Merry Christmas Tad!

We miss you. All the best to you and Claudine. Be careful on that ice, and try to stay warm!

Robyn: "Dream On"

I really like this video. I like how it messes with perceptions and stereotypes. Just thought I'd share.

Jim Martin for Senate

In case you've been wondering . . .

where the hell I've been for over a month, I've been in rehearsals for this, among other things:

Wednesday Night YouTube

Obama/Biden(?) 08

CNN is reporting that Joe Biden will be announced tomorrow as Barack Obama's running mate. As a former Biden supporter and current Obama supporter, I suppose I'm pleased. It does feel terribly anti-climactic, however. After all this build-up, I was really beginning to hope Obama would pick Clinton. Well, if he was going for experience, Biden's one of the best. That man's been in the senate my entire life. No, really.

Wednesday Night YouTube

All this talk about Tropical Storm Fay got me thinking about another Fay. You know the one. She's referenced in Rocky Horror. The original Scream Queen died in 2004. It's almost too bad there was never a Hurricane Fay screaming through town. I'm fine with a non-event this week, though. Too much to do to be derailed by weather.

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Eleven: Pvt. Benjamin Freeman

Washington Post obit:

Pvt. Benjamin L. Freeman
Age: 19
Hometown: Valdosta, GA
Date of Death: 10/13/2003
Incident Location: Near Asad, Iraq

Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Pvt.
Unit: K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Unit's Base: Fort Carson, Colo.

Three days before he left for Iraq, Pvt. Benjamin L. Freeman was married in Colorado. "He looked forward to being a wonderful husband to his wife, April, and having children of his own," said his mother, Vicki Freeman. Freeman, 19, of Valdosta, Ga., drowned on Oct. 13 in the Euphrates River northwest of Baghdad. He had joined the Army earlier this year and was based at Fort Carson. "He was only 19, but he was no longer just a teenager. He had become a determined young man, clear thinking and motivated," said his uncle, Lee Freeman. "He knew that we all recognized this, and he knew how proud we all were of him." Freeman was an accomplished guitarist who wrote his own music. A recording of one of his songs was played at the funeral.

I realize most would not consider Pvt. Freeman to have been killed in action, but he might very well still be alive if he hadn't been sent to fight an unjustified war. He was inspired to join the military because of the attacks on September 11, but he wasn't sent to bring those responsible to justice. He was sent . . . for what, again? Oil? Family Grudge match? WMDs? Well, the Iraqis have a huge surplus of cash from their oil profits, while we're facing an historically high deficit and spending billions to rebuild their country. There were no WMDs, and I just can't stand that Valdosta lost one of their bright hopes for the future because of the ridiculous excuse for foreign policy practiced by the Bush Administration. The occupation of Iraq must end. We must bring them home.
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten

Wednesday Night YouTube

Contrary to the lyrics, I might wanna be a Canadian Idiot. I love my country, and I'm doing all I can to make sure Barack Obama is the next POTUS. Nevertheless, if McSame manages to worm his way into the White House, I'll be lookin' to hook a Canuck!

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Ten: Staff Sgt. Bobby C. Franklin

Washington Post:

Staff Sgt. Bobby C. Franklin

Age: 38
Hometown: Mineral Bluff, GA
Date of Death: 8/20/2003
Incident Location: Baghdad

Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Staff Sgt.
Unit: 210th Military Police Company
Unit's Base: Murphy, N.C.

After Bobby Franklin was called up by the North Carolina National Guard, his colleagues at the Carlton Colwell Probation and Detention Center made sure he periodically received care packages filled with comforts from home. Franklin supervised inmates working on construction projects in the community. The 38-year-old Franklin of Murphy, N.C., was killed Aug. 20 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Iraq. Family members had tried to talk the longtime reservist into calling it quits last year. "He was within a year of retirement," said Tim Nicholson, his brother-in-law. "That's why he went back this time." Franklin is survived by his wife, Brenda, and two children.
Source: Associated Press

We need to end this back-door draft NOW, before we lose any more like Staff Sgt. Franklin. Bring them home.
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine

Beijing 2008: Please Ignore the Communism

I'm feeling a little bitter, as I have so far been unable to watch the opening ceremony. No cable, and stupid NBC site doesn't want to work for me.

Classic Movies are a Girl's Best Friend!

Tonight at the Ritz. Only $5! Doors open at 6. Short Subjects begin at 6:30. Feature at 7. Door Prizes! Bring your own Popcorn!
crossposted at BlogBrunswick

Wednesday Night YouTube

"La guerre est absurde," indeed!

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Nine: Sgt. Nathaniel Hart

Washington Post:

Age: 29
Hometown: Valdosta, GA
Date of Death: 7/28/2003
Incident Location: Tallil, Iraq

Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Sgt.
Unit: 416th Transportation Company, 260th Quartermaster Battalion
Unit's Base: Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.

The Army was a family tradition for Sgt. Nathaniel Hart Jr., whose father and grandfather both served, but his loved ones remember him as much more than a soldier. To them, Hart was a family man who loved to take his two sons fishing and camping. He was a devout Christian who served as a youth pastor, sang in the choir and played drums in the church band. "I believe he was as big a hero in life as he is in death," said Hart's sister, Valarie Lowry. "He was a good example for everybody. His love and kindness were what he was known for. He was sweet in spirit." Hart, 29, died July 28 in a vehicle accident in Iraq. He was from Valdosta, Ga., and stationed at Hunter Army Airfield. Lowry said her brother's wife, Erica, was in shock over his death and the realization that she would be raising their sons, 7-year-old Nathaniel III and 5-year-old Gabriel, without him. "He had a big role in his family's life and his sons' lives," Lowry said.

And now his sons are 12 and 10. How much of their father do they remember? Will we send them off to die in an unjustified war, too?
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Eight: Sgt. Michael T. Crockett

In Remembrance

Age: 27
Hometown: Soperton, GA
Date of Death: 7/14/2003
Incident Location: Baghdad

Branch of Military: Army
Rank: Sgt.
Unit: Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment
Unit's Base: Fort Stewart, Ga.

Sgt. Michael T. Crockett's mother sent him off to war in December with a hug and a kiss. "He told me he was too old for that, but he kissed me," Maxine Crockett said. "I told him we weren't going to say goodbye, we're going to say, 'See you later.' So he said, 'See you later.'" Crockett, 27, of Soperton, Ga., died July 14 in Iraq when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades. His wife, Tracey, learned of her husband's death just hours after she had received a dozen red roses he had sent from overseas. "He loved to spoil me, and after his son was born, he spoiled him, too," she said. The 3-year-old son is named after his dad: Michael Tyrone Crockett Jr.

A 2003 New York Times article profiling Sgt. Crockett's division after its return from Iraq:

There is a lot of pain to digest. The division has planted a row of eastern redbud trees along one side of the parade field at Fort Stewart -- one for each of those who did not return home. The trees will bloom each spring, when most of the soldiers died.

The division lost 38 soldiers; 4 more from other units that fought with the division also died. The First Brigade lost 19, the last of them, Sgt. Michael T. Crockett, on July 14, when guerrillas fired a rocket-propelled grenade into his Humvee on the road from the airport outside Baghdad.

The next time John McCain talks about the need for victory without defining what that would mean, remember the faces of those who have been lost to this open-ended war. I'm only half way through 2003. These are just military deaths from Georgia. There are civilians, Americans and Iraqis, who have died, not to mention the thousands of other American military lives lost. Hundreds of thousands suffering from physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual ramifications of their tours. This war is costing so much. The Iraqi government wants us to leave. It's time to bring the troops home!


Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Seven: Spec. John K. Klinesmith Jr.

Spec. John K. Klinesmith Jr. | Faces of the Fallen | washingtonpost.com:

Hometown: Stockbridge, Georgia, U.S.

Age: 25 years old

Died: June 12, 2003 in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Unit: Army, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

Incident: Klinesmith was last seen wading in the lake on the palace compound in Fallujah and a search was launched. His body was discovered at the lake.

Survivors include his mother, Domenica Columbus, of Carriere, Miss. He joined the Army in 1999. He was just out trying to cool off in the June heat. My hearts goes out to his mother and the fellow soldiers who found him. One more among the many horrors of this war. It's time to bring them home!
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six

Jack McBrayer is nominated for an Emmy!

Ok, so Kathy Griffin would call it a Schmemmy, and it's not the category I was hoping for, but Jack is listed as a nominee:

Outstanding Special Class - Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs

Battlestar Galactica - Razor Featurette #4 • Sci Fi Channel.com • Universal Media Studios in association with R & D TV
Ronald D. Moore, Executive Producer
David Eick, Executive Producer
Harvey Frand, Supervising Producer

Friday Night Lights: Spotlight On Austin • NBC.com • NBC and Pyro Creative
Carole Panick, Producer
Howard Borim, Producer
Talbot Kanae, Producer

Lost: Missing Pieces • ABC.com • ABC.com / ABC Studios
Damon Lindelof, Executive Producer
Carlton Cuse, Executive Producer
Barry Jossen, Executive Producer

Sarah Silverman Program Nugget • Comedycentral.com • The Valley Pals in association with Comedy Central
Dan Sterling, Executive Producer
Sarah Silverman, Executive Producer
Heidi Herzon, Executive Producer
Rob Schrab, Executive Producer
Vatche Panos, Producer

30 Rock: Kenneth The Web Page • NBC.com • NBC Production
Carole Panick, Producer
Andrew Singer, Producer
Jack McBrayer, Producer
Eric Gurian, Producer
Josh Silberman, Producer

WWJD?

By Cappy Hall Rearick

"War is only a cowardly escape from the problems of peace." --Thomas Mann

I plan to skip the annual 4th of July festivities this year because I don’t have the stomach for hyperbolic speeches delivered by corrupt politicians. They seem intent on spoon-feeding us the righteousness of war, but I won't swallow it anymore.

I am told to support the troops because not supporting them is unpatriotic. But suppose they gave a war and nobody came? How do I defend our men and women fighting in Iraq without giving credibility to an unjust war? How do I connect those dots?

I believe the deployed men and women would rather be with their own people on the Fourth, happily stuffing themselves with hot dogs, apple pie and cold beer. They might rather be singing the national anthem accompanied by a high school band or waving miniature flags to the beat of 'Stars and Stripes Forever.' I respect all soldiers for the sacrifices they have made and continue to make each day. I honor their courage but I pray they can come home soon, alive and in one piece.

The National Guardsmen fighting in Iraq were called up for an undetermined period of time because our leaders ordered them to go. They went, convinced that Bush's War on Terror would protect this country from misguided Muslim terrorists intent on killing us all. I greatly honor these soldiers for their willingness to give up so much in order to defend our country, but I wish they could be at home firing up the barbecue grill instead of firing guns in the name of Old Glory.

There are some soldiers who fight, not because they were coerced into joining this man's army by fast-talking politicians or the military, but because they are convinced that the Commander-in-Chief knows what he's doing. They were fed the political fodder that 'to fight them over there' means we won't have to 'fight them over here,' and they swallowed it whole.

Not so long ago, those soldiers were children, many brought up in religious homes where grace was said before meals and the Golden Rule memorized at an early age. Turning a deaf ear to logic and old-fashioned common sense, these grown children now follow orders without question, even if it means torturing other human beings. Do the soldiers raised in a Christian home ever ask themselves the question, WWJD?

My core beliefs tell me that peace is precious. Declaring war should never come easy. I don't know how to support an army whose philosophy sanctions the very things I have never believed in. And therein lies the rub, the conundrum, the moral quandary with which I, and many other Americans are forced to grapple today. Some say war is a necessary evil, but how can that be when it flies in the face of all things holy? Killing people, whether in war or otherwise, snatches away our humanness.

We have learned to harness, if not control, hurricanes by searching for and finding innovative tools with which to handle the forces of nature. Why aren't we looking for groundbreaking solutions to end warfare’s primordial way of thinking? Must we be the victims of faulty reasoning, that of kill or be killed, dictated by the people in power?

To the victors go the spoils.

The American men and women fighting in the Middle East today too often give up life and limb but receive no spoils of war, no rewards. We label them heroes and feel overwhelmingly sad when they return in wheelchairs, comas or body bags. The brightest and best of an entire generation are talked into sacrificing their future while we do nothing to find lasting solutions to world problems.

Are we such lazy thinkers that the option to kill and destroy is all we can come up with?

We have glorified the act of war for too long. Today, we must leave no stone unturned in our quest to find alternatives that work for everyone. We must take issue with fear tactics liberally spouted by greedy politicians getting rich on the sacrifices made by our children. If we cannot see that war is another form of mass slaughter, then how will we ever take that giant leap for mankind?

War is not John Wayne with a green beret and a swagger; it is the theft of human lives.
War is not conflict resolution; it creates resentments that lead to even more conflicts.
War is not God's will; it is unholy and it steals our children and the souls of mankind.

Published by permission of the author.

Diets don't work long term

Which Are Worse: Calories from Carbs or Fat? - TIME:

Scientists know that on a molecular level, different types of starch and different types of fat have varying effects when they hit the body. But in terms of weight loss, low-fat diets and low-carb diets overall are equally effective (and, most of the time, neither will help you keep the weight off long-term), says Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.

Emphasis mine.
There is, obviously, more to the article, and I encourage you to click through and read it. However, the part in bold really struck me. Did a mainstream magazine actually just admit that diets don't work in the long run? Somebody pinch me!

Don't forget to vote July 15!

Please remember to vote in the primary. IMO, the most important race is the 5-candidate race to see who will take on Saxby Chambliss in November. I think Rand Knight is the best candidate. Please consider voting for him. I know a lot of folks around here choose to take a Republican ballot in the primary so that they have a say in local races, but please consider voting in the Democratic primary. It will also help Bill Gillespie, who is running against Jack Kingston, with his fundraising if his numbers are good in the primary.

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Six: Spc. David T. Nutt

Profiles of Americans killed in Iraq | ajc.com: Army Spec. David T. Nutt

For Heidi Nutt, there was no doubt about David Nutt. "I knew it from the moment I met him," she said. The two were married seven months after meeting at Fort Campbell, where he was in the Army and she worked in child services.
"He was just a proud, wonderful man," she said. "A strong soldier who never complained." Nutt, 32, of Blackshear, Ga., was driving a truck in Iraq May 14 when he swerved to avoid an automobile driven by an Iraqi civilian. The truck overturned and Nutt was killed. . . Heidi Nutt last spoke with her husband the day after Mother's Day. She says she remembers every word. "He wanted to wish me a happy anniversary and he couldn't wait to come home to see us," she said.

The above quote and photo are from an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from May 20, 2003, which is linked at the top of the post. Although some sites list Specialist Nutt's death as accidental, I am including him in Georgians KIA because of the following from Georgia State House Resolution 1245:

Honoring and remembering the life of United States Army Sergeant David Terrell Nutt, killed in action during the course of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and for other purposes. . . WHEREAS, Sergeant Nutt courageously gave his life when the supply truck he was driving was ambushed and came under enemy fire . . .

The resolution also mentions that Specialist Nutt was "posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant and awarded the Bronze Star." He is survived by his parents, Mrs. Alice Taylor Nutt and Mr. Winfred Nutt, his wife Heidi, and their three daughters, Emily, Sarah, and Hannah. The resolution states that Sergeant Nutt was a member of the 101st Airborne Division, but other sites have him assigned to the 494th Transportation Division, but he was definitely at Fort Campbell.

There is a great deal of confusion between sites as to David's age. It seems obvious to me from his photo and story that he was 32 when he died, but several sites have his age at 22. I think this stems from a typo that got repeated. Either way, he was too young to be taken from his family.

I lost my father when I was fifteen, but he died of cancer, so we had some warning. I can't imagine what it must be like for his daughters, who were apparently all under 6 when he died. My heart goes out to his family as they continue to live each day without him. We must end this war. Too many families have lost loved ones to an unjustified war.

Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four, Part Five

It's Funny Because It's Truthy

Bush Tours America To Survey Damage Caused By His Disastrous Presidency
HT: Jeff at Shakesville

Glynn Democrats Fish Fry

FISH FRY
TWO WAY FISH CAMP AT MUDCAT CHARLIE’S
U.S.HIGHWAY 17 JUST SOUTH OF DARIEN

FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2008
6:30 social, 7:00 dinner
$25 PER MEAL
BUY A GROUP OF TICKETS AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS

PHONE: 634-1298, LEAVE A MESSAGE
E-MAIL US AT glynndemocrats@hotmail.com
SEND YOUR $$ TO P.O. BOX 776, BRUNSWICK, GA 31521

crossposted at BlogBrunswick

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Five: Sgt. Wilbert Davis

Wilbert Davis, Sergeant First Class United States Army:

To hear friends and family tell it, Davis was anything but common. Davis, 40, grew up in the East Tampa neighborhood of College Hill. In 1975, at age 12, Davis pitched for the Belmont Heights Little League and led the team to the World Series. Even his teammates came for Wednesday's service. He graduated from Tampa Bay Tech, then worked at a Tampa Electric Co. plant. While a young man, he fathered two daughters before moving to Anchorage to live with his older sister. Cynthia Davis, an Army wife, persuaded her brother to enlist. He served in the 3rd Infantry Division. Before leaving for the Middle East, he lived outside Savannah, Ga., with his wife, Huiok, and their two young boys. March 31 was the last time Huiok heard from him. He died April 3 while en route to Baghdad with journalist Michael Kelly. Davis lost control of the Humvee he was driving when his convoy came under fire. The Humvee overturned into a canal. Both Davis and Kelly died in the crash.

The above quote and link are from the Arlington website, dated August 24, 2003. Sgt. Davis had only moved to Hinesville 15 months before his death, but I decided to include his profile, since some sites list him as being from Georgia. I don't know if his wife and sons stayed in Georgia, but the boys would both be teenagers now. Honestly, I hope for Mrs. Davis' sake that her sons don't sign up. I also hope that we get the kind of leadership in this country that will stop this cycle of endless war we've gotten into, so that the possibility of a draft can be avoided.
Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three, Part Four

Can Georgia Be Obama's Ohio? - TIME

Can Georgia Be Obama's Ohio? - TIME

Obama has 15 full-time paid staffers who have been in Georgia for over a month. They also have had staff in North Carolina and Virginia and have been "literally moving in dozens of people every week to all three states," said Jon Carson, Obama's national field director. They also expect to have staff in Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana before the end of the month. "It's very hard to sit here right now to say what's going to happen in November... Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Montana, North Dakota, Missouri - which of those is going to be most winnable? So our campaign is taking the approach of casting a wide net."

They ain't just whistlin' Dixie! I participated in a voter registration drive Saturday, and there's an organizational meeting tonight, both in Brunswick. Wouldn't it be amazing if I had to change the name of the blog to Blue in Bluesville!?! Yeah, I know, keep dreaming, but I'm going to keep at it with my teaspoons.

In Memory of George Carlin

shit piss fuck cunt cocksucker motherfucker tits

I am Spider-Man (though the Hulk is a close second)

Your results:
You are Spider-Man

Spider-Man 95% Hulk 80% Superman 65% Supergirl 60% Wonder Woman 60% Catwoman 55% Green Lantern 55% Iron Man 50% Batman 50% Robin 50% The Flash 50%

You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

Fat Rant

Bush-McCain Challenge: Women's Health Edition

"You can't have him."

liveblogging the Tonys (from Mom's house)

Ok, so it's not exactly live, but I will continue to update this post as I watch the Tonys on CBS, starting at 8 PM eastern. Mom and I got ready by watching Legally Blonde: The Musical, as shown on MTV last year. Sure, it's not up for anything this year, but there was nothing on TV, and it was just sitting there on the DVR, staring at us. Mom and I did see a nominated show, but Cyrano is only nominated in 1 category: Best Costume Design of a Play (they were fabulous!). We were only able to see 3 shows when we were in NYC in December. Just going on instinct for the rest of the nominees. Honestly, South Pacific gets major nostalgia points, but how can you not root for In the Heights? You can check out all the nominated shows here.

7:55 PM: Just biding our time, watching Andy Rooney talk about how he's not really rich. Oh, for heaven's sake, he's finally done. Tony time!

Why are they opening with Lion King? Guess Whoopi's decided she's gotta do some Swahili singing?!?

Nope. She didn't get the memo, and came out doing her best Sebastian.

Original company of Rent! Woohoo! And ten years of Lion King, which explains it.

Featured Actress in a Play

Mom's & My pick: Martha Plimpton (because I played Angie back in the day)
Winner: Rondi Reed (not surprised, really)Plimpton can't be pissed, since she's a Steppenwolf member, too!

John Waters, Yeah!

Cry Baby Performance

Best use of license plates: Cry Baby!

Featured Actor in a Play

Mom's pick: Conleth Hill
My pick: Jim Norton
Winner: Jim Norton (Woohoo!)

Passing Strange Performance

Best use of call and response (also props to the tech who finally put Stew's mic back on the stand)

And the count at the commercial break is . . . Kelly: 1, Mom: 0

Best Direction of a Musical

Mom's pick: Sam Buntrock
My Pick: Thomas Kail
Winner: Bartlett Sherr (there's that nostalgia!)
Speech: Way to sneak the politics in there, Mr. Sherr!

Gypsy Performance

Best use of consonants: Patti LuPone! (and her vowels ain't bad either)

Phantom bit

Not bad singin' Whoopi! Much better than that Brightman hack!

Regional Theatre

Chicago Shakes (woohoo!)

Orchestrations

Mom's pick: Jason Carr
My pick (& the winners!): Alex Lacamore & Bill Sherman, In the Heights

Choreography

Mom's pick: Christopher Gatelli
My pick: Rob Ashford
Winner: Andy Blankenbuehler, In the Heights

Book of a Musical

Mom's & My pick: In the Heights
Winner: Passing Strange

Revival of a Play

Mom's & my pick (& the winner!): Boeing-Boeing

Original Score

Mom's pick:Cry Baby
My pick (& the winner!): In the Heights
Speech: Best Evah!

South Pacific Performance

Thought fer sure she was gonna wash that man right outta her hair!


And the count at the break is . . . Kelly: 4, Mom: 1 (Guess it pays to read the New York Times online)

Featured Actress in a Musical

Mom's pick: Loreta Ables Sayre
My pick: Olga Merediz
Winner: Laura Benanti, Gypsy
Speech: Awwww! Tall brunette gets a Tony!

Grease Performance

This should be familiar, since we watched the reality show religiously.
Yeah, they really haven't grown since the reality show. I can see why the reviews were so bad. Bor-ing!

Well, they only gave away one between breaks, and neither Mom nor I got it right, so the score's the same.

Featured Actor in a Musical

Mom's pick: Danny Burstein
My pick: Robin de Jesus
Winner: Boyd Gaines, Gypsy (4th Tony!)
Speech: Way to thank the stage managers!

Little Mermaid Performance

Bo-ring!

A Catered Affair Performance

Faith Prince is a delight, as usual.

Young Frankenstein Performance

Megan Mullally takes up the mantle with moxie. Although she reminds me a bit of Molly Shannon (which is not necessarily a bad thing).

So, again, only one award given, and we both missed it. We have obviously underestimated the appeal of Gypsy. We should have known better.

Best New Play Highlights

I love Rufus Sewell! Wish I'd talked Mom into The Seafarer when we were in the city, but Curtains was good.

Best Direction of a Play

Mom's & my pick & the winner!!!: Anna D. Shapiro, August: Osage County (not bad for a Broadway debut!
Speech: She's so young! Great speech!


Well, Mom and I each got that right, so . . . Kelly: 5, Mom: 2

Leading Actor in a Play

Mom's & My pick: Patrick Stewart
Winner: Mark Rylance (I almost picked him!)
Speech: WTF?!?

Leading Actress in a Play

Mom's & my pick: S. Epatha Merkerson
Winner: Deanna Dunagan (Broadway debut!)
So many good roles for women this season!
Speech: They shoulda let her go on a little longer!

In The Heights Performance

Best use of a Cole Porter reference! How would they ever take it on tour? Lin-Manuel Miranda's shoes would be very hard to fill! That shit was off the hook!


So, Mom and I were both 0 for 2 on those.

Play

Mom's pick: The Seafarer
My pick & the winner!!!: August: Osage County
Speech:The entire Steppenwolf Theatre Company is on stage

Scenic Design of a Play

Mom's pick & winner!!: Todd Rosenthal
My pick: Peter McKintosh

Scenic Design of a Musical

Mom's pick: Sunday in the Park with George
My pick: Robin Wagner, Young Frankenstein
Winner: Michael Yeargan, South Pacific

Costume Design of a Play

Mom's & my pick: Gregory Gale, Cyrano (only one we saw!)
Winner: Katrina Lindsay, Les Liasons Dangereuses

Costume Design of a Musical

Mom's & my pick & winner!!!: Catherine Zuber, South Pacific

Lighting Design of a Play

Mom's pick: Ann G. Wrightson
My pick: Howard Harrison
Winner: Kevin Adams, The 39 Steps

Lighting Design of a Musical

Mom's & my pick: Natasha Katz
Winner: Donald Holder, South Pacific

Sound Design of a Play

Mom's pick: Simon Baker
My pick: Adam Cork
Winner: Mic Pool, The 39 Steps

Sound Design of a Musical

Mom's pick: Sebastian Frost
My pick & the winner!!: Scott Lehrer, South Pacific


Ok, time to catch up on the count . . . Kelly: 8, Mom: 4

Sunday in the Park with George Performance

Nice speech from Sondheim, via Mandy Patinkin. It's hard not to compare them to Peters and Patinkin (and find them lacking).

Revival of a Musical

Mom's & my pick & the winner!!!!: South Pacific!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Speech: Way to thank the House Managers and the Staff!

Xanadu Performance

Have to say, I loved that movie back in the day. After all, it had Gene Kelly!
Best musical on roller skates since Starlight Express! As Mom said, "He's got an awesome voice." To which I replied, "Not a bad body either!" Call me Cheyenne!

Count stands at Kelly: 9, Mom: 5
And we are so sick of the pharma ads!

Rent Performance!!!!!

I love that the audience of stars seems as psyched as I am! Singing along. Beautiful tribute.

Leading Actor in a Musical

Mom's pick & the winner!!!!: Paulo Szot ( Mom is so excited!)
My pick: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Speech: yeah, Liza's unbelievable, alright! Happy Birthday Mom, indeed! Nice sneak of politics in there.

Leading Actress in a Musical

Mom's pick: Kelli O'Hara
My pick & winner!!: Patti LuPone (only her 2nd Tony?!?)
Speech: She's not bitter . . . much! She thanked her Thelma Ritter. Love any All About Eve reference. How dare they try to drown out Patti LuPone. Never!

Count stands at Kelly: 10, Mom: 6

Musical

Mom's & my pick & the winner!!!!!: In The Heights
I still think Miranda should have won the Actor Tony, too.
Speech: Shortest speech of the night?!?
Oh well.

Love the Theatre indeed. Good night. I'll try to clean this up at some point.
Oh, and the final score . . . Kelly: 11, Mom: 7

RIP Tim Russert

Tim Russert died today, but I don't have to believe it if I don't want to.

The video is an episode of Charlie Rose. The first segment is an interview with Russert about his book, The Wisdom of Our Fathers. As someone who has spent more years without her father than she had with him (he died when I was 15), my heart goes out to the entire Russert family, especially Tim's son. And to Big Russ, Happy Father's Day. I know it must suck to outlive your son.

From My Inbox

Mom sent me this awhile ago, and I'm finally posting it. She doesn't normally send me forwards, but she said she "just had to." I guess you could consider this a Fat Acceptance post.

I think I've found my new philosophy.....

love this DOCTOR!!!!

HEALTH QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... Don't waste them on exercise . Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.


Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.


Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!


Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.


Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!


Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: You're not listening...Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?


Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit- ups if you want a bigger stomach.


Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable. It's the best feel-good food around! !


Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.


Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape! ! Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:
'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intentionof arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, 'WOO HOO, What a Ride!'

John Cusack talks about Bush-McCain

I just love him. Always have. Say Anything, Better Off Dead, and now this!?! Love that guy!

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part Four: Captain Edward J. Korn

Captain Edward Jason Korn, 31, of Savannah, was killed on April 3, 2003. He was killed by friendly fire while scouting for Iraqi positions during a tank battle 15 miles southeast of Baghdad. Captain Korn grew up at the Bethesda Home for Boys. Jason, as his family called him, was a Desert Storm Veteran and Bronze Star recipient. He had been stationed at Fort Knox, but volunteered for war duty in March 2003. He was deployed with the 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart. There is a great deal of information about Captain Korn at the Arlington website. This is where I found this quote, from William McIlrath, assistant director of the Bethesda Home, who remembered Jason from his time there: "The thing that really impressed me about him was that he always told the truth, no matter how much it embarassed him or got him into trouble." If only the same could be said for President Bush, maybe Captain Korn would still be with us today.

Related: Inspiration, Part One, Parts Two and Three

McCain Women's Clinic Part 3

Okay, so I know the music is not so great, but it does make a point that needs to be made. I also love how the nurse/receptionist reminds me of Cindy McCain.

McCain Women's Clinic Part 2

We are not making it up. We are not exaggerating.

This is only a small sampling of the misogynistic crap that is out there All. The. Time. It's not about Hillary. It's not even about women. It's about humans. I'm one of those. We all deserve the respect that comes with our humanity, and white dudez like Tucker Carlson and Chris Matthews need to learn to recognize their privilege.
HT: Shakesville

Oh, yeah, and I missed my Blogiversary again. I've been blogging (on and off) since June 8, 2006. Two years. This blog has lasted longer than any of my romantic relationships.

McCain's Women's Clinic

HT: Shakesville

Georgians KIA in Iraq Parts Two and Three: PFC Diego Fernando Rincon and PFC Michael Creighton Weldon

Army Pfc. Diego Fernando Rincon

19, of Conyers, Ga.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; killed in a suicide car-bombing near Najaf, Iraq. Died: March 29, 2003

"Diego Rincon was inspired to fight for his adopted homeland following the brutal attacks of September 11. . . . The suicide attack that took Diego's life at Al-Najaf was the first of its kind during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Diego Rincon was awarded posthumous citizenship in a gesture that inspired national law." From My Country to Defend, a book by A. E. Dimond about PFC Rincon, who was born in Colombia.




Army Pfc. Michael Russell Creighton Weldon, 20, of Conyers, Ga.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.; killed in a suicide car-bombing near Najaf, Iraq. Died: March 29, 2003
While other soldiers lost their lives in that suicide bombing, PFCs Rincon and Weldon were the two who had Georgia listed as their home state, although many sites list Palm Bay, FL as PFC Weldon's home state. It appears that he lived in Conyers, but was actually from Palm Bay. Pfc. Weldon followed in the footsteps of his mother, Sgt. Maj. Jean Weldon, who recently retired from the military.


As I post these profiles, it makes me sick how these soldiers were lied to. PFC Rincon joined up because of the September 11 attacks. At the time of his death, the country was actively being deceived by the Bush Administration that there was a link between Saddam Hussein and those attacks. All the medals in the world won't make up for the fact that these young men died because of Bush's lies. That doesn't take away from their bravery and service, but it sure does piss me off!

Related: Inspiration, Part One

Georgians KIA in Iraq Part One: Army Spc. Jamaal R. Addison

Army Spc. Jamaal R. Addison Died: March 23, 2003

22, of Roswell, Ga.; assigned to the 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas; killed in an ambush near Nasiriyah, Iraq.
Specialist Addison's mother, Patricia M. Roberts, set up a foundation in his name "as a means of honoring his service and life. The JAMF's primary focus is to offer opportunities for positive growth and expose youth to the wide options available to them to lead successful lives."

Addison attended Henderson High School from eighth to 10th grade, then went to Lakeside, where he was a member of the Junior ROTC and graduated with a college prep degree. Relatives fondly described Addison as the family's computer guru. His enlistment in the military came as a surprise to his ROTC instructors at Lakeside.

"I had no idea he was going into the Army," said Lt. Col. Sydney Sider, 58, a senior Air Force ROTC instructor at Lakeside High. "The last talk we had was that he was going to college."

But Sider added that Addison had the strength and character to be successful in the military.

"He was a very nice young man ... and a very good student," Sider said. "He was good in ROTC. I just wish I had him a little longer." Spec. Addison was a straight-A student who joined the Army days after graduating from high school to secure a future for his infant son.
He was deployed to Iraq just after his wedding to Tek'la, and they have a seven-year-old son (Jamaal II) and eight-year-old daughter (Christian).

U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said March 26, 2003 that the 507th Maintenance Company ran into a heavily armed Iraqi combat unit that included two tanks and automatic weapons when it made the wrong turn near An Nasiriyah.

Spec. Addison's stepbrother, Rodney Fisher, was quoted in an LA Times article as saying "I never thought there was a reason to go to war in the first place. This sure as hell doesn't make it any better. This was a good man. He didn't deserve this. This whole thing is nonsense."
It should be noted that Spec. Addison was said to have been fully in favor of the war.

Related: Inspiration

New Series

The Glynn Peace Memorial Day helmet display (which was very well-received, BTW) has inspried me to start a new series. This will actually be my first series, so, yeah. Anyway, I have decided to post at least weekly about one of the service members from Georgia who has been Killed in Action during the war in Iraq. There are, unfortunately, more than a hundred of them, so it will take a while. Look for it soon.

Memorial Day event

Memorial for Georgians Killed in the Iraq War
WHEN: MEMORIAL DAY - May 26, 2008

TIME: Noon - 8 p.m.

WHERE: Casino Pool (southside) in Neptune Park, St. Simons Island

GlynnPeace held its first memorial exhibit at Mary Ross Park in October 2007 (see attached photos). A month later, it was held for 2 days at Hanover Square in downtown Brunswick. The last exhibit was at the State of Change Tour Concert at the Gazebo in Mary Ross Park on April 5, 2008. This event was organized by the GlynnPeace - Youth Division.

The exhibit consists of white stakes and camo helmets with the hometowns of the soldiers. Our first exhibit honored 122 Georgians and in April the count was 127. As of May 18, the count is 129.
* * * * *

The number of U.S. soldiers and contractors killed in Iraq is starting to show up differently at major newspapers and databases. We already know the number of U.S. soldiers and contractors killed and wounded is severely underreported. As are those who have committed suicide both in Iraq and here at home.

Please note that U.S. soldiers and contractors in Iraq number just about the same.

Reluctantly taking the summer off from teaching

Well, for the first time since they hired me at the last minute a few years ago, I am not teaching at the college. My summer class didn't get enough students, so I have more free time, and less money to enjoy it. Anyone need a babysitter? Petsitter? Plasma? Seriously, that damn economic stimulus rebate better show up in my bank account soon!

Happy Mothers Day

Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe out dishonor,
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.

Julia Ward Howe, Boston 1870
Writer of the Battle Hymn of the Republic and founder of Mothers Day for Peace, with the above proclamation. Let us not forget the true meaning of Mothers Day.

Okay y'all

I need more free time. And a computer that actually works at home (not to mention internet). And a pot rack while you're at it. Seriously, I moved almost a month ago, and I still am not settled in. Between the full-time office job, teaching two classes a week, and various other activities, I just have the hardest time getting around to blogging. So sorry for absence. Must get back to real job now. In case I forget, come to the Brunswick Library on Wednesday, March 19 (anniversary of Iraq invasion) to see a free showing of "Why We Fight." I'll try to get around to posting a pdf of the flier. So busy. Head hurts.