Law firm has beef with Taco Bell meat

A law firm in Alabama is suing Taco Bell, claming the fast-food restaurant is falsely advertising when it refers to "seasoned ground beef" or "seasoned beef" in its products.

The lawsuit states the meat mixture fails to reach the minimum standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be labeled as "beef."

The class-action lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in the Central District of California by the Montgomery law firm Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles.


Attorney Dee Miles said attorneys had Taco Bell's "meat mixture" tested and found it contained less that 35 percent beef.

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Snow in 49 states

AP Photo
49 of 50 states have snow on the ground today.

As we dig out from another winter snowstorm, you should know that you aren't alone today.

According to the National Weather Service, there is snow on the ground in 49 of 50 states -- including Hawaii, which has 7 inches of snow atop the dormant volcano Mauna Kea on the island of  Hawaii.

The NWS estimates that more than 70 percent of the country is covered in snow. The only state that is snow free is Florida, the Sunshine State.

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Eagles prediction

AP Photo
Eagles QB Michael Vick tries to elude a Green Bay
defender during their game in week 1 of the NFL season.
The Packers won that game, 27-20.

I don't have a good feeling about this game.

In the previous two games that meant anything -- against the Giants and Vikings -- the Eagles played lousy football for 112 of the 120 minutes. Except for those 8 minutes against the Giants, the Birds haven't been able to move the ball, and their offensive line has been a revolving door for opposing defenses as they continue to beat up on QB Michael Vick.

The Packers are playing great defense. I heard this morning that they've allowed only 104 points in this last 9 games, which amounts to a little more than 11 points per game.

Green Bay has a pretty good offense, too. QB Aaron Rodgers is better than anyone the Eagles have faced since Peyton Manning on Nov. 7. The Packers running attack isn't much, but they should be able to throw the ball against a depleted Eagles defense that is having trouble rushing the passer and has depth problems in the secondary. And the Eagles have the worst red-zone defense in recent NFL history.

To win, the Eagles will have to score at least 30 points. I don't see that happening. I hope I'm wrong, but here's the pick:

Green Bay 34, Eagles 24.

Unbe-LEE-vable



In a stunning development, free-agent pitcher
Cliff Lee is returning to the Phillies.

Before heading off to bed Monday night, I went on the computer to see what was going on in the world. Much to my surprise, several sports outlets were reporting that the Phillies had become contenders for prized free agent left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee -- whom the Phillies had traded last December in the blockbuster deal to acquire Roy Halladay.

I shrugged it off, thinking they were just being used by Lee and his agent to drive up the price -- which was pretty high. Lee was already offered a 7-year, $154 million contract from the Yankees, and another significant deal from the Texas Rangers, whom Lee pitched to the World Series in October.

But what's the first thing I see Tuesday morning: that sources were reporting that Lee was returning to the Phillies.

I was stunned.

All indications are that Lee enjoyed his 4 months with the Phillies in 2009. And because of that the Phillies got Lee for a bargain: 5 years, $120 million.

So when the Phillies take the field in 2011, they will have quite the

 poker hand: Four aces. With Halladay, Lee, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, the Phillies have the best starting rotation in baseball. Any of them could be the top guy with any other team; the Phils have all of them.

What it will mean next October, who knows? But if all four pitchers stay healthy, it should be a fun season.

Oh, and if this bitter cold pre-winter weather has you down, spring training starts in just 2 months, on Feb. 13.

The cost of "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

For the 27th year, PNC Wealth Management has estimated the cost of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." And if you wanted to buy the 364 items repeated in the song, that price tag would be close to $100,000.

The total is $96,824, an increase of 10.8 percent over last year, according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management.

The 27th annual holiday index has historically mirrored the national Consumer Price Index, but not this year. The PNC Christmas Price Index grew 9.2 percent from last year, compared with just a 1.1 percent increase in the much broader Consumer Price Index.

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Man says vending machine told him to attack

Here's an odd story out of western Pennsylvania.

According to the Associated Press, a man was arrested on assault charges Tuesday and told police that a vending machine "made him" attack his mother, breaking her wrist.

David Huffman, 33, was jailed after he was unable to post bond.

New Sewickley Township Police Chief Ron Leindecker told the Beaver County Times that Huffman's father said his son was "flipping out" and attacked Ethel Huffman. Police say Huffman claimed "that the Pepsi machine at Costco made him hurt his mother" and he repeatedly apologized for his actions after his arrest.

Spectrum memories

AP Photo
Security workers take a photo of the Spectrum prior to
the building being demolished on Tuesday.

Today, I say farewell to another part of my youth.

More than six years after watching the implosion of Veterans Stadium, a wrecking ball will be sent through The Spectrum as the building once known as "America's Showplace" gets demolished to make room for an entertainment and retail area in the South Philadelphia sports complex.

I don't have as many great memories from The Spectrum as I did from The Vet, but I saw dozens of events there, mostly basketball games. For a stretch covering 16 years, two of the greatest players in NBA history -- first Julius Erving, then Charles Barkley -- called The Spectrum home.

I didn't see a concert at the venue, but I do remember in college taking a trip to The Spectrum to watch a World Wrestling Federation card that featured WWF champion Bob Backlund fighting to retain his belt against Big John Studd.

And on those rare occasions our seats were in the third-level, the smell of marijuana wafting through the air.

There are a handful of moments that standout, but only a few games that are etched in my memory. So here are my top 3 Spectrum memories, in ascending order:

No. 3: Feb. 17, 1979. This was the first -- and only -- Flyers game I saw at The Spectrum. The Flyers were playing the hated New York Rangers when the blade of an errant stick jammed through the eye opening on the mask of Flyers' Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent. Parent's eye was permanently damaged and he had to retire.

No. 2: May 16, 1980. Unfortunately, another negative for the home team. It was Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Sixers and the Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had sprained his ankle in Game 5 and didn't make the trip to Philadephia. So Lakers rookie point guard Magic Johnson volunteered to play center and had one of the best games of his career 42 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists in the Lakers' series-clinching 123-107 victory. It was a tough blow for a soon-to-be 17-year-old kid.

No. 1: March 28, 1992: This one I just watched as a college basketball fan. It was the NCAA East Regional championship between Duke and Kentucky. The seats were great. Fourth row on the floor to the left of one of the baskets. The only thing better than the seats was the game itself. It went into overtime, and with Kentucky leading 103-102 with 2.1 seconds left, Duke's Christian Laettner took a length-of-the-court pass from Grant Hill, dribbled once, turned and fired a shot that hit nothing but net in the basket just feet away from our seats to give Duke an improbable 104-103 victory. Laettner was perfect for the game, shooting 10-for-10 from both the field (including a 3-pointer) and the free-throw line for 31 points. For many experts, it it considered the greatest college basketball game of all time. Duke went on to win the title.

So farewell, Spectrum. And thanks for the memories.