Roger O Green

It’s That Time Again

Yes, I know the excitement is really building; don’t pass out, please. It’s your chance, once again, to ASK ROGER ANYTHING. That’s right, and he has to answer. He might even answer honestly.

You could ask him what are the movie soundtracks he owns of movies he has never seen; there are several. Or his favorite Bible verse. Or the two-letter provincial codes in Canada. Or his most serious/favorite criminal endeavor. Or how he was an environmentalist before his time, scoffed at by his family. Or to explain the infield fly rule. Or to pick out his favorite Hess truck. Or how to bet on Final JEOPARDY! Or why the Michael Jackson album Off the Wall is better than Thriller.

Since the child is turning three soon, you can ask about her.

Some of you who have posed this question in your own blogs, to which I have always generously provided queries, are ESPECIALLY invited to share. You know who you are.

Here’s an unsolicited answer to a non-question. While one can steal second base, third base or home in baseball, one cannot steal first base. The situation where a batter runs to first on a third strike after the catcher drops the ball is a no-risk move on the batter’s part. If the catcher throws out the batter at first, he’s out, but he would have been out anyway. But when a runner is trying to steal second, the runner is at risk of being thrown out; thus the successful pilfering IS a stolen base.

You can e-mail me or leave it in the reply section.

Yet Another Attempt at Minimal Self-Revelation through Answering a Series of Seemingly Unrelated Questions

1. Your name spelled backwards.
Neerg Newo Regor.

2. Where were your parents born?
My mother in Binghamton, NY. My father, I’m not sure – somewhere around there.

3. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
Undoubtedly a picture for the blog.

4. What’s your favorite restaurant?
Depends. But Carol & I always go to a restaurant called Justin’s in January (or so), because that’s where I proposed and she accepted.

5. Last time you swam in a pool?
At Fred Hembeck’s house, summer of 2006. But I would call it swimming, it was more like hanging out.

6. Have you ever been in a school play?
Several, actually, in small roles. The largest was playing the fire chief in Ionesco’s “The Bald Soprano”.

7. How many kids do you want?
At this point, one.

8. Type of music you dislike most?
Tough question.

9. Are you registered to vote?
Always.

10. Do you have cable?
Yes, and a DVR to eventually watch the shows I record, eventually.

11. Have you ever ridden on a moped?
If I had, I’d never admit it.

12. Ever prank call anybody?
Not to my recollection.

13. Ever get a parking ticket?
In the 1980s, when I worked at FantaCo, every time Tom and I went to a show in NYC, we’d read the conflicting signs, decide it was OK to park there and end up getting a ticket.

14. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
Well, I haven’t yet.

15. Furthest place you ever traveled?
Barbados. That’s practically in South America.

16. Do you have a garden?
My wife does-flowers.

17. What’s your favorite comic strip?
Probably For Better or Worse, even though it’s going into its “wrap everything up neatly” phase, much to the annoyance of some. Also, much to my surprise, Luann.

18. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem?
Well, I know the first verse, kind of spotty on the second and third. But the fourth I know by heart. “Then conquer we must when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: “In God is our Trust.”

19. Bath or Shower, morning or night?
When I’m in a hotel with a tub, I bathe at night. Normally, I shower in the morning.

20. Best movie you’ve seen in the past month?
None.

21. Favorite pizza topping?
Mushrooms.

22. Chips or popcorn?
Popcorn.

23. What color lipstick do you usually wear?
Well, I don’t, but if I did, I expect it would be bright red.

24. Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
What?

25. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?
My life is a beauty pageant.

26. Orange or Apple juice?
40% cranberry, 40% orange, 20% ginger ale. I like my mixed drinks.

27. Who was the last person you went out to dinner with and where did you dine?
With Carol at Justin’s.

28. Favorite type chocolate bar?
Mounds.

29. When was the last time you voted at the polls?
The school/library vote in February.

30. Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
Last fall.

31. Have you ever won a trophy?
Racquetball, 1989.

32. Are you a good cook?
I think I could be, if I applied myself.

33. Do you know how to pump your own gas?
Well, yeah…

34. Ever order an article from an infomercial?
No, but I was tempted once.

35. Sprite or 7-Up?
Whichever.

36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work?
Yes, it’s called a tie, a noose around my neck.

37. Last thing you bought at a pharmacy?
Undoubtedly something for Lydia.

38. Ever throw up in public?
Not lately.

39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love?
Yes.

40. Do you believe in love at first sight?
Lust, maybe.

41. Ever call a 1-900 number?
Those still around? Actually the NYS Department of State has one to find out about corporations. Don’t think I’ve called it, though.

42. Can exes be friends?
Actually, at least four of my exes are friends, and attended my marriage to Carol. Another one didn’t make it, but Carol and I subsequently attended her wedding.

43. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital?
Might have been my friend Donna a few years ago, just before she died.

44. Did you have a lot of hair when you were a baby?
Not especially.

45. What message is on your answering machine?
An intentionally boring one.

46. What’s your all time favorite Saturday Night Live Character?
Mr. Robinson of Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood.

47. What was the name of your first pet?
Peter, the cat. BTW, I read that security folks are now asking questions other than your mother’s maiden name, such as your first pet’s name. Guess I won’t be using THAT one. They’re also asking for your favorite sports team (what if you have two, or none?) and your favorite food (one favorite food? couldn’t even imagine).

48. What is in your purse?
Haven’t used a purse in a few years now.

49. Favorite thing to do before bedtime?
Play Internet backgammon.

50. What is one thing you are grateful for today?
That there is a two-term limit for the Presidency.
***
The passing of Brad Delp, the lead singer for the band “Boston”, who committed suicide last week in his Atkinson, NH, home, made me surprisingly sad. And I wasn’t even that big a fan of the band, though in truth, I do own THE album (LP). Police reports released a few days ago reported that a note was paper-clipped to the neck of Delp’s shirt when police found his body on the bathroom floor, his head on a pillow. The note read, “Mr. Brad Delp. J’ai une ame solitaire. I am a lonely soul.” Such despair…
***
March Madness. I was 25-7 after the first two days. All 8 of my Elite 8 teams are still alive. Huzzah.
***
Happy birthday, Amelia B. and Jon P.
ROG

Four Years

Four years ago, the President gave this brief address to the nation. Since then, Saddam Hussein is dead, 3000+ Americans are dead, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are dead, two million Iraqis have fled their country, including many who had supported the US military mission but who are now not getting the support they need.

Many of the American wounded might not have survived 25 or even 10 years ago. Some, especially early on, were provided inadequate protection, and now find that, once they leave the hospital, are given inadequate care. “Support the troops”, indeed.

John McCain was right about those non-binding resolutions the Democrats tried to pass earlier this year: it’s immoral to continue to, on one hand, fund the war and on the other hand, suggest the war is wrong. The “surge” will work until it’s over, and whether or not we set a “timetable for withdrawal” or not, the forces of instability will wait it out, change tactics or change venues. Hey, don’t believe me; read what wide-eyed liberals such as Zbigniew Brzezinski, National security adviser to President Carter; Richard Clarke, Counterterrorism czar from 1992 to 2003; Gen. Tony McPeak (retired), Member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War; and Bob Graham, Former chair, Senate Intelligence Committee have to say.

I had predicted four years ago that a partitioned Iraq would exist one year from now. Kurdistan exists now in almost every way (flag, currency, head of state) right now, and has since the US and UK enforced the no-fly zones 15 or 16 years ago. It seems that perhaps trying to force together an Iraq initially created by the British after World War I, insensitive to tribal concerns (see also: the colonial powers in Africa), that a different way ought to be considered. Yes, I know about the concerns of Turkey and other countries in the region. The Kurds may be the largest group of people without a country to call its own, and trying to keep an imposed country together without force may not be practical (see also: Yugoslavia), maybe it’s time to deal with the reality.

Incidentally, I don’t think that the wisdom of initial opposition to this war should be shelved with a “yeah, but what would they do NOW?” retort. Criticism of this war before the war started, expressed by Barack Obama and Dennis Kucinich, and no other Democrat or Republican running for President – if there’s anyone else, please let me know – shows at least a certain foresight that their colleagues lacked, which may bode well for the future.

ROG

Media and Politics QUESTION

The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago will be celebrating the 75th anniversary salute to FDR on July 2. FDR accepted his nomination at Chicago Stadium and announced his plans for the New Deal. If I were in Chicago, I’d be very inclined to go to this gig. Media! Politics! Robert Vaughn!

Also at this event, the organization will be announcing America’s top 100 political moments in radio and television.

Without thinking or researching, because thinking will just confuse things, and I wanted to go with my gut feelings, my Top 11.
In chrono order:
1. Al Smith, 1928. Not many people saw it, of course.
2. FDR, “Day of Infamy”, December 1941. Still respond to it in the ear.
3. McCarthy hearings in the 1950s.
4. JFK-Nixon debates, esp. the first one. I read somewhere that people listening to it on the radio thought Nixon won, while those watching TV would pick Kennedy. This would be #1, if I were to rank.
5. I Have a Dream speech (That certainly is political), August 1963.
6. JFK assassination. November 1963.
7. Cronkite dissing LBJ about Vietnam, February 1968
8. Democratic National Convention, August 1968
9. Watergate hearings (esp. John Dean), 1973
10. Reagan in Normandy, 1984
11. Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill hearings (“high-tech lynching”)

Of course, there are the FDR’s fireside chats, the black power salute at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Jimmy Carter’s Moral Equivalent of War energy policy with the sweater, the assassination attempt on Reagan, Iran-Contra, and a bunch more, but the ones I picked just resonated more for me.

So, what would be your picks?

P.S. – Gordon, might you attend?
***
I should note St. Patrick’s day, since I’m Roger O’Green, but there’s already enough blarney in this post, what with media AND politics. The primary Albany parade, though, was postponed for a week because of the foot plus of snow we received overnight.

ROG

Oscar-Worthy Movies I Have Seen: 1929-1930

The nominated films – Production (Picture):
“ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT” (winner), “The Big House”, “Disraeli”, “The Divorcee”, “The Love Parade”. Saw none of them.
Interesting that this was the only year multiple nominations for an actor or actress in the same category were allowed. So George Arliss beat himself (“Disraeli” over “The Green Goddess”) and two Ronald Colman performances (“Bulldog Drummond”, “Condemned”), among others.
Likewise, Norma Shearer in “Their Own Desire” was beaten by Shearer in “The Divorcee”, while Greta Garbo was an also-ran twice, in “Anna Christie” (of which I’ve seen pieces of on TV) and in “Romance”.
ROG