Hey Roger - If I Viewed TV I'd Watch

I don't care what the name of the show was I watched. Sneak Peak, At the Movies, Siskel and Ebert, Ebert and Roper and all the ones I forgot.

Agree, disagree or whatever this was how folks started talking about movies in the public arena. If you wanted depth you read Film Critic magazine; if you wanted to not finance a turkey of a flick you flipped on the show.

Not that I would have paid cash money for Carnosaur.

Roger Ebert has been through a time and a half of experiences. To say that he is fighting cancer is an understatement. Dude has been honest, transparent and helped more people than he will ever know in his dealings with the death stalker.


So when I saw in my e-mail stream something about Facebook blocking his most recent post about getting a facial prosthetic for his new show I was confused. I go to his Chicago Sun-Times page and first thought that he was rocking a sexy new beard.

I like beards.

But you have to read the complete story. I like the story even better.

A few months ago Roger spoke about his decision not to undergo reconstructive surgery. It was a powerful piece basically saying "I'm not gonna do it, I had enough."

I know what he is talking about. I don't like hospitals. I don't like how powerless they make you feel. When you gotta do it that is one thing. It is your life or your pride. There are limits and each person has to define his or her own as to how much you can take.

There is a new show he is producing with his wife called Eberts Presents At the Movies. My understanding is that he has chosen for his segment of the show to use a new chin prosthetic.

Ok by me either way but not with Facebook. His post was flagged as abusive content.

I suspect this is a techno-glitch or something like that. Because I can't figure out what human would read the post and come up with anything that was offensive about it. There isn't, not one dang thing.

Y'all can romp around Facebook if you want to. I'll visit your pages if they are open to the public. I can not, shall not and for the foreseeable future will not have a Facebook page. If they can't deal with Roger's face then they don't need any part of mine.

Just to be clear, I do not like Facebook's constant disrespect of privacy. I don't like that it will release information at the drop of a programing glitch and then you have to respond quick, fast and in a hurry to keep marketers from harvesting e-mail, phone and other private information.

I choose my friends and who I want contact with; I don't need 70,000 friends. God bless you if you really have that many people in your life.

I don't. I'm okay with that.

The ones I do have know where they can find me.

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We'll Take A Glass Together on the Finally Friday Freakout

Michael Jeter was an extraordinary talent. He could do comedy, dance, theater anything the part called for so long as they called him.

Jeter should be remembered for what he did on stage and screen but more than that he was the kind of performer that when you saw him you knew he was going to treat you to an experience.



This is a scene from the Broadway play Grand Hotel. For you newbies, Mr. Jeter is the thin balding gentleman. Every once in a while keep an eye on his dancing feet. The man gave 100% and then some.

Most of all he helps me to take a moment to smile and to remember there are good things worth holding on as we seek better days to come.

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Meeting Karen and a Reminder About eWaste Recycling

I'm starting up on my long Saturday walks again. For me a long walk is about two hours or so, more if I can combine it with other tasks. I was walking along and I saw the truck about eWaste recycling.



This is my brief conversation with Karen who hangs out at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church. The plan is to recycle the televisions and electronics and the cash received goes to help pay for the renovation of the Young Adults room at the church. For more info you can check out their Sacred Space blog.

Now if someone would work out a traveling eWaste pick up that would work for a lot of us that don't have transportation. That may be possible, depending on where you live.

If you are in the California area you can visit the E-Waste Recycling page at the CalRecycle page of the state of California.

It might be you finally clear out the garage and make a bit of cash. All things are possible.

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A Lesson From Rosey Grier

Take from it what you will. It does speak to the times and the challenges of living in truth, honor and living up to the better principles of our natures.

Watch the full episode. See more Pioneers of Television.

I found this at the PBS Pioneers of Television web site. Those of us in Los Angeles will not be able to view the program. If you can get KOCE.tv reception, score.

Even before the digital change my KOCE reception was lousy. We do what we can. But this sucks, I can't even watch the Science Fiction Pioneers of TV episode.

Not a happy camper.

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My First Waffle Dog and a Bit of Waffle History

You might think that after a few weeks I'd scope out all the eating joints around the Salt mine. My fear of a dulled lunch was creeping in; I'd already settled on the quick and adequate lunch at Wolfbane Express.

It is not bad if you don't mind the constant up-selling of the three fang special. Just say no and wave the money before them. I didn't feel like the challenge so I went in search of something different.

I needed a culinary adventure. One that I could afford under $5. That is not easy when I'm in an area that has standard lunches at $9.

Then I saw it - Waffles.


Now to you waffles are not a big deal. As a kid I never had them until the refrigerated kind started showing up. By that time I'd seen a Julia Child show or two and I knew the real thing wasn't supposed to taste like cardboard.

I've since had Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles but it isn't good for me to think of places that are not accessible to me at lunch time. I'm thinking, what the heck - what is the harm?

So I amble up to the joint to check out the action. Real waffles. Waffles and ice cream, waffle sandwiches, waffle cheese sticks.

Then I saw it. A Nutella waffle sandwich. I am a recent convert to the order of Nutella. I went for it. And to be on the safe side I also got a Waffle Dog.

Took it back to the Salt mine where Miner #4056 was trying to read a book. He took one look at my Waffle Dog and looked at me with questions of mental health in his eyes.

I offered him a bite. Miner #4056 most emphatically refused. I start in on half of the Nutella and I'm a happy gal. Dude tries to go back to reading but that dog is bothering him.

I take the photo and I loose more sanity points with most of the lunch crowd. I don't care. I don't have a Waffle Dog every day.

I hose it up with ketchup and chomp away. It is ok. I should have gotten mustard. More waffle than hot dog but I like it. Not sure why. Hidden desires maybe. Not so hidden desires more like it.

The Smithsonian Music has a information page on the patent on the Waffle iron. I should say the electric Waffle iron on account that the non-electric iron has been cranking out the fluffy goodness for centuries. And for more about the history of waffles check out Historical Food.com

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Sweet Like Cola on the Finally Friday Freakout

Ah Lou, where have you been? Lou Bega is from the "I'm a lover, not a fighter school" of pop music. Special props for celebrating the all around girls.



This is a little something that you can kick up on for a bit of palpitation called Sweet Like Cola.

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Arizona Shooting: Memorial to Tucson Victims

This is a video by Dan Chung on the moment of silence for the victims of the Arizona shooting.

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Blood vs Discourse - What More Will It Take?

I have written posts about civility at BlogHer. At BlogHer10 we had a panel on How to Start, Engage in and Moderate Civil Political Debate because we wanted to be a place where folks could talk without poison or ranker to overtake valid differences of opinion.

People from diverse backgrounds have spoken of this need for civil discourse as well. We continue to do so because we did not want to see a day like this happen. We tried to tell people there is a better way to get your point across than verbally assaulting and damning groups of people, beliefs/non-beliefs and ideas.

And yet as I type this there are people trying to white wash what has been said, printed and recorded from the past few years as "Oh no, we didn't say that." or "Show me proof that my __________ had anything to do with the death of a nine-year old child."

Other people will present the idea that it was just a mad man, a crazy person who did this horrible thing. This event had nothing to do with what they are talking about or their concerns about the direction of the country.

Bullshit.

Yeah, I am still too angry to write what I truly want to say. I do believe in civility, civil discourse and healthy debate.

But I am a human being too. I have such anger against those people, corporations, political groups and media companies that profited from hate speech.

Blood money taken in pride of advancing their agenda. My anger does nothing to help but it does need to be expressed.

Because once I understand and focus my anger into positive energy only then can I see, express and provide resources that will take us from the darkness into the light.

Make no mistake. this is a very dark time.

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Om Shanti Om on the Finally Friday Freakout

I am not a Bollywood musical fan. I've seen clips of some films but a Bollywood musical film is a cultural specific art form. I am a fan of hot men dancing. This, my friends, transcends culture and speaks directly to my central nervous system.

The gentleman who is getting folks all hot and bothered is Shah Rukh Khan. He is an actor/producer with a worldwide fan base in the billions. I never heard of him until I stumbled into this clip.



This is a segment from the 2007 movie Om Shanti Om in which Mr. Khan is flipping that six pack. He is reminding all of us of the healing properties of water and dance.

The music isn't bad but truth be told that wasn't what I was most focusing on. It was the words in the captions. Honest. They really don't have much to do with the melody but they are kinda trippy.

I might have to re-evaluate my feelings about Bollywood films. I do appreciate half naked men. Singing, dancing or talking it works for me. They don't have to as sculpted as Mr. Khan but you gotta start somewhere.

Peace.

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I'm Learning to Cook with An Induction Burner

When my burner conked out on me I had to make find an alternative means of cooking food. I live in a small space so I really needed something compact and functional.

I do have a microwave someone gave me years ago. I've used it about 10 times in 8 years. Nothing wrong with it. I just don't like using it.

I've cooked with wood, gas, electricity and now induction. Still waiting on my gizmo to tell it what I want to eat and it makes it for me.



This is a video of a comparison between gas and induction cooking. I do like watching men cook. Having them speak French is a bonus.

Innovation, yeah I needed a dose of culinary innovation. I decided to get a small induction burner for under $100.

It does work. Maybe a little too well, I have burned a couple of dinners. It really cooks much faster than gas or electric. You have to remember to put it on the proper settings or things will get extra crispy fast.

There is the rub, I don't know the proper settings. I have learned not to start at 1300 watts. You gotta dial that bad boy back to 600 watts and work your way up if you need to.

Another thing is that you might have to shelve some of your cookware if it is not cast iron or stainless steel. I'm dogging the thrift stores for more cast iron pots but in the meantime I'm doing ok with what I have.

What I don't have is adaptive recipes. There was a mini recipe guide included with the burner but I've lost it. I can't find English language videos on how to cook with induction burners. I'm gonna have to dive into the UK and Europe blogs to figure out what I can do.

No, I don't speak French but so long as I can get to Google Translate I'll be fine.

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