Some excellent travel tips for your next trip to Paris from my daughter.
Movies and magazines leave Americans with an image of Paris as a snooty city full of wealthy, trendy, snobby Frenchmen with skinny smoking wives. For many, this image is a turnoff. While there is much truth to this stereotype, for me Paris has so much more to offer. My favourite time of year to enjoy Paris is the springtime when couples abound the grand boulevards and park benches and the flowers are in full bloom. For a taste of the Belle-Epoque … Read More
Didn’t read the book, but loved the movie. Despite its two and a half hour length and a large diet coke, I didn’t go to the bathroom once! This has inspired my new movie rating system, measured in bathroom trips, with no bathroom trips being my highest rating.
Viola Davis, as Aibileen, will surely rate a Best Actress nomination. In one classic scene, she is required to get off a city bus because of a public disturbance and falls down as she runs to her friend’s house in fear, where she learns that Medgar Evers has been shot nearby. In Bill Clinton’s words, “you feel her pain”. Octavia Spencer animates the role of Minnie, her proud but sassy friend who provides some of the lighter moments. Bryce Dallas Howard, daughter of director and former Opie Ron Howard, establishes herself as a talented actress in her own right in the difficult role of racist Hilly Holbrook. Emma Stone, cute as always, is primarily a vehicle for others to tell their stories. My only criticism of the casting is Alison Janney as her mother and former beauty queen Charlotte Phelan, who has neglected Emma as a child because she was an awkward ugly duckling. They have these roles reversed. I find it hard to accept Alison Janney as a former beauty queen. Nevertheless, overall, the cast, acting and story drove The Help to the top of my summer movie list, above Midnight in Paris.
People think I’m bald. I’m not. I shave my head. There’s a difference.
About ten years ago, rather than watch the slow erosion of my hair-line, I decided to get ahead of the process and take control. I just shaved it all off. This was a high risk move. Who knew what I might find? Unsightly moles or birthmarks. Ridges that look like ballpark hot dogs. A lice colony. A pointy head. But I figured if Andre Agassi could do it after the great hair he once had, then I was up to the challenge. Plus, both my father and his father were bald, so I felt it went well with my last name.
Some men just ignore going bald and pretend it isn’t happening. If they’re tall enough, they just think no one will notice. Or they try the “comb over”–combing the surviving hair strands over the bald spots. This usually requires them to grow the hair on one side of their head longer than the other, which can become awkward on a windy day or when swimming. Jewish men can join their synagogue men’s club, claim to be more observant and wear a yamulka. In the UK, men can wear hooded sweatshirts, which hides the problem and keeps people from enquiring for fear of having their telly stolen. If you are an artist or a musician, you can wear a ski hat. People will just think you’re cool.
Other men try to fight the good fight. They rub fertilizer (Rogaine) into their head each night to make it grow back. Or take magic pills. Or try implants, which can often look like a corn field in the planting season. Worst of all, they wear a toupee, which “they say” look so real you can’t tell them from the real thing (unless of course the wind blows, or it rains, or its very hot out, or you see them in the shower).
So, I thought I would just get ahead of the issue and shave it all off before it fell out. That way, people would think that I was confident, or tough, or a football hooligan, or Ben Kinglsey…but not bald. And, anyway, I’m sure it would grow back if I really wanted.
I am not a good driver. I easily get distracted and lose my concentration. As a result, I can’t understand how and why other drivers do some of the things they do while driving. In addition to talking and texting on a cell phone, I have seen people drinking coffee, eating a burger, putting on make-up and looking at maps while driving. On a blog called Texting While Driving, the sole mission of which is to educate people on its dangers, I saw a poll in which over 60% of the respondents admitted sending a text while driving.
It is amazing that people are so clueless that some states actually have to enact specific laws to regulate this activity. Thirty-four states have laws prohibiting text messaging while driving. Why can’t people figure out for themselves that this kind of behavior is absurdly dangerous? What’s even more astounding is that seven states only prohibit text messaging for novice drivers and three states only prohibit it for school bus drivers! And only three states appear to have laws that would make it a traffic violation to drive while drinking coffee, or eating a burger, or putting on make-up, or reading a map, or changing a baby’s diaper, or having sex, or juggling flaming knives (in one of those states, it would only be a violation if coupled with some other traffic violation).
This weekend marks the kick off of the new English Premier League season. Although the transfer window remains open until August 31, little has changed so far for my two teams, Chelsea FC and Fulham FC. Absent some significant signings this month, I see little prospect of either team improving on last year’s performance, Chelsea (2nd) and Fulham (8th).
Chelsea remain a side of aging veterans who may have already seen their best days. The team’s performance will depend greatly on the core of the team (Drogba, Lampard, Torres, Terry, Cech) remaining healthy because the quality of the squad drops off significantly if they need to be replaced. Already Chelsea start the season with Michael Essien injured and out for at least six months. Essien’s injury coupled with the departure of Yury Zhirkov have left some holes in the midfield ranks. In addition, Chelsea will have to adjust to another managerial change, having replaced Carlo Ancelotti with the much less-experienced Andre Villas-Boas. On the hopeful side, Chelsea will have a full season from Fernando Torres and David Luiz, and young players Daniel Sturridge and Josh McEachran look ready to make a significant contribution. Manchester United and Manchester City appear to be Chelsea’s primary competition for the title, with Arsenal poised to lose both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. All in all, expect a similar season to last year, with a top three finish, no title and the manager getting fired.
The story at Fulham is very similar. Another team of aging veterans with few off season additions. The one significant addition was veteran John Arne Riise, formerly of Liverpool and Roma, who will add to an already solid defense and provide some offense at left back. Otherwise, success will depend on strikers Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson and midfield captain Danny Murphy remaining healthy. Expect Steve Sidwell and Philippe Senderos to make significant contributions. Martin Jol takes over as manager from Mark Hughes, who left in the hopes of greener pastures, so it may take some time to adjust to a third manager in three years. For me, Clint Dempsey and the ambience of Craven Cottage remain the primary reason to attend Fulham games. A top ten finish will be difficult to replicate, but Fulham should easily avoid a relegation battle.
Slowin' Down with Fast Eddie 