Entries from January 2007 ↓

I’ve long found Democratic Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware to be a pompous man with a tedious communication style - and he’s never met a camera or a microphone that he didn’t like - alot. Today, he announced his candidacy for the 2008 Presidential race.

The New York Observer published an article where Biden described Senator Barack Obama, the Illinois Democrat running for president, as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”

Did I say that out loud? Yes, Joseph - you did. OOPS!

I can hear the campaign train coming off the track now. And it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving candidate.

What do you want to bet he still hasn’t found any humility? Read more and you’ll quickly see - nope, he’s still the same arrogant snot he’s always been.

I’m not pro-Obama. I’m not pro or con anything political. I’m not political at all, but idiots make me crazy no matter where they’re found. Unfortunately, the government employs an extremely high percentage of them. Biden has served in the U.S. Senate since 1973. Further proving, I suppose, that people would rather re-elect a known idiot than risk learning a new idiot.

The Eagles are believed to be Joe Walsh, Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy B. Schmidt. And they are not finished yet although Henley thinks they may kill each other before they get their next record finished.

While playing a private concert this past Saturday in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Henley said, “It’s coming out in 60 to 90 days, if we don’t kill each other first.”

The group disbanded in 1982, but reunited in 1994 for a farewell tour that also featured original member Don Felder. They appeared together again in 1998 with past members Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Now, Henley and the Eagles aren’t talking or answering questions about the release. Who will play on it? Will they tour?

I guess we’ll have to wait 2-3 months to find out. Or we’ll be reading about the death of some famous members if they do indeed kill each other first.

Separated only by 32 years, Billy Joel (who I think will turn 57 this year) is releasing a song about his new wife (they married two years ago) who is about 25. Katie Lee Joel is a culinary person. She has worked as a food reviewer and is currently writing about the culinary craft. I hear she’s got a book soon to be released.

She’s quite pretty. Why should we expect anything else - Christie Brinkley was (and still is) no slouch. Billy just keeps getting younger at the wife position. Katie Lee is his third.

The song is entitled, “All My Life” and Joel claims it’s the only pop song he’s finished since his 1993 release of “River of Dreams.” The new song will be available February 20th. However, you can see and hear Joel sing the national anthem at Sunday’s SuperBowl.

Billy Joel is obviously much more than the Piano Man.

“I try to write my books so the reader can’t put them down,” Sheldon explained in a 1982 interview. “I try to construct them so when the reader gets to the end of a chapter, he or she has to read just one more chapter. It’s the technique of the old Saturday afternoon serial: Leave the guy hanging on the edge of the cliff at the end of the chapter.”

Sidney Sheldon, who enjoyed very successful careers in cinema, theatre, and later television before turning to fiction and becoming a spectacularly popular novelist, died in Los Angeles following complications from pneumonia. He was 89.

Sheldon, who was born in Chicago in 1917, wrote and sold his first written work at age 10. He won the Academy Award for best original screenplay of 1947 for “The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer“, staring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Shirley Temple. His other screenwriting hits included Easter Parade, Annie Get Your Gun, Jumbo and Anything Goes.

With the advent of TV he hit big with “I Dream of Jeannie”, which he created, produced and wrote. The show ran between 1965 and 1970.

It was at this stage, aged 50, that Sheldon turned his hand to another new challenge: writing books. “During the last year of I Dream of Jeannie, I decided to try a novel,” he said in 1982. “Each morning from nine until noon, I had a secretary at the studio take all calls. I mean every single call. I wrote each morning - or rather, dictated - and then I faced the TV business.”

The result was The Naked Face, which was scorned by book reviewers but went on to sell some 3.1 million copies. Other Sheldon’s novels - including Rage of Angels, The Other Side of Midnight, Master of the Game and If Tomorrow Comes - reached bestseller status.

His first wife, Joria Curtright Sheldon, died in 1985. He is survived by his second wife, Alexandra Kostoff, a daughter and two grandchildren.

I confess that about 20 years ago I got hooked on Sheldon’s work. I read many of his novels and found his life as a writer fascinating. His accomplishments always amazed me. He was a gifted story teller and I’ll miss his work.

Ken Dryden is synonymous with hockey goaltending. He was 258-57-74 with 46 shutouts and a 2.24 goals-against-average in 397 regular season games. Oh, yeah. He also had six Stanley Cups from 1971-79 to go with his five Vezina trophies as the league’s best goalie. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Not a shabby career.

This picture is the pose he’s most known for. He is 6′ - 4″ so he was quite an imposing figure in his day. He would be today, too.

Montreal retired his #29 last night. On hand along with family and friends were some special people - former head coach Al MacNeil and fellow goaltenders Vladislav Tretiak and Dave Dryden, Ken’s brother. On March 20, 1971, in a game between the Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens, Dave faced his brother Ken, the only time in the history of the NHL that brothers have opposed each other as goalies. At the end of the game, the two brothers shook hands at center ice, a tradition normally saved for the playoffs. They reacted that scene last night.

“If anybody has a visual image of me, it’s standing, leaning on my stick, watching, waiting, not doing anything,” Dryden told the capacity crowd of 21,273.

“That was pretty much what the 1970s was about. That, and a whole lot of Stanley Cups.”

There are some wonderful photographs of Dryden here.

And there is another good story of the evening reported here.

His hockey career is remarkable, but his accomplishments extended well beyond the ice. He has been involved in politics, President of the Maple Leafs and he authored four books including the best hockey book ever written, “The Game.”

By the way, the Habs beat the Ottawa Senators 3-1 in the game, which was delayed 90 minutes with the ceremony.

Well, not really. I don’t even own a gun, much less a bullet-proof vest. And I sure don’t know how to get GPS on a cell phone. I don’t think my Motorola phone has that capability. However, this morning I felt like Jack. I often feel like Jack, but normally it’s not Bauer.

The morning commute in the north Texas area is always predictably heavy. This morning it was slightly worse than normal as I found myself behind an early 90’s model Lincoln Town Car. The white car was from Michigan. The rear bumper was missing lots of paint. There was a cell phone antenna base mounted on the rear window, but there was no antenna attached. The car had seen better days. Inside were 3 men - two in the front, one in the back. Mounted on the dash was a GPS mapping device. The driver was on a cell phone. The men were not from around here. They may not have been from Michigan either. They were men from a different culture. And my imagination went to work - I became Jack Bauer.

It was curious to me that a car in this condition, from the other side of the country, would be fighting metro rush hour traffic, with a missing cell antenna - but with a GPS device on the dash. The driver was talking on the cell phone for awhile. He then handed it to the man in the back seat - no doubt the man who was arming the bomb. I warned you that my imagination went to work. I never claimed it was honorable work.

As we drove I continued to wonder about their story. Where were they going? Had they just arrived into town? Why were they here? We don’t often see Michigan car plates here in Texas.

Traffic finally opened up a bit and they got over into the far right hand lane to exit. I passed them and noticed - sure enough - these boys weren’t from around here. They exited and I continued to drive to work. But I did remember their license number. What do I plan to do with it? Nothing. Just remember it. And wait. When news comes down later today that something in the area has blown up, I may call the authorities and tell them what I saw.

Did these men do anything to rouse my suspicions? Of course. They entered my space. They made themselves visible to me. They looked different from me. Their car didn’t quite match my image of a vehicle worthy of an on dash GPS device. Besides, we all know trouble travels in threes. These three men clearly had terror on their mind. They must have! I’m Jack Bauer.

I’m ordering my Glock 9mm and vest right now. Fed Ex Overnite.

(Okay, Jack doesn’t sport a Glock, but you get the point. Go here to see all the Jack Bauer gear.)

Microsoft’s Windows Vista will be released for sale tonight. PC users everywhere are insanely anxious for this latest product from the Bill Gates’ empire. I’m a Mac user from way back - so I could care less. Perhaps Vista will have a different color screen of death other than that standard blue one. Maybe Microsoft will let you set the screen color you prefer - like Vomit Green, Dung Brown or Urine Yellow. Yes, my opinion of Windows is quite low. Not Microsoft - just Windows. I’m not the Microsoft hater that many are - take away Office and I’d be lost!

Microsoft says, “The WOW starts now.” No, the wow started years ago when people discovered how awful Windows was. In fact, years ago I said, “WOW! I can’t believe anybody would prefer this over a Mac.”

Bring on Leopard - the forthcoming Apple OS due this Spring.

Daniel Tammet, an Englishman with a brilliant mind, was featured on 60 Minutes last night. Click here to visit his official website.

Like many other viewers I’m interested in reading this book. Today, it has risen to the number one seller on Amazon. The title may confuse you, but Mr. Tammet explained that he sees color. Numbers are colors to him. So, the date of his birth appears blue.

In over 5 hours he was able to recall pi to 22,514 decimal places - a memory feat without parallel. However, he told Morley Safer that once the interview ended he would not be able to recall Morley’s face. He’s stressed to visit the beach because he’s compelled to count the sand. What seems incredible also has a variety of curses. What it does show is how fantastic the human mind is - and it causes us all to wonder what potential exists that we’re unable to unlock. Wouldn’t finding the key to such incredible mind power be wonderful IF you could harness it without the compulsions that can derail such minds?

Mr. Tammet is believed to be the only self-sufficient and articulate savant. It was a remarkable interview and he’s a remarkable story.

After a long ordeal following a broken leg, Barbaro was put down this morning. The odds for recovery were never high, but kudos to the Pennsylania vet medicine team for helping the horse make it this long. Odds are never good for an animal that spends 90% of his time standing.

I have no interest in horse racing or gambling, but I was sad when I saw the injury. I’m sad now. Proof that life (and death) are not fair. Bad things happen to good people - and good animals. And some things - perhaps many things - are beyond our control.

Life continues.

“I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.” - Lloyd Dobler

I know some folks who share Lloyd’s ambitions. The character, played by John Cusack, appeared in Cameron Crowe’s “Say Anything.” It’s a funny line in a movie. It’s not that funny when it’s real life - for somebody. It’s downright depressing when it’s real life - for YOU.

Conversations with people who are looking for meaningful employment often end up going like this, “Well, I know I don’t want to ____________________. And I don’t want to _______________. And I’d rather not __________________.” Like Lloyd, many people seem to know what they DON’T want. Knowing what they DO want is much tougher though.

Maybe that’s the key. Find out what you DO want - not what you DON’T want. That’s likely wise advice for any pursuit.