|
Wow. I just ordered my first pizza from the internets. The ordering process was pretty smooth, but the coolest part is the Pizza Tracker! Without it, how would I have known that Maurice began custom-making my order at 7:54 PM, as shown in the above screenshot.
Maurice put my pizza in the oven at 7:58 PM.
And delivery expert Keith left the store with my order at 8:03 PM. My pizza seemed to have cooked very quickly. Oh well, my order should be here any minute now!
From Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live last night:
Barack Obama met with Hillary Clinton on Friday to see if she would be interested in a role in his administration. "Of course," said Hillary -- "I'll take President!"
Years ago, Bud Abbott & Lou Costello made famous the comedy routine "Who's on First?" Listen to it below -- and enjoy!
The following modern-day reenactment, forwarded to me by a friend, is not as timeless but is pretty funny:
ABBOTT: Super Duper Computer Store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
A few days later:
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on START.
On Tuesday evening during his acceptance speech, President-Elect Obama announced to his two little girls that there's a "new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House." Since that comment, there has been hope within the animal rescue circles that the Obamas will adopt a shelter dog to serve as a role model to our nation.
Today, Obama held his first press conference as president-elect and was asked, among many other questions, what kind of dog he would end up getting. (I was so thrilled to hear this question asked!!) Obama's response:
So, at this point, there is hope...With respect to the dog, this is a major issue. I think it's generated more interest on our website than just about anything. We have -- we have two criteria that have to be reconciled. One is that Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypoallergenic. There are a number of breeds that are hypoallergenic. On the other hand, our preference would be to get a shelter dog, but, obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me. So -- so whether we're going to be able to balance those two things I think is a pressing issue on the Obama household.
On Tuesday, California passed a proposition that calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs be confined only in ways that allow these animals to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely.
The mistreatment of animals on factory farms is something that burns me up (see here, for example). Cheers to California on passing this important proposition!!
On the popular vote, I guessed 54-46 vs. the actual 53-46 (according to CNN).
And I called four of the states wrong, including North Carolina for McCain instead of Obama; the unofficial count favors Obama by less than one-half of 1% -- 14,053 votes out of 4,232,615. I also guessed wrong on Missouri, which has voted for the winner in every presidential election since 1904, except in 1956 -- and 2008.
On the electoral vote, I guessed 352-186. Assuming North Carolina for Obama, it will be 364-173.
Some touching, sincere comments from Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell on Obama's win:
I'm predicting that Obama will win the popular vote 54-45 and the electoral vote 352-186, per the map below:
I feel fairly confident with all of these predictions except for North Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia and Florida, all of which I have going to Obama. But even if McCain wins these five states, Obama still wins the race 278-260.
Barack Obama needs to be our next President. Our livelihood is in trouble, and we need Obama more than ever. Obama, along with Joe Biden, understands the pain and worry that many of us are experiencing and has sound plans to address our concerns. Obama's opponent seems to have other priorities and has demonstrated extremely poor judgement by selecting an unqualified running mate.
Here is an absolute gem from YouTube member pfte1. The lyrics are so good that I transcribed them below.
Don't speak for me, Sarah Palin
The truth is I do not like you
My kid plays hockey
And I'm his momma
But I am voting
Barack Obama
Don't speak for me, Sarah Palin
The truth is I do not like you
What if McCain were Chief
And then he died-a
you'd be more scary
than the Al-Qaeda
I cannot let it happen
There must be change
Can't let you of all ridiculous people
Be one heartbeat away
From the highest position of leadership
In this great country of ours
Seeing as you can't think past your own religion
Or say nuclear correctly for that matter
I don't believe you
Running around like Joe McCarthy
Accusing people of being terrorists by association
Because you have nothing more intelligent to say
Than You Betcha'
Darn Right
And Drill Here
Don't speak for me, Sarah Palin
You don't get this global crisis
They'll wear bikinis
Up in Alaska
And Mexico will
Move to Nebraska
Don't speak for me, Sarah Palin
The truth is I do not like you
My kid plays hockey
And I wear lipstick
But I'm a thinker
And you're a dipstick
Have I said to too much?
I've already linked together more consecutive complete sentences
Than you did in your entire debate
All you need to do
Is look at me to know
I demand more than you
To be my magistrate
The truth is I do not like you
My kid plays hockey
And I'm his momma
But I am voting
Barack Obama
I spotted this photo on one of my favorite blogs, Andrew Sullivan's The Daily Dish:
Pumpkins are lit up before a rally for Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) at the Wicker Memorial Park October 31, 2008 in Highland, Indiana. By Joe Raedle/Getty.
We all believe in our hearts that he is the person to make America great again.
An interchange between CNN's Campbell Brown and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger:
BROWN: Do you think [Palin is] qualified to be president?Wow. You can't make up stuff like this. Incredible.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I think that she will get to be qualified.
BROWN: She will get there? What do you mean? She's not ready yet?
SCHWARZENEGGER: By the time that she is sworn in I think she will be ready.
Two of the latest Mac/PC commercials are pretty funny...
First up: PC is allocating money between advertising and "putting something toward resolving Vista's problems." Click here to watch.
Then, PC has a bake sale "to raise money to finally fix Vista" since "the marketing guys decided to run a big expensive ad campaign." Click here to watch.
I bought a Barack Obama action figure from a street vendor at the St. Louis Obama Rally on Saturday morning. It's very cool! The action figure has eight points of articulation, allowing you to pose Barack in a number of different presidential positions.
The packaging is very cool, too.
You can get your own here. Also available is a John McCain "call to action" figure.
On Meet the Press this morning, Colin Powell announced his endorsement of Obama and offered his detailed reasoning:
In addition to his concerns about both McCain and Palin and the way their campaign is being run, I really connected to Powell's high-level summary of why Obama is "the president we need now":
I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities -- and we have to take that into account, as well as his substance. He has both style and substance. He has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming onto the... American stage. And for that reason I'll be voting for Sen. Barack Obama.
Not since 1928 has the top 1 percent of households held such a large share of the nation's income. (source)
On Real Time With Bill Maher tonight, I learned that FDR's Fed Chairman Marriner Eccles found this to be a significant reason why, in 1928, "the game" stopped and the Great Depression ensued:
(More details about Eccles' thinking here.)
The very wealthy in our country are doing extraordinarily well playing "the game." They've been helped by policies such as Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of households in our country.
We're long overdue for new leadership to help the rest of us stay in "the game."
None of us should want "the game" to be stopped -- again.
This, to me, is the biggest issue of the 2008 presidential election.
My freelance review of W., which opens today:
According to recent polls, nearly three-fourths of Americans disapprove of George W. Bush's performance as president.
Oliver Stone's new film W. explores aspects of this performance -- as well as Bush as a young adult trying to find his place in the world.
Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) is effective as Bush. He has many of his quirky mannerisms down as the film bounces back and forth between the post-9/11, wartime Oval Office and the 1980s/90s struggles between Bush and his father (played by James Cromwell).
The Oval Office scenes are mostly focused on the Iraq War and Bush's interactions with his immediate staff (including Richard Dreyfess' spot-on depiction of Dick Cheney, Scott Glenn's Donald Rumsfeld, Thandie Newton's Condoleeza Rice, and Toby Jones' rather creepy portrayal of Karl Rove).
At 131 minutes, the film is a bit on the long side. But there's a fair amount of humor interspersed within Stone's portrait of Bush, which is more human and complex than expected. Recurrently throughout the film, Bush is displayed as someone very much in need of his father's acceptance.
At this point, if you're among the 25% who approval of Bush's performance, you might want to refrain from seeing W. to keep your blood pressure in check. Otherwise, your political leanings will probably dictate just how much you would appreciate or not appreciate W.
Later this fall is the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, the UDHR outlines the view of the United Nations on the human rights guaranteed to all people.
The following video, set to the song Minds Awake by Rumspringa, is fascinating and hypnotic:
These are the items I picked up from the Clayton Farmer's Market this morning: Free-range eggs laid yesterday, from a farm in New Florence, MO; a potato & chive focaccia bread (baked by nutritionists at St. Louis University); a variety of peppers; three ears of popcorn -- still on the cob; and a vine of American Bittersweet Berries (for decoration only!).
This was the worst week ever for the Dow Jones Industrial Average in terms of either point loss (1,874) or percentage change (down 18.15%). The week ending July 21, 1933 -- during the Great Depression -- is the second worst week on record, when the Dow closed down 15.55%.
Need a break from it? My recommendation is to check out a show that may be the funniest thing on TV. And it happens to be called Worst Week.
Worst Week is about Sam Briggs, a man who will do anything to please his girlfriend's parents -- but instead becomes a one-man wrecking crew whenever he's around them.
Three episodes have aired so far. No laugh track, but plenty of laughs. It's on Monday nights on CBS. Full episodes are available for purchase at the iTunes Store or can be watched (for free, but with ads) on CBS' website.
Only in this day and age can two words from a debate bring about an entire website with t-shirts and stickers for sale, as well as YouTube videos such as this one... or should I say that one:
Oh, my! Today, John McCain accidently referred to Americans as "my fellow prisoners" and called for his standards of "clarity and candor" to be applied to Barack Obama:
