Fave Foto Friday: Monster Attack edition

Once again, I owe a tip of the Stetson to Miss Jen for finding another great photo:

This Cloverfield-like illusion is the work of visual artist, FilthyLuker. To read more about the how and why and to see more of his work, CLICK HERE.

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Meanwhile, Miss Magnolia was going through one of her picture albums and claims to have found this photo of her self as a wee tot - I am sure that carbon dating will prove that to be wrong.

Roadside Television

Remnants of an analogue age seen on the side of the road, Medford, New Jersey 7.29.09

Work Really Is Hell

At around 9:30 this morning, Officeland was a stifling 81 degrees!

It took several hours, but they eventually got things back to normal.

In the meantime, sweat was seen on foreheads, people were bitching, and yours truly considered putting ice cubes down his pants.

Fan Mail

First day back at Officeland proved to be a long one. Tons of mail to plow through, a bazillion voice messages, and a mess of emails all waiting for yours truly. Gee, it's great to be missed.

Vacation Diaries-6: Fave Foto Friday Sausage Queen edition.

First off, I'd like to introduce you all to the patron saint of vacation-takers, Ladies and Germs, give it up for Her Majesty, The Sausage Queen! Discovered by my good pal, Jen, who, no doubt, once vied for this prestigious crown, The Sausage Queen is the epitome of genteel woman-hood as well as vacationers the world over! Long live "Zion" The Sausage Queen!

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To further make my point, here is Miss Diana Vreeland paying homage to Zion just a few years before she entered that big sausage processing plant in the sky. The above photo is, of course, courtsey of the Thunderpussy collection.

Vacation Diaries-5

I have been trying to make a concerted effort to avoid the news this week, but after last night's presidential speech, I have to say that I am sort of jazzed over Mr. Obama's plans to re-work the broken health care system in this country, if he gets this thing off the ground, I really believe that we will start to see some positive changes in how health care is administered.

Yeah, I know, the right-wingers are all in a tizzy over this, but you know what, we've been doing it their way for decades, let's try something new. I say change is not only good, it is a necessity.

I especially liked how the president addressed his critic's about the budget as well as health care:

So to all -- everybody who's out there who has been on this idea the Obama administration wants to spend and spend and spend, the fact of the matter is that we inherited an enormous deficit, enormous long-term debt projections. We have not reduced it as much as we need to and as I'd like to, but health care reform is not going to add to that deficit. It's designed to lower it. That's part of the reason why it's so important to do and to do now.

Right then, let's rock and roll!

Vacation Diaries-4

Packing up the dark princess and her belongings, and then breakfast with Kid Sister and Dad...after that, I think I am going to use a couple of my gift cards that I got for my birthday, hello Borders, hello Kohls!

Vacation Diaries-3

Drinking coffee and gearing up for a day with the dark princess (my niece) - Harry Potter awaits!

Vacation Diaries-2

Just watched Amityville 2009, err, A Haunting in Connecticut.

Meh.

For a more detailed look of what I thought of it CLICK HERE.

Vacation Diaries - 1

Today's itinerary is a light one; try to finish up the book I am reading (Mr. Shivers), rent a couple of movies, and see how many naps one can take in 24 hours.

Tomorrow promises to be a bit more of a stretch as I have promised to take my niece to see the new Harry Potter movie, that's three and one half hours in a theater watching the continuing series...I need to catch up, as I've only watched the first and second film all the way through...the rest just bits and pieces.

Hope you are all having a productive day.

In 1958

Jimmy Stewart had a fear of heights...
UFO's were photographed flying over Brazil...
Jules Feiffer thought you were sick...
Traveling was very luxurious...
ATT introduced the first computer modem...
We were tapping our toes to the sounds of Les Baxter...
Joanne and Paul hooked up...
Art Kane shot this iconic photograph...
German entertainment centers were pretty damn awesome ...
We all drank Coke...
We smoked Winston because Bob Cummings and Ann Davis told us so...
Making reservations at the Hilton was high tech...
The Peter Gunn theme was all the rage...
Vincent Price invited us all up to Haunted Hill...
Who needed an iPod, we had transistor radios that could be adapted to our cars...
Richard Nixon was hailed a hero...

And of course,
I was born.

Fave Foto Friday: Maine Sunrise Edition

This stunning sunrise in Portland Maine comes after weeks of dreary wet weather in the region. From Thursday's Los Angeles Times:

The sun -- a rare sight in recent days -- rises on Ram Island Ledge Light at the mouth of Portland Harbor in Maine. Clear skies are a welcome relief to a region that has received more than 13 inches of rain since Memorial Day.

It's All I Ever Wanted!

Ten days away from Officeland! A birthday! A stash of great books to be read, movies to be viewed! A couple of day trips! Ah, life is good when it's vacation time!

That Guy!!

My Kind of Bill!

Here it is.

Tire repair, final cost: nothing, bupkis, nada, zilch, zero...ah, life is good.

Fave Foto Friday: SCARY FAMILY edition

My good pal, Jen sent me this positively creepy family photo ... this is what happens when you have too many Old Fashion's at your cousin's house, or something like that.

Michael Jackson's Memorial Service: It's Just Human Nature

Some of us seem stunned at the circus-like atmosphere in Los Angeles today as Michael Jackson's memorial service is being held. Thousands of mourners have shown up, crowding the streets and the arena where the services are being held. All in all, the entire affair looks like something Fellini might have dreamed up.

Of course, public mourning, and over-the-top funeral services are nothing new, in fact it's not even an exclusively American phenomena.

Consider the passing of Eva Peron. The wife of the President of Argentina had died at the age of 33, and a one month period of mourning occurred. Her actual funeral was a three day affair and pretty much shut down the city of Buenos Aires. It is said that some three million people waited 15 hours on line to view her body as it lay in state.

When Judy Garland bought the farm in June of 1969, her funeral and viewing at Campbell's funeral home in New York City brought out over 20,000 who wanted to pay their respects.

Elvis Presley's death, for those of you to young to recall, pretty much stunned the nation. Like Jackson, he was well past his prime when he died, and yet the public out pouring of grief was legendary. Then President Jimmy Carter ordered all flags at half mast on the day of his funeral , and it was reported that 75,000 crowded the streets of Memphis that hot August afternoon in 1977.
So, hold your tongue today, and refrain from the smug feeling of superiority as you watch the goings on in the City of Angels. It might look tasteless and ridiculous to you, but people need to mourn their gods and goddesses when they fall, it's just human nature.

Movie Reviews for the Attention Challenged

I saw four movies this weekend, here's a quick look at all four:


Whatever Works: a funny, philosophical punch in the gut by Woody Allen. I predict that general audiences will hate this movie as it is rife with in jokes as well as some heady (and heavy) messages. That said, this is the movie that many of us have been waiting for. Rapid fire and smart dialogue crackles and every one of the actors pretty much nails his or her roles. I will be quoting this movie for some time.


The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Watching Brad Pitt grow younger may not sound like much, but this movie is so compelling, and so heart-felt that it almost left me in tears. Cate Blanchett once more proves that she is one of the finest actors alive today, and Pitt, gives his best performance since Fight Club. Yes, this is another long movie that demands the viewer's attention. Those who stick with it will be rewarded.


Revolutionary Road: Good acting on the part of Kate Winslet, and Leonardo DiCaprio looks fine in his late 50's period garb. Ultimately, though, this is American Beauty set in the Eisenhower era. Worth a watch, to see Kathy Bates (who can never do wrong in my book) as well as Michael Shannon who plays her mentally unstable son. Shannon steals this movie.


Friday the 13th: This piece of crap is only worth watching to see Jared Padalecki run around in a tight t-shirt. Really, that's it.

Happy Independence Day

collage of photos taken on 07.03.09

Fave Foto Friday: Retro Independence Day Kids edition

The Camden Courier Post ran some photos of 4th of July celebrations past. Included here are my three favorites with direct quotes:

1954 file photo from the Fourth of July celebration held in the Fairview section of Camden. Winning 1st place in the pie-eating contest was Hugh Fogel (left), followed by Joseph Ross and in third place Paul Carrado, all of Camden.

July 4, 1949 file photo of the Louden brothers of Pennsauken, Philip, Dennis and Bill, representing the spirit of Seventy Six in the town's Fourth of July parade and baby contest.
He may barely be able to sit up, but little Skippy Litzinger, 4 mos., still manages to tip his hat to the crowd at the Pennsauken Improvement Association's Fourth of July celebration in this 1949 file photo.
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From the sublime to the...well, to something, here is Miss Magnolia's contribution...

Say what you will dear, good help is so hard to find in Canada.

Rest in Peace, Mrs. Slocombe

Mollie Sugden, who played the irrepressible senior sales clerk, Mrs. Slocombe on the BBC sit-com, Are You Being Served, has passed away. She was 86.

What made Sugden's character so damn funny were the constant references to the misadventures of her cat, whom she called "my pussy". For instance, in one episode, she is telling about how cold her cat became and how she remedied said situation: "The central heating broke down and I had to hold my pussy in front of the fire place. It was frozen solid."

And, when she is discussing a heavy fog and says, "What about this fog! My pussy's been gasping all night."

Upset over the fact that she has to work late one night, she calls up a neighbor to ask him to feed her cat , "Hello, is that Mr. Akbar? Mrs. Slocombe here, your next door neighbour. I wonder - would you do me a little favour? Would you go to my front door, bend down, look through the letter box... and if you can see my pussy, would you drop a sardine on the mat?"

That these double entendre's were delivered by a middle aged woman with strange colored hair, just made them all the more hysterical; in my humble opinion anyway.

In any case, I am going to miss Mollie, and I am unanimous in that!