roger ebert's journal: Trying to get a word in edgewise
I would fantasize about being blind or deaf. As a child or four or five I went through a weird stage where while lying in bed at night I would pretend I was paralyzed and imagine people coming to admire the brave little saint. I smiled and told them to pray the rosary. It never occurred to me that I might lose my voice. People on the street would try to sell those little cards showing a few symbols of sign language, and I assumed they were con artists.
Ted Rall: WIKILEAKS: THE DEVILS WE KNOW
After the Soviet collapse in 1991 U.S. policy toward Central Asia was transparently cynical: support the dictators, screw the people.
Bill Press: "Tax Cuts: No Deal Better Than Bad Deal"
Obama insists the fight's not over. It's just delayed two years, when he promises an all-out battle to get rid of tax breaks for the rich. I'd like to believe it, but - if Obama wasn't willing to fight now, why believe he'll fight the good fight in 2012?
Matt Miller: Tax cuts for the rich, or better teachers in schools?
We'll never attract enough talented young Americans to teach subjects such as math and science when average starting teacher salaries in the United States are $39,000 and rise (over decades) to an average maximum of $67,000. That tax benefit of $120 billion might have endowed a hefty federal effort to remake the teaching profession for the 21st century. The showdown could have been between "the new generation of teachers America needs to compete" vs. "lower taxes for the top."
Scott Burns: "A Retirement Reading List - With Only One Book on Investing" (assetbuilder.com)
A big part of preparation is learning that your retirement isn't just about investments. With both Social Security and a pension, in fact, your modest IRA/401(k) assets may only provide a small supplement to your other income. As a rough rule of thumb, you can think about taking 4 percent from your financial assets every year.
Lenore Skenazy: Are Kids Too Clean for Their Own Good? (Creators Syndicate)
A study earlier this year found that five times more college kids are dealing with depression today than during the actual Depression. That didn't surprise me, as it always feels good to have a purpose, and presumably when you were collecting scrap metal or planting a vegetable garden during spring break, it felt good to know your family was depending on you.
David Bruce has 39 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $39 you can buy 9,750 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," and "Maximum Cool."
With Assange's arrest in England, denial of bail and extradition request from Sweden, the ante has been raised. Supporters have countered with hacker attacks on sites refusing to process donations to Wikileaks, the Swiss bank that holds Assange's funds and the Swedish prosecutor's office. It appears that the White House is angling to get its hands on him for possible legal charges... The battle lines are firming up... The saga continues... with an addendum question:
At this point, do you support Julian Assange and Wikileaks?
a.) Yes, Hooray!
b.) No frickin' way!
c.) I wish whole damn'd thing would just go away...
If you've already responded to the previous question, feel free to resubmit. All will be posted...
The 'Wiki-Humpty Dumpty' Edition...
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday the leak of hundreds of thousands of secret diplomatic documents is an attack not only on the United States but also the international community...
"This disclosure is not just an attack on America's foreign policy interests," Clinton said. "It is an attack on the international community: the alliances and partnerships, the conversations and negotiations that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity." ..."It puts people's lives in danger, threatens our national security and undermines our efforts to work with other countries to solve shared problems," she told reporters at the State Department...
Clinton calls leaked documents attack on world | detnews.com | The Detroit News
(I watched her statement live and she looked to be NOT a happy camper... Woe be unto PFC Manning)
Do you feel the release of these diplomatic documents are:
1.) A good thing...
2.) A bad thing...
3.) Sorta good - Kinda bad...
4.) Hey! What happened to the Holiday Season theme - thingy?
Jean Louise "Scout" Finch is the narrator of To Kill a MockingbirdSource
mj was first with:
After scouting around in my memory
One of my little feathered friends suggested To Kill a Mockingbird.
Alan J said:
To Kill A Mockingbird
Harv wrote:
That would have to be To Kill a Mockingbird. Jean Louise Finch was " Scout".
Adam answered:
To Kill A Mockingbird.
My favorite narration is from Reversal of Fortune, 'cause the character Sunny von Bulow does it from a coma.
Jim from CA, retired to ID, responded:
To Kill a Mockingbird
Marian responded:
To Kill A Mockingbird.......Scout......Demi Moore named her daughter after the character.
Charlie wrote:
A.K.A. Scout, she narrated To Kill a Mockingbird.
Sally said:
"To Kill a Mockingbird" is narrated by Jean Louise Finch.
Oops...
PS: Hey DannyD, I about split a gut laughing when I read JoeS' post yesterday! Had I known that you were one of the 5, I would have made more of an effort to control myself - honest I would... (Love ya DannyD!) :)
MAM wrote:
"To Kill a Mockingbird"; Jean Louise Finch, nicknamed Scout, was played by Mary Bedham in the movie. My granddaughter and I were discussing this book earlier today. She is reading it for an English class (has already read it twice before). One of my favorite books.
Scout ~ Jean Louise Finch
And, Joe S answered:
Before I get around to answering today's Trivia Question I find it necessary to correct DanD. I am most certainly NOT politically incorrect, In fact I am the most politically CORRECT person I know. You see I didn't label those "white dudes" Georgia Crackers, they labeled themselves The Georgia Crackers. They are a Country Western group from the 40's, check it out.
My wife Carla is from Georgia and my mother-in-law still lives in Colombus. I play this song for Carla every year on her birthday. She doesn't much care for it but I love it.
Now.......to get on with the Trivia, the answer is To Kill a Mockingbird, which also takes place in Georgia. Just kidding! Just kidding! Wanted to see if y'all were payin attention. The book is set in Alabama of course.
I hope I was nice with my reply, I didn't mean to be mean.
CBS starts the night with '60 Minutes', followed by a FRESH'Amazing Race', then a RERUN'Undercover Boss', followed by a FRESH'CSI: The 2nd One'.
NBC fills the night with LIVE'Sunday Night Football', then pads the left coast with local crap and maybe an old 'Dateline'.
ABC begins the night with a RERUN'America's So-Called Funniest Home Videos', followed by a FRESH'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition', then a FRESH'Desperate Housewives', followed by a FRESH'Brothers & Sisters'.
The CW fills the night with the movie 'Highlander: Endgame'
Faux has a FRESH'Running Wilde', followed by a RERUN'Simpsons', then a FRESH'Simpsons', followed by a FRESH hourlong 'Family Guy', then a FRESH'American Dad'.
MY has an old 'The Closer', followed by another old 'The Closer'.
A&E has 'Gene Simmons', another 'Gene Simmons', still another 'Gene Simmons', yet another 'Gene Simmons', followed by a FRESH'Gene Simmons', then a FRESH'the Hasselhoffs', followed by another FRESH'The Hasselhoffs'.
AMC offers the movie 'Nanny McPhee', followed by the movie 'White Christmas', then the movie 'White Christmas', again.
BBC -
[1:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - 6 - Jack Black, Justin Bieber, John Waters, Miranda Hart
[2:00 AM] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Ep 3 The Survivors
[3:00 AM] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Ep 4 Who Watches the Watchers
[4:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - 6 - Jack Black, Justin Bieber, John Waters, Miranda Hart
[5:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - Ep 3 - Robert Wagner, Stefanie Powers, Sandi Thom
[6:00 AM] The Graham Norton Show - Ep 4 Minnie Driver, Jimmy Carr
[7:00 AM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Ep 6 Hannah & Mason's
[8:00 AM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Ep. 4 Moore Place
[9:00 AM] Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Ep 3 Trobiano's
[10:00 AM] Ramsay's Best Restaurant - Ep 1 Italian
[11:00 AM] Top Gear - Episode 6
[12:00 PM] Top Gear - Episode 1
[1:00 PM] Top Gear - Episode 2
[2:00 PM] Top Gear - Episode 3
[3:00 PM] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Ep 3 The Survivors
[4:00 PM] Star Trek: The Next Generation - Ep 4 Who Watches the Watchers
[5:00 PM] Wolf Battlefield
[6:00 PM] Hammerhead
[7:00 PM] Search for Tigers
[7:30 PM] The Commitments
[10:00 PM] Rebel Truce: The History of the Clash
[11:30 PM] The Commitments (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo has 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', another 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', still another 'Real Housewives Of Atlanta', followed by a FRESH'Real Housewives Of Atlanta'.
Comedy Central has the movie 'Balls Of Fury', 'Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments For A Sensual Evening', 'Ralphie May: Girth Of A Nation', and 'Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat ... I'm Fluffy'.
FX has the movie 'Jumper', followed by the movie , then the movie 'Eagle Eye', again.
History has 'Ax Men', 'Pawn Stars', another 'Pawn Stars', followed by a FRESH'Ax Men', then a FRESH'Top Gear'.
IFC -
[6:00 AM] Daltry Calhoun
[8:00 AM] Safe Passage
[10:00 AM] Diminished Capacity
[12:00 PM] Arrested Development
[12:30 PM] Arrested Development
[1:00 PM] Arrested Development
[1:30 PM] Arrested Development
[2:00 PM] Arrested Development
[2:30 PM] Arrested Development
[3:00 PM] The Grid
[3:15 PM] Safe Passage
[5:15 PM] FX 2
[7:45 PM] Boondock Saints
[10:00 PM] Undeclared
[10:30 PM] Undeclared
[11:00 PM] The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
[11:30 PM] Arrested Development
[12:00 AM] The Center of the World
[2:00 AM] Boondock Saints
[4:15 AM] Undeclared
[4:45 AM] Undeclared
[5:15 AM] Arrested Development
[5:45AM] The Grid (ALL TIMES EST)
Sundance -
[7:55 AM] Aloha, New York
[8:20 AM] Diary Of A Chambermaid
[10:00 AM] E2: ENERGY - State of Resolve
[10:30 AM] E2: ENERGY - Coal & Nuclear: Problem or Solution
[11:00 AM] Manufactured Landscapes
[12:30 PM] ICONOCLASTS - Ron Howard + Steve Nash (Episode 5, Season 5)
[1:30 PM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - The Perfect Couple (Episode 1, Season 1)
[2:00 PM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - Three's a Crowd (Episode 2, Season 1)
[2:30 PM] THE COMEBACK - The Comeback (Episode 1, Season 1)
[3:05 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Triumphs at the Upfronts (Episode 2, Season 1)
[3:35 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Bonds With the Cast (Episode 3, Season 1)
[4:05 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Stands Up for Aunt Sassy (Episode 4, Season 1)
[4:35 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Demands Dignity (Episode 5, Season 1)
[5:05 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Saves the Show (Episode 6, Season 1)
[5:35 PM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Gets a Very Special Episode (Episode 7, Season 1)
[6:05 PM] The Tonto Woman
[6:45 PM] I Really Hate My Job
[8:20 PM] The Dead Girl
[10:00 PM] Red Riding: 1983
[11:45 PM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - The Perfect Couple (Episode 1, Season 1)
[12:15 AM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - Three's a Crowd (Episode 2, Season 1)
[12:45 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Saves the Show (Episode 6, Season 1)
[1:15 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Gets a Very Special Episode (Episode 7, Season 1)
[1:45 AM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - The Perfect Couple (Episode 1, Season 1)
[2:15 AM] GIRLS WHO LIKE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS - Three's a Crowd (Episode 2, Season 1)
[2:45 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Saves the Show (Episode 6, Season 1)
[3:15 AM] THE COMEBACK - Valerie Gets a Very Special Episode (Episode 7, Season 1)
[3:45 AM] Red Riding: 1983
[5:30 AM] I Really Hate My Job (ALL TIMES EST)
SyFy has the movie 'Eragon', followed by the movie 'The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian'.
US musician Herbie Hancock, at a press conference prior to the Nobel Peace concert in honor of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo in Oslo, Norway SaturdayDec. 11, 2010. Friday's Nobel prize ceremony marked the the first time in 74 years the prestigious $1.4 million award was not handed over, because Liu is serving an 11-year sentence in China on subversion charges for urging sweeping changes to Beijing's one-party communist political system.
Photo by John McConnico
TNT says its hit drama "The Closer" will be closing up shop next year.
The network announced Friday that the detective series will conclude its run after a seventh season. Production of those final 15 episodes is scheduled to begin next spring.
TNT says the series' Emmy-winning star, Kyra Sedgwick, decided to conclude the show's successful run.
Currently airing its sixth season, "The Closer," which began in 2005, is averaging more than 8 million viewers weekly.
Actress Donna Dixon, second from left, and her daughters Stella Aykroyd, left, Belle Aykroyd, second from right, and Danielle Aykroyd arrive at the premiere of the feature film 'Yogi Bear' in Los Angeles on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010.
Photo by Dan Steinberg
After spending much of the last century in storage, the only U.S. flag not captured or lost during Custer's Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn sold at auction Friday for $2.2 million.
The buyer was identified by the New York auction house Sotheby's as an American private collector.
Frayed, torn, and with possible bloodstains, the flag from one of America's hallmark military engagements had been valued before its sale at up to $5 million.
The 7th U.S. Cavalry flag - known as a "guidon" and with a distinctive swallow-tailed shape - had been the property of the Detroit Institute of Arts. The museum paid just $54 for it in 1895.
US Performer Barry Manilow, US actress Anne Hathaway and US actor Denzel Washington, at a press conference prior to the Nobel Peace concert in honor of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo in Oslo, Norway Saturday Dec. 11, 2010. Friday's Nobel prize ceremony marked the the first time in 74 years the prestigious $1.4 million award was not handed over, because Liu is serving an 11-year sentence in China on subversion charges for urging sweeping changes to Beijing's one-party communist political system.
Photo by John McConnico
An Oscar-winning songwriter's son was ordered held without bail Saturday during his first court appearance after being accused of choking his swimsuit designer girlfriend at a swanky New York City hotel.
Nicholas Brooks, 24, was charged with attempted murder and strangulation in the investigation surrounding Sylvie Cachay's death.
Cachay, 33, was discovered, half-clothed and face-up, in a tub at the Soho House hotel around 3 a.m. Thursday, after water began leaking through to the floor below. She had red marks around her neck and a bite mark on her hand, investigators said.
Police say Cachay's death has been ruled a homicide, and the medical examiner's office is awaiting toxicology test results to determine what caused Cachay's death. The results aren't expected until next week.
According to court papers, an autopsy performed Thursday showed that Cachay's injuries "were not self-inflicted or accidentally caused."
Singer Justin Bieber, left, and television personality Kim Kardashian attend the Z100 Jingle Ball concert at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Dec. 10, 2010 in New York.
Photo by Evan Agostini
Police in Mississippi say actor and former television host Gary Collins (R-Oopsie Again) has paid a $500 fine for leaving the scene of an accident last month.
Collins was cited for the misdemeanor Nov. 2 after his Jeep rear-ended a car at a stoplight in Jackson. Police say he exchanged information with the other driver but left before authorities arrived. Police later went to his house and gave him the ticket.
Collins attorney, Tom Royals, has said the charge was reasonable.
Collins is married to former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley. He starred in the 1970s series "The Sixth Sense" and has made appearances on such series as "JAG," "Yes, Dear" and "The Young and the Restless."
People walk through the snow-covered Trocadero garden in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, December 9, 2010, after a blanket of snow fell on the Frenchcapital.
Photo by Charles Platiau
Tens of thousands of Italians opposed to Premier Silvio Berlusconi marched through Rome on Saturday, before a make-or-break vote in Parliament, to press their demand that the media mogul leave power.
The Berlusconi government's survival hinges on whether he can muster enough support among lawmakers despite stinging defections by important allies. If he loses the no-confidence motion, brought by the opposition in the Chamber of Deputies, or the confidence vote made in the Senate by his supporters, on Tuesday, he must resign.
Pier Luigi Bersani, the leader of the main center-left opposition Democratic Party, led a rally of 100,000 supporters in St. John Lateran Square after the anti-Berlusconi protesters marched peacefully but noisily for hours through the Italian capital.
While Berlusconi's government - halfway through its five-year-term - has been battered by defections and lashed by scandal, the opposition has failed to come up with a leader who can match the premier's charisma.
Local residents view the vandalized Glastonbury Holy Thorn Tree which has was hacked down and reduced to just a stump in Glastobury western EnglandFriday Dec. 10, 2010. The tree, a major Christian landmark in England, was vandalized just weeks before Christmas Day. The tree is said to be linked to the arrival of Saint Joseph of Arimathea in England after the crucifixion of Jesus. It draws hundreds of visitors each year.
In 2010, the growth in sales of digital downloads, which only last year had been marked and promising, slowed to a trickle, as more consumers plugged into Internet radio and video streaming sites.
Through November 21, total track sales (both albums and individual tracks) are up about 5 percent (assuming 12 tracks equal an album). That gain of 95 million tracks pales in comparison to the 277 million-unit gain achieved in all of 2009. And the revenue those 95 million tracks generated is tiny compared with the financial impact of 47 million fewer CDs sold through November 21.
Nearly all of 2010's meager gain in track sales has come from albums. Sales of digital albums are up 12 percent through November 21, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At the same point in 2009, they were up 17 percent and finished the year up 19 percent.
Track sales are basically flat in 2010--up just one-tenth of a percent compared with 2009. At the same time last year, track sales were up 10 percent and would finish the year up 12 percent. The lack of growth has reduced tracks' share of total sales to 53 percent from 56 percent last year.
A model wears a creation from Polish designer Gosia Baczynska's 2011 women's collection, presented in Warsaw, Poland, Saturday, Dec.11, 2010.
Photo by Alik Keplicz
The 110-year-old Honolulu Symphony is preparing to sound its own death knell.
Lawyers are set to appear Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to ask a judge to convert the symphony's Chapter 11 reorganization to a Chapter 7 liquidation.
The symphony's board of directors voted unanimously Thursday to convert the filing.
Under Chapter 7, the symphony would shut down, then sell all its remaining assets to pay creditors.
Otto, a Tasmanian wombat, waddles around the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo's newest exhibit in Albuquerque, N.M., on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010. The zoo is now home to the only Tasmanian wombats in North America. Otto and two other adult wombats arrived at the zoo last week.
Photo by Susan Montoya Bryan
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