Quotidian Catch-up 9/30 - 10/2/2009

October 2, 2009

6 miles: 47:36 (7:56 mins per mile)

I had a job interview this afternoon, so running keeps you feeling light and gets rid of any bloating. Also, a heavy weight workout will deplete your glycogen stores and I know I always get really tired. 

October 1, 2009

DL @ 295# X 10 +

IBP @ ??? X 6 +

5 Rounds

DLs 295# @ 10, 10, 8, 7, 6

IBP 225# X 1, 205# X 1, 185# X 5, 135# X 6, 5

Is 400# for 5 sets of 8 - 10 reps a possibility by the end of 2010?  I actually got lightheaded when i tried to do some eliptical work after this workout. So, that means some serious anaerobic depletion, and that can only happen with a "big boy" movement. Big boy movements involve multiple major muscle groups. This has a number of salubrious effects but two that stand out 1) they work large muscle groups and put secondary stress on a variety of core muscles, stabilizers etc 2) because they involve so many muscles they trigger testosterone growth. Deadlifts and back squats are two primo "big boy" movements.

September 30, 2009

7 miles: 58:48 (8:24 min per mile)

Quotidian Catch-Up 9/26 - 9/29

September 29, 2009

Back Squat 240# X 6 +  (6,5,5)

Front Squat 140# X 8 + (8,8,8)

Weighted Pull-Up 12.5# X 5 (5, 5, 4)

3 Rounds

OHP 100# X 6 - 8 (3 Rounds)

95# X 6, 100# X 6, 105# X 7

25 minutes of stairclimber

September 28, 2009 

7 miles 56:21

September 27, 2009 

Rest and eat poorly

September 26, 2009

Hang Power Cleans @ 125# X 5 +

Thrusters @ 125# X 5 +

3 Rounds

20 minutes of stairclimber, 10 minutes of eliptical

Quotidian Catch-ups 9/24, 9/25

September 25, 2009

OHP 115# X 5 +
Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows 225# X 6 - 8

Actual

OHP 115# 7, 5, 4, 3, 3
Rows: 225# X 3, 205# X 5, 185# X 7, 7, 6

Quick notes: Keep the OHP at where it is, till I can hit 35+ reps as a total and the Reverse Grip rows should be at 195#, increase poundage when reps are > 35 (total for the movement).

September 24, 2009

DL @ 295# X 10+
IBP @ ???? X 6
5 Rounds

DL: 10, 8, 7, 7, 8
IBP: 205# X 4, 185 X 5, 165 X 6, 5, 145 X 7

I'll be back to daily updating.

Quotidian Workout September 16, 2009

September 15, 2009

DL: 150% X BW X 10+
BP @ 100% X BW X 10 +
5 Rounds

500M Row

20 minutes aerobic exercise

DL 285# 10, 10, 8, 8, 7
BP 250# X 1, 230# X 3, 225# X 3, 205 X 6, 2

500M: 1:54

20 mins - 5.5 mi (bike)


At this stage, the DLs are wearing out the frame too much for the BP's to be very productive in terms of gaining strength. The BPs are now meant just to provide a "push force" motion to counteract the heavy "pull force" work done on the DLs. It might be better to switch to dips and have a different BP focused workout going forward. I'll be happy to switch to that once i'm @ 315# on the DLs. 315 = 3 plates on each side. Let's not pretend that artificial milestones don't mean anything. They sure as hell do to me.  

Quotidian Workout September 15, 2009

September 15, 2009


500 M Row


Back Squat  6 - 8 reps +
Front Squat 8 - 10 Reps +
OHS 6 - 10 Reps +
Weighted Pull-Ups
3 Rounds
OHP (Failure)


500M: 1:42.5 (173 Drag Factor)


Back Squat: 235# X 5 X 3
Front Squat 135# X 6, 6, 8
OHS: 95# X 6, 5, 6
Pull-Ups: 7.5# 5, 4, 3


The front squats and OHPs are in service of increasing the back squat. However, a goal of one's BW for 15 reps on the OHS is a very worthy goal and a difficult one at that. Mark Rippetoe suggests (in #) 200, 300, 400, 500 for the overhead press, bench press, back squat and deadlift respectively as worthy goals for advanced athletes who are not Olympic lifters. I believe his suggestion was for an athlete with a BW of approximately 200#. So to translate: advanced strength goals for any enthusiast/athlete as a percentage of bodyweight would be 100, 150, 200 and 250 for the aforementioned lifts. Good luck. I'll be posting my numbers on those benchmark lifts around mid-October. I fully expect that my bench will exceed 150% and the OHP will be close. The back squat will lag and a 465# DL sounds cartoonish, honestly. Talk is cheap.

Quotidian Workout Sept 14, 2009

September 14, 2009

Run 7 miles or 1 hour (whichever first)
Row 1000M
10 minutes miscellaneous aerobic

6 mi : 47:20
1000M: 3:51.3
10 minutes eliptical

Some malfunctions on the Woodway got in the way today. I had the stumbles (3 time! wtf?). When you've been working out for sometime, plan your workouts a couple of days ahead, or at least have a theme in mind (aerobic, heavy lifting, circuit, grab bag). If you know what's coming and you're feeling anxious or aren't looking forward to it; that tells you something. Basically, "if it's hard and you don't like doing it; clearly, you should be a doing a lot more of it." So for me, 40 mins+ of running is a source of apprehension and anything to do with deltoids and pull-ups. Deadlifts and bench presses, I'll do them till I can't move my arms. Your instinctive emotional response to information is a great indicator.

Quotidian Workout September 13, 2009

September 13, 2009

6 X DL +
6 X Hang Squat Clean +
6 X Overhead Press
4 Rounds @ 65, 75, 95, 115 (3 reps)

5 Pull-Ups with 7.5# weight + (5, 4, 3, 3)
10 Push Presses @ 30# DB
6 Hyperextensions
4 Rounds

1 minute row + 1 minute rest
5 Rounds
20 minutes aerobic

Row: 307, 294, 291, 271, 292 (Avg 291 = 1:43/500m)
5.77 miles bike in 20:00

The first set of exercises is lifted from the GymJones workout on Sept-11 without split jumps. Consisetency in application of effort is paramount. Good days are easy to get through. When you set a PR in a "money" lifts it's easy to be super motivated. The days when you can barely get through a standard workout; recovery from those days is toughest. Again, "consistency in application of effort is paramount." My pull-ups still suck, so I'm tethering a 7.5# weight and barely getting 5 quality reps on it. The general population ("g-pop") can learn so much from Crossfit; but the organization's obsession with kipping pull-ups seems at odds with their adherence to their principle of General Purpose Power ("GPP"). There seems to be some sniping between Gym Jones and Crossfit with both sides making cogent arguments; but on the subject of pull-ups I agree with Gym Jones (and yeah, that doesn't mean much, I know), do them pure and measure your progress accordingly. Crossfit's all inclusive and welcoming approach to novices and experts alike though means their very worthy gospel is much better disseminated and accepted. Kudos to them for that.  

Quotidian Workout September 11, 2009

September 11, 2009

1mile run

Back Squat @ 225# X 8 - 10 +
Front Squat @ 135# X 8 - 10 +
Overhead Squat @ 95 X 8 - 10
3 rounds
30 minutes of aerobic exercise
1000M

1mi: 7:16
Back Squat 8, 7, 6
Front Squat 7, 7, 8
OHS 6, 6, 5
15 mins stairmaster + 15 mins bike
1000M: 3:51

If you take your resting heart rate/pulse in the morning and it's higher than normal it can indicate overtraining. I didn't check but definitely my enthusiasm to workout was minimal today. I find that lifting heavy weights is the best way to combat mental fatigue. My focuse over the next few months is to improve the following: back squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead squat. That's in descending order of importance. The end of the month will be a good time to see where I am. At the very least, my back squat should be stronger than my bench press, right now there about even. This is cause for amusement or consternation.

Quotidian Workout September 10, 2009

September 10, 2009

Run 2mi @ pace better than last 4 mile run

"Manny"
5 Hang Cleans +
5 Thrusters +
5 Sumo Deadlift Hi-Pulls
5 rounds (stop at failure)

Overhead Press  ("OHP") to failure (one set)
Row 500M
20 minutes of aerobic work

2 miles - 14:28
3 rounds of Manny completed at 120#
OHP @ 95# X 7
500M: 1:43.8 (drag factor 187)
5 miles - 17:08 (Bike)

I'm still not comfortable running with Vibrams, especially at the top end. However, the better your top end is the easier the intermediate level workouts. A sub 14:00 2 miles should be good next week. For the Manny workout I'm definitely not moving the weight up for a couple of weeks, till 5+ sets get done. 

Quotidian Workout September 9, 2009

September 9, 2009


DL x 10 @ 150% X BW +
Bench Press ("BP") X 6 - 10 @ 100% X BW (minimum)
5 Rounds (maximum 1 minute rest between rounds)

500M row
20+ minutes of aerobic exercise

DL 280# 10, 8, 8, 8, 7
BP 250# X 2, 230# X 4, 225# X 4, 205# X 6, 6

500M - 1:48.9 (the DLs take the fire out of the legs, guaranteed).
20 minutes of eliptical and bike.

After a few days of workouts of getting my ass handed to me it was nice to go back to a movement where there has been some success/progress. Over the next few weeks I'm going to try to focus on increasing shoulder and hip flexibility. My lack of depth on the OHS indicates that this is an area requiring more attention. So be it.

Quotidian Workout September 8, 2009

September 8, 2009
Power Circuit + Interval + Aerobic

Piston Press (on BOSU ball round side up) X 5 +
OHS X 5 +
Pull-Ups X 5 +
Hang Cleans X 5 +
Barbell Curls X 5
5 Rounds

1 minute row 1 minute rest
5 Rounds

30 minutes of miscellaneous aerobic work

Piston Press (50# DB on each arm)
OHS 115, 115, 115, 95, 95
Pull-Ups, 6, 5, 5, 4, 3 (w 7.5# weight)
Hang Cleans: 115, 115, 115, 95, 95
Barbell Curls: 115, 75, 75, 75, 75

Row (m): 283, 271, 276, 263, 298 (averaging a 1:47 split, ugh, that's slow)

30 mins - stairclimber

Overhead Squats ("OHS") and Hang-Cleans are primarily about technique. The OHS is particularly demanding. You can really embarrass yourself on it (I did a couple of times today); so proceed with caution. This is not a movement conducive to rapid gains. If you can watch someone with excellent technique or have someone instruct this is best. Devour as much as you can with respect to technique. A strong OHS is indicative of a painstaking attention to detail and work ethic. Some movements (bench presses and deadlifts come to mind) reward quantity. The OHS rewards a commitment to technique.

Quotidian Workout September 7, 2009

September 7, 2009

(Power Circuit)
1000M Row

Back Squat or Front Squat (225#/135#) X 6 +
Pull-Ups X 6 +
Bench Press @ 135# X 6
Push-Press @ 45DB or Dips @ 30# X 6
6 Rounds

1000M = 3:31

Back Squat 225# X 5, 4, 4, 4, FS 135# X 6 X 2
Pull-Ups 6, 5, 5, 5, 4, 3
Bench Press 135
Push-Press @ 45DB X 6 X 2/Weighted Dips w/ 30# DB 6 X 4

20 minutes of easy stairclimber.

Squats, deadlifts and overhead presses are movements that nobody likes. The olympic and olympic style movements are even more reviled. Why? They are hard to do; they require tremendous amounts of concentration, you can't talk to someone while doing them. You need to focus on oxygenation, they require attention to detail and technique.

Go to a random gym. I've been a member of NYSC for 12 years and have never seen anyone do an overheard press. NEVER. I have actually seen some people do deadlifts. I see guys do partial squats frequently but rarely have I seen an individual do squats with the thighs going parallel with let alone "ass to grass." And believe me these guys don't recognize they're doing partial squats. Those are squats to them. More ranting on this; but I'll rant on this more once my three lifts get to respectable levels.

Quotidian Workout September 6, 2009

September 6, 2009

60+ minutes of aerobic work

6 miles 46:47 (run)
5 miles 17:07 (bike)
500M (row): 1:48

As usual, running with Vibram Five Finger shoes is a challenge but "it's getting better all the time" and I'm hoping in the next month or so I can get back down to a sub 45 minute time for 6 miles. The 500M row is nice cherry on top of the oxidation workout cake. Surely a time trial for the 500M is in order the next few weeks. Dare I dream of a 1:30 time? I'll be happy with a 1:35.

Quotidian Workout September 5, 2009

September 5, 2009

The last two days haven't allowed for workouts, so this morning I tried to "get the lead out."

Hang Cleans X 5 +
Thrusters X 5 +
Sumo Deadlift Hi-Pulls X 5
All at 115#
7 Rounds or failure
1000M row
20 minutes of aerobic exercise
500M row
FINIS

Made it through 4 rounds @ 115#

1000M = 3:38
20 minutes cycling, touch under 6 miles
500M = 1:48

if you can hit 7 rounds, you need to go up a significant increment (15#+). The body acclimates to static loads very quickly. Continually increasing weight, even by minute increments, battles the body's naturally complacency/resilience.

“Continuous” refers to actions which are uninterrupted: “My upstairs neighbor played his stereo continuously from 6:00 PM to 3:30 AM.” Continual actions, however, need not be uninterrupted, only repeated: “My father continually urges me to get a job.”

Quotidian Workout September 2, 2009

September 2, 2009
(183.2#)

150% of BW DL X 10+
Incline Bench Press ("IBP")(Declining Balance) X 6
(Alternate between DLs and IBPs)

DL: 275# X 10, 8, 8, 8, 6
IBP: 195# X 5, 185# X 5, 175# X 5, 165 X 5, 155# X 5

This workout started at for the first time a few months ago, and I was unable to get through 185# on DLs. The improvement has been dramatic, but the continued emphasis on the DL resulted in some fatigue today. The IBPs were strong though. A full week till the next DL workout is probably in order. Continued "clean" and shoulder work can't hurt.

Quotidian Workout September 1, 2009

September 1, 2009

Hang Clean X 5 +
Thruster X 5 +
Sumo Deadlift Hi-Pulls X 5
All at 95#
5 Rounds
500M Row + 20 mins Aerobic
2 Rounds

500M = 1:56
20 mins stairmaster
500M = 1:45
5 miles: 17:30

Warming up with progressively higher hang cleans (start at the regular olympic bar) works pretty well for any workout. The hang cleans open up the hips, activate the lower back, traps, even the shoulders. Your mileage may vary.

Quotidian Workout August 31, 2009

August 31, 2009

Run 4+ mi
Row 1000M
Back Squat X 10
Front Squat X 10
OHS X 10

4.5 mi: 36 mins
1000M - 3:56
Back Squat: 225# X 6
Front Squat: 135# X 8
OHS: 95# X 8

An uninspired day. The run is always tough as I'm adjusting to the Vibram Five Finger shoes. These shoes create a lot of stress on my calves as I have a tendency to overpronate. With Vibrams overpronation will result in all sorts of heel pain. I managed a 7:45mins/per mile pace for 4 miles and then jogged/walked to finish out. With conventional shoes 4 mi have been done sub 28 minutes.

Quotidian Workout 8-30-2009

August 30, 2009

Yesterday was a rest day.
Warm-up with ascending Hang Cleans (65# X 2, 85# X 2, 105# X 2, 135# X 2)
5 X DL @ 150% or better of BW alternate with 10 Dips
Row 1000M + 10 minutes of easy aerobic work.

DL = 315#
1000M = 3:46
10 minutes stairclimber

The rest day must have helped a bunch; was not gassed from the DLs, the 1000M set was bearable, next time should have tried for 2000M at 8:00. The ascending hang cleans get the body ready and "activated" for the heavy DLs. By that logic might be more productive to warm up with ascending power cleans in the future (longer ROM). However, I find that with the hang cleans I focus much more on galvanizing the hips and fuller extension by the traps since I can't depend on my, relatively, stronger lower back.

Quotidian Workout August 28, 2009

August 28, 2009 (183.6#)

"Manny"
75# Front Squat + Push Press ("Thruster") +
75# Hang Clean +
75# Sumo Deadlift Hi-Pulls
10 Rounds or 15 minutes
Then
Row 1000M then 15 minutes of miscellaneous "aerobic" work.

The first round of "Manny" was at 95#, and then I downshifted. The thrusters require a little modification for the grip so you can transition into the push-press portion of the exercise. The Hang Cleans are especially taxing and you have to really move the hips and shrug the traps. Warming up with just a regular barbell before the Mannys (just hang cleans) helps a lot.

Not many (as a %age) really work their traps through a full Range Of Motion ("ROM") and it's very beneficial during Sumo Deadlift Hi-Pulls to go lower in weight but make sure that the bar always touches your nose or comes parallel to your mouth. Full ROM's incremental benefit to any muscle group are tremendous over standard ROMs that are coached/taught. For a rarely used muscle like the trapezius this is especially true.

Partial movements should be used to develop a weakness in a complex movement ("Rack Pulls" are often used to ameliorate weakness on the lockout portion of a deadlift) but otherwise, to this enthusiast they are a waste of time.

1000M = 4:12
11:20, 2000 strides - random eliptical machine (there must be some benefit to this, right?)

Quotidian Workout Aug 27, 2009

August 27, 2009 (187#)

Ran 6 miles 47:20
Eliptical 11:20 (2000 steps, with a Tabata set from minute 4 – 7)

There has not been a dedicated aerobic day for awhile and it shows. A few weeks ago, I ran 6mi in 45:21. Yesterday’s DL-centric workout resulted in lingering soreness in the lower back which made an extended run somewhat uncomfortable; but the work got done. Plans for a post-run 2000M row were scrapped when reality set in.

Quotidian Workout 8-26-2009

August 26, 2009 (186.2#)

Row 500M @ 2:00 split (Splits are always time per 500M; 500M is a “piece”)
50/50 workout
500M = 1:43
265# DL X 10, 10, 9, 9, 8
Barbell Bench Press (“BBP”) 245# X 3, 225# X 5, 205# X 7, 185# X 6, 5

The purpose of the row is to galvanize the body since I go straight into DLs >133% X BW. I came out way too fast (first 250M at 1:35 pace) and tamping down on the back half doesn’t really take the sting out of the legs. The lack of snap in the legs caught up with me in the 3rd set of DLs.

Quotidian Workout 8-25-2009

August 25, 2009

Row 2000M, rest 4 minutes, Row 1000M, rest 3 minutes, Row 500M
2000M = 7:38
1000M = 4:06
500M = 1:46

Overhead Squats (“OHS”) 45# X 7, 65# X 7, 95# X 7
Front Squat: 95# X 10, Pull-Ups: 5

I am pleasantly surprised by the 2K rowing piece. I suspect that the deadlifts have strengthened the lower back to a point where it is very efficient transferor of leg drive power to the upper body. My pull-ups still reek.

Wonder Woman is part of DC's Trinity. Sure thing, right? Obvious? Doesn't fee like it to me.

Let's go to the videotape, shall we?

Feature movies - Superman (at least 5), Batman (7), Wonder Woman ( NONE)
Animated series- Superman (2, at least), Batman (4), not counting Superfriends, Wonder Woman (0)
Animated features - Superman (2), Batman (at least 4), Wonder Woman (1 that has yet to be released)
Live action TV series - Superman (3 at least), Batman (1), Wonder Woman (1)
Comics - Superman and Batman have supported 2 series that have never ceased publishing since the GOLDEN AGE. They've had multiple others. In the 90s I recall Bruce and Clark supporting 4 titles. The only other character to do that ever is Spider-Man. Wonder Woman doesn't have a single series that has seen continuous publication. She has never been able to support 2 series at the same time. DC has never even put that to the test. Except for a brief hiatus in the 50s. Oh, I think Wolverine is probably the next character who might be able to support 4 series. I think he's effectively supporting three since Marvel seems to release a Wolverine one shot every 3 weeks along with "Wolverine" and "Wolverine: Origins."

Great stories that everybody knows:
Superman - Man Who Has Everything, Red Son, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, Man for All Seasons,

Batman - DKR, Killing Joke, Death In The Family, Long Halloween, Hush really too many to name. No character's catalogue of amazing stories is in the same ballpark. DKR, KJ have been constantly in print and get special absolute editions as did Hush and LH.

Wonder Woman - There are great Wonder Woman stories out there - but it's telling that i don't see any of her definitive stories in HC, Absolute, Authoritative or Omnibus type editions. Why? The market won't support it.

HC collecting many of the great Superman covers? Check.
HC collecting many of the great Batman covers? Check.
HC collecting many of the great Wonder Woman covers? Try again.
HC collecting many of the great covers featuring DC's heroines? Check.

What does this all mean? We're told that Wonder Woman is part of DC's Trinity. Methinks the emperor has no clothes. In most cases just because you keep saying it doesn't make it so; the proof is in the pudding.

This isn't a rant about Wonder Woman not being a great character; she is. It means something that she's survived for 70 years; though I think Black Canary can claim the same thing and appeared first.

Of Litotes and Apophasis

I mentioned to someone that there's a rhetorical tool which is where you bring up something by not bringing it up, e.g. "Your Honor, The People do not have any interest in speaking about the defendant's past record of alleged sex abuse."

The fundamental word for "mentioning by not mentioning" is apophasis. There are many types of apophasis and wiki has, to me, a fascinating article. I am most fond of praeterito and I get all proslepsitic on people's a$$es about Batman!

Praeterito: Drawing attention to something while pretending to pass it over - The more common name for praeterito is paralipsis.

Proslepsis: An extreme form of paralipsis in which the speaker provides great detail while feigning to pass over a topic.

Litotes: Emphasizing the magnitude of a statement by denying its opposite, e.g. "she's not an unattractive girl."

Having read all this, I wish I was smarter. Not in a wistful way, but in a wouldn't it be cool if I was as strong as Captain America way? Wouldn't it be cool if I was 10th level intelletc? Of course this leads to another ramble:

21st century Earth's entirety of knowledge constitutes a 6th level intellect (DC Universe). Brainiac 5 of the Legion of Super-Heroes has a 12th level intellect. 31st century Earth is supposed to have a 9th level intellect.

There's a great two lines in the series finale of JLU where Metron says to Luthor "only a 12th level intellect can survive crossing into the Source Wall.""well in that case, I'm overqualified!'OH SNAP. No he didn't INTERROBANG Yes, I think he did. Damn.

A Shot At The Title

"You want at shot at the title? You ain't even a contender" - Killer Croc

Sandwiches - their invention is credited to a John Montagu the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Whether this is true or not is of minimal interest to me. For your edification I leave a link for a slightly more complete synopsis of the origin of the sandwich: http://www.wordsources.info/words-mod-sandwich.html

So what are the great sandwiches of the day? What are the sandwiches that rise above the myriad combinations of materials shoved in between two slices of starch? Here is a list in ascending order, which I submit has a thoroughly New York City bias. The bias, it should be explained, is for sandwiches that frequently get eaten in NYC, though almost certainly not sandwiches that were invented in NYC.

Although technically sandwiches, I'm comfortable saying that the hot dog and cheeseburger have transcended mere sandwich status.

Roast Beef sandwich - the original sandwich as legend would have us believe the 4th of Earl of Sandwich had improvised during one of his many gaming (gambling sessions). With the deservedly bad rap beef gets for health purposes, this sandwich is in [relative] disfavor, but might rank as the only sandwich to be made in ever century since the concept of sandwich became known.

BLT - simple, classic, tasty and almost heathy - also spawned an imitator that ultimately failed (McDLT anyone?)

Grilled Chicken - the default, healthy sandwich, everyone has a version, it's ubiquitous and varied in approach; conducive to myriad combinations.

Pastrami on rye with mustard - does it get more Manhattan than this sandwich, it should actually be called the Manhattan, or the "Upper West [Side]" - i gave up beef a long time ago; i don't miss steak, rarely miss burgers, but how I miss pastrami.

Cuban Sandwich - not classic and as revered as some of its running mates on this list but so good: sliced pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard on garlic bread. No lettuces, no tomatoes, nothing cold; just meat, cheese and "sharpeners" to deliver lots of taste.

Chicken Parm - this is it, #1 - the sandwich that is a true meal unto itself; the sandwich that makes you say, "I give up"; an uncompromising sandwich: cheese, breaded meat, hero roll, tomato sauce; is there anything remotely healthy about this sandwich, no. You might as well have a cigarette after eating it, i know I do.

Which of course brings me to a question for which I do not have the answer but will be blogging about - who makes one of the best chicken parm sandwiches in NYC? What defines a great chicken parm from a good one and a bad one? Hmmm. More on the chicken parm later.

What's Moving The Needle? April 30, 2008

So what's the moving the needle this week? Let's take a look:

San Antonio Spurs - Steve Jones wrote an excellent article where he compared these Spurs to the Bill Russell era Celtics. Tim Duncan ~ Bill Russell, Tony Parker ~ Sam Jones, John Havliceck ~ Manu Ginobli. It's an apt comparison, highlighting very real parallels. It is increasingly apparent that Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all time and with four championships and two MVP awards his resume is gaudier than any player of his era (including Shaquille O'Neal); yet for all that Russell had five MVPs and eleven championships; edge - Russell. Sam Jones was a wonderful player, reputed to be a big time clutch performer but not really one enthused to play with that same intensity throughout the season. This was certainly a choice. Tony Parker has become an increasingly integral part of the Spurs dynasty every year and does not lack for intensity. In this current series vs the Suns, he shone; edge - Tony Parker. Manu Ginobli is a player who needs to be watched to appreciated. He does all the little things, fills the gaps and when the moment is right seizes the game. A tireless competitor and gritty player who is a direct descendant of the man they called Hondo. Everything good quality ascribed to Ginobli has been applied to Havliceck. In addition Havlichek won championships in a supporting role (the late 60s) and as the sharing the lead with David Cowens (in the 70s). Havlicheck was everything Ginobli is today . . . at a Hall of Fame level; edge: Havlicek. If you invite legitimate comparison to those Celtics, it's been a great career.

Dinosaur Comics - Sometimes excellence is defined by flashes of brilliance. Sometimes excellence is defined by the consistent output of great work. The two are not mutually exclusive. Most webcomics have a couple of central themes and conceits. Dinosaur Comics has the same panels everyday, which relieves the creator of various design woes and worries and allows his mind to have free rein as to content. What's been produced is a comic that is truly far ranging, eccentric, perspicacious and quixotic. It doesn't hurt that as a creator he, you know, produces consistently. (www.qwantz.com)

That's it for now. . .

What's Moving The Needle? April 24, 2008

What's moving the needle this week? What's resonating with me from last week or just bears watching? Without further adieu:


Chris Paul - The Hornets might be one of the few #2 seeds to be less favored to win at the outset of a playoff series in NBA history. That's my guess. People cited "lack of experience" as one reason for the prediction of an upset (i.e. a lower seeding beating a higher seed). Two games later and the Mavericks have no answer for the Hornets. Not only that they don't really understand the problem of CP3. He is far too good for anybody on Dallas. One way to neutralize a great offensive player is to work them over on defense but Dallas doesn't have the horses. This series is over and CP3 is going be climbing up the Mt. Rushmore of point guards very quickly. Only Magic and Oscar are safe.


The Patriots - Former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh has reached an agreement with the NFL to turn over any materials related to "Spygate" and it's fallout. Look for the Patriots dynasty to be slowly discredited over the next few decades as more seeps out. The NFL is doing its absolute best to control the fallout, but history has a way of subverting these goals.

The Yankees - They are 11th in the AL for pitching (as measured by ERA) and running 4th in SLG with respect to hitting. They are 2 games over .500 at this, admittedly early, point in the season. The pitching is terrible; the hitting is excellent and not even firing on all cylinders. To say that Yankee managment has done an execrable job with respect to acquiring/developing pitching is an understatement. When you factor in the lack of any degree of difficulty as they have no real payroll restrictions the failure to assemble a serviceable staff is all the more glaring. Of course, overall, Yankee management hasn't done badly. They've gone deep into the playoffs in multiple years, went to the World Series in 2003, went to the ALCS in 2004 and have won the division nine out of the last ten years. Pretty good. You can't buy a world series, you just can't, but you can buy a playoff berth. The Yankees have done that. It's too early to tell, but this might be a year where they miss the playoffs brought down by their pitching.

Iron Man - The previews make the movie seem unbelievably good. The effects and production values are stellar. For all the hype surrounding the move, Iron Man is, at best, a 2nd tier character. Don't get me wrong, I really want to see this movie. If this elevates Iron Man to the level of the X-Men it's a credit to the movie, not the "iconic" status of Iron Man. "Demon In A Bottle" is a terrible story but like a virus won't go away. An often cited story about the emotional "complexity" of Tony Stark it is often cited by those who haven't read it. If you read it, you realize it's actually a terrible story and alcoholism is foisted on Stark; it is at it's best a shoe-horned "issue" episode that hits all the wrong notes. Tony Stark was a challenge to Stan Lee. How can I make a rich, arrogant guy into a hero? He succeeded. Making him an alcoholic later on made him more sympathetic or cliched, but it didn't make him better. Ugh.

Till the next time . . .

Blogging Is Hard/ Jack Kirby & Bob Dylan

So, for the three of you who read this blog; i apologize for not posting for five months. My bad. Here's some thoughts that I stole from myself; in that I uttered them during an long chat session with one of my frequent chat collaborators. However, it's content and I'm throwing it in here.

So i'm on a 4th world kick right now. been reading some of the stuff and I have 3 of the 4 omnibuses. I'm talking Jack kirby: new gods, apokolips, new genesis, orion, highfather, you know them well. Here's the thing; Kirby's 4th world stories are very uneven, yet he created something so spectacular, so truly mythical in their nature that it's no wonder that generations of DC writers loved his toybox. These writers were so aware of how epic and archetypal these characters were that in deference to Kirby and future writers they never were able to or were unwilling to advance the storyline unless it was an Elseword type of deal (Kingdom Come: Orion overthrowing Darkseid and replacing him as Lord of Apokolips). Of course that has now changed with Jim Starlin killing pretty much every New God in "Death of The New Gods" mini-series. If any writer should do this, it's Starlin. Starlin created Thanos who is very much the Darkseid of the Marvel Universe, but arguably far more successful in his universe.

Kirby created these timeless characters that were extraordinary even though the stories they were featured in were so forgettable. Kirby was like Dylan. Dylan wrote songs that sounded better when others performed them. This particular dylan-kirby metaphor only applies to his New Gods stuff, of course. Also, not to push the metaphor too hard, there are plenty of Dylan songs where his voice is quite appealing; I can't really say the same for Kirby's writing to that extent.

Comics 11-14-2007

Here we go . . .

DC
All-Star Superman #9
Batman And The Outsiders #1
Green Arrow Black Canary #2
Nightwing #138 (GHUL)
Salvation Run #1 (of 7)
Superman Batman #42
Welcome to Tranquility #12

MARVEL
House of M Avengers #1 (of 5)
New Avengers #36
Nova #8
Punisher War Journal #13
World War Hulk #5

The Juggernaut

Or how I learned to stop rationalizing and embrace the New England Patriots as the best team in a decade. They beat the undefeated, reigning Super Bowl champions on the road while wracking up a team record in penalties. Down by 10 in the 4th quarter, their all-pro QB engineered two TD drives relying heavily on his hall-of-fame, worldbreaker WR, one Randy G Moss. Great players make great plays, so it has ever been, so it will ever be. The Colts were missing their HOF wideout Marvin Harrison and that has to count for something. However, in the AFC championship, I don't think MH is going to be the difference at Foxboro. There's no reason to think that NE won't be hosting the AFC championship and that they aren't going to the Super Bowl. Having beaten their three toughest opponents buy a combined score of 124-55, I'm comfortable to submit to NE. Now onto a couple of rants and raves related to the "Flying Elvii" (credit: Gregg Easterbrook)

Rant - Don Shula: at ease General. Never has one man done so little with so much (Dan Marino, John Unitas). It's understandable that he would cling to the value of his one pantheon level achievement, the 1972 undefeated Dolphins. That team's holes have been beaten [like a rented mule] for 35 years. Their annual drinks of champagne as the last undefeated team falls becomes more small minded as time goes by. The fact that most NFL observers don't even believe they were the best team of the 70s is more than enough for me. Let it go, old warhorse. Your place n Valhalla is already set, and it's one of high distinction if not the highest. Whether the last three SBs are tainted (and they are) is besides the point. The 2007 Pats have crushed everybody. The only taint is the smoking carcasses of their victims, I mean opponents.

Rave - 1998 Broncos: John Elway in '98 was like Brett Favre today, not as good as in his prime but still possessing game breaking ability (Pro Bowler in his final year of '98 btw). Along with Elway in the backfield was Terrell Davis running for 2000+ yards (NFL Offensive MVP). They had 7 Pro Bowl participants and had the #2 offense and #9 defense. The only better team statistically was the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings (that had one Randy G Moss), a team whose failure to make the SB is still a shock. By the way the one game the Vikings lost in the regular season, they lost by 3 points. The Broncos cruised to 14-2 and comfortably ambled through the playoffs. They were the defending champions and perfunctorily handled the overmatched Atlanta Falcons 34-17. Elway had a great peformance and got his Super Bowl MVP. We tend to overrate great teams while they are playing, see this article as a perfect example: http://www.slate.com/id/2133477/,/
The point here is that the Pats are a great, great team, but win something first and then we'll coronate you. Going undefeated doesn't necessarily mean your #1 (see '72 Dolphins) in the hearts and minds of fans and players. The other point is that really great teams get forgotten very quickly and we often lack perspective when handing out superlatives. The Cowboys' of the early 90s and the 97-98 Broncos were stacked with all-pros, and as glitzy as 16-0 is, there's little to indicate that the 90s Cowboys couldn't drop the hammer on the '07 Pats. This is, of course, an assertion that must remain unproven, which makes it endlessly debatable. Thank God.

Finally, the Pats have played their schedule and they've pummelled the little guys and convincingly beat their two quality opponents. They are, right now, the alpha and the omega and the prohibitive SB favorites. Bet against them at your peril (also because betting is illegal).

In a bit.

American Gangster - Review

Warning: this is a sprawing, "epic", stream-of-consciousness piece on "American Gangster." To steal from Gregg Easterbrook, "Warning: May contain review-like substance."

Take two of the best actors of the last 25 years, Academy award winners to boot, a director who has a lot of scalps on the wall, a big budget and plenty of runtime (2:40) and what do you get? A solid if long movie. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe are two of the most compelling on screen presences in recent history.

Washington's aura has grown over the last decade and he seems reluctant to leave its protective halo anymore. Russell Crowe is still the consummate acting professional. The man who played Jeffery Wigand, John Nash, Maximus and Richie Roberts is able to take on these persona completely. I don't see Russell Crowe playing characters, I see three dimensional characters who bear a striking resemblance to that actor Russell Crowe. Denzel is Denzel first, and has been for many years. One exception to this phenomenon was his role in "Philadelphia." Be that as it may the movies that AG most invite comparison to are "The Godfather" and "Scarface." The Godfather is rightly mythologized and straight comparisons are no longer possible. It's very dialogue and various scenes have become part of the American lingua franca, so we'll leave that one alone. Scarface is an apt comparison and one that AG actively seeks.

Start with the movie posters for both:

Clearly, we're inviting comparisons . Tony Montana is caught between the dark and the light (not really, but that's what the poster implies), Washington and Crowe are the dark and light respectively. Now here's my thought, if you invite the comparison be it on your head. For instance, don't call a movie Catwoman, bank on its cache with the fanboy crowd and then cry "it's just a movie and you get to see Halle Berry in a tight outfit" when they complain about how you've desecrated a rich, complex, formidable, empowered female character whose origin (Spring 1940) pre-dates Wonder Woman (Dec 1941). In that case call it "Killer Kitty" and be done with it.

Denzel Washington is playing with house money, he knows it and it shows. Half the battle for this actor is showing up and delivering with some professionalism. He does, and it works and moves along the piece, but it doesn't lift the movie. Even the violent scenes are curiously sterile, especially in comparison to what you'd see in Scarface. Washington's character "Frank Lucas" never feels embattled. One day he goes to Southeast Asia, befriends a drug baron and then in the next few scenes we see he's become wealthy beyond imagination. He opens up a club and meets and marries Ms. Puerto Rico played by Lymari Nadal. Their lack of on-screen chemistry is palpable, by the way. I'm sure the 24 year age difference between the actors doesn't help. It's not always Bogey and Bacall. To be fair, Lucas was around 15 years older than his bride to be when they met but in real life, clearly, they had chemistry, Washington & Nadal? Not so much.

We are told (not shown) that he has displaced the competition. Where was the epic rise to power? If you're making an epic length movie, give us an epic story, give us broad themes, multiple intertwining plots, an all encompassing story arc. We only get some of that.

Richie Roberts' story is more interestingly told. We see that an honest cop doesn't mean a good person, it just means you're an honest cop (that's rare apparently though, so let's give some credit for that). However, his honesty in a difficult environment also allows him to see truths, unpleasant or otherwise when presented. It's a kind of introspection that Lucas can never allow himself or his family, particularly his mother. Crowe brings all the nuance, complexity and ambiguity that is best about characters who aren't pure but are trying hard to do the right thing. It's a very solid performance and Crowe left it on the court.

When a movie seems to have all the pieces but doesn't quite come together or deliver as it feels it should, blame the director or the producer. The movie looks great, Harlem feels like it should in that era and no pains have been spared to make it look right. Ridley Scott has delivered a very good, solid and entertaining movie, but it's not going to knock on the movie pantheon. To reference my buddy when talking about A-Rod, "he's not just Hall of Fame, he's Justice League." This movie is hall of fame, but it's not Justice League.

Comics 11-7-2007

Here we go:

DC
Countdown to Final Crisis #25
Jonah Hex #25
Robin #168 (GHUL)
Tranquility Armageddon #1 (Wildstorm)


MARVEL
Annihilation Conquest #1 (of 6)
Fantastic Four #551

Comics 10-31-2007

A quick weekend in Vegas always strengthens one's perspective on things. However, I still love comics and I want a Batman tattoo . . . the classic Batman #20 cover on my left deltoid sounds right.

DC
Action Comics #858 - Gary Frank on art, that'll do quite nicely, thank you.
Batman #670 - art by Tony Daniel, hey Kubert was good but not playing to his strengths
Countdown to Final Crisis #26
DC Infinite Halloween Special #1 - I'm a sucker for holiday specials

MARVEL
Sub-Mariner #5 (of 6) - Last issue was fantastic. Bring on the continued adventures of the 1st true superhero comics anti-hero.

OTHER
Dynamo 5 #8 - I'm tired of pastiches but the premise of this book is fantastic.

Comics 10-24-2007

A good week, not too heavy but not light.

DC
Authority Prime #1 (of 6) - Might wait for a review on this one
Countdown #27
Gotham Underground #1 (of 7)
Green Arrow Year One #6 (0f 6) - an excellent year one tale
Green Lantern Corps #17 - Sinestro Corps storyline rule
Superman Batman #41
Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman Prime #1 - there's nothing in comics like a pre-Crisis Kryptonian, there is some confusion between Diamond's and DC's expected shipping list.

MARVEL
Cable and Deadpool #46 - Issue #50 is the series finale, too bad
Thunderbolts #117 - Norman Osborn is insane whether it's in 616 or Ultimate Universe
Ultimate Spider-Man #115
X-Men First Class #5 (ongoing series)

Baby On Board

I've had to take a few days off to work at my job (I know, outrageous!) so no original posts for a little bit longer. I do however, have a special treat. My good friend recently had a baby and I asked him for a few tips to pass along to another friend who is scheduled to have his first child in the very near future. I was expecting a paragraph of sensible but banal advice. What I got was far more enlightening and vastly entertaining. What follows below is unexpurgated and unedited and hilarious. Enjoy.

Honestly, simply that they should be prepared for the hardest 1-2 months they've likely ever had. I don't say that to be dramatic - it would have made a big difference to Vickie and myself if we had been similarly, and seriously, counseled. Yes, we had heard it as a throw-away description lots of times, and so treated it as such. Had someone gone into some details with us, we would have been better emotionally prepared for the challenge, and not doubted ourselves as much, which frankly made it more difficult.

In that vein, your friend should expect:
The baby will need to be fed every 2-3 hours. You _must_ sleep in between feedings whenever you can. This is all the more necessary as you will often have to change diapers, feed yourself, clean etc etc between many of those feedings. Get to sleep _whenever_ the opportunity presents itself.

The baby can (and likely will) lose weight in their first week of life as they learn to eat. This happened with Luke, and it was very painful and nerve-wracking for us. Keep at the feedings, and consult your pediatrician to keep your nerves steady. They're used to nervous first parents.

Beware Titler. that's what Valerie and I took to calling the "leche league" breast-feeding nazis. Don't know if the mother is planning to breastfeed. If she is, she should know it's a real challenge at first - a wholly new skill for both mother and newborn that takes practice; combine that with the baby's likely initial weight loss, and difficulties with feeding can be very demoralizing. We had a number of breakdowns over this. What you need then is emotional support, and if necessary, formula supplementation (though not with a bottle until a few weeks in, as a rubber nipple too early can confuse the baby, and then they won't take the breast). Unfortunately lactaction consultation attracts a _lot_ of rigid ideologues, for whom the answer to everything, including global warming and the Iraq insurgency, is that formula is unacceptable no matter what, that the problem is that "the baby's latch on the breast must not be right", and that it's somehow your fault. Seriously. If you need help with breastfeeding, talk to your pediatrician, get a _number_ of references to lactation consultants, and screen as many as necessary to find one with a compassionate and _flexible_ approach.

Prepare everything beforehand. Get all the materials you'll need for the first 1-2 months now. Crib, outfits, diaper supply, bottles, frozen TV meals, menus, the works. You want to make everything as easy as possible for those first challenging 1-2 months.

Daddy - Mom's going to need to recover for some time, especially as she's having a caesarian. You've got to step up and handle most everything outside feeding until she's mobile again. Suck it up until you can split the work evenly again - which even then won't be a big change at first, because feeding is a very, very big time commitment. Every 2-3 hours, each feeding can take 20 minutes or more (in our case, we had lots of feeding difficulties, and it could take over an hour to get enough food in Luke), you do the math.

Lastly - and this one I feel is the most-kept secret about your first kid: there will be lots of times when you have dark feelings and even dark thoughts in the first 3 months. Everyone (especially grandparents) always coos and raves about how wonderful it is to have a child, but bear in mind they're delirious about getting a new baby in their lives without the workload. This is definitely what Vickie and I were most unprepared for, and it can make you doubt yourself and feel like a very bad person. DON'T. It's perfectly normal. Consider:

The baby will not reward you with interaction - not even a hint of a smile - until about the 2nd or 3rd month. It's literally just a food tube that eats, pees and poos. On top of that, it screams - loudly - when it needs something. Mind you, what that something is will occasionally take some time to deduce, during which the screaming will not stop. You can't ask it what it needs, you can't ask it to stop.

Now add on top of that prolonged and intense sleep deprivation - the worst you've ever had - the anxiety over being a 'good' parent, and the near-total isolation from your normal life routine that makes you feel like you've given up everything for a demanding small mass of flesh that barely looks human and just won't stop screaming. Yes, that's written with some dramatic license, but it's what will go through your head occasionally.

To really drive the point home: at the hospital it was required before discharge that we watch a video about shaken-baby syndrome. That's the irreperable brain damage that a baby can suffer if shaken with any vigor. Our reaction at the time was: "My God, what awful people. how could someone do that? To your own child?".

Let me just say that the hospital required the video for good reason, and that after the first 2 months, our tone was different. I proudly say I'm a doting father who adores his boy, whose protection is paramount to me. But, as the video wisely counseled, there were times I had to walk away from the crib - just _walk_ away - and hit the wall or my chest or sigh or do whatever I had to do to take a pause, a break, to calm myself down, and so return to Luke calm and attentive to his needs. I don't think Valerie and I would ever shake him, but we understand why it happens - we _know_ the feelings that precipitate it. They're normal. You haven't slept more than 1-2 hour naps in a couple of weeks, seen anything of your heretofore "normal" life, done nearly anything for yourself, eaten take-out and frozen meals for weeks, and after changing a diaper and trying a feeding the baby still hasn't stopped their shrill, skull-drilling scream. It's _normal_ to sometimes get very, very upset, even angry, or doubt your own sanity. It's normal. Just walk away and come back after a few minutes to yourself to calm down.


And now, after that, some encouragement. It gets a ***lot*** better after the 2nd-3rd month. The baby eats less frequently. He _might_ start sleeping through the night. The frequency of poos, initially 5-6 times a day, dwindles to once a day, or even every 2-3 days (the pees keep a-comin).

And most wonderfully - your baby smiles. He magically transforms from a eat-poo-pee tube into a tiny person you can't get enough of. He smiles - for you! There's nothing better than walking into his room first thing in the morning, and he always smiles just because he's so excited to see his parents. And it only gets better from there (turning over, laughing, grabbing your face). The first 2-3 months will be a gauntlet, but they're really, really worth what's on the other side.

Comics 10-17-2007

Let's get to it . . .

DC
Countdown #28
Fables #66
Justice League of America #14 - Dwayne McDuffie - one of the best writers in the biz
Shadowpact #18 - it's long way down after helping take out the Spectre of Vengeance


MARVEL
Captain America #31
Captain America Chosen #3 (of 6)
Mighty Avengers #5 - gorgeous art, long delays
X-Men Emperor Vulcan #2 - Vulcan killed Corsair, unacceptable

IMAGE
Invincible #46 - bring on the Daxamites, I mean Kryptonians, I mean Viltrumites.

In a bit.

The Roman Empire

Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the perpetual drama of the Yankees

The Roman Empire has fallen, again. Right now there is much tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth, and there should be. The poor decisions of management have come back to haunt the franchise and Joe Torre will have to bear the weight of having to manage a team which boasted pitching luminaries like: Jared Wright, Carl Pavano, Mike Mussina (he of the 3.96 ERA during his tenure with the Yankees), Kyle Farnsworth, a broken down Roger Clemens and other blunders which lie squarely on the shoulders of management, not the manager. When your best pitcher can't crack the league top 10 in ERA you have a problem. Torre is perpetually granted free passes by the New York media, and yet he has presided over three straight flameouts in the 1st round. Surely, he is somewhat culpable for this trend of under-performance?

The Alex Rodriguez watch begins in earnest. Will he stay or will he go? Yankee management's tone has struck a very reconciliatory note. The hardline Cashman had set earlier in the year is a thing of the past. Steinbrenner has made comments that he wishes to re-sign the slugger and perennial MVP candidate. It only makes sense. The man is a gold glove at multiple positions and one of the five best offensive players in the majors. He is on track to hit at least 700 home runs and in the next 6 seasons could challenge Bonds' career home run mark. If he's not the marquis player in the majors, he will certainly hold that position over the next five years. He will likely establish himself as the top draw in the game.

A-Rod didn't have an execrable playoff. Going 4 for 15 with one home run was better than almost everybody else on the team (notably Jeter) and nothing to wring your hands about. My guess is that A-Rod gets re-upped at $30 million a year and stays a Yankee. What's hilarious about all this, is that the fans who booed him mercilessly for the last few years, are trying to be as positive and encouraging as possible so as not to drive away A-Rod.

In a bit.

What's Moving The Needle? October 8, 2007

What's moving the needle this week? What's resonating with me from last week or just bears watching? Without further adieu:

Marion Jones - A lot of different reactions about the former track and field golden girl. Many folks in the media have commented on feelings of betrayal and others skepticism about the sincerity of the statements currently being made. Journalists seem to be going through the five stages of grief with respect to Ms. Jones. It's actually pathetic to watch the moaning and groaning. More on this later.

Apple Inc - In the last month the stock has gone up 20%, it's rise has been nothing short of remarkable consider the relative maturity of the company. Apple went public on December 12, 1980. It's run up in the past few months isn't unique for a company its age, but it isn't common. Apple has been left for dead many times. However, it should be noted that with the introduction of the iPod articles about "Is this the end of Apple?" are few and far between. The first iPod, which was Mac only, was introduced in 2001. Since then it's become ubiquitous. It's dominance of the portable digital media player is the equivalent of Windows dominance in the OS market, perhaps more so. The iPhone and the new iPod Touch represent further leaps forward. The stock seems like an expensive option, but people have said that for years. I think if you've been a shareholder for the last few years you can't wait to cash out but also must be conflicted about foregoing any potential huge gains in the future. That's a nice boat to be in.

The Yankees - Not dead yet. Despite the predictable post-season flameout of Roger Clemens, the Yankees rallied in a stirring win. This is a flawed team, with mediocre pitching but an excellent line-up. This line-up can victimize any staff, the problem is their pitching can be victimized just as easily. Yankee bats have been mediocre, most notably Jeter's. It's okay, Yankee fans give him a pass, perhaps deservedly, but it's clear that the entire focus of attention is A-Rod. That's how it should be. Jeter is a great star, an excellent player with a lot of post-season huzzahs. Rodriguez is, however, on the short list of the very best position players ever to lace 'em up.

The Patriots - They beat a mediocre Browns team convincingly. Next week is their first big test as they play the, as of now, undefeated Cowboys. In terms of the offense the single most important aspect has to be the fact that over five games Brady has been sacked three times. I would wager that Brady has the most time to deliver the ball of any quarterback in the NFL. Add that and the fact that he has a fearsome wideout corps and you can see why he's putting up career best numbers.

In a bit.

Comics 10-10-2007

Here we go . . .

DC
Countdown #29 - Last week wasn't bad
Green Lantern #24 - I can't get enough Sinestro Corps
Stormwatch: PHD #12 - a fond adieu to this series, it was good while it lasted.

MARVEL
Fantastic Four #550 - Dwayne McDuffie is one of the best writers in comics.
New Avengers #35 - Still the Marvel flagship comic
Nova #7 - best series out out of Annihilation
Runaways #28 - hmm, feels like this is behind schedule in terms of shipping

In a bit . . .

Treat It Gentle - Sidney Bechet

The Ovation network periodidcally broadcasts a documentary on the life of Sidney Bechet entitled "Treat It Gentle" a wonderful look on the man frequently touted as the first recorded jazz soloist. Bechet's first recordings preceded those of Louis Armstrong and as soloists they were peers. Armstrong's genius went beyond soloing which result in his being the singular figure in jazz. Bechet, well Bechet was his own worst enemy.

Bechet unlike Armstrong was an extremely difficult personality, temperamental and not averse to violence when it suited him. A mercurial human being alternating between charming and vicious he was still an unbelievable performer. To this day his work on the clarinet and soprano saxophone defies imitiation. The great ones all have a distinct voice on their instruments. Armstrong on the trumpet is a study in virtuosity, foot-stomping rhythm, and a gorgeous warm tone that seems like it should be the only way jazz trumpet should sound. Art Tatum's piano inspired disbelief in his fellow musicians, Fats Waller called him God and the Ray Charles biopic "Ray" has a wonderful scene where Ray Charles walks into a speakeasy and in hushed and awed tones asks "is that Art Tatum playing?" Bechet's tone is energetic but sensual. On fast numbers like "I've Found A New Baby" he wows fellow musicians with his techique, rhythm and fluidity. On slow numbers like "I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues" or "All of Me" he'll seduce you.

Bechet was born in 1897 and recorded throughout the 30s and spent much of his adult life in Paris. LIke many other Jazz luminaires of the early 20th century he was a victim of the institutional racism in the United States that prevented many from subsisting solely as professional musicians let alone accrue any measure of wealth. Jazz recorded in the 70s by such greats as Coltrane and Davis is far more attuned to the sensibilities of the contemporary jazz listener. Indeed, it's fair to say Coltrane and Davis inform the modern jazz listener's sensibility more than any other musicians. Bechet's music is a generation earlier than those two giants and is firmly entrenched in Dixieland, early Swing and New Orleans style jazz.

It takes getting used to as our ears and brain aren't as familiar with that style of play. At the same time as Bechet was pressing his first records, Louis Armstrong was recording the seminal Hot Fives and Hot Sevens sessions. If Armstrong had died after recording those works he'd still be considered the most important jazz musician of the era. However, it is Armstrong's later work recorded throughout the 50s and 60s that gets the most play and is more readily identified with him. Aficionados talk about "West End Blues" or "Heebie Jeebies" but everybody recognizes "Hello Dolly" and "What A Wonderful World."

So the next time you're looking to expand your musical taste (a constant goal for me) see if you can give a listen to some "Best of Sidney Bechet" collection, especially if it has some of the aforementioned earliers tracks.

In a bit.

MSG Sexual Harassment Suit - Update 2

The federal jury in the case of Madison Square Garden/Isiah Thomas vs Anucha Browne Sanders has determined that MSG must pay $11.6 million in damages to the former Knicks executive. Quoting from ESPN's website "THe jury found that the Garden owes $6 million for allowing a hostile work environment o exist and $2.6 million for retaliation. MSG chairman James Dolan owes $3 million." So, "go home and get your f***ing shine box."

Predictably, Isiah Thomas has stated his disappointment with the verdict and will appeal. Just as predictably, Anucha Browne Sanders has declared this a victory for all women and for all the people whose voices can't be heard. Hey, maybe she means it.

In a bit.

MSG Sexual Harassment Suit - Update

Quick follow-up to today's earlier post re: Isiah Thomas' legal woes, here's the link for the post: http://zergbane.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-moving-needle-october-1-2007.html

Here's the latest from The Grey Lady with news of the verdict: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/02/sports/basketball/03garden-cnd.html?hp

Bottom line: the Knicks and Isiah Thomas have been found guilty of sexually harassing Anucha Browne Sanders. The jury has decided that the Knicks owe punitive damages to Browne Sanders but Isiah Thomas does not. This is a partial victory for Thomas. In general, even highly compensated employees are covered under the general umbrella of their corporate employer so it's not an exoneration that Thomas will not be personally liable. Employers must take ultimate responsibility for the workplace environment and the "tone at the top." This principle of ultimate accountability exists in most organizations including the military.

One final note: there are two types of damages: punitive and compensatory (which is further broken into physical and non-physical). The judge will determine compensatory damages, and the jury will decide punitivie damages. Punitive damages are fully taxable as income. Non-physical compensatory damages are also taxable, though physical compensatory damages are not.

It's not clear to me what tools the judge and jurors will use in determining the damages.

In a bit.

What's Moving The Needle - October 1, 2007

What's moving the needle at the start of this week? This week, just 3 topics. Isiah Thomas,The Patriots and Batman.

Isiah Thomas - It's a hard name to spell for whatever reason. What is it about certain combinations of letters or digits that make them harder to remember? Well anyway, it seems that MSG network may have to wrestle with a digit that has 6 zeroes behind it with respect to punitive damages. Oh, snap! Of course, Mr. Thomas has a tremendous amount of egg on his face, but Anucha Brown Sanders demanded $6M to walk away from the suit. Ronald M. Green, lead counsel for MSG "pioneered the use of preemptive litigation in suing current and former employees, and others, who threaten to bring legal proceedings of an extortionate nature against the firm's clients. He also is an innovator in the use of the federal Declaratory Judgment Act to protect clients' business interests that may be at risk from disaffected employees."

A guy like this does not come cheap and neither is the overhead associated with such an expensive attorney. How long has this case been in courts and what about pre-trial work, what's been the billable cost of it? Mr. Green is a name partner at his firm Epstein Becker & Green P.C. ("EBG"), he could easily be charging $500 per hour. This trial and the pre-trial phase has been on for months, I wouldn't be surprised if EBG had run up billable costs near the $1M mark. All signs point to an unfavorable verdict and the question is how much the punitive damages will be.

Ms. Sanders is not the most sympathetic plaintiff, but it seems clear she was harassed by a superior, and to me, that's sympathetic enough. If punitive damages awarded are even near the $5M mark consider it a big loss for MSG. They will have paid out in tandem with billable costs the same amount as Ms. Sanders demanded to walk away from the suit. In addition this public trial has revealed that as bad as the Knicks may be on the court, the "back office" is in worse shape. Punch it up as another loss for the Knicks. Fans are used to this by now. James Dolan continues to make his case for one of the worst owners in sports.

The Patriots - Wow, let's cancel the season and give these guys the Belichick, I mean Lombardi trophy. It's hard for me to hear the breathless analysts talking about these teams since they seem to be tripping over each other to either fellate Favre or the Patriots. Before we coronate the Pats, let's note one thing. The combined record of the four teams they've played to this point have a 4-8 record NOT counting the losses the Pats handed to these teams, otherwise their combined record is 4-12. The winning percentage of the teams on their schedule for the rest of the year for games they've played this year is 47%, not counting the undefeated teams of the Colts and Cowboys it shrinks to 35%. This is a schedule almost worthy of the '72 Miami Dolphins. The next five games for the Pats will really determine whether they're a good team or a potential team for the ages. The upcoming 5 games pit them against teams that have accumulated a gaudy 12-7 record including undefeated Colts and Cowboys teams. If they get through that stretch 5-0, I'll put a Pat Patriot decal on my jalopy.

Having said that, 4 games into the season isn't a big enough sample size for any sort of prognostication. I'll take a look at Brett Favre's "revival" at the halfway mark and analyze what's up with Brady's Bunch after their game with the Colts (Game 9 of their season). The way both teams are playing, this will, undoubtedly be the big matchup of mid-season. It'll also clearly establish which team are the Super Bowl favorites, all things remaining the same.

All-Star Batman & Robin # 7 - I love this comic and normally, I would review it, however, a gentleman by the name of Stephen Schleicher over at his wonderful website http://www.majorspoilers.com/archives/2519.htm/ has written a wonderful review that pretty much exactly states what I feel about this much read and much maligned series. That site in general is one of my most frequently visited, so if you love comics, it should definitely be a frequent update.

In a bit.

Comics 10-3-2007

Let's do this, sorry for the intermittent posting, I'm going to get back on a (minimum) daily schedule.

DC
Countdown #30
Detective Comics #837
Green Lantern Corps #16 - best crossover going Sinestro Corps
JLA/Hitman #2 (of 2)
Jonah Hex #24
Nightwing #137
The Question: Zen & Violence (the breakout character of the show Justice League Unlimited)
Scalped #10 - This is written by Jason Aaron and has gotten a lot of love within comics. So much so that Marvel had him do a standlone issue of Wolverine (#56 or #55) with Howard Chaykin on pencils which was excellent.

MARVEL
Nothing! - That might be a first

In a bit. More coming . . .