I win for "Grossest New Year Anyone Can Probably Be Experiencing"

Happy new year!

Contrary to the false alarm on my wikipedia entry that proclaimed I died on Xmas day in Dallas, I am alive, kicking, and apparently, blogging too!

More about that later.

As I was saying, Happy New Year!

You know who is NOT happy today?



Me.

You know who is even more unhappy than me today?




The thousands of maggots that lived in my fridge and just got killed.

Bon Appetit! May I tempt you with some nuggets perhaps?

(Although maggots probably do not know it's New Year today... But still... Generally an unhappy day for them.)


Yup. Disgusting.


You are probably wondering why my fridge was in this state. Maybe one day Mike and I will look back upon this story and laugh about it, but not right now.


So anyway... As you already know, we left on 10th of Dec for Dallas, and just reached Singapore on NYE at 1am. That's 22 days including time zone differences.

Before we left the house, we made sure all windows got shut and turned off all our electrical applicances.

Mike said, "Let's just hit the braker, make sure everything is off."

"Okay!" I chirped.

So with that, we turned off the main power supply and left the house with no electricity on - at all.


Two hours later, we were seated on the plane to Korea when I gasped.

"What?!" Mike said.

"The fridge. Oh my god," I replied.

"Oh shit... It's off isn't it? Oh shit." Mike sighed. "I'm so sorry baby... I just didn't realise..."

"Me neither... Oh well, it probably would just go bad... Flies can't go in and lay eggs, can they? It's sealed shut..."



WELL APPARENTLY THEY CAN!


Little fuckers!!!!!!!!!


The moment we opened our door, the stench was so overpowering it seriously like... knocked me backwards. The entire house stank so bad, I had gagging reflexes as I ran to open the balcony door and all windows.

The fridge had a pool of ambiguous brown liquid leaked out underneath it.

That brown liquid had flies on it.


"Maybe it's melted chocolate. I have some chocolate inside," I said hopefully. Doesn't smell like it though.

"I'd bet it's the ground beef..." Mike being ever the pessimist.


We knew we had a packet of nuggets (sealed) some hot dogs (sealed), and some ground beef (not securely sealed in cling wrap). That's all the meat we had.


We were both wrong.

We turned on the fridge to freeze whatever vermin which might be living inside to death first, and finally worked up our courage to open the fridge door the next morning.

Armed with insecticide, we opened it and jumped away in case anything would hop out and leech themselves onto us.

A cloud of opaque air gushed out of the freezer...

OMG....... The smell...... The wiggling of thousands of worms......


I've never been more disgusted in my whole fucking life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


"Are you taking a picture?!!" Mike said indignantly at me as I clicked away. Yeah... Good blogging material what!

"Do you really want to remember this moment?" He asked amidst making gagging noises.

"Might be funny later," I shrugged.

No such thing as 'bad time for camwhoring'

And in case you are wondering, the white towel is my gas mask for the day.


So we started cleaning it - Throwing away EVERYTHING inside.


The brown liquid came from a hugeass packet of frozen (once upon a time) chicken breast fillets that we both forgot existed.


It is so muthafucking soggy and disgusting.

The ice trays had ice in it and dead maggots UNDERNEATH the ice.

I only took one picture of the maggots because I ran away after that. Those you see is just a small part of what was actually there.

The inside of the fridge had way more, and there was a palm-sized area that was soooooo full of eggs stuck there, the entire area was just brown in colour.


The smell... Did I already talk about the smell??

It smelt exactly like how the lizard that dead in my computer cables smelt like. Like a somewhat salty, sour smell. A little like dried sotong but 1000 times worse.

And... It goes deep into your nose canal and stays there so that you can still smell it hours later. If you breathe through your mouth, you can even taste it somewhat.

Mike shoo-ed me away to hose all the maggots away... He is so goddamn brave, I tell you.

My hero. He told me to mosaic his ugly clothes.

One hour later Mike cleared most of the stuff off. Maggots 101: They are sticky!

My turn. I scrubbed "egg marks" off with a toothbrush, wiped down all nooks and crevices with a soapy hand towel, then wiped down all surfaces with a dettol-infused hand towel (burns like bleach), then wiped everything with soap again.

All while gagging consistently at the horrible smell.

Dismantled the fridge to clean everything out. The maggots even got inside the back plate of the fridge, those little fuckers!!

Poured Dettol down every possible surface

Dettol is awesome!


And then I squeegeed maggot eggs and excess water off the wet floor into the drains.

There.

We thought after few hours of slogging (mostly Mike slogged coz he reckoned it is his fault) the fridge is spanking clean, even though it still stunk like hell.


So we let it air-dry, went out for lunch, and brought charcoal deodorizer and baking soda.


When we went back home, to my horror, I saw a maggot crawling on the goddamn door! WTFWTFWTF!!! How is that possible?!

(I sprayed it with insecticide to watch it die first. That felt good.)


The answer was that the insides of the rubber flaps that sealed the fridge shut was still bloody infested with eggs and maggots!!! Muthafuckers!


Honestly man... We should've just thrown the bloody fridge away and bought a goddamn new one for our landlord. He can't possibly mind... This fridge is so old and small anyway.

About $400 for a fridge like that... I'd pay double that amount to not have to deal with this shit!


Imagine that.

Some unknowing fucker would open that fridge door, thinking he might be able to get a free fridge from the rubbish pile... AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! It won't be us getting that gush of maggoty fragrance! Orh bi for being a greedy poke!


Sigh. If the smell doesn't clear up, I'm really gonna get a new fridge. I honestly cannot imagine eating any food out of that fridge, ever again.

Cheers!Aren't you happy you are not me?!


Well... The good thing is... my year can only get better!

********************************

So yeah... Someone edited my wiki page to say that I died in a car crash during Xmas day when I was driving alone in Dallas. The person even included the time - approximately 5.30pm!

Creative, huh?!

At precisely that time I was actually in Mike's mom's place eating a sumptuous Xmas dinner of Alaskan crab legs dipped in melted butter.

I was aboard the plane on NYE and was just about to turn off my phone before the plane took off, when Ming called me all the way from Bangkok to USA through Singaporean phone lines.

"Are you ok?" he asked. "Someone wrote on your wiki page you died!"

"Of course I am ok lah! Won't it be fucking scary if I am dead and talking to you now?" I laughed.

After I hung up I felt a bit scared. What if my plane crashed and I died on NYD? Won't it be infinitely morbid?!

But I survived the flights even though they were not very pleasant.


Good joke, whoever you are!!!!!!


I hope you die in a car crash too! :) Remember to let me know during your last surviving moments so I can update your wiki page also, k? What do you mean how? Email me lah! Xiaxue@gmail.com! Oh right... You don't have a wiki page because you are not important enough. Oh well...


But honestly though... I quite understand.

I mean this fucker, whoever he is, actually was online during Xmas day, went to the wikipedia page of a virtual stranger, and entertained himself by editing it with my death.

That about sums up the Xmas Day plans of the biggest loser in the world.

Honestly, shouldn't you be eating turkey with parents who love you and opening presents from people who cared about your existance??


I sound like I am angry, but I actually found this whole thing pretty funny.

Shin Min also called me to ask me to comment about this! They must have found it funny too. :D


I'll update with USA pics soon!!


p/s:

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Just a friendly reminder not to ever turn off your fridge!!

Native radio journalists call for Bush war crimes tribunal

Native radio journalists urged a war crimes tribunal for Bush and immediate withdrawal from Iraq

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

LOS ANGELES -- On American Indian Airwaves, Native American radio hosts Kehaulani Kauanui, Kanaka Maoli/Native Hawaiian, and James Brown, Elm Pomo Nation, called for a tribunal to hold President Bush responsible for war crimes, during a panel discussion by distinguished Indigenous journalists and scholars.
“I think we need to pursue trying George Bush and company for war crimes related to this illegal and unlawful occupation in Iraq,” Kauanui said.
“We need to have a war crimes tribunal and bring all these people in,” Brown added. Both Kauanui and Brown called on President elect Obama to initiate immediate withdrawal from Iraq upon entering office.
During the panel on KPFK Radio Los Angeles/Santa Barbara today, Suzan Harjo joined James Brown, producer of “Tribal Voices Radio” on KPFZ, and Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Lakota Nation. Ghosthorse serves as host of “First Voices Indigenous Radio,”at WBAI in New York. Kehaulani Kauanui, an associate professor and producer of "Indigenous Politics: From Native New England and Beyond," on WESU, in Middletown, Conn., completed the panel.
Today's show demonstrated Indigenous programming and shared the history, girth and diversity on Pacifica since the 1960s, according to American Indian Airwaves cohosts Marcus Lopez (Chumash Nation) and Larry Smith (Lumbee Nation.)
James Brown, Pomo, spoke about Rattlesnake Island and the incompetence of the BIA. “Our so-called protectors can not be trusted with the land,” Brown said. The BIA sold off Pomo land for mercury mining in the 1940s, leaving the tribe with only 50 acres of land, located 100 miles north of San Francisco.
"We have all our Creation stories here. We were basically fishing villages," he said.
Brown said Pomo is a matriarchal society, which resulted in the strength of the culture which has lasted so long. Earlier, Pomo fought Boise Cascade and prevented Rattlesnake Island from being subdivided for condominiums. Now, a wealthy businessman, John Nady, is attempting to build a mansion on their sacred mound and burial grounds at Rattlesnake Island.
"We may end up occupying this island to help preserve it this coming summer," Brown said.
Harzo praised President elect Obama for promising to protect Native American sacred places. Harzo said Native Americans have no way of protecting their “churches,” or sacred places because of the lack of legislation. Harjo, now president of the Morning Star Institute, said she was a WBAI broadcaster for "Seeing Red" in the 60s and 70s.
“We have hundreds and hundreds of sacred places being desecrated as we speak,” Harjo said.
Native American radio hosts described the desecration of sacred places, including San Francisco Peaks, and how US courts have closed the door to Native Americans protecting their sacred places.
Kauanui pointed out that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is allowing “sewage to be turned into snow so the rich can ski” on San Francisco Peaks. However, countries in South America have made strides in Indigenous rights.
Harjo said the Bush administration has not honored federal laws regarding the protection of endangered species or of Native peoples' human remains. Harjo said this sent a signal that it was "open season" on Native remains.
Brown said Obama's appointment to head the Interior, Ken Salazar, is a disappointment. Describing Salazar as a "cowboy," Brown said a Native American should have been appointed to head the Interior. "Let's light a fire under Obama," Brown said. Brown said he supported the Green Party and Cynthia McKinney, who has a better understanding of Native Americans.
Brown also pointed out that universities, including UC Berkeley, are violating the Native American Graves Protection Repatriation Act.
Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Lakota Nation, said he is watching to see what Obama will do once in office. Ghosthorse said there is a “mystical” feeling that something is going to change, but he wants to wait and see. Ghosthorse said Native Americans must dictate their own sovereignty and not allow the seizure of their lands for energy development.
“We have to see past the system that depleted us of our spiritual values,” Ghosthorse said, adding that countries in South America are now stating the rights of nature within their laws. He said the treaties have not been honored in the United States. Further, the United States and New Zealand still have not signed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Kauanui urged the Obama administration to honor the petition from the Lipan Apache women to halt construction on the US/Mexico border wall and stop the forced removal of Indigenous individuals and communities. Kauanui said Obama should take a stand on the state sponsored terrorism and attacks on Palestine and the issue of colonialism. She said there must be careful watch to make sure the US does not “start aggravating in Iran.”
Kauanui said US universities can lose all federal funding if they do not comply with NAGPRA laws. But the problem is the Bush administration has not gone after the violators.
“Obama needs to turn this around,” she said. She urged Obama to oppose the Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act, also known as the Akaka bill, which does not ensure Native Hawaiian rights.
After the show, she explained that the problem with the bill is that it is being sold as federal recognition and therefore packaged as a solution for Native Hawaiians. But it actually states that any future Native Hawaiian governing entity would be subject to both state civil and criminal law.
"We Native Hawaiians have sovereignty claims that the US government already recognizes and exceed US federal policy regarding tribal nations. This bill is about setting up a 'reorganized' Hawaiian government that would settle un-adjudicated land claims to 1.8 million acres, the same lands recognized in the Apology Resolution," she explained.
Kauanui said Obama must honor the apology resolution of 1993, US Public Law 103-150, which states "the indigenous Hawaiian people never directly relinquished their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people or over their national lands to the United States, either through their monarchy or through a plebiscite or referendum."
She said the Akaka Bill undermines this resolution.
On the radio show, Ghosthorse said there must be withdrawal from Iraq and soldiers must have a way to come home, without bringing the violence with them.
“Instead of honoring the killing, they have to reinstate their relationship with the Creator," Ghosthorse said.
Harjo said there are cleansing ceremonies for soldiers returning home.
Ghosthorse said Pacifica radio and pirate radio stations have helped counter the mainstream media and more needs to be accomplished to reveal the truth from Israel and Palestine.
Ghosthorse has served as host of "First Voices Indigenous Radio,"at WBAI in New York since 2002, after beginning with KAOS in Olympia, Washington in 1992.
"Other Indigenous radio stations in South America have formed a broadcasting relationship with First Voices Indigenous Radio largely due to their participation at the United Nations' Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues," Ghosthorse said.
Today's show will be available later in archives at: http://www.kpfk.org/

Happy New Year

Mongo and Snacks*, along with our worldwide corporate partners, would like to wish everyone a healthy and joyful 2009.

Keep your grip tape clean and your chain lubed...Mahalo!

*(Not his real name)

Cynthia McKinney's account of attack on Free Gaza ship

Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney was the Green Party candidate for President in 2008. Ms. McKinney traveled aboard the boat “Dignity”, which tried to bring doctors and medical supplies to Gaza, as a humanitarian response to the recent bombing of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli government.The Dignity is a project of www.freegaza.org. Ms. McKinney writes:

December 30, 2008: Oh What a Day!
By Cynthia McKinney
I’m so glad that my father told me to buy a special notebook and to write everything down because that’s exactly what I did.
When we left from Cyprus, one reporter asked me “are you afraid?” And I had to respond that Malcolm X wasn’t afraid; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wasn’t afraid. But little did I know that just a few hours later, I would be recollecting my life and mentally preparing myself for death.
When we left Cyprus, the Mediterranean was beautiful. I remember the time when it might have been beautiful to look at, but it was also filthy. The Europeans have taken great strides to clean it up and yesterday, it was beautiful. And the way the sunlight hit the sea, I remember thinking to myself that’s why they call it azure. It was the most beautiful blue.
But sometimes it was rough, and we got behind on our schedule. We stayed on course, however, despite the roughness of the water and due to our exquisite captain.
There were no other ships or boats around us and night descended upon us all rather quickly. It was the darkest black and suddenly, out of nowhere, came searchlights disturbing our peace. The searchlights stayed with us for about half an hour or so. We knew they were Israeli ships. Who else would they be?
They were fast, and they would come close and then drop back. And then, they’d come close again. And then, all of a sudden there was complete blackness once again and all seemed right. The cat and mouse game went on for at least one half hour. What were they doing? And why?
Calm again. Black sky, black sea. Peace. And then, at that very moment, when all seemed right, out of nowhere we were rammed and rammed again and rammed again the last one throwing me off the couch, sending all our food up in the air; and all the plastic bags and tubs–evidence of sea sicknesses among the crew and passengers–flew all over the cabin and all over us. We’d been rammed by the Israelis. How did we know? Because they called us on the phone afterwards to tell us that we were engaging in subversive, terroristic activity. And if that if we didn’t turn around right then and return to Larnaca, Cyprus, we would be fired upon. We quickly grabbed our lifevests and put them on. Then the captain announced that the boat was taking on water. We might have to evacuate. One of my mates told me to prepare to die. And I reflected that I have lived a good and full life. I have tasted freedom and know what it is. I was right with myself and my decision to join the Free Gaza movement.I remembered my father’s parting words, “You all will be sitting ducks.” Just like the U.S.S. Liberty. We were engaged in peaceful activity, a harmless pleasure boat, carrying a load of hospital supplies for the people of Gaza, who, too are sitting ducks, currently being bombarded in aerial assault by the Israeli military.
It’s been a long day for us. The captain was outstanding. Throughout it all, he remained stoic and calm, effective in every way. I didn’t know how to put my life jacket on. One of the passengers kindly assisted me. Another of the passengers pointed out that the Israeli motors for those huge, fast boats was U.S. made–a gift to them from the U.S. And now they were using those motors to damage a pleasure boat outfitted with three tons of hospital supplies, one pediatrician, and two surgeons.
I have called for President-elect Obama to say something. The Palestinian people in the Gaza strip are seeing the worst violence in 60 years, it is being reported. To date, President-elect Obama has remained silent. The Israelis are using weapons supplied to them by the U.S. government. Strict enforcement of U.S. law would require the cessation of all weapons transfers to Israel. Adherence to international law would require the same.
As we are about to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, let us remember that he said:
1. The United States is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world, and
2. Our lives begin to end the day we remain silent about things that matter.
I implore the President-elect to not send Congress a budget that contains more weapons for Israel. We have so much more to offer. And I implore the Congress to vote “no” on any budget and appropriation bills that provide more weapons transfers, period.
Israel is able to carry out these intense military maneuvers because taxpayers in the U.S. give their hard-earned money to our Representatives in Congress and our Congress chooses to spend that money in this way. Let’s stop it and stop it now. There’s been too much blood shed. And while we still walk among the living, let us not remain silent about the things that matter.
We really can promote peace and have it if we demand it of our leaders.

Rumpus Room

We have lived in here the past few days. A computer, the TV, good reading lamps, afghans . . . if only the lone fireplace in our home were in here, we'd never leave.

Mom's Placemat Totes

Even my mom got bitten by the handmade-gift bug this holiday season! She made all the girls in the family these totes made from a placemat, grommets, rings and a purse handle. She matched the placemat to our personalities (mine is the shell theme, obviously!!). Thanks, Mom, so much for these special gifts made with love! (She even sewed a "made by" patch into each.)

THE FINAL TWD: THE 2008 HAT SQUAD

I waited until the last day of 2008 to post this, unlike most entertainment sources (not that I can claim to be one!) who posted about a week before Christmas and thus missed names like Eartha Kitt and Harold Pinter.

I'm not claiming my list is complete, but I didn't leave anybody off because they might have been deemed by others as being too trivial to consider. Toobworld is trivia of epic proportions and "Inner Toob" is a place where they can get some recognition.

If I missed anybody, please let me know and I'll add them in. They probably just never crossed my radar space.

Not everybody has a credit next to their names, just those for whom I probably needed a reminder.......

ACTORS
Maila Nurmi (Vampira)
Allan Melvin
George Keymas (Eye of the Beholder leader, TZ)
Suzanne Pleshette
Lois Nettleton
Heath Ledger
Jack Eagle (Brother Dominic)
Kevin Stoney
Barry Morse
Shell Kepler
Louisa Horton Hill
Christopher Allport
Timothy Stetson
Margaret Truman
Kathryn Ish
Augusta Dabney (Loving for 12 years)
Roy Scheider
Emily Perry (Dame Edna's sidekick Madge Alsopp)
Robert DoQui
Perry Lopez
Mary Barclay (Crossroads)
Lionel Mark Smith
John Bliss (Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide)
Eva Dahlbeck (The Markurells of Wadkoping)
Gloria Cromwell (Kate & Allie)
Jim Begg
Charlton Heston
Richard Widmark
Estelle Getty
Stanley Kamel
Madeline Lee Gilford (Jack's widow, judge on L&O)
Stephen Oliver (Peyton Place)
John Phillip Law
Harvey Korman
Bob Anderson (young George Bailey, Spin & Marty)
Terry Duggan (X Files)
Bruce Purchase (Doctor Who)
George Carlin
Dody Goodman
Don S. Davis
John Furlong
Henry Beckman
Lilyan Chauvin (Joey's Grandmother, Friends)
Clive Hornby (Emmerdale)
Larry Haines (Search For Tomorrow)
Keith Charles (Guiding Light)
Greg Burson (Bugs Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn, Huckleberry Hound, Mr. Magoo)
Elizabeth Spriggs (Shine On, Harvey Moon)
Hugh Lloyd
George Furth
Bernie Mac
Isaac Hayes
Julius Carrey
Jeff McKay
Fred Crane
Ruth Cohen (Seinfeld cashier)
Michael Pate
Mark Priestley (All saints)
Eva Pflug (German series "Space Patrol")
Richard Monette (Adderly, Peep Show)
Paul Newman
Irene Dailey
Eileen Herlie (All My Children)
Gil Stratton Jr. (My Little Margie, Life With Luigi)
Edie Adams
Ken Ogata
Odetta
Beverly Garland
Nina Foch
Robert Prosky
Van Johnson
Kathy Staff (Last Of The Summer Wine)
Sam Bottoms (East Of Eden)
Majel Barrett Roddenberry
John Costelloe ('The Sopranos')
Eartha Kitt
Bernie Hamilton

ACTOR/WRITERS
Bill Idelson (Herman Glimsher, 'The Dick Van Dyke Show')
Alex Sharp (Bonanza)
Kate Phillips (the Blob, Riverboat)

ACTOR/DIRECTORS
Ivan Dixon
George Tyne
Dick Martin
Sidney Pollack

PERSONALITIES
Boyd Coddington (American Hot Rod)
Mark Speight (Brit presenter)
Joe Feeney (Lawrence Welk show singer)
Don Gillis (Boston sports)
Jim Hager (Hee Haw)
Eddy Arnold
Les Crane
Walter "Killer" Kowalski (wrestler from the 50s)
Jerry Reed
Don LaFontaine
Lloyd Thaxton
Charles Runyon (Chucko the Clown)
Engineer Bill Stulza
Jack Narz
Levi Stubbs

WRITERS
James Costigan ("Love Among The Ruins")
Edward D. Hoch (mystery writer)
Robert Guy Barrows (Big Valley, Alias Smith and Jones, The Fugitive)
Phil Dusenberry (Pepsi & GE slogans)
Robert Cuniff (Sesame Street, Today show)
Ron Leavitt (Married with Children creator)
Harry Kleiner
Richard Baer (F Troop, Bewitched)
WC Heinz aka Richard Hooker (original MASH)
Malvin Wald (Naked City)
Arthur C. Clarke
Anthony Minghella
Raymond Goldstone (Knot's Landing, Falcon Crest)
Abby Mann (Kojak, Judgement at Nuremberg)
Johnny Byrne (Space: 1999)
Jack Hanrahan (comedy writer)
Ted Key (cartoonist who created "Hazel")
Richard DeRoy (Twilight Zone, 'Name Of The Game)
Sandy Howard
Bill Dial (WKRP in Cincinnatti (turkeys episode)
Mark Tuttle Sr. (Beverly Hillbillies)
Eliot Asinof - Maverick, Eight Men Out
Irving Pearlberg (Columbo, Alias Smith & Jones, Ironside)
Michael Turner (comic book artist, Witchblade)
Tad Mosel (Playhouse 90, Studio One)
Sheldon Keller (Dick Van Dyke show)
Oliver Crawford (Bonanza, Wild, Wild West, Star Trek)
Studs Terkel
Tony Hillerman
Michael Crichton (ER)
Harold Pinter

ANIMATORS
Bill Melendez (voice of Snoopy)
Gary Mooney (George of the Jungle)
Oliver Postgate (Bagpuss)

DIRECTORS
Dwight Hemion (The Tonight Show, Color Me Barbra, Frank Sinatra: A Man And His Music)
Kirk Browning (Live From Lincoln Center)
Paul Louis Tayler (Face The Nation, Nightwatch)
Herbert Kenwith (Star Trek, MTM, Here's Lucy)
Alex Grasshoff (Rockford Files, Toma, Kolchak)
Jack Roe (Big Valley)
Dick McDonough (Death Valley Days)
Joseph Pevney ('Star Trek')
Robert Calhoun ('As The World Turns', 'Guiding Light')
Claudio Guzman ('I Dream of Jeannie')
Dave Powers ('Carol Burnett Show')
Geoff Theobald (Let's Make A Deal)

PRODUCERS
Catherine Wearing (UK)
Carl Pingitore (Fantasy Island)
Milton Ebbins (The Thin Man)
Lawrence Hertzog (Nowhere Man)
Sophie B. Altman
David Mitton (co-created Thomas The Tank Engine)
Tony Schwartz (created the Johnson "Daisy" ad)
Yannah Kroy Brandt ('The American Experience')
Eric Lieber (Omnibus, Love Connection)
Jim Gates (The ABC Afterschool Specials)
Andrew Ackerman (Eli Stone)
Robert Monroe (Jigsaw John)
E. Roger Muir ('Howdy Doody', 'Concentration')
Robert Chandler (created '60 Minutes' format)

EXECUTIVES
Terrence Elkes (Viacom President, 1980s)
Steve Levin (SI TV, Telemundo, WNJU)
Paul Tilley (ad exec, created "Dude, you're gettin' a Dell" & "I'm Lovin' It")
Charles M. Smith (ABC veep)
John Jay Iselin (WNET innovator)
James Day (PBS executive & host)
Clay Whitehead (Nixon's telecom advisor)
Geoffrey Perkins (BBC Head of Comedy)
Mel Harris (Paramount, Sony Television)
Lou Dorfsman (CBS interior designer)

NEWSCASTERS & COMMENTATORS
John McWethy (ABC)
William F. Buckley
Ron Stone (Houston, 30 years)
Tim Russert
Jim McKay
Charlie Jones (football announcer, abc & nbc)
Neil McNeill
Sir Charles Wheeler (BBC news presenter)
Tony Snow
George Putnam (LA news legend)
Bob Friend (SkyNews presenter)
John Leonard (CBS Sunday Morning TV critic, book critic)

CREW
Gayne Rescher - Cinematographer (The Day After)
Trevor Williams - designer/art director (Dark Shadows, The Night Stalker)
Wade Battley - art designer (Days Of Our Lives)
John McPherson
Kermit Love - ballet costume designer, designer of Big Bird
Gerald Wilson - editor on 'Washington: Behind Closed Doors', 'Ozzie & Harriet'

COMPOSERS
Earle Hagen (DVD Show, Andy Griffith, I Spy, That Girl)
Alexander Courage (Star Trek)
David Kahn ('Leave It To Beaver')
Neal Hefti ("Batman", "The Odd Couple"

MUSICIANS
Hiram Bullock ('Late Night Orchestra' for Letterman - guitarist)
Levi Stubbs

TV COLUMNISTS
Mark Schwed

AGENTS
J. Michael Bloom
Warren Cowan

May God Bless.....

BCnU....
Toby O'B

Censored Readers: Worst Company in the World is US

The United States was voted the Worst Company in the World, followed by Monsanto, Peabody Energy Corp. and Barrick Gold

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
PHOTOS: Barrick Gold Pascua-Lama mine protest in Chile/ Indymedia
Monsanto protest/Organic Consumers Association
Hopi and Navajo protest of Peabody Coal/Mano Cockrum
Western Shoshone protest of Barrick Gold on Mount Tenabo/Lisa Wolf
Navajos Dooda Desert Rock protest/ Dooda Desert Rock
Photo of Arizona border wall with deer halted/Daniel Patterson
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

Censored News readers selected the United States as the “Worst Company in the World,” in a reader poll that ended today. Readers, primarily Indigenous Peoples, voted Monsanto as the second Worst Company in the World. Peabody Energy Corp., recently granted a life-of-mine permit to expand coal mining on Navajo and Hopi lands, was voted the third Worst Company in the World.
Barrick Gold Corp., which began the destruction of the Western Shoshone’s Mount Tenabo region during Thanksgiving, was voted the fourth Worst Company in the World. Blackwater Worldwide, responsible for murders and brutality worldwide, was voted the fifth Worst Company in the World. GEO Group, Inc., formerly Wackenhut, profiteering from the misery of migrants and people of color in prisons, was voted the sixth Worst Company in the World.
Cameco uranium mining and Sithe Global/Navajo Nation, tied for the seventh Worst Company in the World. Israel’s Elbit Systems and Raytheon tied for eighth place. Boeing, constructing the US/Mexico Apartheid Border Wall, followed in ninth place. Newmont Mining was voted the 10th Worst Company in the World by the readers of Censored News blog, which focuses on the censored news of Indigenous Peoples and international human rights.
The United States emerged in truth as one of the worst violators of international human rights during the Bush regime, with torture, kidnappings and secret renditions in violation of the Geneva Conventions. The bogus war in Iraq resulted in the widespread murder and displacement of Iraqi people. Corporations seized the freefall of US democracy, with mercenaries, private prison profiteers and war manufacturers reveling in their profits. During the Bush regime, the United States ceased to be viewed as a democracy by many US citizens, who now view the United States as a company comprised of select individuals seeking corporate gain and control.
It was not just the US corporations that benefited. In the corporate get-rich schemes to construct the US/Mexico border wall, the contractor Boeing subcontracted Israel’s Apartheid border wall builder, Elbit Systems, for the multi-million dollar dysfunctional debacle of the US border spy towers. While xenophobia and racism toward migrants ruled in US television news, Wackenhut, owned by G4S in England and Denmark, seized the opportunity to profiteer from a Homeland Security contract for the transportation of migrants from the US/Mexico border.
Monsanto, in second place, continued to threaten the future of humanity with genetically altered seeds. Depleting the world of a rich diversity of seeds and crops, Monsanto continues to destroy sustainable systems of food production around the world. Monsanto was the primary supplier of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. Even Prince Charles exposed Monsanto recently, revealing that thousands of farmers have committed suicide in India because of Monsanto’s promise of riches. Those promises only resulted in failed crops and a flood of debt in India’s “Suicide Belt” after switching to genetically modified seeds.
Navajos and Hopis united and protested a life of the mine permit for Peabody coal mining on Black Mesa. However, the US Office of Surface Mining approved the permit in December, continuing the US genocide on Black Mesa, where more than 14,000 Navajos have already been relocated to make way for coal mining. The so-called Navajo Hopi land dispute was orchestrated by Peabody Coal.
The Navajo Nation Council's 88 members receive their salaries and travel expenses primarily from energy leases, while many Navajos live without running water and electricity.
Klee Benally, Navajo, said the US permit was a blatant act of US genocide.
Calvin Johnson, Navajo, said, “Our local leaders, including the president of the Navajo Nation, continue to pursue this senseless plan to give Peabody a life of mine permit and continue using pristine water for coal operations without the impacted resident’s decision, which continues to be ignored. When will our leaders stand up and fight for us?”
Vernon Masayesva, Hopi, said the US permit, "The decision was announced during the Hopi Soyalung ceremonies throughout our villages. Soyalung is when Hopis plant their prayers for the coming year. It is a time the priests carry out sacred rituals to renew the earth, and pray for peace and harmony throughout the world. It is similar to the Jewish Chunaka observance, of bringing light to darkness.This is the ancient ritual the Office of Surface Mining has rudely interrupted. It is a blatant action sanctioning Peabody to exploit our natural resources for the benefit of its wealthy owners, officers and stockholders."
Barrick Gold, responsible for the deaths of Indigenous Peoples around the world, began its onslaught on the sacred lands of the Western Shoshone at Mount Tenabo during the Thanksgiving holidays. Before leaving office, President Bush Sr. made it possible for Barrick to lease lands for gold mining in Nevada. Once out of office, Bush Sr. went to work for Barrick as a senior consultant.
In Australia, DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania and New Guinea, Indigenous Peoples are fighting Barrick’s destruction in solidarity with the Western Shoshone. They are fighting the coring out of mountains for minute particles of gold and the poisoning of water with cyanide leaching.
Carrie Dann and other Western Shoshone grandmothers said the United States is trespassing on Western Shoshone treaty land, destroying mountains, trees, food and medicine, while leaving dirty polluted water ponds for birds and animals.
“Why doesn’t the mining company go dig up the Vatican or the Mormon Tabernacle instead of Western Shoshone lands, I’m sure they will find gold there,” said Mary McCloud, Western Shoshone grandmother, mourning the bulldozing of the pines near the ceremonial grounds on Mount Tenabo in November.
Near the Porgera mine in New Guinea, Jethro Tulin of the Akali Tange Association, told Barrick Gold, “Your security guards have been shooting and killing our people and raping, even gang-raping, our women with impunity for years now."
Another Canadian gold mining corporation, Goldcorp Inc., is destroying communities in Guatemala. Antonio Morales, Maya Mam, Guatemalan indigenous leader was assassinated on August 7, 2008, as he returned to his home in Colotenango, Guatemala. Morales was a national leader in three of Guatemala's most important Indigenous organizations which have actively opposed large scale mining projects, including Montana Exploring, a subsidiary of Goldcorp.
GEO Group, formerly Wackenhut, and other private prisons continued to profiteer from the orchestrated hysteria against migrants and people of color at the southern border, gaining lucrative US and state prison and detention contracts from California to Texas. GEO was recently named in charges filed in Texas, in an attempt to prosecute Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for private prison profiteering, resulting in the death of at least one inmate.
A second private prison profiteer, Corrections Corp of America, imprisons and abuses migrant women and children at the T. Don Hutto Residential Center in Taylor, Texas.
Cameco is the Canadian company which purchased the mysterious shipment of 500 tons of yellowcake uranium from Iraq, transported by the US to Montreal in July of 2008. Cameco continues to push for uranium mining on Lakota lands, resulting in the poorest of the poor struggling to fight the world’s largest uranium mining company in court in Nebraska. In Australia, Aboriginals at Alice Springs continued their protests of Cameco, while research studies in Port Hope, Canada, show the people are being poisoned by Cameco’s uranium mining.
“The result of testing conducted on a small group of residents of Port Hope has found contamination by uranium of military or industrial origin. Four of nine people tested had unusual types of uranium in their bodies, including one who carried measurable quantities of depleted uranium, which is used to make armour-piercing weapons, and another who had uranium at levels about three times higher than average concentrations of the element,” according to the Globe and Mail.
Sithe Global, in a relationship with the Navajo Nation elected government, is pushing to build a coal fired power plant, Desert Rock, on Navajo lands in New Mexico. Grassroots Navajos at Dooda Desert Rock continue to fight the power plant, which would be the third power plant in the area, where the air, land and water are already poisoned by unreclaimed uranium tailings from the Cold War and widespread oil and gas wells. Sithe Global’s financier is Blackstone Group, cofounded by Steve Schwarzman of the Bush elite Skull and Bones secret society based at Yale University.
Israel’s Elbit Systems, a producer of Apartheid spy and border wall systems in Israel, continued to gain US contracts, including Boeing’s subcontract for the border wall. Raytheon Missiles continued to be protested in Tucson for its weapons production and contamination. Raytheon has a manufacturing plant on the Navajo Nation’s commercial farm of Navajo Agricultural Products Industries, where potatoes, corn and other crops are produced with Monsanto’s genetically-modified seeds.
Boeing continued to build the US/Mexico border wall, as Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff waived all federal laws to build the border wall, including the laws designed to protect endangered species and the graves of Native Americans. On the Tohono O’odham Nation, Boeing dug up the graves of the Tohono O’odham ancestors in 2007. In Arizona, border wall construction endangered the jaguar, Sonoran pronghorn and other species in violation of all federal laws. Further, Indigenous Peoples traveling in their own territories on the border are harassed, threatened and treated as criminals by the US Border Patrol.
Tohono O’odham human rights activists continued to be targeted as they defined their homeland as an occupied militarized zone.
The poorest of the poor in America used their last dollars in 2008 to fight the United States construction of the US/Mexico border wall and seizure of their lands, including the Lipan Apache in Texas who are in court to protect their lands from seizure by Homeland Security for the border wall.
At the northern border, the United States pushed for more militarization of the region.
Kahentinetha Horn, publisher of Mohawk Nation News, is among the authors published in Censored News. Kahentinetha was beaten by Canadian border guards on June 14, 2008 and suffered a heart attack as border police tightened a stresshold. Mohawk Nation News editor Katenies was also beaten and jailed. Kahentinetha is recovering and the two Mohawk grandmothers have filed suit.
In recent articles, the Mohawk Nation News exposed the fact that carbon market scams seek the seizure of Indigenous Peoples forests for corporate profiteering and the fact that Canadian officers are being trained in Israel, where the border has become a militarized war zone. The carbon credit scam, profiteering for the World Bank and private corporations, is one of the most censored stories worldwide.
Throughout the United States, the poorest of the poor fought for justice during the Bush regime, often resulting in arrest or imprisonment. While the US and multi-national corporations received millions, billions and trillions in bailouts, widespread unemployment and hunger increased in the US.
While the US spy factory vaporized rights guaranteed by the US Constitution, the US media gave up the fight.
While the corporate seizures of lands was dismal during the Bush regime, Indigenous elders spoke of a time of cleansing and regeneration.
"We will outlive their ways. Our ways will outlive America's ways. It is because we regard the earth as sacred," said Floyd Red Crow Westerman said before his passing to the Spirit World.
In the Censored News poll, one-half of those voting chose the United States as the Worst Company in the World (50 percent.) The other percentages of total votes were: Monsanto (30 percent) Peabody Coal (26 percent) Barrick Gold (20 percent) Blackwater (17 percent) GEO (15 percent) Cameco and Sithe Global/Navajo Nation tied (14 percent) Raytheon and Israel’s Elbit Systems tied (12 percent) Boeing (11 percent) and Newmont Mining Corp (9 percent.)

More corporations and politicians were responsible for the deaths of Indigenous Peoples and destruction of Indigenous lands and communities worldwide than could be published in one article. Read more articles at Censored News http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/

TRUE BLOOD OF HEROES

I had decided earlier this year that it was time to banish 'Heroes' to another TV dimension. At least from the point that Future Hiro came back in Time to warn Peter about what was going to happen. After that, a new timeline was created and we've not been watching the same "heroes" from the beginning of the series. (Well, you haven't been watching the same heroes. I stopped watching altogether earlier this season.)

The dimensional change is best illustrated by the fact that Bruce Boxleitner has been on the series as the Governor of New York, and Michael Dorn apparently has shown up as the President. It's a Toobworld rule of thumb that the President of the United States in the main Toobworld, Earth Prime-Time, must be the same as in the real world. (This is because too many sitcoms and dramas will be making references to the current Commander-In-Chief, and that will be especially true, I'm sure, once Barack Obama is in office!)

As for the Governor of New York, I'd prefer that it be David Paterson, but his appearances on the local news and on the national stage (due to the Democratic Convention) are trumped by Tom Everett Scott's portrayal of Governor Donald Shalvoy on 'Law & Order'. It's always possible that one day a sitcom will make mention of Governor Paterson (his predecessor, for obvious reasons, already was), and I'll just have to deal with it then. (Fred Armisen's lampooning of him on 'Saturday Night Live' doesn't count, as that would take place in the sketch comedy dimension, "Skitlandia".)

My decision to relegate 'Heroes' to another dimension was made easier by a recent episode of 'True Blood'. I'm only catching up now on the last seven episodes of the series, thanks to the holiday hiatus, and have just met a character played by Stephen Root. Eddie is a vampire who was "embraced" in middle age at some point in the past, and whose sexual preference is for men. Currently, he's been enjoying the weekly visitation by Lafayette Reynolds, who also procures a vial of Eddie's blood to sell as "V".

But Lafayette's "talents" aren't the only things Eddie likes about Monday nights.....

Eddie:
"I always look forward to Monday night.
First 'Heroes' then ... you."

So I could have gone into a long, drawn-out splainin as to how the 'Heroes' mentioned by Eddie was not the same show as the one we watch in the real world. That it could have been a sports show, or a documentary series, or a game show. But in the end, it's not worth the bother if it's not Zonking the integrity of Earth Prime-Time.

At any rate, based on this picture of Eddie with Jason Stackhouse and Amy Burley (a Nutmeg State native!) from the next episode I'll be watching, it doesn't look like Eddie will be watching any version of 'Heroes' for very much longer.....

BCnU!
Toby O'B

CINEMATIC RICHES

Eddie Izzard announced that he'll be making a movie version of 'The Riches', the cancelled FX series about a family of "travellers" (con artists/gypsies) who settled into a gated community under new identities where they adapted their way of life to their benefit.

"We've had the meeting and the writers are going to go off and slam out a story," Izzard told the BBC. "We're going to raise money like Barack Obama through the internet, and we're going to shoot it guerilla-style; using gorillas to actually shoot it. We're going to give them cameras...

"No, we're going to just get in there and maybe not have permission to do things, but just film it. People will be going, 'Who are they? Who are they?'"

He plans on doing it that way because of the current economic crisis. "Everything's getting tight, money's getting tight and there's the credit crunch - so it's the time to go out and be inventive."

Because of that strategy, I think it's far more likely we'll be seeing a movie version of 'The Riches' long before we ever see a film based on 'Arrested Development' which keeps popping up in the news at least once a month.

So long as the original cast is involved in the movie, or at the very least, no original characters are recast, there should be no problem in poaching the movie version of 'The Riches' from the "Cineverse" and smuggling it over the border into Toobworld. But if they end up recasting Gregg Henry's or Todd Stashwick's roles, or those of any of the kids, then we'll just leave it where it is as the counterpart to the TV series.

BCnU!
Toby O'B

Free Gaza Ship rammed

Israeli vessel hits Gaza-bound boat

Onboard is Al-Jazeera reporter Sami al-Haj, former prisoner at Guantanamo Bay; Hon. Cynthia McKinney (former U.S. Congresswoman, 9/11 Truth activist) and three doctors

Tuesday, December 30, 2008
19:17 Mecca time, 16:17 GMT
News Middle East
Video of damage:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7805075.stm

Israeli Gunboats Came out of the Darkness and Rammed us Three Times

Date : 12-30-2008

For more information, please contact:
(Gaza) Ewa Jasiewicz, +972 598 700 497 / freelance@mailworks.org
(Cyprus) Lubna Masarwa +357 99 081 767 / lubnna@gmail.com
(Lebanon) Caoimhe Butterley +961 70 875 727 / sahara78@hotmail.co.uk
http://www.freegaza.org/
By Free Gaza
LEBANON (December 30) -- Today the Free Gaza ship "Dignity" carefully made its way to safe harbor in Tyre, Lebanon's southern-most port city, after receiving serious structural damage when Israeli warships rammed its bow and the port side. Waiting to greet the passengers and crew were thousands of Lebanese who came out to show their solidarity with this attempt to deliver volunteer doctors and desperately needed medical supplies to war-ravaged Gaza. The Lebanese government has pledged to provide a forensic analysis of what happened in the dark morning, when Israel rammed the civilian ship in international waters, and put the people on board in danger of losing their lives.

The Dignity, on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, was attacked by the Israeli Navy at approximately 6am (UST) in international waters, roughly 90 miles off the coast of Gaza. Several Israeli warships surrounded the small, human rights boat, firing live ammunition around it, then intentionally ramming it three times. According to ship's captain Denis Healy, the Israeli attack came, ""without any warning, or any provocation."

Caoimhe Butterly, an organizer with the Free Gaza Movement, stated that, "The gunboats gave us no warning. They came up out of the darkness firing flares and flashing huge flood lights into our faces. We were so shocked that at first we didn't react. We knew we were well within international waters and supposedly safe from attack. They rammed us three times, hitting the side of the boat hard. We began taking on water and, for a few minutes, we all feared for our lives. After they rammed us, they started screaming at us as we were frantically getting the life boats ready and putting on our life jackets. They kept yelling that if we didn't turn back they would shoot us."

Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. congresswoman and Green Party presidential candidate, was traveling to Gaza aboard the Dignity in order to assess the impact of Israel's military onslaught against the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

According to McKinney, "Israeli patrol boats...tracked us for about 30 minutes ... and then all of a sudden they rammed us approximately three times, twice in the front and once in the side ... the Israelis indicated that [they felt] we were involved in terrorist activities."

The Dignity departed from Larnaca Port in Cyprus at 7pm (UST) on Monday 29 December with a cargo of over 3 tons of desperately needed medical supplies donated to Gaza by the people of Cyprus. Three surgeons were also aboard, traveling to Gaza to volunteer in overwhelmed hospitals and clinics. The ship was searched by Cypriot Port authorities prior to departure, and its passenger list was made public.

Israel's deplorable attack on the unarmed Dignity is a violation of both international maritime law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which states that "the high seas should be reserved for peaceful purposes."

Delivering doctors and urgently needed medical supplies to civilians is a just such a "peaceful purpose." Deliberately ramming a mercy ship and endangering its passengers is an act of terrorism.

CALL the Israeli Government and demand that it immediately STOP attacking the civilian population of Gaza and STOP using violence to prevent human rights and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.

Mark Regev in the Prime Minister's office at:
+972 2670 5354 or +972 5 0620 3264
Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence at:
+972 3697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
mediasar@mod.gov.il
Major Liebovitz from the Israeli Navy at:
+ 972 5 781 86248
The Free Gaza Movement, a human rights group, sent two boats to Gaza in August 2008. These were the first international boats to land in the port in 41 years. Since August, four more voyages were successful, taking Parliamentarians, human rights workers, and other dignitaries to witness the effects of Israel's draconian policies on the civilians of Gaza.
http://www.freegaza.org/

Atlanta Journal Constitution article
http://www.ajc.com/gwinnett/content/metro/dekalb/stories/2008/12/29/cynthia_mckinney_gaza.html

News from Al-Jazeera

A small boat, damaged as it tried to break the Israeli blockade of the
Gaza Strip, has arrived in the Lebanese port of Tyre.

The Dignity started taking on water after it was hit by an Israeli naval
vessel as it approached the Israeli coast with its cargo of medical aid.

The Free Gaza Movement, which organised the attempt to reach the territory
, said their boat was "rammed" and shots were fired when at least four
Israeli vessels confronted them in international waters.

Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, denied there had
been any shooting but said that the ships had made "physical contact".

He said that the crew of the Dignity had failed to respond to Israeli
naval radio contact.

'Rammed'

Elize Ernshire, one of the activists onboard the boat, told Al Jazeera by
telephone that the boat was rammed twice from the front and then once from
the side.

"It has destroyed the front of the boat and the roof ... and has left the
cabin, the wheelhouse quite destroyed," she said.

" ... we were threatened directly by the Israeli navy that if we continued
on our course towards Gaza they would attack us again."

Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesman, said that the incident was
nothing more than a "propoganda stunt".

"Israel would never have done anything against international law, that is
inconceivable," he told Al Jazeera.

"These people just want a headline, they don't really want to help the
people of Gaza, if they wanted to help the people of Gaza they would be
asking Hamas why they initiated the violence."

Several small boats have arrived in the Gaza Strip carrying international
activists and medical aid since August in defiance of the Israeli siege.

Ernshire said that the incident would not stop the movement trying again
to take aid to the impoverished territory.

"The majority of passenger here are determined, once we reach Lebanon, to
keep continuing to organise such boats as these, to reach the people of
Gaza," she said.

Gaza's health system is struggling to cope with the casualties from four
consecutive days of aerial bombardment by Israeli warplanes and helicopter
gunships.

Shortages

Hospitals were already facing shortages of medicines and other medical
products due to the Israeli siege imposed after the Hamas government
seized full control of the territory in 2007.

As well as more than three tonnes of aid, the Dignity was carrying three
doctors to help treat the more than 1,600 wounded in recent days.

Avital Leibovitz, an Israeli military spokeswoman, said that humanitarian
aid was being allowed into the Gaza Strip and the medical supplies on the
boat would not have made much impact on the humanitarian situation.

"Lets not talk about a blockade because it does not exist, the
humanitarian corridor is active, alive and working," she told Al Jazeera.

"There are a numerous number of trucks enetring Gaza with food and
medicine according to the requests of the aid organisations."

Three Al Jazeera journalists were among the 15 people onboard the boat.

"Al Jazeera holds Israel responsible for the safety of the Al Jazeera
journalists and everyone on board the Dignity," Wadah Khanfar, director
general of the Al Jazeera network said in a statement.

"Al Jazeera's presence on the boat is to cover the expedition for news and
journalistic purposes. We are deeply concerned for the safety and well
being of our journalists."

'Protecting Rattlesnake Island' and Indigenous Roundtable Discussion

Update: Native radio journalists urge Bush war crime tribunal
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2008/12/native-radio-journalists-call-for-bush.htmlSPECIAL
Weekly shows can now be heard on the KPFK web site ( http://www.kpfk.org ) under "audio archives" located on the left. Scroll down and click on American Indian Airwaves.

First And Meade

Fresh from a successful campaign in '83, as the number one starter for the Santo Domingo Jankees of the Dominican League, Mongo went on to college and was virtually "unhittable" for years.

Belgian Waffler

Mongodamus had a down year in '08 with his prognosticating. As a matter of fact, if anyone named Vito comes looking for me, tell him I moved to "the islands."

With the '09 season right around the corner, there's no better way to clean the slate than with my first bold prediction.

Breakthrough Rider Of The Year*...Stijn Devolder

*(As long as he doesn't abandon the Tour again like a little girl)

Florida Haiku: NPW

Crossroads in our lives

The joy of the adventure

A smile touched my soul

Katy Teapot Vase

Katy from work found this ceramic teapot in a thrift store and thought of me. She gave it to me this month to thank me for all I do at work around the holidays. A sweet gesture. One of my weekly treks to Kroger to visit their deeply discounted flower bins and the teapot makes for a great vase!

Glamorous

Courtney at work got me this perfume bottle for Christmas. She thought it suited me because it's glamorous. Courtney is one of those friends who inhabits that wonderful friendship place where we can be and do anything we want. We love each other's company and laugh, sing and dance our way through the workday. Can't ask for a better co-worker than that. Besides . . . she thinks I'm glamorous.

Here is the bottle, placed on a tin tray, a vintage ribbon tied at its throat, and showcasing a bright pink rose. Looking lovely. I like separating the stopper from the bottle so you can see the glass rod that gets dabbed glamorously on neck and wrists with the finest of fragrance. So elegant.

Dakota 38 horseback ride to Mankato photos

Dakota 38 plus 2 Ride photos from South Dakota to Mankato. Photos by Dave Murray. Thank you!

http://www.dakota382008.com/

By Dakota 38 Riders
MANKATO, Minn. -- Twenty-eight years before the Massacre at Wounded Knee, and 14 years before the Legendary Battle at Little Bighorn, was Minnesota’s Dakota Sioux Uprising of 1862.

It began on August 17, 1862 and ended with the largest mass execution ever recorded in U.S. History.

By order of Abraham Lincoln, 38 Dakota men were hanged in Mankato, Minnesota on December 26, 1862.

Unbeknownst to the masses, the very next day two more Dakota men were also executed. Four months later, in April of 1863 Congress enacted a law providing for the removal of all Dakota people from Minnesota. Three hundred families were held in a concentration camp at Fort Snelling then most of the Dakota Community was moved by river boats to a desolate prairie at Crow Creek, South Dakota.

The convicted prisoners of the war who were not executed, were then moved from Ft. Snelling, Minnesota to Camp McClellan, near Davenport, Iowa. It wasn’t until three years later, President Andrew Johnson ordered a release of the 177 surviving prisoners.

In the spring of 2005, Jim Miller, a descendent of the Dakota People who were displaced after 1863, courageously stepped forward and acknowledged his dream with the people. Miller dreamt of a series of horseback rides that would bring, not just the Dakota people together, but all whose hearts are affected by this tragic history.

Jim’s vision is for horseback riders from all Dakota tribes to ride in December over 330 miles from Lower Brule Sioux Reservation to the site of the mass hanging in Mankato, Minnesota. This is to commemorate the men, women, and children who were forced to march across the cold winter prairies either to the mass hanging in Mankato or to the large concentration camp at Fort Snelling, Minnesota (present day St. Paul.) The ride coincides with the anniversary of the hangings on December 26, 1862.

Four years are required to address this vision, as of 2008, the first three years have been completed. In the past three years, the riders left from the Lower Sioux Indian Community, near Morton, Minnesota and rode down to Mankato, Minnesota.

Because this is the last year and the completion of Miller’s vision, the riders began their new starting point from Lower Brule, SD to Mankato.

His overall vision is to raise awareness about how this historical grief has impacted us from the mass hanging to the surrounding events. In the end, the final outcome of his vision is to bring reconciliation among all people of the region so that we may move forward and live in a good way. Miller is a Vietnam Veteran, an enrolled member of Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and a

leader in traditional spiritual practices.

TODAY'S TWD: THE POTUS

With 2008 winding down, two things are coming to an end for Toobworld Central: the Daily Tiddlywinkydink and the presidency of George W. Bush. And I am looking forward to both!

We have to wait a few more weeks before "W" is finally out of office, but in the meantime, I thought it might be fun to take a look at the fictional presidents from the alternate dimensions of Earth Prime-Time. The names are grouped according to the dimensions in which they should be found. Some are officially linked together this way (the POTUSii of '24', 'Commander In Chief', and 'The West Wing'), but others are my own theories of relateeveety.

I've lifted most of this list from Wikipedia, but that's okay - if the President of Toobworld Central does it, it's not illegal!

Earth Prime-Time (Revised) Dimension:
Ken Kercheval
President Cliff Barnes (a what-if scenario)
'Dallas' - "Conundrum"

Ford Rainey
President Henry Talbot McNeil
'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea'
&
President McNeil's son (?)
'Lost in Space'

(President McNeil served from the late 1960's into the early 1970's. The POTUS for 'Lost In Space' would be from 1997. Considering the strong echoes in tele-genetics, and since '24' - as well as the real world! - offers a precedent in several family members being the President, I don't have a problem with Rainey's appearance on 'Lost In Space' being a son, maybe a nephew, two decades later. In the end, it doesn't matter since that aspect of the main Toobworld's timeline was radically revised - either by a time-traveling 'Journeyman', or by a quirk caused in the 'Primeval' past.)

The West Wing Dimension:
Martin Sheen
President Josiah Bartlet
'The West Wing'

Jimmy Smits
President Matthew Santos
'The West Wing'

John Goodman
Acting President Glen Allen Walken
'The West Wing'

James Cromwell
former President D. Wire Newman
'The West Wing'

The Commander In Chief Dimension:
Geena Davis
President Mackenzie Allen
'Commander in Chief'

Will Lyman
President Theodore Roosevelt (Teddy) Bridges
'Commander in Chief'

The Stargate Dimension:
Beau Bridges
President Hank Landry
'Stargate SG-1'

Ronny Cox
President Robert Kinsey
'Stargate SG-1'

William Devane
President Henry Hayes
'Stargate SG-1'

The '24' Dimension:
Dennis Haysbert
President David Palmer
'24'

Geoff Pierson
President John Keeler
'24'

Gregory Itzin
President Charles Logan
'24'

D.B. Woodside
President Wayne Palmer
'24'

Cherry Jones
President Allison Taylor
'24'

Movies of the Week Dimension:
Carroll O'Connor
President John P. Wintergreen
"Of Thee I Sing"

Jason Robards
President Richard Monckton
"Washington: Behind Closed Doors"

Hal Holbrook
President Maxwell Monroe
"Under Siege"

Gregory Harrison
President Jonathan Hayes
"First Daughter"
"First Target"
"First Shot"

Robert Urich
President Adam Mayfield
"The President's Man : A Line In The Sand"

Ralph Waite
President Mathews
"The President's Man"

Dabney Coleman
President Richmond
"My Date with the President's Daughter"

'The Agency'/'The District'/'Prison Break' dimension:
Never Shown
President Morland
'The Agency'

Patricia Wettig
President Caroline Reynolds
'Prison Break'

Sitcom POTUS dimension:
Patty Duke
President Julia Mansfield
'Hail to the Chief'

George C. Scott
President Samuel A. Tresch
'Mr. President'

Gary Cole
President Mike Brady
"The Brady Bunch in the White House"

John D'Aquino
President Richard Martinez
'Cory in the House'

Catastrophic Storm Dimension:
Beau Bridges
President Paul Hollister
"10.5"

Other Dimensions:
Robert Foxworth
President Charles Halsey
'The Outer Limits' - "Trial By Fire"

Paul Frees
President James Norcross (from the Tooniverse)
'Super President'

William H. Macy
The President
'The Unit'

Barry Morse
President Johnny Cyclops
'Whoops Apocalypse'

Michael Dorn
The President
'Heroes'

And then there's the "Doofus Dimension", in which the established Presidents of the real world and Toobworld are portrayed as idiots. This would include 'That's My Bush!' [for W] and 'The Secret Files Of Desmond Pfeiffer' [for Abraham Lincoln].

BCnU!
Toby O'B

2009 BAKER STREET

Stephen Moffat, the British writer who brought us 'Coupling' and some of the best episodes in the revived series of 'Doctor Who', will be taking on the role of show-runner for that sci-fi series once Russell T. Davies finally takes his death grip off the controls. But Moffat won't be just focused on 'Doctor Who'; he'll also be updating the story of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson to modern times, just as he did for the story of 'Jeckyll'.

Bernard Cumberbatch, whom I just saw in the 2003 series 'Fortysomething', will be Sherlock Holmes, the great consulting detective, while Martin Freeman, of the original 'The Office' and (unfortunately) that horrid movie adaptation of 'The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy', will be Dr. Watson.

In Moffat's script for the pilot, even some of the situations established in the Conan Doyle canon will be updated along with the characters. For instance, Holmes was able to ascertain that Watson was recently returned from service in Afghanistan, where he was wounded in the Battle of Maiwand. This works nicely for the modern version, as troops are still serving in Afghanistan....

If the BBC likes what they see - and hey! It's the Grand Moff writing this! - they will order a full series.

If so, I'm thinking that it just may be possible to keep the series in the main Toobworld, rather than depositing it into some alternate TV dimension, like the one for updated TV remakes where shows like this usually go.

Toobworld has a habit of rewinding past lives and situations and letting them play out again. We're seeing that happen even now with the American version of 'Life On Mars'; for a while, the plots of the US copy of 'The Office' followed those of the original.

So why couldn't it be that these "Fabulous Baker Street Boys" are descendants of the originals? Destined by the Fates to relive the adventures shared by their great(plus) grand-sires? As such, we can not only link them to the Jeremy Brett incarnation of the Great Detective, but it could stave off any Zonks caused by mentions in other Toobworld series of the original Holmes and Watson. (The existence of the original stories has long been splained away as being written by Dr. Watson, and that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle merely served as their literary agent.

The game's afoot!

BCnU!
Toby O'B