Super Week

Well, it's Super Week for the Super Bowl... It's hard for me to get excited about the 'Yankee Bowl' since both teams are from the Northeast. And it's being played in Indianapolis; somehow it's hard to get excited about that too... And I can't STAND Tom Brady. Our sports editor was baffled at that today, saying he thought all women loved him because he's good-looking. I answered that I will like a good-looking man until he thinks he's good-looking, and then I lose all interest. I do like Eli Manning and that entire family, so I guess I'll root for the Giants. The entertainment this year is Madonna, of all people... I guess it's all so unexciting, that they are looking for a Janet Jackson moment?? And really, in the music world, Madonna is sort of a has-been. Did everyone else turn them down?? I guess the best thing will be the commercials.

Now THAT'S something I can get excited about... Bueller? .... Bueller??

"An ounce of prevention..."

Does this bother anyone else?? The First Lady on the cover of Prevention Magazine? Doesn't it cheapen the dignity of a First Lady? I know she's been on the cover of Time, or was it Newsweek? Well, they're all the same any way. And I 'get it' that her platform is child obesity... but the First Lady trying to look like a super model? It would have at least been better if she was photographed with a kid, or her kids, or something different than spandex clothes with the subtitle on the cover that reads, "Michelle Obama in her best shape at 48 - her wonder workout." And on the other side of her photo it reads, "Turn on your sexy switch tonight."

Ugh....

"There's no such thing as a coincidence..."

You've probably heard by now that 14 girls and 1 boy in a New York high school have developed neurological problems of strange, sudden symptoms of ticks, tremors and verbal outbursts. They were normal high schoolers living a normal life, and then blammo! Most had to start getting home-schooled as their symptoms were too intense. All, of course, have been seen by doctors and drugs have been ruled out.

Now we've learned that activist Erin Brockovich has stepped in to investigate. USA Today reports that she has spent the past week studying federal and state reports of a 1970 train derailment that spilled cyanide and trichloroethene within 3 miles of the high school.

I guess the thing that surprises me, is that it takes an activist to come in and solve this mystery? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for Erin Brockovich, and respect her for her research. But here is an area where we would hope that government (that is, schools) would step in, and try to see what's going on. But then the government might have conflicting interest, in that they might not want the truth out there in fear of a lawsuit. Because really, in our society, no one wants to take the blame, and more importantly, have to pay for it. That's what it all comes down to, no one wants to be out any money. No one.

Not even for the children...

"You have just entered... The Twilight Zone..."

Fran Drescher told The Huffington Post this week that in junior high she was abducted by aliens and claims to also have had a chip implanted during the experience. When she met her (now former) husband, Peter Marc Jacobson, he too had seen aliens while driving on the road with his dad. Fran says she thinks they were "programmed" to meet. She says they both have the exact same scar in the exact same spot. Jacobson thinks it's a coincidence, but Fran told him, "That's what the aliens programmed us to think, but really that's where the chip is." I'll never be able to watch "The Nanny" reruns anymore.

I'll never look at her the same...

"I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony..." - Coca Cola

In lieu of Freaky Friday (and there's a LOT of freaky news out there) I decided to let you in on a story I just read. It says "Twitter announces micro-censorship policy." The company announced yesterday that it could start censoring certain content in certain countries, a sort of micro-censorship widget that would pop up in a grey box on the Twitter feed. It would read, "Tweet withheld" and "This tweet from @username has been withheld in: Country."

In principle, that could apply to a message promoting Nazi ideology in Germany, a critical remark about the monarchy in Thailand, or perhaps even lines from "The Satanic Verses" in India, where the book remains banned.

Until now, the company explained, if a tweet had to be removed, it would vanish from Twitter pages worldwide. The company did not have the ability to selectively remove it country by country. They declined to say how many posts it had removed in the past because it was asked by a government authority. Twitter said it withheld content only in response to requests from United States Law Enforcement officials.

Many think the reason Twitter has decided to start censorship is their desire to go into China, where neither Twitter nor Facebook operates. China has a popular Twitter-like platform called Sina Weibo. The Twitter blog post said yesterday, "As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression."

The change could have wide implications, since the majority of Twitter users are outside of the United States.

Sigh...

"The Chinese year of the Dragon..."

Remember over 10 years ago, when Regis Philbin was still co-hosting with Kathie Lee Gifford? Well, as you might recall, she had a line of clothes that it suddenly surfaced were being made in sweat shops with terrible working conditions overseas. It was a HUGE deal, and the media, which hated the always-in-a-good-mood Kathie Lee, and basically roasted her for something she knew nothing about.

Fast-forward to 2012, and Apple factories in China are a GAZILLION times worse, but is Big Media saying anything? Oh Hell no. The UK Daily Mail went to Fox Conn (Chinese factories making iPads for Apple) and researched that workers are 'forced to stand for 24 hours, work excessive overtime without a single day off during the week, have suicide nets outside of their crowded dormitories, have toxin exposure and explosions.

Where's the outcry?? Where's the Apple boycott due to worse abuse than sweat shops ever had?? Where is Big Media even covering this story?? Why do I have to read about it from the U.K. news?? Why are people so stupid?? Why are people like lambs being lead to slaughter??

Where are the people that care about our fellow human beings in China?? WHERE!!!!!

"Where's Waldo?"

Notice something out of place in this picture??! If you guessed the First Lady, then you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!! Yes, Michelle chose to wear a cobalt blue cocktail dress to the State of the Union address to Congress and the entire country. A dress that retails for more than $2,000 in the worst economy since the 1930's. But then, I'm not surprised after I read the story about her hairdresser and the fact that she flies him in for special occasions and he costs $10,000 per day. Or that she flew early to Hawaii, costing the taxpayer (that's us) double the amount to do so. Or the time she took her entire entourage to Spain and rented out a gazillion rooms for all of her friends at an extremely ritzy hotel. Or that she loves to order champagne and caviar.

Shall I go on??

"Let them eat cake..."

I'm writing this post while the stupid State of the Union address is on. I haven't watched one since President O was inaugurated and I'm not going to start now. Why should I watch the same line of B.S. that he's always peddling? He wants to re-distribute wealth, blah, blah, blah. It occurred to me that the Democrats/Liberals/Progressives hate oil because they associate Republicans/Conservatives with it. They think Big Oil has owned America and they clearly want all of America's dependence on energy to switch completely to THEIR friends. So they conjured up Global Warming and scientists to lie about it, and the Green industry, and got all of their friends on board, and started giving tax credits towards things like the Chevy Volt and whatever else to get them and their friends money. Always follow the money trail. Everyone wants money and politicians always want to be in charge of spending the money. These politicians, and I don't just mean Democrats, say they care about the poor and the middle class, but they don't. It's really all about them. They keep voting themselves raises and exempting themselves from Obamacare. Isn't this the biggest hypocrisy ever?!? And the stat came out recently that since Obama was elected, most politicians have doubled their wealth. Again, huge hypocrisy while the rest of us suffer and suffer and suffer some more. They don't care. "Let them eat cake," is most of their thought process. Yes, there are a handful that are honest and actually care, but they are few and far between. Congress has the lowest approval ratings in my lifetime, but do they care? Oh HELL no. They are laughing all the way to the bank. Why do you think they go through the laborious process?! So they can change the situation to make a ton of money for themselves and their friends. So don't be fooled about the green industry farce. Because that's exactly what it is. A huge lie.
Would you like to hear MY State of the Union??? Horrid. Really awful. And the only hope in sight is getting President O voted out and a conservative voted in. Period. It's that simple. Everyone I know with a brain is holding their breath for the rest of the year waiting to elect someone else to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Everyone is trying to hang on, like they are hanging on the edge of a cliff. It's the most important election yet in my life. Everyone needs to see the seriousness of this. It is no laughing matter. Our future will be determined next November.
We need to be on our knees every day...

"And as we remember this historic anniversary..."

(39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade) we must also continue our efforts to ensure that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams." -- President Barack Obama

The prez said this quote yesterday on "Sanctity of Life Sunday," when we Pro-Lifer's take time to remember the millions of children murdered by their own mothers after this court case. And what exactly does the prez MEAN when he says these words? Well, what all pro-murder people believe, that a baby is an inconvenience instead of a blessing like the Bible says. The prez was quoted last year as saying, "punished with a baby." Say WHAT?!? The Bible says, "Children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a REWARD." Leave it to the liberals to completely turn having a baby around to a punishment. And why can't they give their baby up for adoption instead of 'terminating' it? Oh, that would be inconvenient to carry their OWN FLESH AND BLOOD for nine months too. So what ARE the "rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons"? That they can have as much sex as they want and not be bothered with a baby??? Honestly I can't even think like these people so I am not even sure if that's what he means. But what else CAN it mean?? I am thoroughly disgusted with this quote and the beliefs behind it. And I am ashamed that the leader of this country would hold this thought.

Heaven help us...

"If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take..."

Just read about a new Facebook app called, "If I die," in which the Facebook user will be given the opportunity to post one last message or video on the site after their death. Three 'trustees' selected by the customer during their lifetime will have to verify the death before anything is broadcast. Nobody - not even those at the company - will be able to see what has been recorded until then. The app's website suggests that messages could be "your life story, a secret you haven't shared before or even a will."

As I've thought about this, most older people are not on Facebook, but this might become popular as the Facebooker's age. I'm wondering if a Facebook will would hold up in court? I'm wondering if the Facebook app will would trump a written will? I'm wondering if this will be the note that people who commit suicide will use? I guess I'm just wondering a lot of things. I think it actually might be a good idea although macabre. But my dad used to always say, "We're all going to die some day," even though none of us want to hear that.

I've often thought that funerals are way too boring and that final videos from the deceased should be played saying how much they loved everyone and thanks for coming. The Facebook video could be copied and played there. My mother had a beautiful, rich friend named Rosetta, who planned a music fest as she was dying of cancer, and had musicians of all kinds of music including New Orleans jazz and Scottish bagpipes, play a mini-concert for her funeral. I've always thought we Baby Boomers would blaze a new trail of how our senior years would be, and even of our passing.

Maybe this idea is the start of just that very thing...

"Hunting is not a sport. In a sport, both sides should know they're in the game."

I come from a long line of hunters and I live in Texas, but I am disgusted that tourist trophy hunters are "hunting" GIRAFFES...

The lastest statistics show the number of giraffes in the world have nearly halved since 1988 from over 140,000 to less than 80,000 and are already thought to be extinct in Angola, Mali and Nigeria. Dr. Fennessy, who founded Giraffe Conservation Foundation, said "The worst part of trophy hunting is the fact that the hunters can miss their target and fail to kill the giraffe quickly. If they don't hit the right spot, then it can lead to suffering for the animal."

I guess I just don't believe in killing animals just for the heck of it... I am fine with people hunting deer and then eating them, but I don't think it is humane to kill animals for sport. Here in the Texas hill country, some come here to shoot their limit and then donate the meat to the homeless. That's a good thing. But then there are high school boys that go out with their friends on ranches and (illegally) kill every jack rabbit at night that they see.

Killing just for killing's sake is just WRONG...

Freaky Fridays

Tom Cruise, who will turn 50 this July, has revealed his big beauty secret -- placenta-based facials -- that's he's getting in the run-up to next month's Oscars. "Tom loves it because it keeps him looking young," a source said.

Ewwww....

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned..."

Do we care that Marianne Gingrich is dishing on her ex-husband? Yes and no... I DO believe in confession and forgiveness and redemption (as Rick Perry said today.) And I do believe Gingrich when he says he has called upon God and turned his life around. But it didn't really change my mind about him. I have always thought him to be extremely sharp and well-experienced yet has too much baggage to be president. As I said earlier, we (conservatives) in America, hold our presidents to a higher standard, and Gingrich doesn't meet that standard. I want someone with similar morals to me in the White House. I want someone with a good head on their shoulders, who makes decisions based on their integrity and belief system, not on some political poll. For me, that person is Rick Santorum, (who by the way, IS the winner of the Iowa caucus, although no one seems to care.) Big Media wants Mitt Romney, so we will continue to get the news barrage about him.

It's going to be a long year...

"Bottoms up"

Ever since I was young, I have had a fascination with the Titanic... It had all the right stuff for a thriller, yet was not fiction. It had wealthy people and working class people. It was the ship that "even God could not sink." And all of the "perfect storm" events leading up to it's sinking made it a huge nightmare. In my wildest dreams I cannot IMAGINE what it would have been like to be in the middle of nowhere, freezing cold, dark, and sinking.

I grew up around boats - boats of all sizes. My parents loved the water and we were involved in water activities every weekend of my life before college. When I was young, we had smaller boats on lakes, and then graduated to larger and larger boats on the Gulf of Mexico. I have a huge respect for the ocean, and with that, some fear. Because fear is usually associated with respect. There were a few times that we saw accidents, some almost dying and some that actually did die in boating accidents. It's part of living your life at full throttle.

So the other night, right before I went to bed, I checked my phone for the latest news. When I saw the huge cruise ship in Italy listing like it was, I told DD that it was a big deal. Just looking at that enormous ship listing so far on it's side after a very short while, meant that bad things were coming - fast. It's amazing that in 2012, a ship could hit a rock and list that fast, and sink that fast... with all of the electronics that are available? Some inept idiot captain showboats an island, then hits a big rock and the ships tilts immediately and the lights go out? Wow. And no one is even talking about the cost, because this ship costs around a half a BILLION dollars. Not to mention the lawsuits that will now ensue... I don't think I will ever take a cruise on those huge ships.

Ever...

"Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff." - Frank Zappa

Just heard that Iran is banning the sales of Barbie dolls to rid their country of western influence & claim Barbies are un-Islamic.
Whatever....

FASHION POLICE: Live Blogging the Golden Globes with Alex & DD

Me: Giuliana is wearing all high necks due to bc surgery?

Alex: I don't think so. She wore normal necklines on E news last week. Stacy Kiebler looks nice

Me: Red on red carpet though. Clooney is HUBBA HUBBA

Alex: Always

Me: Kate Winslet looks cool
Me: Wrong color for Modern Family chic

DD: Modern Family mom looks 8 years old

Me: Pretty dress, wrong girl

Alex: I agree. The look doesn't fit Julie Bowen. And the nude is overdone

Me: It's boring like black

DD: Cut off the sleeves dude. But I like the color

Me: Doesn't fit her personality. Too skinny.
Alex: Love, love Octavia's dress. Love lavender on the red carpet

Me: Nice.
Me: Mila in boring black??? Ugh

Alex: No Mila. No black!!! Mila's hair and dress are boring and overdone. Black dress and an up do is so overdone!!!
DD: Oh God, "Angie" looks like mrs. Clause or a candy cane. (We later decided on Cruella Davil)

Me: It's very dressed to kill - literally.

Me: Angelina???

Alex: Angelina is not in black. Crazy!

Me: Points for that

Alex: More jewelry! Brad Pitt's hair is gross.

Me: Always...

Alex: And Angelina is like Claire Danes in that the makeup is a little clowny. Her dress is too structured but not bad

Me: Unusual

Alex: It's Oscars but not Golden Globes

Me: Good point

Alex: So many celebs look Oscar boring to me

Me: Right!

Alex: I want to see fun flirty Golden Globe looks!!

Me: Me too

Me: Angelina looks like a wax figure

(DD's pick for Worst Dressed)

(She wasn't on the red carpet, but I did NOT like this at all)
(Also not on red carpet, but STUNNING) Nicole Kidman is my runner up for best dressed
Me: Don't like Michelle Williams dress

Alex: Michelle Williams... snore

(My runner up for Worst Dress)
DD: I looooove Sarah Highland!!!! :)))))

Alex: Sarah Hyland is a cutie

(DD's pick for Best Dressed)
Alex: Piper is yuck. Way too much drab

Me: Strange

(Alex is tied for Worst Dressed with this one)
DD: We hate Sarah Gellar's fugly blue puke firework dress

Me: Sarah Gellar in tie dye??

Alex: She gets points for trying to be different but it's too much. It's a blue mess...

(Alex is tied with this for Worst Dressed)
Alex: The cute girl from The Help should go back to blonde

Me: Oh yes, Jessica Chastain is a doll

DD: Jessica is BEAUTIFUL

Me: She's TINY. Darling

Me: Kelly Osborne is hideous, frumpy dress & old lady purple hair

(My pick for Worst Dressed)
Alex: I love love Shailene

DD: Shailene could be prettier

Me: This look is too old for her. Needs to have her hair down and wear more of a boho look
Alex: I didn't hate Nicole Richie. Very 60's but too shiny for my taste.

Me: Agree

DD: I hate Nicole Richie. Her outfit is fine, I just think she's.... yuck

Me: She is bleh

Alex: Frieda looks great in peacock blue. She shouldn't have picked that matronly cut dress. But her makeup is good.

Me: Boring

DD: Frieda Pinto!!!!

Me: She's pretty in anything

DD: She should have worn a brighter color
Alex: Elle McPhearson is a freak of nature for looking like she does in her forties

Me: Elle McPh always looks stunning and young... She looks super fab!!!!!!!

DD: Elle McPhearson is a goddess

(My pick for Best Dressed)
Alex: Paula Patton's dress is AWFUL

DD: Paula Patton is a banana

Me: Brunettes not good in yellow

DD: Why do some of them fake laugh while smiling? Banana girl was like scream laughing like a dork at nothing

Alex: I hate the minimal jewelry trend. Sophia needs more bling!!

Me: Totally

DD: Yeah, I agree. she is such a loud girl she needs a louder dress. She played too safe but I haven't seen the whole dress yet. It looks good on her with her coloring

Me: Love her

Alex: Sofia needs to move on from the mermaid cut dress. We get it. You have a good figure.

DD: Ha, there's a shoe cam

Me: Mermaids are still big

Alex: Charlize is AMAZING

Me: Charlize always looks the same

DD: (young adult chic) looks like a Barbie doll princess

Me: She looks very 30's movie star - very Carole Lombard

DD: I like her makeup and the color of her dress and her hair, haha
Alex: Zooey is very modern and pulls it off. Nevermind. Zooey looks like she has sideburns and the dress is odd

Me: Exactly, weird

Me: Zooey looks weird but she's so cute. Her sis is dressed 80's prom
Me: Viola looks fab. Like her
Me: Rooney is a black widow

DD: Rooney looks like a hobo

Alex: Dragon tatoo girl let that role go to her head. Black should be banned.

Me: Yeah, she's a rich girl

Alex: Black dresses just bore on the red carpet. Rooney is like kristin stewart in that her apathetic 'I'm too cool' thing irritates me

DD: SO TRUE, Rooney.... No good

Me: No jewelry???

DD: Emo pony tail kid

Me: Bones are sticking out. Morticia. Adams Family

DD: haha

Alex: AJ and I hate Kristin Wiig's nude blah dress

Me: Worst yet

Alex: And she's a nominee. She had first pick at designer dresses!!

Me: Bad taste

Alex: She's from SNL and Bridesmaids

Me: Right. Way cuter as blonde

Alex: Designers give nominees first choice so Wiig has no excuse

Me: Maybe going for worst dressed

Me: Kate Beckinsale in nude too?!?
Alex: Salma Hayek looks great!! Her dress is like a modern art deco look. I like hair down

Me: She looks 90's. Chanel 15 years ago. Kinda vintage.

Me: Like feathers on Mary K Blige

Alex: Mary J should have picked a more figure flattering dress

Me: I like it though

Alex: Julianne Moore is like Tina Fey in that she wears the same look every red carpet
Me: Love Reese!!

Alex: Reese looks fun!! I like it!!

Me: Sexy for her

Alex: Reese looks very vixen but needs jewelry

Me: Reese is THIN

DD: Ahh! Reese is SOO beautiful, I love her
Me: Glee chic looks uniquely cool in red

DD: DIANA AGRON

Me: Yeah

DD: Like the dress and hair

Me: She's pretty

Me: Jessica Biel in nudish color

DD: looks like a wedding dress

Alex: Jessica Biel looks like she is wearing her grandmother's wedding dress

Me: Or her mom's?
DD: HATE EVAN RACHEL WOOD. SHE'S EVIL. And ugly
Alex: Claire Danes hair and makeup is bad

Me: Yack. I can't STAND this. Looks Star Trek - Beam me up Scottie!!
Me: Jodie Foster is always in silvery color

DD: She looks grandma. Grody
Me: Heidi Klum in nude too

Alex: Heidi Klum pulls off the nude and I love it!!

DD: I actually like her dress and jewelry
Alex: Natalie Portman looks matronly and disappointing
Me: Glee chic looks pretty

Alex: Lea Michelle looks too lizard like

Me: Lea in cut outs too??? Strange

DD: Eww, this glee lea michele looks like a stripper
Alex: Boo to Emma Stone

DD: hahaha I like emma stone's dress

Me: She is cute but ugh dress
Me: Madonna looks pretty good - and young

Alex: Like Madonna's look but lose the gloves
Me: Alba looks prom

Alex: Jessica Alba is my favorite!! Omg Alba is stunning!!!

Me: Alba had a kid 2 mos ago?? She does look good

DD: I think so too, I loved her dress

(Alex's pick for Best Dressed)