The sparrow flies at midnight...

He's back

2008-03-25T20:22:00.001-04:00

As a person with blue eyes...

2008-02-01T00:34:00.000-05:00

I found this interesting. Maybe you will, too. Enjoy.

Merry Christmas to all...

2007-12-25T21:46:00.000-05:00

and to all a good night!

It's been ages

2007-11-27T23:34:00.000-05:00

I know it's been forever since I've posted but too much has been happening - some of it good, some of it not - and I just kind of fell out of the blogging groove. Suffice to say I don't want to recap the not-so-great stuff and I'm paranoid about jinxing what may come so I have no clue why I'm even writing except maybe to try and get back in the habit. Not that the world is missing out on the nonsense I usually include on here but it's nice to know my blog is still around whenever I want to come back to it.

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to all.

I'm falling...

2007-09-22T19:47:00.000-04:00

If I fell in love with you
Would you promise to be true
And help me understand
'cause I've been in love before
And I found that love was more
Than just holding hands

If I give my heart to you
I must be sure
From the very start
That you would love me more than her

If I trust in you, oh please
Don't run and hide
If I love you too, oh please
Don't hurt my pride like her
'cause I couldn't stand the pain
And I would be sad if our new love was in vain

So I hope you see that I
Would love to love you...

Mrs. Araz

2007-08-26T02:12:00.000-04:00

I just had to mention that someone stumbled across my blog while looking up "mrs. araz 24" (thanks, sitemeter!) It's funny to me, not only because I'm a huge "24" fan, but also because there's this woman in my neighborhood, who I see on the train sometimes, who looks almost exactly like her. It's uncanny! Now if we can just figure out whatever happened to Baruz...

Creepy on multiple levels

2007-08-09T17:33:00.000-04:00

Martha Stewart and the Turkeybaby

What the !@#$%?

2007-08-08T10:35:00.001-04:00

Last night at about 5am, I woke from a dead sleep because I felt something very strange...a rumbling. I thought that maybe I was still dreaming and that in my dream there was an earthquake. But alas, no. Suddenly, I became aware of the loudest, most violent thunderstorm I may have ever heard or seen (or felt)! All of the windows in my apartment were closed with the a.c. on so when I went to look out, the glass was all fogged up and the screens were soaked. I fell back asleep, knowing I had to get up in 3 hours.

Thank goodness I listen to the radio in the morning, so I knew that the subway was a mess. When I checked the MTA's website for delay information, it seemed that my trains were running and if I just left early enough I'd be alright. Luckily, I ran into a neighbor as I was locking my door who asked if I was headed into the city. When I said I was, she quickly informed me that I couldn't get there, none of the trains were running and the buses were basically worthless! She'd decided not to go into work. Thanks so much to the MTA for their up-to-date info...ha ha ha!

After speaking with 2 friends, I then found out we'd had a tornado in Brooklyn, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD!!!

And now to top it all off, I'm going to see the Beastie Boys in Central Park tonight which will most likely be like taking a steaming mud bath - if I can even get there. Woo hoo!

Christmas in July

2007-07-21T10:01:00.000-04:00

I pre-ordered my copy of "HP & the Deathly Hallows" about a month ago. I'd never pre-ordered any of the other books in the series but this one is so highly anticipated that I feared finding out any of the story (and thus surprises) before reading it myself. As it is, I'm sorry I read the NYTimes Thursday and what the reviewer (who somehow bought an early copy) had to say. Since I didn't pay extra to have guaranteed delivery for Saturday's release, I figured I wouldn't get it until at least Monday. Imagine my surprise when my doorbell rang on Saturday morning and it was the mailman telling me I had a package. * This is not where my tale becomes porn ;)* I had no idea what it could be since I didn't expect it & I was getting ready to go away for the weekend. Having rushed to get dressed, I opened the door, the mailman was there and once I realized what it was (the book was in special packaging), I felt like a kid at Christmas...in July!

As of now I've read about 100 pages and almost cried at least twice. It's really good, but alas really sad and it's just the beginning.

just because

2007-07-11T21:32:00.001-04:00

Make your own Windorph

Buffy, the Slayer or...

2007-06-18T00:53:00.000-04:00

the victim?

Good luck

2007-06-17T23:11:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure how rare ladybugs are in this city. I do know that I've only seen probably about a dozen or so in my lifetime. Tonight, when I noticed my 2 kitties sitting side-by-side and staring at the ceiling, I figured that what had captured their attention was maybe a fly or (hopefully not) a mosquito. But it was neither; it was ladybug. Ladybugs are considered pretty much universally lucky, and I can only hope that with many things up in the air right now, some of that good luck will be coming my way.

It took a little digging but I wanted to know just why they were considered to bring good fortune and found some interesting theories:

Most likely the Ladybug earned a favorable reputation from its usefulness in a garden. Ladybugs are a very beneficial insect that eat all kinds of bad bugs like aphids. Live Ladybugs can be ordered for gardens for this purpose. Accordingly, many of the Ladybug's good luck propensities may have been extrapolated from its desirability to farmers and, therefore, food and prosperity.

Others point out the Ladybug's similarity in shape to the Scarab Beetle of ancient Egyptian and believe that the Ladybug is the European inheritor of the Scarab's good luck powers.

Some believe that the red color represents the ancient belief in the good luck power of fire.

Another theory is that the Ladybug represented a goddess in pre-Christian Europe and that the name Ladybug now represents the Virgin Mary and the reference to fire in the nursery rhyme is a reference to the hell the Ladybug protects you from.

Here's wishing you all luck, wherever you need it.

Authors that rock!

2007-06-04T17:05:00.000-04:00

What kind of rock band gets up before noon? For that matter, what kind of band reads and writes? The Rock Bottom Remainders do both, and have also been known, while on tour, to tune in to “The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer.” At a little after 6 on Thursday morning they turned up at the studio of “Good Morning America” to do a promotional spot for a Friday-night benefit coinciding with BookExpo America, the big publishing fair that took place in New York over the weekend. The green-room spread included, instead of greenies and quarts of Jack, platters of fresh fruit and, at the request of Roy Blount Jr., one of the band’s founding members, a big pan of grits.

Remainders is a booksellers’ term, used for books that languish on the shelves so long they have to be dumped at a discount. Most of the members of the band inhabit a different part of the literary universe, the loftier reaches of the best-seller list. Besides Mr. Blount, members include Amy Tan, Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Stephen King, Scott Turow and Mitch Albom. At least notionally Maya Angelou is also a member, but she has yet to show up for a gig — a word that members of the Rock Bottom Remainders delight in using whenever possible.

It's really happening

2007-05-31T13:53:00.000-04:00

For many years now I've been trying to find my passion as far as a career. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a singer but didn't have the chops for it. In high school, college and a little while after I was a stage manager and was told I was really good at it. Through a series of events, I chickened out, drank the kool-aid and elected to wear the golden handcuffs. I never felt that I fit in at most of my office jobs; the politics and the cattiness were never my style. After talking about becoming a voice-over artist for quite some time, I'm finally taking the plunge. Three different coaches and several hundred dollars later, I've decided that one can only hear they have "a great voice and talent they should do something with" so many times. I'll be recording my demo less than 2 weeks from now and have a friend working on the cover art, which I may post versions of to get your opinions (if anyone's still reading this blog, that is). I'm extremely nervous about all of this, but it's exciting to think I may very well be that sexy woman you hear on the TV or radio, selling you something you just have to have. Stay tuned!

Another blogging dry spell

2007-04-27T13:16:00.000-04:00

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted. There have been so many things I've wanted to speak to - Kurt Vonnegut's passing, the tragedy at Virginia Tech, etc. - but haven't had the patience to sit down and compose anything coherent. I felt I had nothing new to say and so chose to not say anything. Now that I'm not working, my A.D.D. is worse than ever. I jump from one thing to the next in an effort to fill the days. Aside from worrying where my next paycheck will come from, I have enjoyed the benefits of sleeping late, working out, cleaning the apartment (sort of) and really thinking about what I want. I'll begin working with a new voice-over coach next week and start producing my demo in about a month. All things being equal, I'd much prefer to never have an office job again, but something will have to pay the bills for the foreseeable future. So, the job hunt continues and I hope to post a little more regularly.

Moving on...

2007-03-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

We've been together since I was just a young girl in my 20's, before you had a rap sheet, before there was really anything in Chelsea besides the Piers, before 9/11, before I lost my grandparents, before they banned smoking in bars and before I became extremely addicted to Starbucks. Galleries and luxury apartments have taken up the real estate and you're trying to take over the world. I've made some very good friends with you, along with some frienemies but c'est la vie. It's been quite a rollercoaster, but now I need to get off this ride and see what else this amusement park called life has to offer.
Not sure where I'll land but I'm sure having you as part my past will bode well for my future. Thanks for everything.

Boo hoo

2007-02-22T17:18:00.000-05:00

I've been using my iPod more than usual lately. Maybe because I miss listening to music or that I've been almost too tired to read on my commute. In any event, I was a little freaked out to learn the other day that my iPod is sad. I didn't even know it had feelings! Remember that episode of "Sex and the City" when Carrie's laptop "sad mac'd"? Well, my sweet little music device has now "sad iPod'd". I tried to figure out this whole putting it in safe-mode thing but even though I'm usually relatively tech savvy, I couldn't do it. So, now I need to go to the Apple store and wait for scary test results which will probably amount to me having to buy a new one. This on top of the fact that my camera went on the fritz - on Christmas Day no less! - I'm having some bad technology luck . The up side is that my birthday isn't too far off so maybe I'll gather enough loot to buy brand new toys! If not, there's always my tax return *sigh*.

This story...

2007-02-09T14:47:00.000-05:00

just gets more and more bizarre. Even in death, she's still raising a ruckus!

6 days, 11 hours +

2007-01-31T12:38:00.000-05:00

until the launch of the ground-breaking new comic book series adapted from Stephen King's magnum opus, The Dark Tower. Marvel Comics will offer a first-ever midnight release of The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1 the night of Tuesday, February 6, 2007. Nearly 150 retailers across the United States will open at midnight on Tuesday (effectively 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, February 7, 2007) so Stephen King fans can get their hands on the debut issue of this historic comic.

Watch the trailer and then find a comic book store near you!

Guess the rumors are true...

2007-01-30T14:17:00.000-05:00

Or should we not believe everything we read?

The Police to Reunite for Grammy Awards

Rules?

2007-01-18T10:10:00.000-05:00

While talking on the phone last night, my friend and I got on the topic of rules; the kind that exist in dating. Actually, I had 2 conversations about that last night but I digress. We talked about the ones mostly that women, at least in theory, think they should abide by such as :

1. Not accepting a date for the weekend after Wednesday.
2. No calling men except to return a call.
3. No sex on a first (or 2nd or 3rd) date.
4. Let the man pay for everything.
5. Don't date anyone at work.

Well, at this point we've both broken pretty much all of the aforementioned rules, but we're having fun so I say throw out the rule book! Of course, that always gets me into trouble but playing all of those games is exhausting and I'd rather be tired out from other activities.

In any event, it was a funny coincidence that I received a "rules from men" email this morning. It reads as follows (note that they are all labeled #1 on purpose, though why I hve no idea):

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat.You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a Problem. See a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.

1. If you won't dress like the Victoria 's Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of them makes you sad or angry, then we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle, besides we know you will bring it up again later.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...Really.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, or golf.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

So, for you male readers out there, any truth to these man rules? Ladies, ever followed the rules to see if they work? Chime in, people. Let me know what you're thinking.

All-time low!

2007-01-10T09:36:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that this will be on the air as of tonight! When I heard about it on the radio, I thought it was a joke or a parody of the latest "reality" tv nonsense. What are they thinking give these D-list celebrities power AND guns.?! Ok, so it's in Indiana but still... Just when you think the television producers have scraped the bottom of the barrel for ideas, this is a new all-time low. And what's even worse is that people will watch. Ugh.

Let your freak flag fly

2007-01-03T09:23:00.000-05:00

at DORKBOT, the monthly meeting for artsy nerds and nerdy artists. Founded by a Columbia University researcher, this group for "people doing strange things with electricity" welcomes scientists and hobbyists alike to show off their latest innovations. Tonight's event focuses on music, and features discussions about a laptop orchestra, open source audio-segmenting software and customized wind controllers. If you can make sense of that - or want to - stop by. 7 p.m., Location One, 26 Greene Street (Grand Street), SoHo.

A friend of mine went to one of these dorkbot events in a Texas parking lot (yes, a parking lot!) and said it was quite a sight to see so it might be worth stopping by, but it may up your geek status.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T17:57:00.000-05:00

Just an extremely short post to wish you all a happy, healthy, safe and love-filled 2007! It's going to be a great year.

What would Christmas be...

2006-12-26T14:00:00.000-05:00

without a trip to the E.R.? That's right. Let me tell you a little story that will probably now become a family legend for years to come:

'Twas the night before Christmas Eve, and while nursing a cold at home, a friend from CA was visiting and drunk through the city he did roam. He called from some bar and wanted to visit, said he had something for me and I wondered "What is it?". Some time later that evening he arrived at my door, and still I was curious as to what was in store. He was carrying a bag, and as he came near, inside the package I guessed chips or some beer. Imagine my surprise, not the former or latter but a pineapple inside was the fact of the matter.

Okay, I can't do the whole "twas the night before christmas" for the rest of this post or it'll never happen. So, my drunk friend brought me a pineapple because "flowers would've been too predictable". I didn't have the heart to tell him that I don't even eat pineapple but I figured my family would enjoy it and so I brought it to Christmas dinner. My mom asked my dad to just get it started by cutting off the top and bottom. His brilliant (and quite macho) idea was to take a cleaver and chop it like he was in a ginsu knife informercial. Seconds later, there arose such a clatter I ran to kitchen to see what was the matter. My dad had put a nice gash in his finger, blood everywhere. In true guy form, he said he was fine and triedto put a band-aid on his blood and water soaked finger. After about 15minutes, when it hadn't stopped bleeding he finally conceded and let my step-brother drive him to the ER where he received 6 stitches and a tetanus shot. After they left, my mom took out a more appropriate knife and sliced the fruit without incident.

And that my friends, is the story of the Christmas pineapple. Hope you had a Merry Christmas.

Happy Channukah!

2006-12-21T14:33:00.000-05:00

It's a good thing this holiday is 8 days and nights, and yet still I'm squeaking in just under the gun. Ah well, it's been quite a busy week what with holiday parties with both work people and friends, a little bit of drama, hand-grating the potatoes for latkes at my mom's, tying up loose ends at work before I'm off for over a week (woohoo!) and hoping those last few presents arrive in time. Add all of that plus a cold that's been nagging since Sunday and you get a blogger neglecting all 3 of her readers...ha ha ha

On a more solemn note, it's the first Channukah without my gramps, who passed away just before Thanksgiving. Among the things I took from my grandparents' apartment was this sort of old school brass & mosaic menorah. Although I'm not religious in any way, and have even been too lazy to take the electric menorah out of the closet the last few years, I got some candles from my mom and have lit that menorah the past few nights. It's a simple thing to put candles in a holder and light them, but doing so made me feel closer to my grandparents' and it felt like I was honoring them. I even got a little choked up. Who knew?

Happy Channukah to all!

Calling all gunslingers...

2006-12-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

My love affair with Stephen King started a long time ago with "The Eyes Of The Dragon". Since then, I have read almost everything he has written and although it is quite difficult to pick a favorite, I have to say The Dark Tower series is definitely up there. ("The Stand" and "The Talisman" top the list, too.) After reading the seventh and final book in the series, I was sad to see these characters go but I was content with the way King chose to end it. Now it seems that there will be more adventures with Roland and even though I'm not a comic book kinda girl, I'm looking forward to that. The comic isn't scheduled to release until February 2007, however there's supposed to be this FREE sketchbook due out today to whet our appetites just a little bit more.

In 2007, a Gunslinger will be born; will you be ready?

A good Friday chuckle!

2006-12-08T09:34:00.000-05:00

I happened to be flipping channels and for a few minutes landed on that "Big in '06" awards show. Because, you know the entertainment industry needs yet another awards show to validate itself. I had no intention of watching more than a couple of minutes and I must have picked the best time to watch. I was never a big Weird Al fan, but have definitely found him amusing in the past. If you haven't seen this yet, and have any sense of humor, then I'm glad I could direct your attention to it. Happy Friday!

Condoms - The Next Generation

2006-12-01T12:38:00.000-05:00

To spray-on OR spray-in, that is the question. To tell the truth, neither sounds all that appealing.

Long time, no blog

2006-11-29T14:08:00.000-05:00

My apologies for not having blogged in a while. My grandfather passed away and I had fully planned on honoring him with a post but I simply could not get the words together. I felt guilty even thinking about posting anything else until I 'd written about him but it would seem life and other things must go on. Maybe after some more time has passed I can reflect on what a kind, sweet man he was and how lucky I was to have had in my life. Right now it's still a little too painful.

Hopefully, a more light-hearted entry will be forthcoming.

Shame on you, CNN...

2006-11-07T17:41:00.000-05:00

for sending this as "breaking news"!!!

There's nothing good about good-bye

2006-10-31T12:23:00.000-05:00

Growing up, I was very lucky to have a close relationship with my grandparents. I was their only grandchild (until I was almost 16, when my cousin was born) and they were the only grandparents I ever knew. While other kids only saw theirs for holidays, special occasions and the like, I lived in the same building with mine (on the same floor no less) until I was about 13 yrs old. Even when my parents and I moved, it was only 2 blocks away. All of my childhood memories involve the 5 of us - holidays, birthdays, family trips, graduations, etc.

When my grandmother passed away almost 5 years ago, I was devastated. It was my first real experience with the death of a loved one and I went to the hospital every single day for 2 months to see her as she slowly deteriorated, always hoping some miracle might happen and she would stay with us. She didn't. Afterwards, we worried for my grandfather and how he would survive without her, given that she had always taken care of the house, the bills, and everything. Surprisingly, he managed rather well after some time and was mostly self-sufficient.

A few years went by and then he got pneumonia. To make a very long story short, it was pretty much downhill from there. He got through the pneumonia, but over the last 2 years other complications arose. He had to have a pacemaker and soon after, his ability to take care of himself, as well as his mental capacity, started to dwindle. As a family, we decided it best to place him in a home where he could get the care he needed and be with people his own age.

In the last 2 months, he's had pneumonia twice and since then has been on a respirator, a feeding tube and basically just wasting away. Now it's just a matter of time and he could pass as soon as next week. Talking to my mom last night, we started to make plans to say our good-byes and until that moment it didn't seem real. Today's my favorite holiday and I can't enjoy it; work is a joke I couldn't care less about. I was trying to keep it together until today when a friend called to simply see how I was and I just lost it.

Sorry for this really depressing (and slightly rambling) post but I simply had to get some of this out. All these feelings that I don't know what to do with. To have had someone in my life who truly thought I was this amazing, special, brilliant, beautiful person who could do anything - it's been a truly precious gift that I probably never fully appreciated and can never be replaced.

Do we really have to wait until January?!

2006-10-28T00:53:00.000-04:00

Season 6!

Never thought...

2006-10-26T15:45:00.000-04:00

I'd see the day when NJ was cooler than NY.

New York Nightmares

2006-10-18T15:31:00.000-04:00

If being buried alive, overrun by rats, or encountering a sinister clown is your worst fear -- then welcome to your living nightmare.

In the lead-up to Halloween, off-Broadway producer Tim Haskell has set up "Nightmare: Face Your Fear" -- interactive haunted houses in each of New York City's five boroughs -- and is daring people to endure a psychologically terrifying experience.

Haskell polled thousands of New Yorkers to find the 13 obsessions, anxieties and phobias that frightened them the most and then designed room-by-room encounters around those fears -- and threw in a few actors to stalk and terrorize visitors.

Haskell said his survey found that most people were afraid of roughly the same 13 things, such as drowning, clowns, rats or cockroaches, as well as heights and closed-in spaces.

"People like to get scared," he told Reuters, making it quite clear that the aim of his houses is to terrify, not amuse, people.

"'Nightmare' makes visitors the stars of their own horror story, in a house that knows their worst fears and forces them to face it," the production teases in its advertising.

This is the third year that Haskell has set up haunted houses in New York -- and each year the number of visitors wanting to be frightened out of their wits increases.

Last year 22,000 people visited the one haunted house he set up in Manhattan and the popularity of the show prompted him to expand to five houses this year with up to 70,000 visitors expected to attend before the houses close on November 2.

Tickets, which are available through the Web site www.hauntedhousenyc.com, range in price from $15 to $25 or $50 for a VIP pass.

Haskell said the theatrical element of the house added a new dimension to traditional haunted houses and turned it into a unique fright-fest, too extreme for some visitors.

"We have had some fantastic reactions," he said. "Someone peed in their pants in Queens."

The houses have exits for those who need to make a speedy escape but most visitors seemed to know what they are in for.

"We're big fright fans," said Amy Pulchlopek, 25, who works in music publishing and visited the house in Manhattan. "I like live fright ... I think it's the fear of the unexpected."

Carlos Santiago, 29, said his favorite experience in the house was a murder enactment involving splattering liquids in a dark room.

"For me it's the gore, I just like to see the gore," said Santiago, who is planning to become a funeral director.

Half joking, Haskell said the act of being scared may have remedial benefits.

"I heard a group of women come out of the house in Brooklyn saying how therapeutic it was for them to scream so much," he said.

Halloween posts...

2006-10-18T13:38:00.000-04:00

There will probably quite a few since it is, by far, my favorite holiday so stay tuned!

Friday, the 13th

2006-10-13T17:05:00.000-04:00

What a great night it would be to go see a scary movie like Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. Or an even scarier movie like this (although it's not out quite yet). And with today's date and all, I was thinking about the whole concept of omitting the 13th floor from buildings. My office is a renovated warehouse and we do indeed have a 13th floor, however many buildings both residential and commercial, here and abroad do not. Does your apartment and/or office building have one and do you think it's silly to not?

(ok, I know this isn't the most riveting piece of blogging, but give a girl a break.)

Alphabet soup

2006-10-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

A little Thursday fun...see if you can figure out the products from the letter fonts....some are easy - some I have no idea - some may be just for the Canadians. I'm trying to get a hold of an answer key.

Men + cats=disaster???

2006-10-06T15:32:00.000-04:00

I have somehow managed to date many of the men in this town that are allergic to cats and I, of course, have 2. One of the funniest stories, though it wasn't at the time, was when I was dating this guy who said he was slightly allergic. He came over one night and, upon taking his shirt off, we realized that his back and chest were covered in hives and he had to leave. Imagine, a man who runs into burning buildings for a living having to run away from dander! Such a shame *sigh* Anyway, pretty soon the world will be a wonderful place where you can have your cats and a hot guy, too.

Cat Lovers Lining Up for No-Sneeze Kitties A small California biotech company says it is ready to deliver the Holy Grail of the $35 billion pet industry: a hypoallergenic cat. At the start of next year, the first kittens — which the company calls “lifestyle pets” — will go home to eager owners who have been carefully screened and have been on a waiting list for more than two years.

Cats ordered now will take 12 to 15 months for delivery in the United States, 15 to 18 months in Europe. Cost: $4,000. And owners must pass Allerca’s finicky screening tests.

Help save 2nd base!

2006-10-05T13:24:00.000-04:00

As many of you probably already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There are so many ways for you to support the cause, even if you don't want to spend a penny. And if you're willing to cough up a few bucks, there are ways to do that, too!

Free to you links:
The Breast Cancer Site - Just click!

Lifetime TV - Shop Amazon through this link

Give a little more:
Play for Life

MSABC - Sponsor a walker!

Foot Locker - Wear you support.

There are plenty of other ways for you to help out so pick the one that's right for you....even if it's just giving a girl a hand with her breast exam ;)

Who ever heard of a Maltese Sparrow?

2006-09-28T14:59:00.000-04:00

I happened to check my site meter the other day and noticed that I’ve had some surprising international readers as of late – Spain, India, Romania and Malta. Curious as to how these people arrived at my page, I checked to see if they had referring URL’s and the most interesting one was from Malta. The person had googled “maltese sparrow” and I was immediately intrigued. We’re all familiar, on some level, with “The Maltese Falcon”, but a Maltese sparrow? I began to investigate further and googled this myself. Among the hits delivered to me were a song, a weird government document from New South Wales, and this image. However, the most noteworthy was a charming detective story, told in 10 installments (old-school style) and you can read it here. Enjoy.

Really?!

2006-09-26T16:54:00.000-04:00

Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terrorism Threat - A stark assessment of terrorism trends by American intelligence agencies has found that the American invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.

The classified National Intelligence Estimate attributes a more direct role to the Iraq war in fueling radicalism than that presented either in recent White House documents or in a report released Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee, according to several officials in Washington involved in preparing the assessment or who have read the final document.

The intelligence estimate, completed in April, is the first formal appraisal of global terrorism by United States intelligence agencies since the Iraq war began, and represents a consensus view of the 16 disparate spy services inside government. Titled “Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications for the United States,’’ it asserts that Islamic radicalism, rather than being in retreat, has metastasized and spread across the globe.

read more here

Deadly E. coli outbreak tied to bagged spinach

2006-09-15T11:31:00.000-04:00

Dozens sickened in 8 states; consumers warned not to eat fresh greens

Consumers nationwide should not eat fresh bagged spinach, say health officials probing a multistate outbreak of E. coli that killed at least one person and made dozens of others sick.

Food and Drug Administration and state officials don’t know the cause of the outbreak, although raw, packaged spinach appears likely. “We’re advising people not to eat it,” said Dr. David Acheson of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Washing the spinach won’t solve the problem, because the E. coli bacteria is too tightly attached, another FDA official warned on Friday.

“If you wash it, it is not going to get rid of it,” said Robert Brackett, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Nutrition.

Eight states were reporting a total of 50 cases of E. coli, Acheson said Thursday.

The death occurred in Wisconsin, where 20 people were reported ill, 11 of them in Milwaukee. The outbreak has sickened others — eight of them seriously — in Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah. In California, state health officials said they were investigating a possible case there.

The outbreak has affected a mix of ages, but most of the cases have involved women, Acheson said. Further information on the person who died wasn’t available.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Wisconsin health officials alerted the FDA about the outbreak at midweek. Preliminary analysis suggested the same bug is responsible for the outbreak in all eight states.

Source unknown
The warning applied to consumers nationwide because of uncertainty over the origin of the tainted spinach and how widely it was distributed. Health officials did not know of any link to a specific growing region, grower, brand or supplier, Acheson said.

“Typically we would try to narrow it down as focused as we could,” Brackett said in an interview. “The fact that it was distributed all over the country, the fact that people are getting seriously ill from this, warranted us to have an abundance of caution and just to say ‘OK, stop now until we figure out exactly what’s going on.”’

Brackett noted that most of the spinach crop at this time of the year comes from California. A special effort is under way in the Salinas Valley of California, a major leafy-vegetable growing region, to look for any possible source of contamination there.

Amy Philpott, a spokeswoman for the United Fresh Produce Association, said that it’s possible the cause of the outbreak won’t be known for some time, even after its source is determined.

“Our industry is very concerned,” she said. “We’re taking this very seriously.”

Reports of infections have been growing by the day, Acheson said. “We may be at the peak, we may not be,” he said.”

E. coli causes diarrhea, often with bloody stools. Most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, although some people — including the very young and old — can develop a form of kidney failure that often leads to death.

Anyone who has gotten sick after eating raw packaged spinach should contact a doctor, officials said.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk

2006-09-14T09:59:00.000-04:00

This is my 5th year participating in the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. I started participating in honor of my mother, who is thankfully a survivor. If she hadn't gone for her routine check-up, things surely would not have turned out the way they did - SO CHECK YOURSELF OR GO GET CHECKED.

I'm asking you to please support me with a donation of any amount. Whether its $5, or $500, every bit truly does help. We're making great strides in our fight against breast cancer, but I won't quit until we're done. Hope Starts Here... With Us!

If you'd like to make a donation, please email or IM me and I will send you the link. Thanks so much, in advance, for your support!!!

Headed for a heartbreak?

2006-09-10T12:40:00.000-04:00

We started our relationship about 2 years ago. It's always been a bit one-sided and he's disappointed me over and over. Still, I continued to believe in him and through him I learned a lot. Then he went away for a while and I wasn't sure if he was coming back or if I even wanted him to. Now, the cycle starts again. I'm hopeful this time. Some of his old wounds seem to have healed and maybe this time it will work out. He might be ready to take this on or he may break my heart all over again. Only time will tell. Chad, I'm trying to have faith so I hope you're not starting something you can't finish. Let's take it all the way, baby!

I was just thinking about you...

2006-09-06T13:14:00.000-04:00

Telephone telepathy - I was just thinking about you Many people have experienced the phenomenon of receiving a telephone call from someone shortly after thinking about them -- now a scientist says he has proof of what he calls telephone telepathy.

Rupert Sheldrake, whose research is funded by the respected Trinity College, Cambridge, said Tuesday he had conducted experiments that proved that such precognition existed for telephone calls and even e-mails.

Congrats to "24"!!!

2006-08-28T01:36:00.000-04:00

I didn't get to watch the Emmys tonight but I was glad to hear that "24" won 3 of them - Best Drama, Best Actor (yay, Kiefer) and Directing for a Drama Series. In my opinion, it's the best show on TV, by far (as maybe you can tell from some of my previous posts).

Alas, we'll have to wait until January for the new season *sigh*.

Wow!

2006-08-24T12:27:00.000-04:00

US approves sale of 'morning after' pill

United States government regulators have authorised over-the-counter sales to adults of the "morning after" contraceptive pill, the FDA said on Thursday.

"The US Food and Drug Administration today announced approval of Plan B, a contraceptive drug, as an over-the-counter (OTC) option for women aged 18 and older. Plan B is often referred to as emergency contraception or the morning after pill," an FDA statement said.

Plan B will remain available as a prescription drug for those under the age of 18, the agency said.

"Today's action concludes an extensive process that included obtaining expert advice from a joint meeting of two FDA advisory committees and providing an opportunity for public comment on issues regarding the scientific and policy questions associated with the application to switch Plan B to OTC use," it added.

Tom & Jerry made me do it!

2006-08-22T10:24:00.000-04:00

Tom & Jerry in trouble in for smoking scenes They chase each other at high speed, wielding axes and hammers. But the famous cartoon duo of Tom and Jerry are in trouble in Britain for smoking on screen.

Media regulator Ofcom received a complaint from a viewer who took offence at two episodes involving smoking.

In one, "Texas Tom," the hapless cat Tom tries to impress a feline female by rolling a cigarette, lighting it and smoking it with one hand. In the other, "Tennis Chumps," Tom's opponent in a match smokes a large cigar.

In a bulletin posted online, Ofcom noted "concerns that smoking on television may normalize smoking," and said that the Turner company, licensee for Boomerang which aired the cartoons, had agreed to edit some smoking scenes out of Tom and Jerry.

"The licensee has ... proposed editing any scenes or references in the series where smoking appeared to be condoned, acceptable, glamorized or where it might encourage imitation," Ofcom said, adding that "Texas Tom" was one such example.

But it would not cut all smoking scenes, it added.

Ofcom said it recognized smoking was more generally accepted when cartoons were produced in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, but noted that the threshold for including such scenes when the audience is predominately young should be high.

Coincidences or not?

2006-08-12T00:32:00.000-04:00

So, as I've been saying, there's been a whole lot going on. I'm not sure if I should post a whole, long, rambling summary or break it down into multiple posts for easier reading but it's all loosely related so here goes:

A few weeks ago, I went to the Madonna concert at MSG (which was very cool). The place was packed, as it was her last night in NYC, and so there was so much traffic just trying to get out, we kept checking every exit to see what was moving. Finally, a staircase was chosen and as I was telling my friend some camp story about horseback riding, a girl I knew in camp was behind us and recognized me! She heard me telling the story and the funny thing is she remembered it because she was there when it happened. It was truly bizarre and we caught up and exchanged info but I'm not sure if we'll really manage to stay in touch (she's married, has a kid and lives in NJ) but it was still a nice surprise to see her.

Cut to a week later when I was going to the movies and running late. I was with some friends and ran into this guy I knew from high school who I hadn't seen for at least 6 or 7 years - give or take. I'd been over weight then, so he commented on how great I looked now (yay!) and we exchanged numbers but who knows.

But wait, there's more. A friend I went to camp AND high school with found me on myspace. Ok, I know what you're thinking...that happens all of the time. I give you that but what was weird is that we were both going to that "Harry, Carrie & Garp" thing, which was amazing, on the same night. We started IMing and figured it'd be too hard to find each other but we'd keep an eye out. Wouldn't you know I wound up in back of him & his wife on line at the side entrance! We couldn't have planned it any better. We were both also going to the DMB show just on different days. So we've been IMing since and we've both been in touch with another high school friend through myspace so, of course, we planned a little get together after work on Friday. It would be me and 3 sweet, good guys, who I hadn't seen in over a decade.

Friday's fluff post

2006-08-11T12:26:00.000-04:00

I have so much to catch up and post about but for now, I'm stealing this idea from Keith :

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
Remember it's the nearest book; not the cool one you want to impress people with!

Here’s my result: "He went on tapping and listening and demanding news of our bowel movements. He still lifted our eyelids and peered into our throats and ears and scowled at our nails and rubbed blue gunk on our teeth and, for those of us with hair, checked for lice and ticks, but he didn't have his old glow of joy in doing it. He was sneaking behind her back"

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

I did it!

2006-08-08T20:50:00.000-04:00

I'm not one to usually toot my own horn, but I did it! I set a weight-loss goal for myself and actually achieved it. I've been on a few diets in my life but I always got sick of it or stopped short of the goal because I thought it was good enough. I had no clue that I could be the size I am now and even have the potential to be smaller. I have more energy, clothes shopping is fun and the increased attention from males I can certainly deal with. Now, that being said I don't want to be Nicole Richie or anything but I am going to set a mini-goal and see what happens. YAY!!!

I don't know what to say

2006-07-25T10:20:00.000-04:00

I realize I haven't posted in about 2 weeks or so, but sh*t happens. I've probably written a dozen posts in my head and yet haven't had any real, fully-formed thoughts about anything lately. It all seems too overwhelming...what's going on in Darfur, Israel/Lebanon, the floodings, lack of electricity & record temperatures in our own country. I mean, how can I post about the Tide-to-Go pen (it worked for me though I've heard mixed reviews) or the hottie I met on the train when all of this is going on? It's got me to thinking that maybe I need to do something more meaningful job-wise, perhaps work for a non-profit. The only problem there is finding a job that will allow me to pay my bills. I don't know, I just feel so scattered these days...

I am drafting a couple of posts, that may meld into one, about things I've seen and done recently like going to Radio City for "An Evening With Harry, Carrie & Garp", seeing a fantastic film called "Little Miss Sunshine", and I'll be at Randall's Island tomorrow for the DMB show (I'll be working at the Amnesty International table). Stop by and say hello.

Merry Christmas

2006-07-13T19:41:00.000-04:00

I know what you're thinking, "Merry Christmas, Sparrow?"...but thanks to Ken's blog, I found out that the new Rocky trailer is out and that it may not be the lump of coal we all thought. Check it out and let me know what you think.

R.I.P., Syd

2006-07-11T11:02:00.000-04:00

Syd Barrett, Founder of Pink Floyd, Dies LONDON (AP) - Syd Barrett, the troubled genius who co-founded Pink Floyd but spent his last years in reclusive anonymity, has died, a spokeswoman for the band said Tuesday. He was 60.

Things I learned during the World Cup final game

2006-07-10T10:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was invited to watch the final game of the World Cup at my friend's penthouse apartment in midtown. Hell, I'd go there to watch paint dry! Anyway, I figured I'd learn a little about soccer since I know absolutely nothing about the sport except for whatever I might have picked up from "Bend It Like Beckham". In theme with the day, I learned that soccer games are pretty much set time-wise...2 halves, 2 OT's and, if worse comes to worse, a penalty kick-off.

Completely off the topic, I learned the following:

milk thistle is an herb you can take to increase liver function and help you drink more. This coming from a Scotsman.

boondoggle is known in the business world for trips taken to "exotic" or popular locations for a meeting. Usually, these meetings could have been either handled over the phone or not occurred all together.

rice queen/potato queen/spaghetti queen - these are all terms referring to what ethinicity is most attractive to another individual (there are also size queens but as one person said yesterday "Who isn't?") You can look up these definitions and more on urbandictionary.com

Quite an educational day. Go Italy!

A fun distraction

2006-07-08T13:53:00.000-04:00

My dad's always forwarding me emails that I've either seen a million times or are just plain silly but this was actually pretty cool. It's one of those sites where you can find out what your birthday and/or name "means". When I did my name, the outcome was a little eerie; not 100% accurate, but pretty darn close. Here are my results:

There are 17 letters in your name.
Those 17 letters total to 92
There are 4 vowels and 13 consonants in your name.

Your number is: 11

The characteristics of #11 are: High spiritual plane, intuitive, illumination, idealist, a dreamer.

The expression or destiny for #11:
Your Expression number is 11. The number 11 is the first of the master numbers. It is associated with idealistic concepts and rather spiritual issues. Accordingly, it is a number with potentials that are somewhat more difficult to live up to. You have the capacity to be inspirational, and the ability to lead merely by your own example. An inborn inner strength and awareness can make you an excellent teacher, social worker, philosopher, or advisor. No matter what area of work you pursue, you are very aware and sensitive to the highest sense of your environment. Your intuition is very strong; in fact, many psychic people and those involved in occult studies have the number 11 expression. You possess a good mind with keen analytical ability. Because of this you can probably succeed in most lines of work, however, you will do better and be happier outside of the business world. Oddly enough, even here you generally succeed, owing to your often original and unusual approach. Nonetheless, you are more content working with your ideals, rather than dollars and cents.

The positive aspect of the number 11 expression is an always idealistic attitude. Your thinking is long term, and you are able to grasp the far-reaching effects of actions and plans. You are disappointed by the shortsighted views of many of your contemporaries. You are deeply concerned and supportive of art, music, or of beauty in any form.

The negative attitudes associated with the number 11 expression include a continuous sense of nervous tension; you may be too sensitive and temperamental. You tend to dream a lot and may be more of a dreamer than a doer. Fantasy and reality sometimes become intermingled and you are sometimes very impractical. You tend to want to spread the illumination of your knowledge to others irrespective of their desire or need.

Your Soul Urge number is: 7

A Soul Urge number of 7 means:
With a number 7 Soul Urge you are very fond of reading, and retreating to periods of being alone and away from the disruptions of the outer world. You like to dream and develop you idealistic understandings, to study and analyze, to gain knowledge and wisdom. You may be too laid back and withdrawn to really succeed in the business world, and you will be much more comfortable in circumstances that are tolerant of your reserve, your analytical approach, and your desire to use your mind rather than your physical being.

You are very timid around people that you don't know very well, so much so at times that casual conversation and social situations can be strained. You tend to repress your emotions to the extend that some people have a good bit of difficult understanding you. You tend to be very selective with friends and you don't easily adapt to new environments or to new people very quickly.

The negative traits of the 7 include becoming too much the introvert and isolated from others.

Your Inner Dream number is: 4

An Inner Dream number of 4 means:
You dream of being a very solid citizen that people can depend upon. You strive for organization and predictable order. You want to be recognized as a person with a plan and the discipline to make that plan work like clockwork.

Check it out and let me know what you think, dear readers.

Willkommen, indeed!

2006-07-05T10:08:00.000-04:00

For those of us who couldn't care less about the world cup, apparently Switzerland has the World Cup 2006: Our "Alternative Ladies' Programme". Check out the commercial here.
I've been trying to decide where to vacation this year; perhaps "getting natural" with the Swiss is just what I need.

How did it get there in the first place?

2006-06-30T11:26:00.000-04:00

Operation removes lightbulb from anus MULTAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - Fateh Mohammad, a prison inmate in Pakistan, says he woke up last weekend with a glass lightbulb in his anus.

Wednesday night, doctors brought Mohammad's misery to an end after a one-and-a-half hour operation to remove the object.

"Thanks Allah, now I feel comfort. Today, I had my breakfast. I was just drinking water, nothing else," Mohammad, a grey-beared man in his mid-40s, told Reuters from a hospital bed in the southern central city of Multan.

"We had to take it out intact," said Dr. Farrukh Aftab at Nishtar Hospital. "Had it been broken inside, it would be a very very complicated situation."

Mohammad, who is serving a four-year sentence for making liquor, prohibited for Muslims, said he was shocked when he was first told the cause of his discomfort. He swears he didn't know the bulb was there.

Ok, how do you get a lightbulb shoved up your butt and not notice? And how does it not break? Tough questions for a Friday...

Happy 4-day weekend!

2006-06-30T09:04:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited about this weekend, I can barely stand it. Four and 1/2 days away from my job which is slowly killing my soul. A couple of bbq's, some pampering and shopping are all I have planned for right now and who knows where else I might wind up but I'm ready. I hope that no matter what you are doing, my dear readers, that you enjoy it despite rain, traffic and whatever bumps in the road may happen.

And as Ms. Ginny Stroud would say, during all of this "Fourth Of July brouhaha, don't forget what you're celebrating, and that's the fact that a bunch of slave-owning, aristocratic, white males didn't want to pay their taxes."

And while I'm in the mood to spotlight government nonsense...

2006-06-23T13:00:00.000-04:00

Bank Data Is Sifted by U.S. in Secret to Block Terror Under a secret Bush administration program initiated weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, counterterrorism officials have gained access to financial records from a vast international database and examined banking transactions involving thousands of Americans and others in the United States, according to government and industry officials.

Our tax dollars hard at work

2006-06-23T09:17:00.000-04:00

A Few Things Lawmakers Can Agree On
Property taxes are soaring and upstaters are fleeing New York. But lawmakers decided that they had to tackle the ladybug question first.

The state's official insect, a nine-spotted ladybug, would no longer fly in that role: it is extinct in New York State. So legislators took a break from bickering over health care spending and property taxes in the waning days of the session and found common ground on the issue of designating a new state insect, making it the pink spotted ladybug instead.

They passed other laws, too: The snapping turtle would become the state's official reptile. And the striped bass would henceforth become the state's official saltwater fish.

I'm so glad that with all that's going on in the world that these decisions have been put to rest. I found this little tidbit quite amusing:

"I know it's not earth-shattering," said the assemblywoman, Nancy Calhoun, who represents parts of Orange and Rockland Counties. Ms. Calhoun says she was just trying to right a wrong. Lawmakers first adopted the state's official bug in 1989, but the nine-spotted ladybug had already become extinct in the state.

Good job, Nancy, good job.

Tradition:Coney Island-style

2006-06-22T11:57:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been a week since I've posted. I had a pretty crazy weekend...an unexpected invitation to Belmar, an all-day/all-night BBQ in another part of NJ, Fathers' Day activities in Staten Island and finally home to Brooklyn with Monday to recover from it all. It was exhausting but one of the best weekends I've had in quite some time.

On to the post: Summer in Coney Island brings up images of Nathan's hotdogs from the original location, the Cyclone, the Wonder Wheel, skeeball and the boardwalk. In recent years, some new traditions have started and are only gaining momentum. The Mermaid Parade, (happening this weekend) started in 1983 and is quite a freak show but a truly good time. Then there's the Siren Music Festival which even though I'm not into much independent (or new) music these days, is one of the best free events of the summer. Last but not least, after losing our beloved Dodgers, we Brooklynites have been given the Cyclones and the tickets are so cheap, why schlep all the way to Queens to watch the Mets (or the Yankees in the Bronx, for that matter)?

End of an Era

2006-06-15T17:24:00.000-04:00

Gates to leave day-to-day role at Microsoft Microsoft announced Thursday that chairman and co-founder Bill Gates will transition out of a day-to-day role at the company, effective July 2008, to spend more time working on his charitable foundation.

Gates will then work part-time at Microsoft as chairman and technical adviser and will work full time for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the organization he founded with his wife, which focuses on global health and education.
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates announcing Thursday that he is steppng down from his day-to-day role with the company by July 2008.

"I've decided that two years from today, I will reorganize my personal priorities," Gates said during a news conference, adding,"I have one of the best jobs in the world."

"I believe with great wealth comes great responsibility - the responsibility to give back to society and make sure those resources are given back in the best possible way, to those in need," he said. Gates added, "It's not a retirement, it's a reordering of my priorities."

You've got two empty halves of coconut and you're bangin' 'em together.

2006-06-12T17:44:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Ben & Jerry for their new flavor honoring "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Enjoy!

Don't root, root, root for the home team (or any for that matter)!

2006-06-12T11:46:00.000-04:00

You can watch it, but you can't like it...

Phnom Penh patriarch Non Nget has told Cambodia's 40,000 Buddhist monks to remain passive while watching World Cup soccer games or be defrocked.

Non Nget said Monday monks should not watch the games in public, cheer or bet on matches as such actions were against Buddhism.

"It is very difficult to ban them because new technology means the games can be aired live and seen everywhere," he said. "They may watch, but must be calm."

"But if they make noise or cheer as they watch, they will lose their monkhoods," Non Nget told Reuters.

Logic wins out...hooray!

2006-06-09T10:03:00.000-04:00

FDA approves cervical cancer vaccine
WASHINGTON - Women for the first time have a vaccine to protect themselves against cervical cancer. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday licensed the vaccine, Gardasil, for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26.

The vaccine works by preventing infection by four of the dozens of strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, the most prevalent sexually transmitted disease.
By age 50, some 80 percent of women have been infected.

Gardasil protects against the two types of HPV responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. The vaccine also blocks infection by two other strains responsible for 90 percent of genital wart cases. The vaccine will be available by the end of the month, with a three-shot series costing $360.

Its manufacturer, Merck & Co. Inc., seeks similar approval elsewhere around the world. Each year, cervical cancer kills an estimated 240,000 women worldwide, including 3,700 in the United States.

"FDA approval of the HPV vaccine, the first vaccine targeted specifically to preventing cancer, is one of the most important advances in women's health in recent years," said Dr. Carolyn Runowicz, president of the American Cancer Society.

It's amazing that some groups are still opposed to this vaccine being mandatory because they think pushing abstinence is better. I'm awfully glad those people didn't get their way this time around.

Is this for real?

2006-06-08T12:57:00.000-04:00

And if so, who would want a pet with an expiration date? Creepy!

Try using this excuse

2006-06-08T10:11:00.000-04:00

Speeding man was drying wet car
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Police confiscated the car and driver's license of a Dutchman caught speeding who said he only wanted to dry his car after he had washed it.
The 27-year-old was stopped in Amsterdam driving at 108 kph (68 mph), 50 kph over the speed limit, police said.
"Because he did not have his driver's license with him, his clean car was confiscated until he produces it," a police spokeswoman said.

A date with the devil or just another Tuesday?

2006-06-06T15:33:00.000-04:00

It's 6/6/06 It could be a bad sign for what might otherwise be a perfectly fine Tuesday.

But as you fill out that check, write a card, or check in with building security, you might notice something sinister about the digits flowing from your pen: 666, the mark of the Antichrist, according to the Bible's Book of Revelation.

Well, 6/6/06. But what's a little 0 among those looking for signs of the impending apocalypse, or a reason to stay under the covers until 6/7/06.

The brains behind the marketing of the remake of The Omen certainly want 6/6/06 to be spooky enough to heed their call to the theaters for a Tuesday date with the devil and a tub of popcorn.

Wine technology

2006-06-05T21:22:00.000-04:00

1,000 Points of White
The days of in-store wine tastings as we know them—oenophiles and freeloaders making small talk with importers as they sip contemplatively from plastic cups—may be over. The future is upon us, in the form of a nifty new gizmo imported from Tuscany and installed in the recently relocated Union Square Wines & Spirits (140 Fourth Ave., at 13th St.; 212-675-8100). The Enomatic wine system stores 48 open bottles, preserving them with argon gas, and dispensing 15-milliliter tastes at the swipe of a card that the store has preprogrammed with an introductory 1,000 points. Points are deducted based on the wine’s value (a 2001 Ridge Monte Bello, at 175, is the biggest splurge), and added in a five-to-one ratio—spend $10 on wine, get 50 points. Getting Italian software to communicate with the shop’s own was a bit of a challenge, though. When something goes wrong, says wine director Jesse Salazar, “it makes an Italian-sounding boing noise.”

I miss my Atari 2600

2006-06-04T11:22:00.000-04:00

The Video Game Goes Minimalist: Nintendo Comes Full Circle : Think about video games. Once upon a time, call it the 1980's, video games were simple. Facing one joystick and at most a couple of buttons, most anyone could simply drop a quarter into a Galaga or Ms. Pac-Man machine and have some cheap thrills. And because the games were simple, they were practically ubiquitous in bars, waiting rooms and other public places. Remember arcades?

Ah, those were the days. When all you needed were some friends, quarters and a tasty (non-alcoholic) beverage to have a good time.

Techies get tough

2006-06-01T10:56:00.000-04:00

Fight club draws techies for brawl They may sport love handles and Ivy League degrees, but every two weeks some Silicon Valley techies turn into vicious street brawlers in a real-life, underground fight club.

In unrelated news...

2006-05-29T17:41:00.000-04:00

Today there happened to be 3 headlines that struck me as worth posting about (sort of) and so I figured I'd group them together here:

Smoking and sex go hand-in-hand? Australian brothel owners want an exemption to anti-smoking laws for sex workers and their clients because, they say, one thing leads to another.

Paris Hilton Plans Reggae, Hip Hop Album "I have always had a voice and always known I could sing, but I was too shy to let it come out. I think that is the hardest thing you can do, to sing in front of people. When I finally let go and did it, I realized it is what I am most talented at and what I love to do the most," Hilton said.

Funny, I thought the thing she was best at was appearing on red carpets.

Breakfast Club's Paul Gleason Dies Paul Gleason, who was in "Trading Places" and "The Breakfast Club," has died. He was 67.

Sad. Although he appeared in over 60 movies and made countless TV appearances, we'll always remember him fondly as the bitter Principal Richard Vernon.

As Dan calls it, Straight Rights Update

2006-05-25T01:21:00.000-04:00

I haven't had much time to read the Voice as of late, but as I am stricken with a lovely case of insomnia I decided to read it online. I always find it interesting/funny/disturbing to read "Savage Love", written by the one and only Dan Savage. Every now and again he writes a section called Straight Rights Update and here is the most recent (and scary) :

STRAIGHT RIGHTS UPDATE
Every time I write one of these I think, "This is the last one. Banning abortion, evicting unmarried straight couples and their children, moving to ban birth control- things can't get any worse, can they?"

Oh, but they can: Not satisfied with meddling in the lives of the relatively small percentage of women who are pregnant, the American Taliban is moving to regulate the lives of all American women. "New federal guidelines ask all females capable of conceiving a baby to treat themselves and to be treated by the health care system as pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime soon," reports The Washington Post. "This means all women between first menstrual period and menopause should take folic acid supplements, refrain from smoking, maintain a healthy weight and keep chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes under control. . . . It's important that women follow this advice throughout their reproductive lives, because about half of pregnancies are unplanned and so much damage can be done to a fetus between conception and the time the pregnancy is confirmed."

Color me paranoid, but ordering American women to regard themselves as "pre-pregnant" opens the door to prosecuting women who harm their fetuses by failing to regard themselves as "pre-pregnant." How long until "women should" becomes "women must"? Does that sound paranoid? Well, so did a war on contraception once.

Oddly enough, Bush's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn't urge straight men to regard themselves as existing in a perpetual state of "pre-fatherhood." Smoking, obesity, asthma, and diabetes could seriously hamper a man's ability to do the heavy lifting that comes with fatherhood. But Bush's CDC doesn't seem that interested in regulating the behavior of all those fat, smoking pre-fathers out there. Gee. Isn't. That. Weird.

There is a bright side in the CDC's announcement: If we're going to regard all females as pre-pregnant, then we can, as my friend Gomez points out, regard all virgins as merely pre-fucked.

Sounds like something out of "24"

2006-05-24T09:50:00.000-04:00

F.B.I. Raid Divides G.O.P. Lawmakers and White House WASHINGTON, May 23 — After years of quietly acceding to the Bush administration's assertions of executive power, the Republican-led Congress hit a limit this weekend.

Resentment boiled among senior Republicans for a second day on Tuesday after a team of warrant-bearing agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation turned up at a closed House office building on Saturday evening, demanded entry to the office of a lawmaker and spent the night going through his files.

The episode prompted cries of constitutional foul from Republicans — even though the lawmaker in question, Representative William J. Jefferson of Louisiana, is a Democrat whose involvement in a bribery case has made him an obvious partisan political target.

Speaker J. Dennis Hastert raised the issue personally with President Bush on Tuesday. The Senate Rules Committee is examining the episode.

Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the House majority leader, predicted that the separation-of-powers conflict would go to the Supreme Court. "I have to believe at the end of the day it is going to end up across the street," Mr. Boehner told reporters gathered in his conference room, which looks out on the Capitol plaza and the court building.

A court challenge would place all three branches of government in the fray over whether the obscure "speech and debate" clause of the Constitution, which offers some legal immunity for lawmakers in the conduct of their official duties, could be interpreted to prohibit a search by the executive branch on Congressional property.

Lawmakers and outside analysts said that while the execution of a warrant on a Congressional office might be surprising — this appears to be the first time it has happened — it fit the Bush administration's pattern of asserting broad executive authority, sometimes at the expense of the legislative and judicial branches (more).

Devil's Dance

2006-05-22T13:07:00.000-04:00

Saddam Hussein novel hits stores in Japan By Takanori Isshiki

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese readers looking for a slightly different tale can now curl up with "Get Out of Here, Curse You" -- a novel by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

The book, believed to have been written on the eve of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and titled "Devil's Dance" in its Japanese translation, hit stores around the nation Friday.

Jordan banned the book on the grounds it could damage ties with Iraq, but pirated copies of the tale of an Arab tribesman who defeats foreign invaders became a bestseller in Amman. (more)

Man (read:geek) of my dreams?

2006-05-19T12:53:00.000-04:00

I am probably not what you would call a hardcore geek; I scored "geek light" on an online test. I never played D&D, though I really wanted to when I was younger. I don't dress up in costumes to attend movies, but Halloween is a different story. I'm not a programmer but I love blogging, googling and surfing the web ad-infinitum. My parents think I should've been an engineer because I've either hooked-up, fixed and/or taught them how to use all of their electronics. Why do I bring all of this up, you might ask? Well, I sign up for all sorts of email letting me know when things are going on in the city (among other nonsense to clog up my junk mail) and have received a couple of event notices that have give me ideas as to where I might just meet the man (read:geek) of my dreams. I mean, there has to be a certain degree of physical attraction but someone that can fondle my brain really melts my butter.

One such event was the Apple store opening on 5th Ave. Even though I'm more of a pc than a mac girl, might be worth a shot. We can always geek out over iPods.

Another is the Star Trek auction to be held at Christie's but I'm much more a fan of Han Solo than Captain Kirk.

If not, I can always hit the local electronics megastore, find someone who has a tiny package and have them explain how it works (teehee). Who knows, maybe we'll even consummate our relationship right then and there .

An (Amazing!) Evening

2006-05-18T19:50:00.000-04:00

I just found out about this truly remarkable event going on called "An Evening with Harry, Carrie and Garp". It's a reading to be held at Radio City Music Hall with the authors J.K. Rowling, Stephen King and John Irving...3 of my favorites!!! It's a benefit to be held for Doctors Without Borders and The Haven Foundation. In my opinion, tickets aren't that expensive and it sounds like an amazing night but I don't think I know of anyone who has the $(for good seats) + desire + availablity to go *sigh* Anyone care to prove me wrong???

On the plus side, I will be going to see "Macbeth" at Shakespeare in the Park in a couple of weeks and after last year's debacle trying to go see "As You Like It"(waited in the on-again/off-again rain all day for tickets to the last night of the show just to have the it cancelled after they seated the audience), I'm very excited indeed.

Technology taken too far?

2006-05-18T10:47:00.000-04:00

I'm still working on a more well thought out post, but I saw this today and had to share. It just struck me really funny how far iPod mania has gone.

Shame on me...

2006-05-17T16:28:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted in almost a week! I promise there's a draft in the works but until then, here's something I found a bit disturbing....Your thoughts, dear readers?

Books vs. Movies

2006-05-17T13:20:00.000-04:00

A while back I read "Memoirs of a Geisha" and thoroughly enjoyed it. I watched the DVD this past weekend, out of curiosity, and found that my instincts were right...it was no match for the book.

When I read "The DaVinci Code", 6 months or so ago, I felt like I was one of the last people on Earth to read it. I kept waiting for it to come out in paperback and eventually bought a copy from abroad on eBay. It was good, interesting, something to pass the time on my commute. Right now, there's all of this hype about the movie. I have no desire nor intention to see it, for one basic reason...the book is almost always better. Some things seem to inevitably get lost or inexplicably changed in the book-to-movie translation, whether it's the subtler plot lines, weird casting choices or bigger issues like politics that influence the production of the film. Now, since I haven't seen it I can't speak to the first point but I never agreed with Tom Hanks playing the lead (and what's with that awful haircut?). I always pictured Harrison Ford in his Indiana Jones days or maybe a Sam Neill-type. Also, there have been rumors that some accommodations were made to appease the Church, Opus Dei and albino rights activists. However, since the book was on the NYT bestsellers list for a million weeks, has good ol' box-office-bank Tom, and Ron Howard directing I'm sure no matter what it'll all spell ka-ching!

Sinfest

2006-05-11T16:13:00.000-04:00

Mr. Ishida was absent for a while so some of you may have stopped reading Sinfest. I highly recommend you return to the site and read the comics from the last couple of weeks. They've been hilarious, especially like the one posted today. Go have a chuckle!

All good things...

2006-05-10T12:32:00.000-04:00

First, I'd like to say that I cannot believe how many visits I've had since my Vincent D'onofrio sighting and post. I haven't had that much traffic ever and I'm just hoping at least some of you won't be one-hit wonders.

Cinco de Mayo was great. We were able to get a table outside so we could drink and smoke to our hearts content. I had my required holiday tequila shots (2) and a couple of Jack Daniels on the rocks as well. Good times.

My friends had a baby a couple of months ago and I went to go visit them this weekend. Of course, at that age, they change a little bit everyday and everything is a milestone. I'm happy to report that while I was feeding him, he managed to hold the bottle by himself for the 1st time and I had a front row seat for it. It was pretty cool since his mom had been trying to get him to do it all week.

Work seems to have finally gotten to a sort of normal pace after being really slow and then really insane.

The best is, after waking up to a crappy weather report and having bad dreams, I chose to weigh myself anyway and discovered I've lost 11 lbs. Of course, the down side is I have almost literally no clothing that fits now and may have to start just walking around naked!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2006-05-05T10:37:00.000-04:00

Everybody, say it with me :

"One tequila, two tequila, three tequila,

FLOOR!!!"

A well deserved tribute...

2006-05-04T16:17:00.000-04:00

'Star Wars' Creator Becomes Storm Trooper LOS ANGELES (AP) - Not that long ago, in a nearby galaxy, George Lucas joined forces with the dark side. The "Star Wars" creator has become a Storm Trooper.
Hasbro, maker of "Star Wars" toys, is paying plastic tribute to Lucas, interpreting him as a limited-edition action figure in Storm Trooper attire.
The head of the toy maker's "Star Wars" division called Lucas "the greatest character in the universe."
"We took a cue from when Han Solo and Luke disguised themselves as Storm Troopers," said Derryl DePriest, marketing director and admitted lifelong "Star Wars" fan. "We placed George in his own universe that he created."

I think that's tremendous and now, of course, I want one. I still want the Mr Potato-Head Darth Tater, too. Man, I'm such a geek sometimes.

Star sighting...

2006-05-02T17:17:00.000-04:00

Just went downstairs to have a smoke and imagine my surprise when I saw Vincent D'Onofrio , whom (who or whom?) I've loved since "Mystic Pizza". They film a lot of "Law & Order" episodes in this area so I've seen Chris Noth (aka Mr. Big) and Jesse Martin a few times, but usually surrounded by crew and such. This, however, was not that. He was sitting right in front of my office building, by himself in a black pick-up truck, chatting on his cell and chain-smoking. I could hardly control my stares or listen to my friend who was with me. The scruffy look, the salt-and-pepper hair...oh, the things I would do to that man. Of course, I was flustered and had no idea what to say, so I didn't say anything *sigh*. Guess I missed my chance.

A delightful Sunday

2006-04-30T20:08:00.000-04:00

Today was about as perfect as some Sundays get. I woke up early, for me at least, and got all dolled-up for brunch. I even wore the new heels that cut up my feet last week after wearing them to work for the first time, but I love them. While making brunch plans last night, I had an idea that we should go to a fancy brunch at Blue Water Grill and it was one the best decisions I've made in a long time. The brunch was absolutely scrumptious and the best I've ever had. Not only was it the perfect dish of eggs benedict, but steak and eggs benedict (they also have lobster) and they have live jazz in, where else?, the jazz room.
Afterwards, I'd been wanting to go to DSW Warehouse, and after browsing row after row, I found a great pair of brown Chinese Laundry sandals that I'll be planning my outfit around tomorrow. Then it was time for Starbucks and people-watching in Union Square. It occurred to me then that picking up guys should be like shoe shopping...you spot them, go over, check them out from every angle, and try them on for fit. If they don't quite make the cut, you go on your merry way (guilt-free) and then every so often, you get to feel like Cinderella.

What football means to me...

2006-04-28T14:05:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Sour & Sweet for this!

Like anyone's watching this for the acting...

2006-04-28T12:22:00.000-04:00

First, they need to learn to act standing up... NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new television reality show invites porn stars to test their serious acting abilities in London's theater district, raising the question: Debbie can do Dallas, but can she take on Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard?"

"My Bare Lady" will cast four leading ladies from U.S. porn studios in a classic piece of drama to be performed in London's West End. Their experiences undergoing a crash course in acting and appearing before a discerning British audience will air in three episodes on the Fox Reality cable and satellite channels this fall.

First of all, what a shock that this on Fox. Second of all, I'm sure it'll be like watching a train wreck (as is most "reality" tv) but I might just have to catch an episode just out of curiousity.

B&J Follow-up

2006-04-25T13:14:00.000-04:00

So, have you gone to get your free cone yet? What flavor did you get? If you haven't gone, do you plan on it? Just curiosity getting the better of me...

Free Cone Day!!!

2006-04-24T15:45:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to help spread the word that tomorrow is FREE Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's. Enjoy!

The cross-over?

2006-04-24T11:30:00.000-04:00

It just seems to be getting more and more difficult to keep up with blogging. Before I realize it, days and days have gone by and I feel like I have to post just something...to keep what little readership I have alive. I've wrestled back and forth with how personal I should make this blog. Maybe it'll just depend on what's going on or what day it is. Not sure yet, but here are some tidbits.
I know I've mentioned that work has been insane. I'm basically now doing 2 jobs for the price of one which will hopefully change when I have a meeting with my boss in the next couple of weeks. A nice raise is way overdue.
Also, after having a lot of drama a couple of months back, I've slowly been getting my life not only back on track, but better than it was (to a certain extent). I put a plan into effect to lose some unwanted weight and I've lost 8lbs in the last month, plus about 5 before that when I was too upset to really eat much of anything. Buying clothes is starting to be fun again! Look out summer, here I come.
The dating thing seems to going better, too but I don't want to jinx anything just yet. So, all in all not too shabby...now if I could just win the lotto and travel the world, life would be that much closer to perfect.

Zunafish Update

2006-04-20T16:29:00.000-04:00

Zunafish is a great website. It's like craigslist and eBay combined. You list for free, pay only media mail shipping and $1 to the site for facilitating the trade. A great way to get new stuff and get rid of your old crap for next to nothing. My only gripe is that there aren't descriptions for books, movies and the like so if a title comes up that you've never heard of, you basically have to go look it up on Amazon. Oh well, nothing's perfect.

The Future of Sex

2006-04-17T17:29:00.000-04:00

Future sex: gizmos, robots

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - When America's top sex researchers gathered recently to discuss the next decade in their field, some envisioned a future in which artificial sex partners could cater to every fantasy.

"What is very likely to be present before 2016 would be a multi-sensual experience of virtual sex," said Julia Heiman, director of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University, Bloomington.

"There is a possibility of developing erotic materials for yourself that would allow you to create a partner of certain dimensions and qualities, the partner saying certain things in that interaction, certain things happening in that interaction."

A field dubbed "teledildonics" already allows people at two remote computers to manipulate electronic devices such as a vibrator at the other end for sexual purposes.

Sorry I'm late

2006-04-16T23:21:00.000-04:00

A belated Happy Passover and Happy Easter to all.

Read It? Watched It? Swap It

2006-04-13T10:04:00.000-04:00

Read It? Watched It? Swap It By Michel Marriot
For Heather Perlmutter, a 41-year-old investment portfolio manager in Manhattan, the Web site with the whimsical name made perfect sense. Like many Americans, she found herself awash in CD's, DVD's and VHS tapes that were seldom if ever played anymore. They just took up valuable space in the Upper West Side apartment where she lives with her husband and two young children.

Then a friend of a friend told her about Zunafish, a new Web site that matches people with discs and tapes to trade — and video games and paperback books, too.

I signed up today and posted a book just to test it out. I think it's an amazing idea and I'm a little upset I didn't think of it first.

Poetry 30 - release party

2006-04-12T22:16:00.000-04:00

It's not a release party for the next hottest thing in music or the next "DaVinci Code" but it seems like it'll be cool, nonetheless. And a good excuse to see my step-brother. Check it out.

Saturday, April 15, 1:00-3:30
Poetry 30 Release Party
Bowery Poetry Cafe
New York, NY

Age gauge

2006-04-10T10:10:00.000-04:00

Put your birth date in the pop- up window after you click here. What happens is pretty interesting. It's also amazing how quickly it computes!! Very cool. For those of you out there who like a bit of trivia!

This day in history

2006-04-10T09:56:00.000-04:00

1741 - Frederick II of Prussia defeated Maria Theresa's forces at Mollwitz and conquered Silesia.

1790 - The U.S. patent system was established.

1809 - Austria declared war on France and its forces entered Bavaria.

1814 - Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Toulouse by the British and the Spanish. The defeat led to his abdication and exile to Elba.

1825 - The first hotel opened in Hawaii.

1849 - Walter Hunt patented the safety pin. He sold the rights for $100.

1854 - The constitution of the Orange Free State in south Africa was proclaimed.

1862 - Union forces began the bombardment of Fort Pulaski in Georgia along the Tybee River.

1865 - During the American Civil War, at Appomattox, General Robert E. Lee issued his last order.

1866 - The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was incorporated.

1902 - South African Boers accepted British terms of surrender.

1912 - The Titanic set sail from Southampton, England.

1916 - The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) held its first championship tournament.

1919 - In Mexico, revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata was killed by government troops.

1922 - The Genoa Conference opened. The meeting was used to discuss the reconstruction of Europe after World War I.

1925 - F. Scott Fitzgerald published "The Great Gatsby" for the first time.

1930 - The first synthetic rubber was produced.

1932 - Paul von Hindenburg was elected president of Germany with 19 million votes. Adolf Hitler came in second with 13 million votes.

1938 - Germany annexed Austria. 99.75 percent of Austrians had voted in a referundum to merge with Germany.

1941 - In World War II, U.S. troops occupied Greenland to prevent Nazi infiltration.

1941 - Ford Motor Co. became the last major automaker to recognize the United Auto Workers as the representative for its workers.

1944 - Russian troops recaptured Odessa from the Germans.

1945 - German Me 262 jet fighters shot down ten U.S. bombers near Berlin.

1953 - Warner Bros. released "House of Wax." It was the first 3-D movie to be released by a major Hollywood studio.

1953 - Actress Hedy Lamarr became a U.S. citizen.

1959 - Japan's Crown Prince Akihito married commoner Michiko Shoda.

1960 - The U.S. Senate passed the Civil Rights Bill.

1961 - Gary Player of South Africa became the first foreign golfer to win the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.

1963 - 129 people died when the nuclear-powered submarine USS Thresher failed to surface off Cape Cod, MA.

1967 - The 13-day strike by the American Federation of Radio-TV Artists (AFTRA) came to an end less than two hours before the 39th Academy Awards presentation went on the air.

1968 - U.S. President Johnson replaced General Westmoreland with General Creighton Abrams in Vietnam.

1971 - The American table tennis team arrived in China. They were the first group of Americans officially allowed into China since the founding of the People Republic in 1949. The team had recieved the surprise invitation while in Japan for the 31st World Table Tennis Championship.

1972 - An earthquake in southern Iran killed more than 5,000 people.

1972 - The U.S. and the Soviet Union joined with 70 other nations in signing an agreement banning biological warfare.

1973 - In Switzerland, 108 people died when a plane crashed while attempting to land at Basel.

1974 - Yitzhak Rabin replaced resigning Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meir. Meir resigned over differences within her Labor Party.

1980 - Spain and Britain agreed to reopen the border between Gibraltar and Spain. It had been closed since 1969.

1981 - Imprisoned IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands was elected to the British Parliament.

1988 - On Wall Street, 48 million shares of Navistar International stock changed hands in a single-block trade. It was the largest transaction ever executed on the New York Stock Exchange.

1990 - Three European hostages kidnapped at sea in 1987 by Palestinian extremists were released in Beirut.

1992 - A bomb exploded in London's financial district. The bomb, set off by the Irish Republican Army, killed three people and injured 91.

1992 - Outside Needles, CA, comedian Sam Kinison was killed when a pickup truck slammed into his car on a desert road between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

1992 - In Los Angeles, financier Charles Keating Jr. was sentenced to nine years in prison for swindling investors when his Lincoln Savings and Loan collapsed. The convictions were later overturned.

1993 - South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani was assassinated.

1994 - NATO warplanes launched air strikes for the first time on Serb forces that were advancing on the Bosnian Muslim town of Gordazde. The area had been declared a U.N. safe area.

1996 - U.S. President Clinton vetoed a bill that would have outlawed a technique used to end pregnancies in their late stages.

1997 - Rod Steiger received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1998 - Negotiators reached a peace accord on governing British ruled Northern Ireland. Britain's direct rule was ended.

1999 - The www.June4.org web site was launched by Chinese dissidents and human rights activists to promote their campaign for democracy in China.

2000 - Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reported irregularities in the voting in Georgia's presidential election on April 9. President Eduard Shevardnadze was reelected to a new five-year term.

2000 - Ken Griffey Jr. became the youngest player in baseball history to reach 400 home runs. He was 30 years, 141 days old.

2001 - Jane Swift took office as the first female governor of Massachusetts. She succeeded Paul Cellucci, who had resigned to become the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

2001 - The Netherlands legalized mercy killings and assisted suicide for patients with unbearable, terminal illness.

So there are some good things and some bad things that have occurred on various April 10ths, as with any day in history. Since today is also my birthday, I guess I'll put it in the good category. Thanks to all of you who've already sent your birthday wishes :)