Frank Vincent Zappa : 12/20/1940-12/4/1993

Over the span of his 30+ year career, he released nearly 60 albums-each one far ahead of its time. He managed to provoke, offend, engage, and enlighten. His music ranged from short, poppy tunes to ambitious, elaborate, and technically challenging compositions-including symphonic pieces recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. He challenged the establishment at every opportunity-see his testimony before Congress. Even now, fourteen years after his premature death from prostate cancer, he continues to inspire. For your listening pleasure, click "play" below for one of my personal FZ favorites.

I knew I was on to something.

From the BBC:

The old advertising slogan "Guinness is Good for You" may be true after all, according to researchers.

A pint of the black stuff a day may work as well as an aspirin to prevent heart clots that raise the risk of heart attacks.

Drinking lager does not yield the same benefits, experts from University of Wisconsin told a conference in the US.

Guinness were told to stop using the slogan decades ago - and the firm still makes no health claims for the drink.

The Wisconsin team tested the health-giving properties of stout against lager by giving it to dogs who had narrowed arteries similar to those in heart disease.

They found that those given the Guinness had reduced clotting activity in their blood, but not those given lager.

Clotting is important for patients who are at risk of a heart attack because they have hardened arteries.

A heart attack is triggered when a clot lodges in one of these arteries supplying the heart.

Many patients are prescribed low-dose aspirin as this cuts the ability of the blood to form these dangerous clots.

The researchers told a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, Florida, that the most benefit they saw was from 24 fluid ounces of Guinness - just over a pint - taken at mealtimes.

They believe that "antioxidant compounds" in the Guinness, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for the health benefits because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls.

So there you have it, folks. Scientifically proven. Read the full article here.

Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs win!

Ladies and gentlemen...your NL Central leaders, the Chicago Cubs.

That is all.