Movies I've Seen - This Is 40

• Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are turning 40. But instead of celebrating, they're mired in a mid-life crisis with unruly kids, debt and unhappiness mounding. Pete's record label is failing and Debbie is unable to come to terms with her aging body. As Pete's 40th birthday party arrives, Pete and Debbie are going to have to rely on family, friends, employees, fitness trainers, aging rockers and ultimately each other to come to terms with life at age 40.
  - Written by napierslogs

Another movie I watched...
It was a series of over the top family sitcom scenarios with unnecessarily foul language and a beautiful, wealthy, white family (part of the movie is about their money problems, but their house looked expensive and they both own a business - they may be cash poor, but they're asset rich.).

Suddenly we discover, out of the blue in my opinion, the parents have marital problems and have been seeing a therapist all along.  They turn into obliviously horrible people wrapped in a pretty package.  The Mom threatens a 13 year old boy, the Dad threatens the boy's mother, and they both make the boy's mother look like the crazy one when she takes it to the school principal.

They can only love each other when they blame other people for their problems.

They say horrible things at a birthday party and then there's a magical happy ending.
Just like a sitcom.

At the end, the wife says she liked things better before they tried to change.  When were they trying to change?  Did I sleep through that?

It turns out this movie is supposed to be a sequel to "Knocked Up" which was the story of a couple who hooked up and got pregnant.  They decide to keep the baby and raise it together.  I didn't see that movie.

I wouldn't say I didn't like this movie, and I can't say I didn't laugh.  It just seemed a little disconnected to me and I couldn't follow the emotional beats.

Here's a NY Times review

Movies I've Seen - Zero Dark Thirty

• Maya is a CIA operative whose first experience is in the interrogation of prisoners following the Al Qaeda attacks against the U.S. on the 11th September 2001. She is a reluctant participant in extreme duress applied to the detainees, but believes that the truth may only be obtained through such tactics. For several years, she is single-minded in her pursuit of leads to uncover the whereabouts of Al Qaeda's leader, Osama Bin Laden. Finally, in 2011, it appears that her work will pay off, and a U.S. Navy SEAL team is sent to kill or capture Bin Laden. But only Maya is confident Bin Laden is where she says he is.
  - Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>

I finally watched Zero Dark Thirty.   (Finally?  It was first in wide release just over one year ago.  Movies are in and out of theaters in the blink of an eye these days.)
Did they ever say those words in the movie?   I have since learned it's the military term for the time of bin Laden's death, 12:30 am.

I'll agree with Roger Ebert on this one...
"My guess is that much of the fascination with this film is inspired by the unveiling of facts, unclearly seen. There isn't a whole lot of plot -- basically, just that Maya thinks she is right, and she is."

I wasn't able to follow the logical moves from here to there that allowed Maya to feel so confident that bin Laden was in the compound.
I would say this is a good overview film.  There seemed to be any number of stories that would have been more emotionally engaging.  I was interested in the way the CIA station in Pakistan is run, the people tracking the courier, the Seal team member who looked like he might have roots in the region and was having second thoughts as he walked through the compound with the body bag, the friendship of the two female analysts at the CIA in Pakistan, why Maya was recruited from high school, and a discussion about torture, among other things.

So, now I've seen it.

Working

image on original page

I worry about what will become of humanity.

We've got to get it out of our head that WORK is the primary way to spend the hours of our days and how we get resources for survival.
At some point, there just isn't going to be enough work to go around.

When there isn't enough work for everyone to have a job do we let people starve because they're "too lazy to find work"?

***

I read more and more articles like this that make me wonder...
"Will Technology Make Work Better for Everyone?"

Colossal - Art and Visual Culture

I was introduced to an online magazine Colossal - Art and Visual Culture via Feedly this morning.
These three items blew me away...

Stainless:  Hypnotizing Slow-Motion Footage from Trains Pulling into Stations by Adam Magyar
Why was I struck by this?  Because I feel connected to each of the people through this moment: their lives, their thoughts, their story.  It feels immediate and real to me.  I'm overwhelmed by the energy and love that a person expresses when they are alive...each and every one of us, in each moment.  Whether I know these people or not, every person on Earth experiences their story with the same energy that I experience mine.  I don't think we often acknowledge that because it can be overwhelming.  Every once in a while I'm reminded of it.

A Lion Made from 4,000 Pieces of Hammered Metal by Selcuk Yilmaz
Why was I struck by this?  There is so much detail and it takes a huge dedication to craft and requires focus and patience.  It also looks amazing.

The Incredible Underwater Art of Competitive Aquascaping
Why was I struck by this?  My first thought when I saw these pictures was that someone had designed the aquascape in a reef or lake or other natural body of water.  Fantastic!  It seemed reasonable because they make coral reefs don't they?
It turns out these are aquariums (I should have noticed the tiny fish).
I still like them.  I like water, and I've always had the idea that I'd enjoy creating mini landscapes or dioramas.  So, the aquascapes appeal to me on a couple levels.
Once again, I'm impressed by the dedication to craft, attention to detail, and patience it takes to create these.

It occurs to me, oftentimes I feel blessed and lucky to have been born in the United States.  I wonder if the fish who live in this aquarium feel the same sense of gratitude.  I suppose not.  But, this would be a cool house for a fish.  Check out the website for several others.

To check out more interesting art and visually ingenious items go to Colossal.  I'm glad it's on my Feedly.


UPDATE (a little later)  I see that the sponsor of the video at the top of this post is Optronis.  It looks like they make slow motion cameras.  Anyhoo - their motto is "Make Time Visible"  Aha!  Yes.  Another reason I like the video...I am like a turtle, I move slow, and a slow motion image gives me time to see more.
Also, I'm reminded of my favorite idea in Star Trek Insurrection:  A lifetime is lived in a moment.




Warning:  Excessive flirting in this next scene...






And don't forget the classic Star Trek The Next Generation episode called "The Inner Light" when Picard lives most of a lifetime in a matter of minutes.

Seahawk Seattle, Saturday night ( 2014 01 18 )

photo by Rod Mar

Blue Friday

The people in this town are on fire!  Sunday is the NFC Championship game against rival San Francisco Forty-Niners, here in Seattle.
I learned years ago I get too upset when my team doesn't win, so I can't be a full on fan, but I'm happy for the people I know who are FANs in the truest sense of the word.
And, I'm proud of the 12th Man.  I like the regional pride.
Go Hawks!

To celebrate, here's an article from Slate Magazine that celebrates the connection of father and daughter through the Seattle Seahawks.

Robert Gates on CBS Sunday Morning

Former Secretary of Defense (December 18, 2006 - July 1, 2011) Robert Gates has published a memoir called "Duty".  He was on CBS Sunday Morning to talk about it with Rita Braver.
These are my takeaways from the interview:
1.  He now lives in a town outside Seattle.  Welcome!  He's not from around here so I'm not sure why he chose to retire in the Pacific Northwest, but he said he and his wife have known they would retire here for years.
2.  While Secretary of Defense, and in private, he was angry all the time and wanted to leave government all the time.  Why?  "...getting anything done in Washington was so damnably hard."   He had to fight his own war within the Pentagon to get Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles produced.  It seems odd, to me, because these would protect the troops and it's a no-brainer to fund that.  Gates said, "It's beaurocratic inertia, it's unwillingness to spend money on a war that everybody expected to be over soon."
3.  He faults President Obama for not having a passion for pursuing the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

It's one thing to tell the troops that you support them.  It's another to work at making them believe that you believe, as president, that their sacrifice is worth it, that the cause is just, that what they are doing is important for the country.  And that they must succeed.  President Bush did that with the troops, when I was Secretary.  I did not see President Obama do that.  And as I write in the book, it was this absence of passion, the absence of a conviction of the importance of success that disturbed me.

By the logic Robert Gates is proposing, the only way to support the troops is to believe the policy the troops are carrying out is the correct one; that it is a just cause and their sacrifice is worth it.
But Obama doesn't support the war.  He inherited Iraq and Afghanistan.  He was elected in large part because the country doesn't support the war.  How does that make the troops feel?
Obama has done his best to support the troops by getting them out of harm's way.  I think that shows a lot more care for the troop's well being than promoting war until victory.


After their original interview some time ago, and subsequent to the reaction to the book, Rita Braver talked to Robert Gates again.

One of the things he's been criticized for (and I agree with) is that he's written critical things about President Obama while he's still in office about ongoing policies, particularly his commitment to the war in Afghanistan.
Gates says he made it clear in the book that he agreed with all of Obama's decisions regarding the Afghanistan war.  His one concern is that the President had reservations whether it would all work.  He thinks that's a fair thing to say.

He also says:

Here I think you have to look at the entirety of the book.  And the fact that it deals with getting into wars, getting out of wars.  And frankly it seemed to me that with the experience and perspective of working for 8 presidents and having been secretary for 4 1/2 years, I didn't think that waiting until 2017 to weigh in on these issues, and in a comprehensive and thoughtful way made any sense.

He continues...

In a way, the way people are looking at the book reflects the polarization of our political process at this point.  A lot of people, not everybody, is going to look at this book in terms of 'how does it advance my particular political agenda', or 'how does it damage my political agenda'.  And my objective was to stand back and try to provide a nonpartisan look at the kc and try to provide a nonpartisan look at the kind of issues that have riven our country and riven our government for the last number of years.

I think Mr Gates is hoping people in the current administration will read his book and learn from it while they're still in office.
I find that interesting above all.
It's both genuine and naive.

Television I Watch - Parks and Recreation - Stop Hating on Jerry!

Season 6 Cast Photo

I enjoy Parks and Recreation because it's wacky and has an optimistic, kind heart.  I like that.  

I wish they'd stop hating on Gary/Gerry/Larry/Lenny so much.

They've gone overboard lately.  There isn't any trace of humanity.

He takes it well, and I know he's a character on a television show.

It really hurts my heart.

Especially because these are nice people.  Where does all this hate come from?

I suppose the writers think the absurdity is what makes it funny.

It's too much.  Dial it back, please.

Here are some articles about why everyone hates Jerry:

Why We Hate Jerry Gergich

The Problem of Gerry Grgich:  Pity and Comedy on Parks and Recreation

I Don't Wanna Grow Up: The Real Reason Why Everyone Hates Jerry

Parks and Recreation: A celebration of every ill-fated exploit of Jerry Gergich

Local News Starts the Day

I turned on the local news this morning and this is what I heard in the first minutes at 6:35am:

1.  Ski areas have just received some snow, but they need more and have lost revenue so far this winter.
2. A pedestrian was hit and killed on a busy highway.  Witnesses say he deliberately ran into the highway (not in a crosswalk) to avoid nearby casino employees who were chasing him because he'd just stolen from the casino.  He was rushed to the hospital, but died of his injuries.
3.  A man is being sentenced today for stabbing his former girlfriend to death at the home she shared with her two children.  While he was in prison on other charges, he'd written her letters telling her he was going to kill her.  Two weeks after he was released he did.
4.  A 28 year old woman wrote a lengthy letter telling the police that if she ever turns up dead, it was her ex boyfriend who did it.  She said no piece of paper (restraining order) would protect her; at least, with the letter, they'd know who did it.  A few days ago, policy found her body.  She'd been strangled in her bed at the home she shares with her four children and her mother.  The ex boyfriend is cooperating with police and at this time they cannot connect him to the murder.
5.  Later today, a man is being sentenced for stabbing his cousin to death on Christmas Eve in 2012.  The cousin called him a name and that caused the man to react.
6.  The trial of a man accused of killing six members of a family has been delayed because the judge wants to be clear on how the death penalty may or may not be applied in the case before it goes to trial.

And then it was 6:38am

Eek - that's a negative and scary way to start the day.  I only wanted to know the weather for the weekend.


I wonder if these are really news stories.  It's more like a police crime roll.  The news would be the story behind the story, wouldn't it?  What are the factors contributing to these events and is anybody trying to effect change?   That sounds like news to me.

I actually like KIRO for my local news.  By 6:30, they've been delivering 'news' for two hours already, since 4:30 am.  The 1/2 hour before CBS This Morning is supposed to be a quick condensed version of all the news for the day.  If I continued watching, they'd get into the weather and traffic and the big Seahawks game this weekend.

An unanswered question

Note:  I originally wrote this post in April 2009 and either forgot to post it, or posted a modified version (I found this in the drafts section).  It's nearly five years later and the divide is growing wider.






I wonder if we'll ever be able to work things out in this country? And the world for that matter. It seems to me there are people born with a positive, hopeful attitude and others who are born with a glass half empty, its a dog eat dog world attitude.
How will we learn to live together?

One side is motivated by hope and the other by fear.

Should Edward Snowden receive clemency?

What is clemency?  Its the power of a president (protected by the Article 2 of the Constitution) to pardon an individual and either forgive the act altogether, or reduce the sentence.  The most famous pardon was when Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon.  The presidential decision cannot be questioned or overturned.

Last Sunday, the New York Times wrote an editorial that Edward Snowden should be pardoned for leaking NSA secrets.

According to an article in The Guardian, Edward Snowden said he didn't trust the internal system developed to report complaints about the NSA.

One of the main criticisms levelled at Snowden by the Obama administration has been that he should have taken up an official complaint within the NSA, rather than travelling to Hong Kong to share his concerns about the agency’s data dragnet with the Guardian and other news organisations. But in an interview with the New York Times, Snowden has dismissed that option as implausible.
“The system does not work,” he said, pointing to the paradox that “you have to report wrongdoing to those most responsible for it.” If he had tried to sound the alarm internally, he would have “been discredited and ruined” and the substance of his warnings “would have been buried forever”.

On one side, I want people to use the prescribed processes for whistleblowing.  But, by requiring that, are the rules being given more prominence than the truth?
On the other side, if we do grant clemency, does that set a precedent that could easily get out of control?

In both cases, the bottom line is that we can't trust that every person will do the right thing.
If there's a valid complaint to be made, we can't trust that every person in power will take the appropriate action.
And if one person is granted clemency, we can't trust that every person who claims this benefit would have the best interests of the nation in mind.

I don't think I'd have the courage to be a whistleblower.  It's huge.  It changes your world in a way you won't be able to take back.  But, if you're going to do it, you have to take the consequences.  That's the power of civil disobedience.  That's why Ghandi and Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela were a force for change - they accepted the consequences of standing up against wrongdoing.

Staying silent has consequences, and courageous acts have consequences as well.

I don't know the right answer, but my gut instinct is that Edward Snowden should come back to the United States.  I think he should serve some time.  Unless we hear more about how these leaks have caused the death of other Americans, I don't think he should serve more than 5 - 10 years in a minimum security prison.

What do I know?  I don't feel right making any kind of judgement because I purposefully make sure I'm not in a position where I'd have to make this kind of decision.  I'd probably pick silence and I'm ashamed that I would.

Specks on a Dot

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

Earth - as seen from Saturn by the Cassini space probe.  Look at that little dot!  They had to put an arrow on the picture so you wouldn't think it was dust on the lens.
More than 7 billion people are on that dot!!!!

How can I feel so big in my space, and in reality be SOOOO small in the universe?

It's not just me.
President Barack Obama takes up about the same amount of space.
And, even though Vladimir Putin wouldn't like to believe it - HE'S just a speck on a dot too!
So are all those people fighting throughout the world in the name of religion...You're specks on a dot, people!
We're ALL specks on a dot.


Reminds me that life on Earth is a miracle, and it makes no sense to worry about anything.

More Television

A favorite show from 2009/2010 that I wish hadn't been cancelled.

I recently found a list of television shows I had on the Season Pass of my TIVO in 2009.  Again, for the sake of looking back and because television seems to be a big part of my life (I made the list because I needed to organize my TIVO schedule - that says a lot about TV in my life!), this is what I was watching:

Lost, The Amazing Race, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, So You Think You Can Dance, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Modern Family, Community, 30 Rock, The Mentalist, Bones, Project Runway, Ugly Betty, Stargate Universe, Defying Gravity (I don't even remember this show), Better Off Ted, In Plain Sight, Saving Grace, The Closer, My Boys, and a lot of news and lifestyle shows including America's Test Kitchen, CBS News Sunday Morning, Washington Week, Bill Moyers Journal, C-SPAN's Q&A, Independent Lens, Frontline, Property Virgins, House Hunters, Divine Design, That's Clever, Chopped, and The Next Iron Chef.

I didn't watch every episode of all these shows; but they were available.

This Day

Mount Rainier, around 4:45 pm 1/4/2014 from Levee Road in Fife.  After a clear, chilly day, the sun was going down, casting it's last light on the mountain and there was a beautiful glow that I wasn't able to capture.  What this picture does show is that you may be surprised by stunning beauty around any bend of the road.  You never know.

"Our future may lie beyond our vision, but it is not completely beyond our control."

Robert Kennedy

That's a reminder that the things I do today, create the tomorrow I hope to live.

Everyone Has a Story

I'm very curious about how people live.  I enjoy a peek into their real lives - a moment, an experience, a generation.

CBS This Morning shared a piece about a website by Brandon Stanton called HUMANS OF NEW YORK where he takes pictures of strangers in New York City and tells a little bit about their story.
I'm overwhelmed by the energy created when billions of people live on Planet Earth.  We affect each other, even when we don't mean to.
We can change the world if we would only hold hands.

Other places to hear people tell a story of their life:
The Moth - True Stories Told Live
StoryCorps
Risk - True Tales, Boldly Told
Snap Judgement

Of course, all those radio shows came to me via KUOW and OPB

The First New Day of 2014

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an art but a habit.” — Aristotle

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping, into the future...

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future (Fly Like An Eagle, by Steve Miller Band)

Time to look back at 2013 and look forward to 2014

I would say 2013 is the year I was shell-shocked. 

Personally, I’ve been confronted with some (not all) truths about myself. 

While I appreciate the clarity, it hasn’t helped me figure out how best to live my life. 

I still don’t get it. 

I had a breakup in 2012, but it was in 2013 that it took a toll on me.

I feel sad for myself on several levels, but at the same time I know how blessed I am and I’m grateful for this journey.

I like exactly where I’m at.

How can I be sad and happy at the same time for the exact same life circumstance?

Beyond my own life, there’s a lot of craziness in the world.

Strange weather, tornados, typhoons. 

Violence all over the world; Syria, Egypt, Sudan.

NSA spying, race relations.

Government shutdowns, gerrymandered districts, Tea Party conservatives holding us all hostage.

Bombings and mass shootings in schools, malls, and marathons.

The great cultural divide in the US makes for mean and nasty discourse that solves nothing.

Pope Francis has brought a new attitude to the Catholic church that feels like home.

The Royal Family of William, Kate, and George is cute as can be.

Gay marriage is legal in 18 states including my own state of Washington.

There are a lot of smart, good people making the world a wonderful place.

How can I be sad and happy at the same time for the exact same circumstances?

So, that’s the state of my world at the end of 2013. 

For 2014, my watchword is Restraint.

I’ve been self-indulgent in the last year which has led to general laziness and not enough money saved.

I speak too freely to people.  I share too much.  I don’t think people care, and I end up feeling like an idiot when it’s all done. 

So, I want to be restrained this year.

In general, I should think twice before I say or do anything.

Tonight I went to the Garden d’Lights at Bellevue BotanicalGardens.

I had been wishy-washy about going the last couple nights.  I wondered if I’d be the only one in the park  since it’s New Year’s Eve and we had rain earlier in the day.   But, those are the kind of excuses I make that keep me at home.  I decided I don’t have to wait until tomorrow to start being a better person, so off I went.  I was definitely not the only one.  It was beautiful.  It really was a garden.  There were lights in shapes of all kinds of flowers and critters.  They even made a river and waterfall of light.  Really glorious.   The pictures on their website are much better than mine, but I'm not too disappointed in what I was able to capture.  I used the night/landscape setting on my Nikon Coolpix.

Now here is my wish for all of us in the new year:
For 2014 I wish all of us courage, a forgiving heart, joy-filled days, a safe home, plenty of food, curiosity, peace, and the comfort of knowing you are loved.  

A Life

"People ask: 'Why do children or young people die, when they have lived so little?' How do you know that they have lived little? This crude measure of yours is time, but life is not measured in time. This is just the same as to say: 'Why is this saying, this poem, this picture, this piece of music so short, why was it broken off and not drawn out to the size of the longest speech or piece of music, the largest picture?' As the measure of length is inapplicable to the meaning (or greatness) of productions of wisdom or poetry, so—even more evidently—is it inapplicable to life. How do you know what inner growth this soul accomplished in its short span, and what influence it had upon others? Spiritual life cannot be measured by a physical measure." - Leo Tolstoy

Television I Watch - The Sing-Off

I enjoyed The Sing Off this year.
The show only lasted a few episodes and took a couple weeks.  Good choice.  I don't know why, but it doesn't work as well when it lasts too long.  I watched Season 1 in its entirety, I only partially watched Season 2, and didn't watch Season 3 at all.   This season I watched it all again.
Jewel was the new judge this year and I thought she added a lot.  She has musical know-how in her critiques.  Last night she performed what I thought was a stunning version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".



This year, I was rooting for Vocal Rush - a group of high school aged kids from the Oakland School of the Performing Arts.  Two of their performances stand out for me...

This is the first song of the first episode - and its why I became a fan.  The song is by a group called Delta Rae, so I'll for sure be purchasing their album based on this song.


And the second was their 'battle' round with another group called "Elements"...

Lots of fun and perfect for the holiday season.  Thanks NBC!

Watching Television

I've always enjoyed watching television.  I can't be snobby about that. 

In the last year I've been spending a lot of time alone, so I watch even more.  

For the sake of eventually looking back at myself during these days, following is a list of what I've been watching this fall television season:

Shows I look forward to watching:  Sunday Night (Amazing Race, The Good Wife, The Mentalist), How I Met Your Mother, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Survivor, Modern Family, Thursday Night (Parks and Recreation, Big Bang Theory, Project Runway, Elementary, Grey's Anatomy, Covert Affairs)

Shows that weren't on this fall, but I'm looking forward to their return:

Doctor Who, Community, The Americans, Orphan Black.  

Shows I like to watch:  Mom, 2 Broke Girls, Major Crimes, New Girl, The Mindy Project, Raising Hope, The Middle, Almost Human, American Ninja Warrior, Hollywood Game Night

Shows I've seen at least once:  Hostages, We Are Men, Castle, The Voice, Marvel's Agents of Shield, Welcome to the Family, Sean Saves the World, The Michael J Fox Show, Back in the Game, The Crazy Ones, The Millers, The Goldbergs, Trophy Wife, Super Fun Night, Ironside, Person of Interest

Shows I meant to try:  Sleepy Hollow, Reign

That's a lot of TV.  And, it's not even all inclusive...I watch the news (KIRO, CBS Morning News, CBS Evening News, and Sunday Morning), I watch repeats of Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Frasier, and Grey's Anatomy.  I watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report (when I stay up late), I watch House Hunters International.  

In the next few days I'll consider how I can make best use of my television viewing time.  I don't mind that I watch a lot of television.  I would like to watch less news (repetitive) and make sure I'm really enjoying the shows I do watch.  

It occurs to me...

What I'm really good at is helping people define what they don't want.

It's a gift.


Update 12/24/2013:  I had something specific in mind when I wrote that, but when I read it back the intended sarcasm and self-deprecation is not apparent.  Oh well.

Movies I've Seen - Prometheus

I watched this movie (Netflix DVD) late this afternoon when I should have been doing laundry, picking up the house, packing items up for Goodwill - any number of productive activities.
And yet - I'm not disappointed.
I enjoyed it.

Ridley Scott, director of Alien and Blade Runner, returns to the genre he helped define. With Prometheus, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. -- (C) Official Site

There were a few cliche characters (why would you hire a malcontent for your two year voyage?) but they weren't on screen long enough to ruin the show.
On the other hand, the characters I liked weren't on screen long enough either.

The reason this movie appealed to me was because it asked the same questions I like to ask - where did we come from and why were we made?

Expect an 'Aliens' type experience. It all comes full circle, which I appreciated as well...:)

I'm not mentioning any details in case you're home on a gray Sunday afternoon, you feel like immersing yourself in a good story, and you don't want to do your chores...:)  You may decide to watch the movie.

"Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?

I've always thought that was a funny line from JR Ewing when his wife Sue Ellen walked in on him in bed with another woman on the television show Dallas.  

But, it's more true that not.

In this Slate article we learn that our brain will use context to 'tell us' what we're seeing.  Interesting.

These two squares are the same color!  Put your finger over the area where they meet and you'll see.

That should make all of us pause when we try to say what is true.  

A few more words about Nelson Mandela

Bill Clinton did an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC in which he talked about Mandela...

He once told me that he lived on hatred when he went into prison because he was young and he was being abused and he was out there cracking those hard rocks all day and he said after about 11 years he realized that they'd already taken about everything they could take from him except his mind and his heart.  He said I realized that those are things you have to give away and I decided not to give them away.

I thought that was profound on many levels.

• Bringing the hatred with him as he journeyed day to day became a heavy burden for Mandela.  For each of us, we should let the hatred go.
• For many people it seems time in prison allows for a personal reflection on the meaning of life which often leads to spiritual growth, change, and maturity.  That's the best outcome for a prison sentence and I wonder why it happens for some and not others.
• For most of our great spiritual leaders (Jesus, Ghandi, Buddha, et al), they are removed (by choice or not) from the lives they understand and are forced to confront life in its most basic form - which often leads to great spiritual and personal awakening.  And gives them the strength and wisdom to lead.

And...here's an article about the day Mandela was released from 27 years of prison.  

Nelson Mandela 1918 - 2013

An extraordinary life. An extraordinary man.

In my previous post about Nelson Mandela I mentioned a song. I found the song. I don't know if this is the original version, but this is definitely the chorus I remember. "Free Nelson Mandela".  It really sticks in your head - which I remember thinking even back then was a very good way to get people to remember his name.

A tribute to Nelson Mandela by Desmond Tutu

Well what do you know about that?

1. vickster

A woman full of charm and wit, she makes a great friend and a wonderful partner, and she thinks personalised shoes are chavvy!!

She totally rocks shes a prime example of vickster

mark as favorite buy vickster mugs & shirts

amazing trustworthy funny beautiful gaffers 
by gaffers February 16, 2012 add a video

7 up, 2 down  

  

From The Urban Dictionary

Chavvy - also from the Urban Dictionary - has something to do with branding.  It's considered negative.  Also, I don't have a shoe fetish so I'll ascribe only the first part of the definition to this Vickster!  Yay! :)

If I can do it, you can do it too

Maria Kang posted this picture of herself on Facebook.
She received a number of negative responses as described in this Yahoo article

“I wanted to inspire people,” she explains, adding that the “What’s your excuse?” part was simply a borrowed, popular phrase that’s been used in various “fitspiration” campaigns. “I wanted to say, ‘I know you think you don’t have time if you have kids. But if I can do it, you can do it, too.’” 

***

"If I can do it, you can do it too."
In other words, you and I are exactly alike in body, mind, and spirit.  We value the same things and have the same physical abilities.  Since I did it - you're a lock to be able to do it.

"If I can do it, you can do it too."
In other words I've awarded myself the award for laziest (or, fill in your own bad habit here) person in the world, so if the laziest person in the world can do it, it will be easy for you.

"If I can do it, you can do it too."
In other words, I've got all these obstacles and I managed to do it.  Your obstacles can't be worse than mine, so you can do what I've done.

Is there any scenario in which "If I can do it, you can do it too" is an okay way to encourage someone.

How about just saying "I support you"

Foie Gras

photo credit

This American Life story about how foie gras is created.

Foie gras is the fattened liver of a duck or goose.  The controversy comes from how the liver is fattened. The bird is force fed a mash of corn and fat for for 21 days (I believe) until the liver is fattened and then the bird is slaughtered.  

Why?  Because a fattened duck or goose liver tastes 'better' than a regular duck or goose liver.  It's a delicacy.

The story on This American Life is about a man in Spain who has developed a natural way to fatten the liver. He takes advantage of the genetic impulse of migratory birds to store a lot of fat in their bodies before their long flight south.

The birds fatten themselves!

...and then they're slaughtered.

Foie gras isn't even a necessity - humans don't NEED foie gras.  There is no justification for torturing animals for the sake of satisfying a selfish palette.

It's easier to see how wrong this is when you don't eat foie gras.

Along those same lines, it's easier to see how wrong it is to eat animals when you've stopped eating animals.

WalMart

It's the holiday season at WalMart.

This is a link to videos of some WalMart shoppers on Black Friday.  
I think the people here think this is fun - many of them are smiling and laughing.

Notice in the video called "WalMart Black Friday fight for TV 2013" the police are trying to bust things up. The girl continues to fight the police as if they're still battling for the television.  
Also, notice the person to the right who will not budge an inch while the police are trying to subdue the television girl.

I imagine this must be what it's like after the apocalypse when we're all fighting for food.
I can see I'll lose.

I hate WalMart for helping to create these conditions.  WalMart exploits people coming and going (workers and vendors and consumers).  It makes me mad that the Walton family profits from it while remaining largely invisible.

Here's the link to another story about WalMart - they're supporting a food drive for their own employees.

I can't see how anyone doesn't see that WalMart is the beginning of the end for us - not just the poor shopping behavior, but the way they do business in general.
Anyone who shops at WalMart is agreeing that this is how we should go.
I know that's a strong indictment against a small act (shopping at WalMart) - but it's the way I see things.

It's a new day...

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
                                                                                                         Anne Frank

All the Doctors

Still thinking about Doctor Who...marathon of fan favorite episodes today.
Here's that picture I was looking for yesterday...

Youthful Activism

Madison Kimrey - poised, intelligent, active.  Excellent.
I wish I knew how to multiply and encourage this in other young people...and adults...and myself

She spoke at a rally in North Carolina about voter suppression laws in NC.

Update: Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special

I can't seem to get a picture of all the Doctors at the end of the episode.  I'll have to use this one...

The episode was confusing in its regular way (how did they get there?  why are they doing that?) but very satisfying in its heart and soul.  I was worried about how they'd use Billie Piper and David Tennant as Rose and the Tenth Doctor.  But, I loved it.  'Rose' was the conscience of the machine that destroyed Gallifrey and Billie Piper did a fantastic job.  The Tenth and Eleventh Doctors were a fun team, while John Hurt as the War Doctor was a wonderful balance.  I always enjoy Matt Smith.

Definitely glad I watched the two prequels, and I also watched a special that was funny..
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

I also forgot to mention earlier that the Google Doodle today was about Doctor Who

Yay, Doctor Who! :)

Doctor Who, JFK, Bob Dylan, Gettysburg Address, tornadoes, healthcare, filibusters and a sunny day

Bob Dylan's new "Like a Rolling Stone" video is an interactive channel surf.  Use the up and down arrow keys to move through each channel where people are lip synching to the song.  Is this revolutionary?  It seems like a reasonable next step technology-wise, and I wonder why more people don't do it?  Does it make the file too big, or does it cost too much to create?  Anyway - it's interesting.  I was most impressed with all the people lip-synching because they stayed true to the theme of their channel.  They must have loved being part of the video.

Yesterday (November 22) was the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F Kennedy. Commemorating the day has been the catalyst for a lot of television/radio/newspaper/magazine/internet talk about JFK, Jackie, the Kennedy's, the 60's, the baby boomers, the politics, and the what ifs.  My thoughts go out to Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg.  I can't imagine how she's managed to be herself when the world wants her to represent everything about her family.  I suppose she doesn't know anything different.  Given that, I'm curious to know how she learned to be so normal at the same time.  I'd be too self-conscious to know how to walk like myself - or know who myself is.
Slate's Political Gabfest had a conversation about JFK that was interesting without over sentimentalizing.
NPR Weekend Saturday/Scott Simon had a couple interesting stories; JFK had the wit to lampoon himself and After Kennedy's Death, Wife Jacqueline Embodied Grace

November 18 was the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.  It was 272 words spoken during the commemoration of the battlefield at Gettysburg Pennsylvania.  Lincoln's short speech followed the 2 hour keynote speech.  Folks in the old days were much sturdier than I - I can't imagine standing around that long (though come to think of it, in November 2007 I stood around for a couple hours waiting to hear Obama speak at the Oregon Convention Center).
The last line of the Gettysburg Address:  "...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Two points:
First, in our current days some people believe that if we don't continue fighting, then their soldier relative who died will have died in vain.  I read somewhere that that idea was born from this speech - or at least reinforced.  But the truth is two dead people doesn't make the first person less dead.
Second, it's a rallying cry for the union, which is powerful...'shall not perish from the earth'.  Shivers.
Watch politicians (4 Presidents) and celebrities (Stephen Colbert!) read the Gettysburg Address on Ken Burns' website.

Another anniversary - 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who.  Special episode simulcast live all over the world today.  In my time zone, it's shown on BBCA at 11:50 am.  Although David Tennant's Doctor and Rose Tyler are in the episode, there will be no Christopher Eccleston, which breaks my heart. Even still - a new episode that has a ton of hype around it.  I didn't enjoy the last season's episodes after Amy and Rory left.  I like Matt Smith as the Doctor, and I like Jenna-Louise Coleman as Clara Oswald, but the stories didn't hold together for me.  Oh well - they can't all be winners.  Anyway - to prepare for the viewing in less than a couple hours:
Mini-episode prequel, The Night of the Doctor
Mini-episode prequel, The Last Day
A primer from The Daily Beast   


Last Sunday, tornadoes flew threw the Midwest.  This video by Mark Wells has given me more understanding of the terror and grief people experience as the result of tornadoes than anything I've ever seen. It brought tears to my eyes for the raw emotion we hear.  So, thank you to Mark Wells for helping me understand.
I don't think I could go on living there, but I get that people don't want to leave the area they feel attached to. I wouldn't leave the Pacific Northwest.

I'm tired of broadcast media (even my beloved CBSNews This Morning) distorting this story.  They've lost perspective and they're not being informative.  
The New Yorker podcast called The Political Scene told the story I think makes sense.  Yes, I have lots of questions and would appreciate if things had gone better and that the plan was closer to single payer, but the website problems are not a reason to throw out the whole plan.

Finally!  The Senate has changed the filibuster rules!  YAY!  To be clear, I realize this may be a problem when the Republicans have a majority of Senate seats.  But, for all these years of Obama's presidency he's had to claw and fight to get his nominations through because the Republicans have 'filibustered' everything.  And it's not even a REAL filibuster like Mr Smith Goes to Washington - it's the threat of one where they don't even have to keep talking.  Anyway - how can a president be expected to run a government when he can't even put his people in place?  It's ridiculous.  One of the privileges of winning the election is that you get to put people in your government that you want.  The Republicans haven't let Obama have that, and then they rail and scream because he doesn't do anything.  Aargh.
Anyway - here's a series of articles from the Washington Post Wonkblog that talk about the filibuster
The DC Court is the court at the Center of the Filibuster fight.  Here's why it matters
One huge effect of filibuster reform:  Obama can actually fire people
The world's leading filibuster expert on what happened today and what to expect next
Everything you need to know about Thursday's filibuster change
Harry Reid's bid to save the Senate
The filibuster move is great news for Obama's financial reform agenda
Nine reasons the filibuster change is a huge deal
White House, allies weigh nomination strategy under new Senate rules

And finally, we've been very lucky to have crisp, sunny, fall days.  This is a picture of Lake Washington from Medina Beach looking toward Mercer Island and Mt Rainier toward the left.  I took it on Friday 11/22/13.


And that's what's been on my mind this week.  If I had better focus and discipline I might have made these individual posts throughout the week.  Writing this up has taken long enough that it's now time for the Doctor Who episode "The Day of the Doctor".  Enjoy Saturday!

9:10 on 11/12/13

Anything Goes at the 5th Avenue

I enjoyed the Cole Porter musical "Anything Goes" at the 5th Avenue Theater today.

The two numbers I enjoyed the most (and received the most applause) were the last song of the first act, "Anything Goes" and the second act song "Blow, Gabriel, Blow".  Those were the two songs that had the most dancing.  Both can be found on YouTube.

The singing was fantastic - everyone had a wonderful voice.

I love live theater.  I appreciate the effort the cast and crew put into creating a nice experience for me.  

I was sitting in the back.  Sadly for the 5th Avenue it was not sold out.  But, for me it was wonderful to spread out.  No one was sitting around me.

I have a hard time sitting still for plays.  99% of other people are still and quiet during the play.  Me?  I fidget and shift around, I cross and uncross my leg, I sit up on the chair, I sit back.  I feel a lot of pressure if someone is behind me.  Today - no one was behind me so I could change my position all I wanted to.