Finaly a Friday

* U.S. Finishes Internet Study Congress Requested In 1998. I need to get a copy of this. I'm sure it makes for some great reading. I wonder if the report is current or immediately outdated? Does it contain data as of 1998 or current data?

In the intervening period, Google emerged to dominate the Web, technology executives made then lost billions in stock options, lawyers shut down Napster over music piracy, high-speed Internet connections soared and the number of Web addresses climbed from 2.2 million to more than 65 million. The job of Commerce secretary, the top U.S. official responsible for overseeing the study, turned over three times.

* The Apprentice! Stephanie gets the tap in the boardroom. She was pathetic for sure, but Chris can't be on for too many more weeks. I though the task of running a Dominos pizza truck sounded kind of fun, though. Not sure I'd go for the Meatball pizza. Obviously, I'd lose with a vegetarian no-cheese pizza, but I'd probably have gone the bacon cheeseburger pizza route (as featured in an ad during the show).

* Last night, Eliza Dushku's Tru Calling premiered with a 2-hr episode. I recorded it. Or is it now Jason Priestly's Tru Calling? I made the mistake of watching a CSI Las Vegas episode instead, where burned bodies were the victims. I've had it with gooey autopsies. Spare me! I was surfin' during the show, so I just don't watch when they're showing the graphic details.

* Is the world running out of oil?

* Is the Pope alive or dead? Conflicting reports. If not now, soon I think. I saw a clip of him in his younger days, hiking. They said they used to call him God's Athelete. I hope there are places to hike in Heaven.

* OK, I've been wrong about the stock market and keep riding it down. Although, even with today's action, the SP500 isn't down that far year to date. It seems like it's down a lot further than it really is. I'm remaining long. I think the economy is going along fine, not too hot and not too cold. A good environment for growth.

* I'm having lunch with my former former coworkers. Not from the Salt Mine, but from before that even when I was living the high life during the technology mania. Haven't seen them for awhile. I'm doing my stretches so I don't get injured hugging the hotties.

* I saw that Jennifer Ellison was a big mover in the Yahoo search world, so I had to figure out WHO IS THAT? I like it when folks have a website that is just their name. Even I can find it.

* Dick Clark isn't doing so well after his 2 strokes. Another one about to pass away. You know about the Pope. Jerry Falwell hasn't been doing well. Johnny Cochrane passed away this week. Lots of changes.