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August 24, 2010
Posted by Carla René in: Accountability, Advice, African-American, Attitude, Biography & Memoir, Book Marketing Online, Book Review, Books, Business, Business Management, Cancer, Cap and Trade, Children, China, Climate Change, Commentary, Comments & Discussion, Communications, Communism, Community, Computers, Congress, Contributor's Audio/Video, Creative Writing, Current Events, Democracy, Democrat, Diet, Economic Crisis, Economics, Education, Energy, Entertainment, Environment, Environmental Issues, Faith, Family, Fiction, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, Freedom, Freelance Author, General Topics, Geopolitical Events, Global Warming, Governance, Habit Change, Health & Fitness, Healthcare, Heroes, History, Homeland Security, Humor, Inspiration & Motivation, Internet, Internet Advice, Interview, Islam, Journalism, Latino & Hispanic, Legal, Life Experiences, Lifestyle, Literature, Marketing, Marriage, Medical, Men's Issues, Mental Health, Mexico, Military, Minorities, Morality, Motivation, Music, Native American, Nature/Wildlife, Non-Fiction, Nutrition, Opinion, Personal Experiences, Philosophical Genres, Poetry, Politics, Publishing, Question of the Day, Recovery, Relationships, Religion, Republican, Rhyme, Satire, Self-Help, Sex, Short Stories, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, Sociology, Spirituality, Sports, Technology, Television, Terrorism, The Economy, The Media, The Pundit's Corner, The Writer's Corner, Travel, Uncategorized, Website Instructions, Weight loss, Wellness, Women's Perspective, Women's Rights, Working Women, Workplace, World Issues, Writing Essentials
 Begun back sometime in 2001, this book was originally a fluke of an idea… [...]
August 21, 2010
Posted by Carla René in: Book Marketing Online, Book Review, Books, Creative Writing, Entertainment, Fiction, Freelance Author, Humor, Non-Fiction, Short Stories, The Writer's Corner, Uncategorized, Writing Essentials
Announcing my two newest releases:
 Book Cover Description: Bill can’t find a writing space to save his wilting life. While in Canada, Sam learns to “go convert” himself; back in the States, mum and dad are playing hide the Azalea, Delores can’t keep her father’s arse covered to get any work done, a pack of wild Kens are hurtling toward the atmosphere, and dad is sitting in his car picking his ears with his keys. Often compared to Sedaris (mostly by herself), this collection will make you sick…with laughter.
Original cover artwork by me.
July 23, 2010
Posted by Michael Crumling in: Attitude, Creative Writing, Entertainment, Environment, Family, General Topics, Life Experiences, Lifestyle, Motivation, Nature/Wildlife, Non-Fiction, Personal Experiences
I arose from my tent early and found a mess left in the camp. The raccoons had found the cooler. They discovered that our breakfast of eggs could be found inside. Little hand prints were left as evidence of the burglary. The broken egg shells and disarray were not enough. The little marks noted their presence and also their prescience. They had no doubt watched us putting things away, or just somehow knew that they could find goodies in that box. I clean up then go about just sitting alone in my woodsy campsite. The kids are still sleeping, and so are the rest of the adults. You would think that I would be lonely without the company, but I am not. The breeze blows by my ears, my hair gently moving. The chirping of birds and bubbling of running water are comforting; downright relaxing. It seems that you see so much more when you take the time to just sit, put away your generated thought, and watch the world go by you. There are so many insects. Normally, I wouldn’t want them around, but they don’t seem to bother me so much today. Except for the flies, none are “on” me. On a boulder in the distance, I see a cardinal. It flits between rocks and gravel, in search of its’ daily sustenance. The red bird seems oblivious to anything not crawling on or under the dirt. He has identified his area of interest and actively pursues his objective. A few little pecks at the soil, and he flies into a nearby branch. It becomes obvious that he achieved his goal, a little breakfast du jour. Maybe a snack of flies would appeal to him? I suspect that he won’t get that close to me. At least he has had breakfast… Continue reading Wasting Time
July 5, 2010
Singapore’s casino resorts are open, but there’s still plenty of work to be done. [...]
July 1, 2010
I saw her here,
I saw her there,
I saw her hair right down to there,
Her lips of wine,
Her scent divine,
God, I want to make her mine. Continue reading I saw her there…
July 1, 2010
by: Paul Finnerty | 03 April 2009
printed in: Edition 51 | section: Sport
 Photo by Caitlin Murray
When you think of Argentina and its sporting tradition, you think football, Maradona and the hand of God. You may also wonder how the country managed to churn out such good polo teams. You are rather mystified at being told that the national sport is pato, which used to be played with an actual duck’s head.
However, something new is emerging on the Argentine horizon. The Shankees have come to town, and brought with them that famous old US sport, baseball.
“In November 2008, I figured that I wanted to put a baseball team together. And then abracadabra, the rest is history,” says Paul Perry, founder and coach of the team.
“It was easy to get started. It was serendipity. You have to move on an idea quick. I had already tried putting a football team together called the Wild Turkeys and I even bought a turkey suit. It’s harder to get footballers though, because its rougher and you can get injured.”
It seems that Paul has reignited a lot of the players’ enthusiasm for baseball. The majority played in the US, some of them picking up their gloves for the first time since their Little League days.
The team is mostly made up of Americans. The exception is an Argentine, Rodrigo Castelli, a 34-year-old managing director from Villa Urquiza. “It’s good to be accepted by the guys,” he reveals. “When I was ten I went to the US. I played baseball for seven years, but then didn’t play for a further 15.”
The truth is that Rodrigo is quite an exception to the rule. There are several established teams on the Argentine baseball circuit, but it is a long way from being professional. It is difficult to generate interest in the sport, especially amongst the fans. Continue reading The Shankees have come to town
May 21, 2010
And, No, They’re not from this century. [...]
May 14, 2010
Posted by seamus in: Accountability, Advice, African-American, Commentary, Comments & Discussion, Communications, Congress, Creative Writing, Current Events, Democracy, Democrat, Economics, Entertainment, Freedom, Governance, Homeland Security, Inspiration & Motivation, Islam, Journalism, Life Experiences, Minorities, Morality, Motivation, Opinion, Personal Experiences, Politics, Republican, Social Aspects, Social Classes, Social Issues, Terrorism, The Economy, The Media, The Pundit's Corner, World Issues
Amazing how many high government officals (including the Attorney General), political pundits, politicians, school officials and religious leaders comment so harshly on the immigration law in Arizona and publicly admit they haven’t read the ten page document.
The document basically states that when being stopped for a traffic violation or questioned concerning a crime that [...]
May 14, 2010
Posted by seamus in: Accountability, Advice, Attitude, Business, Cap and Trade, Commentary, Communications, Congress, Creative Writing, Current Events, Democrat, Economics, Entertainment, Finance, Freedom, General Topics, Geopolitical Events, Governance, Homeland Security, Humor, Journalism, Life Experiences, Lifestyle, Literature, Minorities, Morality, Motivation, Opinion, Personal Experiences, Politics, Recovery, Republican, Satire, Self-Help, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Sociology, Terrorism, The Economy, The Media, The Pundit's Corner, Women's Rights, Working Women, World Issues
Pick Your Reason 10. I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies’ profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn’t.
9. I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the [...]
April 26, 2010
Once upon a time in a time and space far distant from our own, I used to work for 3M, a company famed far and wide for its innovation.
Inside 3M we were far less convinced of 3M’s innovative capabilities than seemingly those who had read the publicity, but it was clear that 3M in its first 75 years had been ground-breaking, commercialising one landmark innovation after the other in a relentless, if never smooth, sequence.
The insight that 3M had from around 1920 was that all landmark innovation is not a risk, but a gamble. The chances of success cannot be calculated. However, there is a formula which 3M used. Identify a whole bunch of crazies, fire them up, tell them to break every rule, and taunt them with the idea that their obsessively cherished baby of an invention will never, ever be born unless they go through hell and back again.
That really gets the manic juices going.
The truth is, though, that while a small-to-medium sized company can handle a bunch of out-and-out whackos, it is untenable for a massive mega-corporation to do the same with 70,000 employees, which is why those sorts of companies nearly always buy in landmark innovations from elsewhere. Continue reading Didn’t that use to be a bookshop?
March 20, 2010
Is There a Place?
by Bob Grant
Is there a place where minds can meet?
Is there a place where thoughts can greet?
Is there a place where debate takes place?
Is there a place for all kinds of race?
Is there a place where discussions are real?
Is there a place for passions [...]
March 10, 2010
I was never a history buff. I was the kid in high school who got caught napping instead of listening. “So?” I would ask. “Why does this matter?” Now my tweenage daughters ask the same question and I struggle to explain why.
“Because,” I say. And it’s not one of those “Because I said so’s”. It’s because now I “get it”.
I experienced my first taste of Scottish history a few years ago, when I devoured the “Outlander” series by author extraordinaire Diana Gabaldon. After I finished the books, I became lonely for rolling r’s and sword-wielding Highlanders. I wanted more. So I wrote my own book. In order to do that, I had to delve into a different rolling r: rrrrrresearch. Not my strongest asset. But I started digging. I took out every book the library carried on the subject and then, after major physiotherapy on my back, decided to surf the net. I googled historic websites and got in touch with the people who really know their stuff, the re-enactors. These people are often obsessive about their craft, and were the absolute best sources for research. I was lectured ad nauseum about sword lengths and hilts. About garrons vs horses. I was laughed at for my pre-conceived notions. And from those often borderline abusive comments grew my understanding and love of history.
I joined the Calgary Highland Games committee with the purpose of listening to Scottish brogues so I could incorporate them into my book. I listened to the pipes, learned about the dances and tried not to hyperventilate over the Heavy Events athletes. I watched Scottish actors (obsessively, some might say) and wore out my cd player listening to Celtic music. I gleaned information on my ancestral clans of Graham and Ferguson, imagining what life might have been like. Continue reading The Future of History
February 26, 2010
At what point does comedy become hate speech? How free is free speech? Do we still have lines that comedians and other entertainers can’t cross?
 Comedian Guy Earle Canadian comedian Guy Earle is dealing with all these questions lately. Earle is being taken to the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal to face charges of hateful speech. The claim stems from an altercation Earle had with a couple of hecklers back in 2007. The women (one of whom is Lorna Pardy, the filer of the compaint) were in the front row of the club and allegedly insulted and heckled Earle as he tried to host an open mic night. After several back-and-forths between the comedian and the women, Earle unleashed what he admits was a pretty hurtful and offensive tirade.
Choice remarks from said tirade: “Come on, you’re fat and ugly — you’re not even lesbian”. Zing! He followed that up with some tasteful bits about oral sex and sex toys. Hold your applause until the end, ladies and gentlemen.
The night escalated after that, ending with Pardy tossing a drink in Earle’s face and the comedian breaking her sunglasses. So, all in all, not a good night for either party. Continue reading Heckling and Hate Speech
February 25, 2010
I don’t want to say that I live in a bizarre world but you see I reside in a town called Topsy Turvy in the country of Before. My name is Todd and I live on a small farm with my parents and my grandfather. I go to school and am proud to be at the bottom of my class. I reside in a small town with just a few neighbors way back in the country of Before. In my small town we do things a bit different than most. You see, when we plant corn, it grows underground. We have to pull it up with corn pickers when it is time to harvest. The carrots grow above ground and the watermelons are red on the outside and green on the inside. All of the people in our little town walk on their hands and when they meet on the street, they shake feet. Even our babies scoot on their backs rather than crawl on their knees. Our faucets point up and our drinking fountains down. Our school desks are on the ceilings, which of course makes seeing that much better since the lights are there.
On this wonderfully rainy morning, I stopped by the butchers on my way to school to give my mother’s shopping list to Mr. Fritz.
“Hello Todd. On your way to school I see,” greeted Mr. Fritz as he stood at the counter loading it with fresh bacon. “Is that your mother’s list for me?”
“Yes sir. Mom will be by later after she finishes making the pineapple right-side-up cake for the county bake sale.”
As I was about to leave, gabby Mrs. Gray walked in snooping for gossip. Continue reading The World Turned Upside Down
February 16, 2010
Things change a lot. Like the four seasons of the year, things come and go, rise and fall, sparkle and fade. We live in an uncertain world, where we lose things we hold dear without any warning. Luckily, there are some things that stay the same and will never, ever change.
Glenn Beck is one of those things. Weekday or weekend, winter or spring, night or day, Glenn Beck brings the crazy. Smoking hot and ready to serve. Beck has made paranoid, blabbering psycho talk an art. Pack it in, conservative pundits, Beck has got this. He’s putting others to shame with his take on the current administration and the world surrounding him. He never has a shortage of outrageous talking points and, luckily for us all, he never has a shortage of TV appearances to attend, guaranteeing moment after moment of non-stop hilarity. Continue reading Glenn Beck is Still A Fat, Angry, Crazy Person!
February 14, 2010
 Julia & Julia Type Journal for Cooking up a Gritty Suspense or Mystery Novel by Robert W. Walker
At Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, yes, you can follow me as I blog on the progress and success or failure of putting together my 50th novel. Without a contract, written on speculation only in my head and faith in the material and myself—I am keeping a dairy-type Journal about the process of crafting the novel.
This is like getting a creative writing course from Professor Walker. Follow me as I write a Suspense Novel Before Your Eyes, and no matter what category or genre you are working in, there is so much you can pick up from following this process. Imagine if you had the opportunity to look in over the shoulder of a veteran author and watch his hand at work. There can be no better classroom, and you are not limited in asking questions or offering comments. Continue reading Julia & Julia Type Journal for Cooking up a Gritty Suspense or Mystery Novel by Robert W. Walker
February 3, 2010
EXCLUSIVE! EXCLUSIVE! Lindsay Lohan is a hoarder!
Lohan, interviewed by that woman from Reno 911, reveals to The Insider that she’s got a problem with hoarding — JUST LIKE THAT ONE SHOW ON THE TV!
“It’s kind of a sore subject,” the Mean Girls star says about her massive amount of shoes and clothing. “I just need to get rid of this stuff.” The music is really dramatic so you know that Lindsay’s serious.
I could care less about Lindsay Lohan. She hasn’t really been on my radar since A Prairie Home Companion. Since then, she’s devoted her time to crashing cars and drunken ramblings on Twitter. Obviously, you need more than that to draw me in. That being said, this new revelation about hoarder intrigues me, mostly because it’s complete BS. Continue reading Lohan: “I’m A Hoarder.” Me: “Um, What?”
February 1, 2010
It is hard to believe sitting here today, but in 2-3 years’ time paper books simply won’t exist.
I love paper books. Specifically, I love paperbacks. As they say about Toblerone, never eat a sweet that hurts you – so I am not so fond of hardbacks as being uncomfortable and often painful to hold. But paperbacks ……
As with many authors, I read my own books about 30 times – 28 times electronically, and a couple of times in paperback. The first twenty-eight times are OK, except that even I get bored of my books eventually. However, the 29th (final correction) and 30th times are heaven. It is a completely different experience reading a book in paperback. As Steve Sangirardi is always keen to point out, it is the difference between the menu and the meal. Reading about the sensation of eating chocolate is one thing; actually eating it for the first time is another.
Nevertheless, in 2-3 years’ time paperbacks will be gone – almost completely – vanished like an old oak table [don’t you mean ‘varnished’ – ed? For the rest of this reference, see the TV series Blackadder III]. New technology takeover is often catastrophic. It is like the Monty Python running man – sprinting away but no closer – sprinting away but no closer – sprinting away but no closer – past you. Continue reading The attack of the alien multi-media book snatchers
January 14, 2010
Seer’s Moon is Karen Wolfe’s second fantasy novel centring on the unusual activities of Granny Beamish and her cronies. With its mixture of comic style and supernatural content, the book had me smiling, chuckling and laughing out loud; much to the consternation of my fellow travellers. The story, or at least the main thread, follows the fate of poor Kenneth who has inadvertently become a werewolf and is being chased by a sinister bounty hunter. Granny Beamish and her friends, family and associates, who have some sympathy with the vegetarian Kenneth and his harmless, if somewhat destructive, werewolf alter ego, do their best to prevent his capture and execution. The incompetent local police, an interfering busybody and a creepy, ambitious member of Granny’s Seer community all provide the necessary conflict. Meanwhile, Granny has to contend with the advances of her ex boyfriend, who jilted her, as he tries to win her back.
Seers, for those who are unsure, are members of a parallel community who use telepathy and certain types of magic; it isn’t wise for a normal human to mess with an accomplished Seer, especially one with the gifts possessed by Granny Beamish.
Karen Wolfe writes in a style of her own; colloquially and with a type of humour that touches my laughter muscles. This is a very English novel in many ways and some of the language and references may be lost on readers from outside. But there is so much that is universal in appeal that this association with Englishness acts as an enhancement, giving the book a quirky character that should appeal to readers of all nationalities. And, talking of ‘quirky’ this is the way her characters come across. All are individual, even the dogs, wolf, griffons and other animals, and especially the rampaging sheep. Her people have flaws as well as positive attributes and all of them are very human, sometimes touching and always hilarious, often in ways that completely escape the characters themselves. Continue reading Stuart Aken’s Review of Seer’s Moon by Karen Wolfe
January 8, 2010
 Somewhere, in a safe hidden deep within the Hollywood Hills, Jay Leno has a photo of an NBC executive cavorting with naked young boys.
That’s got to be it. That’s the only rational explanation for this mess NBC is knee-deep in.
Here’s the situation:
NBC agreed to The Jay Leno Show. Five nights a week of “hilarious” Jay Leno “comedy”. Leno promised the show wouldn’t be just like The Tonight Show, that he’d bring something new to late night.
Conan O’Brien took over The Tonight Show and a few months later, The Jay Leno Show started. Great, wonderful, everyone’s accounted for.
Well now the Internet is abuzz with rumors surrounding The Jay Leno Show and The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. Both shows are underperforming and NBC can’t cancel Leno because of contract issues. Apparently, they have found a solution for the lackluster ratings: move Leno back to his old time of 11:30. That would mean that O’Brien would have to take a hike to midnight, unless he decided he was done with NBC and moved on to another network. If he did, Leno would take back The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon still following at 12:30.
Still with me? Continue reading NBC: Mensa Members Need Not Apply
January 6, 2010
 The mass of instant information that is the Internet and Mass Media could free each and everyone of us to become more informed and knowledgeable. Then we could all come together as a new smarter, kinder society and deal with all of our problems in wise and wonderful ways.
But that’s not exactly what’s happening is it? Instead, we search the Ether and Net for information and opinions that match our own. We listen to our favorite music, read our favorite writers, and watch our favorite stars. In effect, we’re creating tribes of like minded individuals who do not share truths, but rather, protect their own ideals against the onslaught of “absolute wrongness” being spouted by other tribes.
Conservatives go to the sites and channels that they like, liberals read the blogs and view the videos that they prefer. It’s not as simple as that, just because there are so many variations on each major theme, If you are an angry conservative, small government supporter who likes to shout at the TV from your hard-earned arm chair there are lots of shows, blogs and sites waiting to enthrall you with your own “cosmic rightness.” Continue reading Our own little worlds
December 8, 2009
 My father has a delightful term he uses when writing. “Killing your darlings” refers to choosing which beloved parts of your work need to be edited out, as painful as it may be.
I’m “killing my darlings” in a sense by creating a list of my favorite films from the past decade. There were so many movies that I loved over these last ten years, to pick just a few seems nearly impossible. But we live in a world where men walked on the moon and split atoms so I figure I can probably pull this off, right?
Which leads us to today, when I finalized my list. It’s taken a long time to get here but we’ve arrived. There’s no turning back now, no second guessing.
Let’s get this out of the way – these are my favorite films of the last decade. Are they the best films of the 2000′s, the most well made? Maybe, maybe not. I’ll agree that there may be films better crafted than these ten (for example, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — which just missed the list — is a masterpiece in nearly every way) but these are the films that really got to me, that demand countless replays, that reaffirm what I love about movies in general. Also, they’re damn good.
Okay, let’s do this before I change my mind.
——————————————-
Continue reading The Top 10 Films of the 00′s
December 4, 2009
If you live in New York you see a lot of celebrities. Most people don’t crowd them when they see them. They just let them continue their journey as if unnoticed. Then once they have passed they tell their companion: “That was so and so. You know from the television show?” The companion will turn their head, complain “Why didn’t you tell me?” and try to find said celebrity in the crowd. Recognition is part of the goal of fame and when people don’t recognize them some actors will go to extremes to get the public’s attention. Continue reading Subway Story: The Actor on the Train
November 22, 2009
Two days ago, I had the privilege of presenting my program of “Ben Franklin, Live” before a community meeting in Franklin, NC. It would have been delightful if the town had been named after old Ben. But both that town, and the short-lived “State of Franklin” were named after a local leader, Jesse Franklin, [...]
November 20, 2009
For many years now I have been avoiding Broadway shows. They cost too much and very few of them are original. Though I am glad to see performers getting paid work I wonder about those poor playwrights out there who will never get past seeing their works performed in community theatre or off-off Broadway because of producers’ fear of the new. Continue reading Move Over Revivals- Can Broadway Get Something New?
November 16, 2009
Even if we agree that our journalism is less than objective these days and television now resembles the carnival more than the domain of the Cronkite’s and the Murrow’s with hawkers yelling at us as we walk down the dusty aisles…that still doesn’t mean we can’t try for a representative news channel. You could never quite figure old Lou out. Was he a newscaster giving us the news or was he a pundit giving us his views? It was further complicated by the fact he was on CNN–a news organization that is akin to Switzerland while WWIII rages between Fox and MSNBC.
But there was Lou. He wasn’t Glenn Beck with his hyper alarmist calls for revolution and teary monologues on our veering from the vision the founding fathers had for America. He wasn’t Bill O’Reilly who routinely goes ballistic when he veers from the bubble-headed blond pundits on his show and actually has a guest who disagrees with him. Or the football throwing Hannity whose American panel is a stacked mirror that throws back his own views–don’t’ you agree that Barack Obama is a socialist? Yes we agree Sean. And he’s certainly not Keith Obermann or Rachel Maddow throwing back the leftwing view to Fox’s right wing serve. So who was Lou? Continue reading Why Lou Dobbs Had To Go
November 14, 2009
Posted by npofahl in: Attitude, Biography & Memoir, Creative Writing, Entertainment, Family, Freelance Author, Humor, Inspiration & Motivation, Life Experiences, Non-Fiction, Personal Experiences, Short Stories, Social Aspects, The Writer's Corner, Women's Perspective
The Wide and Wacky World of Sports
Nancy Pofahl
 I like sports. My whole family does, save my daughter. She’s the odd one.
When I was young, I loved to play tennis, volleyball, basketball or anything that involved guys crashing into girls. Especially the good looking guys that weren’t related to me. The exception of course was tennis- that involved me crashing into the net and faceplanting on the concrete.
I was fairly athletic and had a wicked hook shot in basketball that’s made me a legend with my son and all my nephews. I am only 5’4”, according to what I tell people. I could make my shot over people that were several heads taller, and from any distance and at any angle within twenty five feet of the net. I had extremely strong arms for a girl, probably from fighting with my sisters over clothes. Plus, I was too short to defend, especially against someone who wasn’t aware of my famous ability. In the business we call that ‘hustling’.
I liked competition, and my sisters, brothers and myself used to compete for any number of things- dish duty, garbage duty, or just plain for the hell of it. Being the youngest of eight kids, I had to be athletic and fast, or else I’d probably not be alive today. Particularly when I did stupid things like play with my sisters’ makeup, or breaking my brothers’ model train set. Continue reading THE RIDICULOUS SIDE OF LIFE
November 13, 2009
“Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?” [...]
November 12, 2009
“Inappropriate. You are being inappropriate Larry.” Now this sounds like Larry whipped out something from his pants or cracked an obscene joke or flipped Carie Prejean the bird or swore. Larry did something far worse…he hit the wall. The wall is where the Bush Doctrine meets Sarah Palin…what do you think of the Bush Doctrine? It is where Dan Quayle misspells potato. It is Senators quoting the Declaration of Independence and calling it the Constitution. It is Sarah Palin saying she can see Russia from her back door. It is Carie Prejean on a book tour.
Carie Prejean..the fallen Beauty Queen who has become the darling of the far right with her strange incantations about free speech as her sex tape and nude photos shoot around the internet. The woman who proclaimed marriage should be for a man and a woman and then didn’t bother showing up at required events and then was fired from the pageant and then did the talk show circuit of Fox and Fox and more Fox and told everyone she was the victim of conservative woman oppression. Ok. She is riding the gravy train, but last night gave us a new low for American gutter culture surpassing even the guy who sold his kid down the river to get a reality show. Continue reading Revenge of the Bimbo–Prejean spanks inappropriate Larry King
October 14, 2009
Posted by Bill Hazelgrove in: Entertainment, Governance, Minorities, Opinion, Politics, Republican, Social Issues, Sociology, Sports, Television, The Media, The Pundit's Corner, The Writer's Corner
So Rush Limbaugh is down for the count. No NFL team for him to hang his hat on. Seems the NFL wants nothing to do with him or his views. They repudiated the Limbaugh world hook line and sinker. Which of course for Rush is something he will make much of and increase ratings, [...]
October 11, 2009
 Mercedes Sosa in concert, Quito, Ecuador, 26 October 2008 Following is a post I wrote this morning for my Tostada Speaks blog. I also want to share it here with our readers.
~ ~ ~
My wife showed me an article yesterday about her passing, and it feels like I’ve lost a much-loved member of my family. A year younger than me, I think of her as a sister.
I first encountered Mercedes Sosa in 1977 when my Spanish instructor at the University of Minnesota showed me one of her albums, “Cantata Sudamericana”, which I still have. From the minute I heard her voice, I was hooked. It is full, rich, captivating. Her voice, her personality and her music captivated millions across South America and around the world.
Born in Tucumán, Argentina, she began her singing career at age 15, when she won a contest on a radio station. She was still singing 59 years later when she took sick and entered a hospital a few weeks ago.
Her music was always about the people: the poor and disenfranchised, the sick, the old and the persecuted victims of the military dictatorships that hated and persecuted her. Continue reading Mercedes Sosa, July 9, 1935, October 4, 2009
September 15, 2009
MTV ups the ante…Kanye is the new Sacha Cohen
by Bill Hazelgrove
Can you top Sacha Cohen coming down from the rafters inverted with his ass showing and landing in Eminem’s lap and giving him such a crotch shot as he runs out in disgust from the awards? Too bad they staged it. So [...]
September 14, 2009
Sometimes when I would least expect it my father would pull out this big book published by the Time-Life Corporation with pictures from the second world war. He would point to a group of soldiers crowded on what had once been a glorious ocean liner. “There I am” he would say pointing to a speck in the front row. When we flipped the page there was a clearer picture and there he was. Tall and skinny in his uniform and life jacket. You could tell it was my father without fail. “We were on our way to land in North Africa” he would begin. The story was being told, being shared, even if I wasn’t interested.
Most writers are story tellers even if the stories they tell are not exactly the ones they want published. It is easy for me to sit down and go on and on about an incident that dances in my memory. Getting together with friends is often a chance to tweek my brain and try to remember how we came together or how we met. If there was enough alcohol to damage a few brain cells than the moments I have with people in my life to share what they know and remember is important. Unfortunately not enough of us want to share. Continue reading Share Your Stories
September 9, 2009
 Will the Beatles ever go away?
by Bill Hazelgrove
 Um, I know it is blasphemous to say, but, will the Beatles just ever, you know, sort of fade away? I mean not like their music fades away of course…it is fantastic, but this media event stuff over…well nothing is kind of stupid. So they are now on Guitar Hero or whatever and so there are remastered songs…ok…So what? They did not not get together and produce new music to my knowledge. Now that would be news of course considering two members no longer walk the earth.
But this constant bombardment of media blitzing for a bunch of guys who formed a band fifty years ago is sort of depressing. It shows that there is nothing new that we can point to in music. Why are the Beatles still so fascinating? Could it be no one has really eclipsed their level of talent, insight, genius. Has there been on one since who could sum up the pathos of Yesterday or the existential muse of A Day in the Life. Guess not.
Or we would not be slathered with Beatle mania again every year. Beatle songs are going to IPOD. Beatle songs are being re-released. Ringo is touring. Paul is touring. Paul is divorcing. Paul’s wife is a witch for taking his money. Yoko is making a statement. I can understand a lot of this as by products of celebradom. But this over the top incessant Beatle media over essentially…nothing…is just weird. Continue reading Will the Beatles ever go away?
September 9, 2009
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 Photo Courtesy: www.philliesnation.com A year removed from his perfect season, Brad Lidge has reverted to his former Houston self.
Lidge gave up a leadoff single to Wil Nieves then Alberto Gonzalez recorded a ground out to third. Gonzalez was nearly safe after an errant throw by Pedro Feliz but Ryan Howard made the catch and applied the tag to relieve a little pressure from Lidge.
But, Nieves was on second with one out. So, as a great closer should do, Lidge hit Willie Harris with a pitch and walked Cristian Guzman. All of Philadelphia collectively held its breath for the umpteenth time this season.
Until Charlie Manuel had enough and walked out to the mound took the ball from Lidge and called for Ryan Madson from the bullpen…finally. Luckily, Madson got out of the jam with a strikeout and groundout but the bases loaded predicament should have never been an issue.
Now I know last year was epic. Only the Lord saved more than Lidge (sorry Bernie Parent). It would be unjust for anyone to expect Lidge to perform at the same level as he did last year. But Lidge has 10 blown saves this year (which should be 11 if it weren’t for Madson saving him last night). It’s just too many for a team to make another World Series run. Continue reading Woe is Lidge
September 8, 2009
President Obamas speech–victimized again by television
by Bill Hazelgrove
 Television may appeal to what is banal and base and it may be low art but it should not be used to hurt our democracy. We have been victimized again. Talking heads on the left and the right have hacked it out over the Presidents speech to school children. We now have parents keeping their children home, protesting against indoctrination by the Obamaites to socialism. What is going on? Where does this post McCarthyism come from?
It comes from that blue box in front of you. We take the passive act of watching television for granted but we do not register that is has been hijacked by people who do not have our best interests at heart. Television is selling. It is all about selling. Ever since RCA did field tests in 1936 they knew that this would be a sponsor based entertainment medium. Ratings. There must be ratings to sell the product. Ratings are produced by drama. Drama is produced by exaggeration. This is true in fiction as well. Continue reading President Obamas speech–victimized again by television
September 3, 2009
Posted by Prentiss Gray in: Attitude, Communications, Diet, Entertainment, Freelance Author, Global Warming, Health & Fitness, Humor, Lifestyle, Marketing, Motivation, Non-Fiction, Sociology, Television, The Media, Uncategorized
Is it a problem that negative journalism is read, viewed, discussed more than positive reporting? Well, more viewers means more money and as a race, it would seem that we are more attracted to the negative than the positive.
Just a few nights in front of the TV around any election will demonstrate to the viewer that when money is being spent, it’s the negative ads that get made. This is a good measure of effectiveness of the “right type” of marketing. Consultants and campaign managers are paid to win campaigns, they have to use what sells in order to be effective. Their overwhelming choice; a good smear campaign. Everyone can name their favorite, there is almost no need cite examples.
The news media also knows this key strategy, in the form of “bad news sells.” We only have to count the number of bad news stories as compared to good news stories to see. What’s the average, 98 to 1? Which is why morning news/entertainment shows all vie for the worst (read “best”) stories they can find. They have an insatiable appetite for fires and floods, murders and kidnappings, and bad war news. Even the so-called entertainment segments of the programs cover only the best fear producing topics. Are you being ripped off at the store? Why you are more likely than the next guy to die at an early age (insert too fat, too sedentary, bad diet, bad genes, bad habits).
Of course, that brings us to the latest media love affair, reality medical shows. Doctors giving advice and commentary, on all the medical or psychological problems we may have. Medical fear mongering for the “snake fascinated” audience. Continue reading It pays to be mean
August 31, 2009
Three YouTube Clips of Ben Franklin
by John Armor
Here are three clips of Ben Franklin that I thought you might enjoy. Let me know what you think.
Here’s the first half of Franklin in a meeting in Raleigh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xa6rbgq1lw Here is the second half of that appearance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ304mIo1eI This was my appearance at [...]
August 25, 2009
 Death of a Movie Star?
by Bill Hazelgrove
Read an article in the New York Times about the cratering of big movies with big stars. Seems  people don’t care about movie stars anymore. Scratch that…they care they just don’t care enough to lay down almost ten bucks for a ticket. Tom Hanks, Sandra, Julia, Cruise–where have all our stars gone? They used to be so bankable. Maybe they are still, but the current fare of Hollywood dribble is not even getting the lowest common denominator to shell out.
So what is Hollywood to do? And what does this mean? Could it be celebradom has lost some of it’s moxie. Well of course. When your neighbor can end up on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or in some Survivor spin off or maybe just had a bunch of babies and now has their own show or maybe is a truck driver or a fisherman and is now popping up nightly for all the world to see–then surely the bloom is off the celebrity rose. We can’t have our cake and eat it too. Continue reading Death of a Movie Star?
August 18, 2009
Book signings. Absolutely love them. Not the tepid white wine of some vintage in the plastic glass with the runny cheese on a paper plate. Nope. It’s when I get to meet the real reason I write. [...]
August 14, 2009
Meditation55–Fanny and Alexander Stephen Sangirardi: Bard715@aol.com
I want to say something about Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander. On the surface, the film is about the death of an actor and the re-marriage of his beautiful wife Emily to a sinister Lutheran Bishop, much to the chagrin of the woman’s children. (Can you say Hamlet?) The place is Sweden, and the time is 1907. The Bishop named Edvard is one of those subtly cruel men who cloak their cruelty behind the facade of Christianity; the hypocrite who thinks he can flog people because he’s doing so in the name of Christ. It doesn’t take long before the woman’s two children, the said Fanny and Alexander, begin to hate the Bishop and his prison-like manse. He denies them recreation a nd toys and other children, since he believes that ‘play’ is aligned with sin. He feeds them Hansel and Gretel food, and forbids them all contact with their mother’s extended family which is huge and loving. Because the children are virtual prisoners of their mean stepfather, Emily realizes that she got re-married too quickly and that one day the Bishop is going to harm Alexander who despises and defies his stepfather, as Hamlet did Claudius. The family has reason to worry: the Bishop’s first wife and two children drowned in the raging river outside the manse trying to escape the sinister clergyman. Now, having learned only one part of the lesson, the Bishop has the windows barred and uses his psychotic sister and ghostly servants as spies and sentinels in case anyone makes a run for the egress. At the urging of her family, Emily begs her husband for a divorce, but Edvard refuses to relinquish his new ‘property.’ Finally, Mr. Jacobi, an old friend of the dead actor, is sent to ‘kidnap’ the two children before it’s too late. The Jewish money-lender goes to the Bishop’s Draconian manse with the intent of buying a huge chest from the Bishop, but where he really plans to stow the children. This is where the film gets quite dramatic. The Bishop can’t hide his contempt of Mr. Jacobi and shrewdly suspects that the Jew has come, not so much for the chest, but to abscond with Fanny and Alexander. Continue reading Meditation55–Fanny and Alexander
August 9, 2009
When ‘pay TV’ was commercial-free
by Al D Squitieri,Sr
While reading complaints about the ever increasing cost of cable T.V. and telling of dissatisfaction with cable service, I was reminded of my own wheel-spinning battle with state senators and a local small-town cable company, now part of the massive Time Warner Cable conglomerate.
Back about 25 years ago, cable was relatively new and was the rage then, as the internet, cell phones and texting is today. In it’s beginnings, television was considered a “limited intelligential wasteland;” However, it was then, as today, a great advertising medium. But viewers were tired of commercials interrupting our viewing in 15- minute intervals. After all, movie theaters weren’t bugging us mid-movie.
Then, from Madison Avenue came a supposed answer to this nightmare of greed and wanton: They called it “Pay TV.”
We were told for just pennies per day we could watch uninterrupted “commercial free television.” Almost instantly, cable companies popped-up by the hundreds, each craving more than its fair share of a pot of gold.
Our supposed protective politicians told us there would be only one company per city, thus somehow guaranteeing fair pricing, excellent service, and respect for consumers. Most of all, the cable industry would never become a monopoly as did the other two giants: power and telephone.
That was in 1984. How far from the truth have we come 25 years later? Well, we still have our what’s-in-it-for us politicians holding senate hearings every couple years to regulate the cable industry. After a few days of supposed protecting-the-public hearings, it’s back to business as usual, with more rate increases and less free channels. Talk about blurred vision from snow on the TV screen.
Twenty-five years ago, I signed on for Commercial Free Television at just $9.50 per month. Not bad, I thought. The “basic package” included 29 channels, which included our four local channels. Although mostly giveaways or not-so-hot items, I thought that was better then poking my eye out with a rabbit-ear contraption or falling off the roof hugging the antenna.
Continue reading When ‘pay TV’ was commercial-free
August 6, 2009
 By Alan Caruba
It’s one of those things that only someone who has devoted their life to writing would understand and it is inherently unfair. Budd Schulberg was a great writer and, though the word is widely used, a genius.
Genius leaves its mark on the world and Schulberg’s novels and, in particular, his screenplays did that. While it is true that great actors breathed life into the characters he created and the words he gave them, it is also true that he had created them out of the extraordinary talent he possessed.
If Brando, as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront would make “I could have been a contender” immortal, the words first flowed from Schulberg’s pen, as did Malloy and the host of other characters he created in that alchemy of taking real people and transforming them into larger than life representatives of mankind.
Raised in Hollywood as the son of B.P. Schulberg, the chief of production at Paramount Studios, his mother, Adeline Jaffe, was a respected literary agent. Schulberg lived in a veritable hothouse of creativity. Continue reading Budd Schulberg: 1914-2009. Genius is the Only Word for Him
July 29, 2009
Yes, I am a fan of Michael Jackson! And yes, I know that Michael was very controversial. But why can’t the world just let him rest in peace.
The King of Pop has been gone for over a month and the news concerning his private endeavors has not decreased!
And to think that this man is not even buried! What disrespect! Well, that is another story.
I understand that the authorities are
deeply investigating Michael Jackson’s
death. I also understand that a great
quantity of prescription drugs are involved. There is also a custody hearing goign on to dictate who will hae guardianship over his children. Yes, yes and yes! I understand. Continue reading “Just Leave Him Alone”
July 22, 2009
The world is full of books. That in itself is a joy for an avid reader like myself. There is so much to pick from these days. I have always adored being surrounded by stacks and stacks of books in my house and my office that hold my interest. As a student I bought every book required for classes and then some. Nowadays my undergraduatedaughter tells me the price of textbooks is outrageous. As a young bride I collected cookbooks. Even now my siblings send them to me as a gift. A visit to a bookstore is akin to a trip to candy land. Often I come home with books that grabbed my interest with the first page but will loose me in later chapters because the writer got lazy. I sigh that I wasted money and time on the work of someone who couldn’t make a concerted effort to truly appreciate the written world. It is at this point when I long for a return to real literature. Continue reading A Return to Literature
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the look and feel of a an old boys club, rich men yucking it up on national television with Dave’s peccadilloes moving in the background. Forget that Steve Martin looked like an ass with his socks and his banjos and his self serving self congratulating air or that Martin Short joined in with the bad suits brigade (check out Dave and Steve’s) and got busy sucking up to Steve and Dave and completed the strippers night out with cigars atmosphere–the biggest reason Dave should retire is he is not with it anymore. And he looks bored out of his skull.
The Gaslight Journal is Done
Begun back sometime in 2001, this book was originally a fluke of an idea… [...]