I'm a fan of the original cut, voice-over dialogue and cheap upbeat ending and all, as I saw it in college the first time the same day we were reading Descartes in philosophy, and the scene where Darryl Hannah does the proof of being just made me all a jiggity. But the director's cut was better, and this should be AWESOME.
The latest Barney Christmas video is up over at the White House.
In a word, it's lame, a dull and listless "tribute" to the National Parks that looks as if it was fadged up in about two minutes by some staffer's 2nd grader. And both the Secretary of the Interior and the Chief of the National Parks, neither of whose names I could recall on a bet even after just watching the credits, are both horrid actors. There are a couple "guest star" cameos at the end, but they aren't nearly enough to save it.
Sigh. I recall that when the White House first started doing these vids, they were quite funny and spirited. It seems they have fallen steadily ever since. Fatigue, I suppose.
Still......it is full of clips of Scotties ticka-ticka-ing across marble floors, horsing around with ornaments and frolicking in the snow, so it isn't completely awful. Plus, there's a small segment featuring the Twins. Me, I've always dismissed Jenna as just a party-girl. But Babs? Mmmm, mmmm.
Yesterday, in answer to my musing on the meaning of the red star that Frodo sees low down in the southern sky during his visit to Rivendell, commenter STEVE responds:
I think Tolkien is suggesting that Frodo can indeed see further due to effects of the ring. I assume he is actually seeing all the way to Mordor (or it just may be a vision.)
Well, if this enhanced sight is an effect of the Ring, then not only does it allow its wearer to see further, it also allows him to bend his vision up, down and around. In the passage, the star is clearly said to be in the southern sky. However, by the map of Middle Earth, Mt. Doom is not only south of Rivendell, it is also better than 500 miles east. Plus, their are at least two mountain ranges (the Misty Mountains and the Mountains of Shadow) that stand between Frodo's window and either Mt. Doom or Barad-Dur.
I'm still going with the symbolic on this one. And given Tolkien's later explanation of the formation of the stars by Varda the Valar that makes clear they are beyond the reach of the forces of eeeeevil in Middle Earth, I wonder whether its inclusion isn't just another oversight by the old boy.
Speaking of which, I've always been juuuuust a bit dubious of the passage in The Two Towers in which Legolas stands at the doors of Edoras and is able to see both Mt. Doom and Minas Tirith. Again, looking at the more detailed map of Gondor and environs, there is the problem of the mountain mass looming up directly to the east and south of Edoras. It seems possible that Legolas would have line of sight to Mt. Doom from that vantage point. However, it seems quite implausible that he would also be able to see Minas Tirith, as many of the peaks of the White Mountains, and especially Mt. Mindolluin, lie in the way.
"Tom," I can hear you saying, "you need to get a life."
Geek Yips! from Gary:
There's a forum that bandies around theories of this "red star". My own theory is that the star is the same one he saw in the sky in Chapter Three of "Fellowship", Three Is Company. Here it's referred to as Borgil, and probably corresponds to Aldebaran or Betelgeuse. Though, allegorically, it could certainly represent the red eye of Mordor.
"DUH!" YIPS from Steve-O:
That's no star.......it's a space station!
Sorry, couldn't resist.
1
I've just recently reviewed my archive tapes of Three's Company and don't recall any reference to a red star, although John Ritter did voice "Clifford the Big Red Dog".
Posted by: Jeff at December 12, 2007 10:33 AM (SBe4d)
"Away high in the East swung Remmirath, the Netted Stars, and slowly above the mists red Borgil rose, glowing like a jewel of fire. Then by some shift of airs all the mist was drawn away like a veil, and there leaned up, as he climbed over the rim of the world, the Swordsman of the Sky, Menelvagor with his shining belt. The Elves all burst into song."
Bogil is probably the left-hand "shoulder" of Orion (Menelvagor) above the belt.
Posted by: Gary at December 12, 2007 11:08 AM (PLHs9)
3
Uh, Gary, go back and read Jeff's note carefully. John Ritter, Three's Company.....
http://imdb.com/title/tt0075596/
Posted by: Any A. Mouse at December 12, 2007 01:17 PM (k0H6g)
4
There are walking, talking trees for crimenies sake. I think there is the possibility that the other things could happen.
Posted by: rbj at December 12, 2007 02:36 PM (UgG6+)
Not much of a surprise from National Review since many at The Corner (I'm looking at you, KLo) have been flogging his candidacy for almost a year. Their reasoning is...well...reasonable.
I would argue that their prediction of a "coalition breaking" effect from a Giuliani candidacy is erroneous, though. Quite the contrary, I think Rudy could broaden the Center-Right coalition for Republicans that is currently much heavier on the Right than the Center. I get a little irritated when pundits qualify the "base" as being almost exclusively Evangelical Christians. As far as I'm concerned I'm the base, too. And I ain't no Liberal.
Yips! from Robbo: Despite our joking around with Ol' Fred here, I'm still not very much committed to anybody yet. Mitt, Rudy or even McCain (because of his foreign policy accumen) would all be perfectly acceptable to me.
BTW, I meant to mention this the other day: the Missus is not ordinarily a very political person. I suppose I would categorize her as a right-leaning centrist. However, she caught Mitt's "Mormon" speech last week and was blown away by it. A straw in the wind? Perhaps.
1
Their reasoning (most conservative viable candidate) is the same as mine, which is why I also am a Romney supporter. Plus, there is the favorite son thing. I didn't think Mitt would be this viable this far into it -- I always thought he'd end up as VP for either McCain or Giuliani. That's still a possibility depending on how the primaries go.
I absolutely am not doing politics at my new site, though. I find it too corrosive for my spiritual well being.
I can live with McCain, Giuliani, Romney, or Thompson as the candidate. McCain is my second choice, Thompson third, and Rudy fourth. The guy who has impressed me the most in the field is actually Duncan Hunter, but he fails the viability test. Huckabee is nominiation-viable at this point, but he seems to me to be a sure loser if he is the Presidential candidate -- though I'd certainly join the 30% of the people who vote for him to prevent the Hillary Clinton presidency if push came to shove.
If it came down to a Ron Paul/Hillary Clinton matchup, I'd do a write-in for someone, or maybe back the Libertarian/Hemp candidtate.
Posted by: The Abbot at December 12, 2007 12:29 PM (b1/bF)
I missed this: The Nats have swapped catcher Brian Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church to Gary's Mets in exchange for Paul Lo Duca and Lastings Milledge, who play the same positions.
I guess I can see the Milledge trade as part of the Nats' strategy to bring in young guys and build them up. (Milledge is 22.) On the other hand, Lo Duca (who is 35), only signed a one year contract and looks to me to be a stop-gap until Jesus Flores is ready to be the full-time plate man.
All I know is that the eldest Llama-ette is not going to like this nooz because Church and Schneider, along with Ryan Zimmerman and Dmitri Young, were the anchors of the team this year and she got very used to watching them. And like her old dad, she is not fond of change.
UPDATE: Well, the sports guys at the WaPo like the Lo Duca deal - comparable to Schneider on defense (although his arm's not as good) and a solid bat. Plus the one year deal gives the Nats all kind of flexibility depending on how Flores comes along.
Sounds pretty good to me.
UPDATE DEUX: Broke the news to the Llama-ette. Her initial reaction, an exclamation of "WHAT?!!" that blended incredulity and hostility, was one of those little tics that reminds me of what an absolute clone the gel is of her late grandfather. It's downright creepifying sometimes.
Anyhoo, she calmed down as I explained the way trading ballplayers works. After pondering things for a minute or two, she said, "But....they're all still friends, right?"
I assured her that everybody was still friends.
Yips! back from Gary:
With Lo Duca you get a team motivator in the clubhouse, a veteran leader. Yes, he can be a hothead sometimes but sometimes that's the kind of spark a young up-and-coming team can use. I'm sorry to see him go (as are a lot of Mets fans) and frankly can't fathom why Minaya didn't sign him. He said PLD was looking for a multi-year deal but this proves otherwise. Plus, we now have THREE catchers signed. WTF?
Bad Omar!
As for Milledge? Eh, I personally thought he was a bit overrated and it would seem that potential trade partners felt the same thing. I would have certainly preferred to get at least a 2nd tier reliever in exchange but on this one I'll defer to the head office that this was the best they could do at the time. They probably could have gotten more if they did it much sooner.
1
Might be some upside to Milledge, which is the wager the Nats are making, I guess. The movie Bull Durham notwithstanding, there's not much upside for 35 year old catchers, so I think LoDuca is at best a short term proposition.
As a kid, I hated trades, too. I stopped following the Bruins when Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito went away. I have honestly never followed them, or professional hockey, since. And sending Fred Lynn to the California Angels is still something I hold against the Red Sox.
Posted by: The Abbot at December 12, 2007 03:19 PM (b1/bF)
Full Assimilation Into The Hogwarts Collective Almost Complete
Just started book six last night and I'm already over 100 pages in.
It just occured to me that I'm just about at the same point that everyone else was upon the book's release when a couple of killjoys shouted out the ending to the unsuspecting fans waiting in midnight vigils outside the bookstores.
In hindsight, that really was a dick move.
Yips! from Robbo: Ha! Although I said I would, I still haven't cracked any of the Potter books. Neener, neener!
Posted by: Marvin at December 11, 2007 03:10 PM (w/dUC)
2
I really enjoyed the books. One can speed read through the more laborious portions. I think toward the last few books the author expanded them so fans could stay in "Harry Potter Land" that much longer.
The camping scenes in the last two need to be speed read through.
Other than that, it is a fantastic story. I would recommend it to anyone.
Posted by: Babs at December 11, 2007 09:33 PM (iZZlp)
Fatal Depth: Deep Sea Diving, China Fever, and the Wreck of the Andrea Doria by Joe Haberstroh
I loooove survival non-fiction. You give me a book about a mountain climbing trip that went awry; a shipwreck; lost in the desert; trapped in a cave; and I am one happy reader. I will bury myself in that book, happy as a rat in a sack of Fritos, for hours. Some of my all time favs from this genre are:
Untamed Seas by Deborah Scaling Kiley Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Laurence Gonzales
and of course everything Jon Krakauer has ever written.
So I was pretty excited when I read a review of Fatal Depth in a magazine cousin to the glorious rag Outside. (It was something left at the beach house. Can't remember the magazine name.)
As you know - I hate doing plot synopsis so I'm lifting the dirty work from a customer review at Amazon:
As scuba equipment and technique became increasingly advanced, dives to the "Everest of Scuba Diving", the Wreck of the Andrea Doria, were becoming routine throughout the 90's. Dan Crowell, skipper of the deep dive charter boat "Seeker", had a perfect safety record, repeatedly visiting the site, until the disastrous summers of 1998 and '99, when the "Doria" reasserted her reputation for doom and claimed five divers.
The skeleton details set my imagination on fire. Why is deep sea diving so dangerous? What kinds of trouble do technical divers encounter? Why would anyone risk their life for a plate or cup from the Andrea Doria? What was the Andrea Doria and when did it sink?
I'm happy to report that all of these questions and more are answered in the ably written pages of Fatal Depth. I was, in fact, quite impressed with Joe Haberstroh's ability to weave together the five unrelated stories of diver deaths with the story of the Seeker and the history of the Andrea Doria. It could not have been an easy task, but he carries it off quite well.
The reader learns a lot about the complexities and hazards of deep sea diving, while absorbing the history of the Andrea Doria, plus a good fistful of maritime law. It's the perfect snack book. Crunchy, salty and satisfying. I read it in one day and it was exactly what I hoped ~~ a tasty mind-nosh that doesn't require much chewing. Fatal Depth tastes great - and its great for you too!
1
First time commernter here! Did you read The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger? The moovie was lame, but the book was great. The book has it all -- meterology, ship building, maritime law, fishing, economics.
Posted by: Danielle Comon at December 11, 2007 03:39 PM (h2xpe)
2
Welcome, Danielle! I heartily agree about TPS, both book (excellent) and movie (sucky).
And while we're at it, I should mention Simon Winchester's Krakatoa. A bit more on the macro level, but in addition to all the vulcanology, there are lots of interesting bits about 19th Century colonial politics, economics, communications and travel.
Posted by: Robbo the LB at December 11, 2007 03:50 PM (fKpiB)
3
Go back some years and try ALIVE by Piers Paul Read. Survival AND cannibalism. Yum, Yum.
Posted by: Tbird at December 11, 2007 05:18 PM (/INZ/)
4
Alive is a great book and you should follow it up Miricle ion the Andes by one of the actual survivors, Nando Parrado. A really gripping story about survival in a truly hostile environment.
Posted by: Sarah G. at December 11, 2007 06:27 PM (Pp4ZX)
5
"The Endurance"... Best. survival. story. of all time. And it will be until space exploration becomes the domain of the private explorer. Nothing else even comes close.
Posted by: Hucbald at December 12, 2007 08:33 AM (BwL5t)
6
Thanks for all the excellent suggested reads! I've added them to my Amazon Wish List. I've read Alive and it deserves to be in my favorites list. I'd forgotten about it!
Another one I liked was Touching the Void. Forgot to mention it too . . .
Posted by: Chai-rista at December 12, 2007 10:09 AM (ERCKE)
There's something of a bug working its way through the Family Robbo at the moment. My symptoms have been confined primarily to a kind of drowsy wooziness so far. Not actually incapacitating, but it makes it hard to think straight for any length of time to make the donuts.
Anyhoo, I don't have the energy to do any large posting at the moment, so I'm just going to throw down some random thoughts floating about in my braims at the moment:
***This year for the first time we decorated the wreaths on the front door of Orgle Manor with purple ribbon in honor of Advent. (We'll switch over to red come the 23rd.) I grow increasingly fond of Advent as I get older, probably because the sense of cleansing and preparation of the season is becoming more important to me. I should also mention that while the Missus has no interest in swimming the Tiber with me, the fact that I am has caused her to pay much more attention to her own faith (which to me is a very good thing). She, too, feels the - what? - Advental urge more now than previously.
Now if we could only figure out a way to stop the gels from fighting over who gets to blow out the candles on the dinner table wreath.......
*** My metro reading of late has been Anthony Powell's A Dance To The Music of Time. As I mention, I've been feeling woozy and one of the results is that for the past two days I have been dozing off in the middle of my book and daydreaming character, dialogue and plot details. This is causing me quite a bit of confusion. I fear that I'm going to have to go back and reread a tremendous amount in order to sort out what is real and what I've been imagining. (To give one example, I'm pretty sure that old Mr. Deacon does not have a pierced tongue in the original, nor does he swing from a rope like a circ d'soleil performer.)
***Speaking of reading, what is the deal with the red star glaring away in the southern sky that Frodo can see from his window in Rivendell? Did Tolkien shove that in just for a bit of imagery? Surely he wasn't thinking at that point that Sauron had any power over one or more stars? Oh, and another thing: as the Company is walking south through Hollin, Frodo, Gandalf and Aragorn feel something fly high over them in the middle of the night. I always assumed this was a winged Nazgul on a stealth spy mission. Anybody got a better explanation?
***Recently saw Ocean's 13. I think the ref probably should have stopped the fight at 12. And Ellen Barkin is getting too old to be slinking around like that.
***Holiday Waypoint: Got a Starbuck's eggnog latte this morning and immediately remembered why I never get more than one per season. Yuck.
*** I haven't felt too inclined to post on politics lately, but I have to say that the fallout over the recent NIE "flip-flop" on Iranian nukes is scaring the bejaysus out of me. I was so caught up with Dan Henninger's article on it as I flew back to Dee Cee last Thursday evening that I forgot to be afraid of the actual flying.
***Finally, here's something that makes me smile: Go on over to Scribal Terror and check out the video Gail posted of the dancing dog. (I'd repost it here except I can't find the code and all the copies on YouTube are much poorer in quality.) I have rarely seen such a happy animal. And the conclusion is absolutely perfect.
1
"Speaking of reading, what is the deal with the red star glaring away in the southern sky that Frodo can see from his window in Rivendell? Did Tolkien shove that in just for a bit of imagery? Surely he wasn't thinking at that point that Sauron had any power over one or more stars? Oh, and another thing: as the Company is walking south through Hollin, Frodo, Gandalf and Aragorn feel something fly high over them in the middle of the night. I always assumed this was a winged Nazgul on a stealth spy mission. Anybody got a better explanation?"
I think Tolkien is suggesting that Frodo can indeed see further due to effects of the ring. I assume he is actually seeing all the way to Mordor (or it just may be a vision.)
As for the Hollin thing, the logical assumption is that it is a winged Nazgul (although I am not sure of the timeline... were the Nazgul re-horsed on the winged creatures by then?), but I suppose it could be a flock of Crebain scanning the countryside.
Posted by: STEVE at December 11, 2007 03:10 PM (hNR3A)
2
I tried reading Powell back when I was in high school and found the series completely opaque. I couldn't make any headway, and I couldn't see why anyone else would read it. A couple of years ago I tackled the books again and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Odd how reading tastes change depending on where you are in life. I'm not sure I look forward to finding out what I'll be reading when I'm 65 or 70.
Posted by: utron at December 11, 2007 03:39 PM (CgIkY)
3
I thought the Nazgul had winged mounts, in addition to their horses.
The parents have stumbled across an organic eggnog (forget the brand, only saw it at Harris Teeter in Newport News). Much better than the regular crud.
Posted by: rbj at December 11, 2007 03:39 PM (UgG6+)
Sorry about any problems you might have experienced trying to get your morning dose of Llama Madness today. It seems that the cyber-jihadis had another go at Dr. Rusty's Sandcrawler. And while the Sandcrawler itself appears to be bomb-proof, the rest of us on the Moo-Knew continuum seem to have suffered some collateral damage. At least I couldn't get my keys to work for a while.
Anyhoo, hopefully it's all sorted out now.
Yip! Yip!
The past couple days, I've seen an awful lot of ads flogging the premier of the "Sarah Connor Chronicles" next January.
I have to say that I'm moderately intrigued. But I also have to ask what you guys think: Will River Tam make a plausible new-model Terminator? (I already know what the LMC will say to this. He's been wandering the desert ever since "Dark Angel" was cancelled.)
And speaking of such things, watching the Llama-ettes and their friends recently, it occurred to me that the insanely popular Webkinz are probably a Skynet plot, and that when Judgement Day comes it won't be at the hands of sooper-tricked out automated weaponry. Instead, Mankind will be annihilated by legions of small, loveable virtual pets, with big, sad eyes, and names like Fluffy and Jingles. ("Ooooh. I'm sooooo sad that you won't be able to play with me anymore! Goodbye! Blam! Blam! Blam!")
Be afraid.
UPDATE: More gratuitous tee vee stuff: who else out there gets a kick out of those new Burger King ads where the moms are trying to off the King? I especially like the "Khaaaaaaan!!" riff in the one where they sabotage his car.
Yips! from Gary:
Which name actually sounds more strange to the ear: Summer Glau or River Tam?
Discuss.
1
It's hard for an old letch (But a nice-guy letch) like me not to get excited about a sci-fi series with Summer Glau in it, and the promo scenes - especially the one where Summer slams the T-unit with the pickup truck (Dang, I love women who drive pickups) - seem pretty cool. Consider me reservedly jazzed about it.
It's interesting that this basically throws T-3 into the ash heap too.
And, seriously, when are we going to get a Terminator versus Predator movie?
Yes, the BK ads are tres cool.
Posted by: Hucbald at December 10, 2007 07:01 PM (LATuO)
2
I kinda like T3, but I had low expectations for it. I loved the ending though. You can't change the future. I for one, look forward to my Skynet overlords.
I've loved Summer Glau since Firefly (damn, I miss that show). I find her extremely attractive, but can't figure out why. When is this new show suppose to start?
Posted by: stillers at December 11, 2007 03:42 AM (blNMI)
3
"The Sarah Connor Chronicles"? Didn't we get about all that we can take of this in T2?
Is this stuff supposed to take place between T2 and T3? And if so, doesn't this require a huge RetCon for T3 and the upcoming T4? I mean, no previous mention of hot little number "good" terminator" helping our heroes try to destroy SkyNet?
Obviously no matter where the show goes we know they fail (see T3).
The whole idea smacks of opportunism to milk as much as possible from the franchise.
I predict that it's doomed from the start. Even a strike-hit wasteland of repeats and reality shows can't possibly make this watchable.
Posted by: Gary at December 11, 2007 11:55 AM (PLHs9)
4
Will River Tam make a plausible new-model Terminator?
Yes. That is my answer to any and all questions concerning Summer Glau. Aside from her preposterous hotness factor, Summer can do some phenomenal physical stunts. Let's not forget that in Serenity, she was able to swing her leg backwards and kick a man who was standing behind her in the back of the head.
Posted by: utron at December 11, 2007 12:04 PM (CgIkY)
A friend recommended this movie to me, saying it was hysterical. The plot involves the theft of Gram Parson's body by his friend and manager Phil Kaufman after Parsons died in 1973. I hardly knew who Gram Parsons was before I watched this movie, so I have to rely on Wikipedia's knowledge of the incident. Apparently - it is based on an actual event.
Johnny Knoxville plays Kaufman and he does a good job. Christina Applegate is in it and she's good too. Everybody seems to be doing their best to make this film work. The music is good. The editing is perfectly serviceable. It even made me laugh out loud three times. But somehow it just doesn't work for me.
Maybe it's the subject. If you're going to do a movie about the wacky circumstances surrounding someone's demise I just think you need to push the envelope harder than they did. At one point I could see where the Coen brothers would have done a superb job with this material because they excel at walking on the razor's edge between grim and hilarious. It seemed to me that the director wanted characters out of Raising Arizona, but, perhaps due to weak writing, he didn't get them,
It didn't stick with me. Before it was over I'd already forgotten everything that had happened. I re-watched the first few minutes and saw how the whole thing came full-circle in a very well organized way. But I still didn't think it was tremendously funny. You know why?
Because I didn't know Kaufman and I didn't care about him. The film spends no time telling me anything about him before Gram Parsons died. His lines are bland. The dialog goes no where. It took me forever to figure out that he was the center of the story.
And that hardly seems fair to the man, because the brief biography of him I found here makes him sound hilarious and filled with one-liners so sharp they could shave off your eyebrows.
Take what he said about Keith Richards for example:
"Keith [Richards] might get out of control. He might be up till four in the morning, but at seven o’clock he’d be the first guy up and playing his guitar. Keith could eat nails and piss rust. He has the constitution of a cement mixer. What goes in will come out, and he will live."
So - you might like this movie - as my friend did. The biography linked above calls Grand Theft Parsons "half-entertaining." Talk about damning with faint praise! Maybe a few rounds of Quarters before hand will help.
Yesterday was the Christmas Pageant over at St. Loony-Up-The-Cream-Bun-and-Jam. In a monumental piece of miscasting, the youngest Llama-ette played an angel this year. (The other two had a conflicting piano recital and could not attend.)
I walked in expecting to simply sit and watch to make sure the Llama-ette refrained from stage-diving off the altar. (She had been speaking ominously earlier on about using her wings to "fly".) Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I was marked down in the program to usher the durn thing. It turns out that my general resignation from all offices connected with St. LUTCBAJ never quite made it to the Usher's Guild.
Well, I wasn't going to be churlish about it, so dutifully donned my usher's badge, passed out programs and took up the collection plates. Hopefull, B-16 will understand. I certainly got some odd looks from some of the congregation who were In The Know, however.
As far as the Pageant itself, everything went fine. The key question every year is whether or not the baby tagged to play Jesus is going to put up a fuss. This year's entrant remained docile throughout, so everyone was free to mumble and stumble their way through their lines without distraction as family members snaked up and down the aisle taking pictures. (I saw exactly two people in the congregation who were not directly related by blood to one or more of the cast members.) The Llama-ette managed to control herself, too, perhaps because of my severe warning that if she didn't behave then she'd get not a single sniff of the cocoa, cookies or candycanes in the hall after the performance. I would expect that among the actual cherubim and the seraphim, virtue is probably not a matter of either threat or bribary. In her case, however, I'll use whatever tools are available to me.
BTB, among the carols and hymns sung was "Go Tell It On The Mountain". We sing this every. single. year. And it drives me absolutely batty every. single. year. There are few things more aesthetically ridiculous if not downright patronizing than a gang of well-heeled Episcopalian WASPs trying to sing spirituals. I do wish they would cut it out.
1
Hmmn...coincidences abound...Mr. P and I because of our good looks and overwhelming charm had been determined by those in the know and with the connections to be made of official "Greeters" for our former parish. This meant on Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve, Mr. P was given a gardeenia for his button hole and I a matching corsage and we had stand at the in the vestibule greeting people who came to Church those two days only per year...
When we handed in our resignation, the lady in charge of assigning the Greeters wouldn't accept that two nice young people like us could do such a stupid thing as become Catholic so she kept us on the Greeters list...I wrote her twice on my stationary too. So when the card came notifying us that we had recieved the highest greeting honor of the entire Church year : the Midnight Service on Christmas Eve, I looked at it for what it was - a bribe for our return. I threw it in the dustbin and never even called for a substitute...
To think, they thought the honor of being a greeter on Christmas Eve was worth the fires of Hell...
Posted by: Mrs. Peperium at December 10, 2007 11:06 AM (Ee+Oi)
2
The implication is that poorly singing a spiritual will redeem us from racial prejudice. Have you ever actually read the intro to the Lift Every Voice and Sing hymnal (usually just called LEVAS) found in many Episcopal churches? It is appallingly condescending, arrogant, and offensive. (That sermon must have been really dull for me to read the hymnal intro.)
Posted by: AKL at December 10, 2007 01:42 PM (ntc61)
3
My Catholic parish also sings GTIOTM every year. Plus some of the congregation and parish leadership have decided that we should clap during some songs and versions of the gospel alleluia even tho fewer than half the congregation can identify the beat. I call this the "aren't we white" Mass setting. It's really embarrassing
Posted by: Terentia at December 10, 2007 02:32 PM (KMzvC)
4
GTIOTM was sung by blacks and whites alike where I grew up (Leesburg / Harper's Ferry). But if y'all did not grow up in the Appalachians, you have no business singing it. Every church up here in the North East does the spiritual thing, too, no matter what the denomination. It really grates on my nerves because my parents and I were the only white folks in our church when I was a kid, so I know how the stuff is supposed to sound, and for a white boy, I can make it sound pretty authentic when I sing it. Just not when the organist is playing the music at about 2/3s the proper tempo.
I blame you Yankee transplants down in Maryland and Virginia for this brand of nonsense.
Posted by: John at December 11, 2007 01:35 PM (ct7Ey)
5
Well, I wasn't a white person at a black church, but I heard GTIOTM and many other spirituals from [WAIT FOR IT!!] our maid Lena, who sang alto in her Baptist church choir. She sang all the time while she worked, and her music was as much a part of my life as, say, Frank Sinatra. Sadly, even with that experience, I still can't carry a tune, but boy do I know all the words. I agree that the clapping, etc. is bad manners. If it doesn't come naturally it's a rude copy of someone else's true feelings and shouldn't be done. But Robbo, just the fact that we're white or 'upper middle class' doesn't mean we can't enjoy (and sing) the music that's part of our heritage.
Posted by: pnutqueen at December 13, 2007 09:52 PM (xCLHW)
Sid, over at Leper Pop had a chance to see Juliette Lewis and her band, The Licks on a night out in Chicago recently.
I had no idea that Juliette Lewis even had a band, so it was great to get to go to the show with Sid vicariously. At the end of his post he includes a music video that is like nothing I've ever seen before. She has a delivery that reminds me of Janis Joplin, but I had to watch the video twice just to come to terms with the WTF? Factor.
Seriously, if you're one of the many who had secret tingles for Juliette after watching Natural Born Killers, you have to surf over and go to the show with Sid now.
Update: The other half of Leper Pop also got his eyeful at the show. Check out his review here.
Big cuppa Earl Grey, hot, for Mrs. Keysunset!
I discovered when I went to put the rear panel onto the ol' Jeep ragtop this weekend that I had somehow managed to break the zipper.
I suppose I'm going to have to have it fixed or replaced. Personally, I don't mind tooling around backless. The Jeep has a very efficient heater and I rayther enjoy having the fresh air tickling the back of my neck. On the other hand, it'll be pretty hard cheese for anybody who has to ride in the back seat.
Who Are You And What Have You Done With My Children?
The elder Llama-ettes are doing a model of the Taj Mahal for their semi-annual history project at St. Marie of the Blessed Educational Method. I told them point blank that Ol' Dad wasn't going to shoulder the load this time around. I would take care of tasks that involved very sharp blades or excessive paint fumes, but for the rest of it, they were on their own.
And you know what? The thing isn't turning out half bad. Sure, it's mostly a concoction of styrofoam blocks and balls picked up from Michael's, but still. The eldest gel even took the initiative to fashion a base for the central dome that would raise it up a bit.
Mirabile dictu.
This article in The Good Times is on how some donors (or their families) are holding colleges accountable for using the proceeds of restricted gifts for purposes other than those intended by the donors. Princeton's potential liability is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
I personally never bought all that many DVDs unless I absolutely knew for a fact that I'd end up watching it again and again, if it had must-see special features or if I saw it priced as an absolute steal in some mega-superstore bin.
This past year, I rented from Netflix: "Transformers" (which no one in the house had yet seen), "Meet The Robinsons" (a favorite of my seven year old) and "Spider Man 3" (which the eleven year old couldn't wait to see again). Other than MTR, each of these were watched by my kids once and when I asked whether or not I should send it back to Netflix in every case I got an apathetic "yeah". If I had purchased any of them, I'd have been pretty pissed knowing that they'd probably have ended up sitting on my shelf unwatched.
I've bought a couple as gifts for Christmas for nieces and nephews who specifically asked for them. But I have no impulse to buy anything on DVD in the near future for myself except "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". Even my buddy with the giant DVD collection hasn't really been buying any lately.
Anyone else finding this the case? (and don't comment with "I've never bought DVDs" - this question is obviously not for you)
UPDATE:
And another thing. I've noticed that many DVDs are now coming in two versions. One has a single DVD with the movie, reg. price $19.99 or so and the other is a two-disc "collector's edition", the second disc being all the special features and usually selling for $29.99 (except for the first week they come out in which case they're usually discounted by about $5 each). The two most recent examples would be "Harry Potter" and "Pirates of the Carribean 3: The Mind-bending Plot Dump"
Now I seem to recall that even movies with second discs (with special features) used to be standard at $19.99. This new packaging/pricing seems like a recent thing. And frankly, it's a real dick thing to do to consumers. Half the time the only reason to buy a DVD is for the special features.
So if the distributors are scratching their heads as to why DVD sales are going down, one answer may be the reaction to this "marketing" move.
A-holes.
1
I am a big movie fan and (in general) I like to own stuff like this (I have so many books...), but these days I only buy a DVD either if (a) I absolutely want to own it and I know I will watch it again and again (my latest in this category was Death Proof, and even then it ended up costing $10.00) or (b) if it is a movie I like and the DVD is seriously discounted ($5 is about the limit for this). I often troll the $5.00 DVD box at Wal-Mart (which is sometimes annoying when I see $5 DVDs that I originally paid a lot of money for) and I have got some great deals at places like Best Buy who sometimes have good specials.
With the advent of Netflix I don't feel any real need to own everything I like and I don't have to buy a DVD just to see a movie that is fun to watch every so often. Netflix Rules.
My main problem with DVDs is the cost... there are very few DVDs that are so good that they justify a $15.00, or $20.00 (or higher) price. DVDs should cost $5.00 max for single DVD movies. For $5.00 a movie I would happily buy LOTS of DVDs.
As for illegal downloading? Meh. I am way too lazy.
Posted by: STEVE at December 07, 2007 03:23 PM (sBDYq)
2
Yup. I decided I had too many DVD's when I bought The Bourne Identity SE twice: My Mac alerted me that I had watched it before. DO'H! I'm a Netflix guy now.
Posted by: Hucbald at December 07, 2007 05:11 PM (T6fXP)
3
I won't pay full price for DVDs for myself [might buy a few for gifts during the holidays]. I really don't care about extras, I don't need 4 different commentary tracks.
At 5$, I'll buy something that I think I'll enjoy. At 10$, it has to be something I know I'll like, because I've seen trailers and it had a good rating from Film Threat.
Posted by: owlish at December 08, 2007 10:43 PM (r7QO3)
4
We still buy DVDs and we do watch them. Mind you most are family/kid oriented, but they have to be tolerable to the adults in the family. We watch them on yucky days, when kids are sick and in car on our twice annual trek up North to Vermont. The DVD player in the car is the best thing we have ever gotten. It truly is, as according to Terry Ogelsby, a child passification and neutralization device.
Posted by: Sarah G. at December 08, 2007 10:50 PM (Pp4ZX)
5
Until they straighten out the Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD fiasco on the high definition front, I won't buy a single DVD.
I don't intend to buy DVDs that are obsolete going into the transaction. And I also have no intention of buying the next Betamax.
Don't think I will be buying any for a long time.
Posted by: Zendo Deb at December 10, 2007 07:51 PM (3dyzr)
As I was idly flipping through the mail that's accumulated in the hall at Orgle Manor in my absence this week, I stumbled across a Christmas card. It features a photo of a family on the front. The family's names appear on the inside of the card, together with a local address and a suitably non-committal greeting for the season.
I have no earthly idea who these people are.
Actually, this is not a-tall an uncommon occurance 'round here. The Missus is the out-going, social half of our team, while I am the misanthropic curmudgeon. Indeed, when I'm actually recognized around town, say at the soccer fields, a birthday party, or some art or social function, I am pretty regularly labelled as "Mrs. Llama's Husband."
(I'd tell you all about the card itself, which is a doozy of its particular type, except that I don't want to get in trouble. I'm pretty sure these people are not friends of ours, but I don't know what position they hold in the Missus' vast, interlocking webs of what Meyer Wolfsheim called "gunnegshuns" and I don't want to give away enough detail to possibly identify them to any other of the Missus' gunnegshuns who might happen to wander in here.)
Dear Reader:
Let's all coo together now . . . AWwwwwwww!
Yes - they look cute, but they are all needle teeth on one end and "fudge" on the other.
These are my new baby-girl beagle puppies, hereafter to be referred to as the Tri-Colored Peril. We got them from the pound almost a month ago. A pal of mine who knows of such things told me they would bring home kennel cough, but that they would most likely work through it without medicine.
What she didn't tell me is that people can get Kennel Cough. For the past week, Pep and I have been snorting, coughing, hacking, sneezing, and yes, barking full of canine mucous joy. Arf. Arf.
Steve-O told me that if he sees me parading around campus wearing a sweater set matched with the girls in tams and color coordinated leashes he will certainly have to shoot me. Steve is a good friend.
But beyond the disease the Tri-Colored Peril has visited on my household, when under Hell's Bell will these girls be able to control the bowels and bladder?
In all my life I have not seen dogs who poop more. They're three months old and my home is an Oompa-Loompa Fudge Factory . . . only it seems all the Oompa-Loompas the size of a small teddy bear and there must be 47 of them cranking out "treats."
Seriously, when does this newspaper period end?
Living in the magical fudge forest,
Chai-rista
UPDATE:
Pep asked that I add the following saga to "Kennel Madness" (below the fold) . . .
1
Hahahahahaha! Wooo, now that's some funny stuff!
PS Don't eat the fudge.
Posted by: Lady J at December 07, 2007 01:14 PM (BUJoA)
2
Very cute. I've always held Beagles to be the noblest scions of the animal kingdom.
Posted by: Dan at December 07, 2007 01:28 PM (9/Szu)
3
Bet they have that puppy bad breath too! Are you crate training? If so, then they're either in the crate or whisked outside on a frequent but routine basis (immediately after eating/drinking, first thing in the AM, etc.)
Don't be afraid of crates...to the dog, it's like a bed with a roof.
Check out the very awesome www.mysmartpuppy.com, brought to you by the genius Brian Kilcommons.
Posted by: Monica at December 07, 2007 01:41 PM (A5CLO)
4
Hey Dan - You're right. Beagles are the most noble dog, and every portrait of them should be in Soviet Realism to adequately convey the gravity of their grandeur!
Thanks for the link Monica! They have a crate to sleep in but I don't lock the door because I don't think they can hold it all night. Also, I'm literally lame right now and can't walk them. So - more walkies once my knee gets better!
Posted by: Chai-rista at December 07, 2007 01:51 PM (ERCKE)
5
Awwwwww. Them's cute puppies. Send photos over to http://dailypuppy.com/
As for the pooping, that's one reason I got an older dog from a shelter. He was already house broken.
Posted by: rbj at December 07, 2007 01:52 PM (UgG6+)
6
But, DARLING! You simply MUST get matching outfits in the school colors (pink and green) for you and the girls! oooooooooooh, how ADORABLE that would be! Check out the student store, I'm sure they already have them in stock ...
or maybe Christmas outfits for this time o'year!
Now THERE'S an idea ... not a good idea, but an idea ...
mwah!
Posted by: keysunset at December 07, 2007 02:50 PM (et6My)
7
Hey Mrs. Keysunset - We don't want to push Steve-O. He's a llama on the edge and I'd hate for me and the pups to be the cause of any kind of Reservoir Dogs / Mr. Blonde meltdown.
Let's just back away . . .
Posted by: Chai-rista at December 07, 2007 03:07 PM (ERCKE)
8
Eh! Don't get your hopes up, but I think Beagles have a shorter break in period than Terriers.....our Scottie took 12 months to get it right and the Westie just over 18 months. Knock on wood (check first to make sure there is no fudge in the way) and hope your breed is a bit smarter. I have fond (not) memories or trying to pick up squatting quadrupedes and running for the yard in hopes of them associating dirt and grass to bodily functions..... enjoy!
Posted by: Terrapod at December 07, 2007 07:54 PM (3kj+O)
9
I think you should start doing loldogs for those guys. First could be "I haz a newzpaper"
http://laughoutlouddogs.com/
Posted by: rbj at December 07, 2007 09:02 PM (YLelv)
10
If your comments were not totally exaggerated for comical effect, then I would suggest you look at the type of food you're feeding the girls. Their output should not be so vast. Buy a high quality food such as Iams, Science, or Eukenuba. That will cut the output. Also, have you wormed them? Worm them again, just to be sure. There is a high margin of safety on wormers. A second course wont be toxic.
Posted by: old school lady at December 08, 2007 10:01 AM (sxZH7)
11
Excellent advice, old school lady, on both points. My husband, the veterinarian, says the only way Pyrantel can hurt them is if you throw the bottle at them. I also love the euphamism "low residue" on the boutique food you're referring to. It does work, though.
Said vet husband also deadpanned, "Two pups? She's going to have trouble. It's very difficult to housebreak two puppies at a time." And for that non-helpful, downright depressing advice, chai-rista, there's no charge.
Posted by: Monica at December 08, 2007 02:44 PM (a+KMo)
12
Thanks Old School and Monica. They're eating Eukanuba canned and Science Diet kibble.
They seem to have gotten the idea that leaves and dirt are for doodys and piddles. But getting them to understand that carpet is very much NOT for squatting is something we have yet to achieve.
I'm going to re-read my Monks of New Skete and other great dog books I have from 13 years ago . . . the last time we had puppies!
Posted by: Chai-rista at December 10, 2007 04:26 PM (ERCKE)
Fatal Depth: Deep Sea Diving, China Fever, and the Wreck of the Andrea Doria
