first? does it count on Sunday?

I just sent my son a link to a scholarship called "Digital Dorm Room of the Future Essay Contest."

This column sounds like the perfect entry.

Greetings to all on this fine day, despite sloppy weather here and many places:

I know we are to be careful not to advertize in Achenblog land, but I believe we get a
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GET OUT OF JAIL
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card for food finds. I just ate another piece of sour cherry pie for breakfast. SOUR CHERRY pie, as the good Lord intended, so the experience is like eating "natural" Sour Patch Kids or Spree candies.

www.dangerouspies.com

Deliciously Dangerous Pies in the Federal Hill neighborhood in Baltimore sold me said pie on Friday.

Son of CP went to hear friends play Who-escue music at the 8 by 10 Club. I knew that if I stayed in the venue the entire time, I would grow a headache the size of the Bromo Selzer Clock tower. Taking refuge in the DD Pie shoppe, I not only ate rhubarb pie but waited while they baked my cherry pie.

If you think "sour cherry" pie is the gelatinized stuff from a Comstocks can, well you are mistaken.

I better relate this to the Oscar kit: which one of the celebrity gals will wear cherry red on the carpet?

When you move a lot you have an opportunity to lose, replace, then find, remotes. After every move the number of remotes increases by about a third. Not enough to maintain the population if old remotes ever died, but a rate that quickly fills the junk drawers we're not supposed to have. ("You move so often you must be really organized.") At chez frosty we accumulate remotes not because of a hoarding impulse, though I did once find a shoe box full of dog hair in the daughter's room. The real cause is that each remote lacks one essential feature that is present on the other. The so called universal remote doesn't work with the TV's sleep function which is an absolute necessity when the husband is deployed. The TV's original remote can be programmed to do everything to the DVD except turn it on...

I'd go on, but the power went off briefly and now I have to reset clocks on every appliance in the house.

CP-You had rhubarb pie? Be still my heart. Please post details-was it good and tart? Was there a good flaky crust? In your expert pie eater's opinion would it hold up to transport well enough to justify the price of the pie and the $15 in shipping?

Yes, it counts, frosty (is it OK if I call you that?).

I'm a little nervous about the possibility that there will be a web site devoted to tracking my regularity via online toilets in my home (populated with automated email notification).

I've blogged a riff on Joel's Rough Draft here:

http://www.10thcircle.com/10/?p=171

bc

I don't much like televison, even though it brings us baseball and The Simpsons. I'd love to institute a TV-free week in our house, or even a day. However, I'm a dissenting voice around here. Of our televisions, the only one I am completely comfortable with is the very old 12", non-dish, no-remote screen in the kitchen. I keep it there for news and severe weather reports. One other I can turn on and watch, changing channels as necessary, with a single remote (oh, it has more). The other has so many fancy additions I can turn it on and usually change channels among ones I know about. That is all. I reliably cannot make the accessory machines work, with their attendant remotes; nor do I have any idea which channels we get or how to find them, short of scrolling through the infinite screen listings. Once I found a rural farm channel - polkas and farm reports, very cool - but Ivansdad won't tell me where it was. Gone forever.

He and the Boy of course have no difficulty with the electronics. They do tend to lose remotes or have them travel from room to room. A friend has all their remotes in a wire-mesh box, for easy location. I like this idea. Several years ago our house was broken into and, in true randomness, the thief picked up a remote for something or other that we seldom use, without taking the appliance. This is a constant source of irritation to Ivansdad.

All these things (except my kitchen dinosaur) have a "standby" mode where they sit like little vampires, sucking energy. Periodically, in my quest to leave a smaller energy footprint, I ask whether we can't unplug the power strips when we're not using the things. Ivansdad has pointed out several times that many of these devices are programmed, and when the power goes out for any reason they revert to factory programming. He does not wish to reprogram them every time we use them. That isn't unreasonable, but it just adds to my feeling that the house is being taken over by semi-sentient beings, neutral at best and actively unfriendly at worst.

Not that I'd anthropormorphize television.

Thank you Joel, I was racking my brain ( part-time employment I'll admit ) for the term Late Adopter.
I was adopted a 9 months old. Does that make me a Late Adoptee as well?

bc-of course you may call me frosty.

Your toilet comment reminds me of a business venture a colleague and I talked about. Working in an alternative program for kids with discipline issues (aka bad kids) we often saw parents at a loss to adequately supervise-even after the kids had turned a corner for the better. The toilet installed urinalysis device, with e-mail to the parent's work computer was going to be our infomercial leader. The catalogue would also include mini-fridges designed to look night stands so that parents could lock up some food for themselves without tipping off the teens. For a small subscription fee, and using our proprietary intel gathering methods, we would alert parents to parties, school skip days, or any other activities scheduled in their area, or determined to be a particular temptation for their children (in-home consultation required to set up this feature), discounts available to parents who graduated from our "Just Say No-to your child" class.

Ha, frosty, the Bush Administration was thinking along the same lines about sampling waste, and in fact, prototyped a program to do exacly that.

I wrote about it here:

http://www.10thcircle.com/10/?p=63

bc

bc- you have a way with words
"...it's astonishing that the Bush Administration would publicly squat to this new low, given the dumps that Bush's poll numbers are in lately." Thanks for the chuckle.

I am gross and perverted, I'm obsessed and deranged,
I have existed for years, but very little has changed.
I'm the tool of the government and industry too,
For I am destined to rule and regulate you.
I may be vile and pernicious, but you can't look away,
I make you think I'm delicious with the stuff that I say.
I'm the best you can get.
Have you guessed me yet?
I'm the slime oozing out from your TV set.

"I'm The Slime", Frank Zappa

Very well put, bc, but I have a question, where does one have to live to have ones trash picked up *twice* a week? We go to the dump, er - transfer station, with ours (which I actually prefer, but that's beside the point).

Glad you enjoyed that, frosty.

Bad Sneaks, where I live trash collection is privatized and not provided by the local government. I pay for the service like a utility, not as part of my taxes. You can have a company come to your house every single day if you want to pay for it.

Alternatively, I could choose to have no service for my trash collection and take it to a waste disposal site myself.

bc

Oh god. Sour cherry pie. The only better on the face of the earth than cherry pie is sour cherry pie. CP, you've given me hallucinations. It's worse than a tune cootie; it's a tongue cootie.

It started snowing pretty seriously here about two hours ago, the biggest snowflakes I have ever seen. More than half an inch, maybe up to an inch, some of them. And despite an air temp of 34 Fahrenheit (or 926 Centipede, for you Metricsexuals) it is sticking--already over an inch. My wife and I had set out to drive 60 miles down to Virginia to go work on the house, but we got about five miles down the road and my wife said "Let's bag it." So we hot-tailed it for Safeway (didn't dare go near the feeding frenzy on the TP aisle) and now snug and warm at home, where I get to continue building the wine rack in the closet, make swiss steak for dinner, and watch the Oscars, during which either Hellen Mirren or the girl from Little Miss Sunshine wear flaming red.

Sometime during the night, two containers of soup (one the cream of crab, which was beyond outstanding, and one shrimpo gumbo--OK but not spectacular) seem to have disappeared from the regrigerator. And my wife appropriated two c of c soups to take to work tomorrow, for herself and an office mate. So that leaves me with just two cups left. *big sigh* I think it was the cup of sherry I dumped in it.

(I may be venturing into Mudge's territory here, but...)

When I was a kid, I *was* the remote.

We had three channels (four, if the clouds were just right) and when you wanted to switch from one channel to another, you had to actually get up from the couch and turn a knob. That was my job. Had to walk 20 miles to the TV (uphill there and back in 12 feet of snow, of course).

We also played in the woods and skinned our knees without even thinking of suing anyone.

Ahhh... the days before child safety seats, bicycle helmets and pads for every body part.

Mudge isn't kidding about the huge snowflakes. Golfball-sized flakes! Grapefruit-sized!

Here are a couple of videos of my yard this morning, in typical high-quality YouTube fashion...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hm8JN2hgOY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zds31xkxKq8

Tonight is television's celebration of the Oscars, so let's get on with it--my picks among the Oscar contenders:

Best supporting actress:
I have not seen "Dreamgirls" or "Notes on a Scandal," so I am at great disadvantage in this category. The Washington Post film critics strongly favor Jennifer Hudson, who didn't make the cut on television's talent competition "American Idol," but who seems to have not only resurrected her career but propelled it to a win in tonight's contest thanks to the "Dreamgirls" role. I have seen plenty of clips in the last several months of Hudson's singing--in the movie and otherwise, and on the strength of those, would say that she has statuette sewn up.

However, of the films that I have seen, my pick would be the actress born in 1956 in Toluca, Mexico, known for working alongside Gael Garcia Bernal and Emilio Echevarria of "Alamo" fame in the wonderful "Amores Perros"--as well as with Bernal in "Babel," the talented telenovelas star, Adriana Barraza.

The Washington Post critics tend to dismiss Blanchett from this catergory, analyzing her turn in "Notes on a Scandal" as more of a starring performance.

Best Supporting Actor:
Although Eddie Murphy seems to be the odds-on favorite for his performance in "Dreamgirls," the Washington Post film critics advance the idea that Alan Arkin make take the Oscar home for his pornography- and heroin-addicted portrayal of the grandfather in "Little Miss Sunshine."

These film crtics think the Academy may give Arkin the nod tonight for his body of work over the years, in which case we have to introduce the term "The Rooster Cogburn Award for Best Supporting Actor"--a term or epithet that I shall introduce here because I plan to use it on two other occasions.

As we all know, Iowa-born Marion Morrison hadn't won any Oscars for his 200 films during his 50-year career, but he took home an Oscar at the end of his career for his starring role in "True Grit"--absolutely a cinema honorific. Look for other film honorifics this evening--awards.

The only other supporting actor portrayal more odius is of that of the child molester in "Little Children," played by San Antonian Jackie Earle Haley (lots of hometown support from our local filn critic). Not to say that Wahlberg isn't a little potty-mouthed but brilliant in "The Departed."

My favorite in this category is the Benin, Africa-born and Paris-raised, model-turned actor who sailed on the Amistad and romped with gladiators, the twice-nominated in this category, Djimon Hounsou for his powerful and moving role as a father and hapless victim of Sierra Leone's RUF in "Blood Diamond."

Best Actress:
Without doubt, it's Ilyena Lydia Mironoff of Ilford, Essex, whose grandfather was a Russian aristocrat who came to buy arms for the Russo-Japanese war and ended up stranded in Britain. The Washington Post film critics are trying to paint this contest as the Battle of the British Dames, claiming that Dame Dench's performance required stronger acting chops, but I think there is little doubt (as there was among the four critics here at the Washington Post) that it's Mirren (Mironoff) who'll grab the Golden Boy tonight.

And please recall that the film "The Queen" is as much a polemic about Tony Blair's politicization of Diana's death, as it is a study of the royals' mental state and movements following the horrific car crash in Paris that took Diana's and Dodi al Fayed's lives.

Time for a coffee break. I've talked of three, with three to come...

I keep envisioning a horse-drawn carriage piled high with obsolete cathode ray tubes rambling noisily through suburban neighborhoods with a toothless man yelling, "Bring out your Dead!"

I made that same trek, Martooni. Bigger brothers were allowed to torment little sisters much worse in those days.

Better than pads for every body part are playgrounds made of recycled plastic. We slid our butts down sliding boards made of metal that got to be about a billion degrees in the summer sun. It's a wonder everyone over the age of 40 doesn't have burn scars on the backs of their legs.

The thought of suing didn't occur to us because no one had money. Suing was a sport of the wealthy back then, not a means to obtain wealth.

As far as electronics go, I've never been a big fan of television (escapism is not a spectator sport to me). My prized electronics don't have remotes: the KitchenAid, the Cuisinart.

Gee, TBG, that makes me realize how little snowfall we've had this year. I really do like a good snowstorm. Just one. They are now predicting something here for tonight and tomorrow, but not enough to call off work or anything, so it will be more annoyance than fun. You're lucky you got your snow on a Sunday when you can just enjoy it without worrying about driving in it.

The pizza dough is rising and the granddaughters will be here soon. Should be a fun afternoon. We're still trying to teach them to play ping pong, they somehow think they are supposed to smash the ball, perhaps they've been watching women's tennis, but at least they don't grunt.

Frosty! Rhubarb pie might be worth it, subject to the crust transport problem. One of the bakers told me that they tried experimenting with the crusts for travel....But, be warned as the fillind is strawberry-rhubarb. The owner buys rhubarb in the spring,making a huge vat to freeze over the winter and use in pies. If he can't get enough rhubarb he adds strawberries. This is reasonable, but I suspect that Frosty agrees with me that tart-rhubarb is the ultimate holy grail of fruit pies.

Rhubarb pie and sour cherry pie prove to me the existence of God. You may think I jest, but I am very serious. BTW, I abhore cake, unless it is nearly a brownie.

Frosty, perhaps we can find a source of frozen rhubarb pie-innards on the web, and make pie.

While we are at it, we should look for sour cherry mash.

Pie day approacheth: March 14 as in 3.14.....0X.

By the way, SofCP and FoSofCP ate pie on the way home: lemon chess pie for my progeny and Key lime pie for his buddy.

I smelled the cherry conncoction the whole way home. Does it get better than this?

Interesting article by Seymour Hirch inlight of the launch of Iran's new rocket.

The Administration is now examining a wave of new intelligence on Iran's weapons programs. Current and former American officials told me that the intelligence, which came from Israeli agents operating in Iran, includes a claim that Iran has developed a three-stage solid-fuelled intercontinental missile capable of delivering several small warheads--each with limited accuracy--inside Europe. The validity of this human intelligence is still being debated.
My Oscar day prediction is that the US will take military action against Iran within three months. Good luck to you.
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/070305fa_fact_hersh?page=1

Hey everybody! I'm in San Diego with the spouse; he has a meeting and dragged me along (ha!). The trip was uneventful, as such should be, but ten hours elapsed between breakfast and lunch. I don't do well with such intervals, but this time I did survive.

Glad to hear you're feeling better this morning, Cassandra. When I get those headaches, the only thing I can do is take the maximum dose of aspirin and go to sleep.

TBG, I had to chuckle when I went with a colleague last fall to talk to one of Jack's classes about the fire department and what we do to keep their water clean (his county is downstream from us). We talked about employment with the department. One of the requirements is no use of illegal substances within a year of application. The kids were thunderstruck by that. We explained that it is not acceptable to have firefighters in an altered state of mind, as it affects their ability to provide services safely and effectively.

My younger child told me she was considering using pot to help with insomnia. I didn't freak, but I did point out to her that it could have an impact on her employment opportunities. The subject hasn't come up again, so I'm hoping...

Still winter on the East Coast, I see. The spouse got two pages about water rescues in the night, so it's just wet in our part of the world. It's cool in Southern California; the low this morning was 54 and I'm going to wear a jacket today. At least the sun is shining...

CP, we had a sour cherry tree in our yard when I was a kid. We picked the cherries, my mom canned them and made cherry pies. You're right, there's nothing like sour cherry pie. We grew rhubarb too, but I don't remember eating it - not sure what my mom made with it. I had strawberry-rhubarb pie for the first time when I moved to Seattle.

CP-you are an accurate judge of character. I would not want rhubarb sullied with berries. I see from the web site they use lard in the crust, an absolute must in my book.

My dad's favorite math/culinary joke: Pi r squared? No, pie are round.

Jumper's 3rd Economic Law says, 61.8% of Capitalist Theory rests on unquestioned rights to free trash disposal.

And that pretty much explains the HiDef D-Day. You have to pay to haul off your nonfunctional or obsolete electronica. The ones selling you obsoletica don't pay.

But don't throw out those TVs! The People should form their own TV network, using the same technology they want us to toss out.

I could see pot being a potential problem for those in the firefighting business (or someone who happens to be on fire and is counting on a firefighter to douse them)-- picturing a bunch of stoned firefighters watching a house burn down and saying something profound like "Dood! Wow! Did you see that roof cave in? Like where's our truck?".

Otherwise, it's no worse than booze (and probably less physically addictive). If only the uptight idiots running the country would legalize it already, they'd have one heck of a new source of tax revenue, not to mention a lot less strain on the courts and prisons.

Did I ever mention I'm a liberal *and* a hippie?

Academy Awards, continued...

Best Actor:
The actor most favored going into tonight's awards ceremony is the vegetarian actor born in Longview, Texas in 1961, born with congenital strabismus (as the Brits would say, "One eye in York and the other in Cork.") As a young man in Los Angeles, this actor studied opera as a tenor, played jazzman Charlie Byrd, and for this Aacemy Award-nominted role tonight, learned to play the accordion (no small feat) and gained 50 pounds.

The Washington Post film critics expect the dark horse nominee Peter O'Toole, for his role in "Venus" to give Forest Whitaker a tight Oscar race. (I have yet to see "Venus" of "The Pursuit of Happyness.") If O'Toole should win, I think we can chalk up O'Toole's victory to the "Rooster Cogburn Award for Best Actor." See previous explanation about Marion from Iowa.

Whitaker's role as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland" is full of anger and bluster and posturing and mental instability, yet I don't think Whitaker's acting deserves the Oscar. My own eye problems certainly cause me to be muy simpatico and support Forest, an actor with not a trivial eye problem.

My heart goes to the Los Angeles-born actor whose father sold comic books and whose mother first felt him kicking in the womb when she was looking at a Leonardo da Vinci artwork. The 1/4 Italian and 3/4 German actor, this only child, broke hearts as a young Romeo and swept them overboard in "Titanic." I would like to see the young blonde, so affiliated with director Martin Scorsese these days--but not in the film "Blood Diamond," get tonight's honor.

Is Leonardo's acting role the best of the five nominated? That certainly can be debated. But he's my sentimental favorite not so much for his acting, but for bringing the story "B1ood Diamond" to life. I can think of no story at the Academy Awards tonight that more deeply touched me last year than "B1ood Diamond."

Three journalists originally reported the story--two via books: Greg Campbell in his moving and poignant "B1ood Diamonds: Tracing the Deadly Path of the World's Most Precious Stones" and the Washington Post's own (and former) Douglas Farah, who wrote "B1ood from Stones: The Secret Financial Netork of Terror." In Farah's expose about al Qaeda' role in the mining for diamonds from Sierra Leone, conflict diamonds used subsequently to finance terrorist activites, possibly including 9/11, Farah tips his hat, on pp. 52-53 of his 2004 book, to another former Washington Post journalist, Steve Coll, whose book "Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001" won the 2005 Pulitzer prize for nonfiction.

As Farah writes, "Steve Coll, the Washington Post's managing editor, had met CR [the informant] in 1999 when Coll and Michel duCille did a Sunday magazine piece on the RUF [Revolutionary United Front--the Sierra Leone rebel group]....Coll had wanted me to write about the atrocities in Sierra Leone, which had occured at the same time as the Bosnian conflict and had received almost no international coverage....The magazine piece, far from the public relations coup Caldwell [an American businessman with years of experience pushing the legal limits of activities in Africa and who arranged the trip because he was buying diamonds and attempting to set up other business deals with the RUF] hoped for, was the first definitive account of the RUF's brutality in the American press.

I cannot help but root for Leo--and the journalists who brought the horrific story to the public's attention--though I fear the public still has little familiarity with the nasty history of Sierra Leone and how the diamonds are extracted and moved to international diamond markets from there.

I am taking a break and will complete my picks for best director and best film later on today.

Funny article on watching all 5 Best Pic nominees in a row:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/24/AR2007022401413.html

Jobs where you are On Call are different from jobs where you aren't On Call.

CP... you're killing me.

Sour cherry pie...

Rhubarb pie...

We're having a wonderful freezing rain right now so I have no chance of getting loose to sate my sudden desire to dive face-first into either type of pie.

And the beer is running low.

Not fair.

Last I heard, the Post asks for a drug test.

LiT... I have a feeling they don't actually enforce that policy. Or at least not with the cartoonists and illustrators. I want whatever the guy was smoking who came up with the orange pointy-tailed beast that graces the top of this blog.

The Post can send any drugs it wants tested to me.

I already had a sample, Boko... it was oregano.

Barry Farms sells rhubarb pie filling for 6.95 plus S&H

Find them at that large online retailer named for the OTHER big river, not de'Nial. Have not tried this buy just might.
---
Long ago and fair away at a California (workin' class) grocery store chain, I used to buy water pack cans of pitted sour cherries. You can make sour cherry pie with this. Lady Lee or Lucky Leaf brand? Works great in cobbler too, with lemon zested into the crumbly topping.

But, I haven't seem such canned items since Jumbo and MacGruders left town, here in DC-Maryland, etc.

Any leads on these canned fruits, with which one could make die-and-go-heaven pie?

---
By the way, most cherries are sweet, including the varieties that go into mariscino syrup suspensions. That would include Bings, natch', but also
Kristin, Tulare, Rainier and the lighter or bi-colored Napoleon or Queen Anne cherries.

Tulare cherries from the tree are amazing, but very sweet in water pack.

Morello cherries are the tiny, sour type.

Sorry Martooni, but perhaps youse in Ohio can buy canned sour cherries since you are closer to Michigan, which I think is the official Sour Cherry State.

Yoki, can we have a pie bake-off for March? Recipes and pix?
3.14 approacheth.

The thing about the Oscars is you have to start out comparing them against the greats. For instance: "Destroy All Monsters"

Folks the thing about kids and substances is you should probably not worry so much, or protest too much, lest you make them curious. If you did them then you should have plenty of examples of how they're bad for you, but most people don't want to admit any of that. If you did not have the rebellious gene, your kids may not either.

I could write a book about how meth is bad, how two bottles of wine is equivalent to a nasty acid trip (but with more physical unpleansantess), etc. What's really bad about all of them is if you're caught, in which case you may indeed trip off some kind of future employment deal. The problem is they may not in fact care. Back in the day I worked in studios where they proabably wouldn't hire you if you weren't on something.

Beware the unintended consequence: They used to put bands on saying how they're clean now and it backfired because it took no genius to realize most of those guys did their best work wasted. Your kids are most likely not stupid. If you lie to them about how bad pot is and they find out it just makes you crave chocolate cookies they may not believe that meth is also bad. Do not lose your credibility.

Many kids these days go no further than their parents' own prescription drug collection. Tip: get a Physician's Desk Reference. My mom worked for a drug company and we had one around. Looking up contraindictions and side effects stopped me and my friends from taking all manner of available pills. Of course they have to be able to do this without you knowing about it, or they won't.

Finally, an awful lot of people have done some of these things - sometimes a LOT - one way or another while growing up, and most simply stop and go on to live nice productive legal lives. If you try to play the "loser" card you will most likely be forced to defend how so-and-so was a major (fill in the blank) and became, I don't know, President or something.

Error... that reminds of when my son was, of course, doing something completely stupid and set his hand on fire (don't ask).

Every doctor along the way told him about an equally stupid thing he did, or his brother the successful lawyer did, or his cousin the successful whatever did.

No one told him a story of how his other brother the total loser once set his hand on fire and look, now he's a total loser. Which is what I wanted him to hear.

Error... I agree... one way to nearly guarantee that a kid will do something is to tell them they can't or shouldn't.

I don't know what I'll do when Little Bean gets to the age where experimentation and all that other fun stuff happens -- really don't even want to think about it -- but I do know she won't go into the "wild" uninformed.

TBG, if it helps you're welcome to use the story of my cousin. Wasted his life on heroin, robbed his friends, mistreated his grandmother, and OD'd the night before his sister's wedding.

You can recover from doing something stupid once in awhile. All the time? Maybe not.

Also I would mention the unknowns: you never know what you're getting. You don't really know how it will affect you. Doing coke is not how you want to find out you have an unknown heart problem.

And listening to some whacked out friends jabbeering at 3am about the universe gets boring. Stick with the video games.

I'll shut up now. :-)

When I lived in WI & OH, small country stores would carry MI fresh, pitted sour cherries--fundraisers for MI 4H clubs. I'd buy 50# and freeze them.

Next best thing: pre-frozen and canned.
http://www.mi-cherries.com/can.htm

Yoki, Yoki, Yoki!

Like a few of us here, I have some experience (much more experience than I'm proud to admit) with doing things spectacularly illegal AND stupid. While I haven't risen (and at this point don't intend to try to rise) to great pinnacles of achievement in any area which would entail close scrutiny of my past, I've muddled through OK, and am (like many of the young'uns) suspicious of scare tactics. But I'm also able and willing to share with anyone who wants some insight about how counter-productive some habits can be!

Re: self-destruction and mind-altering substances, I was an anomaly among my peers and lack personal experience. I agree that the been-there cautionary tale appears most effective, where an obviously bad result occurred. One thing I do is, occasionally, talk about my work at home. Stories of folks, sometimes pretty smart, who get caught up in drugs, drinking, poor judgment etc., and wind up committing crimes seem to (a) catch the Boys attention and (b) convince him not to do that. The other thing I always try to remember when talking about sex (not yet much with the Boy, thank goodness) and drugs is that this stuff feels good. If we don't admit that and only emphasize the bad, they'll maybe find out on their own and their goes our credibility.

We can get sour cherries at our local Middle Eastern grocery store.

I used the Kit today to argue that we shouldn't get HD-TV yet, because they will get better and go down in price before the Forced Mass Consumer Frenzy. Also, as Ivansdad says, the battle between Blu-Ray (?) and whatever it is battling should be decided. Remember beta & VCRs?

My advice to the older two...you shouldn't try anything until you've seen someone else do it *and* seen them again the next day, and sometimes the one sober person in the room has the most fun.

//And listening to some whacked out friends jabbeering at 3am about the universe gets boring. Stick with the video games.//

Error... are you telling us to stop boodling?

>Error... are you telling us to stop boodling?

Heh, no this counts as a video game I think.

Ivansmom, you're right about the HD prices but the largest drops have probably already happened. They will always get better of course. The Blu-Ray/HD format war really doesn't have an effect either way. (I won't be buying an HD DVD until it sorts out.)

Just make sure it works in 1080i, if not 1080p. Also, the real res. of HD is 1900x1200 (minus a few bits, hence the 1080) so if you get a set with only 1366x720 or something you'll be missing a good portion of the HD-ness.

I'm watching NASCAR now in HD, and it looks GREAT. Football is a huge win too, and treat yourself to an episode of Discovery HD Sunrise series. They did Machu Picchu the other day and I could almost smell the flowers and feel the sunshine.

TBG - I'm laughing out loud! Yup, that covers more than half of MY 'boodle contributions, I think.

I love you, Joel, but I disagree with your belief in the self-importance of technical advances. You're too involved with the marketing propaganda from the teckies who think they're the third incarnation of God. Television has mostly have grabbed the attention of people who don't read books, sing, speak with other people, look into their eyes and care about something more than to be entertained by idiots. I don't put you into that category but there IS more to life than gimmicks and cars.

And the nominees for Best Director are:

"Babel" Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu
"The Departed," Martin Scorsese
"Letters from Iwo Jima," Clint Eastwood
"The Queen," Stephen Frears
"United Flight 93," Paul Greengrass

Most Hollywood-watchers expect six-time nominated and zero-directing-Oscars-won Martin Scorsese to score an Oscar win tonight. Most of the reviews I've read say it's "his turn."

His turn? The four Washington Post movie critics admit that "The Departed" is hardly Scorsese's best directing effort. If Scorsese does win, and almost all bets are on him, then expect Scorsese to also get the honor of "Rooster Cogburn Best Director Award" for lifetime achievement.

Interestingly, several of the Washington Post reviewers gave the best director nod to Brit Paul Greengrass for what they consider a brilliantly directed picture that few Americans have seen--"United Flight 93." These four reviewers felt an outsider, in this case a Brit, was able to very skillfully handle the delicate subject matter of 9/11 to deliver a powerful movie--in contrast to what an American director might have done with the same painful subject matter. I admit that I haven't seen "United," having not enjoyed this past year's "World Trade Center."

However, last weekend, Loomispouse and I rented Eastwood's "Flags of our Fathers." We saw the twin films that Clintwood directed out of order--out of the order that he introduced them into theaters and were glad for the inadvertent switcheroo. Seeing "Letters from Iwo Jima" first, we learned how the Japanese fortified the island and subsequently fought the historic, losing battle. "Flags" dealt with the takeover of the island, as well as the subsequent propagandizing of the then-flagging American war effort.

When considering Eastwood, it's important to realize that his films are really a two-fer, "Iwo Jima" being the better of the pair of offerings.

I've never liked Scorsese films--always too violent for me, often I've felt they are violent for the sake of violence. War is equally violent, yet Eastwood's violence is in the service of story, although I said much the same about Scorsese's use of violence in "The Departed" after its release last fall.

I'm sorry to say this for Scorsese's sake, but I really do think he should be an Academy bridesmaid (I hate this cliche) for the sixth time.

The directing Oscar should go to Clint. If it does, it'll be an upset, but an upset of the best kind.

As for the future, keep your eyes on Innaritu. Works like "Babel" and "Amores Perros" ("Love is He11"...how many of the Boodlers have seen it, I wonder?)--should he continue his cinematic excellence--will guarantee future nominations and a possible win in the best director category at the Academy Awards.

Best picture?

A true toss-up for me between "Babel" and "Iwo Jima." I'm hopelessly stuck and can't possibly pick between the two. My wish is that there is a tie tonight for best flick between these two contenders.

Should "Little Miss Sunshine" win (Can Acdemy voters be serious about this film?), I shall then explain all the reasons that I dislike this film so intensely.

Marcia Sherman - Well, I can't figure out if you're more or less correct than you know. I think that Achenbach is a STRONG believer in the sense of self-importance of those who sell technical advances!

The conversion to digital TV seems to be going badly so far. People buy those $7000 sets and find out very little is broadcast in high definition. Regular low-def TV doesn't look that much better even if it's transmitted digitally.

Japan seems to have put off the end of analog broadcasting longer than the US--their end-of-analog date is July 2011.

I mean, of course, that he strongly believes that it exists.

Dave of the C - well, given that a TV from 1960 is usable right now, and will continue to be usable with a conversion box, I'd say that the sales are actually going fairly well!

Error, I agree with your take on talking to kids about abuses. I also agree that kids take their pointers from parents and adults. And saying I tried such and such at one time in my life, and look at me now after quitting might present the wrong outcome.

For me, it was watching my family. Never touched drugs, but the the drinks were everywhere.

I think parents just have to talk to their kids, and keep talking. Repetition(?) is the thing. And it never, ever, hurts to let your kid know that you love them, and he/she is the greatest thing since ice cream.

As for the digital television, I will probably be one of the last people to own the new technology. The cable box on my TV now is costing me an arm and a leg, and any spare body parts I can throw in.

Slyness, it is raining here, and the weather people are calling for severe storms. It is quite chilly also. I don't want to see the white stuff. Glad you're enjoying yourself.

Ivansmom, with your profession, I see you having a great advantage in helping the boy to steer clear of the dangers that tend to plague young people. They just see one side of it, the side that shows the good stuff, and never the down side. They think that happens to other people.

Dave of C - I think it's fairly safe to assume that the steady tide of viewers away from scheduled broadcasting toward on demand (whether internet or other delivery system) is going to continue, and the tardiness of live-broadcast providers to get onboard with digital programming for those who've shelled out for the equipment will only accelerate it.

For a reasonably valid analogy to the TV thing, what are the latest numbers on how many households don't have land-line telephones? I haven't checked lately but I think it was nearly ten percent a couple of years ago. We don't have a land line at my house.

I admit to having dabbled in a bit of pot in my youth and frankly, I'm with Martooni on this subject, I wish they'd legalize it. That way it would be regulated and you wouldn't have to worry about it being laced with something that you'd rather not inhale. I never did anything stronger which is just as well, considering that good old legal booze is what cut me off at the knees. When my girls were teenagers, I told them the truth, that I'd smoked pot, didn't think it was "awful" but that it was *illegal* and they'd better be very careful it they decided to try it. I know they both did. Neither of them became raving lunatics or got into any legal trouble. I know this was more dumb luck (the legal part) than anything else. But I do wonder if I would do things differently today, as a recovering alcoholic. I tend to think that I would still be truthful about my own use of a drug, otherwise I'd feel like a hypocrite. But would I advise them to just steer clear of pot? I'm not sure that would be realistic. Just as everyone who drinks does not become an alcoholic, not everyone who smokes pot ends up a pothead or goes on to stronger drugs. I don't really have a good answer to any of this. But I do think that being truthful is of utmost importance, kids can spot phonieness at ten paces.

Sneakers - As I've gotten older, I've become a big believer in painful honesty. Not as a cudgel to hurt others (I'm also a big believer in letting others be imperfect, 'cuz Lord knows I am!), just not being afraid to be honest even when I find it painful to admit my own shortcomings.

Golly, it's hard sometimes! But definitely worth it.

Stumbled across this on the Apple website...

http://www.apple.com/pro/profiles/washingtonpost/

To (very briefly) continue about painful honesty:
I've found that the people who would take advantage of my admissions of fallibility/vulnerability are the same folks who would have been trying to take advantage of me anyway. I think that it's more than made up by the people who genuinely appreciate knowing someone who's got no hidden agenda, and who show that appreciation in a thousand different ways.

Thanks, Error Flynn, for the HoeDown TV details. I'll try to keep them in my head. Ivansdad says DirectTV or someone is about to release 150 channels in HughDowns TV format, to give people something to watch. I have no idea what, but they probably won't be ones I'd want to see.

Cassandra, one fun thing I like to do is tell the Boy (and other kids) stories of some of my indigent clients back in California. I had a lot of college kids and other teenagers who were very indignant. They'd say, "I was just doing [illegal act]. I'm not a criminal!" I'd always very sympathetically agree that the person was not a criminal, but here he was, charged with a crime, talking to a criminal defense attorney, about to go to court. I really try to discourage that "it can't happen to me" tendency. Sure it can.

Lost cable all afternoon. No television. No internet. The essence of barbarism. All is better now, but the recovery process highlighted one of the issues Joel talked about. The technology may be great, but the user interface, like, bites.

Getting everything to work requires three remotes and precision timing. For example, if one doesn't stop the DVR from looking for spurious channels quickly enough, all is lost. Fortunately, the ability to to this is part of the justification for my existence.

That, and anything to do with spiders.

TBG - a pretty neat little piece I thought. If it had video, I wasn't getting it, but I liked the expressed openness to new modes of expression. Heck, I've gotten to the point that I view with mild suspicion any company with more than about three employees which doesn't have a website.

I have optimism about WaPo, they really do seem to be embracing (and taking part in) the changes occurring around them. Many companies are not, and will probably continue to regret it.

Oh, and I also click on a few of the ads every day, as my part in helping to pay for this wonderful, whacky, WaPo wierdness!

(I also subscribe to the dead-tree, but we all know that they're not REALLY connected.)

I guess you were using a Windoze computer, Bob!

Yes, there was video. Go here to get Quicktime; there's probably other video your'e missing on other sites...

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/win.html

And regarding remotes. I look forward to the day when remotes are obsolete, having been replaced by integrated speech recognition. I won't be really happy until I can just yell at my television and have it do what I want.

RD, Ivansdad has been yelling at the television watching the Cowboys for years, but they never seem to do what he wants either.

>I won't be really happy until I can just yell at my television and have it do what I want.

Let me know when you find a TV that'll put $300k in my account and send me to the islands for a month.

Error, I think RD would be happy if he could just tell the TV to get Gilligan et al. off the island.

TBG - Thanks for the pointer to the QuickTime download site. I was LONG overdue for an upgrade, apparently. The WaPo piece was even more fun with the accompanying video.

It's dead, Jim.

No... just resting up for the big night.

[Now, where is *my* big blue bow?]

TBG,. I'm still trying to find my swan dress.

bc

bc - If you can't find the swan dress, I know where you can borrow a bearskin (with head & paws)!

Oh gosh, bc... I hope you find it. You looked lovely wearing it to the Corcoran a few weeks ago.

Bob S.

One news story wrote of the hordes carrying home huge new TVs for the football season, only to be terribly disappointed by what's available other than football.

My first encounter with video-on-demand was on an All Nippon Airways plane that departed from Dulles. They provided a slew of movies, including 2 current Japanese ones with subtitles. I'm spoiled.

Springtime for Hitler, and Germany......

I was just checking out a theory that mention of Hitler always brings conversations to a halt (even if you're quoting Mel Brooks!)

er...Winter for Poland and France?

Hi Joel!

Upstairs with Daughter of G while husband is downstairs watching the Heels and the Terps.

She wants to "see what all the hubbub is about" so she might squeak in a comment or two.

There was a good line on Saturday Night Live about The Producers ending it's run on Broadway. I don't remember it, I just thought it was a good line.
Now that's having less than nuthin'.

No snow here in southeastern Virginia, much to my children's dismay. This is the third school year in a row with no snow days. A bitter pill for them to swallow as they have fond memories of lots of snowmen and hot chocolate when they lived in Silver Spring.

Speaking of yelling at the tv, my husband and son are currently screaming at our very inadequate (according to 16 yr old son) 27 in. TV as the Terps battle the Tarheels. It must be a very close game because it also involves stomping and yes, some curse words.

Ivansmom, I have to thank you for your thoughts about telling our children the truth. I have a 16 yr. old son and a 13 yr old daughter and we're having lots of conversations about all kinds of things. One thing that hadn't occurred to me yet was your very compelling belief that as parents, it behooves us to just admit that some of these behaviors that we prefer our kids to avoid, or at least put off for a very long time, well, they feel good. So simple, but I hadn't really thought of it that way. I dabbled with an illegal substance or two, but not til my twenties, I was too afraid of getting caught before then!

Kit's been ammended!

I forgot to mention that, at the first possible opportunity, I am finding me some sour cherry pie.

Do you think it'd be okay if I used the leftover Halloween and Christmas Peeps that are in the cupboard? (They roast better before they stale).

You can't tell me one of us couldn't win this. What would you depict? I was thinking . . . Peepstock.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201628.html

Kim, if you're looking for more Philly possibilities, let me know.

I mostly yell at the TV when GWB is on.

Here's another way to elevate your blood pressure, Ben Stein's column today (may require registration, but not payment):

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/business/yourmoney/25every.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

Yes, dbG, we've got that one day to spend sightseeing-I have the restaurant advice, but I'd love some thoughts on what would be the best use of our time there.

Kim - I'm doing it with an old-fashioned TV, but which channel/network is carrying that MD-NC game?

Also, definitely, you gotta go with some message that involves, "Yeah, these things can feel good, but they're still often/usually/always a bad idea". Depends on what we're talking about, obviously. It's not possible, or even worthwhile, to try to keep people (even little people!) ignorant of facts which they can research themselves.

Loomis:
You didn't like "Little Miss Sunshine"? Oh, I thought it was *hilarious* -- I loved the quirky characters, the bizarre road-trip saga, and especially the anti-beauty-pageant message. Plus I'm a big fan of most of the actors in the film. But never fear -- it probably won't beat those other contenders for Best Picture. In the unlikely event that it does, though, I'll hold you to that explanation of why you didn't like it! :)

Ok, well thank goodness, the Terps just won! Because I just have to commandeer the TV to see the kelp on Beyonce's shoulder. Our other tv is really small and I want to really be able to evaluate this fashion statement and possibly chat about it in a really knowledgeable way- for the first time, I really wish we had a 47 in. CLD hi def, gamma ray type TV!

Yep, I'm blogging, we're switching back and forth between E! and the Barbara Walters special on ABC. I'll just amend the kit occasionally for a little while for the first hour of the show or so. Then we'll go all-boodle.

Who are J.Lo, Leo, and Jennifer Hudson?

"Deal!" the losers shouted, while the winners laughed with glee.

"Deal!" the losers shouted, while the winners laughed with glee.

"Deal!" the losers shouted, while the winners laughed with glee.

"Deal!" the losers shouted, while the winners laughed with glee.

"Deal!" the losers shouted, while the winners laughed with glee.

FYI Portia de Rossi's real name is Amanda Rogers. So yes, implausible, but much more beautiful and fitting.

Game over, Bob! My husband is still short of breath!

The G girls' favorite dress so far: Kirsten Dunst's

That picture of Portia de Rossi is making me face up to the painful realization that I may just be a lesbian trapped in a man's body.

TBG, is your husband happy or sad?

Abigail Breslin is adorable!

I have to admit to finding myself increasingly impressed by Ryan Seacrest's interviewing and commentating abilities, both at the Oscars and on "American Idol." But some of those other commentators they've got working the red carpet are such *nitwits*! They drive me nuts!!! (And I hate to say it, but the ones I'm talking about are mostly female.) This one woman almost had a conniption because one of the stars (was that Celine Dion?) dared to wear a gold handbag with silver jewelry. Bah.

OK, that's my one and only catty comment for the evening.

I completely agree, TBG, I liked "Little Miss Sunshine" but didn't LOVE it. That little girl, though, was something else. That scene with Alan Arkin when she was starting to get nervous about the pageant made me blubber.

OK I am in MA right now and watching E Live, with Ryan Seacreast, this is a new experience for me I don't think we have this at home, *interesting* sums up my initial reaction.

Joel still laughing about the converters we also have a box of obsolete converters, along with a small collection of current converters.

Kim... very sad. He'll be busy on his Tarheel Boodle tonight dissecting the game and figuring out What Went Wrong.

Up here in Occupied Canada, it must have been one foot of snow last night, on top of what was already lurking on the ground.

Thank goodness it wasn't MY turn to shovel today-- did my share yesterday. Still, I have a dog to walk in deep snow right now. They may have to send out rescue parties.

I think I will wear the tall hat to enhance my chance of being found.

I loved Little Miss Sunshine. The scene where she goes down to talk to the brother (and just throws her arm around him) by the side of the road is the one that turned my waterworks on.

OH MY GAWD... what is that THING on Nicole Kidman's shoulder?

I was going to pull some thoughts together last week, but with the Boodle down, I actually did some work instead.

Without knowing more about your family's interests, I'd suggest:
(1) Military history interest. Waterfront, both NJ and PA side. The Battleship NJ is in Camden, a short ferry ride over. If you tour, book the weapons tour ahead of time--it gives you time to crawl in and out of all the weapons rooms, you can touch controls, the guides are good. On the Philadelphia side, there's an ancient submarine (lot of fun to go through), Admiral Dewey's battleship and the Maritime museum. There's a bundle discount.
(2) Same general area, there are river lunch/dinner tours on a large ship. The food's pretty good, the ship is cool, but if you only have 1 day, takes too long.
(3) There are amphibious bus/boats that begin at the historic areas.
(4) There are double decker buses/trolleys which tour all of downtown, get off one place, get on another. I'm a native, but did this with a friend last fall and we had a great time. Did the whole thing, then hit our places of interest on the 2nd time around. You'll see some of the murals throughout the city, get close to statues, seeing the Chinatown arch at eye level was great. Definitely ride on the top and stop at Reading Terminal Market, Franklin Institute, City Hall and the Art Museum. If you go to City Hall, going to the top and standing under the statue of Billy Penn is something I love, but those might be personal memories.
(5) If you have a car, Valley Forge, Washington's Crossing aren't all that far. The Fairmount Park historic houses also offer tours.
(6) Depending on your interests, there are sections of the city devoted to Jewelry, Fabric & Yarn, Beads, etc.
(7) My restaurant suggestions would be: The Famous 4th Street Deli (go hungry or split the sandwiches with someone) and Monk's Cafe (Chimee on tap).

Don't know if this helps, but you can e-mail me through contact me at emmarosejewelry.com if I can help any more.

OK, maybe just one more catty comment:

Check out the shoulder putrescence on Nicole Kidman!!! (*Very* atypical of her.)

I thought I might regret this, but now I'm sure I won't...

I've decided to enjoy the "Academy Awards" (TM) only through your reports. So, effuse, please!

Nicole, Nicole. The bow is supposed to be on the *left* shoulder.

Oh my goodness. Let's hope that the double-backed tape holds out on some of these dresses. Or not.

I think Penelope Cruz borrowed her dress from Ursula in "The Little Mermaid."

I hate to go on topic but are you talking about these boys too?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/23/AR2007022301749.html

TBG - I really, really liked that piece when I read it earlier. It reminded me of some run-ins that I've had with well-intentioned but frighteningly frantic parents about a number of issues.

I rather like Penelope Cruz's dress. Actually, I'm liking most of the dresses I'm seeing -- I know, I probably need some serious help.

I was pleased to see Cruz nominated for Best Actress for "Volver " -- great movie! -- although I'd be surprised if she actually won.

Bare shoulders on the actresses are hot, hot, hot!

Did Charlize loan her last year's on-the-shoulder oversized bow to Nicole, who let it fall off-her-shoulder to the back on her red gown this year?

Lots of frontal treatment on the evening dresses.

I thought Jennifer Hudson's gown was good, the silver cropped jacket tacky. Loomispouse said Hudson's cropped jacket reminded him of Sleeping Beauty's outfit.

Bob... I think there was a similar gun discussion here on the boodle the other day.

Lots of parents who refuse to let play guns into the house discover that anything can become a gun to a kid who wants to pretend to shoot.

I remember my nephew holding out an umbrella and a roll of wrapping paper and asking his sister, "which gun do you want?"

Now.. back to more important issues... does Helen Mirren look fabulous or what?

What about the chick who did the costumes for "The Devil Wears Prada" What is up with that hair...I think she was channeling Strom Thurmond or something. Way scary.

dbG, we definitely lean towards the historical sites. The trolley sounds like the way to go for one day. Thanks.

TBG, really found that article interesting. I have to say I come down on Turley's side of the argument, although I can't say I ever bought my son any guns in his formative years. Well, I guess that's not true...I can remember some serious water fights with some semi-automatic water gun.

I like Mirren's dress, very classy and age appropriate, unlike whoever that designer for "the Devil Wears Prada" was wearing with her matching red hair - whew!

Well, gosh, maybe I actually SHOULD watch this thing. I note that even Loomie has (tongue-in-cheek, presumably) started to make note of the attire of women who are not, technically, fashion models.

I agree Helen Mirren looks fantastic.

Kim: "channeling Strom Thurmond" -- ha!
Those are words no woman ever hopes to inspire.

Gosh, Annie Oakley was my first heroine. My mother made me the whole outfit and even bought the matching six-shooters for it! I was four.

Please, you all keep me informed on the Oscars. The spouse and I have walked Old Town San Diego, all around uptown San Diego, and along the Harbor today. My feet are tired, and he's gonna drag me to supper. I won't go far.

Sometimes I think everybody should be required to take a child development/psychology course in high school before they are let loose to reproduce. Such articles only reinforce my belief.

I have well-adjusted, polite, nonviolent male relatives who played with toy guns... and real guns as well.

Often they'd play soldiers, paintball, cowboys, etc.

Those center more on the conflict of good and evil (us and them) and doing highly complex, cooperative play that forms a story, much more than the violence itself.

Generally I'd rank football as more violent than a game of imaginary bang bang soldiers and fake dying.

It's not impossible that such active play helps drive boys' language and nonverbal learning development, even if these boys seem more obsessed with sound effects than actual words ;).

Ellen stole JA's line "aim lower."

Jennifer Hudson had a good sense to take that hideous jacket off. Nice dress.

And now I get Ellen's suit-going for the televangelist look.

I think that's a spitoon on Nicole's dress.

With that maroon velvet suit Ellen's wearing, she looks like she should be parking cars out in front of the theater.

Folks, I think Nicole Kidman's trying to hide the fact that she's growing a second head out of her right shoulder.

bc

Excellent, "Pan's Labrynth" won the first award of the night.

bc

I've seen Ellen be better, but she certainly got in some good lines. The one about America voting for Al is certainly a keeper. And the bit about there never being any Oscars except for Jews, blacks and gays is one for the ages.

Course, now the show has pretty much peaked for me.

I think Ellen's suit is fine, you wouldn't expect her to wear a dress and black would be too predictable and severe. "S" thinks the thing on Kidman's shoulder looks like a funnel.

Will Farrell and Jack Black! I'm speechless.

Made me laugh, BC. I liked Ellen Degeneres' opening monologue but that velvet suit and the off white shoes...not a good look. Helen Mirren looks amazing.

I haven't watched the Oscars in years...my guilty pleasure is buying the next issue of People and seeing all the gowns that way. I don't think I'll make it through the whole show, even though I'm not working tomorrow, but I've enjoyed the commentary in the boodle. I must say, I've been reading Joel for years, but I had no idea he was such a slave to fashion.

I may be a humourless stick in the mud, but I really do not enjoy those *musical* numbers - what is there purpose.

Darn. I just realized there's a considerable lag in the Oscar coverage I'm able to view here in Hong Kong. All I'm getting at this point is recycled pre-show E! inverviews. Duped! Deprived! Denied!

I'm going to have to go away and hide for awhile to avoid the spoiler effect. Bah.

OK, the song with Will Ferrell, Jack Black, and John C Reilly was pretty good.

If I let my hair go for about 3 months it would look just like Will Ferrell's. Except for mine would have more grey.

And whaddya know, "Pan" won another award.

bc

Dang. Computer and TV in different rooms, so I missed the beginning of Farrell, Black and Reilly's act....I guess I'm hooked.

ttfn

I thought the "Comedian at the Oscars" number was a bit forced. Although somewhere Woody Allen is cheering.

Yea, Canada and Norway win one!

"Pan" will win Best Picture. Huge surprise.

So ... after Jon Stewart did "OK" at last year's oscars, is there a trend here...the "OK" host?

What's with bald Jack? Why is he with Diane Keaton? Or did my spotter get that wrong.

Now I've got to see West Bank Story!

snap. snap. snap.

OK.. just bought West Bank Story on iTunes for two bucks.

Now, back to the Oscars...

I thought Ellen was good. We laughed out loud here in the G house. I guess we're just not very cool.

OK, Joel, you've got to come down here with the rest of us. I'm getting tired going up top and then back down here all the time. It's like a tennis match lying on my side.

I kinda liked the opening film.

Okay, these sound effects people are kinda cool. In a creepy sorta way.

Am I senile or didn't they used to start the show with a major award, supporting actor/actress or some such?

I am not going to watch the whole show, just can't stay up that long, maybe 10 ish, then I gotta turn it off.

I missed (slept through) the pre-game red carpet walk, but there's Jennifer Beal in a red dress. Who are the other nominees?

Bad Sneakers, before you go just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay in your state this weekend, perfect weather and great scenery and close friends what more can you ask for.

Unless we are doing a top or bottom type of thing - it is nice to see all posters in the same neighborhood.

No wild hairdo's so far this year ....

Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine ...
Him I liked in that film

Vitaker Valt! Egermancy! Everyone to get from street!

Joel... don't make us go up there to get you.

I'm not sure I want to know how those shadow dancer people do that.

How did those people turn into fat penguins?

Even my cats seemed interested ....

I don't think it bodes well when I find the commercials more entertaining than the show. Gotta love that Coke ad.

Well, I'm annoying my wife more than normal with this laptop. So time to pack it in.

(I hope Peter gets it. I've never seen him give a bad performance ever.)

I'm glad you had a good weekend dmd, sounds like you would have had a great time even without the good weather and scenery, good friends are the most important ingredient in good times.

Glad about Arkin but wish he hadn't felt it necessary to read his remarks. I may have to stay up a bit later than 10. This happens every year, I swear I'm going to turn it off and end up watching til the end. I did manage a short nap this afternoon after the kids left, so...

I loved "The Departed"--but it wasn't about "information and disinformation"... what a load of crap.

Sweet Baby James two nights in a row...cool.

Are they cramming all the nominated songs into one segment so we can all go to the bathroom?

I was told to live-blog in the kit. Instructions. Policies. That's the protocol.

I love the stuff at the Oscars that explains "the movies" and how they make them, technically. And I love the old black and white clips. Last night we watched "All the King's Men." Great flick, won Best Picture for '49 I think, and Broderick Crawford was Best Actor. Seemed to owe a LOT to Citizen Kane.

You will no doubt be relieved (as I certainly am) that my call to the DirectTV help line is, "... important to us, and will be answered by the next available customer service representative," as has been the case for twenty minutes or so.

It's not working, Joel.

But your bosses have all gone to bed. Stay down here with the rest of the riffraff.

Deaparted is going to win screenplay. Nobody ever heard of the other nominations except for Borat. Jeez.

Yup. No brainer.

How useless is Chris Connelly?

OK, I'm creeping out just a little here! Just after I hit "Submit" on that last post, my signal partially showed up again. I still need service, but maybe they're paying more attention than I gave them credit for!

Who *is* Chris Connelly? I swear I've never seen or heard of him before tonight.

It was long, but I liked the Amex ad.

And of all the "hello's," the one that made me laugh was "The Big Lebowski."

He's really cute. How is that useless? :-)

Oh my... look at what the winning costume designer is wearing herself! Yikes.

Jean Hersholt Award! Potty break! Everybody sprint for the loo!

Bob... my DirecTV signal is acting hinky, too.

Why do I find any appearance by Tom Cruise to be a white-knuckle moment.

Isn't it kind of weird for Tom Cruise to be giving that award to Lansing, former head of the studio that dropped him?

I thought only actresses were anorexic.

Wilbrod, I did. And I think it made me a better mother to my kids. I do. If we don't understand child-development, how are we to stop ourselves saying things to three-year-old like, "Why don't you just think!" (they have no frontal lobes).

Helen looks absolutely beautiful! Her gown is glamourous, and shows off her magnificent bosom. And her magnificent face.

OK! Gotta' go.

Joel, because it is. I have no time for him, you know?

Thanks for the play-by-play, y'all. The fashions are always my favorite part, I look forward to pictures tomorrow. [Hey, you didn't think I was going to turn the show on, did you?] Back from the 8-cello concert, excellent; now time to drift off to sleep watching the Marx Brothers with the Boy (his choice, my work here is done).

That's what I get for never watching shows like this and commenting anyway. Got my Chrises mixed up.

Never mind.

"To my wife for giving me wings... and for including the blue cheese dressing."

Gwyneth has no fashion sense at all.

I'm telling you Pan's is winning Best Picture. HUGE shocker.

The Ellen as talk-show-host working the crowd and sucking up to celebs has been funny and cute but for some reason I'm still missing Johnny Carson.

Folks, I think we're witnessing something here: the new BIG venue for introducing new ads is no longer the Super Bowl but the Oscars. Some of these ads are pretty good. (Liked the elephant.)

Oh, wait--here comes Naomi Watts. I have to go get weak in the knees now.

mudge-I think you are right about the ads.