* With a week to deadline on "The Juice" everything is still falling into place. There's only one major roadblock left, so things look (knock on wood) good.

* Ozzie Smith's son is one of the finalists on "American Idol." He's a dead ringer for his dad and even wore Cardinal red. So, I can talk about Idol and baseball ... or should I leave the Idol chatter to Scott?

* An amazing piece from Ira Berkow. I met Ira a couple years ago, seated next to him at Game Six of the '03 NLCS. Great guy, great writer.

* I know we have a really varied audience here, so I'll ask a home question: with all the low down payment, zero down, ARM mortgages and seemling endless housing developments, where are these people coming from? Are they good risks and would you want to live next to them? I keep seeing apocalyptic real estate bubbles in my head ...

* The writers of '24' are officially insane. I read recently that they're only two weeks ahead of shooting and honestly only have a rough outline of where the show is going. I see them overusing some devices ("our new lead is mysteriously killed again!" or the trouble magnet daughter) but they also throw in some insane twists that I'm not even sure they see coming. Who's this cat that came in whacking Aisha Tyler?

* One more Idol note -- is Ryan Seachrest the most annoying person on TV? How did he get where he is? And has Brian Dunkleman killed himself yet? Ok, that's three.

* Hunter S. Thompson, rest in ... is peace appropriate for HST?

* I'm going to do a Laminated List post sometime in March.

* America's done a good job of rejecting gays in America, while simultaneously celebrating them in popular culture. It's fine to be flamboyantly gay if you're funny, in fashion, or singing. I'm not sure why it's not the equivalent of blackface.

* I still don't get Paris Hilton. Her fifteen minutes are long since up, I don't find her attractive or even useful, yet it seems that Warholian clock of hers has a snooze button, giving her five or six more runs at us.

* Jamey Newberg, I will never doubt you again. Jellyfish's "Spilt Milk" may be one of the ten best albums of all time. If only I'd listened two years ago when you first suggested it. Someone get these guys on "Bands Reunited" now!

* What TV star would you most want to have a beer with? Mine's Steve Watson from "Monster House," but if you come to the Vegas Feed, you may get a chance to have a beer with my second choice. (Oooh mystery ...)

Back to writing for me ...