This Is The Last Time . . .

. . . I videotape my date after a night out. (Video link)

I Can't Get This Out Of My Mind

Pat Tillman, the NFL player who went off to Afghanistan, only to be shot dead by friendly fire, is having his death investigated again by the federal government.

Few people are aware of his very classy brother's remarks at his funeral:

Thanks Pat. [toasting him with a glass of Guiness beer] I didn't write [S Bomb deleted] because I'm not a writer. I'm not just going to sit here and break down on you. But thanks for coming. Pat's a [F Bomb deleted] champion and always will be. Just make no mistake, he'd want me to say this: He's not with God. He's [F Bomb deleted] dead. He's not religious. So, thanks for your thoughts, but he's [F Bomb deleted] dead.

Very touching.

Young People Today

Oscar Opening

If you want to see the opening bit of the Academy Awards, it is available here. (The funny stuff is halfway through).

I Missed Natalie Portman on SNL This Weekend

Say What?

One thing I left out of my very boring Oscar review (below) was Crash producer Cathy Schulman, at the very end of the show, thanking "my husband, my wife, and the rest of my family." I'm trying to figure that one out.

Get Those Bad Tumblers Away From My Daughter!

I love this controversy in Southlake: The varsity [cheerleading] squad has 32 members, up from 25 last year. Varsity cheerleaders are expected to be proficient in tumbling, gymnastics and synchronized cheers. The drama began during tryouts in December when only 14 students earned scores high enough to be on the team, far fewer than in previous years. Parents of some of the students not chosen complained, saying that the scoring was flawed. In response, district officials decided that anyone who tried out could be on the team. So some parents of the original 14 filed a grievance Jan. 27, arguing that only girls with passing scores should be on the squad. Terri Keene, whose sophomore daughter was among the 14, said the district unfairly bowed to pressure.

New Car Crash Tests

"BMW, Lexus at the top in crash tests" Hey, what about the rest of us?

Random Oscar Thoughts . . .

. . . as I may be the only one that watches the show: - The opening of former Oscar hosts explaining why they weren't available was funny (especially Billy Crystal and Chris Rock sticking their heads out of a Brokeback-Mountian-like tent exclaiming they were "busy".) - Jon Stewart was funny, but seems uncomfortable. Then again, that is one tough audience. - George Clooney's acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor made me laugh when he began "I guess this means I won't win Best Director" - a gig at the Academy for compensating an actor with a win when they overlook him in a different category. - Clooney also was the first to become political - taking a shot at those that call Hollywood "out of touch", by pointing out that Hollywood also was the first to champion civil rights. - The funny video clip of Tom Hanks explaining how the Academy limits the length of accepted speeches was not funny at all. - Ben Stiller showed up in a "green suit" to demonstrate the marvel of technical effects. It was stooopid but made me giggle. - Reese Witherspoon is hot, but she seems "fake". - I just saw Jennifer Lopez in the audience. (If you get a chance, check her out in her first major film, Selena) - Uh oh, Dolly Parton is performing a song for, uh, one of the nominees for "Best Song". I have never, ever understood the attraction of her voice. (And I think her lips have been injected with five pounds of collagen). - Ok, I just suffered through 20 minutes of "Best Short Film", "Best Animated Film", and "Best Costume Design". Who says the Academy Awards isn't exciting? - The Will Ferrell and Steve Carrell bit about "Best Make-Up" was mildly funny. - Random thought: Cinderella Man was cheated by being left out of "Best Movie". - Jon Stewart just had a funny line about the "Best Make-Up" award, Russell Crowe, and Cinderella Man : "I'm a surprised Cinderella Man didn't win that category. Imagine the difficulty in making Russell Crowe look like he'd gotten into a fight." - Rachel Weisz just won Best Supporting Actress for "The Constant Gardner". No one in America knows who she is. No one in America has seen "The Constant Gardner." I'm getting sleepy. - Lauren Bacall just came out to and talked about black and white movies followed by a five minute video clip of said old movies. She stumbled over her lines like she was lost. Anyway, I'm getting sleepier. - I wonder if more people watch the Golden Globes than the Academy Awards? - I think the black tux with a black tie (as opposed to the bow tie) is a good look. - The funny bit of the fake political commercials for Best Actress was very funny. (This was right out of Comedy Central). I'm waking up. - Ok, we've spent 10 minutes on "Best Documentary". I love documentaries but I'm getting sleepy again. But I did see "Walk Of The Penguins" and it was great. - Ok, five minutes on "Best Art Direction". I may not make it through the night. - In one of the many, many video montages tonight, I just heard a great line from Gregory Peck from "To Kill A Mockingbird": " You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. Until you climb in his skin and walk around in it." Amen. - I love Salma Hayek. - This Academy Awards show could easily be reduced to 90 minutes. - Good gawd. Now they are showing me another montage - this time about "epics". Kill me now. - Funniest line of the night so far by Jon Stewart: "I can't wait until later tonight when we see the 'Oscars salute to Montages'". That guy has his thumb on the pulse of funny thinking America. - Jessica Alba can't even keep me interested in the "Best Sound Mix" award. And that's saying something. - I just lost 10 minutes of my life regarding an honorary award for Ronald Altman. [Edit: That's Robert Altman - told you I was getting sleepy} - I regret starting this Oscar blogging project. - Ok, now they have a musical performance of "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp." Boy, is it ever. - That song just won the"Best Song" Oscar. Those boys seemed incredibly excited to win it. Kinda refreshing. Followed by Jon Stewart's line: "I think it just got a little easier out here for a pimp." And "Why are they the most excited people out here tonight?" - A pregnant Jennifer Garner almost fell down walking up to the microphone. Eeeek! [Edit: As someone pointed out, she's not pregnant. Hmmm.....her bad.] - George Clooney introduced the "who has died in the last year". I, oddly, like that segment. - Now 10 minutes for "Best Foreign Film". Uggggggh. - Now 10 minutes for "Best Film Editing". I wonder what's on ESPN? - Finally, it's time for "Best Male Actor". And the winner is: Philip Seyour Hoffman. He's come a long way since "Boogie Nights". - "Best Female Actor" goes to: Reese Witherspoon (the girl can sing). - There has not been one "memorable" acceptance speech all night. - OK, finally Best Motion Picture presented by Jack Nicholson (who's "cool" bit is getting old): "Crash"!!!! (Much to the shock of BrokeHeart Mountain). You know, I saw both of them and I'm not sure what I think. Both were good. Neither was great.

NASCAR Gift

Random

she's only three point five
Originally uploaded by dockmaster.

Politics Are So Much More Fun . . .

. . . in Parker County. (Star Telegram article - if you have time, be sure to look at the flyer which is a pdf file)

Question Mark

Not Bad

It drives me nuts that the Star Telegram and Morning News (and hundreds of other) web sites require you to register before you can view them. It's free, but annoying. I normally create a fake profile making me a 60 year old man from Iowa. But not more. This site has a database of usernames and passwords that will let you by-pass that registration process. For example, type in www.dallasnews.com and you'll see what I mean. I'm pretty sure this doesn't qualify as a technical "sin".

I Don't Care About NASCAR . . .

. . . but fans of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and the Texas Motor Speedway will get a kick out of this.

We'll Get Right On That, Sir

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vice President Dick Cheney urged Americans Thursday to do a better job of saving . . . . "The American dream begins with saving money and that should begin on the very first day of work," Cheney told a conference here exploring how to encourage people to boost savings and be better prepared for retirement. That's pretty easy to say for a guy whose net worth (two years ago) was estimated to be at least $50 million.

Everyone Is Dying

Jack Wild, who played the English-accented kid on H. R. Pufnstuf, has died. He was 53. That was one weird show.

Vanna White Thinks She's One Of The Pusscat Dolls