BOG IT BLOG

Saturday Comedy: Abbott And Costello

We're going way back into comedy this morning. Considered the most famous comedy skit in history, the "Who's On First?" routine has been Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's claim for fame more than anything else they have accomplished. And man have they accomplished a lot. The duo learned their trade in the hard-knocks school of burlesque, spent many a year on the radio. Branched out into films... and then ending up on television. But when all is said and done, they will always be remembered for this skit....

A video of this clip from the movie 'The Naughty Nineties', along with it's audio Gold Record are permanently on display at the 'Baseball Hall Of Fame' in Cooperstown, New York.

Lou Costello died in 1959 from a heart attack, Bud Abbott tried to continue with other partners, but it never was the same. He finally retired, saying that it just wasn't the same without Lou. Bud Abbott died of Cancer in 1974.

"Ground Control to Major Tom"

Europe is going to the Moon. The European Space Agency is accepting auditions for a new Astronaut Corp. Of course it is only available to European Union citizens and is for the best educated individuals.

Only individuals with the (ahem) 'Right Stuff' need apply. Candidates must have a Master's or PHD in a science regimen. And a pilot's medical license is a must. The flight ability is paramount. They are willing to accept someone with only a Bachelor's Degree if they have extensive flight experience.

Applicants must have a good memory, aptitude for spatial orientation, and should have outstanding reasoning abilities. The individual must show an empathy for others, flexibility in social interaction, and demonstrate emotional stability.

Now this isn't the first time an 'Astronaut Casting Call' was done in Europe. Back in 1992, the ESA selected an initial 8 candidates for space station work. None were British, since Britain decided they wanted their 'best' to stay out of space, for the betterment of the homefront. However, the British citizenry are being highly encouraged to participate this time around. I guess it was painful to see all those other nations get the publicity in ESA activities.

Now with those astronauts being at least 40 years old, it is time for a new batch of space farers. There is a chance that some of this new batch might just make it to the moon. Even though there isn't a definitive project yet for a manned moon mission. It is one of the future aims of the space agency. But for the time being, space station personnel will be their primary occupation.

Interesting that Germany has announced they are working toward a moon-shot of their own. They decided to go it alone, instead of accepting membership in the ESA Astronaut Corp. No matter how much unaminity is publicly displayed in the European Union, deep engrained competition still remains between the 17 member nations.

Time Marches On: Florida Springs!

The St. Petersburg Times has published a fine article about the possibility that Three Sisters Springs in Citrus County may become part of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge.

It would be a great addition to the ever increasing protection of Florida springheads. With the public acquisition of Silver Springs, Weeki Wachee and Homosassa Springs, Three Sisters would be a welcome addition. And with it being a winter home for Manatees, it gives the site double importance in Florida conservation.

But you know, it seems a tough battle fighting the commercial entities that would like to develop these sites. However, we seem to have time on our side. Unless a commercial development destroys the springhead, the springs are pretty much eternal. They will outlast all of us and our children's children. Eventually the commercial projects cease to exist, and then comes a moment when the site can be acquired for the public good.

Homosassa Springs is a fine example. For many a year it was an attraction similar to Silver Springs. After waning attendance, the site was partially developed with residential apartments. But as time marched on, the springhead area was acquired by Citrus County and then transferred to the state. The site has since been turned into an excellent wildlife park.

Silver Springs acquisition is a different arrangement. The property around the main springhead was sold to the state of Florida, and then the theme park land was leased back to the owners. This way, no matter what happens with the attraction, the state will always own the springs. All the land is now part of the much larger Silver Springs State Park.

Weeki Wachee Springs is a whole different matter as well. The attraction was actually an incorporated town at one time. Eventually, the spring (and its run) wound up being owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. And the attraction itself was recently donated to the Florida Department of Enviromental Protection. If everything works out, the park will continue to operate as a tourist attraction. Eventually the attraction will be renamed to 'Weeki Wachee Springs State Park'. As long as the shows continue to be profitable, there are no plans to destroy the tourist site. But in long term, the springs will never be available for development again.

It is nice to see some of the most important springs in Florida being saved from commmercial development. But there are still more that need acquisition. One day in the future, I would not be surprised if Crystal Springs near Zephyrhills be bought. But I guess we will have to wait for the bottom to drop out of the 'bottled water' industry for that to take place.

In the long run, we have all the time in the world.

Hydrogen Heartbreak!

I came across some information recently that made me rather discouraged about our energy future. I, like a lot of other people, have been encouraged that we should start seeing some form of Hydrogen vehicle in the next 20 years. Being the most plentiful element in the Universe, a hydro car would be a godsend.

According to most experts, we are far way from making an affordable clean hydrogen automobile. First there are problems with the delivery of Hydrogen as a fuel. It is in it's natural state, a gas. So it is doubly difficult to deliver and maintain the element safely.

Another inherent problem with Hydrogen is it's energy volumetric density. Since it is a gas, we think of it as volatile as gasoline. But by volume, it only produces a fraction of the energy that a petroleum fuel does. You would need a huge tank of hydro to get the same amount of energy that a 12 gallon tankload of gas would give you. In other words, you would get more out of pure ethanol, which we now mix with gas because of it's low energy level. Scientists are trying different storage concepts, hoping to find the right way of storing a concentrated Hydrogen in a manageable way.

Now using Hydrogen in a combustable engine is one thing, however there is another way to use it in vehicle transportation. It is with a fuel cell. In brief, a fuel cell is the process of electrolysis, using a heavy metal (in most cases, Platinum) and a electrolyte solution. In most cases, water is the only by-product. With so many pluses, you'd think that fuel cells are the future. However, recently Ballard Power Systems, a major fuel cell producer dropped out of research on a viable auto. Their contention is that with the metals involved, the vehicle would never be affordable to the average person. And also, by their nature, fuel cells are very delicate. None have been manufactured yet that could take years of jostling in an automobile.

The most optimistic predictors are saying that we may be 10 to 20 years from a viable vehicle at a reasonable price. However other industry experts say that Hydrogen may never pan out as a viable alternative to fossil fuels.

There is however, a small sliver of hope in the field. A couple of scientists believe that with more research, a fuel cell could be made affordable with nickel-tin . And others say it is only a matter of time that a manufacturing process will develop for durable cells. With the energy mess going sour in a big way at the moment, it truly is hard to keep optimistic about our country's future.

Movies Under The Radar: Mongol

I thought I'd start a new addition to my regular blog entries. Every so often, I'm gonna pass along to you movies I've discovered that seems interesting. Let's hope we have the chance to see them at our local theaters. Even if we have to wait for a DVD release, I still believe they're worth a look.

After doing the Scorecard for the summer movies, I have noticed quite a few (what seems like) decent movies left off the summer list by the media gods. And the biggest I've found yet is Mongol.

Mongol is a film from oscar winning director Sergei Bodrov. It is the first of a trilogy on the life of Genghis Khan. So far the critics have been very pleased. Many mentioning the movie in the same vain as 300 and (ahem) Lord of the Rings. Even though I doubt it will ever get to the level of a hobbit movie, it is of history that many of us westerners have rarely heard of. The story of the Mongol invasion and the subsequent Mongol Empire is rather obscure in our Anglo dominated world. Except for a few ill attempts to convey the story to the screen, and a couple of days of instruction in school, I doubt very few out of academia would even spend the time to read about it.

On the other hand, this story has a unique connection to Hollywood. One of the worse movies ever made was about Genghis Kahn. John Wayne made (and later regretted) the Howard Hughes produced film 'The Conquerers'. It had the Duke sashing around with slant eyes and spouting phrases with a good texas drawl. Even though it had a scene that featured Susan Hayward naked under an animal skin (trust me, most red-blooded men took notice), the movie was very forgetful. A state that most of the participants later wished came true.

In addition, it is rumored that the film crew was even doused with radiation from a nearby nuclear test there in the Utah desert. Half the personnel on the crew including Wayne and Hayward, died of cancer. Now whether it was from radiation or something else, is anybody's guess.

Anyways, the critics so far have been very kind. And if you follow the movies much, historical bio-pics usually don't fair very well. This one is an exception. No word whether there will be sub-titles, in english, or overdubbing. And so far, I haven't found any of the movie chains scheduling the movie. Oh, by the way, most of the critics I've read talk about the exquisite cinematography. The movie was filmed in the wilds of Mongolia. One critic even went as far to state it a crime, if you don't see it in a BIG screen theater.

'Mongol'
Director: Sergei Bodrov
Debut: June 6, 2008

TRAILER (at IMDB, Internet Movie Database)

A Noodling Tournament!

I recently came across the weirdest sport known to man. It is called Noodling. This 'activity' is not for the weak hearted! And there is a level of danger involved with a death happening every year or so.

Noodling is the art of capturing live catfish (the 20 to 150 pound variety) from under ledges and rocks in a river bed, with your bare hands! Needless to say, many a fisherman winds up with cuts, bite marks and other injuries. It is amazing the dedication these people have to their hobby.

Now every once in awhile, you hear of one of these daredevils getting caught underwater with a fish up its arm, unable to retrieve the fish from a ledge or hole. Recently, a growing trend of using SCUBA has caused some of the old timers to display a little consternation. For safety's sake, it is becoming much more accepted. However, from what I understand 'Natural' Noodlers think it is still a form of cheating.

Coming up on Saturday, July 12, 2008... the big tournament of Noodling takes place in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. The 'Okie Catfish Noodling Tournament' is looking for everyone to come out and enjoy a great festival and competition.

If you would like try your uh 'hand' at Noodling, and to register for the tournament, contact:

Pauls Pig Shop
829 N. Ash
Pauls Valley, OK 73075
405-238-2332

Oh, by the way, last years winner was a tie between Rodney Van Tuyl and Chad Lamb in the 'Natural' category. Both pulled out (literally) two 141.8 lbs. Cats. For the 'SCUBA' class, was Marian Kincaid with a 143.2 lbs. catfish.

Movie Scorecard Update - Part 3

Fantastic, I did win the Indiana prediction! I guess my long lost 'child' will get her Lotto ticket after all. It seems with the standard week ending Saturday night, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull pulled an official $126 million. I predicted only $120 mil. Of course, the totals the studios will be concerned with is after Memorial Day on Tuesday morning. But for the card's sake and my ego, we'll put it at $126 million at the domestic Box-Office.

As for Postal, it didn't even show up in the listings. So I am going to consider the weekend a 'push'. So I am still one down.

Scorecard:

Box Office 3 - Bubba 2

So this week's movies are a trip back to HBOland with 'Sex In the City: The Movie' and a pseudo 'real-life' horror flick, 'The Strangers'. Sarah Jessica Parker and the girls get their chance to romp and bump on the Big Screen for hopefully big bucks. My prediction is around $40 million. I might of low-balled it a little, but with Indiana Jones on the 2nd week, I doubt it will get more bang than that at the box-office.

As for The Strangers, it has been awhile since a good spine tingling thriller has hit the screens. And this one just might give everyone a surprise and surpass the 'City Girls'. My prediction, $65 million. This might be my biggest gamble yet. But I'll stick with it.

And yes Melanie, the Lotto tickets are on their way!

Weekend USA Box Office

Indiana Jones And the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull TRAILER
Sex In The City: The Movie TRAILER
The Strangers TRAILER

Be sure to check the original scorecard predictions (with trailers), and if you like, leave a comment with your own estimates.

Harry Potter Actor Dies in Knife Fight

The London papers this morning are reporting that Robert Knox was stabbed to death defending his brother at a bar in Sidcup, England (near London). Knox plays a small part in the next movie to be released this November. He played Ravenclaw student 'Marcus Belby'. His scenes were recently finished. He was the 14th teenager killed this year in London. It seems the fight started over an alleged 'theft' of a cell phone.

It is a little deja-vu for this south-eastern London neighborhood. A couple of weeks ago, Jimmy Mizen, 16, also died defending his older brother in a fight. Both teenagers had played on the same Rugby team.

Police are saying that neither death was gang related, and only random circumstance was involved in the two killings. Three others were injured along with Knox, including his brother, Jamie.

No word whether his scenes will be altered or removed in the upcoming movie.

A Personal Helicopter

Today, in Vinci, Italy (near Florence) there will be three 10 minute demonstrations of the worlds smallest helicopter. The GEN H-4 weighs under 200 pounds, and consists of dual rotors, a chair, handle bar, and a foot rest. It operates on 4 small engines with a total fuel capacity for a 30 minute flight. It can ascend up to 500 feet, and fly at a top speed of 50 mph.

Gennai Yanagisawa, the creator of the Gen Helicopter Company has been working for years on a 'personal' mini-copter for the average enthusiast. He hopes that his invention will be someday be as common as a motor scooter.They are setting up these demonstrations in the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci to commemorate da Vinci's first vertical flight design called the 'aerial screw'.

The Guinness Book of World Records has announced recently that the GEN H-4 is the smallest manned helicopter. Unlike the 'Rocketman' wing we talked about earlier, this craft is on the market for sale.

Yanagisawa states that his invention has been sold five times. Mostly for recreational use. The cost of one is $57,000.

Saturday Comedy: Jim Carrey

This is the oldest so far of the clips on Saturday morning. We're going back to 1991. Back when Jim Carrey was an up and coming comedy star. Of course we all know the mega star he has become. Hollywood's gain is, sad to say, Stand-up's loss!

Horton Hears A Who was his most recent movie. Jim Carrey has six more films expected through 2009. The one that is the most anticipated is A Christmas Carol, slated for 2009. He will play both Ebeneezer and the Ghosts.

Where is the Solar and Wind Power?

Can someone answer me why Lakeland Electric hasn't invested in alternative energy sources? With an abundance of sunshine, why is this resource being ignored? And even more interesting is the lack of wind power utilization. With land owned on both sides of Lake Parker, wind turbines would get a lot of use in a year. And you ask anyone who has lived on a lake, in Winter, the wind can be continual (and sometimes brutal) for much of the time. And in the Summer, as you know, the Sun can be murderous. It seems to be a no-brainer.

Considering our public owned electric company seems to be always investing money in their fossil fuel generators, if only a small fraction was invested in a renewable source, I feel it would make a big difference in the long term.

Some of the drawbacks I see are variable electrical flow. No matter how sunny or windy a location is. There always will be downtime. But then any electric generated is fuel not purchased and burned. The detractors say that the equipment is very expensive and prone to breakdown. Just as our fuel generators breakdown, and are continually being serviced, any equipment would face the same parameters.

But then you don't have to purchase, store, and maintain a large fuel/coal infrastructure that you do now. The savings in manpower would probably be considerable. I know my assumptions are from a layman's perspective, and I am not an expert at all. So maybe there are limitations that I am not aware of. Or maybe the figures or logistics are too out of balance.

Anyways, a report of a town in Missouri caught my attention that made me think of our town, and how our city fathers (and mothers) could do the same. Rock Port, Missouri has become the first 100% wind powered city in the U.S. With a population of 1,395. They recently installed a one acre wind farm of 4 1.25 mega-watt turbines which are expected to produce at least 16 million Kilo-watts a year. Any excess electric will be sold to the local electric company. So if the windmills are silent at certain times, it will more than make up the difference with profit from electric sold in windy times.

I know that it might be very cost-effective for a small community, but for something as large as Lakeland, it doesn't seem practical at all. But then, any electric generated by a renewable source is money not spent on fossil fuels. Doing a few figures in my head, the prices are the major drawback. That one acre farm cost the town $90 million dollars. But then, think how you can spread that over, say 20 years, and it seems worth a look. And if the price of fuel (like the analysts are predicting) continues upward, this just might be not just an alternative, but a mandatory endeavor. From what I've scanned on the Net, there are some monetary incentives set-up for anyone willing to invest in these kind of systems. And I believe there's federal money set aside for such equipment. I know that at sometime recently, someone in the bureacracy we call 'Lakeland Electric' has looked at these alternatives. It would be criminal not to. But what their plans on the matter, is not for us to know.

Since Lakeland Electric is owned by the city, and all profits are returned to the public coffers, why not invest some of it into something that will help us in the future. It is like saving money in the bank. One day we would be thankful for such a long term approach. This energy crisis is here to stay, I doubt you will ever see energy prices back to a more manageble level.

I do applaud LE&W's Solar Water Heater program. But it would be nice to see something done on the supply side as well as the consumer side. You know, no matter what we say now, I do predict these alternatives will be utilitized when crude oil hits $300. a barrel. What a shame its gonna take a crisis before it is seriously considered.

It's Rocketman!

One of the more interesting demonstrations was conducted recently on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. A Swiss Airline pilot named Yves Rossy gave a group of journalists a look at his flying rocket wing. It is a folding fixed wing that has 4 model airplane jet engines attached. Many describe him as a real life Rocketman (or Ironman).

Rossy's invention has taken over $280,000 and five years to develop. The folding carbon fiber device, which you would strap on your back, was created with help from the Swiss Hublot Watch Company. The man would wear a fireproof jumpsuit, to prevent injury from the rockets, and he always begins at high elevation from a airplane. When his 10 to 30 minute flight ends, he just uses a parachute to return to earth. Rossy did state recently that his biggest friend is elevation. If anything goes wrong, he just jettisons it and parachute home.

Rossy just recently said that his ultimate dream is to fly it through the Grand Canyon. He states that he would need to develop a much more powerful wing to help with up-drafts common to the canyon.

Now before you jump the gun, it is not available to the general public yet. But with Hublot involved, I expect some kind of product to come out of it. At least a device for skydivers or the ultralight crowd.

Blogging: Observations at the Fifth Month

Being my fifth month of blogging, I have some observations of the blogging scene and what my objectives have been and what they are now.

Lets face it, most people don't want to be bothered with a blog. The feelings that I have gotten from most individuals are that why muddy up the media overload in our lives with pseudo factual perspectives that may have nothing to do with the real world.

It is interesting to note that the majority of blog readers are other bloggers. And you are really fortunate if you have friends and relatives that regularly read your blogs. I have a tough time convincing my grown-up children to read my entries. The common feeling is that they grew up hearing my diatribes, why would they want to read about them now.

The only one that reads them on a regular basis is the one that is the farthest away. My daughter in Alaska keeps in touch with me by checking in on my website every few days. But even she isn't beyond using my blogs for her personal objectives. Monday, I posted an update of the Movie Scorecard in which I stated that if my prediction is lucky enough to be near Indiana Jones' box office, I should buy a Lotto ticket with my luck being so good. Of course, I got a comment from my faraway child that I should buy her one too. You see, she has been bugging me lately to send her a bunch of lotto tickets. It seems that the Florida Lottery is the biggest thing she misses in the Sunshine State.

I have always wanted to start a diary or journal. But the modern world makes it hard to keep the regimen going. I have found that an online blog much easier. I have developed some previously unwritten rules in how and what I post on my blog.

I try to keep my entries within decent parameters. The best way is to ask yourself whether your blog could be published on a newspaper. I have rejected quite a few comedian skits because of language and topic limitations.

I use graphics from the net that apparently has no direct copyright declaration. Back when the Internet first started, an early mantra of the Net was that if you post something without a copyright declaration, it is considered an implied acceptance of the proliferation of the entry. This is an assumption that is a basis for most public-domain traffic on the Net. Of course, many don't even know that this early rule even exists. Unlike the early days, corporations and other national entities are now online, making it a much ticklier situation.

So if there is any objection of an item, it is gladly removed toot sweet. Remember that many graphics exist to promote a profit making entity. It is a foregone conclusion, that proliferation of that graphic (and knowledge of the entity) will usually be greatly appreciated. I have been amazed that most blogs don't use more graphics in their entries. As long as you are non-profit, and there is no copyright declaration, I feel it is fair game. Of course you need to keep the usage within topic. For example, the graphic artist of a PETA image you've used in a barbeque story, might get a little peeved at such usage. Another way to keep yourself out of trouble is to select something already being used in the public domain. An item used at one of the many thousands of other blogs, is probably a safe selection.

As for content... I like to talk about my own observations. which can be dull and rather self-serving. It is difficult to keep from doing this. This whole blog entry is probably a good example. (ahem). I have a separate objective in writing a blog. With my health not the best, I ponder my contribution to my children and their descendents. My genealogy research makes me think of my ancestors and who they were, and what they believed in. Hoping that I can leave something better for my descendents, all my blogs are saved on disk in text and html. It is the best way to give them some idea of who I was.

Topics are tough to choose. The media these days is an exercise in repetition. If you keep your ears open, you will hear the same story 3 to 5 times in one morning. It is exasperating considering with the World-Wide Web, there is a limitless supply of news and stories. Most editors don't have the time or inclination to find something that isn't being spoon-fed them through the major feeds. That is something a blogger can try to do.

Giving your opinion of a common story is just wasted space. Who really cares what you think about a major topic. You are just one of hundreds of other opinions being offered on it. But a story that brings something new to your local media community, your opinion would be much more valued.

Okay, here we go. The toughest thing you face at the fifth month, is trying to keep this endeavor from being a job. If you want the readers, you have to be consistent with frequent entries. And that pressure can make your blog seem more like a non-paying occupation than something that should be enjoyable. I try to have a new entry at least once every other day. But I will go two days (I think it has happened once) in a pinch. It is better to have nothing posted, than to have a piece of garbage that compromises what people expect from you.

Another thing is that I rarely post a small note. I respect other's opinions on the subject, but I feel that mindless banter on a blog is just a waste of space and time. Last thing anyone needs is more words being added to the low stream of disjointed talk that is ever flowing through our grey matter. If it is worth everyone's attention, say it, otherwise silence is golden.

In conclusion, I don't know how long I will continue this endeavor. There have been times recently when I ask myself, why am I doing this? Then I think of my grandchildren, and some topic gets me jacked up, and there I go with another diatribe!

Movie Scorecard Update - Part 2

Okay, I did a lot better this week than the previous weekend. I was close, but alas, no cigar. Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian came in at $56.6 million in domestic box office receipts. I had predicted $65 million. Considering I was 9 mil off, not bad at all. But then, it was still a loss.

Scorecard:

Box Office 2 - Bubba 1

This next weekend coming is a slim chance at best. Indiana Jones And the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull could be all over the board. I know it will be a blockbuster, but will it be a slim one, or some kind of record. Who knows... a real shot in the dark. If it falls within 5 mil of my prediction of $120 million, I guess I better buy that lotto ticket. My luck would definitely be sparking.

Weekend USA Box Office

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian TRAILER
Indiana Jones And the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull TRAILER

Be sure to check the original scorecard predictions (with trailers), and if you like, leave a comment with your own estimates.

Photography In Digital Form

I recently purchased a new Digital Camera (it is my fifth). With a 10 megapixel version, I expect to get back into some serious photography again.

Back in high school, I was the designated staff photographer for the Yearbook. I worked my senior year with the photo pros of Bryan-Alan Studios in Tampa. Whenever a school function came across that the studio people couldn't attend, you guessed it, I was there. Now with a little training and a lot of practice, I finally wound up taking some really good pictures. And the great thing is that I have a yearbook to be proud of, for all of my troubles.

Years passed, other pursuits filled my time, and for quite a few years I shelved my interest in photography. And then in 1995, I bought my first digital camera. It was laughable when you think it only created a 320x240 pixel image. Any printout over 3x5" would show some major pixelation. But as time past, I kept upgrading my cameras, and developed a year-to-year digital database of my children's teenage years. At last count, my family photo library is over 4 gigs in size.

Now with this new unit, I am back to the days of f-stops, shutter-speeds and ISOs. Most of the cameras that proceeded it were strictly consumer oriented. Considering I intend to use this one mostly for nature photography, the soccer mom specials will just not do. Now whether this one will do the trick, time will only tell.

I have noticed the past couple of years, with the advent of the cell phone and the Internet, there is a new breed of photographer out there. Photography has always been considered an art form. For years, people have spent countless hours and wealth in this endeavor. But now, most who take photos are of the click n' forget crowd. I guess when you have easy access to a phone camera by most people, capturing images becomes more a communication, and less what was once called the art of photography.

But still, if you ask anyone who takes photos for a living, there is art in capturing beauty and drama. And even though the digital cameras of today work different in some ways from film of the past, it's still a matter of subject, composition, color and emotion. Like all art, it is not the procedure that is important, but the emotional reality that rules the final product.

In the future, I'll try to share some of my creations with all of you.

Saturday Comedy: Dara O'Briain

This week we are going over the pond for Britain's best. His name is Dara O'Briain, pronounced "O'Brayn". The Times (London) considers him the best of comedy working the trade in England. In this segment, he is performing at the Apollo Theater (sorry, it is in Hammersmith area of London, not New York)...

So far, the only place I know that he had worked in North America was the 'Just For Laughs' festival in Montreal Canada earlier this year. This weekend, he is playing at the Hammersmith Apollo Theater in London.

Getting Ready for The Next Storm!

I read an article recently that has given me a better sense of security concerning the next big storm hit. It seems that Lakeland's hometown grocery chain is not taking anything for granted next time the lights go off. According to a Tribune report I read recently, Publix is in the process of purchasing internal electric generators for all their stores. Most will be in operation by sometime this summer. And all newly built stores have generators included in their blueprint designs.

Now other grocery store chains are taking different (and cheaper) approaches to the problem of keeping their stores lit and functional. Sweet Bay (formerly Kash N' Karry) Supermarket has bought 6 portable generators which will be delivered to stores that have lost power. However, some of them only have enough power to run cash registers and refrigeration equipment. Considering the chain has 101 stores in Florida, if there is a major hit by a hurricane, many a Sweetbay will still be dark.

Now Winn-Dixie seems to be taking the same path as Publix. They have large generators in most of their stores on the east coast. But I couldn't find any info on whether Central Florida would get the same treatment. Hopefully, with Publix getting all the publicity, it will spur the others to do the same.

Now Walmart is the most pragmatic of the local chains. They are not planning to permanently install any equipment. Like Sweetbay, they are planning to use portable generators stationed here in Florida. According to reports, the national chain has a deal with a generator supplier that promises to provide more if needed.

Well anyways, a little more piece of mind is nice. And with the news that at least 80% of Verizon's Cell Phone Network and most gas station/convenience stores having some form of generator capability, it is a lot easier to face the hurricane season this year. Now if only the house stays together.....

Barry Bonds Should Retire

With a newly revised indictment this morning to Baseball's Home Run King, and with no team willing to have him on their roster, it is about time for Barry Bonds to retire into history. My personal opinion is that he should also be stripped of all awards he has accumulated with his use of performance enhancing drugs.

Some would say I am jumping the gun on Bonds, since he hasn't been convicted. Maybe so, but there has been too many people disputing his claim of innocence. His perjury indictments shows his reluctance to accept that he did wrong and to fess up to his misdeeds.

In other endeavors, You would never allow someone to retain an award that was fraudently obtained. I just don't see the difference in sports. No matter what you call it, steroid (or growth hormones) is a dishonest way to obtain a physical advantage against others. Some say that it was standard practice, with nearly all players taking them.

But no matter what rationalization a person might claim, the use (or misuse) of these drugs goes to the core of competitive sports. We admire and annoit successful athletes for their abilities far above the common folk. Now if those abilities were not achieved as much for their athletic pursuit, but from a synthetic drug enhancement of their physiology, it is difficult to accept their achievements as being valid.

We would not accept a politician who 'rigged' the votes in an election. So how can we accept Bonds as the greatest player in history when much of his performance was 'rigged'.

Well anyways, that is my opinion. If Major League Baseball and its 'achievement records' are to maintain their integrity, Bonds must be expunged from the list. It is a moral imperative!

Movie Scorecard UPDATE

Well, I didn't do too bad this week. I predicted that 'Speed Racer' would have a tough time to get past $20 million, and my prediction was $18 million. This week's total is close enough to be considered a win. It made it to $20.2 million.

Now my prediction for 'What Happens In Vegas' was way off. I expected a $40 mil take. It wound up nearly tieing Speed Racer. The Ashton Kutcher/Cameron Diaz movie came up with a $20 million take.

The more I think about it, I should of expected 'Ironman' to come in first place this week. It is such a strong movie. I expect it to drop to number 2 (at least) this week when Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian makes its debut on Friday.

Weekend USA Box Office

Scorecard:
(any prediction within $5 million is considered a WIN)

Speed Racer - (actual $20.2 Million) my prediction was $18 mil. +2 variation (WIN)
What Happens In Vegas - (actual $20 Million) my prediction was $50 Million first week -30 variation (LOST)

Current Score: Box Office 1 - Bubba 1

Be sure to check the original scorecard predictions (with trailers), and if you like, leave a comment with your own estimates.

'Healthy' Is Not Healthy

I saw a report the past few days on a health food guru. He had some interesting facts and theories on how and what we eat. It started me thinking (which isn't an easy task) about my own diet and how we, as a whole, have gotten lazy in our food preparation. It is too convenient to buy our staples in a pre-packaged, pre-processed form, ready for the microwave.

Michael Pollan is a very well known health food spokesman. He will tell you that he is not an expert of any kind. But his opinions in the organic debate is very well respected. He is a bestselling author with multiple books currently at the bookstore. Now you can ask why I single him out from all the self-help pundits, which seem to be as plentiful these days as a crabgrass infestation. Well, he has a unique set of rules in how we should shop and eat food. He also seems to hit the mark in how I've been feeling about the topic lately.

In Pollan's book "In Defense of Food: The Eater's Manifesto", he coins a new phobia he calls 'Orthorexia'. A unhealthy obession with healthy eating. He states that the food and nutrition industry always seems to have a 'good' and 'evil' additive on their agenda. He states that at this time, the good is "Omega-3", and the evil is "trans-fat acids". Now replacing one with another is not necessarily a good thing. He gives a for instance. When he was a child, the industry was villifying saturated fats. His mother was persuaded in using margarine in her kitchen. She selected it to replace the saturated fats in butter. As we now know, she wound up replacing a small evil ingredient with a really big one.

Also in the book, as the subtitle states, Pollan truely gives you rules on how to live and eat in this world. They are:

• Don't eat things that your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize.


• Don't eat anything that is labeled "Healthy".


• Be vitamin-conscious in your diet, but don't take supplements.


• Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Pollan states that not everything edible in a grocery store is really food. He says to remember that true real food Rots. He also states that a person should keep to the edge of the store. Most in the aisles are what he calls edible processed 'material'. Not necessarily something you should partake into your body. He says that produce, meats and dairy on the edge of a store is where you should shop.

And finally Michael Pollan states that most of our traditional recipes have been perfected over hundreds (if not thousands) of years. For instance, a greek fisherman, with his traditional recipes,is far healthier with his diet than what we put in our bodies on a daily basis.

Michael Pollan's books 'In Defense Of Food: An Eater's Manifesto' and 'An Omnivore's Dilemma' are readily available at most bookstores.

Saturday Comedy: Robin Williams

Today's Comedy Clip features who many consider the greatest living comedian on the planet. Of course I am talking about Robin Williams. Back in December, Williams decided to take his comedy sthick, along with a lot of energy, to our troops in the Middle East. One of his stops was at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. While starting his monologue, the base performed Retreat, the lowering of the American Flag. With his prepared show decimated, Williams did what only he could of done. He made a whole new routine with the interuption as the centerpiece...

Robin Williams is known for his albums, tv, movies, standup comedy and his humanitarianism. You know, considering all his accomplishments, I would'nt be surprised that he will be best remembered for this occurrence than for any other.

Bubba Bog's Summer Movie Scorecard!

I thought it would be fun to make some predictions on this year's blockbuster movie season. Now remember, I've only seen trailers at this point, so I'm gonna shoot from the hip. My opinions are going to be a true first glance only. They say that the first opinion is usually the best. So I'll give it a go for May, and I'll add the scorecard to the website soon. Here we go....

• Speed Racer - May 9th - TRAILER - I expect this to be the first BOMB.. a real loo loo.. I doubt it will clear $20 mil domestic in its debut. I'll place my prediction at 18.
• What Happens In Vegas - May 9th - TRAILER - Don't be surprised if this is the top movie next week. No blockbuster, but should be respectable. say $40 mil. first week.
• Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian - May 16th - TRAILER - A very slick preview, many are looking forward to this sequel. I expect it to do well. It may even get to blockbuster level. Let's say $65 million in domestic box office first week.
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - May 22nd - TRAILER - This might be THE premiere of the summer season. The appeal is right across all demographics. With such an established fan-base, it just might make $120 million.
• Postal - May 23rd - TRAILER - Even Mini-Me Verne Troyer can't save this movie. If the movie is as bad as the trailer, it just might cause physical harm to individuals unlucky to have selected this idiot-fest. Say $4 million.
• Sex In The City - May 30th - TRAILER - Another established fan-base movie. Considering the popularity of the HBO series, I expect it to turn out a respectable $40 Million in the US box office.
• The Strangers - May 30th - TRAILER - Great trailer, if the movie is anything like it.. this might be the sleeper of this season. I'm going out on a limb.. say $65 million.

Thats about it for this month. Be sure to add your predictions. I'll post them all at the bottom of next month's entry.

Ethanol By Any Other Name

With the high price of Crude Oil, a costly ripple effect is working its way through our economy. However many experts believe that the high price of food has mostly been caused by the farming community switching over to crops best suited for Ethanol conversion. It is a wicked cycle that hasn't finished altering our food supply and prices.

Farmers (and farming conglomerates) are switching more and more acreage to Ethanol corn production because of the amazing prices they can reap from such a crop. Land that was once used for Wheat, Hops, Barley and other grains is now being utilized for Ethanol. And most of the corn and grain capacity used last year for animal feed is now being shipped to fuel processing plants.

Now advocates are saying that the more Ethanol we use helps us relieve some of our dependency on foreign oil. The truth is a little different. Ethanol still needs to be mixed with that foreign fuel. A recent study states that if we converted all our corn, wheat, soybean and rice, it would replace only 5% of our fuel needs.

As for other disadvantages, Ethanol mixed fuel is not that fuel efficient. Your vehicle will get less MPGs from the mix. Also detractors say that the long-term use of alternative fuels can cause unusual wear and tear on an engine. Some even say that an engine will run 'dirty' by using the grain-alcohol mix. Also there has been a lot of talk of how it causes more enviromental damage than the process of refining Crude Oil.

Here is more information concerning Ethanol production:

• According to government estimates, nearly a fourth of all agriculture production this year will be for Ethanol production. That is a total of over 3 billion bushels of corn alone.
• Energy Information Administration forecasts that Ethanol production will rise this year by a third, to more than 8 billion gallons. If everything stays the same, by 2016, it will be at 14 billion gallons. Our overall fuel appetite this year is currently at 136 billion gallons.
• To help counter the skyrocketing price for animal feed, some producers are switching to outdated snacks and candies. In Pennsylvania, farmers are using returned/rejected Hershey products to augment the diet at pig farms. Also farms in North Carolina are feeding pigs and cattle cheese curls, trail mix, breakfast cereals, peanut butter and just about anything rejected by the food industry.
• And to make matters worse, the price of BEER is going up from an Ethanol based shortage of hops and barley. The price has already rose to 3% over last year. And government experts expect it to continue to rise this year.

Considering how our economy and government is so market-driven, I have my doubts whether we will ever put the 'Ethanol Monkey' back in the bag. But with new congressional hearings on this situation, and people screaming for reasonable food prices, I expect something to be done about how much farmers can plant in Ethanol crops. If it came down to it, we can always drive less, but eating less is too much to expect!

Ultimate Computer Control (We Hope)

The greatest innovation on the Game scene the past couple of years has been the wii Gaming System. Its ability of freeing up the user to use their arms as a game controller is a great invention. It makes me wonder why it wasn't thought of before.

As you probably have seen the latest commercial ads, the newest game, 'Mariokart' was just recently released. It comes with an innovative steering wheel, giving you a realistic racing experience. And don't be surprised when more variations come out in the next couple of years.

Now, I recently came across a new type of game controller that may give wii a run for it's money. It is called the Zcam by 3DV Systems. And it is a camera/controller that will use your body movements to determine computer actions. Using a technology concept called 'Time-Of-Flight', the zcam emites infra-red light to everything in the camera's scene. It will recognize any changes in light reflection mapping out the image with 'Depth Dimension'. Think of it as working like the wii, without a controller.

From what the company is saying, the controller will not over-burden today's computers. They are even talking about using it as a computer interface like what Tom Cruise used in 'Minority Report'. If what the company is stating comes to pass, it just might be the default controller for laptops in the future.

Now remember to keep your excitement under control. Many times these new inventions turn out not as innovative as one would like. But considering the direction the technology is going, Zcam may be the first of a series of these type of controllers. I expect something like this will eventually become the standard in computer interaction.

Summer Blockbusters

I went to the movies last night to see Ironman with my granddaughter. It was an exceptional movie. Better than most of the Superhero flicks I've seen.

And while we are on the subject, and since this is the beginning of the movie season, thought it would be nice to have a little rundown on whats up on the menu for this year's Smorgasbord:

Week 1 May 2nd
Ironman - starring Robert Downey Jr.,Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges
Made of Honor - Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan

Week 2 May 9th
Speed Racer - Emile Hirsch and Christina Ricci
What Happens In Vegas - Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher

Week 3 May 16th
Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian - Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes and Anna Popplewell

Week 4 May 22nd
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (starts on Thursday) - Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett
Postal - Dave Foley, Zack Ward, and Christopher Coppola

Week 5 May 30th
Sex and the City - Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristan Davis and Cynthia Nixon
The Strangers - Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman and Gemma Ward

Week 6 June 6th
Kung Fu Panda - Voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan
You Don't Mess with the Zohan - Adam Sandler, John Turturro and Rob Schneider

Week 7 June 13th
The Happening - Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel and John Lequizamo
The Incredible Hulk - Starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler and Tim Roth

Week 9 June 20th
The Love Guru - Mike Myers, Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake
Get Smart - Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson and Alan Arkin

Week 10 June 27th
Wall-E - voices of Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Sigourney Weaver and John Ratzenberger
Wanted - James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie

Week 11 July 2nd
Hancock (starts on Wednesday) - Starring Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl - Abigal Breslin, Julia Ormond and Chris O'Donnell

Week 12 July 11th
Meet Dave - Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Banks and Gabrielle Union
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D - Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem
Hellboy II: The Golden Army - Ron Perlman, Selma Blair and Doug Jones

Week 13 July 18th
Batman: The Dark Knight - Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart
Mamma Mia - Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Amanda Seyfried
Space Chimps - Voices of Andy Samberg and Cheryl Hines

Week 14 July 25th
The Longshots - starring Ice Cube and Keke Palmer
Step Brothers - Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Adam Scott and Mary Steenburgen
X-Files: I Want to Believe - David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson

Week 15 August 1st
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - Brenden Fraser, Jet Li and Maria Bello
Swing Vote - Keven Costner, Kelsey Grammer and Dennis Hopper

Week 16 August 8th
Pineapple Express - Set Rogen, James Franco and Amber Heard
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - Amber Tamblyn and America Ferrera

Week 17 August 15th
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - voices of Anthony Daniels and Matthew Wood
Mirrors - Kiefer Sutherland, Amy Smart and Paula Patton
Tropic Thunder - Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey, Jr.

Week 18 August 22nd
The Accidental Husband - Uma Thurman, Colin Firth and Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Bangkok Dangerous - Nicolas Cage and Chakrit Yamnarm
Crossing Over - Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd, Sean Penn and Ray Liotta
Wild Child - Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson, and Aidan Quinn

Week 19 August 29th
Traitor - Starring Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels
College - Drake Bell, Nick Zano and Camille Mana
Babylon A.D. - Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Lambert Wilson and Melanie Thierry

It seems the movies start dropping off in August. Some of the B and C rated actors appear in the latter part of the Summer. So maybe by that time, we might be desperate enough to go, just to get out of the sun.