My Grandmother passed away this morning at
Charlotte Stoakes, who would be 94 this August, lived a rich life. Like most things of quality and substance and style, she was paradoxically complex and simple at the same time. Born and raised in the center of
I have no way to prove it, and it doesn't really matter, except that it represents her character well, but it is very likely that Grandma never uttered a single swear word in her 93 years. There was no need - even when times got tough. Grandma was all about Gee Whiz, and For Heaven’s Sake. She was good to the core.
No stranger to adversity and challenge (like many from the “Greatest Generation”) she lived through many tough times: the depression, World War 1 and 2,
My Grandma memories are endless. But mostly they all tell the same story: she was a good woman who sparkled with soul. To me, Grandma represents all that is good about
The photo above is representative of her - always interested and eager to help, always smiling, always there, always glowing. Here you see her proudly watching mom make her Holiday Gravy recipe at my parents
We miss you Grandma and thank you for all of the joy and life you have shared over the years.
Copyright Unity
Ok Mom. You asked for it. Here's my 2004/2005 wishlist. (click here)
And for those of you just passing by, feel free to swipe ideas for your own list.
The cool thing about Amazon wishlists to me is that if you want something nowadays you don't even need to buy it---just add it to your wishlist. You know it's there, just 1-Click(TM) away at all times. Your items are being safely stored on a shelf somewhere in Seattle or
Happy Holidays!
Here are five great Netflix picks I recommend for this
The Apartment--The good ol' days in NYC during
The Bicycle Thief--Beautiful black and white Italian film about family and the human condition.
Capturing The Friedman's--You'll realize that your family isn't so messed up after all. You'll be thankful again with your own hand.
Central Station--Brazilian film that shows you how we can all have a purpose.
Mark Twain--Perfect for a snowed-in day at home.
Post your own recommendations in the comment section.
To my friends: Dirty Found is here.
This is the new companion magazine to one of my all time favorite publications: Found. In Dirty Found, the editors publish the more risqué items that people have found over the years: Polaroid pics, lust notes, short stories, etc. There is nothing obscene or anything so don't be scared to leave it on your coffee table. You will want to tuck it underneath your other 'zines though when Grandma stops by.
At only $10 bucks, it makes a great gift for friends who enjoy humor. You'll be giving them a $1,000 worth of laughs.
Stop. Just be quiet. Before you rant and rave and call me crazy, go read this book:
"O.J. Is Guilty But Not of Murder by William Dear."
After reading this book, you will understand why I believe that not only is OJ Simpson "Not Guilty" of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, but he is actually innocent.
The author, William Dear, is generally considered one of the world's top 5 private investigators and has been responsible for solving dozens of major crime mysteries over a 35 year career. You can read more about him when you read the book, which I think will further legitimize the argument laid out in his 6-year private investigation into the OJ case.
Why have I been bringing up the 10 year-old OJ case in recent weeks you ask?
Simple: the context of the recent Scott Petersen trial in which the jury found him guilty of murder based on mountain of circumstantial evidence, again highlights a flawed justice system that continues to be influenced by a biased media, an emotional public, and crafty lawyers.
Don't get me wrong. Unlike OJ, I think Scott Petersen is guilty. With OJ, the problem is that the media and the public crucified an innocent man and continue to do so to this day even though he did not commit those murders (again, please read the book before you try and debate this). Thankfully, the jury did the right thing in this case and listened to the facts of the case. But with the Petersen trial something frightful happened. The media, the public, AND a jury convicted a man of murder without any real evidence. This is serious.
The owe ness must be on the prosecution to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt according to the law, not rely on provocative circumstantial evidence that plays well on Larry King Live. Especially with a death penalty case. It is bad enough for the media and the public to start acting as judge and jury. But if the actual judicial process also erodes, then what protections will the innocent have?
Isn't it better to let a guilty man free, than to take an innocent man's freedom? Let us remember that in many of these cases we are now putting people to death.
Ok, the election is behind us and everyone is saying it's time to unite the country. Since the President himself called for "Unity" at his recent press conference, I am stepping up and doing my part. I am giving the country my Smoothy Recipe.
Why not? It's a smooth elixir; it tastes great; and it's healthy for Republicans and Democrats alike.
All you need is a blender and the following ingredients:
1) 1 peeled banana (better when frozen overnight)
2) Handful of frozen raspberries or strawberries
3) Half cup of vanilla yogurt
4) Half cup orange, banana, strawberry juice
5) Scoop of ice-cream (vanilla or strawberry)
6) Other (you can add ice or other fruits to taste if you like)
All you have to do is toss all of the ingredients into the blender and mix for about a minute.
Makes 2 glasses of tasty Smoothy. Take a sip and feel the unification process take hold.
Enjoy!
Kerry is going to win the 2004 Election, and it may be a landslide. I have been saying this for almost a year, based solely on this common-sense logic:
In 2000, a weak candidate like Gore, was able to win the popular vote (and electoral vote if you look at the recount), when Democrats were apathetic, Nader was a major vote drain, and millions of new voters were not yet registered in the system.
In 2004, the Democrats have a significantly stronger candidate team with Kerry and Edwards. But more importantly, Democrats are more motivated than ever, Nader will likely only take fringe voters this time around, and millions of new Democratic voters have come into the system.
When you pile this common-sense logic onto all of the troubles the current administration has had over the past year and (in recent days) with Iraq, flu, missing weapons, poor economic numbers, and on and on, it just seems clear that the Democratic candidate will handily win this time around.
Everyone is saying it is neck and neck, but the polls this season are essentially irrelevant because pollsters are polling the past. Any statistician will tell you that you need a representative and random sample to predict accurate results. Yet, they are not polling people who have just registered or who have cell phones. Garbage in, garbage out.
So we'll see in just a few days if my reasoning holds up. And if it does it will be a Kerry landslide.
