Pirates Delivers

I was a little skeptical but still determined to see Pirates III, the reviews I'd seen said better than two, not as good as one. I guess I'd agree with that assessment. And as much as I love Captain Jack, seems to me Kiera Knightley actually lit up the screen the most. And Orlando is just plain eye candy, no denying it. So it is the wild romp you'd expect, and the special effects are impressive. Especially that face of Davey Jones, it's pretty convincingly alive. And lots of nice touches, the opening scene where all rights had been suspended as they hang dozens of unfortunates is a blatant jab at the state of the country, and rightly so. So if you don't expect an awful lot from the plot it's a fun ride, and unlike some comments of it dragging, I thought it kept pace for all two hours 45 minutes. And boy does it set up for number four as you'd expect. They may not have the story line picked out yet, but there will be one. I kept expectations low for Keith Richards as Jack's dad, and good thing. The scene is a good one but that's about it, a cameo, but the funny part is Keith didn't look that much different than he does in every day life!

A Step Back in Time - 20 Years

My 15 minutes of fame only lasted 5, so I guess I've got another 10 coming.

Me: Smiling like a kid in a candy store.

Sting: Are we done yet???

We drove all night, me and a local singer, Carmen Hedges to Seattle to see his show at the Seattle Center for the Nothing Like the Sun tour. Having had the tickets lost in the mail, my boss at the radio station said, go, they'll be there at the will call window. Well when we got there and picked up the tickets, the woman who was handling it felt so bad she scooped us a couple of back stage passes, which was fine by us!! The show was fantastic, we sat in about row 30 on the floor and walked in with some fish and chips in hand, to the opening chords of Lazarus Heart, just in time. After the amazing performance with such greats as They Dance Alone, We'll Be Together, '86 Don't Stand So Close to Me, Little Wing, Englishman in New York and tons more, we made a quick dash to the ladies room to make sure we were presentable for the back stage encounter. And lo and behold we damn near missed him. So having been ushered back and told we'd get a photo op, I overcame my fear and immediately stood nearby waiting my turn. Meanwhile, Carmen, a singer who performed regularly on stage, chickened out. But I wasn't going to miss this for the world. I waited my turn, and after having a nice eye contact moment as I waited across the room, I stepped up and shook his hand, a great, warm, firm handshake, and expressed how great the show had been, and the woman doing the introductions said I'd traveled from Montana for the show, Sting exclaimed Montana! The Goon's from Montana (his photographer, who I was also introduced to, from Missoula, of course). Then we both looked forward to have the pix snapped, me grinning from ear to ear, Sting with that serious Rock Star look, and the moment was over. Whisked into a waiting white limo, off he went into the night. But I'd had my moment, memorialized in time by the 8 x 10 glossy I received a week or so later c/o the radio station. My boss who scored me the tickets was a real gem, and beamed as he handed over the photo. Anyone could see from my expression how thrilling the experience had been. So, on to Bonnaroo to see the Police reunion, this too should be a memorable event.

When the Levees Broke

Every American over the age of 12 should see this documentary by Spike Lee. I know, you think, how depressing, who wants to see a film with such misery and lots of floating dead bodies? But the film shows a vivid view of the culture and human spirit that was and is New Orleans. It also shows the stark reality which plagues George Bush's empire: "can't make a decision, paralyzed with fear and ain't gonna change any time soon." Whenever he's been asked to step up to the plate, George Bush has gone running to the land of denial and tunnel vision that must live in his head. Spike Lee does a commendable job of keeping himself out of the film and portraying the stories of the many individuals whose lives were devastated by Katrina. Bravo Spike.

More St Louis

St. Louis

St. Louis

I was so much more impressed with the St. Louis Arch than I thought I would be. I'd seen it from the highway passing through in 1978 but this week we stayed right next to it. This was the view from my hotel room. St. Louis was warm and humid and at least 60% black. As we walked the streets, having failed to flag down the transit bus, we (two blonde white women) were amazed at how many inquiring looks we received. Maybe it's just that friendly southern hospitality, but it was very noticeable. I also noticed how much more relaxed I felt being in the minority. Other times, like in DC, I felt very aware of just how very white I was. The southern flavor restaurant we ate at across from Busch Stadium (Cards lost badly 10-3) was like a step right into Dixie. Allegator on the menu, first time I'd ever seen that. We have buffalo burgers at some locales in Montana and think we're hot shit, ha! The spicy beans and rice was delish, the crawfish was unimpressive with very little meat and I declined the "sucking juice from the head" part of the experience. And then when done with our dinner, us four girls went into the next room where a local zydeco/blues/horns band was playing. They played a very funky Mack the Knife and a very fun I Dream of Jeannie theme song with a running commentary on how that was the singers favorite show growing up. It was a hoot and we stayed about an hour really enjoying the night out. Something about sitting for 4 straight days in a work conference to make you climb the walls, so it was a welcome relief. On another note, the Botanical Garden was superb and well worth the long trek by foot and public transport to get there and back.

It Could All End in One Second

As I rounded and rounded the block wondering why I couldn't find a damn parking space downtown I pulled slowly past an under construction patio right near my work and as I pulled into a curbside parking space I saw some debris tumble onto the sidewalk. I knew they'd had the lift with a guy doing some stuff on the building this week so didn't think too much of it. Then when I got out of my car and looked up, no man working, just two more lion heads affixed to the building, like this one that had just fallen two stories. The chance that I was there right as it happened is a little scary. If someone had been working below on the patio surely they would've died or been seriously injured by this piece of stone. And this space where it tumbled to the sidewalk is exactly where I walk each day to retrieve the mail. I've heard about pieces of old buildings falling in places like NY, but not here in little Helena Montana. You'd have never known what hit you. Luckily, no one was around late in the work day to meet their end.

Things I Know

Serena Williams is a force of nature. After going down 0-6 in the first set of the final in Miami (her first such deficit in over a year in a first set) she fought back to win the Sony Ericsson title, her fourth. Tough as nails and heading for the number 1 world ranking.

Sandra Bullock needs a new agent. Honestly, how many time warp films does she have to make before she fires her agent. What happened to the good old days when she did films like While You Were Sleeping? Even 28 Days was a vast improvement over the last several outings.

Timothy Olyphant is hot hot hot. I recently rented The Girl Next Door through my Netflix account. While I watched the first few minutes, I wondered "now why did I add this movie to my queue?" Then about half way through here comes the pimp daddy of our main character, in from out of town and ready to start some shit. Oh yeah, that's why I added this flick. I just can't get enough of him and I'm waiting anxiously for the final season of Deadwood to come out. Seth Bullock, now that's a Bullock with all the right moves.

Dancing With the Stars is the kind of show I'd never watch. I've never seen an episode of Survivor, Lost, American Idol, Deal or No Deal, The Greatest Race, and haven't watched the Apprentice since the first two seasons, it's now in it's seventh. BUT, when I saw that Apolo Anton Ohno was one of this years competitors, I had to tune in. Seeing him skate every four years at the Winter Olympics isn't nearly enough. And it turns out being a world class skater, Olympic gold medal winner and adorable hunk, all help him to dance like a pro. He'll be in at least the last two couples, if not the top notch.

The Anna Nicole fight for her riches and little girl will be in the courts for the next five years, maybe more.

The odds of President Bush being impeached are better than ever now. Keep your fingers crossed as the hits keep coming.

Sir Bono

So I hear the Pope wants to put "HELL" back on the agenda. And the Bush administration is talking about Regime Change in Iran, and we all know how well that plan's going in Iraq after 4 years of bloodshed and chaos. I guess those fear mongers have a common theme in their strategy to control the lives of others. I surmise that their own hearts and minds are so out of control they are compelled to seek out control through dominating others. Keep the masses fearful and you can lead them off a cliff. Why can't they be like Bono and use their powers for good to change the world for the better?

Rafa Rules

With a win today at Indian Wells. Playing in fine form he was overdue for another title. This is the first since Paris 2006. Of course it didn't hurt that Roger Federer was knocked out early, but still great to see the win. It must be the longer pants, noticed he switched back to the standard after going knee length for awhile. Such a joy to watch. Now it's on to Miami for the next ATP tournament. GO RAFA!!

Paris Calling

Trying to make it to Italy this year and I've been yearning for Europe and thinking a lot about it lately. We'll see.

Movie Notes

Zodiac made me want to go out and get the book and read the in depth story of this deranged killer. Jake Gyllenhaal does a stellar job as the regular guy, a grown up eagle scout, who becomes obsessed with the California murder spree of the Zodiac. Makes you wonder how many unsolved murders would be solved if the detectives on the cases put as much time and energy into researching the murders as this regular guy does. The gold mine of resources found in your local library is mentioned more than once, a real plug for those demure librarians who fight to keep free access to public information. The real flair of the film though is Robert Downey Jr., who is fantastic as this wacked out substance abuser. I know, not much of a stretch for him, but he's terrific. I was happy to see how healthy and vibrant, (and hot) he looked on the red carpet at the Oscars. Nice to have him back, I wish he'd do more movies. It's longish, 2.5 hours, but I'm glad they didn't hack it up to fit in the 90 minute format. A must see.

Now, on the other hand, Notes on a Scandal, which got so much buzz, was kind of disappointing. As Cate Blanchett's character is being taken advantage of by the evil school marm it reminded me of those scary movies where you want to scream at the screen "NO, don't go down in to that dark basement without a flashlight". That someone would be that naive and trusting of such an evil character is hard to believe.

Netflixed An Unfinished Life with Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez and Morgan Freeman as someone had recommended it to me as a good flick, and it is. I've always liked J Lo as an actress, if nothing else. The crotchety old grandpa, Redford, and the ailing Freeman have an interesting relationship which is really the core of the film. Worth viewing if just to immerse yourself into the lovely landscape. The ranch where they live is truly a pristine area, and films that bring you to beautiful places have an added dimension.

Ellen Wimped Out

For someone who "came out" on national TV to tons of controversy, Ellen sure played it safe at the Oscars. I was looking forward to some biting, funny jabs, but witnessed nothing but softballs. There were a few light moments, like making Steven Spielberg re-take a digital pix with Marty Scorsese. With the country in chaos over the Iraq war and the "who's your daddy" saga, surely there could have been some hilarious zingers, but zilch. As for the awards, a couple of suprises like Alan Arkin for Grandpa in Little Miss Sunshine, which he did such a wonderful job in. Eddie Murphy did a real star turn in Dream Girls, but you know he's gotten so much attention for years it was nice to change it up a bit. The heartfelt speeches from Jennifer Hudson and Forrest Whittaker made you happy to see them win. I was a little disappointed they gave Scorsese both best picture and best director, director would've been enough of a reward in my book. Plus I really wanted to see Sunshine win best picture. It was a suprise to see it get best original screen play though. Now the dresses did have a few zingers. Seems this year it was home runs and strikeouts and not much in between. What was Nicole thinking? Not that red doesn't become her, but that bow! A parrot on her shoulder would've taken up less room. And Jennifer Lopez with that gaudy jeweled mess around her neck with the cutie pie hair, yuk! And after playing a true fashion diva Meryl Streep comes looking like a baggy bohemian. And Kirsten Dunst? It was the dress that had everything, and therefore nothing. Now there were a lot of knock outs, not the least of which was Helen Mirren, what a dress! Other winners, Cate Blanchette with a slinky body hugger, Kate Winslett in a celadon number, Byonce in the red performance number only, (the one with that jeweled arrangment across her chest was too much), and how about Reese Witherspoon? What a classy look, I guess single life agrees with her. Also looking very uptown was Gwyneth Paltrow with that sleek hair pulled to one side. She was as gorgeous as I've ever seen her, and she's had a few misses, remember that pink number from a few years back? On the male side, Leo, Ryan Gosling and Clive looked very sharp. It's always fun to see the stars dressed to the nines, and the truly international flavor added another dimension not usually seen at the Oscars. I do hope this is Ellen's only outing though. Hell her American Express commercials are more entertaining.

Halfway There

Well yesterday the Montana State Senate passed SB 306 to abolish Montana's death penalty. Vote was close, 27-22. Now on to the House, which is republican controlled. I do believe the winds of change are blowing nationwide regarding death penalty. So many states have recently been looking at the legality of lethal injection and in fact if our death penalty is not repealed this legislative session, a suit challenging the legality of our protocol will be filed. We already know from a ruling last summer that the procedure used at Montana State Prison is not the one spelled out in statute. The cruel and unusual factor may be the turning point as another state with our same procedure has already ruled it unconstitutional. All those who argue against abolishing the death penalty use emotional, illogical and often religious arguments. Recent testimony included "this is not a matter of vengeance" and "it's not an economic issue" both arguments of course are false. It reminded me of junior high girls who would say things like "not to be mean or anything" or "I'm not trying to be a bitch" which of course mean they were exactly trying to be mean and bitchy. Death Penalty is about vengeance and it is about our tax dollars being wasted on costly appeals which means all Montanans are subsidizing state sponsored death, like it or not. The most compelling argument I heard was the simple fact that if it's not a fair and just system, equally applied to all regardless of color or income or the ability to hire a great lawyer, the system needs to be changed.

The Fight Over Montana's Death Penalty

Every legislative session, a bill is introduced to abolish Montana's death penalty. It usually makes it to the full house/senate floor before being summarily killed. Last session however it didn't even make it out of committee. I've seen more of our legislative session this year than ever before as it's broadcast by the local public TV group. It's sad to think that what happens here locally happens on a bigger and scarier scale in DC. The sane and logical arguments to abolish the death penalty are so numerous: it costs more than life in prison, it's a barbaric state sponsored killing for punishment/revenge on behalf of the families and society at large, the lack of closure and satisfaction for the victim family members who witness the killing of the presumed guilty. Not to mention the many, many who have been removed from death row nationwide when DNA evidence or recanting of eye witness testimony free the innocent. When the rest of the so-called civilized world has long given up on tax dollar murders, most US states cling to a tunnel vision that "justice" is served, and "eye for an eye", etc. etc. Fact is, the rich white killers (or black if you're OJ) never get the death penalty because they can afford to hire high priced quality lawyers. So if it's inherently unfair as the poor and minority populations are much more likely to receive the death penalty, how can any thinking, feeling person justify the taking of life when the dangerous can be kept from society by prison? Or worse yet, when the realization that innocent people have in fact been executed in this country under an imperfect justice system? And don't even get me started on the bible thumpers who apparently can dismiss "thou shalt not kill" with a flick of their finger because is serves their own evil intentions. But then, using the Bible/Jesus/Christianity as a shield to hide behind for promoting your own hateful ways, is a well established practice these days. The inability to take responsibility for your own racist, discriminatory thoughts and feelings is the definition of small minded humans, and there seems to be no shortage of them running around. Call me an idealist, but this year I'm hoping that intelligence prevails.

Guston

Came across this very striking abstract while searching for other art I've seen this last year, I believe it's called Natives Return.

I'm Confused

So after updating with the 21st century and doing the MySpace thing for a while, I am puzzled at the responses I get. First, and this is just a pet peeve of mine, has the habit of proofreading before you hit send really gone by the wayside? I've gotten many "looking for love, the one true love, etc. full of typos and really bad grammar. Some have made me wonder if English is really their first language. And now, while I don't mind the attention from the younger guys, what on earth are they thinking when they live in NY, CA and even England looking for the love of their life? If they're just looking for some dirty chat because their whole life is lived in cyber space, maybe they could disclose that up front. Otherwise, I don't need a bunch of "friends" who I'll never meet, no matter how attractive they are, and some are. So, it's like the rest of the internet, a ton of "spam" for every tiny bit of substance.

Two Thumbs Up

For Dream Girls and Children of Men. Had to go see Dream Girls after all the hoopla, and really, Jennifer Hudson deserved that Golden Globe, and so did Eddie Murphy. It is a well put together film chronicling the Supremes rise to fame. Even though there are a few moments of "I feel a song coming on" where one of the players breaks into song, it's forgivable. Children of Men is an impactful film, a grim picture of what the world may be like in 2027, when the whole world looks like downtown Baghdad does now. The premise that we're on our way to extinction isn't that far fetched when you look at global warming and infertility, not to mention the massive poisioning of our environment. It was sad to see London all disheveled and broken, especially after finally seeing it for real last summer. Clive Owen is great as usual, a definite must-see.

Boys Will Always Resort to Being Boys!

What boys do when they "have to go" and there's snow handy....M is for Max.

New Year Off and Running

Well, the ice cold temps have arrived, -11 at my house this a.m. Listened to my first live music of the new year, met up with a Wailers fan from Mizzoo who had an extra ticket and so I figured what the heck. Cold as hell, but the roads were bare and dry with no traffic coming back so it was a nice night off. Just a casual reggae fan really, but figured the Wailers have been around for eons and they'd be good which they were. Good thing Mizzoo passed that recent ordinance relegating pot to the lowest law enforcement priority because the Wilma was in a smoky haze all evening. I was afraid if I got stopped for speeding on the way home the cop would smell my coat and do a "probable search". Luckily no problem on the way home. Not to mention I haven't imbibed in the stuff for 28 or so years, but that wouldn't stop them from harassing me! So this was by far the most pleasant "internet" date I've been on so far. Very pleasant fellow, we had dinner and then the concert, pretty laid back atmosphere needless to say. It feels good to take a risk, albeit a calculated one, and get out there a little more. Doubt we'll hang out again, but I wouldn't mind if we did. A hundred miles away is a long way to go for a date, and I swore I wouldn't travel out of town for any more of these unknown "disaster dates" but for concerts I'll probably always make an exception. So onward to the new year!@

Verge of a New Year

New starts, new year resolutions may indeed be a bunch of crap, but there's something about a new start with a cool new number, 2007, that seems refreshing. Part of it is just getting the holidays behind us, and the dark days of winter have begun to be lighter and longer, although you can't really notice yet. Seems like people get down to business and begin again to focus on their work and being more organized and efficient when the holidays are behind them. A lot of stress and distraction happens over the holidays, even if it's just the sight of a nativity scene everytime you turn around, which is a little depressing. The in your face religious stuff is a little much. So, on to the new year with hopes it's as good as 2006 which was awesome. The laughing fits over rummy in the triangle hotel room in Paris, the rest of Europe with family, incredible music events, health, excercise and a sense of well being...a very good 2006 for which I am very thankful for.

Run Santa Run!!

Fun in the UK

Season's Greetings

Passe un temps des fêtes vraiment relax
Ou…tu peux toujours aller dans ta famille

(You can take it easy on the holidays, or
You can go visit your family)

Joyeuses fêtes!

Pie Notes

For crust, my Nana taught me how to make foolproof crusts. First of all, all ingredients should be cool. I keep flour and Crisco in the fridge and use very cold water to blend. For one crust use one cup all purpose flour with 5 tablespoons of Crisco, work quickly until shortening is about the size of peas or smaller using your fingers or a fork. I use a couple of dashes or up to ¼ teaspoon of salt. Double flour to 2 cups and 10 tablespoons Crisco for double crust pie. After shortening is worked into flour/salt gradually add very cold tap water, about ¼ to ½ cup, and mix in until all flour is blended and taken up into a ball. Split in half for 2 crust pie, roll out very thin with rolling pin keeping surface of counter and dough sprinkled with flour at all times so it doesn’t stick, until rolled out to desired thickness. Over-handling or the shortening having time to warm up makes a tough chewy crust, so work quickly and handle as little as possible. 

From Mildred Chaffin’s Cooking for Daily Living.

A lot of potentially good pies suffer from under baking. A nice brown crust doesn’t necessarily mean the filling is done. I prefer flour as a thickening agent. If there is raw flour in a fruit or berry pie, it came out of the oven too soon. If no raw flour is evident and you still have to eat it with a spoon, the pie could’ve used a little more thickening and possibly a little longer baking time. I have found no hard and fast rules for measurements since fresh, canned and frozen fruits differ in juice content. It is safe and sensible to bake fruit and berry pies an hour—sometimes more—until the juice boils up clear and syrupy. I start pies at 400° for 15 minutes (bottom rack) then lower temperature to 350° until juice begins to bubble. Finish at 300°. Pies won’t boil over so badly if cooking is slow and easy. (MY APPLE usually cooks 1 hour and 15 minutes, but if it’s too brown take it out a little sooner)

Putting fruit or berry pies together:

Line pie plate without stretching the dough and flute the rim (quite high) as if making a one crust pie before trimming the edge. Mix the flour for thickening with half of the sugar and sprinkle a thick layer of this on the bottom crust before putting in the uncooked filling. (FOR APPLE pie, I use ¾ cup of sugar, so half of this would be mixed with 3 tablespoons of flour and spread on bottom crust). This gives the bottom crust a chance to begin baking before it gets a soaking. (With apples, I mound quite high as they do cook down to about half volume.) Sprinkle remaining sugar on the filling along with seasonings. (FOR APPLE a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and I add a little sprinkle of nutmeg.) Place second crust atop and pinch around edges to seal, careful not to punch holes in edges, and trim off remaining crust. Cut decorative slits and you can brush a coating of milk or soft margarine (but I never put anything on them, and they turn out great).

The Search for the Perfect Tree

My perfect little tree, and I only spent $35. Last year we didn't have a tree, I put a couple of ornaments on my 50 year old Christmas Cactus, not a very impressive sight, so this year the tree means even more. I've always loved having a tree in the living room and revisiting the decorations, Sadie's little wooden rocking horse with "I love Willy" written on it, Wednesday's heart shaped grade school picture, the tiny stocking that I knit long ago, the other assorted crafty items the kids made while growing up. We still have a few of the nearly antique bulbs from, oh I guess 1960's? They don't make them like that any more. So it's up and while a little tippy if you mess with it, it does stand on it's own, looking beautiful.

Holiday Bliss & Family Reunions

Okay I'm not really into religious holidays, not even a Christian really, but this guy seen on the streets of downtown Helena struck my fancy.
Just reconnected with my step-half and step-quarter daughters, the sisters of my three and I hadn't actually seen either since they were young girls. MySpace really is a wonder that way. They're all grown up, 20 and 25, and living in Seattle and Alaska. When the two families lived in Missoula we actually had the kids spend lots of time together. Being civil really was the best choice and I'm glad we adults were able to see past the anger of divorce and betrayal to allow the kids to be family. After all I wasn't going to have any more than three but loved the idea that my kids could have more siblings. We'll have to figure out a way to all get together sometime.

Movie Notes

Just rented Ellie Parker with Naomi Watts and it's a fun romp of a movie, I'd highly recommend it. Also rented Down to the Bone, a realistic look at addictive behaviors. No major stars and a little depressing but worth viewing. If you're still on the fence about going to see Stranger Than Fiction, I'd recommend it just for Maggie Gyllenhaal alone. She's one of my favorite actors and Emma Thompson is great as the wacky writer. While it's not exactly a comedy, more melancholy than anything really, it's definitely worth seeing. Also rented The New World over the holiday, I admit just for Colin Farrell, and while it's nice to see him onscreen the movie crawls along with no real plot. Maybe they stuck a little too close to the real story and should've spiced it up a bit. I liked him better in Miami Vice. Looks like the holiday season has a few promising films, but early reviews on Bobby are not good.

Another Turkey Come and Gone

Well, another Thanksgiving with just me and Max. It's sad, pathetic and wonderful all at the same time. I set the table for four because two plates would've just looked too lonely, plus I wanted to try out the new dishes which are beautiful. So I took Max's suggestion and got a little bird this time, a 12 pounder, and did the usual fixings: the box bread, pecan and apple pies, squash, brussel sprouts, potatoes, gravy and stuffing. So, needless to say we'll be eating turkey for the next week. The wonderful part is that I didn't have to go anywhere, didn't have to clean the house too much and wasn't stressing about the meal at all. I know a house full of company/family is supposed to be a very festive occasion, but the stress that goes along with it rarely makes for a fun event, at least in my experience. So all those folks who had to gather with people they don't really want to hang out with have my sympathies. Me and Max had a great meal: chatted and enjoyed each other's company, expressed our missing of the girls, and listened to live Pearl Jam through dinner, probably not a tradition in too many households. The good news is if all goes as planned, it will be three of us for Christmas this year and in the next couple of years we may be back to all family members in the US. I'm thinking holidays in LA would be a fun change of pace. As long as we get at least one more awesome trip to Europe before everybody's stateside. We'll see how it goes.

Another Art Walk

Awesome Pollock, I wish this was on display at the local art walk last week, but there were some good ones and some interesting photography. Some mostly nude nature shots were very interesting, although I have to admit I liked the ones without the subjects cellulite showing. A large 5' by 5' abstract painted by a local artist is as good as anything I viewed at the big museums this year. The whole town comes out for the walks which just goes to show there's not enough to do in this small town. Plus the venues all provide snacks, so that probably attracts at least some folks.

Tester's In, Rumsfeld's Out

What a great day for the country. It just goes to show if you screw up in monumental proportions for long enough, even Americans eventually awaken from their comatose state.

Room With a View - DC

Happy Halloween - Don't Forget to Vote Next Tuesday!

East Coast

The Shame of America

Viewing The Road to Guantánamo, a first hand account of three British citizens caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time and sent off to Guantánamo Bay where they were treated like less than animals is a truly sad commentary of how the US views it’s role in the world. And these young guys of middle eastern heritage were citizens of England speaking perfect English, can you imagine the treatment of the ones who do not speak English? The story profiled just one case of the many citizens rounded up, jailed and tortured at the hands of Americans in the name of the “war on terror”. That the US government has condoned and even encouraged the torture of hundreds classified as enemy combatants is disturbing and shameful made more alarming by the recent signing by our president of the Military Commissions Act denying due process to these individuals. Every American should see this film and get a first hand look at what our government is doing in our name.

Last Leg of This Year's Art Tour

When in LA we just missed Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party by a few days, so when I heard it would be in DC at the private Phillips Collection, I figured it must be destiny to see it. With the vibrant colors and exquisite detail, it deserves all the hoopla. We also got to see some Van Gogh and Renoir works and another Degas ballerina painting. Some really beautiful art is housed in the museum/mansion gallery and the house itself is a work of art.

















I hadn't been to DC since 1975 so I had never seen the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial which was completed in 1982.  While the others are grand in scale and intent, Washington, Lincoln, and the new World War II, none carry the weight of the Vietnam wall. The granite slab memorial is neither huge nor ornate, yet when you get close and read the names and see the tokens of love left by family members, the personal nature of each life lost is quite overwhelming. It is hard to look at for very long at a time as the pain represented by each of the 50,000+ individuals who died in that tragic misguided war effort is heart wrenching. The human toll on a generation of our young men and the families who loved them is so vast and so sad. War should almost never be the answer in a civilized society. I wish George Bush had been in Vietnam, history would not now be repeating itself with the war in Iraq. While I doubt we will lose 50,000 Americans in the current war, the loss of Iraqi lives and the utter destruction of their country makes this war no less tragic than Vietnam.

Traveling Back to Paradise 9-15-06

Venturing back to these mountains always feels like coming home. Looking up to the ragged, cloud shrouded peaks, knowing in the morning they’ll be covered in a fresh coat of snow gives me a sense of calm and completeness, such beauty. My life really started about 20 air miles from here in this same mountain range when I had the good fortune of moving to Yellowstone Park when I was 20. Newly transplanted to the Rockies of the west I awed at the majestic views and wild land that would be my home for the next year. Soaking tonight in the hot tub in the quiet darkness brought me back to soaking in the hot pots of Yellowstone, the boiling river in the bitter winter, our long hair freezing upon exiting the pools and the quiet moonlit walk back to the Artists pot with the elk bugling not far off. There is no other sound that compares to the primal screams in the night air. The peace and silence of the vast outdoors brings to life an intensity of spirit that bonds all beings through time. Something very sacred comes over your consciousness when exposed to the smells and sounds of pure life. The energy vibrating off the forest is palpable. My life began here, the life that would bring me my three children, setting me on a course of conviction and love for the beings that would teach me the meaning of true love. The blessing of these three is almost overwhelming if I dwell on it, so I try to only pause for fleeting moments so as not to become overwhelmed. It feels good to come back home.

More Optimism on Dating

Dating is hard work, or maybe I’m just too lazy to do it with any enthusiasm. The lack of chemistry that does not translate over the high speed connection of your internet becomes apparent in the first five minutes of your first date. And of course without chemistry, you’re on just another date from hell, wondering why you put yourself through this unpleasant regimen. After a couple of hours of feigning interest in each other it’s suitable to just put a proper and swift end to it. No apologies, no lies about getting together again real soon, just hey, thanks, bye bye. On the lead up to the last couple of dates I’ve been on I was realistic and kept my expectations at pretty much nil. Good thing, because nil is just about the sum total of them both added up together. Don’t get me wrong, they weren’t a total waste of time. I certainly viewed a clearer vision of what I don’t want in life or in a relationship. But the question remains, why bother? Is it our never ending optimism of thinking that everyone deserves or at least hopes for true love? No matter how many times your hopes may be dashed, you eventually pick yourself up, dust yourself off and once again enter the fray. Are we all just too damn picky or realistic as we age? Where we used to just go with our wild abandon, now we calculate and speculate and hypothesize as to what the “down the road” picture will look like, take a good honest look and decide that for our own well being, we’d better not take that road after all. I see men everywhere, some of them are surely single and some of them look back as we make eye contact and smile, but I’ll never meet them, we’re just strangers connecting for a split second, ships passing in the night.

A Bigger Bang Indeed

When I was a sixth grader dancing to the 45 of Satisfaction with my friend Mona Sula on her linoleum basement floor, who would’ve guessed that I’d see a bunch of 60 year olds perform the song, their song, 37 years later in Missoula Montana in the year 2006. To anyone who will ever be 60 years old, the Rolling Stones are a true beacon of hope. Their energy and vibrancy, not to mention their lean muscular physiques, are proof that no one with a lust for life and a passion for their work needs to become fat and sluggish with all the heath consequences that come along with it. And their Maiden Voyage to Montana for a bunch of guys who have certainly seen more of the world than most could ever hope for in a lifetime, shows that even at 60 you can still see new places and have new adventures. I love that their music and level of performance has stayed as high as it ever was. This is no classic rock band milking the last few ounces of a long ago career like so many of those has-been bands you see around at county fairs. These guys are the role model for rock and roll.

As for the actual show, it was a spectacle complete with fireworks and magnificent light show which included the whole humungous stage. It's refreshing that they all look their age, not pulled and reworked with face lifts as so many rich and famous their age. And Mick can really belt them out. It reminded me of when I recently saw Sting, now he's terrific in his own right, but should not include Roxanne when he can't hit the high notes. Not so with Mick. The play list was a pleasing mix of old and a few new ones from their recent hit release. Starting out with a roaring Jumpin Jack Flash and going on to include favorites like Let's Spend the Night Together, Start Me Up, Midnight Rambler including rousing harmonica by Mick, Brown Sugar, Tumbling Dice and a dazzling Sympathy for the Devil complete with Mick in a red coat and top hat. When you think of how many hits they've had over the years it's nice to see they include a broad cross section when performing. Also made me glad I'd seen them do Ruby Tuesday in '89 as it was very moving and not included here. The crowd too was very well behaved, one of the best I've experienced, and an age range from about 10 to 75 from what I could tell. It was nice to share the Stones first experience in Montana with them and 22,000 enthusuastic fans. It was a blast being part of history in the making.

Five Things I've Learned from Internet Dating

Okay, so I'm really new at this and really rusty at dating in general but I'm hoping to be a quick study and not make the same mistakes twice.

1. Don't travel more than 20 miles to meet your "new friend". Exceptions: it's a beautiful day for a drive, your car gets 35 mpg, you like driving, you've got that new cd you're dying to listen to and you like visiting the other town where you have other things you plan on doing: movie, shopping etc.
2. Meet the person as soon after you decide you actually want to meet them as you can. Something strange happens when you wait too long, it must be that mental impression you formulate of their personality, that preconceived notion which of course is never anything like the actual person.
3. Keep your expectations at zero, this lessens the disappointment. This is not as hard as it sounds, for the older you get, the more realistic life becomes. You're smart enough after all these years to do the math and realize that the chances this unknown person will turn out to be your soul mate are about five gazillion to one.
4. Make sure you do an activity, hike, art walk, etc. then when they bore you to tears you still feel a sense of accomplishment because you saw some really cool art or got some excercise.
5. If you're not attracted to their posted pictures, don't even bother, you won't have any chemistry when you meet either. This includes even if they seem funny in your e-mail exchanges and apparently have led a very colorful, interesting life.

Keith Olbermann's Lastest Special Comment

The Sandbagging of Clinton on Fox

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Bush is the Devil

Okay, so why all the fuss about Hugo Chavez exercising his first amendment rights to call Bush The Devil? And now the Right Wing media is promoting the idea to boycott Citgo Gas since it's based in Venezuela; there's even a call from a Boston City Councilman to remove the historic Citgo sign from Fenway Park in protest of Chavez's blunt remarks at the UN. Could it possibly be that when Chavez spoke those words, they rang so true to all who heard them uttered, right and left wingers alike, that the knee-jerk reaction was outrage? I've seen even lefty liberals like Rachel Maddow scold Chavez for his name calling. Hey people, it's just a name, it's not like he's dropped bombs which left our country in ruins, smashing our infrastructure, or caused the deaths of tens of thousands and turned our young military personnel into torturers and murderers, incited a civil war and imprisoned hundreds with no regard given to the Geneva Conventions or Uniform Military Code and has no plan as to how we'll extract ourselves from an ill conceived and unjustified war. Anyone with half a brain, if they really analyze the facts, can understand why other nations, lots of other nations, indeed do consider Bush the devil incarnate. It's just that Chavez had the guts to stand up and say what so many others are thinking.

More Paris

America Lost Her Heart & Soul Five Years Ago Today

Not just because of the horrendous tragedy of two giant planes crashing into the World Trade Towers, but because of the fear mongering that has dominated the political scene since that fateful day. The evil-doers of George W. and his band of cronies have capitalized on the shock and awe suffered by US citizens on 9/11. And now our government has become the kind of fundamentalist, intolerant regime that our leaders would have you believe we are actually fighting against over in Iraq and soon to be Iran. And NO the world is not a better place without Saddam Hussein, it's much worse. Saddam was a bad man, but not as bad as George W. who claims to be doing the work of God. Are you sure you don't mean Allah, George? Because the rhetoric you spew day after day is just as insane. So now we have become the world's number one terrorists, hated far and wide for an unjust war that has decimated Iraq and thrown the whole middle east into turmoil. Liberty and Justice are just hollow sounding words now as the Constitution is methodically dismantled by all branches of our government. The founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves. The kind of tyranny they so vocally warned against has finally come to fruition. God Help Us All.