Veteran's Day 2009

As you go about your day today, spare a moment to remember the military families whose sons and daughters are risking their lives hear and overseas to protect Americans everywhere.

Also spare a moment to think of the injured and fallen in Fort Hood, Texas.

God bless America.

We Have A "Bundle of Trouble" Mystery Novel Winner!

I'm happy to announce that we have a winner in my "Bundle Of Trouble" Mystery Novel Giveaway!

DBaker was the winning Megan's Minute reader who answered all the Elizabeth George questions correctly and her autographed copy of "Bundle of Trouble" by Diana Orgain is winging its way to her as I write.

Congratulations DBaker!

We Have A HomeGoods Giveaway Winner!

I'm excited to announce we have a HomeGoods Giveaway winner over at Meg's Rad Reviews!  As you may remember, I used a $500 HomeGoods gift card to redecorate my computer room last month. 

Then anyone who commented on that original post was entered to win a $100 gift card from HomeGoods of their very own.

Well the random drawing was held two days ago and the winner is.......Betty N!

Betty's blog is Grandma's Goodies.

When I let her know she'd won, she wrote:  "Thank you sooooo much!  Homegoods is 1/2 mile from our house and we love that store."

Congratulations to Betty N!

Enter Megan's HomeGoods Giveaway and Win A $100 Gift Card!

Hey guys, I've got a new blog and it's called Meg's Rad Reviews! 

What kind of blog is it, you're asking? 

Well, I've been chosen as a BlogHer reviewer, which means I will sometimes reviews cool products and services so you won't have to.  Meg's Rad Reviews will be where you can read those reviews.  I will also have giveaways, contests and recommendations of other things I think you'll just love. 

And just like you can rely on me to give you the straight lowdown on TV and movies here at Megan's Minute, you can count on my honest opinion at Meg's Rad Reviews. 

My very first post is about a $500 HomeGoods shopping spree.  I was assigned to makeover a room in my house and then write about the experience for all you potential HomeGoods shoppers.

I chose my computer room to makeover and wait 'til you see the results! 

So head on over to Meg's Rad Reviews and read about my computer room makeover, and then enter to win your own $100 HomeGoods gift card.

Good luck!

Hillary Clinton, Gary Sinise, Gavin DeGraw and Others Commemorate Service on 9/11

Last night at the Beacon Theatre in New York, there was a tribute to commemorate the designation of September 11 as an annually observed National Day of Service and Remembrance, as proclaimed by President Barack Obama.  Co-hosted by MyGoodDeed and Service Nation, the evening was a mix of speeches and entertainment. There were musical numbers by singer Anjulie, The Harlem Boys and Girls Club Alumni Choir, John Ondrasik, a rousing number by The Roots and a performance by Gavin DeGraw.  In the audience were 9/11 families, members of service organizations, uniformed firefighters and soldiers.

The keynote address was given by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton:

9/11 will always be a day that represents humanity at its worst and humanity at its best. A day when many of you experienced, senseless violence and tragic, unspeakable loss, but when you also witnessed the heroism, generosity and compassion of our fellow citizens.

In response to adversity, we will rise to the call of service because we discover that we gain more than we give, and because serving is one way to express what it means to be an American.

Secretary Clinton was introduced by Nicole Tsang, the Whole School Whole Child Product Manager of City Year, New York. City Year is an organization that "unites young people of all backgrounds for a year of full-time service, giving them the skills and opportunities to change the world." It was also one of the many community groups that had representatives in the audience.

September 11th: A National Day Of Service and Remembrance

"This year, for the first time, the United States will honor September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.  Eight years ago, the tragic events of that Tuesday morning inspired Americans to come together in a remarkable spirit of unity and compassion." 

"In that same spirit, we call on all Americans to join in service on September 11 and honor the heroes of that dark day as well as the brave men and women in uniform who continue to protect our country at home and abroad."

That's part of the message from President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama asking Americans to serve on 9/11.

So as you remember the fallen from that terrible day eight years ago, look to the future and ask yourself how you can help make our country even greater.

Michael Jackson Memorial: The Words Of A Daughter

"Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine.  And I just wanted to say I love him...so much."  Those were the tearful words of Michael Jackson's 11 year old daughter, Paris at her father's memorial service today.

When I first saw Paris Jackson about to take the microphone at the very end of the two hour service, my head said, "No, no, don't put that little girl up there!"

But ultimately I was wrong.  Ultimately it was the right thing to do to let her speak.  She was surrounded by her family and this little girl, whose face we've seen for the first time only since Michael's death, wanted to tell the world what her father meant to her.  In those two tearful sentences, she turned Michael "the freak" into Michael "the human being."

He wasn't just a celebrity, he was someone's brother, son, uncle and most importantly to Paris Jackson and her siblings, someone's father.

It was a daughter's grief for a father who was gone too soon, as Usher had sung earlier in the ceremony. 

His gold plated coffin was carried into the Los Angeles Staples Center to the voices of a gospel choir singing "We are going to see the King."  His brothers who performed with him for all those years on stage as part of the Jackson 5 were pallbearers.

They wore matching yellow ties, red roses in their lapels and then later in the ceremony, single, matching sequined gloves.

For all the anticipation of a spectacle and a circus-like atmosphere since his death nearly two weeks ago, this memorial service was really quite dignified, well orchestrated and the right balance of public spectacle and private grief.   It's what his family wanted and his fans needed.

Actor David Carradine Dead At Age 72

Veteran actor David Carradine was been found dead in a Bangkok hotel room sometime last night or this morning.  He was 72 years old.  Several sources are speculating he might have committed suicide.  The story is still developing and not a lot of details have been confirmed but the Thai newspaper, The Nation is reporting police do not suspect foul play:

Why Right Wing Claims of Sotomayor's Racism Ring Hollow

Columnist Bob Herbert had an excellent article in yesterday's New York Times about the right wing's reaction to the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor.  You may have heard that people like Karl Rove and Newt Gingrich have called the first Latina nominated for the Supreme Court racist.

In response, Herbert makes the excellent point that all of a sudden "these hideously pompous and self-righteous white males of the right are all concerned about racism." 

They’re so concerned that they’re fully capable of finding it in places where it doesn’t for a moment exist. Not just finding it, but being outraged by it to the point of apoplexy. Oh, they tell us, this racism is a bad thing!

Herbert also uses the article to comment on Karl Rove's questioning of Judge Sotomayor's intelligence:

Karl Rove sneered that Ms. Sotomayor was “not necessarily” smart, thus managing to get the toxic issue of intelligence into play in the case of a woman who graduated summa cum laude from Princeton, went on to get a law degree from Yale and has more experience as a judge than any of the current justices had at the time of their nominations to the court.

It turns the stomach. There is no level of achievement sufficient to escape the stultifying bonds of bigotry. It is impossible to be smart enough or accomplished enough. 

Ain't that right!

It continues to astound me how these guys have no clue how lame they sound.  They are so confounded by having a black man in the White House they simply can't stand it--and I love that!

Check out the entire article on the New York Times website.

 

 

Ten Movies & TV Shows That Taught Me Something About War (Re-Post)

This is a post I wrote for last year's Memorial Day.  After reading it over, I decided to re-post it.  Thanks to all our brave men and women in uniform.

*      *     *     *     *

I'm lucky. I've never had to serve in a war or known someone close who's died in one. Even though I learned the facts and figures of war in school, the impact of war I learned from television and the movies. In honor of Memorial Day, this post is about what I've learned about war.

Stop Verbal Violence Against Women (Video)

Last month a young woman named Aisa McGowan was murdered by a stalker who used Facebook and YouTube to harrass her.

A few weeks later, Gena of the blog Out On The Stoop wrote about her frustrations with the story and how she wanted to do something. What she came up with is an idea for video PSAs alerting folks to the prevalence of violence against women.

As she creates them, I will post them.

Ten More Things I Kinda Love About Sitting In My Backyard

Last fall I did a post, "Ten Things I Kinda Love About Sitting In My Backyard."

Now on this very beautiful Mother's Day, and since I've gotten a couple of glasses of chardonnay in me, I think it's time for the spring version:

Ten more things I kinda love about sitting in my backyard:

1. Admiring the beautiful salmon pink color of the geraniums I planted this afternoon.
2. The brisk breeze that caresses my face when I close my eyes.
3. The freedom I have to walk barefoot in the grass anytime I want.
4. The knowledge that my neighbors are not just neighbors, but wonderful friends.
5. That special, shade of green that only exists during spring.
6. The petals that cascade into my yard from my neighbors' cherry blossom tree like pink snowflakes.
7. The rich smell of fertilizer from my patio planters.
8. The feeling of accomplishment because this yard is mine due to my hard work.
9. The familiarity of being at home.
10. The reminder it gives me that blogs, laptops, BlackBerries and technology, though wonderful, are only a very small part of what life is really about.

Happy Mother's Day!

10 Things "Lost" and President Obama Have In Common

Last Wednesday was President Barack Obama's 100th day in office and it was also the night ABC's "Lost" aired its 100th episode. 

Both events got me thinking about the similarities between "Lost" and our new president.

So here are 10 things "Lost" and President Obama have in common:

1. Similar Origins:  "Lost" is shot in Hawaii.  President Obama grew up in Hawaii.
2. Limited Runs:  "Lost" will end in 2011.  President Obama's administration will end either in 2013 or 2018.
3. Multicultural Casts:  "Lost" has blacks, whites, Asians, and Others.  President Obama, as the first black POTUS has blacks, whites, and Hillary Clinton.
4. Fresh, New Storytelling:  "Lost" broke new TV ground with it's flashback/flash forward storytelling technique.  President Obama broke new political ground with his flashy Twitter tweets and campaign websites.
5. Knowing The Value of Consensus:  "Lost" had Jack telling the crash survivors, "Live together or die alone."  President Obama is telling the country, "save together or default a loan."
6. Some Serious Spending:  The "Lost" pilot was one of the most expensive ever produced for television.  President Obama's recovery plan is spending money faster than the dollar machines in D.C. can print it.
7. Collaborating with Former Opponents:  The crash survivors on "Lost" had to collaborate with the evil Benjamin Linus to get off the island.  President Obama has had to collaborate with Hillary Clinton.
8. People Were Skeptical At First:  There were a lot of doubters that a show about crash survivors on an exotic, mysterious island could be a success.  There were a lot of doubters that a black man from an exotic, mysterious island could become president.
9. Critics Demanding Answers:  Many viewers got frustrated with "Lost's" lack of answers to plot questions.  Many politicians got frustrated with President Obama's lack of being able to say when he could clean up the economic mess it took about 20 years to create.
10. Mysterious Oracles Who Don't Make Any Kind Of Sense:  "Lost" has Jacob.  President Obama has Rush Limbaugh.

So tomorrow night when you watch "Lost's" 101st episode, just remember all the things this excellent show has in common with our excellent 44th President of the United States. 

"Golden Girl" Bea Arthur Dead at Age 86

Actress and comedienne, Beatrice Arthur died Saturday of cancer at the age of 86. She was the Emmy award winning star of two hit TV series, "Maude" and "The Golden Girls," and in her early career was a Tony award winning theatre actress.

Arthur first came on the television scene as Edith Bunker's (Jean Stapleton) ultra-liberal cousin on the show "All in the Family." She made such an impression as a guest star, her character Maude Findlay was spun off into her own series, "Maude" in 1972.

Are Ashton, Oprah & TV Nets Going To Destroy Twitter & YouTube?

You must have heard by now that Oprah Winfrey is now on Twitter. Is you haven't, you obviously don't have access to televisions, radios, cellphones, newspapers or computers.

Y'all know I love Oprah, so I'm thrilled that when I tweet about my commuter train being two hours late, there's a one in one hundred million chance that she might read it.

The funniest tweet I saw about the grand event came from BlackTwitterati a couple of days ago.  As you can see I made sure to retweet it:

The other big Twitter news was that Ashton Kutcher beat out CNN to the one million follower mark.  He used that new found power to promote the purchase of malaria nets for countries that can't afford them.  Congratulations Ashton!

Elsewhere on the internet, the New York Times reports that YouTube has signed deals with several Hollywood studios to stream TV shows and movies on their website.  What does this mean?  A couple of things.