What Caught My Eye Today

National Guard - The National Guard and Reserves don't get enough money or equipment and are left out of important planning for national emergencies, an independent panel concluded. The panel found a significant lack of communication between reserve officials and other military leaders, the Homeland Security Department and U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for the military's defense of the U.S. homeland. It also criticized the Pentagon for not budgeting or planning specifically for civil support missions, such as domestic disaster response, because they are viewed as extensions of wartime preparation. In what likely will be one of its more controversial recommendations, the panel said governors should be given more command authority over active duty military troops responding to local disasters. It went on to recommend that the Guard become more of a partner with other military and homeland defense agencies. It would make the National Guard chief a four-star general and a direct adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his top commanders. Better late than never, I suppose, but is anyone else concerned that the National Guard is so ill-equiped, yet these men and women continue to be sent to serve tours in Iraq?

Nuclear Arms - The Bush administration selected a design Friday for a new generation of atomic warheads, taking a major step toward building the first new nuclear weapon since the end of the Cold War nearly two decades ago. The decision to move ahead with the warhead, which eventually would replace the existing arsenal of weapons, has been criticized as sending the wrong signal to the world at a time when the United States is assailing attempts at nuclear weapons development in North Korea and Iran and striving to contain them. How could this possibly be seen as sending the wrong signal. We never once said that we'd stop our nuclear weapons program. We just don't want anyone else to start one of their own. I'm pretty sure we've been consistent in our position on this. Logical? Well, that's another story.

American Idol - Viewers squashed the dreams of four more aspiring singers Thursday night, but Antonella Barba, the focus of recent attention over some racy Internet photos, was not one of them. Alaina Alexander, Leslie Hunt, Nicholas Pedro and A.J. Tabaldo were voted off in the phone ballotting, which drew about 32 million calls and text messages. Perhaps the night's biggest surprise was that Barba was staying. Another surprise was the early elimination of the talented Tabaldo, who gave a rousing rendition of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good." Paula Abdul couldn't hide her disappointment. "Truthfully, this is a singing competition," Abdul said Thursday. "I don't feel tonight reflects this." Truthfully, Paula, this is a popularity contest. The contestants just happen to be able to sing a little bit.

Harry Potter - British actor Daniel Radcliffe has signed up for the final two films in the seven-part Harry Potter series. The 17-year-old, who has just won rave reviews for his performance in Peter Shaffer's controversial play "Equus," will start filming the sixth movie based on the bestselling books by J.K. Rowling in September. Looks like dude took my advice and got those contracts signed. Theater is the purest form of acting, in my humble opinion, but a guy's got to eat. Plays simply don't pay the rent as well as multi-billion dollar film franchises do.

Tennis - Roger Federer increased his career-best winning streak to 40 by reaching the Dubai Open final with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Tommy Haas, the fifth-seeded German, on Friday. It kept Federer on course to beat the 30-year-old all-time record of 46 wins held by Guillermo Vilas, which he could do by the end of the Masters in Indian Wells next week. This boy has some serious skills. Must be kind of depressing for the rest of those never-will-be's on the men's tour.