tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366450392011-04-22T01:00:55.186-04:00A cautious initial foray into the world of quasi-large-scale blogging which attempts to provide the masses with equal parts humor, inquiry, and other stuff as wellMark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-64710525812259518742007-02-07T14:18:00.000-05:002007-02-07T14:19:18.498-05:00

...albeit w/ a different look than before. Oh well.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1752914467324438882007-02-05T15:53:00.001-05:002007-02-05T15:53:58.307-05:00

Sorry. Not much new here anyhow, so...

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-13426530107582501372007-01-31T16:40:00.000-05:002007-01-31T16:40:53.477-05:00

Go to Barilla's website and download The Celebrity Pasta Lover's Cookbook for free. For each download:Barilla will donate $1 to America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network, with a total donation up to $100,000.According to Kristin Davis, who was on Conan last night plugging it, Mario Batali "advised" on the recipes, so they're likely to be relatively simple and tasty.Plus, it's a

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-32427237296159157012007-01-31T14:54:00.000-05:002007-01-31T14:54:02.591-05:00

It's about that time for me to review what's in the old blog playlist these days (and don't say, "A lot," smart aleck)."Black Cow" -- Steely Dan, Aja (1977): Quintessential '70s jazz-rock w/ some great narrative, good solos (Victor Feldman on electric piano, Tom Scott on sax)...and it's the Dan, so it must be good, right?"Low Down" -- Boz Scaggs, Silk Degrees (1976): Funky piece by Boz to whom I

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-33993232661379130812007-01-26T12:40:00.001-05:002007-01-26T12:40:13.016-05:00

I don't remember which MySpace blog it was that told me about this link, but if you click on it, you can view An Inconvenient Truth for free; it's in two parts, which are navigable by use of the pull-down menu at the top of the page.I'll admit to being more than a little skeptical about a documentary starring Al Gore and which was about a topic that has been questioned on more than one occasion.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-63864800020903701572007-01-23T18:14:00.001-05:002007-01-23T18:15:34.154-05:00

If you're going to watch SOTU tonight (that's "State of the Union" for the uninitiated [i.e., anyone outside the Beltway and/or who doesn't care a whit about politics]), you may want to take a gander at Wonkette's idea of a good time during said event (thanks to Democracy in America for pointing it out to me).Time to go home, watch some NHL All-Star festivities, and go to bed.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-73704158592457193842007-01-23T16:28:00.001-05:002007-01-23T16:28:43.413-05:00

...try oysters?"Why is he asking this?" you may be wondering. Well, last Sunday (1.15.07), I stopped in to the local Legal Seafoods and contemplated trying an oyster or two from their raw bar. I did not at that time, but since then:I saw an episode of Good Eats (starring my favorite Food Network personality, Alton Brown) in which oysters were the featured ingredient;I read "The Five-Minute Guide

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-14369685829945234962007-01-22T15:13:00.001-05:002007-01-22T15:13:29.753-05:00

In the February issue of Esquire, Chuck Klosterman has penned an interesting and, at the end, really humorous (at least, to me) piece on pro athletes turned TV analysts and their accomplishments/abilities during both phases of their lives. For a taste, here's the concluding paragraph, which just so happens to be about one of the worst quarterbacks my beloved and always beleaguered Vikings ever

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-86489268448263069092007-01-19T18:12:00.001-05:002007-01-19T18:12:35.121-05:00

Shockingly, this is not a post about Calgon ("...take me away!") -- it's about a very unique cold retardant/remedy discussed in Time's "The China Blog."Almost sounds good ("almost" being the operative term).

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-39147791941474823152007-01-19T18:03:00.001-05:002007-01-19T18:13:25.270-05:00

Here are some letters to the editor re: the CSM piece on reading "the classics," about which I posted a couple of days back:Modern relevance of classic literature Janine Wood's Jan. 16 Opinion piece, "Please, I want some more Dickens," really struck a chord with me. Last fall, my husband and I attended our first open house at my daughter's high school. The English teacher reflected on the choice

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-76715114091704022012007-01-19T14:09:00.000-05:002007-01-19T14:10:26.856-05:00

PanglossianPronunciation: pan-'glä-sE-&n, pa[ng]-, -'glo-Function: adjectiveEtymology: Pangloss, optimistic tutor in Voltaire's Candide (1759): marked by the view that all is for the best in this best of possible worlds : excessively optimisticFrom Wikipedia:The term "panglossianism" describes baseless optimism of the sort exemplified by Pangloss's beliefs, which are the opposite of his fellow

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-49977413107508881922007-01-17T15:43:00.000-05:002007-01-17T15:43:04.465-05:00

Thanks to Off Wing Opinion for passing this recent set-to between Georges Laraque of the 'Yotes and Raitis Ivanins of the Kings along. Trust me -- you've never seen a fight quite like this.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-72676196025420829872007-01-17T14:58:00.002-05:002007-01-17T14:59:32.464-05:00

I took a little while today and made some revisions to the playlist at right. Hope you enjoy.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-9179079179105148952007-01-17T14:58:00.001-05:002007-01-17T14:58:50.256-05:00

After a week's lapse in blogging, I've returned with an opinion piece appearing in yesterday's (1.16.07) Christian Science Monitor. In it, a homemaker and writer from Deerfield, Illinois, bemoans the fact that school/teen reading lists are lacking in the "classics." I'll be the first to admit that, as a youth (not that long ago, mind you), I read a lot, but in general, didn't read the "great

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-9274574028596626762007-01-10T14:45:00.001-05:002007-01-10T14:45:34.465-05:00

Thanks to D.C. Sports Bog for passing along a Hump Day diversion, which, once and for all, settles the discussion as to the otherworldly ancestry of a certain L.A. Clippers (and former T'Wolves) point guard.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-15136157778460790132007-01-08T16:28:00.000-05:002007-01-08T16:29:01.223-05:00

Blog posts may become more sporadic now that Congress is back in session, so bear with me.And no, I didn't know how to say "let the reader beware" in Latin without using an online translator.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-87777295306179792522007-01-05T16:54:00.001-05:002007-01-05T16:55:22.029-05:00

Last night's Oilers-Stars game looks to have been a wild one, according to On Frozen Blog and Off Wing Opinion.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-61723251079986833092007-01-05T10:55:00.001-05:002007-01-05T10:55:09.558-05:00

CSM has run an opinion piece on the likelihood that our next president will -- probably much to the consternation of Democrats everywhere -- be a WASP. It's gotten so "bad," argue the authors (a sociologist at Claremont Graduate University and a former WaPo editor and writer), that:Since 1952, there's been only one presidential election year in which the name Nixon, Dole, or Bush was not on the

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-47068884435499366902007-01-03T10:14:00.001-05:002007-01-03T10:14:44.078-05:00

...thus little being blogged. Film at 11.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-90348231003142169612006-12-29T15:08:00.001-05:002007-01-02T12:24:21.625-05:00

In what is, apparently, his "33rd annual office pool," legendary NYT columnist William Safire (who now chairs the Dana Foundation) offers a set of multiple-choice questions regarding possible outcomes for the year-to-be. What do you think?Safire -- who, it seems, in 1969, while a Nixon speechwriter, wrote a short speech to be delivered in the event of the Apollo 11 astronauts being stranded on

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-53248164919795548552006-12-28T13:33:00.000-05:002008-12-09T03:31:49.362-05:00

Last night on my Northwest flight from the Twin Cities to Reagan, I finished a very funny book purchased while home for the holidays. John Blumenthal's Millard Fillmore, Mon Amour is the tale of a neurotic SoCal 30-something who tries desperately to make sense of life and love -- all the while, trying to finish his comprehensive 10-volume biography of the largely-forgotten (and forgettable) 13th

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-8002877980666738112006-12-27T02:30:00.000-05:002008-12-09T03:31:49.502-05:00

While surfing just now, I saw that Gerald Ford has passed away at 93 at his home in southern California. He was president when I was born, so I have a special place in my heart for old Jerry despite the fact that he was the butt of many a joke (most notably, of course, by: [1] Chevy Chase during his [i.e., Chase] brief stint on SNL [couldn't find a video thereof on YouTube or Google Video] [

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-19635646523300993852006-12-26T14:35:00.000-05:002006-12-26T14:35:39.348-05:00

In the wake of the recent beauty queen scandals, Salon provides us with Miss America 1998's viewpoint, which, of course, is the last word (note sarcasm here).

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-62962249950638544662006-12-25T10:43:00.000-05:002006-12-25T10:42:58.802-05:00

In my day-to-day work, I often decry the editorial pages of The Washington Post, but today, they got it right. Please read on and here's to you and yours having a nice Christmas Day.ChristmasA story of hope, as needed as everMonday, December 25, 2006; Page A28 "AND IT CAME to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." So begins the

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-3082162450793808512006-12-24T15:10:00.001-05:002006-12-24T15:10:32.690-05:00

...and to all a good night.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-18220954572290231762006-12-22T02:04:00.001-05:002006-12-22T02:04:03.005-05:00

I saw a post on Ted's Take yesterday, which stemmed from The Jeff Pulver Blog, asking people to divulge five things most others don't know about them. As for me:Though right-handed, I deal cards left-handed.The current governor of Minnesota once bought me a drink.I was the only attendant for the bride in a wedding.I played a judge in a stage production of Hello, Dolly.I was vice-president of my

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-15587761304703553042006-12-19T15:39:00.000-05:002006-12-19T15:39:04.875-05:00

Just thought I'd let everyone know that the new Orbit Lemon-Lime gum (not mentioned on the link) is pretty tasty and quite potent tang-wise (not to be confused with what the Apollo astronauts sipped or the T'ang Dynasty or the Wu-Tang Clan -- the latter [well, two members thereof {the RZA and the GZA}] being part of one of my all-time favorite short sketches from Chappelle's Show).

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-80663633641582574092006-12-19T14:25:00.000-05:002008-12-09T03:31:49.679-05:00

Much to the delight of what I would estimate to be about 85 to 90 percent of their fandom, Brad Childress has named Tarvaris Jackson the starting QB for Thursday's game against the hated Cheeseheads. This probably means that Brad Johnson is done -- at least, as a member of the purple and gold.I'm well aware that playing a rookie quarterback -- especially one from a college program that doesn't

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-32377044963627071652006-12-19T12:33:00.001-05:002007-01-03T10:38:50.346-05:00

I guess the reigning Miss USA gets to keep her crown after all, or, at least, so says The Donald. Seriously, who cares? Of course, in posting this rather link-laden blog entry, am I not implying "caring"? Whatever.Other notable Miss USAs:Laura Harring (1985) -- Naomi Watts', er, co-star in the weird David Lynch movie (that's the most redundant statement I've made in months) Mullholland Drive;

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-55566973231558538282006-12-18T16:09:00.000-05:002006-12-18T16:09:34.753-05:00

In my quest to watch most -- if not all -- of Robert Altman's films (this goal driven home more since his 11.20.06 passing, aged 81 years), last night, thanks to Netflix, I sat down and watched his 2003 film, The Company.The film, which "stars" Neve Campbell, James Franco, Malcolm McDowell, and the entirety of the Joffrey Ballet Company of Chicago, has no plot to speak of and is, to my untrained,

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-19092704265904338132006-12-18T13:26:00.001-05:002006-12-18T15:16:07.783-05:00

Courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and the lovely folks at Wikipedia:sinecure (n.)('sI-ni-"kyur, 'si-) [From the Medieval Latin sine cura without cure (of souls)] 1 archaic : an ecclesiastical benefice without cure of souls; 2 : an office or position that requires little or no work and that usually provides an incomeAs used in a sentence: "They can't imagine why Lieberman would

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-16947793645592705492006-12-18T12:38:00.001-05:002006-12-28T15:42:53.601-05:00

Got this in an e-mail and found it on the web at Satellite News (links added by yours truly following my rather lengthy absence from the blogosphere):A Child's Christmas in SpaceBy Tom ServoTom: It's quiet in the cold of our own little orbit, starless and bible black. And as I look down on the big blue bean we would call home I think it so near, yet... oh, I

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-69934850067611250742006-12-14T15:56:00.000-05:002006-12-14T15:56:18.199-05:00

If you're interested -- and I know you are -- in a follow-up to my last post, here's a list of all of the folks who have performed "TSSB" at the Super Bowl. If only the one Charlie's Angel (not an original, mind you, but a long-standing crime-fighting cutie) and the citrus spokeswoman-cum-anti-gay loudmouth had performed together.Also, it's mildly ironic (or is it coincidence?) to note that the

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-20146418159101981112006-12-14T13:23:00.000-05:002008-12-09T03:31:49.874-05:00

On Frozen Blog addresses one of my pet peeves in attending sporting events in the DC area; in fact, it's my biggest pet peeve after knowing full well that 90 percent of the people around here don't care two whits about any team other than the Redskins. (Hello, people...the team is 4-9 with Joe Gibbs, Gregg Williams, Al Saunders, the ghosts of George Allen père [that's two posts today referencing

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-47544959999695672502006-12-14T11:28:00.000-05:002006-12-18T13:15:50.857-05:00

The Rothenberg Political Report offers up "[a] [v]ery, [v]ery, [v]ery [w]eird" year in politics. I must say that the biggest surprise of the year -- and as a new Virginian, the most pleasant surprise of the year that is soon not to be anymore -- was Macaca Mouth going down to defeat at the hands of the wacky, wild, and Dubya-dissin' Webb. (I can't believe I linked to the Sacramento Bee; it wasn't

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-49291367303190331512006-12-12T10:07:00.001-05:002006-12-12T10:07:12.059-05:00

Had to do it -- the pun, that is. The first post in a few days is a short one, but as a fan of DC United, I have to say that getting rid of Adu, the unreachable expectations, and his penchant to complain instead of perform is definitely a plus for United. Hopefully, this means more playing time for those who have actually earned their way into the starting XI, like Clyde Simms, etc.With any luck,

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-25815064166097503982006-12-06T16:09:00.001-05:002006-12-06T16:09:33.894-05:00

...voting by mail? A commissioner on the Postal Rate Commission argues, in the NYT, that voting by mail could, effectively, solve all of the problems and eradicate the anomalies in today's voting systems.I'm inclined to agree.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-48379023584096793902006-12-05T16:51:00.000-05:002006-12-05T16:51:46.942-05:00

I highly recommend checking out Amie Street (pronounced like "Amy"). The site's raison d'être:Amie Street is charting the future course of music retail because we price music right–all songs start free and rise in price the more they are purchased–and because we have created a social network that facilitates music discovery. Our dynamic prices allow fans to buy music without breaking their banks

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-39002588006177170492006-12-05T15:56:00.000-05:002008-12-09T03:31:50.039-05:00

Today, I received a message in my Gmailbox "from" Sam Waterston urging me to join him in the fight for an end to the partisan bickering in Washington. His e-mail included a link to a testimonial video in which he idealistically argues:The system is broken, and a third force in the middle is essential to fix it...Through Unity08, for the first time in American history, we are going to throw out

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-37388608335626152292006-12-04T14:19:00.000-05:002008-12-09T03:31:50.310-05:00

In today's (12.4.06) WaPo, Sebastian Mallaby has an interesting column discussing an apparent schism in the GOP between "traditional conservatives" and small-"L" libertarians, and that the latter are, more and more, siding with the Dems. The column points to an essay in this week's New Republic (available here for subscribers [of which I am not one] and here for non-subscribers [thanks, Cato]).

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-62527834073132832712006-12-01T16:39:00.000-05:002006-12-01T16:39:09.756-05:00

I guess UMM (i.e., the University of Minnesota, Morris [aka "affordable Ivy"]) won the UMAC (Upper Midwest Athletic Conference) football championship in late October. I guess I'm just finding out about it now because: (1) I'm not terribly interested in Cougar gridiron action (they were horrendous during my matriculation); and (2) the publicity monstrosity that is UMM is slow in getting the news

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-69331412085816116242006-12-01T14:10:00.001-05:002006-12-04T12:55:49.785-05:00

Not even Britney Spears (who doesn't appear to have an "official" home page any more [unlike her less-than-musically-gifted ex] -- that is, any more than she cares to dress and act appropriately in public) can escape the punditorial (I know it's not a word, but it seemed to "fit" here) acuity of Ms. Malkin:This article even suggests -- gasp -- that all of this gives K-Fed (i.e., he of the New

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-77575317516742994652006-11-30T15:08:00.000-05:002006-11-30T15:08:11.647-05:00

WaPo reports on the Schofield case, which is an egregious example of how "broken" the immigration infrastructure in this country is. Having followed the story for a while now -- and having seen this morning's Washington Examiner article on today's expected events in the case -- it boggles the mind to see that, as I searched Google for news stories on the case just a couple of minutes ago, the

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-50477852450232954062006-11-29T17:14:00.000-05:002006-11-29T17:14:20.469-05:00

I would love to learn Portuguese, but I'm afraid my five years of junior high and high school Spanish would taint the experience and cause problems.Ronaldinho is the man -- and proves it once again in scoring this sick goal.For more crazy footie action, click here. It's not Ronaldinho (at least, not solely [he's in there at least once]), but it's pretty wild stuff nevertheless.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-34276612291312126482006-11-29T17:00:00.001-05:002006-11-29T17:00:30.132-05:00

(1) If the D-Rays feel the need to move some of their games to the EPCOT parking lot, isn't that an indication that the team is not viable in Tampa and should be relocated -- perhaps to Vegas, Portland, Charlotte, or some other place where the population isn't: (a) transient (a strike against moving the Expos to DC [that organization now has a new marketing slogan -- whoopee!], I suppose, but

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-81533578890620740282006-11-29T11:04:00.001-05:002006-11-29T11:04:18.171-05:00

The Atlantic has put together a list of "the most influential figures in American history," but I think it's lacking (I can't really say how at this point, but...) and, as such, agree with Democracy in America's assessment of the list. What do you think?

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-30383577726350431492006-11-28T17:21:00.000-05:002006-11-28T17:21:37.798-05:00

(1) From SI.com and Lew Rockwell.com (with some links added by me):Tiger Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, has filed a libel lawsuit against an Irish magazine story that included fake nude photos of her and claimed that she appeared on Internet porn sites. If the lawsuit is unsuccessful, Tiger plans to simply buy the mag and shut it down.* * *Murray Rothbard believed that there should be no

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-53084344801497724482006-11-28T14:21:00.000-05:002006-11-29T11:04:46.270-05:00

Yesterday (11.27.06), everybody's favorite NHL owner, Ted Leonsis, blogged on the "five traits of happiness" ("Not much different than what has made me happy recently," MCW said, rolling his eyes) after seeing "another study on happiness." Leonsis argues that the happiest people he knows all share:1. Being connected to multiple communities of interest in an active way. The more people on your

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-6736579885962948902006-11-28T13:22:00.001-05:002006-11-29T11:05:21.449-05:00

While fiddling around on Paste's website, I found the publication's list of 100 best living songwriters. Of course, not seeing the creative forces behind my favorite group in this inventory irritates me -- especially so because there are numerous artists on the list who haven't produced any significant work in years, if not decades (e.g., Yusuf Islam née Cat Stevens née Steve Georgiou at #49 [he

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-53591823107613288792006-11-27T15:30:00.000-05:002006-11-27T15:30:57.471-05:00

And I thought I had no social life.Pause "Snowbound" as to avoid an unpleasant audio experience.I realize I am coming to this Internet phenomenon a bit late, but having seen it last night on Mythbusters (who, according to Skeptic may be "inspiring the next generation of scientists"), I had to make sure that all have seen it.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-27516245092736722672006-11-27T12:40:00.001-05:002006-11-27T12:40:39.084-05:00

On one hand, Democracy in America (an Economist blog) gives some constructive advice as to the improvement of political thought in the good ol' US of A, whereas Richard Maybury reaffirms why I will never be a true libertarian (i.e., the market rules all for starters and they appear to be as willing to be revisionist about historical events as the "statists" they oft decry); I first saw this

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-52700120496668200812006-11-27T10:51:00.001-05:002006-11-27T10:51:26.819-05:00

That's all I'll say for now. Hope to have more for you later.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-83499548291051154422006-11-24T17:19:00.001-05:002006-11-24T17:19:57.544-05:00

If you haven't checked out Belgian Beer Happy Hour at Bohemian Caverns on Tuesday nights, I highly recommend it. Not only do you get a great deal on really good brews (no Blue Moons [i.e., fake white beers perpetrated on the world by mega-corps]), but you can hear the DJ stylings -- and often the live music -- of W. Ellington Felton, who, as the opening act for Esthero at the Birchmere in

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-9512008342114154922006-11-24T16:15:00.001-05:002006-11-24T16:15:25.294-05:00

Last night, while up late post-nap (one must nap post-roast butternut squash soup with walnut chantilly; sage-crusted filet of beer with honey-glazed carrots and bleu cheese potato gratin [with a merlot reduction, of course]; one slice each of chocolate truffle torte and lemon macadamia cheesecake; one glass each of pinot grigio and pinor noir; several glasses of water; and four glasses of port [

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-38001992321305243632006-11-22T15:41:00.001-05:002006-11-22T15:41:25.266-05:00

If you don't fully understand that reference, click here.Just in case you're horrendously bored, here's the menu from which I shall be dining tomorrow for my Thanksgiving feast.As far as the day's football games go (NFL, that is):Miami over Detroit 20-10;Dallas over Tampa 24-7; andDenver over Kansas City 17-14.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-12188191465458392832006-11-22T15:26:00.000-05:002007-01-03T10:16:13.933-05:00

Just found out that Steely Dan is playing a live gig in Santa Ynez, California in mid-January. I don't know if the duo is playing with their fans' minds by calling that page "Steely Dan: Live '07," thus giving, at least this fair fanatic, the idea that more shows may be forthcoming. We shall see.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-4764396689577555992006-11-22T15:18:00.001-05:002006-11-22T15:18:06.118-05:00

43 years ago today, a bright fall day in Texas turned to tragedy. I have to admit that, for many a year now, I have had a gruesome fascination with American political assassinations -- from the well-known and über-discussed (JFK and Lincoln) to those barely registering anymore in the historical memory (Garfield and McKinley). For example:In consecutive quarters (or perhaps it was trimesters) in

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-4455345213780289412006-11-21T16:56:00.000-05:002006-11-21T16:56:53.422-05:00

Following up on my previous baseball post:ESPN.com's Keith Law thinks Morneau had no business winning the MVP (subscription to ESPN Insider required [I don't have it, but the headline annoyed me, to say the very least]) and, to my great surprise (note sarcasm here), advocated for Jeter (and for Mauer as well, to be fair).On the flip side, thanks to Baseball Think Factory's Baseball Primer

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-62023131146922167262006-11-21T16:15:00.000-05:002006-11-21T16:15:14.656-05:00

...and no, I'm not going to go all Peanuts on you.Of late, my favorite things are:my customized Liverpool long-sleeved home shirt (thanks to Randy for the groomsman gift card that enabled this purchase); andStarbucks' Vanilla Latte (and yes, I just endorsed a mega-corporation's product - again).

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-68159247988169587252006-11-21T15:51:00.000-05:002006-11-21T15:51:24.424-05:00

I can't believe a member of the Twins actually won the AL MVP - especially when "The Golden Boy" was in the running. Congrats to the Canadian slugger, as well as to the other three Twins who received votes in the race (Mauer, Santana [belated kudos on your easily-won and well-deserved CYA], and Nathan). This helps to make up for the loss of Soriano for those of us who care about the Nats as

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-64141145392206045872006-11-21T12:49:00.000-05:002006-11-24T15:41:08.528-05:00

Film director Robert Altman has passed away at 81. My favorite Altman movies:Gosford Park (my favorite);Kansas City;The Player; andCookie's Fortune.I've never seen many of his most important films (e.g., M*A*S*H, Nashville, etc.), so my list is far from bearing great insight into the auteur's career.An interesting coincidence: I got The Long Goodbye from Netflix late last week and it's still

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-90407543424491588962006-11-21T11:59:00.001-05:002006-11-21T12:36:53.368-05:00

Apparently, in the land of The Lord of the Rings and Lucy Lawless, kids don't actually have to use fully-formed words to pass national exams. Sometimes, technology really messes up the way(s) in which people communicate.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-25574733597325613342006-11-20T15:40:00.001-05:002006-11-20T15:40:44.534-05:00

I'll figure something else out as it's locked me out yet again!

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-13517123622775661552006-11-20T15:30:00.001-05:002006-11-20T15:30:24.574-05:00

I would be remiss if, at a minimum, I didn't pass along a note of praise for my friend Chris' "new music" group, the Great Noise Ensemble, which I had the good fortune to hear this past Friday (11.17.06) at the Sumner School.During the performance, they performed:a ritornello centered on variations on late-16th- and early-17th-century sacred music composer Michael Praetorius' "Puer Natus in

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-28664660759361445102006-11-20T14:14:00.001-05:002006-11-20T14:15:39.729-05:00

Got the music to work again, but I'm so tired right now that I can't even begin to consider blogging today. Hope y'all will forgive me (and yes, I said "y'all").

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-31226947206743516282006-11-17T17:25:00.001-05:002006-11-17T17:25:58.137-05:00

A million years ago, it seems, my mom and I were playing the original Trivial Pursuit and the answer to one of the questions was "Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy." We laughed heartily at that answer and it became a running joke as a default answer when we didn't have a real one.Anyhow, a decade plus has passed since then. A recent Discovery Health program documented the medical conditions of "sideshow

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-78154012476432435432006-11-17T17:15:00.001-05:002006-11-17T17:15:37.272-05:00

Thanks to Ilana Mercer of Barely A Blog for this quote, which is, I guess, rather self-deprecating, given that I'm posting it, in theory, as a "commentator":The commentariat, of course, is a mirror image of the political class, reflecting and reinforcing the opinions—and the reality—of the elites. More often than not, the chattering classes are as privileged—and protected—as their masters.Perhaps

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-48965518111735289222006-11-17T17:05:00.000-05:002006-11-17T17:05:48.828-05:00

From PerezHilton.com via All Headline News via The Fix (Salon's, not WaPo's):"I may not have the type of voice you like, but I can sing. You can't take that away from me, 'cause singing is a gift from God, and when people say I can't sing, it's kind of like insulting God."-- Fergie (BEP, not HRH) in VibeI'll take "Messianic Complexes" for 800, Alex.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-61327118006643101522006-11-17T14:10:00.001-05:002006-11-17T14:10:53.106-05:00

I got wind of this from an e-mail forwarded to me by my mom. Apparently, Xerox is sponsoring Let's Say Thanks, on which:...you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.Frankly, it is a neat (and free) idea (and yes, I'm starting

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-17120185210904922822006-11-17T13:05:00.001-05:002006-11-17T13:05:34.246-05:00

Following up on my previous post, I did some more digging around and found videos of people (not sure if they're scientists who invented this thing or just random guys off the street) "playing" a guitar, tambourine, and guiro (percussionists everywhere beware!). I can't believe there's now such a thing as "air guiro"; that's like saying we've been at war for 1,294 days since a president declared

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-49017222390341652732006-11-17T12:40:00.001-05:002006-11-17T12:40:34.318-05:00

A fellow Wonderjack fan, general music maven, and MySpace blogger par excellence, Melissa DePaulis, has made known to me (and now, you) a new article of clothing, which, if functional as advertised, may change the lives of millions of wannabe Jimi Hendrixes, Eric Claptons, and Yngwie Malmsteens around the world.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-4690088973527597222006-11-16T16:24:00.001-05:002006-11-16T16:24:20.318-05:00

Thanks, Democracy in America, for pointing me toward this site, which has a good animated demonstration of instant runoff voting, or IRV. In my younger days, I discussed this topic amongst like-minded North Star Staters via FairVote Minnesota.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-41297308071451087082006-11-16T14:31:00.001-05:002006-11-16T14:31:33.503-05:00

Yesterday (11.15.06), I was reading Caps majority owner Ted Leonsis' blog, Ted's Take, and was made aware (or, at least, more aware) of the concept of search engine optimization, or SEO. I really don't understand it at all as yet, but with a little reading, maybe I'll get it.Anyhow, the reason I bring it up is that I've "re-branded" my blog. It's no longer "The Big W Blog," but now has a title

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1337080869636680812006-11-16T12:48:00.000-05:002006-11-16T12:48:09.547-05:00

At the general managers' meetings in Naples (Florida, not Italy), the MLB bigwigs are considering the possibility of using instant replay.At this point, there are no criteria for when and how replay might be implemented into Major League Baseball. The committee was just asked to explore all areas.* * *One of the main stumbling blocks may be the opposition of Commissioner Bud Selig, who has

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-35016319628781235042006-11-15T16:00:00.001-05:002006-11-15T16:00:17.754-05:00

With Google Docs & Spreadsheets, you can: Use our online editor to format documents, spell-check and more.Upload Word documents, OpenOffice, RTF, HTML or text.Download documents to your desktop as Word, PDF and more.View your documents' revision history and roll back to any version. Plus, since its online, you can: Invite others to share your documents by e-mail address.Edit documents

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-10776567966830183662006-11-15T10:38:00.001-05:002006-11-15T10:38:28.561-05:00

First New York and Chicago think about it, KFC does it (not that I recommend anyone partake of offerings from that questionable outfit [it wasn't so sketchy when the Colonel was still around]) and then, the Girl Scouts go out and ruin it for everyone! What is the world coming to?

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-51370347304293318262006-11-14T16:56:00.001-05:002006-11-14T16:56:57.104-05:00

(A) Finally, the Nats have someone with a clue in the dugout. (Sorry, Frank.)(B) On MySpace, the WWE (yes, I still watch this [I think it's some sort of state law in Minnesota that you have to know/watch wrestling {I voted for one once - oops}]) made the following announcement:WWE attorneys pulled out of a scheduled settlement conference relating to the ongoing lawsuit against WWE filed by

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-39279888742288183322006-11-14T16:37:00.000-05:002006-11-14T16:37:54.604-05:00

Yes, the 2006 mid-term elections are over and, most definitely, Democrats won the day. Now, however, those of us involved in politics (yes, even the most "apolitical" amongst us) must turn to the 2008 presidential race for grand electoral blog fodder. The Fix does a good job of tying the two events together.Politics1, long one of my favorite resources for all things election- and politics-related

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-89833668118754749682006-11-11T17:48:00.000-05:002006-12-05T16:40:31.113-05:00

For those of you wondering why I like them so much, a song (most of them "slow jams" or "chill-out" joints) from each Steely Dan studio album:"Fire In The Hole" (Can't Buy A Thrill [1972])"Razor Boy" (Countdown To Ecstasy [1973])"Pretzel Logic" (Pretzel Logic [1974])"Doctor Wu" (Katy Lied [1975])"Don't Take Me Alive" (The Royal Scam [1976])"Aja" (pronounced like the continent on which China sits)

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-25616922720320107022006-11-10T14:39:00.000-05:002006-11-10T14:39:22.260-05:00

(1) The Caps looked absolutely lifeless last night against the Canes by a count of what an English football announcer might say of "Capitals nil, Hurricanes five." My friend and I are considering taking in tomorrow night's contest v. the Jagrmeisters, but I'm moderately concerned that the game will be a replay of last night's debacle instead of being reminiscent of their recent dominance of the

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-36136405442139210432006-11-10T13:05:00.000-05:002006-11-10T13:05:10.194-05:00

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but thanks, George Allen. "Why?" you ask.he lost; andhe conceded, thus forgoing a recount and sparing those of us who reside in "The Old Dominion" weeks more of political posturing.Here's "the new guy." (BTW, I don't endorse Chuck Schumer in any way, but unfortunately, he shows up on this video.)

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-53252783113781300482006-11-08T14:09:00.000-05:002006-11-08T14:31:22.000-05:00

If it weren't for the fact that the Dems are, in general, so terrible on the issues on which I work (see this post as well as this one), I really couldn't care less. I'm no fan of gridlock, divided government, etc., etc., but some new voices being raised up in some of the debates (e.g., the war, general corruption) is a good thing in this case, I think.So long, Rummy - we hardly knew...well, we

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-75181215657404094062006-11-06T16:21:00.000-05:002006-11-06T16:21:21.372-05:00

Courtesy of Ilana Mercer at Barely A Blog and thanks to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:I stated in "America's Open House" that, "as a proponent of states' rights and decentralization, instantiated in the Ninth and 10th Amendments, I rarely wish to see federal solons usurp the states. [Big W's emphasis added]solonMain Entry: so·lon Pronunciation: 'sO-l&n, -"länFunction: nounEtymology: Solon1 :

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-26152393267564993492006-11-06T13:44:00.000-05:002007-01-03T10:22:19.512-05:00

How does one spend one's weekend - as well as the beginning of one's work week - when one has little to do and is relatively flush with cash?The Best of BlondieHits!Only Revolutions (links to a previous blog entry)In addition, I've received the following by post over the past couple of days:Dead Air For RadiosThe Beatles 1

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-46866350313993725682006-11-03T11:00:00.001-05:002006-11-03T11:00:21.130-05:00

I know every faithful reader of this blog has been waiting with bated breath to see who I'm endorsing for next week's elections. Well, the wait is over. Incumbents are indicated by italics and the candidates I'm backing are indicated with an asterisk (*) below.U.S. Senate - VirginiaGeorge F. Allen (R)James H. "Jim" Webb, Jr. (D)*Glenda Gail Parker (IG)U.S. House - Virginia 8th DistrictTom M.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-71148763590613695112006-11-02T23:59:00.000-05:002006-11-21T12:47:47.102-05:00

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-78421458841489957992006-11-01T12:36:00.001-05:002006-11-01T12:36:29.830-05:00

Until today, I'd never heard of PostSecret, which, according to Wikipedia, is:an ongoing community art project were people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard.These "postcards" are then reviewed by Frank Warren, who then may or may not post them to the blog (10-15 postings updated each Sunday). Warren, it turns out, is on a national tour to promote My Secret: A

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1162322074737793222006-10-31T14:11:00.000-05:002007-01-03T10:23:16.453-05:00

(1) I realize I'm a bit late on this train, but I wanted to make sure as many people as possible see the recent Camille Paglia interview on Salon. I know the name (i.e., über-intellectual, off-kilter [to many] and iconoclastic feminist), but didn't know much about her views until reading this piece. It's a must-read for anybody who is disenchanted with our current political system as a whole.(2)

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1162307303670169802006-10-31T10:18:00.000-05:002007-01-03T10:24:00.280-05:00

I hope everyone has a lovely Halloween. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the holiday as it:reminds me of my youth, during which I was allergic to chocolate, thus rendering approximately 95% of my trick-or-treating haul inedible (or, at least, inadvisably edible) to me; andbrings out the overly-theatrical in almost everyone else - you're adults now, people...you shouldn't be wearing "sexy devil"

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1162244382897083922006-10-30T16:30:00.000-05:002006-10-31T14:22:32.597-05:00

...Chip McLean's most recent posting over at Capitol Hill Coffee House. I hate to be preachy on this issue, but I think it's often misconstrued and wrongly characterized in the MSM. Yes, like any political issue, there are wackos on all sides, but in my experience, the majority of folks who feel as I do are definitely not nutjobs. Here's the most important point I think McLean makes (with my

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1162228629951812342006-10-30T11:38:00.000-05:002007-01-03T10:25:03.338-05:00

Last night, after blogging briefly re: hockey, marathoning, and NYC chefs-turned-cynical scribes, I headed to Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium to watch the hometown XI, DC United, take on Jolt Cola New Jersey, er, Red Bull New York in the second leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals; United had taken the first contest by virtue of a lone goal by (likely MLS MVP) Christian Gomez. The fans

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1162219223046693942006-10-30T09:37:00.000-05:002006-10-31T14:22:32.393-05:00

First off, I want to send my condolences to the family and friends of the runner who died during yesterday's Marine Corps Marathon. According to the article in today's Washington Post, the man collapsed just before Mile 17, which was not that far from where my friends and I were cavorting about and cheering near the "Beat the Bridge" stage (i.e., where Wonderjack was performing for the runners

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1162156310204924832006-10-29T16:24:00.000-05:002006-10-31T14:22:32.329-05:00

I found this at WILD PUCK BANTER and thought it was one of the more one-sided hockey fights I've ever seen. Of course, I'm a bit biased given that Derek Boogaard is part of one of my hometown NHL teams.Can you tell there's not much going on for me today other than watching Wonderjack play at the 20-mile mark of the Marine Corps Marathon?NOW READING

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1161971387359531322006-10-27T13:09:00.000-04:002006-10-31T14:22:32.192-05:00

Last night, I went to see my friend Chris's band, Dr. FU, at the Clarendon Grill (I recommend the hummus and pita, which has a bit of Southwestern tinge to it [i.e., cumin]). This was the first time I had seen said FU since what was, apparently, one of their first gigs ever - if not their first gig ever - some years ago as openers for Wonderjack - the band whose percussiveness comes from a fellow

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1161885481401794362006-10-26T13:56:00.000-04:002006-10-31T14:22:32.122-05:00

This is my first original post on Blogger; all other posts were pasted in from my MySpace blog. We'll see how this goes for a while and then draw some sort of conclusion about, well, something.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1161879552169992362006-10-24T17:30:00.000-04:002006-10-31T14:22:32.061-05:00

First off, via Mary Katherine Ham's blog, I found this clip from last night's Connecticut U.S. Senate debate. Too bad that Mr. Schlesinger (i.e., the gentleman who stands up and speaks out in Sen. Lieberman's defense near the end of the clip) is unlikely to fare particularly well, come November 7, if the latest polls are any indication; that is not to say that I want him to win (as I think

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1161878256840330472006-10-24T11:47:00.000-04:002006-10-31T14:22:31.263-05:00

Ilana Mercer, about whom I knew nothing before this morning's Google news article search result e-mail popped up in my work inbox, appears to be a Libertarian with a clue on immigration issues. Having not read any of her other posts yet, I don't know how she falls on other issues, but I may have just found my newest daily blog fix.The Logic of La-Raza Libertarianshttp://www.ilanamercer.com/

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1161878305778399682006-10-19T11:40:00.000-04:002006-10-31T14:22:31.323-05:00

I get some strange catalogs in the mail, it's true, but this item, from the most recent Harriet Carter offering, is one of the creepiest things I've ever seen on glossy, easy-to-rip paper.I guess my point is that if there are any women out there looking to buy this product, call me first, okay?

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1161878346916780842006-10-18T14:43:00.000-04:002006-10-31T14:22:31.384-05:00

Apparently, you can take it with you - your MLB fandom, that is.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36645039.post-1161878415811496432006-10-18T11:31:00.000-04:002006-10-31T14:22:31.443-05:00

Just when you thought Michael Steele's list of supporters couldn't get any stranger, it just did.On top of that, more thoughts on the ubiquitousness of a certain Food Network star and media personality.

Mark C. Willsnoreply@blogger.com0