Calling all Tolkien fans: Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro, the masterminds behind the forthcoming films based on "The Hobbit" and various other works by good ol' J.R.R., are hosting an online chat at WETA Workshop's Web site on May 24. You can submit questions in advance and register for your virtual seat in the chat room when the two bearded wonders talk about their new prospective blockbusters.

Reporters didn't see it the first time, so Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano re-enacted his handshake and man-hug with newly signed center fielder Jim Edmonds ths morning in the Cubs clubhouse.

"If you want to know more from me, I'm going to be in the conference room with Jim Edmonds," Big Z said.

Yesterday, when a couple of us approached Big Z to talk about Edmonds, he gave us a "no comment." Back in '04, Z plunked Edmonds with a pitch and got himself tossed from a game. That was a few innings after he chided Edmonds for admiring a home run.

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State Rep. Paul Froehlich, the former Schaumburg Republican turned Democrat, got zinged today on the House floor by a former GOP colleague. Froehlich was accusing state Rep. Raymond Poe, a Springfield Republican, of flip-flopping on gambling.

Poe was having none of it, and given his accuser’s party-swapping background quickly fired back, much to the delight of GOP members. Here's a link to the audio. Special thanks to Illinois Public Radio for assistance.

http://www.dailyherald.com/multimedia/?category=4&type=audio&item=20

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So far this morning, state lawmakers have been busy voting down legislation.

In the winter of 2005, everyone just assumed that "King Kong" would be the king of the box office, and why wouldn't they? Director Peter Jackson had just come off the historic feat of making an epic fantasy trilogy that won the best picture Oscar, the visual effects in the trailers were simply jaw-dropping, and the critical buzz was humming at a pretty high register.

But everyone underestimated "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" -- and overestimated how many people would want to watch a love story between a vaudeville reject and a giant gorilla for three hours -- and Disney's adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel wound up outclassing "Kong" at the box office into the first month of 2006.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen promised some big changes in the batting order after Tuesday night's 2-0 loss to the Angels.
He wasn't kidding.
Here is the Sox' lineup for tonight's game at Angel Stadium:
1. Orlando Cabrera, SS
2. A.J. Pierzynski, C
3. Carlos Quentin, LF
4. Jermaine Dye, RF
5. Jim Thome, DH
6. Paul Konerko, 1B
7. Joe Crede, 3B
8. Nick Swisher, CF
9. Juan Uribe, 2B
Any thoughts?

Let's assume Jim Edmonds passes his physical tonight and dons a No. 15 jersey for the Cubs tomorrow morning.

It's a signing by GM Jim Hendry that can either turn out to be lightning in a bottle or not much more than a lightning bug. If Edmonds works out great, the Wrigley Field faithful will accept and maybe even embrace this former hated St. Louis Cardinal. If not, it'll be a quick "see you later."

The Cubs face little financial risk in Edmonds, whom they'll pay about $284,000, with the Cardinals and his most recent team, the Padres, picking up the rest of his $8 million deal.

Time is running short on lawmakers’ spring session. But don’t look for a late night tonight.

Tonight is the annual House-Senate softball game.

Here’s what state Sen. Rickey Hendon, a Chicago Democrat, had to say on the Senate floor about the game. To get an accurate feel, try screaming this at the top of your lungs.

“We have lost to the lower chamber the last few years. No fault of our own. The umpires were clearly paid off by the speaker of the House. Every call went against us.

This year my brothers and sisters in the Senate. … We’re going to show those minions in the lower chamber that we are the House of Lords, they are the House of Commons. We will be victorious tonight.

The White Sox lost a tough game to the Angels Monday night, but the clubhouse was pretty bubbly Tuesday afternoon.
Naturally, Nick Swisher was involved.
Filming a segment for Jim Rome's TV show, Swisher was sitting in front of his locker interviewing starting pitcher Gavin Floyd.
"I'm here with Gavin 'Pretty Boy' Floyd,'' Swisher said into the camera.
As Swisher wrapped up the Q&A, Sox catcher Toby Hall swooped in and nailed Floyd in the face with a towel full of shaving cream.
Floyd chased Hall through the clubhouse and into the bathroom before backing off.
Swisher, who was in hysterics, started interviewing Hall when Floyd retaliated with some shaving cream of his own.
"OK, that's a wrap,'' Hall said.
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I don't have anything groundbreaking to say about the "Event Promoters" ordinance Chicago is considering, except to ask one question: How will the steps outlined in the ordinance prevent another tragedy like E2 from happening?

21 clubgoers were trampled to death in 2003 when people tried to flee amid a fight in the E2 club in Chicago; many of the club's exits were locked or barred. Now, how charging promoters $500 to $2000 for a license -- on top of $300,000 in liability insurance -- is supposed to stop a crowd from panicking is beyond me.

A Springfield media company scheduled a “Rally for Common Sense” tomorrow outside the Capitol. For those not following state government on a minute-by-minute basis, here’s a rundown of why that might be a good idea.

There’s two weeks left in the scheduled spring session, legislative leaders remain in personal political gridlock, there’s open class warfare among Senate Democrats, the current budget is $750 million in the red, next year’s budget is worse off, state auditors say more than $1 billion in health care bill payments are being pushed back weeks in order to make the books look better than they are AND the political world awaits a verdict in a corruption case involving the governor’s top political fundraiser.