The Need For Speed

My Cousin Sam Barer takes you too the All Italian Auto Show at the XXX Drive-In in Issaquah.

Ross Hunter Will Run For County Exec

48th District State Representative Ross Hunter became the 4th Democrat to enter the race for King County Executive. The race has become hot since 3 term incumbent Ron Sims was chosen to be Deputy HUD Secretary in the Obama Administration.
Hunter characterized himself as someone who "gets things done" and also alluded to the fact that he can get people angry. The position has recently become non-partisan, some say to allow Republicans to run better in a county that is traditionally solidly Democratic.

Celebrity Apprentice: Trump Dams The Rivers

When Joan and Melissa Rivers were picked to be contestants on Celebrity Apprentice, viewers knew the potential hazards that existed because of the necessity that one of them would have to be fired before the other and that dynamic came to fruition last night. Melissa, it seems had a miserable time in high school, at least that is what is indicated by her persistant rants through the evening. When Trump passed a note in the middle of the boardroom, it brought the memory smack right to her and when Trump fired her, she went to pieces.
This is not to say that she deserved to be fired, Annie Duke, who was super in many tasks, did an unbelievably miserable job in a project that she practically took over from start to finish. Brande Roderick, came across as an inarticulate marshmallow. Perhaps, it should have been a triple firing, because no one in the show left with their hands clean.
The project was to create a four page advertisement for "Right Guard" the venerable men's deodorant. The subject in the advertisement was rising NBA star David Lee, who is not by any means the most popular guy with "David Lee" in his name.
Trump asked Jesse James to rejoin the KOTU team, Jesse, who had been the quiet soft spoken classy guy in the competition, seemed to turn into a sulking, bickering troublemaker. He couldn't get along with Clint. He refused to respect Clint as this task's project manager. His team won however and was spared anymore embarrassment, other than Joan's outburst after her daughter was fired.

Mariners Create Excitement

Although they went down in flames today, the Seattle Mariners are off to a good start The M's are 12-7 and took two from last year's division champion LA Angels. Although it is too early to get real excited, we can enjoy it while we can.

Seahawks Pick Linebacker Curry

The Seattle Seahawks are getting great reviews on their choice in the first round of the NFL draft, Linebacker Aaron Curry. The Seahawks had the 4th pick in this year's draft, their highest since 1997.

Curry played at Wake Forest.

No Go For Apple Cup At Qwest

The controversial plan to make Qwest Field the permanent home for the Apple Cup has been abandoned after athletic directors from both Washington and Washington State failed to agree
on how tickets would be allotted between the two schools.

Lake Wilderness Trail In Maple Valley

Last Tuesday, Rusty and I stopped to walk on the Lake Wilderness Trail. It is right in the center of Maple Valley. We started at the church on Witte Road and followed the trail through a tunnel that went under the road. It wound through the Lake Wilderness Arboretum and eventually to the Lake Wilderness Park, which is what you see in this picture. It was a clear warm evening and the Mountain was out.

An Afternoon Of Wine In Woodinville

Last Sunday we went with the Wagners to the Passport To Woodinville Festival. It was a chance to visit and sample wine from 20 or 30 odd tasting rooms. Everyone purchased a ticket which looked like a standard passport, along a wine glass. All the wineries had water so that people could wash out their glass between tastings. The wineries are clumped close together in the industrial area of Woodinville, a suburb northeast of Seattle. We did not go to Woodinville's signature winery Chateau St Michelle because you could go there anytime I think our favorite was Covington Cellars, which was the first place that where we tasted. All of the establishments served food along with their wine offerings.

Celebrity Apprentice--It's All Annie Duke

If you like me had not heard of Annie Duke before watching this year's version of Celebrity Apprentice--you sure know her now. The Poker pro has played this season with a "take no prisoners" attitude that the Donald would have to appreciate. Duke displayed her many talents and spoke of a few others in last night's double tasked extravaganza.
The first task was an old Apprentice stand-by--the celebrity auction, nothing gets Trump's juices going like big money flying around to help a worthy cause. Duke was an amazing auctioneer begging and cajoling money from her attendees.
In contrast, the big debacle was Kotu' Clint Black, a seemingly washed up celebrity, who does not realize how washed up he is--that would become apparent in the next task.
Team Athena wins and Joan Rivers hits the ceiling because in a previous task, Duke brought Melissa into the boardroom. Hey Joan, it's a game! It's the boardroom not a gas chamber. Natalie Gulbus is fired for a "Bay Of Pigs" type failure to sabotage Annie and for picking Jewelry that doesn't look good on the runway
Why I stuck around for the second episode remains a mystery but the Celebs have to come up with a meal to promote the obscure frozen food brand Schwans. Clint comes up with an idea of using a celebrity bus. It sounds a loser from the start. Hershel is the project manager and wants to do a chicken recipe, only he does not eat chicken.
The task is highlighted by Annie's little comment in the kitchen. It doesn't matter who won, you either love Annie or loathe her.

Permanent Move For The Apple Cup?

There is buzz in the Pacific Northwest about moving the Apple Cup to Downtown Seattle's Qwest Field. The game is the annual rivalry between the Washington State Cougars and the Washington Huskies. Presently it alternates between the home fields of the two schools, however, since it is played close to the Thanksgiving Break, many Washington State students leave the area at that time.
Most fans think that this will give the Washington Huskies an unfair advantage, the game originally alternated between Husky Stadium and Spokane's Joe Albi, however, improvements at Martin Stadium in Pullman made it possible for the game to be played there in 1982. It has allowed the Cougs to have a 10-3 edge on their home field since then.

Football Broadcaster John Madden Retires

Veteran Football commentator and sports personality John Madden announced his retirement today. He started as a linebacker coach for the Oakland Raiders in 1967, the season that the Raiders went to their first Super Bowl. In 1969. he became a head coach for the team. He guided the Raiders to their first Super Bowl win, then retired in 1979. He joined CBS that year. Madden has worked for all 4 majorTV networks at one time or another. He not only belongs in the Sports broadcasting Hall Of Fame, they should name the Hall after him!

On My Family's Blogs

My brother Steve pays tribute to two fallen voices who helped make the NFL what it is today

Brian McKnight Fired On Celebrity Apprentice

Next week, the celebrities will try to sell the Ivanka Trump line of Jewelry.

Mike And Deb Do SoCal

From Oceanside Condo

Nephews Play with their lightsabres as dusk falls on Disneyland

A panda at the the San Diego Zoo

Coronado Beach on a beautiful day.

Generally at this time, we journey down to Palm Springs. This year we stayed in Oceanside with Deb's Mom, Sister and Brother in law and nephews Connor and Ethan.

Seattle's Safeco Field Will Celebrate 10th Birthday

The Seattle Mariner's Safeco Field will turn 10 on July 15h. The team moved from the Kingdome into the outdoor field in the middle of the season. I went to that game with some work buddies, having won a ticket in a drawing. Pictured above is the commemorative ticket. It was only the second outdoor Major League Baseball game that I had seen in my lifetime. I had watched the Mariners play at the Kingdome. Ironically, I had seen my first outdoor Major League game a month and a half earlier at Chicago's Wrigley Field. The Cub's opponent and the Mariner's opponent in both of the games that I have mentioned, by coincidence, was the San Diego Padres.

In this day of High Technology, it's hard to believe that not so long ago, networks used to brag simply about a television program being broadcast in color. Any TV watcher in their 40s or 50s should remember this.

WSU Picks New Head Basketball Coach

Ken Bone will leave Portland State to become the new head basketball coach at WSU. Bone lead Portland State to two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Bone is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University. He wants to make recruiting in the Puget Sound area a priority for the Cougars.

Back From California

My family and I went on vacation to Southern California last weekend. This picture is of the Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado Island near San Diego. We visited the Hotel and also went to La Jolla, Disneyland, and the San Diego Zoo. I hope to have some pictures up in the next couple of days.

Celebrity Apprentice: A Double Firing

I wasn't able to see all of last Sunday's Apprentice, but you can get a recap here. The teams were split up and were to make a viral video promoting the detergent "ALL" . Neither video was good enough to use so T-Boz and Kloe Kardashian were fired.

More Soon

Wow, it's been awhile, I've been out of town. I'll have more soon.

Run James Run

In the online Seattle PI, longtime columnist Jim Moore explores the reason why James Donaldson is running for Mayor Of Seattle rather than doing something sports related.

April Showers Bring....

Probably more showers. After a long dark winter, spring does not seem to want to get sprung over here in the greater Seattle area. However the forecast is in for a better weekend, we'll see.