Top 10 More Things To Do List

Well, as it turns out, there are some more 'things to do' that we were not aware of:

1. Buy groceries

2. Decide on Cat's Cradle shows (music venue near Chapel Hill, NC)

3. Look up comic books values

4. Read, compare and contrast "The Nation" and "National Review"

5. Read, compare and contrast "The Weekly Standard" and "Mother Jones"

6. Make some Counter Culture Coffee

7. See what the weather in Istanbul, Turkey, is like

8. See what the weather in Trenton, New Jersey, is like

9. Avoid Blacksburg, Va., at all costs, as Virginia is having commencement this weekend

10. Let the freaking cat in

Virtual Postcard from Colorado-The Boulder Theatre

Well, we are no longer in the great western state of Colorado, but we were there last week. This image is of The Boulder Theatre in downtown Boulder, Colo., the venue no longer shows films on a regular basis, but it does host traveling bands. On Thursday, the hip folk band Trampled by Turtles plays there, and on June 1st, the '80s band The BoDeans, one of the best bands out of Wisconsin, comes to the 80302 zip code.

While we were visiting Boulder, we learned that Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the capital of a remote former Soviet republic- of all places, was one of Boulder's main sister cities. For the residents of Boulder, Dushanbe's mayor Maksud Ikramov commissioned local Tajiki artists to build a teahouse which was disassembled and shipped to Boulder.

Boulder, which is home to the Colorado University Buffaloes, also has an excellent bookstore called The Boulder Book Store, where one can find both the liberal magazine "The Nation" and the conservative journal "The National Review," which is fitting that Colorado is a swing state in this year's election. Like most college towns, except Lynchburg, Va., and Provo, Utah, Boulder is a fairly liberal place and that is evident by its many marijuana dispensaries. Local news sources said several such businesses were closing due to their close proximity to schools (1,000 feet is apparently where authorities draw the line).

Colorado is also home to Colorado Springs, an evangelical Mecca (is that an oxy moron, or what) which home to Focus on the Family and several other right-wing groups.

The Boulder Book Store is hosting author Geraldine Brooks for a book signing of "Caleb's Crossing" on May 19th.

Boulder is also sister cities with Lhasa, Tibet, Yateras, Cuba, and Kisumu, Kenya.

Our special 'virtual postcard' greetings go out to blog readers from Chile, Lebanon and New Zealand, who visited our blog today!

http://www.bouldermmdispensary.comhttp://www.boulderteahouse.comhttp://www.bouldertown.com

PSA- Love Thy Neighbor

Today, we choose a timely PSA as the highly controversial new anti-immigration measures take place in Arizona. Like many on the center-left, I am opposed to the new laws on the grounds that they are both unconstitutional and will lead to needless racial profiling of all Hispanics, even those who are legal citizens.

I do differ with those who are more progressive than me that everyone who supports the measure is racist. While there are certainly eggheads who hold out signs like "Go Back to Mexico," I know there are rational folks who are legitimately concerned about illegal immigration. But, in my view, this proposed 'resolution' will only cause more problems.

The issue has been the focus of journals from the right (The National Review) and the left (The Nation) as well as nonpartisan publications like The Hill as well as international media outlets, such as the BBC and perhaps even the TRT (Turkish Radio and Television). Turkey, which is my late father's country, has had immigration issues of their own mainly over spillover from political crisises in Iraq and Iran.


SIDEBAR: My friend Chris Knight of Reidsville, NC, tweeted yesterday that Friday will be "Speak like Arnold Day" as in speak like the California governor/ "Terminator" franchise star. I guess on that note, we'll have to leave you today with: "I'll be baaack."

Silly Picture to Fill Space- Illegal Alien

I guess today's entry might attract those who read "The National Review" as well as those who read "UFO Magazine" (I read neither).

Since the Academy Awards, which will air on Sunday, have two science-fiction films this year "Avatar" and "District 9" up for Best Film this year (coincidentally, my one-two worst films of the year, but I generally like sci-fi films-in fact, I think "ET" should have won in 1982 over "Gandhi"), we thought we'd find some science-fiction related photos.

There happens to be a UFO Museum in Istanbul, Turkey- of all places. I've actually been there, and it's quite an interesting museum which is amazingly close to the Covered Bazaar.

But, of course, there is one such place here in America as well. The Roswell UFO Museum in Roswell, N.Mex., is hosting an annual festival from July 2-5th this year. Perhaps, Marvin the Martian will stop by as well.........

Bonus Quote of the Week- George F. Will

The following quip is ironic for three reasons: 1) I am a centrist liberal Democrat, so I generally differ with the conservative columnist George F. Will's views though I do have a lot of respect for him, which I can't say for the likes of Glenn Beck and Chuck Norris (both are extreme far right!) 2) I am an even more partisan cat person and I am baffled that people will spend up to $700 on dogs like Scottish terriers and 3) we are quoting another 'bowtie guy' Louis Farakkhan on our sister blog "Politics, Culture and Other Wastes of Time." I can't imagine Will and Farrakkhan have ever met in real life!

We are also posting an image of this tuxedo cat here to remind folks that there are lots of cats in animal shelters across the country, including The Rockingham County Animal Shelter in Reidsville, NC, which I am told is in dire need of adoptions.

I have my own tuxedo cat in Gizmo........I named him after the title character in "Gremlins".......he is a bit on the wild side, actually?!

Here is the quote:

"The phrase 'domestic cat' is an oxymoron."

Sidebar: I actually think George F. Will and Katrina vanden Heuvel, the editor of the very liberal publication "The Nation" would have made a great couple. But, I believe Will lives with his wife and dog (I presume) in Chevy Chase, Md.

Sidebar Two: The irony of this kills me. The community college I work at in Wytheville, Va., (not the city where I actually work) cancelled a subsription to Will's former publication "The National Review" because of budget constraints!