Notes on a weekend passed, which I will entitle "Of Course, I Saw the Losses in Person."

Thursday - Met the wife after work and got on the road. You can tell there was World Series madness in the air as there was an actual skywriter attempting to further thin the ozone layer with a "GO SOX" message. Only problem was that on the first pass, he drew the 'G' backwards.

We got roughly to Syracuse before stopping for the night, listening to Game 2 on the ESPN Radio affiliate out of Chicago. I've pulled in WFAN and WBAL here, though not with the sort of clarity that we were getting Thursday. We thank you, WMVP-AM, for your strong signal.

That being said, listening to Joe Morgan on the radio magnifies his inadequacy about a hundredfold. At least with TV there are the pictures and other distractions.

Friday - back on the road, and thankfully the WHTI passport rules haven't quite taken hold for driving into Canada yet, as I put mine through the wash when we got back from England. It's still perfectly legible, but I don't think I'd want to have it be the only thing between me and spending time in a Customs and Border Protection holding area.

It's also notable that we got through Ontario without the jack-booted thugs issuing us another speeding ticket.

Got into Livonia, Michigan at about mid-afternoon, at which point the wife had to do some work catch-up, scotching plans for dinner. We instead ate at the Red Robin across the street, as we'd never eaten at one and the chain was involved in a Top Chef challenge this season. I don't think the winning burger is on the menu, or they've changed it so significantly that it's unidentifiable. In any case, the food was fine but it's a loser on the value for cost principle.

Then it was off to the first of two BU-Michigan hockey games, complicated by getting lost, which I manage regularly when visting Ann Arbor. We parked downtown, leaving us a pretty significant walk to the rink. We did get to the game on time, and saw the team play better than they did against UNH, but still lose 4-2. The team still can't find the net with any regularity, and are now showing a tendency to allow odd man rushes. I hope that, by now, they realize that John Curry has graduated and will not be around to bail out sloppy defensive play.

We got a ride back to the car after the game (with thanks to Mike, who also gave us a nifty driving tour of Michigan's athletic facilities and a suggestion for parking on Saturday, important given that the hockey game was close after the Michigan-Minnesota football game).

No World Series game, so we pretty much packed it in when we got back to the hotel, though I stayed up for a while watching The Godfather.

Saturday - we slept in a bit, but eventually got over to The Henry Ford, the unusually-named historical attraction outside of Detroit whose showpiece is Greenfield Village. We didn't tour that given the rain, so we opted for the tour of Ford's Rouge assembly plant. Pretty interesting, though I'd have preferred more history about the plant. The most we got was on the "Battle of the Overpass" between union organizers and Ford security. We got to watch some assembly of F-150s, which was mostly people twiddling with hand tools. Though we did get to see robots put in windshields, which is less exciting than welding but still pretty neat to see.

Then it was back to the hotel and walk through the attached mall, which was too nice for us to buy more than a book and some ice cream. We napped, watched some football, got dinner, and headed back down to Yost.

And promptly got lost again. Turns out Ann Arbor has a Fifth Street and a Fifth Avenue, and we had directions for the wrong one. We eventually worked back to the road we'd missed the night before from our original directions, and got within three blocks of the rink, once again making it just in time for face-off.

We'd have been better off chucking the whole thing and seeing a movie, as Michigan scored in the first minute and never looked back, winning 6-2. I am not optimistic about the season, which is kind of sad given the healthy number of seniors on the team. Expect a quote from Jack about the team's lack of heart by the end of the year, earlier if they don't beat Cornell at Madison Square Garden over Thanksgiving weekend.

Sunday came early, as we were making the drive home in one shot. Nothing too amazing to report here, as we got through Ontario again without attracting enforcement from The Man. I did nearly get us impounded at the border when I misconstrued the CBP officer's question about where we came from as being general about the weekend, not specific about that morning. The glare he shot me was punishment enough.

We only caught the second half of the Pats game on the radio, as we couldn't pull it in until we were back in state. We ran across five different stations for Bills-Jets, which seems like at least four too many. I do wish I'd seen the Pats game, given the near-video game quality of the score. It's almost too bad we have to play the Colts next week, as if we had a more pliant opponent (let's say Atlanta), we'd likely put up 100.

Got home in time for the final game in the Series, though a poorly-placed nap led to some confusion when I saw the score was 4-3. There was a minimum of celebrating given the hour, so I was able to go to bed happy about the win and Mike Lowell's MVP nod (I chose not to consider free agency implications until today), and before A Rod decided all the attention on people who aren't him just wasn't acceptable. I look forward to seeing the last decade of his career unfold from San Francisco, where the fans are used to highly paid, prickly superstars on a megalomaniacal quest to break the home run record, even if it means very limited playoff appearances.

This email from the MBTA just crossed by inbox:

Dear MBTA Customer:

Thank you for taking the time to let us know your thoughts on T-Radio. As we stated at the launch of this pilot test, MBTA riders would determine the fate of T-Radio. We have heard from a number of riders on a wide range of issues including the content and style.

Consequently, as of Thursday, October 25th, T-Radio will be suspended. While it is suspended, personnel from the MBTA and Pyramid Radio (the operator of the pilot program) will review and discuss the hundreds of emails received. Following a sufficient period of consideration, MBTA staff will present a recommendation on how the comments and suggestions might be addressed and whether a resumption of the pilot program is advised.

As always, we will continue to try and make your commute better through various means, and always ask for your feedback.

Thank you again for taking the time to write and have your voice heard. Its appreciated.

The quiet at North Station this morning was actually the sound of victory, for now at least.

BLOGALICIOUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP TEN-PLUS

1. Ohio State (def. Michigan State 24-17) - this still feels fraudulent to me, so I sought out some "objective" ranking information. A straight RPI has Ohio State at number one, while the Sagarin ranking has them third. Of course, they also have Kansas second. So I suppose I'll remain part of the charade, at least for another week.

Next opponent: at Penn State

2. LSU (def. Auburn 30-24) - the only member of the SEC circle of death to win last week, so they get a reward. I look forward to their stomping of the Buckeyes in the BCS title game.

Next opponent: Idle

3. Oregon (def. Washington 55-34) - the loss to Cal takes some of the sheen off of this week's game (though perhaps not as much as if they'd lost to, say, Stanford). As with any games that hype a top offense against a top defense, it'll be the other side of the coin - the Ducks' D against the Trojan offense - that'll decide things.

Next opponent: USC

4. West Virginia (def. Mississippi State 38-13) - it still feels odd to put "key conference matchup" and "Rutgers" in the same sentence. Then again, the other key conference matchup is UConn and South Florida. Madness!

Next opponent: at Rutgers

5. Kansas (def. Colorado 19-14) - good win on the road, but College Station just seems like that much more of a hostile environment that Boulder, even if it is much closer to sea level. I can't see the Jayhawks pulling this out, but A&M is inconsistent enough to keep the door open for a KU win.

Next opponent: at Texas A&M

6. Oklahoma (def. Iowa State 17-7) - be happy I didn't drop you completely after such a lackluster performance. Take your week off and think about what you did.

Next opponent: Idle

7. Arizona State (idle) - speaking of likely frauds, the Sun Devils start their two-part exam to prove themselves this week. Luckily for them, the first part is a take-home, albeit against a team that has to be looking to take last week out on someone.

Next opponent: Cal

8. Virginia Tech (idle) - you know what needs to be done. Now please do it.

Next opponent: Chestnut Hill Barber College (10/25)

9. Missouri (def. Texas Tech 41-10) - holding the Red Raiders to 10 points is an accomplishment, especially as the lowest point total for them prior to this was 35. They've still got a ways to go, but I like the odds of a rematch with Oklahoma in the Big XII title game. This week should get them on their way. Of course, you would have thought the same thing last week for the Sooners.

Next opponent: Iowa State

10. North Dakota State (def. Minnesota 27-21) - I know it's no great shakes to beat the Gophers this year, but for a program that's in the middle of a transition from Divison II, it's well worth celebrating. Shame they're ineligible for the 1AA playoffs this year (part of the transition process, apparently).

Next opponent: Southern Utah

109. Minnesota (lost to North Dakota State 21-27) - didn't you used to not suck?

Next opponent: at Michigan

You know, I really don't like any of the Blogger templates well enough to keep one. So I'm just going to rotate for a while until one sticks. Pardon the annoyance.

Yeah, trying something different. Not sure if I like this one or not, but it was time for a change. Now I just need to figure out the archives and relinkify everyone.

THE BLOGALICIOUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP TEN-PLUS

1. South Florida (def. Central Florida 64-12) - out of the remaining undefeated teams, they've played the toughest schedule, which is kind of sad, when you consider that schedule includes Elon and Florida Atlantic (who are no Florida International, but still). They've got the biggest test for undefeated teams this week, too. Which is also kind of sad.

Next opponent: at Rutgers (10/18)

2. Ohio State (def. Kent State 48-3) - the Buckeyes now face Massilon High School for the Ohio state title. But first they have to play a Spartan team that's gone 5-2 against teams that look impressive - Pitt, Notre Dame - but really aren't this year.

Next opponent: Michigan State

3-5. LSU, South Carolina, and Kentucky (Kentucky def. LSU 43-37; South Carolina def. UNC 21-15) - Circle of Death, football version. Kentucky beat LSU who beat South Carolina who beat Kentucky. Going to point differential, LSU is third, South Carolina fourth, and Kentucky fifth. But feel free to mix and match any way you see fit.

Next opponents: Auburn (LSU), Vanderbilt (South Carolina), Florida (Kentucky)

6. Oklahoma (def. Missouri 41-31) - now they get a month off before having to go to Texas Tech for the right to play in the Big XII title game. That the opponent may well be decided by this weekend's Colorado-Kansas game. I can't believe I just typed that.

Next opponent: at Iowa State

7. West Virginia (idle) - Syracuse, a week off, and then a game against Mississippi State. That's a schedule Ohio State could love, but only if the schools moved to Solon and Shaker Heights.

Next opponent: Mississippi State

8. Arizona State (def. Washington 44-20) - they're the only undefeated team in the Pac-10, and if the league is supposed to be that good this year it makes sense to rank the Sun Devils. They do have the killer stretch of their schedule over the next four weeks, but at least they have a week to bask in their appearance here without fear.

Next opponent: Idle

9. Kansas (def. Baylor 58-10) - whipping Baylor is a good way to look like you belong in the top 10. Then again, any team that's bowl eligible should be able to whip Baylor. The Jayhawks can answer at least some of the questions about their legitimacy with a win this weekend.

Next opponent: at Colorado

10. Boise State (def. Nevada 69-67) - Ian Johnson drained a 12 foot jumper at the buzzer to give the Broncos the win.

Next opponent: at Louisiana Tech

109. Rice (lost to Houston 56-48) - the Owls certainly deserve to be here, with a 1-5 record most recently marred by blowing a 13 point lead to the Cougars. But my motives aren't exactly pure here. A couple of weeks ago I had Buffalo here and openly questioned their move to divison I. They've responded with wins over Ohio and Toledo. Admittedly, not the toughest competition, but they kind of are to Buffalo.

I have Rice in a college football fantasy league, and need them to start scoring some points. So I'm hoping the shame of being here will get them into the win column. It doesn't hurt that among their remaining opponents are Marshall, Tulane, SMU, and this week's foe.

Next opponent: Memphis

Book Log 2007 #46, 47, and 48: The Hidden Assassins, The Blind Man of Seville, and The Vanished Hands, by Robert Wilson

I'd really liked the two books by Wilson that I'd previously read, so I was very happy to see a new book, The Hidden Assassins, appear at my local library.

It wasn't too far into the book that I started feeling that I was missing something. References to other cases and other characters were assuming that I knew about them, as there was little to no exposition to put them in context. But I kept reading, as I was enjoying the book quite a bit.

Of course, after I was done I did some checking and learned that I had actually read the third book in a series about Seville homicide detective Javier Falcon. So I went back and read the other two. Unlike some mystery series, it will be very helpful if you read these in order (The Blind Man of Seville, The Vanished Hands, and then The Hidden Assassins).

Falcon is one of the more interesting detectives to come along, and his personal history is as important in these books as the homicides he investigates. There is also an ongoing theme of life in a post-9/11 world, but I'm not sure I'm crazy about how that played out in the third book.

I very highly recommend the entire series.

Book Log 2007 #45: The Mind of Bill James by Scott Gray

I'm pretty conflicted about this book, as I liked a fair amount of what it covers about James's life and work, but it doesn't feel particularly whole to me. I can't quite put my finger on why.

I actually went and read some of the Amazon.com customer reviews to try to jog my memory, and I think (for once) they may have something. Each of the three "most helpful" reviews point to a lack of context. James is quoted at length, but there's not much discussion with anyone who isn't connected to James. They also point to a lack of explanation as to what he actually does. For example, Win Shares are mentioned, but not really explained.

So I guess my feeling about this book comes from it not really showing how, or even if, James has changed baseball. There should have been a chance here to give people more of an idea of what James has done and its impact on baseball. Instead, this book is a missed opportunity.

I was pretty surprised yesterday morning when, waiting for the Green Line at North Station, I found myself assaulted by the end of one of those slower Maroon 5 songs that was horribly overplayed and overused in movie trailers. Given that we've kind of moved beyond the days of the boom box, it took me a minute to figure out that the music was coming from the station's loudspeakers.

Turns out I had stumbled into the first day of T-Radio, a pilot program of what the press release calls "an expertly programmed radio format where informative news, entertainment and safety announcements are seamlessly integrated with music to appeal to Boston’s multi-cultural T-rider demographics."

Let's unpack that, shall we?

an expertly programmed radio format - I didn't know that radio for subway platforms was its own format. Are there Arbitron numbers for it?

informative news, entertainment and safety announcements - in the time I was on the platform I heard no news. The 'entertainment' consisted of the sort of funny facts you'd find on a fact a day calendar that you get in your office's holiday swap. There was one announcement, but it was just one of the "See Something, Say Something" spots that remind us that a slogan is the T's best defense against terrorism.

For what it's worth, the most interesting thing I heard from the non-musical programming was that Pope John Paul II was named an honorary Harlem Globetrotter in 2000. I assume it went something like the dream in Fletch where the Pope's height is given with and without mitre.

seamlessly integrated - OK, there were no gaps of dead air or anything, but I figure anyone with basic radio training should be able to do this.

music to appeal to Boston's multi-cultural T-rider demographics - the T is a bit of a melting pot, so this actually makes sense. I am not sure if all the ingredients in the pot will find appeal from Maroon 5, Augustana, and Edwin McCain. Clearly, we're a bechamel rather than a demi glace.

The one thing I can say in the positive about T-Radio is that everyone could hear it. It was obtrusively loud, much too loud for me at 7:45 in the morning. I'm assuming there were complaints, as today I couldn't hear it on the platform at all. I could hear it in the walkway under Causeway Street, but that's about it.

There's an emphasis on the non-musical portions of the broadcast, which is interesting given that I've heard almost nothing that wasn't music. I'm also wondering how I'm going to hear much of the programming unless I'm waiting an inordinate amount of time for a train. This will probably work better at the Airport stop than North and South Stations (the only places getting T-Radio right now).

The kicker is that this new service rolled out the same day I got stuck in the tunnel between Park Street and Boylston for about 15 minutes. I was late to work, but at least I could think about the Pope being the Clown Vicar of Basketball.

THE BLOGALICIOUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP TEN-PLUS

1. LSU (def. Florida 28-24) - a close call in Death Valley, and while the defense managed to contain Tim Tebow, the most telling stat to me was LSU converting on all five of their fourth down plays. Now they just have to see if they can contain Andre Woodson at home.

Next opponent: at Kentucky

2. California (idle) - is picking last week for an off week an example of intangibles? A good week to bask in their lofty perch before a couple of interesting weeks on the road, though they may not want to be too complacent. The Beavers have won in Berkeley on each of their last three trips to town.

Next opponent: Oregon State

3. Ohio State (def. Purdue 23-7) - a win over an undefeated team is nice, but Purdue's clean slate was built on a pretty shaky foundation. Not sure if it's good or bad that OSU's schedule is so back-loaded. Good for now, I guess, as this week should serve up another solidly-played, but not particularly telling, win.

Next opponent: Kent State

4. South Florida (def. Florida Atlantic 35-23) - OK, FAU isn't that bad this season, but that's still a bit too close for a team looking to be one of the elite. Especially now that marquee match-ups with Rutgers and Louisville have lost their luster with those teams dropping out of the national rankings. A good win over a team that gave Texas a scare would help.

Next opponent: Central Florida

5. South Carolina (def. Kentucky 38-23) - good win over a nationally-ranked opponent, the second one of the season for the Gamecocks. They actually get a couple of weeks where they don't have to play a nationally-ranked team, which will be a nice break.

Next opponent: at North Carolina

6. Oklahoma (def. Texas 28-21) - winning the Red River Shootout is always a feather in one's cap, and a nice way to bounce back from their surprising loss to Colorado. If they can get past this week they've got an excellent shot at running the table, though the game at Texas Tech will be interesting.

Next opponent: Missouri

7. Missouri (def. Nebraska 41-6) - a statement game for the Tigers, who needed some street cred given their other opponents. They haven't fared well against ranked teams, or Oklahoma in general (having only won once in their last 17 meetings), so a victory here would be an additional turning point.

Next opponent: at Oklahoma

8. West Virginia (def. Syracuse 55-14) - this just makes the Orangemen's win over Louisville look that much more bizarre. A costly win given Pat White's injury, though if you're going to get injured this is a good time to do it. He just needs to get healthy for the game at Rutgers at the end of the month.

Next opponent: Idle

9. Illinois (def. Wisconsin 31-26) - it's been a good three weeks for the Illini. They gave Indian their only loss to date, and then knocked off nationally-ranked Penn State and Wisconsin. Those of you who are not including Rashard Mendenall in Heisman consideration may want to start now. Or perhaps on Sunday, as he may put up some gaudy numbers on Saturday.

Next opponent: at Iowa

10. Chadron State (def. Western New Mexico 21-0) - not only did this win keep the Eagles perfect on the season, it saw Danny Woodhead become the NCAA all-divisions career rushing leader. He broke the mark of 7,353 yards set by R. J. Bowers of Grove City College over the 1997 to 2000 seasons. Woodhead's total now stands at 7,411, and with five games to play in the regular season he seems in good shape to top 8,000.

Next opponent: Fort Lewis

109. USC (lost to Stanford 24-23) - dude, you lost to Stanford. Stanford.

Next opponent: Arizona

Book Log 2007 #44: A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

Before we went Under the Tuscan Sun and everywhere after, Mayle and his wife moved from England to Provence, with plans to restore a house and enjoy village life in France. This book chronicles their acclamation to their new life, both the positive (great summers and food) and negative (the mistral and tradespeople with an even more expansive idea of time than their American counterparts).

For the most part its an amusing tale, though with the explosion in travel writing of this nature many of the themes (amusing locals, byzantine bureaucracy, etc.) a little too familiar. Still, it's an enjoyable introduction to one man's adventures in Provence.

Book Log 2007 #43: In At the Death by Harry Turtledove

The last book in the Settling Account series of Turtledove's alternative history of the US, the war between the US and Confederates (and, by extension, Germany versus everyone else in Europe) comes to a close. Both sides comes to grips with the new political reality and the aftermath of the CSA's "population reduction" program for current and former slaves.

It's another solid entry in the series, as most of the characters are given a chance to return home or otherwise tie up the loose ends in their plot line. Even with that, there is some room for the series to continue, given the number of discussions between characters about possible war between the US and Germany. Given that the two have been allies throughout the series, it's hard to think why this would be so much of a concern unless we're being set up for something down the road.

Book Log 2007 #42: The Mosaic Crimes by Giulio Leoni

You may know Dante best for his poetry, but this book introduces us to Dante the detective, as he is pressed into service to solve a murder while serving as a civil official in Florence. The killing of a master mosaicist points to a greater concern involving the Pope and the influence of Rome over Florence, which is undergoing turmoil thanks to the dispute between the Guelphs and the Ghibelines. And, of course, the Templars may be involved, too.

Can't say I was overly impressed with the book, which to me came off a bit as Umberto Eco lite. I think part of the problem is that there is some assumption that the reader is familiar with Florentine history and the Guelph-Ghibeline conflict in particular. You can read the book without such knowledge, but I don't think I got as much out of this subplot as I may have otherwise.

It's too bad, too, as this seems like fertile ground for any historical fiction.

While nowhere near the most exciting thing to come from China this year, I did get something from that country that I'd been looking forward to: my new MacBook. I was eligible for a no-interest computer loan from work, and given that my iMac is about seven years old, it seemed like a good time to upgrade. I'd toyed with the idea of moving over to a PC, but the nearly 20 years I've used a Mac won out. Going with a laptop made some sense given that the wife already has a desktop, and the added mobility would allow me to do things like blog while watching TV. Which I'm not doing now. Not at all. Honest.

It was kind of an interesting culture clash when I went to the Apple Store to buy the thing, as work required a quote so they could cut a check, but the Apple Store doesn't take checks for what was an on-line purchase thanks to a hard drive upgrade I was looking to do. A manager came up with the work-around - use the check to buy a gift card and use that to pay for the computer - and after a 12 minute delay when they had to call in and verify the check, the purchase was made.

Apparently the hard drive work was done in China, as when I went to track the shipment I found that it had started there and the went to Anchorage, Indianapolis, and Boston before getting on a truck in Peabody and winding up here. Total time in transit was less than a day.

So far so good with the new machine, trying to become more familiar with the iLife software so I can goof off more effectively. I'm also trying to figure out how to get these new Intel machines to run stuff from the Classic environment. I did find a decent web site with instructions, but I'm clearly not doing something right. I'll get it sorted out just in time to find out that there's a one step Classic emulator out there.

Now we just need folks like Blogger to support the Mac environment better. There are several buttons I get when blogging on a PC that I don't get here. I'd rather not have to keep hand-tagging links.

Book Log 2007 #41: Tales from Q School: Inside Golf's Fifth Major by John Feinstein

I've always found the idea of Q School - the PGA's tournament for bestowing tour cards on golfers who have not otherwise earned one - to be fascinating, as it's a rare look into the lives of golfers who are (excuse the pun) on the fringe. I've also always enjoyed Feinstein's books. So I figured this would be a perfect match.

But it isn't. There are too many golfers entering and exiting the story, and it seems like a fair amount of the narrative is aimed at hammering home the idea that anything can happen at Q School, and usually does. Part of me thinks that may be the point, that the book is written in a way to mimic the nature of the event. Or at least I hope it is.

All of that said, I didn't think it was a bad book. The stories are still entertaining, and there are some great insights as to what it takes to succeed on - or not succeed and keep trying to make - the PGA tour. I was also interested to find a longish section on Pat Bates, a golfer who I knew growing up. I've not talked to him in a good 20 years at least, so it was something to get to compare the person he's become with the kid I knew.

In any case, it's probably a book best left for people who are more interested in golf than me.

Book Log 2007 #40: 1824: The Arkansas War by Eric Flint

This is the second book in a series that started with 1812: The Rivers of War, in which the War of 1812 goes a bit differently and, as a result, a conglomeration of freemen and Native Americans form a sovereign confederacy in Arkansas. This book takes things to the next step, as the confederacy fights for survival against attacks from locals who see it as a threat to slavery and a US invasion spurred by President Henry Clay.

Given the usual focus on the Civil War in alternative US history, this is a nice change of pace. The issue of race is also handled reasonably well, with moments that are either too stereotypical or too optimistic balanced out by the bulk of the book that touches on the subject.

Certainly recommended for alternative history fans, and probably not a bad series for anyone interested in the period.

Book Log 2007 #39: A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss

Finally had the chance to read this, and while it's quite good, I think having read The Coffee Trader beforehand took a little bit away from this book. There are some definite similarities between the two, and I found myself making comparisons as I went, which is a distraction. Otherwise, it's a very good historical mystery and worth the read.

THE BLOGALICIOUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP TEN-PLUS

1. LSU (def. Tulane 34-9) - a little sluggish in the first half, but I don't think the Tigers were used to starting a game at noon. They may have also been looking forward a bit to this week, ironic given that the bigger game may now be the tilt with Kentucky in two weeks' time.

Next opponent: Florida

2. California (def. Oregon 31-24) - that's two solid wins against top 25 opponents, which is one more than USC has. A visit to Tempe is the only thing standing in between the Golden Bears being undefeated going into their game with USC.

Next opponent: Oregon State

3. USC (def. Washington 27-24) - you get the sense that the Trojans are living on borrowed time, which is odd given all their talent. There are several teams on their schedule that would have benefitted more from all of the mistakes made by USC in this game. It's their luck that they were playing a team in Washington that's still rebuilding. This is probably a good week to work out the kinks.

Next opponent: Stanford

4. South Florida (def. West Virginia 21-13) - I know this reeks of bandwagoneering, but the Bulls did beat a top 5 team and, earlier in the season, a nationally-ranked Auburn team. That's more than the other undefeated teams below them have done, although this week tends back towards the cupcake.

Next opponent: at Florida Atlantic

5. Ohio State (def. Minnesota 30-7) - the Buckeyes had a decent win at Washington, otherwise the opposition has made it hard to tell just how good this team is. We'll get an idea this weekend, when they take on an undefeated conference foe whose schedule has been even weaker than their own.

Next opponent: at Purdue

6. Kentucky (def. Florida Atlantic 45-17) - that Louisville win doesn't look so good now, but they also have a road win at Arkansas, which again is more than some other teams have. That and the Wildcats have Andre Woodson, who is a pretty good equalizer. Not sure if he's good enough to get through a brutal three week stretch, or even the game tonight that kicks it off.

Next opponent: at South Carolina (10/4)

7. Wisconsin (def. Michigan State 37-34) - little known fact - Wisconsin now has the nation's longest winning streak at 14 games. Getting it to 15 is going to be difficult: a week after giving up more than 200 yards rushing, they get to visit the team that is sixth in the nation in rushing offense.

Next opponent: at Illinois

8. Florida (lost to Auburn 17-20) - tough week for the Gators. They have the close loss at home, one of their captains gets arrested for trying to take his girlfriend's car from a tow lot, and now they get to travel to Baton Rouge to face LSU, the first of three road games against nationally-ranked teams. It's possible the Gators will enter November at .500; I don't think it'll happen, but this week isn't going to help.

Next opponent: at LSU

9. South Carolina (def. Mississippi State 38-21) - I may be a week early with these guys, but I'll give them the spot based on a win at Georgia and a respectable loss at LSU.

Next opponent: Kentucky

10. Cincinnati (def. San Diego State 52-23) - they've played no one of note, but have at least won big en route to being undefeated and nationally ranked for the first time in over 30 years. So huzzah to the Bearcats, who get their first actual test this week.

Next opponent: at Rutgers

109. Buffalo (lost at Ball State 14-49) - well, you have your annual win against Temple. I suppose that's something. Why did you go divison I again?

Next opponent: Ohio

On this day when the Red Sox begin their quest to win another World Series, I've come to a conclusion.

We need a second baseball team in Boston.

My reasons are several:

1. It's become well-nigh impossible to get tickets to home games. With limited supply and huge demand, it's no wonder that there are increasing numbers of fans taking mini (or full) vacations around road trips, and many more who just stay home.

2. This is one of the few areas of the country where baseball is still the dominant sport. I base this off of the Sports Illustrated fan map from a few years back that showed New England as one of the few places where the top fan-supported team was not the local NFL franchise, but the local nine.

3. We used to have a second team, so there's a history there, and even a few scattered fans who never made the jump over from the Braves to the Sox. It's not as common as finding Giants fans, but they are out there.

4. The Red Sox are making a transition from team to brand, between the foray into NASCAR, non-sport TV ventures like Sox Appeal, and the whole Red Sox Nation embarrasment. Being a Sox fan now is like being a Celtics fan in the 1980s. It's more about the scene and the aura of winning than it is about the sport. A second team would give an outlet to people who want to spend an afternoon at the ballpark actually watching baseball, not shooting a reality show or something.

So here's my plan.

I. TEAM

The most obvious choice for getting a second team is moving a currently floundering one. And as we already have an AL team in town, a National League team would work best.

Paging the Florida Marlins.

They're pretty much perfect for this operation. They're in the NL East, so they don't have to move divisions. They've won a couple of World Series, so they have some tradition, but are new enough that they aren't bound to Florida by tradition. They have no current fan base in Miami to speak of, and no real prospect of getting a new stadium. And they have some exciting players - including former Sox prospect Hanley Ramirez - to build upon.

The only negative with this team is their owner, Jeffrey Loria. Given the way he's operated both this team and the Montreal Expos, it'd be best if we could separate him from the team beforehand.

II. NAME

I have a couple of ideas. The first is the Pilgrims, trading off of a name that, despite what people think, was not an old name for the Red Sox. It's not the most hip name, but it's better than some of the other old names (official and otherwise) for Boston baseball teams: Puritans, Beaneaters, Bees, Somersets, etc.

The other name that comes to mind is Shamrocks. It salutes Boston's Irish community (which may be important, as will be discussed later), which the Sox have largely been able to co-opt for themselves. I actually like this quite a bit, as I think about it.

III. STADIUM and LOCATION

I've not been to all of the major league parks, but I can say that I've been most taken with PNC Park in Pittsburgh out of all the new baseball stadia. I liked the way it combines traditional layout and look with modern features, and its skyline views of the river and downtown are tremendous.

In order to capture that here, I'd look to do something along the lines of PNC, but slightly bigger (PNC seats 38,496; I'd look to seat about 43,000). And to get that view, it'd have to be in the Seaport District.

This raises some problems, as the Seaport District is also known as the South Boston Waterfront. As a neighborhood, Southie wasn't exactly amenable to a previous proposal to move the Sox in, and it's likely they'd feel the same way about the Shamrocks (the obvious pandering of the name aside).

However, between the Big Dig making the area more accessible for Route 93 and the Mass Pike and the ongoing development that's seen a convention center, the Institute for Contemporary Art, a major hotel, and several condo complexes go in, there may be reduced resistance to a baseball team.

I wouldn't look for public financing of the stadium, as we pay enough in taxes already. Given the presence of Fidelity Investments in this part of town (they have offices there and own the Seaport Hotel complex), perhaps they'd be just the right people to buy the team and get things moving.

If this doesn't come to pass, my next favored location would be out by Suffolk Downs, one of the proposed casino sites. There's still a chance to get city views, and it is located on the T. The only real road of note in the area is Route 1A, which is problematic, to say the least.

So there it is, embryonic in form but an idea whose time has come.

For the record, I want to note that when pressed for a World Series prediction last week by a co-worker, I went with the Sox and Rockies. It may be a moot point in a few hours, but you know if I didn't mention it that'd be the match-up.

We had a fire at work today. OK, it wasn't in my building, and as it turns out it wasn't even in a building owned by the school. It was in a private apartment building that's between two of our apartment buildings, and is about 50 yards from my office. I got to spend part of my lunch hour watching the proceedings, which involved a lot of smoke and many, many public safety vehicles.

There don't appear to have been any injuries, which is pretty surprising. In a building full of college students, you have to assume that at least a couple will be home and asleep at any given time. No word on the extent of the damage, but our students who live in there are being moved to on-campus spaces for the time being. I have a feeling they'll be there for a while.

Adding to the afternoon of craziness, an outbound Green Line trolley was stopped in the middle of the intersection about a half-hour ago, with a couple of police cars to keep it company. No idea if it broke down, hit someone, or contained a passenger of interest to John Q. Law, but it eventually got moving again.

I don't know if I really believe in the Rule of Three, but I may walk over to the Orange Line to go home. It's not the afternoon to tempt fate, apparently.

THE BLOGALICIOUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP TEN-PLUS

1. Florida (def. Mississippi 30-24) - if there were ever a game to make me want to change the rule about sitting national champs keeping the top spot, this would be it. Tebow looked impressive, but if he has to have an unreal game every week he's going to implode. Probably during the streak where they have to play at LSU, at Kentucky, or at Georgia. Probably not this week, given how the Tigers have been playing.

Next opponent: Auburn

2. LSU (def. South Carolina 28-16) - offense? Check. Defense? Check. Special teams? You can check that box now. As if opponents needed more to be concerned about when playing LSU.

Next opponent: at Tulane

3. Oklahoma (def. Tulsa 62-21) - the win over Tulsa marked the Sooners smallest margin of victory to date. I imagine they'll win by less than six touchdowns this weekend. Though a five TD and a field goal margin wouldn't be surprising.

Next opponent: at Colorado

4. USC (def. Washington State 47-14) - I should probably have the Trojans higher, but I figure it'll sort itself out over time. A win this weekend like last weekend's will help.

Next opponent: at Washington

5. West Virginia (def. East Carolina 48-7) - the Mountaineers are finally putting it all together. Unfortunately for them, it looks like the Bulls have done the same.

Next opponent: at South Florida (9/28)

6. California (def. Arizona 45-27) - a rather comfortable homestand comes to a sudden halt with a trip up the road to Eugene. This could look like that Bengals-Browns game from a couple of weeks ago, especially if the likes of Louisiana Tech haven't prepared the Golden Bears for Dennis Dixon.

Next opponent: at Oregon

7. Ohio State (def. Northwestern 58-7) - another toughie on the road before the season's first big test. In case you didn't catch it, I was being sarcastic about this week being tough. The Gophers defense is easier to score on than (insert name of starlet/celebutante here).

Next opponent: at Minnesota

8. Texas (def. Rice 58-14) - considering the number of high school teams in Texas that could likely hang a similar score on the Owls, I can't say this makes up for the close call against Central Florida. They do have a classic trap game this week, what with the annual tilt with Oklahoma on tap next week. Throw in the revenge motive for last year's loss, and you've got a very interesting ball game on tap. But one that the Longhorns should really still win.

Next opponent: Kansas State

9. Wofford (def. Appalachian State 42-31) - the Big House is apparently no preparation for the gridiron bedlam that is Gibbs Stadium. 13,000 seats of sheer mayhem, it is. All kidding aside, I have to give props to the only football team at the division I level (FBS or FCS) to bear the Terrier name.

Next opponent: at Furman

10. Oregon (def. Stanford 55-31) - OK, I have no idea how they let Stanford score 31, but the continued offensive onslaught is impressive. That and I'm pretty much bobbing for teams at this point. Thank God for the conference schedules starting up so we can get some separation.

Next opponent: Cal

109. Louisville (lost to Syracuse 35-38) - the loss to Kentucky is understandable. It's a rivalry game, and most of the state roots for the Wildcats. And really, it was a matter of time before they finally took one. But losing - at home, no less - to Syracuse? A team that hadn't lost a game by less than three touchdowns all season? That's inexcusable.

Next opponent: at North Carolina State

Book Log 2007 #38: The Archivist's Story by Travis Holland

One of the problems with how I do the Book Log is that I tend not to write the book up until I'm going to post. Which, a couple months after the fact, makes it hard to remember specifics about why I did or didn't like a book. Or, in this case, what the book was even about.

Turns out this is about a low-level KGB clerk who decides, after meeting Isaac Babel during the latter's imprisonment, to save one of his stories that is in the KGB archive awaiting destruction. This just adds to the tension that comes with working for the KGB, having politically questionable friends, being a widower whose wife died under still-unsolved circumstances, and a mother who is beginning to suffer the mental ravages of old age. Put all of this in 1939, at the eve of World War II, and you have a book that sounds like it should be pretty gloomy.

And while there is gloom, my impression of the book is that it was hopeful in its own way, nicely paced and, unusually, perhaps too short. I think I would have liked more time with some of the characters, or at least more about the time that's covered in the book. So I liked it, even if I had to jog my memory a bit.

Back to trivia last night, resulting in what might be the oddest win I've been involved with, which I'll detail in answering the questions:

What was the name of the enemy dojo in The Karate Kid? Cobra Kai - generationally, I'm the person on the team that should have gotten this. I wasn't. Then again, I don't think I've seen the original all the way through. The one where they go to Japan? Several times. I have no explanation.

Who is the oldest player to hit a home run in the MLB All Star Game? Cal Ripken, Jr. (Paul) - I was pushing for Carlton Fisk, but he has the record for oldest player with a hit. The guy I worked with came up with Ripken, thankfully.

What basketball player once challenged NBA commissioner David Stern to a naked wrestling match? Dennis Rodman - really, who else would it be? Some thought was given to Ron Artest, but this made too much sense.

What is the name of Jack Nicholson's character in A Few Good Men? Colonel Nathan R. Jessup (Hyph) - nothing special here, just one of the tougher questions of the night.

Who competes in the Olympics using the following codes: ISL, PUR, TPE? ISL - Iceland (Mike B.), PUR - Puerto Rico (Paul), TPE - Taiwan (Mike B.) - the bonus round was to name ten countries based on their Olympic country code. We were the only team to get Iceland, as everyone else went with Israel. Taiwan wasn't one of the ten, but after Iceland and Puerto Rico the rest were pretty straightforward, so I thought I'd add another harder one.

How many horses have won the Triple Crown - 5, 8, or 11? Eleven - this was the final question, which irritated the hell out of me because (a) we didn't know it, and (b) by being multiple choice, it increased the odds that someone would win on a guess. Didn't work out that way, as everyone guessed incorrectly and everyone bet all their points (we were gunning for the perfect game, otherwise we'd have done the math).

To the nearest hundred, how many Applebees restaurants are there in the US? 1700 - I think the host got this from the restaurant manager, who told us the exact number but I can't remember it. We guessed 511, which seems comically low until you consider the other guesses, none of which went north of 400. The comparative lack of Applebees in New England worked to our advantage, and we took the win.

Book Log 2007 #37: Eagle Blue by Michael D'Orso

There's a lot to like about this book, which follows a season of the boy's high school basketball team from Fort Yukon, Alaska, a town predominantly populated by natives. On the one hand it follows the Friday Night Lights blueprint pretty well, giving us an insight into the wider community by examining the ups and downs of the season.

I think where the book might falter is in the increased focus on the coach rather than the boys who make up the team. Part of that may be simple utility; it's probably easier to access the coach than the players. That being said, I didn't feel like the book followed through from the more even focus between players and adults that opened things.

All in all, it's still a well-written and entertaining book about a team and a community at the fringe of America.

Thanks to all who donated for the PKD walk, which went pretty well, good weather (bright sun, cool to warm as the morning progressed) and good friends to walk with, but the pre-walk speechifying wasn't so hot.

You can see the route here, as we walked the stretches of Soliders Field Road and Greenough Boulevard bounded by the two bridges at the northeast and southwest cornerns of the map. It may not be the best route for a charity walk, given that we were stuck to the sidewalk on the bridges and for a decent length of Greenough we were walking on the shoulder of the road. Perhaps as it gets more established it'll get a better spot.

Not that they could have had the Esplanade, as it was booked for the weekend for some blues festival. I note this because, as is becoming standard practice for Hatch Shell shows they're closing down a lane of traffic by the Shell for parking. Because why would you need all the lanes of the city's most important east-west arterial road on a weekend?

We got stuck in that traffic on Saturday, as we were meeting friends for dinner, after which the wives took in the So You Think You Can Dance tour, leaving the husbands to hang out and watch sports. A fair trade for all involved. This also allowed me to see the continuing gentrification of BU's West Campus, between the now closed Store 24 and the Coldstone Creamery that's where the Korean place (former Mrs. Wilson's for those of you who go back as far as I do) used to be. The McDonald's has been closed for a while, but I can't say I lament that. At least not until it becomes a Starbucks or something.

Not much else to note from the weekend. Watched lots of football, but I bore you enough with that during the week.

With the PKD walk coming up on Sunday, I figured I'd take one more go at getting donations.

Feast your peepers on this page to donate. There's even a scrolling thank you gizmo that will display your generosity for all to see. How can you beat that? Well, OK, several ways, but it's supposed to be about the giving and whatnot now, isn't it?

BLOGALICIOUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP TEN-PLUS

1. Florida (def. Tennessee 59-20) - clearly, offense isn't going to be a problem for the Gators. Defense, well, they have until October 6 to sort things out.

Next opponent: at Mississippi

2. LSU (def. Middle Tennessee 44-0) - no problems with offense or defense here, though this wasn't exactly a test of either. Certainly more of a test this week for both sides of the ball; maybe an opponent will actually crack double digits. Not that I'd bet on it.

Next opponent: South Carolina

3. USC (def. Nebraska 49-31) - that takes care of some of the concerns coming out of the Idaho game, but the first half was still a little sluggish, probably understandable given the week off. I think they'll work through things this week, too.

Next opponent: Washington State

4. West Virginia (def. Maryland 31-14) - speaking of sluggish, at some point a team is going to jump out to enough of a lead on the Mountaineers that they can't use the second half to grab the win. There are those back-to-back games against Rutgers and Louisville they may want to think about. Not to mention this week, which appears to be a game they should win easily, but the Pirates have been playing everyone close.

Next opponent: East Carolina

5. Oklahoma (def. Utah State 54-3) - I'd have put the Sooners ahead of West Virginia if they'd gotten to 70 points like I predicted. Thanks for nothing! I am fully expecting 50 points this week against a Golden Hurricane team that BYU lit up like a Christmas tree.

Next opponent: Tulsa (9/21)

6. Appalachian State (def. Northern Arizona 34-21) - what sort of weak-ass performance is this? Normally a 13 point win is fine, but this year? You'd better get north of 20, especially if you want to retain your plush ranking here.

Next opponent: Wofford

7. California (def. Louisiana Tech 42-12) - I didn't think that schedules were supposed to get easier as the season progressed, but that's clearly the case here considering that this week's opponent, Arizona, has only beaten Northern Arizona and lost a squeaker last week to New Mexico. Expect to see Pop Warner teams on the schedule by week 8.

Next opponent: Arizona

8. Ohio State (def. Washington 33-14) - I don't buy that Washington is all that good - yet - but it's still a good road win for the Buckeyes, especially in the wake of a sloppy game against Akron. More purple this week, though after losing to Duke the Wildcats may want to adopt a hue closer to blush.

Next opponent: Northwestern

9. Rutgers (def. Norfolk State 59-0) - with Texas, Wisconsin, and Penn State not playing up to par, the toss-up goes to the team that crushed someone, even if they are a 1-AA team. And as they have the week off, I expect someone will do something to bump the Scarlet Knights out next week.

Next opponent: Maryland (9/29)

10. New Hampshire (def. Marshall 48-35) and Portland State (def. Sacramento State 35-24) - I didn't know who to highlight here - the Wildcats for beating their third divison I opponent in four seasons, or the Vikings for getting their first win under head coach Jerry Glanville. Why not both?

Next opponents: Dartmouth (UNH), at San Diego State (Portland State)

109. Duke (def. Northwestern 20-14) - and here I thought we were going to get set up for Duke to snap its losing streak against Notre Dame. Now the Blue Devils go for two in a row, something they haven't done since the heady days of 2003, when they knocked off Western Carolina and Rice back-to-back en route to a 4-8 season.

Next opponent: at Navy

Book Log 2007 #36: Morning Spy, Evening Spy by Colin McKinnon

Set in the months prior to 9/11, Morning Spy, Evening Spy is set in the framework of that event but follows a much more personal story, as an intelligence agent trying to unravel the killing of an American with murky CIA ties in Pakistan. The investigation uncovers layers of deception and paranoia within the CIA, which wind up translating into the agent's own relationship with a Washington journalist.

The action in the book is juxtaposed with the actual movements of the 9/11 terrorists, but the action rarely intersects. Rather, the story told by the book helps to demonstrate, if not explain, the ways in which something like 9/11 can be missed by the very people paid to look for it.

I do think that the ending was a little cute, but it's about the only issue I had with framing the story around 9/11. There are probably a few too many characters - I found myself backtracking well into the book - but it's a solid intelligence thriller/procedural, a nice change from other entries that make the CIA either too demonic or too omniscent.

Book Log 2007 #35: Death of an Expert Witness by P. D. James

The last of the vacation books, it's easily the best of the older Dalgliesh books I've read. A killing at a forensic lab throws suspicion on just about everyone, with the added complications of how the killer managed to get at the victim in the first place.

Good balance between the personal lives of the lab workers and other characters with the procedural aspects of the case. The solution did seem to appear out of thin air a bit, I think. Still, a solid member of the series.

BLOGALICIOUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP TEN-PLUS

1. Florida (def. Troy 59-31) - I defy anyone to come to any conclusions about this year's Florida team based on its first two games. Other than that Troy can move the ball on their reserves.

Next opponent: Tennessee

2. LSU (def. Virginia Tech 48-7) - the average Thanksgiving turkey isn't decimated as fully as the Hokies were last weekend. So much for the year's top defensive struggle. It doesn't seem fair that all of LSU's future opponents who are currently ranked have to play in Baton Rouge.

Next opponent: Middle Tennessee State

3. Oklahoma (def. Miami 51-13) - you'd be excused if you thought the Sooners played Miami of Ohio. They didn't. This game could be a case of Oklahoma being that good and Miami being that bad. I'll be surprised if OU can't break 70 this week.

Next opponent: Utah State

4. USC (idle) - it's always a good idea to have a week off when other top contenders don't look so hot. Had USC played this week and won by anything less than 40, LSU would probably be the top team in the land. Heck, they may be this time next week.

Next opponent: at Nebraska

5. Appalachian State (def. Lenoir-Rhyne 48-7) - I'd have kept the Mountaineers at number two if they'd shut out L-R. Way to mess things up, third string!

Consider this: App State had more points this week in the AP poll than Florida State, Miami, Michigan, and Notre Dame combined. Then again, those teams are a combined 1-7.

Next opponent: Northern Arizona

6. Texas (def. TCU 34-13) - I think Texas-Arkansas State was a trap game - for TCU. Texas gets the nod here given how lackluster most of the top 10 teams played last week. They at least had the courtesy to play like crap in their opening week, which such things might be expected.

Next opponent: Central Florida

7. West Virginia (def. Marshall 48-23) - between this and the Louisville game, you'd think that the WAC had moved east. They might as well just make it official and become Arena Legaue teams.

This game was billed as the Friends of Coal Bowl. It will be followed up in three weeks when Acadaia takes on the University of New Brunswick in the Friends of Acid Rain Bowl.

Next opponent: at Maryland (9/13)

8. California (def. Colorado State 34-28) - one of the many lackluster wins of the week, but at least they have a reason for a week 2 letdown. Thankfully, they have some cushion if things last into week 3.

Next opponent: Louisiana Tech

9. UCLA (def. BYU 27-17) - there are about a dozen teams I could put here. Really, it's a crap shoot here. I'm going with the Bruins for now. It'll probably change next week.

Next opponent: at Utah

10. Western Kentucky (def. West Virginia Tech 87-0) - the Hilltoppers celebrate their first year as a division 1 team by setting a new NCAA divisional mark for points in a quarter with 49 in the first frame. Of course, they had to play a division II team to do it, so expect the asterisk brigade to be along soon.

Next opponent: Eastern Kentucky

109. Temple (lost to Buffalo 42-7) - the Owls were favored for the first time in three seasons. They lost by 35. Sadly, neither Duke nor FIU are on the schedule for this season. Expect the MAC to boot Temple for Western Kentucky by 2009.

Next opponent: at Connecticut

Went back to trivia last night, where we had the Whose Line is it Anyway? game, wherein we missed two questions going into the final question and finished last. Had I only gotten the million points for Party Quirks...

I don't remember most of the questions, but I do have a few:

George Alan O'Dowd was the lead singer of what band? Culture Club (JQ) - we got this one wrong because the guy who was writing answers down put "The Country Club" rather than Culture Club. Someone did see this, but as she was only partially paying attention her objections were not particularly strong. This is what we get for sitting right next to the speaker.

How many years had the genie been stuck in the lamp in the animated Disney film Aladdin? 10,000 years - I was able to justify an answer for an earlier question on the film by noting I'd seen it the previous week. I then had to recant a bit and note that I'd only seen the opening. Thankfully, we did get the question from the part of the movie I saw. I just needed to keep watching.

What 1996 film co-starred David Schwimmer and Gwyneth Paltrow? The Pallbearer (G. Reaper) - after the Culture Club debacle, I was allowed to write this one down. That's about the only interesting thing with this question, which just seemed random. I assume the guy running the game saw it on cable over the weekend.

What MLB pitcher, in his career, faced Roger Maris, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire? Nolan Ryan (G. Reaper) - this was the final question, and the guy who writes the answers down immediately came up with Tom Seaver. He was sure of it, which I now learned is only a true indication of being correct about 85 percent of the time. He picked a bad time to land in that other 15 percent. Turns out Seaver retired after 1986, while Sammy brought his cork and nandralone show to the bigs in 1989.

The more interesting part of the night was watching the Sox game. I predicted a 15-11 finish, we got 16-10. I say my prediction is still good, it's just the accounting that's off.

While I was told I didn't have to raise money, I am participating in a walk in a couple of weeks to support research into Polycystic Kidney Disease, and feel like I should at least try. So I'm going the low-key approach.

This link should get you to my page about the walk and donating. At least I hope it does; the site is a little murky as to the specific URL I should use.

Book Log 2007 #34: Just Kick It by Mark St. Amant

I'd read this a while ago, and am not sure how it didn't come up in turn, but I suppose it's a more fitting mention this time of year. St. Amant, a writer with less than pleasant memories of his scholastic soccer career, finds himself drawn back into competitive sports when he becomes the kicker for the Boston Panthers, a semi-pro team made up primarily of players from Roxbury and surrounding neighborhoods. This not only makes St. Amant a fish out of water physically - being smallish and more years removed from sports than his teammates - but in social and emotional ways as well, as being white and college-educated puts him in the minority for once.

There's a danger that this sort of story could veer into sociological territory that tries to draw conclusions from too small a sample size, but that doesn't happen here. The story that is told is funny, inspiring, at times sad and frustrating, but it's always told well. It also helps to demonstrate how sports can, with its focus on teamwork, help people come together when normally they wouldn't.

Very highly recommended, one of the best books I've read this year.

I was on the fence about bringing this back, but figured if nothing else, it'll irritate Greg.

THE BLOCALICIOUS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 10-PLUS!

1. Florida (def. Western Kentucky 49-3) - same rule as last year, the defending national champ gets to be number 1 until they lose. Which I don't think will be this week.

Next opponent: Troy

2. Appalachian State (def. Michigan 34-32) - they are also a defending national champ, just at the next level down from Florida. Which makes me think I might keep them at number 2 until they lose.

Does anyone else think that App State could win the Sun Belt outright, and give most of the ACC and Big East a run for their money? Can we give them a battlefield promotion and make Duke play in the Southern Conference? Please?

Related kudos to Nicholls State for beating Rice, though that's not quite an upset.

Next opponent: Lenoir Rhyne - whoever he is

3. LSU (def. Mississippi State 45-0) - at least LSU started with a conference opponent and on the road. That's more than most top-level teams did in the first week. And while I think they'll win this week, playing a game of this magnitude early in the season can be asking for trouble. Ask Tennessee.

Next opponent: Virginia Tech

4. West Virginia (def. Western Michigan 62-24) - good solid opening thumping, though given the opening schedule I'd swear that the Mountaineers joined the MAC. And when was the last time two teams with the nickname Mountaineers were in a football poll together?

Next opponent: at Marshall

5. California (def. Tennessee 45-31) - they played a highly-ranked opponent and won, so they get extra points. Which, if they play defense the same way all season, they'll need desperately.

Next opponent: at Colorado State

6. USC (def. Idaho 38-10) - not that impressive an opening, even with the healthy point differential. They really need to find a way to play all nine of their top-flight tailbacks at once. Maybe they can sort this out on the off week.

Next opponent: at Nebraska (9/15)

7. Wisconsin (def. Washington State 42-21) - I have nothing to say about this game, though it's the best opponent the Badgers will face this month.

Next opponent: at UNLV

8. Louisville (def. Murray State 73-10). Insert ironic joke about a team nicknamed the Racers losing by 63.

Next opponent: Middle Tennessee State (9/6)

9. Virginia Tech (def. East Carolina 17-7) - I believe I am required by law to rank the Hokies this week.

Next opponent: at LSU

10. Mount Union (def. Averett 75-7) - the 24th consecutive win by the defending Divison III champs, they get ranked by setting a new NCAA record for points in a quarter, with 52. They were up 72-0 at halftime, so at least Averett can take solace in winning the second half.

Next opponent: Otterbein (9/15)

109. Notre Dame (lost to Georgia Tech 33-3) - it was not as close as the score indicated. Appalachian State would have won by 50. Charlie Weis would have been better off naming his starter in July. Start the Jimmy Claussen transfer rumors now, if you haven't already. They'll be luck to cross midfield this week.

Next opponent: at Penn State

Book Log 2007 #33: Citizen Washington by William Martin

This seemed like an appropriate title to start on the 4th of July, especially as I was in England at the time. Not a lot of parades or fireworks, as you can imagine.

The book is set after the death of Washington, and takes the form of a memoir by a man who was set out by his uncle to write Washington's story. The uncle has nefarious intent, as he's keen to get dirt on Washington for both personal and political reasons. This gives the book the usual Martin set-up of a main character trying to find something that may or may not exist.

The narrator here runs into fewer life-threatening problems than usual in Martin's books (he does get the cold shoulder a few times, and does encounter the occasional pistol), forcing the stories of the people he interviews to drive things. Which works pretty well, as we get a decent accounting of a pre-Presidential Washington from sources ranging from household slaves to Washington's one (apparently) true love, Sally Fairfax.

The vast majority of the story takes place up to Washington becoming President. I'd have liked more of the story of his Presidency and retirement, though it probably makes sense that the focus is on the parts of Washington's life that weren't quite so public.

Recommended.

Things that struck me while perusing this list of anniversary presents:

* I was alternately surprised and saddened by the multiple entries for diamond under the modern gift column. Those clowns at DeBeers are everywhere.

* Would it be possible to have all the lists sync up a little more, especially in the early years? Look at wood, for example: it's the fifth anniversary gift on the US and UK lists, but for the sixth on the modern list. Similar problems with things like leather and linen, too. Who can make these changes? The UN? Hallmark?

* I'm also disturbed at the early anniversary modern gifts that, in many cases, would have been cleared up with wedding presents. China for a second anniversary seems redundant, unless you're one of those people for whom love is said with a gravy boat or whatever other random piece is missing from your set.

(Kudos to De Stijl for noting a good alternative take on china. Wish I'd thought of it.)

Anyway, it'd be better if these came in the five to ten year range, so you can replace broken stuff.

* Clearly, the folks running the metalworking and textile guilds have fallen asleep at the switch, or their checks haven't cleared. The modern list makes no mention of copper, tin, aluminum, steel, wool, iron, silk, or tungsten (tungsten? only the Brits). On the other hand, ivory is off the modern list, for which Babar thanks you.

* I also can't quite get my head around paper being replaced on the modern list by clocks. Paper has so many great options, while clocks... don't. Unless you're counting all the different styles of clocks... but even then there are at least as many styles of paper.

Clocks. Feh.

* There is something either wonderfully perverse or completely morbid about a 90th anniversary being celebrated with granite. Be wary if your spouse throws in free lettering.

This is the sort of crap that I think about when called into work on a holiday. Aren't you lucky? Not that you're reading it today; you're probably at the beach or poolside or something.

Time once again to solicit your advice, dear readers. I may even heed it this time around.

The wife and I are planning a week's vacation in March, and at this point we've narrowed it down to "someplace warm." We're mulling options, and I figure I'd open the floor to suggestions.

At this point we're not tied in to one part of the world, though the ones farther away from our current location are less likely given the cost and time spent getting there. The one location that's not on the table is Orlando. We're pretty burnt out with central Florida. Also, anywhere that is likely to be infested with Spring Breakers we'd like to avoid. It's enough that I get to be with college students the other 51 weeks of the year.

We'd also prefer a place with a decent mix of things to do. We're not the type to spend an entire week at the beach, but we're also not looking to spend the entire week on the go, either.

So comment away with your warm weather vacation suggestions!

I'd do the usual post about bar trivia this week, but I was thrice irritated:

1. One of the questions in the first round? "What does Tony the Tiger think about Frosted Flakes?" WTF?

2. Another question botched a song title, reversing the actual title and its parenthetical title. We still got credit thanks to creative answering, so I suppose I shouldn't complain.

3. There was a question that spoiled at least part of the last Harry Potter book. I know, it's been out for over a month, but I'm still annoyed.

Book Log 2007 #32: World War III: The Untold Story by Sir John Hackett

Hackett first fought World War III in a 1978 book that posited a two week war in the summer of 1985, started by a Soviet government that believes a quick war could revive its flagging economy and world status. This sequel was published in 1982 to provide a longer-range view of the fictional war's impact on the world.

I read the first book when I was in high school, so reading the sequel a good 20 years later - without re-reading the original - was pretty clearly a mistake. It wasn't helped by the density of the work and its style, which didn't lend itself to long-term casual reading. I found myself reading shorter and shorter bits of the book until, about 60 percent of the way through, I just stopped. I do not know that I would have done better even if I'd read the first book recently.

Oddly enough, I found both books at the same used book store in Beverly, though obviously some years apart. I think this one I'll sell back to them.

Book Log 2007 #31: The Dark Tower by P. D. James

The first of my vacation books, fitting given that we were in England (though not the eastern coast, where this book takes place). In this Dalgliesh mystery, the inspector goes to pay a call on an elderly minister he knew as a boy, only to find that he has died while living on an estate serving as a long-term care facility. Dalgliesh suspects something other than natural causes, and is borne out as he gets to the bottom of the web of intrigue surrounding the owner, patients, and community surrounding the care facility.

It's one of the better Dalgliesh books I've read, I think. You can tell it was written some time ago (first published in 1975), but the main mystery certainly holds up. I also liked that there was a little more insight as to Dalgliesh's past, which is (understandably) diminished in later books.

James was inspired for this work by Clavell Tower, whose story is vaguely similar to the tower in the book.

Recommended, and probably evidence that reading the books in order would be somewhat helpful.

For the first time in quite I while I was out playing bar trivia last night, thought not at the Elephant and Castle. A guy at work plays with some friends at the Applebee's in Danvers, and after a few weeks of being pestered I decided to go over.

It was pretty different from the E&C. There were six rounds, one of which was a bonus round of 10 questions (for this week, name the movie for which a listed actor won their first Oscar) and a theme round chosen by the previous week's winner (the team I was on won last week and went with Seinfeld, a solid choice). All questions were worth one point, with the final question allowing team to bet any number of their points. The emcee read the five questions and then played one song, which I think I like better than the one question, one song model.

Questions were pretty good. They may be a little easier than the E&C's, though I got stumped by enough of them.

We wound up winning, earning $25 or $30 restaurant credit. Which I'd be more excited about if I liked Applebees more. Still, they do have some decent apps, so no complaints.

It was kind of funny playing with a team of mostly strangers. My co-worker had mentioned that he worked with a guy who was on Millionaire, so there was much rehashing.

Anyway, some questions for you:

What is the name of the character you play as in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City? Tommy Vercetti (Greg) - I was surprised that no one on my team knew this, given how many of my teammates were males in their mid-20s. That seems like just the right demographic.

Why can't snakes shut their eyes? They don't have eyelids (Chris) - this is an example of one of the dodgier questions, as I don't know if we'd have gotten credit for giving an alternate correct answer, like Greg did. I think we would have, but it's hard to say. In any case, we had a snake owner on our team who got this. He's also apparently good friends with the guy who runs the game, which I can't imagine hurts any.

What is the birthstone for September? Sapphire (Greg) - you think I'd have this list down cold by now. I don't. It's like the order of the Presidents; I know the ends pretty well but lose track in the middle. Which makes sapphire the Rutherford B. Hayes of birthstones.

What was the occupation of the virgin Jerry dated on Seinfeld? Closet organizer (Greg) - We knew this, but I figured it was more interesting question than Jerry's apartment number. Which the team also knew. This was good round for me to take a break.

What two companies have advertising signs on top of the Green Monster? Volvo and The Sports Authority (Chris) - we had kind of a mini-Sox themed round here, as there were questions on the distance from home plate to the center field triangle and the number of consecutive saves Eric Gagne put together as a Dodger. Definitely more of a series of questions you can ask a local crowd rather than the mix of locals and business travelers the E&C usually has.

For what film did Robert DeNiro win his first Oscar? The Godfather Part II (Greg) - there was talk about this, but we wound up going with Raging Bull. This pissed me off less than missing Denzel Washington's win for Glory, where I though he had happen what actually happened to Morgan Freeman.

Who has appeared on the greatest number of Sports Illustrated covers? Michael Jordan (Greg) - this was the final question, and we were pretty confident about it. The only other person I could think of who'd be close was Muhammed Ali, but I was pretty sure MJ had passed him a while back.

Finally get a chance to surface. It's been busy.

Work - Wentworth has 450 or so new alumni after our graduation ceremony on Saturday. Busy as hell in the couple of weeks leading up to it, as we have more than four times as many students graduate in August than in May (a ratio that will only get worse once the new architecture curriculum is fully in place).

At least next year I'll get an extra day, as both of our ceremonies move back to Sunday. They'd moved to Saturday after a lone complaint about having graduation on Mother's Day. It may just be me, but I think seeing my child graduate from college would make a swell Mother's Day present.

Me - As mentioned before we had birthday fun to deal with, capped by a trip to Maine. Not only did we have the requisite birthday cookout, but we also got to take in the 150th anniversary celebration for Stockton Springs. We caught the parade, and I even have pictures if you're into public safety vehicles or horses.

I did not manage to get a picture of Susan Collins, the junior US Senator from Maine. I'd forgotten she was going to be there (it was mentioned in the paper). This is easily the closest I've been to a sitting Senator, at least since the time I got to ride the shuttle underneath the Capitol. Fair to say I'd not have recognized most of the Senators at that point.

Or now, I suppose.

Other crap - the only thing of note here is that I broke the lawn mower yesterday. Or rather, it broke itself. I was pushing it along, minding my own business, and a wheel just fell off. Thankfully I was close enough to done that I could freehand the rest with the weed whacker.

I spent about 15 minutes trying to put the wheel back on, but didn't succeed. I can see how it needs to go on, and even had a wrench that'd allow me to fasten the wheel securely. I just didn't have the third hand necessary to manage the wheel, the mower, and the wrench at the same time.

That's the sort of thing I didn't miss when I was renting or living on campus.

It should also be noted that while the sweet pea isn't in the same league as kudzu, it is one hearty plant. One of the neighbors has it growing along his bushes and grape arbor, and it's everywhere in my backyard, both growing up the side of the house (the one I yanked down yesterday was a good eight feet up) and in the middle of the yard. I fear that I'm going to have to invest in some sort of lawn care products to give the grass a fighting chance.

I've been trying not to think too much about the whole Barry Bonds thing, but a thought did occur to me. The three most cherished offensive career records (in my opinion) in baseball are for home runs, hits, and batting average. Which means that Barry Bonds is now in baseball company with Pete Rose and Ty Cobb.

Which, when you think about it, means that Bonds is, in some ways, a more fitting home run king than Hank Aaron.

Five things to remember if you ever decide to eat at Mandrake, found on Beverly's nascent Restaurant Row in the downtown section of Cabot Street:

1. The online menu may not match the one they're using. It was pretty close, but they didn't offer at least one of the apps we were considering (the duck confit). It also appears that clicking on any link but the one for the bar gives you the dinner menu.

2. The chicken skewers that were on the live menu are huge. Two people could easily split it.

3. Whoever came up with the idea for gouda-chorizo scalloped potatoes deserves some sort of medal.

4. Try not to be dismayed by the art on the walls. We have an art college in town, and I assume the semi-erotic photography on display will rotate out eventually.

5. The waitstaff is good if a little slow, and they're very willing to comp mistakes, such as when an order for pinot noir turns into a very nice glass of champagne.

All that being said, we enjoyed our meal quite a bit, and would go back without hesitation.

Book Log 2007 #30: Harvard Yard by William Martin

Peter Fallon, the hero of Martin's earlier book Back Bay, is at the center of another historical mystery entwined with family history. In this case it's a lost Shakespeare play, the text of which has been hidden at Harvard since its inception. The book follows the hunt for this priceless object - both in the present-day and throughout the centuries.

I was a little reluctant to pick this one up - you hear enough about Harvard around here - but I think this is likely my favorite book of Martin's. Both the historical and present story lines hold up well, and is certainly more engaging than the likes of Annapolis. It also helps that I've read this book much closer to its original publishing date. I picked up Back Bay about 20 years after it was published, and the present day story was, in some respects, pretty dated.

Fallon is also at the center of Martin's newest book. Given the Harvard connection, it seems like a matter of time before Fallon and Robert Langdon cross paths. Just as long as Dan Brown doesn't do the bulk of the writing.

Last year on this day I looked at ten people to see what they'd accomplished by the time they were 37. This year, I'm looking back to see what young, famous people (or young, famous people that I'm familiar with) were born today.

Katie Leung turns 20 today. We know her best for playing Cho Chang in the Harry Potter movies. Just a year younger than her is Princess Beatrice of York, who has not been in any of the Harry Potter movies.

Tennis great Roger Federer turns 26, while footballer Louis Saha (France/ManUre) turns 29. As does Countess Vaughn, formerly of Moesha and The Parkers.

Boy band fans have two reasons to celebrate - Drew Lachey and J.C. Chasez both turn 31. As does Heroes actress Tawny Cypress.

Scott Stapp turns 34. Former Paris Hilton fiance Paris Latsis turns 29. They seem to go together for reasons I can't fully express.

Not sure that was the note I wanted to end on, but so be it. Happy 38th birthday to me.

Book Log 2007 #29: Boomsday by Christopher Buckley

Not to be confused with the Tennessee fireworks celebration of the same name, Boomsday sees Christopher Buckley turn his witty writing style towards intergenerational issues in politics and media. The title comes from a term coined by a blogger for the impact Baby Boomers will have on the national economy (most notably Social Security), using resources that the less populous age cohorts behind them will be unable to replenish by the time they get to retirement. The blogger's wrath at Boomers (fuled by a father who used her college money to fund his tech start-up) fuels further anger by other under-30s, and humor ensues.

I'm not sure this quite reaches the level of Thank You For Smoking, but it's certainly better humor and better satire than the likes of some of his more recent books. The only negative for me was the ending, which seemed both abrupt and a bit of a cop-out. Buckley does a better job at portraying people younger than himself than many authors, which is refreshing.

That being said, a strong recommendation here.

As a side note, Boomsday is an offering from Twelve Books, an imprint that only releases one book a month. It's an interesting concept, if presented a bit pretentiously on its website.

Three things I did last weekend that I'd not done before:

1. Visited the Salem Witch Museum. It's billed as Salem's most visited museum, which is kind of sad given the quality of the collection at the Peabody Essex Museum. The main exhibit at the Witch Museum is a number of life-sized wax figured depicting the stages of the trial, from Tituba's stories inflaming bored local girls to the final hangings. The displays are along three walls of the main room, which is a problem as most of the seating is similarly situated. It is unlikely that you'll see the entire thing without having to get up and move around, potentially obscuring someone else's view.

The narration is overly-dramatic and sounds like it was recorded in 1982, less from the quality of the audio than the cheese factor.

The Witch Museum also has a section on the changing interpretation of witches, from the old crone to the green-skinned broom flyer to modern Wiccans. I imagine it's informative if you don't know anything about witches. The trolley tour we took was about as informative, and we could get on and off that all day.

2. Ate at Prince Pizza. I've been driving past this place all my life, but have never gone in, even with the enticement of the small-scale Leaning Tower of Pisa out front.

I can't say I was missing much. The pizza is similar to Greek pizza, thought the crust is a bit crispier and overall it's less greasy. That being said, it was on the expensive side, and their bruschetta is disappointing. I don't know if I'd bother going here again.

3. Saw the animals at the Franklin Park Zoo. I have vague memories of a kindergarten field trip to a zoo, but I think it was the Stone Zoo. I can't imagine our town would want to send its five year olds into the 'hood.

Franklin Park is not a big zoo. It's also not a very good zoo, as much of the fencing looks temporary and the habitats are either too small or (for the indoor ones) smelling of dank and feces. The indoor exhibits are also very dated. There's a push on to renovate the zoo, which is needed.

That being said, it was a good time. We got to see what we think was Bactrian camel foreplay, as well as a wildabeest that was three days old. There are also lions, tigers, giraffes, zebras and a popular gorilla exhibit. Not only do some of their gorillas paint, one, Little Joe, has talent as an escape artist. Thankfully, the new gorilla habitat seems more secure.

I'd go back, though with better directions. Getting there wasn't a problem, but leaving I wound up going down the wrong street and we had an impromptu visit to a part of Boston not normally on the tourist itinerary. It worked out fine, but I was pretty irritated at being lost.

All of this was courtesy of a visit from the wife's pre-teen niece, which seemed to go pretty well. At least she was never visibly bored or annoyed with us, which I'll take.

Book Log 2007 #28: The Book of Fate by Brian Meltzer

An aide to a former President learns that the events surrounding an assassination attempt - which left him scarred, another staffer dead, and the President disgraced - may not have been as they seemed. Along the way he tumbles to a cabal involving the nation's security apparatus and, perhaps, the Masons.

The pot never quite boils on this book, a pretty standard political thriller that delievered less than I expected based on the description. Lots of thriller conventions here - a hero who winds up falling for a woman who gets involved in the investigation, shadowy governmental figures who are more powerful than their positions would indicate, and a killer whose insanity is clearly, if perhaps overly, portrayed. The whole thing could have used a tightening; it's a little bloated at 528 pages.

It wasn't a total loss, but it didn't do much to capture my interest, either. Probably good for commuting or the beach, though I found it didn't take much to pull my attention away.

As I was getting of the T last night, a guy was at the top of the escalator asking for 50 cents. I had nothing and gave the shake of the head I usually give people asking for money, but a question then popped into my head.

How much longer is panhandling going to be a viable way to get money?

It may be the cheerily dystopic Visa commercials, but the general sense I have is that the average person is less likely to carry cash now than, say, five years ago. And if we ever work out payment from sources like cell phones, I'd think that the likelihood of someone carrying cash would decrease further.

Of course, not everyone is going to embrace card or electronic payment fully, but as generations become more comfortable with the technology that number is going to drop. Why do I get the feeling that panhandlers are going to wind up getting most of their money from other panhandlers?

Anyway, that's my random thought for the week.