Frank Shamrock retires from American mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting

Frank Shamrock (Frank Alisio Juarez III) announced he's retiring from American mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting at at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Werdum Saturday at HP Pavilion.

Frank Shamrock is the four-time defending, undefeated MMA champion and a 7th degree black belt in something called "Submission Fighting," which is a type of wrestling sport.

Shamrock's four time title defense included some memorably brutal battles, like the one against Igor Zinoviev in 1998 that ended in a knockout. It was called the most violent slam in Ultimate Fighting Championship history. (Warning, the video is violent.)



Shamrock stopped UFC fighting in 1999 after what's considered to be the one of the greatest fights in UFC history against Tito Ortiz. After that fight, Frank Shamrock was considered the greatest ultimate fighter in history.

After a brief stint as an actor, Shamrock returned to fighting in 2001 and had a number of memorable bouts through 2009, when he was defeated by TKO by Nick Diaz.

Shamrock lives in San Jose

Frank Shamrock lives in San Jose, California with his wife Amy and daughter Nicolette. His official website is at FrankShamrock.com.

USA vs Ghana World Cup 2010: Oakland watches Golden Goal

USA vs Ghana World Cup 2010: Oakland watches Gyan's Golden Goal: USA loses 2-1 in OT

And so another nail-biting FIFA World Cup Soccer game ends for the USA, this time the wrong way. The USA lost 2-1 in overtime as this blogger returned to the Era Art Bar on Grand and Broadway in Downtown Oakland, CA for the anticipated single elimination Saturday match. But in the process, Soccer's importance to Americans grew by fantastic proportions, and in no place was this more evident than Oakland, California.

The USA loss was a sad end to a great run by a USA team that wasn't really picked to go far in World Cup competition. But the hustling team paced by USA Soccer star Landon Donovan tied England 1-1 to start match play, then tied Slovenia 2-2 in a controversial match that the USA really won 3-2 but for a mistakenly discounted goal by FIFA referee Koman Coulibaly. Finally the USA won a match, beating Algeria 1-0. All that set up today's exciting overtime win.

The Era Art Bar was packed

Ghana fans were all over Era 

If you arrived at the Era Art Bar at 11 AM and with the idea of getting a seat, you were out of luck; the place was packed.

Kevin Best, the bar's owner, said he was going to open the loft section and that was a good idea if only to have a place to go where one could have some space. But for those who love being in the crowd as things are happening, downstairs at Era Art Bar was the place to be.

The room was surprisingly a bit less "pro USA" than I expected and that reflects not just Oakland's diverse immigrant population, but Americans who simply wanted Ghana to win for various reasons. Some, like my friends Rosa Cabrera and Qaid Aqeel, were torn between USA and Ghana because of their Latino and African heritage, but as Qaid said "It's like James Brown said 'Living in America.'"

Others were clearly for either Ghana or the USA. In the case of Kevin Best, he wanted the USA to win "so this crowd would come back next week." For a time, it looked like he might get his wish.

Michael Hunt celebrates in the air

Ghana took the lead 1-0 to end the first half of match play. But the USA tied 1-1 it in the second half on Landon Donovan's free kick, sending the Era Art Bar crowd into a frenzy. Even the normally stoic Michael Hunt, former aide to Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, got excited, jumping up over the crowd to celebrate.

But by bar regular Rob Pape's detailed analysis, the USA was not playing well enough to win. To say that Pepe, wearing a "USA SOCCER" jersey, was disappointed in USA team manager Bob Bradley is an understatement, and that was at halftime. Pepe said "I'm having trouble watching it, Zennie. Cause I think Bob Bradley put the wrong lineup in. He should have started Adu, at least for Clark. He probably should have started Gomez for Finley. Or at least Buttle for Finley."

Rob Pape offers Soccer wisdom

Rob Pape said that in the last two game we (the USA) started their best lineups and controlled the center of the field. That was not the case today.

The Oakland Era crowd was surprisingly informed about the game of Soccer. But given the popularity of even pick-up games along Lake Merritt, I should expect what I witnessed: Oakland's a Soccer town. Oaklanders know the game.

The USA team lost but won

USA hopes sank on Asamoah Gyan's golden goal in the third minute of extra time, putting them ahead 2-1. This time, there was no miracle goal at the last minute. No loud celebration. But there was the feeling that Ghana deserved to win and that the USA team made America, and Oakland, very proud. It's too bad we have to wait another four years for The World Cup. But as Rob Pape said "Soccer's like life. It doesn't always go your way."

No kiddling.

Apple IPhone 4 Hell by Suzannah B. Troy

I have bought every Iphone model since the first one.   I wrote Apple constantly telling them if I had a better quality camera with zoom I could have made the Giuseppi Logan documentary on my phone, hopefully the first to make a doc on their phone and show at Sundance.

When the 3GS came I had no problem picking up the new model but this time around it was Apple hell.

As far as I am concerned, the Apple Store that I had my IPhone reserved at, in my opinion  "stole my Iphone" and gave it to someone else.  The Apple manager claimed I was sent a notice that if I did not pick up the phone within 24 hours the phone would be given away.

We searched my mail and we could not find any such notice.

My last experience with the 3GS which gave me no clue nor did any Apple sales person that I might have to stand in line for many hours, perhaps even half a day.

If any sales person had told me that I would have to stand on line for hours, I would have said mail it to me when I reserved my IPhone.   I have had occasional problems finding emails, contact info, dates in my calendar but I can't tell if that is NYC's hectic pace, me or tech.

I did not have the new IPhone mailed to me because I read in The New York Post thieves were stealing IPads right in front of the Apple Store on the Upper West Side.  I thought if my IPhone gets stolen better it is stolen being delivered to the Apple Store than to me.

Big mistake.

Although the dynamo Steve Jobs has battled cancer when it came to picking up Iphones at stores in NYC it was only the young and fit,  for people that have time and stamina to stand on line.  Also people wealthy enough to pay people to stand on line and for celebrities as exposed by The New York Post including, Jason Bateman who was booed as Bateman past the reason Apple is a success, loyal customers.   Steve Jobs and Woz and many others are extremely rich -- thanks to  the loyal long term customers...like those that stood in line for enormous amounts of time that Bateman just breezed past.  Thank goodness for booing.

I have had 2 knee surgeries and I have other health issues that would make the line impossible.  I was stunned at the insensitivity by Apple  to people with handicaps and health issues but it seemed  Apple got carried away in the marketing and did not give a dam about their customers except for those willing and healthy enough to stand on line for hours and in NYC it was close to 90 degrees.

I love Apple and they radically changed my life and others I have helped like Giuseppi Logan for the better but this rates as the most awful Apple experience ever.

Everytime I walked up to a Apple customer service person and asked about the long lines and the wait -- it was their responsibility to warn me if you don't pick up your phone you reserved in 24 hours it will be given away.  I was never told that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2ME0sWl8kM

I thank Apple computer in the YouTube above for helping me to help Giuseppi Logan reunite with his son 40 plus years later who thought his Dad was dead.   I believe my filming Giuseppi, using Imovie, Apple teacher Ben teaching me how to put my work on YouTube helped Giuseppi Logan to make his first record in 40 years and to give his fans who bought his records in the 1960's great joy that he was in fact alive, eager to compose more music and more...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTssjT9rAmQ

Here is the video I found right away when I posted my first YouTube on Giuseppi Logan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSb-JgMIeuA

I never imagined the little boy in this YouTube from a british film maker thought his father had died and I would reunite them 44? years ago....   My first YouTube of Giuseppi Logan playing Begin the Beguine and the clip on YouTube by the British film maker were written up in Signal to Noise by the publisher Peter Gershon in his powerful piece "Out from the Shadow".

I felt my YouTube series, Pete's powerful piece, Giuseppi's drive to continue to compose, play is about being so lost and yet so late in life finding some kind of dignity and redemption through the power of music and for me the power of Apple teaching me and opening up my world with their technology and education.

If I had the IPhone I got today and was filming with the phone 2 years ago I believe I would have had the first film made and edited on an Iphone.

With the new IPhone I can now do this and with the lessons I learned in Apple one on one.

Throwing out my Dell and buying an Apple MacBook was the best choice I made.  Wish I had had an Apple as a kid.  I can't imagine how much better my life would have been.

Buying this newest Iphone was an awful experience.  I would never reserve an Iphone and pick up at an Apple store ever again.   It was like age and health discrimination with no warnings.  It wasn't pretty to put it mildly and the communication on this and the fact APPLE WOULD GIVE AWAY YOUR PHONE if you didn't pick it up in 24 hours and I did not know this is just DISGUSTING.

It was a rotten apple experience but Apple is so good and their teaching and support is out of this world, excellent I am sticking with Apple.

I can only say this was the worst experience ever in my short love affair with Apple and the IPhone nightmares of calls dropping still lives.  I try to remind myself to hold the phone anywhere but on the sides at the bottom because it disrupts the antenna but telephone calls are dropping.

I was interested in buying the protective cover called a bumper but they were all sold out.

Another Apple hell note:  I was forced to sign another 2 year contract with AT&T.  I deeply resent being forced to sign contracts for years with companies that are providing service that is not as good as let us say Verizon.  Verizon has 4G.  Let's do math...what is better, 3G or 4G?

I will be over 50 when my contract runs out.  I hope by that time Apple gets their act together and that means a better Iphone with no contracts and choices in carriers.

Apple got me a replacement phone for the one in my opinion they stole from me and gave to someone else since I was never aware of any notification sent to me if I did not endure standing in extremely long lines that my phone would be given away.

So far I am still having trouble accessing the internet in certain places in NYC with 3G and E which is short for Edge meaning the phone is worthless as a computer and Apple would say that is an AT&T problem but Apple makes me use AT&T.   Phone works as crappy as before in terms of phone calls dropping, actually worse than my 3GS getting my emails,   but the screen is some how crystal clear sharper and the camera video options way better.

Vince McMahon Mixed Martial Arts Albany Doomsday by Suzannah B. Troy

Is Vince  McMahon going to welcome a new kind of fight club if Governor Paterson succeeds in passing a measure that would allow "mixed martial arts" here in NYC or will this cut in to his and Linda's mega-bucks cash cow, the WWE?

The accidental governor is trying to push "mixed martial arts" here in NY because New York State is in a budget catastrophe and it is correctly believed this form of fighting will make big bucks and raise money for the city and state.  The only people besides peace loving vegetarians who won't be welcoming mixed martial arts are the McMahon family and martial art purists perhaps?

Note:  I called Vince McMahon at the WWE's offices but it is Saturday and there is no way to leave a voice mail asking him for a comment for my blog posting.

I posted this comment on The New York Post website on the article, "Ultimate fight for every dollar".


Quick call Vince McMahon and ask him if he welcome mix martial arts to NY if they accidental gov passes this.  Better yet let's send McMahon and his tv crew to Albany to film the clowns of Albany.  Maybe we could get the public to pay attention to the fact the people are being ...... you pick the verb.

And someone posted this comment after mine:

canyoudoanybetter

06/26/2010 6:50 PM

This Moron and all the his Cronies in Albany have it ALL WRONG!!! 25% ACROSS THE BOARD CUTS, NO EXCEPTIONS!! IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE FROM POLITICS AS USUAL!!! Bring in Ultimate fighting is like putting a band-aid on some one who just lost their head!!!!!

For those who have not checked in recently the budget deficit is currently 9.2 billion dollars and the clowns of Albany have not yet balanced the budget.

The budget was supposed to be balanced April 1, 2010.    Monday is "doomsday part 2" and this will be the 2nd Monday this year where we find out if we will have a historical shut down by the clowns of Albany.  They avoided a humilating shut-down last time and again if they don't they plunge the State and City of NY in to a possible official depression and I am not talking an emotional state but an economic state of depression although some New Yorkers are already living that way....sad to say.

For more info on the clowns of Albany read "Gov's doomsday deadline".
From NY1 a report that leads us to believe Albany will not shut down tomorrow.
Hold on tight and stay tuned...

Gen. Stanley McChrystal: McChrystal is not a systems thinker

In the wake of President Barack Obama's sacking of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was the commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and due to comments in Rolling Stone magazine from McChrystal and his subordinates that were negative and derogatory toward the President and civilian military officers, an April 26, 2010 New York Times article takes on new meaning. Indeed, it should have been a indication to President Obama that he had the wrong man in charge, assuming Obama saw the article. And why is that?

Gen. Stanley McChrystal is not a systems thinker

Gen. Stanley McChrystal 

The article has two titles, reflecting the New York Times' bumbling when it comes to digital media. The page title best for search is "Enemy Lurks in Briefings on Afghan War - PowerPoint - NYTimes.com, and the title on the page itself is the one most referred to: "We Have Met the Enemy and He Is PowerPoint." (As an aside, the best search-oriented title should have been "PowerPoint fails in US Afghanistan Briefing.")

The centerpiece of the article is a giant system dynamics (or "SD") causal relationship diagram (presented above) that shows how key factors and actions in Afghanistan are interrelated. The New York Times author apparently does not know that it's a system dynamics model, because she does not refer to it, but to the place the SD model diagram is on: PowerPoint.

The article takes off on PowerPoint, while missing the real problem: it's a really a model that can be ran and we can see the graph and statistical outcomes of different decisions. You need a computer and a presentation projector and a place to run the model like the platforms provided by Porio Business Simulations. Then you need to run the model and test different decisions.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal joked about the diagram

Instead of that, this is what happened according to the New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller:

Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the leader of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan, was shown a PowerPoint slide in Kabul last summer that was meant to portray the complexity of American military strategy, but looked more like a bowl of spaghetti. "When we understand that slide, we’ll have won the war," General McChrystal dryly remarked, one of his advisers recalled, as the room erupted in laughter.

The simple fact that McChrystal didn't understand the slide is why we're not only not winning the war, but not seeing that we should not be in Afghanistan. The seeds of the reasons why are actually in the system dynamics model.   If Gen McChrystal understood systems thinking, and then system dynamics, he would have asked for a computer to run the model,  rather than joke about a picture.

If he did, he would have seen a the impact of the part of the model called "Popular Support."  One of the key factors in that variable area is something that is just called "anger" with both the US Government and the Afghan Government.

The idea is that by the government helping the economy and infrastructure, this anger is reduced.  But then insurgents destroying that same infrastructure harm this effort.  So what happens if you just took the US Government out of the picture?  In other words, just remove "Coalition Capacity and Priorities", which would cause the elimination of "Coalition Domestic Support" and we remove the factor the Afghan population's reacting to in the model: the United States.

The problem with the model is it's designed to show how US and Coalition forces can impact Afghanistan, but then it implies our very existence in the region is pissing some of them off, causing a set of problems that we have to spend money to deal with.

If you want to see a one version of a simple type of the same SD diagram that takes you through how the factors are related, here's a model created by Chris Soderquist for the IEE Systems Thinking Blog and Forio Business Simulations and presented in a blog post called "We have met an ally and it is storytelling":



(Alternatively, use this link for the model.)

If Gen. McChrystal knew systems thinking, and were honest, he'd realize the best course of action is not to be in Afghanistan. Of course, if Gen. McChrystal were a systems thinker, he would not have got himself into the trouble that cost him his job.

Mel Gibson accused of slapping girlfriend by Suzannah B. Troy

Dear Blog Readers:  What I express to you in this blog posting are my opinions on a low life, anti-semite....
Thank you,
Suzannah B. Troy

Adulterer, liar, anti-semite Mel Gibson is back in the news again and it is not for acting like a good Christian.   Surprise!  Surprised?  Not at all!

Mel Gibson is Yiddish for anti-semite, low life.

Adulterous partners in sin, Gibson and gal pal,  have both filed restraining orders against each other  but Gibson is rumored to be the violent one here.    He got her preggers and had a baby girl while married which doesn't make him a poster boy for being a good Christian but apparently makes him an expert on Christ.   The girlfriend and mom of their illegitimate daughter accuses him of beating her up badly according to TMZ.

TMZ at the forefront of Celebrity Dish and Disasters has the newest installment and that is Mel says she is lying.    Do you think Mel Gibson is an expert on lying?  I do.

I don't mention her name because she is of no interest to me except that she is a victim of alleged violence at the hands of a rich, Hollywood brute and America's most famous  anti-semite who has done his best to spread his hate and propaganda message using his movie.  I don't mention the name of the high tech propaganda flick embraced by Rome which is very telling as well. 

Let's see.... I believe, poster boy for the Church, Mel Gibson still is legally married to his wife,  who he has 7  children with.  The wife married him when he had no money or fame.  Do you think what's her name would have given Mel, the construction worker, the time of day?  I don't think so.

What's her name  accuses him of domestic violence.    Mel being the charming, classy guy that he is is rumored to be playing hard ball with her not only fighting the charge but filing a restraining order against her!  Mel the anti-semite, drunk, adulterer has never been one to step up to the plate and take responsibility.

Why should he?  In America if you are rich, a celebrity, a politician, "connected", you don't have to plead guilty.  The well connected have a special plea just for them..."no contest" something like that...it is a plea designed for spoiled rotten people so they don't have to plead guilty when they are as guilty as sin!

That is the American justice system blinded by money, celebrity, etc.

Classy guy, Mel the anti-semite and maybe the Pope will plug him as "Father of the Year"!   I would be happy to fly to Rome and discuss  this with the Pope; why I think it is deeply anti-semitic and very disturbing for the Church to embrace Mel Gibson and his anti-semitic film.  True or false?  The Pope has an email and I emailed him this piece.  True.

How a vile, low life like Mel Gibson even could make an anti-semitic film  so over the top in every way about Christ but that is "Holly-woo-wood Babylon" and didn't  a woman die of a heart attack  watching it?  The film was clearly too much for her.  Is that considered murder?

I don't care about these creepy people but if you do Radar on Line has an exclusive interview with Mel's ex-girlfriend, mother of his newest child and she claims to be the victim here.  I do believe her.  I just don't think she is a nice person.

I care about the oil spill crisis and the massive destructive effects including the mass murder of sea life and long range results.  I can't help but feel greed and stupidity are to blame for devastating effects people can't understand yet but when I read about Hollywood's most famous drunken anti-semite I have to speak up.

Mel Gibson's father is a Holocaust denier.   I would like to sit down with the Pope and discuss Mel Gibson, adulterer, liar, cheater and also Holocaust deniers like Gibson's creepy, vile dad.

And what does the Pope and Rome do?  They take a film by such a low life,  Mel Gibson, a man that forged his fortune selling sex, violence and used Jesus who was Jewish and to make an anti-semitic film! 

Mel Gibson being exposed as an adulterer and liar....do you think that was the first time?  If he did hit his girlfriend, do you think that was the first time he roughed up a woman?  Gibson turning around and blaming the victim if true...do you think that was a first time?  He has been exposed for adultery -- I am sure that was his first time (not.) 

Mel Gibson likes to tell people he has Jewish friends.  I am so glad I am not one of Mel Gibson's Jewish friends.  I am glad I am not married to him.  I don't date married men although I have met men that pass themselves off as single when they are not but it is hard for Hollywood celebrities who are married to pass themselves off as single so Mel's newest baby's mama knew she was dating a married man and she and Mel in theory knew how to use birth control.   I would not want to be in a car with drunk driving Mel Gibson who makes anti-semitic comments to a Los Angeles Police Officer and gets away with it.

Mel Gibson is disgusting...He is worse than disgusting.  I am sure the little girl he had out of wedlock is the newest Mel Gibson victim based on his vile behavior and if someone made a film right now exposing Mel Gibson including how uses money and religion Rome would not be eager to embrace the Mel Gibson further exposed now as anything but a good Christian.  Mel Gibson is not qualified to make a film on Christ and apparently he is an awful husband and boyfriend and father.

Mel Gibson is such a creep and yet he can easily find people willing to kiss his rotten to the core ego.

Mel Gibson is a big mess and he has as much chance of cleaning up his emotional oil spill as BP but I care about the oil spill off of the Gulf, all the deaths because of it and the long range disaster as well.  I don't know how this happened and ditto for Mel Gibson making a proganda film on Christ that Rome would back but Rome also let pedophiles abuse innocent children for way too long.

Eminem - Recovery Review by Josh Grattan

Eminem's highly anticipated new album Recovery hit stores last Monday, June 21. When critics and fans think there is nothing else he can say to shock and surprise, think again.


For over a decade now Eminem has never stopped coming out with new original material with every album. Eminem aka Marshall Bruce Mathers III aka Slim Shady has run the rap game for years, when his albums hit the stores the fans go crazy and when he goes on hiatus they cant stop begging for his return.


In the past few years Eminem has been through a very dramatic part of his life, from the death of his best friend and fellow rapper Proof in April 2006, to another marriage and divorce to Kim Scott Mathers in 2006, and more drug abuse resulting in an overdose and rehab. Back in August 2005 I personally saw Eminem live in Massachusetts and even then I could tell that he was looking strange and kind of sickly. Despite that he still put on the most amazing performance I have ever witnessed, and shortly after that show he took a long hiatus from the world of rap leaving the fans and media to wonder if he was retiring or if it was merely a break. Once he announced his return the fans lined up for him once again... but what he delivered was nothing like what the public expected.


Mr. Mather's first studio album after his time away was Relapse. A very different album full of lyrical punchlines and ludicrous accents to blend new words into incredible rhymes. Many did not understand what Eminem was going for and thought that he had lost his touch. But when you sit down and really listen to the lyrics to each song you will find that he never missed a beat, just switched it up a bit. The best example was in his song Insane where he reaches a new level of offensive lyrics and disturbing concepts but when looking closely to each line you can see the genious behind the madness.


Less than a year later Eminem released Recovery which truly showed that his talent never left. Each song is a lyrical masterpiece, throughout the whole album he raps much faster than in the past and with more intensity and passion than we've seen from him since Lose Yourself. In his past albums, each song was different and went from serious to playful, from dark to light, fast to slow, and from harsh to passionate. In just one album he would call women some of the most foul names possible but in another song deeply express his love for his daughter, profess his true love for Kim, and show a sweet side that he usually hides.


A very shocking change that I, a long time fan, found in this album was which other artists he chose to feature on his tracks. In the past he frequently collaborated with 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, D12, Obie Trice, and other rappers in the "Shady/Aftermath family". But in Recovery none of these artists were featured, instead he worked with Rihanna, Lil Wayne, and P!nk. A very suprising decision that Eminem kind of explains in his song Going Through Changes where he says, "My friends just can't understand this new me, that's understandable man".


In Recovery none of these patterns held true. Eminem released material unlike anything he's released in the past. Each song had the same intensity, the same fast paced beats with quick words so hard to follow you need to focus to catch the lyrical genius behind each bar. One thing that remains the same is Eminem's joy for the shock value, it's undeniable that Mr. Mathers has an uncanny ability to say things to grab his fans attention and say, "What the $%&#?"

The Recovery Tracklist follows:

1. Cold Wind Blows

2. Talkin' 2 Myself

3. On Fire

4. Won't Back Down

5. W.T.P.

6. Going Through Changes

7. Not Afraid

8. Seduction

9. No Love

10. Space Bound

11. Cinderella Man

12. 25 to Life

13. So Bad

14. Almost Famous

15. Love the Way You Lie

16. You're Never Over

(Photos courtesy of Google Images)

Oprah Winfrey Network's show contest: vote for Aimee Allison!

Aimee Allison

While others fight it out between Doctor Phyllis and Zack Anner, Oakland, California has a contestant who should win the right to have her own TV Show on the Oprah Winfrey Network: Aimee Allison.

Aimee Allison is a friend of this blogger (let's get that out of the way, first) and has a long career in broadcast communications.  She's interviewed scores of San Francisco Bay Area personalities on the Comcast Network and as the morning show host on KPFA, as well as via her blog OaklandSeen.com 

But this isn't a blog to post her resume; it's just to say she would be a great fresh new face on the national scene and on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Aimee just likes to help people tell their stories, which she's done in Oakland for some time now.

Check out Aimee's video presentation and vote for her, which you can do with a click here: vote for Aimee Allison for the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Michael Vick in trouble again; NFL looks into shooting in VA

The NFL's Philadelphia Eagles Star Quarterback Michael Vick is in big trouble, again. Yes. Again. Just when you thought, well, OK, this blogger thought, Vick was finally doing the right thing, he goes and screws up again. Or so it seems. This space was happy to see the return of Vick to the NFL:



What Michael Vick was accused of doing is shooting a friend of his, well, a former friend. But it was someone, Quanis Phillips, Vick supposedly shot. Phillips is injured and was discharged Friday afternoon. It happened after a fight at a party called "Michael Vick's ALL WHITE 30th Birthday Bash."

Here comes the Dog comments, Mike...

Quanis Phillips is a Vick friend who was one of the co-defendants in the federal dogfighting case that landed Michael Vick in jail for an 18-month federal sentence. He's also someone Michael Vick was to stay away from.

The Vick Party was thrown by a number of his friends including Alan Iverson, who's name is on a web page that reads:

Newport News’ biggest export, Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick, is returning to his home state for his 30th birthday party – the “All White Birthday Bash.” The former Falcon and Hokie is going to be bringing a few of his celebrity friends along to his party, which is going to be at Guadalajara in Virginia Beach, and you’re all invited! The only catch – make sure you’re only wearing white!

103Jamz’s own DJ Les and MC JaPharii will be providing the soundtrack to the party, and there are a ton of special guests lined up to come, including DeAngelo Hall, LaShawn Merrit, Allen Iverson, Mia Michelle, Delicia Cordon & the De Creme Models, and Pusha T (one of the members of Clipse), who’s also from the area.

If you want to hang out with this star-studded crew, who will also be decked head-to-toe in their finest white attire, make sure you get your tickets right now, as they’re selling out as we speak!

Thursday June 24th, at 9pm
Guadalajara Town Center
4611 Columbus Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Get tickets.
General admission $30

What seems to have happened is Quanis Phillips crashed a party he was not supposed to attend. It's not likely Vick would invite someone he's not supposed to be seen with. Especially at a point where Vick's one great game from starting for the Eagles.

Here's the thing: Vick says he wasn't at the party. And no witnesses are talking.

Stay tuned.

Albert Haynesworth, Ray Lewis, Lavar Arrington: Redskins DT sit out update

Albert doesn't want to be the NT or the DE in the 3-4

Washington Redskins Star Defensive Tackle Albert Haynesworth has held out of required minicamps because of his disagreement with Head Coach Mike Shanahan's planned use of the 3-4 Defense. The way Haynesworth approached the issue - taking the $22 million the Redskins owed him after the trade period past and not seeking a trade to another NFL team, then holding out - has made Albert the bullseye for a number of irrational comments from a media that generally doesn't understand football strategy or the NFL player's concern for injury.

But what's different this time is that some of Albert Haynesworth's teammates, and some NFL Legends, have come down on him too. Most notable was Baltimore Ravens Middle Linebacker Ray Lewis, who said on a radio show that what defense he played in wasn't an issue to him and that Albert should essentially just do his job.

That caused this blogger to call out the linebacking legend for being a hypocrite because in 2005 Lewis said that he preferred to play in a 4-man front defense and be a middle linebacker and not an inside linebacker as in the 3-4.

That was picked up by my friend Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk.com, and then seen by the great, retired NFL Middle Linebacker Lavar Arrington, who was on the same radio show as Lewis. Arrington contacted me via Twitter to air a few choice words in my direction:

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 can agree to disagree take care
June 22, 2010 1:29:52 PM PDT via web

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 at the end of the day if youve ever played a team sport you know sometimes "u have to take one for the team" be well educated men
1:29 PM Jun 22nd via web in reply to zennie62

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 are they wrong?are his teammates wrong for feeling like hes selfish and sold them out?hes the only one not in camp?did his team
1:24 PM Jun 22nd via web in reply to zennie62

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 forget about the coach and the money how about his teammates that have defended him for all this time?
1:23 PM Jun 22nd via web in reply to zennie62

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 he has for me is a embarrassmentto everyone who sacraficed for him to even have the opportunity to make that type of money
1:22 PM Jun 22nd via web in reply to zennie62

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 u can disagree and like i said not in malice you can take or leave it but defending haynesworth for handling his issues the way
1:20 PM Jun 22nd via web in reply to zennie62

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 than just yourself! take care i did not do this in malice i did this because your opinion on this is not correct
12:56 PM Jun 22nd via web

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 are correct they think you are making yourself look like you dnt know what u r talking about you should be more careful for more
12:54 PM Jun 22nd via web

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 your post is not accurate nor is appropriate and you should really rethink retracting this mess you posted people dnt think you
12:50 PM Jun 22nd via web

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 haynesworth? if you want some fame do it the right way not speaking out of term of things you have limited knowledge of
12:47 PM Jun 22nd via web

LaVarArrington
@zennie62 your article makes no sense u seem to have a decent bio but for you to call one of the best lbs of all time a hypocrite over albrt
12:46 PM Jun 22nd via web

Well, OK, a lot of choice words. Arrington and I agreed to disagree. I simply hold that the 3-4 in the Oklahoma-style (with a nose tackle and ends over the tackles) that some teams employ will ruin the career of a lineman and a defensive tackle. I didn't always believe that, but increase in the size, strength, and speed of offensive linemen has made me alter my view. You have to fight fire with fire and that means more, big defensive linemen who can take on the offensive line.

This, the 4-3, or 4-something.

Haynesworth will be back to the skins

Albert Haynesworth issued this statement according to The Washington Post:

Despite my current differences with the Redskins, I have always planned to attend training camp and honor my contract. As I have previously said, I am continuing to prepare for the season individually and will report on time, in shape and ready to play football. Any issues I have with the club I will discuss privately and therefore do not plan to make any further public comments about this matter.

So it looks like Al's coming back. But Coach Mike should rethink his defensive ideas. The 3-4 is just plain stupid to play in the Oklahoma style.

When The New England Patriots played the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football, the Saints just nuked the Pats base 3-4 Oklahoma Defense. Frankly, I enjoyed it, as the Saints used every basic trick in the book a good offense employs to beat the 3-4, and yet the Pats stayed with it. Wild.

Stay tuned.

Twitter is better for Journalism than Facebook - Nikky Raney

Nikky Raney's Top Five Reasons Twitter is better for The Future of Journalism thanFacebook.

(In no particular order).

5. Privacy: This is going to sound quite ironic, but in regards to journalism Facebook's privacy is a problem. Facebook has gotten slack for its lack of privacy, but when it comes to journalism Facebook is far too private. Facebook status updates can only be seen by friends/networks. Even when status updates are chosen to be shown to "everyone," it will not be shown to "everyone." Twitter's lack of privacy is what causes it to be a better tool than Facebook in regards to the Future of Journalism. Twitter allows private accounts, but any news outlet/journalist is not going to make a private Twitter account. It doesn't matter who is following or who is a follower, the post is likely to be seen by more people via Twitter than Facebook. Even the public accounts on Facebook are not comparable to Twitter in popularity.

4. Update Frequency: Friends get very annoyed when other friends constantly update Facebook statuses. 10 tweets in 20 minutes is more acceptable than 10 status updates in 20 minutes. That's a problem, because journalists & news outlets need to be constantly updating. There is a lot that needs to be said. Breaking news happens, and interacting through tweets is allowed to be frequent. I am not saying that 20 status updates in 5 minutes is appropriate, but it would be a lot more acceptable on Twitter rather than Facebook.

3. Retweets: This one is simple. On Facebook you can't retweet. Retweeting is very important, because it passes around information and allows others to share news. Retweeting is a way to get information out to a larger audience. Reposting someone else's Facebook Status would just seem strange.

2. 140-words: 140 words is the length of most texts messages (some phones allow 160). 140 characters is the maximum length of a Twitter status. Facebook allows for 240 characters. The limit allows for easy for easy reading. It forces users to only post the most important things. Other than Sarah Palin, most users are able to find a way to say everything within the 140 characters without needing to use too many abbreviations, wordsmushing, or numbers 4 words. Especially when it comes to news/journalism those users are very good with word count. Journalists are learned that a word count is very important. Someone says an article is 153 words. It is going to be exactly 153 words. Twitter makes the maximum 140, and that makes tweets easy to read, quick to read, and more enjoyable.

1. Sharing: Sharing news on Twitter is so much easier than sharing news on Facebook.Shareaholic is the best thing in the world. Everyone should have that on dashboard, internet browser, etc. That thing is life. Without Shareaholic sharing sites/links/etc via social networking would be a pain.

For more about how Twitter is a great tool for journalism go to TwitterJournalism.com

I do love Facebook; Facebook has resources for journalists that Twitter does not. But I think that when it comes to the top 5 mentioned above - Twitter has Facebook beat.

Sorry that I went so long without posting.

I was enjoying spending a few days without going on the computer.

It's good to know I can still survive without Internet if I had to. :)

I know that I said I would no longer blog about Tila Tequila, but I read from Tila's Rot Spot that Tila's suicide attempt was a joke. I saw screen shots of her blog entry where she admits that it was all a big funny joke. That really isn't funny to me. It's a serious topic, and my jaw dropped when I found out. That is the lowest thing that someone could ever do, and I don't even want to blog about her, because anyone who jokes about suicide is obviously looking for attention. She admits that it's a joke. Oh look what I did, I blogged about her without blogging about her. Others did the blogging for me TilaTruth & Spiked Tequila covered it as well. She also decided to go ahead and attack me for not being on TMZ's blogroll...when she isn't on it, and us at Zennie62.com are.

Sidebar Oakland Cocktail Competition Monday June 28th, 7:30 PM

Sidebar Oakland

Sidebar Oakland, the bar and restaurant at 542 Grand Avenue in Oakland, CA, is hosting a No. 209 Gin Competition featuring some of the best bartenders in Oakland.

What's cool about this event is it's a showcase for Oakland's new food scene, as in the past you had to go over to San Francisco to get a great drink. Not any more.

The list of bartenders competing is a who's who of Oakland mix-a-lots: Matt B from Sidebar, Brian M also from Sidebar, Marjon B from Era Art Bar, Josh P from Pican, Alex S from Marzano, Matt from The Wood Tavern, Brian M from Lavende East, Jon C from The Grand Tavern, and Eric from Adesso.

The best bartender will win a great prize, I'm told, and the winner will be selected by a professional panel of judges.

Come on down to Lake Merritt, where Sidebar is located, this Monday.