YOSEMITE!

Snow-Capped Half Dome

Kar and I recently returned from our annual wedding anniversary trip to, one of our favorite places in the world, Yosemite National Park. We celebrated number 37! This was our 25th winter trip to Yosemite in the last 27 years! Enjoy a few scenic pics not seen recently on social media sites:

Light snow in Yosemite Valley

Tunnel View Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Falls

Bridal Veil Falls above the Merced River

From Inspiration Point Valley Entrance

Clouds on El Capitan

 PostScript:

Moonrise over Maple Mountain near Mapleton, UT Summer 2014

"Festively Jovial."

After a recent LA Lakers defeat, giving them an 0-4 record to start the season, Kobe Bryant was asked by a reporter, "Kobe, how do you feel going 0-4? Kobe responded sarcastically, "Festively jovial."  Now that is an awesome response to a very stupid question. The LA Times' Mike Bresnahan should know better. As I sit here in front of the computer watching midterm election coverage and the Lakers on their way to defeat number 5, it got me thinking about historic quotes from various sports personalities. Kobe Bryant is a very intelligent guy, but as you will see, many of his fellow jocks can't make the same claim. 

What will Kobe look like when the Lakers finish 8-74?

Drew Gooden: "I've had to overcome a lot of diversity." 

Greg Norman: “I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father.”

Jerry Rice: "I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that."

Doug Collins: “Any time Detroit scores more than 100 points and holds the other team below 100 points, they almost always win.”

Tracy McGrady: My career was sputtering until I did a 360 and got headed in the right direction."

Dennis Rodman: ""Chemistry is a class you take in high school or college, where you figure out two plus two is 10, or something."

Pedro Guerrero: "Sometimes they write what I say, not what I mean."

Chuck Nevitt: “My sister’s expecting a baby, and I don’t know if I’m going to be an uncle or an aunt.”

Karl Malone: “I ain't gonna be no escape-goat!"

Shelby Metcalf: “Son, looks to me like you’re spending too much time on one subject.” (what he told a player who received four F's and a D)

Torrin Polk: "He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings."

Mike Greenwell: "I'm just a four-wheel-drive pickup kind of guy, and so's my wife." 

Don King: "He's the Man of the Hour, at this particular moment."

Joe Theismann: “Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."

Jose Canseco: "Every time that I have ever tried to help a woman out, I have been incarcerated."

George Rogers: "I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."

Ron Meyer: "It's not like we came down from Mount Sinai with the tabloids." (on whether his staff could lead the Colts to the promised land)

Andre Dawson: "I want all the kids to copulate me." (on the need to be a role model)

Shaquille O’Neal: “I can’t really remember the names of all the clubs we went to.” (in reference to being asked whether he'd been to the Parthenon while in Greece)

Bill Cowher: "We're not attempting to circumcise rules."

Lou Duva: "You can sum up this sport in two words, you never know."

Mike Tyson: "Fade into Bolivian, I guess." (his response to what he'd do after retiring from boxing)

Mike Cameron: "The sun has been there for 500, 600 years.”

Actual photo of Adam and Eve.

 Carl Everett: "God created the sun, the stars, the heavens and the earth, and then made Adam and Eve, The Bible never says anything about dinosaurs. You can't say there were dinosaurs when you never saw them. Someone actually saw Adam and Eve. No one ever saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex."

Not mentioned in the Bible.

 Now, my favorites:
 Yogi Berra (New York Yankee Hall of Fame Catcher) Quotes:

You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six.

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours.

It gets late early out there.

Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.

It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much.

"Surprise me." (when asked by his wife where he wanted to be buried)

Seventh Inning Wretch

Opening Day Dodger stadium 2014

I love baseball and I love the Dodgers....I live and die with the Blue......It is with a wounded heart that I lament today's season ending loss to the hated St. Louis Cardinals.

Kershaw will sit out the remainder of the play-offs

 Baseball's best pitcher, Clayton Kershaw is a slam dunk to take home both the NL Cy Young and MVP awards when handed out next month. Who would have imagined in their wildest dreams that he would blow two leads and go 0-2 in the NLDS? Who could have fathomed that he would blow a 6-1 lead in game 1 and a 2-0 lead in Game 4, both in the 7th innings? Who would have thought he could possibly give up 9 earned runs in two games? And who would have dared believe he could now be tied with former journeyman Dodger pitcher Jerry Reuss with 5 post season loses? Yes, today is a dark day in Dodgerdom. Tommy Lasorda must be wondering what became of the great Dodger in the sky.
It is never too soon to start thinking about the future. Here a few suggestions on how to improve the franchise and hopefully, get back to the World Series next year for the first time since 1988:

Nice knowing you, Don

I feel like you look, Ned

Fire the Dynamic Dimwits Don Mattingly and Ned Colletti. Both these guys were inherited by the new ownership group when they came in a few years ago. They've been given enough rope and have hung themselves. Mattingly was halfway out the door with his pink slip in hand last year until the team took off on their 42-8 super streak. He followed that up with a NL West Division title this year, and that's great, but guess what? It's not enough! We need to get back into the World Series. I would rather see Harry White or Steve Boyack run this team. Those two guys already have jobs so I could settle for Tim Wallach, or even Mike Scioscia if the Angels can him. Ned Colletti has been given more money than any team in the world and all he can come up with are the likes of Brandon League, Chris Perez and Brian Wilson? PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPlease!!!! The bullpen stinks and must be fixed. I could go on and on, but I will leave that to sports talk radio and the many baseball pundits. As horrible as we all feel tonight here in Dodgerland, there remains a silver lining. Baseball! The game of our youth, played on fresh cut grass under deep blue skies. I can still remember that competitive nervousness felt so many times in the on deck circle waiting for the next at bat. Even at 58, I still imagine myself on the mound or in the outfield. I know you do, too. Baseball is timeless. Even after the most glorious win or the most bitter defeat, there is always another game and another memory waiting to be etched in our hearts and minds. I am already looking forward to next year, Dodger Dogs in hand sitting side by side with family and best friends. In the end, that is what baseball is all about, the relationships. Thank you Granny and Dad for playing catch. Thank you Phil Boyack for teaching me the game and Coaches Ainge and Dunn for instilling self confidence and making it fun. Kudos to Coach Evans for never giving up on me. A big thanks to my teammates and friends over the years: Carl G, Steve B, Donnie D, Ladd T, Jeff G, Doug H, and many, many more! God bless my fellow Dodger fans and Dodger Stadium buddies M1, Randy, M3, Clyde C, Harry W, Fred and Glenda C, and Steve D (Braves fan but that's OK). We even got Ari, Derek and Paul to a game this year! Most of all, thank you to my wife, Karalee, who puts up with me going to all the games and watching them on TV. And thank you for going with me to the stadium so often this year! Yes, baseball brings us all together, young and old, throughout our lives. Here are few memories from this season:

M2, M3 and Clyde. Mike H (M3) deciding on Malt vs. Frozen Yogurt

M1 and M2 with their favorite treat: The Cool-A-Coo

Mike and Steve engaged in a Cool-a-Coo eating contest!

M1, Luke, Ally, and M2..........Sweet!!!!

Steve, Harry and Mike keeping it real

Kar and Mike behind the top deck on a cool night

Mike and Kar with Claudia and Len

The Man-Cave. Who is the idiot in the red shirt?

Ally "The Sheebe" with Dodger Dog

A beautiful Summer's Night at Dodger Stadium

We could have used these guys this year!

One of the season's highlights: Another foul caught! Mike, Kar and Randy

The Guardians of the Galaxitis

I am an avid movie goer, I just love the movies! My wife tells me that all they have to do is bring down the lights and roll the film, AND as long as there are a few explosions, I'm entertained. Well, most of the time that is true. But, as you have read in this blog countless times before, I have only one rule with movies. As long as that rule is not broken, then I am entertained. I may hate the story, the actors and characters, but as long as this Cardinal Rule remains intact, then all is good. That rule is? DON'T BORE ME!!!!!!!!! Several months ago, I first viewed the trailer for "Guardians of the Galaxy." Immediately red flags came up. Anytime cartoon-esk characters are mixed with live action, you have a problem. Rocket the talking raccoon, really?(Examples to come) So, I mentally checked this one off as a 'must miss.' This past Friday, the movie opened to huge box office receipts and fairly good word of mouth support. I stuck to my guns and, instead we went to Hercules on Saturday. Not a bad flick, not great, but how can you go wrong with The Rock? And, it wasn't boring! Today two of my best friends and fellow Man Cavers game me, separate, glowing reviews. "Best movie of the summer" and  "This is a Mike kind of a movie" were some of their comments. I trust these guys with my movies and my life. I was off work today, so armed with their comments, I talked my wife into catching Guardians at a matinee showing. M1 and M3, what were you guys on when you saw this disjointed clunker? It was the shotgun marriage of the Last Starfighter and Howard the Duck! I kept waiting and waiting for this snoozer to get better, but it never did. I was bored to death and contracted a case of Galaxitis! We sat all the way through the closing credits hoping for a Marvel Comics final teaser scene. Guess what we got? Howard the Duck! No kidding, I'm not lying! A fitting end to this cinematic debacle. Mike B and Mike H, you guys are fired as movie critics.

Post Script: Here are some other horrible movies where animation was mixed with live action:
Space Jam
Song of the South
Enchanted
Scott Pilgram vs. the World
Alvin and the Chipmonks
And one of the worst movies of all time>
The Villian

 

OK, I admit I did love Mary Poppins (when I was 8)

Top 15 Time Travel Movies of All Time

While sitting in church on Sunday listening to a talk, the speaker made mention of his favorite Time Travel movies. So, what are the best Time Travel movies of all time? Here is my top 15 list, starting with No. 15:

15. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
Who can forget the time traveling phone booths and George Carlin as Rufus? And then there was Bill and Ted's new buddy, So-crates. Party on, dudes!

Rod Taylor as H.G. Wells

14. The Time Machine (1960)
A true classic tracing Wells' adventures through time. Won the Academy award for best special effects.

13. Escape from Planet of the Apes
One of the better sequels from the original Ape movies, talking astronaut apes travel back in time to wreck havoc in the 1970's. A pretty good laugh and never boring!

12. Groundhog Day
Bill Murray's character Phil Connors is forced to relive February 2nd repeatedly. How would you like to wake up to Sonny and Cher's I've Got You Babe every morning at 6 a.m.? A huge snub that Punxsutawney Phil was overlooked as best supporting actor!

11. Back to the Future II
The darkest chapter of the Back to the Future trilogy where the evil butt-head, Biff Tannen, has altered history for personal gain. But, Marty and Doc Brown save the day.

10. Time Cop
"Time travel is a reality and a crime." So it was in Time Cop. How could I omit the Belgian Brawler, Jean-Claude Van Damme from this list? Van Damme's Agent Walker saves his wife and the world from an evil U.S. Senator. The plot has a bunch of inconsistencies, but, hey, that's what makes it so goooood!

9. The Final Countdown
A little know flick from 1980 starring Kirk Douglass and Martin Sheen about a modern US Naval aircraft carrier mysteriously transported back in time to the eve of Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Should they splash the Zero's and destroy the Japanese fleet and change history forever, or let the bombing happen? Rent the DVD and see for yourself. It will not disappoint!

8. The Terminator
Arnold at his best as the Terminator seeking to erase John Connor from existence by killing his mother before he is born. "I'll be baaaaack." A classic!

7. Back to the Future III
Marty as Clint Eastwood, The Doc as the Blacksmith and Biff as Mad Dog Tannen, all set in the Old West! What could be better. ZZ Top even makes an appearance. Doc Brown falls in love and Marty finally goes home where all is well. A great wrap up to the Back to the Future series!

6. Somewhere in Time
Come on, admit it, you love this movie. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, Superman and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Women, what could be better than that! I know you shed a few tears when Richard was zapped back to the present by a bad penny leaving Elise heartbroken. Pull out the Kleenexes and watch it again.

HG and The Ripper

5. Time After Time
Another classic  romantic adventure through time. HG Wells travels from 1899 London chasing the sadistic Jack the Ripper in modern day San Francisco. Love prevails and Jack is sent to perdition.

Spock and Kirk at it again.

4. Star Trek IV: The Wrath of Khan
The best of the Star Trek movies that involved time travel. Our heroes go back in time to the 1980's to retrieve a humpback whale to take back to the future to save the world. They accomplish the task in a stolen Klingon Bird of Prey. "Double dumb-ass to you." Thanks again Captain Kirk for the memories!

3. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Arnold is back, no problemo, as a good guy, protecting the young John Conner. Linda Hamilton is impressive as the chiseled Sarah Conner. "Hasta la vista, baby."

2. Back to the Future
One of the most beloved films ever. Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty, but was replaced by Michael J. Fox after 5 weeks of shooting. It's funny how things work out. The flux capacitor, 1.2 gigawatts, the DeLorean, 88 mph, these facts and figures will live on forever. The show stealer George McFly, "Lorianne, you are my density."  Whatta great ride!!!

1. Planet of the Apes (1968)
I still remember seeing this film in the theater with my dad and granddad. A perfect meshing of time travel and SciFi. Astronaut George Taylor leaves earth in 1972, crash landing on a distant planet in the year 3878. Much to his shock and surprise he encounters a crazy upside down world where talking apes are at the top of the food chain and humans are mutes, slaves and science experiments. It was a "madhouse! Only in the final scene of the movie does Taylor and the audience realize that he has crash landed back on earth, in the future! "I'm home. You finally did it it, damn it, you blew it all to hell." yells Taylor in anguish  as the Statue of Liberty looks on, half buried on the beach. Live on Dr. Zira and Cornelius, the narrow minded Dr. Zaius, and Taylor's squeeze, Nova. I can still hear Charlton Heston's first words in Ape City, "Take your stinking paws off of me you damn, dirty ape!

Well, that's it. Let me know which of your favorite time travel movies I left off the list, and it better not be hot Tub Time Machine!!

Feeling Red

Robert Redford

LA Clipper owner Donald Sterling has been in the news recently, having made a series of idiotic racially insensitive remarks, leading him to being banned for life from the NBA and potentially losing his franchise.  Today, Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban is now in somewhat hot water over some race related comments he made. So, I hesitate to bring attention to any particular group, but…….I read something recently in National Geographic that has prompted a few comments.

For what it’s worth:

Many years ago during my training as a Resident Podiatrist at VA Wadsworth in LA, I received some practice management advice from one of my mentors, Dr. Al Dana. He advised us to NEVER perform surgery on redheaded women. We got a kick out this comment and gave it a good laugh, but Dr. Dana was not amused! He was as serious as a heart attack.  (Which actually killed him a few years later) As the years have gone by, it has been my observation that redheaded patients (not just women) present with different challenges. Dr. Dana’s advice has proven to be very wise. However, it has been my obligation to happily provide appropriate care to ALL patients I see, regardless of hair color. But, unbeknownst to Dr. Dana, there is scientific basis to his opinion. Check this out:

Most redheads experience pain differently than the rest of us. Their hair color is caused by a mutation in the skin’s melanocortin-1 receptor gene, which may “inadvertently activate” similar receptors in the brain that process anxiety and pain, says Anthony G. Doufas of the Outcomes Research Consortium of clinical anesthesiologists. Anecdotal evidence long held that redheads were harder to anesthetize. The consortium tested this theory and found that redheads required 19% more gas for general anesthesia. They’re also more sensitive to thermal pain and more resistant to local anesthesia. No wonder the Journal of the American Dental Association reports redheads are “more than twice as likely” to avoid the dental chair....National Geographic June 2014.

No matter who you are, there is something special about you.That is what makes the world interesting.

Some famous redheads:

Winston Churchill

U.S. Grant

David Caruso

Thomas Jefferson

Judy Garland

Lindsay Lohan

Andrew Jackson

George Washington

Vincent Van Gogh

William Tecumseh Sherman

Bill Walton

Mark McGwire

Brigham Young

Susan Sarandon

Bonnie Raitt

Christopher Columbus

Willie Nelson

Other famous redheads:

Calvin Coolidge                           
Dwight Eisenhower                             
Esau                                            
Genghis Khan                               
Mark Twain                                      
Muhammad
Rameses II                                   
Richard the Lionheart                        
William Clark (The Explorer)    

Note: Lucille Ball was NOT a natural redhead

Final note: One of my most favorite people in the world, Guy Masters, is a redhead.

Guy Masters