A modest proposal
Today is July 4th. Our Independence Day. The birthday of our nation. I'm going to suggest something that will take five or ten minutes (more or less, depending on how fast you read) out of your holiday. Actually read the Declaration of Independence. When was the last time you actually read the entire document, if ever?
It lists more than two dozen actions taken by King George that the people were no longer willing to accept. This list is the personification of tyrannical rule.
I promise, it's a good read.
* * *
Another landmark Los Angeles restaurant is closing its doors. I haven't eaten at Tom Bergin's since the 1970s, but I remember how great the food was. When I was working in Beverly Hills from 2006 through 2009, I drove by it going to and from work a lot. I always made a mental note to try to rearrange my schedule so that I would dine there one night on the way home. Now they will close this Sunday for the last time. Sad to see. It's been there since 1936.
* * *
I knew in advance that today would be one of those days where I do little except sit around my room, watch TV, sit at the computer from time and basically not accomplish much of anything. It's alright. Those days are useful in a way. We need downtime. Granted, since I'm on break from work, unable to work more than a limited hours per week when I am working, and my physical condition is very restrictive, it would seem I don't need my downtime. Physically or mentally.
But today is one of those days where some mental downtime is welcomed. It is why I'm not going to write up the next installment of "As The Assisted Living Facility Turns" until tomorrow at the earliest. It is why there may or may not be a headlines blog later on. I'm even having trouble mustering up the energy to go over to the drug store to get a few things I really need. I will probably wait until after the sun has gone down
July 4th is one of the two days each year I do my best to avoid driving any significant distance. This is the worst holiday of the year for vehicle accidents. Yes, even worse than New Year's Eve, the other day I do my level best not to be out driving after dark. If you're out late enough on New Year's Eve, the dangers are twofold. Amateurs who only get drunk once or twice a year behind the wheel and bullets falling from the sky because there are so many idiots who don't know the law of gravity applies to bullets.
The SyFy channel is running a Twilight Zone marathon as they often do, and BBCAmerica is running a Star Trek:TNG marathon. So there's plenty to watch on TV when I don't feel like sitting here at the computer.
* * *
I let myself be convinced to do something I knew was a bad idea and now I'm having a hassle over it. I let one of the apps on Facebook talk me into leaving my credit card identification on-file because I make occasional gift purchases for friends on their birthday. It's a very rare thing, but the third time I had to type in the data, I decided it would be okay. I wouldn't use it for anything else.
Then I was playing one of those silly games on Facebook and when I lost my last available life, it offered me a chance to buy more lives for a "small fee". Then before I realized what had happened, my hypersensitive track-pad had clicked purchase $200 worth of credits. It's July 4th, banks are closed and it's going to be a real hassle to get this purchase cancelled. I've removed the card data from the system so it won't happen again, but I'm pissed. At myself. I know better.
* * *
There are conflicting reports today on the health of Nelson Mandela. Some are saying he is in a persistent vegetative state. Other deny this and say he is on life-support, in critical condition but hasn't reached that point yet.
We may never know what life is like for someone in that condition. Having spent more than seven weeks in a coma, I can tell you that you remember almost nothing about it when you awaken. I have a miniscule amount of brief memories of becoming unconscious, and a flash or two of things where people spoke to me or when things were done to my body. Other than that, the period is a blank in my mind.
I don't know if people who move beyond where I was into that "persistent vegetative state" have any awareness. Conventional wisdom is that they don't because the condition is defined on one level by the total absence of brain activity. If the brain is not active, one cannot be aware. That's the logic.
But are we only physical beings? Do we possess a "soul", or if you prefer to define it another way, do we exist on some kind of astral plain? I don't know the answer. For many it is a question of belief. I do know that if we can ever discover the truth about this, we may finally have a better frame of reference for making the decisions we now leave to loved ones and advanced health-directives.
* * *
Donald Trump won in court. During the 2012 Miss USA pageant, Miss Pennsylvania, Shenna Monnin accused the pageant of being rigged and claimed another contestant had told her she saw a list of five contestants backstage that were the five finalists, before they were officially announced.
Trump filed suit for defamation and won at arbitration. She tried to get the judgment overturned by the courts and lost. Now she's been ordered to pay him $5 million.
Okay Donald. You've proven your point. The contest isn't rigged. She shouldn't have said what she said. Now be the bigger person and tell her she doesn't have to pay. She doesn't have the money. You do.
* * *
Joey Chestnut won his seventh straight July 4th Nathan's Famous Hot Dog eating contest, breaking his own record by eating 69 hot dogs in ten minutes.
69 of Nathan's hot dogs is over 11,000 calories. That's four times the recommended daily calorie intake for a person of Joey's height, weight and activity level. Four days worth of calories taken in, in only ten minutes.
An amazing feat. And he won $10,000 for it.
* * *
Random ponderings:
Does anyone believe that either Kim Kardashian or Kanye West is going to be changing their baby's diapers themselves?
Is "Independence Day" the best movie to watch on July 4th if you can only watch one movie?
Is it ironic that Sonya Thomas, winner of the women's hot dog eating contest today with 36.75 dogs consumed in ten minutes, manages a fast food restaurant?
I wouldn't want to see people profiting from selling Aaron Hernandez jerseys either, but is it really a good thing someone is patrolling EBay and bidding outrageous amounts on any jersey they see, and then refusing to pay?
Does 50 Cent think that his status as a wealthy and famous rapper will save him from being prosecuted for domestic violence? Apparently he paid no attention to Chris Brown's encounter with the system of justice.
Am I the only one who thinks the Disney strategy of making fewer movies with bigger budgets is backfiring? "John Carter" last year, now "The Lone Ranger" is disappointing. Only a big box office overseas will save them on this one.
If you name your child Jermajesty, do you lose some of your credibility about family matters?
* * *
This Date in History:
On this date in 1054, observers reported seeing a supernova in the sky near Zeta Tauri.
On this date in 1636, Providence, RI was founded.
On this date in 1802, the U.S. Military Academy opened.
On this date in 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was announced to the public.
On this date in 1817, Erie Canal construction began.
On this date in 1826, former Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died.
On this date in 1838, the Iowa Territory was organized.
On this date in 1863, Confederate forces in control of Vicksburg, MS surrendered to General Grant.
On this date in 1865, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was published.
On this date in 1881, the Tuskegee Institute opened in Alabama.
On this date in 1886, France offered the Statue of Liberty to the U.S.
On this date in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson addressed veterans of the U.S. Civil War at a reunion.
On this date in 1939, New York Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig said "I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth" as he announced his retirement from baseball; after playing in 2,130 consecutive games.
On this date in 1946, the Philippines gained full independence after 381 years of near-continuous rule.
On this date in 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act.
On this date in 1976, Israeli commandos (commandoes is the Dan Quayle spelling) raided Entebbe Airport in Uganda, freeing all but four of the passengers and crew of an Air France jet seized by Palestinian terrorists.
On this date in 1982, former Gestapo head Klaus Barbie was convicted of crimes against humanity.
Famous Folk Born on This Date:
Ashikaga Yoshiakira
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Hiram Walker
Stephen Foster
Calvin Coolidge
Ulysses S. Grant III (grandson of President Grant)
Rube Goldberg
Meyer Lansky
Gloria Stuart
Mitch Miller
Ann Landers and Pauline Phillips
Leona Helmsley
Eva Marie Saint
Al Davis
George Steinbrenner
Bill Withers
Geraldo Rivera
Ron Kovic
Michael Milken
John Waite
Sid Vicious (the wrestler)
Barry Windham
Pam Shriver
Todd Marinovich
Koko
Today's movie quotes come from "Independence Day" (of course):
Captain Steven Hiller: [walking toward crashed alien plane] THAT'S RIGHT! THAT'S RIGHT! That's what you get! Look at you, ship all *banged* up! Who's the man? Huh? Who's the man? Wait till I get another plane! I'm-a line all your friends up right beside you!
Captain Steven Hiller: [climbs on top of alien plane] Where you at, huh? Huh? Where you at?
Captain Steven Hiller: [Hiller opens the spaceship. An alien pops up, and Hiller punches it in the head, knocking it back into the ship]
Captain Steven Hiller: Welcome to earth!
Captain Steven Hiller: [sits on alien plane and puts cigar in mouth] Now that's what *I* call a close encounter.
#2
Julius Levinson: If I had known I was gonna meet the president, I would've worn a tie. I mean, look at me. I look like a schliemiel.
#3
David Levinson: You really think you can fly that thing?
Captain Steven Hiller: You really think you can do all that bullshit you just said?
#4
Video Newscaster: [TV news anchor reporting] Once again, the L.A.P.D. is asking Los Angelenos not to fire their guns at the visitor spacecraft. You may inadvertently trigger an interstellar war.
It lists more than two dozen actions taken by King George that the people were no longer willing to accept. This list is the personification of tyrannical rule.
I promise, it's a good read.
* * *
Another landmark Los Angeles restaurant is closing its doors. I haven't eaten at Tom Bergin's since the 1970s, but I remember how great the food was. When I was working in Beverly Hills from 2006 through 2009, I drove by it going to and from work a lot. I always made a mental note to try to rearrange my schedule so that I would dine there one night on the way home. Now they will close this Sunday for the last time. Sad to see. It's been there since 1936.
* * *
I knew in advance that today would be one of those days where I do little except sit around my room, watch TV, sit at the computer from time and basically not accomplish much of anything. It's alright. Those days are useful in a way. We need downtime. Granted, since I'm on break from work, unable to work more than a limited hours per week when I am working, and my physical condition is very restrictive, it would seem I don't need my downtime. Physically or mentally.
But today is one of those days where some mental downtime is welcomed. It is why I'm not going to write up the next installment of "As The Assisted Living Facility Turns" until tomorrow at the earliest. It is why there may or may not be a headlines blog later on. I'm even having trouble mustering up the energy to go over to the drug store to get a few things I really need. I will probably wait until after the sun has gone down
July 4th is one of the two days each year I do my best to avoid driving any significant distance. This is the worst holiday of the year for vehicle accidents. Yes, even worse than New Year's Eve, the other day I do my level best not to be out driving after dark. If you're out late enough on New Year's Eve, the dangers are twofold. Amateurs who only get drunk once or twice a year behind the wheel and bullets falling from the sky because there are so many idiots who don't know the law of gravity applies to bullets.
The SyFy channel is running a Twilight Zone marathon as they often do, and BBCAmerica is running a Star Trek:TNG marathon. So there's plenty to watch on TV when I don't feel like sitting here at the computer.
* * *
I let myself be convinced to do something I knew was a bad idea and now I'm having a hassle over it. I let one of the apps on Facebook talk me into leaving my credit card identification on-file because I make occasional gift purchases for friends on their birthday. It's a very rare thing, but the third time I had to type in the data, I decided it would be okay. I wouldn't use it for anything else.
Then I was playing one of those silly games on Facebook and when I lost my last available life, it offered me a chance to buy more lives for a "small fee". Then before I realized what had happened, my hypersensitive track-pad had clicked purchase $200 worth of credits. It's July 4th, banks are closed and it's going to be a real hassle to get this purchase cancelled. I've removed the card data from the system so it won't happen again, but I'm pissed. At myself. I know better.
* * *
There are conflicting reports today on the health of Nelson Mandela. Some are saying he is in a persistent vegetative state. Other deny this and say he is on life-support, in critical condition but hasn't reached that point yet.
We may never know what life is like for someone in that condition. Having spent more than seven weeks in a coma, I can tell you that you remember almost nothing about it when you awaken. I have a miniscule amount of brief memories of becoming unconscious, and a flash or two of things where people spoke to me or when things were done to my body. Other than that, the period is a blank in my mind.
I don't know if people who move beyond where I was into that "persistent vegetative state" have any awareness. Conventional wisdom is that they don't because the condition is defined on one level by the total absence of brain activity. If the brain is not active, one cannot be aware. That's the logic.
But are we only physical beings? Do we possess a "soul", or if you prefer to define it another way, do we exist on some kind of astral plain? I don't know the answer. For many it is a question of belief. I do know that if we can ever discover the truth about this, we may finally have a better frame of reference for making the decisions we now leave to loved ones and advanced health-directives.
* * *
Donald Trump won in court. During the 2012 Miss USA pageant, Miss Pennsylvania, Shenna Monnin accused the pageant of being rigged and claimed another contestant had told her she saw a list of five contestants backstage that were the five finalists, before they were officially announced.
Trump filed suit for defamation and won at arbitration. She tried to get the judgment overturned by the courts and lost. Now she's been ordered to pay him $5 million.
Okay Donald. You've proven your point. The contest isn't rigged. She shouldn't have said what she said. Now be the bigger person and tell her she doesn't have to pay. She doesn't have the money. You do.
* * *
Joey Chestnut won his seventh straight July 4th Nathan's Famous Hot Dog eating contest, breaking his own record by eating 69 hot dogs in ten minutes.
69 of Nathan's hot dogs is over 11,000 calories. That's four times the recommended daily calorie intake for a person of Joey's height, weight and activity level. Four days worth of calories taken in, in only ten minutes.
An amazing feat. And he won $10,000 for it.
* * *
Random ponderings:
Does anyone believe that either Kim Kardashian or Kanye West is going to be changing their baby's diapers themselves?
Is "Independence Day" the best movie to watch on July 4th if you can only watch one movie?
Is it ironic that Sonya Thomas, winner of the women's hot dog eating contest today with 36.75 dogs consumed in ten minutes, manages a fast food restaurant?
I wouldn't want to see people profiting from selling Aaron Hernandez jerseys either, but is it really a good thing someone is patrolling EBay and bidding outrageous amounts on any jersey they see, and then refusing to pay?
Does 50 Cent think that his status as a wealthy and famous rapper will save him from being prosecuted for domestic violence? Apparently he paid no attention to Chris Brown's encounter with the system of justice.
Am I the only one who thinks the Disney strategy of making fewer movies with bigger budgets is backfiring? "John Carter" last year, now "The Lone Ranger" is disappointing. Only a big box office overseas will save them on this one.
If you name your child Jermajesty, do you lose some of your credibility about family matters?
* * *
This Date in History:
On this date in 1054, observers reported seeing a supernova in the sky near Zeta Tauri.
On this date in 1636, Providence, RI was founded.
On this date in 1802, the U.S. Military Academy opened.
On this date in 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was announced to the public.
On this date in 1817, Erie Canal construction began.
On this date in 1826, former Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died.
On this date in 1838, the Iowa Territory was organized.
On this date in 1863, Confederate forces in control of Vicksburg, MS surrendered to General Grant.
On this date in 1865, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was published.
On this date in 1881, the Tuskegee Institute opened in Alabama.
On this date in 1886, France offered the Statue of Liberty to the U.S.
On this date in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson addressed veterans of the U.S. Civil War at a reunion.
On this date in 1939, New York Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig said "I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth" as he announced his retirement from baseball; after playing in 2,130 consecutive games.
On this date in 1946, the Philippines gained full independence after 381 years of near-continuous rule.
On this date in 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act.
On this date in 1976, Israeli commandos (commandoes is the Dan Quayle spelling) raided Entebbe Airport in Uganda, freeing all but four of the passengers and crew of an Air France jet seized by Palestinian terrorists.
On this date in 1982, former Gestapo head Klaus Barbie was convicted of crimes against humanity.
Famous Folk Born on This Date:
Ashikaga Yoshiakira
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Hiram Walker
Stephen Foster
Calvin Coolidge
Ulysses S. Grant III (grandson of President Grant)
Rube Goldberg
Meyer Lansky
Gloria Stuart
Mitch Miller
Ann Landers and Pauline Phillips
Leona Helmsley
Eva Marie Saint
Al Davis
George Steinbrenner
Bill Withers
Geraldo Rivera
Ron Kovic
Michael Milken
John Waite
Sid Vicious (the wrestler)
Barry Windham
Pam Shriver
Todd Marinovich
Koko
Today's movie quotes come from "Independence Day" (of course):
Captain Steven Hiller: [walking toward crashed alien plane] THAT'S RIGHT! THAT'S RIGHT! That's what you get! Look at you, ship all *banged* up! Who's the man? Huh? Who's the man? Wait till I get another plane! I'm-a line all your friends up right beside you!
Captain Steven Hiller: [climbs on top of alien plane] Where you at, huh? Huh? Where you at?
Captain Steven Hiller: [Hiller opens the spaceship. An alien pops up, and Hiller punches it in the head, knocking it back into the ship]
Captain Steven Hiller: Welcome to earth!
Captain Steven Hiller: [sits on alien plane and puts cigar in mouth] Now that's what *I* call a close encounter.
#2
Julius Levinson: If I had known I was gonna meet the president, I would've worn a tie. I mean, look at me. I look like a schliemiel.
#3
David Levinson: You really think you can fly that thing?
Captain Steven Hiller: You really think you can do all that bullshit you just said?
#4
Video Newscaster: [TV news anchor reporting] Once again, the L.A.P.D. is asking Los Angelenos not to fire their guns at the visitor spacecraft. You may inadvertently trigger an interstellar war.
posted by me at 5:27 PM
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