Monday, April 28, 2008

Vacation - YES!

I'm typing this message to you as a relaxed, rejuvenated blogger. Mr. COG and I just returned from our week vacation to the fine state of Tennessee. We spent time hiking the Smoky Mountains, driving the Mini on the Tail of the Dragon (Google it), and just hanging out.

I'm now on a trip for business, but will finally be home soon to get settled in. Mr. COG was left with the laundry basket and as a conselation prize, the remote control. I'm sure he'll be just fine without me for a few days...

Some of you may or may not know that I am a die-hard Pistons fan. As I was waiting for my (delayed) flight last night, I watched the first half of Game 4 with the Sixers. I thought for sure that Detroit had once again f**ked up, didn't show up, and was going to lose. Much to my surprise, I find out today that they actually won the game. For a team this good, why do they have to let the first round series go to 6 or 7 games? Two words: LA-ZY. Their sense of entitlement to a championship kills me every May/June. They won in 2004 b/c they had a ginormous chip on their collective shoulders, but haven't been able to replicate that fire since then. Mr. Billups (et al): No one is going to hand you dick shit. You need to work for it, and the talent pool has gone up considerately since last year. Don't be the team caught flat-footed and showing your age. This is going to be one of the last opportunities for you to capitilize on these 5 starters, so you damn well better put forth the effort. Your fans are tired of the laziness shown (I'm looking at you, Rasheed Wallace) and the lack of enthusiasm. Take a lesson from Antonio McDyess. The guy breaks his nose, flies to Detroit for surgery and is back in Philly for the next playoff game giving it his all. Antonio for MVP.

-COG

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Running Update

Hi there, faithful COG reader! Just a quick post tonight to update you on the progress of my back. Looks like the bone doctor has straightened me out (literally), so I've taken the first tentative baby steps to get back to running. Did a light jog for about 2 miles last night, and it felt great! Different, but great. I can tell that I'm using a slightly different set of muscles in my legs now that my hips have been corrected, so it is a bit of a struggle right now until I get back into shape. But I'm back on track! Have a drink to celebrate, and I'll post soon!


-K

Monday, April 07, 2008

I.O.C. is D.U.M.B.

Today's post is a rare political rant. I sometimes just can't, no matter how hard I try, ignore such gross negligence and act of stupidity that is the 2008 Summer Olympics. Let's count the blunders so far:

What item on China's application for Host City could have possibly convinced the IOC that this was a good idea? Was it their blatent neglect of the environment? ("Hey, that yellow smog brings a certain Je ne said quoi, non?) Or the human rights atrocities they've commited both against their own people and their enslaved peoples of Tibet? ("They're all a bunch of whiney babies") Or perhaps the fact that they haven't generated their own original ideas in hundreds of years, choosing instead to rip off well known designs and produce cheap knock-offs that are sold on street carts and at Wal Mart? (No snarky comment needed).

It has been reported that several runners are not participating in the games for fear that the air quality will cause health problems and affect their performance. I'm sure they won't be the last group of athletes that decide not to go, but I'm sure more will be boycotting for political reasons. Although running several miles through asthma inducing smog does sound pleasant, doesn't it?

The Chinese government is trying to spit-shine everything and everyone within a 50 mile radius of the Olympic stadiums. Daily practice for citizens include: how to stand in a line in an orderly fashion; having "no spitting" hours; teaching "western-style" manners for airline travel. Isn't going to a foriegn place mainly for the purpose of learning about a new culture? For God's sake, it is what it is. Just leave the poor (literally) people be themselves and the world might be charmed.

Now the Olympic torch won't even be able to complete it's world tour because of protests. In Paris, the torch carriers were attacked and had to complete the route on a bus. In San Francisco, imaginative and intrepid protestors actually scaled the suspension cables on the Golden Gate Bridge to hang "Free Tibet" signs that could be viewed for miles. I say, way to go! Not so much on the Paris attacks, but the spirit of the protest in general.

Why celebrate a nation with that kind of human rights track record? And environmental impact? Are the 2014 Winter Games being held in North Korea? Or the Summer 2012 Games in Somalia? Way to go, IOC. You've outdone yourselves on this one...

-K