Jimmy Buffett day
When you mention the singer Jimmy Buffett, 99% of people think "Margaritaville". Maybe 97%? Some will think of "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and others will think of "Changes in Lattitudes, Changes in Attitudes". Me, I think immediately of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQCP8h_NmLM
* * *
I am a firm supporter of the concept of neighborhood permit parking. I'd hate to imagine what it would be like to live near Santa Monica College and not have the street in front of my home be permit only parking. When class was in session there would be nowhere for anyone who lives there to park if they come home mid-day.
But the latest idea from the morons in charge of Santa Monica is just idiotic. Parking meters in residential zones. Now the City of Los Angeles comes awfully close. If you go South on Westwood Boulevard and turn right on Mississippi, you'll find meters on Mississippi right up to the mouth of the alley that separates the residential zoned property from the business zoned property. But no meters are to be found in the residential zone. As it should be.
* * *
Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey has been in the news a lot lately. He's going to get more of the spotlight in the coming days. Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey has just died. That means Gov Christie, a Republican, will appoint a replacement to serve until a special election can be held later this year (he'd announced that he wouldn't seek reelection this coming November). Lautenberg was the last veteran of World War II serving in the Senate.
Given the "bi-partisan" spirit with which Gov Christie has been working with the President of late, anyone think that the governor might appoint a Democrat to replace Sen Lautenberg? Not hardly. Not that this will change the balance of power in the Senate in any way. There were only 45 Republican members of the Senate when Lautenberg died. One more won't make a difference at this point. Even if the two senators who are "independents" were to align with the Republicans, Democrats will still have a 52 to 48 majority.
* * *
I overdid it a bit yesterday. I have a few errands to run today and wanted to go to a movie. Then tonight is a trivia night. I'm sitting here pondering the reality that I can do all of it, but I will come home completely exhausted. Making myself exhausted is not the best way to complete my recovery and is probably a great way to have a relapse. So one of those three things is going away and it won't be trivia. Either errand running or movie-going is going bye-bye. Maybe both. I'll let you know tomorrow what disappeared from the agenda. The fact that June gloom is clearly here and it looks very gray outside makes it very likely I'll sit home and rest until time to drive to trivia.
* * *
I'm sure you know my opinion of the majority of the mainstream media. It is slanted, mostly from the left but definitely more from the right than ever before. That's fine. Media is a business and it is in business to make money. Yes, the press should be focused on objective reporting of the news but it is almost impossible to be 100% objective, unless you have a robot doing the work. That doesn't mean there aren't a whole bunch of journalists out there (many now seeking work due to that profit motive thing having caused job cuts in the industry) who do their utmost to keep their personal beliefs out of the stories they cover.
But credibility is everything. When someone is less than honest, in the public eye, their ability to be a deliverer of the news must be questioned. When it happens more than once, the questioning should increase. That brings me to the Reverend Al Sharpton. Unlike the conservatives he trashes regularly on MSNBC.
And it's fine for him to do commentary, interviews and the like on MSNBC. Couldn't care less. But when they move him to the anchor chair, as they did for their live coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing, that's going just too far. Just as Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity have no business anchoring news coverage on the Fox News Channel, Al Sharpton has no business doing on any NBC network. The difference is that O'Reilly and Hannity didn't tell lies about prosecutors having been involved in a rape (Sharpton was found guilty of defamation of prosecutor Steven Pagones in the Tawana Brawley incident after Pagones sued Sharpton).
When you add that to the growing number of incidents where NBC did "selective editing" of audio, I no longer consider them to be as credible as the other main networks.
* * *
There's a lottery today in L.A. There is $100 million up for grabs. $100 million in tax credits to filmmakers to encourage them to film here in CA. Considering how much film production is going elsewhere because other states are giving much more away in credits and incentives, this is a drop in the bucket.
Next time you go to the movies, stay through the entire closing credits. Look and see where the movie was filmed. Don't be surprised if you see Louisiana as a location and the state's film commission being involved in the production. They and other states (as well as Canada and other countries) are courting filmmakers. It is a problem our legislature needs to pay attention to.
* * *
This Date in History:
On this date in 1140, French scholar Peter Abelard is found guilty of heresy.
On this date in 1539, Hernando de Soto claims Florida for Spain.
On this date in 1621, the Dutch West India Company receives a charter for New Netherland.
On this date in 1888, the poem "Casey At The Bat" is published in the San Francisco Examiner.
On this date in 1889, the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway is completed.
On this date in 1932, Lou Gehrig hits four home runs in one game while his teammate Tony Lazzeri hit for the cycle. Teammates have never again repeated those feats in the same game.
On this date in 1937, the Duke of Windsor marries Wallis Simpson.
On this date in 1943, the Zoot Suit riots take place in Los Angeles.
On this date in 1950, the first successful ascent of one of the 14 mountains that rise more than 8,000 meters was completed.
On this date in 1968, Valerie Sloanas tries to kill Andy Warhol, shooting him three times.
Famous Folk Born on This Date:
John Hale
Jefferson Davis
Garret Hobart
King George V of England
Barney Oldfield
Maurice Evans (he should be remembered as "Dr. Zaius" more than as a warlock on a TV show)
Charles R. Drew
Martin Gottfried Weiss (rot in hell)
Josephine Baker
Paulette Goddard
Ellen Corby (I liked "Grandma Walton")
Leo Gorcey
Colleen Dewhurst
Tony Curtis
Allen Ginsburg
Raul Castro
Larry McMurtry
Curtis Mayfield
Hale Irwin
Eddie Holman
Melissa Mathison
James Purefoy
Anderson Cooper
Rafael Nadal
Movie Quote of the day comes from the original "Planet of the Apes":
[Taylor ties up Dr. Zaius]
Dr. Zira: Taylor! Don't treat him that way!
George Taylor: Why not?
Dr. Zira: It's humiliating!
George Taylor: The way you humiliated me? All of you? YOU led me around on a LEASH!
Cornelius: That was different. We thought you were inferior.
George Taylor: Now you know better.
#2
Dr. Zaius: Dr. Zira, I must caution you. Experimental brain surgery on these creatures is one thing, and I'm all in favor of it. But your behavior studies are another matter. To suggest that we can learn anything about the simian nature from a study of man is sheer nonsense. Why, man is a nuisance. He eats up his food supply in the forest, then migrates to our green belts and ravages our crops. The sooner he is exterminated, the better. It's a question of simian survival.
* * *
I am a firm supporter of the concept of neighborhood permit parking. I'd hate to imagine what it would be like to live near Santa Monica College and not have the street in front of my home be permit only parking. When class was in session there would be nowhere for anyone who lives there to park if they come home mid-day.
But the latest idea from the morons in charge of Santa Monica is just idiotic. Parking meters in residential zones. Now the City of Los Angeles comes awfully close. If you go South on Westwood Boulevard and turn right on Mississippi, you'll find meters on Mississippi right up to the mouth of the alley that separates the residential zoned property from the business zoned property. But no meters are to be found in the residential zone. As it should be.
* * *
Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey has been in the news a lot lately. He's going to get more of the spotlight in the coming days. Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey has just died. That means Gov Christie, a Republican, will appoint a replacement to serve until a special election can be held later this year (he'd announced that he wouldn't seek reelection this coming November). Lautenberg was the last veteran of World War II serving in the Senate.
Given the "bi-partisan" spirit with which Gov Christie has been working with the President of late, anyone think that the governor might appoint a Democrat to replace Sen Lautenberg? Not hardly. Not that this will change the balance of power in the Senate in any way. There were only 45 Republican members of the Senate when Lautenberg died. One more won't make a difference at this point. Even if the two senators who are "independents" were to align with the Republicans, Democrats will still have a 52 to 48 majority.
* * *
I overdid it a bit yesterday. I have a few errands to run today and wanted to go to a movie. Then tonight is a trivia night. I'm sitting here pondering the reality that I can do all of it, but I will come home completely exhausted. Making myself exhausted is not the best way to complete my recovery and is probably a great way to have a relapse. So one of those three things is going away and it won't be trivia. Either errand running or movie-going is going bye-bye. Maybe both. I'll let you know tomorrow what disappeared from the agenda. The fact that June gloom is clearly here and it looks very gray outside makes it very likely I'll sit home and rest until time to drive to trivia.
* * *
I'm sure you know my opinion of the majority of the mainstream media. It is slanted, mostly from the left but definitely more from the right than ever before. That's fine. Media is a business and it is in business to make money. Yes, the press should be focused on objective reporting of the news but it is almost impossible to be 100% objective, unless you have a robot doing the work. That doesn't mean there aren't a whole bunch of journalists out there (many now seeking work due to that profit motive thing having caused job cuts in the industry) who do their utmost to keep their personal beliefs out of the stories they cover.
But credibility is everything. When someone is less than honest, in the public eye, their ability to be a deliverer of the news must be questioned. When it happens more than once, the questioning should increase. That brings me to the Reverend Al Sharpton. Unlike the conservatives he trashes regularly on MSNBC.
And it's fine for him to do commentary, interviews and the like on MSNBC. Couldn't care less. But when they move him to the anchor chair, as they did for their live coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing, that's going just too far. Just as Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity have no business anchoring news coverage on the Fox News Channel, Al Sharpton has no business doing on any NBC network. The difference is that O'Reilly and Hannity didn't tell lies about prosecutors having been involved in a rape (Sharpton was found guilty of defamation of prosecutor Steven Pagones in the Tawana Brawley incident after Pagones sued Sharpton).
When you add that to the growing number of incidents where NBC did "selective editing" of audio, I no longer consider them to be as credible as the other main networks.
* * *
There's a lottery today in L.A. There is $100 million up for grabs. $100 million in tax credits to filmmakers to encourage them to film here in CA. Considering how much film production is going elsewhere because other states are giving much more away in credits and incentives, this is a drop in the bucket.
Next time you go to the movies, stay through the entire closing credits. Look and see where the movie was filmed. Don't be surprised if you see Louisiana as a location and the state's film commission being involved in the production. They and other states (as well as Canada and other countries) are courting filmmakers. It is a problem our legislature needs to pay attention to.
* * *
This Date in History:
On this date in 1140, French scholar Peter Abelard is found guilty of heresy.
On this date in 1539, Hernando de Soto claims Florida for Spain.
On this date in 1621, the Dutch West India Company receives a charter for New Netherland.
On this date in 1888, the poem "Casey At The Bat" is published in the San Francisco Examiner.
On this date in 1889, the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway is completed.
On this date in 1932, Lou Gehrig hits four home runs in one game while his teammate Tony Lazzeri hit for the cycle. Teammates have never again repeated those feats in the same game.
On this date in 1937, the Duke of Windsor marries Wallis Simpson.
On this date in 1943, the Zoot Suit riots take place in Los Angeles.
On this date in 1950, the first successful ascent of one of the 14 mountains that rise more than 8,000 meters was completed.
On this date in 1968, Valerie Sloanas tries to kill Andy Warhol, shooting him three times.
Famous Folk Born on This Date:
John Hale
Jefferson Davis
Garret Hobart
King George V of England
Barney Oldfield
Maurice Evans (he should be remembered as "Dr. Zaius" more than as a warlock on a TV show)
Charles R. Drew
Martin Gottfried Weiss (rot in hell)
Josephine Baker
Paulette Goddard
Ellen Corby (I liked "Grandma Walton")
Leo Gorcey
Colleen Dewhurst
Tony Curtis
Allen Ginsburg
Raul Castro
Larry McMurtry
Curtis Mayfield
Hale Irwin
Eddie Holman
Melissa Mathison
James Purefoy
Anderson Cooper
Rafael Nadal
Movie Quote of the day comes from the original "Planet of the Apes":
[Taylor ties up Dr. Zaius]
Dr. Zira: Taylor! Don't treat him that way!
George Taylor: Why not?
Dr. Zira: It's humiliating!
George Taylor: The way you humiliated me? All of you? YOU led me around on a LEASH!
Cornelius: That was different. We thought you were inferior.
George Taylor: Now you know better.
#2
Dr. Zaius: Dr. Zira, I must caution you. Experimental brain surgery on these creatures is one thing, and I'm all in favor of it. But your behavior studies are another matter. To suggest that we can learn anything about the simian nature from a study of man is sheer nonsense. Why, man is a nuisance. He eats up his food supply in the forest, then migrates to our green belts and ravages our crops. The sooner he is exterminated, the better. It's a question of simian survival.
posted by me at 8:16 AM
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