I just saw Kill Bill parts I and II for the first time yesterday. How campy! How fun!
Uma Thurman plays a lady who is out for revenge for a number of reasons. She has a list of people that "need killin'", as Southern folk say, and Bill is the last on the list. And doggone, if she doesn't go through the whole list. I especially like the parts where the movie makes fun of those Ninja movies where people fly through the air just by moving their legs like they are running! Very violent, but a real hoot!! (Think Starship Troopers, only more so.) Made for a fun weekend.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tempest in a Teapot - Fallout #1
A post or two ago, I mentioned that there were 3 other people besides our former president that were cited in the judges ruling as having done bad things--an administrator, a long time staff member, and a faculty member.
This morning when I checked my work email, I found a notice that the long time staff member is retiring, effective TOMORROW. The soon-to-be-vacant position was never advertised. No time for a coffee-and-cookies farewell party. That will be scheduled in about a month, according to the email. So, connect the dots.
This morning when I checked my work email, I found a notice that the long time staff member is retiring, effective TOMORROW. The soon-to-be-vacant position was never advertised. No time for a coffee-and-cookies farewell party. That will be scheduled in about a month, according to the email. So, connect the dots.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Great Christmas!
I just returned from Seattle, where I spent a lovely 5 days with my son and his wife. They are very much into amateur theater, especially musical theater. My son plays woodwinds for the orchestras as he can, and his wife is into costuming. They were both doing shows this month, so I was blessed to see both of the shows on their complementary tickets while I was there. What a treat! Both shows were great. And, my son and I went up the famous Seattle space needle and got our picture taken. My daughter-in-law is a gourmet cook, so I ate very well, including an all-fondue dinner on Christmas Eve.
I can't keep up with all the musical instruments my son is into, so I asked him what he had while I was there. He has 4 saxaphones (soprano, alto, tenor and bari), two clarinets (B-flat and E-flat), a flute, piccolo, and oboe. The oboe he just began about 2 months ago, but with the others, especially the saxes and clarinets, he is quite good. He is also not shabby on the guitar and keyboard. All of this puts him in demand on the amateur musical theater curcuit. Forgive me for a little bragging, but he is my favorite son. (He is also my only son.)
I had realized recently that I must bite the bullet and purchase my first laptop computer, so while I was there I took advantage of my tech-y family to advise me on the purchase and take me around to computer stores. I settled on and purchased an HP 14" laptop. I'm glad I bought it while I was there because they were also of great help in getting it set up and loaded with software, some of which was their gift. No, I am not up-to-the minute on every new PC this and that, but I was smart enough to get the personalized help of not one, but two Microsoft people who are far ahead of even the "normal tech-y smart" people that I know. So, who's REALLY the smart one, huh?
I can't keep up with all the musical instruments my son is into, so I asked him what he had while I was there. He has 4 saxaphones (soprano, alto, tenor and bari), two clarinets (B-flat and E-flat), a flute, piccolo, and oboe. The oboe he just began about 2 months ago, but with the others, especially the saxes and clarinets, he is quite good. He is also not shabby on the guitar and keyboard. All of this puts him in demand on the amateur musical theater curcuit. Forgive me for a little bragging, but he is my favorite son. (He is also my only son.)
I had realized recently that I must bite the bullet and purchase my first laptop computer, so while I was there I took advantage of my tech-y family to advise me on the purchase and take me around to computer stores. I settled on and purchased an HP 14" laptop. I'm glad I bought it while I was there because they were also of great help in getting it set up and loaded with software, some of which was their gift. No, I am not up-to-the minute on every new PC this and that, but I was smart enough to get the personalized help of not one, but two Microsoft people who are far ahead of even the "normal tech-y smart" people that I know. So, who's REALLY the smart one, huh?
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Tempest in a Teapot - last chapter (I hope!)
Back in September, I posted about our local scandal concerning the firing of our college president in a dramatic way. He asked for a formal hearing, before a judge, which was in October. It lasted 4 days. I did not go, but a friend who is a retired faculty member did go for all 4 days. He reported back that, based on what he heard, he was unsure how the judge would rule, so we were all on pins and needles concerning this, awaiting the judge's official report.
The report was released last Friday. It was 38 pages, and officially on the public record, so the University sent electronic copies to all faculty and staff. I printed it and read it. It was surprisingly clear and easy to read.
Oh, my! What a pull-no-punches report! It was in 2 parts, the "facts" part and the "conclusions of law" part. Evidently, there was written evidence, including University emails, that were not presented orally at the hearing, so my friend did not hear them. But, the judge went through the whole of it in great detail. Conclusions: Several people broke the law, others were lax in their duty, and the whole thing was at the direction and/or pressure of the president. The judge found the president guilty in other matters, as well, and the conclusion was that the Chancellor was fully justified in firing him. Now, all that is lacking is for the state board to put their seal of approval on the whole thing, which is expected soon.
The president would have been gone in any case. The thing to be decide was if the University would have had to buy out the remaining time of his contract or not. NOT, as it turns out, which will save the school a lot of money. So, that's great news! There have been some budget cuts this fall due to the fact that we were paying 2 presidents. The soon-to-be-former president may file a law suit, but given this report, I don't think he has a leg to stand on.
Now the question is...what happens with the other people in the report that the judge says broke the law?
Charged? Fired? There is one faculty member, one long-time staff member, and one administrator that were cited -- as far as I can tell, all good people who knuckled under pressure.
Here's a lesson for all of us. Let our internal moral compass always be our guide. Those skeletons in the closet can come back to life.
The report was released last Friday. It was 38 pages, and officially on the public record, so the University sent electronic copies to all faculty and staff. I printed it and read it. It was surprisingly clear and easy to read.
Oh, my! What a pull-no-punches report! It was in 2 parts, the "facts" part and the "conclusions of law" part. Evidently, there was written evidence, including University emails, that were not presented orally at the hearing, so my friend did not hear them. But, the judge went through the whole of it in great detail. Conclusions: Several people broke the law, others were lax in their duty, and the whole thing was at the direction and/or pressure of the president. The judge found the president guilty in other matters, as well, and the conclusion was that the Chancellor was fully justified in firing him. Now, all that is lacking is for the state board to put their seal of approval on the whole thing, which is expected soon.
The president would have been gone in any case. The thing to be decide was if the University would have had to buy out the remaining time of his contract or not. NOT, as it turns out, which will save the school a lot of money. So, that's great news! There have been some budget cuts this fall due to the fact that we were paying 2 presidents. The soon-to-be-former president may file a law suit, but given this report, I don't think he has a leg to stand on.
Now the question is...what happens with the other people in the report that the judge says broke the law?
Charged? Fired? There is one faculty member, one long-time staff member, and one administrator that were cited -- as far as I can tell, all good people who knuckled under pressure.
Here's a lesson for all of us. Let our internal moral compass always be our guide. Those skeletons in the closet can come back to life.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
It's Winter!
Until today, we have had a relatively mild fall. Last week, however, it started being chilly (highs in the 30s) and people started wearing warm jackets. However, it was not yet time for the winter coat.
But this morning when I fetched my paper the temperature was 9. I decided it was time for Big Purple. I have named my winter coat Big Purple because, well, it's big and purple. With Big Purple comes the ski gloves and the wool scarves.
Winter is both a friend and enemy here. It's a friend because it is severe enough to kill all chiggers, cockroaches and termites that may have wandered in from other areas over the summer. It's an enemy if it snows so much that my car gets stuck in the snow 20 feet from my driveway. Can't wait for the sun to melt the snow, because that could be months. I have to call a tow truck. Very embarrassing!
This is certainly different from my former home, in which Big Purple sometimes stayed in the closet all winter, as the folks there consider 40 degrees and drizzle to be "cold". Nuts! I now know what cold it. It's not 40 degrees or 30 degrees or even 20 degrees. It's 20 below. Actually, I think there should be another word for the cold-below-cold that we get here.
I was watching a documentary about WWII and was reminded of the Winter that Russia has. I capitalized Winter because their winter is more "winter" even than our winter. The only people who do well in a Russian winter is a Russian. This is something that both Hitler and Napolean found out when their summer offenses into Russia became bogged down and turned into winter offenses. They both went home with only a small fraction of their armies. Many of those soldiers were not killed in battle, but died from the Russian Winter. In that case, Winter was Russia's not-so-secret weapon.
In the documentary, one of the things that was pointed out was that the best kind of winter coat is not a wool coat, but a quilted one. The Russians had quilted coats, but the Germans had wool. Russians know Winter.
And, as luck would have it, Big Purple is quilted. I got it about 30 years ago, and it's still going strong. Any part of my anatomy that is under Big Purple is warm, regardless of temperature or wind chill. I have shoveled snow in 15 below weather while wearing Big Purple and actually started perspiring. Winter? I'm ready!
But this morning when I fetched my paper the temperature was 9. I decided it was time for Big Purple. I have named my winter coat Big Purple because, well, it's big and purple. With Big Purple comes the ski gloves and the wool scarves.
Winter is both a friend and enemy here. It's a friend because it is severe enough to kill all chiggers, cockroaches and termites that may have wandered in from other areas over the summer. It's an enemy if it snows so much that my car gets stuck in the snow 20 feet from my driveway. Can't wait for the sun to melt the snow, because that could be months. I have to call a tow truck. Very embarrassing!
This is certainly different from my former home, in which Big Purple sometimes stayed in the closet all winter, as the folks there consider 40 degrees and drizzle to be "cold". Nuts! I now know what cold it. It's not 40 degrees or 30 degrees or even 20 degrees. It's 20 below. Actually, I think there should be another word for the cold-below-cold that we get here.
I was watching a documentary about WWII and was reminded of the Winter that Russia has. I capitalized Winter because their winter is more "winter" even than our winter. The only people who do well in a Russian winter is a Russian. This is something that both Hitler and Napolean found out when their summer offenses into Russia became bogged down and turned into winter offenses. They both went home with only a small fraction of their armies. Many of those soldiers were not killed in battle, but died from the Russian Winter. In that case, Winter was Russia's not-so-secret weapon.
In the documentary, one of the things that was pointed out was that the best kind of winter coat is not a wool coat, but a quilted one. The Russians had quilted coats, but the Germans had wool. Russians know Winter.
And, as luck would have it, Big Purple is quilted. I got it about 30 years ago, and it's still going strong. Any part of my anatomy that is under Big Purple is warm, regardless of temperature or wind chill. I have shoveled snow in 15 below weather while wearing Big Purple and actually started perspiring. Winter? I'm ready!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
"V" for Vendetta
A few weeks ago, I happened to catch on TV the last part of a movie called "V" for Vendetta. I was intrigued, though confused, as this is a movie that makes no sense if seen from the middle. Finally, last weekend, I was able to find the time to rent it and watch it from the beginning. All I can say is WOW!
If you haven't seen it, here's the general idea. In 1605, a man named Guy Fawkes plotted to blow up the Parliament building in London because he wished to depose the king and replace him with another. The plot was discovered and Mr. Fawkes paid with his life. The destruction was to take place on Nov. 5, and for a while, Guy Fawkes Day, Nov. 5, was celebrated in England by burning Mr. Fawkes in effigy and shooting off fireworks.
However, in the movie, a man only known as "V" sees Guy Fawkes not as a villian, but as a hero because he tried to do something about a government he didn't like. The movie takes place in a Britain that is ruled by a Hitler-like character in a Nazi-like regime, so V doesn't like his government, either. He is also put off by the fact that he was the unwilling subject of medical experiments conducted by the same government. So, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask all the time, V starts a one-man program to do what Guy Fawkes tried and failed to do--not just blow up Parliament, but change the government. His plan is carefully thought out and flawlessly executed, and I found it altogether fascinating. It involved assasination, persuasion, and manipulation of people, playing on certain personality traits. V is a complex character--part terrorist, part philosopher, and a pretty good dancer. He quotes Shakespeare a lot, and wears a black cape, which is always a plus. V is played by Hugo Weaving, who does a marvellous job, especially considering that you never see his face. His acting must be accomplished primarily by voice inflection.
I am not surprised that some in the Occupy Wall Street bunch have started wearing the Guy Fawkes mask, because it's a powerful symbol to anyone who has seen this movie, although I would have thought that the message would have resonated more with the Tea Party folks.
Anyway, watch it, if you haven't already. I was in the middle of the movie when I realized I was watching it on Nov. 5, Guy Fawkes Day. What a coincidence! Or, as V says in the movie, there are no coincidences.
If you haven't seen it, here's the general idea. In 1605, a man named Guy Fawkes plotted to blow up the Parliament building in London because he wished to depose the king and replace him with another. The plot was discovered and Mr. Fawkes paid with his life. The destruction was to take place on Nov. 5, and for a while, Guy Fawkes Day, Nov. 5, was celebrated in England by burning Mr. Fawkes in effigy and shooting off fireworks.
However, in the movie, a man only known as "V" sees Guy Fawkes not as a villian, but as a hero because he tried to do something about a government he didn't like. The movie takes place in a Britain that is ruled by a Hitler-like character in a Nazi-like regime, so V doesn't like his government, either. He is also put off by the fact that he was the unwilling subject of medical experiments conducted by the same government. So, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask all the time, V starts a one-man program to do what Guy Fawkes tried and failed to do--not just blow up Parliament, but change the government. His plan is carefully thought out and flawlessly executed, and I found it altogether fascinating. It involved assasination, persuasion, and manipulation of people, playing on certain personality traits. V is a complex character--part terrorist, part philosopher, and a pretty good dancer. He quotes Shakespeare a lot, and wears a black cape, which is always a plus. V is played by Hugo Weaving, who does a marvellous job, especially considering that you never see his face. His acting must be accomplished primarily by voice inflection.
I am not surprised that some in the Occupy Wall Street bunch have started wearing the Guy Fawkes mask, because it's a powerful symbol to anyone who has seen this movie, although I would have thought that the message would have resonated more with the Tea Party folks.
Anyway, watch it, if you haven't already. I was in the middle of the movie when I realized I was watching it on Nov. 5, Guy Fawkes Day. What a coincidence! Or, as V says in the movie, there are no coincidences.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Protestant and Catholic
This post is in response to a comment on my previous post, asking how, as a Catholic, I integrated John Wesley's beliefs into my own. Since I can't figure out how to put a comment on my own post (!!), I will just add a post!
In this particular case, no "integration" is necessary. John Wesley echoes very closely the Catholic view of poverty vs. riches. Just look at the writings and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi.
Modern "prosperity theology" is a recent thing (from about the 1950's) and is very different from Catholic and mainstream Protestant beliefs. Though I can't tell for sure, some of Herman Cain's comments would lead me to believe he subscribes to this.
Since becoming Catholic a few years ago, I have spent as much time as I can studying Catholic history and theology. I have been astonished to find that the difference between Catholic theology and mainstream Protestant theology are not as profound as I had been led to believe. There is direct scriptural back-up for 99% of what Catholics believe, which shouldn't be surprising considering that the Catholic church actually wrote the New Testament, after all!
In this particular case, no "integration" is necessary. John Wesley echoes very closely the Catholic view of poverty vs. riches. Just look at the writings and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi.
Modern "prosperity theology" is a recent thing (from about the 1950's) and is very different from Catholic and mainstream Protestant beliefs. Though I can't tell for sure, some of Herman Cain's comments would lead me to believe he subscribes to this.
Since becoming Catholic a few years ago, I have spent as much time as I can studying Catholic history and theology. I have been astonished to find that the difference between Catholic theology and mainstream Protestant theology are not as profound as I had been led to believe. There is direct scriptural back-up for 99% of what Catholics believe, which shouldn't be surprising considering that the Catholic church actually wrote the New Testament, after all!
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