Make Me a Christian

A new British reality show starts this weekend. It is called "Make Me a Christian."

According to the UK's Channel 4 website, it's a 3-part series in which a group of volunteers give up their normal lives and try to live like Christians for three weeks. Here are the list of volunteers:

-a biker who's a tattooist and a militant atheist
-a young man who was brought up Christian until he was 12, and now has a girlfriend who is 10 weeks' pregnant
-a lap-dancing manager who can't live without continually acquiring expensive designer shoes
-middle-class parents who are so professionally busy that they have hardly any time to spend with their children
-a man in his 20s who, unbeknown to his girlfriend, goes out every week drinking and womanising
-a man who found Christianity unfulfilling and has converted to Islam
-a lesbian who sometimes sleeps with men.

I really don't have much more to add. Talk amongst yourselves.

Fight Night

Dear political nerds, campaign workers, wonks, lawyers, judges, gypsies, tramps and thieves and interested members of the electorate,

Next Thursday, August 14, I am moderating a debate in Jacksonville. Technically, it's three debates but all contained in one program. The main event will be between the candidates for state attorney, Angela Corey and Jay Plotkin. The lead-up bouts are Buttner vs. Norton and Hulsey vs. Soud.

It's at the Florida Coastal School of Law and will start at 6.

Watch it on the web if you can't attend. My understanding is firstcoastnews.com will stream it live.

Sincerely,

Shannon Ogden

Finally Paris Hilton Enters Campaign '08

Paris Hilton has responded to the John McCain ad in which Barack Obama is labeled a celebrity, like Paris and Britney, whose leadership is in question. For the record, Paris Hilton's leadership is not questioned in the McCain ad.

It's on the web site funny or die, which was started by Will Ferrell and his partner. Take a look.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/64ad536a6d

Fla. Delegates, Happy Birthday & Tattoos

Barack Obama urged Democratic party leaders to give the Florida and Michigan convention delegates full voting power at this month's convention. How hard to take must that be for Florida Dems like Congresswoman Corrine Brown? She has been yelling for just that from the get-go and whats more she was a Hillary Clinton supporter. Full Florida and Michigan delegations with full voting power could have changed the game. Ouch.

Happy birthday to Illinois Senator Barack Obama who turns 47 today (Aug. 4). He is in Boston where Harry Connick, Jr. sang "Happy Birthday" to him. For the senator's sake I hope it was from across the room and in front of many other people. Is there anything more awkward than being sung to?

Arizona Senator John McCain also has a birthday this month. Senator McCain turns 72 on August 29th. He spent part of his day today at the big motorcycle rally thing in Sturgis, SD. I know Def Leppard, Lynyrd Skynyrd and REO Speedwagon are performing there this week but have no knowledge if any of the bands sang an early "Happy Birthday" to him. If they did, I hope it was from across the room and in front of many other people.

McCain trolling for the tattoo and leather vote got me wondering: Would Americans vote for a president who had a tattoo? Has any US president ever had a tattoo?

The website vanishingtattoo.com claims Teddy Roosevelt had a tattoo of his family crest in an "unknown location."

The same page lists Portia De Rossi as having a small ring tattoo on her middle finger and Gavin Rossdale having the name of his dog "Winston" tattooed on the inside of his left wrist.

What would be the reaction if a sitting US president got his/her first tattoo while in office? For starters I guess it would technically be the "first tattoo". I think it might be kind of cool.

Thoughts of Joy, Manny and Schlitz

For what it's worth I was also going to call my blog "Thoughts of Joy" but Joy Purdy beat me to it. Since she likely won't change hers to "Thoughts of Shan", I'll let her keep it.

It's been a busy week both in and out of news. And I'm still trying to process Manny Ramirez leaving the Red Sox. (Not a team player and apparently poison in the locker room but man can he hit a baseball). Manny's gone but Schlitz is coming back in its old formula. So let's call this week a wash.

busy

Very busy day at FCN. Writing this from the set three minutes before the 5pm show.
Fatal crash in SJ Co. Omni Hotel evacuated bc of a small fire.
911 down in parts of Jax - those affected are asked to actually GO to the nearest fire station if they have an emergency. Seems like a lot to ask.

And it's only 4:58:30. Stay tuned.