I'm not as enthusiastic about watching the WHOLE thing today. I thought I did pretty good to watch it from start to finish yesterday. And, wouldn't it be a lot more of the same? P 2 the C. And, I discovered (duh!) the full schedule is available online. That's one of the reasons I was able to stay focused yesterday - 'cause I didn't know there was a schedule and I was writing it all out myself. I'm a ding dong, its true.
Anyway - I'll comment as I deem it necessary only.......
Thank you C-SPAN!
They're already four minutes late. Its 5:04 on the East Coast, 3:04 in Denver, and 2:04 in Los Angeles. (And its 5:04 am on Wednesday in Beijing, China)
The music has started...a little less dancing at this point during a Police song.
This must be the same band - they're playing Earth, Wind, and Fire again - Shining Star.
That's a good dancing song - the people are up and moving.
Hey - there's that guy from CBS Sunday Morning and the Jon Stewart show. He's dancing with the ladies! (I'll remember his name sometime)
Ahh...now the convention starts.
Shirley Franklin has a very nice flower on the lapel of her white pantsuit.
Cynthia Hale is giving the invocation. Again, quite Christian. I'm hoping that at least one of these days will have a prayer from a different religion. Her voice is quite soothing and dynamic, strong and confident.
Today I said the Pledge of Allegiance with enthusiasm and it was fine.
I'm not going to sing the anthem today. Gotta change things up, doncha know.
What was that quick - quick - quick rap video?
Oh - maybe it was meant to be an introduction to Eleanor Holmes Norton
I wonder if the day will ever come when DC gets to have full voting rights? Its a little curious that Eleanor Holmes Norton has had to give this speech year after year after year after year. I don't know why the Senators don't vote for the DC Voting Rights Act.
Another link to the Kennedy administration. Ted Sorenson was a speechwriter of Kennedy. This seems to be a big theme for the convention. He ended with a little rhyme. Cool.
I like the Indian community. Its a shame there are still so many problems for them.
Linda Sanchez - good for her - go unions.
Governor Chet Colver - he has some strength in his voice.
Governor of New York...how satisfying must it be to stand as Governor of New York at the Democratic convention and talk about the guy who didn't hire you because you're blind. We'd all like to be in that position - except the blind part of course.
Here's a great line: "If he's [John McCain] the answer, the question must be ridiculous!"
And, instead of four more years, "Let's give them four more months" HA!
Memorial to Democrats who have died in the last four years...
This is better than the memorial they do at the Oscars and the Emmys when people get cheered for over the picture and some people get no cheer at all because they're older and people in the audience don't remember them. Its so disrespectful to do that.
I don't know if C-SPAN is making it so I can't hear the audience, but this is much better anyway.
Check on CNN and Fox
CNN is on commercial and FOX is also on commercial.
Sigh. Very sad.
Okay - this guy is talking a little too long....I missed his name, but he's going on a bit longer than other people have. Even Patrick Leahy was short.
Rep Chris Van Hollen of Maryland Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Planned parenthood action fund - Cecile Richards (daughter of Ann Richards, former governor of Texas) effective speech - good job. McCain is against women's reproductive rights.
Dennis Kucinich - Ohio
Wow - where was all this passion when he was running for office? I never saw this much animation from him before. Is that because I wasn't looking, or is he different now than I've seen him before?
I'd be standing up and clapping at this too.
Rousing!
Senate women - and things the Democrats will highlight:
Barbara Mikulski - Maryland - when the camera is straight on, her mouth is almost obscured by the microphone. Its kind of funny. In fact, it looks like C-SPAN is going to avoid that camera angle.
Equal Pay for Equal Work
Barbara Boxer - California - She looks different than when she's asking questions in a senate committee room with glasses on.
Protect Our Environment
Mary Landrieu - Louisiana
Prepare for future disasters
Blanche Lincoln - Arkansas -
Make Healthcare affordable
Debbie Stabenow - Michigan
Keep Jobs in America
Maria Cantwell in Washington
Make America Energy Independent
Claire McCaskill - Missouri
Enforce Fiscal Accountability
Amy Klobuchar - Minnesota
Protect the Family Checkbook
Hey - where's Patty Murray?
Cool picture of the Senate ladies with Barack Obama
*****
I can't believe the normal people they're highlighting have the guts to stand up in front of this crowd. Not that they're a tough crowd, I just can't believe I'd have the nerve - I'd be sick to my stomach so bad I couldn't stand it. That's why I don't do that kind of stuff.
*****
Good line from Rahm Emmanuel about Bush being good at inheriting things.
*****
I really hope Barack Obama has a speech that creates new images. I've been listening to him for a long time and I've heard some really great lines; things that inspired me and helped me see a twist on a view. But, now I've heard them. And heard them. I want new stuff. I hope they come up with it.
The panoramic photo thing was kinda humorous. The people were very quiet when she said "We're taking the photo right now." Then they started chanting so that's good. Anyway - it was kind of funny.
*****
Here's an idea I like...the Democratic party should have had a tribute to John McCain. A serious tribute to his time as a POW. Make it real, make it sincere and leave it there. But, then, say that we won't keep talking about it anymore. If he needs more reassurance that the Democratic party is respectful of his service then its a reflection on his neediness. Of course, don't say it quite that mean. But, really - wouldn't it shut all the haters up for a moment or two?
And maybe even go further and talk about some of the things we do like about him - he probably loves his kids and is kind to his mother or something like that. Give him all kinds of respect as a human being. And for the rest of the campaign, talk only about his policies.
That sounds refreshing. The haters would have to acknowledge that the party has given him respect. Wouldn't they HAVE to talk about the issues?
I know the Karl Rove crowd is so obnoxious and filled with hate that they might take a swing at the man who's done nothing to them - but wouldn't it look bad? To normal people?
*****
Okay - phony town hall meeting again. I'm just not even going to listen this time. It was too awkward yesterday and it makes me uncomfortable. And, let me make it clear - these people probably have good hearts and intentions. It just didn't seem like a real town hall. It would have been funnier if they did play it like a phoney infomercial.
Have they ever thought about doing skits or something? Politics is serious and these issues matter in a life and death way for a lot of people, but maybe there'd be a way to talk about things in a funny way? Not like the Jon Stewart show, more like a summer camp thing or something. I don't know - it would make people want to watch, I think.
*****
Gloria Craven - I didn't know people still had accents this strong!. Its Fan Tas Tic! :)
I like her. She had a twinkle in her eye while she talked.
*****
Nancy Floyd is talking about renewable energy and investing in new companies developing alternative energy. This is pretty important and I wish people were listening better. She's from a company called Nth Power.
*****
Kathleen Sebelius - Kansas Governor
I understand she was on the short list for VP? She's not exciting me. She's a bit blah. I don't know about her policies though.
*****
Something has happened to the energy in the Pepsi Center...its gone. The people seem to be more restless than yesterday at this time. Its louder than earlier because more people are showing up. Earlier today there was more applause when a speaker mentioned Barack Obama than there is now even though there are more people in the crowd now than there were. Is it because its the after dinner time? I don't know. But, the former Denver Colorado mayor is having to wade through a thick slog of talking while he's talking. Its a little irritating.
*****
Lily Ledbetter is the plaintiff in the equal pay case from the most recent Supreme Court session. The one where they said she should have filed suit six months after the first time she was paid less than the men. Of course, there's no way she could have known at that time. The Congress tried to pass a bill that made it so that wouldn't happen again, but in the Senate, the Republicans didn't go for it. It's proof that George Bush and his Supreme Court and the Republican crazies have moved us into the Twilight Zone. Irritating.
*****
The band is playing "I'm So Excited" and the people love it! They're dancing a lot right now. I wonder if they know they'll get on TV if they dance?
*****
Okay - Keynote address by Former VA Governor (and future Senator) Mark Warner.
His biggest gripe about Bush...that he "never tapped into our greatest resource - the character and resolve of the American people" after 9/11. If we had been asked to curtail our use of gas/oil so we're not paying money to the people who fund terrorists, every American would have done what they could. Bush told us to act normal - keep consuming.
"If we choose the right path - every one of these challenges is an opportunity"
"this election is...not about liberal vs conservative, its about the future versus the past"
"in the global economy you shouldn't have to leave your home town to find a world class job"
hmm...good speech. My first introdution to him. I like his point of view.
*****
Ohio Governor - Ted Strickland - waiting for his speech to come up on the teleprompter.
Again, lots of chatter in the background. And yet, they must be listening because they know to boo at the right time. But, right now, this speech is not as dynamic as the previous speaker. And too bad Dennis Kucinich went so much earlier. Now THAT was a speech!
*****
Deval Patrick - Governor of Massachusetts
(I didn't listen - I was reading some stuff on Huffington Post about the Hillary supporters who say they're going to vote for McCain. Now, this really bugs me. I do believe they're probably Republicans or something who are trying to stir up trouble. And yet, I have a coworker who doesn't like Obama {for an undefinable reason} and supported Hillary during the primaries - while at the same time admitting she hadn't started to pay attention yet anyway. Because of her intense dislike of Obama, she is considering voting for John McCain. So, I know there are people who think like that. Given that my coworker has always been sensitive to feminist causes {I don't know if she'd go so far as to call herself a feminist though} I don't understand why voting for McCain would even be an option. McCain has committed to the prolife cause and appointing conservative justices to the Supreme Court. Why would any person who was willing to vote for Hillary Clinton even think its reasonable to vote for John McCain?
There's more to this story than meets the eye. Could it be the Republicans? Or, are a lot of people racist? It just makes no sense.)
*****
I missed the name of the guy who just fired up the crowd before Hillary Clinton.
*****
A film about Hillary - narrated by Chelsea
Awww...well, I like Ms Hillary. This is a nice film. If only she'd had a better campaign staff, this might be her convention. And I would have been just as proud of her as I am of Barack Obama.
Dramatic music in the film. Its kind of emotional.
*****
Chelsea - She's going to introduce her mom. She looks good. Remember how mean some people were to her when she was a kid in the White House? She sure has showed them!
*****
Orange pantsuit pops agains the blue background. She looks dynamic.
"whether you voted for me or you voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single pupose. We are on the same team. And none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines. This is a fight for the future and this is a fight we must win together."
She hasn't worked hard for the last 35 years to suffer through 4 more years of the same -
"no way, no how, no McCain."
Its really clear who she's talking to. She's practically ordering her stubborn supporters to vote for Barack Obama.
I think Bill is gonna cry.
You know, she looks better today than she did during the campaign. I wonder if its just that orange pantsuit is really looking good on her. Isn't orange normally a hard color to wear? Well, it looks good tonight. I like her haircut.
She sounds strong and clear and articulate.
"Were you in this campaign just for me or were you in it for that young marine and others like him? Were you in it for that young mother struggling with cancer? ... Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?"
I don't know how she could be expected to do more than that - it seems pretty definitive. If anybody says they're a Hillary supporter who will now vote for McCain, they're a liar - they never were going to vote for Clinton or they aren't going to vote for McCain. And if it turns out that they're voting for McCain over Obama they'll have to find another excuse - supporting Hillary as an excuse is now off the table.
I do wish she'd stop saying she's John McCain's friend. Why does she have to make a point of saying that? I'd like to believe she's just being polite, but she said that in the primary, and Bill acted like he'd rather see John McCain as president than Obama (or something similar). Maybe that's why the Hillary supporters are choosing to vote for McCain? Oh screw it. I like Hillary and I think the ins and outs and intrigue of behind the scenes politics that I can't possibly have any information about is just a bunch of hoo-haw. So, I'll believe the best of Hillary.
"My mother was born before women had the right to vote, my daugher was able to vote for her mother for president"
"If you hear the dogs, Keep Going, if you see the torches in the forest, Keep Going" - very rousing!
She gave her all to this speech and she delivered it well - great even. She looks calm and relaxed and like she's not even reading a teleprompter.
Hmmm...the applause didn't last as long as I would have expected considering it was Hillary Clinton.
*****
Closing Benediction. "God of..." new creation, justice, hope, etc...that is kind of nice. "This we pray in the name of the one who is life eternal". That was a nice ending.
End of Night 2 - hey Shirley Franklin has the same flower lapel she had at the beignning of the day. It didn't look as fresh.
****
I'm done. I'll check to see what CNN and FOX are saying.
CNN has mentioned twice already - people are asking why he didn't pick her to be the VP. I've only been listening for less than a minute and two different CNN people said it - once as a question to someone, and Campbell Brown acknowledging that could be what people out here in the real world might be asking. Yuck. Why are you creating trouble where none exists.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Democratic National Convention - Day 1
In the tradition of me writing without thinking...here's the story of the Democratic National Convention - Day One.
*****
The invocation was quite religious - very Christian. I accept the spirit in which the prayer was given. But, it was more Christian than I would be comfortable with.
The announcer is a little awkward in her phrasing. It sounds like she wishes she was announcing at a beach volleyball tournament, but then remembers she's at a political convention.
I sung along, with excessive energy, to the Star Spangled Banner, and it was kind a fun.
*****
A taped piece about the West. If I were at the convention, I probably would have missed this part. And yet, someone spent the time and energy to create a film about the different states and democratic people of the Mountain West. I wonder who they made this film for? Its nice and I appreciate it, but it doesn't do anything to help me understand the Democratic party - its just pretty pictures, and there aren't that many people on the convention floor watching it. Check that - the ones that are on the convention floor aren't watching it either. Strange. Again - who was supposed to watch and what were they supposed to get out of it?
Credential Committee - more people preaching to the choir. I like that the co-chair is from Puerto Rico. He has a smile on his face while he reads the teleprompter. He's happy to be speaking from that big podium. Good for him. Ah, blessedly short.
James Roosevelt, Jr. - I assume he's part of the Roosevelt family of Teddy and Franklin fame.
The credentials committee confirms the seating of the delegates.
James Roosevelt says...We must be united in our determination to change the course of our nation. All democrats must know they are full partners and colleagues. As a result, all the delegates for Michigan and Florida get 1 full vote each.
Hmmm...then I guess it doesn't matter if you break the rules. No biggie. And all that crappy brouhaha that made me frustrated was a lot of stuff and nonsense about nothing. And, if they had started counting all those delegates originally, might Hillary have won? Man - I think that is stinky and rotten and kind a creepy. If you make a rule, you better stick with it. That tells me that whining is effective. I figure there must have been a deal made to allow the delegates a full vote. But, the deal must have also said they have to make sure Barack Obama is the nominee, so what's the point of getting the full delegate vote anyway? What a mess.
There are 56 states and territories plus the Democrats Abroad group.
Alexis Herman - another co-chair. Talking about Hope and Determination.
Report of the Credentials Committee is hereby adopted by voice vote.
*****
Convention Rules Committee is next...they're submitting their report. The first lady says that at least one thing not in the report is that there will be some adjustments to how caucuses are run? I think. I'll have to look into that some more. It sounds like some kind of deal with the Hillary people 'cause they're the ones who didn't like caucuses. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. I used to live in a caucus state and it was the best thing. It was fun and interesting and it allowed us to discuss the nominations with our neighbors. I'm sorry Hillary forgot how to campaign in a caucus state, but don't make the rest of us suffer for your mistake.
Mary Rose Oakar (from Ohio) from the Rules Committee comes out and says one of those things that really rattles my cage; where Ohio goes, so goes the Nation. Just who the heck does Ohio think they are anyway? I'm sick of it - all these states who think they deserve more consideration or have more importance than any other state. Florida and Michigan included. Ugh again.
Okay - this Rules Committee is just nominating a bunch of people to their committee. They seem like they're honorary nominations, but I could be wrong.
The report of the Rules Committee is hereby adoped by voice vote.
*****
Taped piece about the community organizers that worked to create a grass roots campaign for Barack Obama. Now that one would have been interesting. Nope - too short.
Whenever they put music on between stuff on the agenda, the people dance like its a concert. Its a little funny.
Howard Dean is introduced again..He introduces the Permanent Chairs of the Convention.
Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House), Kathleen Sebalius (sp? governor of Kansas), Shirley Franklin (Atlanta mayor)and Leticia Van De Butte (Texas Senate).
Now that the permanent chair of the convention has been introduced, Nancy Pelosi takes charge and introduces the Parliamentarian. Doris Matsui (representative from California). Just know this - a parliamentarian will always be around if any delegate has a question.
*****
Democratic National Committee Treasurer - Andrew Tobias. He has a lot of enthusiasm, but I don't think people are giving him as much attention as they could. Again - blessedly short.
Democratic National Committee Secretary - Alice Travis Germond. Her job is to make sure everyone is in the convention hall. Please sign in.
At the end of her little talk - she is told everyone is there. Okay.
*****
Taped piece about the Platform Committee. They had 1600 listening sessions around the country to find out what Democrats want in the platform. I got an e-mail about that and didn't go. I shoulda gone. I could have been in the movie! Honestly, I didn't go because I'm not sure what relevance the platform committee has. I don't see how the platform trickles down to the individual candidates. A candidate is not bound by the platform. As far as I know, anyway.
Platform Committee Co-Chair - Patricia Madrid (first Latina Attorney General in US from New Mexico).
Its 4:15 Denver time.
More preaching to the choir. Maybe I'll start saying P to the C.
She's kind of listing a lot of the platform ideas that they have...I should have been writing them down...
no torture
campaign finance reform
smart on crime
I'll have to look at what the Platform Committe submitted. Just for the heck of it.
Another Platform Committee Co-Chair - Judith McHale
30,000 people participated in platform hearings.
A lot of things in the platform are ideas from Hillary Clinton.
Returning America to its leadership role in the world.
End the war in Iraq
Defeat Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Prevent use and spread of WMD
Work for common security around globe
Worldwide economic, human rights, democratic development
help women around the world.
commitment to women's right to choose
no ideology above women's health
support equal rights for women
health care and education for all.
renew frayed connection between opportunity and responsibility in our society
denounce sexism.
etc...
Yeah - I think I was right. The platform is a nice vision. But, how do we accomplish it? That's the question, right?
Convention adopts the Platform Committee Report by voice vote.
*****
More audience dancing. There's a band. People seem to be enjoying them. The people look like they're ready for something REALLY exciting to happen and in the meantime they'll make this part exciting on their own.
I think they should play some really inspirational songs about freedom and peace and love and America. They could sing "This Little Light of Mine" to make me happy.
Are these people going to stay in their seats for the next several hours waiting to hear Michelle Obama? That's a long time to wait. Now, they're singing "Get Down...Boogie, Oogie, Oogie".
C-SPAN is great. You can't get this on CNN or FOX. They'd rather listen to themselves talk.
*****
Mayor of Denver, John Hickenlooper. I made a phone call during Mr. Hickenlooper's speech. Sorry Mr. Hickehooper.
*****
Barack Obama in his own words...okay - I've heard this plenty. Oh - and its very short.
*****
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus. P 2 the C.
Switching to CNN - taped interview with Michelle Obama.
Switching to FOX - commercial
Back to C-SPAN
*****
Nancy Keenan - NARAL ProChoice America President.
We support and defend a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion.
(I couldn't type fast enough to get all the rest of what NARAL supports, but I agree.)
Reproductive Freedom is on the line this election.
It really is. For many religious conservatives abortion is THE issue. It's their one criteria. But, for most Democrats its not number 1, even though they might believe in choice, its not their only reason for voting. Its hard to counter the religious right's determination and focus these days when the feminist movement is quieter than it was.
Young Delegates - Amanda Kubik (in 1997 she was a high school sophomore) and a crew of people behind her.
Senator Obama understands the energy of young people. He's bringing them to the cause.
Okay - she did a cute job. I liked her. She was poised and articulate. She didn't look like she was reading from the teleprompter and she smiled while still looking genuine. Good for her.
Emil Jones, Jr. (Illinois State Senator)
He had early experiences with Barack Obama in Chicago as a community organizer and a reformer.
Now, its 7:05 pm Eastern Time.
Reg Weaver, President of the NEA (National Education Association) - he's here to tell us why the NEA supports Barack Obama. They do.
Okay - so everyone is saying stuff that's kinda obvious. I suspect the Republicans will say essentially the same thing, they'll just use different words - Candidate X will bring peace and prosperity to every American. The key is how they'll do it. I wish they were presenting a more cohesive understanding of the big plan.
Taped piece about turning from fear and finding hope. Gabrielle Grossman is a new young mother who has found hope in Barack Obama's candidacy.
*****
Music interlude again - they're singing Earth, Wind, And Fire. Darn, why is the name of that song escaping me?...take a ride in the sky in a ship fanta sigh - all your dreams will come true right away.
*****
Lisa Madigan - Illinois Attorney General and former Illinois State Senator who worked with Barack Obama.
Dan Hynes - Illinois Sate Comptroller. He ran against Barack Obama for State Senator. he was the ifrst public official to pulically call in BO to run for president. He watned someone to speak to the best part of us. He doens't want us to rise above politics. he understands that if we have the eright politics, we will all rise. Very short comment.
Alexi Giannoulius - Illinois State Treasurer. Barack Obama is his basketball buddy, friend, mentor and inspiration. He looks very young. Oh - he knows he looks young 'cause he made a point to say he's 32. America is more than a place, its a promise.
American Federation of Teachers President, Randy Weingarten. They support Barack Obama.
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota (Senator from Minnesota) - hey she's pretty energetic. Are you fired up and ready to go? Are you tired of sub-prime leadership?
Barack Obama is the instigator of a conference call with new 2006 Senators before they'd even been sworn in to discuss ethics reform.
I like her.
*****
Musical Interlude at 7:28 pm EST. "Dance to the music" - and they are!
*****
Barack Obama in his own words...more of stuff I've heard a bunch of times already.
Its the best part though - the red state, blue state, United States speech from the 2004 Convention. Hmmm... I hadn't realized he's been using that section of his speech for 4 years. But, its inspiring and perfectly captures his theme and what we're looking for. I guess if its not broke, don't fix it. I remember now why I thought he was so dynamic at that convention; that speech was rousing.
*****
John Legend and the Agape International Choir.
*****
Uh - oh...the lights have gone down. I wonder if we're getting close to something exciting. Ahhh...another taped piece about Obama. Okay - this convention is not for me. I know all this stuff. I'm going to vote for him already. Cool. Maybe this is the only day I'll write this much about the convention.
*****
Another musical interlude. Earth, Wind, and Fire again...That's the Way of the World, and September.
*****
Checking CNN - discussing Ted Kennedy's appearance
Checking FOX - around the world in 80 seconds.
Back to C-SPAN
*****
Wow - this is going to go on for another couple hours. I feel bad for that band. They're going to be tired. And so am I.
*****
Its 8:00 eastern time, 5:00 pacific time, 6:00 Mountain time
America's Town Hall.
A panel of people discussing the economy hosted by Sen Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
This is kind of odd. I like the effort, and I like the idea of having a discussion at the convention. But, it looks like a strange mix of scripted and adlib. Its like an infomercial for Barack Obama.
The three questions are related to economy, education, working families and health insurance. I think there was supposed to be a fourth question about trade that they didn't get to.
They're going to do this two more times.
Senator Sherrod Brown gave his duty as 'host' 100% effort. I feel bad that there was such a loud rumbling from the crowd - I don't think they were listening.
*****
Taped piece about Nancy Pelosi.
And now - Nancy Pelosi. I like her white pantsuit. She looks stylish and quite a bit younger than her 68 years.
Why didn't anyone clap when she said Hello America? Aren't they ALL Americans? Isn't that the point of Barack Obama's campaign? Weird. It almost sounded like people booed but I can't believe that's true. They clapped loudest when she said Hello California. Less loud when she said Hello Maryland. And pretty much not at all when she said Hello America. It was almost awkward.
So, it turns out I don't really care about listening to this mostly because, as I said before, I'm already gonna vote for Barack Obama.
I found a website that's 'live blogging' and wouldn't you know - its http://blogsforjohnmccain.com/democratic-national-convention-day-1-open-thread-live-blog-begins-6-pm-cdt
That might be interesting to read what McCain supporters have to say.
A sample of their comments:
brianinmo - Right now, the convention is hearing a series of speakers who worked with Barack Obama in Chicago when he was a "community organizer" - whatever that is.
brianinmo - As you watch the proceedings, it is clear that the American Flag and Patriotic Music are not uppermost in the minds of Democrats.
brianinmo - Earlier, Emil Jones, who is known as Obama's "Political Godfather", spoke for a few minutes. He generated controversy earlier today when he called a Hillary supporter an "Uncle Tom." He got a few boos when he came to the podium.
brianinmo - The Teachers Union is now lobbying for Obama. They are always in the pocket of the Dems.
brianinmo - Klobuchar talks as if Obama can walk on water
brianinmo - Like I said before, the American Flag and Patriotic music of any kind is not even on the radar screen at the DNC
brianinmo - LOL - They are more than "out there." (referring to the delegates)
brianinmo - Plaigiarism would fit right into Barack's experience!
6:45
brianinmo - These are the people we are supposed to turn the country over to!!!!!
6:46
crazyivan1978 - I am cringing at the TV...
6:51
brianinmo - The Wicked Witch of the West is next on the docket - Nancy Pelosi.
6:58
brianinmo - Sen. Sherrod Brown is now moderating a mock town hall meeting. This is as close as Barack Obama will ever get to a real town hall meeting with John McCain. He refuses to stand up with McCain and go toe to toe.
7:06
brianinmo - The McCain Campaign should make an issue of Obama avoiding a real Town Hall Meeting but holding this pathetic, canned excuse of a Town Hall!!!
Wow - mean and nasty people. No need for me to read this anymore.
*****
Taped piece...
*****
Margie Perez - Hurrican Katrina survivor. New Orleans Jazz Singer/Songwriter
"Marooned in our own country."
A short film to illuminate the lessons of Katrina starring Jimmy Carter talking with people affected by Katrina.
*****
Former President and Mrs. Carter are introduced. The band plays "Georgia" in the background.
They walk across the stage...and there they go. No words
*****
Taped piece....Barack Obama - An American Story
*****
Maya Soetoro-Ng
Half Sister of Senator Barack Obama. She has a nice tone to her voice. I didn't listen because I'm sure its just the usual stuff about how good Barack Obama is.
*****
[More comments from that wasteful website:
7:34
Nelsa - Carter said that the people in New Orleans were abandoned by their "Governments". I guess he was talking about their Dem Gov and Mayor
7:35
brianinmo - Exactly - Nelsa.
7:37
Nelsa - Maya-Where is your Brother George? That's right, he's in Kenya living it a hut on 12 bucks a year...
I wonder why people have to be so twisted and hateful? On purpose, even! ]
*****
Its 8:42 Eastern Time, 6:42 Mountain Time, 5:42 Pacific Time
Jesse Jackson Jr.
I didn't pay 100% attention. Looking for live blogging sites. You know, ones that other people actually read - not like this one. HA HA! (If I really thought someone would see this, I wouldn't be doing it. Ever since So You Think You Can Dance went off, people stopped accidentally clicking on my site. checking my site for information.
*****
Musical Interlude - The people sure do like to stand up and dance.
Its an odd event, since nothing of consequence really happens. And the people are very excited. Well, these are the party activists. Its good they're excited. My type of people (the unexcitable kind) depend on these people to get things moving.
I don't think I could be this excited for something that was really nothing.
Howard Dean is talking to Joe Biden and his wife. The woman standing behind is looking at them with great admiration.
Spike Lee on the floor of the convention center.
*****
Taped piece...Giving back 2008 - building a home for SSG Travis Strong in June 2008.
Homes for our troops.
*****
Mike and Shirley Fisher - I got a phone right when they started talking. Who knows what they're saying.
American Voices - American Values
*****
Tom Balanoff - SEIU
*****
Musical Interlude
*****
Caroline Kennedy - the Democrats love her. She looks a bit embarrassed and like she doesn't want them to applaud unnecessarily because she wants to get through her speech. Not that she's rushing it.
She's here to pay tribute to Barack Obama and Edward M Kennedy.
She's been inspired by Barack Obama. He gives us hope.
Caroline talks now about Uncle Teddy.
Teddy is your Senator too.
(Wow, kinda amazing to think that if her brother hadn't died, he might have been here instead of her and she would have stayed in the background like she did before. She must have been told or understood that as the last living member of the John F Kennedy family she had a responsibility. She seems happy though. I have respect and admiration for her. God, Bless Her.)
Then she talks about the family Uncle Teddy.
And now, a movie about Ted Kennedy (he was recently diagnosed with brain cancer)
"Senator Kennedy taught me that government can function for the common man."
Its pretty powerful for Obama to be associated with Ted Kennedy via this tribute. The tribute speaks so glowingly of Ted Kennedy and it really does look like the torch is passing directly from Kennedy to Obama.
(I bet that's why Bill Clinton is so frustrated - he wanted to be the new Kennedy)
Senator Kennedy is introduced. Hmm...I didn't know he was going to speak. I think this is kind of a big deal. Maria Shriver is teary-eyed, which makes me teary-eyed.
'we are all called to a better country, and a newer world"
"And I pledge to you that I will be there next January on the floor of the United States Senate..."
"healthcare as a fundamental right and not as a privilege"
"Yes we can - and yes we will!"
[our military must never be] "committed to a mistake, but always to a mission worthy of their bravery"
"an American flag still marks the surface of the moon"
"the work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on"
He looks a little shaky but he's done a great job! I'm proud of him and his determination. And I'm inspired. I'm glad he had this time.
*****
Musical Interlude
*****
Barack Obama - An American Story. More stuff. I wonder what I'd think if I didn't know that I was going to vote for him?
*****
Testimonials:
Miguel del Valle - Chicago City Clerk
Candi Schmeider - Iowa Delegate
"Call to renew" speech by Barack Obama? I don't know this speech.
Yes, I was inspired by his words. but I was motivated by his good solid plan for action"
Jerry Kellman - Chicago Community Activist
Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa.
He starts by using sign language to acknowledge people with disabilities.
"our liberties we prize and our rights we maintain"
He does a small tribute to a fellow Iowan Congressman Jim Leach.
Now, Jim Leach is speaking. Oh - he's a Republican. Hmmm. He's retired from Congress so he's not running again. Which explains why he feels okay about coming to the Democratic Conention to support Barack Obama.
[Information I learned from the DailyKos blog...Jim Leach voted against the invasion of Iraq. And a line from his speech..."An unprecedented effort to finance a war with tax cuts".]
*****
Austin, Lilly, and Mattie Esposito - Missouri kids of Claire McCaskill
The kids are here to introduce their Mom.
Their mom told them..."if you believe in something, you have to claim it, work for it, and fight for it."
*****
I'm going out on a limb here and suggest that probably Claire McCaskill will be extolling the virtues of Barack Obama. I'm sold already. So, I'm not going to pay too much attention. Her theme is that Barack's story is an American Story.
*****
Taped peice about a South Side Girl - Michelle Obama.
Nice narrative from her Mom. "When she was little she used to look up to us, now I look up to her."
Craig Robinson - Michelle Obama's big brother
Wow - what must it be like to be thrust into this position???? Having to give a speech at the Democratic National Convention only because he's the big brother of the wife of the man who's running for President?? Eee Gads - what if he'd been too nervous or something? Good for him for stepping up. He must be a good brother. He's the coach of the Oregon State basketball team.
I like his political analysis of Barack based on his basketball playing.
He introduces Michelle Obama...the crowd goes wild. They hug. The tall signs are out - they say Michelle. Different than a square sign. I'd like them better if I were there - they look like they have a handle on them so its easier to hold.
Now that was a polished, well-delivered speech. I know she worked hard on it; her inflections and her facial expressions made it interesting/easy to listen to. I think she worked on it like a professional storyteller would work on it; the kind of storyteller that makes a story come alive.
This week -
88th anniversary of women earning the right to vote
45th anniversary of the "I have a dream" speech.
"the world as it is just won't do
we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be"
"current of history meets this new tide of hope,
And that is why I love this country" (standing ovation)
"each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation"
The four important things Barack Obama will do as President:
End the war in Iraq responsibly
Build an economy that lifts every one of us
Health care for everyone
World class Eduction for all
Barack Obama understands the "thread [that binds us as one] is strong enough to hold us together"
This time - we listened to our hopes instead of our fears
This time - we decided to stop doubting and start dreaming.
Good job, Michelle!!!
By satellite: Barack Obama
"Now you know why I asked her out so many times. You want a persistent president"
*****
The evening's benediction - Don Miller from Portland Oregon.
Was there a problem at the end of Don Miller's prayer? There was a long pause, then he made one more statement, and then he ended the prayer and it was kind of awkward.
*****
Thank you C-SPAN! You are a blessing.
*****
The invocation was quite religious - very Christian. I accept the spirit in which the prayer was given. But, it was more Christian than I would be comfortable with.
The announcer is a little awkward in her phrasing. It sounds like she wishes she was announcing at a beach volleyball tournament, but then remembers she's at a political convention.
I sung along, with excessive energy, to the Star Spangled Banner, and it was kind a fun.
*****
A taped piece about the West. If I were at the convention, I probably would have missed this part. And yet, someone spent the time and energy to create a film about the different states and democratic people of the Mountain West. I wonder who they made this film for? Its nice and I appreciate it, but it doesn't do anything to help me understand the Democratic party - its just pretty pictures, and there aren't that many people on the convention floor watching it. Check that - the ones that are on the convention floor aren't watching it either. Strange. Again - who was supposed to watch and what were they supposed to get out of it?
Credential Committee - more people preaching to the choir. I like that the co-chair is from Puerto Rico. He has a smile on his face while he reads the teleprompter. He's happy to be speaking from that big podium. Good for him. Ah, blessedly short.
James Roosevelt, Jr. - I assume he's part of the Roosevelt family of Teddy and Franklin fame.
The credentials committee confirms the seating of the delegates.
James Roosevelt says...We must be united in our determination to change the course of our nation. All democrats must know they are full partners and colleagues. As a result, all the delegates for Michigan and Florida get 1 full vote each.
Hmmm...then I guess it doesn't matter if you break the rules. No biggie. And all that crappy brouhaha that made me frustrated was a lot of stuff and nonsense about nothing. And, if they had started counting all those delegates originally, might Hillary have won? Man - I think that is stinky and rotten and kind a creepy. If you make a rule, you better stick with it. That tells me that whining is effective. I figure there must have been a deal made to allow the delegates a full vote. But, the deal must have also said they have to make sure Barack Obama is the nominee, so what's the point of getting the full delegate vote anyway? What a mess.
There are 56 states and territories plus the Democrats Abroad group.
Alexis Herman - another co-chair. Talking about Hope and Determination.
Report of the Credentials Committee is hereby adopted by voice vote.
*****
Convention Rules Committee is next...they're submitting their report. The first lady says that at least one thing not in the report is that there will be some adjustments to how caucuses are run? I think. I'll have to look into that some more. It sounds like some kind of deal with the Hillary people 'cause they're the ones who didn't like caucuses. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. I used to live in a caucus state and it was the best thing. It was fun and interesting and it allowed us to discuss the nominations with our neighbors. I'm sorry Hillary forgot how to campaign in a caucus state, but don't make the rest of us suffer for your mistake.
Mary Rose Oakar (from Ohio) from the Rules Committee comes out and says one of those things that really rattles my cage; where Ohio goes, so goes the Nation. Just who the heck does Ohio think they are anyway? I'm sick of it - all these states who think they deserve more consideration or have more importance than any other state. Florida and Michigan included. Ugh again.
Okay - this Rules Committee is just nominating a bunch of people to their committee. They seem like they're honorary nominations, but I could be wrong.
The report of the Rules Committee is hereby adoped by voice vote.
*****
Taped piece about the community organizers that worked to create a grass roots campaign for Barack Obama. Now that one would have been interesting. Nope - too short.
Whenever they put music on between stuff on the agenda, the people dance like its a concert. Its a little funny.
Howard Dean is introduced again..He introduces the Permanent Chairs of the Convention.
Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House), Kathleen Sebalius (sp? governor of Kansas), Shirley Franklin (Atlanta mayor)and Leticia Van De Butte (Texas Senate).
Now that the permanent chair of the convention has been introduced, Nancy Pelosi takes charge and introduces the Parliamentarian. Doris Matsui (representative from California). Just know this - a parliamentarian will always be around if any delegate has a question.
*****
Democratic National Committee Treasurer - Andrew Tobias. He has a lot of enthusiasm, but I don't think people are giving him as much attention as they could. Again - blessedly short.
Democratic National Committee Secretary - Alice Travis Germond. Her job is to make sure everyone is in the convention hall. Please sign in.
At the end of her little talk - she is told everyone is there. Okay.
*****
Taped piece about the Platform Committee. They had 1600 listening sessions around the country to find out what Democrats want in the platform. I got an e-mail about that and didn't go. I shoulda gone. I could have been in the movie! Honestly, I didn't go because I'm not sure what relevance the platform committee has. I don't see how the platform trickles down to the individual candidates. A candidate is not bound by the platform. As far as I know, anyway.
Platform Committee Co-Chair - Patricia Madrid (first Latina Attorney General in US from New Mexico).
Its 4:15 Denver time.
More preaching to the choir. Maybe I'll start saying P to the C.
She's kind of listing a lot of the platform ideas that they have...I should have been writing them down...
no torture
campaign finance reform
smart on crime
I'll have to look at what the Platform Committe submitted. Just for the heck of it.
Another Platform Committee Co-Chair - Judith McHale
30,000 people participated in platform hearings.
A lot of things in the platform are ideas from Hillary Clinton.
Returning America to its leadership role in the world.
End the war in Iraq
Defeat Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Prevent use and spread of WMD
Work for common security around globe
Worldwide economic, human rights, democratic development
help women around the world.
commitment to women's right to choose
no ideology above women's health
support equal rights for women
health care and education for all.
renew frayed connection between opportunity and responsibility in our society
denounce sexism.
etc...
Yeah - I think I was right. The platform is a nice vision. But, how do we accomplish it? That's the question, right?
Convention adopts the Platform Committee Report by voice vote.
*****
More audience dancing. There's a band. People seem to be enjoying them. The people look like they're ready for something REALLY exciting to happen and in the meantime they'll make this part exciting on their own.
I think they should play some really inspirational songs about freedom and peace and love and America. They could sing "This Little Light of Mine" to make me happy.
Are these people going to stay in their seats for the next several hours waiting to hear Michelle Obama? That's a long time to wait. Now, they're singing "Get Down...Boogie, Oogie, Oogie".
C-SPAN is great. You can't get this on CNN or FOX. They'd rather listen to themselves talk.
*****
Mayor of Denver, John Hickenlooper. I made a phone call during Mr. Hickenlooper's speech. Sorry Mr. Hickehooper.
*****
Barack Obama in his own words...okay - I've heard this plenty. Oh - and its very short.
*****
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus. P 2 the C.
Switching to CNN - taped interview with Michelle Obama.
Switching to FOX - commercial
Back to C-SPAN
*****
Nancy Keenan - NARAL ProChoice America President.
We support and defend a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion.
(I couldn't type fast enough to get all the rest of what NARAL supports, but I agree.)
Reproductive Freedom is on the line this election.
It really is. For many religious conservatives abortion is THE issue. It's their one criteria. But, for most Democrats its not number 1, even though they might believe in choice, its not their only reason for voting. Its hard to counter the religious right's determination and focus these days when the feminist movement is quieter than it was.
Young Delegates - Amanda Kubik (in 1997 she was a high school sophomore) and a crew of people behind her.
Senator Obama understands the energy of young people. He's bringing them to the cause.
Okay - she did a cute job. I liked her. She was poised and articulate. She didn't look like she was reading from the teleprompter and she smiled while still looking genuine. Good for her.
Emil Jones, Jr. (Illinois State Senator)
He had early experiences with Barack Obama in Chicago as a community organizer and a reformer.
Now, its 7:05 pm Eastern Time.
Reg Weaver, President of the NEA (National Education Association) - he's here to tell us why the NEA supports Barack Obama. They do.
Okay - so everyone is saying stuff that's kinda obvious. I suspect the Republicans will say essentially the same thing, they'll just use different words - Candidate X will bring peace and prosperity to every American. The key is how they'll do it. I wish they were presenting a more cohesive understanding of the big plan.
Taped piece about turning from fear and finding hope. Gabrielle Grossman is a new young mother who has found hope in Barack Obama's candidacy.
*****
Music interlude again - they're singing Earth, Wind, And Fire. Darn, why is the name of that song escaping me?...take a ride in the sky in a ship fanta sigh - all your dreams will come true right away.
*****
Lisa Madigan - Illinois Attorney General and former Illinois State Senator who worked with Barack Obama.
Dan Hynes - Illinois Sate Comptroller. He ran against Barack Obama for State Senator. he was the ifrst public official to pulically call in BO to run for president. He watned someone to speak to the best part of us. He doens't want us to rise above politics. he understands that if we have the eright politics, we will all rise. Very short comment.
Alexi Giannoulius - Illinois State Treasurer. Barack Obama is his basketball buddy, friend, mentor and inspiration. He looks very young. Oh - he knows he looks young 'cause he made a point to say he's 32. America is more than a place, its a promise.
American Federation of Teachers President, Randy Weingarten. They support Barack Obama.
Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota (Senator from Minnesota) - hey she's pretty energetic. Are you fired up and ready to go? Are you tired of sub-prime leadership?
Barack Obama is the instigator of a conference call with new 2006 Senators before they'd even been sworn in to discuss ethics reform.
I like her.
*****
Musical Interlude at 7:28 pm EST. "Dance to the music" - and they are!
*****
Barack Obama in his own words...more of stuff I've heard a bunch of times already.
Its the best part though - the red state, blue state, United States speech from the 2004 Convention. Hmmm... I hadn't realized he's been using that section of his speech for 4 years. But, its inspiring and perfectly captures his theme and what we're looking for. I guess if its not broke, don't fix it. I remember now why I thought he was so dynamic at that convention; that speech was rousing.
*****
John Legend and the Agape International Choir.
*****
Uh - oh...the lights have gone down. I wonder if we're getting close to something exciting. Ahhh...another taped piece about Obama. Okay - this convention is not for me. I know all this stuff. I'm going to vote for him already. Cool. Maybe this is the only day I'll write this much about the convention.
*****
Another musical interlude. Earth, Wind, and Fire again...That's the Way of the World, and September.
*****
Checking CNN - discussing Ted Kennedy's appearance
Checking FOX - around the world in 80 seconds.
Back to C-SPAN
*****
Wow - this is going to go on for another couple hours. I feel bad for that band. They're going to be tired. And so am I.
*****
Its 8:00 eastern time, 5:00 pacific time, 6:00 Mountain time
America's Town Hall.
A panel of people discussing the economy hosted by Sen Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)
This is kind of odd. I like the effort, and I like the idea of having a discussion at the convention. But, it looks like a strange mix of scripted and adlib. Its like an infomercial for Barack Obama.
The three questions are related to economy, education, working families and health insurance. I think there was supposed to be a fourth question about trade that they didn't get to.
They're going to do this two more times.
Senator Sherrod Brown gave his duty as 'host' 100% effort. I feel bad that there was such a loud rumbling from the crowd - I don't think they were listening.
*****
Taped piece about Nancy Pelosi.
And now - Nancy Pelosi. I like her white pantsuit. She looks stylish and quite a bit younger than her 68 years.
Why didn't anyone clap when she said Hello America? Aren't they ALL Americans? Isn't that the point of Barack Obama's campaign? Weird. It almost sounded like people booed but I can't believe that's true. They clapped loudest when she said Hello California. Less loud when she said Hello Maryland. And pretty much not at all when she said Hello America. It was almost awkward.
So, it turns out I don't really care about listening to this mostly because, as I said before, I'm already gonna vote for Barack Obama.
I found a website that's 'live blogging' and wouldn't you know - its http://blogsforjohnmccain.com/democratic-national-convention-day-1-open-thread-live-blog-begins-6-pm-cdt
That might be interesting to read what McCain supporters have to say.
A sample of their comments:
brianinmo - Right now, the convention is hearing a series of speakers who worked with Barack Obama in Chicago when he was a "community organizer" - whatever that is.
brianinmo - As you watch the proceedings, it is clear that the American Flag and Patriotic Music are not uppermost in the minds of Democrats.
brianinmo - Earlier, Emil Jones, who is known as Obama's "Political Godfather", spoke for a few minutes. He generated controversy earlier today when he called a Hillary supporter an "Uncle Tom." He got a few boos when he came to the podium.
brianinmo - The Teachers Union is now lobbying for Obama. They are always in the pocket of the Dems.
brianinmo - Klobuchar talks as if Obama can walk on water
brianinmo - Like I said before, the American Flag and Patriotic music of any kind is not even on the radar screen at the DNC
brianinmo - LOL - They are more than "out there." (referring to the delegates)
brianinmo - Plaigiarism would fit right into Barack's experience!
6:45
brianinmo - These are the people we are supposed to turn the country over to!!!!!
6:46
crazyivan1978 - I am cringing at the TV...
6:51
brianinmo - The Wicked Witch of the West is next on the docket - Nancy Pelosi.
6:58
brianinmo - Sen. Sherrod Brown is now moderating a mock town hall meeting. This is as close as Barack Obama will ever get to a real town hall meeting with John McCain. He refuses to stand up with McCain and go toe to toe.
7:06
brianinmo - The McCain Campaign should make an issue of Obama avoiding a real Town Hall Meeting but holding this pathetic, canned excuse of a Town Hall!!!
Wow - mean and nasty people. No need for me to read this anymore.
*****
Taped piece...
*****
Margie Perez - Hurrican Katrina survivor. New Orleans Jazz Singer/Songwriter
"Marooned in our own country."
A short film to illuminate the lessons of Katrina starring Jimmy Carter talking with people affected by Katrina.
*****
Former President and Mrs. Carter are introduced. The band plays "Georgia" in the background.
They walk across the stage...and there they go. No words
*****
Taped piece....Barack Obama - An American Story
*****
Maya Soetoro-Ng
Half Sister of Senator Barack Obama. She has a nice tone to her voice. I didn't listen because I'm sure its just the usual stuff about how good Barack Obama is.
*****
[More comments from that wasteful website:
7:34
Nelsa - Carter said that the people in New Orleans were abandoned by their "Governments". I guess he was talking about their Dem Gov and Mayor
7:35
brianinmo - Exactly - Nelsa.
7:37
Nelsa - Maya-Where is your Brother George? That's right, he's in Kenya living it a hut on 12 bucks a year...
I wonder why people have to be so twisted and hateful? On purpose, even! ]
*****
Its 8:42 Eastern Time, 6:42 Mountain Time, 5:42 Pacific Time
Jesse Jackson Jr.
I didn't pay 100% attention. Looking for live blogging sites. You know, ones that other people actually read - not like this one. HA HA! (If I really thought someone would see this, I wouldn't be doing it. Ever since So You Think You Can Dance went off, people stopped accidentally clicking on my site. checking my site for information.
*****
Musical Interlude - The people sure do like to stand up and dance.
Its an odd event, since nothing of consequence really happens. And the people are very excited. Well, these are the party activists. Its good they're excited. My type of people (the unexcitable kind) depend on these people to get things moving.
I don't think I could be this excited for something that was really nothing.
Howard Dean is talking to Joe Biden and his wife. The woman standing behind is looking at them with great admiration.
Spike Lee on the floor of the convention center.
*****
Taped piece...Giving back 2008 - building a home for SSG Travis Strong in June 2008.
Homes for our troops.
*****
Mike and Shirley Fisher - I got a phone right when they started talking. Who knows what they're saying.
American Voices - American Values
*****
Tom Balanoff - SEIU
*****
Musical Interlude
*****
Caroline Kennedy - the Democrats love her. She looks a bit embarrassed and like she doesn't want them to applaud unnecessarily because she wants to get through her speech. Not that she's rushing it.
She's here to pay tribute to Barack Obama and Edward M Kennedy.
She's been inspired by Barack Obama. He gives us hope.
Caroline talks now about Uncle Teddy.
Teddy is your Senator too.
(Wow, kinda amazing to think that if her brother hadn't died, he might have been here instead of her and she would have stayed in the background like she did before. She must have been told or understood that as the last living member of the John F Kennedy family she had a responsibility. She seems happy though. I have respect and admiration for her. God, Bless Her.)
Then she talks about the family Uncle Teddy.
And now, a movie about Ted Kennedy (he was recently diagnosed with brain cancer)
"Senator Kennedy taught me that government can function for the common man."
Its pretty powerful for Obama to be associated with Ted Kennedy via this tribute. The tribute speaks so glowingly of Ted Kennedy and it really does look like the torch is passing directly from Kennedy to Obama.
(I bet that's why Bill Clinton is so frustrated - he wanted to be the new Kennedy)
Senator Kennedy is introduced. Hmm...I didn't know he was going to speak. I think this is kind of a big deal. Maria Shriver is teary-eyed, which makes me teary-eyed.
'we are all called to a better country, and a newer world"
"And I pledge to you that I will be there next January on the floor of the United States Senate..."
"healthcare as a fundamental right and not as a privilege"
"Yes we can - and yes we will!"
[our military must never be] "committed to a mistake, but always to a mission worthy of their bravery"
"an American flag still marks the surface of the moon"
"the work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on"
He looks a little shaky but he's done a great job! I'm proud of him and his determination. And I'm inspired. I'm glad he had this time.
*****
Musical Interlude
*****
Barack Obama - An American Story. More stuff. I wonder what I'd think if I didn't know that I was going to vote for him?
*****
Testimonials:
Miguel del Valle - Chicago City Clerk
Candi Schmeider - Iowa Delegate
"Call to renew" speech by Barack Obama? I don't know this speech.
Yes, I was inspired by his words. but I was motivated by his good solid plan for action"
Jerry Kellman - Chicago Community Activist
Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa.
He starts by using sign language to acknowledge people with disabilities.
"our liberties we prize and our rights we maintain"
He does a small tribute to a fellow Iowan Congressman Jim Leach.
Now, Jim Leach is speaking. Oh - he's a Republican. Hmmm. He's retired from Congress so he's not running again. Which explains why he feels okay about coming to the Democratic Conention to support Barack Obama.
[Information I learned from the DailyKos blog...Jim Leach voted against the invasion of Iraq. And a line from his speech..."An unprecedented effort to finance a war with tax cuts".]
*****
Austin, Lilly, and Mattie Esposito - Missouri kids of Claire McCaskill
The kids are here to introduce their Mom.
Their mom told them..."if you believe in something, you have to claim it, work for it, and fight for it."
*****
I'm going out on a limb here and suggest that probably Claire McCaskill will be extolling the virtues of Barack Obama. I'm sold already. So, I'm not going to pay too much attention. Her theme is that Barack's story is an American Story.
*****
Taped peice about a South Side Girl - Michelle Obama.
Nice narrative from her Mom. "When she was little she used to look up to us, now I look up to her."
Craig Robinson - Michelle Obama's big brother
Wow - what must it be like to be thrust into this position???? Having to give a speech at the Democratic National Convention only because he's the big brother of the wife of the man who's running for President?? Eee Gads - what if he'd been too nervous or something? Good for him for stepping up. He must be a good brother. He's the coach of the Oregon State basketball team.
I like his political analysis of Barack based on his basketball playing.
He introduces Michelle Obama...the crowd goes wild. They hug. The tall signs are out - they say Michelle. Different than a square sign. I'd like them better if I were there - they look like they have a handle on them so its easier to hold.
Now that was a polished, well-delivered speech. I know she worked hard on it; her inflections and her facial expressions made it interesting/easy to listen to. I think she worked on it like a professional storyteller would work on it; the kind of storyteller that makes a story come alive.
This week -
88th anniversary of women earning the right to vote
45th anniversary of the "I have a dream" speech.
"the world as it is just won't do
we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be"
"current of history meets this new tide of hope,
And that is why I love this country" (standing ovation)
"each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation"
The four important things Barack Obama will do as President:
End the war in Iraq responsibly
Build an economy that lifts every one of us
Health care for everyone
World class Eduction for all
Barack Obama understands the "thread [that binds us as one] is strong enough to hold us together"
This time - we listened to our hopes instead of our fears
This time - we decided to stop doubting and start dreaming.
Good job, Michelle!!!
By satellite: Barack Obama
"Now you know why I asked her out so many times. You want a persistent president"
*****
The evening's benediction - Don Miller from Portland Oregon.
Was there a problem at the end of Don Miller's prayer? There was a long pause, then he made one more statement, and then he ended the prayer and it was kind of awkward.
*****
Thank you C-SPAN! You are a blessing.
More afterthoughts on the Olympics
Towards the end of the telecast last night they showed about 5 minutes of the Decathlon. I don't know how young people today can be inspired by the journey of Bryan Clay in the decathlon if NBC gives it about 10 minutes of coverage total. They did a quick 3 minute taped piece (or so) and then flashed a quick blur of the events and called it a day. How disappointing. I'm saddened by the lack of narrative that gives the Olympics life. NBC doesn't care. And they don't care that I wanted more.
Here's a nice article that has some heart about the Olympics.
http://features.csmonitor.com/backstory/2008/08/25/a-reporter%E2%80%99s-journey-through-the-olympics/
A reporter’s journey through the Olympics
By Mark Sappenfield Staff writer / August 25, 2008 edition -->
It is 2:30 a.m. I have no idea what day it is. The men’s 200-meter dash finished a few hours ago. One measures time by events here, not by days or hours.
I am walking back from the Bird’s Nest in a light drizzle, thinking that, for journalists, the Olympics are nearly as much about these moments – in the wee hours of the night, story freshly finished – as they are about the actual events. The Olympics seem mine now, personal. Other than a Russian TV crew doing a daily wrap-up in front of the glowing red spaceship of the Bird’s Nest, I am alone.
Or so I thought.
Without warning, four Chinese volunteers appear from nowhere in some sort of über golf cart, as if a normal cart woke up one day and became a Cadillac Escalade. They are offering me a ride back to the Main Press Center.
The Main Press Center is, at most, a five-minute walk away – hardly a hardship. It is 2:30 in the morning. There are four of them. And they are all smiling.This, I think, is the Beijing Olympics.
Volunteers at every Olympics are a unique breed of human, infused with the angelic temperament needed to deal with journalists 24 hours a day. But here in China, I have sometimes felt as though they stopped short only of fanning us with palm fronds and offering grapes as we write our stories.
When it began raining, volunteers gave us free ponchos. I have ordered lamb skewers in the media cafeteria at 3 a.m. Nevermind that at every other Olympics, nothing in the media center would have been open past midnight. Here, there were a half-dozen people to serve me, and another two at the register. I will remember this as the Clockwork Olympics.
Manpower, you see, is not a problem for China. But that can’t explain the cheeriness – the overwhelming impression that they are, in fact, overjoyed to serve you lamb skewers at an hour better suited for viewings of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Since language difficulties limit conversations to, “Can you please turn this television to the water polo?” I cannot claim any great insight into why this is. But it seems that everyone is simply happy to be a part of the Olympics.
By now, I must be in 1,000 photo albums across China. To travel the 10 minutes from the Main Press Center to the Bird’s Nest is to run a gantlet of digital cameras, flashing in every direction. At any one moment, 30 people are standing on the Olympic Green, pretending to hold the Olympic flame in their hand, Lady Liberty-like, as someone snaps a picture. And I’m in the background, hurrying to the javelin.
This is a wonderful thing Рto be in a place that loves the Olympics. Mostly because I feel the same way. I fall in love all over again every two years. Not with any specific athlete Рor at least not in a way that requires me to apply liberal amounts of Hypn̫se Homme. There is romantic love. There is platonic love. I suggest that there is also Olympic love.
I love that, on the last day of the men’s table tennis competition, the only person who could have prevented a Chinese sweep was a Swede who played every point with the enthusiasm of a teenager, even though he was a 40-something at his sixth Games. At times, I expected him to start break dancing.
I love the way that all the athletes of the women’s heptathlon waited at the finish line for the last competitor to finish, then took a victory lap together, hand in hand, like sorority girls amazed that they had at last found friends willing to do something as crazy as seven events in two days – a sort of Olympic hazing.
I love the way American wrestler Clarissa Chun’s hair looked like an exploded firework atop her head, utterly spent after six minutes of nonstop motion.
Yet the Olympics, I admit, are a high-maintenance date. After all, they ask you to know the most intimate details of 301 events, some of which involve scoring systems invented by nuclear physicists in an MIT laboratory. Others ask me to return to Mrs. Siff’s French classes and the correct use of the accent aigu.
•••
Olympic journalism can sometimes be a case of the blind leading the blind. On the first day of the Olympics, I was at the fencing venue, trying to understand why it was that Tunisian Azza Besbes appeared to be playing a completely different sport from the rest of the women.
American fencer (and soon-to-be bronze medalist) Becca Ward explained – or thought she did: “My coach told me she does a lot of remises.” Then, with another bout in a few minutes, she walked off.
A lot of what? This is an Olympic moment. I should ask her to explain, but I don’t really want to reveal the fact that I am a moron. Not having any idea what a remise is, I write down a single letter – “z” – which is the only sound I hear as she speaks the word. It is a letter, I later learn, that isn’t even in the word.
Yes, I am an accredited Olympic journalist.
After pestering the patient man who works for www.fencing.org, I learned that a remise is an offensive maneuver when you should be playing defense. In saber fencing, it seems, it is important who starts an attack. If you attack when you should be defending, and you both hit each other, the one being attacked will lose. This, I also learned, is called “right of way.”
I told this to an American journalist who was watching the bronze-medal bout with the expression of someone trying to translate Sanskrit. He threw up his arms as though in a gospel choir. “You’ve opened up a whole new world!” he cried.
He, too, is an accredited journalist.
I learned that repêchage is French for “loser’s bracket” and that you only qualify if the person you lost to makes the finals. This is because in sports like wrestling, there is no seeding; the two best wrestlers can face each other in the first match. This strikes me as the dumbest idea in the history of sport. But then I watch it, and there is a peculiar intensity to the event. It is not a crescendo, it is zero to 60 in five seconds. The best match of the day could be the first.
This is the beauty of the Olympics. It is like an exchange program for sports fans. There are some places where “hike” is an exotic term, part of a strange world where beefy men run around intensely for five seconds, then stop so John Madden can analyze 13 replays of a 1-yard gain.
The Olympics ask the same of me. Each day is an education, and for someone who loves pure sport – the idea of human beings pushing each other to new levels – the Games are a two-week all-you-can eat buffet. And this time, I could even order the lamb skewers at 3 a.m.
Here's a nice article that has some heart about the Olympics.
http://features.csmonitor.com/backstory/2008/08/25/a-reporter%E2%80%99s-journey-through-the-olympics/
A reporter’s journey through the Olympics
By Mark Sappenfield Staff writer / August 25, 2008 edition -->
It is 2:30 a.m. I have no idea what day it is. The men’s 200-meter dash finished a few hours ago. One measures time by events here, not by days or hours.
I am walking back from the Bird’s Nest in a light drizzle, thinking that, for journalists, the Olympics are nearly as much about these moments – in the wee hours of the night, story freshly finished – as they are about the actual events. The Olympics seem mine now, personal. Other than a Russian TV crew doing a daily wrap-up in front of the glowing red spaceship of the Bird’s Nest, I am alone.
Or so I thought.
Without warning, four Chinese volunteers appear from nowhere in some sort of über golf cart, as if a normal cart woke up one day and became a Cadillac Escalade. They are offering me a ride back to the Main Press Center.
The Main Press Center is, at most, a five-minute walk away – hardly a hardship. It is 2:30 in the morning. There are four of them. And they are all smiling.This, I think, is the Beijing Olympics.
Volunteers at every Olympics are a unique breed of human, infused with the angelic temperament needed to deal with journalists 24 hours a day. But here in China, I have sometimes felt as though they stopped short only of fanning us with palm fronds and offering grapes as we write our stories.
When it began raining, volunteers gave us free ponchos. I have ordered lamb skewers in the media cafeteria at 3 a.m. Nevermind that at every other Olympics, nothing in the media center would have been open past midnight. Here, there were a half-dozen people to serve me, and another two at the register. I will remember this as the Clockwork Olympics.
Manpower, you see, is not a problem for China. But that can’t explain the cheeriness – the overwhelming impression that they are, in fact, overjoyed to serve you lamb skewers at an hour better suited for viewings of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Since language difficulties limit conversations to, “Can you please turn this television to the water polo?” I cannot claim any great insight into why this is. But it seems that everyone is simply happy to be a part of the Olympics.
By now, I must be in 1,000 photo albums across China. To travel the 10 minutes from the Main Press Center to the Bird’s Nest is to run a gantlet of digital cameras, flashing in every direction. At any one moment, 30 people are standing on the Olympic Green, pretending to hold the Olympic flame in their hand, Lady Liberty-like, as someone snaps a picture. And I’m in the background, hurrying to the javelin.
This is a wonderful thing Рto be in a place that loves the Olympics. Mostly because I feel the same way. I fall in love all over again every two years. Not with any specific athlete Рor at least not in a way that requires me to apply liberal amounts of Hypn̫se Homme. There is romantic love. There is platonic love. I suggest that there is also Olympic love.
I love that, on the last day of the men’s table tennis competition, the only person who could have prevented a Chinese sweep was a Swede who played every point with the enthusiasm of a teenager, even though he was a 40-something at his sixth Games. At times, I expected him to start break dancing.
I love the way that all the athletes of the women’s heptathlon waited at the finish line for the last competitor to finish, then took a victory lap together, hand in hand, like sorority girls amazed that they had at last found friends willing to do something as crazy as seven events in two days – a sort of Olympic hazing.
I love the way American wrestler Clarissa Chun’s hair looked like an exploded firework atop her head, utterly spent after six minutes of nonstop motion.
Yet the Olympics, I admit, are a high-maintenance date. After all, they ask you to know the most intimate details of 301 events, some of which involve scoring systems invented by nuclear physicists in an MIT laboratory. Others ask me to return to Mrs. Siff’s French classes and the correct use of the accent aigu.
•••
Olympic journalism can sometimes be a case of the blind leading the blind. On the first day of the Olympics, I was at the fencing venue, trying to understand why it was that Tunisian Azza Besbes appeared to be playing a completely different sport from the rest of the women.
American fencer (and soon-to-be bronze medalist) Becca Ward explained – or thought she did: “My coach told me she does a lot of remises.” Then, with another bout in a few minutes, she walked off.
A lot of what? This is an Olympic moment. I should ask her to explain, but I don’t really want to reveal the fact that I am a moron. Not having any idea what a remise is, I write down a single letter – “z” – which is the only sound I hear as she speaks the word. It is a letter, I later learn, that isn’t even in the word.
Yes, I am an accredited Olympic journalist.
After pestering the patient man who works for www.fencing.org, I learned that a remise is an offensive maneuver when you should be playing defense. In saber fencing, it seems, it is important who starts an attack. If you attack when you should be defending, and you both hit each other, the one being attacked will lose. This, I also learned, is called “right of way.”
I told this to an American journalist who was watching the bronze-medal bout with the expression of someone trying to translate Sanskrit. He threw up his arms as though in a gospel choir. “You’ve opened up a whole new world!” he cried.
He, too, is an accredited journalist.
I learned that repêchage is French for “loser’s bracket” and that you only qualify if the person you lost to makes the finals. This is because in sports like wrestling, there is no seeding; the two best wrestlers can face each other in the first match. This strikes me as the dumbest idea in the history of sport. But then I watch it, and there is a peculiar intensity to the event. It is not a crescendo, it is zero to 60 in five seconds. The best match of the day could be the first.
This is the beauty of the Olympics. It is like an exchange program for sports fans. There are some places where “hike” is an exotic term, part of a strange world where beefy men run around intensely for five seconds, then stop so John Madden can analyze 13 replays of a 1-yard gain.
The Olympics ask the same of me. Each day is an education, and for someone who loves pure sport – the idea of human beings pushing each other to new levels – the Games are a two-week all-you-can eat buffet. And this time, I could even order the lamb skewers at 3 a.m.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Olympics nears the end
I think the Chinese can be proud. From where I sit and with the limited knowledge I have, it seems they put on a good Olympic Games. I know there are problems - nobody was given a permit to protest in the designated areas, the bureaucracy wasn't able to handle the tickets for some events, etc. I know Tibet isn't free and I know the country doesn't celebrate human rights very well. Considering where they've come from though, I think its quite impressive.
I'm going to research some more, but I think the country was fairly well isolated and minding their own business until the mid 19th century when the British came and it was the beginning of the Opium wars. Next came the Japanese invading, and then the Cultural Revolution of Mao. Americans have a view of them that's so different than their story would warrant. I think.
I'd also like to make the point that the United States isn't much better, in my opinion. In China, its the communists who want to stay in power. In the United States, its the Republican neo-cons. They forget what their ideology is and only want to do whatever it takes to stay in power.
As far as the athletics...
I can't even say. It turns out I couldn't get behind any one event or athlete because I can't watch the whole thing. I watched a lot of the NBC primetime coverage. Not too much live stuff because it was on at the same time as the primetime coverage and I was tired of sitting at my computer all day. Also, they played a lot of swimming, gymnastics, and beach volleyball. It was hard to get a good feel for anything. Except for Michael Phelps and the Beach Volleyball guys and gals. We got a lot of them. A lot.
I don't know - its all so packaged nowadays. I feel I'm being snookered into feeling something for them because they've given up so much to be athletes competing for our country. I don't think that's an accurate picture of reality anymore. There are endorsements and funded athletics and professionals are allowed to participate. The Olympics is a forum for telegenic athletes to make more money later for endorsements. I know that's not the case for all the athletes. There aren't going to be a lot of financial benefits for the rowing team, or the rhythmic gymnasts, or the shotputters (to name three random competitions). But, they don't make money because they don't get exposure. And they don't get exposure because they don't make money. Lots of athletes from smaller countries probably are happy to be participating, but in the United States its a big business.
There's just no heart in the Olympics anymore. NBC doesn't allow us to get emotionally involved in anything. They give us a 1 minute bio and expect we've heard enough to care. Was it different in the 70's? My recollection is that it was - there was so much heart. Jim McKay made me care. Maybe I'm just getting too old to find it special anymore.
I'm going to research some more, but I think the country was fairly well isolated and minding their own business until the mid 19th century when the British came and it was the beginning of the Opium wars. Next came the Japanese invading, and then the Cultural Revolution of Mao. Americans have a view of them that's so different than their story would warrant. I think.
I'd also like to make the point that the United States isn't much better, in my opinion. In China, its the communists who want to stay in power. In the United States, its the Republican neo-cons. They forget what their ideology is and only want to do whatever it takes to stay in power.
As far as the athletics...
I can't even say. It turns out I couldn't get behind any one event or athlete because I can't watch the whole thing. I watched a lot of the NBC primetime coverage. Not too much live stuff because it was on at the same time as the primetime coverage and I was tired of sitting at my computer all day. Also, they played a lot of swimming, gymnastics, and beach volleyball. It was hard to get a good feel for anything. Except for Michael Phelps and the Beach Volleyball guys and gals. We got a lot of them. A lot.
I don't know - its all so packaged nowadays. I feel I'm being snookered into feeling something for them because they've given up so much to be athletes competing for our country. I don't think that's an accurate picture of reality anymore. There are endorsements and funded athletics and professionals are allowed to participate. The Olympics is a forum for telegenic athletes to make more money later for endorsements. I know that's not the case for all the athletes. There aren't going to be a lot of financial benefits for the rowing team, or the rhythmic gymnasts, or the shotputters (to name three random competitions). But, they don't make money because they don't get exposure. And they don't get exposure because they don't make money. Lots of athletes from smaller countries probably are happy to be participating, but in the United States its a big business.
There's just no heart in the Olympics anymore. NBC doesn't allow us to get emotionally involved in anything. They give us a 1 minute bio and expect we've heard enough to care. Was it different in the 70's? My recollection is that it was - there was so much heart. Jim McKay made me care. Maybe I'm just getting too old to find it special anymore.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Just Wondering
Does anybody else find "Pretty Woman" a bit creepy nowadays?
It was ridiculous to begin with, but it seemed harmless.
In today's environment it seems unseemly. It reminds me of all the stupid sex scandals and the real tragedy of women prostituting themselves because they can't make it economically.
It was ridiculous to begin with, but it seemed harmless.
In today's environment it seems unseemly. It reminds me of all the stupid sex scandals and the real tragedy of women prostituting themselves because they can't make it economically.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
P.O.V. - Belarusian Waltz
Hmmm... I don't know what to think.
The film, called Belarusian Waltz, is shown on the independent documentary show P.O.V. Its about a Belarusian artist named Alexander (Sasha) Pushkin. He's considered a dissident in Belarus.
The tone of the film is a little bemused. But, at what? I can't tell if I should believe what Pushkin is saying about Belarus and be bemused at the other Belarusians, or is this film trying to show the life of a slightly off-kilter fella. Its similar to Cinemania or other films of that nature that show the life of an eccentric person. On the other hand, sometimes eccentrics are the first to stand up for what's right.
Pushkin lives in a town called Bobr. He says he's persecuted, but he has a house and he has money to paint and he has a wife and daughter. It looks like everyone in the town is poor. I don't really get it.
Belarus was occupied by the Germans during WWII. Pushkin's father was forced to join the German police. When Bobr was liberated by the Soviet Union, Pushkin's father was sent to prison. When Stalin died he was freed. Pushkin feels his father did what he could or had to do to help Belarus, but was called a traitor afterwards. I think.
Pushkin himself says Belarus is nothing more than a Russian colony right now. They have the last dictator in Europe. The people keep voting for him because they get their pensions and stay drunk on Vodka. Pushkin feels thats how the government controls the people - with Vodka.
There's a scene with the mother of his 13 year old daughter in which she's describing her relationship with Pushkin. He had betrayed her and saw other women when she was pregnant, though they weren't married. When he finally did marry someone else, he had come to her to ask for her blessing. She was offended because she'd expected he should ask for her forgiveness before he asked for her blessing. He thinks this is not appropriate because she's a Russian woman in Belarus trying to rule Belarusians. If she had been a Belarus woman he would have asked for her forgiveness, but since she's an occupier in his lands, she doesn't have any right to expect him to want her forgiveness. She says, good - you got your wish, you ruined a Russian woman. You ruined her for love.
She's lived in Belarus for 27 years.
It turns out Belarus has been occupied for 280 years - the first 200 by Russians and the next 80 by Soviets. For Pushkin, they finally got their independence but it means nothing because they're just a Russian colony still.
There was a scene about him showing paintings of the resistance movement in Belarus (during WWII I think) at the Minsk museum. But he only showed them on the steps of the museum. the police came by and talked with him for awhile. But, eventually took the paintings down and took him to jail. He was let go fairly quickly. He thinks its because he's lucky. He doesn't exactly understand why they let him go, except maybe its because it looks like the country is a democracy.
The last part of the film is about some kind of Kupula Night celebration. As far as I can tell, young girls swim naked in the pond, and old men watch them. It was kinda creepy.
So, at the end of the movie, the filmmaker says he wanted to show (Americans?) that there's a little country called Belarus that inexplicably has stayed communist.
I didn't get that at all. I thought it was an interesting look at a small (itsy bitsy) part of Belarus, and one eccentric and egocentric artist and his obsession (hobby?) of promoting Belarusian nationality. It seemed to me, though, the most of the people accept that by now they're Russian. Maybe not, but it didn't come through in the movie. I thought Belarus had an abundance of old people based on this film.
There were also lots of shots of cats and dogs. I was afraid one of them would get hurt or killed so I turned away.
Here are some real reviews of the film (how come everyone else gets this stuff and writes about it so well?):
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/61998/pov-belarusian-waltz/
The last sentence of this review is "It’s hard to tell, however, whether he’s representative or anomalous—and that makes the film extremely clever or annoying as well, depending on your tolerance for ambiguity. " I think I have a low tolerance for ambiguity.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080815.DOCPICK15/TPStory/TPEntertainment/Television/
One sentence in this blurb about the film is "None of Pushkin's neighbours in the village of Bobr want to be caught on film for fear of repercussions from dictator Alexander Lukashenko." That part is odd too, because I didn't see any repercussions to the one person who does dissent. So, where's the proof there would be repercussions? I don't disbelieve, I just don't get it.
http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/tv/story/639232.html
The film, called Belarusian Waltz, is shown on the independent documentary show P.O.V. Its about a Belarusian artist named Alexander (Sasha) Pushkin. He's considered a dissident in Belarus.
The tone of the film is a little bemused. But, at what? I can't tell if I should believe what Pushkin is saying about Belarus and be bemused at the other Belarusians, or is this film trying to show the life of a slightly off-kilter fella. Its similar to Cinemania or other films of that nature that show the life of an eccentric person. On the other hand, sometimes eccentrics are the first to stand up for what's right.
Pushkin lives in a town called Bobr. He says he's persecuted, but he has a house and he has money to paint and he has a wife and daughter. It looks like everyone in the town is poor. I don't really get it.
Belarus was occupied by the Germans during WWII. Pushkin's father was forced to join the German police. When Bobr was liberated by the Soviet Union, Pushkin's father was sent to prison. When Stalin died he was freed. Pushkin feels his father did what he could or had to do to help Belarus, but was called a traitor afterwards. I think.
Pushkin himself says Belarus is nothing more than a Russian colony right now. They have the last dictator in Europe. The people keep voting for him because they get their pensions and stay drunk on Vodka. Pushkin feels thats how the government controls the people - with Vodka.
There's a scene with the mother of his 13 year old daughter in which she's describing her relationship with Pushkin. He had betrayed her and saw other women when she was pregnant, though they weren't married. When he finally did marry someone else, he had come to her to ask for her blessing. She was offended because she'd expected he should ask for her forgiveness before he asked for her blessing. He thinks this is not appropriate because she's a Russian woman in Belarus trying to rule Belarusians. If she had been a Belarus woman he would have asked for her forgiveness, but since she's an occupier in his lands, she doesn't have any right to expect him to want her forgiveness. She says, good - you got your wish, you ruined a Russian woman. You ruined her for love.
She's lived in Belarus for 27 years.
It turns out Belarus has been occupied for 280 years - the first 200 by Russians and the next 80 by Soviets. For Pushkin, they finally got their independence but it means nothing because they're just a Russian colony still.
There was a scene about him showing paintings of the resistance movement in Belarus (during WWII I think) at the Minsk museum. But he only showed them on the steps of the museum. the police came by and talked with him for awhile. But, eventually took the paintings down and took him to jail. He was let go fairly quickly. He thinks its because he's lucky. He doesn't exactly understand why they let him go, except maybe its because it looks like the country is a democracy.
The last part of the film is about some kind of Kupula Night celebration. As far as I can tell, young girls swim naked in the pond, and old men watch them. It was kinda creepy.
So, at the end of the movie, the filmmaker says he wanted to show (Americans?) that there's a little country called Belarus that inexplicably has stayed communist.
I didn't get that at all. I thought it was an interesting look at a small (itsy bitsy) part of Belarus, and one eccentric and egocentric artist and his obsession (hobby?) of promoting Belarusian nationality. It seemed to me, though, the most of the people accept that by now they're Russian. Maybe not, but it didn't come through in the movie. I thought Belarus had an abundance of old people based on this film.
There were also lots of shots of cats and dogs. I was afraid one of them would get hurt or killed so I turned away.
Here are some real reviews of the film (how come everyone else gets this stuff and writes about it so well?):
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/61998/pov-belarusian-waltz/
The last sentence of this review is "It’s hard to tell, however, whether he’s representative or anomalous—and that makes the film extremely clever or annoying as well, depending on your tolerance for ambiguity. " I think I have a low tolerance for ambiguity.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080815.DOCPICK15/TPStory/TPEntertainment/Television/
One sentence in this blurb about the film is "None of Pushkin's neighbours in the village of Bobr want to be caught on film for fear of repercussions from dictator Alexander Lukashenko." That part is odd too, because I didn't see any repercussions to the one person who does dissent. So, where's the proof there would be repercussions? I don't disbelieve, I just don't get it.
http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/tv/story/639232.html
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Why I will NOT vote for John McCain
I'm going to update this log entry with the reasons I don't think John McCain will be a good President.
1. I don't like that he ran for President in 2000, was villified by the Bush 'machine', and then went back to them in 2004. That reeks of political ambition to me.
2. I don't like that he sang "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran". I don't fault him for making the connection from Bomb Iran to Barbara Ann. I blame him for thinking bombing Iran is the successful solution to a nuclear Iran. And that he's so flippant about it.
3. I don't like that he doesn't have anything to say when a woman in the audience says "What are we going to do with that bitch?". Its disrespectful. As President he should set an example of acceptable behavior. If that was acceptable to him, his bar is low.
4. He wants to appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court. I don't necessarily have a problem with conservatives. I have a problem with justices like Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia who believe that if it isn't in the original constitution, then its up to the states to determine. That's not a United States...eventually it could turn into one nation with conservative states and liberal states and we might as well be two different countries. There has to be a level of decency that we believe in as Americans. The federal government is there to establish those levels - like freedom of religion and everyone is created equal. If it were up to the states we might still have segregation in some areas and some states would adopt a state religion.
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/06/AR2008050602527.html
1. I don't like that he ran for President in 2000, was villified by the Bush 'machine', and then went back to them in 2004. That reeks of political ambition to me.
2. I don't like that he sang "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran". I don't fault him for making the connection from Bomb Iran to Barbara Ann. I blame him for thinking bombing Iran is the successful solution to a nuclear Iran. And that he's so flippant about it.
3. I don't like that he doesn't have anything to say when a woman in the audience says "What are we going to do with that bitch?". Its disrespectful. As President he should set an example of acceptable behavior. If that was acceptable to him, his bar is low.
4. He wants to appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court. I don't necessarily have a problem with conservatives. I have a problem with justices like Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia who believe that if it isn't in the original constitution, then its up to the states to determine. That's not a United States...eventually it could turn into one nation with conservative states and liberal states and we might as well be two different countries. There has to be a level of decency that we believe in as Americans. The federal government is there to establish those levels - like freedom of religion and everyone is created equal. If it were up to the states we might still have segregation in some areas and some states would adopt a state religion.
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/06/AR2008050602527.html
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Political Despair
My writing is crap. I know it is. But, I'm having an emotional reaction and I want to get it out before I forget.
Slate Political Gabfest for August 14, 2008
About 'dirty' campaigning from the right, David Plotz says...
"what do you want, it's the campaign, dude get over it"
"I find people's indignation about dirty campaigning just so...lame and pathetic. I mean, its a campaign, it's a political campaign. They're fighting for the biggest stakes possible."
"If they [the Obama crowd] don't want McCain elected then they should play dirty politics. Politics is a dirty game so they should be dirty."
I'm sad.
The problem with the media these days is that they do think its a game - separate from real life. They compartmentalize it and discuss every little detail of it like a sports analyst.
Maybe they're not affected by the reality of a political world. Are they insulated by their money and profession?
Because its not a game to most of us. Politics is about how we want to live our life. Farming bills, health regulations, universal health care, foreign policy really do affect everyone's lives. What we get from and give to our government shapes our lives and helps us define where we are in the world. One aspect in our relationships with each other is our government. How we relate to each other can be defined by the type of goverment we choose. Its not a game, its real life. It matters.
I can't imagine living in a world in which the only way I could get people to agree with me is to lie and spin and make things up. Always. In that world there is no integrity and no honor. How can a sane person be a part of that? And how can a sane person accept that you can compartmentalize these things and keep them very separate from who you are? It's not possible. There is bleed through and its contaminating the whole world.
The mainstream media doesn't understand the connectedness of everything and the fabric of our country that we're all weaving and contributing threads to.
Didn't these people learn the same lessons I did as a child?
If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
Treat other people as you'd like to be treated.
Slate Political Gabfest for August 14, 2008
About 'dirty' campaigning from the right, David Plotz says...
"what do you want, it's the campaign, dude get over it"
"I find people's indignation about dirty campaigning just so...lame and pathetic. I mean, its a campaign, it's a political campaign. They're fighting for the biggest stakes possible."
"If they [the Obama crowd] don't want McCain elected then they should play dirty politics. Politics is a dirty game so they should be dirty."
I'm sad.
The problem with the media these days is that they do think its a game - separate from real life. They compartmentalize it and discuss every little detail of it like a sports analyst.
Maybe they're not affected by the reality of a political world. Are they insulated by their money and profession?
Because its not a game to most of us. Politics is about how we want to live our life. Farming bills, health regulations, universal health care, foreign policy really do affect everyone's lives. What we get from and give to our government shapes our lives and helps us define where we are in the world. One aspect in our relationships with each other is our government. How we relate to each other can be defined by the type of goverment we choose. Its not a game, its real life. It matters.
I can't imagine living in a world in which the only way I could get people to agree with me is to lie and spin and make things up. Always. In that world there is no integrity and no honor. How can a sane person be a part of that? And how can a sane person accept that you can compartmentalize these things and keep them very separate from who you are? It's not possible. There is bleed through and its contaminating the whole world.
The mainstream media doesn't understand the connectedness of everything and the fabric of our country that we're all weaving and contributing threads to.
Didn't these people learn the same lessons I did as a child?
If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
Treat other people as you'd like to be treated.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Week End
Olympics
I watched a lot of Olympics coverage lasting through 1am or so each night. That includes beach volleyball, swimming, synchronized diving, gymnastics, and only some of other sports. Not enough. I intended to watch more of the specialized sports, but found it was easier to watch the NBC primetime and USA Network coverage. I heard Stephen Fatsis (sp?) on the radio yesterday saying Team Handball was a great sport so I'll try to catch some of that on the Internet, as well as Table Tennis.
I'm a little overloaded with Olympics, but I won't give up now!
The highlights for me so far? The opening ceremony, the sincerity and genuineness of the Chinese people. Otherwise, I'm not sure I've been thrilled by the sporting events. Yes, Michael Phelps getting 7 gold medals with world records (as of right now) is cool and I hope he gets the 8th. But, it doesn't really affect me, so I'm not getting emotionally invested in it. I felt bad for Sacramone at the team finals of the girls gymnastics. I don't really care if the Chinese girls are too young (except that I care for them personally - I hope they aren't hurting their young bodies). It was fun to watch Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson in the All-Around competition.
There are lots of political/social issues with the Olympics, but I'm ignoring them. On purpose.
My Tow Patrol experience
I learned that "I Don't Care" is a powerful weapon when my car was towed from my own assigned parking space because I hadn't put my parking sticker on the car.
I was reminded (again) that I get no credit for doing the right thing 95% of the time - but I will be 'punished' for making a mistake 5% of the time.
My dislike of 'corporate' America intensified because I realized (again) its the corporations who don't care. People can be influenced, but a corporation can't. And to save their own butt, people will hide behind the corporation..."I'm just doing my job."
It's Hot
It's hot, but I'm doing okay without air conditioning so far. I'm afraid I'll get overheated though and won't be able to cool down.
International
I can't take any more. The invasion of Georgia by Russia seems surreal and like it belongs in another decade. I've only looked at the headlines. I don't have anything left to give to this emotionally. This is what I understand so far...Georgia used to be part of the Soviet Union, it became an independent country later. There was a Rose Revolution in the last few years that led to democratic elections. Part of Georgia is South Osettia (sp?), which has been effectively ruled/influenced by Russia for several years, but was still in Georgia. The South Ossetians wanted to be independent of Georgia. There was a movement. Georgia sent troops to South Ossetia to 'quell the rebellion'. Russia went into Georgia to 'protect' the Georgians. They had tanks and bombs. (Why did they use such deadly weapons if they were protecting the South Ossetian people?)
Additional items I don't know about - a cyber war leading up to this invasion? Russia's been planning this for months, a second province in Georgia has also been at issue?
This is history happening before my very eyes...and yet, I haven't been able to take it in.
I'm sorry - it makes me feel inadequate that I can sit safely in my home and not have the emotional energy to deal with the misfortune of others who are less lucky than I.
Its Too Much!
Really, the last several years have been devastating. I'm feeling numb.
Avian Bird Flu scared me, the invasion of Lebanon by Israel scared me, the North Koreans with a nuclear bomb scared(s) me, the Taliban scares me (they also make me angry; they bomb girls schools because teaching girls is not Islamic), George Bush/Dick Cheney/neocons/Ahmadinejad etc scare me, the corporatization of America scares me, Hurricane Katrina scared me, the earthquakes in Pakistan and China scared me, getting old and being poor scares me.
The bottom line is that life is fragile and the 'ruling' class is crazy. That's scary.
I don't have a lot of family, and we're very independent. I don't have a husband or a close circle of friends so I alternate between feeling free and feeling alone. I'm not very clever and I didn't start saving for retirement early enough. Whatever will become of me? Thank goodness I'm mostly happy and can live in a state of denial!! HA!
I watched a lot of Olympics coverage lasting through 1am or so each night. That includes beach volleyball, swimming, synchronized diving, gymnastics, and only some of other sports. Not enough. I intended to watch more of the specialized sports, but found it was easier to watch the NBC primetime and USA Network coverage. I heard Stephen Fatsis (sp?) on the radio yesterday saying Team Handball was a great sport so I'll try to catch some of that on the Internet, as well as Table Tennis.
I'm a little overloaded with Olympics, but I won't give up now!
The highlights for me so far? The opening ceremony, the sincerity and genuineness of the Chinese people. Otherwise, I'm not sure I've been thrilled by the sporting events. Yes, Michael Phelps getting 7 gold medals with world records (as of right now) is cool and I hope he gets the 8th. But, it doesn't really affect me, so I'm not getting emotionally invested in it. I felt bad for Sacramone at the team finals of the girls gymnastics. I don't really care if the Chinese girls are too young (except that I care for them personally - I hope they aren't hurting their young bodies). It was fun to watch Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson in the All-Around competition.
There are lots of political/social issues with the Olympics, but I'm ignoring them. On purpose.
My Tow Patrol experience
I learned that "I Don't Care" is a powerful weapon when my car was towed from my own assigned parking space because I hadn't put my parking sticker on the car.
I was reminded (again) that I get no credit for doing the right thing 95% of the time - but I will be 'punished' for making a mistake 5% of the time.
My dislike of 'corporate' America intensified because I realized (again) its the corporations who don't care. People can be influenced, but a corporation can't. And to save their own butt, people will hide behind the corporation..."I'm just doing my job."
It's Hot
It's hot, but I'm doing okay without air conditioning so far. I'm afraid I'll get overheated though and won't be able to cool down.
International
I can't take any more. The invasion of Georgia by Russia seems surreal and like it belongs in another decade. I've only looked at the headlines. I don't have anything left to give to this emotionally. This is what I understand so far...Georgia used to be part of the Soviet Union, it became an independent country later. There was a Rose Revolution in the last few years that led to democratic elections. Part of Georgia is South Osettia (sp?), which has been effectively ruled/influenced by Russia for several years, but was still in Georgia. The South Ossetians wanted to be independent of Georgia. There was a movement. Georgia sent troops to South Ossetia to 'quell the rebellion'. Russia went into Georgia to 'protect' the Georgians. They had tanks and bombs. (Why did they use such deadly weapons if they were protecting the South Ossetian people?)
Additional items I don't know about - a cyber war leading up to this invasion? Russia's been planning this for months, a second province in Georgia has also been at issue?
This is history happening before my very eyes...and yet, I haven't been able to take it in.
I'm sorry - it makes me feel inadequate that I can sit safely in my home and not have the emotional energy to deal with the misfortune of others who are less lucky than I.
Its Too Much!
Really, the last several years have been devastating. I'm feeling numb.
Avian Bird Flu scared me, the invasion of Lebanon by Israel scared me, the North Koreans with a nuclear bomb scared(s) me, the Taliban scares me (they also make me angry; they bomb girls schools because teaching girls is not Islamic), George Bush/Dick Cheney/neocons/Ahmadinejad etc scare me, the corporatization of America scares me, Hurricane Katrina scared me, the earthquakes in Pakistan and China scared me, getting old and being poor scares me.
The bottom line is that life is fragile and the 'ruling' class is crazy. That's scary.
I don't have a lot of family, and we're very independent. I don't have a husband or a close circle of friends so I alternate between feeling free and feeling alone. I'm not very clever and I didn't start saving for retirement early enough. Whatever will become of me? Thank goodness I'm mostly happy and can live in a state of denial!! HA!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Reality Bites
As of Tuesday at least 4140 members of the US military have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to The Associated Press. The figure includes 8 military civilians killed in action. At least 3366 service members have died as a result of hostile action, according to the military. The AP count is two fewer than the Defense Departments tally, last updated Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, at least 496 members of the US military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan as a result of the US invasiion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the military. Of those, 352 were killed by hostile action.
As of Tuesday, at least 496 members of the US military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan as a result of the US invasiion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the military. Of those, 352 were killed by hostile action.
Monday, August 11, 2008
One World, One Dream - Opening Ceremony Redux
I'm watching the Opening Ceremony again because I wasn't paying 100% attention originally (though I'd TIVO'd it).
Wow - I'm stunned. Beautiful.
The drummers - all 2008 of them - were fun to watch. They were synchronized and dramatic. they created a light show with the drums that counted down to the beginning of the show. It created a lot of anticipation. I liked their long gold coats (vests?) too.
I Love, Love, Love when that many people are doing something together. I mean, I really LOVE it. This opening ceremony appealed to me on many levels.
More later.
Wow - I'm stunned. Beautiful.
The drummers - all 2008 of them - were fun to watch. They were synchronized and dramatic. they created a light show with the drums that counted down to the beginning of the show. It created a lot of anticipation. I liked their long gold coats (vests?) too.
I Love, Love, Love when that many people are doing something together. I mean, I really LOVE it. This opening ceremony appealed to me on many levels.
More later.
One World, One Dream - Day Two
On Sunday I watched a mix of live and taped sports events
53 KG weight class, women's weightlifting.
I'm not interested in weightlifting generally, but, it was fun to watch a small amount for a change. The American gal was very happy to have participated, I assume expecting she wouldn't be in contention for a medal. That's the Olympic spirit.
Eventing - Dressage.
Well, I don't think I like this sport. I feel bad for the horse. They go around the ring with their head down and don't look happy. I'm one of those people that think animals are equal to humans. And I take things very seriously. When I imagine what a person would say to defend the sport (the horses like it, they are treated very well, and they're better off than if they were free and wild), it would sound to me like the same things slaveholders might have said to justify owning slaves. I just don't feel good about it, and no amount of justification would make me feel okay about it. I don't think I'll watch it anymore.
Women's Team Archery - South Korea vs China Gold Medal Match
It turns out South Korea has won 5 golds in the past 5 Olympics in this event. They dominate. And, sure enough they did. I'm glad the Chinese came in second, because really, with the South Korean reputation, everyone in the world must know its a battle for second. What can you do?
United Airlines Commercials -
I've noticed these commercials lately - they're very artistic and beautiful to look at. Its a new campaign called "Its Time To Fly". The ad agency is Barrie D'Rozario Murphy/Minneapolis. I've seen "The Sea Orchestra" which was beautiful, intricate, creative, and really achieved a feeling of serenity. It was made by two animators in South Africa who collectively call themselves Shy The Sun.
See the videos at http://www.youtube.com/uniteditstimetofly
I also watched NBC's prime time coverage where I saw the girls gymnastics team in the team qualifying event - struggling, and the US Men's 4x100 relay - thrilling finish!
53 KG weight class, women's weightlifting.
I'm not interested in weightlifting generally, but, it was fun to watch a small amount for a change. The American gal was very happy to have participated, I assume expecting she wouldn't be in contention for a medal. That's the Olympic spirit.
Eventing - Dressage.
Well, I don't think I like this sport. I feel bad for the horse. They go around the ring with their head down and don't look happy. I'm one of those people that think animals are equal to humans. And I take things very seriously. When I imagine what a person would say to defend the sport (the horses like it, they are treated very well, and they're better off than if they were free and wild), it would sound to me like the same things slaveholders might have said to justify owning slaves. I just don't feel good about it, and no amount of justification would make me feel okay about it. I don't think I'll watch it anymore.
Women's Team Archery - South Korea vs China Gold Medal Match
It turns out South Korea has won 5 golds in the past 5 Olympics in this event. They dominate. And, sure enough they did. I'm glad the Chinese came in second, because really, with the South Korean reputation, everyone in the world must know its a battle for second. What can you do?
United Airlines Commercials -
I've noticed these commercials lately - they're very artistic and beautiful to look at. Its a new campaign called "Its Time To Fly". The ad agency is Barrie D'Rozario Murphy/Minneapolis. I've seen "The Sea Orchestra" which was beautiful, intricate, creative, and really achieved a feeling of serenity. It was made by two animators in South Africa who collectively call themselves Shy The Sun.
See the videos at http://www.youtube.com/uniteditstimetofly
I also watched NBC's prime time coverage where I saw the girls gymnastics team in the team qualifying event - struggling, and the US Men's 4x100 relay - thrilling finish!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
One World, One Dream - Day One
Today I watched USA and NBC during the day - from about 8:00 am to 6:00 am.
I did laundry, and updated tags on my photos and cleaned the kitchen, and played some Civ IV while doing it.
This evening, when it is morning in Beijing - more of the live events started coming online. On the Internet I watched at least a little bit of each of the following events:
Badminton - Women's Singes Round of 32. Zhang, N from China vs P Salakjit from Thailand. I rooted for Salakjit from Thailand because, in China, against a Chinese, she seemed like the underdog. And, it turns out she was. It was a good three set match (21-23, 21-17, 21-7).
Badminton - Women's Doubles Round of 16 - China v Indonesia. I like watching badminton, but it made me want to play instead of just watch.
Men's Individual Epee - Tikhomirov of Canada vs Khvovost of Ukraine.
I think this was a battle of age. The elder statesman Tikhomoriv (who used to fence for the Soviet Union) vs the young guy, Khvovost.
Tikhomirov won. I thought he seemed cocky in his style. He just lets his left hand flop around. It doesn't look disciplined. In fact, I didn't think any of the fencers had the kind of form I expected - the traditional one hand on the 'sword' and the other behind and pointing up. Maybe that's another variation on the fencing.
I learned that there are three rounds of three minutes each. When one fencer earns 15 points, its over. If play continues through the nine minutes, the player with the most points wins.
Its very confusing to watch because a red or green light flashes on the helmet (and in front of the judge) when a fencer makes a 'hit' on their opponent. But, instinctively, it looks to me like the light goes on when the person is 'hit'. So, I'm a little backwards, which means I cheer for the 'other' person instead of the one I decide to root for.
Team Archery - Korea vs Italy - I turned to this at the very end when Korea set a new world and Olympic record (231). The team event looked interesting so I'll try to watch that more tomorrow, if its on.
Sailing - Series Race, 49er. A 49er is a performance dinghy so they move quickly. In this race, the boats go up the course and back, and up the course and back again to the finish line. It takes about 30 minutes. It was kind of interesting watching them line up for the start and turn at mark 1 and mark 2. But, in between I had a hard time orienting what I was seeing with the course that had been laid out.
Overall, I had a nice Olympics day. http://www.nbcolympics.com/ is a great website. I can watch some stuff live that I'd never see on TV. There isn't any commentary so I'm forced to figure out what I'm watching on my own, which is fun. Because there are so many sports going on at any one time I'm having a hard time catching the flow of a sport or picking out an athlete to follow and root for. I usually root for the person that looks like the underdog to me. But, I could be wrong.
I'm going to miss a lot of the competition because a good half of the day, I'm asleep while its happening online. During the day, there's NBC and USA (at least this weekend there is), and in the early evening I can watch the less televised sports live online for a few hours. I'm pretty satisfied.
On TV today, I watched some beach volleyball this morning, women's weightlifting (48 kg class) - the clean sweep (?) and the clean and jerk combined. I enjoyed that competition. This evening I caught Michael Phelps win.
And now, its getting late, so I'll end the evening watching some more swimming.
I did laundry, and updated tags on my photos and cleaned the kitchen, and played some Civ IV while doing it.
This evening, when it is morning in Beijing - more of the live events started coming online. On the Internet I watched at least a little bit of each of the following events:
Badminton - Women's Singes Round of 32. Zhang, N from China vs P Salakjit from Thailand. I rooted for Salakjit from Thailand because, in China, against a Chinese, she seemed like the underdog. And, it turns out she was. It was a good three set match (21-23, 21-17, 21-7).
Badminton - Women's Doubles Round of 16 - China v Indonesia. I like watching badminton, but it made me want to play instead of just watch.
Men's Individual Epee - Tikhomirov of Canada vs Khvovost of Ukraine.
I think this was a battle of age. The elder statesman Tikhomoriv (who used to fence for the Soviet Union) vs the young guy, Khvovost.
Tikhomirov won. I thought he seemed cocky in his style. He just lets his left hand flop around. It doesn't look disciplined. In fact, I didn't think any of the fencers had the kind of form I expected - the traditional one hand on the 'sword' and the other behind and pointing up. Maybe that's another variation on the fencing.
I learned that there are three rounds of three minutes each. When one fencer earns 15 points, its over. If play continues through the nine minutes, the player with the most points wins.
Its very confusing to watch because a red or green light flashes on the helmet (and in front of the judge) when a fencer makes a 'hit' on their opponent. But, instinctively, it looks to me like the light goes on when the person is 'hit'. So, I'm a little backwards, which means I cheer for the 'other' person instead of the one I decide to root for.
Team Archery - Korea vs Italy - I turned to this at the very end when Korea set a new world and Olympic record (231). The team event looked interesting so I'll try to watch that more tomorrow, if its on.
Sailing - Series Race, 49er. A 49er is a performance dinghy so they move quickly. In this race, the boats go up the course and back, and up the course and back again to the finish line. It takes about 30 minutes. It was kind of interesting watching them line up for the start and turn at mark 1 and mark 2. But, in between I had a hard time orienting what I was seeing with the course that had been laid out.
Overall, I had a nice Olympics day. http://www.nbcolympics.com/ is a great website. I can watch some stuff live that I'd never see on TV. There isn't any commentary so I'm forced to figure out what I'm watching on my own, which is fun. Because there are so many sports going on at any one time I'm having a hard time catching the flow of a sport or picking out an athlete to follow and root for. I usually root for the person that looks like the underdog to me. But, I could be wrong.
I'm going to miss a lot of the competition because a good half of the day, I'm asleep while its happening online. During the day, there's NBC and USA (at least this weekend there is), and in the early evening I can watch the less televised sports live online for a few hours. I'm pretty satisfied.
On TV today, I watched some beach volleyball this morning, women's weightlifting (48 kg class) - the clean sweep (?) and the clean and jerk combined. I enjoyed that competition. This evening I caught Michael Phelps win.
And now, its getting late, so I'll end the evening watching some more swimming.
Friday, August 8, 2008
One World, One Dream - Opening Ceremony
I'm struck by the smiling faces of children who believe in the joy, promise, and hope of One World, One Dream. I pray today that all those children will still believe when they're 20, and when they're 30 and every day beyond that. When they believe together, we'll see a brand new world.
I've watched some Badminton (men's singles) and Road Racing and Individual Sabre (women's) on http://www.nbcolympics.com/. Its fun...there's no commentary so I have to figure out the rules on my own. I like it.
I enjoyed the Opening Ceremony, but I have to admit, I was watching the sports on the Internet at the same time. I wasn't giving it 100% attention. I have it TIVO'd though.
And now...I'll watch the rest of it in the living room. Yay Olympics!!
I've watched some Badminton (men's singles) and Road Racing and Individual Sabre (women's) on http://www.nbcolympics.com/. Its fun...there's no commentary so I have to figure out the rules on my own. I like it.
I enjoyed the Opening Ceremony, but I have to admit, I was watching the sports on the Internet at the same time. I wasn't giving it 100% attention. I have it TIVO'd though.
And now...I'll watch the rest of it in the living room. Yay Olympics!!
The Auspicious Eights - Third time's the charm!
Okay - NOW, it must be 08:08 on August 08, 2008.
I've had to try three times to post at this moment.
This time better work! :)
I've had to try three times to post at this moment.
This time better work! :)
The Auspicious Eights - Second Try
It's 08:08 on August 08, 2008
Luckily there's another one tonight!!! :)
Peace and prosperity for all....
My Olympics dream has died - I can't get a live stream of the Opening Ceremony
Luckily there's another one tonight!!! :)
Peace and prosperity for all....
My Olympics dream has died - I can't get a live stream of the Opening Ceremony
The Auspicious Eights - First Try
Its 08:08 on August 08, 2008!!!
WhoooooHoooo
I'm listening to the Slate Podcast.
WhoooooHoooo
I'm listening to the Slate Podcast.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
So You Think You Can Dance Season 4 - Finale
Thoughts and comments along the way...
Opening dance by the top 20. I'm glad some of the early departees got good face time. It was an okay number. The best part was when one of the guys (who? I don't know.) skittered his way through the line of girls as they jumped over him in a wave. That was very cool.
Judge's favorite dances...
Nigel's choice is a good one - the Bollywood routine by Katee and Joshua was fun. And they did it with nearly the same style and energy tonight as the first time they did it. I wonder how they remember it with so many dances in their repertoire?
Mary Murphy chose Courtney and Gev doing the Samba. I like this dance, although tonight it didn't seem as dynamic as the first time.
Popping and Locking contest - Phil Chbeeb v Rob M. I like this dance style in small doses. I just can't watch and not think about knuckles popping and joints getting worn down. I don't know if that really happens, but it kinda creeps me out. In any event, they both did a great job and I don't know why they bothered 'voting'. I though Chbeeb had a deeper well of tricks to pull from than Rob. I'm not sure if I'm saying that because its true or because he only got one vote and I like to support the underdog. But, it seemed like it to me.
I didn't need to see the Comfort and Twitch dance again. It reminds me why I never took to Comfort during the season.
I love L'il C! He's great. He surely does create an interesting turn of phrase. And I like his choice "Bleeding Love" choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha and danced by Chelsie and Mark. A highlight of the season for me. It really shows what a great emotional dancer Mark is.
Good to see Mary Murphy doing a ballroom dance. She looked a bit uncomfortable being onstage I thought. I suppose she wasn't, but for some reason she kept smiling a little funny I thought. I didn't like seeing Dmitry with his shirt off...again...as usual. Sigh.
Mia Michaels picks the Pas De Deux that Katee and Will did. I'm glad they got to do it again, because they got the turn completely right this time. I think last time it didn't seem so rushed, but this time they got that turn right - so whatever. Anyway, it really is stunning. Good job. And Will was so happy to do it in front of Debbie Allen.
Adam Shankman picked again - he picked the Sonya Jazz routine performed by Courtney and Mark. Another excellent choice. I loved this dance then and now. Excellent!
First Result - 4th place winner is Courtney. Classy girl. I really liked that she referred to someone (one of the producers?) saying "youth is wasted on the young" and she says..."that won't be me" Fantastic. I know she's going to live a happy life.
Repeat of the Five Guys Named Moe routine with the top 5 guys - Will, Gev, Twitch, Mark, Joshua. It really is an entertaining dance. Fun, fun, fun.
(So far this show is really good)
Uh - oh...Nigel did the 4 real hand on shoulder thing. Ugh, ugh, ugh. I was happily noticing it absent until then.
Cirque du Soleil performs. I quite enjoyed this number in spite of the incessant screaming by the audience. Truly irritating.
Not that it happened at this point, but what is it with the cameras on this show? Earlier they cut to a camera pointing to the floor. They have consistent problems with bad cameras on So You Think You Can Dance. I have to think it must be the director, right? I've never paid attention to the credits to find out if its the same director every episode and year after year. I had problems with it last season as well. Anyhoo...
Next Result - 3rd place winner is...Katee. Oh! Huge surprise. I find I'm quite disappointed. I noticed Twitch getting very nervous standing there. It bothered me. But, I thought it was his turn to go. Well. I don't think Katee should have been in 3rd place at all. 3rd place isn't bad, really. In fact, because she's the top female, she gets 50K. That's good. But, I thought she might have won. Twitch is nice and entertaining and talented, but Katee really is a better dancer. I am sad. Hmmm...shake it off. There's more here than meets the eye and I'll never know what it is, so 'oh well'. Good job Katee.
Nice conversation with Debbie Allen leading into a tap routine by Nigel and the kids of Debbie Allen's Dance Academy. Like Mary, its good to see him dancing. And I presume having a great time!
Mary introduces Mia Michael's Door routine with Katee and Twitch.
The Jonas Brothers. At least MmmBop was kinda catchy. I had to fast forward through this song. Sorry Jonas Brothers.
Debbie Allen chooses to see Twitch and Kherington dance the Viennese Waltz. I fast forward through this one as well. It was nice, but I didn't need to see it again.
Nigel selects the first Katee and Joshua dance - Napoleon and Tabitha's No Air dance. Good again.
There is a montage of what some of the dancers from prior seasons are doing and then a bit of them dancing. (Dmitry had his shirt unbuttoned again. Aargh!)
I would have preferred more information about what the former dancers are doing. Life is going to take them on different paths than they imagined only a year or two ago.
Final Result. Oh no, even Cat Deeley mentioned that Twitch and Joshua are street dancers and "untrained". Ugh. Will the lie never stop???? And why isn't anybody stopping them from continuing to twist the truth?
Anyway - winner is Joshua. That sounds about right. He did a good job and deserves to win.
I feel bad that Twitch is completely ushered offstage without being able to say anything. Even Joshua doesn't say anything near as good as what Katee and Courtney said. Too much pandemonium. I wish Joshua hadn't found a camera to do the 4 real thing on his shoulder again.
That's the end of the season! Overall there were great dancers and interesting choreographers. I'm glad the show is gaining a good reputation. I think Nigel has a lot of respect for Dance and I'm glad to see it. I wish he didn't feel like he had to make up the stuff about 'untrained' dancers to generate some drama. I do trust his love of dance though.
Good Dancing for us all in the year ahead!!!!
Opening dance by the top 20. I'm glad some of the early departees got good face time. It was an okay number. The best part was when one of the guys (who? I don't know.) skittered his way through the line of girls as they jumped over him in a wave. That was very cool.
Judge's favorite dances...
Nigel's choice is a good one - the Bollywood routine by Katee and Joshua was fun. And they did it with nearly the same style and energy tonight as the first time they did it. I wonder how they remember it with so many dances in their repertoire?
Mary Murphy chose Courtney and Gev doing the Samba. I like this dance, although tonight it didn't seem as dynamic as the first time.
Popping and Locking contest - Phil Chbeeb v Rob M. I like this dance style in small doses. I just can't watch and not think about knuckles popping and joints getting worn down. I don't know if that really happens, but it kinda creeps me out. In any event, they both did a great job and I don't know why they bothered 'voting'. I though Chbeeb had a deeper well of tricks to pull from than Rob. I'm not sure if I'm saying that because its true or because he only got one vote and I like to support the underdog. But, it seemed like it to me.
I didn't need to see the Comfort and Twitch dance again. It reminds me why I never took to Comfort during the season.
I love L'il C! He's great. He surely does create an interesting turn of phrase. And I like his choice "Bleeding Love" choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha and danced by Chelsie and Mark. A highlight of the season for me. It really shows what a great emotional dancer Mark is.
Good to see Mary Murphy doing a ballroom dance. She looked a bit uncomfortable being onstage I thought. I suppose she wasn't, but for some reason she kept smiling a little funny I thought. I didn't like seeing Dmitry with his shirt off...again...as usual. Sigh.
Mia Michaels picks the Pas De Deux that Katee and Will did. I'm glad they got to do it again, because they got the turn completely right this time. I think last time it didn't seem so rushed, but this time they got that turn right - so whatever. Anyway, it really is stunning. Good job. And Will was so happy to do it in front of Debbie Allen.
Adam Shankman picked again - he picked the Sonya Jazz routine performed by Courtney and Mark. Another excellent choice. I loved this dance then and now. Excellent!
First Result - 4th place winner is Courtney. Classy girl. I really liked that she referred to someone (one of the producers?) saying "youth is wasted on the young" and she says..."that won't be me" Fantastic. I know she's going to live a happy life.
Repeat of the Five Guys Named Moe routine with the top 5 guys - Will, Gev, Twitch, Mark, Joshua. It really is an entertaining dance. Fun, fun, fun.
(So far this show is really good)
Uh - oh...Nigel did the 4 real hand on shoulder thing. Ugh, ugh, ugh. I was happily noticing it absent until then.
Cirque du Soleil performs. I quite enjoyed this number in spite of the incessant screaming by the audience. Truly irritating.
Not that it happened at this point, but what is it with the cameras on this show? Earlier they cut to a camera pointing to the floor. They have consistent problems with bad cameras on So You Think You Can Dance. I have to think it must be the director, right? I've never paid attention to the credits to find out if its the same director every episode and year after year. I had problems with it last season as well. Anyhoo...
Next Result - 3rd place winner is...Katee. Oh! Huge surprise. I find I'm quite disappointed. I noticed Twitch getting very nervous standing there. It bothered me. But, I thought it was his turn to go. Well. I don't think Katee should have been in 3rd place at all. 3rd place isn't bad, really. In fact, because she's the top female, she gets 50K. That's good. But, I thought she might have won. Twitch is nice and entertaining and talented, but Katee really is a better dancer. I am sad. Hmmm...shake it off. There's more here than meets the eye and I'll never know what it is, so 'oh well'. Good job Katee.
Nice conversation with Debbie Allen leading into a tap routine by Nigel and the kids of Debbie Allen's Dance Academy. Like Mary, its good to see him dancing. And I presume having a great time!
Mary introduces Mia Michael's Door routine with Katee and Twitch.
The Jonas Brothers. At least MmmBop was kinda catchy. I had to fast forward through this song. Sorry Jonas Brothers.
Debbie Allen chooses to see Twitch and Kherington dance the Viennese Waltz. I fast forward through this one as well. It was nice, but I didn't need to see it again.
Nigel selects the first Katee and Joshua dance - Napoleon and Tabitha's No Air dance. Good again.
There is a montage of what some of the dancers from prior seasons are doing and then a bit of them dancing. (Dmitry had his shirt unbuttoned again. Aargh!)
I would have preferred more information about what the former dancers are doing. Life is going to take them on different paths than they imagined only a year or two ago.
Final Result. Oh no, even Cat Deeley mentioned that Twitch and Joshua are street dancers and "untrained". Ugh. Will the lie never stop???? And why isn't anybody stopping them from continuing to twist the truth?
Anyway - winner is Joshua. That sounds about right. He did a good job and deserves to win.
I feel bad that Twitch is completely ushered offstage without being able to say anything. Even Joshua doesn't say anything near as good as what Katee and Courtney said. Too much pandemonium. I wish Joshua hadn't found a camera to do the 4 real thing on his shoulder again.
That's the end of the season! Overall there were great dancers and interesting choreographers. I'm glad the show is gaining a good reputation. I think Nigel has a lot of respect for Dance and I'm glad to see it. I wish he didn't feel like he had to make up the stuff about 'untrained' dancers to generate some drama. I do trust his love of dance though.
Good Dancing for us all in the year ahead!!!!
Reality Bites
As of Wednesday August 6, 2008 at least 4134 members of the US military have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to a count by The Associated Press.
The figure includes eight military civilians killed in action. At least 3362 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's umbers.
The AP count is one more than the Defense Department's tally, last updated Wednesday at 10am
As of Wednesday at least 496 members of the US military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, accoording to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures Saturday.
Of those, the military reports 352 were killed by hostile action.
*****
Iraqi lawmakers, after weeks of late-night negotiations and intense US pressure, failed to pass a much-debated provincial elections law Wednesday before adjourning for the month.
...
The bill failed because Kurds, Arabs, and Turkomen were unable to come to terms on a power-sharing deal for the multiethnic region around the city of Kirkuk, the center of Iraq's northern oil fields. Kurds consider Kirkuk their ancestral capital and want to incorporate it into their self-ruled region in the north. Most Arabs and Turkomen want Kirkuk to remain under central government control.
After a Kurdish walkout, parliament approved an elections bill last month that would have established an ethnic quota system on the 41-member Kirkuk area provincial council and reduced the role of Kurdish security forces there.
President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, vetoed the measure as unconstitutional and sent it back to parliament, which convened a special session Sunday.
When compromise appeared impossible, parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani announced Wednesday that lawmakers would break for summer recess and then resume sessions Sept. 9.
A committee will continue negotiations over the bill during the recess, he added.
...
Parliament also has yet to pass a law to share oil revenue or to amend the constitution on such issues as the role of Islam and the nature of federalism in the government.
...
Parliament did sign off on a $21 billion supplemental budget, a move the Iraqis hope will ease US congressional criticism that they aren't paying their fair share of Iraq's reconstruction at a time of economic hardship in the United States.
Material from McClatchy News Service and the Associated Press used in this report.
The figure includes eight military civilians killed in action. At least 3362 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's umbers.
The AP count is one more than the Defense Department's tally, last updated Wednesday at 10am
As of Wednesday at least 496 members of the US military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, accoording to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures Saturday.
Of those, the military reports 352 were killed by hostile action.
*****
Iraqi lawmakers, after weeks of late-night negotiations and intense US pressure, failed to pass a much-debated provincial elections law Wednesday before adjourning for the month.
...
The bill failed because Kurds, Arabs, and Turkomen were unable to come to terms on a power-sharing deal for the multiethnic region around the city of Kirkuk, the center of Iraq's northern oil fields. Kurds consider Kirkuk their ancestral capital and want to incorporate it into their self-ruled region in the north. Most Arabs and Turkomen want Kirkuk to remain under central government control.
After a Kurdish walkout, parliament approved an elections bill last month that would have established an ethnic quota system on the 41-member Kirkuk area provincial council and reduced the role of Kurdish security forces there.
President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, vetoed the measure as unconstitutional and sent it back to parliament, which convened a special session Sunday.
When compromise appeared impossible, parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani announced Wednesday that lawmakers would break for summer recess and then resume sessions Sept. 9.
A committee will continue negotiations over the bill during the recess, he added.
...
Parliament also has yet to pass a law to share oil revenue or to amend the constitution on such issues as the role of Islam and the nature of federalism in the government.
...
Parliament did sign off on a $21 billion supplemental budget, a move the Iraqis hope will ease US congressional criticism that they aren't paying their fair share of Iraq's reconstruction at a time of economic hardship in the United States.
Material from McClatchy News Service and the Associated Press used in this report.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
So You Think You Can Dance Season 4 - Top 4
I'll just be writing my thoughts as the show progresses...
(Thanks to http://ablogaboutthings.com/ for the performance details.)
1. Since the first time I watched this show (Season Two), I've enjoyed how Cat Deeley introduces the show title - she has a lot of enthusiasm.
DANCERS: Courtney & Twitch
STYLE: Hip Hop
CHOREOGRAPHER: Tabitha & Napoleon
SONG: "Church" by T-Pain
2. Why all the deranged girlfriends this season? I guess deranged boyfriends are too real. Crazy is the new cool...or so some think. They'll learn - crazy is just crazy.
3. Is that what twitch wears to the club (suspenders, tie, and vest)? I kinda like Courtney's pants 'cause they're retro cool.
4. I didn't think the transitions were very smooth, but it was a fun dance.
5. I fast forward through Mary's comments.
6. Courtney's interview - I like that she said "I thought I had something to offer the show." It sounds self-confident without being arrogant. And I like how she responded to Cat's question about Courtney's chemistry with Gev. She said, "You don't have to be in love to have chemistry."
Courtney solo: "They Weren't There" by Missy Higgins
DANCERS: Katee & Joshua
STYLE: Lyrical
CHOREOGRAPHER: Wade Robson
SONG: "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room" by John Mayer
7. The theme, according to Wade Robson, is that "love is hard work but its the best thing that you'll ever work for in your life." I like that idea.
8. Joshua and Katee seem to enjoy each other's company. She trusts him completely - and he must be trustworthy because he hasn't dropped her yet.
9. I agree with Mandy - it was an honest dance, danced honestly.
10. Nigel is a little too effusive. He said there was nothing show business-ey in the dance (I agree), but his raves about Joshua (brilliant) and Joshua and Katee as a pair seemed a little show business-ey.
DANCERS: Courtney & Katee
STYLE: Broadway
CHOREOGRAPHER: Tyce Diorio
SONG: "The Trolley Song" by Rufus Wainwright
11. I don't love this dance and it looks like someone missed a connection once or twice. I can't tell if its Courtney or Katee. I didn't feel like I was watching two girlfriends having fun.
11a. Nigel thinks it was Courtney that missed.
12. It didn't seem to me that Katee was comfortable with that dance.
Twitch's solo: "It Was All In Your Mind" by Wade Robson
(Twitch is a nice guy)
DANCERS: Joshua & Twitch
STYLE: Russian Trepak
CHOREOGRAPHER: Youri Nelzine
SONG: "Trepak" from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite
13. I don't know how anyone can say Joshua isn't a trained dancer after that leap and turn at the beginning of the dance. It looks clear to me that he HAS had training (as I've mentioned in previous posts).
14. The dance wasn't really a dance so much as a series of tricks. But, that IS the dance so of course it worked. Since its mostly tricks, its not my favorite. Both Joshua and Twitch have a good time and make it an entertainment. (Though, I would have enjoyed seeing the choreographer and his assistant do the dance more.)
Katee's solo: "Hide and Seek" by Imogene Heap
DANCERS: Katee & Twitch
STYLE: Foxtrot
CHOREOGRAPHER: Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin
SONG: "Feeling Good" by Michael Buble
(They both looked fantastic!)
15. Wow. If Nigel would stop saying Joshua isn't a trained dancer, I would have liked Joshua much more over the series. He DOES have training; we saw a picture of him at the barre in a ballet class! And he was young. And he had to choose between dance and football. For a young man in Texas to choose dance over football, he must have thought he had some kind of talent. (that's my stereotype of Texas and football). Knowing he's had dance training (no matter what Nigel says), I like him better. He does have talent and he's very versatile.
Joshua's solo: "(Not Just) Knee Deep" by Funkadelic
16. Although...I fast forwarded through his solo when he went to the judges dais. Aye yi yi - I don't like it.
17. Did he just get his braces off?
18. Nigel said it again..."untrained" dancer. Stop It Nigel!!!
DANCERS: Courtney & Joshua
STYLE: Jive
CHOREOGRAPHER: Jason Gilkison
SONG: "The Dirty Boogie" by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
19. Again, I feel like there are missed connections. Maybe it is Courtney.
20. Courtney's costume is horrible. It doesn't even match the dance style.
DANCERS: Katee, Courtney, Joshua & Twitch
STYLE: Contemporary
CHOREOGRAPHER: Mia Michaels
SONG: "Hallelujah" by the Vitamin String Quartet
21. Wow - that final four dance really showed Katee to be a better dancer than Courtney. I'm sorry to have seen that. It wasn't just the lift with Joshua that she clearly missed, but there were a couple times she didn't match up with Katee. And even at the end, I did see what Nigel had mentioned earlier - that Katee finishes everything. There was a sweeping kick at the end that looked much better on Katee than it did on Courtney.
Joshua's and Twitch had a jump right next to each other at the beginning that showed Twitch's lack of training.
22. I like that Vitamin String Quartet - I may purchase some of their songs. I liked last week when someone danced to Control by the Vitamin String Quartet. Its unexpected for the style of song to be played by a string quartet. Unexpected is good.
23. Well, one last time (I hope), Nigel mentions that Joshua and Twitch are both "untrained" dancers and it gives hope to all the dancers out there that haven't had training.
Yes, it would - if it were true.
I believe it with Twitch, but not Joshua.
Nigel is interested in cementing his mythology about the show. He could have done it with Twitch alone. He didn't have to keep saying Joshua is "untrained". But, he thinks that because they auditioned with Hip Hop dancing, they must be street dancers and therefore, they must not be trained. I know he's trying to bring dance to the masses and that's a noble goal, but he doesn't need to lie to do it.
So, what do I think?
This show completely broadened my thoughts.
In first place its a tie between Joshua and Katee (I think Joshua will win)
In third place is Twitch, and in fourth place is Courtney.
Good show!
(Thanks to http://ablogaboutthings.com/ for the performance details.)
1. Since the first time I watched this show (Season Two), I've enjoyed how Cat Deeley introduces the show title - she has a lot of enthusiasm.
DANCERS: Courtney & Twitch
STYLE: Hip Hop
CHOREOGRAPHER: Tabitha & Napoleon
SONG: "Church" by T-Pain
2. Why all the deranged girlfriends this season? I guess deranged boyfriends are too real. Crazy is the new cool...or so some think. They'll learn - crazy is just crazy.
3. Is that what twitch wears to the club (suspenders, tie, and vest)? I kinda like Courtney's pants 'cause they're retro cool.
4. I didn't think the transitions were very smooth, but it was a fun dance.
5. I fast forward through Mary's comments.
6. Courtney's interview - I like that she said "I thought I had something to offer the show." It sounds self-confident without being arrogant. And I like how she responded to Cat's question about Courtney's chemistry with Gev. She said, "You don't have to be in love to have chemistry."
Courtney solo: "They Weren't There" by Missy Higgins
DANCERS: Katee & Joshua
STYLE: Lyrical
CHOREOGRAPHER: Wade Robson
SONG: "Slow Dancing In A Burning Room" by John Mayer
7. The theme, according to Wade Robson, is that "love is hard work but its the best thing that you'll ever work for in your life." I like that idea.
8. Joshua and Katee seem to enjoy each other's company. She trusts him completely - and he must be trustworthy because he hasn't dropped her yet.
9. I agree with Mandy - it was an honest dance, danced honestly.
10. Nigel is a little too effusive. He said there was nothing show business-ey in the dance (I agree), but his raves about Joshua (brilliant) and Joshua and Katee as a pair seemed a little show business-ey.
DANCERS: Courtney & Katee
STYLE: Broadway
CHOREOGRAPHER: Tyce Diorio
SONG: "The Trolley Song" by Rufus Wainwright
11. I don't love this dance and it looks like someone missed a connection once or twice. I can't tell if its Courtney or Katee. I didn't feel like I was watching two girlfriends having fun.
11a. Nigel thinks it was Courtney that missed.
12. It didn't seem to me that Katee was comfortable with that dance.
Twitch's solo: "It Was All In Your Mind" by Wade Robson
(Twitch is a nice guy)
DANCERS: Joshua & Twitch
STYLE: Russian Trepak
CHOREOGRAPHER: Youri Nelzine
SONG: "Trepak" from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite
13. I don't know how anyone can say Joshua isn't a trained dancer after that leap and turn at the beginning of the dance. It looks clear to me that he HAS had training (as I've mentioned in previous posts).
14. The dance wasn't really a dance so much as a series of tricks. But, that IS the dance so of course it worked. Since its mostly tricks, its not my favorite. Both Joshua and Twitch have a good time and make it an entertainment. (Though, I would have enjoyed seeing the choreographer and his assistant do the dance more.)
Katee's solo: "Hide and Seek" by Imogene Heap
DANCERS: Katee & Twitch
STYLE: Foxtrot
CHOREOGRAPHER: Tony Meredith & Melanie LaPatin
SONG: "Feeling Good" by Michael Buble
(They both looked fantastic!)
15. Wow. If Nigel would stop saying Joshua isn't a trained dancer, I would have liked Joshua much more over the series. He DOES have training; we saw a picture of him at the barre in a ballet class! And he was young. And he had to choose between dance and football. For a young man in Texas to choose dance over football, he must have thought he had some kind of talent. (that's my stereotype of Texas and football). Knowing he's had dance training (no matter what Nigel says), I like him better. He does have talent and he's very versatile.
Joshua's solo: "(Not Just) Knee Deep" by Funkadelic
16. Although...I fast forwarded through his solo when he went to the judges dais. Aye yi yi - I don't like it.
17. Did he just get his braces off?
18. Nigel said it again..."untrained" dancer. Stop It Nigel!!!
DANCERS: Courtney & Joshua
STYLE: Jive
CHOREOGRAPHER: Jason Gilkison
SONG: "The Dirty Boogie" by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
19. Again, I feel like there are missed connections. Maybe it is Courtney.
20. Courtney's costume is horrible. It doesn't even match the dance style.
DANCERS: Katee, Courtney, Joshua & Twitch
STYLE: Contemporary
CHOREOGRAPHER: Mia Michaels
SONG: "Hallelujah" by the Vitamin String Quartet
21. Wow - that final four dance really showed Katee to be a better dancer than Courtney. I'm sorry to have seen that. It wasn't just the lift with Joshua that she clearly missed, but there were a couple times she didn't match up with Katee. And even at the end, I did see what Nigel had mentioned earlier - that Katee finishes everything. There was a sweeping kick at the end that looked much better on Katee than it did on Courtney.
Joshua's and Twitch had a jump right next to each other at the beginning that showed Twitch's lack of training.
22. I like that Vitamin String Quartet - I may purchase some of their songs. I liked last week when someone danced to Control by the Vitamin String Quartet. Its unexpected for the style of song to be played by a string quartet. Unexpected is good.
23. Well, one last time (I hope), Nigel mentions that Joshua and Twitch are both "untrained" dancers and it gives hope to all the dancers out there that haven't had training.
Yes, it would - if it were true.
I believe it with Twitch, but not Joshua.
Nigel is interested in cementing his mythology about the show. He could have done it with Twitch alone. He didn't have to keep saying Joshua is "untrained". But, he thinks that because they auditioned with Hip Hop dancing, they must be street dancers and therefore, they must not be trained. I know he's trying to bring dance to the masses and that's a noble goal, but he doesn't need to lie to do it.
So, what do I think?
This show completely broadened my thoughts.
In first place its a tie between Joshua and Katee (I think Joshua will win)
In third place is Twitch, and in fourth place is Courtney.
Good show!
Summer Olympics 2008
I'm going to immerse myself in the Olympics.
I enjoy getting interested in a sport I normally don't know anything about. This year I'd like to watch Archery, Badminton, Canoe/Kayak, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Gymnastics, Handball, Modern Pentathlon, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track & Field, Trampoline, Triathlon, and Water Polo.
I want to root for an athlete to win. I want to care.
Between NBC online and on television and the official Beijing Olympics website, I should have it covered. I just have to figure out the time difference and how it will be presented on NBC in primetime. Better get my strategy in place now because in Beijing, its almost 08/08/08.
http://en.beijing2008.cn/
http://www.nbcolympics.com/index.html
- I'm attracted by the synchronicity of the start date - 08/08/08.
- I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Chinese culture and history (without considering the problems they've had with human rights - I'm not sure how we have the nerve to point fingers when we're holding so many people in Guantanamo Bay without any rights).
- One World, One Dream. I have hope.
I enjoy getting interested in a sport I normally don't know anything about. This year I'd like to watch Archery, Badminton, Canoe/Kayak, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Gymnastics, Handball, Modern Pentathlon, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track & Field, Trampoline, Triathlon, and Water Polo.
I want to root for an athlete to win. I want to care.
Between NBC online and on television and the official Beijing Olympics website, I should have it covered. I just have to figure out the time difference and how it will be presented on NBC in primetime. Better get my strategy in place now because in Beijing, its almost 08/08/08.
http://en.beijing2008.cn/
http://www.nbcolympics.com/index.html
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
China and The Olympics
I completely understand that China doesn't have a great record in human rights. I agree.
But, I'm saddened that the Olympics is being used to criticize them.
I just think the Chinese culture is very sensitive to pride and shame. We would do better to allow them to be proud and put on a good show and feel good about themselves. I think they'd be more amenable to talking about human rights.
If they're pushed, either by protestors or the media picking on all their problems, I think they'd be very defensive and more aggressive. They'd be less likely to work WITH us.
But, I'm saddened that the Olympics is being used to criticize them.
I just think the Chinese culture is very sensitive to pride and shame. We would do better to allow them to be proud and put on a good show and feel good about themselves. I think they'd be more amenable to talking about human rights.
If they're pushed, either by protestors or the media picking on all their problems, I think they'd be very defensive and more aggressive. They'd be less likely to work WITH us.
The Mole, Design Star, In Plain Sight, The Closer, Saving Grace, Mad Men
The Mole
I'm looking forward to next week to find out who the Mole is. I think it could be any of them. Mark seemed suspicious yesterday and it was perfect for him to get the Mole's dossier. They've got me fooled!
Design Star
In either case I would have been happy. I was glad Jennifer won, and I was sad for Matt that he didn't win. I think HGTV would do well to include the second place winners for each season in a show somehow - any one of them would be a welcome addition.
In Plain Sight
I like this show. I watched several episodes that had built up over the weekend and enjoyed all the stories. I hope it sticks around for a couple years. I don't need the whole thing with the Mom and sister though. That part bores me and I skip through it.
The Closer
The only thing that bothers me about this show - and I think they're changing it now - is that its not clear what function most of the detectives on the squad fulfill. They seem to be in service to Brenda who does all the solving and they just sit by and watch her work. I'd like the writers to broaden the stories relating to the other detectives. Tao has been funny in the last couple episodes.
In last night's episode, I liked that Fritz stood up to her for once. He puts up with a heckuva lot. And its true - she takes, takes, takes from him work-wise. She never gives back.
Saving Grace
I watch this show as well. Good one. But, kind of depressing sometimes because Grace Hanadarko is so anguished and participates in behaviors that I don't understand. I haven't watched last night's episde yet.
Mad Men
I know everyone loves this show. And I like the look and feel of it. What I don't like is the vagueness of what's going on. My example: In last week's episode, Betty seemed to be implying she was going to give the tow-truck driver something of a sexual nature if he would only charge her 3 dollars to fix her car. And yet, he didn't get anything. She didn't kiss him (which is what I thought would happen) and he didn't ask for anything. There was some kind of understanding that went between them, but it didn't get to me. I just didn't get it. And I get tired of that kind of story. I'm sure its a reflection on me that I need a little more obviousness in my stories. But, I think I'm not going to watch this show.
I will note a peculiar thing. The show is well-loved by many. The show depicts the 'invisible' role of women, in business in particular. And even though the women are a huge part of the story, none of the women actresses were nominated for an Emmy award. That may be perfectly fine - I only note it as a peculiarity.
I'm looking forward to next week to find out who the Mole is. I think it could be any of them. Mark seemed suspicious yesterday and it was perfect for him to get the Mole's dossier. They've got me fooled!
Design Star
In either case I would have been happy. I was glad Jennifer won, and I was sad for Matt that he didn't win. I think HGTV would do well to include the second place winners for each season in a show somehow - any one of them would be a welcome addition.
In Plain Sight
I like this show. I watched several episodes that had built up over the weekend and enjoyed all the stories. I hope it sticks around for a couple years. I don't need the whole thing with the Mom and sister though. That part bores me and I skip through it.
The Closer
The only thing that bothers me about this show - and I think they're changing it now - is that its not clear what function most of the detectives on the squad fulfill. They seem to be in service to Brenda who does all the solving and they just sit by and watch her work. I'd like the writers to broaden the stories relating to the other detectives. Tao has been funny in the last couple episodes.
In last night's episode, I liked that Fritz stood up to her for once. He puts up with a heckuva lot. And its true - she takes, takes, takes from him work-wise. She never gives back.
Saving Grace
I watch this show as well. Good one. But, kind of depressing sometimes because Grace Hanadarko is so anguished and participates in behaviors that I don't understand. I haven't watched last night's episde yet.
Mad Men
I know everyone loves this show. And I like the look and feel of it. What I don't like is the vagueness of what's going on. My example: In last week's episode, Betty seemed to be implying she was going to give the tow-truck driver something of a sexual nature if he would only charge her 3 dollars to fix her car. And yet, he didn't get anything. She didn't kiss him (which is what I thought would happen) and he didn't ask for anything. There was some kind of understanding that went between them, but it didn't get to me. I just didn't get it. And I get tired of that kind of story. I'm sure its a reflection on me that I need a little more obviousness in my stories. But, I think I'm not going to watch this show.
I will note a peculiar thing. The show is well-loved by many. The show depicts the 'invisible' role of women, in business in particular. And even though the women are a huge part of the story, none of the women actresses were nominated for an Emmy award. That may be perfectly fine - I only note it as a peculiarity.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Bill Moyers Journal - Capitol Crimes
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08012008/profile.html
Friday August 1 was a repeat of the show "Capitol Crimes".
Un-Bee-Leave-Ah-Bull.
There is evil in the world. Its up to people who won't cross over the line to keep the evil ones in check. In the case of Jack Abramoff, Ralph Reed, Grover Norquist, and Tom DeLay - they were evil personified. How sad and alarming.
I know I'm late to this story, but I'm just a regular person - its hard to understand the story while its happening.
They're evil because they exploited people's oppressed status (Marianas and Choctaw tribe) and people's religious beliefs (right wing Christians) to generate money for themselves and to bring about a 'new order' of conservativism in Washington.
I'm not clear about what kind of conservatism they think they were exemplifying. Free Market economy? It can't be a free market when the workers are slaves (Marianas). They started their groups built on an ideology. But, what kind of an ideology was it? What was it about the Republicans that made them think that matched their ideology? But, I can't imagine all Republicans would consider exploitation, coverups, money laundering, hypocrisy, name-calling, etc part of their ideology. And yet - Republicans still voted for that whole crowd of evildoers when they elected George W Bush once and again. So, maybe it is part of their ideology.
Ralph Reed is a hypocritical evildoer - he told his Christian coalition people that they should give money to his cause to outlaw the sin of gambling. But, he was getting his money from gambling interests (Choctaw tribe). Despicable.
As a point of interest - Ralph Reed is hosting a John McCain event in the near future.
Friday August 1 was a repeat of the show "Capitol Crimes".
Un-Bee-Leave-Ah-Bull.
There is evil in the world. Its up to people who won't cross over the line to keep the evil ones in check. In the case of Jack Abramoff, Ralph Reed, Grover Norquist, and Tom DeLay - they were evil personified. How sad and alarming.
I know I'm late to this story, but I'm just a regular person - its hard to understand the story while its happening.
They're evil because they exploited people's oppressed status (Marianas and Choctaw tribe) and people's religious beliefs (right wing Christians) to generate money for themselves and to bring about a 'new order' of conservativism in Washington.
I'm not clear about what kind of conservatism they think they were exemplifying. Free Market economy? It can't be a free market when the workers are slaves (Marianas). They started their groups built on an ideology. But, what kind of an ideology was it? What was it about the Republicans that made them think that matched their ideology? But, I can't imagine all Republicans would consider exploitation, coverups, money laundering, hypocrisy, name-calling, etc part of their ideology. And yet - Republicans still voted for that whole crowd of evildoers when they elected George W Bush once and again. So, maybe it is part of their ideology.
Ralph Reed is a hypocritical evildoer - he told his Christian coalition people that they should give money to his cause to outlaw the sin of gambling. But, he was getting his money from gambling interests (Choctaw tribe). Despicable.
As a point of interest - Ralph Reed is hosting a John McCain event in the near future.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
So You Think You Can Dance Top 6 Results Show
Cat Deeley. Along with many of you, I think she's a delightful host. She's interested, kind, willing to be playful, and a friend to all. Some of her outfits and hairstyles are disappointing and others enhance her tall frame, gleaming smile, and full, long hair. She's a beautiful woman with a warm and engaging personality. Her energy doesn't overwhelm the judges or the dancers; she's an added bit of charm that brings it all together. Really, a nice job, Cat.
I'm sorry Mark is gone. Sigh. Boo. I liked his dancing style. But, I know a lot of people really like Twitch.
I noticed when they were about to announce who was leaving, Twitch had to turn around and I could tell he was fixing to get upset. That makes me sad. I don't understand. He can't be afraid of rejection, otherwise he wouldn't have tried to be on the show after last year's near miss. He's never acted upset before when he was in the bottom three with Kherington. Oh well.
I was less disappointed that Chelsie left. She's an excellent dancer. Just based on her performances during the variety of dances she did you'd be hard pressed to know what her specialty is. She had a hard time connecting with her partners though. She seemed to with Mark as I recall, but that's because they had more time together maybe? Or maybe it just looked that way.
Final Four is Katee and Joshua and Courtney and Twitch.
I have a natural inclination to vote for the underdog when there is overwhelming favoritism. In this case, either of the underdogs would be a worthy winner.
I'm sorry Mark is gone. Sigh. Boo. I liked his dancing style. But, I know a lot of people really like Twitch.
I noticed when they were about to announce who was leaving, Twitch had to turn around and I could tell he was fixing to get upset. That makes me sad. I don't understand. He can't be afraid of rejection, otherwise he wouldn't have tried to be on the show after last year's near miss. He's never acted upset before when he was in the bottom three with Kherington. Oh well.
I was less disappointed that Chelsie left. She's an excellent dancer. Just based on her performances during the variety of dances she did you'd be hard pressed to know what her specialty is. She had a hard time connecting with her partners though. She seemed to with Mark as I recall, but that's because they had more time together maybe? Or maybe it just looked that way.
Final Four is Katee and Joshua and Courtney and Twitch.
I have a natural inclination to vote for the underdog when there is overwhelming favoritism. In this case, either of the underdogs would be a worthy winner.
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