The following is a post that was flagged as "Best of" on Craigslist recently. There are a lot of posts that end up on this list that really aren't what I would call "Best of" anything. This one is a litle different.
RAVE RAVE RAVE: "I'll take you where you need to go"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: anon-138796534@craigslist.org
Date: Fri Mar 03 16:46:15 2006
So this morning I'm running late for school as usual and am cross and frustrated and tired after staying up all night to write a paper and generally just in a relatively "Blech" mood.
Luckily I was able to make the bus, but only because it was held up with all the construction going on in front of U Village which has turned 45th into an absolute (if temporary) nightmare.
So the bus is rumbling along and trying to get over amidst the dozen or little cars who are all determined to get ahead of us before the bus can switch into the lane it needs...
*Tangent* (Btw, you clowns ever read those "yield" signs on the back? Yeah, they're not kidding.. YIELD! Is being one car length in front of the bus really worth trying to vie for position with 15 tons of steel and glass with your little Hundai Accent? I got 5 bucks says who is going to win that battle!)
*ahem* As I was saying.. so the bus driver is just doing his damnedest (I recognize this is probably not really a word) to merge over and he makes it over just in time to make it to the next stop, which he does announce and when no one pulled the cord, he gratefully kept on trucking to turn out of the traffic mess onto campus. As we are waiting to go through the intersection at the light at 25th, a very old (like 90 if a day) blind man nervously asked if his stop had come yet...
The bus driver instantly remembered that this man had asked to be let off at the last stop he'd just passed. This man was clearly hard of hearing (had giant hearing aids) and in no way could have known the stop was coming up to pull the cord. The driver had told him he'd remember to let him off there and then with all the traffic and stuff I guess he just forgot. (To his credit, he felt really really bad about it and was apologizing profusely).
The old blind man was clearly scared and asked to be told where he was exactly but even though we weren't far from where he wanted to get off... it would have been very difficult for him to get back there because the sidewalk is not continuous. The driver offered to let him off at that corner and was trying to explain how to do it, but it was just too complicated for this guy. (I don't blame him, the 25th, 45th, montlake intersection is kind of convoluted for pedestrians)The obviously distressed man finally decided that rather than risk it he'd just get off at the next stop and catch the next bus coming back the other way...
With an "Are you sure?" the driver began to close the doors again but then.. from the back of the bus came a woman's voice....
"I'll take you where you need to go" she said as she made her way to the front. She turned to the driver and said, "I can take him" and with that the driver let the elderly blind man and the young woman in a black jacket and pink bandana in her hair off the bus.
The bus was at the light for a moment or two longer and as I watched this woman gently talking to this man as she held his elbow and began escorting him safely to his destination I couldn't help but almost feel the kindness radiating off of her in his direction. They were beautiful. Her:looking very much the Seattle "granola girl" and him: frail, tapping his white cane in front of him.
Say what you want about hippies, liberals, whatever.. This woman displayed an unselfish compassion this morning that should put us all to shame, regardless of affiliation.
You see, she didn't pull the cord either... she was obviously on her way to somewhere else, and chose instead to delay her plans to help this total stranger walk half a block to safety. I was humbled.
Thank you, Ms. Kindest-Blue-Eyes-Ever for helping me to remember why we're all really here on this earth and for shaming me for my inaction to help my fellow man out of preoccupation with my own interests.
I needed that.
I think we all do.
So RAVE RAVE RAVE RAVE to you!
You not only made my morning, you made my co-workers mornings too when I walked into the lab and told them this story. Good on ya!
Signed,
An anonymous girl you gently brushed past on the bus so you could do what we ALL should have been making our way forward to do
this is in or around uw bus#75@10:15am
Friday, March 24, 2006
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Love Actually
You may hate this movie, you may love it, you may have never seen it.
Whatever the case, as schmaltzy as some parts of it may be, the opening voiceover by Hugh Grant as the British Prime Minister is indeed telling and on this Valentine's Day worth remembering.
"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."
And there it is.
Be nice.
Peace.
Little things...
From time to time, I stop and think about what makes people so miserable. You see them every day. Driving in their cars, walking down the street, waiting in line at the market. And they have one thing in common. They all look absolutely miserable!
Sure, life is stressful with oversized mortgage payments, car troubles, a boss that doesn't appreciate you. But stop and think for a minute about what's really going on with all of these things.
* Mortgage payment - May be a lot of money, but it validates that you've been able to achieve the goal of home ownership amidst all the economic perils you may have encountered along the way. And, mortgage rates are still at historic lows. The prices of housing may be overinflated, but you have a roof over your head for you and possibly your family.
* Car troubles - At least you have a car and probably a job to which you drive it when it's running. A lot of people take the bus everyday and stand in the cold and rain waiting for it not because they are green consumers trying to save the earth, but rather because they have no other choice. I've seen people on the bus with sick children on the way to the doctor's and I'm thankful I can take my kids in the 5 year old minivan when they are sick!
* Sucky boss, job, etc. - First I'll say be glad to have a job even if it seems to suck big time. Second, look for another one. Regardless of your skill level and educational background, there are hundreds of thousands of jobs in this country waiting to be filled. Check out monster.com or simplyhired.com. Maybe the next job will suck just as much, maybe it'll suck a little bit less. At least you'll get a better idea of what you don't like and that's half the battle in finding the right match for what you really want to do.
I've worked my share of craptastic jobs over the years. I've owned cars that left me stranded more than I care to remember. I've shared apartments with people I didn't want to look at, let alone live with at times. I've been kept awake at night wondering how to make the deep red budget creep it's way to black.
And you know what? I wouldn't change a thing or trade it for anything. My past has helped to make me the man I am today. The man my wife loves and my kids look up to. There's a saying that sounds trite when you hear it, but it's absolutely true.
Life is what you make it. I choose to make it happy, peaceful and worthwhile.
Sometimes I forget how to do that and fall into the trap of feeling that the world is a catastrophe not waiting to happen, but midway through a full on implosion. Then I'm brought back by a child who takes the greatest delight in making me a "special" dessert or giving me a hand scrawled valentine or simply gazing at me with wonder and awe at how I can pick him up so high.
Life truly is what you make it. So try to make it happy, make it peaceful and while you're at it, try to make it a little better for someone else each day. A smile, a caring word, a couple of coins in those ubiquitous tip jars. It won't cost you much and you find you get an awful lot in return.
Be nice.
Peace.
Friday, February 03, 2006
The Problem with the Muslim cartoon protests.
First, please read this op-ed piece on Freedom of Speech and the current controversy over cartoons of the Islamic Prophet Mohammed from
http://www.stuff.co.nz
The precious right of freedom of speech
04 February 2006
Modern society rests on the contest of ideas, the ability to question perceived wisdom and to challenge authority, The Dominion Post writes in an editorial.
Without that contest, and the right to free speech that makes it possible, societies stultify and become entrenched in their beliefs. That freedom to question and to challenge must include the right to be offensive, to affront people's most heartfelt beliefs, even to disparage that which they hold sacred. Otherwise it is an empty freedom.
Our decision to publish the 12 cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed from the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten (Jutland Post) at the centre of the escalating row between the Muslim world and the nations of the West is not one that the newspaper has taken lightly. However, in the clash of values at the centre of the dispute not to publish because of fear of disturbing the sensibilities of Muslims would be to give way in the face of bullying threats. That is what Muslims are seeking to have the Western democracies do with their threats of bombs and trade boycotts.
There is no doubt that Muslims find the portrayal of the Prophet offensive. The Koran is clear that the slander and mockery of Islam and prayer crosses a sacred boundary, and warns that those who cross that boundary will be hurled into "crushing disaster". Mufti Abdul Barkatullah, a member of the British Muslim Council, calls it a no-go area at any cost, adding "the Prophet is held above everything in the universe, over one's own person, family, parents, the whole world. It is less offensive to condemn and vilify God".
That is certainly true – for Muslims.
However Denmark, and the other countries where the cartoons have been reproduced, including in Britain by the BBC and in newspapers in France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and Germany, are not Muslim countries.
They are democratic, secular countries which are not ruled by religious dogma, whether it be Muslim or Christian.
They have the same values as New Zealand, which includes the right to free speech in its Bill of Rights. There is an acceptance that people can write and say what they wish – except in tightly defined circumstances – even if others are offended by it, and that being shocked can be part of the price for being informed.
The Muslim case is not helped by the hypocrisy when it comes to respecting the religious values of others. No doubt many fundamentalist Christian Americans find it deeply offensive for their country to be constantly labelled the Great Satan.
And, as the German newspaper Die Welt pointed out when it published one of the cartoons, "when Syrian television showed drama documentaries in prime time depicting rabbis as cannibals, the imams were quiet".
There have been earlier cultural confrontations between the West and a resurgent Islam, beginning with the death sentence pronounced in 1989 on author Salman Rushdie for The Satanic Verses, and including the murder in 2004 of Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh after he made a film dealing with violence against Islamic women.
They are confrontations the West cannot afford to lose. The right to freedom of speech is a precious one that has to be defended.
OK. Now I'll agree that followers of Islam have a right to feel insulted and offended by the cartoons that were printed. However, the way millions of Muslims have chosen to display their feelings with violence, threats and violent rhetoric is a large part of the problem as to why the western world has a hard time accepting Islam and it's followers.
You can view the cartoons for yourself here.
Several noted Arab journalists had this to say about the issue in Slate.com:
Muhammad al-Hamadi, writing in the United Arab Emirates' Al-Ittihad, argued that the perception of a link between Islam and terrorism is not merely a figment of European cartoonists' imaginations: "The world has come to believe that Islam is what is practiced by Bin Laden, Zawahiri, Zarqawi, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafis, and others who have presented a distorted image of Islam. We must be honest with ourselves and admit that we are the reason for these drawings. Any harm to the Prophet or Islam is a result of Muslims who have come to reflect the worst image of Islam and certain Arabs who have not conveyed faithfully the life and biography of the Prophet." Al-Hamadi criticized Denmark as well for picking the wrong issue for a stand on principle: "If Denmark has tried to teach Arabs and Muslims a lesson in respect for the country's constitution and its laws, I believe it did not succeed in choosing the right issue. The justification that one must respect the constitution that guarantees freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to denigrate others, was not appropriate—this is the trap that Denmark fell into."
Abdallah Bin Bakhit, writing in Saudi Arabia's Al-Jazirah, used the popular boycott of Danish goods to direct subtle criticism at the Arab world's weak institutions: "All of the pressure that we see being exerted on the Danish government and on Danish public opinion is simply spontaneous pressure, supported by a few businessmen, that began with the man in the street and will end with him. The Danish goods that are today disappearing from store shelves will be back in a few days as though nothing had happened. Muslims are the strongest people in the world when it comes to individual reactions and the weakest when it comes to institutionalized operations. Events have taught us that every reaction to such attacks on Islam (wherever they may take place) ends with institutionalized responses aimed at sapping the popular, local anger, but not at treating the issue in the place where it broke out."
Where is the consideration for American Christians when Islamic leaders refer to America as the great satan? Where is the call from Islamic leaders to remind the faithful that Islam is a religion founded on ideas of peace and mercy?
If Muslims around the world wish to be treated with fairness, respect and understanding they need to look within themselves the next time something offends them and consider a less violent and more "Islamic" reaction. Only then, will non Muslim citizens of the world start to see them in a different light and hopefully engage in meaningful dialogue.
And it wouldn't hurt for journalists in the West to think a bit more when preparing to publish something that may be deemed highly offensive and provide some additional background to help explain their position.
Be nice.
Peace
http://www.stuff.co.nz
The precious right of freedom of speech
04 February 2006
Modern society rests on the contest of ideas, the ability to question perceived wisdom and to challenge authority, The Dominion Post writes in an editorial.
Without that contest, and the right to free speech that makes it possible, societies stultify and become entrenched in their beliefs. That freedom to question and to challenge must include the right to be offensive, to affront people's most heartfelt beliefs, even to disparage that which they hold sacred. Otherwise it is an empty freedom.
Our decision to publish the 12 cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed from the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten (Jutland Post) at the centre of the escalating row between the Muslim world and the nations of the West is not one that the newspaper has taken lightly. However, in the clash of values at the centre of the dispute not to publish because of fear of disturbing the sensibilities of Muslims would be to give way in the face of bullying threats. That is what Muslims are seeking to have the Western democracies do with their threats of bombs and trade boycotts.
There is no doubt that Muslims find the portrayal of the Prophet offensive. The Koran is clear that the slander and mockery of Islam and prayer crosses a sacred boundary, and warns that those who cross that boundary will be hurled into "crushing disaster". Mufti Abdul Barkatullah, a member of the British Muslim Council, calls it a no-go area at any cost, adding "the Prophet is held above everything in the universe, over one's own person, family, parents, the whole world. It is less offensive to condemn and vilify God".
That is certainly true – for Muslims.
However Denmark, and the other countries where the cartoons have been reproduced, including in Britain by the BBC and in newspapers in France, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and Germany, are not Muslim countries.
They are democratic, secular countries which are not ruled by religious dogma, whether it be Muslim or Christian.
They have the same values as New Zealand, which includes the right to free speech in its Bill of Rights. There is an acceptance that people can write and say what they wish – except in tightly defined circumstances – even if others are offended by it, and that being shocked can be part of the price for being informed.
The Muslim case is not helped by the hypocrisy when it comes to respecting the religious values of others. No doubt many fundamentalist Christian Americans find it deeply offensive for their country to be constantly labelled the Great Satan.
And, as the German newspaper Die Welt pointed out when it published one of the cartoons, "when Syrian television showed drama documentaries in prime time depicting rabbis as cannibals, the imams were quiet".
There have been earlier cultural confrontations between the West and a resurgent Islam, beginning with the death sentence pronounced in 1989 on author Salman Rushdie for The Satanic Verses, and including the murder in 2004 of Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh after he made a film dealing with violence against Islamic women.
They are confrontations the West cannot afford to lose. The right to freedom of speech is a precious one that has to be defended.
OK. Now I'll agree that followers of Islam have a right to feel insulted and offended by the cartoons that were printed. However, the way millions of Muslims have chosen to display their feelings with violence, threats and violent rhetoric is a large part of the problem as to why the western world has a hard time accepting Islam and it's followers.
You can view the cartoons for yourself here.
Several noted Arab journalists had this to say about the issue in Slate.com:
Muhammad al-Hamadi, writing in the United Arab Emirates' Al-Ittihad, argued that the perception of a link between Islam and terrorism is not merely a figment of European cartoonists' imaginations: "The world has come to believe that Islam is what is practiced by Bin Laden, Zawahiri, Zarqawi, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafis, and others who have presented a distorted image of Islam. We must be honest with ourselves and admit that we are the reason for these drawings. Any harm to the Prophet or Islam is a result of Muslims who have come to reflect the worst image of Islam and certain Arabs who have not conveyed faithfully the life and biography of the Prophet." Al-Hamadi criticized Denmark as well for picking the wrong issue for a stand on principle: "If Denmark has tried to teach Arabs and Muslims a lesson in respect for the country's constitution and its laws, I believe it did not succeed in choosing the right issue. The justification that one must respect the constitution that guarantees freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to denigrate others, was not appropriate—this is the trap that Denmark fell into."
Abdallah Bin Bakhit, writing in Saudi Arabia's Al-Jazirah, used the popular boycott of Danish goods to direct subtle criticism at the Arab world's weak institutions: "All of the pressure that we see being exerted on the Danish government and on Danish public opinion is simply spontaneous pressure, supported by a few businessmen, that began with the man in the street and will end with him. The Danish goods that are today disappearing from store shelves will be back in a few days as though nothing had happened. Muslims are the strongest people in the world when it comes to individual reactions and the weakest when it comes to institutionalized operations. Events have taught us that every reaction to such attacks on Islam (wherever they may take place) ends with institutionalized responses aimed at sapping the popular, local anger, but not at treating the issue in the place where it broke out."
Where is the consideration for American Christians when Islamic leaders refer to America as the great satan? Where is the call from Islamic leaders to remind the faithful that Islam is a religion founded on ideas of peace and mercy?
If Muslims around the world wish to be treated with fairness, respect and understanding they need to look within themselves the next time something offends them and consider a less violent and more "Islamic" reaction. Only then, will non Muslim citizens of the world start to see them in a different light and hopefully engage in meaningful dialogue.
And it wouldn't hurt for journalists in the West to think a bit more when preparing to publish something that may be deemed highly offensive and provide some additional background to help explain their position.
Be nice.
Peace
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
F U Tom Cruise!
Bill's Big Blog
F U Tom Cruise!!!!!
Ok, so I know it's been a long time since I've blogged, but I had to find time to address this raving narcissist.
I know it's not just me that thinks this guy is a total whack job. Put aside my personal belief that scientology is a bs cult created and perpetuated to make money for its founder and consider the recent outbursts against psychiatry, ritalin and drug treatment of post-partum depression!
Rant One:
Nutjob rant against Brooke Shields.
"These drugs are dangerous. I have actually helped people come off. When you talk about postpartum, you can take people today, women, and what you do is you use vitamins. There is a hormonal thing that is going on, scientifically, you can prove that. But when you talk about emotional, chemical imbalances in people, there is no science behind that. You can use vitamins to help a woman through those things."
Who have you helped Tom? Why don't any of these people come forward to support your moronic claims? Where exactly did you get your background in medicine?
Rant Two:
When asked if he could be with someone at this stage in his life who doesn't have an interest in the Church of Scientology -- Holmes has said she's embracing the religion -- Cruise told interviewer Matt Lauer: "Scientology is something that you don't understand. It's like you could be a Christian and be a Scientologist.
"It is a religion. Because it's dealing with the spirit. You as a spiritual being." When Lauer mentioned Cruise's earlier criticism of Brooke Shields for taking anti-depressants, Cruise told the "Today" show co-host he didn't know what he was talking about.
"You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do," Cruise said.
The interview became more heated when Lauer, who said he knew people who had been helped by the attention-deficit disorder drug Ritalin, asked Cruise about the effects of the drug.
"Matt, Matt, you don't even -- you're glib," Cruise responded. "You don't even know what Ritalin is. If you start talking about chemical imbalance, you have to evaluate and read the research papers on how they came up with these theories, Matt, OK. That's what I've done."
Rant Three:
In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine.
SPIEGEL: We visited one of your locations near Los Angeles and were amazed to find a fully staffed tent of the Scientology organization right next to the food tents for the journalists and extras.
Cruise: What were you amazed about?
SPIEGEL: Why do you go so extremely public about your personal convictions?
Cruise: I believe in freedom of speech. I felt honored to have volunteer Scientology ministers on the set. They were helping the crew. When I'm working on a movie, I do anything I can to help the people I'm spending time with. I believe in communication.
SPIEGEL: The tent of a sect at someone's working place still seems somewhat strange to us. Mr. Spielberg, did that tent strike you as unusual?
Spielberg: I saw it as an information tent. No one was compelled to frequent it, but it was available for anybody who had an open mind and was curious about someone else's belief system.
Cruise:The volunteer Scientology ministers were there to help the sick and injured. People on the set appreciated that. I have absolutely nothing against talking about my beliefs. But I do so much more. We live in a world where people are on drugs forever. Where even children get drugged. Where crimes against humanity are so extreme that most people turn away in horror and dismay. Those are the things that I care about. I don't care what someone believes. I don't care what nationality they are. But if someone wants to get off drugs, I can help them. If someone wants to learn how to read, I can help them. If someone doesn't want to be a criminal anymore, I can give them tools that can better their life. You have no idea how many people want to know what Scientology is.
SPIEGEL: Do you see it as your job to recruit new followers for Scientology?
Cruise: I'm a helper. For instance, I myself have helped hundreds of people get off drugs. In Scientology, we have the only successful drug rehabilitation program in the world. It's called Narconon.
SPIEGEL: That's not correct. Yours is never mentioned among the recognized detox programs. Independent experts warn against it because it is rooted in pseudo science.
Cruise: You don't understand what I am saying. It's a statistically proven fact that there is only one successful drug rehabilitation program in the world. Period.
SPIEGEL: With all due respect, we doubt that. Mr. Cruise, you made studio executives, for example from Paramount, tour Scientology's "Celebrity Center" in Hollywood. Are you trying to extend Scientology's influence in Hollywood?
Cruise: I just want to help people. I want everyone to do well.
Spielberg: I often get asked similar questions about my Shoa Foundation. I get asked why I am trying to disseminate my deep belief in creating more tolerance through my foundation's teaching the history of the Holocaust in public schools. I believe that you shouldn't be allowed to attend college without having taken a course in tolerance education. That should be an important part of the social studies curriculum.
SPIEGEL: Mr. Spielberg, are you comparing the educational work of the Shoa Foundation with what Scientology does?
Spielberg: No, I'm not. Tom told you what he believes in, and after that I told you what I believe in. This is not a comparison between the Church of Scientology, the Shoa Foundation and the Holocaust. I was only showing you that some of us in Hollywood have set out to do more than just be actors or directors. Some of us have very personal missions. In Tom's case, it's his church, and in my case, it's the Shoa Foundation, where I'm trying to help other people learn about the mortal dangers of pure hatred.
SPIEGEL: How do you set about doing that?
Spielberg: I think that the only way we're going to teach young people not to kill each other is by showing them the reports by the survivors of the Holocaust -- so that they can tell them in their own words man's inhumanity to man. How they were hated. How they were displaced from their homes. How their families were wiped out and how by some miracle they themselves survived all that.
Cruise: How did the Holocaust start? People are not born to be intolerant of others. People are not born bigots and racists. It is educated into them.
Spiegel: Mr. Cruise, as you know, Scientology has been under federal surveillance in Germany. Scientology is not considered a religion there, but rather an exploitative cult with totalitarian tendencies.
Cruise: The surveillance is nothing like as strict anymore. Any you know why? Because the intelligence authorities never found anything. Because there was nothing to find. We've won over 50 court cases in Germany. And it's not true that everyone in Germany supports that line against us. Whenever I go to Germany, I have incredible experiences. I always meet very generous and extraordinary people. A minority wants to hate -- okay.
SPIEGEL: There is a difference between hate and having a critical perspective.
Cruise: For me, it's connected with intolerance.
SPIEGEL: In the past, for example when "Mission: Impossible" (1996) came out, German politicians called for a boycott of your movies. Are you worried that your support for Scientology could hurt your career?
Cruise: Not at all. I've always been very outspoken. I've been a Scientologist for 20 years. If someone is so intolerant that he doesn't want to see a Scientologist in a movie, then he shouldn't go to the movie theater. I don't care. Here in the United States, Scientology is a religion. If some of the politicians in your country don't agree with that, I couldn't care less.
Now to read what other celebrities have been saying about this so called religion.
Check out this link: http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/celebcrit.html?FACTNet
And finally, Tom Cruise, shut the hell up!
F U Tom Cruise!!!!!
Ok, so I know it's been a long time since I've blogged, but I had to find time to address this raving narcissist.
I know it's not just me that thinks this guy is a total whack job. Put aside my personal belief that scientology is a bs cult created and perpetuated to make money for its founder and consider the recent outbursts against psychiatry, ritalin and drug treatment of post-partum depression!
Rant One:
Nutjob rant against Brooke Shields.
"These drugs are dangerous. I have actually helped people come off. When you talk about postpartum, you can take people today, women, and what you do is you use vitamins. There is a hormonal thing that is going on, scientifically, you can prove that. But when you talk about emotional, chemical imbalances in people, there is no science behind that. You can use vitamins to help a woman through those things."
Who have you helped Tom? Why don't any of these people come forward to support your moronic claims? Where exactly did you get your background in medicine?
Rant Two:
When asked if he could be with someone at this stage in his life who doesn't have an interest in the Church of Scientology -- Holmes has said she's embracing the religion -- Cruise told interviewer Matt Lauer: "Scientology is something that you don't understand. It's like you could be a Christian and be a Scientologist.
"It is a religion. Because it's dealing with the spirit. You as a spiritual being." When Lauer mentioned Cruise's earlier criticism of Brooke Shields for taking anti-depressants, Cruise told the "Today" show co-host he didn't know what he was talking about.
"You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do," Cruise said.
The interview became more heated when Lauer, who said he knew people who had been helped by the attention-deficit disorder drug Ritalin, asked Cruise about the effects of the drug.
"Matt, Matt, you don't even -- you're glib," Cruise responded. "You don't even know what Ritalin is. If you start talking about chemical imbalance, you have to evaluate and read the research papers on how they came up with these theories, Matt, OK. That's what I've done."
Rant Three:
In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine.
SPIEGEL: We visited one of your locations near Los Angeles and were amazed to find a fully staffed tent of the Scientology organization right next to the food tents for the journalists and extras.
Cruise: What were you amazed about?
SPIEGEL: Why do you go so extremely public about your personal convictions?
Cruise: I believe in freedom of speech. I felt honored to have volunteer Scientology ministers on the set. They were helping the crew. When I'm working on a movie, I do anything I can to help the people I'm spending time with. I believe in communication.
SPIEGEL: The tent of a sect at someone's working place still seems somewhat strange to us. Mr. Spielberg, did that tent strike you as unusual?
Spielberg: I saw it as an information tent. No one was compelled to frequent it, but it was available for anybody who had an open mind and was curious about someone else's belief system.
Cruise:The volunteer Scientology ministers were there to help the sick and injured. People on the set appreciated that. I have absolutely nothing against talking about my beliefs. But I do so much more. We live in a world where people are on drugs forever. Where even children get drugged. Where crimes against humanity are so extreme that most people turn away in horror and dismay. Those are the things that I care about. I don't care what someone believes. I don't care what nationality they are. But if someone wants to get off drugs, I can help them. If someone wants to learn how to read, I can help them. If someone doesn't want to be a criminal anymore, I can give them tools that can better their life. You have no idea how many people want to know what Scientology is.
SPIEGEL: Do you see it as your job to recruit new followers for Scientology?
Cruise: I'm a helper. For instance, I myself have helped hundreds of people get off drugs. In Scientology, we have the only successful drug rehabilitation program in the world. It's called Narconon.
SPIEGEL: That's not correct. Yours is never mentioned among the recognized detox programs. Independent experts warn against it because it is rooted in pseudo science.
Cruise: You don't understand what I am saying. It's a statistically proven fact that there is only one successful drug rehabilitation program in the world. Period.
SPIEGEL: With all due respect, we doubt that. Mr. Cruise, you made studio executives, for example from Paramount, tour Scientology's "Celebrity Center" in Hollywood. Are you trying to extend Scientology's influence in Hollywood?
Cruise: I just want to help people. I want everyone to do well.
Spielberg: I often get asked similar questions about my Shoa Foundation. I get asked why I am trying to disseminate my deep belief in creating more tolerance through my foundation's teaching the history of the Holocaust in public schools. I believe that you shouldn't be allowed to attend college without having taken a course in tolerance education. That should be an important part of the social studies curriculum.
SPIEGEL: Mr. Spielberg, are you comparing the educational work of the Shoa Foundation with what Scientology does?
Spielberg: No, I'm not. Tom told you what he believes in, and after that I told you what I believe in. This is not a comparison between the Church of Scientology, the Shoa Foundation and the Holocaust. I was only showing you that some of us in Hollywood have set out to do more than just be actors or directors. Some of us have very personal missions. In Tom's case, it's his church, and in my case, it's the Shoa Foundation, where I'm trying to help other people learn about the mortal dangers of pure hatred.
SPIEGEL: How do you set about doing that?
Spielberg: I think that the only way we're going to teach young people not to kill each other is by showing them the reports by the survivors of the Holocaust -- so that they can tell them in their own words man's inhumanity to man. How they were hated. How they were displaced from their homes. How their families were wiped out and how by some miracle they themselves survived all that.
Cruise: How did the Holocaust start? People are not born to be intolerant of others. People are not born bigots and racists. It is educated into them.
Spiegel: Mr. Cruise, as you know, Scientology has been under federal surveillance in Germany. Scientology is not considered a religion there, but rather an exploitative cult with totalitarian tendencies.
Cruise: The surveillance is nothing like as strict anymore. Any you know why? Because the intelligence authorities never found anything. Because there was nothing to find. We've won over 50 court cases in Germany. And it's not true that everyone in Germany supports that line against us. Whenever I go to Germany, I have incredible experiences. I always meet very generous and extraordinary people. A minority wants to hate -- okay.
SPIEGEL: There is a difference between hate and having a critical perspective.
Cruise: For me, it's connected with intolerance.
SPIEGEL: In the past, for example when "Mission: Impossible" (1996) came out, German politicians called for a boycott of your movies. Are you worried that your support for Scientology could hurt your career?
Cruise: Not at all. I've always been very outspoken. I've been a Scientologist for 20 years. If someone is so intolerant that he doesn't want to see a Scientologist in a movie, then he shouldn't go to the movie theater. I don't care. Here in the United States, Scientology is a religion. If some of the politicians in your country don't agree with that, I couldn't care less.
Now to read what other celebrities have been saying about this so called religion.
Check out this link: http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/celebcrit.html?FACTNet
And finally, Tom Cruise, shut the hell up!
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Blessed again!!!
Well, our lives are turned upside down once again. But in the very best way. Parker William arrived at 19:39 on Thursday at 8 lbs. and 21 in.
Everyone is doing well and Parker's "big" brothers couldn't be more excited!
It's easy to get caught up in the hassles of our everyday lives and to forget about the things that make everything right.
Children are the great equalizer for me.
They need, but you don't mind giving. They give without realizing they're doing it. They love you like nobody else can and it's all completely natural to them. They don't know any other way! And, you find yourself giving everything you have and then digging even deeper to find that little bit of extra strength to keep walking the floor at 3:00 a.m. because one of them has gas and can't help but cry, or to get up over and over because one of them has a running nose and keeps waking himself up. You find yourself repeatedly doing these things without thought of benefit or reward and you have a chance to reconnect with that person that your parents always saw in you. The one that they placed all their hopes on, spent their sleepless nights worrying over and beamed proudly over when they saw all their dreams for you coming true.
That's all I have time for now. My family needs me.
Be nice.
Peace
Everyone is doing well and Parker's "big" brothers couldn't be more excited!
It's easy to get caught up in the hassles of our everyday lives and to forget about the things that make everything right.
Children are the great equalizer for me.
They need, but you don't mind giving. They give without realizing they're doing it. They love you like nobody else can and it's all completely natural to them. They don't know any other way! And, you find yourself giving everything you have and then digging even deeper to find that little bit of extra strength to keep walking the floor at 3:00 a.m. because one of them has gas and can't help but cry, or to get up over and over because one of them has a running nose and keeps waking himself up. You find yourself repeatedly doing these things without thought of benefit or reward and you have a chance to reconnect with that person that your parents always saw in you. The one that they placed all their hopes on, spent their sleepless nights worrying over and beamed proudly over when they saw all their dreams for you coming true.
That's all I have time for now. My family needs me.
Be nice.
Peace
Monday, February 14, 2005
Awake for 40 hours...
Disclaimer: profanity below:
Not that I planned to be awake for 40 hours straight, but that's what happens when some miscontent with too much ability and not enough motivation creates a variant of a computer virus and lets it lose on the internet. When you look at the lost hours associated with this kind of crap, you have to think that the resources to catch these idiots need to be enhanced and the penalties made so severe as to actually discourage anyone from even thinking about doing it for more than 10 seconds!
I'm not talking about loss of productivity, although that is important to our economy. No, I'm talking about the time my colleagues and I lost with our families because we had to be in work all frigging weekend to fix the damage caused by this latest virus.
Kids grow up so quickly, spouses hardly have any time together as it is, and then some asshole comes along and because he's pissed at the world, or his mother didn't hug him enough or some other bullshit "I'm a victim, the world owes me something" craptastic excuse he spends his time fucking things up for the rest of us who don't owe him shit! I've had it with this crap. All this low self esteem bs has finally pushed me to the edge. You know what, people? It's time to get the fuck over it! grow up, take responsibility for your own life and stop blaming everyone else for every bad thing that happens to you or anytime something doesn't go your way. We all have our issues and we've all had things to get through in our lives. The rest of us are out here living our lives and enjoying things as best we can. It's high time you joined the party or quit the whole fucking scene. If you're that miserable, buy a one-way ticket to Amsterdam, sit around eating hash brownies all day and live on the streets. At least you'll be leaving the rest of us in peace.
I know this was a bit stronger than some of my usual posts, but I'm not about to apologize for it. Grow up, get with the program and stop screwing things up for everyone else.
Be nice
Peace
Not that I planned to be awake for 40 hours straight, but that's what happens when some miscontent with too much ability and not enough motivation creates a variant of a computer virus and lets it lose on the internet. When you look at the lost hours associated with this kind of crap, you have to think that the resources to catch these idiots need to be enhanced and the penalties made so severe as to actually discourage anyone from even thinking about doing it for more than 10 seconds!
I'm not talking about loss of productivity, although that is important to our economy. No, I'm talking about the time my colleagues and I lost with our families because we had to be in work all frigging weekend to fix the damage caused by this latest virus.
Kids grow up so quickly, spouses hardly have any time together as it is, and then some asshole comes along and because he's pissed at the world, or his mother didn't hug him enough or some other bullshit "I'm a victim, the world owes me something" craptastic excuse he spends his time fucking things up for the rest of us who don't owe him shit! I've had it with this crap. All this low self esteem bs has finally pushed me to the edge. You know what, people? It's time to get the fuck over it! grow up, take responsibility for your own life and stop blaming everyone else for every bad thing that happens to you or anytime something doesn't go your way. We all have our issues and we've all had things to get through in our lives. The rest of us are out here living our lives and enjoying things as best we can. It's high time you joined the party or quit the whole fucking scene. If you're that miserable, buy a one-way ticket to Amsterdam, sit around eating hash brownies all day and live on the streets. At least you'll be leaving the rest of us in peace.
I know this was a bit stronger than some of my usual posts, but I'm not about to apologize for it. Grow up, get with the program and stop screwing things up for everyone else.
Be nice
Peace
Thursday, February 10, 2005
I hate mimes.
I generally don't hate much, but for some reason mimes just piss me off. Although the use of Marcel Marceau speaking the word no in Mel Brooks' Silent Movie was mildly entertaining, I still hate mimes.
That's all for now.
Be nice
Peace
That's all for now.
Be nice
Peace
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
A new Republican Revolution is coming...
Never did I think the day would come that I'd be missing Newt Gingrich. But that day has indeed come. Back in the days of the "Contract with America", I may have scoffed at the idealism and pandering nature of its content, but at least the underlying ideas were sound.
Here's what Republicans in the 90's were about.
Reducing the size and scope of Federal Government.
Eliminating unfunded mandates.
Eliminating the budget deficit.
Returning rights to the States.
A policy that moved us away from overt nation building.
How in the heck did we get to where we are today???
2.3 trillion dollar budget presented to Congress compared to 1.8 trillion in the final full year of the Clinton administration.
412 billion dollar deficit compared to 86 billion dollar surplus in the final full year of the Clinton administration.
Enormous budget deficits.
BIGGER Federal Government.
And these numbers don't even include the cost of the wars we are involved in. They are off budget items that don't get included in the proposed figures and new spending for war efforts will come along as supplemental spending bills that will further balloon the deficit.
Huge cuts are being proposed in many domestic programs to allow President Bush to make good on a promise he should never have made to reduce the deficit by half by 2009. These cuts will likely be rebuked by members of Congress to protect their constituents' local interests, thereby keeping the budget huge and the deficit reductions unrealized.
Here's the good news. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind) is leading the charge to restore the party to its vision and goals of restoring the balances of federalism with the states, limiting the scope and influence of the Federal government and bringing spending back under control. A recent meeting in Baltimore of 50 influential Republicans discussed these and other key issues to restore our country to a fiscally sane path.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm still fairly liberal on social issues, but have always been in favor of fiscal conservatism. You don't spend what you don't have and if you need more money you find ways to make us more productive and increase revenues by means other than raising taxes.
It's not necessarily a bad thing to need more money than you have. In fact, its this very predicament that drives many people to come up with new and innovative methods of increasing productivity, enhanacing cash flow and increasing overall revenues.
I still strongly feel that George Bush is one of the worst Presidents we've seen in the last 25 years, but I also believe that we can work to effect change in spite of him through our representatives in Washington. Many of us may never have thought we'd be seeking help from the right-wing side of the aisle, but the time has come to align our priorities with many on the right who share our fiscally conservative values and believe that the Federal government should have less influence in our lives, not more!
This great country is far to diverse too allow Washington to force the wishes and beliefs of a true minority of close minded individuals on the whole of the nation. STAND UP PEOPLE. Stand up and be heard. Dont let groups like the Parents Television Council dictate the policy that comes out of Washington to affect all of us! http://www.parentstv.org/
This is one scary group. A recent Freedom of Information Act request revealed that 99.8% of all complaints received by the FCC come from this lone group! Complaints are up from 14,000 in 2002, to nearly 240,000 in 2003. There were only 350 complaints during 2000 and 2001. So, one group of very vocal people are influencing national policy in a very frightening way.
What is wrong with these people that they are so terrified by the sight of a breast or Mickey Rooney's butt! Other civilized nations, many of whom are our allies, don't freak out like this over nudity. They also don't have near the content of violent programming on television and movies that we have. You want to talk about inappropriate content, how about some of the movie promos shown during the Super Bowl. I was diving for the remote to stave off potential nightmares for my 5 year old. There is a ridiculous double standard in this country and it's being supported by this administration and its appointees to "protect" our children from nudity, but that allows incredibly violent programming with nary a peep of objection.
I don't know about you, but I'd much rather my children see a naked body in relevant programming or even humorous commercials than the absurd levels of violent content in today's programs and advertisements.
Nudity is OK people. Our children won't go blind, start having sex too soon or become deviant because they see images of naked people.
They WILL rebel against the type of repressive censorship that is being forced upon them and when they hit teen years... well, you'd better look out because all that repressive BS you've been crushing them with is gonna blow up in your face!
Now I'll take a deeeeep breath and try to wrap this up. I know this has been a long one and may seem to be a senseless rant. If so, I'd kindly ask you to read it through once more and think a bit about some of the points I've tried to raise.
Get Active. Contact your politicians and even those you didn't think you agreed with.
Relax. Spend a little more time with those you love, be that family friends or complete strangers you enjoy meeting on a park bench while feeding pigeons!
And never take a vacation you can afford. This may seem to deviate from the fiscal sanity portion of this blog, but its important to remember that life does indeed move pretty fast and as Ferris Bueller told us, if you don't dtop and look around once in a while, you could miss it! Truer words were never spoken.
Be nice.
Peace
Here's what Republicans in the 90's were about.
Reducing the size and scope of Federal Government.
Eliminating unfunded mandates.
Eliminating the budget deficit.
Returning rights to the States.
A policy that moved us away from overt nation building.
How in the heck did we get to where we are today???
2.3 trillion dollar budget presented to Congress compared to 1.8 trillion in the final full year of the Clinton administration.
412 billion dollar deficit compared to 86 billion dollar surplus in the final full year of the Clinton administration.
Enormous budget deficits.
BIGGER Federal Government.
And these numbers don't even include the cost of the wars we are involved in. They are off budget items that don't get included in the proposed figures and new spending for war efforts will come along as supplemental spending bills that will further balloon the deficit.
Huge cuts are being proposed in many domestic programs to allow President Bush to make good on a promise he should never have made to reduce the deficit by half by 2009. These cuts will likely be rebuked by members of Congress to protect their constituents' local interests, thereby keeping the budget huge and the deficit reductions unrealized.
Here's the good news. Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind) is leading the charge to restore the party to its vision and goals of restoring the balances of federalism with the states, limiting the scope and influence of the Federal government and bringing spending back under control. A recent meeting in Baltimore of 50 influential Republicans discussed these and other key issues to restore our country to a fiscally sane path.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm still fairly liberal on social issues, but have always been in favor of fiscal conservatism. You don't spend what you don't have and if you need more money you find ways to make us more productive and increase revenues by means other than raising taxes.
It's not necessarily a bad thing to need more money than you have. In fact, its this very predicament that drives many people to come up with new and innovative methods of increasing productivity, enhanacing cash flow and increasing overall revenues.
I still strongly feel that George Bush is one of the worst Presidents we've seen in the last 25 years, but I also believe that we can work to effect change in spite of him through our representatives in Washington. Many of us may never have thought we'd be seeking help from the right-wing side of the aisle, but the time has come to align our priorities with many on the right who share our fiscally conservative values and believe that the Federal government should have less influence in our lives, not more!
This great country is far to diverse too allow Washington to force the wishes and beliefs of a true minority of close minded individuals on the whole of the nation. STAND UP PEOPLE. Stand up and be heard. Dont let groups like the Parents Television Council dictate the policy that comes out of Washington to affect all of us! http://www.parentstv.org/
This is one scary group. A recent Freedom of Information Act request revealed that 99.8% of all complaints received by the FCC come from this lone group! Complaints are up from 14,000 in 2002, to nearly 240,000 in 2003. There were only 350 complaints during 2000 and 2001. So, one group of very vocal people are influencing national policy in a very frightening way.
What is wrong with these people that they are so terrified by the sight of a breast or Mickey Rooney's butt! Other civilized nations, many of whom are our allies, don't freak out like this over nudity. They also don't have near the content of violent programming on television and movies that we have. You want to talk about inappropriate content, how about some of the movie promos shown during the Super Bowl. I was diving for the remote to stave off potential nightmares for my 5 year old. There is a ridiculous double standard in this country and it's being supported by this administration and its appointees to "protect" our children from nudity, but that allows incredibly violent programming with nary a peep of objection.
I don't know about you, but I'd much rather my children see a naked body in relevant programming or even humorous commercials than the absurd levels of violent content in today's programs and advertisements.
Nudity is OK people. Our children won't go blind, start having sex too soon or become deviant because they see images of naked people.
They WILL rebel against the type of repressive censorship that is being forced upon them and when they hit teen years... well, you'd better look out because all that repressive BS you've been crushing them with is gonna blow up in your face!
Now I'll take a deeeeep breath and try to wrap this up. I know this has been a long one and may seem to be a senseless rant. If so, I'd kindly ask you to read it through once more and think a bit about some of the points I've tried to raise.
Get Active. Contact your politicians and even those you didn't think you agreed with.
Relax. Spend a little more time with those you love, be that family friends or complete strangers you enjoy meeting on a park bench while feeding pigeons!
And never take a vacation you can afford. This may seem to deviate from the fiscal sanity portion of this blog, but its important to remember that life does indeed move pretty fast and as Ferris Bueller told us, if you don't dtop and look around once in a while, you could miss it! Truer words were never spoken.
Be nice.
Peace
Friday, January 28, 2005
VORSPRUNG
Those who know me well, know that I am not generally a walking billboard. I don't buy shirts, pants, hats, etc. with the big Nike swoosh or other bs logos on them. I've long held that companies should be giving the stuff away if I'm going to be doing the advertising for them.
There is however, one exception to this rule. And that my friends is when it comes to my brand loyalty with respect to my car. Call it hypocritical, call it being a corporate shill, call it what you like. I call it promoting a product in which I believe. A great car, well designed and manufactured, that keeps me as safe as possible while affording a boatload of driving enjoyment.
Now I'll grant you, these are not inexpensive cars. But, if researched carefully as any large purchase should be, great deals can be found on pre-owned models that offer all the joy and excitement of a new car at a vastly reduced rate.
For more info than you could imagine about Audis, check out http://www.audiworld.com
Now, I'll take a moment to rant just a bit about HDTV.
The picture is fantastic if you're watching an HDTV broadcast. The picture is far less than thrilling when watching standard broadcast programs. It's kind of like being in a hotel bathroom and looking at your face in one of those 16x lighted mirrors. The image is remarkably clear, but the flaws revealed by such clarity may not be a welcome sight! It's still great and I wouldn't go back to plain old TV if you paid me, but it'll be sooo nice when my local giant conglomerate of a cable company starts carrying more HD programming.
Other than that, life is good. Very good. Family is healthy and happy. Job is great. Outdoors are a beautiful winter wonderland and Lewis Black and Jim Short were on XM Comedy this morning back to back! Just the laughs I needed to wade my way through traffic.
Be nice.
Peace
There is however, one exception to this rule. And that my friends is when it comes to my brand loyalty with respect to my car. Call it hypocritical, call it being a corporate shill, call it what you like. I call it promoting a product in which I believe. A great car, well designed and manufactured, that keeps me as safe as possible while affording a boatload of driving enjoyment.
Now I'll grant you, these are not inexpensive cars. But, if researched carefully as any large purchase should be, great deals can be found on pre-owned models that offer all the joy and excitement of a new car at a vastly reduced rate.
For more info than you could imagine about Audis, check out http://www.audiworld.com
Now, I'll take a moment to rant just a bit about HDTV.
The picture is fantastic if you're watching an HDTV broadcast. The picture is far less than thrilling when watching standard broadcast programs. It's kind of like being in a hotel bathroom and looking at your face in one of those 16x lighted mirrors. The image is remarkably clear, but the flaws revealed by such clarity may not be a welcome sight! It's still great and I wouldn't go back to plain old TV if you paid me, but it'll be sooo nice when my local giant conglomerate of a cable company starts carrying more HD programming.
Other than that, life is good. Very good. Family is healthy and happy. Job is great. Outdoors are a beautiful winter wonderland and Lewis Black and Jim Short were on XM Comedy this morning back to back! Just the laughs I needed to wade my way through traffic.
Be nice.
Peace
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Dear Santa... I would like a big cannon and a laser and...
Seasons Greetings to all.
Sorry I've been slacking off in my blogging duties. Work has been very busy. Very rewarding, but busy nonetheless.
What to do? What to do when your child asks Santa for a laser and a cannon? :-)
Obviously, export laws restrict certain items from being shipped outside the North Pole area and thus, sad though it may be, Santa will be unable to deliver said items this Christmas. I'm certain he'll find suitable alternatives to bring a smile to the face of a small boy.
I know you're probably asking yourself, "When is he going to tell us more about what he's been up to?". Since you're so insistent, I'll let you in on a few tidbits.
Yoga my friends, Y O G A, yoga. Vinyasa Flow to be more precise. As time is always at a premium these days, I've started my practice at home with a mat and a DVD featuring Seane Corn. (available through http://www.gaiam.com) She is an outstanding teacher and the entire program is filmed unscripted in the first person. You actually feel as though you are in a class with her and she is speaking directly to you. The practice is strenuous and you will likely break a sweat doing it. It is also amazingly relaxing and calming. Who couldn't use something like that these days?
You may also like to try this relaxation technique.
2 scoops Peppermint Stick ice cream
3 shots SKYY vanilla vodka
Blend or shake until smooth.
Pour into chilled martini glass.
Garnish with grated dark chocolate.
If the ice cream is too much for you, you may wish to try one of these.
2 parts SKYY vanilla vodka
1 1/2 parts Apple Pucker
splash of Pineapple juice
Shake and pour into chilled martini glass.
If anyone is interested, besides these homegrown recipes I also have a list of 101 martini recipes from the Inter-Continental hotel in NYC. In fact, I think I'll add it to this blog for your perusal.
Happy Hoildays
One more thing, if you haven't seen Love Actually, see it and remember these words when you do.
I feel it in my fingers,
I feel it in my toes,
Christmas is all around me,
and so the feeling grows
It's written in the wind,
It's everywhere I go,
So if you really love Christmas,
C'mon and let it snow
You know I love Christmas
I always will
My mind's made up
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no end
Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend
You gave your presents to me
And I gave mine to you
I need Santa beside me
In everything I do
You know I love Christmas
I always will
My mind's made up
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no end
Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend
Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend
It's written in the wind,
It's everywhere I go,
So if you really love me,
C'mon and let it show
C'mon and let it show
So if you really love me
C'mon and let it
If you really love me
C'mon and let it
Now if you really love me
C'mon and let it show
Almost forgot, Paris was wonderful as usual. The lighting of the Christmas lights on Regent Street in London was spectacular. The 5 year old puking on the 3 year old in the terminal at Charles De Gaulle 10 minutes before departure to come home was a bit of a surprise, but we cleaned them up and hopped on board without missing a beat. If you haven't been to Paris and/or London, GO. Don't waste your time saying you'd love to do it or one day when we can afford it! Time goes by much too quickly. In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it!" Wise words indeed.
Peace
1) French Martini
2 oz Grey Goose
Orange Vodka
1/4 oz Lillet
1/4 oz Cointreau
Chill, Serve straight up with a
Garnish Orange Twist in a Cocktail Glass
G
2) 24-Karrot
3.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth with a Pickled Carrot
3) Hanky Panky
2.5 oz Stoli Razberi Vodka
1 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
Garnished with Three Fresh Raspberries
4) Catherine Was Great
1.5 oz Stoli Strazberi Vodka
0.5 oz Bacardi Light
0.5 oz Amaretto
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Fill up with Orange Juice
5) The Colombian
1.75 oz Stoli Kafya Vodka
1.75 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
Three Coffee Beans
6) Stoli Coffee
1.5 oz Stoli Kafya Vodka
1.5 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
0.5 oz Kahlua
7) Vanil Creamsickle
1.5 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
1.5 oz Bombay Gin
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Fill up with Orange Juice
Garnish with Cocktail Cherry
8) Cosmopolitan
1.5 oz Stoli Gold
0.5 oz Cointreau, Splash Lime Juice
Fill up with Cranberry Juice
Lime Wedge
9) Limon Blitz
2.5 oz Bacardi Limon
0.5 oz Chambord
10) Citron Drop
2.0 oz Absolut Citron Vodka
0.5 oz Cointreau, Splash Lemon Juice
Splash 7-UP
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
11) Crantini
1.5 oz Bacardi Limon
0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
Fill up with Cranberry Juice
Three Dried Cranberries
12) Tropical Kiss
1.5 oz Bacardi Limon
1.5 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
0.5 oz Sweet and Sour
Splash Cranberry Juice
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
13) Purple Rain
2.5 oz Tanqueray Sterling Vodka
0.75 oz Cassis
14) Phil's Side Car
2.5 oz Courvoisier VS
0.75 oz Triple Sec
0.5 oz Sweet & Sour
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
15) Nutty Professor
2.0 oz Stoli Vanil
1.5 oz Almond Liqueur
One Floating Almond
16) Sparkling Pear
2.0 oz Pear Liqueur
Fill up with Sparkling Wine
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
17) The Three Italians
1.5 oz Grappa
1.5 oz Campari
1.5 oz Martini and Rossi Sweet Vermouth
18) Scarlet O'Hara
2.5 oz Southern Comfort
0.5 oz Sweet and Sour
0.5 oz Cranberry Juice
Cocktail Cherry
19) Cajun Queen
3.0 oz Tanqueray Gin
Splash Tabasco Sauce
20) Lady in Red
3.0 oz Absolut Vodka
0.5 oz Grenadine
Lime Wedge
21) Solid Gold
3.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
22) Caribbean Queen
2.5 oz Malibu Rum
Fill up with Pineapple Juice
23) Purple Hooter
2.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.5 oz Chambord
1.0 oz Sweet and Sour
Splash Lime Juice
24) Gibson Goddess
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
Pearl Onion
25) Cong's Blue Skyy
2.5 oz Skyy Vodka
0.75 oz Blue Curaçao
Lemon Twist
26) Chocolate Blossom
2.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz Frangelico
0.5 oz Dark Crème de Cacao
27) Peaches and Cream
2.0 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Peach Schnapps
0.5 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
28) Starlight
2.5 oz Stoli Kafya Vodka
0.75 oz Sambuca Romana
Three Coffee Beans
29) Skyy Scraper
3.5 oz Skyy Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
30) Melon Ball
2.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.75 oz Midori
Lemon Twist
31) Fire and Ice
2.5 oz Bacardi Amber
0.75 oz Southern Comfort
Splash Grenadine
32) Hot Tamale
3.0 oz Bacardi Light
0.5 oz Rumplemintz
Splash Tabasco Sauce
33) Dirty Olivia
3.0 oz Bombay Gin
1.0 oz Olive Juice
Three Olives
34) Sushi
3.0 oz Tanqueray Gin
Splash Dry Vermouth
Teaspoon Pickled Ginger
35) Tropitini
1.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz Bacardi Limon
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
Splash Dry Vermouth
Fill up with Pineapple Juice
36) Mardi Gras
1.5 oz Bacardi Limon
1.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Southern Comfort
0.5 oz Sweet and Sour
Splash Dry Vermouth
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
37) Snowcone
2.5 oz Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
0.5 oz Banana Liqueur
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
38) Mintini
2.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.75 oz White Crème de Menthe
39) Acropolis
2.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Ouzo
Floating Star Anise
40) Smokey
2.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz J&B Scotch
Splash Sweet Vermouth
Cocktail Cherry
41) Cinnamon Stick
1.5 oz Stoli Zinamon
1.5 oz Stoli Vanil
Cinnamon Stick
42) Garden of Eden
1.5 oz Skyy Vodka
0.75 oz Calvados
Apple Cider
43) Decadence
2.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.75 oz Chambord, Amaretto
Fill up with Apple Cider
44) Jackie O
2.0 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Apricot Brandy
Splash Grenadine
Fill up with Pineapple Juice
45) Michelangelo
2.0 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
0.5 oz Campari
Fill up with Orange Juice
46) Kentucky
2.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.75 oz Jack Daniel's
Splash Cherry Juice
Cocktail Cherry
47) Bloody Martina
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Fill up with Bloody Mary Mix
Topped with a Tomolive
48) Glamour Sean
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Fill up with Champagne
Cocktail Cherry
49) Golden Nugget
2.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
1.0 oz Cuervo Gold Tequila
Fill up with Orange Juice
50) Cloudy Skyy
3.0 oz Skyy Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Splash Olive Juice
51) Mystique
2.0 oz Finlandia Vodka
1.0 oz Lillet Blanc
Lemon Twist
52) Skyyhound
2.0 oz Skyy Vodka
Fill up with Grapefruit Juice
53) The Surfer
1.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Malibu Rum
0.5 oz Banana Liqueur
Fill up with Pineapple Juice
54) Fuzzy Wuzzy
2.0 oz Finlandia Vodka
1.0 oz Peach Schnapps
Cocktail Cherry
55) Midnight Run
2.0 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
1.0 oz Campari
Splash Orange Juice
Orange Wheel
56) Veggie Garden
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Garnished with Tomolive
Pickled Carrot and Celery Stick
57) Dark Chocolate
2.5 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
0.5 oz Dark Crème de Cacao
58) The Spaniard
2.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
1.0 oz Dry Sherry
Olive or Twist
59) The Aged Italian
3.0 oz Smirnoff Vodka
Splash Balsamic Vinegar
Olive
60) The Mexican
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
1.0 oz El Tesoro Tequila
Tomolive
61) Russian Margarita
1.5 oz Stoli Vodka
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Fill up with Sweet and Sour
Served in a Salt-Rimmed Glass
62) Tundra Sunrise
1.5 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
0.5 oz Cuervo 1800 Tequila
0.5 oz Grand Marnier
Splash Grenadine
63) Snickertini
1.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Kahlua
0.5 oz Frangelico
0.5 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
0.5 oz Amaretto
64) Long Island Iced'tini
0.5 oz Absolut Vodka
0.5 oz Tanqueray Gin
0.5 oz Bacardi Light
0.5 oz El Tesoro Tequila
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Splash Lemon Juice
Fill up with Coke
65) Electric Lemonade
1.5 oz Absolut Citron Vodka
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
1.0 oz Sweet and Sour
Fill up with 7-Up
66) American Pie
1.5 oz Stoli Zinamon Vodka
1.5 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
0.5 oz Calvados
67) Sundowner
2.0 oz Stoli Razberi
1.0 oz Orange Juice
1.0 oz Cranberry Juice
Splash Grenadine
68) Malted Russian
2.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
1.0 oz Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch
Lemon Twist
69) Sangratini
2.0 oz Absolut Citron Vodka
1.0 oz Red Wine
1.0 oz Orange Juice
Splash Lime Juice
Fill up with Club Soda
70) The Mellow Yellow
2.0 oz Beefeater's Gin
1.0 oz Lillet Blanc
Splash Angostura Bitter
71) The Russian
3.0 oz Stoli Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
72) Paisley
2.0 oz Bombay Gin
Splash Dry Vermouth
0.5 oz Dewar's White Label Scotch
Lemon Twist
73) Razmatazz
2.5 oz Stoli Razberi
0.5 oz Chambord
Three Fresh Raspberries
74) The Red-Hot
1.5 oz Absolut Kurant
1.5 oz Stoli Zinamon
Splash Sweet Vermouth
75) Jeanne d'Arc
2.0 oz Absolut Vodka
1.0 oz Rémy Martin VSOP
Fill up with Cranberry Juice
76) Traditional Gimlet
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Rose's Lime Juice
77) Old Rob Roy
2.5 oz J&B Scotch
0.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
Cocktail Cherry
78) Strawberry Gimlet
2.5 oz Stoli Strazberi Vodka
Splash Rose's Lime Juice
Splash Grenadine
Strawberry Garnish
79) Blue Sapphire
2.5 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
80) The Swiss
2.5 oz Kirsch
0.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
Splash Cherry Juice
Cocktail Cherry
81) Flying Dutchman
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
82) The Englishman
3.0 oz Tanqueray Gin
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
83) The Carnivore
3.0 oz Beefeater's Gin
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
84) Sweetie
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Sweet Vermouth
Lemon Twist
85) The Irishman
2.0 oz Bushmill's Irish Whiskey
1.0 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
86) Coral Reef
2.0 oz Absolut Citron Vodka
0.5 oz Alize Red Passion
Splash Orange Juice
Fill up with Champagne
87) Lynchburg Lemon Drop
1.5 oz Jack Daniel's Whiskey
1.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
88) Hank's Comfort Kiss
2.5 oz Southern Comfort
1.0 oz Amaretto
Lime Wedge
89) Jack of Hearts
2.5 oz Jack Daniel's Whiskey
Splash Grenadine
Fill up with Cranberry Juice
90) Frenchy
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.75 oz Courvoisier VS
Lemon Twist
91) St Tropez
2.0 oz Finlandia Vodka
1.0 oz Peach Schnapps
Splash Grenadine
Fill up with Orange Juice
92) "007"
3.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Two Olives
Shaken, not Stirred !
93) Thom's Orange
2.0 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
0.5 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz Grand Marnier
Orange Wheel
94) Lavish Laura
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.5 oz White Chocolate Liqueur
0.5 oz Triple Sec
95) London Sun
2.0 oz Bombay Gin
1.0 oz Dry Sherry
Splash Angostura Bitter
Lemon Twist
96) Berry Delight
1.0 oz Stoli Strazberi Vodka
1.0 oz Stoli Razberi Vodka
1.0 oz Absolut Kurant
1.0 oz Cranberry Juice
Three Fresh Raspberries
97) Dave's Green Hornet
2.0 oz Courvoisier VS
1.0 oz Green Crème de Menthe
98) Decadent Dream
1.5 oz Bacardi Light
0.5 oz Kahlua
0.5 oz Dark Crème De Cacao
99) Red Passion
3.0 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
0.5 oz Alize Red Passion
100) Pepper Mill
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
1.0 oz Absolut Peppar Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Tomolive
101) The Top of the Mark
3.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Garnished with a Tomolive
Sorry I've been slacking off in my blogging duties. Work has been very busy. Very rewarding, but busy nonetheless.
What to do? What to do when your child asks Santa for a laser and a cannon? :-)
Obviously, export laws restrict certain items from being shipped outside the North Pole area and thus, sad though it may be, Santa will be unable to deliver said items this Christmas. I'm certain he'll find suitable alternatives to bring a smile to the face of a small boy.
I know you're probably asking yourself, "When is he going to tell us more about what he's been up to?". Since you're so insistent, I'll let you in on a few tidbits.
Yoga my friends, Y O G A, yoga. Vinyasa Flow to be more precise. As time is always at a premium these days, I've started my practice at home with a mat and a DVD featuring Seane Corn. (available through http://www.gaiam.com) She is an outstanding teacher and the entire program is filmed unscripted in the first person. You actually feel as though you are in a class with her and she is speaking directly to you. The practice is strenuous and you will likely break a sweat doing it. It is also amazingly relaxing and calming. Who couldn't use something like that these days?
You may also like to try this relaxation technique.
2 scoops Peppermint Stick ice cream
3 shots SKYY vanilla vodka
Blend or shake until smooth.
Pour into chilled martini glass.
Garnish with grated dark chocolate.
If the ice cream is too much for you, you may wish to try one of these.
2 parts SKYY vanilla vodka
1 1/2 parts Apple Pucker
splash of Pineapple juice
Shake and pour into chilled martini glass.
If anyone is interested, besides these homegrown recipes I also have a list of 101 martini recipes from the Inter-Continental hotel in NYC. In fact, I think I'll add it to this blog for your perusal.
Happy Hoildays
One more thing, if you haven't seen Love Actually, see it and remember these words when you do.
I feel it in my fingers,
I feel it in my toes,
Christmas is all around me,
and so the feeling grows
It's written in the wind,
It's everywhere I go,
So if you really love Christmas,
C'mon and let it snow
You know I love Christmas
I always will
My mind's made up
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no end
Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend
You gave your presents to me
And I gave mine to you
I need Santa beside me
In everything I do
You know I love Christmas
I always will
My mind's made up
The way that I feel
There's no beginning
There'll be no end
Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend
Cuz on Christmas,
You can depend
It's written in the wind,
It's everywhere I go,
So if you really love me,
C'mon and let it show
C'mon and let it show
So if you really love me
C'mon and let it
If you really love me
C'mon and let it
Now if you really love me
C'mon and let it show
Almost forgot, Paris was wonderful as usual. The lighting of the Christmas lights on Regent Street in London was spectacular. The 5 year old puking on the 3 year old in the terminal at Charles De Gaulle 10 minutes before departure to come home was a bit of a surprise, but we cleaned them up and hopped on board without missing a beat. If you haven't been to Paris and/or London, GO. Don't waste your time saying you'd love to do it or one day when we can afford it! Time goes by much too quickly. In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it!" Wise words indeed.
Peace
1) French Martini
2 oz Grey Goose
Orange Vodka
1/4 oz Lillet
1/4 oz Cointreau
Chill, Serve straight up with a
Garnish Orange Twist in a Cocktail Glass
G
2) 24-Karrot
3.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth with a Pickled Carrot
3) Hanky Panky
2.5 oz Stoli Razberi Vodka
1 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
Garnished with Three Fresh Raspberries
4) Catherine Was Great
1.5 oz Stoli Strazberi Vodka
0.5 oz Bacardi Light
0.5 oz Amaretto
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Fill up with Orange Juice
5) The Colombian
1.75 oz Stoli Kafya Vodka
1.75 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
Three Coffee Beans
6) Stoli Coffee
1.5 oz Stoli Kafya Vodka
1.5 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
0.5 oz Kahlua
7) Vanil Creamsickle
1.5 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
1.5 oz Bombay Gin
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Fill up with Orange Juice
Garnish with Cocktail Cherry
8) Cosmopolitan
1.5 oz Stoli Gold
0.5 oz Cointreau, Splash Lime Juice
Fill up with Cranberry Juice
Lime Wedge
9) Limon Blitz
2.5 oz Bacardi Limon
0.5 oz Chambord
10) Citron Drop
2.0 oz Absolut Citron Vodka
0.5 oz Cointreau, Splash Lemon Juice
Splash 7-UP
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
11) Crantini
1.5 oz Bacardi Limon
0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
Fill up with Cranberry Juice
Three Dried Cranberries
12) Tropical Kiss
1.5 oz Bacardi Limon
1.5 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
0.5 oz Sweet and Sour
Splash Cranberry Juice
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
13) Purple Rain
2.5 oz Tanqueray Sterling Vodka
0.75 oz Cassis
14) Phil's Side Car
2.5 oz Courvoisier VS
0.75 oz Triple Sec
0.5 oz Sweet & Sour
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
15) Nutty Professor
2.0 oz Stoli Vanil
1.5 oz Almond Liqueur
One Floating Almond
16) Sparkling Pear
2.0 oz Pear Liqueur
Fill up with Sparkling Wine
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
17) The Three Italians
1.5 oz Grappa
1.5 oz Campari
1.5 oz Martini and Rossi Sweet Vermouth
18) Scarlet O'Hara
2.5 oz Southern Comfort
0.5 oz Sweet and Sour
0.5 oz Cranberry Juice
Cocktail Cherry
19) Cajun Queen
3.0 oz Tanqueray Gin
Splash Tabasco Sauce
20) Lady in Red
3.0 oz Absolut Vodka
0.5 oz Grenadine
Lime Wedge
21) Solid Gold
3.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
22) Caribbean Queen
2.5 oz Malibu Rum
Fill up with Pineapple Juice
23) Purple Hooter
2.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.5 oz Chambord
1.0 oz Sweet and Sour
Splash Lime Juice
24) Gibson Goddess
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
Pearl Onion
25) Cong's Blue Skyy
2.5 oz Skyy Vodka
0.75 oz Blue Curaçao
Lemon Twist
26) Chocolate Blossom
2.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz Frangelico
0.5 oz Dark Crème de Cacao
27) Peaches and Cream
2.0 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Peach Schnapps
0.5 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
28) Starlight
2.5 oz Stoli Kafya Vodka
0.75 oz Sambuca Romana
Three Coffee Beans
29) Skyy Scraper
3.5 oz Skyy Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
30) Melon Ball
2.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.75 oz Midori
Lemon Twist
31) Fire and Ice
2.5 oz Bacardi Amber
0.75 oz Southern Comfort
Splash Grenadine
32) Hot Tamale
3.0 oz Bacardi Light
0.5 oz Rumplemintz
Splash Tabasco Sauce
33) Dirty Olivia
3.0 oz Bombay Gin
1.0 oz Olive Juice
Three Olives
34) Sushi
3.0 oz Tanqueray Gin
Splash Dry Vermouth
Teaspoon Pickled Ginger
35) Tropitini
1.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz Bacardi Limon
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
Splash Dry Vermouth
Fill up with Pineapple Juice
36) Mardi Gras
1.5 oz Bacardi Limon
1.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Southern Comfort
0.5 oz Sweet and Sour
Splash Dry Vermouth
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
37) Snowcone
2.5 oz Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
0.5 oz Banana Liqueur
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
38) Mintini
2.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.75 oz White Crème de Menthe
39) Acropolis
2.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Ouzo
Floating Star Anise
40) Smokey
2.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz J&B Scotch
Splash Sweet Vermouth
Cocktail Cherry
41) Cinnamon Stick
1.5 oz Stoli Zinamon
1.5 oz Stoli Vanil
Cinnamon Stick
42) Garden of Eden
1.5 oz Skyy Vodka
0.75 oz Calvados
Apple Cider
43) Decadence
2.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.75 oz Chambord, Amaretto
Fill up with Apple Cider
44) Jackie O
2.0 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Apricot Brandy
Splash Grenadine
Fill up with Pineapple Juice
45) Michelangelo
2.0 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
0.5 oz Campari
Fill up with Orange Juice
46) Kentucky
2.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.75 oz Jack Daniel's
Splash Cherry Juice
Cocktail Cherry
47) Bloody Martina
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Fill up with Bloody Mary Mix
Topped with a Tomolive
48) Glamour Sean
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Fill up with Champagne
Cocktail Cherry
49) Golden Nugget
2.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
1.0 oz Cuervo Gold Tequila
Fill up with Orange Juice
50) Cloudy Skyy
3.0 oz Skyy Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Splash Olive Juice
51) Mystique
2.0 oz Finlandia Vodka
1.0 oz Lillet Blanc
Lemon Twist
52) Skyyhound
2.0 oz Skyy Vodka
Fill up with Grapefruit Juice
53) The Surfer
1.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Malibu Rum
0.5 oz Banana Liqueur
Fill up with Pineapple Juice
54) Fuzzy Wuzzy
2.0 oz Finlandia Vodka
1.0 oz Peach Schnapps
Cocktail Cherry
55) Midnight Run
2.0 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
1.0 oz Campari
Splash Orange Juice
Orange Wheel
56) Veggie Garden
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Garnished with Tomolive
Pickled Carrot and Celery Stick
57) Dark Chocolate
2.5 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
0.5 oz Dark Crème de Cacao
58) The Spaniard
2.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
1.0 oz Dry Sherry
Olive or Twist
59) The Aged Italian
3.0 oz Smirnoff Vodka
Splash Balsamic Vinegar
Olive
60) The Mexican
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
1.0 oz El Tesoro Tequila
Tomolive
61) Russian Margarita
1.5 oz Stoli Vodka
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Fill up with Sweet and Sour
Served in a Salt-Rimmed Glass
62) Tundra Sunrise
1.5 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
0.5 oz Cuervo 1800 Tequila
0.5 oz Grand Marnier
Splash Grenadine
63) Snickertini
1.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
0.5 oz Kahlua
0.5 oz Frangelico
0.5 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
0.5 oz Amaretto
64) Long Island Iced'tini
0.5 oz Absolut Vodka
0.5 oz Tanqueray Gin
0.5 oz Bacardi Light
0.5 oz El Tesoro Tequila
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Splash Lemon Juice
Fill up with Coke
65) Electric Lemonade
1.5 oz Absolut Citron Vodka
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
1.0 oz Sweet and Sour
Fill up with 7-Up
66) American Pie
1.5 oz Stoli Zinamon Vodka
1.5 oz Stoli Vanil Vodka
0.5 oz Calvados
67) Sundowner
2.0 oz Stoli Razberi
1.0 oz Orange Juice
1.0 oz Cranberry Juice
Splash Grenadine
68) Malted Russian
2.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
1.0 oz Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch
Lemon Twist
69) Sangratini
2.0 oz Absolut Citron Vodka
1.0 oz Red Wine
1.0 oz Orange Juice
Splash Lime Juice
Fill up with Club Soda
70) The Mellow Yellow
2.0 oz Beefeater's Gin
1.0 oz Lillet Blanc
Splash Angostura Bitter
71) The Russian
3.0 oz Stoli Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
72) Paisley
2.0 oz Bombay Gin
Splash Dry Vermouth
0.5 oz Dewar's White Label Scotch
Lemon Twist
73) Razmatazz
2.5 oz Stoli Razberi
0.5 oz Chambord
Three Fresh Raspberries
74) The Red-Hot
1.5 oz Absolut Kurant
1.5 oz Stoli Zinamon
Splash Sweet Vermouth
75) Jeanne d'Arc
2.0 oz Absolut Vodka
1.0 oz Rémy Martin VSOP
Fill up with Cranberry Juice
76) Traditional Gimlet
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Rose's Lime Juice
77) Old Rob Roy
2.5 oz J&B Scotch
0.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
Cocktail Cherry
78) Strawberry Gimlet
2.5 oz Stoli Strazberi Vodka
Splash Rose's Lime Juice
Splash Grenadine
Strawberry Garnish
79) Blue Sapphire
2.5 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
0.5 oz Blue Curaçao
80) The Swiss
2.5 oz Kirsch
0.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
Splash Cherry Juice
Cocktail Cherry
81) Flying Dutchman
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
82) The Englishman
3.0 oz Tanqueray Gin
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
83) The Carnivore
3.0 oz Beefeater's Gin
Splash Dry Vermouth
Olive or Twist
84) Sweetie
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Sweet Vermouth
Lemon Twist
85) The Irishman
2.0 oz Bushmill's Irish Whiskey
1.0 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
86) Coral Reef
2.0 oz Absolut Citron Vodka
0.5 oz Alize Red Passion
Splash Orange Juice
Fill up with Champagne
87) Lynchburg Lemon Drop
1.5 oz Jack Daniel's Whiskey
1.5 oz Finlandia Vodka
0.5 oz Triple Sec
Served in a Sugar-Rimmed Glass
88) Hank's Comfort Kiss
2.5 oz Southern Comfort
1.0 oz Amaretto
Lime Wedge
89) Jack of Hearts
2.5 oz Jack Daniel's Whiskey
Splash Grenadine
Fill up with Cranberry Juice
90) Frenchy
3.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.75 oz Courvoisier VS
Lemon Twist
91) St Tropez
2.0 oz Finlandia Vodka
1.0 oz Peach Schnapps
Splash Grenadine
Fill up with Orange Juice
92) "007"
3.0 oz Stoli Gold Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Two Olives
Shaken, not Stirred !
93) Thom's Orange
2.0 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
0.5 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz Grand Marnier
Orange Wheel
94) Lavish Laura
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.5 oz White Chocolate Liqueur
0.5 oz Triple Sec
95) London Sun
2.0 oz Bombay Gin
1.0 oz Dry Sherry
Splash Angostura Bitter
Lemon Twist
96) Berry Delight
1.0 oz Stoli Strazberi Vodka
1.0 oz Stoli Razberi Vodka
1.0 oz Absolut Kurant
1.0 oz Cranberry Juice
Three Fresh Raspberries
97) Dave's Green Hornet
2.0 oz Courvoisier VS
1.0 oz Green Crème de Menthe
98) Decadent Dream
1.5 oz Bacardi Light
0.5 oz Kahlua
0.5 oz Dark Crème De Cacao
99) Red Passion
3.0 oz Stoli Ohranj Vodka
0.5 oz Alize Red Passion
100) Pepper Mill
2.0 oz Ketel One Vodka
1.0 oz Absolut Peppar Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Tomolive
101) The Top of the Mark
3.5 oz Ketel One Vodka
Splash Dry Vermouth
Garnished with a Tomolive
Thursday, November 11, 2004
From covering the breasts of Justice to sanctioned torture!
Trip was outstanding. Kids flew wonderfully. Eurostar 1st class carriage is not to be missed. Food service is real food, great food, with several courses and a hot towel at the end!
Farenheit 9/11 1/2 is in the works to help enlighten the 51% of America that perhaps didn't have the knowledge they needed. Although, it was telling the other day speaking with a man in his 60's at lunch who told me he really was undecided until the last minute but chose Bush because he was afraid of changing things in the middle. Don't ever doubt that fear works when trying to convince people of something. Scare the hell out of them and they'll be to afraid to make a reasoned choice.
And now, nutjob and moral crusader John Ashcroft who spent $8,650 of our money to hide the Spirit of Justice and the Majesty of Law statues in the Great Hall at the DOJ because the Spirit statue had one breast exposed, (oh, the humanity! they've only been there since the 1930's!) is being replaced by the White House counsel Alberto Gonzales who wrote a 2002 memo advising the President to deny Geneva convention rights to prisoners in the war on terrorism. After the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal earlier this year, DOJ lawyers responded to Mr. Gonzales that prohibitions against torture of detainees could be loosened without breaking US or international laws! Great replacement we have going here!
It's going to be a rough four years. Good luck everyone. And don't forget to get yourself involved. http://www.democracyforamerica.com
This group rose from the ashes of Howard Dean's campaign and is still actively holding monthly meetups across the country to field and support local candidates, to address important issues and to focus on how best to take back the country in the next two to four years.
From Howard Dean M.D.
"The President successfully turned a discussion about moral values into a discussion about gay marriage and abortion. I think moral values are also about how you treat poor people, how you treat those who are different, how you respect the opinion of others, and what you leave to your children. On those moral values, I think the Republicans lose. We need to talk about these values too."
I couldn't agree more and I know I'm not alone. Please keep the faith, hold your heads high and get out there and fight to get back what's been taken from all of America!
Be nice.
Peace
Farenheit 9/11 1/2 is in the works to help enlighten the 51% of America that perhaps didn't have the knowledge they needed. Although, it was telling the other day speaking with a man in his 60's at lunch who told me he really was undecided until the last minute but chose Bush because he was afraid of changing things in the middle. Don't ever doubt that fear works when trying to convince people of something. Scare the hell out of them and they'll be to afraid to make a reasoned choice.
And now, nutjob and moral crusader John Ashcroft who spent $8,650 of our money to hide the Spirit of Justice and the Majesty of Law statues in the Great Hall at the DOJ because the Spirit statue had one breast exposed, (oh, the humanity! they've only been there since the 1930's!) is being replaced by the White House counsel Alberto Gonzales who wrote a 2002 memo advising the President to deny Geneva convention rights to prisoners in the war on terrorism. After the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal earlier this year, DOJ lawyers responded to Mr. Gonzales that prohibitions against torture of detainees could be loosened without breaking US or international laws! Great replacement we have going here!
It's going to be a rough four years. Good luck everyone. And don't forget to get yourself involved. http://www.democracyforamerica.com
This group rose from the ashes of Howard Dean's campaign and is still actively holding monthly meetups across the country to field and support local candidates, to address important issues and to focus on how best to take back the country in the next two to four years.
From Howard Dean M.D.
"The President successfully turned a discussion about moral values into a discussion about gay marriage and abortion. I think moral values are also about how you treat poor people, how you treat those who are different, how you respect the opinion of others, and what you leave to your children. On those moral values, I think the Republicans lose. We need to talk about these values too."
I couldn't agree more and I know I'm not alone. Please keep the faith, hold your heads high and get out there and fight to get back what's been taken from all of America!
Be nice.
Peace
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Sad day for America. Sad day for the world.
Well, it's happened. The most arrogant, impetuous, and quite possibly most dangerous president this country as ever seen has managed to secure himself another 4 years in office.
Who's to blame for this? Well, I'd have to say the blame falls a bit on all of us. To the sheep who voted for him out of fear and ignorance (this would be the "don't change horses midstream crowd"), to the Democrats who failed to nominate a charismatic as well as competent candidate who was able to connect with the American electorate, and to the people who failed to get out the vote when it was most crucial.
We can try to kid ourselves into thinking it may be different this time. The truth is, it'll probably be worse. Bush will be more arrogant than ever with those who voted against him as well as with the nations of the world that disagree with him and the policies of his administration. He will likely be emboldened by this victory and will happily ignore the fact that 55 million people voted to get rid of him and the failed policies of his cronies.
My advice to all of you is to keep your head down, keep your nose clean and get to work with the Howard Deans of the political world to formulate a plan to salvage this country in four years, because believe me, we are going to need to be saved! We'll lose more men and women in Iraq, we'll sink more money that we don't have into the war, we'll continue to be held hostage by the fear and intimidation of the Bush/Cheney realm and we'll further alienate the rest of the world. We can only hope and pray that we don't have to fight a war on another front, because if we need 800 British troops to cover for us in Baghdad before we can sent troops to Fallujah, we are really in a world of hurt militarily and no amount of spin from Karl Rove will save us.
Be nice.
Peace
Who's to blame for this? Well, I'd have to say the blame falls a bit on all of us. To the sheep who voted for him out of fear and ignorance (this would be the "don't change horses midstream crowd"), to the Democrats who failed to nominate a charismatic as well as competent candidate who was able to connect with the American electorate, and to the people who failed to get out the vote when it was most crucial.
We can try to kid ourselves into thinking it may be different this time. The truth is, it'll probably be worse. Bush will be more arrogant than ever with those who voted against him as well as with the nations of the world that disagree with him and the policies of his administration. He will likely be emboldened by this victory and will happily ignore the fact that 55 million people voted to get rid of him and the failed policies of his cronies.
My advice to all of you is to keep your head down, keep your nose clean and get to work with the Howard Deans of the political world to formulate a plan to salvage this country in four years, because believe me, we are going to need to be saved! We'll lose more men and women in Iraq, we'll sink more money that we don't have into the war, we'll continue to be held hostage by the fear and intimidation of the Bush/Cheney realm and we'll further alienate the rest of the world. We can only hope and pray that we don't have to fight a war on another front, because if we need 800 British troops to cover for us in Baghdad before we can sent troops to Fallujah, we are really in a world of hurt militarily and no amount of spin from Karl Rove will save us.
Be nice.
Peace
Friday, October 29, 2004
So long Bank of America. I won't be missing ya... RED SOX 2004 World Series Champions!!!
So, old job's officially over. New job starts Monday. Woo-hoo!!!
The Presidential race is tightening and even "The Economist" which backed George W. Bush in 2000 has endorsed John Kerry saying it was a difficult choice but in the end President Bush had been too incompetent to deserve re-election.
In related news, disaffected Republicans have launched an 11th hour grassroots effort to unseat President George W. Bush with an advertising blitz across eight swing states. The initiative has the backing of John Eisenhower, son of the Republican president Dwight D. Eisenhower. The campaign features a copy of Eisenhower's letter, "Why I Will Vote For John Kerry" which first appeared in the Manchester Union Leader.
And in other news, the RED SOX have won the World Series for the first time in 86 years. having grown up within earshot of the Red Sox Triple A farm team and having been fortunate enough to meet the likes of Fred Lynn, Jim Rice, Dwight Evans and even Bill "Spaceman" Lee, this victory had special meaning to me. Although admittedly, it felt very strange to watch the last out of game 4 occur so peacefully. After years of last minute errors, and untold angst, it just didn't feel like the Red Sox to win so assuredly! But, I'll take it just the same!!!
Be nice.
Peace
The Presidential race is tightening and even "The Economist" which backed George W. Bush in 2000 has endorsed John Kerry saying it was a difficult choice but in the end President Bush had been too incompetent to deserve re-election.
In related news, disaffected Republicans have launched an 11th hour grassroots effort to unseat President George W. Bush with an advertising blitz across eight swing states. The initiative has the backing of John Eisenhower, son of the Republican president Dwight D. Eisenhower. The campaign features a copy of Eisenhower's letter, "Why I Will Vote For John Kerry" which first appeared in the Manchester Union Leader.
And in other news, the RED SOX have won the World Series for the first time in 86 years. having grown up within earshot of the Red Sox Triple A farm team and having been fortunate enough to meet the likes of Fred Lynn, Jim Rice, Dwight Evans and even Bill "Spaceman" Lee, this victory had special meaning to me. Although admittedly, it felt very strange to watch the last out of game 4 occur so peacefully. After years of last minute errors, and untold angst, it just didn't feel like the Red Sox to win so assuredly! But, I'll take it just the same!!!
Be nice.
Peace
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
www.dubyaspeak.com
The election is a week away. Quite possibly the most important election of many of our lifetimes. Here's my plea to all the reasonable people who for some reason have been unable to decide for whom they should vote.
PLEASE visit http://www.johnkerry.com and spend a few minutes reading what this guy is about. He is well reasoned, articulate, intelligent and caring. There is no doubt in my mind that he will do a phenomenally better job as President of the United States of America than George W. Bush.
We are practically alone in the world. Tony Blair is on his way out of power as a result of following Bush. Sad thing this since he was a wonderful ally to President Clinton and at one time seemed rather well reasoned and driven by his convictions. There are more people across the globe with the ability to do us harm that now have more incentive than ever before.
There was a piece on NPR's All Things Considered this morning with Turkish author Orhan Pamuk discussing his book, SNOW, and describing how it is that poor and disenfranchised people from around the world are concerned about how America and the west view them and how distrustful they become from the sense of being looked down upon. It was a fascinating interview and offered wonderful insight into the hearts and minds of people from non-western cultures.
And if you are still undecided or worse yet, in the Bush camp, take a trip to the site in the title of this post and give a listen. Should be enough to convince you.
Be nice.
Peace
PLEASE visit http://www.johnkerry.com and spend a few minutes reading what this guy is about. He is well reasoned, articulate, intelligent and caring. There is no doubt in my mind that he will do a phenomenally better job as President of the United States of America than George W. Bush.
We are practically alone in the world. Tony Blair is on his way out of power as a result of following Bush. Sad thing this since he was a wonderful ally to President Clinton and at one time seemed rather well reasoned and driven by his convictions. There are more people across the globe with the ability to do us harm that now have more incentive than ever before.
There was a piece on NPR's All Things Considered this morning with Turkish author Orhan Pamuk discussing his book, SNOW, and describing how it is that poor and disenfranchised people from around the world are concerned about how America and the west view them and how distrustful they become from the sense of being looked down upon. It was a fascinating interview and offered wonderful insight into the hearts and minds of people from non-western cultures.
And if you are still undecided or worse yet, in the Bush camp, take a trip to the site in the title of this post and give a listen. Should be enough to convince you.
Be nice.
Peace
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Problem solved. Or am I crazy? :-)
Well, the conundrum of what to do about the Paris trip is resolved. Executive decision decreed, "Screw it, we'll just take them with us!".
After a litany of international phone calls to Air France (c'est magnifique!), Eurostar, Plaza Paris Vendome and a visit to our local awesomely helpful US Post Office for last minute photos of two boys with the biggest smiles you've ever seen, we are just about set. Last item is a visit to the US Passport Agency for expedited passports for the kids and we're in business.
Oddly enough, I feel a sense of relief over this decision and am seriously looking forward to this trip. If any one had ever told me I'd be excitedly planning to take a 3 and 5 year old to Europe, I'd have thought they were crazed. Yet, here I am more excited than I was about going without them. Go figure. I never cease to be amazed at what being a parent has done to me. ;-)
Be nice.
Peace
After a litany of international phone calls to Air France (c'est magnifique!), Eurostar, Plaza Paris Vendome and a visit to our local awesomely helpful US Post Office for last minute photos of two boys with the biggest smiles you've ever seen, we are just about set. Last item is a visit to the US Passport Agency for expedited passports for the kids and we're in business.
Oddly enough, I feel a sense of relief over this decision and am seriously looking forward to this trip. If any one had ever told me I'd be excitedly planning to take a 3 and 5 year old to Europe, I'd have thought they were crazed. Yet, here I am more excited than I was about going without them. Go figure. I never cease to be amazed at what being a parent has done to me. ;-)
Be nice.
Peace
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Paris trip in peril.
Due to unforeseen illness among one of the sitters we had lined up, the Paris trip is in peril. Options are few. Attempt to further take advantage of goodwill of remaining sitters (all are family members), buy a pair of tickets for the kids at a total of $2000. ouch, or bag the trip and eat the loss since it's almost all prepaid.
Puts me into reality mode, where I try to deal with the logic surrounding the issue and convince myself that it makes more sense to lose 2k than to spend 3k more to salvage a relatively short trip anyway. On the other hand, it might be more fun than I think with the kids along.
Anyway, I know most people wish this was all they had for problems. I'm not really complaining. Just trying to sort it through.
Be nice.
Peace
Puts me into reality mode, where I try to deal with the logic surrounding the issue and convince myself that it makes more sense to lose 2k than to spend 3k more to salvage a relatively short trip anyway. On the other hand, it might be more fun than I think with the kids along.
Anyway, I know most people wish this was all they had for problems. I'm not really complaining. Just trying to sort it through.
Be nice.
Peace
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