North Sister ~ South Sister

Top Chef Show and Food Network Star

2008-06-13T14:24:00.000-07:00

Top Chef : Chicago, Season Four has come to an end. I always enjoy this show hosted by Padma Lakshmi, with Tom Colicchio as head judge, and Gail Simmons and Ted Allen judging.

The challenges the contestants go through are rather interesting for the most part. Much of the food, like the food on the Food Network’s Iron Chef, is food that I would never prepare myself nor would I eat. But despite that, I like to see the creativity in the kitchen, the cooking skills, the presentation of the foods.

I was hoping that Richard Blais or Stephanie Izard would win. And it was down to the wire, with Stephanie pulling out the win. $100,000 isn’t bad plus all the other publicity they receive. It was hard for me to cheer on Lisa Fernanades as she often looked angry and defiant, rather than enjoying what she did, and although some of her dishes sounded good, many did not. So I believe the right chef won.

I also like watching the Food Network’s Iron Chef as mentioned, and their Next Food Network Star competition, this time hosted by Bobby Flay. On this show I again enjoy the judges, Susie Fogelson and Bob Tuschman. I was sorry to see Kevin Roberts eliminated so soon .

My favorite cooking shows are Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray, Ina Garten the Barefoot Contessa, Paula Dean and Emeril, for the most part. And again, I cook little of what I see on the shows. But because I like food, I like watching.

I guess it satisfies my appetite.

Linda

Molly the Pony and Her New Leg

2008-05-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

By Linda Pendleton: This is about about an incredible pony named Molly has been making rounds this week on the Internet. Molly's story is heartwarming and inspirational and for me personally it also has a deeper meaning because I, too, now wear a prosthesis, following my recent below the knee amputation of my left leg December 7, 2007. (At some point in the not too distant future I will be writing/blogging about my own experience).

In less I'm mistaken, this article below is written by Fran Jurga and posted in March on her "Hoofblog." She has the website Hoofcare.com and resulting Journal on horse care and related subjects.

As I've recently discovered, prosthetics are not at all uncommon for animals. Anchor Orthotics and Prosthetics Company in Sacramento, with an office in Auburn, CA., does work with animals along with us humans. My personal Prosthetist is Anchor's Jon Erdmann at the Auburn office, and he has been great to work with these past few months. Anchor owner and Orthotist Terry McDonald and staff work with the U.C. Davis Veterinary School. So apparently animal Orthotics and Prosthetics are not as unusual as one might think.

But this story of Molly, a "gray speckled pony" is rather amazing. A children's book, MOLLY THE PONY by Pam Kaster, has just been published. I'm sure the heartwarming and touching story of Molly and the people who have surrounded her, the veterinary surgeon, the prosthetist, Molly's regular vet, and the rescue farm owner, will be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Molly is now doing what I hope to be doing in the near future and that is inspiring others who may be facing or have faced the loss of a limb. Giving hope, that is what it is all about--and Molly has it right.

Here is the article:

I’ve written plenty of articles over the years about horses who survived amputation surgery. There was Boitron, the California Thoroughbred stallion who could service mares even though he was missing a leg. There were Dr. Ric Redden’s dramatic cases of founder survivors who galloped around his paddock on artificial feet with "transplanted frogs". Dr. Chris Colles had the never-say-die Appaloosa in England with the spring-loaded foot. And who can forget that paint yearling in India? Or the landmine-maimed elephant amputee in Thailand? Longtime Hoofcare and Lameness Journal readers will remember them all.

Now, my friends, meet Molly. She’s a gray-speckled "POA" pony who was abandoned by her owners when Katrina hit southern Louisiana. She spent weeks on her own before finally being rescued and taken to a farm where abandoned animals were stockpiled. While there, she was attacked by a pit bull terrier, and almost died. Her gnawed right front leg became badly infected and her vet went to the veterinarians at Louisiana State University (LSU) for help. But LSU was overwhelmed, and this pony was an equine refugee. No [credit] card dangled from her frayed halter. If you've ever had an animal in need of major surgery, you know what the criteria is.

But after the local veterinarian persisted, LSU surgeon Rustin Moore agreed to meet Molly, and that meeting changed his mind. He saw how the pony was careful to lie down on different sides so she didn't seem to get sores, and how she allowed people to handle her raw, infected limb. When she stood up, she protected her injured leg. She constantly shifted her weight, and didn’t overload her good leg. She was a smart pony with a serious survival ethic.

Moore agreed to remove her leg below the knee and a temporary artificial limb was built. The Humane Society of the United States and Lifesavers Inc. (an animal-angel arm of Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue in California) provided the funds for the operation. Molly walked out of the clinic and her story really begins there.

“This was the right horse and the right owner," Moore insists. “Molly happened to be a one-in-a-million patient. She’s tough as nails, but sweet, and she was willing to cope with pain. She made it obvious she understood (that) she was in trouble.” The other important factor, according to Moore, is having a truly committed and compliant owner who is dedicated to providing the daily care required over the lifetime of the horse.

Molly’s story turns into a parable for life in post-Katrina Louisiana. The little pony gained weight, her mane felt a comb. A human prosthesis designer built her a leg.

“The prosthetic has given Molly a whole new life,” Allison Barca DVM, Molly's regular vet, reports. “And she asks for it! She will put her little limb out, and come to you and let you know that she wants you to put it on. Sometimes she wants you to take it off too." And sometimes, Molly gets away from Barca. “It can be pretty bad when you can't catch a three-legged horse,” she laughs.

Most important of all, Molly has a job now. Kaye, the shelter farm owner, started taking Molly to shelters, hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers--anywhere she thought that people needed hope after losing so much in the storm. Wherever Molly went, she showed people her pluck. She inspired people. And she had a good time doing it. “It’s obvious to me that Molly had a bigger role to play in life,” Moore said, “She survived the hurricane, she survived a horrible injury, and now she is giving hope to others.”“She's not back to normal,” Barca concluded. “She's going to be better. To me, she could be a symbol for New Orleans itself.”

This month, Molly the Pony, a children’s book about the pony who has already inspired thousands of people around New Orleans, has been published. It’s not a book about amputation or prosthetics, it’s a book about people and ponies. But the photos you see here are a few of the great ones from the book.

Maybe Molly won’t make the vet textbooks, but she might reach more people from the pages of this book for children. If you know a child, a library, a hospital, or maybe a therapeutic riding program that can use a lift, here’s a book that can do that. And a lot more.

HOW TO ORDER: This book is an oversized, square "laminated" (so it wipes clean) hard cover book. It will arrive in a large, flat mailer and may not fit in your mailbox.Hoofcare Publishing is proud to offer it for sale to you at the price of $15.95 each plus $6 post. A portion of the sales price will go toward Molly's fund.

Click here for our faxable, mailable, printable order form.To order by mail, send check or money to Hoofcare Books, 19 Harbor Loop, Gloucester MA 01930.To order by phone, call in orders to (USA) 978 281 3222. Please note that it may be a while before your call is returned. Fax is by far the best way to get your order in. You may leave your name, address, phone number and Visa or Mastercard account number and expiry date on the voice mail. Please speak slowly and clearly.To order by fax, transmit orders to (USA) 978 283 8775.

NOTE: FOREIGN ORDERS require $12 per book postage.EMAIL orders to directly books@hoofcare.com or franjurga@earthlink.net. Visa or Mastercard accepted; please supply account number and expiration date. When ordering, please give phone and/or email details.

You will LOVE this book--and Molly!

PS Many, many thanks to all the people who are forwarding the link to this story around the web--and around the world. This has been the most popular story ever posted on this blog, and deservedly so. We have added it to the permanent book offerings on our hoofcare.com web site.

Interesting to note: almost everyone who has called was ordering as a gift for a child with some sort of a hurdle to overcome. And no one ordered just one! It is the perfect gift for that...and I am so moved by the stories that callers have told me. Thank you, everyone. This is truly a "grassroots" effort since neither the university nor I has the funds to properly promote Molly and her story. She's an underground classic!

[Photos from Pam Kaster's book, Molly the Pony.]

* * * * * * * * * *

I hope you found this story of Molly as fascinating and as heartwarming as I have. It seems the book would be worth having. ~ Linda

Stephen Marlowe, Author, Obituary

2008-05-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

This obituary of Stephen Marlowe was written by fellow author, and his long time friend, Graham Andrews.

From The London Times Online
April 30, 2008

Stephen Marlowe
Once described as America’s most prolific mystery writer who became known in the 1950s for his series featuring the dour Washington private eye, Chester Drum

Until Fawcett Publications of New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut, brought out the first Gold Medal novel in 1950, paperback companies had usually played safe with tried-and-tested reprints. Gold Medal discovered or developed such seminal American popular fiction authors as John D. MacDonald, Richard S. Prather, and Stephen Marlowe.

Stephen Marlowe was born Milton Lesser in Brooklyn, New York City in 1928. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1949, with a BA in philosophy. He would found the first Writer-in-Residence program there in 1974. An editorial job at the Scott Meredith Literary Agency, 1949-50, was followed by US Army service, 1952-54, finishing as a corporal. He then spent the rest of his life as a full-time writer.

Some eighty science-fiction stories by Milton Lesser appeared between 1951 and 1958. “Do It Yourself” (Science Fiction Quarterly, November 1957) is a worthy example. Its hero, Robert A. McPeek, belongs to an outlawed union of itinerant handymen in post-Third World War America. Lesser wrote three novels for the juvenile market: Earthbound (1952), The Star Seekers (1953), and Stadium Beyond the Stars (1960). Recruit for Andromeda (1959) is his best adult science-fiction novel: “Once mankind gets out to the stars and begins to spread out across the galaxy, he’ll be immortal despite his best — make that worst — efforts to destroy himself,” he write in his Introduction.

After changing his name to Stephen Marlowe, in hommage to Raymond Chandler, he produced a quick succession of mystery novels: Catch the Brass Ring (1954), Turn Left for Murder, and Model for Murder (both 1955). Turn Left for Murder puts a young Second World War veteran firmly and unfairly on the gangland spot.

The Second Longest Night (1955), published by Gold Medal, brought us the globetrotting and very private eye Chester Drum. Nicknamed “Chet” by the favoured few, Drum is an erstwhile FBI agent, only somewhat less dour than Fox Mulder of The X-Files. But he’s usually got a lot to be dour about; not least having a home base in even-then unsavoury Washington, DC. But it forms an unusual background for mystery fiction and much of the action takes place in genuinely exotic Venezuela. It gained critical praise rarely accorded paperback originals, with The New York Times calling it “effectively and restrainedly told”.

Mecca for Murder followed in 1956, in which Chester Drum makes a professional pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Next year saw the publication of Trouble is My Name, Murder is My Dish, Killers Are My Meat. Such Horror is My Hobby-type titles seldom matched the actual contents, but they sure made life easier for bookstore browsers. The marvellously mad Death is My Comrade (1960) doesn’t so much suspend disbelief as hang it out in the wind to dry.

In 1959, Marlowe collaborated with his fellow Gold Medal author Richard S. Prather (obituary, April 20, 2007) on Double in Trouble, which effectively teamed Chester Drum with Prather’s much more happy-go-lucky Hollywood private eye Shell Scott. It was one of the year’s best-selling mystery paperbacks. The last Chester Drum novel, Drum Beat — Marianne, appeared from Gold Medal in 1968. Drum Beat: The Chester Drum Casebook was published in 2003: it contained five short stories and one novel, Drum Beat — Dominique (1965).

Dead Man’s Tale (1961) was one of Marlowe’s most commercially successful novels, even if most of the money went to the by-lined Ellery Queen. The pseudonym Jason Ridgway was used to write four novels about the investigator Brian Guy in a frankly incredible Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! brand-name series, 1960-1966. But he would soon write more substantial thrillers like The Search for Bruno Heidler (1966), The Summit (1970), and The Man with No Shadow (1974). The Valkyrie Encounter (1978) is a radical take on the July Plot to assassinate Hitler.

Marlowe’s personal life had been disrupted in 1962 by divorce from his first wife, the psychologist Leigh Lang, whom he had married in 1950. Two years later, he entered into a second and happily life-long marriage with the Canadian writer-editor Ann Humbert. “I began to wander the world in earnest,” he once said. “Not, come to think of it, unlike Chet Drum.” He would spend most of the next few decades living in Switzerland, France, and Spain.

The Shining (1963) was his first historical novel, concerning the charismatic Athenian general, Alcibiades. Marlowe used the title long before Stephen King. Mary Renault or Rosemary Sutcliff couldn’t have done it better. Ten years later, he wrote the now better-known Colossus: A Novel about Goya and a world gone mad. “As good a novel about an artist as The Moon is Sixpence and The Horse’s Mouth and, in some ways, even better,” according to Stephen Longstreet.

Both these novels can be seen as dry runs for The Memoirs of Christopher Columbus (1987), which was “co-written” with Stephen Marlowe and became an international best-seller. In this book, Marlowe explained, “the name of the game is to determine where facts leave off and fancy begins.” For just one example: “Legend has it — are you ready? — that I, Christóbal Cólon, before sailing west across the Ocean Sea from the southern coast of Spain in 1492 stepped ashore on Claddagh Quay right here in Galway from my flagship Santa Maria to pray in the church of St. Nicholas of Myra for a safe voyage to America. I don’t have to tell you how many things are wrong with that legend!”

Marlowe played the same game in The Death and Life of Miguel de Cervantes (1991), but to ultimately more sombre effect. The title is chronologically exact. It is currently in the process of being filmed. He considered this to be his best novel. The Lighthouse at the End of the World (1995), however, showed his great admiration for Edgar Allan Poe. James (Deliverance) Dickey wrote the following dust-jacket endorsement: “In this extraordinary novel, Stephen Marlowe helps us to see the mysterious figure of Poe more clearly than ever before.” Lighthouse has also been optioned for filming.

The New York Times once called Stephen Marlowe the most prolific mystery writer in America, to which he responded: “Good Lord, I don’t want to be the most prolific anything; I would love to be the best.” His fifty-plus novels were translated into at least twenty foreign-language editions. Marlowe had just finished writing his autobiography (forthcoming from Stark House in 2009) and he had been working on a novel set in contemporary America.

Marlowe received France’s Prix Gutenberg du Livre in 1988 and the Life Achievement Award of the Private Eye Writers of America in 1997.

He is survived by his wife, Ann, and two daughters.

Stephen Marlowe, author, was born on August 7, 1928. He died after a long illness on February 22, 2008, aged 79

Graham Andrews tells me he has written an article on Marlowe and it will appear in the June Issue of The New York Review of Science Fiction.

~Linda

Same War.....Different Year

2008-01-13T01:23:00.000-08:00

As of January 1, 2008 at least 3,904 U.S. Military have died since the beginning of the Iraq War, according to A.P.

Due to my personal circumstances, I have been away from a lot of news coverage in recent weeks, but even if I had been "on top of the news" the Iraq war coverage has taken a secondary position with the presidential campaign taking the majority of air time.

What will that number, 3,904, grow to by January 2009, the month a new President comes into power?

What then?

What now?

As many of us knew, G. W. Bush will not end the war, will not bring our troops home. Nope. He's happy to leave all this dirt to be cleaned up by others.

Today, on his mid-east trip, in a meeting with General Petraeus, Bush refused to commit to Iraq troop withdrawal, and even indicated a slowing or halting of planned troop withdrawal.

Also on this trip he is expected to promise 20 BILLION in advanced weaponry to his hand-holding buddies, the Saudi Arabia royal family.

Last fall when the weapons deal first surfaced, opposition from Congress soon posponed it. However on Monday the Bush administration is notifying Congress it intends to conclude the deal. Did you get that? 20 BILLION of advanced precision guided missils!

The Democrats are wanting change. That sounds good. The majority of Americans have wanted change for quite sometime. I'm beginning to believe that "change" is only an illusion.

Nothing really changes in politics and government.

~Linda

The Look of Elvis

2007-08-16T11:32:00.001-07:00

Elvis Lives On

2007-08-16T03:22:00.000-07:00

It has been thirty years since Elvis Presley died. It hardly seems possible. Throughout life there are a handful of events in which one can remember where they were and what they were doing when it happened. Things like the Kennedy assassination, your wedding ceremony, birth of a child, 9-11, a special celebration, are usually recalled with vivid memory. For many of us, the day Elvis died is imprinted in our memory.

I was at my arts and craft store, and decided to go across the street to the hometown drug store and buy a snack. I was paying for my candy bars when a small radio sitting on the shelf behind the cashier, announced the news of Elvis’ death. Unbelievable. I walked out, and stood on the corner feeling sadness, feeling a loss of an old friend. I never saw Elvis in person.

It all began for me in 1956. Some years back I wrote this, through the eyes of the teenager I once was:

Sharon was still excited as we went into the small record store a short distance from our homes. She had been excited since the previous day when she called to share her discovery with me. She told me I wouldn't believe my ears. But who was this guy anyway? I had never heard of him before. What a funny name. Elvis?

The owner of the store put the 45 record on the turntable and the music began. Wow! Sharon had been right. I could not believe my ears.

What a song, what a voice! Where had this guy come from? She had told me last night on the telephone that he was good looking and as I listened to the music I studied his face on the poster that was hanging on the wall. What an understatement she had made. This guy was gorgeous, and man, so sexy. Look at those eyes! I do not believe that charisma or sex appeal was really a part of my vocabulary then but it would not be long before those words became attached to his name in my mind.

The store owner was trying to sell us. Heck, he did not have to do that. Who wouldn't have wanted to take Elvis home with them? Any young girl in her right mind would and he told us that if we bought the record we would also receive an Elvis poster along with it. We could not dig the money out of our purses fast enough.

Elvis was going home with each of us! We were in love!

Let me tell you, that guy would never find himself at the end of some lonely street in some run-down hotel. No, not if the two of us were around. You could bet on that!

A few months later, we were at our local theater numerous times watching Love Me Tender.

Now, fifty-one years later, I see on television the tens of thousands who are in Memphis to honor Elvis. Wednesday night 50,000 were expected at a candlelight vigil at Graceland. People have come from Europe and Asia, from everywhere, to Memphis.

Elvis hasn’t died. Not really....

Linda
P.S. Sharon and I have been friends since we were six years old! A long time!

Best-selling Author Catherine Coulter Book Signing

2007-08-13T01:26:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a book signing by best-selling author, Catherine Coulter at a local used bookstore in Roseville. Nancy had alerted me to the fact that Coulter would be appearing. Nancy reads her books and was looking forward to the latest FBI Thriller, Double Take, featuring husband and wife special agents, Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock.

I decided to attend to get Nancy an autographed copy of the hardcover for her upcoming birthday.

Catherine writes historical romance and contemporary suspense thrillers. Her publishing career is rather impressive. Her first romance was published in 1978 and she has written more than fifty books. Since the publication of her first FBI thriller her books have been best sellers.

I may have read some of her earlier books, I don’t know, but I have not read any of these thrillers. I did get an autographed copy for myself, and one of the early ones in the series. The bookstore had brought in new copies of every book she wrote so there was a big choice of her writing.

Coulter spoke for 45 minutes or more before signing. She’s an attractive, petite woman and had on a nice stylish brown suit and brown pumps with a 3 or 4 inch heel. Her skirt was much too high above the knee, inches, and should be left to those under 30 years of age. (She’ll be 65 in December, but does look damn good for her age...my age). She is apparently known for "her legs" as she was recently voted "Best Legs" at a Romance Writers Convention in San Diego. She was interesting, humorous, and answered questions from her fans. I say her fans, because many of the group of 30-40 people knew her characters in several of her series well. Although I do not call myself a fan, I do respect the success of any writer and always want to know more about his or her creative drive and writing process.

She stood and moved around as she spoke, and even remained standing throughout the book signing. By the way, I think she did a very nice personal inscription for Nancy, wishing her a Happy Birthday.

But as I found myself envious of Catherine before long. I’m not an envious person at all, but I was envious and irritated as time went on. Why, you ask? Was it her success as a writer? NO. Her obvious wealth from collecting all those royalties? NO. Was it her appearance? NO. It was her SHOES! Every time I looked at her SHOES it irritated me. Why, you ask? Because I was standing in sandals with sore feet and a bad low back. I was in pain, and for minutes I would forget my pain as I concentrated and enjoyed what she was saying. Then I’d see the high heels again, the shoes! I was envious of her ability to wear heels of that height and be on her feet for more than two and a half hours, and looking very comfortable the whole time. Although the bookstore had refreshments and bottled water (great for a 100 degree day) they failed to provide CHAIRS. So there we all were, standing, shifting from one foot to another, holding our backs, and I was not the only one very uncomfortable. At least part of the time I had the frame of the plate glass window to lean against (hoping we did not have an earthquake roll through Northern CA). I’ve never been able to wear high heels, even in my younger days, and have always loved heels with jeans.

The woman who had arranged for Catherine’s signing there, Kim, had her own used bookstore here in town until a few months ago. I did a book signing there with my friend, author Evelyn Fuqua about three years ago. I told Kim for the next author signing they have to have chairs, and if not, I will not be there!

I did meet two other authors there who had come for Catherine’s signing. Brenda Novak who has published a number of romance and romantic suspense novels and Robin Burcell who will have her fourth novel published early 2008. Both are award winners. I liked them both. I wish we’d had more time to have discussions about writing. I would have enjoyed that. They both live in the area and Coulter lives in Sausalito, above San Francisco.

For future book signings, NO HEELS ALLOWED! Only sandals, boots, flats, tennies, and oh, slippers.

~ Linda

Photograph from Minneapolis Bridge Collapse, Three Priests by Jim Gehrz, Star Tribune

2007-08-11T00:45:00.000-07:00

Following the collapse of the bridge in Minneapolis many photographs appeared online in slide shows. Both Nancy and I, separately, were so moved by one photograph and each of us found it to be profound. This photograph stood out from all the others, and is worthy of a Pulitzer and all other prestigious awards of excellence. The photo of three priest from the St. Paul Archdiocese
was taken by Jim Gehrz, award-winning photographer for the Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul.

His photograph really says it all....

~Linda

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Huge Success Story

2007-07-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter is about to hit the bookstores and quickly jump into readers’ hands at 12:01 Saturday, July 21st. This 7th and last book in J.K. Rowling’s series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, has already accumulated pre-orders of 2 million books, well above the previous record of the 6th Potter book.

The book has been Number One on Amazon for many days over the last six months or more. A few times it may have been bumped from first place for a short-lived book. According to the July 9 issue of Publishers Weekly, the book has had the highest number of Amazon pre-orders in history, one million books! The 12 million first printing is expected to fly off shelves, and although I haven’t heard, I would guess it may be into a second printing or will be before long.

The Harry Potter Series of the six prior books have sold 27.7 million books in the U.S. alone, and 22.5 copies in the UK. In addition it has been translated into more than 63 languages, with German and Japanese editions doing especially well, resulting in worldwide copies of the series so far, reaching 325 million copies. You can imagine how that figure will jump as the new publication is translated in coming months.

As we know, there are always people out there who will try and ruin things for others. Her UK publisher Bloomsbury is taking immediate legal action as a result of leaks and breaking of the on-sale legal agreements, with information of the book popping up on the Internet. Scholastic, her U.S. publisher, issued a statement asking fans to "please not spoil the book for the rest of we Harry Potter fans who are eagerly awaiting the final installment of the Harry Potter series and to help ‘preserve the fun and excitement for fans everywhere’."

Rowling has posted this message on her website as of July 18:

"We are almost there! As launch night looms, let’s all, please ignore the misinformation popping up on the web and in the press on the plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I’d like to ask everyone who calls themselves a Potter fan to help preserve the secrecy of the plot for all those who are looking forward to reading the book at the same time on publication day. In a very short time you will know EVERYTHING!"

I’ve been happy for J.K. Rowling’s success as a writer, and it has turned out to be quite an incredible success. She is richer than the Queen of England and the # 2 richest in the entertainer category, just behind Oprah. J.K. Rowling is the highest earning novelist in literary history and it is well deserved.

From the first I heard of her Harry Potter book, I have been intrigued how the story came to her during a four hour train ride. Not just the idea for a book, but the plot for a series of seven books! And the "dream" came to her when she was down-and-out as a struggling, single mother. A beautiful success story!

It’s so ironic and, I suppose, satisfying to me that the books have been such a world-wide success after the outcry from some religious groups and others who wanted the books banned. It is a good example how those outcries were based on fear, and control, instead of looking at Harry Potter and gang as a magical and fictional fantasy story of good, enjoyable (and harmless) entertainment enjoyed by children and adults, alike.

Google presently lists 4,780,000 references to the title Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That shows how powerful words are.

As Lord Byron said years ago: "Words are things; and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions think."

~ Linda

Next Food Network Star Coming Up.

2007-07-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

The Next Food Network Star competition is down to the final two on Sunday night. I’ve enjoyed the show this year as much as I did last season’s.

I had been cheering for contestant Paul McCullough, a self-taught chef and successful caterer from Los Angeles. I was very disappointed when he was eliminated as I thought he had the best personality and stage presence and would have been enjoyable to watch on a cooking show.

Jag, the contestant who was chosen one of the final two, the other being Rory Schepisi, was not a favorite at all. Although he seemed to be a very good cook, his personality appeared somewhat unpredictable. I doubt he would have been the best choice for a show. And as it turned out he left the show when it was discovered he had fudged on personal information he had given the Food Network. It’s too bad, but I imagine he will have other opportunities in his career.

Amy Finley, the third in line, was brought back and the final vote is now between Rory and Amy. Although Amy has done well, and seems fairly good in front of the camera, the theme of her cooking appears to be more gourmet and French than I am interested in. Rory’s cooking theme is more every day, down to earth, and I believe I would prefer to watch her show. And because she was chosen as finalist, I think she deserves to win. We’ll see what happens Sunday after the viewer vote is counted. (I fooled around and didn’t get my vote for Rory).

My favorite Food Network Show is Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa. I enjoy her quiet style and manner. I also like Paula Deen. Paula is forever humorous and never boring. Next would be Rachel Ray, Michael Chiarello, Bobby Flay, and Emeril Lagasse. I also like Iron Chef. I’m far from a gourmet cook, and I don’t cook seafood, so often the dishes prepared are not what I’m interested in cooking, or eating, for that matter.

I am also watching Bravo’s Top Chef again. I like the judges, and the challenge’s are really challenges! Amazing how they come through on some of those challenges.

These two reality shows are the kind I like. (Also American Idol and Dancing With the Stars). I’ve been watching American Inventor again this season. This weekend, Home and Garden TV’s Design Star’s new season begins, so I will be catching that one, also.

It seems my TV throughout the day is most always on Food Network or Home and Garden if not on the cable news, MSNBC or CNN. I do get a lot of reruns though, even on the news channels.

~Linda

Michael Moore Blitzes Blitzer, CNN, the Media, and Dr. Gupta's Comments

2007-07-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

Michael Moore’s appearance on CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and last night on Larry King with Dr. Gupta is exactly why I have respect for Moore and his work. He is brilliant and has passion for what is right.
See interviews at Michael Moore's website: http://www.michaelmoore.com/

I look forward to seeing Sicko soon, and I plan to buy it on DVD. It’s people such as Michael Moore who have a platform at their toe-tips to climb upon with passion and address the slanted (or lack of) news, the corruption, special interests (oil, pharmaceutical, insurance, automakers, etc.) and inadequacies we have in this country (and elsewhere). I have been on my tiny platform blogging about the lack of responsibility of the news media, the "art" of distraction of the administration and media, and everyone I know is so fed up with what the media presents repeatedly day in and day out. Paris Hilton being the most recent example. People have nonchalantly accepted for too long.

It occurred to me a long time ago, in the hot August summer of 1962, during the Watts Riot that the TV stations were giving slanted news, in that case, the local Los Angeles TV stations. I also had a mother-in-law during those early years who believed every word she read in the newspaper without question, even though it would be brought to her attention by those in the know that the article was not factual. But she would dismiss that and say the "paper said...." Makes me again wonder how many people either ignore any news, or only listen to sound bites, and never investigate stories on their own. I suppose polls that show 18 % of people, even now, believe that Saddam Hussein is the one who caused and carried out 9-11, tells us how some people don’t look for answers, and buy into all the slanted news or actions of their administration without question or further fact checking, or maybe just don’t give a darn what is happening to their country.

We deserve universal medical care in this country. Hillary tried very hard to get it going but was shot down a few years ago. I never dreamed I would be anxious to turn sixty five so I could have Medicare. For the last four years I have been paying $15,100 a year for my group medical insurance premiums, and a couple of my medications were not even covered. In three weeks I get Medicare coverage. With AARP supplemental and Part D RX, it will now cost me less than $2000 a year. I have had medical insurance since I was 18 years old, and always refused to have an HMO, and when I moved back to CA and learned what my premiums would be I tried to get Blue Cross and was turned down. I was without insurance for a month and was in a panic. I know you know well the medical insurance situation and cost of drugs. It is shameful the drug companies spend billions on advertising and will not lower drug prices, and that the insurance companies control our lives, the amount of medical care we receive, and when we receive it. And some think their doctors are Gods, and do not question treatment, refuse treatment, or demand second opinions.

I admire those such as Michael Moore, Rosie O’Donnell, Elizabeth Edwards, Anderson Cooper, Keith Olbermann, Lou Dobbs, Gen. Wesley Clark, Jimmy Carter, Angelina Jolie, Bono, Madonna, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Jon Bon Jovi, Bill Gates; Melissa Etheridge, Oprah, and a few others who speak out boldly about world wide issues and hopefully give people something to think about. I may not always agree with each of them on all issues, but I like what they stand for:

Boldly Speaking Out.
Positive Action for the Benefit of Others.
Are Visionary Thinkers.
Do Charitable Work.
Challenge the Apparent Wrongs.
Have Humanitarian and Spiritual Values.
Use their Platform for Positive Outcomes.
Passion for What They Believe In.

Those are reasons they have my respect and admiration. I mention John Edwards’ wife here because she confronted (with calmness and respect) Ann Coulter about the hateful and outrageous comments that Coulter repeatedly writes in her books and says on TV appearances. And I blame the media for giving Coulter the platform to spread hate and falsehoods.

Elizabeth Edwards is a classy, intelligent, compassionate, and sincere woman, and I would love to see her as First Lady.

For some people in this country, it has taken four years to think, to pay attention, and come to the conclusion the Iraq war was wrong. There are still about 23% who do not believe the war has gone badly. (Apparently G. W. Bush is one of the 23 % as he just stated, we will "win this fight in Iraq.")

It’s too bad we couldn’t have a country where there was equality and respect for every person, and where political affiliation was out of the picture and our government representatives did not have self-interest, special interest, as their motivating factor, and corruption, greed, and power were absent. A world like that is only a figment of our imagination, I guess. But we can dream....of that kind of world for our grandchildren, if only they pay attention and keep their eyes open, they may move a little closer to that fantasy, that now seems so lost to us.

~Linda

Responsible TV News Shows??

2007-06-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

My question of the day is: Why are responsible TV News Shows such as ABC’s Good Morning America and MSNBC’s Chris Matthews giving Ann Coulter a platform to continue to spread her hatred and outrageous comments? It is time she is banned from TV news shows. I will not go into her latest hate-filled, disgusting words in regards (again) to John Edwards in Monday’s interview on Good Morning America, but her comments are worse every time she gets on one of her "political" rants. Her latest book is out in paperback now and, no doubt, she will have a platform for hatred all week.

~Linda

Stem Cell Research Veto -- Where are Our Voices?!

2007-06-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

We have a determined president–a president who is determined to go against the majority of the citizens in our country, once again. Wednesday, for the second time he vetoed the Stem Cell Research Bill. Scientific research which could save hundreds of millions of Americans from devastating diseases–hundred of millions of people who could greatly benefit from the research and use of stem cells, now and in the future. Whatever the majority of Americans want, we can be assured we will not get it from this Administration. Obviously, it is more important to George W. Bush to follow his own personal agenda. Again, I cringed when I saw his comments with his usual grin/sneer when he pats himself on the back for achieving his personal goal.

How does the man look himself in the mirror every morning? Maybe Laura shaves his face so he doesn’t have to look. He pretends he cares about life?–And moral issues? Sure, he does. He’s shown us how he does by allowing this war to go on, daily military deaths, Iraqi civilian deaths, lack of response to Katrina, ignoring other terrible atrocities taking place in the world, and holding us in fear (if we allow it) of the invasion of Iran or another "enemy" at any time. Seems to me we have an egotistical nut for a president who cares not for human life.

I’m not happy with Congress, either. It is time they stood up for what their constituents want instead of playing the political game. A few Republicans are in favor of the Stem Cell Research, but only in favor if they feel it may gain votes for them? Obviously not enough of Congress is willing to go along with what the majority of the American people are in favor of and override the veto.

Senator John Edwards released the following statement June 20th criticizing President Bush's veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act:
"President Bush had a simple choice today: direct the full force of American scientific ingenuity towards responsible, life-saving medical research or pander to a narrow segment of his political base. With his veto, he made the wrong choice, pushing medical breakthroughs that could help millions of Americans further away. We need a president who will embrace science-driven policy, rather than politically-biased science."

And Senator Obama stated:
"By vetoing funding for stem cell research once again, the President is deferring the hopes of millions of Americans who do not have the time to keep waiting for the cure that may save or extend their lives. The promise that stem cells hold does not come from any particular ideology, it is the judgment of science, and we deserve a President who will put that judgment first and make this promise real for the American people."

And Hillary Clinton said something along the same lines. Why does it take a Democratic name tag, for the most part, to attempt to stand up for what the majority of Americans want? Our voices are lost in the political, special interest, and corrupt roar that comes out of Washington.

As a child in school, when time came to give a quarter or so for mice to be used in scientific research at a place such as the City of Hope in Southern CA, I decided that research was important and that God intended science to do research, or we would be ignorant to the fact that scientific research could find cures for diseases. And I was only eight years old when I came to that conclusion. Maybe some of these politicians need to go back to elementary school to learn that science and God can blend perfectly well.

Note: I was about ready to post this blog when I turned on The View on TV. The topic was Bush’s veto of the Stem Cell Bill. Joy Baher’s comment brought me laughter (she often makes me laugh) when she said we should ask if George Bush is "Smarter Than a Fifth Grader." We all should be asking that!

~ Linda

The Art of Distraction

2007-06-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

It appears "distraction" has become a skillfully planned endeavor, not only by the Bush Administration but by our news media. I’m beginning to wonder why we put up with it. I had considered last night adding comments about that to my blog and then this morning I read an article by an Associated Press reporter concerning the lack of coverage of the Iraq war by Cable News, with the so-called "fair and balanced" Fox News Channel devoting the least amount of time to it.

Not any surprise that Fox News does not give the war its proper coverage, and the other news outlets are not far behind. They don’t have time to fit it into the ridiculous coverage of something like Paris Hilton’s in, out, and in jail, with Fox News covering that all day and night.

According to the Project for Excellence in Journalism, during the first three months of this year, Fox spent half as much time covering the Iraq war than MSNBC, and considerably less than CNN. During day time news hours, the Iraq war occupied 20 percent of CNN’s daytime news and 18 percent of MSNBC’s. And Fox, only about 6 percent of the time.

Why are we not demanding decent and honest coverage of the war, of poverty in our country, the unresolved Katrina victims’ issues, the poor education of our children, the medical insurance and pharmaceutical disaster, the too-often recall of the food we eat, the government corruption, unsafe borders and ports, the many other inefficiencies of our government, and atrocities and starvation taking place in other parts of the world?

Why do we settle for sound bites, news repeated every few minutes, less and less live coverage of news events, slanted news, confrontational interviews, and other failings of good investigative reporting? CNN’s Anderson Copper 360 seems to be about the only reporter who attempts to give us good and reasonable on- the-spot news coverage.

Why is the media ignoring the horrors of the war: 3508 of our military Dead, 104 of those in April, 126 in May, and of June 7, 29 so far, 25,830 wounded, 111 suicides? One of ten soldiers from the war have been hospitalized in Europe for mental conditions. Suicide bombings, car bombs, and roadside bombs have doubled in the last year (712 to 1476). Today a bridge bombing injured our military with unconfirmed degree of injury and number. And 65,000 plus Iraq deaths since the beginning of our invasion, with numbers climbing daily.

Do we welcome these distractions so we don’t have to think about reality? Is it easier to watch Paris Hilton’s hysteria than to take a hard look at the reality of war? Do we get a kick out of watching the reporters mob the Sheriff’s car to get a photograph of the crying Paris? Does that keep us from thinking about a car bomb at a check point in Bagdad? Does her apparent need for treatment for a nervous breakdown keep us from thinking about a soldier’s breakdown from fighting a war?

Do we enjoy seeing our smiling president telling the Pope how the U.S. is stepping up humanitarian aid to improvised countries? Or enjoy his "leader of the free world" status to the Albanians, while at the same time he threatens Iran, may be on the verge of making the cold war hot again, is unwilling to listen to the majority of Americans who believe the Iraq war was wrong and it is time get out now, and is even defiant in his steadfast stand?

I do not consider any actions of Bush and Cheney to be humanitarian. Their actions are not making this a better world. Their motives are about power, greed, and oil, and they do their best to convince us otherwise with distortions, lies, fear, and distraction. It is people like Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Oprah, Bono, Sting, Angelina Jolie, Jimmy Carter, and many others who are making the world a better place with their humanitarian actions. And thank goodness for them.

"The measure of a man is what he does with power." ~ Pittacus (650?-569? B.C.)

~ Linda

Don Pendleton's Bookstore, Books, Comics by Don Pendleton and Linda Pendleton

2007-06-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

I have added a Bookstore to my official Don Pendleton Website, featuring copies of books, Comics, and bookmarks, by Don Pendleton and Linda Pendleton. I have included several of Don Pendleton’s Joe Copp, Private Eye mysteries in hardcover and paperback, Executioner: Mack Bolan Comics (some autographed), and additional fiction and nonfiction books by Don and/or Linda Pendleton.

I have designed bookmarks featuring Don Pendleton’s well-known quote, "Live Large," the theme of his Executioner: Mack Bolan original series of novels. Don Pendleton is acknowledged as the "father of the modern Action/Adventure novel." In 1997, the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume II (H-O) was published and gives derivation credit for "live large" to Don Pendleton and his Executioner Series of novels. The phrase has become common usage in recent times.

I also have bookmarks with Dr. James Martin Peebles’ quotations. All items are available for purchase through Paypal.

Visit the Pendleton Bookstore at: http://www.donpendleton.com/bookstore.htm

~ Linda

Gardening

2007-06-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

One thing I miss is not having a vegetable garden. I’ve often had one. During the 1970s in Southern CA, my family and several of the neighbors each had gardens. We all grew tomatoes and zucchini, and other vegetables. I love zucchini cooked in several ways: steamed with light Italian seasoning, fried, boiled, and in omelets. If you’ve ever grown zucchini, you know it grows fast. One day you see the small yellow blossom, and before you know it, it’s ready to pick. I think you can hear them growing in the dark of night! A couple of summers in that neighborhood, we all had such big crops of zucchini and tomatoes we should have opened a farmers market on the street corner. LOL. Instead, we made loaves of zucchini bread, canned many jars of pickled zucchini, and all swore that we would take turns each summer planting crops. But by the time the next spring came, we were all planting our own gardens again.

"One is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth."
Dorothy Gurney (1858-1932).

I believe Nancy and I had an appreciation for flower and vegetable gardens from an early age. Loved working the rich soil with hands, and loved the results of our planting. This early picture of us shows how we loved getting dirty and eating our fresh grown carrots. :-)

This picture of me tending the garden was a little later. I was digging among the corn.

How’s this for a zucchini? This was from Don’s and my garden in Southern CA. Normally we picked zucchini when much smaller, but you know how it is: they can hide under the big leaves!

Two additional quotes I like are:

"I found that when I talk to the little flower or to the little peanut they will give up their secrets...." ~George Washington Carver (1864-1943).

and as our distant cousin Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) said:

"Die when I may, I want it said by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow."

So maybe Nancy and I have an appreciation for gardens in our genes....

~Linda

P.S. Update: Apparently Delta and Dawn swam under the Golden Gate Bridge out into the Pacific, during the night hours Tuesday.

Update On Whales, Delta and Dawn

2007-05-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

It appears Delta and Dawn are now determined to return to the Pacific Ocean. After undergoing shooting streams of water from fire hoses, tissue sample extractions, and injected antibiotics, Friday and Saturday, on Sunday afternoon the pair began to move rather determinedly downstream. By Sunday evening they were spotted just east of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge area, and today they are continuing their travel and as long as they don’t veer off the proper path they should find their way into San Francisco Bay and then out to sea soon. The Coast Guard are keeping a close watch on them and I assume ready with the shooting water streams if they change direction.

It has been two weeks since they were spotted inland. I read an estimate on Delta’s size as being about 45 feet long, 60,000 to 70,000 lbs, and the calf likely to be a large one year old or a small two year old.

I’m still curious, as many are, including scientist, as to what made them swim inland and into fresh water, and then to suddenly decide to now retrace their path from the ocean. Fascinating.

Let’s hope they are able to make their way through San Francisco Bay and dodge any ships that may be there.

~ Linda

Humpback Whales, Delta and Dawn in Sacramento

2007-05-22T01:24:00.000-07:00

I’ve been wondering if Delta and Dawn are related to Humphrey?

If you haven’t been catching the news this past week, you may not have any idea what the heck I’m writing about. Delta and Dawn are names given to two wayward humpback whales, a mother and her calf, who have wandered inland more than ninety miles to the port of Sacramento, CA. Humphrey is the 40 foot, 40 ton, humpback whale who made nearly the same excursion in 1985. He went as far as Rio Vista, twenty miles or so south of the port of Sacramento. He wondered around the deep channel for nearly a month before swimming back to the Golden Gate area and out to sea. Then in 1990 he was spotted again inland at the Bodega Bay area. His adventure nearly ended when he beached himself in the mud in San Francisco. He was last seen in 1991. There is a plaque at Rio Vista honoring Humphrey’s Sacramento River journey. Many of the people out observing Delta and Dawn are children and grandchildren of those who saw Humphrey on his travels.

Delta and Dawn, names picked by choice of local television viewers, were spotted in the Sacramento River up stream of Rio Vista, May 14. Take a look at a map and see how amazing their journey has been from the Pacific Ocean to Sacramento. The deep channel is not very wide at all. When they arrived at the port area the other day, they swam in circles, unable to go further north because of locks. On Friday, the coast guard and marine mammal people used whale sounds in the hopes of tempting them to start a swim south but that did not work. They decided to leave them alone for the weekend and then on Sunday they started to move south and went as far as the Rio Vista bridge, but then turned around and headed north again. The Coast Guard, Fish and Game, and County Sheriff’s put a floatilla of about 25 boats in action today to discourage their movement north but by late Monday afternoon they were about five miles north of the Rio Vista bridge heading toward the port again. The experts believe the bridge may have stressed them, with the vibrations of traffic crossing, etc., causing them to reverse their course again.

Monday they had hoped to insert a tag tracking device in Delta but put that off until Tuesday. They did take a tissue sample for genetic study from her to check her health and identify what pod they may be from. They also began banging on pipes underwater from the boats to encourage their movement away, and plan to use that device again Tuesday morning.

Another question I have is what would make whales leave their migration route and stray so far from the ocean? I don’t think the scientist can answer that unless a reason is that the mammal is ill. So that leaves another possibility: maybe some time back, Humphrey mentioned his adventures and this mother had nothing else to do but do some inland exploration. Let’s hope she hasn’t got herself and her young calf into a situation she cannot get out of.

Oh, one more question comes to mind. How do the experts know that Delta and Dawn are female. They said that from the beginning of the sighting. I assume the calf swims with the mother but they have stated the calf is female. Does it have to do with coloration? Or?
For some great video of the adventures of Delta and Dawn check out the Sacramento Television station web site. They’ve had great coverage.
http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=28080

The natural migration of birds, butterflies, and mammals has always fascinated me. The swallows returning every March 19, St. Joseph’s Day, to San Juan Capistrano Mission; the Monarch butterflies to Pacific Grove in Northern CA; the whales; the birds. And I believe they communicate with each other. You know how it is: put out bird seed when not a single bird is in sight, and soon you have one bird, and within minutes a whole flock arrives to scatter seed!

~ Linda

Simon and Schuster and Author Contracts

2007-05-20T02:16:00.000-07:00

The Authors Guild (of which I’ve been a member since 1990) sent out a notice to members early this week to let us know that publisher, Simon and Schuster has made changes to their standard contracts with authors. Traditionally all major publishers follow the practice in which rights to a work revert to the author if the book falls out of print or if its sales are low. Their new contract language apparently will no longer include minimum sales requirement for a work to be considered in print, and the work would remain under their exclusive control as long as it is available in any form, including through its own in-house data base (POD) and not even available to be ordered by traditional bookstores. In essence, this would amount to an exclusive grants of right in perpetuity. And as the Authors Guild suggests, this would effectively mean the publisher would co-own the author’s copyright.

The Authors Guild, who represents thousands of writers, states this is unacceptable. And most authors and agents would agree! This is very troubling. It will mean more negotiation for an author to protect his rights. Simon and Schuster is now stating that the Authors Guild is over-reacting and that they will negotiate reversion clauses on a "book-by-book basis."

An author wants to have control of his work. Books normally have a short shelf life, sometimes as short as three or four months, unless it really catches on. In this scenario, Simon and Schuster could publish a book, and it might have a short run, and even after a reasonable length of time when rights traditionally and usually revert, they could continue to consider the book "in print" as a Print on Demand, forever.

In many cases, an author wants to take back the rights of out-of-print books so they can give their work a new life with a new publisher. That happens often. When Don Pendleton’s six Joe Copp, Private Eye novels and six Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective novels were out of print, I asked for the rights back and soon put them into print again.

Richard S. Prather is another example: his Shell Scott mystery series is available again after many years, and his 1952 novel, The Peddler, was published a few months ago by Hard Case Crime.

I’m sure we will be hearing more on this from literary agents and authors. It’s difficult enough negotiating a decent contract without having this added issue.

~Linda

Bush's Intrusion on American Idol

2007-05-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

I was very irritated last night by the intrusion of GW and Laura Bush on American Idol. It must have been the media coverage of controversial Sanjaya, the American Idol contestant who attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which gave him the idea to appear on Idol to thank Americans for raising 70 million dollars plus for charities here in United States and in Africa in the "Idol Gives Back " charity campaign. He took advantage of a photo opportunity to appear on the Number One rated television show for his own popularity enhancement. As far as I’m concerned, their appearance was not sincere and I believe many of the millions of viewers feel that way.

I don’t want his thanks. I feel like "how dare he!" thank us while he is wasting billions in this unwanted Iraqi war and failing to do much at all for the starving and sick people around the world. I called in 260 votes for "Idol Gives Back." Don’t you wonder how many phone call votes they each made last week to raise the money for charities such as America’s Second Harvest to feed the hungry in our country, AIDS and Malaria medications for children in Africa, and educational supplies? Nearly two years following Katrina, victims still have not received proper aid from our government, war casualties are not receiving proper medical care, 9-11 First Responders with drastic health problems are not being afforded proper help, and the list goes on. No, thanks GW. I do not believe you have a compassionate bone in your body but obviously there are millions of American Idol fans, and millions of others, who do have compassion in their hearts. Katrina donations showed us that, also. And stay off American Idol: you don’t have enough sincerity or "talent" to be there.

~Linda

I Promise You a Rose Garden

2007-04-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Every year in early April I am amazed how fast my roses bushes have grown in the few short weeks since their drastic pruning. When pruned in the last week of January or first week of February the barren bushes, trimmed back to a few stalks, appear they will never recover to bring fourth again the beautiful roses.

While growing up we had rose gardens and I hated those things...stickery thorns...which seemed to outdo the beauty of the blooms, and I didn’t want anything to do with them. But that all changed. My late husband, Don Pendleton loved flowers and every spring we would visit the nursery and come home with a load of flowers for our patio and garden. During the hot summer months, Don would faithfully and enjoyably water the pots and our garden at least once if not twice a day. When we bought our home in Sedona, Arizona in 1994 we added rose bushes after discovering how well roses grew at the 4500 elevation. Sedona is a Planting Zone 6. Surprisingly, they did well in the summer heat and the summer monsoons (late June to September) may have helped along with the cooling off in the evenings and nights. Before Don passed away, we had planted about eight rose bushes among our lava rock landscaping and in the next two years I added to that number and had 28 roses, including an area of miniatures, all planted in direct sun. I really hated to leave my beautiful roses when I sold my home and moved back to California.

I now have ten rose bushes here in Northern California (Planting Zone 9) in their third year. And I have to say, the roses do not tolerate the heat here as well as in Sedona or even in Southern California. At this time of spring and after the first early blooms that are usually not too perfect, they are pretty and will do well until the heat arrives. July and August are not good for the roses here at all, and blooms can scorch in those hot afternoons of 100 degrees or more. The rose bushes are on automatic watering drip systems, but I have to admit that I do not give any of my patio flowers the attention that Don would have given. It’s just too darn hot. So this year I will not spend my usual one hundred dollars at the nursery but instead will pot a few more geraniums which seem to tolerate the heat and don’t need the constant watering that other potted flowers need. The potted geraniums even made it through the frost this winter just fine.

A couple of my favorite roses are the Brandy Rose, above, and the Peace Rose, below. I took the photos a couple of days ago.

~ Linda

The Imus Overreaction

2007-04-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

What we have experienced this past week has been the all too familiar tactics of what our media has become. The media apparently was done with tearing down Anna Nicole Smith and Howard K. Stern, and jumped at the opportunity to ruin someone else, i.e. Don Imus. Recently I’ve been watching some of Imus’ MSNBC show if I happened to be awake in the wee hours of the morning. I enjoyed all I saw. I liked the up-to-the-minute news, the political interviews, and the singers, etc. I can’t say I’ve ever been a fan of Imus, but I found the show interesting.

His cancellation by MSNBC and then his radio show firing by CBS was uncalled for and an overreaction. Imus’ comment was offensive and I do not condone his words aimed directly at the Rutgers girl’s college basketball team. He never should have said those words, but he did, and took responsibility and apologized. And that should have ended it. But instead Al Sharpton, Jackson, and others, used it as an opportunity to elevate themselves and their agenda. Were those three words worth a man losing his forty year career? No. After all he is considered a shock jock and his show brought in 25 % of the revenue for the radio company, and 20 million plus, and was the fourth rated talk show. So why the panic from advertisers? Obviously advertisers misread the public as polls are showing that about 75% of people feel he should not have been fired, and today a Fox Poll is showing 76% agree another media company should hire Imus to resume his radio show. This firing was about money: fear and panic, not outrage.

I doubt anyone was complaining about the two weeks off as a consequence except those who were determined to make this such a big issue that he would be fired. Imus has always been a little outrageous, so why now when this kind of language has become so prevalent and apparently acceptable by many in our society? Why is it OK for rappers and comedians to use these terms, or other terms directed at Caucasians? Why is there a double standard?–and reverse discrimination happening? I’ve heard repeatedly on TV that 80% of the disgusting rap music is bought by "white youths." If that is correct, which I tend to doubt, then they have to stop giving the music attention, as do the black youth. The music is degrading toward girls and women, borders on porn, violence, drug use, and worse. Some commentators have compared Imus’ comment to that of the actor, Michael Richards. No comparison there at all. Richard’s outburst was done in anger and rage, was extremely malicious, and was definitely intended to be racist. Imus intended his comment to be humorous but of course it was not.

There is a much bigger issue here and reflects the division we have in this country. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are always looking for an opportunity to jump in and, in most cases, make a situation worse, in the name of "racism." While this was happening, three other athletic students from Duke University were cleared of all rape and abuse charges. A year ago, Sharpton and Jackson turned that event into a racial issue and inflamed the community, ready to hang these students out to dry. There have been numerous times when they have inflamed events. It’s time Sharpton, Jackson and other black leaders, use their positions and influence to make positive changes within the black youth culture, and not focus on exaggerated victimhood issues. We all need to come together and make this country a better place, not a place of division based on the color of skin.

And on the same day that CBS fired Imus, Oprah had a brief interview with the young women’s college team on her show, and she follows that up with learning to dance to hi-hop music, and makes a comment that a "white guy" can’t dance. Seems that is as racist as what Imus said. She then followed that up indicating a man in the audience as the "white guy I’m talking about." According to postings on her message board a lot of people were not happy with her comments and called it "reverse racism."

One of the young women on the team said that Imus had taken away her dream. Each of those girls need to know and believe that their accomplishments are theirs to have and honor and all this media circus will not affect their feeling of pride unless they let it. That is where their power is as women.

And sadly, while the meeting of the Rutgers women students and Imus and his wife was happening at the Governors mansion last night, the Governor of New Jersey, Jon Corzine was critically injured in an automobile accident on the way to the meeting. That shouldn’t have happened either.

The old 19th century proverb, "Sticks and stones will break my bones but words [names] can never hurt me," seems to have lost its value in today’s world of mass media.

~ Linda

Linda Pendleton's Comic Book Interview

2007-04-04T23:21:00.000-07:00

I was contacted recently by an online comic website, Jazma Online and asked by Richard Vasseur, V.P., if I would be interested in doing an interview about my adaptation and scripting of The Executioner Comics: War Against the Mafia, and Death Squad.

I was happy to do so and the interview is now posted at:
http://www.jazmaonline.com/interviews/interviews2007.asp?intID=457

~ Linda