Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/20/2010

(I'd prefer not to have to look at this one all day, but oh well)

1/20/2008:
Winning their NFL record 10th straight game in one season on the road, the New York Giants outlast Green Bay, 23-20, in overtime at Lambeau Field, to win the NFC championship. Playing in frigid conditions, Giants quarterback Eli Manning perfectly executes the game plan by completing 21-of-40 passes for 254 yards on no INTs. After missing two field goal attempts late in regulation time, Lawrence Tynes nails a 47-yarder in OT to send the Giants to the Super Bowl, where they'll upset the unbeaten New England Patriots, 17-14, two weeks from today.

Birthdays:
Norm Stewart b. 1935
Carol Heiss b. 1940
John Naber b. 1956
Ron Harper b. 1964
Brian Giles b. 1971

Packers Fact:
Entering 2008, the Packers had finished in first place 21 times. They shared the NFL record in that category with the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants.

ART IN AMERICA

From the Washington Monument to Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, from Rodin’s nudes to Mapplethorpe’s, it seems that controversial art is as American as the stars and stripes. Michael Kammen shows us the issues and the politics, explains why censorship rarely succeeds, and gives us social and cultural history that is both engaging and insightful.

VISUAL SHOCK: A HISTORY OF ART CONTROVERSIES IN AMERICAN CULTURE, by Michael Kammen (Vintage, 2007)

STORM KING IMPERIAL STOUT

Victory Brewing Co., Downington, Pennsylvania

Goodness. Tootsie Roll sweetness, licorice, alcohol, flowery hops, chocolate, and some caramel. But take a sip, and the initial candy shop impressions are proven wrong. The chocolate remains, but turns bitter as cocoa powder. Wood smoke and espresso make unexpected appearances—and this is just the beginning of the tempest. Brown lace paints the inside of your glass, and black grain bitterness with some dried fruit, a healthy dose of alcohol, and a brusque, chalky finish follow. Welcome to Storm King.

SUDS SOURCE

Located at 420 Acorn Lane in Downington, Victory Brewing Company’s recently renovated restaurant offers a full menu, including barbecue, catering, lunch, brunch, and dinner. Try the chipotle crab rolls for lunch, or the festbier marinated pork butt on French bread off the BBQ menu.

http://www.notfoolinganybody.com/
Bad Conversions
The sign now says "Gino's East," but one look at the building will tell you that this used to be a branch of Planet Hollywood. At this site you can see cheap restaurant conversions, where former Dairy Queens have been revamped into Hertz Car Rental and Taco Bell has evolved into Hungry Howie's Pizza without losing the distinctive, cheesy shape of the original trademark building.