i was able to see the twin towers from my parents’ backyard sometimes if i stood on the low roof, deck railing or a certain tree at the right angle. apparently, when they were being built, my pop was really against it – said they were too big and asking for trouble. my old man was rather prescient….

and to think: #11 – knoblauch, iron sheff (499 HR!), bernie allen, buck showalter, sandy alomar, erick almonte, tommy byrne, ownie carroll, rick cerone, rip collins, david dellucci, morgan ensberg, brett gardner, lefty gomez, dwight gooden, toby harrah (mr. clutch w/ the tribe!), hector lopez, jerry lumpe, stick michael (thanks for the dynasty!), eyechart (mientkiewicz), joe page, herb pennock, curtis pride (love that guy!), bill robinson, gary roenicke, johnny sain, lenn sakata (i always see him as an Oreo), billy sample, mitch seone (’08 coach?!), don slaught, chicken stanley, jeff torborg, danny walton, chris widger (who can forget?!)

I think my favorite was from the early 1980s when WPIX was looking for a new symbol for Channel 11. They had some idiot who was always in frame with the twin towers behind him asking “what would be a great symbol for channel 11?” I was a kid and I would yell “the twin towers!” at the TV. Man they were ugly, but I used to see them outside my window on Bleecker Street. I miss those ugly towers.

One thing I won’t miss is more brick face and stucco. That was a blight on the NYC area for years!

“The Bowery … The Bowery … The Bowery saves a lot … The Bowery saves 6 percent … while others … simply do not.”

check out Oshima Nagisa, Imamura Shohei, and the greatest of masters Ozu Yasuhiro (his most famous is “Tokyo Story”). off to the shops, will hit your blog for more J-film talk

Did you know that (gulp) Keanu Reeves is involved in the production of the live version of Cowboy Bebop? He’s obviously gunning for Spike…

[18] i hear ya and sympathize. i’m upstairs from the barn. it got REALLY bad a coupla weeks ago. i complained hardcore to the manager here. it’s definitely been better, but it’s not ideal. i hear them now; i just hope it’s quiet when i go to bed soon. i need to get up early tomorrow and i am NOT a morning person. i’m in the midst of looking to buy a house though. meeting w/ my realtor tomorrow! can’t wait to not have downstairs neighbors anymore!!!

no news yet about Pettite…hope they can get him in for one year at least

I’d get a whole lot more done if I was in a much quieter house, but sadly I live underneath what has basically turned into a barn, and the associated distractions add to the pleasure that is off-season. I tell ya’, I’ve got to get an agent! >;)

for now, i’m staying away from some of the 70′s titles like Now, Head On, San Francisco, etc. eventually, i’ll probably pick ‘em up. i think the above list is pretty complete for mid-late 60′s…

we used to have some old school metalheads ’round these parts. that’s my other encyclopedic knowledge and collecting habit. cult of basebaal, was great for metal, jazz, music in general and he was incredibly baseball savvy and smart. i hope he’ll make his way to the new Banter once the season starts. i should really shoot him an email or text message one of these days!

Check out some Oshima Nagisa films if you can, will keep the mind working hard to try and figure out what he’s all about!

mmm, carvel 3 blocks away… (homer simpson voice)