"Same Time Next Year"

It may not be "Casablanca," "Citizen Kane," or"Gone With the Wind" but it's one of my favorite movies. Maybe because there is a Casablanca type sequence and perhaps because they show a clip of Perry Mason, my favorite tv show of all time.

P.S. Methinks I saw it at the drive-in circa 1979 on a double bill as the second feature. What a treat because for the most part the second feature was always a bomb.

"John Lennon"

It's hard to believe that John Lennon would be 70 years old in October. Where did the time go?

Recently I saw where Mark David Chapman,the maniacal madman who killed John, had also targeted Johnny Carson and Elizabeth Taylor. But John was more accessible.

In observance of his birthday a new 11 box cd is out. Here are the details:

The John Lennon Signature Box

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The John Lennon Signature Box is a deluxe 11CD and digital collection of John's eight remastered albums, a disc of rare and previously unreleased recordings, and an EP of Lennon's non-album singles.

The CDs will be housed in digisleeves within a deluxe box including a collectible limited edition John Lennon 70th birthday art print, personal essays from Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Julian Lennon written especially for the collection, plus a 60 page hardbound book featuring rare photos, artwork, collages, poetry, and new liner notes by respected American music journalist and author Anthony DeCurtis.

Fans buying the Signature Box will also have access to premium interactive content in the immersive John Lennon 'Universe'. Further details to follow.

"VH-1's Top 100 Artists of all Time"

I watched some of the 4 hour show which featured the top 100 artists of all time. They were voted on by 200 artists which included Ozzy Osbourne ( no relation ); Alicia Keyes; and others I can't remember as of this writing.

I was more interested in seeing who would be number 1. Of course, I knew it would be between Michael Jackson, whose recent death would give him a big boost, and the Fab 4 from Liverpool. If you have ever read my column, then you know who I was pulling for.

The Beatles burst onto the scene in the USA in 1964. Life as we knew it-and particularly mine-would never be the same.

Who won the contest? The winner is shown below in a video from youtube.

"For the Love of the Game"

I have always loved baseball. Loved playing and loved watching.

In high school we played home run derby on the tennis court at Fulton High School, my old alma mater. You only needed 4 players-2 on each side. A pitcher and a fielder.

What games we had, some memorable. A ball that hit the fence on the ground was a single; a ball that was misplayed by the fielder was an error; and a ball that hit the fence was a home run; but a ball hit over the fence was an out. And slowed up the game because we had to look for the ball. If there was water on the court, our rubber ball could be a potentially deadly missile when it was stroked.

And I played home run derby with my friend Steve W. whose front yard yielded many enjoyable games, some marked with tension and drama. Our game was played with plastic balls and bats, both full of tape to add weight. A ball hit halfway across the street was a single, and a ball hit into the neighbor's yard across the street was a home run. Me and Steve, even well into our teens, loved playing our little game.

And I have enjoyed watching professional baseball on tv and in person. Once in L.A. when my sister, mother and me were on a 3 day vacation, circa 1962, we went to Knotts Berry Farm and Disneyland among other places, but a quick glance at the local newspaper heralded the arrival of the N.Y. Yankees for a weekend series with the L.A. Angels. Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, and the Mick were gonna be in town. How I would have loved to see the men in pinstripes, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be. And whatever happened to Elston Howard, Gil McDougal and Bill Skowron?

And I will never forget seeing Willie Mays patrolling center field in 1966 in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium; and Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers being beaten in that same year on a home run by Eddie Mathews in the bottom of the ninth. 50,000 delirious fans, of which some left because of the one hour rain delay, went bananas. Sandy didn't lose many games that year, but he lost 2-1 on this night. Sadly, 1966 was his last year.

I've watched the Braves since '66. When they resided in the outhouse, and when they ascended to the penthouse ( 1991 ). From Rico Carty to Hank Aaron to Biff Poccaroba to John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Chipper Jones to Troy Glaus, Rick Ankiel, and Omar Infante I've been there.

Yep, I'm a baseball fan. Have always loved to play the game and to watch.