Via: Ask-Dr-Kirk
7.30.2008
Please Do Not... Wisdom From A Teacher
It Takes A Thief is on HULU!!
It's a great, late 1960's NBC show staring the wonderful and suave Robert Wagner (Switch, Heart to Heart, Three and a Half Men). It was both ahead of and very much a part of it's time.
The glory days of TV, when shows could be summed up with one catch phrase, in this case, "I'm not asking you to spy, I'm just asking you to steal." Characters didn't muck about with all this thought, feeling, depth, or emotionally tortured leads, but stuck to the job of driving the plot where writers needed it to go and viewers wanted to be taken.
With a great 60's Pop-jazz theme by Oscar winner, Dave Grusin... and in a time when the Universal back lot could double for anywhere in the world... it's part of a genre that Jaime Weinman calls "Babe of the Week" shows. It's true enough, the 1960's were, a little bit "chauvinistic and Rat Pack-y". I enjoy It Takes A Thief because it does what so few network TV shows seem to be able to do anymore; tell entertaining stories with action, plot, drama, romance, mystery and keep you entertained for 51 mins. er 45 mins uhm 40 OK 37 mins. Yeah, someone needs to fix that too!
7.26.2008
The Photography of Steve Schofield
Land of The Free
Photographs of pop-culture fanatics dressed in their natural habitats. Surreal, but also quite beautiful. Steve Scofield describes his work as "exploring the fascination that the British public has with American popular culture and the sub-cultural world of fandom."
Guy Ritchie on His Sherlock Holmes Movie (I'm Worried)
Guy Ritchie came to Comic-Con International to promote his London crime film "RocknRolla" but talked to LA Times' Geoff Boucher about his Sherlock Holmes project, which will star Robert Downey Jr. as Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth.
"I'm very excited about it, Robert is brilliant," Ritchie
said. "I came to the character through the books when I was young and what the film will reflect is the intelligence on the page and also the action. There's quite a lot of intense action sequences in the stories; sometimes that hasn't been reflected in the movies. it's been a relatively long time since there's been a film version that people embraced. I want to make a very contemporary film as far as the tone and texture. It's exciting for me to do a period piece, that's a departure."
Ritchie said his Holmes will be a man of adventure in a gritty world, not a prim thinker in staid parlor play. "There's a darkness to the movie we want to make," said Ritchie, who will be adapting Lionel Wigram's upcoming comic book tale about Holmes as opposed to the classic canon.
Wait! You have RDJr in your movie, an actor who can play troubled geniuses better than any actor out there, and your making him an action hero? Sherlock Holmes? Really?!? I'll file this under "tentatively cool" but with reservations.
Ken Bodie on Evan Bayh and the 2008 Democratic Veepstakes
In the Indianapolis Star today, Ken Bode wrote about Barack Obama and the Democratic veepstakes. Curious what his take was on the fast-and-furious speculation over the possibility of Senator Evan Bayh joining Obama on the ticket?
Today's prediction is that one day next week, you will pick up The Indianapolis Star from your driveway and discover that Barack Obama has chosen Sen. Evan Bayh for the vice presidential slot on the Democratic ticket. Don't be surprised. If it happens, it is interesting to ponder what the pundits and the political class will say about the choice.The rest of the piece deals with many of the issues that pundits have been chewing over the last few weeks, Bode also addresses the question of geographic balance.
Many will argue that an Illinois-Indiana ticket lacks geographic balance. For that reason in 1992, Bill Clinton was advised not to pick Al Gore, because he hailed from Tennessee, next door to Arkansas. But Clinton sensed something politically invigorating in the chemistry of the two young families, something that signaled the real change that America seemed hungry for.The same will be true at the convention in Denver with the two young Obama daughters and Bayh's twin teenage sons, along with two attractive, accomplished wives, Susan Bayh and Michelle Obama. Those families, along with the two men who will raise their hands in the traditional sign of victory, will signal a powerful and positive view of the possibilities for change in America. In a year when roughly 80 percent of the voters think the country is on the wrong track, that's not a bad way to begin the fall campaign.
Ken Bode is the former national political correspondent for NBC News and a former political analyst for CNN. Contact him at bode.ken@gmail.com. He also moderated the PBS show Washington Week in Review. In short, he's a smart guy who knows his stuff.
7.25.2008
Wolverine Meets His Maker OR Hugh Jackman Thanks The Man Who Made Him A Movie Star
One of the most gracious moments I've ever heard happen at a convention occurred yesterday at San Diego's famed Comic-Con International 2008.
Hugh Jackman was flown in to appear as a surprise guest at the X-Men Origins: Wolverine panel. He had just finished filming and was resting in Australia. After a 10 hour flight, he jumped on stage where 6,500 fans stuffed into the room, erupted in cheers and applause.
The first thing Jackman did was crack some jokes, humbly thanked the fans for their support, then looked into the audience, pointing out Len Wein. Len is a newly minted Eisner Hall of Fame inductee (congratulations sir!) He, along with Neal Adams and Jim Shooter instilled my early love of comics and social activism - thank you! Working for Marvel in 1974, Len, along with Herb Trimpe and John Romita, Sr., created the character of Wolverine. Making Jackman a very rich star. Now if only Marvel would return creator rights like DC did, Len and the others would be pretty well set too. Just sayin'
Jackman told Len with complete sincerity, “I waited a long time to thank you personally and I wanted to shake your hand, mate. It’s one of the best comic book characters ever created and as an actor, it’s a challenge to play and I’ve just done it for the fourth time, and I still feel there’s more to find out and that’s down to you, from your great mind and heart creating a great character.”
Len's blog, doesn't mention it yet, but his wife, former attorney for the SFWA, M. C. Valada, apparently got a heads-up. She didn't tell Len, she just told him to "de-geek". She writes about it in her blog.
Watch the Comic-Con appearance on YouTube.
Here's the link to an EW.com interview Jackman did just minutes after his Panel appearance.
Journey At The Center of the Earth
You'll never guess what lurks below. Really, you wont be prepared for it. Hang in there ... it's worth waiting for.
7.23.2008
The Flintstones Knew That Winston's 'Tastes Good Like a Cigarette Should'
Yes, The Flintstones, that treasured cartoon icon of our youth, was actually a very amazing early TV experiment. With the 
These integrated commercials seen during the 1960 - '61 season of ABC's The Flintstones, were shown at the end of the episodes when Winston sponsored the show. Miles Laboratories, maker of Alka-Seltzer and One-a-Day, sponsored the other weeks.
So with the family gathered around the Curtis Mathis, Dad and Mom puffing away, little Billy and Mary were not only slowly poisoned, they were being indoctrinated by cigarette and beer ads. For those who complain about the unrealistic amount of smoking in AMC's 1960's period show Mad Men, just watch Fred and Barney light up.
Here Fred walks into "Rocky's Tobacco Shop" for his weekly pack of smokes, guess which kind? Probably Fred has a charge account with him... since he never paid. If it were later on in the series I'd guess that he had Gazoo lay some funky alien 'Jedi' like mind tricks on the guy.
After they bought their Winston's, they have to have a smoke break, right?
Oh, and speaking of "You've come a long way, baby"... note that extra measure of indoctrination, as Wilma and Betty perform their duties as quintessential suburban housewives, whilst Fred and Barney rest on their fat caveman Arses. Yup, TV really WAS better back then.
Technorati Tags: smoking,the flintstones,Hanna-Barbera,fred,barney,wilma,betty,winston,caveman,bedrock,cigarette,1960's,black and white,b&w,cartoon
The Cubicle Turns 40
The bane of modern existence, the office cubicle turns 40 this month. According to Wikipedia, "A cubicle's purpose is to isolate office workers from the sights and noises of an open workspace, the theory being that this allows workers more privacy and helps them to concentrate without distractions." Of course we know, generally, the opposite is true.
When I worked for a museum in Indianapolis, I had a great little office on the third floor. I was eager, young and motivated. When I switched gears and careers to graphic design, I worked in a cubicle for a quite a while, first for Valvoline Oil and then, nearly four years at Kroger Central Marketing in Indianapolis, which was made of cube farms (and the withered husks that once contained human souls). All those five-foot walls seem to provide was an excuse to goof around. My last year there, I did get a great window view overlooking the Retention Pond and the Gaggle O' Geese inhabiting it. Today I vie my time between home and a basement in a converted manufacturing warehouse, downtown. It's not bad, there are no cubicles!
According to the article in the Kansas City Star, the cubicle debuted in 1968, as part of a concept called The Action Office. The late Robert Propst at Herman Miller, a marketing company in Michigan, came up with the concept.
Joe Schwartz, now 82, was a marketing director at Herman Miller at the time. “The death of the cubicle has been forecasted for the past 40 years, but apparently it provides benefits rather than causes problems,” Schwartz said. But at least one serious rival is out there, the anti-office office. With transportation costs soaring, the cubicle-free option of working from home or working from Starbucks grows more attractive.
The time for mankind to rise up and break free of its 6-foot-by-6-foot prison is coming. So grab your cordless drills, get rid of your "case of the Monday's" and help celebrate the cubicle's birthday, while you still can.
A 9 min. un-edited clip from Office Space. So MNBAFW.
7.22.2008
Guess The Song
Promise I'll write something here soon, been busy but I do keep stumbling upon great videos I have to share. Really impressive work. Can you guess the song? You will half-way through!
7.20.2008
7.19.2008
Remembering A Friend
MBT-M1A1_Abrams_tank by MATEUS_27:24&2 5's CC License
I had a dream last night. To begin with, I couldn't get to sleep, I've been grinding my teeth lately worrying myself about various things. I finally feel asleep and dreamt this.
I was on a road trip from KY back to Indiana. Along the Interstate, there was a soldier in full pack, hitching a ride. We stopped and it was my old friend Rob. He piled in, now in civvies and we talked and laughed and reminisced then when we came to a rest stop, he announced that this was his stop. Next I was looking out the back of the car window, he was standing, now back in uniform, waving and smiling. I woke up, sweating. I padded into the kitchen, poured a glass of whisky and sat in the moon-lit silence of my living room, remembering, smiling and fighting back tears.
Robert (Rob) Stucker was born and raised in my hometown of Waldron, IN. He was the little brother of my best friend, Allen and my adopted little brother. He was a practical joker, misanthrope, State Wrestling champ, and just someone you loved being around. His enthusiasm for life was infectious. On Saturdays, we would all play outside and hang-out, if their father Russ was home from his truck-driving job, we would encourage him to tell stories about WWII and Korea. Then in the afternoon, our local PBS station aired Dr. Who. It didn't matter if there were three, four or five 20 min. episodes, they would show them all back-to-back. We were in Nerdvana. Just following Dr. Who (unless it was a long one) Rob would make us switch to Rat Patrol. He loved it. He would say, that's what he wanted to do. "What?" we'd ask, "Drive around the desert in a tank?" Yup!
Not many people get to do what they love, Rob had that chance. He went to Purdue, enrolling in ROTC and graduated as a second LT in the Marines. He loved it! He was frustrated at first, because many of his first assignments were on board Air Craft Carriers and he hated it. Structured boredom he called it. Then came Operation Desert Storm and guess where he ended up? Yup!
Rob was in charge of a Tank brigade. He and his men were positioned in the vast desert just outside Kuwait. The I Marine Expeditionary Force and coalition forces began the ground assault on Iraqi defenses in the final chapter. Rob, his men, the 1st and 2d Marine Divisions all stormed into the teeth of Iraqi defenses while heavily armored allied forces attacked the Iraqi defenses from behind. Several times ending up in fire-fights and being gassed by a noxious combination the Military still aren't sure of. Twenty-Four US Marines would die in that assault. After things were over, he received two medals, a commendation and a promotion. Rob left the Marines, though he stayed in the Reserves. He married a wonderful woman, had two boys and worked in an auto factory in North Central Indiana.
Like so many in that War (ANY war) he suffered after. He lost his family and his way; he was living alone and he was suffering. Silently.
Then there seemed to be hope. He was talking again to his ex, Angie and they had plans to attend a Marine Dance together. That night, he never showed up to pick her up. She repeatedly called, with no answer. With a mixture of anger and worry, still in her formal gown, she drove to his place; where she found him dead. Sitting in a chair, wearing his Marine Dress Blues, he'd shot himself in the head with his Father's WWII service revolver.
I realized that my sub-conscious remembered what I had forgotten. This month is the 10th Anniversary of his death and I miss him terribly. I just want to urge any who read this, if you know someone, suffering in silence, VET or not, reach out to them. They may push you away, but at least try. Just try.
Semper Fi my friend.
7.17.2008
A Heartbreaking Twitter
When the Mars Phoenix Tweeted this on Twitter (what is this?) the other day you could hear the collective hearts of his 29,000 followers breaking. The truth is not as bad as it sounds. Here's a link to what could end the mission or just be a hiatus.
7.16.2008
My New T-Shirt
My new T-shirt, fresh from UPS! 19th Century Presidents with politically relevant quotes FTW!
7.15.2008
Dr. Horrible Is Up And It's Wonderful
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
I finally saw it. Act I anyway. It’s Wonderful! I can’t wait for the next two parts. All I can say is … The World needs more super-villain Musicals … and curtains, lacy, gently wafting curtains… what!?
It's the tale of a romantic but evil mad scientist, Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris), who wants nothing more than to snag the attention of a cute girl named Penny (Felicia Day) who goes to his laundromat. Sure, he has a few other goals: He wants to join Bad Horse, leader of the Evil League of Evil; and he's hoping to take over the world, if only oafish super-hero, Captain Hammer would let him. The songs, are witty, and well placed. I love that Whedon turned Dr. Horrible's blog description of his freeze ray into a love song. Inspired!
Neil Patrick Harris. a veteran of Broadway musicals, needs to be nominated for an Emmy or a Grammy or Webby or something. The beauteous and elfin Felicia Day’s voice is pleasant and melodious. Nathan Filian (Desperate Housewives & Firefly) plays the cloddish, self-absorbed, pretty-boy super-hero perfectly. (Could I have had more hyphens in that last sentence?)
The site is up and Act I is great, but the site was down most of the day. Yup. It got slash/dotted. Horrible created quite the stir on the Internets. So many people tried to watch the first episode that it crashed their server. Not only their server, but Felicia Day’s site, whedonesque, etc…. It’s been added to iTunes. The cost is $1.99 per episode, $3.99 for all three. The iTunes link is here. Here’s a great story from the LA Times about Dr. Horrible’s site crashing success!
Jamie Weinman's blog on Macleans.CA said this about trying to get on the site:
This is the internet equivalent of the old urban legend that after a much-viewed series finale ... everybody in the world goes to flush the toilet at the same time. Think of the internet as a toilet and bandwidth as toilet water. I could try to come up with an analogy that isn’t toilet-related, but why?
As of 11:15 PM (E) the guys at Dr. Horrible tweeted this. Here's the full story and more links on the other site.
"You're Gonna Die" from Act II
7.14.2008
Senator Obama Coming To West Lafayette On Wednesday
Photo: By SCholewiak, CC License
So this is what being a battleground state is like, eh? Senator Obama is coming to Purdue. McCain last week. Wow! I guess we are in play.
From the Obama press office:
Barack Obama's Indiana campaign announced today that Senator Obama will return to the state on Wednesday to hold a Summit on Confronting 21st Century Threats at Purdue University in West Lafayette.Senator Obama will be joined by Indiana Senator Evan Bayh and former Georgia Senator Sam Nunn. The summit discussion will include issues related to nuclear non-proliferation, bioterrorism, cyber security and emerging national security threats. The panel will also include two renowned experts on bio security-Dr. Tara O'Toole, Center for Bio Security at the University of Pittsburgh, and Dr. David Relman, Stanford University Medical School-and two cyber security experts-Paul Kurtz, a former senior member on the National Security Council and Homeland Security Council, and Alan Wade, former Chief Information Officer for the CIA.
Considering that both Bayh and Nunn have been linked to veepstakes speculation, this should be quite the event. The event is by invitation only, though.
I couldn't resist linking to this at The Onion.
Via: Indianapolis Star & Blue Indiana
How Could It End Like This? NPR Cancels The BPP
Sadly it's true. NPR gave my favorite show The Bryant Park Project the boot! News leaked yesterday in the NYT and was "officially" broken to the fourteen staffers of BPP this morning.
The BPP's Producer Tricia McKinney left this message on their website today:
We are still absorbing the news of our untimely demise. We will still produce new shows for the next two weeks, and we'll keep on blogging and twittering. We may also dip into the Best of the BPP, stuff we're really proud of.
Though the number of listeners were small, especially compared to the traditional NPR standbys, the BPP website did accrue millions of page views monthly. Anemic station carriage and a flagging economy likely conspired to doom the show and it's not surprising that NPR claims they spent $2 million over nine months with nothing to show for it. But was nine months really long enough? Given another year, I suspect that the BPP would have brought more non-NPR listeners into the fold; it’s too bad we won’t get to see that happen.
Various postmortems in the blogosphere also cite internal politics, staff turnover and flawed execution. I enjoyed the show. I loved their goofs. Such as the time they tried to cue a soundbite and ended up playing their entire library of Sound FX. It was endearing. They blogged, they twittered, they broadcast themselves just being goofy. It was different. It was fun, It was interesting and I became "friends" with the people on the show and even behind the scenes. Those who listened generally felt the same, judging from the comment thread.
As of this afternoon, there were 343 comments posted, 99% are positive and sharing their shock and disbelief with the cancellation of the BPP. Here is my comment on the thread:
I don't have much I can add that the others have not already said. Sad. Silly. Awful. Regretful.
What can I say? It's a mistake. NPR's wonderful, I've listened daily since the day of the Stock Market Crash in 1987 and The BPP was the future.
Radio as we know it is dying. You can stream stations on your iPhone!! With the BPP's informal (though substantive style) use of micro-blogging (twitter), blogging and ear to the NET Generation, it could have been the launch pad for NPR's revival.
I'm afraid that this "expensive experiment" canceled before it was given a chance, is the radio version of NPR's jumping the shark. Not the BPP itself, but the act of canceling it and not allowing it to grow or gain an audience and mature.
Sorry BPP gang, you were all great! I'll especially miss Laura's Tweets.
Sent by David M. | 12:41 PM ET | 07-14-2008
- If you want to leave a comment here's the thread.
- Contact NPR's Customer Service here.
- If you want to contact the NPR ombudsman Alicia Shepard and her staff to leave your two cents, the address is here.
- Listen to host Mike Pesca verbally flipping off NPR in the opening of today's first hour. (Click 'Listen Now' and it will open in a Media Player pop-up window) Food Grain Collection & Monitoring Committees FTW!
- Read my past post (say that fast!) about my love of this show here.
7.13.2008
A Couple of Random Thoughts From Today's Paper
I found two stories in today's Indianapolis Star that moved me
to post here. First was the story about former U.S. Rep. John Hostettler (R) who wrote and self-published a book that was pretty critical and damming to the Bush Administration. From The Star:
Former U.S. Rep. John Hostettler argues in a new, little-noticed, self-published book that the United States invaded Iraq to avenge an assassination attempt on then-President George H.W. Bush and to help Israel.
"It cannot be debated that toppling Saddam was accomplished by means of a 'private compact' with political appointees and their underlings in the Pentagon 'to support' the ideals of 'partisans . . . dedicated to another cause,' " the Wadesville Republican writes in "Nothing for the Nation: Who Got What Out of Iraq."
Interesting. Hostetettler went up a bit more on my respect-O-meter. He was one of the very few members of the House to vote against going to War in 2002 and was always a bit of a thorn in the backside of both parties while he was there. While he never represented me and is of a different party than myself, I always respected him and was happy to have him representing Indiana.
On the flip-side, a Hoosier politician that I hold very little to no respect for, went up just slightly, in my esteem this weekend. Twelve term, U.S. Rep. Dan Burton (R) started Twittering. I'm not sure if he or a staffer is posting, but the fact is, if done correctly, Twittering is a wonderful way for a Representative to get live, 24/7 constituent feedback. I know he's on Twitter because he's now following me. There's been a huge blow-up this week about politicians blogging and micro-blogging. Here's a link to the NYT about the issue. (May require you to login, it's lame ... sorry)
---------------------------------------------------------
The other story that caught my attention was about dear old Bush Stadium. The one built in 1931. It's were I went to my first ball game and where my ex-wife and I had one of our first dates. I loved that old limestone mini-Wrigley. I'm just not sure what to do with it. It's been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995 and on Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana's list of 10 most endangered landmarks. It's been 20 years since it was used to film many of the ball-field scenes for Eight Men Out. 20?? Wow!! Well, take a look at the story and the pictures and reflect on your own memories of it. I do like the soccer idea. What do you think?
HBO's Deadwood is ... Well ... Dead
Photo: Deadwood in 1876 by Marion Doss
Were you a fan of the amazing HBO series Deadwood? Were you also upset about the way the series ended? I read a couple of hopeful items from HBO and cast hinting that there would be a movie to tie up the loose ends. Well, I just read a post on Nikki Stafford's blog Nik at Nite that HBO's saying there won't be one, probably... uhm ... ever. Well, CENSORED, CENSORED and CENSORED!!!
100 Things To Do When You're Bored
Photo: Untitled by thejbird
1. Look up urban legends, and/or ghost stories in your town. Investigate!
2. If you live in a city with public transport (bus, train, subway), plan a trip using the transit system. Take some friends along for company, or just enjoy the ride and people-watch!
3. Get yourself a roll of quarters and find a video arcade.
4. Strike up a conversation with a total stranger.
5. Learn to tie sailors’ knots.
6. Volunteer. It’s fun and you’ll get good karma. :o)
7. Hang out with old people. They have great stories and sometimes need the company.
8. Perform random acts of kindness.
9. Find out all the great touristy places in your city. Now spend the day being a tourist!
10. Try geocaching.
11. Check out the local art scene. Attend a gallery opening.
12. Become a babysitter and have fun playing with a child – everyone needs to engage in an epic light saber battle every once in awhile!
13. Try to beat 20Q.
14. Go fly a kite.
15. Write or add to a short story on Ficlets.
16. Try brewing your own beer. Or make your own wine.
17. Google everyone you knew in high school.
18. If you like building, making, and/or creating things, find something on Instructables to make.
19. Check out a sketchy ethnic restaurant in your area. You might find a gem or you might get food poisoning. Either way, it's the stuff stories are made of. Plus, you’ll be able to say "I know this great little _____ place."
20. Take all the cushions off your couch and some blankets from your bed and build a fort.
21. Be someone else for a few hours. Put on a hat, fake beard and eyeglasses and walk around town.
22. Go for a walk. Explore your neighborhood. You’re bound to find gardens, shops, restaurants, art, or other random bits of wonderfulness you didn’t even know were there.
23. Choose a movie to see based on the roll of the dice. Open a newspaper or web browser to your local movie listings. Roll the dice. If, for example, you roll a three, go see the third movie in the listings.
24. Read a book. Try one that someone has recommended but that you wouldn’t normally choose for yourself. You might be pleasantly surprised.
25. Start a blog.
26. Learn to play a musical instrument. Take up the ukulele.
27. Spend some time browsing in the public library.
28. Have coffee in a bookstore. Sit in one of their super-comfy armchairs. Read one of their books.
29. Window shop. Or, shop for windows. Whichever.
30. Go to a gun range and try out some rental pistols.
31. Interview someone. Local history organizations often need people to conduct interviews and transcribe oral histories that might otherwise be lost.
32. Document your day in photographs.
33. Buy a Heifer to end World Hunger.
34. Grab a partner and hit the racquetball or tennis court.
35. Facebook-stalk people from your past.
36. Try the assignments at Learning to Love You More.
37. Release a book into the wild.
38. Get yourself a fake buddy.
39. Exchange postcards with a stranger.
40. Order something from The Something Store.
41. Wash your dog. Try washing your cat.
42. Cut out photos and paste them on Popsicle sticks. Have a puppet show.
43. Learn to peel a banana with your feet.
44. Have a movie marathon. Watch all the Lord of the Rings movies. Or all of the Star Wars films. Or the Indiana ... you get the idea.
45. Turn on the T.V., put it on mute and make up dialogue. Or mute the TV and play music. It’s funny to see how the music “matches up” with what’s happening on-screen.
46. Go dumpster diving and see what you can find.
47. Make faces at strangers to make them laugh.
48. Take your TV outside. While you’re at it, take your favorite comfy chair or couch outside too!
49. Watch kids play – and then join in.
50. Sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
51. Skip rather than walk.
52. Join the summer reading program at your local library. Who cares if it’s just for kids?
53. Plant a garden. Or some potted plants.
54. Pack a fun lunch and go to the park. Play Frisbee.
55. Decorate blank t-shirts.
56. Set up a Slip 'N Slide in your back yard. Invite the whole neighborhood!
57. Spend a day at the beach.
58. Make lemonade from lemons.
59. Set up a hammock in your yard. Use it!
60. Make your own ice cream.
61. Create a masterpiece on your driveway with sidewalk chalk.
62. Have a water balloon fight. Or a sponge ball fight.
63. Help produce the 1 Second Film.
64. Watch presentations on slideshare.
65. Write a one-sentence story.
66. Learn how to make raspberry jam, how to make fortune cookies, how to fix a bicycle chain, how to start a small business, and more!
67. Visit a museum. Or visit an online museum.
68. Go bowling.
69. Blow bubbles.
70. Build a campfire and make s’mores. Or banana boats.
71. Decorate a pair of flip-flops.
72. Gather some old dry bread crusts and feed the birds. Or go to a lake or pond and feed the ducks.
73. Go on a hike.
74. Research your family tree.
75. Go to a farmer’s market.
76. Start a scrapbook.
77. Learn to crochet. Or knit.
78. Star gaze. Or visit a science center or planetarium.
79. Lie on the grass and look at cloud shapes.
80. Build a sandcastle.
81. Plant a tree.
82. Bake cookies. Put them in pretty containers and deliver them to your friends.
83. Rent a projector, hang a white sheet in your backyard and have a backyard movie night.
84. Have a pillow fight.
85. Clean up trash in a local park. Or pick up trash on your block.
86. Paint your bedroom a new color.
87. Learn to juggle.
88. Start a collection.
89. Record a funny new greeting for your voice mail.
90. Buy part of the moon.
91. Make deep-fried Twinkies.
92. Glue money to the floor and watch people try to pick it up.
93. Go into a building and set all the clocks ahead one hour (or behind, if you're really bold).
94. Write a novel.
95. Build things out of cans of food. Donate them to a food bank afterwards.
96. Watch a familiar DVD dubbed in a foreign language.
97. Learn a new language. Or learn sign language!
98. Write a letter to a friend. On paper! Don’t forget to mail it.
99. Clean out your closet.
100. Rearrange your furniture.
101. Make a list. (Maybe a list of things to do when you’re bored!)
Via: Lists Galore
Indianapolis Star to go up from 50 to 75 cents
According to Ruth Holladay's blog, the Indianapolis Star and at least 19 other Gannett owned newspapers will go up in price from 50 to 75 cents.
It's a shame because the Star has mostly become little more than a paper filled with wire stories and teasers that link to it's website. Most of the things I've already read in my RSS feed reader Netvibes the day before. Ruth writes:
"Jim Hopkins at Gannett Blog has received a tip that "Twenty Gannett newspapers will go up in price four weeks from Monday. Some of the bigger ones are: Louisville, Indianapolis, Rochester, Brevard, Des Moines, Shreveport, Sioux Falls, just to name a few."
The tip was also picked up and posted by Romenesko.
If you want to read the original, here are the links:
http://www.gannettblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45
If this is the case, when will the Star make the announcement? And how can this possibly help sell newspapers?
Or is that no longer the mission?"
Ruth was a long time employee of the Star and was part of the purge of the Star starting in 1995 when Gannett bought it. One of the problems with the Star and many "local" paper these days is they are staffed by kids just out of school, starting in the smaller markets (Indy, Louisville, Cincy, etc) with no ties or little interest in the city they may be in for the moment. Ruth links you to a lot of the old columnists for the Star and News most whom have their own blogs and most counting down the days till the end of Gannett or the Apocalypse (which ever comes first).
Photo: By dsevilla on Flickr licensed under Creative Commons.
Technorati Tags: Indianapolis Star,Gannett,Ruth Holladay,price,change
7.11.2008
Quaker Singer Carrie Newcomer: In Word and Song: Saturday, July 19th
Be sure to catch Carrie Newcomer and Philip Gulley at St. Lukes United Methodist Church Saturday July, 19th., 100 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, 46260.
Quaker singer Carrie Newcomer leads When the Soul's Great Joy Meets the World's Great Need: Exploration of Faith, Vocation, Activism and Art from 2:30-4:30 pm then performs with Philip Gulley from 7:30-9:30pm. Times and Ticket info below.
- Philip Gulley & Carrie Newcomer: In Word and Song
Meets: Saturday, July 19, 7:30-9:30 pm, Sanctuary
Tickets $15 available on Sunday mornings in West Passage beginning June 22, at the door, or call 846-3404 x480. - Acclaimed singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer and award-winning author Philip Gulley come together to present an intimate evening of story and music. Their stories and songs reflect their communities (Bloomington and Danville) and encourage us to create and strengthen our communities.
- When the Soul's Great Joy Meets the World's Great Need:
Exploration of Faith, Vocation, Activism and Art
Leader: Carrie Newcomer
Meets: Saturday, July 19, 2:30-4:30pm, E107/109
Registration required, fee:$30 (or $40 for both workshop and concert). - Using music, reflection, writing exercises, discussion and Quaker clearness method, Carrie will help you claim your gifts so you can go out and change the world.
A little about Carrie Newcomer from her Rounder Records Bio:
Newcomer, a Quaker, cuts across secular and spiritual boundaries and is one of a relatively few well-known singer/songwriters working within the progressive spiritual continuum. The Geography of Light was in part influenced by Newcomer’s friendships and recent collaborations with influential authors and theologians, including Parker J. Palmer, Phillip Gulley, Jim Wallis, Scott Russell Sanders and Barbara Kingsolver. Many of the album’s tracks examine compelling ideas and questions arising out of her relationships within this community—the idea that things are not always as they appear; that good exists at the center of things; that life is a process of transformation; that there is value in simple things; that wholeness is not beyond our reach. Through her songs, she asks: What is the nature of justice? When is it finally time to forgive or let go? Where do we turn for strength?
Photo: The Geography of Light, courtesy Carrie Newcomer's Electronic Press Kit page.
7.09.2008
EPIC FAIL! Senate Backs Wiretap Bill to Shield Phone Companies
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept;
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Thank you Senator Obama for voting today for FISA. Thank you for destroying my faith in you. Thank you for gutting my Fourth Amendment Rights. Thank you for showing us that you probably are just another opportunistic politician, oh and that "Hope" and "Change" stuff... thanks for dashing that too! Now dropping the sarcasm, seriously, thank you Senator Clinton for voting no. Honestly, thank you!!
From the Huffington Post:
Today is going to go down as a dark day in our nation's history, as the Senate completes its total capitulation to the Bush administration and its corporate masters, through passing legislation that dramatically expands the government's surveillance powers and immunizes the companies responsible for illegally spying on us from any form of legal redress for the victims.
From the New York Times:
More than two and a half years after the disclosure of President’s Bush’s domestic eavesdropping program set off a furious national debate, the Senate gave final approval on Wednesday afternoon to broadening the government’s spy powers and providing legal immunity for the phone companies that took part in the wiretapping program.
Notes:
1. “The Two Obamas” by David Brooks for The New York Times, June 20, 2008.
2. “Getting to know Obama” by David Broder for The Washington Post, June 22, 2008.
3.“White House uses executive privilege in EPA spat” By Erica Werner for the Associated Press, June 21st, 2008.
4. “Voted items at FCC are secret, agency says” by John Dunbar for the Associated Press, June 18, 2008.
5. “House Sends Senate Surveillance Measure” by Paul Kane for The Washington Post, June 21, 2008.
6. Jonathan Turley interview on “Countdown with Keith Olbermann”, June 19, 2008.
7. “High Stakes future of U.S. in Iraq hinges on fragile talks” by Robert Reid, for the Associated Press, June 22, 2008.
Photo: Linked from Wil Wheaton's blog with link, attributes and my sincere hope that he doesn't mind.
Some Summer Pics
Looking at PBSkids website. She still loves Dragon Tales the best.
Her best little Smirk.
Summer discoveries.
7.08.2008
The Guild's Felicia Day Talks New Media With EpicFu
EpicFu talks to Felicia Day; Show Runner, Actor, Writer and Producer of the Online sensation The Guild. She gives some great advice about how to get started online broadcasting. She talks a bit about her work on HOUSE and how she landed in Joss Wheadon's Dr. Horrible.
Note: I'd normally post this to my other blog, but it won't accept java, so decided to post this here.
7.07.2008
I Love Good Book Covers
It's the cover from George Mann's new book. It's got a great Late Victorian, steampunk, playbill, circus poster look to it. It's not released yet, but can be pre-ordered through it's independent publisher, Snowbooks.
According to the website, it's the first in a series hoping to appeal to fans of steampunk, alt-history SF, Jim Butcher fans and Dr. Who fans:
The Affinity Bridge is the first novel in a projected series detailing the adventures of Victorian special agent Sir Maurice Newbury and his delectable assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes. The novel is set in an alternative version of Victorian London in which the industrial age has come early and steam technology has revolutionised the British Empire. Victoria is kept alive on the throne by a primitive life support system and her agents do battle with the enemies of the Crown, both physical and supernatural. The Affinity Bridge follows Newbury and Hobbes as they investigate the wreckage of a crashed airship and its missing automaton pilot, whilst attempting to solve a string of strangulations attributed to a mysterious 'glowing policeman' and deal with a zombie plague that is ravaging the slums of the capital.
7.06.2008
Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency
7.03.2008
We Mutually Pledge To Each Other Our Lives, Our Fortunes, and Our Sacred Honor - July 4th, 1776
Click on the image to hear the moving full reading of The Declaration that NPR's Morning Edition did two years ago. It features NPR correspondents each reading a paragraph. [8 Min 56 Sec]
A note from me, lapsed Historian that I am. The quote they use at the end about King George III writing in his diary is a great story, but apocryphal. It's probably worked it's way from the French revolution. On July 14, 1789 — the date of the storming of the Bastille — Louis XVI of France wrote in his diary "rien (nothing)."
The Signers
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
Photo: Independence Day by drewmyers on Flickr. Via: Creative Commons License.
7.01.2008
Thoughts On Colin Powell's Expected Obama Endorsement
Speculation abounds that Gen. Colin Powell, might endorse Barack Obama.
His tenuous 13-year relationship with the Republican Party, following his retirement from the Army, has ended. The national security adviser for Ronald Reagan left the present administration bitter about being ushered out of the State Department a year earlier than he wanted, and a year later than he should have. As an African American, it's reported, Powell is sensitive to racial attacks on Obama and especially on Obama’s wife, Michelle. While McCain strategists shrug off other Republican defections, they wince in anticipating headlines generated by Powell’s expected endorsement of Obama.
This would be a hard decision for Powell. He's a long-time friend with McCain, but both he and Chuck Hagel have said that Obama is the candidate with the correct Foreign policy plan, especially regarding Iran and N. Korea.
For Powell, I suppose it could be a bit of Karma repair. He reportedly feels very betrayed by the Bush Administration and calls his UN appearance as the biggest mistake and most regretful thing to happen in his long career of public service.
How will this all be accepted. I was amazed with the anger and short-sided blogs from Hilary Clinton supporters (which I will come out now and say I was). How will those vitriolic bloggers react to Gen. Powells endorsement? It might depend on the likelihood of Powell serving in an Obama administration.
If Powell made clear he plans to stay retired, and has no interest in additional public service, the ’sphere would probably see this as a net plus — Powell’s reputation was severely tarnished during his tenure in the Bush administration, but only among those who were paying close attention. My hunch is he remains a very popular national figure. Personally, I'd love to see Powell serve as a Good-Will Ambassador From The United States for either Obama or McCain.
I respected Gen. Powell very very much. I'd read his book and followed his career. I hoped he would have run for President. I, of course, was against the war, but somehow, watching Gen. Powell lay out the argument that day, I felt myself wobble. I wanted to believe that if a man like Colin Powell was for this and had all of this evidence, maybe it's not JUST an imperialist grab for oil. The day that I read the long article in TIME about how Powell was a pawn, who turned a blind eye when he could have been the biggest whistle-blower in American history, I was moved to tears. I felt betrayed. How do I feel about Gen. Powell now? Well, I must turn the other cheek and let the past go and hope that he will do what he believes to be right.
His endorsement would carry weight, and the far left probably wouldn’t mind if Powell wasn’t actually going to work for Obama. Those with an axe to grind, are I'm sure, poised with hate-filled fingers ready to link Powell to every awful, misguided and controversial thing spawned by the Bush Administration. Do we hate Colin Powell? Or is it just that we despise him for letting himself be used so easily? Is he the guy who went to the UN and lied his ass off and we've turned our collective backs on him long-ago? Let me know. What say you?
Via: NPR's Morning Edition, July 1, 2008 "GOP's Powell Would Be Key Endorsement for Obama"
Photo: Annual Meeting Davos 2003, by The World Economic Forum on Flickr. Creative Commons License.
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