Brock Lesnar is Done

In UFC 41 last night, Brock Lesnar showed up, albeit ostensibly to offer his good-bye.  In his match against Allister Overeem, Lesnar appeared to not be as sharp on his conditioning when entering the ring, as his body looked less defined than I'd seen it.  Conditioning is all about heart, and by the end of the night, it was clear that Lesnar's heart was no longer in it. 

Overeem controlled the octagon effectively through the first round, and was quite effective at his stand-up strategy.  After dropping a knee into Lesnar's midsection, it was clear that the area was rife for attack, and a vicious leg to the guts buckled Lesner and ended the fight.  Soon thereafter, Lesnar announced his retirement from the sport. 

I'm a Lesnar fan - he's the reason why I got the fight in the first place.  Unfortunately, his diverticulitis, an incredibly serious malady, has left him weakened and vulnerable.  He probably never should have stepped into the ring.  Certainly if one considers the advice of those in the know in the medical community, he absolutely should have hung it up well before the fight. 

It is a real shame, as the disease prevented us from seeing what Lesnar could have done.  Still a neophyte with only 8 pro MMA bouts, he never really got a chance to peak. 

So as Brock departs, I wish him all the best, especially in the health department.  However, I wish he just would have said good-bye, instead of enticing me to drop $56 for what turned out to be an expensive retirement announcement.     

Among Savages EP

From the good folks over at Noise Trade comes this free EP download from Among Savages.  Really a great download - very highly recommended.

Enjoy

Vista Home Security 2012 Virus

My PC ended up catching the crud, and I was hit with a nasty virus (the Vista Home Security 2012, to be exact).  I usually always practice safe computing, but ended up downloading an MP3 from a dubious source a couple of weeks ago. 

I should have known better. 

Fortunately, I struck upon BleepingComputer.com.  They have great information, and walked me through a solution in step-by-step fashion that got me back into the pink.  Bookmark this one, folks, it is a good source to have handy. 

Ditto that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware tool. 

Thank goodness for the good guys out there…

Christmas Recap

We enjoyed a whirlwind trip back to Minnesota this past weekend.  Our vagabond stops included mom's place, my sister's place, my wife's mom's place in Staples, then back to my sister's.  Lump in trips to our old church for Christmas mass and a cup of Christmas cheer with our old neighbors, and it could not have been more busy.

Despite the pace, we had a wonderful time.  We really enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up.  It really was what a holiday should all be about.

I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked, but here are a couple for your review.  The first is the crew that conducted a Christmas Eve walk to Caribou for some hot chocolate and coffee:

On the way there, my niece and I created a little song just for the season.  Sung to the tune of Good King Wenceslas:

Walking with my dog today

to Caribou in the morning

She'll take poops along the way

to Caribou in the morning

We thought it was a hit.  My brother and wife did not see the humor.

Next photo is of my other niece and nephew.  This pretty much captures them as they are:

Again, just a great Christmas.  Can't wait to do it again next year.



I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

I know that there is something beautiful about a traditional white Christmas, but for this winter in Green Bay, warm temperatures and lack of precipitation have conspired to render us with a Green Christmas.  

Not that I'm complaining.  After the year we had last year, making it through December without any appreciable snow is just fine with me.  However, it does mean that my new snowblower will continue to sit idle for the next coming months. 

Obama Claims He's the 4th Best President in History

This outtake didn't make the final 60 Minutes episode, but Obama, the man that previously graded himself with a "good, solid B+" now rates himself with the greats in history.

The man is a narcissist at best, a delusional at worst.

Also, why did 60 Minutes cut this?  Had Bush, or any other conservative for that matter, uttered such a boast, it would have been a lead story.  The continual whitewashing of this man's foibles by the media is stunning.

Game Farm Recap

I've only been pheasant hunting one weekend this year.  One.  Pathetic.

The yellow dog is now 6 1/2, and past her prime.  That being said, she's still a very good pheasant dog, and unless I find a way to get her out, I'm just wasting precious time.  Therefore, I took her out to a local game farm to get us both some much needed time afield.


Here are a couple of shots from the time out.  The first one is with her working a bird, and acting "birdy."  Check out how that tail is moving:

The next one is of her on point.  Actually, it is at the end of her being on point.  By the time I got my phone out, unlocked, brought the camera up, turned the video on and stated rolling film, she was losing her patience with me.

And, with all of that non-hunting activity, I was hoping I'd just be able to drop my phone, shoulder my gun, and make the shot.  Unfortunately, it was a flat miss.

Despite that bird getting away, we were able to harvest nearly all we had set out, as evidenced by this:

The boudin was just a little appetizer.

Perhaps not hunting in the purest sense, but the dog got darned tired, I was stiff in the morning, and my wife raved about dinner.  I'd say that was a mission accomplished.

Carlson School of Management Christmas Flash Mob

The whole flash mob thing is really becoming passe, but given that I was in this very building a little over a month ago, speaking to business undergrads, it strikes a little more close to home.  

Enjoy