So, what’s shaking in LA?

They moved to 8 man closer to 2000 I think (they were 8 man during my whole time there). The way the town reacted when the school announced dropping 11 man you'd think they were closing the plant.

That Branum tidbit makes me laugh. Every time there was the least bit of shenanigans the coach would insist the game get moved to The Pit.

 

They're just trying to make more of the story than they probably thought they had.

Not that a 7.1 earthquake should require such efforts. But, relatively speaking, this was a really (fortunately) harmless 7.1 earthquake. About as good an outcome as you could hope for in such a scenario.

 

Retire the trophy now. Worst smell: Decatur, Illinois.

 

Hamilton, Ontario. Smells like the world's biggest cheeseburger fart.

 

lol nope. Hartford, Ill., and The Haute smell worse than Decatur.

 

Back in prehistoric times as a radio news director, I made it a point to ask for airchecks where I got to hear reporters when they were under stress and how they reacted. Thankfully, all of my hires -- including the one who quit because she suffered from mike fright the first time I let her solo but called in and reported live from San Francisco with stuff falling off buildings next to her -- stayed composed during Loma Prieta and did incredible work in a difficult emotional situation. Never been so proud of a team before or since.

 

You folks are going to have to send me a smellogram before I believe that Decatur isn't the worst.

 

You guys putting up contenders have never been to Trona. There's so much sulphur in the ground getting dug up by the plant there's no escaping it. And to make matters worse, it gets to 120 in the summer so you get hot stink which is infinitely worse than regular stink.

Add: And I say that as someone who went to high school around a bunch of mushroom farms.

 

And I guess I would consider myself somewhat unflappable. Covered the James Spenkelink execution at 20. Challenger at 26. Loma Prieta at 31. Been shot at. Got the radio newsvan caught in a firestorm. Got nose to nose with Kurt Busch after a race. Spent 36 days in jail.

 

Good God I want to buy you a beer and listen to your stories.

 

I at least want to hear the jail one, since he's hinted at it several times.

 

We ever hear that one, I'll buy a round.