Blogs List
Against The Wind
 Erik Brown |
Sloppy Socks is a hit!Thu, July 24, 2008 @ 4:53PM The reviews on the inaugural Sloppy Socks 5K are in, and it seems like the race was a big success. I wasn’t there, but my twins (Michael and Mark) ran it and had a great time. They really liked the European style course which included slogging across a ditch and through a stream. Michael also got a lot of amusement from seeing a female runner struggling to get up an embankment. I guess that apple didn't fall far from the tree.
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The Art Cafe
 Emily Dimov-Gottshall |
A bit of sunshine under the gray cloudsFri, July 4, 2008 @ 12:29PM Thought I'd share a few pics of downtown Altoona and some of the murals in the area. Fortunately, it was a sunny day when I took the pics and with all this rain we need a reminder that, indeed, we do get sunshine here. and here's another Also, here's some other bits of downtown that caught my eye... |
15 Minutes
 Ray Eckenrode |
Radio recap: Steelers camp primerThu, July 24, 2008 @ 10:37PM With our tendency to overanalyze all things Steelers, we talked with Rob Thursday on "Front and Center" about a guide to what's important at Latrobe and what isn't. DO WATCH for how well Rashard Mendenhall fits into the offense. RB is the one position where you can EXPECT a rookie to contribute right away. With Najeh Davenport's release, you can see the Steelers are expecting Mendenhall to help immediately. DON'T WATCH for how well Limas Sweed fits in. Marques Colston notwithstanding, it can take a rookie WR two full years to adapt to the precision and physicality of the pro game (Roy Williams, Mike Williams, Calvin Johnson, Charles Rogers). If Sweed catches 30-40 balls, call it a success. Matt Spaeth is probably the guy most likely to bloom into a receiving threat this year. DO WATCH for who's playing center and how well they block.
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Manifest Destiny
 Stephen Garguilo |
A Good NightWed, July 23, 2008 @ 10:00AM As the kind of guy who enjoys bargaining to begin with, I'm really liking Bangalore where bargaining is so prevalent. In fact, it can be considered offensive if you don't haggle over the price of something. The other night was probably the best bargaining experience to date: we went out to Commercial Street to actually look at getting some souveneirs and things (an aspect I'd pretty much neglected to this point, but now I realize I should consider since there are only three weeks left) and stopped in a decent little place called Khan's "The Culture" that sold a number of different things. Larissa wanted to buy some saris, so we went in to see what else they had. I noticed a couple of little elephant trinkets that I thought were cool, and wanted to pick up a couple with the different symbols.
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Nittany Nuggets
 Cory Giger |
Paterno's recruiting comments make national newsMon, June 30, 2008 @ 11:26PM What I thought was an interesting but not incredibly newsy story from this past weekend turned up all over the Internet and eventually found its way to ESPN on Tuesday. The story offers great proof that when Joe Paterno's future is brought up -- especially now with him in the final year of his contract -- everyone pays attention. The major point of the story is summed up in this quote: "Mr. Paterno told me himself that his replacement is already within the staff, so he'll just bring one new guy in and bump everybody up in the ranks," linebacker recruit Mike Yancich said. It's not highly unusual Paterno would make this kind of promise to recruits. He apparently has been doing so for years. But the timing is interesting because this is the final year of JoePa's contract. That makes a statement like the one above much more pertinent now than ever before.
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Life & style
 Ashley Gurbal |
City of Brotherly ... Shopping?Wed, July 23, 2008 @ 7:46PM I spent last weekend in Philadelphia, my first trip to the City of Brotherly Love. It's really not my kind of town, to be honest, but the shopping -- well, that was amazing. From the city streets to the suburbs, I could have spent a week on a retail tour of southeastern Pennsylvania. I came back wishing we had the following stores in Altoona: * Forever 21: Cheap, chic clothes and accessories. The Philly one didn't have nearly the clearance section the one at Pentagon City Mall in DC does, but it's just such a fun store to browse in. It's like a treasure hunt that pays off when you find the perfect skirt or shirt tucked into the cramped racks for less than $9.99. * Burlington Coat Factory: A great mix of clothing, accessories and housewares. It was pretty organized, too, for a discount store in the downtown area of a major city.
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Have Dog, Will Blog
 Amy Jo Hanna |
Lickin' The Lyme TickFri, July 18, 2008 @ 10:50AM It’s been a hectic summer to say the least. I’m not sure where even the month of July has gone. Mazey had her annual check-up and shots this month. My vet, in State College, recommended a vet closer in distance for routine visits. Because he doesn’t know the area well, this new vet still ended up being located in Roaring Spring which while closer than State College - half the distance for me, is still 20 miles and still far enough to cause my mother to yell about not finding a vet closer to home…. “Who can win,” I ask?” Well definitely Mazey wins because this vet rocks. If you can find her office pilgrimaging through umpteen mazes of farms and cornfields, Dr. Gail Ianson-Woodring, At Home Veterninary Care, gets my vote.
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The Single Mom
 Kristin Heinbaugh |
It's funny, eventuallyMon, June 30, 2008 @ 5:13PM With things at my homestead so stressful and chaotic, I started a photo album of the crazy daily events that happen. I've been trying so hard to get my house back in order after pouring all my time and effort into small remodeling jobs around the house. It's not going so well. Every time I get a room cleaned up, the kids tear it up again. Getting a 2- and 4-year-old to clean up their mess is a struggle, but trust me, they are taught to pick up their toys. They just don't always do it. The mess sits until they do, and they don't get a reward that day if they fail to listen. The album began with our kitten Shadow. Keyton was in the tub when Shadow came in the bathroom and sat down next to Cayleigh. Keyton wanted to pet her, but I told him he would have to wait until he was dried off. Cayleigh had another idea: She picked up poor Shadow and tossed her in the tub. Talk about a drowned cat. There was a trial of water from the tub to under my bed.
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First Fantasy
 Christian Ingram |
First Fantasy - Trend/Mirade (April)Fri, April 18, 2008 @ 5:42PM First Fantasy – Trend/Mirage by: Christian Ingram Through two weeks of games in this young 2008 season, we’ve had a chance to get a glimpse of a few tendencies this season. As it stands at the moment, Florida and St. Louis are pretty good, Detroit and Cleveland are not good at all, and Johnny Cueto has redefined the word “good” when he is involved. I think it now means something close to the word “Jesus” amongst fantasy owners. It all comes down to, as Jack Nicholson put it in the original Batman: “Who do you trust?” That is the question you have to be asking yourself as a fantasy owner.
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Han Shot First
 Sam Johns / Julian Baughman |
The Dark Knight...Sun, July 20, 2008 @ 12:36PM The hype can only take you so far. All the talk of a posthumous Oscar nomination needs to be seen to be believed. Most films would wilt under the pressure of all the anticipation that has followed "The Dark Knight" up to its opening. Lesser films would have fallen under the weight; "The Dark Knight" does not. It is everything that was expected and more. All the credit in the world for the success of this film needs to be placed at the feet of Chris Nolan, who, having written, produced and directed the film, can be considered the backbone of the movie. Instead of relying on the old cookie-cutter hero/villian story, Nolan has decided to put the characters into how they would be in the "real world". As a result, the movie has a sense of "this could happen to me" that permeates throughout.
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Mainly Mehno
 John Mehno |
Everybody's talkingTue, July 22, 2008 @ 0:13AM I don't listen to any sports talk radio, mosty because I'm out of signal range to get Rob Egan and Joe Shuta. Sports talk in Pittsburgh comes with a lot of attitude, and a lot of the same people saying the same things over and over. I don't have a preset saved for either of the two all-sports stations. My only exposure to telephone sports talk comes from the 10:35 p.m. show on the CW, which is the low budget operation that KDKA-TV runs out of its basement. I mostly watch that one because my friend Ron Cook is a regular, and I can ridicule him for driving into town after 10 o'clock on $4-a-gallon gasoline to listen to people who don't have a clue. The paper pays them a $50 appearance fee, which hardly seems worth it. Anyway, I'm watching the other night and a guy calls with the solution to the Pirates' problem. Keep the lineup intact, but spend some money and go out and buy a 20-game winner. Brilliant.
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Au Naturel
 Jennifer Morchesky |
Kashi crazyWed, July 23, 2008 @ 9:03AM Nutritionists always tell you to shop the perimeter of the grocery store and skip the middle aisles, which are stuffed with processed foods that you don't need. We do pretty well with this advice for the most part, although whole wheat pasta, tomato sauces, salad dressings, and ice cream have permanent spots in our shopping cart. Also permanent on the list for the summer: hot sauce for the buffalo chicken dip (not healthy!!!) that we take to every single cookout we attend. (The two packs of cream cheese and block of cheddar in the recipe come from the perimeter--does that make it better?) What we absolutely cannot live without from the center aisles, however, is everything Kashi brand. Doug is addicted to their cereals, Delia and I love the protein bars, and we all eat the frozen waffles.
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Home Sweet Home
 Kate Morris |
Signs of springThu, April 10, 2008 @ 0:31AM Here is my top 10 list of signs of spring: 10. Long lines have formed at area car washes. 9. Neighborhood kids are out and about with their skateboards. 8. Skunks, also known in these parts as wood pussys, no longer are curtailing their wintertime activities and are out searching for grubs. 7. My yard is home to lots of fat, singing robins. 6. One neighbor is hanging laundry out to dry. 5. Co-worker Larry is wearing shorts, not long pants, to work. 4. Another neighbor has brought out his backyard grill. 3. The Curve boys are back at the Blair County Ballpark. 2. Thunder in the mountains: motorcycles are everywhere. And my No. 1 sure sign of spring: Orange cones have reappeared on Route 22.
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Backyard Beats
 Jim Price |
Live Music Is Back on Monday NightsMon, July 21, 2008 @ 10:32AM It's the commonly-held notion that Mondays generally stink. It's back to work, school, household chores or whatever else is your own personal "grind." Recently, though, live music has returned to Monday nights in the Altoona area, to provide a chance to unwind after surviving the first day of the new work or school week. Pellegrine's recently started providing live music on Monday nights, returning a tradition the venue had done for several years during the early- to mid-90's. The music starts every Monday night at 10 PM. At least one of the current rotation of Pellegrine's Monday night performers is a carryover from the previous inception of Monday night performers.
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Once a sports guy ...
 Neil Rudel |
July 4 race runs smoothly, as usualFri, July 4, 2008 @ 11:12AM I spent part of the morning at one of Blair County's premier sporting events, the Hollidaysburg YMCA Race. Under the guidance of the Altoona Running Club and the Altoona YMCA and now the Hollidaysburg Y, the race has evolved over the years. But one thing that hasn't changed is the outstanding organization and cooperation, the impressive spirit with which the running community embraces the event and the incredible inspiration it is to watch people endure the 5- and 15-kilometer courses. Men and women, boys and girls, young and old, thin and well, husky, it unites all. The race once featured the likes of Bill Rodgers and Greg Fredericks (google their resumes/I'm not real swift with the tool bar) but it's maintained itself into a great local race, the annual centerpiece of the regional running celendar. Those who completed it truly had a special July 4.
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Game Over!
 Nick Recchia Tom Worthington |
Rock Band 2 full setlistTue, July 15, 2008 @ 9:08AM Well after several posts of rumored songs, the rumors can end. Here is the full setlist for Rock Band 2: Rock Band 2 On-Disc Track List: 1. AC/DC "Let There Be Rock" 2. AFI "Girl's Gone Grey" 3. Alanis Morissette "You Oughta Know" 4. Alice in Chains "Man in the Box" 5. Allman Brothers "Ramblin' Man" 6. Avenged Sevenfold "Almost Easy" 7. Bad Company "Shooting Star" 8. Beastie Boys "So Whatcha Want" 9. Beck "E-Pro" 10. Bikini Kill "Rebel Girl" 11. Billy Idol "White Wedding Pt. I" 12. Blondie " One Way or Another" 13. Bob Dylan "Tangled Up in Blue" 14. Bon Jovi "Livin' on a Prayer" 15. Cheap Trick "Hello There" 16.
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Just Write
 Kelly Valeri |
Operating a chain saw can really rev your engineSat, June 28, 2008 @ 11:28PM There are a few things every woman should do in her lifetime: * Splurge on a timeless piece of clothing that makes her feel beautiful. * Live alone. * Find that perfect go-to recipe. * Keep a diary. * Wield a chainsaw. Sure, that last one might sound a little strange. I mean, if everyone in the world were to actually write down the things they hope to eventually accomplish, I'm sure there would be a whole lot of "skydiving" notes and very few about operating heavy machinery. But after recently having the opportunity to rev the engine of that power tool myself, I can tell you the adrenaline rush is probably just as thrilling as jumping out of a plane -- only without all of that unwanted potential-to-plummet-to-your-death waiver stuff. Like it probably does for most homeowners, every spring brings a new opportunity for me and my husband to give our property a critical eye.
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Life is good
 Sam Wagner |
You don't know Jack?Wed, July 2, 2008 @ 0:16AM Jack: The Musical is finally over. We had eight performances and it was an extremely great run. I hope some of you got to see it. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the show considering the mustard colored tights “Young Tanner” was forced to wear and the insane amount of moronic dancing I attempted. If you saw the show, you probably understand where I’m coming from. This show has been very different from any show I’ve ever done before. It was written by local playwright Will Jones and produced by P&J Productions.
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At the Movies
 Ken Womack |
"Hellboy II"Sun, July 13, 2008 @ 10:41PM Hellboy II: The Golden Army ** Hellboy made for a surprisingly charming look at an unlikely comic-book hero. It was, at times, the heartwarming story of a literal demon from hell who finds his way to Earth in 1944 after the Nazis employ black magic to conjure him into existence. Rescued by the Allies, he becomes the centerpiece for a secret FBI unit known as the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. Sadly for us, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is not even as remotely successful as its precursor. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Hellboy II is an awkward mishmash of plot points and competing narratives. In so doing, the movie ends up losing sight of the one element that really made it work—Hellboy himself. Based on the comic-book series by Mike Mignola, Hellboy II stars Ron Perlman as the title character—a seven-foot tall, cigar-chomping, trench coat-wearing demon.
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