They rode their wave of last year’s big success to an encore performance at the 2014 Golden Globe Awards. With their well-scripted one-liners complementing their natural style, the Fey-Poehler duo delivers again!
Category Archives: News
The End of an Age
In case you need one more reason to feel older, here it is: The DC-10 made its last passenger flight today. The three-engine wide-body workhorse of the 1970s and 80s has now been retired from commercial service throughout the entire world, after having finally bid adieu to U.S. air travelers six years ago. I fondly recall the many flights of my youth aboard a DC-10, leaving me now with this personal reminder of time’s passage. And to think, I also remember when DC-8s were still lugging us here and there– but really, why show my age?
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Paying Their Respects.
President Obama, first lady Michelle, former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pay their respects at a wreath laying ceremony in honor of President John F. Kennedy today at his gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery. Friday marks the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination. (Photo: IIP Digital)
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Revealed.
The 2014 Amgen Tour of California is already taking shape, with the official route revealed this week. The peloton will once again be rolling through our familiar streets– and we can’t say we didn’t know it!
Click the image for more information.
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Avec British Spin…
As we’ve already known for a while now, it will begin in the United Kingdom. While not a first, it’s all the more fitting this time around, given a defending champion of the same nation of course.
Behold, the route for the 2014 Tour de France has hereby been unveiled, avec distinctly British spin.
Just Plain Awesome.
Talk about defying sporting convention. One week ago– Sunday, September 15– marked an unforgettable moment in cycling history (fingers crossed). And then we waited, more or less along these lines:
The protocol looks something like this: Win a race, get kisses from the podium girls, shake hands with the Badger, and then wait for journalists to question the legitimacy of your performance. (VeloNews, 9/16/13).
Cycling’s 41-year-old Grand Tour champion!
Fortunately, aside from the “drug testing mix-up” that was quickly deemed no fault of his own, there’s been very little if any rumbling throughout the week about “legitimacy” in this case. As such it looks like we really can commend a remarkable accomplishment for what it is, even in a sport that at this point in time cannot be trusted, sadly yet understandably enough.
Those who see an age limit on athletic victory will probably want to reconsider their outlook. One week on, the headline can now be repeated with all the more confidence: 41-year-old American Chris Horner— close to 42 no less– has won the 2013 Vuelta a Espana. Not only is he the first American in history to capture Spain’s annual three-week cycling race, but the Oregon resident has also become by far the oldest rider ever to win one of cycling’s three Grand Tours– the other two of course Le Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.
Along with victory comes the defense, as expected. Assuming no doping in today’s supposedly “cleaner” era of cycling, which even after a week we must still believe on faith without proof, this unlikely victory a month shy of the winner’s 42nd birthday is just plain awesome! Chris Homer stands a true inspiration to all competitive cyclists who, both mentally and physically, are never too old! Thank you “Grandpa.”
Here’s To “Exuberant Cheesiness”
Anyone like myself who grew up in Southern California during the 1970s and 80s– in earshot of a TV set that is– surely can hum the unmistakable jingle. As a child in Woodland Hills, I could not have told you how to get to Long Beach. However, having seen enough wacky car commercials with his dog Spot— again and again as intended– I knew that to “go see Cal” on Bellflower Boulevard meant a hot deal on a ’79 Cutlass Supreme.
Decades later I distinctly recall these iconic spots, unmatched in style, creativity and– to borrow the term– “exuberant cheesiness.” They came from a man whose personality flourished in the right time and place, defining a bygone era of advertising firsts. And now, after a long life memorably lived, he too has departed at age 92. With a few chuckles along memory lane, we bid farewell to the one-and-only Cal Worthington.
Happy Labor Day Weekend, Onion Style.
Click image above or link below to watch video.
Nation Annoyed About Having To Spend Long Weekend Away From Work
Off and Hammering…
With the reigning Tour de France champion having crossed the Atlantic to “challenge” this week’s defending titleholder, among all others, the USA Pro Challenge is off and hammering once again throughout Colorado. Just over a week now since the Tour of Utah closed shop, “America’s Race” wrapped day one with a stage win by Mr. Wheelie himself— sans green goatee and atypical (for him) altitude notwithstanding. However the next six days unfold, Phil Liggett will of course keep us in the know. Meanwhile, kudos to our favorite Peter!
Peter Sagan wins Stage 1 of the 2013 USA Pro Challenge.
The First of Many…
Generations change; British Royal moments not so much.
Surely this is the first of many comparisons to come. While I had been thinking of finding two such photos myself and placing them side by side, to little if any surprise it was already done for me. In any case, the inevitably to-be-watched life of George Alexander Louis has begun, just in time to trigger comparisons of his mother to the grandmother he’ll never know, along with all those would-haves. Once more, Diana lives in spirit.
Cut To Black
He departed suddenly, perhaps in an instantaneous cut to black akin to the presumed demise of his famous character. The actor who delivered us television’s most likable mobster has been taken in a flash. Six years after the last of Tony Soprano, we now say goodbye to James Gandolfini, gone all too quickly.
Much to Say, Naturally.
The fashionably fabulous reigning queen of one-liners turns 80 years old today, propelled no doubt by the effective combination of her razor-sharp tongue and the proven talents of her cosmetic surgeon(s). The wonderfully one-and-only Joan Rivers hereby joins the octogenarian club, armed with her successfully manufactured appearance and a never-failing mouth that should carry her to at least 100. She sees this day in equally (if not more, dare I say) attractive company, as another famous and relatively flawless Joan marked the same milestone only 16 days ago! Apparently there’s plenty of 80-year-old glamour to go around, and naturally this Joan will have much to say about it for months to come! Next up: Senator Dianne Feinstein.
Into Cycling History.
Congratulations to my personal favorite Peter Sagan on a fantastic final stage win, alongside of course American Tejay van Garderen on his overall victory. With this the 2013 Amgen Tour of California rides into cycling history. Meanwhile, in Italy…
In My Own Backyard…
While more than two hundred make their way through Italy, a smaller number of the big boys are back in the Golden State for our own annual week of pro cycling competition– of course the Amgen Tour of California. From Santa Clarita through Ojai into Santa Barbara yesterday, it’s onward north today in this year’s first-time reverse of course direction. For as much as I love watching these guys hammer through Europe, it’s all the more exciting to see them in my own backyard, on the very roads my own bike knows all too well!
Peter Sagan takes Stage 3 in Santa Clarita.
Tyler Farrar wins Stage 4 in Santa Barbara.
Softened or Not…
“Just as the public tends to view presidents more kindly once they’ve left office, ex-presidents, too, tend to soften their judgments – or at least their public comments – with time.” (Huffington Post, 25 April 2013)
Softened or not, I always appreciate the rare occasion on which to view all living former U.S. presidents, among the current, in the same eyeshot. Today’s gathering reminds me of another classic below from 1994, except in the present case no death was involved. Naturally, some change with time more than others.
Typically The Case
“The death on Monday of an attractive, memorable woman with a beaming smile was particularly stirring and evocative, particularly for males of a certain age. She seemed to embody the era and excite our emotions. I am not referring to Margaret Thatcher, of course. I mean Annette Funicello, the most famous of Walt Disney’s original Mouseketeers of the “Mickey Mouse Club,” whose death in California at the age of 70 was announced a few hours after Thatcher’s.” (Burman, Toronto Star, 4/13/13)
Controversial in life yet honored in death, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher posthumously stirs varied memories while reigniting a healthy range of social debate. But then, is this not typically the case upon the passing of a popular yet polarizing political figure?
She was hated– detrimentally so it appears– yet in opposing circles she is mourned, difficult as this might seem to those who will do anything but. Again, typical is this not?
“In the days leading up to Thatcher’s funeral, there will be considerable contortions on the part of commentators to be reverent and polite when speaking of the dead,” Mr. Burman explains. Reverence and politeness notwithstanding, while popular among many as she will forever stand in history, others might rather think first of Annette. Once more, that T word pops up.
Green As Ever…
And the Chicago tradition lives on, as Robert F. Monaghan smiles down on us– with drink in hand no doubt. Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2013!
One More To Go
The 49ers are heading to the Super Bowl, three months of course after the Giants took the World Series. This could be one big winning sports year yet for San Francisco. One more to go guys!
Well done Kaepernick & team!
At Last, His First Steps
He made mistakes– big, grave mistakes. Many people were hurt severely, and plenty of legal business remains. Now after part two of his Oprah interview, I do believe Lance Armstrong is sorry. I also continue to believe this cocky, arrogant survivor deserves to earn gradual forgiveness over time, based on his actions from here forward to repair some of the damage within his capabilities. His first steps have begun.
It’s certainly no surprise that far more bad than good has been said about the now-banned professional cyclist in the past 24 hours. Various talking heads– myself excluded– seem to be taking the easy road by belittling his interview, writing off his explanations as somehow not good enough. But then, how could they ever be?
Lance has an ego no doubt, and he’s holding onto it wherever he can. This is to be expected. Then when it comes to his children, the ego falls and emotion takes charge. Once again, Lance is human. Nevertheless, his interview is neither surreal nor jaw-dropping, and unlike Oprah, I was not mesmerized. He’s doing what he can today, forced into it as he might be, mindful of the deep hole he dug for himself– and I am listening. Still, it appears nothing he says– no way of phrasing it or spelling it out– will ever be good enough for his critics and his enemies. He remains in a no-win situation of his own making.
Lance knows this is a tough time, though understandably not the most difficult he’s lived through next to his advanced cancer diagnosis. He knows many if not most people will never believe him now– that it’s too late– that he’s made his own bed. Would he like to compete again? Of course he would! I could have answered that before he did. Will he? It’s unlikely at this point, though we’ll see what transpires.
Remorse will prove itself and forgiveness will be earned– so at least I can hope. Mistakes were made, lies were perpetuated, lives were greatly affected– and today, the past is just that. Like it or not, the doped-up, lying, seven-time Tour de France champion-turned-disgrace has now– at last– taken his first steps on his new road to some form of redemption. From here, we– like he– must only look ahead.
Another First for the New Year
Los Angeles this week celebrated the first scheduled international service of the all-new and long-awaited Boeing 787 Dreamliner, as the LAN Airlines jet took off on Wednesday, January 2 en route to Santiago, Chile. This first 787 flight out of LAX certainly proved itself a newsworthy and memorable event.
With Our View…
Seeing as the world did not end yesterday– whether to your dismay or delight– we carry on with our view of the planet largely unscathed. With this remains the chance to enjoy a lovely cocktail– or any number of your choosing– before an equally lovely 39th floor view, all at San Francisco’s appropriately named View Lounge. The fish tacos look pretty good as well, by the way. Here’s to the world intact. Cheers!
L’autre Tour…
Sail trumps pedal in this regard. “The other Tour” takes place at the same time, this one at sea!
A Way + A Will = One Great Life
There’s a big difference between involvement and commitment, and J.R. Ewing once spelled it out. “Like ham and eggs. The chicken who laid the egg is involved, but the pig the ham came from is committed.”
And now, the eldest Ewing brother has died. I learned this late last night. Upon awaking this morning, unlike for Pam with Bobby, I realized to my dismay that what has just occurred is not a dream.
How fitting that Larry Hagman passed yesterday not only in the city of Dallas, but during a time of reprising his legendary character so many people know and even more of us love. In the final year of his life he had the rare yet celebrated privilege of resurrecting his iconic TV role, that which secured his unmatched place in the world while leaving diehard fans yearning for more of their favorite mischievous-yet-endearing schemer.
In 2012 he was back. Now in the same year he’s left us. This ironic timing seems the most comforting and appropriate way for him to make his long-in-coming exit. Hagman died on Friday, November 23, much to our collective sadness, taking with him of course the one and only J.R. Ewing.
When he lived to see his 80th birthday in September 2011, I was delighted. In fact I breathed a sigh of congratulatory relief, mindful that his serious health challenges over the years rendered this milestone quite a feat. Then when the new “Dallas” finally premiered last summer, seeing Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing once again after so many years was no less than amazing. Who’d have predicted that a longtime smoker and hard drinker a few breaths from death upon his 1995 liver transplant would live to reprise his infamous role in 2012?
Of course Larry Hagman had aged, almost sadly so. While his tongue continued to lash out those fantastic “J.R.-isms” in this year’s “Dallas” episodes, his body clearly was not keeping pace with his revered wit. Though trying not to admit it, I had a sneaking suspicion he was not long for this world. Like all his fans, I was thankful he had made it this far and managed not just the involvement, but commitment, to give it another go.
And one more round– the now-certain last round– is yet to come. Again, Larry Hagman died in Dallas while bringing J.R. back to season two of the new “Dallas” series. Exactly how prepared for his death the writers and producers of the show were– and just how smoothly and acceptably J.R. will make his final exit— remains to be seen once the series returns in January. Perhaps an appropriate contingency plan was already in place. Maybe J.R.– and Larry– thought ahead to this inevitable moment. After all, while I’m far from the only fan to mourn his death, I certainly can’t be the only one unsurprised.
No doubt he will be missed terribly while remembered wonderfully. Personally, I will always cherish my good fortune of meeting Mr. Hagman professionally in 2003. No other individual figure holds a candle to him, decorated bon vivant that he was, realistically and fictitiously speaking. Likely no one ever will.
More than involved, Hagman remained committed to his work, his role and his unsurpassed persona, leaving us a timeless gift under his mantra, “Vita Celebratio Est.” For this we celebrate one great life. After all, like J.R.’s daddy used to say: “Where there’s a way, there’s a will.” Larry Hagman found and mastered both.
The More Things Change…
2000
2004
2008
In the immediate aftermath of the 2012 presidential election, how the Electoral College has changed over the past decade, and how it has not, remains a complex yet interesting study. Click here to examine Politico’s 2012 interactive results map, breaking down the red and blue landscape across every state and county. To borrow the line yet again, “the more things change, the more they remain the same.”
And The City Roars Once More!
They did it again, with a little extra nail biting in the final act. The parade of two years ago will be once more. The San Francisco Giants are the 2012 World Series champions!
For the 100th — and First — Time
Beginning on the island of Corsica, ending at nighttime, and remaining– for the first time in a decade– entirely within the country for which the event is named, are just a few distinguishing new features of next year’s exciting journey. The route for the 100th Tour de France has hereby been unveiled!
The Only Difference…
While Lance Armstrong has now been stripped of his Tour de France victories, there will be no replacement winners for those seven years. The matter has been summed up clearly via the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency:
“USADA also thinks the Tour titles should not be given to other riders who finished on the podium, such was the level of doping during Armstrong’s era. The agency said 20 of the 21 riders on the podium in the Tour from 1999 through 2005 have been ‘directly tied to likely doping through admissions, sanctions, public investigations’ or other means. It added that of the 45 riders on the podium between 1996 and 2010, 36 were by cyclists ‘similarly tainted by doping.'” (AP/FoxNews.com)
An article out of Australia continues to voice my own thought process on this matter:
“Drug use… has been a significant part of the sport from its earliest days. A long list of some of the biggest stars and heroes of cycling have tested positive or admitted to drug use over the years. Drugs are as much a part of the Tour de France history as the bicycles themselves.” (BrisbaneTimes.com.au)
Not that I’m in any way condoning the use of performance-enhancing substances and methods in cycling, or in any sport for that matter. However, I’m reminded of a non-unique item of cycling history I recently read, of the very first Tour de France competitors in 1903 washing down snorts of cocaine with wine before hitting the road. This of course was just the beginning of such related actions for decades to come.
Lance is clearly not unusual in terms of doping. The only difference between him and so many of his brethren is that he managed to win the race a more-than-unusual seven times. Had he finished second, third or even further down the list in those years, I ask: Would this be happening now, after all this time?
There is no winner now for those tours, because to find one free of doping would be a daunting if not impossible endeavor. I’m not exactly thrilled to be part of a sport with such a blemished reputation, and cycling should continue all present policies to rid itself of such actions while ushering in a cleaner and fairer era of competition. The fact of the matter is, however, that cycling was far from rid of doping during Lance’s reign. Shall we comb through the past 100 years and strip some more titles, or could we let history be exactly that?
The only difference is: He’s cycling’s biggest name, or was. He’s the man, or was. He’s Lance, and still is. While I’m disappointed in that of which he stands accused, I’m sorry for what’s now happened to him, in the harsh and sweeping manner it has. Lance Armstrong might no longer hold his place in cycling, but much to the disagreement of the International Cycling Union, he certainly does not deserve to be forgotten.
History cannot be rewritten. The only difference is: That was then, and this is now.
Up In Smoke, One Could Hope.
It goes too far. Such regulation of behavior inside one’s home is, to say the least, discomforting. Radio personality Ronn Owens stated it clearly, and I absolutely concur. So much do I agree with him in fact, that I called in to his show and expressed my support for his logical and refreshing viewpoint.
I’m not a cigarette smoker. There’s my occasional cigar, outdoors of course, but this is beside the point. Like Ronn said of himself, I do not enjoy cigarette smoke around me, and I’m glad to be rid of smokers in restaurants and other enclosed public places. Thankfully we no longer have smoke on an airplane, for example. Still, in this increasingly hostile climate of ever-further-reaching restrictions on where smokers can legally light up, the city of San Rafael is plainly overstepping.
Non-smokers certainly have the right to be free of what’s considered so objectionable and hazardous to our health. The dangers of second-hand smoke are clearly valid. This is why numerous other understandable and tolerable smoking restrictions have already been passed, much to the benefit of our clean air, happy lungs and of course, fine wools. Still, there’s a line, and San Rafael has crossed it.
Various multi-unit housing complexes throughout the state and country already designate smoking and non-smoking units. Landlords and tenants agree to smoking– or not as the case may be– in their lease terms. Violations of such designations and terms should always be enforced. At the same time, there should be allowances for those who choose to smoke, especially on and/or inside own property, even with shared walls, to do so. Instances of disapproving neighbors are understandable and should be handled on a private, individual basis, with full advance disclosure of what buildings and units are and are not permissible smoking spaces. As such, San Rafael’s new ordinance strikes me as not only unnecessary, but downright invasive and offensive.
Not that this Marin County community’s tyrannical stance is unusual or unheard of elsewhere; slightly lesser yet still controversial laws exist in such California cities as Calabasas and Burbank. However, by applying to 100% of shared-wall residences indoors, for owners and renters alike, San Rafael’s law is indeed the toughest.
Then comes the issue of enforcement. Just what kind of community mindset is San Rafael creating? Do smoker residents simply ignore the law and do what they must to avoid being “caught”? Do neighborhoods turn into a collection of spies and tattle-tales who call the authorities every time they see or smell a cigarette? Does the city really want to waste its time and energy responding to such complaints? I have a feeling the reported 7.5% of San Rafael smokers will continue to smoke however they can get away with it, as well they should. As such, the new ordinance could eventually be considered a meaningless technicality.
Again, no smoking inside a restaurant or bar: A good thing. No smoking inside one’s own home: An affront to personal space, liberty and privacy. I’m with you, Ronn. While I welcome smoke-free spaces, I find the new reality in San Rafael very disturbing. And then there’s the hope of this setting a precedent? I’d rather see this new law, along with any copy cats to come, go up in smoke.
Once in a Lifetime
A combination you never thought you’d see in the same eyeshot!
After my comment last April that we might not see a certain sight again, of course I now stand corrected in the wake of the space shuttle Endeavour’s ceremonious airborne arrival in California last month.
Now I can say with far greater certainty that the captivating images coming to us from Los Angeles this weekend will never come again, unless of course Endeavour decides one day to take up residence in another city or state. For the time being, as the spacecraft makes its way through the streets of L.A. ever so slowly– even more slowly than planned— to its retirement home at the California Science Center, the photos continue to impress. At the end of the day, this “once in a lifetime” event deserves to be remembered.
Ryan R. Sanderson 