Friday, October 31, 2003
Thursday, October 30, 2003
Fulmer Rumors
Calm down, move along....nothing to see here...The big bad rumor that UT Coach Phil Fulmer was resigning today at a 4:15 Press Conference due to personal scandal had more hot air in it than under a Brodie Crowell pass. It was an update on ill player Chuck Pugue.
Everyone continue breathing, and resume your normal lives.
And to those who started the rumor, which apparently flew fast and furious all over the South today - pppppptttttttthhhhh!!!!! Jerks.
UPDATE: The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that UT AD Mike Hamilton has gotten wind of this rumor and issued a statement:
"Over the last several days, and even more prevalent today, there have been a number of rumors indicating that Phillip Fulmer would be resigning as head football coach in a press conference to be held Thursday, Oct. 30.Now, of course, the rumor barons will a) pass this off as the classic "vote of confidence" from the owner before the coach is given the boot, or b) be assured that Fulmer chickened out on the announcement and will either stick it out or do it at a later date. Neither is correct, of course, but their "sources" will continue to provide "inside" information "straight from the Athletic Department". One wag I noticed online got their information straight from their wife, who (let's see if I get this straight) works with Fulmer's daughter-in-law and contacted the Athletic Dept. for more information. Another was told by a prominent -- PROMINENT, I TELL YOU! -- athletic department contributor that he should be in front of a TV around 4:15 for the big announcement.
"Obviously, those rumors have no sound basis. Coach Fulmer in no way has indicated any intention of resigning his position. Credence appeared to be given to such rumors because of a special media opportunity held Thursday regarding Chuck Prugh and his first meeting with the football team following his acute illness.
"Dr. (Joe) Johnson (interim UT president) and I have the utmost confidence in Coach Fulmer's leadership and we step forward at this time to dispel any misinformation you may have heard about his leaving the University of Tennessee.''
Right.
These so-called "sources" are never right, because most of the time they either don't exist, have bad information themselves, or are pulling someone's leg.
So remember, your "sources" may not always be correct - be patient, and the real story will likely come out in the end.
After all, it only took 40 years for this to finally be laid to rest...
Volunteer Tailgate Party - Vol. XIV
Tommy of Big Stupid Tommy is hosting the latest Volunteer Tailgate Party, a bi-weekly compilation of the best and brightest blatherings of the Rocky Top Brigade.This week he's featured the cast and crew of the RTB in his version of his favorite television-inspired holiday family party, Festivus.
Tennesee Theatre Association 2003 Conference - Part 1
First some definitions:
The Tennessee Theatre Association is Tennessee's official advocacy and informational organization for the theatrical arts. All state colleges/universities, secondary schools and community theatres are invited to join and participate. TTA presents an annual conference that brings together these groups from all around the state to perform, audition, attend workshops, and network with like professionals and amateurs from all levels of the art.
I have a BA in Theatre from the University of Tennessee, and as long-time visitors to the Inn know I still participate in theatre activies in East Tennessee, mostly at the Oak Ridge Playhouse. I'm a director, musical director and actor primarily though I have dabbled in accompanying and sound design. I love theatre, and I love drama in many forms. If you've never attended a play or haven't in a long time it's an experience that will stay with you for a long time - frequently longer than your average movie-going experience.
For a long time I've wanted to be more involved than just the hobby level - I do have a degree in it, after all - but work and family responsibilities have not allowed me to do more than one of maybe two shows a year. A good friend of mine who lives in Knoxville is the president-elect of TTA, and in the course of conversations he offered me the chance to design the TTA website. I agreed, and in the course of designing the site I realized that the organization was a perfect way to become more involved in the theatre business without sacrificing a lot of my already small but extremely valuable free time. He mentioned that there was an opening on the Board of Directors for an East Tennessee Representative - basically someone who keeps in touch with the various theatrical groups in East Tennessee, and serves as their liason, advocate and communicator to and from the organization. I jumped at the chance, and began serving a two-year term back in the summer.
The Conference is the highlight of the year for the Association, and most of the annual activities and plans are based on this conference. As I said before, there are competitions, auditions, and an atmosphere of networking and fellowship among people who love theatre and the theatrical arts. This year the conference was held in Clarksville, TN on the campus of Austin Peay University.
My friend, Les and I left last Wednesday afternoon (the 22nd) and drove straight out there. There were a few early birds that arrived early like us - the Conference didn't officially start until the next day - and we spent the evening having dinner and getting ready for the big weekend.
Our hotel was the Quality Inn. Um, an interesting place - some of the hallway floors weren't level, apparently due to some sinkholes, or perhaps the San Madrid fault, I'm not certain, but we would walk up a rise, then down a slope, then lean to the left, then the right...well, you get the picture. It was all the fun of walking drunk, but none of the hangovers.
Les, as President-Elect, is in charge of the whole Conference and as such was constantly checking on last-minute details: accomodations for attendees and special guests, badges, registration, etc. He's an Electrical Engineer by trade and has a lovely wife, a 1-1/2 year old son and another on the way and the poor guy was so stressed his stomach was bothering him for the first three days of the conference. I felt sorry for him, and was planning on helping with registration as much as possible but being a rookie I didn't have a lot of prior experience. I wish I could have helped more, but I was able to learn as I went.
Next up: Thursday, Day 1 (officially). Sometime later this afternoon....
UPDATE: Oh, one more thing. We stopped at the Nashville airport on the way down to pick up an adjuticator who was flying in from Florida by way of Charlotte. All the play festivals are judged and a winner is announced later in the conference for each category: community, college/university, and secondary schools. They are graded and commented on as well, which helps improve their performances. The adjuticator we picked up is the Producing Director for a community theatre on an island in Florida near Sarasota. On the drive to Clarksville, we got to talking about my background, and how I have musical directed several shows. She mentioned that she was needing a musical director for "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" for two weeks in February, and would I be interested? Well, the offer was to fly me down, put me up for 2 weeks in a condo on the beach, pay a salary and it wouldn't even be a full production but a staged concert - me playing piano and a pre-cast group of players to do the show. I said that sounded very interesting, and I'd love to talk some more about it later. Ohhhh, yes. We'll talk about it later. Absolutely we will talk about it later!
The Tennessee Theatre Association is Tennessee's official advocacy and informational organization for the theatrical arts. All state colleges/universities, secondary schools and community theatres are invited to join and participate. TTA presents an annual conference that brings together these groups from all around the state to perform, audition, attend workshops, and network with like professionals and amateurs from all levels of the art.
I have a BA in Theatre from the University of Tennessee, and as long-time visitors to the Inn know I still participate in theatre activies in East Tennessee, mostly at the Oak Ridge Playhouse. I'm a director, musical director and actor primarily though I have dabbled in accompanying and sound design. I love theatre, and I love drama in many forms. If you've never attended a play or haven't in a long time it's an experience that will stay with you for a long time - frequently longer than your average movie-going experience.
For a long time I've wanted to be more involved than just the hobby level - I do have a degree in it, after all - but work and family responsibilities have not allowed me to do more than one of maybe two shows a year. A good friend of mine who lives in Knoxville is the president-elect of TTA, and in the course of conversations he offered me the chance to design the TTA website. I agreed, and in the course of designing the site I realized that the organization was a perfect way to become more involved in the theatre business without sacrificing a lot of my already small but extremely valuable free time. He mentioned that there was an opening on the Board of Directors for an East Tennessee Representative - basically someone who keeps in touch with the various theatrical groups in East Tennessee, and serves as their liason, advocate and communicator to and from the organization. I jumped at the chance, and began serving a two-year term back in the summer.
The Conference is the highlight of the year for the Association, and most of the annual activities and plans are based on this conference. As I said before, there are competitions, auditions, and an atmosphere of networking and fellowship among people who love theatre and the theatrical arts. This year the conference was held in Clarksville, TN on the campus of Austin Peay University.
My friend, Les and I left last Wednesday afternoon (the 22nd) and drove straight out there. There were a few early birds that arrived early like us - the Conference didn't officially start until the next day - and we spent the evening having dinner and getting ready for the big weekend.
Our hotel was the Quality Inn. Um, an interesting place - some of the hallway floors weren't level, apparently due to some sinkholes, or perhaps the San Madrid fault, I'm not certain, but we would walk up a rise, then down a slope, then lean to the left, then the right...well, you get the picture. It was all the fun of walking drunk, but none of the hangovers.
Les, as President-Elect, is in charge of the whole Conference and as such was constantly checking on last-minute details: accomodations for attendees and special guests, badges, registration, etc. He's an Electrical Engineer by trade and has a lovely wife, a 1-1/2 year old son and another on the way and the poor guy was so stressed his stomach was bothering him for the first three days of the conference. I felt sorry for him, and was planning on helping with registration as much as possible but being a rookie I didn't have a lot of prior experience. I wish I could have helped more, but I was able to learn as I went.
Next up: Thursday, Day 1 (officially). Sometime later this afternoon....
UPDATE: Oh, one more thing. We stopped at the Nashville airport on the way down to pick up an adjuticator who was flying in from Florida by way of Charlotte. All the play festivals are judged and a winner is announced later in the conference for each category: community, college/university, and secondary schools. They are graded and commented on as well, which helps improve their performances. The adjuticator we picked up is the Producing Director for a community theatre on an island in Florida near Sarasota. On the drive to Clarksville, we got to talking about my background, and how I have musical directed several shows. She mentioned that she was needing a musical director for "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" for two weeks in February, and would I be interested? Well, the offer was to fly me down, put me up for 2 weeks in a condo on the beach, pay a salary and it wouldn't even be a full production but a staged concert - me playing piano and a pre-cast group of players to do the show. I said that sounded very interesting, and I'd love to talk some more about it later. Ohhhh, yes. We'll talk about it later. Absolutely we will talk about it later!
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
And the Winner Is...
The award for Concept That Has Long Outlived its Usefulness goes to...Switching back and forth from Standard to Daylight Savings Time.
I will step out the door from work today and it will be dark. Darrk (or almost dark). At 5:30.
There are two - and only two - advantages to switching back to Standard Time in the fall:
1) Extra hour of sleep Saturday night/Sunday morning (this was great when I was a kid and could sleep another hour before getting up for church, less big of a deal today).
2) It's relatively dark and spooky on Halloween.
Other than that...that's it. You have malaise and depression thrust upon you every evening going home - little time for enjoying that brief hour or so after work to run around outside with the kids, rake the leaves if necessary, walk the dog without tripping over...well, you get the picture.
No, now it's:
a) Wake up!
b) Go to Work!
c) Come home from Work!
d) Bedtime!
Or so it seems. There's no advantage whatsoever to switching back.
Therefore, I propose we stay in Daylight Savings (which is a non sequiter any more - you're not saving daylight, you're preserving it) Time all year round.
Ok, I just thought of a third advantage to the time change - changing the batteries in your smoke detectors. But that's supposed to happen both in the spring and the fall, so it doesn't really count
Who's with me? Abolish the old Standard Time, preserve daylight as long as possible!
Seasonal Affective Disorderlies of the World - Unite!
I am Federal Agent Jack Bauer. And today is the longest second-longest third-longest day of my life
24 starts its third season tonight, sans commercials thanks to a generous grant from the Ford Foundation. Or Company. Whatever. Anyway, go buy an F-150 to show your gratitude...
24 Official Website
Official Discussion Group (pretty good)
and Danielle from Missives Anonymous will be watching. I will too, at least after the kids have gone to bed and assuming I set the VCR correctly.
Tivo - bah. Who needs it when you have a VCR?
Call for Hosts
Rocky Top Brigade members wishing to host the Volunteer Tailgate party please contact me at innofthelasthomeinsolace@yahoo.com.Check out the updated calendar at the top right of the page, or just go to http://calendar.yahoo.com/innofthelasthomeinsolace.
The next available slot is November 27th (as of this writing).
Thanks!
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Monday, October 20, 2003
Why We're There
I'm no political or military expert. I don't even play one on TV. But here's my two cents worth on why we are, and should remain, in Iraq.Bill Hobbs says:
"The flypaper is attracting the flies.Isn't that the bottom line of the "we're losing 2 soldiers a day over there since the war's over - we have to get them out of there!!" debate?
A taped message purporting to be from the al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden declares for the first time that Iraq is the new battlefront in the jihad against the US.Beats having them bringing the jihad to our shores. Much better for the jihadis to come to Iraq to be killed by the American military than to fly planes into buildings in New York.
We're fighting a war against an army of militant fundamentalist Islamic terrorists, which number in the who-knows-how-many thousands. They've proven they can and will attack America on our own soil. If our armed forces have a chance to combat them away from American soil, and reduce their ranks on a daily basis so that the chances of other terror strikes against the US is diminished, how is this different from any other armed conflict we've engaged in in the past?
The liberation of Iraq - lack of real resistance notwithstanding - was much more like the traditional war. An invasion, territories attacked and held, people freed, battle lines drawn and re-drawn, inexorable push toward a geographic destination and achievement of a goal - the ouster of the Saddam regime. This task was finished in a couple of months. Now Iraq has become a new battleground where American troops fight those who've been co-opted into the fight by their ideoligical leaders, and are keeping them from traveling to American shores. This is an unfamiliar battleground - on the surface it doesn't make sense to see servicement falling for what seems to be no reason. But soldiers die in battle, just as surely as if it were a push up the beaches of Normandy, across Guadalcanal, or guarding the progress of freedom in Iraq - only the tactics of the enemy is different. We've had to take the attack to them, on their soil, on their terms.
That said, we must be able to see progress...
South Knox Bubba sez:
"What I want to hear is that either the situation is secured or our troops are coming home."I don't believe the job could possibly be over now, even if we wanted it to be. There's no way the situation could possibly be secured, nor could or troops come home. The area is still too unstable, and the potential risk is too great to leave now.
(...)
Otherwise, save all your "things are going great in Iraq" bullshit, or better yet tell it to the families of these people, especially the ones who died after George AWOL Aviator Bush declared victory on May 1st.
Every day that there is not another terrorist attack on American interests is another day of victory, but it can only be a partial victory if every day does not also see hope and building for the future in Iraq. Setting up a free, noncorrupt and stable government in Iraq will be extremely difficult and tedious, but it will be a very important step toward lessening the tension. Again, it has to be above-board and honest - something people are looking for, and that the US boasts of in its "charter" but has been seen in short supply in practice. We must be true to ourselves, and to what the US is really all about.
And then, nothing succeeds like success - if the future terrorists in the Middle East see how the people of Iraq can improve their lives by viewing it first hand, maybe that will give them less reason to believe in and join the jihad. And that will indeed be a victory.
Kinda Sad
I went to O'Charley's today for lunch, the first time I've been back to one since the Hepatitis A scare a month ago.I didn't go to Turkey Creek, but the one in Alcoa near the airport that's close to where I work. At lunchtime, it was only about 1/2-full and a lot of the wait staff were standing around looking for something to do. In fact, they were going out of their way to be courteous and welcoming. Probably under instructions from the management to make O'Charley's more inviting and friendly than ever.
I had no problem going there and there's no real reason I hadn't gone before now. But it was sad that half of Knoxville is still uptight over a problem at one restaurant that, as it turned out, had nothing to do with the cleanliness of the employees or the food or utensils themselves. It was a bad shipment of onions.
I like O'Charley's, and I hope business picks back up for them soon.
Sunday, October 19, 2003
Radio
I had the good fortune Saturday evening of attending a Knoxville sneak preview for the movie "Radio", starring Cuba Gooding Jr. Mr. Gooding was in attendance and spoke to the crowd gathered at Knoxville's West Town Mall Regal Cinema.I've only seen Cuba in a couple of movies, "What Dreams May Come" being the one that comes to mind first. I was quite impressed with his warmth and spirit.
The movie was good, and a tearjerker in parts. It tells the true story of a mentally handicapped man who for the past thirty years has been an assistant football coach for a high school in Anderson, SC. I thought it was very similar in tone, structure and even dramatic "beats" to another recent high school football movie, "Remember the Titans".
If you're planning on seeing the movie, I won't spoil it but if you do, come back and tell me your opinion of the coach's relationship with his daughter, and how you think the movie might have improved on that aspect of the story.
Friday, October 17, 2003
Thursday, October 16, 2003
Volunteer Tailgate Party - Vol. XIII
Les Jones is hosting the latest Volunteer Tailgate Party, a bi-weekly compilation of the best and brightest blatherings of the Rocky Top Brigade.Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Broken Hearts
Any UT Fans who are also Cubs fans can't take much more of this....1) 99 yard fumble return for Georgia at end of first half to take 20-7 lead into the locker room
2) 8-run 8th inning for the Marlins after the Cubs were 5 outs away from going to the series.
Game 7 tonight....
You Gotta Believe.
Welcome to the Rocky Top Brigade
Big RTB welcome to the newest Brigadiers:SemiPundit, Evil Hippy at Filthy Hippy Speak, Diana at Beyond the Whispers and Jay at Drawing Dead,
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Put Me In, Coach
To the world's biggest baseball fan, SayUncle, and all you other fans out there:
Ball, strike, out, safe, foul, single, double, triple, home run, first, second, third, home, outfield, infield, pitcher, catcher, hitter, batter, left, right, center, suicide squeeze, bunt, pop-up, fly ball, grounder, Spring Training, Opening Day, All Star, diving catch, play at the plate, "Holy Cow!", "What's interesting here...", the Babe, Mick, sandlot, in the dirt, four-bagger, around the horn, bases loaded, ducks on the pond, double play, triple play, riding the pine, off the bench, pinch runner, pinch hitter,designated hitter, inning, wins, losses, saves, Pete, Earned Run Average, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, Sandy, Ted, "if you build it, they will come", Little League, "Walk of Life" video from Dire Straights, Jackie, Cal, sacrifice fly, hot dogs at Fenway, Budweiser at Wrigley, sushi at Dodger Stadium, "...and DOWN the stretch he comes!!", Johnny Bench, hit and run, double steal, extra innings, Mr. October, bottom of the ninth, runners on the corners, fast ball, slow ball, slider, curve, change-up, eephus, knuckler, Neikro, "K's", The World Series, The National Anthem, "Take me out to the Ballgame", low and away, high and inside, brush-back, bean, bench-clearer, balk, walk, strike-out, hit-by-pitch, cut-off man, rounding third, relaying the throw, making the tag, out at home.
Glove, bat, ball.
Kids.
Put Me In, Coach, I'm ready to play.
Ball, strike, out, safe, foul, single, double, triple, home run, first, second, third, home, outfield, infield, pitcher, catcher, hitter, batter, left, right, center, suicide squeeze, bunt, pop-up, fly ball, grounder, Spring Training, Opening Day, All Star, diving catch, play at the plate, "Holy Cow!", "What's interesting here...", the Babe, Mick, sandlot, in the dirt, four-bagger, around the horn, bases loaded, ducks on the pond, double play, triple play, riding the pine, off the bench, pinch runner, pinch hitter,
Glove, bat, ball.
Kids.
Put Me In, Coach, I'm ready to play.
Monday, October 13, 2003
Love Thy Neighbor, Even if it is Rush Limbaugh
One of the signs of a mature soul is to be concerned about your enemies.I don't like Rush Limbaugh. I don't like what he stands for, I don't like his ideas, his scruples or his attitude.
But I hope he recovers from his Oxycontin addiction, because he's a man, a human, an American, and all people deserve to improve their lives and put their past behind them.
If it causes them to make changes in their life - great. I hope he's able to be enough of a man to learn something from the addiction, the recovery, and the legal troubles.
If he doesn't, well that's his fault and his loss.
But caring for others because they're people and not just because you agree with their politics is one thing that makes us human.
To wish for his early death, or trouble in prison, or any of the other things I've heard advocated on other sites - that's unconscionable. And you should be ashamed.
We're trying to help the Iraqis build a new country, by showing them the best things about America and Americans. Why would you expect someone to emulate an American when the examples they see aren't ones of compassion, understanding and forgiveness but scorn, vengeance and hatred?
And if you profess to any Christian values, you'll realize your teacher never scorned, hated or wished revenge, but forgave.
Even if you don't profess to Christian values, those are pretty good lessons from a pretty good teacher.
Saturday, October 11, 2003
Friday, October 10, 2003
Um...Never Mind.
Full night of shut-eye opens door to memory"A study found that sleep apparently restores memories that were lost during a hectic day.I was going to say something really remarkably insightful and interesting about this, but I forgot what I was going to say.....
It's not just a matter of sleep recharging the body physically. Researchers say sleep can rescue memories in a biological process of storing and consolidating them deep in the brain's complex circuitry."
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