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    « April 2008 | Main | June 2008 »

    May 31, 2008

    JPL, NASA and Barack Obama

    Nicgabi_2 Please follow the latest on Phoenix and its findings on Mars below this link:

    Martian One and Martian Junior
    click and watch.  http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/phoenix/main.php

    Just a click away into outerspace. Phoenix is also on Twitter, imagine that! It's on my tinovska51, just check it out!

    Here in the argh! blogosphere all I know is Barack Obama has severed ties with  his church, where once he was lost and twenty years ago had been found. Why get into religion if one cannot please everybody by belonging to one denomination? You can go here, or here or here, too.
    You can call me biased, fair enough, I always flaunted my partisanship towards Billary. However, my son is only a Democratic, and a smart kid at sixteen, even if attending SAMOHI. He just now said he feels scared of Obama because Obama is getting worse than Kerry, meaning a flip-flopper, and my son feels Obama will be annihilated if running for president in November.

    All I can say about this and it's not much, I never felt the guy was sincere, even when just today I heard someone on TV say he was the same in front of four people as he'd be in front of forty-thousand. He's good looking, I'll grant his Michele good taste. The sermons being given at his former church are pretty much the same as most sermons given where the older generations of African-Americans worship.
    The feelings of not being wanted or ever having been asked to be here are legit. So preachers exaggerate and play with these feelings. Barack started his campaign as one of inclusion, excluding Clinton, natch, and now all of Trinity Church from Chicago.  I am sorry, no can do.

    I will vote for the Democratic ticket regardless of the candidate's name. To say I'm less than thrilled with Obama is not true. I was never thrilled with him in the first place.

    But then, my Jewish grandma would say, "You don't have to go to bed with him." True, Mamie, and I prefer this big dawg with glasses here.Dsc00008

    May 30, 2008

    Am I a Fortune Teller?

    Call me presumptious. I read all morning about the USA and its politics. I'm   willing to bet hard cash and Rubinho's thing to boot (see story below) John McCain will be the next president.
    While Dems bicker, try to find an honorable exit for Hillary, count on Obama as the president, our unbiased media presents John McCain to the American people.
    Carry on, Dems. Carry on. Sorry later? I won't be sorry for you. Or us, for that matter.


    links for 2008-05-30

    May 29, 2008

    Strange Night in the Rio Rain

    I can't recall how it all started. I know it was in the days we were mostly single or divorced or whatever else. My little circle of old time friends consisted of engineers, except for a poet and translator and I, a teacher of English as a Foreign Language. Like most Cariocas we went into and out of trends. The trend at the time was very refined cachaça, sugarcane alcohol. Out of the blue we had become connoisseurs, seeking the next best cachaça.
    So it happened that one night we got a call about a primo one. That was the good news. The bad news was the cachaça was with friends at the other side of town. Rubinho decided he'd go pick it up. I tagged along for the car ride.
    We got to our destination, small talk exchanged, we decided to leave. On our way back, the silence in the car was nearly surreal. Rubinho wasn't one of too many words, I knew that. I am chatty but knew not what to say. Pretty soon we'd have to cross Praça da Bandeira, an area with negative altitude. The rain was pouring now. We were crossing a lake, really.

    Rubinho breaks the silence with a thought that he must have been mulling in his head for quite a while. He turns to me, quite assertive, and states,

    --You know, I've never had an American butthole in my whole life.


    I froze. Rubinho, despite the --inho, was about 6' 4". Easy. His *** couldn't be the type Greek or Roman sculptures show in gardens. I didn't think so. Rather, I didn't want to think about it at all. My mother had always told me about how horrible their thing was when they wanted us. I found a way out. Quickly, I pointed out to him,

    -- Rubinho, watch out for the hole in the road! --

    That should be better than my hole, I was sure.

    You know how drunks are. He averted his attention from my hole to the one in the road. Before we knew it, we were crossing the tunnel to the south side of Rio. Before we could realize it, we were at my door. I pretended nothing had happened and asked him in. By then, the booze, the excitement, the fatigue had gotten to him. I kissed him on both cheeks and he left.
    At home, I undressed, prepared myself a Bloody Mary, put Lou Reed to play, lit a cigarette. Slowly, I felt sleepy, put out the cigarette and got mentally ready for the morning, when students might ask me for the words of the song I was listening to. I'd be ready.

    THAT cactus....

    May 28, 2008

    links for 2008-05-28

    May 27, 2008

    links for 2008-05-27

    May 26, 2008

    A Little Something to Share With You

    Maybe a Portuguese collective blog has inspired me to cultivate my love for architecture, design and urbanism. I'm not sure whether its name is Obvious or if it is Uncovering. Whatever it may be, tomorrow is the anniversary of Saint Petersburg, the crown jewel of Russia. I have below two links to the White Nights. Saint Petersburg is the only city to experience a night that never sleeps. Tomorrow is its anniversary. Enjoy the links!

    Link  number one: Click

    Link number two: Click


    Nite-nite, Happy Anniversary, Saint Petersburg!

    Hello, Is It Me You're looking For?

    The song performed by Lionel Ritchie was a true hit. "Hello, Is It Me You're Looking For?" was a cross-over song, popular with pre-teens and older people. I had never seen the video, which somewhat changed my perception of the song.
    But it's not me you are looking for. I am very blue, not in the Democratic v. Republican sense. I am saddened by yet another death, this time dona Leda's, the mother of two friends of mine, who in a short while became orphans. Their father, an over-achieving telecommunications engineer, the pioneer of TV in Brazil, died of Alzheimer a few months ago. His younger son's insight spared us from052007_1343 seeing Mommy shrink in a bed, her self long time gone.
    Mommy signed a living will determining no invasive medicine should try to make her live.
    Dona Leda died shortly after her husband of over six decades passed away. There is nothing we can do when they don't want to live anymore, I guess.
    With them is gone a part of my own history as a Carioca, a part of the history of music and cinema.
    So, I feel sad, and that, too shall pass.

    To a better time with our anarchic_universe del.ico.us links!

    links for 2008-05-26

    May 25, 2008

    links for 2008-05-25

    I Regret to Inform I'm Off Today

    I wish I could resume my blogging responsibilities full-speed. However, I am very tired and now I am not sure whether my wobbling is due to exhaustion or to a natural consequence of the hydrocephalus surgery. I haven't really taken it easy at all. It's time for a break. I'll be in charge of the del.icio.us anarchic_universe network, but that 'll be all.

    Unless there is something of utmost importance, I'll be sleeping.  See you soon, folks!

    May 23, 2008

    Congratulations SAMOHI!

    SAMOHI-Pals always in the know. SAMOHI made it into the top 200 out of 1,000 high schools. Those dirty bathrooms must have been part of unknown techniques to boost morale.

    Click here for the whole news. Then, please come back here to your Anarchic_Universe® ! After all, you know Barbara Lewis and I, Baby I'm Yours!
    Click for the song, please.

    links for 2008-05-23

    May 22, 2008

    SAMOHI Pals - My Net Went Off - Sra. Talarico Went Bye-Bye

    It was one A.M. exactly when an e-mail entered my box from SAMOHI-Pals. It couldn't possibly be kudos about a private tutor or an inquiry about one. I opened it and voilà!  Are we rich or are we rich? Our Superintendent is leaving us for another district like the one she worked for: small and unknown, in northern California. There, she used to work in Special Education. Nooo! Yes, and hold on to your breathing salts.
    According to  links to The Surf: here, also here, and finally here, so that's three links, click on each one of them and come back, please to my favorite beef. Wondering what''s for dinner tonight? Reservations. ;P))
    How often did I ask here at Anarchic_Universe where our taxpaying money was going to? Nonetheless, our wanna be  bo-bo (bohemian-bourgeois) taxpaying crowd wants to put cash into SMMUSD's pockets. Now we pay 200K for Tim Walker to walk away, we'll be paying for some higher than thou administrator to help choose a new superintendent, and we voted -- take me out of this we -- for more money into SMMUSD's pockets.
    In the meantime, Dr. Pedroza, the C.E.O. of SAMOHI, was nowhere to be seen when a few stoners were spotted still at school after the bell, today, hiding to toke. Da police sent four cars, one blocked the sidewalk on Pico, in front of a sleazebag hotel.
    I'm against all this hoopla about marijuana. Really. I would vote  for cleaner bathrooms, instead. More dynamic classes. However, as part of a plan for safer sex at SAMOHI, bathrooms will stay filthy, stoners will be stoners, and there'll be more entries on the Net abou Dr. Pedroza the musician than the school marm.

    Good night, now! Below, my old plum tree and the climbing Don Juan roses in back.

    old plum tree; climbing Don Juan roses

    In the Still of the Night: Andrea Marcovicci

    Every August we'd up and go see a beautiful dramatic songstress, Andrea Marcovicci, right here, at the Gardenia, a club which has had better days. At winter time she had a long commitment at the Algonquin Hotel, where everything except the prices is historic.
    One year we saw Andrea's mother, who could have had a career in show business, but gave it up to take care of her daughter.
    I can hear Momma Marcovicci 's deep voice singing "In the Still of the Night." I remember Andrea telling us details she researched on the life of café society in the beautiful Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel, in between operatic deliveries of the Great American Songbook. Andrea Marcovicci has a presence, unlike some who may have a voice or no voice. Click for a performance of Andrea's, Someone to Love, and a set of the Algonquin Hotel, the two links in this posts. To come back you  may use the history of your browser. How did you like the story sent by the Knitting Club who never sleep,Yahoo's SAMOHI Pals?

    pink plumbago 2:17:07

    May 21, 2008

    links for 2008-05-21

    May 20, 2008

    College Is a Waste of Time

    Meu filho, meu tesouro

    There are two subjects somewhat intertwined I want to address here. One is self-complacency in our society of former rebels and aging boomers  now. The other is arrested development.(Great band)

    I left a link here for you to open and read. The young author who wrote it is certainly closer in age to the kids getting in college or not. The link below is a live link. This means you click on it and leave Anarchic_Universe to the very prestigious blog New Critics. Ready to click? Go and click below:

    http://newcritics.com/blog1/2008/05/15/college-is-a-waste-of-time-101/

    The reason I picked it was how it struck us, Nic and me, like a bolt of lightening, like an epiphany, like a truth we knew of but wouldn't accept. My husband is a Ph.D. in computer science. Above is the apple of our eyes, GHR2009 on Flickr.
    (CONTINUE)
     

    Continue reading "College Is a Waste of Time" »

    Near Full Moon


    Near Full Moon
    Originally uploaded by GHR2009

    I 'm flooded in tears. Finally, I have allowed myself to sob, let the snoot run down my nose, let tears jump into my cheeks, and most importantly, find a sympathetic ear of an old time friend to let me cry. My friend is bstanbery at YouTube. We met in February, maybe, of 1981. (CONTINUE)

    Continue reading "Near Full Moon" »

    May 19, 2008

    links for 2008-05-19

    May 18, 2008

    I Can Read: SUMMER reads DIET

    Every year the women of America and Brad Pitt worry about summer. Unfortunately, their worrying is ineffective if not before the Halloween benchmark. I am very overweight right now.

    How much, Tina?

    None of your business, Craig.

    Some of the most useful tricks I learned were from a terrific leader at Weight Watchers. I  have been to all of these weight loss programs. The ones in earnest use the diet for someone wirh diabetes: a balanced small portion diet, with three main meals and three snacks.


    These are some rules of thumb:


    • Don't forget to drink your eight glasses of water. I woul say ask for the wonderful tap water of ______________ . After reading about our water being recycled from waste, click here to see it for real, I guess I will recommend indulging in Evian or  San Pellegrino.
    • Drop those addled brownies. You don't want to hsve  the munchies, do you?
    • Alcohol. What an enemy . First, it relaxes  you, lowers your guard, increases your appetite. Second, next day you will have a bunch of problemas: hangover, the blues - alcohol is a strong depressant  in the central nervous system. Finally, alcoholic drinks add a considerable amount of calories in your body.
    • Salad dressing? Forget about it. Eat  your salad au naturel. Or use a pratically zero calorie dressing for it: mustard with lime juice. It's great and  the mustard makes it seem like salt has been added.
    • Don''t get all freaked out when you go cruise the streets of Beverly  Hills and run into size zeros left and right. No despair, please. A diet that works is a lifetime  plan. On this note, I must bid you adieu. t's my snack time.

    More on this subject. I am fat today but shall be svelte in two years. Plus, remember: some of this is genetic. Check out how thin is the great singer of bar rock group Téléphone. If you click here, you'll hear Au Cœur de la Nuit, my favorite song of theirs. Click on thr name of the song for the lyrics. Distribute words of songs for educational purposes, only.

    Voilà! Unless I am hijacked by the Sandman, I will be back.

    links for 2008-05-18

    May 17, 2008

    Attention, Please: Cyberbullying; Carry On, Dudes!

    Attention, please. Some idle mind(s) labeled my photos at Flickr.com as "adult." They are gone. The Flickr team assigned to my case is investigating it. I tried, quite unsuccessfully, to explain to a friend of mine why bloggers post their photos online. I am quite tired. However, as this feels like the wee hours, I will present to you my short version of a film review of 1939's ten Oscar© winner  "Gone With The Wind."
    (Continue reading, please.)

    Continue reading "Attention, Please: Cyberbullying; Carry On, Dudes!" »

    When Your Child Isn't Ready for College 1

    We should have realized our child wouldn't be ready for college by the end of twelfth grade. A post in newcritics , click to read it, inspired me to follow suite. No, it's not his intelligence. His IQ is higher than that of 99.9% of his peers. He just isn't ready.

    I suspected he had ADD since his second grade. The testing showed he didn't qualify for Special Ed. services. When you have a Halloween baby, maybe it's best to keep the child one year behind. The year s/he gained at the primary K-5 levels becomes an unattainable spot in the horizon at high school graduation time.

    The work at SMMUSD's Special Ed.  is questionable, to say the least. Just go a few posts below and you will find the article from the Santa Monica Daily Press on parents whose silence was bought in
    exchange for services of Special Ed. Click, please to read article.

    I am very tired, which is natural, after having had a hydrocephalus surgery for the insertion  of a shunt. To make matters worse, some Brazilian bloggers are intent on a flame war against me. I'm signing off here, with a photo from Flickr of what we call a Sperm Light. I'll be back. Fer sher.               

    Sperm Light.  Thanks Holbrook and City Council!

    links for 2008-05-17

    May 16, 2008

    Got It! Google's First Laser Day

    This was a cinch, really. If I had gone and scrolled my pointer of the touchpad over the word clearly forming Google, I'd see the meaning of it.

    This is a link in which you can see Google's tribute to the first laser and more.
    Just click here, please. I guess first laser beam asks for Pink Floyd. Right now, on a silver platter.

    Did You Check Your iGoogle Page Today?

    I've been intrigued about it since the wee hours this morning. If you don't have an iGoogle page yet, it's quite simple to have one and very convenient, too.

    • Get yourself a Google gmail.com account.( 'Tis irrelevant, but get one anyway.) Its main advantage is the amount of storage available. When you sign up for your gmail.com account, make sure your home page on your computer is http://google.com.

    • If it isn't, just type  http://google.com in case you live in the USA.

    • To get to the iGoogle page, click on http://www.google.com/ig

    • When you click and get to the iGoogle page, you'll see a strange way of spelling Google. I could have left it at that, but inquiring minds want to know...

    • So, I typed a search on Google. It was google may 16 2008 . I putzed around with different searches. Then, I found this:http://google.client.shareholder.com/visitors/event/build2/ mediapresentation.cfm?MediaID=25550&Player=1#

    • Was my question answered? I don't know. What I do know is if you ask your Google question logically, you'll get an answer. I'll get back with news from Daddy-o Google later. Click here, please, to hear where the expression Daddy-o came from.