| McGinnis: Cause-of-the-day democracy
From the moment colonists set foot on Jamestown, American history has been about social change, and anybody who thinks they can stop it is kidding themselves. In every element of life, from government institutions to nonprofit organizations, PTAs and church committees, we're seeing it. As anti-establishment as they may have been in the ‘60s, Baby Boomers are taking the reins from the Greatest Generation, determined that nobody waste their time or money. Today good stewardship means operating by efficient, transparent business models. Technology has leveled the playing field and the days of patronage appointments, handshake deals and the buddy system are coming to a close. It's time to lead or leave. We have gradually come to a turning point in local government. Wichita County voters have watched county operations slowly succumb to change; things are far from perfect but attrition should clear the remaining hurdles.
Eva Longoria comedy lacks pulse
Over Her Dead Body is a gleefully daft project that not only has both Eva Longoria Parker and Jason Biggs in the same cast but centres on a jealous ghost, a confluence of idiotic elements that's impressive, you'll admit. Mrs. Parker and Paul Rudd are Kate and Henry. They are deeply in love and getting married, but she dies on their wedding day. In keeping with the themes of the story, hers is a moronic sort of death. Henry is heartbroken. Though Kate is dead, we saw enough of her in the first scene to know that she's an obsessive, bossy, nit-picking harridan, so -- yeah, who wouldn't miss her? Henry's sister sends him off to a psychic named Ashley (Lake Bell), who is beautiful as well as prescient. Ashley will try to communicate with Kate's spirit in order to help Henry move on with his life.
Ledger bared his soul
Anyone who met Heath Ledger couldn't help getting the impression the actor basically was both a gentle soul and a very sensitive guy. Now I've learned the Australian native expressed that sensitivity by writing poetry and even a few song lyrics. A longtime Ledger associate told me Thursday, ''Heath wrote some really amazing poems ... as good as any I've read.'' According to this insider, the actor penned verse ranging from ''very funny, often naughty doggerel,'' usually to mark a pal's birthday or some other kind of special occasion, to ''very deep, insightful pieces that showed how much he had going on inside.'' While my source expressed the hope the more serious Ledger poetry might be published, she did say the journals containing the work were in the hands of ex-girlfriend Michelle Williams, the mother of Ledger's 2-year-old daughter.
All present or accounted for, time to begin
For now, the Braves are officially staying with their earlier projection of June or July. But Cox seems open to the possibility it could be mid-June instead of around the All-Star break in July, which was the original projection. "He's ready to go, in his mind," Cox said. "But it's going to be June, probably. The hardest thing is to tell them they can't, 'You've got to wait.' Because in their mind, they can." Gonzalez is in camp and playing catch with throws at about 75-percent effort from 120 feet. It won't be much longer before he's on the mound. "I'm going to start throwing curveballs next week," he said. Old home week: Tom Glavine's locker is back where it was six years ago, next to those belong to John Smoltz and Chipper Jones on seniors row just before you get to the equipment room in the Braves' spring-training clubhouse.
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