Quote for the Day

"Sometimes our best efforts do not go amiss;

sometimes, we do as we meant to."

-Sheenah Pugh 

Frasier

Just finished rewatching all seasons of Frasier as my end of the day sitcom.  Good series.  I really enjoy it and still laugh out loud at many of the episodes.  Yes, the last couple seasons were less compelling.  I think its because they didn't center as many episodes around the radio station in those years.  The love story between Niles and Daphne was well told, I'm glad Martin found a good love interest in the end, Roz was a little short-changed in the end, but I know she'll be a good station manager.  And I hope Frasier is happy building a new life in Chicago.  I like the show because its about adults and adult relationships.  Really good show.  Now I have to wait a couple years before I watch it again.  Sigh. 

And I must now choose another sitcom for my end of the day DVD.

I used to smoke cigarettes

When I was a teenager (in the 1970's) I started smoking because many adults and teenagers smoked and I wanted to fit in.  NOT smoking wasn't a trend yet.  It was generally accepted that people smoked.

I didn't smoke when my friends started smoking (around 12 or 13); I waited a couple more years until I felt more left out (age 15, I think).

But, after that, I didn't stop.  I dedicated myself to unashamed smoking. 

I always smoked Winston cigarettes eventually landing on the last brand I smoked...Winston Ultra-Light 100's.

About 10 years ago I finally quit cold turkey.  I'm glad I quit before the most recent regulations have been put in place about where to smoke.  It would have made me mad being told what to do.

Irrelevancy

I've noticed here and there that people still take time to post about how irrelevant Larry King is.

I'd like to note that any post about Larry King's irrelevancy is irrelevant itself because The Larry King Show (not the person) has been irrelevant since 1992...that's seventeen years ago.

I'm an amateur

Wow - I am not good at writing.
I lost patience for the slow and sometimes painstaking effort some time ago. 

My mind is going a thousand miles a minute and as far as I'm concerned its all quite fascinating (hey - that's just me, I'm sure in your world, your stuff is fascinating to you).  I'm glad to get the ideas documented so I don't forget.   
I tell myself that after I get the thought or idea down on paper (or laptop), I'll take a moment some other time to give it the writing treatment it deserves. 
But, I never do.  I move on to the next thing. 

This post is my acknowledgment that although the point of the blog is to help me get better, its not working so far.  Yes, I acknowledge it.

And I even know the solution...meditation and developing the ability to focus on one thing for more than a short burst of time.


A WORD ABOUT THE GRAPHIC:  This is a prime example of me not knowing how to do something, going with the idea anyway, and presenting a final product only the mother of a five year old could love.
If this was the product of their five year old.
Which its not.
I'm an adult.
This is my shame:  I'm willing to slap any old thing together just to finish it and move on to the next idea, thought, television show, etc.
Don't get me wrong, I like to laugh at it too. 
But, that's really an after thought bonus. 
It wasn't my intention. 
But, it does make me laugh.

The Abortion Debate...

You know...in this blog, I've expressed disrespect for people who use abortion as their number one criteria to select a candidate. 

I realize now that its not that the people use abortion as their number ONE criteria, but rather that they act like its the ONLY criteria.

The truth is, if I were presented with two identical candidates with the exception of their stance on abortion rights, I'd choose the Pro-Choice candidate.  No question.

The problem is the Christian right has acted like its the ONLY criteria.  What about gun control, the role of the judiciary, states rights vs federal rights, responsibility of government, etc?  I'd probably disagree with the anti-choice people on those issues as well.  And, if two candidates had the same view on abortion (anti-choice) then those right-wingers would have to choose some other criteria, right?

But, they choose to focus on the abortion issue because they know its easy to tug at people's heartstrings with unborn baby stories. 

Yes, I know this is all so obvious it doesn't even need to be discussed, but it interests me periodically.

And sometimes, its so obvious and ingrained in us that we forget to notice it and that's not good either - we forget people are choosing to manipulate us.

The trio of female crimefighting is over for the summer

The Closer, Saving Grace, and In Plain Sight have recently finished their summer seasons. 
All good shows with women who are flawed, but great in their jobs.

The Closer is the most traditional of the three.  Brenda Leigh Johnson is a gifted interrogator, but I'd like to know more about her team and how they all operate together.  They've done a better job incorporating that aspect to the stories this past season.  But, it still seems like Brenda's the one who does all the work and thinking.  The Pros of this show are:  Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, the patience and love of Fritz, Brenda Leigh's Mom and Dad, Brenda Leigh goes by the book even when it involves her friend, Detective Tao, and the relationship/banter between the other detectives.   

Saving Grace is sometimes hard to watch because Grace is so not me.  She drinks too much, she parties in ways I don't understand, and she takes unusual chances.  However, she loves completely - she's faithful and devoted to her family and friends in a way I respect.  She's upfront and honest and doesn't take crap.  But, she's also a professional - she's not going to risk the lives of 500 people just to save one.  The Pros of this show are:  Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko, the realistic way the Oklahoma City bombing is weaved into the story, the friendship of Grace and Rhetta, the trust between Grace and her nephew, the Oklahoma vs Texas rivalry between the other detectives, the way the show doesn't talk down to me (which also means I probably miss things), the spiritual aspect isn't whimsical, its real.  And Grace's reaction to it is interesting.

In Plain Sight is the Sunday show.  I love that Mary is so good at her job.  And I just like how Mary McCormack plays her.  Sometimes her anger is too much and I wish they'd tone it down a bit.  I mean, really...can someone be THAT angry and cynical all the time? 
But, as with the others, one of the things I like best about her is her professionalism. She's not stupid. 
I like that she's trying to be better.  This season the mom and sister storylines were toned down a bit, which I liked a lot, and she was nicer to Raphael - even getting engaged.  I like the addition of Holly Maples as Eleanor Prince.  Her character helps take some of the wind out of Mary's sails, which is good.  Then there's Marshall.  Well, who wouldn't love Marshall, 'cause Marshall loves Mary so  much.  He's kind of goofy in a great best friend way.  They have a good relationship.
I didn't like this season's cliffhanger on 'In Plain Sight'.  (I'm sick of season-ending cliffhangers in general).  I thought it was expected - Mary could die and her family and friends wait in anguish.  Of course. 
And, I thought it was odd too because there was a tone of....ummm...I don't know what to call it...in the storyline.  The Spanish speaking lady wouldn't go against the Spanish speaking criminals because they're all Spanish speaking.  I suppose it happens in the real world, but I don't like to see it.  And I'm not sure if its a copout on the part of the writers or if it really is what happens in the real world. 

All in all - three shows I enjoy watching in the summer season...

Trust Me

I just found out that last April TNT cancelled Trust Me".  Too bad.  I liked the show. 

I thought it was a good alternative to the angsty intensity of Mad Men.  It looked like a fairly real depiction of how an advertising firm works in today's world.  And I mostly liked the characters.  At the end of the season they setup the 'evil' character to be their boss, which I thought was a little over the top and didn't make me look forward to the continued clashes.  But, I was still going to watch.
Anyway - I'm sorry the show didn't survive beyond the 13 episodes I faithfully watched.  The journey is its own reward, right?

My Life with Computers

I am not a geek, I am not scientifically minded, and I don't like to take things apart and put them back together again.
I like to know what people are talking about and I like new toys.

I bought a Commodore 64 in the early 80's when I lived with ET.  I remember playing pong, asteroids and caterpillar..  I programmed enough basic to get the computer to say "Good Morning" (or something) when I signed on.  ET played the games a lot.
Then,  I was done with it.

My next computer was an Apple IIc...or an Apple IIe.  I can't remember anymore for sure, but I think it was a C 'cause that stood for "compact" as I recall. 
The programs I remember purchasing for that computer were a Jane Bryant money tracking system (as justification for buying the computer - ha!), Tetris and a text based mystery game.

The money program was crazy.  There were about 17 floppy disks and I remember reloading the disks everytime I wanted to do something different with the program.  Enter checks using Disk 4, report on checks using Disk 7.  Grrr...no way to get a flow.
The program required me to enter every check I ever wrote and what I did with all my money. 
It occurred to me that if I couldn't do it with a checkbook, then why would I be able to do it with a computer that took me five times as long?  I've never used a money program since.

Tetris is addictive.  You probably know that already, right?  One day I came home from work with groceries, put them on the counter to turn on the computer, forgot to take my coat off, and I started playing Tetris.  Four hours later ET came home and the groceries were still on the counter.

I wish I could remember the name of the text based game I played.  I never finished it, but I liked playing it.   In the story, the main character (the player) wakes up in a motel room with no memory of where they are or how they got there.  The game was about trying to figure out the story.
Because it was a text based game you had to visualize everything like a book.  At some point I was so confused about where I was I had to draw a map so I could actually move a block down the street instead of going back and forth around a corner...HA!
I also remember that one task I knew how to do was buy a gyro sandwich.  And the only reason I know that word is pronounced jeer-oh instead of  jahy-roh is because of that game.  I think in the story they made fun of people who pronounced the sandwich incorrectly. 


My next computer was a Gateway, I believe.  That's what we had at our office by then, so that's what I liked.  I had it for several years. 
I think this is when I started going online.  I remember I was dating GeeG at the time and I didn't feel like he was giving me enough of a debate on issues.  I thought the new online services could be a way to have discussions about topics of interest.  First Prodigy, then AOL, finally CompuServe.  At one point I was a memeber of all of them. 

On Prodigy I learned that you can have a discussion but sometimes no one cares.  That was disappointing.
I also played some kind of stock market game that was fun, but stressful because I knew other people could see I didn't know what I was doing.

On AOL, I learned about chat rooms and the sleazy side of being online.  The AOL chat rooms were always full and many of the member chat rooms were kind of seedy.  However, there were some things I did on AOL - submitted a story that someone published on their zine, created an online group of friends that met weekly to discuss spiritual things, communicated with an author who wrote a story I really liked, and tried out the online medieval stuff chat rooms - Red Dragon Inn it was called - which I couldn't quite get the hang of.   I had friendships with people and met a couple of them offline - to my regret, but that's nothing to do with being online.

I didn't use CompuServe very much.  I never quite figured out how it worked.  That's why AOL was the one I spent the most time on - it made the most visual sense to me.

Remember, though, the modems were very slow then.  Eventually, the interest in AOL chat rooms waned, I realized I needed a more real connection with people, and checking out the World Wide Web using a 2400 speed modem wasn't really gonna work.  So, I put away the online world.

My next computer was a Dell, followed by an HP (still in use).  I'm writing this on an HP Laptop.


I still don't know a lot about how to make my computer do cool things - and I still buy new things just so I can see what people are talking about...I used to have a MySpace page becuase I wondered what all the fuss was about.  That's gone.  Now I have a FaceBook and a Twitter account.  Not because I like them, but because everyone talks about them and I wondered why. 


And that is....My life so far, with computers.

Oy Ve, its a long play!

Today MTF invited me to see the Farewell Tour of Topol in Fiddler on the Roof.
The play started at 2:00, I was in my car to go home at 5:15.  The first intermission was at 3:45!  That's pretty long, right? 

Anyhoo...it was a good play.  I've never seen Fiddler on the Roof - movie or play version.  I'm familiar with some of the music, of course, by virtue of being alive at the right time.  But, I never quite knew the story.

Tevye is the Jewish father of five daughters in turn of the century (20th century) Russia.  Its the story of Tradition and Life and change and surviving. 
I expected Tevye to be a little more energetic and not so downtrodden.  But, there you are.  "If I were a Rich Man" wasn't as rousing as I'd expected...I thought he'd be so into the fantasy of being rich he'd be overjoyed and have a lot of energy.  But, he didn't.  It was melancholy.

Clearly my expectation of the story was incorrect. 
Fiddler on the Roof is NOT a musical comedy.  Its got some laughs and songs, but its a serious story about how the world changes and how people change in the world.  And its about what it means to 'have people'...is it more important to be faithful to your people or yourself?

What evoked the most emotion in me was that Topol is an Israeli actor in a play so very much about the Jewish story.  I suspect he feels a great deal of responsibility to the story.   Its especially moving at the end when they're told to leave their home town of Anatevka in three days for no other reason than they're Jewish.

The play ends with the family beginning a journey to America. 

An AHA! moment of the play for me was when Tevye is complaining to God and asking him why his horse has gone lame again, and why does Tevye have to pull the milkcart around all the time just like the horse would.  As he looks up he hears God answer and he says "Oh, you're right, I could PUSH"
Its all a matter of perspective, right? 
And you really have to be a little more clever when you're complaining to God. 

I'm glad I've seen the play.   Since Topol also played Tevye in the 1971 film version of Fiddler on the Roof, I look forward to seeing how the two characterizations differ, if at all.  I thought his voice was very strong. 

What else did I like?  The sets and Russian dancing,

That's my review of Topol in Fiddler on the Roof put on by Broadway Across America!  Thanks MTF!

Edward M Kennedy 1932 - 2009

In order to preserve the truth of this moment, I have to say I wasn't agog over Kennedy, though I appreciate that he was a liberal, and how influential people say he was in the US Senate. 
I recall feeling resentment for him in 1980 when he ran for President against the sitting Democratic president, Jimmy Carter.  I may not have understood why he was running at the time, but it seemed to me he was running out of turn.  He should have waited until 1984.  Also, I was just young enough not to be under the spell of the Kennedy mystique and I felt too many other people supported him just because his name was Kennedy.
In any event, he seemed to have found his place in the world and made the most of it. 
Because there was never any question that he'd win his Senate seat, I didn't have reason to know a lot about what he did.  In the Senate he's known as being a great Legislator, which often means your have to compromise in order to get things done (similar to Obama).  I don't always like compromise.  But, I probably wouldn't get as much accomplished as he did in his Senate career.  I heard on NPR yesterday that Edward Kennedy's Senate career spanned from the time when Richard Nixon began his speeches (campaigning for President? or did they say Ronald Reagan?) all the way beyond the time when Ronald Reagan's Vice President's son had served two terms as President (obviously they said it better).  That's quite a span of time.  Congratulations.

The Kennedy family story, is quite compelling isn't it?  A lot of triumph and tragedy.  I'm impressed by the Kennedy family's desire to serve the community and the world.  I have a great deal of respect for each of them for that alone.  Very impressive.  I'm interested to see how that ideal will live on in the rest of the Kennedy clan?  When will it be diluted over time and distance?  Very interesting.

Finally, it sounds like Teddy Kennedy was the heart and soul of the Kennedy clan in the last 40 years particularly, though always well loved as the youngest child of Joseph and Rose Kennedy.

This is the e-mail Barack Obama sent out to his supporters about Ted Kennedy:

Vicky -- Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me. In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy. I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom. His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives. For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family. Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still. Sincerely, President Barack Obama 

Goodbye and Fare Thee Well, Ted Kennedy

(I'd also like to note how much I appreciate that the media obsession is, this time, merited and worthy)

I don't get my life

I think it might be nice if a documentary filmmaker could take scenes from my life and edit them into a cohesive story that finally explains who I am.
I'm still not getting a clear picture.

The Second Amendment

This morning, gun lobbyist Richard Feldman was on CSPAN's Washington Journal.

Here is one statement he made...

“I think there are so many millions of Americans in this country that view their relationship to this democracy of ours through the eyes of the gun issue.
And they say, like you do, ‘If my government, my state government, my federal government, basically trust me with the guns I’ve owned and never misused, well, in general terms, perhaps they’re worthy of my trust. And all the sudden if they want to take away those guns that I never misuse perhaps this government is no longer worthy of my trust.’
Therein lies the tremendous power and emotional influence that the firearm issue has in American politics today.”

I find this statement disturbing on many levels...
1. It sounds childish - like the people say if you don't give me what I want, I won't be nice to you, I'll throw a tantrum and you won't like it.
2. What kind of emotional attachment do people have with guns? Maybe their problem is that they're emotionally attached to so many 'things' that they feel the need to protect their 'things'. They need a little Buddhist philosophy in their lives.
3. Doesn't he (and other 'anti-government' people)realize that the 'government' is made up of fellow Americans? He's essentially saying he doesn't trust his neighbor.
What kind of negative mind does he live with on a daily basis?
4. I think the NRA and other gun-wielding advocates of Old West justice have done a really great job of attaching their weapon of destruction to the idea of an emotional warm blankie. Once again, marketing manipulation has proven that a dastardly idea can find a home in a mushy, pliable, soft mind.

Added 08/22/2009...
5. If their love of America is so flimsy that one policy disagreement is enough to turn them against America, then I suggest their love is one of convenience and not conviction.


Later, Linda from South Dakota called in to Washington Journal. She said...

"There is a treaty called CIFTA and it is in the United Nations and it is to control guns all over,its all under the guise of illegal trafficking etc etc– but you know where this is going to go. And the only way to combat it is if you’re an individual state with specific laws. Now Obama was in Mexico touting this and urging , saying he was going to urge the senators to ratify this treaty. So of course he can say I’m not against guns and step back from it. Because once the United Nations takes over and decides all this, the only people in this country who are gonna have guns are gonna be the crazies, the crooks, and the government. So, everything else is a moot point if they get this treaty through. And I urge everyone to call their representatives and say Do Not sign on to this treaty."

FACT: It's a treaty from the Organization of American States, not the United Nations.
Richard Feldman did not correct the caller's misinformation because its not in his best interest to give her facts when she has such great fear and emotion that supports the position of his employers - gun manufacturers.
FACT: From the April 16, 2009 NRA statement regarding CIFTA:

"The treaty does include language suggesting that it is not intended to restrict 'lawful ownership and use' of firearms."

Clearly, the NRA knows the intent of the treaty (Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and other Related Items). There is nothing in the treaty that will cause Americans to lose their second amendment rights.
The next sentence of their statement is the crux of the issue though

..."Despite those words, the NRA knows that anti-gun advocates will still try to use this treaty to attack gun ownership in the U.S. Therefore, the NRA will continue to vigorously oppose any international effort to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding American gun owners."

What a bunch of baloney...
a. the actual words of the treaty 'suggest' its not intended to restrict gun ownership in America.
b. the NRA 'knows' that the anti-gun advocates will think they can take advantage - 'cause someone's always trying to hurt the poor, innocent law-abiding (not like everyone else who are criminals) original American gun advocates who think its their right to walk around with a gun strapped to their leg 'cause that's how this country was founded and by golly that's how we're going to live in it too!
c. and now the treaty is called an international effort to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding American gun owners. Which in the previous sentence they admitted was exactly what the treaty does NOT do.
And people buy into it because they have an innate distrust of the world around them.

Sad. Sad. Sad.

Later in the program a caller indicates that he chooses not to carry a handgun, and Richard Feldman said that was great, but he shouldn't try to take away other people's rights to carry a gun.

Here, I'd like to make a generalization and an assumption. Yes its wrong to generalize and assume.
But, can we agree that a good number of American gun advocates are also Americans against a woman's right to choose, and Americans against gay marriage? Can we agree that often these three policy positions intersect? Form a union, if you will.

So, given my above generalization and assumption, why do those people not see how hypocritical they are? Its kind of easy and straightforward to see isn't it? Don't Tread On Me works when it comes to gun ownership, but not when it comes to personal choices about medical procedures and partnership, its I'll Tread on You whenever I want, or whenever my religion tells me to.

An interesting morning, to be sure.

It took me a long time to write all this and when I reread it, I still don't think my points are made clearly enough - or are expressed with as much emotional weight as I'd like. I'm feeling sarcastic this morning and I don't think it helps. Also, I worry that I'll forget my points or run out of time so I rush through things sometimes. I'll keep working on it. See ya!

Health Care Reform and Gun Debate...WTF???

Huh? Now who decided these two issues should be comingled? Somebody sure did because its suddenly become 'hip and trendy' to protest at a health care reform meeting with an unconcealed gun. Especially if the President is speaking.

What the hell is going on?
From my perspective, half the country has gone off their rocker.

This morning I decided to watch CSPAN's Washington Journal when the guest turned out to be Richard Feldman labeled as a Gun Lobbyist and author of a new book called "Ricochet: Confessions of a Gun Lobbyist"

And then when I sign on to write my next blog entry, I see this article about people carrying guns to protest Health Care reform.

What a clever diversion from Health Care - Guns.

As, Joanna wrote in an e-mail to CSPAN this morning..."Do the people who are taking their guns to town hall meetings realize that if they had tried that stunt during the Bush administration, they would have been branded terrorists, hauled away, and water-boarded?"

I'm with you Joanna! Of course the guest, Richard Feldman, suggested that no laws had changed and nothing was different today than it was yesterday. So, I guess he's saying that people who took their guns to rallies during the Bush Administration (espcially to protest the Iraq war, maybe?) would have been treated the exact same.
Hmph. I don't believe it.
Let's be honest here. As Judge Judy would say, "Don't pee on my shoes and tell me its raining."

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 5

A few other dances I liked from Season 5 of So You Think You Can Dance...

Update 01/23/2011 - it looks like all the videos have been taken down from YouTube. Oh well, they were: Janette and Brandon's Hip Hop from the Top 16, Top 8 Ramalama (Bang Bang), Jeanine and Kayla's contemporary, Top 5 Female Dancers Bollywood, Brandon and Jeanine dancing the Paso Doble in the finale.

Portland's Pearl District Street of Dreams

I haven't been to a Street of Dreams in a number of years, and this is the first I've noticed that features condominiums. Urban condos rank high on my desirability scale so I made a point to go this year. It cost $15 for the Pearl Pass for which I was able to view four Pearl District condo buildings. Two buildings were at the north end of the Pearl District by the Willamette River, and the other two were south. I was too lazy to walk between the north and south and didn't want to take the shuttle so I paid for parking twice - $9 total. I was there between 10:30 and 3:00 or so.
I thought this would also be a good opportunity to take lots of pictures - which I did. I haven't yet become clever enough to use any modes other than Auto. Luckily, I'm just happy to accurately document the interesting things I see. If I can.
Today I took 540 pictures! Digital cameras are so great! I don't mind having a lot of pictures that don't work out.
Sadly, while none of the pictures I took were completely bad, none of them were spectacular either; the exposure wasn't quite right for the lighting situations.

Not only are my pictures unspectacular, but they're the kind that could have been found on the Street of Dreams website. Sigh.

Here's their picture of the living/dining room in The Maison penthouse at the 937 Condominiums:



And, here is mine...



Here is their view of the study in The Bedford at 937 Condominiums



And I took four pictures to get everything in...






My point proven.

No matter...here's a summary of the things I liked or noticed about the condominiums I saw today:

1. The 937 Condominiums opened up a few other properties in the building (in addition to the penthouses) for people to look at. They were smaller units which suited my lifestyle more realistically. I could have imagined myself in one of them. Though they were still more expensive than I could justify for myself.

2. The 937 Condominiums balconies were scary. Here's a picture from one of the small units looking up to the next level's balcony (from 10th floor looking to 11th floor). See that chair...its practically floating in midair! Eeek! I didn't like that. And honestly, it would make me not purchase that condominium (my picture).



3. The Bedford penthouse at the 937 Condominiums has fully retractable "Panda Doors" opening to the covered terrace with an aluminum (I think) hot tub. The penthouse is on the 16th floor so I can imagine it would be incredible to sit in the hot tub on a cool Portland night looking at the city lights.
The doors created a wonderful breeze that gave the living room/terrace an indoor/outdoor feel. Luxurious. (their picture)


4. The Bedford penthouse also had an interesting shower/tub combination I like. The tub in back has a nice view, and the shower stall is just inside with a half door - completely see-through. It doesn't look entirely practical, but I like the idea of it a lot. (My picture)



Can you tell where the 1/2 wall is? And notice the full length window. I don't know how that works, and I can tell you I heard more than a few people during the tour of the 937 Condominiums talk about people in other buildings being able to see in. Which leads to the other feature about the 937 Condominiums I liked...

5. Floor to ceiling windows. Everywhere. Almost every room had a view (even in the smaller units) of the city through floor to ceiling windows. Window treatments were not included in the designs as presented. Maybe they expect that a regular owner of the penthouse would have window treatments, but during the Street of Dreams they want people to see the views unobstructed. In any event, the views are spectacular.

*****

Moving on now to Block 90.

I liked this building a lot. Its the fourth floor of a mixed use building. The terrace and patio area on both the penthouses and the smaller unit were huge (1600 square feet for the Manhattan penthouse) and felt comfortable. In fact, the terraces/patios are what make these condos enviable. Being on the fourth floor they don't have the same kind of view that the 937 Condominiums have, but I thought they made up for it in size and usability.

6. Terrace access from the living room and both bedrooms. Amazing. Their pictures.




The East Village penthouse was decorated with a Balinese flavor. Here's a picture of part of their smaller terrace: (my picture)



7. And here are some other pictures I took inside the East Village penthouse. I felt more comfortable in the Manhattan penthouse (and even the smaller Dawn Marie unit), but the art and accessories in this unit were interesting. (more of my pictures)





If I could afford it, the Pearl Condominiums @ Block 90 felt very comfortable to me and I'd purchase one of their units.

On to the North end...near the river.

First up...The Encore.

If I were really considering buying (and at these prices, even the loft studio is out of my reach) a condo, The Encore could be a good value. I think when they put the park in, it will increase the value of the units. Today the lowest price studio is 261k (unit 509 as I recall?). We'll see what it is after the park is put in.

The first penthouse at The Encore is called "An Uncommon Life". It was a real mix of extreme formality and modern furnishings. Here's a picture of the dining table: (my picture)



8. A truly spectacular feature of the other penthouse "Luster of the Pearl" is the courtyard on the terrace that's inset into the unit a little so it's protected from strong breezes. I thought that was perfect. Loved it. Here are two pictures (my picture):




In general, I like The Encore. The views are varied and wide-ranging. Again, floor to ceiling windows. And I like the feel of the building.

The Waterfront Pearl is the final building, and it really is right on the Willamette River waterfront. Not only that, but the building has a 'moat', or rather a river of water that flows around the two towers.

I have pictures to upload and a couple comments about it, but I'm getting tired. This has taken much longer than I would like. I'll finish it up tomorrow.

Reading the Sunday Newspaper

1. Only JoAnn Fabrics had an ad for craft supplies this week - no Craft Warehouse or Michael's. Good. Saved some money there!

2. 13 years ago, Congress passed the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. It was, in part, a reaction to the Oklahoma Bombings a year earlier and Newt Gingrich's 'Contract with America'. The law includes a limit to the ways and number of times a convicted death row inmate can appeal his/her conviction.
Its an emotional reaction to scary people doing scary things. Understandable, but not conducive to an enlightened society that I'd like to live in.
From the New York Times(via the Oregonian) I learned that recently, a number of appeals court judges have seen that the limitations may be interfering with the court's goal of finding truth. The number of dissents in death row appeals court cases has been rising over the years.
I'm against the death penalty; our society seems to value saving taxpayer money more highly than a person's soul. From The Innocence Project, I learned there have been 241 post conviction DNA exonerations in the United States since 1989.
Isn't that enough to justify stopping the death penalty?

3. I intended to continue making comments as I read the paper this morning, but time has gotten away from me. I'd like to see the Urban Street of Dreams this morning, which opens at 10:00, so I've run out of time.

The depths of my soul have been darkened...

Sentence variations with MNG

Emo
"The depths of my soul have been darkened by the world that's ever closing around me, and my heart screams out but no one's there to listen."

Socialist
"The depths of my soul have been darkened by the corporate greed of a world overrun by media manipulation and capitalist propoganda."

Right Wing
"The depths of my soul have been darkened by the overwhelming tide of unjust and unconstitutional reforms that have begun to overrun the America our forefathers brought forth onto this continent."

*****

In truth, the depths of my soul are filled with light for I am alive, today is a new day, and I am at peace. Enjoy.

Fact vs Opinion, and the Health Care Debate

The facts don't tell the whole story. If you have all the facts and still aren't able to come to a conclusion about the Truth of a matter, then each person makes their own best judgment.

That's what I've always thought an opinion is and I've tried to respect people's opinion. If you and I both agree on the facts of a scenario and our best judgment beyond that is different, I have to accept it.

In the current political climate, particularly related to health care reform, the problems are the facts. Political tongue-twisting and double-talking, code words, and fear-mongering cloud the issue for no other reason than to maintain a status quo in which the insurance company and other wealthy corporations win.

Facts are considered secondary to the debate.

Sadly, the victims are real people who are taken in by the fear, sold a bill of goods, believe its in their best interest, drop out of the conversation, or those who either intentionally or unintentionally are ignorant.
Sadly, the victims are Americans.
Sadly, the victim is America.

My real question is, since so many people understand what's happening, how come it doesn't stop? Are we being too polite? Is it too late to stop the machine? Has the mainstream media lost their focus? (Yes.) What can we do?

Here's one thing you can do...
Go to Reality Check on WhiteHouse.gov to see ways to get the message out.

We could be having a pretty great debate about healthcare that would be interesting and informative if the politicking would go away. This isn't about politics, this is about governing.

Breaking News

"We interrupt this broadcast..."

That used to mean something. My heart would beat a little faster when that announcement came on the TV.

In recent years however...

The news media have lost sight of what Breaking News is. I define it as an ongoing news story that affects so many people it can't wait until the next scheduled news broadcast.
Today's news media define Breaking News as anything that has already happened, anywhere, that makes the media feel relevant.
This morning, MSNBC called a helicopter crash in Georgia that hurt two people Breaking News. It may be news, especially in Georgia, and in the context of the larger air safety issue, but I wouldn't call it Breaking News.

And, when a reporter reports "Live from the Newsroom"...well, that's just so ridiculous I can't even spend a moment to describe its ridiculousness.

We can't trust the mainstream news media anymore. Its hard to tell the real news outlets from the tabloids and corporate schills. I don't want to get all my information from the extreme left and extreme right. That's what's useful about mainstream media. They've let us down.

I believe individually, there are many who want to be great journalists and who take their responsibility seriously. I'll do what I can to help get their message out.

So You Think You Can Dance - Season 5

Season's over.
Crickets
I enjoyed the season because it moved pretty quickly - 9 weeks, I fast forwarded through the judges comments most of the time - that alone makes the show about 50% more enjoyable, the producers didn't try to pretend a hip hop dancer was an untrained dancer off the street, the two hip hop dancers didn't last very long, and the top 10, in particular, were all good dancers.

I had some confusion about a couple things...
Why did Evan have such a large fanbase? I'm a Gene Kelly fan so I enjoyed his style, and I thought he did a reasonable job in all his dances, but he didn't have the same range as other dancers. He had a lot of fans though. Maybe because he was so innocent looking, the younger set felt comfortable with him?
Why did the redhead girl who was a roommate of last year's Katee get eliminated in Las Vegas? There was a time when I would have assumed the judges know something I don't because of their dance experience, but I've learned over the years I can't trust the producers. There's more to that story than I've been told.
Why did Melissa get so many dances suited exactly to her? I don't like to see that. I like watching this as a competition. I want it to be a fair competition.
If Nigel Lythgoe is the Executive Producer, who's job is it to tell him he's gone too far with his sexual innuendo?
When will someone tell Mary Murphy that her screaming is out of control and not funny? And I wish the dancers wouldn't play along with it.

I thought the music was very boring this season. In the past, I've gotten a lot of new music from this show. Not this time. Did there have to be a Lady Gaga song on every show? It seemed too much like a marketing ploy.

There were several dances I thoroughly enjoyed. The thief dance with Brandon and Janette was good, along with their whole pairing. The Addiction dance with Kayla and Kapono. The Laurie Anne Gibson dance with Jeanine and Brandon, the Crash Test Dummies dance with Kapono and someone else. The Travis Wall dance with Jason and Jeanine. Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Update:  I used to have links to YouTube videos of the dances, but they get taken down for terms of use violation.  I don't understand which videos are okay and which aren't.  So, no videos of the dances from YouTube.

Reality Bites

As of Monday, at least 4330 members of the US military have died since the start of the Iraq war and at least 684 have died as a result of the Afghan war and related operations, according to The Associated Press.

And countless injuries.

Faith Healing in a Secular Country

In Oregon recently, a man was sentenced to 60 days in jail for failed faith healing on his daughter. She died.
Balancing the rights of individuals to practice their faith and the rights of a society to protect all its citizens is difficult.
In this case, I think we should consider if we would have allowed a person of faith to sacrifice a child in a volcano or modify a girl child's genitalia based on faith.
Since volcano sacrifice and mutilation are not based on Christian faith practices, perpetrators in those cases would, I believe, be given a much harsher penalty.
For that reason, I don't think we should consider faith based practices as a defense.
I know it doesn't allow for freedom of religion, but until we can treat each religion equally, we should treat them all secularly.

(Additionally, how do you separate cultural traditions from religious traditions? After so many years, its hard to tell the difference. I believe some of the ideas I have about the Islamic religion might be culturally based rather than religious (black burqa, female mutilation, etc).

I heartily believe in the separation of church and state, AND the possibility of faith healing, but where the practice of each intrudes on the practice of the other we are left with a mystery that I'm not sure how to resolve.
We have to do the best we can.

It was really hot this week!

It got up to about 107 degrees in my area on Wednesday. It was too hot for me to even think about using the computer - so no posts. All I could do was come home from work (thankful my office is air conditioned) and sit in the coolest room in my house with the least amount of clothes and wait to fall asleep. If someone had asked me before last week if I'd be able to live in an environment where the temperature gets up to 107 degress I would have said no. That's why I don't live in Arizona, right? But, here I am in Oregon - and its hot. Yuck. My Northwest native roots keep me from living in an air conditioned house/apt. I mean, really. No self-respecting Northwesterner would buy an air conditioner for the few scant days of the year when it gets a wee bit hot. At least that's what I would have said before last week. Now, I'd reconsider. At least for Portland. All I had were two fans blowing directly on me. And, although, I seem to have survived, I didn't sleep well and it really was hot. Portland's in a valley so it's routinely several degress hotter than Seattle, which is where I'm originally from. It makes a difference, I think.
One trick I learned in the last week of hot weather (which continued today) is that shopping isn't hot. Its cool in the stores. And you can pretend its always cools. Ahhh... So, although I'm not a big fan of shopping, I shopped more this week than I normally would - and spent a lot more money. sheesh!
That's all I'm going to say for now. Its hot and I'm running out of money!