I saw, I yawned and then I gave up. That about sums up the experience last night. For the record, I'm all in favor of changing hosts but not for the sake of changing hosts. They have to have some talent at hosting and propelling a show along. Unfortunately, Anne Hathaway and James Franco, IMHO, did not do it, at least for me. Actually, Hathaway did a decent job and put in a valiant effort but unfortunately was held back by a very stiff and bored-looking, Franco, who seemed as if he wanted to be anywhere but at the Oscars. However, maybe that's his personna. I dunno but he's good on General Hospital, where he makes guest appearances from time-to-time. Then again, on a soap opera they can do re-takes until an actor gets it right. Too bad they couldn't do the same for him hosting the award show. Even when he came out dressed in drag and instead of using the opportunity to ham it up, he was merely...James Franco along with a painful expression on his face that said: "okay - I did what they wanted. Now can I leave?" Perhaps somebody should have granted his request. I read that they wanted young co-hosts that could attract a new and young audience, which is all well and good and understandable. Seems that Franco fit the bill in one way at least, providing tweet updates and photos as the show dragged - and that it did - via Twitter. However, one - me - must ask if that's enough to carry an awards show. Not IMHO. The powers-that-be obviously believe that, though.
In any case the best part at least for me, is the pre-show or red carpet, when the actors are interviewed. Love the fashion parade which has turned into an opportunity for designers to display their work, which in turn is worth big $$$$. Strapless is still the way to go this year. This year on the whole, the fashions were stunning. Can't really pick one designer above all the rest but I do love Valentino and his vintage dress worn by Hathaway. Mind you, Hally Berry in Marchesa was breath taking as was Gwynth Paltrow dressed by Calvin Klein, Mila Kunis in Elie Saab, Celine Dion looking trim-and-slim in a Giorgio Armana frock. One of my favorites was Mandy Moore in Monique Lhuiller - wow!
Once the show began, it was a steady downhill slip until Billy Crystal showed up, greeted with a standing ovation no less, displaying the showmanship and finesse from honing his craft over the years and what an Oscar host is supposed to be like. Bring back Billy! Or if he doesn't want to do it, Ricky Gervais. Actually found the entire show borrrrrrring - and quit half-way through. What happened to musical numbers that included dancing and singing back in the days of yore? While we're on the subject of music, I never heard of any of the nominated songs from the films. Did you?
Why-oh-why do the winners have to go on-and-on-and on...thanking everybody that they ever met during their entire life time? We viewers really don't care! Thank a few key people and then good-bye. It will cut the actual time the show finishes by half.
All that being written, will I watch it next year? You bet. What and miss the opportunity to critique the fashion statements and the endless speeches?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
I was right - mobile (phone) etiquette deteriorating
Aha! I'm not the only one to complain about bad manners when using cell phones and other devices!
Recently, I shared my irritation - okay...ranted - about people using their cell phones and/or other communication devices where they shouldn't be, like movie theatres or bathrooms while urinating (absolutely true, by the way).
According to a new poll by computer innovation company Intel, 91% of U.S. adults questioned expressed the view that they have witnessed bad manners when and where using their communication devices. What's more, three quarters think mobile manners in general have decreased in the past year.
Uh-huh...
Of the 2,000 adults polled, most U.S. adults wishes people would practice better mobile etiquette and the lack of cellphone manners annoying. Me too. Twenty percent admitted to poor cell phone etiquette themselves.
Furthermore, almost 75% opined that the lack of mobile manners has created a new form of public rage and 65 percent admitted they became angry around people who misused mobile devices. Like when you're in a movie theatre trying to focus on the plot and story line and being subjected to the ringing of a cell phone. As an aside, this week a person carried on a minute (at least) conversation in a movie theatre before turning it off. I mean - c'mon - surely people can live without their damn cell phone for a couple of hours, or responding to a text message.
Using a phone while driving, talking on a cell phone loudly in a public place like a coffee shop where people really aren't interested in strangers social plans for the evening, and walking down the street while texting or talking on the phone were seen as most annoying. Uh-huh. Speaking of bad etiquette, a personal irritant is people who text during a one-on-one conversation or in a small group social occasion. The eyes of the person doing the texting are glued to the small hand-hand device screen. It's enough to give a person a complex. i.e. is the coversation boring. But I digress.
People reported seeing, on average five mobile offenses every day, according to the poll. Nearly a quarter said they had even seen someone using a laptop while driving, and one in five said they checked their mobile devices before getting out of bed in the morning. Checking devices while still in bed? Get a life people!
Next thing we'll hear about is an option for pet owners to communicate with their non-human friends, or maybe it's already on the market?
Recently, I shared my irritation - okay...ranted - about people using their cell phones and/or other communication devices where they shouldn't be, like movie theatres or bathrooms while urinating (absolutely true, by the way).
According to a new poll by computer innovation company Intel, 91% of U.S. adults questioned expressed the view that they have witnessed bad manners when and where using their communication devices. What's more, three quarters think mobile manners in general have decreased in the past year.
Uh-huh...
Of the 2,000 adults polled, most U.S. adults wishes people would practice better mobile etiquette and the lack of cellphone manners annoying. Me too. Twenty percent admitted to poor cell phone etiquette themselves.
Furthermore, almost 75% opined that the lack of mobile manners has created a new form of public rage and 65 percent admitted they became angry around people who misused mobile devices. Like when you're in a movie theatre trying to focus on the plot and story line and being subjected to the ringing of a cell phone. As an aside, this week a person carried on a minute (at least) conversation in a movie theatre before turning it off. I mean - c'mon - surely people can live without their damn cell phone for a couple of hours, or responding to a text message.
Using a phone while driving, talking on a cell phone loudly in a public place like a coffee shop where people really aren't interested in strangers social plans for the evening, and walking down the street while texting or talking on the phone were seen as most annoying. Uh-huh. Speaking of bad etiquette, a personal irritant is people who text during a one-on-one conversation or in a small group social occasion. The eyes of the person doing the texting are glued to the small hand-hand device screen. It's enough to give a person a complex. i.e. is the coversation boring. But I digress.
People reported seeing, on average five mobile offenses every day, according to the poll. Nearly a quarter said they had even seen someone using a laptop while driving, and one in five said they checked their mobile devices before getting out of bed in the morning. Checking devices while still in bed? Get a life people!
Next thing we'll hear about is an option for pet owners to communicate with their non-human friends, or maybe it's already on the market?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Breast milk ice cream, anyone
This is one of those short pieces that is somewhat gag-inducing, at least for me.
A London, England restaurant, "Icecreamists" - catchy name - is planning to serve a special and definitely unique ice cream. You've got your run-of-the-mill, average choices like Cherry Garcia, chocolate brownie, rocky road - the common and enjoyable flavors for your average ice cream enthusiast. This particular restaurant will be introducing - wait for it - breast milk ice cream. You read it right, peeplz! Breast milk ice cream!
The flavor is called, "Baby Gaga", presumably after the way babies go "ga-ga" and not after the singer but then again, go know, given this weird concept and premise.
The owner, Matt O'Connor, is confident in his words, "the miracle of motherhood" will be enough to entice ice cream enthusiasts and others (let's leave it at that) to slurp up $23 a serving. I dunno Matt...that's a lot of cold cash.
Ice cream is provided by moms who answered an on-line advertisement in a mothers' forum called, "Mumsnet." One of the mothers who donated her milk is reported to have commented that if adults realized the tastiness of breast milk, new moms would be more than willing to breast-feed newborns. This leaves one - me - to wonder what do these breast feeding mothers give to their babies, if they donate their milk for icecream purposes?
The flavor is a blend of breast milk and Madagascan vanilla pods with lemon zest, turned into ice cream. Still not enough to entice me to even try. Would you?
A London, England restaurant, "Icecreamists" - catchy name - is planning to serve a special and definitely unique ice cream. You've got your run-of-the-mill, average choices like Cherry Garcia, chocolate brownie, rocky road - the common and enjoyable flavors for your average ice cream enthusiast. This particular restaurant will be introducing - wait for it - breast milk ice cream. You read it right, peeplz! Breast milk ice cream!
The flavor is called, "Baby Gaga", presumably after the way babies go "ga-ga" and not after the singer but then again, go know, given this weird concept and premise.
The owner, Matt O'Connor, is confident in his words, "the miracle of motherhood" will be enough to entice ice cream enthusiasts and others (let's leave it at that) to slurp up $23 a serving. I dunno Matt...that's a lot of cold cash.
Ice cream is provided by moms who answered an on-line advertisement in a mothers' forum called, "Mumsnet." One of the mothers who donated her milk is reported to have commented that if adults realized the tastiness of breast milk, new moms would be more than willing to breast-feed newborns. This leaves one - me - to wonder what do these breast feeding mothers give to their babies, if they donate their milk for icecream purposes?
The flavor is a blend of breast milk and Madagascan vanilla pods with lemon zest, turned into ice cream. Still not enough to entice me to even try. Would you?
Friday, February 18, 2011
Supermarkets - of water sprays in produce department and bad shopping etiquette
Yesterday I did a quick run-in to our local supermarket for a few items. As is my habit, visited the vegetable produce section for the makings of a salad and was in the process of picking out a lettuce towards the back of the display when a spray -actually more like a deluge - of water descended from the automated spray system above. My whole arm was wet- more than wet - and heaven forbid the supermarket(s) should provide paper towels or something for customers to dry themselves. This leads me to question the sanity altogether of installing water sprays for vegetables. Presumably, the idea behind it is to keep the vegetables fresh and visually appealing. The sprays are obviously on a timer system and unfortunately customers aren't aware of when their arms will be drenched. Actually, more than arms get wet including the face, depending on the re-bound of water on the product.
Perhaps a sign should be posted, something to the effect:
"Attention shoppers! Our system is timed to spray water every 10 minutes. The next spray will occur in blank minutes. Please stand back to avoid getting wet."
There's nothing like picking up a soaked veggie, shaking it in an attempt to rid it of excess liquid, which is an exercise in futility anyway, and transferring it into a cloth bag.
Another thing that bothers me are shoppers who for whatever reason, taste the fruit and then some, during the selection process. I've seen people standing in front of the cherry or grape or any pick-your-own display and stuffing their mouths while choosing the best fruit. These same shoppers do not inform the check-out cashiers that they have consumed fruit without paying for it. Who pays for this? You and I of course!
I've also seen shoppers actually open sealed boxes, take out an item, examine it and replace it back in the box. The absolute worst, though, was the person who opened a sour cream container, stuck in a pinky finger to taste it and replace the container back on the shelf.
Speaking of check-out cashiers, one of my biggest beefs are people who try to use the 8-items-or-less check out line when they have a shopping cart full of groceries. Yesterday for example, while waiting to pay for my few groceries, a woman with a cart filled to capacity was told by the cashier to go to the regular cash.
"The lines are sooo long," the woman responded and pointed to the long line-ups of shoppers, in the way of attempting to get the cashier to relent. After an unsuccessful period of whining that went on for a minute or so and highly indignant, the shopper whipped her shopping cart out of 8-items line up and joined the rest at the end of an even longer line up in the time she was pleading her case. No sooner had she disappeared than another customer tried the same plea without success.
Recently, somebody ran over my foot with a shopping cart while looking over a shelf, without even so much as an apology.
"You ran over my foot," I informed her lifting my leg in pain, expecting her to be contrite and appologetic. Looking down at my leg, she uttered "oh" and blamed it on a faulty shopping cart. Shopping at the supermarket just ain't what it used to be, then again, what is?
Perhaps a sign should be posted, something to the effect:
"Attention shoppers! Our system is timed to spray water every 10 minutes. The next spray will occur in blank minutes. Please stand back to avoid getting wet."
There's nothing like picking up a soaked veggie, shaking it in an attempt to rid it of excess liquid, which is an exercise in futility anyway, and transferring it into a cloth bag.
Another thing that bothers me are shoppers who for whatever reason, taste the fruit and then some, during the selection process. I've seen people standing in front of the cherry or grape or any pick-your-own display and stuffing their mouths while choosing the best fruit. These same shoppers do not inform the check-out cashiers that they have consumed fruit without paying for it. Who pays for this? You and I of course!
I've also seen shoppers actually open sealed boxes, take out an item, examine it and replace it back in the box. The absolute worst, though, was the person who opened a sour cream container, stuck in a pinky finger to taste it and replace the container back on the shelf.
Speaking of check-out cashiers, one of my biggest beefs are people who try to use the 8-items-or-less check out line when they have a shopping cart full of groceries. Yesterday for example, while waiting to pay for my few groceries, a woman with a cart filled to capacity was told by the cashier to go to the regular cash.
"The lines are sooo long," the woman responded and pointed to the long line-ups of shoppers, in the way of attempting to get the cashier to relent. After an unsuccessful period of whining that went on for a minute or so and highly indignant, the shopper whipped her shopping cart out of 8-items line up and joined the rest at the end of an even longer line up in the time she was pleading her case. No sooner had she disappeared than another customer tried the same plea without success.
Recently, somebody ran over my foot with a shopping cart while looking over a shelf, without even so much as an apology.
"You ran over my foot," I informed her lifting my leg in pain, expecting her to be contrite and appologetic. Looking down at my leg, she uttered "oh" and blamed it on a faulty shopping cart. Shopping at the supermarket just ain't what it used to be, then again, what is?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Missing Wookie the cat, remains a popular story
Just goes to show the power of the written word.
At the beginning of the year, I shared a piece about a British cat named, Wookie. Normally, a story about a cat wouldn't rate high but what made this story interesting - at least to some people reading this blog - is that Wookie is a missing kitty. As any missing cat owner would do, owner Mike Harding posted posters of Wookie along with a photo in his neighborhood and little did he know it at the time, but afixing posters on trees is a no-no and punishable by a fine. We're talking here about 8 lousy posters. In any case, given the nature of the story and the fact that Mike had to remove his posters by Christmas Eve or pay up, people were upset. Eventually, the powers-that-be most like due to adverse publicity, dropped the charges. For the record, Wookie has been missing since November and still has not been seen or shown up.
As a regular blogger, I've posted a number of stories since then ranging from the deep issue of whether Barbie and Ken, the plastic couple, should re-unite, the horror of seeing Katie Perry without makeup and whether American Idol is a shadow of its former self (I think it is), however... The Wookie piece is by far and still retains more interest in as far as page views are concerned than my other pieces. I mean, we're talking 105 page views as of today and although that may not seem a lot to many bloggers, given that the story goes back to the beginning of the year, it says something about the level of interest people have in animal-related stories especially if people perceive the animal and/or its owner to be a victim of society. It also says something about the power and draw of Blogger and blogs in general.
I've been checking the various news-related sites to see if there are any new updates on Wookie - none to the best of my knowledge - and am hoping that he i.e. Wookie, will make himself seen to someone. Meanwhile, if anybody has any Wookie updates... Obviously, inquiring minds want to know!
At the beginning of the year, I shared a piece about a British cat named, Wookie. Normally, a story about a cat wouldn't rate high but what made this story interesting - at least to some people reading this blog - is that Wookie is a missing kitty. As any missing cat owner would do, owner Mike Harding posted posters of Wookie along with a photo in his neighborhood and little did he know it at the time, but afixing posters on trees is a no-no and punishable by a fine. We're talking here about 8 lousy posters. In any case, given the nature of the story and the fact that Mike had to remove his posters by Christmas Eve or pay up, people were upset. Eventually, the powers-that-be most like due to adverse publicity, dropped the charges. For the record, Wookie has been missing since November and still has not been seen or shown up.
As a regular blogger, I've posted a number of stories since then ranging from the deep issue of whether Barbie and Ken, the plastic couple, should re-unite, the horror of seeing Katie Perry without makeup and whether American Idol is a shadow of its former self (I think it is), however... The Wookie piece is by far and still retains more interest in as far as page views are concerned than my other pieces. I mean, we're talking 105 page views as of today and although that may not seem a lot to many bloggers, given that the story goes back to the beginning of the year, it says something about the level of interest people have in animal-related stories especially if people perceive the animal and/or its owner to be a victim of society. It also says something about the power and draw of Blogger and blogs in general.
I've been checking the various news-related sites to see if there are any new updates on Wookie - none to the best of my knowledge - and am hoping that he i.e. Wookie, will make himself seen to someone. Meanwhile, if anybody has any Wookie updates... Obviously, inquiring minds want to know!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Memories of love and stuff
It's the evening of Valentine's Day and in spite of making promises to myself ("I promise to listen to myself") today not to comment or focus on romance/love/chocolates/greetings - all things Valentines - I've got fingers on the keyboard and sharing.
One of my earliest brushes with romance was at the age of eight...maybe younger. Although he lived on my street, he attended another elementary school but always dropped by on his bike every day to visit after school was out. Together we sat on the front steps and discussed life as viewed through the eyes of youngsters while watching the world go by. Although I liked him as a friend, romance was the furthest thing on my mind and I had no inkling that he had feelings for me. As was our usual daily habit we were sitting on a stair and suddenly, without any warning, he bent over and kissed me on the cheek. Horrified, instinctively I pulled back, whipped my hand behind me and as if in slow motion, brought it forward and slapped him smack accross the face. His expression of shock is as vivid now as it was back then. He grabbed his bike, got on and peddled away and out of my life, forever. Every day I sat on the steps waiting for him to appear but he never did, neither did he ever respond to numerous phone calls. Hurt feelings especially when we're young, aren't easily patched up.
As is the case with many teens, I had a crush on an "older" guy who was in his senior year, a.k.a. Mr. Popularity. From my perspective, he paraded his latest female conquests in front of my eyes since our lockers were accross from each other. Visually, he was good looking with dark eyes, thick black hair and a broad, warm smile. In retrospect and me being a mere 13 years of age, he didn't know I existed. After school and at home, I phoned his house to hear him say, "hello" and then hung up. In my eyes and head, we were destined to be together. This illusion ended when he focused his attention on one girl and the word was out that they were seeing each other.
Since he graduated before me, the romance was forgotten until a chance "meeting" at the airport years later, at the arrival gate. Waiting at the gate was a vaguely familiar face and my memory was suddenly jolted back to high school. The eyes were the same but that was the extent of the familiarity. His thick, wavy hair had all but disappeared, replaced by a bald, shiny scalp with some bits of grey hair at the back of his head. The lack of hair emphasized a long nose that I hadn't noticed when my love for him blurred any physical imperfections. For the first time our eyes met one-on-one and I remember smiling at him. He returned the gesture, assuming perhaps that we knew each other, but my smile was one of smug satisfaction.
Sometimes we have to wait until we're adults to fully savor the fruits of childhood romance - and clear vision.
One of my earliest brushes with romance was at the age of eight...maybe younger. Although he lived on my street, he attended another elementary school but always dropped by on his bike every day to visit after school was out. Together we sat on the front steps and discussed life as viewed through the eyes of youngsters while watching the world go by. Although I liked him as a friend, romance was the furthest thing on my mind and I had no inkling that he had feelings for me. As was our usual daily habit we were sitting on a stair and suddenly, without any warning, he bent over and kissed me on the cheek. Horrified, instinctively I pulled back, whipped my hand behind me and as if in slow motion, brought it forward and slapped him smack accross the face. His expression of shock is as vivid now as it was back then. He grabbed his bike, got on and peddled away and out of my life, forever. Every day I sat on the steps waiting for him to appear but he never did, neither did he ever respond to numerous phone calls. Hurt feelings especially when we're young, aren't easily patched up.
As is the case with many teens, I had a crush on an "older" guy who was in his senior year, a.k.a. Mr. Popularity. From my perspective, he paraded his latest female conquests in front of my eyes since our lockers were accross from each other. Visually, he was good looking with dark eyes, thick black hair and a broad, warm smile. In retrospect and me being a mere 13 years of age, he didn't know I existed. After school and at home, I phoned his house to hear him say, "hello" and then hung up. In my eyes and head, we were destined to be together. This illusion ended when he focused his attention on one girl and the word was out that they were seeing each other.
Since he graduated before me, the romance was forgotten until a chance "meeting" at the airport years later, at the arrival gate. Waiting at the gate was a vaguely familiar face and my memory was suddenly jolted back to high school. The eyes were the same but that was the extent of the familiarity. His thick, wavy hair had all but disappeared, replaced by a bald, shiny scalp with some bits of grey hair at the back of his head. The lack of hair emphasized a long nose that I hadn't noticed when my love for him blurred any physical imperfections. For the first time our eyes met one-on-one and I remember smiling at him. He returned the gesture, assuming perhaps that we knew each other, but my smile was one of smug satisfaction.
Sometimes we have to wait until we're adults to fully savor the fruits of childhood romance - and clear vision.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
American Idol - not exactly the most exciting stuff
I dunno - is it me or is American Idol kind'a - dare I say it - borrring this season. According to the ratings, it's still 'way up there' but from my perspective, I find it yawn-able on occasion.
First of all and again IMHO - the show is missing Simon Cowell or at least somebody who has the same external personna as Cowell. He was the judge we loved to hate or at least dislike, which made the show fun. Also and even writing this seems strange, Paula Abdul with all her 'shtick' and flaky-ness had entertainment value that the show now lacks.
Upon analysis, new judge Steven Tyler looks sort-of - at least visually - like a regurgitated mummy with his thin, somewhat taut skin and definitely showing his age. It's obvious he's attempting to be very cool and hip. He is somewhat entertaining for a short period of time and he does respect young talent...
Jennifer Lopez may be a talented singer but she ain't no Paula Abdul in as far as entertainment value is concerned. She strikes me as a spokesperson for all the major fashion houses who have given her extensive and very tasteful wardrobe. It's as if she's saying: 'look at me - don't I look good in these clothes?' I'm not particularly taken with her - perhaps IMHO, it's that diva personna.
Randy is...Randy is...Randy. The one left-over from the originals. I like the guy but somebody in the powers-that-be decided that he should turn nasty to differentiate his comments from the other two. Go back to being the other Randy, Randy! We (I) miss 'ya!
I've more or less watched the show regularly and on occasion found myself doing the clicker thing, seeing if something more interesting was on. Tonight starts Hollywood week. I'm asking myself do I care. Honestly? Not really.
It will be interesting to see how AI will fare in the ratings dept. against Simon Cowell's "X Factor." Is there room for both?
First of all and again IMHO - the show is missing Simon Cowell or at least somebody who has the same external personna as Cowell. He was the judge we loved to hate or at least dislike, which made the show fun. Also and even writing this seems strange, Paula Abdul with all her 'shtick' and flaky-ness had entertainment value that the show now lacks.
Upon analysis, new judge Steven Tyler looks sort-of - at least visually - like a regurgitated mummy with his thin, somewhat taut skin and definitely showing his age. It's obvious he's attempting to be very cool and hip. He is somewhat entertaining for a short period of time and he does respect young talent...
Jennifer Lopez may be a talented singer but she ain't no Paula Abdul in as far as entertainment value is concerned. She strikes me as a spokesperson for all the major fashion houses who have given her extensive and very tasteful wardrobe. It's as if she's saying: 'look at me - don't I look good in these clothes?' I'm not particularly taken with her - perhaps IMHO, it's that diva personna.
Randy is...Randy is...Randy. The one left-over from the originals. I like the guy but somebody in the powers-that-be decided that he should turn nasty to differentiate his comments from the other two. Go back to being the other Randy, Randy! We (I) miss 'ya!
I've more or less watched the show regularly and on occasion found myself doing the clicker thing, seeing if something more interesting was on. Tonight starts Hollywood week. I'm asking myself do I care. Honestly? Not really.
It will be interesting to see how AI will fare in the ratings dept. against Simon Cowell's "X Factor." Is there room for both?
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Will Barbie take Ken back? Time to vote, peeplz!
At one time Barbie, the famous vinyl fashionista was dating Ken Carson, a vinyl surfer dude with a (very) limited wardrobe. They were considered the perfect couple, she with the immaculately coiffed long blond hair, perfectly chiselled features, who forever walked and will always walk on tip-toes. Ken was the perfect escort in spite of his limited wardrobe dressed in - well - surfing trunks. Together they led the ideal life - at least it seemed perfect to outsiders.
On Valentine's Day in 2004 after 43 years of being together and much to the surprise of everyone, they split up. Rumors were rife (say those words fast after a few drinks) that there were other dolls in Barbie's life but nothing was substantiated. However, shortly after they both went their own way, the plastic blond bomb shell started dating Australian surfer dude, Blaine. Initially heart broken, Ken re-started his life and with the help of an agent, he received critical acclaim for his role in "Toy Story 3", in addition to an appearance in Fashion Week in New York. Slowly and meticulously, he acquired a new wardrobe and a new image.
Although he enjoyed his new-found fame and according to sources close to Ken, he missed Barbie, the love of his life.
"If she called me right now - I would be back by her side - no questions asked," Ken frequently told mutual friends.
"Like - the guy was really becoming a drag!" said a friend who wanted to remain anonymous. "It was always 'Barbie this' and 'Barbie that.'
Obviously, many Barbie and Ken aficionados want to see the popular couple together again and to this end, a poll has been established, "Should Barbie Take Ken Back?" for the couple's fans to cast their vote on Facebook or at http://www.barbieandken.com/
When asked her opinion regarding the possible reunion, Barbie responded, "whatever..."
On Valentine's Day in 2004 after 43 years of being together and much to the surprise of everyone, they split up. Rumors were rife (say those words fast after a few drinks) that there were other dolls in Barbie's life but nothing was substantiated. However, shortly after they both went their own way, the plastic blond bomb shell started dating Australian surfer dude, Blaine. Initially heart broken, Ken re-started his life and with the help of an agent, he received critical acclaim for his role in "Toy Story 3", in addition to an appearance in Fashion Week in New York. Slowly and meticulously, he acquired a new wardrobe and a new image.
Although he enjoyed his new-found fame and according to sources close to Ken, he missed Barbie, the love of his life.
"If she called me right now - I would be back by her side - no questions asked," Ken frequently told mutual friends.
"Like - the guy was really becoming a drag!" said a friend who wanted to remain anonymous. "It was always 'Barbie this' and 'Barbie that.'
Obviously, many Barbie and Ken aficionados want to see the popular couple together again and to this end, a poll has been established, "Should Barbie Take Ken Back?" for the couple's fans to cast their vote on Facebook or at http://www.barbieandken.com/
When asked her opinion regarding the possible reunion, Barbie responded, "whatever..."
Friday, February 04, 2011
Super Bowl is the Stupor Bowl as far as I'm concerned
This is another of my short and maybe not-so-sweet commentaries or rants, depending on whether or not the person reading this is a Super Bowl fan. For the record - I'm not. To clarify - I don't like football, period.
Every year at this time, football fans (and there are a lot of them) get all psyched up and excited in anticipation of a foot ball game. Not just any football game mind you, but the Super Bowl. To be perfectly candid, I wasn't aware of the teams involved and had to look up this information. For the record, it's the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. Right? See? I know now!
Seems that part of the Super Bowl rite is for fans to get together at a friend's house to watch the game as a group, followed by an eating binge including favorites like pizza, chile, cold cuts, beer and a whole lot of other un-healthy but good-tasting stuff. Guessing because I've never attended one of these parties and most likely will never be asked, since my knowledge in football is minimal-to-nothing at best. Also, since I'm a relatively healthy eater and watch my weight, I would have to bring along my own food like a healthy salad or something similar. I mean, how would that go over with football fanatics?
'Oh look - that Eleanor who knows zip about football, brought along her own salad to make us look bad! Who invited her, anyway?'
People don't want people who aren't Super Bowl savvy around, especially if they ask questions like, what is a first down? Or why are the players so vicious towards each other? How else can we learn and now what all the excitement is about?
In any case, I'm hoping to watch those amazing and inventive and very entertaining half-time ads and entertainment that we Canadians don't get to see, because Canadians who are Super Bowl fans are only allowed to see boring and staid Canadian ads. After all - it's the Canadian way.
Every year at this time, football fans (and there are a lot of them) get all psyched up and excited in anticipation of a foot ball game. Not just any football game mind you, but the Super Bowl. To be perfectly candid, I wasn't aware of the teams involved and had to look up this information. For the record, it's the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. Right? See? I know now!
Seems that part of the Super Bowl rite is for fans to get together at a friend's house to watch the game as a group, followed by an eating binge including favorites like pizza, chile, cold cuts, beer and a whole lot of other un-healthy but good-tasting stuff. Guessing because I've never attended one of these parties and most likely will never be asked, since my knowledge in football is minimal-to-nothing at best. Also, since I'm a relatively healthy eater and watch my weight, I would have to bring along my own food like a healthy salad or something similar. I mean, how would that go over with football fanatics?
'Oh look - that Eleanor who knows zip about football, brought along her own salad to make us look bad! Who invited her, anyway?'
People don't want people who aren't Super Bowl savvy around, especially if they ask questions like, what is a first down? Or why are the players so vicious towards each other? How else can we learn and now what all the excitement is about?
In any case, I'm hoping to watch those amazing and inventive and very entertaining half-time ads and entertainment that we Canadians don't get to see, because Canadians who are Super Bowl fans are only allowed to see boring and staid Canadian ads. After all - it's the Canadian way.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Winter will last until Spring: my prediction
For those people not inclined to believe omens, the issue of whether Puxsutawny Phil of Pennsylvania will see his shadow will be of no importance. Tomorrow, February 2, 2011, is Groundhog Day, an opportunity for believers who adhere to the supposition that your ordinary, run-of-the-mill groundhog has the power to predict whether there will be a quick end to winter.
According to Wikipedia, "The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as a woodchuck, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but the woodchuck is a lowland creature. It is widely distributed in North America and common in the northeastern and central United States. Groundhogs are found as far north as Alaska, with their habitat extending southeast to Alabama."
In the end, your cute groundhog is related to and somewhat similar in appearance to your common rat, but with a cuter tail. Nice tails can make the difference between socially unacceptable wildlife and visually appealing pests like squirrels. Squirrels get away with murder even though they dig up flower bulbs, take bites out of hanging fruit and other stuff. But I digress. Again.
According to the official Puxatawnyphil.com site (the hog has his own site!) the average groundhog is 20 inches long and normally weighs from 12 to 15 pounds. Punxsutawney Phil weighs about 20 pounds and is 22 inches long. Obviously he is well fed.
A groundhog's life span is normally 6 to 8 years. Phil receives a drink of a magical punch every summer during the annual Groundhog Picnic, which gives him 7 more years of life.
So tomorrow at sunrise, Phil will emerge with some help from his human friends, from his burrow at Gobbler's Knob, and his handlers will announce whether or not Phil has seen his shadow. If Phil sees his shadow, legend has it that we can expect six more weeks of winter weather. No shadow indicates an early spring.
Thing is...and one (me) wonders if it has occurred to anyone that perhaps - just perhaps - Phil doesn't really want to come out of his cozy burrow or man-made... whatever. Maybe he would rather sleep through winter like his friends and relatives instead of being wrenched from his sleep and thrust into the limelight and media melee.
Another perplexing question - at least worthy of consideration - is whether Phil's prediction is applicable for the Pennsylvania area or the entire North American continent?
I'll go out on a limb here and predict that there will be more cold weather, snow storms and freezing temps until Spring. Hey - I'm not even related to a groundhog!
UPDATE!!! ACCORDING TO THE HOG(S) PREDICTIONS TODAY, THERE WILL BE AN EARLY SPRING, SO PUT AWAY YOUR SHOVELS AND SNOW-BLOWERS!
According to Wikipedia, "The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as a woodchuck, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but the woodchuck is a lowland creature. It is widely distributed in North America and common in the northeastern and central United States. Groundhogs are found as far north as Alaska, with their habitat extending southeast to Alabama."
In the end, your cute groundhog is related to and somewhat similar in appearance to your common rat, but with a cuter tail. Nice tails can make the difference between socially unacceptable wildlife and visually appealing pests like squirrels. Squirrels get away with murder even though they dig up flower bulbs, take bites out of hanging fruit and other stuff. But I digress. Again.
According to the official Puxatawnyphil.com site (the hog has his own site!) the average groundhog is 20 inches long and normally weighs from 12 to 15 pounds. Punxsutawney Phil weighs about 20 pounds and is 22 inches long. Obviously he is well fed.
A groundhog's life span is normally 6 to 8 years. Phil receives a drink of a magical punch every summer during the annual Groundhog Picnic, which gives him 7 more years of life.
So tomorrow at sunrise, Phil will emerge with some help from his human friends, from his burrow at Gobbler's Knob, and his handlers will announce whether or not Phil has seen his shadow. If Phil sees his shadow, legend has it that we can expect six more weeks of winter weather. No shadow indicates an early spring.
Thing is...and one (me) wonders if it has occurred to anyone that perhaps - just perhaps - Phil doesn't really want to come out of his cozy burrow or man-made... whatever. Maybe he would rather sleep through winter like his friends and relatives instead of being wrenched from his sleep and thrust into the limelight and media melee.
Another perplexing question - at least worthy of consideration - is whether Phil's prediction is applicable for the Pennsylvania area or the entire North American continent?
I'll go out on a limb here and predict that there will be more cold weather, snow storms and freezing temps until Spring. Hey - I'm not even related to a groundhog!
UPDATE!!! ACCORDING TO THE HOG(S) PREDICTIONS TODAY, THERE WILL BE AN EARLY SPRING, SO PUT AWAY YOUR SHOVELS AND SNOW-BLOWERS!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Turn off your cell phones, people!
Short rant today about people and where and when they use their cell phones.
Went to see "The King's Speech" this weekend and it was a great film but that's not the issue here. As anyone who has seen the film will attest, it's an intense story line requiring attention.
It's always amazing, to me at least, how people are attached to their cell phones. I'm surprised that users haven't been afflicted by some type of physical condition as a result of walking with their head down glued to the phone screen. For me, the "icing on the cake" was when using a public washroom, the person in the cubicle next to mine was carrying on a conversation, making plans for the evening. I mean - for heaven's sake - what happened to peeing in private! But I digress.
At the half-way point in the movie, the sound of a ringing phone suddenly reverberated throughout the theatre. Since it was an electronic ring and definitely not in the context of the time period being the 1930's, a bright electronic light emitted from one of the seats drew attention to a cell phone user. The ringing went on for at least 15-20 seconds followed by loud boos and yells to "turn it off!" - and the theatre turned dark. Not five minutes later, the ring of the cell phone was heard again followed by even louder yells from movie watchers, but this time the cell phone user actually had a conversation with...whoever.
Manners people - manners - and common courtesy! You're in a movie theatre and not at Starbucks!
Surely, there has to be some type of cell phone etiquette or rules by movie-plexes and/or repercussions for people who can't live without their cell phones for a mere two hours. Perhaps movie theatres and/or chains should actually fine the offenders to discourage this type of behavior. To their credit most theatres flash a message on the screen prior to the film asking people to turn them off and for the most part, people do obey. Turn off your cell phone, people and guess what! Perhaps you will even enjoy the movie!
Went to see "The King's Speech" this weekend and it was a great film but that's not the issue here. As anyone who has seen the film will attest, it's an intense story line requiring attention.
It's always amazing, to me at least, how people are attached to their cell phones. I'm surprised that users haven't been afflicted by some type of physical condition as a result of walking with their head down glued to the phone screen. For me, the "icing on the cake" was when using a public washroom, the person in the cubicle next to mine was carrying on a conversation, making plans for the evening. I mean - for heaven's sake - what happened to peeing in private! But I digress.
At the half-way point in the movie, the sound of a ringing phone suddenly reverberated throughout the theatre. Since it was an electronic ring and definitely not in the context of the time period being the 1930's, a bright electronic light emitted from one of the seats drew attention to a cell phone user. The ringing went on for at least 15-20 seconds followed by loud boos and yells to "turn it off!" - and the theatre turned dark. Not five minutes later, the ring of the cell phone was heard again followed by even louder yells from movie watchers, but this time the cell phone user actually had a conversation with...whoever.
Manners people - manners - and common courtesy! You're in a movie theatre and not at Starbucks!
Surely, there has to be some type of cell phone etiquette or rules by movie-plexes and/or repercussions for people who can't live without their cell phones for a mere two hours. Perhaps movie theatres and/or chains should actually fine the offenders to discourage this type of behavior. To their credit most theatres flash a message on the screen prior to the film asking people to turn them off and for the most part, people do obey. Turn off your cell phone, people and guess what! Perhaps you will even enjoy the movie!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Why do toads cross the road?
Driving on highways, it's not unusual to spot signs depicting the presence of deer and other "average" critters in the vicinity, to avoid collisions between man and nature. However, it appears that drivers living in Carmarthenshire, Wales, have to watch out for something slightly smaller. Much smaller.
Talk about your tunnel vision!
Warning signs have been installed on two Carmarthenshire roads to help - wait for it - toads looking for love, to cross in safety. Go figure! Seems that Burry Port and Ammanford roads in this town, bisect areas registered as important migration sites.
Carmarthenshire council put up signs every Spring warning motorists to drive carefully to avoid colliding/squishing hundreds of the toads that make their way accross the intersection. Everyone gets involved including volunteers, who assist in the process by collecting the toads in pails and transporting them to the other side. Can't say that I'd be anxious to retrieve toads but then that's just me. In order to draw attention to the fragility of the situation, important breeding sites are being registered with national wildlife charity "Froglife" as part of its Toads on the Roads mapping scheme and signs erected to help publicize migration routes.
Froglife has mapped more than 700 crossings using satellite technology, via website Google Earth, including active routes staffed by volunteers in Wrexham, Ceredigion, Powys, Neath Port Talbot and Newport.
Wow - all that technology in order to ensure that these toads bring forth and multiply!
Conservationists hope to use the data to learn more about toads' migration routes and any problems encountered crossing roads during their breeding season in spring. Additionally, toad tunnels were built last year to help the amphibians avoid a busy crossing.
This leads one - me - to wonder who builds said toad tunnels and what is their height. Do they span accross the road or along side? Anyone know?
The two Carmarthenshire crossings are among 43 toad crossings being introduced nationwide this year. Here is a photographic image of what the toads look like in a toad tunnel, doing what the tunnel was created for:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/8597006.stm
Talk about your tunnel vision!
Warning signs have been installed on two Carmarthenshire roads to help - wait for it - toads looking for love, to cross in safety. Go figure! Seems that Burry Port and Ammanford roads in this town, bisect areas registered as important migration sites.
Carmarthenshire council put up signs every Spring warning motorists to drive carefully to avoid colliding/squishing hundreds of the toads that make their way accross the intersection. Everyone gets involved including volunteers, who assist in the process by collecting the toads in pails and transporting them to the other side. Can't say that I'd be anxious to retrieve toads but then that's just me. In order to draw attention to the fragility of the situation, important breeding sites are being registered with national wildlife charity "Froglife" as part of its Toads on the Roads mapping scheme and signs erected to help publicize migration routes.
Froglife has mapped more than 700 crossings using satellite technology, via website Google Earth, including active routes staffed by volunteers in Wrexham, Ceredigion, Powys, Neath Port Talbot and Newport.
Wow - all that technology in order to ensure that these toads bring forth and multiply!
Conservationists hope to use the data to learn more about toads' migration routes and any problems encountered crossing roads during their breeding season in spring. Additionally, toad tunnels were built last year to help the amphibians avoid a busy crossing.
This leads one - me - to wonder who builds said toad tunnels and what is their height. Do they span accross the road or along side? Anyone know?
The two Carmarthenshire crossings are among 43 toad crossings being introduced nationwide this year. Here is a photographic image of what the toads look like in a toad tunnel, doing what the tunnel was created for:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/8597006.stm
Monday, January 24, 2011
Pet people
As a former pet owner I shouldn't be surprised at the degree to which people are attached to their pets. We shared our life with a cute-to-us but weird-to-others mixed (to say the least) dog for fifteen years. She warmed her way into our hearts during a visit to the local SPCA with the idea - not necessarily the act thereof - of of adopting a pooch. In order to make her presence known she stuck her front paw out of the cage as we walked by, causing us to stop in front and comment "awwwwww..." Changing paws a few times to underline her desire/desperation to go home with us, our resistance was weak and the rest, as they say, is history. It took more than five years to even be able to talk about her when she was gone, without my eyes welling up with tears and a period of nose-blowing.
Some people would rather be an adoptive "parent" to a pooch, as is the case with a family member. As the caregiver/slave to her daughter's lap pooch, she admits to being a 'grand-dog' care-giver. In a recent Facebook posting, she shared her feelings admitting to a friend, "I am dog crazy...we had our dog growing up but now I have my Grand Dog, Winston, to dote on! The older I get...the crazier I become...Go figure!"
In England at Christmas time, a man was threatened with a fine for afixing posters of his lost dog on trees, in the middle of the night. That's how desperate dog owners become in being re-united with their best and lost friend.
Statistically, Canadian pet owners would rather deal with their furry friends than other people, according to a recent study by Harris/Decima. A study revealed that 53 per cent of Canadians who own pets find them more reliable than people. Ninety per cent of Canadians talk to their pets and one-third have confided their deepest, darkest secrets to Fido or Milo or Hero.
Furthermore, 73 per cent believe pets can sniff out illness.
- Women more likely to confide in pets (33 per cent) than men (18 per cent).
- 44 per cent would bring their pets to a hotel if allowed.
- 86 per cent believe pets can help lift a bad mood.
- 82 per cent of retirees (65 plus) feel less alone in their home because of pets.
- 67 per cent believe their pets help to keep them active.
The survey was conducted for Purina and its pet connection website, PawsWay.ca.
http://www.canada.com/life/Pets+more+trustworthy+than+people+Survey/3980862/story.html
What does all this mean in the scheme of things, you might well be asking yourself. We need our pets as much as our pets need us. Or to put it into perspective: "Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms" (George Eliot) Ain't that the truth!
Some people would rather be an adoptive "parent" to a pooch, as is the case with a family member. As the caregiver/slave to her daughter's lap pooch, she admits to being a 'grand-dog' care-giver. In a recent Facebook posting, she shared her feelings admitting to a friend, "I am dog crazy...we had our dog growing up but now I have my Grand Dog, Winston, to dote on! The older I get...the crazier I become...Go figure!"
In England at Christmas time, a man was threatened with a fine for afixing posters of his lost dog on trees, in the middle of the night. That's how desperate dog owners become in being re-united with their best and lost friend.
Statistically, Canadian pet owners would rather deal with their furry friends than other people, according to a recent study by Harris/Decima. A study revealed that 53 per cent of Canadians who own pets find them more reliable than people. Ninety per cent of Canadians talk to their pets and one-third have confided their deepest, darkest secrets to Fido or Milo or Hero.
Furthermore, 73 per cent believe pets can sniff out illness.
- Women more likely to confide in pets (33 per cent) than men (18 per cent).
- 44 per cent would bring their pets to a hotel if allowed.
- 86 per cent believe pets can help lift a bad mood.
- 82 per cent of retirees (65 plus) feel less alone in their home because of pets.
- 67 per cent believe their pets help to keep them active.
The survey was conducted for Purina and its pet connection website, PawsWay.ca.
http://www.canada.com/life/Pets+more+trustworthy+than+people+Survey/3980862/story.html
What does all this mean in the scheme of things, you might well be asking yourself. We need our pets as much as our pets need us. Or to put it into perspective: "Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms" (George Eliot) Ain't that the truth!
Friday, January 21, 2011
France receives hamster alert and warning
Don't get me wrong - I'm very much aware and in favor of preserving endangered species on planet earth. It seems that species once common and plentiful are becoming scarce and in danger of extinction. Then we have hamsters. Not just any hamsters mind you, but the Great Hamsters of Alsace. Go figure!
The French government was warned by a EU legal adviser that it must make a greater effort to protect endangered hamsters living near Strasbourg in Eastern France. Perhaps the warning might have come as a surprise or even shock as it did to me, having never realized there was a difference in hamster species. I figured one hamster is the same as another. The cute rat-like creatures live their lives in cages (at least a lot of them do) and spend their free time working the wheel. But I digress.
If France doesn't heed the warning, the country could be fined if the European Court of Justice rules that it has failed to heed a final warning from the European Commission in 2008. The root of the problem is that their numbers are dwindling and a mere 298 burrows were found in 2010, a drop from 1,167 in 2,001. Hamster numbers are calculated on the basis of one hamster per burrow. Perhaps - pure speculation on my part - some hamster family members were out at the time a count was conducted.
According to EU Advocate General, Juliane Kokott, "if agro-environmental measures were put in place, in 2008, to protect the Great Hamster, they are incomplete at this stage." In other words - my interpretation - if France was making an effort to conserve the hamster, it wasn't obvious. Ms Kokott's opinion has been handed over to judges and in most cases the judges accept the advocate general's opinions and the court's rulings are binding on EU member states. In the recent past, France had been called upon to do more to "combat the agricultural practices and the urban sprawl that are destroying the animal's natural habitat". Furthermore, France failed to fulfil its obligations under the EU directive on conservation of natural habitats.
The hamster, which can grow to 10 inches (25 centimetres) long, has a brown and white face, a black belly and white paws. In old times, the paws were much prized by farmers who made them into trinkets. It wasn't that long ago that people used to hang rabbit paws on key chains.
So what if anything, is your "average" French farmer doing in the way of helping the situation, you may well be asking yourselves at this point. Not much it appears.
They (the farmers) farming in the region have planted maize (corn)instead of the hamster's favourite crop - alfalfa. What can one say or write? If the farmers don't cooperate, who will? Then again, should farmers focus on raising crops dedicated to hamster preservation? What about mice? Or bunnies? Or deer?
Given the state of starving humans all over the planet, hamsters perhaps don't receive the level of attention they require. For your 'regular' people, there are plenty of hamsters available in pet shops. There is a photo of the Strasbourg hamster here, in case you happen upon one in your travels:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12250291
The French government was warned by a EU legal adviser that it must make a greater effort to protect endangered hamsters living near Strasbourg in Eastern France. Perhaps the warning might have come as a surprise or even shock as it did to me, having never realized there was a difference in hamster species. I figured one hamster is the same as another. The cute rat-like creatures live their lives in cages (at least a lot of them do) and spend their free time working the wheel. But I digress.
If France doesn't heed the warning, the country could be fined if the European Court of Justice rules that it has failed to heed a final warning from the European Commission in 2008. The root of the problem is that their numbers are dwindling and a mere 298 burrows were found in 2010, a drop from 1,167 in 2,001. Hamster numbers are calculated on the basis of one hamster per burrow. Perhaps - pure speculation on my part - some hamster family members were out at the time a count was conducted.
According to EU Advocate General, Juliane Kokott, "if agro-environmental measures were put in place, in 2008, to protect the Great Hamster, they are incomplete at this stage." In other words - my interpretation - if France was making an effort to conserve the hamster, it wasn't obvious. Ms Kokott's opinion has been handed over to judges and in most cases the judges accept the advocate general's opinions and the court's rulings are binding on EU member states. In the recent past, France had been called upon to do more to "combat the agricultural practices and the urban sprawl that are destroying the animal's natural habitat". Furthermore, France failed to fulfil its obligations under the EU directive on conservation of natural habitats.
The hamster, which can grow to 10 inches (25 centimetres) long, has a brown and white face, a black belly and white paws. In old times, the paws were much prized by farmers who made them into trinkets. It wasn't that long ago that people used to hang rabbit paws on key chains.
So what if anything, is your "average" French farmer doing in the way of helping the situation, you may well be asking yourselves at this point. Not much it appears.
They (the farmers) farming in the region have planted maize (corn)instead of the hamster's favourite crop - alfalfa. What can one say or write? If the farmers don't cooperate, who will? Then again, should farmers focus on raising crops dedicated to hamster preservation? What about mice? Or bunnies? Or deer?
Given the state of starving humans all over the planet, hamsters perhaps don't receive the level of attention they require. For your 'regular' people, there are plenty of hamsters available in pet shops. There is a photo of the Strasbourg hamster here, in case you happen upon one in your travels:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12250291
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Ricky Gervais - funny or profane? Last words
This year's Golden Globe awards are a memory already but the sting lingers on. It appears that the Globes host, Ricky Gervais, is still experiencing the re-bound effects of what many believe to be over-the-top insulting remarks about the various celebs/nominees.
Let us remember that this isn't the Oscars or any of the staid award shows to follow. It's the Golden Globes where the atmosphere is relaxed and anything goes. One presumes that Gervais was hired (again)because of his known ability to quick-quip and powers of observations. This he does well - IMHO - and then some. What is surprising (to me) is the extent to which his commentaries hit home to the celebs and the extent to which they are insulted.
The man is a comic, peeplz! Perhaps - just perhaps - his remarks hit a little too close to the bone? What did they expect him to do? Read staid material from a cue card, praising everyone? He was there to entertain and he fulfilled this aspect - and then some, IMHO.
Too bad because most likely he won't get re-invited back to host the Globes again (note: recent word has it that he has been asked to host next year's Globes but hasn't decided), however, there are other award shows coming up in which he would be great and add something exciting to the mix - like the Academy Awards. Yawn...
To quote Will Rogers: "Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke."
Let us remember that this isn't the Oscars or any of the staid award shows to follow. It's the Golden Globes where the atmosphere is relaxed and anything goes. One presumes that Gervais was hired (again)because of his known ability to quick-quip and powers of observations. This he does well - IMHO - and then some. What is surprising (to me) is the extent to which his commentaries hit home to the celebs and the extent to which they are insulted.
The man is a comic, peeplz! Perhaps - just perhaps - his remarks hit a little too close to the bone? What did they expect him to do? Read staid material from a cue card, praising everyone? He was there to entertain and he fulfilled this aspect - and then some, IMHO.
Too bad because most likely he won't get re-invited back to host the Globes again (note: recent word has it that he has been asked to host next year's Globes but hasn't decided), however, there are other award shows coming up in which he would be great and add something exciting to the mix - like the Academy Awards. Yawn...
To quote Will Rogers: "Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke."
Monday, January 17, 2011
Golden Globes - Hollywood puts on its best smile
Did you watch the Golden Globe Awards last night? What did you think of Ricky Gervais's acidic/acerbic observations of various Hollywood celebs? Actually, I found him very entertaining although it was visually obvious during camera pans that not everyone agreed.
Watched it for the first hour while waiting for the next installment of Masterpiece Theatre's, "Downton Abbey" (love this series!) and returned for the last half-hour. Seems I didn't miss that much since Ricky's presence was limited in the second half of the show. Hmmmm...wonder why... As usual, the 'thank-you's' by the winners went on and on to the point where you (me) want to scream, "shut-up, already!" Really, your average person really doesn't know or care who was responsible for elevating the star to the winner's circle or the people involved in making the film/TV series.
One of the more interesting - at least for me - aspects of watching any award show is the reaction of those nominated who didn't win. There is the fixed smile and the applause but one has to admire their brave personna. Inside they could be thinking: "that stupid blah-blah - she/he didn't deserve the award. I should'a won! Wait 'til I speak to my agent!" Just speculating.
Another favorite part of all award shows is the fashions and general "look." Local plastic surgeons must be working day and night before all award shows judging by the lack of aging on the s*t*a*r*s. Not a frown line, skin creases or bags under the eyes could be seen, anywhere. Mind you, at least big lips were in short supply, thank goodness. Personally, I love the dresses and am aghast at how anyone can walk in those beautiful-looking but most likely painful to wear, shoes. All part of the "the look" one assumes so that we viewers will sigh and wish that we were among the glitterai.
The Golden Globes is the kick-off for the plethora of award shows that will follow. Somehow, they don't seem as relevant as they once did. Still, they're the only means in which to get a glimpse of our favorite celebs playing the role of celebs. And it's about the fashions...
Watched it for the first hour while waiting for the next installment of Masterpiece Theatre's, "Downton Abbey" (love this series!) and returned for the last half-hour. Seems I didn't miss that much since Ricky's presence was limited in the second half of the show. Hmmmm...wonder why... As usual, the 'thank-you's' by the winners went on and on to the point where you (me) want to scream, "shut-up, already!" Really, your average person really doesn't know or care who was responsible for elevating the star to the winner's circle or the people involved in making the film/TV series.
One of the more interesting - at least for me - aspects of watching any award show is the reaction of those nominated who didn't win. There is the fixed smile and the applause but one has to admire their brave personna. Inside they could be thinking: "that stupid blah-blah - she/he didn't deserve the award. I should'a won! Wait 'til I speak to my agent!" Just speculating.
Another favorite part of all award shows is the fashions and general "look." Local plastic surgeons must be working day and night before all award shows judging by the lack of aging on the s*t*a*r*s. Not a frown line, skin creases or bags under the eyes could be seen, anywhere. Mind you, at least big lips were in short supply, thank goodness. Personally, I love the dresses and am aghast at how anyone can walk in those beautiful-looking but most likely painful to wear, shoes. All part of the "the look" one assumes so that we viewers will sigh and wish that we were among the glitterai.
The Golden Globes is the kick-off for the plethora of award shows that will follow. Somehow, they don't seem as relevant as they once did. Still, they're the only means in which to get a glimpse of our favorite celebs playing the role of celebs. And it's about the fashions...
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Darn - my Virgo is now in Leo...or something since Ophiuchus entered the planetary system
I'm confused, which is nothing new for me. All my life I've been a Virgo with some of the virgo-ian qualities attributed to the sign. Now it appears that I've been wrong. Actually, many people are in the same predicament ever since Ophiuchus entered the picture.
One Park Kunkle, a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, is of the opinion that the moon's gravitational pull has caused the Earth to slowly wobble on its axis, shifting the stars alignment by approximately, one month.
Did you feel a wobble? Neither did I!
According to a LiveScience article, astrological signs correspond to the position of the sun within the constellations as they appeared more than 2,000years ago. In a Time on-line piece, there is some background information provided on Ophiucus.
"The constellation Ophiuchus represents a man wrestling a serpent, dividing the snake's body in two parts. It is the only sign of the zodiac linked to real men, sharing traits with Imhotep, a 27th century BCE Egyptian doctor, and biblical Joseph.
Like Imhotep, Ophiuchus is considered a healer of men and a doctor of medicine or science. He seeks higher education and enlightenment. He is expected to achieve a high position in life."
So there you have it. 'O' as I now call him having problems pronouncing his real name, was one of the good people. So where does this leave we mortals? Depends how strongly one believes in astrology and its influence on humans. Could a mere wobble change the course of one's future, that is the question - or issue. Here is the new table of astrological signs plus the newcomer:
Capricorn: Jan. 20 to Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16 to March 11.
Pisces: March 11 to April 18.
Aries: April 18 to May 13.
Taurus: May 13 to June 21.
Gemini: June 21 to July 20.
Cancer: July 20 to Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10 to Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16 to Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30 to Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23 to 29.
*Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 to Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17 to Jan. 20.
This leaves one - me - to wonder if about my belief in my Virgo-ian qualities are really me. According to Astrology-online, Virgo-ian traits are "precision, refinement, fastidious love of cleanliness, hygiene and good order, conventionality and aristocratic attitude of reserve. They are usually observant, shrewd, critically inclined, judicious, patient, practical supporters of the status quo, and tend toward conservatism in all departments of life."
These are okay traits but now I discover that due to the new interloper, I am now a Leo and have these additional qualities, which one presumes replaces the Virgo one's, or maybe in addition to:
"In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies, and they are self-controlled. Born leaders, either in support of, or in revolt against, the status quo."
My Facebook friend, Pauline, isn't having any of it.
" I was, and remain in my heart and mind, a Libra. I am too old for this sort of drastic change," Pauline commented in her comments.
Neither is Facebook-er, Debbie, who wrote "I won't do it!"
It will be interesting to see if astrologers and newspaper columns that traditionally use the 12 planets will be adding Ophiuchus. Really, it's not so bad in the end. Now there are two signs in which to check how our day will play out. Two futures are better than one. Right?
One Park Kunkle, a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, is of the opinion that the moon's gravitational pull has caused the Earth to slowly wobble on its axis, shifting the stars alignment by approximately, one month.
Did you feel a wobble? Neither did I!
According to a LiveScience article, astrological signs correspond to the position of the sun within the constellations as they appeared more than 2,000years ago. In a Time on-line piece, there is some background information provided on Ophiucus.
"The constellation Ophiuchus represents a man wrestling a serpent, dividing the snake's body in two parts. It is the only sign of the zodiac linked to real men, sharing traits with Imhotep, a 27th century BCE Egyptian doctor, and biblical Joseph.
Like Imhotep, Ophiuchus is considered a healer of men and a doctor of medicine or science. He seeks higher education and enlightenment. He is expected to achieve a high position in life."
So there you have it. 'O' as I now call him having problems pronouncing his real name, was one of the good people. So where does this leave we mortals? Depends how strongly one believes in astrology and its influence on humans. Could a mere wobble change the course of one's future, that is the question - or issue. Here is the new table of astrological signs plus the newcomer:
Capricorn: Jan. 20 to Feb. 16.
Aquarius: Feb. 16 to March 11.
Pisces: March 11 to April 18.
Aries: April 18 to May 13.
Taurus: May 13 to June 21.
Gemini: June 21 to July 20.
Cancer: July 20 to Aug. 10.
Leo: Aug. 10 to Sept. 16.
Virgo: Sept. 16 to Oct. 30.
Libra: Oct. 30 to Nov. 23.
Scorpio: Nov. 23 to 29.
*Ophiuchus: Nov. 29 to Dec. 17.
Sagittarius: Dec. 17 to Jan. 20.
This leaves one - me - to wonder if about my belief in my Virgo-ian qualities are really me. According to Astrology-online, Virgo-ian traits are "precision, refinement, fastidious love of cleanliness, hygiene and good order, conventionality and aristocratic attitude of reserve. They are usually observant, shrewd, critically inclined, judicious, patient, practical supporters of the status quo, and tend toward conservatism in all departments of life."
These are okay traits but now I discover that due to the new interloper, I am now a Leo and have these additional qualities, which one presumes replaces the Virgo one's, or maybe in addition to:
"In grandeur of manner, splendor of bearing and magnanimity of personality, they are the monarch's among humans as the lion is king of beasts. They are ambitious, courageous, dominant, strong willed, positive, independent, self-confident there is no such a word as doubt in their vocabularies, and they are self-controlled. Born leaders, either in support of, or in revolt against, the status quo."
My Facebook friend, Pauline, isn't having any of it.
" I was, and remain in my heart and mind, a Libra. I am too old for this sort of drastic change," Pauline commented in her comments.
Neither is Facebook-er, Debbie, who wrote "I won't do it!"
It will be interesting to see if astrologers and newspaper columns that traditionally use the 12 planets will be adding Ophiuchus. Really, it's not so bad in the end. Now there are two signs in which to check how our day will play out. Two futures are better than one. Right?
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Will re-make of American Idol be a hit with fans?
As a person who watches American Idol and upon hearing the news of Simon Cowell's departure last year, I wondered if the show would survive his departure. Simon was the judge we all loved to hate and he developed an abrasive personna, which should have turned off viewers, yet it didn't. There was something about the way he criticized and insulted non-talented singers that we all relished because inside, we all would have said the same thing had we been there. Simon spoke for us.
His departure has left a void in the insult department, which the new judges have no intention of filling. According to Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, they would rather use their singing experience to help up and coming artists.
How boring.
The new format of the show set to start on January 19, will focus on searching for an eventual winner, rather than setting up roadblocks along the way. As I wrote: how boring. There will be changes to the format to include an extention of Hollywood Week auditions to cut the semi-finalist field down to 20. Don't know how this is going to go over with the viewers since it will give them a small field of performers from which to choose. The 'Wild Card' finalists will also be included. There will also be no on-line voting.
To be honest, I found last year's show very blah and most of the singers mediocre at best. Surely given the scope of the talent search, there has to be more talent "out there" in the entire U.S.A. When it's all said a done, a lot will depend on the new judges and what they add to the pot in the way of personality. If they all end up indistinguishable from each other, the show will soon get stale and viewers will turn off. Next year Cowell will be bringing his own show, "X Factor" so Idol better establish itself as a front runner now.
So who will be watching AI?
His departure has left a void in the insult department, which the new judges have no intention of filling. According to Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, they would rather use their singing experience to help up and coming artists.
How boring.
The new format of the show set to start on January 19, will focus on searching for an eventual winner, rather than setting up roadblocks along the way. As I wrote: how boring. There will be changes to the format to include an extention of Hollywood Week auditions to cut the semi-finalist field down to 20. Don't know how this is going to go over with the viewers since it will give them a small field of performers from which to choose. The 'Wild Card' finalists will also be included. There will also be no on-line voting.
To be honest, I found last year's show very blah and most of the singers mediocre at best. Surely given the scope of the talent search, there has to be more talent "out there" in the entire U.S.A. When it's all said a done, a lot will depend on the new judges and what they add to the pot in the way of personality. If they all end up indistinguishable from each other, the show will soon get stale and viewers will turn off. Next year Cowell will be bringing his own show, "X Factor" so Idol better establish itself as a front runner now.
So who will be watching AI?
Saturday, January 08, 2011
News you want to know: insects produce less gas
There is nothing like cyber-surfing to find interesting stories and getting educated about stuff one would otherwise never know. Things like edible insects produce smaller quantities of greenhouse gasses than cattle AND pigs. I mean - go figure! Teeny-weeny insects some of which are barely visible to the human eye, to put it bluntly, fart less than people.
Be that as it may, this fact came to light in the Science Daily with scientists of Wageningen University who recently joined together with government and industry to look into whether the rearing of insects could contribute to more sustainable production. Moreover, insect meat could therefore be an alternative to your regular type meat products. Cattle farming worldwide is a major producer of greenhouse gases.
Far be it to criticize the scientific community but speaking as your "average" human, the idea of eating insects somehow has little appeal. In fact, most of us averages find insects worthy of elimination. Let's just leave it at that.
Why they did this is anybody's guess but the research team for the first time quantified the greenhouse gases produced per kilogram of insect product. This leads one - me - to ponder how they accomplished this. Take your ordinary house fly - please - and try to catch it, never mind assessing the amount of gas it produces. Never even occurred to me that insects - well - fart. The gases involved were methane and nitrous oxide (isn't the latter the laughing gas that dentists use for nervous patients?). The results demonstrated that insects produced much smaller quantities of greenhouse gases than conventional livestock. Duh!
An additional advantage of insects over mammals is that they convert their food into meat quicker. Is this information we need to know? There is, however, some interesting facts one rarely thinks about like did you know that a pig produces between eight and twelve times as much ammonia per kilogram of growth, compared to crickets, and up to fifty times more than locusts. Can't speak for others but this is a revelation to me!
Further research is required to ascertain whether the production of a kilogram of insect protein is also more environmentally friendly than conventional animal protein when the entire production chain is taken into account. This makes one - me again - wonder how much money the scientists received for working on this exciting project. The university, by the way, is located in the Netherlands.
A while back and in the name of science and a TV taping, I ate some chocolate covered grasshoppers. Actually, they were quite good until one of the grasshopper legs became visible after biting into the chocolate. That was it for me! Just thought I'd throw that in since the story focused on insects. thing is and realistically speaking, it's doubtful whether farmers will give up cattle raising et al, in favor of insects. Would love to hear from any insect raisers reading this.
Be that as it may, this fact came to light in the Science Daily with scientists of Wageningen University who recently joined together with government and industry to look into whether the rearing of insects could contribute to more sustainable production. Moreover, insect meat could therefore be an alternative to your regular type meat products. Cattle farming worldwide is a major producer of greenhouse gases.
Far be it to criticize the scientific community but speaking as your "average" human, the idea of eating insects somehow has little appeal. In fact, most of us averages find insects worthy of elimination. Let's just leave it at that.
Why they did this is anybody's guess but the research team for the first time quantified the greenhouse gases produced per kilogram of insect product. This leads one - me - to ponder how they accomplished this. Take your ordinary house fly - please - and try to catch it, never mind assessing the amount of gas it produces. Never even occurred to me that insects - well - fart. The gases involved were methane and nitrous oxide (isn't the latter the laughing gas that dentists use for nervous patients?). The results demonstrated that insects produced much smaller quantities of greenhouse gases than conventional livestock. Duh!
An additional advantage of insects over mammals is that they convert their food into meat quicker. Is this information we need to know? There is, however, some interesting facts one rarely thinks about like did you know that a pig produces between eight and twelve times as much ammonia per kilogram of growth, compared to crickets, and up to fifty times more than locusts. Can't speak for others but this is a revelation to me!
Further research is required to ascertain whether the production of a kilogram of insect protein is also more environmentally friendly than conventional animal protein when the entire production chain is taken into account. This makes one - me again - wonder how much money the scientists received for working on this exciting project. The university, by the way, is located in the Netherlands.
A while back and in the name of science and a TV taping, I ate some chocolate covered grasshoppers. Actually, they were quite good until one of the grasshopper legs became visible after biting into the chocolate. That was it for me! Just thought I'd throw that in since the story focused on insects. thing is and realistically speaking, it's doubtful whether farmers will give up cattle raising et al, in favor of insects. Would love to hear from any insect raisers reading this.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Fast walkers live longer according to study
If it's not one thing, it's another. Now I have something new to worry about. Just came accross a report indicating that the speed one walks could be an indicator of a short or long life span. Researchers have discovered that walking speed can be - notice those words - can be a useful indicator of how long older adults will live.
The first thing that sprung to mind is many older adults a.k.a. seniors, tend to walk slower than younger adults i.e. middle aged and under. People who walk 2.25mph or faster, consistently lived longer than others of their age and sex who walked more slowly.
The results of this study particularly hit home personally, being a slow-ish-type walker.
"We're able to show that a person's capacity to move strongly reflects vitality and health," said study researcher Dr. Stephanie Studenski, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.
The researchers did emphasize that the aim of the study wasn't to get people to walk faster or to live longer. According to Dr. Stephanie. Our bodies tell us the ideal speed appropriate for us. Actually, my body especially the legs, knees, thighs and right on down to the ankles, tend to send my brain messages to the effect, "slow her down - you're killing us!"
Still more bad news we don't want to know in that a change of walking speed won't lengthen our lives. Dr. Stephanie suggests that we need to address underlying health issues. The researchers showed they could reliably predict the 10-year survival rate of a group of people based on how fast they walked along a 4-meter track.
Track? How many "average" people use a running track, one wonders. Walking speed for those with an average life expectancy was (or is) approx. 1.8 mph, for most age groups of both sexes. So this leads one - me - to wonder how one would assess one's walking speed. Is there some type of mathematical formula or does one have to carry a pedometer while walking to ensure the correct speed? Came accross a piece on the e-How site that provides a formula as to how to calculate walking speed:
http://www.ehow.com/how_8939_estimate-walking-speed.html
The findings were based on analysis of nine previous studies that examined the walking speed, sex, age, body mass index, medical history and survival rate of almost 34,500 people.
There's a lot more statistics and information for anyone interested in the study here: http://beta.ca.news.yahoo.com/fast-walk-may-predict-long-youll-live-20110105-091802-892.html
Still, when it all said and done, walking is a great exercise. For the record, it's amazing the speed my feet travel in a mall, travelling from store-to-store, whenever there's a sale. A person has'ta do what a person has'ta to.
The study is published in the January 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The first thing that sprung to mind is many older adults a.k.a. seniors, tend to walk slower than younger adults i.e. middle aged and under. People who walk 2.25mph or faster, consistently lived longer than others of their age and sex who walked more slowly.
The results of this study particularly hit home personally, being a slow-ish-type walker.
"We're able to show that a person's capacity to move strongly reflects vitality and health," said study researcher Dr. Stephanie Studenski, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.
The researchers did emphasize that the aim of the study wasn't to get people to walk faster or to live longer. According to Dr. Stephanie. Our bodies tell us the ideal speed appropriate for us. Actually, my body especially the legs, knees, thighs and right on down to the ankles, tend to send my brain messages to the effect, "slow her down - you're killing us!"
Still more bad news we don't want to know in that a change of walking speed won't lengthen our lives. Dr. Stephanie suggests that we need to address underlying health issues. The researchers showed they could reliably predict the 10-year survival rate of a group of people based on how fast they walked along a 4-meter track.
Track? How many "average" people use a running track, one wonders. Walking speed for those with an average life expectancy was (or is) approx. 1.8 mph, for most age groups of both sexes. So this leads one - me - to wonder how one would assess one's walking speed. Is there some type of mathematical formula or does one have to carry a pedometer while walking to ensure the correct speed? Came accross a piece on the e-How site that provides a formula as to how to calculate walking speed:
http://www.ehow.com/how_8939_estimate-walking-speed.html
The findings were based on analysis of nine previous studies that examined the walking speed, sex, age, body mass index, medical history and survival rate of almost 34,500 people.
There's a lot more statistics and information for anyone interested in the study here: http://beta.ca.news.yahoo.com/fast-walk-may-predict-long-youll-live-20110105-091802-892.html
Still, when it all said and done, walking is a great exercise. For the record, it's amazing the speed my feet travel in a mall, travelling from store-to-store, whenever there's a sale. A person has'ta do what a person has'ta to.
The study is published in the January 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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