FRIDAY FROTH...

POLITICAL ROUND-UP…Tuesday was a big day for mid-term politics so I though I would make a few observations.  

Three of the most interesting races featured women:

Meg Whitman won, some would say, bought, her primary.  Frankly, it’s her money and if that’s how she wants to spend it, fine by me.  Her campaign was probably the biggest boost to California’s economy the past six months!  And, given the choice of a candidate spending his or her own money or special interests' money, I will choose self-financing any day.

Carly Fiorina won her primary and then made the mistake of making a quip into a hot mike (unbeknown to Carly) about Barbara Boxer’s hair.  This is bad on so many levels.  The main rule broken here:  If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.  Second:  On a day when we want to revel in how well women performed in the political arena, you had to go and make us look catty instead of relevant.  Find another hot mike and apologize publicly to Ms. Boxer and then pick up the phone and do it privately.

The media seem to think that Arkansas senator Blanche Lincoln came close to losing to a union-backed opponent in her primary because she voted against “card-check” and because she spoke out against a public option for health-care.  I’m from Arkansas, so I made a few phone calls.  Contrary to what the media is reporting, the consensus is that people were angry with Ms. Lincoln for voting for health-care (never mind the public option), and that they wanted a “left-wing” guy to win the primary so the conservative republican could win big in the general election.  

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Speaking of girls…

Have you seen Sex and the City 2?  Yes, it got horrible reviews but it was playing at one of my favorite theaters ( they serve fresh, hot caramel corn), so what's a girl to do--stay home?  The girls looked great!  Samantha (Kim Cattrell) is the oldest but has aged the best--it must be all of the, uh, "fun" she has.  SATC2 has no more, or less of a plot than most "guy" movies.  Instead of over-the-top car chase scenes, SATC2 has over-the-top clothes, and instead of the requisite pole dance scene, SATC2 has a pool full of rugby players in speedos--what's not to like?!?

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And more girls…

I was at lunch recently with two girlfriends who were dressed in two of my favorite color combinations.  One had on pale blue, beige, and white; the other beige and white--both looked fabulous.  Beige is the "it" color for summer.  I especially like it on shoes, they tend to disappear, making your legs look forever long!

         

FRIDAY FROTH...

As the end of the school year approaches we can expect our kids to come to us with ideas for graduation/end-of-the-year trips.  If they suggest Mexico you should think long and hard before saying yes.  Its warring drug cartels have made Mexico a very dangerous place--I'm sure you've read about the murders, kidnappings, and innocent people being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  What you may not know is that Mexico now has one of the world's most liberal laws for drug users.  Roughly speaking, legally you can have four marijuana cigarettes, four lines of cocaine, 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams of methamphetamine, or 0.015 milligrams of LSD.  Maybe you are confident that your child won't be tempted by the legality of drugs while they are in Mexico--I'm sure they won't--but what about all of the other people that your child will be partying with in the clubs or on the beach?  Scary!

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Some of my favorite books are fiction with a strong historical component.  I've just finished The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff.  Mr. Ebershoff entertains as well as illuminates in his intertwined stories of polygamy.  In one story, Ann Eliza Young, 19th wife of Brigham Young, tells of life growing up in a polygamist world and her eventual apostasy from the Mormon Church.  This is not a love story.  Ann Eliza was at times in awe of Brigham as a leader, but most of her time as his wife was titular. The modern-day story,within-the-story, also involves polygamy, as well as being a murder mystery, and has its own apostasy--not regarding polygamy but gays, and the Mormon Church's rigid stance that has caused them to leave the church, if not the religion.  I like books with interesting finales and this author has a unique and clever way of integrating the two stories at the end.

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The recent gubernatorial debate between Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner offered little in the way of new information.  However, it did confirm that negativity is alive and well in politics.  Mr. Poizner came out slinging and Ms. Whitman found herself on the defensive, but she managed to throw a few feeble punches of her own regarding Mr. Poizner's flip-flopping on issues. Pundits quipped that Meg might not be tough enough to govern.  Tough may not be what we need.  Arnold is tough, yet he has had a hard time making an impact.  We need someone who can make Californians understand that we are in deep trouble and that it is not going to be pretty or fun getting out of this mess.  We need someone to instill pride and a sense of duty in Californians--not a sense of entitlement.  We need a leader.  Right now we have a state that is covered in a security blanket that has become threadbare by pensions, labor unions, and illegal immigration.  Our politically correct, freewheeling attitudes have taken us down the road to ruin.  The "right" candidate for California would be running ads of Greece's current nightmare with a voiceover saying, "California will be the next Greek tragedy unless we all pull together for the greater good."  Too many politicians cater to special interest instead of dedicating themselves to making tough choices.  They make promises to get themselves elected or reelected: solving problems is a distant second on their agendas.  I'm not optimistic--feta-stuffed grape leaf anyone?

PS--If you think Greece is not our problem think again.  The trillion-dollar bailout will be partially funded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the largest contributor to the IMF is yes, you guessed it, America.  This  means Mr. and Ms. American taxpayer will not only be paying for health-care and other social services for Americans, but also Greeks.

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It was just me and my sometimes snuggly, always feisty, 16 year-old daughter on Saturday night so we went to the Jennifer Lopez movie, The Back-up Plan.  Ms. Lopez is not a great actress but she looked fabulous strutting around (pregnant, no less) in her five-inched Christian Louboutins.  And to be fair, her co-star, Alex O'Loughlin looked great too.  Mr. O'Laughlin doesn't need $1000 shoes because he has million-dollar abs that he flaunts while driving a tractor shirtless.  The movie opens with Ms. Lopez being artificially inseminated because she desperately wants to have a baby but has not met anyone who can fill the bill as father.  She leaves the doctor's office and meets the man of her dreams before you can say baby-daddy.  This is not a great movie--it's predictable, silly, overly sentimental and at times, gross.  However, if your daughter is in a snuggly mood it's a perfectly fine way to spend an evening.

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It would not have been hard to miss the news that there was major flooding in Tennessee earlier this month.  Even if you heard there was a flood, chances are you are not aware of how catastrophic it was.  The flood has gotten short shrift by the news media and the White House.  With few complaints about being over-shadowed by terrorist attempts in Times Square and an oil rig horror in the Gulf, the good people of Tennessee have pulled together to take care of themselves.
Check out this video:  YouTube - Nashville Tennessee Flood 2010

FRIDAY FROTH...

If you are an aspiring filmmaker, a film buff, or just interested in finding a movie to see this weekend, then you have to check out MakingOf.com. This website was started by my friend, producer, Christine Alyward and actress Natalie Portman. Ms. Portman was inspired to give outsiders, an insider’s view of movie making by her very interested and enthusiastic friends visiting her on movie sets. Being a producer, Ms. Alyward has a love for the craft of filmmaking and an understanding of the need for more information to help fledgling artist. The site has tips from working experts on all aspects of movie making, as well as movie clips, interviews, photo galleries, and much more. It’s a well designed website with tons of FUN information—check it out!

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It’s inexcusable that republican gubernatorial candidate, Meg Whitman didn’t vote for years—surprisingly, those are her words, not mine. Ms. Whitman stated her reasons for not voting: working, raising a family, supporting her husband’s career and moving many times, but didn’t try to make excuses. She also said that going to work at eBay and seeing how government regulations hurt small businesses inspired her to get involved in politics. How refreshing to hear a politician take responsibility for their actions--I think I could vote for her on this alone!

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I love driving my daughter to school in the morning, even if she doesn’t talk to me. We listen to the radio together as our form of communication. This week some DJ’s were talking about a just released poll that named the countries that produced the best and worst male lovers. I yelled “earmuffs” to my daughter. She used to cover her ears when I did this, but now, at 15 and 2/3, she just rolls her eyes. And now for the results: Drum roll please… German men were voted the worst lovers; English men came in second worst; and those handsome, but from the poll reports, too quick Swedes, came in third. It probably won’t surprise anyone that Spanish men, Brazilian men and then Italian men came in as best lovers. If you want to comment please know that there is an anonymous option for your privacy!

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The very controversial PATRIOT ACT is reported to be what led to the arrest of Najibullah Zazi, the man who allegedly planned to attack New York’s subway system. Counterterrorism experts say that this is the most serious terror plot since 9/11. I say we suck it up and let the government listen in on our phone calls and read our emails instead of sending more troops and money to Afghanistan. I have a great appreciation for civil liberties but even more so for safety. Maybe this is a war that has to be fought at home. And now for the part you are going to really hate: Anyone who rides the New York subways owes George Bush a thank you.

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Bright Star is poetry in motion. Jane Campion wrote and directed this wildly romantic film that tells the story of English poet, John Keats and his love affair with the girl next door. Fanny is literally the girl next-door, yet anything but that figuratively. Fanny is outspoken and interested in fashion design--a modern woman living in Victorian times. She is drawn in contrast not only to her peers, but to Keats and his fanciful, yet tortured existence. A beautiful job by Ms. Campion on both the writing and directing fronts--cheers!

Friday Froth...

I saw The Informant starring Matt Damon last weekend. While it's a very good movie--worth your time and $10.50--Mr. Damon's performance is the real reason to see this movie. He plays his character a bit like an idiot savant and he does so brilliantly. Most actors would have been tempted to play this character over the top, but Mr. Damon exercises control, even subtlety at times, allowing us to feel some sympathy for a contemptible man. Unless there are a lot of really strong performances in the next three months, I think that Mr. Damon should be nominated for an Oscar. I emphasize should because Hollywood rarely awards control and subtlety.

Did you notice Ralph Lauren's collection in the paper last week? Between the distressed overalls and the shirt-dresses with the paperboy caps, it's clear that Mr. Lauren is not convinced the recession is over. I, on the other hand, am ready for better times! I loved the feminine and elegant Donna Karen dresses--check them out.

I hear that Mitt Romney has moved to California. What I can't figure out is why. Mr. Romney is almost sure to make another run for the presidency in 2012, but Californians tend to vote more "blue" than "red" in presidential races. Wouldn't it behoove Mr. Romney to set-up camp in a more friendly, or early primary state? Californians are receptive to voting "red" in the governor's race--could Mr. Romney possibly be interested in straightening out California's economic mess, biding his time while Obama finishes out his two terms? Or, maybe he's moved to California to help his friend Meg Whitman with her campaign for governor--she formally announced this week.

The new fall television season has started. Did you see Modern Family (Wednesdays on ABC at 9pm)? The critics loved it and so did I--I think! The scenes that featured the gay couple were very funny. The scenes with the May/December couple were pretty funny too. The third family, the one that might be considered the most normal--father, mother and three kids--hit a little close to home. The kids bicker, there are discipline problems, and the oldest daughter is 15 and boy crazy (I have one of these creatures living in my house). I had to laugh to keep from crying!

And lastly, I leave you with something to make you wildly attractive and desirable--the art of the smeyes. Of course you know this is smiling with your eyes. Tyra Banks told Larry King that it was the key to her success. Don't think that this is a big crow's feet-inducing grin, it's not. Rather, it's a slight squint of the eyes with a very still mouth (Novocaine mouth, Tyra calls it)--the idea is to create a window to the soul, not a view of your dental work. I find it helps to think of something a little naughty. Start practicing!