12.29.09 – A Tuesday

WORD

flippant [flip–uhnt] adj. 1. frivolously disrespectful, shallow, or lacking in seriousness; characterized by levity: The audience was shocked by his flippant remarks about patriotism 2. Chiefly Dialect. nimble, limber, or pliant 3. Archaic. glib; voluble

BIRTHDAY

Charles Goodyear (1800), Andrew Johnson (1808), Billy Tipton (1914), Mary Tyler Moore (1936), Jon Voight (1938), Rick Danko (1942), Marianne Faithfull (1946), Ted Danson (1947), Patricia Clarkson (1959), Paula Poundstone (1959), Glen Phillips (1970), Jude Law (1972)

STANDPOINT

No new post as far as the Standpoint today. I’m working on my end of the year lists. Stay tuned.

QUOTATION

Children are smarter than any of us. Know how I know that? I don’t know one child with a full time job and children. → Bill Hicks

TUNE

Recently, I’ve discovered Ben Lee was once actually quite solid. (That being stated, I will admit I definitely dug on “Catch My Disease.”) Turns out he was capable of some pretty solid songsmithing. Check out “How To Survive a Broken Heart.”

GALLIMAUFRY

→ Just in case you’re looking for more proof that just about everyone is absolutely shithouse crazy and not what they seem, you might be interested in reading about Charlie Sheen, who I’ve recently witnessed appearing sane on talk shows, and what he did to his wife after she asked for a divorce. I still like his sitcom, though, Two and a Half Men. Funny is funny.

→ I’m sure some people might look at the story of the couple who got stranded by their GPS and curse technology. But, I’d like for all of us to keep in mind that stories about how GPS systems have helped people not get stranded aren’t really considered newsworthy.

→ Ever had a bad day at work? That’s exactly what Philadelphia Eagles safety Macho Harris had two days ago.  Luckily, the Eagles still managed to defeat the Denver Broncos 30-27.

06.10.09 – Wednesday

Word: vapid [vap-id] adj. 1. lacking or having lost life, sharpness, or flavor; insipid; flat: vapid tea 2. without liveliness or spirit; dull or tedious: a vapid party; vapid conversation

Birthday: Jacques Marquette (1637), Howlin’ Wolf (1910), Judy Garland (1922), Maurice Sendak (1928), João Gilberto (1931), F. Lee Bailey (1933), John Edwards (1953), Eliot Spitzer (1959), Maxi Priest (1960), Kim Deal (1961), Kelley Deal (1961), Gina Gershon (1962), Jeanne Tripplehorn (1963), Jimmy Chamberlin (1964), Elizabeth Hurley (1965), Joey Santiago (1965), Bill Burr (1968), The D.O.C. (1968), Mike Doughty (1970), Faith Evans (1973), Flesh-N-Bone (1973), Tara Lipinski (1982)

Quotation: Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tune: It’s his birthday, so I thought I’d share my favorite Mike Doughty song – “The Only Answer.”

Gallimaufry: President Obama may soon see his 61% approval rating nosedive. Why? Well, Jon Voight says so. Monday night, while speaking at a GOP fundraiser in Washington D.C., the actor described Obama as “wildly radical” and labelled him a “false prophet.” The Hollywood veteran and star of such films as Midnight Cowboy, Deliverance and Transformers has long been an opponent of the President. No word yet on how Obama is sleeping after learning of Voight’s comments, which even some Republicans thought were a bit over the top.  ∞ When it was discovered Cameron Crowe was directing a commercial with Pearl Jam for mega-retailer Target, some started to wonder what was going on. Had Pearl Jam, a band that took on Ticketmaster years ago over escalating ticket prices, finally sold out? Untrue, says the band’s longtime manager, Kelly Curtis. “Target was cool enough to realize that little independent record stores are not their competition.” “I make decisions around the band’s business that are consistent with their overall philosophy,” said Curtis, “which is to sell music in a way that’s accessible and affordable to their fans, on every distribution platform that their fans access music, and in a way that takes care of the little guys.” Seems above-board to me. I’ve found Target to have a solid (if not limited) and affordable music selection. Plus, the flip-flops I bought there a few weeks back have produced to my liking. ∞ This Friday, June 12th will be the last day you’ll be able to watch television on those old rabbit ears. All major TV stations will stop broadcasting in analog and go all digital. It’s for real this time, so if you’ve been dragging on getting the digital converter box, best get a move on. The future is now. Or maybe you’re one of the billions of people who’ve discovered cable and satellite television. In that case, you’ve nothing to worry about.

Incoming: Got some good stuff coming up. Come back tomorrow for some more.