Goodbye Coretta

ATLANTA (AP) - Coretta Scott King, who turned a life shattered by her husband's assassination into one devoted to enshrining his legacy of human rights and equality, has died at the age of 78.

She was a supportive lieutenant to her husband during the most tumultuous days of the American civil rights movement, and after his assassination in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968, she kept his dream alive while also raising their four children.

"I'm more determined than ever that my husband's dream will become a reality," King said soon after his slaying.

She goaded and pulled for more than a decade to have her husband's birthday observed as a national holiday, first celebrated in 1986.

King became a symbol, in her own right, of her husband's struggle for peace and brotherhood, presiding with a quiet, steady, stoic presence over seminars and conferences on global issues.

She became increasingly outspoken against businesses such as film and television companies, video arcades, gun manufacturers and toy makers she accused of promoting violence. She called for regulation of their advertising.

Coretta Scott was studying voice at the New England Conservatory of Music and planning on a singing career when a friend introduced her to Martin Luther King, a young Baptist minister studying at Boston University.

"She said she wanted me to meet a very promising young minister from Atlanta," King once said, adding with a laugh: "I wasn't interested in meeting a young minister at that time."

She recalled that on their first date he told her: "You know, you have everything I ever wanted in a woman. We ought to get married someday." Eighteen months later - June 18, 1953 - they did, at her parents' home in Marion, Ala.

The couple moved to Montgomery, Ala., where he became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and organized the famed Montgomery bus boycott in 1955. With that campaign, King began enacting his philosophy of direct social action.

Over the years, King was with her husband in his finest hours. She was at his side as he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. She marched beside him from Selma, Ala., into Montgomery in 1965 for the triumphal climax to his drive for a voting rights law.

Only days after his death, she flew to Memphis with three of her children to lead thousands marching in honor of her slain husband and to plead for his cause.

By ERRIN HAINES

Separated At Birth?

Courtesy of cityrag

This Day In History ~ 1948 ~

Gandhi Assassinated in New Delhi

Mohandas Gandhi, the world's chief advocate of non-violence, is assassinated in New Delhi by a terrorist sponsored by a right-wing Hindu militia group. The murder came only 10 days after a failed attempt on Gandhi's life. Thirty-nine-year-old Nathuram Godse shot the great Indian leader as he made his way through a small crowd to lead a prayer session.

The father of Indian independence had angered Hindu extremists by his efforts to bring peace in the wake of the British withdrawal from India. Moslems and Hindus had been fighting a civil war since the decision to partition the Moslem-dominated western India region as Pakistan. Religious-inspired riots were breaking out all over India when Gandhi went on a hunger strike in September 1947.

The fast almost killed Gandhi but it successfully suspended the fighting. However, he was forced to fast again in January in order to finally bring the sides together for a peace pact. Hindu extremists saw this as selling out the nation and plotted Gandhi's death. On January 20, a bomb exploded during a Gandhi-led prayer meeting but it did not reach its intended target.

Gandhi was instrumental in driving the British out of India. His non-violent protests and boycotts crippled England's ability to control the populace and brought unwanted attention to one of the last major bastions of colonialism. Although he never held any title or office and was nearly destitute, Gandhi led the revolution for independence. His ideas and tactics were later borrowed by Martin Luther King Jr., who used them successfully in the 1960s civil rights protests.

The assassin Godse tried to kill himself after the attack, but was grabbed before he had the chance. Eight accomplices were arrested over the next several days. Godse showed no remorse for his crime. Along with Narayan Apte, Godse was hanged to death on November 15, 1949, against the wishes of Gandhi's sons, who argued that the execution stood against everything Gandhi believed in.

Via The History Channel

Oh Joy, Amber Has Written A Book

Amber’s Guide For Girls: Advice On Fame, Family, Fashion and More. Inside the colourful book, including cartoon images of a Barbie-thin Amber (not based in reality, according to the author), she promotes a message of good faith towards family and friends, encouraging young girls to keep dreaming and stay positive about the future.

Tim Kocur for Metro Toronto


Ca-ching! More money for Amber's pocket. I hope she didn't leave out the chapter on getting implants by 18, starving yourself to be thin and how to align yourself with whatever person get's you the farthest in life.

What Do You Do After Adopting A Baby From China?

Well, if you're Meg Ryan... pass her to the Nanny.
Bonding schmonding.

Come on Pilgrim Service Announcement

Half-Million Baby Teethers Recalled!


This fishy teether was the exact one that our oldest used.
Same company and everything!

What I'd like to know is: How and why is this bacteria in the liquid of a baby teether!!!
And 500,000 of them!!! And oh, they are apparently only harmful to babies who are developing their immunity! Doesn't that mean every baby??? Outrageous.


WASHINGTON - A Massachusetts company on Friday recalled 500,000 liquid-filled baby teethers distributed in the United States and Canada because of a possible bacterial contamination that could cause serious illness. Six styles of teethers may be contaminated with the Pseudomonas aeruginosa or the Pseudomonas putida bacteria in the liquid, manufacturer The First Years Inc. said in a statement. If the teether is punctured and the liquid ingested, the bacteria can cause serious illness in children.

No illnesses have been reported, the company said.

"FDA would like to caution consumers that Pseudomonas aeriginosa is a bacteria that can cause serious illness, particularly in people with compromised immune systems and in infants who are still developing their immunity as well as children who are born with immune deficiencies," FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza said.

Three of the products affected feature popular cartoon characters.

The Disney Days of Hunny Soft Cool Ring Teether, bearing style number Y1447,
and the Disney Soft Cool Ring Teether, style number Y1470 or Y1490, feature Winnie-the-Pooh characters. The Sesame Beginnings Chill and Chew Teether, style number Y3095, features Sesame Street characters.

The other teethers recalled are The First Years Cool Animal Teether (style number Y1473) and The First Years Floating Friends Teether (style number Y1474). These feature fish and other animal graphics.

Major retailers, including grocery, drug and specialty stores, sold the product nationwide and in Canada from July 2005 through January 2006. For more information, call the company at 866-725-4407 or visit http://www.thefirstyears.com or http://www.fda.gov.

By ELISABETH GOODRIDGE, Associated Press Writer

The Beast 50 Most Loathsome People in America 2005

I love this list.

Here's a little preview.


40. Tom Cruise

Charges: Criminal narcissism. After mega-lawyer Bert Fields threatened to sue The BEAST over Cruise’s inclusion in last year’s Loathsome List, we responded by giving him the editorial finger, and bracing ourselves for the legal spanking of our lives. Instead, the episode seemed to trigger a cascading ego crisis, culminating in a rapid and irrecoverable image downgrade from exalted idol to ridiculous buffoon. From his laughable claim of psychological expertise to his worst acting performance ever—as a man in love—Cruise simply cracked up on camera in 2005, and a public hitherto willing to overlook his obsessively inauthentic personality and comical religious affiliation had finally had enough. Cruise is a perfect example of a person who is simultaneously in love with and completely unfamiliar with himself, living in perpetual fear of self-actualization, and asserting a legal right to live free of criticism. A guy who can do whatever the hell he wants, yet chooses to devote his life to maintaining the public perception that he is somebody else.

Exhibit A: "I care man, I care. I care about you. I care about your children. I care about these people here in this room. Every one of you. And I...I mean it. That is not just some words to me. That is a promise." Seriously, can’t even act like a human being.

Sentence: A lifetime of forced, joyless sex with famously beautiful women, only to have his colossal gay porn library posthumously bequeathed to the Smithsonian by bitter, unloved offspring.

Courtesy of The Beast

Smug Bastard

U.S. President George W. Bush talks on the phone with Canadian Prime Minister-elect Stephen Harper, in the Oval Office,

Wednesday morning, January 25, 2006.


AP

K Fed Making An Ass Out Of Himself (As Usual)

This is painful to watch but it's kind of like a car accident, you just can't turn away.

The way I see it... if I had to sit through it so should you.

Hee Hee

Winter ~ Playlist

1. Winterlong ~ Neil Young
2. The Fox in the Snow ~ Belle & Sebastian
3. The Blizzard ~ Johnny Cash
4. Heart of Winter ~ Tanika Tikaram
5. Snowbird ~ Anne Murray
6. Winter ~ The Rolling Stones
7. Faded From The Winter ~ Iron & Wine
8. A Hazy Shade of Winter ~ Simon & Garfunkel
9. Hockey ~ Jane Sibery
10. Blizzard of '77 ~ Nada Surf
11. Song For A Winter's Night ~ Gordon Lightfoot
12. Winter's Song ~ The Cowboy Junkies
13. Vokuro ~ Bjork
14. Around You Like Snow ~ The Bats
15. Winter ~ Tori Amos

Well I Guess We'll Be Seeing A Lot More Of This

I'm depressed. I'm going to bed.

Michael Moore Statement on Canadian Election

Oh, Canada -- you're not really going to elect a Conservative majority on Monday, are you? That's a joke, right? I know you have a great sense of humor, and certainly a well-developed sense of irony, but this is no longer funny. Maybe it's a new form of Canadian irony -- reverse irony! OK, now I get it. First, you have the courage to stand against the war in Iraq -- and then you elect a prime minister who's for it. You declare gay people have equal rights -- and then you elect a man who says they don't. You give your native peoples their own autonomy and their own territory -- and then you vote for a man who wants to cut aid to these poorest of your citizens. Wow, that is intense! Only Canadians could pull off a hat trick of humor like that. My hat's off to you.

Far be it from me, as an American, to suggest what you should do. You already have too many Americans telling you what to do. Well, actually, you've got just one American who keeps telling you to roll over and fetch and sit. I hope you don't feel this appeal of mine is too intrusive but I just couldn't sit by, as your friend, and say nothing. Yes, I agree, the Liberals have some 'splainin' to do. And yes, one party in power for more than a decade gets a little... long. But you have a parliamentary system (I'll bet you didn't know that -- see, that's why you need Americans telling you things!). There are ways at the polls to have your voices heard other than throwing the baby out with the bath water.

These are no ordinary times, and as you go to the polls on Monday, you do so while a man running the nation to the south of you is hoping you can lend him a hand by picking Stephen Harper because he's a man who shares his world view. Do you want to help George Bush by turning Canada into his latest conquest? Is that how you want millions of us down here to see you from now on? The next notch in the cowboy belt? C'mon, where's your Canadian pride? I mean, if you're going to reduce Canada to a cheap download of Bush & Co., then at least don't surrender so easily. Can't you wait until he threatens to bomb Regina? Make him work for it, for Pete's sake.

But seriously, I know you're not going to elect a guy who should really be running for governor of Utah. Whew! I knew it! You almost had me there. Very funny. Don't do that again. God, I love you, you crazy cold wonderful neighbors to my north. Don't ever change.

Michael Moore

Courtesy of MichaelMoore.com

Jody's Golden Globe Post Mortem

I've been meaning to babble my thoughts about last Sunday's Golden Globes.

Yes, I am well aware that maybe if I'm lucky two of you might want to read this.

But I'm a geek and I can't help it.

Firstly, I was so happy for S. Epatha Merkerson I've loved her since Pee Wee's Playhouse. She's Reba the mail lady for Christ's sake! I loved her speech, "I'm 53 years old and this was my first starring role" precious.

I was also happy for Philip Seymour Hoffman, he's awesome. It was really fun to see Mary Louise Parker beat out all of those cheesy Desperate Housewives.

Random Thoughts:

Drew Barrymore needs to wear a good foundation garment! Especially when she is on national television!



Gena Davis is getting the Martin Sheen complex of actually thinking she is the President of the United States.

Who's idea was it to have Dennis Quaid introduce Brokeback Mountain? His "rhymes with chick"
comment was totally lame.

Melanie Griffith introducing her mortified looking daughter was hilarious. You couldn't tell which one was more stoned. She was the crankiest Miss Golden Globe I have ever seen. Melanie Griffith's tattoo has got to be one of the ugliest I have ever seen. We get it, you love Antonio. You can have him, we don't want him!

I would like to watch one award show where Gwyneth Paltrow is absent. And of course she has to pronounce Anthony Hopkins name differently than the rest of us. Typical.

John Travolta is revolta! I curse Quentin Tarantino. If it weren't for him I wouldn't have to see Mr. Huge head with his million dollar fuel charge for his jet, insincere dumb smile on my tv.

Well, I think I've purged enough. Until next year...

It's De-lurking Week!

That means, if you are a visitor but not a commentor, now's you chance to say hi.
(don't worry I lurk too, but not this week)

So don't be shy! Say hi!


Who is the creator of this fabulous event? You can click here to find out

Brad & Angelina's Sonogram?

Some real winner is trying to sell this picture on Ebay.
I have no idea if it's authentic but I do know that it is beyond tacky!

Double Gross

Well, last year I was grossed out by the Golden Globe gift bags worth $38,000.

This year's are even more repulsive, totaling a whopping $62,000.

Here are some of the items.

• two-week excursion to Tasmania, Antarctica and New Zealand $22,000

• Diamonds of the Canadian Arctic $15,000

• Lumineers teeth whitening $4,000

• 6-month bi-coastal health club membership $4,000

• 2 night stay in the Napa Valley  $3,000

• Chopard Golden Diamond Ring $2,000

• Immortality Jeans with diamond  button $1,250
  

• Italian leather handbag  $800

• Italia espresso machine  $675

• The Container Store organization makeover  $500

• Men's leather belt $500

• Kerastase hair care and spa services $500

• Canine couture outfit $500

•  Blackberry 8700c  $500

• Nieman Marcus Black Label Custom Stationary Set  $500

• Certificate for Taryn Rose men's shoes  $500

•  100% cashmere tipped travel blanket  $395

• Salt Optics  Sunglasses $395
  

Mom's Gone

My mother's visit has ended. She's back in Toronto and I'm back to my regular life.
We all had a great time, one of the best visits ever.

Some more highlights...


Playing Scene It




Getting my mom hooked on the Harry Potter series



Mom babysitting so Martin and I could go to the Hotsprings




Making, baking and eating mini cheesecakes




Ours were better. We made an awesome raspberry sauce for on top.
And our crust and filling also looked better. I'll take a picture the next time I make them.

Don't Forget

After a too long 6 week break Lost returns tonight.
Apparently the episode will focus on Mr. Eko and his backstory.

I can't wait. Even though I'm still pissed that they kept us hanging for so long.

Yesterday Morning

Shanghai Rummy

Here are the directions for Shanghai Rummy, my absolute favourite card game.

This game can be played with up to five people.

You need 2 decks of cards and 2's are wild.

It's just like rummy, you're playing with sets and runs.

Sets: 7777
Runs: 1234

You work your way through 16 steps.

1. 2 sets of 3

2. run of 4, set of 3

3. run of 7

4. high - low (run of 4 high one and a low one)
3 - 9 + 10 - ace

5. 2 sets of 4

6. run of 4, set of 4

7. set of 5, set of 4

8. run of 8

9. 3 sets of 3

10. run of 5, set of 4

11. run of 9

12. 2 sets of 5

13. run of 6, run of 4

14. run of 4, set of 5

15. run of 10

16. run of 11

• Deal out 11 cards to each player

• You can only put down after the play has gone around once

• You can play off another person's hand once they are also down

• If you get stuck on a step you must stay on it until you complete it (and you will get stuck)
  

• You can mix suits

Score is kept by counting what is left in your hand:

2's = 25
Aces = 15
K, Q, J, 10's = 10
9-3 = 5


I really hope I'm explaining this clearly.
Let me know if any more details are needed or if anyone has any questions.

This game is really fun and addictive!

The Christmas Gluttony Has Yet To End

Boy, a week has just flown by. My mom's visit is going well.

There have been quite a few late nights that is for sure.


We've done a lot of this:



While we've been eating a lot of these:





and these:



The score for Shanghai Rummy...

Martin ~ 2 games
Mom ~ 2 games
Me ~ 1 game

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

We had a nice night of playing cards, eating way too many treats and staying up way too late.
Now I'm off to work to not get paid time and a half!

Oh yea, did anyone make any resolutions?
I totally forgot as usual. Is it too late?