Dodgers Name New Manager

Kaido Lenhardt was announced as the new manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers today, replacing former skipper Grady Little, who resigned yesterday.

The first dog ever to be hired as a major league manager, Kaido has literally no experience managing a baseball team and the signing has many fans, sportswriters and others within the world of baseball scratching their heads.

Why was this beautiful 28-year-old flat coat retriever chosen to lead the Dodgers in 2008?

“He’s a very well-behaved mutt and he knows baseball,” Dodgers spokesperson Tommy LaSagna said. “When we threw him a baseball, he caught it in mid-air with his mouth. Joe Torre can't do that. He also showed us his signals, which were very impressive. One bark means bunt. A bark and a growl is the hit-and-run. We haven’t figured out what it means when he lifts his leg, however. We think it might be an indication that he’s unhappy with the umpire.”

Kaido’s contract is for one human year, which is seven years in dog time. It has been reported that he will be paid in kibble, doggy toys and a brand new, tri-level doghouse complete with a wading pool and hot tub.

Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting has really come a long way, with the new technology, innovative designs and incredible engineering. In the old days, anything with a light bulb that could shed light was considered workable. Now, with track lighting and lighting banks, recessed lighting and much more, you really can never go wrong. There’s something for every style and budget. The world of outdoor lighting is exciting, man – become a part of it and put some new lighting in the domicile in which you reside – you’ll be darn happy that you did!

D's Keepsake Jewelry

Whenever I find a good web site, I like to tell my readers about it. There’s a site out there called D’s Keepsakes, and it’s a great source for wholesale fashion jewelry. They have a wide selection of bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pendants, watches, pins, key chains, badge holders and crystals. They have themed jewelry, for holidays, religious jewelry, kids’ jewelry, and all kinds of jewelry for different occasions.

Cliffside Malibu

So many people in this country today are addicted to some type of drug. It's become a huge problem. I am astounded whenever I hear of close friends who are hooked on prescription pain killers and things like that. That’s why drug rehabilitation centers are more popular now than ever. I just wrote an article recently for a wonderful drug rehab center in Malibu called Cliffside. These people are truly professional and really understand addiction and how to help people 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. Drug rehabs have been getting a bad rap a lot lately, but this place is really special!

Bye Bye Bobblehead!

Barry Bonds is whining again. This time he’s complaining about the fact that the San Francisco Giants let him go. He said that the Giants would have already won a World Series championship if he was the team owner. He also said that San Francisco fans are his “family,” yet I have seen the man snub fans on several occasions with my own two eyes. If they’re his family, it’s a dysfunctional one.
The fact is that releasing Barry Bonds when they did was a very astute move by the Giants. With his bloated salary, huge head and enormous ego, Bonds had become a major liability in the City by the Bay.
Many of my friends who used to be big Barry supporters will now admit that it was time for him to hit the road. He will be more valuable to an American League team anyway – somewhere he can play Designated Hitter. Bonds needs a fresh start in a new city where the fans aren’t accustomed to his antics yet.
This appeared today on www.cbssportsline.com
The 43-year-old home run king heard a long list of his accomplishments read during a special speaking forum Wednesday night hosted by the Commonwealth Club, then was asked by KGO Radio host Ray Taliaferro if he had really reached all those feats.
Fourteen All-Star game selections. A record seven NL MVPs. Eight Gold Glove awards.
"I did, and then I got fired," Bonds told a group of about 450 people in the audience. "Shame on me, huh?"
Bonds, who broke Hank Aaron's home run record with No. 756 on Aug. 7, was told last month by Giants owner Peter Magowan he would not be brought back for a 16th season in San Francisco.
Bonds, dressed in a dark suit jacket and tie, entered to a roaring standing ovation and repeatedly drew loud applause from an adoring crowd through the nearly 90-minute forum. They chanted, "Barry! Barry!" One person hollered, "We love you." Others took pictures on cell phone cameras or sported shirts with Bonds' No. 25.
Yes, this was a glorified pep rally in a swanky downtown San Francisco hotel featuring five ovations and two of those standing -- for a star baseball player who didn't even stick around when his team paid tribute to him with a video presentation during the final home game of the season. Outside the ballroom where he spoke, Game 1 of the World Series between the Red Sox and Rockies at Fenway Park showed on a TV.
"I don't have fans in San Francisco -- this is my family," said Bonds, who used to bounce around the clubhouse at Candlestick Park as a boy while hanging out with his late father, Bobby, and Hall of Fame godfather Willie Mays.
When Taliaferro asked about Bonds' many splash-hit home runs, the slugger replied, "They call it McCovey Cove, but I've rewritten it a little bit."
That part of San Francisco Bay beyond the right field arcade of the Giants' waterfront ballpark is named for Hall of Famer Willie McCovey.
Bonds, who just completed his 22nd major league season, has 762 career home runs. Taliaferro read select questions from members of an audience that included actor Danny Glover, one asking Bonds whether he would play for $5 million and bat fifth for San Francisco if that were an option for 2008.
"I told Peter Magowan, 'If I'm a part-time player, I'm still better than your full-time player, and it's a wise idea to keep me,' " Bonds said.” We still have time. Things might change."
Bonds also said that if he were running the franchise, the Giants would have won a World Series by now. They fell five outs short in 2002, and one thing the slugger is still missing on his remarkable resume is a championship ring.

Meat the Biggest Burger in the World

A Pennsylvania restaurant put a 15-pound burger on its menu, claiming that it is the largest burger available anywhere.

Dennis Liegey, the owner of Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, 120 northeast of Pittsburgh, said the "Beer Barrel Belly Buster" weighs in with 10 pounds of meat molded into a 20-inch patty on a specially baked, 17-inch bun.

The balance of the weight comes from 25 slices of cheese, one small barbell, a head of lettuce, three tomatoes, an anvil, two onions, plus copious quantities of mayo, ketchup, relish, mustard, and peppers. For fifty cents extra, you can also get an after dinner mint.

Any two people who can eat it within a three-hour sitting get it for free. For everyone else, it costs $30. Ambulance fees and stomach pumping procedures are available at a small additional charge.

"We've been running a burger challenge since 1991," said Liegey. "It started out with two- and three-pound patties, and went to a six-pounder in 1998 with five pounds of toppings."
When eating the burger, most people look like a full-sized anaconda consuming a small deer.

“The best way to battle this burger is to swallow it whole and let it break down in your digestive tract,” eating consultant Munchy Belcher said.

“I haven’t taken on this burger yet, but you can be sure I will. As soon as I have a decent bowel movement, I’ll be ready for this beast” Belcher explained. “I just finished a Cornish game hen-eating contest this weekend, so I’m a little overstuffed right now. Does anyone have a Rolaids?”

Over the years Liegey said he has sold more than 10,500 of the two- and three-pounders, and 853 of the six-pounders. That’s over 26,000 lbs. of hamburgers, or almost 80 Rosie O’Donnells.
Liegey has kept careful count of how many diners have finished each offering: 256 ate the whole two-pounder and 39 finished three-pounders. And last February, one person, a 100-pound female college student, Kate Stelnick, from Princeton, New Jersey, ate the entire six-pounder. (The burger with toppings represented 11 percent of her body weight.) She hasn’t eaten anything since.

The 15-pound burger can feed a family of 10, according to Liegey. He has sold two so far to teams of two people, and neither team did much more than put a dent in it.
(Thanks for CNN.com and AOL.com for portions of this article. Some of the material here has been fictionalized for your amusement.)

Who Wants to Go Camping?

If you're looking for camping gear, there's a great web site that sells everything you'll ever need to hit the Great Outdoors in style and luxury. www.shop4campinggear.com has it all -- from camping furniture, chef stoves, sleeping bags, tents, backpacks, hydration packs, sport trailers, cookware, first aid emergency kits -- they have a huge selection! And everything they carry is offered at great prices. When it's time to go camping, give them a call. And then hit the hiking trails and campsites and have a wild time!

Take a cut at Hydroxycut

Hydroxycut is an effective weight loss supplement that can help you achieve great results when combined with your diet and exercise weight loss program. I know some people who have really had some significant success losing weight with hydroxycut. As with everything you put in yout body, always check something out thoroughly before putting it into your body. But, this sounds like it might be a winner.

Real Estate in No. California is Out of Control. Maybe It's Time to Consider ARIZONA!!

Everyone in Northern California is talking about Arizona real estate. And there is a very good reason why. It’s affordable! Homes in the Bay Area have skyrocketed to the point where no one can afford to buy a house here. And to top it off – they just announced recently that rentals are going up, especially in places like SF and Silicon Valley. It’s just crazy. So, a lot of folks are making the move to Arizona – where it’s less crowded, the air is cleaner and it hardly ever rains. Whether you’re talking about Phoenix, or Tempe, or Tucson, or even Scottsdale – maybe now is the time for you to start considering Arizona real estate!

DeGeneres Caught in Canine Adoption Caper

Why do people get so weird and militant when it comes to their pets? This is a ridiculous situation that has escalated into a really volatile one, polarizing dog owners and pitting a celebrity against the entire pet adoption industry.

In case you haven't heard, comedienne/talk show host Ellen DeGeneres adopted a dog from an adpotion agency. When the mutt didn't work out for her, she gave it to a friend. When the adoption agency found out about it, they were uspset, claiming that Ellen had no right to give away the pooch and had violated their rules. So, they went to the new dog owner's house and retrieved the dog.

I can see this issue from both sides. On one hand, I think the adoption agency is being way too heavy-handed. Ellen is obviously a dog lover and I don’t believe that she would give this mutt to anyone who couldn’t provide a good home for the dog. To send the police into someone’s home to retrieve a dog is just crazy.

On the other hand, rules are rules. Adoption agencies have to be careful where adopted dogs go. Part of their job is to make sure these animals are given to responsible people who will provide a safe environment for them.

Most adoption organizations are run by volunteers, so these people are obviously passionate about what they do. But, like anyone else, they can get carried away when it involves pets.

I have experienced this first-hand. When I tried to adopt a dog from the Humane Society, they questioned me for close to an hour. And I was working there as a volunteer at the time. I got so fed up at one point, during the interrogation that I said to them – “What do you care what I do with the dog? You’re just going to kill it?”

One of the things these adoption groups have to be wary of is what’s called “Batchers.” I call them bastards.

“Batchers” are unscrupulous idiots who adopt dogs and then sell them to testing laboratories. They usually target individuals who advertise that they want to give their dog away, and then go to their house and con them into thinking that they’ll provide a good home for the dog. Then, they sell it for a tidy profit so that labs can do these cruel tests on them and eventually destroy them. Some of these “Batchers” have been known to bring children with them, so that they can pose as a family in need of a pet.

That’s why you should always give your dog to a rescue or adoption agency is you have to give the animal away. They will spend the time to make sure that it goes to a good home.

Associated Press published this online yesterday:
Ellen DeGeneres' doggie dilemma took a nasty turn, with the operator of the animal rescue organization that took the pooch away saying she has been deluged with threatening e-mails and phone calls.

The calls got so bad that Marina Batkis said she had to close her business and stay home Wednesday, a day after DeGeneres broadcast a tearful, televised plea for the dog to be returned to her hairdresser and the woman's daughters.

"My life is being threatened. This is horrible," a tearful Batkis said outside her home.
B
atkis and Vanessa Chekroun co-own Mutts and Moms, the nonprofit dog-rescue organization that gave the dog to DeGeneres and her partner, actress Portia de Rossi.

"They have gotten thousands of e-mails," attorney Keith Fink told the television program "Inside Edition." "Most of them are hate e-mails threatening them with lynchings, bombings of their home."

One recording "Inside Edition" played had a male voice saying, "You Nazi, scum-sucking pigs. You're gonna pay dearly for stealing this dog from those little girls."

The twisted dog tale began last month when DeGeneres and de Rossi adopted a cute, black Brussels Griffon mix terrier named Iggy. When Iggy was not able to get along with DeGeneres' cats, the couple gave the dog to DeGeneres' hairdresser.

That, Batkis pointed out, violated a written agreement de Rossi signed in which she agreed to return the dog to Mutts and Moms if the adoption did not work out.

DeGeneres acknowledged she erred but said her hairdresser and her family should not be punished.

"This is so insane," a calmer DeGeneres said on her talk show Wednesday. "It's just the dog needs to go to the family."

Batkis has refused to back down.

"If Ellen wants to place dogs and decide what's a good home, then she should start her own rescue group," she told "Inside Edition." "But I'm the one doing this and I know what I'm doing."

Meanwhile, the dispute has become a hot topic on news and talk shows.

"There's got to be some sort of rational compromise," ABC's Diane Sawyer said on "Good Morning America."