Zen and the Art of Carly Simon

Yes, that Really Is Carly Simon

Carly Simon

Carly Simon has some words of advice:





I assume you've heard of Carly Simon of "You're So Vain" and "Nobody Does it Better" and way too many other pop hits to list.

Well, Carly Simon has her own Youtube channel, and it rocks. She gives updates on her life, fashion tips, brief renditions a cappella of some of her songs, and lots more - all while sitting in the attic of her Martha's Vineyard home.

So, if you didn't know that, now you do. And you should subscribe to her Youtube channel. Yes, you should. I've followed it for over a year, and she doesn't post much. When she does, though, it is well worth it.

You're welcome..

Oh, just to show that this is no "one off" from the great Carly, below is another silly video she filmed for her followers:



Thanks, Carly, rock on!

Stop Monsanto

Stop Monsanto!

Genetically modified plants are grown from seeds that are engineered to resist insecticides and herbicides, add nutritional benefits or otherwise improve crop yields and increase the global food supply. Most corn, soybean and cotton crops grown in the United States today have been genetically modified. But some say genetically modified organisms can lead to serious health conditions and harm the environment.

Monsanto Co., based in St. Louis, has said that it respects people's rights to express their opinion on the topic, but maintains that its seeds improve agriculture by helping farmers produce more from their land while conserving resources such as water and energy.

However, state legislatures in Vermont and Connecticut have moved ahead with votes to make food companies declare genetically modified ingredients on their packages. And supermarket retailer Whole Foods Markets Inc. has said that all products in its North American stores that contain genetically modified ingredients will be labeled as such by 2018. Monsanto doesn't seem to think there is any problem.

If all these jurisdictions and companies are concerned, why aren't you?

Hungary burning nearly 1000 acres of Monsanto genetically modified maize

Hungary deputy state secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Lajos Bognar announced that huge amounts of crops were being destroyed because they were found to be grown from genetically modified seeds ultimately derived from Monsanto. The farmers themselves complained to the government after not being told about the seeds, which are banned in Hungary. Since it is too late in the farm season to plant new crops, that harvest is lost forever. Who ultimately will bear the cost is unclear, as the company that imported and distributed the seeds is now bankrupt.

So many people around the world are taking this seriously.

Things Could Be Worse....

"This is a fine kettle of fish I've gotten myself into"

We all go through rough patches. They get us to the good times. When feeling down, always remember that better times lie ahead. We just may have to get a little wet on the way there!

Jonathan Harris at His Creepy Best

Jonathan Harris Shows What He Can Do

The man, Jonathan Harris.

Anybody who knows me is aware that "Lost in Space" is probably my favorite television show of all time, mostly because of the cool portrayal of Dr. Smith.

Jonathan Harris, who literally created the character of Dr. Smith as well as just playing him, was a class act and a very talented actor.

Jonathan Harris as the befuddled doctor in "Twenty Two."

Here, we focus on just one of Jonathan Harris' classic portrayals of a creep, "Twenty Two" in "The Twilight Zone," but there were so many more.

Jonathan Harris gained fame a few years after the classic 1961 "Twilight Zone" episode ("Twenty Two") when he was cast as Dr. Smith. However, he had spent years perfecting the essence of the character in other roles.

In the first half-dozen episodes of "Lost in Space," Jonathan Harris played it straight. Then he let it rip, and a legend was born.

Harris took a lot of flak for "ruining" "Lost in Space" because, without direction, Harris turned his character from purely evil into, well, still evil but comically so.

Jonathan hamming it up with Vincent Price.

Anyway, for anyone who thinks that Harris couldn't play creepy, and play it well, "Twenty Two" also is a great showcase for the man and a must-see for "Lost in Space" fans.

Oh, you thought that all Jonathan Harris could do was play the simpering coward? Well, sure, he could do that, too.

In "Twenty Two," Jonathan Harris plays a doctor treating a stripper ("Dancer!" she corrects fiercely) who has been having recurring nightmares about a hospital nurse inviting her into the morgue (Room 22 in the basement) late at night by saying, "Room for one more, honey." Barbara Nichols plays the patient in suitably melodramatic form, looking more than a little like Marilyn Monroe.

"Oh, the pain, the pain...."

For those familiar with "Twenty Two," a few things really stand out about this episode, which has the usual "Twilight Zone" heavy-handed symbolism and ending:

• Notice that Harris really is subtly creepy in this episode where he basically just plays an ordinary guy, especially when he says that the next time they meet will be when he has a "ring-side seat" at one of his patient's stripper performances and wants her to "give me a subtle wink" (how that all got past the censors is an interesting question);
• The set-up is absolutely brilliant, including the overriding implication that science doesn't have all the answers, a common theme in "Twilight Zone" and one that still resonates: and
• The reaction that is provoked at the end, when the stewardess comes out and says "Room for one more, honey," is hysterically funny if you just picture it from the stewardess' point of view without all the previous foreshadowing. "Aaahhhhh!!!!!!," the Nichols character screams as she scrambles down the airplane ramp to get away.

The episode "Twenty Two" is an all-time classic "you had to be watching the earlier stuff for this not to be one of the oddest scenes of all time" moment. It also makes some people's lists of the creepiest "Twilight Zone" episodes.

Actually, Jonathan Harris could play drama and action just as well as his later humorous Dr. Smith act

It's fun on so many levels that "Twenty Two" is one of my favorite "Twilight Zone" episodes.

The way Harris quickly brings that needle down to subdue the struggling woman in "Room 22" is full of subtle malevolence.

It is the overbearing script - overbearing in the sense of being relentless - of "Room 22" that helps make it so effective, so when I talk about the script that way, it's actually a compliment. And, of course, Harris' performance as the ultimate creepy doctor makes the entire episode work.

Jonathan Harris played Charles Dickens in "A Passion for Justice" on "Bonanza."

Rod Serling's brother was a pilot, incidentally, which explains why so many episodes such as "Room 22" revolved around odd situations involving airplanes.

"Spare me the poisonous barbs."

Probably the most misunderstood actor of modern times, Jonathan Harris, a true talent.  Anyway, watch the episode, it's great.

Jonathan Harris in his classic "Twilight Zone" episode "Twenty Two" in 1961.

2020

Weird Coincidences File....

OK, Now That's Weird

Cue "Twilight Zone Theme"

All right, before you go branding me a conspiracy theorist or UFO-lover, let me just say that I don't know which is weirder: that this appears to be true, or that someone out there actually noticed this somehow and decided to publicize it.

Oh - and I am a UFO-lover, thank you very much.



Dededededededede waaaahh wah wah wah wah wah wah!

Taylor Swift Disses Justin Bieber

Taylor Swift Demonstrates Her True Feelings About Justin Bieber

Taylor Swift Giving Her Opinion of Justin Bieber

So, you are Taylor Swift. You've just won just about every award there is to win, and Kanye West didn't even jump the stage to spoil your moment. You walk out with your big buddy, Selena Gomez, and who is standing there but... Justin Bieber.

Seems that Selena Gomez doesn't really mind seeing Bieber and gives him a big, warm welcome. Little Miss Swift, though, evidently feels left out and sticks her tongue way out. Well, at least she didn't grab her neck as she did so. Taylor is on the left, the blissful reunited couple on the right.

Seems pretty high school. Pretty funny she would do that so openly with everybody around to watch and cameras in plain sight. She actually may have just meant it as kind of a joke, lots of people don't like those public displays of affection, especially among people who are so young (and immature). Celebrities are just like everyone else, which probably is one of the reasons why fans love to obsess over them, just to see those moments of sheer ordinariness crop up (like here).

You can watch the entire thing below, the tongue action occurs around the 1:00 mark.





Incidentally, we have a full page of enticing Taylor Swift pictures here.

Clothes Rage

I couldn't have said it better.

Ceciley Jenkins:

Everyone has Road-Rage. But what about Clothes-Rage? Picking an outfit & putting on skinny jeans while my legs are still damp is like, worse than Syria.

She thinks so, too!

Why You Should Drink Tea

Drink More Tea

Seriously, a great idea.

Plus, it tastes good!

I drink about a pot of tea per day. Some folks think that's part of my general craziness - hey, who can blame them - but I enjoy it and it hasn't killed me yet. I'm sort of a tea fanatic, but I can take or leave the fancy blends - straight, brisk tea works every time. I'm blessed with fairly good health, so who knows what part the tea plays in that, but tea is probably better than drinking the same amount of Jim Beam every day! Anyway, hope this helps someone, can't get enough health tips People just destroy their own health without thinking twice about it. Such a shame.

Happy Mother's Day!

Ah, ain't it the truth.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there, I'm sure you've all made your own mamas and grandmas proud!

Just in Case You Didn't Know....

Our society is doomed

Just in case you didn't know.... I'm sure they were just trying to be amusing. Right? But on an official sign, posted everywhere? Way to respect your customers. Do you think they can find the doors to get out of the store? Perhaps you should put pictures of dollar bills with the legend "This is what you pay with to buy things."

Some things just make your jaw drop.

Original 1968 Road Runner Theme

The original Road Runner theme, in all its glory. A while back, I posted the original Road Runner theme in Korean here. I have this here just for comparison's sake. I honestly, truly, cross my heart think that the Korean version is better than the English version - it has more rhythm, the emphasis is spot on, the vocals are top-notch, and the English version, perversely, is the one that is tough to understand at times, though it does depend upon the quality of the copy. I mean, except for the fact that the Korean one is in, you know... Korean.

Anyway, I wanted to put this here for comparison sake and let you decide, because this is an American treasure. And I know there are road runner fans out there!

Here's another copy if that one doesn't work.



2014

You Say "Psycho" Like....

You don't mind if I watch you... do you?

If you can get through life without encountering a single psycho in your daily wanderings, well... you'll be the only one who did.

Whenever You Find Yourself....

He was a wise one, that Mark Twain

Whenever certain people agree with me, I know I'm in trouble....

Men to the Left Because....

Not always right on time, though

Never accuse me of not knowing how things really are! Once more for emphasis!

When Things Go Wrong....

Please Don't Let This Happen to Anyone You Know

Amanda Bynes, then and now.

When things go wrong.... they can go really, really wrong.

Pretty girl. Good luck, Amanda, we're rooting for you.

In Times of Trouble, Have You Tried....

Life Lessons from Star Trek: What to Do When in Trouble

Why didn't I think of that?

Jean-Luc Picard, our hero. "Okay, Number Wan, REVERSE THE POLARITY. Now, don't reverse it too much. You know, just a little. No, a bit more than that. I think we need a bit more of that polarity sweetness, Number Wan. Look, do I have to actually point my finger and say 'Make it so.' All right, Make it So. NO, NO, that's TOO MUCH, aaaarrrrghhhhh, we're all gonna die!!!!!!"

Europe from Space

Europe at night

I love these photos from space. the patterns of lights really tell you something about the civilization below. It's so easy to make out the key metropolitan centers such as Madrid, Rome, Paris, and Stockholm. Interesting also how all of Southern England gets lit up, while everything east of Germany in  Eastern Europe is dark. Holland and Belgium - how do people there get any sleep? It's also amazing that you can make out highways. One of the Spacelab astronauts from the '70s mentioned that the only man-made structure they could see was the Great Dike in northern Holland - and, sure enough, there it is.

Now, to zero in on one of those points of light, below is Paris:

Paris from Space

Beautiful.