DWTS - Season 10

Well, it's a new season of DWTS, and here I am again. These are the dancetestants, and you can read about them by clicking on their names. I like how they have the dancers introduce themselves this time.

Soap star Aiden Turner and Edyta Sliwinkska
Legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Ashly Costa
NFL star Chad Ochocinco and Cheryl Burke
ESPN host Erin Andrews and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Olympic skating champion Evan Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaya
Bachelor star Jake Pavelka and Chelsie Hightower
TLC star Kate Gosselin and Tony Dovolani
Pop star Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough
Comedienne and host Niecy Nash and Louis Van Amstel
Actress and model Pamela Anderson and Damian Whitewood
Actress Shannen Doherty and Mark Ballas


First up are Cheryl and Chad dancing the Cha-Cha. He wanted her to be tough on him during rehearsals and help him learn to dance and not compliment him unless he deserved it. For the first dance of a new season, he did do well. Len praised him. So did Bruno and Carrie Ann. I like him and always like Cheryl. Scores: 6/6/6 = 18 out of 30.

Next Shannen and Mark danced the Viennese waltz. Shannen said she was dancing for her father who had a stroke and loves the show. She was awkward and seemed nervous but did pretty well for her first dance. Bruno said the choreography was difficult for the first week but that she would get better. Carrie Ann said she had stumbles but potential. Len said she portrayed ease and elegance and that she coped with a difficult routine. Shannen cried because of seeing her dad while she danced. Scores: 6/6/6 = 18.

Erin and Maksim seem to be a good match to work together. She told him she was nervous because she heard he was hard on his dancers but she asked for that. He said, "They ask for me and then regret it." She told him she didn't ask for him. She asked for Tony. Then she was hard on herself, and Maks told her to let him correct her - "Don't judge! I judge! It's one pleasure I have to bitch at people and you're taking it away." I'm following Maks on Twitter, and he seems to be having fun. The judges all praised her Cha-Cha. Scores: 7/7/7 = 21.

Jake and Chelsie danced the Viennese waltz. Oh, good grief, Jake took Chelsie a rose when he first met her at the airport. He's a pilot. He, too, is a perfectionist, so Chelsie told him it was about improvement. They're carrying this rose thing too far and used it at the beginning of the dance. I like Chelsie and have enjoyed watching her with her other partners, especially Ty Murray. His movements were choppy at times and graceful some. The judges said he needed to calm down and have better posture but had good footwork. Scores: 7/6/7 = 20.

Niecy and Louie performed the Cha-Cha. Her personality came through and made it fun. She told Louie she likes her jiggly parts and doesn't want to lose them during all this dancing. She was out of breath and speechless when it was over. Bruno told her to focus. Carrie Ann said she was sexy. Len said she was bubbly but the dance was flat. Nicey said she was go happy she remembered her routine. Scores: 7/5/6 = 18.

Evan and Anna met to rehearse in Vancouver. He had problems because the turns for the Viennese waltz are the opposite from his in skating, and he'd get dizzy. I thought he seemed elegant but a little awkward at times. His arm extensions and posture were great. I really like him and how he conducts himself so gentlemanly in interviews. The judges said he needs to point his toes, connect with the audience, and dance in partnership. You can tell Anna wants to win this competition! Scores: 8/7/8 = 23.

Buzz and Ashly danced the Cha-Cha. Buzz is in good shape physically but shows his age. His wife has had too much work done on her face and looks like a lion, and he looks as if he might have had some, too. He's 80 years old but did pretty well - better than some younger ones have done. This is the typical token older person on the show, and he has done something few people have ever done by walking on the Moon. The judges praised him for his accomplishments but not for his dancing. He'll probably be the first to go, but who can tell for sure? Scores: 5/4/5 = 14.

Nicole and Derek performed the Viennese waltz. She had trouble with it during rehearsal but was elegant and graceful during performance. They related well together and to the audience. Very pretty and entertaining. She could be the one to win. Bruno stood up and raved about her. Carrie Ann said she's never seen anyone do this the first night. Len rained on the parade, though, and disagreed (middle score). Scores: 9/7/9 = 25.

Aiden and Edyta got along well during rehearsal and had fun while working hard. They danced the Cha-Cha. Well, some of his moves, footwork, and arm positions were good, and he related well with her while dancing. But he was stiff and awkward. He has a way to go, and I hope he gets to stick around. Edyta really wants to win. The judges said it was disjointed but didn't go anywhere and didn't have much going for it. Bruno even compared him to Kenny Mayne. The scores won't be good. Edyta looked crestfallen. Scores: 5/5/5 = 15.

Kate and Tony rehearsed at the room she had built in her house. Tony questioned her dedication and said she'd have to work hard. They danced the Viennese waltz. She seemed awkward and stiff. I don't like her, so it's hard for me to be objective, but there was no elegance and grace at all in her dancing. The judges said she looked nervous and didn't dance with fluidity, had terrible technique and looked like Tony was pushing a shopping cart around the floor (that was Bruno), and all of this is totally new to her. Scores: 6/5/5 = 16.

Pamela and Damian did the Cha-Cha. Damian is new, and she said she has no rhythm and is tone deaf. She didn't have confidence during rehearsal but knows how to perform. That she did, too! Bruno will go wild because of the sexiness of this dance. Pretty good! Bruno said he could only think of sex, sex, and more sex and said Striparella was back. Carrie Ann said she had fun and was fully engaged. Len said overall it was a mess. Scores: 7/6/8 = 21.

Now I'll vote.

Redneck State

Not only are both Senators going to vote against the HCB (no surprise), but some citizens are petitioning the State Attorney General to sue to prohibit a federal mandate to require Tennesseans to buy into it. I hate it here. Alexander said the only thing bipartisan about it is the opposition to it. President Obama said at an appearance not long ago, “I tried to pass a bill the Republicans sponsored, but when they saw I agreed to it, they changed their minds and voted against me.”

Peter Sagal

My very favorite show that I do not want to miss is "Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me!" on NPR. Peter Sagal is the host, and my favorite panelists are Paula Poundstone, Roy Blount, Jr., and Mo Rocca. There are others that are always fun. He's been on Craig Ferguson's show a couple of times, so you can imagine that!

I've been following Peter Sagal on Twitter and discovered that he has a blog. This is his latest post and a good time to share it with you. He invited Obama haters to comment on his blog, so if there are those who want to, please do it there instead of here. The link is in the title, HERE, and on my blog list. He apparently wants to hear them, but I don't. Thank you.

Whence the hatred?

March 20th, 2010

I have been interested, to the point recently of somewhere between deep concern and obsession, with the nature of the political divide. We don’t disagree anymore, we loathe. Maybe it was always thus, but it sure has been that way for a long time now. I heard Republican representatives talk today about “taking our country back.” Which was what Howard Dean was saying in 2004. Clearly, although the two sides think differently, they feel the same.

I am aware that many people today hate President Obama to the same extent, or even more, than other people hated President Bush. And one could argue that this equivalency — and there is equivalence, at least in the vehemence of feeling - is in itself sufficient explanation. That is, it’s not who we’re hating, it’s the hating itself: our essential, tribal nature drives us to seek an Opponent and affix to him (or her) all Blame and Responsibility for That Which Is Wrong, and we shall Cure Our Ills by Fighting that Individual. Fine, and I think that’s true, to a shocking extent. We are all far less rational than it is comforting to believe.

But… I watched the President’s speech today in front of the House Democrats. It is entirely impromptu, no prepared texts. And I can understand entirely why people might disagree with him. His central argument that we in America should be “neighborly” and “look out for each other, ” with the unstated implication that this should be done via the power of the state, strikes intelligent people as wrong and dangerous, and as an affront to liberty and responsibility. I totally dig that, and in certain circumstances, usually when paying my taxes, find myself, if not in complete agreement, then certainly sympathetic.

But, how in the world can people look at this well-spoken, articulate, sincere man, who is at least as honest in his goals and his ideology as his opponents are in theirs, and hate him? Loathe him? I honestly don’t get it. Any explanation would be welcome.

(To anticipate one: his opponents to a great degree deny that he is sincere. They believe he is “deceptive,” and is hiding his true nature, which is far more cynical/ideological/ambitious than he allows himself to appear. Thus they can ascribe to him all kinds of unpleasant characteristics for which there is no apparent evidence. But I don’t really understand where the initial assumption of his deception comes from, either.)

(To anticipate another: yes, some of his opponents hate him because he is black. But I am not interested in that, because it is not interesting, nor is it sufficient.)

How Do They Know These Things?

The typical kangaroo is 40 percent brighter than the smartest dog or cat.

HCB

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and senior staff, react in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, as the House passes the health care reform bill, March 21, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

From Newsweek

YES!! It passed!

Source

Health Care Reform's Winners and Losers

Howard Fineman

It doesn't take a rocket scientist -- or even an alleged expert such as this reporter -- to see that the big political winner in tonight's House vote is the president of the United States. After a year and a half of fitful but increasingly focused effort, Barack Obama is able to claim victory in an effort that he had made the emblem and focus of his entire presidency. In some ways, the win was a negative one: the humiliation of a defeat would have made him look powerless and inept. And in Washington, appearances beget reality. But, hey, as teams in the Big Dance can tell you, a win is a win.

The list of winners and losers only begins with the president. Here is my sense of who they are, in both political and real-life terms.

WINNERS

Obama: He staked everything on this and, like the long distance runners from his fatherland, he made it (barely) across the finish line.

Nancy Pelosi: They said she knows how to count votes, and she does. They can't stand her in Tea Party America, and some liberals are angry at her, but she knows how to deliver.

Rahm Emanuel: The White House chief of staff was tasked by Obama with the job of getting this done, and Rahm, whose effectiveness and commitment have been questioned, has just taken a major step toward showing that he was the right guy for the job.

Near-poverty Americans not covered by Medicaid: Some 15 million Americans will get health care through medicaid than currently have it.

Middle class families who cant afford to buy insurance: Some 15 million will eventually get subsidies.

Policy holders: For the first time, the federal government will impose rules designed to control some of the risk-avoiding (and profit making) strategies of the insurance companies.

Drug companies: They kicked in $80 billion to help make the bill work, but stand to make ten times that in revenues from added government and government-subsidized business.

Tea Partiers: They are crying havoc (outside the Capitol) and now have their cause, apocalypse and all.

LOSERS

Insurance industry: The health care industry grew out of insurance, which has never been subject to direct and thorough national regulation by the federal government. They stayed aloof from a deal, and ended up losing the game of musical chairs, even though they will get new customers.

Blue Dog Democrats and Democrats from GOP districts: There is still time for them to recoup -- election day is still eight months away. But this vote is a loser for many of them, and they knew it.

Wealthy and semi-wealthy taxpayers: Those making $200,000 individually or $250,000 as families are going to get squeezed -- and they should know it. All taxpayers in ten years. The bill makes big assumptions about spending cuts. Most realistic and neutral observers believe that those "savings" -- in medicare, for example-- will never happen, which means more deficits.

The Republican Party: They'll gain seats in the midterms for sure, but not necessarily as many as they are assuming. For one, the world is not going to end if and when the bill becomes law. In fact, nothing much at all will happen. That will be a relief to many, and no grist for the GOP. The Dems will have something to run on. and the Democrats president will look like a winner.

Catching Up

I went to Nashville yesterday to watch my granddaughter Kari play in a volleyball tournament. Her team, Choo Choo City, made it to the semifinals. They live in a suburb of Chattanooga - cute name for their team. My daughter Kathy and I had lots of time to talk and visit. I'll post some pix on FB when I get around to it. Have to go to the grocery soon.

Obviously my foot is much better - almost well. Thank goodness for antibiotics that work.

I've been watching the Health Care Bill periodically today when I could stand it. I switched back and forth between C-SPAN and MSNBC because I just couldn't listen to some of those speakers. It's a miracle anything ever gets done in Congress. Good grief!

Fortunately, this was a good weekend - the first one for two weeks. Last weekend I had plumbing problems and called my regular plumbers who sent someone over on Sunday. He found that it wasn't in my part but the city's. They called the water department who sent someone over Monday morning. They did laparoscopic plumbing and discovered a pipe had collapsed. They said I could shower and flush but not to do anything else like laundry or run the dishwasher. The gas, electric, and phone companies had to come out to be sure no digging would interfere with their lines. I had all kinds of spray paint on my street in front of my house and the place where the water department pipe is for our houses around here.

Nothing had been done, so I called Thursday to ask when it was scheduled. Those same guys from Monday came back to check things and let me know some main lines had to be fixed as a priority and hoped mine would be fixed soon. Aha! Early Friday morning they were out there! Relief! It feels good to have all that working again. The best part is that I didn't have to pay for it since it was the water department's pipe. Well, I have been paying for it with my water/sewer bill for almost 40 years. I just had to pay the plumbers for coming out here.

Friends and I have gone out to lunch and dinner a few times lately. After being shut in and relatively immobile, it was good to be social.

Silence of the Horses

Horse racing was the first sport to have strict regulations against drugs.

Quills

During the mating season, competing male porcupines bristle their quills at each other and chatter their teeth in rage before attacking. All porcupines at this time become very vocal: grunting, whining, chattering, even barking and mewing at each other.

Duh!

The first operators employed by the Bell Telephone Company were young boys who worked standing up. Only after several years did it occur to anybody to provide them with chairs.

Education - My Views

I enjoyed reading your comments on the Bill Maher piece on education. Several of you feel the same way I do about it. There are three important components: parents, teachers, and students. The ideal is for all three to be motivated, inspiring/inspired, and committed. We all know students who have learned in spite of negligent parents and bad schools. In fact, some of them thrived. Those are rare.

Ideally, all children would have good pre-natal care, loving parents, healthy meals, exercise, time to play, encouragement, and safety. We teachers have no idea the kinds of homes our students live in. We don't know what they go through when they aren't in school. Elementary teachers possibly have a better idea of it than we high school teachers since by then kids have built defenses. Parent-teacher conferences were always instructive because I got an idea of what their parents were like. I always told students to let me know if something were going on that prevented them from getting their work done or turning in major assignments because I'm not a mind reader and needed to know.

There are some really bad teachers, and I don't understand why they went into the profession. Most of those bore students to death and waste their time. Some do damage with their power trips and abusive actions. Goods grief! We're all on the same side. The goal I have is to help children grow up to be independent adults who become productive members of society capable of making informed decisions. There are inspiring teachers who make a positive difference in students' lives. They transcend the subject matter and encourage students to want to learn and try. I hope all of you have had teachers like those. I have.

Students mostly start out trusting, enthusiastic, and excited about school. Then years of classrooms get them out of it way too often. What's going on now is TOO MUCH TESTING and too much emphasis on it. Training students to take standardized tests is not teaching them. You can't believe the lack of knowledge and absence of critical thinking from middle school students entering high school after NCLB and all the testing. Because teachers' evaluations are tied into test scores of their students, they drill them on the "standards" and practice tests. Our director of schools is consumed with it. He was principal of a middle school with no experience in high school and is trying to turn the high schools into middle schools. Those of you who teach know what I'm talking about. The kids are so different at those ages, and the requirements are also different. It's all about test scores with him, and teachers are pressured about it, too.

I maintain that when allowed to teach students to think, study, problem-solve, analyze, communicate, and all those things we're supposed to do when actually teaching, they will be able to pass any of those tests. What's been going on for way too long now is going to take many many years to rectify. The present educational system is failing our students. Yes, there are motivated students who will rise to challenges, inspiring teachers, and involved parents. Let's hope this trend ends soon, and they can all get back to how it needs to be.

Good Reports

My foot is lots better and doesn't hurt as much. I had my regular appointment with my oncologist today, and he said I didn't have to go back. I've been seeing him 14 years, so it's good to know I'm cured. I like Dr. Spigel and will miss our chats.

Bill Maher on Education

Well, it is Bill Maher:

New Rule: Let's not fire the teachers when students don't learn - let's fire the parents. Last week President Obama defended the firing of every single teacher in a struggling high school in a poor Rhode Island neighborhood. And the kids were outraged. They said, "Why blame our teachers?" and "Who's President Obama?" I think it was Whitney Houston who said, "I believe that children are our future - teach them well and let them lead the way." And that's the last sound piece of educational advice this country has gotten - from a crack head in the '80's.

Yes, America has found its new boogeyman to blame for our crumbling educational system. It's just too easy to blame the teachers, what with their cushy teachers' lounges, their fat-cat salaries, and their absolute authority in deciding who gets a hall pass. We all remember high school - canning the entire faculty is a nationwide revenge fantasy. Take that, Mrs. Crabtree! And guess what? We're chewing gum and no, we didn't bring enough for everybody.

But isn't it convenient that once again it turns out that the problem isn't us, and the fix is something that doesn't require us to change our behavior or spend any money. It's so simple: Fire the bad teachers, hire good ones from some undisclosed location, and hey, while we're at it let's cut taxes more. It's the kind of comprehensive educational solution that could only come from a completely ignorant people.

Firing all the teachers may feel good - we're Americans, kicking people when they're down is what we do - but it's not really their fault. Now, undeniably, there are some bad teachers out there. They don't know the material, they don't make things interesting, they have sex with the same kid every day instead of spreading the love around... But every school has crappy teachers. Yale has crappy teachers - they must, they gave us George Bush.

According to all the studies, it doesn't matter what teachers do. Although everyone appreciates foreplay. What matters is what parents do. The number one predictor of a child's academic success is parental involvement. It doesn't even matter if your kid goes to private or public school. So save the twenty grand a year and treat yourself to a nice vacation away from the little bastards.

It's also been proven that just having books in the house makes a huge difference in a child's development. If your home is adorned with nothing but Hummel dolls, DVD's, and bleeding Jesuses, congratulations, you've just given your children the gift of Duh. Sarah Palin said recently she wrote on her hand because her father used to do it. I rest my case.

When there are no books in the house, and there are no parents in the house, you know who raises the kids? That's right, the television. Kids aren't keeping up with their studies; they're keeping up with the Kardashians. We're allowing the television, as babysitter, to turn us into a nation of slutty idiots. By the way, one sign your 9-year-old may be watching too much One Tree Hill: if she has an imaginary friend with benefits.

SOURCE

Just As Well

Lions, leopards, tigers, and jaguars are the only species of cats that can roar; but they can’t purr.

Sounds Good to Me

Janis Joplin’s final request was for her friends to have a farewell party at her favorite bar. She even left $2,500 to sponsor the party.


Btw, Janis Joplin and I were born the same year. She died on October 2, 1970, the day before my 27th birthday. She'd already been 27 since January.

Never Really Thought About This

A stingray never actually sees its food as it eats, since its eyes are on top of its head and its mouth and nostrils are on the bottom. This would certainly be an advantage at certain restaurants.

Relevant but Gross Trivia

A study of American coins and currency revealed the presence of bacteria, including staphylococcus and E. coli on 18 percent of the coins and 7 percent of the bills.

Foot Diagnosis

My doctor said it's a bacterial infection - probably strep. I'm taking Keflex for that. He said he was treating it aggressively so also prescribed Bactrim in case there's some staph. This sounds serious. I'm to keep my foot elevated above my heart, so I won't be on the computer that often. I'm a mine canary when it comes to prescription meds, so wish me luck with these and no side-effects.

Dr said these are quite common, but I would like to know how I got it. Strange and painful.

Oh Thanks

Biologists have discovered that cockroaches can change course as often as 25 times in one second, making them the most nimble animals known.

Foot

I called my doctor's office, and they're working me in this afternoon at 3:40. I'm ready!

L&O Question

The detectives Lupo and Bernard on Law & Order are now clean-shaven and neater. Is it to look like policemen are supposed to or what? Lt. VanBuren said they look more professional and younger. Wonder what brought that on?

Ronni Bennett on Health Care

This is today's post from Time Goes By by Ronni Bennett:

A Theory of Health Care Spending

For a good while, I've had a half-baked and only half-joking theory that health care spending would not be so high if we were not constantly reminded of all the things that could be wrong with us.

I watch or listen to television news in short bursts of a few minutes each throughout the day. My general impression is that well over half – perhaps even three-quarters – of commercials are disease related. To see if that is anywhere near true, I grabbed a book yesterday morning and settled down to spend a random hour with television to make notes on the topics of the commercials.

That much time was not needed. I was shocked to find that in the period of one, three-minute commercial break, remedies for the following diseases and conditions were advertised:

COPD
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Dry skin
Headache
Insomnia
Allergies
Nasal congestion
Foot problems
Heart disease
Constipation
Depression

That's a lot of health problems to cram into three minutes and it is repeated all day on all channels except, possibly, MTV which undoubtedly highlights acne cures.

I don't remember so many health-related commercials when I was a kid. “The heartbreak of psoriasis” comes to mind, along with “Speedy Alkaseltzer” and Bayer aspirin, but certainly no prescription drugs back then. I still don't understand why that last is done; it must drive physicians nuts to have patients demanding drugs advertised on television that may or may not be relevant to the patients' ailments.

My theory is that it all adds up – that we are bombarded with so many pictures and words about what might be wrong with us that thousands of people who otherwise feel healthy, run to their doctor asking for prescription drugs they saw on television and/or start buying over-the-counter remedies. Certainly the advertising must have an effect similar to reading disease symptoms – too much of that and you believe you've contracted something terrible.

It's just a theory, but I wonder – and I wonder if there were less health-related advertising, how many fewer doctor visits, prescriptions and OTC drug purchases there would be.

Foot Update

My foot is better today than it was yesterday but still really hurts. This pain has been like nothing I've experienced before. It hurts to touch my foot, spread my toes, stretch my foot, walk, and sit. The redness is a smaller area and it's not as swollen. I've been putting Benadryl spray on it which I hope helped. This must have been quite a spider that bit me. At least I assume it was a spider since I'm not sure what else would have had that kind of effect.

Ronni Bennett

Ronni Bennett's blog Time Goes By is always thought-provoking, informative, and interesting. She's written something here that expresses what I believe so much better than I could ever have written it. The title is "Mean, Nasty, Hateful, and Corrupt" HERE.

Here's an excerpt:

And here's what I think: they are all hateful and corrupt.

There is so much rotten business going on with all federal elected (and not a few appointed) officials that it is impossible to keep track of it all (which may be what they're counting on.)

And it's like that every day in Washington on every issue: individual advantage to the powerful over the good of the nation.

Good for You, Birds!

A bird sees everything at once in total focus. Whereas the human eye is globular and must adjust to varying distances, the bird’s eye is flat and can take in everything at once in a single glance.

Weekend

Brian and Melissa went to see Alice in Wonderland and have dinner with friends from out of town Saturday. They had a good time and enjoyed the movie. Brendan stayed with me and spent the night. We had a good time and had fun. Sunday, however, was a different story. Not my day. The morning was fine. Brendan and I had breakfast, and he played. As I was getting him ready to leave for Nashville to meet Brian, he said he didn't want to go. I told him he'll be here three days in April.

We met at the Publix parking lot in Bellevue. All that was fine, too. They left and I went in to get a few groceries. As I was heading to the car and reached into my purse to get my keys, no keys. Yep, I locked them in the car. For some reason I put them in that console between the front seats instead of that pocket in my purse where I always keep them. I went to the customer service desk at Publix to ask if there were a security guard or policeman around who could help me get in my car. She said they aren't allowed to do that any more, which I recalled after she mentioned it.

She got me the number of AAA since I didn't have my card with me. Talk about planning! Why didn't I put it in there when I changed purses? She also wrote the address for the store which came in really handy, and in my panic never occurred to me to ask for. I went outside to call AAA and was afraid I hadn't sent in my renewal form and check. Of course! My membership expired March 1. I thought I would just cry and live at Publix right then. She said I could renew on the phone with a credit card, so I did gratefully. I'm not usually such a ditz but believe I got the Bernice award for all this so far.

I waited outside for over an hour and a half for the AAA truck. Fortunately, the weather was great - warmer and sunny. Felt good. It didn't take him long to unlock my car. I was so glad to be able to get home! Later on (too late) I wondered if I should have given him a tip. I was certainly thankful enough to have been generous. I googled it last night and got several different opinions on it. I still think I should have. What do you think?

The woman who answered the AAA call was very nice. Her first question was, "Are you in a safe location?" Then we went from there.

When I got home, I changed clothes and took a nap. Then to add to my already not-so-great day, when I woke up my foot hurt. I couldn't remember hitting it or anything and finally decided that something must have bitten me on the top of my foot. It still hurt just as much this morning and is reddish and swollen. I think it's a regular spider bite based on my online research. It really hurts.

So today has involved complaining about my foot. Yesterday definitely could have been better.

Oscars

The Oscars went the way I thought/hoped they would. I'm really happy that Sandra Bullock and Jeff Bridges won. For the first time, I had Twitter on and enjoyed keeping Tugboat up to date on the winners. He was riding through a snow storm in Arizona part of the time. David, Froggy, Wonderman, Howard, and Beth were on from Blogland, which was fun. Among others, I follow Roger Ebert and Michael Moore, so their comments were interesting and informative during the Oscarcast.



I've decided I have low expectations for being entertained during the Oscars. Sure there are things that would definitely make it better, but I'm mostly interested in who won, what they say, who they are with, and what they are wearing. Occasionally the speeches are exceptional or so over the top that I remember them. I've always watched the show and added all the awards shows leading up to them. Don't judge. I like awards shows.

Moose Locusts

Sarah Palin and Entourage Descend like 'Locusts' on Oscar Swag Suite

BY Brian Kates
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Sarah Palin and her entourage descended "like locusts" on the Oscar swag suite, scarfing up freebies in a binge that "practically cleaned the place out," celebrity gossips reported Thursday.

The former Alaska Gov's Wednesday pigout included jewels from Pascal Mouawad, watches by Skagen and a fancy new hairdo for her daughter Willow. The new coiffure came courtesy of Erick Orellana, Jennifer Aniston's longtime hairstylist, witnesses said.

The Los Angeles Times reported Palin was supposed to donate all of her gift items back to the Silver Spoon Oscar Suite for auction, as well as $1,700 of her own cash, in support of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies efforts in Haiti and Chile.

But E! Online insisted, "we can assure you she did not give up any of her swag."

The entertainment news outlet quoted an unnamed vendor who said that as many as 20 people from the Palin camp swarmed the event.

"They were like locusts," he said.

News of Palin's grabfest ignited the blogosphere.

"She insisted every person in her huge entourage get something, and there were assistants, nannies, security - insanity!," an unnamed HollywoodLife.com source said.

HollywoodLife.com also reported that Palin picked up a blue Kenya robe from designer Jenna Leigh, facewash and a pair of foam Bandal sandals.

"She kind of cleaned the place out," Ben Russo of EMC/Bowery told AOL's Pop Eater. The website said swag-grabs included 40 pairs of AIAIAI earphones.

One witness said security swept the venue and would not allow photos.

SOURCE

Be Patient!

Since 1978, at least 37 people have died as a result of shaking vending machines in an attempt to get free merchandise. More than 100 have been injured.

Twitter

I've been getting into Twitter lately. At first I couldn't figure it out but now like the quick messages on there. I'm a social networker! LOL

DWTS

'DWTS' Season 10 pairings announced

March 2, 2010 | 10:07 am

Now that we've found out the celebrities who will be competing in Season 10's "Dancing With the Stars," ABC has announced the second (but no less important) part of this reality TV show equation: the professional dancers each contestant will be paired up with. Here is the complete list:

-- Astronaut and resident moon walker Buzz Aldrin teams up with Ashly Costa (formerly DelGrosso)

-- Pamela Anderson is coupled with new "DWTS" pro Damian Whitewood

-- ESPN reporter Erin Andrews is partnered with resident "DWTS" bad boy Maksim Chemerkovskiy

-- Actress Shannen Doherty steps out with two-time champ Mark Ballas

-- Kate Gosselin is matched up with Tony Dovolani

-- Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek is with Anna Trebunskaya (pictured)

-- "Reno 911!'s" Niecy Nash will be with Louis Van Amstel

-- Cincinnati Bengal Chad Ochocinco teams up with two-time champ Cheryl Burke

-- Newly engaged "Bachelor" Jake Pavelka is matched with Chelsie Hightower

-- Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger partners with Season 7 champ Derek Hough

-- "All My Children" star Aiden Turner is paired with legwarmer queen Edyta Sliwinska, the only pro to compete in all 10 seasons.

Note that there's no Dmitry Chaplin, Karina Smirnoff, or recent champ Kym Johnson this season.

Undercover Boss

I've been watching Undercover Boss and like it. They learn so much about their companies and employees. I usually cry at the end of it when the boss makes changes and does something nice for some employees. What I'm wondering though is if they'll be able to pull off more than one season. The ruse they're using for a camera crew to follow the boss won't exactly work now that it's been used. I hope they can continue it because it not only helps the CEO/President of these companies but gives us an insight into the business. Do any of you watch it? You might be surprised how good it is.

So far they've gone to a waste management business, Hooters, 7-Eleven, and White Castle. If you have On Demand with Comcast, they're all on there or HERE.

DWTS

Based on the cast of this season's Dancing with the Stars, I won't be recapping it. I'll mention it and post something but am not sure I'll be able to watch it. Evan Lysacek is the only one I care about watching. Many of the others are gaggy, not celebrities, or I've never heard of them. Here's why no recap:

Aiden Turner, 32, probably best known as Soap heartthrob, 'Aidan Devane', on ABC's 'All My Children'.

Buzz Aldrin, 80, goes from moon walking to ballroom dancing.

Chad Ochocinco, 32, wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Erin Andrews, 31, ESPN sports reporter.

Evan Lysacek, 24, Olympic gold medal winning skating star.

Jake Pavelka, 32, 'The Bachelor' who just chose 'bad girl', Vienna, for his bride.

Kate Gosselin, 35, best known for her role in the reality TV show, 'Jon and Kate Plus 8'.

Niecy Nash, 40, actress, known for her roles in 'Reno 911!' and it’s spin-off film 'Reno 911: Miami', 'The Bernie Mac Show' and 'Do Not Disturb'

Nicole Scherzinger, 31, singer, songwriter, actress and lead singer of 'The Pussycat Dolls'.

Pamela Anderson, 42, former 'Bay Watch' swimsuit beauty, actress, model...sex symbol.

Shannen Doherty, 37, actress known for her roles on 'Beverly Hills, 90210', 'Charmed' and 'Breaking Up With Shannen Doherty'.

SOURCE

Olympics

I already miss the Olympics and am having withdrawal. I guess it's OK to get all wrapped up and obsessed with something that happens every two years. Although I love both of them, I prefer the Winter Olympics a bit more. This has been glorious. Now two more years until London and then two more until Sochi.

Until then, I do have the Oscars to look forward to Sunday night and the Independent Spirit Awards Saturday night. Top Chef Masters returns April 7. Check out the chefs HERE. Some of you will have feelings about at least one of them now, but we'll all have opinions once it begins.

Yankee Doodle Dandy Gangster Bear

Film legend James Cagney narrated the first Smokey the Bear cartoon.


He played gangsters, romantic leads, musical performers, vaudevillians, soldiers, and all kinds of roles. Guess that wasn't a stretch for him.

He Never Noticed?

In the spring of 2000, it was reported that a 25-year-old Tehran transsexual, who had just undergone extensive surgery to become a woman, said he wanted to change back to a man after realizing just how poorly women are treated in Iran.

Did Not Know This

When you have a black eye, you have a bilateral periorbital hematoma.

Yikes!

Penicillin causes about 300 deaths in the United States every year.

Well, OK

It was reported in January 2000 that ostrich producers were attempting to lure CBS personality David Letterman to become a spokesman for their product. They said that less-fatty ostrich meat made into "ostrich and tortellini soup" was perfect for someone like Letterman, who was then recovering from quintuple-bypass heart surgery.

Stephen Fry

I love Stephen Fry. He was brilliant in Jeeves & Wooster and A Bit of Fry and Laurie. He and Hugh Laurie have been friends for decades and worked together seamlessly. This shows another side of him - his intelligence and logical thinking as an author, documentarian, and erudite speaker. It's long but worth every second.

The Intelligence² Debate - Stephen Fry (Unedited)
by Xrunner17

In the late 1970s, the Coca-Cola Company boycotted the NBC late-night comedy show Saturday Night Live for several years. The giant soda company was retaliating against a frequent character of comedian John Belushi, a Greek restaurant owner who repeatedly said to customers, "No Coke - Pepsi," thus saying the rival company’s name dozens of times within each skit.

OK, Thanks

An airplane’s black box recorder actually isn’t black but orange.

Give Peace A Chance

On November 23, 1969, four years after receiving it, John Lennon sent back his Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) award. He stated that he was returning the MBE in protest against British involvement in Biafra, Nigeria, and Vietnam.

Golf Trivia

Before 1850, golf balls were made of leather and stuffed with feathers.

Roids

Is he a strong lover? Men who take steroids to build muscles are believed to have extremely low sperm counts. So reported a British Center of Reproductive Medicine study, which revealed that, after giving up steroids, it takes 1-3 years for a man to recover enough to father a child.

Olympics

I think I've become an adrenaline junkie when it comes to the Olympics. I prefer speed skating, downhill skiing, ski and snowboard cross, moguls, snowboarding, super-g, and other skiing to figure skating and ice dancing. The luge, skeleton, and bobsled are scary and hard to understand how they guide them and all. Too much hurtling around that sheet of ice track. The Winter Olympics events are more dangerous than the summer ones.

What a deplorable thing to happen to the Netherlands speed skater all because his coach told him to get in the other lane! I hate for someone to be disqualified especially when it was his coach's fault. Bob Costas said his coach needed to go to something like the witness protection program. The whole country hates him, I'm sure!

Kudos to Apolo Anton Ohno! Way to go! Also to Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn, and Bode Miller! I'm in awe of every athlete in the Olympics. What dedication, sacrifice, hard work, and talent!

Poor Planning

Napoleon appointed three scientists to create a device that would preserve rations for his troops as they attacked Russia. Their brainchild: canned food. In the French team was Louis Pasteur, the inventor of the pasteurization method. The technique they developed for canning is virtually the same process used today. Unfortunately, the scientists didn’t also invent a can opener. So by relying on knives and bayonets to pierce the thick metal cans, many soldiers severely wounded themselves, some even cutting off a finger or two!

Brithday Greetings

Happy Birthday, Miss Ginger!! Love you! Love your blog! You are my inspiration! Hope you have the best year ever!

Laissez le bon temps roulet, Miss Ginger!

Pre-Copernican

Aristarchus, a Greek astronomer living about 200 B.C., reportedly was the first person to declare that the Earth revolved around the sun. His theory was disregarded for hundreds of years.

American Pets

According to a pet owner survey, 79 percent of Americans give their dogs holiday and/or birthday presents, and they dole out more cash for dog chow than baby food. Meanwhile, an American Animal Hospital Association poll showed that 33 percent of dog owners admit that they talk to their dogs on the phone or leave messages for them on an answering machine while away.

Progress Report

I've lost 5 pounds and 2" from my so-called waist since I've been working on my health these last two weeks. I feel better, have more energy, sleep better, and am ready to exercise. At first I was weak and dizzy part of the time because my blood sugar was down in the normal range and hadn't been for too long. That was scary. It was erratic for a while but is settling down now. Two more inches and my waist will be smaller than my hips. I need to lose about 10" from my waist though because I look like those men who wear their pants down below their fat bellies and have no butts. Not a good look. And extremely dangerous. I'm tired of being this shape.

I knew Dr. Oz scared me enough to last a couple of months and then hoped I could make enough progress to keep up the momentum. Seems that might happen. I haven't been tempted to stray from the diet and don't want shards of glass destroying my circulatory system. I've even been getting things accomplished in the house. Not easy since I can't quit the Olympics.

Any of You Gorillas?

Gorillas do not know how to swim, and they sleep about 14 hours a day.

3 Beatles and Ringo

Ringo Starr started out as Richard Starkey. While Starkey was in the band Skiff le, their front man Rory Storm dubbed him Rings because he wore so many rings. Storm eventually changed the nickname to Ringo to give it a cowboy flavor.

By A Nose

Mozart once composed a piano piece that required a player to use two hands and his nose in order to hit all the correct notes.

Zoo Fatality

Sadly, when the Allies dropped their very first bomb on Berlin, it wound up landing right in the Berlin Zoo, instantly killing the Nazis’ only elephant.

O2

The brain comprises about 2 percent of a person’s total body weight. Yet it requires 25 percent of all oxygen used by the body, as opposed to the 12 percent used by the kidneys and the 7 percent used by the heart.

Lent

I'd like to give up celibacy for Lent but probably need to choose something more realistic.

Wow!

A pulsar is a small star made up of neutrons so densely packed together that if one the size of a silver dollar landed on Earth, it would weigh approximately 100 million tons.

Einstein Quote

Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down by the mind before you reach eighteen.

Interesting

Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak earned money in college by selling "blue boxes" to other students. A blue box attached to a pay phone created the proper signals to allow a user to make free phone calls.

Einstein Quote

As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.

Cosby Trivia

Comedian Bill Cosby became the spokesperson for Jell-O pudding in 1974. His upbeat, childlike personality worked well with on-screen youngsters, and he later began the "Kids Love Pudding" TV campaign. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, Cosby became the uncontested king of product endorsements. By 1992, he was earning approximately $125,000 an hour, or $1 million a day, and he is still going strong today.

Valentine's Dinner

Holly did it again and prepared a delicious meal! Our usual group went and had such a good time. Oh, Hollemy went to Kevin Gillepsie's restaurant the Woodfire Grill in Atlanta and had the chef's tasting for dinner. They said it was excellent. Like me, they wanted Kevin to win Top Chef. They said we need to make a point of making reservations and then going to Atlanta to eat there. Holly and Jeremy hoped they could meet him but it didn't happen. I'll go back and ask them what they had and get descriptions.

Click to embiggen.

Sheesh!

In ancient Egypt, when a woman’s husband was convicted of a crime, she and her children were punished as well. They were usually enslaved.

What's in a Name?

Teabaggers Finally Google 'Teabag'

by Andy Borowitz | February 13, 2010 - 10:18am

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) - One week after their first national convention, the self-styled Teabaggers are facing an identity crisis after one of their members finally Googled the slang term "teabag."

"I was wondering why every time I told people I was a Teabagger they kind of started giggling in an embarrassed way," said Tracy Klugian, a Teabagger from Elyria, Ohio. "I was like, what the heck? Maybe I should use the Google and see what this is all about."

After Mr. Klugian Googled the word "teabag," he was shocked by what he discovered and shared his information with the Teabaggers' leadership, who are now actively looking for a new name for the group.

"We want a name that suggests we're out to give the Democrats a good fight," he said. "So far what we've come up with is the Donkey Punchers."

Andy Borowitz is a comedian and satirist. That might explain the last line and reference that I had to google to understand.

Bald Monkeys

Male monkeys lose the hair on their heads in the same manner men do.

Oh, Guys!!

During the mating season, competing male porcupines bristle their quills at each other and chatter their teeth in rage before attacking. All porcupines at this time become very vocal: grunting, whining, chattering, even barking and mewing at each other.

Fear - A Powerful Motivator

I'm not a fan of using fear to get people to do what they're supposed to; however, there are times that it works. Take me for example. I've been really lax for way too long taking care of myself. As a result, my blood glucose levels were dangerously high over a week ago when I checked them after a couple of months of not. As if on cue, enter Dr. Oz. No matter what your opinion of him might be, in this case you need to be grateful to him (Brian) because he scared the hell out of me when I was already in a panic. His show was followed by Oprah's that had him and others on there discussing "Diabetes: The Silent Killer." What really got to me was when he said that high blood sugar is like shards of glass coursing through your arteries. Then he showed an animation of what it does. YIKES!!! PANIC! I started making deals with my body - begging it not to do anything outrageous and give me time to take care of it again.

I got my copy of Protein Power out, made a grocery list, and am following it. My internist told me to read that book and do what it said. I figured that this fear would last at least a month and by then I'd have made enough progress that I'd keep on with it. I don't want to have a heart attack and die. I don't even watch Oprah and Dr. Oz that often but needed to that day and am glad I did. Obviously, I hadn't been testing regularly and at all for too long. Back on that now.

Carbs are kept at or below 30 grams a day with at least 27 grams of protein at each meal. Back to being a science fair experiment. With diabetes you have to eat enough food, often enough, and in the right combination. My readings are in the normal range, but for several days when they were down even in the mid-100's, I had symptoms of low blood sugar during the day because it had been really high. Based on those first morning readings, I know it was higher than it's ever been since I've been testing. It's still too high in the mornings even though it's good during the day. It's been 130-139 the last several mornings which is too high. Any suggestions from any of you who deal with this?

My idea is that I need much more exercise. The treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bicycles at my gym have TV's mounted on them right at eye level with cable. I can watch the Olympics while I work out. When the Olympics are over, there are some good choices.

I'm feeling better but not there yet. That took quite a toll on me, and I've been feeling like crap for a long time. Now that I've followed this for a week and am still fearfully motivated, I thought I'd let you know. I haven't even been tempted to deviate. Tomorrow night is the Valentine's House Blend dinner. I'll be careful for sure. Not even tempted. But I will enjoy a delicious meal.

Let the Games Begin!

Those of you who have been around me a while know that I LOVE the Olympics! I'm excited that they are beginning and am watching the introduction to them now and looking forward to the opening ceremonies and every minute of the Olympics. It will be great to watch Apolo Anton Ohno and Shaun White and also some I will get to know during the Olympics in Vancouver. I really enjoy learning about the lives of the athletes and their stories. This is a highlight I look forward to every two years.

This morning was tragic when a luge athlete from the Republic of Georgia, Nodar Kumaritashvili, was killed in a crash during training. Twelve lugers have crashed on that course, which seems that it needs modifications. It is too dangerous. As one of the officials said, he is not as concerned for the top athletes as for the more inexperienced ones. They were going around 90 miles per hour. Source HERE. This definitely casts a pall over the competition and is a sad beginning.

Snow Post and Buzz

Jackie posted a new entry on our collaborative blog Observations from the Knee-Deep South. Check it out HERE.

Have any of you checked out Google Buzz? Looks interesting enough to consider. If it works on my Blackberry, I'm there. Apparently it coordinates gmail, pictures, Twitter, and other sites. Is it a replacement for Facebook? That sounds promising if it is.

What?

In 1996, former Beatle drummer Ringo Starr appeared in a Japanese advertisement for applesauce, which coincidentally is what his name means in Japanese.

Geek Trivia

The first technology corporation to move into California’s Silicon Valley was Hewlett-Packard, in 1938. Stanford University engineers Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started their company in a Palo Alto garage with $1,538. Their first product was an audio oscillator bought by Walt Disney Studios for use in the making of Fantasia.

This Is True

On his way home to visit his parents, a Harvard student fell between two railroad cars at the station in Jersey City, New Jersey, and was rescued by an actor on his way to visit a sister in Philadelphia. The student was Robert Lincoln, heading for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The actor was Edwin Booth, the brother of the man who a few weeks later would murder the student’s father.

Read more about it HERE.

House Blend

Chef Holly and my son Brian

Jeremy Spencer

House Blend, my favorite coffee place, has a blog HERE. It's also on my blog list. They've had it since November, but I just realized it tonight when I was on their FB page to start my checking on the menu for Saturday evening. Once again, they're having a Valentine's meal. Our usual group is looking forward to getting together and to more of Holly's wonderful cooking.

Holly and Jeremy = celebrity name: Hollemy.

Super Bowl

I never watch it but am today for some reason. Well, sort of watching, part-time. It's probably because I hope the Saints win. I just really like New Orleans and want the win for them. Geaux Saints!

Teabags, Anyone?

This isn't from her speech at the "Tea Party" but sums up how I felt trying to watch it. I couldn't get through the whole speech but saw parts of it including her notes on her hand. What I did hear was composed of lies, sarcasm, and drivel.

Temple Grandin Movie

Claire Danes stars as Temple Grandin in the movie about her tonight on HBO. Sounds really good. Here's an interview with Temple Grandin that is interesting.

About Time!

From Autism Watch:

The Lancet has retracted publication of a 1998 paper [1] whose authors—led by Dr. Andrew Wakefield—suggested that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine might be linked to autism. The paper didn't declare that cause-and-effect had been demonstrated, but at the press conference announcing its publication, Wakefield attacked the triple vaccine; and he has continued to do so ever since.

The full retraction came five days after The British General Medical Council (GMC), which registers doctors in the United Kingdom, reported that Wakefield had acted dishonestly, irresponsibly, unethically, and callously in connection with the research project and its subsequent publication [2]. Wakefield's misconduct was brought to light by Brian Deer, one of the world's toughest investigative reporters.

In 2004, ten of the study's authors issued a "retraction" which stated: "We wish to make it clear that in this paper no causal link was established between MMR vaccine and autism as the data were insufficient." [3] Lancet editor Richard Horton—after Deer provided the incriminating evidence—said he should not have published the study and that Wakefield's links to litigation against the manufacturers of the MMR vaccine were a "fatal conflict of interest." [4] But full retraction had to wait nearly six more years.

The GMC hearings, which began in July 2007, centered on Wakefield's 1998 report. Many studies have found no connections [5,6], but sensational publicity caused immunization rates in the UK to drop more than 10 percent and have left lingering doubts among parents worldwide.

The GMC began investigating after learning from Deer that Wakefield had failed to declare he had been paid £55,000 to advise lawyers representing parents who believed that the vaccine had harmed their children. The GMC found that Wakefield had:

• Improperly obtained blood for research purposes from normal children attending his son's birthday party, paid them £5 for their discomfort, and later joked during a lecture about having done this.
• Subjected autistic children to colonoscopy, lumbar punctures, and other tests without approval from a research review board.
• Failed to disclose that he had filed a patent for a vaccine to compete with the MMR
• Starting a child on an experimental product called Transfer Factor, which he planned to market.

The GMC panel concluded that the allegations against Wakefield could amount to "serious professional misconduct." During the investigation, Wakefield relocated to Austin, Texas, where he helped found Thoughtful House Center for Children, a "nonprofit" clinic that offers many unsubstantiated treatments for autism. He does not have a medical license but oversees the clinic's research program. The clinic's latest (2008) tax filing lists his salary as $270,000 [7].

One more time, just so nobody misses the point here—Andrew Wakefield lied to you. He lied, and because of his lies, children are dead [8].

Did Not Know About Franz

Dennis Franz (NYPD Blue) was the manager of the Bates Motel in Psycho 2. TV news personality Jane Pauley is married to Doonesbury cartoonist Garry Trudeau.

Useful Trivia for Some of Us, Right?

THE FIVE FASTEST BIRDS ARE

1. the peregrine falcon-175 mph


2. the spine-tailed swift-106 mph


3. the frigate bird-95 mph



4. the spur-winged goose-88 mph


5. the red-breasted merganser-80 mph

Tires

One of my tires was low, so I went by a place near my house to get air in it. The guy asked if I knew my tires were worn out with the steel showing through. No, I didn't because I forget to check them, so I went to this place where I buy tires. New owner. That turned out well because he used to work at the place where I get my car serviced. I wondered what happened to him. He ordered some good tires that are Korean - Kumho brand. I went by Friday morning to have them put on and the oil changed. That's good because now they're on the same schedule. That sticker on the windshield will remind me, and I'll go there and get the oil changed and tired checked at the same time. Maybe I'll finally keep up with this and not erase the tread on my tires because they are out of alignment and haven't been balanced and rotated. I'm not a responsible car owner and must change my evil ways!

Getting Back to Abby-Normal

I got behind reading and commenting on blogs during the last week. Since I heard about my ex-husband's death, I stressed out about the weather prediction and did my best to get ready for Brendan to be here. I drove Brian crazy during a time he definitely didn't need any extra stress since he was dealing with not only his father's death but had an important deadline at work. We needed a contingency plan in case the snow got here, so fortunately I emailed him about that and wasn't that much in touch until the next two days. We got things worked out, and I felt better as soon as Brian was OK with everything. It will take time, and he's doing pretty well.

FB Gestapo

One of my former students disappeared from Facebook. Someone else who thinks he's hilarious and outrageous and fun asked me about him. Somehow she got in touch with him in YouTube (how do you even do that?), and he told her that FB deactivated his account with no explanation. What we wonder is since Fred is very liberal, an atheist, and outspoken, did others complain? If so, why don't they do what I do and click "Hide" beside his name or unfriend him. It's like they can't leave us alone but want our shows canceled.

He was also funny and spoke the truth a large percentage of the time. I don't understand why FB wouldn't warn him or give him reasons. He wasn't stalking kids, posting porn, or anything like that. Have you heard of this happening to anyone else? Some of you might have seen his posts - Fred Toler. I miss his presence on there.

More Size Trivia (Not That Kind - Sorry)

A bird’s eye takes up about 50 percent of its head; our eyes take up about 5 percent of our head. To be comparable to a bird’s eyes, the eyes of a human being would have to be the size of baseballs.

No Tea

The newsletter in the previous post was from a few days ago. This one was today. Actually I like to drink tea but not in this context. I still think it's hilarious they named their movement what they did. The visuals!


The TNDP invites you to a FUN event in Nashville this Thursday to celebrate our hope for Tennessee's future.

Unlike another event that night which costs $549, THIS PARTY IS FREE ! (Cash bar)

PLEASE JOIN US, and our Fired-up Speakers, for anything BUT tea with Like-Minded Progressives

TNDP

This is from the newsletter I get from the TN Democratic Party. Thought some of you would be interested in this. You might not realize that the Tea Party Nation is holding a convention in Nashville next weekend. That's all we need - Sarah Palin and other misguided wingnuts in town.

Nashville Tea Party convention falling apart

Two of the convention's scheduled speakers, Republican Congresswomen Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, have bailed out of the Feb. 4-6 event. Both claimed the House Ethics Committee advised them against attending the convention, organized by the for-profit entity Tea Party Nation. Most Tea Party activists claim they are part of a grassroots movement advocating less government. Multiple media reports have linked the movement, however, to vested corporate interests and prominent Republicans like former Congressman Dick Armey of Texas, who has lobbied on behalf of some of the biggest corporations in America. Tea Party Nation is led by Franklin attorney Judson Phillips, who has reportedly had past financial problems including a bankruptcy and federal tax liens. It appears the Tea Party movement has been duped by a bunch of greedy and extremely partisan Republicans trying to co-opt the movement and use it to feather their own nests and fund their deceitful campaigns. Most Republicans, including Bachmann and Blackburn, supported the very measures of the previous White House administration that got us in this economic mess in the first place. In fact, we went from record budget surpluses during the Clinton and Gore administration to record deficits under the Bush and Cheney administration. Phillips and his organization have been criticized about the event's $549 ticket prices and limited media access, as well as a reported $100,000 speaking fee for the keynote speaker, former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Palin has indicated she plans to attend despite Blackburn and Bachmann's abrupt pull outs, as well as that of several sponsors.

Used to Buy These for My Son

In 1966, Elliot Handler, one of the cofounders of Mattel, was also the inventor of Hot Wheels". The innovative gravity-powered car had special low-friction styrene wheels. Tiny Hot Wheels’ vehicles have been clocked at speeds of up to 300 miles per hour.

Not Sure What to Think About This

Does marriage stink? A Swiss study found that a majority of women unconsciously choose mates with a body odor that differs from their own natural scents, which, as a result, ensures better immune protection for their children. Longevity magazine reported that the genes that battle disease-provoking substances also influence body odor.

Now We Know Reasons

The largest cell in the human body is the female ovum, or egg cell. It is about 1/180 inch in diameter. The smallest cell in the human body is the male sperm. It takes about 175,000 sperm cells to weigh as much as a single egg cell. Hence, even in the beginning, women have more substance than men.