Shep's New Drink

Jim Beam and Soda?

Fill cocktail glass with ice. Pour in 1-1/2 parts of Jim Beam® Bourbon and fill the glass with soda. If you want, add a twist of lemon.

Digging this on Derby day.

Song of the Day: Exhibit A by Jay Electronica

Life is like a dice game.

Obama Makes It Rain

Ann Arbor looks so miserable right now.

The Best 2 Minutes In Sports

The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow. I've been watching the Kentucky Derby for probably 10 years now. Every single year, I have spent more time evaluating the horses. Last year was the first time I actually handicapped the race. My picks looked good until Mine That Bird, a 50-1 long shot, pipped Pioneer of the Nile. I did not want the same thing happening again. I have poured hours into watching the competitors of the Derby. I have poured hours into studying their strengths, weaknesses, their kryptonite.

It's interesting because a lot of these horses have gone head to head in the past. For example, Lookin At Lucky and Nobles Promise have gone head to head many times, with the former coming on top pretty much every time. Sidney's Candy has owned a lot of horses as well. That's why they're the two favorites. They also have the two most controversial starting positions. I have strong concerns for Lookin At Lucky starting at the poll. When he was beaten by Sidney's Candy at the Santa Anita Derby, he was along the rail and cut off. He never recovered, placing only 3rd. He is a very good horse though, especially considering he's always placed. Sidney's Candy has won every race except for his first race. These two are the horses I like the most.

Super Saver appears to be the betting favorite, but I see him more as a pace setter that will challenge for a place. I think he lacks the breakaway speed on the home stretch to win the Derby. A few pacy horses that I like, but don't think will win are Conveyance, Jackson Bend, and Mission Impazible. These are all horses with dosage index numbers above 4. No horse with a rating above 4 has won the Derby since 1929. I also was pretty quick to write off the turf horses like Make Music for Me and Paddy O'Prado. The filly, Devil May Care, also should not compete, especially considering she has not faced off against male horses before.

Here's my opinion of all the horses:
Lookin At Lucky - A very good horse, he owns Nobles Promise and Make Music For Me - Contender
Ice Box - Lack breakaway speed - Pretender
Nobles Promise - Owned by Lookin At Lucky, don't expect this to be any different - Pretender
Super Saver - Pace setter? Will challenge for a place - Contender
Line of David - Won Arkansas Derby by a head, but is untested. He has fight. - Unproven
Stately Victor - Many mediocre starts - No
American Lion - Around the lead, but lacks breakaway speed - Pretender
Deans Kitten - Mediocre horse - No
Make Music For Me - I don't like turf horses - No
Paddy O'Prado - See above - No
Devil May Care - Filly - No
Conveyance - Pace setter, might be better suited for Pimlico - No
Jackson Bend - Dosage over 4 - No
Mission Impazible - Dosage over 4 - No
Discreetly Mine - Overlooked? - Dark horse
Awesome Act - I think one of the first things I wrote was I don't like Awesome Act - No
Dublin - Has not won a race in a while - No
Backtalk - Could struggle with a field of this size, but might be overlooked - Dark horse
Homeboykris - Has not performed when challenged - No
Sidney's Candy - I think SC is the best horse in this race - Contender

Keep an eye on which jockey is the most successful tomorrow.

I like Sidney's Candy, Lookin at Lucky, and Super Saver as my contenders. I have Backtalk and Discreetly Mine as my dark horses. I think most of all though, I will like Mint Juleps.

Obama in the morning, Derby in the afternoon? Should be a great Saturday.

Chaos in Arizona

The new immigration law that Arizona recently instituted has caused much controversy. Now, an officer was shot:

A Pinal County Sheriff's deputy was shot in the stomach Friday after a traffic stop on Interstate 8, according sheriff's officials.

Authorities said the deputy was shot by a suspected undocumented immigrant and other suspects were being sought.

They need to get this under control as soon as possible.

April in the D

This is Detroit:

Detroit -- A 2-year-old girl shot by a 4-year-old boy in a house in Detroit is in critical condition today.

It makes me sick that this kind of stuff happens in the world. I was just in Detroit yesterday. The city and the things that go on in it have become a joke.

Not Your Ordinary Spill

Song of the Day: Feelin' Blue

A beautiful day out. You know what that means. Gotta break out the Creedence.

All Kinds of Awesome: Fulham In Europa Final

Simon Davies's goal is pure class.

Mourinho Owns The Camp Nou

What a remarkable man.

Commencement: Officially a Maize Out

Dress in your Maize for commencement. I want the whole stadium to be Maized out. If not, the terrorists have won.

Down With The Obamanation!

Okay, so I'm going to commencement now. I have tickets. Yay.

Live blogging? If they'll let me.

Song of the Day: Fatal by Pearl Jam

I love the guitars in this song. Eddie Vedder is OKAY.

Obamination

I woke up early today (Morning is early). Shook off a hangover. Brushed my teeth. I was going to see Obama. Well, I was going to get tickets to see Obama. Then I remembered that I was at Michigan. I go to a school of a bunch of liberal hippies. And they all suck. There was a huge line going down State Street, as far as the eye could see. I sort of knew that this was the line to see the President, but I just walked past them. There were people...inside...who had camped out...they were still sleeping. That's when I had a realization. I go to school with a bunch of liberals. Too many infact. I had had it.

Barack, why are you so popular? Michigan has the highest unemployment in the union and yet you still are popular amongst our student population. People called you out of touch with the American public. Perhaps it's the American public who is out of touch with America?

Bottom line: Fuck this school.

Real line: I've seen Obama speak before. Who cares.

I don't have time for lines. I'm home. I'm blogging. I'm sleeping.

Song of the Day: Shine on You Crazy Diamond performed by Roger Waters

It's been stuck in my head the last few days, so why shouldn't it be stuck in yours?

Roger Waters has announced that he will be playing the entire The Wall album on his next tour. Yeah, I cover everything.

Senate PISSED at Goldman

This is mildly funny.

And Now You May Go

Those were the famous words that Virgil Sollozzo said to Tom Hagen in The Godfather Part I after telling him to convince Sonny to go along with the narcotics business that he proposed. Today, another Tom Hagen will be released; Thomas Hagen, the assassin of Malcolm X was paroled today:

Thomas Hagan, the only man who admitted his role in the 1965 assassination of iconic black leader Malcolm X, was paroled Tuesday.

While controversy surrounds someone who took part in the assassination of such an iconic leader, Hagen has done his part in prison and earned the right to his freedom:

To win his release, Hagan was required to seek, obtain and maintain a job, support his children and abide by a curfew. He must continue to meet those conditions while free. He told the parole board he's worked the same job for the past seven years. He told the New York Post in 2008 he was working at a fast-food restaurant.

Others feel that Hagen should spend the rest of his life in prison:

"I personally find it strange that for a couple decades any person convicted in the assassination of such an iconic figure would be allowed such leniency," Ramadan said.

That's Zead Ramadan, Board Chairmen of The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center. However, it appears that Hagen has the right mindset:

"My focus is to maintain my family and to try to make things a little better for them. It's upward mobility, and to encourage my children to complete their education because it's a must."

History must move on.

Song of the Day: Brain Stew by Green Day

I hate the band, but this pretty much sums up how I feel today:

Going After Goldman

Isn't it the responsibility of a company to make money? I will have more on this later, when I am more bored.

Hollywood Saved

Hugh Hefner helped save the Hollywood sign:

(Reuters) - Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner on Monday donated the last $900,000 sought by a conservation group for a land purchase needed to save the famed vista of the Hollywood sign from being spoiled by development.

Probably the most iconic landmark in the Los Angeles area.

Weather Delay: Oil Clean Up

This is not good with the rig leaking a lot of oil every day.

Idiot of the Day: Tito Ortiz

Tito Ortiz was just arrested for domestic violence:

We're told when cops arrived at the couple's home in Huntington Beach, CA -- Jenna Jameson had "visible injuries."

Keep the fighting in the Octagon and not in your home Tito. Idiot.

Sure to Be Blown Out of Proportion

This is sure to be blown out of proportion, pun intended:

NEW ORLEANS — Coast Guard officials said Monday afternoon that the oil spill near Louisiana is now covering more than 1,800 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico, and they have been unable to engage a mechanism that could shut off the well thousands of feet below the water’s surface.

You know environmentalists will capitalize on this.

This is Hilarious: Boobquake

I don't need to say anything:

Boobquake, a day of action that calls on women worldwide to dress scandalously and prove wrong an Iranian cleric who blames natural disasters on immodest cleavage, has started disastrously, news.com.au reported Monday.

Looking around, and I'm not really seeing the cleavage.

Song of the Day: Can't You See by The Marshall Tucker Band

I usually have a song that I listen too much every day. Yesterday, it was "California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & The Papas. I want to bring music to the people. This is a great song.

Hamas Shalit Video

Just watch.

The Immigration Issue: Arizona

I can't say I have developed a solid opinion on illegal immigration. Obviously, these people come to America seeking opportunity. This is what America is about. Their home countries are oppressive or poor. However, they are doing this by illegal means. I would love some thought shed on this issue.

Tornado Terrorizes Mississippi

Probably not the best idea to sit in a car and tape it.

America: The Story of Us

You should probably be watching this show right now.

New GM Commercials

I feel like these new commercials from GM seem more honest than I've ever seen from a car company.

Our Future is Occluded

Ann Arbor is getting murdered by that occluded front.