Happy Fourth!

And let's remember Seneca's words, Nemo suam patriam quia magna est amat, sed quia sua, Nobody loves his homeland because it's great, he loves it because it's his.

Hey BebeMoche, Don't Forget!

You'll need one of these Thursday evening. Take your pick.

Stop the Presses!

Okay, I was going to do a whole post on Bush's commuting Scooter's sentence, (especially since Paul Begala had the best take on it). However, I feel I simply must respond to BebeMoche's recent posts, seeing as I'm one of the Anthony Marentino's in her life.

In re: Mommie Dearest

• His opening question would have put me off for the rest of the evening.


• I've been out with guys who repeat the "You're so smart!" thing, too. Gets old REAL fast. Especially when said with a childish accent, "You weal smaht!" (The date ended then and there.)


• Okay, so I, too, remove items from the dry cleaner's wire hangers and place them on wooden ones. Wire hangers are bad for the fabric and distort the shape of the shirt. However, I wouldn't talk about this sort of bullshit on a date. I prefer to leave it until you get to know me better... or find my blog.

In re: Mr. Rock and Roll

Let's just remember the wonders a good haircut can work.




BTW, don't you TOTALLY love Billy Crudup?

Being Back In California

There are so many things that are fantastic about being in the Bay Area. The weather has been amazing for almost the entire time that I've been here. Sunny, warm enough for shorts but not so hot that you sweat in jeans, cool breezes blowing through. Then there's the mouth-watering food which seems to be everywhere for next to no money. The cheap-ass burritos found on every corner here put Chipotle, our only real New York contender, to shame. Then there's the political situation. In one of the more conservative communities nearby, there's a huge war protest monument on the hill next to the commuter train station, visible from the freeway.

This is also where people joke about your carbon footprint if you send a dish back at a restaurant. It's Peet's Coffee, Delfina, and Berkeley. With all that, I nearly missed the bullshit. Like the other day when I went out with a group of friends and caught shit for the fact that I'm driving around in Mom's Camry. I almost forgot that in California people really are shallow about those things. Excuse me now, I have to go meet Heather and Jessica at the mall.

BuddyCrocker Officially 12 Years Old Again.

I mean, just judging by recent posts.

Harry Potter, the park that lived!

So Univeral Studios is planning on opening a Harry Potter themed park sometime between 2009 and 2010, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I know that this is pretty old news, but the following pictures are new to me and I just thought I'd share. They are: the promotional poster...

...a view of the park, anchored by Hogwarts...

...and a bit of Hodsmeade...


The website says that it will be immersive, exciting, and authentic. Yes, there will be rides. Beyond that, they're not giving us much.

I Want...

My God! They're Everywhere!

I'm finally reading Harry Potter

But, as a testament to my true geekdom, I'm not reading it in English. I bought it a year and a half ago during the New York transit strike when most of the kids weren't able to make it to the school. I wanted to have something to read with the kids which would still keep them practicing the language, but which wouldn't be a problem for the others to miss. So, having some extra time on my hands, I'm reading it for myself. What do I think? Eh.

Fun, fun!

Saw Ratatouille with Mom yesterday. Aside from the screaming kids packed to the rafters, it was pretty good. Visually the movie was amazing. They did a fantastic job of rendering the characters' movement and emotions, the actions scenes were exciting, Paris looked beautiful and close to real. I loved the fact that the office of the necrotic food critic was coffin shaped and that the back of his typewriter looked like a skull. Although it wandered at times the storyline was pretty good and there was a nice message that they tried to keep from being too facile. All in all, it was a worthwhile experience, and best seen either on the big screen... or maybe a large hi-def.

Why are we listening?

Once again, Ann Coulter is everywhere. NBC and its affiliates have been especially "good" about giving her the spotlight. And once again, I have to ask, why is anybody paying her any attention at all? Everyone agrees that she says nothing insightful and everything spiteful. She has nothing worthwhile to add to any conversation. This morning she was on MSNBC's Morning Joe, whining over the fact that people are calling her "mean." She gleefully hurls insults and innuendo, publicly wishes that John Edwards be killed, and then has the balls to complain when people call her on it? Does she believe that hoping for someone to die places her in the "good person" category? Honestly, I believe that she must be functionally insane. So why do people tune into this stuff?

Of course, I have to rethink my own sources as well. HuffingtonPost.com is one of several websites I browse to stay informed. I really appreciate Arrianna's take on things and, for the most part, I like their coverage. However, the website focusses a bit too much on the gossipy news, like the Fishwife Coulter's latest rant, Paris Hilton's latest escapade, or Lohan's weight after a night of clubbing. Maybe it's time to take my own advice and drop them.

We'll always have Paris...

Paris Hilton says she's a changed person since being in jail. She says she's going to say goodye to her endless partying. Does this mean she'll stay out of the public eye for a while? Or...

New Music... to me, at least

If you haven't heard The Clientele yet, check them out! They've been around for a couple of years, but I only recently heard about them. Their music sounds very 60's retro, very chill, very enjoyable. You can also check out the following video... but please don't let the fact that it was used in that Keanu Reeves/Sandra Bullock offal spoil it for you.

WTF Update.

Okay. So not only has CBS cancelled Creature Comforts, they apparently have decided that they're not even going to show their last scheduled episodes. The newspaper says that tonight Creature Comforts airs, but when I tune in to CBS I'm presented with back-to-back episodes of The New Adventures of Old Christine, a show which I really wanted to like (because of Julia Louise Dreyfuss) but which I've been forced to hate due to its crap-ass writing. Thank you, CBS, for ruining my Monday evening. (Normally, this wouldn't matter. But remember, I'm in suburbia at the moment, and there's just not that much to do.)

This Just In!

Creature Comforts has been cancelled! WTF?!? American television sucks!

Sunday was Pride Day!

Being in the SF Bay Area, I attended the Gay Pride Parade on Sunday with some of my oldest friends, including a friend I met at my first parade [mumble] years ago. When first we all caught up with each other I was greeted with a boy scout bearing mimosas, so well prepared!

I was surprised with how corporate the entire event has become. Pepsi was passing out Mardi Gras beads with little Pepsi cans on them. Other companies had their own floats.


Tylenol even showcased the resurrected Madame. (If you don't remember Wayland Flowers and Madame, check out her new site.)

But don't worry, there's still more than enough of the grass roots, home grown craziness we expect. Including, my favorites, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Don't Miss It!

One of my favorite shows on BBC America, Creature Comforts, has been redone for the US. It's on CBS on Monday nights. Okay, I'm not quite as enthralled with the little critters that have American accents, but it's still pretty good.

Taking Care of Mom.

I've flown back to the San Francisco Bay Area in order to spend time with my mother who's recovering from recent surgery. She's not yet well enough to be completely on her own, but she is well enough to indulge in all of her old, annoying "mom" habits. She has a bit of difficulty getting around so I've told her that I'll do things around the house that need to get done. And yet, she doesn't ever say outright exactly what she wants. This leaves me to play a sort of cat and mouse guessing game with her. She wants something, but she doesn't want to impose on me so she hints at it. For example, yesterday we're shopping at Trader Joe's and there's a pile of fresh blueberries in pint boxes. She remarks, "Oh! Blueberries! Those look good!" So I ask, "Should we get some?" To this she answers, "Well, it might be nice to make a pie..." I get it and say, "Well, if you want to make a pie we can. How many blueberries should we get?" She says, "Oh, I think two pints should be enough." I pick up the blueberries and off we go. Today, as I'm preparing lunch, she says, "Are you going to defrost the pie crust?" Note the expertise with which she has taken the assumption, the imperative, that I will be making the pie myself and imbedded it into a seemingly innocent question about the status of the pie crust. Knowing exactly what's going on, I ask, "Why would I be defrosting the pie crust?" To this she asks, all wide-eyed wonder, "Well, I thought you were making the pie today." To this I reply that at no point had I volunteered to make the pie but that I would be happy to do so if that's what she wants. After she squirms for a bit she finally affirms that yes, she would like me to bake the pie.

Honestly, I really feel for my mom. I can see a life time of habits in her that I would love for her to break. She has the hardest time speaking her mind openly and honestly since she doesn't want to be a bother. And no amount of discussion with her is helping her to see that the only bother is trying to decode what she does say. I'm hoping that she'll get past the hinting, but I guess that it'll be fine if she doesn't. She's still Mom.

It's a little bit funny.

All the posts which show on the page at the moment would cause a conservative to go apoplectic. And I think of myself as a pretty moderate, mainstream type of guy.

What to do... what to do...

I haven't been blogging a lot lately... I know, Big Surprise! There's been a lot on my mind... grading and saying goodbye to amazing and irreplacable students, taking care of my mom's health and life, orchestrating a palace coup while simultaneously keeping down other possible usupers, basically the same things that all of you deal with on a daily basis. But now I'm in California on the last weekend of June. Ho hum. What will I do? There's this little something or other going on this weekend that I think I'll check out. Also, some friends of mine have acquired free tickets to some other little thing. Maybe I'll just spontaneously combust this weekend.

Don't Miss It!

NYC Restaurant Week!
July 16-20 and July 23-27, 2007

Three course, prix fixe lunches for $24.07 and dinners for $35 at participating restaurants! It's a great deal for those who care about such things. Check out the website to find out who's available and make your reservations now!

Why Are Movies Sucking So Much Lately?

I mean, seriously!

Military Intelligence

Okay, so I realize that our military is run by a bunch of homophobic assholes and I don't put a great deal of stock in their "broadness of vision." It's a combination that's a more than a little bit scary. Still, I can't believe that this is the sort of thinking is still going on. Apparently, our air force was hoping to create a bomb which would turn enemy soldiers gay. The idea seems to have been to create a chemical weapon which would cause the soldiers find each other irresistable. I suppose this means that the men would simply throw down their weapons, tear off each other's clothing, and be so busy fucking each other that they wouldn't notice when our soldiers came in and took over. Now, this is the plotline of countless gay porns, at least the part where the soldiers get, um, distracted... which makes you wonder who came up with the idea and how, (another scary thought). But the porn studios know that it's fantasy. Apparently the military don't. What I don't get is how they expected it all to work. The story linked above mentions stong aphrodisiacs, which implies that the military idea is based on the premise that if you get guys horny enough they'll become much less picky. Or, perhaps, that all soldiers are already somewhat gay. Either way, it's just plain ridiculous. And the worst thing is, these are the sorts of minds behind our present activity in Iraq. That's what's really scary.

Last Day of Classes

This week I have taught my last classes and given the final exam to my tens. This year the students are especially difficult to let go. Some of them are off to better things. My independent study, whom I call the "Little Prince" due to his natural, relaxed propriety, is off to study in Oxford. My student intern, who is one of the most intelligent, caring, and organized students I've ever had, is off to Princeton. My sevens have been fantastic, but I won't be teaching them next year. I will, however, be teaching them again the following year. My tens this year will still be around the school, but I'll never teach them again as a group so it won't be the same. They've been so much fun and I know that they've had fun as well. They're bright, creative, open... they're definitionally cool. The morning tens gave me a really thoughtful gift. Every day during morning break I buy a cup of coffee which I nurse throughout my next two classes. I should have known something was up when they started asking me all sorts of questions. Did I drink regular lattes? Mochas? What, regular coffee? What, no cream and sugar? Only black? Isn't that gross? Doesn't the coffee get cold? Isn't that really gross? So, apparently overwhelmed with pity that their teacher was drinking lukewarm coffee, they bought me a thermal mug. However, it came with a removable liner and they all signed it. I nearly cried. Additionally, they all pitched in and bought me a Starbucks card for a very healthy amount. When I protested that it was too much, they replied that I was stuck with it since they couldn't return it. They're amazing.

Hilarious!

I'm sure you're gripping the edge of your seat, wondering what KFed's going to do next. Well, now your questions are answered, clidk here.

Teaching teenagers.

Today I was working with one of my students in our independent study. There we were, reading the text, debating the grammar, and discussing the history of the dynastic relations and the international politics of the time... we laughed at something he said and he turned his head back down to the text. Suddenly, there it was, glaring forth from under his button down's collar, a deep-purple hickey the size of a small hamster! It looks like he had a run-in with a toothless vampire! For an instant my brain stutters. I didn't even realize he had a girlfirend, (boyfriend?)! What would his super-conservative father say? Is he being careful? Is he doing enough that he needs to worry about "being careful"? Should I say something and remind him about the importance of responsibility and... suddenly he says, "This isn't making sense." I reply, "Um.. well, the antecedent to the relative pronoun actually follows the clause, there, in the ablative absolute." And thankfully, I am saved.

Definitely not suitable for the "saved"

Humour: Jesus Christ - I will Survive - wideo
Clip video du dernier tube de Jesus Christ " i will survive". Humour...

Mots-clés : video jesus christ i will survive gloria gaynor funny bus drole humour clip humour-chanson humour-jesus

Video de gromat

Don't know why...

...but lately the BF and I have been watching more and more of BBC America. I often bitch about morning news programs and so now, once I've seen the local weather report, I tune in to the BBC for my morning news as I have my coffee and breakfast. But their programming at other times is becoming more and more interesting... once you get past the excess of Cash in the Attic. Little Britain, Bromwell High, Creature Comforts (from the folks behind Wallace and Grommit), Hyperdrive, they're all hilarious. Hex and Doctor Who, they're interesting. Maybe not enough for weekly viewing, but definitely enough for occasionally dropping in. And come this Saturday, BBC America will be broadcasting Robin Hood, with the yummy-licious Jonas Armstrong. Yes, I will be watching even more of BBC America.

BuddyCrocker feeling superior.

This sentence from a description of the penthouse suites on the Oceania cruise website made me laugh.

Watch the sun rise over a distant land as you sip the morning's first cup of freshly brewed coffee from your private teak veranda.

The misplaced prepositional phrase makes is sound as if you have to slurp the coffee off of the deck floor. Tee-hee!

Yeah, I'm watching Idol... sue me!

OMG! LaKisha Jones totally blew it out of the water!

Coolness!

Check out Future Boogie and download Jazzanova's mixed mp3's! They're great listening! Mr. Scruff and Domus aren't bad either. You can also subscribe to Future Boogie through iTunes. I'm eagerly waiting for more!

Maybe if we ignore her she'll just go away... No, let me restate. If we ignore her, maybe she'll get out of the spotlight and get her life together.

I've been no fan of Britney. I thought she was silly when she first bopped on the scene, an impression which in retrospect was as much as I liked her ever. Since her debut she's just made an ever greater fool of herself in the public eye. Now that she's failing at the Hollywood rehab game, I'm beginning to feel true pity for her. How lost is she? How hopeless has she become? Maybe if we all just left her alone, allowed her to sort her life out as much as she can, let her to find a less-demanding career away from the spotlight, then she might just be fine. Otherwise, she's well on her way to becoming an object lesson in the evils of materialism and celebrity.

Thank God!

46° F

Seen at Party Town on the UES

On sale for Passover, finger puppets depicting the plagues which God visited upon the Egyptians. You know, those innocent bystanders whom God punished when the Pharaoh refused to allow Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Oh, but wait a minute! Didn't God explicitly harden Pharaoh's heart and keep him from freeing the Israelites? Even after Pharaoh said that the Israelites could leave? So who was really to blame for the Israelites' continued servitude? Ah well, tomayto-tomahto. Why quibble over details when you can turn God's wrath into warm and cuddly toys for your children? I think that the boils and the "First Born" are especially good for your child's beddy-bye story!

Day at the Guggenheim

Today the BF, our neighbor Rey and I saw the Guggenheim's Spanish Painting From El Greco to Picasso. If you get a chance to see it before it's gone, check out the exhibit. The paintings are grouped thematically, showing how artists from different eras dealt with similar themes. Sometimes there's direct borrowing by the later artists from the earlier artists. Other times it's not clear whether the similarities are allusion or merely brought about by the fact that both artists are dealing with the same topic. The only downside was the crowds which were insane. Still, Rey is a museum member so we didn't have to wait in the line. Also, he's totally knowledgable about the topic so it was like having our own tour guide. Afterwards we headed over for a light dinner at Cafe Sabarsky in the Neue Gallerie. It was a perfect ending to the day.

Lunar New Year Fireworks!

Attendance called off due to bitter fuckin' cold.

White Christmas it ain't

If you had any doubt as to whether or not we're totally fucking up the environment, the snow in Siberia has been smelly, orange and oily. Yum.

Anna Nicole

She's been everything... a trailer park debutante... lap dancer... trophy wife... fat, doped up object of public fascination/censure on nationally televised display, constantly at odds with her nemesissy Bobby Trendy... drugged out on awards shows... thin again... tragic mother... and now she's gone. And tonight ABC is doing a somberly salacious review of her life. The music and graphics have a funereal sobriety worthy of a respected statesman. The reporting is, perhaps, two steps above "Bat Boy Lives." It would seem that her last months of life were truly horrible. I have no doubt but that she was deeply unhappy. And yet, why our nation is so fixated on her at a time of war is something I refuse to understand.

Terror Free Gas

Okay, so I don't know quite what to say about this, but in Omaha NE there's a small gas station selling "terror free" gas. Now, when I first saw the headline I thought it was going to be something as stupid as the "freedom fries" that were served in the Capitol and the bottles of French wine which were ceremoniously and ostentatiously poured down sewers when France wouldn't buy into our war against Iraq. However, the proprietors are buynig gasoline processed in the US and Canada in order to avoid giving money to those who possibly support terrorism. That seems admirable. Then again, they're using the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and references to Flight 93 to sell their product. This I find despicable.

Out, out, damn Spot!

Why do I bother to wash my hands? ...like, 25 times a day.

Good Cold vs Bad Cold

Good: You wear a sweater.

Bad: You wear three sweaters... plus long underwear, a scarf, two pairs of gloves, and a hat that makes you look like a Muscovite.

Good: You can pick up a frappuccino.

Bad: Whatever you pick up becomes a frappuccino after five minutes on the street.

Good: You can just see your breath.

Bad: Breathing gives you brain freeze.

Good: A powerful air conditioner.

Bad: A broken heater.

By the way...

I'm sure that most of you who check in here didn't watch the Superbowl this past weekend.

I only got as far as the opening ceremonies which included performances by Cirque de Soleil.

Even though I thought they were kind of cheesy, I loved the idea of some sort of grand celebration to open the show... sort of like the Olympics. I actually started thinking that it would be kind of cool to go to a Superbowl... someday... provided that it's in one of the host cities... and I have, like, luxury box tickets... and I sure as hell don't want to pay for it 'cause those tickets are thousands of frickin' dollars and that's just stupid!

Teaching Latin Poetry to High School Students.

It helps if you can refer to "Fergilicious."

Today's Morning-Walk-to-Work-Fun!

Frozen dog urine! Thanks to the below-freezing temperatures!

Finally saw a Movie!

I gotta get out more.

I finally got to see Dreamgirls... two months after it came out. I hate seeing movies after hearing all the hype. Was it good? Did my expectations get in the way? God knows it was lush to look at. And the vocal performances were amazing. And Beyonce clearly can do anything she wants to do. Still... I just came away feeling a bit unsatisfied. Hmmm.


Ah well. If all goes according to pattern, once it comes out on Showtime or HBO then I'll watch it, like, 20 times. And each time I'll "find a new layer" and be otherwise completely obsessed for the span of a few weeks. Whatevs.

David Beckham! You just signed with L.A. Galaxy for $250 Million! What are you going to do now?

I'm going to Disneyland!

Annie Does Disney

Every year Disney comes out with another ad campaign, tweaking their image in some way, certainly in an effort to keep things "fresh." This year for the kids it's going to be something like "The Year of 1000 Dreams" or some BS like that. I'm sure that it makes good marketing sense, but if you love the place like I do then recognizing the business end of it makes it a bit "too real." Whatevs. Their latest campaign is definitely one of the better ones. Various celebs as Disney characters, lushly shot by Annie Leibovitz. There's Scarlett Johanssen as Cinderella, Mr. Posh Spice as Prince Charming. and from Wonderland, Beyonce, Lyle Lovett, and Oliver Platt as Alice, the March Hare, and the Mad Hatter, respectively. If you ask me, the one with Beckhy doesn't work so well. Though he certainly looks the part, the horse looks stuffed.

Yes, Sir! She's Moche Bebe!

So Thursday evening I was lucky to be able to have dinner with BebeMoche. Our initial plan was to try Varietal, which looked really good online. However, once we got there it just looked like one big expense-account-fueled scene. Since we were in the mood for something casual (and possibly fried) we decided to look elsewhere. A leisurely stroll later, we re-found Bombay Talkie, a place we'd said we'd wanted to try but hadn't gotten around to doing so. The food was excellent and the lower level, where we were sitting, was nearly empty. It looked like it was just going to be a pleasant, low-key evening.

Towards the tail end of our meal, two bearish-looking guys walked in and were seated next to us. One of them was the cyber-semi-celebrity, the author of ThoughtNot. ThoughtNot is a blog I used to follow from time to time. The author is this hot guy who lives a fabulous life, running a gallery, touring with his famous friend's band, and summering in Provincetown with other famous friends. I used to enjoy reading over his latest adventures, like when John Bartlett chose him as one of the models for his Fall 2006 show at Fashion Week. What's more, his blog was one of a group of friends who all blogged together. ThoughtNot was therefore written in a casually intimate manner. On one hand, I felt like I was back in high school eavesdropping on the cool kids talking about their weekend. (Yes, I've always been a geek.) On the other hand, the author was explicitly aware of the public nature of his writing, and was quite proud of his growing popularity, so there was no guilt involved. At some point, I realized that there a certain element of envy in my reading ThoughtNot. Thereafter, even though I stopped following the blog regularly, I would only drop in every couple of months. I don't know what happened, but at some point the author blocked the blog with a password. I hope that he simply grew tired of fielding silly questions from strangers and not that he was being stalked or anything creepy.

So, to return to the evening, ThoughNot and his HUGE friend sit down next to us, (I should point out that his friend was tall and lumberjacky, definitely not obese). BebeMoche, being the charming Southern Belle that she is, gracefully exchanges a few words with the Biggun and ThoughtNot. Me, being the social idiot that I am, say nothing. Clearly, however, they were enchanted by BebeMoche's charm and beauty. They spoke with her again as we left and even followed us across the street to dessert, although they pretended to ignore us once they arrived. I'm sure they were simply threatened by our rapier wit.

Anyhow, we gorged on cupcakes and then said our goodbyes. The next day I came down with, like, the most vicious cold I've had in a long time and haven't had any fun since.

Am I Well Yet?

Since what I'm coughing up looks like this:

I'd say I'm at the tail end of my nasty cold.

Good God! That's disgusting!

Here's the thing. I've noticed that gmail reads your email and suggests websites based on keywords from the text. This is somewhat disturbing, but it's not like I expected email to be private anyhow. As I see it, Google's just being up-front about it. But today I was deleting the spam and on the same page was a link to the following recipe. Now, being a food-whore, they had me at "recipe." But seriously, in what way does this qualify as a recipe? Check it out:

Title: FRENCH FRY SPAM CASSEROLE
Categories: Main dish
Yield: 8 servings

1 pk Frozen french fry potatoes,
-thawed (20 oz)
2 c Shredded Cheddar cheese
2 c Sour cream
1 cn Condensed cream of chicken
-soup (10 3/4 oz)
1 cn SPAM Luncheon Meat, cubed
-(12 oz)
1/2 c Chopped red bell pepper
1/2 c Chopped green onion
1/2 c Finely crushed corn flakes

Heat oven to 350'F. In large bowl, combine potatoes, cheese, sour
cream, and soup. Stir in SPAM, bell pepper, and green onion. Spoon
into 13x9" baking dish. Sprinkle with crushed flakes. Bake 30-40
minutes or until thoroughly heated.

-----

Why does the recipe even bother with splitting up the mixing of the ingredients? The only reason I can think of is that it makes it seem like you're doing some real work. Seriously, the sodium content alone is probably enough to kill you. Now, to be honest, there is a part of me that finds this recipe appealing, but that's the part of me that lives in a trailer, wears curlers and a house dress and partakes of chawin' tabacky.