It’s an interesting paradox that often the worst of times brings out the best in people. Never more has this been true than with the story of the people of Gander, Newfoundland on September 11, 2001. Tom Brokaw recently did a piece on this tiny town off the Canadian coast that aired during NBC’s Olympics coverage. When the airspace in the U.S. was shut down after the terrorist attacks, this quiet little village took in almost 7,000 stranded passengers for several days (the visitors almost doubled the population of the town). And the stories that come from that moment in time are amazing. Brokaw’s piece is a must-watch – and if you’re prone to sappy stories (like I am), then you better get the box of Kleenex ready.
President Obama’s healthcare summit started today – and so I found this editorial on Keith Olberman’s show last night to be particularly relevant, given the discussions that are going on in Washington right now. I know that Mr. Olberman is not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, and his anger in this piece might set some people off. But I thought his impassioned plea in the face of his own personal journey through is father’s failing health issues was genuine, and gives us all something to think about. And the point that he drives home – which I must truly agree with – is that if all of the politicians would just stop thinking like politicians for this one moment – and focus on the human beings, their fellow citizens, at the heart of this debate – they might reconsider what they’re doing – and focus on a compromise – and what is truly best for the American people.
Tags: healthcare
I was watching MSNBC while eating lunch the other day, and I saw a story that caught my attention. According to a recent New York Times / CBS poll, only 8% of those questioned responded that they wanted to re-elect their current congresspeople into office in the next elections. And a very large majority felt that their current reps were more interested in keeping their jobs than in helping those they’ve been elected to serve. If anyone wonders why so many people are disenchanted with politics, government, and Washington – it’s because the “that’s the way it’s done” (re: the backroom deals, pork barrel spending, etc.) methods that seem to be how things operate these days – that is not really the way the American people would like to see it done. In my opinion, the only people who seem to really like partisan politics (and the way it can bring our government to a grinding halt) are the politicians we’ve elected to Washington. So, maybe it’s really time to just wipe the slate clean and start all over again! Thank God for transparency – because now at least, we start to find out exactly who the worst offenders really are.
For a nice rundown on the whole thing, check out Dylan Ratigan’s piece from the other day…
Our 1922 vintage kitchen - complete with Geneva steel sink base.
When we bought our 1922 house in Los Angeles, the kitchen was in need of some serious help. But we didn’t really have the money to remodel the whole thing. Still I wanted it to be as nice as we were fixing up the rest of the place, just without all of the expense. So, we decided to focus on what was existing in the kitchen – and restore around that. We already owned a vintage stove – and all of the cabinets already in place in the kitchen were original. So copying a 1946 Hotpoint kitchen ad – we found our color scheme. But one problem remained – what to do about the kitchen sink – kind of an important thing in this part of the house. The sink that was there was not usual – probably put in in the 60’s, freestanding – and on a rotting wood cabinet. It had to go. And in it’s place, we found a vintage steel sink cabinet in Michigan on eBay, and had it shipped out. It fit perfectly in that spot – and finished off the “look” we were going for with our kitchen. It’s a Geneva cabinet – and I’ve fallen in love with having the steel cabinets and the porcelain countertop/drainboard/sink all in one. Besides looking great – the steel cabinet is really functional and practical.
Cooking in my vintage kitchen.
And now I want to put in all steel cabinets in the rest of the kitchen. So, I was thrilled when I came across this post on one of my favorite blogs, Retro Renovation. For those of you who love that retro kitchen style – this post is a must-read.
Tags: home, renovation, retro
I’ve heard the story many times over the years… about the poor actress, so distraught with her career in Hollywood that she committed suicide by jumping off the “H” in the Hollywood sign. Her name was Peg Entwistle – and although I could come up with that fact for Trivial Pursuit purposes – I didn’t know much else about her. This is a great article from TCM about who she really was, and what her legacy is today. It fills the gaps in on a fascinating piece of Hollywood lore, and every time I hike up to the sign, I’ll never look at the “H” the same way.
Tags: classic film, hollywood
It’ll be interesting to see what the final outcome of Scott Brown winning the election in Massachusetts will be for Washington. I love how all of the pundits scramble to define it immediately. Yesterday, the news was all about how the “voters had spoken” and Democrats were madly adjusting to the new layout in D.C. While this special election will definitely reshape how the Democrats will do things in Washington now, the broad statement that the somehow this was a major reflection of the people struck me as funny. I mean, this was just an election from one state under special circumstances – and all of a sudden it had become a referendum on everything being done in government. I question that – but it will be interesting to see where this all goes.
Tags: facebook, obama, Politics, social media, twitter
I have a lot of friends who seem to be addicted to FarmVille on Facebook, but I’ve never been able to quite figure out what all of the fuss is about. Maybe it’s all of those years of being forced to watch HeeHaw when I was growing up? So when I found this YouTube video, it struck a chord – it’s a hilarious spoof that sort of sums it all up for me.
This is good news for classic film fans who are also tech geeks like myself.
TCM has launched a very cool iPhone app. It allows you to check the schedule, watch videos, and read their blog. Hopefully, push notifications aren’t far behind for schedule alerts. Now if only I could schedule my Tivo directly from the app!
Tags: classic film, hollywood, iphone
What’s better in the middle of an El Nino thunderstorm, than a Technicolor rainbow courtesy of Ms. Carmen Miranda? If you’ve never treated yourself or had the pleasure, just check out The Gang’s All Here from 1943. One look at the Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat and you’ll be hooked, I promise you. I wasn’t around to do drugs in the 60’s, but I imagine this must have been what it was like (Busby Berkeley did like his martinis, after all).
Tags: classic film, hollywood
Michael J. Sonntag
Michael is a film & TV producer, casting director, teacher, and actor, who lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
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