Mr. President

Rock, Paper, Scissors

There is no way that PAPER can beat ROCK.

1. Rock crushes scissors. No matter what pair of scissors you get, may they be plastic or high-grade metal scissors...a rock the size of your hand would never in a million years crush those scissors. Never, at least, enough to end your life as a paper cutter. You my friend, as a scissor, are impervious to all hand-size rocks. Let this be a lesson to all rock fans out there.

2. Scissors cut paper. Any paper the width of your hand cannot be cut by any pair of scissors. They can be cut by one of those huge Kinko's paper cutters or a paper shredder that can handle more than 5 pages at a time (most can't), but there's no way a normal everyday scissor is cutting a stack of paper that thick. I think you scissor people out there know how true this is.

3. Paper covers rock. Sure, paper can cover rock. You can wrap up that rock like a little gift-bag present. But by covering a rock and blocking out all the light, have we really beaten rock?

from another blog

At the CA Conference

This post is from the CA Conference in Las Vegas. Went to a bunch of the hotels today after dinner. The city has changed a lot since I was here last time (about 8 years ago).

Conference in Vegas

Next week, I'm going to the CA World Conference in Las Vegas. Staying at the Venetian.

Venetian facts
Each of the 3,036 standard guest rooms at The Venetian are suites providing an incomparable 700 square feet of living space with a marble foyer entrance, crown molding, baseboards and wrought iron railings.

On The Venetian's five acre pool-deck, one may set aside the concerns of everyday life in an environment of relaxation, rejuvenation and renewal. The guest may choose between a cool plunge into one of five swimming pools, a pampering treatment in a 63,000 square foot spa operated by one of the world's leading spa developers, including a fully equipped fitness facility and beauty salon, or a leisurely respite in a luxurious cabana amid The Venetian gardens.

From breakfast on a Terrace to dinner under the Stars, The Venetian captures the pleasure of dining and the art of the kitchen. In restaurants renowned the world over, the visitor will discover unforgettable dishes prepared by some of today's culinary masters.

Room Amenities
Standard Luxury Suite offers 650 luxurious sq. ft, the guest may retire to a plush, canopy-draped bedchamber with a spacious closet and a Venetian floral armoire including a 27" color television and safe; luxuriate in a 130 square foot bath finished in fine Italian marble and appointed with a lighted, magnified make-up mirror, hair dryer and telephone; or entertain in the sunken living room salon with full size sofa sleeper.

The suites feature a sunken living room, refreshment center, two 27" televisions, in-suite safe, three dual line telephones, separate modem line and a personal fax/printer/copier, bringing you the most beautiful, well-equipped suites in the world.

'Survivor' gives Rupert $1M consolation

Rupert Boneham, the bushy-bearded giant from Indianapolis who was an audience favorite during the last two Survivor games, won a $1 million consolation prize during a special edition of the CBS game on Thursday.

Survivor viewers rewarded Rupert for being the anti-Boston Rob. Or maybe they hope he'll get a haircut and shave if they pay him ehough.
CBS

CBS said 38 million people cast votes for the second $1 million winner, a gimmick that brought an American Idol flavor to the long-running game. Host Jeff Probst even called it "America's Tribal Council."

The "Survivor All-Stars" finale on Sunday was seen by just under 25 million people, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Three other men were the top vote-getters behind Boneham: Tom Buchanan, the jolly drawler from Virginia; Colby Donaldson, the hunk from Texas; and "Boston Rob" Mariano, the runner-up during Survivor: All-Stars to his fiancée, Amber Brkich.

For the investment of a $1 million prize, CBS got one more hour of Survivor-related programming during a ratings "sweeps" month, and is likely to earn more in advertising profits than it spent.

Mariano and Brkich, the final two contestants on Sunday who became engaged during the finale, said a network — they didn't reveal which one — had already talked to them about televising their wedding.

Would they be interested?

"If the price is right," Mariano said.

Viewers voted his fiancée the sexiest Survivor. Donaldson was deemed the hottest male.

Some NCAA football players getting paid to underperform

About one percent of college football players are taking money to play poorly in games, the NCAA announced Wednesday.

This is according to a national study commissioned by the college sports governing body to study sports wagering among student-athletes.

The survey also found that 2.3 percent of football players said due to gambling debts owed, they had been asked to alter a game outcome. A shocking 1.4 percent admitted having affected the outcome of a game to repay gambling debts.

"The scope of sports wagering among intercollegiate student-athletes is startling and disturbing," said NCAA President Myles Brand in an NCAA new release. "Sports wagering is a double-threat because it harms the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of college sports."

The NCAA forbids sports wagering among its student-athletes and has in recent years aggressively attempted to dissuade the behavior, using educational campaigns that included classes and televisions commercials. Going back at least 50 years, collegiate athletics has been marred by several gambling scandals, involving athletes participating in both college football and basketball.

The student-athletes, according to the release, answered an assortment of questions regarding sports wagering behavior and associated health risks like alcohol and drug use. Participation in the study was voluntary and respondents were guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality.

The football-related gambling information was culled from 21,000 responses given by both male and female athletes in Divisions I, II and III.

Almost 35 percent of male student-athletes admitted to engaging in sports wagering in the past year. This compared to only 10 percent of female student-athletes. Division III student-athletes, the study found, are the most likely to gamble or wager on sports. Division I student-athletes, like those at the University of Colorado, are the least likely to engage in the behaviors, the release said.

Instances of football gambling were not delineated between divisions in the NCAA report.

Make your own license plate

What to make your own license plate?

Bon Jovi will employ Real World cast

The cast of The Real World Philadelphia will work for about two months as employees of Jon Bon Jovi. They'll be working for the city's arena football league, the Philadelphia Soul. What does Bon Jovi have to do with this? He's one of the team's owners. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, "Details for the six- to eight-week gig are being worked out, but will involve the team's community-relations department and possibly setting up promotions for next season." The cast attended Saturday's game; this Saturday's game ends the team's home season.

Amber wins Survivor

In one of the most surprising reality finales ever, 25-year-old Pennsylvania native Amber Brkich won a 4-3 vote to take the "ultimate Survivor" crown over boyfriend and runner-up "Boston" Rob Mariano.

But the million-dollar victory proved somewhat anticlimactic.

Minutes before host Jeff Probst tallied the votes live from Madison Square Garden and anointed Brkich, the 28-year-old Mariano dropped to one knee and proved that his Survivor showmance was real by asking Brkich, who was sporting an "I Love Rob" T-shirt, to marry him.

"Amber, we came a long way in this crazy game...we worked together as a team to accomplish so much...I ended up falling in love with you," Mariano said. "You're the most amazing person I've met in my entire life, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

She said yes. To him, the huge rock he slipped on her finger and then to the million bucks. All that's left to seal the deal on the first Survivor engagement: The first Survivor prenup.

And Brkich is not the only All Star who'll be taking home a $1 million check. But more on that surprise in a minute...

The season finale began with a final four comprising Brkich and the seemingly indestructible Mariano, along with popular Indianapolis troubled teen mentor Rupert Boneham, 40, and wannabe actress from California Jenna Lewis, 26.

Brkich won a maze contest to nab the first finale immunity, which led to Lewis's decision to vote off Boneham and take her chances in a final three set-up with the lovebirds. Bad decision.

In the ever-popular endurance test for final immunity, Lewis lifted her foot off a log, Brkich moved her hand and Boston Rob once again won immunity and insured that he and the contestant of his choosing--duh, his girlfriend--would be in the final two.

As always in CBS' perpetually high-rated reality adventure, though, the final decision came down to the jury--made up of Boneham, "Big Tom" Buchanan, Alicia Calaway, Shii-Ann Huang, Lewis, Lex van den Berghe and Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien--which came to the final tribal council with a big bag of chips on their shoulders.

And in Sunday night's finale, nearly all the jury members had taken their bitter pills beforehand, and were ready to let "The Robfather" know that reality TV payback is a bee-otch.

Van den Berghe, sporting a mohawk, kicked things off with a windy diatribe about Boston Rob selling out friendship for "greenbacks," Vavrick-O'Brien told Rob she felt betrayed by him, who she considered a son. And a particularly sour Buchanan rambled on about Mariano's misdeeds before sticking out his hand for a congratulatory handshake and then pulling it away at the last second. So fourth grade.

But the jury members weren't the only ones who weren't so fond of Boston Rob. At least initially...

"Coming into this game, I actually couldn't stand him," Brkich said of her new fiancé. "And I don't think he really liked me much either. But I thought, when he approached me for an alliance, 'Why not?' I thought, 'Rob has a big mouth and a temper, and if I stand beside him, he can take all the bullets, and people will forget about me.'"

For his efforts, Mariano will pocket $250,000 as the runner-up.

The two-hour episode and one-hour live reunion, watched by an estimated 25 million viewers, wrapped an eighth season that was full of the high drama fans expected from the all-star round-up of past Survivor competitors.

Notable moments included Survivor: Amazon winner Jenna Morasca's gut-wrenching decision to drop out of the game to be with her dying mother, followed by Susan Hawk's teary rant when she quit the game after a nekkid Richard Hatch got too up close and personal with her during a challenge. And then there were Mariano's broken promises to just about everyone.

But the one-hour live Survivor reunion special featured as much excitement as a whole season of tribal councils, including:

- Probst's annual cheesy entrance via helicopter.
- The Brkich/Mariano engagement.
- Hawk's sassy extreme makeover.
- Confirmation that Lewis, who constantly mentioned her single-mom status as her motivation for taking a second shot at the million dollars, got married last weekend (and denied any extreme makeover of her own when questioned by Probst about her new look).
- Confirmation of a romance between Morasca and Survivor: Africa winner Ethan Zohn.
- Fan un-favorite Jerri Manthey's anti-Survivor outburst and her hasty exit from the live show during a commercial break.
- Brkich, who won a car on the show, was given another car to give away to one fellow castaway. She picked Huang, saying Shii-Ann was the deciding vote in awarding the $1 million prize.
- CBS is looking for a new batch of Survivors for show's 10th installment. -Applications being accepted at CBS.com through June 22.

And finally, with just a few minutes left in the reunion special, Probst also announced the much-ballyhooed Survivor "twist" that CBS had been promoting all week: For the first time ever, viewers have the chance to vote for their favorite Survivor All-Star, who will be awarded a $1 million check.

Shelley's back from Vegas

She had a great time with her friends. They even went to the Coyote Ugly bar. The kids were glad mom was home.

Ultimate Athlete

See the Ultimate Athlete.

Click here

Sounds like "The Benefactor" could be good

From The Mark Cuban weblog.

I had no idea how crazy, how much fun and how intense it would be doing this show. I know I’m having fun when I get there about 8:30 in the morning, and when I realize I’m hungry and haven’t eaten, it’s past midnight!

We have an amazing, amazing cast of 16, split evenly between guys and girls. I wanted diversity and that’s exactly what I got. I’m not just talking demographics. We have nice people, and people who I thought would be nice and weren’t. There are fun people and serious people. We have Divas and Drama Queens. We have an Oprah wannabe, a professional football player, collegiate athletes, and two people who sing show tunes when under pressure.

The game is always on. The competition is always in play. I wanted this to be like the real world. If you want to make a million dollars, you’d better be ready to compete 24x7x365, and the game reflects that. The pressure is intense and continuous, and response of the contestants under pressure has been eye-opening.

Personally, the game is getting more and more difficult for me. I have really grown fond of most of the contestants. They are really cool people. Making the cuts is like firing a friend. It hurts. I have had to cut people several times already and it is not easy.

The good news side is that unless someone is completely scamming me, and it’s still possible, I am going to really enjoy giving the check for 1mm dollars to winner.

Why My Mom is Special!

My Mom is special because:
She takes care of me when I am sick and at night but she is special.

I like it when my Mom:
Takes care of me.

My Mom can do many things! I think she's best at:
Everything!

My Mom has a pretty smile! I like to make her smile by:
Cleaning up my messes.

My Mom is as pretty as a:
flower

My Mom is smart! She even knows:
the date.

By Megan
May 6,2004

See the Document (334K)

Shelley Loves the Vegas!

Shelley arived in Vegas this morning with her friends. I'm playing Mr. Mom until Sunday. Let the parties begin!

Floating Hotel for the Olympics

I'd like to stay here for the Olympics.

Cunard Line's new flagship Queen Mary 2 -- the largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive passenger liner ever -- will be positioned in the Greek port of Piraeus to serve as a floating hotel for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The new 1,310-cabin luxury liner will arrive in Piraeus on August 12th, 2004, and remain docked there until August 30th.

Athens Organizing Committee (ATHOC) reports that a total of 11 cruise ships will host up to 13,000 visitors in the port of Piraeus for the 2004 Olympic Games.

Cunard Line is revising its itineraries to offer Mediterranean cruises aboard QM2 between Southampton, and Piraeus before and after the Olympic Games.

When Shelley and I were in Athens, we stayed at the InterContinental Athenaeum Athens. For the Olympics, the rates were $467.56-$561.07. Now you can't even reserve a room there.

Schwarzenegger Suing Ohio Bobblehead Co.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is suing an Ohio bobblehead company, alleging it unlawfully used the former Hollywood actor's image for a toy plastic doll.

(485K)

The Los Angeles County Superior Court lawsuit says the governor's image holder, Oak Productions Inc., "does not permit Schwarzenegger's name, photograph, likeness, or voice to be used on commercial products, on packaging of commercial products, or in advertising for commercial products or services," unless authorized.

The lawsuit was filed Friday but served on the doll's makers Tuesday.

The makers of the bobbleheads contend the governor is a public political figure and can no longer control his image.

"He's no different than any other politician," said Todd Bosley, an owner of Ohio Discount Merchandise Inc. in Canton, Ohio. The company has produced a variety of bobbleheads of public officials.

Schwarzenegger's attorney, Martin Singer, did not return calls seeking comment.

Legal experts said it could be a close call whether Bosley and his brother, Toby, were stealing Schwarzenegger's right of publicity.

"This will depend on what it is people are buying: A bobblehead of Schwarzenegger like they would buy one of Britney Spears, or is the bobblehead making a political statement, which would be protected by the First Amendment," said Los Angeles attorney Robert N. Benjamin.

Glenbrook students: We're not so bad

Tired of being grouped in with the few whose behavior shocked people around the globe, hundreds of Glenbrook North High School students gathered Sunday afternoon to show what they say they're really all about.

The first-ever Village Green and Gold Festival, organized and run by the students, was born in response to the bad rap they got a year earlier when a videotaped hazing incident found its way onto television screens worldwide.

"What happened last year set such a bad image for us," said Glenbrook North senior Erica Saltzman, one of the organizers. "That's not what we're about at all."

"These are good kids," said Michael D. Riggle, principal of the north suburban school. "They care about one another. . . . It's a great school with great students."

Those students on Sunday mingled with residents in downtown Northbrook, cooked hamburgers and put on a concert. They also brought a large banner that read "Spartans Band Together" and was signed by hundreds of students.

"By signing it, students are pledging to honor and respect one another," Saltzman said.

That's not what happened last May 4, when 25 to 30 Glenbrook North junior girls were kicked, punched and pelted with excrement by senior girls during a gathering at Chipilly Woods. More than 50 students were disciplined, while 16 teens and two parents were found guilty of battery or alcohol-related charges.

Although the Glenbrook high school district and the community were stung by another hazing incident last month -- this time at Glenbrook South High School, where 11 veteran members of the lacrosse team were accused of paddling 13 newcomers at a party -- many of the residents who attended Sunday's event said they are sticking by their kids.

"A lot of it has been blown out of proportion," said Sharon Procter, who was walking her dog at the park Sunday. "These are good kids, and that's how they should be remembered."

Name That Bear

Chicago Bears, zoo team up in contest

Brookfield Zoo is holding a naming contest for its newest polar bear cub, which is co-sponsored by the Chicago Bears. The cub was born Nov. 8, 2003.

Nagurski, Butkus and Dent. From the beginning, Chicago's best-loved Bears have sported percussive, bruising names.

Of course, exceptions have been made--for Sweetness, for Peanut and even for Lovie. But in general, this town has always belonged to Ditka's proverbial Grabowskis.

So by holding a naming contest for Brookfield Zoo's newest polar bear cub, which is co-sponsored by the Chicago Bears, zoo officials are surely anticipating at least a few entries inspired by the Monsters of the Midway. (Mongo, Butthead and Fridge come immediately to mind.)

Still, official contest rules stipulate that the winning name will be picked based on originality, merit (contestants need to explain in 50 words or less why they've chosen a particular name) and connection to the zoo's conservation mission.

The winner will receive a free day at the zoo for four, including behind-the-scenes tours and lunch with the zoo's director and bear keepers, and four tickets to a Bears game at Soldier Field with on-field access during warm-ups.

Contest entries will be accepted through May 12, and the cub's new name will be announced May 22.

Wedding hijinks on splashy 'The O.C.'

From a Free Press article

California dreamin' has become a kicky surreality with "The O.C."

The coolest slice of soap opera fun under the Left Coast sun since "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Melrose Place" rolls to the conclusion of its stylish opening season at 9 Wednesday on Fox. It all winds up with a traditional bit of season finale whoopty-do -- a big splashy wedding.

But hold on. I'm guessing the lavish Newport Beach nuptials of Daddy Big Bucks, Caleb Nichol (Alan Dale), and his scheming love muffin, Julie Cooper (Melinda Clarke), just may feature a crazy surprise or two.

And what are the chances a fist fight will break out at some point during the tumultuous plot twist party?

Excellent!

Cooked up in the clever young brain of 27-year-old series creator Josh Schwartz, "The O.C." has put a playfully witty new twist on prime time soap opera conventions.

Especially soap operas prominently built around teenagers and their raging hormonal ride through the angsty amusement park of adolescence.

For one delightful thing, Schwartz is doing soap opera with a brain and a devilish sense ofpop culture humor.

The skinny straw who stirs that fizzy, wisecracking drink is Adam Brody as ultra-cool geek Seth Cohen, currently playing high school romance with Summer (Rachel Bilson), his sweet sarcastic dream girl and a pampered suburban princess of the Newport Beach establishment.

Brody has become "The O.C.'s" breakout rockateen clown and sexy dork dreamboat.

Fearing Summer is about to dump him, Seth recently mulled over whether he should force an emotional showdown or "continue to be whiny and passive-aggressive until she realizes what a catch I am."

It's Brody's deft handling of the self-deprecating wit and snappy sardonic repartee that helps make Seth Cohen so darn enjoyable and appealing.

"The O.C." -- a slang nickname for Orange County, the show's hyper-affluent Southern California setting -- is built around the culture clash odyssey of Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie). He's the wayward, misunderstood blue-collar youth from Chino, taken into the plush Newport Beach home of do-gooder attorney Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher) and his rich, loving wife Kirsten (Kelly Rowan).

Not long after moving into the Cohens' pool house, Ryan fell hard for next-door neighbor Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton). And that relationship has been on an emotional roller coaster all season.

Especially now that Marissa knows that Ryan's old Chino girlfriend Theresa (Navi Rawat) may have Ryan's bun in her oven. Big oops!

In addition to its irreverent wit and intelligent tweaking of musty soap opera cliches, "The O.C." has delivered another very pleasant surprise: interesting adult characters who play a vital part in the storytelling.

It's not all about those crazy teenagers.

In fact, some of the very best moments on "The O.C." have featured Gallagher and Rowan and their droll, affectionate marital banter.

Plus, the grown-ups have just as many hot 'n' bothered issues as the temperamental kids. Julie Cooper, Marissa's impulsive mom, once slept with her daughter's former boyfriend. And both Kirsten and Sandy have a contentious relationship with Caleb, her scheming land-developer father.

Blessedly, none of these adult characters -- or the teenagers either -- are portrayed as shrill, one-dimensional melodrama stereotypes. They're each humanized and given at least a smidgen of tart, self-aware humor.

But "The O.C." also never, ever forgets to push the guilty pleasure buttons. Like any good soap opera, it delivers sly trash with real flash.

Like last week's cosmic bachelorette party, climaxed by a swimming-pool catfight between Julie and Kirsten's sex bomb younger sister. It was a manic melodrama moment echoing the legendary "Dynasty" throwdown between Joan Collins and Linda Evans.

Better get dried off, Julie. You're supposed to be getting married tonight!

Pass some of that expensive Newport Beach bubbly. Time to toast "The O.C.," the most imaginative mindless escape in years.