Monthly Archives: May 2004

Just started reading Slaughterhouse Five

Slaughterhouse Five has been sitting on my bookshelf for awhile. I have the 25th Anniversary edition, with a ‘new’ prologue by Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse Five was originally published in the same year I was born, so I can easily do the math. I know how long it has been since I was 25. An entire decade has passed.

The book club I recently joined is reading it for June. So I started reading it last night. I read Vonnegut’s prologue (possibly a mistake since it may have spoiled some things for me.), and Chapter One.

All I can do is kick myself for waiting so long.

Has Arnold lost his rights at the Governor’s Mansion door?

Arnold Schwarzenegger has sued the makers of a bobblehead doll for using his image and likeness.

Entertainment celebrities do have a lot of control over their image and likeness. But political figures don’t — when it comes to satire and parody. Even if money is involved.

The case apparently will hinge on whether the doll was a political parody, or a parody of an actor. The doll is dressed in a business suit – which suggests a political figure. But it is toting a machine gun. Which isn’t somthing Schwarzenegger does often in his day-to-day activities as Governor of California.

Has Arnold lost his rights at the Governor’s Mansion door?

Arnold Schwarzenegger has sued the makers of a bobblehead doll for using his image and likeness.

Entertainment celebrities do have a lot of control over their image and likeness. But political figures don’t — when it comes to satire and parody. Even if money is involved.

The case apparently will hinge on whether the doll was a political parody, or a parody of an actor. The doll is dressed in a business suit – which suggests a political figure. But it is toting a machine gun. Which isn’t somthing Schwarzenegger does often in his day-to-day activities as Governor of California.

Too old, or not too old

The Producer of all the Harry Potter films, David Heyman, believes the child actors portraying the three main roles will probably have to be replaced in the fifth or sixth movies since they aren’t getting new movies out every year, and the kids will outgrow the characters.

However, the new director, Alfonso Cuaron, believes they can go the distance.

Unless JK Rowling is delayed in writing #6 and #7 I tend to agree with Cuaron. As long as they can keep to a year-and-a-half pace (Which they have done for 2 and 3), the kids won’t age too quickly. Even if there is a growth spurt, all teenagers go through growth spurts at different ages.

Currently the actors have aged 1 year extra than the characters. At a year and a half pace, they will have aged only 3 years extra. A 20 year old can play a 17 year old. (TV shows do it all the time)

IF there is a growth spurt that is just too unacceptable…use CG animation to shrink them. ALA the hobbits in LotR. Don’t try to tell me the movies won’t make enough money to justify it.

Most Important Sense

Christy on her blog links to an article by a mystery writer who says she fears “losing her most important sense -sight”.

The writer feels this is the most important sense since, blind, she’d be unable to write or read.

I believe this will be fascinating news to the millions of blind people who are able to do both quite well, thank you. Perhaps Colleen McCullough feels she’s to old to learn braille, but there are Books on Tape, and as she admits — she can always dictate a novel.

This led me to ask myself — what do I feel is the most important sense? Which sense do I think I couldn’t live without?

Both sight and hearing would be difficult, but I think I could adapt. Eating is one of my greatest pleasures, and I would find it a lot less enjoyable without taste or smell. (Experts say smell is actually a lot more important than taste in this regard.) But I think losing my sense of touch would emotionally be the most painful of all.

More on Hollywood Kabballah

Apparently Madonna, Britney, and Winona Ryder aren’t just delving into Kaballah, but are also keeping kosher.

(or at least eating only kosher food — which isn’t exactly the same thing.)

It of course raises the question — how many commandments does it take to follow before one becomes “Common Law” Jewish”? (None. You are either born of Jewish parents, or convert. The Hollywoodites call themselves Kabballists if anything — I haven’t heard any of them refer to themselves as Jewish. But the line is blurring.)

Maybe Britney keeping kosher might encourage some Reform Jews to try it. (But it’s not having that effect on me…so, maybe not.)

[of course — Britney’s concept that eating kosher will help her lose weight is kind of funny. Hopefully she will not be ordering too much chopped liver, corned beef, and blintzes from her local deli, or she may have difficulty in dropping those pounds.)

Mega-score for St. Louis

Zagat, one of the biggest names in travel guides, has decided to compose a list of Family Attractions in the US.

The #1 Family Attraction with the most “Child Appeal” is not in Los Angeles California, or Orlando, Florida. It’s in Kirkwood, Missouri. Yes, The Magic House.

The St. Louis Zoo ranked #1 for animal parks across the country, and #4 overall, and Grants Farm ranked #7 overall. (Disney’s park in Orlando did get #1 overall, but Disneyland in Los Angeles came in at #5, right behind the St. Louis Zoo)

Zagat Survey, which worked with Parenting magazine on this project, employed the same research techniques for “U.S. Family Travel Guide” it uses for its popular restaurant guides. About 11,000 travelers, mostly parents, judged 1,000 family attractions on their child appeal, adult appeal, public facilities and service. Each of these four elements was ranked on a scale from 0 (poor) to 30 (perfection). Editors then strung together blurbs from various reviews for Zagat’s trademark descriptions. For instance, the guide’s entry on Grant’s Farm reads, “For a ‘relaxing, pastoral’ ‘getaway,’ try this ‘super family value.’ ”

Top-rated by child appeal

1. Magic House

2. Disneyland, Anaheim, Calif.

3. Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Fla.

4. Paramount’s Kings Island, Cincinnati

5. Toys “R” Us, New York

6. Sesame Place, Langhorne, Pa.

7. Children’s Museum, Boston

8. Hersheypark, Hershey, Pa.

9. Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia

10. Bronx Zoo, New York

The Zagat Press Release Witht he top 10 “Most Popular”, “Child Appeal”, “Adult Appeal”. and “Overall”.

I bet the families surveyed also liked the fact that admission to The Zoo, and Grants Farm is free. And The Magic House only costs $6.50.