Friday, February 27, 2009

Republicans say quote "My Bad" ????



Really, "my bad"? That's how the Republicans are going to handle this. Here is the money quote.
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“Tonight, we tell America that Republican values, conservative values, are right for America,” he said, admitting that the party has made some mistakes. “Tonight, we tell America: we know the past, we know we did wrong. My bad. But we go forward in appreciation of the values that brought us to this point.”
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"My bad."
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"My bad" is like when you thrown a stupid interception.
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"My bad" is when you renege because you trumped wrong (I'm looking at you Feinberg)..
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"My bad" is when an mom has 8 babies without a visible form of income or husband.
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"My bad" is NOT an appropriate response when you take a huge surplus and turn it into a deficit. ... "My bad" is NOT an appropriate response when you remove oversight and watch Wall Street and the world banking system tank and a million Americans lose their jobs. ...."My bad" is NOT appropriate response to shredding the Constitution. .... "My bad" is NOT an appropriate response making the world believe that honerable American Servicemen torture human beings for fun and laughs.
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You, Mr. Michael Steele, are a short-sighted, dumb ass that shouldn't be given a karaoke mike to "Sally-Sings", much less the national stage, you dip shit.
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Oh wait. What I meant to say was that "I respectfully disagree with your comments."
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My bad.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Yet another 50 year old

Turns out I am younger than Barbie by 20 days!!!!
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Barbie turns 50 on March 9th.

--- and I fit in here ------


Me (Scott Mitchell)


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As you may or may not know, I am also stuck between the following in 1959 age group.



Keith Olberman
then
(Me: Scott Mitchell)
then
Micheal Kors

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

An analogy....

People can choose to be myopic.  Anyone who doesn't believe that should have watched my facial expressions every time George W. Bush opened his mouth.  No matter what he said - I was annoyed.  And that prevented me from actually hearing what he said.
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Well, much the same can be said about people who don't believe in Global Warming.  Every time a new low temperature or heavy snowfall happens.. boom the "Global Warming is a Hoax" headline is trotted out.
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First, Global Warming is a stupid short hand term for Man Influenced Climate Change.  The most obvious change may be a average rise in Global Temperatures, but it isn't the only - or even the worst effect from climate change (more severe weather is probably the worst).
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Second, an isolated event in one area doesn't mean a corresponding event in all areas.  For example, record snowfall in Maine, doesn't mean the world is getting colder.  Different areas of the same body can have different tolerances.
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To help visualize, try the following experiment.  But your hand on the desk, and smack it with a paperback book.  Not so bad.  Now put your balls on your desk and smack them equally hard with the same book.  Different zones of the same general body will have different tolerances.  See?

Some things you just write for yourself...

Sometimes you just write to amuse yourself.  For example....
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A Gentlemen’s Pursuit of Decorum in New York (Circa late 2000s)

 

            One may, with reasonable assurance, assume that the title is meant wryly, ironically or fatalistically.   One would be, however, incorrect.  While there may be some question if I am a gentlemen, there can be no question that pursuit of decorum in New York City, while a lonely and unrequited quest, is none the less a quest that is desperately called for.  I may not be “just the man for the case”, but I see no others stepping up to the plate – as it were.

*

            Stepping up to the plate.  Well, this is just indicative of the entire problem isn’t it?  I mean the phrase “stepping up to the plate” is understood by most of the city.  It can be reasonably translated by nearly everyone as “taking responsibility” or “making an effort”.   This analogy is understood even by people who watch neither baseball nor cricket.  However, the phrase “pursuit of decorum” will draw a blank stare from most people.  Of course, the question “Where is the nearest coffee shop?” will normally draw a blank stare from people.  It seems that the countenance of a fully feed bovine has replaced the effort to simply respond, “I’m sorry, I don’t know.”

            How we as a city, or perhaps nation, or perhaps world, have gotten to this situation is beside the point.  One must find a way to correct this, to “right the ship” as it were, before I go mad.  Oh yes, I fully acknowledge that this pursuit, my windmill as it were, is based on righteous indignation of a populace gone stark raving bonkers.  Even the pages of the most fashionable magazines feature vapid models in lovely clothes, expressionless and listless.  As if they are already mentally posting on facebook, “Cathy (with an X – as in Xathy) is bored in Prada”.  Cathay with an X, we don’t need facebook to gather this information.  You are both bored and boring.  You reek of the stench of it.  If you hate it so much get a real job, or at least one where we don’t have to bear witness to your antipathy to life.

            My sidekick, my Sancho Panza as it were, in this gentlemanly pursuit is a well-behaved and groomed Lakeland Terrier named Trevor.  Unlike mid-twenty something young men in a bar, he will not hump your leg or stagger out well past 2 AM and regurgitate in the street.  He does not smash into unsuspecting pedestrians with a cell-phone is glued to his ear (and all without an acknowledgement).  He does not bear his private parts to the paparazzi, nor wear pants so low you that you are dazzled by his asscrack. Just because he can’t and these heathens can doesn’t denigrate the outcome. On an equivalency level he could mindlessly bark on the street constantly or lick his groin in public – but he has the good grace to do neither. He is, in short, much better behaved that any number of celebrities that attack the senses on the airwaves or in print.  He is an admirable traveler on our journey.

            And I do use the word celebrity purposefully, for all of American youth (perhaps all the world youth – I haven’t yet had the chance to find out) consider themselves celebrities.  They may not have been discovered yet, but it seems to be their belief they are just one Episode of “Make Me a Super Vixen” or “Hanging with the Big Dog” before their rightful place is acknowledged.  This has led to the twin evils of youth that are excessively arrogant and the inability of the service industry to find adequate staff.  If you don’t believe me, ask your counter person to make change without using the register.  It will make you weep for the future of humanity.

*

            I must take a momentary aside here to illustrate my point.  Once, at an unnamed establishment with twin yellow adornments, the counter person told me the cost was $6.01.  I gave her a ten dollar bill and said, “one minute, I think I have a penny”.  The penny was quickly found and delivered.  To which she said, “I’m sorry I already put in ten dollars”, and she proceed to count out 99 cents. 

I stopped her and said “Just take the penny and give me four dollars.”

It was not her perplexed expression that annoyed me, it was the heavy sigh that me, an old coot of 27 at the time, couldn’t understand.  She pointed at the register and said, “It says your change is $3.99” and went back to counting out change for me.

But I was not be deterred, which I suppose was silly of me.  Talking to a counterperson often is like teaching a pig to sing, it frustrates you and annoys the pig.  “No,” I explained.  “I don’t want 99 cents.  You see, that is why I gave you the penny.”

“But it says $3.99”.

“That’s because you put in $10.00. not $10.01.”

“Whatever.” (A comment that we must address later.) And she pushed the penny back to me and went back to counting.

However I was not to be deterred by the future Miss Einstein.  “Stop.”  And when said in a firm and normal tone stops many teenagers dead in their tracks.  I think they never hear it at home.  “Please call the manager.”

“I have to close the register.”  She said.  And it was said in a plaintive tone that indicated something unfathomable to me.

Maybe she didn’t know how to close the register, and so I explained, “Just push it back in.”

While her expression changed to venom, my suggestion did work and she stomped off to find the manager.  Upon her return with a slightly older young lady, the counter person proceeded to explain what happen in great detail as if I was making an unreasonable request.  After the tortured explanation, and the counter persons accusatory description of my unreasonable request, the manager simply said, “Take the penny and give him four dollars change”, in a manner that can only be describe as perfectly reasonable.

“But…” our counterperson whined and pointed to the register, “It says $3.99.”

The manager, with the patience of Job, reassured her, “I’ll fix it after he leaves.”

Thus reassured, my four dollars was forked over.  No doubt the young woman daydreamed about the shitstorm she would rain down upon me when she was famous.


Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Wazu beats #20 UCLA last week ... good for Tony


A friend of Ed's brother (Phil) is Tony Bennet, the coach of Washington State Basketball - affectionately known as WAZU (the Cougars, not the Huskies).
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Well last Saturday they came into UCLA's Pauley Pavilion to play Number 20 UCLA.  Wazu hasn't won in Pauley in 4 years and Tony's teams haven't beat the Bruins in 6 tries.  Although he (and his father before him) have done a great job up in the middle of Nowhere, Washington.
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Seriously, Pullman is an hour from Spokane and the closest town with a hotel is Lewiston Idaho.  I know, I stayed there and a smart ass song-girl asked if they had potato daiquiris.  The cocktail waitress asked what a daiquiris was.  This is not an easy place to recruit to, but I digress.
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Anywho, Tony's team rolled into Pauley and upset the Bruins Saturday.  Great for them!  I think it really means something for them to beat UCLA at Pauley.
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(And Don, notice I didn't say anything about Ben Howland in this post and ...it  ....is ....killing ....me!)
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Seriously.. Pullman is far far away.  It is closer in time and milage to my mother's house in Victor Montana (PAST Missoula) than it is to Seattle.  And my mother lives on the other side of the Rocky Mountains from Pullman!!!

Get this! Rare Jaguars spotted in Arizonia


I can see how this might not be exciting if you live in Arizona (watch out for the kittys, Muffin!), but for the rest of us this is fun news.
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Rare, to the point they were thought to be extinct north of Mexico just a few years ago, Jaguars have been spotted in Arizona again.  They have been seen on video cameras lately (which  makes sense with the rapid spread of automatic cameras in recent years).  But they actually caught one and tagged it this month.  Pretty to look at, but I wouldn't want to be face to face with one.

Although primarily a rhetorical question...

Although primarily a rhetorical question, there is a modicum of real concern vis a vi...
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Are some people I work with idiot savants or did they attend idiot school?
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For example, when a good guy and all around nice person (say with initials SM) is trying to save your lazy ass and your team some time intensive busy work, the obvious thing you would do is try to help said "SM".
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And, if this assumed SM (paragon of virtue and sanity), has been following up on asinine paperwork so you don't have to do a fairly worthless (but very code heavy) throw away project - and SM has been working on this for 4 months - one should assume SM is helping you.  One might even give SM the benefit of the doubt that he knows of what he speaks.
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So when SM sends you a question, AND references the details in the body of the note, albeit at the end of a e-mail thread you are too dumbshit lazy too read, it is probably important.  In fact, if you company is, say, under pretty tight watchdog rules, and SM has stated in the subject of the note that this is from an Asian Regulatory associations - then don't blow him off.
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I asked for some specific details that we haven't published, for approved security reasons, and was told, in just barely more polite terms, "RTFM".  Well sweetness, if it was in the manual (which I had explained to this project owner) then I would have read it.  
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I am asking your team for some plausible explanation because they didn't document it anywhere - you see I could read your 2,000 page, 4 volume "help" manual till the cows come home and I wouldn't find anything.  And how, pray tell, do I know this?  As I explained it in the message you were just too lazy to read, I did read that dreck of geek goobledee gook you call user manuals (and appendixes)!
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I can't stand blow off messages, sent by lazy people- who have had 8 hours to answer, but have to get out the door by 4:13 PM.  So they whisk off a little one sentence CYA nasty-gram (copying the world)!
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It starts my day with a smile the next morning.
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PS: I did send him a much nicer response than this, explaining the same question again - pointing the highlighted portions in the original note - saying he must have misunderstood my question.

Monday, February 23, 2009

My Review of Soul Samurai....


So I saw and reviewed a show last night.  The review is here.
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It isn't often one has the ... (what's the right word) ... opportunity to review this type of show.  It is a lesbian ninja vs Brooklyn vampire SPECTACULAR!
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If you want a giggle, go look at the review.
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It was an interesting way to spent the hours leading up to the Academy Awards....

Follow the logic of this...


So if Citi is semi-nationalized, I see 2 unintended consequences....
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1. I become a semi-government employee.  This will be an odd turn of events - and given my employment history (Xerox, the internet, etc.) NOT good news for the US government.
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2. If there is anyone you do not want in a position to go postal - it is me.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Heading home now

Well, one more stop in the Tokyo airport and now we are heading home.
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Aside from the international to and from the flights, the flying within SE Asia has been remarkable smooth (knock wood).
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In the most bizarre of cross national coincidents, last night Ed, Lynn and I meet Ed's fellow ex-housefellows Don (from Bangkok) and Thorpe (from Chicago) in a Thai night market and drank Lao and German beers.
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I marvel at how lucky I have been and was struck by what a different life I lead than my grandparents (never mind their grandparents) ever thought of. Every time I get to see a little more of the world I feel richer in spirit and experience and I come home appreciating my life (country, home, friends, family, means and all) a little more.
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Zela once told me that when her future husband said that they would live in California one day, he might have well as said China for all she knew about it. there is something wonderful about experiencing things so different from what you expect - be it monks in Laos or finding un-expected people in Missoula when I visited mom. Every now and then I remember that life sucks unless you decide to jump in with both feet and sometimes just say screw it. And when you do - magic (Sleepless in Seattle reference acknowledged, but it is true).

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Thailand has been heavenly (and proof tiger was not stuffed


Thailand's island here has been wonderful.  Today we went on zip lines (pictures later) and yesterday we went for a big drive around the island.
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As you can see one of the highlights was elephant rides and Lynnie got to sit in the manhout seat.
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We also (of course) saw the Tigers saw the Big Buddha on the  north end of the island. 
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It has been a really good trip so far.
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Also regarding questions about the veracity of hte tiger shots yesterday.  Here is one of Eddie alone.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Trip to the Tiger Zoo in Koh Samui



Today we stopped by the tiger zoo on our trip around the island. It was fun and a little scary.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

High Above the Beach at Koh Samui

   
So, Lynn got here today, and is doing pretty well in her jet lag.  This is a picture of us at the infinite pool at the resort.
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Koh Samui is a beautiful, warm and sunny place.  It is the perfect quiet end to this vacation.  We are here about 4 more days (till Friday).  

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Two More of Eddie's Pix if they load



Eddie took great shots...

The web is finally up as we leave Siem Reap


 Well, it has been a great time here in Cambodia.  I am not loading big pictures because the web is a little iffy here, but we have had a wonderful time.
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The temples are amazing, but we had fun running around the city too.
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Our hotel is very nice, but the food and fun is better out and about in town.  Ed alst loved the "foot massage" where little fish eat your dead skin.  Me, not so much.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Laos to Cambodia Today


Today was a travel day from Laos to Cambodia. There is no direct flight from Laung Prabang to Siem Reap, so we had to take a one stopper through Penske.
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A one stopper on some odd little MA 60 plane that was probably new during the Carter Administration. It is a Chinese aircraft and it wasn't reassuring when a bunch of workers climbed onto the roof to pour gunk into the engines.
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Yikes! (Still, even with minimal air-conditioning, more comfortable than an Embraer.)
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Once in Siem Reap, we checked into the hotel (loverly) and had b it of a walk about.
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This evening (before dinner that we are about to go to), we went to the floating village to see the sunset. There is almost no way to describe it - so I will wait until Ed does pictures. It wasfreaky and unexpected. The oddet thing was to pass what you assume to be abject poverty on a boat, only to see the family gathered around a color TV, sometimes powered by Solar cells. Like I said, unexplainable in 20 words (or 500 words) or less.
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Miss you all.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Laos: Wow

It is hard to describe Laos.  It is truly is amazing.  It seems half discovered and the people are still enjoying being open.
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I am not sure this picture is going to work.  But every morning the monks walk through the streets to get alms.  They don't work for money, they take care of the temples.  Anyway, people give them food every morning (which they must eat by noon - they nothing else all day).   Anyway it was really wonderful and moving in a way you didn't expect.
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The city itself is full of amazing Buddhist temples - which is why it is a world heritage site.  We are going to Cambodia next and we will update.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Tuk Tuk fun


So we went to the night market tonight (Lynnie is going to LOVE this!) and we took a tuk tuk home.  The tuk tuk looked like the one pictured only driven by a hellion who tail gated, ran along the side of the road and popped a wheelie on our way home!  PS - Great shorts for less than 8 bucks.

UPDATED!! We interrupt your Southeast Asian tour news for this baby flash...


I don't know the name of Carson and Ursula's baby yet... but she's a keeper!!  Born on Feb 8th (we think time and calendar math is tricky here).  Yeah for you guys.  She's beautiful.  Of course Don is a camera hog, but still, we can see her :-)
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Updated with the baby name:  Mejken Ray (which is Danish for Baby Girl) it's pronounced Mi-kin Ray.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Fun Day Exploring Bangkok


We had a kick running around the grand palace.  Yesterday we took a river trip with Ed's friend Don.

Bangkok

Bangkok is great. The weather is wonderful. After the snow storms in Nw York, I would probably liek most anything, but it really has been great here.
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Ed has a friend (Don Hutner) who tookus out last night.
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We wandered through the grounds and temples of the Grand Palace, and street food and had a nice time before going to a party of his friends.
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Today we went to the week-end market, which was like 10 giant swap meets put together. They had everything and lots of it. Some was almost wholesale (like plates and silverware and silks) other stuff was one of a kind wierd stuff. Like a live 7 foot long crocodile. Just crazy.
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We are going on a river adventure in a few minutes,

Friday, February 06, 2009

Add to the list

I have to update my airport highlights. I must add a 3rd.

1. Still the Dan Dan noodles in Hong Kong's new airport in the Cathay Business lounge. Even better than the noodles in their First Class lounge.

2. Still the shopping in the Singapore Airport. There are no domestive Singapore flights (it is a little city/state with no other airport) so everything is duty free cheap.

3. (New) The American Airlines Shower facilities here in Tokyo. They are a dream!!! I feel better already. It was a 14 hour flight, but the shower (with the heated toilet) was pure heaven.

Onward now!

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Leaving for Trip to South East Asia


Eddie and I are leaving tomorrow for our birthday trip. We are flying from New York to Tokyo, then Bangkok. We are in Bangkok for a few days visiting palace, temples and Ed's friend Don.
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After that we fly to Laos.


We will be in Luang Prabang in Laos. Laos is a short trip, but should be very interesting. Laos has not been open to the outside world for more than a few years. Luang Prabang is the old capital when it was a Kingdom (the new capital is Vientiane). We aren't there long, but it should be fun.



Then Ed is indulging me and going to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat with me. This was my favorite visit ever and I cannot wait to take Eddie.
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Finally we are going to a Villa in Koh Samui, an island resort off Thailand. Lynnie is joining us there and I shall post pictures.
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Wheeeee!!!



Eddie and I

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Dawn French Look (and sound) a Like on vh1


(This is a picture of Dawn French - looking great).
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So there is this horrible, wonderful, terrible show on VH1 called "Tool Academy".
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It is a show in which girls told their boyfriends that were competing for "Mr. Awesome", but actually they are in a self-help group (TV Style) because they are giant tools.
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FYI "tool" is current slang speak for "asshole".
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It is a very funny show, and the guys really are giant tools.
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But by far the funniest thing on the show is the "Therapist" who is Trina Dolenz (pictured below). She also happens to be Mickey Dolenz (yes, of "The Monkeys") wife.
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But the best thing about here is the totally faux "concern" for these couples - now of which will last longer than it takes for the show to air in repeats. Trinia looks like and sounds like Dawn French (of "French and Saunders") being her "concerned Doctor Lady" character.
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If you know Dawn French, you must go to Trinia's Web site and select Media and watch the first clip of Tool Academy Highlights. If you are Lisa or Laura or Jane, you will totally get what I mean.

This is Trinia's site picture. Apparently taken when she was about 30 pounds lighter than she is now, which isn't a good sign for a therapist in my book.

Trinia's husband, Mickey. "Heh, heh it's a Monkey!"

I was going to make fun, but I think differently after a moment.


Joe (the Plumber) has a current gig today advising the Republican Conservative Working Group in Washington.
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My first reaction was to laugh.  But the more I think about this the more I think that it is, in theory, a good idea.
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It is probably a great idea for working groups in Washington to get input from ordinary citizens.  Now I don't think this is what they are doing.  I think they are parading a man they assumed embarrassed Barack Obama during the campaign.  They are playing to a Fox News base.  But so what?  The idea of real people addressing them is great.
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But I think someone like Joe Wurzelbacher is better suited to talk to the Democrats.  It is the Democrats are who need to hear his views.  He is the epitome of those that the Democratic Party is not reaching.

Conversely, the Republicans need to get new ideas in.  The Republicans lost ever key demographic EXCEPT white men.  Talk to someone else!  Get some different input from someone who isn't Joe the Plumber.  You have his vote locked up!
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As long as we only listen to views that support ours, our minds continue to close and we, as a country, drift further apart.

Monday, February 02, 2009

February Mascot: Kelly Clarkson..



I know that to profess a admiration of Miss kelly Clarkson is to be subject to scorn.
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She is all bubblegum and fun.  But I would like to think I am old enough for a little bubblegum and fun - and yet way too old for the Jonas Brothers.
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She made a major misstep last record with "My December" which was hard edged and she wrote everything and didn't listen to Clive Davis.  In fact, she said she didn't need to listen to Mr. Davis, which was probably the biggest step.  Mr. Clive Davis does not approve of that and the record bombed with no backing.
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So she is back with a new album out soon and a new single, which is out now.  I think she might have had to record thsi single just to show she will do bubblegum for Mr. Davis, but it is fun.  See below.
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She isn't the sexiest girl in the world, but she is fun and i like her.  And fun is a good thing in the middle of winter.

She also made my favorite bad movie of all time, "From Justin to Kelly".  It is a train wreck with Miss Clarkson and Mr. Juarini having parade around Miami in the winter lip syncing to some of the worst music ever!  If you get the chance to see the director's cut, with the addition of 2 extra numbers (so bad they were cut from the original!!!!) you must.

Lying Mormons 'Fess Up (a little)


So the Mormons, who claimed to be persecuted, hot and bothered about their small involvement in removing my right to Wed in California, have responded to a request from the California Election board.
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By the by..."Though shall not lie (bear false witness)", that's a commandment.  Though shall not allow faggots to marry - NOT a commandment!
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Previously, the Church has maintained that, although their members may have donated, the church did not (except $2,000).  In this response, they admit to donating $189,000.  The Mormon Church revealed in a campaign filing Friday that the church spent nearly $190,000 to help pass Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that banned gay marriage in California.
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This includes "But in the filing made Friday, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints reported thousands in travel expenses, such as airline tickets, hotel rooms and car rentals for the campaign. The church also reported $96,849.31 worth of "compensated staff time" - hours church employees spent working to pass the gay marriage ban."
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Of course, this still is only for the Fall of 2008, and we KNOW they started before that (their first church meetings were in the Spring) and so more will leak out.
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Of course this only happened after the California Supreme Court upheld the decade old law that requires public disclosure of Proposition campaign contributions. 
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I don't mean to paint all Mormons with the brush of intolerance.  After all the church didn't paint all homosexuals as perverted, God-disrespecting sinners who shouldn't be allowed into a monogamous committed and loving relationship.  ....Oh wait...  Yes they did!

Bill Clinton Helping Out


This is an interesting article about how Bill Clinton went to Davos (the International Economic Bru-ha-ha) to speak.
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While there he defended the United States, preached to the attendees to support the Global Economic system and then had a long private one on one with Russia's Putin - at the encouragement of the White House.
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International I think he will be an asset to the current administration - even as he and George Bush # 1 were an asset to G. W. Bush in the International Charity arena.
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p.s. You know I LOVE Bill, but isn't he looking more and more like W.C.Fields in a snappy business suit?

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Frost / Nixon

Eddie and I saw Frost / Nixon this morning / afternoon.
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I really liked it. And I saw the Stage Show. I was amazed that Ron Howard did such a good job of opening the show without just making it busy.
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Ron had a very light touch in this movie, which I don't normally attribute to Ron. I mean I thought his Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and others like The De Vinchi Code were not directed lightly. In this movie he totally let the actors breath and pause.
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He is lucky because he had great actors in Frank Langellica and Michael Sheen. And he brought in some great people new to the show including Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt. It was a very good movie (again though, not best of the year) - but if you didn't get a chance to see the stage play - this is great (maybe better).

Scott's Status

I am applying to go back to grad school at NYU next year for a Masters in Global Affairs. First off, let me say I am supremely lucky to have the funds, time, opportunity and location to do this. Blah blah, now let’s go on for a moment.
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Also let me say, this may be a bit long, so feel free to ignore this post at any time. My mind is about to go awandering.. . feel free to come or go as you please.
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I last attended Grad School for a year at UC San Diego, getting a Masters in Pacific International Affairs. As an aside, I had to get my grades from Grad School – and they were excellent – so kudos to me. Anywho, I attend an amazing school focused on the Pacific Rim, and I focused on the NECs at the time. In 1989 the NECs were the “Newly Emerging Countries” of Singapore, South Korea, Honk Kong and Taiwan. My professor, one of the architects of the Marshall Plan (!) for rebuilding Europe was the paid private consultant to Malaysia and so we studied Malaysia as well.
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It was the most fascinating intellectual year I have ever had, for multiple reasons. A key change in the world happened that year when the Berlin Wall collapsed and Eastern Europe was free’d. Jeffery Sachs (now a professor at Colombia) was preaching free markets in Latin America and was all but parachuted into Eastern Europe by Reagan and Bush 1. Any school of International Affairs, focused on the Pacific Region or not, HAD to follow these changes!
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One of our guest lecturers was the Soviet (remember the USSR – still around in early 1990) was at San Diego as the Second Russian Revolutionary stand-off took place. It was amazing.
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My final paper for year 1 actually used the model and lessons learned from the Asian NECs and applied it to Poland to understand where that country had benefits and shortcomings in the future growth. It was very cool and reading it now, I am pleased at how well it held up.
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I grew up in a world divided into only 2 camps – the good guys and the bad guys. I started grad school when that began to change. The change has move in ways NO ONE expected and people and non-governmental organizations have stepped up as huge players, mainly positive (micro-finance, business expertise) and some hugely negative (terrorism). I am excited not just to g back to be able to share so much of what I have learned.
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I hope to come out (if I get in :-) able to use my skills in a positive way. It sounds stupid, but through Citi I have actually helped with cheaper microfinance, with more reliable and less expensive ways for foreign workers to send money home and opening options for women in finance in Islamic countries. It was all for profit, but I did get to help, and that makes me feel better.
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And the faculty and lecturers at NYU consist of great financiers, of UN diplomats and NGO personnel with stories to tell. Whatever, I think it will be cool.