People talk 7/24/02

Gov. Ventura offers basic civics lesson

MINNEAPOLIS -- Gov. Jesse Ventura gets down to the basics, from his career to general thoughts on politics, in a 64-page civics textbook for children.

In the colorfully illustrated book, Ventura offers thoughts including: "Whenever I meet with kids, I always say, question the status quo, whether it be their teacher or whoever. ... Apathy is our biggest problem. I keep telling kids, you've gotta start voting."

The governor also said: "The Society for the Preservation of Ice Cream and the No More Homework Coalition are not real groups, at least not yet. ... These groups, from the silly to the serious, are called special-interest groups, because they are very focused on one cause."

The hardcover "Jesse Ventura Tells It Like It Is: America's Most Outspoken Governor Speaks Out About Government" already has sold 10,000 copies in advance, said Beth Heiss, director of marketing for the Minneapolis-based Lerner Publishing Group.

Severe weather ends boat race for Seger

PONTIAC, Mich. -- Rock star Bob Seger said this year's Race to Mackinac was scary because of severe storms that forced at least 18 boats to drop out of the 333-mile contest from Chicago to Mackinac Island.

Seger and the crew of his 52-foot sailboat, Lightning, finished the race, but winds up to 70 mph and torrential rain split one of the boat's sails and tipped it hard to one side.

"It was like a blow dryer blowing Lake Michigan," Seger told The Oakland Press for a story Tuesday.

"The cold water was hitting the lake and steam was rising, and the water was moving almost laterally in the wind," the 57-year-old singer said from his cabin in Good Hart.

Osmond heading up revival of game show

SALT LAKE CITY -- Donny Osmond credits Regis Philbin for making it cool to be a game-show host.

Starting in September, Osmond will be the host of "Pyramid," a syndicated revival of the game shows Dick Clark hosted in the 1970s and '80s. Clark was the host of CBS' daytime series "$25,000 Pyramid" and the syndicated "$100,000 Pyramid."

"There will not be any singing on 'Pyramid,"' the 44-year-old entertainer said. "No, no, no. Ain't gonna happen."

-- From wire reports