I'll throw something down fairly quickly before I go catch Star Wars. I actually got a haircut today and everything. Stacy is about the only ex-girlfriend that I actually try to go out of my way to look especially presentable for. I'm not sure why that is, maybe because she always look nice, but I wouldn't go through the preps for any other ex, that's for sure.

I go to the hood to get my haircut. Or at least the Central Florida version of the hood. Not sure why I do, it costs more and there's a greater chance of my car getting jacked, but I also feel closer to the community. I sit in the barbershop, listen to all the gossip. My barber has always got issues with women, bills or church. And he's usually fresh off of getting robbed every time I go in.

However I enjoy sitting there, I'm a celebrity there. My columns hang up on the wall and I can discuss sports with all the patrons. Like my co-worker says, your credibility hangs in the community. People see you out in the places where they are and they respect you. And he's right, I truly enjoy talking sports with the people of the neighborhood. It makes for a nice two hours.

****

My cousin just got sentenced to three years in prison, I haven't talked to him since my grandmother died in 1997. He was apparently running around with a minor so he's got three years in the pokey (18 months until he's eligible for parole), 5 years of probation upon his release and he'll have to register as a sex offender. The good news is the prison is near another one of my aunts, so he'll have an occasional visitor.

I feel bad for his mother though, my Aunt Ida. She's one of my favorite aunts and it's really torn her apart because...well because I guess it's her favorite son. I need to send her a card or call or something. I couldn't imagine being a parent and seeing your son/daughter be cuffed and sent to jail. I'm sure it's something one would never forget.

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McDonald's is updating it's look right here.

And not everyone's happy about it.

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Even though I haven't seen Star Wars yet, one thing is for certain. Hayden Christensen's acting will not be good. However there is hope for the young man.

Hayden Christiansen has corroborated suspicions that "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" is a stealth missile aimed at the White House. Anakin Skywalker admitted to an interviewer that he "wouldn't mind giving George Bush a good shaking with my light-saber."

So the Republicans have Ron Silver as their shitty actor publicist and the Dems have Christensen. Seems fair.

****

BTW if any of you are looking into giving your home or home office a major makeover, check out this site.

Getting Things Organized [Link]

That's a pretty nice job.

****

Well time to go, may the force be w....nah that's way too lame. Have a good weekend kids. And Go Mets!

Hmm only a few hours before I watch the final Star Wars. Only thing I've seemed to hear is that Jar Jar Binks has a large role and doesn't get killed....Great.

Funny political things out there.

First and foremost Sen. Rick Santorum calls all Democrats Nazis. Yes, that should really get those filibuster compromises together. What is he thinking? Nah, don't answer that. He's not thinking at all when he says things like this:

"It's the equivalent of Adolf Hitler in 1942." He said Democratic protests over Republican efforts to ensure confirmation votes would be like the Nazi dictator seizing Paris and then saying: "I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me? How dare you bomb my city? It's mine."

Hmm strange guy. He and DeLay actually make me miss the days of Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole.

Santorum Goes Crazy [AP]


More Funny: This would be especially funny if the guy saying it wasn't the president:

"And that's why I'm talking about Social Security. And the debate has only just begun. (Applause.) But I believe the side of reform is going to prevail, because the American people now are beginning to realize we have a serious problem when it comes to Social Security. And that problem begins with people like me. "

Well if you can't be honest with your people in the RNC, who can you be honest with.

Bush Transcript at RNC Gala [White House]


100 Days And ??: There's a good piece in the USA Today on the DNC and RNC chairs and their methods of dealing with their specific parties. DNC chair Howard Dean will hit his 100-day mark this week.

What's the big deal about 100 days?

I mean it was one thing for FDR, but for the most part what's so important about the first 100 days. I'm serious, I've never had this properly explained to me why the first 100 are so much more important than the next 1,330?

One Expands, One Shores Up [USA Today]

Although I'm eager to see the movie, I can't get into the big Star Wars craze. Sorry to say that between Jar Jar Binks and the special, one-of-a-kind, non-chemistry acting display between Portman and Christensen in Attack of the Clones, I originally didn't feel that Lucas needed to bother with capping off this pile of crap.

But no one really listens to me and maybe that's a good thing in this case because some of the early reviews seem to be good. Steven Spielberg saw it and cried, maybe because he realized that War of the Worlds is going to get destroyed at the box office and Kevin Smith also loved it a little too much. Of course he thought Jersey Girl was a good movie.

Nonetheless I know Stephanie and Adam will beat the rush to catch this flick early. I'm actually going to watch it Friday night with my ex-girlfriend at a cinema in Tampa that promises no "strange or inappropriate attire" will be acceptable. Thank god.

However, since I don't care about spoilers and I really care what most of you think, I want to know what you think of it. You can just say you loved it or you can go in depth. You have my full permission to do spoilers or even translate the whole fucking script in the comments. I could care less. I already know the jist of the story.

So as you hit the theaters and return let me know if the Sith is the Shit...Please :)

And for your reading pleasure, tons o' links.

Long Wait Ends for Sith Fans [AP]
With Sith, Lucas' Empire Strikes Back [CSM]
Tale From the Darth Side [Boston Globe]
Star Wars: Darth Lite [Washington Post]
Revenge Served: Jedi Style [Vancouver Sun]
Welcome to the Dark Side [Chicago Tribune]
The Redemption of George Lucas [NPR]
Ebert Gives It 3.5 Stars [Chicago Sun-Times]
Star Wars on Track for Record Opening [NYT]
Some Surprises in that Galaxy Far, Far Away [NYT]
Star Wars Licensed to Make Killing [Reuters]

Blogs haven't taken over the world just yet.

Charting the discussion of issues during the 2004 presidential campaign, the study found political blogs -- online opinion and information sites -- played a similar, but not greater role, as the mainstream media in "creating buzz" around the candidates' campaigns.

The study dispels the notion that blogs are replacing traditional media as the public's primary source of information, said Michael Cornfield, a senior research consultant at Pew.

"Bloggers follow buzz as much as they make it," said Cornfield. "Our research uncovered a complicated dynamic in which a hot topic of conversation could originate with the blogs or it could originate with the media or it could originate with the campaigns.

"We can say that if people still have that idea that the bloggers are the new fifth estate, that the bloggers are the new kingmakers, that's not the case."

This is good for the moment and another reason for those of us in the print business to use the growing blog nation for our own benefit. There are some papers that are doing it and with the New York Times joining such a fad, it means that the print media hasn't yet fallen behind the times.

Study: Blogs Haven't Displaced Media [CNN]
Blogging as in Slogging [NYT]
The Annotated New York Times [Homepage]

And coming down the runway, Boba Fett and Princess Leia are showing up the Sith's new swimwear line.

Interesting health-care story as many companies are looking into raising the costs of health benefits for workers who don't take better care of themselves.

Overweight? It'll cost you.

Smoking? It'll cost you.

Weyco founder Harold Weyers told workers they had 15 months to quit smoking or they would lose their jobs as of Jan. 1, 2005. Weyco provided whatever smoking-cessation programs employees wanted, including hypnosis and accupuncture, Weyers said. But in the end, four employees chose smoking over their jobs.

Interesting. Now Michigan law covers discrimination against race, sex, weight and height, but smokers are left out in the cold.

Even GM says that the 26% of its workforce considered "obese" cost an extra $1,500/person to cover with insurance.

I hope more companies go Weyers route as he offers basketball, Weight watchers, pilates and other forms of wellness to encourage his employees to go a safer route. In the end, both employee and employer win.

Workers Unhealthy Habits Could Cost Them [Detroit Free-Press]

Bend, Oregon seems to be a sad place. In this town the exercise of hugging has been banned at Sky View middle school with known huggers receiving detention.

All middle schools in Bend-La Pine restrict hugging, to some degree, not to mention hand-holding and some other forms of physical affection. School administrators explain the law of their land as a means to enforce appropriate behavior in a public place.

"Really, all we're trying to do is create an environment that's focused on learning, and learning proper manners is part of that," said Dave Haack, the principal of Cascade Middle School.

Once again this is a group of people that need to be made fun of. I understand the need to get sex out of the middle schools, but hugging? That's just moronic. If the school board in bumfuck Bend want to focus on learning, improve the school's cirriculum.

Some Question Hug Ban [Bend Bulletin]
Hugging Ban Sparks Dispute at Oregon School [AP]