I'm a big fan of "Stuff Christians Like", a blog that started some years back, written by a Christ Follower named Jon Acuff who thinks a little outside of the box, is full of humor and can write a wicked serious column when he needs too... perhaps one day I can achieve his success and though we have slightly different writing styles, I would be more likely to adapt to his than he to mine. (he's also written a book which you can find here)
Let's be honest... I'm actually hoping that one day I will write something that someone else will read and post on their own site saying something like, "I read 'Clouds' alot, and its awesome and here's today's post which is awesome and d$ is awesome and awesome awesome awesome..." That would be awesome. Enough self-ego inflating...
Anyway, one particular post caught my attention, and I will copy and paste it here for your reading, though I want to be quick to point out that I didn't write it, add to or detract from it, and if you follow the above links you'll find not only this same column but his stellar site. You can also find it amongst the blogroll on the right side. I guess its also worthy of noting that Acuff didn't actually write this either, its just posted on his site (as I did on mine) from columnist blogger Rachel Held Evans.
Jon Acuff posts/Rachel Evans writes:
"SECRETLY BEING A LIBERAL"
(I don’t write about politics that often because it’s not a topic I can write about very well. There are so many good political blogs that I tend to avoid it. Plus, political comments usually get really ugly, really quickly. But my friend Rachel is going to change that. Today, she checks in with a funny look at the secret life of Christian liberals. Enjoy.)
Last month, Jon Acuff wrote a piece for CNN.com about Christians treating secular media like Satan’s newspaper. A faithful reader of both SCL and The New York Times, I laughed along until about midway through the article when Jon joked that Christians are “pretty sure Fox News is baptizing people in their lobby,” at which point I completely lost my sense of humor.
It is an unspoken rule among liberals that only one Jon is allowed to make us laugh about Fox News—and it’s Stewart, not Acuff. But how was Jon supposed to know? He’s an evangelical Christian, which means he is statistically obligated to have only one liberal friend.
So as a Christian and an occasional democrat…(yes, we do exist)…I’ve decided to be that friend, offering SCL a brief list of stuff liberal progressive Christians like:
1. Calling ourselves “progressive” instead of “liberal’
The word liberal (like evolution and sex) carries with it negative connotations in the Christian subculture, and is often used in the context of play-by-play accounts from a pastors or Sunday school teachers about the dangers of competitive slippery slope sliding. Progressive is better. People like Jesus and Donald Miller are considered progressive. Progressive communicates the fact that we’re not headed down, but forward…and just a little to the left.
2. Assuming our daily fair-trade latte from Starbucks makes us committed to social justice
I may drive a gas-guzzling clunker to Wal-mart to buy a trunk full of out-of season fruit, but I’m certain that the steam pouring off of my free trade Cinnamon Dolce Latte is a sweet aroma to God.
3. Agreeing with the Democratic Party on everything except abortion
I am one of many progressive Christians in the unhappy predicament of supporting things like health care reform and environmental stewardship, while remaining steadfastly pro-life. To compensate for our insecurity about this situation, we progressives like to try to one-up conservative pro-lifers by noting that we’re also against the death penalty and war. This does little to actually advance the conversation, which usually ends with people yelling at one another about who is being more judgmental. Sorry about that.
4. NPR
To borrow a metaphor from a friend, we progressives are pretty sure that Ira Glass is mystically distributing the Eucharist through the airwaves during “This American Life.”
So, what would you add to the list? What else do progressive Christians like? (Conservatives, please don’t say “going to hell,” as it kinda hurts our feelings and messes with the whole Christian unity thing.)
(Rachel Held Evans is a liberal progressive Christian from Dayton, Tennessee, home of the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925. Her first book, “Evolving in Monkey Town” officially releases with Zondervan in July, but is currently available on Amazon. She blogs at rachelheldevans.com.)
I did scan the comments, and found one in particular to be of interest, and by interest, I mean hilarious... "Justin" writes:
I'm somewhat more conservative than liberal, although I certainly listen to NPR (except Ira Glass, his voice is like a freshman at a college radio station) and am sick of the culture war politics and right-wing talk radio is only rivaled in annoyingness by Sojo ;)
Still, here's a few things I noticed Liberal Evangelicals like (and I like some of these too, I'll happily admit).
- Saying "God is not a Republican," conceding to add "nor a Democrat" if pushed.
- Begrudgingly admitting that Bush did a stellar job with his AIDS initiatives in Africa.
- Jim Wallis
- Watching Fox News, Complaining about Fox News
- Derek Webb
- Social Justice, endlessly arguing about exactly what "Social Justice" is.
- Begrudgingly admitting that Rick Warren's got a good sense of missions and social justice
- Thinking about being Catholic up until the point they talk about celibacy and birth control.
- Billy Graham (because he's a Democrat, and he seems to like all the Presidents equally)
- Portraying Mormon Glen Beck, Catholic Sean Hannity, and lapsed mainliner Rush Limbaugh as representatives of conservative Evangelicalism.
- Bono
- Francis Collins (me, too -- he rocks! Yay for Obama for nominating him.)
Okay, back to me again... hope you enjoyed it, and if you find your way to this site, Mr. Acuff, I hope its alright that I posted, giving you full credit...
Showing posts with label Dubya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dubya. Show all posts
Friday, July 23, 2010
Friday, November 13, 2009
Live From Destin
Coming to you from the home of Mike & Susie Fitzharris, with Susie being one of the Lovely Steph Leann's high school Besties. We had to come down to Pensacola for The Lovely Steph Leann's job, as they send her down to the Pensacola location of her work once per month to do some work. All I can say is, she's good at her job.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll have more to report this weekend from our coupla'days away--which we just don't get many of, unless we're going to Disney World. Even then, we take people with us, so seldom is it just us.
But for now... here's some book stuff for you...
Three Books I Am Going To Read in a Row:
The story is, one day a town is suddenly cut off from the rest of the world by a huge dome that sets down over a small Maine town. And chaos ensues. Can't wait.
Actually, I'll probably wait until I can get this on audio. Hopefully, it will be read by the author. That, I can dig.
Palin also writes harshly of CBS anchor Katie Couric, whom she describes as "badgering" and biased. Palin's series of interviews with Couric were widely regarded as disastrous, leaving the impression of an ill-informed candidate who was unsuited for the job.
And, just a note on CNN, here's why they suck. Last night, Carrie Prejean was on Larry King Live, and when Larry asked her a legitimate question about her past, she said, "That's very inappropriate, Larry." They had a rough exchange, and she came off looking like an idiot. Which she might be--listen, I supported her at the beginning through the whole pageant mess, but now she's just annoying--she came off looking stupid and like a moron. And what did CNN do? They flash a graphic on the screen that says, "PREJEAN ON SARAH PALIN: I THINK SHE'D MAKE A GREAT PRESIDENT". Really, CNN? Was there a need for that? That, CNN'ers, is why you are continually in last place in the news network races.
By the way, on a random note, did anyone else completely miss the fact that Hurricane Ida came through already? I asked The Lovely Steph Leann a few days ago about Ida, and if it would impede our journey to the Florida Panhandle, and she said, "No." And then today, she mentioned how it rained for about 28 straight hours the other day--that was Ida. Had no clue. I was still thinking it was in the Gulf somewhere. I blame George W. Bush.
And finally, here's one I just finished. "Native Tongue" by Carl Hiaasen doesn't deviate, plot set-up anyway, from most of his other books. Hiaasen has lots of colorful characters he spreads out through the book, and you know somehow, someway, they are all going to cross paths at one point or another in a crucial plot point. And, like just about all of his other books (might be all of them--I have only read four), the story takes place in Florida.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll have more to report this weekend from our coupla'days away--which we just don't get many of, unless we're going to Disney World. Even then, we take people with us, so seldom is it just us.
But for now... here's some book stuff for you...
Three Books I Am Going To Read in a Row:
This is "The Big Book of Basketball" by Bill Simmons, also known as ESPN's The Sports Guy. I read his first one several years ago, that being "Now I Can Die In Peace: How the Sports Guy Found Salvation Thanks to the World Champion Red Sox"... I've got the hardcover, and I'm probably going to get the paperback, because its updated.
By the way, I love trade paperbacks. They are a little larger than regular paperbacks, they look good, and they aren't nearly as bulky as hardbacks. Many of the books I buy, especially by Stephen King, are in trade... but some books I want to read now.
And speaking of Stephen King, here's his latest, called "Under the Dome". This book looks fascinating, and apparently, some people are relating it to "The Simpsons Movie", with the whole dome-on-town concept. I mentioned this book to my friend MZ, and thats exactly what she said... "That sounds like 'The Simpsons Movie'!" I had to tell her that King had been writing this book off and on for over 30 years.
The story is, one day a town is suddenly cut off from the rest of the world by a huge dome that sets down over a small Maine town. And chaos ensues. Can't wait.Actually ordered this and above book on Amazon.com for $25.50. "The Big Book of Basketball" was $16.50 and the new King novel was $9 with a pre-order, which I did. Spend $25 and get free shipping. Of course, the downside to free shipping is that you have to wait forever to get the book--mine is due for delivery on November 17th.
Here comes Sarah Palin. I love Sarah Palin. Don't care what you say, I think she's smarter than most of the Republicans that are out there today, and those of you who say, "She's crazy!" just haven't been paying attention--or paying too much attention to CNN and Obama-TV MSNBC. And I'll end up reading her biography, "Going Rogue". And I'll probably enjoy it.
Actually, I'll probably wait until I can get this on audio. Hopefully, it will be read by the author. That, I can dig.According to an article on Fox News Online:
In Palin's "Going Rogue," Palin confirms reports of tension between her aides and those of the 2008 Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain. The vice presidential candidate confirms that she had wanted to speak on election night, but was denied the chance and says she was kept "bottled up" from reporters during the campaign.
Palin also writes harshly of CBS anchor Katie Couric, whom she describes as "badgering" and biased. Palin's series of interviews with Couric were widely regarded as disastrous, leaving the impression of an ill-informed candidate who was unsuited for the job.
And, just a note on CNN, here's why they suck. Last night, Carrie Prejean was on Larry King Live, and when Larry asked her a legitimate question about her past, she said, "That's very inappropriate, Larry." They had a rough exchange, and she came off looking like an idiot. Which she might be--listen, I supported her at the beginning through the whole pageant mess, but now she's just annoying--she came off looking stupid and like a moron. And what did CNN do? They flash a graphic on the screen that says, "PREJEAN ON SARAH PALIN: I THINK SHE'D MAKE A GREAT PRESIDENT". Really, CNN? Was there a need for that? That, CNN'ers, is why you are continually in last place in the news network races.
By the way, on a random note, did anyone else completely miss the fact that Hurricane Ida came through already? I asked The Lovely Steph Leann a few days ago about Ida, and if it would impede our journey to the Florida Panhandle, and she said, "No." And then today, she mentioned how it rained for about 28 straight hours the other day--that was Ida. Had no clue. I was still thinking it was in the Gulf somewhere. I blame George W. Bush.
And finally, here's one I just finished. "Native Tongue" by Carl Hiaasen doesn't deviate, plot set-up anyway, from most of his other books. Hiaasen has lots of colorful characters he spreads out through the book, and you know somehow, someway, they are all going to cross paths at one point or another in a crucial plot point. And, like just about all of his other books (might be all of them--I have only read four), the story takes place in Florida.This one actually takes place close to Key Largo, at a Disney rip-off called The Amazing Kingdom of Thrills, and it involves steroid taking security guards, gun shooting baboons, mafia witnesses, mob hits, a professional golfer, a chick who plays Robby Raccoon, a former governor of Florida living in the woods wearing a panther tracking color, a chick who writes poetry for a phone sex line, and a protagonist who was hired because he writes great press releases. Oh, and it centers around two rat-like creatures who may or may not be extinct, stolen by two burglers who may or may not be complete fools. The book is funny, its fast paced, it does have lots of language, and was a breezy read.
Alright, that's all I got for tonight. Time to get The Lovely Steph to bed--she's snoozing on the couch, otherwise I'm pretty sure that Jimmy Kimmel Live wouldn't be on. Not that I don't like Kimmel, but she has the remote. She's sleeping on it.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
My Lesley Foley Impersonation (Reunion II)
One of the best (or worst, depending on who you are) parts about a class reunion, be it five, ten, fifteen or beyond, is seeing people that you hadn't seen in a long, long time. Friends you had, chicks you crushed on, people you didn't care for (but can't remember quite why), people you just knew and were used to seeing every day for years and years and suddenly, strangely, they are completely out of your life in every way possible.
When it comes to my own reunion back in 2002, for my 10th year anniversary of the Class of 1993, I saw some faces I welcomed like Chris McCall, Tonya Windham, Greg Avant, Stephanie Phillips, Tammy Thomas... now, with the except of Greg, I can keep up with them via Facebook. Some people, like my 4th grade crush Misty Kimble, I haven't actually seen since we walked off the football field around 8:30pm graduation night.
I think anyone who had been to a high school reunion will relate to some of this... just like The Lovely Steph Leann and DeLisa, who were attending their 15th anniversary of the Baker High School (Mobile, AL) Class of 1994.
After the treasure hunting that DeNick and I went on Saturday morning, as reported in my previous post, we all met back at the house for lunch at Baudean's Seafood. After lunch, I took a short nap, The Lovely Steph Leann took an unfortunately-for-her shorter nap, and DeLisa and DeNick did stuff there at DeLisa's DeParents house. He probably went fishing for a little while, and she just took it easy, being what, four months pregnant or something.
Around 445p or so, we were ready to leave. I won't be revealing any espionage type secrets in saying that DeNick wasn't thrilled about going, as he could care less about going to his own reunion, while I had mixed feelings about it myself. A whole room of people I had never seen nor heard of, in a class large enough to have people that DeLisa and The Lovely Steph Leann, actual members of this class, had never met or heard of.
Yours Truly and The Lovely Steph Leann at her high school reunion. Gosh, we're cute.
But, DeNick is a loving husband and supportive of his wonderful wife, who actually helped put it together, and was going for her. I had dragged The Close Friend Steph Campbell to my aforementioned reunion years and years ago, and like DeNick, was willing to support my wife in her ventures, so away the four of us went.
The reunion was held at The Blue Gill Restaurant over in nearby Spanish Fort, out on the patio. While DeLisa had scrounged around for her 1994 Senior Yearbook, "The Novis", The Lovely Steph Leann had dug in the archives to find a ton of pictures, spirit ribbons, buttons and all sorts of nostalgic memorabilia. We walked through the restaurant to find a girl named Lynn Sprouse (now Kilgore), who quickly became one of my favorites of the night. It seemed that DeLisa and Lynn were part of a larger committee to help plan this shindig, but over time, it became ONLY DeLisa and Lynn planning this shindig, so while friendly enough, Lynn was quick to point out the failings of some other people. And it made me laugh.
DeNick's expression tells of his joy at being at a high school reunion
We spread the memory junk on the table for all to see, along with a guest book for people to write their current information, plus a space to put "feedback for a possible 20th year reunion". To this, I later looked and found someone had simply written "yes".
The food was heavy hors d'oeurvres, which was veggies, chicken fingers and peel-n-eat shrimp. DeLisa had mentioned this earlier, so I was fairly excited because I'm not talented in very many areas, but one thing I can do very well is eat shrimp. Imagine my disappointment when a tray was brought out full of shrimp, covered in what looked like cajun spices. I am NOT a spice person... enough spice to make a young Dakota Fanning go, "Hmm, that is a little spicy" is probably enough to make me say, "Holy crap, that's friggin' hot!"
DeNick and I sat and chatted for a few, while The Lovely Steph Leann and DeLisa began making rounds with people as the Class of 94 slowly trickled in. We eventually ventured out of the patio, down a ramp and to the backside where a small boat and an air boat sat floating in dirty water next to the dock. We walked around for a moment, then shrugged and walked back to the covered patio with everyone.
The patio was really divided into two parts, the first under the cover was the reunion party, with a small bar in the corner and chick bartenders that looked barely old enough to drive, much less serve alcohol. There was a rope splitting the patio, with the other side being an open dining area for the regular patrons, and a small stage where a band called... "The DTs"? "The Deets"?... played. If you or your husband is 30+ and feels the need to play guitar on the weekends with some other dudes and sing cover songs at a bar for tips, then you could have been in the DTs. First song they played? "Hard to Handle" by The Black Crowes.
DeLisa was having trouble with the laptop she brought, as it was supposed to loop a long video showing high school pictures and such, so DeNick saved the day and got it working. Meanwhile, I sat at the table, free Coke in hand (soft drinks were free, beer was $3 a pop, mixed drinks were at least $5), when I looked over and saw The Lovely Steph Leann's camera. I looked around and saw her talking to someone I obviously didn't know, so I opened up her camera case and took a few shots. I put the camera strap around my neck, and took a few more.
And thus, it began.
Somehow, over the course of the evening, I unofficially became the official photographer. Heck, it occupied my time and kept me busy. I would take candid shots of people at tables, snapshots of people looking at the memorabilia, the food, the bar, the ramp to the dock which somehow became the smoker's paradise cancer ward of the reunion, people drinking, people hugging, people dancing and everything in between. I had on a name tag that said "d$" in large print, and under it, it said (The Lovely Stephanie Campbell), so everyone who know who I belonged to, so I didn't think anything about it.
That is, until DeLisa came up to me and told me people were asking about my photography. Nervous that perhaps I had invaded someone's space, I asked what she was talking about, and DeLisa laughed that some people thought that perhaps I was hired for the night, and many were wondering when and how they would get to see all the pictures I was taking. I kinda smiled, a little bewildered and... well, just kept on taking pictures.
Lynn came to me and asked me about a group shot, and if we should do it in the band's next break, or wait a little longer for more people to arrive (by now it was a good 90 minutes or more into the festivities).
"Well, I would do it the next band break. Most people are here already, and those who aren't should be--their loss. The big problem is, if you wait much later, you're going to lose people who will start leaving early." She asked me, as if I was a professional photographer, where we should take it. Really, I had no clue which area would be the best--do we take it with the sunset in the background, but run the risk of it washing out the faces? Or do we move it to the other side, and run the risk of being too dark? I mean, who am I, Lesley Foley of Lesley Foley Photography? Finally, I pointed out a clear area next to the railing, by the bar. "Move that table, and everyone can gather there."
The band took a break, and Lynn and I started gathering people up. We herded everyone together, and though significant others and spouses all had cameras ready to take group pictures, I stood atop a bar stool with the camera. DeNick and I shouted out instructions... "move in a little more!"... "you, in the blue shirt, move over a little bit"... "need the front row to kneel a little bit!"... "I'm going to take three pictures, starting on the count of three!"
Somehow, it worked.
The Baker High School Class of 1994... or some of them, anyway...
Later in the evening, I sat down for a small plate of cold chicken fingers and lukewarm ranch dressing, and not too long after, was Baker Class of 94 member Cameron Lee joining me, with his pretty--and very pregnant wife--Amanda (I think?). Cameron asked me, "You done taking pictures already?"
"Nah, I'll probably take a few more. Just taking them for my wife, figured she's too busy to do it." I replied.
"Well," Cameron said, "I call your bluff on that one. You've been busy with that camera all night. Aren't you a photographer?"
"Ha!" I laughed. "I mean, who am I, Lesley Foley of Foley Photography, serving the Florida Panhandle and Southern Alabama, contact 850-543-7407? No, I'm just taking them for my wife The Lovely Steph Leann."
We chatted for a little while longer, then I got up and did what I was doing best for the evening--took more pictures. I was in line getting The Lovely Steph Leann a drink, and two girls turned around and said, "Oh, get our picture!", so I took it. This sort of happened all evening, as I would lift the camera, some, if not all, of my intended targets would pose, or smile or whatever.
The Lovely Steph Leann, DeLisa and a few others laugh up the old days.
Met a guy named Shannon, later, as he talked to The Lovely Steph Leann. They were friends in high school, along with a chick named Tina, and I guess another girl named Raina, and Shannon told me he thought I was the photographer, and was surprised to find I was merely Stephanie's husband.
This chick gets the award for "Most Perky Beer Koozy of the Night"
Now, while all the photo-snapping was going on, lest you think I abandoned DeNick. Quite the opposite, actually... he was my go-to guy for one liners and cracks. We had developed a habit of observing people as they came in, and going to the yearbook and seeing how much they changed... the following is a few things we observed over the course of the night:
"Those aren't real."
"I checked her photo. She's pretty hot now, especially since she got her eyebrows under control."
"Time has not been good to him."
"Time has not been good to her."
"Wow... time has been that guy's friend, I think."
"Dude, time has been very, very good to her."
And my favorite exchange of the night:
DeNick: That chick's top... not many people can do a top like that, but she managed to pull it off.
Me: I'm sure a few more beers and thats exactly what she'll do
DeNick (leaning over, trying not to choke on his $3 brew)
A few more observations from the night...
**Christy Turner gets the "Most Improved Award", tied with Ashley Sossaman. Both went from cute in their yearbook pics to hot 15 years later.
**At least at the beginning, the group covered the room like this... the really attractive girls and guys were over on one side in a huddle. The not quite as attractive girls and guys were on the other side. The black couple sat alone at a table. Ahhh, just like high school.
**The lone black couple were very, very nice. They sat for the entire evening, just enjoying the food and conversing with whoever sat down with them for however long they were sitting, but they were really great to talk to.
**Talked to one girl--and I'll be vague--and she was telling me, "See this chick walking in right now? Let me tell you..." and she proceeded to tell me some of the unnice things that had happened. When the offending chick walked in, she and the girl hugged tightly, squealed each others names, and hugged again. When offensive chick walked away, the girl came back to me, and said, "...like I was saying...". I don't get you women.
**I was trying to take a picture through the crowd of a chick named Shelly. I had the perfect shot, and right as I snapped the button, she picked her fork up with a big chunk of food on it. The flash went off, she looked up and gave me the stink eye. I held my hands up and mouthed "sorry!" No more pictures of Shelly for the night.
**As in most reunions, there is at least one that didn't make it for other reasons than "didn't want to come". Such was the case with Chris Mason, who apparently lost his life in military service. They had a small table set up with his picture, a letter from Dubya and some other small items. Made me smile when DeNick looked at it, had a disgusted look on his face, then picked up an empty beer bottle from sitting on the table. "They can leave it next to the cake, but don't leave your trash on this table. That's not right."
**Random observation... no matter the length of time, sometimes bitterness doesn't die. Just sayin'.
**There was one guy not in the Class of 94 that made me grab DeNick and say, "Check this out! Ron Jeremy is here!" He wasn't Ron Jeremy, but he had a 70s porn fro' and a great 70s porn 'stache if I ever saw one... not that I really ever have, mind you, but the stereotype is there for a reason.
This pic doesn't do it justice.
We were set to leave, it was late, most had already gone and as we meandered out the door, I had a few people ask me how to find the pictures. I told them they needed to be The Lovely Steph Leann's friend on Facebook.
Mandy Blansett sat on a bench near the front of the restaurant, and as we were working our way through, she said, "Thank you for taking pictures tonight!" I had already been hugged for such activities by a girl named Raina, who was very pleased to also have met me, though I cannot remember at any time talking to her before she hugged me. I smiled at Mandy and said, "You're welcome. It was fun."
"How much are they paying you?" she asked.
I looked at The Lovely Steph Leann, who just smiled. "They didn't pay me," I replied. "I'm just taking pictures for Stephanie, because she was too busy to do it."
"Really? Wow! I thought surely they had hired someone like you to do it!"
"I mean, who am I, Lesley Foley of Foley Photography, who's website can be found here?" I asked. "Nope, just taking some pictures at will."
Then a discussion opened up between Mandy and The Lovely Steph Leann, who is a Creative Memories Consultant and can be found here online.
So that's the Baker High School Class of 94 Reunion in a nutshell. Met some fun people that won't remember me tomorrow, took some pictures, ate some cold chicken fingers and had a great weekend with The Lovely Steph Leann, hanging out with DeNick and DeLisa... two truly wonderful people that we don't see enough of.
FYI... Lesley Foley is a friend of The Lovely Steph Leann and DeLisa, and by extension, a friend of mine and DeNick's, and runs a very successful photography business, and I joked about how I was afraid for Lesley to see my pictures as I am not a good photographer, nor do I use a Nikon... so I thought I would throw some shout-outs to her and her business for fun. If you are in the panhandle, check her site out--she's pretty good.
Lesley the Photographer
FYII... If you are on Facebook and reading this, search "Clouds in My Coffee" and join the fanpage. I'm on my way to 100, and I want to see how many people I can get before The Lovely Steph Leann actually joins. DeLisa is a member, as is Lesley Foley of Foley Photography, which you can email at lesley@foleyphotography.com... and if you email her at the site, make sure you answer the question "how did you find me?" with "I had some dreams, they were Clouds In My Coffee, Clouds In My Coffee..." My advice is to stop the song there, though. Keep going and she might not call you back.
When it comes to my own reunion back in 2002, for my 10th year anniversary of the Class of 1993, I saw some faces I welcomed like Chris McCall, Tonya Windham, Greg Avant, Stephanie Phillips, Tammy Thomas... now, with the except of Greg, I can keep up with them via Facebook. Some people, like my 4th grade crush Misty Kimble, I haven't actually seen since we walked off the football field around 8:30pm graduation night.
I think anyone who had been to a high school reunion will relate to some of this... just like The Lovely Steph Leann and DeLisa, who were attending their 15th anniversary of the Baker High School (Mobile, AL) Class of 1994.
After the treasure hunting that DeNick and I went on Saturday morning, as reported in my previous post, we all met back at the house for lunch at Baudean's Seafood. After lunch, I took a short nap, The Lovely Steph Leann took an unfortunately-for-her shorter nap, and DeLisa and DeNick did stuff there at DeLisa's DeParents house. He probably went fishing for a little while, and she just took it easy, being what, four months pregnant or something.
Around 445p or so, we were ready to leave. I won't be revealing any espionage type secrets in saying that DeNick wasn't thrilled about going, as he could care less about going to his own reunion, while I had mixed feelings about it myself. A whole room of people I had never seen nor heard of, in a class large enough to have people that DeLisa and The Lovely Steph Leann, actual members of this class, had never met or heard of.
Yours Truly and The Lovely Steph Leann at her high school reunion. Gosh, we're cute.
But, DeNick is a loving husband and supportive of his wonderful wife, who actually helped put it together, and was going for her. I had dragged The Close Friend Steph Campbell to my aforementioned reunion years and years ago, and like DeNick, was willing to support my wife in her ventures, so away the four of us went.
The reunion was held at The Blue Gill Restaurant over in nearby Spanish Fort, out on the patio. While DeLisa had scrounged around for her 1994 Senior Yearbook, "The Novis", The Lovely Steph Leann had dug in the archives to find a ton of pictures, spirit ribbons, buttons and all sorts of nostalgic memorabilia. We walked through the restaurant to find a girl named Lynn Sprouse (now Kilgore), who quickly became one of my favorites of the night. It seemed that DeLisa and Lynn were part of a larger committee to help plan this shindig, but over time, it became ONLY DeLisa and Lynn planning this shindig, so while friendly enough, Lynn was quick to point out the failings of some other people. And it made me laugh.
DeNick's expression tells of his joy at being at a high school reunion
We spread the memory junk on the table for all to see, along with a guest book for people to write their current information, plus a space to put "feedback for a possible 20th year reunion". To this, I later looked and found someone had simply written "yes".
The food was heavy hors d'oeurvres, which was veggies, chicken fingers and peel-n-eat shrimp. DeLisa had mentioned this earlier, so I was fairly excited because I'm not talented in very many areas, but one thing I can do very well is eat shrimp. Imagine my disappointment when a tray was brought out full of shrimp, covered in what looked like cajun spices. I am NOT a spice person... enough spice to make a young Dakota Fanning go, "Hmm, that is a little spicy" is probably enough to make me say, "Holy crap, that's friggin' hot!"
DeNick and I sat and chatted for a few, while The Lovely Steph Leann and DeLisa began making rounds with people as the Class of 94 slowly trickled in. We eventually ventured out of the patio, down a ramp and to the backside where a small boat and an air boat sat floating in dirty water next to the dock. We walked around for a moment, then shrugged and walked back to the covered patio with everyone.
The patio was really divided into two parts, the first under the cover was the reunion party, with a small bar in the corner and chick bartenders that looked barely old enough to drive, much less serve alcohol. There was a rope splitting the patio, with the other side being an open dining area for the regular patrons, and a small stage where a band called... "The DTs"? "The Deets"?... played. If you or your husband is 30+ and feels the need to play guitar on the weekends with some other dudes and sing cover songs at a bar for tips, then you could have been in the DTs. First song they played? "Hard to Handle" by The Black Crowes.
DeLisa was having trouble with the laptop she brought, as it was supposed to loop a long video showing high school pictures and such, so DeNick saved the day and got it working. Meanwhile, I sat at the table, free Coke in hand (soft drinks were free, beer was $3 a pop, mixed drinks were at least $5), when I looked over and saw The Lovely Steph Leann's camera. I looked around and saw her talking to someone I obviously didn't know, so I opened up her camera case and took a few shots. I put the camera strap around my neck, and took a few more.
And thus, it began.
Somehow, over the course of the evening, I unofficially became the official photographer. Heck, it occupied my time and kept me busy. I would take candid shots of people at tables, snapshots of people looking at the memorabilia, the food, the bar, the ramp to the dock which somehow became the smoker's paradise cancer ward of the reunion, people drinking, people hugging, people dancing and everything in between. I had on a name tag that said "d$" in large print, and under it, it said (The Lovely Stephanie Campbell), so everyone who know who I belonged to, so I didn't think anything about it.
That is, until DeLisa came up to me and told me people were asking about my photography. Nervous that perhaps I had invaded someone's space, I asked what she was talking about, and DeLisa laughed that some people thought that perhaps I was hired for the night, and many were wondering when and how they would get to see all the pictures I was taking. I kinda smiled, a little bewildered and... well, just kept on taking pictures.
Lynn came to me and asked me about a group shot, and if we should do it in the band's next break, or wait a little longer for more people to arrive (by now it was a good 90 minutes or more into the festivities).
"Well, I would do it the next band break. Most people are here already, and those who aren't should be--their loss. The big problem is, if you wait much later, you're going to lose people who will start leaving early." She asked me, as if I was a professional photographer, where we should take it. Really, I had no clue which area would be the best--do we take it with the sunset in the background, but run the risk of it washing out the faces? Or do we move it to the other side, and run the risk of being too dark? I mean, who am I, Lesley Foley of Lesley Foley Photography? Finally, I pointed out a clear area next to the railing, by the bar. "Move that table, and everyone can gather there."
The band took a break, and Lynn and I started gathering people up. We herded everyone together, and though significant others and spouses all had cameras ready to take group pictures, I stood atop a bar stool with the camera. DeNick and I shouted out instructions... "move in a little more!"... "you, in the blue shirt, move over a little bit"... "need the front row to kneel a little bit!"... "I'm going to take three pictures, starting on the count of three!"
Somehow, it worked.
The Baker High School Class of 1994... or some of them, anyway...
Later in the evening, I sat down for a small plate of cold chicken fingers and lukewarm ranch dressing, and not too long after, was Baker Class of 94 member Cameron Lee joining me, with his pretty--and very pregnant wife--Amanda (I think?). Cameron asked me, "You done taking pictures already?"
"Nah, I'll probably take a few more. Just taking them for my wife, figured she's too busy to do it." I replied.
"Well," Cameron said, "I call your bluff on that one. You've been busy with that camera all night. Aren't you a photographer?"
"Ha!" I laughed. "I mean, who am I, Lesley Foley of Foley Photography, serving the Florida Panhandle and Southern Alabama, contact 850-543-7407? No, I'm just taking them for my wife The Lovely Steph Leann."
We chatted for a little while longer, then I got up and did what I was doing best for the evening--took more pictures. I was in line getting The Lovely Steph Leann a drink, and two girls turned around and said, "Oh, get our picture!", so I took it. This sort of happened all evening, as I would lift the camera, some, if not all, of my intended targets would pose, or smile or whatever.
The Lovely Steph Leann, DeLisa and a few others laugh up the old days.
Met a guy named Shannon, later, as he talked to The Lovely Steph Leann. They were friends in high school, along with a chick named Tina, and I guess another girl named Raina, and Shannon told me he thought I was the photographer, and was surprised to find I was merely Stephanie's husband.
This chick gets the award for "Most Perky Beer Koozy of the Night"
Now, while all the photo-snapping was going on, lest you think I abandoned DeNick. Quite the opposite, actually... he was my go-to guy for one liners and cracks. We had developed a habit of observing people as they came in, and going to the yearbook and seeing how much they changed... the following is a few things we observed over the course of the night:
"Those aren't real."
"I checked her photo. She's pretty hot now, especially since she got her eyebrows under control."
"Time has not been good to him."
"Time has not been good to her."
"Wow... time has been that guy's friend, I think."
"Dude, time has been very, very good to her."
And my favorite exchange of the night:
DeNick: That chick's top... not many people can do a top like that, but she managed to pull it off.
Me: I'm sure a few more beers and thats exactly what she'll do
DeNick (leaning over, trying not to choke on his $3 brew)
A few more observations from the night...
**Christy Turner gets the "Most Improved Award", tied with Ashley Sossaman. Both went from cute in their yearbook pics to hot 15 years later.
**At least at the beginning, the group covered the room like this... the really attractive girls and guys were over on one side in a huddle. The not quite as attractive girls and guys were on the other side. The black couple sat alone at a table. Ahhh, just like high school.
**The lone black couple were very, very nice. They sat for the entire evening, just enjoying the food and conversing with whoever sat down with them for however long they were sitting, but they were really great to talk to.
**Talked to one girl--and I'll be vague--and she was telling me, "See this chick walking in right now? Let me tell you..." and she proceeded to tell me some of the unnice things that had happened. When the offending chick walked in, she and the girl hugged tightly, squealed each others names, and hugged again. When offensive chick walked away, the girl came back to me, and said, "...like I was saying...". I don't get you women.
**I was trying to take a picture through the crowd of a chick named Shelly. I had the perfect shot, and right as I snapped the button, she picked her fork up with a big chunk of food on it. The flash went off, she looked up and gave me the stink eye. I held my hands up and mouthed "sorry!" No more pictures of Shelly for the night.
**As in most reunions, there is at least one that didn't make it for other reasons than "didn't want to come". Such was the case with Chris Mason, who apparently lost his life in military service. They had a small table set up with his picture, a letter from Dubya and some other small items. Made me smile when DeNick looked at it, had a disgusted look on his face, then picked up an empty beer bottle from sitting on the table. "They can leave it next to the cake, but don't leave your trash on this table. That's not right."
**Random observation... no matter the length of time, sometimes bitterness doesn't die. Just sayin'.
**There was one guy not in the Class of 94 that made me grab DeNick and say, "Check this out! Ron Jeremy is here!" He wasn't Ron Jeremy, but he had a 70s porn fro' and a great 70s porn 'stache if I ever saw one... not that I really ever have, mind you, but the stereotype is there for a reason.
This pic doesn't do it justice.
We were set to leave, it was late, most had already gone and as we meandered out the door, I had a few people ask me how to find the pictures. I told them they needed to be The Lovely Steph Leann's friend on Facebook.
Mandy Blansett sat on a bench near the front of the restaurant, and as we were working our way through, she said, "Thank you for taking pictures tonight!" I had already been hugged for such activities by a girl named Raina, who was very pleased to also have met me, though I cannot remember at any time talking to her before she hugged me. I smiled at Mandy and said, "You're welcome. It was fun."
"How much are they paying you?" she asked.
I looked at The Lovely Steph Leann, who just smiled. "They didn't pay me," I replied. "I'm just taking pictures for Stephanie, because she was too busy to do it."
"Really? Wow! I thought surely they had hired someone like you to do it!"
"I mean, who am I, Lesley Foley of Foley Photography, who's website can be found here?" I asked. "Nope, just taking some pictures at will."
Then a discussion opened up between Mandy and The Lovely Steph Leann, who is a Creative Memories Consultant and can be found here online.
So that's the Baker High School Class of 94 Reunion in a nutshell. Met some fun people that won't remember me tomorrow, took some pictures, ate some cold chicken fingers and had a great weekend with The Lovely Steph Leann, hanging out with DeNick and DeLisa... two truly wonderful people that we don't see enough of.
FYI... Lesley Foley is a friend of The Lovely Steph Leann and DeLisa, and by extension, a friend of mine and DeNick's, and runs a very successful photography business, and I joked about how I was afraid for Lesley to see my pictures as I am not a good photographer, nor do I use a Nikon... so I thought I would throw some shout-outs to her and her business for fun. If you are in the panhandle, check her site out--she's pretty good.
Lesley the Photographer
FYII... If you are on Facebook and reading this, search "Clouds in My Coffee" and join the fanpage. I'm on my way to 100, and I want to see how many people I can get before The Lovely Steph Leann actually joins. DeLisa is a member, as is Lesley Foley of Foley Photography, which you can email at lesley@foleyphotography.com... and if you email her at the site, make sure you answer the question "how did you find me?" with "I had some dreams, they were Clouds In My Coffee, Clouds In My Coffee..." My advice is to stop the song there, though. Keep going and she might not call you back.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Politically Cartoony
Pardon me, but I wanted to post this for quite a while. So I thought I would...
I think political cartoons are awesome, and truly, there is no finer example of the First Amendment... like these I found...
This was done by a guy named Alex Ross, appearing on the cover of The Village Voice on October 6, 2004... see, Dubya is sucking this country dry of liberty! Hilarious!
Oh, and this one that Shepard Fairey did in 2004, appearing on the cover of LA Weekly. Its fearless. Its one of the finest cartoons you find. Bush. Satan. Same thing, really. Hilarious!
Oh, and here's a great one of Justice Scalia "puppeting" Justice Thomas. Cause like, Clarance Thomas is really nothing more than a stupid brotha' from the streets, right? Just doing what "The Man" says to do, right? Just a mouthpiece! I be knowin' dat's right! Oh no he di'int! Hilarious!
And speaking of Uncle Toms, what about Aunt Toms?! Here's Condi Rice just bowing down to "The Big Man in Charge", you know, doing whateva' the good massah say to do, right? What you say massah, what you say! She ain't nothing but a stupid bird, doing whatever she told! Hilarious!
Kind of reminds me of when Harry Belafonte called then-Secretary of State Colin Powell a "House N*****". I'm sure glad there wasn't a media uproar about it, because our country has bigger issues than a legendary singer poking fun at someone.
This is a great example of freedom of speech... an actual movie was made about not just the assassination of a president, but the Assassination of George W. Bush! Wow! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
And for you literary people out there, a book was made about the assassination of the president! But not just any president, mind you, but the assassination of George W. Bush, even going into detail about how it could be done, if you so chose! Wow! Brilliant!
Artist Drew Friedman submitted this to Vanity Fair in 2007. Its called "No Joke". See, it depicts Dubya as an evil villain, a terrible person who is hellbent on the destruction of our country and its Constitution, which is nothing more than a "g****mn piece of paper". (warning--link has quotes using Non Emmy Turnbow Safe language) Wow! Hilarious and brilliant!
Oh, and this?
See, this just offends me. When are we going to stop this bigotry and vitriol? We have to realize that such racism is outdated, such hatred has no place in the unified society we are trying to build not only for ourselves, but our children, and even our children's children. You may not agree with him, but you owe him your support as he is your President, and the office of the Presidency MUST BE RESPECTED. Now I'm ticked off and saddened.
Just sayin'.
I think political cartoons are awesome, and truly, there is no finer example of the First Amendment... like these I found...
This was done by a guy named Alex Ross, appearing on the cover of The Village Voice on October 6, 2004... see, Dubya is sucking this country dry of liberty! Hilarious!
Oh, and this one that Shepard Fairey did in 2004, appearing on the cover of LA Weekly. Its fearless. Its one of the finest cartoons you find. Bush. Satan. Same thing, really. Hilarious!
Oh, and here's a great one of Justice Scalia "puppeting" Justice Thomas. Cause like, Clarance Thomas is really nothing more than a stupid brotha' from the streets, right? Just doing what "The Man" says to do, right? Just a mouthpiece! I be knowin' dat's right! Oh no he di'int! Hilarious!
And speaking of Uncle Toms, what about Aunt Toms?! Here's Condi Rice just bowing down to "The Big Man in Charge", you know, doing whateva' the good massah say to do, right? What you say massah, what you say! She ain't nothing but a stupid bird, doing whatever she told! Hilarious!
Kind of reminds me of when Harry Belafonte called then-Secretary of State Colin Powell a "House N*****". I'm sure glad there wasn't a media uproar about it, because our country has bigger issues than a legendary singer poking fun at someone.
This is a great example of freedom of speech... an actual movie was made about not just the assassination of a president, but the Assassination of George W. Bush! Wow! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
And for you literary people out there, a book was made about the assassination of the president! But not just any president, mind you, but the assassination of George W. Bush, even going into detail about how it could be done, if you so chose! Wow! Brilliant!
Artist Drew Friedman submitted this to Vanity Fair in 2007. Its called "No Joke". See, it depicts Dubya as an evil villain, a terrible person who is hellbent on the destruction of our country and its Constitution, which is nothing more than a "g****mn piece of paper". (warning--link has quotes using Non Emmy Turnbow Safe language) Wow! Hilarious and brilliant!
Oh, and this?
See, this just offends me. When are we going to stop this bigotry and vitriol? We have to realize that such racism is outdated, such hatred has no place in the unified society we are trying to build not only for ourselves, but our children, and even our children's children. You may not agree with him, but you owe him your support as he is your President, and the office of the Presidency MUST BE RESPECTED. Now I'm ticked off and saddened.
Just sayin'.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
The Coolest Things of 2007... #80 to 71
We continue our countdown, all the way to the coolest thing about 2007!
#80. Hannah Pruitt. She's a former stage manager techie actress chick from Auburn, who now attends Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) with her husband John. She's in KidStuf now, as Sam, and is a whole lotta fun to be around. Hannah is one of those people I can't help but get along with, just cause we have a lot in common, she's really silly and loves Jesus.
This is one of those shots that Hannah would probably not want posted, but oh well.
#79. Seeing Jenny Ross. One day, I'm working the drive thru at Starbucks. A voice comes on and orders a Caramel Frappuccino. A few minutes later, in the window is a lovely brunette that I hadn't seen in about, oh, eight years. Jenny Ross, from Elba, Alabama (or was it Enterprise?). I made her pull up and meet me outside, to which we gave each other a big 'ol hug. We were buddies back in the BCM, and seeing her that day practically made my entire week. I haven't seen her since (even though she swears she comes by sometime), so I'll just hold dear that one afternoon.
#78. The Patriots Go 16-0. Newly crowned MVP of the NFL Tom Brady has led the New England Patriots to a perfect, undefeated regular season, the first since 1972's Miami Dolphins did it. They went 14-0 that year, several years before the NFL adopted a 16 game regular season. The Dolphins, of course, went on to 17-0, winning the Super Bowl, while the Patriots play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars next weekend. Am I rooting for the Pats to win it all, and be 19-0? Heck yeah... very few times in life do you get to see such a sports milestone, and considering we're still talking about the '72 Dolphins perfect season 35 years later, we'll be talking about the Pats perfect season for at least that long... and we can say we saw the Super Bowl when it happened.
#77. The Amnesty Bill Gets Defeated. If I get into it, I'll get upset. Just know that this bill, pushed forward by Republicans and Democrats alike would have given amnesty--they didn't call it that, but that's exactly what it was--to millions of illegal aliens in this country. And it went down in flames because there was such a public outcry against it, as there should have been. Sometimes we can make a difference.
#76. Celeb TV. "Happening now on Celeb TV...". When I fire up the podcast on my iPod, or on my computer on iTunes, a small screen pops up with either Danni Boatwright (former Survivor winner) or Kelly Zink hosting, giving me the lowdown on such important information like Britney's latest fiasco, or Paris' latest runaround, or Beyonce's losing four pounds or (this just in!!!) K-Fed getting full custody! Seriously, watching this two minute daily podcast is like watching four hours of E! tv, only much less Seacrest. Of course, Celeb TV doesn't have Debbie Matenopoulos, so I do have to watch E! sometimes...
#75. "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson. "If you were falling, then I would catch you. You need a light? I'd find a match. Cause I-I-I-I love the way you say 'good morning'. And you-ou-ou-ou take me the way I am."
Out of nowhere, Ingrid Michaelson comes out with this tender, fun, guitar pluckin' song... not quite a ballad, not quite a rock song, but just a fun song. Not only to give to someone, but to sing. She's already had a number of songs on "Grey's Anatomy", and you can hear this song in particular in an Old Navy ad, a JC Penney ad and for a Chevy Equinox. Two points for the use of "rogaine" in the song... that might be a first.
#74. CarTalk on iTunes. I love Car Talk. Seriously, it might be one of my top five radio programs, like, ever ever. Tom and Ray Magliozzi, better known as Click & Clack, the Tappet Brothers, take calls on car problems and give out advice. But its more than that--they take questions not only about car problems, but marriage problems caused by cars, disputes between friends and family, and sometimes, just the strange (including cars that quack, smoke coming from the dashboard and seats that's shock you--but only if the driver is driving the car). However, to say that Car Talk itself is a 2007 discovery, thereby making it one of the coolest things about the year would be a lie.
I was excited when early in the year, iTunes posted "The Car Talk Call of the Week", a five to seven minute segment featuring the best, funniest call from that week's show. I had gone onto the CarTalk website previously to see if I could download the show... and I could... for $3.95 per show. That's four bucks. That's like, $50 per year. I love the show, but not enough to pay $4 bucks per week to hear it. So, I managed along with the call of the week...
So imagine my delight and enjoyment when I discovered, on iTunes, the entire Car Talk show was available over the summer. I quickly added it to my podcast queue, and started listening... and I haven't missed a show in at least six months.
#73. The Robot Chicken Star Wars Special. Wow this was funny. For the unbeknownst to become beknownst, Robot Chicken is a animated show on The Cartoon Network's late night, more adult oriented cartoons, title "Adult Swim". Its this crude, stop motion animation filled with sketches, made by using action figures like Star Wars, GI Joe, Barbies and so on. And its hilarious. Sometimes crude, but its funny.
One of the creators is Seth Green, actor and well known to his fans as being an avid collector of action figures... especially Star Wars. And this year, they did the official Robot Chicken Star Wars Special.
Included... a light saber standoff between Dubya and Abe Lincoln, a dancing Lobot, and a great conversation with Luke and Vader in Empire Strikes Back, where Luke says "you mean to tell me the force is some chemical crap in my blood?"
#72. Samantha Brown. When those Champion Window commercials would come on, I would always watch with intrigue, thinking "you know, that woman is kinda pretty. Not hot, but kinda hot. I mean, she's not Steph Leann, but really who is, but still... I kinda like that chick."
One day I'm flipping through cable, and stumble upon the Travel Channel, and lo and behold, its the Champion Window chick! Samantha Brown is her name, and she's taken me on a tour of South American, Central America and now Europe, all while enjoying the local fare, the sights, the sounds, the beer and the nightlife.
Here's a snapshot of Sam in the Honduras. Oh, she's the one on the left.
Not sure why I'm fascinated so much by Sam, but somehow I am. She's like my own Colin Firth. You can even get highlights from her shows on iTunes in a podcast.
And recently, we saw a show that had Samantha Brown in Disney World for the holidays, which means it had to be filmed either during, or not too long after we were there. I think I would have passed out had I met Sam, to which Steph would just leave me there out of irritation.
#71. "Cell" by Stephen King. One of his newer novels, perhaps in the last three or four released, its a simple story about a worldwide "pulse" that hits every single cell phone at the same time, and everyone on a cell phone has their brains affected to the point where they become mind numbed, flesh desiring zombie type creatures.
Opening up in Boston, we meet our unaffected protagonist, Clayton Riddell, who soon after joins forces with Tom McCourt and then 15 year old Alice Maxwell, not only surviving, but attempting to make it back to Maine--for Clay, its to find his son Johnny, for Tom and Alice, its a matter of not having anywhere else to go.
The mind numbed flesh desiring zombie type creatures, called "phoners", as our heroes have to battle them along the way, finding a few surprises and meeting a few more people--and meeting more tragedy (one of which actually upset me) as they go along.
I loved this book, because it was true King updated for a computer aged, cell phone using world. If something happened to every person on a cell phone at one given moment, what would happen? This story gives you a possible answer. Its a thick book, but you can get it now at most bookstores on the bargain table, anywhere from five to ten bucks. And who wouldn't be scared of a villain called The Raggedy Man? That's creepy.
Coming up... The wildest play in college football, Brandi Carlisle tells us a "story" and... Kdub.
#80. Hannah Pruitt. She's a former stage manager techie actress chick from Auburn, who now attends Valleydale Church (an sbc fellowship) with her husband John. She's in KidStuf now, as Sam, and is a whole lotta fun to be around. Hannah is one of those people I can't help but get along with, just cause we have a lot in common, she's really silly and loves Jesus.
This is one of those shots that Hannah would probably not want posted, but oh well.
#79. Seeing Jenny Ross. One day, I'm working the drive thru at Starbucks. A voice comes on and orders a Caramel Frappuccino. A few minutes later, in the window is a lovely brunette that I hadn't seen in about, oh, eight years. Jenny Ross, from Elba, Alabama (or was it Enterprise?). I made her pull up and meet me outside, to which we gave each other a big 'ol hug. We were buddies back in the BCM, and seeing her that day practically made my entire week. I haven't seen her since (even though she swears she comes by sometime), so I'll just hold dear that one afternoon.
#78. The Patriots Go 16-0. Newly crowned MVP of the NFL Tom Brady has led the New England Patriots to a perfect, undefeated regular season, the first since 1972's Miami Dolphins did it. They went 14-0 that year, several years before the NFL adopted a 16 game regular season. The Dolphins, of course, went on to 17-0, winning the Super Bowl, while the Patriots play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars next weekend. Am I rooting for the Pats to win it all, and be 19-0? Heck yeah... very few times in life do you get to see such a sports milestone, and considering we're still talking about the '72 Dolphins perfect season 35 years later, we'll be talking about the Pats perfect season for at least that long... and we can say we saw the Super Bowl when it happened.
#77. The Amnesty Bill Gets Defeated. If I get into it, I'll get upset. Just know that this bill, pushed forward by Republicans and Democrats alike would have given amnesty--they didn't call it that, but that's exactly what it was--to millions of illegal aliens in this country. And it went down in flames because there was such a public outcry against it, as there should have been. Sometimes we can make a difference.
#76. Celeb TV. "Happening now on Celeb TV...". When I fire up the podcast on my iPod, or on my computer on iTunes, a small screen pops up with either Danni Boatwright (former Survivor winner) or Kelly Zink hosting, giving me the lowdown on such important information like Britney's latest fiasco, or Paris' latest runaround, or Beyonce's losing four pounds or (this just in!!!) K-Fed getting full custody! Seriously, watching this two minute daily podcast is like watching four hours of E! tv, only much less Seacrest. Of course, Celeb TV doesn't have Debbie Matenopoulos, so I do have to watch E! sometimes...
#75. "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson. "If you were falling, then I would catch you. You need a light? I'd find a match. Cause I-I-I-I love the way you say 'good morning'. And you-ou-ou-ou take me the way I am."
Out of nowhere, Ingrid Michaelson comes out with this tender, fun, guitar pluckin' song... not quite a ballad, not quite a rock song, but just a fun song. Not only to give to someone, but to sing. She's already had a number of songs on "Grey's Anatomy", and you can hear this song in particular in an Old Navy ad, a JC Penney ad and for a Chevy Equinox. Two points for the use of "rogaine" in the song... that might be a first.
#74. CarTalk on iTunes. I love Car Talk. Seriously, it might be one of my top five radio programs, like, ever ever. Tom and Ray Magliozzi, better known as Click & Clack, the Tappet Brothers, take calls on car problems and give out advice. But its more than that--they take questions not only about car problems, but marriage problems caused by cars, disputes between friends and family, and sometimes, just the strange (including cars that quack, smoke coming from the dashboard and seats that's shock you--but only if the driver is driving the car). However, to say that Car Talk itself is a 2007 discovery, thereby making it one of the coolest things about the year would be a lie.
I was excited when early in the year, iTunes posted "The Car Talk Call of the Week", a five to seven minute segment featuring the best, funniest call from that week's show. I had gone onto the CarTalk website previously to see if I could download the show... and I could... for $3.95 per show. That's four bucks. That's like, $50 per year. I love the show, but not enough to pay $4 bucks per week to hear it. So, I managed along with the call of the week...
So imagine my delight and enjoyment when I discovered, on iTunes, the entire Car Talk show was available over the summer. I quickly added it to my podcast queue, and started listening... and I haven't missed a show in at least six months.
#73. The Robot Chicken Star Wars Special. Wow this was funny. For the unbeknownst to become beknownst, Robot Chicken is a animated show on The Cartoon Network's late night, more adult oriented cartoons, title "Adult Swim". Its this crude, stop motion animation filled with sketches, made by using action figures like Star Wars, GI Joe, Barbies and so on. And its hilarious. Sometimes crude, but its funny.
One of the creators is Seth Green, actor and well known to his fans as being an avid collector of action figures... especially Star Wars. And this year, they did the official Robot Chicken Star Wars Special.
Included... a light saber standoff between Dubya and Abe Lincoln, a dancing Lobot, and a great conversation with Luke and Vader in Empire Strikes Back, where Luke says "you mean to tell me the force is some chemical crap in my blood?"
#72. Samantha Brown. When those Champion Window commercials would come on, I would always watch with intrigue, thinking "you know, that woman is kinda pretty. Not hot, but kinda hot. I mean, she's not Steph Leann, but really who is, but still... I kinda like that chick."
One day I'm flipping through cable, and stumble upon the Travel Channel, and lo and behold, its the Champion Window chick! Samantha Brown is her name, and she's taken me on a tour of South American, Central America and now Europe, all while enjoying the local fare, the sights, the sounds, the beer and the nightlife.
Here's a snapshot of Sam in the Honduras. Oh, she's the one on the left.
Not sure why I'm fascinated so much by Sam, but somehow I am. She's like my own Colin Firth. You can even get highlights from her shows on iTunes in a podcast.
And recently, we saw a show that had Samantha Brown in Disney World for the holidays, which means it had to be filmed either during, or not too long after we were there. I think I would have passed out had I met Sam, to which Steph would just leave me there out of irritation.
#71. "Cell" by Stephen King. One of his newer novels, perhaps in the last three or four released, its a simple story about a worldwide "pulse" that hits every single cell phone at the same time, and everyone on a cell phone has their brains affected to the point where they become mind numbed, flesh desiring zombie type creatures.
Opening up in Boston, we meet our unaffected protagonist, Clayton Riddell, who soon after joins forces with Tom McCourt and then 15 year old Alice Maxwell, not only surviving, but attempting to make it back to Maine--for Clay, its to find his son Johnny, for Tom and Alice, its a matter of not having anywhere else to go.
The mind numbed flesh desiring zombie type creatures, called "phoners", as our heroes have to battle them along the way, finding a few surprises and meeting a few more people--and meeting more tragedy (one of which actually upset me) as they go along.
I loved this book, because it was true King updated for a computer aged, cell phone using world. If something happened to every person on a cell phone at one given moment, what would happen? This story gives you a possible answer. Its a thick book, but you can get it now at most bookstores on the bargain table, anywhere from five to ten bucks. And who wouldn't be scared of a villain called The Raggedy Man? That's creepy.
Coming up... The wildest play in college football, Brandi Carlisle tells us a "story" and... Kdub.
Friday, June 08, 2007
The Real Global Problem
Our planet is in danger. Our planet is dying. Bottom line... our climate is changing so much, due to our recklessness and stupidity, and though I refused to admit it, I am forced to do so at this time.
Have you noticed the facts?
First, in the last 100 years, our global temperature has risen a fraction of a degree? Secondly, Tropical Storm Andrea emerged in the Atlantic Ocean one month before the official start of hurricane season? Third, scientists agree on it, as a consensus.
That's right. I'm talking about... Global Cooling.
I got up yesterday morning, here in Birmingham, AL, in the beginnings of June, and the wind was blowing. And it was only 74 degrees. That's just unnatural! It should be, what, at least 80, even by 515 in the morning?
Did you know that here in the heart of the Southern Heat Belt, I was wearing long sleeves a couple of times in early May? I mean, its ridiculous! May is HOT! May is not supposed to be in the 50s! Ever!!
And this past winter, for the northeast? Whew! One of the coldest on record, ever. I mean, ever.
Plus, check this out... Tropical Storm Andrea appeared a month before any hurricanes were supposed to. I mean, we set this June 1st date on hurricane season, and God has the nerve to allow some weather activity to appear? Who does He is, ruler of all and creator of all? Not to mention the fact that the tropical storm appeared due to unnaturally COLD AIR pushing it down from the Arctic.
Finally, if that doesn't do it, then this will. Our temperature has risen over the last century about a half of a degree. I mean, this past century has brought the boom of civilization, from cars to factories to power plants to everything else... and we could only make it rise ONE HALF OF ONE DEGREE??? That means right now, it's 85 degrees... and 100 years ago, it was 84.5 degrees. Crazy! We're in sooooo much trouble!
We've got to act now against this threat. I mean, in 1997, only 17 percent of Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Society thought global warming was the problem, which means that 83 percent must think its the opposite--GLOBAL COOLING!!
Remember, consensus equals science, right? Doesn't matter if the facts support it or not, as long as there is a consensus to an idea, then it MUST BE TRUE! If I can convince some of you that global cooling is real, then it will become so! Of course, to make it real, I have to get the Hollywood types involved, because only Martin Sheen (who was president for 8 years on tv, so he knows what he's talking about), Sean Penn and Alec Baldwin (who, thankfully, has not moved out of the country even after promising to do so) and Sheryl Crow (you might not want to shake her hand...) have had scientific training in weather patterns, so they know.
Thankfully, there are people leading the way...
Algore is a pioneer in the efforts to stop global cooling. Even though the United States is trying to stop the solution, he refuses to condemn China for their carbon emissions, and thereby is allowing China to help heat this planet. Go Chi-Coms!
Escapism from the problem is effective too. What better way to stop thinking about the dangers of Global Cooling than to sit for two hours at the comedy he put out last year? I mean, the fantasy took my mind off things.
And the fact that Algore and his family live in the 10,000 square foot, 20 room, 8 bedroom home in Nashville (the one that has the annual $30,000 power bill), plus another 4,000 square foot home in Virginia, plus, he refuses to buy into this whole "wind power" argument, nor has he (or will he) dumped his stock in Occidental Petroleum (he owns 100s of thousands of stock dollars here) means tha Algore is living a warming lifestyle. And I thank him for that.
Thank you to Paula Maddox, Matt Latta and a number of you that drive SUVs. You are helping to warm this planet, though admittedly, not much. But my friend, Daniel Powell, who drives a Prius? You, Daniel, are allowing this planet to cool, and should be admonished.
Thanks to Europe, who's global emissions are up 16.4%, and to Canada, 23.6%, both estimates from 1990 to 2002. Other countries who deserve admiration for their efforts to warm the planet? Ireland, 40.3%. Portugal, 59%. Spain, 46.9%. As for the United States, our global emissions only rose 16.7%. We deserve the condemnation done by Algore, Leonardo de Caprio, John F Kerry (who served in Vietnam) and others... with what has been said about our country worldwide, you'd think our percentage rise would be 50 or 60%, but no... only 16.7%, despite being essentially the economic drive behind the entire world. We can do much more to warm this planet and we must.
I do appreciate the mass media giving us feel-good reporting. Not a peep about global warming during the cold, cold winter suffered in the northern United States, but they are so great about letting us know every single day about global warming now that its getting warmer. Who knew that summer would bring about hot temperatures? I mean, it caught me off guard too.
Plus, taking that picture of the polar bears on the ice, and telling us all that the bears were trapped on the ice, ice that had melted because of global warming... good effort to warm our spirits. I mean, its not hard to know that picture was misrepresented, especially when the photographer came out and admitted the two bears weren't trapped on melting ice, they were playing on that ice, and the original story the picture was from had nothing to do with global warming.
If only Global Warming was real! Then we'd have a fighting chance against this deadly cooling!
Personally, I think the best way to do this is to get the President to fire up his hurricane machines, and head for minority areas. I mean, since he doesn't like black people, and he (and not School Bus Nagin and Gov'nr Mary in LA) is solely responsible for everything that happened in New Orleans (but not Mississippi, who was hit just as hard, but has a Republican Gov'nr, so they don't count), he's the best person to get this global cooling fight underway. Do something, now, Mister President. Screw this stupid protecting America conflict in Iraq. GLOBAL COOLING is the real fight.
We've got to act now. I beg of you, my dozen or more readers, will you help me?
Have you noticed the facts?
First, in the last 100 years, our global temperature has risen a fraction of a degree? Secondly, Tropical Storm Andrea emerged in the Atlantic Ocean one month before the official start of hurricane season? Third, scientists agree on it, as a consensus.
That's right. I'm talking about... Global Cooling.
I got up yesterday morning, here in Birmingham, AL, in the beginnings of June, and the wind was blowing. And it was only 74 degrees. That's just unnatural! It should be, what, at least 80, even by 515 in the morning?
Did you know that here in the heart of the Southern Heat Belt, I was wearing long sleeves a couple of times in early May? I mean, its ridiculous! May is HOT! May is not supposed to be in the 50s! Ever!!
And this past winter, for the northeast? Whew! One of the coldest on record, ever. I mean, ever.
Plus, check this out... Tropical Storm Andrea appeared a month before any hurricanes were supposed to. I mean, we set this June 1st date on hurricane season, and God has the nerve to allow some weather activity to appear? Who does He is, ruler of all and creator of all? Not to mention the fact that the tropical storm appeared due to unnaturally COLD AIR pushing it down from the Arctic.
Finally, if that doesn't do it, then this will. Our temperature has risen over the last century about a half of a degree. I mean, this past century has brought the boom of civilization, from cars to factories to power plants to everything else... and we could only make it rise ONE HALF OF ONE DEGREE??? That means right now, it's 85 degrees... and 100 years ago, it was 84.5 degrees. Crazy! We're in sooooo much trouble!
We've got to act now against this threat. I mean, in 1997, only 17 percent of Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Society thought global warming was the problem, which means that 83 percent must think its the opposite--GLOBAL COOLING!!
Remember, consensus equals science, right? Doesn't matter if the facts support it or not, as long as there is a consensus to an idea, then it MUST BE TRUE! If I can convince some of you that global cooling is real, then it will become so! Of course, to make it real, I have to get the Hollywood types involved, because only Martin Sheen (who was president for 8 years on tv, so he knows what he's talking about), Sean Penn and Alec Baldwin (who, thankfully, has not moved out of the country even after promising to do so) and Sheryl Crow (you might not want to shake her hand...) have had scientific training in weather patterns, so they know.
Thankfully, there are people leading the way...
Algore is a pioneer in the efforts to stop global cooling. Even though the United States is trying to stop the solution, he refuses to condemn China for their carbon emissions, and thereby is allowing China to help heat this planet. Go Chi-Coms!
Escapism from the problem is effective too. What better way to stop thinking about the dangers of Global Cooling than to sit for two hours at the comedy he put out last year? I mean, the fantasy took my mind off things.
And the fact that Algore and his family live in the 10,000 square foot, 20 room, 8 bedroom home in Nashville (the one that has the annual $30,000 power bill), plus another 4,000 square foot home in Virginia, plus, he refuses to buy into this whole "wind power" argument, nor has he (or will he) dumped his stock in Occidental Petroleum (he owns 100s of thousands of stock dollars here) means tha Algore is living a warming lifestyle. And I thank him for that.
Thank you to Paula Maddox, Matt Latta and a number of you that drive SUVs. You are helping to warm this planet, though admittedly, not much. But my friend, Daniel Powell, who drives a Prius? You, Daniel, are allowing this planet to cool, and should be admonished.
Thanks to Europe, who's global emissions are up 16.4%, and to Canada, 23.6%, both estimates from 1990 to 2002. Other countries who deserve admiration for their efforts to warm the planet? Ireland, 40.3%. Portugal, 59%. Spain, 46.9%. As for the United States, our global emissions only rose 16.7%. We deserve the condemnation done by Algore, Leonardo de Caprio, John F Kerry (who served in Vietnam) and others... with what has been said about our country worldwide, you'd think our percentage rise would be 50 or 60%, but no... only 16.7%, despite being essentially the economic drive behind the entire world. We can do much more to warm this planet and we must.
I do appreciate the mass media giving us feel-good reporting. Not a peep about global warming during the cold, cold winter suffered in the northern United States, but they are so great about letting us know every single day about global warming now that its getting warmer. Who knew that summer would bring about hot temperatures? I mean, it caught me off guard too.
Plus, taking that picture of the polar bears on the ice, and telling us all that the bears were trapped on the ice, ice that had melted because of global warming... good effort to warm our spirits. I mean, its not hard to know that picture was misrepresented, especially when the photographer came out and admitted the two bears weren't trapped on melting ice, they were playing on that ice, and the original story the picture was from had nothing to do with global warming.
If only Global Warming was real! Then we'd have a fighting chance against this deadly cooling!
Personally, I think the best way to do this is to get the President to fire up his hurricane machines, and head for minority areas. I mean, since he doesn't like black people, and he (and not School Bus Nagin and Gov'nr Mary in LA) is solely responsible for everything that happened in New Orleans (but not Mississippi, who was hit just as hard, but has a Republican Gov'nr, so they don't count), he's the best person to get this global cooling fight underway. Do something, now, Mister President. Screw this stupid protecting America conflict in Iraq. GLOBAL COOLING is the real fight.
We've got to act now. I beg of you, my dozen or more readers, will you help me?
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Cheney: The Only News Around
Only Five Days Until The Return of the Deuce Weekly
Okay, so lets get the obvious out of the way. Vice President Dick Cheney shot a guy in the face. He was hunting this past weekend, and accidentally put "birdshot" in the face of friend Harry Whittington, 78.
To clarify what birdshot is, if you shoot a bird with a shotgun, you are pretty much not going to have a bird. Birdshot is really just little pellets that kill the animal while keeping it intact. So Whittington got a face full of birdshot. This happened on Saturday, 630pm, in Texas.
Cheney's medical staff immediately rushed to Harry, began to take care of him, and by 7:30, Harry is in a hospital. The White House was contacted, and a press conference was set up the next morning to reveal the details of the accident. Cheney let the owners of the ranch, , contact the media, which for them was the local newspapers.
Okay, so lets get the obvious out of the way. Vice President Dick Cheney shot a guy in the face. He was hunting this past weekend, and accidentally put "birdshot" in the face of friend Harry Whittington, 78.
To clarify what birdshot is, if you shoot a bird with a shotgun, you are pretty much not going to have a bird. Birdshot is really just little pellets that kill the animal while keeping it intact. So Whittington got a face full of birdshot. This happened on Saturday, 630pm, in Texas.
Cheney's medical staff immediately rushed to Harry, began to take care of him, and by 7:30, Harry is in a hospital. The White House was contacted, and a press conference was set up the next morning to reveal the details of the accident. Cheney let the owners of the ranch, , contact the media, which for them was the local newspapers.
The news media has GONE NUTS. Dear GOD--WHY DIDN'T YOU DROP EVERYTHING YOU WERE DOING AND CALL US IMMEDIATELY???!!!?? That's pretty much the impression I'm getting. Cheney revealed that he and Harry had a beer over lunch, but no drinking by the time they were hunting. I've been reading some of the reader blogs (to James from CA, on the off chance you read this... What the crap do you think is going on, you moron? You're an idiot. Never reproduce, ever.) and paying attention to the media on this... you would absolutely believe that nothing else in the whole wide world is going on. The media is going crazy over this.
Tony Blankley of the Washington Times I think has one of the best takes on this. "In the absence of any pressing news these days -- other than Iran's nuclear weapons development crisis, the election of Hamas terrorists in Palestine, on-going worldwide Muslim riots and killing in reaction to a cartoon, Al Gore's near sedition while speaking in Saudi Arabia, the turning over of our East Coast ports to be managed by a United Arab Emirates firm, the criminal leaking of vital NSA secrets to the New York Times, Mexican military incursions across our southern border, the Iraqi crisis, Congress's refusal to deal with the developing financial collapse of Social Security and Medicare -- the White House press corps has exploded in righteous fury over the question of the vice president's little shooting party last weekend."
The press actually didn't find out until Sunday morning around the afternoon, 18 hours after the incident. I heard some of the press conference that Scott McClellen, the White House Press Sec., hosted on Sunday, and the reporters were livid. "Why didn't you tell us?" "Why didn't you call us?" "Why wait a full 18 hours before we knew? What are you covering up?" It was so bad at one point, McClellen actually called David Gregory from NBC News a jerk--because he was being one.
Blankley goes on to say: "As I understand the profound concern of the ever alert White House reporters, they smell a constitutional crisis because the shooting party failed to alert the media of the accidental shooting down in Corpus Christi, Texas. Well, actually they did alert the Corpus Christi media -- but that didn't count. Unless the exalted ones have been formally informed by an official government press secretary, no public communication has technically occurred. I checked the bylaws of the White House press corps, and they are right. It seems that the bylaws refer to Article XXIII of the U.S. Constitution which expressly designates that White House reporters with a minimum annual income of $375,000 (plus minimum stock options...) are the exclusive recipients of all government information. If information isn't hand-delivered in gold-edged paper to them while they are reclined on their chaise lounge, it hasn't been released to the public. And if they don't report a fact, it hasn't happened. This provision is vital to a vigorous and independent free press. (I should note, my copy of the Constitution must be outdated, because it doesn't have an Article XXIII.)
Of course, this provision technically makes the White House press corps not reporters, but receivers -- sort of glorified shipping clerks, but with the prerogative to rewrite and repackage the material before they deliver it to the public. When an out-of-town newspaper got the scoop, the dignity of the White House press corps had been impeached, so they threw a public temper tantrum."
When I say this, you'll think I'm exaggerating, but I think the media actually WANTS Harry Whittington to die. Yes, its true that a pellet, about a tenth of an inch in diameter, was lodged close to his heart, which possibly led to a mild heart attack, but the guy is 78 years old, and got shot. Even though the doctors are expecting a full recovery, here's what I pulled from Rush Limbaugh's site... soundbites (or scripts, anyway) from different journalists giving the impression that this guy is going to croak any minute:
RITA COSBY: If he had passed or something, under law, what could happen to the vice president? One of the options is negligent homicide.
KEITH OLBERMANN: Under the worst-case scenario, could negligent homicide actually come into play? (Keith... you used to be so cool when you did ESPN with Dan Patrick. How did you become such a schmoe so quickly?)
DAN ABRAMS: In the context of hunting accidents in the state of Texas, where someone does die, most of the time, is someone charged?
JOHN HARWOOD: Would there be charges against such a person? Would that be an involuntary manslaughter kind of thing?
JEFFREY TOOBIN: Was it so outrageous that it could be some kind of manslaughter if in fact, as we hope it doesn't happen, Mr. Whittington were to die?
And of course, its always fun when Hillary Clinton is yelling, "Hey, pay attention to me again!"
And as I just turned on the tv, I flipped to CNN for a minute (don't ask me why) and the first thing I heard from host Lou Dobbs was, "Spin control! How the White House is spinning Dick Cheney's weekend!" What's there to spin? He shot a guy. Cheney admitted it today on Fox News. The guy is okay.
Kiddies, this story is not about Cheney. You are hearing endless reports about this accident--and they do all concede it is an accident--because 1) Its another way to take a shot at Bush, and oh how they hate George W. Bush (more on that later) and 2) They are so mad that they had to hear the story from Corpus Christi, and that Dick Cheney had the nerve to hold his friend in his arms while he bled, waiting for the medical team to arrive, instead of instantly dropping everything and getting on his cell phone. Unless Cheney goes over to David Gregory's house, saying "Here's the exclusive story, Dave," its not going to matter that Dick said anything about anything.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Dave's Ramblings & Questions
Only 18 Days Until the Deuce Weekly Returns!
...so, my computer has been on the fritz for a few days. Friend of mine has it, is working on it. Nice guy, he is.
...had lunch today with a friend of mine from my days at Parisian Corporate, Lisa. Being a guy in my early 20s at the time, I had crushes on all the good looking chicks there, including, but not limited to Sally Carter in advertising, Janna Morrison in the home store, Lee Rubino in the cosmetics, Paige Tatum in advertising and Lisa Taylor in Men's Buying. Sally was six years my elder, and after she left the company, I even got up the gumption to ask her out (she said no). It was a good lunch, good to catch up.
...went hiking in the Vestavia Hills Nature Trails last weekend. Talk about your Blair Witch surroundings. Some of the trails go into nowhere, and I even went walking through the woods about fifty yards before I figured out I wasnt on a trail anymore. Had to cross a creek and climb a hill to figure out where the crap I was. Speaking of crap, got some on my shoe.
...now that I'm working at Starbucks, I'm a little more aware of the rumors that float around. A friend of mine sent me a forwarded email about a Marine Sgt who was refused service because "Starbucks doesn't support the war", and the email was calling for a boycott of the coffee chain. I visited Snopes, which is my favorite site for the truth of urban legends, and found the truth about it.
...I love Snopes. I have added the link to my Truth Detectors section on the side there. Check it out.
...concerning American Idol, check this story out from Entertainment Weekly: What's up with the rumor that Paula, Simon, and Randy never actually went to Austin? Apparently, it's true: ''The judges never came to Austin because of our influx of Katrina and Rita evacuees. Instead, the Austin auditioners were flown to San Francisco, where they sang for the star judges,'' writes Diane Holloway of the Austin American-Statesman. The show was then edited to make it look like it was filmed in the Lone Star State. IS THERE NO TRUTH ANYMORE???
...I think I've finally entered the I'm Obsessed with Kelly Clarkson phase. Her song "Breakaway" came on the radio last night, and I didn't turn it. I don't like that song. Very few people have entered the "Don't Turn the Dial When They Come On" Pantheon of Musical Artists. As a matter of fact, I can't think of a single one. Besides Kelly, of course.
...had lunch a few days ago with a friend from NBC13. She said that Ken Lass & Wendy Garner are doing well, after leaving the station. Its good when good things happen to good people.
And now, a few things that I'm wondering...
...so, Kanye West is on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns, imitating Jesus. Can you imagine what would happen if, say, tobyMac dressed up like Martin Luther King or Malcolm X?
...and speaking of Mr. West, what if he had come out and praised W for the job he's doing? Don't you think they media would be all over him for being a sell-out and untalented?
...if the media is so willing to crucify James Frey for making stuff up in his memoir "A Million Little Pieces", shouldn't they be willing to crucify themselves over the crap they make up?
...is it just me or is Green Day completely overrated? When they sing "Wake Me When September Ends", Billie Armstrong sounds like he's got an M&M stuck in each nostril, and is suffering from a nasty case of the whooping cough. Weren't they better when they were just silly and fun, not political and ignorant?
...when all those people who can't sing on American Idol walk out and says things like, "Oh, I'm gonna be a star, and you gonna be sorry you didn't sign me...", how come I've never seen or heard of any of them again?
...I just saw a fat guy with a shirt that says "Beat Anorexia." Isn't that funny?
...we give out used coffee grounds at work to customers for free, to use on their gardens. One guy put some on our coffee plant. Isnt that like cannabalism?
...do you really think that Gavin Rossdale actually listens to his wife's music? "Uh, B-A... N-A-N... A-S... um... uh... that's great honey... I guess A-P-P-L-E didnt fit, huh?"
...can you not see Avril Lavigne as 2005's Nelly Furtado? A few hit songs, a whiny voice and a presence which ended up lasting MUCH longer than it should have... then never heard from again. In fact, I couldn't even find a working webpage for Nelly to link to. Is it me?
...where the crap is Jennifer Knapp?
...at the end of Independence Day, when they finally bring down the ships, wouldn't that signify only that the battle has turned in favor of Earth? I mean, consider the fact these ships are 2 miles across, and as they crash and burn, either there are going to be a lot of surviving aliens that are going to be really, really mad, or a lot of dead and decaying alien bodies carrying alot of disease, some of which we probably have never experienced before.
...surely now that Ray Charles passed in 2004, Stevie Wonder is secretly excited that he is now the last blind living legend. Besides Ronnie Milsap, that is.
...so, my computer has been on the fritz for a few days. Friend of mine has it, is working on it. Nice guy, he is.
...had lunch today with a friend of mine from my days at Parisian Corporate, Lisa. Being a guy in my early 20s at the time, I had crushes on all the good looking chicks there, including, but not limited to Sally Carter in advertising, Janna Morrison in the home store, Lee Rubino in the cosmetics, Paige Tatum in advertising and Lisa Taylor in Men's Buying. Sally was six years my elder, and after she left the company, I even got up the gumption to ask her out (she said no). It was a good lunch, good to catch up.
...went hiking in the Vestavia Hills Nature Trails last weekend. Talk about your Blair Witch surroundings. Some of the trails go into nowhere, and I even went walking through the woods about fifty yards before I figured out I wasnt on a trail anymore. Had to cross a creek and climb a hill to figure out where the crap I was. Speaking of crap, got some on my shoe.
...now that I'm working at Starbucks, I'm a little more aware of the rumors that float around. A friend of mine sent me a forwarded email about a Marine Sgt who was refused service because "Starbucks doesn't support the war", and the email was calling for a boycott of the coffee chain. I visited Snopes, which is my favorite site for the truth of urban legends, and found the truth about it.
...I love Snopes. I have added the link to my Truth Detectors section on the side there. Check it out.
...concerning American Idol, check this story out from Entertainment Weekly: What's up with the rumor that Paula, Simon, and Randy never actually went to Austin? Apparently, it's true: ''The judges never came to Austin because of our influx of Katrina and Rita evacuees. Instead, the Austin auditioners were flown to San Francisco, where they sang for the star judges,'' writes Diane Holloway of the Austin American-Statesman. The show was then edited to make it look like it was filmed in the Lone Star State. IS THERE NO TRUTH ANYMORE???
...I think I've finally entered the I'm Obsessed with Kelly Clarkson phase. Her song "Breakaway" came on the radio last night, and I didn't turn it. I don't like that song. Very few people have entered the "Don't Turn the Dial When They Come On" Pantheon of Musical Artists. As a matter of fact, I can't think of a single one. Besides Kelly, of course.
...had lunch a few days ago with a friend from NBC13. She said that Ken Lass & Wendy Garner are doing well, after leaving the station. Its good when good things happen to good people.
And now, a few things that I'm wondering...
...so, Kanye West is on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns, imitating Jesus. Can you imagine what would happen if, say, tobyMac dressed up like Martin Luther King or Malcolm X?
...and speaking of Mr. West, what if he had come out and praised W for the job he's doing? Don't you think they media would be all over him for being a sell-out and untalented?
...if the media is so willing to crucify James Frey for making stuff up in his memoir "A Million Little Pieces", shouldn't they be willing to crucify themselves over the crap they make up?
...is it just me or is Green Day completely overrated? When they sing "Wake Me When September Ends", Billie Armstrong sounds like he's got an M&M stuck in each nostril, and is suffering from a nasty case of the whooping cough. Weren't they better when they were just silly and fun, not political and ignorant?
...when all those people who can't sing on American Idol walk out and says things like, "Oh, I'm gonna be a star, and you gonna be sorry you didn't sign me...", how come I've never seen or heard of any of them again?
...I just saw a fat guy with a shirt that says "Beat Anorexia." Isn't that funny?
...we give out used coffee grounds at work to customers for free, to use on their gardens. One guy put some on our coffee plant. Isnt that like cannabalism?
...do you really think that Gavin Rossdale actually listens to his wife's music? "Uh, B-A... N-A-N... A-S... um... uh... that's great honey... I guess A-P-P-L-E didnt fit, huh?"
...can you not see Avril Lavigne as 2005's Nelly Furtado? A few hit songs, a whiny voice and a presence which ended up lasting MUCH longer than it should have... then never heard from again. In fact, I couldn't even find a working webpage for Nelly to link to. Is it me?
...where the crap is Jennifer Knapp?
...at the end of Independence Day, when they finally bring down the ships, wouldn't that signify only that the battle has turned in favor of Earth? I mean, consider the fact these ships are 2 miles across, and as they crash and burn, either there are going to be a lot of surviving aliens that are going to be really, really mad, or a lot of dead and decaying alien bodies carrying alot of disease, some of which we probably have never experienced before.
...surely now that Ray Charles passed in 2004, Stevie Wonder is secretly excited that he is now the last blind living legend. Besides Ronnie Milsap, that is.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Win Ben Stein's Attitude...
From one of my favorite sites, The American Spectator, comes one of my favorite columnists, Ben Stein. Truth is, the man is a genius, a funny guy and a complete Right Wing Nut Job, just like me.
Here it is:
A few truths, for those who have ears and eyes and care to know the truth:
1.) The hurricane that hit New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama was an astonishing tragedy. The suffering and loss of life and peace of mind of the residents of those areas is acutely horrifying.
2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one.
3.) George Bush did not make this one worse than others. There have been far worse hurricanes than this before George Bush was born.
4.) There is no overwhelming evidence that global warming exists as a man-made phenomenon. There is no clear-cut evidence that global warming even exists. There is no clear evidence that if it does exist it makes hurricanes more powerful or makes them aim at cities with large numbers of poor people. If global warming is a real phenomenon, which it may well be, it started long before George Bush was inaugurated, and would not have been affected at all by the Kyoto treaty, considering that Kyoto does not cover the world's worst polluters -- China, India, and Brazil. In a word, George Bush had zero to do with causing this hurricane. To speculate otherwise is belief in sorcery.
5.) George Bush had nothing to do with the hurricane contingency plans for New Orleans. Those are drawn up by New Orleans and Louisiana. In any event, the plans were perfectly good: mandatory evacuation. It is in no way at all George Bush's fault that about 20 percent of New Orleans neglected to follow the plan. It is not his fault that many persons in New Orleans were too confused to realize how dangerous the hurricane would be. They were certainly warned. It's not George Bush's fault that there were sick people and old people and people without cars in New Orleans. His job description does not include making sure every adult in America has a car, is in good health, has good sense, and is mobile.
6.) George Bush did not cause gangsters to shoot at rescue helicopters taking people from rooftops, did not make gang bangers rape young girls in the Superdome, did not make looters steal hundreds of weapons, in short make New Orleans into a living hell.
7.) George Bush is the least racist President in mind and soul there has ever been and this is shown in his appointments over and over. To say otherwise is scandalously untrue.
8.) George Bush is rushing every bit of help he can to New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama as soon as he can. He is not a magician. It takes time to organize huge convoys of food and now they are starting to arrive. That they get in at all considering the lawlessness of the city is a miracle of bravery and organization.
9.) There is not the slightest evidence at all that the war in Iraq has diminished the response of the government to the emergency. To say otherwise is pure slander.
10.) If the energy the news media puts into blaming Bush for an Act of God worsened by stupendous incompetence by the New Orleans city authorities and the malevolence of the criminals of the city were directed to helping the morale of the nation, we would all be a lot better off.
11.) New Orleans is a great city with many great people. It will recover and be greater than ever. Sticking pins into an effigy of George Bush that does not resemble him in the slightest will not speed the process by one day.
12.) The entire episode is a dramatic lesson in the breathtaking callousness of government officials at the ground level. Imagine if Hillary Clinton had gotten her way and they were in charge of your health care.God bless all of those dear people who are suffering so much, and God bless those helping them, starting with George Bush.
More Mysteries of Katrina:
Why is it that the snipers who shot at emergency rescuers trying to save people in hospitals and shelters are never mentioned except in passing, and Mr. Bush, who is turning over heaven and earth to rescue the victims of the storm, is endlessly vilified?
What church does Rev. Al Sharpton belong to that believes in passing blame and singling out people by race for opprobrium and hate?
What special abilities does the media have for deciding how much blame goes to the federal government as opposed to the city government of New Orleans for the aftereffects of Katrina?
If able-bodied people refuse to obey a mandatory evacuation order for a city, have they not assumed the risk that ill effects will happen to them?
When the city government simply ignores its own sick and hospitalized and elderly people in its evacuation order, is Mr. Bush to blame for that?
Is there any problem in the world that is not Mr. Bush's fault, or have we reverted to a belief in a sort of witchcraft where we credit a mortal man with the ability to create terrifying storms and every other kind of ill wind?
Where did the idea come from that salvation comes from hatred and criticism and mockery instead of love and co-operation?
And thats all he wrote...
Here it is:
A few truths, for those who have ears and eyes and care to know the truth:
1.) The hurricane that hit New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama was an astonishing tragedy. The suffering and loss of life and peace of mind of the residents of those areas is acutely horrifying.
2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one.
3.) George Bush did not make this one worse than others. There have been far worse hurricanes than this before George Bush was born.
4.) There is no overwhelming evidence that global warming exists as a man-made phenomenon. There is no clear-cut evidence that global warming even exists. There is no clear evidence that if it does exist it makes hurricanes more powerful or makes them aim at cities with large numbers of poor people. If global warming is a real phenomenon, which it may well be, it started long before George Bush was inaugurated, and would not have been affected at all by the Kyoto treaty, considering that Kyoto does not cover the world's worst polluters -- China, India, and Brazil. In a word, George Bush had zero to do with causing this hurricane. To speculate otherwise is belief in sorcery.
5.) George Bush had nothing to do with the hurricane contingency plans for New Orleans. Those are drawn up by New Orleans and Louisiana. In any event, the plans were perfectly good: mandatory evacuation. It is in no way at all George Bush's fault that about 20 percent of New Orleans neglected to follow the plan. It is not his fault that many persons in New Orleans were too confused to realize how dangerous the hurricane would be. They were certainly warned. It's not George Bush's fault that there were sick people and old people and people without cars in New Orleans. His job description does not include making sure every adult in America has a car, is in good health, has good sense, and is mobile.
6.) George Bush did not cause gangsters to shoot at rescue helicopters taking people from rooftops, did not make gang bangers rape young girls in the Superdome, did not make looters steal hundreds of weapons, in short make New Orleans into a living hell.
7.) George Bush is the least racist President in mind and soul there has ever been and this is shown in his appointments over and over. To say otherwise is scandalously untrue.
8.) George Bush is rushing every bit of help he can to New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama as soon as he can. He is not a magician. It takes time to organize huge convoys of food and now they are starting to arrive. That they get in at all considering the lawlessness of the city is a miracle of bravery and organization.
9.) There is not the slightest evidence at all that the war in Iraq has diminished the response of the government to the emergency. To say otherwise is pure slander.
10.) If the energy the news media puts into blaming Bush for an Act of God worsened by stupendous incompetence by the New Orleans city authorities and the malevolence of the criminals of the city were directed to helping the morale of the nation, we would all be a lot better off.
11.) New Orleans is a great city with many great people. It will recover and be greater than ever. Sticking pins into an effigy of George Bush that does not resemble him in the slightest will not speed the process by one day.
12.) The entire episode is a dramatic lesson in the breathtaking callousness of government officials at the ground level. Imagine if Hillary Clinton had gotten her way and they were in charge of your health care.God bless all of those dear people who are suffering so much, and God bless those helping them, starting with George Bush.
More Mysteries of Katrina:
Why is it that the snipers who shot at emergency rescuers trying to save people in hospitals and shelters are never mentioned except in passing, and Mr. Bush, who is turning over heaven and earth to rescue the victims of the storm, is endlessly vilified?
What church does Rev. Al Sharpton belong to that believes in passing blame and singling out people by race for opprobrium and hate?
What special abilities does the media have for deciding how much blame goes to the federal government as opposed to the city government of New Orleans for the aftereffects of Katrina?
If able-bodied people refuse to obey a mandatory evacuation order for a city, have they not assumed the risk that ill effects will happen to them?
When the city government simply ignores its own sick and hospitalized and elderly people in its evacuation order, is Mr. Bush to blame for that?
Is there any problem in the world that is not Mr. Bush's fault, or have we reverted to a belief in a sort of witchcraft where we credit a mortal man with the ability to create terrifying storms and every other kind of ill wind?
Where did the idea come from that salvation comes from hatred and criticism and mockery instead of love and co-operation?
And thats all he wrote...
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