Nobody 801
Sunday, January 10, 2010 – or 1/10/10 (cool)
Nobody # 801
Last Sunday’s LA Times Magazine contained an article about the water shortage. The author, a man named Peter Glieck, closed with a statement that grabbed me. He wrote that our failure to solve our water problems was our “failure to choose to solve them.”
In a broader sense, isn’t that the story of post moonwalk America? As a people and a nation, we are unwilling to make the effort or pay the price to solve our country’s great problems.
And when we finally elect a president who has the courage to address these problems, but not the ability to solve them quickly, - an impossibility - the people turn against him and join all the Mad Hatters at their Tea Party.<<<
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/opinion/05brooks.html?hp
I have gone through many changes in the past few years, some important, some not so. I suppose that being hungry at lunchtime is a not so. I have always been a breakfast and dinner goy, (I meant guy – a Freudian finger-slip perhaps) but recently my stomach complains if I don’t eat something in the middle of the day. I am trying, successfully so far, to satisfy it with a bite or two, but my wife isn’t helping. After my bites, she invariably forces one of her Christmas cookies down my throat.<<<
FOR YOUR EDIFICATION
Just in case you are contemplating a book that takes place in the UK for your next read, I am including this translation guide – for free.
Chat up – talk to a person in hopes of gaining something. “I think I will chat up that woman at the bar.”
Take away – we buy take-out. The British take it away.
Carer – caregiver to us.
Digestive biscuit – the British cousin to our graham cracker.
Lie-in -staying in bed late.
Arse - When does an American ass become a British arse?
Pulled a face - we would say made a face.
Eying up a girl – checking out in American.
Rotten – a great deal as in, “I fancied her something rotten.”
The extension – a family room or den as in, “my plasma television is in the extension.”
Sneck-lifter and cock-a-hoop – brands of British beer.<<<
If in truth, the daily newspaper is on a fast-fade track, local television newscasters must be nearing a panic mode. They may have to actually find stories rather than take them verbatim from their city’s morning edition.<<<
I do not believe in censorship except when used to prevent violence and protect children, but I am getting very tired of the food police telling me what and what not to eat. Everywhere I watch and/or read, people are trying to shove “healthy” food and drink down my throat. It is more than enough to make me gag.<<<
SCARY TREND
Has anyone else noticed that more and more Islamic suicide fanatics are coming from the professional ranks – scientists, physicians, etc.?<<<
“AVATAR” – A MINORITY REPORT
Some day people will ask, “Did you see it?” And the few young people who didn’t plunk down the bucks will respond, “No, but I played the video game.”
Start with the “Wizard of OZ.” Mix in a healthy dose of “Jurassic Park” and a smaller one of “King Kong.” Now season it heavily with 21st century computerized special effects and you have a billion dollars and counting. I didn’t dislike the movie, as I did the recently watched “Revolutionary Road.” (Which was a good argument for outlawing all Tivo-like devices.) But neither did I think it was anything incredible. The dialogue was embarrassingly simplistic. The plot was hackneyed. The effects were – well – special, but not all that new. I will give credit to the 3D, which was not intrusive – or is it extrusive? A Best Picture Academy Award nominee? If there were still only five, no way. But since there are ten this year, give one to the multi-billion dollar baby. But do not, I repeat, do not give it the Oscar.<<<
And since I mentioned “Revolutionary Road,” and since you know I am a fan of caustic one-line reviews, how about this one from yours truly?
“Revolutionary Road” takes the viewer directly to sheer misery.<<<
ON BOOKS
If an author brings me close to tears, he must be doing something right. I just finished listening to David Benioff’s excellent novel “City of Thieves.” The story is about two Russians during the WW II siege of Leningrad (St Petersburg). To avoid being executed, they must find a dozen eggs - an almost impossible task – for a KGB colonel. I highly recommend this book.<<<
Quote of the Week – Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl after 4 of his players are charged with armed robbery – “My team still has plenty of weapons.”<<<
Recruiting for low bellybuttons – Tyler Honeycutt is a Bruin freshman basketball player who has great potential. His one handicap is that he has a high bellybutton, which means that his legs are very long. This makes it difficult for him to bend low enough to take the proper defensive stance.<<<
TWO MORE USES FOR MY IPHONE.
I have long wanted to reread “Shogun,” one of my favorite novels, but have hesitated because of all the unread books in bookstores and my library. But now (for a scant $7.19) it is on my iPhone kindle and I can read a few pages whenever I am waiting for whatever.<<<
I can also use my phone when I am feeling low as in this e-mail I sent to Barbara a few days ago. - “It is a good thing that you are not with me, or you would have been embarrassed because my malt was so good that I cried when it was gone.”<<<
IN MY UTOPIA
The dreadful NFL sudden death overtime rule will be banished forever and replaced by one that is less dependant on a coin flip and more on the on-the-field performance of the teams.<<<
WHAT, TUCSON SCHOOLS TOO?The writer was commenting on Arizona’s 76-74 loss to Washington State: “We have a good coach, good players, we need PATIENTS, PATIENT patients.”(Unless, of course, he is a shill for the University Medical Center.)
New Year’s resolution of the year – comes from David Brooks. “Don’t end the year so that you qualify to be a contestant on ‘America’s Biggest Loser.’”
posted by jmt | 8:31 AM
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