What Caught My Eye Today

Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States on Thursday of imperialism and starting a new arms race. "We are not the initiators of this new round of the arms race," Putin told a Kremlin news conference. "There is no need to fear Russia's actions: they are not aggressive. They are a mere response to harsh and groundless unilateral actions by our partners and are aimed at maintaining the balance of forces in the world." Moscow has been alarmed by U.S. plans to deploy parts of its global missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. We've been down this road before, haven't we?

Global Warming - President Bush, under fire for resisting tough action on global warming, called on 15 influential countries to agree by the end of 2008 on a long-term goal to cut emissions. The U.S. strategy calls for consensus on long-term goals for reducing the greenhouse gases that spur global warming, but not before the end of 2008, shortly before Bush's White House term ends. Bush would also call on countries to set medium term goals "that reflect their own mix of energy sources and future energy needs." Hate to burst your bubble, Mr. President, but there already is an agreement for dealing with global warming. It's called the Kyoto Protocol. Maybe you've heard of it?

Golf - Tough start for some big names on the pro tours this week.

PGA: At the Memorial, Phil Mickelson withdrew after 11 holes because of an injury to his left wrist, which he suspects happened at Oakmont earlier this week as he practiced chipping out of the deep rough while preparing for the U.S. Open. Masters champion Zach Johnson had to stop after 15 holes with strep throat so severe he turned down his first interview. Tiger Woods barely escaped been injured on the 10th green when an approach shot from Charley Hoffman whizzed by his head and missed him by about a yard. In case you are interested, Tiger carded a first round 70, 5 shots off the first round lead shared by 3.

LPGA: Michelle Wie withdrew from the Ginn Tribute on Thursday after shooting 14 over through 16 holes, aggravating a wrist injury that sidelined her since January. Wie wore bandages on her wrists during the round and said she withdrew because she "tweaked" the injury and not because of an LPGA Tour rule that bans non-tour members for the year if they shoot 88 or higher. Wie was two bogeys from that scenario when she stopped. While Wie struggled in her return, Annika Sorenstam was pleased with her even-par 72 after missing nearly two months because of a ruptured disk and a bulging disk.

Can you imagine what the injury report would look like if this were a contact sport?

Addiction - In honor of Diet Coke's 25th Anniversary here are some notable folks who can only be described as Diet Coke-aholics:

Bill Clinton: The former President was known to enjoy Diet Coke with large orders of McDonald's fries. These days, the fries are gone, but the Diet Coke remains.
Elton John: The musician reportedly for puts away several cans of Diet Coke on-stage during concerts.
Victoria Beckham: Posh Spice allegedly drinks Diet Coke in leiu of water. She doesn't like that way water tastes.
John Daly: The professional golfer used to drink it with Jack Daniels (used to?). He's been known to down 15 cans in a single day.

You just cannot put a price on PR like this can you?

Parenthood - Here's some interesting statistics on the costs of raising a child.

$32,000: What the first two years of a new baby's life will cost.
$24,000: The two year cost for each additional baby (ah yes, hand-me-downs)
$1,589,793: The average cost of raising a child to age 18, including college and lost wages from a stay at home parent (what about bail and rehab at Betty Ford?)

You know, if China really wanted to put a dent in its population problem, they should take a look at how we do things here.

Prison - California's cash-strapped prison system is allowing some prisoners to pay for upgrades to nicer jails. For a surcharge of $75 to $127, inmates can be transferred from county jail to a private room in one of the cleaner, quieter city jails. Some deals even guarantee a cell far from violent offenders. I hear this has been so successful that personal concierge services and massage therapy are being piloted.

What Caught My Eye Today

Iraq - President Bush envisions a long-term U.S. troop presence in Iraq similar to the one in South Korea where American forces have helped keep an uneasy peace for more than 50 years. South Korea is just one example of U.S. troops stationed more than a half-century after war. Germany and Japan are two other examples. American forces are deployed in roughly 130 countries around the world, performing a variety of duties from combat to peacekeeping to training foreign militaries. In South Korea, about 29,500 U.S. troops are stationed as a deterrent against the communist North, but that number is to decline to 24,500 by 2008 as part of the Pentagon's worldwide realignment of its forces. While this will surely not be popular with, well, pretty much anybody, this is one of those rare moments where Bush has come up with something remotely close to a realistic expectation of the U.S.'s continued engagement in Iraq.

Nagorno-Karabakh - Never heard of it? Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies wholly within the borders of Azerbaijan and about the size of Utah's Great Salt Lake with a population of 100,000, is striving to be recognized as a sovereign nation. Azerbaijan still claims Nagorno-Karabakh despite the fact that ethnic Armenian Karabakh won a 6 year war against Azerbaijan for its de facto independence. Karabakh's officials are all desperate to point out how they've built the trappings of a legitimate democratic state, even in the absence of international recognition. There's the parliament. The flag. A national anthem. Government ministries. On July 19, there will be presidential elections. For now, the international community agrees with Azerbaijan. Let's face it. No one wants to go through the hassle of establishing embassies way the hell out in the middle of nowhere. I mean really, do they have any oil?

Norway - Norway is the most peaceful country in the world and Iraq the least. The Global Peace Index, published a week before a Group of Eight (G8) summit in Germany, rates 121 countries from Algeria to Zimbabwe on some 24 factors including levels of violence, organised crime and military expenditure. While most European countries including Britain rank in the top, more peaceful half of the league table, the United States is nearer the bottom in 96th place, while Russia is fifth from last on 118th. Norway, the peace-promoting Scandinavian country which brokered the 1993 Oslo Mideast accords and has also sought to resolve fighting in Sri Lanka is followed by New Zealand in second place and neighbouring Denmark in third. Iraq, which has been gripped by growing violence since the the 2003 US-led invasion of the country, comes bottom just below Sudan, with Israel only two places from the bottom on 119th place. Overall the study found that small, stable countries which are part of regional blocs such as the 27-nation European Union are most likely to be more peaceful. Peace and hot chicks? Norway has it all.

2008 Presidential Election - Fred Thompson, the former Tennessee senator and "Law & Order" actor, is taking significant steps toward an expected summer entry into the crowded but extraordinarily unsettled Republican presidential race. A Thompson bid also could make the contest to succeed President Bush even more topsy turvy; all three top-tier candidates — Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney — could lose some measure of support and the seven underdogs could become even more irrelevant. During his 1994-2002 Senate tenure, he was considered a reliably conservative vote. Thompson also established a reputation as a less-than-hard worker. The Democratic National Committee issued a research document Wednesday detailing Thompson's major legislative accomplishments. Save for the title and a DNC disclaimer, it was blank. You have to admire that witty cutting edge humor. I'd be careful though. There is that 'let he who is without guilt cast the first stone' thing that could blow up in the DNC's face.

Movies - The summer blockbuster season is off to a pretty good start. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End raked in $138.8 million over Memorial Day weekend and has grossed $404 million worldwide since it opened last Thursday. Shrek 3 has brought in $217.3 million to date while the third installment of the Spider Man franchise is up to $328.5 million after its fourth weekend. The latest additions of both Shrek and Spiderman are well behind the performance of their respective predecessors.

What Caught My Eye Today

Editor's Note: Nope, you didn't miss anything. Just took a few weeks off and left the computer at home.

World Bank - I'm almost sorry that I was gone when Wolfowitz got the heave-ho. So here's the latest on this deal. Robert Zoellick, a nimble negotiator who has crisscrossed the globe as President Bush's trade chief and as the country's No. 2 diplomat, is the White House's choice to be the next World Bank president. He is expected to succeed Paul Wolfowitz, who is stepping down June 30 after findings by a special bank panel that he broke bank rules when he arranged a hefty compensation package in 2005 for his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, a bank employee. Bush's selection of Zoellick must be approved by the World Bank's 24-member board. Is it just me or is there some sort of prerequisite for having a funky last name to get this gig?

Iran - I didn't see this one coming. In its first public talks with the United States in nearly 30 years, Iran proposed a three-party group to address violence in Iraq. The U.S. ambassador to Iraq said the United States would consider the plan for an Iraqi-American-Iranian body, to be called the "trilateral security mechanism." The Iranian Ambassador said Iran was ready to create "a new military and security structure" in Iraq by training soldiers and police. Iraq's Foreign Minister said that he didn't expect miracles from the meeting, but it was an important step because it began talks between the parties that play the major roles in Iraq. "Iran is a player, whether we like it or not," he said. Well for what its worth, it sounds like the Iraqi Foreign Minister read the Iraq Study Group Report.

That said, while some things change, some tragically stay the same. Here's three examples.

Iraq - Compounding the fresh evidence of chaos in Iraq, the U.S. military announced that a total of 10 American soldiers were killed in roadside bombings and a helicopter crash on Memorial Day, making May — at 113 fatalities — the third deadliest month of the war. Across the country Tuesday, police and morgue officials contacted by The Associated Press reported a total of at least 120 people killed or found dead.

Al-Qaida - An American member of al-Qaida warned President Bush to end U.S. involvement in all Muslim lands or face an attack worse than the Sept. 11 suicide assault, according to a new videotape. "Your failure to heed our demands ... means that you and your people will ... experience things which will make you forget all about the horrors of September 11th, Afghanistan and Iraq and Virginia Tech..."

Here are some of those demands...All Americans must convert to Islam, Bush must remove all U.S. military and spies from Islamic countries, all Muslims must be freed from U.S. prisons and the U.S> must end support for Israel.

I see that first one having a better chance than any of the others.

Tennis - The second grand slam of the year, the French Open, is under way. As the first round draws to a close, the American contingent is performing as expected. On the men's side of the draw, 8 of the 9 Americans in the draw lost. This includes notables such as James Blake and Andy Roddick. The sole survivor, Robby Ginepri... his first round match is tomorrow. The women haven't gotten quite as far yet, but are doing alot better than the guys. 5 of 9 Americans have played their first round matches, with 3 advancing (including both Williams' sisters).

Speaking of sports...

Basketball - The Conference Finals are underway. The West is all but won with San Antonio leading 3-1 over Utah. In the East, Cleveland is attempting to make it a series against Detroit by winning Game 3, bring that series to 2-1 in Detroit's favor. They better speed things up a bit. Pre-season starts in a couple of months. Seriously, look it up if you don't believe me.

Hockey - Assuming you can find any of the games on your cable TV listings, the Stanley Cup finals started on Monday with Anaheim beating Ottawa 3-2.

Baseball - Storylines that have caught my eye...

Milwaukee Brewers: Lost 12 of 15 games and still lead their division by 5 games
NY Yankees: Tied with Tampa Bay for last place in the AL East, 7 games under .500 and 13.5 games behind division leading Boston.
Barry Bonds: Was on a tear with 11 homeruns by May 8, then followed that up with a 19 game drought before he hit #746 on May 27.

Yachting - Lest you thought I forgot (wishful thinking) here's the latest on the America's Cup. They may have to call it something else this year. The U.S. entry, BMW Oracle Racing, got hammered by Italian entry, Luna Rossa Challenge, 5-1 in the Louis Vuitton Cup Semifinals. The finals begin on June 1 with a match up between the Italians and New Zealand entry, Emirates Team New Zealand. The winner will challenge Swiss entry, Alinghi for the America's Cup starting June 23.

What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Campaign - Republican presidential candidate John McCain (news, bio, voting record) said Thursday he believes President Bush's low approval ratings are hurting the GOP yet won't affect the party's 2008 nominee. The president's numbers have fallen largely because of his stewardship of the Iraq war. On Tuesday, 11 moderate House Republicans met with Bush at the White House and bluntly told him that the war was unsustainable without public support and that it was damaging GOP political fortunes. Give McCain credit for having the stones to publicly say what all the other GOP candidates are thinking.

National Guard - Here's a follow up to an earlier posting I made on the same topic a few days ago. With repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan leaving state National Guards without nearly half of their required equipment, some governors are loudly questioning whether they will be able to handle the next hurricane, wildfire or terrorist attack at home. The widespread problem of permanently losing National Guard equipment to the war was pushed to the forefront this week when Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius complained that shortages of equipment and well-trained personnel slowed Guard response to the killer tornadoes that ravaged her state. The California National Guard is missing 700 Humvees and over 1,100 high-water vehicles — nearly half the number it's supposed to have, according to documents reviewed by The AP. The Guard also has just 1,301 M4 machine guns, or less than a third of its required stockpile. Connecticut is missing more than 200 high-mobility multipurpose vehicles, a Chinook CH-47D cargo helicopter, 1,500 pairs of night-vision goggles and 21 large support vehicles such as tankers, wreckers and heavy cargo vehicles. The Pentagon acknowledged this week that Army National Guard units had only 56 percent of their required equipment, the lowest levels since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. I'm shocked. If I'm not mistaken, there seems to be consensus on this issue. Wouldn't it be great if this was followed up with a solution that actually got enacted?

Britain - Tony Blair said Thursday he would step down as prime minister on June 27, closing a decade of power in which he fostered peace in Northern Ireland and followed the United States to a war in Iraq that cost him much of his popularity. Blair's announcement came days after he celebrated the 10th anniversary of Labour's landslide election victory of May 1, 1997. Since then, he has been one of the most praised, and reviled, leaders in British history — the man who transformed the Labour Party, helped end Northern Ireland's troubles but angered many of his supporters by committing Britain to a bloody, unpopular war in Iraq. 10 years in any job is pretty tough these days. Have a pint, mate. You've earned it. And it gets better. If Clinton is any indicator, you are going to be rolling in the loot on the lecture circuit.

American Idol - LaKisha is out. The final 3--Blake, Melinda and Jordin duke it out in the semifinals next week. My vote still hangs with Melinda, but Jordin is coming on strong.

Movies - Johnny Depp, star of the upcoming film, "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," said that he is open to making a fourth film in the blockbuster series, which has earned more than $1.7 billion at worldwide box offices. In the movies, Depp plays a buccaneer known as Captain Jack Sparrow, distinguished as much for his swishy hips and love of adventure as his pirating skills. The 43-year-old actor's portrayal of wildly funny Sparrow has been credited with much of the franchise's popularity. You can almost here the execs at Disney counting the dollar signs.

NBA - With the Conference Semifinals underway, here are my picks (admittedly a bit late):

Eastern Conference
(5) Chicago Bulls vs. (1) Detroit Pistons - Pistons in 5
(6) New Jersey Nets vs. (2) Cleveland Caviliers - Cleveland in 6

Western Conference
(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Phoenix Suns - Suns in 7
(8) Golden State Warriors vs. (4) Utah Jazz - Jazz in 6

NHL - Not to be outdone, the NHL Conference Finals start today. My picks for this round:

Eastern Conference
(4) Ottawa Senators vs. (1) Buffalo Sabres - Sabres in 6

Western Conference
(2) Anaheim Ducks vs. (1) Detroit Red Wings - Ducks in 6

What Caught My Eye Today

Pope - The Pope says he's in favour of excommunicating Roman Catholic politicians who support a proposed law allowing women to have abortions in Mexico City. Benedict noted that church doctrine calls for automatic excommunication for anyone procuring an abortion. While Benedict has previously told Catholic politicians that the Vatican's stance against abortion was "not negotiable," he had not explicitly said that excommunication would be the penalty for politicians who supported it. It would appear that His Holiness has decided to take a firmer stand on the issue. I'm pretty sure I read someplace, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Where was that? Oh yeah, the 8 beatitudes that marked the beginning of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Ever heard of that guy, Your Holiness?

Sanctuary - Churches in five big U.S. cities plan to protect illegal immigrants from deportation, offering their buildings as sanctuary if need be, as they pressure lawmakers to create a path to citizenship for the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants. Organizers don't believe immigration agents will make arrests inside the churches. Meanwhile, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency declined to say if agents would attempt to arrest others who take sanctuary in churches. Do you think the Catholic churches involved in this got the Pope's approval first? I'd hate for these guys to go and get themselves excommunicated as well.

Iraq - This one could end up on the 'No Kidding, Sherlock" Wall of Fame. Vice President Dick Cheney said that Iraq remains a dangerous place, a point underscored by a thunderous explosion that rattled windows in the U.S. Embassy where he spent most of the day. "I think everybody recognizes there still are some security problems, security threats, no question about it," Cheney said.

Hurricane Season - The first named storm of the year, Subtropical Storm Andrea, formed off the southeastern U.S. coast, more than three weeks before the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, forecasters said. Private and university forecasters have predicted the 2007 season will be especially active, producing up to 17 tropical storms and hurricanes and a "well above average" possibility of at least one striking the U.S. The federal government plans to release its predictions May 22. The Atlantic basin has been in a busy period for hurricanes since 1995. Some federal forecasters believe this is part of a natural cycle. But the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a U.N.-sponsored group, says global warming caused by humans has led to an increase in stronger hurricanes. Either way, this development cannot be sitting very well with those poor folks who live in that region.

Dancing With the Stars - Here's the latest. Billy Ray Cyrus, the 45-year-old singer and actor was eliminated from the ABC dance-off. Paulina Porizkova, Shandi Finnessey, Leeza Gibbons, Clyde Drexler, Heather Mills and John Ratzenberger have already been eliminated. The remaining celebrity dancers — Ian Ziering, Joey Fatone, Laila Ali and Apolo Anton Ohno — begin the competition's semifinal next week. I still cannot get into this show as much as I do 'American Idol.' Now if Sanjaya competes next season, I'm so totally gonna watch.

Motor Sports - Danica Patrick knows she must start winning races. "I guess I do feel more pressure this year," Patrick said Wednesday. "It's many things that contribute to that, though. As the years go on, you get more impatient. You just want to go out there and run up front." Danica-mania hit the Indianapolis 500 two years ago, when she was the first woman to lead the race and finished fourth. She was the Indy rookie of the year and won three poles later that season, but never managed a finish better than fourth. I don't know about that. Anna Kournakova never won a singles title in tennis, and yet she's still managing to put food on the table.

What Caught My Eye Today

Terrorism - Six foreign-born Muslims were arrested and accused Tuesday of plotting to attack the Army's Fort Dix and massacre scores of U.S. soldiers — a plot the FBI says was foiled when the men took a video of themselves firing assault weapons to a store to have the footage put onto a DVD. Their goal was "to kill as many American soldiers as possible" in attacks with mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and guns, prosecutors said. Authorities saluted an unidentified New Jersey store clerk who noticed the suspicious video as the "unsung hero" of the case. Authorities said there was no direct evidence connecting the men to any international terror organizations such as al-Qaida. But several of them said they were ready to kill and die "in the name of Allah." Gee, there's a comforting thought. Props to that video store clerk. That should qualify him for 'Employee of the Month' don't you think?

Iraq - The Pentagon has notified more than 35,000 Army soldiers to be prepared to deploy to Iraq beginning this fall, a move that would allow commanders to maintain the ongoing buildup of troops through the end of the year if needed. Earlier this year, President Bush ordered close to 30,000 additional troops to Iraq to quell the spiking violence particularly in and around Baghdad. Gates and his military leaders have said that commanders in Iraq will make recommendations in September on whether the buildup has been successful, and whether it should continue or if troops can begin coming home.

And in a related story...

House Democratic leaders briefed party members Tuesday on new legislation that would fund the Iraq war through July, then give Congress the option of cutting off money if conditions do not improve. If members agree to back the plan as expected, a vote on the new war spending bill could come as early Thursday. Democrats told reporters the plan is likely to provide more than $40 billion for the war and other high-priority projects, then vote "mid summer" on whether to release more money for military operations. Congressional Republicans immediately dismissed the Democratic proposal as unfairly rationing funds needed in combat and said their members would not support it.

So I think I've got it. The Pentagon is ordering up more troops for Iraq while Congress is trying to push a proposal that will only fund the troops through July. Sounds like business as usual at the Capitol.

National Guard - Critics of the Iraq war said on Tuesday the Bush administration's failure to replenish vital National Guard equipment sent to Iraq caused Kansas to fall short in responding to last week's tornado disaster, and other states were equally vulnerable. The debate was ignited by Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius who said the federal government had failed to replace state National Guard equipment deployed to Iraq and the lack of equipment was hindering rescue and recovery efforts after a weekend of violent weather in the Midwestern state that leveled one small town on Friday and killed 10 in the area. The White House and the Pentagon rebuffed the criticism, saying Kansas and other states had adequate resources that they could share in event of disasters like the Kansas tornado. However, a report by the Government Accountability Office issued in 2005 in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster along the Gulf Coast said the extensive use of Guard equipment overseas has "significantly reduced the amount of equipment available to state governors for domestic needs." Hmm. I guess the dudes at the White House didn't get that memo.

Hard Time - The Internet was abuzz with rival petitions on Tuesday from fans and foes of jail-bound heiress Paris Hilton alternately asking California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon her or make sure she serves her time. Four days after a Los Angeles judge sentenced Hilton to 45 days in jail for violating her probation by driving on a suspended license, the competing petitions provided a rallying point for a lively debate over whether the celebrity socialite and reality TV star deserves her punishment. Hilton herself appeared to embrace the clemency effort with a short note posted on what was identified as her personal page on the popular social networking hub MySpace.com: "My friend Joshua started his petition, please help and sihn it (sic). I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!" Schwarzenegger's press secretary said the governor had received no formal request to consider a pardon but added, "It would be premature for the governor to become involved in any case until the individual has exhausted their judicial remedies." For crying out loud, people. It's 45 days. I'm not saying it's going to be a picnic for girlfriend, but she broke the law multiple times. Do you really think the Governor is going to lose any sleep over a spoiled brat served 6 weeks in jail. I don't think so. By the way, Paris, you might get a bit more credibility if you learned how to spell. It's S-I-G-N.

What Caught My Eye Today

Queen Elizabeth - President Bush welcomed Queen Elizabeth II to the White House on Monday as thousands of invited guests crowded the South Lawn for a glimpse of the British monarch. In his remarks, Bush said the United States and Britain, allies in Iraq and Afghanistan, were standing together in the war against terrorism. The queen noted that it was her fifth visit to the United States. "It is a moment to take stock of our present friendship, rightly taking pleasure from its strengths while never taking these for granted," she said. In honor of the queen, Bush agreed to host the first white-tie dinner of his presidency, with entertainment by violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman. It will be the Bushes' fifth state dinner in six years, but the first in white tie. The White House said the president was happy to return hospitality to the queen, who hosted the Bushes at a white-tie state banquet in November 2003 during an official visit to Britain. I just hope dude can figure out which fork to use with each course.

France - French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy defeated Socialist Segolene Royal by 53 percent to 47 percent with about 85 percent voter turnout Sunday. The win gave Sarkozy a strong mandate for his vision of France's future: He wants to free up labor markets, calls France's 35-hour work week absurd and plans tougher measures on crime and immigration. Speaak for yourself, buddy. I would kill for a 35 hour work week.

Box Office - "Spider-Man 3" has sold an estimated $375 million worth of tickets worldwide, since opening internationally on May 1. That is the highest opening since "Stars Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" opened to $254 million in 2005. In North America, the film earned $148 million since launching on Friday, smashing the opening-weekend of $135.6 million set last July by "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." The film also set a single-day record with Friday sales of $59.3 million, beating the $55.8 million record also held by the "Pirates" sequel. "Spider-Man 3" cost $258 million to produce, with sources estimating that prints and advertising adding about $125 million to the bill. In a related story, critics have offered less than stellar reviews. I'm sure the producers are losing a lot of sleep over that. If I had to choose between the money or a pretty golden statue, call me shallow or whatever, but I'm going with the cash.

Sports - Lots of action this past weekend. Here's a rundown...

NASCAR - Jeff Gordon won his fifth pole of the season and came in fourth in this week's race at Richmond. Teammates Jimmy Johnson and Kyle Bush came in first and second respectively. With this win, Hendrick Motor Sports as won all 4 Car of Tommorrow races and 7 of the 10 Nextel Cup races. These boys are good.

Golf - Tiger Woods won the Wachovia Championship this weekend. For those of you keeping track, that's 3 wins out of 6 tournaments that Woods has played in this year. He now has 57 career wins and is atop the FedEx Cup standings for the first time. My favorite stat is the World Rankings. That Tiger is #1 is not surprising. It's the 11.9 point lead he has over the #2 player, Jim Furyk, that blows my mind.

Baseball - Roger Clemens is a Yankee, again. Dude signed a $25 million dollar 1 year contract even though he probably won't be ready to start until June. This guy is going to average almost $2 million per start. Nice work if you can get it, huh?

Horse Racing - Street Smart came from 19th place to win the Kentucky Derby by 2 and a half lengths. Street Sense will be in Baltimore on May 19 for the second leg of the Triple Crown. Six times in the last 10 years the Derby winner has gone on to win the Preakness, setting up a Triple try. I'm going to go out on a limb and say we're going to continue the Triple Crown drought again this year.

Boxing - In what was advertised as the 'The Match to Save Boxing', Floyd Mayweather won a split decision over Oscar De La Hoya for the WBC Superwelterweight championship. Mayweather then promptly announced his retirement. Yeah sure. That'll hold up until contract negotiations are hammered out for another eight-figure payday.

NBA - The Conference Semifinals are now set. Here are the matchups along with my predictions for the winners:

Eastern Conference:
(5) Chicago Bulls vs. (1) Detroit Pistons - Pistons in 6
(6) New Jersey Nets vs. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers - Cavs in 6

Western Conference:
(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Phoenix Suns - Spurs in 7
(8) Golden State Warriors vs. (4) Utah Jazz - Warriors in 6

What Caught My Eye This Week - Magazine Edition

BusinessWeek
Career Advancement - In a recent survey, nearly 1 in 5 managers ranked getting a promotion as their most challenging life event saying that they get little or no support as they enter their new jobs. Here are the rankings for the top five:
Promotion - 19%, Bereavement - 15%, Divorce - 11%, Moving - 10% and Raising Teenage Children - 9%. I may be slightly biased, what with being a guy and all, but that first rectal exam is no picnic either, especially when the doctor says, 'next time we'll use the scope'.

Innovation - BusinessWeek released its list of the world's most innovate companies. Here are the top 10 (2007 ranking / 2006 ranking)

Apple (1 / 1) - That iPod deal worked out pretty well for these guys, didn't it?
Google (2 / 2) - $500 a share and now this? Lucky bastards.
Toyota (3 / 4)
General Electric (4 / 6)
Microsoft (5 / 5) - I assume they got this for coming up with new ways to complicate operating systems
Procter & Gamble (6 / 7)
3M (7 / 3) - Who you ask? These are the folks that brought us Post-it Notes
Walt Disney (8 / 43)
IBM (9 / 10)
Sony (10 /13)

The Week
Israel - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Almert's centrist coalition government was on the verge of collapse after a government report harshly criticized his leadership during last summer's war in Lebanon. The report said Olmert was guilty of "a serious failure in exercisinging judgment, responsibility and prudence." Polls show that two-thirds of Israelis want Olmert to step down. Just to be clear, this is not a typo. I'm talking about Israel's prime minister, not the head of some other country in the midst of a rather unpopular war.

France - No one has a more negative view of the French than the French themselves according to a recnet poll conducted by a French television network. 44% of Frenchmen and women say they hold a negative view of the French, compared with 38% of Americans who hold the Frech in low esteem (I suppose that's one way of saying it). 14% of Germans, 25% of Italians, 29% of Spaniards and 33% of Britons think poorly of the French. I'm not saying its right to hate the French, its just that they make it so easy to do so.

Dishonesty - The dean of admissions at MIT resigned last week after acknowledging that she fabricated her educational credentials. When she first applied for a post at MIT in 1979, she falsely claimed to have degrees from 3 different institutions. she never corrected the record as she moved up the ranks of academia and has received national acclaim for her campaign urging high school students not to stress themselves out building up impressive resumes for college. Here's a classic case of 'do as I say, not as I do.' You have to give the broad credit though. Sure she lied to get the job (like that's never happened before), but it certainly appears as if she advanced on her own merits.

What Caught My Eye Today

France - Don't look now, but the French are about to vote themselves a new President this weekend. In the latest polls, Nicolas Sarkozy, who would warm up relations with the United States and prod the French to work more, was favored to win presidential elections Sunday — and to dash Socialist Segolene Royal's hopes at becoming France's first woman president. Despite Royal's fierce final blows Friday, all final polls suggested that Sarkozy will win Sunday's runoff and take over this restless, troubled nuclear power from the aging Jacques Chirac. If the polls prove right, France would have a president friendly toward the United States but not servile, who gladly shook President Bush's hand but wants a deadline on pulling out of Iraq and wouldn't favor war against Iran. There's a bold stance, Mr. Sarkozy. Way to stick your neck out on that one. As for Miss Congeniality, Royal said France risks violence and brutality if right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy wins Sunday's presidential election. Now, now. No pouting until after someone officially wins and its not you. Otherwise, you just come off looking stupid.

Britain - It must be a busy week for elections over in Europe, or something. Scottish nationalists committed to independence from Britain became the biggest party in the Scottish parliament on Friday in elections which left a political headache for Prime Minister Tony Blair's successor. The Scottish National Party (SNP) ended 50 years of Labor dominance in Scotland in Thursday's vote and Labor suffered heavy losses in local council elections in England and lesser losses in elections to the devolved Welsh assembly. With Blair expected to announce next week he is stepping down as prime minister after a decade in power, he leaves a poisoned chalice to finance minister Gordon Brown, the 56-year-old Scot who is almost certain to succeed him. To be perfectly honest, I don't know diddly about the politics in the UK...but I did sleep at a Holiday In Express last night.

Ethics - Tell me you didn't see this one coming. In a survey of U.S. troops in combat in Iraq, less than half of Marines and a little more than half of Army soldiers said they would report a member of their unit for killing or wounding an innocent civilian. More than 40 percent support the idea of torture in some cases, and 10 percent reported personally abusing Iraqi civilians, the Pentagon said in what it called its first ethics study of troops at the war front. The study team said shorter deployments or longer intervals between deployments would give soldiers and Marines a better chance "to reset mentally" before returning to combat. The Pentagon last month announced a policy that extends tours of duty for all active duty Army troops from a year to 15 months. I heard an intriguing piece on the radio a couple of days ago about the bickering going on in Washington about what was best for the troops. The commentary suggested letting the armed services vote on what they thought was best for them, seeing as they are the one with their necks on the line. How do you think that vote would turn out?

Abortion - President Bush is warning Democratic leaders that any attempt to weaken federal policies that restrict abortion will be met with a veto. The White House issued letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in an attempt to stop abortion amendments from being added to spending bills and other legislation that Congress will be considering in the coming weeks. The Republicans who held power in past sessions of Congress ensured that spending bills included language prohibiting federal funding for abortion except to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest, and restricting funding for international family planning groups that might give advice on or provide abortions. Now in the minority, House and Senate Republicans recently wrote the president urging him to make clear that any weakening of those restrictions would be unacceptable. That's all well and good Mr. President but, like it or not, your term is over next year. You won't be able to stall this legislation forever.

Corporate Mergers - Speculation about a possible Microsoft-Yahoo tie-up met with skepticism Friday from analysts as reports that the deal was already dead began to surface. The reported takeover talks that sent shares of Yahoo up by 10 percent were no longer taking place, the Wall Street Journal said in an online article citing sources familiar with the negotiations. Yahoo shares surged following published reports that Microsoft had resumed its pursuit of Yahoo to better compete with Web search and advertising leader Google. Both companies declined comment on the reports. No comment, huh? Is that because there was nothing to comment on in the first place. I'm telling you, this smacks of some joker playing a prack on YouTube. Stupid jerk probably made a killing too.

Basketball - Warriors win, Warriors win, Warriors win. So for those of you who don't live in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Golden State Warriors play in Oakland (funny how they call themselves the Golden State Warriors and not the Oakland Warriors). Besides being a rather entertaining series (Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 4 games to 2), this marks the first time an #8 seed has beaten a #1 seed, since the NBA expanded the first round playoffs to seven games way back in 2003. In an interested side side, the Warriors coach Don Nelson used to coach the Mavs under owner Mark Cuban. Nelson contends that Cuban still owes him $20 million in back pay. I'm guessing the check is still not in the mail.

What Caught My Eye Today

Syria - In a highly anticipated meeting, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Syria's foreign minister of U.S. concerns about his country's porous border with Iraq Thursday — the two nations' first Cabinet-level talks in years. The 30-minute session with Syria marks a diplomatic turning point for the Bush administration, which had resisted talks with Syria and Iran despite the recommendations of allies abroad and the Iraq Study Group and lawmakers from both parties at home. The carefully orchestrated meeting overshadowed the modest initial accomplishments here from a 50-nation gathering devoted to improving Iraq's security and financial bottom line. Iraq's embattled prime minister was among those leaning on the Bush administration to engage Syria and Iran, arguing that those neighboring nations could help lessen violence in Iraq. Whoa, wait just a second here. We were doing so well by ourselves. Why would we reach out to Syria now? You know they're just going to try and take credit for all our carefully orchestrated nation building.

Queen Elizabeth II - Queen Elizabeth II arrived Thursday for the commemoration of Jamestown's 400th anniversary and praised the cultural changes that have occurred since she last visited America's first permanent English settlement 50 years ago. Before she departs for Williamsburg, the queen will meet privately with some of those wounded in the Virginia Tech shooting and the families of some of the 32 students and faculty slain. Classy move meeting with the victims at Virginia Tech, Your Highness, but don't think for one minute we're giving the colonies back to you. We won them fair and square.

Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez threatened to nationalize the country's banks and largest steel producer, accusing them of unscrupulous practices. It was not clear if Chavez was only referring to Venezuelan banks or if he was also aiming the threat at major international banks with subsidiaries in the country. Chavez initiated a nationalization drive in January that is bringing the country's largest telephone company CANTV and the electricity sector under state control. The state oil company also took over the last privately run oil operations in the country from major international oil companies on Tuesday. Who knew that Chavez was such an accomplished businessman? I certainly didn't. At this rate, we'll soon have to refer to the nation as Venezuela Inc.

2008 Presidential Race - Two items today.

Ten Republicans face each other at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in the first GOP debate of the 2008 race. Republican top-tier contenders Rudy Giuliani, John McCain (news, bio, voting record) and Mitt Romney — as well as some of their underdog rivals — have embraced the conservative icon's legacy and called for their party to return to the limited-government that Reagan espoused in the 1980s, effectively distancing themselves from Bush. I forgot to mention that the Democrats held their first debate last week. I'm guessing this will be just as memorable as that one was.

The Secret Service said that Barack Obama was being placed under its protection, the earliest ever for a presidential candidate. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff authorized Obama's protection after consultations with the bipartisan congressional advisory committee. According to a senior law enforcement official, the security detail was prompted by general concerns about the safety of a prominent black candidate. Although there was no direct threat to Obama, several factors raised concerns, including some racist chatter on white supremacist Web sites. I'm on the fence here trying to figure out if this is a good or a bad development. It certainly seems as if this action is racially motivated. Still, I'm guessing that Obama isn't complaining much. Nothing says 'presidential' like a Secret Service detail. A picture in front of Airforce One with a sign saying, 'Like my ride?' wouldn't hurt either.

Indecent Exposure - This is a good one. Cable giant Comcast is investigating how one of its local facilities in New Jersey ended up airing hardcore pornography instead of popular preschool cartoon Handy Manny - an educational show about a young, Latino repairman and his box of unruly, talking tools - on the Disney Channel's slot on Tuesday morning. Maybe it's just me, but doesn't Handy Manny sound like a pornstar name?

What Caught My Eye Today

Iraq - The Democratic-controlled House failed Wednesday to override President Bush's veto of an Iraq war spending bill with timetables for troop withdrawals. Democrats later met with Bush and emerged undeterred in their determination to bring soldiers home. Bush showed he also has little appetite for backing down on what he wants in war funding legislation — namely, no strings on the military effort in Iraq. The meeting broke up after only about 30 minutes. And both Republican and Democratic leaders came out not to declare progress but only to promise to work toward it. Negotiations for a new spending bill could prove difficult. Both parties agree it should include benchmarks for progress in Iraq, but many Democrats insist they be tied to timelines for U.S. troop withdrawals if they are unmet. Bush and his congressional allies say such links are unacceptable.

In other news related to Iraq...

Nearly 4,000 American soldiers pour into Baghdad this week, the fourth of five brigades being sent to strengthen an 11-week-old crackdown aimed at quelling sectarian violence. When complete, the Baghdad security operation will include about 28,000 additional U.S. forces, including 20,500 combat soldiers and about 8,000 service members involved in support services such as intelligence, military police and logistics.

I have to confess that I'm running out of things to say about this stuff. We've been hearing the same posturing from the President and Congress for months. I'll keep my ear to the ground for any hint of new material, but I'm not holding my breath.

Food - As if we didn't have enough to worry about, we have a a looming food supply crisis. It has nothing to do with the threat of terrorism, but rather honey bees. Honeybees don't just make honey; they pollinate more than 90 of the tastiest flowering crops we have. In fact, about one-third of the human diet comes from insect-pollinated plants, and the honeybee is responsible for 80 percent of that pollination. U.S. beekeepers in the past few months have lost one-quarter of their colonies — or about five times the normal winter losses — because of what scientists have dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder. The problem started in November and seems to have spread to 27 states, with similar collapses reported in Brazil, Canada and parts of Europe. The top suspects are a parasite, an unknown virus, some kind of bacteria, pesticides, or a one-two combination of the top four, with one weakening the honeybee and the second killing it. I'm not taking any chances. I'm off to Costco to load up on Twinkies.

NASA - These guys are having a tough year. An astronaut loses her mind and goes psycho on some broad trying to steal her man. A hail storm damages the shuttle and delays its launch. A disgruntled worker goes postal at Johnson Space Center in Houston. And now this. A freight train carrying segments of the space shuttle's solid rocket boosters derailed Wednesday after a bridge collapsed. It was the second time in less than a week that the train jumped the tracks while carrying the booster segments from the manufacturer in Utah to Cape Canaveral.

Britney Spears - Haven't heard from girlfriend since she went bald a couple months ago. Britney Spears performed for the first time in more than three years on Tuesday, making a brief, unadvertised appearance at a San Diego nightclub, local media reported. The gig, which reportedly lasted between 15 and 20 minutes, was not exactly a surprise. Rumors had run rampant in the past few days that three scheduled southern California shows featuring an unknown band called The M+M's were a cover for the troubled pop princess. Wearing a brunette wig, a short top and skirt and tall boots, she performed five of her songs, and barely addressed the crowd, according to fans. So I guess that answers one burning question that I had...the hair is still missing.

Yachting - Here's your America's Cup update. Round One of the Louis Vuitton Cup wrapped up last week with U.S. entry BMW Oracle Racing atop the standings winning 10 of 11 races. Midway through Round Two, BMW Oracle has won 3 of 4 races (dude they lost to China who up to this point had not won a single race) and is tied for the overall lead with Italian entry, Luna Rossa Challenge with 27 points. The winner gets to face Swiss team, Alinghi for the America's Cup later this year.

What Caught My Eye Today

Iraq - Defying veto threats, Democratic congressional leaders sent President Bush legislation setting timetables for U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq on the fourth anniversary of his "Mission Accomplished" speech on the war (by total coincidence, I'm sure). The White House said the president would veto the bill on his return to the White House and then go before television cameras, just before the evening news shows, to make a statement. The Democratic leaders staged a special ceremony to send the legislation — already approved by both the House and Senate — on its way to the White House. Nothing beats a good photo-op except maybe, oh I don't know, figuring out a way out of this mess that both the President and Congress can agree on.

Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez's government took over Venezuela's last privately run oil fields Tuesday, intensifying a struggle with international firms over the development of the world's largest known petroleum deposit. The president is operating with special powers given by congress to issue laws by decree in energy and other areas, which he has used to nationalize big companies. He justifies the takeovers as necessary to give the government control of sectors "strategic" to Venezuela's interests. Chavez hopes to radically make over Venezuela, saying big changes are needed to make sure the poor benefit from the country's wealth and not just the elite. Using the country's burgeoning revenues from high oil prices, he is financing widespread programs for the poor. He has built new clinics, refurbished state hospitals and sent thousands of doctors to live in poor neighborhoods and provide free medical care. A couple of other leader come to mind who claimed be using 'absolute power' for improving the lives of folks they governed. Perhaps you have heard of them...Mussolini? Hitler? Of course, this time will be different. After all, what else could possibly be motivating Chavez to seize control of all these industries?

NASA - With NASA planning to land on Mars 30 years from now, and with the recent discovery of the most "Earth-like" planet ever seen outside the solar system, the space agency has begun to ponder some of the thorny practical and ethical questions posed by deep space exploration. How do you get rid of the body of a dead astronaut on a three-year mission to Mars and back? When should the plug be pulled on a critically ill astronaut who is using up precious oxygen and endangering the rest of the crew? Should NASA employ DNA testing to weed out astronauts who might get a disease on a long flight? One topic that is evidently too hot to handle: How do you cope with sexual desire among healthy young men and women during a mission years long? Sex is not mentioned in the document and has long been almost a taboo topic at NASA. Williams said the question of sex in space is not a matter of crew health but a behavioral issue that will have to be taken up by others at NASA. Call me crazy, but if I'm stuck in space for 3 years with no sex, death would be a welcome relief.

Car and Truck Sales - Here are the top 20 selling vehicles in the U.S. through April 30th (along with units sold):

1. Ford F-Series Pickup (228,343)
2. Chevy Silverado Pickup (202,151)
3. Toyota Camry (143,774)
4. Dodge Ram Pickup (122,816)
5. Honda Accord (121,516)
6. Toyota Corolla (120,484)
7. Chevrolet Impala (108,876)
8. Honda Civic (97,295)
9. Nissan Altima (90,338)
10. Dodge Caravan (75,984)
11. Honda CR-V (64,951)
12. GMC Sierra Pickup (64,639)
13. Ford Econoline/Club Wagon (62,246)
14. Chevrolet Cobalt (56,848)
15. Ford Focus (56,463)
16. Toyota RAV4 (55,900)
17. Ford Escape (54,105)
18. Toyota Prius (52,738) - up 73% over the same period last year
19. Chrysler Town & Country (52,572)
20. Ford Fusion (51,981)

There's three freakin' vans on this list and no luxury or high-performance models? What's up with that?