Watching "Oprah" Tonight

I wasn't going to watch TV tonight- Saturday night, but at the last minute I decided to turn on the TV and watch "Saturday Night Live". When I turned on the TV it was on KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles, and I was going to turn to channel 4, but when I turned on the TV I saw Oprah, and realized shortly after that it was the show where Oprah is discussing discovering her long-lost sister that she never knew that she had, Patricia.

This particular Oprah show is so powerful- probably the most powerful Oprah show that I've ever seen- because you can really feel the desire of this woman Patricia to discover her real Mom and her real family- without realizing until later that Oprah was part of her family.

Patricia tries to contact her birth mother, but her birth mother refuses to see her or talk to her. Patricia reaches out to her deceased sister's daughter, and they take a DNA test and discover that there's an 85% match- so they are related.

What's great about this show is that Oprah's family's reaction to realizing that Patricia was the family member that they never knew they had- and that she resembled Oprah's deceased sister, Pat, so much.

Also heartening is the fact that Oprah is fighting back tears during this whole show. It's an amazing show, and if they give Emmys for great television, then Oprah should get one for this show, because I'll never forget this episode. Talk about family secrets- it's got every bit of the drama that I've seen in movies like "The Color Purple" or "Beloved". It's one of those shows that'll make you go, "Wow!" Amazing.


I hope that Oprah will do more specials and other shows featuring herself on her new network (OWN) once "The Oprah Winfrey Show" comes to an end.

Going Through The Mail

Mail is so interesting. I got a letter from a Natural History Museum in New York that says that they miss me and want me back. I have never been a member!

RCI is asking me to deposit my vacation weeks. Not right now, thank you.

MDA wants money. Sorry, my money is at an all-time low.


Chase wants me to open a checking and saving account, and they will give me $125. No thank you, I like my credit union.

Disney Movie Club has movies. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue. I will go online and decline.

I got something from the Claims Administrator regarding Apple Inc. Securities Litigation. I know that I don't have much Apple Inc. stock- maybe one share. A valuable share, though. I'll read this litigation stuff later.

Food and Wine gift from American Express- no thank you.

Democratic National Committee: no, I'm not in the mood. No money either. Ok, well I read it. Maybe I'll renew with $5 or so soon.

The Economist Magazine. Good deal. I need money.

VISA card application. NO!

Forbes Magazine offer for $10. Can't afford it. Don't need it.

My timeshare fees are due. Too bad for them. No money right now.

I owe Disney movie club $171. Oh, my! No money. I'll work on that one.

Larry Hagman coming to "Desperate Housewives"

I just saw "Desperate Housewives" tonight, and on the preview for next week, we see that Lynette's mother is engaged to a character played by Larry Hagman, of "Dallas" fame. In the preview, Lynette's mother says that she is marrying him because "he's loaded".

I'm excited about this, because Larry Hagman is a great actor, and played my favorite TV character of all-time, JR Ewing on "Dallas". He could be really interesting on this show!

My New Year's Goals 2011

I have one goal this year: to accomplish more good things this year than in any other year of my life. To accomplish big goals and several smaller goals.

1. To write a screenplay and register it with WGA.

2. To read 24 books.

3. To see 100 films.

4. To open a new business that I love.

5. To pay off my Discover Card (because it's the Credit Card that I hate most. Macy's is a close second).

6. To expand my income phenomenally.

Las Vegas For New Year's

I would love to go to Las Vegas for New Year's. I don't think that I can make it this year for New Year's, but if I could go, I would love to stay at Caesar's Palace for 2 nights, and then round it out with 2 nights at Bellagio. I would go with a few friends- maybe 3 or so, and we'd rent a limousine one night and travel the Boulevard in style. We'd probably explore the strip by foot for a while- and maybe take in a show- the Cirque du Soleil show "Love" featuring the music of The Beatles would be fun! Maybe we could do a little gambling at Caesars and at The Wynn, and then we could go dine at Eva Longoria's restaurant, "Beso" over at City Center.

All of this would be great, and hopefully I might do this in 2012 for New Years. For now, it's just wishful thinking. Ransomthinking...

Make Your Own Job

In these times of many unemployed people in America, I say this: don't despair, be creative. Don't fret- think outside of the box! Go to the library, learn something new, and above all, try to think of a business that you can do yourself! You live in America, a land where you are free to create a new business, right? Well, why not do it?

Many people immigrate to this country, and when they get here, many of them start their own businesses immediately. Most Americans born here don't do this, though. Why? It's because most haven't experienced this line of thinking. It's not something that was taught in school when I was growing up. With the advent of so much powerful technology, those who don't embrace it and embrace CREATING INNOVATION will find themselves either in a boring job or at home doing nothing.

So they key to the future for anyone is to CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE. Got something you're interested in? Explore it! Immerse yourself. Then, think of how you can contribute to that. Find a way! Don't be afraid to try something new, or to do your own thing!

So, what will you do first?

The Text of President Obama's Great Speech at USC on Saturday Oct. 23, 2010

In case you didn't see President Obama's speech at the University of Southern California on Saturday, here it is, in all its glory. I really like the modified version of the Republicans driving the car into the ditch:


THE PRESIDENT: Hello, L.A.! (Applause.) Oh, this is a Trojan kind of welcome right here. (Applause.) Fight on! (Applause.) I am fired up! (Applause.)
You know, Jamie Foxx is pretty good at this. We might have to recruit him. We'd have to make him shave his goatee, though. (Laughter.)
It is wonderful to see all of you. Let me just say how proud I am to be here with some of the finest elected officials that I know: The next governor of the great state of California, Jerry Brown. (Applause.) Your outstanding mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. (Applause.) Speaker of the California Assembly, John Perez. (Applause.) L.A. City Council president, Eric Garcetti. (Applause.) A dear, dear friend of mine, so I want everybody to do right by her -- San Francisco district attorney, Kamala Harris. (Applause.) An outstanding congressional delegation, Diane Watson, Judy Chu, Adam Schiff, Grace Napolitano, Xavier Becerra. (Applause.) An unbelievable Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis. (Applause.) And somebody who has been fighting on your behalf for many, many years, and needs to be -- keep on fighting for us for the next six years -- Senator Barbara Boxer. (Applause.)
It is great to be with all of you on this beautiful day. You know, we are going to need --
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you!
THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. (Applause.)
We need all of you to fight on. We need all of you fired up -- (applause.) We need all of you ready to go -- because in just 11 days, in just 11 days, you have the chance to set the direction of this state and of this country not just for the next two years, but for the next five years, the next 10 years, the next 20 years. (Applause.) And just like you did in 2008, you can defy the conventional wisdom –- the conventional wisdom that says young people are apathetic; the conventional wisdom that says you can't beat the cynicism in politics; that you can't overcome the special interests; that all that matters is all the big money and the negative TV ads. You have the chance to say, "Yes, we can." (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Si, se puede. (Applause.)
Look, now, I don't want to fool anybody. Even though this is an incredible crowd, a magnificent crowd -- but let me be clear. This is going to be a difficult election -- because we've been through an incredibly difficult time as a nation.
For most of the last decade, the middle class has been hurting. Families saw their incomes, between 2001 and 2009 -- by about 5 percent. That's not my statistics. That's the Wall Street Journal talking. Job growth was more sluggish during that period than any time since World War II. Jobs were being shipped overseas. Parents couldn't afford to send their kids to college. Families couldn't afford to send somebody in their family to a doctor. Americans were working two, three jobs just to try to make ends meet. And all this culminated in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
Understand we lost 4 million jobs in the six months before I took office; 750,000 the month that I was sworn in; 600,000 the month after that; 600,000 the month after that. We haven't seen anything like this since the 1930s. We lost 8 million jobs before any of my economic policies had a chance to be put into place.
Now, my hope was that in this moment of crisis, we could come together and both parties would put politics aside; that we would come together to meet this once-in-a-generation challenge -- because although we are proud Democrats, we are prouder to be Americans. (Applause.) And you know, there are plenty of Republicans who feel the same way out there.
But the Republican leaders in Washington, they made a different calculation. They looked around at the mess that they had made, at the mess that they had left me, and they said, boy, this is a really big mess. And they said it's going to take a long time to fix. Unemployment is probably going to be high for a while, and in the meantime, people are going to get angry and frustrated. So maybe if we just sit on the sidelines, say no to everything, and then point our fingers at Obama and say he's to blame, they figured that maybe you all would forget that they caused the mess in the first place, and they'd be able to ride anger all the way to election time.
AUDIENCE: Noooo --
THE PRESIDENT: But, Los Angeles, as I look out on this crowd, this tells me you haven't forgotten. (Applause.)
Their whole campaign strategy is amnesia. And so you need to remember that this election is a choice between the policies that got us into this mess and the policies that are leading out of this mess; a choice between the past and the future; a choice between hope and fear; a choice between moving forward or going backwards. And I don't know about you, but I want to move forward, Trojans. I want to go forward. (Applause.)
Now, look, understand it would be one thing if the Republicans, having made this mess, they went off into the desert or into some retreat somewhere and they meditated on, boy, we really screwed up, and now let's come up with some new ideas because we recognize the error of our ways. But that's not what's going on. The Republican Campaign Committee chairman promised the "exact same agenda" if they win back the House and if they win back the Senate -- the same agenda of cutting taxes for millionaires and billionaires --
AUDIENCE: Booo --
THE PRESIDENT: -- of cutting rules for the special interests, from cutting middle-class families loose to fend for themselves. Their basic philosophy is, you're on your own. If you're sick, you don't have health care, too bad, you're on your own. You don't have a job, them's the breaks, you're on your own. You're a young person wants to go to USC, wants to get his education but can't afford it, tough luck, you're on your own.
It's the same agenda that turned a record surplus into a record deficit; the same agenda that allowed Wall Street to run wild; the same agenda that nearly destroyed our economy.
And I bring all this up not because I want to re-argue the past. I bring it up because I don't want to relive the past. We can't afford it. (Applause.) I bring it up because it's not as if we haven't tried what they're selling. We tried it. We didn't like it and we're not going back to it. (Applause.)
I want you to think about it this way. Imagine that these folks drove a car into the ditch. And it was a really deep ditch. And somehow they were able to walk away from the accident, but they did nothing to get the car out of the ditch. And so, me and Barbara and Jerry and Antonio, we all put on our boots and we climbed down into the ditch.
And it's hot down there. Flies are down there -- (laughter) -- and we're sweating. But we're pushing, we're pushing to get the car out of the ditch. And even though Barbara Boxer is small, she is pushing, too. And we're all pushing. (Applause.) And as we're pushing, we look up and the Republicans are all standing there at the top of the ditch. They're all looking down. And we say, why don't you come down and help? And they say, no, that's all right. And then they kick some dirt down into the ditch. (Laughter.) They're sipping on a Slurpee. They're fanning themselves. You're not pushing hard enough, they say. You're not pushing the right way.
And, yet, despite all that, we still get the car out of the ditch. And it's finally on level ground. (Applause.) And I admit, the car is a little banged up. I mean, the fender is bent and it's going to have to go to the body shop, and it needs a tune up. But it's on level ground and it's pointing in the right direction. We're ready to move forward.
And, suddenly, suddenly, we get this tap on our shoulder and we look back, and who is it? It's the Republicans. And they say, we want the keys back.
AUDIENCE: Nooo --
THE PRESIDENT: And we've got to tell them, you can't have the keys back. You don't know how to drive. (Applause.) You can ride with us, but you got to be in the backseat -- because we got middle-class America in the front seat. We're looking out for them. (Applause.)
You ever notice when you want to go forward, what do you do? You put your car in "D." You want to go backwards, what do you do? You put it in "R." (Applause.) That's not a coincidence. We want to go forward. We don't want to go backwards. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can! Yes, we can!
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, we can.
Look, because of the steps that we've taken, we no longer face the possibility of a second depression. The economy is growing again. The private sector has seen job growth nine months in a row. But we've still got a long way to go. We've still got a lot of work to do. There are a lot of people out there still hurting. I know there are a lot of families still hanging on by a thread. That's what keeps me up at night. That's what keeps me fighting. That's why all of you are here, because you know we've got more work to do.
But understand, we've got a different idea about what the future holds. It's an idea rooted in our belief about how this country was built. We know that the government doesn't have the answers to all our problems. We believe government should be lean and efficient. But in the words of the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln -- who, by the way, couldn't get a nomination in today's Republican Party -- (laughter) -- we also believe that government should do for the people what they cannot do better for themselves. (Applause.)
We believe in an America that rewards hard work and responsibility and individual initiative, but that also puts a hand up to help people live out their dreams. (Applause.) We believe in an America that invests in its people, in its future, the education of our children, the skills of our workers. We believe in a country where we look after one another, where I am my brother's keeper, where I am my sister's keeper. (Applause.) That's the America that I know. And that is the choice in this election. (Applause.)
This election is a choice. And if we give them the keys -- which will happen if you don't vote -- they'll keep giving tax breaks to companies that ship our jobs overseas. We want to give tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States -- (applause) -- to small businesses and American manufacturers and clean energy companies. (Applause.) Because I don't want wind panels and -- wind turbines and solar panels and electric cars made in Europe or Asia. I want them built right here in the United States -- (applause) -- by American workers here in the United States of America. That's the choice in this election.
If we give them the keys back -- and we will if you don't vote -- the other side has said they are going to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires, costing us $700 billion, and to help pay for it, they're going to cut education spending by 20 percent.
AUDIENCE: Booo --
THE PRESIDENT: Now, think about this. This is at a time when the question of whether a country competes almost entirely depends on how well we educate our children. Do you think that China wants to cut education by 20 percent?
AUDIENCE: Nooo --
THE PRESIDENT: Is South Korea cutting education by 20 percent?
AUDIENCE: Nooo --
THE PRESIDENT: Those countries aren't playing for second place. America doesn't play for second place. We play for first place. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: USA! USA! USA! USA!
THE PRESIDENT: We play for first. And that's why, instead of giving unwarranted subsidies to the banks, we've taken tens of billions of dollars and we're now putting them where they should go -- to students like you -- (applause) -- to make sure that you can afford a college education, and a $10,000 tuition tax credit for every young person in America so you can get the education you deserve. That's the choice in this election. (Applause.)
We want tax cuts to middle-class families. We don't want special interests back in shotgun. You know, the other side has already promised to roll back Wall Street reform, roll back health insurance reform. We refuse to make that happen. We want to make sure that insurance companies can't deny you coverage when you get sick. We want to make sure that the law we passed to make sure that you can stay on your parents' health insurance till you're 26 years old, that that remains the law of the land. (Applause.)
We want to make sure that credit card companies can't hit you with hidden fees or jack up your rates without notice. We want to make sure that taxpayers aren't stuck with a Wall Street bailout because somebody else took unwarranted risks.
We're going to fight the effort to privatize Social Security, because as long as I'm President, nobody is going to take a generation's worth of retirement savings and hand them over to Wall Street. Not on my watch. (Applause.)
We are going to make sure we continue to invest in clean energy and we enforce our clean air and clean water laws. You've seen what they're trying to do here in California, trying to roll back laws that will keep California at the cutting-edge. And now that we've got special interests spending millions of dollars out there to gut these clean air standards and clean energy standards, and they're doing the same thing all across the country -- millions of dollars in special interest money, using phony front groups. You don't know their names. They call themselves "Americans for Prosperity," or "Mothers for Motherhood." I made that last one up, but -- (laughter) -- but it might as well be.
And you don't know who's behind it. You don't know, is it an insurance company? Is it a bank? Who is financing all these negative ads against Jerry Brown? Who's financing all these negative ads against Barbara Boxer?
And you know how they're able to do this without disclosing their donors is because of a Supreme Court ruling called Citizens United --
AUDIENCE: Boooo --
THE PRESIDENT: -- which shows you how important it is who's making appointments on the Supreme Court. I'm proud I appointed Sonia Sotomayor. (Applause.) I appointed Elena Kagan. (Applause.)
All this money pouring into these elections by these phony front groups -- this isn't just a threat to Democrats; it's a threat to our democracy. And the only way to fight it is all of you -- all these voices matching those millions of dollars, all of you being committed to finish what we started in 2008. That's why it's so important all of you get out -- all of you have got to vote, because if everybody who fought for change in 2008 turns out this time, we will win this election. (Applause.)
And so I want to remind you why you got involved. You didn't just get involved to elect a President. You got involved because you believed we were at a defining moment. You believed that this was a time when the decisions we make, the challenges we face, are going to shape the lives of our children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren for decades to come.
That's why you knocked on doors. That's why you made phone calls. That's why some of you cast your vote for the very first time. (Applause.)
And, look, I understand the last two years haven't been easy. I know that a lot of you -- you're thinking back to Election Night or Inauguration Day, and how much fun that was -- and Beyoncé was singing, and Bono. (Laughter.) And Jamie was there. And it felt like a big party. But I want everybody to understand, I told you this was going to be hard. I told you power concedes nothing without a fight.
Inch by inch, day by day, week by week, we've been grinding it out, because that's the nature of change in a big, complex democracy. And I recognize some of you may feel now that, gosh, it seems so distance from those wonderful memories and change is harder than I expected, we haven't gotten everything done that we hoped for yet. And maybe you know somebody in your family who's out of a job, or maybe somebody in your neighborhood has put up a foreclosure sign, and you think, boy, we're not moving as quick as we want.
I understand that. But don't let anybody tell you that our fight hasn't been worth it. Don't let them tell you that we're not making a difference. Because of you, there are people right here in California who don't have to choose between getting treatment for their cancer or going bankrupt. (Applause.) Because of you, there are parents who are able to look their children in the eye and say, yes, you will go to college. We can afford it, we're getting some help. (Applause.) Because of you, there are small businesses who are able to keep their doors open, even in the midst of recession. Because of you, we have brought home nearly 100,000 brave men and women from Iraq. (Applause.)
Because of you, we are going to continue to fight to end "don't ask, don't tell." Because of you, we are going to make sure that we've got an energy policy for the future of America. (Applause.)
Because of you. So don't tell -- don't let them tell you that change isn't possible. Because here's what I know. Change is always hard. And if our parents, if our grandparents, if our great-grandparents, if they have listened to the cynics 50 years ago, 100 years ago, 200 years ago, we wouldn't be here today.
Think about it. This country was founded on 13 colonies coming together to do what had never been done before -- declaring a revolution, throwing off the yoke of tyranny, battling the biggest, baddest empire on Earth. And then, they decided, you know, we're going to try to form a new type of government. And they wrote on paper, they said in their declaration, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal" -- (applause) -- "that we are all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." (Applause.)
The cynics didn't believe it. And then, when we had to perfect that union and fight a civil war, the cynics didn't believe it. They didn't think we could free the slaves. If our ancestors had given up, if they had given up to the cynics, we couldn't have gotten through war; we couldn't have gotten through depression; we would not have been able to battle and finally achieve civil rights and women's rights and workers' rights. (Applause.)
That is the spirit we have to summon today. The journey we began together was not just about putting a President in the White House. It was about building a movement for change. (Applause.) It was about realizing the promise of the United States of America, and understanding that if we're willing to work for it, there's nothing we cannot achieve. (Applause.)
So I need you to keep on believing. I need you to keep hoping. And if you knock on some doors and make some phone calls, and keep marching and keep organizing, we won't just win this election; we are going to restore the American Dream for not just some, but for every -- every -- everybody in this great land. (Applause.)
Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)


Read more: http://thepage.time.com/2010/10/22/bam-boosts-boxer/?artId=?contType=?chn=#ixzz13S5X1Tyf

A Message From Barack Obama

Here's an important message from Barack and Michelle Obama. It's encouraging people to vote! The best thing that can happen is if people will look at what Barack Obama has accomplished since he's been in office, and look at all the roadblocks that the Republicans are throwing his way. Let's increase the number of Democrats in Congress! Vote, and vote Democrat!

Halle Berry, Jeff Goldblum, Robin Wright, Peter Facinelli, Patrick Dempsey, Sherri Shepherd, and Mariska Hargitay.

What do these stars have in common?
They trained or coached with the
Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio,
Los Angeles' Premier Acting School.

Discover training that creates careers through craft.

Joanne Baron, Artistic Director of the Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio, will host a
Free Meisner Technique Workshop this
Saturday, October 23rd at 1pm.
Call 310-451-3311 to reserve your seat.

www.baronbrown.com.


By the way, I also trained at this school for 2 years, and graduated 2 months ago. Time to get to work!

Carly Fiorina...Outsourcing Jobs, Out For Herself, and More

I believe that ad on TV that points out that Carly Fiorina shipped jobs overseas, and layed off $30,000 American workers. Unfortunately, that's a trend that has continued beyond Carly, and will continue. The richest people who own and invest in manufacturing companies will always take money overseas and open factories there- it's just facts. I believe that people have to do what others are not- start your own damn business!

In order to start you own business, you have to think outside the box. You have to come up with a service that people need. You have to take that first step. Once in business, you have to evaluate how you're doing, and come up with game plans. Execute!

Then you have to innovate. Make slight changes to what you're doing. Try to get that business going now! A job will lessen the time you have to devote to your business, so if you're unemployed and still have a computer connection, start an online business of some sort, or at least one where people will find you online.


I do believe, though, that American companies should show some loyalty to the people who live here in America. Costco gives their employees excellent benefits. American Apparel manufactures in downtown Los Angeles, and pays decent wages to American workers!

How do they do it? By thinking outside the box.

OK, I'm tired and going to bed.

Do You Take Naps? Are Naps Good For You?

I want to take a nap, right now! Some people don't take naps- the think that it'll interfere with their sleep later.

That may be so, but I find that taking a nap is really beneficial to me. Sometimes I feel very queasy when I wake up, but overall I think that the benefits outweigh the detriments.

Before I take that nap, I'm going to get a glass of water! I also think that I will go for a walk later this evening.

Stocks To Watch

I'll talk about some of my favorite stocks and why I think that they'll do well.

Google (GOOG) should do really well in the next few months, because they've got so many smart people working for them that they must be working on something so spectacular that it'll shock and awe everybody. Even more than they already have done!

Apple Computer (AAPL) is always coming out with great software for its computers- it will always just go up in value, in my opinion, just from the great software alone. They also have some pretty impressive computers and gadgets, too.

Fossil Inc. (FOSL) makes the best watches- so nice and classy. So much so, they quietly make top name-brand watches for other top fashion companies (that I cannot name now, it's been so long since I've looked at any propaganda from them). Their stock has been appreciating very nicely lately, and it's always done that since I first bought a share of this company years ago.


Netflix (NFLX) is so great- what can I say? I love me some Netflix. Being able to watch movies on your computer or on your TV is such a great thing, and being able to have a huge number of streamed movies at your disposal is awesome! It doesn't cost a lot, either, so for the budget-minded, it's great! And they're making money, too. Netflix is a major player, and they're poised to GROW!!!

Well, this is all for this edition of Stocks To Watch. I hope that you have a good day!

Courtney Love Rocks

Last night I saw Courtney Love performing in her band, "Hole", at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood, California. She looked great, and she sounded fantastic! I was never really a fan of hers, but, then again, I never had bought her music or was exposed to it much except for KROQ. My friend had lent me some of his CD's to listen to before the concert, to get me acquainted with her music and to get me in the mood. I can say this: the place was packed! Everybody had a good time. She played new stuff from her new album (due out next week) and a bunch of old ones, too. She sure looked cool up there playing that guitar!

Courtney sang one song accompanied by special guest Linda Perry on keyboards (I think Linda must have written that song). It was a new kind of song for Courtney, but I think she may have a hit on her hands.

The opening song was "Skinny Little Bitch", from the new album. The crowd went wild! I like that song.

Courtney played for an hour. It was a fun experience. Hole is back. So is Courtney Love.

Trying to do fewer things, but well...

I'm realizing that when you do something of quality that you enjoy doing, then simply existing becomes so much more enjoyable! Keeping it simple is something that I'd like to do!

Recently, a wise man told me that reading makes a person wiser and more educated. I would like to be wiser and more educated...so I want to read more! Reading makes you think, much more than watching television. So I'm going to read more!

Rush Limbaugh in the Hospital?

Rush Limbaugh is in the hospital, according to ABC News, suffering from chest pains. Earlier this year, he said that he hopes that Obama fails as President.

Do you think that Obama will be praying for Rush to make it?

Holiday Hate Mail

Someone whom I may or may not be doing some business with and whom I really don't know recently forwarded me an email entitled, "The New Christmas". I read it, hoping it would be something charming or funny. This is the exact poem:

"*Twas the month before Christmas*
> *When all through our land,*
> *Not a Christian was praying*
> *Nor taking a stand.*
> *See the PC Police had taken away,*
> *The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
> *The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
> *About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
> *It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
> * December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
> *Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
> *Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
> *CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
> *Something was changing, something quite odd! *
> *Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
> *In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
> *As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
> * At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
> *At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
> *You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
> *Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
> *Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
> *Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
> *On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
> *At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
> *To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
> *And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
> * Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
> *The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
> *The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
> *So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
> *Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
> *Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
> *Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
> not Happy Holiday !*
> Please, all Christians join together and
> wish everyone you meet
> MERRY CHRISTMAS
> Christ is ?The Reason' for the Christ-mas Season!
> If you agree please forward, if not, simply delete. "


I don't mind people who know me expressing their political concerns to me face to face, but for someone to send me an email like this really pissed me off!

First off, this is a clear shot at Democrats- everyone mentioned on here is a Democrat. I'm a Democrat.

Secondly, of all the Democrats mentioned here, I'm sure that they all support Christ, Christmas, and the holidays, although I'm sure that they are respectful during this season for all people who are also celebrating a holiday. I just don't like it when someone sends a cutesy email to me and it's got venom in it at its core. The intention of this email was to try to cut down Democratic leaders while at the same time appeal to people who like Christmas. Unfortunately, so many people read this thing and don't really think about it- they just send it on, not ever considering that this cute message is lying on the people it mentions.

This reminds me of the current slate of Republicans who all seem to hate Obama and poor people. The overall message of Christ was for people to help the poor, to help the sick, to help the needy, and to treat others as you would have them treat you. The word "profit" was never anything that Christ preached or possibly ever wanted to be practiced. Our society has for the most part abandoned individual farming and farmers, so working (at a job for somebody else, so that THEY can earn a profit) has become a way of life in America. We are all beholden to profits, it seems. That's what drives Wall Street. That's what "The Nightly Business Report", "The Wall Street Journal". and "Business Week" are all about, right, Charlie Brown?

Do You Send Christmas Cards?

I have 3 boxes of Christmas cards that I bought within the last 3 years. Problem is, I haven't sent any of the cards to anyone yet. That's a shame, too, because I know this: I love to receive Christmas cards. How do I know this? Because I save them- all of them. I probably have every Christmas card that everyone ever gave me- since I was about 11 years old, at least.

There are a few special people whom I know I will send Christmas cards to- a few special new friends that I met this year- customers mostly- people who have shown me such kindness that I can't help but at least send a friendly card. The good thing about me being a Notary is that I do have access to my clients' addresses- but, as I said, only a handful will get cards. I mean, I love all my loyal customers, but some are way more special to me for some reason. Anyway, I bought some Christmas stamps at the post office the other day in anticipation of sending out my Christmas cards! I will be mailing them out on Monday or Tuesday probably.

"Eastwick" on ABC is my Favorite New TV Show

"Eastwick" on ABC TV is my favorite new show on television. It's a great show! Check it out! The ratings aren't so hot, but that's because people haven't discovered it, but it's really good! It's got that guy from "Soarin Over California" at Disney playing Darryl Van Horne, the role played by Jack Nicholson in "The Witches of Eastwick".

Do You Worry?

I used to worry a lot more, but then I heard something that actually helped me to not worry so much.

The thing that I heard is this: things that you worry about are usually not as bad as you think. That is, if you've got a situation that's bad and you're feeling uneasy about how things will turn out, it usually happens that you make things worse in your mind than they will turn out. If there are things that are beyond your control and there's nothing that you can do about it, stop worrying about it. Forget about it. It'll turn out OK most likely- you will live, and you'll get over it or through it!

Beyonce is Taking Over The World!

My goodness! You've seen TV shows about aliens coming to take over- take the new one on ABC Television, "V". Well, after viewing the video here, I think that instead of worrying about "V", we might rather be concerned about "B". Is Beyonce taking over the world? Is she the hero of our times? What's up?

So Hard To Make Money in California

Well, at least it's been that way for me, ever since I was out on my own trying to make it in the world. Things really suck now- the economy here is so bad! How will things get better?

I am shocked how much tuition has already gone up at UCLA since I went there, and I'm shocked at how much they say it is going to increase! WTF?

Wakeup calls, people! Use your time wisely, and spend your money wisely. We live in times where you have to be careful. Those more carefree days that you see in movies from just a few years ago- things ain't exactly like that anymore....

Kaiser Permanente Sucks

Kaiser Permanente sucks, but I'm not saying that for reasons that you might think. I'm pissed because I have had them as a medical provider ever since I was a kid. With such loyalty, you'd think that they'd give me a break on the price as an adult consumer, working for myself without coverage through an employer. Well, think again. I've applied for individual coverage through them twice now, and I told the truth, and believe me, it seems like you cannot have visited a doctor at all for any reason at all for a year in order to qualify for any of their lower cost programs. Their lower-cost programs really aren't that cheap anyway, really.

I currently have Kaiser Permanente, but I pay $495 per month under their "conversion" plan, where a person who was under COBRA can simply get an individual pay plan without a medical examination.

I hope that Obama's health plan laws pass, so that Kaiser and other companies can stop discriminating against people for petty reasons. I mean, I visited a doctor last year for tonsilitis, and they held that against me! What the fuck?

Other than that, all my Kaiser doctors and Nurse Practitioners have been great doctors. I believe I have the best endocrinologists in California.

Michael Jackson "This Is It" Movie Trailer

This is the movie trailer for the Michael Jackson movie, "This Is It", which will hit theaters next week. I still don't have a ticket yet, but Michael was my favorite performer, and I've gotta go! Wow, the rehearsals for that show made it seem like it would have been his best live show ever!

I Hate The Premise For That TV Show "The Forgotten"

I like Christian Slater, and I like TV shows, but there's something so fake about the premise of the TV show, "The Forgotten" that it's too irksome for me to watch.

On that show, there's a group of steady "volunteers" who, on their own for no pay, solve the murders of people who are seemingly "forgotten".

The problem that I have with this show is this: what large group of people have the time and the money to simply "volunteer" their time and do the jobs of the police? Why would they do that?

And how are they always able to get in the way of the police the way they do in this show? How are they always seeking out and being in the presence of the murderers? And all of that for free? That's just what's so fake to me. It seems to me if they were really that into solving murders that they'd become real police detectives, like a special unit of the police force or something. But volunteers? It's fake to me.

I Love That New ABC Show "Eastwick"

"Eastwick" on the ABC Television Network is my favorite new TV show. All of the ladies on it are good. Rebecca Romjin is really hot, as always, on this show (I was a little disappointed that she left "Ugly Betty", but she'll be back on there for guest shots, I'm sure, so it's all good!)

The acting on "Eastwick" is first-rate, and I like the town where it's set. I also like the evil guy who's the center of their curiosity. It's an interesting show, and for me, it's way better than all those other formulaic shows that try to be like "Lost".

My Favorite Song Of All Time - Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles

I think that my favorite song ever is "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles. I love the strings in the song, I love the vocals, I love the imagery of the whole song. I have loved this song ever since I was a baby- when they played this on the radio when it first came out. It's just something that totally haunts me at the core, and is so alive and vibrant at the same time.

I liked Ray Charles' version of this song, too- also brilliant! However, I give the original its due- it's perfection! I love it...

Barack Obama Won The Nobel Peace Prize

Yes, it's amazing! Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. He deserves it, too, because he got more votes than anyone else, so he won, fair and square (just like the election in November, except in this case he had no idea he had a chance to win). So for all you Barack Obama haters out there who don't like that he won it, just fucking get over it! You probably wouldn't like me, either, so fuck you anyway!

Today Is A Great Day!

Today I'm going to practice a few things for my Acting class tonight, I'm going to do some tweaking for my websites for my Notary business, and I'm going to give myself some self-training for my Pre-Paid Legal and Melaleuca businesses. I will also make the bed, wash the dishes, change the birdcage, vacuum, and possibly even clean out my car and take it to a car wash!

Tidying up and relaxing is the theme today (for when you're cleaning, the soundtrack from "Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is perfect listening!)

Pissed Off at a Selfish Bitch in my Acting Class

I just started an Acting class here in Los Angeles (my second year). On Thursday we had our first class. The teacher gave this lecture, part of which was about respecting each other and being humble.

After class, the teacher assigned us partners. He assigned me to a girl named "Katie", who seemed nice, and quickly passed me her phone number. She said that she would call me, and seemed eager to start.

The next day, she did not call me, like she said she would. On Saturday, I called her and got her voicemail I left a message, saying that we should discuss what we were going to do on Tuesday night for our class performance. She did not return my call. On Monday night, after not receiving a call from her, I called my friend James, who is also in my class. He said that I should call her one more time.

I called Katie one more time. She did not answer. I left a voicemail saying that since we weren't going to get to rehearse together, we should at least talk about what each of us would do in our scene together (it's an improv). I asked her that on the chance that she wasn't in the class anymore that she could let me know.

About 5 minutes later, this bitch TEXTS me to tell me that she was switching to a different section of class, on different days. This BITCH didn't have the nerve to call me and tell me that she was trying to get out of class. Utter disrespect, the utmost in unprofessionalism. I would NEVER want to work with her, and I don't think I'll ever forget this.

I told my cousin about this over coffee tonight. She chalked it up to her being young and stupid. My cousin says that that's why she hates young and stupid girls. I don't think that all young girls are stupid- I've met some smart ones, for sure. This one is just selfish. She goes against everything that the teacher taught in the first lecture.

Spammed By Craigslist

It's a trip. I posted on Craigslist a business opportunity for people to check out, and all I get in response is people from Craigslist who are trying to get me to check out THEIR crazy stuff. Doesn't anybody want to make some extra bucks? I thought the economy was bad. Where do I get quality people who want to work to really earn money?

I Need Dessert

I'm hungry now for dessert. Thinking about Rum Raisin Haagen Daz. Trying to think of something else, too. I may go to the grocery store in a few minutes.

Disney World Trip Postponed

In the airport on Sunday morning, while I was waiting for my flight to San Francisco (for the opening of The Walt Disney Family Museum), I decided to postpone my Walt Disney World trip. I figured that I was doing a big Disney thing on Sunday, and I figured (and hope) that I will be in a better situation financially in December. (I put myself on waiting lists for Disney in December, and I changed my airline flight).

That Chantix Commercial Is Too Long!

Today I was watching "The View", and then this Chantix commercial came on. It was too long! There are many drug commercials that come on TV, both in daytime and night, but this one really brought it home just how amazingly long these things can be! It sounded like a timeshare sales commmercial to me, with the pretty music and the announcer with the nice voice, who explained EVERYTHING to you. You sat there watching this old man talk occasionally about his smoking, and then he's in the background with this older woman while the voiceover announcer tells you all these things, some of which are pretty funny. When they talk about how the drug can give you strange nightmares, for example. The pretty music kept my attention, though- we didnt' change the channel. It was so amusing. And too long!

Health Care in America- Unaffordable

Today I saw the movie, "John Q" with Denzel Washington. It's a riveting movie, and calls to attention how difficult it is to have adequate, affordable health insurance, in times when nobody is hiring for any good jobs and everyone is working part-time hours. I recommend this movie. I rented it from Netflix.

New Public Storage Ad For Addicts

Have you ever seen that show on cable called "Hoarders"? Well, it seems to me that Public Storage's new ad no longer tries to hide the fact that the people who need Public Storage are idiots. It's for people who don't want to throw away anything. If you have to store so much stuff for the future, it's idiotic!

Their old commercial with the lady who goes into the garage and can't find the car- that commercial made it a little less obvious that she was an idiot. The new commercial calls the idiocy into the picture immediately. I guess all people can be a bit challenged when it comes to getting rid of stuff. I know that I've inherited the collector and clutter gene. However, I've seen my evil ways, and I have changed.

Well, the fact that money is so tight for me and my customers nowadays keeps me in line.

So, today's message is this- stop wasting your money on storing things you don't need. Give some of that stuff away if you have to, but get rid of it!

I'm Going to Disney World!

Yes, sir, I'm going to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida next week. I will be staying at the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge (a Disney Vacation Club Resort), which is my favorite resort at WDW. I am trying to change one of my nights for a stay at the new Bay Lake Towers, but I only want to get a Studio accommodation.

Anyway, I'm excited about going, but cash is kind of tight right now. I don't want to postpone this trip- I've done that once already. This will be the last time I can go to Disney World until next July probably- when I get out of my Acting school.

More about this trip later.

Macy Gray Not Talking

Tonight Macy Gray was eliminated from "Dancing With The Stars", one of two contestants that was eliminated tonight. After the show, she refused to comment or be interviewed by the media. Macy seemed really shy to me; she seemed really shy on Tuesday night's show- and kind of reserved. You have to have lots of confidence and show lots of personality to survive on that show. You have to have lots of energy to win. Macy didn't show that.

I understand her not wanting to talk, though. It's not sour grapes- it's in her most famous song: "I try to say goodbye and I choke. Try to walk away and I stumble. Though I try to hide it, it's clear- my world crumbles when you are not here". Something like that.

The U.S. Postal Service is Amazing!

I mailed a letter to Puerto Rico on Saturday with just regular U.S. first class postage. I simply dropped it into the mailbox inside the U.S. Post Office here in Los Angeles. My customer in Puerto Rico emailed me back on Monday morning thanking me for sending it to him, saying that he got it.


Wow.

Quick Thoughts

Really fast....Rush Limbaugh (who I don't really know a lot about, but Kareem Abdul Jabbar's Twitter page made me know that Rush Limbaugh is an idiot) is a fucking idiot. I hate people who make everything negative about race, and blame Obama for stupid things.

I hate one of my ex bosses. No, Pat, not you. Another one. No, Brian, not you either.

Tomorrow the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Resort and Spa open for the first time to the public. I don't know if there will be a public event of some sort, but it would be nice to go if there is. I'll call in the morning to find out. I just hope I don't run into that bitch ex-boss of mine if I go.

So many scams and waste of time on the internet. Focus on what you want to do, and do it. Don't be sidetracked. Money is tight- focus that, too. Time is tight- don't waste it.

Time for bed now.

A Disneyland Plan

If I were to go to Disneyland tomorrow, this is what I would do, in this order:

1. Ride the Disneyland Railroad around the park twice.

2. Get off the train on Main Street, go into the Main Street Bakery and buy 1 Nestle Tollhouse Cookie and some nonfat milk. I'd sit down and eat the cookie and drink the milk.

3. Go over to Space Mountain, get a Fast Pass, and head over to "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad" and ride it.

4. Ride "Pirates of the Caribbean".

5. Get in line for The Haunted Mansion, and ride that.

6a. Eat at the French Market- something with chicken in it. And, I'd get a Mint Julep.

6b. Head over to Innoventions, check out the Home of the Future.

7. Go back to Space Mountain with the Fast Pass, get in the Fast Pass line! Woo-hoo!

8. Ride the Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin.

9. Get a Fast Pass for the Indiana Jones Adventure.

10. Over to Adventureland for the Tiki Room.

11 Ride the Jungle Cruise.

12. Walk over and Ride the Winnie the Pooh ride.

13. Ride the Indiana Jones Adventure.

14. Ride the Mark Twain.

15. Walk over to the Golden Horseshoe, get a snack, see a show if possible.

16. Go to the Opera House on Main Street, see the movie about Disneyland's 50th anniversary.

17. Ride the train to Fantasyland. Get off there.

18. Ride It's A Small World.

19. Go in the Toy Shop next to It's A Small World, look at the toys.

20. Stand in line for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Ride it.

21. Ride "Alice in Wonderland".

22. Ride the Matterhorn Bobsleds.

23. Hop on the Monorail. Ride it round-trip.

24. Get in line, and ride "Submarine Voyage- Finding Nemo".

25. Eat at Redd Rockett's Pizza Port. Have pizza and a Coke.

26. Ride the Autopia.

27. Ride the "Casey Jr. Circus Train".

28. Ride "The Adventures of Pinocchio".

29. Ride "Snow White's Scary Adventures".

30. Ride the King Arthur Carousel.

31. Ride the "Peter Pan Flight".

32. Walk to Snow White's Wishing Well. Listen to her sing "I'm Wishing" about 3 times. Make a wish or a few, throw some coins into the well.

33. Walk to Splash Mountain. Ride it.

34. Take the Disneyland Railroad to Main Street. Get off and go into the Emporium to look around for 15 minutes or so.

35. Head for the gate. Take the tram to the parking lot.

Boy, it was fun thinking about doing all this!

Census Bureau Jobs for 2010

The U.S. Census is coming up, and the U.S. Census Bureau is looking for workers who can work for a few weeks, collecting data for the U.S. Census. I took the test in order to be a worker for the Census, and I did pretty well on it. How did I hear about it? My sister told me, "Why don't you work for the U.S. Census Bureau? I'm applying". I said to myself, "Why not? I'm a Notary, things are kind of slow, I need the money, so go for it!" Well, after I took the test, I didn't hear from them for a few weeks. Believe it or not, I started to worry. I wondered if I had enough class. Finally I decided to call them up to see what my status was with them- was I being considered, or did I get disqualified? What they told me was this- I passed the background check, and they just had me on their list as a possible future candidate. "Cool", I told myself. I tell myself "cool" when I feel good about something.

One thing that had me worried when I went in was this: they said that anyone under the age of 50 needed to be registered with the U.S. Selective Service in order to be considered for a U.S. Census job. The lady who worked for the Census told all of us applicants: "If you are not registered with the Selective Service and you are between the age of 18 and 50, you need to do it today". What I found out was this: you can only register for the Selective Service if you are a man between the ages of 18 and 25 (it's the law). If you don't do it within these ages, you can NEVER register with them, and thus, you can NEVER be employed in a U.S. Government job. Wow. I do remember this: I registered when I turned 18- I was concerned that I never gave them my forwarding address when I moved. That didn't matter, I found out today- they can find you if you move, as long as you're alive, so you don't need to worry about that.

Do you know if you are registered with Selective Service? Anybody can find this out- just go to www.sss.gov to see if you are registered.

n'sync I Drive Myself Crazy

This is n'snyc's "I Drive Myself Crazy". I like this song, OK?

"Shout" - Tears For Fears -Acapella

This is so cool- just Roland Orzabal signing without the music- you can hear him clearly in this song, "Shout", by Tears for Fears.

Reminder Of Things That I Need To Do

Check out www.solarcity.com to find out about leasing solar panels. Check out Assurant Health, at 800-291-0587, or at www.AssurantDirect.com. Find out about Encore Dental, at 800-736-1692. I found out about all of these companies on cable TV.

Discover Card Has Pissed Me Off

I have had a Discover Card as a credit card longer than any other credit card that I have. I have their Platinum card. I have always been a loyal customer. I wonder, then, why they recently sent me a notice that said that they are going to increase my (already high) interest rate from 15.99% to 19.99%. I was so upset that I called them on the telephone, and a nice customer service person told me that all Discover account holders are having their interest rates raised. She sounded like she didn't want to do it, that it wasn't her fault, and that she was just doing her job by answering the phone. She said that it was a bad economy and that they needed to raise the rates. I told her: "The economy is bad when people get their work hours cut. When people lose their jobs. Discover Card wants to raise peoples' interest rates on them when they are earning less money?" It seems that President Obama's recent meeting with the credit card companies might have only made some of them decide to stick it to the customers even deeper while they still can. They told me that I do have the option of canceling my card, and I am seriously considering this. It's ironic, though, that they run a commercial that says that they have online tools to help you with your finances, and that they suggest that you could cut back on your Starbucks coffee purchases. How dare they! They are suggesting that people cut back on their Starbucks or Peet's Coffee, just so that you can afford it when they raise their interest rates! I mean, they are charging pawn shop rates, right? Discover Card has pissed me off, and I'm looking for an exit strategy.

Words That I Hate: "In This Economy..."

I am so sick and tired of the cliche words used so often on television by news reporters and other people who are trying to sound smart: "In this economy...." These people are so....tired and played out. Can't they think of something more positive to say, or more original? I used to like the news, but now I don't like it so much, because people keep on using those same old dumb words. "In this economy..."

Let's turn it into something fun and exciting.

"In this economy, there are lots of wonderful opportunities to be discovered."

"In this economy there are thousands of people who are thriving..."


"In this economy, now's the time to load up on stocks that you've always wanted and could never really afford. Disney looks really good at the current price..."


"In this economy there are hundreds of people who will decide to start their own damn businesses...."

Now, let's just take away the words "in this economy" and substitute "right now":

"Right now there are lots of wonderful opportunities to be discovered. Right now there are thousands of people who are thriving. Right now is the time to load up on your favorite stocks, like Disney. Right now there are hundreds of people who will decide to start their own damn businesses". Sounds a lot better than all that negative shit that you hear on the news and from politicians.

Geico Gecko Commercials

I'm gonna do this dude in my acting class, so I'm putting some of these Geico Gecko commercials here so I can study them for practice.

Put Your Money in Google Now!

I just looked at the top of my Google page today when I signed in to notice a message about something named "CADIE". Artificial intelligence has come to Google in a big way- you should go to their website and read about this! Google even has an application that can be used with your iPhone or Blackberry that can help you to remember things that are on the "tip of your tongue". Google's computer somehow communicates with your brainwaves through your phone, and helps you to remember things (things which you have memorized). This whole thing is amazing, and kind of scary, too.

It's not surprising that Google is coming to the forefront in this area- they have hired so many smart people at that company, after all.

Did you know that this CADIE has also started blogging? Check out cadiesingularity.blogspot.com to see her blog. Remember, she's a thinking computer which actually can do things, and is conscious of herself!

Captain Eo Video From Disneyland Starring Michael Jackson

This is the Captain Eo Video that was once shown at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. It stars Michael Jackson, and was produced by George Lucas, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It was also produced by Walt Disney Imagineering. The top is Part 1, the bottom is Part 2.

A Good Surprise From Chase Credit Card

Last month I called Chase credit card company to complain about changes that I saw in my billing. I was upset because they started charging me crazy fees- $10 per month to keep my account open, and charging me 5 percent of the balance each month. They said that they had sent me notice that they were going to do that, unless I agreed to let them change all of my transferred balances to 8.99 percent, then they would let my minimum payments go back to 2 percent of the outstanding balance and I wouldn't have to pay that $10 per month. I lit into them so badly- I called them twice. "You guys are getting bailout money, and you are screwing taxpayers!" , I said. The people on the other end of the phone were amusing, with their East Indian accents. "Can I offer you protection in case you become unemployed or disabled and cannot pay your bill? It's only 99 cents per 100 dollar balance that you have, each month..." Well, I almost told them to go to hell with that (Michael Jackson- remember what I advised you to tell Gloria Allred)? I ended the conversation by telling them that I was going to do my best to never do business with them again.

This month, I just reviewed my next payment, and I noticed something very interesting....

First, the ten dollar per month fee is gone.

Second, I was refunded the ten dollar per month fee for last month.

Third, my minimum payment is back to 2 percent.

What happened?

I'd like to think that public backlash and the Obama Administration had a lot to do with it. But even if I'd not like to think that, I'm sure that these ARE the reasons. What do YOU think?

Desperate Housewives is a Re-Run Tonight.

Bummer. One of my favorite TV shows, "Desperate Housewives", is on re-run tonight. Darn it! Oh, well, I guess I will watch "Six Feet Under", Season 1 Disc 2, which I rented from Netflix. It will give me some new drama that I haven't seen. It will be a few weeks before DH comes back with new episodes. "Brothers and Sisters" won't be on tonight on ABC, either. That's OK...Netflix!

A Concert Is Coming That I Want To See - Depeche Mode!

Soon coming to Los Angeles is Depeche Mode! If you like Depeche Mode's music and have never been to their concerts, I only have this to say- you will LOVE their concert. It's almost a religious experience- and the reason I say that is because of their sometimes very Christian references in their lyrics, and their simple symbolism used throughout their videos that they show on the screen. They are an awesome band, and I go see them whenever they come to Los Angeles.

Charge AIG And All Banks 29 Percent Interest The Way Credit Card Companies Charge Taxpayers

You read what I said: the U.S. Government should charge AIG and all the banks high interest rates- like the 29 percent that some of the credit card companies are charging me now! Why not? Are companies more important than people? Shouldn't "the people" be before companies? I think so. It's bad enough that the government is having to loan the banks and AIG money in the first place- why can't "we" benefit from it? Can I get an "Amen"?

Planning A Trip To The Walt Disney Company's Shareholder Meeting!

I have been a shareholder in The Walt Disney Company for 24 years. I love that company- I worked for them twice, for a grand total of 5 years. Why do I like them so much? I don't know. But I do know that I love Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Disneyland, Lilo and Stitch, Pinocchio and Pirates of the Caribbean. One thing that is available to all shareholders of Disney, but which most shareholders of Disney probably never do (although it sometimes seems like they ALL do) is to attend the shareholder meetings. The last one that I remember going to many years ago (1997, I think) was really interesting, because Warren Buffet was there (he used to be a large shareholder) and there was open debate about approving Michael Eisner's new compensation package. It was very contentious, but Mr. Eisner's new package was approved. I haven't been back to a meeting since that one, although I've been meaning to.

Recently I found out that they're having their shareholder meeting in Oakland, California this year. Boy, that's not too far! I think I'll go! What I've done is this: I bought a ticket on Amtrak, and I"ll go up there the day before, get a hotel that night, and then get up early in the morning, have a good breakfast and go and enjoy the meeting.

What's so good about the meeting? Well, they tell you all the new and exciting things that are in store for the Company. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald and Goofy were there at all the meetings that I'd been to in the past, and I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be this time. Steve Jobs, who's Disney's largest shareholder and sits on Disney's Board of Directors, might be there, despite the fact that he's recovering from an illness. One thing that I'm anxious to find out, and something that will be revealed at the meeting, is the significance of this question: "Are you 23?"


It has really been a long time since I went to a meeting, but Disney seems to be doing well despite a challenging economy, and I want to get excited about what they've got in store for the future.

The Banana Splits: We're the Banana Splits

Another haunting song from this TV show. Boy, this sure captures the spirit of the '60s.

The Banana Splits: I Enjoy Being A Boy

I like this song, but in this video, they did cut the song short. To watch the TV show you wouldn't know it, but I actually have this song on a special edition CD. It's still cool, though.

The Banana Splits: You're The Lovin' End

One of my favorite songs from "The Banana Splits", a TV show that I used to watch when I was a small child in the '60's.

Stimulus Package: Where's the Relief From Credit Card Companies?

The stimulus bill creates new jobs, sure. It gives some breaks to people who want to buy a home (people who have money, that is). One thing is vitally missing from it, though: some kind of a tax break on interest paid to consumer credit cards, or some kind of law to restrain the credit card companies from jacking up interest on people. Or to prohibit those companies from randomly installing monthly fees that never existed before. It is crazy what some card companies are doing. Chase is doing it to me! I was surprised, after transferring balances at their behest, that they would stoop so low. And, they got a federal bailout, too, with tax dollars. It sucks, man. Give the people what they really need: relief from credit card company bullying, unfair practices and general tackiness!

Michael Phelps and Pot Smoking

So, Michael Phelps was photographed at a party in South Carolina smoking Marijuana from a big Bong. How old is Michael Phelps? He's a little square, right? I mean, he's disciplined, he's excelled at something- he was number 1! He worked hard, he got there. He sacrificed a lot.

Now that Michael Phelps has won all his medals, he should maybe take a break from the press and the limelight, right? Maybe chill out at a party with some friends, and maybe participate in some fun with some peers. Just be a normal Joe, and have fun among friends. Right?

Well, some punk ass bitch took a picture of him smoking some pot, and circulated it for their own profit, and at his expense. To me, that's really f**cked up. However, the fact remains that he smoked pot.

I say, so what? I smoked pot a couple of times when I was in college at UCLA. When I was in high school I never tried it, but I knew a lot of people who did. Frequently.

What's the harm in trying a little marijuana? Yes, it's illegal, but so many crazy, wrong things are legal (like the interest rates that credit card companies are allowed to charge) that, in my opinion, just because it's illegal doesn't mean that it's bad for you or wrong. Bill Clinton smoked pot. Hell, George W. Bush used cocaine and got drunk. All you people need to remember that Michael Phelps is a real person, and I like him all the more better for smoking pot- he's living his life, and (I hope) loving it. So what if Kellogg's chooses not to renew his contract? If I ever produce a movie and he's interested, I would love to have Michael Phelps in my movie!

Etta James Said What About Beyonce?

I love Etta James' song, "At Last". The first time that I had ever heard it was on the soundtrack for the movie, "Rain Man", and I've loved it ever since.

That being said, I fell in love with Beyonce (from afar) around the time when the album, "Survivor" came out from Destiny's Child. As I've learned more about her, I've loved her more and more. I think that she's a great singer and performer, and she has class.

Now, that being said, I think that Etta James showed her ass by making bad comments about Beyonce singing her song at the Inauguration of the President. Why couldn't she be happy for Beyonce? If anything, Etta James, be mad at Barack Obama for not inviting you to the party, but don't hate on Beyonce. Hell, by singing the song, she's promoting a movie about YOU, so get over yourself already!

UB40 Sing Our Own Song

This is UB40 singing, "Sing Our Own Song" from 1986. I remember seeing UB40 at The Palace in Hollywood, CA back in 1986, with the same band members and background singers seen here in this video. I met then 16-year-old Ziggy Marley at Capitol Records right across the street from The Palace later on that same night.

PETA's Sexy Ad Banned From The Super Bowl

This is the ad by PETA.org, which is banned from the Super Bowl by NBC due to it being too much. What do you think? It features women apparently having sex with vegetables, like a pumpkin and asparagus. I think it's a stupid ad and doesn't really want to make you eat vegetables and save the lives of animals, but at least they got you to know that they exist.



'Veggie Love': PETA's Banned Super Bowl Ad

Remember "The Banana Splits"?

Right now I'm listening to an album that I bought at Aaron's Records in Hollywood a few years ago. It's a special, limited edition CD of "The Banana Splits", that TV show from the '60s that I used to always watch. It was kind of weird to me, even back then, but it was really cool and funky, and I remember seeing the songs on TV during the late '60s and early '70s. Songs like "You're the Loving End", "Soul", and "We're the Banana Splits" were my favorite songs back then. Being able to get all these songs on CD was like a dream come true- in fact, it was, because I had longed to see the TV show again, and just being able to get it on CD was the greatest thing ever. Rhino Records released this special CD, which was limited to 1,000 copies! I'm so fortunate! This music really is part of my past, part of my psyche, part of me.

Gollum - from "Lord of the Rings" - They Stole the Precious

This is Gollum from "Lord of the Rings", a scene where he's having a quarrel with his other personality- Smeagol. I'm studying this scene right now to try to re-create it in my acting class- my way. It's what I'm thinking about now mostly, so that's why it's on this website!

It's None Of Your Business video by Salt N Pepa

I love this song- it's my favorite from Salt N Pepa. I remember about 6 years ago when I started really playing this CD a lot in my car- every day. Then one day while I was working at Fed Ex at the front counter near North Hollywood, in comes Spinderella from Salt N Pepa! It was so cool, I could barely think, but I told her that I had her CD in the car, and I started singing this song, and she named the album that I had ("Very Necessary"). It was cool- I was so happy to meet her, and yes, she is extremely pretty in person, and nice, too! From this album, I also love "Shoop", but this is a great album overall, too.

James Franco on Acting, "Milk", "Pineapple Express", and More

This is fellow actor and UCLA Bruin James Franco, talking about his career and his recent movies. He took a gamble on acting when he dropped out of UCLA when he was younger. He made up for it, though, with his success in acting. It's not revealed in the interview, but he even went back to UCLA and got a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. Wow!

Wilhelmina Slater - I don't get wet remix (Full)

If you have been watching "Ugly Betty" regularly for the past couple of years, you should be familiar with this video, which was made by "some queen" who remixed the unfortunate accident that Wilhelmina had with Betty White. Wilhelmina pushed Betty White out of the way because she just thought that she was "some old woman in the rain", and she slammed Betty's hand with the taxi door as she took the taxi away from Betty.

Babalu with Ricky Ricardo and Little Ricky

This is "Babalu" performed by Ricky Ricardo and little Ricky on "I Love Lucy".

Desi Arnaz - Ricky Ricardo - Babalu

This is Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo on "I Love Lucy", performing "Babalu".

Cuban Pete by Ricky Ricardo and Lucy Ricardo (Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball)

In this memorable scene from "I Love Lucy", Ricky and Lucy perform at the Tropicana together, singing "Cuban Pete".

Desi Arnaz - Cuban Pete

I will be singing this song really soon in my acting class. It's only coincidental that this was just uploaded by someone on You Tube. That's my luck lately- good stuff shows up there just before I look for it!

Walt Disney and Jack Benny

This is Jack Benny visiting Walt Disney at the studio. This is the funniest clip ever! Watch this! This is rare! It's too bad the guy who uploaded this on You Tube didn't put the skit that Jack Benny did right after this scene. It was a spoof on "Mary Poppins", with lots of sex and innuendo, and also included Bob Hope. Walt Disney was so pissed when he saw it that he sent the tiger to Jack Benny's studio to get his 111 Disneyland tickets back!

Lord of the Rings Gollum Scene (Impersonation)

This guy does the best impersonation of Gollum in a scene from "Lord of the Rings". I don't think anybody could do it better!

Grey's Anatomy- Are You Two A Couple?

This is a scene from Grey's Anatomy when Dr. Hahn asks Dr. Shepard and Dr. Sloan if they are a couple. It was so funny, because I asked myself that, too! I'm still asking!

I Ain't Givin' Up My Starbucks

Suze Orman will tell you to cut out your Starbucks as a way to save money. I say, "Screw that!". Starbucks is one of those "feel good" things that I like to have every now and then. I don't have it every day, but I'll tell you, when I want it, I've gotta have it. I usually will get a Chai Latte or an Americano coffee. I don't really like those blended ice coffees, though, unless it's really hot outside. I also like to grab a little coffee cake or banana loaf to eat with my coffee or tea.

While consuming my Starbucks food, I like to hang out and read, or talk to whomever I'm with. I also like the music. It's a good deal. With gas prices being lower, I feel even better about having a Starbucks coffee. I'll cut back on other things to save money. Heck, I'll make more money! But I'm not cutting back on my Starbucks. Not one inch!

Scrubs - Guy Love

This is "Guy Love" from the TV show "Scrubs". I love this song, and I love these 2 guys here. It's such a good song- it reminds me of a song in "Rent" sort of sung between Angel and Collins. The funniest part of this song is when JD says, "Your the only man that's ever been inside of me" and Turk has to explain that he took out JD's appendix. It's OK, Turk. No explanation necessary!

I Will Donate to St. Jude's Hospital

The other night on ABC's Nightline they had a boy named Daniel who was a patient at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, TN. He had a brain tumor, and he had a rough treatment. He survived it and he was brave. He's only 13 years old, and he has the same birthday as me (November 4). I was happy to know that he didn't have to pay for his medical treatment.

I worked for Fed Ex for 16 years, and I was always asked by my former company to donate to St. Jude's. I always made one-time donations, but I have not contributed since I left Fed Ex 3 years ago. Seeing the hospital on Nightline a few nights ago, it made me want to donate to that hospital again, but perhaps in more amounts than I have in the past, and more consistently. As I make more money in my Mobile Notary business and in other ways, I will definitely donate more to St. Jude's. Their website is stjude.org.

A New iMac Is Coming To My House

I have decided that I need to buy a new iMac as soon as I can afford it. There are several reasons for this. One, my iMac was bought about 5 years ago, and while it is adequate for most things that I use it for, there are several applications that will not work on my computer. I am running Mac OS X version 10.3.9, which is the highest version of the Mac OS X system that will run on my computer. I've got the old Intel computer, the one that won't run Windows.

I have run into some popular applications and websites that I cannot fully use because of the limitations on my current G4 Mac. The first thing is that I bought Quickbooks for Mac earlier this year, and noticed that it will not run on my current computer. Next, I tried to upgrade to the new verson of iTunes, like version 8.0.2 I believe. I cannot upgrade to iTunes 8 without at least Mac OS X version 10.4 or higher.

I also tried to go to Oprah.com lately to download a free Christmas album that her TV show claimed that I could get on Oprah.com. Well, when I went to that site, I noticed that I was unable to fully access everything on the site, because I needed to upgrade to Adobe Flash version 10. Well, my current iMac doesn't have the ability to run this Adobe Flash version. Therefore, again, I am shut out of a free album from Oprah (I tried to search for the album on Oprah.com, but it would not come up on what I could pull up- so I am assuming that the reason I couldn't get it is because it was on the portion of the site where the technology limited me.

I also found out that I can't watch full episodes on nbc.com (I wanted to see the Beyonce/Justin Timberlake "Single Ladies" video on Saturday Night Live but I must upgrade my iMac to be able to watch FULL episodes).

Finally, I hate that I totally cannot use my mac.com membership anymore, because of the technology (again). Mac.com will not work on my current computer. That happened to me overnight, as I know it did to all other people who did immediately upgrade their iMacs a few months ago.

So, to recap, from all of this I learned this: you can get along for a while without the new Mac technology, but eventually there comes a day when the world around you requires you to upgrade. I'm looking at spending about $1,200 for a new computer. I will sell this old iMac to a relative for $200 cash. I'll have to transfer most of the information from my old computer to my new one. It will be exciting to get my new computer. Recently my income became kind of decent again, and I hope that it continues, because I really don't want to charge my new computer, but I may have to. I'm watching my credit very closely now, but that's another story.

Beauty and the Beast Enchanted Christmas Movie Trailer

This is the movie trailer for the film, "Beauty and the Beast Enchanted Christmas" by Disney.

It's Not That Easy Being Green by Kermit the Frog

This is "It's Not That Easy Being Green" by Kermit the Frog. I remember this song on the TV show, "Sesame Street" when I was a kid. I also remember the song being on the Sesame Street record album.

To Bail Out The U.S. Auto Companies? I Think NOT

There is discussion on Capitol Hill right now on whether or not the U.S. government should give the U.S. Big 3 auto makers $25 billion to help them out. I say, "Heck no!" Why do I think that way? Well, for one, nobody's buying cars right now. Japanese CARS have been better deals for years, anyway- they last longer than American cars. The American companies have been building those gas-guzzling things for years, too, and making big profits on them. Now that people have seen that they can and will be vulnerable if they continue to buy SUVs and trucks, they will think twice before going down that road again in the future. Face it- the future is in electric cars and hybrids. The only way that any of the big 3 automakers who want money now should be given any money at all is if they agree to scuttle the cars that they make now, and begin production on proven hybrid and electric cars. If any money is given out, why not also give some to Tesla Motors, an up-and-coming car company that makes stylish electric cars. Or, why doesn't one of the big 3 get an idea to combine with Tesla in a government-assisted transaction. If anybody gets any money, they'd better not simply settle for letting things proceed as they have- or it will simply be a delay of the demise of the American-owned auto industry. Well, we'll still have Saturn- that's American owned, right? They also still build Toyotas here- so there will still be some car manufacturing jobs here. I say- if nobody's buying the cars they're making because nobody wants the cars that they're making, then they should stop making those cars. If the companies won't listen, then let them go out of business!

"Single Ladies" fan-spliced video, with Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and the Guys on SNL

This is the "Single Ladies" video and song by Beyonce, spliced with the video skit on Saturday Night Live featuring Beyonce and Justin Timberlake, along with Andy Samberg. In the skit on SNL, Beyonce's making a video for her hit, "Single Ladies", and the director decides to use 3 guys for the video instead of girls to back up Beyonce. In this video Justin Timberlake, Andy Samberg and another guy are dressed in black leotards and women's pumps. They are dancing with Beyonce, and trying to do her moves. Justin's actually pretty good at the moves! Kinda interesting, since Beyonce's real video for "Single Ladies" also has 2 guys in it allegedly, but those guys are either transvestites or transgendered, I heard. Anyway, you can see a marriage of both videos right here.

A 1-800 DENTIST Commercial That You Will Never See on TV

This is a crazy 1-800 DENTIST Commercial that you will never see on TV. It's good!

High School Musical 3 Sara Lee Commercial - Regular

This is the High School Musical 3 Sara Lee Commercial, featuring 4 stars from the movie. It's a fun commercial that kind of makes me want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and to dance.

Sara Lee High School Musical 3 Video (Corbin Bleu Showcased Version)

This is the popular Sara Lee Commercial featuring the cast of "High School Musical 3", but it showcases Corbin Bleu. This video is different than the other main commercial, where 3 other cast members also get a fair amount of screen time.

Got Milk? - White Gold Commercial

This is the popular commercial in California about "White Gold" - a guy who became a super rocker by drinking milk from a guitar, which he received from an angel.

White Gold IS White Gold - One Gallon Axe a.k.a. "It's Supernatural"

This is the White Gold video promoting milk. It is called, "One Gallon Axe", but from the commecial, you might think it's called "It's Supernatural".

Disney's California Adventure Coming Expansion Details

This video talks about the transformation that is coming for "Disney's California Adventure" Theme Park at the Disneyland Resort. Tonight I saw this video for the first time, and thought that it should be available for the average 15 people who visit the "Ransom Think" blog every day. The new ideas coming to the Park look really cool- especially the new "Carthay Circle Theater"! All the changes that are shown in this video were announced last year by The Disneyland Resort. "Toy Story Mania" is already open at California Adventure and is quite popular.

Happy Birthday, Kathy Griffin

Today is Kathy Griffin's birthday. Happy Birthday, Kathy. I saw you on "Dancing With The Stars" earlier this evening, clapping for Lance Bass. I saw you on Larry King Live the other night, too.

Anyway, it's easy for me to remember your birthday. Why? Because today (Nov. 4th) is my birthday, too. I'm 4 years younger than you, remember? You probably don't. In fact, you probably don't even remember me. We met several months ago at your house. Your people haven't called me to come back since then. I'm still waiting.

Weird Science- The Bitch Kneed My Nuts

This is one of my favorite scenes in the movie, "Weird Science", when Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) gets really drunk and starts telling this story.