Thursday, May 17, 2007

MAY 17, 2007

AMERICAN IDOL NOTES
The water cooler will be a popular place in the office today -- Melinda Doolittle has been voted off American Idol. JD Roberto called in and told us Melinda wasn't too disappointed, but Simon Cowell sure was. He felt she was the most talented contestant left. However, producers felt the two most marketable contestants are left. So, Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis will face off next week to see who will be crowned the sixth American Idol.

"Homer Simpson" opened the show with a stammering introduction, asking if he could still vote for Fantasia. Elliott Yamin and Maroon 5 wowed the crowd between "homecoming" segments, in which the three finalists returned to their cities, greeted by screaming fans, family members and a media frenzy. Nashville even named a street after Melinda near her alma mater, Belmont University.

After Ryan Seacrest dropped the bombshell, he handed the mic to a surprised Melinda as the house band launched into "I'm a Woman," which she'd performed Tuesday. Nonetheless, she pulled off a flawless performance and left to a cheers.

LOOK LIKE A WORK-A-HOLIC WITHOUT BEING ONE!
Want your boss to think you're a workaholic. . . despite the fact that you're lazy and unmotivated? Here are five tips for tricking everyone in your office into believing you're a productive employee. . .

1) PUT IN HOURS AT THE RIGHT TIME. If you're working late or on the weekend, run by your boss's office for some face time. You'll get some props for the extra effort.

2) PAY ATTENTION TO TIME STAMPS. When you send an e-mail to your boss after hours, the e-mail will indicate the extra time you're spending. Pay attention to WHEN you're sending the message. . . it could demonstrate your commitment.

3) TALK YOURSELF UP. Don't be afraid to be your own cheering section. It's good for your boss to know about your achievements and the extra time you're putting in. And if it's possible, have a co-worker or client talk you up. . . because nothing looks better to a boss than having a good word from another person that your boss respects.

4) BE THE "GO TO" PERSON IN A CRUNCH. This doesn't mean working every weekend, but make sure your boss knows you're someone who's willing to go the extra mile when needed.

5) STRIVE FOR PERFECTION, BUT KNOW WHEN TO SETTLE. The pursuit of perfection is good, but it can also wear you out. You should reserve striving for absolute perfection for those really special projects.

ROAD RAGE
The list of the biggest 25 cities, ranked from those reporting the most incidents of road rage to the fewest:

1. Miami
2. New York
3. Boston
4. Los Angeles
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Phoenix
7. Chicago
8. Sacramento, Calif.
9. Philadelphia
10. San Francisco

21. Dallas-Ft. Worth
22. St. Louis
23. Seattle-Tacoma
24. Pittsburgh
25. Portland, Ore.

How bad is Bakersfield's road rage? Vote on our daily poll at www.977thebreeze.com!