Friday, December 23, 2005

In the spirit of Christmas

A friend of mine, T, is a postal worker in the area and keeps a pretty decent blog.

He related one of the nicest story of giving I have heard in a while. Check it out here!

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

"In the immortal words of Socrates, 'I drank what?'"

I have done a good job avoiding the malls this Christmas season. I shopped primarily with Amazon.com and in little Mom and Pop stores throughout the Western Mass. area.

The other night I saw a store called Plato's Closet. Always on the lookout for a unique shop, I did a drive by, totally expecting a store featuring puzzles, mind games, etc. This to me would make sense. Plato the philosopher would appreciate a shop with "heady" items like puzzles.

To my surprise, it was a used clothing store, apparently aimed at young adults. A sign prominently displayed, announcing they not only sold but would buy your old clothing.

It then came to me:

This store must be named for the late Dana Plato, star of the eighties sitcom Diff'rent Strokes.

In the end she succumbed to drug abuse. I imagine she probably sold a lot of her clothes to buy smack.

I found this store's homage to be a little distasteful. I kept on driving.

Birthday Playlist

The office had a birthday party for me today. Lunch was shipped in and it ended with a round of AApples to Apples" One of my favorite co-workers made a cd for me (legally). Here it is with a Rhaposdy link if you want to listen to it. Not included because not found on Rhapsody:
"I'm Feeling Good" - Holly Golightly & Dan Melchior
"Mondjuba" - Angelique Kidjo
"Relate to Me" - The Voyces


Rhapsody Playlist:
1. Dreams Be Dreams - Jack Johnson
2. Ladyfingers - Luscious Jackson
3. Crying Shame - Jack Johnson
4. In The Waiting Line - Zero 7
5. Grazing In The Grass - Hugh Masekela
6. Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes
7. Super Duper Love - Joss Stone
8. For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
9. True Love Is Hard To Find - Toots and the Maytals
10. Beauty In Your Eyes - Chris Ardoin/Double Clutchin'
11. The Revolution Solution - Thievery Corporation with Perry Farrell
12. Your Love Gets Sweeter - Finley Quaye
13. Fruits Of My Labor - Lucinda Williams
14. Stimela - Hugh Masekela
15. Melissa - Allman Brothers Band
16. Anywhere - Beth Orton

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

"A Voter's Lament" or "I Voted Today"

I have never missed voting in an election. The big ones are easy. Presidential elections, gubernatorial, Senate and the House; all of these have major campaigns and hopefully they have gotten their ideologies out to the public, (although more likely they have smeared their opponents with attack ads and you are left trying to asses a candidates position by figuring out what their opponents have not attacked them on...but I digress).

However, it is the little town elections, when the biggest race is mayor, or city council, or board of education, that I have the hardest time with. You would think these little dinky elections would be easy, right? I would have too, but they just suck for someone who is obsessed with being involved in the election process as I am.

When I was 18 and living at home, I would get the low down on the candidates from my dad, who was involved in politics at the local level. He would basically get out the ballot in the newspaper and rate each candidate on two categories: Were they an asshole and what issues they supported. I would like to say that the issues won out over assholedness, but I can't. All of his opinions were based on inside information; you really can't rate the asshole level of a candidate without getting involved in city council.

So now here I am, in a different state and screwed. Without my dad giving me the low down, I have to assess each candidate on my own. There is no way I am getting involved with local politics; my civic engagement stops at voting. And the newspaper is no help. There was no platform statements or track records or a nifty color graph charting the asshole level of each candidate. What are you to do?

Maybe I could find someone who had some insights on the local races. Well, I am afraid to say that few people share my civic sense of responsibility. I could only find one colleague who had voted. I asked her about her strategy. She shared my frustration of the lack of information available for local politicians so she came up with a strategy of her own. She said she voted for all women. I think she was working under the assumption that women are less likely to be assholes then men. Interesting theory, but I need to see some evidence to support it.

At the end of the day I still knew nothing about the candidates on my ballot. As I got closer to my polling station, the anxiety level rose. My worse fear was to help put or keep an asshole in office. Is voting blindly worse than not voting at all?

As I pulled into the parking lot of the polling site, I was pretty worried about the implication of what I was about to do and then I had something more than an idea but less than an epiphany. Perhaps it was a brainstorm? I don't know what it was but it felt right at the time.

What occurred to me was that I pretty much have found most politicians to be cloying and insincere. I have especially felt this way the last eight years. The wrong people are getting into office. If this is true than I should vote for only people that would unseat an incumbent candidate. Full shift of power. So that is what I did. I voted for all the challengers. I imagine voting blindly like this would make the founding members of America cringe, but hey what is more American than blurting out an opinion without any information to back it up.

I have no idea if that was the right strategy, voting for all challengers to seats. However, in life I have found that it is almost always right to route for the underdog.

Friday, November 04, 2005

Too Much Information

The office that I work in gets a multitude of mail promoting anything that would be an interesting and entertaining to bring to a college campus. Believe me when I tell you that it can run the gamut.
Today, a president of a club brought to my attention a small postcard advertising a gentleman that claims to be an "Explorer, Wildlife Handler, Lecturer, Author".

The name of this wildlife expert?

Rusty Johnson

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Trapped in the Boondocks

I have to apologize for the failure to update for the past few months. I would love to tell you it was due to a pilgrimage to Nepal to learn ancient blogging arts to combat evil and bring the funny, but really I have been uninspired to write anything.

However, tonight I have been inspired to write, and I hope you in turn will be inspired to do two things which I will list later.

So why now I am I posting, you ask with baited breath?

Well because this Sunday night at 11:00 eastern time, the next great television show premieres. Aaron McGruder's "The Boondocks" airs on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

Never heard of "The Boondocks"? Well you have a lot of catching up to do. The Boondocks is a comic strip involving two kids living with their grandfather. 10 year old Huey is how I imagine a pre-teen Calvin of "Calvin and Hobbes" would turn out. Politically astute, and well spoken; Huey points out the ridiculousness of today's society in a way that is always funny.

His 8 year old brother Riley is a product of the Hip-Hop generation and is a great foil to Huey. Both kids have grown up in the city. However, upon retirement, their grandfather moved them to suburbia and now they most live in a rich neighborhood where the hypocrisy around them knows no bounds.

Based on what I read, the satire in the television show will not be as current as the strip (each episode has been in development for over a year). However it sounds like it takes the issues head on. The people at Cartoon Network gave them full creative control and, from what I have read and seen, they have used it.

If you are curious about this great comic strip and show, check out the following links:

The Comic Strip
The TV Show
A Review
Some Reading


Now for the 2 things you can do for me that I mentioned earlier:
  1. Watch "The Boondocks" this Sunday at 11:00 pm on The Cartoon Network.
  2. Let me know if you missed me in my long hiatus. A comment or two may just be the inspiration I have been looking for!

Friday, July 01, 2005

30 Days

I just watched '30 Days', a new show on FX that takes a person and immerses them in a particular lifestyle for 30 days. The episode had a Christian man from West Virginia, move to a community of Muslims in Dearborn, MI and live as a Muslim for 30 days.

It is a great concept for a show and it really was well done. I think new episodes air on Wednesdays at 10:00, but they are repeated a few times during the week.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

"Back in the USSR" or "The War of the Rings" or "Don't be 'Putin' that in your Pocket"

Damn, those Russian's are slick. Here's hoping that this incident doesn't start WWIII.



For Putin, it's a gem of a cultural exchange - The Boston Globe - Boston.com - Patriots - Sports

Update: According to this article, Mr. Kraft sets the record straight and says that he did intend to give the ring as a gift. I am not so sure I buy it. If it is true, is that a slap in the face to the palyers? Debate is now open in the comments section.

Regardless, I know that I will sleep a little bit better knowing that WWIII has been averted once again!

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Live 8

I am doing my part to get the word out on "Live 8". Technorati is trying to get 100,000 blogs to comment on it, so here is my entry. More details to follow...

Monday, June 27, 2005

I am a Statistic

I completed this survey of people who keep blogs. It was interesting and pretty short. If you keep a blog, fill it out and help the research.

Ian

Take the MIT Weblog Survey

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Mother sets fire to daughter's rapist

Oh the questions this conjures:
  • Why would a convicted rapist get a three day pass from prison?
  • How does the mother go into a bar carrying a container of gas, get close enough to pour it on this guy, and light him on fire?
  • Why hasn't someone given this woman "The Hot Mama Award" for excellent defense of her daughter and service to the public?
Mother sets fire to daughter's rapist

Friday, June 24, 2005

Which Star Wars Character Are You?

Hmmmm, a little too close to the truth, I think!

Tom Cruise is nuts!

Well if anyone was on the fence about it, Tom Cruise is officially our newest crazy celebrity! Watch the second half of the clip. It's not what he is saying, but the manner in which he says it that puts him over the top!

Congratulations, Tom. I was rooting for you!

'I'm passionate about life' - Today Entertainment - MSNBC.com

CNN.com - High court OKs personal property seizures - Jun 23, 2005

I don't know what is more scary, the fact that this ruling really impacts homeowners and once again puts commerce over quality of life, or the fact I am agreeing with Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, as well as Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.


Brrr, I just got a chill!

CNN.com - High court OKs personal property seizures - Jun 23, 2005

Muppets move to center stage for Movies.com - Yahoo! News

Now this is a celebrity endorsement I can get behind. Waldorf and Statler are just what the movies needed.

Now if we can get the Swedish Chef on The Food Network, I would be more apt to tune in!



Muppets move to center stage for Movies.com - Yahoo! News

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Hermes Apologizes for Oprah Snub - Yahoo! News

Okay, I am seriously disturbed by this article. Take a second to read it and then come back.

So Oprah arrives at a store a full 15 minutes after it closes and is denied service. Apparently, they had a shindig they were prepping for, and basically the inconvenience of letting Oprah and her entourage shop was not as important as said shindig.

You would think that would be it. Any other person would have moved to the next shop and be done with it. But here is Oprah's version of Turtle (from HBO's Entourage, if your not watching it, you should be) Gayle King throwing down the race card and comparing it with the movie Crash. Gayle King is a no talent "journalist" who used to anchor the news in the Hartford, CT market. Apparently she and Oprah have been friends for years and she is always on Oprah's coattail.

And King reports that Oprah says it is one of the most humiliating moments of her life? Really? Get a grip on reality. Be pissed that you were denied access. You believe it was personal decision not to let you in? Ok. But to be humiliated by this? Please! You think this was a racial incident? That is an insult to anyone who has been REALLY discriminated against. Your "humiliation" is that your stature wasn't enough to cause the rules to change. You know what, Winfrey, tough shit. To compare your "plight" with the situations in Crash is so offensive. Your company actually is calling it her "Crash moment"? I think your reaction to this will go down as your biggest humiliation. How skewed does your perspective have to be?

It must be those $6500 handbags.

As always, comments are welcomed.

"Come Hear Uncle John's Band" part 2

The next day, we broke camp and made it to the festival a little past 10:00 am. We got a much better vantage point under the willow and settled in. I was much more committed to the music as I felt I had seen everything the night before.

Most importantly, my parents were really enjoying themselves. They are so committed to doing things as a family that I fear they just go to humor us. I think we pushed the limit at Falcon Ridge last year, with the heat and the huge hill climbing, but Clearwater never went above 80 degrees and it was very relaxed.

A few highlights of the weekend included:
  • Seeing Pete Seeger everywhere. My mom even talked to him. He then sat down on a blanket a few feet away. I got the following pictures:


Pete Seeger
Posted by: nai71.



Pete Seeger
Posted by: nai71.

  • Performances by "Black 47" and "The Bacon Brothers". Here are some "Black 47" pictures. I didn't take any of "The Bacon Brothers"



"Black 47"
Posted by: nai71.


  • The biggest highlight was, of course, "The Indigo Girls". They rocked! They are two of the best musicians out there. The came out on the stage with their two acoustic guitars, but it sounded like they had a full band backing them. We had every intention of leaving a couple of songs early to avoid the inevitable traffic jam, but couldn't pull ourselves away until their last song. If you have a chance to see them live, don't hesitate. There stage presence and energy makes their shows an event to experience. Here are a couple of pictures:







We departed Croton Point park at just a little past 8:00 on Sunday night. Thankfully the Falcon Ridge lineup looks to be much more well rounded. I can't wait for that one!

For the rest of the pictures from the weekend, go here.

Ian

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

"Come Hear Uncle John's Band" part 1

The whole family kicked off our music festival season with the Clearwater Festival in Croton-On-Hudson, New York this past weekend. This was my second trip to the festival (you can read about my first adventure here) but my first with the entire family.

Overall the music was weak, with the highlights being my new favorite "Black 47" and the "Indigo Girls" (of course). An honorable mention goes to "The Bacon Brothers", but in all fairness, I did doze off during their set. We set up camp under the willow tree far in the back, and it was just soooo comfortable.

The overall festival was a lot of fun. To start at the beginning, we camped at Harriman Park, my dad, Brian (Brother-in-Law), and I leaving Friday to set up camp. My mom and sister joined us on Saturday morning.

That Saturday morning, as I was coming back to camp after taking a shower, a deer was in our campsite! It made no move to scamper away as I approached. It kept looking at me while it searched out picnic table for food. Finding none, it moved to a neighboring site and was hand fed by the occupants. I got my camera and took the pictures below:


Deer in neighbor's campsite
Posted by Hello


Deer in our campsite
Posted by Hello


Deer (I have named him Arzt)
Posted by Hello

After that, we headed out to Croton Point Park and set up our blanket under "The Willow"


"The Willow"
Posted by Hello

The first day was spent meandering around the park, checking out the vendors, walking through the renewable energy ten, and listening to music. The lineup for Saturday really had no one exciting emerge. I liked a lot of what I heard, but I didn't want to rush out to buy a CD or anything. Buy the end of day one, we were only sticking around to see a potential Pete Seeger sighting. Pete Seeger is a hero to my parents and he is affiliated with this festival and often will sit in on a song or two with different performers. The second to last act was Mike Seeger, so we figured the possibility was high that Pete would make an appearance during Mike Seeger's set.

We were right, and happy to see him pick his banjo for two songs, we packed it in and headed to the only place that makes sense when you are camping with the pickiest eaters on the face of the planet: The Mall. To quote Joliet Jake Blues, "This mall's got everything", including a "Macaroni Grill" which meats all of our dietary constrictions.

We then headed back to camp and were pretty much asleep when our heads hit the pillows.

To be continued....

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Batman Begins

I went to see Batman Begins last night and proved it just might be my favorite comic book adaptation yet. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that they got it right. Christian Bale did a great job as a tormented Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine was perfect as Alfred. In fact all the actors were perfectly cast (with Katie Holmes the only exception. Even though she did rub my head in a bar in NC, I do have to say she just seemed to naive to play a hardened assistant district attorney. She is a fine actress, but she didn't bring much to the part).

In my teenage years through my early twenties, I worked at a comic book store and at that time in my life, I read everything I could get my hands on. I loved the mythos of all these superheroes, in particular Batman. I remember my best friend in high school and I lining up for the first showing of Tim Burton's rendition of Batman and, with the old Christopher Reeve's Superman as my barometer, thinking, "wow they really nailed it".

Conversly, I remember a few years later seeing the Joel Schumacher version of the franchise and remember thinking how far it had fallen and was convinced that this would be the last Batman film for a long time.

But here it is, 8 years later and this film makes Tim Burton's Batman look campy. Years ago, I was really incredulous that Michael Keaton would make a good Batman, but after I saw the film, I thought there could be no better. Yet, Christian Bale does a great job capturing a young Bruce Wayne.

So before I geek out too much (too late), let me just say that if you are a fan of Batman, run out and see the movie. If you are a casual fan, add it to the list of summer movies you want to see, and go see it at your next opportunity. As for me, I can't wait to see it again.

Monday, June 13, 2005

An Open Letter to the Michael Jackson Jury

Congratulations, your four months of jury is up and you can return to your respective lives. Before you do, I was hoping I could get one question answered. I have a feeling that if I don't ask, it might really nag at me, so I just better ask it. This has happened to me before, and I never asked the question. I have regretted it ever since. In fact, I really can't look at Orange Juice the same way.

My question is, "How can a grown man, who has admitted that he encourages children to sleep in his bed, ignoring any kind of social boundaries, be found not guilty on all the counts that he faced?"

I mean, ok, you might have believed the defense when they argued that the mom of the accuser manipulated the system to extort Mr. Jackson. So I can see there being reasonable doubt in the most severe charges facing him, but when it comes to the counts of attempting lewd acts and providing alcohol to a minor, can you truly find reasonable doubt? Witness after witness described the inappropriate manner that Mr. Jackson behaved. Can you honestly say all of his motives were just? Even if he was found guilty on the counts that carried misdemeanor sentences, a message would have been sent. But what message have you sent?

I guess I just have one follow up question, "If you had the opportunity, would you let your 13 year old boy spend unsupervised time with Mr. Jackson?"

Thanks for your service to our infallible justice system.

Bloglines

In a search to organize all of the sites I visit daily, I found this cool on-line tool to keep track of any sites that offer RSS.

Bloglines

What is Bloglines?

Bloglines is a FREE online service that helps you subscribe to and manage lots of web information, such as news feeds, weblogs and audio. Bloglines tracks the information you're interested in, retrieves new stuff as it happens, and organizes everything for you on your own personal web news page.


Check it out!

The new and semi-improved "House on Stilts"

I wrote this post on the house on stilts. Well, it is becoming very apparent that if we don't do some minor (read:major) repairs in the near future, House on Stilts will become Pile of Wood. So, being the over enthusiastic people that members of my family are, we ignore most of the critical areas of "HOS" that need attention and decide to paint the porch. The idea is to move everything on the porch to the yard, clean from ceiling to floor and apply paint to every surface. We added the additional goal of being done by noon, 1:00 at the latest and get some beach in.

I enlist the help of honorary* family member Greg, and we set out early Saturday morning for a nine o'clock arrival in Matunuck, RI. We meet up with my mom and dad, sister and brother-in-law at The Breakfast Nook. As with any adventure concerning my family, some wrenches had already worked into the grand plan. The major wrinkle was that the paint had not been acquired, so half of the group would drive the 30 minutes to the "local" Home Depot and pick out the paint, while the other half would remove the furniture from the porch and begin cleaning.

I am delegated to cleaning crew. We complete the task at noon, but the paint still hadn't arrived. My thoughts of laying by the ocean were fading fast. We waited just long enough for me to get the workings of the first sunburn of the season, when the paint arrives.

We trudge in and set to work painting the ceiling. Greg turns out to be a real asset, because he had a lot of experience painting. Under his direction, we make quick work of the ceiling. We take a break and ask for the paint to be used for the wall.

We are handed a quart of paint. This is clearly to small of an amount to do the job. So Greg and I drive to "Home Depot" to buy another gallon of paint. An hour later, we return and get back to work. It is now 3:00 and apparently the non-painters have decided that painting the ceiling in the cottage would be a great idea. I however do not see the merits of that idea, with the day waning and with it the possibility of even a pre-sunset stroll along the beach.

We finish the walls about 4:00 and the non-paint crew decide to put the trim on the window sills. I have no idea what went into the color selection, but "Pepto-Bismol" pink is never a good idea. This setback killed any thoughts of continuing painting the interior of "HOS".

Finally, it appeared that the painting chore was just about completed and that it was time to get dinner. I took a shower, and while scrubbing off all of the paint, I came to the conclusion that, if this painting exercise was any indication, I better come into some money quick and hire professionals or the House on Stilts is doomed! I will keep you updated.

*We use the term honorary, even though we are unsure of where the honor lies. We felt the original term of indentured servant to be too mean.

Tea for Two

I have always been very interested in the British culture. I have no interest in the royals or any of that, but since visiting Great Britain in 1992, I have an affinity for the culture, and consider myself pretty knowledgeable about their way of life. However, I was recently visiting author Neil Gaiman's site and he mentioned that, as an Englishman living in the US, the one thing he will never get used to what we pass off as tea. You can find his original complaint here.

Apparently adding a bag of tea to hot water isn't the proper way to make tea. After posting the above, he received a lot of questions as to the proper brewing of tea. He researched it and posted the proper way to make tea. Ever since reading the post and studying the references, I am determined to make tea the "proper way". I now need to find an acceptable tea pot and some Indian Ceylon tea leaves. And, while I am out shopping, perhaps picking up a life would be a good idea.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

An Evening with Kevin Smith

My previous post got me thinking about the celebrity phenomenon. I don't know what it is about celebrity sightings that make them so fun for me. Normally, I am pretty anti-establishment and get irked at most mob mentality that celebrity stalkers display, but I have to admit that seeing a famous person is a cool thing to me.

Part of my job is helping student's entertain themselves. That is a very simplistic view, and I won't bore you with my thoughts and theories on how putting on events teaches students more about themselves than most classroom activities. I just bring it up because I get to meet all sorts of performers and every once and a while one of them falls into the "celebrity" column.

My biggest job related high at this point has been meeting film director Kevin Smith. In the spring of 2000, my students at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) decided to invite Mr. Smith to speak at the college. I have to admit that I was psyched about meeting him. As advisor, I would be able to not just meet but pretty much hang out with the guy, and in my book, there are few movies that I enjoy more than his Jersey films (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back).

I have to admit I was pretty nervous meeting him, but he was so laid back. He spent a lot of time with the students working on the event and was happy to pose for photos and sign autographs. He then went on stage and immediately opened the floor for questions. No prepared speech, just "Ask me anything" and the audience did, for 3 and a half hours. The only break in the questioning was a glimpse at his soon to be released (at the time) animated series Clerks.

By the third hour, I kind of wondered what other questions could be out there. My sister, who traveled down from Connecticut for the event, must have been thinking the same thing, because she whispered to me "What fries do you like better: McDonald's or Burger King". That killed me.

He then graciously stayed at the venue until 2:00 am, signing an autograph for any student who wanted one.

Pretty cool, if you ask me.

I took a ton of pictures at the event . Here are the two best. The one on the bottom is hanging in my office framed with an autographed photo that reads "Ian, Thanks for making sure I knew where I needed to be, Kevin Smith"



Kevin Smith signing autographs
Posted by Hello


Kevin Smith and me (on the right). The guy on the left is my former student, the soon to be famous Richard White.
Posted by Hello

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

New York Stories

This past Saturday, my mom and I headed into New York City to see "The Glass Menagerie" starring Jessica Lange and Christian Slater. While I was excited for a day in the city, I have to admit that I was less than excited about the play. I head read some less than flattering reviews and it is not one of my favorite plays, but in the end I figured that the chance to see these actors is worth risking a matinee of bad theatre.

As it turns out, the play was really good. After the intermission, my mom finagles the usher into letting us sit in some empty front row seats (the house was only half full, and there were plenty of seats left empty in the orchestra). So there were under 6 feet away from famous people. I have no idea why that is exciting to me, but it was really cool to be that close to the actors. I mean come on, Jessica Lange was in "Tootsie"! And Christian Slater? "Heathers" and "Pump Up the Volume"! So he may be a little on the crazy side, grabbing women's asses in the early morning hours, but he was Clarence Worley for God's sake!

I digress... After the play we make our exit and see a small group hanging around the stage doors. We decide to join them to see if we can get a glimpse. All I really wanted was a picture for this site, but after 10 minutes, we decided to give it up and walked towards Times Square.

Times Square was busy so we turned down 44th street. On this street is the Belasco Theatre where Denzel Washington is starring in "Julius Caesar". My uncle, who works for Broadway.com took me to see it a couple of months back while it was in previews. Unlike "The Glass Menagerie" experience, seeing Denzel Washington did not make up for the torture of sitting in the tiniest seats ever installed in a theatre (I literally had bruises on my legs where the seat in front of me gouged into my shin). I honestly can't say if the play was good or bad as I had to go into a trance-like state to cut off the excruciating pain that these torture device seats were causing me.

Again, I digress... So here we are walking down the street toward the Belasco. There is a large crowd assembled outside the theatre. I figure they must be waiting to catch a glimpse of Denzel Washington come out of the stage door. Just as I though to my self that that will never happen, the crowd becomes animated and camera flashes start going off like crazy.

We rush to join the crowd and see that he is behind a barricade, signing autographs for people who were waiting in line. These people must have been to the show and were invited to wait in line for autographs. So we muscle are way up to the barricade and all I want to do is take a picture, again to add to this site, but his back is to us and all I have is my crappy camera phone, so I know he will have to be close if I want any clarity to the picture.

As the line for autographs is getting shorter, the anticipation grows. All of a sudden he moves to right in front of me and I manage to get two photos. My mom is trying to put a pen and paper in his hand when his manager says "Julius Caesar playbills only" as a general direction to the crowd.

So my mom, the ever resourceful one who is now directly in front of Denzel Washington says, "Would it be alright if I touch you?" to which he nods. He then adds with a grin, "That'll be fifty bucks!"

My mom replies, "It is worth it, I won't wash this hand ever again" to which he says in the definitive Denzel Washington voice, "I really hope you do!"

So not only did we get a chance to see Denzel Washington up close and personal, but my mom had a legitimate back and forth with the man. I on the other hand got the two photos posted below and a "Mom groping a strange man" story that I will be telling the grandkids!




Posted by: nai71.




Posted by: nai71.

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Full of 'Craps' part 3

Shaun and I step up to the table and plop down are entire budget for the event: $60 dollars each. We receive a handful of red chips and put down two red chips ($10) on the pass line and the sweat on our respective brows appears.

The first roll of the dice is a "7", which at this point in the game is a winner for us. We are now $10 up and I get cocky. The next roll is an 8, and the cycle begins. My money on the table is a wager that the an "8" will be rolled before a "7". While the odds are not in your favor, it is pretty close to 50/50 so I "bet the odds" and put another red chip down to back up the bet.

Shaun does not do this back up bet, which is significant. The primary objective is for Shaun and I to go home with exactly the same (or even better, more) money as the other. To end the evening with less money than the other person is an unbearable thought, so it is rare that we do not bet exactly the same. Misery loves company, they say, and I'll go one step further that success loves solitude. In all honesty, either of love when we are in the position to say that the other person made "X" amount, but I ended up with $10 more.

So here I am with more money on the table than Shaun and a "7" is rolled. So I am down $15, while Shaun only lost $10. Damn! This will mean I will have to be more riskier with my wagers to gain the lost ground. I vaguely am aware that Dennis is still with us and has chips burning a hole in his pocket. He says something about playing blackjack and he would see us later. I wave him off and get back to the table.

I lose a few re wages and I am down to $15. I am ready to hang it up, but Shaun (with significantly more chips than I) wants to hang on. I begrudgingly agree as the dice are handed to a new roller. She rolls the dice and this is where our luck changes. We are betting conservatively, no backing up the bets, no side bets. By the time her end runs, I am up to about $70 bucks in my pocket and I am feeling ready to take a risk.

She loses the dice and it is given to an elderly gentleman with the most perfectly coifed hair I have ever seen. He places the dice in front of him, meticulously turns each die so that his lucky numbers are facing up, and slowly lobs them down the table. A "10" is rolled and the cycle has begun. I back up the bet, which is risky, as a"10" is harder to roll than a "7". However the payoff is 2 to one on the back up so I am in. I also start making some side bets on the "6" and "8" to come in. Every time he rolls a "6" or an "8", I get $14 bucks, and that happens multiple times.

Shaun and I are on a roll, but the meticulousness of the old guy with the fancy hairdo is too much and I am getting annoyed at how long he is taking with each roll of the die. I point thus out discreetly to Shaun.

"He must put the same amount of time into his hair as he does rolling the dice!" I observe.
Shaun looks surprised and gives the guy a once over, "I really thought he was a woman".

At this point the guy hits the "10" we needed, and we continue a long steady climb to winning more chips. This goes on for a while; chips laid down, dice rolled, winnings picked up. It was a great feeling. After what felt like a long while, "The 'do" finally loses the dice and Shaun and I decide it is time. We had been at the table for a while and felt our luck could change at any moment and we had quite a good run.

I call for a "color in" (meaning your red chips are exchange for higher amount chips of different colors so you don't have a unmanageable wad of chips) and the tally comes to $163, a net profit of $103 dollars. Not my biggest haul but close. I anxiously await Shaun's tally to see if I will have to bear the shame of walking out with less then him.

The dealer says "Wow that is weird, you both have the same amount." I scratched my head. We hadn't been betting the same but in the end we had both leveled out. Ecstatic about the situation we turn and see Dennis approaching.

"Dennis, we are up $100 each, isn't that incredible? We had the best run!", I exclaim.
He replies with all sincerity, "That is great! I did well too at the blackjack table."
"Really, that is awesome. How did you do?", I inquired.
He opens his hand, reveals 1 $100 chip and 2 $500 chips and says "OK, I recouped my poker losses."

And as the excitement of making a quick $100 is suddenly replaced with a curiosity of what losing and winning $1000 in one day must feel like, I turn to Shaun and say, "What do you say we come back next week?"

We find Dan and head for the exit, stopping only to watch Dan place a wager on the roulette wheel. Dan has an annual tradition of coming to the casino and laying $100 down on either red or black at the roulette table. Up until this evening his record is 1 and 1. Tonight he puts his money on red and his record stands at 1 and 2.

The trip home is filled reliving the evening and congratulating each other on how well we did (and consoling Dan), but I think in the back of our minds we were thinking, "Next time I am going to turn my $60.00 into a thousand."

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Full of 'Craps' part 2

Upon arriving, Dan met up with his family and Shaun and I started the circle in search of our table. We have a friend Dennis who is a big time poker player. I have never watched him play, but he does eat and sleep poker. We usually invite him on our casino runs to add a little legitimacy to our entourage.

Shaun had been calling him most of the day but had yet to connect. I decide to give his cell phone one last ring as I had a strong suspicion he was already at the casino. I got his voicemail and explained we were at "Foxwoods" and he should call my cell if he was there.

Meanwhile, we couldn't find the nerve to start betting at $10 tables so early in the evening so we each resigned ourselves to putting $5 into a quarter slot machine. After losing that in 30 seconds, we decided to eat at the $13.95 buffet.

The length of the line to the buffet was intimidating at first, but the attendant said it would only be a 25 - 30 minute wait. We decided to go for it. As soon as we had gotten in line, a battalion of people passed by us claiming they had folks further up in the line holding their spaces. I was ok with this until an elderly couple just walked past the end of the line and stopped just ahead of us.

Normally I would have said something, but to be honest the women of the twosome looked like a scrapper with a walker and was just looking for a reason to go upside someone's head with it. So I resigned to a nasty sideways glance in her direction and let it go.

At this point my phone rings. It is Dennis. As I suspected he was there (and had been for 11 hours). He says he is having a miserable day and would like to join us for dinner. He met us at the line (after losing a battle with the rope barrier that separated him from us). It was pointed out that we were now the obnoxious people holding place for people in line and the irony of the situation was a little embarrassing. It subsided as we got closer to the front of the line.

It should be stated here, that Dennis has taken a very different career route then the rest of my college friends. He has had at least half a dozen jobs in laboratory settings since graduating with a bachelor's degree in biology. While I could write a half dozen different things on Dennis' exploits, what you need to know is that he really wants to be a professional poker player. I have never met someone so comfortable on the floor of a casino than Dennis.

So, as soon as Dennis meets up with us, he is on the phone describing the play by play of his round of bad luck to one of his poker buddies. It sounds as if he couldn't get a break and was at that moment down $1000.00.

Shaun and I hear this and turn sickly green. We can't imagine being in a position of being $1000.00 up, let alone losing that amount. Even though Dennis is a little crabby about his loss, he buys us dinner with his casino points. I know for me, if I was that much in the hole, I wouldn't be able to eat, let alone pick up a tab! But that is Dennis for you!

By the end of dinner, we were all stuffed and as ready to hit the tables as we would ever be. Dennis needs a break from poker and heads with us to reconnect with Dan. We find Dan and find a craps table that had space for us.

To be continued...

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Full of 'Craps' part 1

About every six weeks or so, a regular group of my friends and I head on out to the Connecticut Casinos to try to bring a few dollars home that we normally wouldn't have. This group consists of high stakes "gamers" (gambler has such a distasteful ring to it) and those of us who get feverish when there is $5 on the line.

My friend Shaun and I fall into the latter category. We have probably made the trip to the casino 10 times in the last few years and every time it is the same story: we separate from our high roller friends, circle around the casino for 45 minutes, trying to find the allusive $5 minimum bet craps table. As soon as we do, we plop down our $5 and hope to God we don't lose it. It's not that we don't have a little extra to bet with, but each red chip (the equivalent of $5) represents eating lunch out, or half a movie ticket, etc. and to just give away money for no reason is against my nature.

Normally we head up on a Tuesday or Thursday after work so the crowds are more manageable and the $5 tables are a little less scarce, but our friend Dan was traveling up to meet his cousins this past Saturday and asked if we wanted to go.

So we loaded up the car and drove the 90 minutes to the Casino. Upon arrival, our worst fears were realized; the place was packed. Geniuses that we are, we forgot that the Preakness was run that day and of course all casinos would be packed with people betting on the ponies and then playing table games. The true travesty is that there would be no $5 tables. If we were to "game" this evening, the stakes would be considerably higher....$10 to get in on the game.

To be continued...

Thursday, May 19, 2005

The freaks come out at night

As I have done with the first two installments of the new episodes of Star Wars, I went to the 12:01 am showing last night. I go not only for the movie, but also the experience of being out with the fans. I am by no means a fanatic: no costumes for me, and to be honest, I only know what I have seen in the films. So, while these movies are some of my favorites, I don't obsess on it like some of the more zealous fans do. I do enjoy seeing the films with people who have a passion for it. It ensures the right amount of applause at the appropriate time in the film. It is really a phenomenon that only happens at these early morning first screenings. Plus watching some of the freaks in costume passes the time while waiting for the show to start.

Last night was different. There were 8 of us and we all met up at 9:00 to grab a bite and check out the scene. Upon eating and inspection of the theatre, we decided to head over to a sports bar to kill some time. At 10:30, (an hour and a half before the show time) we headed to the theatre fully anticipating to have to jump into a line and wait at least 45 minutes until the theatre would let us claim our seat. We were surprised as we were ushered in immediately to a half filled theatre.

I can't say that I was disappointed to not have to wait in line, but a small part of me wishes that we did have to put some time into standing in line. It is part of the experience and really that is what these outings are for me. The movie could be a disappointment, but the experience makes it worth it, listening to the over-analyzed diatribes of people obsessed with the films, some in elaborate costumes. It is really something to experience. I even intended to snap some pics to post here, but the absence of a line made that part of the evening moot.

So we claimed are seats and waited 90 minutes in the hottest theatre I have ever been in. It was "Africa hot" or "Hotter than the hinges of Hell" (I'll let you pick your metaphor). Only a few folks had costumes (mostly cloaks and capes). Overall, it was pretty tame.

Luckily any disappointment that I had in the lack of pre-show craziness was offset by what was the best film of this new series, tying in new to old in the appropriate manner. I am not going to comment on it, because the 'net is full of reviews of the movie these days, but for those who have been jaded by the last two volumes, give this one a chance. I think you will like it.

By the time the film ended I was doused in sweat (because of the movie, or more likely the freaking hot theatre!) and a feeling of satisfaction that I had not experienced with the first two.

As I drove home at 2:30, I noted how pleased I was with my decision to stay up for the first show. I then realized that I was even more psyched about my decision as I had taken the following day off from work. I always forget how much being a fan kicks your ass!

Nai

Monday, May 16, 2005

Magnum P.I.


Just going through pictures on my camera phone and found this one that made me laugh.

This was taken on a visit to Wilmington, NC to visit my friend Shannon. We we're at a boat race on the Cape Fear River and noticed this gentleman (second from left) in a beret and, what was accurately described by our friend Bob, as "Magnum, P.I. shorts."

Priceless!

Posted by Hello

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Open letter to all the future contestants of "The Amazing Race":

I realize that I was late to jump on the bandwagon of this show, but I already have observed the following pitfalls. This is my advice to anyone who makes it on the show:

  1. If your relationship is falling apart, it will not get better by adding the stress of an around the world race. The Amazing Race is not relationship therapy, nor is it a test to measure how well you work together under stress. The stress of marriage is very different than the stress of bungee jumping off a 150 foot bridge.
  2. Referring to any country outside of the US as a "third world country" makes you really look like the arrogant American you most likely are and if it is said by people that have the words "model" or "actor" in their resume, you come off extremely obnoxious.
  3. If you are over 60, good for you! You don't stand a chance, but bravo!
  4. There is ALWAYS a flight leaving earlier than the one you are on.
  5. No matter how far behind, there is always a chance.
  6. No matter how far ahead you get, remember that no lead is safe!
  7. Be wary of any previous winners of reality t.v. shows. They are shifty and will sabotage you at any turn.
  8. Phil the host only likes you if you are in first place.
  9. The prettier you are, the farther you will go.
  10. Yelling at people that don't speak english won't make them understand you.
  11. Hire a local to guide you whenever possible.
  12. Being smarter than everyone else is a nice quality, but the Amazing Race is a physical contest. If you are counting on your ability to outfox the other teams to make up for your physical stamina, you will quickly be eliminated. I would suggest a pre-race workout routine of rope climbing and repelling, heavy lifting, running and rowing.
  13. Lastly, when approaching the final pitstop, make sure to pay your Cab fare. Apparently karma is a huge factor in "The Amazing Race"
I hope this list is helpful. If it is, a small portion of your prize would be appreciated!

Nai

"Is this the Real Life? Is this just fantasy?"

I have spent most of my life disinterested in sports of any kind. That is not to say I didn't try as a child. Soccer and basketball were attempted for a season, baseball for 2. I was forced to abandon these activities because I found it interfered with my ability to fit in the 4 hours of T.V. that was a huge part of my daily routine.

So now, when most of my male friends discuss (read: obsess) on sports and reciting statistics ad nauseum, I am lost. Sure I can counter with "The reason Don Knotts (Barney Fife) left 'The Andy Griffith Show' was he had understood that Andy Griffith would not do more than 5 seasons so he signed a film contract and was obligated to leave even when Andy Griffith continued" and other nuggets of pop culture history.

However, it is very hard to avoid sports and I am mellowing with age. So when I investigated Yahoo's fantasy league baseball, I saw an opportunity to make something I find to be a rather dull spectator sport and add some participation. Now I can obsess with the best of them. I am memorizing stats, researching players, and in 3rd place, actually competitive so far. I have to admit I am hooked.

So to all my "I Can't Bunt" league mates, I give you fair warning: The manager of the Raleigh Durhams just may be the longshot this season.

Monday, May 09, 2005

A slip of the tongue...

A word of caution to my faithful readers in the New England area. When frequenting a "99" restaraunt, please take great caution in ordering their Barbeque Turkey Tips. Just one consonent off and you just may get a different kind of breast than your were anticipating.

A lesson learned the hard way by the author and a very stunned matronly waitress named Anna.

Sunday, May 08, 2005

It's all uphill from here... Part 4

When we all reached the starting point, Brother Toby begins to beat a drum he is carrying and we start out on a leisurely pace. At this point we are on the main road and heading into a curve that obscures the terrain ahead.

Once around the bend, I notice that we will be traveling away from the sanctuary down a steep sloping grade on the main road. Immediately, I become concerned as 1.) We are heading away from the Peace Pagoda 2.) We are quickly descending the steepest hill I have encountered in a long time (Picture Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings) 3.) The Finish Line is at the Pagoda which was at a much higher elevation than the starting line. Being the smart guy that I am, I realized what goes down, must come up and I steadied my pace, because cadence is everything.

This would be the last I see of Greg because he is practically running. So here I am walking downhill (or more accurately downmountain), without my walking buddy or IPod (which was in the car because I didn't want to be rude to said walking buddy), quickly realizing that with every step down would equal a steep climb up and now questioning my ability to do this task, as I had pretty much "atrophied" during the winter months.

After what had to be a mile and a quarter (although if this was a 2 mile walk as advertised it should've been only 3/4 of a mile at this point), the procession turned around and began the long, steep climb of death. I saw Greg for one last time as he barrelled past me in the other direction. I maintained a comfortable pace and climbed, and climbed, and climbed. When I was younger, I was diagnosed with asthma and have taken the holistic treatment plan of inactivity to keep it in check (no inhalers for me!). So effective is this plan I often forget I have asthma. Well, I won't be forgetting it anytime soon as my chest became quite uncomfortable constricted and my breathing became labored, and, as with any exertion, my face must have been a deep shade of red. The same color red that caused elementary school teachers to insist that I sit out recess because the color is just plain scary on a pasty white guy as myself.

I must have been quite the site because at one point I saw a monk on the sidelines and he deeply bowed to me. No one else but me. I figured that he must have seen my apparent respiratory attack as a sign of my dedication to his religion and recognized it with a bow, when in all actuality, I was avoiding a scene by needing a rescue by the side of the road.

Finally, I reached the point where we had started. With renewed energy, I started up the dirt road to the Peace Pagoda. I figured I was past the worst of it. No just a short climb to the Pagoda. I was very wrong. The hill became even steeper, so steep that I had to reach out and use the roots on the path to help me climb this mountain. Luckily the hill plateaued at 3 different points and I rested at each, being passed by the elderly and small children, who looked like they were on the leisurely stroll that I was promised but had not received.

Just when I thought I would give up and walk to the car, I saw, at the top of the steepest rise yet, the Pagoda and the finish line just up ahead. With my last ounce of strength and determination, I crawled up to the top, keeping the finish line in my sites. I fought for air and miraculously stayed upright, knowing people have had an easier time running a marathon than I had climbing this mountain.

Just as the finish line was within my reach, a volunteer told me to get off the course, as the runners were about to arrive. I was directed off the path, and not allowed to cross the finish line. There would be no paper peace swan for me, no sense of accomplishment that crossing that finish line would have symbolized, just an orange wedge and a Dixie cup of water.

Saturday, April 30, 2005

It's all uphill from here...Part 3

As we headed to the start of the walker's course, we became aware that a lot of people were walking. Many had small children or strollers with them. Quite a few were seniors. I know I am not in the best shape, but I take a lot of pride being able to keep up toe to toe with a septuagenarian.

The obligatory crunchy volunteer got up with a non-functioning bull horn to give us a low down on the course. The walk would be 2 miles, beginning 1/10th of a mile down the road and would resume at the actual Peace Pagoda, which I had not seen at this point.

I took issue to the fact that the sta
rting line was 1/10th of mile from our current position. Shouldn't that make the course 2 and 1/10th miles long? I had signed up for 2 miles and now there was a pre-walk walk. We were all gathered listening to this guy. Why not just start here and end all that much sooner? It is misadvertising like this that gets me going....but I digress.

The crunchy guy then introduces Brother Toby, who is to be our leader for the walk. Brother Toby is a monk from the Peace Pagoda. Brother Toby is white man, about 50 years old, dressed in robes to form what can be most closely described as a toga. He has a shaved head, thick glasses and is wearing high end hiking shoes. He is also carrying a drum.

Brother Toby bows deeply and leads us to the starting line. Now my spirits soared when I saw the ederly participants; The sight of Brother Toby truly inspired a sense of confidence. I mean I was just sure there was an inhaler tucked into his robes. Greg and I would stay a few paces back from the lead and when the finish line was in site, make our move to finish first, trying our best not to knock Brother Toby and the seniors over in the process (although thoughts of being compared to George Costanza and the fire alarm episode of Seinfeld did put a smile on my face!)

To be continued...

Monday, April 25, 2005

It's all uphill from here... Part 2

So at 7:15 Greg and I are on the road heading to Leverett, MA. With only one minor misdirection on our way there, we pull into the beautiful sanctuary at 8:08 am. We make our way down to the registration table and proudly announced that we would be walking. The volunteer clearly didn't know that was an option.

"Well the line to register to run is to your right," she said.
"Well the sign in front of you says Walker Registration," I informed her.
"Oh, we haven't had many walkers you could be the first. Let me find someone who knows how to handle walkers." I quickly looked around to determine which circle of hell I was occupying.

Another volunteer approached and explained that all I needed to do was turn in the registration form and donation. Walkers really don't need to register. We did get a nice shirt, though.

It was at this point we realized that Molly and her friend had not shown up yet. Just as I was thinking up a proper retaliation for standing us up, my cell phone rings. They too, had gotten lost and were now back on track.


Now that the whole group had arrived, we made our way to the respective starting lines. I was really excited to be participating in a walk through what really is a beautiful area. That excitement wouldn't last for long...

To be continued...

Monday, April 18, 2005

It's all uphill from here...Part 1

Back in September I wrote this about my co-worker Molly who, for some reason, loves to push her limits in physical activity. Well, I let my guard down for half a second and the next thing I know she has convinced me that I should participate in a fund raiser for a the Peace Pagoda. Enticing me with the promise of Buddist drumming and vendors, she de-emphasised that the main attraction was a five mile run or a 2 mile walk.

I sort of remember thinking to myself, "2 miles is nothing to walk." So I agreed on the condition that I could find a friend to walk with.

To be honest, I sort of put it out of my mind untill last week when I was reminded by Molly. "Did you get someone to walk with? The event is Saturday." So I enlisted the help of the one friend who I know is up for any challenge, Greg.

So Saturday morning arrives and my alarm goes off at 5:55 am. The plan is to meet everyone at 8:15. Greg has crashed at my place so we can make the early meet time. Now, it isn't until the alarm goes off that I realize I am voluntarily getting up at 6:00 in the morning on a Saturday. I contemplate this on the way to the shower and other realizations come flooding in. What if Greg and I are the only people not running? What if Molly and her friend decide to bail? Oh, what have I gotten myself into?

To be continued....

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

I need a montage

I have to admit that while things are good in my life, I am at the verge of feeling like I am in a rut. I have assessed some things, came up with a new plan and now I am just waiting for the results of that plan.

I am not patient. I want the results now. In the movies, this is where the director would insert a montage to show the protagonists journey and speed the film along. Picture Rocky 4 as Rocky works out in what has to be Siberian farm. The tune of John Cafferty's "Hearts on Fire" playing in the background. By the end of that song you knew Rocky was ready to represent the USA against Ivan the stereotypical Russian Athlete.

Now I am no Rocky, and don't mean to infer that I am, but a montage sure would be appreciated. I leave the song selection up to my readers. Please add them to the comments!

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in..."

I apologize for the absence. I haven't felt inspired to write...until now.

Before I begin, a disclaimer. I write under my real name. When I set up this site, I thought a little about using a pseudonym but ultimately, I decided against that. The only thing that gave me pause was that I am an educator at a small college and I am always wary of any barrier that may come between my students and me. Or that what I say here may haunt me in another aspect of my life. It is no secret that I am fairly liberal and that I am outspoken in my circle of friends on what I believe. However, I keep that in check at work, because I realize that for people that don't share my ideologies, that may be a barrier to developing the trust inherent in my work with college students.

Ultimately I decided that I was not giving the amazing students I work with credit enough to separate me from my beliefs. So while I try to keep this site light and fairly humorous, I will occasionally dip into observations that will take a side on an issue. This post is one of them. It deals with birth control and a woman's right to choose. If you continue reading consider yourself forewarned.

Besides, I am finding that the only time my students get really critical of this site is when I fail to "bring the funny". For that I have no excuse.....

_________________________________________________________

I am on a few liberal "call to action" mail listings. You know, the kind of list where some organization has created a form letter to be sent to address an unfair policy or tragedy. I usually don't participate because either I only half agree with the proposed action or don't trust the source. Actually, I am mostly just to lazy to fill it out.

Tonight I received an action calling for pharmacies to honor prescriptions for birth control, in particular "the Morning After Pill". Naive guy that I am, I had no idea a pharmacy could choose what drugs they distributed. Apparently they can.

Here is the canned letter that was sent on my behalf:

Dear [National Pharmacy],

All over the country I have noticed a disturbing trend of pharmacies refusing to fill women's prescriptions for birth control. When a woman and her doctor decide that a prescription for contraception is in the woman's best interest, a third party has no right to override that decision. Pharmacies must ensure that patients get their doctor-prescribed medication without delay or inconvenience. I ask that your company assure me and your other customers that no woman seeking prescription contraception will be turned away by your company's pharmacies.

No doubt a majority of your customers take for granted that women should be able to receive their birth control despite the personal beliefs of the individual pharmacist. Timely access to contraception is central to women's health, autonomy, and equality. We must trust women and their doctors to make their own reproductive health decisions.

I thank you, in advance, for protecting your customer's health by ensuring your pharmacy will guarantee women have unhindered access to their prescribed medications.

Thank you for your attention and support.

Sincerely,


Ian Martin


This was sent to all the major pharmacy chains: CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Eckerd, and Wal-Mart.

Almost instantly I got an email from Walgreens indicating the receipt of my email. It was a standard automated response to my automated submission.

Two seconds later I received the following from Wal-Mart:

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for contacting us at Walmart.com regarding women's prescriptions for birth control. Your comments and concerns are very important to us as we strive to meet your needs.

Wal-Mart does not carry emergency contraceptives. Our pharmacists may decline to fill a prescription based on personal convictions. However, they must find another pharmacist, either at Wal-Mart or another pharmacy, who can assist you by filling your prescription.

Again, we thank you for your comments regarding this issue.

Sincerely,


Customer Service at Walmart.com

So what this means is not only can a pharmacist refuse to honor a prescription that a doctor has prescribed for the benefit of the patients health based solely on their belief system. (Which is really just rhetoric for pharmacists being able to refuse to honor birth control). It also means that once again Wal-Mart is inappropriately developing a corporate policy that devalues women and is so heinous that they should be run out of business.

I really encourage anyone who reads this, please stop shopping at Wal-Mart.

Also, if you would also like to send out a letter like I did, please click here. If you choose to act, I would love to know about it. Either leave a comment or email me.

Nai

Saturday, January 08, 2005

The pod people are taking over!

You can put me in the ranks of IPod ownership. I was shown way to much love on my birthday/Christmas and, as a result, I have one of these amazing gadgets. Not since I became a ReplayTV (TiVo, but way more features) owner has a gadget impressed me as much as this gadget has. I have every album I own with me and quickly accessible.

But maybe what I enjoy most out of it is the opportunity to easily discover new artists. There are many sites (of which I will highlight as I discover the gems) that have sample mp3 files of bands that may or may not be that well known. I enjoy being able to listen to a track or two and then digging deeper on Itunes to purchase more tracks.

Today's site of mention is Scenestars. This mp3 blog has multiple contributors and I have found a lot of great music based on their recommendations. Check them out, download a few files (this is, of course available to everyone, not just mp3 player owners!) and I bet you will find a few "new to you" favorites.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

"The Internet is for porn"

I just checked my blog's statistics and noticed, that even though I hadn't posted in close to a month, my hits were still where they were when I was posting regularly. I did some further investigation. It appears, instead of having a very dedicated reader base, I have become a favorite of people looking for spankings. I have taken the liberty of listing all the keyword searches that have brought people to my site.

As you can see, As Trekkie Monster from Avenue Q so poignantly put it: "The Internet is for porn..."







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We Never Ever Close (mostly)

A new year, perhaps a little more attention will be paid to my blog. The lack of inspiration has been deafening.

Today's entry deals with snow days. Growing up in New England, these little nuggets of sunshine in the dead of winter were forever anticipated but were rare to materialize. I was never a skier and I hate the cold, so after the holidays the only thing to look forward to was spring. However, the grey days between the first of the year and the first day of spring can seem neverending. You literally spend your time racing from indoor locations and dreading the next immersion from the pocket of warmth that you are residing in.

So a snow day, to me, was always a reward for putting up with the deep freeze we must endure. I also thought that snow days were a thing of childhood, a benefit that is turned in upon receipt of your diploma.

Today that was proven wrong, thanks to 5"-8"inches and a threat of ice (the grandaddy of all winter weather threats). That and I do work at a college whose students are still on break and so there really isn't a lot of pressure to stay open.

So as I sit here writing, hot chocolate next to me, the world outside white with snow, I can almost bring myself to say that the winter doesn't suck. I realize that it will eventually dawn on me that I will have to work tomorrow, meaning I will have to go out extra early and chip the car out of the iceblock that has formed around it. But for now, I am remembering the magic of snow days, when I was a kid and all was right with the world.