- Strange but true: Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. What's it mean? Well...for starters, it's a grammatically correct sentence, believe it or not.
- Weird Al! He's great and in my opinion, very talented. Meet Weird Al, Stealth Pop Musicologist. Michael Ian Black's praise.
- When will politicians realize that by holding the office they do they should be held, and even (shocker) hold themselves, to a higher level of scrutiny and accountability for their actions, whether they can be labeled as part of a personal life or not. By running for office you give up that personal life, whether that's fair or not. Especially if you lay a claim to a higher degree of moral righteousness because you always, always get proven wrong on that score. And you always get caught. And they you try to talk your way out of it and can't. So, politicians, don't be jerks (insert more appropriate euphemism or pejorative) and just don't cheat on your wives or be interesting in the shady legal or moral sense because it's not interesting when you cajole people into believing in you. Then it's just a betrayal. Not just of your family but your purported beliefs and your constituents. And makes your rivals giggle with glee. Every tower topples so go against the stereotype and be a stand up guy. Shock us, I dare you. (Side note: Way to stand up for yourself South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford) Also, Marion Barry, it doesn’t matter if it’s legal or not to hire significant others to work in your office on the taxpayer’s dime…it’s the appearance issue and again, the betrayal of public trust. You of all people should understand the importance of appearing to have high morals that the voters usually hold politicians to.
- Oh, and Sarah Palin? Thanks for confirming every thought I’ve ever had about you. Way to flake out on your constituents.
- In 'D.C.,' A Mayoral Race That's Every Bit As Tight As Spandex The problem with superheroes is that they always look better on paper and in a crisis...not too good at the day to day stuff. And they'd always be running off trying to save the world or whatever.
- The Defenestration of Prague...in Legos!. For those of you who don't know the significance, it was a prelude to the Thirty Year's War and gave us the term defenestration...one of the words out there where the first three letters are in order alphabetically. And it's fun. And we probably got the word from the German word for window, fenster, plus de for…well, un.
- And now I really want to be in London: ‘All Around London, An Invitation to Make Music’
- Schott’s Vocab- inflationary language Too twoderful for words.
- I like how 4 of the top 10 cities are in Florida. 10 Meanest Cities
- Apollo Moon missions article by John Noble Wilford. Happy anniversary Apollo 11.
- Ten Ways to Get Punched While Seeing the New Harry Potter
I’d like to add to the woman behind me in the theater saying “he’s going to die now” and totally jumping the gun by about 7 or so minutes. I mean, of course he was, but you don’t ruin the set up. Also, I was worried the New Moon trailer right off the bat was going to spoil the whole thing (talk about attempting to hook onto an audience…and really annoying those of us who found the books after the 1st to be whiny and annoying, though to be fair, she was kind of annoying in the first too) but it didn’t. Granted, things were moved around and secondary characters were completely shafted but the plot was advanced, the set up was set up for the next movies and I appreciated the emotional recognition on behalf of two of the trio…better in the book and perhaps more true to life in the book, but there was that added camaraderie. They’re going to be great in-laws.
- Sea monsters? The ‘Zombie’ Follow-up: ‘Sense and Sensiblity and Sea Monsters’ Seriously? Sense and Sensibility is the one book of Austen’s where none of her heroes are active military people (Colonel Brandon’s retired) and none are in the Navy. Now Persuasion with sea monsters where Captain Wentworth is doing the Pirates of the Caribbean Davy Jones thing? That’s more plausible…which is why I guess they made resolutely landlocked S&S the one with the sea monsters. Still, I’m going to read it.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
18 July 2009
05 June 2009
Musings, Part BB
- Escapism in Minutiae of Daily Life. Now I just need the computer to play it.
- Either this guy just writes well or he really is a cool guy. Why I'm Giving Away $1 Billion. Kudos to you Peter Peterson.
- Intriguing idea: Other Shows That Could Use A Giant 'Wipeout'-Style Catapult. You know, I might watch some of these if they made hurling people into the air a regular practice...
- Wow, thanks DC weather. Great for my birthday but on the day I'm roaming about after work in nice pants and shoes, we get a severe thunderstorm warning. April was the showers month, this is June. And we're not supposed to have sympathetic weather up here for Florida's hurricane season. And if it's going to rain, how about lowering the temperature on the day it rains, not just briefly the day after?
- One of those constants: Tom Hanks is a nice guy. Cool too. The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Tue, June 2, 2009.
- I want my marriage (when I have one) to be like this when I'm their age...though without the Alzheimer's. Still, if it's like this after 60 years...that's a life well lived. 60 Years of Marriage: Laughter is Love.
- Nancy Drew! She's awesome and can do anything. And then go to luncheon. Why Do Lawyers Love Nancy Drew? It's No Mystery.
- I find myself rewatching Fantastic Four now that I've seen the Horatio Hornblower: New Adventures movies (and Netflix, get on the ball and let me get the original 6 disc collection, I see it mocking me in Borders, why can't you be a friend like you have been all these months and move it from saved into my queue?). I just not sure which Ioan Gruffudd is better...but I think I have to go with the one with the accent. You win, Horatio. Sorry, Reed. You're awesome and smart and all but I have to stick with the Napoleonic war era naval genius version. I'm sure you understand.
- Speaking of movies, I totally lucked out and got the Thin Man collection for my birthday. The banter is mine, all mine! And I now have the William Powell and Myrna Loy collection, five other delightful movies with the pair of them. I wonder why they don't get touted as a great screen couple like Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy...they were in quite a few together, had great chemistry, and great dialogue. Well, at least I can appreciate them.
- Either this guy just writes well or he really is a cool guy. Why I'm Giving Away $1 Billion. Kudos to you Peter Peterson.
- Intriguing idea: Other Shows That Could Use A Giant 'Wipeout'-Style Catapult. You know, I might watch some of these if they made hurling people into the air a regular practice...
- Wow, thanks DC weather. Great for my birthday but on the day I'm roaming about after work in nice pants and shoes, we get a severe thunderstorm warning. April was the showers month, this is June. And we're not supposed to have sympathetic weather up here for Florida's hurricane season. And if it's going to rain, how about lowering the temperature on the day it rains, not just briefly the day after?
- One of those constants: Tom Hanks is a nice guy. Cool too. The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: Tue, June 2, 2009.
- I want my marriage (when I have one) to be like this when I'm their age...though without the Alzheimer's. Still, if it's like this after 60 years...that's a life well lived. 60 Years of Marriage: Laughter is Love.
- Nancy Drew! She's awesome and can do anything. And then go to luncheon. Why Do Lawyers Love Nancy Drew? It's No Mystery.
- I find myself rewatching Fantastic Four now that I've seen the Horatio Hornblower: New Adventures movies (and Netflix, get on the ball and let me get the original 6 disc collection, I see it mocking me in Borders, why can't you be a friend like you have been all these months and move it from saved into my queue?). I just not sure which Ioan Gruffudd is better...but I think I have to go with the one with the accent. You win, Horatio. Sorry, Reed. You're awesome and smart and all but I have to stick with the Napoleonic war era naval genius version. I'm sure you understand.
- Speaking of movies, I totally lucked out and got the Thin Man collection for my birthday. The banter is mine, all mine! And I now have the William Powell and Myrna Loy collection, five other delightful movies with the pair of them. I wonder why they don't get touted as a great screen couple like Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy...they were in quite a few together, had great chemistry, and great dialogue. Well, at least I can appreciate them.
28 May 2009
Musings, Part Z
- Fallingwater as a Lego set? Count me in! A Frank Lloyd Wright Masterwork- In Legos.
- Up! Looks awesome and I'm glad critics seem to like it. Pixar's Small Wonder. And a brief history of the company: "Up", Up and Away With the Kids. And Giacchino's done the score again? Awesome. And the director did Monsters, Inc and worked on Wall-E? Awesome. 'Up' and Away With Pixar's Pete Docter.
- Interesting times we live in: Bush v. Gore Foes Join Forces to Fight Gay Marriage Ban.
- In Praise of Broadway's Orchestrators. You know, you don't think about it much but a composer can't crank out all of it for a show. A symphony maybe, but a show? Not quite.
- Benny Goodman! Born on my birthday. When I decided (apparently, at least that's the story my parents tell) to be born late I must have been planning even then to follow my dad and play clarinet so I'd have to be born on a famous clarinetist's birthday. How Benny Goodman Won Over America.
- I wonder where the closest one to DC is...Company's 'ATM for Books' Prints On Demand.
- DC's just exploded with Lincoln related exhibits at museums for the bi-centennial. And now the Archives got a letter written by him. Lost Lincoln Letter Donated to National Archives.
- Up! Looks awesome and I'm glad critics seem to like it. Pixar's Small Wonder. And a brief history of the company: "Up", Up and Away With the Kids. And Giacchino's done the score again? Awesome. And the director did Monsters, Inc and worked on Wall-E? Awesome. 'Up' and Away With Pixar's Pete Docter.
- Interesting times we live in: Bush v. Gore Foes Join Forces to Fight Gay Marriage Ban.
- In Praise of Broadway's Orchestrators. You know, you don't think about it much but a composer can't crank out all of it for a show. A symphony maybe, but a show? Not quite.
- Benny Goodman! Born on my birthday. When I decided (apparently, at least that's the story my parents tell) to be born late I must have been planning even then to follow my dad and play clarinet so I'd have to be born on a famous clarinetist's birthday. How Benny Goodman Won Over America.
- I wonder where the closest one to DC is...Company's 'ATM for Books' Prints On Demand.
- DC's just exploded with Lincoln related exhibits at museums for the bi-centennial. And now the Archives got a letter written by him. Lost Lincoln Letter Donated to National Archives.
20 May 2009
Musings, Part X
- Not That High School Musical. Glee is actually not bad, it's got a pretty good cast from what the pilot shows and it was actually a pretty fun hour.
- I hope he's screaming in agony in hell: The Fuhrer Returns to Berlin, This Time Saluted Only By Laughs. I think the combination of the play, and the banners that replace the swastika with a pretzel (genius, by the way) is the best thing that can happen to Berlin. They acknowledge the burden but slap the man responsible in the face, well, metaphorically. Satire at its best.
- Well, whenever I get homesick I can just go here: Disney Buys Land for Future Resort Hotel at National Harbor.
- Hubble! A Space Mission Worthy of Our Attention.
- Designing 'Up'-Well-Rounded Boy, Meet Old Square. I still think Carl's adorable. Grumpy old man or not, he's cute. And he's a balloon salesman? Awesome.
- Do two occurances qualify as a curse? I have now been to a concert at the DAR Hall here in DC twice now, once this past October for Jason Mraz and once last night for Keane. Each time there was a woman near me who was either high off of something (I'm going with drunk) or just really was the type of person who needed to go to a concert in a club without seats so everyone was being loud and dancing along. Last time the woman wanted people to be standing because heaven forbid we use the chairs we paid for and some of us are still getting used to the concept that concerts mean more than staying still and quiet while appreciating the music quietly until a piece is over (and make sure it doesn't have multiple movements because clapping after one? total faux pas). Last night the woman must have not had any bones because she was all over the place dancing, security managed to calm her down though I think, all I cared about was that she was out of my line of sight.
Beyond that, the concert was great. Wow are they energetic. Lights, always moving. You could tell that the lead singer was absolutely drenched in sweat by about the 5th song. Putting aside the energy he put into the performance, those lights have to be incredibly hot, they're certainly bright enough on my end. Great group, great songs, great supporting acts. Mat Kearney (the one I'd heard about) even quipped about his claim to fame saying that you write these songs for yourself and friends and someone decides a doctor should make out to it and you say of course that's what you wrote it for. Grey's Anatomy used "Breathe In, Breathe Out". I think my ears have fully recovered.
- Also, trying to ride the Blue/Orange lines of the Metro through the downtown stations around 5:30 is akin to suicide or hell or a highly concentrated new Disney attraction line. Crazy, insane, I'm so glad I live on the Red line, though it has it's crazy times as well.
- So, I confess I have read the first 3 Twilight books. I have an electronic copy of the 4th and I guess I'll read it one day (I've skimmed enough to get the main details) but I'm currently in no hurry. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. Yes, it's an interesting take on the whole vampire-human thing with werewolves thrown in because they always seem to be the other piece of the triangle. I liked the first but then...they got whiny. Bella got on my nerves and I never cared for Jacob. And I like vampire stories in general, it's kind of fun comparing the different ones and how they deal with the whole human-interaction thing: sun, no sun, how to kill them, blood issues, etc. Maybe my problem with vampire book series is the style of Meyer's writing and her tone. Perhaps these books will be better, there are certainly more of them and hey, adults are the focus, not teenagers who I suppose are inherently whiny. Vampire-Loving Barmaid Hits Jackpot for Charlaine Harris.
- Question: Who's the Longest-Running Fictional Character Ever? Sort of who you'd expect.
- By the way, love the originality of NCIS: Los Angeles. I was really pulling for a new intialization, as NCIS was the spinoff from JAG. Alas, not to be.
- Rocky and Bullwinkle's on Hulu? Score.
- I hope he's screaming in agony in hell: The Fuhrer Returns to Berlin, This Time Saluted Only By Laughs. I think the combination of the play, and the banners that replace the swastika with a pretzel (genius, by the way) is the best thing that can happen to Berlin. They acknowledge the burden but slap the man responsible in the face, well, metaphorically. Satire at its best.
- Well, whenever I get homesick I can just go here: Disney Buys Land for Future Resort Hotel at National Harbor.
- Hubble! A Space Mission Worthy of Our Attention.
- Designing 'Up'-Well-Rounded Boy, Meet Old Square. I still think Carl's adorable. Grumpy old man or not, he's cute. And he's a balloon salesman? Awesome.
- Do two occurances qualify as a curse? I have now been to a concert at the DAR Hall here in DC twice now, once this past October for Jason Mraz and once last night for Keane. Each time there was a woman near me who was either high off of something (I'm going with drunk) or just really was the type of person who needed to go to a concert in a club without seats so everyone was being loud and dancing along. Last time the woman wanted people to be standing because heaven forbid we use the chairs we paid for and some of us are still getting used to the concept that concerts mean more than staying still and quiet while appreciating the music quietly until a piece is over (and make sure it doesn't have multiple movements because clapping after one? total faux pas). Last night the woman must have not had any bones because she was all over the place dancing, security managed to calm her down though I think, all I cared about was that she was out of my line of sight.
Beyond that, the concert was great. Wow are they energetic. Lights, always moving. You could tell that the lead singer was absolutely drenched in sweat by about the 5th song. Putting aside the energy he put into the performance, those lights have to be incredibly hot, they're certainly bright enough on my end. Great group, great songs, great supporting acts. Mat Kearney (the one I'd heard about) even quipped about his claim to fame saying that you write these songs for yourself and friends and someone decides a doctor should make out to it and you say of course that's what you wrote it for. Grey's Anatomy used "Breathe In, Breathe Out". I think my ears have fully recovered.
- Also, trying to ride the Blue/Orange lines of the Metro through the downtown stations around 5:30 is akin to suicide or hell or a highly concentrated new Disney attraction line. Crazy, insane, I'm so glad I live on the Red line, though it has it's crazy times as well.
- So, I confess I have read the first 3 Twilight books. I have an electronic copy of the 4th and I guess I'll read it one day (I've skimmed enough to get the main details) but I'm currently in no hurry. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. Yes, it's an interesting take on the whole vampire-human thing with werewolves thrown in because they always seem to be the other piece of the triangle. I liked the first but then...they got whiny. Bella got on my nerves and I never cared for Jacob. And I like vampire stories in general, it's kind of fun comparing the different ones and how they deal with the whole human-interaction thing: sun, no sun, how to kill them, blood issues, etc. Maybe my problem with vampire book series is the style of Meyer's writing and her tone. Perhaps these books will be better, there are certainly more of them and hey, adults are the focus, not teenagers who I suppose are inherently whiny. Vampire-Loving Barmaid Hits Jackpot for Charlaine Harris.
- Question: Who's the Longest-Running Fictional Character Ever? Sort of who you'd expect.
- By the way, love the originality of NCIS: Los Angeles. I was really pulling for a new intialization, as NCIS was the spinoff from JAG. Alas, not to be.
- Rocky and Bullwinkle's on Hulu? Score.
27 April 2009
Musings, Part P
- I missed Shakespeare Day? Oh, Chicago. You have art museums, pizza, hot dogs, you had a pretty bad fire back in the 1870s, you're not too pure politics-wise and now Shakespeare Day. Awesome.
- With Kindle, Can You Tell It's Proust?. I have a Kindle, one of the first generation ones. I got it using birthday money from my grandparents that they gave me early so I could enter the queue for it on Amazon. I still remember the thrill when I got the email that I'd moved to the front (or really, that production had moved to my spot) and my Kindle would be arriving soon. My new toy was shiny (well, bright white) and awesome. I carried it everywhere, still do. For me, an unapologetic bookworm, the Kindle doesn't replace books. I still buy them and request them in lists that most people would wince at (the length, not the titles I hope). I take a book with me everywhere and now I take my Kindle. It's like the transition from having a cd player to having an iPod, you still buy music (I now mostly download, legally, from the iTunes store and keep my shopping cart on there full, waiting the day when I either have more money or just need new music) it's just easier to carry around and change at a whim. I still buy books and I'll never, ever stop. Now, I can just get electronic versions as well so when I travel I don't have to pack three or four books (depending on the length of the trip it may be more or less) I can just pack the Kindle and it's power cord. I can change computer Word documents to text files and load them up and read them away from the computer without having to print things out (which kills trees and I'm so used to reading off the computer I wouldn't bother anyway), I can even make notes on the document while I go and with the smaller screen, be able to focus on a couple paragraphs at a time without being distracted by something else on the page. And yeah, so people don't know what I'm reading, but if it's a guilty pleasure, I don't mind being mysterious. Let them think its Dickens or Tolstoy, I'll just be happy with my Alex Archer or JD Robb. Terry Pratchett though...that I wouldn't mind advertising. And with my Kindle, I can always stop in the middle of whatever I'm reading and indulge in some Pride and Prejudice.
- Oh, Star Trek. You're awesome. Until this article (Vulcans Never, Ever Smile), I didn't realize a series had been on pretty much consistently from the year after I was born until the end of my freshman year of college (if it really has been only 4 years since Enterprise went off the air). I think one of the things that sets it apart from other sci-fi series is that it's a very hopeful vision of the future. Earth is a utopia, there's basically a United States of the universe in the United Federation of Planets. The military arm of the UFP has a mainly scientific mission, to discover new stuff and boldly go. There's even a rule (the Prime Directive) about not mucking about in cultures which aren't at the same technology level you are, a kind of anti-imperialism which is awesome. Yeah, they fight bad guys, but to protect freedom and all that (We're All Trekkies Now). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of apocalyptic/utopian/dystopian sci-fi but I'm an equal opportunity sci-fi reader, I'll read anything that looks like it has an interesting plot. And Star Trek is no stranger to the darker stuff, Section 31, fleshed out in Deep Space Nine (my personal favorite series), acts as an intelligence bureau with seemingly no real oversight or accountability for their machinations, they just claim to "defend" the Federation. There's parallels to the Holocaust with the Cardassian's subjugation of the Bajorans, fears about keeping one's individuality and resisting oppression with the Borg, fears about being able to tailor your child to be better and stronger through Dr. Bashir's illegal genetic engineering (that his parents did to him when he was a child, fearing he would always be slower than the others). But it's still hopeful and a universe where diversity is accepted without question, no matter whether it is skin color, religious background, number of forehead ridges, or whether a person has red blood or green, everyone is alien so no one is excluded. What a wonderful world.
- Mexico City is not having a good day. First, the swine flu thing so people are staying indoors and now, a 6.0 earthquake meaning that not even indoors is safe (Strong Earthquake Felt in Mexico City). Welcome to the beginning of the end of April, Mexico. Happy Monday.
- Cue girlish aww: Suppers at Midnight.
- With Kindle, Can You Tell It's Proust?. I have a Kindle, one of the first generation ones. I got it using birthday money from my grandparents that they gave me early so I could enter the queue for it on Amazon. I still remember the thrill when I got the email that I'd moved to the front (or really, that production had moved to my spot) and my Kindle would be arriving soon. My new toy was shiny (well, bright white) and awesome. I carried it everywhere, still do. For me, an unapologetic bookworm, the Kindle doesn't replace books. I still buy them and request them in lists that most people would wince at (the length, not the titles I hope). I take a book with me everywhere and now I take my Kindle. It's like the transition from having a cd player to having an iPod, you still buy music (I now mostly download, legally, from the iTunes store and keep my shopping cart on there full, waiting the day when I either have more money or just need new music) it's just easier to carry around and change at a whim. I still buy books and I'll never, ever stop. Now, I can just get electronic versions as well so when I travel I don't have to pack three or four books (depending on the length of the trip it may be more or less) I can just pack the Kindle and it's power cord. I can change computer Word documents to text files and load them up and read them away from the computer without having to print things out (which kills trees and I'm so used to reading off the computer I wouldn't bother anyway), I can even make notes on the document while I go and with the smaller screen, be able to focus on a couple paragraphs at a time without being distracted by something else on the page. And yeah, so people don't know what I'm reading, but if it's a guilty pleasure, I don't mind being mysterious. Let them think its Dickens or Tolstoy, I'll just be happy with my Alex Archer or JD Robb. Terry Pratchett though...that I wouldn't mind advertising. And with my Kindle, I can always stop in the middle of whatever I'm reading and indulge in some Pride and Prejudice.
- Oh, Star Trek. You're awesome. Until this article (Vulcans Never, Ever Smile), I didn't realize a series had been on pretty much consistently from the year after I was born until the end of my freshman year of college (if it really has been only 4 years since Enterprise went off the air). I think one of the things that sets it apart from other sci-fi series is that it's a very hopeful vision of the future. Earth is a utopia, there's basically a United States of the universe in the United Federation of Planets. The military arm of the UFP has a mainly scientific mission, to discover new stuff and boldly go. There's even a rule (the Prime Directive) about not mucking about in cultures which aren't at the same technology level you are, a kind of anti-imperialism which is awesome. Yeah, they fight bad guys, but to protect freedom and all that (We're All Trekkies Now). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of apocalyptic/utopian/dystopian sci-fi but I'm an equal opportunity sci-fi reader, I'll read anything that looks like it has an interesting plot. And Star Trek is no stranger to the darker stuff, Section 31, fleshed out in Deep Space Nine (my personal favorite series), acts as an intelligence bureau with seemingly no real oversight or accountability for their machinations, they just claim to "defend" the Federation. There's parallels to the Holocaust with the Cardassian's subjugation of the Bajorans, fears about keeping one's individuality and resisting oppression with the Borg, fears about being able to tailor your child to be better and stronger through Dr. Bashir's illegal genetic engineering (that his parents did to him when he was a child, fearing he would always be slower than the others). But it's still hopeful and a universe where diversity is accepted without question, no matter whether it is skin color, religious background, number of forehead ridges, or whether a person has red blood or green, everyone is alien so no one is excluded. What a wonderful world.
- Mexico City is not having a good day. First, the swine flu thing so people are staying indoors and now, a 6.0 earthquake meaning that not even indoors is safe (Strong Earthquake Felt in Mexico City). Welcome to the beginning of the end of April, Mexico. Happy Monday.
- Cue girlish aww: Suppers at Midnight.
20 April 2009
Musings, Part L
- Well, the Washington Post has jumped on the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies train (Zombie? Let Austen Flesh It Out) , with other delightful additions that I now have to hunt down. Is it weird that I'm really looking forward to Grahame-Smith's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?
- YouTube is now Hulu? Deal Brings TV Shows and Movies to YouTube. I suppose it will be useful, though I'm used to watching things on there in 10 minute bits and as long as people still can upload their own videos (I mean, how can they ask us to give up Hamster on a Piano?) then I'm okay with this...I think. Time will tell.
- As you might imagine, I am a huge mental_floss fan. It's quirky, it's random, it has great info on the weirdest things...take 12 Oddly Specific Museums Preserving Our History or How to Stop Unwanted Phone Books or 8 Countries and States That Moved Their Capitals or the difference between pyramids and ziggurats (hint, ziggurats have ramps) or in the magazine, all about furniture, like the history of La-Z-Boy. And the shirts...awesome. A sampling: An Apple A Day still leaves you 2-4 servings short of your daily fruit recommendations. Friends Don't Let Friends Derive Drunk. Idioms are for the birds. Inconsistency: It has its ups and downs. Hokey Pokey Anonymous. A place to turn yourself around. Veni Vidi Wiki: I came. I saw. I edited collaboratively. Vampires are a pain in the neck. The Constitution: I read it for the Articles. Archaeologists will date any old thing. And two of my favorites: Easter Island: Why the long face? and Pluto, 1930-2006: Revolve in Peace. Gah. Absimally clever.
-Oh, Daily Show. I love you. You always come through for me and my liberal ire against idiots. Tip of the hat and salute.
- WB thou art awesome today. Because I just discovered, with a little help from NPR (Inside 'Hollywood's Attic': Warner Opens Its Vault), your archive. More from Cary Grant? And Katharine Hepburn? A film or two for my book (with the possibility of more, oh please add Kisses For My President [a 1964 film with the dad from The Happiest Millionaire, and the guy from Double Indemnity whose name escapes me...Fred something, but it has a female president which would totally be great for the book])? And a 1931 version of Private Lives, one of my favorite plays (Noel Coward is a master of banter)? And they're all under $20? Awesome. Check it out: Warner Archive.
Edit: The actor is Fred MacMurray. I knew it was Fred something. He was in over 100 movies and a TV series. He may be best known for Double Indemnity but he's more fun in Happiest Millionaire. Which would make sense based on the title.
- Why have a giant dish when you can have a network of dishes? Switch-on success for superscope. Again, part of me wishes I'd gone into astronomy or some other scientific space thing. These pictures promise to be awesome. Besides, I could totally get away with putting an X-Wing or an Enterprise model on my desk.
- Oh good, Ask brings back butler Jeeves. I hope it'll be useful while working for kgb_ now. Except...it better not cut into the volume we get.
-The Pulitzer Prizes were handed out today: 2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Letters, Drama and Music, 2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Journalism, Damon Winter's A Vision of History-Winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography (this guy can take a picture, no doubt about that). Not quite sure the 13 short stories should count for the fiction award (isn't it supposed to be a book?) but whatever, it works I guess.
- YouTube is now Hulu? Deal Brings TV Shows and Movies to YouTube. I suppose it will be useful, though I'm used to watching things on there in 10 minute bits and as long as people still can upload their own videos (I mean, how can they ask us to give up Hamster on a Piano?) then I'm okay with this...I think. Time will tell.
- As you might imagine, I am a huge mental_floss fan. It's quirky, it's random, it has great info on the weirdest things...take 12 Oddly Specific Museums Preserving Our History or How to Stop Unwanted Phone Books or 8 Countries and States That Moved Their Capitals or the difference between pyramids and ziggurats (hint, ziggurats have ramps) or in the magazine, all about furniture, like the history of La-Z-Boy. And the shirts...awesome. A sampling: An Apple A Day still leaves you 2-4 servings short of your daily fruit recommendations. Friends Don't Let Friends Derive Drunk. Idioms are for the birds. Inconsistency: It has its ups and downs. Hokey Pokey Anonymous. A place to turn yourself around. Veni Vidi Wiki: I came. I saw. I edited collaboratively. Vampires are a pain in the neck. The Constitution: I read it for the Articles. Archaeologists will date any old thing. And two of my favorites: Easter Island: Why the long face? and Pluto, 1930-2006: Revolve in Peace. Gah. Absimally clever.
-Oh, Daily Show. I love you. You always come through for me and my liberal ire against idiots. Tip of the hat and salute.
- WB thou art awesome today. Because I just discovered, with a little help from NPR (Inside 'Hollywood's Attic': Warner Opens Its Vault), your archive. More from Cary Grant? And Katharine Hepburn? A film or two for my book (with the possibility of more, oh please add Kisses For My President [a 1964 film with the dad from The Happiest Millionaire, and the guy from Double Indemnity whose name escapes me...Fred something, but it has a female president which would totally be great for the book])? And a 1931 version of Private Lives, one of my favorite plays (Noel Coward is a master of banter)? And they're all under $20? Awesome. Check it out: Warner Archive.
Edit: The actor is Fred MacMurray. I knew it was Fred something. He was in over 100 movies and a TV series. He may be best known for Double Indemnity but he's more fun in Happiest Millionaire. Which would make sense based on the title.
- Why have a giant dish when you can have a network of dishes? Switch-on success for superscope. Again, part of me wishes I'd gone into astronomy or some other scientific space thing. These pictures promise to be awesome. Besides, I could totally get away with putting an X-Wing or an Enterprise model on my desk.
- Oh good, Ask brings back butler Jeeves. I hope it'll be useful while working for kgb_ now. Except...it better not cut into the volume we get.
-The Pulitzer Prizes were handed out today: 2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Letters, Drama and Music, 2009 Pulitzer Prizes for Journalism, Damon Winter's A Vision of History-Winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography (this guy can take a picture, no doubt about that). Not quite sure the 13 short stories should count for the fiction award (isn't it supposed to be a book?) but whatever, it works I guess.
01 April 2009
Musings, Part D
- I adore Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book in the whole wide world. I read it several, well….just many times a year and usually that’s the whole thing, not just a good parts version which I admit I do with the BBC adaptation because while I can read Lydia, she’s just annoying on the screen so the second disc really comprises my “good parts” version when I watch it. I’ve read all of Austen’s novels, even Persuasion which I once vowed never to read because I heard it was her worst…funny, I know, considering the topic of the book (Northanger Abbey is now on the outs with me and Persuasion is as beloved as Mansfield Park with Emma close behind). I’ve been to the Jane Austen Center in Bath, I’ve walked up to the Royal Crescent where they filmed part of the 1995 version of Persuasion, I’m even a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Too bad there’s no membership card because that would be awesome. I’ve read the re-imaginings of the books, mostly the ones from the male lead’s perspective and seek out those re-imaginings online because really, some of them are quite good. Like I just finished an updated version of Persuasion where the guy writes about the end of their relationship and his current feelings towards his ex in a daily column in the Chicago Tribune and the girl is just as confused as Anne because his writings and actions don’t match up. It was great. I have the offshoots too: the Annotated Pride and Prejudice, The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen, a guide to regency life through her books, and others are on various to get lists. I have the movie versions and the soundtracks. I write all this to give background when I say that I’m quite excited to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I heard about it a while back and now that it’s finally coming out and getting attention I really can’t wait. He made Elizabeth even more awesome by having her fight zombies? Where’s the nearest bookstore? I might even see the Pride and Predator when it comes out though, aliens? Really? It’s probably strange that I’m more tolerant of the addition of sci-fi elements rather than some of the sequels that mess with the characters. Most of the sequels I won’t read. If you’re going to mess with the characters, do so inside the story itself don’t muck about with them after the fact. Don’t add more scandal that’s rather unnecessary as Austen has one rake per book, don’t make a nice guy into one too. For further stuff on the zombie book and the various re-imaginings/mucking abouts see Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies, Oh My!. And the mystery series? Sounds awesome. I bet they’d be like Nick and Nora…
- By the way, for those of you curious about the Pride and Predator thing, check this out: In New Movie, Alien Attacks Austen-Era Britain.
- I agree with this entry’s title wholeheartedly, ‘ER’: No, It’s Still on TV. And Has Been Since Man Discovered Fire. Except the blogger forgot Law and Order in the list of long running shows. Because it? Really has been on for freaking forever. And the only version I like? Just started in the UK. Hey, they wear wigs and Lee from BSG’s in it. Thus, I watch. Besides, it’s a fascinating look at the British legal system. And it makes me pine for London.
- Thank goodness: Facebook Backpedals As An Angry Mob Waves Pitchforks. I have always been proud of Facebook for not being MySpace, I didn’t want it to be Twitter. I wonder if they still have the pirate language feature…
- April Fool’s happenings: CADIE. Pretty sure it’s an April Fool’s Joke, if only because it was posted at 11:59:59 on March 31…and of course I had to Google it and it is:
Google’s April Fools’ Prank Tradition Continues with CADIE; NPR: No Lions And Orioles And Bears? Oh My!. This one’s truly scary: Twitter switch for Guardian, after 188 years of ink. Apparently the Brits really embrace April Fool’s: Martin Wainwright on some of the silliest April Fools tricks . I really like the one about the M25 and I think it could be adopted for DC’s Beltway or I-4 in Orlando.
- By the way, for those of you curious about the Pride and Predator thing, check this out: In New Movie, Alien Attacks Austen-Era Britain.
- I agree with this entry’s title wholeheartedly, ‘ER’: No, It’s Still on TV. And Has Been Since Man Discovered Fire. Except the blogger forgot Law and Order in the list of long running shows. Because it? Really has been on for freaking forever. And the only version I like? Just started in the UK. Hey, they wear wigs and Lee from BSG’s in it. Thus, I watch. Besides, it’s a fascinating look at the British legal system. And it makes me pine for London.
- Thank goodness: Facebook Backpedals As An Angry Mob Waves Pitchforks. I have always been proud of Facebook for not being MySpace, I didn’t want it to be Twitter. I wonder if they still have the pirate language feature…
- April Fool’s happenings: CADIE. Pretty sure it’s an April Fool’s Joke, if only because it was posted at 11:59:59 on March 31…and of course I had to Google it and it is:
Google’s April Fools’ Prank Tradition Continues with CADIE; NPR: No Lions And Orioles And Bears? Oh My!. This one’s truly scary: Twitter switch for Guardian, after 188 years of ink. Apparently the Brits really embrace April Fool’s: Martin Wainwright on some of the silliest April Fools tricks . I really like the one about the M25 and I think it could be adopted for DC’s Beltway or I-4 in Orlando.
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