Tom_Johnson's Blog

Hi everyone... hope you had a great weekend!  Saw my first night shuttle launch Friday.  I was not sure a shuttle launch could be any more amazing than I had already witnessed several times.  I was WRONG!  Seeing the ship blast off at night is simple breathtaking.  Here are a few of the photos I took while my family and I watched from Sand Point Park in Titusville.  Happy Monday... have a great week!

Take a look at the photos below... go on... take a good long look!  O.K... now tell me this... what would you think if you saw that in the leaves and mulch in your front yard?  This is Florida and there are a LOT of critters crawling around... so my wife and I thought it could possibly be a snake egg.  So... I called my buddy Nick who's a herpetologist for the Central Florida Zoo.  (Great zoo by the way!  Check out the reptile exhibit and say hello to NIck!)  Anyway... I described what we were looking at... sent Nick the same photos and asked him what he thought.  He was not sure and said there was a "possibility" it could be a snake egg.  He told us not to touch it and offered to drop by and check it out for us.  He got there as it was getting dark out.  He picked the thing up... noticed it was super light... and said whatever kind of egg it is... "it's empty now."  Then he noticed what looked like a ribbon hanging out.  He looked up and declared that this is an egg from the mysterious and elusive "Christmas Tree Snake."  It was a Christmas tree ornament that somehow ended up in our hedges!  So our fears that we had a snake laying an egg there... quickly turned into lots of laughter!  :)

As you probably know by now... I love music!  So when I get the opportunity to hang out with someone who's a giant in the business... I eat it up!!!  Got to hang out with Thomas McClary the other day.  He's one of the founder's of The Commodores and co-wrote one of the greatest funk songs ever recorded: "Brickhouse."  Never realized it before but he's a Central Florida native and still lives here today.  Check out his website with this link... and check out the photos below!

No matter who you support... please make sure you vote this year.  If you're going today... I sure hope your wait is short!

Go DAWGS! 

Beat the Gators... or at least make a game of it!!!

A couple of giraffes walk up to a deck... this is not a joke... it's a follow-up to what I was talking about yesterday.  The giraffe exhibit at the Brevard Zoo is perhaps the coolest land animal exhibit I've ever experienced.  Here're 3 photos we took while we were there so you can see for yourself why it's so much fun!

Here's the deck that overlooks the "savana."  It puts you at eye level with the giraffes.

You are also at tongue level so watch out!

Me feeding one of the giraffes!

This morning I'm trying to figure out why it took us so many years to discover the Brevard Zoo?  My wife and I took our sons there yesterday and had a fantastic time!  I'm only sorry that we did not go there before.

My favorite part is Expedition Africa.  You walk up a long boardwalk to an elevated, covered deck that's about 20-feet above the "desert" floor.  Here's the incredibly cool part:  It's open air and the giraffes literally come up to the deck... look you in the eye and let you feed and even pet them!  How cool is that?  Needless to say... we had a fantastic time there and I would highly recommend it next time you're looking for an affordable, fun and educational way to spend the day.  Just don't wait several years before you go like I did!

Can anyone out there give me a rational explanation why this guy just will not give it up with this silly and outrageous lawsuit?

====================================================

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A customer who sued a dry cleaner for $54 million over a missing pair of pants has returned to court to argue his case.

Roy Pearson appeared before a three-judge appellate panel, more than a year after a D.C. Superior Court judge rejected his claim that he was defrauded by a "satisfaction guaranteed" sign in the store.

D.C. appeals court judges questioned Pearson about whether he thought the sign offered an unconditional guarantee to whatever damages he believed were appropriate. Pearson initially sued for $67 million before lowering his claim.

They also asked whether the South Korean immigrants who owned the business made a good faith effort to accommodate Pearson.

Pearson maintained that his lawsuit has merit under consumer protection laws.

Seriously?  How many of us would be in the big house by now if we could be charged for this when something goes wrong in our houses?

====================================================
===

SCRANTON, Pennsylvania (AP) -- A case of cussing is costing the city of Scranton. Officials of the Pennsylvania city are paying $19,000 to a woman who was busted for cursing at her overflowing toilet. Scranton is also paying Dawn Herb's legal fees. She was arrested last year after a neighbor, an off-duty police officer, heard a string of her blue language through an open window. But a judge found her innocent on disorderly conduct charges, saying she has a constitutional right to cuss in her own home. The American Civil Liberties Union announced the settlement yesterday.

So we're about halfway through college football's regular season and the first BCS rankings are out.  There they are below along with my take. 

Is anyone overrated or underrated in your opinion what do ya think?:

BCS Rankings (Week 1)

1. Texas - Right where they desrve to be!

2.  Alabama - WR Julio Jones and NT Terrance Cody are HUGE and scary... like 'Bama in general.  They're where they should be too.

3.  Penn State - Also deserving of their spot here.

4.  Oklahoma - Ditto.

5.  Southern Cal - At times they look like they should be the #1... but there is that loss to an unranked PAC 10 school.  Was it just one bad day though?

6.  Oklahoma State - Sorry... not sold on them being this high.  Yes they spanked Mizzou... but I think Mizzou is just good this year as opposed to VERY GOOD like last year.

7.  Georgia - The Dawgs may be a little high here as well.  There's no question they have the talent.  But their O-line is beat up and young.  They need to gel and have a complete game beat down on a good team before I'll feel like they're deserving of  being this high in the BCS.

8.  Texas Tech - Not sure... have not really seen much video on them.  We'll find out when they host Texas the day after Halloween.

9.  Ohio State - Uh uh... sorry Buckeyes fans... they should not be here.  The offense is just too young and inconsistent.  Lots of talent... not the year they should be here.  Next year and the year after... frightening!

10. Florida - I think Florida may be a little low here.  They had one bad game against Ole Miss.  But they looked like world beaters when they ate a good LSU team alive.  Seriously... they were scary good in that game!

I'm not bragging or anything... but I think I'm the reason the Rays are going to the World Series!  I think my good luck rubbed off on them before the season started and set the table for this year's magic.

Last April I had the privilege of throwing out the first pitch before a Rays spring training game at Disney's Wide World of Sports.  Here's where the luck comes in.  I had not thrown a pitch in at least 15-years... so I was petrified I was gonna bounce it in or maybe throw it into the stands.   But somehow I got up there... in front of all those people... and sailed it right over the plate!  Take a look for yourself below:

Tom Throwing First Pitch

Go Rays... Beat the Phillies!!!  (and call me if you need me... I'm loosening up the old arm now!)

Former Clemson Football coach Tommy Bowden's resignation got me thinking about how much jack Division I football coaches make.  Specifically, I started researching it when I saw that Clemson's gonna pay Bowden $583,000 for the next six years and he will not be working for them.  Half a mill. a year... just for being Tommy Bowden!  Half a mill. a year for what many consider a 10-year period of underachievement as a coach!  Wow!!! 

That tidbit lead me to find out what coaches make in general and it really is staggering.  Go check out this site and I'll wait:

COACHING SALARIES (<<<Click Here)

O.K... see what I mean?  That's a whopping lot of money and I am kind of torn about it.  On the one hand... I realize that major college football programs make mega-millions for their schools and that a successful coach is the heart of that cash cow. (along with the players of course!)  I also realize that major college football programs generally make the money that supports theirs schools entire athletic department.  I also know that much of their salaries come from endorsement deals and other outside sources besides state money.  But... as a parent and taxpayer... I have to wonder if our priorities are misplaced in any way at these Universities?  On the whole... and for the reasons set out in the beginning of this paragraph... I kind of think "not."  But it does make you think a little when you see those salaries along with the bonuses and buyouts.  Am I completely off-base to say that?  What do you think about D-I football coaches spiraling salaries?

Also... for the record and to be completely transparent on this... I do have a family member who is a Division I college football head coach.  I certainly wish him the best and hope he makes as much as he possibly can make.  He's worked hard at it for a long time.  Knowing how devoted he is to his players, coaches and school... I think he deserves every penny!  I know you're gonna ask... so I'll just tell you... it's my uncle... Bobby Johnson.  He's the head coach at Vanderbilt University and I am very proud he's my uncle... Go 'Dores!

I love living in Central Florida.  There's just something fantastic about the never ending sunshine and warm temps.  But I also love fall and I love the changes Mother Nature brings to the trees just a little north of us.  My family went on vacation in the North Georgia mountains (i.e. - Blue Ridge foothills) last week.  The leaves are just starting to change and I'm not sure they'll reach full color because they're already falling off the trees.  Here're a few photos I took while we were in Blue Ridge, GA... a neat little town by the way.

The Big Chicken (<<< click to learn more) is another one of my favorite things about living in the south.  It is a landmark in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta.  Kids love seeing it... adults love using it.  I say "using it" because The Big Chicken is literally used to give directions in and around Marietta.  You know... something like... "The Budget rent a car place is on the corner... right across from The Big Chicken."  Or... "Go to The Big Chicken... take a left and it's one mile down the road."  Very cool landmark and a lot of fun.  I took this pic last week during vacation.  My sons loved seeing it!!!  Funny joint huh?

(Chester State Park in SC)

Fall is officially here and I could not be happier about it.  I love fall... it's my favorite season for many reasons.  Among them:

* Cool, crisp mornings and evenings
* Football weekends
* Changing leaves
* Football weekends
* Boiled peanuts from roadside stands
* Chili
* Football weekends

Took a little poll among the cast and crew of FOX 35 Morning News... with just one exception... Fall is the favorite season here. What's your favorite season and why?