I saw Avail for the first time about 10 years ago and they’re still rocking the finger wagging sing along punk. You now get thrown out of the club for stage diving (which I’m too old for anyway) so the band kept promising to “announce when it was the last song”. They did, and mayhem ensued, which reminded me of the first time I saw them, every song was the last song, and they didn’t kick people out for stage diving (which I wasn’t too old for).

I’ve never been a huge Springsteen fan, but I know some of you are. Clearchannel is telling their stations not to play his new record.

I don’t enjoy reviewing movies like A Mighty Heart because how can you love a movie, based on a true story, about a journalist whose husband was decapitated? Angelina Jolie gave the type of performance that made you forget you’re watching someone you’ve watched before, which is a plus, and the camera work had a documentary style. You should probably see it.

During the game tonight, a friend and I were discussing who would win if the New England Patriots played the Boston Red Sox? Hard to say.

I just saw Theo getting interviewed on the field. The interviewer said, and I’m paraphrasing, “Theo, you just watched the team win the 2nd world series on your watch. I know you don’t want to stroke yourself here, but how does it feel.” Theo said, “Haha. That comes later, huh?”
Channel 7, 1 AM. Wow.

The CIA’s Counterterrorist Center “Terrorist Buster” Logo must be seen to be believed.

I don’t know how 1408 got onto our Netflix queue, but I knew I was in trouble when I saw “Based on a story by Stephen King” flash at the beginning. This is coming from someone who had read pretty much all of his books before I realized I was never going to catch up to the torrent that is King’s output. John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson (who quietly is running away with the “most watched actor by me this year” contest) gamely slog their way through this film which could not be considered boffo under any circumstances.

Top 1:
Ugh. Nice start, Pedroia.

Yoooooooooooooooooooooouk! Momentum? Is this it?

Guess not. Thanks, Papi.

“Keys to the game for the Red Sox: it’s win or see you in Fort Myers. That’s their spring training facility.” Don’t explain your “jokes,” McCarver.

McCarver’s unhappy that no one’s going to throw at Manny for admiring his homer. I kinda want to see him throw his hands in the air on second base right now, as he’s just tied Pete Rose’s LCS hitting streak. Anyone want to mention that? Tim? Joe? No? Ok, that’s cool.

Oh. My. God. I kind of want to die now. Was Manny running slow? Or was that just a good throw? Not an auspicious start. Somehow it doesn’t feel like we’re up 1-0.

Bottom 1:
Casey Blake is considerably more entertaining reading the lineup than Kielty was. Nicknames! G-Size! Scroobs! T-Pronk!

This double by G-Size does not bode well. Three guys run for the ball, no one catches it, and one of them kicks it into foul territory. Oh, good, and a base hit for Scroobs.

Double-play! But the game is tied. Seems like a good trade at this point, especially if Beckett’s going to give up another hit. Oh, look at that.

Strikes out Garko to end the inning. Nice! Now, if only Fox would stop playing the theme to the damn Drew Carey show.

I have some questions about the Taco Bell Nachos Bel Grande commercial. Presumably the younger brother was visiting the older brother at the latter’s home; doesn’t it seem unlikely that little brother wouldn’t have ever met his brother’s girlfriend? And if he had never met the girlfriend, mightn’t she take some notice of the newcomer when she brought the dog in? I’m having trouble with the whole scene. Kinda want nachos now, though.

Top 2:
OK, Bobby Kielty. Your job here is to be better than J. D. Drew. Can you do it? No. You can’t. (In fairness, the ball looked inside to me, too.)

This would be a good time for Coco to come up big. Come up big, Coco!

God damn you, Coco. Aaaaand a pop-up from Lugo. 6-9 are really just not showing up for this series, are they.

Oh! Hi, Dane Cook! I tell ya, I can’t wait for the second October this year—oh. Just the one?

Bottom 2:
I’m amused that Joe Buck described Gutierrez’s flailing hack at a 3-1 pitch well out of the strike zone as, “Chased it a bit.”

Top 3:
Rachel’s calling a lead-off double for Pedroia. I like that kind of optimism. According to Ken Rosenthal, Pedroia has defiantly claimed that he’s “swinging the bat good.” It’s “well,” Dustin. You’ve been swinging the bat “well.” Which you haven’t.

You know what, I apologize, Dustin. Nice single. Of course, Youkilis hits into a double play. I think the Fox producers lost track of how many outs there were, and started playing the “end of inning” music. Ha.

Big Papi walks, and here comes Manny. What the hell happened on that one? Ortiz scored, but did that ball go out? McCarver is in disbelief, and confused about physics—but no, that ball was gone. This call by the umpires is bullshit. I don’t understand why McCarver and Bank are focusing on the carom. The ball was over the yellow line. In fairness, McCarver is right that Manny needs to run out of the box on hits like this. Shameful base-running in an elimination game.

Lowell strikes out, and that’s all we get.

Bottom 3:
OK, we’re back. It’s possible that I was wrong about Manny’s ball being out of the ballpark.

Strikeout, and a nice play by Pedroia for an exciting 4-3. Beckett’s fifth K, and Boston’s still up 2-1.

Top 4:
Two on with nobody out! True, Coco and Lugo are not the two guys we want coming up right now, but I still don’t like Coco bunting here. Why give up the out? Also, he seems to suck at it. If Tito doesn’t replace Coco with Ellsbury before the end of this game, I’ll whine about it. Right here. On this very blog. Just you wait.

Julio, you’re killing me.

Bottom 4:
That was quick. Nice!

Top 5:
Two quick outs from Pedroia and Youk, and then Papi singles to the opposite field, which I love. Then bases loaded, and nuffink. Which I don’t love, so much.

Bottom 5:
Tim McCarver: baseball player, sportscaster, rock and roll aficionado. Shut up, McCarver. And sit down, Kenny Lofton. Don’t start nothin’.

Oh, look, it’s the Bad News Bears in the infield! Why the hell was Lugo even going for that ball?

Ah, just put your trust in Beckett. Strike three, Scroobs.

Top 6:
You know, I love “Sounds of the Game” and I really enjoyed Gary Cederstrom’s brawl-avoidance. “Josh, not a word. Not a word, dude.” I think it’s awesome Cederstrom calls Beckett “dude.”

Oh, were Varitek, Crisp, and Lugo batting?

Bottom 6:
What is there to say? Beckett is undisputedly the man.

Top 7:
The montage starting this inning was unnecessarily treacly, I think. Pedroia’s gapper, however, works for me. 2B!

Yoooouk!!!111! Gotta love a run-scoring triple that knocks out Sebathia. Well done, Sweatiest Man In Baseball.

Hey, you know what? I am officially sick of the Miller High Life commercials.

Ortizzle with a sac fly RBI! I’m staring to unclench a little about this game.

Bottom 7:
Holy crap, with one out in the seventh, Beckett just threw his 86th pitch. That’s… not a lot of pitches. Of course, on the 87th, Lofton reaches on an E1.

Called third strike! My favorite way to end an inning. (I guess.)

Top 8:
Welcome to the game, J. D. Drew! A lead off walk is not the worst you could do. (By the way, Fox, I wouldn’t mind a camera permanently focused on the Red Sox bullpen. The Lester/Delcarmen drum corp is cracking me up.)

Wow. E1, everybody’ s safe! And then a bunt for a base hit by Lugo loads the bases! This is shaping up to be the kind of exciting inning where the Red Sox catch a couple of breaks and then piss it all away.

Hey, a passed ball! 5-1! And a walk to re-load the bases for Youk! Look at how excited I am! Count the exclamation marks!

Mastny walks in a run, and now the bases are loaded for Big Papi. This is starting to feel awesome. Eh, RBI sac fly. Kinda disappointed, actually.

OK, so here’s a question. If Beckett comes out for the 8th at 96 pitches with a 5+ run lead, is that a pretty clear sign that Tito’s lost faith in the bullpen? Also, McCarver seems to think that “mantra” means “philosophy.” (Beckett won’t come back on short rest to pitch game 7 because that’s not Boston’s “mantra.”)

Bottom 8:
OK, Beckett does start the 8th, but Jeemer and the Bot are warming. Let’s hope Francona’s got his walking shoes on if things start to get hairy. Rachel and I agree, however, that taking him out and keeping his arm available for emergency relief in Game 7, would have been the better call.

Hey, that worked out!

Top 9:
Bill Simmons neatly summed up J. D. Drew’s schtick of getting a nice looking base-hit when it doesn’t matter, such as, for instance, leading off the ninth when you’re leading by 6.

Bottom 9:
First and third, but I’m not worried.

Rock. Beckett + Papelbon = bring on game 6.

The Echo Maker, a National Book Award finalist, featured stretches of good and interesting writing laboring to advance a story that eventually settles (collapses would be too strong a word) clumsily under the weight of a too cute story. A book about a devastating neurological disorder shouldn’t feature flat, unsympathetic characters, but this one does. Maybe I didn’t get it.

Chocolate’s delicious. Bacon’s delicious. What could possibly go wrong?

My latest Whole Foods impulse buy was two “exotic candy bars” by Vosges. Both are fairly delicious, although they are definitely for nibbling, not full-on eating. Or maybe it’s just that I wasn’t all that hungry when I tasted them.

The “Red Fire Bar” isn’t really all that unusual: chocolate and chile is a pretty classic combination. The package advertises “Mexican ancho y chipotle chiles, Ceylon cinnamon,” and 55% cacao chocolate. Come to think of it, I’m pretty impressed if it’s real cinnamon, rather than cassia. Huh.

It tastes good. Spicy chocolate is a good deal, but I think I might have enjoyed it more without the cinnamon. Cinnamon-spicy and chile-spicy are two different flavors, and I thought the “Big Red”-ness overwhelmed the capsicum heat. Still, danged tasty.

The main event, of course, was the “Mo’s Bacon Bar.” Who wouldn’t enjoy applewood smoked bacon, Alder wood smoked salt, and deep milk chocolate? Well, let’s find out! I’ll admit I bit into this one gingerly.

It’s definitely a multi-sensory experience. The aroma is distinctly bacon-y (and I mean that in a good way). The texture is a little odd: the bacon crumbly bits take some getting used to, and some of the pieces have a pronounced chewiness (more fat than lean?). The flavor, however, is delicious. Apart from the smooth chocolate flavors, the salt notes break through clearly, and salty chocolate is an established winner. There’s just a background bacon flavor rounding out the whole experience. Definitely less gross than it sounds. I’d eat another square.

Dane Cook is still the worst. Which is why I couldn’t resist this.