Scott Schmeltzer, Thanks for Listening

Over the past few months people have been asking my thoughts about different things that have been in the news.

I know what you are thinking: Why on earth would people want your opinion on news items as you are not really all that bright?

You are correct, but I still do have an opinion, and that is what this column is all about. So here are my not-so-bright opinions on things that mildly affect our lives.

Hey, Scott, what did you think about Alex Rodriguez hitting his 600th home run?

Steroids tarnish this accomplishment. I think he probably has about 400 legitimate home runs, but one will never know. I think the all-time home run list is as follows:

1. Hank Aaron, 755

2. Babe Ruth, 714

3. Willie Mays, 660

4. Ken Griffey Jr., 630

5. Frank Robinson, 586

6. Jim Thome, 580

7. Harmon Killebrew, 573

8. Reggie Jackson, 563

9. Mike Schmidt, 548

10. Mickey Mantle, 536

Sorry, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, A-Rod, Mark McGuire and Rafael Palmiero, but steroid-driven home runs are tarnished, and I will not change my mind about them. Hank is the true king!

Hey, Scott, when will Brett Favre come back?

Wednesday, Aug. 18, at 1:45 p.m. to be exact, but I figure that Brett has about 10 good games left in him and whenever the Vikes choose to pick those games will be the key this year. As a Packer fan, my team’s chances are better if he would have stayed retired, but as a football fan I would love to see him go out one more time. It was fun to see him last year.

Hey, Scott, what did you think about JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater?

I think his 15 minutes of fame are up. I do think it brought up two good points that should be looked at more thoroughly. One is that the stress level of Americans who are overworked and underpaid is at a very high pitch right now. We are pushing people to the limit and really need to watch out for worker rebellion. The other point is that the airlines, with all of the cuts they have done, have made flying atrocious. We are basically cattle, and we are pushed and prodded through the airports until we are just not very happy customers. You combine those two elements, and even two beers will not get rid of that headache.

Hey, Scott, have you seen any good movies lately?

I actually recently really enjoyed the movie “Inception” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page. It is a movie that I saw twice as one time was not enough. It is based on your dreams and the levels of those dreams, and so it really made me think. I rarely go to a movie twice so that is how impressed I was with the writer and director Christopher Nolan’s concept. It is a must-see!

Hey, Scott, who should be the new judges on “American Idol”?

What? Why? Who is leaving?

You don’t know, Scott? Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres are leaving.

I do not really care about this show that much, but it would be a hoot to have a comedian like Jim Gaffigan or Dane Cook as one and maybe like Bob Seger or Bonnie Raitt as the other. It also would be cool to each week have a normal everyday person just get chosen and be the judge. I like to see an everyday Joe or Sue or Alice go on and judge.

Happy birthday, Bonnie!

Tribune Publisher Scott Schmeltzer’s column appears every Thursday.