I see the news of the gubernatorial birthday cake hit the comments. As I’ve said before, there’s a lot here I can’t talk about, but I think it’s safe to observe that the governor is said to have not one but two crisis PR firms working on the handling of this story. I think he should consider stopping payment on the check.
Also, last week Bridge published a rather extraordinary piece, which may be of interest to you completists, i.e., the full, 31,000-word document dump of e-mail and contemporaneous news clips of the Flint disaster, presented in a timeline. Especially as you get into the summer of 2015, you really get a sense of various state agencies crashing into one another, while the truth and scope of the disaster finally, finally begins to sink in. It’s terrifying, in its own way.
Anyway, everybody’s writing about Flint. Here’s a version of the same story — a feature on a Flint hero — done two different ways. The good way, and the other way. I have a hard time with a chirpy story about a “star” doctor, no matter how heroic her actions, that makes it sound as though, in the end, this will turn out to be a super career move for her. She’s undeniably a good guy, but let’s not forget who lies at the bottom of this disaster – kids with lifelong brain damage. I actually agree with the conservative ed-page editor at the Detroit News, who writes:
We are months into the awareness that the city’s water system carried lead into residents, and still there has not been a summit of local, state and federal officials to unite behind a fix-it strategy. What’s been going on is an embarrassment, and has additionally damaged a state whose reputation is built on pure, abundant water. That isn’t helping the people of Flint.
How was your weekend? We’ve got hints of spring in every breeze, although of course it’s way too early. I actually had some down time to just read and chill, and now I’m watching the Super Bowl. This will be my first football game since… the last Super Bowl, I guess. How long has giving oxygen to players on the bench been s.o.p. in the NFL? Also, let’s just give Beyonce a five-year contract on halftime and leave the whey-faced Brits to the World Cup or something, OK? She’s awesome.
Whoever made the crack about her thighs? SIT DOWN.
Monday awaits. That’s all I can say about it now. So have yourself a Monday.
Brandon said on February 8, 2016 at 1:09 am
Bruno Mars. And bring back Madonna.
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Dexter said on February 8, 2016 at 1:28 am
Chris Martin tried but…when Bruno Mars and his entourage appeared I began smiling and grinning as I watched in awe as he shook the house…my gawd, what a talent. And then came Beyonce, one garter strap (or whatever you call it) and began her performance that instantly made me forget about the first bad camera angle that made her appear to have over-size legs. Yeah, man…she just gets better and better with time. Outstanding, and didn’t ya have to laugh when Chris Martin sort of began to low-crawl in between Bruno and Beyonce to join them as the halftime act ended? I never thought I’d see a better halftime show than Prince in Florida, when as he began to perform Purple Rain it started raining, perfect timing. Peyton Manning won that night as well, just a different team. I hate Jim Irsay and his Colts and I hate Denver and I am sick of Peyton Manning, who played badly (tying the SuperBowl record with 10 unsuccessful third down plays) but thanks to a defense that shredded Carolina’s attack, won his second SuperBowl.
I did have a massive plate of honey-BBQ wings, some really good baked beans, macaroni salad and some Vernor’s ginger soda. I went off my candy-avoidance plan and had a Milky Way bar for dessert. Just like the first time, the very first time…because chocolate tastes better after a lengthy absence.
I guess the Jeff Goldblum “Apartments dot com” commercial was my fave but the weirdest was Helen Mirren sitting in a high class bar (I guess), with a giant burger and a he-man portion of fries on a plate in front of her in a booth,bottle of Budweiser on the side. She then goes into a rant worthy of a pro wrestler, berating drivers who get behind the wheel drunk. I would say the burger was as large as her head and the fries could feed three hungry drunks.
My neighbor Mike died Tuesday at age 51…had a seizure, brain-dead Friday, when the plug was pulled. I have posted before about the weird neighbors I have had here the past 35 years. Mike was a good one, no stories about him, just a straight-shooter all the way around
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Joe K said on February 8, 2016 at 2:36 am
Just said they were big, not bad.
Cheers from Memphis.
Pilot Joe
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Deborah said on February 8, 2016 at 5:45 am
Wow, Nancy! I just finished reading the timeline about the Flint water crisis compiled by Bridge, it took me 3 hours, but was riveting throughout. That must have taken a huge amount of work to put together. How many people worked on it?
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Julie Robinson said on February 8, 2016 at 5:55 am
I dunno…guess I’d feel better about her message if she delivered it without the twerking. YMMV.
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ROGirl said on February 8, 2016 at 6:02 am
Prince playing in a thunderstorm was awesome.
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Suzanne said on February 8, 2016 at 6:32 am
I sort of watched the game while reading Twitter. I see this morning that people noticed that Eli Manning seemed less than excited for his brother. Maybe he’s like me in that I think Peyton is a good football player and all that, but I am so tired of hearing how his crap doesn’t stink and he’s one step from sitting at the right hand of God. Yes, he gave millions to Riley hospital but I have a hard time convincing people that a big donation like that brings wonderful PR and a huge tax deduction.
And Downton Abbey was kind of boring last night, too.
Happy Monday!
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Connie said on February 8, 2016 at 6:45 am
So did the bakery owner reveal the cake and the customer? And will she get any future business from people who value their privacy?
I had the game on but didn’t pay much attention. Best ad? Local ad for Art Van Furniture. One of the Vans is standing in front of the commercial they meant to run, then begins showing pictures of Art Van stores across the state filling up with water donations and trucks full of bottled water heading to Flint, then announced an expansion of water collections to their out of state stores.
I have a seminar at the Flint Public Library on Thursday.
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Kirk said on February 8, 2016 at 8:32 am
Sideline oxygen is not new, but it was weird to see a Denver player huffing it in California, rather than any visiting player getting some in Denver.
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Heather said on February 8, 2016 at 9:03 am
Joe, you said her legs looks like they belong on a linebacker, which is hardly a neutral observation.
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Kristen said on February 8, 2016 at 9:09 am
I’m with you Julie. When songs/”messages” are delivered by gyrating/twerking ladies clad in leotards, I don’t know…
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Icarus said on February 8, 2016 at 9:09 am
I wanted Payton to lose because he beat the Bears 9 years ago. And it seems it was really the Broncos Defense moreso than the QB that won the game.
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nancy said on February 8, 2016 at 9:48 am
If you read the link, the baker explains that she didn’t know the customer until she arrived to deliver and assemble the cake. Then she looked around, and the gov was in all the family photos on display, and she either figured it out or someone told her. Why no one peeled off a few C-notes and had her sign a non-disclosure agreement, I seriously don’t know. That seems like Crisis PR 101.
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Connie said on February 8, 2016 at 9:59 am
I wonder who she talked to, and whether she wanted to get her cake in the news for pr for her, or for bad pr for snyder.
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Danny said on February 8, 2016 at 10:29 am
Perhaps the term that best applies to Beyoncé is borrowed from nuclear physics. Or in this case physiques. She is at critical mass and if she doesn’t watch it, she’s gonna really blow up.
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nancy said on February 8, 2016 at 10:35 am
I ran out of fingers and toes to count the inaccuracies in this astoundingly dim-witted column about Flint in my alma mater. It’s too depressing to leave a comment.
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Deborah said on February 8, 2016 at 10:47 am
Oh leave a comment, Nancy. Please leave a comment. And Brian and Alex should leave comments too.
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alex said on February 8, 2016 at 10:47 am
Is twerking really all that different from what chorus lines have been doing since forever?
Pardon me, but the objections to twerking remind me of watching 1960s variety shows with my grandmother, who didn’t cover my eyes or change the channel, but always tsk-tsked out loud about dancing girls gyrating and thrusting in a sexually suggestive manner, which was pretty much the standard accompaniment to any musical performance. It might have been a little more teasy and a little less sleazy but only because the outfits weren’t cut to expose so much ass cheek.
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Joe K said on February 8, 2016 at 10:52 am
Heather,
Take it as the compliment that it was meant to be. A strong healthy athletic female is way better than a bird seed eating, size 0 Hollywood scarecrow.
Pilot Joe
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Joe K said on February 8, 2016 at 10:53 am
Sorry skeleton not scarecrow.
Pilot Joe
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alex said on February 8, 2016 at 11:01 am
Deborah, all I need to see are the words “Indiana Policy Review” next to a byline and I know I’m in for a read that would be worthy of the Onion if only it were better written. I swear, all of the people who were too kooky to get their letters printed on the editorial pages of serious newspapers must have gotten together and started their own rag.
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alex said on February 8, 2016 at 11:03 am
Yeah, we should put Cher Bono and Walmart in charge of the whole nation’s water supply. Free market [thumps chest].
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adrianne said on February 8, 2016 at 11:29 am
Bey was great! Game was fairly boring – that’s what you get with overwhelming defense – but Cam shouldn’t have sulked so much afterward. He looked churlish.
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brian stouder said on February 8, 2016 at 11:52 am
The stupidest thing I’ve read today leaves the News-Sentinel’s drone in the shade.
To wit:
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/02/08/beyonce-references-black-panther-party-at-super-bowl-halftime-show/?intcmp=hpbt4
the lead:
Beyoncé and her bouncing bandolier of bullets stirred things up during the Super Bowl halftime show — with two dozen black beret- and Afro-topped backup dancers paying tribute to a different kind of Panther.
Huh? What?
The story makes all sorts of claims, which presumably I’m much too dense to have seen:
Still, the star herself seemed intent on bringing some amount of empowerment politics to her own performance. At one point, her dancers formed an X on the field, an apparent reference to Malcolm X.
Apparent? Really?
But indeed, the article cites many sources… from the twitter-ers across the country.
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john (not mccain) said on February 8, 2016 at 12:28 pm
Somebody go call your wife a “linebacker” and report back on the results of the compliment.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on February 8, 2016 at 1:07 pm
Boston Globe analysis on campaign spending makes me shake my head: Jeb! has spent $3,500,000 on TV ads to NH, while anchored in 4th place (which he’s sharing), while Trump has barely cracked $400,000. The whole question of campaign funding, and spending, and what makes what happen — I’m not getting it.
That birthday cake should, justifiably, be political poison for Snyder (yes, it’s for his wife, but c’mon, we know how the game is played). If Hillary was known to have bought such a consumeresque assemblage for Chelsea’s fête, it would erupt on her big time.
But it will probably fester for a few days, burst, and vanish leaving a faint odor in the air, but nothing more. From Trump to Ted Cruz to Bernie Sanders to Norm MacDonald out as Colonel Sanders, I just don’t get it. [puts on “Old Fart” hat, walks out to buy a print newspaper…]
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Connie said on February 8, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Claims are being made by more than just Fox: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/beyonc-s-politically-charged-super-bowl-halftime-performance-n513621?cid=sm_fb
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Jeff Borden said on February 8, 2016 at 1:25 pm
I’m not sure why, but Fox News and its talking heads are absolutely obsessed with Beyonce and Jay-Z. The lily white crank from Long Island, Bill O’Lielly, is a particularly frequent commenter, frequently blaming this incredibly successful couple for the ills of black America.
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Connie said on February 8, 2016 at 1:49 pm
Giuliani: Beyoncé’s Super Bowl Performance Was ‘Attack’ On Cops. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/giuliani-beyonce-super-bowl
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Sue said on February 8, 2016 at 1:53 pm
I read about the black panthers/black lives matter thing in the Guardian, and apparently there is some substance to it, although maybe more with the dancers than with Beyoncé, she didn’t pose afterwards with raised fist, as far as I know. Also apparently there was a gay rainbow at the end of the performance. It all went over my head. The only thing Beyoncé’s performance reminded me of was a kinda/sorta recycling of the single lady dance.
The most annoying thing to me was post-game when Peyton had to kiss Mr. I’ll-fire-my-employees-before-I-give-them-access-to-health-care pizza guy, the one who every time I turn around is paying another football player to costar with Peyton in his endless commercials.
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Connie said on February 8, 2016 at 2:11 pm
I saw a picture, it was orange, yellow and blue, how that makes a rainbow, ??????
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Sherri said on February 8, 2016 at 2:24 pm
Peyton also made a point of telling us (twice!) that he was going to drink a lot of Budweiser beer. Active players can’t endorse alcohol, but Peyton owns some Anheuser-Busch distributers (and some Papa John’s franchises).
Meanwhile, vague written threats left in bathrooms have officially become a thing here. I mentioned last week that two high schools were closed Friday because of threats left in bathrooms. Friday night, the local movie theater was evacuated and shut down for the night because of a bomb threat discovered in the bathroom. This morning, the nearby middle school is on lockdown and the police are searching the school because of a threat left in a bathroom, and there are rumors of another threat at the STEM high school. Mid-winter break comes up Thursday, so one can only hope that the kids will get this prank out of their system over their break.
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brian stouder said on February 8, 2016 at 4:30 pm
I remember, back in the old days, there was talk of folks calling in a bomb threat, in order to get school closed down (maybe to avoid a test, or whatever) – which sounds almost quaint, nowadays.
The one time I got to see Pearl Jam, Eddie opened the show with a dead-pan announcement that a bomb-threat had been called in, and anyone who wanted to could leave the venue…and we all laughed uproariously, and then they began the show.
It seemed to be an anachronism even then, and that 10 or 15 years ago. If some radicalized SOB was really going to do this sort of thing anymore, they just do it…but on the other hand, if you’re the one charged with safety and security of thousands of school children, you cannot disregard this sort of thing.
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Joe K said on February 8, 2016 at 5:01 pm
John@25
Go back and read what I wrote, never called her a linebacker, just said her legs looked like they belonged on one, and after going thru breast cancer 2 mastectomys, 2 knee replacements, and foot surgery that required 68 stiches I’m happy as hell to call my wife a linebacker, because she has faced it all head on with no complaints or pity, showing strength like a linebacker. Hell yes give me a gal with guns like the proprietress of this blog,over some skelator.
Pilot Joe
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on February 8, 2016 at 5:45 pm
I can’t help it — after this past weekend’s production of “The Return of the Pink Panther,” with a truly talented young man in the Clouseau role (who is Harvard bound in August, no less), I can’t read that without thinking “a beoumb? what is a beoumb?”
And do you have a massage for me, anyone? No need to thank me.
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Danny said on February 8, 2016 at 5:59 pm
“I thought you said your doogie did not bite!”
“Nit my doog.”
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Dexter said on February 9, 2016 at 12:17 am
“DO you have a phee-ooo-un?”
That Manning family is close. When Eli won his last Super Bowl, Peyton was in the VIP box with the kids and wives and Archie, and Peyton was wearing a Giants jersey. So much has been said about the actions and facial expressions of those people, especially of Cooper and Eli. Here’s what it was all about: they were fearful Peyton would get hurt; they just wanted the game to end and Peyton to be safe. Peyton played awfully bad, but the Denver #1 defense allowed him to be the winning QB. Last year, a defensive guy named Butler won the game for New England as Brady sat on the bench, all dejected, until that interception. But Brady was the winner. (and Tom gave Butler the car Brady had won). I can’t stand this crass Peyton Manning, vowing to kiss his wife and drain beaucoup Budweisers, then bee-lining towards Papa John and kissing HIM instead…what a couple creeps. Papa John is the man who owns that pizza franchise. Manning owns about twenty of the stores. And yes, Peyton owns at least two AB distributorships. And I bet he didn’t even uncork one bottle or can of Budweiser…he just was paid to say that.
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Suzanne said on February 9, 2016 at 7:15 am
I’m reading about all the flack Cam Newton has gotten for walking out of the post game press conference. But people (esp Colts fans) forget that when the Saints beat Manning in 2010, he left the sidelines before the end of the game to avoid the post-game handshake. But, Manning is verging on canonization, so that is irrelevant I guess.
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Danny said on February 9, 2016 at 8:49 am
Yeah, plus if you listen to the video right before Newton left, you can clearly here an interview within his earshot of a triumphant Broncos player or coach explaining how they shut down Carolina’s offence. That was the NFL’s bad. Understandable why the young man had had enough.
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Sue said on February 9, 2016 at 9:19 am
A belated thought – who let the Papa John guy on the field to begin with? What was he doing there?
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Connie said on February 9, 2016 at 10:41 am
Papa John’s is a major NFL sponsor.
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Danny said on February 9, 2016 at 11:05 am
Peyton apparently forgot (twice!) to tell everyone that he also planned to eat a lot of Papa Johns’ pizza and check in with his Nationwide insurance agent.
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LAMary said on February 9, 2016 at 11:57 am
The Papa John guy also said that if Obama Care ever passed he would have to lay off a lot of his employees because he couldn’t afford them any more.
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Brandon said on February 9, 2016 at 12:31 pm
@Suzanne, #38:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/02/08/manning-wayne-skipped-post-game-handshakes/
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Connie said on February 9, 2016 at 1:27 pm
http://whatwouldjackdo.net/2016/02/hammers-and-nails-when-youre-a-homophobe-everything-looks-like-its-supporting-homosexuality.html The photo of the sooprbowl lights that rightwingers says is all about the gay agenda. I don’t see a rainbow. Do you see a rainbow?
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brian stouder said on February 9, 2016 at 2:12 pm
No, but it’s colorful, and it says something about ‘love’ – and it’s on the ‘left coast’….and anyway, go Donald Trump!! and the NFL is run by a PU**Y (as The Donald would say)
and we don’t like no stinkin’ beautiful blonde women who get all uppity and ask intelligent questions and think that they should get an answer!
They start bleedin’ from all sorts a places – and Roger Ailes is a PU**Y, too!!
etc.
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Dexter said on February 9, 2016 at 2:20 pm
The irony of it that while Little Caesars five dollar pizzas smell really bad and are nigh-impossible to choke down, and Pizza Hut pizzas are better but not that good, Papa John’s pizzas are really fucking good. People in places where they can get coal-fired oven-baked pizzas or mom-and-pop delicious pizzeria pies smirk at Papa John’s but around here, it’s worth it to drive the 45 miles r/t to Defiance to grab a Papa John’s pie.
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Deborah said on February 9, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Make your own pizzas with dough from your local Trader Joe’s or other stores. In TJ’s the dough is found where the prepared salads and sandwiches are for some reason. You just roll out the dough after you let it sit at room temp for a bit and top it with whatever you like. Best pizza I ever had.
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MichaelG said on February 9, 2016 at 2:42 pm
Wow, Dexter. 45 miles for a pizza. Aren’t there any good local pizza places?
Cam Newton is a classic bully. He can dish it out but he can’t take it. If he can spend all that time after a game laughing and going on about how great he is etc., he can show a little humility when he’s been beaten. Screw Cam Newton. He’s a no class jerk. Quit making excuses for him. It’s time for him to grow up.
And piss on Peyton too for the beer and pizza stunts. It’s time for him to go. But I’m not sure that the sad Denver offensive performance isn’t more down to piss poor play design and piss poor play calling by the Denver bench than any flaws of Manning’s. Wade Phillips deserves a lot of credit.
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Jakash said on February 9, 2016 at 2:48 pm
Given that this was only the second NFL game I watched this year and that I have no emotional investment in anybody involved, I was actually rooting pretty hard for Denver ’cause I thought it would be a swell finish for Peyton. Little did I realize that he was so tight with Papa John, the Darth Vader of the pizza wars. Or that he would so egregiously shill for Budweiser to celebrate his victory. It’s really pretty amazing that Manning got his second Super Bowl win via such a lousy individual performance, regardless. The least yards ever gained by a winning team’s offense, etc. Seems to me that ANY NFL quarterback with the poise to not throw interceptions under pressure would have “won” that game. An interesting comparison of Manning’s passing stats vs. his boss John Elway’s from HIS first SB win, though:
Peyton Manning: 13/23, 141 yards, 0/1 TD/INT
John Elway in SB XXXII win over GB: 12/22, 123 yards, 0/1 TD/INT
Whatevs…
That video clip of the Manning family in the skybox referred to by Dexter (#37) is being studied by folks like the Zapruder film. If, as you suggest, Dexter, they just wanted “Peyton to be safe” you’d think Eli would have been delighted that that touchdown pretty well ensured that Peyton wouldn’t have to be engineering any more drives. I dunno, I’ve seen a lot of comments to the effect that Eli and his dad, as NFL veterans, themselves, were just maintaining “game faces” because they realized “it ain’t over ’til it’s over.” It still seemed pretty weird to me.
And Deborah, please! A Chicagoan extolling the virtues of pizza via Trader Joe’s? I hope that’s only when you’re in “the land of enchantment.” ; )
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brian stouder said on February 9, 2016 at 2:56 pm
What MichaelG said!
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nancy said on February 9, 2016 at 2:58 pm
This all reminds me of when one of the Indy 500 winners — the Brazilian guy whose name escapes me — turned down the traditional winner’s bottle of cold milk not once, but three times, in favor of orange juice. Turned out he owned many acres of orange groves in South America. From the blowback, you’d have thought he told Miss Indiana her tits were too small.
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Sherri said on February 9, 2016 at 3:11 pm
There’s only so much you can do with play calling when your QB can’t throw the ball with any accuracy or zip more than about 10 yards. Peyton was a terrible QB this year, and now rivals Trent Dilfer for the worst QB performance to win a Super Bowl.
Peyton is a HOF QB, no doubt about it, but he was selected for canonization before he even entered the league, because he “does things the right way”, i.e. the way old white sportswriters like it. He stayed in college all four years, rather than come out the first year he was eligible. He is a QB savant, famously studying film all the time, first in the building and last to leave. He “makes his teammates better”, by “demanding more from them and holding them to a higher standard” (in other words – he yells at them when they screw up, which you can see on the sidelines in games.) He’s stoic in victory and defeat, meeting that Anglophile standard of sportsmanship from the turn of last century when sport was only for the nobility, not the working man. And he’s self-deprecating in his commercials, and always talks to sportswriters, which is easy since they were primed to like him since he was Archie’s son.
He gets excused for failing to shake Drew Brees’ hand, because he’s so intense a competitor. And you very seldom hear about how he sexually assaulted a trainer when he was in college. And the HGH allegations have produced more criticism of Al Jazeera than any critical examination of whether it’s possible that Peyton just might have possibly resorted to some extra help to come back from four neck surgeries when he was 35.
Russell Wilson pretty much does do the Peyton Manning stoic thing, but without the yelling at teammates, and he gets criticized as “fake”, “robotic”, “not black enough”. Cam Newton has been a lightening rod since he came into the league; he’s hardly the first QB to walk out of a press conference. Aaron Rodgers can get pretty testy with the press, but he’s never criticized for it. If Cam were a white QB, he’d be excused as a passionate competitor.
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brian stouder said on February 9, 2016 at 3:21 pm
Emmerson Fitipaldi – who I always liked.
I actually hadn’t realized (until then) that the American Dairy Association (or whoever) paid into the prize fund for that traditional milk gulp.
So to that extent, it just showed how poorly run the event was – if an integral part of the post-race ceremony was sold off, but the competitors didn’t do their bit.
Bernie Eccelstone of Formula One is a Class-1 jerk…but he runs a tight ship (or racket!)
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Deborah said on February 9, 2016 at 4:28 pm
I hear you MichaelG, but honestly the pizza I’ve had in Chicago hasn’t been nearly as good as the places I remember going to as a kid growing up in Miami. They were owned and operated by Italian families. There were 2 within walking distance of our house, they were modest places but the food was amazing. Also we had Italian neighbors who made amazing food too. All homemade, nothing but the best. So maybe the dough comes from TJs but the rest is up to the cook. Fresh ingredients and as much or as little cheese as you like. I should try to make the dough myself from scratch but I’m too lazy and the stuff I get is so good I don’t see a need. It’s not dough that is already cooked that you add toppings to, it’s raw dough that you have to roll out and form, but it’s easy and delicious. They also have it at Whole Foods, but the TJs stuff is better.
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MichaelG said on February 9, 2016 at 4:30 pm
The point about Newton was that he’s so happy to laugh and brag and carry on when he wins but turns into a sullen, disappearing kid when he loses. As I said, he’s a bully who can dish it out but can’t take it. Are you telling me that, because he’s black, I shouldn’t criticize him?
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Sherri said on February 9, 2016 at 4:44 pm
Peyton did not get paid to say Budweiser in his post-game remarks. He owns some distributorships, but players can not endorse alcohol, because I guess it would send the wrong message to the kids or something. The NFL, on the other hand, has a $250 million/year deal with Anheuser Busch InBev making Bud Light the official beer of the NFL.
Anything you see on an NFL broadcast has been bought, from the (Bose) headphones the coaches wear, to the (Nike) uniforms and sideline gear, to the (Gatorade) drinks on the sideline, to the (Microsoft Surface) tablets the teams are using to view plays. The stadium has almost always been built with a healthy chunk of taxpayer money, while the team is reaping most of the revenues from the ridiculously overpriced concessions and parking. The cities will be paying off the bonds for the stadium long after the team has left or demanded a new stadium; St. Louis and Missouri still owe $152 million on the Edward Jones Dome while the Rams will start playing in Los Angeles next season. The bonds on the Kingdome in Seattle were paid off 15 years after it was demolished (and taxpayers funded a new stadium for the Seahawks, owned by the richest owner in the NFL, Paul Allen).
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Julie Robinson said on February 9, 2016 at 4:58 pm
We prefer our own pizza too. I make the dough in the breadmaker, use half and freeze the rest for the next time. Buy sausage in bulk, fry it up, freeze it in bags for each pizza; also pre-bag and freeze the mozzarella from the monster bags at Costco. Other ingredients as we like, then it’s just a matter of popping it on the pizza stone and boy is it good.
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MarkH said on February 9, 2016 at 5:18 pm
Emerson Fittipaldi won the 500 twice, ’89 and ’93, and drank the OJ only once, in ’93. That surprise move at the finish was enough to put the kabosh on downing anything other than milk, such was the outrage from the purists, which persists against Emmo to this day.
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brian stouder said on February 9, 2016 at 5:38 pm
Pam and I were in the stands at Michigan International Speedway for the Michigan-500 in 1996, and Emmo touched wheels with my all-time favorite driver, Greg Moore – who was still alive then – (!) and Emmo went into the wall very hard.
They helicoptered Emmo out, and I thought he was dead. He’d broken his back, and his career was over, justlikethat.
A couple years later, on Halloween, if memory serves, Moore had a terrible crash on the back-stretch of the MIS’s sister track in California (Fontana) – and he was dead, justlikethat.
I still follow F1, but I’ve pretty much fallen away from American open-wheel
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Joe K said on February 9, 2016 at 5:39 pm
But Emerson was also leading the 94 Indy 500 and had the field covered, and hit the wall, just lost it, many old timers claimed it was a curse from refusing to drink the milk.
Pilot Joe
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MarkH said on February 9, 2016 at 5:42 pm
CLARIFICATION: Fittipaldi did indeed refuse the milk repeatedly in the ’93 winner’s circle, pushing the bottle aside. I thought Nancy’s reference was to refusal of the milk at repeated wins of the race. Still, no one expected it and rage ensues to this day.
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brian stouder said on February 9, 2016 at 5:48 pm
Mark/Joe – the Emmo ‘no milk’ thing caught the attention of my father in law, who pays no attention to racing, and who is a salt-of-the-earth, hard working self-employed Hoosier livestock hauler.
That’s when I knew Emmo had made a huge mistake
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alex said on February 9, 2016 at 5:57 pm
Yum, all this talk about pizza. I’ve become a fan of thin, light gourmet pies and wouldn’t miss Chicago-style pizza if I never had it again. It’s overrated. Never fails to leave me bloated and constipated. I don’t understand why anyone likes it. Same goes for hot dogs. I always think of it as the slop people reward you with after they’ve suckered you into a painting party or helping them move.
Tonight going out for a Fat Tuesday feast. One of our fave places is advertising oysters, crawfish, shrimp, jambalaya, etoufee, etc., and we’re gonna go pig out and listen to live music.
I could develop quite a pizza habit with the right tools. Is it worth investing in a marble dough prep surface and marble rolling pin? I could see coming home, taking some fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden, or maybe some kalamata olives and gorgonzola, or whatever’s in the fridge. The possibilities seem endless.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on February 9, 2016 at 6:13 pm
A beautiful and blessed Lent to you all (after Mardi Gras is over, of course); I’m downshifting my posting and commenting and tweeting and such through March 24, but I’ll still read a couple days a week. Grace and peace and an early spring be yours!
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brian stouder said on February 9, 2016 at 6:19 pm
Jeff – grace and peace and strength to you and yours, too!
And – here’s hoping your buckeye governor does well this evening
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Deborah said on February 9, 2016 at 6:22 pm
I miss the paczaki in Chicago, I’ve tried to buy it in Santa Fe, but can’t find it. One place online says they have it but once we got there they didn’t and had never even heard of it.
Sherri, my husband designed the Edward Jones dome in St. Louis. It’s connected to the convention center which he also designed. I can tell you that dome is a down and dirty building, the construction budget was really low for that kind of building. Walter Payton told my husband to pay attention to the acoustics which he did. When the Stones played there for the Bridges to Babylon show they recorded there for their cd because the acustics were so good. I probably told that story here before.
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David C. said on February 9, 2016 at 6:27 pm
Never been a fan of Chicago style pizza. I’ve heard it called lasagna with a crust, or ketchup in a bread bowl. Both sound about right to me. It’s too damned messy and impossible to grab with your hand and shove it in your maw which is the point of pizza.
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Suzanne said on February 9, 2016 at 6:51 pm
Sherri @ 53. I never heard the story about Manning sexually assaulting a woman (but I’d be interested), but I do know that a co-worker’s son who lives in Indy has told his mom that he’d seen old Payton out with “the ladies” on occasion (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). I don’t say he doesn’t work hard, and is talented, but he started up at the top. He had genetics, money, his father’s legacy and guidance, knowledge of how the NFL works, all in his favor. He never had to fight his way up the scrap heap just to get started. He was already up at the top of the heap.
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Jolene said on February 9, 2016 at 7:10 pm
Suzanne, here’s the story of Manning’s sexual assault. I don’t follow football, so don’t know more about it. This happened to pop up in my newsfeed yesterday.
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Jakash said on February 9, 2016 at 7:24 pm
Yeah, I kinda figured mentioning Chicago pizza would elicit some nay-saying. To each one’s own. If somebody doesn’t like deep dish, I’m sure not going to try to change their mind, though ruling out a dining option because it might require a knife and fork seems a tad dogmatic, IMHO. I love pretty much all pizza. Thin-crust NY-style, brick-oven, deep dish, stuffed — bring it on. Though Chicago is known for deep dish, there’s plenty of any version to be found here, including lots of mom and pop places like Deborah referred to. Not that I’m above eating chain crap if that’s all that’s available, either. But really — “lasagna with a crust”? That’s a criticism? Sounds tasty to me! : )
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Jolene said on February 9, 2016 at 9:27 pm
I’m with you, Jakash. It’s been many years since I left Chicago, but I remember clearly the wonderfulness of Giordano’s pizza, then on Howard and in Evanston. Yum!
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LAMary said on February 9, 2016 at 9:34 pm
If we’re talking sacrilegious Trader Joes pizza you should try making a pizza using the big rectangular flatbread they sell. Shredded cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, some onions, olive oil, some herbs and a hot oven. Far better than you think it’s going to be.
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Sherri said on February 9, 2016 at 9:36 pm
Cam Newton’s real sin – he didn’t follow the script: http://mynorthwest.com/292/2909638/Condemnation-of-Cam-Newtons-postgame-behavior-misses-the-point
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