Johnson and Suh earn Pro Bowl honors!

Congratulations to Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson and rookie Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh on earning starting spots on the 2011 NFC Pro Bowl squad. GO LIONS!!!

Nothing like a good spray!

This video clip from today's edition of "The Talk" on CBS is HILARIOUS!!!  Co-host Holly Robinson Peete shared the link via Twitter and it had me ROTFLMAO!!!

I can't tell you how many times something like that has happened to me.  Holly said that was not her proudest TV moment.  Maybe not.  But it was genuine and it was truly hilarious in a gut-busting way.

Oh, Good Evening!

Remembering a friend and brother

Bruce D. Weathersby
1966 - 2006

On this, World AIDS Day 2010, I am remembering my best friend Bruce Weathersby who died on November 3, 2006.  I did not know it at the time, but Bruce had lived many years with HIV.  I have spent much of the last four years trying to understand why he never told me.  Even more difficult to process-- why I didn't recognize the signs.

The Three Amigos

(L-R) Karl Sykes, Mike Woolfolk

and Bruce Weathersby

For the 15 years of our tremendous friendship, I never had a clue.  I suppose it was proof, positive, that those with HIV who take care of themselves, get medical attention and take available medications can live long and productive lives.  But once Bruce lost his good job with BellSouth (now AT&T) in Mississippi, despite a stellar record, he also lost his health benefits which cut off his access to prescription medication.

After his passing, I found revealing information that confirmed his status and documented years of psychological torment over his situation.  How he hid this from those close to him, including his family, is beyond me.  None of us had a clue, until after he was gone.

It should not have come to that for Bruce.  It should not come to that for anyone.  I pray for the day when we finally conquer HIV and end AIDS.

Related Links:

Expressing Myself - The Story Behind the Birth of "Oh, Good Evening!"

Excuses, excuses... - The Beginning of the End

Bless His Soul - The Passing of a Well and Faithful Friend

The Terrific Trio - Reflections on a Great Friendship

A Difficult Trip - Farewell to a Friend

Mother Knows Best - Insights, Advice and Comfort

Lions win in Stafford's Return

I am ghoulishly giddy on this Halloween night thanks to my beloved Detroit Lions and their big win over the visiting Washington Redskins!

Lions QB Matthew Stafford
Photo Credit: NFL.com

Quarterback Matthew Stafford made is first start since Week 1 when he suffered a separated shoulder at the hands of Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers.  Oh, what a return it was!  Stafford threw four touchdown passes-- three of them to Calvin Johnson-- and for the second straight season, handed the Redskins a nice big "L" to show for their visit to Ford Field.

While I am extremely happy to get the win, I can't-- for the life of me-- understand why Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, down by six points late in the fourth quarter, benched starting quarterback Donovan McNabb in favor of backup Rex Grossman claiming Grossman could best run the two-minute drill.  HUH?!?!  Shanahan really blew that one and Detroit's defense made him pay.  Grossman coughed up the ball after taking his first snap!  Ndamukong Suh scooped up the loose ball and danced into the endzone! Now, we're up 13.  Game over!

Lions DE Kyle Vanden Bosch sacks
Redskins QB Donovan McNabb
Photo Credit: DetroitLions.com

I'll take my wins any way that I can get them and I was fairly confident that the defense would do what it had done all game long-- give McNabb fits-- and protect the win.  But, Shanahan pretty much conceded defeat when he inserted a barely warmed up Grossman into the game at such a critical point.

Hmmm.  The Redskins are off next week giving Shanahan, McNabb and the media two weeks to let this thing simmer.  It will be interesting to see how things play out for the rest of the season.  More importantly, it will be interesting to see how things play out after the season.  My guess is that Donovan McNabb-- while standing on the sideline after being pulled from the game-- was thinking to himself, "I'm calling my agent as soon as we get back to DC and telling him to start quietly planning my departure from this comedy of errors."

Oh, Good Evening!

Prayer of the Faithful

I found this on my friend Tiffany Black's Facebook page this afternoon. I am NOT a Yankees fan. Heck, I don't even like baseball that much. But, this-- is-- HILARIOUS!!!!!

"Our father, who art in the Bronx, baseball be thy name. Where hot dogs are on buns, and championships are won, on earth as they do in New York. Give us 2 more games in the days of October. And forgive us our errors, as we forgive those who root against us. And lead us not into elimination, but deliver us to the World Series. For thine is the kingdom, the bragging rights and the trophy, for #28. AMEN!"

Oh, Good Evening!

A new Starbucks "brew"-ha-ha!

Starbucks logos through the years.
(l-r) Oldest, Old, Current

I woke up this morning to find that a friend had posted something interesting on my Facebook page.  Something in the news that I had missed yesterday-- Starbucks to test serving beer and wine at select stores in Seattle.

Then, I went to my favorite business news site-- CNBC.com-- and saw that the Power Lunch crew had done a segment on this during yesterday's show.



Hmmm. At times, I love a beer or two, even the occasional glass of wine. But I don't go to a coffee house for either.  I agree with Laura Reis on this one.  Starbucks should stick to what it does best-- COFFEE.  I do understand the business mentality of "how can we grown and bring in new money," and it's no secret that Starbucks has been looking for ways to increase revenue after 2pm-- don't you love the invitation to return with your morning receipt to get any drink you want for $2 bucks?-- but serving alcohol is not the way for Starbucks!

The Lions WIN!!!

Lions RB Jahvid Best
Photo: Gavin Smith/detroitlions.com

I can't remember the last time that I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon as much as I have enjoyed today.  Usually, my afternoon in front of the television watching my beloved, but long beleaguered Detroit Lions, so tremendously disappointing.  Today, my team did what every die hard Lions fan has been waiting a long time to see-- they won, and won BIG!

When was the last time the Lions put 44 points on the scoreboard and kept an opponent out of the endzone?  Great job by the Motor City Men in defeating the St. Louis Rams.  Final score: 44-6.

Now, my joy is tempered a bit because the win could prove costly.  Star wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who happens to be on my fantasy team, suffered a shoulder injury early in the fourth quarter.  I pray it's not a bad separation similar to what quarterback Matt Stafford is currently rehabbing.

Oh, Good Evening!

CNN's new Odd Couple

Kathleen Parker and Eliot Spitzer
Photo Credit: Art Streiber/CNN

Have you checked out CNN's new prime time offering, "Parker-Spitzer?"  The program wraps up its first week tomorrow night and already, some question how long the show will last.

For those of you who don't know, "Parker" is Kathleen Parker, the conservative Washington Post columnist; "Spitzer" is Eliot Spitzer, the liberal disgraced former governor of New York.

I watched half of the show on Monday, its first night, and was less than impressed.  Not so much because I think they don't have personalities-- they do.  But, they didn't appear to have mastery the TelePrompter, their crosstalk was often awkward and I didn't like the small table they sit at, almost on top of each other.  I also wasn't very interested in what they were discussing. Here are the "Opening Arguments" from Monday's show.

Coming Full Circle: Randy Moss returns to Vikings and NFC North

WR Randy Moss
Photo: Tom Pidgeon/Getty Images
From: BleacherReport.com

Last night, I went to bed with the knowledge that the Minnesota Vikings were in serious talks to acquire WR Randy Moss from the New England Patriots.  This morning, I woke up to the news that the deal is done.  Just what a loyal Detroit Lions fan wants to hear.  NOT!!!

Oh, Good Evening!

What's up with lack of local election results from Columbia media?

Former U.S. House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill once said, "all politics is local." If that's true, it would appear that Columbia's local TV stations don't feel the obligation to provide their viewers and website readers any local (county council, solicitor, auditor, etc.) results.


I just watched two midday newscasts and saw no results for any such races; not even a mention of where to find them.  I also just searched four Columbia television station websites and could not find results for any truly races.  And, while Columbia's main newspaper has most of the results available online, even it is missing the Democratic primary race for Richland County Auditor. 


It seems the local media think we should only be interested in local election results if said results are for statewide races. Disappointing, to say the least.


Oh, Good Evening!

New tarmac rule protects airline passengers

A new rule now protects airline passengers from spending more than 3 hours parked on a tarmac waiting for takeoff. (Read CNN report on the rule.) The fine for violations is $27,500 per passenger. The airline industry fought the rule calling it a costly, undue burden. Some airlines sought waivers at certain airports, like NYC's JFK International. The USDOT turned them down.



Why would an airline need a waiver for this rule? What is the undue burden here? Are the airlines trying to say that sitting on the tarmac for 3+ hours after leaving the gate should be considered a normal and acceptable possibility? I wonder when was the last time an airline executive flew coach and got stuck on a tarmac for more than 3 hours? Clearly they don't know what it's like to be stuffed into the cabin like a sardine with limited room for movement, limited airflow, limited access to lavatories, and no refreshments. The new rule doesn't even require the airlines to provide water and snacks until after the plane has been sitting for 2 hours!

If an airline thinks a 2+ hour- let alone 3+ hour- delay is that possible, CHANGE THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE!!! Don't hold me hostage!!!

Oh, Good Evening!

Ashford and Simpson to perform in Columbia

Apple iPad not something iNeed

Most people who know me know that I love gadgets and-- as of a couple of years ago-- if that gadget comes from Apple, I'm usually eager to take a big bite. So, when talk on the street about a new, portable notepad type device from the company that gave us the iMac, iPod and iPhone started flowing, my interest was piqued.

Well, the big unveiling happened on January 27. Get ready for the iPad. Smaller than a letter-sized sheet of paper, about as thin as the average magazine, and weighing about 1.5 pounds, the iPad is what I expected in name and appearance. But, from what I've seen in the video clips of Apple CEO Steve Jobs introducing the product and the development team discussing how it came to be, I'm less than impressed.

The new iPad is basically an oversize iPod Touch. Built-in are all of the applications Apple is know for: Safari, Contacts, Calendar, Notes and iTunes. You also get YouTube access, iPod functionality, and access to E-mail and the AppStore. Aside from the larger size which I'm sure will make surfing the web more pleasant, I already have all of these functions on my iPhone except that you have to be connected to Wi-Fi. Apple will offer a 3G version through AT&T Wireless, but the model will only be data capable. No phone features.

I'm thinking I already have an iPhone which I love and I have a MacBook Pro laptop which I also love. Why would I need an iPad? To read e-books, of course! Not!

E-books are the in thing these days and Apple's venture into the notepad market is seen as an attempt to challenge products introduced last year like Amazon's Kindle. But, while a book is bit more bulky in size and can be heavier than an iPad, it's a lot less expensive. I don't think I need to spend hundreds of dollars-- the iPad will start at $499-- for the ability to carry several books around with me, of which I can really only read one at a time.

I know, call me old school. But, with the laptop and phone that I've already mentioned and the iMac desktop that I also have, the iPad isn't worth the investment especially since it has no phone functionality and falls short of the convenience of a full laptop.

It would appear that Wall Street is skeptical, too. Apple shares, which trade on the NASDAQ, are retreating as I write this.

When it comes to the iPad, "iPass." At least until it shows up in Apple Stores where I can play around with it.

Visit the Apple website, view the iPad introduction and development videos and judge for yourself. Then let me know what you think.

Haiti Earthquake Recovery Efforts

Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton team up to raise money for Haiti disaster relief.

Make your contribution to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund

American Red Cross earthquake relief efforts in Haiti

See photo slideshow

Make your contribution to American Red Cross Disaster Relief

Wyclef Jean raises money for earthquake relief through Yele Haiti

Visit the Yele Haiti website