I Don't Want To Grow Up, I'm A Toys R Us Kid!

Maybe it was the fact that I'd never had a WHOLE fish on my dinner plate before. Or maybe it was the fact that I had a glass of wine in my system when they brought the fish to me. But I simply could not stop tapping the little fishy's teeth with my fork. The Girlfriend thought it was funny at first, but then I got carried away:

I poked his eyed out.

I Know What I Want For Christmas!

(Reprinted with absolutely no permission from Newsday.com)

If "The Electric Company" was your childhood PBS TV favorite, you'll have to wait until Feb. 7, 2006 to get your fix. That's when Sesame Workshop (formerly Children's Television Workshop) will release 24 of 780 episodes of the kid (and adult) classic in a four-DVD boxed set.

The 24 episodes will have the most memorable skits, least repetition and best representation of celebrities (including Morgan Freeman, Bill Cosby and Rita Moreno, says Heather Hanssen, a spokeswoman for Sesame Workshop.

From 1971 to 1977, "The Electric Company" entertained and educated young minds in basic reading skills. The soundtrack won a Grammy in 1972, and the writers won an Emmy in 1973. The show's vibe is totally 1970s, complete with trippy colors and cartoon characters with Afros.

I'm A Mac Addict, But I Have My Limits

Reprinted without permission from macdailynews.com:

"A rush to purchase $50 used laptops turned into a violent stampede Tuesday, with people getting thrown to the pavement, beaten with a folding chair and nearly driven over. One woman went so far to wet herself rather than surrender her place in line. 'This is total, total chaos,' said Latoya Jones, 19, who lost one of her flip-flops in the ordeal and later limped around on the sizzling blacktop with one foot bare," Kristen Gelineau reports for The Associated Press.

According to the report, an estimated 5,500 people turned out at the Richmond International Raceway to score a 4-year-old Apple iBook for $50. "Officials opened the gates at 7 a.m., but some already had been waiting since 1 a.m. When the gates opened, it became a terrifying mob scene. People threw themselves forward, screaming and pushing each other. A little girl's stroller was crushed in the stampede. Witnesses said an elderly man was thrown to the pavement, and someone in a car tried to drive his way through the crowd."

"Seventeen people suffered minor injuries, with four requiring hospital treatment, Henrico County Battalion Chief Steve Wood said. There were no arrests. 'It's rather strange that we would have such a tremendous response for the purchase of a laptop computer and laptop computers that probably have less-than-desirable attributes,' said Paul Proto, director of general services for Henrico County. 'But I think that people tend to get caught up in the excitement of the event it almost has an entertainment value.' Blandine Alexander, 33, said one woman standing in front of her was so desperate to retain her place in line that she urinated on herself," Gelineau reports.

He Said, He Said

Please note that no one in my firm uses formal memoranda to record anything, let alone an intra-firm discussion. However, most large firms do. Everything here goes from the Managing Partner's mouth to some minion's notepad, which ranges from legal pads to 3x3 inch sticky notes. As you can tell, unless it makes it to the minion's notepad, whether or not it was said is arguable. Case in point:

Managing Partner: "Did you start the affidavits we discussed?"
Associate: "What affidavits?"
Managing Partner: "The three affidavits for our clients."
Asocaite: "We never discussed any affidavits."
Managing Partner: "Yes we did."
Associate: "No we didn't."
Managing Partner: "Yes we did. If I have to start sending you formal memos, I will."
Associate: "Yes, please start sending me formal memos."

Great Quotes from Today's Page2 on ESPN.com

"Watching the Yankees keep throwing Alan Embree out there is like watching your arch-enemy in college unknowingly start dating a girl with VD."

"One of my favorite dumb Hollywood quirks: The Shue Phenomenon, which applies whenever a less famous sibling suddenly becomes more famous than their famous sibling (like Andrew Shue surpassing sister Elisabeth during his first few years on "Melrose Place", before she dramatically reclaimed the throne with "Leaving Las Vegas"). And I mention this only because Kevin Dillon's improbable passing of Matt Dillon (thanks to "Entourage") has to be the greatest moment in the history of the Shue Phenomenon ... in fact, Clint Howard would need to direct three consecutive Oscar winners to approach what's happening here."

You rock, Bill Simmons!

I (heart) New York

Nothing says New York like two cracked-out homeless dudes fist-fighting in the middle of the street at a busy intersection in the pouring rain.

And nothing says New York Tourism like a dude in a cowboy hat and cowboy boots (clearly not from these here parts) taking numerous digital photos of the fight while laughing.