Lord, I was boooorn a ramblin' maaaaan

--I can feel it coming...My entire nose is becoming a zit.

--Nothing says Friday to me like a good, spicy discussion of racial relations. How about you? If you haven't already heard, a lot of MLB players will be wearing number 42 on Sunday to honor Jackie Robinson. Except for those included in a team-wide switch to the number, only one white player has decided to wear Jackie's number as part of this tribute, the Diamondbacks' Eric Byrnes. I give him a lot of credit for doing this. Why aren't more white players paying tribute to such a brave American man? Do they not realize how Jackie's breaking of the color barrier has affected their lives in a positive way even though they are not of the race he helped to liberate? That's pretty naive, isn't it? Or does the reluctance to wear his number come from the same nervous place that makes a lot of white people literally afraid to discuss anything remotely related to race for risk of being called a racist? Regardless, I think it's great that Byrnes is doing this and I hope next time that more players of various races will join in.

Still on the subject of race, here are two columns that I thought made fresh and valueable contributions to this whole Imus-Rutgers fiasco (they're the same ones from the Sports Guy's blog if you're already current with your Simmons):

Jason Whitlock in The Kansas City Star

Michael Wilbon in The Washington Post

--There's a ton of movies out that I want to see...okay, maybe more like four, but four can feel overwhelming when you don't actually go that often. Anyway, one of them is "Shooter." I'm not really sure why. It looks pretty average if not completely lame and yet I'm in for some reason. At least I come out feeling good either way, right? If it sucks I'll be saying, "See, I was right. I knew it looked weak." If by some chance it turns out to be good popcorn-munching escapist entertainment, I'm also covered..."See, I just knew there was something about it that was luring me in." Whether or not I actually go to see it, I am instituting a new personal policy in regards to movies:

I shall not see any movie that features a shot of someone walking in slow motion as something explodes behind them.

Because, really, isn't that just a dead giveaway of the logical leap the filmmakers are asking you to take in the movie? If there's an explosion and they fall to the ground in instinctual fear, that's fine. But if it's the whole thing where their expression remains stone cold business-like because they are expecting the explosion, I'm sorry, I gotta be out on that.

--"The Bourne Ultimatum" comes out this summer...I saw the poster last weekend and learned that it's set in New York. This is disappointing to me. I love NY as much as the next person, but a big part of the appeal of this international thriller series was the international part.

Speaking of this movie...I am sick and tired of other movies blatantly, openly ripping off one of "Bourne's" signature lines, "...bring this fight to your doorstep." I think I have seen it used at least twice in the action genre in recent years after the first "Bourne" movie. How do you do that? That's like plagiarizing the "I Have a Dream" speech...I think people are gonna notice.

--I don't think I could ever walk by an open tub of Red Vines and not have one (or five). If someone said they would kill me if I took one and I knew they meant it, I'm fairly certain I'd go down in a Red Vine blaze of glory right then and there. I am powerless against them. Maybe I shouldn't be publishing this fact.

--I am on a post-karaoke high this morning. Last night I rocked the following songs:

"Love on the Rocks" by Neil Diamond
"She's Every Woman" by Garth Brooks
"Blister in the Sun" by the Violent Femmes
"All for You" (with Todd) by Sister Hazel
"Two Princes" (also with Todd) by the Spin Doctors
"Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor

--What the hell do I want for lunch today? This question has plagued me for two hours and I have gained zero ground. I need help and not just with lunch.

--Wait, Wango Tango is this weekend?!?!?! How did I miss this?!!

--I really think I could ramble on like this for a couple more hours but, on my honor, I feel I should try and do something resembling work before lunch. Ciao!