Showing posts with label MLB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MLB. Show all posts
Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Friday, April 17, 2009 20 Of Your Sparks


Check out "Looking At The Sky Friday" participants by clicking on the banner above and heading over to Crazy Working Mom's site.

Taken within the last three weeks, this was at Nancy's, sitting on the back porch. I just thought the sky looked majestic. The clouds in shades from white to black...the sun reflecting in them...the sky a rich blue...Hope you likey...(and you know clickie to biggie)



Did you happen to catch that every player in Major League Baseball wore the number 42 yesterday to honor the day that Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson played his first major league game in 1947, making his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field.

Over the past few years, one player on the team got to wear 42. This year, everyone wears it. The #42 was retired by MLB a few years back and only players who were wearing the number at the time got to keep wearing it. I know Mariano Rivera, the Yankees closer, feels honored to be allowed to wear Jackie's number. Nice job MLB...you done good this time!



I am having some troubles with one of my Canon A-1s. Actually, I am having a problem with either one of the bodies or the lens on that body, so this weekend, I will mix up the lenses and see what transpires. I hope it is nothing major. The other body seems to be working just fine.

But I lost some shots I had taken recently. I have them, but they are extremely grainy and I am comfuzzled. But HECK-A-DOODLE!!!!!! I will figure it out.

I have been thinking about starting a fund for a new digital...I am having fantasies about the things I could do with the Canon SX1 IS a new model out recently.


C'mon, tell me this does not make you squirm in your chair...

*Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels at 30 fps) movie mode plus HDMI output for easy playback of video and photos on your HDTV.
*The first PowerShot camera to feature a 10.0 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor for superb image quality.
*28mm wide-angle 20x Optical Zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilizer.
*Large 2.8-inch Vari-angle LCD widescreen for flexible viewing at nearly every angle, plus a viewfinder for more shooting options.
*Full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW + JPEG for the ultimate creative control.
*DIGIC 4 Image Processor has evolved Face Detection Technology that tracks the faces of moving subjects and lets the shooter enter the frame seamlessly with the Face Detection Self-timer.
*With 25 Shooting Modes including 12 Special Scene Modes, you're ready for whatever shot comes your way.
*Print/Share Button for easy direct printing and downloading, plus ID Photo Print and Movie Print with select PIXMA Inkjet Photo Printers and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers.

Well, ummm maybe not sqirm...but ya know...it is pretty cool!



See you Monday with some New Music

HAVE A GRAND WEEKEND!

Benny Goodman..."Stompin' At The Savoy" Oh yeah baby...




Angels picture:LM OTERO / Ap
Dodgers picture: AP
Mets picture: Getty

Tuesday's Thoughts

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Tuesday, October 02, 2007 23 Of Your Sparks



The baseball playoffs begin on Wednesday...TBS has the first round games...here is the schedule for the first round
(all times Eastern):

CHICAGO CUBS VS. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS:
Gm 1 CHC @ ARI Wed Oct. 3 10 pm TBS
Gm 2 CHC @ ARI Thu Oct. 4 10 pm TBS
Gm 3 ARI @ CHC Sat Oct. 6 6 pm TBS
Gm 4* ARI @ CHC Sun Oct. 7 1 pm TNT
Gm 5* CHC @ ARI Tue Oct. 9 10 pm TBS
* - if necessary

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS. COLORADO ROCKIES
Gm 1 COL @ PHI Wed Oct. 3 3 pm TBS
Gm 2 COL @ PHI Thu Oct. 4 3 pm TBS
Gm 3 COL@ TBD Sat Oct. 6 9:30 pm TBS
Gm 4* PHI @ COL Sun Oct. 7 10 pm TBS
Gm 5* COL @ PHI Tue Oct. 9 6:30 pm TBS
* - if necessary

ANAHEIM ANGELS OF LOS ANGELES VS. BOSTON RED SOX
Gm 1 LAA @ BOS Wed Oct. 3 6:30 pm TBS
Gm 2 LAA @ BOS Fri Oct. 5 8:30 pm TBS
Gm 3 BOS @ LAA Sun Oct. 7 3 pm TBS
Gm 4* BOS @ LAA Mon Oct. 8 9:30 pm TBS
Gm 5* LAA @ BOS Wed Oct. 10 8:30 pm TBS
* - if necessary

NEW YORK YANKEES VS. CLEVELAND INDIANS
Gm 1 NYY @ CLE Thu Oct. 4 6:30 pm TBS
Gm 2 NYY @ CLE Fri Oct. 5 5 pm TBS
Gm 3 CLE @ NYY Sun Oct. 7 6:30 pm TBS
Gm 4* CLE @ NYY Mon Oct. 8 6 pm TBS
Gm 5* NYY @ CLE Wed Oct. 10 5 pm TBS
* - if necessary



OK my dear guests, you are slacking....we are getting our usual 50-70 visits every day, but the comments have slowed down to a dribble....yes, we have our regular commenter, but if you are sitting on The Couch, you need to speak up! Contribute! The Couch is NOT a one-way street...it is a place to hang and chat....

So, if you are reading this, then leave a comment...even if it is just, 'oh be quiet'!

On that note, did you watch the BRUCE videos? Did you notice that even Dad Vince commented on it yesterday?? He was glad we tracked them down and watched them all again... and he LOVES BRUCE...funny, as we get older, we seem to enjoy more of the same things....

Interesting? Scary? hummmm ....bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Matt update: Well he tried numerous times to contact the baseball coach and even put in the papers required only to finally be told this past week 'it is too late'....guy could have been honest..but oh well..he is playing for the club team and has joined the Psychology Club and is doing well with classes and making friends...making plans to go up and visit in a few weeks...



OK, this was a part of a bootleg sent to us years ago.

We are almost positive it is from
A SUMMER JAM
Watkins Glen, NY
July 28, 1973
The Allman Brothers
The Grateful Dead
The Band

This is the t-shirt we got that weekend...it was held at the Grand Prix Racetrack there...


The Dead and the Brothers did play together that weekend...they also played together many other times also, so we can not guarantee it was then.

This concert was larger than Woodstock...600,000 strong that day... yes it was one day of f'ing incredible music!

The Grateful Dead performed for five hours, the Allman Brothers for four, and the Band for three, including a thirty-minute break due to a thunderstorm. Well, any good concert has a thunderstorm!!!! HA

There was never a record of the concert though the crews did record the shows. It is said The Dead would not release their tapes. We do have 4 CDs of their show culled from sound board and self-recorded tapes.

Hope you enjoy....




BLOGTALK RADIO UPDATE


Coming up this week on DR. BLOGSTEIN'S RADIO HAPPY HOUR: (Live on Tuesday October 1st at 9PM ET and forever archived at BlogTalkRadio.)

Comedian and radio personality J. Anthony Brown headlines the Radio Happy Hour.

Brown, who’s best known for his role on the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, will not only leave you in stitches but can create a suit for you with those stitches. The funny man and creator of The J. Anthony Brown Suit Collection will bring a sense of style and some off key singing to this week’s program. He’ll also explain what his catch phrase “watchoutdehnow” means.

Also, we have several guests who may or may not call in. Two rappers and an NFL player are scheduled but not yet 100% confirmed at the time of this posting. We’ll have to wait and see—suspenseful!

All that plus, Dangerous Lee co hosts, Vinny Bond drags his Big Leather Couch into the Radio Happy Hour lounge and chats with the listeners as he act as the SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE CYBERWAVES in the chat lounge and on the air, Justin the Weatherman with his forecast and your calls at 646-652-4804.

Join us live every Tuesday night at 9PM ET. The Radio Happy Hour Lounge--a live chat room during show time--is a whole new reason to make sure you listen live! It’s the show within the show! But if you can't and miss us then, we're ALWAYS ON on our left sidebar!



True love begins when nothing is looked for in return.
~ by Antoine De Saint-Exupery ~



Bucks, Bravery, Bobby McGee

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Friday, September 21, 2007 23 Of Your Sparks


Just when we thought we had made it Forbes changed the guidelines. Last year the minimum amount you had to have to joining their list of the 400 riches Americans was $1-Billion.

Sure, just as we get to that figure, they go and up the ante to $1.3-Billion....

Just not fair we tell you.

Top 22?

1. William Gates III - $58 billion - well you know him!
2. Warren Buffett - $52 billion - Big time investor

Look Out...Big Drop Coming!

3. Sheldon Adelson - $28 billion - Casino owner
4. Lawrence Ellison - $26 billion - Oracle
5. Sergey Brin - $18.5 billion - Google
5. Larry Page - $18.5 billion - Google
7. Kirk Kerkorian - $18 billion - Casinos & Investments
8. Michael Dell - $17.2 billion - Dell Computer
9. Charles Koch - $17 billion - Oil & Commodities
9. David Koch - $17 billion - Oil & Commodities
11. Paul Allen - $16.8 billion - Microsoft & Investments
12. Jim Walton - $16.3 billion - Walmart
12. Christy Walton & Family - $16.3 billion - Walmart
12. S. Robson Walton - $16.3 billion - Walmart
15. Alice Walton - $16.1 billion - Walmart (Does she know she gets less than the rest?)
16. Steven Ballmer - $15.2 billion - Microsoft
17. Abigail Johnson - $15 billion - Fidelity
18. Carl Icahn - $14.5 billion - Leveraged Buyouts
19. Jack Crawford Taylor & Family - $14 billion - Enterprise Rent-A-Car
19. Forrest Mars Jr. - $14 billion - Mars Company
19. John F. Mars - $14 billion - Mars Company
19. Jacqueline Mars - $14 billion - Mars Company



Remember...if you want to contribute to Dixie's scrapbook for Matt, head on over to DIXIE'S HEART & SOUL and leave her a note or write something up and let her know how she can get a copy.



Have you read the story about the new Miami Hurricanes head coach? I know...I know...stop the booing...the University might have done the best thing that has ever happened...

Randy Shannon is a man you should know about. Sports Illustrated did a story on him a couple of issues ago, and in perfect fashion, ESPN is now running a feature on this remarkable man.

In short, Shannon was born and raised in Liberty City a notoriously dangerous part of Miami. His father was murdered in Liberty City in the 1970s when the future Miami head coach was only three years old. Shannon's sister and two of his brothers died in the 1980s after contracting AIDS through drug use. Another of his brothers was arrested for stealing Shannon's identity.

The story is about how he got to where he is today; and the fact that he has brought a new attitude to the team who once came out for pre-game in fatigues. This year, they do not even have names on their uniforms; almost unheard of in college football.

You can read the entire Sports Illustrated article HERE



Four divisions in MLB still up for grabs...

The best record in the American League is still up for grabs...

Great time of year for a baseball junkie...

Then throw in the NFL starting up...

And our Fantasy Football team giving us wins the first two weeks...and it is even better...

Beautiful weather here in Memphis...

Will be spending some time on the Tutelage and will be presenting it to you on Monday.



Oh hell...been a few days that we have not had a chance to place tunes...

Have quite a few for Monday, so...we'll share another of our featured artist...


"Me And Bobby McGee"
Janis Joplin
Words and Music by Kris Kristofferson
Pearl
1971
(Posthumously released)



Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
Marcel Proust


GREAT WEEKEND ALL.........................



Tuesday's Thoughts

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Tuesday, May 22, 2007 22 Of Your Sparks

Been In St. Cloud, Mn the last couple of days on business. All went well.

Traveling home today and will be landing in time to be on DOCTOR BLOGSTEIN'S RADIO HAPPY HOUR tonight.

A special show, where we will be chatting with United States Soldier Dominick Noyes who will call in live from Bagram, Afghanistan.

Noyes, who was also in Iraq in 2004, will discuss
the progress on both fronts and the hope for the future in these nations.

Also, Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel, the most recognized video gamer in the world, will explain to us how he's made a career out of playing video games.

Fatal1ty will also explain his role in the new Championship Gaming Series (CGS), an international video gaming league which broadcasts to over 100 million homes worldwide.

All that, plus we'll meet the Radio Happy Hour's summer intern and hear about a Taco Bell/Major League Baseball promotion.

Listen in by clicking on the link on the Left Hand Sidebar.

Call in to chat at
646-652-4804

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This one made me giggle....

It seems the legislature of Nova Scotia endorsed a resolution this past month criticizing the NHL for scheduling a playoff game between the Penguins and the Senators on a SATURDAY AFTERNOON, when few people were free to watch it!

Ummmm we are talking SATURDAY AFTERNOON here folks! For years, people in the US have complained about playoff games in other sports being played at night since then kids could not be awake to watch. Finally, a major sport decided to play a game on a SATURDAY AFTERNOON and the people of Nova Scotia are upset.

The NHL has the worst rating of the major sports, they hardly have a TV deal in the US, so they are trying to build a fan base.

OK, you can say, but the people of Canada LURVE their hockey and that is true, but the other truth here is that only SIX of the leagues THIRTY teams are even located in Canada. There are six teams that play in "Southern" US cities.

True, Canadians still make up a majority of NHL players, but Europeans now comprise 30% of the league.

True, Major League Baseball contain a growing number of Latin players, but at least the teams are still in the US.

Sorry, it just made me giggle...

My beloved Canadian readers can now sound off...but first ...remember



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Kurt Vonnegut recently passed away. One of the great novelist of the 20th Century, did you know that Mr Vonnegut was hired to write for Sports Illustrated back in 1954 before they had even pusblished their first issue?

Yes kiddies, it is true. Though Mr. Vonnegut confessed to knowing little about sports he was hired.

One of his first assignments was to write a caption for a picture of a race horse that had jumped the rail at Aqueduct Raceway in NYC and galloped across the infield.

After contemplating this assignment, Mr. Vonnegut wrote one sentence and then walked out of their offices, never to return again.

His one and only caption for Sports Illustrated?

"THE HORSE JUMPED OVER THE F**KING FENCE"

Guess we should be happy he became a novelist....think of the other possibility:



Ya just gotta love it kiddies.....

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Last evenings final episode of 24 was slam bang exciting...ending with Jack gazing off into the distance overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

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Finally, our good friend Jamie sent us an email this week.
It read:

"I like the music on your blog, but where are
THE STONES?"

hehehe...Jamie is a TKE Fraternity Brother who works in Hollywood as an Assistant Director and has worked on some wonderful films including all three Rush Hour movies, Disturbia, Stripes, The Outsiders, Revenge of the Nerds, and also did some episodes of Prison Break and Dallas.

Check out his resume HERE

Since Jamie just celebrated a birthday, and sent me this video, and especially since I hope if I could get published he would help set up a movie deal....

Ladies and gentlemen...
THE ROLLING STONES!
NYC - 1969


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CREDITS:

Bud Light Commercials
© Anheuser-Busch.

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Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Sparks Of Insanity By Vinny "Bond" Marini Monday, December 11, 2006 22 Of Your Sparks

TUESDAY TIDBITS
Quick hits on this Tuesday...accompanied by a song that just keeps you moving forward...

La Grange
By ZZ Top
BestAudioCodes.com
With apologies for the late posting today. THE COUCH actually fell asleep on.....are you ready for this??? The couch last evening!
As an addendum to Monday Matinee, we want to add a post script to the tale of "Hoping To Meet Quickly", the story of meeting the lawyer who married...

It was now about 24 months later and
THE COUCH was at his desk at work.

Phone rings and he answers. female voice. "Hi, how are you?" "Ummm, OK and you?"

She asks, "You don't know who this is do you?" "Actually, no clue."

"Well, I will give you a hit...you took me on a limo ride once."


Now, this, as a hint, was not going to cut it, "Ummm, you have to be more specfic then that." "You mean you took other women in limos?"


Beginning to get a bit annoyed at this game, "Well, I guess that is what it means, now who exactly is this?"

Then it comes out. She tells us her name and how she was so sorry at what happened, and how her girlfriend told her that she should have called off the wedding and given us a chance. Then she says it... yup, you guessed it...

"Well, you know, I filed for a divorce last week, and i am living in the city now. Would you like to come over this afternoon?"
THE COUCH has married at this point, but because of what happened with this woman - for a split second - the little brain says "Yeah go over, give her what she wants and then leave and tell her never to bother you again."

Big head prevails, "Sorry, I got married...have a good life..." click

Maybe SHE heard the crickets!
In September of 2002, Warren Hill was at a flea market in Manhattan. Hill, from Montreal was a collector and would buy vinyl records.

He brought his buy home, and with a friend Eric Isaacson of Mississippi Records in Portland, OR writes in the current issue of Goldmine Magazine, they came upon a find.

"We cued it up and were stunned — the first song was not 'Sunday Morning' as on the 'Velvet Underground & Nico' Verve LP, but rather it was 'European Son' — the song that is last on that LP, and it was a version neither of us had ever heard before!" Isaacson wrote.

What Hill had purchased was one of only two reported copies of the in-studio acetate from the 4
days the Velvet Underground recorded their first album in 1966 at Scepter Studio in NYC.

Hill and Isaacson photographed the album, made a digital backup copy of the music, and decided to put it up for auction on eBay on November 28th. When bidding closed Mr. Hill had turned a $0.75 investment into a sale of $155,401.00! The buyer is known only by their eBay screen name.



Nice to see David Stern, he the Commissioner of the NBA has realized his faux pax trying to introduce a "composite" basketball instead of the tried and true LEATHER !!!!

Mr. Stern... all you had to do is ask the readers here and they will tell you ....NEVER REPLACE THE LEATHER!
You Go Girl... Nicole Richie got busted after fellow motorists called 911 to report a black SUV (what else!) was driving on the wrong side of the road and erratically.

After failing a roadside sobriety test, the "85 lb." (according to the police report) Richie was booked and released after taking a drug test. No results on that yet, but our girl Nicole, reportedly told the CHP officers Jon and Ponch, that she may have been "token' the herb don cha know", earlier in the evening.

The reports that Paris Hilton was the one who made the incriminating phone calls to police, and was seen lurking behind a bush as the cops did the roadside test are unconfirmed.
Tick tock goes the clock. The Boston Red Sox only have until Thursday to complete a deal for Japenese stud pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.

The Red Sox were the "winners" in a bidding war to just get the chance to negotiate a deal with Matsuzaka.

The deadline is Thursday. If they can not get a deal done then they lose negotiating rights and the pitcher heads back to the Seibu Lions.


OH, the price the Red Sox paid to the Lions just to negotiate with Matzuzaka...$51 million!

Now if they can't get a deal done, they do get their money back.


On a good note for Yankee fans, Matsuzaka's agent has said his client is worth "well in excess of one hundred million dollars."


sheesh.....never blame the players if there is a work stoppage or lockout in baseball ever again. It is the owners who are paying all this money!
So, George Clooney wakes in the morning and his knees hurt and he thinks "I'm 45." This from the new People Magazine's "2006 Sexiest man Alive" winner.

All at once... 1, 2, 3 ..."ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh poor georgie!"
Remember, tomorrow is WORDLESS WEDNESDAY NAME THAT TUNE on THE COUCH. And we will again be posting in the morning, instead of midnight, to give some other regions of the world a chance at playing.
We leave you with a clip we found that we think you will all enjoy.
Eric Clapton & Sheryl Crow
...



St. J - P.B.U.A.B.W.A.B


Thanks for sitting on THE COUCH, hope you enjoyed your stay.



Remember .. Nets For Malaria - UNFoundation.org/malaria - find the big SI's Nothing But Net logo ... Or call 202.887.9040. Every cent goes to buying nets to place over the beds of children in Africa to stomp out Malaria. PLEASE HELP.

Keep that spark of insanity kids...It helps keep you an individual.

SONG INDEX: Source: allmusic.com
LAGRANGE: Composers: Frank beard, Billy Gibbons & Dusty hill

Music On The Couch