This Week's Ledger

Plus

• Obviously, no "plus" list starts off without mentioning the "tallboy" can of whoopass the Dawgs opened up on our visitors from the island. That was a dominant performance across the board, particularly from the D.
• No more Bryant Gumbel on my TV for the football season.
• My shiny new iPod. More on that later in a separate post.
• Friends -- both expected and unexpected -- who call and text during the "Blackout" in the Sugar Bowl.
• Short work weeks.
• The return of Original Recipe Law and Order. And I like both the new cast additions, though we've yet to see Sisto go Billy Chenowith craaaazy, and the new ADA has got to put down the CrackBerry in every scene.
• New Gawker geek/sci-fi blog: IO9.
• Cate Blanchett looking hot and evil from the new Indiana Jones Flick.
• The fact that I don't write checks any more, and have to constantly mis-date them with "2007" for a few weeks.

Minus

• The FOX announcers on the Sugar Bowl. Obviously, they were disappointed to be part of a blowout with no drama (other than if/when Colt Brennan might wind up like the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, bloody and limbless) but their ineptitude and dismal, scolding performance was barely listenable. Figures, one of 'em went to Tennessee.
• Fuck you Maryland Governor. Ciggie taxes are now $2. Not per carton. Per pack! I'm going to have to drive to another state, start doing business with Indian reservations or find kindly friends in tobaccy-friendly states to ship me my fix, man.
• Coupons for free pizza. I admire Papa Johns for sending a coupon for a free 'za when the service was less than spectacular, but damn, if they send it, I will order it.
• No more college football for months.