Happy Friday Everyone!!!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Rahman!!!
Here are two classic Bollywood scenes, both with music from the great A.R. Rahman because, well, why not? : )
Thursday, February 17, 2011
On Wisconsin!!!
God bless the unions and Democratic senators of Wisconsin!!! If you're not following this amazing story (and the major papers are, of course, giving it very little play), you can follow what's happening here at the Daily Kos.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Kos!!!!
I was kind of surprised a few days ago when I suddenly realised that I hadn't blogged about the Daily Kos before! I like to share good online finds, and this site is definitely one of my favorites!!
The Daily Kos is a frequently updated progressive blog where you can find many bite-sized stories about current political events, and a few really good in-depth dissections of same. The great thing about the site is that it is not only very insightful and easy to navigate, but that the authors actually have a sense of humor!
The Daily Kos is a frequently updated progressive blog where you can find many bite-sized stories about current political events, and a few really good in-depth dissections of same. The great thing about the site is that it is not only very insightful and easy to navigate, but that the authors actually have a sense of humor!
For a long time, I felt that one big thing missing from the progressive cause was the ability to see the absurd in many of our current situations. We had it in the 70's - see MASH and, especially Gary Trudeau, but it kind of disappeared there for a while. Say what you will about Rush Limbaugh (and I can't stand him), but at least he realised that, if you're going to stand on a soap box in this day & age, you'd better (at least try to) be funny!
Most of the Daily Kos writers (and especially Kos himself - otherwise known as Markos Zúniga) understand this, so it makes for pretty easy morning reading. No mean feat considering the many current atrocities of our political system!!
Anyway, I highly recommend The Daily Kos.
Here's a good one from this morning , by the way.
Have a great day all!!!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Extraordinary!!!
It's Friday and the last day of the first semester - half way there!!! Congratulations to all teachers for making it this far, to everyone for making it through the week, and to the Egyptian people for an amazing 18 days!!!
I found this on the Internet today, and it seemed pretty appropriate - have a great weekend everyone!!!
20 Extraordinary things that are happening right now:
1. A baby is taking its first few steps.
2. Someone is admiring a breathtaking sunrise, and someone else, a surreal sunset.
3. Someone who suffered from a severe injury is getting back on their feet.
4. A small group of people are building something that will soon make the impossible possible.
5. One of the next brilliant musical artists is patiently rehearsing in her garage.
6. A piece of literature is being written that will eventually change your perspective on life.
7. A friend is helping a friend rise above thoughts of suicide.
8. People of various religious backgrounds are in temples, churches, mosques and other places of worship praying, wholeheartedly, for world peace.
9. Two best friends are laughing so hard that they aren’t even making any noise.
10. A firefighter is running into a burning building to rescue a perfect stranger.
11. A new mom is lying in a hospital bed and holding her baby twins for the very first time.
12. Someone is taking a shower and singing happily at the top of their lungs.
13. There is someone out there who smiles when they think of a specific moment they once shared with you.
14. An alcoholic just celebrated one full year of sobriety.
15. Volunteers in major cities all over the world are working at homeless shelters caring for those who are less fortunate than themselves.
16. Two teenagers just received their very first kiss ever from each other.
17. Honest people are working for various government entities to help protect your basic human rights and civil liberties.
18. An emergency room surgeon is in the middle of saving his patient’s life.
19. Someone out there is missing you and looking forward to your next visit.
20. We are reminded that extraordinary things happen to ordinary people, and that there is beauty and wonder in everyday life.
BTW - I got this from a great site called Happythings that has something great on every page - and there are hundreds of pages!!!
I found this on the Internet today, and it seemed pretty appropriate - have a great weekend everyone!!!
20 Extraordinary things that are happening right now:
1. A baby is taking its first few steps.
2. Someone is admiring a breathtaking sunrise, and someone else, a surreal sunset.
3. Someone who suffered from a severe injury is getting back on their feet.
4. A small group of people are building something that will soon make the impossible possible.
5. One of the next brilliant musical artists is patiently rehearsing in her garage.
6. A piece of literature is being written that will eventually change your perspective on life.
7. A friend is helping a friend rise above thoughts of suicide.
8. People of various religious backgrounds are in temples, churches, mosques and other places of worship praying, wholeheartedly, for world peace.
9. Two best friends are laughing so hard that they aren’t even making any noise.
10. A firefighter is running into a burning building to rescue a perfect stranger.
11. A new mom is lying in a hospital bed and holding her baby twins for the very first time.
12. Someone is taking a shower and singing happily at the top of their lungs.
13. There is someone out there who smiles when they think of a specific moment they once shared with you.
14. An alcoholic just celebrated one full year of sobriety.
15. Volunteers in major cities all over the world are working at homeless shelters caring for those who are less fortunate than themselves.
16. Two teenagers just received their very first kiss ever from each other.
17. Honest people are working for various government entities to help protect your basic human rights and civil liberties.
18. An emergency room surgeon is in the middle of saving his patient’s life.
19. Someone out there is missing you and looking forward to your next visit.
20. We are reminded that extraordinary things happen to ordinary people, and that there is beauty and wonder in everyday life.
BTW - I got this from a great site called Happythings that has something great on every page - and there are hundreds of pages!!!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Another Country!!!
They'll Say: 'She Must Be
From Another Country'
Imtiaz Dharker
When I can’t comprehend
why they’re burning books
or slashing paintings,
when they can’t bear to look
at god’s own nakedness,
when they ban the film
and gut the seats to stop the play
and I ask why
they just smile and say,
‘She must be
from another country.’
When I speak on the phone
and the vowel sounds are off
when the consonants are hard
and they should be soft,
they’ll catch on at once
they’ll pin it down
they’ll explain it right away
to their own satisfaction,
they’ll cluck their tongues
and say,
‘She must be
from another country.’
When my mouth goes up
instead of down,
when I wear a tablecloth
to go to town,
when they suspect I’m black
or hear I’m gay
they won’t be surprised,
they’ll purse their lips
and say,
‘She must be
from another country.’
When I eat up the olives
and spit out the pits
when I yawn at the opera
in the tragic bits
when I pee in the vineyard
as if it were Bombay,
flaunting my bare ass
covering my face
laughing through my hands
they’ll turn away,
shake their heads quite sadly,
‘She doesn’t know any better,’
they’ll say,
‘She must be
from another country.’
Maybe there is a country
where all of us live,
all of us freaks
who aren’t able to give
our loyalty to fat old fools,
the crooks and thugs
who wear the uniform
that gives them the right
to wave a flag,
puff out their chests,
put their feet on our necks,
and break their own rules.
But from where we are
it doesn’t look like a country,
it’s more like the cracks
that grow between borders
behind their backs.
That’s where I live.
And I’ll be happy to say,
‘I never learned your customs.
I don’t remember your language
or know your ways.
I must be
from another country.’
Monday, February 7, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
1...2...3...Hike!
What's the best way to celebrate the Super Bowl? Go on a hike of course!
For all of you 'Room With A View' fans.
Ah-ha! A wild animal!
A wilder animal.
An exciting (but kinda stinky) expedition.
Pretty lady.
Hey, hey we're the monkeys! There was lots of monkeying around on this hike.
Oooh-oooh-ohhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhh!
Cutie patootie. (I think I put that designation on a lot of Felix' pictures.)
As Patrick pointed out our new action cam setting is pretty fast, but not as fast as Jack.
It was a perfect, beautiful February day here in Los Angeles and love was in the air.
Some of us even felt like dancing. Note Scarlett's amazing form!
Snuggle bugs! We've been a little crazy lately and we know everyone else has too, but big love to everyone. We miss you all.Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Birthdays!!!
It's a big birthday day today! First of all, a very happy birthday to my step bro Brian!!! He and his lovely wife Krista are out there conquering the Big Apple, but hopefully they won't mind heading back to the country for Farm Fest this summer!!
Secondly, happy birthday to James Joyce!! I'll get you next year.
Finally happy 106th birthday to Ayn Rand!!!
Rand has been in the news again lately, and in many ways - mostly bad - she seems to be as influential these days as ever. However, I still have a soft spot for her overheated prose. Since I'm short on time, here's a couple of quotes from an essay I wrote about her a while ago:
Everyone hates Ayn Rand these days, and there are some pretty good reasons why. For one thing, her disciple Alan Greenspan is one of the prime culprits in our current economic mess. For another, she saw nature as, essentially, the means to create gigantic sky scrapers. She was proudly reactionary and absurdly conservative.
...
But her real genius was in her passion for accomplishment. No one writes about work the way that Rand does. Not the monotonous grind of day to day labor, but the vital and sometimes violent act of creative work. For Rand (like Thomas Mann, but more viscerally), to do was to be. She describes the ecstasy of creation as if she were writing about God on the first day. And if that's what you're looking for, there are precious few other places to get it.
Secondly, happy birthday to James Joyce!! I'll get you next year.
Finally happy 106th birthday to Ayn Rand!!!
Rand has been in the news again lately, and in many ways - mostly bad - she seems to be as influential these days as ever. However, I still have a soft spot for her overheated prose. Since I'm short on time, here's a couple of quotes from an essay I wrote about her a while ago:
Everyone hates Ayn Rand these days, and there are some pretty good reasons why. For one thing, her disciple Alan Greenspan is one of the prime culprits in our current economic mess. For another, she saw nature as, essentially, the means to create gigantic sky scrapers. She was proudly reactionary and absurdly conservative.
...
But her real genius was in her passion for accomplishment. No one writes about work the way that Rand does. Not the monotonous grind of day to day labor, but the vital and sometimes violent act of creative work. For Rand (like Thomas Mann, but more viscerally), to do was to be. She describes the ecstasy of creation as if she were writing about God on the first day. And if that's what you're looking for, there are precious few other places to get it.
Happy birthday guys!!!
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