(This might interest) Maybe Just Me…

star wars or march madness

this link requires registration to read the whole thing, so i’ll quote the salient part:

Worker absenteeism on the Thursday and Friday opening of Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith could cost U.S. employers a whopping $627-million (U.S.) in the two days, according to one report.

i wonder how that compares to cost to the economy due to lack of productivity over the first weekend of march madness? i used to know the actual number for march madness economy cost, but things like that are forgotten quickly. and i have to say sorry dear readers i don’t feel like putting in the effort to google search it. haha, that’s right, my new plan to build readership is to tout my total lack of regard for my readers and just write what i write… (=

CNN.com - Trump pushes own Ground Zero plan - May 19, 2005

not really since i didn’t like the design, but trump’s WTC design gets the heave-ho from WTC people.

FOXSports.com - NFL- Winslow reportedly will miss entire season

torn ACL is the anonymous report on kellen winslow. seriously, i think this might be worse than the TO incident to me. i mean at the very least TO can make some kind of argument about his worth versus the contract (i don’t think he wins that argument, but at least it’s there). but KW2 has no leg to stand on, pun not intended. i mean standard nfl contract prohibits the motorcycle riding. his first bike he gets a high powered one. he doesn’t have a license (maybe not even a permit). and he’s trying advanced stunts? near curbs? you mean to tell me in this whole parking lot, he couldn’t find a stretch where there were no curbs for more than 100 yards? not saying that guarantees he’ll be okay, but at the very least it makes for a safer environment to be an ass in. i hope that he does get charged with some criminal charges and the browns take back a LOT of money. i’d also, if i were the browns, demand that he rehab/train in cleveland, not because it makes that big a difference, but because you want him to know who’s in charge and who he is responsible to. simply ridiculous.

athletes didn’t learn from jay williams of the bulls. btw, i didn’t see a lot of coverage about it when it happened, but on a season of ESPN’s beg, borrow, and deal one of the teams was in Chicago, met up with jay williams (one of the contestants knew him from duke) and he was on a bike, and was like “yeah i’m not supposed to have this.” i’m guessing that’s THE bike, but i don’t know. suffice it to say i thought that comment would catch a little more attention of sports writers back then…

The Now or Never Athlete - New York Times

i can’t imagine this. not the part about wanting to do something. i’m all for big physical challenges. where the biggest mental component is willing yourself, steeling your will to continue even though your body is asking otherwise. but i can’t imagine being comfortable enough to be able to take the time to train for something like this properly. i guess that’s why the people in this article are in the 30s and up versus any in their 20s (save for that one kid).

Crayola Colors, but Kept Inside the Lines - New York Times

i think too many guys are put off my color for no good reason. of course i say this with my closet having almost only blue, white, black, grey shirts. but i’m not opposed to other colors, ha, i just don’t have the money to buy new clothes. but for what it’s worth, i also have a few pink, lavendar, green shirts.

FOXSports.com - F1- McLaren dress up for the Monaco GP

diamonds on the helmets of McLaren drivers at Monaco… i wonder if the helmets were wind-tunnel tested for aerodynmics. all those little bumps (diamonds)…

haha, it was last year, maybe two years ago, one car had a diamond on the nose cone. these F1 crazies. very sad i don’t have digicable (and then upgrade to the sports pack) bc i don’t get to watch F1 (other than the 4 races abc is covering this year).

on a slightly (barely) related topic, i am considering making custom startup and shutdown animated gifs and sounds for my moto phone which would be F1 related. i alread have some mp3s of engines, racing sounds… i need to find some mp3s of the race start. when all the engines are revving crazy… when the stupid commentator guy is like “turn up the volume on your television, listen to the engines rev, look for the light, and we’re off!” or whatever it is he says (same thing every race i’ve seen this year).

random thoughts of the morning:

there are a lot of “hit” shows on television that i just don’t see long term success for. not that they aren’t entertaining, but the premise of the show just doesn’t lend itself to long lasting.

i think networks try to hard to find the “next” whatever (seinfeld, friends, etc) versus just developing quality programs.

i think networks also give up quickly on shows rather than let them develop an audience (though see above item as to why they probably do give up on things).

i think for the most part the public is stupid and regardless of the calls of critics for quality programming, the public wants simple, easy things to watch.

i think trump’s “new” WTC plan is stupid. i’m not the biggest fan of the freedom tower design, but simply rebuilding (is it even an updated design?) is not an answer either.

i think nyc has a lot of issues with building things right now.

i think the nba playoffs should have more drama than they do (even with pretty good games and the right scenario for drama, it just seems a little flat right now).

Open Loops: Ten Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills

okay, i talk at a somewhat speedy clip. i can slow it down. i do on occasion. but in the every day world, i talk pretty fast. i also don’t tend to enunciate fully. i don’t mumble. but speed and apparently a short tongue (don’t ask me, i think it’s normal, but my parents, among others, have told me i have a short tongue based solely on how i talk), make for not full enunciation. regardless of these two things, i think i’m a fairly good communicator. i think i get whatever message i am trying to get across across.