What Caught My Eye Today

In honor of the Fourth of July holiday, I offer up this little quiz courtesy of Discovery.com (Answers appear after the last question). I personally got 8 out of 10. Enjoy the holiday.

The Fourth of July has been a legal holiday since the American Revolution.
a) True
b) False

Traditionally, the American flag is folded 13 times because each fold bears a special meaning.
a) True
b) False

Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird of the United States.
a) True
b) False

All 56 members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
a) True
b) False

Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the Fourth of July.
a) True
b) False

The Liberty Bell cracked when it was rung to celebrate American independence on July 4, 1776.
a) True
b) False

The preferred method for disposing of a torn, damaged, or soiled U.S. flag is to burn it.
a) True
b) False

The state flag of Texas is the only one that is allowed to fly at the same height as the U.S. flag.
a) True
b) False

John Hancock purposely signed his name in large script on the Declaration of Independence to show his defiance of the British.
a) True
b) False

An American flag should be burned if it has touched the ground.
a) True
b) False

ANSWERS

The Fourth of July has been a legal holiday since the American Revolution.
False - The U.S. Congress made July 4 an unpaid holiday for federal employees in 1870. Congress didn't declare it a legal federal holiday until 1941.

Traditionally, the American flag is folded 13 times because each fold bears a special meaning.
False - Flag etiquette requires that before a flag is stored or formally presented, it must be folded into a triangular shape with only the white stars on the blue background showing. This ceremonial process requires a series of 13 folds to achieve, but there is no official meaning associated with that number.

Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird of the United States.
True - When the newly independent United States was choosing a national symbol, the country was still at war with England and the bald eagle was deemed appropriately fierce and intimidating. However, Ben Franklin thought the bald eagle was "a bird of bad moral character," whereas the wild turkey, while "a little vain and silly," was still a "bird of courage" that "would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guards who should presume to invade his farmyard with a red coat on."

All 56 members of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
False - The Declaration of Independence was adopted by 12 of 13 colonies (New York did not vote) on July 4, 1776, but it was not actually signed by all of the delegates until August 2, 1776.

Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the Fourth of July.
True - On July 4, 1826--50 years to the day after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence--John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died within hours of each other.

The Liberty Bell cracked when it was rung to celebrate American independence on July 4, 1776.
False - According to the Liberty Bell Museum, the crack developed sometime between 1817 and 1846. However, it is generally agreed that when the bell was rung in celebration of Washington's birthday in 1846, the crack expanded to the point that the bell should no longer be rung

The preferred method for disposing of a torn, damaged, or soiled U.S. flag is to burn it.
True - According to Title 4 of the U.S. Code, "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."

The state flag of Texas is the only one that is allowed to fly at the same height as the U.S. flag.
False - Actually, U.S. flag code states that any state flag may be flown at the same height as the U.S. flag as long as it is to the left of the U.S. flag. Contrary to rumors circulating on the Internet, no special exceptions are made for the state of Texas.

John Hancock purposely signed his name in large script on the Declaration of Independence to show his defiance of the British.
False - While it's true that there was a price on his head back in England, and that by signing the Declaration, Hancock was sealing his fate as a traitor against the British crown, these circumstances did not affect the way he signed his name. In addition to naturally having a rather large and flamboyant signature, Hancock was the first person to sign the document, so he had plenty of space.

An American flag should be burned if it has touched the ground.
False - U.S. flag code does state "the flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise." If a flag does touch the ground, the proper course of action is simply to lift the flag up, and if it's dirty, clean it. It should only be burned if it is damaged or soiled beyond repair.

What Caught My Eye Today

President Bush - President Bush left open the possibility of an eventual pardon for former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby a day after commuting Libby's 2 1/2-year prison term in the CIA leak case. Bush said he had weighed his decision carefully to erase Libby's prison time for lying and conspiracy. He said the jury's conviction should stand but the prison term was too severe. Democrats have charged cronyism in Bush's sparing Libby jail time. Some lawyers said Bush's statement about Libby's harsh sentence showed that the administration was out of touch with the reality of today's federal sentencing guidelines. People like Libby — first-time, nonviolent offenders — frequently receive lengthy sentences. Honestly, did this catch anyone by surprise? Sure the Democrats are going to criticize this move. They criticize everything Bush does. I'm not saying what Bush did was right, but I'm not surprised.

Pakistan - Nine people were shot dead in clashes between Pakistani paramilitary forces and radical Muslim students at an Islamabad mosque run by a Taliban-style movement. The clashes began when about 150 students attacked a security post at a government office near the mosque, snatched weapons and took four officials hostage, according to police. Paramilitary forces fired teargas to disperse hundreds of students outside the mosque, and then came under fire. Someone in the mosque later used a loudspeaker to call for suicide attacks, though a cleric denied that any such order had been given. Stories like this bring me back to the same question. What is it about the current state of affairs throughout the world that drives so many to radicalism? Clearly there are some very angry, disenfranchised people out there that feel like their interests are not being adequately addressed.

Britain - Gordon Brown has outlined a series of constitutional changes which he says will make the British government a "better servant of the people". In his first address to the House of Commons as prime minister, Mr. Brown said he would "surrender or limit" powers in 12 areas, including royal prerogatives such as declaring war without parliamentary approval. Mr Brown also said the prime minister should lose the right to choose Church of England bishops. He added that MPs would hold US-style confirmation hearings for appointees to important public posts to ratify international treaties. He also suggested the possibility of lowering the voting age from 18 to 16. Well, blimey and bloody hell. This bloke is certainly starting off his government with a loud bang. What's all this rubbish about giving Parliament more power. That sort of behavior would never be tolerated in the U.S.

Auto Industry - General Motors Corp.'s U.S. sales plunged 21.3 percent in June and Ford dropped 8.1 percent while Toyota reported a 10.2 percent sales surge compared with a year ago. Meanwhile, Nissan said its U.S. sales rose 22.7 percent and DaimlerChrysler AG's sales dropped 1.8 percent. So in case you had not noticed, U.S. automakers continue to suck wind while Toyota keeps chugging along.

Movie Industry - While the three May blockbusters — Sony's "Spider-Man 3," DreamWorks Animation's "Shrek the Third" and Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" — have combined for nearly $1 billion in domestic revenue, overall business and movie attendance are well below the record pace many show business types had expected. Attendance is running behind 2006 and has even fallen below that of summer 2005. Hollywood's best summer for revenues came in 2004, when the industry took in $3.95 billion domestically for the entire season. Based on admission prices, which rise every year, the best summer for actual movie attendance was 2002, with 653 million tickets sold. Here's my problem with the movie industry. You pay through the nose for a seat in a theatre with crappy seats, screaming kids, jerks on their cell phones, then have to sit through about an hour's worth of advertisements and previews, just so you can have the experience of watching mediocre plotlines on a big screen. Call me crazy, but I'll wait for the flick to show up on DVD or cable.

Yachting - Try to hold back your tears now. The America's Cup is over. Swiss syndicate Alinghi were left ecstatic after retaining the America's Cup, sailing's most prestigious competition, in a 5-2 series win over Emirates Team New Zealand. In the seventh race, Alinghi overcame a shattered spinnaker pole in the final drag race to creep past the Kiwis to win by just one second, the closest ever margin of victory in the 156-year-old competition. It was also only the fourth time in America's Cup history that a defending yacht has retained the "Auld Mug" - world sport's oldest trophy. Hope you got your fill. The next competition is four years from now.

What Caught My Eye Today

Britain - Britain announced two new arrests in the failed car bombings in London and at Glasgow's airport. Police had searched at least 19 locations as part of a "fast-moving investigation" into what British officials have called an al-Qaida-linked network. Vigilance was already heightened ahead of the anniversary of Britain's first suicide attacks, the July 7, 2005, London transit bombings in which four British-bred Muslims killed themselves and 52 commuters on three subway trains and a bus. In the latest attacks, two car bombs failed to explode in central London on Friday and two men rammed a Jeep Cherokee into the entrance of Glasgow International Airport on Saturday. Thankfully, no casualties have been reported and you have to applaud the efficiency in which law enforcement officials are apprehending the perpetrators.

British Royal Family - Waving their arms in the air and dancing with 70,000 fans at London's Wembley Stadium, princes William and Harry celebrated the life of their mother, Princess Diana, on what would have been her 46th birthday Sunday at a concert they organized. "This evening is about all that my mother loved in life: her music, her dance, her charities and her family and friends," William told the crowd, thanking them and millions more who watched the show on television. William said the concert was a chance for people to "remember all the good things about her because she's not here to defend herself when she gets criticized." Tickets for the concert cost $90 with proceeds going to causes Diana supported. I caught some of the concert on VH1, and must say, it was rather well done. Willian and Harry certainly appear to have a knack for throwing a party. Of course, Harry does have some experience to draw from.

Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Kennebunkport, Maine for talks with President Bush. Bush and Putin have contrasting views on democracy and missile defense, NATO expansion into Russia's backyard and independence for Kosovo. They both want to stymie Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions, but don't see eye-to-eye on how tough to get with Tehran or even whether Iranian missiles currently pose a threat. For all the pleasantries and talk about patching up the Bush-Putin friendship and forging fresh relations with Russia as it transitions from its communist past, the rhetoric coming out of the Kremlin of late seems mired in the Cold War. I find myself in rather unfamiliar territory here. Bush is actually trying to patch up a relationship with dialogue? Clearly, he didn't consult with Cheney, who never would have stooped to such a pathetic display of weakness.

Axis of Unity - The presidents of Iran and Venezuela launched construction of a joint petrochemical plant on Monday, strengthening an "axis of unity" between two oil-rich nations staunchly opposed to the United States. Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who both often rail against Washington, also signed a series of other deals to expand economic cooperation, ranging from setting up a dairy factory in Venezuela to forming an oil company. "The two countries will united defeat the imperialism of North America," a beaming Chavez told a news conference during an official visit to the Islamic Republic, which the United States has labeled part of an "axis of evil." I'm sorry, but 'axis of unity' so totally lacks the panache of 'axis of evil.' You guys need to hire some better PR people to add some punch to your slogan. Marketing is all about perception. This copy cat stuff is weak.

Top 100 Lists - Yet another argument for reading a good book, this one courtesy of the Associated Press. Lists have become such a popular television format that even The Weather Channel offered the "100 Biggest Weather Moments" this spring. Lists have been a reliable staple for magazines and other publications for years, but it wasn't until VH1 polled musicians a decade ago to come up with the "100 Greatest Artists of Rock 'n' Roll" that things really took off on TV. AP came up with its own list of the "5 Biggest Reasons TV Lists Are Hot!

5. Surfability. Perhaps no TV format is better designed for the 100-channel universe. Light upon one of these lists at any time and it's easy to figure out what's going on and get engrossed.

4. Storytelling. The best list specials tell us things we didn't know, even if it's not particularly groundbreaking.

3. Repeats. Lists do very well in repeats, great for networks with many hours to fill. E! has shown "101 Biggest Celebrity Oops!" 52 times, at last count. Some lists get higher ratings in reruns than in original airings.

2. Cheap Stuff. It doesn't cost much to pull tape and line a few comics or industry sages up to riff on camera about memorable moments. Many of these lists are just concocted by network employees gathering in a back room and tossing ideas around.

1. Ratings. People watch. While some lists do better than others, executives say they almost always improve upon typical fare.

Sports Update - A couple of sports items caught my eye this past weekend.

Tennis - The third major of the year, Wimbledon, is entering its second week. Most of the top seeds have advanced as expected. On the women's side, both Williams' sisters are into the fourth round. Venus is slated to face Maria Sharapova, while Serena goes up against Daniela Hantuchova. Should she win, Serena will likely get Justine Henin in the quarter finals (lucky her). Over on the men's side, Roger Federer advanced to the quarterfinals without having to serve for a single point when his opponent, Tommy Haas, withdrew from the tournament with an injury. Unlike the French Open, the American's still have one player left. Andy Roddick has safely made it through to the fourth round.

Yachting - It seems that the America's Cup will conclude shortly. Alinghi fought back from behind to beat Team New Zealand and take their lead in the America's Cup to 4-2 on Saturday, putting them just one win away from defending sailing's most coveted prize.

Baseball - Seeing as this All-Star Game is going to be a San Francisco thing anyway, they might as well have put Barry Bonds in the middle of it, in the city and amid the fans that adore him without reservation. Bonds overtook Alfonso Soriano in the final days of balloting, a quarter million-vote rally that put him into the National League outfield with Ken Griffey Jr. and Carlos Beltran. Bonds has been selected to 13 others and this will be his 12th start. He is batting .304, back from .265 a little more than a month ago, with 16 home runs and 40 RBIs. Oh, and by the way, dude has 750 career home runs. Maybe that had something to do with making the starting rotation.

Golf - Rubbing an injured wrist and teary eyes, Wie withdrew from the U.S. Women's Open halfway through her second round Saturday on her way to another score in the 80s. She was 6 over through nine holes when she quit after hitting her second shot on the par-5 first hole, telling her playing partners, "I'm done." The 17-year-old from Hawaii was 17 over for the tournament when she walked away, the second time in three tournaments she has withdrawn. For the year, she has completed seven rounds with an average score of just under 78. Only a year ago, she had a share of the lead on the back nine of all three U.S. majors on the LPGA Tour, and made headlines around the world by coming close to qualifying for the men's U.S. Open at Winged Foot. Her latest scorecard -- withdraw, dead last, withdraw. so like, this would qualify as a slump, right? Here's a radical idea, Michelle. Stop playing until you properly rehabilitate your wrist.

What Caught My Eye Today

London - Police thwarted a devastating terrorist plot on Friday, discovering two Mercedes loaded with nails packed around canisters of propane and gasoline set to detonate and kill possibly hundreds in London's crowded theater and nightclub district. The plot, coming only two days after Gordon Brown took over as prime minister, raised the specter of the attacks in July 2005 when the London Underground and an iconic double-decker bus were targeted by a group of homegrown terrorists who killed 52 people. Authorities said the bombs in both cars were similar and that each Mercedes had been abandoned in the same area near Piccadilly Circus. Had they exploded, at least hundreds of people would have been killed. The discovery of the car bombs before they exploded was a bonus for police. Gee whiz. Do ya think? Hats off to the police regardless of that dumbass understatement.

Speaking of understatements, this next one has to be a candidate for understatement of the year...

Iraq - As the United Nations officially disbanded its weapons inspections unit for Iraq, the United States again defended faulty intelligence it had cited to justify its 2003 invasion of the country. Despite U.S. and British suspicions and assertions that Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction, no evidence of active programs to make chemical, biological or nuclear arms has been found. After the U.N. Security Council approved a U.S.-British resolution to shut down the inspection unit, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations conceded Washington had overestimated Iraq's weapons capability before the invasion. That's awfully big of Washington. We've only been there for 5 years and lost more than 3500 soldiers due to a miscalculation of Iraq's military capabilities. Way to man up.

Mexico - The 1.5-mile barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border was designed to keep cars from illegally crossing into the United States. There's just one problem: It was accidentally built on Mexican soil. Now embarrassed border officials say the mistake could cost the federal government more than $3 million to fix. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman said the vertical metal tubes were sunk into the ground and filled with cement along what officials firmly believed was the border. But a routine aerial survey in March revealed that the barrier protrudes into Mexico by 1 to 6 feet. When the barrier was built in 2000, the project was believed to cost about $500,000 a mile. Estimates to uproot and replace it range from $2.5 million to $3.5 million. so like I was saying, why do we need to waste all this time and energy in Congress on immigration reform. From the looks of this, the system seems just fine and dandy.

iPhone - Hundreds of people who lined up to be among the first to get their hands on Apple Inc.'s coveted iPhone are now the braggarts and guinea pigs for the latest must-have, cutting-edge piece of techno-wizardry. The gadget was going on sale in the United States at 6 p.m. Friday in each time zone. Apple itself has set a target of selling 10 million units worldwide by 2008, gaining roughly a 1 percent share of the cell phone market. It's expected to go on sale in Europe later this year and in Asia in 2008. iPhone...big deal. Now if it can get a job and pay some bills, then I'll be impressed.

Football - NFL Europe, the European development league for American football, has folded after 15 seasons with National Football League owners disbanding the six-team circuit after heavy financial losses. NFL Europe had five German-based teams and one in Amsterdam. NFL owners have shifted their strategy for pitching the sport to European audiences, having decided to play two regular-season NFL games a year outside of US home markets. The first of those will be staged at London's Wembley Stadium on October 28 between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins. Future games are planned for Mexico, Germany and Canada. A pre-season game planned this year in China was scrapped but the league is expected to bring a game there in the future, likely not until after next year's Beijing Olympics. Well, bugger. Now all we have is arena football. What is the world coming to?

What Caught My Eye Today

Britain - Former Treasury chief Gordon Brown became British prime minister Wednesday, promising "a new government with new priorities," after Tony Blair left office with a legacy of economic prosperity overshadowed by the deeply divisive Iraq war. The incoming leader, who for many lacks Blair's charisma, must woo Britons by shaking off the taint of backing the hugely unpopular Iraq war. With promises of restoring trust in government, he is planning to sweep aside the Blair era after a decade waiting for the country's top job. Brown has waited 13 years for this moment. Most keenly watched will be his policy toward Iraq, where the number of British troops has rapidly fallen this year. Brown may sanction an inquiry on Iraq, similar to the U.S. Study Group, telling a recent rally that Britain needs to acknowledge mistakes made over the conflict. One thing in Brown's favor--it will be exceedingly difficult for him to screw up the situation in Iraq much more than we already have.

Iraq - Two Republican senators previously reluctant to challenge President Bush on the war in Iraq announced they could no longer support the deployment of 157,000 troops and asked the president to begin bringing them home. "We must not abandon our mission, but we must begin a transition where the Iraqi government and its neighbors play a larger role in stabilizing Iraq," Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, wrote in a letter to Bush. Voinovich released his letter one day after Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana said in a floor speech that Bush's strategy was not working. Their public break is significant because it raises the possibility that Senate Democrats could muster the 60 votes needed to pass legislation that would call for Bush to bring troops home. Their remarks also are an early warning shot to a lame duck president that GOP support for the war is thinning. The administration is not expected until September to say whether a recent troop buildup in Iraq is working. That's got to sting a little bit doesn't it, Mr. President? As for September, call me a skeptic, but I'm guessing the White House is going to say something to the effect of 'give the strategy a chance to work' or 'it's too early to tell if the plan is working or not.'

Iran - Iranians smashed shop windows and set fire to a dozen gas stations in the capital Wednesday, angered by the sudden start of a fuel rationing system that threatens to further increase the unpopularity of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The rationing is part of a government attempt to reduce the $10 billion it spends each year to import fuel that is then sold to Iranian drivers at less than cost, to keep prices low. Iran is one of the world's biggest oil producers, but it doesn't have enough refineries, so it must import more than 50 percent of the gasoline its people use. The government says money saved from subsidies can go to building refineries, improving public transit and creating jobs. Hmm. not enough refineries, huh? I wonder why that predicament sounds so familiar?

Paris Hilton - Paris Hilton is expected to make her first televised comments on life after jail during an interview on CNN's Larry King Live. Hilton said she'd like to change her image. She tells those who doubt her sincerity: "They're wrong and they don't know me. I'm a good person. I'm a compassionate person. I have a big heart. I'm sincere, and they'll see." You got that right, sister. I doubt the media will give us a choice in the matter.

World Peace - Finally on a lighter note (as opposed to the seriousness of Paris Hilton's reimaging project), here's a fascinating proposal from comedian, Robin Williams on attaining world peace:

1) The US will apologize to the world for our "interference" in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those "good 'ole' boys", we will never "interfere" again.

2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany , South Korea , the Middle East , and the Philippines . They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.

3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are. They're illegal! France will welcome them.

4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit. No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.

5) No foreign "students" over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a "D" and it's back home baby.

6) The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while

7) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)

8) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not "interfere." They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.

9) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us "Ugly Americans" any longer.

Clearly intended as humor to be sure. But is the reason we find this so amusing because of how much it mirrors public sentiment? Think about it...

What Caught My Eye Today

Middle East - Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be named as special envoy for the international diplomatic Quartet, made up of the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia, on the Middle East with a portfolio focused on Palestinian economic and political reform. Blair's new job will deal primarily with helping the Palestinian Authority build political institutions and will not, at least at first, involve direct mediation or negotiation between the Palestinians and Israelis. The post is expected to be unpaid but will come with staff and logistical support. No pay? What's that all about? Maybe Blair is angling to get himself a Nobel Peace Prize. Of course, Tony does have that government pension to fall back on, so he should continue to be able to put food on the table.

Pope - Pope Benedict XVI has changed the rules for electing a new pope, returning to the traditional requirement that two-thirds of the cardinals in the conclave agree on a candidate. Pope John Paul II had altered the voting process in 1996, allowing the pope to be chosen by an absolute majority if the cardinals were unable to agree after several days of balloting in which a two-thirds majority was needed. Do you get the feeling that before he succeeded John Paul II, Benedict XVI must have been awfully frustrated with the direction that the pontiff was taking the Church?

Domestic Violence - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son before hanging himself in his weight room. Authorities also said they are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old son who were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. World Wrestling Entertainment said on its Web site that it asked authorities to check on Benoit and his family after being alerted by friends who received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning." Alright, I'll admit it; I using to watch pro wrestling back in the day. Benoit was one of my favorite old school wrestlers relying on moves, as opposed to foreign objects, to beat his opponents. Truly a tragic set of circumstances.

Paris Hilton - A smiling Paris Hilton walked out of a Los Angeles County jail early Tuesday, officially ending a bizarre, three-week stay that ignited furious debate over celebrity treatment in the jail system. The hotel heiress will complete her probation in March 2009 as long as she keeps her driver's license current and doesn't break any laws. She can reduce that time by 12 months if she does community service that could include a public-service announcement, the city attorney's office has said. Hilton's stay there cost taxpayers $1,109.78 a day, more than 10 times the cost of housing inmates in the general population. Always nice to see those taxpayer dollars at work.

Joke Of The Day - As a wise man once said, 'laughter is the best medicine.'

This morning on the Interstate, I looked over to my left and there was a woman in a brand new Cadillac doing 65 mph with her face up next to her rearview mirror putting on her eyeliner. I looked away for a couple seconds and when I looked back she was halfway over in my lane, still working on that makeup. As a man, I don't scare easily, but she scared me so much, I dropped my electric shaver, which knocked the donut out of my other hand. In all the confusion of trying to straighten out the car using my knees against the steering wheel, it knocked my cell phone away from my ear which fell into the coffee between my legs, splashed, and burned Big Jim and the Twins, ruined the damn phone, soaked my trousers, and disconnected an important call. Damn women drivers!

What Caught My Eye Today

Cuba - Fidel Castro on Monday accused President Bush of "authorizing and ordering" an attempt on his life, although his rambling essay on the subject provided no details. Castro's essay noted that President Gerald Ford signed an order banning official assassinations, and said he didn't believe that Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton ever tried to have him killed. But Castro alleged that Bush has other ideas. Castro rambling incoherently...gee, there's a shocker. As for Bush authorizing an attempt on Castro's life...doesn't seem that far-fetched for this particular president.

China - China has begun paving a path up to Mount Everest to make the trek easier for bearers of the 2008 Olympic torch. China plans the longest Olympic torch relay in history, am 85,000 mile, 130 day route spanning five continents. The paving project came as a surprise to environmentalist groups, which had no immediate comment. Is it possible that, like me, they think this is some sort of joke?

Venezuela - Despite political tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, trade has never been brisker. Venezuela exported $42 billion of goods to the U.S. last year, including 1 million barrels of oil daily. U.S. exports to Venezuela over the same period were up 41% to $9 billion. We'll take your oil and pay for it, Chavez, but that doesn't mean we like you. So there.

Music (Part 1) - Sales of rap music albums are in steep decline. Sales of rap CDs this year are down 33% from 2006, which saw a 21% decline. Hip-hop artists blame record industry commercialization of the genre while music industry analysts say teens have simply tired of lyrics about street life, 'ho's' and 'bling.' You know the analysts may have hit upon something here. If the product isn't that good, the public may not buy it. It's a world gone mad.

Music (Part 2) - Thanks to its prominent placement in the final episode of The Sopranos Journey's 1981 hit "Don't Stop Believin'" is again riding the charts. Downloads of the song from iTunes had been averaging about 1,000 a week but jumped to 6,531 the day after the episode first aired. Here's my problem with this. A 1,000 downloads a week? People, people, people. The 80s have so much more to offer than freakin' Journey.

Soccer - Landon Donovan scored his 34th career goal, tying Eric Wynalda atop the career list, and Benny Feilhaber connected with a gorgeous volley to rally the United States over Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean. It's the first time in 53 meetings, dating to 1934, that the Americans fell behind Mexico, then come back to win. The victory extended the Americans' dominance over their neighbors to the south and gave the United States a berth in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa, an important tuneup ahead of the 2010 World Cup. The United States is 9-2-1 against Mexico since 2000, including 8-0-1 on U.S. soil. So I think I figured out at least one reason for the lack of enthusaism for soccer in the U.S.--American commentators suck. Watch a Mexican telecast and, dude, you will be in for a treat if anyone scores. What an English telecast (from the English Premier League) and you will witness some of the wittiest insults aimed at players and officials alike for 90 glorious minutes.

Yachting - Yup, the America's Cup is still plugging away. Team New Zealand staged a stunning comeback to beat Alinghi on Sunday, levelling the best-of-nine America's Cup series 1-1 and ending a 16-race winning streak for a group of Kiwis on the Swiss team.

Did You Know - I got these vocabulary factoids from my friend, Bruce. Enjoy.

"Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand and "lollipop" with your right.

No word in the English language rhymes with "month", "orange", "silver", or "purple".

"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".

The sentence, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet.

There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."

"Typewriter" is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

What Caught My Eye Today

Space Shuttle - The space shuttle Atlantis returned safely to Earth Friday, ending a two-week, five-million-mile mission for its crew of seven. Friday's landing came as the clock ticked down on the shuttle's batteries with only having one more day of life left. While docked at the International Space Station, the astronauts successfully installed a new truss segment, expanding the station's laboratory with a new set of power-generating solar arrays. NASA plans at least 12 more shuttle missions, with Atlantis next set to head to the ISS in about six months' time. Three more shuttle missions are planned this year, as the US space agency races to finish building the 100-billion-dollar ISS by 2010, when the space agency retires its three remaining orbiters. It considers the station a vital part of US ambitions to send a manned mission to Mars. The next shuttle mission is scheduled for August 9 when Endeavour will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment. Welcome home, astronauts. Well done.

Iraq - Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the top day-to-day commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said the U.S. may be able to reduce combat forces in Iraq by next spring if Iraq's own security forces continue to grow and improve. He said U.S. and Iraqi troops have made important progress. He also cautioned that, because the insurgents in Iraq have proven so resilient and adaptive, making any prediction is risky. So what it boils down to is maybe the troops will come home at some future date. Thanks for clearing that up for us, General.

Pentagon - The Pentagon seriously considered developing a 'gay bomb' that would turn enemy troops homosexual and make them irresistibly attracted to one another. Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request show that in 1994, the Air Force asked for $7.5 million to develop an aphrodisiac as a chemical weapon. Honestly, I have no words. Alot of shame and embarrassment, but no words.

U. S. Constitution - Here's an interesting perspective from the L.A. Times. The U.S. Constitution prescribes a 'clumsy, indirect system' for electing presidents. As shown in the 2000 presidential race, Americans do not actually vote for their preferred candidate, but rather they choose a slate of presidential electors. The electors, in turn, vote for the candidate who receives the most votes in their state. On four occasions the Electoral College has elected presidents who lost the popular vote--John Quincy Adams (1824), Rutherford Hayes (1876), Benjamin Harrison (1888) and George W. Bush (2000). Anyone want to give odds that a Constitutional amendment to change how the Electoral College works would survive while the current President is still in office? Me neither.

Brand Marketing - A survey of 1000 undergraduates found that students tend to mistakenly identify familiar brands as Japanese, American or German based on assumptions about countries perceived strengths. Here are some examples:

Nokia (Finland): % of correct answers: 4.4; Most common answer: Japan (53.6)
Lego (Denmark): % of correct answers: 8.4; Most common answer: U.S. (61.1)
Samsung (Korea): % of correct answers: 9.8; Most common answer: Japan (57.8)
Ericsson (Sweden): % of correct answers: 9.9; Most common answer: U.S. (30.3)
Adidas (Germany): % of correct answers: 12.2; Most common answer: U.S. (48.5)

Action Movies: Here are the top 10 action movies of all time according to Entertainment weekly:

10. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
9. Hard-Boiled (1992)
8. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
7. Gladiator (2000)
6. Seven Samurai (1954)
5. The Matrix (1999)
4. The Road Warrior (1982)
3. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
2. Aliens (1986)
1. Die Hard (1988)

All I have to say to that is 'yippee-ki-yay...' Well, you know the rest.

Baseball - Homerun hitters are making some noise this week. Barry Bonds continued his glacial progress toward Hank Aaron's mark. Bonds hit #749 in a losing cause against the Yankees on Friday. Speaking of the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez went 4-4. A-Rod is up to 491 career homeruns. Oh and by the way, he's only 31. Lastly, our good friend Sammy Sosa spent this past week hitting homeruns #600 and #601. Way to go, Sammy. Of course, I wouldn't be banking on that Hall of Fame invite jsut yet. There was that little steriods flap of yours in front of Congress that still isn't sitting to well with a fair number of voters.

America's Cup - You better sit down for this one. Alinghi began its America's Cup title defense Saturday by defeating challenger Emirates Team New Zealand by 35 seconds, the start of the showdown for the oldest trophy in international sports. This was the sixth straight win for Alinghi, dating to its 5-0 sweep of the Kiwis in 2003.

What Caught My Eye Today

Guantanamo Bay - I didn't see this one coming. The Bush administration is nearing a decision to close the Guantanamo Bay detainee facility and move the terror suspects there to military prisons elsewhere. The advisers will consider a proposal to shut the center and transfer detainees to one or more Defense Department facilities, including the maximum security military prison at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, where they could face trial. Cheney's office and the Justice Department have been dead set against the step, arguing that moving "unlawful" enemy combatant suspects to the U.S. would give them undeserved legal rights. They could still block the proposal, but pressure to close Guantanamo has been building since a Supreme Court decision last year that found a previous system for prosecuting enemy combatants illegal. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't read it. Bush is actually contemplating the possibility of following a ruling that he disagrees with? What next, pigs growing wings?

U.S. Military - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he does not anticipate extending U.S. troop deployments in Iraq beyond 15 months, calling the idea a "worst-case scenario." Gates endorsed the military's efforts to work with some Iraqi insurgents who initially fought against U.S. forces. That may be the only way to bring peace to the bitterly divided nation, he said. Military deployments were recently extended to a maximum of 15 months from 12 months. Gates said it was his hope to move as soon as possible back to 12-month deployments, with a year at home, and then eventually to 12-month terms with two years at home. But he also said that a recent report's recommendation that troops get one month off for every three they serve on the front lines would be "a challenge to manage" at this time. Is it just me or does this guy make far too much sense to working for President Bush?

Fuel Standards - The Senate voted to increase fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon for cars and SUVs, the first significant boost demanded of automakers in nearly 20 years. Automakers are currently required to meet an average of 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.2 mpg for SUVs and small trucks. The car standard has not changed since 1989. The measure tacked onto the energy bill would require a 35 mpg fleet average — including SUVs and pickup trucks — by 2020, and require that automakers make half of their vehicles capable of running on 85 percent ethanol fuel by 2015. It scaled back tougher standards already in the Senate's energy bill but was still considered strong enough to have wide support from environmentalists. Good news for the environment, I guess. But honestly, we're talking 12 years out. Who knows what the state of the environment (or fossil fuels, for that matter) will be by then. I'm more impressed by the fact that the Senate actually did something.

Taliban - A Taliban spokesman claimed in an interview that the militant Islamist group is changing tactics and will target Afghanistan's capital, Kabul. Here's the part of the interview that creeped me out, "A lot of people are coming to our suicide bombing centre to volunteer." Let's assume for a moment that this dude is firing on all cylinders. What does it say of Western civilization that the local population is lining up to blow themselves up just to get rid of us?

Movies - "Citizen Kane," Orson Welles' powerful portrait of an unscrupulous media baron, beat back an assault from "The Godfather," to retain its title as the greatest American film. Film critics, historians and experts voted "Kane" as the top U.S. film for the second time in a decade in a poll conducted by the American Film Institute. The rest of the top ten, in order, are: Casablance (#2), The Godfather (#3), Gone With The Wind (#4), Lawrence of Arabia (#5), The Wizard of Oz (#6), The Graduate (#7), On The Waterfront(#8), Schindler's List (#9) and Singin' In The Rain(#10). Hold up, dawg. Where's Borat? This list is bogus without Borat.

What Caught My Eye Today

Stem Cell Research - Pushing back against the Democratic-led Congress, President Bush vetoed a bill that would have eased restraints on federally funded embryonic stem cell research. Democrats, who had made the stem cell legislation a top priority when they took control of the House and Senate in January, were quick to denounce the president's decision. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to schedule an override vote, but the date has not been set. Democrats, however, currently do not have enough votes to override Bush's veto. This was the third veto of Bush's presidency. His first occurred last year when he rejected legislation to allow funding of additional lines of embryonic stem cells — a measure that passed over the objections of Republicans then in control. The second legislation he vetoed would have set timetables for U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq. Is it just me or is Congress completely inept at trying to reign in the President? You have to give props to Bush. I for one certainly didn't think he was going to be able to continue to do as he pleased without fear of reprecussion from Congress.

Russia - By accepting Vladimir Putin as a democrat, Western governments have allowed the Russian president to continue running the country like a police state, according to former chess champion Gary Kasparov. Kasparov said Russia is quickly becoming a dictatorship, adding that all the national television networks are now controlled by Putin and his band of former KGB officers. And the once powerful Russian Parliament has become a toothless Kremlin lapdog. I'm not sure how much influence a chess player is going to have on international affairs, but he does raise some interested questions. My concern is that most countries, the U.S. included, share Kasparov's view but don't know how or are afraid to confront Putin.

China - China has overtaken the United States as the top emitter of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, because of surging energy use amid an economic boom. The rise to number one emitter may put pressure on Beijing to do more to help a U.N.-led fight against global warming. China's carbon dioxide emissions totaled 6.2 billion metric tons in 2006, compared with second place U.S. emissions of 5.8 billion metric tons. The European Union was in third place on the ranking ahead of Russia, India and Japan. With a population of 1.3 billion, China's per capita emissions are a quarter of those in the United States, with 300 million people. So on a per capita basis, the U.S. is still number one. U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A. Oops, hold up. This is another one of those rankings where number one is a bad thing, isn't it?

Space Travel - The European Space Agency is looking for volunteers to make a pretend trip to Mars. The job will last almost two years, the living conditions will be cramped and the food all pre-packed -- just like on the spacecraft that might one day make the epic voyage to our remote red neighbor. The project will kick off with one or two shorter, 105-day studies in 2008, followed by the full 520-day study late next year or early in 2009. Application forms for the ESA jobs can be found here. So let's say you get the job. What do you put down on your resume after having completed this job? '2009 to 2011 - Spent two years in cramped quarters eating crap food and pretty much stared at the walls.' Sounds like the first two years of college to me.

What Caught My Eye Today

Military - The Army is considering whether it will have to extend the combat tours of troops in Iraq if President Bush opts to maintain the recent buildup of forces through spring 2008. Acting Army Secretary Pete Geren said that the service is reviewing other options, including relying more heavily on Army reservists or Navy and Air Force personnel, so as not to put more pressure on a stretched active-duty force. Most soldiers spend 15 months in combat with a guaranteed 12 months home, a rotation plan that has infuriated Democrats because it exceeds the service's goal of giving troops equal time home as in combat. I said it before, and I'll say it again. The men and women of the armed forces are getting screwed by a foreign policy plan in Iraq (for lack of a better term) that practically no one believes has any chance of working.

2008 Presidential Race - There must be something in the water in New York. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday switched his party status from Republican to unaffiliated, a stunning move certain to be seen as a prelude to an independent presidential bid that would upend the 2008 race. The billionaire former CEO, who was a lifelong Democrat before he switched to the GOP for his first mayoral run, said the change in voter registration does not mean he is running for president. Despite his coyness about his aspirations, the mayor's decision to switch stokes speculation that he will pursue the White House, challenging the Democratic and Republican nominees with a legitimate and well-financed third-party bid. Bloomberg has an estimated worth of more than $5 billion and easily could underwrite a White House run, much like Texas businessman Ross Perot in 1992. I don't want to rain on Bloomberg's parade, but Perot's bid didn't go so well. Perhaps dude should raise his standards just a bit. I'm also betting that this latest development is probably pissing off Rudy Guilani.

Vatican - The Vatican issued a "Ten Commandments" for motorists to keep them on the road to salvation, warning drivers against the sins of road rage, abuse of alcohol or even simple rudeness. The unusual document from the Vatican's office for migrants and itinerant people also warned that automobiles can be "an occasion of sin" — particularly when used to make a dangerous passing maneuver or when used by prostitutes and their clients. And it suggested prayer might come in handy — performing the sign of the cross before starting off and saying the rosary along the way. Oh yeah, good idea. Keeping track of how many Hail Mary's I've said will really keep me focused on the dude in front of me. Don't you people have more important things to do; like telling women what they can and cannot do with their bodies?

Space Shuttle - Hours after undocking from the international space station Tuesday, Atlantis' seven astronauts finished a final inspection of the space shuttle to make sure its heat shield was ready to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. During their stay at the space station, Atlantis' astronauts helped install a new truss segment, unfurled a new pair of power-generating solar arrays, repaired a peeled-back thermal blanket near Atlantis' tail and activated a rotating joint that allows the new solar arrays to track the sun. The 11-day mission was extended to 13 days so astronauts could repair the thermal blanket. That's a lot of air miles, my friends. Seriously, have a safe trip home, astronauts.

Fatherhood - The sports world is inducting a couple new members into the fatherhood fraternity. First up is Tiger Woods. His wife Elin has given birth to their first child, Woods said in a statement on his Web site on Tuesday. "Elin and I are delighted to announce the birth of our daughter, Sam Alexis Woods. Sam was born early on Monday morning, June 18th," Woods said. With all that going on, dude still pulled off a second place finish at the U.S. Open. This boy has got game. Still on baby watch is NASCAR driver, Jeff Gordon. Gordon and his wife, Belgian model Ingrid Vandebosch, are now only days away from the birth of their first child, a daughter. Next week brings tests and meetings and decisions over whether to induce labor. Mark Martin will be on standby next Sunday in Sonoma, Calif., in case the Nextel Cup points leader needs to skip the race. Word to the wise, Jeff. Choose wisely, my friend.

Formula One - Speaking of motor sports, Formula One just wrapped up its two North American stops in Montreal two weeks ago and at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this past week. Rookie, Lewis Hamilton won both races and now tops the rankings with a 10 point lead over Fernando Alonso. But that isn't the big story. Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone says the fate of the US Grand Prix is in the hands of Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, although he likely means George's wallet. The stumbling block could be the amount of money Ecclestone wants George to pay to stage the event in future years. A one-year extension for this race was added after original seven-year deal expired in 2006. With bidders such as Singapore willing to raise the stakes and other Asian sites such as South Korea and India preparing to jump into the bidding for F1 races, money to Ecclestone and for boosting US interest will be crucial. And with that, I'm thinking you can probably hear a pin drop for as much interest as this story is likely to generate with the average American sports fan, what with Formula One probably having about as big a fan base here as soccer does.

What Caught My Eye Today

International Stability - Iraq is the second most unstable country in the world, according to the 2007 Failed States Index published by analysts for Foreign Policy magazine and the not-for-profit Fund for Peace. 177 nations are evaluated using 12 measures and ranked in one of the following categories: Alert, Warning, Moderate or Sustainable. 32 nations fall into the Alert category with Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia taking the top 3 spots. 15 nations comprise the Sustainable category with Norway, Finland and Sweden at the top of that list. The U.S. ranks 18th, good enough for third place out of 32 in the Moderate category. Most nations, 97, fall into Warning category. More revelations about Afghanistan Iraq that I'm guessing surprises no one. How about the defenders of freedom (that would be the U.S., in case you were wondering) not making it into the ranks of the Sustainable? What up with dat?

International Space Station - A revived set of crucial computers aboard the international space station underwent one more test Monday before they are given a clean bill of health so shuttle Atlantis can return home. The test will help determine if two Russian computers are ready to control the space station's orientation as Atlantis managers decide whether the shuttle should spend another day at the outpost. During a computer meltdown last week, the shuttle's thrusters were used to help the station maintain its position. The station's thrusters haven't been used since. On Sunday, shuttle astronauts completed the fourth and final spacewalk of their mission to continue the construction of the space station., astronauts activated a rotating joint on the outpost's newest segment so a new pair of solar wings can track the sun and provide power to the station. All is well that ends well, hopefully. I don't expect the drama to end just yet. There is the minor detail of the shuttle making it back to Earth and whether or not the damage to a thermal blanket proves problematic or not.

Palestinians - The emergency government Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas installed after Islamic militants seized control of Gaza reaped its first windfall Monday with the European Union promising to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in crucial aid. President Bush also lent critical support in a phone call to Abbas, who called for a resumption of Mideast peace talks. The Bush administration is expected to soon lift its sanctions on the Palestinian government now that it no longer includes the Islamic Hamas. Russia also said it supported Abbas's move to form an emergency government, but urged him and Islamic Hamas to seek a "wide-ranging dialogue." I must be getting my signals crossed here. Is there something on the international stage that we all seem to agree on? I wonder if a cool breeze just swept across hell.

Baseball - Barry Bonds hit homerun 748, his first at Boston's Fenway Park, over the weekend, leaving him 7 shy of Hank Aaron's record. I'm sure that will give him some consolation as the Giants were swept by Boston and dropped the team into last place in the NL West. This seaon, Bonds hit 11 homers in his first 76 at-bats, but has just three in 91 at-bats since. I still say he breaks the record this year, if for no other reason that he doesn't want to have to come back next year to try and get it.

Golf - Argentina's Angel Cabrera held off Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk to become the second South American to win a major title with a one-shot victory at the U.S. Open on Sunday. Cabrera, whose power game earned him five birdies on a hot and humid day at treacherous Oakmont Country Club, fired a one-under-par 69 for a five-over total of 285 on one of golf's toughest layouts. Twice champion Woods, hunting his 13th major title, had to settle for a share of second place with fellow American Furyk (70) after closing with a 72. Woods, two strokes behind the pacesetting Aaron Baddeley of Australia overnight, stumbled early with a double-bogey at the third.Although he hit back with a birdie at the fourth, he was frequently forced to scramble to save par and failed to pick up any further shots before finishing at six over. Dude, what a finish. For a sport that is not exactly known for fast paced action, the last few holes had my blood pumping.

Soccer - The U.S. beat Panama 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals. The United States improved to 8-0-1 since Bradley took over as coach from Bruce Arena. The Gold Cup winner qualifies for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. The semifinals, scheduled for June 21, match the U.S. against Canada and Mexico against Guadeloupe. Now here is an interesting little quandary...The victory by Guadeloupe, a French province, over Mexico could eventually prove problematic for FIFA should Guadeloupe win the event. The winner of the Gold Cup qualifies for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa and Guadeloupe cannot play in that tournament because FIFA doesn't recognize the Caribbean island as a country. See what I'm saying? Who said soccer was boring; I mean besides 95% of the U.S. population?

What Caught My Eye Today

International Space Station - Computers that control navigation and key life-support systems on the International Space Station were partially restored on Thursday after failing the day before. The U.S. space agency and Russian officials are trying to determine the cause of a failure affecting multiple computers that control the navigation and control systems that help the station's gyroscopes maintain its orientation in space and also supply oxygen and water to the station. Without the computer systems to operate the machines that supply oxygen, the station has only a 56-day supply of oxygen. Since an earlier failure on Monday, thrusters on the space shuttle Atlantis have been fired periodically to help maintain the station's position. The Russian and U.S. space agencies said they could extend Atlantis's mission by one or two days to fix the problem. In the worst-case scenario, NASA said the ISS crew members - two Russians and an American - may be evacuated from the station. Not that there is ever a good time for something like this to happen, but how lucky were these guys that the space shuttle happened to be docked with the space station when this crash happened?

Palestinians - A beleaguered Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared a state of emergency and disbanded the Hamas-led unity government after the Islamic militant group vanquished its Fatah rivals and effectively took control of the Gaza Strip on Thursday. His moves will enable Fatah to consolidate its control over the West Bank, likely paving the way for two separate Palestinian governments. See, everything is relative. We think our government is screwed up? Just look at the mess these poor slobs have created for themselves.

NATO - NATO ordered its military experts Thursday to draw up plans for a possible short-range missile defense system to protect member nations that would be left exposed by proposed U.S. anti-missile units in central Europe. Washington says the addition of the European bases to anti-missile installations in North America would protect most of Europe from the threat of long-range attack from Iran or elsewhere in the Middle East. But it would leave Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and parts of Romania exposed. To fill that gap NATO experts are planning produce a report by February on a short-range anti-missile defenses "that can be bolted on to the overall missile defense system as it would be installed by the United States." I'm thinking, and this is just a hunch, mind you, that our boy Vlad Putin ain't gonna be none to happy about this turn of events.

Bill Clinton - Former President Clinton, who might someday be the first spouse, traveled the globe last year, making more than $10 million giving speeches at corporate retreats, trade group gatherings and motivational venues. But Clinton earned fees from $100,000 to $450,000 by such corporations as IBM, General Motors, and Cisco Systems and trade groups such as the National Association of Realtors and the Mortgage Bankers Association. He also was paid for speeches to at least two charity events — $75,000 to address the TJ Martell Foundation, which finances leukemia research, and $150,000 in a speech in Toronto on behalf of Nelson Mandela's Children's Fund. The former president was particularly popular abroad. During one four-day stretch last September, he was in England, Ireland, South Africa, Germany and Denmark. The trip yielded $1.74 million in speaking fees. No wonder there are so many candidates for President. With payouts like this, I may throw my hat into the ring.

Sexy Bachelors - Matthew McConaughey is People magazine's "bachelor of the year." The magazine also names "sexy and sizzling" bachelors such as Adrian Grenier, Zach Braff, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Reynolds, Ludacris and Apolo Ohno. I know, I know. You're thinking how could this not have been my number one headline for the day.

Golf - The carnage has begun at the U.S. Open in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Nick Dougherty, looking to be the first Brit in 37 years to win America's national championship, held the opening-round clubhouse lead of the U.S. Open at 2-under 68. Tiger Woods found out during his first tournament round at Oakmont how tough it can be, even though he was only three shots off the lead with a 1-over 71, tied with defending champion Geoff Ogilvy. It was much worse for some other big names. Sergio Garcia shot himself out of contention with a 9-over 79. Colin Montgomerie, Masters champion Zach Johnson and two-time Open titleist Retief Goosen were near the bottom of the scoreboard at 6-over 76. Michael Campbell, the 2005 winner, was at 3-over 73. The USGA was concerned that a storm that dumped about a half-inch of rain on Oakmont in a short time Wednesday took away some of Oakmont's legendary speed and created putting conditions more favorable than it wanted.

Basketball - Speaking of carnage, God willing, the end will come swiftly and mercifully when the San Antonio Spurs figure to finish off a sweep of the overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers tonight in Cleveland to wrap up a fourth NBA championship in nine years.

Soccer - The United States moved up 13 spots to 16th place in the June FIFA rankings following a strong start in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Americans reached their highest ranking at No. 4 in April 2006, then dropped steadily to as low as 31st from November to January after their first-round elimination in the World Cup. The latest rankings included the Americans' first two games in the Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean. World Cup champion Italy remained No. 1, and World Cup runner-up France moved past Brazil into second. Germany, Argentina, Portugal, Spain, England, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic completed the top 10. We'll see how well that ranking holds up when the U.S. plays some of those European and South American teams. I'm not saying that Trinidad and Tabago isn't a talented team, but it's no Brazil or Italy.

What Caught My Eye Today - 100th Edition

Congress - Congress issued subpoenas for former presidential counsel Harriet Miers and political director Sara Taylor, reaching directly inside the White House for the first time in the probe of the firings of federal prosecutors. The Democratic chairmen of House and Senate committees implicitly threatened a constitutional showdown if the White House does not comply with the subpoenas — or strike a deal. The investigation by majority Democrats is fueled by their contention that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has, in effect, allowed the White House to make major political decisions for the traditionally independent Justice Department. The firings of eight federal prosecutors over the winter, Democrats say, was an example of improper political influence. Other than giving the folks at CNN, Fox News and MSNBC something to drone on about for hours, does anyone really care about this? Here's an idea. How about doing something to fix that mess in the Middle East?

Iraq - Here's another entry for the Shocker File. According to the latest assessment by the U.S. Army. Most Iraqi military units arriving in Baghdad for an American-led security crackdown have only 75 percent of their assigned soldiers. About one in six Iraqi policemen trained by U.S. forces has been killed or wounded, has deserted or has just disappeared. The slow development of Iraqi security forces, along with continued sectarian violence, raises doubts about when Iraq will be able to stand on its own and what the consequences of an early U.S. troop withdrawal would be. The report mentioned that progress was being made citing the first Iraqi army battalions that came to Baghdad as part of the U.S.-led security push earlier this year arrived with 50 percent to 60 percent of their assigned soldiers. The units that replaced them did better, at 75 percent. I guess everything is relative. If we had a 1 in 4 soldiers not coming home, can you imagine what the reaction would be?

Vatican - The Vatican has urged all Catholics to stop donating money to Amnesty International, accusing the human rights group of promoting abortion. The Vatican also said it was suspending all financial aid to Amnesty over what it said was the group's recent change of policy on the issue. Amnesty said it was not promoting abortion as a universal right. But the group said that women had a right to choose, particularly in cases of rape or incest. Amnesty says it does not take any position on whether abortion is right or wrong. But it defended its new position in support of abortion for women when their health is in danger or human rights are violated, especially in cases of rape or incest. Well, I must say, with crazy talk like that, no wonder the Roman Catholic Church wants nothing to do with these hooligans.

Basketball - The San Antonio Spurs are closing in on their fourth title in the past nine years with a surge that has impressed even LeBron James. "It's awesome," the Cleveland Cavaliers forward said. "They don't have the great athletes in the world. They don't have the greatest shooters in the world. But they have probably the greatest team in the world and that's what this sport is all about." Down 3 games in a best of 7 series, I'm guessing this isn't exactly the motivational speech that Cleveland fans were hoping for.

Golf - More than its reputation as the toughest course in America, what sets Oakmont apart from other U.S. Open venues is the greens. The greens are but the final piece of the puzzle this week. It starts with a tee shot that must be kept in the fairway to have any reasonable shot at the green, and no miss is a good one. Along with the graduated rough — the farther from the fairway, the deeper it gets — the bunkers are so deep that the only priority is getting out. The USGA always says it wants to have the most rigorous test in golf. "Oak-monster," Rory Sabbatini called it. "You have to be fully in control for 72 holes. This golf course will test every single shot you ever thought you'd need and every single shot you never thought you'd need." Geoff Ogilvy won last year at 5-over 285, and most players figure that would win going away at Oakmont. Some have suggested 10 over par would win, while Sabbatini placed a friendly wager with his caddie that whoever finished last on Sunday would be 40 over par. With a score that high maybe the PGA should consider inviting Michelle Wie to play.

NASCAR - NASCAR finally has it's version of the New York Yankees--Hendrick Motorsports. Dale Earnhardt Jr. announcing a five-year deal Wednesday to join the elite team in 2008. The team fields cars for four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, who leads all active drivers with 79 career victories, and defending Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Busch and Casey Mears round out the team, which has combined to win 10 of 14 races this season. Mears was thought to be expendable, but shored up his seat with a dramatic win in last month's Coca-Cola 600. So it was Busch, who was signed through 2008, who was ousted after a successful but turbulent tenure that had tested Hendrick's patience. When talks on a contract extension stalled, Hendrick told Busch he wanted to make a run at adding Earnhardt to the team. The way I hear it, North Carolina state officials, upon hearing the news that Junior was teaming up with the Rainbow Warrior (Jeff Gordon), declared a state-wide day of mourning. That's stock car racing for you.

What Caught My Eye Today

Iran - A senior U.S. diplomat accused Iran on Tuesday of transferring weapons to Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan — the most direct comments yet on the issue by a ranking American official. Iran, which is also in a dispute with the West over its nuclear program, denies the Taliban accusation, calling it part of a broad anti-Iranian campaign. Tehran says it makes no sense that a Shiite-led government like itself would help the fundamentalist Sunni movement of the Taliban. I don't want to split hairs here, but not making sense and not doing what Iran is a accused of are two different things. And since when does Iran care about doing things that make sense?

Iraq - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Senate will face another round of votes on the Iraq war before the July Fourth recess. While the measures are unlikely to pass, the announcement comes as party leaders are under fire by many liberal supporters for passing legislation that funds the war through September. Under Reid's plan, the Senate will cast separate votes on whether to cut off funding for combat next year, order troop withdrawals within four months, impose stricter standards on the length of combat tours and rescind congressional authorization for the Iraqi invasion. "We're going to hold the president's feet to the fire," Reid said. Oh yeah, sure. I can just see Bush getting all nervous over this announcement. Reid lost all credibility when he blinked last month and gave the President free reign on Iraq...just like he's going to do again in July, seeing as he's not proposing any legislation that Bush won't veto again.

And in related news...

Two years after the nation's commando forces were given broad authority to attack terrorist networks, the elite units remain hampered by uncertainty over coordination, says the admiral chosen to head the U.S. Special Operations Command. Navy Vice Adm. Eric Olson said the command's "ability to drive behavior within (the Defense Department) is limited due to unclear definition of authorities." Olson's brief answer indicates President Bush's March 2005 decision to broadly empower U.S. commandos continues to be a source of friction within the military's hierarchy. Most of the disagreement comes from other war-fighting commands responsible for managing operations across wide but specific stretches of the globe. These commands have been concerned the new license would encroach on how they manage their own theaters. See that light at the end of the tunnel? Yeah, that one, the one attached to the locomotive bearing down on us at top speed.

Immigration - President Bush prodded rebellious Senate Republicans on Tuesday to help resurrect legislation that could provide eventual citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants. To alleviate the concerns, the president said he was receptive to an emergency spending bill as a way to emphasize his administration's commitment to accelerated enforcement. One congressional official put the price tag at up to $15 billion. Bush's trip to the Capitol marked only the second time since he became president that he attended the weekly closed-door senators lunch, a gesture that underscored the importance he places on passage of comprehensive immigration legislation. Despite the president's commitment, many conservatives in his own party have criticized the measure as an amnesty for millions of lawbreakers. Additionally, job approval ratings in the 30-percent range make it difficult for the president to bend even Republican lawmakers to his will. You know what they say...it's lonely at the top.

TV News - Onto a lighter subject now. Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather escalated a feud with the network, saying CBS Corp. Chief Executive Leslie Moonves "doesn't know about news." Moonves had said earlier Rather's remarks that CBS was "tarting" up its newscast with Katie Couric, Rather's successor, were "sexist." The spat started when Rather, speaking by phone on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program with Joe Scarborough, said CBS had made the mistake of taking the evening news broadcast and "dumbing it down, tarting it up," and playing up topics such as celebrities over war coverage.
While referring to Couric as a "nice person," Rather said "the mistake was to try to bring the 'Today' show ethos to the 'Evening News,' and to dumb it down, tart it up in hopes of attracting a younger audience." I don't know how seriously a guy who signature signoff tagline consisted of a single word, 'Courage.', should be taken. And don't even get me started on why Dan Rather got the boot in the first place. He didn't dumb down the news; he made it as he went along.

Sopranos - The 11.9 million viewers who watched "The Sopranos" finale brought HBO to the edge of a historic feat: a show on a pay cable network available in about 30 million homes was more popular last week than all but one show on the far larger world of broadcast television. Only the premiere of NBC's "America's Got Talent," with 13 million viewers, did better, Nielsen Media Research said. Incidently, this new show is the brainchild of American Idol judge, Simon Cowell. And check this out, "The Sopranos" finale topped both Game 2 of the NBA Finals (8.6 million) and the Tony Awards (6.2 million) in direct competition Sunday night.

Paris Hilton - Yup she's still in jail. However, she will have to find a new agent when she gets out of jail. The Endeavor talent agency has dropped the reality show star, said Michael Donkis, a spokesman for the company. "She is no longer a client," he said, declining further comment. Hilton had been represented by the Beverly Hills-based agency since 2005. So like, don't you have to have some sort of talent in the first place before you can have an agent? Girlfriend is famous for being famous. Where's the talent there? Pretty good PR job, but certainly not much talent.

What Caught My Eye Today

Attorney General - Republicans blocked the Senate's no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Monday, rejecting a symbolic Democratic effort to prod him from office despite blistering criticism from lawmakers in both parties. The 53-38 vote to move the resolution to full debate fell seven short of the 60 required. In bringing the matter up, Democrats dared Republicans to vote their true feelings about an attorney general who has alienated even the White House's strongest defenders by bungling the firings of federal prosecutors and claiming not to recall the details. Republicans did not defend him, but most voted against moving the resolution ahead. Not exactly what you would call a glowing endorsement of the Attorney General from the GOP. I'm curious how much longer these folks are going to support the Bush Administration. Maybe they didn't get the memo...he cannot run for a third term.

Anti-terrorism Laws - The Bush administration cannot use new anti-terrorism laws to keep U.S. residents locked up indefinitely without charging them according to a 2-1 decision by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling was a harsh rebuke of one of the central tools the administration believes it has to combat terror. "To sanction such presidential authority to order the military to seize and indefinitely detain civilians, even if the President calls them 'enemy combatants,' would have disastrous consequences for the constitution — and the country," the court panel said. What sort of consequences do you think they mean? Something to the effect of completely invaliding the Constitution upon which the country is based upon? I suppose that could construed by some liberal treehuggers as disastrous. Not me, though. I say long live King George.

Nuclear Holocaust - In its annual report on military forces around the globe, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said the world's top military powers are gradually dismantling their stockpiles of nuclear arms, but all are developing new missiles and warheads with smaller yields that could increase the risk of atomic warfare. In addition, the rising number of nations with nuclear weapons is raising the risk such arms could be used. North Korea was, for the first time, counted among the world's nuclear countries, because of its underground test explosion of an atomic device last October. The U.S., Russia, China, France, Britain, Pakistan and India are known to have nuclear weapons, while Israel is thought by most experts to have them. The report estimated those nations had 11,530 warheads available for delivery by missile or aircraft at the start of 2007, with Russia and the United States accounting for more than 90 percent — 5,614 in Russia and 5,045 in the U.S. Well there are some cheerful statistics, what with the Americans and Russians getting along so well these days.

Iran - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid rejected on Monday another prominent senator's call for a military strike against Iran, saying a U.S. attack would destabilize the Middle East. Senator Joseph Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, said over the weekend the United States should be prepared to use military force to stop Iran from training and equipping Iraqi militants blamed for the deaths of U.S. troops in Iraq. This one is good for a two-fer. First, we'll review Reid's comments. An attack on Iran would 'destabilize the Middle East?' Dude, how would you categorize the current situation? And then there's Lieberman. Contrary to whatever universe you exist in, invading yet another country will probably result in the deaths of more U.S. troops rather than fewer. You don't honestly believe that the Iranians are going stand by and do nothing if the U.S. invades their borders.

Space Shuttle - Two US astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis have begun a spacewalk to start deploying new solar panels on the International Space Station (ISS). The space station's robotic arm has already attached a new 16 ton segment to the ISS containing a pair of new solar panels. The solar panels will increase the station's power generation capacity, paving the way for Europe's Columbus module to join the station later this year. Atlantis docked with the ISS on Sunday, after a back flip so damaged insulation on its underside could be photographed. Its thermal blanket was torn during take-off and Nasa are now assessing the photos to decide how to proceed. A decision on whether to conduct another spacewalk to fix the damaged blanket will be made in the next day or two. Nasa plans to fly 15 more missions to the station to deliver large components, spare parts and other supplies. Good luck with that, guys.

Internet - Apple has launched a version of its web browser Safari for Windows, competing head to head with Microsoft's Explorer and Mozilla's Firefox. Chief executive Steve Jobs said Apple "dream big" and wanted to expand the 4.9% market share Safari enjoys. Mr Jobs was speaking at a conference of developers for Apple products in San Francisco, California. He said Safari was "the fastest browser on Windows", saying it was twice as fast as Internet Explorer. Twice as fast as IE, huh? Not exactly setting his standards too high, is he?

Sopranos - No, I won't give away the series finale ending. I'd like to but there is anything to give away. Fade to black? What a cop-out. Although, I'll hand it to series creator, David Chase. I did not see this one coming.

Paris Hilton - Imprisoned hotel heiress Paris Hilton has said she believes God has given her a new chance and she plans to stop acting dumb and put her influence to good use. Hilton called television journalist Barbara Walters on Sunday from the medical wing of a Los Angeles jail. "I'm not the same person I was," Hilton told Walters. "I used to act dumb. It was an act. I am 26 years old, and that act is no longer cute. It is not who I am, nor do I want to be that person for the young girls who looked up to me....I have become much more spiritual. God has given me this new chance." So like the dumb thing was an act? Give this broad an Oscar. She had me fooled.

Sports wrap - Some sports headlines that caught my attention:

Tennis - Henin and Nadal win their 3rd consecutive French Open singles titles. At least Federer managed to take a set off Nadal who is now a perfect 21-0 at Roland Garros.

Golf - Michelle Wie completed the LPGA Championship with a final round 79. She had to make an 8-foot bogey putt on the final hole to break 80, it was her 20th consecutive round without breaking par, she finished in last place by 10 shots, and her 21-over 309 was the highest 72-hole score of her career, professional or amateur.

Basketball - San Antonio takes a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals as the series moves to Cleveland for games 3, 4 and maybe 5 if Cleveland can manage to win a game, which doesn't seem that likely based on its performance in the first two games.

Baseball - Look out folks, the Yankees are only 9.5 games behind the Red Sox. By the way, has anyone notified Barry Bonds and the Giants that the season isn't over yet? From what I can tell they stopped playing professional baseball in early May. I'm not sure what they're doing now, but it's a far cry from baseball.

What Caught My Eye Today

President Bush - President Bush said he and Pope Benedict XVI discussed the pontiff's deep worries that Christians in Iraq would not be embraced by the Muslim majority. The two men, meeting each other for the first time, appeared intent to look beyond their differences in Iraq. The pope, in his Easter message, had denounced the "continual slaughter" in Iraq and said that "nothing positive" is happening. Bush said his meeting with the pope, in which the president stressed his record in fighting AIDS and supporting other humanitarian causes, was a "moving experience." With due respect to the pope, I think Iraq has bigger problems than embracing the Christian minority, like say, finding a way for the Muslim majority to peacefully co-exist within its own ranks.

Space Shuttle - Atlantis' seven astronauts spent much of their first day in orbit on a mandatory inspection of the shuttle's delicate heat tiles, outer edges and blankets for problems similar to the kind that caused the fatal Columbia accident in 2003. The crew spent extra time using a robot arm to look at a gap in a thermal blanket on the left side of the shuttle. NASA mission managers discussed the gap Saturday and were not ready to pronounce the blanket completely OK until more analysis was done. It was not expected to change the astronauts' plans in the next several days. During the 11-day flight, the astronauts will deliver a new segment and a pair of solar panels to the orbiting outpost. They plan three spacewalks to install the new equipment and retract an old solar panel. Astronaut Clayton Anderson will replace astronaut Sunita Williams as the U.S. representative aboard the space station, and Williams will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. She has spent the past six months in orbit.

Paris Hilton - Paris Hilton awoke Saturday behind bars again in a maximum security detention center where the distraught hotel heiress was believed to be undergoing medical and psychiatric evaluations. The evaluations will help determine the best jail to keep her in as she serves the rest of her sentence for violating probation in a reckless driving case. Hilton was sentenced to 45 days in jail and was told she could not serve it at home. When she was released she had served only three full days but was credited with five because she surrendered to authorities late Sunday night after attending the MTV Movie Awards and was released early Thursday morning. Before her release, she was fitted with an ankle bracelet and ordered not to leave her house until her sentence was up. Hilton was credited with both her time served in jail and at home, so by Saturday she had completed seven days of her sentence. With time off for good behavior, she could be released in a little more than two weeks. Is it just me or does our legal system have its own alternative form of math? And as far as good behavior goes, I may be in the minority here, but throwing a temper tantrum in a courtroom doesn't strike me as good behavior.

Belmont Stakes - Rags to Riches become the first filly to take the final leg of the Triple Crown in more than a century outdueled Curlin in a breathtaking stretch run and won the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Rags to Riches, despite a slight stumble at the start, became the third filly to capture the Belmont — Ruthless took the first running in 1867 and Tanya won in 1905. Only 22 fillies have tried the Belmont, with Rags to Riches the first since Silverbulletday finished seventh in 1999. When the field of seven 3-year-olds made the turn for home in the 1 1/2-mile race, fours horses fought for the lead, with Rags to Riches, the Kentucky Oaks winner, on the outside and Preakness winner Curlin moving between rivals. And then it became a two-horse race — a true battle of the sexes. In a furious stretch battle, with Velazquez urging his filly on, Rags to Riches won by a head — the same margin Curlin edged Street Sense by in the Preakness three weeks ago. And so ends the last horse racing story that most of us will care about until next year's Kentucky Derby.

French Open - Justine Henin overwhelming No. 7 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-1, 6-2 Saturday for a third consecutive French Open championship. This was Henin's fifth consecutive final at a major she entered; she skipped the Australian Open in January while working through personal issues, including separating from her husband. Henin was as good as ever at Roland Garros, where she's won 35 consecutive sets. Henin is the first person since Monica Seles in 1990-92 to win three French Opens in a row. Admittedly, this may have only been a problem for those of us on the West Coast, But I figured getting up at 7:00am Pacific Time would be early enough to catch the end of this match, but apparently I was wrong. The award ceremony was wrapping up by the time I turned the TV on. Lucky for me the men's final between Federer and Nadal is a best-of-five. I may actually get to see the third set or more.

Golf - Michelle Wie's woes continued Saturday at the LPGA Championship when she shot an 11-over 83 at Bulle Rock, leaving her in last place by five shots among the 84 players who made the cut and uncertain if she would show up for the final round. Her left wrist was clearly bothering her, and Wie had it wrapped in ice immediately after signing her scorecard. Asked if she would return Sunday, the 17-year-old from Hawaii said she wasn't sure. An LPGA Tour official clarified midway through the back nine that "Rule 88," in which non-tour members are banned for a year if they fail to break 88, would not be an issue because it only applies before the cut is made. A week ago, Wie withdrew at 14 over par with two holes to play with a bad wrist, raising speculation that she was worried about losing the rest of her LPGA Tour schedule with two more bogeys. I hate to see anyone suffer, but honestly. Don't start something that you aren't healthy enough to finish.

What Caught My Eye Today

G8 Summit - President Bush signaled the United States will press ahead with a missile defense shield in Eastern Europe despite Russia's heated objections. Poland's president expressed support for installing interceptor rockets in his country. The administration made clear it was not abandoning plans for a missile-defense program in Poland and the Czech Republic despite a surprise counterproposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin to instead use a Soviet-era radar tracking station in Azerbaijan. Putin had more suggestions on Friday for locations for missile interceptors: "They could be placed in the south, in U.S. NATO allies such as Turkey, or even Iraq," Putin said. "They could also be placed on sea platforms." Iraq? Oh yeah, that'll work. I mean look how safe and secure that little gem has been since we liberated it. Nice try, Vlad.

U.S. Military - Bitter divisions over the Iraq war, particularly on Capitol Hill, led the Bush administration to change course and replace Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that despite earlier plans to recommend Pace for a second two-year term as chairman, he instead was recommending Adm. Mike Mullen, currently chief of naval operations, to take over when Pace's term expires Sept. 30. Bush accepted the recommendation. "I think that the events of the last several months have simply created an environment in which I think there would be a confirmation process that would not be in the best interests of the country," Gates said. Pace's departure will put nearly an entirely new slate of leaders and military commanders in charge of the war, which is now in its fifth year and has claimed the lives of more than 3,500 U.S. troops. Can you say 'scapegoat?' The military doesn't set policy, it enforces it. Pace is getting the blame for someone else's miscalculation.

Space Shuttle - Seven astronauts climbed aboard a patched-up Atlantis for the first space shuttle flight of 2007 — a mission that was delayed by a damaging hailstorm and overshadowed by a lurid love triangle. The shuttle was set to blast off on a mission to continue building the international space station. During the 11-day flight, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver a new segment and a pair of solar panels to the orbiting outpost. They will also swap out a member of the space station's crew. The mission was delayed for three months after a freak storm at the launch pad hurled golf-ball-size hail at Atlantis' 154-foot fuel tank, putting thousands of pockmarks in its vital insulating foam and one of the orbiter's wings. Is it just me or does the fact that a love triangle garners more media attention than the space shuttle show just how disinterested the public has become with the space program? NASA needs to shelve this fleet in a hurry and get the next generation up and running in a hurry.

Paris Hilton - Ordinarily, I would be surprised by this latest turn of events, but then again, we are talking about Paris. She was sent screaming and crying back to jail Friday after a judge ruled that she must serve out her sentence behind bars rather than in the comfort of her Hollywood Hills home. Hours earlier, Hilton was taken handcuffed from her home in a black-and-white police car, paparazzi sprinting in pursuit and helicopters broadcasting live from above. Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer was calm but apparently irked by Sheriff Lee Baca's decision to release Hilton three days into her sentence due to an unspecified "medical condition." "I at no time condoned the actions of the sheriff and at no time told him I approved the actions," Sauer said. "At no time did I approve the defendant being released from custody to her home." Hilton's entire body trembled as the final pitch was made for her further incarceration. She clutched a ball of tissue and tears ran down her face. Seconds later, the judge announced his decision: "The defendant is remanded to county jail to serve the remainder of her 45-day sentence. This order is forthwith." Hilton screamed. Despite being ordered to serve the remainder of her original 45-day sentence, Hilton could still be released early. Inmates are given a day off their terms for every four days of good behavior, and her days in home detention counted as time served. And so it goes. Wouldn't surprise me if this time next week, Paris is out of jail again.

Grey's Anatomy - "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington, who played Dr. Preston Burke on the show, said on Friday he was "mad as hell" at being fired from the hit U.S. television hospital drama. Last year, Washington sparked controversy after a heated argument on the "Grey's" set in which he reportedly called co-star T.R. Knight a "faggot." Washington denied the report. But Knight, who later came out as gay, said he had used the slur. At January's Golden Globe awards, where "Grey's" was named top television drama, Washington caused further uproar when he again denied having addressed Knight with the anti-gay term. What's he pissed off for, being stupid? Was he the only one who didn't see what happened to Don Imus this past April? This cannot have come as much of a surprise, unless, of course, he really is that stupid.

What Caught My Eye Today

National Security - The Bush administration is poised to suspend a major post-9/11 security initiative to cope with increasingly angry complaints from Americans whose summer vacations are threatened by new passport rules. The proposal will temporarily waive a requirement that U.S. passports be used for air travel to and from Canada and Mexico, provided the traveler can prove he or she has already applied for a passport. The suspension in the rules is aimed at clearing a massive backlog of passport applications at the State Department that has slowed processing to a crawl. Some officials said the change would last several months; others said as long as six months. Let me see if I've got this straight...the White House had to tweak its national security policy to accommodate summer vacation? I think we need to revisit our priorities.

Russia - Vladimir Putin, bitterly opposed to a U.S. missile shield in Europe, presented President Bush with a surprise counterproposal Thursday built around a Soviet-era radar system in Azerbaijan rather than new defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic. Bush said it was an interesting suggestion and promised to consider it. Putin's formula would force a major rethinking of U.S. plans for defending Europe against attack from hostile regimes such as Iran or North Korea. Putin's counterproposal would use an aging radar installation at Gabala in northern Azerbaijan, a central Asian country bordering the Caspian Sea, to watch for missile threats. Rather than build interceptor rockets in Poland, Putin suggested using missiles on U.S. Aegis cruisers to shoot down any threat. The nerve of this guy. Coming up with a viable solution that we didn't think of ourselves? Who does this jerk think he is?

Iraq - The four-year U.S. military death toll in Iraq passed 3,500 after a soldier was reported killed in a roadside bombing in Baghdad. The mounting U.S. casualties, most by makeshift bombs placed in potholes on roads or in fields where troops conduct foot patrols, come as American troops work with Iraqi forces on the streets and in remote outposts as part of a joint crackdown on sectarian violence. No smart-ass remarks on this item. Just a prayer for the safe return of our troops as soon as possible.

Immigration - A sharply divided U.S. Senate on Thursday threw into doubt the fate of the plan backed by President George W. Bush to revamp U.S. immigration laws and left lawmakers scrambling to salvage the fragile deal. The Senate fell 27 votes short of the 60 needed to limit the debate and advance the bill as amended toward a final vote (63-33 against advancing the bill), dealing a serious blow to the comprehensive effort to overhaul immigration law before Bush leaves office in January 2009. Republicans said they needed more time to consider amendments to the complex and controversial legislation. Democrats accused them of trying to kill the bill by prolonging debate and said Bush needs to get his fellow Republicans in line if he hopes to win the major legislative achievement during his final months in office. Meanwhile, a public opinion poll showed Americans were ambivalent about the bill. The poll said most people surveyed supported its objectives, but about 41 percent of those who had heard about the legislation were against it. So to sum up, the Senate cannot make up its mind again and the public doesn't seem to care one way or the other. Yeah, that sounds about right.

Paris Hilton - Hotel heiress Paris Hilton was let out of jail early and put under house arrest on Thursday, drawing fire from prosecutors and court officials and sparking public debate about celebrity justice. A statement from the Los Angeles Superior Court said the decision to release Hilton for unspecified health reasons after she had served three days of her three-week sentence was made without the consent of the sentencing judge. Officials said Hilton was sent home early on Thursday wearing an electronic ankle bracelet to track her movements and ordered confined to her Hollywood Hills house for 40 days. Now now, those broken fingernails can develop into nasty infections if not properly tended to. Let's all give Paris a break shall we?

Hockey - The Anaheim Ducks became the first California-based team to sip from the Stanley Cup after their 6-2 Game Five victory over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. It also marks the third straight time the Cup will find a home in the southern United States following victories by the Carolina Hurricanes (2006) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2004), bringing credibility to ice hockey's non-traditional markets. But what their success has failed to attract is the motherlode of new fans to a game which remains very much a niche sport below the Canadian border. The first two games of the best-of-seven series available on the NHL's U.S. cable partner Versus, averaged only 500,000 viewers. When the series switched to NBC the ratings were equally gloomy, Game Four pulling in just over one million viewers matching the network's lowest ever rated prime-time broadcast. That's got to hurt. Reruns of Law and Order on TNT (and pretty much every other cabe channel in existence pull in better numbers than that.

Yachting - The America's Cup is now set. Swiss entry, Alinghi, will face Emirates Team New Zealand in a best of 9 series starting June 23. And yes, you can catch all the action live on...that's right, Versus. It's got to add insult to injury for the NHL to have the same media presence in the U.S. as a quadrennial boat race.