Random Friday Thoughts

Well it seems that I'm getting a lot of gruff from readers of late. Vol Abroad doesn't like it when I do (unlabeled) baseball posts and Anonymous doesn't like the long-winded, boring posts -- plus she often calls me a dork. So, to quote Eric Cartman, ...

Screw you guys; I'm going home.

Of course, I jest. I enjoy comments and I think most of you know that I don't mind folks picking on and/or making fun of me.

I had grand plans for today's post. I had a topic lined up and everything. Then lunchtime rolled around and it was decided that we were going to Macaroni Grill. After much bread, a big bowl of pasta, and a 5th of a huge piece of chocolate cake, I just can't seem to find the energy to rant. Hey, maybe that's the key to world peace -- pasta and chocolate cake. Too bad this year's Peace Prize was just awarded today. Oh well, there's always next year.

Anyway, today I decided just to post some random things that caught my eye while roaming the great big WWW.

1. Capote, the movie, has just been or is about to be released. I've always been a fan of old TC (Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of those rare works that's both a wonderful book and movie), but I never actually made it all the way through In Cold Blood. Somehow I got the idea that the movie is about that time in Capote's life, so a week or so ago I figured it was time I finally read the damned thing. So far I haven't been that impressed. I suppose it was groundbreaking at the time, but I've seen too many episodes of Investigative Reports. Still, The New Yorker is doing something kind of cool. The book originally appeared as a serial in the magazine, so they're now republishing the series on their web site in four parts. Here's part 1. Oh, they also review the movie.

2. Proof that I did pick the right field of study, if not the right place within that field. [WARNING, baseball related.]

3. You all know that I'm no fashion maven, but every time I see a new trend like this, I'm thankful that I'm not. The cape? C'mon, no one other than a few select DC and Marvel characters ever pulled that off. Wait, as I think about it, I don't think any Marvel characters really made a cape work -- well maybe Thor, but he was a god. Okay, I'm a nerd -- I know which comic book characters were Marvel and which were DC.

4. What's the world coming to? I saw this last week, but I never got around to posting. A hospital in the UK -- specifically, Halifax, West Yorks (UK readers, is that like a city/state combo?) -- has banned visitors from cooing at, talking baby talk to, and maybe even looking at newborns. A close reading of the story raises a few issues. First, it sounds as if newborns are just left out in some great big open room rather than kept in a separate room behind glass. Second, I'm not sure the hospital has banned the practice or if it's just trying to discourage the practice.

Regardless, it's hard to come off looking good when the neo-natal manager says, "Cooing should be a thing of the past because these are little people with the same rights as you or me." The real kicker, to me, though, is the card being issued to visitors:

"I am small and precious so treat me with privacy and respect. My parents ask you to treat my personal space with consideration. I deserve to be left undisturbed and protected against unwanted public view."

Pretty erudite babies over there, huh?

Peace out, folks. It's the weekend.