It's the nuts of the tiger

Newt Gingrich is getting sued over the classic "Eye of the Tiger," best performed by Survivor.

So much for all that momentum swing he had in South Carolina. It's the latest in a backlash against conservative candidates using songs at political rallies and campaign stops.

Awesome 80s rock band, singing awesome 80s rock music. From user SurvivorVEVO

While I can not for the life of me remember the candidate (and I'm too lazy to look him up), music group Boston sued (insert mysterious candidate's name here) for copyright infringement during the last presidential election when "More Than A Feeling" was played at several campaign rallies. 

It seems like either the angered artists are using copyright infringement as a front to show their disapproval of a political candidate (usually conservative, how interesting), or they are genuinely upset at the use of their song without permission. I'm betting on the former, but I could be wrong. 

Maybe if Gingrich uses the SNL version of "Eye of the Tiger" he would have more luck--with supporters and to showcase him as a humorous guy.

Birthday Postings!

Yaaaaaay cake!

Happy Birthday to...well, me. But in honor of this I've decided to post a little history about what else happened on this day:

On Jan. 30, 1962, two members of "The Flying Wallendas" high-wire act were killed when their seven-person pyramid collapsed during a performance at the State Fair Coliseum in Detroit.

- On this date:

• In 1649, England's King Charles I was beheaded.
• In 1798, a brawl broke out in the U.S. House of Representatives in Philadelphia, as Matthew Lyon of Vermont spat in the face of Roger Griswold of Connecticut.
• In 1862, the ironclad USS Monitor was launched from the Continental Iron Works in Greenpoint, N.Y., during the Civil War.
• In 1882, the 32nd president of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was born in Hyde Park, N.Y.
• In 1933, Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany. The first episode of the "Lone Ranger" radio program was broadcast on station WXYZ in Detroit.
• In 1948, Indian political and spiritual leader Mohandas K. Gandhi, 78, was shot and killed in New Delhi by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu extremist. (Godse and a co-conspirator were later executed.)
• In 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. Author, journalist and radio commentator Dorothy Thompson died in Lisbon, Portugal, at age 67.
• In 1964, the United States launched Ranger 6, an unmanned spacecraft carrying television cameras that crash-landed on the moon, but failed to send back images.
• In 1968, the Tet Offensive began during the Vietnam War as Communist forces launched surprise attacks against South Vietnamese provincial capitals.
• In 1972, 13 Roman Catholic civil rights marchers were shot to death by British soldiers in Northern Ireland on what became known as "Bloody Sunday."
• In 1981, an estimated two million New Yorkers turned out for a ticker-tape parade honoring the freed American hostages from Iran.
• In 1982, actor-comedian Stanley Holloway died in Littlehampton, West Sussex, England, at age 91.

Ten years ago: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the United States would watch closely to see what Iraq, Iran and North Korea did next, a day after President George W. Bush singled them out as part of a dangerous "axis of evil." Interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai visited the World Trade Center site and placed a wreath of yellow roses by a memorial wall as he surveyed the ruins of Sept. 11.

Five years ago: A propane tank explosion leveled the Flat Top Little General Store in Ghent, W.Va., killing four people. Two gunmen shot and killed Mellie McDaniel, the wife of the Jackson County, Fla., sheriff and a deputy sent to check on her; other deputies opened fire and killed the assailants. Hollywood writer-producer and novelist Sidney Sheldon died in Rancho Mirage, Calif., at age 89.

One year ago: Egypt's most prominent democracy advocate, Mohamed ElBaradei, called for President Hosni Mubarak to resign during an address to thousands of protesters in Cairo who were defying a curfew for a third night. Rachid Ghanouchi, leader of the long-outlawed Tunisian Islamist party, returned home after two decades in exile. MVP DeAngelo Hall had one of his team's five interceptions and returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to help the NFC match a Pro Bowl scoring record in a 55-41 victory over the AFC. Novak Djokovic won his second Australian Open title, breezing past Andy Murray 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Ryan Bradley won his first title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Another fun fact I know: Martin Luther King's house was bombed on this date. 

This doesn't as such, really comfort me. Knowing that Hitler becoming chancellor of Germany, Ghandi being shot and Charles I being beheaded all on the date I was born doesn't really inspire a lot of confidence. But at least I was born on the same day as FDR!

Slim Away: too lazy, even for Americans

I just watched an infomercial for something called a Slim Away, which looks like a corset you wear to help you lose weight. It's supposed to help you sweat off your weight while making you look slimmer and trimmer. 

  The comments on this are especially amusing.

Before I completely discount the validity of that idea, can I just say how incredibly lazy this is? With the obesity "epidemic" that is happening in our country, this only adds fuel to the fire. How bad does your mindset have to be to want to lose weight but not want to get off your ass? I mean, seriously. 

What would Bob Harper have to say about this? It takes hard work to lose weight, not just wearing a belt and hoping for the best. But we're so dependent on having everything handed to us on an technology-laden platter that the usual diet-and-exercise plans are no longer good enough. Now we can simply sit back, relax and let the Slim Away fix our metabolism, eating habits and genetics for us. Hooray!

(PS: Many of the comments on this video say you can't just sit around with Slim Away and expect it to work; it doesn't work like that. Gee, who knew?)

A letter to idiot drivers everywhere

Dear Woman-Who-Can't-Park-Her-Truck,

You, and people like you, make me very sad. When I go to park in the morning, I like to have a WHOLE spot. Obviously you don't know what this means, because otherwise you would have taken up your spot, not your spot and mine.

I don't know what goes through your head when you enter the lot each morning, but I'm sure it's not anything along the lines of, "Gee, I've been entering in the wrong way each morning, maybe I should stop that." Or even, "I know I can't figure out how this parking lot, but even though I backed up to try to get in my space, maybe I should try a little harder than what I just did."

Thanks to this kind of thought train you and others have, I've decided to take advantage of the fact that I drive a small car to muscle myself in. You can't get out? Perhaps you should've thought about that before taking up three spaces. I hope you hate me for blocking you in as much as I hate you for not knowing how to park. Maybe that will teach you a lesson about staying inside the lines and figuring out how to drive. As a functioning driver, I'd be more than happy to show you how the job is done.

Sincerely,

A Frustrated Driver

When "news" is not news

Seriously Headline News (or HLN, as you  now prefer to be called. It's like you've turned into a gardening show or something), go away. You report nothing of significance, (yes it's the same link, do you see my point?) and then repeat it all day long.

Lesson to learn: Stare less at screens, get fewer headaches!

If you're a human, you probably get a headache every once in a while. (And if you don't, get out of here because otherwise I'll give you a headache to think about.)

But if you're like me, you get headaches all the time, and sometimes they're worse than just the usual pain. Chances are you don't stare all day at a computer screen for a living like I do, because we live in a natural world free from technology, where grasses are green and...oh, never mind. You stare at a computer at least eight hours a day. 

Photo from www.improve-mental-health.com.
This is how I feel, too, except I'm usually
lying in the dark with a blanket over my
head.

I've found that my headaches are almost always triggered from computers or some kind of backlit screen. But sometimes I can't avoid it, especially if I can feel a headache or migraine coming on early in the afternoon. In that case, looking away at the screen as much as humanly possible and drinking a lot of water helps ease things a little bit. And of course there's always Tylenol or aspirin, though becoming dependent on those can actually cause headaches, too. (How annoying is that?)

Computers of course aren't the only triggers. Foods (such as alcohol and chocolate, unfortunately two delicious foods--and yes, I count alcohol as a food), noises and smells can all contribute to that lasting feeling of pain that makes you want to bury your head in the darkest place you can find (in bed with the covers all the way up works rather well) and lie perfectly still. 

Not sure what kind of headache you have? You can take a headache quiz here, and more information can be found here.

As for me, I've started keeping track of my headaches/migraines to see what's causing them and how many I have to determine whether they are hormone related and to take steps to prevent them. I think it's a great tool to share with your doctor, too, because they can make a better diagnoses than us mere patients.

And of course, there's always getting outside and away from all the technology on screens that surrounds us, but that will only happen when we're all rioting in the streets because our cellphones and computers have lost their Internet service. So I guess it's up to managing pain instead of preventing it.

Oscar nominations are in, and this "critic" raves...meh

I'm rather underwhelmed with this year's list of Oscar nominations for Best Picture. While I've only seen three of the films, the only one of those that I truly liked was "Midnight in Paris." And the others have been either completely uninteresting to me or have not gotten stellar reviews. I should pass the rest of my judgement when I've actually seen the other films (especially with "The Help," since I know the least about it) but that's not happening any time soon as theater prices refuse to go down.

Since "Hugo" and "The Artist" have gotten the most nominations, chances are they'll win over the other films. I'm personally rooting for "Midnight in Paris" but I wouldn't mind if The Artist won, particularly since it's such a throwback film and looks to be really well done.

vs.

(Insert overly dramatic voice) WHO WILL WIN?????

I saw "Hugo" and frankly, I was not as impressed as I would have liked. Don't get me wrong, the special effects were absolutely fantastic, and it's so far the only movie I was glad to see specifically in 3D. But the story line still needed a lot of work and isn't enough for a "Best Picture" win for me. Perhaps "The Artist" will persuade me in looks as well as in storytelling. And "Extremely Loud" looks to be an interesting story at least, which in my book is the bulk of the burden of winning Best Picture. Everything else looks to be like a good story, but not a great one. And isn't that what winning Best Picture is all about? Having the best of everything? That includes a great story.

Testing, testing...1, 2, 3

According to Technorati, I have to publish this code in order for them to verify my blog. Let's hope it works.

FFCNPBHYNAMA

The Inferno (review) is coming to a computer near you!

Stayed tuned for my review of Dante's famous Divine Comedy, starting with The Inferno. Quite frankly, the most exciting of the three (but then again, who doesn't find Hell exciting?) but to be fair, I haven't gotten to Paradiso yet. Translation by John Ciardi, complete with notes and commentary in exceedingly fine detail. Perfect for someone who doesn't have a clue about medieval history and/or mythology.

PIPA, SOPA bills delayed

The blackouts and protests appear to be working! Congress has delayed work on the PIPA and SOPA bills pending a more viable solution. I hope a compromise can be reached that targets piracy advocates while keeping the rights to freedom of speech and expression open.

Now, if only we could be as vigilant about the rest of the Constitution.

Orlando Cabrera retiring

Such a sad day that Orlando Cabrera has announced his retirement. He was such a great SS for the Sox, not to mention an all-around-classy guy. I can't blame him for wanting to leave and play for a team with less pressure--that's someone who truly appreciates the sport and not the paycheck (attention: All Scott Boras clients).

Come back and visit the Sox sometime!

RIP, Rick Perry's Presidential Campaign

Poor Rick Perry, he looks so ponderous and careworn. Photo from Gawker

Time to include Rick Perry in the list of casualties from the Republican race. The Texas governor dropped his presidential campaign and opted to support Newt Gingrich so...the race is down to Mitt Romney, a Massachusetts "conservative" (as if anyone from that state can be conservative) none of GOP bigwigs seem to like, and Newt Gingrich, an adulterer. Looks like things are really looking up for this country. Oh wait, no they aren't.

Besides, it's too early for me to be hearing about campaigning crap anyway. 2012 has barely begun, let's start the race around then. And limit the amount candidates can spend so that our TVs aren't plugged up with negative ads all the time.

Keystone Pipeline--Greenies: 1 Business: 0

OK, so it's not the Keystone Pipeline. I'm still figuring out what I can and can't take from the web.

The expansion of the Keystone Pipeline has been rejected by the Obama Administration, according to CNN Money.

Well, that's fun. I don't know nearly enough about the project yet to make as informed a decision as I should, but apparently there wasn't enough time to review the standards before the deadline imposed by Congress passed. But this doesn't mean that the project is a total no-go.

Sounds like another stalemate by the administration. There is never enough time to "review" the standards or make a decision, or else decisions are made on the sly, such as the case of the new defense bill. (But that's for another day.)

Congress, even though they really suck right now (hello 13% approval rating), at least was trying to get something done. When jobs and the environment are at stake, it's time to act quickly, not run around conducting reviews. Get an initial assessment now, figure out if the expansion is a good idea based on that assessment, and then ACT. The end. People are not going to be happy on either side of the aisle if Obama flounders on making a final decision.

I'm all for helping protect the environment and not turning it into a black hole of pollution and despair. But I know more people who are looking for jobs (admittedly, not in construction nor the oil business) than are interested in throwing themselves in front of a bulldozer to save some trees. (Unless there are job openings for that, then I take my statement back.) The economy seems to be the No. 1 issue in the U.S. right now, not the environment. Why not jump start something that will help that? Figure out how to do it so it will have as little impact on the environment as possible, and get it going.

Censorship vs. "protection": What's the difference?

From Merinews.com

With all the craziness with Google, Wikipedia, The Oatmeal and others protesting the SOPA/PIPA laws by alerting the public and/or blacking out their sites, it's become quite the topic of conversation. But what's the big deal about it?

Quite a lot, actually. SOPA, or Stop Online Piracy Act, was designed to stop online pirating of music and videos, (always a noble cause) particularly with foreign sites. It would require search engines such as Google and Yahoo to restrict access to torrent sites that are foreign-based, and it also would require advertising markets to keep from servicing these sites.

I believe China does something rather similar (but call me out if I'm wrong) and everyone over here calls that censorship, last time I checked.

SOPA sounds like a good idea, but only in theory. Content protection is always a good cause, and anyone who creates content shouldn't have to worry about their hard work being downloaded by some lazy schmuck for free. But risking the rights to freedom of speech and expression is never a good idea. And one of the provisions of  SOPA shifts the burden of proof of proving copyright infringement from the copyright holder (such as the MPAA) to the copyright violator and his site operator (such as YouTube).  If SOPA and PIPA pass, the possibilities are numerous that some fool will post a video clip or song to demonstrate a point and be sued and/or have his website taken down, without due process, because he "facilitated copyright infringement."

Besides, what business is it of the government to tell people what they can and can't search? They have other screw-ups to attend to, such as the economy and fighting terrorism.

Perhaps the OPEN Act is a good compromise. Punish rogue sites specifically responsible for dedicating themselves to piracy, but don't have it affect everyone on the Web. But it still needs some work.

Thanks to massive protests from the tech industry, SOPA is currently being reworked and won't come up for a committee vote just yet. But its sister bill in the Senate, Protect IP Act, has already passed the committee vote and is expected to hit the entire floor Jan. 24, though some Senators are pushing for a delay.

As a writer, I don't like to see my work plagiarized. But I also don't want to be restricted in my searches of the vast and wonderful Internets.

For more information about these bills, The New York Times, CNET and CNN Money get into further details about SOPA/PIPA. Call or write your legislators today, don't let them decide what you can and can't see on the Internet!

The Six Degrees of Golden Girls--Happy Birthday, Betty White

Part 1, video originally posted by GoldenGirlsGuru

Welcome aboard!

Welcome to the Red Pen News! Get acquainted with news from around the world, as well as book and music reviews, and some personal trials and tribulations. More to come later.