Posts from — February 2002

Jimmy's latest interview for Billboard magazine profiles his upcoming album and summer tour. Also detailed in the interview, Russ Titelman (famed producer for my other favorite artist, James Taylor) produced JB's new album. Can't wait for March 19th.

And, for all my DFWBlogs friends, two words: APRIL 25.

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After being told they cannot wear turbans, hundreds of Guantanamo inmates have gone on a hunger strike. I guess not being allowed to wear the turbans wasn't that big of deal when you're suffering from malnutrition, but –now that they're well fed– the "detainees" are getting restless. Figures. Give a mouse a cookie….

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Heather got fired today because of the personal beliefs she expressing on her website (super huge profanity warning). What's interesting is that she never, not once, mentioned her company name or the names (she assigned them hilarious pseudo-names) of any employees. She did, however, complain about her co-workers online.

Initially, I got irate. How could they fire her over her website, I thought indignantly. And then, I really started to think about it. If someone is unhappy in their job and complaining about it online, what are the odds that they are the best worker the company has? Pretty slim. But, in her defense, Heather recounts her firing online and says that her employers asked her several questions about the website.

Who's right and what really happened? Who knows, but I can promise you this, you will NOT hear one negative word about the hotel. Can you get fired for writing about your company online? I don't know, but I'm not going to set off to find out either.

So, if you're looking for the country's number one rated upper-upscale hotel chain, look no further than Westin Hotels & Resorts.

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Seven high school baseball players in a nearby town have been kicked off their baseball team for videotaping unsuspecting passers by picking up dollar bills. Harmless enough. Unbeknownst to the victims, the players had "soiled the dollar bills with feces." And that, dear friends, is why we don't pick up money in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Especially smelly money!

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There's a new movement to ban dodge ball in schools. HBO's Real Sports is running on the efforts tonight. I haven't seen the HBO story, but (surprise) I've got my own opinions.

The mere mention of the word "dodge ball" kinda makes me smile and nod my head reflectively. Ah yes, dodge ball. Talk to just about anyone older than 25 and they have definite memories of dodge ball. Sissies hated dodge ball and jocks thought it was target practice, but for me dodge ball was one of the purest "sports" on the playground.

All dodge ball purists know there's only one real way to play: red playground balls in a closed gym. "Orthodox Dodge ball", if you will. Half the kids on one side of the half-court line and half on the other side. You can run all the way up to half-court and fire at will. Other "pagan" forms of dodge ball involved balls of various sizes, kids running to the free throw line, and other perverted derivations.

Dodge ball was a pure playground sport because, to be good, you didn't have to be the best athlete. But you did need to be quick, smart, and having a decent throw didn't hurt either.

Dodge ball taught you to think on your feet: calculate the velocity and arc of dozens of red playground balls while trying not to get killed by either their flight path or by some other kid running for his life.

Dodge ball taught you to take calculated risks: if you could catch a ball, then the thrower was out. Plus, you could immediately unload on one of the other teams throwers as they retreated. And, there was nothing better than hitting some kid in the feet from behind and watch them go sprawling across the gym floor like Bambi on the frozen pond.

Most importantly, dodge ball taught one of life's most important lessons: sometimes you get a bloody nose, sometimes you don't — but if you want to enjoy life, you've got to get out there and play the game.

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My wife told me tonight that she doesn't want me to stop playing golf. I will have missed four straight weeks after this weekend due to work and other commitments. I wasn't ever considering not playing golf, but how cool is it that she said that?!

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Now you can perform onstage with Britney Spears in her new ??video game??

To make matters worse, looks like it's going to be available for the PC and Gameboy, at least, and maybe for the XBox, Gamecube, and PS2.

In a callback to my previous post, I think I would go into a seizure if I played it!

PLEASE! Someone stop Britney before she takes over the world!

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This is a great site with lots of ideas on how to prank your friends, neighbors, and coworkers. And for the little devil in all of us, they even offer evil pranks (with one caveat - "please, don't even try them)! Visit Planet Wally: Pranks

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Temperature at my house right now (5:02pm): 73 degrees

Tomorrow's forcast: Low 28 degrees

As we say in Texas, "If you don't like the weather, just wait an hour — it'll change."

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OK. Somebody's got to be kidding here. A Texas Death Row inmate wants prosthetic leg. Yes, I do think inmates should have good medical care, but this is a little ridiculous. (Insert liberal voice here)Why? Doesn't an inmate deserve a prosthetic leg? No, because he's scheduled to be executed in about three weeks. Of course this is a waste of money. But the State of Texas can't just say, "No. You can't have an artificial leg because we're going to execute you in about three weeks." So, in the meantime, they are "monitoring an infection" which prevents him from getting a prosthetic leg.

And, equally ridiculous, a mother in Louisiana is suing Nintendo because her son suffered a fatal stroke while playing a game. I've had a Nintendo or Playstation or Atari or whatever for years. Every game you buy has a warning about seizures, so I know that there are warnings. The really ridiculous part? She's suing for her son's lost future earnings. Lady, your 30-year old son lived with his mother and played video games "eight hours a day, six days a week". Is it just me or does anyone doubt there ever would have been lost future earnings for this guy?

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Enough already with the "when are you going to put the other wedding pictures online" whining. Now, everything from pre-ceremony to post-reception is online.Go there, be happy.

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Like most men, I've always thought that Tom Cruise was nothing special. Well, that might be changing as Tom Cruise is getting braces to correct that annoying "asymmetry in the "mid-line" between his upper and lower teeth".

Will we see train-tracks on lil Tommy during his next flicks? "To him, it's no big deal," a spokesman said. But, one caveat, "He'll take them off for movies."

Tom: You're 39. Get over yourself.

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YAHOOTIE! I've been chosen to get my very own lOggy! In my opinion, this is definitely akin to an academy award or golden globe for weblogs. Check me out:

Thank you SO MUCH to the lOggy for this great honor. I will show it with pride.

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Questions courtesy of Friday Five:

1. Hey, baby, what's your sign? Do you think it fits you pretty well?
Gemeni. I don't believe in all that, but yeah - I think it fits me. I have (at least!) two sides to my personality.

2. What's the worst birthday gift you've ever received?
I don't recall any terrible gifts. Sometimes I get things that I can't (or won't) use, but I can generally return them. No one ever seems to get too upset about it. I guess I'm lucky.

3. What's the best birthday gift you've ever received?
Again, I don't know. Merrin gives great gifts. My mom & both mother-in-laws actually are good gift givers too. Merrin got me concert tickets one year, and that was awesome. I think we got one another Buffett tickets one year, too.

4. What's the best way you've celebrated your birthday thus far?
I'm a homebody. I like just having everybody together. Merrin & I celebrate our birthdays together since they're one day apart. I think just being with everyone is the best way to celebrate. And drinking, lot's of drinking.

5. What are your plans for this weekend?
I'm gonna scour the internet and try to find out the correct time to plant some bushes in our back yard. I also plan on doing some home repairs and working on a couple of internet sites for clients. And, if now is the right time to plant, I guess I'll be digging some holes this weekend. Hope your weekend turns out great, too!

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Spring can't be too far away because Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is out. I'm only going to link to this *ONE TIME* so check it out now if you're going to!

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