Mary Harrsch

Googe Ad revenues point out differences in online vs broadcast preferences

2012-01-26T12:01:00.000-08:00

I found the following infographic breaking down Google's advertising revenues fasciating! I thought it was interesting to not only look at the top 5 advertisers but the highest pay per click ad words.

Those insurance companies really go after self-employed people looks for health insurance! I didn't realize how popular zumba dancing was! A lot of people are looking for hotel deals in New York. A lot of people are looking for online degree programs. Home improvement planners are looking for replacement windows and air conditioners.

AT&T outspends Verizon by over 78% on advertising for telecommunications services with high speed internet being the most sought after. People actually think there are cheap hybrid cars! Funerals are the number one gift occasion! Staples apparently has less confidence in online advertising than Office Depot although I would venture to say I've seen more Staples advertising on TV than spots for Office Depot. Likewise State Farm way outspends Geico on online advertising but I would say most TV ads I see for car insurance are either Geico or Progressive. Hmmmm.....

Phony Drama on "Reality" TV Bad for America's Image and Promotes Poor Behavior

2012-01-20T11:43:00.000-08:00

This morning I read an article by Stacy Johnson, Why House Hunters Shouldn’t Watch HGTV’s ‘House Hunters’ and the followup piece, pointing out that HGTV's House Hunters is pretty much a total fake. Stacy essentially received confirmation in a fluffy PR-kind of way from HGTV admitting that the buyers portrayed on the show were "pretty far along" (as in already in escrow!) in the house buying process and the network "recreates" their decision process by filming them considering two other houses that, of course, they have no intention of purchasing since they were already committed to a house before the filming even began.

From reading the comments from other visitors to Stacy's article, I gather the general consensus was viewers at least get to see other homes in the featured locale and can enjoy trying to figure out which house the couple actually bought so no real harm is done and most viewers find the show at least entertaining. But I find other so-called reality shows far less innocuous.

I posted:

"I'm not at all surprised (that House Hunters is faked) considering the production values of so-called 'reality" shows. House Hunters is at least entertaining and doesn't attempt to create "fake" drama by introducing artificial deadlines, fights between employees and fake firings like those that occur on such shows as American Chopper, Ax Men, West Coast Customs and more recently, Saw Dogs. The week they premièred Saw Dogs, West Coast Customs had a staged scene on their show where the automotive refurbishing crew were on a "fake" tight deadline and one of the main designers decided he was getting too stressed out and needed to blow off steam so he takes off on a 4-wheeler to rip up some nearby countryside. Then, a few hours later when Saw Dogs came on, the wood carvers had a "fake" tight deadline and one of the "clumsy" newbies "accidentally" knocked the head off the eagle sculpture and felt so bad about it they had to blow off steam and take off on a 4-wheeler to rip up some nearby countryside. With those two episodes of two different shows just a couple of hours apart, it really spotlighted the total phony nature of both shows. The thing I worry about with these types of phony stagings, is that young people will assume the behavior they see is actually how real employees act and real companies operate since they have little experience to make an informed judgement. Professionals do not act like spoiled children in the workplace or, hopefully, anywhere else."

I strongly feel that these shows cheapen legitimate occupations and consistently set an extremely bad example for our young people and future work force. If an employee of one of the real automakers acted like someone in one of these reality shows, I would hope they would be down the road so fast it would make their head spin, especially in this economy where good-paying steady jobs are so sought after by literally millions that are currently out of work. Glamorizing atrocious management or outrageous employee behavior is not only NOT entertaining, it is detrimental to America's image both at home and abroad and in a global marketplace that is nothing to take lightly. Would you want to buy an American car and place your family's safety in the hands of employees who behave as irresponsibly as those you see on American television?

Dog food review site leads me to Blue Buffalo

2011-12-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

Molly and Meggie as puppies. They are now 7 years old.

I really don't know how I ended up looking at dog food reviews today but I found a website that I thought was very helpful, Pet Care Education's Dog Food Reviews. My little miniature dachshunds, Molly and Meggie, love chicken, preferably the real thing, so I have always fed them Authority brand chicken mini chunks since they were puppies after it was recommended by a sales person at PetSmart. They seem to eat it fairly well, although, to be honest, my husband insists on cutting up real meat scraps for them when we eat so they only fill in with dry dog food, it is not their primary food source.

Anyway, I looked up Authority mini chunk chicken on the Review site and found that it rated fairly well for a store brand, 6.7. Then I saw the link for best dog foods and saw the really high ratings for Blue Buffalo, especially their Wilderness products (9.2). I noticed their Wilderness line had a chicken version so I checked their company website and used their distributor search tool to find that their dog food is sold at McKenzie Feed not far from my house.

My husband always insists on getting them something for Christmas so I think I will swing by McKenzie Feed on my next trip to town and pick up a small bag to see if they like it. It's about $5 more per bag but if they really like it perhaps I can try to wean them off of most of the table scraps and they'll be healthier in the long run. I see Blue Buffalo also makes chicken jerky dog treats so maybe I'll pick up some of them too. After all, it is Christmas!

Mark Twain the anti-imperialist

2011-12-12T10:29:00.000-08:00

Samuel Clemens, aka "Mark Twain" Image via Wikipedia

A couple of weeks ago I subscribed to a new free series called The Intellectual Devotional on Daily Lit.

"... a collection of daily lessons taken from The Devoted Intellect blog that will inspire and invigorate the reader on a daily basis. Each nugget of wisdom is drawn from one of seven fields of knowledge: History, Literature, Philosophy, Mathematics & Science, Religion, Visual Arts, and Music." - DailyLit

Today's nugget of wisdom was about some of the anti-imperialist activities of Mark Twain. I knew Mark Twain was a satirist but didn't realize he was involved so deeply in the politics of foreign affairs. I attempted to read Huckleberry Finn in high school and simply didn't like it so I had dismissed Mark Twain as another one of the "classic" authors writing for people in another century whose work, though critically acclaimed, did not resonate with me. Twain is in good company in that respect though. I tried to read Tolstoy's War and Peace and couldn't get through the first few chapters of it and didn't find Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe written in a very appealing narrative either, even though I later loved the television mini-series, "Ivanhoe" starring James Mason and Sam Neill (I was really bummed that Sam Neill's Brian de Bois-Guilbert was killed in the end - I thought he was far more attractive than Anthony Andrew's Ivanhoe and Rebecca's heart should have melted!)

Anyway, when I read the short "devotional" about Mark Twain I was totally intrigued by his late-in-life rabble-rousing contributions like King Leopold's Soliloquy, a stinging satirical denunciation of Belgium's brutal colonial activities in the Congo, and Incident in the Philippines, about the American massacre of 600 Moros in the Moro Crater Massacre. Apparently, this was a complete reversal from his earlier support of such U.S. imperialistic acquisitions as the Hawaiian Islands. Twain explains his change of heart in a article published by the New York Herald on October 15, 1900.

I wanted the American eagle to go screaming into the Pacific ...Why not spread its wings over the Philippines, I asked myself? ... I said to myself, Here are a people who have suffered for three centuries. We can make them as free as ourselves, give them a government and country of their own, put a miniature of the American Constitution afloat in the Pacific, start a brand new republic to take its place among the free nations of the world. It seemed to me a great task to which we had addressed ourselves. But I have thought some more, since then, and I have read carefully the treaty of Paris [which ended the Spanish-American War], and I have seen that we do not intend to free, but to subjugate the people of the Philippines. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem. It should, it seems to me, be our pleasure and duty to make those people free, and let them deal with their own domestic questions in their own way. And so I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land.

I obviously need to resurrect Samuel Clemens from my mental "Trash folder" and give him the attention he deserves.

Beautypedia makes choosing moisturizers a snap

2011-12-08T10:19:00.001-08:00

Hands of Joan of Arc at Domrémy by

Henri Chapu 1872 CE. Photographed at the

Musee d'Orsay in Paris by Mary Harrsch.

Today I read an article about saving money on cosmetics and skin care products. Essentially, it said the vast majority of cosmetics claims are pretty much bogus. It said the single most important thing you can do for your skin to prevent wrinkles or skin damage is to mitigate sun exposure with protective clothing and sunscreen. But once wrinkles appear, little can be done to erase them (short of surgery) although skin moisturizers may help a little. But trying to choose a moisturizer from the thousands of products available can be daunting so the author recommended the website Beautypedia sponsored by "Cosmetic Cop" Paula Begoun:

http://www.beautypedia.com/

I had never heard of it so I thought I would check it out. It is a comprehensive database of cosmetics and skin care product reviews and clearly shows a rating to point out product effectiveness and which products are grossly overpriced. I couldn't find the face cream I'm using at the moment (Seacret that is supposedly formulated from minerals from the Dead Sea - it's as close to ancient cosmetics as I could get!). Then, I was surprised to note that the Cetaphil the doctor recommended for my feet doesn't have a decent rating unless you select a particular formulation (she only told me Cetaphil so I've just been buying their generic body lotion - although I must admit when I get a crack in my heel it heals up within a day with the generic lotion) and was shocked to see it on the list of companies that tests its product on animals. I have had nightmares where I have seen animals in laboratories connected to instruments by tubes sprouting from their bodies so I would never want to do anything that would encourage that type of activity!

According to Paula's rating system you should basically look for a product with no $ signs, a check mark and a happy face icon although you should also look at the price and the number of ounces of product the quoted price buys you too. There seems to be quite a wide price range that garner a happy face and check mark indicating a product that exceeds expectations and goes beyond the criteria for a product in its category with minimal to no concerns. For example, CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM at $12.99 for 3 oz. is rated equally with Estee Lauder Nutritious Vita-Mineral Moisture Lotion at $38.00 for 1.7 oz. If you click on the rating column heading twice to make it sort in ascending order by rating putting the best products with no $ signs at the top, it makes it easier to select the best most economical product although "Paula" does not give you unit pricing which would make this exercise a total no brainer. Perhaps she doesn't wish to have her own line of products, priced in the mid-range with her Skin Recovery Moisturizer, for Normal to Very Dry Skin priced at $19.95 for 2 oz., farther down the list. Although I didn't do the math precisely, it looks like, of all the skin moisturizers without sunscreen available, CeraVe is the most economical and effective and a quick check of the animal testing report card shows it doesn't test its products on animals - a clear winner for me! Now I just have to figure out where to get it. A quick web search shows me I can get it from Amazon for even less than is quoted in the database. I noticed that CeraVe makes a lot of different skin care products so I searched Beautypedia for just that brand name and was pleased to note that all of their different formulations rated a "Paul's pick" and were vastly more economical than many of their competitors.

Anyway, I thought if you have found trying to choose a skin moisturizer as challenging as I have you might find this website helpful too.

Feel the Love - Dancers Flash Mob at Dubai Airport

2011-12-04T16:10:00.001-08:00

What I love about joyous flash mobs where people share dancing or singing is that they almost invariably make everyone smile. Here you see people even in conservative clothing begin to smile (well, everybody except one guy!) especially when some young children join the dance troupe. You even see a pair of pilots come down the escalator and immediately begin to smile instead of stressing out about possibly being late to the next checkin on their schedule - a much more humane environment than the typical high stress experience you usually encounter at an airport.

Great food and beautiful handcrafts highlight Latvian Center holiday bazaar

2011-11-28T11:36:00.001-08:00

Traditional Latvian dress worn for

festivals and special occasions

displayed at the Oregon Latvian

Center, 5500 SW Dosch Road,

Portland, Oregon.

Seven years ago my brother married a lady from Riga, Latvia. It's especially wonderful when we get to welcome a new family member from another culture because it gives us an opportunity to learn about new customs and sample ethnic dishes we may not have ever tried before.

To help Gunta feel more at home here in the states, my brother found a website for a Latvian Center in Portland, Oregon and soon they were shuttling back and forth between Pendleton, where they lived, to various activities at the Latvian Center. Then this year, my brother and Gunta moved to the Portland area so they could be closer to other members of the Portland Latvian community. When I was visiting them in their new home in Columbia City, Gunta mentioned they were eagerly anticipating the annual holiday bazaar that would be held on Thanksgiving weekend at the Latvian Center and I asked if I could go with them.

Carraway-flavored Jānu siers, a fresh-cooked cheese, is a

traditional food prepared for the festival of Jāni celebrating

the summer solstice. Photo courtesy of The Kitchen Mouse.

So, Saturday I had the chance to sample a little Latvian culture for myself. Various members of the Latvian Center offered a variety of delicious homemade desserts like fruit and nut tortes and apple cakes. They also displayed a wide assortment of savory breads including some of my brother's favorite pīrāgi, little crescent-shaped yeast rolls filled with chopped bacon and onion. I also admired the intricately patterned knitted gloves, hats, scarves and hand-woven table linens along with books, photographs, glassware, jewelry and other mementos featuring pictures of Latvia and countrymen dressed in the various folk costumes of the different regions. One of the ladies hurried over to tell my brother that there was only one wedge of Jāņu siers left so if he wanted any of the carraway seed-flavored fresh-cooked cheese he'd better hurry. This exceptional cheese made from curds is one of the traditional foods prepared for the festival of Jāņi, originally a Latvian celebration of the summer solstice held on June 23.

I bought a handmade knitted doll in a traditional Latvian costume, some fragrant soap with a picture of two women in Latvian dress on it and a braided loaf of sweet saffron bread with almonds and raisins called Klingeris that I will freeze then warm up for our family Christmas celebration.

At noon, lunch was announced and I indulged myself with some of the most delicious cabbage rolls I had ever eaten along with mashed potatoes and a specially seasoned gravy, salad and buttered peas served withSaldskabmaize, a sweet and sour rye bread. Unlike the cabbage rolls I had eaten at a little Russian café in west Eugene that were simmered in a tomato sauce, these were simmered in the broth from the seasoned ground beef filling similar to these Polish golabki .

Polish cabbage rolls known as golabki. Photo courtesy
of About East European Food.

Afterwards, Gunta and I shared a piece of hazelnut torte frosted with delicately sweetened whipped cream and finely ground hazelnuts. I found a recipe on the web for Latvian Hazelnut Torte but noticed it was frosted with a mocha buttercream frosting. I'm sure I prefer the sweetened whipped cream as it is much less sugary and lets you enjoy the delicate flavor of the nuts. Gunta told me that many desserts in Latvia are garnished with sweetened whipped cream rather than the heavier sugar-based frostings used so often here in the states.

I also learned that hazelnuts grow wild in Latvia so hazelnut torte has been a festival dessert there for centuries. Hazelnuts grow wild here in Oregon too but a more robust variety was commercially planted at Dorris Ranch here in Springfield in 1903. That orchard was the foundation for today's thriving Oregon hazelnut industry.

Cake-like desserts made from ground nuts or nut flour have been documented as far back as the 17th century. The Linzer torte, based on a recipe dating back to 1696 (or possibly an earlier recipe found in a 1653 codex), was originally made from almonds but almonds were so expensive that only wealthy nobles could afford dishes prepared with them. So the dessert was modified to use walnuts or hazelnuts that were more readily available.

Needless to say I enjoyed every bite of the delicious Latvian cuisine. I look forward to going to Latvia with Joe Bill and Gunta one day. They still maintain a flat in Riga and visit Latvia every couple of years so hopefully I won't have to wait too long!

Network news needs to be more objective about Occupy Wall Street coverage

2011-11-18T08:46:00.001-08:00

The US Supreme Cout - another corrupted institution! Image via Wikipedia

Last night I was watching ABC World News and was really appalled by the story they presented in which they interviewed Occupy Wall Street protesters about why they were there. It's as if they had purposefully selected dim wits that didn't have a clue. There were a couple of people interviewed that did provide a valid reason but ABC seemed to quickly skip over them as if they didn't want anyone to think too hard about what they said.

So this morning I sent them the link to a song by Makana that pretty much says it all:

In case you can't catch all the lyrics here they are:

Ye come here, gather 'round the stage
The time has come for us to voice our rage
Against the ones who've trapped us in a cage
To steal from us the value of our wage

From underneath the vestiture of law
The lobbyists at Washington do gnaw
At liberty, the bureaucrats guffaw
And until they are purged, we won't withdraw

We'll occupy the streets
We'll occupy the courts
We'll occupy the offices of you
'Till you do
The bidding of the many, not the few

Our nation was built upon the right
Of every person to improve their plight
But laws of this Republic they rewrite
And now a few own everything in sight

They own it free of liability
They own, but they are not like you and me
Their influence dictates legality
And until they are stopped we are not free

We'll occupy the streets
We'll occupy the courts
We'll occupy the offices of you
Till you do
The bidding of the many, not the few

You enforce your monopolies with guns
While sacrificing our daughters and sons
But certain things belong to everyone
Your thievery has left the people none

So take heed of our notice to redress
We have little to lose, we must confess
Your empty words do leave us unimpressed
A growing number join us in protest

We occupy the streets
We occupy the courts
We occupy the offices of you
Till you do
The bidding of the many, not the few

You can't divide us into sides
And from our gaze, you cannot hide
Denial serves to amplify
And our allegiance you can't buy

Our government is not for sale
The banks do not deserve a bail
We will not reward those who fail
We will not move till we prevail

We'll occupy the streets
We'll occupy the courts
We'll occupy the offices of you
Till you do
The bidding of the many, not the few

We'll occupy the streets
We'll occupy the courts
We'll occupy the offices of you
Till you do
The bidding of the many, not the few

We are the many
You are the few

The things I personally am particularly disturbed by are the inequitable tax structures that overwhelmingly favor the corporate and the rich, a Supreme Court who is obviously "for sale" or is at the least politically motivated rather than unbiased, rules that exempt Congressmen from laws that prohibit profit by insider trading and allow them to accept lobbyist favors in any form thereby making their job one of maximizing their own wealth rather than serving the vast majority of Americans who elected them, and being the victims of large corporations who are essentially thinly disguised monopolies who extract money from us like a blood bank who has no qualms about drawing out so much blood that a donor shrivels and dies!

Caregiver Village online community new approach to caregiver outreach

2011-10-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

I'm one of the 60 million caregivers in the United States that spends a significant portion of my day caring for a family member with chronic medical problems - in my case a Vietnam veteran with PTSD and medical complications resulting from exposure to Agent Orange. After more than 40 years of this responsibility, caregiving is simply ingrained in my daily life and I have learned to cope with the stresses it creates by engaging in cultural enrichment through my study of the ancient world and by focusing on my writing and digital photography activities in my spare time.

But, as a retired technology professional, I also try to keep up with new uses of technology, especially for educational purposes so was intrigued to see that health care and counseling professionals along with a team of technology developers have reached out to family caregivers through a new online social network community called Caregiver Village. In Caregiver Village, members who subscribe to the service for $4.95 per month (they do offer a free 30 day trial) can play an ongoing Sims-like mystery game called the "Village Chronicles". Each episode offers players a chance to learn better self-care, stress management skills and positive attitudes while solving puzzles and earning achievements as they explore an episodic mystery surrounding a caregiving situation.

Members can also join book club discussion groups led by authors who have written books about caregiving for a variety of conditions and access resources for dealing with ADD/ADHD, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, autism, cancer, depression, diabetes, general aging, general caregiving needs, heart disease, mental and developmental delays, mental/emotional illness, Parkinson’s, physical disabilities, stroke, surgery, injury or wounds, and war-related injuries and are encouraged to share their own experiences through personal journals and interacting with other community members.

"People connect based on common needs and interests in a place that becomes their own village of support and encouragement," say site developers. "Family caregivers are exhausted, stressed to the point of illness and frustrated by their isolation.Caregiver Village’s virtual village creates a close knit community where caregivers can discover a sense of deep personal satisfaction – and escape – from the hard, intense work of family caregiving; while simultaneously learning how to handle their stress and building online connections with people in exactly the same situation as them."

So, if you have found yourself in a long-term caregiving role and would like to meet and interact with others in a similar situation, check out Caregiver Village.

Star Trek comes to Netflix Instant Streaming but may switch to VuDu for new releases and drop DVDs by mail

2011-07-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

The U.S.S. Enterprise at Star Trek: The Experience, an
exhibit that was once the featured attraction at the Las Vegas
Hilton. Photo by Mary Harrsch.

Wow! Today I went up to Netflix to rank a DVD series we just completed and noticed that Netflix must have reached an awesome agreement with Paramount as I see that Start Trek and most of its spinoffs are now popping up on my suggested TV shows list for instant streaming. Classic Trek, STNG, Voyager and Enterprise are now available to download instantly! I'm so excited - especially about Enterprise as I never had the chance to watch more than one or two of the episodes.

For some reason Deep Space Nine is only available on Disc but I'm sure it will be added before too long.

Yes, I'm afraid all of you who thought I was this serious classical scholar will be disillusioned to discover that I'm an original Trekker going clear back to the first 1966 airing of the Star Trek episode "The Man Trap". I've even dressed up in a Star Fleet captain's uniform that I fashioned myself (circa "The Wrath of Khan") and attended a number of Star Trek conventions. I've had the thrill of meeting Worf (Michael Dorn), Sulu (George Takei), Chakotay (Robert Beltran), Quark (Armin Shimerman) and even Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). I've

Quark's business associates welcome me to
Quark's Bar at Star Trek: The Experience.

also been accosted by a Klingon down at Quark's Bar in Star Trek: The Experience that was once a featured attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton and I've sat in Captain Picard's command chair and "Made it so" down at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum. (That was when the museum was first open and had only a handful of visitors. I doubt if they let people do that now) I even beamed myself down to an alien planet at the Star Trek: Federation Science exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. (Actually you stepped onto a "transporter" and watched yourself shimmer and disappear on a video screen in front of you then reappear in front of a backdrop of an alien world. My husband and I stood in line for almost two hours to do it and my husband said afterward he can't believe we waited so long to only do that! At that same exhibit I stepped up to a wax figure of Spock dressed in his Star fleet uniform that was protected by a cylindrical glass shield and pressed my hand formed into a Vulcan salute against the glass where his hand was positioned in the Vulcan salute and my husband asked me what on earth I was doing. I told him it would probably be as close to Spock as I would ever get!

At one point Star Trek even inspired me to consider majoring in biochemistry so I could work at the Ames Research Center and search for extraterrestrial life. But that was a lifetime ago. Now I'm content to let my computer do the searching with the SETI at home software and just revisit the worlds of Star Trek via Netflix, especially since most of my Star Trek videos are old VHS tapes. (Although two weeks ago I ordered the original collection of Star Trek movies on Blu-Ray that came up on Amazon as a Gold Box special for 60% off.)

The bust of a Cardassian at Star Trek:
The Experience

Today, though, I discovered this walk down memory lane was going to cost me twice as much as I thought. I received an email from Netflix that informed me they were DOUBLING their subscription rates for people who subscribe to both streaming and DVDs by mail.

I watch far more movies via streaming than on DVD but I subscribe to both services (for $9.95/mo) because most new film releases don't make it to instant streaming for years. Of course I must admit I have other choices. Vudu only charges $2 per movie and have most new releases the day the DVD comes out. With the pathetically few movies being produced that I find interesting nowdays, it would probably be far cheaper for me to just occasionally rent a new release from Vudu than to pay Netflix an additional $7.99 per month. Dish Network also offered some new titles on PPV for only 99 cents this month. If that is not just a flash in the pan but a regular new product offering, that could be another viable option as well. I suppose I could also scale back my satellite channel package too since I hardly watch much on broadcast television anymore after the nightly news is over.

A Girls' Day Out in Historical Philadelphia

2011-06-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

While I was on a photoshoot in Philadelphia back in April, I took a day to explore the historical district with my daughter Margaret. For her birthday today, I sent her the Smilebox card below with a short slideshow of our day together.

Slideshow design personalized with Smilebox

"Surface" and "Jericho" series ended far too prematurely!

2011-05-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

Just finished watching the 2005-2006 series Surface" on Netflix instant streaming (I've got to admit, I LOVE Netflix because I can see series that I missed on their first time around and watch foreign films that I would have never seen otherwise) I really enjoyed this series about a sinister group of researchers who genetically engineer reptilian aquatic creatures that will eventually destroy the world. I especially enjoyed the young character of Miles (played by Carter Jenkins) who is bitten by the creatures and begins to acquire some of their traits, and his cooly pragmatic but loyal sidekick played by Eddie Hassel.

Like IMDB reviewer "noralee", I, too, was gratified that women played key roles, although I got a little irritated with some of the sappier scenes where the marine biologist, Dr. Laura Daughtery, snivels over not being able to spend more time with her son (her son was nicely portrayed by Bobby Coleman though!) and, like some academics I met in my 20 years at the University of Oregon, seems to be short-changed in the common sense department. It's too bad that Martha Plimpton, who played a rather obsessed researcher with the evil "corporation" wasn't cast in the main role as Dr. Daugherty as she would have brought a lot more intensity to the part. But, as usual, the producers wanted to appeal to the young male demographic by selecting someone with the typical "California girl" svelt appearance as the lead instead.

Apparently Surface was canceled after only 15 episodes which was a real tragedy as I was on the edge of my seat by the season (and sadly series) finale. If you don't have a Netflix subscription you can watch full episodes on IMDB for the next 13 days.

Image courtesy of IMDB

Another great series that was prematurely canceled was Jericho. The action in Jericho centered around the nuclear bombings of 23 US cities by right-wing homegrown terrorists who then set about trying to rebuild the decapitated government in their own image. They even had their own contract mercenaries, a firm called "Ravenwood", going around figuratively raping the countryside in overt attempts to eliminate any competing efforts to rebuild society. I noticed that the series was produced in 2006 during the Bush administration and then wondered if the series was cancelled for marketing reasons or because the administration had leaned on the network. It was definitely a ballsy move on the part of the producers to have the audacity to publicly declaim the administration's policies even if it was in a fictional context.

Now I've got to find another thoughtful series to fill our evenings.

It seems like most series requiring a little thought always seem to go wanting while trashy reality programs keep raking in the lion's share of production budgets. That must be why my husband and I, despite paying for America's top 250 and three premium channels besides find ourselves on Netflix night after night!

Being able to watch a series on demand instead of spaced in weekly segments also gives you more of a chance to really connect with the characters and begin to really care what happens to them. I've tried to follow segmented series and always end up thwarted. The networks begin with a regular schedule then pretty soon they preempt a series for some event the networks perceive to be more lucrative for advertisers. Then, those of us trying to follow a series lose track of what's going on and soon lose our connection to the characters. That is what happened to me and Flash Forward. Of course, unless the networks start including DVR time shifted recordings in their ratings, intelligent shows like Flash Forward, Jericho and Surface just get canceled anyway and the viewers as well as the cast end up the losers.

At present I'm trying to follow three miniseries in weekly installments, Showtime's Camelot, HBO's Game of Thrones and Showtime's The Borgias. I do have my DVR set this time in case I miss an episode but I must admit having a full week (or longer) in between episodes is still frustrating as far as maintaining continuity with the characters goes. I would prefer to have all series presented on demand but I suppose the premium networks must drag them out to try to wring every possible cent out of the viewers.

As soon as Game of Thrones and The Borgias end for this season, I'm turning off HBO and Showtime again though. I should have just waited for the series to come out on Netflix but I'm so starved for historical entertainment I couldn't wait.

Time traveling with tribute singers

2011-01-15T16:12:00.000-08:00

In September 2009, I had the wonderful experience of attending a performance of Beatlemania, a Beatles tribute band, at the Three Rivers Casino in Florence. Since then, I have kept an eye out for any similar concerts that might be equally enjoyable and just before Christmas I saw an advertisement for a concert by Elvis impersonator, Justin Shandor, also at Three Rivers, scheduled for January.

The concert announcement said the performance would be split up into three nights by decade with the 60s music performed on a Friday. Although I spent most of the 60s listening to Beatles music along with a little Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, the Byrds and Herman's Hermits, I did remember some of Elvis' songs that I enjoyed as well. So, I went online and purchased two tickets for the 60s concert and hoped my husband and I could also enjoy another great seafood buffet at the casino since the performance was scheduled on a Friday night.

Although Florence, Oregon is only about one and a half hours away from our home in Springfield and the concert wasn't going to begin until 8 p.m., we always get a little antsy and headed over to the coast in the morning, arriving in Florence about 11 o'clock. First, we located our motel that I had found on the web, the Old Town Inn. I selected it because it was reasonably priced, within walking distance of the riverfront area with its restaurants and shops, and allowed small pets. Their pet fee is also really reasonable - only charging us $15 for our two doxies. They also have both a microwave and small refrigerator in your room for snacks and offer rolls, fruit and coffee for an "on the run" style of continental breakfast in the office after 7:30 a.m.. It's right off Highway 101 on the left heading south just before you cross the bridge so its was easy to find.

Then, we made the rounds of the local antique stores. Although I've gotten to the point that I don't have any more display space available, I still enjoy browsing the stores for the possibility that I might find that special something. Joe spotted a great buy on a grandfather clock but I couldn't imagine where we would put it so we didn't make an offer on it. One shop right on Highway 101 had incorporated a pastry shop into their antique displays and their pastries looked very mouth watering but it was too close to lunch to indulge. It reminded me of one of my favorite lunch spots here in Springfield called Ruthie B's that used to serve great salads and sandwiches as well as a totally decadent bread pudding made with light flaky croissants and fresh bananas topped with mounds of whipped cream. Unfortunately, Ruthie retired at the end of December 2010 and closed up shop. Now my sister Jane and I will have to find some other place to enjoy on one of our sisters' days out. Maybe we'll be in Florence together sometime and can try out the place I found there.

Image via Wikipedia

A sailboat on the Siuslaw River, Florence, Oregon.

When it was almost noon we drove down to "Old Town", along the Siuslaw river frontage to my husband's favorite "fish and chips" place, "Mo's". I pointed out to him that there were a lot of other interesting looking restaurants we could sample but he's a creature of habit and insisted on Mo's. I must admit Mo's did a good job on my combo order of bay scallops, clam strips and cod fillets and I enjoy looking out over the river, although there weren't any fishing boats going out fishing in the winter.

The carnivorous Darlingtonia
Californica. Image courtesy of
Wikimedia Commons.

After lunch we drove north of town because I wanted to see the carnivorous plants that proliferate in a small wayside just off the highway. The little botanical garden is named Darlingtonia because the scientific name of the plants in it is Darlingtonia Californica. The little wayside has a nice elevated walking platform and, although the day was cool, it was a pleasant stroll and my two dachshunds enjoyed the break from riding in the car.

On the way back to town we turned and drove around the "beach loop" to the North Jetty since I can't drive all the way to the coast and not spend a little time gazing at the ocean.

It was finally time to check in to our room so we did and enjoyed a bit of a rest before dinner. Finally, we headed on over to the casino and picked up our concert tickets along with $10 in gambling credits that were part of the ticket package. Neither of us is much into gambling but I didn't want to waste the gambling credits. However, I couldn't remember how to use the player's club card so had to get a little instruction first. After a briefing by one of the floor managers, I managed to win enough cash to convert the $10 club card into cash. Joe said we needed to kill a little more time, though, so he wanted me to keep going. I tried to caution him that the slots were computerized to pay out only so much so the odds against winning get greater and greater the longer you play. But Joe said it was only $10 so I kept going. As I predicted the machine almost immediately began paying less and less. I managed to kill another hour before we needed to go eat and still had $4 left so I guess that was okay as far as just wasting time was concerned.

Image by mharrsch via Flickr

Colorful eels at the Shark Reef aquarium in
the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

When I used to attend Comdex, a huge technology trade show, in Las Vegas, I used to hear the casino personnel complain about all of us Comdex attendees because so few of us were interested in gambling. As most of us had training in computer programming and understood the basics of how the slots were programmed to guarantee a profit for the casinos, most of us didn't want to throw our money away like that. I always enjoy attending shows in Las Vegas, though, and visiting some of the attractions like Madame Tussaud's, Star Trek the Experience (sadly, now closed), and the Shark Reef aquarium. I've navigated the canals in a gondola at the Venetian and eaten a delicious French lunch at the Paris Hotel (and I had just visited the real Paris a few months before so I did have a frame of reference!) So, I've always managed to enjoy myself there, even though in four visits I have never gambled a nickel!

The buffet at Three Rivers did not have the variety of dishes that the buffet at The Mill casino down in Coos Bay, Oregon did, but the food was tasty, especially the Mongolian grill. Of course I also liked the desserts, particularly the small chocolate eclairs made with cream puff pastry and filled with vanilla pudding. The key lime pie was not too shabby either!

At last it was time for the concert. We didn't realize they allowed people to be seated more than 1/2 hour before the performance was scheduled to start so we didn't get quite as good of a seat as we did for the Beatlemania show. Unfortunately, this meant that Joe couldn't understand the words since his hearing aids could not distinguish the singing from the surrounding crowd noise. Next time we'll need to get in line much sooner.

I was a little confused when the announcer introduced one of the best John Denver tribute artists in the world. I thought he was joking since our tickets did not mention anything about a John Denver tribute artist. But sure enough a young man named Ted Vigil in jeans, a brown felt cowboy hat and brown jacket, looking a lot like John Denver, strode out onto the stage and launched into "Take Me Home, Country Roads".

"Country Road" is one of my favorite country songs so soon I was singing along. I continued singing along with the next songs he sang, "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" (video clip), "Sunshine on My Shoulders" and even "Calypso", a great salute to Jacques Cousteau's famous flagship (for those of you who are too young to have watched Jacques Cousteau on Sunday nights) that includes some really high pitched yodeling that Ted hit just right:

Here's the original John Denver singing "Calypso". Ted came pretty close don't you think?

When I was looking for video clips up on YouTube to include with this blog post, I also noticed a clip of Ted Vigil singing "Leaving on a Jet Plane", another of John Denver's original compositions:

Although Ted did not sing this song at the concert, I couldn't help but include the clip because this song always catches at my heart. This song, written by John Denver in 1966, was still being played a lot on the radio in 1968, the summer I was engaged to be married, but had been awarded a scholarship to attend the University of Chicago. Although I was very much in love with my future husband, I didn't want to let my folks down, so I flew down to the Marine Corps base in 29 Palms where Joe was stationed after returning from Vietnam to spend a few days with him before I had to leave for Chicago. Finally, the dreaded departure date arrived and Joe took me to the small airport there. They called my flight and just like in the song Joe kissed me and told me to smile for him. I asked him if he'd wait for me and held him (like I'd never let him go!) one last time. Also, just like in the song I didn't know when I'd be back again as I had only a one way ticket in my pocket. The gate attendant finally came over to me and said I had to go as everyone else was on the plane. So with tears streaming, I turned and was on my way with that song repeating in my head over and over.

But, back to the present. With a big smile and a wave of his cowboy hat, Ted Vigil bounded off the stage and the announcer let us know that we were now going to be transported from the Rockies to Memphis and introduced Justin Shandor.

Dressed in a tight black leather jacket and pants resembling the outfit Elvis wore in his 1968 "Comeback Special", Justin Shandor began belting out a medley of Elvis hits. I had never seen Elvis in person but I thought Justin looked very much like the Elvis I remembered from the movies in the 60s and he certainly sounded like him.

When I found a clip of Elvis performing "Blue Suede Shoes" at a concert in 1970 (the second song in the following clip), I thought it was interesting that when he began singing the song, he first referred to the color of his real shoes before switching to "blue suede" in the next stanza of the song. If you notice in Justin Shandor's clip above, he does the same thing and makes it all seem so spontaneous and natural.

Justin sang a mixture of songs from rock and roll to gospel. My favorite was "Memories" another song from Elvis' 1968 "Comeback Special". I was hoping to hear "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto" but those songs require female backup singers and there weren't any on stage with Justin at this performance. I would have also liked to have had Justin change costume as the decade of the 60s progressed, much like the Beatlemania band members did in their performance. I would have liked to have seen Elvis dressed in his Army uniform and singing "G.I. Blues" and "Wooden Heart", a nice little song Elvis sang in the movie to a German puppet.

I did notice that Shandor does this sometimes in his concerts and at the Elvis Museum in Las Vegas. Here Shandor sings "G.I. Blues" in uniform in a concert in Australia:

Although I didn't know all of the songs Shandor's Elvis sang (remember I was mostly a Beatles fan during the 60s), I still enjoyed myself immensely. I know some people scoff at tribute singers but I have found them to be a pleasant way to travel back to an earlier time, and once more infuse lost artists with youth and vitality so we can enjoy their musical gifts one more time. I know we have recordings and videos of performers that have passed away but there is a magic generated between a performer and his/her audience at a live concert that just can't be captured by any existing form of media. When a tribute singer (or band) is really talented, they can regenerate that magic of a shared human experience. I doubt if technology will ever be able to replicate it.

I noticed a poster for another Beatlemania performance at Three Rivers (back by popular demand) scheduled for April 1 and 2, 2011. I hope I'll be able to indulge myself again - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!

Random Act of Culture in Phiadelphia brings tears to my eyes

2010-12-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

When I was a girl my favorite music that always surfaced at Christmas time was Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus". I loved it so much that when I was planning my wedding 42 years ago (Yes, it's been that long!), I planned to have the "Hallelujah Chorus" played when my husband and I turned to greet the crowd after we were pronounced man and wife.

Image by mharrsch via Flickr

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearsing in
Salt Lake City, Utah.

Unfortunately, we were married in a church that considered the Handel classic secular music. So, I was told I could not have the music as part of my wedding ceremony. Twenty four years later my daughter was married and I asked her if we could have the "Hallelujah Chorus" played as the recessional music. So I finally got my wish although the CD player we used was a bit cantankerous and I had to signal my daughter to wait a moment while my son who was in charge of the AV equipment got it working!

Of course the most famous version of this classic is probably the one sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. When I visited Salt Lake City for a Historical Novel Society conference several years ago, I had the opportunity to sit in on a practice session of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. (The Choir rehearses on Thursdays and visitors are invited to listen in). Although they did not sing the Hallelujah Chorus that day the choir was still a joy to listen to.

Today one of my friends sent me a link to a YouTube video of the Opera Company of Philadelphia singing the Hallelujah Chorus in a shopping mall in Philadelphia as part of the "Random Act of Culture" program. I must admit it brought tears to my eyes!

Getting Footloose with Kenny Loggins on a chilly August night on the Oregon Coast

2010-10-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

I am certainly not a gambler - too many years as a chief financial officer I guess - but as it turns out I am really grateful for the new entertainment opportunities offered as a result of the proliferation of tribal casinos. Last year I wrote about having a wonderful time at a Beatles tribute show presented at the Three Rivers tribal casino in Florence, Oregon. This year I had the opportunity to attend a Kenny Loggins concert at The Mill tribal casino in Coos Bay, Oregon.

We arrived in Coos Bay, dropped off our bags at the motel, then drove out to Charleston to walk around the fishing boats docked in the harbor. I decided I wanted to eat lunch at my late father's favorite fish and chips place named "The Seabasket" and true to form, they served me a succulent order of lightly breaded scallops cooked just the way I like them. I could almost imagine my Dad sitting there with me like he had so many times before.

Although the water was calm inside Sunset Bay, there were white caps on the ocean outside the protection of the cove. Image by Mary Harrsch.

After we finished eating lunch, we drove out to Sunset Beach. It is nestled in a cove protected from the wind and I enjoyed walking along the beach taking a few photographs. As I looked out towards the open ocean, though, I noticed a lot of white caps so I wondered how comfortable we would be at the outdoor concert.

We drove back into town and went on over to the casino to have dinner. Since it was a Friday The Mill served a marvelous seafood buffet that included a wide variety of dishes including some of my personal "down home" type favorites like tuna casserole and fresh buttered brussel sprouts. If you don't like either of these two dishes, don't worry. They had crab, shrimp, scallops, white fish, salmon, and oysters fixed in just about as many ways as you can imagine! I sampled a few scallops and they were well done but not quite as delicate as those served at The Seabasket though! My Dad was quite a connoiseur of good fish and chips so of course he knew the best place to get them!

After that great dinner, we got in line to be seated for the performance. The Mill set up the concert stage and seating out on the dock where ships used to load lumber when it was a Weyerhauser production plant years ago. Under normal circumstances, you would think that sitting along the waterfront out under the stars on an August night would have been perfectly romantic. But the Oregon coast gets really cold after dark, even in August, so we all had to bundle up in our warmest parkas.

Unfortunately for Kenny, though, he was in shirt sleeves.

Of course, most of the audience, like me and my husband, were older baby boomers so the songs we really wanted to hear were from the 70s and 80s. Early in the show he sang "This is It" which is one of my favorites on his "Biggest Hits" CD that I have in my collection:

But my very favorites are songs he composed for the movies "Top Gun", "Caddyshack" and "Footloose". As the evening wore on, I feared I wouldn't get to hear my favorites after all as I listened, shivering in my seat, through song after song, quite a few, I'm afraid, unfamiliar to me.

About half way through Kenny's performance, he had to stop and warm his hands because he couldn't feel the guitar strings any more! I was afraid he wouldn't be able to continue but after a short break, he started up again.

He finally said he was dedicating his last song to golfers in the crowd and I knew I was going to get to hear "I'm alright!" Still, I was a little disappointed that I was only going to get to hear one of my favorites.

As the first few notes of "I'm alright" were struck, though, almost the entire crowd leaped to its feet and started doing the "gopher swivel", cheering and clapping deliriously. Apparently that song was a lot of other people's favorite too!

The crowd's enthusiasm seemed to breathe a little more life back into Kenny and, even though he had bid us good night, he came back on stage for an encore and I immediately recognized the opening chords for "Footloose".

Kenny actually went the extra mile and sang four more songs - more during an encore than I had ever enjoyed from any other entertainer. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to hear him play "Danger Zone" but I found out Kenny, who opposed the war in Iraq, didn't like the association the song had with military aggression:

Go to a Kenny Loggins concert today, and chances are you'll hear the chart-busting movie hit 'Danger Zone.' But during the first US-Iraq skirmish in the early '90s, Loggins stopped playing the song, upset that it had been associated with military action.

"Back then CNN was using it as background music for the bombing of Baghdad, and it turned my stomach," Loggins tells Spinner. "So, I didn't perform the song for quite a while."

Of course, the song had already been associated with the military, having been famously used in the fighter pilot flick 'Top Gun' with Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer. Because of that, it became associated with real-life fighter pilots during the Gulf War a few years later. - Spinner

I certainly respect that! Although the article said you probably would hear it at a Kenny Loggins concert now, he apparently is still refraining from playing it because of continuing US involvement in Iraq and the ongoing war in Afghanistan. So we just must be content watching the original video from the movie:

For a couple of months before the concert, the casino had placed a Kenny Loggins favorite song survey on their website and I had dutifully voted for "Danger Zone". Actually, this type of promotion is a pretty good marketing tool for the band if more bands would use it. It's certainly one sure way to be sure you're going to play the songs a particular audience wants to hear!

I see that Three Rivers in Florence has an Elvis impersonator coming in January. My husband agreed to go if I wanted to. I was more of a Beatles fan than an Elvis fan - Elvis was my older sister's heart throb - but I would still enjoy hearing his music and seeing the performance. The casino has divided the music into decades and the 60s is set for Friday night. I think I'll get tickets for it since I was in high school during that time and we might get to sample another great seafood buffet!

Making arrangements for your "virtual" estate

2010-03-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

I happen to see this link on Twitter and thought it was interesting since I am one of the ones who discussed my "virtual" assets with my estate planning attorney a few months ago when preparing my estate plan documents.

I was primarily concerned about all of the effort I have invested in uploading images I have taken of art and architecture to Flickr so others could use the images in non-commercial educational materials to promote the study and appreciation of our shared cultural heritage. I maintain a Pro account on Flickr which costs a small amount per year. I wanted to ensure that part of my estate would be used to cover this annual fee for some years into the future so my social "legacy" was not lost.

I just wrote an article for Heritage Key about the problem of sustainability of virtual environments created in Second Life when funding dries up or project directors turn their attention elsewhere. This is a problem with all funding models that rely on subscriptions for base revenue. I much prefer the model Google uses for Blogger. Blog accounts never expire so all content created and posted to a blog becomes an eternal data archive (at least as long as Google remains a viable entity).

I have already set the licensing on my online image archive to "Creative Commons non-commercial attribution share-alike" so permissions for non-commercial use should not be a problem. As for dealing with inquries about commercial uses of my work after I have "crossed the rainbow bridge" as it is put in the pet world, I am leaving instructions about my online accounts in my estate plan with a request for my heirs to deposit any resulting revenues into a trust account I have established and split the proceeds according to the instructions in my will.

If I have a little time to prepare for the end, I can change the contact information I provide in my online profiles. But, someone may just find me slumped over my computer one day like one of my colleagues last weekend. I still have a lot of information to share so I hope that day will not come soon but life offers no guarantees either in the virtual world or the real one.

Marvel Online Comic Creator Needs to Integrate Virtual Assets!

2009-11-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I learned about Marvel's Online Comic Creator from fellow blogger Candlelight Stories. I developed a prototype with a similar concept using Filemaker Pro and its instant web publishing capabilities about five years ago using pictures I downloaded from HBO's "Rome" website in combination with backgrounds I captured from various ancient world-themed adventure games. So, naturally I had to try Marvel's out. I loved it and the Flash or Java? interface would let you layer objects and arrange them (including front to back) which I couldn't do with Filemaker through the instant web interface. The overall concept was very similar though.

In my version I let user's pick the dialog template that varied by numbers of speech balloons and positions, the character(s) and the background. They could then input the desired words they wished their characters to say. Then I used a Filemaker script to "playback" their comic by changing from one layout to the next. My prototype let users create up to a five window comic (or "graphic novel" if you prefer). Marvel has a short three window version and, for really talented writers, a 22-pane full comic book version.

I think this tool would be even better if users could upload additional backgrounds, objects (Marvel's version has objects you can add to a scene like a telephone, etc.) and characters, although I understand why Marvel would prefer to limit the tool to Marvel superheroes. I would have also liked more dialog balloon options, especially those with the arrow beneath the balloon. There were only a couple like that.

Today I also read an article about the surging market in virtual goods. Marvel's application would be a prime candidate for the integration of virtual goods. Marvel could offer theme-based backgrounds, character and object packages for a small fee. People would be more willing to purchase virtual goods, though, if they could share their creativity with others. Marvel's download function does not seem to save a file in a common format like .jpg. Some of the other flash-based products out there have also integrated social networking tools so user-generated toons can be posted to Facebook or linked to a tweet.

As for usability, though, I think the limited but intuitive tools the Marvel software provides makes it a snap to quickly create a toon to convey a thought or an emotion. Other more feature-rich products enable those who want to truly spend hours creating an artistic panel a lot of options but many of us just want to punch out a quick toon with a message using characters we like from favorite movies, comics, or legends. The Marvel tool, although targeted at children, fills the bill quite nicely.

ShieldSafe offers free identity protection service

2009-10-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Last night when I was watching "Money Talks" during the local news, Stacy Johnson mentioned a website http://www.shieldsafe.com/ that offers free fraud alerts to anyone. Stacy pointed out that this website is the one used by all of those services like Lifelock that offer to protect you from identify theft. But he said don't waste $10 per month with those services, just sign yourself up for free.

So I went online and checked it out and he was absolutely right! It's sort of like signing up for the do-not-call list. Apparently, as part of some government regulations that were passed to control credit reporting, everyone is entitled to request a fraud alert on their account at no cost. The fraud alert expires in 90 days and must be rerequested but the ShieldSafe service sends you a convenient reminder email every 90 days with a quick link to the fraud alert renewal form. They also send a quick link to request a free credit report every year that you are also entitled to by law. I enrolled then, as an extra precaution, set up a reminder in my email to watch for the email coming from ShieldSafe every 90 days just in case my spam filter snags the reminder email from Shieldsafe.

CSI: The Experience Looks like Fun!!

2009-10-22T11:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, it looks like the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas has booked a great interactive guest activity, CSI: The Experience. I thought my trip to Las Vegas last September to attend Photoshop World would be may last for quite a while since I was bummed out about the closure of Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton and the de-Egyptification of the Luxor Hotel. But I may need to reconsider.

Test your inner crime-solver at the blockbuster new attraction at MGM Grand Las Vegas, CSI: The Experience!

Survey the crime scene, gather the evidence, solve the case! This dynamic interactive experience offers visitors a hands-on challenge to solve a hypothetical crime: 3 murders, 15 lab stations, 15 suspects, 3 killers.

Guided by videos featuring cast members from the hit TV show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, alongside real-life forensic scientists, you’ll be the latest recruit to the world of forensic science. Examine bullet casings, match DNA to potential suspects, identify the source of a single strand of hair as you complete the investigation process. Includes state-of-the-art forensic equipment and displays. Recommended for ages 12 through adult.

“CSI: The Experience was the fruit of a truly unusual partnership,” says Charlie Walter, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and Industry’s chief operating officer. “Our partners included the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative, media giant CBS and the National Science Foundation, which provided $2.4 million in funding for both the exhibit and a ‘CSI’ ‘Web Adventure’ targeted to underserved youth.

I see it will be in Philadelphia in October 2011. If I don't get a chance to get to Vegas to see it maybe I can go to the presentation in Philadelphia with my grandson! (If a fifteen-year-old doesn't mind being seen in public with his grandma!)

Beatlemania Show creates treasured memory

2009-09-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

As a child of the 60s I was raised during the years when the Beatles soared to stardom and I collected all of their albums until they drifted into the drug culture in the late 60s and embarked on their "mystical" journey with the Maharishi Yogi.

However, as much as I loved their music, I never had the opportunity to see them live, in concert. I was raised in a little logging and fishing community on the southern Oregon coast (Bandon) and there were no casinos outside the state of Nevada then and no real concert venues anywhere close by. I didn't even get a chance to watch the Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show because we could only get one channel on the television set in our little town and the Ed Sullivan Show was not on it.

Of course I went to the movies and saw "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help" but never had a chance to taste the sheer exhilaration and magic that only a live performance can bring. So, when I saw an ad in the paper all these years later for a "Beatlemania" concert starring the original Broadway performers I mentioned it hopefully to my husband. He sort of grunted but didn't say anything more about it until the day before the concert was to take place. Then, when I had reconciled myself to missing my last chance to see "sort of" the Beatles in concert, he pipes up and says, "Well aren't we going to Florence to see that concert?"

I could hardly believe it - I thought he wasn't listening and really wasn't interested since he was slogging through the rice paddies in Vietnam during that time of his life and the only Beatles song he and his hooch mates had was an old 45 of Yellow Submarine that he says got played over and over again.

So, I threw some necessities into a suitcase and away we went. I wasn't going to give him a chance to change his mind!

As it turns out, Joe was more than just a little anxious to go to the concert himself although a Vietnam Vet with PTSD does not usually let on when he is more than casually interested in something. He insisted that we get there early so we ended up in Florence just before lunch. We decided to go down to the waterfront and have chowder and seafood at our usual place, Mo's. When we got there we found there was a custom car show set up along the street so we got an early taste of nostalgia as we walked among the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s hotrods with peach paint jobs, chromed engines, and lavish tuck-and-roll interiors.

The lady at the cashier's desk of the Three Rivers Casino cautioned me that if I wanted a good seat at the Beatlemania show, we'd better show up about an hour and a half before hand. I thought my husband might object since he doesn't like standing in line for anything but he seemed willing to do whatever was necessary to ensure the best experience. Fortunately, they let us in after only thirty minutes so we sat and listened to a mix of 60s music from such artists as The Monkees, Hermans Hermits and The Dave Clark Five".

When the moment finally came and the stars of Beatlemania (Alan LaBoeuf as Paul McCartney, David Leon as John Lennon, Carrol Parker as Ringo Starr, and David Brighton as George Harrison - I think!) dashed on stage and struck the first few cords of "I Want To Hold Your Hand", I was instantly mesmerized and couldn't get enough as the group tripped through song after song of my old favorites. I noticed that they even used the same mannerisms as I had seen the Beatles exhibit in video clips of their performances. "Paul" stood with his knees and feet together rocking his head from side to side and "John" stood with his legs apart with one leg slightly forward and his knees bent just as I had seen the real John stand in videos I had watched.

The group divides their act into three parts that they call "Coming to America", "Psychedelia" , and "End of an Era". Of course I loved the first act the best since I knew all the songs by heart and found myself clapping and singing along. I did get a bang out of the "over the top" costumes of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" in the second act and loved how the group belted out that classic song too. They didn't even stop singing when they changed costumes. One of the group would stay on stage singing a famous solo like "Yesterday" or "Imagine" while the others hurried off stage to change into outfits appropriate for the next segment.

I looked over and even Joe was grinning although I couldn't quite get him to join in when they sang "Hey Jude!" It was like being 16 again (without all the angst!!) for a brief hour and a half. I looked around at the rest of the audience and although most of us had silver in our hair and couldn't see or hear as well as we used to we were all swaying, clapping and in some cases, wiggling and squealing (I didn't go quite THAT far!!) like those teens all those years ago on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Maybe Bread and Circuses would win over poorly informed townhall mobs

2009-08-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

A friend recently wrote to me about her philosophy that each person creates their own "truth". I have observed this phenomenon often, especially lately listening to all the uproar over health care reform. The sad "truth" (my truth I guess) is that many of these agitated people don't bother to examine the policies they criticize and just spout rumor fed by self-serving interest groups like the pharmaceutical companies and for-profit health care services providers (and the Congressmen who collect from their lobbyists!). I have friends in the UK that have government-provided health care and they seem quite satisfied with the level of care they receive. Likewise I have talked with residents of Canada and Australia that also have government-managed health care systems and they are not dissatisfied either. My husband is a 100% service-connected disabled Vietnam veteran and receives quality care from the health care providers at the Eugene VA Clinic and the Roseburg VA Hospital. As his spouse, I am covered under ChampVA, another government-managed heath care program, and choose my own doctors and, to my knowledge, have never been refused any treatments or medication my primary care physician thought were needed. In fact, ChampVA functions very much like private health insurers like Blue Cross/Blue Shield except for prescription pharmaceuticals that I get totally free from ChampVA by using their Meds by Mail program.

The dynamics we see surfacing in this debate are the same tired "fear factor" politics of the extreme right wing conservatives that brow beat the poorly informed during the Bush administration. I noticed that in one of the news reports about a health care town hall meeting the other day, one of the ranting rabble rowsers had most attendees agreeing that they didn't want the government interfering with their health care decisions. The congressmen conducting the meeting then asked how many of those in the room were on Medicare and OVER HALF raised their hands! What??? They obviously were not even thinking about their own health care - just caught up in the emotional mob mentality of the situation. The ancient Roman emperors knew the secret to political power was to control the Roman mob so they bought the mob with free bread and handouts at entertainments that included gory spectacles to satisfy the mob's blood lust. Perhaps the Congressmen holding these meetings should break out the bread and shower the attendees with lottery tickets or something. I'm sure he/she would have them on the side of health care reform in no time, especially if they hired a couple of WWW wrestlers for the featured entertainment.

Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa (live, HQ)

2009-07-31T11:34:00.001-07:00

Not only beautiful singing but terrific sound effects!!

United Breaks Guitars

2009-07-22T21:16:00.001-07:00

A friend sent me a link to this video and I cracked up. I, too, have been a victim of United's outrageous so-called customer service. When I was fell in Naples, Italy in 2007 and tore both left and right rotator cuffs in my shoulders, I had to book a flight home to have the damage surgically repaired. I requested medical assistance when I booked the flight. The leg of the flight from Naples to Munich was AirItalia and I was treated with the utmost kindness. Then in Munich I transferred to a United plane for the flight across the Atlantic. When I asked for assistance with my carryon bag - and I was trussed up in a sling applied by the emergency room doctors in Naples - a snotty United stewardess told me I'd just have to try to find some other passenger to help me because she had a bad back and stalked off.

The Eagle Has Landed --Again!

2009-07-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

When Apollo 11 launched its lunar module to make the first landing on the moon back in 1969, I had just had a newlywed tiff with my husband and had stalked outside to cool off. We were visiting his grandparents and his grandmother called to me and urged me to come back inside to see Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. Being young and hot-headed I stubbornly refused. I have regretted it ever since.

Now, today, 40 years after that historic touchdown, I got to relive the moment thanks to a wonderful website called "We Choose the Moon" that virtually recreated the experience. A new friend I met on the web just a couple of weeks ago happened to send me the link and I checked it out earlier but was several days away from the actual landing. Today, I'd been in town all day running errands and had just sat down and picked up the paper and saw a short blurb on the front page about how 40 years ago today at 1:17 p.m. PDT, the lunar module had landed on the moon. I asked my husband (yes, the same one!) what time it was and it was 1:15 p.m. so I raced back into my office, navigated to the website and downloaded the graphics just in time to see the lunar module kick up the dust of the moon's surface and descend to Tranquility Base. How thrilling!! At last - I feel I really witnessed it live!

The website designers had live streaming audio of the simulated broadcast from mission control and it made it feel so real! I loved how the virtual landing was timed to coincide with the actual event at the same real time pace. Looking forward to the virtual event just as I had the real event truly heightened my anticipation. What a wonderful way to relive history!

This website is chuck full of videos, photos, and audio clips from the actual experience as well as offering widgets to track the mission on your computer, etc. As I have only marginal DSL service at 1.5 mbps, I had problems with the volume of data transfer that has to occur between the website and my workstation and kept losing my connection. But at least I saw the actual landing and listened to about 15 minutes of post-landing transmissions before I started experiencing data overload. I would love to have the opportunity to relive other historical events in this way. Can you imagine how exciting it would be to witness one of Julius Caesar's triumphs or the crowning of Thutmosis III recreated at a date corresponding to the same date in history and paced in real time?

An elevator that takes you from hell to heaven

2009-06-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to "Candelight Stories" and today I received an email including a post about a short film created by artist Marco Brambilla for installation in the elevators of the Standard Hotel in New York City. If you choose to go up in the elevator the film takes you from the depths of hell to the artist's vision of heaven. Likewise, if you descend, you travel from the euphoria of heaven to the artist's interpretation of hell. Quite an interesting application of multimedia. This film is in HD, however, so if your bandwidth is marginal like mine (1.5 Mbps DSL) the film will start and stop as it buffers the data download.

Civilization by Marco Brambilla from CRUSH on Vimeo.

Star Trek's Circular Reference Still Computes!

2009-05-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

As one of the original trekkers from the 1960s, I couldn't help but look forward to the new incarnation and I was quite pleased with the newest addition to the Star Trek film franchise when I went to see it on opening day. It did not take much adjustment on my part at all to accept Zachary Quinto as a young Spock and I thought Karl Urban really nailed "Bones" McCoy. Chris Pine was suitably brash and swaggering as James T. Kirk but he did not capture my heart like Quinto and Urban.

Much like his character Scotty, Simon Pegg sort of settled into the role when the Enterprise was in dire straights and he needed to be the "miracle worker"! I hope they dispense with the fossilized Ewok though. When I saw him I thought to myself, "Did George Lucas poke his nose into this production?" Star Trek may be a space opera but it has built its fandom on morality plays and stories with adult themes (mostly). We don't need to spoil the franchise with "cute" (and I really didn't find it all that cute anyway). The last thing Star Trek needs is a "Jar Jar Binks" distraction.

Somehow, the bar scene with all the aliens sitting around felt more Star Wars than Star Trek as well.

Eric Bana did an excellent job as a villain but I think it would have added more complexity to the plot if the Romulans of the past had learned of Nero's plans to destroy Vulcan and tried to intervene as well since they were kindred species. I also must admit I prefer my Romulans with hair and more warrior than pirate.

Somewhat of a spoiler ahead...

With the old past supposedly wiped away now, future movies should be less constrained by what has gone before. With Vulcan now gone, I don't know what Spock is supposed to do when his Pon Far rolls around but I'm sure the filmmakers will think of something! Of course the Romulans are still prowling the galaxy so maybe a Romulan princess can ease the pain. Also, like most space/time alterations, this plotline raises the issue of a paradox. Now that the Federation is aware of the time the Romulan sun will go supernova, they can plan to deliver their solution sooner or evacuate the planet sooner which means the reason for Nero to come back in time to destroy Vulcan, etc. will no longer exist so he won't. So then the Federation won't know about the supernova, Romulus will again be destroyed, Nero will come back and destroy Vulcan...in the technology profession we call this a circular reference!

Jessica Davis makes firefighting look fun!

2009-05-07T09:32:00.001-07:00

My great niece, Jessica Davis, is studying to be a municipal firefighter in Fairbanks, Alaska. She just finished a Rapid Intervention Technician course through the University there which teaches students how to rescue downed firefighters in a burning building. She said she had so much fun and learned more than she had ever learned in a class.

"We did emergency evacuations which meant we jumped out onto a ladder headfirst and turned ourselves around and slid down the ladder, we hung from a window, repelled from a window, rescued teammates through the floor (Nance Drill) and then one of the hardest, The Denver Drill, which is supposed to simulate a firefighter stuck in a very tight space and trying to get them out of a window with limited manpower."

Go Jesse! We are so proud of you!

Jessica is the daughter of my sister's daughter Traci Davis and Scott Davis of Ketchikan, Alaska. We all trooped up to Alaska a couple of years ago to see Jessica graduate from high school. It was the most fun I have ever had at a graduation ceremony. The Native American students wore their traditional ceremonial robes and many students demonstrated their unique personalities by their apparel and unusual ways they accepted their diplomas. One boy did flips down the full length of the runway to the Superintendent to get his sheepskin. Jessica accepts hers dressed in her Dad's firefighting regalia! We had a wonderful time fishing on a charter boat (we didn't catch much - a small halibut and some rockfish - but I got some great shots of feeding the bald eagles), panning for gold, visiting the Saxman Native Village where I danced with the Native American dancers of the Tlingit tribe, exploring the Discovery Center, shopping in all the tourist shops with people from all the big cruise ships, and barbequeing in the rain! My sister and I and Traci's twin sister Trina also enjoyed The Lettermen in concert. They sang songs from my high school days (like "Cherish" - it sounded as good as the original by The Association!) as well as many recent hits like "My Heart Will Go On" from the blockbuster film "Titanic".

For a complete blow by blow of my trip (and to watch a video of my Native American dancing!) read my post in my Incredible Journeys blog.

Yes We Can! salute Caesar on the Ides

2009-04-15T11:20:00.001-07:00

When I was in Rome on the Ides of March this year and went to pay my respects to Caesar's statue that stands along the Via Foro Imperiali, my friend and I saw a huge wreath at the foot of the bronze sculpture of him. This must have been the one referred to in this article. It's too bad we had not been there just a little sooner! As it was, we got to witness a group of American college students dressed in make-shift togas and adorned with wreaths made from plants probably pilfered from a nearby hotel or park. They sang bawdy songs that I'm sure Caesar's tenth legion would have been proud of then gave their somewhat altered rendition of the death scene from Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" complete with shouts of "Yes We Can!"

"Recently, residents and tourists around the Coliseum watched in awe as a legion of Roman soldiers marched in unison down Rome’s Imperial Avenue.
“Caesar!” called out the commander in Latin as the legion came to a stop. “I, Centurion Lucius Valerius Seianus, have brought your favorite legion here to return the scepter of command to your hands!”

A horn blared as the Centurion placed a large laurel crown on the pedestal of the statue of Julius Caesar, the great Roman general who was stabbed to death in the Forum 2,053 years that day — March 15, or the "Ides of March." - More: Global Post.com

My friend, Patricia Hunter, author of "Immortal Caesar", always brings roses to lay on Caesar's funeral pyre and on his statue whenever she visits Rome. Here, she places this year's offering.

While we were at the statue of Caesar a Roman family approached the statue and the father of the family took out some sheets of paper, held his hand up in salute and began reading a memorial to Caesar while his son respectfully placed his hand on his father's shoulder and raised a salute as well. It was very touching even though I couldn't understand what he was saying. After fifteen minutes or so, though, I told Pat that the man must have decided to recite the entire Commentarii de Bello Gallico so we moved on!

[Photo credits: Top left: Image courtesy of Fulvio Paolocci]; Other photos by Mary Harrsch]

A Holiday Tribute to my Dad

2008-12-25T08:02:00.001-08:00

About a month ago, I was asked by an editor to see if I could find a slide from 1978 that I took of helicopter logging in the Cascade Mountains. While I was looking for that slide I stumbled across a slide of my late father calling a square dance in the living room of their home.

Dad always enjoyed calling square dances and over the holidays we would push all the furniture back after dinner and he would give us a dance lesson. Dad loved music and even after he had to give up square dancing he would play his keyboard for hours. We lost him three years ago after a long battle with Parkinson's disease and miss him a lot especially this time of year. So, I decided to try to give my family the gift of seeing him call one more time.

All I had was a still image but I knew I could animate his face and synchronize his mouth to an audio file of a square dance call using a product called CrazyTalk. I didn't have an audio file of his voice either so I used a product called MorphVOXPro to morph my own voice into something more male sounding. I must have recorded that audio track 20 times but I still couldn't make it sound right. It's hard to carry a tune when your voice is being morphed in real time! (I hope you'll forgive me for that Dad.)

I found a music loop of Jingle Bells on the web up at Soundsnap.com and was allowed to use up to five music loops per month as a member with a free account. So I joined this free spirited group and got the music I needed. Then I downloaded a free sound editing tool from Audacity.com to add a prelude to the song since it started right at the point Dad would need to start calling and I thought that was a little too abrupt. I tied everything together and sprinkled in a few transitions using Microsoft MovieMaker. If you want to read all about the trials and tribulations of putting the presentation together, check out my Technology Times and Trials blog!

This was my attempt to give my other family members a gift that couldn't be purchased in any store. I hope they enjoyed the memories.

Cirque du Soleil - KA - Special 10 Min Teaser

2008-12-17T13:31:00.001-08:00

I had the privilege of seeing "KA" when I was in Las Vegas attending Photoshop World in September. It is by far the most spectacular stage show I have ever seen. I loved the combination of marital arts, dance, acrobatics, and heroic legend. The Kabuki-style costumes were beautifully designed. The cavernous theater was mindboggling and reminded me of a set for a sci-fi film.

Of course the rotating stage that was often perpendicular to the audience was a technological marvel. My son told me that it was featured in a CSI episode where some victim was crushed by it. I'll have to look for it in CSI reruns.

If you are traveling to Las Vegas, I would strongly suggest you include KA in your adventures. It was the absolute pinnacle of my visit.

It definitely offset my disappointment in the closure of Star Trek The Experience at the Hilton and the Tut Museum at the Luxor.

Impossible Coconut Cream Pie

2008-12-16T11:17:00.001-08:00

My niece in Alaska is working on a new family cookbook for everyone for the holidays and asked me to send her one of my favorite recipes. I sent her this one that was handed down from my mother. I love Coconut Cream Pie and the nice thing about this version is that you don't have to roll out any crust. The crust ingredients are mixed into the filling. Then, during the baking process, they sink to the bottom and brown.
Easy but elegant and saves on the mess of preparing and rolling out pastry!

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 c. milk
½ c. flour
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 stick of margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ c. coconut

Beat eggs and sugar together. Add flour, baking powder, salt, softened margarine, vanilla and coconut. Pour into a 9” pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Just don't forget the flour like I did the last time I made it just before Thanksgiving. My husband called it "soup pie" because it wouldn't set up but it still tasted good so he "slurped up" every bit!

Creche exhibit brings warm holiday remembrances

2008-12-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

Seven years ago I attended an exhibit of nativity sets held at a local church and photographed the beautiful and diverse examples of craftsmanship from around the world. I used an early digital camera, and, ever since then, have tried to watch the paper and see if the church was going to hold the exhibit again. This year I finally saw a small notice that the event was being held once more so I made plans to attend.

Like the first exhibit, the event I attended Sunday was very well organized and I was told included over 900 creches. I spent two fascinating hours trying to capture the most interesting entries, shooting almost five hundred images.

The event included performances by a very talented singer and two other musicians who played holiday music, much to the enjoyment of all. I don't think I've been to any finer concert!

I was told the event has been held every year for the past seven years so I must have just overlooked any notices about it before.

I've started uploading my images to Flickr, so if you are interested in seeing these wonderful examples of folk art, take a look. I have been titling the images "The Many Faces of Christmas". I emailed the local newspaper and offered to provide high resolution versions for printing so the event could be shared with the rest of the community, although I don't yet know if they are planning to run any of them at this time.

Mary Harrsch

Googe Ad revenues point out differences in online vs broadcast preferences

Related articles

Phony Drama on "Reality" TV Bad for America's Image and Promotes Poor Behavior

Dog food review site leads me to Blue Buffalo

Mark Twain the anti-imperialist

Beautypedia makes choosing moisturizers a snap

Feel the Love - Dancers Flash Mob at Dubai Airport

Related articles

Great food and beautiful handcrafts highlight Latvian Center holiday bazaar

Network news needs to be more objective about Occupy Wall Street coverage

Caregiver Village online community new approach to caregiver outreach

Related articles

Star Trek comes to Netflix Instant Streaming but may switch to VuDu for new releases and drop DVDs by mail

A Girls' Day Out in Historical Philadelphia

"Surface" and "Jericho" series ended far too prematurely!

Related articles

Time traveling with tribute singers

Related articles

Random Act of Culture in Phiadelphia brings tears to my eyes

Getting Footloose with Kenny Loggins on a chilly August night on the Oregon Coast

Related articles

Making arrangements for your "virtual" estate

Marvel Online Comic Creator Needs to Integrate Virtual Assets!

ShieldSafe offers free identity protection service

CSI: The Experience Looks like Fun!!

Beatlemania Show creates treasured memory

Maybe Bread and Circuses would win over poorly informed townhall mobs

Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa (live, HQ)

United Breaks Guitars

The Eagle Has Landed --Again!

An elevator that takes you from hell to heaven

Star Trek's Circular Reference Still Computes!

Jessica Davis makes firefighting look fun!

Yes We Can! salute Caesar on the Ides

A Holiday Tribute to my Dad

Cirque du Soleil - KA - Special 10 Min Teaser

Impossible Coconut Cream Pie

Creche exhibit brings warm holiday remembrances