JamesSavik

No. Meth makes you feel horny and invincible. Imagine a club full of people feeling the same way and you'll get some idea why it is fueling the epidemic.

Hi Buddha- So good to see you again! I'll be looking forward to that next chapter when I see you again. James

OH! You mean THAT kind of cleaner. Sorry Kurt. I was thinking... pest control. Mold is a pain because it's one of those microorganisms that has survived comet strikes, hyper-eruptions and all manner of events that usually end species. It's probably going to outlast cockroaches. Whatever you use has to be a fungicide- a compound that is deadly to fungus and molds. Here in Mississippi we have lots of fungi and mildew and fight the same battle. Indoors you have to fight the cause of the mold first and then attack the fungus. Mold and mildew thrive where there are damp conditions, humidity and a substrate on which they can live. This can be nearly anything- plastic, stone, concrete, brick, etc. Mildew like to live in things with micro pores like wood and stone where it can hide. First of all get rid of the moisture. Look for leaking pipes. Clean the area where the mold lives/kill the mildew. Paint the area where the fungi lives with an anti-fungal paint like Kilz. Some stuff you'll need: Krud Kutter is a pre-painting treatment for household surfaces. It Kills and cleans mildew and prepares the surface for painting. Kilz is a brand of mildew proof paint and primers. If you've got mildew problems, kill the mildew and clean the surface and then paint it with Kilz primer. Zinsser makes an excellent waterproofing paint which work well in basements. Another way to clean mildew is anti-mildew compound in a pressure washer. Good for taking mildew off of siding, concrete.

Leaving the US permanently for Australia after wandering Europe for a while. First the UK (a month in London, Scotland, Ireland), across the chunnel to Paris to hang with Sumbloke for a bit. Off to Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Brussels. On to Germany, Poland, the Baltic Coast and then St Petersburg. Down to Moscow for the symphony and ballet then off to Prague, Sophia then to Rome (for a while). Take a slow boat around the Med- Greek Isles, Sicily, Cyprus and Israel back to the South of France, Spain and Portugal. Then catch a plane for down under.

I prefer a silenced .45. Nothing drops 'em like a big heavy round. .40 is OK too. .44 is too big, too loud- won't silence enough 9mm is OK but it depends on the piece like a Baretta, HK or an FN. Too many cheap 9mm out there that'll jam on you when the heat is on. For long guns the king these days in the light 50 but its a cannon. I'm old fashioned: 7.62mm is just fine. Just be patient and take the head shot.

It has been feared for some time that HIV would start moving in the heterosexual population like it has in Africa. Maybe now the Feds will get serious about finding a cure or a vaccine.

I don't really buy the "emotional jealousy" angle. In today's EMO world, guys can cry (and if I had to listen to that muzak, I'd cry too- ack tun it off!) We were discussing this in a thread a week or so ago when I read a new definition that read a fear and loathing of homosexuals; a fear of becoming homosexual. Others have discussed a "sexual continuum"- a concept that has been around for some time in which purely heterosexual and purely homosexual people are somewhat rare (~8-12%) and occupy the extremes of the sexual continuum and most people fit in the middle somewhere (70-80%). I believe that the really ugly side of homophobia is a combination of a person with bisexual inclinations and a intense fear of becoming a full fledged flaming, chaps wearing, feather boa waving homosexual. No one said the fear had to be rational and when people think about groups, they tend to think in terms of stereotypes. When you add together concept of the sexual continuum and the bizarre experiences that we all have with supposedly str8 males, we know better than anyone how thin that line really is and how many srt8 people step over it on any given Friday night (plus or minus a few [dozen too many] drinks).

Bagna Calda (~Italian Fondue) 1/2 pound butter (2 sticks- REAL butter) 6-8 cloves of garlic 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 oz. can of boneless anchovies optional: salt, Parmesan cheese. Heat butter, olive oil, red pepper and crush black pepper in a skillet over low heat. Add garlic and anchovies and mash into a paste with a fork until tender. Season with salt or Parmesan cheese to taste. Use: dip vegetables, bread sticks, scallops, shrimp and cubed steak or as a side dressing for antipasto Can be used as a sauce for pasta (add more Parmesan cheese). Add steamed broccoli chunks to pasta/noodles and top with Bagna Cauda for a wonderful side dish.

The good people at Headline News sent me a survey to discuss Nancy Grace. I thought that I might share my thoughts with you. In general what do you think of Nancy Grace and her show? Her name is an oxymoron in that she has all the "grace" of a charging rhino. I can't stand her: she's an insufferable bitch. Her show panders to the worst sort of morbid curiosity about crimes in which she and her "experts" have absolutely no more information than anyone else and yet they speculate endlessly. She uses sex crimes to titillate her viewers and its nauseating. I mean if they ever find Natalie Holloway's corpse, what will she have to talk about? Will she apologize to all the innocent people she has slandered with her wild speculations? What do you think of the choice of subject mater? It is not news. It's gossip, speculation and a waste of time. What would you like to see more of in the show? A special FINAL episode. What you like to see less of in the show? Nancy Grace. Does this show make you feel better informed? No. It makes me feel like I need a shower. Does this show fit the network? Not unless Headline News using gossip and speculation to report the news. Any General Comments? Pull the handle and flush this stinker and reclaim the dignity of Headline News.

I don't think that any writer can avoid putting at least a little of them self in their work.

Best picture of you yet Nero!

Screen Passes The idea behind the screen pass is to make the play look like the pass is going long but to make a short pass to a runner with blocker in front of him. Screen passes put the defense out of position to make the play. Linebackers blitz or fall back to cover a zone and safeties and corners cover deep. In our example, the QB drops back and rolls a bit to the right. The linemen on the left side make an initial block and then slide off while the FB protects the QB. The halfback fakes a block and then catches the pass and runs behind his blockers. Screen passes can go to any of the receivers or running backs. They are useful in 3rd and long yardage situations or when the offense needs to slow down the pass rush. Play Action Passes The play action passes looks like a short running play but are actually a mid-range to deep pass. Our example starts off as a full back lead off right tackle. The QB fakes a hand off to the halfback and conceals the ball. The QB then looks upfield and throws to the open receiver (WR, flanker or TE). Play action passes are set up by a successful running game. Once again the defense is shown what they expect to see, they react to a running play and are caught out of position for the pass. Half-back Pass This nasty little trick is a passing play that looks like a run. Our example shows a pitch sweep to the half back headed to right outside. Instead of running around the corner, the halfback pulls up and passes the ball down field to an open receiver- in this the TE running a sideline pattern..

After putting up my annual NFL Preview in my blog, I got a note from a friend: I like watching football but having never played it, I often don't understand what's going on. It's obvious that you know your football. Heck, you picked the Giants as a wildcard team last year. Could you do a few blog issues and explain how the game works? Yes! I would be delighted too. You might be surprised how many gay football fans (and players) are out there! Let me know if there are any specific topics you want to know about. Here are a few reasons you might want to watch... Chris Sims, Tampa Bay A younger Peyton Manning on the sidelines during his college days at at Tennessee. Philip Rivers, San Diego Carson Palmer, Cincinnati "Big Ben" Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh

Wow Meeko! You look... really sharp for a forest creature.

Running backs have become important receivers in todays high powered offenses. Once they have made the catch, running backs can often turn on their speed and make a long gain out of a short pass. Running backs often serve as check off receivers when other receivers are covered. RBs typically make a block, release from the block and run a short pattern into the flats, the sidelines or circle across the middle.

Flankers Flankers are an interesting receiver in that lining up off the line, they can go in motion. This allows the offense to change its look on the fly and hopefully confuse assignments in the defensive secondary. Of course- lining up behind the line makes it difficult to go deep but their speed can put them in interesting and useful places. Their routes are usually in the short to middle ranges. Flankers are often called possession receivers because they are key go to guys on 3rd down. Tight Ends Tight Ends are unique receiver/lineman hybrid. While some are better blockers than receivers, a good receiving tight end can be a dominate presence. While most receivers are small, fast guys, the TE is a big guy capable of surviving and blocking in the offensive line. He's also quick enough to get out and run patterns. Defensive backs often find big tight ends running at full speed almost impossible to handle. Defenses usually try to cover tight ends with a linebacker but this is usually a mismatch. Duels between Tight Ends trying to run slants and drags across the middle and linebackers trying to cover the middle zones can be epic. Many coaches under utilize the tight end position but with a little imagination and some talent, the TE can be as valuable as any receiver on the field.

Before we get into the various pass patterns, lets have a look at the way defenses see the field. There are two basic pass defenses- man to man and the zone. Man to Man is difficult to pull off. If you have a personnel mismatch, which the offense will exploit, you'll get burned all day long. In order to cover as much of the field as possible and give support to defensive backs who are covering speed burners, the Zone defense was developed. There are many versions of the zone and just as many defensive systems that have been built over years of competition. I will attempt to explain the basic thinking and strategy of the zone. The football field is chopped up into pieces: short (0-7 yards), middle (8-20 yards and deep (20+ yards). The field is then split into thirds: left, middle and right. Last but not least are the flats on either side of the offensive formation where backs out of the backfield can catch a ball and gather a head of steam. Every different version of the zone is unique but it all boils down to assigning defensive backs and linebackers to cover certain zones, not individual players. For instance, Consider the left corner back facing a wide receiver: the LCB's job is to cover anyone in the short and middle left where the weak safety is supposed to pick up anyone going deep. Sounds complicated? It is. Many defensive play books are as big as their offensive counterparts. It also should serve to illustrate how a mistake in the secondary can mean an easy score. Pass Patterns- Wide receiver Wide receivers can line up anywhere on either side of offensive formation. They can run a near infinite number of pass routes or patterns but here are a few of the most common: Sideline The short sideline is a possession play. It puts the ball where only the wide receiver can catch it. Slant In The Slnt-In is a risky play that sends the receiver through the middle in hopes of splitting the zone. Of course a bad throw can mean an interception In & Out This speed route gives the receiver a chance to lose the pass defender with a smooth move and some speed. Hook The hook is an underused route which looks like a receiver is going deep then he slams on brakes and comes back toward the QB. If the d-back covering the play over runs it, he's open. Mid-range sideline again, the sideline route is thrown so that the only person with a real shot at the ball is the receiver. Stepping out of bounds after catching the ball can be very useful in stopping the clock. Middle Drag Sends the receiver across the middle challenging the range of the linebackers and the safeties. Deep Fly The fly pattern is a pure speed pattern. The QB basically throws it as far as he can and the receiver tries to run under it. Deep Post The deep post pattern is run toward the goalpost which gives the QB a point of reference in throwing the long ball. Deep Middle Sends the receiver to challenge the safeties which are responsible for this zone. Deep Out A difficult route that requires a very strong arm to throw but puts the receiver in a position to score.

In general there are three different types of defensive players: linemen, linebackers and backs. Defensive Linemen are big, strong and quick capable of stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback. Typical D-linemen are called Tackles, Nose Guard or Ends. Linebacker is the single most athletically versatile position in football. Linebackers must read the offense and respond instantly to what it is doing. On any given play and defensive scheme, a linebackers may be asked to stop the run or on passing plays cover a receiver [typically a tight end] or blitz the quarterback. There are different types of linebackers but the distinction is a funtion of the defensive scheme that the team has adopted. Defensive Backs are primarily responsible for pass defense and run support. They must be fast, tough and smart to execute the complex defenses that are run by college and pro level teams. The two types of D-backs are corner backs and safeties. The Blitz- If the offense is protecting their quarterback too well, a defensive coach might need to throw a surprise. Typically this surprise might be to blitz one or more linebackers or defensive backs. This often causes a sack, hurried throw or best yet, a badly thrown ball and a turnover. The blitz is a high risk defensive tactic. By blitzing linebackers and d-backs, one or more of the receivers are not covered. If the play is a run, its a toss up as to whether the running back will run right by the blitzing linebacker or meet him in the hole. If the QB can pass the ball to his receiver before the blitz gets to him, the QB is said to have burned the blitz. The 3-4 Defense This is a defense common in the NFL. It always has three down linemen and four linebackers. The 3-4 defense is a challenging defense to run. If your linemen aren't up to it, the overall defense will give up too many rushing yards. It also requires having a number of linebackers that can perform at a high level. D-linemen in the 3-4 are called either Tackles or Ends and the man in the middle is called the Nose Guard or Nose Tackle (NG or NT). An NFL nose guard is a real monster who expects to be double and triple blocked and still gets sacks. In the 3-4 defense, the two inside line backers are called Interior Linebackers or ILB. The linebackers on the outside are called Outside Linebackers (OLB) and are expected to handle run plays that go outside. Sometimes 3-4 linebackers may be asked to drop into pass coverage. D-backs in the 3-4 are fairly standard pair of corner backs and safeties. The Strong Safety (SS) will always line up on the tight ends side of the formation. The Weak Safety will line up on the side without a tight end. The strengths of this defense are that it is typically fast, athletic (with so many linebackers) and handles the pass very well. The downside is that it can usually be had by the run- particularly disguised runs like a draw or a delay. Injuries to linebackers and depth become a key issue over the course of the season. The 4-3 Defense By far the most common defense at the college level is the venerable 4-3 which consists of 4 D-linemen, 3 linebackers. Defensive Linemen in the 4-3 scheme are called Tackles (RT or LT) or Defensive Ends (DE). Linebackers in the 3-4 scheme are called the Strong Side Linebacker or SAM (TE side of the formation), Middle Linebacker (MIKE) and Weak-Side Linebacker (WILLY). The actions of the three linebackers in this set are designed to compliment and support each other. The four defensive backs in the 3-4 set are two corner backs and a Strong and Weak safety. The strength of the 4-3 defense is its balance. The 4-3 works well against the run and the extra lineman provides more consistent pressure on the QB on pass plays. The weakness of the 4-3 defense is speed in the middle. Without a fourth linebacker, short, quick passes will riddle the short zones and loosen up the linebackers. The 4-3 can be fooled by play-action passes where the QB fakes a handoff or a pitch mimicking the look of a running play and then throws the ball down field. If the linebackers and/or the defensive backs are fooled, they can be burned badly by the play action pass. The 5-2 Defense A common defense used in obvious short yardage situations in college and pro ball is the 5-2. It has five down linemen and two linebackers. Defensive linemen in the 5-2 set are called Nose Guard or Tackle (NT), Right and Left Tackles (RT, LT) and defensive ends on either side. The two linebackers in the 5-2 are the Strong and Weak side linebackers which position themselves relative to the side the offensive Tight End lines up on. The defensive backs are a pair of corner backs and a pair of safeties. The strength of this defense is that it is very difficult to run against five down linemen. The weakness of this defense is the pass in general.

Power-I All modern pro, college and even high school teams have special sets for special situations. One of the most common of those special situations is short yardage. Sometimes the short yards are hardest to get in goal line and 3rd and short situations. The defense, specifically in goal line situations have less depth to defend. They can ignore medium and long passes and usually add defensive linemen and/or linebackers to beef up their run defense. This specific short yardage package is called the "power-I". It uses two tight ends and sometimes the WR is actually another tight end lined up as a flanker to lead a sweep. Short yardage sets are designed to overload a specific part of the offensive line with more blockers than potential tacklers. Sometimes misdirection and deception are employed to send defenders the wrong way. It is possible to pass out of this formation. The Tight Ends are still eligible receivers and often score in goal line situations on short slant or down and out routes. Wish bone The wishbone offense was developed by Emory Bellard at Texas A&M and Bear Bryant of Alabama in the sixties and seventies. It is primarily a running offense that is designed to get about 4 yards a play and maintain ball control. The Wishbone is not widely used today because it is particularly hard on quarterbacks. The biggest play out of the wishbone is the triple-option. The triple option is run either to the right or left and gives the QB three things to do with the ball. If the onside tackle has made a big hole, you hand off to the fullback to run off tackle. If the QB isn't well covered, he may opt to run the ball himself. If the QB is covered, he pitches out to the trailing halfback who has a lead block from the other half back. It puts a lot of pressure of defenses to cover all the options and typically what happens is that a wishbone team moves down field in chunks of 3-7 yards. It's not as exciting to watch as todays high powered passing offenses but it is highly efficient in getting first downs and maintaining time of possession. I mention the triple-option because play options are a key to modern offenses regardless of whether they be run-run, run-pass or pass-checkoff. The option isn't the only play that you can run out of the wishbone. It also has a rich variety of sweeps, traps and even passes. Indeed the pounding of the wishbone runs often works particularly well to sets up a pass. You may occasionally see the wishbone used today in short yardage situations in pro games or as a way to burn up the clock late in college games. I mention it here as it shows how offensive sets have developed over the years and introduce the concept of designed play options and the difficulties they pose to defenders.

The I Formation (pronounced "eye" formation) have the backs stacked in the backfield. Typically it is used as a running formation but you can pass out of it too. Many teams that use the I Formation often call the "deep back" a tailback rather than a halfback. This offense needs a strong runner in that position as it is featured in this formation. You will see it used extensively at the college level. The pros use it- sometimes on short yardage situations like 3 and 3 to give the defense a pass or run look so they can't concentrate on one or the other. The Shotgun Formation was made famous by Tom Landry during the glory years of the Dallas Cowboys under Roger Staubach and Danny White. The shotgun is a passing oriented offense which puts as many receivers out in patterns as possible and keeps a running back in to block or as outlet receiver. Depending on who is running it, the QB will be lined up 5 to 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The center makes a long snap to the QB. This snap is very important as it can spell disaster if it goes over the QB's head or he had trouble handling it. Note that in this formation, there are five eligible receivers which puts quite a bit of pressure on the defense to cover them all. The One-Back or Spread formation is merely a variation on the Shotgun. It's advantage is that it has a direct snap to the QB so there is less chance for error. The disadvantage is that the QB starts behind center rather than 5 yards back, is vulnerable to the rush or blitz and his view of the field may be obstructed by linemen slugging it out directly in front of him.

The Pro Set is one of the most basic formations you will see. Almost all the pro teas run it at one time or another. It is a balanced offense from which a team can either pass of run. Positions- Offensive Line: the offensive lines job is to open holes for runners of protect the quarterback on passing plays. Although O-lines don't get much press, they have got to perform their job or the offense is going nowhere. C or Center snaps the ball to the QB and then blocks or protects the passer. RG and LG The Right and Left Guards are posted about a yard away from the center on his right and left sides respectively. The three positions are collectively called interior linemen. Their job is also to open holes for runners and pass protect when its appropriate. On sweep plays Guards often pull or slide down the line and a running back can follow him around either end. RT and LT The right and the left tackles are key to both the running and passing game. If they can physically dominate the defensive linemen, their team will be able to pass or run with relative ease. There are a whole series of running plays that go off tackle where a tackle is expected to open a running lane for a back. They must also pass protect because they are typically lined up against defensive ends which are usually a defensive teams best pass rushers. TE or Tight End The Tight End is a special player. Depending on the play, he can either block, run pass patterns or run the ball on an end around. He is the only offensive lineman who is eligible to catch a pass. Whichever side a Tight End lines up on is called the Strong Side because there is an extra blocker on that side. A team can use two tight ends but this is usually reserved for short yardage situations. Outside Receivers- these receivers are lined up clear of the formation so they can get up to speed and run their pass routes. WR A team may have one to four receivers lined up on the outside. A team must at the time that the ball is snapped have at least six people on the line of scrimmage, a line from sideline to sideline equal to the position of the ball. WRs can run all sorts of routes from very short yardage to as far as his QB can throw it. F The Flanker (sometimes called a slot-back, H-back or Split end) may line up on either side of the ball but just off the line of scrimmage. Flankers can go into motion prior to the snap of the ball but their motion must be parallel to the line of scrimmage. Only one offensive player may be in motion at any one time. By moving the receivers around, the offense hopes to trick or confuse the defense and end up with a receiver uncovered. Offensive Backfield Often called the skill positions, these positions get much of the glory. QB or quarter back runs the offense. He runs the huddles, calls the plays (usually in communication with the bench), and executes the teams offense. A QB is usually a good athlete because he needs a rich mixture of skills to play the position effectively. He has to be quick, durable, have a strong and accurate throwing arm. He has to be smart because he will need to read the defense instantly and chose his best option given the situation. HB A halfback is generally considered a speed back. They don't necessarily have to be very big but they need to be quick and agile enough to to get in the running lanes provided by their blockers and get the most yardage out of a play. Ideally a halfback has a mixture of speed, agility, balance and power. They also need to be able to catch the football as many offenses use their backs as additional receivers. [FB] The Fullback is a big, strong running back who job is to run for short yardage, block for the Half back and protect the QB from blitzing linebackers. It's not a very glorious job but if it is done poorly, the running and passing games will suffer. Full backs are sometimes used as outlet receivers when everyone else is covered so good hands is a vital skill for the position. What can we tell just looking at this formation? 1. It is a strong right formation meaning that the tight end is lined up on the right side of the formation. 2. The flanker is in close to the tight end on the right side creating something of an overload. There will be extra blockers or receivers on that side. 3. the HB is on the left side of the formation and the fullback is on the right. This is the kind of formation that gives defensive coordinators fits. The offense can either pass or run out of this formation. They can run a tradition pitch sweep type play around the right side with the FB, TE and Flanker blocking for the halfback. They can also run a quick pass on the right outside short zone and try to split the defense. The formation is versatile enough to keep the defense guessing. ___________________________________________________________ Next: the I-Formation, the Shotgun, single-back sets and short yardage.

Yo Kurt- This crowd doesn't get too excitied about sports so here a link to the same topic on Digg. Discussion of Farve on Digg

Another Leo? How are they going to contain us??? Happy b-day Jovian!

Treefrog... err Dude, what's the problem? A lover and a best friend- isn't that the total package? Give him a ring and call yourself lucky. BTW- congrats.

Farve isn't going to be a Packer anymore. On announcing his retirement last year, the Packers went into high gear retooling their team around Aaron Rodgers. This included their draft and free agency pick ups, contracts and the design of their new offense. Farve simply waited to long and the Packers were too far along in retooling their team to just chuck it and welcome him back. The rumor is that there's going to be a trade with Atlanta. If that doesn't work out, if he is waved by the Packers, Atlanta has first option as a free agent on him because they drafted him and will own the rights to him. Farve's value on the free agency market is limited by his age. Teams that might be interested in him are those with "quarterback of the future" but need an immediate starter and someone who can act as a player/coach. Other teams that might be interested are those with starters who are injury prone that want an experienced backup but Farve would probably be too expensive as a mere insurance policy. Again- Atlanta is a good fit because they picked Matt Ryan out of BC in the first round. Other teams that might be interested are Cardinals and Matt Leinart, the 49ers with Alex Smith or Kansas City and Brodie Croyle. If you're an NFL fan and interested, check out my annual NFL Projection/Preview blog entry.