Things I Love, Things I Hate

Two weeks ago, after arriving at our hotel in Philadelphia, my wife found this form in our luggage. It obviously means someone from the TSA went through our bag, either on a random search or because something (such as one of my music/radio/PC gizmos) caught their attention.

Ok, here is something I don’t talk about much: I was a contestant on "Jeopardy" in 1984. I have the videotape to prove it.

I won’t go into elaborate details; I once wrote a feature on my experience for the newspaper I worked for at the time; until they electrify their archives, you’ll have to go there and look through old clips.

My goal was to win money to pay for our 1985 sabbatical to South America (which I have written about here). The show was just coming back on the air and I was in LA for some other reason and actually was at the TV studio trying out for another game. I was asked to try out for “Jeopardy” and did well on the test and at the audition.

What I did not know was that only the first place winner kept the winnings; in the old show, you left with whatever you won. I figured I’d win something (which I did). I did not learn about the rule change until Sept., 1984 when I taped the show. Long story, short: I came in second and easily could have won. The guy who won was really smart but got a lucky question for a late-game Double Jeopardy. It had something to do with Vidkun Quisling. He knew it.

We both got the final “Jeopardy” question right. The third contestant, a woman from Quito, Ecuador, didn’t make final Jeopardy. She was cocky and we kicked her sorry butt.

Anyway, it was rather grueling as my show was taped very late in the day (they tape five in a row) and Alex got pissed at me because I missed my mark when being introduced.

On the other hand, Dick Clark, the original host of “$20,000 Pyramid” was wonderful. I was on that show in 1976. I won. More on that some other time.


ESPN.com: Page 2 - The summer of the Jeopardy Guy

What is wrong with this blog (linked below)? Where do I start?
Shameless promotion, in that the site asks you to vote for it for some sort of meaningless award. Heck, it asks you after every post!
Second, instead of thinking for itself, it has these silly Q&As with a bunch of people who love the sound of their own voices.
Third, it appears they never click through to see if the sites they recommend actually work.
Duh.

Search Engine News :: Search Engine Lowdown

Doggoned it, I’d give anything to be covering a political convention this year as a blogger. My first real job was as a reporter, so I can just imagine the energy and excitement of writing in real time from one of the world’s biggest events. Me, my laptop, a Wi Fi card and a digital camera.

Without my insight, check out these blogs from the convention. Maybe in 2008.

In just two days, our daughter comes home from summer overnight camp. That’s probably not what they call it these days; I am dating myself. Anyway, she’s been gone more than two weeks and I suppose she’ll be sad to come home after 24/7 time with friends.
I missed her, but am having a great time with my wife. We have a few more days, so we’ll make the most of them: a movie, dinner out, a local political event and maybe even a baseball game. We do expect our daughter to come home sad and somewhat withdrawn, but she might surprise us.
She starts middle school (junior high in my day) in a few weeks after coming home. It will mark a major transition in her life. My sense is our patience will be tested. With all the jobs I’ve had and all the accomplishments for which I am proud, being a parent is the most difficult and can be the most rewarding. Let’s see how I feel next month at this time.

I have a silver box by my office desk that somehow became the default spot for all my tickets. It also has a lot of junk left over from previous trips that I am too busy or lazy to toss in the trash. Today, I have a sad note: I am out of baseball games and tickets for the season.
Fear not, I have a baseball weekend planned for the last weekend in August. My wife and daughter are going to a family event in the Pacific Northwest, and in the interest of family harmony and smoothly reaching our 21st wedding anniversary, I am sitting this one out.
The baseball target appears to be Jacobs Field in Cleveland. My dad was from Cleveland, but his family moved away when he was four. I was through Cleveland on my way to Lorain, Ohio, for an interview with The Morning Journal  newspaper. This was back in 1978 in the days of horses and buggies.
I also am anxious too see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Unless I manage to go see the Giants in the playoffs (if they get in), this likely will be my last major league game of the season. I will be going to a Rookie League game here in Arizona sometime in the next few weeks (once the temperature drops below 109) and then to a Fall League game or three in November.

Yahoo! News - Blue Jays' Delgado Protests War in Iraq

Oscar Roberston was better than Jordan, Kobe, Tracey McGrady and so on. If we played today, they would have to print money to sign him.

ESPN.com - NCB - Peters leaves Cincy, Robertson takes over

We had a tarantula in our front yard a few years ago. They actually are not danergous but they sure look nasty. Some might even recall the scene in "Dr. No" when James Bond had a tarantula crawling on him. It was all staged and looked quite fake.

Yahoo! News - World Photos - AP

This was a headline on ESPN a few minutes ago:

Prior will through simulated game

We've seen Tagg play in the Arizona Fall league and spring training. He was destined for stardom; hope this does not derail him.

SignOnSanDiego.com > San Diego Padres -- Minor-leaguer injures knee celebrating his game-winning grand slam

::: Soulfly :::

As long time viewers of The Food Network, and fans of the show, "Iron Chef," we eagerly watched the special episode, which featured the building and opening of the restaurant from Iron Chef, Japan--Masaharu Morimoto. The restaurant was, in of all places, Philadelphia. My wife swore if we ever went to Philadelphia (never Philly to a native), we’d have to go there. Tonight, was the night. She made the reservation several months ago.
I did not expect much and was pleased far beyond my wildest imagination. I ate a wonderful crab appetizer and a lobster pan roasted in spice. Memorable from start to finish. My wife had the sashimi sampler and black cod. She made her trademark comment of delight: "I’d like to get in the sauce." That means she really likes it.
The place was cool and understated and the waiter was nice and not snobby as I expected. The prices were actually reasonable for the quality and the fact you were eating at a celebrity chef restaurant. For me, a nice surprise; for my wife, her culinary dream fulfilled. We’ll be back. But we won’t ever be at any Bobby Flay restaurant—that’s where I cross the Food Network line