SoINeedAName

GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!

Posted by SoINeedAName at 4:30 am Politics

Nov 262015

That’s Turkey talk for HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

(Sure, Snoopy – that’s a given. But I had NO idea Woodstock was a carnivore!)

I’ve so many things to be thankful for, but certainly one at the top of the list is getting to know and enjoy the many dear friends at this site.

My Mom & aunt made it down safely from Illinois yesterday, and said the traffic wasn’t too bad. We’ll be getting together w/ about 15-20 of the relatives (depends on how many of the college kids bring their “significant others”) for the turkey dinner at noon.

I have a great roasted root vegetable recipe that’s a favorite, but given the carpal tunnel surgery that’s out! So I’m bringing broccoli (frozen from Costco) that’s sautéed with raisins and toasted pecans. (Think I can handle that much one-handed.) It’s a recipe from PBS’s “America’s Test Kitchen” cookbook, and I’ve never had a bad dish from them … so far.

We’ll get together with the remainder of the relatives (who celebrate Thanksgiving w/ others) on Friday morning – but just for coffee. They’ll go out for lunch, but it’s too much for my Mom w/ her walker, so she and I will enjoy some split pea soup from the freezer.

Looking forward to enjoying Turkey Day w/ my Mom and the relatives. Hope yours is a safe and enjoyable one, too!

(PS – I’ll be thankful when the sutures come out in another eight days!)

And the World Lights Up In Blue White & Red …

Posted by SoINeedAName at 7:55 am Politics

Nov 152015

Thought it would be worthwhile to have a visual record of the show of solidarity with Paris and the people of France as demonstrated by iconic landmarks from around the world lit in the Tricolor.

They’re mostly in alphabetical order, either by location or name of monument …

Berlin – The Brandenburg Gate

Brazil – Christ the Redeemer

Calgary Tower

CN Tower in Toronto

Empire State Building

Las Vegas High Flyer Ferris Wheel

Lisbon Belém Tower

London National Portrait Gallery

London Trafalgar Square Vigil

London Trafalgar Square Fountain

14 Nov 2015, London, England, UK — London, United Kingdom. 14th November 2015 — London Eye is coloured with the French flags colours, paying tribute after more than 120 people were killed in a series of attacks in Paris. — People across the world have been paying tribute after more than 120 people were killed in a series of attacks in Paris. London coloured London Eye and National theatre with colours of French flag. — Image by © amethyst/Demotix/Corbis

London Eye

One World Trade Center

San Francisco City Hall

Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower

Sydney Opera House

Washington Square NYC

Washington Square Heart

Switzerland – Eiffel Tower Peace

Silent Thread: Pray for Paris – Pray for Peace

Posted by SoINeedAName at 6:52 am Politics

Nov 142015

Friday Fun with a Holiday & a Good Book

Posted by SoINeedAName at 1:49 pm Politics

Nov 132015

I’ll begin with the “Holiday” because it’ll be mine for a while.

I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that the neurologist, who did the EMG, said is rated as “Severe” by the test. So I saw the hand surgeon today and will be having surgery in the next 1-3 weeks.

Both the surgeon and neurologist said it’d be best to minimize my keyboard excursions – so I’m going to try to be a good patient and comply.

That explains the very brief “Friday Fun” post which you’ll have to do most of the ~~leg~~ finger-work to read about and my probably absense.

But we can all say a hearty “ThankYou!” to Johari Osayi Idusuyi for providing some comic relief to a master comic himself, Donald Trump.

Idusuyi has made an effort to learn about the candidates, so when Trump came to down …

“I’m genuinely not interested in him as a person, but if you have the chance to see a presidential candidate, why not?” Idusuyi said.

AND she got a primo seat …

“I think we were chosen for obvious reasons. We are minorities and there weren’t a lot of minorities there. He also instructed us to sit in the middle, so we kind of already knew what this was.”

Idusuyi insisted she went into the rally with an open mind, but she took out her book and began reading after Trump demanded the removal of some protesters, and she said supporters cheered after a supporter removed a woman’s Obama hat and tossed it into the crowd.

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/organizers-seat-woman-behind-trump-because-shes-black-so-she-silently-protests-by-reading-her-book/

So rather than waste anymore of the time, she took out an award-winning book, “Citizen: An American Lyric”, and began reading …

And boy, that did NOT go over well with some ~~bigots~~ ~~hate-mongers~~ ~~knuckle-draggers~~ Trump supporters!

Thanks, Johari, for upstaging a master narcissistic comic with some great comic relief of your own!

http://wics.com/news/local/springfield-woman-goes-viral-after-attending-trumps-speech

http://www.mediaite.com/online/trump-rally-book-reader-volunteers-put-us-on-camera-because-were-black/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BTY4uxhgQ4

http://bluenationreview.com/some-applause-for-the-trump-protester-johari-osayi-idusuyi/ v

Friday Fun – Paper Cutouts Transform Europe’s Iconic Landmarks

Posted by SoINeedAName at 5:43 am Politics

Nov 062015

Say, boys and girls – what time is it?

Photograph by Rich McCor (@paperboyo on Instagram)

No, not “Howdy Doody Time” – it’s TGIF! So let’s relax and maybe pop open a bottle of the bubbly to enjoy some of Europe’s great landmarks as re-envisioned by today’s travel guide, Rich McCor

Photograph by Rich McCor (@paperboyo on Instagram)

Mr. McCor is a London-based artist who believes you certainly CAN teach an old dog new tricks

Photograph by Rich McCor (@paperboyo on Instagram)

He has combined his photographer’s eye with his extraordinary paper-cutting skills to reimagine some of Europe’s most familiar and famous landmarks, and then shares them on his Instagram account.

But it’s not just the great inventiveness of his photos that’s an absolute delight, it’s also the fact he includes interesting tidbits in his captions. It’s like getting an ice cream cone with a cherry on top!

Photograph by Rich McCor (@paperboyo on Instagram)

There are many interesting little nuggets in his captions. Like, did you know that the word “LEGO”™ comes from the first two letters of the words “Leg Godt” – which is Danish for “Play well”? And Denmark happens to be where LEGO™ was invented.

Now you might think that you’d learn that juicy little tidbit with this photo …

Photograph by Rich McCor (@paperboyo on Instagram)

But you’d be wrong! His whimsical caption gems are as whimsical as his creative photos. So be sure to read his captions for bonus fun!

So no matter how you get around traveling through Europe …

Photograph by Rich McCor (@paperboyo on Instagram)

I can’t help but feel that remembering how Rich McCor’s eye for seeing things anew will put a smile on your face …

Photograph by Rich McCor (@paperboyo on Instagram)

Oh, come on now. It’ll produce a bigger smile than that!

Photograph by Rich McCor (@paperboyo on Instagram)

That's better!

RESOURCES USED:

His home on Instagram –you just have to scroll down to find them:

https://instagram.com/paperboyo/

These resources use his Instagram photos AND include his great captions

http://websta.me/n/paperboyo

http://mashable.com/2015/10/22/rich-mccor-photography-paper-cutouts/#N9b_Fpd0DqqQ

http://fusion.net/story/220922/london-artist-rich-mccor-instagram-paper-cut-outs/

http://www.citylab.com/design/2015/10/paper-cutouts-vastly-improve-these-iconic-landmarks/412384/

TC’s Successful Surgery Causes Kansas City to Celebrate!

Posted by SoINeedAName at 9:01 am Politics

Nov 042015

No doubt we’ll be hearing more from TC directly, but he did say we can continue to rely on his good friend, who has been a major source of info, for updates. So Joanne, who has been our liaison with her, shared an email she got from her late last night.

The friend confirms that the surgery went very well and was successful, although the skin graft site is uncomfortable for him. She said he’s not sure how long he’ll be hospitalized, but he did get a special bed similar to the one at the assisted care facility to prevent bedsores (decubitus ulcers).

More good news is that he’s now getting to eat regular food, and she said he enjoys ~~drooling on~~ looking over the menus!

And of course he’s diligently working to keep the staff on their toes. (She didn’t say if he’s charging his “usual and customary” fee for his Supervisory Services.)

Well, hard as it is to believe, word of TomCat’s successful surgery spread like wildfire all the way from Portland to Kansas City. So in honor of TC, somewhere between 500,000 to 800,000 good citizens of KCMO Metro decided to celebrate this great news with a parade and rally.

Wait … What? You don’t believe me?!? Fortunately I just happen to have a few candid snapshots. Plus you’ll notice in honor of TC being a good liberal, practically everyone is dressed in BLUE! So, if you’ll indulge me one last time (this will end my KCMO travelogues) …

Well, of course, as with any YUUGGGEE celebration, it began with a parade starting from Downtown …

Winding its way 2.5 miles to Midtown and the historic Union Station where the crowd formed to await the rally …

That tall monument on the left in the above photo is the Liberty Memorial – the only monument in America honoring those who served in the “War to End All Wars” – World War I. It sits on top of a hill that overlooks Downtown. And at the top of the tower there’s an open gallery you can walk around, from which someone snapped this shot of the rally …

I suppose that including the Royals for winning the World Series in the rally MAY have added to the crowd size. But it goes without saying that the parade and rally, and seeing all those good liberals dressed in BLUE, made TC one very happy and contented cat …

Kansas City Royals – World Series Champs

Posted by SoINeedAName at 1:08 pm Politics

Nov 022015

You’ll just have to indulge me, because this happens only once in a “Blue” moon … or every three decades! But my KC Royals took the crown last night, and I want to celebrate!

And so we painted the down BLUE

That’s our historic Union Station in front, lit up in BLUE

In the back on the left, you can make out the word “CHAMP”

That’s the downtown Marriott Hotel, which has a moving-light sign.

Thousands gathered in the Power & Light District downtown to watch the game on giant screens and celebrate!

And we did “Party Like It’s 1985!” – which was the last time the Royals won the World Series.

Back when I was still in practice, our office had season tickets to both the Royals and the Chiefs. And as luck would have it my relatives came down that weekend – so I got to take my Mom (then 67 y/o, like I am now) to a unique “doubleheader”.

We took in a Chiefs football game Sunday afternoon and practically broiled, it was so warm. Then came home, showered, and headed back out to the Sports Complex for an evening World Series game – where it turned freezing cold, while I was in shorts and a t-shirt.

Should have listened to my Mom, who kept telling me, “Don’t you think you should take a jacket?” Me: “Nah! It was broiling today!”

Well, it got so cold I had to head to the souvenir stand to buy about the last sweatshirt they had – at least TWO sizes too small. So I gave it to my Mom afterwards.

And the past couple of weeks she’s been proudly wearing her “See-I-told-you-you-should-have-brought-a-jacket” “KC Royals 1985 World Series” sweatshirt at the Assisted Living place … and loving it!

The only thing that would have made her happier is it were her beloved Cubbies celebrating. Next year, Mom … next year!

10/31/15 – Poll Results for “Best Horror Movie of All Time”

Posted by SoINeedAName at 7:41 am Politics

Oct 312015

Once I figure out how to actually CLOSE the "Best Horror Movie of All Time" Poll voting, I’ll do it. (Dear Lord, PUH-LEAZE let it be easier than posting the thing!)

And the big winner was …

“The Exorcist” – with 7 votes (35%)

Followed by, in descending order

“You Name It” – 5 (25%)

“Psycho” – 4 (20%)

“The Silence of the Lambs” – 2 (10%)

“The Shining” – 1 (5%)

“Rosemary’s Baby” – 1 (5%)

Tabulating the “You Name It” folks …

Patty went with “Night of the Living Dead”

Terrie C. Williams named one that almost made the list – “Jaws”

“The GOP Debates” (Good one, Joanne)

And one Swiss-like abstention by gene

I was surprised by how many folks commented they did NOT like horror movies, as I really tried to avoid a lot of slasher-movies.

If you want to get into the proper Halloween “spirit”, for those of you who missed it and are looking for some holiday hoots (but not the owl-type), here’s a Link to “Friday Fun – A Spooktacular Boonanza of Fun”

It was a hoot to put it together, so head on over that way …

And I hope you have as much fun enjoying it as I did putting it together.

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