Battle Beasts

I have long held that the most compelling television show ever would be if Animal Planet could throw out all their ethics and start a show pitting different types of animals in a fight to the death. It would be completely wrong and evil but just imagine: lion vs. tiger, tabby vs. chihuahua, toucan vs. parrot, cougar vs. wolf, eagle vs. leopard; cockroach vs. dung beetle, or two roosters vs. a single turkey. I'd hate myself for it but I'd be glued to the set for every episode; especially that rooster-turkey show down.

I was reminded of this idea by the upcoming Bears-Colts Super Bowl match up. Now an actual show down between a colt and a grizzly bear would be awesome. Would the young horse speed and kicking power overcome the grizzly's strength and agressiveness? I think it all depends on the size of the arena. The colt wins if it has room to run, but the bear takes it easily if its a fight in small quarters.

While not nearly as exciting as the real deal the videos on Bear vs. Colt are a welcome substitute. I'm rooting for Bear because Colt comes off as a total ass.

In the actual game I'm rather conflicted about who to root for as I have strong strain of hatred for both Peyton Mannning and Rex Grossman. Peyton has annoyed me for years with is goofy slack-jawed expression, lack of clutch play, over played TV ads, and the constant references to his brother and father. But at least Peyton is a great player, Rex is a mediocre Quarterback at best and comes of as a spoiled dumb frat boy that you wouldn't want to leave alone with your sister. So i think I have to root for the Colts, but thats a weak endoresment at best.

But who do I think will win? On paper I think the Colts, but he recent death of Barbaro has me wondering if this is going to be a bad week for colts all around or if the Indianapolis Colts will be inspired to avenge his death.

Screw it. Rex Grossman sucks. The Colts will win and cover

Dream Ticket

The 2008 Presidential race is already in full swing two years out, which is rather weird as things didn't really get going last time until the summer of 2003.

Regardless of who wins, Republican or Democrat, the next president will be an improvement over the current guy. As a Democrat there are a lot of good choices and thankfully John "Frankenstein" Kerry is not running. I'm frankly embarrassed i supported the guy and sadly I can't say I wish he had won in 2004.

Barak Obama and Hilary Clinton are the superstars but both have their flaws. Obama is a dymanic and charismatic guy and he's great on on all the issues. He smokes which makes him strangely cool in my eyes. But Obama is short on experience especially in the international realm. Hilary Clinton is pretty impressive but she's a little too cold and calculating and I never quite she believes what she's saying. Plus i've had enough of dynastic politics with the Bushes and I fear President Hilary would result in a future presidential race between Chelsea Clinton and George P. Bush ends up causing a fratricidal civil war in the streets.

My dream ticket would be John Edwards and Bill Richardson. Edwards was my first choice last time and I think he is even more qualified and ready to win this time around. Edwards is likable, progressive, populist, southern, and this time he seems generally more serious and won't just be Mr. Nice Guy. I think Edwards can win and be a great president, but his only short coming is foreign policy and that's where Bill Richardson comes in. Richardson is the very popular Governor of New Mexico, a state won by Bush in 2004 and Gore in 2000, and was a leader on foreign policy in the House and served as Bill Clinton's Ambassador to the United Nations. Plus he's Hispanic! Richardson balances Edwards weaknesses.

Edwards/Richardson in '08!

Top Albums of 2006

Lots of great music last year! Full reviews of the top ten to come later.

My Top Ten:
1. Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis
2. Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 - Olé! Tarantula
3. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife
4. The Mountain Goats - Get Lonely
5. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
6. Cat Power - The Greatest
7. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country
8. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Ballad Of Broken Seas
9. Robert Pollard - From A Compound Eye
10. The Essex Green - Cannibal Sea

The Runners Up:
11. The Pernice Brothers - Live a Little
12. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
13. The Minus 5 - The Minus 5 (The Gun Album)
14. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Broom
15. Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint - The River in Reverse
16. Lily Allen - Alright, Still
17. The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia
18. The Pipettes - We Are The Pipettes
19. Frank Black - Fast Man Raider Man
20. The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed

Honnorable Mentions:
The Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Jon Auer - Songs From The Year Of Our Demise
Badly Drawn Boy Born In The U.K.
Beck - The Information
Dan Bern - Breathe
Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go
Built to Spill - You In Reverse
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
Lloyd Cole - Antidepressant
Graham Coxon - Love Travels At Illegal Speeds
Destroyer - Rubies
Bob Dylan - Modern Times
Elf Power - Back to the Web
The Futureheads - News & Tributes
Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Gomez - How We Operate
Grandaddy - Just Like The Fambly Cat
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls In America
John Legend - Once Again
Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat
Loose Fur - Born Again In The USA
Morrissey - Ringleader Of The Tormentors
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Grant Lee Phillips - Nineteeneighties
Robert Pollard - Normal Happiness
Puffy AmiYumi - Splurge
Paul Simon - Surprise
Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass