News audio winner of the week is hands down the redneck mom from Georgia. Her precious little 6 year old busted up a school and then was handcuffed. Excuse me….put in handcuff. Listen to this audio and then tell me where you think a child learns behavior like this.
The Can Wars are escalating. I highly recommend this podcast “Can Brawl” from yesterday’s show between the pride of Framingham, Mike the “Can Man”, and the new Can Man, Gary. There is a definite TLC reality show in here somewhere. If thousands will watch guys in Louisiana tool around on their boats shooting alligators, I guarantee they will watch men in Massachusetts ride around on their bikes, fighting over precious returnables.
Blogging my way to New York and Pennsylvania for a soccer tournament…..
It’s great to have LB back on the show after three days in the hospital with a heart issue. Doctors at St. Elizabeth’s released this picture of LB’s heart today and I thought you might find it interesting.
To paraphrase a famous quote: WHERE DOES JULIAN EDELMAN GO TO GET HIS REPUTATION BACK?
Now that prosecutors have dropped the indecent assault charge against the Patriots receiver for lack of evidence, what does Julian Edelman do to clear his name? Will as much time be spent on blogs, and radio and TV talking about how he was railroaded as was devoted to calling him a sex offender on the day after Halloween?
How many phone calls did we take that morning from those who said he would be dumped by Belichick and the Krafts before practice started? How many people had convicted Julian Edelman of gross and inappropriate fondling before he had even arrived for his arraignment that morning?
According to prosecutors the charges were dropped because “video evidence and eyewitness testimony showed that Edelman briefly took the woman’s hand on the dance floor” and it was “fleeting and did not meet the elements of any crime”. So, when they looked at the surveillance tape it was what many thought-a New England Patriot on the dance floor is a prime target for bogus claims.
We ought to ask the Boston Police why a man was arrested and arraigned for taking a woman’s hand on the dance floor? Why was Edelman detained and handcuffed rather than the charge being investigated on follow up by detectives who could view the evidence and make a determination of whether a crime had been convicted? Did his NFL status lead to treatment that was above and beyond what would normally happen in this kind of case?
And we should have a genuine discussion about whether the alleged victims in these cases can remain anonymous? If the accuser is identified before conviction, and his reputation ruined, why isn’t the accuser identified when the evidence clearly shows that there is no truth to the outrageous allegation she made? Yes, I am bothered by this because I know Julian and he’s an incredible guy. But I am also bothered because a man was skewered publicly for something he didn’t do and will forever have to tell people “the charges were dropped”.
As a fat load that is trying to lose weight, I am always looking to make my efforts easier because I'm a lazy bastard. The folks at the social network DailyBurn have come out with an iPhone app that supposedly can give you the calorie count of that heart stopping snack by taking a picture of it. It's called Meal Snap($2.99 iTunes App Store) and will help you save time looking up the calories for that sprout salad with blue cheese dressing or the Double Down with a Diet Coke. Apparently they have a data base of over 500,000 items to compare to the photo you send. After few minutes(probably the same amount of time it takes to look it up) it will send back the calories and identify the item. Supposedly it can also break down the contents of a salad or multi- item plate. You also have the option of entering the name with the pic which expedites the process. Of course I was skeptical so I decided to do a field test.
The App itself is very easy to use. Simply point and snap, hit finish, and your info comes back. As you'll see in the findings below it was surprisingly successful with some but had trouble with others:
I started with something easy and delicious. It had no problem identifying bacon and gave a calorie count that was surprisingly low. Maybe they low ball the calories to make the user feel better about eating bacon or a stick of butter.
Next up was Hill-Man's daily dose of watermelon. He is such a healthy bastard!  Again it had no problem. Next time I'll soak the melon in Vodka and see if it or Hill-Man can figure it out.
This was very surprising because this is not only a Blueberry Muffin but a Bran Blueberry Muffin. It identified the muffin correctly which I found kind of creepy. Can the app some how smell the bran?
It had trouble with this multi-item plate. It innacurately indentified this turkey wrap as ham and the feta as cottage cheese.
Apparently it can also read labels and correctly identified this delicious Cinnabon Breakfast Snack.
At this point I became curious and decided to test it's abilities a bit further:
It had no trouble figuring out this copy of the popular Jehovah's Witness Magazine "The Watchtower" was not food. Although it does work well as fish wrap or emergency bum wipe.
Although it had no problem identifying this life changing Lettuce formed into a lovely faux-hawk display.
As well as this generous portion of Canadian Ham, again I believe it was conservative with it's calorie count as to not offend the consumer and create frustration.
Apparently a "Man's Hand with a partial tattoo on the wrist" is in the Meal Snaps data base. This is both intriguing and disturbing. The only thing I can surmise of this is that Meal Snaps recommends eating human flesh before eating something that is paper like "The Watchtower". Also, 149-223 calories for my hand? I am very fatty.
The logical next step would be to take a picture of my junk. After all, that's what a phone/camera is for.(Right Brett Favre?) Much like "The Watchtower" my penis was identified as "Not Food". Even though it is 0 calories my wife is still not putting it anywhere near her mouth.
My attempts to take the field test to the next level hit a slight snag when I was threatened by several women in the office after asking politely to photograph their breasts. I resolved the situation by procuring a copy of Penthouse Magazine and snapping a picture of Adult Film Star Tasha Reigns' ample bosom. Again the app made the claim that these were not food. I soundly dispute this claim. Especially if you put whipped cream on them.
From this study we have learned three things:
1. Technology is making it easier to fight the obescity epidemic happening in this country.
2. A "Man's Hand" is considered food but not his penis or a porn star's breasts. Good to know the next time you are stranded on an island with the cast of "Barely Legal Asses Vol. 4".
3. Including "The Watchtower" in a blog with a picture of your junk is always funny...to me anyway.
Iâm trying to figure out what Tom Menino has against Wal-Mart. The mayor told the Herald that âall of a sudden Wal-Mart has become Mr. Goody-Two-Shoesâ because they want to open a location in, gasp, the city that the 86 term Mayor has convinced himself he owns. Arenât there an awful lot of the mayorâs constituents, who find themselves without a job, who would love to be gainfully employed at a dependable chain like Wal-Mart? Arenât there people who live and work in the cities that the mayor rules with an iron fist that would love the opportunity to save some money and shop at a Wal-Mart?
Do you think his opposition has anything to do with the fact that Wal-Mart has refused to unionize its employees around the country? What a nasty word âunionâ has become, huh? The unions were invented to keep 8 year old kids from working 18 hour days in sweat shops. At many times in this countryâs history they have, and they still do, serve their purpose. But in dire economic times, when people are desperate for jobs, it should be a crime to prevent a company that wants to create them from doing so, for political reasons.
Ask yourself what jobs Mayor Tom Menino, or Deval Patrick for that matter, have created in these tough times? They are more than happy to throw millions of dollars at a âgreenâ company that bolts the state for foreign lands when times get tough, but they are standing in the way of an American company that wants to come to Boston, and Somerville, and create employment opportunities?
Whether you see the value, or not, in unions, should it be an issue that stops Wal-Mart from creating jobs in a city, and an economy, that really needs them? Can we really afford to be that picky?
Reading through the entire transcript of the Congressmanâs âsexbookingâ exploits with the ladies, not once does he use the âwienerâ play on words. How could he resist?
Do you think that before she married a man whoâs last name was Wiener, his wifeâs name was pronounced âHummaâ?
When researching his role in âState of Playâ as a philandering politician who gets caught, Ben Affleck met with, and received advice on the character, from none other than the dirty Democrat himself. I guess Ben was looking for realism in his acting.
If you keep your underwear on in a photo that you are tweeting to someone, it definitely means youâre stuffing, right?
Why didnât Larry Craig use the âit was a jokeâ defense?
When President Clinton married Congressman Wiener and his new bride, he apparently passed on some marital advice.  Which is kind of like Aaron Rome instructing youth hockey players on clean hits.
Newt Gingrich would only have accepted the Congressmanâs apology if he had been wearing red, white and blue boxers in the photo
If there is such a thing, the blackjack dealer was definitely âsexting upwardâ
Who looks better in their nude photo spread? Congressman Wiener or Senator Brown?
Rather than ask the obligatory question about why someone would participate in such risky behavior when we all know the answer, we should really ask the Congressman (and everybody else, on both sides, that is in our employ in Washington) why they havenât been able to get people back to work.
We talked this morning about San Francisco child protective services removing 8 year old Brittney Campbell from her motherâs custody, after the mentally ill woman went on âGood Morning Americaâ to describe the botox treatments she gives her daughter so she âcan become a starâ.
Brittney participates in the pedophile smorgasbord that are âChild Beauty Pageantsâ. Her mother buys Botox online and injects her daughter when she thinks she sees a wrinkle. She also gets her daughter full body waxes in the hope that she wonât develop hair when she hits puberty.
This certifiable lunatic of a mother says âwhat Iâm doing will help her become a starâ. Really? What it will help her become is completely obsessed and paranoid over her own looks, so much so that she will be in a mental institution by age 15. Either that, or by age 16, she will have had so many procedures that she looks like a teenage borg. Or any 45 year old soccer mom from Newton.
The worst thing about this is what Brittney appears to believe about plastic surgery. Remember, sheâs eight years old! She told the âDaily Mirrorâ in England, âI also want a boob and nose job soon so I can become a starâ. Soon? Is she waiting til sheâs ten? Or until her prize winnings equal the five grand she would need for a good set of fake bombs?
It is well within the rights of any child protection agency to remove a child whose parent is so obsessed with making their 8 year old a star, that they are willing to alter their kidâs body. It should be a crime to convince your daughter that a firm C cup will someday make you a success. Andâ¦somebody should put a limit on child beauty pageants. Like you canât get in one until you are old enough to drive. Little girls donât need any additional pressure in their life. And they certainly donât need to worry about getting implants before they get their period.
Implants donât make you a star, talent does. Just ask Tia Tequila.
We tried the Mint Julips made by the 3 finalists in the Greg Hill Foundation's "Great Mint Julip competition" and, since you might want to make them for your Derby party, here are the recipes:
Jamie Walsh â Bar Manager â Stoddards Fine Food â BostonTradition with a Twist
2-3oz Makers Mark Bourbon
1/2oz Burnt Sugar Syrup
About 5 to 8 sprigs of Chocolate Mint & 2-3 more for garnish
Crushed ice
Add Chocolate Mint Leaves and Burnt Sugar Syrup ( see below) to the cup and press/muddle, add crushed ice and cone the top of the cup or glass. Add Makers Mark Bourbon and garnish with Chocolate Mint sprigs on top. I like to whack the mint on my hand to "wake" up the oils before I garnish about 4-5 sprigs.
Burnt Sugar Syrup
Take 1 pint of granulated sugar 3 table spoons of water & cook until amber....Adding water at this point takes a little longer but it helps caramelizing it...Pull it off the heat add a pint of water (equal parts water to sugar) put it back on bring to a boil.... then cool
Giuseppe Iannello â AGM - McFaddenâs Saloon BostonStrawberry Mint Julep
Fresh Mint
½   oz simple syrup    ( equal parts sugar & water dissolved together)
½ oz Strawberry flavored water
1 ½ oz Makers Mark Bourbon
Red Pixie Sticks
Crushed ice
lightly coat bottom of a ten oz. glass with the red pixie stick, add ¼ oz of simple syrup and strawberry flavored water, using a shaker combine the pixie stick, water and syrup, lightly muddle mint into mixture, now fill cup to the top with crushed ice, add Makers Mark over ice, add another 1/4 oz. of simple syrup, fill the rest of the glass with the strawberry flavored water. stir drink to blend ingredients and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Dan Galupo - Howl at the Moon & W Hotel BostonMaple Mint Julep
1 ½ oz Real Vermont Syrup â ( no Aunt whatâs her face)
Fresh Mint
2 oz Makers Mark Bourbon
Crushed Ice
In a glass add 1.5 Ounces of Maple Syrup and good amount of fresh mint muddle this up real good to infuse mint into the syrup. Add fresh crushed ice and Maker Mark Bourbon, shake and strain into glass, add fresh ice and garnish with fresh mint.
Kentucky Classic Mint Julep
Fresh Mint
1 teaspoon Powdered Sugar
2 ½ oz Makers Mark Bourbon
2 tablespoons of water
Crushed Ice
In a glass, muddle the powdered sugar, mint leaves and water, add crushed ice and Makers Mark Bourbon, garnish with fresh mint. Simple and Delicious
As you read this, a Lawrence jury is reviewing the facts in the case of Kristen LaBrie, a mother who made the decision to stop giving her 8 year old son the cancer treatments doctors told her he needed to fight the disease. He died in 2009.
She is charged with attempted murder, child endangerment, and assault and battery. There are some who think she has suffered enough. A prosecutor told the jury that she did not feel one bit of responsibility for the death of her son. She stopped the treatment because she felt the side effects would kill him. This is not the case of a 78 year old man whose wife told him sheâd had enough and it was time to die in peace. This is a 9 year old kid, who looked to the adult in his life for the guidance and care he needed to fight an awful disease. And what does he get? A mother who disregards the advice of doctors and denies him his treatment.
There is every reason for this woman to be found guilty. He should have been given the treatment he needed so his body could fight. There was an 80-90 percent chance he would have survived if she didnât take it upon herself to decide he could do without his medication. That is criminal.
No one knows what really motivated Ms. LaBrie. There was testimony about her resentment of the boyâs father and his lack of involvement in raising their son. Weâll never know unless she tells us what role, if any, that played in all of this. We do know, however, her son had a better than good chance of surviving and she denied him that opportunity. For that, she should go to jail for a long time.
