Friday, August 13, 2010

Thank you, Jennifer Aniston!


Bill O'Reilly recently attacked Jennifer Aniston for her comments in support of women who use artificial insemination to become mothers. But Jennifer Aniston didn't go quietly into that good night ... she fought back. And with a sense of humor ... which is Ms. Manitoba's preferred method of vengance ... although not achieved as often as she'd like.

O'Reilly claimed that her remarks were "destructive to our society." He also accused her of "diminishing the role of the dad." (Isn't it really the philandering dads and the deadbeat dads who abandon their families -- isn't it their fault that the role of dad has diminished? ... if it's even true that their role has been diminished.)

He ranted: "Dads bring a psychology to children that is in this society, I believe, under-emphasized. I think men get hosed all day long in the parental arena."

Aniston told People.com, "Of course, the ideal scenario for parenting is obviously two parents of a mature age. Parenting is one of the hardest jobs on earth.

"And, of course, many women dream of finding Prince Charming (with fatherly instincts), but for those who've not yet found their Bill O'Reilly, I'm just glad science has provided a few other options."

LOL, here at TPC-CultureVultures. And, thank you, Jennifer Aniston for saying "two parents" instead of "a husband and wife."

Note: Ms. Manitoba supports equality of opportunity for all. But she also greatly supports Zero Population Growth ... 'member that old philosophy? So, she'd prefer if people, if at all possible, would adopt.


Thursday, August 12, 2010

Visiting San Francisco 2010

All photos by K. Smokey Cormier who holds the copyright thereof ... or some such thing



Howdy, folks.

If you're visiting San Francisco in the summer and fall of 2010, here are some suggestions. Don't be afraid to explore. It's a great city to explore!

Note: Dress in layers. Bring a warm sweatshirt or jacket with you every day… unless the San Francisco Bay Area is having a heat wave, then you don't have to. The weather can change dramatically during the day. It can get quite cold there … especially around 5:30 pm when the fog rolls in during the summer. The fog is preceded by cold winds. And don't think I'm nuts. We have a totally different weather zone here in the Bay Area. Actually we have many weather zones. Because some places in the East Bay are very hot.

Here are some fun things to do when you come here ...

Take the ferry to Alcatraz or Angel Island.

Visit:
· Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market (on Tues, Th, and Sat – check their website before you go)

· Pier 39

· Embarcadero Center -- shops


Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. If you’re not into walking, you can drive and stop at the rest stop/outlook area – and view breathtaking views (if there’s no fog). DRESS WARMLY … even if it’s sunny. Because it’s very windy there.

This is a view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Sausilito side (north).


Academy of Science building – new building; supposed to be the best in the world right now.

Visit Chinatown. Very interesting. Then you can have Dim Sum for brunch at City View restaurant – one of the best dim sum restaurants in S.F.



If you go to SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), walk around Yerba Buena Center – beautiful landscaped grounds, there are shops, restaurants, a tea shop, nice places to sit outside, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, butterfly garden, fountain and waterfall. Also in the Yerba Buena center – METREON. Metreon is the first-of-its-kind entertainment center in the heart of downtown San Francisco. This 350,000 square-foot complex features an eclectic mix of restaurants, shopping venues, theatres, and entertainment destinations, including the West Coast's largest IMAX theatre.


Have you been too busy? Have you been doing too many urban things? Want to see something stimulating and also relaxing? Go to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens.



If you have kids ... San Francisco Zoo



****** Art in the summer 2010 ******


25 Years at Pixar – till Jan 9, 2011 Oakland Museum

[see my previous post about the re-opening of this wonderful museum]

this is a great museum – near a BART station.

From the museum's website:
The Oakland Museum's newest exhibition celebrates 25 years of Pixar animation, displaying the East Bay studio's unique visual style and extraordinarily vivid digital animation that brought the world Toy Story, WALL-E, and Finding Nemo. Written on the front wall of the exhibit is a quote by the Emeryville animation company's chief creative officer, John Lasseter: "Computers didn't create computer animation any more than a pencil creates pencil animation. What creates computer animation are artists."

Pixar Animation Studios, which is now owned by The Walt Disney Company, is famous for its innovative take on the artistry behind its animation. Rather than bubbly cartoons, Pixar uses a semi-photorealistic style. Instead of stories based on pre-existing fairy tales, Pixar comes up with tales set in the modern age that feature unusual characters such as garbage-cleaning robots, cooking rats and grumpy old men with houses that float away by balloon. Among its films are Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, WALL-E, and Up, all of which have won Academy Awards.

After a five-year, 14-stop worldwide tour that kicked off at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2005, the exhibition that covers Pixar's entire lifespan is coming home.

* * * * * * * * * *

Shanghai - Asian Art Museum, till Sept. 5


* * * * * * * * * *

Calder to Warhol Introducing the Fisher Collection - SFMOMA, until Sept. 19

* * * * * * * * * *

Contemporary Jewish Museum StoryCorps StoryBooth October 12, 2008 - November 7, 2010

The Contemporary Jewish Museum is the first museum in the country to host a StoryCorps StoryBooth. StoryCorps is a New York-based oral history project.

>>>> also check their web site for the latest exhibitions

reflecting pool in front of the Contemporary Jewish Museum


* * * * * * * * * *

de Young museum The Birth of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musee D'Orsay, until Sept 6.


* * * * * * * * * *

And remember:


Dress in layers
.

Dress in layers.

Dress in layers.

Dress in layers.

Dress in layers.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

My Baby by Ken Nordine

photo (c) 2010 K. Smokey Cormier




[Setting the scene ... a record playing ... very tasty cool jazz is playing ... High Top, saxaphone, fingers snapping ... A man with a very velvety deep voice sing-talking -- "Word Jazz" as he calls it]


Wantcha to know that I love my baby
And my baby loves me
Short time ago, we went out
together, to a place called Far Out -- up in Limbo
The rhythm was there.
Yeah!
Something special was in the air.
I reached over and held my baby's hand.
She gave me a little squeeze.
I knew we were in the same key.
Everythings's beginning to swing!
In a quiet, cool, warm way.
My baby didn't say anything.
Just looked at me with that special look she has.
I looked back with that special look I get when my baby looks at me with that special look she gets.
I couldn't help myself!
It was love for sure.
I picked my baby up.
Danced over to the stage.
And I told the leader: "Leader, this is my baby."
He just said "Crazy!"
My baby gave him a special look like my baby does.
He could see my baby had eyes to swing.
So he adjusted the mic and he simply said in his complicated way "of course."
And my baby's shy
So I gave it the first try.

[piano and some scatting ... and to find out the rest, go here or here]

-- My Baby featuring Ken Nordine

Little tidbit about Ken Nordine: he was Linda Blair's vocal coach for The Exorcist. For more info about Ken Nordine, visit this site on Wikipedia.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

A gondola in Oakland? Oaktown? Oaksterdam?

Yes. And here's proof.




You can catch one at The Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill right on the shores of Lake Merritt.


(Okay, maybe I overplayed it saying "the shores of Lake Merritt" as if it were Chicago and Lake Michigan. But I do *love* Lake Merritt.)

Mini review of The Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill: The food is quite good. Service excellent. The environment is very special.

[Disclaimer: Ms. Manitoba is not affiliated in any way with this restaurant. I don't know anyone who works there or owns the place. Ms. Manitoba just likes to get around town and try restaurants. And give kudos where appropriate.]

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Happy Birthday, President Obama!

President Obama, you had a wonderful victory followed by a very rough year and a half. I would not like to be walking in your moccasins. I hope you will have some fun today. Forty-nine! You only have this year left in your forties ... use it wisely.

From today's Writer's Almanac ...

Today is President Barack Obama's 49th birthday. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on this day in 1961, despite whatever you've heard of the contrary.

He's the author of the New York Times best-selling books Dreams from My Father (1995) and The Audacity of Hope (2006).

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Chuck Lightning responds ...

Photo by Rina Prussin

Remember just the other day I blogged about this song "Self" by Deep Cotton that I liked very much? 'member, bunkie?

[official site for Deep Cotton: go here.]

One of the founding members of Deep Cotton and the writer of the song -- he commented on my post ... take a look ...


s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s

Chuck Lightning has left a new comment on your post ""Self!" by Deep Cotton":

Hey.

This is Chuck Lightning of Deep Cotton...

Loved the post!

You did a really, really great job with your transcription, but I thought I'd give you the full lyrics, so you could understand the parts that were unintelligible...

And keep listening...we have a lot more music coming soon...


Self!

Verse 1:

I’m getting ridiculous!
I’m getting ridiculous!

Always feels like I
Playing games and I
Losing all the time
Maybe it’s just my mind

And the guitar says to you:

Self! Extra points now if you refuse to take your medication!

Self! Extra points if you’re black and dance white or are white and talk black now!

Self! Bonus rounds if your own girlfriend thinks you’re gay! And you think she’s right!

Chorus:

Doo da breakdown do the game right now just lose and die and don’t forget it!

I’m getting ridiculous!

Doo da breakdown do the game right now just lose and die and don’t forget it!

I’m getting ridiculous!

Verse 2:

Who will help me with the mirror?
Who will help me with the beat?

Son, Take out the trash!

“There are maggots in there, dad, there’s maggots!”

Doo da breakdown do the game right now just lose and die and don’t forget it!

“There are maggots in there, dad, there’s maggots!”

Doo da breakdown do the game right now just lose and die and don’t forget it!

Self! Extra points if your shadow has applied for a transfer!

Self! Extra points if the lyrics have just stopped making sense!

Self! Extra points if you wonder where these gray hairs came from!

Raise your hand if dancing is your therapy!

Self! Extra points if you thought this game was going to end differently...

With two children, a house, and an electric car…

Raise your hands if you would like to buy a new body or just a little more time!


Always feels like I
Playing games and I
Losing all the time
Maybe it’s just my mind

Self! Extra points if you do not know how to put your heart back together!

Raise your hand if it all sounds like science fiction and it’s just your life!

If you have memories for sale, please see the ushers in the yellow suits…

They can help you now…