Monday, April 14, 2003

Publishing For Complete Idiots I'm not sure this would have sold well even without the whole Iraq War disagreement: CHICAGO (Reuters) - It may be as ill-timed as opening a new storefront business in downtown Baghdad -- a book telling Americans how they too can be like the French. But its principal author, chef Robert Arbor, says his "Joie de Vivre: Simple French Style for Everyday Living" is "beyond politics" and will quench a thirst deeper than the current tempest in a demitasse. So does publisher Simon & Schuster, which says the timing may work in the book's favor -- offering closet Francophiles in the United States a guide to pursuing the politically incorrect in the privacy of their homes without having to sneak out to a French restaurant, even as U.S.-French ties are iced by disagreements over the Iraq (news - web sites) war. Arbor, who owns nine New York and Boston restaurants, including seven Le Gamin Cafes, says his book of pictures, recipes and reminiscences about living a good life every day will sell because French culture has survived worse, including wars and revolutions. "One thing that always stayed around was the way of life, taking time and enjoying moments that are important in the day," the Fontainebleau native said in an interview. The book goes on sale at $27 hardcover on May 1. 9:55:32 PM     |

Recommendation My friend, Christine, over at eleventwentyseven has a link to another site that I think is definitely worth a look called dooce.  I especially got a few kicks out of the How to Charm Me page.  Why couldn't I think of that? Check it out if you're in the neighborhood.  9:26:08 PM     |

And Another Thing:  Battle For The Border Part II And another thing -- if Mexico is going to enjoy any kind of resurgence, it needs to keep its people from killing each other because of witchcraft. Now I'm not saying the United States is completely innocent on this account, either.  We've got our witches from Miss Cleo to Richard Simmons.  But as far as hardcore persecution of witches goes, we got that out of our system three hundred years ago.  And even today if someone was witchlike, we wouldn't go throwing stones at them, hacking them with machetes, and then lighting them on fire.  Instead we'd just make fun of them until they go away (hint hint Mr. Simmons).  So Mexico, focus more on your reality, like a teetering economy, vast resources untapped, and the distinct possibilty that so-called "white" magic is a lot like a white lie; it isn't supposed to hurt. 9:13:06 PM     |

Interesting Day In History 1865 President Lincoln shot 1912 RMS Titanic hit iceberg 1968 Anthony Michael Hall born 1986 U.S. bombed Libya Wow.  All that today.  Anthony Michael Hall is thirty-five??  Wasn't he the geek, Brian, in The Breakfast Club only a few years ago?                             BRIAN                It's like me, you know, with my                grades...like, when I, when I                step outside myself kinda, and                when I, when I look in at myself                you know?  And I see me and I don't                like what I see, I really don't.                             CLAIRE                What's wrong with you?  Why don't                you like yourself?                             BRIAN                'Cause I'm stupid...'cause I'm failing                shop.  See we had this assignment,                to make this ceramic elephant, and                um...and we had eight weeks to do                it and we're s'posed ta, and it was                like a lamp, and when you pull the                trunk the light was s'posed to go                on...my light didn't go on, I got a                F on it.  Never got a F in my life...                When I signed up, you know, for the                course I mean.  I thought I was                playing it real smart, you know.                'Cause I thought, I'll take shop,                it'll be such an easy way to                maintain my grade point average...                             BENDER                Why'd you think it'd be easy?                             BRIAN                Have you seen some of the dopes that                take shop?                             BENDER                I take shop...you must be a f*ckin'                idiot!                             BRIAN                I'm a f*ckin' idiot because I can't                make a lamp?                             BENDER                No, you're a genius because you                can't make a lamp...                             BRIAN                What do you know about Trigonometry?                             BENDER                I could care less about Trigonometry...                             BRIAN                Bender, did you know without                Trigonometry there'd be no                engineering?                             BENDER                Without lamps, there'd be no light! 7:33:45 AM     |

© Copyright 2005 Alex L. Mauldin.