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Carlos Santana is a married man {Celestrellas}
Jan 6th 2011 10:38AM May your marriage bring you joy, and may your joy spread out into the universe!
Smiling Hippo at San Diego Zoo {AOL Travel News}
Oct 27th 2010 3:19PM Ummm...excuse me, but the hippo doesn't look at all as if it's smiling -- it looks like it's appraising a tasty morsel to eat!
Hezbollah theme park: an attraction designed with terror in mind {Gadling}
Oct 2nd 2010 7:12PM A Hezbollah Theme Park? The celebration of death and destruction instead of the joy of life? Why am I surprised -- and yet, not surprised? The history of Islam is one of war, despite claims of "peace." They were kicked out of Spain in 1492 (along with the Jews) but Queen Isabella had absolute power, and didn't care about "political correctness." Today, because people are afraid to seem to be condemning a "religion" they avoid stating the truth, which is that Islam is not merely a religion -- it is also a political movement, inasmuch as Islamic religious tracts state:
"we see no separation between the secular and the religious." Their "religion," as practiced by its fundamentalists, is a vast political movement whose ultimate aim is the destruction of all other religions, to be replaced with Islam and the implementation of sharia law.
If anyone in America created a "fun park" to celebrate Hiroshima, or the Germans created a place to celebrate the Holocaust, it would be condemned, as was stated above. (There is a difference between their "theme park" and making a theme park about Jesus' life -- the Holy Land park does not celebrate death, only honors Jesus' life and depicts the way he died -- but doesn't make his death a cause for celebration.)
It has taken a millennium for Christianity to stop trying to convert others by force -- and now most Christians, the world over, live in harmony with their Jewish neighbors. The Christians and Jews also live in harmony, largely, with Hindus and Buddhists. Only the Muslims are waging a war of violence against the Christians in Africa and the Middle East, and against the Jews in Israel, and the Buddhists (whose "world cultural heritage" statues they destroyed a decade or so ago), and against the Hindus, in India.
Islam is the youngest of the great religions on Earth, and, like a baby, is squalling and acting like a terror -- or a terrorist. When will the terrorist groups -- which represent the worst of Islam, not the most honorable aspects of Muslims -- grow up, and let the rest of the world live in peace?
Most of the world has accepted the idea of democracy, of freedom of religion, and equal rights, and that we are free to choose our own religion and our own way of understanding God. (Most moderate and liberal Muslims all understand this -- when a poll was taken recently of Arabs in Israel, they prefered to live under the freedom of Israel's democracy, rather than under the despots that run the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.) When fundamentalist Muslims drop their war against those whom they view as "infidels," the world will finally be at peace.
Video: Wedding Toast Turns Into Broadway Production {Aisledash}
Sep 18th 2010 5:21PM In a world where violence, cruelty and evil usually take the biggest headlines, it's wonderful to see a family so filled with joy (and talent) that --- while they might not have been Jewish -- chose a song from a musical about Jewish heritage, and made it uniquely their own. (And an interesting reminder that sane cultures celebrate LIFE, while others celebrate when they kill.) I hope the happy couple has a long and joyous life.
Three Drinks to Lower Blood Pressure {Kitchen Daily}
Sep 4th 2010 11:56AM You mentioned some good ways to lower blood pressure, but neglected to mention one of the best -- (Asian) green tea. It's also excellent for keeping the blood itself healthy and "clean."
Confessions of a Bitter-Ender: In Praise of Movie End Credits {Moviefone Blog}
Aug 8th 2010 12:31PM I always stay to the very end. First, as a musician and songwriter, I like to see who wrote the songs or composed the music used in the film, and to see who played on the recordings (sometimes they're people I know). As an artist, I also like to see who did all the special effects -- even when (especially when) they're animated -- CGI or claymation). I feel that the hundreds, or sometimes thousands, of people who work on movies deserve the same attention I give the movie itself. Interestingly, it also offers proof that when people do illegal downloads of movies, they're not "sticking it to the man" -- they're costing enormous numbers of people -- from hair stylists to gaffers, electricians to casting people -- their livelihood, and making it increasingly more difficult for new films to be funded. The credits are a reminder that all we love about the movies has a huge human component in addition to the actors on screen.
20 things Americans can't live without {WalletPop}
May 23rd 2010 7:49PM "paying for music is so 20th century"?!? Paying for music helps support the artists whose work you so desperately need and want, but whom you treat with utter disrespect by assuming it's ok to pirate their music.
Old Dude Dances Up a Storm at CES '09 {Urlesque}
May 2nd 2010 8:53PM It's "borne witness" not "born witness" -- the first means carried or came with, the second refers to birth.
What happens to all of those clothes retailers can't sell? {WalletPop}
Apr 3rd 2010 3:39PM Despite the fact that famous brands might not wish for homeless people to "sully" their clothing by wearing them, it can happen just as easily by someone wealthy donating their old clothes to the Salvation Army or Goodwill shops. So, if someone is poor, what difference does it make if they got the clothes from the kindness of a person who donated their Bergdorf's sweater to the Goodwill -- or from unsold Bergdorf's stock?
The combination of (1) the need (now and in the future) for us all to re-cycle, and (2) the current -- difficult -- economy means that all unsold stock should be either donated to thrift shps or sold overseas -- not used as landfill!
Atypical Wall Art {Shelterpop}
Mar 20th 2010 6:56PM I had to laugh, because I've used old "bundt" and other baking pans -- shaped like seashells, flowers, swirls, and fish -- for fifteen years, as decorative elements on my kitchen walls! (For people wondering about the cost, I bought one every other year for the last twenty years, so the expense was spread out over a long period of time.
I've also had old dishes (a la Martha Stewart ideas) as wall decor in my kitchen. And, as long as we're talking design, I've also found that using old labels from orange crates and other fruit companies, makes great frame-able art for the kitchen or dining room.
