This Week's DVD releases 11/18/2008

In the mood for an animated love story with a strong environmental message? Disney Pixars' "WALL*E" is among this weeks new releases and not only does it include a theatrical "short" titled "Presto",the DVD has an amusing bonus "short" film called "Burn*E",as well as director commentary.WALL*E is a lonely "cleaner" robot left behind on an empty earth to clean up with only a cockroach for company,and he has a fixation on the musical "Hello Dolly",which he watches daily.Then he falls in love with EVE,a probe robot sent to earth to collect biological samples and literally follows her across the universe.I think this is quite possibly one of the best Pixar movies to date! Read on.....

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Major Releases

• "WALL*E"-98 Minutes,G-rated,animated,widescreen




• "Tropic Thunder"-107 Minutes,R-rated,widescreen,action/comedy,stars Jack Black,Robert Downey Jr. & Ben Stiller




• "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2"-117 Minutes,PG-13,widescreen,sequel to "chick flick" of same name,stars America Ferrera & Amber Tamblyn




• "Gonzo"The Life & Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson"-120 Minutes,R rated,widescreen,documentary

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TV on DVD

• "Bones - Season Three"-5 disc set of Fox forensic drama


• "Charmed - The Complete Series"-DVD set of witchy drama


• "Doctor Who - The Complete Fourth Series"-6 disc set,scifi series


• "Hannah Montana - The Complete First Season"-4 disc set of Disney teen hit


• "McHale's Navy - Season Four"-5 disc set of classic TV series


• "The Odd Couple - The Final Season"-3 disc set of classic TV series

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Other DVD releases this week

• "300 - Limited Collectors Edition"-3 disc set




• "Encounters at the End of the World"-Also in blu-ray




• "Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special "-Comedy Central special,widescreen,also on blu-ray




• "The Who At Kilburn - 1977"-2 disc set of The Who in concert




• "Paris Je T'Aime"-2 disc set,also on blu-ray




• "The Third Man (1949) Criterion Collection "-2 disc dvd set or blu-ray




• "Up the Yangtze"-Widescreen,subtitled




• "The Last Emperor (1987) - Criterion Collection "-Widescreen




• "Mirrormask"-Now on blu-ray




• "Mister Lonely"-Widescreen




• "Priceless"-Widescreen,also on blu-ray

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Thats all for this week and remember,as you are compiling your Christmas shopping lists,DVD's make great gifts and they always "fit"!See you next week!

Have a great Memorial Day!

Memorial Day Weekend is here , and summer has officially kicked off but while we are running around buying food and beer, or outdoors grilling, or paying through the nose for gas in order to drive somewhere, let us not forget what the Holiday means. While we are enjoying a three-day weekend, there are many members of our US Military who are halfway around the world, away from their families and friends, risking their own lives.There will be many cookouts and other gatherings this weekend across Delmarva and the entire country who will be missing one or more family members, because they are in Iraq, or Germany, or out at sea.
There are also many others who lost their lives who have proudly served their country in the past. That, my fellow Americans, is what this Holiday is truly about.
I also wanted to mention that forty years ago this week, the USS Scorpion disappeared with 99 men aboard and was later officially listed as missing in June by the Navy. About six months later the Skipjack class nuclear submarine and her crews remains were found deep in the Atlantic Ocean.the submersible was based in Norfolk,, Virginia.
Let us all take the time this weekend to remember these brave sailors and others who lost their lives serving their country.

" I'm Ba-ack"

I have been AWOL for a while-I have been working more hours at my PT job and busy with activities now that its warm outside!Not sure if anyone even still reads!LOL

This weeks DVD releases 5/6/08

Theatrical Releases this week:

• "First Sunday" -Allstar comedic cast makes this tale of a church heist irresistable.Katt Williams and Ice Cube star. Widescreen available.Also on blu-ray disc.

• "I'm Not There" -An offbeat movie that focuses on singer songwriter Bob Dylan, with an appearance by the late Heath Ledger.Widescreen.

• "P.S. I Love You"-This weeks obligitory chick flick stars Hilary Swank, who is widowed and discovers her husband is still very much with her through letters.Widescreen.

Other DVD's released this week....

• "The Bridges of Madison County"-Widescreen.
• "The Business of being Born"-Widescreen.
• "The Hottie and the Nottie"-Widescreen.
• "La Roue"(1923)-2 disc set
• "Mystery Science Theater 3000 - The Movie"-Widescreen.
• "Speed Racer the Next Generation - The Beginning"-Fullscreen
• "Teeth"-Widescreen
• "Twister"(1996)-DVD and Blu-ray release

TV on DVD.....

• "The 4400 - The Complete Fourth Season"-4 disc set
• " Avatar the Last Airbender - Book Fire - Volume Three"-Fullscreen
• "Bewitched - The Complete Sixth Season"-4 disc set
• "Crossing Jordan - Season One"-5 disc set

Thats all for this week-these were released yesterday and so should be available at your local video store and all retailers today.Enjoy!

This weeks DVD releases:4/29/08

"27 Dresses" movie poster

Theatrical releases:

• "27 Dresses"-Classic "always the bridesmaid,never the bride" chick flick romantic comedy stars Katherine Heigl-Widescreen
• "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"-cinematic French film-Widescreen
• "The Golden Compass"-dark fantasy stars Nicole Kidman & Daniel Craig,who also worked and appeared together in last years "Invasion". (trivia tidbit!)-Widescreen

Other movies released this week on DVD:

• "First Knight"(1995)-Blu ray disc also available
• "A Generation Apart"(1984)-Widescreen
• "How She Move"-With featurette
• "Oceans Eleven"(2001)-Blu ray disc also available
• "Oceans Twelve"-Blu ray and DVD

TV on DVD this week:

• "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones"-DVD set
• "Beverly Hills 90210-The 4th Season"-8 disc set
• "Paranormal State - Season 1"-3 disc set
• "The Waltons-The Complete 7th Season"-5 disc set

Thats all for this week!

Balls to the wall!!!!

A popular automotive fad has emerged on truck bumpers everywhere, and it ain't bumper stickers , and it goes way beyond those cutesy dog heads and boat propellers you see on trailer hitches ! As seen above, alot of guys are fond of those swinging bull testicle replicas made of materials ranging from metallic to rubber and the good ole boys in Florida are no different but lawmakers in the Sunshine State are trying to enact a law banning the ornamental gonads, and violations would be punished with fines.Can anyone say "pork"? What a waste of the states' time and only the latest example of such.

In Louisiana, legislation to ban those baggy falling-down pants was shot down and there is good reason why. If I had a son who wore pants that way, I would b*tchslap him because its not proper upbringing and nobody wants to see the "plumber buttcrack" but it is a matter of taste-and you just cannot dictate that. As much as I hate those baggy pants, to make a legal issue of it and actually fine people for their choice in clothing would be akin to Communism.

As far as the debate in Florida over "bumperballs" goes,I have only seen a few "pairs" of the silver finished ones, and while they are tacky and,lets face it, testicles ain't pretty-real or replica-it is a matter of personal taste rather than outright obscenity. And they ARE fake-its not like the cowpokes are castrating live bulls and teabaggin' the highways with them! As long as Florida is enforcing common decency, maybe they can start letting state police ticketing those people with the annoying old "Bush/Cheney 2004" stickers-thats REALLY offensive!

Golfer beats 67 million to one odds.....

Iowa golfer Ted Kemp should have bought a lottery ticket last Monday-he beat 67 million to one odds and scored two back-to-back holes-in-one (both par 3) at the Muscatine Municipal Golf course.
He used a pitching wedge to sink his tee shot on the 3rd hole from 130 yards out and then made a passing comment about the odds of doing it again. Sure enough, at the next hole, he hit 182 yards with an 8-iron and nailed it again! He finished the day with a 78 and chalked the feat of two aces up to luck, rather than skill.

The lesser of two evils...

Last week's Texas raid of a FDLS sect compound is old news now, but the controversy surrounding the removal of hundreds of children from the communal-style ranch keeps heating up. In this weeks issue of People Magazine, viewpoints from both sides are heard and not suprisingly, there are critics who say the government is interfering with religious freedoms in this situation,and that all the children are happy and certainly not abused.
They do not comment on the fact that authorities raided the compound after a 15 yr.old girl reported she was pregnant with her SECOND child, by a 50 yr. old man she was forced to marry and have intercourse with and that the former leader of the sect is none other than convicted sex offender Warren Jeffs. They speak of their love for their children, but they do mention the "lost boys", those young men ages 13 and up who are cast out of the inner circle of the sect so that the "elders" or older men can claim the barely-pubescent girls.
I empathize with the wives and mothers in the sect who have been separated from their children because they have been oppressed and programmed from birth to be subserviant and obedient to men. They simply do not know any other way. You can't sexually abuse children, not consenting adults but little girls,and then expect to be protected by the Constitution because you say it is "your religion".
By exercising their religious rights,the pedophiles are violating the rights of innocent, trusting children and since children cannot defend or protect themselves, someone has to. I am interested in what y'all think.....

Blade Busted?

This weeks new DVD releases 4-22-2008

I am totally late with this, thanks to technical problems, but just in time for considering what to check out this weekend on DVD.Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has the rare luck to be billed in two of this week's theatrical releases!Read on...

Theatrical Releases:

• "Cloverfield"-The shaky"home movie" type filming of this actually made people dizzy in theaters!It's still a decent horror flick!-Widescreen
• "The Savages"-A deep family drama starring Philip Seymour Hoffman & Laura Linney -Widescreen
• "Charlie Wilson's War"-Cold War era political comedy starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and....Philip Seymour Hoffman!-Widescreen

Other DVD releases this week:

• "The Orphanage"-Widescreen
• "One Missed Call"-Fullscreen

TV this week on DVD:

• "Laverne & Shirley-The 4th Season"-Break out the milk and Pepsi!-4 disc set
• "Friday Night Lights-The 2nd Season"-NBC teen drama-4 disc set

Thats it for this week!

Don't miss the Blue Crab Guru on TV !

Whitey Schmidt

Delmarva's own Blue Crab Guru, Mr. Whitey Schmidt, can be seen Monday night at 9pm on MPT(local PBS stations). He is a "crab connoisseur " & his seafood recipes have been featured in Southern Living Magazine, The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post and many other publications. He has also authored 10 cookbooks, which are widely available on-line at Amazon and through Marian Hartnett press. Whitey is a Maryland native and Crisfield resident whose crab recipes are famous worldwide. If you love all things crab in the kitchen, treat yourself and tune in!

Yesterdays telephone "blackout" in Maryland

According to the news reports, a wireless communications cable was breached yesterday in Carroll County, MD. All the reports stated that it only interrupted wireless telephone service and although it was owned by AT&T, many other companies used the line.
However until late last night, I was unable to dial outside my calling exchange on landline service , therefore I could not reach ANY cell phone numbers by landline.Many people I know who have DSL were unable to connect and on the TV news it was mentioned that alot of customers in Walmart and other stores were unable to use their debit cards, due to connectivity issues. Then I realized that alot of our connection to the world relies on the communications grid and wondered if there was something to worry about. You hear all the critics saying our nationwide electricity grid needs investment to update it, but little about communications.It doesn't seem like a huge issue, but a gap in telephony creates a challenge just as an electric blackout. Everything from credit card machines to security alarms to satellite receivers for your TV depend on using either standard telephone lines or fiber optic cable to communicate with remote servers. Our telecommunications network needs the same priority given to our electric power grid so that these little "gremlins" occur less often and so that we can keep up with the latest in communications technology.

The people left behind....

Rhonda Parks

The human remains discovered recently in a Somerset County yard have not been positively identified however it is speculated that it may be Rhonda Parks, who has been missing since 2006. I just cannot imagine the agony her loved ones must be enduring, just waiting to see if indeed she has been located.I don't know what would be worse-having someone confirm your daughter is deceased or not knowing anything at all. As long as a body is not found, you can always hang on to some hope that they are still alive. Yet at the same time, knowing what happened to them, and being able to give them a proper Christian burial would be a sad comfort. I am keeping the Parks family in my prayers and at the same time, I wanted to give a mention to some of the other people who are still missing in Somserset County, so that no one forgets they are still out there somewhere, dead or alive, and their families deserve closure so that they can heal.

James Clark Creighton

James Clark Creighton-missing since December 2000-last seen near Bowland Hill on the outskirts of Princess Anne. DOB 9/19/1958 Mr.Creighton has AIDS, a history of drug abuse and has surgical pins in right foot. At the time of his disappearance he was working a steady job and taking Ambien, a sleep medication.He is 6'2 and was 190 lbs when last seen. Foul play is suspected and he may have been taken by force. Contact Wicomico County Combined Task Force Sgt. George Nelson 443-260-3734 with info.

Stuart Garrison

Stuart Raymond Garrison-missing since May 2002-last seen leaving his home on Box Iron Rd in Crisfield, MD,walking on foot. DOB 1960 Mr. Garrison was unemployed and involved in the drug trade at one time but was cleaning up when he vanished.He is 5'9 and was 110 lbs when last seen. Foul play is suspected. contact MSP at 410-290-0050 x 130 with info.

Thomas Borum

Thomas Wilson Borum-missing since January 2000-last seen near Route 13 and Mt. Vernon Rd. intersection just shortly after being discovered missing from his room at nearby Manokin Manor nursing home at 2am. DOB 1913 Mr. Borum was last seen wearing only pajamas and is presumed dead due to exposure but no remains have ever been found and he was declared legally dead later in 2000. He was 5'9 and weighed 151 lbs when last seen. Remains unsolved. Contact Princess Anne Police Department 410-651-1822 with info.

Jacob Webster

Jacob Wesley Webster-missing since June 2006 from Princess Anne, MD. DOB 1/27/1940 Mr.Webster has a limp and a brace on his right leg.He is 5'8 and weighed 190 lbs when last seen.Contact MSP at 410-651-3101 with info.

Gordon Nelson Sr.

Gordon Lee Nelson Sr.-missing since October 2007 from Crisfield,MD.DOB 12/24/1949 No other details.Contact Sgt. Luedtke at the Crisfield Police Department, at 410-968-1323 with info.

I hope I did not leave anyone out-I used what sources were available and if I left someone off the list please let me know.Let's keep the loved ones left behind in our thoughts and remember if you have ANY information about either of these missing persons it is your duty as a human to report it.

"It's in the hole!"

An 85-year old blind veteran made a hole-in-one last week while golfing at the Tortuga in Green Valley, Arizona. The old duffer was with a group of other blind veterans participating in a VA recreation therapy program. Volunteers "line-up" the ball for the veterans and step back and leave them free to drive off.
Robert Dunham says he didn't believe it at first when he was told he hit an ace.I have to this man his "props"-at his age and with his impairment he is still going strong and getting out there on the course. I am not a golfer but I am a "golfer wife" and I honestly think it keeps my husband sane. He is raring to get out on the course as soon as spring comes and has been know to play in inclement weather sometimes. The Pings come out of the hall closet and so do the shoes and the funny hats. I have went along a few times and it really does little for me, but I do enjoy watching the game if I can ride in a cart!
Hats off to Mr. Dunham!

Smokey & The Bandit Trifecta

I am in redneck heaven tonight-Starz Channel is airing "Smokey and the Bandit" and it's two sequels back to back tonight! I remember seeing this at the drive-in when I was a kid, the original first movie that is, and it is still as much fun 30-odd years later. I can even recall alot of guys back then wearing those faux leather "TransAm" jackets with the stripe on it ala Burt Reynolds. Some of the best lines in movie history can be culled from the movie and the car chase scenes are legend. And its got The Great One, Jackie Gleason! Take a trip back to an era where instead of cell phones, people yakked on CB Radios and with gas cheaper than water, muscle cars still ruled the roads.

This weeks DVD releases:4/15/08

Juno on DVD

New on DVD this week for the first time:

• "Juno"-(I saw it and loved it!)
• "Alien vs Predator:Requiem"
• "Lars and the Real Girl"

Other DVD releases:

• "Laurence of Arabia"(1962)-2 disc set
• "A Passage to India"(1984)-2 disc set
• "Retribution"
• "War Dance
• "The Clash Live - Revolution Rock"

TV on DVD

• "Melrose Place-The Fourth Season"-9 disc set
• "How the Earth Was Made-History Channel"

"Rock of Love" Finale tonight

The "Rock of Love 2" finale is airing at this very moment and will rerun tonight and tomorrow, for those of you who have been following it. Tonight it is down to the glam-skank Daisey and wholesome almost-40 Ambre. I am rooting for Ambre, by the way. Daisey still lives with an ex-boyfriend and has enough skeletons in her closet for a Grateful Dead music video. The "final cut" will be made on location in Cancun, Mexico.

Move over, Jagermeister

Jekyll & Hyde liqueur

A fairly new and unique beverage product has come to my attention and I think it just might give other premium liqueurs a run for their money.An Anheuser-Busch subsidiary, Long Tail Libations, offers a potion named "Jekyll & Hyde" and not only do the two different flavors go well together,the 750 ml (" a 5th") bottles nest together side by side for a pretty cool visual effect. The bottles advertise themselves and the cocktail has become popular worldwide.

"Jekyll" is a 60 proof raspberry liqueur that is dark red and "Hyde" is an 80 proof "caramel-molasses" flavored liqueur that is jet black. When a shot is poured, the "Hyde" floats to the top for an interesting contrast for the mouth and the eyes.

Between work and home responsibilities, I seldom go out anymore, but when I do I may have to sample this.It is marketed as a direct-sale drink, specifically for bars and pubs and would definitely appeal to those who like flavored liqueurs such as Jagermeister, Grand Marnier & Sambuca.

"Juno" (2007)

One of the best movies coming out on DVD this week will be Jason Reitmans "Juno", and the title character is a sarcastic and independent-minded 16 year old girl who gets pregnant by her best guy-friend and decides ultimately to give her baby up for adoption. She selects an uber-yuppie couple played by Jason Bateman & Jenifer Garner to adopt her child and develops a deep bond with them over the course of her pregnancy.

Juno, played by Ellen Page, is already ostracized at her high school because she is a noncomformist and she encounters alot of judgemental people in school and out as she gets bigger. In one outstanding scene, she is the target of an ultrasound techinicians' scorn for being a teen mother and her stepmother tells the tech off.Juno also experiences ups and downs in her relationship with Bleeker,the father of her child.Their platonic friendship gets strained, naturally and eventually she discovers she loved him along.

This movie impressed me because it portrayed a very positive and responsible solution to a common social problem.Movies like last years "Knocked Up" make for a hilarious comedy, but how many yuppie fast track women are going to raise a baby with a drunken out-of-work slacker who impregnated them during a boozy encounter? On the other end of the spectrum, characters on TV and movies getting abortions have become the norm in liberal with-it Hollywood. It's just nice to see a story about someone faced with the same problem who takes the high road.

It also has an offbeat soundtrack with tunes by Lou Reed and The Kinks, just to name a couple. "Juno" will be released in two days on DVD and I totally recommend it!

"Absolut"ely Stupid Debate

Absolut brand
The controversial ad
Another controversial anti-war Absolut ad

The big brouhaha over the Absolut Vodka ads depicting parts of the Southwest US on the map as part of Mexico is puzzling to me. Apparently it pisses off people on both sides of the fence (no pun intended) because most Mexicans still feel like they were robbed when the US claimed those territories formerly belonging to their country.Americans are mad because they feel parts of America are already controlled by Mexicans. Tit for tat. (We took a couple of states from them , now they are invading every one of ours,but I digress)

So what does a stupid vodka ad (one that was NEVER meant for the US market in the 1st place) have to do with immigration? Vin & Sprit, the holders of the Absolut brand,have mounted way more potentially controversial Absolut ads in the past, particularly the anti-war ad among others.

Pernod Ricard SA , a French distilled spirit giant,is buying out V&S and aside from Absolut, has exclusive distribution rights to numerous other popular liquor brands sold worldwide. Does Michelle Malkin and the rest of her ilk really think a boycott is going to hurt them in any way?

People are NOT going to stop buying Absolut. Personally I dislike ANY vodka-it tastes like rubbing alcohol to me and I cannot differentiate top shelf stuff (like Absolut or Goose) from the cheap rail stuff, nevertheless ALOT of people consume vodka and many of them prefer the Swedish-made Absolut over any other (which brings me to a curious question-what do Swedes know about vodka?I thought it was a Russian thing!).

If anyone else can figure out what all the hullabaloo is about, please clue me in.Until then,I doubt the marketing dept. at V&S is losing sleep-in fact, all this media attention may even increase their sales worldwide.

This weeks DVD releases:4/8/2008

"Walk Hard:The Dewey Cox Story"(starring John C.Reilly) is among this weeks DVD releases and having seen it,I have to say it was as bad as I expected but in a good way-it spoofs practically ever "Behind the Music"-style movie about the rise and fall of a famed musician that has ever been made.It borrows heavily from "Walk the Line" and also incorporates scenes from others like "The Doors".

Any "rock star-movie" cliche you can think of is satired here.Look for cameos from very famous faces,including a hilarious turn as a young Elvis by musician Jack White and Jack Black as Paul McCartney.I loved this movie but sadly admit some people will not find it funny.BTW,the unrated DVD version has a gratuitous male full-frontal nudity shot in deference to "Boogie Nights" (John C.Reilly also starred in this!)but this guy is not as developed as Dirk Diggler.

As each decade brings a different music style,Dewey adapts and does a "crossover" between stints in rehab.Hysterically funny movie!

Available in widescreen.

Other Theatrical Releases this week:

• "There will be blood"-deleted scenes on DVD
• "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep"- widescreen DVD
• "Lions for Lambs"-widescreen DVD

Classic re-releases

• "The 6th Day"-Bluray release
• "All about Eve"(1950)-2 disc DVD set

Tv on DVD

• "Matlock-The 1st Season"-7 disc DVD set
• "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-Season Six" Animated TV series on DVD

Also,George Romeros' "Day of the Dead" remake (2007) will be released this week on DVD,it stars Ving Rhames,Nick Cannon,and Mena Suvari(American Beauty).A must-see for true horror-philes.

It must be the vodka!

After the Soviet Union fell,the birth rates in Russia dropped by 50 percent and while the population is still decreasing rapidly,births are on the rise.Thanks in part to their Government ,more women of childbearing age are choosing to have children.Experts are warning against false optimism,saying that while the economy was better,the population rate would still drop because Russia has the lowest life expectancy of any other European country and deaths outnumber births.
The Kremlin expanded maternity benefits and offered to provide mothers with vouchers and other financial incentives for each subsequent child after their firstborn.
When I first heard this,I thought of intrusive and Communistic that was and how it would never happen here in the USA-then it occured to me that it already IS happening right here in America.
Think about it.... in America can one have numerous children that they are not prepared to care for,and they are are rewarded by the Government for doing so.The only problem with that is demographics.While Russia's population is dangerously low and enough of a problem for them to throw money at,the US population is bursting at the seams and growing more every day.
And it just might be more than Socialistic policies creating the baby boom-it could be the vodka!

Flashback Movies:"Return of the Living Dead"(1985)

If you like the kind of uber-gory horror movie that is also satirical,campy and at some points utterly ridiculous then "Return of the Living Dead" is a good bet.It has been called "splatstick"and Joe Bob Briggs often hosted it on TNT Monstervision some years ago.

The loose plot revolves around two guys working in a medical supply warehouse who accidently unleash a chemical from a US Army 55 gallon drum and the vapor cloud promptly re-animates human and animal cadavers in the warehouse "cooler" and the chain reaction that ensues.A bunch of 80's punk-rocker kids are pals with one of medical supply employees and they decide to party in an adjacent graveyard while waiting for his shift to end-and then the "party" begins!Zombies abound!This movie spawned several equally campy sequels,but nothing holds a candle to the original!Unlike all other similar movies,being bitten by a zombie will not transform you-only exposure to the lethal gas will do that.Like many movies of that genre,there is an implication that some secret government conspiracy is behind the outbreak.Its not to be taken serious but its worth a look!

The Kids Are Alright?

A plot by several third-graders to attack and "overthrow" one of their teachers was foiled Tuesday at a school in Waycross,Georgia after a student reported one of her classmates brought a weapon to school.Police seized a broken steak knife, handcuffs, duct tape, electrical and transparent tape, ribbons and a crystal paperweight from the students, who apparently intended to use them against the teacher, and all kids involved were either 8 or 9 years old!WTF???
While school admininstration said all students involved in the scheme have been indefinitely suspended,they cannot be charged with a crime under state law because they are under 13!Mothers of other 3rd grade students have joined forces to demand the participants be expelled for the safety of their own kids.
Chillingly,they had the whole thing planned out-even conspiring to cover the windows so nobody could see in and witness the impending attack.The teacher reportedly was a 3rd grade"special ed" teacher,and instructed children with ADD,and other developmental problems.The plot was in retaliation to her disciplining a classmate for standing on a chair.
While some people may find this amusing,I think it is extremely disturbing.Had these kids had the opportunity to set their plan in motion they could have seriously injured or even killed the teacher.(and in accordance to Georgia law,gotten away with murder!)There is nothing "special" about these special ed kids,they demonstrated that by working in tandem to cook up an ambush!Is this what schools are coming to?What about the kids with learning disabilities who truly need special education?They clearly are not getting the attention they require if the teacher is pre-occupied with controlling kids who have severe personality disorders.
And just because they under 13 and cannot be prosecuted does not mean it is out of the states hands.Social Services should do independent investigations into each of these children because plotting to kill an adult,a teacher no less,is NOT normal!Are they growing up in homes with domestic violence,sexual abuse,substance abuse,or mental illness?We cannot sit back and wait until they older and not intervene.Incidents like Jonesboro prove that even young kids can pull off school massacres and they did not just "snap" one day-there were signs of trouble before they decided to shoot up the school.

POISON fans everywhere disappointed....

Poison fans are holding their breath,and hoping that drummer Rikki Rocketts' recent arrest on rape charges will not interrupt the 2008 tour dates scheduled this summer-especially those who have already made plans to catch a show.
It's old news now,but 46 yr. old Rockett was arrested Monday shortly after getting off a plane from New Zealand and landed at LAX, on a rape warrant out of Mississippi.A woman filed a complaint alleging that she was raped in September 2007 in a hotel room at Silver Star Casino,a Choctaw Indian resort near Philadelphia,MS,by Rikki Rockett,whose real name is Richard Ream.
Poison was at its most popular in the 80's as one of the original "hair-bands" and unbeknownst to many people,they are STILL touring regularly over 20 years after the debut album was released to success.So far,no plans to cancel any dates have been announced.They have several concerts scheduled for this year,including dates at nearby venues in Northern Virginia/DC area.

This weeks DVD releases: 4/1/2008

"Alvin and The Chipmunks" is my favorote new release for this week.Having seen it,I think it was a decent family flick and Jason Lee is one of my favorite actors.And who can resist Alvin,Simon & Theodore?

Other theatrical releases:

• "The Good Night"-stars Gwyneth Paltrow & Danny Devito-widescreen
• "Sweeney Todd:The Demon Barber of Fleet Street"-Graphic Tim Burton Victorian era tale,stars Johnny Depp-2 disc set

TV on DVD:

• "Martin-The Complete Fourth Season "-4 disc set
• "Father Knows Best-Season One"-4 disc set
• "Murder,She Wrote-The Complete Eighth Season"-5 disc set
• "The Wrong Medicine-60 Minutes"
• "The Science of Sleep-60 Minutes"

Other DVD releases this week:

• "The Osmonds-in Las Vegas - Collector's Edition"-2 disc set
• "Hidalgo"-Bluray release
• "Blue Man Group - How to Be a Megastar Live!"-2 disc set

Thats all for this week.By the way,I am impressed to see that older black&white TV shows like "Father Knows Best" are becoming available on DVD.For those of you who do not buy alot of movies-alot of larger libraries carry TV series on DVD that most rental stores would not carry.

A nifty drink to hasten summertime...

As a former bartender,my husband is frequently asked how to make certain drinks and we stumbled upon a VERY simple one that was made famous by country music artist Kenny Chesney called "Cruzan Confusion".Sounded so damn good I had to share it!

1 oz Cruzan Coconut Rum
1 oz Cruzan Mango Rum
Fill with pineapple juice and add ice!

The Dangers of Drinkin' with your "Buddies".

A Muncie,Indiana man awoke very early Thursday morning after a night of drinking with his pals and found himself inside a garbage truck!At around 6am the truck driver had just emptied a receptacle and was about to activate the trash compresser when he heard screams coming from the rear of his truck.William Bowen,27,complained he was cold and told police the last thing he recalled was drinking with "the guys" around 3am Thursday and next thing he knows,he wakes up in a garbage truck,about to be turned into a human cube.He refused to "rat" on his pals and disclose who he had been drinking with.Aside from being extremely intoxicated,police say he suffered minor injuries and no charges would be filed.
Two things occur to me while reading this story-and that is when you start waking up in the back of a rolling dumpster its either time to go to AA,or dump your pals or both!I do not think for a second he crawled in there on his own.This is one of those drunk off your ass stunts,the things guys everywhere did years before shows like Jackass made it popular.Nevertheless,the guy is fortunate to be alive!

She did WHAT with pliers?

Famed attorney Gloria Allred is representing Mandi Hamlin,a Texas woman who claims she was flying from Lubbock to Dallas and forced by TSA staff to remove nipple piercings after setting off a handheld metal detector and suffered distress.One came off easy but the piercing on her other breast required the use of pliers.TSA says that they can ask piercings be removed to avoid a physical "pat-down" but Allred says her client was not given that option.
Allred said "After nipple rings are inserted, the skin can often heal around the piercing, and the rings can be extremely difficult and painful to remove." DUH! Speaking as a woman who has had major reconstructive breast surgery,I cannot fathom why one would deliberately pierce one of the most nerve-rich tissue in their bodies and mutilate it.I have no grudge against anyone who likes piercings,I am just not that into it.And maybe it is just me but wouldn't you take the piercings out (she had barbell type jewelry) before flying to avoid this kind of thing in the first place?Everyone is whining about increased airport security so this thing is bound to happen.I do feel for Ms.Hamblin but the mere fact that she felt it necessary to retain Gloria Allred,who is known for taking high profile cases tells me she wants to capitalize on it.

Snake Tales

A woman in Anne Arundel County,Maryland, was startled by an unwanted guest last weekend while watching TV in her apartment.A 3 - foot boa came slithering out from behind her entertainment center.She did not own a snake and had moved in two months ago,so its assumed a previous tenant left the snake.The snake is being held by Animal Control and if it is not claimed it will go to a reptile rescue organization.
Which begs the question-where could a 3-ft snake conceal itself in an apartment without being seen?Creepy thought!

110 Years Later....United States vs. Wong Kim Ark

A historic decision was handed down by the Supreme Court on March 28,1898, a decision that decreed any child born inside the United States to foreign parents who were NOT American citizens was indeed a U.S. citizen by virtue of birth.While it might have seemed like a good idea at the time,over a century later it is an economic,societal and diplomatic disaster.
School systems,social services and other community resources are overburdened by the very large families of illegal immigrants who are taking advantage of Americas benevolence.They know that any children born inside American borders is an "instant citizen" and therefore qualifies them for food stamps,cash assistance,Medicaid and a host of other programs.Their children are also entitled to a public education and since many of them do not speak English,all of these taxpayer funded agencies have to hire extra people who can translate.
A friend of mine who lives in a distant state reported that in her school district,public Pre-K is strictly limited to a)children in a home under the poverty level or b) children who do NOT speak English!Her tax dollars are good enough to support Pre-K instruction but her child is not welcome!The only alternative is expensive private school Pre-K or pre-school.Similar tales come in from those who have worked in a welfare office or hospital or clinic.Since Medicaid picks up the tab for prenatal care and childbirth,there is no incentive NOT to keep breeding more "citizens".
As a country,when do we stand up and say we have had enough?
Considering the horrific treatment that Chinese and other Asian immigrants received in the 1800's I can understand why it happened.(the decision)Although they worked long hours building railroads and working in mines among other things,they were severely discriminated against.Like the immigrants of 2008,they did jobs that were deemed too dangerous or difficult for anyone else.Unlike 2008 immigrants,these were proud immigrants who wanted to adapt to their new country,rather than force it to adapt to them.They were anxious and grateful for the opportunity they perceived to be here and they struggled to learn the language and understand the American culture.They did not demand to have Chinese or Cantonese translators-or run through the streets waving Peoples Republic of China flags and flaunting their illegal status.They paid their own way because there was no welfare back then.Older,more established immigrants networked to help new arrivals from their homeland to assimilate and survive.So the Supreme court could not possibly foresee the impact the decision would have decades later.
As a Mother,the reality of this decision hits my heart-The Baltimore Sun did a story not too long ago about the American-born children of illegal immigrants who have had one or both parents deported.What happens to these young Americans when their father is picked up by INS?Unfortunately this issue never came into play when the historic decision was made in 1898.
What do we do about it now?Do we give immunity to the parents,even though they are illegal,in an attempt to preserve families?Do we deport the minor children with the parents,although they are Americans just like you or I?

"Snake Oil" Salesman charged in Texas

"Bayou Bob",AKA Bob Popplewell of Santo,Texas,turned himself in to authorities on Monday to face charges brought against him by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for sticking rattlesnakes into bottles of cheap vodka to preserve them and billing it as an "ancient Asian cure" and selling it for about $23 a bottle to visitors to his Brazos River Rattlesnake Ranch.He claims that alot of Asian people buy it from him and it is no different from the Taiwanese practice of spiking liquor drinks with the gallbladder of a freshly killed snake,considered an aphrodisiac elixir.Bayou Bob adds that he simply finds the cheapest vodka he can and uses it for his "miracle cure" and does not feel he is breaking the law.The State of Texas emphatically disagrees,stating that 429 bottles of snake vodka and one bottle of snake tequila was confiscated,about $10,000 worth,and since Popplewell was not licensed to sell liquor he is a criminal.He faces a year in jail and/or 1k in fines.Hopefully since he is 63 yrs old and all they will go light on him and demand in the future he refrain from selling booze.
Now I honestly have never heard of embalming a snake in a bottle of liquor.Popplewell says that his concoction tastes sweet and syrupy.Yuck!I am familiar with the whole worm in the tequila bottle thing.Most of your premium Mezcals(Monte Alban,for example) have an agave worm in the bottle and it is reputed that whoever consumes the worm in the bottle will see visions-and of that I have no doubt!I am also familiar with the practice of buying cheap corn liquor and steeping fruit in it to make a quart of brandy(alot of older people do that),but snakes?
When you consider that on average,a half gallon bottle of cheap vodka runs ten bucks,a fifth bottle even less,there was "low overhead"Popplewell got the snakes for free,because he had a snake ranch-and then he gets $23 bucks a bottle?He was making a killing and obviously not paying any taxes on it.Not to mention since he is not a licensed distiller there are no sanitation practices in place to assure the stuff is even safe to consume!Mr.Popplewell would be wise to stick to rattlesnake ranching and preferably not handle the snakes while sipping on the vodka....

World's dumbest copper thief

A Plainfield,CT man was arrested on Saturday for stealing about 30 feet worth of copper gutters from All Hallows Church ,during their Easter Vigil Service that evening.He allegedly ripped out the gutter while 200 parishioners were inside!When hearing the racket he was making,the police were called and they tracked 44 yr old Paul Bissonnette to his home,where he had fled with folded-up gutters.And get this-he was already out on bond for another previous larceny and forgery charges!What a dumbass!And who would steal from a church anyway?Is there no honor among thieves?I would be afraid of getting a direct pass to purgatory for such a thing!
Bissonnette is scheduled to appear in court April 7th and was released on $2,500 bond.The judge musta been an atheist.....

Happy Maryland Day!

Believe it or not,today is actually an obscure holiday,"Maryland Day",which commemorates the founding of Maryland by colonists on this date in 1634,sent here by Lord Baltimore himself.

But what exactly do we have to celebrate?In case you haven't noticed,living in the "Free State" is starting to cost too much.Our state sales tax recently increased by 1%,a foolhardy move considering our proximity to tax-free Delaware.The price of a pack of smokes in Maryland have skyrocketed,but we also are close to Virginia,where cigarettes are considerably cheaper.Alcohol is just as lethal as tobacco,but alcohol taxes have not been increased in our state in over a decade,excluding the sales tax increase.Don't even get me started on the smoking ban issue.

At the same time that we are paying higher service fees at the MVA,they are making it easy for illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses.While I get a decent Federal Tax Refund,I almost always end up owing Maryland money.Property taxes are being inflated in some counties to the point that they are driving out jobs and residents?We blame watermen and farmers for polluting the bay but allow unchecked development to swallow up rural areas.Do I need to go on?

All of our elected officials need to take this day to think about what direction Maryland is headed in and decide what to do next.If things keep going the way they are,they may have to think up a new state nickname.

This weeks DVD releases 3/25/2008

This week "The Mist" based on the short story by Stephen King,is released to home video and I can hardly wait to go rent it tomorrow!I read the original story many years ago and always thought it might make a good movie-I shall see!"The Mist" is available on DVD with deleted scenes.

Other theatrical releases this week:

• "The Kite Runner"-A story about two boys growing up together in Kabul.Largely Middle Eastern cast-widescreen
• "Wristcutters:A Love Story"-Strange black comedy about afterlife for suicidees.-Commentary,widescreen

Other Releases this week:

• "Bonnie & Clyde"(1967)-also on blu-ray
• "Control"
• "Lost Highway"-widescreen
• "Solomon & Sheba"(1955)-widescreen

New TV on DVD this week:

• "Wings-The 6th Season"-4 disc set
• "Sliders-the 4th Season"-5 disc set
• "Party of Five - The Complete Third Season"-5 disc set
• "Daybreak-The Complete Series"-4 disc set

That wraps up this week!It seems like every week more and more television shows from both present and past are being released on DVD-all of us have at least 2 or 3 Tv shows we love so much we would sit and watch every episode if it were on DVD!

$1350 for a cornflake?WTF???

A pair of sisters in Virginia who listed a cornflake shaped like the state of Illinois on EBay have a buyer/bidder-a Texas man who will pay $1350 for the curious cornflake and add it to his "traveling pop culture/Americana museum".Since food items are prohibited by Ebay,the sisters had to get creative and actually auction off a certificate entitling the bearer to the cornflake.
Is it just me or is this insane???I do not fault the girls selling it -but what fricking idiot spends $1350 for something I would sweep up and throw into the swill if I saw it lying on my floor at home?Who was it that said theres a sucker born every minute?P.T.Barnum?
With a recession on and gas prices like they are I think spending any amount of money on a SINGLE cornflake render someone certifiable.For that price,I hope it was Kelloggs brand and not some cheap store brand cereal!

Gee Whiz!!!

Communication Workers of America District 7 are outraged after a Qwest supervisor distributed disposable urine bags to about 25 male field technicians.The idea is to reduce the time they spend leaving a job site to find a bathroom and take a potty break and Qwest claims some men had asked for the bags.ICK!
If someone prefers to use the pee-bags that's cool but it should not be mandatory.A spokesman for the union said that the company has made an issue in the past over techs leaving a work site to find a bathroom because of the "time it wastes".If they are out where no people are they can just piss in the bushes like 98.9% of the male population does-and if they are in a place where they cannot pee outside,then WHERE are they supposed to go to pee in the bags?In the cabs of their company work trucks?Whats next?Buckets to sh*t in?
Utility companies have been buying these bags from a company called American Innotek for years for their outdoor workers and thats accomodating,but no employee should be pressured to use them instead of using a real bathroom somewhere.

Flashback Movies:"American History X"(1998)

While surfing the channels this evening I happened upon "American History X"(1998) airing on FX.One of the most controversial modern films dealing with race relations,it follows the story of an angry young white man,Derek(Edward Norton) who becames entangled with a neo-Nazi movement in Venice Beach,California after his father is killed in the line of duty by a black man he was trying to rescue from a fire.It comes to a boil when a group of black youths comes around to rob Derek and he kills one of them,and goes to prison for 3 years for manslaughter.He joins the Aryan Brotherhood for protection behind bars and comes to disagree with their practice of dealing drugs with minority gangs,which in his opinion is sleeping with the enemy.Derek is sexually assaulted by AB members after speaking his displeasure over their dealings and befriends a black inmate named Lamont-who keeps Derek safe from black gangs after the AB dumps him.
Derek comes home a more mature and changed man and he is disappointed to see that his younger brother Danny has fallen in with the neo-Nazi groups and with the help of a dedicated black teacher that both brothers respect,Derek attempts to save his brother from the same violent and hate-filled lifestyle he once led-but he might be too late.There is a graphic prison shower rape scene,and two violent death scenes but the overall story that plays out makes me cry everytime.It is offensive to some,but it accurately portrays what goes on in the streets of alot of cities everyday and it proves once and for all that people CAN change.It is brutal,raw and almost real.All of the scenes portraying flashbacks are filmed in black & white and show the destruction of Derek and Dannys family,as well as happier times when their patriarch was alive.Ten years later,it remains a powerful film.

"Hell's Kitchen" returns on Fox Tuesday,April 1st!

Hell's Kitchen will be returning to Fox in 12 days and once again we will see two teams of would-be chefs struggle to earn the right to own their own restaurant and endure profanity laced tirades from Chef Gordon Ramsey.

I was very impressed with the previous seasons and I also enjoyed "Kitchen Nightmares" with Gordon Ramsey on Fox-adapted from his BBC show "Gordon Ramseys Kitchen Nightmares",where the chef visited failing restaurants and revamped things and whipped people into shape.He IS quite abrasive and foul-mouthed but I find him hysterically funny.He doesn't clean it up for TV,they just have to F&*King edit him-LOL!

We have a family member who is a chef at a world famous restaurant and we keep threatening to "nominate" him for "Hell's Kitchen" for a chance to win his own eatery but he warns us he would listen about ten seconds of Ramseys outbursts and punch him in the face!

Some former contestants have butted heads with Chef Ramsey and alot of them have done stupid stuff like trying to serve undercooked poultry and seafood,or scooping pasta from a garbage can-nevertheless there is alot of talent out there in the world waiting to be noticed.Former contestants have included a guy who cooked in jail,nursing home cooks,pizza makers and bartenders.It will be interesting to see the "new class".

Check local TV listings for time-April 1,2008

"The Riches" Season Two Premiere

Eddie Izzard & Minnie Driver as "The Riches"

The 2nd season premiere of the FX original series "The Riches" last night was exquisite and full of the chaos that surrounds the Malloy clan and everyone around them.The stolen money Dahlia buried is revealed to have been found by adorable little Sam.Just as things are starting to jump off with evil Traveler family member Dale in the picture,a very drunk and belligerent Hugh shows up in a most comical way-as Wayne is trying to leave in a car with the hapless Pete's corpse in the trunk.As Wayne tries to corral Hugh and Dale,he has to deal with an overzealous rent-a-cop.Meanwhile,Dahlia escaped with the kids and "Grandma" and drug-addicted unhappily married neighbor Nina joins them for the ride.After the engine blows up in the Mercedes,they set out on foot and get sidetracked briefly when Grandma gets ill and needs a doctor.The kindly doctor declares her drunk and accuses the family of nelgecting her.He insists on admitting her to a hospital and meanwhile Dahlia wonders how to get on the move again with limited funds.The previews from next week look promising!
If you did not get a chance to see the first season of "The Riches",it is available on DVD everywhere and its worth a watch.I do not care for any of the other FX original series like "Dirt",The Shield" or "Rescue Me" but "The Riches" is one of the most unique comedy-dramas to come along in while."The Riches" airs every Tuesday on FX at 10 pm EST.

Defending the Farmers

Yesterday in Somerset County,the County Commissioners,along with representatives from the Somerset Farm Bureau and the Delmarva Poultry Industry Inc. met to hear concerns from residents about large chicken farming operations in east Princess Anne.
While I empathize with the citizens concerns,especially regarding water usage of "mega-farms",to place any more regulations upon poultry farmers will only effect our local economy adversely.Chicken is King on Delmarva-and those birds have supported many families in this area over the years.It is not a glamorous job,it is sometimes a high-risk gamble and it gets increasingly difficult each year.The price of electricity and fuel has placed an additional strain on poultry growers and they just may not survive more restrictions.With the national economy already on the brink,do we really want to "bite the hand that feeds us"?Think for a second about all the commerce that would be lost if the poultry industry downsized or folded altogether-not to mention jobs.Somerset County in particular is one of the poorest in the state and with the seafood industry tanking,we need the poultry farms.Contrary to popular belief,farmers are not the bad guys polluting the bay all by themselves,they are the original environmentalists.I think that with the advanced agricultural technology we have available today,we can eliminate alot of the negative aspects such as odor,runoff and litter management without eliminating the poultry farms.

"Scavenger" Thefts

I was reading the local paper today and there were two separate incidents involving the theft of metal products for salvage in the police report.People are stealing copper wire,aluminum,practically any valuable metal to be had and redeeming it at salvage companies,or at least attempting to.I have heard of idiots trying to steal highway guardrails and plumbing from peoples homes for cash,but a group of criminals in Delmar actually plotted to steal railroad tracks!Similar crimes are occuring more often all over the country and it begs the question-is the rise in recyclable metal thefts a result of the depressed economy?Is it substance abuse or gambling debts that inspire people to do this?Some thieves risk their lives by stealing copper from utility stations,a good way to get a lethal shock.Is it worth it?

This week's DVD releases-3/18/2008

"I Am Legend",starring Will Smith,and based on a 1954 sci-fi novel of the same name by Richard Matheson,will be among this weeks DVD releases.It is actually the 3rd film adaptation of the novel,the movies "The Last Man on Earth"(1964) and "The Omega Man"(1971)are also based on the "I Am Legend" novel.Alot of CGI effects,nevertheless a great film.Widescreen

Other Theatrical Releases this week:

• "Atonement"-Keira Knightley and James McAvoy star as tragic lovers seperated by a lie-widescreen
• "Enchantment"-Live action Disney romantic comedy/real-life fairytale stars Patrick Dempsey-widescreen,also on Blu-ray

Other releases:

• "After Dark Horror Fest-8 Films to die for"-Second installment of "Horror Fest" films-great independent horror-Consists of the following titles:

"Borderland "
"Crazy Eights "
"The Deaths of Ian Stone "
''Lake Dead ''
"Mulberry Street ''
"Nightmare Man ''
"Tooth & Nail ''
''Unearthed ''

• "Bull Durham"(1988)-commentary added
• "The Ice Storm"(1997)-2 disc set
• "Love in the time of Cholera"-deleted scenes,alternate scenes
• "Revolver"-widescreen
• "Don't Drink the Water "(1969) -widescreen
• "Mafioso" (1962) - Criterion Collection -widescreen

Tv on DVD this week:

• "McHale's Navy-Season Three "-5 disc set
• "Married With Children - The Complete Eighth Season"- 3 disc set
• " The Wild Wild West - The Fourth Season"-6 disc set
• " Battlestar Galactica - Season Three "Commentary,6 disc set
• "Bionic Woman - Volume One "-2 disc set
• "Go Diego Go! - Moonlight Rescue "-fullscreen,Nickelodeon childrens show movie length episode

Thats all for this week!

MOVIE TRIVIA:George Romero was inspired to create his breakout film "Night of the Living Dead"by the novel.

"Intervention" on A and E

I admit that I am a huge nerd and that I watch alot of A&E Channel and they have a great original series,"Intervention".Each episode is basically a documentary abouta person who has an extreme addiction and desperately needs intervention.Although the show focuses mainly on alcoholics and drug addicts,they have also done episodes with people addicted to shopping,plastic surgery,gambling and people with eating disorders.There is an update on the featured patient at the close of the program.The show its in its season and airs a new episode every Monday at 9pm.
Tonights show is about Lawrence,a successful young enteprenuer who owns a chain of tanning salons in Vegas.He is also recovering from surgery for testicular cancer and his friends and family are concerned because not only has he not started chemo as planned,he is drinking very heavily and going downhill rapidly.He has had 3 grand mal seizures,which were caused by alcohol withdrawals and tonight he faces an intervention.Like many other of the featured addicts,he has personal demons that precluded his addiction-his mother left him when he was young with a violent abusive father.A recurring theme in the show seems to be sexual,emotional or physical abuse of some kind in the addicts past.Lawrence is drinking about a half gallon of straight Skyy vodka DAILY.
Maybe I am just making blind assumptions here,but I am sure each and everyone of us is familiar with addiction on some level.We either have had one ourselves,or known someone who was addicted.I grew up with an alcoholic stepfather and unless you have a been affected by a family members addiction,you cannot begin to fathom the totally dysfunctional lifestyle it entails.My stepfather was known to drink at LEAST a half-gallon of cheap Canadian whisky a day.After us kids left home we were clear of it,but our late Mother still put up with alot.I love her dearly,but she did enable him.Oh yeah,I know all about co-dependents.I read alot of Al-Anon literature in my lifetime.
The positive thing about it all is that I have a healthy respect for the dangers of alcoholism and As a result,I rarely imbibe.About twice a month,on the weekend,I will either have a cold shot of Grand Marnier or Knob Creek Bourbon-thats all!All it does is make me sleepy so drinking isn't really a big "thing" for me.I sleep enough!At an age where other kids tried to outdrink one another with illegally-gotten booze,I knew that it wasn't the "good time" I needed,because of the things I witnessed.Its tough for a kid because its hard to bring friends over from school when you dont know what kind of day it is going to be at home.
I am not anti-alcohol,far from it.I just believe in moderation-in fact,I have a fully stocked "bar"cabinet at home.No cheap swill-just a few bottles of really nice stuff for guests.
"Intervention" takes the viewer inside the world of an addict and sees up close the effect it has on those around them.Critics call it exploitive,but its REAL reality TV and it really packs an emotional punch.

Happy Saint Patricks Day/Show your Celtic Pride!

Break out the Baileys Irish Cream,the green Schlitz beer,corned beef & cabbage-tomorrow is St.Patricks Day,which honors the late Christian missionary and patron saint of Ireland.Those of you who do not wear green on Monday may be chastised!

Although I am not devoutly observant of the holiday,I do appreciate it greatly.My late maternal grandfather was a 2nd generation Irish-American,and he followed his ancestors footsteps to become a shipbuilder as a young man and later a skilled and very sought-after craftsman and carpenter.Irish immigrants,as well as Italian and Polish immigrants,were not treated very well when they first arrived on American soil,and yet they overcame all the obstacles in their path.the very first St.Patricks Day parade was held in NYC by Irish soldiers serving in the British Army in 1767 and ever since then many major US cities have elaborate festivities to observe the day.Locally,there is a St.Patricks Day parade annually in Ocean City,and while I have never been there,I hear it is quite a celebration.

Even if you are not Irish,if you are looking for an excuse to party,here it is.Just please remember that if you drink,do not drive.Not only is it stupid and selfish,the police WILL be out there looking for drunk drivers.And if you indulge in cabbage( it doesnt agree with me!),do your wife or significant other a favor and take some Beano or GAS-X!LOL-In a nod to my Irish-Italian roots,I DID make a succulent triple layer 3 cheese sausage lasagna!Happy St.Paddys Day!!!!

Traffic back-ups on Route 54

A friend of mine who commutes on Line Rd everyday asked me to mention this.Please note that the opinion expressed within is not my own.
"Everyday I use Route 54 to drive to work and almost every weekday,there is a certain Wicomico County School bus that NEVER exceeds 25 mph and there are always at least a dozen or more cars behind this bus trying to get where they are going.The bus is always empty at this time and yet the driver never attempts to get up to the posted limit and/or pull over and let people doing the speed limit pass.I have more couth than some of the drivers,who actually shoot this driver the bird and yell as they illegally pass."
OK,I did my part-my friend asked me to post this for her and I did!

Flashback Movies:"Joe Dirt"(2001)

"Joe Dirt" DVD cover
David Spade as "Joe Dirt"

I had the opportunity today to watch one of my favorite movies on Comedy Central,the 2001 comedy "Joe Dirt",starring the sarcastic dry comic & SNL alumni David Spade.In a departure from his usual smart-aleck characters,he plays a loveable white-trash mullet wearing orphaned janitor who is "discovered" by talk radio DJ Zander Kelly(Dennis Miller),who encourages Joe to share his life story with listeners.Joe Dirt was abandoned by his parents as a child at the Grand Canyon and spends 20 years roaming the country,seeking his parents and meeting a variety of colorful characters,including a former mob accountant in Witness Protection(Christopher Walken) and a beautiful country girl named Brandy(Brittany Daniel),and even spends time in a basement dungeon pit reminiscent of "Silence of the Lambs"after meeting a man calling himself"Buffalo Bob".The soundtrack is chock full of classic rock tunes by the likes of Bachman-Turner Overdrive,Bob Seger,Lynyrd Skynyrd and Joe Walsh,to name a few.He sports a variety of cool T-shirts,including one that says"I choked Linda Lovelace"!

Despite his being bullied and disappointed at every turn,Joe remains positive and his mottos are "Lifes a Garden,Dig It!' and "You cant have "NO" in your heart".He goes on to meet his awful parents,and realizes that he had a family all along,in his friends AND there is a happy ending!He not only gets the girl,he gets his Hemi Plymouth convertible back and in the closing scene,leaves bully and romantic rival Robby(played very badly by Kid Rock) and his "slant-six" Firebird in the dust.

While the movie cost 33 million to make and only made 30 million at the box office,DVD sales were phenomenal and it is a modern cult classic.In my opinion,Spade hasn't done anything nearly as funny since this film!

The movie also features appearances by comic Bob Zany,actress Rosanna Arquette and Kevin Farley,brother to the late comic and Spade sidekick Chris Farley,as well as Kevin Nealon from SNL.And heres a bit of trivia-in the scene where Joe meets Indian firecracker vendor "Kickin' Wing",there are two huge arrows sticking out of the ground that are actually all that is left from the abandoned"Twin Arrows" Rest Stop ,a former landmark on the famous Route 66.

If you have never seen it,give it a chance.It is a hysterical and heartwarming comedy.

The Voting Rights Act Anniversary

President L.B.Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act

Forty-three years ago this week,President Lyndon B.Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law,which essentially guaranteed minorities the right to vote without paying so-called"poll taxes" or being subjected to literacy tests.While the law protects ALL minority races,it was primarily directed towards preserving the voting rights of blacks,particularly in states such as Mississippi,where black voters were threatened and intimidated into not voting.Any effort by blacks to organize voter registration drives were met with violence and many homes and churches were torched during this shameful period in American history.In an attempt to prevent blacks from voting,illiterates were turned away and attempts were made to extort "taxes" from them for their right to vote.Groups like the NAACP,the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Congress of Racial Equality worked tirelessly to insure blacks were aware of their rights and to encourage them to register at the polls,and lots of blood was shed along the way.Medgar Evers,who was the leader of the NAACP in the early 60's,literally gave his life to the cause and his killer was not brought to justice until 3 decades later.Civil rights workers James Chaney,Andy Goodman & Mickey Schwerner were jailed in Neshoba County,Mississippi, and later released.As they were driving out of town,they were ambushed by a Sheriffs Deputy,who delivered them into the hands of the local KKK,which not surprisingly,was in cahoots with the cops.They were brutally murdered and later their bodies were recovered on a Mississippi farm.Numerous others were lynched and/or simply disappeared.

In 1964,less than 5% of black Mississippians were registered to vote.In 1967,after the VRA had been in effect for two years,over 29% were registered.108 blacks ran for public office in 1967 and 22 of them actually won.With federal oversight of elections,bitter white resistors turned to gerrymandering to prevent black majorities and even made elaborate changes to the qualifications required to run for office,in an attempt to suppress black political hopefuls.

Fast-forward to today,when the main Democratic contenders are a white female and a biracial man.Occasionally adjustments are made to the Voting Rights Act and in fact,President George W.Bush signed a re-authorization of the Act before the 89th US Congress.

So many people today still take their voting rights for granted and they need to be reminded that until about 90 years ago,no woman could vote and until just 4 decades ago,neither could black people.Everyone should take a few moments this week to reflect on the many sacrifices made by those before us so that EVERYONE is allowed to exercise the right to vote!

Source references:"Ghosts of Mississippi" by Maryanne Vollers printed in 1995

Coming this week....

I have not had alot of free time this week but I plan on adding book reviews to the blog later this week-nothing special,just books I have read and hold in high esteem.If anyone has any suggestions for book titles to review,I am open to them!I am blogging the best I can with a very slow dialup connection but rumor has it us people in the sticks may be getting DSl soon-stay tuned!

Woman removed from bathroom after TWO years on toilet!

Authorities in Ness County,Kansas were called to a home on Febuary 27 and removed a 35 year old woman from the bathroom toilet,where she had been for approximately TWO years,so long,in fact that her skin had to started to grow AROUND the toilet seat.According to her live-in boyfriend,she started staying in the bathroom more and more until finally she just refused to leave and stayed on the commode.He claims they had a "normal" relationship,and over the last two years he took food to her and bathed her but let her stay on the toilet.
Kory McFarren stated that his girlfriend,Pam Babcock,had endured pysical abuse as a child and developed a severe phobia about leaving the sanctuary of the bathroom.He even brought her clean clothes,changed her and claims he has been "taking care of her" for their entire 16 year relationship and that at no time was she ever forced to stay in the bathroom.Police are considering what charges,if any,to file against McFadden,but they say there is no evidence to prove she was held against her will or restrained in any way,nor confined to the room by force or threat.
When she became ill last month,he called the police and they found her on the toilet,and her legs had atrophied to the point that doctos say she may never walk again.She has refused to cooperate with the police or medical staff treating her in a Wichita hospital and her boyfriend admits "I should have sought help sooner but its not my fault-she got it set in her mind that was a safe place for her and she is an adult who can make up her own mind so I kinda got used to it"WTF?
I do not know who is more in need of a shrink,him or her.While authorites say they "do not know if she is physically or mentally ill",I think its pretty safe to say anyone who lives in a bathroom and sits on the hopper so long her ass grows around it has some mental health issues.While McFadden is certainly not guilty of any abuse,he is guilty of neglect.His going along with her eccentricities did not help her at all and he is her "enabler".Maybe he loved her and wanted her to be happy,but on the other hand if he loved her so much,why did he put up with this for so long?Neighbors report they havent seen her in SIX years.Why didnt THEY call someone in the last six years?I know if one of my neighbors just drops out of sight and I see her partner coming and going,it would not take me even six WEEKS to be nosy and ask about him/her-are they sick?Did they go away?I may be a pest or a busybody,but I would certainly make sure that person was OK and still breathing,and not dead or holed up in a bathroom for two whole years.
I pity Ms.Babcock because she had to be pretty traumatized to think that she was not even safe in her home,but I have no pity for her boyfriend,only anger and resentment.If I spent one DAY sequestered in the bathroom,you can bet that Mr.Totmom would kick the door down and carry my fat ass out of there,kicking and screaming.He would physically make me seek psychiatric care,even if he had to commit me against my will-because he loves me.I would do the same for him.
All McFadden did was enable his girlfriends mental illness just as a codependent enables alcoholic or drug-addicted partners.Had he sought help for her when this nonsense started,she could have been hospitalized and/or given outpatient mental health care,and with the right drugs,she could have had a normal life or something close to it.At this point, she may never walk again and odds are she will remain institutionalized for many years.Jail is too harsh for McFadden but he DEFINITELY needs psychiatric help for his own issues.A normal,sane man doesnt participate in this kind of thing.What do y'all think?

Honda theft epidemic in Washington State

Yakima,Washington police had already investigated the theft of 11 Hondas in a two week period and last week they were dealing with 9 Honda thefts in a 24-hour period on Thursday and Friday.They made an arrest Monday of one suspect,who had Honda parts stashed in his home but two more hondas were stolen after his arrest and they suspect a theft-ring,as all the missing Hondas were mid-90's models.

It does not surprise me at all.In a previous post here,titled "Honda:Gone in 60 Seconds or Less",I touched briefly on why Hondas are so "hot" in the black market of stolen cars and car parts.First of all,genuine Honda parts are very expensive,and with so many Hondas on the road,and their longevity(I know of Civics with 400k on the odometer!)there is always a market for cheap parts.The second and most important factor is the relative ease in stealing a 90's model Honda-even a novice thief can take a key from ANY 1990's Honda,file it down a little and it will fit most cars from that period.This has been well known among Honda mechanics,dealers and enthusiasts for some time,police are just catching up to the fact,and our local Honda dealer,Pohanka,has a strict policy on replacement keys-a valid registration to the vehicle and a matching photo ID for the owner are required-no exceptions.Unfortunately all the safeguards in the world will not deter thieves but at least dealers are doing their part.As a Honda owner,I HATE having to fork out $$$ for replacement parts but whats the alternative?Higher insurance rates for everyone to recoup losses for the stolen cars!The Honda Civic has been the most "popular" car for thieves for over a decade now.If you own a 90's era Honda,your best bet is to equip it with an alarm system or Lojack because locking it will not help-not if the bad guys have a key that will work on it-and they do not have to "hotwire" it or tow it-they simply get in,insert the key and drive off.Newer Hondas have more complicated ignition and locking systems and are not so easily spirited away.Then again,with gas prices the way they are,maybe we better all get gas cap locks!