A quick but kinda scary link for you for Monday. This is a list of media ownership, meaning who owns what, who is on whose board, and their connections to other industries and corporations.
Brace yourself. On the bright side, however, you'll never again wonder why some news is not reported...
www.projectcensored.org/
and here's why it matters:
projectcensored.org/censorship
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Friday, April 04, 2008
Hairy Does It
Yeah, I'm phoning this in today. I've got tons to do around the house before the Tsunami gets home from preschool and we get deeply involved in planning her Ariel Little Mermaid birthday party. She loves being a mermaid. The other day we took a 90 minute bath during which she stayed in character the entire time. Yeah, I said "90." The only reason I made her get out was the fact that I was starting to scour my brain for any research or studies showing long baths to be dangerous and mothers who allow them to be negligent. Even though I couldn't think of any, I made good use of the BBDD's Decision-Making Rule of Thumb: imagine explaining it exactly as you would to someone after the fact and see how bad it sounds. If it sounds bad, stop doing what you're doing. (e.g. "well you see, I know she'd been in the bath for an hour and a half and was getting wrinkly, but I had NO IDEA that that seemed a bit excessive for a three year-old...") Yeah. Time to get out. (He instituted his D-M R of T after I mentioned back in the day that I drove myself to Hopkins for platelets, got benadryl that made me sleep like crazy, but that I felt fine enough to drive home an hour and a half later, so he didn't need to drive me. He said it out loud: "Oh, Officer, well you see she said she was fine and I had a meeting and what's 60 mg of benadryl to a 110 pound woman anyway? And I know she's kind of ill and all but I had this meeting..." He took my car keys and never gave them back).
Anyway, so we got out. And then kept on playing Ariel only "this time she's not in the water she's got her human feet on and her princess dress and you are visiting her and Jasmine and Mulan at Disneyworld and you can't find her because she is stuck in traffic in the parking lot but don't worry she will be back to her grotto soon so you just wait and chat with her friend Flounder and his friend [a stuffed dog in her room] named 'Brian Honeyname.' And then Ariel will make you some yummy chicken broth and you can take some home to your mommy and daddy because who doesn't like chicken broth." It was like living in a cartoon on fast-forward. Although, most days with her feel that way; she got a new stuffed sheep whose name is "bedubadudeblabadaudoododadoodododdooo [said extremely quickly], but he just goes by 'Boobie'."
And speaking of boobies and stuff, she has noticed that grown ups have hair "down there." And she is NOT at all impressed. She wanted to know if daddies have hair too. I said that most grownups have hair there (making the judicious decision to leave waxing, shaving and threading for another conversation perhaps in 15 years...), to which she replied that [boy's name] at school goes to the potty with the door open and he has a penis because he's a boy but "it not a hairy penis because he not a grownup yet." Hoping to forestall any further discussion that might find its way out of the home and into the preschool and then into the Department of Social Services I just said, "and what we'll do next time is give [boy's name] his privacy, even if the door is open...hey! want to play Ariel for 3 hours?!!" Crisis averted...Mama's sanity further eroded.
So that's where I'm headed. Back into the Land of Ariel, Mermaid Ninja Warrior Bus Driver Chef. I hope you're headed into an awesome weekend, one that starts now. :)
Anyway, so we got out. And then kept on playing Ariel only "this time she's not in the water she's got her human feet on and her princess dress and you are visiting her and Jasmine and Mulan at Disneyworld and you can't find her because she is stuck in traffic in the parking lot but don't worry she will be back to her grotto soon so you just wait and chat with her friend Flounder and his friend [a stuffed dog in her room] named 'Brian Honeyname.' And then Ariel will make you some yummy chicken broth and you can take some home to your mommy and daddy because who doesn't like chicken broth." It was like living in a cartoon on fast-forward. Although, most days with her feel that way; she got a new stuffed sheep whose name is "bedubadudeblabadaudoododadoodododdooo [said extremely quickly], but he just goes by 'Boobie'."
And speaking of boobies and stuff, she has noticed that grown ups have hair "down there." And she is NOT at all impressed. She wanted to know if daddies have hair too. I said that most grownups have hair there (making the judicious decision to leave waxing, shaving and threading for another conversation perhaps in 15 years...), to which she replied that [boy's name] at school goes to the potty with the door open and he has a penis because he's a boy but "it not a hairy penis because he not a grownup yet." Hoping to forestall any further discussion that might find its way out of the home and into the preschool and then into the Department of Social Services I just said, "and what we'll do next time is give [boy's name] his privacy, even if the door is open...hey! want to play Ariel for 3 hours?!!" Crisis averted...Mama's sanity further eroded.
So that's where I'm headed. Back into the Land of Ariel, Mermaid Ninja Warrior Bus Driver Chef. I hope you're headed into an awesome weekend, one that starts now. :)
Friday Roundup
Nothing doing today that really merits a post on its own, beyond the usual politics/war/does Obama bowl like a girl stuff.
So let's see what else is shakin'. I just read a short but interesting article in this month's Hadassah magazine on the Kibbutz Ketura's Arava Institute. The institute was founded in the inspiration of the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty in 1996, on the border of the two countries. Environmentalist Alon Tal envisioned bringing together Israeli, Arab and international students to create leadership on issues "transcending national boundaries" in order to forward both environmentalism and peaceful coexistence. What's inspiring is the role that women, both Muslim and Jewish, have played in advancing both the goals of the school and their emerging careers in fields such as environmental law and water management. It's just one story, and one school, but it's the kind that make me feel hopeful; for the environment, for the advancement of women, and for peace. arava.org
By now you've heard that Randi Rhodes of AirAmerica Radio has been suspended for calling HRC a "big f&&&ng whore." Stay classy, Randi. Stay classy. My larger issue with it is what I call my "Ronald Reagan Rule" for Women (huh?!). Ronnie said Thou Shalt Not Speak Ill of a Fellow Republican. I personally think that's hooey. But, from a female perspective, I just really draw the line at women calling other women names like "bitch" and "whore" and "slut." I have disliked plenty of women in my life; don't get me wrong. But, for me, a woman using that kind of epithet towards another woman is not only vulgar (says she of the Multiple F word posts...) but self-hating. Those words were invented to judge and control women on qualities by which men are not similarly judged. And don't tell me "mimbo" is an equivalent. They are angry, nasty words that I just cannot countenance being used about another woman, no matter how much I personally dislike her. Would I allow for "termagant" or "shrew"? Perhaps. But the Seven Deadly Sisters (those evil words used only for women) are absolutely beyond the pale. Even for me.
Speaking of beyond the pale, I'm not so pale anymore. Oh, don't get me wrong. Still Scottish. Still stopping traffic on a sunny day with the glare. But not so...translucent...shall we say these days. So I've got that going for me, what with my functioning red cells and all. I've also got my daily-expanding moon face. When I first took the prednisone, you will recall how upset I was. I had a great chat with one of my best girlfriends the other day that helped me just get over it. She has three kids and each time claims to have gained like 40 pounds during the pregnancy. (As a side note, she is the kind of beautiful that makes an entire room stop and look at her when she enters, and yet she is totally unaware of it). She took it very personally when people would comment on her weight while pregnant (who ARE these people who do these cruel things?!!) because even though you know that you're not "fat" in the traditional sense, you are an object of conversation because of it, and it is also very much out of your hands unless you want to go the Nicole Kidman/Victoria Beckham 12-pound gain route, which no sane person should. So she said you just kind of have to dissociate yourself from the weight (your own issues) while feeling extremely associated with the baby causing it (your love for things other than self). So I practiced dissociating myself from the puffiness enveloping me yesterday while associating myself with the healing as a result of it, and it kind of worked. So I look in the mirror and see this rapidly-expanding face. And whereas a few days ago I'd have been sucking in my cheeks and cursing the gods of water retention, today I just kind of laughed like, "Wow! Those are some cheeks you've got there E! And those cheeks are the reason your butt cheeks are not glued to a toilet all day. Celebrate!" You can call me Fat and Happy if you must.
If you need some Friday diversion, you can visit http://www.telegraph.co.uk
for the Telegraph's list of the 101 Most Useful Websites. I personally think it's a bit lame to put Google first, since...duh. But further down the list are some good ones, especially Arts & Letters Daily for good reading and the Royal Horticultural Society, which I visit for gardening tips.
And here is an article by two former military men (one of whom was an assistant Secretary of Defense under Reagan) regarding the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's patriotism: chicagotribune.com. As you've no doubt noticed, I've avoided talking about the Wright controversy too much. That is for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, because people in glass houses... I've sat through sermons in Presbyterian churches, Catholic churches and Jewish temples that I'd apparently, by our new standards, have to answer for if I ever ran for office. I belonged to a temple where the rabbi routinely gave sermons with which I did not agree, and with political phraseology I wouldn't use. But that's where I went. It was local. The people were friendly. And, let's be honest, he didn't say that stuff enough to warrant a walkout. And anyone who ever claims I should have is an ass. Secondly, if you watch--actually watch--the ENTIRE sermons delivered by Rev. Wright, and not just the 16 seconds Faux News is showing you, you get a completely different sense of things. Like, for example, in the famous "9/11 is America's chickens coming home to roost" clip, Wright was actually quoting Bush administration Ambassador Peck--speaking on FOX News. Here is a clip of ten minutes of his sermon, most of which strikes me as rather standard Sunday morning fare:
The last minutes of the sermon ask what should be the response to the "unspeakable act" of 9/11, and Wright says it should be self-examination. Less about getting other people right with God and more about making sure YOU are right with God.
And during this day before the sundown that brings in Shabbat, on all things from name calling to preacher judging to engaging in petty nastiness for sport, I say a hearty "Amen" to that.
So let's see what else is shakin'. I just read a short but interesting article in this month's Hadassah magazine on the Kibbutz Ketura's Arava Institute. The institute was founded in the inspiration of the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty in 1996, on the border of the two countries. Environmentalist Alon Tal envisioned bringing together Israeli, Arab and international students to create leadership on issues "transcending national boundaries" in order to forward both environmentalism and peaceful coexistence. What's inspiring is the role that women, both Muslim and Jewish, have played in advancing both the goals of the school and their emerging careers in fields such as environmental law and water management. It's just one story, and one school, but it's the kind that make me feel hopeful; for the environment, for the advancement of women, and for peace. arava.org
By now you've heard that Randi Rhodes of AirAmerica Radio has been suspended for calling HRC a "big f&&&ng whore." Stay classy, Randi. Stay classy. My larger issue with it is what I call my "Ronald Reagan Rule" for Women (huh?!). Ronnie said Thou Shalt Not Speak Ill of a Fellow Republican. I personally think that's hooey. But, from a female perspective, I just really draw the line at women calling other women names like "bitch" and "whore" and "slut." I have disliked plenty of women in my life; don't get me wrong. But, for me, a woman using that kind of epithet towards another woman is not only vulgar (says she of the Multiple F word posts...) but self-hating. Those words were invented to judge and control women on qualities by which men are not similarly judged. And don't tell me "mimbo" is an equivalent. They are angry, nasty words that I just cannot countenance being used about another woman, no matter how much I personally dislike her. Would I allow for "termagant" or "shrew"? Perhaps. But the Seven Deadly Sisters (those evil words used only for women) are absolutely beyond the pale. Even for me.
Speaking of beyond the pale, I'm not so pale anymore. Oh, don't get me wrong. Still Scottish. Still stopping traffic on a sunny day with the glare. But not so...translucent...shall we say these days. So I've got that going for me, what with my functioning red cells and all. I've also got my daily-expanding moon face. When I first took the prednisone, you will recall how upset I was. I had a great chat with one of my best girlfriends the other day that helped me just get over it. She has three kids and each time claims to have gained like 40 pounds during the pregnancy. (As a side note, she is the kind of beautiful that makes an entire room stop and look at her when she enters, and yet she is totally unaware of it). She took it very personally when people would comment on her weight while pregnant (who ARE these people who do these cruel things?!!) because even though you know that you're not "fat" in the traditional sense, you are an object of conversation because of it, and it is also very much out of your hands unless you want to go the Nicole Kidman/Victoria Beckham 12-pound gain route, which no sane person should. So she said you just kind of have to dissociate yourself from the weight (your own issues) while feeling extremely associated with the baby causing it (your love for things other than self). So I practiced dissociating myself from the puffiness enveloping me yesterday while associating myself with the healing as a result of it, and it kind of worked. So I look in the mirror and see this rapidly-expanding face. And whereas a few days ago I'd have been sucking in my cheeks and cursing the gods of water retention, today I just kind of laughed like, "Wow! Those are some cheeks you've got there E! And those cheeks are the reason your butt cheeks are not glued to a toilet all day. Celebrate!" You can call me Fat and Happy if you must.
If you need some Friday diversion, you can visit http://www.telegraph.co.uk
for the Telegraph's list of the 101 Most Useful Websites. I personally think it's a bit lame to put Google first, since...duh. But further down the list are some good ones, especially Arts & Letters Daily for good reading and the Royal Horticultural Society, which I visit for gardening tips.
And here is an article by two former military men (one of whom was an assistant Secretary of Defense under Reagan) regarding the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's patriotism: chicagotribune.com. As you've no doubt noticed, I've avoided talking about the Wright controversy too much. That is for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, because people in glass houses... I've sat through sermons in Presbyterian churches, Catholic churches and Jewish temples that I'd apparently, by our new standards, have to answer for if I ever ran for office. I belonged to a temple where the rabbi routinely gave sermons with which I did not agree, and with political phraseology I wouldn't use. But that's where I went. It was local. The people were friendly. And, let's be honest, he didn't say that stuff enough to warrant a walkout. And anyone who ever claims I should have is an ass. Secondly, if you watch--actually watch--the ENTIRE sermons delivered by Rev. Wright, and not just the 16 seconds Faux News is showing you, you get a completely different sense of things. Like, for example, in the famous "9/11 is America's chickens coming home to roost" clip, Wright was actually quoting Bush administration Ambassador Peck--speaking on FOX News. Here is a clip of ten minutes of his sermon, most of which strikes me as rather standard Sunday morning fare:
The last minutes of the sermon ask what should be the response to the "unspeakable act" of 9/11, and Wright says it should be self-examination. Less about getting other people right with God and more about making sure YOU are right with God.
And during this day before the sundown that brings in Shabbat, on all things from name calling to preacher judging to engaging in petty nastiness for sport, I say a hearty "Amen" to that.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
For the MOTs*
*Members of the Tribe.
And for anyone else who wants to schlep through a post about Passover. (Link to wikipedia on the holiday for the curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover)
That's right, mes amis juifs! Passover is just a couple of weeks away, and that means it's time to start thinking about getting ready for preparing yourself for mulling over what you need to do before it starts.
First, eat lots of pizza. Twice a week till the day before the first Seder. Then order your dried fruits and other "moveable" feasts to keep the matzah mobile. See this post for a review of the deleterious intestinal effects of matzah: http://starspangledhaggis.blogspot.com/2005/04/passover-greetings.html)
If you celebrate Passover like we do (ie, with a small person, very short attention spans, and a need for keeping it fun), then you should consider the 30 Minute Seder: http://www.30minuteseder.com/. You can order it printed or you can download and print it yourself. It's totally kosher and it is going to Save Passover in this house by allowing us to really do it right within the limits imposed by a 3 year-old's attention span and bedtime. Nota bene: It doesn't hurt adult attentions spans either, darlings.
Maybe you want some fun for your Seder? Then head on over to http://shop.yontifications.com/product.sc?productId=18&categoryId=7 for their very festive set of Ten Plagues Wine Glass Charms. They are funny and festive but also really nicely hand made. I want Locusts this year in honor of my ongoing grump whenever I get bad health news: "I can't buy a break these days! This week GVH, next week the goddamn locusts! F!"
Maybe you like to send Passover greetings or gifts via mail? I sure do. Mostly because I am a shut-in who has morphed into the senior citizens at "Del Boca Vista" (my parents' senior apartment building) whom I used to disparage for waiting eagerly by their mailboxes for the mailman to arrive. If you want to send any gifties like shirts or whatnot, you can get some at everything'sjewish: http://www.cafepress.com/oygevalt/2703373. (This one is for Purim rather than Passover, but it's my favorite: http://www.cafepress.com/oygevalt.99304974)
In any case, whether you spend the next few weeks clearing every nanoparticle of every atom of chametz from your home or (like us) will put the bread in the freezer for 8 days, it's never too early to get started. And if all else fails, just remember two things. First:
And second:
http://www.jewtee.com/all.php?category=36
And for anyone else who wants to schlep through a post about Passover. (Link to wikipedia on the holiday for the curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover)
That's right, mes amis juifs! Passover is just a couple of weeks away, and that means it's time to start thinking about getting ready for preparing yourself for mulling over what you need to do before it starts.
First, eat lots of pizza. Twice a week till the day before the first Seder. Then order your dried fruits and other "moveable" feasts to keep the matzah mobile. See this post for a review of the deleterious intestinal effects of matzah: http://starspangledhaggis.blogspot.com/2005/04/passover-greetings.html)
If you celebrate Passover like we do (ie, with a small person, very short attention spans, and a need for keeping it fun), then you should consider the 30 Minute Seder: http://www.30minuteseder.com/. You can order it printed or you can download and print it yourself. It's totally kosher and it is going to Save Passover in this house by allowing us to really do it right within the limits imposed by a 3 year-old's attention span and bedtime. Nota bene: It doesn't hurt adult attentions spans either, darlings.
Maybe you want some fun for your Seder? Then head on over to http://shop.yontifications.com/product.sc?productId=18&categoryId=7 for their very festive set of Ten Plagues Wine Glass Charms. They are funny and festive but also really nicely hand made. I want Locusts this year in honor of my ongoing grump whenever I get bad health news: "I can't buy a break these days! This week GVH, next week the goddamn locusts! F!"
Maybe you like to send Passover greetings or gifts via mail? I sure do. Mostly because I am a shut-in who has morphed into the senior citizens at "Del Boca Vista" (my parents' senior apartment building) whom I used to disparage for waiting eagerly by their mailboxes for the mailman to arrive. If you want to send any gifties like shirts or whatnot, you can get some at everything'sjewish: http://www.cafepress.com/oygevalt/2703373. (This one is for Purim rather than Passover, but it's my favorite: http://www.cafepress.com/oygevalt.99304974)
In any case, whether you spend the next few weeks clearing every nanoparticle of every atom of chametz from your home or (like us) will put the bread in the freezer for 8 days, it's never too early to get started. And if all else fails, just remember two things. First:
And second:
http://www.jewtee.com/all.php?category=36
Undecided
At this late stage of the game, you're not still undecided are you? Okay, maybe you are if you have a job and a life and you don't sit around all day reading political blogs. I feel that. So to help you along I'm providing links to each of the candidate's web sites, specifically their issue pages, so you can do your homework and finally decide how you feel about our economy, our health care system, our schools, our national defense, our trade policy, our foreign policy...and whether you believe in your kishkes that Candidate A is the one for you.
Here is McCain's issue info:
johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/
Here is the link to the downloadable Obama Blueprint For Change, as well as links below to specific issues:
barackobama.com/issues/
You can click here for HRC's list of issue positions:
hillaryclinton.com/issues/
Keep in mind that most of these issue proposals are not detailed, so you may have to dig deeper to get the full information. For instance, the "Undecided?" johnmccain.com/Undecided section of the McCain site is really just full of anodyne platitudes and calls-to-arms like, "This election will decide whether we choose to fight or announce surrender." Not super helpful in terms of how the war will be waged, paid for, ended. On the economy, his issues page is pretty short. Somewhat specific but not very detailed: johnmccain.com/Informing
HRC's site requires you to dig about three layers to get Fact Sheets on her specific plans for the stimulus package, etc. hillaryclinton.com/news/release
Obama's site also goes a couple of layers to the point where you can read more on the site or download a PDF of his various plan details: barackobama.com/issues/economy/
Now the work is yours. So don't let me hear you say "that candidate is all talk and has no specifics!" Or "I think the candidates are all kind of the same, aren't they?" They are all different: in style, substance and idea presentation. And they all require a little legwork on your part to arrive at a decision.
Or, as George Bernard Shaw said, "Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."
Here is McCain's issue info:
johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/
Here is the link to the downloadable Obama Blueprint For Change, as well as links below to specific issues:
barackobama.com/issues/
You can click here for HRC's list of issue positions:
hillaryclinton.com/issues/
Keep in mind that most of these issue proposals are not detailed, so you may have to dig deeper to get the full information. For instance, the "Undecided?" johnmccain.com/Undecided section of the McCain site is really just full of anodyne platitudes and calls-to-arms like, "This election will decide whether we choose to fight or announce surrender." Not super helpful in terms of how the war will be waged, paid for, ended. On the economy, his issues page is pretty short. Somewhat specific but not very detailed: johnmccain.com/Informing
HRC's site requires you to dig about three layers to get Fact Sheets on her specific plans for the stimulus package, etc. hillaryclinton.com/news/release
Obama's site also goes a couple of layers to the point where you can read more on the site or download a PDF of his various plan details: barackobama.com/issues/economy/
Now the work is yours. So don't let me hear you say "that candidate is all talk and has no specifics!" Or "I think the candidates are all kind of the same, aren't they?" They are all different: in style, substance and idea presentation. And they all require a little legwork on your part to arrive at a decision.
Or, as George Bernard Shaw said, "Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
The Boob Tube
I know the presidential election is ongoing and we should all be focused on Very Important Issues, but it's Tuesday and that means it's American Idol. More importantly, it's Tuesday and it's Dolly Parton Night on American Idol. I love Dolly. The love I feel for Dolly rivals my love for Annie Lennox and dare I say even surpasses the love I have for Ewan McGregor. Yeah. It's like that.
I love Dolly because she is so real. I recognize how ludicrous that sounds to a person beholding her very dolled-up and enhanced image. But she's so open about how "it takes a lot of money to look this trashy" and how if something starts "sagging, bagging or dragging" she's going to have it lifted. Most meaningfully for me, Dolly came from nothing, and her music genuinely reflects her life experience.
So I'm a fan, however dorky that may make me. Therefore imagine my combined excitement and trepidation as I sat down to watch amateur singers under the age of 23 offer their takes on the Dolly catalogue. Oh dear.
The usually-good Brooke did a rather jolly version of Jolene. If you're not familiar with "Jolene" it is a song wherein a woman is so literally in pain that she is begging another woman to please not take her man "just because you can." This song, as sung by Dolly, is so desolate and so desperate and you just ache as you hear her sing it to hear her so low. And along comes Brooke to make it jaunty!
Then along comes the Dave Matthewsesque, David, to sing Little Sparrow. I admire this guy's grit. He's looking at song choices, trying to think of an appropriate arrangement, and says, "Yeah. I can rock Little Sparrow."
Then comes Ramiele. Aw, bless. Wee person, big voice, no idea what to do with it. Singing right over the rhythm, dressed like I did circa 1988.
Next up was the unremittingly improbable Jason Castro. People I know love this guy (oh you know who you are and I may out you soon), but I just can't see it. He picked (heresy warning) Travelin', which is not one of Dolly's best. And neither was it his.
Comes next Carly, the mid-twentyish, big-voiced Irish bartender. My first thoughts: no one over the age of 15 should be wearing skintight leggings, tall boots and a peasant top. At least, no one over the age of 15 who is not currently serving drinks. I thought she did a decent job of...hmm...I can't actually remember which song she did. Nuff said.
Which brings us to Kristy Lee. If I didn't want to pretend I had a life, I'd have to make it my mission to get this chick off the show. I can deliver many an insult, but I like to think the worst I can ever offer about someone is to say he or she is "vanilla pudding." Which is no slight on vanilla pudding, which I happen to enjoy a great deal, perhaps with some nilla wafers and sliced banana on top. But if you show up as an entertainer and give me vanilla pudding, I am looking for a refund. Kristy Lee is running a tab with me is all I'm sayin.
Then we get to Syesha who I generally like. She's got a really nice voice and good stage presence. She chose I Will Always Love You and did a hybrid between the quieter, sadder Dolly version and the key-change/star search Whitney version. Simon summed it up when he said that she did the Dolly part really well but the Whitney part fell a bit flat. Y'all. Can we just set a rule that You Cannot Do Whitney Houston? Hell, Whitney Houston can't do Whitney Houston anymore! Back in the day her singing was huge--and effortless. And ain't nothing more painful than watching a singer get into her Bruce Springsteen facial gyration zone to attempt to nail the "Hhhhaaaaaand Hhhhhhhiiiiii Will Alwaaaaays Loooooooove Yooooooouuuuuuu!" money shot. You can be good, so good. But if you ain't Whitney, don't sing her. Don't even get in "reminiscent" territory because all you will do is remind people of how you so ended up doubling that Triple Whitney Salkow.
Then we had the sweet and childlike David, this generation's Jonathan Taylor Thomas. He sang Smoky Mountain Memories like he meant it. I was so happy because I literally couldn't take one more beating on a Dolly song.
The end of the evening followed Michael Johns, the Australian guy alternately trying to channel Michael Hutchence and Jim Morrison. He nailed It's All Wrong But It's All Right. I was worried after his Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go selection during 80's week, so I do have to say "Thank you for not doing Islands In The Stream, dude." My sanity thanks you.
So that's my razor-sharp critique of a deeply significant and momentous event in the life and history of our nation.
**And just to level things out here, I must now confess to gross ignorance of my own. A movie about The Band is on VH1 (The Last Waltz), and not only did I never know that The Band was an actual band (like, would I name this The Blog?! And "Robbie Robertson"? TOTALLY a made-up name! Right?), but I did not realize that Dr. Teeth, the muppet, was based on Dr. John (a guest in the movie) rather than the other way around.
Looks like Idol Season 8 might have one more auditioner...
I love Dolly because she is so real. I recognize how ludicrous that sounds to a person beholding her very dolled-up and enhanced image. But she's so open about how "it takes a lot of money to look this trashy" and how if something starts "sagging, bagging or dragging" she's going to have it lifted. Most meaningfully for me, Dolly came from nothing, and her music genuinely reflects her life experience.
So I'm a fan, however dorky that may make me. Therefore imagine my combined excitement and trepidation as I sat down to watch amateur singers under the age of 23 offer their takes on the Dolly catalogue. Oh dear.
The usually-good Brooke did a rather jolly version of Jolene. If you're not familiar with "Jolene" it is a song wherein a woman is so literally in pain that she is begging another woman to please not take her man "just because you can." This song, as sung by Dolly, is so desolate and so desperate and you just ache as you hear her sing it to hear her so low. And along comes Brooke to make it jaunty!
Then along comes the Dave Matthewsesque, David, to sing Little Sparrow. I admire this guy's grit. He's looking at song choices, trying to think of an appropriate arrangement, and says, "Yeah. I can rock Little Sparrow."
Then comes Ramiele. Aw, bless. Wee person, big voice, no idea what to do with it. Singing right over the rhythm, dressed like I did circa 1988.
Next up was the unremittingly improbable Jason Castro. People I know love this guy (oh you know who you are and I may out you soon), but I just can't see it. He picked (heresy warning) Travelin', which is not one of Dolly's best. And neither was it his.
Comes next Carly, the mid-twentyish, big-voiced Irish bartender. My first thoughts: no one over the age of 15 should be wearing skintight leggings, tall boots and a peasant top. At least, no one over the age of 15 who is not currently serving drinks. I thought she did a decent job of...hmm...I can't actually remember which song she did. Nuff said.
Which brings us to Kristy Lee. If I didn't want to pretend I had a life, I'd have to make it my mission to get this chick off the show. I can deliver many an insult, but I like to think the worst I can ever offer about someone is to say he or she is "vanilla pudding." Which is no slight on vanilla pudding, which I happen to enjoy a great deal, perhaps with some nilla wafers and sliced banana on top. But if you show up as an entertainer and give me vanilla pudding, I am looking for a refund. Kristy Lee is running a tab with me is all I'm sayin.
Then we get to Syesha who I generally like. She's got a really nice voice and good stage presence. She chose I Will Always Love You and did a hybrid between the quieter, sadder Dolly version and the key-change/star search Whitney version. Simon summed it up when he said that she did the Dolly part really well but the Whitney part fell a bit flat. Y'all. Can we just set a rule that You Cannot Do Whitney Houston? Hell, Whitney Houston can't do Whitney Houston anymore! Back in the day her singing was huge--and effortless. And ain't nothing more painful than watching a singer get into her Bruce Springsteen facial gyration zone to attempt to nail the "Hhhhaaaaaand Hhhhhhhiiiiii Will Alwaaaaays Loooooooove Yooooooouuuuuuu!" money shot. You can be good, so good. But if you ain't Whitney, don't sing her. Don't even get in "reminiscent" territory because all you will do is remind people of how you so ended up doubling that Triple Whitney Salkow.
Then we had the sweet and childlike David, this generation's Jonathan Taylor Thomas. He sang Smoky Mountain Memories like he meant it. I was so happy because I literally couldn't take one more beating on a Dolly song.
The end of the evening followed Michael Johns, the Australian guy alternately trying to channel Michael Hutchence and Jim Morrison. He nailed It's All Wrong But It's All Right. I was worried after his Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go selection during 80's week, so I do have to say "Thank you for not doing Islands In The Stream, dude." My sanity thanks you.
So that's my razor-sharp critique of a deeply significant and momentous event in the life and history of our nation.
**And just to level things out here, I must now confess to gross ignorance of my own. A movie about The Band is on VH1 (The Last Waltz), and not only did I never know that The Band was an actual band (like, would I name this The Blog?! And "Robbie Robertson"? TOTALLY a made-up name! Right?), but I did not realize that Dr. Teeth, the muppet, was based on Dr. John (a guest in the movie) rather than the other way around.Looks like Idol Season 8 might have one more auditioner...
So Taxing
Not much posting going on this week, darlings, due to the looming deadline for tax filing. This is my first year doing the taxes and all I can say is Thank You God for TurboTax. It's almost painless...almost. The painful part is dealing with the two-state residency during the year, especially when DC was one of those "states." All night I was wondering how it was possible for us to get small refunds from the feds and MA and yet still owe DC a chunk of money...when we only lived there for a few months out of the year. I miss DC in so many ways, but believe me, paying high taxes for zero services is not one of them.
Which brings me to a post that was on The Moderate Voice yesterday about Newt Gingrich's underreported speech on race and inequality. Check it out themoderatevoice.com. In his speech, Gingrich goes half-way there, acknowledging that "Segregation was a horrible institution imposed by force by the state. It ruined the lives of people, it crippled their futures, it was a terrible injustice, and it is totally authentic to be angry about it. As Senator Obama notes, 'the legalized discrimination—where blacks were prevented, often through violence, from owning property, or loans were not granted to African-American business owners, or black homeowners could not access FHA mortgages, or blacks were excluded from unions, or the police force, or fire departments—meant that black families could not amass any meaningful wealth to bequeath to future generations.' Anyone who thinks that there was not this destructive impact is simply not in touch with the reality of American history for African-Americans."
As the author says, it was encouraging to see a high-level conservative actually discussing options for bold solutions to these intractable problems. But unfortunately Gingrich insists that crumbling inner-city schools are not the result of racism. Yes, gross mismanagement has a lot to do with it, but let's be honest here: the schools in the "white" areas of DC are pretty good. How are those somehow better if they are part of the same single grossly mismanaged system? How did the school that Bambina would have gone to get to continue operating with drug dealers in the playgrounds after hours when we all know that a similar issue would never have been allowed to fester in upper northwest DC? The junior high school near us had only ONE boy's bathroom functioning for A YEAR. A YEAR. Anyone want to guess how long that would have persisted in a different neighborhood--and why? The answer is plain for anyone who really cares to see reality.
As stressful as it was trying to figure out how we could get Bambina properly educated without going bankrupt in DC, I do feel like the experience was a valuable one, if only in terms of perspective. In speaking with some parents here in our new town, you would think the local schools are one step away from collapse. Kids in trailers! Fifteen-or twelve--kids per classroom! How will my precious snowflake ever get into an Ivy and earn his first million if he has to share a teacher with twelve other kids when he's eight?!!! So there are school problems and then there are school problems...
Like the one currently roiling around Newton North High School. www.wickedlocal.com For an exercise in perspective (and to really talk about the other, darker side of Gingrich's "most expensive" school systems), you really must read up on the proposed $198 MILLION dollar rebuilding of Newton North. Oh yeah. That's MILLION. For a high school. Because, as you know, snowflakes must have their school designed by a world famous architect. And the school must have a restaurant. And an indoor pool. How else will our precious ones compete in this big bad world if we don't give them the equivalent of a medium-sized city's convention center? And all for the cost of a gigantic tax override.
The Mayor said, “One of the reasons that the city of Newton’s schools is as successful as they are and one of the reasons why the city of Newton is really a leader among communities, is the fact that they have a very thorough academic program,” he said. “The program that we will be offering at the new Newton North … will maintain Newton’s position as a leader in the state and in the country.” Fair enough. So let's see if Newton's mayor can take us from Point A ("thorough academic program" [also seeking his evidence that Newton schools are better than other towns' schools]) to Point B (how a concert hall with balcony seating, glass walls between classrooms, and a 2,000 seat arena directly and measurably create that thorough academic program).
You think throwing money at crumbling schools is insane? How about throwing money at schools that are precisely the opposite of crumbling? It boggles the mind. Yes, I want my kid to have the best public education she can get. I never want her in an unsafe, crumbling building. But I pray to God I never ever lose perspective to the point that I think her future requires $198 million dollars to ensure. When we send kids to school in squalor, with no bathrooms and no paper, we send the message to them that we don't care about them or value their education. By the same token, if I demand that my kid be schooled in $200 million dollars of palatial luxury, I'm sending an equally destructive message, also about how little I truly value genuine education.
Which brings me to a post that was on The Moderate Voice yesterday about Newt Gingrich's underreported speech on race and inequality. Check it out themoderatevoice.com. In his speech, Gingrich goes half-way there, acknowledging that "Segregation was a horrible institution imposed by force by the state. It ruined the lives of people, it crippled their futures, it was a terrible injustice, and it is totally authentic to be angry about it. As Senator Obama notes, 'the legalized discrimination—where blacks were prevented, often through violence, from owning property, or loans were not granted to African-American business owners, or black homeowners could not access FHA mortgages, or blacks were excluded from unions, or the police force, or fire departments—meant that black families could not amass any meaningful wealth to bequeath to future generations.' Anyone who thinks that there was not this destructive impact is simply not in touch with the reality of American history for African-Americans."
As the author says, it was encouraging to see a high-level conservative actually discussing options for bold solutions to these intractable problems. But unfortunately Gingrich insists that crumbling inner-city schools are not the result of racism. Yes, gross mismanagement has a lot to do with it, but let's be honest here: the schools in the "white" areas of DC are pretty good. How are those somehow better if they are part of the same single grossly mismanaged system? How did the school that Bambina would have gone to get to continue operating with drug dealers in the playgrounds after hours when we all know that a similar issue would never have been allowed to fester in upper northwest DC? The junior high school near us had only ONE boy's bathroom functioning for A YEAR. A YEAR. Anyone want to guess how long that would have persisted in a different neighborhood--and why? The answer is plain for anyone who really cares to see reality.
As stressful as it was trying to figure out how we could get Bambina properly educated without going bankrupt in DC, I do feel like the experience was a valuable one, if only in terms of perspective. In speaking with some parents here in our new town, you would think the local schools are one step away from collapse. Kids in trailers! Fifteen-or twelve--kids per classroom! How will my precious snowflake ever get into an Ivy and earn his first million if he has to share a teacher with twelve other kids when he's eight?!!! So there are school problems and then there are school problems...
Like the one currently roiling around Newton North High School. www.wickedlocal.com For an exercise in perspective (and to really talk about the other, darker side of Gingrich's "most expensive" school systems), you really must read up on the proposed $198 MILLION dollar rebuilding of Newton North. Oh yeah. That's MILLION. For a high school. Because, as you know, snowflakes must have their school designed by a world famous architect. And the school must have a restaurant. And an indoor pool. How else will our precious ones compete in this big bad world if we don't give them the equivalent of a medium-sized city's convention center? And all for the cost of a gigantic tax override.
The Mayor said, “One of the reasons that the city of Newton’s schools is as successful as they are and one of the reasons why the city of Newton is really a leader among communities, is the fact that they have a very thorough academic program,” he said. “The program that we will be offering at the new Newton North … will maintain Newton’s position as a leader in the state and in the country.” Fair enough. So let's see if Newton's mayor can take us from Point A ("thorough academic program" [also seeking his evidence that Newton schools are better than other towns' schools]) to Point B (how a concert hall with balcony seating, glass walls between classrooms, and a 2,000 seat arena directly and measurably create that thorough academic program).
You think throwing money at crumbling schools is insane? How about throwing money at schools that are precisely the opposite of crumbling? It boggles the mind. Yes, I want my kid to have the best public education she can get. I never want her in an unsafe, crumbling building. But I pray to God I never ever lose perspective to the point that I think her future requires $198 million dollars to ensure. When we send kids to school in squalor, with no bathrooms and no paper, we send the message to them that we don't care about them or value their education. By the same token, if I demand that my kid be schooled in $200 million dollars of palatial luxury, I'm sending an equally destructive message, also about how little I truly value genuine education.
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