Conan O'Brien returns!

One of the most innovative people on TV, Conan O'Brien returns to host the Tonight Show....you have to tune in if only to see the running gag about the Fonzie and Tom Cruise wax figures....brilliant.

The end of free television

Once again, stupid American have let a freedom slip away....I do not hear the conversation about the switch to digital refer to it as a money making scheme but that is exactly what it is. The converter box is between 40-60 dollars, even 20 for the very poor and then now we see that unless you have an expensive antenna (which I do not) you get very few channels, not even all the basic ones-I cannot get CBS at all. I do not watch a lot of TV, but that isn't the issue.
What is the issue is the end of free TV, which was meant to initially educate the public at best (PBS in the 60's especially), when it became affordable in the late 50's, but really became the exploited terrain of advertisers (it was around before then, back to the 40's , but only for the wealthy. For instance a TV in 1949 was about $250.) So who was the first to insist you change to digital or not see them? PBS. You had to have a converter box in November of 2008, 4 months before the originally change (Feb.).
Smarter minds than the techno ignorant elderly (who are being left behind in this process) will fight to keep things on the internet free, so the greedy will have to try harder to say they are making our lives better by removing our freedoms for their profit.

Joe Queenan- another bit of truth about alcoholics

Joe Queenan has written an honest and insightful book about his alcoholic father noting that since AA, then Congress created an atmosphere of alcoholism as an 'illness', one who assesses alcoholics honestly is mean or uncaring.

“Everyone who put a glass of liquor to his lips knew exactly what he was doing; it was not like coming down with malaria because you’d strayed into the wrong jungle.”

Like many of us who grew up with an alcoholic parent, Queenan could see the intention to hurt, humiliate, morally destroy, those close to him or her and that beyond the alcohol there is a person of darkness who chose the vehicle to express it, using alcohol fora reason-not a 'victim' of it.

the rich and the rest of us

many times this has been my experience as a housecleaner....

"The once-poor become masters of disguise, listening patiently while other people lament problems they cannot imagine having, trying to keep a straight face while someone talks about low self-esteem resulting from a relationship with an emotionally distant parent or the trauma of realizing that Kristin, wait-listed at Dartmouth, will probably have to swallow her pride and go to Middlebury."


Joe Queenan

never liked James Taylor, now I know why...

Just read an interesting book on the careers of Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell and Carole King called Girls like Us. it is not a well written biography, but very imformative in a 'summer read' kind of way. I was particularly interested in Carly Simon. I have come to really see her compositions as brilliant as I have gotten older-they were 'just pop tunes ' to me when I was a teen, but , man, she is so incredibly honest and the way she inflects words and just the incredible melodies....she was and has been underrated.
On the other hand, James Taylor, who I read was a heroin addict throughout their marriage, has been overrated. His jealousy toward her talent is revealed as well (his pathetic need to be the genius) as his pathetic parenting and the toll it must have taken on Simon to be married to an addict and his cold dismissal of her once she finally left him only helps me appreciate her more for what she was able to do under all that. James Taylor is one of those rich people who always pretends to be a poor folkie who is deeply sensitive (all the sweet baby james crap). He is a baby. Heroin addicts never stop-they change to methodone if their addiction is serious (which is true in his case) so they can function. The author didn't understand that-how drug addiction plays out. Taylor must still be a methodone addict, therefore, as it isn't something you get off, but use to control heroin cravings.
Funny the way he is seen compared to the reality.
Audrey really likes Carly Simon and I have really come to appreciate her more listening to her music again and reading what she went through.

Susan Boyle wins anyway

She is one of my heroes and her breakdown only shows how thoroughly senseless competition is and damaging to what is unique about people. She has once again set an example by it and I admire her. This woman , at 47 , had the guts to stand up to agism, and other shallow evaluations of her (looks, lifestyle). She is exceptional. She will be ok, once she is back with her cat Pebbles and away from that ridiculous show, which is as stupid and meaningless as Americal idol in this country. I believe in losers (one of the basic principles of my blog). I don't believe in competition or those who invest in it due to their own lack of a core as a person and the desperate need for attention and approval. Susan Boyle had the courage to try and she is a winner in the biggest way.