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Thanks for dropping by my site. Here you will find bits and pieces from a writing life as well as new stories from myself and a soon-to-be impressive stable of contributors. I hope to post something fresh every week or two, so I recommend setting a bookmark for "appointment viewing." It will be a hell of a time-waster. I promise.
Sincerely, 
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 It's Labor Day, which means only one thing: Nobody is going to be doing any work.
Sounds ironic, but the holiday came about in 1882 as a way to give "a day off for all working citizens."
So don't exert yourself too much this weekend, not even while manning a grill. There is no shame in ordering pizza.
Labor Day also traditionally marks the end of summer. And to me, summer always means lazy time at whatever swimming pool is available.
Growing up, that meant the backyard. Today, it means Gotham's finest municipal pools.
That's right. We join the washed masses (pre-swim showers are required) in city pools. Here's a meandering hazy essay about the Power Broker who built the best of them, and the everyday Joes and Joses getting wet in them today.
A mighty Huzzah! to Mr. Beller's Neighborhood for the long-running forum in which New York City writers tell their sordid tales.
Don't forget that the University of Southern California football men start their quest for the national championship this Saturday at 3:30 EST against the Virginia plantation owners. C'mon fellas, it's been four long years without a title. What's the name of that Trojan coach again.... Pete Carroll. Hey, I know that guy!
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 As someone who was born in the great state of Alaska, I feel compelled to comment on the misfortune of Senator Ted Stevens.
Sure, I only lived there to the ripe old age of 1.5, but I also never labeled the Interwebs a "series of tubes."
And if you don't think the folks in cyber-country love Ted Stevens humor, you should know this piece was posted this morning and it already has 143 Diggs, whatever that means.
Thanks once again to 23/6, the home of unpaid comedy blogging.
As they say in Alaska, North to the Future.
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 In the new "Sports" issue of Popular Science, I was asked to take a look at the innovations of the 21st-century sports stadiums.
It was a cool assignment, except for the fact that a lot of the interviews were centered around Jerry Jones and his Xanadu known as Cowboy Stadium.
I give you permission to be wowed by the stadium and still hate the team. Hopefully, the Eagles won't be distracted by the massive video screens come Monday September 15.
Here's an animated fly through PopSci put together, to get you started and then feel free to launch the gallery for the six top innovations in the stadium of the future. Or, scroll down.
Either way, I'm just thrilled to be part of the popular crowd. Those unpopular science kids will cramp a guy's style.
More importantly, it's almost football time again.
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 Legend of Ali-Lewis fight in Dublin grows with each year
While tooling about Ireland last winter, I caught a late night BBC report about a "hurl" that had been signed by Muhammad Ali in 1972 when he was in Dublin for a heavyweight fight. I had no idea Ali ever fought on the Emerald Isle and I was certainly unaware he has Celtic blood.
Upon my return, I looked into the story and it's an unbelievable mix of celebrity, politics, workaday Irish folks, heavy drinking and a wild boxing match. Suffice to say, it would never happen in today's 24/7 media landscape, but it also got me my first ESPN.com credit, so win some/lose some.
I would encourage you to check out Ali's amazing Irish travelogue in which the G.O.A.T. says whiskey being labeled the “water of life” is “crazy.” It's a priceless relic and a great reminder of what a quick wit Ali was in his younger days.
Pour yourself a Tullamore Dew and dig into Ali's Irish roots. This article is a primer, but if you want to know more about his lone fight in Dublin, I highly reccommend The Big Fight by Dave Hannigan. He was a great resource.
When Ali's Eyes Are Smiling....
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 Perhaps the heat has driven you into a news coma and you missed George W. Bush's final words of wisdom to the G8 Summit in Japan.
“Goodbye from the world’s biggest polluter.”
That wasn't his only option, though. He rejected numerous other sign-offs.
The original version of this piece is up at the Huffington Post's humor site 23/6. This is the director's cut, featuring two extra entries!
193 days and counting....
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 My good friend and comedy co-hort Auggie Smith is starring in a new web series (or it could be a series if he ever comes back to New York) called But That's Not My Point...
Check out the original.
And its thrilling sequel.
The guy in the Teller/Silent Bob/mute sidekick role is really something.
I apologize for making you click on an external link, but I'm really more of an actor than a special effects guy.
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