From The Maas - Life in General

Best Wishes to Barack Obama's Grandmother

nospam@example.com (marc) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:25:23 -0400

Putting politics aside for a moment, I'd like to express my best wishes to Madelyn Dunham, Barack Obama's grandmother, who appears to be gravely ill. It's a rough thing to go through with any grandparent, and I'd imagine that this situation would be especially tough for Sen. Obama, considering that his grandmother played a major role in raising him when he was young. My thoughts are with Mrs. Dunham and the Obama family in this trying time.

From 1985...

nospam@example.com (marc) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:29:32 -0400

...It's my Lego Airport, Set 6392!

Loved that set.

AND!!! My motorcycle shop that I got in Chicago when we stayed with the Harris'! Set 6373! Dang, I loved legos. Still do.

I got to drive Laura Ingraham to the airport tonight

nospam@example.com (marc) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:16:05 -0400

Cool lady. But a word of advice: When you're driving Laura Ingraham anywhere, don't get distracted by fiddling with the A/C and accidentally drift onto the rumble strips along the highway. She doesn't react well to that.

My bad!

So much for the reunion tour

nospam@example.com (marc) — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:42:48 -0400

Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright dies at 65.

RIP Don LaFontaine

nospam@example.com (marc) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:01:05 -0400

Sad news from the world of entertainment as Don LaFontaine has passed away.

In a world without Don LaFontaine, movie trailers already suck.

Best Wishes to Bristol Palin

nospam@example.com (marc) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:09:35 -0400

Having had a situation like Bristol's in my family, I know that it takes a lot of guts to do the right thing and keep the baby. She's got a lot of hard work in front of her. My hope and prayer is that everything works out for her and the baby's father.

This is turning out to be quite a year for the Palin family, between Trig, this new and unexpected baby, and the whole VP thing. I have great respect for them based on what I've seen so far, and I really regret that they've had to face the kind of ridiculous rumors that have been swirling around for the past 48 hours. Sarah seems to be a class act and a tough lady, and I wish her and her family the best as they go through this together.

Dalit

nospam@example.com (marc) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:37:57 -0400

My friend Aaron is looking for funds to finish his documentary:

Dalit Documentary Trailer from Aaron B. Smith on Vimeo.

oh, this is awesome

nospam@example.com (marc) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:46:22 -0400

A lawsuit against Scientology that names Tom Cruise as a defendant? Yes Please!

Tom Cruise is named in a $250 million federal lawsuit that is using the RICO statute against the Church of Scientology. Ex-Scientologist Peter Letterese, a longtime critic of the church, filed suit in Southern District Court in Florida on July 15 alleging, among other things, that members of the church harassed him after he left.

In court papers provided to The News by investigator Paul Barresi, Letterese claims a member of the church phoned his lawyer at home, and when the lawyer's wife answered, said he was her husband's homosexual lover.
Barresi, who has done investigative work on behalf of Cruise, tells us: "[Letterese] is just including a celebrity name to get attention."

Letterese calls the church a "crime syndicate" and wants it broken up under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization law, just as the feds have broken up Mafia families.

He singles out Cruise, who's made no secret of his religion, saying that Scientology head David Miscavage is "aided and abetted by the actions of Tom Cruise, his right-hand man for foreign and domestic promotion, as well as for foreign and domestic lobbying. He has assisted the syndicate in acquiring funds and [made] his own donations of money believed to be in the multiple tens of millions of dollars."

Now that's nice

nospam@example.com (marc) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:29:20 -0400

Nice story:

President George W. Bush made a pit stop on his way back to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Tuesday evening.
After leaving a fundraiser in Gates Mills, his motorcade passed a home with a sign asking the president to stop by -- so he did.

From the hot air headlines

Prayers for Lulu

nospam@example.com (marc) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:16:40 -0400

Ernie Harwell's wife is in the hospital:

Ernie Harwell was doing his morning exercises around 6:30 a.m. when Lulu Harwell came into the room and said she was having chest pains, the Hall of Fame sportscaster told the Free Press today. They contacted their community's emergency personnel, who responded and called an ambulance.

Lulu Harwell celebrated her 89th birthday earlier this month.

The two met in 1940, according to a Free Press article earlier this year. Lulu Harwell was, at the time, Lulu Tankersley. They were married in 1941 and are due to celebrate their 67th anniversary in August.

"I'm still a newlywed," Ernie Harwell said, laughing, for a Free Press article earlier this year. "It's been wonderful for me - she's such a wonderful person. We are more in love now than we ever have been. It's because of her, I think, it's been a great success."

God willing, she'll be home soon with Ernie. In the meantime, thoughts, prayers and best wishes go out to the Harwells...

The Renaissance Continues!

nospam@example.com (marc) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:02:10 -0400

It's a new day in Detroit!

The good news is that home sales in the city of Detroit through June are up by a whopping +46.56% (YTD) compared to last year (5,389 homes sold in 2008 YTD vs. 3,677 last year), but the bad news is that the average price for a home sold in Detroit has fallen by 56% to only $19,448 so far this this year, compared to an average price last year of $44,346 for the January-June period!

One can only speculate as to whether the firm, steady guidance of Mayor Kilpatrick has contributed to this stellar performance.

Speaking of Kwame: Here's a little support for the prosecutor trying to rid Michigan of the Kilpatrick administration (via God and Culture)...

Marc's Film Review - Dark Knight Edition

nospam@example.com (marc) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:38:52 -0400

Best film I've ever seen in the theater. Might be the best film I've ever seen. Greatly exceeded my expectations, which were as high as I've ever had for a film.

Freaking Awesome

nospam@example.com (marc) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:46:30 -0400

Gizmodo goes inside the lego factory. A man could have a lot of fun with all those bricks.

Important Reminders

nospam@example.com (marc) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:25:29 -0400

July 20, 2008 - 39th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, 32nd Anniversary of my birth.

Woo hoo!

Tony Snow, RIP

nospam@example.com (marc) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:53:13 -0400

Terrible news:

Tony Snow, the former White House press secretary and conservative pundit who bedeviled the press corps and charmed millions as a FOX News television and radio host, died Saturday after a long bout with cancer. He was 53.

A syndicated columnist, editor, TV anchor, radio show host and musician, Snow worked in nearly every medium in a career that spanned more than 30 years.

I really liked Tony Snow; he seemed to be a decent, sincere, and genuinely nice person. He exhibited uncommon bravery and unfailing optimism in his battle with cancer, and he will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Gone Too Soon: 1955-2008