What is sexy?

I bought Interpreter of Maladies, a collection of short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. One of the stories, Sexy, appeared in the New Yorker back in December 1998.

It got me thinking - what IS sexy? This word is overused - describing cars, restaurants, places and people.

What is "sexy" to you?

Only television allowed

John Ashcroft held a press conference at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia this week. It's one of a dozen scheduled events across the country. Ashcroft spoke on his favorite subject: The Patriot Act.

Howard Altman was there, covering the event for the Philadelphia City Paper. But he wasn't allowed into the news briefing because "he is not talking to print. Only talking to television."

"I think it sucks, but if he wants to talk to TV, there's not much we can do," Nick Fox, a New York Times national editor, responds via e-mail. "The president does that; I can't recall the AG doing it."

And it's not like this administration is known for giving press conferences. In fact, the Bush regime is notorious for not holding more press events.

He [George W. Bush] obviously hates news conferences, which is why he hadn't held one since March [2003] before fielding questions in the Rose Garden on Wednesday [July30, 2003]. In fact, this was only Bush's ninth full-scale presser since taking office, compared to at least 52 for LBJ, 16 for Nixon, 37 for Ford, 45 for Carter, 16 for Reagan, 58 for Bush Sr. and 30 for Clinton.

Any thoughts?

The dog ate my homework

Robert Michael Mathison had a better excuse for missing his appearance in Washington County District Court. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the 50-year old man had died on July 12, 2003.

Apparently, he's also faked heart attacks to get out of trouble in the past. And while the Mendota Heights police department find his antics entertaining, the Pioneer Press regrets not confirming his death with a funeral home.

Traveling for pleasure

I live for travel. But the best kind of trip does not include business.... like my upcoming weekend in Savannah.

I started thinking of all the places I've been and would like to someday go back to... and the select few I've considered relocating to. Here are my lists -

Nice to visit but I wouldn't want to live there:
Asheville, NC
Atlanta
Baltimore
Boston
Denver
Knoxville
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Miami
Monterey, CA
Montreal
Nantucket
Newport, RI
Norfolk, VA
Philadelphia
Providence
Salem, Mass.
Savannah
Seattle
Toronto
Williamsburg, VA

Foreign - Amsterdam, Glasgow, London, Paris

I'd consider relocating there:
Chicago
New York

and people tell me I'd love - Lisbon and San Francisco

A garden of words

"First sentences are doors to worlds."
~ Ursula K. Le Guin

What books are you reading?

You are what you read

Just call me M+M......for Magazine Maven. I subscribe to a plethora of magazines.

read cover to cover:

Columbis Journalism Review
Editor & Publisher
The Atlantic Monthly
The Economist
The New Yorker
Washingtonian


I subscribe, flip through, and, more often than not, save:

American Photo
Black & White Magazine
Book
Health
Newsweek
Photo Insider
Photo Life
Photographer's Forum
Reason
Science
Seed
Self
Shape
The Key
The Writer
Time
U.S. News & World Report
Vanity Fair
Vogue
Writer's Digest
Zoetrope


I'm single-handedly responsible for destroying a forest! The fact that most of these publications are available online has not been lost to me. But I can't imagine not having my mailbox stuffed with these goodies.

What do you subscribe to? Or do you now access everything online?

Fact and fiction

I'm a collection of contradictions.

Last night, I plopped on my couch and paused on an episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" while channel surfing.

A blond vampire named Spike was telling Buffy that he was terrified. The night before had been the best night of his life because he had held her in his arms and watched her sleep. And now he was terrified.

My first reaction was:

"Aaaaaaaaawwwww... how sweet!"

My second reaction was:

"In real life, that would so turn me off." (shudder)

And then, with no better alternative on tv, I popped in Casablanca.

What if..... Wednesday

1. What if.... you were born into a different family. How do you think you would be a different person? How would you be the same?

2. What if.... you were allergic to your favorite person. How would you cope?

3. What if.... you were 'discovered' by Steven Spielberg. How would your life change? Or wouldn't it?

4. What if.... your body never required sleep. How would you spend all that extra time?

5. What if.... you witnessed a man snatch an elderly woman's purse. What would you do?

Please don't do that

Repeatedly pressing the call button will not cause the elevator to arrive any faster.

That drives me crazy. It's all I can do to resist the urge to slap their hands!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

IS there any food better than chocolate?

image compliments of UCSD/Reuters

Smart dust

A team of researchers at UC-San Diego have created tiny silicon sensors that can orient themselves

"The vision is to build miniature devices that can move with ease through a tiny environment, such as a vein or an artery, to specific targets, then locate and detect chemical or biological compounds and report this information to the outside world," said Michael Sailor, a professor at UCSD's department of chemistry and biochemistry who led the study.

Science fiction is becoming reality everyday. What would you like these scientists to invent next?

So where's the party?

REMINDER: This Wednesday, at 5:51 a.m. EDT, Mars will be closer to Earth than ever in recorded history.

Meanwhile, people around the globe are planning "Mars Parties" to celebrate the phenomenon.

Are any of you planning to wake up early to sight the planet? Anyone planning or going to a Mars party?

Republican Eye on the Political Pie - You've Seen "Queer Eye," Now Witness...



Compliments of Schlock 'N' Roll by Ward Sutton in the Village Voice


August 25th, 2003 5:30 AM

Courtesy of CQ

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "If I am commander in chief, I won't just bring to that profound responsibility the perspective of sitting in the Situation Room. I'll also bring the perspective of someone who's fought on the front lines." -- Sen. John KERRY, D-Mass.

TODAY'S TRIVIA: In Boston, Democratic Sen. John Kerry's nickname is "Live Shot," a reference to his fondness for television cameras. (Source: "CQ's Politics in America 2004.")

Red wine extends life

A study shows that molecules found in red wine and peanuts may have life-extending effects.