Easy-Bake Oven inventor dies

Easy-Bake Oven inventor
Ronal Howes dies at age 83

By BARRY M. HORSTMAN • The Cincinnati
Enquirer • February 19, 2010

Millions of young girls baked their first cookies,
cupcakes and brownies because of Ronald Howes
Sr.

A lifelong inventor whose creations ranged from
high-tech defense weaponry devices to electrostatic
printers, Howes built an impressive resume that will
always be best known for the enormously popular
toy that he fathered a half century ago: the Easy-
Bake Oven.

Howes, who lived in Anderson Township near
Cincinnati, died Tuesday. He was 83.

As director of research and new product
development for Cincinnati-based Kenner Toys in
the early 1960s, Howes created what would become
a household name and one of America's most iconic
toys by drawing inspiration from a Kenner salesman
who had just made a trip to New York City.

Upon returning, the salesman wondered aloud
whether Kenner could develop a toy version of the
chestnut roasters seen on many New York City street
corners.

With that remark, the proverbial light bulb clicked
on over Howes' head.

“He started thinking about that and wondering how
to create a safe version of that for kids,” recalled
Nancy Howes, his wife of 47 years.

Much of his experimentation was conducted in the
Howeses' own kitchen before he finally settled on
the concept that made the idea both safe and
practical by deciding to use a light bulb to heat the
oven.

And the rest is toy industry history.

“Whenever someone brings up the subject, a woman
always chimes in and says, ‘Oh, I had one of those,
“’ his wife said. “Everybody's heard of the Easy-Bake
Oven.”

After his mother died when he was born, Howes was
raised by a German grandmother and her American
husband in Over-the-Rhine, a Cincinnati suburb,
where the family ran several corner grocery stores
during the Depression.

He taught himself to read before kindergarten,
displaying an insatiable curiosity and sharp
intelligence that would shape his life.

He left Walnut Hills High School to join the Navy in
World War II, with his grandfather helping him to
“fib about his age” on the enlistment papers, Nancy
Howes said.

After two years in the South Pacific, Mr. Howes
returned to Cincinnati and received a degree at the
University of Cincinnati, where he had started
earning credits at night while still in high school.


At Kenner, Howes not only created the toy oven with
which he will always be inextricably linked, but also
met his future wife, who worked as a secretary in his
department.

Over the years, his constant tinkering with possible
new products was never confined to office hours.

“We no longer have a garage in our house - it's a
physics lab,” his wife said. “You can hardly walk
around in it.”

Tiger Woods

I believe Tiger Woods "manned up" and unlike the hundreds of public figures before him, BELIEVES his 'mea culpa'. I hope he finds peace and the right wingers and religious fanatics / non-religious fanatics will give him a break and not concentrate on his being a practicing Buddhist.

We Are The World 25 For Haiti

I have to admit, I was skeptical when I heard about the 'We Are The World 25 For Haiti' initiative.I was around for Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas" which 4 months later inspired USA for Africa's "We Are The World".

I'm not exactly the biggest fan of pop music as it is right now. So many of the faces in this new video are people I have no CLUE as to who they are. The little boy who began the song/video - who is he? I read he was a Disney product. Was that a male or female who sang before Josh Groban? Usher did a decent "Huey Lewis" section of the song. The only "rock" oriented person there was the blonde chick who played with Michael Jackson- there was some tiny, half of a second shot of someone who resembled Carlos Santana maybe in the video. I suppose that kind of diversity isn't wanted.

Anyway, I think this is one of those rare occasions where a 'remake' or 're-imagining' works. I especially liked the little rap towards the end. Where was Eminem? I thought Jamie Foxx's tongue-in-cheek Ray Charles imitation was funny. The interwoven Michael Jackson footage and voice was interesting; even if the so called "duet" w/ sister Janet was obviously cheesy, it's all for a good cause, no? It was neat to see Lionel Ritchie and some old familiar faces from the original effort.

I personally think they could have had a very financially rewarding, very humorous opportunity by having people vote via donation as to whether or not Barbara Streisand or Celine Dion should be on the single or video. I personally would have given to see them removed or left off. Now I realize these womern have huge appeal and they will drive in donations from their fans worldwide into the effort. Heck, NAMBLA could do a charity record with these two on board and people would for the most part, blindly give to that event.

We really have to be careful about pouring all this money in Haiti. There needs to be at least a paper trail. Wyclef Jean's Haiti charity ran afoul with mismanagement and waste, but he publicly admitted so and "fixed" things. Nobody seems to remember all those deposed for one reason or another world leaders who had caches and just obscene amounts of UN and US aid stored away when their hideouts and palaces were raided. The most recent were a few of the street corner thugs in Haiti- and who could forget Saddam's sons' stashes?

There's gonna be a little corruption, a little "admin" cost in everything. We should really just watch where the money goes. That's all I saying. Give if you want. Just be aware that throwing money at something doesn't always solve the main problem.

Fang Face

**********

From the movie's website: " Benicio Del Toro plays Lawrence Talbot, a British expatriate who has returned to his homeland from New York City to inquire on the disappearance of his brother at the request of his fiancée Gwen (Emily Blunt). The village of Talbot’s home has been ravaged by brutal, unprecedented animal attacks. Talbot gets bitten by said animal and, of course, begins to endure a mysterious transformation while Aberline (Hugo Weaving), a Scotland Yard inspector, enacts a looming counter-investigation."

Like the revitalization of any franchise within the last few years, the story of The Wolfman is immediately recognizable. To me, what audiences want in films like this are two basic things, 1) creative but slight variations in their interpretation on this familiar material, and 2) a unique stylistic and entertaining approach to such familiar source material.

Don't believe the negative hype on this movie. The Wolfman is no way a terrible movie. It’s not a bad movie at all. Trade papers and movie reviewers will probably spin this movie to be the aborted realization of a troubled production, etc.

The Wolfman moves at a lightning pace at times, then slows down to a screeching halt at times. To me, the slow downs may be to allow the film to immerse the audience in – the world that it has created. The first half hour or so seems a little frantic and uncontrollable, which to me was kinda what I'd expect. A person with me stated he thought the movie looked good, but didn't care for the first few minutes of the film staing it was too confusing and frantic. To me, THAT'S the Wolfman. I could be wrong in teh grand scheme of things, though.

The film uses a lot of computer generated gore- kinda reminded me of all-too-familiar material, it becomes evident that the gore offers little more than a diverting replacement for where genuine suspense is supposed to be. The film is indeed entertaining in several moments, especially the first two scenes where Del Toro transforms into the creature. I was in pain too! I felt he pulled this off as good as anyone I've seen do so. I DID feel that the first few transformations were kind of rushed through – but still awesome to watch- especially seeing Del Toro’s fingers and joints become the Wolfman's appendages. You can’t help but become nostalgic for Rick Baker’s makeup talents utilized in 'An American Werewolf in London' thirty years ago. In my opinion, the CGI transformations were one of The Wolfman’s best sequences to see. The scenes involving the ice water pit were creepy and well presented too.

Though I'm not too smart or aware of technical or directorial methods or the ilk, my friend watching the movie with me said the direction at times reminded him of Francis Ford Coppola’s 'Dracula'. I liked that version of Dracula- it was closely related to the source material- from what I remember. Gee, now I've got ANOTHER movie to download and watch (Dracula).

I wanted to see the original "Wolfman" before I saw this one- but as usual, I failed to make the time to do so. My brother says this movie DID take a few liberties with the original. I'm too sleepy right now to remember those instances. But I DO agree with him that mine and his fears about this movie were unfounded. The scenery, acting, et al were superb. To me this is just as good as (I like it slightly better than)"Avatar" and you dont' need the 3-D glasses or the extra $3 to spend. Go see this movie or die realizing you missed a really good film.

OK, I'm rambling.. to see a much more authoritive, MUCH better written review by someone smarter and definitely more awake than I am, check out artvanhelsing.blogspot.com

The Wolfman

DEFINITELY will be seeing this.

check out my other brother's review of it
artvanhelsing.blogspot.com

and THIS interesting story
http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24794

Happy Wednesday

It's Wednesday- YAY!! Unlike the folks up north, we are SNOW free!!

So President Obama extended the old "olive branch" again to Republicans. Should the GOP accept or is it an evil trap like Rush Limbaugh spouts?

While I'm all a fan of Obama doing this, it kinda creeps me out that he follows each gesture with " a live, televised discussion on CSPAN". This is when his own party totally wanted to do THEIR discussions IN PRIVATE and NOT on CSPAN last month. First the Dems diss the President on passing any of "his" health care initiatives and other things, now a public diss on transparency.

Hmmmmmm.

Let's see what's on the web today, shall we?

A new study relates a child's sweet tooth to family alcoholism and THIER eventual proclivity.

You can read about it HERE

Captain Phil Harris of television show "Deadliest Catch", has died. the 53 year old suffered a stroke January 29th of this year.

Changes abound in the way your shrink diagnoses your or anyone elses problems- Read about it HERE

Authorities in Flint Michigan say a man accused of stealing a car and then reporting it stolen remains in custody after telling police he was robbed at gunpoint while trying to buy crack cocaine with a credit card.

A small pre-dawn earthquake has hit northern Illinois, startling sleepy-eyed residents as far away as Iowa and Indiana, but no damage or injuries were immediately reported.

CBR NEWS is reporting that actor Tim Robbins has been cast in the film as Senator Hammond. The article refers to the character as "the disapproving father of the movie's villain, Dr. Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard), who becomes infused with psychic powers." The film is set to start filming in next March.

Reports all over the place are putting Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan in the "General Manager's" chair to helm the reboot of the rebooted Superman franchise.

The U.S. military freed a Reuters photographer after detaining him -- without charges -- for 17 months, Reuters reported. The military claimed Ibrahim Jassam Mohammed was a "security threat," but claimed the evidence against him was classified. Jassam is just one of several Iraqi journalists working for foreign news organizations who have been arrested by the military since the 2003 U.S. invasion. None of the journalists have ever been charged with a crime.

NASA's newest sun probe, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, is launched from Cape Canaveral this morning.

Happy Monday

Even though I was rooting for Peyton and the Colts, kudos to the New Orleans Saints.
In my opinion, the Saints were smart to gamble on the 2nd half onside KO. To me, that was the game breaker. Keeping Manning off the field for 70 freaking minutes and breaking his momentum was the key. If the Saints had not recovered the onside kick, the Colts probably would have blown them away.

Congratulations again to the New Orleans Saints and their 1st NFL Championship!!

Now can we PLEASE stop bringing up Katrina?!?!?!

Love the commercials this year. The E-Trade baby has lost or is losing his appeal to me, the Puxatawny Palamalu was HILARIOUS!!

All in all, the Super Bowl is 100% different when "you don't have a horse in the race"; "a dog in the hunt". Insert your own cliche here..

GOOOD responses to my weekend blog about local weekend radio/TV.

Some interesting stuff on Yahoo! News this morning.

Here's another "beer is good for you" story Apparently, this beer is good story says your bones can benefit greatly from a beer or two a day thanks to - the silicone - in beer?. Click HERE.

Here's another sugary soft drinks are BAD for you story. El clicko HERE-O. This one sez it screws with your body's insuln, which helps the body metabolize sugar, is made in the pancreas.

A new international Reuters poll indicates that rather than spending Valentine's Day with their partner, one-fifth of adults would prefer to be with their pet, although the French still came top for romance. Read the story here

Did you guys see where Japanese authorities found the body of a man in the landing gear of a Delta airliner that arrived in Tokyo from New York over the weekend? Click HERE to read more.

Neil Gaiman (Sandman, Coraline, and other DC Comics) is writing an episode for the BBC's "Doctor Who" TV series.

I read at cbr.com/news where Screenwriter David Scarpa has been hired to bring Daredevil, the Man Without Fear back to the silver screen.

well, catch ya later!!

Weekend Television/ Radio

I don’t know about the rest of the US, but here in SC, the local television and radio programming here leaves a lot to be desired on the weekends. Otherwise, they do a very, very GOOD job.

Television consists of horrible educational morning cartoons, religious themed shows, and infomercials in between sporting events. This is especially bad in the afternoon hours. Radio has become one big infomercial with local real estate guys yucking it up and giving marginal real estate advice. We DO have a great local auto repair/info show on our ONLY major AM News/Talk radio channel here. It’s not hard being voted “the Best in the Upstate” when there’s little or no competition. That’s not a knock, that’s just what happens when you’re the best as what you do I suppose. I mean, may the good Lord help us if a major local event or accident occurs after 6pm on the weekdays or anytime during the weekend. Though I’m sure such measures are in place in case something DOES happen. I’m not preaching the highly unfair “fairness” doctrine or anything, I’d just like to see better alternatives locally that aren’t canned or produced elsewhere national content.

I'm of the opinion the local stations should open this time up for local variety programming. I don’t' mean infomercials for the local car lots or latest exercise or diet fads. Let the dozens of students at local broadcasting schools "intern" on these shows towards credit or just to simply hone their skills. Like an expanded version of both Kimberly Kelley’s daily shows.

I’d like to see some comedy/ improvisational shows or local comedy and drama put on by local groups or playwrights. Not just snippets to whet the appetite. The Greenville Little Theatre, the Warehouse Theatre, and The Café and Then Some Players, or other groups of people would be PERFECT for this. I’d LOVE to see local music shows. Personally, Gene Berger and Horizon Records could produce a GREAT weekly show. The Handlebar would be a good setting for local music as well. Shows featuring “Greenville After Dark” or something else cheesy could and would be fun. I understand that there are pretty much a couple of local cable TV channels dedicated to local public affairs programming, I’m writing about local “entertainment” programming,

It seems that the local broadcasting stations are trying to implement a lot of viewer content into their websites or news broadcasts. I’d like to see this broaden. For example: Channel 4 ‘s High School Playbook, while a more comfortable format with the intent of utilizing more local reporting, it lacks the flavor of the original or former “Friday Night Hits” in my opinion.

Other local channels like My40 or the CW- Channel 62, are making gains in the public promotion and information arena- I’d like to see them to more local entertainment. I love seeing the the Greenville Drive games..

But alas, the almighty dollar speaks loudly like it or not and the bottom line is advertising revenue for the local broadcasters. They can’t pay their bills or operate on “good programming” alone. I find it hard believe that advertisers would rather pay for a movie of the week or extreme bicycling in Thailand than local stuff. Of course, these commercials are probably just satisfying other contractual commitments for or by the networks. Until I win the lottery and get a chance to sposor a locally produced show, I’ll have ot be content with the “To Be Announced” or old sponsored movie of the week on Television or the usual infomercials on the radio on the weekends.

No wonder people are going to the internet in droves!!

MIGHTY TARHEEL SCHEDULE!!

9/4/2010 @ LSU
9/18/2010 vs. Georgia Tech
9/25/2010 @ Rutgers
10/2/2010 vs. East Carolina
10/9/2010 vs. Clemson
10/16/2010 @ Virginia
10/23/2010 @ Miami
10/30/2010 vs. William & Mary
11/6/2010 @ Florida State
11/13/2010 vs. Virginia Tech
11/20/2010 vs. N.C. State
11/27/2010 @ Duke

from the AP

Resist and You Shall PERISH!

For decades there was only one way to use the humble ketchup packet, and it was messy. Now, fast-food lovers have a choice: the traditional squeeze play — or the option to dunk.

You want fries with that, in the minivan? No problem.

The new ketchup pack, unveiled Thursday by H.J. Heinz Co., is shaped like a shallow cup. The top can be peeled back for dipping, or the end can be torn off for squeezing. It holds three times as much ketchup as a traditional packet.

Customers at a McDonald's in Covington, Ky., said they would welcome a redesign.

"You use up a lot of ketchup now with the packets, I always get extra ones," said Skyler McDermott, 29. "Maybe now you won't have to use your teeth to open them."

Heinz struggled for years to develop a container that lets diners dip or squeeze, and to produce it at a cost acceptable to its restaurant customers.

"The packet has long been the bane of our consumers," said Dave Ciesinski, vice president of Heinz Ketchup. "The biggest complaint is there is no way to dip and eat it on-the-go."

Designers found that what worked at a table didn't work where many people use ketchup packets: in the car. So two years ago, Heinz bought a used minivan for the design team members so they could give their ideas a real road test.

The team studied what each passenger needed. The driver wanted something that could sit on the armrest. Passengers wanted the choice of squeezing or dunking. Moms everywhere wanted a packet that held enough ketchup for the meal and didn't squirt onto clothes so easily.

Heinz is rolling out the new packs this fall at select fast-food restaurants nationwide. It will continue to sell the traditional packets.

Whether restaurants buy the new packets will depend on cost, experts say.

"One of the top uses of ketchup in this country is on french fries," said Harry Balzer, vice president of the research firm NPD Group. "One of the patterns of behavior in this difficult climate that continues to do OK is ordering and eating in your car."

The company said it is still working out prices with its customers. But the new packet should cost only a little more, even though it holds much more ketchup.

Heinz is by far the biggest ketchup maker. About half of its ketchup is sold in stores and the other half is sold to the food service industry through its exclusive contracts with chains like Burger King and Wendy's.

McDonald's, the nation's largest burger chain, does only limited business with Heinz.

Heinz sells more than 11 billion ketchup packets every year. But neither the ketchup maker nor the major chains would say who plans to carry the new design.

Morningstar restaurant analyst R.J. Hottovy said if restaurants do adopt the design, the transition will likely be gradual.

"It has to be proven that this is something that saves money on the behalf of restaurants or cuts down on waste," he said. "It looks interesting, but ultimately you have to provide something of value to the restaurants."

Customers may force the issue.

Rants about the messy packs have helped spawn hundreds of anti-ketchup-packet groups on Facebook.

Matt Kurtz, a 22-year-old student in New York, has drawn 269 members to the group he started after he ripped open a packet too quickly and spilled it on his jeans while on a road trip two years ago.

"That's when I said 'There has to be a better way.'"

These issues come as no surprise to Heinz's Ciesinski. "We created the packet in 1968," he said. "Consumer complaints started around 1969."

___

AP Business Writer Dan Sewell in Cincinnati contributed to this report.

The Force Is STRONG With This One

Darth Vader star David Prowse clear of cancer
By Josh Layton; Lee Cain

Darth Vader star David Prowse yesterday spoke of his joy at winning his year-long battle with prostate cancer.

Star Wars actor David, 74, who played the 6ft 6in villain in the first three films, got the all-clear last month.

The former body-builder - and TV's Green Cross Code - stunned doctors by making a full recovery after intensive radiotherapy at London's Royal Marsden Hospital.

Speaking from his home in Croydon, Surrey, David said: "I've won the fight and I'm feeling better than ever. Everyone was shocked by how well it all went."

David admits he was lucky to be diagnosed early after a Prostate Cancer Support Association worker urged him to ask his GP for a blood test.

Now David, whose brother also beat the disease, advises men over 50 to get tested. He said: "I've had people saying I've saved their lives. I got the same with the Green Cross Code, it's happening again."

You Might Be A Cop If......

You have the bladder capacity of five people.

You have difficulty differentiating between counsel and client.

You have learned a lot about paranoia, simply by following random cars around in a patrol car.

You have ever restrained someone and it was not a sexual experience.

You believe that 75% of people are a waste of protoplasm.

Your idea of a good time is an armed robbery at shift change.

You call for a criminal check of anyone who seems friendly to you.

Discussing dismemberment over a meal seems perfectly normal to you.

You identify a negative "teeth to tattoo" ratio just by looking at a person.

You find humor in other people's stupidity.

You disbelieve 90% of what you hear and 75% of what you see.

You have your weekends off planned for a year in advance.

You believe that a "shallow gene pool" should be grounds for an arrest.

You believe that the Government should require a permit to reproduce.

You believe unspeakable evils will fall upon you if someone says, "Boy, it sure is quiet here tonight."

Your diet consists of food that has gone through more processing than a computer can track.

You believe chocolate is a food group.

You have ever wanted to hold a seminar entitled, "Suicide: Get it Right the First Time!"

You believe that "too stupid to live" should be a valid verdict.

You have ever had to put the complainant on hold so you could laugh uncontrollably.

You believe a certain dispatcher is possessed by a demon.

Your favorite hallucinogen is exhaustion.

You think caffeine should be available in IV form.

You have heard the sergeant muttering down the hall, "Who's in charge of this mess?"

Your prisoner states, "I don't know how it got there!"

It occurs to you suddenly that one night you are policing the Twilight Zone.

When you mention vegetables, you're not referring to food.

You believe that the holding cell should come with a Valium saltlick.

You believe anyone who says, "I only had two or three beers" will blow over .15%.

You are told to deliver a human jaw in a jar and you find yourself talking to it there on the seat beside you.

You believe it's not a good death unless it involves overtime.

You are the only person introduced at a social gathering by his profession.

You walk into places and people think it's high comedy to seize a co-worker and shout, "They've come to get you, Bill!"

You do not see daylight from November to May.

You believe in the aerial spraying of Prozac.

You refer to your nightstick as a "Dork Slayer".

People shout, "I didn't do it!" when you walk into a room and think it's original and funny.

When someone calls you a prick, you take it as a compliment.

You have wanted a terrorist to deliver a Ryder truck to a particular bar.

You have heard "I have no idea how that got there" on more that a few occasions.

You correlate "two beers" with .15% BAC.

You believe in involuntary sterilization.

You believe office meetings are always called at the end of your shift.

‘Percy Jackson

‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’ Star Logan Lerman In Talks For ‘Spider-Man’ Reboot | Access Hollywood - Celebrity News, Photos & Videos

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A Decade of Razzies

With the release of the Oscar nominations, you will also get the Razzie nominations, which “honor” the worst films of the year. Those nominations came out Monday and seem to concentrate on the likes of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Land of the Lost,” “Old Dogs” and “G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra.” The Razzies are voted on by viewers who are Razzie members (there is a fee), and the awards show premieres Saturday, March 6, the day before the Oscars. Here are the Razzie nominations – I’ve shortened the titles of “Transformers” and “G.I. Joe” since they’re too long and they appear quite often among the nominees.

Worst Picture: “Transformers,” “All About Steve,” “G.I. Joe,” “Old Dogs,” “Land of the Lost”

Worst Actor: All three Jonas brothers, Will Ferrell (“Land of the Lost”), Steve Martin (“Pink Panther 2”), Eddie Murphy (“Imagine That”), John Travolta (“Old Dogs”)

Worst Actress: Sandra Bullock (“All About Steve”), Beyonce (“Obsessed”), Miley Cyrus (“Hannah Montana: The Movie”), Megan Fox (“Jennifer’s Body” and “Transformers”), Sarah Jessica Parker (“Did You Hear About the Morgans?”)

Worst Supporting Actor: Billy Ray Cyrus (“Hannah Montana: The Movie”), Hugh Hefner as himself (“Miss March”), Robert Pattinson (“New Moon”), Jorma Taccone (“Land of the Lost”), Marlon Wayans (“G.I. Joe”)

Worst Supporting Actress: Candice Bergen (“Bride Wars”), Ali Larter (“Obsessed”), Sienna Miller (“G.I. Joe”), Kelly Preston (“Old Dogs”), Julie White (“Transformers”)

Worst Screen Couple: Any Two or more Jonas Brothers, Sandra Bullock & Bradley Cooper (“All About Steve”), Will Ferrell & any co-star, creature or “comic riff” (“Land of the Lost”), Shia LaBeouf & Megan Fox or any Transformer (“Transformers”), Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson or Taylor Lautner (“New Moon”)

Worst Remake, Rip-off or Sequel: “G.I. Joe,” “Land of the Lost,” “Pink Panther 2,” “Transformers,” “New Moon”

Worst Director: Michael Bay (“Transformers”), Walt Becker (“Old Dogs”), Brad Silberling (“Land of the Lost”), Stephen Sommers (“G.I. Joe”), Phil Traill (“All About Steve”)

Worst Picture of the Decade: “Battlefield Earth” (2000) - nominated for 10 Razzies and winner of eight, “Freddy Got Fingered” (2001) - nominated for nine and winner of five, “Gigli” (2003) - nominated for 10 and winner of seven, “I Know Who Killed Me” (2007) - nominated for nine and winner of eight, “Swept Away” (2002) - nominated for nine and winner of five.

Worst Actor of the Decade: Ben Affleck - nominated for nine and winner of two, Eddie Murphy - nominated for 12 and winner of three, Mike Myers - nominated for four and winner of two, Rob Schneider - nominated for six and winner of one, John Travolta - nominated for six and winner of three

Worst Actress of the Decade: Mariah Carey - the single biggest vote getter with 70 percent of the votes for her role in “Glitter,” Paris Hilton - nominated for five and winner of four, Lindsay Lohan - nominated for five and winner of three, Jennifer Lopez - nominated for nine and winner of two, Madonna - nominated for six and winner of four

what say you?

GROUNDHOG Day 2k10 - other musings..

well the rat saw his shadow this morning- more of the icy stuff!!

Calvin & Hobbes creator/writer/artist Bill Watterson has given his first interview in 15 years. It's short and you can read it by clicking HERE. To me, he kinda comes off as a jerk at times. I can't explain it. He does say " I think some of the reason "Calvin and Hobbes" still finds an audience today is because I chose not to run the wheels off it. I'm proud of the strip, enormously grateful for its success, and truly flattered that people still read it, but I wrote "Calvin and Hobbes" in my 30s, and I'm many miles from there."

in other stuff--

I was sad to read about Hall of Fame wrestler Jack Brisco has died at the age of 68 following complications from open heart surgery. He had been in poor health for a number of months and collapsed a week ago while recovering from the operation. Brisco will always be renowned as one of the best pure wrestlers in the business.
Read more by clicking HERE

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is promising to try to spare more gay troops from being dismissed from the military while the Pentagon takes a year to study revising its "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Earlier today, gay-rights campaigners and secularists called for protests during a visit to Britain by Pope Benedict XVI this year, after he condemned equality legislation seen as friendly to gays. The 82-year-old pontiff, who made his comments in a letter to the bishops of England and Wales on Monday, is reportedly set to visit Britain in September, the first such trip in 28 years.

After tasting 37 different blended coffees, Consumer Reports couldn't find one that measured up to its "excellent" or "very good" ratings, the publication said Tuesday. Ranking at the top of the list of 14 caffeinated blends -- earning a rating of "good" -- are the Starbucks House Blend, calculated at 26 cents per cup, and Green Mountain Signature Nantucket Blend Medium Roast, at 23 cents per cup. The highest score for the 13 decaffeinated coffees also failed to reach the top two categories. The better scoring varieties included Allegro Organic Decaf, Blend Medium Dark, Peet's Decaf House Blend, Caribou Daybreak Coffee Morning Blend Decaf and Bucks County Decaf Breakfast blend. Consumer Reports has a rating criteria in which the tasters look for specific characteristics including the flavor and aroma.

A new study shows that healthy older adults need less sleep than their younger counterparts and, even with less sleep under their nightcaps, are less likely to feel tired during the day. The time spent actually sleeping out of eight hours in bed declined progressively and significantly with age. Older adults, aged 66-83, slept about 20 minutes less than middle-aged adults (40-55 years), who slept 23 minutes less than young adults aged 20-30, the study said. The older adults woke up significantly more often and spent more time awake after initial sleep onset than younger adults. Deep, or slow-wave sleep, thought to be the most restorative phase of sleep, decreased with age, the study said.

The science-fiction sensation "Avatar" and the Iraq war thriller "The Hurt Locker" lead the Academy Awards with nine nominations each, including best picture and director. For the first time since 1943 the Oscars feature 10 best-picture contenders instead of the usual five.

President Barack Obama is redirecting America's space program, killing NASA's $100 billion plans to return astronauts to the moon and using much of that money for new rocket technology research.

Iran said on Tuesday it would soon hang nine more rioters over the unrest that erupted after the June presidential vote, and the leader of the opposition said such repression showed the 1979 Islamic revolution had failed.

A Chinese activist who has spent more than three months living inside Tokyo's international airport said Tuesday that Chinese officials have given him permission to return home to China.

Officials with the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement say use of Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook are rising among gang members.

and finally...

And finally, a new study reveals why children may be bullied. Kids who get bullied and snubbed by peers may be more likely to have problems in other parts of their lives, past studies have shown. And now researchers have found at least three factors in a child's behavior that can lead to social rejection.


The factors involve a child's inability to pick up on and respond to nonverbal cues from their pals.


In the United States, 10 to 13 percent of school-age kids experience some form of rejection by their peers. In addition to causing mental health problems, bullying and social isolation can increase the likelihood a child will get poor grades, drop out of school, or develop substance abuse problems, the researchers say.


"It really is an under-addressed public health issue," said lead researcher Clark McKown of the Rush Neurobehavioral Center in Chicago.


And the social skills children gain on the playground or elsewhere could show up later in life, according to Richard Lavoie, an expert in child social behavior who was not involved with the study. Unstructured playtime - that is, when children interact without the guidance of an authority figure - is when children experiment with the relationship styles they will have as adults, he said.


Underlying all of this: "The number one need of any human is to be liked by other humans," Lavoie told LiveScience. "But our kids are like strangers in their own land." They don't understand the basic rules of operating in society and their mistakes are usually unintentional, he said.


Social rejection


In two studies, McKown and colleagues had a total of 284 children, ages 4 to 16 years old, watch movie clips and look at photos before judging the emotions of the actors based on their facial expressions, tones of voice and body postures. Various social situations were also described and the children were questioned about appropriate responses.


The results were then compared to parent/teacher accounts of the participants' friendships and social behavior.


Kids who had social problems also had problems in at least one of three different areas of nonverbal communication: reading nonverbal cues; understanding their social meaning; and coming up with options for resolving a social conflict.


A child, for example, simply may not notice a person's scowl of impatience or understand what a tapped foot means. Or she may have trouble reconciling the desires of a friend with her own. "It is important to try to pinpoint the area or areas in a child's deficits and then build those up," McKown explained.


Ways to help


When children have prolonged struggles with socializing, "a vicious cycle begins," Lavoie said. Shunned children have few opportunities to practice social skills, while popular kids are busy perfecting theirs. However, having just one or two friends can be enough to give a child the social practice he or she needs, he said.


Parents, teachers and other adults in a child's life can help, too. Instead of reacting with anger or embarrassment to a child who, say, asks Aunt Mindy if her new hairdo was a mistake, parents should teach social skills with the same tone they use for teaching long division or proper hygiene. If presented as a learning opportunity, rather than a punishment, children usually appreciate the lesson.


"Most kids are so desperate to have friends, they just jump on board," Lavoie said.


To teach social skills, Lavoie advises a five-step approach in his book "It's So Much Work to Be Your Friend: Helping the Child with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success" (Touchstone, 2006). The process works for children with or without learning disabilities and is best conducted immediately after a transgression has been made.


1) Ask the child what happened and listen without judgment.


2) Ask the child to identify their mistake. (Often children only know that someone got upset, but don't understand their own role in the outcome.)

3) Help the child identify the cue they missed or mistake they made, by asking something like: "How would you feel if Emma was hogging the tire swing?" Instead of lecturing with the word "should," offer options the child "could" have taken in the moment, such as: "You could have asked Emma to join you or told her you would give her the swing after your turn."

4) Create an imaginary but similar scenario where the child can make the right choice. For example, you could say, "If you were playing with a shovel in the sand box and Aiden wanted to use it, what would you do?"

5) Lastly, give the child "social homework" by asking him to practice this new skill, saying: "Now that you know the importance of sharing, I want to hear about something you share tomorrow."

The studies are detailed in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. They were funded by the Dean and Rosemarie Buntrock Foundation and the William T. Grant Foundation.

Monday Evening FEBRUARY 1, 2k10

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HAPPY FEBRUARY EVERYBODY!!

SOOO the new $3.83 TRILLION dollar budget doesn't include NASA's effort to return to the moon in 2020. It DOES include a 1.56 trillion dollar deficit. It DOES contain over 9,000 'earmarks', or 'pork'. Whether you're a Republican or Democrat, somethings in Washington NEVER change.

Although President Barack Obama's push for a health care overhaul has stalled, conservative lawmakers in about half the states are forging ahead with constitutional amendments to ban government health insurance mandates.

Rip Torn was so intoxicated when he broke into a Connecticut bank Friday carrying a loaded gun that he thought he was home, taking off his hat and boots and leaving them by the door, according to court records. The 78-year-old actor was wearing the same battered boots Monday when he was arraigned on several charges after spending the weekend in a police holding cell near his hometown of Salisbury, in northwestern Connecticut. Torn, who did not enter a plea, was released on $100,000 bond a few hours later.

A U.S. attempt to shoot down a ballistic missile mimicking an attack from Iran failed after a malfunction in a radar built by Raytheon Co, the Defense Department said.

A popular and eye-popping mix of stars like Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga drew a TV audience of 25.8 million Americans to the Grammy Awards -- the biggest TV audience for the telecast in six years, according to preliminary television ratings on Monday.

A traffic reporter in a small plane put himself in the thick of a rush-hour tie-up when his aircraft had to make an emergency landing Monday morning on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Some of the new Super Bowl ads this year will be a hoot! One will reunite Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo as the Griswolds. One will feature Steeler Troy Palamulu as punxsutawney phil, and GoDaddy.com will feature Danica Patrick in several movie spookfs- one including her version of Kelly LeBrock's "Lisa" character from "Weird Science".

and finally--

Twenty-five years after star-studded anthem "We Are the World" raised millions of dollars to aid famine relief in Africa, celebrities of a different generation were set to gather Monday night to re-record the charity tune to benefit Haiti.

Among those scheduled to perform on the revamped track the night after the Grammy Awards were Akon, Jason Mraz, Bono, Wyclef Jean, Carlos Santana, Enrique Iglesias, Usher, Toni Braxton and Lady Gaga. The session will be held at the same recording studio where the original was cut - the historic A&M complex in Hollywood.

Quincy Jones, who produced the 1985 anthem, announced last week that he planned to redo the song to benefit recovery from the deadly Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti.

The session was all the talk at Sunday night's Grammy festivities. Music producer RedOne said being asked to participate was "the biggest honor a musician can ever do."

"Having Quincy, our father of music ... and Lionel Richie asking me to contribute and help, I said of course, because this is not about me," he said. "It's about Haiti."

Written by Michael Jackson and Richie, the original "We Are the World" thundered up the charts when it was released on the radio and in record stores in March 1985.

An unprecedented number of top pop musicians gathered at A&M the night of Jan. 28, 1985, following the American Music Awards, to record the tune. The song featured 45 American superstars, including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan and Cyndi Lauper.

The record raised more than $30 million for USA for Africa, a nonprofit organization founded by the singers to fund hunger relief in African nations.