Day Nine

Rosamund Pike

Day Eight

Pippa Middleton

Day Seven

Mila Kunis

Day Six

Gwyneth Paltrow

Day Five

Sonni Abatta (formerly of KDKA-TV2 and missed by at least one former viewer)

Day Four

Heidi Watney

Day Three

Hannah (of Hannah and her horse)

Update: I have discovered that Hannah is actually model Hannah Davis. And she is hot.

Day Two

Emmanuelle Chriqui

Day One

Remember, in no particular order.

Jennifer Aniston

This is probably sexist, but no one reads my blog except Mr. Blondie, so what difference does it make? Over the next ten business days, each day I am going to reveal, in no particular order, the ten women whom I personally consider to be the most beautiful, attractive women that I know of. I am not going to count women who were beautiful in their prime, but rather women who are beautiful to me right now.

It starts tomorrow. Comments welcome.

If your shower doesn't have a door or a curtain because of its large size or design, then you have a nice shower.

Why are Keifer Sutherland and Ray Liotta telling us what kind of tequila to drink?

Heinz is promoting its new mustard. Meanwhile, French's has recently introduced its new ketchup. It's a brave new world.

DAVE: I have a question. Do you believe in God?

DAD: Sure. Why do you ask?

DAVE: Well, you behave as though you do. I just wondered if you really did. I don’t know if I do. 

DAD:

Theology 101: 

It is natural for humans to ask: Why are we here? How did we get here? What is the purpose of life? etc. The answers to those questions, for some people, are found in religion. My answer is just as good as anyone else’s, and their answer is just as good as mine.

Genesis 1:26-27 — “Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
    "So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Don’t know who us is, but us obviously got left out when it came to actual creation.)

While the Bible says that God created humans in his image, I believe the truth is that humans created God in their image. Thus, in a patriarchal society, God is male; in a matriarchal society, God is female; in a white society, God is white; in a black society, God is black; etc. Therefore, God is a perception. God is whatever the believer perceives God to be, with whatever powers one wants to attribute to God.

All of this is certainly more tolerant than most religious people are. Of course, I think most monotheistic religions are far less tolerant than polytheistic religions.

DAVE: Okay. But what does God do for you? Answers those questions that everyone has?

DAD: Provides a focal point in life and a foundation for how we should treat others.

Question: Does the statement in Genesis that humankind shall have dominion “over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth” give all the rest of us dominion over Republicans?

DAVE: I’m afraid not.

Today Bruce Jenner re-emerged in society as Caitlyn Jenner.


And it's Sidney's ninth birthday.

I don't think that overweight men and women should wear skinny jeans.

Have you seen those commercials with "Hannah and her horse?" The commercials are for DirecTV, but honestly, all you can think about is Hannah. She may be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And I'm not being hyperbolic.

I see on the news that another one of those big, plastic, bouncy houses for kids has gone for a ride of its own. Those things must not be safe. It doesn't seem worth the risk to have one of those things at a kid's party or whatever.

How hot did Mila Kunis grow up to be? Jeepers. And she ended up with Ashton Kutcher. That guy has a good life.

Sidney does not want to play with me very much anymore. He started turning down play last summer for the first time ever,  and now he just doesn't want to play. He will be nine in June. My mother and I took him to the vet who very kindly suggested a bunch of tests (cha-ching), and the end result of that is that there is nothing wrong with Sidney physically. So, unless he's depressed (and who could blame him, living in Pittsburgh where there are no geckos to hunt), then it's a simple matter of him aging. I don't know. He never, ever didn't want to play. And now he doesn't play. He just sleeps most of the day.

Well, that game just fucking sucked.

The baseball National League wild-card game is tomorrow night here in Pittsburgh. If you're near a TV around 8:07, you might want to check it out. It's going to be pretty crazy.

Neal Huntington is the 12th person to serve as General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball organization. And he is a complete moron.

DAVE: I discovered today that my Mac understands a list of voice commands, such as “Open my browser.” There are a whole bunch of them. I have never heard anyone who owned a Mac mention that feature.

JIM: Cool. Kind of like Siri.

It's truly a terrible illness.

DAVE: I learned yesterday that Ashton Kutcher is engaged to Mila Kunis, who I think is very hot. First, Demi Moore, and now Mila Kunis. Lucky fucking bastard.

JIM: Be respectful. I think he's earned that now.

DAVE: The reason why I don’t watch many Pirate games, and the reason why I refuse to become emotionally attached to the team is because they are what they are, and the ownership shows no signs of making real, impactful changes. PNC Park is selling out almost every night (without fireworks), and there is no reason for ownership to do anything. It’s nice that the Pirates are doing as well as they are, and I am happy for the players and the fans. But ultimately, the terrible ownership will not do what needs to be done to truly field the best team that they can. There is even some debate about whether they will even sign Neil Walker. That’s just pathetic.

JIM: Nice rant. You should put it on your blog.

DAVE: Done.

DAVE: Although, I must admit, that at this point, I suspect that you’re the only person who reads my blog.

JIM: I guess maybe that doesn't say much for either of us.

In all seriousness, it is hard to say "pianist" without it sounding like "penis." Am I wrong?

DAVE: Who do you like in tonight’s All-Star Game? I think the National League will win [They lost].

JIM: I would like to see the NL win [They lost].

My kids both booed Derek Jeter when he was introduced. What is up with that?

DAVE: That’s weird. I thought everyone at least liked Derek Jeter. I don’t really care. He's a Yankee. 

JIM: Yeah. I was just surprised at the Jeter backlash from young kids.

DAVE: Did you ask them why they don’t like Derek Jeter?

JIM: My daughter said because he's a Yankee.

I guess you can't argue with that.

DAVE: How much is gasoline in your area? It is $3.90 here and has been for most of the summer. Meanwhile, when I was down in Florida, it was $3.35. We in Pennsylvania have rather high gas taxes, and they're talking about raising them so that they can fix roads and bridges. I'm pretty sure that's what they said the last time they raised the gas tax. Crooked politicians.

JIM: I don't know. I think I paid $3.73 earlier today.

Crooked politicians. They want people to conserve energy so we are less dependent on foreign oil. And they force car manufacturers to meet higher and higher mpg standards. So I buy a Prius to do my part. Now, there are states deciding that people driving hybrids aren't paying their share in gas taxes so they are going to charge an annual fee in order to own a hybrid. Unbelievable.

DAVE: That is unbelievable. And very republican.

JIM: They are all crooks.

DAVE: I know.

JIM: Do you?

DAVE: I do.

DAVE: I’ve been a little constipated this week, so tonight I drank some Metamucil for the first time in my life. Does that make me old?

JIM: I'm not sure. How did that work out for you?

Did I tell you we bought a Nutribullet a few months ago? So now for breakfast every morning I make a Nutribullet shake, usually with spinach plus whatever fruits we have around. And I always put flaxseed in it. Does that make me old?

DAVE: It worked.

No, you didn’t tell me. I guess you like the shakes, huh? They must help keep you regular.

DAVE: You have children. I do not. Do you ever worry about a school shooting?

JIM: It is a tough question. Not really, but it also seems naive to think it could never happen.

DAVE: When I was younger, I always liked Hall and Oates. What about you?

JIM: Yes. Me too.

Private Eyes was the first actual record album I ever bought. I remember I wanted to go to see them for my first concert. My parents told me I was too young, so then my grandparents said they would take me but by the time we tried to get tickets they were sold out. To this day, I've still never seen them in concert.

DAVE: I’ve always been a bit of a “wait for the Greatest Hits album” type of music buyer. So, when their record “History of Rock and Soul, Part 1” came out, I was all over it. And although I still have a good number of records from my youth in my bedroom closet (albeit with no record player on which to play them), I don’t think that album is among them. I don’t know what happened to it, but I do remember that it was a pretty great record. All the hits, baby.

JIM: Yeah. I might have that cassette tape. I'm not sure. All the hits. They are both from Philadelphia, you know.

Why the interest in Hall & Oates?

DAVE: I did know that they were from Philadelphia.

Last night [Saturday] during the second intermission of the hockey game, I was flipping through the HBO channels that my parents have, and on one of them, I came across a broadcast of the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, and there were Hall and Oates playing “Rich Girl.” After that, they played “You Make My Dreams Come True,” and that was it. They probably played more songs before I tuned in. The audience seemed to be really into them. I think they were a major band for a lot of folks our age during our teenage years. Also, they are on my mind because there is a restaurant in Fox Chapel whose bar has a bunch of TVs for different sporting events that I sometimes go to for dinner and drinks. And on Fridays, they have a two-man band in the bar that does covers, and some of their songs are by Hall and Oates.

DAVE: I just voted at my polling place [Tuesday at 1:15], and I was only the 46th Democrat to have voted. This is an important election in that it will decide who will run against and hopefully defeat Tom Corbett. The other stuff on the ballot is mostly bullshit, but that vote is important. Oh, well.

JIM: If it's so important, then they should let everyone vote.

DAVE: Oh, you mean like how Independents can’t vote in the primary? That is stupid.

JIM: It is stupid. Most things about government are.

DAVE: You, my friend, are a disenfranchised voter.

JIM: Not totally. I get the privilege of voting for whoever you decide I'm allowed to vote for.

Cinnamon roll French toast seems to be a popular item for breakfast at local restaurants. Have you seen the commercials for it? I love cinnamon rolls, and I love French toast, so you would think that I would like it. But what I don't know is do you still put syrup on it? Or is that too much sweetness?

Do you know what I hate most about election season? It's the barrage of political mailings, especially those over-sized, cardboard mailers that get jammed into my poor little mailbox, pushing the important mail into the corner. Do voters read and get influenced by these things? I thought Americans voted for the person who spends the most on TV commercials.

To me, a beautiful woman in high heels can be very sexy. However, if a woman can't walk in high heels, she shouldn't even try.

Three things that I never thought would become as big as they have:

1. Twitter
2. Boxer briefs
3. Flavored vodka

I sent my first email in colored text last night. The text was blue. The email was to my mother who is having a tough time right now recovering from back surgery.

I recently heard from a health professional that we do not, in fact, lose 70% of our body heat through our heads. It's more like 10%. Doesn't that just make more sense?

I recently got my latest pair of my go-to shoes, the Merrell Chameleon 4 Stretch. They are fucking awesome.

Why is Kevin Costner suddenly blowing up? Again?

I think American cheese is disgusting. It's not even cheese.

Brewed On Grant: Opening Day 
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 02 April 2014.

Finally, a new season of Pirates baseball that doesn't come on the heels of double digit consecutive losing seasons. How cool is that?

Finders Keepers 
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 26 March 2014.

Boy Mayor may be gone ... but he refuses to be forgotten. He is still stirring up trouble.

Subway is now serving flatbread (read: pizza). That seems weird to me.

The Muppets are brilliant. Just brilliant.

I think LL Cool J is a much better actor than Ice-T.

I am leaning toward hating the word "trending."

My hair grows quickly. All of my hair. Including the hair in my nose. So, I am constantly trimming things in there so that it never gets out of control. I guess I'm kind of obsessive about it. But I'm the same way about my finger and toe nails. Which, fun fact, also grow unusually fast.

Well, I have finally eaten at the Cheesecake Factory. I just had a dinner salad, but it was good. I was saving myself for dessert (it was the Cheesecake Factory, after all), and I ordered not cheesecake, but carrot cake. It was . . . not very good. I guess that's why they don't call it the Carrot Cake Factory.

I don't like Ethan Hawke's dirty-looking, messed-up hair. What's the deal with that? Take a shower before you go on TV.

Brewed On Grant: Pothole Patcher
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 26 February 2014.

Mayor Bill Peduto was seen on Pittsburgh streets this past weekend shoveling blacktop into potholes.

Now that I have a Mac, I decided to purchase my first e-book. So, what did I buy? I bought Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck. Pretty anticlimactic, huh?

Why do some paper towels and some toilet tissue have hearts, butterflies, and flowers on them?

I get Sam Waterston confused with David Strathairn. If you don't know who these guys are, then Google them. If you have time to read my blog, then you have time to Google.

For years I've heard Pittsburghers say things during a typical rainy winter like, "I would rather have snow." Well, this has been the winter for you. Instead of being a wet winter, this one has definitely been littered with multiple snowfalls. Is it possible to miss the rain?

Have you seen the commercial for the Toyota Highlander featuring the Muppets? I don't know how I feel about the Muppets selling things.

DAVE: This game is a debacle.

JIM: I guess we can be happy for Pete Carroll. He has Pitt ties.

DAVE: Doesn’t it seem like everybody has Pitt ties?

JIM: Not Peyton Manning. And look what happened to him.

DAVE: I just spent $93 on Amazon on a textbook for my class.

JIM: I thought the web was making books obsolete. And now you have to spend that much on a book so you can learn how to build web pages that will make books obsolete?

DAVE: Ain’t life a bitch.

In addition to the textbook, the rest of the course is, in fact, online.

JIM: Yes. Life, in fact, can be a bitch.

Both of my parents use canes, and they each have a blue handicapped parking placard.

My father has become one of these fanatical retirees who regularly composes letters to the editor. Then he sends copies of the crudely cut-out letters to I don't know who, but I am among the recipients. He writes the letters when he is in Pittsburgh and in Florida.

When it snows, as it has so often in Pittsburgh this winter, car owners are responsible for cleaning all of the snow off their cars. I just want to remind drivers that cleaning snow off you car includes the headlights and taillights. It's just crazy to drive around in winter weather with your lights covered with snow.

Brewed On Grant: Pedu-Right 
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 22 January 2014.

In stark contrast to Pittsburgh's previous mayor, Bill Peduto seems to be doing all the right things as he adjusts to his new office. So that's what adult behavior looks like!

Actually, Bill got the chip implanted in his arm, not his neck.

Surgeon General
Written by Rob Rogers on Friday, 17 January 2014.

It has been fifty years since the release of a study showing a direct link between smoking and lung disease. Many people have taken the Surgeon General's Warning seriously ... while others can't quit despite the evidence. Meanwhile, the tobacco companies continue to get rich.

Why is Kevin Hart suddenly blowing up?

Brewed On Grant: Mayor's Office 
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 15 January 2014. 

Bill Peduto has been sworn in and it is clear he is out to change the culture Boy Mayor left behind.

DAVE: How’s that fancy new watch with all the buttons working out for you so far?

JIM: The only button I've used so far is for the light.

DAVE: Indiglo. Nice. Timex really hit a homerun with that little feature on their watches.

JIM: The Indiglo on my old watch probably hasn't worked in about 10 years. So sometimes now I just press the button on my new watch even when I don't need to. Just because I can.

DAVE: You’re a wild and crazy guy, no doubt about it.

JIM: I had some carrots that I dipped in hummus with my lunch. But not just any hummus. Sundried tomato and basil flavored hummus. I am kicking it up a notch.

No more of the Lukester and his shenanigans. Pittsburgh has a real mayor now.

DAVE: Ha. One of the problems of owning a $30 Timex is that it costs $9 to get the battery replaced at Touch of Gold in Oakland. I tried to take the back off, but I couldn’t do it.

JIM: To follow up, I got a new Timex Ironman Triathlon watch for Christmas. I needed it. It probably cost about $50-$60, so that makes it by far the most expensive watch I've ever owned. It has 10 different buttons on it!

DAVE: And we had been talking about watches. Nice. Ten different buttons.

JIM: I'll probably never learn how to use them all.

DAVE: That’s a lot of buttons. My watches only have one button. I did figure out how to open the back of the Timex, so I can replace the $6 battery by myself, rather than paying $9 to have someone else do it. It really wasn’t that hard.

JIM: Yeah, it's pretty easy. But if your watch is waterproof, be aware that once you open the back to replace the battery, it's not waterproof any more.

DAVE: There used to be a little rubber gasket on waterproof watches that was impossible to get back in once it came out.

DAVE: What kind of watch do you wear? How many watches do you have?

JIM: I have two watches. One is a Timex Ironman sports watch which I've probably had for 20 years or more. The other is a Timex that is a little more dressy, but I still didn't pay more than probably $20 for it many years ago. I've been through multiple bands and batteries for both of them. In fact, my "dressy" watch needs a new battery right now.

I always wear a watch everywhere, but the funny thing is I have never had the urge to buy an expensive watch.

DAVE: The Citizen Eco Drive that I bought 13 years ago is dying. I recently bought a basic Timex for $30 to take over for the Citizen, which was a really nice watch. I bought a new Citizen yesterday [Thursday] online. So, I guess I will have two watches as well.

JIM: I think most people nowadays find the idea of wearing a watch kind of quaint, for lack of a better word. But I am so used to it that I'm uncomfortable when I don't have a watch on.

DAVE: I think young people wear watches that are big and fancy. Otherwise, they just look at their ubiquitous smart phones for the time. Old-timers like you and me still wear a watch to tell the time. I like wearing a watch. I feel naked without one. And Citizen Eco Drives are the shit. They never need a new battery. But based on my personal experience, they may only last for 13 years before you need to get the power cell inside of them replaced, and that means sending the watch to Citizen. That’s why I decided to just get a new one. It was on sale. 

JIM: That seems to be a pretty astute observation.

Kathy's nephew who just graduated from college about a year or so ago told me over Christmas that he wears a Citizen Eco Drive watch. I was surprised by that.

JIM: Have I ever told you about my friend's wife who was dying of cancer? I think I must have mentioned it over the years. They have three young kids.

I got a text around midnight on Christmas that she passed away that day. That really sucks. Those poor kids have been through hell and then it happens on Christmas. So now every time someone asks them what they got for Christmas this year, they get to say, "I got to watch my mom die."

I forget sometimes how truly blessed and lucky my family and I are. We have a pretty good life. I suck that I need to be reminded of that sometimes.

I think that the Victoria's Secret models, past and present, may be the most beautiful women in the world. I can't think of anyone who would argue with that.

Brewed On Grant: Mayor College 
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 11 December 2013.

Bill Peduto was at Harvard last week for a gathering of newly elected mayors from around the country. They were there to study things like municipal finance, crisis management, public safety, etc. I wonder where Lukey went to school.

Courteney Cox Arquette, although attractive, has not aged as well as her gal pal Jennifer Aniston. But Jennifer Aniston makes pretty bad, straight-to-video movies. Courteney Cox Arquette stars in the TBS television show "Cougar Town." Also a bad career choice. Maybe it's time for "Friends: The Movie."

Oops! My bad.

Deer Hunter
Written by Rob Rogers on Monday, 02 December 2013.

Pennsylvania deer hunting season opens today [yesterday]. I have one question. If the NRA thinks arming kids and teachers is a good idea, how do they feel about arming wildlife?

Thanksgiving passed . . .

DAVE: What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

JIM: Having early dinner at my parents' house and then driving back to have dessert at Kathy's brother's house. You?

DAVE: I may forego my traditional leftover pizza Thanksgiving dinner in favor of going to one of the few restaurants opened in Pittsburgh. I need to make reservations.

JIM: I remember going drinking during a blizzard on Thanksgiving night one time years ago at a Mexican place that was open in Station Square. I don't know what possessed us to need to find a place to go drinking at in the middle of a blizzard on Thanksgiving.

DAVE: It's called youthful enthusiasm.

JIM: I wouldn't know anything about that.

Brewed On Grant: Boy Lincoln 
Written by Rob Rogers on Tuesday, 19 November 2013.

Luke Ravenstahl is trying to put a positive spin on his mayoral history. Meanwhile, the rest of us will be marking the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

Is there really a difference between regular bacon and the highly touted "applewood smoked" bacon now served at seemingly every restaurant?

Mayor Skipper 
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 13 November 2013.

The mayoral election, which was pretty much decided in the primary, is now official. Bill Peduto will now be the grownup replacing Boy Mayor. Here's to hoping Peduto has a more mature tenure.

Vote Corbett 
Written by Rob Rogers on Monday, 11 November 2013.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett has officially launched his campaign for re-election. Like many other republican governors, he's also trying his hardest to disenfranchise certain kinds of voters by passing voter ID laws.

Brewed On Grant: Mayoral Costume 
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 30 October 2013.

Luke Ravenstahl is trying hard to bolster his mayoral legacy before he leaves office. But tweeting about city business while having lunch in a country club probably isn't the best way to do it.

I went to high school in 11th and 12 grade with this shady looking character. For those two years, he was one of my best friends, and by far, my best drinking buddy. He doesn't look like someone with whom I would have been friends in high school. He was a rather weird guy, in retrospect.

Brewed On Grant: Boy Republican
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 09 October 2013.

Boy Mayor has been very quiet for the past few months, like a prisoner trying not to make waves just before his release. Still, he is probably working harder than anybody in the GOP.
 

If you want to win games, you have to get hits and score runs. The Pirates did not do that. That having been said, it was a good season. And I will say it again, the Curse of Sid Bream was finally broken.

One more game. Just one more. Can the Pirates do it?

So sad and lonely being a Pirates fan at last night's game.

What is the deal with sweatpants that are also cargo pants? I feel like I've been seeing a lot of fellows wearing these atrocities lately.

Buccos!


They're ready for the Cardinals.

 

Let's Go Bucs!

After spending the summer in Pittsburgh, my parents and Sidney left for their Florida home on Saturday and arrived there yesterday. Today, Sidney caught his first gecko of the season. The little gecko hunter is back in action.

Ted Cruz
Written by Rob Rogers on Friday, 27 September 2013.

Ted Cruz decided to read "Green Eggs and Ham" during his fake filibuster to defund Obamacare in the Senate. The problem is, the moral of that Dr. Seuss classic (don't say you hate something before trying it first) must have been lost on Cruz. He keeps saying that Obama is shoving his health care bill down the American people's throats. No, Ted ... it's the law. Congress passed it. Give it a chance.

Playoffs.

Thanks a lot, Mr. Blondie . . .

Brewed On Grant: Mayor Elect
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 18 September 2013.

Bill Peduto is walking like a mayor and talking like a mayor. That's more than I can say for the current mayor.

Very timely . . .

Gun Flood
Written by Rob Rogers on Tuesday, 17 September 2013.

Thanks in part to the NRA, two Colorado state senators who voted for mild gun control lost their jobs in a recall election.

The Pirates are going to finish the season with a winning record for the first time since 1992. The Curse of Sid Bream has been broken.

DAVE: The Pirates have clinched a non-losing record for the first time since 1992. One more win, and it's the first winning season.

JIM: One more to go. Don't get cocky.

DAVE: Don't you understand the significance? The long suffering Curse of Sid Bream will have been broken.


Sid Bream.

JIM: I'm not sure that's true yet.

DAVE: Yes, that's the curse. Twenty losing seasons, the major sports record. It can't be to make the playoffs or win the World Series. It's to have a winning season.