Come On In
6 hours ago
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Child
I've been getting ready for a visit from my grandson Brendan, who will be here from mid-day tomorrow until around that time Sunday. It will be eventful.
I went to House Blend and saw Hope and Tina there working on school things since they were out again today. It's supposed to be in the high 50's this weekend but then get cold again next week and maybe snow a little Monday. We had lunch and a good visit. I talked with Madena, a kindergarten teacher in White Bluff who has sixteen students in her kindergarten class (or "K" as Brendan calls it when someone asks what grade he's in). Of those 16, two of them have Asperger's, one is a drug baby and acts like he's on cocaine she said, and three of them have discipline records already. Her Aspie students, like Brendan, talk all the time and want interaction and attention. She has them all day with no educational assistants or special ed help. Think about her and send her good thoughts! Bless her!!
I went to House Blend and saw Hope and Tina there working on school things since they were out again today. It's supposed to be in the high 50's this weekend but then get cold again next week and maybe snow a little Monday. We had lunch and a good visit. I talked with Madena, a kindergarten teacher in White Bluff who has sixteen students in her kindergarten class (or "K" as Brendan calls it when someone asks what grade he's in). Of those 16, two of them have Asperger's, one is a drug baby and acts like he's on cocaine she said, and three of them have discipline records already. Her Aspie students, like Brendan, talk all the time and want interaction and attention. She has them all day with no educational assistants or special ed help. Think about her and send her good thoughts! Bless her!!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A Comcastic Day
I've spent quite a bit of time today on the phone with various Comcast employees. The bottom line is that a service technician came over and checked everything. My computer is fine. The signal is good. The connections all connect. It all checked out. Somehow I'm online and able to surf the net. I can comment on blogs, post my blog entries, and send email. They must have done something at the "office" or wherever the controls are because mine is working and so is my friend who lives a couple of streets over. She called and had a technician there, too. Whatever it is, I'm glad to be back online at night and able to send email! Thanks to all those at Comcast who made this possible.
Almost 4:00 and Already Starting!
I tried to get all my computer stuff done before it messes up. I've had phone calls from several Comcast people, who are checking into this, so I hope everything is back to normal soon!
Feel free to make all the comments you want. I just can't respond until tomorrow during the day unless things change drastically! I miss you!
Feel free to make all the comments you want. I just can't respond until tomorrow during the day unless things change drastically! I miss you!
Continuing Tale of Woe
I'm not ignoring anyone, but the cable problems persist. Several of us are going through this, so we're sure it's Comcast. Our email sends during the day and we can get online; however, after 4:00 it starts to change. Mail sits in the outbox sometimes for hours and sometimes for several minutes. I can get on the blogs but can't open the comments and make comments. I cannot post on my own blog. Navigating the internet is sloooooooow. There are Scrabble games on Facebook I'm holding up.
One of my friends finally got through to Comcast, and a technician went to her house this morning. She won't know if they helped or not until this evening. I couldn't get through to anyone but kept wandering through the maze of recordings. So this morning I called the woman at the Nashville office who gave me the number to her direct line when I got that attention before from Mike at the home office in Philadelphia when he read about my problems on my blog. He gave me his email address and phone number, too. I sent him an email. The Nashville Comcast woman is looking into it and thanked me for calling her.
Wish us luck! It's not my computer. It's not something inside my house with cable. It's out there somewhere with Comcast. Mike will probably see this from his google alert. If so, hello and thank you!
One of my friends finally got through to Comcast, and a technician went to her house this morning. She won't know if they helped or not until this evening. I couldn't get through to anyone but kept wandering through the maze of recordings. So this morning I called the woman at the Nashville office who gave me the number to her direct line when I got that attention before from Mike at the home office in Philadelphia when he read about my problems on my blog. He gave me his email address and phone number, too. I sent him an email. The Nashville Comcast woman is looking into it and thanked me for calling her.
Wish us luck! It's not my computer. It's not something inside my house with cable. It's out there somewhere with Comcast. Mike will probably see this from his google alert. If so, hello and thank you!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Whatever it Takes
I bought some new bathroom scales yesterday. Fancy-schmancy ones. There are settings for four users. I don't need that many, but that's what is on there. First I had to set the time, date, and lbs or kgs, and then height, age, and gender along with goal weight. Now when I weigh it tells me my weight, % of body fat, bone, and water. Motivating for sure! I'll confess some of that when I make progress, but now it's too embarrassing!
Everything tells us how important exercise is, and now I have numbers and percents to prove it. The only way I'll get that body fat % lower is to exercise. Those scales also keep track of everything, so there it is right in front of me whenever I weigh. Here is a photo:
Maybe that's what it will take to motivate me - gadgets! I've made an appointment with myself to go to the gym tomorrow, and I've told all of you. That means I have to do it. It's time to take this stuff seriously and take care of myself. So far I haven't followed through. Guilt, David, guilt! We are good at that!
Everything tells us how important exercise is, and now I have numbers and percents to prove it. The only way I'll get that body fat % lower is to exercise. Those scales also keep track of everything, so there it is right in front of me whenever I weigh. Here is a photo:
Maybe that's what it will take to motivate me - gadgets! I've made an appointment with myself to go to the gym tomorrow, and I've told all of you. That means I have to do it. It's time to take this stuff seriously and take care of myself. So far I haven't followed through. Guilt, David, guilt! We are good at that!
Update
We had a dusting of snow, which did cause school closings, which I know is laughable to many of you. It's one of those "better safe than sorry" situations, but in all fairness we do have country roads that are icy and slick, which cause problems and sometimes danger for school buses. We don't get enough snow for it to be cost-effective to have all that expensive snow removal equipment. It makes more sense to close schools. We used to get some heavy snowfalls but haven't for several years. We had snow days built into the calendar and plans for how to make up the days when necessary. They had much more snow and ice north of us than we did. Trees were bent and broken and roads slippery.
My computer is still being weird. Maybe it's trying to tell me that I stay on it too long and too much. That might be it because I know I do. It's a laptop and gets too hot. I prop it up, so it can get air and hope that will help, but it still feels too hot. Perhaps I should get one of those stands with a fan in it that cools them. I still think it has something to do with the connection but who knows?
My computer is still being weird. Maybe it's trying to tell me that I stay on it too long and too much. That might be it because I know I do. It's a laptop and gets too hot. I prop it up, so it can get air and hope that will help, but it still feels too hot. Perhaps I should get one of those stands with a fan in it that cools them. I still think it has something to do with the connection but who knows?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Rain
The tree branches were covered in ice this morning in a pretty way. The roads were just wet from rain, so Mother and I made it to our appointment with the ophthalmologist and then went out to eat. It's icier where she lives, about 8 miles north of me in Charlotte, a smaller town but the capital of the county, where I grew up. People in Dickson, the largest town, wanted the county seat moved there, but it's managed to stay where it is.
I'm going back out to Wal-Mart to return the scales I bought and get a digital one. I can't see the little lines the needle is on with these well enough. There are other errands I need to run and then I'll be home. They're predicting snow early in the morning. That would be OK as long as there's no ice and there is electricity.
I'm going back out to Wal-Mart to return the scales I bought and get a digital one. I can't see the little lines the needle is on with these well enough. There are other errands I need to run and then I'll be home. They're predicting snow early in the morning. That would be OK as long as there's no ice and there is electricity.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Just in Case
They've predicted an ice storm tonight, so if I'm not online tomorrow, the electricity is off. I hope this doesn't happen because it was horrible when we had that big ice storm about 15 years ago. No electricity and phones for over a week! The sounds of the trees breaking was awful, and the transformers looked like fireworks or a war when they blew. I hope this is a weather prediction that is wrong. Snow is OK but not ice!
If there's no ice, I won't be online until afternoon since I have appointments and obligations.
If there's no ice, I won't be online until afternoon since I have appointments and obligations.
New Show
Have any of you seen Lie to Me? It's a new show on FOX on Wednesday nights at 8:00 (CST), which is a problem for many of us since it's on opposite Criminal Minds, Lost, and Law & Order SVU. I have a DVR and can record two of them at the same time and go in another room and watch another one if I feel compelled, or I can wait for reruns. I have to watch Criminal Minds, so I'll record it and Lie to Me. Criminal Minds is a rerun this week, so I'm safe there and can watch Lost. I come and go with it. That show is accurately titled! I stay lost during it and keep saying I'm going to stop watching it. But I go back.
Lie to Me is produced by the same people who do 24, which I've never seen but know has lots of fans. I'm not as interested in that premise as I am with learning about motives and intentions. Lie to Me shows examples of facial expressions, body language, voice, eyes, and more to determine if suspects, witnesses, and others are telling the truth, covering up, and all that good stuff. Not only do they show that but also show videos of real people like O.J. and Bill Clinton, as two examples, to illustrate their point, which is definitely illuminating.
I love this stuff and wish I knew how to be a profiler and analyst. I can see how it could be a blessing and a curse, though.
This information is from the website where you can also watch the pilot, full episodes, recaps, and see more about it:
Lie to Me is produced by the same people who do 24, which I've never seen but know has lots of fans. I'm not as interested in that premise as I am with learning about motives and intentions. Lie to Me shows examples of facial expressions, body language, voice, eyes, and more to determine if suspects, witnesses, and others are telling the truth, covering up, and all that good stuff. Not only do they show that but also show videos of real people like O.J. and Bill Clinton, as two examples, to illustrate their point, which is definitely illuminating.
I love this stuff and wish I knew how to be a profiler and analyst. I can see how it could be a blessing and a curse, though.
This information is from the website where you can also watch the pilot, full episodes, recaps, and see more about it:
The average person tells three lies in ten minutes of conversation.
DR. CAL LIGHTMAN (Tim Roth, "The Incredible Hulk," "Reservoir Dogs") can detect the truth by analyzing a person's face, body, voice and speech. When someone shrugs his shoulder, rotates his hand or raises his lower lip, Lightman knows he's lying. By analyzing facial expressions, he can read feelings - from hidden resentment to sexual attraction to jealousy. But as Lightman well knows, his scientific ability is both a blessing and a curse in his personal life, where family and friends deceive each other as readily as criminals and strangers do. Lightman is the world's leading deception expert, a scientist who studies facial expressions and involuntary body language to discover not only if you are lying but why.
From writer Samuel Baum ("The Evidence") and the executive producers of 24 and "Arrested Development" comes LIE TO ME, a compelling new drama series inspired by the scientific discoveries of Dr. Paul Ekman, a real-life specialist who can read clues embedded in the human face, body and voice to expose both the truth and lies in criminal investigations.
Lightman heads a team of experts at The Lightman Group who assist federal law enforcement, government agencies and local police with their most difficult cases. DR. GILLIAN FOSTER (Kelli Williams, "The Practice") is a gifted psychologist and Lightman's professional partner who brings balance to the partnership by looking at the bigger picture while Lightman focuses on the details. He needs her guidance and insight into human behavior, whether he knows it or not. ELI LOKER (Brendan Hines, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES) is Lightman's lead researcher, who is so uncomfortable with the human tendency to lie that he's decided to practice what he calls "radical honesty." He says everything on his mind at all times and often pays the price. RIA TORRES (Monica Raymund, "Law and Order: SVU") is the newest member of the agency, and one of the few "naturals" in the field of deception detection. She has a raw, untrained ability to read people that makes her a force to be reckoned with.
SAG Awards
Complete list of winners at 15th annual SAG AwardsMovies:
_Cast: Slumdog Millionaire
_Actor in a leading role: Sean Penn, Milk
_Actress in a leading role: Meryl Streep, Doubt
_Supporting actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
_Supporting actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
_Stunt ensemble: The Dark Knight
Television:
_Drama series cast: Mad Men
_Actor in a drama series: Hugh Laurie, House
_Actress in a drama series: Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
_Comedy series cast: 30 Rock
_Actor in a comedy series: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
_Actress in a comedy series: Tina Fey, 30 Rock
_Actor in a movie or miniseries: Paul Giamatti, John Adams
_Actress in a movie or miniseries: Laura Linney, John Adams
_Stunt ensemble: Heroes
Life Achievement: James Earl Jones.
Cliffie's Corner
Badminton as we now know it took its name from Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England—home of the duke of Beaufort—and was once known as battledore and also as shuttlecock. Although the sport is not popular in America, crowds of up to 15,000 are common for major badminton tournaments in Malaysia.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Personality Types
The Myers-Briggs Personality Type gives descriptions of personalities that are fairly accurate. It's something I enjoy knowing about and have had discussions with people about it. My cousin Emily gives workshops on them as part of her job, so she really knows about it. Ell from The Pomegranate Tiger wrote about her results and has now found a site that gives hilarious meanings to the types. It's called The REAL Personality Types Made Relevant.
All the others are funny. I hate mine. I hate it enough I might have to take the test again! Of all the things to associate me with! Oh, the horror!
ENFP: The Scientologist
The ENFP is a creative thinker who sees all humanity as connected to a cosmic whole, and gives of himself tirelessly to improve the condition of his fellow man.
Whether he's creating bizarre religions aimed at bringing us all back to our origins as immortal space aliens made of pure thought or conducting seminars and classes on alien abduction, the ENFP is always seeking the answers to the great mysteries of life, such as "Who are we?" and "How can I use two tin cans and a Radio Shack multimeter to bring enlightenment to the world?" and "What is it with UFOs and anal probing, anyway?"
RECREATION: The ENFP is gregarious, outgoing, and slightly silly; they often spend their leisure time engaged in role-playing games, having pillow fights that lead to wild, lustful lesbian orgies, or being abducted by space aliens.
COMPATIBILITY: ENFPs are happiest in relationships with Tom Cruise.
Famous ENFPs include anyone who has ever dated Tom Cruise.
All the others are funny. I hate mine. I hate it enough I might have to take the test again! Of all the things to associate me with! Oh, the horror!
ENFP: The Scientologist
The ENFP is a creative thinker who sees all humanity as connected to a cosmic whole, and gives of himself tirelessly to improve the condition of his fellow man.
Whether he's creating bizarre religions aimed at bringing us all back to our origins as immortal space aliens made of pure thought or conducting seminars and classes on alien abduction, the ENFP is always seeking the answers to the great mysteries of life, such as "Who are we?" and "How can I use two tin cans and a Radio Shack multimeter to bring enlightenment to the world?" and "What is it with UFOs and anal probing, anyway?"
RECREATION: The ENFP is gregarious, outgoing, and slightly silly; they often spend their leisure time engaged in role-playing games, having pillow fights that lead to wild, lustful lesbian orgies, or being abducted by space aliens.
COMPATIBILITY: ENFPs are happiest in relationships with Tom Cruise.
Famous ENFPs include anyone who has ever dated Tom Cruise.
Cool!
I got this from YouTube via Sylvia's blog. The US Presidents are morphed. It made me realize how I don't have this memorized.
Maybe I'm Back
Well, I found the CD for MS Office and had it repair and reinstall what was needed for Outlook Express, which I use for my email. Maybe I need to use something else, but it's always worked OK. I don't mind trying something else that is better, though.
Then I checked on the Comcast Help Menu for help with the internet connection. I was planning to call them if it didn't work again today. I had a window of its working yesterday, but then I couldn't send email or comment on blogs. Nothing showed up when the comment box opened, which took forever. I've been concerned that it might be a virus because of how slowly it did everything. Right now it's great, but it was during daylight yesterday. It has sundowners syndrome. If it does it again tonight, I'll call Comcast. I hope it's not a virus, but it sounds a bit like the one a friend had.
Thanks, Ell and Kathy (FP) for the emails! Thank you, Charlie, for letting people know and being such a friend for all these decades. If you don't hear from me for a while, it's the computer or connection or something! I felt so cut off from everything! How did I manage without email, blogs, a cell phone, Facebook (I missed playing Scrabble with family and friends), and being online!
More later with a real post if I can!
Then I checked on the Comcast Help Menu for help with the internet connection. I was planning to call them if it didn't work again today. I had a window of its working yesterday, but then I couldn't send email or comment on blogs. Nothing showed up when the comment box opened, which took forever. I've been concerned that it might be a virus because of how slowly it did everything. Right now it's great, but it was during daylight yesterday. It has sundowners syndrome. If it does it again tonight, I'll call Comcast. I hope it's not a virus, but it sounds a bit like the one a friend had.
Thanks, Ell and Kathy (FP) for the emails! Thank you, Charlie, for letting people know and being such a friend for all these decades. If you don't hear from me for a while, it's the computer or connection or something! I felt so cut off from everything! How did I manage without email, blogs, a cell phone, Facebook (I missed playing Scrabble with family and friends), and being online!
More later with a real post if I can!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
My Son, the Inspiration
Check out my son Brian's good news here on his blog! He's lost 30 lbs and tells how he did it!
Isolation
I couldn't get online last night. I deleted and cleaned files, defragmented, and tried various things. It was slow and then nada. This morning I unplugged, waited, and plugged back in and noticed the online light wasn't lit on the cable modem. So I depressed the standby button a few times and then the light came on. I blame my cat. Why not? I doubt she did it. I probably did, but anyway here I am not as frustrated as I was yesterday evening and night.
Now I'll post what I'd planned to and read your blogs. :-)
Now I'll post what I'd planned to and read your blogs. :-)
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Oscar Nominations
My work is cut out for me. I've seen Frost/Nixon and The Dark Knight. That's it!
What do you think about the nominations? Who was left out you thought should have been there? Who was nominated you don't agree with? Any you are pulling for? Thoughts? I'll know more after I've seen some of the nominated films. Those of you who live in large and/or cosmopolitan cities get to see the foreign films. We do sometimes if they win awards or catch them on cable rarely.
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Gus Van Sant, Milk
BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Frozen River, Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory — Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up
BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness — From the Balcony of Room 306
BEST EDITING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Class (France)
Departures (Japan)
Revanche (Austria)
Waltz with Bashir (Israel)
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland)
BEST MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat
Defiance, James Newton Howard
Milk, Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
WALL-E, Thomas Newman
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Down to Earth," WALL-E
"Jai Ho," Slumdog Millionaire
"O Saya," Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted
BEST SOUND MIXING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
What do you think about the nominations? Who was left out you thought should have been there? Who was nominated you don't agree with? Any you are pulling for? Thoughts? I'll know more after I've seen some of the nominated films. Those of you who live in large and/or cosmopolitan cities get to see the foreign films. We do sometimes if they win awards or catch them on cable rarely.
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Gus Van Sant, Milk
BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Frozen River, Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory — Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up
BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness — From the Balcony of Room 306
BEST EDITING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Class (France)
Departures (Japan)
Revanche (Austria)
Waltz with Bashir (Israel)
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland)
BEST MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat
Defiance, James Newton Howard
Milk, Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
WALL-E, Thomas Newman
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Down to Earth," WALL-E
"Jai Ho," Slumdog Millionaire
"O Saya," Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted
BEST SOUND MIXING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Help
Who posted that piece about calling wives and husbands of people "domestic partners" and "roommates" and saying because of their beliefs, they don't recognize marriage? I wanted to save it and send it to someone. I think I saw it on Bob's blog but after scrolling through a couple of pages, didn't find it. Anyone?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
EI - IE - Ohhhh
I've started using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer and like it so much better. It took a little while to get used to it, but I really like it.
Outrageous!
Read this post the Perky Skeptic wrote on her blog and get as angry as I am about it! I totally hope this rule is changed about healthcare workers' being allowed to follow their moral/religious beliefs when treating patients. A horrifying example is this nurse who removed IUD's from women without their knowledge because she believed they are a form of abortion. Then there are those pharmacists who won't fill prescriptions for whatever bothers them. What are we coming to?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inaugural Poem by Elizabeth Alexander
Praise song for the day.
Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.
Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.
A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."
We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.
We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."
We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.
Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.
Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.
Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."
Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.
What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.
In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.
Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.
Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.
A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."
We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.
We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."
We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.
Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.
Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.
Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."
Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.
What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.
In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.
President Obama's Inaugural Address
From the NYTimes
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
My fellow citizens:
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
YES WE DID!
What a glorious day! We have a new president! I'm watching the inauguration and smiling and crying with hope and pride! Check out the White House website now!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Star-Studded Inauguration Concert Update!
HBO had the whole entertainment ceremony and will run it again tonight. It was SO GOOD! I cried and really enjoyed it. So if you have HBO, watch it. I missed the beginning of it and am recording one of the later ones. I started watching when Samuel L. Jackson was speaking.
Now I'm writing about it while watching the rebroadcast. All kinds of entertainers are on: Denzel Washington, Forrest Whitaker, Tiger Woods, James Taylor("Shower the People You Love"), Marisa Tomei, Laura Linney, Martin Luther King III, Mary J. Blige ("Lean on Me"), John Mellencamp ("Ain't That America"), Bruce Springsteen ("The Rising"), Tom Hanks, Kal Pen, George Lopez, Herbie Hancock with Sheryl Crow and Will.I.Am ("One Love, One Life"), Renée Fleming with the US Naval Glee Club ("You'll Never Walk Alone"), Jack Black, Rosario Dawson, Garth Brooks ("American Pie" and "Shout" and "We Shall Be Free"), Ashley Judd, Usher & Stevie Wonder & Shakira ("Higher Ground"), and several choirs.
Jamie Fox did a brief impersonation of Obama when he quoted his acceptance speech in Chicago, which got a laugh from the Obamas and the Bidens. Queen Latifah introduced a tape of Marian Anderson's singing "America" and told how Eleanor Roosevelt insisted that she be allowed to sing at the inauguration against the protests from the Daughters of the American Revolution. Then Josh Grobin and Heather Headley sang it accompanied by a men's choir.
The duet by Jon Bon Jovi and Bettye LaVette of "A Change is Gonna Come" was moving! It will be on YouTube soon, I'm sure. Wow! That's a powerful song anyway, and they sang it well. I posted it a while back by Seal - awesome!
U2 sang their song about Dr. King ("Pride: In the Name of Love"), and Bono said on Tuesday that dream comes true. U2 also sang "Oh You Look So Beautiful Tonight" before President-elect Obama's speech. I can't watch one of his speeches without crying. Then Pete Seeger and his grandson Tao led the huge audience in singing "This Land is Your Land" with Bruce Springsteen and a choir. There they were at the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King made his "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington, and it made me think about how Pete Seeger and others who were there then must be feeling because I was definitely feeling it. Beyoncé sang "America the Beautiful" with all the others joining her on stage at the end of the concert.
What an ecumenical gathering! The concert embodies Obama's message and includes a diversity of people. I like feeling this good about people and want it to last for a while. I haven't felt this inspired since President Kennedy. His inaugural speech made us feel that we could make a difference. I was a senior in high school then and he changed my life.
Now I'm writing about it while watching the rebroadcast. All kinds of entertainers are on: Denzel Washington, Forrest Whitaker, Tiger Woods, James Taylor("Shower the People You Love"), Marisa Tomei, Laura Linney, Martin Luther King III, Mary J. Blige ("Lean on Me"), John Mellencamp ("Ain't That America"), Bruce Springsteen ("The Rising"), Tom Hanks, Kal Pen, George Lopez, Herbie Hancock with Sheryl Crow and Will.I.Am ("One Love, One Life"), Renée Fleming with the US Naval Glee Club ("You'll Never Walk Alone"), Jack Black, Rosario Dawson, Garth Brooks ("American Pie" and "Shout" and "We Shall Be Free"), Ashley Judd, Usher & Stevie Wonder & Shakira ("Higher Ground"), and several choirs.
Jamie Fox did a brief impersonation of Obama when he quoted his acceptance speech in Chicago, which got a laugh from the Obamas and the Bidens. Queen Latifah introduced a tape of Marian Anderson's singing "America" and told how Eleanor Roosevelt insisted that she be allowed to sing at the inauguration against the protests from the Daughters of the American Revolution. Then Josh Grobin and Heather Headley sang it accompanied by a men's choir.
The duet by Jon Bon Jovi and Bettye LaVette of "A Change is Gonna Come" was moving! It will be on YouTube soon, I'm sure. Wow! That's a powerful song anyway, and they sang it well. I posted it a while back by Seal - awesome!
U2 sang their song about Dr. King ("Pride: In the Name of Love"), and Bono said on Tuesday that dream comes true. U2 also sang "Oh You Look So Beautiful Tonight" before President-elect Obama's speech. I can't watch one of his speeches without crying. Then Pete Seeger and his grandson Tao led the huge audience in singing "This Land is Your Land" with Bruce Springsteen and a choir. There they were at the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King made his "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington, and it made me think about how Pete Seeger and others who were there then must be feeling because I was definitely feeling it. Beyoncé sang "America the Beautiful" with all the others joining her on stage at the end of the concert.
What an ecumenical gathering! The concert embodies Obama's message and includes a diversity of people. I like feeling this good about people and want it to last for a while. I haven't felt this inspired since President Kennedy. His inaugural speech made us feel that we could make a difference. I was a senior in high school then and he changed my life.
Inauguration
I'm watching the opening ceremonies for soon-to-be President Obama! His hair became grayer during the campaign and will continue in that way, I'm sure. He has a tremendous undertaking ahead of him, which will take a long time to get out of. It feels so good to have some hope for a change. Actually, I'm watching and listening because I have NPR on in the kitchen, so depending on which room I'm in determines where I get my information. So far I prefer what NPR is doing but do like to see some of it, too. I'll watch the entertainment and love the aerial shot of the Lincoln Memorial. This is so exciting!! Are any of you watching?
Friday, January 16, 2009
Confession
I was talking to a friend today and mentioned that a mutual acquaintance is on the Southeast Diet. Then I laughed and said, "No, I'M on the Southeast Diet! She's on the South Beach Diet." Those of you familiar with Southern food will know what I mean. I don't have a good Friday Weigh-in number to report today, DD. I haven't gained but haven't lost any either, so I guess it's not too bad. I'm not exercising, though. That is bad, or as Jessica Rabbit said, "I'm not bad; I'm just drawn that way." Will that work?
The View
Diablo Cody (Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno) was on The View this morning. I read her blog on MySpace now and then and learned from there about this appearance. She and Toni Collette are making the rounds to publicize the new series on Showtime The United States of Tara. Toni Collette plays Tara who has multiple-personality disorder, which is called dissociative-identity disorder now. Diablo Cody writes it, and Stephen Spielberg created and produces it. John Corbett plays Tara's husband. I've liked him since Northern Exposure, and then he was Aiden the perfect boyfriend on Sex and the City. It sounds good, but I'll have to wait and see it on DVD later on since I don't have Showtime. HBO, yes. They said at the Comcast office that I could subscribe for six months for some kind of deal, which would probably give me enough time to watch the first season of it, but I already have so much that I watch now that I guess I can wait for it to come out on DVD.
Showtime has some shows I'd like to see - Weeds and Dexter, for two. I watched Dexter on network which was censored. I'll think about this. I'd have to catch up on Weeds and Dexter to know what's going on now since I've never seen any of Weeds and only the first season of Dexter.
Have any of you seen these or something else on Showtime that you liked? I've seen many series on HBO I liked - Six Feet Under, Big Love, The Sopranos, Deadwood, John Adams, and some others I can't remember right now. I missed True Blood except for one episode, which I really liked, and will catch it when they show it again.
Showtime has some shows I'd like to see - Weeds and Dexter, for two. I watched Dexter on network which was censored. I'll think about this. I'd have to catch up on Weeds and Dexter to know what's going on now since I've never seen any of Weeds and only the first season of Dexter.
Have any of you seen these or something else on Showtime that you liked? I've seen many series on HBO I liked - Six Feet Under, Big Love, The Sopranos, Deadwood, John Adams, and some others I can't remember right now. I missed True Blood except for one episode, which I really liked, and will catch it when they show it again.
Weird Trivia
Banging your head against a wall can burn up to 150 calories per hour.
And brain damage! No, thanks!
And brain damage! No, thanks!
Well Done!
Chesley B. Sullenburger, the amazing US Airways pilot, made a perfect landing to save all those lives! That was incredible and wonderful!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Loose Ends
I've been at loose ends lately and can't seem to get anything accomplished. This, too, shall pass! I hope! Eventually!
Well Said
from Bob's blog "I Should Be Laughing" because it needs to be shared.
From Al Sharpton .... finally he makes some sense....
From Al Sharpton .... finally he makes some sense....
"It amazes me when I looked at California and saw churches that had nothing to say about police brutality, nothing to say when a young black boy was shot while he was wearing police handcuffs, nothing to say when the they overturned affirmative action, nothing to say when people were being delegated into poverty, yet they were organizing and mobilizing to stop consenting adults from choosing their life partners. There is something immoral and sick about using all of that power to not end brutality and poverty, but to break into people’s bedrooms and claim that God sent you.
"I am tired of seeing ministers who will preach homophobia by day, and then after they’re preaching, when the lights are off they go cruising for trade...We know you’re not preaching the Bible, because if you were preaching the Bible we would have heard from you. We would have heard from you when people were starving in California, when they deregulated the economy and crashed Wall Street you had nothing to say. When [alleged Ponzi schemer Bernie] Madoff made off with the money, you had nothing to say. When Bush took us to war chasing weapons of mass destruction that weren’t there you had nothing to say. … But all of a sudden when Proposition 8 came out you had so much to say, but since you stepped in the rain, we gonna step in the rain with you."
Lucy! You got some 'splainin' to do!
And who does this remind me of, Bob? :-)
Desi Arnaz’s, from I Love Lucy, heavy Cuban accent often made retakes necessary. His enunciation of "recognized talent" came out as "recognize Stalin," He said "ever thin" for "everything" and "mushing peectures" for "motion pictures," while "won’t" was "wunt" and "Fred Mertz" was "Frat Mers."
Desi Arnaz’s, from I Love Lucy, heavy Cuban accent often made retakes necessary. His enunciation of "recognized talent" came out as "recognize Stalin," He said "ever thin" for "everything" and "mushing peectures" for "motion pictures," while "won’t" was "wunt" and "Fred Mertz" was "Frat Mers."
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Exchange
My son gave me a book for Christmas I already own, so I exchanged it last night for Nigella Bites, which looks pretty and interesting. I like cookbooks with good photos and descriptions. I have quite a collection for someone who doesn't like to cook all that much - unlike Doggybloggy who prepares everything from scratch, grows what he can in NYC, and has wonderful variety. All that is better for him and his family since he knows everything that goes into their food and how it is cooked.
I used to cook better meals and branched out more when Brian was home, and I was taking care of him. Now I do what is expedient and would like for it to be there when I'm ready to eat. My mother has always cooked meals and taken good care of herself, and look at her now at 88! I know - lesson to be learned here! I started doing better with all this, and the results showed it. So maybe Nigella will inspire me, and I'll dig out my other recipe books and keep reading Chez What? to see what the Dogg is cooking up. I like to check out food sites and get ideas, so perhaps I can report more than the cabbage, pork chops, sweet potato, and maybe some cornbread I'll cook today.
I used to cook better meals and branched out more when Brian was home, and I was taking care of him. Now I do what is expedient and would like for it to be there when I'm ready to eat. My mother has always cooked meals and taken good care of herself, and look at her now at 88! I know - lesson to be learned here! I started doing better with all this, and the results showed it. So maybe Nigella will inspire me, and I'll dig out my other recipe books and keep reading Chez What? to see what the Dogg is cooking up. I like to check out food sites and get ideas, so perhaps I can report more than the cabbage, pork chops, sweet potato, and maybe some cornbread I'll cook today.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Movie Night
A benefit of being a member of the Nashville Independent Film Festival is receiving passes to advanced screenings. Sometimes they mail tickets and other times we show our membership card and get in. I had passes for two tonight for Revolutionary Road, but so did hundreds of others. Other places also provide tickets. Because over 400 people showed up for a 210-seat theater, Linda and I didn't get in. Usually getting there an hour early works. I knew many people would want to see this one and was right. I'll see it later and pay for it.
We went to see Frost/Nixon and really enjoyed it. Performances by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen captured the essence of the two men and were excellent! I never realized what all David Frost went through to get it financed and shown. I remember when the interviews were on TV and that it was a big deal, so it was interesting and informative to see what went on behind the scenes. Here's what Roger Ebert wrote in his review:
We went to see Frost/Nixon and really enjoyed it. Performances by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen captured the essence of the two men and were excellent! I never realized what all David Frost went through to get it financed and shown. I remember when the interviews were on TV and that it was a big deal, so it was interesting and informative to see what went on behind the scenes. Here's what Roger Ebert wrote in his review:
Strange, how a man once so reviled has gained stature in the memory. How we cheered when Richard M. Nixon resigned the presidency! How dramatic it was when David Frost cornered him on TV and presided over the humiliating confession that he had stonewalled for three years. And yet how much more intelligent, thoughtful and, well, presidential, he now seems, compared to the occupant of the office from 2001 to 2009.Yes, I would.
Nixon was thought to have been destroyed by Watergate and interred by the Frost interviews. But wouldn't you trade him in a second for Bush?
Farewell Tour to Rewrite History
How about that last news conference W had yesterday? Bob's post gives his responses to the Washington Post article about it. What a testy, defensive, erroneous, infuriating attempt to justify his presidency! They are guilty of war crimes and much more.
Speaking of horror stories, the Coultergeist was on The View this morning. Her segment was brief, but not short enough since not-at-all would have been better. Thank you to Keith Olbermann for the name for her.
Speaking of horror stories, the Coultergeist was on The View this morning. Her segment was brief, but not short enough since not-at-all would have been better. Thank you to Keith Olbermann for the name for her.
Cliffie's Corner
The footprints left by the Apollo astronauts will not erode since there is no wind or water on the Moon. They should last at least 10 million years.
Buena Vista (not)
I bought a new printer today because that superficial bitch, Vista, refuses to acknowledge the printer I've had for several years because I suppose it's just not up-to-date and attractive enough now. At first they were compatible and played fairly well together. Then the attraction waned. I uninstalled, reinstalled, downloaded drivers, deleted temp files, and then uninstalled again. So the "old" printer has become the Guy Ritchie to Vista's Madonna. Technology can be stressful!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Amazing News!
O. J. was finally convicted of a crime!
The Democrats won both houses of the legislature!
Obama is our next President!
I've decluttered and organized almost 3/7 of my house!!
AND NOW ... get ready!
I've lost 3 lbs! But even better than that - ta, da! (drum roll) ... all my numbers were the best they've ever been since I started seeing my internist four or five years ago. So good, in fact, that he took me off my diabetes medication Januvia because my A1c number has been below 6 for over a year. Now I'll be regulating it completely with diet and exercise, which means, of course, that I will HAVE to exercise. It's back to the gym for me and outside to walk when the weather is good. I still have some of the pills, which I'll continue to take for a few weeks until they are gone. This gives me a certain time period in which to lose weight or else.
Get this, my A1c was 5, which is normal for a non-diabetic person. I've never had high cholesterol, but that was 151. My triglycerides have been high but were 113 and down a lot from three months ago! Glucose 100 and insulin 20.5, both way down from last time. Dr. Ross said he didn't know what I'd been doing but to keep on with it. I also don't know what I've been doing but have been trying to figure it out. I know exactly what I did before to elevate all the numbers.
I have been eating small meals more frequently the way "they" tell us to but had eaten many wonderfully decadent candies I ordered from my drug dealer River Street Sweets. They are made with real butter, cream, pecans, and all kinds of natural ingredients and not a bunch of unpronouncible chemicals. The pralines (original and chocolate) are rich and very sweet. The bear claws (which are really turtles with big pecan pieces, caramel, and chocolate) are heavenly. They also have chocolate-covered, glazed, and spiced pecans. I know! I've enjoyed most of their treats. So I think I've been careful about what I ate in order for those not to affect my blood sugar. Apparently it worked, but I will not order any more of them until I've lost enough weight. Then I might not want them. (yeah, right! but I guess it's possible since that's happened before)
Eating smaller portions and more balanced meals is probably the main reason for this progress. Having more frequent meals keeps my blood sugar regulated and prevents cravings. I can probably keep eating the way I have been with obvious modifications. That leaves exercise (sigh). So I guess I'd better get out my camera and take a picture of where I'm walking (well, it will be the gym, so I will have to do something like Jimbo plans and take a picture of some place along the way or some scenery in there - heh). Anyway, I thought I'd have a bad report even though when I've checked with the meter, my readings have been good. I'm excited and proud and motivated to do better and better.
David, you didn't have the Friday weigh-in day yesterday. I understand since I haven't posted anything about my progress. I'm going to buy some new scales and calibrate them with the ones at my doctor's office and will also weigh on Fridays. Damn, this is hard, isn't it? We can do it. I have to.
I'm feeling really good again and enjoyed the sun while it lasted. It's been raining again today. OK, I will go back to the gym. When? Soon. I will. Paige will make me do it. Tina and I are on the Drinking Buddy System, as Brian calls it, and enable each other. Not Paige ... or Jackie, but she isn't here right now. So I will go back.
The Democrats won both houses of the legislature!
Obama is our next President!
I've decluttered and organized almost 3/7 of my house!!
AND NOW ... get ready!
I've lost 3 lbs! But even better than that - ta, da! (drum roll) ... all my numbers were the best they've ever been since I started seeing my internist four or five years ago. So good, in fact, that he took me off my diabetes medication Januvia because my A1c number has been below 6 for over a year. Now I'll be regulating it completely with diet and exercise, which means, of course, that I will HAVE to exercise. It's back to the gym for me and outside to walk when the weather is good. I still have some of the pills, which I'll continue to take for a few weeks until they are gone. This gives me a certain time period in which to lose weight or else.
Get this, my A1c was 5, which is normal for a non-diabetic person. I've never had high cholesterol, but that was 151. My triglycerides have been high but were 113 and down a lot from three months ago! Glucose 100 and insulin 20.5, both way down from last time. Dr. Ross said he didn't know what I'd been doing but to keep on with it. I also don't know what I've been doing but have been trying to figure it out. I know exactly what I did before to elevate all the numbers.
I have been eating small meals more frequently the way "they" tell us to but had eaten many wonderfully decadent candies I ordered from my drug dealer River Street Sweets. They are made with real butter, cream, pecans, and all kinds of natural ingredients and not a bunch of unpronouncible chemicals. The pralines (original and chocolate) are rich and very sweet. The bear claws (which are really turtles with big pecan pieces, caramel, and chocolate) are heavenly. They also have chocolate-covered, glazed, and spiced pecans. I know! I've enjoyed most of their treats. So I think I've been careful about what I ate in order for those not to affect my blood sugar. Apparently it worked, but I will not order any more of them until I've lost enough weight. Then I might not want them. (yeah, right! but I guess it's possible since that's happened before)
Eating smaller portions and more balanced meals is probably the main reason for this progress. Having more frequent meals keeps my blood sugar regulated and prevents cravings. I can probably keep eating the way I have been with obvious modifications. That leaves exercise (sigh). So I guess I'd better get out my camera and take a picture of where I'm walking (well, it will be the gym, so I will have to do something like Jimbo plans and take a picture of some place along the way or some scenery in there - heh). Anyway, I thought I'd have a bad report even though when I've checked with the meter, my readings have been good. I'm excited and proud and motivated to do better and better.
David, you didn't have the Friday weigh-in day yesterday. I understand since I haven't posted anything about my progress. I'm going to buy some new scales and calibrate them with the ones at my doctor's office and will also weigh on Fridays. Damn, this is hard, isn't it? We can do it. I have to.
I'm feeling really good again and enjoyed the sun while it lasted. It's been raining again today. OK, I will go back to the gym. When? Soon. I will. Paige will make me do it. Tina and I are on the Drinking Buddy System, as Brian calls it, and enable each other. Not Paige ... or Jackie, but she isn't here right now. So I will go back.
Einstein Quote of the Day
It is a scale of proportions which makes the bad difficult and the good easy.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Cliff Claven Time
I'm changing the name of the trivia posts in honor of one of my favorite TV shows. So, Cliffie what do you have for us today? Yeah, Nahm, well ...
What is the longest time something can survive without water?
Not you, you'd be toast in 3 - 4 days.
Camel you say, not even close, they can last about 15 days without water.
The animal that can survive the longest without water is the kangaroo rat and lucky for it since it spends it's life in Death Valley.
A kangaroo rat can go it's entire life of 3 - 5 years without taking a single sip of water.
What is the longest time something can survive without water?
Not you, you'd be toast in 3 - 4 days.
Camel you say, not even close, they can last about 15 days without water.
The animal that can survive the longest without water is the kangaroo rat and lucky for it since it spends it's life in Death Valley.
A kangaroo rat can go it's entire life of 3 - 5 years without taking a single sip of water.
Facebook Group
Well, I've been exploring Facebook and went to the dark side. I can see how it can be addictive because of the tentacles and six degrees of separation aspects. I'm catching on to it more now and can understand the appeal. As Rik said, it serves a different purpose than blogs do and is a way to keep in touch. I've neglected my blog friends because of Facebook, and tomorrow I'll be out and about most of the day. I'll catch up soon! Sorry! Maybe this will help make up for it.
Here is a group I found and joined on there that's clever and ironic. I wish that tall people part could have been true, but then if that were possible, I could have made them short. I don't know the origin of this but tried to find it. It's probably been around a while, but it's new to me. There are t-shirts and bumper stickers.
Gay Marriage Killed the Dinosaurs
This group is for people who understand the grave risks of gay marriage. Some suggest gay marriage will merely undermine one of our most fundamental societal institutions, causing countless straight couples to get divorced because exclusion of gays was the only thing holding their marriage together.
But we know better. Gay marriage killed the dinosaurs. If we let liberal activist judges in Massachusetts and California set the course, the blood will run in rivers. Mixed with molten lava.
Top 17 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong
17. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
16. Gay culture is a new fad created by the liberal media to undermine long-standing traditions. We know this is true because gay sex did not exist in ancient Greece and Rome.
15. There are plenty of straight families looking to adopt, and every unwanted child already has a loving family. This is why foster care does not exist.
14. Conservatives know best how to create strong families. That is why it is not true that Texas and Mississippi have the highest teen birthrates, and Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire have the lowest. This is a myth spread by the liberal media.
13. Marriage is a religious institution, defined by churches. This is why atheists do not marry. Christians also never get a divorce.
12. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why our society has no single parents.
11. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
10. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
9. Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
8. Gay marriage should be decided by the people and their elected representatives, not the courts. The framers checked the courts, which represent mainstream public opinion, with legislatures created to protect the rights of minorities from the tyranny of the majority. Interference by courts in this matter is inappropriate, just as it has been every time the courts have tried to hold back legislatures pushing for civil rights.
7. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
6. Civil unions, providing most of the same benefits as marriage with a different name are better, because "separate but equal" institutions are a good way to satisfy the demands of uppity minority groups.
5. Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
4. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
3. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
2. Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
1. METEORS and VOLCANOES.
Here is a group I found and joined on there that's clever and ironic. I wish that tall people part could have been true, but then if that were possible, I could have made them short. I don't know the origin of this but tried to find it. It's probably been around a while, but it's new to me. There are t-shirts and bumper stickers.
Gay Marriage Killed the Dinosaurs
This group is for people who understand the grave risks of gay marriage. Some suggest gay marriage will merely undermine one of our most fundamental societal institutions, causing countless straight couples to get divorced because exclusion of gays was the only thing holding their marriage together.
But we know better. Gay marriage killed the dinosaurs. If we let liberal activist judges in Massachusetts and California set the course, the blood will run in rivers. Mixed with molten lava.
Top 17 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong
17. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
16. Gay culture is a new fad created by the liberal media to undermine long-standing traditions. We know this is true because gay sex did not exist in ancient Greece and Rome.
15. There are plenty of straight families looking to adopt, and every unwanted child already has a loving family. This is why foster care does not exist.
14. Conservatives know best how to create strong families. That is why it is not true that Texas and Mississippi have the highest teen birthrates, and Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire have the lowest. This is a myth spread by the liberal media.
13. Marriage is a religious institution, defined by churches. This is why atheists do not marry. Christians also never get a divorce.
12. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why our society has no single parents.
11. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
10. Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
9. Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
8. Gay marriage should be decided by the people and their elected representatives, not the courts. The framers checked the courts, which represent mainstream public opinion, with legislatures created to protect the rights of minorities from the tyranny of the majority. Interference by courts in this matter is inappropriate, just as it has been every time the courts have tried to hold back legislatures pushing for civil rights.
7. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
6. Civil unions, providing most of the same benefits as marriage with a different name are better, because "separate but equal" institutions are a good way to satisfy the demands of uppity minority groups.
5. Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
4. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
3. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
2. Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
1. METEORS and VOLCANOES.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Trivia
Much like today, in the Middle Ages, no one really trusted anyone else. As someone approached, to alleviate paranoia, he would hold out his open palm to show that he was not going to whack your head off with a sword. This gesture put everybody at ease, and eventually evolved into the modern custom known as the handshake.
On an Upswing
Anyone who's been depressed knows how this song resonates. I've been there before and visit now and then. I'm just now heading back, and it helps that the sun really is shining for the second day in a row! I've been told by a former co-worker that I have seasonal affective disorder. She always noticed too much about me (which sort of creeped me out) and was possibly right. Don't mention names, Charlie, but you know who it was.
I Have A Good Day
(Every Now And Then)
by: Paul Thorn
I was standing by the window in my boxer shorts
On a stormy night
Blind sided from out of nowhere
You said, “Goodbye.”
But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel
Time’s healing my heart
Some days this deep cut just stops bleeding
And there’s only a scar
Chorus:
I have a good day every now and then
I count my blessing on one hand
I start believing the sun will shine again
I have a good day every now and then
That guy you’re seeing is a pretty boy
With a hard-bodied physique
Armani suits, a black Mercedes
And he’s younger than me
I ain’t missed a day of work in two whole weeks now
I didn’t drink last night
I looked at your picture and shed just one tear
Before I turned out the light
Chorus:
I have a good day every now and then
I count my blessing on one hand
I start believing the sun will shine again
I have a good day every now and then
I Have A Good Day
(Every Now And Then)
by: Paul Thorn
I was standing by the window in my boxer shorts
On a stormy night
Blind sided from out of nowhere
You said, “Goodbye.”
But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel
Time’s healing my heart
Some days this deep cut just stops bleeding
And there’s only a scar
Chorus:
I have a good day every now and then
I count my blessing on one hand
I start believing the sun will shine again
I have a good day every now and then
That guy you’re seeing is a pretty boy
With a hard-bodied physique
Armani suits, a black Mercedes
And he’s younger than me
I ain’t missed a day of work in two whole weeks now
I didn’t drink last night
I looked at your picture and shed just one tear
Before I turned out the light
Chorus:
I have a good day every now and then
I count my blessing on one hand
I start believing the sun will shine again
I have a good day every now and then
Einstein Quote of the Day
Ooooh, I like this one!
The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.
The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Are any of you on Facebook? A friend had photos on there from a trip to Germany, so I joined in order to see them. It's unreal how that works. It has tentacles that reach out and connect people together. Then there are all these groups and things to send to each other. It's sort of in your face, so to speak! I prefer blogs!
And Now There Are Two
First Maks and now Craig! It's an epidemic! Craig Ferguson announced on his show Monday night that he'd gotten married a few days after Christmas in Vermont. That's where his young wife Megan Wallace-Cunningham is from. She's an art dealer and owns a gallery in NYC. This is his third attempt at marriage, and I hope this one works, or he'll be more like Johnny Carson that he might want to be.
I love his show and record it so I'll never miss it. He is so funny, intelligent, and talented! I remember him when he was on the Drew Carey Show, which I watched periodically. I'd already seen Saving Grace where he played the gardener who helped Brenda Blethyn's character grow pot, so she could sell it and make money after her husband died and left her in debt. He wrote the screenplay for it, and she was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in it. Then I watched some of his movies: The Big Tease, I'll Be There (both of which he wrote and starred in), and there was one where he took ballroom dancing lessons, but I can't remember the title.
Oh, and did you see him on Password other night? He rocked!
There's something sexy about some men in a kilt - especially Craig!
His book was great! Did you read it? The title is Between the Bridge and the River. It covered topics from inside Hollywood to Jungian psychology to some biographical events to fantasy. I bought it and think I'll read it again.
So, is it a great day for America and for TV's Craig Ferguson, everybody? We hope so!
I love his show and record it so I'll never miss it. He is so funny, intelligent, and talented! I remember him when he was on the Drew Carey Show, which I watched periodically. I'd already seen Saving Grace where he played the gardener who helped Brenda Blethyn's character grow pot, so she could sell it and make money after her husband died and left her in debt. He wrote the screenplay for it, and she was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in it. Then I watched some of his movies: The Big Tease, I'll Be There (both of which he wrote and starred in), and there was one where he took ballroom dancing lessons, but I can't remember the title.
Oh, and did you see him on Password other night? He rocked!
There's something sexy about some men in a kilt - especially Craig!His book was great! Did you read it? The title is Between the Bridge and the River. It covered topics from inside Hollywood to Jungian psychology to some biographical events to fantasy. I bought it and think I'll read it again.
So, is it a great day for America and for TV's Craig Ferguson, everybody? We hope so!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Trivia
Some of you might know this, but I know my life is certainly better for learning it.
According to the National Hockey League, an official hockey puck must be made of vulcanized rubber or another approved material, measure 1 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter, and weigh between 5 and 6 ounces.
According to the National Hockey League, an official hockey puck must be made of vulcanized rubber or another approved material, measure 1 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter, and weigh between 5 and 6 ounces.
Weather
It seems as if it's been raining for weeks. If it were colder, we'd have as much snow as some of you have. It's making me crazy. I like a rainy day now and then when I can stay inside and watch movies or read. This is going on too long. We even have flash flood warnings.
Monday, January 5, 2009
DWTS Engagement
Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff are engaged. I got the photo and information here. She's 30, and he's 28. Twenty-eight? That's all? I thought he was older than that. They have been on DWTS almost all seasons. Karina and Mario Lopez were an item for a while but broke up. This will add some interest to DWTS now that Maks and Karina are engaged. They're both volatile and emotional Russians, so life could be dramatic for them! I wish them happiness and luck!
Update
Femin Susan removed my comment from her blog about the real artist where I told who it was and mentioned that she should give credit!! She also didn't modify her blog to say who did the artwork! She obviously has excellent taste but needs to learn about plagiarism. Deleting my comment makes me believe that she might know. All she had to do was give the source, and they wouldn't mind. That's not public domain material. So I contacted the artist and let her know. English teachers don't like this stuff!
She's going around making the same comment on many, many blogs. That's how we get readers quite often, but it's all strange.
She's going around making the same comment on many, many blogs. That's how we get readers quite often, but it's all strange.
Einstein Quote of the Day
I might have had this one on here before. They repeat them, and I don't remember if I posted some or not.
It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living by its purely physical effect on the human temperament would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.
It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living by its purely physical effect on the human temperament would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Amazing Blogs
Femin Susan commented on my blog, so I checked out her profile here. I don't know how she found my blog and where she came from, but I think she lives in India. You must go see these! The first one is Vegetable Art with photos of all kinds of vegetables carved creatively. Yummy Cakes includes photos of decadent desserts. The most amazing of all is Pencil Magic, which you'll just have to see to believe. After you look at them, come back and let's be fascinated together!
OK, after some googling, I discovered that she posted all those photos without giving the artists credit for them. I suspected that about the art and poetry after reading her blog and noticing that English is not her native language. After teaching English so long, I can spot plagairism. She is young and probably didn't know better, but Jennifer Maestre is the artist of the incredible pencil sculpture. Look at her site here. I haven't found the vegetable artist, but the same thing happened there, too, and with the food as well.
OK, after some googling, I discovered that she posted all those photos without giving the artists credit for them. I suspected that about the art and poetry after reading her blog and noticing that English is not her native language. After teaching English so long, I can spot plagairism. She is young and probably didn't know better, but Jennifer Maestre is the artist of the incredible pencil sculpture. Look at her site here. I haven't found the vegetable artist, but the same thing happened there, too, and with the food as well.
School
School starts tomorrow after a two-week Winter Break. I liked that about the modified year-round block schedule during the last years I taught. We'd have nine-week quarters with two weeks off in between (three breaks - fall, winter, spring). Without those two weeks, I don't think I could have made it!
If I weren't semi-retired, this wouldn't matter except that my friends would be working again while I'm off. But no! I still have my homebound student and the teacher I'm mentoring, which means I will be at school for a while in the morning and with my homebound student tomorrow afternoon. I'm glad to have something to do for the extra money, and I get to see people I wouldn't otherwise. My goal is to save some money so I can travel and get some new appliances, so I do it.
I will definitely block out time to work on my house some more. AND gym time - or else!
If I weren't semi-retired, this wouldn't matter except that my friends would be working again while I'm off. But no! I still have my homebound student and the teacher I'm mentoring, which means I will be at school for a while in the morning and with my homebound student tomorrow afternoon. I'm glad to have something to do for the extra money, and I get to see people I wouldn't otherwise. My goal is to save some money so I can travel and get some new appliances, so I do it.
I will definitely block out time to work on my house some more. AND gym time - or else!
Saturday Outing and Red Grooms
I'm feeling better, so I guess it was a one-day affliction. I'm tired of catching everything and need to get my immune system to do better. I'll work on that. Have any suggestions other than exercise, which seems to be the answer to everything!
Yesterday Paige and I went to the Cheekwood Museum of Art to see the collection of Red Grooms (originally from Nashville) and his wife Lysiane Luong, also an artist, as was his first wife Mimi Gross Grooms. The collection contained works by contemporary artists they knew/know. If you want to know more, this site from Cheekwood shows some of the works in the collection as well as an interview with Grooms and Luong if you click on the video there. It's short and interesting.
We had a good time and got a little walking in, too.
Yesterday Paige and I went to the Cheekwood Museum of Art to see the collection of Red Grooms (originally from Nashville) and his wife Lysiane Luong, also an artist, as was his first wife Mimi Gross Grooms. The collection contained works by contemporary artists they knew/know. If you want to know more, this site from Cheekwood shows some of the works in the collection as well as an interview with Grooms and Luong if you click on the video there. It's short and interesting.
We had a good time and got a little walking in, too.
(from a 2004 article in The Villager linked here)
Trivia
In 1963 Matty, Felipe, and Jesus Alou became the only three brothers in history to start a baseball game in the outfield for the same major league team: the San Francisco Giants.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Whine and Moan
I knew I'd react to my "wonderful just the way I am" statement with "but" or something like that. I didn't think it would make me sick. I've been queasy all day and can't keep anything down, and all I've attempted is ginger ale, a Diet Coke, and some antacids which usually help. Even the sips of water! I've dozed in my chair, napped in bed, and feel awful. This was unexpected and now welcomed. Hope it goes away soon. The is unusual for me, and I don't like it.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Approach for the New Year
I've tried all kinds of things to motivate myself and made many resolutions over the years and called them goals at times to fool myself. I've made detailed lists, short general resolutions, and all kinds of promises to myself. So now here's a completely new approach. I'll see how this works since it will be my mantra for a while.
I am making no resolutions this year because I'm wonderful just the way I am!
I am making no resolutions this year because I'm wonderful just the way I am!
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