A Welsh View

An interesting view of things from the Welsh perspective. Nice blog. Well worth a visit. Pay particular attention to (November 21) Mélissa Theuriau, the most beautiful and "...sexiest newsreader in the world". "Man jailed for eating a swan" caught my attention as well.

Park and call

Detroit's horizon expands.

And did you hear about the cell phone they have for dogs?

JFK

On this day, 1963.



An audio clip from campaign speech made during Kennedy's run for the Presidency, stating his motives for seeking the office.

David Armand and Natalie Imbruglia in full version of Torn

David Armand is, in addition to being an excellent ensemble actor, (he is a member of the British comedy group the Hollow Men. They appeared on Comedy Central last year.)

This video LINK , in which Armand mimes the song Torn as sung by Australian actress, singer Natalie Imbruglia.



In this longer version, performed at London's Royal Albert Hall in October for Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball, Armand mimes the full three and half minutes, joined in the second verse by the very lovely Miss Imbruglia.

Nuclear Stress and Hershey's muffins

I did my nuclear stress test today. Piece of cake. No! I mean non-fat chocolate muffin. I add chocolate chips to some of the muffins to make them more palatable to the kids. And, I use nonfat milk and nonfat yogurt. 2% milk and at least lowfat yogurt would no doubt improve the taste. As would a pound of butter. Just joking.

Cat napping

Tootsie and Crystal doing what they do best.




Trying to get a little shuteye.

Worth a read

THE NEXT ACT
by SEYMOUR M. HERSH
Is a damaged Administration less likely to attack Iran, or more?

November 22, 1963

I remember that day and going to buy popcorn in a movie theatre where I was watching a very dumb movie called Mary, Mary. I thought the woman behind the counter was trying to tell me a crude joke when I asked for popcorn. "The president's been shot" she said. "Oh?" I said. "And governor Connelly too. In Dallas. I just heard it on the radio." I realized then she wasn't joking.

I left the theatre and drove towards home. A small girl's college was near a Catholic church I passed, and I saw students running towards the church, crying.

I drove from southern Viginia to Washington, D.C. that night, arriving in D.C. after midnight. I went to the little park across from the White House and stood quietly with others. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to do that, but I thought I should do something. It was about two a.m. when the grey Navy ambulance bearing the President's brought him back to the White House.

That weekend was so cold.

The Man

The Man with Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy "One guy walks the walk. The other talks and talks."




I'm not trying to make excuses, but I got the movie only because I like Samuel L. Jackson. I didn't pay money. I got it from the library. And Eugene Levy is a very funny guy. Relationships are what make a movie for me and Jackson and Levy do establish a nice bond by the end of the movie. Levy seems like he must be a real sweetheart in real life. And the scene in the airport where...but wait a minute. I don't want to give away the ending. Levy in particular made the movie OK for me. I could have done without the "language and rude dialogue". It would have been a better movie without it.

Silver bells

There's a feeling in the air. And I thought I heard the sound of--I must be imagining--did you hear that? Bells? Silver bells? Can you feel it! In the air?

The plaza guys are putting up Christmas banners, and it's very cold. Feels like snow though none is predicted. Buying groceries I saw people I'd never seen before.
Strangers. People who only come out for the big one. Carts packed with chestnuts and turkeys, cans of pumpkin and evaporated milk.

And the cell phone thing is marvelous. I saw two people pushing carts with both hands, talking to themselves at full volume. At first I thought they were just ordinary folks pushed to the limits by the accelerating need to buy. Then I noticed they both had headsets and were probably just checking in with home to see if they should pick up a dozen eggs or more toilet paper. An extra six pack of Michelob for friends who might drop in unexpectedly. I admire those people. No inhibitions like me. I'd never be brave enough to do that.

A women with two cute little tots pushed me aside in produce as I was trying to find some reasonably ripe bananas, proclaiming "I only have five minutes to get through the whole store!" "Oh, I understand" I said. And why are all the bananas so green these days. I don't see the overripe bananas, perfect for banana nut bread, anymore.

People are just people after all. Just trying to put food on their families.

Quebec City in August

It's beginning to feel a lot like winter. These photos I took in Quebec City in August put me in a warmer state of mind.

Tootsie the cat

Meet Tootsie, one of our four cats.

Excuse me!

"Did you say the World Toilet Expo?"
This video provided by Reuters proves that education has no boundaries.

This article from the Daily Utah Chronicle may have been inspired by the Expo.

Today's walk

Remember when geese got out of town for the winter?

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

I began reading, The Essential Holmes, Selections from the Letters, Speeches, Judicial Opinions and Other Writings of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. last night.

I was reminded of Justice Holmes the other day in a discussion about war I was having with a friend (me). My friend reminded me of a book by Holmes on his experiences during the Civil War. Holmes was a recent Harvard grad in 1861 and was eager to do his duty. He enlisted, fought bravely, was seriously wounded three times.

The book, Touched With Fire is one of the best books on the realities of war I've read.

A quote from a Memorial Day speech, delivered by Justice Holmes, May 30, 1884, at the John Sedgwick Post #4, Grand Army of the Republic, Keene, N. H.

I see another youthful lieutenant as I saw him in the Seven Days, when I looked down the line at Glendale. The officers were at the head of their companies. The advance was beginning. We caught each other's eye and saluted. When next I looked, he was gone.

I see the brother of the last--the flame of genius and daring in his face--as he rode before us into the wood of Antietam, out of which came only dead and deadly wounded men. So, a little later, he rode to his death at the head of his cavalry in the Valley.