1) Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.
2) Do not search the basement or attic when the power is out.
3) As a general rule, do not solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.
4) When it appears you have killed the monster, never check to see if it's really dead. It isn't.
5) Do not take anything from the dead. No matter how much you like it, it's bound to disagree with you sooner or later.
6) If you find a town that looks deserted, there's probably a good reason for it. Don't stop to look around.
7) Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you know exactly what you're doing.
8) Never stand in, on, or above a grave, tomb, or crypt. This rule also applies to any other house of the dead.
9) If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice--more if you're female.
10) Beware of strangers bearing strange tools like chainsaws, staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawn mowers, butane torches, soldering irons, and ice picks.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Halloween Candies - Top 10 Worst
According to "Serious Eats.com," the little beggars who come calling every October 31st have a preferred and despised list of Halloween candy. Just in case some of you'd like to avoid the "tricks" associated with the holiday, here's the despised list (and why):
1) Toothbrushes - apparently Dentists & Orthodontists should NOT bring their work home with them on this night.
2) Raisins - the little goblins want treats that will actually rot their teeth, not "wrinkled grapes."
3) Candy Corn - now this is just unAmerican. What is Halloween without candy corn? It's the "fruitcake" of Halloween.
4) Smarties & Necco wafers - I agree, who wants to eat chalk!
5) Dum-Dum lollipops - oh come on, who can resist a 3,000 count package of suckers for $1.99?
6) Apples - remember when bad peeps would hide razor blades in these . . . makes me shudder just remembering the days of ex-raying all candy at the local ER.
7) Tootsie Rolls - yeah, no chocolate in them at all anymore and a destroyer of dental work.
8) Miscellaneous, Hard wrapped candy - reserved for Senior Citizens? What about the bagged stuff they put in Pinatas?
9) Laffy Taffy - hey, it's their dental work NOT MINE!
10) Anything "Fun-Sized- " apparently anything "portion controlled" shouldn't apply to Halloween.
OK, so, that means the 3 Costco bags of 250 count tootsie rolls, tootsie pops, sweet tarts, and miscellaneous hard-wrapped candy I just bought have to be returned? Phhhhhhhhhhtttttttttttttt, beggars can't be choosers!!!!!!
1) Toothbrushes - apparently Dentists & Orthodontists should NOT bring their work home with them on this night.
2) Raisins - the little goblins want treats that will actually rot their teeth, not "wrinkled grapes."
3) Candy Corn - now this is just unAmerican. What is Halloween without candy corn? It's the "fruitcake" of Halloween.
4) Smarties & Necco wafers - I agree, who wants to eat chalk!
5) Dum-Dum lollipops - oh come on, who can resist a 3,000 count package of suckers for $1.99?
6) Apples - remember when bad peeps would hide razor blades in these . . . makes me shudder just remembering the days of ex-raying all candy at the local ER.
7) Tootsie Rolls - yeah, no chocolate in them at all anymore and a destroyer of dental work.
8) Miscellaneous, Hard wrapped candy - reserved for Senior Citizens? What about the bagged stuff they put in Pinatas?
9) Laffy Taffy - hey, it's their dental work NOT MINE!
10) Anything "Fun-Sized- " apparently anything "portion controlled" shouldn't apply to Halloween.
OK, so, that means the 3 Costco bags of 250 count tootsie rolls, tootsie pops, sweet tarts, and miscellaneous hard-wrapped candy I just bought have to be returned? Phhhhhhhhhhtttttttttttttt, beggars can't be choosers!!!!!!
“Donde esta la Cerveza?”
From drunken college frat boy to when he finally admitted there were no WMDs in Iraq, Oliver Stone’s “W” tries really hard to make us believe that all poor George W. Bush ever wanted to do was watch baseball and drink beer all day. Sounds like a reasonable request to me. Then again, this was the starting point to understanding how Bush got into office, why he got into office, and why he never should have gotten into office.
If you are a fan of George W. Bush, you're going to be more fond of him than ever. If you are not a fan of George W. Bush, you're going to be surprised at how sympathetic his character appears. Whatever your political beliefs, you won't find anything unexpected in "W."
I do wish the film would have explored the connection between Bush's alcoholism and his born-again Christianity with some depth or curiosity - what addicts and born-agains share is a terror of ambiguity, an absolute need for a belief system that removes all doubt- but at least the film lets us know the American people made a HUGE mistake.
It’s worth the price of admission just to see Richard Dreyfuss play Dick Cheney. One of the most chilling movie scenes ever is when Cheney is asked about his exit strategy from Iraq - “There is no exit. We stay.” I swear to god, it gave me goose bumps!
Josh Brolin's performance as “W” is really amazing; in fact, Brolin's so good, he almost makes you feel sorry for Bush. Almost. An equally stellar performance by James Cromwell as “Poppy,” George H.W. Bush, Sr., makes me understand why Daddy Bush would rather hang with Bill Clinton these days.
Still, leaving the theater, I had the sense that, really, it is too early for this movie to have been made.
If you are a fan of George W. Bush, you're going to be more fond of him than ever. If you are not a fan of George W. Bush, you're going to be surprised at how sympathetic his character appears. Whatever your political beliefs, you won't find anything unexpected in "W."
I do wish the film would have explored the connection between Bush's alcoholism and his born-again Christianity with some depth or curiosity - what addicts and born-agains share is a terror of ambiguity, an absolute need for a belief system that removes all doubt- but at least the film lets us know the American people made a HUGE mistake.
It’s worth the price of admission just to see Richard Dreyfuss play Dick Cheney. One of the most chilling movie scenes ever is when Cheney is asked about his exit strategy from Iraq - “There is no exit. We stay.” I swear to god, it gave me goose bumps!
Josh Brolin's performance as “W” is really amazing; in fact, Brolin's so good, he almost makes you feel sorry for Bush. Almost. An equally stellar performance by James Cromwell as “Poppy,” George H.W. Bush, Sr., makes me understand why Daddy Bush would rather hang with Bill Clinton these days.
Still, leaving the theater, I had the sense that, really, it is too early for this movie to have been made.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Sarah Palin Explains It All
"We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C.
We believe" -- here the audience interrupted Palin with applause and cheers --
"We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit,
and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America,
being here with all of you hard working very patriotic,
um, very, um, pro-America
areas of this great nation.
This is where we find the kindness
and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans.
Those who are running our factories and teaching our kids
and growing our food and are fighting our wars for us.
Those who are protecting us in uniform.
Those who are protecting the virtues of freedom."
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yeah....she loves those small pockets of "pro-americans" a.k.a. small pockets of uneducated white republicans who actually like her. Or is that pro-America like Todd Palin is pro-America?
yeah....she loves those small pockets of "pro-americans" a.k.a. small pockets of uneducated white republicans who actually like her. Or is that pro-America like Todd Palin is pro-America?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Monday, October 06, 2008
New Candidate Alert!!!
OMG, I've never been so excited about a potential Presidential candidate in my life . . . view here:
http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=46832&altf=JutNf&altl=Djttz
http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=46832&altf=JutNf&altl=Djttz
Monday, September 29, 2008
Greed Is Good?
Little Boots’ New American Way: social welfare for the rich by giving $700 billion to Wall Street so that they can turn around and lend it back to us.
I had to giggle when I heard Republicans blaming Nancy Pelosi's scathing speech near the close of the debate — which attacked Bush's economic policies and a "right-wing ideology of anything goes, no supervision, no discipline, no regulation" of financial markets — for the vote's failure.
Thank you, Nancy Pelosi, for calling things as you see them. You (the Democrats & a few brave Republicans) made me proud today when you stood and refused to be bullied into signing on to this joke of a plan and insisting on more detail and oversight.
Socialism is not Patriotic: Don’t bail them out, Jail Them!
I had to giggle when I heard Republicans blaming Nancy Pelosi's scathing speech near the close of the debate — which attacked Bush's economic policies and a "right-wing ideology of anything goes, no supervision, no discipline, no regulation" of financial markets — for the vote's failure.
Thank you, Nancy Pelosi, for calling things as you see them. You (the Democrats & a few brave Republicans) made me proud today when you stood and refused to be bullied into signing on to this joke of a plan and insisting on more detail and oversight.
Socialism is not Patriotic: Don’t bail them out, Jail Them!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Dow Jones Industrial Average - Then & Now
January 20th, 2001 = 10,588
September 17th, 2008 = 10,605
Bush says: "We must act now to protect our nation's economic health."
This is the same loser who's been telling us over and over for years that the economy is "strong."
Three months left in his miserable presidency and all of a sudden we need to "act now to protect our economic health."
Way to go Little Boots!
September 17th, 2008 = 10,605
Bush says: "We must act now to protect our nation's economic health."
This is the same loser who's been telling us over and over for years that the economy is "strong."
Three months left in his miserable presidency and all of a sudden we need to "act now to protect our economic health."
Way to go Little Boots!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Happy Birthday To My Best Friend Karen!
We met in the middle of 6th grade. I was blonde and Anglo, she was olive and Mexican-American. What she saw in me that first day I’ll never know but she held out her hand in friendship to a very shy 11 year old that had been to three different schools that year.
I always thought Karen was lucky. She had a nice house full of older sisters who could do the most AMAZING things with their hair. And they had BOYFRIENDS! Her parents, especially her Dad, loved her to pieces (I can close my eyes right now and feel the love in that house).
Karen taught me to toast corn tortillas over an open flame on the gas stove in the kitchen. I’d sometimes sleep over and we’d sleep in middle of the same double bed, giggling, about boys, until we both fell asleep.
On weekends, we’d ride the city bus “K & C’s Excellent Adventures” to downtown San Jose to window shop at Woolworth’s, Macy’s, Hale’s & Hart’s, completely fearless about being MILES from home (no cell phones then). We’d go to movies in old theaters that had velvet curtains and ushers with flashlights. We’d play with Barbie’s at my house, devour my Mom’s homemade bread the second a loaf came out of the oven, and went (indoor) roller skating every Friday & Saturday night. We’d drink “suicides” almost until we were sick. Anyone else know what a “suicide” is?
And Karen had DOGS, a big white poodle named Cognac who had a litter of puppies with their black poodle Fluffy. It was one of the best days of my life when I was given first pick from the litter who I named “Mademoiselle Michelle Cognac La Fluff Reyes Parsons” (Mimi for short).
In High School we were on the Yearbook Staff together, in charge of Clubs. Karen was a beauty (looked EXACTLY like Marlow Thomas aka “That Girl!”) and became a song girl; I joined the Spirit Club and painted the banners the football team ran through at the beginning of every game. She was “front of the house,” I was “behind the scenes.”
Karen married right out of High School and after the birth of her first child, we lost touch. Last October, her husband found me on the Classmates.com website and we have been trying to catch up on the last 30-something years ever since.
I hope you have a very Happy Birthday Karen and I am so glad we found each other again.
I always thought Karen was lucky. She had a nice house full of older sisters who could do the most AMAZING things with their hair. And they had BOYFRIENDS! Her parents, especially her Dad, loved her to pieces (I can close my eyes right now and feel the love in that house).
Karen taught me to toast corn tortillas over an open flame on the gas stove in the kitchen. I’d sometimes sleep over and we’d sleep in middle of the same double bed, giggling, about boys, until we both fell asleep.
On weekends, we’d ride the city bus “K & C’s Excellent Adventures” to downtown San Jose to window shop at Woolworth’s, Macy’s, Hale’s & Hart’s, completely fearless about being MILES from home (no cell phones then). We’d go to movies in old theaters that had velvet curtains and ushers with flashlights. We’d play with Barbie’s at my house, devour my Mom’s homemade bread the second a loaf came out of the oven, and went (indoor) roller skating every Friday & Saturday night. We’d drink “suicides” almost until we were sick. Anyone else know what a “suicide” is?
And Karen had DOGS, a big white poodle named Cognac who had a litter of puppies with their black poodle Fluffy. It was one of the best days of my life when I was given first pick from the litter who I named “Mademoiselle Michelle Cognac La Fluff Reyes Parsons” (Mimi for short).
In High School we were on the Yearbook Staff together, in charge of Clubs. Karen was a beauty (looked EXACTLY like Marlow Thomas aka “That Girl!”) and became a song girl; I joined the Spirit Club and painted the banners the football team ran through at the beginning of every game. She was “front of the house,” I was “behind the scenes.”
Karen married right out of High School and after the birth of her first child, we lost touch. Last October, her husband found me on the Classmates.com website and we have been trying to catch up on the last 30-something years ever since.
I hope you have a very Happy Birthday Karen and I am so glad we found each other again.
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Bush Doctrine ("Caribou Barbie" Edition)
The Bush Doctrine is based on delusions of grandeur about America's ability to dominate the world and endorses the use of unilateral preemptive force & persuasion rather than honest multi-lateral cooperation.
Just remember these four words: “Preemption, rather than reaction.”
In order to justify the invasion of Afghanistan, Bush came up with the policy that the United States has the right to treat countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups as terrorists themselves. Later, in order to justify the invasion of Iraq, he added that the United States should depose foreign regimes that represented a supposed threat to the security of the United States, even if that threat was not immediate.
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Obama was right about one thing, even if you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.
Just remember these four words: “Preemption, rather than reaction.”
In order to justify the invasion of Afghanistan, Bush came up with the policy that the United States has the right to treat countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups as terrorists themselves. Later, in order to justify the invasion of Iraq, he added that the United States should depose foreign regimes that represented a supposed threat to the security of the United States, even if that threat was not immediate.
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Obama was right about one thing, even if you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
7 Years Later: Rememberng 9/11
Life-altering changes. I guess if you live long enough, it probably happens more than once. For me it was the assassinations of JFK, RFK, MLK, Jr., and the Challenger explosion. I will always remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard about or witnessed these events.
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were different.
While I didn’t have any family or friends die that day, I did have a friend, a Nurse, working in Manhattan who lived through the whole nightmare. At the University, we were deeply saddened when we learned that Alumni Jason Dahl, a 1980 Graduate in Aeronautical Engineering, was the Pilot and Captain of the crew of Flight 93, the plane that crashed in a field just outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The overwhelming majority of casualties were ordinary people like you and me, including nationals from over 90 different countries. Let’s never forget that excluding the 19 hijackers, 2,974 people died in the attacks. Another 24 are missing and presumed dead.
Now, seven years have come and gone. In those years we moved on, we put 9/11 aside with all our other memories. Very briefly, we came together as a nation to help and comfort each other when we were all just human beings on common ground.
I hope on this tragic 7th Anniversary, we remember what is still good about our country and the innocent men, women and children who lost their lives. Let’s also remember the Heroes who responded to the emergency and the people who continue to sacrifice every day to help stop conflict around the world.
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were different.
While I didn’t have any family or friends die that day, I did have a friend, a Nurse, working in Manhattan who lived through the whole nightmare. At the University, we were deeply saddened when we learned that Alumni Jason Dahl, a 1980 Graduate in Aeronautical Engineering, was the Pilot and Captain of the crew of Flight 93, the plane that crashed in a field just outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The overwhelming majority of casualties were ordinary people like you and me, including nationals from over 90 different countries. Let’s never forget that excluding the 19 hijackers, 2,974 people died in the attacks. Another 24 are missing and presumed dead.
Now, seven years have come and gone. In those years we moved on, we put 9/11 aside with all our other memories. Very briefly, we came together as a nation to help and comfort each other when we were all just human beings on common ground.
I hope on this tragic 7th Anniversary, we remember what is still good about our country and the innocent men, women and children who lost their lives. Let’s also remember the Heroes who responded to the emergency and the people who continue to sacrifice every day to help stop conflict around the world.
Friday, September 05, 2008
McCain's Speech
Yes, I watched the speech, I watched the whole stinking RNC this week as a matter of fact. With a barf bag at the ready of course. Only used it once when the "Cindy Show" was aired. Even 3 glasses of wine did not help to dim the pain of watching THAT. Does the woman get it that spending over 300K on an outfit for that night alone is...is...that vein in my neck is proturding so I better stop.
Unemployment is at a all time high in 5 years at 6.1. Did McShame say how he going to move this Country foward? Did he talk about: creating new jobs, improving economic fundamentals, shifting the tax burden from the lower pay classes back to the upper pay classes?
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What the critics said:
Former Bush Speechwriter: "Pretty Disappointing"
National Review: "Flat, Forced"
David Gergen: "Mostly A Rerun Of A Lot Of Old Republican Ideas"
New Republic: "No Overarching Themes"
CNN'S Jeffrey Toobin: "Worst Speech By Nominee Since Jimmy Carter In 1980"
NY Times Blog: "Some Delegates Fell Asleep" (I think I heard the snoring...)
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TOM BROKAW: But the fact is, governor, that you have had eight years of a bush administration and a lot of Republicans in Congress for the last eight years, so why wouldn't the american people say, look they had their shot we're going to change?
TOM RIDGE: Because John Bush - because John McCain is very much his own man...
No Tom, you were right the first time.
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Oh, and I know this is trivial, except when it applies to Obama, but where was McCain's flag pin?
Unemployment is at a all time high in 5 years at 6.1. Did McShame say how he going to move this Country foward? Did he talk about: creating new jobs, improving economic fundamentals, shifting the tax burden from the lower pay classes back to the upper pay classes?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What the critics said:
Former Bush Speechwriter: "Pretty Disappointing"
National Review: "Flat, Forced"
David Gergen: "Mostly A Rerun Of A Lot Of Old Republican Ideas"
New Republic: "No Overarching Themes"
CNN'S Jeffrey Toobin: "Worst Speech By Nominee Since Jimmy Carter In 1980"
NY Times Blog: "Some Delegates Fell Asleep" (I think I heard the snoring...)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TOM BROKAW: But the fact is, governor, that you have had eight years of a bush administration and a lot of Republicans in Congress for the last eight years, so why wouldn't the american people say, look they had their shot we're going to change?
TOM RIDGE: Because John Bush - because John McCain is very much his own man...
No Tom, you were right the first time.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Oh, and I know this is trivial, except when it applies to Obama, but where was McCain's flag pin?
Friday, August 29, 2008
Sarah Palin?
O-M-G!
This is like GHWB picking Clarence Thomas and saying with a straight face: "He's the most qualified candidate in America for the Supreme Court."
Biden vs Palin will be like King Kong vs Bambi, I can't wait for the debates! She is wrong for all the right reasons!!!
Typical Republican Tokenism.
This is like GHWB picking Clarence Thomas and saying with a straight face: "He's the most qualified candidate in America for the Supreme Court."
Biden vs Palin will be like King Kong vs Bambi, I can't wait for the debates! She is wrong for all the right reasons!!!
Typical Republican Tokenism.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Steve Jobs' Obituary, Retracted
Apparently the Bloomberg financial newswire decided to update its Steve Jobs obituary - and accidently published it instead. Now I know it's fairly standard procedure for news organizations to prepare obituaries in advance - Mr. Jobs is fighting pancreatic cancer - but imagine waking up and reading about your own passing in The Wall Street Journal?
I guess the best part is getting to read your own obit . . . or is it? If it wasn't so creepy, it would be funny.
Heads are gonna roll over this one that's for sure.
I guess the best part is getting to read your own obit . . . or is it? If it wasn't so creepy, it would be funny.
Heads are gonna roll over this one that's for sure.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Why I'm Not Watching the Olympics
When people ask me if I’m watching the 2008 Summer Olympic Games I always answer with a question: “Would you have watched the 1936 Berlin Games?”
They always respond back “it’s not the same.”
They’re right, it’s not the same.
The Nazi's only killed about 6 million people.
Since 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has only killed about 60 million people.
(Wasn’t it Stalin who said “the death of one man is a tragedy, but the death of one million is merely a statistic?”)
Yes, the Olympics should be all about the athletes and not about politics -but always is- and since China is requiring gag orders of the athletes and most of the world press, restricting Internet access, lying about the ages of it’s gymnasts, displacing and making homeless thousands of people to build the Olympic venue (I could go on and on), it is China that is politicizing the games - all in the name of “putting on a good face to the world.”
Many of us are not fooled.
Growing up, I embraced the view that the Olympics promoted world peace and celebrated human accomplishment and dignity, but would it not be better to show our support of a country whose government actually shares the beliefs of the Olympic Charter?
I went to the same High School as Mark Spitz (graduated with one of his sisters - pardon my name-dropping) and cheering him on during the 1972 games were the most exciting ever. And yes, Michael Phelps is amazing and deserves his moment of glory, but even he should have thought of the sacrifices we sometimes have to make when we choose to do the right thing.
I am also convinced that the human rights abuses in Beijing, the atrocities in Darfur, Burma, and Tibet, as well as the myriad of horrific and sometimes macabre incidents that occur in China reach FAR beyond the restraints of politics. But surely the difference between war and peace, comfort and torture - even life and death - are enough to call a halt to any international celebratory event, no matter how good its intentions?
They always respond back “it’s not the same.”
They’re right, it’s not the same.
The Nazi's only killed about 6 million people.
Since 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has only killed about 60 million people.
(Wasn’t it Stalin who said “the death of one man is a tragedy, but the death of one million is merely a statistic?”)
Yes, the Olympics should be all about the athletes and not about politics -but always is- and since China is requiring gag orders of the athletes and most of the world press, restricting Internet access, lying about the ages of it’s gymnasts, displacing and making homeless thousands of people to build the Olympic venue (I could go on and on), it is China that is politicizing the games - all in the name of “putting on a good face to the world.”
Many of us are not fooled.
Growing up, I embraced the view that the Olympics promoted world peace and celebrated human accomplishment and dignity, but would it not be better to show our support of a country whose government actually shares the beliefs of the Olympic Charter?
I went to the same High School as Mark Spitz (graduated with one of his sisters - pardon my name-dropping) and cheering him on during the 1972 games were the most exciting ever. And yes, Michael Phelps is amazing and deserves his moment of glory, but even he should have thought of the sacrifices we sometimes have to make when we choose to do the right thing.
I am also convinced that the human rights abuses in Beijing, the atrocities in Darfur, Burma, and Tibet, as well as the myriad of horrific and sometimes macabre incidents that occur in China reach FAR beyond the restraints of politics. But surely the difference between war and peace, comfort and torture - even life and death - are enough to call a halt to any international celebratory event, no matter how good its intentions?
Friday, August 08, 2008
08/08/08
I asked a Chinese-born colleague yesterday why the big deal? She said that numerology is a BIG BUSINESS in China and that in Cantonese [the language of Southern China and Hong Kong], the word 'fah' means 'eight,' but it also sounds like the word for 'make a lot of fortune.' (Nevermind that China's official language is Mandarin, not Cantonese). But the tradition apparently gained national traction in the '80s "when the Cantonese speaking parts of China excelled economically.
She went on to tell me about other "lucky" numbers based on Chinese words that sound similar to other Chinese words:
One = good- means unity
Two= good- good things come in pairs; it also sounds like their word for 'easy'
Three= good- sounds like their word meaning 'life'
Four= good & not good, depends on the dialect- sounds like their word for 'business' or 'job'
Five= good- associated with the "Five Elements" (metal, wood, water, fire, earth). For example, the Tiananmen gate, being the main thoroughfare to the Forbidden City, has five arches.
Six= good- means "everything goes smoothly"
Seven= good & not good (unlucky in Northern China)- mostly symbolizes "togetherness"
Eight= good- the word for 'eight' in Mandarin sounds similar to the word that means "prosper"
Nine= very good-historically- associated with the Emperor; sounds like the word for "longlasting"
So now you've had your numerology lessson for the day and I really need to get some coffee!
She went on to tell me about other "lucky" numbers based on Chinese words that sound similar to other Chinese words:
One = good- means unity
Two= good- good things come in pairs; it also sounds like their word for 'easy'
Three= good- sounds like their word meaning 'life'
Four= good & not good, depends on the dialect- sounds like their word for 'business' or 'job'
Five= good- associated with the "Five Elements" (metal, wood, water, fire, earth). For example, the Tiananmen gate, being the main thoroughfare to the Forbidden City, has five arches.
Six= good- means "everything goes smoothly"
Seven= good & not good (unlucky in Northern China)- mostly symbolizes "togetherness"
Eight= good- the word for 'eight' in Mandarin sounds similar to the word that means "prosper"
Nine= very good-historically- associated with the Emperor; sounds like the word for "longlasting"
So now you've had your numerology lessson for the day and I really need to get some coffee!
Thursday, August 07, 2008
What I'm Reading Right Now
Everyone who knows me knows that I like to talk about and think about food (I also like to cook but baking is my REAL passion and I consider cookbooks “recreational” reading) but a lot of the foods we think of as Chinese are actually more American and virtually unknown in China: General Tso’s chicken, chop suey, egg rolls, broccoli beef (broccoli is originally an Italian vegetable) and the origins of the ubiquitous fortune cookie (I won’t ruin the surprise) that is now exported to China as American fortune cookies. If you’re going to the Olympics this year, note “Made in the U.S.A.” on the label and tell me I'm wrong.
What I like about the book "Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food" by Jennifer 8. Lee (the 8 symbolizes prosperity to the Chinese) is that it is an entertaining and well written narrative of a world most of us are familiar with but none of us really know. One chapter is devoted to everything you need to know about the distinctive shape of Chinese take-out containers in the U.S. ; another one on the soy sauce trade war of 2005 (bet you never heard of that one); and my favorite chapter covers who it is who writes the fortunes found inside each cookie. You'll be surprised!
The book delves into the dark side as well, highlighting statistics on how many Chinese deliverymen, many of whom barely speak English, are murdered in New York City simply for the cash and takeout meal they carry. The racism and discrimination faced by Chinese immigrants in America is also noted, where many Asians are invisible, including the Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, etc., and treated as if they are all the same.
In the first chapter, the author challenges the perception of apple pie as the ultimate in “Americanness." If that is your benchmark, ask yourself, how often do you eat apple pie? Now how often do you eat Chinese food? Great food for thought.
See, I told you I like to think about food.
So go support your local public library and check this book out.
What I like about the book "Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food" by Jennifer 8. Lee (the 8 symbolizes prosperity to the Chinese) is that it is an entertaining and well written narrative of a world most of us are familiar with but none of us really know. One chapter is devoted to everything you need to know about the distinctive shape of Chinese take-out containers in the U.S. ; another one on the soy sauce trade war of 2005 (bet you never heard of that one); and my favorite chapter covers who it is who writes the fortunes found inside each cookie. You'll be surprised!
The book delves into the dark side as well, highlighting statistics on how many Chinese deliverymen, many of whom barely speak English, are murdered in New York City simply for the cash and takeout meal they carry. The racism and discrimination faced by Chinese immigrants in America is also noted, where many Asians are invisible, including the Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, etc., and treated as if they are all the same.
In the first chapter, the author challenges the perception of apple pie as the ultimate in “Americanness." If that is your benchmark, ask yourself, how often do you eat apple pie? Now how often do you eat Chinese food? Great food for thought.
See, I told you I like to think about food.
So go support your local public library and check this book out.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
My Single Entry for July (I've been busy)
Three contractors are bidding to fix the White House fence, one from New York, another from Tennessee, and the third from Florida. They go with a White House official to examine the fence.
The Florida contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring,then works some figures with a pencil. Well, he says 'I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew, and $100 profit for me.
The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says,'I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew, and $100 profit for me.
The New York contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers: '$2,700.
The official, incredulous, says, 'You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?
$1,000 for me, $1,000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee.
The Florida contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring,then works some figures with a pencil. Well, he says 'I figure the job will run about $900: $400 for materials, $400 for my crew, and $100 profit for me.
The Tennessee contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says,'I can do this job for $700: $300 for materials, $300 for my crew, and $100 profit for me.
The New York contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers: '$2,700.
The official, incredulous, says, 'You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?
$1,000 for me, $1,000 for you, and we hire the guy from Tennessee.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sex and the City
This is a tad late but some female friends and co-workers have now seen the movie and are urging me to also. Other than being a great excuse to drink Cosmos, the movie was a short topic on another (hi bob!) amazing blog I read religiously, and this was my response there:
"I never really watched the show, mainly because I don’t have HBO at home, but I did watch a couple episodes while traveling (hotels ALWAYS have HBO). Sex and the City may have been a great study of female friendship but like Miranda pointed out in one episode I did watch, “How does it happen that four such smart women have nothing to talk about but boyfriends?”
I’m not saying it wasn’t a good show since it dealt with many important topics like infertility, bereavement, ageing, single motherhood, sexual discrimination and divorce, to name a few. And the way they spoke, and the things they talked about, were (supposedly) very revolutionary
BUT
If I had been a loyal fan of the show, I think I would have been disappointed at the end. Why do they (and most all other networks) always have to go back to the “traditional view” that the future for (most) women means marriage and children?"
- - - - - - - - - -
I would add: why is it that otherwise intelligent women are not seen as "fulfilled" in our society until they are married and have produced children? The one network program I did enjoy watching every week was "Mad About You." At last, an obviously in love couple enjoying life together without children - - - until the final episode when "Mable" came into the world and ruined it all. She was given a god-awful name that was proof positive (at least to me) that Jamie & Paul really did not want children in the first place, else why would they name their child Mable???????
OK, for a slow day, that's my two-cents on Sex and the City.
"I never really watched the show, mainly because I don’t have HBO at home, but I did watch a couple episodes while traveling (hotels ALWAYS have HBO). Sex and the City may have been a great study of female friendship but like Miranda pointed out in one episode I did watch, “How does it happen that four such smart women have nothing to talk about but boyfriends?”
I’m not saying it wasn’t a good show since it dealt with many important topics like infertility, bereavement, ageing, single motherhood, sexual discrimination and divorce, to name a few. And the way they spoke, and the things they talked about, were (supposedly) very revolutionary
BUT
If I had been a loyal fan of the show, I think I would have been disappointed at the end. Why do they (and most all other networks) always have to go back to the “traditional view” that the future for (most) women means marriage and children?"
- - - - - - - - - -
I would add: why is it that otherwise intelligent women are not seen as "fulfilled" in our society until they are married and have produced children? The one network program I did enjoy watching every week was "Mad About You." At last, an obviously in love couple enjoying life together without children - - - until the final episode when "Mable" came into the world and ruined it all. She was given a god-awful name that was proof positive (at least to me) that Jamie & Paul really did not want children in the first place, else why would they name their child Mable???????
OK, for a slow day, that's my two-cents on Sex and the City.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Letter to the Editor
I am modestly famous for my "Letters to the Editor" of my local newspaper. This latest was written in response to 2 rampaging pit bulls in and around my neighborhood. A neighbor's kitty cat I was particularly fond of was killed by these dogs and I've written a response to the article that appeared last Friday. It makes me even more glad my 3 kitties stay inside at all times.
- - - - - - - - -
To the Editor:
Four neighborhoods were terrorized by two rampaging dogs on Friday and beloved family pets slaughtered yet witnesses to the carnage “requested their names be withheld for fear of retribution from the dogs’ owners.” What is going on here? The fact that these witnesses are afraid to be identified speaks volumes about how these unfortunate dogs were used as tools of intimidation and will (hopefully) attract the police attention so badly needed.
The irresponsible and ignorant dog owners in this case obviously lack morals and have no respect for how their actions affect the rest of society. They should face felony charges for recklessly allowing their dangerous dogs to run at-large. I've also noticed how many owners of attacking dogs (of any breed) share so many commonalities: they are often known criminals and have not properly raised or trained their animals. They use their aggressive dogs solely to intimidate and are generally cowards. I am outraged that any thought of these animals being allowed back into our community is being entertained, they should be destroyed at their unremorseful owners’ expense.
I know it's very hip nowadays to have a potentially deadly dog as a fashion accessory and it just goes to show how few brain cells some of these morons have. We’ve all seen them around town, walking around with the crotch of their pants hanging down to their ankles, hat on sideways, tight “wife-beater” tee shirt clinging to their scrawny chest holding a leash attached to a vicious looking pit bull breed with a spiked collar. It’s a laughable sight to see since we all know what “inadequacy” they really suffer from.
- - - - - - - - -
To the Editor:
Four neighborhoods were terrorized by two rampaging dogs on Friday and beloved family pets slaughtered yet witnesses to the carnage “requested their names be withheld for fear of retribution from the dogs’ owners.” What is going on here? The fact that these witnesses are afraid to be identified speaks volumes about how these unfortunate dogs were used as tools of intimidation and will (hopefully) attract the police attention so badly needed.
The irresponsible and ignorant dog owners in this case obviously lack morals and have no respect for how their actions affect the rest of society. They should face felony charges for recklessly allowing their dangerous dogs to run at-large. I've also noticed how many owners of attacking dogs (of any breed) share so many commonalities: they are often known criminals and have not properly raised or trained their animals. They use their aggressive dogs solely to intimidate and are generally cowards. I am outraged that any thought of these animals being allowed back into our community is being entertained, they should be destroyed at their unremorseful owners’ expense.
I know it's very hip nowadays to have a potentially deadly dog as a fashion accessory and it just goes to show how few brain cells some of these morons have. We’ve all seen them around town, walking around with the crotch of their pants hanging down to their ankles, hat on sideways, tight “wife-beater” tee shirt clinging to their scrawny chest holding a leash attached to a vicious looking pit bull breed with a spiked collar. It’s a laughable sight to see since we all know what “inadequacy” they really suffer from.
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