of them)

* Medical Services and Medications That Were Created or Derived From Any Government Grant or Research Funding (again, pretty much all of them)

* Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)

* Use of the Internets, email, and networked computers, as the DoD's ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking

* Foodstuffs, Meats, Produce and Crops That Were Grown With, Fed With, Raised With or That Contain Inputs From Crops Grown With Government Subsidies

* Clothing Made from Crops (e.g. cotton) That Were Grown With or That Contain Inputs From Government Subsidies

If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forego my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care

I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of socialist locations, including but not limited to:

* Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History

* The socialist Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Monuments

* The government-operated Statue of Liberty

* The Grand Canyon

* The socialist World War II and Vietnam Veterans Memorials

* The government-run socialist-propaganda location known as Arlington National Cemetery

* All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC

I will urge my Member of Congress and Senators to forego their government salary and government-provided healthcare.

I will oppose and condemn the government-funded and therefore socialist military of the United States of America.

I will boycott the products of socialist defense contractors such as GE, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Humana, FedEx, General Motors, Honeywell, and hundreds of others that are paid by our socialist government to produce goods for our socialist army.

I will protest socialist security departments such as the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Department of Justice and their socialist employees.

Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.

Upon reaching age 65, I will forego Medicare and pay for my own private health insurance until I die.

SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF __________ IN THE YEAR ___.

_____________ _________________________

Signed Printed Name/Town and State

Update: I forgot to link to the original letter. Sorry about that.

Monopoly not just a kids game.

Monopoly's Hidden Maps Help World War II POWs Escape - ABC News
I came across this story and thought it was a good diversion from actually sitting down to my morning writing. Also, I love obscure historical events and trivia. This story delivers.

For me the best part is towards the end of the article. The writer quotes someone from the British producer of Monopoly as saying about 10,000 prisoners used maps, tools, and local currencies hidden in the games in their successful escapes to allied lines.

Of course this tidbit of info leads me to wonder how many allied prisoners were unsuccessful in their escape attempts?

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Corporations! What are they good for?

Here is an article from Devilstower at dailykos.com.  It is an interesting look at corporations, Wal-Mart in particular and how the business model of corporations has placed us in a race to the bottom.  While at the same time exploiting natural resources and leaving most of us not the masters of the universe in a sort of modern equivalent of serfdom.  Interesting read.  I look forward to reading the book 

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Photosynth-Hours and Hours of Coolness to Be Had

I saw Photosynth being utilized on one of the CSI shows ealier this week.  But didn't know what it was.  Then I see this article on Slate and the world of Photography is not so flat.  Here is an example of this application using the Inauguration and the pre-inauguration party at the Lincoln Memorial.  It is possible to zoom in, or zoom out.  It is even possible to rotate a 180 degrees, and if enough photos are uploaded 360 degrees.  I spent almost an hour zooming in and out of the inaugural pics.  WOW!  The effect is almost a 3D rendering of the Capitol Building and the people gathered there.  As I moved through the pictures it was almost instantaneous the switching from picture to picture, and view to view.  A new way to view the pictures of the beginning of a new era in America.  Now if I find a place to put all my pictures of Sanming, China, that will be something.  Photosynth on.

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Anyone Up for Escaping Winter?

Expedia has quite the deal going on.  Get an all inclusive 4 night trip to a Mexico or Caribbean Island resort. (hat tip to independenttraveler.com).  The trips start at $514 and include air fare.  I think I might go here.

To take advantage book by February 14; travel through May 30, 2009

Travel on.

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How Many Strange Foods Have You Eaten?

The folks over at independenttraveler.com have a list of their top seven strangest foods. 



Here is one of them: blood pudding.  A favorite of the Irish for breakfast.  Now I have tried some of the items on the list, such as, the blood pudding.  A little trick I used to make it taste better was to cook it longer and pepper the hell out of it.  Of course, we were staying with relatives and they let me jump into the kitchen.  All the Americans visiting were quite thankful for my "improvements."  Though Father Aaron, the relative we were staying with, didn't seen too keen on having the pudding overcooked. 

I have also had the head cheese.  My mother use to have it around whenever my Grandfather, her father, visited.  I had it once and puked it up.  Of course when ever he visited we also had pickled pigs feet and pig knuckles.  Which were both hard as hell to eat with any sort of decorum.  On the plus side, I didn't have a huge shock while living in China. 

Often friends would order pig's feet, or pigs knuckles to see what I would do.  The only trouble I had was with the nail, of course I had trouble with the toe nails on the chicken claws, as well.  It didn't matter how the claws were prepared, bbq'ed, fried, boiled, pickled, roasted, seasoned, or vacuum packed and sold by Walmart; I had trouble with the nail.  Surprisingly the claws didn't taste like chicken.  I don't know what the nail tasted like, as I never ate one.  I just bit it off and spit it out, like a lugee.  In my defense the Chinese people did the same thing, perhaps with a little more grace and a more pleasant facial continence than I could muster.

Also living in China gave opportunity to eat, fish head, fish cheecks-very tasty, pig brains, cow stomachs, pig and cow intestines, pig ears, pig noses, cow tongue, camel-ka-bob, dog soup, fried star fish, and fried crickets, ants, grubs, worms, spiders, as well as scorpion-with the stinger on, no less.  None these foods were particularily painful to eat, though many of the fried ones tasted like burnt french fries.  This was especially true for the star fish which i ended up throwing away after three bites.

So what strange exoctic foods have you eaten, or would eat, if given the chance?  Eat on.       

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The Mother of All Swag Piles

I should have studied Marine Archaeology or Marine Law.  Either way I would have hit it big.  That is if I had been on the Sub Sea Research Team which found a sunken WW II British vessel.  Or retained by them to file the claims case in US Federal Admiralty Court. 

The ship code named "Blue Baron" by the team is said to be holding gems, gold bullion, platinum, and diamonds worth 2.6 billion British Pounds.  I think with the exchange rate that is pushed over the 3 billion mark in U.S. Dollars.

What do you wish you studied instead?

Update: This site claims it is over $4 billion dollars worth of swag.  That is a lot of rum and wenches me hardies.

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It Takes Photos Too

The Canon 5D Mark II can shoot video, or rather capture video.  According to Canon it has the capability for "[F]ull HD Video capture at 1920x1080 resolution for up to 4GB per clip with HDMI output for HD viewing of stills and video." Emphasis mine.  On top of that it is a 21-megapixel pro-level camera.  And ISO speeds expandable to 25600.  Now that is some shooter.  It only has a suggested retail price of $2699.00-body only.  At that price, it is too bad they don't come in different colors; then I could buy one of each color.

Well I know where twenty-seven hundred dollars are going after I hit the lottery.

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Just in Time for the Super Bowl

The folks over at Food & Wine section of MSNBC have this handy little recipe for panni.
  Now they claim it is perfect for the morning after a big blow-out.  But hell, I don't know about you but I can barely stand to make it to the bathroom to piss or puke, let alone try and cook.  So I am thinking it might be better to make these the day before.  Or for a true hangover meal go with the ole Roger Omelette.  This is named aftern an old roommate.  When we lived together we use to have some serious drunk-fests in our little trailer.  Anyway we ever we got well enough to keep something in our stomachs this was what we usually made.  And it is quite simple.  Take all the eggs in the frig, crack them into a frying pan.  Then add whatever is not nailed down in the frig and sometimes the cabinet-if there weren't any visible mouse droppings.  Ahh good times!!! 

What is your morning after meal? 

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Great Blue Satan Spreads Across America

Someone mapped the Big Blue Satan, AKA Wal-Mart, spreading across America.  It is something to see how the Big Blue Satan spreads out across this great land.  My favorite part is that the person used little green dots to make each new store.  Check out how the map looks at the end.  The country looks ill with all those little florescent green dots, almost like a super-virus is over taking the country.  I wonder if the C.D.C. can innoculate US.

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Potatoes Romanoff Perfect to Fight the WInter Chills

This little dish looks delicious and is fairly easy to make.  I found the video and recipe here. 

The recipe come from the Strip House Restaurant in Manhattan.

It is quick and easy.  But personally I would add some bacon bits and maybe some garlic, minced would add a good kick. 

What would you add?

UPDATE:  A dash of horseradish would kick it up to 11. 

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GORILLAPOD SLR ZOOM

The writers over at earthboundlight.com came up with a list of gifts for photographers.  One of the gifts was the Gorillapod SLR Zoom.  This nifty little tri-pod is made by the good folks at Joby.  They are an outfit out of San Fran.  There are three sizes.  It's also light weight, and it contorts into positions that might make some of these folks jealous.

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Stars Go Rogue

The Hubble Space Telescope captured "renegade" stars tearing through the universe like a 16 year-old tearing through the streets the day after getting his license.

The stars are tearing through space at 112,000 mph or 180,250 kph for our friends around the world.  How would you like to be driving something that fast next Saturday night? 

Which leads to the obvious question does the Universe contain the equivalent of spike strips?

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C.S.I. For Your Travels

TravelSmith has a personal UV germ detector with flashlight.  The perfect gift for the traveling germaphobe.  Or for the germaphobe who stays home.  Personally, I am sure hotel sheets are not the cleanest, but do I really need proof that I am right? 

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Watch the Earth Age 650 Million Years in 120 Seconds

This is a pretty cool video.   

I especially like how it projects into the future.  Some day we will all be a little bit closer. 

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The Perfect Dessert?

(photo by: José Picayo)

Before the New Year's resolutions kick in, why not sin a little?

This could be quite possibly the world's perfect dessert.  And it may soon merit being made its only food group.  It has peanut butter, chocolate and it is in pudding form!?! What elegance. what beauty.  What brilliance.  Pudding......mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

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How Hot Can You Go?

I love eating 'Hot'; I can't get enough.  I love to make my own salsa using the recipe from Bobo's in Stillwater, OK.  Bobo's is gone but if you weren't unlucky enough to work there you can order it from the former owner, product #7971.  It is so good my mouth waters just thinking about it. 

However, salsa or pico-de-gallo can not be splashed on everything.  That is hot sauce's job.  We never made hot sauce at Bobo's but with this recipe I can make it every day, or at least every day I have peppers available.

Personally I think this recipe is a bit to vinegary for my tastes.  That goes for most of the comerical products out there too.  But it gets me a point from which to experiment from.  And that is the true joy of cooking.

Some of the people who replied have suggestions which improve upon the original recipe, at least in my opion.  See here and here.  One of the suggestions send you here.

Enjoy and happy Hot Sauce making. 

UPDATE: If anyone is in Portland area check out Salvador Molly's and their Great Balls of Fire.  Dam them things is hot.  My mouth is still buring and I ate 'em three years ago. 

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The Dream Reborn

Thanks to Mark Jolly I can dream once again of heading to a beautiful Mexican beach.  Mexico: Four little hot beach towns - Mexico- msnbc.com
From Puerto Escondido in the North to Huatulco in the Southeast and Mazunte and San Agustinillo in the middle, this part of the coast of Mexico sounds like a bit of paradise.

With beaches like this
and this

I am definatily making plans to leave the cold, wintery (though back to its normail rainy self this week) NorthWest.

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This Is What I Would Spend My Bailout Money On!!!!

This is the latest creation from E. Kevin Schopfer. Called the Oculus it is 250 feet long and can accommodate 12 peeps in such style it would make the homes at Martha's Vineyard look like shacks. If only I had studied Finance, or University of Chicago style of Economics. Then I could be stealing from the Treasury of Uncle Sam, or little old ladies pension funds. Even if the world economy is in the tank I could be living phat on my pimped out yacht.

What would you spend your bailout money on?