Ok my 30mins are up here so I am going to brave the rain and look for some hot gear (clothes for the diction challenged) and enjoy Spain.

also major major props to Meredith, who put together one of the most amazing lists of things to do in Spain I´ve ever seen. Also props to Claussen for providing additional advice and support.

Scottie hit me up on email soon so we can meet up in Germany.

ªªªªª also look for some posts via my brother while i am gone.

luego...

Live and direct from Barcelona as a storm has driven me off of Las Ramblas into this net cafe. Check out this article that I am browsing as I wait for the down pour to subside.

Let me continue my conspiracy theory by unveiling a little known controversy over animal fat. Decades ago, two investigators named Brown and Goldstein explained how saturated fat wreaks havoc on our cholesterol levels. They were right, of course, but their research ignited a witch hunt. Authorities now almost universally condemn animal fat when it comes to heart disease and cholesterol elevation. In fact, I've worked in a major medical institution where the terms "animal fat" and "saturated fat" have become essentially interchangeable. Hmm. Well, here's an interesting fact: less than half the fat in meat is saturated. And there's more. Of the saturated portion in meat, one of the most common fatty acids has negligible impact on cholesterol. It's been known for ages.

Stearic acid (18:0), prevalent in beef, lacks the hyper-cholesterolemic qualities associated with its brethren.(1, 9, 11) And diets rich in stearic acid don't affect the clotting tendency of blood compared to the typical American diet, either.(12) Add grass-fed beef (richer in CLA and lower in omega-6 fats) and specialty eggs containing DHA ("fish oil") to the list and you have to wonder how certain experts can prefer common (generally omega-6) vegetable oils. The trend for Americans to eat less red meat (22) and have less access to animal fat in the food supply (18) is hardly beneficial considering they replace it with vegetable oils in true junk foods (17, 18). That practice is, in many ways, far worse for their health. Yet many authorities make it sound like we'll have to sign a waiver just to eat a juicy steak.

Tomorrow will be the last posts from the States. Leaving for Spain on Thursday night after work and not returning until August 24th. Spending 3 days in Barcelona, 3 in Madrid, 5 in Ibiza and 3 in Hamburg. Should be fun. Look for pictures when I return, assuming the new digital camera works.

Christian

Song of the week from the blazing hot Morcheeba album.... "Women lose weight" featuring Slick Rick (yeah old skool hip-hop mixed with this London group).

The first verse sells me...

(Slick on the vocals)

"The name of this entertainment is women lose weight. Our first years of marriage everything was just great, but after two kids and the weight gain factors, fact is that she is just completely unattractive. Look fat chicks, I dont mean to sound rude. I tell them nice hit the gym and don't eat so much food."

The entire album is great and more of an electronic journey (not much hip-hop) but this song just cracked me up.

If Gavin is reading the blog anymore, can we please get some Gavin style insight into the upcoming Steelers season?

How bout Randl El too????

The quarterback-turned-receiver has been having a good camp, as former Steelers coach Chuck Noll used to like to say. The reward for that will be the chance to play ahead of 12-year NFL veteran Terance Mathis, who was signed to fill the slot position vacated by Bobby Shaw's free-agent defection until Randle El grasped the nuances of catching footballs rather than throwing them.

If Randle El comes through as the Steelers suspect against the Jets, he'll be well on his way to becoming this year's version of Kendrell Bell (the Steelers No. 2 pick a year ago who had such an outstanding preseason that he made the offseason signing of veteran inside linebacker Mike Jones a non-factor).

How sick are the Steelers receivers this season? Like Whoa.....

Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress remain the starters and will be on the field for first and second downs. But Edwards has performed so well in training camp that he will play the outside flanker position on many third downs.

Meanwhile, Ward, who played in the Pro Bowl this year, will make room for Edwards by moving inside to the slot on passing downs. That gives the Steelers a trio of Ward, Edwards and Plaxico Burress in their three-wide receiver formation.

"With me and Plax and Troy, that's a deadly three that teams have to defend," Ward said.

"You got three playmakers out there," Edwards said. "The defense really doesn't know who to watch. It will open up more stuff for me or Plaxico or Hines. If you double Plax, then Hines will be open. If you double Hines, Plax and I will be open."

If Mularkey calls for four wide receivers, No. 2 draft choice Antwaan Randle El will join the lineup, with veteran Terance Mathis providing depth.

From the desk of Woessner (Bill that is)... An interesting article on Boeing and their quest to defy gravity.


Researchers at the world's largest aircraft maker, Boeing, are using the work of a controversial Russian scientist to try to create a device that will defy gravity.
The company is examining an experiment by Yevgeny Podkletnov, who claims to have developed a device which can shield objects from the Earth's pull.

Ben Sankey...BEN SANKEY....BENNNN SANNNKKKEEEY....Exciting times for the Wake grad as he suited up for the Texans on Moday Night Football. I knew he was on the squad after seeing him on espn.com stretching out behind David Carr a couple weeks ago (to come clean, Brian Baker pointed him out to me). Anyway it was great to get instant messanges and make phone calls/receiving phone calls about Ben Sankey. Hopefully he makes it in the league.

Not to hate on any friends that have tattos but this is a hysterical letter to the editor from Friday's Wall Street Journal. Hopefully this will make some people think twice.

Why Ban Tattoo Parlors?

In regard to your July 22 page-one story "Tattoo Taboo":

Oklahoma may be the only other state which still prohibits tattoo parlors, but the law has caused controversy there as well.

Kenneth Starr may wish to consider one line of argument for tattoos parlors' legality not mentioned in your story, which was raised by Dale Roberts in a speech in Oklahoma's State Senate: "Why would we outlaw something that identifies obvious losers?"

Clinton W. Taylor
Stanford, Calif.