Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 7/28-29/2010

7/28/1945:
Four-year-old Stymie charges from behind to win the Butler Handicap at Jamaica Racetrack in Queens, New York. It's Stymie's second stakes victory this month after his win at the Brooklyn Handicap. A late bloomer, he didn't win any stakes races until this year but will eventually capture 25 stakes events in 131 starts, ending his career as the richest racehorse in America.

Birthdays:
Barry Ashbee b. 1939
Bill Bradley b. 1943
Vida Blue b. 1949
Doug Collins b. 1951
Manu Ginobili b. 1977

Packers Fact:
Greg Jennings had a string of five consecutive games with a touchdown catch during the 2007 season (weeks 11 through 15).

7/29/2000:
San Francisco 49er immortals Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott headline a list of five inductees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Both Montana, who earned renown for his cool demeanor under pressure and an endless succession of late-game heroics, and 10-time All-Pro defensive back Lott were m embers of four Super Bowl championship teams. Also honored are Oakland defensive end Howie Long, 49ers linebacker Dave Wilcox and Steelers owner Dan Rooney.

Birthdays:
Arnie Ferrin b. 1925
Ted Lindsay b. 1925
Don Carier b. 1926
Flo Hyman b. 1954
Dirk Graham b. 1959

Packers Fact:
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's charter class of 17 enshrinees in 1963 included four Packers: founder and coach Curly Lambeau, Tackle Cal Hubbard, end Don Hutson, and halfback Johnny (Blood) McNally.

http://marbleofdoom.com/
Marble of Doom
If you're a Mac user you dread the marble of doom, that colored spinning wheel that tells you that your life is now on hold for however long it takes your application to load. Now you can share your frustration by adding the minutes to this "doom clock," which represents the time robbed from Mac users that could have been better spent surfing the Web for pictures of kittens or much, much worse.

http://800notes.com/Default.aspx
800's Revealed
Are you bugged by phone solicitors or people who block their identity but refuse to leave a message? Go to this site, type in the number, and find out who those pests are. Then read what experiences others have had with their annoying phone calls and leave your own impressions to help others with their search.

SWEET MYSTERY OF LIFE

Here are 48 Stephen Jay Gould essays, from well-known classics to articles and speeches that have not appeared in print before. Gould’s exuberance, encyclopedic knowledge, clear writing, and infectious sense of wonder made Congress recognize him as a “living legend.” Now, alas, he is no longer living, but this essential collection of his writing shows the scope and depth of his legacy.

THE RICHNESS OF LIFE: THE ESSENTIAL STEPHEN JAY GOULD, by Stephen Jay Gould; edited by Steven Rose (W. W. Norton, 2007)

SPOILED ROTTEN . . . AND LOVING IT

Hooters, Hollywood, Paris couture, the Concorde, plastic surgery, cryogenics, and spas . . . GQ writer-at-large David Rakoff has the gloves off and is landing punchlines right and left. With wit, panache, and a healthy dose of bitterness, Rakoff takes on the Ugly American.

DON’T GET TOO COMFORTABLE: THE INDIGNITIES OF COACH CLASS, THE TORMENTS OF LOW THREAD COUNT, THE NEVER-ENDING QUEST FOR ARTISANAL OLIVE OIL, AND OTHER FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS, by David Rakoff (Broadway Books, 2006)

ST. PETER’S CREAM STOUT

St. Peter’s Brewery, St. Peter’s Hall, Suffolk, England

Black as the ace of spades this one, but you can see clear ruby tints if you really look for them. Light espresso roasted malt and a bit of curaçao orange fruitiness in the aroma . . . “Cream” is not a literal ingredient, but an apt description of the smoothness of flavor and finish here. A pleasant surprise, St. Peter’s Cream Stout is deftly formulated to retain a lightness of body while still providing a satisfying stout experience. One to look for.

STYLE TIP

Milk or cream stouts are typically milder, smoother, and sweeter than other stout styles, but they don’t necessarily contain milk sugar; their sweetness may also come from a lower hop-bitterness level and/or a higher level of unfermentable dextrins.

CZECH REBEL BEER

Mestansky Pivovar Havlickuv Brod a.s., Czech Republic

Bohemian pilsner is one of the most refined of beer styles. A transparent smoothness exposes all ingredients, water included, to close scrutiny. So it’s easy to brew badly—which means that an excellent pilsner should be savored. Czech Rebel fits the bill, and that’s cause for celebration—you couldn’t always find an imported beer of this quality at your corner market. Full gold, with a big, tightly beaded and lasting layer of foam on top, it’s a beautiful sight. As you drink, that foam will lace the glass completely, just as with an Irish stout. Grassy Saaz hops bring a freshness to the aroma, which is perfectly balanced by malt. Malt sweetness edges out hop bitterness in the flavor, but hops catch up in the end, leaving you with a paradoxically smooth and dry finish. Unbelievably good—close to perfect. What Czech pils is supposed to taste like.