Last week, Majic 95.5 held an exclusive screening of the movie “The Ghost Writer” at the Galaxy Highland 10.

I didn’t get to attend the sneak, but after watching a trailer and reading the plot, I’m definitely putting it on my list of movies to catch in the next few weeks.

I wasn’t much of a movie buff growing up, but when you have kids, you find yourself watching almost all the kids’ movies they enjoy. In the past few years, especially as my son James has grown older, I’ve become more interested in movies, as he’s a real movie buff; he even briefly worked at a local movie theater last year.

“The Ghost Writer” is directed by Roman Polanski, and stars Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, and Kim Cattrall.

A ghost writer (McGregor) has agreed to help a British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan) complete his memoirs after a former aide dies under mysterious circumstances. After digging into the memoirs, the writer discovers his predecessor’s death was no accident, and his own life is in danger.

Sounds like my kind of political thriller. To view a trailer of the film, visit the link below:

February 22, 1980, was one of the most significant days in American sports history. It was the day the U.S. Olympic Men’s hockey team upset the Soviet Union to put them in the finals, which they eventually went on to win, and earned a Gold Medal.
 http://vodpod.com/watch/124298-the-mirac…

It was one of those “where were you” moments. The Russians had dominated the hockey landscape since the 60’s, and none of the so-called experts gave the U.S. a chance to even give them a good game, much less knock them off.

This past Sunday, just one day before the 30th anniversary of that amazing event, the U.S. team did it again, this time upsetting Team Canada 5-3. Though the U.S. still has a way to go to win a Gold, it was almost as stunning a victory as the one in 1980. The Canadians hadn’t lost to the U.S. in hockey since 1960, and Sunday’s U.S. win came on the Canadians’ home soil, or ice, to be more specific.

With all the problems and trials facing us in our country today, it’s nice to have stories like these to keep us inspired. Yes, the problems will still be there when everyone comes home from Vancouver, but this latest “Miracle On Ice” is not only a nice distraction, it’s a proud moment for our country, and the people who train hard for years to reach this moment.
 http://www.nbcolympics.com/photos/galler…

The Olympics are full of many stories. Some are tragic, some emotionally heartbreaking, and others are inspiring.

Thousands of athletes from around the world spend years training, preparing, and hoping for that moment when they can have that Olympic gold. Obviously, not everyone will have that indescribable experience.

One of the things I find most interesting about the Olympics, as well as other international events and competitions, are the friendships that are forged between athletes from other countries. One such friendship that’s been written about is between skiers Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. and Maria Riesch of Germany.

You’ve probably heard all the publicity surrounding Lindsey’s badly bruised shin. But I came across an interesting article in USA Today that talks about something completely different: her strong friendship with Riesch.

Obviously, both girls want to win; anyone who is competitive could never substitute friendship for victory. But, each is rooting for the other to do well, more specifically finish second behind the other.

Check out the link below to view the entire story.
 http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/…

Once a year, I emcee a bowl-a-thon for the Austin Blackhawks, a team that plays a sport called Beep Baseball. Yes, the name is as it sounds: a game that uses a beeping baseball, and it’s played by the blind.

The ball itself is actually a large softball with an electronic mechanism inside that emits a beeping sound once the pin is pulled out. I played the game myself years ago, and I’m here to tell you, it’s every bit as competitive as regular baseball, or any sport, for that matter. There’s even a World Series of Beep Baseball, held every year in early August.

The bowl-a-thon helps raise money to send the Blackhawks to play in the World Series, which will be held this year in Rochester, Minnesota. The proceeds come from a registration fee to bowl, as well as corporations who sponsor individual lanes.

The event is always a lot of fun. Each bowler gets to bowl two games, but it’s not a competition. It’s just a way to get together, have fun, and help a great cause. Best of all, blind and sighted people can bowl together (blind bowlers use a portable rail to feel their way along the lane). The event has been going on for about the last 17 years, and usually raises several thousand dollars each year to cover the Blackhawks’ expenses to the Series.

This year’s bowl-a-thon will take place this Saturday, Feb. 13, from 1 to 3 at Highland Lanes, 8909 Burnet Rd. Registration begins after 12 noon, and it’s $20 a person. Anyone, blind or sighted, is welcome to participate. Who knows? You might even win one of the many door prizes I’ll be giving away, generously donated by local businesses.

If you’re curious to find out more about Beep Baseball, check out the official website of the National Beep Baseball Association, the governing organization of the sport:
 http://www.nbba.org/

Hope to see you Saturday!

I have to say this year’s Super Bowl was one of the most enjoyable I’ve watched in a while, for several reasons.

First, it was a close game. I’m always afraid of the game becoming a blowout early. I always like an entertaining matchup, no matter who I’m cheering for.

Second, the commercials were fabulous this year. I think I laughed at almost all of them. Doritos House Rules was probably my favorite. Check it out here:
 http://www.time.com/time/specials/packag…

Also, I got to watch it with my son James, who usually visits me every other weekend. Nothing like sharing a pizza and an exciting football game with your son (especially since we were both cheering for the Saints).

Ah, yes, the Saints! That was the best part: the underdog won! When Peyton Manning threw that interception late in the fourth quarter, I knew the game was over. I’m not a regular Saints fan, but who could resist rooting for them, particularly with what New Orleans has been through over the past few years. Yes, there is still a lot of work to be done to repair the damage Katrina did to the city. But, at least for a little while, the Saints have provided a nice distraction, not to mention a feel-good story. The partying will probably last a good while.

To check out all the celebrating, visit this link:
 http://www.wwl.com/

Who Dat!

It was 25 years ago this week that Foreigner’s hit “I Want To Know What Love Is” reached Number One on the Billboard singles chart, and stayed there two weeks. The song was penned by London-born singer/songwriter Mick Jones, who sang lead vocals on the song.

Also coming in at Number One this week was Barbra Streisand’s 1974 hit single “The Way We Were”. The song, which was the theme from the film of the same name, stayed at the top for four weeks, and went on to win both an Oscar and a Grammy for Song of the Year.

Enjoy the music!

I imagine most of us have mixed feelings about all the high-tech devices that have come out over the last few years, depending on the situation. Sometimes, they can excite us, sometimes frustrate us (especially when they don’t work or crash), and there are moments when you may feel downright overwhelmed by the frequency with which they change. That cell phone you bought yesterday? They just came out with an even better version of the one you walked out of the store with, darn it!

But I think the majority of us would have to agree that most of the time, this 21st-century technology can be very beneficial. After all, what would we do if we were told we could never send another email or text message, or close another business deal on our wireless phone while away from the office, or (shudder) chat on Facebook? We’d be lost.

Another sector of the population who has enjoyed the luxury of current technology is the blind and visually impaired. Let’s put it this way: I wouldn’t be able to continue to do my job here at the radio station very effectively without it.

Many people are fascinated when I tell them I have speech software on my computer, which allows me to read emails, surf the Internet, or even write this blog. I have a Braille device that I use to do those things as well. I even bought an iPhone 3GS, which has voice software that enables me to navigate the touch screen, which would otherwise be impossible for a blind person to use.

Since I get a lot of inquiries about these devices, I thought it would be helpful to include a few links to some companies who specialize in this particular field. Progress still needs to be made in making today’s technology accessible for blind people, and some of the devices and software are quite expensive. But these products have opened many doors to opportunities that a blind person has never had. If you know someone who is blind and would benefit from this, or if you’re just curious, check out the links below.

Oops! Gotta run. I think I just got another email I need to answer.
 http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/home

 http://www.freedomscientific.com/

 http://www.gwmicro.com/

Recently, I took my son to see “Avatar”, one of the hottest flicks to come out in a long time.

We decided to maximize the experience by seeing it at the I-Max Theater in 3D. For a blind person like myself, this didn’t mean anything, but I wanted James to enjoy the experience, and did he ever! He thought the 3D glasses were the coolest thing, and it felt so real, as if the action was right on top of you. Just hearing it made me feel the same way.

It’s already grossed enough at the box office to be considered one of the top movies of all time. If you get a chance to see it, James and I highly recommend it. Here is the “Avatar” official website:
 http://www.avatarmovie.com/index.html

How much would you pay for a fish? Or, more specifically, a tuna that weighs over 500 pounds?

Well, at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, the world’s largest wholesale fish market, a bluefin tuna was purchased at an auction for 16.3 million yen, or $177,000 in American green. It was the largest price for a fish at the auction since 2001. Guess the tough worldwide economy hasn’t affected everyone.

To view the whole article, click below:
 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_japan_gian…

I’ve always been fascinated with the history of making New Year’s resolutions, and how it all came about.

I’m a goal-oriented person by nature, but I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions, mainly because I don’t believe in having a set time to resolve to do something (and like many of us, I fail to follow through with them anyway). I’d much rather set realistic long- and short-range goals and shoot for them, whether it’s January 1 or May 31.

But recently, my curiosity has been piqued. How did the actual tradition get started? Apparently, it goes way back to 153 B.C. The Romans believed in a mythical king named Janus, who supposedly had two faces: one that could look back on events, and one that could tell the future.

If you’re interested in finding out more, click on the link below, and I hope you resolve to have a safe and happy New Year!
 http://www.goalsguy.com/Events/n_facts.h…