Oh NOW we want a record of achievement

...The Vanity Fair piece asks some poignant questions about the significance of Palin's vice-presidential bid last year.

"What does her prominence say about the importance of having (or lacking) a record of achievement in public life?" the piece continues. "Why did so many skilled veterans of the Republican Party—long regarded as the more adroit team in presidential politics—keep loyally working for her election even after they privately realized she was casual about the truth and totally unfit for the vice-presidency?"

Ummmm....REALLY? because Obama set the bar for "having a record of achievement in public life" pretty low. A lot lower than that of being a governor of one of the largest states in the union, in fact.

Here's a fun game, lets try to name ONE thing Obama achieved before becoming president. The clock is ticking...

Greatest moment in AMC history

Aired ONE DAY before my birthday (best gift EVER.) I've searched the internet far and wide to bring this moment to the masses. Dedicated in absolute horror/wonder to Jason. May Tad the Cad's blue velvet jacket never die.

Caprica

Rounding out my cinematic weekend was Caprica, a pilot movie for the series that will hopefully carry on the Battlestar Galactica franchise in January '10. As much as I enjoy BSG, I was pretty worried about this one. The previews left me dubious: a squirrely, mincing scientist, a trainwreck(?) and *shudder* a gaggle of jailbait highschool girls. Sounded like classic SciFi pandering to me.

We dove in anyway and wow - really, wow. Though it started off with a few (oft recycled) scenes of topless ladies and general dionysian debauchery, it quickly went somewhere deeper. While BSG for the most part kept their show "earth with a dash of future" (ie while there are sensible advanced robots, spaceships, and an inexplicably abundant source of space liquor, there is a noticeable lack of hoverboards, flying trains, and other fantastical elements), Caprica takes a more "future with a dash of the familiar" approach.

It's a futuristic society that retains normal conventions like school, the subway, and tennis, but incorporates smarthouses, robot butlers, and virtual reality in a way that is not at all cheesy or ridiculous - a tough task. The show examines creationism and virtual morality, while yielding tender glimpses at the muddled beginnings of some very bad ideas.

It was also very fun to connect the catalysts of Caprica to their fruition in BSG. It was an upgrade on BSG, which I thought was pretty much as good as it gets. Like BSG minus the gratuitous and yawn inducing fight scenes *gasp*! Major plus: Attia from Rome as the secretly subversive schoolmarm! It left me wanting more -SciFi as it should be! I hope the series is as solid a presentation...

Robots in disguise

I have to admit, I am a sucker for a blockbuster. Hailed as the "worst-reviewed $400 million hit," with such accolades as "like watching a child bang on pans for 3 hours" or "the embodiment of everything wrong with America today," Transformers was inexplicably on my list of summer movies to see.

And boy, did it deliver.

A delightful cocktail of equal parts trauma, unintentional hilarity, and 'did that really just happen?' offensiveness, Transformers was easily one of the most entertaining movies of the summer.

Highlights:

• Not one, not two, but three+ humping scenes, including a hilariously awkward and uncalled for scene of a small robot humping Megan Fox's leg
• Painful 'mom ate pot brownies my first day at college' scene
  
• Sex-crazed transformer college co-ed with retractable ten-foot tongue
• Illiterate, ebonics-spewing transformer twins
  
• Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf running for three hours. Across Egypt. All of Egypt.

and the Pièce de résistance...

• wrecking ball Transformer testicles.

Seriously though - I haven't laughed that much at a movie in ages. Bravo, Michael Bay! Mission accomplished!

Coconuts

I love the flavor of coconuts.

That is all.

UPDATE: A haiku is appropriate.

Coconut summer
Delicious tropical seed
Your flavor is good

Now you try!

Loonch

I love getting to lunch with Jason and the guys! It's such a fun break in the middle of a tedious workday. Today we ate at Pizza Republica at Landmark, and it was delish!

I had this wood oven pizza that was thin but well-equipped with a perfect balance of chew and char. There were these plump, piquant heirloom tomatoes with a robust herby flavor, like they'd been marinated in an herbed olive oil - rosemary and oregano maybe? Crispy garlic slivers contrasted crunchily with the soft give of the caramelized pearl onions. Crispy pancetta slices gave it just the right salty crackle. What isn't made better by the addition of bacon/bacon-like products?! Num!

/smacks gleefully, satisfied.

There was also a nourishing salad that was of note in that i actually ATE it, so you know it must be good. With a barely-there blanket of balsamic vinegar, some cracked pepper and the same heirloom tomatoes from the pizza, it was so good even Sean nibbled warily off it *gasp!* Nourishment is not something you will find as a feature of most of the dishes I enjoy...

I'm glad Jason and I get to see and talk to each other throughout the day. I think it makes our bond even better - funny (well, not funny) that the divorce rate is so high when there are so many ways to stay connected with the one you love. I guess some might argue that it contributes to the divorce rate, lol! Well until Jason asks me to stop bothering him, I think I'm ok.

The Landmark is awesome - there are few better places to sashay* around in the Denver sunshine to meet good friends and a hot hubby for a trendy lunch.

*Can this be onomatopoeia, please? It sounds EXACTLY the way the action is performed, it should count.

Hope you had a nice lunch!

A Chartreux, for your enjoyment

Winds of change

There is change afoot in the Clawson household - Jason again has worked his supreme awesomeness to our advantage. After nearly two years of being courted by a company in San Francisco, he has angled to work from home with his band of whizbangs for a fantastical sum of $$$. Now comes the hard part...

He has to go in and tell some genuinely nice people that he's been given an offer he can't refuse. I'm so proud of him! Not just because he is smart, gifted, and business savvy enough to get this position in the first place, but that his sweet heart isn't just grabbing his sacks of money and roaring off with a 'seeya, suckers!'

He's worried about all those involved at the old company, and hopes to be able to ease into a transition that will work for everyone.

What a good man - he is admirable! I hope all goes well for him today...

Establishing a 'modern' First Lady?

First Lady Demands Substance
I have mixed feelings about Michelle O.

While I fervently disagree with her politics and perception of America, I think there is merit to studying her developing role as First Lady.

Things that please me:

• (Pre-presidential) Her dedication to her daughters/family while retaining her career. I like that, while she continued to pursue a career she worked hard for/spent difficult years being educated for, she still limited her time spent in the career to care for and engage her family. Life/work balance is something I think a lot of women struggle to get right. Admirable that after spending what were, no doubt, tough years in Harvard and creating a name for herself, she prioritized her family and worked her career in second tier.
• She was not afraid to contradict and even tease Barack during his highly publicized campaign. This gives her the appearance of truly being on equal footing with her husband - not just a shadow-bound trophy wife.
  
• (Presidential) She clearly wants to be more than just a White House door greeter - and is capable of being more. **NOTE: I feel Laura Bush was a fine, grand example of a great woman. I only think she might have filled a more traditional role in the White House.
  

I think she is in a strong position to update the perception of the First Lady to the 21st Century. My only thought is that while she clearly has the ambition to become active beyond hosting tea parties and giving side hugs, just being elevated the position of FL doesnt necessarily make her qualified as an expert for any one cause or subject *cough cough, hillary*

I'm keepin' an eye on her. A cautious side-eye, but an eye nonetheless.

The state of my health - queasy

After absorbing the ObamaCare coverage, I'm feeling a little sick to my stomach.

I mean, O is like - look, healthcare is bogged down by inefficient bureaucracy. There's too much spending and waste. I know! Let's give it to the government. They've got a great track record in those areas...

/smacks forehead.

I'm frightened by his propoganda. First, he whips the public into a frothing frenzy insisting that there is a MAJOR problem. Maybe you can't see it, but TRUST HIM. It's there. Everywhere. Then, he makes sure you know he's the ONLY one who can fix it. But you have to act now! All your problems will be solved, but theres no time to waste on silly things like READING legislation or engaging in debate. Sound familiar, Economic Stimulus?

It is hilariously like an email scam. If you got a note from Prince Obamakins of Nigeria saying he has the answer to all your problems, that he just needs $700 billion - but you must act today! Just send your name and checking account to the US govt...

Now we're in it for round two. Same formula! Why hasn't anyone in the media stood up and reviewed the status of his last 'solution?' The legislature did everything he asked, acted immediately and put their trust in him. EPIC FAIL. No better off than we were - in some instances, worse in fact - and with an abysmal debt we may be unable to overcome.

I retain hope that the sheeples* will wake up and see they're being worked.

*teehee, always wanted to use that word. Ironic that being conservative is the new subversive?

Healthcare edumacation

ObamaCare Coverage
Interesting quotes - I'll try to keep them in context.

"Devinsky asked the president pointedly if he would be willing to promise he wouldn't seek such extraordinary help for his wife or daughters if they became sick and the plan he's proposing limited the tests or treatment they can get.

The president refused to make such a pledge, though he allowed that if "it's my family member, if it's my wife, if it's my children, if it's my grandmother, I always want them to get the very best care. There's a whole bunch of care that's being provided that every study, that every bit of evidence that we have indicates may not be making us healthier," he said.

• Uhhh...what? So is that a no? 'Cause it sounded like a no.

Gibson asked the president if it doesn't make sense to decide what the limitations will be on options in any healthcare reform proposal before voting on it.

The president said he understood the American people "know they're living with the devil, but the devil they know instead of the devil they don't."

• Obama: "Limitations? Listen, Chuck, I don't think you understand what I'm going for here.."
• Also. The devil we don't know. Shouldn't we wait to legislate until there are no devils in the equation? Or here's a wild thought - DONT LEGISLATE THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
  

Why, hello there...

I've discovered Facebook status updates do not grant nearly enough room for me to express the depths and widths of my scorn/outrage/pleasure. As I sat analyzing my feelings about a particularly divisive political figure, I was surprised to find I had conflicting feelings - hurray, does that mean I'm not close-minded (is that even a bad thing if you're really, really sure you're right?) Time will tell...

Regardless, my conflicting feelings led to more characters than my FB was willing to accept, so here I am. Prepare yourself for a dallying, sprightly traipse through the ponderings of Jenny Clawson!