Motorcycles of movies fame and dreams

Sometimes you just need to name drop. Most of the time someone does this it’s because they are trying to show off or impress someone. And just as often the person(s) listening to the name dropping are annoyed rather than impressed. But every once in a while the names are just a backdrop to the real excitement and meat of the conversation.

In this case the question is what do the following celebrities, entertainers, business owners and execs all have in common?

Neil Peart
Carlos Mencia
will.i.am
Will Smith
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
George Barris
Wally Dallenbach, Sr
Dan Gurney
Bob Lutz
Keith Urban
Von Dutch
Sara Liberte
"Big Daddy" Roth
Steve McQueen

Obviously motorcycles is the answer. But it’s not the point that they are all motorcycle owners, riders, and designers. It’s that their motorcycles are all being gathered for an exhibit that most have never seen before.



A collection of motorcycles whose owners span the entire entertainment field, along with classics both old ands new will be in one place – the Motorcycle Hall of Fame – for a blowout exhibit. Hardcore bikers and the merely curious are expected to see this presentation. Everyone is expected to find something to be awed by.

Now personally I want to see this show. I would love to see the bikes used by stuntmen in I Robot or T2 or by Steve McQueen (one of the original motorcycle stuntmen he did many of the riding scenes in The Great Escape). How they adapted them for the movies is an interesting thought to me.

Equally I want to see what some people with enough money to get a bike made or restored would buy. I can’t afford it but the above list surely can. When money isn’t a question what do you get.

And just seeing the different styles of bikes over time is worth the trip as well.

If you want to find out more about this exhibit or any future ones check the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Harvey: Oh so pleasant

After watching the Euro 2008 match I was sitting in my new home and decided to check what else was on. Much to my joy and surprise was the fact that Harvey would be on at 8pm. All my other plans were rescheduled and at 8pm I watched this classic film.

Now some of my younger readers might think I’m speaking about this Harvey


[If you never saw Farscape and you have never seen Harvey then the video will lose you I’m sure. Farscape fans will laugh though.]

But in fact I am speaking of the 1950 film starring Jimmy Stewart and a 6 foot 3 1/2” tall invisible rabbit. Well not completely invisible nor a rabbit. He is actually a Pooka that generally can only be seen by rumpots and crackpots. Thus the audience never actually sees him, though some characters (notably Stewart) do.

In essence the film is about an eccentric well-off drunk, whose main companion is Harvey. The existence of this rabbit is the bane of the sister of Elwood Dowd (Stewart) and she seeks to institutionalize her brother to help him get back to reality. In the end she, and the audience, realize that perhaps having an invisible rabbit is the least horrible thing in life if you are a good person otherwise.

Harvey is a story about being a good person. While he (Dowd) is odd and a drinker he is also very good-hearted. He constantly helps the people around him, pairing up 2 couples and providing therapy for a psychiatrist all while they are trying to incarcerate him. He has only kind words for everyone he meets, even if they ridicule him. And he is non-judgmental of even convicts and those that seem to dislike him.

Perhaps the whole movie can be summed up in one quote. When asked why Elwood is not angry or flustered when he is told he is to be committed he replies

“Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.”

I have, and you should too. If you haven’t seen this film yet, or even if you have, watch it and feel just a bit better about things.

Euro 2008 - Spain are the kings of Europe again

The Euro 2008 futbol finals were played today with Germany and Spain each viying for the title of European champion. Both nations played hard in a match that was physical and at times intense. The final score of 1-0 details not only the difficulty of the game, but also the more lackluster performance of one of the teams.



The first half of the game was not as impressive to me as the second half. One of the bigger points of the first half had to be when the referee decided to give out yellow cards in the 31st minute. It was a sense of what would be coming later in the game.

Ballack was obviously in the wrong on this play, butting a Spanish player and thus creating a bit of a ruckus on the field. This was quickly broken up with Casillas coming over to both calm his players down and to speak with the referee who had yet to indicate any card or comment seemingly. Then after walking away the decision was made and a yellow card was given to Ballack. This was as it should have been as Ballack had been pushing the physicality for some time. But then to the surprise of even the sportscasters, Casillas was given a yellow as well. It’s been conjecture this was because he was yelling/discussing the matter with the ref. It was just bad officiating to me.

But Spain took over the game at this point because in the 33rd minute they scored the only goal of the match. Torres was the player responsible. While his prior attempt to score was only kept out by the upright post his actual scoring goal was much less dramatic. Yet it was effective enough to frustrate Germany for the remainder of the first half as Torres had beat they playing their own style of game.

Then after the half in the 60th minute Germany finally woke up a bit. Ballack made what was the best goal attempt of the game to that point. This provided Germany a boost that motivated them onto 4 shots on goal in 3 minutes. The pressure that was the German offense was making a valiant effort, but it died pretty quickly after the 64th minute.

The thing that took the wind out of Germany’s sails at that point was a missed opportunity to be one man up in the match. Again the officiating got in the way of play, which was highly consistent throughout the match, but this time it was because no one caught a flagrant foul worthy of a red card. And while several players mentioned this to the ref, including Ballack running to the sideline ref to plead his case, none wanted to repeat the mistake of Casillas. Thus nothing was done.

With this momentary distraction to Germany, Ramas made a beautiful header attempt in the 67th minute. While it didn’t go in it did signal the end of Germany’s rally and hopes to win the match.

By the 82nd minute the repeated attacks by Spain lead to a wonderful opportunity for Sena. He had come up through an opening and was crossed the ball facing an open net. All he had to do was touch the ball and it would have deflected in beating the goalkeeper with ease. Instead he kicked at the ball late and low, allowing it to cross past him unheeded. So much for the locked victory to Spain.

By this point Germany was not only beat but frustrated. Perhaps the most obvious display of this desperate mood among the German players was the yellow card given to Kuranyi in the 88th minute. It was deserved and obvious that German has nothing more to give to the game.

Thus the match ended with Spain winning with only one goal by Torres. It was not a flashy game, nor spectacular by any means. There were no stunning moments, except for the faces and actions of the German players as Spain celebrated its first win in 44 years. That had to be the longest 10 minutes for any team or player to endure.

Germany came to play a better team – or so you might have thought. Spain came to win.

But even with bad officiating, missed opportunities for goals, frustration on the field, and Ballack’s bad temper, it was all better than the play of L.A. vs D.C. If Germany came to play second L.A. and David Beckham came to watch the crowd in their 4-1 loss. So all in all the Euro 2008 was pretty good from this American's television.

Backyard or Bust!

The following are a few vacation ideas written by guest blogger Francine Vasquez. To learn more about Ms. Vasquez check the bottom of the post



As we approach the beginning of the summer vacation season, it’s a good time to consider the oil prices that are still on the rise and the impact on travel this year. Now, more than ever, saving a buck or two has become the deciding factor on where, when and even if we are venturing out on family vacations. Let’s start by looking at the plight of the airline industry.

Each day it seems another airline is declaring bankruptcy and ceasing operations for good. Already this year, ATA, Skybus, Aloha, and many others have been forced to close their doors due to skyrocketing fuel prices. With oil prices over $130 a barrel, many other airlines are looking for ways to keep costs down. American Airlines began charging for a first checked bag, and now United and US Airways are following suit. Ticket prices are so high that many Americans are finding it’s nearly impossible to travel to the Caribbean or across the country to visit family this season. If you’re thinking it might be cheaper to just travel by car to Grandma’s house in Florida, think again.

As oil prices rise, so are gas prices. In most parts of the country, regular gas costs more than $4.00 a gallon. That trip to Grandma’s could cost you almost $200 roundtrip, and that’s not counting getting back and forth to the beach, shuttling over to Busch Gardens, or taking a trip to Applebee’s while you are there. If you happen to drive an SUV, you might as well empty your bank account for this fun filled excursion

So, what’s a person to do in order to have some summer fun in the sun without going broke? Stay home! But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a vacation. There are a number of activities, events and places that you and your family can experience in your own hometown that won’t break your bank account this summer.

Do you happen to live in the Philadelphia region? Try visiting Independence Hall, the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence. Take a trip to the Liberty Bell and Constitution Center and relive a very important time in our Nation’s history. Looking for something that involves suntan lotion? Jump in the car and take a short ride to the Jersey Shore or to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. You may still have to use some gas, but you can take as much luggage as you can fit into your car! Don’t want to use the car? Ride into Center City on SEPTA and check out the Franklin Institute where the kids, young and old, can spend hours learning about science and experiments. How about lacing up your sneakers and making a run for it up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum like Rocky? Not into exercise? Then just walk up the steps and into the museum, where you can see many beautiful works of art without breaking a sweat. Hungry? Grab a cheese steak at Pat’s King of Steaks, and make sure it’s a “wiz wit”. There are also a number of restaurants offering a variety of different food styles located all over Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. You’re sure to find something for that finicky eater in the family.

What if you don’t live in Philadelphia, but want to take advantage of a ‘Vacation At Home’? Call up your city’s visitor’s bureau or contact a travel agent to help you plan a great escape without the expense. You will be surprised at how many fun and adventurous activities are available in your own backyard!

Francine Vasquez is a travel consultant and owner of Fantastic Voyage Travel, an independent associate of Dugan’s Travels. Visit her at www.fanvoytravel.com or contact her at fanvoyt@yahoo.com .

My New House pt 2 - the developing interior

As I mentioned a day or two ago (I've kind of lost track) I purchased a new home. Since I have shared my experiences on getting approved for the mortgage, as well as my thoughts on most every other subject, I thought you might want to know more about the house (or at least see inside).

The house is 2005 sq ft (which I plan to expand to 3500 sq ft due to the attic and basement). It's a 1910 brick house in relatively excellent condition. The house is filled with American Cherry wood, which I am told you cannot find anymore. Each closet is big enough to house a college student (litterally they are almost as big as some apartments I saw in New Brunswick back when I was in Rutgers). It has 2 floors and attic and basement - which run the full length of the house. The rooms are all large to above average in size. I have a small yard (which needs a bit of work). There is a small garage and behind that a shed too.

The house has 3 enterances, solid wood doors, and original skeleton keys in place. The lights are all original ceramic sconces (the white ones) and brass sconces. [I plan to sell the ceramic sconces on eBay if anyone is interested] The carpets you see are all going to be removed, and the hard wood floors below are in fantastic shape. All the furniture is newly purchased - and I picked out everything myself [I think I did a good job]. Not sure what I will do with the chandilier in the dining room, but it is also original and has haind painted glass. The dining room has pocket doors and the embedded trophy case has leaded glass. The fireplace is fully functional.

Now don't think there is no work to be done on this. I have work to do on the roof, yard, painting all the rooms, replacing some fixtures and a couple of 100 year old pipes. Oh, and curtains too - God they are expensive. Oh and still a few more pieces of furniture too.

And I have a few odd bits that I will be selling, like an antique (circa IBM 1950)iron desk, an old possibly handmade table saw, some light fixtures and such. The porcelian sink stays.

Of course I will be making the attic a master suite with its own bath (adding about 750 sq ft to the house). I also plan to add a sauna and hot tub to the basement after I finish the ceiling there.

All in all its a hopefully 2 year project, though I could easily live here without major change now. But my point in sharing this is that if I can do it (being single, not rich, with my own money, and never owning anything bigger than a futon before) you can do it as well. And if you plan and work hard from the start I bet it won't take you til you are 40 - my age - to get it.

Now the pictures of some of the rooms. If you have suggestions or comments let me know.















And because I know some one will ask





While that's not every room or every detail I think you get the idea of the insides. I hope you have enjoyed peeking at this moment in my life. I'm glad to have shown it to you all and hope you go out and get the same or far better for yourself.

Best wishes to you my readers, I'll be back to writing in a day or so.

My new house

I've mentioned that I was working towards buying a new house. Well as of today I have done it.



I may be off for a day or too, but do let me know what you think of it.

Don Imus - the offense is unending

Oh the humanity of it! Shock struck me yesterday as I learned of news that I could not believe. A radio personality made a comment that was racist, or so I was told by a friend of mine.

The radio celebrity was Don Imus and the above comment was sarcasm, if you missed it. Notice the race of my friend is irrelevant for my sarcasm to be used, and it does not change the impact of what I was trying to say.

My point is to the constantly recurring comments of Don Imus. Yesterday he was involved in this conversation.

WARNER WOLF: Defensive back Adams "Pacman" Jones, recently signed by the Cowboys, here's a guy suspended all of 2007, following a shooting in a Vegas nightclub.
DON IMUS: Well, stuff happens. You're in a nightclub, for God's sake. What do you think is gonna happen in a nightclub. People are drinking, and doing drugs. There are women there and people have guns. So there, go ahead.
WOLF: Also, he's been arrested six times since being drafted by Tennessee in 2005.
IMUS: What color is he?
WOLF: He's African American.
IMUS: Ha ha, well there you go, now we know.

Now if you just read the words, it’s hard to tell what is actually meant. The comment could go either way. So I found a copy of his actual words.



Do I feel that was a sarcastic comment? NO.

IF Imus had no asked about the race of Adam Jones, then I might have had some doubt in the intent. If it were another radio personality I might have had reason to believe their words were poorly chosen. But Don Imus is very well known, especially for his offensive and racial remarks throughout his career – most recently and publicly for his attack on the Rutgers Women’s Basketball team.

Why Imus believes he can attack Black athletes (among other attacks on African Americans) is beyond me. His defense that he has 2 co-workers and a producer of his current show that are Black is stupid. They are not in his mind, they don’t control what comes out of his mouth. His racial bias does not change because of those around him, obviously.

When Kelly Tilghman called for the lynching of Tiger Woods, she was on national TV and tried to play the incident as a joke. It wasn’t and the fact that millions of people were watching did not make it any more funny or less racial. The same is true of Imus and his co-workers.

I was pleased with him getting fired after the Rutgers event. Yet I was willing to allow Imus to get a new job. I would have preferred him to have had more time unemployed, and the fact he received a speculated $50 million settlement for his contract really defeated the impact his firing was meant to convey. Still I had hoped it would slap some sense in to him. And this is perhaps why hope was the last thing that Pandora found.

But I will leave it up to you my readers. You have the transcript and his actual words recorded. Tell me what you think of his comment and what should be done this time?

Snoop Dogg in Country Music: a bad experiment

Oh my… I have seen everything now. Snoop Dogg has made a country music song, and a video to go with it.

Now as your shock subsides I will present the video to you



This video was dedicated to Johnny Cash. Somehow I don’t think he would be pleased with the song itself. Perhaps the idea would have made him smile though.

I have no problem with an artist crossing over to a different genre. Many of the greatest have done it and quite well. Ray Charles is perhaps one of the best known for his ability to convey emotion while introducing a new style of music to his listeners. Johnny Cash notably did so with his powerful rendition of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails.

But Snoop Dogg?

Well in listening to the song I can say there are several positives. Sadly there are several negatives that are what has made Snoop Dogg popular.

The music is fine if not a bit simplistic. It’s catchy in an older style of country music flavor (which is more my favored style). The vocals include a large helping of Willie Nelson, thankfully crowding out the fact that Snoop Dogg cannot sing. But the combination mostly works throughout most of the song. And that’s all the positives I found.

Now if you actually listen to the song, it’s not really country music to me. It’s basically a drug dealer talking about pimping his girl to get high. I’m not overly-familiar with country music today, but I’m not familiar with any entertainer that promotes such a thought in their music. It is what I would expect from Snoop Dogg though, and I don’t think it’s what Johnny Cash would have like.

Cash told stories of life, and mistaken choices that often involved abuses of alcohol and/or drugs. He was anti-drugs, and his music tried to uplift the spirit. I’m not saying he was the most cheerful of entertainers, but he was meaningful. Snoop’s My Medicine is not.

Looking at the visual presentation, perhaps the worst aspect is watching Snoop Dogg try to hold a guitar. He looks lost. He makes it quite apparent that he has virtually no musical ability, unless playing Guitar Hero counts. Slightly less unappealing is his country-esque clothing. The cowboy hat is ok, but some of the outfits just don’t work. He looks as silly as the song deserves to be considered.

My ultimate problem is the wording. Snoop Dogg seems to be trying to bring country music to the same guttural level that rap music has fallen to. His reference to his girlfriend being less important than the money for his drugs disturbs me. It’s not presented as a person with a serious problem, but as a fact of life that is enjoyed. I have a problem with that.

This is a fluff song. There is nothing to it, besides the hope of the promoters and music company executives of gaining higher sales for their respective artists and music genres. I don’t think Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash or country music are in any form of desperation for listeners. Thus this was an experiment.

On levels this experiment works, on many others it fails. Hopefully there will be others that can pick up this idea and make it really work. Blending country music and rap makes sense. Both depict stories of life and lessons learned. Both are grounded in life today. But gangsta rap is an exaggerated aberration of the reality that exists, and country music has no equivalent. If it never gains such an extreme I think it will be the better for it.

Otherwise the CMT Music Awards can expect to be giving out awards to entertainers starring in videos of women in Daisy Dukes - that the women of Hazzard wouldn’t go outdoors in – riding a horse while villainous black hats shoot down lawmen while singing/rapping the glory of selling drugs.

Think it can’t happen? Let this video catch on and music execs will do to country music what happened to all other forms of rap except gangsta rap.

But what do you think of the video?

George Carlin: 1937 - 2008

Rather than comment on the impact of George Carlin I will let his words speak for him.

WARNING - the following videos probably contain objectionable words and language!

Death Race - mixing old and new with a kick

I may have missed what will become the underground hit film of the summer season in all my reviews of 2008 movies. Now by no means will this be an Oscar Award winning film (which means someone in America will see it). This is a simple action driven, fast paced, plot as an excuse for explosions kind of film.

The film is called Death Race and it will star Jason Statham. Now obviously the man can drive (or at least look cool acting like he can) as seen in his Transporter films (the 3rd coming out shortly). He’s definitely one of the better action stars able to do his own stunts.

Death Race is a simple movie, the brainchild of someone who grew up in the late-70’s to early-80's. I say this because there are a few things that seem to be the inspiration of this film. And each of them are things that I personally enjoy.

It may be a bit esoteric but Car Wars, by Steve Jackson Games, seems to be one influence. The game is a simple map, with each player selecting a car, motorcycle or truck cardboard piece. On a piece of paper various armaments for the car are written down. The players then proceed to destroy each other until only one is left. Simple and fun.

Another influence is Mad Max. The film that made Mel Gibson a star, its best seen in the original Australian accents (then you will understand why Fifi has his name). Cars are the weapons and speed is a function of exposition. There are no good guys in white, and everything crosses some line at some point.

Lastly is perhaps the biggest influence. Death Race 2000.



The film clip explains it all, almost. It’s a cross-country race, with no rules beyond winning and points for killing people along the way. Devised as a means of population control, you can see why the elderly are the highest points. David Carradine is the star, Dr. Frankenstein, and Sylvester Stallone is in there too. It’s a fun movie.

This film coming out shortly has much of the elements above. But unlike most retreaded ideas (that I hate) where the whole point of the movie is thrown out the window, this one keeps focus, from what I can see. Our hero is a famous NASCAR driver (of course) that gets framed. He’s thrown into a jail where the inmates compete in a race to the death, similar to Running Man now that I think about it. People watch and the winner goes free – supposedly. The cars are souped up, decked out, and raw – much like the various drivers.

Now I don’t know but I guess Jason Statham’s character will win the race and live at the end. No doubt this will be the cause of a Death Race 2, just as there will be a Cranked 2.

But enough of my analysis, here is the video. (If the film gets a wide release I will get a review as soon as possible).

Even more 2008 summer film previews

I’ve been writing about the summer movies of 2008 for some time now. I’ve covered everything from The Andromeda Strain remake on A&E, to Iron Man, to The Incredible Hulk. I’ve given previews of movies I’m looking forward to like Hancock and Wanted and movies that I think are, or will be, dreadful like Batman: The Dark Knight, What happens in Vegas, and Speed Racer. But there are a few films that I have failed to mention. So here I go.

Get Smart is a remake of a television show that first ran in the 1960’s. Don Adams, a former Marine, took a more comedic and slapstick approach to the suave spy theme in this show and made it work well. It’s a funny show that is known for its wacky and partially functional secret weapons as the leads instantly recognizable voice (used for equal success in the children’s cartoon Inspector Gadget).

This movie looks to have none of these sparks. Yes it is more flashy, with explosions and special effects that the original television program could only dream of. But the focus on all the glitz will detract from the actual comedy that is the Clouseau-esque lead. Lots of popular stars, big budget, and not a single reason not to wait for this to hit cable. Yet another movie version of a great television show that reveals Hollywood has no idea what makes a show work, or that they ever watched the program in the first place.



The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. And you thought all the mummies were done. This is the 3rd film of the series and lives in the same continuity. Our favorite mummy fighting dad, Brendan Frasier is back again alongside his son (now grown up) and his nar-do-well Brother-in-law.

Put the blame of the latest threat on the son this time as he releases Jet Li from his slumbers. The CGI looks to be good, and the clips give good reason to believe the unique blend of humor and action that made the first 2 films work well are still in place. If it’s half as good as previous movies in the series then this is worth going to the theatre.



Hellboy 2 has gotten a boost in the form of the director of Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo Del Toro. And its obvious that he had a major influence on the movie. The characters are right out of his mind to the screen. Which may help give more credibility to the story. The first film lacked believability, even for the subject it was dealing with. This one looks far more committed to the otherworldly essence that is the base of the story. Now if they can plug up the plot holes that plagued the first film it could be quite good. Either way it should be a better experience than Batman or Get Smart. If you have the extra cash it could be worth the money.



War, Inc. has several good things working for it. John Cusack is sort of reprising his role as an assassin that he played in Grosse Point Blank, along with his sister as his secretary. The film is absurd, dealing with a war that is farmed out to a corporation. That absurdity works with the way the film seems to be portrayed. And for the far-left there is a healthy dose of anti-war meaning that Hollywood seems to want to flood the theaters with.

At least this film seems to present that concept with a laugh instead of the usual sledgehammer seen in prior big budget flops (that deserved to never be seen).



Meet Dave, Space Chimps, Step Brothers, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, and Mamma Mia all seem like great films for the discount DVD bin. If I were to be paid to see them I’d still just stick with an edited trailer instead.

Could I be wrong? Sure, and the Dukes of Hazzard was a film worthy of an Oscar. Honestly I’m sure some would like any of the films I don’t, just as some people think huffing paint is worth the holes in the brain it causes.

The only really big question in the near future is Batman. From what I’ve seen the Joker is horrible, and if he is the film fails. Not to worry though, there will be another Batman, likely a Hellboy 3, and several other superhero and videogame movies to come. They might even make a movie about Good Times or All in the Family. But that will be another post.

Anorexia and Hi Glam dolls - revisiting a thought

Sometimes you can’t win for trying. While I am often passionate about my views, I am honest enough to admit my ignorance on some subjects. But having a view that is not popular on a topical issue can often lead to unique response from the internet.

Let’s look at my comments on the anorexic looking Hi-Glam dolls.

“But these Hi-Glam dolls are different. Yes they have various races covered. No they don’t represent women as anything more important than objects to be looked at because of how they dress. Yes it’s good they are dressed more substantially than a music video hoochie. But they are all anorexic. Seriously, they are proportioned like twigs.”

Now I do know a few throughout the internet agreed with my assessment. But when you are in a pool so big, sometimes you run into those that have a different view. And since I keep an eye out for where my posts are mentioned I do notice.

Thus I ran into these responses from girls (or women I have no idea) that love the dolls and dislike my thoughts.

Girl 1 : Cruel. It's the parent that chooses the dolls they give their little girls most of the time. XP to all those who don't understand crap 'bout the toy industry. espeically the doll market.
Note: It's best not to show me those articles cause it makes me wanna murder sumthing...

Girl 2: He did say "I don’t know much about dolls".

Girl 1: yeah, so why still insult them???

Girl or Guy 3: i need more anorexic dolls.

I like hi glam. they are a BIT essentric, but I do think barbie could benefit from slightly longer legs and a smaller waist. I mean, she IS a doll. why not make her perfect?

the 2nd article was gay and i stoped reading it after the second sentence, which said "i love anime" and they listed the silly violent cartoons they liked.

Now the poor spelling aside I find this interesting. My concern is the effect that these dolls are having on the young girls they are marketed to. It’s the same concern that has enveloped the high fashion modeling industry. It’s why Italy, England and Spain have all placed bans or made comments on the weight of models in their country.

But the above comments seem unable to understand my comments. Which I thought were obvious. Yet one wants to resort to violence over speaking honestly about the dolls, and another seems almost envious of their death-like looks.

Now I will bypass the fact that anime is a well respected art form loved by tens of millions. But the comment “article was gay” says a lot about the writer. I may be too old to know the latest slang that is out, but what is that supposed to mean? Obviously it’s an insult, but I generally enjoy a bit more in my insults. Perhaps a bit of depth and points of correction or disagreement.

But I digress.

Barbie is far from perfect, but her proportions were changed because she was so unrealistic. To be unable to accept the shape of a Barbie doll today as positive versus the Hi-Glam is to say that Marylyn Monroe was less sexy and attractive than Mary Kate Olsen or Jack Skellington.

Since it seems some did not understand my point before I will be blunt, direct and simple. I’ve lived across a good part of the globe, seen women of every race and ethnicity. I know guys in every country I’ve lived in, and between the thousands of people I have known in my life, not one has ever found an anorexic woman attractive. There is simply nothing to like or admire about someone that is scarcely more than a skeleton. It’s not appealing to anyone, it’s ugly in the most sick manner.

So I don’t know anything about dolls. But I do understand that anything that suggests a girl or woman should weigh as much as a softball and look like a corpse is unhealthy and wrong. It’s America and others don’t have to agree, but I will make my thoughts known.

If only one girl or woman decides to eat a hamburger and let it stay in her stomach then I’m pleased I wrote these posts. And if anyone disagrees they can go to hell.

Heinz – For love or money?

I have just seen the latest Heinz mayonnaise commercial. This commercial was made for England, where it has aired. That is important because either Heinz thought this would appeal to the aptly named British dry wit or it was afraid of letting the American public see this.

Some find it funny, some see a political statement. I see the political statement.

What do you see? What do you think?