After seeing the trailer for Bill Maher’s new movie, Religulous, my initial reaction was similar to the way I feel when someone messes with my kids: protective; defensive. First, I didn’t want to see the movie at all, but then I decided to go and just see where Mr. Maher was heading with this. I know that Maher is a comedian, an equal opportunity mocker, so I assumed that my spiritual convictions were going to be irreverently trampled underfoot.
I’m no scholar, but I appreciate people who speak well. My dad was an eloquent speaker, gifted with the ability to frame his thoughts with well-chosen words. It’s not that he was so highly educated whereby he gained such a command of the English language. He simply valued the power of language and its importance in every day communication.
Growing up, I watched my dad engage people in conversation about any given subject, from the seemingly mundane to the hot button issues of the day, with wit and passion. He had an opinion and could clearly convey it. He wrote letters to editors and articles for newspapers about issues he wished to weigh in on, many of which I have and keep in a box of special mementos. I remember him talking back to news anchors on the TV screen when they used words incorrectly. As a young person, of course, I just thought he was odd and nit-picky, but now I understand exactly why he did that.
Before 2007, ask a woman “Who is Jenny McCarthy?” and she may not have been able to tell you. If you would ask a man, you could have gotten an answer of former Playboy Playmate, former host of MTV shows and guest appearances on a variety of shows. Jenny was not known for her “smarts”, but instead her physical attributes.
As a life-time shopper at the Valley Plaza Shopping Center, I have a number of fond memories.
As a child, I remember the the toy section of Newberry’s being used as a way to point my parents on the right track for upcoming birthdays and the few times my dad broke-down and said “yes” to a soda at the Newberry’s diner. Sitting at that chrome bar…wow, what a memory!
As a young teenager, I would beg for a nickel to play a the Four Kings pinball game in Newberry’s while my parents shopped; and a few years later a quarter to play Joust or Tron in the mall hallway near the restrooms.
Saturday Night Live’s opening scene Saturday night was a VP Debate spoof. It’s funny and I laughed from beginning to end. I should probably disclose, though I can’t imagine it is a secret, that I’m a Christian who has very conservative Republican views and, of course, view life through that lens.
I woke up this [Saturday] morning and instantly pulled up the SNL web site to watch Tina Fey and crew poke fun at Sarah Palin and, ultimately, me. Why? Because it is funny! Because it’s a spoof.
The first spoof two weeks ago with Hilary Clinton was hilarious. The Couric-Interview Spoof was equally funny. Honestly, if it is funny (and not crude), then I can definitely laugh and enjoy it. I watched the “Live From New York…” opening-segment starring Tina and Queen Latifah…and I laughed throughout the entire clip (except when they slammed Bristol Palin).
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Being a Cubs fan is difficult. There is the whole “We haven’t won a World Series in 100 years” thing. The “lovable loser” thing. The “Bartman” thing. No matter how close we get, we always seem to fall short at the last minute. That is what is expected from the Cubs. If you are a Cubs fan, you are expected to expect to lose. And if you think about it, that’s a pretty tough order. Expect to lose a competitive sport? Cubs fans, despite the expectations, never stop hoping. The hope that we’ll get the next guy out. The hope that the next pitch will be a strike. The hope that the ball will carry just a little bit further and we’ll get the go ahead run. That hope is what gets us through each inning, each game and each season. Read the rest of this entry »
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Radio show - 8:08 AM - Wed, Oct 1st
World’s Largest Display - http://gizmodo.com/
Driving a Video Game:
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It’s a classic tale. In 2005, after a career that included 24 years in coaching, teaching, and administration at Poplar Bluff High School, Bill Ray was packing it in for good at Camdenton when a unique prospect came his way.
Soon enough, the newly-minted retiree became the area rep for Fellowship of Christian Athletes programs in a whopping 16 counties throughout Southeast Missouri. He recently spoke to me of an upcoming FCA event called Fields of Faith, to be held locally for the first time on October 8 from 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. at Fred Morrow Stadium (Poplar Bluff Varsity Football Field).