Roger O Green

If I Had A Heart

Tosy posted this musical meme.

1. Put your music player on Shuffle

2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.

3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER WHAT (this is in capital letters, so it is very serious).

1. IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
“Tell Mama” – Etta James. Interesting and appropriate.

2. WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
“It Might As Well Be Spring” – Sarah Vaughn. Well, my birthday DOES foretell the vernal equinox.

3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
“Wake Up, Little Susie” – Elton John. Oh, oh, we’re in trouble deep. All our friends are saying, “ooo, la la.”

4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
“1990”-Temptations. Lessee, in 1990, I was 37, quite possibly my favorite age to be.

5. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
“Independence Day” – Ani DeFranco. I would like to think that’s true.

6. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
“It’s Summer” – Temptations. Not a sun worshipper, but I do prefer it to the winter.

7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
“Smile” – Lily Allen. Aw, shucks.

8. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
“My Favorite Things” – Andre 3000. well, not THINGS, but a nice sentiment, nonetheless.

9 WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
“Me and Mr. Jones – Amy Winehouse. I wonder if it’s Dylan’s Mr. Jones.

10. WHAT IS 2+2?
“The Finale” from Next Stop Wonderland soundtrack. A fancy word for the Sum, I suppose.

11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
“I Love You for Sentimental Reasons”- Sam Cooke. Another lovely sentiment.

12. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
“Supersonic” – J.J. Fad. Sure, why not?

13. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
“Til the Cops Come Knockin'” Maxwell. Well, the way things are going…

14. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
“20 Dollars” – Angie Stone. I think I’m worth more than that!

15. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
“My Dearest Darling” – Etta James. Some of these are so right on.

16. WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
“God Bless Texas” – Brooks and Dunn. Then there are the occasional say what? responses.

17. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
“Number One Crush” – Garbage. Another appropriate notion.

18. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
“Night Ride Home” Joni Mitchell. Spookily dead on.

19. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
“Who Dares Wins” – the Streets. Well, not ENTIRELY clear, but appeals to my competitive streak.

20. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
“Littlest Birds” Jolie Holland. I won’t think too much on that.

21. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
“This Love of Mine” – Dinah Washington. I must be really fond of my buds.

22. WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
“If I Had a Heart” – Joni Mitchell. Not to be confused with the Tin Man.
***
Fred Hembeck is plugging his upcoming book again. Some of the readers don’t seem to understand that no Marvel and DC product means no Marvel Age or Daily Planet strips, e.g. It DOESN’T mean no Marvel and DC characters; it’ll have LOTS of Marvel and DC characters, complete with squiggles. In fact, if the book does well, it wouldn’t shock me if Marvel tried to put together the Hembeck Marvel stuff (Fantastic Four Roast, Hembeck Destroys the Universe), though those involve several other artists, and it might not be practical.
ROG

Ear candling

My mom’s 80 and in reasonably good health. (BTW, Andy Williams just turned 80 a couple days ago and is still performing.) Her primary health complaint is this ringing in her ears, which makes conversations sound muffled. I’m not sure what causes it – it might be from various medications she’s taking – but her doctor hasn’t identified a solution.

One of my sisters asked about something called Ear Candling. I had never heard of it. From one website:
For thousands of years, a form of hygiene known as Ear Candling, was used as a way of naturally cleansing the inside of the ears and head.

Today, more and more are seeking alternatives to digging in the ears with Q-tips or using a hydrogen peroxide flush to clear blockages in the ear canal.

Ear Candling is a natural, non-intrusive procedure that may help alleviate the painful effects of chronic headaches or sinus conditions, ear infections, allergies or vertigo, as well as minor hearing loss due to excessive earwax…Ear Candling helps drain and dry out the small, dark places where germs live and multiply…Ringing in the ears can be a cause of dehydration coupled with wax build-up. Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of pure water per day. Then the Ear Candling procedure can help break down the wax…

How does it work?
It is believed as the candle burns, gentle warm smoke is drawn into the ear canal that softens and loosens candida, wax, and other debris through osmosis. This means anything on the other side of the eardrum turns into a gas form to pass through the ear drum membrane. It is then collected into the remaining unburned portion of the candle.

Through osmosis?

So, I looked for more information. About.com was at best, mixed about the procedure. The FDA is not fond of it at all. Nor are website such as Quackwatch and Straight Dope . Let’s put it this way: I’m as skeptical as this guy.

Anybody out there had any experience or have insights into ear candling?
***
Gordon finds out a little about his roots, and himself.
***
Jaquandor discovers kosher ham. And just in time for the holidays.
ROG

Big Media Consolidation and Why You Should Hate It

BILL MOYERS JOURNAL|FCC Update|PBS November 16, 2007
On November 2, 2007, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin announced that the Commission would hold the sixth and final public hearing on media consolidation November 9, 2007 in Seattle, Washington. Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein blasted the Chairman’s decision to give the public only five business days notice before the hearing: “With such short notice, many people will be shut out … This is outrageous and not how important media policy should be made.”
The video’s eight and a half minutes, but if you care about American media, it’ll be worth your time.
Then you can watch this 23 minute piece from earlier in the month.
Read FCC (Democratic) commissioner Michael Copps vs. “Big Media”.
While the issue on the FCC is a Republican (3) vs. Democrat (2) issue, the fear of media consolidation runs from the Christian Coalition to MoveOn.

Contact the FCC before December 11. Then, because reaching out to the FCC probably won’t matter, contact your federal legislators.
***
Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Conservatives in 2007 from the Human Events Book Service

The usual suspects (Ann Coulter, Newt Gingrich, Glenn Beck), a Reagan bio, Clarence Thomas’ autobiography. AND The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris:
“Are these the most ‘politically incorrect’ children’s stories ever written?
Perhaps. But they’re also among the most delightful and moral. Now they’re back – with the original artwork
Isn’t it just like liberals to diminish genuine racial and cultural diversity in the name of respecting it?”
That last line was almost enough for a spit take.
ROG

Oh, boy! Christmas!

I’m working on this theory. It’s not completely worked out yet, but it’s based on something my wife said the other day. She was indicating that her five- and six-year-old students were really looking forward to Christmas. No big surprise, you say? She’s a teacher of English as a Second Language, and most of her students are Muslims.

My point is that I’m wondering if Christmas, even in its secular form of snowflakes and Santa, is becoming an interfaith holiday. Perhaps both sides in the so-called “War on Christmas” should call a truce. That some people experience Christmas without it being Christ Mass is OK. That to say Merry Christmas to one of indeterminate faith is OK.

I was reading something called ADVENT-ure, and it suggested that the evergreen tree is a sign of the eternal life of Jesus. I want to say “well, whatever”. I’m just hoping that people can find peace on earth, whatever their faith. And if people of different faiths, or no faith, can find joy in the Christian season of Advent, what’s wrong with that?
***
We went by this store last weekend with a sign that read “Place your Christmas order NOW!” For whatever reason, I imagine a drill sergeant bellowing, “ORDER THAT GIFT CARD!” “WRAP THOSE PRESENTS!” “SEND THOSE CARDS! NOW!”
***
I think I’d be drummed out of my choir if I didn’t mention this: First Presbyterian Church Albany presents its annual Advent Vespers Sunday, December 9 at 7:30 pm.

FPC’s Chancel Choir and Orchestra present Francesco Durante’s Magnificat, as well as two orchestral offerings – Christmas Concerto Grosso by Francesco Manfredini, and Weinachten by Max Reger.
ROG

Another Execution?

I got this e-mail from New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty:
Thomas Arthur is scheduled for execution on December 6 in Alabama. The state is pursuing his execution despite what appears to be a moratorium on executions in the USA pending the US Supreme Court’s examination of the constitutionality of lethal injections. In addition, Alabama has not granted Thomas Arthur’s request to be allowed to conduct DNA testing of evidence relating to the crime.

The Innocence Project wrote Governor Riley that “We believe that the Arthur case easily fits within the category of cases where DNA testing should be granted… In fact, DNA testing has the potential to conclusively prove that Mr Arthur was not the perpetrator of this crime and to identify the real killer.”

For more about the case, please visit here (PDF) or here.

My long-standing opposition to the death penalty was also exercised by this story on 60 Minutes a couple weeks ago in which “FBI’s Bullet Lead Analysis Used Flawed Science To Convict Hundreds Of Defendants” over a 40-year period, and the agency never notified local officials about the bogus methodology. I don’t know if any of the cases are capital cases, but clearly, many people were wrongfully imprisoned, some for decades.

And that really ticks me off.
ROG