I'VE SAID IT AND I'M GLAD

[Jane]

Matt H-Thanks for the MONK tip.  I wanted to see this episode even though we don’t watch the show anymore.

While recording MONK I noticed NUMBE3S is on tonight & we still haven’t watched last week’s episode.  

Off to take Sherlock for his last puppy vaccination

[MusicGuy]

Good afternoon dear Esteemed, rested, frenzied, decision-making, and guapo BK --

I'm glad that the cast change is decided, notified, and behind you.  Hopefully, all will be smoother from here on out with the production.

[MusicGuy]

And a lovely good afternoon to all of the equally lovely hainsies and kimlets scattered hither and yon.

And I totally agree with the RANT about "customer service" persons who can't communicate.  But then, I happen to think that the word "service" and its meanings and implications, have been tossed out and forgotten by most of business and industry in the U.S. these days.

[S. Woody White]

I don't have anything against corn, per se.  However, the overproduction of the crop isn't doing us any real good.  It's no coincidence that our government's shift from farm subsidies to supporting the rise of industrialized corn took place in the '70s, at the same time that we started to have the increases in obesity and diabetes.  The prediction is any child born in the year 2000 will face a one in three chance of becoming diabetic.  That's not good, and it is related to the child's diet.

Something else that bothers me, that Pollan doesn't even touch on, is the risks that overdependence upon a single crop can create.  If some supervirus were to decimate our corn crops, we will be in serious trouble, of the sort that will make the Irish potato plague look like comedy in comparison.  Corn isn't just going into almost everything that we eat.  The byproducts have also become important as building materials, as fuel... it has found it's way into everything.

Without corn, we'll end up falling apart, at least as we are now living.

Personally, I'd rather have a few backup plans.

[S. Woody White]

Yes, the kitchen floor will be mopped in just a few minutes. I thought about doing it this morning the way I've done the other cleaning during the morning this week, but I put it off. Now, I have that awful job staring me in the face.

Ah well, I best get to it!

WBBL.

Change is good.

[Cillaliz]

I don't have anything against corn, per se.  However, the overproduction of the crop isn't doing us any real good.  It's no coincidence that our government's shift from farm subsidies to supporting the rise of industrialized corn took place in the '70s, at the same time that we started to have the increases in obesity and diabetes.  The prediction is any child born in the year 2000 will face a one in three chance of becoming diabetic.  That's not good, and it is related to the child's diet.

Something else that bothers me, that Pollan doesn't even touch on, is the risks that overdependence upon a single crop can create.  If some supervirus were to decimate our corn crops, we will be in serious trouble, of the sort that will make the Irish potato plague look like comedy in comparison.  Corn isn't just going into almost everything that we eat.  The byproducts have also become important as building materials, as fuel... it has found it's way into everything.

Without corn, we'll end up falling apart, at least as we are now living.

Personally, I'd rather have a few backup plans.

Corn is leading the way for economic recovery in Iowa. With ethanol and bio-diesel being developed, we are paving the way for a great alternative to foreign oil. As a back up here, or actually as a first line of energy production, we also have tons of wind turbins.  In the town I used to live in, the city owns 2 wind turbins, the turbins provide all the energy for the school system and they sell the extra energy to the area energy company.  There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of turbins across the state on various wind farms. They are a great alternative.  Let's see you stop the wind in Iowa!

In the county I live in we are working on being more self sustaining food-wise, as well.  We have locally raised beef, lamb, pork, chicken and eggs that are free range, antibiotic free and some is grass fed. It tastes so much better than the stuff you get at the store.  Our county is the first in the nation to provide tax incentives to farmers to go organic and all food bought for the county (the jail etc) has to come from local suppliers unless that isn't possible.  We have a fabulous organic market - all grown locally or within about 25-50 miles.  Of course in the dead of winter the only things you can get are greenhouse grown, but it's a great start

[Ron Pulliam]

You got something against corn? Actually I've eaten what we call field corn, it tasted like corn to me. You wouldn't want to eat it when it's hard and dried and ready to be processed though.

And needless to say, this "southern boy" has been eatin' grits all his life!  

And I have a corn-and-tomato casserole recipe that makes my mouth water at the mere thought of it.

[Tomovoz]

I have no idea if this will work!


http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??g=f4c9d5f8-2dd7-4eda-840f-645b0e76e0d6&f=00&fg=copy


Popping in on Broadway

[Tomovoz]

Guess it doesn't.. Somewhere there is a "Mary Poppins" on Broadway video to watch.  

[Tomovoz]

DD dVd sale has been extended to 11/23. If only they would ship free to OZ it would be worthwhile!!

[S. Woody White]

Corn is leading the way for economic recovery in Iowa. With ethanol and bio-diesel being developed, we are paving the way for a great alternative to foreign oil. As a back up here, or actually as a first line of energy production, we also have tons of wind turbins.  In the town I used to live in, the city owns 2 wind turbins, the turbins provide all the energy for the school system and they sell the extra energy to the area energy company.  There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of turbins across the state on various wind farms. They are a great alternative.  Let's see you stop the wind in Iowa!

Notice, what you're developing is a diversity of energy sources.  Other areas aren't playing their cards as safely.

Stop the wind in Iowa?  Sounds like the set-up for a lawyer joke!!!  

In the county I live in we are working on being more self sustaining food-wise, as well.  We have locally raised beef, lamb, pork, chicken and eggs that are free range, antibiotic free and some is grass fed. It tastes so much better than the stuff you get at the store.  Our county is the first in the nation to provide tax incentives to farmers to go organic and all food bought for the county (the jail etc) has to come from local suppliers unless that isn't possible.  We have a fabulous organic market - all grown locally or within about 25-50 miles.  Of course in the dead of winter the only things you can get are greenhouse grown, but it's a great start

Again, this is about diversity, which is a good thing.  Who would have supposed that Iowa would be a leader in such things!  Kudos!

[Edisaurus]

Well, I survived the students! There were 2 classes with about 35 students each. Greg came with me because he could bring a different slant to doc making since he's out doing the shooting. or as he said, he goes out fishing, catches a bunch of different kinds of fish of varying quality and brings them home for me to make a meal out of it all.

This wasn't a how-to class...it was about the aesthetics of film. What surprised me was that they were studying "Napolean Dynamite" and the geek archtype and how once nerds were shunned and now they are seen as the smart money-makers, a la Bill Gates. The last day of class they are going to watch scenes from films that the teacher felt like they should see, so he was going to show them part of "Citizen Kane". Whaa? Boy, times have changed from when I was in school and CK was the Holy Grail!

Most insightful question: "At which point does a documentary become propaganda". My smart-assed answer was that propaganda was a film made from a viewpoint I didn't agree with, and they laughed. But really, you could spend a whole quarter examining that.

Sorta dumb question (I hate to call any question dumb) Why didn't we get real Italians to read S&V's letters instead of Turturro and Shalhoub with their "fake accents"?  (This came from a Jamaican woman!)

One woman, from Uruguay, didn't know the outcome of the case and was crying uncontrollably at the end of the film. (Has this become a spoiler?) She really loved it, in fact there was very favorable response all around. When I mentioned that our last film, "The Internationale" was being released on DVD next week, they applauded!

This nice interlude away from our normal work routine took the sting out of the news I heard when I called my partner to report on the repsonse form the class and he told me that we had been rejected by POV. Oh well...

Thanks for all the vibes sent my way. It was quite fun and not scary at all!

[Ron Pulliam]

I have no idea if this will work!


http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??g=f4c9d5f8-2dd7-4eda-840f-645b0e76e0d6&f=00&fg=copy


Popping in on Broadway

Here youse go, Tommy!

[Ron Pulliam]

Strange it is and strange to say, but after a day of foggy dreariness, the sun began burning away at the marine layer about an hour ago and we now have patches of blue in the western sky....just in time for sunset.

[Tomovoz]

Thanks Ron.

[Tomovoz]

TOTD continued:

Ella Fitzgerald "Gold" (CD).

"Songs of New York" mentioned earlier - some tracks orchestrated by Elmore.

Yesterday's Reference to "Hunchback II" - Skip wrote three(?) of the songs.

[George]

I have no idea if this will work!


http://video.msn.com/v/us/fv/msnbc/fv.htm??g=f4c9d5f8-2dd7-4eda-840f-645b0e76e0d6&f=00&fg=copy

Popping in on Broadway

I'll have to check this out at home.  We can't view most kinds of on-line video clips at work.

[Ron Pulliam]

I just had a slight flashback....and got a little homesick for my youth and olden days....golden days....when I recalled Nancy Sinatra singing "You only live twice...."


Sigh.

[Ron Pulliam]

Now who in hell would EVER have thought Nancy Sinatra would figure into someone's golden oldie remembrances?

I never I would, at any rate!

[Ron Pulliam]

Thanks Ron.

'wekkum!

[Ron Pulliam]

At last...the time is near....

[Ron Pulliam]

...just a few moments before closing curtain....

[Ron Pulliam]

....and QUITTIN' TIME!

[Jrand62]

I'll say when it's quittin' time at Tara.

[Jrand62]

Quittin' time....quittin' time.

[Jrand62]

Thanks for passing along the Mercury Retrograde link, DR RLP.

Long day.....and I just want to sit down and watch TV.

The Jeopardy celebrities tonight are ANNOYING the NTH degree......

I like the lone female.....though.

[Jrand62]

Dinner time....

[Cillaliz]

Notice, what you're developing is a diversity of energy sources.  Other areas aren't playing their cards as safely.

Stop the wind in Iowa?  Sounds like the set-up for a lawyer joke!!!   ;)Again, this is about diversity, which is a good thing.  Who would have supposed that Iowa would be a leader in such things!  Kudos!

Woody.....since it all starts with corn...who else but Iowans?

[S. Woody White]

Now who in hell would EVER have thought Nancy Sinatra would figure into someone's golden oldie remembrances?

I never I would, at any rate!

The main reason I remember Nancy is because of "These Boots Were Meant For Walkin'".  For bizarre reasons.

There was a bar in the San Fernando Valley called Boots, which sponsored the first gay softball team for which I was a scorekeeper.  Well, I let slip the name of the bar as the sponsor/team name while I was at work, which raised a few eyebrows.  So I told people the bar was called Boots after the song.

Fortunately, a few years later I was ready to be fully out of the closet, and such subterfuges weren't necessary.  (This was about 25 years ago, if you need a time reference.)

As it happens, one of the bartenders at Boots, a hunky fellow named Jeff, is now here in Rehoboth Beach.  Still hunky, btw, and nice to have as a friend.

[S. Woody White]

Almost time for the Doctor and Rose!