…For the first time in ages, that round shiny orb is nowhere to be seen. But that doesn’t mean we can’t shed some light on these points of interest…

Now they’re burning Danish embassies in Lebanon and Syria. Austin Bay, I think, has it right: the majority of Muslim anger has been stoked by those with other goals in mind:

Thousands enraged, huh? More likely scenario: the dictatorship is using The Cartoon War as a convenient issue to deflect the anti-regime heat building inside Syria and shift media focus from the murder investigation.

Hat tip: Hugh Hewitt.

Jack McKeon thinks the Sox did themselves well on the left side of the infield by picking up Alex Gonzalez and Mike Lowell. I especially like this quote:

”I’ll tell you one thing. Those Boston pitchers are going to love having him and Mike Lowell on the left side of the infield. Pick up the phone and call [Josh] Beckett. I’ll bet you two bits he’s glad they’re there. Vacuum cleaners. Gold Glovers. …”Lowell, you look at his body, you might think he’s a little slow, but he has great hands and good range. Him and González, they’re going to make that pitching staff better.”

After suffering through a year with an infield featuring Edgar Rent-A-Wreck and Kevin Millar, all I can say is: “Red Sox fans, meet infield defense”. It will be a pleasure – pitching and defense is the only way you can ever really defeat the Evil Empire.

Al “Grandpa Munster” Lewis is dead at the age of 82. Interestingly, his real passion in life was basketball, where he spent many years as a trusted scout and an authority on the game. R.I.P. Al, you were a hoot.

So, the real estate market slowdown in Massachusetts is winnowing out the late-comers, huh? Same is true out here in Arizona, where it seems like 90% of the population is either illegal immigrants, displaced Californians, and real estate speculators and agents. Heh.

On the golf front, the FBR Open continues our here in Scottsdale. (BTW, looks like my Jonathan Kaye pick was a little off the mark. I sure hope that kind of luck doesn’t follow me next weekend to Vegas!) What is it that makes this tour stop so unique and exciting from the others on the Tour schedule? Jason of The Golf Blog explains:

…the rowdy, stadium atmosphere surrounding the 16th at the TPC of Scottsdale [is] incredible, even electric. The crowd — filled with ASU co-eds — will boo you if you hit a bad shot on 16 or miss a putt, including a birdie putt. Poor Justin Leonard (who’s climbed up the leader board) just got booed for missing a makeable birdie putt. There’s no other golf tournament that I can recall where fans boo the players for bad play. I absolutely love it.

Wow. Sounds almost like Friday at the Goodboys Invitational, sans the crowds, the co-eds, and the birdie putts. 🙂

Troy Polamalu of the Steelers is an animal, seemingly everywhere on the field. Because of his agressive play and the effect it will have on Matt Hasselbeck, the Seahawks offense, and the overall Steelers defense, I’m sticking by my original prediction. Sorry, cousin Don….

UPDATE 2/5/06, 8:48 MST: Congrats to the Steelers and their 21-10 victory. Congrats also to Jerome Bettis, the Steelers’ classy fullback who announced his retirement after the game. Next stop for The Bus, undoubtedly: the NFL Hall of Fame. Cousin Don must be devastated, but Jerome is plenty happy!

Coming this week (if I can find the time to complete it), a Goodboys Primer. Who are they (we), and why are we here?