http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/ Societal Critic at Large: Scott Long en-us Mon, 12 May 2008 09:37:16 PST Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 PST support2007@baseballtoaster.com 60 http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/982498.html It's never the good old days in the present tense. Just like baby boomers pining for the golden days of Beatles, Stones, Hendrix and Dylan, my generation dreams of vintage Prince, remembers discovering R.E.M. and U2 before the arenas, and the rest of the greats of that generation. Over the past few years, music has seemed to lose itself as the business dropped off, causing some solid music to fall between the cracks and leaving artistry behind for artiface. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/982498.html Mon, 12 May 2008 09:37:16 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/981407.html Now here is your assignment. You have an Ipod that only holds 10 songs. These are the only 10 you can listen to for the next year. This is not a I have to be cool list. These are the only 10 songs you would hear for a whole year. These aren't the 10 greatest singles of all-time, just the 10 I would want to hear most right now. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/981407.html Sat, 10 May 2008 15:15:00 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/981273.html http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/981273.html Sat, 10 May 2008 07:36:00 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/980358.html In case you might have missed it, during a recent downturn some White Sox player(s) took slump busting to a different level. They put a couple of blow-up dolls in their visiting clubhouse in Toronto. Well, it was no big deal to the beat writers from Chicago, as they realize that it was a pretty harmless joke. I mean as long as Bobby Jenks didn't jump on one, who was it going to hurt? http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/980358.html Fri, 9 May 2008 09:37:00 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/979974.html Let's say I'm Walt Jocketty. I've got some World Series rings and a new job. I'm wondering, "hmm, how can I turn this thing around?" First, I might wonder if things are that bad. Yes, my minor league system's thin, but there's some help on the way. No, my major league team isn't playing up to potential, but there's not a really weak spot -- a significantly below average player -- on the starting roster. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/979974.html Thu, 8 May 2008 13:12:20 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/979651.html I will be headlining at Comedy Comedy located in the Walter Payton Roundhouse entertainment complex in Aurora, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. If you would like to get 2 for 1 tix for Thursday or Friday, email me at scott@scottlongonline.com http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/979651.html Thu, 8 May 2008 08:53:00 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/978934.html Roger Ebert is doing a blog. I didn't know until one of my favorite bloggers, John Gruber, mentioned it. The first post I read was the above link, riffing on a movie version of the primary season. Like much of Ebert's thoughts and writings, I found it brilliant. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/978934.html Wed, 7 May 2008 11:15:06 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/977993.html http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/977993.html Tue, 6 May 2008 19:45:46 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/976139.html Mark Twain famously said that "he never let his schooling get in the way of his education." A less known quote from the less impugned Clemens is that a "self-taught man seldom knows anything accurately." That's all changing through one of the most amazing and yet little known features introduced by a well-known company: iTunes U. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/976139.html Mon, 5 May 2008 12:33:35 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/975933.html * Costco had a three pound bag of New Guinea coffee and it's phenomenal. I'm a HUGE fan of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, but the quality has gone steadily downhill over the last decade. I'm not sure why, but at the same time, New Guinea has gone up. It's already similar - New Guinea's coffee stock came from Blue Mountain seeds - but the consistency and the variety have both been raised (which seems odd, that pair.) Peet's New Guinea is the class of the field, but any is darn good and a third or less of the cost of JBM. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/975933.html Mon, 5 May 2008 07:12:21 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/974602.html There was a time in the late 90's where the WWF (as it was then) had perfected the introduction. Hot, driving music that was instantly identifiable, whether it was the breaking glass of Steve Austin, the droning beat that led out the Undertaker, or any of Mick Foley's many iterations, with my favorite being the car-crash at the start of "Mankind"'s open. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/974602.html Sat, 3 May 2008 15:38:22 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/973692.html Recently I was booked to perform in a small Midwestern city which has had a serious economic downturn because of a loss of automotive-related plant closings. All the booking agent told me was that the one-night show would take place in a rowdy bar. Well, when I pulled up to the venue, I realized that the agent had failed to mention one thing. It was a strip joint. And don't think it was a Gentleman's Club. This was the kind of place where not even the owner referred to his employees as dancers or entertainers, they were strippers. Now as most of you realize, I am not a prude, so no big deal. This wasn't even my first titty bar rodeo, as early in my career I had set up a show at a more ritzy nudie club. My idea was to do an old-time burlesque show, with myself performing comedy in-between the girls. The show actually went really well, as many friends of mine who claimed they couldn't come out to see me before, somehow were able to make this show. I'm sure getting away for the night went something like this. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/973692.html Fri, 2 May 2008 15:12:00 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/971965.html (Will Carroll and I were working on pieces about the same subject and just before I decided to post this one, I noticed he had beat me to it. I suggest you read his offering that is below mine. Since he knows both the participants, he gives great insight. Mine is more of your typical blogger read and react. We don't have opposite views on the subject, but do have some differing points.) http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/971965.html Thu, 1 May 2008 07:50:00 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/972113.html Warning: Gratuitous Cursing! http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/972113.html Thu, 1 May 2008 07:20:00 PST http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/969889.html "America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between." - Oscar Wilde. http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/969889.html Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:34:44 PST