The Ravens' Demise

Good. Finally. After a number of years of sub par performance, either due to personnel or coaching, Matt Cavanaugh might be gone.

Granted, he's been a bit hamstrung due to a lack of talent... but calling 6 pass plays in a row to start a game (during differnet series, of course, since both result in 3 and out) when you have one of the top running backs in the game, and, frankly, a couple of fantastic backup running backs, is just stupid. My dog could do a better job, and she hates football.

There is a second issue, though. It's far more difficult to fix, too. The players gave up. They quit. You might say it started with the loss in New England where they didn't seem to show up for the game, or maybe the following game where they blew a 24 point lead in the 4th quarter to Cincinatti (Cincinatti!?!). The reason for that wasn't bad play calling, it was bad play. They quit, especially the defense.

I happen to think the problems were evident in the first game of the season, a 20-3 loss in Cleveland where it appeared the Ravens didn't show up ready to play. Sure, they can blame the injuries, but they went 7-3 hurt, then went 1-4 healthy.

I'm not sure we'll have to worry about all the other teams that have to lose for the Ravens to get in the playoffs. I'm not sure they'll beat Miami. I think plenty of them are already in the off season.

I guess there's always next year.

New Year's Hangovers

I think everyone at one time or another has suffered from a hangover. This (I would assume annual) article discusses hangovers and the potential cures.

Other than the obvious 'Don't drink so much' cure, here are some of my favorites:

• Drink lots and lots of water during the night of drinking. Down 8 oz of water for every 'drink' (bottle of beer, shot of tequilla, whatever)
  
• Salt. There is a reason we crave salty foods when hungover. Water retention. Of course, when coupled with your water drinking, you'll poof up like Shrek, but you'll feel better in the morning.
• McDonalds food. I have no idea why. Maybe it's just all the mornings I showed up to work there hungover.
• Coca-Cola. The caffiene helps, I'm sure, but there's just something about it that seems to help.
• Pizza. Maybe it's the tomato sauce, maybe the grease, but it always seemed to help.

Have a good night. Mrs. Stagg and I will probably just have a calm dinner and cocktails out with some friends, and maybe walk down to the water to watch the fireworks. We'll feel fine tomorrow morning.

The Definition of Malpractice

I wonder if the State of Maryland will subsidise my homeowners insurance. It's gone up quite a bit. I might have to move out of state, and there is already a shortage of Libertarians and powerlifters.

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2004/12_30-16/GOV

I just don't get this mentality. Of course, a big part of the problem is the third party payor system we have. If the money to pay your medical bills came out of your pocket, your medical care would be far better than it is now, and this wouldn't be a government issue at all.

YAY! Security!

I can't believe this.

The best part:

"Passengers initially were not allowed to get off the plane because the Grant County International Airport was not equipped to screen international travelers. The passengers were finally allowed off Tuesday after officials temporarily cleared a terminal and posted sheriff's deputies at the entrances.

One man had to be taken off the plane by medics, and a second passenger was treated for an undisclosed medical emergency. Northwest spokeswoman Mary Stanik said she had no immediate information about their conditions.

Stanik said passengers would receive a gift pack that included phone cards and vouchers for a free ticket anywhere Northwest flies in the United States and Canada.

"We apologized to our customers for any and all inconvenience," she said.

As for preventing the passengers from getting off the plane, Customs spokesman Mike Milne said: "We're not doing it to be mean. We're doing it to preserve the security requirements. We're required by law to screen these people when they come to the United States."

Feel safer?

The Best and the Brightest

Looks like Wal-Mart might be having some trouble hiring them.

Braniacs Kill Cat

What kind of an idiot comes up with this as a solution? Perhaps that should be a question during the hiring process.

Serves them right...

This story in the SF Chronicle illustrates the folly of government intervention in a number of ways.

You can't drive your Prius in the HOV lane because the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT hasn't approved your state's bill.

All that on top of the state telling you which lane you can use in the first place.

How did we get here from where we started 225 years ago?

Startin' things off...

My next powerlifting meet should be in May, the Capitol City PLing meet run by the Virginia USAPL.

I'm working through a lower back injury right now, hopefully that will straighten itself out with the help of my Chiropractor (Dr Hughes at the Baltimore Back Pain Clinic) and megadoses of Advil.