DrW

Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree)

Together with my girlfriend, on our way back to Rochester from a short vacation in Washington, DC. I was listening to the game on the radio until the interception to make it 35-3, then switched the radio off, very disappointed. Some miles later, we had to get gas. The gas station, somewhere in southern Pennsylvania, had the game on TV, with a score of 35-17. Hoping for a miracle, I turned the car radio back on. When the game reached overtime, we were on the US-15 north of Harrisburg; reception was fading. Afraid of losing the signal, I stopped on a very small parking lot, leading down from the US-15 to the Susquehanna, until Christie's winning FG. Girlfriend thought I was crazy, but did not object. Since then, the parking lot disappeared when the US-15 was widened from two-lane to four-lane. The car, my first US car, an Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser station wagon is long gone. The then-girlfriend is now my wife; we recently had our 20th anniversary.

It is interesting to see how one player can influence the broadcast pattern. Half of Oklahoma gets to see the Browns, I assume just because of Mayfield. When can we expect the Bills to be on TV in Wyoming?

Similarities to Green Day - I prefer the Eureka Machines

IMHO, the best song from the best concert movie ever made:

As a bassoon player, your opportunities to play in a band are limited. Sometimes you get lucky - they might even take out a ceiling tile at the venue to accommodate your instrument.

No video, just audio, but unintentionally hilarious - The Shaggs. According to Frank Zappa, The Shaggs are "better than the Beatles".

Initially, it looks like your 60's girls' band; but then...

Elastica, one great album (the eponymous "Elastica") of catchy alt/rock/pop. They had a second album ("The Menace") several years later, which was far inferior. Here a live version of "Waking Up" with Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) having his fun on the keyboards.

Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl

The "setlist wiki" (https://www.setlist.fm/stats/concert-map/garth-brooks-1bd6b168.html) lists about 675 concerts for Garth Brooks. All but ~50 were in the US or Canada, and all but 17 were in English-speaking countries. Of the 17 in countries where English in not the main language, 15 occurred in a single tour in 1994/1995, although I read somewhere else that more concerts outside of the US and Canada are planned. Thus, Iron Maiden's point seems to be well-taken.

Did Orlando - San Antonio in 2005 with my then 5-year-old; two nights in reclining seats, but quite comfortable. We both enjoyed the trip tremendously. Through Louisiana, they had a ranger from the National Park Service in the lounge car who explained the history and nature of the area. Food in the dining car was fine, better that economy-class airline meals. I can confirm that as a party of two you are seated in the dining car with another party of two. Usually, I would have liked to avoid such a situation. However, with Daniel it was no problem; he was the darling of the old ladies on the train. The most memorable incident (especially considering that it occurred in the Deep South): A few rows ahead of us was a young mother (white) with a 3-4 year-old child. The kid made a mess throwing chips all over the place; it looked like a pigsty. The conductor (a ~50 year-old black gentleman) handed the mother a carpet roller, and she cleaned up the mess. I have to admit that I do not know if (a) he told her to clean up the mess, or (b) she asked for the roller and he gave it to her. (a) would be funnier, but (b) seems more likely.

Back in Germany in the 80s, I had a Honda CM400T, an HP-restricted (more than 27 HP put you in a completely different insurance bracket) "soft chopper". I loved that bike, and I used it for trips to Southern France and to Denmark. In general, Germany is much more motorcycle-friendly than the US. First, the roads are in better conditions; in Germany, they are aware that potholes that can be managed by a car can be detrimental on a motorcycle. Moreover, motorcycle owners are not automatically associated with "biker gangs", as it is sometimes the case here. Our (female) head technician in the Biochemistry department of the Medical University where I got my degree still rides a Moto Guzzi to work every day.

In Germany, TV was not as prevalent as in the US. We did not have a TV until 1968. However, from time to time I watched TV with a classmate who lived in the apartment above ours. My earliest memories: Flipper, dubbed in German; the title song is still recorded in my memory: "Wir lieben Flipper, Flipper, Freund aller Kinder, Grosse nicht minder, lieben auch ihn, den klugen Delfin." Translation: "We love Flipper, Flipper, friend of all kids, but he is also loved by adults, the smart dolphin." I should add that the Germans were/are masters in dubbing. Shows like "Get Smart" or "I Spy" (German title: "Mit Tennisschlaegern und Kanonen", translated "With Tennis Rackets and Guns") are actually often funnier in the German version than in the American/English original. And the German voice of John Wayne, Arnold Marquis, adds a depth to John Wayne's voice that the original lacks.

No, I think that Kim is truly thankful to Trump for talking to him person-to-person, and that is actually a positive development. But I also think that the Kim letter goes a bit overboard in Trump's praise, because NK knows that such a tone sits well with Trump.

And you are sure that the "your excellency" letter is meant seriously?

However, it is interesting to note that the "your excellency" letter was sent on July 6, while the gangster tactics accusations came up on July 7.

Of all the female Law & Order ADAs: Annie Parisse

Angie Harmon. Of all the female ADAs in Law & Order, I found her (by far) the most annoying.

The bracket has now become severely unbalanced. One finalist will come from a tough group consisting of two pre-World Cup favorites, Brazil and France, plus Belgium and Uruguay which are playing quite well, and Mexico and Japan. The other finalist will be either Russia, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland, England, or Colombia. England might have a good chance to emerge from the second group, but will have little chance in the final.