Repeating History

I am a big, dumb, hopeless animal. I should be kept in a cage for my own safety. Of course, I'd wind up in one of those experiments in which the scientists would tempt me with a tasty morsel. When I went to grab it, they would shock me.

I think that's actually what is happening. Scientists are putting sushi and nigiri in various fancy supermarkets. They're making it look tasty. They're not trying to convince me it will be as mind-boggling and spirit-altering as, say, Zen 32 or Hana. But they are trying to get me to try devouring the morsel.

And silly me: I never learn. It's barely going to be edible, and the supermarket is going to suck some easy cash out of my wallet. Because I'm relentlessly optimistic.

Want sushi? Pay a bit more, and get the good stuff. If that's what you're used to, store-bought sushi is going to taste like strips of rubber bicycle tube soaked in brine and clam juice. The store-bought offerings even smell like a dead lobster's nether regions.

Good on ya, Jimmy!

Now this is a cool story. For those not inclined to follow the link, it's just a Soccernet.com story about a fairly unheralded English soccer player who has been called up to represent his country during a World Cup qualifier. He is 29 years old, well past the age when most players have made their international debuts.

I say congratulations, Jimmy Bullard! He is clearly thrilled to be wearing the Three Lions, and I bet that he will give it his all and then some if team manager Fabio Capello puts him in the match.

The best part is that he clearly worked his way up from the bottom, being paid all of $100 a week and working part-time as a painter and decorator. Contrast that with so many of the coddled sports stars, and it just makes me hope that Jimmy puts a screamer into the top corner, doesn't miss a tackle and rescues a cat from a tree for good measure.

When you really think about it, wouldn't it be an incredible honor to represent your nation in just about any endeavor? Make the most of it, Jimmy!