Almost lunchtime...

and I only have two classes today. Time to get some work done.

Carl Perkins still remains as an influence. Hey, you get a Perkins loan at college? Thank the Kentucky congressman even though he left us over 21 years ago.

Hate to tell them...Condoleezza Rice is not running even though they claim she is.

So, Jonathan Prince, creator of American Dreams is Jewish. That's one thing learned all day so far. Sorry, have no link on that.

Second City comes to West Virginia. Second City Toronto will be homeless for the summer. That stinks. So much for seeing the Bluejays, but I don't have a passport yet.

Come to Caroline's from 6pm-8pm for a tribute to Mitch Hedberg on Tuesday, 4/19.

John Avlon's Independent Nation has now been added to the blogroll. I've never figured out his affiliation but I had several hits overnight for his name.

Evan Bayh can do it all. He's fighting a possible flu pandemic.

Nonetheless, Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) teamed with U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) to release a letter to President George W. Bush.

"This latest mix-up shows why the Administration can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to the dangers of a possible flu pandemic. Avian flu is not just a health problem, it is a national security threat that must be dealt with and I urge the Administration to implement the recommendations in our Flu Protection Act to prevent a possible pandemic," Bayh said.

Bayh plans to continue with his efforts to pursue legislative solutions to the threat of flu pandemic.

John Rocker is back in the news. He is asking New Yorkers to forgive him for his comments made six years ago in Sports Illustrated.

"I don't have any ill feelings (toward New York), and it would be nice to think that the New York people can be as mature as I think I am now and bury the hatchet and move on," the 30-year-old left-hander told the New York Post in Thursday's editions.

Rocker, who signed a contract with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League last week, became the center of controversy in 1999 when he made disparaging comments in Sports Illustrated about New Yorkers, gays and minorities while pitching for the Atlanta Braves. He later retracted the comments and apologized.

"Everybody is a lot different person at 24 than they are at 30," Rocker said in Alpharetta, Ga., where he's working out before joining the Ducks. "There's been a lot of growing that's been done, a lot of maturing that's been done."[...]

He hopes to pitch well enough for the Ducks that he's signed by a major league team -- possibly even the Mets -- within six weeks of the season opener on April 28.

"Whoever wants to give me a jersey and sign my check, I'll play for," Rocker said. "I don't care who it is."

Rocker said his controversial comments were just his way of fueling the rivalry between the Braves and Mets, and weren't meant to disparage New Yorkers.

"I just hope people understand how long ago it was and by me coming up there, I'm showing some good faith and I don't have anything against the people of New York," he said.

So here it is, I a non-New Yorker, openly forgive John Rocker and I wasn't even affected by his comments. I hope he gets that contract. I'm a better person than I was six years ago. I'm not as immature as I was back then.

Jon Corzine blogs at Daily Kos. He mentions why he didn't affiliate with the DLC even if he shares many values with them.