Basketball future looks bright for the Green and White

Recruiting: ESPN.com's class rankings could undergo a complete transformation in the coming week - ESPN: "If we had redone our rankings heading into signing week, the top five would remain relatively static. It would likely consist of Ohio State, Syracuse, Michigan State, Memphis and Illinois -- with the Spartans, who recently added big man Adreian Payne (Dayton, Ohio/Jefferson Township), being the only newcomer to the top five. North Carolina's two-man class likely would've dropped down."

Comment -- We're looking forward to Friday's regular season opener at Breslin.

MSU's perch in the top five recruiting classes for 2010 bodes really well for the future success of Spartan hoops. In fact, you could make the case that next year's team (assuming Kalin Lucas returns for his senior year) could be even better than this year's team. Raymar Morgan is the only senior, and we'll be replacing him with a ton of young talent. Go Green!

So smart and yet so tasty

Mirror, mirror, in my pen… - SmartPlanet: "“My, what big ears I have!”

OK, perhaps that wasn’t the first thought of the eight domesticated pigs studied by a team of animal welfare scientists at the University of Cambridge. But they were observant enough to look in the mirror, proud enough to check themselves out and clever enough to track down their food from its reflection.

According to the study, pigs (like others that can use mirrors—elephants, dolphins, gray parrots, some primates and humans) are able to learn what a mirror image represents and use it to obtain information. When put in a pen with a mirror in it, young pigs made movements while apparently looking at their image." (photo by shawnzam http://www.flickr.com/photos/shawnzam/)

Comment -- If pigs are so smart how come they're unable to avoid being turned into tasty pork chops and bacon? Ummmm...bacon...

On Sunday night Brandon and I won our first tennis match

It was tough! We lost the first set 2-6. But Brandon's really smart about tennis and he changed our strategy in the second set. He used his size and speed to attack the net and had me work at simply keeping the ball in play with lobs. After winning the second set 6-3, we fell behind 0-5 in the tiebreaker -- but then we reeled off six straight points, finally winning 10-6. It was really fun!

I continue to be amazed at the brilliant shots that Brandon makes. My main tactic is to keep the ball in play long enough for Brandon to eventually hit a winner.

I was sore after the match last night but I'm feeling pretty good today. Victory helps the healing process.

We play again on Sat. Nov. 21.

Cool ESPN video tour of Izzo's basement

Anti-fur and pro-ornament

At left, an anti-fur animal rights group stages a little propaganda stunt. It was so chilly that I bet those men and women on the cold sidewalk were actually glad to be wearing their furs.

The other picture is a stack of giant Christmas ornaments delivered downtown by Bronner's for the upcoming Silver Bells parade.

More expensive food is making us fatter?

Holding down food costs is making us fat - MarketWatch: "As the unemployment rate inches toward 10% and consumers find themselves increasingly strapped, they are turning to cheap but effective means to fill their families' tummies. And those who do have jobs are working longer hours, forgoing exercise and searching for foods that are not only economical but convenient. As a result, more consumers are turning to processed foods, either already prepared, frozen or canned and typically filled with fat-generating calories, refined grains and sugars. That's making more Americans chubbier and prone to obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes in what has been dubbed "recession fat."

Comment -- Two reasons this report tastes a little off to me. First of all, we just went through about 15 years of prosperity when consumers could presumably easily afford all kinds of healthy food, but average weights still went up. Secondly, for years "cheap" food has been blamed for contributing to obesity. Now, the high cost of food is being blamed for obesity?

Halloween Party photos

Builder Brandon and Jailbreak Jenny.

Pooh Bear and the Bear Hunter.