Yes, I should be 'doing something more important' like paying my taxes. But, my good friend Terry Williams of Danville, Va., ABSOLUTELY insisted that I go up to Orange, Va. (near Charlottesville) with him tomorrow for a once-in-a-lifetime sky-diving excursion.
I must profess that I am very nervous, and I haven't even told my mother. I have a bet with my friend Blake Lipscomb back in Roanoke that I WON"T go through with it. Well, I'll show him..........!
Useful Links:
I am not exactly sure how old Chris is, but I would guess 35. Knight first got attention for his striking Star Wars-themed political campaign ad when he ran for the Rockingham County School Board in 2006.
He later got more public attention when he tried to upload a video about his campaign on VH-1, which lead to a temper tantrum from Viacom, the company that oversees MTV and VH-1. Knight eventually won...........
He has also directed a short film entitled "Schrodinger's Bedroom" and he has his very own Wikipedia entry.
Knight also maintains a blog which has a staggering 618,000 hits on it. He is currently detailing the saga of "Popcorn" Sutton, one of the nation's most famous moonshiners in the Maggie Valley of western North Carolina who was recently arrested by federal agents.
We wish Chris a happy birthday.........(He is pictured above with his wife Lisa).
I have been spending a week with the family cat Gizmo as my mom, who has custody of him spent the week in Florida. While I don't have photos of Gizmo uploaded to my computer yet (as regular readers like Moviezzz, Nida Campbell and my sister Lale Lovell know I'm not the most pc savvy person in my or any other zip code).
But, I can offer you pictures of the original Gizmo from the 1984 film "Gremlins" and its sequel "Gremlins 2: The New Batch" (1990).
At least, this particular Gizmo doesn't require a litter box.
As some of you who know me well might expect, I did indeed name the cat after the Gizmo in "Gremlins." This was mainly because he beared a facial resemblance to the character in Joe Dante's movies.
Though now that it has been nearly four years since I found him at a gas station near Christiansburg, Va., (where some cruel, mean people left him) I think Godzilla may have in fact been a better name for the feline as he has pretty much destroyed each and every one of the blinds around the apartment.
But, he is sleeping now................I hope!
In all seriousness, he has been a joy to have. Gizmo's most pecuilar habit is to wake me up circa 4 a.m., so that he can be petted. Someone at work suggested that I keep Gizmo for good and get a job where I can wake up early in the morning.
Assuredly, that is not going to happen.........
Bandwagoing: In realist theories of international relations, bandwagoning refers to the act of weaker states joining a stronger power of coalition within balance of power politics.
With that in mind, as I 'celebrate' two years of being a North Carolina resident (though I have yet to find an interest in The Bible or barbeque), I salute the University of North Carolina men's basketball team for reaching the Final Four with a win over Louisville by a 83-73 margin in Charlotte on Saturday night.
Tyler Hansbrough (pictured) scored 28 points, and grabbed 13 rebounds. Fellow Tarheel Wayne Ellington scored 13. Ty Lawson added in 11 points as did Danny Green.
I also want to take a moment to salute UNC gymnast Christine Nguyen who won the All-Around Competition in Morgantown, WVa., with a 39. 475. UNC finished fourth in the EAGL Championship Meet behind West Virginia University, North Carolina State and The University of New Hampshire. Nguyen also won the vault competition with a 9.995 and she placed second on the balance beam with a 9.825.
Incidentally, the UNC Women's Basketball Team also defeated Louisville by a 78-74 in the women's Sweet 16.
Useful Links:
http://www.tarheelblue.cstv.com
http://www.tylerhansbrough.org
Though I am more of a women's college gymnastics fan, I must admit that even I get struck with March Madness and in North Carolina it is virtually impossible not to be at least somewhat interested in the happenings on the hard floor.
When I was a teenager, Dell Curry was the star player at Virginia Tech and I met him at a shopping mall signing in Roanoke, Va., where I lived.
It is amazing that his son Stephen Curry (pictured here) has taken the Davidson Wildcats to the Elite 8, after they beat the University of Wisconsin last night.
They will next fact top-ranked Kansas who beat Villanova in the same session.
Of course, the University of North Carolina stand a significantly better chance of winning the NCAA-title, but it is amazing that a 10-seed representing a small Southern Conference school just north of Charlotte could get this far.
It's almost like watching "Hoosiers."
Ever since I saw Florida University Gators gymnast Chrissy Van Fleet compete at a meet in College Park, Md. (The University of Maryland) back in 1999, I've been a Florida Gators gymnastics fan.
This year one of their standout gymnasts has been Sophomore Amanda Castillo (pictured on floor).
Castillo is a sophomore from Sanford, Fla., who is majoring in marketing. Her favorite event is the floor. She was named SEC Gymnast of the Week for a second time this season on March 18.
Later today, the Gators will face six other schools including three-time defending national champions Georgia at the SEC Championships at the Gwinett Center in Duluth, Ga., at 4 p.m. The event will also air via tape delay on April 7 on the SunSports Network (in Fla.) at noon.
Castillo posted a collegiate-best 39. 625 to win the all-around title during a home meet with Utah on March 14. She has won a total of four all-around titles in her two years in Gainesville.
The Florida Gators also have highly-touted gymnasts like Melanie Sinclair, Ashley Reed and Corey Hartung to complement Castillo.
The other high-ranking SEC teams include The University of Arkansas, The University of Alabama and LSU_ which I was fortunate to see compete at a meet at North Carolina State.
It would be nice to see this one, since the competition will be real close, but even though there is a substantial increase in interest of women's college gymnastics, the sport still gets very little exposure nationally.
Useful Links:
UPDATE (Monday): Georgia edged out both Florida and Alabama to win the SEC championship.
While researching video game addiction for a short play that I'm currently writing, I came across the tragic story of Lee Seung Seop (1977-2005), who was an industrial repairman in Daegu, South Korea.
On Aug. 3, 2005, he recieved posthumous world fame after he played the video game "Starcraft" at an internet cafe for a staggering 50 straight hours before dropping dead at age 28 from complications due to a cardiac arrest (heart attack). Doctors reported that Seop was suffering from exhaustion and dehydration prior to his sudden death.
According to Wikipedia, friends tried to stop him and his girlfriend broke up with him. He also lost his job.
Hmm...come to think of it, it's time for me to go outside and shoot some hoops!
Useful Links:
http://www.videogameaddiction.net
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org
Hmmm....I sort of knew once I added images to the blog that I might get carried away.
Last week, I had a gallery of egg images since it was Easter weekend.
Now, I am showing the images of five of my characters who were hatched from eggs.
Alas, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Fog Horn Leg Horn and Daffy Duck missed the cut.
5. Albert the Alligator (from Walt Kelly's "Pogo" comic strip)
4. Super Chicken_ the brain-child of Jay Ward ("Rocky and Bullwinkle")
3. Frogger- Video arcade favorite of the 1980s_ also the subject of "Seinfeld" episode
2. Godzilla_ Everyboy's favorite Japanes monster, except for those who prefer "Mothra," the killer moth.
1. Alas, Steve Gerber, the creator of "the comic book Howard the Duck" died earlier this month. He will be missed, but his most creation lives on. There is a new "Howard" comic book series. Since this is a political year, it should be noted that Howard ran for president in 1976 (in a comic book series). Oh yes, there is also that dubious 1985 film which bears his name.
Useful Links:
http://www.rockyandbullwinkle.com/jwt
10. Mike Huckabee
9. Condi Rice
8. Mitt Romney
7. Joe Lieberman
6. Fred Thompson
5. Sen. Mike DeWine (Ohio)
4. Rudy Guilanni
3. Sen. Norm Coleman (Minnesota)
2. Gov. Mark Sanford (SC)
1. Gov. Charlie Crist (Fla.)
I should note, especially to friends and family who may stop here, that I am only 38 and I have no major health issues, though dying of leukemia could help me get dates (not that I would wish that on me or anyone else!).
At any rate, here is "My Bucket List:"
1. Visit all the continents of the world, except Antartica.
2. Have breakfast at Denny's with at least one very very attractive woman (bonus points_ if it's Uma Thurman!- see photo). Of course, I would be asking for lots of refills on the morning coffee.
3. Run for Congress!_ Perferably against Cong. Virgil Goode (R-Va), a racist jerk from Rocky Mount, Va., who made derogatory comments about Muslims and refused to apologize. I personally can't stand him, and I work in his district! (see photo).
4. Get at least four plays published or stages
5. Get involved in a succesful personal relationship (preferably with Uma Thurman!).
6. Do something nice for someone other than yourself even if I'm not running Congress.
9. Make a feature film.......without asking (my good friend) Bilge Ebiri, who directed the independent film "New Guy," for advice every five minutes.
10. Have the lead part in a theatrical play, though I'm not sure I could get the part of Frankie in Terence McNally's "Frankie and Johnny's One-Night Stand." (Photo is of the performance of that play at Arena Stage in Washington, DC), which might not be a bad thing because the part requires nudity!
Yes, I must profess that I am having 'too much fun' now that I've finally figured out the mundane task of uploading images.
But, in all seriousness, all of us here at Politics, Culture and Other Wastes of Time wanted to wish Keira Knightly a happy 23rd birthday even though we presonally think "Atonement" was a tad bit overrated.
For an exceptional performance from Knightley, who is the daughter of female playwright Sharman Macdonald ("The Winter Guest"), check out the remake of "Dr. Zhivago" which aired on BBC and later on PBS ("Masterpiece Theatre.") here in the USA.
Knightley rose to stardom with a remarkable supporting performance in the soccer movie "Bend it Like Beckham."
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Gravel For President 2008 | P.O. Box 948 | Arlington | VA | 22216-0948
From Tilly Gokbudak_I must say this caught me by surprise! But, I guess this means there will be at least one third party option besides Ralph Nader this November. And, perhaps Gravel will go against Ron Paul for the Libertarian Party nomination...........that would be awesome, wouldn't it??! Ok, I guess I'm one of the few people who cares about this..... |
Nejla Yatkin, a Washington D.C.-based modern dancer, added this video on Youtube. It was filmed in Berlin around where Wim Wenders shot scenes for his 1987 classic film "Wings of Desire."
Yatkin performs regularly in the DC-metro area and in New York. She has also performed around the world, and she was profiled in a recent issue of "The New York Times."
Yatkin will be performing a dance series based on "Wings...." at the Avignon International Arts Festival in Avignon, France, from July 7 to Aug. 1.
Useful Links:
Japanese writer Yukio Mishima (1925-1970) was a novelist, poet and playwright. His off-the-page life is perhaps even more interesting than his work as he was both a homosexual and a nationalist. Mishima died by committing ritualist suicide which shocked the world in 1970.
His life is the subject of the Paul Schrader film "Mishima," but the film got more attention for its Philip Glass soundtrack.
I was stunned to find a copy of Mishima's most famous book "The Sailor Who Fell From Grace" at a Salvation Army store in Reidsville, NC. Mishima is also known for the novel "The Temple of Golden Pavilion."
Here is the quote:
"At no time are we ever in such complete possesion of a journey, dawn to its last nook and cranny, as when we are busy with preparations for it."
Since March 20th marked the fifth anniversary of the War in Iraq, I thought I would post this comment from Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va), also a published author and Ronald Reagan's former Secretary of the Navy, who defected to the Democratic Party because of the war. He upset George Allen which helped give Jefferson's party a majority in the U.S. Senate. Webb's son has been among those who've seen deployment to Iraq:
"Only when our political leadership matches the high quality of our military performance will we be able to resolve our current occupation in Iraq. And, it's clear that we are not going to see that kind of leadership with the Bush administration."
Useful Links:
With the endorsement of Greensboro, NC, Mayor Yvonne Johnson, Barack Obama will be speaking at the Greensboro War Memorial on Wednesday.
Johnson said in her endorsement: "This will be a historic opportunity for North Carolinians and the citizens of North Carolina."
Johnson made history in November when she became the first African-American elected to the mayor's office in the Gate City.
All 2,000 tickets for the event were sold out within two hours.
Tiah Gibbs of Greensboro told News14 Carolina that she got off work to get her ticket at the Guilford County Democratic Party headquarters, and she was estatic to get one of the golden tickets.
Julie Gehling said the opportunity to see Obama was an oppurtunity to see history-in-the-making.
Esther Milanzi, a student at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, missed out and she told reporter Stephanie Stillwell that she 'wanted to cry."
I am still personally leaning towards Hillary Clinton as she has more experience, but it seems painfully clear that Obama is running the better campaign.
News14 Carolina also state that North Carolina, a red state that last voted for a Democrat when Jimmy Carter beat Gerald Ford in 1976, is favoring McCain as 51 % of state residents told a poll that they would vote for the Arizona senator.
The Tarheel State primary is May 6.
Indiana votes on the same day.
The last Democratic primary is in Puerto Rico, some time in June.
Useful Links:
I want to wish Terry Williams of Danville, Va., a happy 22nd birthday. Terry is turning 22 tomorrow. He is the reason why I can post photos, comic strips and Youtube videos on this blog.
Check out his Youtube videos at:
Terry hopes to read Thomas Paine's "Age of Reasoning" and he hopes to transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond to study computer engineering.
He is also rooting for the underdog Davidson University team from Davidson, NC, (outside Charlotte) in the NCAA tourney.
And, he also hopes to climb Mount Fuji in Japan sometime in his lifetime:)
Political analyst Jeff Greenfield recently wrote an article for Slate.com in which he said the presidential candidates who most resemble Bugs Bunny tend to previal while those who have more in common with the hare's main rival Daffy Duck tend to lose.
Greenfield says that Bugs Bunny is a secure, laid back character while Daffy Duck is at war with a hostile world. Daffy likes to fuss, fume and clench his fist to show constant agitation. While Bugs always previals over the likes of Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam.
Hmmmm.......this might also explain why I've had sooooo much trouble with women!
Greenfield said eventual presidents like John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan were the definitive Bugs Bunny models, and hence they were able to defeat the likes of Richard Nixon (1960) and Jimmy Carter (1980) who were Daffy prototypes during those election cycles.
(Ironically, another the Marvel Comic book character Howard the Duck made a run for the presidency for a couple of issues in 1976.)
And, there are candidates who are Bugs on the campaign trail, but they become Daffys once in the Oval Office. Of course, we are talking about George W. Bush!
Useful Links:
http://www.nerve.com/cs/blogs/screengrab/default.aspx (The blog where I originally saw this story)
Footnote: I have finally figured out how to put images on my blog_ yes, I know it's easy for the rest of you! I must give credits to Terry Williams of Danville, Va., for this. He assisted me with many of the images in the other entries. He will be stunned to see what I've learned without him......
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