October 30, 2010

Junior's Reading And Viewing List:
September 21 - 25, 2010


Last Update - October 30, 2010 at 8:40 PM EDT

Junior's 'Reading And Viewing List' for September 21 through September 25, 2010 contains title links with article snippets from items posted to the web during that period of time. I think there are plenty of things here that are worth checking out, as we get into the Fall of 2010.

The topics covered below include films, music, hockey (Washington Capitals) and racing (Formula One and WRC).

Some 2010 F1 Singapore Grand Prix Preview and 2010 WRC Rally France Preview posts made it into this list.


September 25, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 2, Predators 1
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Two For The Road – Washington won its second road pre-season game in as many outings when it shaved the Predators 2-1 in Nashville on Saturday night.

After a 6-2 win over the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Wednesday, the Caps tightened up defensively, allowing the Preds just 25 shots on goal. That’s 14 fewer than the Blue Jackets registered...

Final practice - Vettel stays ahead at Marina Bay
Posted at Formula1.com

Red Bull continued to hold sway after the final free practice session this evening at Singapore's Marina Bay Circuit. Sebastian Vettel was the quickest man on a track that was still damp in places after lunchtime rain. Vettel finished over half a second clear of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who was separated from team mate Felipe Massa in the times by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton...

Notes from a Subdued Friday After Thursday’s High Drama
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

Friday at camp offered a striking contrast in atmosphere relative to Thursday. No big-news presser, no buzz over a free agent’s hat trick from a game the night before, and when Gabby met the media near 2:00 there was only the Washington Post’s Katie Carrera and yours truly there with questions for the coach. The exchange lasted all of about 5 minutes...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- D.J. King
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...King performs one of the most difficult jobs in any sport. He fights. In four NHL seasons and 101 games played, King has spent 553 minutes on the ice. He also has spent 135 minutes in the penalty box as a result of having engaged in 27 fights. And it isn’t as if he takes on lesser mortals. Of the five fights he had last year, none of his opponents had fewer than nine fights of their own last season...

John Bonham Remembered
By mdome at Classic Rock

On September 25, 1980 John Bonham, one of the all-time great drummers, died at the age of 32. That’s exactly 30 years ago today!

On December 4, 1980 Led Zeppelin announced they were splitting up, unable to continue without their driving force. And, despite the occasional one-off reunions for special occasions – the last being in December 2007 at the O2 Arena in London – that’s the way...


September 24, 2010

Caps Off To Music City
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Three nights after they opened their 2010-11 pre-season slate with a 6-2 victory over the Blue Jackets in Columbus, the Caps take to the road for the second of their six-game schedule of exhibition tilts. Washington heads to Nashville for a Saturday night date with the Predators...

Friday analysis - normal service resumed at Red Bull?
Posted at Formula1.com

A track that was still damp in places, where it had been resurfaced, kept the times slow in the first Singapore session on Friday, and it remained slippery in the second as oil seeped through that new surface. It was enough to keep most teams guessing through the 180 minutes of running time. One thing that was clear was that Red Bull, back in more comfortable high-downforce territory, seem to have rediscovered some serious speed. We take a team-by-team look at the early running at Marina Bay...

WRC countdown: Rallye de France
Posted at WRC.com


...Next week, the World Rally Championship will visit the banks of the Rhine for the first time, as the Rally de France switches a Corsican base for the mainland city of Strasbourg.

And, with a fairytale storyline in the offing, the event’s switch could coincide with Sebastien Loeb’s finest hour. Victory for the Frenchman at home next week would mean 60 world rally wins and seven world rally titles. And he’d do it all within cheering distance of the streets he was brought up on. And on the banks of the Rhine...


Raikkonen weighs up 2011 options
Posted at WRC.com

...Raikkonen has shown encouraging progress throughout his debut season in the World Rally Championship with Red Bull and the Citroen Junior Team, but his best result of the year so far remains fifth place on the Rally of Turkey back in April.

Now Raikkonen has been linked with other options for next year, both in rallying and Formula One...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Boyd Gordon
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...You can talk all you want about the goaltender having to be the team’s best penalty killer, but a lot of the heavy lifting is done by the guys in front, too. And this is Boyd Gordon’s workshop. Gordon does not have the offensive punch to make many contributions at that end of the ice, so his ability to play defense, help kill penalties, and win faceoffs is where he is going to earn his salary...


September 23, 2010

Bad Company To Say Goodbye?
Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

The Times Record is reporting that Bad Company might be waving goodbye to U.S. fans in a couple of weeks.

The British rock group's concert on Oct. 7 at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Catoosa, Okla., near Tulsa, will be its last U.S. date on its 2010 reunion tour, and the show could be the band's swan song to American fans, said lead singer and co-founder Paul Rodgers...

Exclusive Nick Heidfeld Q&A: I feel honoured to be back
Posted at Formula1.com

At the recent Italian Grand Prix, Nick Heidfeld was a hot candidate for a 2011 drive because of his recent tyre testing for Pirelli. But just days later, Heidfeld is back racing again, replacing Pedro de la Rosa at BMW Sauber for 2010's remaining five Grands Prix. Even though he doesn't know the C29 at all, and despite having completed very little mileage this year, the German is sure he can deliver in Singapore and keep his rookie team mate Kamui Kobayashi at bay...

FIA Thursday press conference - Singapore
Posted at Formula1.com

Drivers: Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber), Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus), Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), Vitaly Petrov (Renault), Mark Webber (Red Bull).

Q: Vitaly, a lot of new circuits coming up that are new to you. This is the first one. What do you do to prepare for a new circuit like this?
Vitaly Petrov: Play PlayStation. Then I try to watch as much as possible the videos from on-board cameras and the team helps me a lot to prepare. I do some simulator work at home and watch a lot of videos from the on-board camera and bits like this...

100 Club Could Close Down
By mdome at Classic Rock

...Says current owner Jeff Horton: “It makes me so angry. The Government, Westminster council and even some of the commercial landlords say they want to help small businesses, they say they want to preserve London’s uniqueness, they want to help multi-cultural venues.

“Yet we’re all that and all these organisations have all dumped on us from a great height.”

NHL to New Media: Go Fly a Kite
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

This news, delivered last night by AOL Fanhouse, incensed me. In the epitome of Neanderthal progressivism, the NHL, beginning this season, is going to implement a ban on access by bloggers to visiting locker rooms at all arenas. Because you know, the collective work of hockey bloggers the past five-plus years has been, on the whole, so counterproductive, so destructive for the league, generated so precious little additional interest in the sport...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Eric Fehr
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator


...What Fehr was last year, though, was extremely efficient as a goal scorer. Among forwards dressing for at least 50 games, only three averaged more than Fehr’s 1.48 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (behindthenet.ca). And that is a who’s who of scorers – Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Sidney Crosby. Among those same forwards dressing for at least 50 games he ranked in the top 20 percent in goals-allowed/on-ice per 60 minutes (behindthenet.ca)...


Singapore preview - time to reveal the true contenders
Posted at Formula1.com

As Formula One returns to high-downforce tracks, the Singapore Grand Prix will reveal what individual team form can be expected over the five remaining rounds as the world championship fight builds to its climax. Spa and Monza were both low-downforce venues, on which the effect of the tightening up of the rules on flexible wings and undertrays was minimised. This weekend will give a much clearer view of any changes on that front, and the likely pecking order from Singapore to Abu Dhabi...

Dio’s House Up For Sale
By mdome at Classic Rock

...It also has wooden floors form France and a bar brought in from the King’s Arms in Chigwell, Essex. The house is priced at $3.333 million.

You can check out a selection of photos of Dio’s former abode here.


September 22, 2010

Postgame Notebook: Capitals 6, Blue Jackets 2
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

A Sixer – Washington popped the top on its six-pack of pre-season games with a six-goal offensive outburst and a 6-2 road win over the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Wednesday.

Free agent camp invitee Matt Hendricks paced the Washington attack with a hat trick, aiding his uphill bid to crack a deep and diverse group of Capitals forwards. Center Tomas Fleischmann, looking to put a chokehold on the No. 2 pivot job in the District, had a pair of goals and an assist...

Citroen almost reveals its new World Rally Car...
Posted at WRC.com

Citroen has revealed a few tantalising glimpses of its new DS3-based World Rally Car in a pre-launch teaser video...

...Follow this link to see the clip.

The Latest Classic Rock Podcast Is Live!
Posted by gbarton at Classic Rock on September 22, 2010

The Classic Rock Podcast is back with its latest instalment – come inside to have a listen.

The Classic Rock Podcast is back with its fourth, and arguably finest so far, instalment.

Geoff Barton, Malcolm Dome and still-sultry newbie Kylie Olsson discuss Guns N’ Roses’ disastrous Dublin show; Axl Rose “not being up to the job”; the diminishing role of the record company in the modern-day rock world; the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and John Bonham… and a whole lot more besides.

Have a listen here!

*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: Looking at their podcast page, it seems this was actually from the 17th. Since there are seven in the list, they may have miscounted the number of podcasts as well.


Burns to be honoured by special gathering
Posted at WRC.com


Fans and friends of Richard Burns, who died from brain cancer four years after winning the World Rally Championship in 2001, will remember the British hero during a special gathering at the base of the former Subaru WRC squad on September 25th...


2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Jason Chimera
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

...Chimera also possesses is speed. So much, in fact, that on a team that has more than a bit of flash he might be the fastest skater among the Capitals. It is a quality that serves him well barreling off the wing to put himself in a position to score. And, it keeps defensemen on their heels and goalies with a watchful eye toward his freight-training through the crease...

Organisers reveal further details about Austin track
Posted at Formula1.com

Race organisers for the forthcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, have released further details about the new circuit, which will stage the event from 2012, when Formula One racing returns to the country for the first time in five years...

Slash Releases Expanded Edition Of Album
By mdome at Classic Rock

Slash is to release a deluxe edition of his self-titled solo album next week.

This has been expanded to three discs. There are to be two CDs, including 13 bonus tracks such as demos, plus a 52-minute DVD with behind the scenes footage on the making of the album, and also live performances from Los Angeles and Australia...


September 21, 2010

Behind The Thunder : An Exclusive Interview With Drummer Jason Bonham Of Black Country Communion
By Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

...Recently we had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with Jason to discuss the powerful new album he has recorded with vocalist Glenn Hughes, blues guitar god Joe Bonamassa and keyboardist Derek Sherinian, collectively known as Black Country Communion. In a band filled with masters of their craft, his drumming on the record stands out as a robust example of classic British rock power, and is a performance which would surely make his dad proud.

In part two of our exclusive series of all the members of Black Country Communion, the topics covered include not only his thoughts on the new album, the tour he's embarking on his own next month, The Led Zeppelin Experience - a multimedia tribute to the band, and most of all his late father John, living with the legacy of being the son of one of rock's all time great drummers, and more. Read on as we have a chat with one of rock's true powerhouse drummers, Jason Bonham...

Caps Head to Columbus for Pre-Season Opener
By Mike Vogel - Senior Writer at WashingtonCaps.com

Goaltender Michal Neuvirth and defensemen John Carlson and Karl Alzner are all virtual locks for the opening night roster in Washington this season. Each of those three players was a member of the consecutive Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears teams of 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Several forwards on those Bears Calder Cup clubs are also trying to crack a deep depth chart of forwards in the District. Starting Tuesday night in Columbus, some of those forward candidates will get their first pre-season showings...

The Constructive Purpose of Anger In Five Steps
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

If there is an early watchword to the eve of a new Capitals season, it is "anger." The Caps are angry over losing early in last spring's playoffs. Fans are angry because, well, that's the natural state of Caps fans (when they're not wallowing in the team's misfortune). The team adopted a "Stay Angry -- Believe in Yourselves" motto. Even getting back to business involves staying angry...

2010-2011 Previews: Forwards -- Matt Bradley
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Matt Bradley has been a Capital for five seasons, during which he has compiled 33 goals and 85 points in 366 regular season games. He also has recorded 37 fights in that time. His win-loss record in those bouts isn’t as important as his willingness to engage in the practice. Bradley is what many might call an “energy” player, the sort who in a 45- second shift might get a couple of good hits, forecheck aggressively, and generally make a nuisance of himself. But he is not, by any definition of the term, an enforcer. But no one in the NHL seems more willing to sacrifice himself by stepping in for a teammate...

Power to survive? 2010 engine usage revealed
Posted at Formula1.com

...One aspect that will play an increasingly important role as we reach the season’s end is engine usage. The 2010 regulations specify that each driver may use no more than eight engines during a championship campaign, and most drivers are getting near the end of their allocation, meaning reliability will become ever more critical as we progress through the final five rounds...

October 25, 2010

Junior's Reading And Viewing List:
September 16 - 20, 2010


Last Update - October 25, 2010 at 7:59 PM EDT

Junior's 'Reading And Viewing List' for September 11 through September 20, 2010 contains title linked places worth visting from last month. If you missed these posted items, or just want to revist and review them, I think you'll find them worth the cyber trip.

The topics covered below include films, music, hockey (Washington Capitals) and racing (Formula One and WRC).

At least one 2010 WRC Rally France Preview post made it into this list.


September 20, 2010

Leslie West Illness Forces Changes to Scheduled Shows
Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

Leslie West, legendary guitarist and singer for the group Mountain and West, Bruce Jr and Laing, is at home recovering from a recent stay at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey to treat blood clots, (DVT) and a pseudo aneurysm in his leg.

Intervention Radiologist, Dr. John Rundback stated, “Leslie underwent several procedures to re-vascularize his right leg with angioplasty and extensive use of stints”. The aneurysm was a result of anticoagulation drugs administered to Leslie to resolve and prevent further thrombosis...

First Betty White, Now Stan Lee? New 'SNL' Facebook Campaign Kicks Off!
By Rick Marshall at MTV's Splash Page

Just a few months ago, "Golden Girls" actress Betty White made headlines by turning a Facebook fan campaign into a guest hosting gig on "Saturday Night Live." Now, fans of comics legend Stan Lee are hoping to do the same for the co-creator of Spider-Man, the X-Men, and countless other iconic characters...

A Survey of Local Caps’ Media: Evaluating the Offseason
By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

In the leadup to this fall’s training camp I reached out to local media long devoted to covering the Caps and asked them to respond to a single line of inquiry: relative to where they imagined the Caps to be as claimants for legitimate Stanley Cup contention in the immediate aftermath of last April’s seven-game series loss to Montreal, where were the Caps at the dawn of training camp this fall? Improved? Regressing? More or less the status quo? I wanted from them a verdict on the Capitals’ offseason, with en eye toward the big prize. I received from my media colleagues what I thought I would: extremely thoughtful verdicts...

Vosgien test nets Kimi his first rally victory
Posted at WRC.com

Kimi Raikkonen says he is ready for his next World Rally Championship event after a successful test - and first rally win - on the Rallye Vosgien on Saturday.

The Citroen Junior Team has now planned all of its 15 official test days, which means the only alternative way of offering the Red Bull-backed Raikkonen experience of the kind of roads he will drive on in the Rally of France is for him to compete on rallies...


September 19, 2010

Fate, Karma And Throwing Down That Rock and Roll Gauntlet :
An Exclusive Interview with Glenn Hughes Of Black Country Communion

By Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

To die hard rock n rollers, Glenn Hughes needs no introduction. From his first rise to prominence in the early 70's with Trapeze, through a three year stint with Deep Purple, later with Black Sabbath, Gary Moore and numerous solo releases, his vocal prowess has been such as to garner being called the "Voice Of Rock"...

If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made A Choice
Posted by OrderedChaos (a.k.a. Mike Rucki) at On Frozen Blog

We pardon this interruption of your regularly-scheduled programming: Mike, John, and Gary chose to attend the Rush concert last night. 42 years to the day since the Rush’s first-ever performance at The Coff-In, and the band just keeps getting better.

Below are a few photos from the show. We will shortly resume your Capitals coverage, already in progress...


September 18, 2010

Victims?
By Ted Leonsis at Ted's Take

That is a pretty strong word, isn’t it?

I believe that small businesses are the life blood of our economy. They mostly serve local consumers in neighborhoods and it is tough to compete against big companies if you are a small business...

Japers' Rink Radio - Episode 20
Posted at Japers' Rink Radio

Full Washington Capitals training camp opens today, and Pepper and Russell discuss the sky-high expectations for the Caps in this 2010-11 season with a very special 20th episode of JRR. And by special, we mean that we'll be joined by chairman and majority owner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment (the holding company of the Capitals), Ted Leonsis, and later in the hour by Greg Wyshynski, editor-in-chief of Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog...

Steven Tyler To Release Solo Single
By mdome at Classic Rock

...Blabbermouth are reporting that the song is the theme for the upcoming Japanese movie Space Battleship Yamoto. The song itself is called Love Lives...

...Check out the song on this clip.


September 17, 2010

Event Verizon
By Brian at Rumblings from the Man Cave

...I finally took the phone back to my local Verizon store.

That's when things went from bad to epic fail...

WRC stars McRae and Park remembered
Posted at WRC.com


Two days in September, every September, will be forever remembered by rally fans. Two days in September, two years apart, when our world turned a little bit darker.

Already reeling from the terrible condition which had struck down Richard Burns, the WRC then lost Michael ‘Beef’ Park and Colin McRae.

Latvala to drive Monster Focus at Rallyday
Posted at WRC.com

BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team driver Jari-Matti Latvala will pilot Ken Block's Monster World Rally Team Ford Focus at the Rallyday show in the UK this weekend.

Latvala will join other guests including 1984 World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist and former WRC co-drivers Phil Mills and Nicky Grist at the non-competitive event at Castle Combe race circuit on Saturday 18 September...

'No Reservations' Host Anthony Bourdain Writing Graphic Novel For DC Comics
By Josh Wigler at MTV's Splash Page

Anthony Bourdain is an acclaimed chef, food author, world traveler and television personality best known for "No Reservations," his globe-trotting Travel Channel series that shines the spotlight on the world's greatest culinary treats. Now, he can add another job to his ever expanding resume: comic book author...

Japan hoping for return to WRC as soon as possible
Posted at WRC.com

Rally Japan chief Dmitry Krivtsov says the event's best hopes of a return to the World Rally Championship calendar rest with the return of a Japanese car manufacturer.

The Sapporo-based event is not on the WRC schedule for next season, but with the increased speculation surrounding a return to the sport for Toyota, there are hopes the series could be back on the island of Hokkaido in the near future...

Happy 25th Birthday to Great Eight!
Posted at Alex Ovetjkin

...Happy 25th Captain Ovechkin!...

Eminem to stage first Latin American show with F1 Rocks™
Posted at Formula1.com

GEO Eventos in partnership with Enterprise Entertainment have announced global rap superstar Eminem will headline F1 Rocks™ with LG in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo on November 5, as part of the build-up to this season’s Brazilian Grand Prix. It will be Eminem’s first appearance in Latin America.

"This is something very special for the Brazilian audience,” said Pedro Assumpcao, CEO of Geo Eventos. “Eminem’s performance in Sao Paulo will show the importance of Brazil and F1 Rocks™ with LG in Sao Paulo as well as on the global arts scene.”

*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: When did Eminem switch to Rock music? This news is about as welcome as "Borat To Play Freddie Mercury". Excuse me, while I go throw-up.


September 16, 2010

Caps Rookie Camp Closes With a Bang! Caps 4 - Flyers 3
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

It might be September, it might be in Arlington, it might be rookies, but it is never, ever a bad day when the Caps beat the Flyers. And the rookies did just that to their Flyer counterparts, riding a late Cody Eakin goal to a 4-3 win at Kettler Capitals Iceplex this afternoon before a packed house and many of the Caps vets in attendance...

2010-2011 Previews: Goaltenders -- Michal Neuvirth
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Imagine yourself a young goaltender. A second round draft pick in 2006 (fourth goalie selected). The next year, you record a 26-8-4 record in Canadian juniors (2.32, .932, four shutouts), followed up by a 14-4 post-season record (2.44, .932) that carries your team to the Memorial Cup semi-finals. You have cemented yourself as a prospect to watch, except the next year you end up playing for three different teams in Canadian juniors (Plymouth, Windsor, Oshawa). No matter – you still put up a combined 17-7-8 record and go 7-2, 2.49, .928 in the post-season with Oshawa. Not much more to prove here...

Solberg convinced he's on the brink of WRC victory
Posted at WRC.com

Petter Solberg says it's only a matter of time before he returns to winning ways in the World Rally Championship.

Solberg, 35, last won at WRC level on Rally GB in September 2005. But after coming close to victory on Rally Japan last week, the Norwegian is convinced that it’s a case of when rather than if he will win again.

Junior's Reading And Viewing List:
September 11 - 15, 2010


Last Update - October 25, 2010 at 7:58 PM EDT

Junior's 'Reading And Viewing List' for September 11 through September 15, 2010 contains title linked items from September 2010. If you visit them, or revist and review them, I think you'll find them interesting.

The topics covered below include films, music, hockey (Washington Capitals) and racing (Formula One and WRC).

A couple 2010 F1 Singapore Grand Prix Preview and 2010 WRC Rally France Preview posts made it into this list.


September 15, 2010

2010-2011 Previews: Goaltenders -- Semyon Varlamov
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Well, it’s time. After a precocious beginning to his career in which he saw sparse, but effective action (4-0-1, 2.37, .918) in the 2008-2009 regular season; after he became the darling of the hockey media upon going 6-2, 1.51, .945, with two shutouts to open the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs after relieving Jose Theodore in goal; after the effective (if somewhat unfulfilling) 15-4-6 record he posted in an injury-interrupted 2009-2010 regular season; after performing decently (if not particularly outstanding) in last spring’s disappointing loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs (again, in relief of Jose Theodore); Semyon Varlamov is now poised to assume his place as the number one goaltender for a Stanley Cup contender...

Catching up with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitri Orlov
By Malin A (a.k.a. Ice Warrior) at Japers' Rink

Top Caps prospects Evgeny Kuznetsov (first round 2010 draft, 26th overall) and Dmitri Orlov (second round 2009 draft, 55th overall) are not attending rookie camp this year because their KHL seasons have already begun. Earlier this month they played for team Russia’s U-20 team in a tournament in Nyköping. Team Russia won all three games against Finland, the Czech Republic and Sweden respectively...

Singapore preview quotes - Virgin, HRT, Toro Rosso & more
Posted at Formula1.com - Updated on September 22, 2010

It may be one of the calendar's more recent additions, but the Singapore Grand Prix isn’t short on fans in the Formula One ranks. Not only does it present the unique challenge of being a night race, the track itself tests everyone to their limit too. The drivers and senior team members look ahead to the Marina Bay race and discuss their prospects...

DMACK and Michelin confirmed as WRC tyre suppliers
Posted at WRC.com

Chinese manufacturer DMACK has joined Michelin as an FIA appointed tyre supplier to the World Rally Championship in 2011.

The two brands applied to become suppliers following the FIA’s decision to open the championship to more than one tyre manufacturer - a position held by Pirelli for the last three years...

'Iron Man 2' DVD & Blu-Ray Bonus Feature:
Iron Man's Briefcase Armor Battle!

By Rick Marshall at MTV's Splash Page

We're just a few weeks away from the arrival of "Iron Man 2" on DVD and Blu-Ray, but we have yet another sneak peek at one of the bonus features you'll find on both versions of the film.

Last week, we brought you "Iron Man 2" director Jon Favreau's memories of working with DJ AM during the party scene at Tony Stark's mansion, and this week we have a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most memorable scenes from the film: the brawl at Monaco Grand Prix...




The Siren of Sparkhill
Posted by Katherine Godfrey at Home of Metal


Crumbling walls, ear-shredding noise, filthy punks and long-haired metal fans, just some of the attractions of Birmingham's Mermaid Pub during the 1980s. Two life-long friends and musicians, Nicholas Bullen, formerly of Napalm Death, and Johnny 'Doom' from Kerrang Radio, tell the story of an unlikely meeting place for anarchist punks and heavy metal fans, and explain how getting really, really drunk can sometimes lead to something beautiful in, 'The Siren of Sparkhill'.


The Siren of Sparkhill by katherinejhgodfrey


Ray Gillen Eternal Idol to be Released - FOR REAL!
By Joe Siegler at Black Sabbath Online

I've been running this site now for a little over 15 years. In all that time, I get a LOT of requests for bootlegs and whatnot. I generally don't participate in that stuff, since I do not have time for it. However, it doesn't stop people from asking. And in all that time, by far the thing I've been asked by people if I can send them is the version of the 1987 album "The Eternal Idol", but with Ray Gillen on vocals...


September 14, 2010

Brooks Laich on What Makes a Leader
By Elisabeth Meinecke at On Frozen Blog

...“I’m not a super vocal guy, but as far as wearing different hats, I think as a veteran guy, you want to hold players accountable, and you also want to set an example,” Laich said. “So those are two things that I think I’ll be doing this year.”

Laich said his approach to leadership in the locker room has been shaped by a number of Capitals over his six years with the franchise — Chris Clark, Olaf Kolzig, Jeff Halpern, and current teammate Mike Knuble...

Capitals 2010 Training Camp Primer
By Becca H at Japers' Rink

It's been a long summer of depression speculation, discussion and dissection, of delving into the minutiae and trying to figure out just what went wrong - while trying to forecast what lies ahead, as well. Trade rumors, free agent conjectures, salary cap manipulation...it's been a fun five-and-a-half months. Twenty weeks. 140 days. 3360 hours. 201,600 min-...ahem.

Did we mention it's been a long summer?...

Generally Speaking
By Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase

Of the 24 rookies in town for the Caps’ 2010 rookie training camp, only 11 are Washington draft choices. A similar ratio holds for the team’s summer development camps. In order to flesh out a camp roster so there are enough players for scrimmages and games (like Thursday’s rookie game against Philly), the Caps’ scouting department has to constantly cast an eye about for players who might be a good fit.

When the Caps concluded their summer development camp less than two months ago, we sat down with Caps director of player development Steve Richmond...

Mott The Hoople Film Premiered Next Month
By mdome at Classic Rock

...on October 4 ,a four-CD box set is to be put out by Angel Air. It’s called Mott The Hoople In Performance 1970-74. This is limited to 500 copies, and will include a booklet featuring rare photos supplied by the band themselves.

Buffalo Springfield Are Back
By mdome at Classic Rock

Buffalo Springfield are to reunite after over 40 years for a charity show next month.

Surviving members Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina are to play at the 24th annual Bridge School Benefit, which happens on October 23 and 24...

*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: Here is the lineup
for the 2010 concert.





September 13, 2010

ZZ Top, Perry Farrell, Alice Cooper & many more played John Varvatos' 10th Anniversary @ the Bowery store (pics & video)
By Benjamin Lozovsky at Brooklyn Vegan

While many designers tagged trendier (see younger) performers to appear at their Fashion Week soirees, many of which happened the day before for Fashion's Night Out, John Varvatos and show curator/drummer Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver, Guns N' Roses) stayed true to the spirit of the Bowery store located where CBGB once stood, picking a lineup that would make Wayne and Garth tremble with a lack of self worth (Mike Meyers sitting on the side of the stage with a giddy grin would seem to confirm that).

Alejandro Escovedo performed first on Saturday night (9/11), churning out garage crunch with no less than 4 guitarists blazing on the Varvatos store's small stage. Ian Hunter (lead singer of Mott the Hopple) followed and was joined by Escovedo for a performance of glam cornerstone anthem "All The Young Dudes"...

*Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: Found link to article above
in
this post at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock


2010-2011 Previews: Defensemen -- Mike Green
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

He’s a forward in defenseman’s clothing. He’s weak in his own end. He’s a no show for the playoffs. Say things often enough, and folks might believe them. And these sorts of things get said often enough about Mike Green. Perhaps it is the price one pays for being a Norris Trophy-finalist caliber defenseman for the past two years, but not having the same level of success in the post season...

Quiet Riot Reunite
By mdome at Classic Rock

Quiet Riot are back – with a new line-up.

The band, who stormed the US charts with their version of Slade’s Cum On Feel The Noize in 1983, stopped in 2007 following the death of vocalist Kevin DuBrow. But now they’re back...

Exclusive interview - Nick Heidfeld on Pirelli
Posted at Formula1.com

Once you are consigned to the bench it can be very hard to get back in the game. The old sporting adage applies as much in Formula One as it does in any sport. Upping your value can help get you off the bench and that is exactly what former BMW Sauber racer and Mercedes GP reserve Nick Heidfeld has done by becoming Pirelli’s test driver, ahead of their F1 return next season. As the only driver with in-depth knowledge of the Italian firm’s new tyres, it’s no surprise that the German is already negotiating a possible race comeback...

Ogier: I was surprised to win in Japan
Posted at WRC.com

Citroen Total World Rally Team driver Sebastien Ogier has talked of his surprise at capturing a second World Rally Championship victory on Rally Japan, an event he had never even visited before...

Ford takes positives from Focus pace on Rally Japan
Posted at WRC.com

Ford team principal Malcolm Wilson has refused to be downbeat about the result from Rally Japan - where Jari-Matti Latvala finished third.

Both Latvala and his team-mate Mikko Hirvonen were pushing for victory on the event before they both suffered technical problems with their cars which caused their challenge to falter in the second half of the event. Wilson added that neither of the issues with the Fords had ever been seen before...

The Deliverers of This Diary Have Delved into the Heart
of Our Sport

By pucksandbooks at On Frozen Blog

“Peeling back the layers” is how the Capitals’ Mike Knuble described his involvement with, and the ultimate success of, ‘Hockey Diaries: The Almost Season,’ the one-hour documentary on the Capitals’ 2009-10 season meticulously and lovingly assembled by independent producers Gemma Hooley and Chris Nelson. Knuble and teammate Tyler Sloan went into last season equipped with audio recorders handed off to them by the duo, just as Karl Alzner and Brooks Laich had been a season earlier, and the record-smashing history and sudden season-ending trauma of last year are laid bare in sixty riveting minutes...

2010-2011 Previews: Defensemen -- Tom Poti
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator


Tom Poti will enter the 2010-2011 season with more than twice as many games of NHL regular season experience as that of any other Caps defenseman. He and John Erskine are the only Caps defensemen who played in the NHL prior to the lockout. When he took the ice for the first time for the Edmonton Oilers on October 10, 1998, John Carlson was eight years old...


September 12, 2010

It's September .... It's September.....
By Usually Frustrated Caps Fan at Mark's Musings

It's September .... It's September..... Hey, Rookie Camp is starting today, summer is almost over, and Hockey Season is almost once again upon us. Last week, I received the hard copies of my Season Tickets, etc. So all that must mean that it's almost time to once again begin the frequent visits to Verizon Center and the occasional visits to KCI to follow the "bestest" professional sports team in the Washington, DC metro area. So what is there to say...

Race - Alonso back in title hunt after Monza win
Posted at Formula1.com

For 36 of the 53 laps at Monza on Sunday a silver car led the reds of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, but when McLaren’s Jenson Button ducked into the pits then it was Ferrari’s Alonso who led from Massa until he stopped on Lap 37. When he resumed, Alonso just made it to the first chicane ahead of Button, and thereafter there was never any question about who would win...

Compliments aplenty for rising star Ogier
Posted at WRC.com

Sebastien Ogier has been described as a "super talent" by Petter Solberg, the man who he beat into second place on Rally Japan today.

Ogier, who was competing in Japan for the first time and admitted afterwards that he did not expect to win, started the final day of the gravel event 5.4 seconds behind Solberg in third position overall...


September 11, 2010

2010-2011 Previews: Defensemen -- Jeff Schultz
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Plus-50. Alex Ovechkin didn’t do it, Nicklas Backstrom didn’t do it, Mike Green didn’t so it. Nicklas Lidstrom? No. Chris Pronger? Nope. Duncan Keith? Nuh-uh.

Say what you will against the maligned statistic, but plus-minus is an indicator that more good things than bad things happened when a player is in “plus” territory. And Jeff Schultz had a better ratio of good things happening to bad things than any player in the league last year...

A Flock of Sheeple.
By Brian at Rumblings from the Man Cave

...I like debate. And I like to see who defriends me on Facebook because I have an opinion that they may disagree with.

So this dipshit in Florida called off his Quran burning today, amidst fears of someone actually following through with one of their death threats...

You Are Simply Uninformed
By Ted Leonsis at Ted's Take

...We would never shut out a journalist from coming to our games. We would never shut out anyone from writing anything about us. We just won’t cooperate with promoting the book in question. We will tell our side of the story to our fans. That is all we will do. And when we deal with the writer in question we will simply be more on guard as we now know how he operates regarding our star player, whom we adore...

October 13, 2010

October 2010 Concerts In Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Virginia And Washington, DC


Here is a current list of some of the music concerts and stand-up comedy performances scheduled to take place during the rest of October 2010, at venues in the Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, DC areas. There is also one big New York, NY show listed.


Blood Sweat & Tears - October 13th 6:30 PM -> Sold Out
and 9:30 PM EDT at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD

Mike Birbiglia - October 15th at Warner Theatre in Washington, DC

Craig Ferguson - October 16th at Warner Theatre in Washington, DC

Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie - October 17th at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD - Part of the 'Halloween Hootenanny Tour'

The Speaking Clock Revue - October 20th at The Beacon Theatre
in New York, NY - T-Bone Burnett benefit featuring Elton John, Leon Russell, John Mellencamp, Gregg Allman, etc.

Carl Palmer Band - October 21st at Rams Head On Stage
in Annapolis, MD

Jeff Dunham - October 22nd at Giant Center in Hershey, PA

Jethro Tull - October 23rd at Strand-Capital Performing Arts Center in York, PA

Styx - October 27th at Warner Theatre in Washington, DC
Part of 'The Grand Illusion' / 'Pieces Of Eight' Tour

The Tubes - October 27th at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD

Molly Hatchet - October 28 at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD

Kansas - October 29th at Strand-Capital Performing Arts Center
in York, PA

Styx - October 29th at The Hippodrome in Baltimore, MD
Part of 'The Grand Illusion' / 'Pieces Of Eight' Tour

Margaret Cho - October 29th at Warner Theatre in Washington, DC

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra - October 30th at The Weinberg Center For The Arts in Frederick, MD - Featuring music of Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms

Poco - October 30th at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD


*All details are subject to change!




2010 F1 Italian Grand Prix Review

Button (2nd), Alonso (1st), Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali, Massa (3rd)
Photo Copyright © Associated Press Photo

The 2010 Italian Grand Prix, the fourteenth round of the 2010 Formula One Season, was held at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza, Italy on September 12, 2010. Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, who started at pole position, held on to win the race for Scuderia Ferrari. McLaren-Mercedes driver Jenson Button came in second, while Alonso's teammate Felipe Massa finished third.

I like to include several review links, from final practice to pre-race qualifying and on through to post race reactions normally. However, I'm still a good bit backlogged at the moment, so the post race press conference and Formula1.com analysis title linked snippets will be all that accompany the highlights video.

To find preview links within Junior's Eyes, check out the last regular 'Reading And Viewing List' blog entry. For more articles, visit the Formula1.com archives.


FIA post-race press conference - Italy
Posted at Formula1.com on September 12, 2010

1st Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), 1h16m24.572s; 2nd Jenson Button (McLaren), 1h16m27.510s; 3rd Felipe Massa (Ferrari), 1h16m28.795s.

Q: Fernando, you said pole yesterday was special, so what does that make today’s win on Ferrari’s home soil?
Fernando Alonso: Well, something only we can compare with the feeling I had in 2006 winning in Barcelona my home Grand Prix. It was a very special moment that one and this is a very special moment this one as well. Fantastic feeling. Very tough race. Very strong opposition today...

Italy analysis - Ferrari get the job done
Posted at Formula1.com on September 13, 2010

With the team orders controversy behind them, Ferrari got back down to business at Monza, securing - in some style - the win they needed to keep the team’s and Fernando Alonso’s title hopes alive. For the neutral F1 fan it was the ideal result in terms of the championship showdown, with the table tightening considerably as its two frontrunners endured difficult afternoons. The big question now is have the tougher wing and floor tests really hurt Red Bull, or will Webber and Vettel be back on form at Singapore’s supposedly more RB6-friendly street circuit? Only time will tell. In the meantime we review Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, team by team...


2010 WRC Rally Japan Review

Sébastien Ogier driving in 2010 Rally Japan. Photo Copyright © AP Photo.

Rally Japan, Round 10 of the 2010 World Rally Championship Season, was based in Sapporo, Japan (Island of Hokkaidō). Including pre-rally activities, it was held from September 9 (Thursday) through September 12 (Sunday), 2010. French Citroën Junior Team driver Sébastien Ogier was the winner at this, his very first Rally Japan.

Sunday, the last day of the rally, started with the top four drivers only seconds apart. Mikko Hirvonen checked out early on with a transmission problem that slowed him down too much to complete the day, and left him with sixth place end result. An ailing Petter Solberg (Finished second) had a mechanical problem that kept him just short from a much diserved win.

Here is a collection of review links, including daily podcasts and a highlights video. Preview posts can be found within Junior's last regular 'Reading And Viewing List'.


Raikkonen: Shakedown shunt won't slow me in Japan
Posted at WRC.com on September 9, 2010

Kimi has a pre-rally scare, while Jari-Matti Latvala sets the fastest time

Ogier leads after Thursday's Super Specials
Posted at WRC.com on September 9, 2010

Citroen factory team driver takes an early lead in Japan

Rally Japan 2010 - Pre Event Podcast - Thursday
Posted at WRC.com on September 9, 2010

Listen to the pre event podcast for Rally Japan

Friday wrap: Solberg battles illness to lead in Japan
Posted at WRC.com on September 10, 2010

Norwegian proves rapid despite being struck down by fever

WRC Rally Japan 2010 - End Of Day One Podcast - Friday
Posted at WRC.com on September 10, 2010

Listen to the podcast for the first day of Rally Japan

Saturday wrap: Thriller in Japan heads to the wire
Posted at WRC.com on September 11, 2010

Action packed Saturday sets up a classic WRC scrap on the final day


WRC Rally Japan 2010 - End of Day Two Podcast - Saturday
Posted at WRC.com on September 11, 2010

Listen to the podcast for the second day of Rally Japan

BREAKING NEWS: Ogier wins Rally Japan!
Posted at WRC.com on September 12, 2010

Citroen's rising star clinches his second world championship rally victory

Ace Ogier lands victory number two in Japan
Posted at WRC.com on September 12, 2010

French star climbs from third to first as rivals hit trouble on dramatic final day

WRC Rally Japan 2010 - End of Day Three Podcast - Sunday
Posted at WRC.com on September 12, 2010

Listen to the podcast for the final day of Rally Japan

The wrc.com review: Rally Japan
Posted at WRC.com on September 14, 2010

The Rally Japan, not for the first time, was a tale of two Citroens. But this time, the plot structure was slightly different to what we have been used to previously. In fact, it should be more aptly called a tale of two Sebastiens.

They share the same Christian name, but their destinies on the narrow roads of Hokkaido could not have been more different. Loeb has won in Japan once and clinched the title there twice, but this year it was not to be. As for Ogier, his experience of Japan consisted only of watching a few in-car videos before leaving and a liking for sushi...


10 Rally Japan 2010
Posted by WRCNorthAmerica at YouTube September 12, 2010



October 7, 2010

Junior's Reading And Viewing List:
September 1 - 10, 2010


Last Update - October 7, 2010 at 7:43 PM EDT

Junior's 'Reading And Viewing List' for September 1 through September 10, 2010 contains links to some of the places I visted via the internet during the first 10 days of last month. If you missed these posted items, or just want to revist and review them, I hope you find them as entertaining and/or informative as I did.

The topics covered below include films, travel, music, hockey (Washington Capitals) and racing (Formula One and WRC).

A couple 2010 F1 Italian Grand Prix Preview posts and 2010 WRC Rally Japan Preview posts made it into this list.


September 10, 2010

Classic Alice Cooper Movie Making Its Way To Blu -Ray
September 14th

Posted by Nightwatcher at Nightwatcher's House Of Rock

Alice Cooper's legendary 1973 concert film 'Good To See You Again, Alice Cooper' is making its way to Blue Ray restored and remastered for 1080p and 5.1 DTS. It's due to be released via Shout Factory! on September 14th.

'Good To See You Again' features the original Alice Cooper Band, namely guitarists Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith, captured on three dates of their record setting Billion Dollar Babies tour in 1973...

Uriah Heep To Release Live Album
By mdome at Classic Rock

...To be called Official Bootleg Volume II – Live In Budapest, Hungary 2010. As yet, though, there’s no release date.

Say the band: ”This is an official bootleg recording from our concert in the Petofi Hall, Budapest Hungary, on May 4, 2010...

2010-2011 Previews: Defensemen -- Tyler Sloan
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

Tyler Sloan is the Rodney Dangerfield among Caps defensemen. Here is a guy who was undrafted and hooked on with three teams by signing free agent contracts (Columbus in 2000, Hershey in 2007, and the Caps in 2008). He didn’t see his first NHL action until he was 27 years old, and in the first period of his first game drew a nine minute power play for the Caps...

Pre-Monza analysis - Alonso under pressure
Posted at Formula1.com

Fernando Alonso comes to Monza under the greatest pressure to deliver a strong result to keep Ferrari in the hunt for the world championship. And yesterday he admitted here that this race, and the next in Singapore, will have a crucial effect on his and the Scuderia’s chances...

Queen + Paul Rodgers Photo Book
By mdome at Classic Rock

There’s an official photo book on the brief career of Queen + Paul Rodgers on the way.

Titled Rockmos!, it’s to be published on October 1 and chronicles the band’s 22 shows in Europe and North America between 2005 and 2008. The 342-page book has a foreword written by Brian May, Roger Taylor and Paul Rodgers...

WRC TV stage gets backing from teams
Posted at WRC.com

The FIA's announcement of a television stage on every round of next year's World Rally Championship has received universal approval from those involved in the sport...


September 9, 2010

The Human Bureaucracy.
By Brian at Rumblings from the Man Cave

...So it's about two ay-em and a slight rain is falling in D.C. The rest of my party ambles on over to the Korean War Veterans Memorial and I park it in the Lincoln Memorial so my camera gear won't get wet.

It's me, Abe, and a few D.C. cops. I strike up a conversation as the gentle mist is falling on the marble steps of the monument. I like standing on this one step; there's a marker stating that this is the spot that Martin Luther King stood when he gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. I stand there, getting a little wet as I look out over the Reflecting Pool and imagine how electric that day must have been...

FIA Thursday press conference - Italy
Posted at Formula1.com

Drivers: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Jenson Button (McLaren), Vitantonio Liuzzi (Force India), Jarno Trulli (Lotus).

Q: Jarno, your home race. Tell us what it means to you. New team and all that.
Jarno Trulli: Yeah, it is always great to be back in a sunny Monza. We know Monza can also be very rainy and wet and no-one really enjoys that kind of circumstance. I enjoy Monza as it is a special atmosphere. It is a home grand prix. We have got the tifosi all around. A big Ferrari support but Italian drivers are always very welcome...

MINI World Rally Car up and running
Posted at WRC.com


MINI's new Countryman World Rally Car has turned its wheels in anger for the first time - successfully completing a shakedown test at Prodrive's private proving ground in the UK...


Really good Geezer Butler Interview
Posted by Joe Siegler at Black Sabbath Online

Short and sweet. If you haven't seen this interview with Geezer Butler, where he talks about the death of Dio, the Paranoid album, and a bunch of other things, you're missing out.

Go read this interview over at bravewords.com!

Ronnie Dio’s Memoirs On The Way
By mdome at Classic Rock

Following the news that Dio are to release a live album in November, now it seems more activity is being planned around the late Ronnie James Dio.

Talking to Rolling Stone, Wendy Dio said that there are plans for the singer’s memoirs to be published. “I’m just going to finish the end parts of it. It’s actually [intended as] a three-book deal – the memoirs of Ronnie, a book of illustrated lyrics and a photo book.”...

Italy Preview - Monza make or break for Ferrari?
Posted at Formula1.com

Monza, that wonderful cathedral of sport, could be the turning point of the world championship fight this weekend. Its long straights and the need for minimal downforce may militate against Red Bull, while Ferrari, fresh from no further penalties in their team orders hearing at the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris on Wednesday, will decide their strategy for the rest of the season based on their performance here on their home ground...

Team boss Wilson expects strong showing from Ford pair
Posted at WRC.com

Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson says he expects his factory drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala to be competitive in all types of weather conditions on Rally Japan this week.

Hirvonen and Latvala have both highlighted the slight edge the works Focus has on rain-hit stages...


September 8, 2010

2010-2011 Previews: Defensemen -- John Erskine
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator

John Erskine is the designated “physical defenseman” for the Caps. In 182 games as a Cap he has recorded 391 hits (2.1 per game) and 294 penalty minutes. But there is another number that lurks ominously among Erskine’s tenure as a Cap – 87. Nope, not the player he’d like most to smear into the glass (ok, maybe). It is the number of games he has missed to injury over his four seasons with Washington...

Bonus points up for grabs on WRC events in 2011
Posted at WRC.com

Motorsport's governing body, the FIA, has announced a number of changes to next year's World Rally Championship, including a bonus stage on every round where drivers will compete for extra championship points.

The FIA’s World Motor Sport Council made the decisions at a meeting today (Wednesday) in Paris...

No further Ferrari penalty, team orders to be reviewed
Posted at Formula1.com

The FIA is to review the rules relating to team orders in Formula One racing after its World Motor Sport Council decided on Wednesday to impose no further sanction on Ferrari for their controversial one-two finish in July’s German Grand Prix.

Hockenheim stewards fined Ferrari US$100,000 for imposing team orders and bringing the sport into disrepute after Felipe Massa moved aside to let team mate Fernando Alonso win the race...

New 'Red' Clip: Helen Mirren 1, Armored Cars 0
By Rick Marshall at MTV's Splash Page

Way back in December, "Red" co-creator Warren Ellis offered a great response to one of the coolest additions to the cast of director Robert Schwentke's movie based on the 2003 Wildstorm comic. "Who wouldn't want to see Helen Mirren with a sniper rifle?" he asked.

And while we don't get to see the Oscar-winning actress with a sniper rifle in the new "Red" clip released by Summit Entertainment on Yahoo Movies, we do get to see her taking out a fleet of armored cars with something a little less... subtle...




FIA announces 20-race calendar for 2011
Posted at Formula1.com

Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has released the calendar for the 2011 world championship. The addition of the Indian Grand Prix makes for a 20-race season - one more round than in 2010 and the longest in Formula One history.

The Bahrain Grand Prix will kick off proceedings on March 13, followed by the Australian, Malaysian and Chinese rounds, before the championship heads to Europe. The inaugural Indian event will take place towards the end of the year on October 30, with the season drawing to a close in Brazil on November 27...

La Pista Magica - Magical Monza
Posted at Formula1.com

It’s a tough ask to follow Spa-Francorchamps on the Formula One calendar - but Monza can. The legendary circuit, which will host the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, boasts enough history, passion, speed and magic to offer up an unmissable event in front of some of the most fervent fans.

On paper it looks like no other track. Its layout is deceptively simple, but masks what is widely-regarded as one of the toughest challenge on the calendar. Dominated by long straights, but punctuated by slow chicanes, the circuit demands minimum downforce and maximum speed. Affectionately labelled a ‘car-breaker’, nowhere is tougher on brakes and engines than Monza, which boasts average speeds of around 250 km/h and top speeds of 340 km/h...


September 7, 2010

Red Skull Will Be 'Rather Frightening' In 'Captain America' Movie, Says Kevin Feige
By Blair Marnell at MTV's Splash Page

Earlier this year, Hugo Weaving signed on to portray the villainous Red Skull opposite Chris Evans in "The First Avenger: Captain America".

And while the casting of Weaving has generally been met with fan approval — thanks in part to his memorable turn as Agent Smith in "The Matrix" trilogy...

2010-2011 Previews: Defensemen -- John Carlson
By The Peerless at The Peerless Prognosticator


Since John Carlson was taken by the Capitals with the 27th overall pick in the 2008 NHL entry draft, John Carlson’s career seems to have been an unbroken arc of advancement and success. After being drafted by the Caps, Carlson joined the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League and led all rookie defensemen in that league in goals, assists, overall scoring, and plus-minus; and was an important ingredient in London’s advancing through the playoffs...


Top Names To Perform For ITV Legends
By mdome at Classic Rock

Some of the top names in prog and 60s rock are to play a series of shows at Metropolis Studios in West London, under the banner of ITV Legends.

Each of the shows will be filmed by ITV, and there will only 140 tickets per gig. Not only does everyone there get to see the concert (surprise, surprise), but also meets the band after the performance, and has photos taken with them. In addition, you’ll get your name on the DVD, which is to be commercially released (as well as getting a free copy)...

Ford in search of victory hat-trick in Japan
Posted at WRC.com

After winning the last two versions of Rally Japan in 2007 and 2008, the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team heads to Hokkaido this week intent on sealing a third consecutive win there...

Sordo and Raikkonen team up again for Rally Japan
Posted at WRC.com

After making their team debut together on Rally Finland, Dani Sordo and Kimi Raikkonen will be Citroen Junior team-mates again this week in Japan, round 10 of the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship.

With Sebastien Ogier promoted to the main factory team for the remaining gravel rounds in Japan and GB, Sordo is back in the number two squad alongside WRC new boy Raikkonen. But with the same C4 WRC machinery at his control, Sordo is determined to get stuck into the battle with the frontrunners...

Sandy Denny Box Set In November
By mdome at Classic Rock

The late Sandy Denny is to have a massive box set released by Universal on November 1.

Self-titled, it will have 19 CDs, 11 of which will showcase all her commercially released music with Fairport Convention, Fotheringay, Strawbs, Alex Campbell, John Silvo and also as a solo artist...

BMW Sauber retain Kobayashi for 2011
Posted at Formula1.com

BMW Sauber announced on Tuesday that Kamui Kobayashi will continue to drive for the team next season. Kobayashi has scored 21 world championship points so far this year and has made it into the top-ten qualifying shootout on three occasions.

“We enjoy having our rookie as part of the team - both as a driver and a person,” said team principal Peter Sauber. “We never had any doubts about working with him again in 2011. Kamui has definitely fulfilled our expectations in terms of his speed and fighting spirit. Plus, his work with the engineers and his technical understanding has also developed very well...


September 6, 2010

Chandhok samples Korean Grand Prix circuit
Posted at Formula1.com

Karun Chandhok became the first man to drive a Formula One car around the all-new Korean International Circuit (KIC) on Saturday when he got behind the wheel of a Red Bull as part of a special demonstration event.

In front of 4000 spectators, Chandhok - on loan from regular team HRT - completed 14 laps of the Yeongam venue, which will host the inaugural Korean Grand Prix on October 22-24. The ‘Circuit Run 2010’ also included demonstration laps by Formula BMW and Korean touring cars...

Dio To Release Donington Live Album
By mdome at Classic Rock

Dio are to have their first release since the death of Ronnie James Dio in May.

It’s a double live CD titled Dio At Donington UK: Live in 1983 & 1987. To be released by Niji Entertainment Group, this is due out on November 9...


September 5, 2010

Freddie Mercury
Posted here by Dan, Jr. of Junior's Eyes

Freddie Mercury (Farrokh Bulsara), the greatest Rock 'N Roll singer of all time in my opinion, was born on September 5, 1946.

Since he died of bronchial pneumonia (resulting from AIDS) on November 24, 1991, it doesn't seem like a time to say "Happy Birthday!". However, September 5th is a day I usually spend revisiting all my fond memories of Freddie and his band, Queen. The music, the concerts and the man - as much as I knew of him.

Let's enjoy one of those fun old tunes now. How about his cover of "The Great Pretender" (November 24, 1992)? Yes, it was released a year after Freddie passed away.

Freddie Mercury - "The Great Pretender" Extended Version (1992)



September 4, 2010

Halford: New Album This Month
By mdome at Classic Rock

Halford, fronted bny Rob Halford of course release their new album on September 27.

It’s called Halford IV – Made Of Metal, and was produced by Roy Z. The full track listing is:...


September 3, 2010

wrc.com countdown to Rally Japan
Posted at WRC.com

After a two-year absence, Japan returns to the World Rally Championship calendar for the first time since 2008. After several years based in the smaller city of Obihiro, the last running of Rally Japan took place in the metropolis of Sapporo - which hosted the winter Olympics in 1972 as well as the football World Cup in 2002...

The Latest Classic Rock Podcast Is Live!
By gbarton at Classic Rock

The Classic Rock Podcast is back with its latest instalment – come inside to have a listen.

Geoff Barton, Malcolm Dome and sultry newbie Kylie Olsson discuss the Classic Rock awards nominations, Axl Rose’s volatile behaviour, the dearth of modern-day rock superstars and a whole lot more besides. Go here for an epic hour-long earful!

Dan, Jr. / Junior's Eyes Note: Good stuff, this!


Cult Heroes No. 28: Rock Goddess
By gbarton at Classic Rock


Without wishing to come across all pompous and highbrow on you, the time has come for a serious reappraisal of Rock Goddess, three (occasionally four) hard-rockin’ girls who sashayed out of the seething musical hotbed of Wandsworth, south London, in the early 1980s...


September 2, 2010

Gordo’s Goal: Health
By Mike Vogel at Dump 'N Chase

Caps center Boyd Gordon is in town preparing for his seventh NHL season. The longest-tenured Capital from the standpoint of continuous service, Gordon was a first-round (17th overall) selection in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He has been here through the highs and lows of the 2000s, and has seen his own career plagued by a back injury that he thinks is finally under control...

Capitals On The Hot Seat
By J.P. at Japers' Rink

It goes without saying that expectations headed into this coming season for the Washington Capitals are sky-high. The team was the NHL's best through 82 games a season ago before imploding in the first round of the playoffs after taking a commanding 3-1 lead over the Canadiens.

Most of the team's players are back, a year older, a year wiser, and a year hungrier... you'd hope. That combination of talent and disappointment, built up over a couple of years, results in a few organizational pressure points - men who are on the hot seat, as it were...

Gronholm to test for Mini
Posted at WRC.com

Two-time World Champion Marcus Gronholm will make a return to the wheel of a Prodrive-run rally car for the first time in over a year, when he tests the new Mini Countryman WRC in Portugal next week.

The eagerly-anticipated car had an initial shakedown test at the British firm’s proving ground in Warwick this week, but the forthcoming Portugal test marks the first serious running that the Mini will carry out on gravel...

Italy preview quotes - Bridgestone, Ferrari, Virgin,
Force India & more

Posted (Last update on September 9, 2010) at Formula1.com

With average speeds of 250 km/h and top speeds of 340km/h, Monza is one of the quickest circuits on the calendar, as well as one of the oldest. Also home to the Tifosi, the track isn’t short on atmosphere either. The drivers and team members explain why they love Monza and discuss their prospects for the Italian Grand Prix...

Deep Purple: Two More Reissues
By mdome at Classic Rock

Deep Purple are to have two more albums reissued by EMI on October 25.

The first is Come Taste The Band, the sole studio album from the MKIV line-up and originally put out in 1975...

...The other is the compilation Deepest Purple, which was first issued in 1980...

Pirelli ahead of schedule after French test
Posted at Formula1.com

Pirelli’s preparations to return to Formula One racing in 2011 as the sport’s sole tyre supplier continued apace this week, thanks to a successful test at France’s Paul Ricard circuit. The firm’s official test driver Nick Heidfeld was again on track following his debut outing for the tyre manufacturer at Mugello in Italy last month...

The Secret Life of Jarno Trulli
Posted at Formula1.com

He’s Italian but he’s never driven for Ferrari; he’s scored 246.5 points over the course of his 14 year Formula One career; his first - and only - victory came at the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix; he has raised almost 670,000 Euros for Abruzzo since a devastating earthquake hit the region in April 2009; and he owns a vineyard. These are just some of the things you probably do know about Jarno Trulli. Now find out a few you don’t, with the help of the latest installment in our Secret Life series...


September 1, 2010

Lisa Hillary’s Greatest Hits
Posted by The OFB Team at On Frozen Blog

Via CSN Washington:...




Austin circuit layout revealed
Posted at Formula1.com

Race organisers for the forthcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, have released a draft layout of the new circuit that will stage the event from 2012, when Formula One racing returns to the country for the first time in five years...

Hard Rock Hell Tickets Are Selling Fast...
By gbarton at Classic Rock

...But there’s still time to grab a piece of the action, with day tickets still available. Click here to get your Hard Rock Hell tickets.

The fourth annual Hard Rock Hell festival takes place December 3-5 at Pontins Holiday Village, Prestatyn Sands, North Wales.

The line-up is as follows:...

Alonso: Ferrari's fortunes must improve at Monza
Posted at Formula1.com

He arrived at Ferrari amid much fanfare, but Fernando Alonso has endured more downs than ups during a fraught 2010 season. However, as the dust settles on a particularly tough Belgian Grand Prix, Alonso is determined to stay positive ahead of the Italian team’s home event at Monza next weekend - a race he says could prove critical to his dwindling title hopes...

F1 in Schools gears up for 2010 World Finals
Posted at Formula1.com

Students from around the world are putting the finishing touches to their model Formula One cars ahead of the 2010 F1 in Schools World Finals, which will be held in Singapore next month.

The global educational challenge, which is privileged to have the support of the Formula One fraternity, draws together the best young engineers, business minds and designers, as they compete for the coveted Bernie Ecclestone World Champions trophy as well as Automotive and Motorsport Engineering scholarships to City University London...

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