Roman Greenberg's Boxing Shorts on the Block

BackgammonMasters.com, the leader in online backgammon, recently announced that it had purchased the boxing shorts of heavyweight hopeful Roman Greenberg for a considerable sum, in an attempt to assist the up-and-coming fighter in his pursuit of the world heavyweight title. The online backgammon company is essentially sponsoring Greenberg, so that he can afford to train and hone his already considerable boxing skills.

BackgammonMasters.com will then auction off Greenberg’s boxing shorts for $100,000 after an upcoming (yet still unscheduled as of this date) Greenberg fight against one of the WBO’s top 5 boxers this year. The proceeds raised from the auction will go to a charity designed to benefit Arab and Jewish youth in distress.

Greenberg, who is 25-0 with 17 knockouts, is a 24-year-old who Angelo Dundee says has “the fastest hands for a heavyweight since Muhammad Ali.” Born in Russia and Jewish, Greenberg is 6’3” and weighs 234 lbs. and features an orthodox style.

His latest victory was an impressive decision against American boxer Michael Simms on March 23rd at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Greenberg won in ten rounds on points, using his superior speed to batter Simms throughout the contest. Prior to defeating Simms, Greenberg beat Kendrick Releford, Julius Francis and Steve Pannell.

Greenberg is the current IBO Intercontinental heavyweight champion. His manager is Jim Evans, who also handles Light Welterweight Gareth “The Gladiator” Couch (9-0-0). Greenberg lives and trains in the UK.

Greenberg is not only a great fighter, but he’s smart, well-spoken and comes from a very talented family. He speaks four languages – Hebrew, Russian, German and English. His brother was the Junior Chess Champion of Israel in 2004.

Greenberg is proud to be Jewish and wears the Star of David on his trunks.
“Through the Star of David, I represent Israel and myself,” Greenberg said. “All through history, Jews have always had to fight for their freedom and for their lives. When I come out wearing the Star of David, it shows the whole world that the Jews are still here and that they are successful.”

As of March 27, 2007, Greenberg was ranked 41st in the International Boxing Organization’s heavyweight computerized rankings. Of those ranked ahead of him, only #34 Alexander Dimitrenko is younger.

Experts have said these things about Greenberg:
“He’s at his best when he’s moving his legs, creating angles and confusing opponents.”
“He’s cerebral with lightning reflexes, incredibly quick hands and a solid jab.”
“He has plenty of flashy moves and can escape from a corner and counter as well as anyone in the division.”

BackgammonMasters.com has been in the news a lot lately, as the only game company to ever create an online version of Perudo, the internationally famous and extremely popular Spanish dice game. They’ve also added Poker to their game lobby to their 3D avatar online backgammon game software, making it the first 3-in-1 game software in the history of games worldwide.

The Red Sox and Fenway Park: It's A Monstrous Baseball Experience!!

If you have ever seen the Boston Red Sox play at Fenway Park, you know that it’s one of the greatest experiences in the world. Whether you’re a serious fan or just a casual one, the whole experience is amazing – the crowds, the Green Monster, the electricity in the air – it’s all about tradition and history and the only way I can describe it is “pure baseball.” One of the tough things about it is actually being able to obtain red sox tickets. They are among some of the most coveted tickets in the entire world. But, believe me, whatever you have to spend, it’s worth it. Going to Fenway for a game is something you’ll NEVER forget!

Vivande in SF: Now, That's Italian!

Vivande in San Francisco is a renowned Italian restaurant that has the whole package. When it comes to the “big four” -- atmosphere, quality, price and service – this place excels at every level. From the homemade pasta to the killer desserts, there’s something for everyone at Vivande.

The word, “vivande” had not been used extensively in the Italian language since the 14th century until Carlo Middione chose it for his business in 1980. From the Latin “viva”, or life, the word basically means prepared food.

Carlo Middione is the Chef/Owner of Vivande Porta Via – the first eatery to introduce the European concept of prepared take-out food to San Francisco in 1981 in a bustling Italian-style gastronomia also housing a popular Cafe. Well regarded as a restaurateur, Middione is considered an authority on authentic Italian cooking. His book, The Food of Southern Italy published by William Morrow & Co. in 1987, was the first American cookbook to focus upon the regions south of Rome. It won the coveted Tastemaker Award in the category of International cooking in the same year (this award is now known as the James Beard Award), and it has remained a classic. Another book titled La Vera Cucina featuring exceptional, lesser known dishes from all over Italy was published in June of 1996 by Simon & Schuster.

Middione's popularity as a television personality won him a 40-week half hour solo-host series, Carlo Cooks Italian, first aired on The Learning Channel in 1994. It came to the San Francisco Bay Area on BAY-TV, Cable Channel 35, in 1996 and was shown consistently for more than two years. It can still be seen on satellite TV. He has appeared as a guest of Jeff Smith on the Frugal Gourmet, of Lorenza de'Medici in the Tuscan Table Series on PBS; The Microwave Master; and soloed in 1993 on an hour long pilot special which led to the series Carlo Cooks Italian.
In the late 1970's Middione appeared as a "regular" on the Channel 7 A. M. San Francisco morning show with Jack Hansen and Nancy Fleming for 3 years. Carlo was featured regularly as stand-in for Narsai David, host, on the popular KCBS radio show about food news and call-in discussions about food and cooking.

Known best for its unique artisan cooking, superior quality ingredients and products, Vivande has been able to build an enviable reputation as a destination eating place, a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, and a tourist attraction located in the residential heart of San Francisco.
Vivande is a restaurant and a deli in one. You can sit down and eat or order prepared foods to go. Within six months of opening its doors, Diner's Club magazine ranked Vivande in San Francisco "among the ultimate deli's of the world", along with Peck's in Milan, Fauchon in Paris, and Dallmayr in Munich; bringing acclaim to San Francisco and establishing Vivande early on as a tourist destination.

Vivande was the first San Francisco restaurant to use only Italian extra virgin olive oil in its kitchen since 1981. They also make their own fresh pasta daily from durum, semolina flours, and egg. They grind, season, and stuff our own fresh pork fennel sausage as well – without any preservatives. Vivande makes all of their own fresh pastries and traditional Italian cookies and baked savories in-house as well. They even candy their own orange and lemon peel, and squeeze fresh lemons by hand for their salad dressings and desserts so as not to include the bitter taste of the white pith under the zest.

In June of 1998 Vivande received the prestigious L’Insegna del Ristorante Italiano from the Italian government as a true Italian restaurant abroad using authentic Italian foods, products and recipes to present a classic Italian style of eating. Vivande was one of only 18 restaurants in the U.S. to receive the award that year, and the only one in San Francisco. In 2004 Vivande was included in a special Zagat survey of America’s top 1800 Italian restaurants.
Vivande is located at 2125 Fillmore Street in San Francisco. Their phone number is: 415 346-4430.Their Web site is: info@vivande.com

John Daly's Beer Commercial Pulled by CBS

Golfer John Daly has taped a commercial for Maxfli golf balls in which he sings in a bar while people are drinking beer and later grabs a beer while he's driving a golf cart. But, CBS won’t ever broadcast the commercial, stating that it violates network policy by showing irresponsible consumption of alcohol.

I have never understood the phrase “Drink Responsibly.” What exactly does that mean? When you put drinking into the proper perspective, isn’t it basically an irresponsible act from the get-go? I know they say wine can be good for you, but hard booze and beer are full of things that can in no way be considered responsible. That’s like saying “Play Russian Roulette Responsibly” or “Eat Lard Responsibly.”

CBS implied that the commercial was offensive because the people featured in it were just having too good a time. "It did not meet the standards of the CBS network," spokeswoman LeslieAnn Wade said Tuesday. “Any implied or direct reference to excessive consumption of alcohol would not meet network guidelines."
The commercial has aired on the Golf Channel, but it has been criticized for showing Daly reaching for a beer while driving a golf cart, which some consider dangerous. Some have also questioned why Maxfli is juxtaposing Daly (who has a checkered history) with alcohol. The marketing director for Maxfli golf balls said, "We looked at John Daly as someone who lights up a room, not someone with a troubled past."

John Daly has always been the Babe Ruth; the Dennis Rodman; the Hollywood Henderson and the Mike Tyson of golf. Unpredictable, unrestrained and unrepentant, the greatest thing about Daly (other than his monstrous drives) is his attitude about life. When the man dies (and don’t expect him to live to be 100) his headstone will probably say something like, “He drank. He smoked. He partied. He stroked. And he never gave a damn about what people thought of him.”
I personally admire the guy for all his wives, his gambling losses, his triumphant wins and disappointing losses. Critics are always saying that if he didn’t party so much he’d be a top echelon superstar golfer. My reply to that is, “So what?” Why is it so important for people to live up to their potential? Why can’t folks just be free to enjoy their lives? If they want to underachieve than that’s their own business, as far as I’m concerned. Some people don’t crave money, success and fame.

In two thousand years, when historians look back on our society, the only names they’ll be talking about will be Jesus Christ, Albert Einstein, maybe Gandhi and/or Martin Luther King. Oh, and Scott Baio. (How could I have left out Charles in Charge?)
So, who gives a s--- if John Daly has a few beers, a couple wives, smokes Camels like a chimney and isn’t a legendary golfer? Not me. And certainly not Daly himself. So, have another beer John. And tell the uptight suits at CBS to plant a big smooch right on that large derriere of yours!

San Mateo Sheriff Massages the Truth

San Mateo County Sheriff Greg Munks got caught in the police raid of an illegal bordello in Las Vegas over the weekend. He admits he was there, but says it was only for a back rub. He also claims he thought the place was operating legally. Munks and San Mateo Under Sheriff Carlos Bolanos were detained and questioned Saturday night by Las Vegas police in Operation Dollhouse, a raid on more than a handful of sex houses located about two miles west of the Las Vegas strip, according to Las Vegas Police Department Officer Bill Cassell. The two men were not arrested or charged in the raid, Cassell said. In fact, not one of the brothel’s alleged customers was detained or charged. The target of the raid was hookers and johns, and they caught a total of 31 of them. The FBI, who directed the operation, also announced the seizure of $35,000 in cash and approximately 3,500 Ecstasy tablets. Munks, who was sworn in as San Mateo’s sheriff last January after an uncontested election in November and was widely supported by local politicians, makes $188,500 a year. After the incident, Munks said that he and Bolanos did not break any laws and cooperated with Las Vegas police. Munks was in town participating in a law enforcement relay run from Baker to Las Vegas over the weekend and was looking for a massage because he was sore from running, Bolanos told a CBS reporter in Las Vegas after the bust. The raid took place at eight houses and apartments, Cassell said. None of the places advertised massages, he said. Munks is married and has four children. Just like Ricky Ricardo told his wife Lucy in the show, “I Love Lucy,” it looks like Munks “has some ‘splaining to do.” I can hear him now: “But, honey it was just a back rub!” Yeah, right. If this man was, for instance, an insurance salesman or a plumber in from out of town, I might be able to somehow believe that he didn’t know he was entering an illegal house of prostitution, and was actually under the impression that he was going there for a legitimate massage. But a sheriff? Come on! Even Barney Fife would have known that he was entering a whore house. These officers were letting loose, hitting a little strange while out on the town, letting go while the wifey and kids were back home and would never found out. To say he thought he was just looking for a back rub is so preposterous it’s laughable. Munks got caught with all whole lot more than his hand in the cookie jar and now he’s trying to slither his way out of what must be a very embarrassing situation. Having a wild time with the boys is not a sin and back in my single days I have to admit that I did things a whole lot worse. I’m not proud of it, but it happened. But please, Sheriff Munks -- don’t try to con us, sir, because it makes you look sillier than Quick Draw McGraw!

Oden Goes for the Pros

Greg Oden is through with school. He’s fleeing Ohio State University for greener pastures at the professional level. The 7-foot freshman said yesterday he will leave Ohio State after leading the Buckeyes to the national championship game and enter the NBA draft, where he figures to be one of the top two picks along with Texas freshman forward Kevin Durant.
And how can you blame him? The kind of money Oden will be making next season in the NBA will be unprecedented for a rookie. He played like a man among boys this season and looks like a seasoned NBA all-star already. For him to stay in college would have been a waste of talent, quite honestly.
Some of the people associated with Ohio State’s basketball program have made disparaging remarks about Oden leaving the school. I think that’s ridiculous. I can’t believe that anyone else in the world with half a brain would pass up the treasures and rewards that await Oden on the pro level.
Ohio State was a good training ground for Oden. The Buckeyes have a first-class program, with the best accommodations, facilities and hoochies (see photo) in the NCAA. But, the NBA is like heaven compared to college. Oden can now look forward to first-class flights and hotels, awesome food and drink, huge arenas every other night and best of all, better-looking, not to mention freakier, groupies!
Freshman teammates Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook also said they will make themselves available for the draft. Unlike Oden, they have opted not to hire an agent for now--meaning they will retain the option of returning to school in the fall.
"This is a very tough decision for me," Oden said in a statement released by Ohio State. "I love OSU and love being a Buckeye, but I also have a great opportunity to take my game to the next level and compete with the best players in the world. I've discussed this with family, friends and coach [Thad] Matta, and I feel the time is right."
None of the players was available for comment. Conley is expected to be an honorary head coach for today's Scarlet vs. Gray spring football game. Oden is out of town to attend his aunt's wedding.
At a news conference yesterday afternoon, Matta said the departure of the three players, though expected, would leave a hole in the program. Matta said he was proud of their accomplishments and hoped that the success of players such as Oden, coupled with the team's trip to the national championship game, will lure talented recruits.
"Honestly, it's been kind of a goal of mine to have a player selected as high as Greg is going to be," Matta said. "This is a situation where we've got to handle it and continue to build."
All three players were key figures this past season for the Buckeyes, who went 35-4 to set a mark for victories and won the Big Ten's regular-season and tournament titles before advancing to their first national championship game since 1962, where they lost to two-time champion Florida 84-75 this month.
After getting a late start at Ohio State because of a wrist injury, Oden, 19, lived up to his billing as a two-time national high school player of the year, leading the Buckeyes in scoring (15.7) and rebounding (9.6) per game and topping the Big Ten in shooting percentage (.616).
His best game may have been his last one, when he scored 25 points and had 12 rebounds while dominating the inside against Al Horford and Joakim Noah of Florida.
Oden had surgery on his right (shooting) wrist to reattach ligaments last June 16. He worked out with the team while wearing a cast that eventually became an elastic brace. After missing the first seven games, he came in and--despite shooting free throws and most of his other shots left-handed--had an immediate impact.

Bay Area Sports is Sick Right Now!

There’s a sickness in the Bay Area right now and it’s called playoff fever. The only remedy for it is elimination, something that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen any time soon. Both the San Jose Sharks and the Golden State Warriors are in the postseason and are looking good.

The Sharks start a second round series against the Detroit Red Wings, a team they’ve won three of four games from this year. The Warriors are in the playoffs for the first time in well over a decade, and are probably the hottest team in the entire NBA right now.

The Sharks are skating well, playing like a complete squad and focused on getting to the Stanley Cup Finals. With a great mix of veterans, rookies and role players, the Teal Team looks poised and ready to roll.

Team leader Joe Thornton had six assists in the first-round series against the Nashville Predators, and the team has benefited greatly by adding players like Bill Guerin and Craig Rivet late in the season. Team Captain Patrick Marleau is a scoring machine and a clutch playoff performer.

When the big fish start their series against the Red Wings tomorrow night, they’ll have to be very conscious of the fact that Detroit finished only six points ahead of them during the regular season. In the past, the Sharks might have had a reason to be intimidated by a perennial powerhouse like the Red Wings. Not this time. San Jose can beat this team and they know it.

Thirty miles to the North, the Golden State Warriors have made an amazing turnaround and are the talk of both the Bay and the NBA. Sage Coach Don Nelson, the cagey old codger with more basketball experience than the late Red Auerbach, is leading this team to the promised playoff land playing super smart “small ball.”

Tonight’s Game 2 against the Dallas Mavericks should be a real test for both teams, because the Mavs now realize that they’re entering a knockdown drag out series that should go the distance.

Point Guard Baron Davis is leading this team and if the Warriors hope to get to the next round, other players will have to contribute, especially if Dallas MVP front-runner Dirk Nowitzki starts playing at his usually high level. Jason Richardson, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington and Mickael Pietrus all have the ability to step it up. If they do, Dallas is in big trouble. This could be one of the greatest Cinderella stories in the history of sports. It could also be a short, sad story. We’ll know a lot more after tonight.

With both teams in it to win it, the playoffs are the talk of the sports scene here in the Bay Area. It’s the very best professional hockey and basketball has to offer. If both the Sharks and Warriors get further into the postseason, you can be certain that the electricity in this area will be sizzling. On top of it all, the SF Giants are on a winning streak and the Oakland A’s are in first place. Maybe there’s even hope for the 49ers and/or Raiders to get considerably better by adding some young talent to their rosters during this weekend’s NFL Draft. There are a lot of positive things going on around here and if you’re into Bay Area sports at all – it’s a damn good time to be a fan.

Bulldogs are Beautiful Too!

You blew it, Jazzy: Jasmine had hoped her chic Doggles would carry her to victory in the Most Beautiful Bulldog Contest at the 28th Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. But if there's something the judges can't abide, it's drool bubbles.

I'm Voting for Boating

Now that the weather is warming up, it’s time to get out and start boating again. I love boating. In fact, there’s a friend of mine who has the nickname “Boater.” And I have always been secretly bummed because I thought I should have that nickname. There’s a great web site called http://www.boatersworld.com/ that has everything you’ll ever need to submerse yourself in the boating world. They carry all of the great name brands in boating, like Furuno, Garmin, Humminbird, Icom, Lowrance, Okuma, Penn, Raymarine, Shakespeare and Uniden. They have all kinds of fishing stuff, like rods and reels; they have global positioning systems; fishfinders and depth sounders; recreational watercraft and so much more.

Marisa Churchill: San Francisco's Top Chef

It’s amazing who you can meet at the grocery store. My fiancée and I were at the Marina Safeway in San Francisco yesterday when I saw a woman who looked familiar. I’m really bad at remembering names, but I never forget a face. I also don’t have a problem bothering celebrities in public. It took me a few minutes to figure out who she was, but then I realized it was one of the contestants from one of my favorite reality shows, Top Chef. Her name is Marisa Churchill and she lives in the Fillmore District. I walked up to her and immediately struck up a conversation.

In the Top Chef II series, they made Marisa look like a real shrew. She was eliminated about midway through the competition and came off as bitchy. But, when we met her yesterday, we were surprised to find out that she is actually really nice. We talked to her about Top Chef and her culinary for about ten minutes and she was just great.

Marisa did say one thing I hear quite often from people who’ve been on reality shows – that the producers really manipulate the storylines to come out the way they want to. She explained some scenes that were completely changed or other things that were left out to make her look really mean and super cutthroat. She gave me her card and I’m going to be interviewing for a full-blown article soon.

For what I’ve read in her bio, she seems like quite an amazing chef. Here is what Marisa says about herself on her Web site, www.marisachurchill.com:

“Marisa's love of cooking began early in life. As a young girl she cooked in the kitchen with her Greek grandmother. By her grandmother's side Marisa learned how to cure her own olives, make homemade breads and pastas, and how to make a wide variety of authentic Greek dishes.
In 1999 Marisa decided to turn her life-long passion for cooking into a career. She graduated from the California Culinary Academy specializing in baking and pastry, and later continued her education in both savory cooking and advanced pastry skills at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Marisa has worked at such notable restaurants as Rubicon, and The Slanted Door. In 2003 she became the executive pastry chef at restaurant LuLu, where food critic Michael Bauer named her desserts "clearly some of the best desserts around." In 2005 she became the executive pastry chef at Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani's new restaurant Ame.

Marisa's desserts have been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, and have received positive mention in both Food Arts and Bon Appetit magazine. Marisa was the head chef for Showtime's "2002 Tales of the City," and has appeared on KRON, NBC11, Tokyo TV and on Bravo's Top Chef!

She recently completed her first cookbook "Chocolate Soup."
When Marisa isn't in the kitchen she can usually be found at the pool. Marisa strongly believes in the importance of physical fitness and is herself a competitive swimmer. Her favorite events are the 100 breaststroke, 50 and 200 freestyle, and 50 fly.”

The Bible is THE Book!

It’s THE Book. It’s THE Greatest Story Ever Written. And it’s lasted for centuries because it’s such an amazing work. The Catholic bible has held up to the test on time because it’s highly respected by so many people throughout the world, and not just Catholics. There are many different versions of the bible and you can purchase catholic bibles in a wide range of styles, interpretations and forms. When it comes to the history of publications, nothing can match it!

Ahh, the Incredible Van Rack

What can I say about a van rack that hasn’t already been said? The van rack technology is so advanced now. The great engineering minds of our time have contributed their knowledge, skill and expertise to the van rack industry and the results are incredible. Back in the old days, a van rack was good for just pretty much one thing – carrying items on a van. But with new advancements over the past decade, the van rack can be used for a wide variety of purposes. You can transport just about anything you’ll ever need with these new high-tech, stylish van racks.

Logo pens are a great form of advertising

Logo pens are so popular nowadays. Everyone wants to advertise on a pen and it really makes a lot of sense. I am personally a real sucker for a free pen. At all of the big tradeshows I go to all the time, they give away a bunch of free pens with their logos on them. It’s a very inexpensive way for companies to advertise their businesses and market their services to their customers. Identity advertising is a very important aspect of branding and ink pens are a very large portion of that burgeoning market.

Join the Consolidation Nation or Perish!

Financial consolidation is one of the most important and vital processes of any organization. Successfully managing your consolidation cycle times and shortening statutory reporting processes without sacrificing vital controls or compliance with laws and regulatory bodies has become of key importance to many organizations throughout the global marketplace. Some people don’t see the importance of this, and quite frankly – they’re losing out! If your company can’t consolidate increasingly complex corporate hierarchies, while managing key stakeholder relationships is fundamental to businesses, well – you’re up a creek without a paddle. That’s why you need reliable, high-quality, top performing consolidation software. It’s no longer a luxury, it’s now a necessity.

Is Sanjaya Destined to be a Karaoke King?

Sanjaya Malakar, probably the most controversial singer in American Idol's history, was finally asked to leave the premises during Wednesday night's elimination episode. He was escorted out by Paula Abdul’s body guards – a pair of dwarves who carry Abdul’s large cache of prescription painkillers wherever they go.

The 17-year-old from Washington state probably must have known his fate was sealed going into the show's final 20 minutes. By then, Ryan Seacrest had announced his name as one of a bottom three that would have been unthinkable only the night before. The other two singers were considered to be far superior -- LaKisha Jones and Blake Lewis. Jones sang a stirring rendition of “Row Row Row Your Boat” and Lewis wowed the crowd the night before with a heart wrenching version of “Kum by Yah.”

Simon Cowell, who never tried to conceal his annoyance at Sanjaya's longevity despite his “pitchiness” and a series of sub-par performances, all but licked his chops as he said, "I'm beginning to sense something here." In his white t-shirt, chimp-like haircut and bleached front teeth, Cowell looked satisfied and smug. In other words, he was just as annoying as usual. When his name was called, Sanjaya cried and wet himself, but his departure was dignified. His time on the show, as everyone knows, was not. Outside the audition room that earned him a ticket to Hollywood, his vocals proved unstable, unreliable and, to many, downright unlistenable. But he was telegenic in ways that the judges consistently underestimated; featuring a sense of style that was misguided and over-the-top but somehow also forgivably puppyish. He was good-natured about being treated by the judges like a punching bag. I think people voted for him because he was the anti-American Idol, less polished and more real.

What awaits Sanjaya now? Well, if you see him some late night five years from now, running a Karaoke contest at your local bowling alley, don’t be surprised. The poor kid will probably become a waiter at TGIF Fridays or the Cheesecake Factory, which means people will flock there from miles around to watch him sing “Happy Birthday” to starry-eyed teens.

There's a New Online Newspaper Broo-ing in SF!

I’ve been having a great time over the past few months writing for what's known as a “citizen newspaper” called BrooWaha. It's a fairly new phenomenon -- an online newspaper that is written completely by everyday people like you and me. They have BrooWaha publications in New York and Los Angeles, and they just recently started one here in San Francisco. It’s a wonderful idea – a paper where the common man can comment on politics, culture, entertainment and sports and broadcast his or her opinions to the world. The person who started it – his name is Ariel – acts as the editor and approves or rejects the articles as they come in. You can’t publish anything you want on BrooWaha, which is good, because it keeps the quality of the content up and discourages crazies from getting on the pages of BrooWaha (in most cases). Then, once your submission has been approved and appears on BrooWaha, other people can read your article and rate it. They have a rating system based on how the readers respond. If they like your stuff, you gain in popularity. If they don’t like what you’ve written, your rating will suffer. It’s a utopian concept where the readers dictate the content. I think it’s an awesome idea. I’ve been writing for SF BrooWaha almost every day since I found out about it. I encourage other writers and journalists to do the same.

Isagenix: The 30-Day Results

Here are the final numbers on my 30-Day Isagenix Program. Start weight: 294 lbs. Today's weight: 269 lbs. Start waist: 54.5 inches. Today's waist: 50.5 inches. Other changes: Better sleep; more energy and a better attitude about life. I don't know if you can tell how much I lost from the photos above. As I said earlier, it's a lot like an iceberg melting. But, I can tell when I step on the scale and when I put on my clothes, because they're mush more loose-fitting. You might even call them baggy! Today I'm starting another 30 days on Isagenix, and my goal is to lose another 20! Thanks for everyone whose been so supportive!

Isagenix: Day 30 is Finally Here!

Today is the 30th day of my 30-Day Isagenix Program. Tomorrow I’ll have the final numbers. I continue to feel great and my energy is still up. Yesterday I did a Cleanse Day and it was also a deadline day for the newspaper I work for, so I must admit I was in a fairly foul mood all day (see above photo). But, this morning I popped out of bed at 6 am feeling rejuvenated. Stay tuned for my 30-Day assessment tomorrow!

Bullfighting is Bulls---!

A 14-year-old matador who left Spain to escape his home country's ban on young bullfighters was nearly gored to death in a Mexican ring, his lung punctured by a 900-pound bull. The matador was not willing to talk about the incident and the bull was unavailable for comment.
Jairo Miguel, who has been bullfighting professionally in Mexico for about the past two years, was fighting at the Aguascalientes Monumental Bull Ring on Sunday when a bull named Hidrocalido rushed him at top speed and lifted him in the air, appearing to carry him several yards with one horn firmly lodged in his thorax. The expression on the young matador’s face was one of surprise and distaste. “How dare the bull fight back!” he must have been thinking.
"I'm dying, dad, I'm dying," government news agency Notimex quoted Jairo as saying immediately after the goring. “But, I did save money on my car insurance by calling Geico,” he said.
Jairo's father, Antonio Sanchez Caceres, is also a well-known bullfighter who came with him to Mexico from Spain and was reportedly at the ring on Sunday when his son was injured. The parents could not immediately be reached for comment.
The slightly built, baby-faced Jairo was billed as the youngest matador in the world when he came to Mexico almost two years ago at age 12, apparently to escape Spain's ban on bullfighters younger than 16. He once told reporters he had cried prior to a fight.
In his two years in the Mexican ring, Jairo has scored some victories that earned him the right to cut off the defeated bulls' ears. One time he won and was presented with a set of fresh Rocky Mountain Oysters. But he has also been trampled and knocked around.
In Spain, an aspiring "torero" must be at least 16 to begin training with small bulls but is not allowed to kill a bull in the ring before he or she is 18, said an official from the Royal Bullfighting Federation of Spain. Unless, of course, they can get a permission slip from their parents, which means they can get a bullfighting learner’s permit at age 15.
But in Mexico, some start as young as 12 or 13, and there appears to be a rush toward ever-younger fighters who have become a growing attraction in Latin America. In Mexico, young bullfighters are also known as “Pocos Estupidos Supremos” which, when translated into English, means “Little Human Pinatas.”
Dr. Carlos Hernandez Sanchez said Jairo was the youngest goring victim he had ever treated. But he does not think he was too young to be in the ring.
"These are injuries that happen. He's a great bullfighter," Hernandez Sanchez said. “His depth perception sucks, however.”
Dr. Luis Romero, the surgeon who operated on Jairo at Aguascalientes' Guadalupe Clinic, said the bull's horn brushed his aorta and came about an inch from his heart.
"He was lucky, if you can call somebody who has been gored by a bull lucky," he said. “if it had gored him in the juevos, now that would be unlucky.”
If the four-inch gash had been one inch closer to the heart, "this surely would have been a catastrophe where it would have been very difficult to control" the bleeding.
Jairo was connected to a respirator on Monday but doctors were confident they could restore much of his lung function and expected him to recover.
Jairo's injury revived a debate in Mexico about young bullfighters.
Inaki Negrete, of the Mexican Association of Fighting Bull Breeders, said the responsibility for young bullfighters rests largely with their families, who are often the ones who encourage their sons to go into bullfighting in the first place.
"Normally, it's the parents of these children — and they are children — who put them into bullfighting schools," Negrete said. "It depends on individual judgment."
Maria Lopes of the International Movement Against Bullfights said both parents and governments that allow children to bullfight should be held responsible.
"Children, many from poor families, are seduced into the world of bullfighting by promises of fame, glory and above all, money," she said.
"What happened to Jairo Miguel is lamentable, but it is the result of laws that allow children to participate in bull fights," Lopes said in a written statement.
Jairo was not even the youngest matador to gain notoriety in Mexico. In 2005, Rafita Mirabal, then age 8, started in the ring, also in Aguascalientes, a bullfighting-crazed city 260 miles northwest of Mexico City.
"Rafita," as he was known, began facing down younger, smaller bulls and calves, but the animals still outweighed him by hundreds of pounds.
The trend appears to have taken off in the late 1990s, when famed Spanish bullfighter Julian Lopez Escobar, "El Juli," made his debut in Mexico in 1997 at age 14.
"Rafita Mirabal is too little in my view," said Negrete. While the animals he fights are younger, they can still break bones.
"It's very dangerous," Negrete said.
Bullfighting is fairly popular in Mexico, but is far from a national sport. Sunday's accident occurred at the popular San Marcos Fair, where bullfights are one of the main attractions.
Isn’t it time that this inhumane “sport” be eliminated worldwide? I put bullfighting in the same boat with cock fighting and pit bull fighting. The old days when an animal or human being had to be harmed or die to have fun should be a thing of the distant past. The Romans had the lions and the Christians, the Aztecs did human sacrifices and the KKK opted for lynchings. All of these rituals no longer exist. Well, almost all of them. So, I believe it’s safe to say that bullfighting should be the next to go.
We’re supposedly a more humane, more compassionate society today. We’re supposed to be able to see the errors of our pasts and correct them. We still haven’t figured that out when it comes to war. But, maybe we can make a baby step in the right direction and outlaw bullfighting!

HotelReservations.com is the Real Thing!

I found a great web site called www.hotelreservations.com. There are a ton of hotel, car rental and flight web sites out there, but this one has a lot of cool features, bells and whistles that the others don’t seem to have. HotelReservations.com is the whole package. Besides being able to save up to 70 percent off on hotels, car rentals, and flights, this site has some great deals on such things as vacation rentals, vacation packages, bed and breakfast places, condo rentals, and other categories they call Hot Deals, Family Fun, Beach Hotels, Gambling and Spa vacations. You can also get incredible deals on cruises, as well as super discounts on group bookings if you happen to be traveling with friends, or an organization, etc. HotelReservations.com also offers helpful tips on things like credit card safety. But, one of the best things is the international flavor of HotelReservations.com. They offer hotel and vacation deals in places throughout Europe and all over the world, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland and Australia. They even offer $100 rebates on some trips and bookings. Another convenient service they offer at HotelReservations.com is that if you don’t want to book a hotel, rental car or flight online, you can call them directly at: (800) 447-4136. When it comes to a web site like this, I rate it on two major things: 1.) Ease of use and 2.) The savings it offers. If it’s too time-consuming and difficult to use, then a site like this is not practical. Time is money and it you’re wasting a bunch of it trying to get a good deal, it just defeats the purpose. Secondly, it has to give you a good deal. A lot of these supposed discount locating sites don’t follow through and you can, in many cases, get a better or the same exact offer going direct. Not so with HotelReservations.com. This web site is the real thing and I highly recommend it. The next time I need a hotel (which I do at least 1-2 times per month for business) I’ll be giving it a go!

San Francisco Gives Robin Williams a Long-Overdue Award

It’s finally happening. The City by the Bay is honoring its greatest living comedian and actor, a man who started out at the City’s comedy clubs, made it on TV as a funny alien and eventually rose to the pinnacle of movie stardom.

The San Francisco Film Society is laying its prestigious acting prize on the city's biggest star and it’s long overdue. The fast-talking man with a mind like a steel trap, a creative force in everything he’s tried, is getting the ultimate film honor and no one deserves it more.
The Oscar-winning actor and stand-up comedian will get the Society's Peter J. Owens Award at an awards dinner May 3 at the St. Francis Hotel as part of the 50th annual San Francisco Film International Film Festival.

The award, named for cultural philanthropist and Film Society board member Peter Owens, is given to an actor whose work "exemplifies brilliance, independence and integrity.'' Previous recipients include Ed Harris (2006), Dustin Hoffman (2003), Sean Penn (1999) and Annette Bening (1997).

On May 4, Williams, 55, who polished his comedic talent in local clubs, will be interviewed onstage at San Francisco's Castro Theatre in a program featuring a retrospective of clips from his many films and director Terry Gilliam's "The Fisher King,'' starring Williams.
When I was doing standup comedy in this town in the late 80’s and 90’s, I had the pleasure of meeting Robin on several occasions. He would come into SF comedy clubs like the Holy City Zoo and the Other Café late at night to try out new material and he always killed. There was an electricity in the air on those nights that you can’t quantify or understand unless you were there.

On one particular occasion, it was around 1 am and I was performing at a place in San Francisco called Cobb’s at an open mic. I was the very last comic to take the stage and halfway through my set Robin walked in. There must have been 10 people in the audience at that point, mainly drunks and homeless types. But Williams got up there and slayed them. He did 45 minutes of jokes and improvisational stuff that was absolutely brilliant. The next day I actually considered giving up doing standup forever.

Besides Williams, the 2007 SF Film Festival's other major award recipients, as previously announced, are all men: George Lucas, honored with a one-time only Irving M. Levin Award; director Spike Lee (whose Acts III and IV of his Hurricane Katrina documentary, "When the Levees Broke," will screen); and scriptwriter Peter Morgan (coming off a strong year with "The Queen" and "The Last King of Scotland").

Other award recipients include film historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow, to be honored at a screening of "The Iron Mask," a silent romp whose restoration he directed. The Golden Gate Persistence of Vision Award goes to Dutch documentary filmmaker Heddy Honigmann; her film "Forever," about the famous Père-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, will be shown.

The festival's first-ever Midnight Awards, a tribute to young actors, recognize Rosario Dawson ("Rent") and Daly City native Sam Rockwell ("Confessions of a Dangerous Mind").
For information about the May 3 Film Society Awards Night, call (415) 551-5190. For tickets and information about the Williams tribute at the Castro, call (925) 866-9559 or go to http://www.sffs.org/.

The Art of Baseball

What are baseball bats, baseballs and bases doing in an art gallery and shouldn’t Sandy Koufax be on the sports pages instead of hanging on a wall? Well, it must be time for the 10th Annual Art of Baseball exhibition at the George Krevsky Gallery located at 77 Geary Street in San Francisco. This year’s show, Spring Training started on March 15th and continues through Saturday, April 28th. Forty artists from across the country have been invited to create their interpretation of our National Pastime. Paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture, on the theme of baseball, line the walls of a gallery normally showing Modernist art by such well-known artists as Thomas Hart Benton and Milton Avery.

Immortals like Honus Wagner, Satchel Paige, and Roberto Clemente can be seen, as well as Pacific Coast League favorites and sandlot players playing for the love of the game. Among the highlights of this year’s show are Carl Hugo Beetz’ canvas painted in 1938 of a White Sox exhibition game and Benjamin Blackburn’s contemporary wood sculpture of Honus Wagner’s famous Tobacco card. Artworks based on historical images of the 1934 Boston Red Sox, and the San Francisco Seals vs. the Oakland Oaks, were created by Bay Area printmaker Stacey Carter, Jennifer Ettinger’s homage to Satchel Paige and Tina Hoggatt’s porcelain enamel paintings on steel are all featured. Ebbets Field, now only a memory, Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, the DiMaggio brothers, and a young Ted Williams all create an atmosphere that will touch the hearts of art enthusiasts and sports fans alike.

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:30 pm and visuals can be seen on the website at http://www.georgekrevskygallery.com/.

Taking A Day Off

I'm just kicking back today. It's a beautifully sunny day in San Francisco, so I'm going to enjoy it.

Al Owes A Sharp Apology

Now that he’s played a huge part in bringing down Don Imus, Al Sharpton needs to start making some apologies of his own to the Duke University lacrosse players who were exonerated of rape charges this week. Sharpton pre-judged these poor guys and found a second career slamming them incessantly in the media and now he has to be held responsible for his racist remarks.

Sharpton called the players “rich white boys” and announced to the world that they were guilty before any evidence was presented in court. As far as Sharpton was concerned, they were guilty until proven innocent. It was just another chance for the sharp-tongued one to bash white folks.

Do you think he would have cared for a minute about the Duke case if these players had been accused of raping a white stripper? Or what if it the players themsleves had been black? Would Al have gotten so enthusiastically involved then?

Al Sharpton's words caused turmoil on the Duke campus and threw flames on an already blazing fire. This kind of lynch mob mentality is supposed to be one of the things Sharpton abhors. Which he does – as long as it fits in with his own personal agenda.

What did Sharpy want from the whole thing anyway? The answer is simple. Face time -- on CNN, The O'Reilly Report, MSNBC, Court TV and every major network in this country. Which he got big-time, because controversy means viewers -- something Sharpton is well aware of. As they say, hating gets ratings. And Al Sharpton can hate white people with the best of them, regardless of whether they deserve it or not.

Now, I’m not saying Don Imus was in any way justified in what he said about the Rutgers Women’s basketball team. He deserves everything he got. I support CBS for booting him off the air. There is no excuse for racism of any kind in the world, period. But, when you call kids “rich white boys” and vilify them as completely as Sharpton did, I have a problem with that.

I remember one summer when I was home on vacation from college, my father (who is of Italian heritage) said he believed that Spike Lee was a racist because of a scene in his movie “Do the Right Thing” where some black youths destroy an Italian family’s pizzeria. I distinctly recall looking my dad in the eye and replying, “Dad, how can you say something like that? Black people can’t be racists!”

Well guess what? ANYONE can be a racist.

Al Sharpton is a deft opportunist, as he showed us long ago with the Tawana Brawley rape hoax. The man makes a living out of chastising mostly white people for their wrongs against the black race. But, when he’s wrong, which it’s been proven he was in this instance, where is his apology? Why does he get to keep his radio show?

Sharpton has made a fortune from race-related commentary throughout the years and it’s time he was forced to be held accountable for incendiary comments like the ones he made against the Duke lacrosse players.

There cannot be a double standard and that has nothing to do with race. But, it does have everything to do with what's right. People from every race, color or creed should be able to see that rather clearly.

There is no doubt in my mind that Al Sharpton owes those players an apology. But, do you think it’s forthcoming? Don’t count on it!

Isagenix Day 26: Let's Talk Turkey!

It’s Day 26 of My 30-Day Isagenix Program and I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all of the turkeys out there in the world. Turkey has been one of the main things that I’ve been eating to stay within my 400-600 calorie per day allotment. It’s a very lean, high-protein meat that’s delicious and filling and oh-so-good for you. I eat it sliced on whole wheat bread with mustard (no mayo) and tomatoes and so far it’s been a godsend. Today I received my shipment of Isagenix products – the ones I’ll be using for my next 30-Day Program. This time around, I’m using a bunch of other stuff which I’ll tell you about over the next few weeks. If you ever want more information about Isagenix, you call always visit my Isagenix web site. Since I’m fairly new to the program, I may not know it all. But, what I don’t know I can always find out from my Isagenix Counselor, a great guy named John Ettama.

Good Riddance to an Old Racist!

Don Imus is officially off the air. And all I can say is let the champagne flow. It should really be a national holiday. He is a hack and should have been taken off the air long ago. The fact that Imus survived in the business for as long as he did is testament to the fact that disc jockeys are right near the bottom of the entertainment talent totem poll.
Imus was chronically unfunny, unoriginal and I can’t believe anyone ever even listened to him, but they obviously did. My only worry now is that some other radio station hungry for ratings will hire him. The man should just retire and walk off into the sunset.
CBS fired the embattled talk show host and canceled his longstanding radio program after an uproar over his racist and sexist comments. The network made the announcement after coming under fierce pressure to fire him the day after MSNBC pulled the plug on his televised simulcast.
What a lot of people don’t realize is that Imus made racist, inappropriate remarks all the time. But, I guess this was the final straw. He’s a burnt-out old dinosaur. He reminds me of an Alzheimer’s patient in a senior care facility who just babbles away. The only difference is that guy in the old folks home isn’t broadcast all over the country, and Imus was.
Before he was fired from CBS, a defiant Don Imus took to the airwaves and spoke about MSNBC pulling his TV show.
On the air, Imus said, "Some of the stuff that MSNBC has done this morning is frankly unethical, and I've asked them to stop doing it."
He also took a swing at MSNBC, saying, "These (bastards) they went after me. They got me. But they didn't catch me asleep."
Imus conducted a telethon to benefit three children's charities, which was scheduled to be simulcast on his MSNBC show. Instead viewers saw a graphic that read, "Imus Off MSNBC."
MSNBC scrambled to replace Imus with live newscasts. NBC News president Steve Kapas was a guest and explained the network's decision to pull Imus' show, saying, "When people who work for me come to me and say 'this could be my daughter,' I have to do something."
Last week on his radio show, Imus described the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "hardcore," "nappy-headed hos."
The Rutgers players who have captured the hearts of the nation made a special appearance via satellite on the Oprah Winfrey show
Oprah told the team, "I speak for everyone I know when I say you all have made us all proud by how you've handled this whole ordeal."
Coach Vivian Stringer gave her first reaction to Imus losing his TV show, saying she and the team are waiting to judge him for themselves. "We want to have an opportunity to have a face-to-face meeting," she said. They should slam dunk his ass!
And she revealed that meeting could take place "very very soon."
But the meeting is too late to save Imus's job.

My Interview with Jim Landis

The other day I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim Landis, a former MLB player who played from 1957 to 1967, primarily with the Chicago White Sox. He was known as an incredible centerfielder and the winner of five consecutive Gold Gloves from 1960 to 1964. He was an all-star in 1962 and also played in the 1959 World Series for the Chisox, batting .292 with 7 hits in a losing cause vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1961, he had a career year, knocking in 80 runs while batting .283. He finished in the top 5 in stolen bases for the American League a total of 5 times.

Kevin Costner Will Sing his Song in Court!

Lots of actors have aspired to music careers – from Billy Bob Thornton to William Shatner – but Kevin Costner's foray into rock music has been a flop and now he's suing his promoter. Costner, 52, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court accusing Mahee Worldwide Ventures Inc. of breach of contract and fraud, the Associated Press reports. He is seeking more than $8.5 million in damages. The Oscar winner is the singer and songwriter for the Kevin Costner Band, and has a company, Kevin's Music LLC, that manages his musical activities. According to the lawsuit, the company signed a two-year contract with Mahee Worldwide that would allow the Kevin Costner band to perform up to five concerts a year. Mahee also agreed to create a Web site for the band, court papers say. But Costner claims Mahee didn't deliver on its promises. The whole relationship is a sour note with Costner and he’s taking them to court. "Defendants made numerous promises regarding their capabilities to promote Mr. Costner's music and (their) willingness to pay for the right to do so," the lawsuit says. "Instead of following through on their promises, defendants continued to make false promises and ultimately disappeared." An e-mail from the AP to Mahee was not immediately returned Thursday. Costner's Web site is currently "under construction" and makes no mention of his fledgling music career. Costner tried his hand at singing in his movie The Postman, recording the duet "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" with Amy Grant for the closing credits. His six-piece band made its debut last year at a charity gig in South Carolina. According to a press release, the group plays "original rock and popular music." Why do these actors think they can be successful musicians? Just because they’ve made it in one arena doesn’t in any way qualify them within another. I would be hard-pressed to name one actor or actress whose made it as a singer/musician. Comedian Eddie Murphy had a hit song for a millisecond, but it was terrible. I had the misfortune of seeing Keannu Reeves’ band one time in San Jose. My dishwasher makes better noise.

Fans, agents and assorted scum fawn all over these people 24/7, filling their little minds with delusional ideas about music stardom and pretty soon they start believing it. It’s like saying just because you’re a great musician that you can act. Anyone who saw Art Garfunkel in Catch 22, David Bowie in The Man Who Fell to Earth or Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard (with Costner, by the way) knows that can’t be true. Sure they’re exceptions. Jared Leto’s band, 30 Seconds to Mars, is very good. Will Smith, Queen Latifah, Mos Def and Cher are all pretty decent in front of the camera. But, in most cases, it’s a losing proposition when actors want to be musicians and vice versa.

Isagenix Day 24: This Health Train Ain't Stoppin'

Day 24 of my 30-Day Isagenix Cleansing Program is here and I’m rolling down that train track back to health. After my backslide experience on Easter Sunday I have rebounded nicely. It was easy because Isagenix doesn't make it a laborious process losing weight. I have now lost a total 22.5 lbs. and have lost three full inches in my waist. Pretty soon I am going to have to get my pants taken in. It’s getting a lot easier to do the program. I ordered my next 30 days of product and should hopefully get them any day now. My overall goal now is to do the program twice more (60 additional days) and then go into the maintenance phase. By then I should be able close to 70 lbs. which should put me at a very comfortable 224 lbs. At 6’2”, that would be a weight I could live with. By changing my overall lifestyle (Last night we walked the dogs for an hour down at Crissy Field and I ate one turkey sandwich on wheat with mustard and horseradish, a banana and some organic almonds. By the way, mustard and horseradish are great substitutes for mayo when it comes to condiments, because both contain ZERO calories.)

Check out This Great Game's Weekly Comebacker

The baseball Web site I have with my very talented partner and fellow baseball historian Eric Gouldsberry, This Great Game, is running at full speed with the start of the baseball season. Eric is doing what’s called The Weekly Comebacker, a recap of the previous week, complete with interesting anecdotes and personal observations. If you’re even a semi-serious baseball fan, it’s a must see!

Isagenix Day 22: Oops!

Yesterday I strayed from the 400-600 calories I’m allowed to consume during my Isagenix 30-Day Program. With all of the Easter goodies that were available, I have to admit that I probably consumed somewhere in the vicinity of 1,500 calories. But, now I’m back in the groove today and ready to resume the program. The worst thing you can do in a situation like this is get depressed or feel guilty. The right thing to do is stay positive and just get back on the horse and ride. Isagenix isn’t simply a diet program – it’s a complete change in the way I’m living -- and we’re all human. The way I look at it is that I’m in this for the long term and shouldn’t beat myself up over one day of gluttony. So, it’s back to the shakes and back to feeling great!!

Happy Easter!

Capturing Baseball History

I’m rolling along with my interviews for The Society of Baseball Research (SABR). I found a list of the 25 oldest living MLB players and I’ve already interviewed Rollie Stiles (#1: Age: 100) and Herman Franks (#15: Age: 93). On Monday, I’ll be talking to Nick Strincevich (#25: Age: 92). I’m on a mission to interview these players before they pass on to the big baseball diamond in the sky. Capturing their recollections is my goal. Also on my radar: Lonnie Frey (#4: Age: 96), even though when I called him last week he told me to get lost; Tony Malinosky (#3: Age: 97); Clarence Ace Parker (#8: Age: 94); and Ralph Hodgin (#23: Age: 92).

Consider Telecom Consulting or Perish Financially in Today's Ever-Changing World of Business

Is your company dropping too much moola on its phone services? If you don’t stay on top of the situation, these phone companies will gouge you at each and every turn. Every business, regardless of its size and function, should get some Telecom Consulting to make sure they’re getting the best out there and not taking it in the shorts from the telecommunications provider. In today’s business environment, companies need to take advantage of every resource they can to remain successful. Otherwise, your company can end up being just another tragic statistic.

Cliffside Helps People Get on the Right Side of Addiction

So many people out there are addicted to some type of drug these days. I am amazed to hear about friends who are hooked on prescription pain killers and things like that. I just wrote an article recently for a wonderful drug rehab center in Malibu called Cliffside. These people are true professionals and really understand addiction and how to beat it. It’s a different approach for each individual and they succeed! If you know anyone who is addicted to something and it’s reached the serious stage – check them out.

Isagenix Day 19: I'm Shrinking!!

The weight and inches are coming off at a nice healthy pace as I enter Day 19 of my 30-Day Isagenix Program. I just weighed myself and I’m at 274 lbs. I was 294 when I started, so that means I’ve lost 20 lbs. in just 18 days! The most important thing is that I feel great and I’m losing the weight sensibly. With the diets I’ve tried before, I pretty much starved myself and the weight flew off quickly. But, pretty soon I was back eating like a crazed animal, and the poundage came back almost as fast as I had lost it. Today I am going to re-order my Isagenix products for another 30-Day cleansing. At this rate, I should be able to reach my goals and lose 60 pounds in 60 days! Like the Wicked Witch of the West said in The Wizard of Oz, “I’m shrinking!”

Blue Cheese Bayou in California Desert

Mecca, Calif.-A freight train derailed yesterday in the Southern California desert and spilled hundreds of gallons of blue cheese dressing into a canal leading to the Salton Sea. Not since the Great Oil and Vinegar Spill of 1958 has there been a salad dressing disaster of this magnitude.
Cleaning up the sticky mess will take several days, according to Union Pacific officials. The 52-year-old train was carrying a variety of cargo from Dupo, Ill., and on its way to Los Angeles, when it fell off the track and dumped the thick, chunky dressing into a small canal.
In a new development, a handful of Southern California sports bars have volunteered to donate two tons of spicy chicken wings and 400 lbs. of carrot and celery sticks to help absorb the spilled dressing. Various fast food chains are also offering lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and croutons.
Aretha Pearles, spokesman for Union Pacific, is hoping that other restaurants in the L.A. area will step up and help. “We know it’s only blue cheese and not a high-quality Roquefort, but we’re still hoping some French restaurants will get involved,” she said. “Most of the Italian eating establishments we’ve contacted are really only interested in vinaigrettes. Some have offered breadsticks, but they don’t soak up the stuff that well.”
Renowned SF food critic Richard Niblar drove all the way down to the canal to sample the dressing for himself. “It’s good, but slightly watered down. Kind of like what you might find in a cheap salad bar,” he said. “Blue cheese can be used in a wide variety of dishes, but the people in this area of the desert don’t really have very sophisticated palates.
“I’d suggest using some of it to make a leek, potato and blue cheese soup, maybe some individual blue cheese soufflés, possibly some roasted vegetables with a blue cheese jalousie or cooked pears with blue cheese. It’s also quite tasty with smoked salmon. It’s a pity this didn’t occur during the summer months when it would have been hot enough to make a nice fondue. There’s a rumor going around that a few local gourmets are thinking of sponsoring a whitewater rafting trip down the blue cheese canal. Now that sounds intriguing.”

The Oldest Living Major Leaguer

I have a really big baseball interview today. I’ll be talking to a gentleman named Rolland Mays Stiles. He is the oldest living major league baseball player, 100 years old last year! There have been over 18,000 MLB baseball players in the history of the game and only 12 have lived to be 100. Stiles is one of only 5 players still alive who either played with or against Babe Ruth. Stiles played from 1930 to 1933 as a pitcher for the St. Louis Browns. I can’t wait!

Isagenix Day 16: Only the Strong Will Thrive!

I’m halfway through Day #16 of my Isagenix 30-Day Program. I feel great and the weight just keeps rolling off. I had to go on the road today, and I must admit it was a lot easier than it was a week ago to drive past Taco Bell, KFC, Carl’s Junior, In ‘N Out (I’ve always had a soft spot for In ‘N Out) and all of the other fast food places I used to frequent so regularly. The stuff you drink with Isagenix curbs your cravings and that’s one of the best things about it. My strength just keeps increasing and pants that I used to have to unbutton just so that I could breathe are getting so big around the waist that pretty soon I’m going to have to get them taken in by a tailor. Stay tuned.

What I would do if I owned the SF Giants

The San Francisco Giants are doing a promotion asking fans the question: “What if they really were your SF Giants?” The ad says “Submit your ideas now for My SF Giants and you could be one of the lucky fans to have their once-in-a-lifetime wishes fulfilled at AT&T Park!” They want people to go on their web site (att.sfgiants.com) and write a few paragraphs on this topic. Here’s what I came up with:

First off, I’d fire General Manager Brian Sabean. His off-season moves were atrocious, especially signing Pitcher Barry Zito for seven years. Do you know what the chances are of a MLB pitcher lasting seven years? So many things can happen – arm troubles, head troubles, control problems – that to sign a pitcher for that length of time is just plain dumb. Not to mention the money the Giants gave him. Why didn’t the team try to get some good young players? The ones the team has now will be eligible to join AARP in a couple of years!

Secondly, I would reduce the concession prices at AT&T Park. Seven bucks for a warm, flat beer is a tragedy and a disgrace. A family of four can’t afford to go to games anymore, because the Giants want an arm and a leg for peanuts, popcorn and polish dogs. Only rich yuppies and corporate CEO’s can pay the tab required to go to a game at AT&T.

The last thing I’d do is get rid of that ridiculous mascot, Lou Seal. Bring back the Crazy Crab. At least the Crab was creative and fun. The bloated seal they have now looks like a muskrat on steroids and his antics are unoriginal and tired. If mascots don’t keep the crowd interested, they are simply annoying.

That’s what I’d do if they were my SF Giants, for starters.

This Country is Fat!

Weight Loss is a major concern of mine, because I’m currently overweight and I’m certain it can’t be good for this 48-year-old body. I’ve worked hard to be more physically active and to be more conscious about the things I eat. We have a really obesity problem in this country and it’s turning into an epidemic. I saw a show on HBO about child obesity and it was just terrible to see these poor kids who are so fat that they can’t even go to school. It’s time for wholesale changes.

Video Conferencing Means You Can Meet Anywhere/Anytime

Holding meetings by video conferencing online is easier than you think. Today, anybody with a broadband Internet connection and a browser can log onto the Internet and take part in a web conference or a web and video conference. It used to be necessary to download and install complex software and purchase costly equipment in order to enjoy the convenience of online meetings. MegaMeeting has taken web and video conferencing services a step further with new, 100% desktop, browser based web conferencing services that do not require any special installation on your computer.

If You Can Make it There, You'll Make it Anywhere!

Ahhh, New York, New York! The City so great that they named it twice. The art galleries, the museums, the restaurants and bars. New York City is one of the greatest cities in the world, right up there with Paris, San Francisco and Milpitas. We’re definitely considering vacationing in NY sometime this year. I personally want to go during Christmas. I love NY the most when it’s snowing. Our friends went there last Xmas and stayed at a New York Bed and Breakfast and they had a wonderful time!

Isagenix Day 15: Plateau!

Well, I am entering Day 15 of my 30-Day Isagenix Program and I only lost 1/2 pound this weekend. I guess that’s what they call a plateau. I figured it would happen eventually. My body is probably in a state of shock. It’s saying, “Hey, you’ve been living really healthy these past two weeks, what’s up with that? Where’s all the fat we used to be getting? Where’s all the red meat, pizza, Chinese food, greasy burgers, gravies and sweet stuff?” That’s what I love so far about the Isagenix Program – it’s not just a diet. It’s a complete cleansing/health program where losing the excess weight is a byproduct of the process – not its only purpose. I feel better than I’ve felt in 10 years and I’m on a positive roll, so I know the weight will continue to come off. I wake up every morning looking forward to that first shake!

Diets: Compare & Contrast

If you’re shopping for a diet supplement, you should first make what’s known as a Diet Comparison. It’s important to know what you’re looking at prior to making your decision. There are so many different ways to go – and it all depends on your physical condition, health, mental state and the amount of weight you think you want to possibly lose. All of it works together. Like Elton John sang about in The Lion King, it’s the “Circle of Life.”

My Article on Bad Pickup Lines

I just wrote an article for a Web site called "The 15 Minute Dating Blog." The piece I wrote is called "The 50 Worst Pickup Lines of All Time."

Check it out. I used some of these lines during my single years and got slapped, insulted or ignored 99.9% of the time!