Dregs of the Netflix Queue, part VI

Mother, Jugs, and Speed was our latest Bad '70s movie. It stars the unlikely trio of Raquel Welch, Bill Cosby, and Harvey Keitel (who is noticeably smaller than Raquel Welch). Rounding out the cast is the aptly named Dick Butkus and Larry Hagman. Watching this movie reminded me of how much the comedy movie has changed since the '70s. Bill Cosby drinks beer while during his shift as an ambulance driver. Larry Hagman's tries to sexually assault a passed-out coed. The EMTs (ambulance drivers) seem to be there only to pick up the injured--not to provide any medical attention. I did kind of dig their ambulances--one's an A-Team style short van, and the other's a hearse-like Cadillac.



Why did Cadillac ever stop making ambulances? This one must have had an incredible ride.

The Winnebago Man

I've watched this Winnebago salesman a few times, and it gets funnier with each viewing. I would like to have seen the finished commercial.

Dregs of the Netflix Queue, part V

I've been in the mood for a bad '70s movie. This one sure fits the bill: a roller derby flick called The Kansas City Bomber. Raquel Welch plays a divorced mom trying to juggle a career in roller derby, sleazy love interests, and children. The stands are full warty, hairy fans, many missing teeth. Jodie Foster shows up in one scene (If I ever meet Ms. Foster, I'll start the conversation this way: "didn't you play Raquel Welch's daughter in Kansas City Bomber").

Needless to say, plot holes are all over the place. Skaters play the same characters on and off the track. There's no acknowledgment of the acting part of the sport, which seems roughly akin to professional wrestling.

Rating this movie is going to be tough. It's the dreaded Six Pack paradox: how to rate a top-notch "Bad '70s" movie. Three stars seems excessive... Two stars would be too few.

Burn 'em Back

Let me know if you've ever had this problem: too many people around a fire that isn't putting out very much heat. What's a host to do? The answer--according to Joe the taxonomist--is to burn 'em back.

Turkey Bowl Domination

Every year, the graduate students in the Watershed Sciences Department play a football game against the faculty. The game is highly competitive (for some), and more of a novelty for others (like me).

White Rim Trail 2008

Five lucky souls struck out on the White Rim Trail for Halloween weekend. Here's what happened.



We mountain biked for 4 days in the Utah desert. We had beautiful weather, and had a great time. The hardest part was when I drove (in a SUV) this part of the road called the "Hogsback." (I pulled the video below off the interwebs--I don't know those people, but you get the idea).

Latest SNL video

We're on the verge of Palin burnout here...

Wind Cave Trail Run Video

Here's a video from my recent trail run on the Wind Cave Trail.

Do you Cornhole?

Cornhole is a backyard game that we started playing last spring. Last weekend, our neighbor and friend Hillary came over to play against Megan, and here's how it turned out:



By the way, I hadn't realized how popular Cornhole had become. There are a plethora of cornhole videos available on you-tube, and even an american cornhole organization.

I'll Get Back To Ya!

I didn't want to get too political here, but here are some videos to watch to see what might be in store for tonight's VP debate.







It's hard to tell Tina Fey's impersonation from the real thing.

Le Breakdown

Last weekend, we took a trip up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Greg and Lauren's wedding. The ecologically-minded bride and groom had the foresight to rent a "Le Bus," which broke down on I-215.

The wedding guests were told to bring a rock for the newly-minted bride and groom. As we waited on the side of the road, some of the wedding guests found theirs.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. Oddly enough, none of the dudes could find a ride up the canyon.

The reception was held at an aviary, which had this room full of swivel chairs. It didn't take long for the chair jousting to start.

Rock Out With Your Caulk Out!

Megan is (finally!) putting the finishing touches on our kitchen remodel. We iced down some beer (Pabst), cranked up the 'skinard, and got 'er done.

Don't forget the little details...

City of Rocks

On labor day, I made a trip to the City of Rocks with Megan, Richie, Sarah, and 3 furry friends (Callie, Ruby, and Lil' JR). We camped near the Twin Sisters, and this is the view from our campsite.

The weather didn't quite cooperate, so I spent some time driving around on the back roads with Callie. The landscape was desolate, but beautiful.

The Twin Sisters (below) were a landmark on the California Trail. Something like 100,000 people passed through this valley in one summer around 1850. If they would have waited a few years, they could have just taken the train.

The remnants of the California Trail can still be seen cutting through the sagebrush.


Callie had a good time sniffing from the back seat.

Crazy Eye

When Callie has a play date (in this case, with Sierra the big ol' St. Bernard), she tends to get a case of the crazy eye (below).