Biggest Product Flops of 2011

MSN reports the following as the biggest product flops of the prior year. Did we fall for any of them?

1) Abercrombie & Fitch’s Ashley Push-Up Bikini. This is a bikini, designed for 8 to14-year- old girls, features a top with padding. Is this something Jon Benet would have worn?

2) Qwikster. This was Netflix’s attempt to spin off its DVD-by-mail service onto a new website, complete with increased pricing. “The company had to kill it off before it even launched.”

3) Chevy Volt. Apparently, the world is not ready to switch to electric vehicles.

4) HTC Status – a Facebook phone. “This was the first, and likely last, smartphone with a dedicated FB share button.” AT&T forgot that it is pretty easy to get on FB with most smartphones.

5) PlayBook. Launched by RIM, using a Blackberry foundation, this was another iPad competitor that didn’t measure up.

6) Fiat 500. A three-door car under 12 feet long. Hmm. Can you say clown car? Claustrophobia?

7) Mars Needs Moms. “A Disney flop of epic proportions…In the movie business, sometimes a flop is just a flop. Then there are misses so disastrous that they send signals to broad swaths of Hollywood.” Ouch! This was no Avatar. Not everything in 3-D is good.

Girl With A Dragon Tattoo (Swedish Version) -- Movie Review

     I read this book series probably a year ago, and I am famous for forgetting the details of what I read. Actually, it is kind of fun when you forget who the bad guy is and get surprised all over again! Having said that, I found this movie to be very good and true to what I remembered of the book. Did you know that the Swedish title can be translated literally as “Men Who Hate Women?” The subtitles didn’t bother me (except that they were a very light color and sometimes hard to read when the movie scene was bright). The actress who played Lisbeth portrayed the edgy, dark and conflicted character very well. The smarmy men were appropriately smarmy. Having read the book first did give some background to the story and characters that was not covered in the movie. Overall, I liked it and I’m looking forward to seeing the American version too.
     By the way, I watched this via streaming video on Amazon for free because I subscribe to Amazon Prime. I’m going to work through their list of free movies, looking for good ones. I’d like to work through the lists of Oscar winners over the past few years but I don’t know if they are available.

A New Year Of Blogging

I have started and stopped blogging several times over the years. So here I go again. I enjoy writing out my thoughts, musing about issues, and sharing photos. FB just doesn’t give enough space. I hope to be a regular contributor in the new year, and I’m purposely not going to define the parameters of “regular.” I’ve already written a several entries, so I should be good to go for a few weeks! Perhaps you’ll enjoy reading my mind. If not, feel free NOT to read!

More Music

From "1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die" by Tom Moon. Going through the book alphabetically...

Moorish Music from Mauritania by Dimi Mint Abba -- Mauritanian music is described as a combination of Islamic life in North Africa and sub-Saharan black Africa. This artist's father composed the Mauritanian national anthem and she is an award-winning singer. The book says that "like other Islamic singers, she doesn't always stay within a given tonality -- when she's really riled up, her ad-libs veer into wild quarter-tones and semi-tones that are manifestations of pure spirit." I didn't like it because of the Arabic styling of the music. Just doesn't appeal to me.

The Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra -- Abrams got his start playing blues and R&B piano. The title track of the recommended album, Blu Blu Blu, is a tribute to Muddy Waters. It's just the kind of bluesy jazz that I like to listen to. Not a big fan of improv jazz.

Shakin' The Rafters by The Abyssinian Baptist Choir -- While this is a recording of a live performance, so not very polished, it has all the liveliness of a typical African American church service. The book says, "loaded with crackling call-and-response exchanges and outbreaks of soul-clapping jubilation." Good stuff if you like this style.

Back In Black by AC/DC -- Familiar from my high school days, although I was never a fan. Good guitar riffs but sounds more like screaming than singing. Also familiar is "You Shook Me All Night long." Don't think I'll post any lyrics.

1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die

Just picked up the above book on the sale table at the grocery store. I'm intrigued to bry and work my way through it. Bet you can't guess what group is listed first?

Our favorite Swedes, ABBA. Yes, the youngsters know them from the play and movie, "Mama Mia!" But some of us know them from our musical formative years. Love them or hate them now, they were the cat's meow in the mid to late 1970s. The book says their music, "contains refrains so damn giddy they can't be easily purged from the brain."

As I was listening to some of their tunes, I came across one that I've decided shall be my theme song:

"If you change your mind, I'm the first in line

Honey I'm still free

Take a chance on me

If you need me, let me know, gonna be around

If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down

If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown

Honey, I'm still free

Take a chance on me

Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie

If you put me to the test, if you let me try

Take a chance on me."

Stay tuned for more music reviews!

Fall Splendor

Gotta love the fall colors.

New Camera... New Start To The Blog

Got a new camers... a point-and-shoot... and plan to keep it with me to capture whatever pretty, interesting, maybe disturbing, things that I see as I go about my days. I'm not calling this a "365 Day Experiment." Just whatever, whenever. So enjoy!

I drove through Prendergast Cemetary in Jamestown and saw this pretty mix of hydrangeas and maple leaves. I love cemetaries.

But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;

The saints triumphant rise in bright array;

The King of glory passes on His way.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

-- William W. How

Get Off Your Knees And Pray

"It is not possible to stink at prayer... from God's perspective, He gladly receives our words and He sees our hearts. Any prayer is a gift to him, for it means we are talking to Him.

When we recognize God is always with us, every breath can be a prayer. Prayer is not just a few sentences we say to God while on our knees, but it is living out our on-going, every moment commitment to God -- hence the title: Get off your knees and pray!"
-- "Get Off Your Knees And Pray" by Sheila Walsh, italics mine

Favorite Books By A Favorite Author

Don't you find it interesting to know what popular authors like to read? Here's John Grisham's list of the five best books of 2008:

• Mark Twain by Ron Powers = ''An accessible and compelling biography of the great man.''
• Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell = ''A provocative look at who succeeds and why.''
• The Second World War by John Keegan = ''A defining history of the war.''
• Marathon Man by William Goldman = ''A book I reread to remind myself what great suspense should be.''
• A Death in Belmont by Sebastian Junger = ''The true story of a sensational crime and a wrongful conviction.''

Day 70 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 11

Good New Book

I really enjoy the author Alexander McCall Smith. He has written several series', including the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, the Isabel Dalhousie mysteries, and the 44 Scotland Street series. Each story is full of interesting studies of character development. The mystery aspect of some of the books is light, focusing more on the characters and the development of the setting. Check them out for a taste of Africa or Scotland.

I'm thankful for:
-- discovering a good author who has written lots of books
-- time to read and the ability to get absorbed into a good book

Day 69 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 10

Fiery Lining

-- I'm thankful for the individual beauty of each sunset

Day 68 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 9

Mo's Watchful Eye

-- I'm thankful my cats like their kitty condo

Day 67 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 8

Coaster Daze

-- I'm thankful for interestingness

Day 66 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 7

Highland Finery

The Tartan Ball was held last night at the Rainbow Gardens ballroom in Erie, PA. It was my first performance on tenor drum with the 96th Highlanders. It was fun! (I did discover that it takes a LONG time to get dressed into this gear: hose, flashing, kilt, sporran, shirt tie, vest, drum harness, hat, gillies, etc.)

-- I'm thankful for music of all kinds

New Look

Decided to freshen up the blog a bit. Do you like it?

Day 65 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 6

Turkey Trot

Saw a pair of these guys today. They are pretty slow so I was able to snap this pic before they got away. They are sure ugly birds, and I don't think they are very smart. One time I saw a flock standing on one side of a log, very perplexed on how to get to the other side. For some reason, jumping over hadn't occurred to them.

-- I'm thankful for surprising sights of nature

Day 64 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 5

Meltdown

This is a picture of snow melting. In order for this to happen, it has to be warm outside. Yes, it is! I brought back some warmer weather from AZ. Wheeeeeee!

-- I'm thankful for the impending change of seasons

Day 63 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 4

Long Shadows

We’ve had sun consistently this week but it is still cold outside. At least we seem to be taking steps in the right direction. Come on, Spring – break through!

I have never been a fan of the author Anne Rice. I don’t consider vampires to be my genre of choice. However, I am intrigued by the recent news of her coming to faith in Christ. Today in Books & Culture magazine, I read a review of Anne’s new book, “Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession.” It looks intriguing – has anybody read it? Here’s what I learned about Anne:

• Her daughter died of leukemia at age five


• She went through a spell of heavy drinking


• Her education was formulated at all-girls Catholic schools


• She was named “Howard Allen” because her father wanted a son; she insisted on being called Anne but suffered gender identity issues


• She abandoned her faith and “poured out the darkness and despair of an atheist” into 21 books, starting with “Interview With A Vampire”


• While roaming the churches and cathedrals of Europe to research her vampire novels, she became convinced she was being pursued by something. “I was Christ haunted,” she says.


• In 2002, she finally got the message, “Write for God.”
  
  I think I might like to read her latest book. Any other takers?

-- I'm thankful for interesting stories of conversion from unlikely sources

Day 62 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 3

Mahjong Master

I love playing Mahjong on the computer and I think I'm pretty good at it. Imagine my surprise when, in AZ, I was taught to play the real game and discovered that it has NOTHING to do with the computer game except for the look of the tiles. It is quite puzzling that someone would create this computer game of the same name and have it be so dissimilar. Unfortunately, the real game is much harder than the computer version. I hope I'll get to play again one day so I can hone my skills.

On another note about games, has anyone ever played Mexican Train Dominos? Fun stuff!

-- I'm thankful for games and other activities that are fun and don't cost anything

Day 61 of 365 Day Experiment -- March 2

Sunbathing Beauty

Apparently I've brought the sun back from AZ.

-- I'm thankful for warm sun on cold days