It's Basketball Season

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

Well, with the Philadelphia Phillies getting their first World Series championship since I was an itch in my daddy's pants, it's officially basketball season now…and to a lesser extent, hockey a.k.a. ice soccer. I watched me a little basketball last night while unpacking and arranging my entertainment center. The Spurs lost their first home opener this millennium. The Lakers destroyed the Clippers, though it was close in the first quarter. The old hometown Utah Jazz beat the new hometown Denver Nuggets by four points. Oh…and the Seattle Supersonics are now the Oklahoma City Thunder. Found that one out about a week ago…so they didn't take any of my suggestions. Oh well, they still suck and lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. Other than that, it was a pretty standard day at work. I'm really getting the hang of my job now and finding a groove, so now I can start to get to know my coworkers and surroundings a little better. The apartment is starting to get set up now too…which means soon I'll be able to invite people over for entertainment…and Rock Band parties. Still haven't purchased Rock Band 2…but there's new news on that front…

Rock Band: The Beatles - That's right ladies & gentlemen, the Beatles are coming to a game console near you. For the first time, the legendary group's music will be featured in the lucrative video game market in a deal with MTV Games and Harmonix, creators of the "Rock Band" series. The game is scheduled to make its debut sometime next year, according to a statement Thursday. Sir Paul McCartney said, "The project is a fun idea which broadens the appeal of The Beatles and their music. I like people having the opportunity to get to know the music from the inside out." Ringo Starr added: "The Beatles continue to evolve with the passing of time and how wonderful that The Beatles' legacy will find its natural progression into the 21st century through the computerized world we live in. Let the games commence." The video game has become a key and profitable market for musical acts to expose their music to fans; some bands have debuted their music via video games…but yeah, this is quite possibly the most awesome thing to happen in the Rock Band Universe…and there have been plenty. If I had a say, the top three acts to have for a Rock Band console game would be Elvis, Led Zeppelin, then the Beatles…but only because the Beatles are…well, they have a lot of ballads and messages and stuff…whereas Elvis is the King and Led Zeppelin is ROCK Incarnate. Oh my gosh, I can't wait for this game to come out now. JL Clyde & others can tell you that I do some pretty passionate renditions of Beatles tracks…especially when listening to the "Across the Universe" soundtrack. Stay tuned for a song list…because it's gonna be awesome.

Snakes on a Drivetrain - Animal authorities in western Ohio have a possible sequel to "Snakes on a Plane": a case of a snake in a car. The Clark County (OH) Humane Society is looking for the owner of a 7-foot-long boa constrictor found under the hood of a vehicle in Springfield (home of the Simpsons). The family that found the snake under their engine told the Humane Society that neighbors had seen the reptile slithering toward the car and alerted them. A family member had to untangle the snake from the engine. Humane Society director Ed Sisler says the snake, nicknamed "Buddy," has a good attitude but likes to hiss. He says the shelter gets about a dozen snakes a year but never one this large. He says local educators could use the snake in the classroom if its owner doesn't come forward. I still think that Samuel L. Jackson should be on high alert status. Not because of mother lovin' snakes popping everywhere…but because his new movie "Soul Men" comes out this week and the other two costars have recently passed away (Bernie Mac & Isaac Hayes). Dang, now I wanna go see "Long Kiss Goodnight" and sing what I'm doing. "Do dodo dodo, puttin' my left foot in the shoe. Do dodo dodo, then I tie that sucker down. Do dodo dodo, puttin' the right foot…in the hide of some fiiiiiine Italian cooooow." Don't judge me.

Town Wins the Lotto - Inhabitants of the deprived Sicilian suburb of Catania sang and danced through the night outside a cafe where the winning ticket for a 100 million Euro (128 million dollars) lottery was bought. Hundreds of residents in the working-class suburb gathered outside the cafe as the local mayor urged the winner to spread some of the record prize money to the community. "I am delighted for Catania and I hope this is a good sign for the town," said Mayor Raffaele Stancanelli. "I also hope the ticket was bought by many people... and whoever won will feel a moral obligation to do something for the local community." No pressure, right? Catania, a large port in eastern Sicily, has more than one million residents and is one of Italy's poorest cities…so that'd even spread out to about a hundred Euros per person. How would you spread the wealth? Or would you? It's your lotto ticket, right? You have over a hundred million Euros now. Personally, I'm a nice guy…but I’m not that nice. However, once you get past about five or ten million dollars (or Euros or whatever) what else can you really do? Put it in the stock market? F**k that!!! Here's what I would do in said situation. I would keep about twenty million for myself (half's going to the government anyway) and give the rest to the townspeople…so after taxes maybe 40 bucks per man, woman, and child. That'd stimulate the economy a little bit I would think…but nothing substantial. On second thought, maybe I'll just keep it all and give it to the townspeople my own way. What's my way you ask? "You two, fight to the death with whatever weapons you can grab in this piazza. The winner gets a hundred Euros." Even if I don't lose it all at the gentlemen's clubs or burlesque shows or straight-up Sicilian (or Brazilian) brothels, I could always offer "Twenty thousand Euros…for one night with your wife." Here's the really sad thing about that…not only would it be considered…but I could do it EVERY NIGHT FOR THE NEXT DECADE…and still have a nice chunk of change for my mansion, grotto, etc. Let's hope that I never win the lottery. Okay, on the real, I'd probably end up giving most of it away…but it's fun to pretend…and the more that I give away, the less the government gets, right? It's ain't no fun if the homies can't have none.

Simple Bartering - Speaking of trading goods for services, an 82-year old Kentucky man is being charged with trafficking a controlled substance. Police investigated the elderly man's complaints about theft at his home and discovered the man allegedly traded prescription drugs for sexual favors. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that police said they were initially concerned that women in their 20s, often seen at the man's home, were taking advantage of him. Police begin their investigation after the man called the department several times to report missing medication, household items and a television…but officers soon discovered he gave two women the prescription drug OxyContin in exchange for sex. The man's attorney said a possession of a controlled substance charge was dismissed against his client because he had prescriptions for the drugs…and then declined further comment. Is it wrong that I'm more pissed that those girls probably came back and took that old man's television causing him to miss Matlock? He's probably a WWII vet…lonely as all hell…and the only thing that gets him through the day is watching his daily stories, eating a Salisbury Steak TV dinner, and maybe get a hummer for a handful of Oxycotin or Vicatin or Loritabs or whatever helps him get over his pain the medicinal way. It's a shame…a damned shame…and now he may be going to jail for it. The defense rests…and no, I don't plan on getting paid for this. Honestly though, I would have probably done the same thing if that were his situation. It's simple bartering, the most basic of transactions. That may sound horrible…but loneliness makes you do horrible things sometimes. Okay, now that you know the horrible person that I am...let's move on.

Speaking of loneliness, a lot of you have been asking me about that over the last week or so with the move, whether it's starting to feel like home...and if I'm feeling lonely and missing my family & friends. Sure, I am. Usually I'm too busy to realize it during the day...but when it winds down...and I'm in my big apartment, full of boxes (though I'm working at it pretty well and should be home-like by Monday), overlooking a gorgeous view of downtown, with nobody to talk to except for the occasional call from the parents or text message...you bet your ass I miss you guys. That being said, I'm really starting to like Denver...and it's really starting to feel like home as I set up all my stuff in the apartment...and I'm starting to have the casual conversations with coworkers (now that I'm not trying to learn everything at every moment) and I'm sure that in a few weeks, I'll be right as rain...and maybe find me a ladyfriend...but whatever happens, happens for a reason. Until then, I'll just get my house in order and go day by day. Have a great night everybody!!! Visit Denver!!! :)