INTO THE LAND OF VIRTUAL REALITY

There's a saying dating back to the 1990s (remember the 90's, henceforth to be referred to as the "Good Old Days"?) that virtual reality is one of those oxymorons of our times. It is not an oxymoron--many things can take on the appearance of being real or of being near-real--but there's plenty about life these days that is oxymoronic. Or just moronic. Or just plain fake. I've made up a short list which contains both people and sayings that are oxymoronic and others that are just plain fake. You can decide which is which:

Virtually spotless

Friendly fire

Tom Cruise

Fuel efficient SUV's

Charlie Sheen

Denise Richards

Fat-free ice cream

Political integrity

Got more? Feel free to send them on...

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Minor Correction

Not so much a correction as an addition to yesterday's blog about Keith Hernandez. I had failed to get more information on the woman in the dugout employed by the San Diego Padres and I thought I'd pass it on here--her name is Kelly Calabrese and she's been a certified trainer and massage therapist employed by the major league club since 2004. Read what she has to say here in SI.com.

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My Plea to Moussaoui Jury: Don't Give Him What He Wants

Setting aside for a moment the idea that anything Zacharias Moussaoui did in relation to 9/11 is relevant enough for him to get a death sentence--to me, Moussaroui, a reprehensible human being and classic "wannabe" is getting set up to be one of the great symbolic patsies of the last century--the jury deliberating over his sentence must be aware that if they do give him a death sentence it will forever martyr him among his compatriots and give the defendant exactly what he wants; namely, fame, glory and a place in "heaven" alongside his fellow 9/11 hijackers. Here's an example where not giving into the lust for revenge and the need to make somebody pay for 9/11 (and by extension the last five miserable years in America and around the world) would be the absolute best sentence that could come out of this horribly flawed case. Imagine Zacharias Moussaoui having to spend the rest of his natural life in prison, isolated, with no chance of parole. A much better sentence, I think, than simply killing him.

It's time for lunch. When I return, more about the whole sordid Charlie Sheen/Denise Richards/Richie Sambora mess and I break down just how ludicrous it is to really get into the NFL Draft.

Peace...