HopsGuy

La Brea Tarpits? Knott's Berry Farm? This is why the terrorists hate us.

The lead singer of the Offspring, Dexter Holland was on the Adam Carolla podcast yesterday. The dude is really into airplanes/flying. Really bright guy. I'd have to go with Citizen Dick as my favorite Grunge band. "Once again, when the shirtless Cliff Poncier begins singing more pompous, d^(k-swinging swill from a man who has haunted the local scene for much too long... relentlessly mediocre talent.." They are loved in Belgium... and Italy!

Poor guy was working out. Link Overcame the odds to become a 2-time all-star.

I think it will be on Adam's site. Adam mentioned in his twitter that they would be taking Skype calls. I don't think ESPN would be up for that on the BS Report. No telling when it will be posted, either. They ran the Byron Allen episode a couple of days after DAG, but you could hear DAG in the background of Byron's so they did both the same day and ran DAG first. It's all good.

Count me among the Simmons sycophants. He's pretty much the only reason I watch the NBA (although, this post-season has been pretty good). Adam Carolla tweeted that he was having a Skype call in with him today, but I didn't check in. I'm looking forward to the podcast. It's usually pretty good when those guys get together. As far as the decline of sluggers, check out my childhood favorite - Michael Jack Schmidt. In his last season, he hit two bombs in the first two games. Another 3 in April, and 1 on May 2nd. After that he said that balls he was "crushing" weren't making it to the warning track. He retired Memorial Day weekend. He was 40. When it goes, it goes quickly.

I've seen this happen before. You mentioned that your company is doing some acquisitions. They might be making the benefit structure congruent with what their acquiring? You also mentioned that your company is experiencing record profits. Why is this? Are you taking market share or is the market growing? Is the growth sustainable? Is your business sector (gasp) counter cyclical? I agree with plenz that your firm seems short-sighted with the idea that they can reduce your compensation (salary + benefits) in an economic climate where you'd be less likely to leave. But it happens. Good luck.

It probably involves Skype, candles, and Yanni. Happy b-day Focker.

This seems like as good a place as any to put this. Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since I have no practical parenting experience, I'll simply give you my own little anecdote. Last month I was out and about with some folks from WNY. A girl came up to me and said, "Aren't you, Hops Von Hopper*?" I replied, "I sure am!" She said, "I'm XXX XXXXX, so-and-so's sister." We grew up in the same neighborhood. Her sister was a year or so older than me and I remember her as being a little kid. The image that came to mind when she said her name was of a 10 year old. So we talked for a few minutes supplying details on how we got here and what not. And I say, "So how old are you? 26-27?" At the age of 38, you'd think I'd know never to ask a woman her age, but I digress. She pauses and says, "I'm 34." My reaction was "How is that possible!?!" Then I did the math. What I'm saying is that 4-5 years is a huge difference. HUGE! I thought I was MUCH older than her when I did the immediate extrapolation. Anyway plenz, you're probably right to be concerned. Keep your eye on the situation. My hunch is that the summer will be the difficult part. Once school starts up again, the kid will find older friends. Then the immature boy you'll be about whom you'll be most concerned will be wearing #81 for the Bills. Good luck! * Not my real name

Call Nina.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate... we can not consecrate... we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government : of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. - President Abraham Lincoln, Given at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery, November 16, 1863 Gettysburg, PA

A certain NHL owner was reading this and nodding with approval... WSJ Op-Ed President Reagan liked to quote one of the authors of this piece.

I'm missing something here. They need to sell 50k seats to lift a blackout. They've sold ~35k seats. It's mid-May. Just how difficult will it be to sell 15k seats/game? Is it because of Connolly's multiple concussions? I'm confused.

1) I'm working for ADP. 2) My company is good, but could be great if they considered small businesses. 3) I'm going to start my own ADP and focus on small businesses. 4) Hey, I'm rich! 5) I'm going to change my little part of the world by becoming governor of this great state. 6) Well, maybe this state ain't so great. An honest man can win the office. 7) I can buy the Sabres and make them profitable and competitive. That's good right? 8) Jesus, I'm not getting my money's worth in taxes here. 9) I'm going to "move" to FL to make a statement about the stupidity of our state government. Have I got that about right?

I have an envelope with a ton of them in there. I want to get a baseball card album for it, but it's one of those things I never get around to. Tesla/Firehouse Spectrum 1992? What was I thinking? Oh yeah, it was for a girl.

Couldn't help but think of this.

I know that area. Nothing better than having lunch at Chicken Kitchen with the MILFs from Bally's and the girls from Nova abound. Sorry to hear about that Dave. That whole damn place has gone to hell since I left. Or maybe it's the economy?

Is Vincent Chase involved?

You already hit lotto. Think about it. Congrats!

Caught it at the IMAX today. Pretty good pace to it. I'd recommend.

Video of the girl's instructor Try not to be too creeped out.

"It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!" - J. Childs, Esq.

Yeah, those guys are my age. None of my Bona friends were communications majors (strangely enough) though. However there were 3 Bonnies on my Myrtle Beach golf trip this past weekend. (A member of the common council was there, too. Yup, I'm quite a power player. ) I attended two Communications Days at Bonas when I was in high school. Phil Pepe spoke one year. He was fantastic. Chuck Pollock told me that no one should major in journalism if they want to get rich. So I committed myself to other pursuits. If you heard me on the Huskie Half on WHDL, you'd agree I made the right choice.

OTH story These guys are friends of mine, so yeah, I'm sort of pimping them. But it's nice to have good news of some kind, no?

Tina Blake ("John from Cincinnati"). Okay, that's not true but WOW was she hot. I'll go with Mel from "Flight of the Conchords". Never fails to make me laugh.