PGA golfer Erik Compton is in contention at the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia.  Yes, he’s playing great golf, but that really doesn’t matter.  Because his is one of the most inspiring stories, not only in sports…. but in life.  Erik is the first person in the world ever to play a professional sport after having had not just one, but TWO heart transplants.  He’s featured in this month’s edition of Real Sports on HBO. Find it.. share it.. enjoy it.

Recently ESPN columnist Rick Reilly traveled to Pamplona to experience the Running of the Bulls, and his actions there evidently caused Yahoo! writer Charles Robinson to have a cow.  He was disgusted that Mr. Reilly swatted bulls with a newspaper, all in the name of writing a column.  “He endangered other runners,” Robinson tweeted.  “He’s why people die.”  Hilarious.  For a second there, I thought that taunting a bunch of 2,500 pound bulls who are running at you down a narrow street….is “why people die.”

There’s that eerie photo of John Lennon signing an album for a guy who would end up killing him later in the evening, Mark David Chapman. Chapman is up for parole yet again, after being on good behavior since 1994. However, even though Yoko Ono is alarmed-as you would expect her to be- the chances of Chapman’s release remain slim.

The head of prisoners’ rights group Correctional Association of America, Robert Gangi says, “Given that he committed a high-profile crime and he killed one of the most famous and most beloved figures literally in the world, it’s highly unlikely three parole commissioners would vote to grant him release.” We will find out August 9th.

Elvin Bishop & Harpo Marx. Harpo played a mean harp, & Elvin plays a mean guitar. He’ll be headlining the NorCal Blues Festival Saturday, Aug 7, at Auburn Regional Park. Gates open at noon…also playing..Zac Harmon, Chris Cain, Sac Blues Revue, & more..win tix this weekend on the Eagle.  While Harpo never spoke (on camera), Elvin speaks quite a bit in his shows…his sense of humor adds another element to to the show.

Bob Dylan is getting ready to release another set of bootlegs as part of his on going series. The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 will feature studio recordings from 1962-64, with Dylan’s 1962 self-titled debut through to 1967’s John Wesley Harding. Eight albums in all redone in mono to capture the original sound of the vinyl. Look for it in October.

When Andres Torres ended the thriller last night with that walk-off hit in the tenth inning, the Giants players rushed out of the dugout and mobbed him.  Why not?  Adrenaline’s pumpin’..  every game is big.  But I worried about “the danger.”  The what?  The danger of these celebrations.  Earlier this season, Kendry Morales hit a game-winning grand slam for the Angels, ecstatically jumped on home plate… and broke his leg.  The other day, Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan shoved a pie in the face of a teammate after a game-winner…. and Coghlan tore up his knee.  I’m with Len Berman. He says, “Teams have been known to ban players from skiing and riding motorcycles.  The Florida Marlins are the first to ban the use of PIE.”

A 60-foot sailboat built largely from 12,500 recycled plastic bottles docked on July 26^th in Syndey Harbor, Australia, after four months crossing  8,000 nautical miles of the Pacific Ocean on a trip meant to raise awareness of the perils of plastic waste.  The designers also wanted to prove that waste can be used as a resource through design and construction. The crew of the Plastiki, named in honor of the original Kon-Tiki voyage in 1947, weathered fierce storms after leaving San Francisco on March 20. The 130-day voyage was reasonably trouble free with the craft standing up well to big seas and strong winds of over 60 knots.  The expedition’s leader, David de Rothschild, said he was inspired by a 2006 United Nations report that said pollution, particularly plastic waste, threatened the world’s oceans. He wanted to prove that trash could be effectively reused. The Plastiki, he said, is powered by solar panels and windmills. An organic glue made of sugar cane and cashews holds the bottles together, and the mast is recycled irrigation pipe.

The craft has been recycled one more time, this time into an exhibit. The “Plastiki” will spend the next month at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

For more green ideas, visit www.onethingsacramento.com

The Cars post a picture on their Facebook Fan Page and it causes a frenzy! Were not talking about the Cars with Todd Rundgren either. Watch my video below for more.

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..maybe the best guitarist you’ve never heard of–kudos if you have. Steve WAS named Best Guitarist for 5 yrs in a row by Guitar Player magazine in the 80’s..and was the founder of the cult fave Dixie Dregs. He also played on a coupla Kansas albums in the late 80’s, and for the last dozen years or so has been with Deep Purple. But as incredible as Steve is on the fretboard, that version of DP feels like a “tribute” band to me.  Steve turns 56 today [7/28]..and about 20 yrs ago, lived in the El Dorado Hills area, occasionally coming to my studio to visit/perform. Besides being a helluva nice guy, he also worked part time as a commercial airline co-pilot. In my view…Steve Morse ranks right up there with the elite guitarists of all time, as far as technical proficiency.  Too bad he’s not even MORE famous…

It hurts to hear about this drunken burglary business. This 79 year old Oscar-nominated actor is one of my all time favorites.  Yeah, he was charged with breaking into a bank with a loaded gun… but he was just confused.  This shouldn’t happen to one of the best character actors of his generation.  He had so many unforgettable roles..   he was the menacing Slade in the Cincinnati Kid.  A quarter-century later, he was Artie in The Larry Sanders Show. Come on, will someone help this guy out?  Let’s make sure prison is for real criminals… like Lindsay Lohan.