Time-Warner customers of the Wheatland,Wisconsin area who are still recovering & cleaning up from a January 7th tornado are getting astronomical bills for cable equipment destroyed in the storm!One resident,who had 5 receiver units,was billed $2000 for the equipment.Time Warner told her to take it up with homeowners insurance,who were only liable for paying the depreciated value of the 9 year old cable boxes,a fraction of the 2 grand Time Warner demanded for payment.
A company spokesperson commented that most of the customers billed had transferred or cancelled service without notifying the Time Warner that it was tornado-related?Hello?I guess they didn't know there was a tornado?Are they in another state or something?They also claimed that if customers called in and reported their situation they would have taken the equipment off their account.Yeah-if my home gets leveled by a disaster and I lose everything I own,the LAST thing on my mind or to-do list is calling the cable company.
Furthermore,I am no legal scholar but as I recall from my days as a cable customer,the "boxes" are actually LEASED by the customer from the cable provider therefore isn't it their responsibility to cover damage that is no fault of the lessee/customer?Why would a homeowners or renters policy cover an item the insured party does not legally own?Am I alone on this?LOL.
At least they plan on making it right for their customers and giving them credit,but the bills should have never been issued in the 1st place.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Don't people walk in the other 49 states?
Senator Verna Jones introduced a bill today in Annapolis to designate walking as the "official exercise" of Maryland-but it isn't getting much support.I can understand a state bird,state song,even the other state symbols like the Chesapeake Bay Retriever & Blue Crab.I initially thought the effort to make Smith Island Cake the official State Dessert was a little trite and corny but since then I think it may help put Smith Island on the map and attract tourists,which is always a good thing for the state and the local communities.However,I do not see what makes walking for exercise unique to Maryland when people do it in all 50 states!While walking is by far the easiest,most inexpensive and safest form of exercise for all ages,it is in no way reminiscent of any particular state or its inhabitants.
And while some people would point to the State Dessert designation as frivolous,those cakes ARE a local tradition and represent a part of the state that few outsiders know anything about when they visit Maryland.Theres nothing wrong with the suggestion that walking is popular in Maryland,it is just isn't relevant.
And while some people would point to the State Dessert designation as frivolous,those cakes ARE a local tradition and represent a part of the state that few outsiders know anything about when they visit Maryland.Theres nothing wrong with the suggestion that walking is popular in Maryland,it is just isn't relevant.
Super Bowl Sunday!
The week is coming to a close and people are stocking up on snacks,buying booze,and making plans-sounds like a holiday weekend,but it isn't-at least not officially on the calendar.It is Superbowl Weekend!Many people go out to sports bars,restaurants and fraternal clubs for festivities and multiple screen viewing.Others are having guests over to watch at their home.Either way,it's certainly a seasonal boost to some businesses-I heard on the national news yesterday that Superbowl Sunday is the biggest day of the year in sales for Dominos and other pizza delivery chains.Sales of snack food,soda,beer and liquor triple the week prior to the big game.
And inevitably,the later the game goes on,the tardier people will be for work or school on Monday!
There is alot of excitement over this game at my house because as some of of you know,we root for "The big blue" in Totmomland.Hubby is going to a Superbowl party at a family members home and since I am not really a hardcore football fan I am going to stay home and watch while I catch up on chores-exciting,huh?I am hearing alot of people say they think the Pats will win,even with Bradys injury but I just have a feeling that this is the Giants year and I hope I am right.
I also wanted to remind y'all that as of tomorrow(Friday)it's been 4 years since Janet Jackson had her televised "wardrobe malfunction"during the half-time show.I also recalled people making a big deal over it but when I saw what all the fuss was about,I did not find it to be anywhere near as explicit as some of the daytime soap operas can get.People were outraged because "kids had been watching"-which was funny.A kid who sees a bare breast on Tv is probably NOT going to grow up to be a perv because of it....
So what is everyone doing for the Superbowl?And who are you rooting for?
And inevitably,the later the game goes on,the tardier people will be for work or school on Monday!
There is alot of excitement over this game at my house because as some of of you know,we root for "The big blue" in Totmomland.Hubby is going to a Superbowl party at a family members home and since I am not really a hardcore football fan I am going to stay home and watch while I catch up on chores-exciting,huh?I am hearing alot of people say they think the Pats will win,even with Bradys injury but I just have a feeling that this is the Giants year and I hope I am right.
I also wanted to remind y'all that as of tomorrow(Friday)it's been 4 years since Janet Jackson had her televised "wardrobe malfunction"during the half-time show.I also recalled people making a big deal over it but when I saw what all the fuss was about,I did not find it to be anywhere near as explicit as some of the daytime soap operas can get.People were outraged because "kids had been watching"-which was funny.A kid who sees a bare breast on Tv is probably NOT going to grow up to be a perv because of it....
So what is everyone doing for the Superbowl?And who are you rooting for?
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
At least it's tax deductible.....
Cody Young,of Salem,OR,went along with some friends over the weekend to browse at their local Goodwill and loathe to leave his bike outside without a lock,Cody parked it inside the store near the bicycle display in the store.When he returned to retrieve it,he learned that his $200 BMX bike had been sold to a Goodwill customer for $6.99!Goodwill officials say they do not permit bikes inside the store other than those donated just for that reason!They related the story of a mop and bucket a janitor had left out at one time,which was promptly sold the next day-their motto is if its on the floor,it's for sale!
While they cannot identify the purchaser,spokesman Bob Barsocchini said they will "make it right" and even throw in a free bike lock so that Cody can park securely outside in the future.Oh well-this 7th grader learned a valuable lesson and at least he (or his folks) can use it as a tax deduction!LOL
While they cannot identify the purchaser,spokesman Bob Barsocchini said they will "make it right" and even throw in a free bike lock so that Cody can park securely outside in the future.Oh well-this 7th grader learned a valuable lesson and at least he (or his folks) can use it as a tax deduction!LOL
Her day took a "wrong turn"
As the mother of a toddler I can SO relate to this womans tale....
Gina Boyd,a stay at home Mom of 3 kids whose husband is stationed in Iraq was running errands Monday in the Tampa,FL,area when her 3 year old daughter started vomiting in the backseat of their minivan.Alarmed,and wanting to attend to her child,Boyd made an abrupt U-turn so that she could pull over and check on her baby girl,and a county cop,who witnessed her illegal U-turn,stopped and issued a $123 citation.Ms.Boyd expressed that she knew she made an illegal turn,but that the officer had the discretion to let her off with a warning considering the circumstances but the sheriffs spokesperson only replied"she made an illegal turn and got a citation from the officer"!
Gimme a frickin'break!Yes,she broke traffic laws when she made the illegal turn but c'mon!What if her daughter had been choking on something?At that age you can never tell and like Ms.Boyd,I would have done the same thing-anything to stop the vehicle and get back there and see what was wrong with my kid!The officer should have given her a warning,which was completely within his power.I hope Ms.Boyd lets it go to traffic court and the judge is more understanding than the cop was in this situation.Surely in a city the size of Tampa there are bigger and meaner fish to fry....
Gina Boyd,a stay at home Mom of 3 kids whose husband is stationed in Iraq was running errands Monday in the Tampa,FL,area when her 3 year old daughter started vomiting in the backseat of their minivan.Alarmed,and wanting to attend to her child,Boyd made an abrupt U-turn so that she could pull over and check on her baby girl,and a county cop,who witnessed her illegal U-turn,stopped and issued a $123 citation.Ms.Boyd expressed that she knew she made an illegal turn,but that the officer had the discretion to let her off with a warning considering the circumstances but the sheriffs spokesperson only replied"she made an illegal turn and got a citation from the officer"!
Gimme a frickin'break!Yes,she broke traffic laws when she made the illegal turn but c'mon!What if her daughter had been choking on something?At that age you can never tell and like Ms.Boyd,I would have done the same thing-anything to stop the vehicle and get back there and see what was wrong with my kid!The officer should have given her a warning,which was completely within his power.I hope Ms.Boyd lets it go to traffic court and the judge is more understanding than the cop was in this situation.Surely in a city the size of Tampa there are bigger and meaner fish to fry....
Not again!!!Another animal hoarder is raided
This seems to be happening alot lately-cops and/or animal welfare officers going into a home and finding hundreds of animals,and usually many of them are dead!It happened this time in Virginia Beach and while no offender has been identified,sources say that a dog,a bird,3 cats and 100 ferrets were found malnourished and dehydrated.61 of the live ferrets had to euthianized due to the severity of their condition.
The frozen corpses of a cat,a rat,an otter and 89 ferrets were discovered in freezers in the home and adjacent garage!WTF?What is wrong with these crazy people????
The frozen corpses of a cat,a rat,an otter and 89 ferrets were discovered in freezers in the home and adjacent garage!WTF?What is wrong with these crazy people????
Unemployment recipients,take heed
The US Senate has proposed extending unemployment benefits for an additional 13 weeks for jobless,and up to 26 weeks for those who live in states with the highest rates of unemployment,which does not affect me personally,but will benefit alot of people who still haven't been able to find suitable employment.
However,there seems to be a misconception among some recipients that they do not have to pay taxes on unemployment compensation and that is so WRONG!I had someone tell me personally they collected benefits for several months and did not report it when they filed their tax returns,and they received refunds-totally oblivious to the fact that Unemployment Insurance reports those benefits to the IRS and State Comptrollers,and once they catch up with the person,their nightmare will begin.Typically,although they will deduct taxes from your benefits if you specify it,the majority of recipients do not opt to pay,failing to realize that they will end up OWEING taxes at the end of the year on those unemployment checks.A relative of mine who works in a seasonal industry and collects unemployment for the months he cannot work found this out the hard way-once he started working again the IRS placed an attachment on his wages for taxes due and took him to the cleaners for the tax debt,as well as late fees and penalties.He now has taxes deducted from his checks before he gets dime number one and has not had the problem again.
Please remember-unemployment benefits ARE taxable and once you owe the IRS,they WILL go after you for the money owed-as will the state.Don't end up paying more than you have to by putting it off because it will come back to bite you in the butt!
However,there seems to be a misconception among some recipients that they do not have to pay taxes on unemployment compensation and that is so WRONG!I had someone tell me personally they collected benefits for several months and did not report it when they filed their tax returns,and they received refunds-totally oblivious to the fact that Unemployment Insurance reports those benefits to the IRS and State Comptrollers,and once they catch up with the person,their nightmare will begin.Typically,although they will deduct taxes from your benefits if you specify it,the majority of recipients do not opt to pay,failing to realize that they will end up OWEING taxes at the end of the year on those unemployment checks.A relative of mine who works in a seasonal industry and collects unemployment for the months he cannot work found this out the hard way-once he started working again the IRS placed an attachment on his wages for taxes due and took him to the cleaners for the tax debt,as well as late fees and penalties.He now has taxes deducted from his checks before he gets dime number one and has not had the problem again.
Please remember-unemployment benefits ARE taxable and once you owe the IRS,they WILL go after you for the money owed-as will the state.Don't end up paying more than you have to by putting it off because it will come back to bite you in the butt!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
No cookies for me,thanks.
Today it was reported in the world news that some Haitians are reduced to eating "cookies" that consist of shortening,salt and DIRT that they "bake" on hot rooftops,simply because they have little or nothing else to eat.Thanks to the increase in costs of fuel oils,Carribean nations,which depend on imports for most food products,are seeing food prices rise as much as 40%.Add in the increased cost of fertilizers & irrigation,not to mention corn and wheat.Then figure in the massive floods and crop damage resulting from the 2007 hurricanes and you have the current food crisis in Haiti.Rice and beans,typical staples of low income Haitians,cost 50% more than they did this time last year.Two cups of rice go for 60 cents,which is astronomical when you consider the average Haitian resident lives on less than $2 a day!
The dried yellow mud has always been highly regarded for its antacid properties and because it is a source of much needed calcium but it is not exactly healthy either.While some experts say "geophagy"(eating dirt) by pregnant women gives the fetus immunity to some diseases,other sources say there is a risk of ingesting parasites or toxins,and that a diet of only dirt will cause malnutrition if sustained for a long time.Some enterprising peasant women have gone into the dirt business and sell the cookies to others to support themselves.$5 worth of materials can make 100 dirt cookies.
One woman interviewed outside Port Au Prince says that in her home,which consists of her,her month old infant,5 siblings and unemployed parents,they have had to eat these 3 times a day because there is nothing else,and that it gives her stomach pains and that her son gets colicky when he nurses.
This type of thing probably goes on all over the world and I know Haitians do not hold the patent on suffering,but this story is heartbreaking.There is wealth in Haiti,unfortunately it is all controlled by a tiny elite and politically connected group of people-who by the way,should be ashamed of themselves for allowing their fellow countrymen to suffer and literally eat dirt.No wonder so many of our immigrants on the Shore and elsewhere in the US hail from Haiti.It's a fact that even the poorest people in the US can get enough,sometimes too much,to eat,judging by the obesity rates among low-income demographics(I'm fat too,not pointing fingers at anyone!)Nobody should have to make a meal 3 times a day,for days on end,of just dirt!No wonder they are always revolting and rioting in the streets for justice in that country-their government turns a blind eye to the suffering of its people.
The dried yellow mud has always been highly regarded for its antacid properties and because it is a source of much needed calcium but it is not exactly healthy either.While some experts say "geophagy"(eating dirt) by pregnant women gives the fetus immunity to some diseases,other sources say there is a risk of ingesting parasites or toxins,and that a diet of only dirt will cause malnutrition if sustained for a long time.Some enterprising peasant women have gone into the dirt business and sell the cookies to others to support themselves.$5 worth of materials can make 100 dirt cookies.
One woman interviewed outside Port Au Prince says that in her home,which consists of her,her month old infant,5 siblings and unemployed parents,they have had to eat these 3 times a day because there is nothing else,and that it gives her stomach pains and that her son gets colicky when he nurses.
This type of thing probably goes on all over the world and I know Haitians do not hold the patent on suffering,but this story is heartbreaking.There is wealth in Haiti,unfortunately it is all controlled by a tiny elite and politically connected group of people-who by the way,should be ashamed of themselves for allowing their fellow countrymen to suffer and literally eat dirt.No wonder so many of our immigrants on the Shore and elsewhere in the US hail from Haiti.It's a fact that even the poorest people in the US can get enough,sometimes too much,to eat,judging by the obesity rates among low-income demographics(I'm fat too,not pointing fingers at anyone!)Nobody should have to make a meal 3 times a day,for days on end,of just dirt!No wonder they are always revolting and rioting in the streets for justice in that country-their government turns a blind eye to the suffering of its people.
Hand sanitizers aren't enough in hospital settings
We all know someone who uses this hand sanitizer gel religiously-I typically only use it in cold season when I am not able to wash my hands right away but I know alot of people also keep it in their purse,car,desk drawer,etc.The problem with these gels are some people will forgo traditional hand washing altogether in favor of the quicker easier cleanup,which may be OK for most people but not good enough for hospitals.
Most hospitals now have hand sanitizer dispensers EVERYWHERE and while it is a step in the right direction,A recent study suggests they are NOT as effective as good old fashioned soap and water in preventing antibiotic resisitant hospital infections.
In a study headed by Dr.Mark Rupp of the University of Nebraska Medical Center,infection rates among patients persisted even though medical staff had doubled their use of the alcohol based sanitizing gels at Nebraska Medical Center.
Which means while you certainly cannot rub on some Purell and then perform surgery,it is still a healthy substitute for soap and water when there are no hand-washing facilities.Keep on pumping!
Burn baby burn
A disgruntled former radio station employee returned to the studios of 91.7 FM KOOP in Austin,TX and using an illegally copied key,entered the building and torched it!Paul W.Feinstein,24,was a volunteer employee and resigned a week before the January 5th fire after disagreeing with another staff member over the playlist chosen for the overnight broadcast.Feinstein had an internet playlist program of jazz tunes he titled "Mellow Down Easy" and some of the songs were changed on it,which set him off.The fire was the third in two years for this station(previous 2 fires were accidental,not set) and caused $300,000 in damages,mainly in the control room.Feinstein waited for everyone to leave before setting the fire on the control panels with gasoline.The radio station was off the air for almost 3 weeks and Feinstein faces 2-20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of 2nd degree felony arson.
Talk about "mellow down easy"!Maybe he should have followed his own advice and mellowed out to some jazz music.Instead I think he got drunk and listened to some death-metal!LOL
At least no one was hurt in the fire but I think Feinsteins hoped-for career in broadcasting just went up in smoke!
Talk about "mellow down easy"!Maybe he should have followed his own advice and mellowed out to some jazz music.Instead I think he got drunk and listened to some death-metal!LOL
At least no one was hurt in the fire but I think Feinsteins hoped-for career in broadcasting just went up in smoke!
Chocolate chocolate everywhere.....
Godiva Chocolatiers have teamed up with designer Larry Abel and created a room made almost completely of chocolate,which is on display in NYC on the 6th floor of a building in East Village.It is a shameless promotion for Valentines Day,and one lucky winner in North America will open a box of Godiva chocolates ($23 and up) to find a note telling them they have won the "chocolate room"-which will be recreated in suite of Manhattan's Bryant Park Hotel for a pampered getaway weekend for two in May.Paintings,furnishings,books,anything you can think of,all chocolate.Hmmm...They may call it the "chocolate room" but in my house it would be called the "PMS Suite" and it damn sure wouldn't last very long lol.
"Take my ass,please..."
Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue in Minnesota is hoping to convince more Midwestern rural folks to "foster" donkeys for them until they are placed in permanent homes.They have over a thousand abused and/or neglected wild burros and donkeys and while many of them have been adopted and placed in sanctuaries in western states such as California,there is still a pressing need for what they call "satellite adoption centers",where landowners would agree to foster up to 6 donkeys and try to procure permanent homes for them.It's a win-win situation because the Donkey Rescue will reimburse the "foster parents" for hay and veterinary expenses-they just need to shelter,contain and care for the animals until homes are found.
Donkeys have little monetary value,and are unfairly characterized as stubborn difficult animals when truthfully they are gentle,smart and social creatures.I had to blog about this because I know there are alot of animal lovers out there in "Internet Land" and I fervently hope those of you with room to roam will consider fostering one of these animals.If I had a couple acres of my own,I would definitely be willing to keep a donkey!Let us hope they all eventually find good homes with people who truly love animals!!
Federal tax rebates approved by House 385-35
The US House of Representatives has approved the proposed 146 billion dollar federal tax rebate package by an overwhelming vote with little debate today,but it still has to go through the Senate and word has it they will drag it out because they cannot agree on the terms of the rebate.The current rebate,as it stands,would provide the average married couple a rebate of $1,000,with an additional $300 for each child,providing their income falls under 150k a year.Single taxpayers would get $500 if they make under 75k a year.Unlike the House,some Senate members are pushing for rebates for those who would not benefit under the plan passed by the House-the very wealthiest taxpayers.Some Senate members have "wish-lists" they want to add to the economic stimulus package that includes food stamps,Medicaid and energy assistance for low-income people.Excuse me????Don't they get enough free sh*t from us working people?I am really starting to get disgusted with the Democrats because whenever the economy goes south,their first thought is to increase public aid!Food stamps and other entitlements are what is breaking the bank already,people!A bad economy doesn't affect those who get all those entitlements,because the tax money sucked out of working peoples pockets go to pay their electric bills,medical bills,rent AND food.What more do they want?They already get huge tax returns because they work as little as possible so they can get those government entitlements-therefore,"on paper",they are low income and qualify for EIC and all that other happy stuff.There is something wrong with our tax system when a man supporting a family of 3 on 40k a year with no government aid gets a meager $1500 refund,yet someone who works a PT job with government paid daycare,food,electric,housing and medical cards gets a windfall of 3 or 4 grand!They should be required to forfeit some of their massive refunds to recoup the costs incurred by John Q.Taxpayer to support them and their families.Instead of throwing more money at an outdated,unequal,and over abused welfare system,give more back to the people who are hurting in this country-you know,those of us who do it all by ourselves and don't expect the government to keep us fed.The first of the month in December,after the last government checks are sent out,you can't get near an H&R Block office for all the "entitled"people lining up to get "rapid refunds" so they can walk outta there with a loaded debit card.Sorry,they get enough!
Let's hope good sense prevails and the Senate speeds it through so we can start getting our checks-I sure won't turn down a grand!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Dodging the wintertime drafts....
Although our house has fairly new double-paned windows,we still get alot of drafts because there are not many trees around to block high winds and we live close to the water,so in the coldest months we seal the windows with plastic sheeting and it is not even obvious if you do a proper job of measuring,cutting and shrinking the plastic.I was loathe to undertake such a chore,thinking since the windows were not that old,they did not leak very bad-I know better now.Within 24 hours of weatherizing,I had to lower my thermostat because it was so warm in here!It doesn't cost much(about 10 bucks a kit-each kit does 5 regular sized windows)but what you could realize in energy savings over a 3 month period in the winter more than makes up for it.
This weeks new DVD releases 1/29/08
"Invasion",based on the classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" is being released on DVD this week and I cannot wait to see it.It stars Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig(Casino Royale)and is right up my alley because I enjoy the scifi thriller genre.
Other theatrical releases this week:
Other theatrical releases this week:
- "The Comebacks"-This movie spoofs popular movies like "Rocky","Meet the Titans" and "Rudy"-widescreen
- "Daddy Day Camp"-Follow up to "Daddy Day Care" with all new cast,lots of poop jokes
Other DVD releases this week:
- "El Cid"(1961)
- "Groundhog Day" (1993) 25th anniversary edition DVD
- "Lake Placid 2"-unrated
- "Monty Python's Life Of Brian "(1979) - The Immaculate Edition DVD-2 disc
TV on DVD:
- "Emergency"Season 4-5 disc set
- "Spongebob Squarepants:To love a patty"-animated
- "Curb Your Enthusiasm "- The Complete Sixth Season DVD-2 discs
Remember to watch a movie this weekend!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
How many of you are watching "Snapped" tonight???
Oxygen,a cable channel,airs an original series called "Snapped" that I have seen every episode of and tonight the show is profiling Erica Sifrit,who along with her husband,Benjamin,in 2002 conspired to commit a double murder & killed an innocent couple,fellow Ocean city tourists Martha Gene Crutchley and her boyfriend Joshua Ford(pictured above)who had met them on a resort transit bus.It's been all over the local news and I am curious as to how many people on the shore will watch it-Oxygen isn't available everywhere so some people may not receive it and alot of people just wish it would all go away.I agree with the opinion that while there are alot of crime shows that revolve around the criminal,very seldom does the victim receive the same media attention and I hope that the Crutchley & Ford families were interviewed and allowed to speak for the victims,if only briefly.
"Judge not,lest ye be judged"
Two women recently disappeared in the Pocomoke Community,one has sadly been recovered not alive and another is nowhere to be found.The blog community has been very supportive to the families of both women and thats great,but theres that small fraction of people who are essentially "blaming the victim" because of whatever lifestyle these women may have led at one time or another and it is heartbreaking to say the least.Regardless of their choices in life,these two women are mothers,daughters,sisters & best friends to SOMEBODY.Whatever the critics think of these women has no bearing on how important THEY were in someone elses life.I do not live in that community so I do not know anyone involved in either family nor do I have any solid opinions on the issue,I just think it is unfair to even suggest that the women deserved whatever happened to them!Who among us is without sin?
The suspected murderers of Judy Wojcik have been detained however there is still no real progress in the case of Christine Sheddy,who remains a missing person.I certainly hope they find her somewhere alive and well and safe and my heart goes out to both families.They do not need to hear moral judgements about the people they love on top of everything else.
The suspected murderers of Judy Wojcik have been detained however there is still no real progress in the case of Christine Sheddy,who remains a missing person.I certainly hope they find her somewhere alive and well and safe and my heart goes out to both families.They do not need to hear moral judgements about the people they love on top of everything else.
Compact flourescent bulbs vs. Incandescent lightbulbs
There was an editorial commentary in the local paper today over the differences between energy-efficient compact flourescent lightbulbs & traditional incandescent lightbulbs.Alot of good points where brought up,including the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals and UV rays & while I do NOT think utility customers should subsidize low-priced bulbs through exorbant fees limited use is reasonable enough for me.I just "upgrade" the bulbs that are left on more frequently.My daughter is forever leaving her bedroom light on so I replaced that one with a CF,as well as the dining room and living room areas we use most.They are simply too expensive,even with a discount,to use all over the house.
Who dropped the ball?
A Baltimore County couple have been indicted for the death of their 2 year old son,who was pronounced dead shortly after his parents brought him to St.Joseph Medical Center in Towson on December 26,2007.The child was bruised and battered and shockingly,at the time of his death,2 year old Andrew Patrick Griffin weighed 13 lbs which is the average weight of a typical 3 MONTH old infant!
John & Susan Griffin have been charged with two counts each of 1st degree and 2nd degree child abuse,and NO murder charges have been brought as of yet pending an autopsy.
What I want to know is this-who dropped the ball?Why didn't someone,ANYONE,close to the situation do something about it?The kids doctor,Aunt,grandparent-whatever!A child that malnourished and battered is painfully obvious!And if it was reported to social services,what the hell happened there?I am sick and tired of opening up the newspaper or turning on the news and hearing about parents hurting and killing their own children.Your parents are supposed to love you and protect you,and shield you from harm.And I am tired of people playing the "I don't wanna get involved" routine and turning a blind eye to those situations when they know it is going on!Someone had to see this kid and know things were not well!!!
It's been said before and I will say it again,some people should NOT have children.If you build a deck you need a permit-you need a license to drive-but any damn fool who can reproduce can be a parent.There is not a Hell hot enough for the Griffins in my opinion and ultimately they are to blame but I also blame the system and anyone else who came in contact with Andrew and failed to intervene.He and the other children like him deserve better!
John & Susan Griffin have been charged with two counts each of 1st degree and 2nd degree child abuse,and NO murder charges have been brought as of yet pending an autopsy.
What I want to know is this-who dropped the ball?Why didn't someone,ANYONE,close to the situation do something about it?The kids doctor,Aunt,grandparent-whatever!A child that malnourished and battered is painfully obvious!And if it was reported to social services,what the hell happened there?I am sick and tired of opening up the newspaper or turning on the news and hearing about parents hurting and killing their own children.Your parents are supposed to love you and protect you,and shield you from harm.And I am tired of people playing the "I don't wanna get involved" routine and turning a blind eye to those situations when they know it is going on!Someone had to see this kid and know things were not well!!!
It's been said before and I will say it again,some people should NOT have children.If you build a deck you need a permit-you need a license to drive-but any damn fool who can reproduce can be a parent.There is not a Hell hot enough for the Griffins in my opinion and ultimately they are to blame but I also blame the system and anyone else who came in contact with Andrew and failed to intervene.He and the other children like him deserve better!
It sounds like a Hollywood movie....but it isn't.
Government officials have disclosed that a large US spy satellite has lost power and could plummet to Earth in the next month or two.The satellite is the size of a small bus,weighs 20,000 lbs and would create a debris field one tenth the size of the 2003 Columbia shuttle crash site upon impact.Their primary concern is that "uncontrolled re-entry may risk exposure of U.S. secrets" and a chemical,Hydrazine,which is used as rocket fuel and is a highly toxic chemical.They did not comment on whether they would use a missile to shoot it down.
I know,it sounds like the plot of a movie,and even though it has happened before,it is still frightening for me to think about!I will be following this story closely!
I know,it sounds like the plot of a movie,and even though it has happened before,it is still frightening for me to think about!I will be following this story closely!
Food for thought....
Every now and then when the weekend rolls around,I like to go "all out" and cook a big meal instead of the usual weekday rushed dinner,and I am thinking about making my favorite,spaghetti carbonara.Making the sauce from raw ingredients is complicated so I use a shortcut-an envelope of Knorr most of the time,but when I do it from scratch it is always better and while I use plain old bacon instead of the more authentic guanciale (unsmoked pig cheeks),it appears I am not the only cook who "Americanizes" Spaghetti Carbonara.In Italy,where the recipe originated,cooks prepare a more Mediterrean-style sauce with olive oil and vinegar and American cooks tend to use a cream-based sauce,similar to Alfredo,However you make it,it is still good,especially when you pair it with a Caesar salad and breadsticks.I will share the recipe in case anyone is interested!
Spaghetti Carbonara
Sauce ingredients
1 large egg
1 cup grated fresh parmigiano reggiano(Giant carries it in deli)
2 cups cold whole milk
1 tablespoon Wondra gravy flour
10 strips smoked bacon(thick cut is best)
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red pepper
1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1 tsp canola oil
1 lb Barilla spaghetti or spaghettini
Prepare pasta according to package
Cook bacon in skillet until crispy,drain well and set aside.In mixing bowl whisk flour into milk and blend thoroughly-Beat egg well into a small bowl,set aside.In seperate large saucepan warm oil on low heat,add in blended milk-flour mixture,stir in cheese,stir in well beaten egg and heat on med-high stirring consistently to prevent scorching(milk based sauces are tricky and will burn!)Crumble bacon into small bits amd set aside.Cook 20 minutes until it thickens-add bacon and remaining ingredients slowly,stirring in well-Simmer on low heat 10 minutes and toss sparingly to taste with drained cooked pasta!REAL old school cooks use “hogmaws” in lieu of bacon but bacon is easier to find and cook!Also,the coarser the pepper,the better!
Spaghetti Carbonara
Sauce ingredients
1 large egg
1 cup grated fresh parmigiano reggiano(Giant carries it in deli)
2 cups cold whole milk
1 tablespoon Wondra gravy flour
10 strips smoked bacon(thick cut is best)
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red pepper
1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1 tsp canola oil
1 lb Barilla spaghetti or spaghettini
Prepare pasta according to package
Cook bacon in skillet until crispy,drain well and set aside.In mixing bowl whisk flour into milk and blend thoroughly-Beat egg well into a small bowl,set aside.In seperate large saucepan warm oil on low heat,add in blended milk-flour mixture,stir in cheese,stir in well beaten egg and heat on med-high stirring consistently to prevent scorching(milk based sauces are tricky and will burn!)Crumble bacon into small bits amd set aside.Cook 20 minutes until it thickens-add bacon and remaining ingredients slowly,stirring in well-Simmer on low heat 10 minutes and toss sparingly to taste with drained cooked pasta!REAL old school cooks use “hogmaws” in lieu of bacon but bacon is easier to find and cook!Also,the coarser the pepper,the better!
Christian Brando dead at 49
Christian Brando,the troubled son of actor Marlon Brando,died Saturday at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Hollywood,CA,at age 49,of pneumonia.
In 1990 he made headlines when he shot and killed his sisters abusive lover,Dag Drollet,in the Brando estate and he served 5 years for manslaughter as a result.His sister,Cheyenne,who was pregnant at the time of her lovers death,never got over it and committed suicide in 1995.His most recent infamy was his involvement with Bonney Lee Bakley,the late wife of actor Robert Blake.In defending his civil suit for the wrongful death of his wife,Blake hinted that Brando could have been her killer but nothing ever came of it.
Christian,eldest child of Marlon,left behind no children and no funeral arrangements have been announced according to his attorney.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
200 Animals rescued from "hoarders"
The SPCA raided a home in Marshall,TX and impounded over 200 various animals,including birds,dogs,lizards,a hedgehog,rabbits,hamsters,mice,gerbils,guinea pigs and cockroaches.A little of everything....They were acting on a Harrison County Warrant for medical neglect and there is no word what charges have been or will be filed against the unidentified homeowner.Several animals were found to be dead and they were housed in sheds,pens and a filthy old doublewide mobile home on the property.
WTF is wrong with these people?It's fine to have a menagerie of pets if you are financially able to,and you are a responsible owner,but its no better than animal cruelty to have so many hoarded creatures that they are living in unhealthy conditions and are not properly nourished.It breaks my heart to hear this type of story because it happens alot in the news.As a busy Mom raising a child,its hard enough for me to care for just a couple of mice I keep but I do it!Little rascals eat as good as we do lol-honestly,though,people who would keep THAT many pets has some psychiatric issues that need to be addressed and they should never be able to own an animal again!
WTF is wrong with these people?It's fine to have a menagerie of pets if you are financially able to,and you are a responsible owner,but its no better than animal cruelty to have so many hoarded creatures that they are living in unhealthy conditions and are not properly nourished.It breaks my heart to hear this type of story because it happens alot in the news.As a busy Mom raising a child,its hard enough for me to care for just a couple of mice I keep but I do it!Little rascals eat as good as we do lol-honestly,though,people who would keep THAT many pets has some psychiatric issues that need to be addressed and they should never be able to own an animal again!
Pet peeve time
I have a peculiar pet peeve and that's with the bottles and cans you buy soda or water in at the store,out of a machine-whatever.People think I am squirrelly but if I must drink from a can,I wash the top of it vigorously.Why?Think about it!It went from a bottling plant to a warehouse to a store-who knows what could have been crawling all over them?My Dad always did that and its a habit-do any of y'all go "Monk" when you open a drink?LOL
Friday, January 25, 2008
Happy Birthday Eddie Van Halen!
Today is Eddie Van Halens birthday and can you believe he is 53?WTF?I feel soooo old.The man is a guitar legend,ranks right up there with Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.He survived years of touring,2 bouts of cancer,a divorce and alcoholism and still going strong!In his early performances he often played with his back to the crowd,so aspiring guitarists could not see what he was doing and copy his "licks".A Van Halen reunion tour is supposedly in the works with David Lee Roth for this year.Happy Birthday Eddie!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
No "takers" in alcohol sting
Suffolk County Police are astounded by the results of a recent underage alcohol sales sting where they sent a 19 year old operative into 20 businesses to buy booze.In a country where typically 20% of the stores "flunk" the sting,all 20 stores in this latest sweep requested ID for a complete sale.They may be surprised,but I am not-it is evident that enforcement is working.Fines and license suspensions are "attention getters" and are helping to put a dent into underage sales.People will still skirt the law by using "straw buyers" and fake ID's but with 100% compliance as this recent sting deonstrates,is a step in the right direction.
An insult to the loyal viewers of Y&R
I have been a fan of "The Young & the Restless" for many years now,in fact it is the ONLY soap opera I bother to watch and I usually watch it in the evenings on Soapnet.Throughout the years there have been various plot twists,including Sheila Carter,the psycho bitch/nurse/kidnapper/master of disguise who couldn't be killed-but when Sheila went undercover,she was incognito and it was a believable and workable disguise.I only wish I could say the same for their current storyline with the starstruck Amber,a lovely blonde who disguised herself as a chick named "Marina" to get entered into a modeling contest being held by her ex-husbands familys cosmetics company.
Ambers "transformation" is so transparent,you would have to be a complete and total idiot not to see its the same person.All she does is adopt a snooty European accent,and throw a horrific red wig on her head and VIOLA!Viewers are supposed to believe that even her former husband,who has spoken to her in disguise,is too ignorant not to see right through it all!I know alot of you probably don't watch soaps of any kind and thats cool-I just had to get this off my chest and hope that if there are any fans out there who feel the same way as I do,that they know its not just them.I honestly do not know how the cast keeps from cracking up everytime they have to pretend they cannot tell who this mystery woman Marina is.I am almost insulted enough to email CBS and probably will!
Boy Scouts Centennial
On this day 100 years ago,the very first Boy Scout troop was organized in England by Robert Baden-Powell.While the organization has evolved and branched out wordwide in its 100 year existence,the basic principals of what Baden-Powells early first group are unchanged-Character,Citizenship,Leadership and physical fitness.Early emphasis was placed on earning merit badges for learning various skills in the Scouts,including first aid,sports,educational activities ,citizenship and wilderness survival to name just a few.Back then the Boy Scouts were geared towards young males age 11 to 16,but now there are Wolf troops for younger boys,Girl Scouts for girls 11 to 16,and Brownie Troops for the younger girls.Many generations of youth have benefitted from the Scouting experience and learned priceless life lessons and skills from their involvement with the organization.While I was never "in" all 4 of my sisters and one of my 2 brothers were in Brownies or Wolf Troop as kids.Heres to 100 more years of Scouts!
We still miss you,Bluto!Joliet Jake too!1949-1982
Today would have been the 59th birthday of comic genius and actor John Belushi had he not fatally overdosed in the spring of 1982 in Bungalow #3 of the Chateau Marmont in Los Angelos after ingesting 11 "speedballs".An acquaintance,Cathy Smith,was later sentenced to 18 months in prison for involunatry manslaughter after admitting to the National Enquirer and the world that she administered the fatal drugs to Belushi.
He was the first SNL cast member to die,but not the last as Phil Hartman,Chris Farley,and Gilda Radnor followed.Farley,like Belushi,died from drug abuse.While few movies based on SNL sketch characters are blockbusters,"The Blues Brothers" was a runaway hit when it was released but his Belushis best known role aside from SNL was that of "Bluto" Blutarsky in the classic movie "National Lampoons Animal House".Johns wife at the time,Judith Belushi-Pisano,played an uncredited role of the coed dancing with Bluto at the frat house basement Toga party.With recent news of Heath Ledger and his drug-related death,just thinking about Belushi makes it sadder even more.Long live his characters!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Rock of Love 2 Episode Two"Peep Show"
This week picks up after last weeks elimination and while the "VIP" girls head upstairs to bed early,for "beauty sleep" as one puts it,while the rest of the girls join Bret downstairs and he sings for the crowd.Bret is disappointed because he envisioned kicking back and having an "old school" dance-off.He urges the group with him to rag on the VIP girls the next morning,about how they missed one helluva party and then to add insult to injury,Big John wakes the VIP girls in the morning and advises them that when ANYTHING is going on in the house,they need to at least show up!Courtney,the girl who passed out on her first night at the house and missed the elimination ceremony,also learns of her fate this week-shes OUT.This weeks competition was a carnival style "peep show" where each girl had to display whatever talent they had and the Eastern Bloc Angelique chic licked sugar free chocolate off her own boobs(!) but she did not get the coveted prize group date-Ambre,Daisy and Peyton(who played some awesome guitar and didn't reduce herself to disrobing)won the date with Bret,where the four of them went out riding ATV's and had a picnic lunch.When they return from the outing,the VIP girls are sitting in front of the front door in various stages of dress,in a pitiful attempt to make up for being AWOL the previous night and then Angelique and Inna,who spent the day creating a makeshift dance floor, follow suit,greeting Bret at the threshold!That evening,the dance-off is on and the girls have to draw dances such as "the worm" and "the running man"from a hat!Inna and Angelique pick the winner of the dance off ,who gets a free pass to get one on one time with Bret whenever they want.And now Sara admits she only auditioned for the show as a dare,just to see if she would make it on,and she is called out on it at elimination-at which time Bret confronts her and she lies,denying she told the other girls she did it on a dare.He tells her to walk and then gives passes to the Ukrainian Inna,rocker chic Peyton,,Destiney,Ambre,Megan,Daisy,Roxy,Jessica,Kristi Joe(who toys with him and hesitates to accept) Catherine,Aubrey and Angelique.Korie and Niki get no pass and thus are eliminated.In a preview of next weeks show,we see the infamous Lacy Connor from "ROL 1"butting heads with everyone,and hosting a roller derby inspired challenge.
I do not have a strong favorite yet-none of the girls have really stood out.Angelique is fun but scares the hell outta me and while Catherine is sweet and I love her "Elvira" 'do and she is probably the closest to Brets age but those young vicious girls are going to eat her alive if she doesn't show some type of attitude!Thats all for this week!
Sh*t Happens!
Shit definitely DOES happen!Police in Madison,Wisconsin arrested man Thursday for a series of "incidents" involving human feces being left in washing machines to soil other peoples clothes in his neighboring apartment building's common laundry room.He also allegedly left similar"gifts" in boots and shoes left in the buildings hallway.Ronnie A.Ballard,19,was apprehended after being chased back to his adjacent building by a woman whose laundry he ruined.He is already facing lewd act charges in two other counties and now he can add criminal property damage,disorderly conduct and bail jumping charges to his rap sheet.I have to say he is fortunate that the police came before the woman chasing him whipped his ass!How "F"'ed up would it be to find that someone done something so nasty to you?I am glad I have a washer and dryer at home now,you never know whats been in commercial or shared appliances and there isn't enough Ajax in the world to take out some stains!I think along with jail this dude needs therapy because what he is doing is disgusting,not to mention unsanitary.I pity the cleaning staff at the correctional facility where he is being held on $1,400 bail.Gives new meaning to "shit happens"."THAT'S not the Governors Office!""Or is it?"
Pete Pritchard of Calvert,Maryland,a small town in Cecil County,intended on phoning Governor O'Malleys office to speak his mind about the current mortgage default crisis and instead got a XXX adult phone sex line instead!Pritchard is an Armstrong Telephone Company customer(they are a small regional telephone company that serves rural communities in Maryland,West Virginia,NY state and Pennsylvania
0 and for the second consecutive year,the Armstrong issued-telephone directories erred and listed the XXX line's phone number as being the number for the Governor of Maryland.An Armstrong spokesperson says a correction will be issued with Februarys bill to subscribers.In the meantime,maybe the listing is appropriate.It IS a sex line and I think alot of Marylanders feel like they've been "bent over" by the Governor,if you get my drift~ROFLMAO.
0 and for the second consecutive year,the Armstrong issued-telephone directories erred and listed the XXX line's phone number as being the number for the Governor of Maryland.An Armstrong spokesperson says a correction will be issued with Februarys bill to subscribers.In the meantime,maybe the listing is appropriate.It IS a sex line and I think alot of Marylanders feel like they've been "bent over" by the Governor,if you get my drift~ROFLMAO.
TV Flashback Alex Haleys "Roots" 31st Anniversary
I did a post a couple months ago about how much I enjoyed the historical epic miniseries "Roots" based on the writings of Alex Haley not realizing the anniversary was forthcoming.On January 23,1977,millions tuned in to ABC for the first of eight record breaking nights.To this day,the final episode of the "Roots" miniseries is the third-highest Nielsen rated TV program in history right behind the "MASH" finale episode and the "Dallas" episode that revealed "who shot J.R."!While alot of the screenplay was different from the actual novels,the tale remained the same and America for the first time took a journey into a time where humans were trafficked from another continent and brought here to be enslaved in America,as well as other countries.The story begins with the young Kunta Kinte being whisked away from the African woods by slave traders and by the eighth night,after following the story of Kunte and his descendants we see Alex Haley meet his distant African family members.In 2002,a 25th Anniversary DVD set of the series was released and TV One Channel shows it occasionally in its uninterrupted entirity,albeit with commercials.It spawned "Roots:The Gift",a much panned TV Christmas special and in 1979 another miniseries,"Roots:The Next Generations" which picked up where the original "Roots" left off.It's a great story,as well as Alex Haleys "Queen",which focused more on Haleys fathers mother and her side of the family.I recommend all of them if you have never seen any,but the original is a must-see!Tv Guide once called it a groundbreaking miniseries and I agree!
The sweetest thing
Elizabeth Emerson,87, received the "sweetest" Christmas present from Hershey Company last month-an assortment of Hershey candy bars with a personal note attached.Emerson,of Jonesport,Maine,was featured in a NY Times news story about the impact of high fuel prices on the economy.The article focused on the survival of low income senior citizens to keep warm in brutal Northeast winters and Emerson,who has 52 grandchildren and great-grandchildren,told of her struggle to stay afloat with an income of $683 a month from Social Security.She mentioned that she lived frugally but her one vice was Hershey bars and she received letters from across the USA,some with the bars inside.Hershey Company became aware of her story and sent the care package.She says she gave boxes of it away because she says can only eat so much chocolate and it tastes sweeter when it is shared with others!That is one of the best stories I have heard in awhile.We owe a debt of gratitude to our elderly,many of whom are suffering silently and trying to make ends meet.What a wonderful gesture of appreciation and generousity for such a large company to do something to make a little old ladies day!
In Memory of Heath Ledger
Actor Heath Ledger,an Australian native,and Oscar nominee for his role in "Brokeback Mountain " has died at the age of 28. was found dead in his Manhattan home with pills near his body but foul play is not suspected.He separated from his wife 4 months ago and leaves behind a 27 month old daughter..I hope it was not another overdose but only the ME can say for sure.It seems like so many actors and musicians die that way.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Remember those places???
With all the new "big box" stores in Salisbury now I got to thinking about the stores that are no longer in Salisbury-there are lots of dollar stores now but when I was a kid there was a Woolworths in downtown Salisbury that sold everything and was HUGE-there were also 2 McCrorys stores in town and who could forget Nichols Discount City in Fruitland?There is a Walmart in just about every other town now but I still miss Montgomery Wards,Hess Apparel,Hutzlers & Ames.We also had a Friendlys Restaurant and English Grill,and Ponderosa,Pantry Pride,Meatland,and Acme,all gone!I was curious just how many people remember those places that closed.
80's Flashback TV
One of my favorite shows to come from the 80's was "Unsolved Mysteries" which premiered 20 years ago on NBC,and went to the CBS network in 1997,where actress Virginia Madsen cohosted.It was cancelled in 1999 and resurrected again by Lifetime in 2001 for one more year.It featured re-enactments of mysteries ranging from ghost stories to reunited family members to crimes and appealed to the public for any tips on the cases.Quite a few old cases were solved after being rerun many years later on Lifetime and when that happened,Lifetime would add an update to the end credits.The spooky theme music and Stacks voice was enough to give you the willies before you even watched the show.They did alot of UFO related stories if I recall.
If you were home alone,the scary re-enactments were just too much to take lol but you still watched anyway.I really miss this show,so I was psyched to learn that both HBO and Spike TV have expressed interest in a revamped version of "Unsolved Mysteries" and rumors are flying that James Earl Jones will lend his talents to the HBO show.Great choice,but he is no Robert Stack!
I remember they had one mystery on the show that was local-a man in Sussex County came home to find his mother dead late one night at the hands of a hitchhiker he left on the road earlier after a scuffle.He had picked the guy up at an Arbys in Harrington and if I am not mistaken,there was new info in that case not too long ago.It was a great show and I would love to see it brought back-it has value,just like "Americas Most Wanted" does.Most of the episodes are available on DVD in volumes 1 thru 6,each volume with approximately 30 episodes each and organized by genre-UFO's,ghosts,miracles,etc.
This weeks new DVD releases for 1/22/2008
There are a couple of interesting DVD's out this week-I will rent "Swamp Thing" the series and "Gameplan",as well as Saw IV,for sure this weekend!Theatrical releases
- "The Game Plan"-Disney family movie starring Dwayne"The Rock"Johnson and Madison Pettis as a father and daughter who meet for the first time when she is 8 years old and he is a successful professional football player in his prime.I will definitely rent this one!
- "Sydney White"-A modern take on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" starring Amanda Bynes
- "Saw IV"-4th installment in the torture horror films,with some interesting backstory into Jigsaws character,unrated directors cut
Other releases
- "The John Frankenheimer Collection"
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
The Train (1964)
The Young Savages (1961)
Ronin (1998) - "Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey" - Masterpiece Theatre
Widescreen
TV on DVD
- "Swamp Thing"-The Series-4 disc set of classic USA network scifi show based on the comics
- "Hustle"-Complete Season 4-widescreen
- "Torchwood"-The complete 1st Season-7 disc set
- "Hawaii Five-O" -Season 3-6 disc set
- "Criss Angel:Mind Freak" Season 3 with 3 disc set
Remember to rent a movie this weekend!
PS/5pm
I neglected to mention that another season of "Avatar:Air Bender" will also be released this week and while I dont "do" anime,my daughter loves this animated series
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Weekend box office
"Cloverfield" has made a record breaking 41 million in its opening weekend and despite having a "no-name"cast it has a rabid internet following,which is where early movie trailers of it were viewed.The entire movie is shown from the handheld camera of the main character as chaos ensues when the unknown monster attacks.I will wait to see it on DVD.
Here are this weeks box office numbers
Here are this weeks box office numbers
- "Cloverfield " 41m (opening week)
- "27 Dresses " 22.4 m(opening week)
- "The Bucket List" 15.2m
- "Juno," 10.3 m
5. "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," 8.1 m
6. "First Sunday," 7.8 m
7. "Mad Money," 7.7 m.(opening week)
8. "Alvin and the Chipmunks," 7 m
9. "I Am Legend," 5.1 m
10. "Atonement," 4.8
In Memory of Suzanne Pleshette
Actress Suzanne Pleshette died yesterday at the age of 70 at her home in LA,less than a year after she lost her late husband,the brilliant comedic actor Tom Poston,who was her costar as well when she was on The Bob Newhart Show as Bob Newharts TV wife.In the famous final scene of Bob Newharts series "Newhart" Bob has a dream and wakes up next to Pleshette in an identical bedroom set to "The Bob Newhart Show".Ironically both series starred Tom Poston!MY favorite Pleshette roll was that of Dean Jones onscreen Daschund fanatic wife in "The Ugly Daschund",whose home and life are sent into a tailspin by the rather large Great Dane pup her husband brings home from the vets office.One of my alltime favorite Disney movies!!!!!!She also was a costar in "The Birds" and her fast acting role was a guest appearance on "Will & Grace" as a recurring character.One of the most beautiful and talented actresses of her era.
New York Giants are NFC Champions!!!!!!!
Thanks to a game-winning kick in the end,the NY Giants have defeated Green Bay in overtime and will be going to the Superbowl!The 4th quarter was one of those edge of your seat games and now,7 years after their last NFC trophy,they are on their way to the big game!!!!!!!The late Wellington Mara would be proud!!!!!
Trains,planes & automobiles.....
Recently there has been alot of Daily Times editorials from people in favor of having commuter rail service on Delmarva and it makes sense if you think about it.Funding could come from the steep fuel taxes and I think there would be alot of people who would forgo the bus,or a long drive,or an expensive flight and ride the rails into Baltimore,Washington,Wilmington and other busy hubs in the region.You can take Amtrak to practically any part of the country except Hawaii but right now if you live on the Shore,you have to travel as far as Wilmington,DE to catch a train.It could work because there is already some infrastructure in place-while there are less freight rails on the shore than past years,there are miles of graded railbed everywhere from abandoned track routes.I sure could have used the service about 5 years ago,when we were stranded in Lancaster,PA,on a Sunday no less when places are closed in Amish country.Our truck decided to throw a rod and we limped into the parking lot of the Lancaster Amtrak depot,also a bus depot.We took our tags off (theft),locked it and carrying all our stuff we went inside and our only option if we wanted to ride the train was to be stranded again in Wilmington.So,we opt for the bus as no rental cars close by were open.We made two bus transfers,and had a 6 hour layover in Philly for the bus so we sent one of our party out for cheesesteaks and bunkered down.We got to the Salisbury bus station,which isnt in the best neighborhood at 3am, about 12 hours after we broke down and we could have been back in 2 hours tops if we had an Amtrak connection in Salisbury.And any mass transit reduces the number of cars on the road,which means less fuel is consumed so its a win-win.It would not be an easy task but it could pay for itself in the end.What do y'all think?
The more things change,the more they stay the same.
Exactly 100 years ago this week,New York City banned women from smoking in public-yes you read that right-women only.Men were still free to smoke on the street without persecution.The only reason I bring this up is because back then they would have never imagined that smoking would be banned from virtually EVERYWHERE in the next century,men and women alike!I am not knocking it,but the new public smoking bans in Maryland are a little authoritarian.What if it is a small business,say with 3 or 4 employees who ALL smoke?Private businesses are no longer able to reserve exclusive indoor areas for their smoking patrons,even if they want to.I know it is not a healthy habit but people smoked everywhere when I was kid and most of my generation survived somehow.I am not saying smoking should be permitted in all public places,but they should have seperate areas to smoke if they wish to and the law should only be enforced if there are multiple complaints.So,as the cigarette ads used to say(remember those?banned also!)"We've come along way baby!" .Woman are just as equal as men now 100 years later but the public acceptance of any smoking is just not there anymore.Then again,they could afford cigarettes back then before the big tobacco lawsuits started!Less people are smoking now,not just to save money,but because they know it is bad for them-we all know it's bad but some of us still do it anyway.Thankfully some of us who haven't quit yet live close to border states with lower tobacco prices!
A salute to the late Benny Hill
Tomorrow marks the birthdate of late British comedian Benny Hill(January 21,1925) and I cannot let the day go by without commenting on what a GREAT entertainer he was.There are two kinds of people-those who hate Benny Hill and those who think he was hysterically funny-and I fall in the latter category!I can remember as a kid that was about the raunchiest show on television-tame by todays standards-but very risque in the mid 70's.Among my favorite sketches were those where he donned a wig and dressed in drag AND who can forget the "chase scene" at the close of every show?He was surrounded by gorgeous half-dressed women and he also had a character that leered at women like a sex fiend,and he got some pans from British critics for "sexist" humor,but America loved him!There was also a little old bald man on the show that he slapped on the top of the head all the time.I could go on and on but you get it if you ever watched it!It occasionally aires on BBC channel and alot of the shows are on DVD or VHS now as well.
"Rivers Edge" (1987)
IFC(Independent Film channel) is showing "Rivers Edge" this weekend-it is a very dark indie movie revolving around bored stoner-teens whose buddy has just killed his girlfriend and left her at the rivers edge.It stars Keanu Reeves,Crispin Glover & Dennis Hopper.Hoppers character is a one-legged war veteran who sells drugs and lives with his "girlfriend",who just happens to be an inflatable sex doll!It's a weird slow-paced film but its worth a watch if you have never seen it.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Abortion rates drop
The Guttmacher Institute in NY issued a report this past week that found abortion rates are at their lowest since 1974!Pro-choice advocates feel it is indictive of a lack of abortion services in some parts of the country,but most researchers say it may be due to more contraceptive options and "medical" abortions,such as the RU-486 pill.I don't care why its down,I am just relieved that it is.While abortion is against my personal and religious beliefs,unlike alot of pro-life women,I cannot pass judgement on women who have had them-because I haven't lived their lives.That is between them and God,who am I to judge anyone?It is incredulous to me that unplanned pregnancies still occur with the wide array of options we have available today.You would think in these times,with AIDS now in existence,people would use 2 or 3 different types of protection but some fail to.Would I like to see it outlawed again?Thats a tough question I am just not qualified to answer,because I have never been confronted with an unplanned pregnancy and I was fortunate enough to have a child when I was married and ready to be a parent and in a position to raise a child.Will it be banned in my lifetime?I don't think so-and I am glad I never had to consider that a choice .
The great liquor debate
There has been alot of discussion on local blogs and in local newspapers about the Wicomico County Liquor Board and liquor licensing in general.Apparently customers were requesting beer and the dispensaries obliged them by offering it,and they promised the county they would stay out of the "beer" business.I am totally divided on the issue and this is why.
In a free market,it is good business sense to supply a demand(people ask if you carry beer,and you start selling it to them)-some customers prefer one-stop shopping,which is why most liquor stores carry soda and juice,which are used as mixers.Some stores may sell ice-so beer fits right in,as does wine.
The flipside?In areas where the county controls liquor sales,they have an unfair advantage over Mr. Store Owner,who can sell Thunderbird and beer,but cannot sell gin or vodka.Since most county liquor boards are profitable,they can also afford to sell beer cheaper than licensed merchants.If private enterprise could sell "the hard stuff" ,there would be a more level playing field and competition means lower prices to the customer.The current monopoly is made worse in this area because people can avoid the 6% tax and get a better deal just over the state line into Delmar,where competition for your liquor dollars is fierce because they are a private enterprise and not a governmental entity.
In a free market,it is good business sense to supply a demand(people ask if you carry beer,and you start selling it to them)-some customers prefer one-stop shopping,which is why most liquor stores carry soda and juice,which are used as mixers.Some stores may sell ice-so beer fits right in,as does wine.
The flipside?In areas where the county controls liquor sales,they have an unfair advantage over Mr. Store Owner,who can sell Thunderbird and beer,but cannot sell gin or vodka.Since most county liquor boards are profitable,they can also afford to sell beer cheaper than licensed merchants.If private enterprise could sell "the hard stuff" ,there would be a more level playing field and competition means lower prices to the customer.The current monopoly is made worse in this area because people can avoid the 6% tax and get a better deal just over the state line into Delmar,where competition for your liquor dollars is fierce because they are a private enterprise and not a governmental entity.
Friday, January 18, 2008
In Memory of Pearl
Saturday marks the birthday of the late,great Janis Joplin-she was born January 19,1943 in Texas.She joined Big Brother and The holding Company in 1966 and at the Monterey Pop Festival in the following year,she became an overnight star.Their first major album"Cheap Thrills" contained the classic "Piece of my Heart"(great breakup song by the way)and she was working on her final album,"Pearl"(her nickname) when she died of a heroin overdose in 1970 at the age of 27.Her drug use and drinking was a battle she fought constantly and it is rumored that some of the Southern Comfort bottles she swigged from openly were filled with codeine syrup.She was a phenonemal blues singer and helped to define the music of that era.
Fletch
Every weekend TV Land channel airs movies.what they call "movieland" and tonight it is the 1985 comedy "Fletch" which introduced us to one of Chevy Chases best character roles,the master of disguise Irwin Fletcher,rogue journalist and avid Lakers fan.I admit I like the sequel,"Fletch Lives" much better but any Fletch is hysterical.Unlike alot of people I LIKE Chevy Chase and can appreciate his movies and that dry sense of humor he has.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The Bad Girls Club
The Oxygen network has an original series called "The Bad Girls Club"that is in its second season and its sort of like "The Real World"They take "bad"girls from all walks of society and put 8 of them into a mansion together.They do not have challenges like other shows,they mostly are seen lounging by the pool,or out club-hopping,or arguing loudly with one another.They constantly butt heads and get into catfights and pass moral judgement on each other,but they are all wild!One girl,Lyric,admits tonight she was arrested for theft 2 days before the show started filming!All the girls in the house pick on this one chick,Cordelia,who is a stripper and it gets pretty heated,they even had a foodfight on one episode this season.Well last week Cordelia goes club hopping and decided to bring home some strange man from the bar-Tanisha,very outspoken,had a problem with that and I cant blame her-bringing home a strange man in a house full of women-he could be anyone!So Tanisha wakes up with laryngitis from yelling the night before and flips out because the party girls never clean up and the house is a pigsty!Cordelia has a boyfriend at home too lol.She sits on the kitchen counter and they tell her to get off of it,they have to eat off of there and she is a filthy whore.So guess what she does to get even?The party girls and her spit in all the condiments and the OJ carton-then they take off their pants and undies and do the bare ass press on the countertops-That is so nasty!I cannot wait til next week because you just dont mess with peoples food like that !It comes on Tuesday nights on the Oxygen channel and reruns there all week long.
I can see why some of the girls are upset-half the girls are slobs and the other half ends up cleaning up after everyone else.The slobs think the other girls are being bossy but they are the ones acting like kids and not cleaning up after themselves.
I can see why some of the girls are upset-half the girls are slobs and the other half ends up cleaning up after everyone else.The slobs think the other girls are being bossy but they are the ones acting like kids and not cleaning up after themselves.
The reluctant Packers fan
A 36 year old man in Pardeeville,Wisconsin,has been charged with disorderly conduct and his wife has slapped a restraining order on him after he taped his 7 year old boy to a chair,and taped a Packers jersey to the kid.He got angry at his son for not wanting to sport a Packers jersey after they defeated Seattle last week and lost his cool.His wife took pictures of the kid on her cell phone and two days later filed the complaint with the police department,who cited there are "other domestic issues" that warranted a restraining order keeping him from his family.You think?How much will this poor kid HATE football from now on?And how much did Dad drink that day?Most 7 year old boys don't "appreciate" pro football as much as the normal 7 year old kid things-like videogames,tv shows and just playing like kids do.They would rather play ball than watch someone play ball at that stage!I do not fault the mother because she did report him,but why did she wait two whole days?I would part my husbands hair with a skillet if he ever taped our kid up for ANY reason,and if he abused her I understand her being hesitant to speak up about it but myself,I would not be so demure.Jail isn't going to teach the guy anything and if he is locked up he cannot support his family but he does need extensive counseling and some parenting classes-it sounds like a bad joke but when you put yourself in the place of a kid that young,you know it must be terrifying to them!Totmom has had to "hire-out"
You may have noticed that I haven't been posting as much as I used to and theres a good reason-I have went back to work part time(16-30 hrs a week)just to help out during the winter.Our utility bill is normally in the $90 to $140 range,depending on usage any other time of the year,but in the winter when we turn the heat on,it surges up to about $220.I still have time to manage my household,and have flexible hours and most of all,I am getting out of the house!Being a stay at home Mom is TERRIFIC but it gets lonely too and in another year my baby will be in school.So it helps out alot with boredom and with winter bills!I honestly do not know how people on fixed incomes or single parents with no aid manage it every winter-people who make too much money to get "free" heat but earn barely enough as it is to pay bills.An economic depression could actually save marriages because being a single wage earner raising kids is a prescription for poverty in this economy!Its tough enough with 2 people.Some married couples both work long hours all week and still cant get by,so I feel fortunate for what I do have.
I still plan on blogging though,just later in the evening after work is over,chores are done,etc...
Thanks for all the visits and support everyone from all over who reads!That keeps me coming back!
I still plan on blogging though,just later in the evening after work is over,chores are done,etc...
Thanks for all the visits and support everyone from all over who reads!That keeps me coming back!
Chiller & Sleuth Channels & TV in general....
I don't know how many of you receive Directv,but last year they added a brand new all-horror channel called Chiller TV and if you are into some of the horror-mystery themed Tv shows that came and went like "Tales from the Crypt","Friday the 13th the series ,"American Gothic" and "Twin Peaks" then this is the channel for you.They also show horror/scifi movies,albeit edited for television and not the uncut versions.They air anything from early Universal Monsters movies to Hitchcock to Wes Craven and the channel is included in the standard expanded channels tier.They also have Sleuth Channel on the menu which shows alot of "Simon & Simon","Magnum PI" and "Rockford Files" reruns and mystery movies.There is very little on network television that holds my interest for very long with a few exceptions.I watch "My name is Earl","Prison Break" and "Americas Most Wanted" and thats pretty much the only primetime network TV I watch so these "niche" channels are a great alternative.FOX will debut "Moment of Truth" later this month,a game show in which the contestant is hooked up to a polygraph machine and is asked increasingly intrusive or downright inflammatory personal questions such as"Have you ever had sex for money?"WTF?We will see.....Meanwhile I am still shaking my head over some of the "talent" that auditioned for "American Idol".
I have something to look forward to-the orginal TV show"Kolchak:Night Stalker" from 1974 with Darren McGavin airs on Chiller on Wednesday nights!
I have something to look forward to-the orginal TV show"Kolchak:Night Stalker" from 1974 with Darren McGavin airs on Chiller on Wednesday nights!
Prohibition Anniversary
On this date in 1920,the 18th Amendment to the Constitution went into effect,thus starting Prohibition in America-which in turn created the vast empire of that era known as "bootlegging".Alcohol may have been banned but people still had an appetite for it,and a clandestine black market flourished.Surprisingly to me ,the entity we know today as NASCAR can trace its early beginnings to the "runners" of illicit booze and the cars they carried it in and truthfully I did not know that until I watched "Hillbillies" on History Channel and learned about the Flock Brothers!
Good sense prevailed and in 1933,the 21st Amendment to the Constitution repealed Prohibition.Ironically part of Prohibition is still alive as some small and/or rural communities are left that have NO alcohol sales,so-called "dry counties".Locally on the Shore,Smith Island and Tangier are both"dry".Other municipalities sell alcohol but not on Sundays.Today in the news,a county council member in Wicomico County is dissatisfied with the liquor board because they are selling beer as well as the "hard stuff" and she feels local stores cannot compete,but unlike actual liquor,beer & wine are sold just about everywhere now,so its not like the liquor board is monopolizing the market.Their customers asked for beer and apparently enough of them bought it to make it profitable-thats just good business sense and from where I am sitting,the county is making alot of money off liquor sales,and the board is self-supporting fiscally-can they say the same about other county departments or boards?Unless the WCLCB stores are drastically undercutting other merchants on beer and wine prices,the county council should just let them do what theyve been doing,bringing in revenue at no cost to the county and making the customers happy.
Rectum?Damn near killed 'em!
A NY construction worker came to the emergency room at New York Presbyterian Hospital after being smacked on the forehead by a falling beam is now suing after he says they held him down and examined his rectum after he refused to give consent to a rectal digital exam.He lashed out and struck a doctor during the struggle to restrain him and they gave him a shot and knocked him out,and he woke up to discover he had been handcuffed to his hospital bed and subsequently spent 3 days in jail.His misdemeanor assault charges were dismissed and he is now seeking justice and unspecified damages in Manhattan Supreme Court.The hospital staff stated that they do rectal exams to check for spinal damage(?) and they motioned to dismiss the case,but a judge denied the motion.
The hospital says the unidentified patients suit has no merit but I feel that unless his life was in imminent danger it was excessive to force an unwanted unwlecome and uncomfortable exam on the guy.What can a rectal exam tell you about the spine???He got hit on the forehead and I am no brain surgeon,but thats a long way from the ass!The man says he pleaded with the staff not to do it and felt that he was "falsely imprisoned and assaulted" for resisting.I would be upset too!The trial starts March 31st.
The hospital says the unidentified patients suit has no merit but I feel that unless his life was in imminent danger it was excessive to force an unwanted unwlecome and uncomfortable exam on the guy.What can a rectal exam tell you about the spine???He got hit on the forehead and I am no brain surgeon,but thats a long way from the ass!The man says he pleaded with the staff not to do it and felt that he was "falsely imprisoned and assaulted" for resisting.I would be upset too!The trial starts March 31st.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Big Fire Today
Did anyone else see that ferocious fire on the news in Cambridge today?I have satellite and rarely watch local channels but I wanted to watch the stories at 12:30(the ONLY one I watch)and apparently WBOC pre-empted the network and Captain Willy was overhead in the news chopper.When I last saw it,the roof had started to give,and several more out of town departments came in to relieve the guys that had been there since it started this morning.The news anchor was talking by phone to a couple of the business owners in that neighborhood,some had NO insurance and expected major damages,if not a total loss,and they also interviewed Mayor CL Rippons.They asked him if the Fire Dept was giving him regular updates on the progress and hes like "NO!They are in there trying to put it out-they can call me and tell me how things went after its put out".Great answer!
XXX Zoning
Salisbury has placed a 100 day moratorium on adult stores opening and the Daily Times reported the county zoning board rejected a permit for a daycare in the vicinity of one prominent Route 50 adult store.I have no problem with those kinda stores and don't any of y'all act like you have never been on one-most of us have!BUT-they need to be more discreet about the way they advertise outside their stores.Huge hot pink banners screaming "XXX" is tacky and way overboard.A simple lighted sign that reads "Adult Shop" is all that is needed.Trust me,people who shop at those stores know where they are located!They know whats in there so they don't need be told the content therein is "XXX"!
I also can understand why they didn't want to allow a daycare so close to an adult store.Sex offenders buy porn too-and could expose the daycare to potentially dangerous people-true,dangerous people are everywhere but why take the risk?If not for that very issue there would be no other problems.And no-not all people who buy porn are pervs-far from it,but the freaks buy it too.The stores need to reduce the gauche signage and enforce a strict policy if checking ID's for age in their businesses
I also can understand why they didn't want to allow a daycare so close to an adult store.Sex offenders buy porn too-and could expose the daycare to potentially dangerous people-true,dangerous people are everywhere but why take the risk?If not for that very issue there would be no other problems.And no-not all people who buy porn are pervs-far from it,but the freaks buy it too.The stores need to reduce the gauche signage and enforce a strict policy if checking ID's for age in their businesses
I only watch it for the auditions.....
Tonight the new season of "American Idol" premiered on FOX,and I am just now catching the second hour,not realizing it started at 8 pm.Honestly,I only watch the audition shows in the beginning-once they are in Hollywood I don't tune in unless I really like one of the hopefuls.The auditions are like The Gong Show,Star Search and Jerry Springer Show all rolled into one big event!They travel the US and audition singers and let me tell you,some of the contestants that don't make it-they are frickin' fruit loops!Some take it back and get cursing.One chick showed up dressed like Princess Leia and another contestant sang"Let my people go"....One guy wants to "send a message to Americas kids" and sing one of his own songs-"Sex is not allowed!"Milo is a social worker,he is 39 and too old for the competition and he looks like a serial killer and he gets up and sings this song and the judges are just aghast.Now,I am one to talk because I am a wingnut myself,but I am not putting myself out there on national TV!Don't they do background checks when they hire social workers,because loony snuck past their radar!LOL
And I have noticed,whenever they do a touching story on one of the competitors,like how they grew up poor,or went through some emotional stuff,you KNOW they are choosing that person!And it is VERY hard to get past Simon Cowell it seems.
It is kinda mean to watch auditions just to goof on people,but they give you much to goof on them over!So after the next week or so,when they have everyone selected I will probably tune out,unless they have another Jordin Sparks!!!!
And I have noticed,whenever they do a touching story on one of the competitors,like how they grew up poor,or went through some emotional stuff,you KNOW they are choosing that person!And it is VERY hard to get past Simon Cowell it seems.
It is kinda mean to watch auditions just to goof on people,but they give you much to goof on them over!So after the next week or so,when they have everyone selected I will probably tune out,unless they have another Jordin Sparks!!!!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Rock of Love 2 last night
Twenty more girls came to the Rock of Love house and 16 of them were immediately selected to enter the house and there was a brief "WTF?" moment when it was clear that the 4 remaining girls who were to be cut were probably the cutest!Bret then announced they were his "VIP's" and would have seperate accomodations from the other 16 as well as "first crack" at hanging out with him later.The bar was officially opened and as par for the course,most of the girls started slamming booze.One girl walked up to him,and wiped his mouth before kissing him,telling him she was a "germophobe"OK-and you came into the house knowing he would be tongue wrestling with 19 other girls????Some of the "girls" looked like upper 30's barflies but the majority of them were decent,and of course,a handful of them claim to be musicians too.Another commented that if she couldn't get close to Bret,she would just grab a hot chick and make out with her!Warning bells!What did Season One teach us about party girls?Erin,who Bret perceived as hot and very "rock n roll" ended up boring him to yawns because she yammered on and on about where she had been,playing guitar,etc.....These chicks are pulling out all stops too-tops came off and there was pole dancing,and one girl is absent from Elimination because she is passed out stone drunk on a sofa inside the house.Bret says to let her know shes cut when she wakes up,Then there is some huge rawboned Eastern bloc country broad who I aint too sure was not a man at some previous time,complete with the "Natasha"accent.Reminds me of those Czech chicks in "Hostel",her name was Angelique.At elimination,Jackye stepped up and announced she wanted to leave and that saved one of the girls being cut that night.Catherine and Aubrey both look to be at least 40 and both could stand to gain some weight but he picked them to stay.Among the first to be given a pass was Megan,a cutesy little bubbly blond who is a model-you could almost see a lightbulb over her head when she talked lol.
Season previews have Rodeo,Heather and Lacy visiting and more tough competition challenges like roller derby,muddy football,horseback riding,auto racing,dirtbiking-you name it! And of course lots of tears,catfights and drunk girls taking off their clothes!!Kinda "Girls gone Wild" for TV,but its all in good fun and to me never gets old-unless they do a Rock of Love 3-which would be redundant considering that fossil Flavor Flav is getting a THIRD season!Ratings don't lie though,reality/celebrity series on VH1 are very popular even if some don't admit to watching such "trash"LOL.
Season previews have Rodeo,Heather and Lacy visiting and more tough competition challenges like roller derby,muddy football,horseback riding,auto racing,dirtbiking-you name it! And of course lots of tears,catfights and drunk girls taking off their clothes!!Kinda "Girls gone Wild" for TV,but its all in good fun and to me never gets old-unless they do a Rock of Love 3-which would be redundant considering that fossil Flavor Flav is getting a THIRD season!Ratings don't lie though,reality/celebrity series on VH1 are very popular even if some don't admit to watching such "trash"LOL.
Myspace Crackdown
MySpace has announced they will take new security measures at once to guard against child predators-including age verification.I don't know if that will help or if kids will just find another way around it but I do know this: internet policing begins at home!It is ultimately up to the parents to moniter what their kids are doing online.Get online yourself,see what they are doing,or if you don't feel guilty of espionage,implant a tracker code to see what pages they visit.Above all,they should know to never ever reveal their real name,address,what they school they go to,any of that-because the trolls are online too.Allow only friends to view photos and not to ever post risque photos-you would not believe the profile pics some teenage girls pose for and post!Dateline NBC has proven with its many "To catch a predator" specials that there are pedophiles of all ages,races,social and economical backgrounds,and that many of them have already successfully "hooked up" with minors online or have been arrested before for similar charges!They don't rehabilitate and they re-offend and are no longer "the stranger in the car" luring kids,they are the friendly guy who they get IM's from online.They have got to be careful!Many murders and even a suicide have been linked to My Space "hookups" but we cannot blame them for how sick society is.It is up to parents to control internet content but it is reassuring to see My space address the problem.
"Happy Days" Retro Tv Birthday
"Happy Days" premiered 34 years ago this week and brought the Cunninghams and the rest of the gang from Milwaukee into our living rooms."The Fonz" and his catchphrases caught on like a wildfire and millions of T-shirts and lunchboxes were sold!It has also become a pop culture phenom!When the show was in its waning years,The Fonz "jumped the shark" on waterskis and to this day saying a TV series has "jumped the shark" means they are running out of story ideas and on their way off the air!Happy Days also introduced us to Laverne & Shirley,who later got a show of their own,and the loveable "Mork",who also got a show.And the Cunninghams had another kid besides Ritchie and Joanie,"Chuck",but he only appeared a handful of times during the entire series run!Joanie later had a spinoff with Scott Baio,"Joanie loves Chachi" but it flopped!When the show first aired,the theme song was Bill Haley and the Haleys Comets"Rock around the clock",later it was changed to the popular familiar "Happy Days" theme."Mrs. C",Marion Ross,later appeared on The Drew Carey show and That 70's show-which is funny because "That 70's show" was like the "Happy Days" of the late 90's LOL.Most of the series run is available on DVD now-hard to believe its been that long!It also still airs occasionally on Tv Land or Nick at Night.
Keep the dream alive...
Regardless of what date the government "observes" as Martin Luther King,Jr.'s Birthday,it is actually January 15,which is Tuesday and were he still alive,he would be 79 years old.I also wonder how he would feel about the progress thats been made since his untimely death.I overheard two older gentlemen of opposite races talking about how they all still played together even when schools were segregated and they were my parents age,and people my age have no idea what it was like because we have never had to live with it.Then I wonder how many kids growing up today actually know who Martin Luther King was and what he stood for.So many kids now emulate the style of athletes,actors,and musicians and immerse themselves into pop culture.I applaud the organizers of the annual MLK Day Events in the area because it should not be just another day home from school-were it not for his contributions,there would still be segregation,not just in schools,but elsewhere as well.
Prison Break is back!
"Prison Break" on FOX is back tonight after the winter break and it is hotter than ever!Mahone is returned to Sona,Michael is placed out in the yard in a "hotbox" for failed escape and T-Bone is still scheming to dethrone Sammy.I don't know about other show fans,but I think Whistler is in cahoots with Sammy,undercover to try to get Lechero out of the way.Linc gets blindsided when authorities are tipped off to the kidnapping of his son,LJ,by Michael,no less,when he spills his guts to get out of the box.It surprised me,but Michael has an ulterior motive,you can be sure.For those of you who have yet to watch this show,Season 1 & 2 are on DVD and Season 3 is currently airing on FOX!
The "Big "Blue" is rolling into Green Bay next!
Yesterday was "super-happy fun time" at Totmoms house-the NY Giants defeated the Cowboys and are now headed to the divisionals!YAY!Everyone I have talked to today thinks it will end up being Giants vs Patriots this year at the Superbowl.Who knows?If they can get past the Packers,they will be Division Champions and return to the big game seven years after being defeated by Baltimore.We had a family member call from the bar where he was watching it and you could hear some drunk dude in the background yelling"Romo,Romo!"Talk about some disappointed Dallas fans this year!If any of you are Giants fans be sure to "sport your colors" this week and dust off those replica jerseys.This could be their year!!!!
This weeks new DVD releases
I already saw "Mr.Woodcock" and if you like Billy Bob Thornton its decent but not as good as the trailer made it look.Here are this weeks new DVD releases
Theatrical
Theatrical
- "Mr.Woodcock"
- "Good Luck Chuck"
Other releases
- "The Ten"-Controversial comedy sketches revolved around the Commandments acted out by comedy actors
- "Shes gotta have it"(1982)
- "When Harry met Sally"(1989)Collector Edition-widescreen 2 disc set
Tv on DVD....
- 'Dora The Explorer' - Undercover Dora DVD
- 'The New Adventures of Old Christine '- The Complete First Season DVD-2 disc
- 'Animated Family Guy '- Blue Harvest DVD
- 'The Rockford Files '- Season Five DVD
- 'Alex Haley's Queen '(1992) DVD-2 disc
and some classics too...
Postwar Kurosawa - Criterion Collection DVD
Five-Disc DVD Set - Includes the Movies:
No Regrets for Our Youth (1946)
One Wonderful Sunday (1947)
Scandal (1950)
The Idiot (1951)
I Live in Fear (1955)
"It Came From Beneath the Sea" (1955) DVD
Two-Disc DVD Set
Rent a movie!!!!I would love to add "Queen" to my collection!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Technical difficulties part DUH!
Any experts out there who can tell me what to do about my poor dial-up connection ?I normally have a decent bandwidth but for the past two days I have not been above 9.6 kpbs-which is barely workable.It seems to be worse in damp weather so I am assuming it is a dial tone line issue...but who knows?Then it will go back to normal in a few days and come back on occasional whims.I have neighbors just 1/2 a mile away who get DSL,mainly because they are in a different exchange and closer to that particular "switch".My neighbor has Hughesnet,but as you probably know it's very expensive and prone to the same difficulties with digital television in that weather can affect the quality of satellite transmission.I get flyers on a bi-monthly basis form a local cable television company offering me cable internet but the nearest CATV line to me is 2 miles away so I just use dialup and it isn't that bad.It all depends on what you need-I am not a PC gamer enthusiast and I do not watch videos or movies online so I can compromise on bandwidth-but it bothersome sometimes when you visit some webpages with alot of Flash graphics.I use it for timewaster and trivia games,reading,blogging,email,so it works for me.It would be nice to download movies like so many others do but for the time being dialup is inexpensive,next to free almost if you shop right,and it fills a need than it isn't otherwise being met.If only it was more consistent in speed....
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