It's Official

Hollywood has run out of new ideas. Saw previews Saturday for the new Rocky movie.

"Reasonable Chance"

President Bush said the U. S. had a "reasonable chance" of shooting down a North Korean missile. Reasonable chance equals "reasonable doubt." Not good enough. You, George, are the weakest link.
"Reasonable chance" my ass. Sounds like our missile defense system isn't worth a damn. Neither is our President.

Space Shuttle Sighting

Andrew and I saw the space shuttle/ISS Thursday night.
I knew we might have a good chance of seeing it. I went out around 9 but there was a little overcast, and the moon was lighting the sky.
So we went to the prairie (the best place for seeing storms, lightning, stars, etc.). We got there at 9:20 and about two minutes later, we saw it. I think we both saw it at the same time. I looked through the binoculars but before I could focus in on it, Andrew said "That's it."
Very bright, and damn fast. Of course, traveling around the earth at almost 18,000 mph, I knew it would be fast. But we were only able to see it for about three minutes or less. Even from our perspective, it was amazingly fast.
There is a chance of seeing it tonight (Friday, July 7) around 9:45. 32 degrees WSW, king of "right of the big dipper."

Even though I've taken pictures for over 30 years, I knew damn well I couldn't get a picture of it, but I snapped it anyway. What the hell. Here's the proof--the space shuttle is a sperm!

Hi-Res

Talladega Super Speedway finally in hi-res on Google Earth.

CMT's List

CMT did a show Sunday night on Top 20 Best Southern Rock Songs. I don't normally watch CMT but the description caught my eye. Here's their list, and a few of my comments:

20 - Gregg Allman Band - I'm No Angel
19 - Charlie Daniels - The South's Gonna Do It Again
18 - The Outlaws - Green Grass And High Tides - Should be WAY higher.
17 - The Marshall Tucker Band - Heard It In A Love Song
16 - Blackfoot - Train, Train - Glad to see this included.
15 - The Ozark Mountain Daredevils - If You Wanna Get To Heaven - Good song, but

questionable inclusion on this list.
14 - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme Three Steps
13 - Georgia Sattellites - Keep Your Hands To Yourself--Southern Rock? Technically,

maybe, but i wouldn't classify them as such.
12 - Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' With Disaster - Deserves to be higher, higher than Dixie

Chicken.
11 - Wet Willie - Keep On Smilin' - Learned from the show that lead singer Jimmy Hall

now plays harmonica for Hank Williams Jr.
10 - Elvin Bishop - Fooled Around And Fell In Love - Not Elvin Bishop singing, but

playing guitar. Who's the singer? MIckey Thomas, who was later sang in Starship.

Didn't know that.
09 - .38 Special - Hold On Loosely - Another Van Zandt brother.
08 - Little Feat - Dixie Chicken--Maybe Southern California.
07 - Hank Williams Jr. - All My Rowdy Friends - Country rock, not "Southern Rock,"

although he is from the South.
06 - The Allman Brothers Band - Midnight Rider - Definitley belongs on the list.
05 - Charlie Daniels - The Devil Went Down To Georgia - CDB's second song on list

should be Long-Haired Country Boy.
04 - The Marshall Tucker Band - Can't You See - Maybe should be rated higher.
03 - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird--Third? Apparently my vote wasn't counted.
02 - The Allman Brothers Band - Ramblin' Man
01 - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama.

I saw Wet Willie, CDB, Marshall Tucker Band and Allman Brothers at opening event

of the Superdome. Helluva concert, what little I remember.
Saw Skynyrd with Foghat and Clapton in Memphis. Dylan was in the audience.
Never saw the others. Would like to see the Outlaws. Their lead singer, writer and

guitar player, Hughie Thomason, now plays with Skynyrd.