The College Crowd Digs Me

"When we were kids... we hated things our parents did. We listened low... to Casey Kasem's radio show." Red House Painters NO SPOILERS: Most will mention " Enter The Dragon " as his tour-de-force..but for fight scene lovers... "Chinese Connection" offers a wonderful variety of Bruce Lee magic. Bruce Lee was a tremendously skilled martial artist...and there has never been anyone...his equal...who brought so much electrifying ...charisma...to the big screen. A ham, maybe. But...how he could back it up! Bruce Lee choreographed his own fight scenes...and his skillful techniques and counter moves...put on display...are an action fans delight. Released in 1972 , "Chinese Connection" was also known as "Fist of Fury" (not Fists of Fury), and the explanation is boring...suffice it to say...this is a very good movie. The story loosely revolves around the racial violence between Japanese and Chinese during the early 20th century ...an...

"We tried so hard to make the grade... By making music day to day. Although our task is never done... You ought to know it's just begun." Chicago College football season has finally arrived. I love this time of year...so I have listed a few predictions for the season. My predictions carry as much weight as the plethora of so-called experts around the tube and the blog...I suppose. So here goes... Totally Bold College Football Predictions 1) USC loses to Cal AND Oregon ...shocking the college BCS pundits.. 2) Penn State shocks BCS by going undefeated in the Big 10. Jo Pa gets the big one. 3) Kansas coach... "The Round Man" Mangino leads his Jayhawks to an 8-3 record beating Nebraska for the Big 12 North title. And finally quiets the nay-sayers. 4) Notre Dame starts out a disappointing 1-5 this season. Ya just never know. On the subject of football...Here is my Fantasy League Team this year. Round Pick Player Position ...

"I ain't gonna work. I ain't gonna work no more. Stay in bed...Til' I'm satisfied. And let my head...Take a softer ride." Status Quo NO SPOILERS: If you have yet to read a... "Repairman Jack" novel...skip a movie some time and curl up with... "Legacies" ...a story whose main character is a cross between... Jason Bourne & Jack Bauer . The only difference is... "Repairman Jack" ...offers his services to the everyday person least likely to find help anywhere else. "RJ's brand of justice never fails to ...satisfy. F. Paul Wilson has created a fascinating character in "Repairman Jack "...and writes him into fresh plotlines that are always thriller...sometimes horror in nature...with a touch of X-Files thrown in for good measure. "Legacies" is Wilson's second "Repairman Jack" novel...filled with 440 pages of straight-up mystery. The story revolves around a mysterious house once...

"Nice hat...you look like a referee. Nice watch...but why are you timing me? Its spring has come unwound. I was not out of bounds." Michael Penn Since being privy to the DVR my cable offers here in Kansas...It would be very, very hard to give it up. The ease of spontaneous recording is amazingly simple...and I find myself doing this almost daily. However I do have a few shows setup for my DVR to record whenever a new episode runs. That's a simple feature, too. On that subject...here are my favorite PBS shows I regularly DVR . McLaughlin Group --- This is a blast to watch. I love the questions that John McLaughlin fires out to the 4 person group. The bantering is smart and fast. The topics always revolve around political news happenings of the week...and it is one of the fastest 30 minutes on television. Smart, fast and funny. With plenty of food-for-thought. Byah-Byah! Antique Roadshow --- I love antique stores. And the historical significance of the ...

" So I think it's time... because it's too easy t o rely on worshiping devils and strangers in bed, Though they do get good drugs, and they do give good head." Jim Carroll An album that continually brings me pleasure when I spin it...and yet has been unjustly forgotten...is the "in your face" confessional... "Catholic Boy" by former junkie/author/street poet... Jim Carroll. "Catholic Boy" is filled with ten scorching poem/songs...that are as powerful now...as when released in 1980 . The seedy honesty presented by Jim Carroll in each song swirls out of the speakers with an urgency and intensity seldom heard. JC delivers his personal eruption in a speak/singing manner ala Lou Reed with perhaps a more in-tune pitch and a slightly higher vocal range. But never has Reed had a backing band like this one. Playing like every note is life or death...guitars glimmer with city flash and ride the gorgeous bass work to an uncommon level. And ...

"Just the wanting alone is worth it, Just the thrill and desire... Just the wanting alone is worth the fire." Walter Egan One of my inspirations...is a person I never met...He was a good athlete that I never had the privilege to see play. In fact...I never even heard of him...until I stumbled upon a 1952 Topps baseball card with his likeness...in a stack of commons from the fifties. In a room with over a hundred tables of sports memorabilia barkers hawking their wares...in a corner lost between other baseball commons...was the card of a player that has become my "motivational...kick in the hindend". From the moment I saw that baseball card...I knew I had to have it. My favorite card...a 1952 nearmint Topps baseball card...#132...of... Clyde Kluttz. Clyde Kluttz. An ordinary looking guy wearing a Washington Senators cap. Clyde was an average catcher...with average stats. He had a respectable lifetime .268 batting average. And his card says that he made the All ...

" What about the one who said he loved you? What about the one who said he cared? He's up in the High Sierra... But don't bother looking there." Boz Scaggs NO SPOILERS: "Montana 1948" is a tale of an unforeseen and terribly complex family problem...as seen through the eyes of a twelve-year old boy. Written in 1995...author Larry Watson shows...how the sweet innocence of youth is sadly chipped away...as issues of family loyalty...and unexpected prejudices are confronted. The disappointment felt when someone admired lets you down...And the difficulty...coming to grips...understanding the moral thing to do...is achingly on display in this thoughtful novel. And the sub-plots that Watson adds to this 182 page story ...only helps in seeing the big picture...and provides us different insights to the problems. And...sadly...reminds us...that not every problem...can be wrapped up with pretty bows and ribbons. It is easy to understand the comparisons to the classi...