…Be6!!!

On October 17, 1956 Donald Byrne and Robert James Fischer sat down for a game of chess. What they did not realize is that that battle of the minds that was to ensue was to be dubbed by many as “The Game of the Century.”

Byrne, 26, was one of the top American Chess Masters at that time. He would go on to represent American in three Olympiads, and would earn the status of International Master.

Little Bobby Fischer was 13.

The fact that a child was able to defeat one of the top players in the country would be astounding enough, if it wasn’t for the fashion in which he was victorious. This youngster had both the foresight and the tenacity to offer up his most powerful piece on the board for sacrifice, in order for the opportunity to engage in the whirlwind attack that was to follow.

Fischer would go on to win the U.S. Open the following year and would achieve Grandmaster Status at the age of 15½ - the youngest player to do so. In an era of Soviet World Dominance, spanning about a half century, Fischer won the World Championship in 1972 against Boris Spassky, thus creating another bastion with which to defend the American ego against the onslaught of the Soviet machine.

After that match, Fischer not only failed to defend his title, but he withdrew from society and didn’t play chess for another 20 years.

Fischer Died yesterday at age 64. He was one of the brightest, most controversial, and least understood people to have lived in our lifetime.

r.i.p.

…Eleven, Twelve!

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present to you what I believe to be the feel good video clip of your lifetime (at least for the Sesame Street generation).

I vividly remember watching the various Pinball Number Countdown animations as a child. There was something profoundly satisfying about these shorts. I’m not sure if it was music (sang by the Pointer Sisters), the trippy psychedelic animation, or the fact that, with my basic feel  for kinetics,  I couldn’t figure out how the pinball stayed on that spiral down ramp.

Having not seen this in years, I obviously have a different perspective on it. I tend to pay more attention the music now - which, as it turns out, is quite good (you gotta love a jazz steel drum solo). Aside from the Pointer’s performance, it was arranged by Ed Bogas who as scored music for hundreds of shows including Charlie Brown, Garfield, and Betty Boop.

Ok. Without further ado, the Pinball Number Countdown:

New faces at Ben Co.

For those of you who may not have noticed, Ben Co. has had the dubious honor of adding two new contributors to our swelling ranks. Please extend a warm welcome to Senior Reporter Jimsey and Lil’ Cub Reporter Humberto (Don’t worry, Humberto, you’ll be promoted soon).

We’ll also be instituting graphic bylines so that you can tell who’s writing the post more easily, thus avoiding directing your rage at the wrong individual. The bylines will look like this:

Both Jimsey and Humberto bring some terrific qualities to Ben Co., including the ability to spend inordinate amounts of time researching random and often pointless topics with great passion, climbing on those high horses that are all over the place at Ben Co., and making me giggle.  Find out more at the Ben Co. Authors page.

Heck, what more could you ask for?

Don’t Pay Your Taxes!

Smell that?

Yeah, it’s a fresh new year! The resolutions have been made, the fresh starts have begun, and the auld acquaintances have been forgot. (I should really look into the meaning of those lyrics one of these years…)

Not to mention we’ve got the war on terror, the caucusing, and the piggy-bank burglars to keep us distracted. (I’ll let someone else report on that last one.)

But I’m not here to talk about any of that.

Very shortly, we Americans should begin to get our W-2s in the mail. Now, I sincerely hope that each and every one of you has a big fat refund on the way, but if not, fret not. I have a solution for you.

DON’T PAY YOUR TAXES!