Over the Rainbow

The Israel Kamakawiwo Ole version always cheers me up. Here's wishing you a great 2009.

I got nothin' - the retouched version

Only 6 days into NaBloPoMo I'm out of material (unless of course I want to post more political stuff which I'm trying to avoid).

For no other reason than it's entertaining, check out this site which proves that in these modern times you can't even believe your eyes. Behold, the power of retouching.

Today's reason to love Pushing Daisies

Dear Pushing Daisies, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

Add another to the list - Stephen Root (Office Space, NewsRadio) joins the cast. Root is set to appear in a four-episode story arc for the show's upcoming season.

Sweet!

And Stephen's from Florida, y'all, so you know he's crazy.

Image source

I'm avoiding going to bed

...can you tell? I talked Golf Guy out hours ago, since then I've been watching various YouTube offerings. My favorite is Bette Midler's final tribute to Johnny Carson.

I dare you to watch this one without crying! And yes, I realize I'm posting a preposterous amount of videos lately.

Suck it up.

Is this what passes for Muzak these days?

I unfortunately had to spend a good amount of time in my local bank branch today in a (probably futile) attempt to solve a problem. While I was there this song from Evanescence was being modestly pumped out over the loudspeakers as though it were a perfectly mainstream selection. I thought they were insane...until I saw the 70+ year old fellow who was waiting before me happily tapping his toe to the tune.

Freaky.

UPDATE: In response to inquiries - I'll only say that it was Bank of America, I won't rat out the branch and in case some super sleuth quizelles it out - everyone waiting seemed perfectly happy regardless of the music selection.

UPDATE II: Problem totally solved. Awesomely solved. In fact, I am in awe of the efficiency of the solution. It cost me time (but waiting to jazzy tunes!) and anxiety but not an arm and a leg (yeah, we're poor enough that an overdraft penalty means tuna for a week). Love you Bank of America!

UPDATE III: Okay, I was closing a savings account w/ auto deposit. Spoke to three people on the phone: regular person, slightly more informed regular person, supervisor. You'd think it'd be just that "easy". Nope. A month later I was looking at a negative balance (due to service charges due to canceling direct deposit on " closed" account ) on an account that I'd closed and penalties. KUDOS to my bank VP for telling me that "the problem is that the first guy you spoke to was an idiot". No, SERIOUSLY, he said that!!! It then took him a week to straighten all the charges and penalties. BUT HE DID IT! For little old me, hardly their biggest depositor. Heck, my balance is a little above zero at the end of each pay period, but he took the time to help me. Killing me not to name him and give him the recognition that he deserves. I'll settle for :

Thank you Bank of America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Making a birdhouse in your soul

Is it really a happy song? Not sure but not to put too fine a point on it, it makes me happy. And, since I'm turning over a new happy leaf in August, I choose for it to be a happy song.

As I wish. (Eh, random bastardized movie quote. What can I say? I'm in a mood.)

Water on Mars!

I'm not old enough to remember the moon landing so excuse me if I find this to be a most awesome space related discovery.

In a discovery that could qualify as one of the most important in the history of space exploration, NASA’s Phoenix Mission may have confirmed the presence of water ice on the planet, Popular Mechanics has learned. The scheduling of a press conference for Thursday at 2 p.m. Eastern by NASA and the University of Arizona has raised hopes in the space community that scientists will announce the breakthrough. When pressed for details, a spokesperson for the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory refused to elaborate beyond saying that the Phoenix team would unveil new findings from the ongoing robotic mission to Mars. If the rumor holds true, it would be the first direct confirmation of water ice beyond Earth.

Too cool! (Pun intended.)