Fair Game?

I just got finished reading ESPN's bombshell attack on The New England Patriots. Released three hours before the time of this posting, 12:00 EST, I literally just finished the lengthy article.

I'm dumbfounded.

The article, mainly about Spygate, a scandal in 2007 involving the video taping of opposing teams hand signals, talks in detail about the accusations leveled at the Patriots organization and mainly at it's head coach Bill Belichik back then. It's like I was reading a step-by-step guide on how to "cheat and cover it up". The authors claim to have interviewed dozens of people involved in the scandal at the time, and according to this report, Goodell, Belichick and Kraft all conspired to cover it up. But do really know that's what happened?

Oh boy, is all I'm going to say about how I felt reading what I just read. It is a scathing, explosive, expose on what, according to this article, was a game changing cheating scandal that rocked the Patriots and the NFL. A large amount of the information in this article has never before been made public, which makes reading it for the first time eye opening, to say the least.

The timing of this article is interesting considering some of the same people involved in Spygate are involved in Delfategate-and I'm not sure why ESPN has decided to report this now-and not then-when the facts were more relevant.

It doesn't look good-for anybody involved and ESPN has not been without their fair share of biased, inaccurate reporting on the Patriots- HERE. We have wasted 8 months talking about this whole Deflategate debacle and to be quite honest, at this point I don't know who to believe.

I'm not sure what to think here except that my theory that cheaters never really get away with cheating. And really, why cheat? It robs everyone involved and in this case it's the NFL, the New England Patriots, the fans and the game. This game is about a lot of things and money is the first and foremost reason to lie and cheat, but what about the fans? We are the ones who help pay the hefty salary's of those involved.

Doesn't make it OK by any stretch, and so we are all left to wonder why? Cheaters never prosper, is the old adage from my childhood that comes to mind, but it would seem the NFL continues to prosper despite it all.

Strut-ting His Stuff

Be still my heart...I do love me some Lenny Kravitz.

That hunky, gorgeous piece of eye candy has just dropped a new album called Strut. Playing to his rock side, Kravitz said this album literally wrote itself. Kravitz has been living a dream as of late, his acting career skyrocketing in the past few years. He landed a role in the Oscar winning movie Precious and then as Cenna in the Hunger Games and Catching Fire movies. He then played a key role in the award winning movie, Lee Daniels, The Butler. Yes, it's been a good couple of years for Lenny.

Kravitz says that while he was on set finishing up Catching Fire, he kept hearing music in his head that just wouldn't go away. He decided to pay attention to it rather than loose it and his latest album was hatched. A true instrumentalist, song writer he starts with guitars and drums first and adds what it needs along the way. Best known for his number one hit, "Fly Away", Lenny Kravitz has been a hit maker since he debuted in the early 90's.

I'm buying the album because I love his music and I'm a huge fan. Rumor has it the inside cover sleeve photo is worth the price of it alone.

This isn't it the one from the new album, but you get the idea here.

What was I saying?

Oh yeah...I love me some Lenny Kravitz. I wanna fly away..........

Thru Rose Colored Glasses

It has come to my attention recently, or should I say every day for the past 6 months, that I cannot see a GARD DARN thing. It's awful, really to loose your eyesight, and I have a new found appreciation for eye sight, eye doctors, glasses, readers and everything having to do with seeing the world in front of me more clearly. I used to brag about my eyesight...

In my younger days I never needed an-eye sight-thing! Today I'm at the mercy of my specs. At first it was kinda fun. Things started to get a bit blurry so I would pick up a pair of "cheaters" in 1.0 strength and fool around with the fun "fashion accessory" aspect of actually wearing glasses. Soon enough, I needed something a bit stronger. 1.25 was my number for a couple of years. But now?? I am a steady 1.75 and now I've taken to wearing my prescription glasses all day. The longer I wear them the more I need them. What's next for me? 

The dreaded old lady glasses lanyard??

Oh the FASHION HORROR! 

The doctor tells me I am farsighted, with is funny because I can far away just fine. I can't read a thing in front of my face. Not a fricken thing. Seriously, my kids try to hide any text messages or postings that they do on their cell phones when they are near me and I have to laugh. I told them that there is no need to fret. There is no way in HELL I can see what they are doing because I CANT SEE!

The one on the right is how I need to see my text messages.

I guess I shouldn't really complain. I don't need my glasses to drive or to watch TV (unless I am on a Jet Blue flight watching a Real Housewives Marathon on Bravo-which I've recently discovered is much clearer with my prescription specs) I can see an Eagle pooping at the top of a tree miles away but damn if I can see the lady bug that landed on my knee clearly. This has also become a social media problem. While leisurely scanning my FB, Instagram or Twitter accounts, I may see something I want to post a comment on. Lo and behold, 75% of my comments made without my glasses contain spelling errors or a typo. This is unacceptable to the journalist inside me, yet it happens more than I would like. I liken it to commenting on social media while under the influence of alcohol.   

I think it may be time for contacts? Really? But I don't need them for far away, so they may not be an option. And forget Lasik surgery. That's for people who can't see my friend the Eagle up in the tree. I feel like I'm running out of options. Am I really going to be a slave to my glasses from here on out? 

If that's the case and I have to wear glasses for the rest of my life, I'm making sure I'm seeing everything through rose colored lenses. 

Extraordinary!

Hey bloggers! Sorry for the very long break from blogging but it was for very good reason. On Sunday I escorted Frack to freshman orientation at his college in North Carolina. In about 5 short weeks, my son will be attending High Point University in High Point, NC. I can't believe it's already here. I had yet to see the college, as Frack and My Guy went on the college visit together, so I was curious to see what I had only seen in pictures. I wanted to see the place that Frack had decided was the ONLY college he wanted to go to.  Now I know why...

I could hardly believe what I was seeing. My first thought upon arriving to the picturesque campus was, WOW! The pristine beauty of the rolling green hills and immaculate condition of the grounds took me by surprise. This place is beautiful. The pedestrian avenue just outside of the academic and residence halls is lined with benches that have statues of famous and inspiring people. You can have a sit next to William Shakespeare, Albert Einstein or Gandhi, to name a few, and listen to the classical music that is piped through speakers so students can have a more conducive atmosphere for learning.

I always knew I was a saint!

The academic buildings, all impressive, area presented in an incredible manner. Each lobby, with marble foyers, oriental rugs and leather bound chairs are made to resemble corporate America and big business so that the students will be comfortable in that atmosphere. The lecture halls are small, but big enough for proper learning and the student centers, two incredible buildings, are amazing places to utilize.

This is where Frack will be spending most of his time in this academic building.

No LIE! This is the lobby of that academic building!!

 Did I tell you about the state of the art gymnasium? The outdoor pools? The cafeteria and the food choices these kids have to choose from? Subway? Chick-Fil-A? Four different Starbucks? And several bakeries, organic farmers markets and different cuisine dining halls. AND...GET THIS...a full fledged upscale steak house that the students are required to go to (wearing proper dress code-jacket and tie) to learn business etiquette and to enjoy. There is the most incredible game room...all FREE with Skee Ball, video games, karaoke, a photo booth and private rooms for Xbox and Playstation. And there is a full fledged movie theatre, complete with free pop corn and concessions, that plays new release movies that is free for students.

One of two student centers with cafeteria's. The HPU letters are tables and chairs...

Yeah, that's Frack. He can hardly believe "he goes here".

The dormitories resemble hotel room suites, with 4 single rooms, a kitchen, and a big living room area. Each dormitory has its own business center, complete with computer PC's and printers and a laundry room that is free of charge.

This is a mock room, but will be like the dorm room Frack will have. 

One of several TV studios in the communications building. 

All of this is overwhelmingly impressive, but I had to ask Frack how he plans to "learn" with all of this going on? Frack assured me that this was the place for him, and when the newness of being there wears off, he will settle down and do his best to do well at Highpoint. I had to believe him. I wouldn't want to leave there either.

Yeah, we were drinking the High Point kool aid, alright. 

And it was most definitely purple. 

Fashion Perfection

Last night's Golden Globes marks the beginning of Hollywood's 2014 Red Carpet Season which stretches all the way thru to the big finale at the Academy Awards in March. There were many high's and a few lows, so here's how I saw it!

Breathtaking, stunning and absolute red carpet fashion perfection is how I saw Lupita Nyong'os red Ralph Lauren creation. She took my breath away and I LOVE it when a fashion does that. This girl has the body of a fashion model and I cannot wait to see what her next red carpet number will be. Stunning....

Poor Lena. She looks like a young girl crammed into a grown woman's fashion that she really feels uncomfortable in. This Zac Posen might have been better served on another star, but on the upside, she looks the part of a Golden Globe nominee. Points for that, but where she misses is the fit and the color. This color is stunning-just not on her- and that's ok. They just should have told her. And while I prefer a tight fitting gown on Lena over a large silhouette, she is jammed in here so tight I'm not sure Lena thinks she will make it through the whole night securely. And it shows...

America's sweetheart took a trendy turn in a Prabal Gurung color blocking gown. The gown is lovely on her. Well fitting and fresh, but not very memorable. The thing about Sandra last night that puts her on my best dressed list was her face.. Her makeup and hair was flawless which sets the tone here. She looked so beautiful and soft, she actually belies her advanced age in Hollywood standards.

The youth of Hollywood speaks! And I love what they have to say. Fresh and different, yet stunning and sexy is how I would describe Emma Watson's Dior creation. From the front, it covers fully but sports a gorgeous slit, and from the back it really packs a punch. The House of Dior really know their stuff and I spot a  new fashion trend coming! 

Reece can do no red carpet wrong and last night was no exception! This aqua Calvin Klein design was like liquid paint on her, and her hair and makeup were right in line with the minimalistic beauty of her gown. Kudos to her.

It's a good thing Amy Adams is such a great actor, because this Valentino is just wrong...Naked. She looked naked from the side especially and it made me a bit uncomfortable. Didn't we see enough of this fashion on her on the big screen in American Hustle? I'm not sure why she felt the need to re-cycle the look for herself. It's just bad. Period. Note to Amy's Glam Squad: Her lipstick needed to be darker. I would have used Kevyn Aucoin's Blood Roses Lipstick which is a modern, fresh black cherry color that would have worked perfectly. 

Kate Blanchette-a gorgeous creature in general, this Armani Prive lace number just set her apart from the pack. Why? It's simple elegance showcased Kates own elegance in a way that made her look regal. Was she my choice for best dressed last night? No, but she's top 3 for sure.

Hmmmm. My first thought is why? Jennifer Lawrence wore white to last year's Academy Awards and why wear it again? This was not my favorite, but it was not altogether bad, just off for me. I would have expected more from her, Rachel Zoe and Dior. 

Who is this girl? She is BREATHTAKING. Margot Robbie is possibly one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Her Gucci creation is stunning and form fitting and perfect on this beauty. She's just perfection from head to toe. I think my girl crush is showing. 

A Sharon Stone moment this is NOT! Sharon Stone made a splash at the Oscars in 2009 when she paired her husbands white dress shirt with a Vera Wang skirt. This is not that. Ouch..Julia, this (pardon the expression) SUCKS. Bad. Not only is it terrible, ill fitting and WRONG, but that crystal belt? Oy Vey. What the hell is that? Dolce? Are you paying attention to what Gabbana is doing? Was anybody paying attention? Obviously not. 

And last but certainly not least, my favorite of the night! I may be wrong here but Diane Keaton stole the show. Diane came out to accept Woody Allen's Cecile B. Demille Award she was eloquent, reflective, endearing and stunning. I know that this gender bender suit is Diane's signature look, not anything we haven't seen before, but that particular suit with her stunning and perfectly sexy coiffed hair and glasses? She was gorgeous! I'm now looking for a suit like that for me. I LOVED IT!

Just one girl's fashion opinion here. What did you think?

Wednesday Whoa..

I'm um....

I think?

If I were sitting on the sofa with Joan Rivers and Kelly Osbourne, I would have to say that this:

Is possibly thisclose to a MAJOR  fashion moment. Almost, but not quite.

Homeless Hero

You are never going to believe this one..

Boston Police reported that over the weekend, a homeless man turned in a backpack he found with over $42,000.00 in cash. You read that right. There was over $42,000.00 in cash in the lost backpack. The back pack contained $2400.00 in cash and $39,500.00 in Amex Traveler's Checks.  There were also several personal papers and a Republic of China passport. The unidentified homeless man notified police that he found the backpack outside a mall in Dorchester near the TJ Maxx. 

An hour later, police were contacted by a person claiming to have lost a backpack "containing a large sum of money". The rightful owner was identified by his passport and the backpack and cash were returned to him. I, for one am amazed by the homeless man's integrity. That's not to say that homeless people have no integrity, I mean that even a well intentioned and contributing member of society would have a moral conundrum if faced with the same situation. 

Several of the homeless man's friends claim "he's got a great heart" and even though the man has nothing, he would "still give you what he's got." 

I'm still amazed. 

I mean, what would you do? 

"Find A Way"

To say that I have thought of Diana Nyad maybe a handful of times in my life would be accurate. I knew that she was once a famed long distance swimmer and I knew that she had attempted some crazy-ass swim across the world a few times and failed. That's about the extent of my Diana Nyad knowledge. Today I think of Diana Nyad as an inspiration and I find myself searching for more information on the 64 year old woman. This new chapter in her story is an example of what can be accomplished if you never give up and recently I've thought of her far more than that handful of times. 

Diana Nyad accomished something she had tried and failed at 4 times before. Diana, this week, became to first person to swim from Cuba to Florida in 110 mile swim in open water, without a shark tank, in 52 hours. Talk about never say never.

Diana was already accomplished.

She spent her younger days swimming under the tutelage of Hall Of Fame coach Jack Nelson and was a decorated swimmer, winning awards and breaking records in both high school and college. In 1986 she was inducted into the United States National Women's Sports Hall of Fame and in 2003 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. She has since parlayed those accomplishments into a career. Nyad is an accomplished author, journalist, entrepreneur and commentator who regularly contributes to CBS Sunday Morning. To some, her career would look to be fulfilling and complete. Another person might have just sailed off into the swimming sunset, so to speak. But Diana wanted to do that one thing she had tried and failed at. In 2011 she began forming her team and training for the 110 mile swim. The odds were stacked against her with her age and history told her the outlook wasn't so good. 

On Monday, September 2, 2013, her body dehydrated and slowly breaking down, Diana walked out from the vast ocean she had swam 110 miles in unassisted, as the person who never gave up and beat the odds. Her 64 year-old self beat her 28 year-old self in what has to be the most satisfying career highlight ever. 

Diana Nyad is an inspiration. Diana Niad is a role model. Diana Nyad is a never say never believer.

Diana Nyad is someone whom I will think about as a shining example of what can be accomplished with determination and belief. And she is someone who has moved on from a handful to going viral in my mind.

Where Is Waldo?

So it took me a minute, but "Where is Waldo?" in these pics?

Especially since the Pap's usually splash pics of the women violators all over the press. Proof that wardrobe malfunctions are a unisex phenomenon. 

No wonder Don Draper is such a Mad Man...

This can't be good for the old sperm count.
 Last time I heard his fiance, Jennifer Aniston's clock was ticking.

This one of Becks is blatant....so sue me.

Loose Lips Sink Ships?

So have you heard about this?



Apparently Australian billionaire Clive Palmer thinks he's "king of the world"!

He's going to build an exact replica of the doomed Titanic ship and set sail from England to New York in 2016. Titanic II will be built at a Chinese ship yard and will be powered by diesel rather than the original ship's coal. The plans for Titanic II have been approved by a historic research team and like the first boat, it will have 840 rooms and nine decks.

Mr. Palmer estimates that the Titanic II will be built as closely to the original as possible, but that it will have state of the art engineering. The main changes will be below the water line for better maneuverability.

  "Titanic II will be the ultimate in comfort and luxury with on-board gymnasiums and swimming pools, libraries, high class restaurants and luxury cabins," he said.


Of course Mr Palmer was asked whether the ship could sink.

"Of course it will sink if you put a hole in it." He added: "It will be designed as a modern ship with all the technology to ensure that doesn't happen. But, of course, if you are superstitious like you are, you never know what could happen.''

No thanks. I think I'll stay on dry land and watch.

Speechless

How Bad Does It Have To Get?

You're never gonna believe this one.

This woman, Catherine Kieu Becker, chopped off her husband's pecker.

Really. She did. Then, she threw it in the garbage disposal and turned it on. Evidently, she poisoned her husband's dinner with some sort of hallucinogen that would make him drowsy. Police reports allege that she then tied him to the bed and chopped off his penis, put it in the kitchen garbage disposal and turned it on. She told police, "he deserved it".

Now I gotta ask you, how bad do things have to get for someone to do this? The couple were reportedly going through a divorce. I know a thing or two about divorce and when I was going through it, the last thing I wanted to do was see his face much less make him dinner. Would I have liked to cut off his penis? Maybe, but the thought of getting rid of him for good made much more sense to me.

You can read about it here and wonder just like I did, what this woman was thinking. The only one she's screwed is herself. According to the Associated Press she has been charged with "aggravated mayhem, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon, administering a drug with intent to commit a felony, poisoning and spousal abuse." One of these charges carries a life sentence.

Was it really worth it? No one knows for sure what goes on behind closed doors but to give in to hate and anger like that only destroys both lives.

It may or may not be that simple, but I say just get out and save yourself.