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[CigarBanter]

Rich already met his goal of 50 shirts but flying to and staying in Torino, Italy isn't cheap, so please consider supporting him.  Your tee shirt will likely arrive with some quality cigars.   

Short Story:
Follow the link below to support a local athlete, Rich Riopel, at the (IAU) 24 Hour World Championship in Torino, Italy on April 11-12, 2015 by making a donation and/or getting a tee shirt from:

http://booster.com/runrichrun 

Long Story:
Follow this link ==> http://cigarbanter.com/forum/index.php/topic,267.0.html

[LSUFAN]

Good morning guys.

[LSUFAN]

Saying sorry in advance, my regular site took the night off again.

[LSUFAN]

On this day in 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring.

Groundhog Day has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas Day, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Germans expanded on this concept by selecting an animal--the hedgehog--as a means of predicting weather. Once they came to America, German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition, although they switched from hedgehogs to groundhogs, which were plentiful in the Keystone State.

Groundhogs, also called woodchucks and whose scientific name is Marmota monax, typically weigh 12 to 15 pounds and live six to eight years. They eat vegetables and fruits, whistle when they're frightened or looking for a mate and can climb trees and swim. They go into hibernation in the late fall; during this time, their body temperatures drop significantly, their heartbeats slow from 80 to five beats per minute and they can lose 30 percent of their body fat. In February, male groundhogs emerge from their burrows to look for a mate (not to predict the weather) before going underground again. They come out of hibernation for good in March.

In 1887, a newspaper editor belonging to a group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney called the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club declared that Phil, the Punxsutawney groundhog, was America's only true weather-forecasting groundhog. The line of groundhogs that have since been known as Phil might be America's most famous groundhogs, but other towns across North America now have their own weather-predicting rodents, from Birmingham Bill to Staten Island Chuck to Shubenacadie Sam in Canada.

In 1993, the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray popularized the usage of "groundhog day" to mean something that is repeated over and over. Today, tens of thousands of people converge on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney each February 2 to witness Phil's prediction. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club hosts a three-day celebration featuring entertainment and activities.

[LSUFAN]

On this day in 2014, Philip Seymour Hoffman, considered one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation, dies of an accidental drug overdose at age 46 in New York City. During his career, the prolific performer appeared in more than 50 movies, including “Capote,” “Doubt” and “The Hunger Games” series, and earned a reputation for playing difficult or quirky characters. Hoffman also was an accomplished stage actor and director.

Born July 23, 1967, Hoffman was raised in Fairport, New York, and developed an interest in theater while growing up. He studied acting at New York University, from which he graduated in 1989, and went on to make his small-screen debut in a 1991 episode of “Law & Order.” The next year, he earned his first big-screen credit in an indie film titled “Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole.” Hoffman garnered attention for his supporting role as a spoiled prep school student in the Oscar-winning film “Scent of a Woman” (1992), which he followed with appearances in such movies as “Nobody’s Fool” (1994), “Twister” (1996), “Boogie Nights” (1997), “The Big Lebowski” (1998) “Magnolia” (1999) and “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (1999). Increasingly in demand, Hoffman then took on roles in films including “Almost Famous” (2000), “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002), “The 25th Hour” (2002), “Cold Mountain” (2003) and “Along Came Polly” (2004).

He won an Academy Award in the best actor category for his portrayal of author Truman Capote in “Capote” (2005), and received Oscar nominations for best supporting actor for his role as a CIA agent in “Charlie Wilson’s War” (2007) and for his performance as a priest in “Doubt” (2008). Other film credits include “Mission: Impossible III” (2006), “Moneyball” (2011) and “The Hunger Games” series. Hoffman garnered a third best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role as a cult leader in “The Master” (2012).

Hoffman also was an acclaimed stage actor and director, who helped co-found a theater company, LAByrinth, and earned Tony Award nominations for his performances in “True West” (2000), “Long Day’s Journey into Night” (2003) and “Death of a Salesman” (2012), in which he starred as Willy Loman.

On February 2, 2014, Hoffman, who had struggled with drug addiction in his early 20s but was sober for many years before relapsing in 2012, was found dead in his Manhattan apartment. The medical examiner later ruled that the father of three had died from acute mixed drug intoxication.

[LSUFAN]

On February 2, 1876, the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, which comes to be more commonly known as the National League (NL), is formed. The American League (AL) was established in 1901 and in 1903, the first World Series was held.

The first official game of baseball in the United States took place in June 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey. In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became America’s first professional baseball club. In 1871, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was established as the sport’s first “major league.” Five years later, in 1876, Chicago businessman William Hulbert formed the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs to replace the National Association, which he believed was mismanaged and corrupt. The National League had eight original members: the Boston Red Stockings (now the Atlanta Braves), Chicago White Stockings (now the Chicago Cubs), Cincinnati Red Stockings, Hartford Dark Blues, Louisville Grays, Mutual of New York, Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Brown Stockings.

In 1901, the National League’s rival, the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, was founded. Starting in 1903, the best team from each league began competing against each other in the World Series. Various teams switched in and out of the National League over the years, but it remained an eight-team league for many decades until 1962, when the New York Mets and Houston Colt .45s (later renamed the Houston Astros) joined the league. In 1969, two more teams were added: the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals). Also that year, the league was split into an East and West division of six teams each. The Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins became part of the National League in 1993, followed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998. In 1994, the league was reorganized to include a Central division, along with the East and West groups.

In 1997, Major League Baseball introduced inter-league play, in which each NL team played a series of regular-season games against AL teams of the same division. (In 2002, the rules were changed to allow AL/NL teams from non-corresponding divisions to compete against each other.) However, one major difference between the two leagues remains: the American League’s 1973 adoption of the designated hitter rule allowed teams to substitute another hitter for the pitcher, who generally hit poorly, in the lineup. As a result, teams in the American League typically score more runs than those in the National League, making, some fans argue, for a more exciting game.

Between 1903 and 2007, AL teams were the winners in 61 of the 103 World Series played. The American League’s New York Yankees have won more World Series championships--26--than any other team in baseball.

 

[LSUFAN]

Police discover the body of film director William Desmond Taylor in his Los Angeles bungalow. Lieutenant Tom Ziegler responded to a call about a "natural death" at the Alvarado Street home of Taylor. When he arrived they found actors, actresses, and studio executives rummaging through the director's belongings. He also found Taylor lying on the living room floor with a bullet in his back--not exactly suggesting a "natural" death.

The murder of Taylor, 50 years old, became a nationwide scandal and proof to the nation's moralists of Hollywood's depravity. Two of the actresses linked to Taylor got caught up in the scandal and saw their film careers die a quick death following the murder. Comedian Mabel Normand had been linked romantically with Taylor, but was sent to a sanatarium to to recover from tuberculosis, and died. While she was away, Mary Miles Minter, a teenager, became a star in Taylor's silent films and fell in love with him. Charlotte Shelby, Minter's mother, disapproved of the budding relationship.

After his murder, a love note to Taylor from Minter was found in his home, along with her nightgown in the bedroom. Other damning facts came to light. Minter had once tried to shoot herself with the same type of gun used in Taylor's murder. Furthermore, Shelby had previously threatened the life of another director who had made a pass at her daughter. And to top it off, Shelby's alibi witness received suspiciously large sums of money after the murder. Still, no one was ever prosecuted for Taylor's death and the case remains officially unsolved.

Many years later, in Minter's unpublished autobiography, she admitted that she and her mother were at Taylor's bungalow on the night of the killing. Famous director King Vidor told people that Minter had ambiguously admitted that her mother had killed Taylor after finding her daughter at Taylor's home.

[LSUFAN]

The Rider
-------------------------

After a round of golf, four ladies sat around the club house, chatting.

Seeing the ladies, the Pro approached them and asked: "How did your game go?

The first lady, a brunette, said she had a good round ... making the comment that she actually had 25 riders.

The Pro was a bit perplexed not knowing what a "Rider" was.

The second was a blonde lady who quickly chimed in and said that she had a very good round as well with 16 riders.

The third lady then said that her round was average and that she only had 10 riders.

The fourth lady admitted that she played the worst round of the day and that she only had 2 riders all day long.

The Pro was completely confused not knowing what the term "rider" meant. But, because he didn't want to look dumb, he made a quick polite remark, wished the ladies well and then left.

He then approached the bartender and asked "Hey, can you tell me what these ladies are talking about when they refer to "Riders"?"

The bartender simply smiled and said..."A 'Rider" is when you hit a shot long enough to ride on the golf cart to your ball.

[LSUFAN]

Time to hit the road for work, enjoy your Monday guys. 

[LSUFAN]

Time for a couple of sheesh's.

[dwgbryant]

Good morning Chip.
sheesh away.

[South Carolina Redfish]

Morning LSU & Dean

[South Carolina Redfish]

AUSTIN, Texas –  Republican Gov. Greg Abbott says he is declaring Feb. 2 as "Chris Kyle Day" in Texas to honor the late U.S. serviceman whose life is depicted in the blockbuster film "American Sniper."

[South Carolina Redfish]

36 degrees here this morning only up to 50 for a high but No Snow!

[dwgbryant]

36 degrees here this morning only up to 50 for a high but No Snow!

63 here and light rain, highs only 67.