easyw

not sure if my view of the AJ is any different, but it is what it is: http://southsideadventures.blogspot.com/

Pointless article for those of us who don't wear condoms..

OK, here ya go, though I think they play in the PR league: Chris Amador (2B - Atenienses de Marati) got 12 at bats and hit .083. Ryan Meaux (P - Caguas) pitched 15 games in a relief role, going 0-1 with a 2.29 ERA. In 19 IP, he gave up 1 homer and 8 walks, while striking out 10. I've updated the blog as well. Let me know if you see any others I missed.

Sorry - thought my list was pretty inclusive.

Playa del carmen is nice... Ssshh, don't tell anyone... You should have Hep A and B vaccines even if you live in the US. They're expensive, but they'll protect you after the guy flippin yer burger at TGIFridays takes a big nasty dump, doesn't wash his hands, then returns to preparing your food. Happens every day. In fact, its happening right now.

http://southsideadventures.blogspot.com/

Yeah, drivers liscense AND birth certificate are OK. But its good to have a passprort anyways, just in case... You can also use greenbacks down there, no need to change to pesos. Get your Hep B (and Hep A) vaccinations. Senor Frog awaits.

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - "Shake the Sheets". I avoided rock this year.

Here is my advice on your paper - Just ask yourself "What would Billy Idol do?" Then do that.

The US gov is, and will always be, the largest donor to relief and disaster efforts because, duh, we're far and away the largest economy (including the EU). That said, I think $35 million is low from a relative historical persepctive. However, based on the crappy US economy, the defecit, etc.. I think its plenty. We can go back n forth all day how our government wastes our tax dollars - be it Iraq, social security, welfare, or legislator junkets to whorehouses in Costa Rica. I'm a ragin liberal, and in this case, I think the US gov at $35 mil is giving enough. At this point, I think the US gov needs to do two things: 1) encourage private donations from US companies that a economic interest in that part of the world. There are plenty. Banks, Starbucks, GM... My company - a German bank - is matching employee donations dollar for dollar. So my measly $20 turns into $40. 2) US leadership needs to get on Air Force One and visit the affected areas. Sob in the hospitals, help clear debris off the beach, and make inspiration speeches about rebuilding. That sort of stuff goes a long long way in shaping a positive image of the US to other nations. This would especially important in Indonesia - the largest Muslim nation on the planet - where the US ain't so popular these days. Sadly, Bush isn't know for this type of action. After the Bali bombings, which killed mostly Australians, he should've been on the next plane to Sydney to grieve with our allies. Instead he parked his ass on the couch at the "Prarie Chapel Ranch" and watched football. Politics aside, that's just a pathethic excuse for leadership. That's my two cents. But what the hell do I know.

Check out this table from the US Geo survey http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/10maps_usa.html Quakes in cali aren't nearly as big or as volitale as the ones that hit the Pacific NW US or Asia. Reason being, the tectonic plates causing quakes in cali are moving against each other, which causes some friction, and thus somewhat frequent earthquakes in the 6-7 Richter range, but nothing like subduction quakes, where plates are slamming under each other and measuring upwards of 9. The big one is coming, but not to Cali, it will be the area near Seattle...and it will happen in our lifetime and it will be bad. As far as any tidal waves in the US go, I'm not aware of any that have caused large scale death and destruction. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001440.html

A natural disater killed that many people in cali? When? Unless that big Asian quake hit a major city, there probably would've been a lot less damage had it occurred on land. When a small, wood frame building - or grass hut - falls, there would be a lot more survivors...

As horrible as that is, that kind of s*** happens all the time in Asia. Open your Alamacs to the natural disasters section and read about some of the floods and earthquakes in China that kill 10 times that many people. Its a sick sad world, I tell ya... And for all its problems, I'm thrilled to live in America, in Chicago, and not some disease-filled impoverished backwater...

Oh man, what great news... People are gonna start f***in n suckin like the old pre-AIDS days!!!

Lee for Sheets and throw in Ginter or even better, throw in Pods. Now that is a deal!

I've been kind enough to provide Sox fans a comprehensive update of Sox prospects latest stats from the winter leagues in my blog... http://southsideadventures.blogspot.com/ Thanks to Jason Gage at future Sox for providing me with the names... Please let me know if I missed anyone...

He's also got a wrist injury that limited his play in the AFL.

Does anyone have a list of players in the Sox organization who are playing winter ball this seaon down in Venezula - or any other central American country, for that matter?

Vizquel is a mistake. The Sox should go after Planco. He's a free agent. They need a #1 pitcher. Likely not a free agent, but possibly a trade. Maybe Lee or Konerko? Lowe is over-rated. He's a converted relief pitcher with one - ONE - good year. His stats gets worse every year... And what if his cancer comes back. I say pass on Lowe...

I've heard of an environmental group in Norway called "f*** for Forests" whose members have sex in public to raise awareness of rainforest destruction. I wonder if this couple was a part of that group? They have a pretty funny website of environmental porn: www.f***forforest.com

Amsterdam is beauitiful..and the gates of hell. Drugs are good, legal and cheap... Hookers are good legal and cheap...

Hey, I'll listen next week! I was on WDGC from 1984-87!

I've been lucky enough to travel a lot a lot places in the US, Europe, North Africa and Central America. I guess I'd pick Madagascar. Always wanted to see the lemurs...

So I finally got a hold of the new Ted Leo and the Pharmacists album, "Shake the Sheets" which actually doesn't come out til later this week, though somehow a friend of mine got an advanced copy about 6 weeks ago and all my pals have been in awe ever since. I finally got my copy saturday. I've been championing Ted Leo for more than a year now, and "Shake the Sheets" continues that noise. This is especially remarkable when you consider that over that same time period, I've purposely been avoiding music with lyrics, and have had a serious aversion to all things rock. Leo is the exception.. I guess cause he's so damn good, he's impossible to ignore. If there is one guy who is about claim the king of rock throne, Leo is it. And "Shake the Sheets" is the album that should be his breakthrough. Couldn't imagine I'd say this, but I think I like it better than his last album - "Hearts of Oak", and that's my favorite rock album of the last 5 years or so... This album is less lyrically ponderous, a bit more poppy, but still hard... "Heart Problems" is the standout that I seem to remember as the highlight of his live performance at last summer's Randolph's Street Fest - it's the centerpiece of the album and hauls ass start to finish, as does "Criminal Piece" and "Walking To Do". Other tunes like "The One Who Got Us Out", "Counting Down the Hours" and the title cut are all great beyond description. There's not a bad song on the entire record... He's on tour and plays Metro on Nov 18. I can't recommend him highly enough. I also had the pleasure of seeing "Dirtly Old Town" - the hour long rockumentary on Leo that centers around a show he played at Coney Island in 2003. It's not as mind-bending as his music, but it's still a worthwhile watch... Besides the concert footage, there's a lot Ted talking about punk asthetics and crap...plus a lot of great camera work on the amusement park... And an "extra" of them playing some street fest during the NYC blackout of 2003, intercut with images of commuters walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, etc..

Wasn't "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" banned for a long time as well. That's on my winter reading list...