docoflove1974

Last night I saw "Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show." It chronicles a 30-day tour around the country that Vince Vaughn did with some comedians, showing both bits of their acts and the backstage stuff. I really found it to be good; the comedians are good, but also it was great to see the ups and downs that the comedians, Vince Vaughn (who is the producer of the show and of the movie) and everyone behind the scenes go through. I dated a comedian for a few months, and it was hauntingly familiar. Anyway, if you get a chance, it's a good one to watch.

The Pro Bowl is like the All-Star game...but at the end of the season, and always played in Hawaii. It's largely a joke, as well as a way for players to earn more money; often in the contracts one earns money for being honored and also for playing. Yes, XFL was a total bust by Vince McMahon; I don't think it went into a second season. Honestly, I tried to watch a couple of games, and it never appealed to me as a football fan. The play wasn't as good as the Arena League, and it had a 'sensationalist' feeling.

If it's all about global warming, then to hell with it...it's 70'F here in San Jose, the sun's out...it's gorgeous...and I'm not gonna do my exercising indoors. I'm going for a walk!

I believe so, yes (now if someone could explain offsides in hockey for me, I'd be appreciative!) 2nd...although if a player makes an especially eggregious foul, there can be a red given (well, yellow and red at the same time). Not so much changes...but I think it's usually 2 or 3 substitute players per match. And I want to say that it depends on the league/tournament.

I've been doing a ton of Netflix rentals lately...catching up on old favorites...adding to the list of movies which I can address to my students. I just rented the follow-up to The Office (British) show...I'm glad that the loose ends were tied up. As for stuff in theaters, I'm hopelessly behind. I have many that I want to list, but either I'm busy at night, or I just don't have the gumption!

I really wish I was in Italy right now...

Don Tomato: Yes...they're called chopsticks

Some would say the same for American Football

It's 2 sticks, actually

hehehehe Eli Manning...younger brother of Peyton Manning...Great slip-up!

Yep...principally that GO invokes fictional characters into the real world on a constant basis...

That, my friends, was one damn good game. The Pats didn't get set right all night...the Giants D seriously got under their skin. And Eli...wow, he's looking more and more like his brother. You know that Peyton was pretty happy with this...if he couldn't go to and win the SB, at least his younger brother did. And was an MVP. Damn...great game.

I'm sure that Don Tomato's got some surprise for his favorite mummy. One more year, and then you'll be an 'adult'...whatever that means. Enjoy your day!

Much of what I've been seeing in this thread helps me in picturing England and much of Continental/Western Europe during the period of 500-1000 CE. But I think there are two elements which are being left out: life in Ireland, and life in Iberia. I can't speak much about Ireland, other than I know that the monasteries are growing at that time. But as for Iberia.... Remember that Iberia is really cut in two once we get to 711: Gothic-Romance Iberia and Moorish-Romance Iberia. The Moorish-Romance Iberia--particularly the areas around what is now Andaluc

I cant believe that "Port" has an Anglo-Saxon origin when it so closely mirrors the Latin Portus. Now, whether or not it came to Modern English via Anglo-Saxon the original meaning of "door" and therefore "Harbor" (as seen by the "Portus" built by Claudius and Trajan outside of Rome) would still be clear. According to the OED: [in Old English < classical Latin portus (see below). In Middle English reinforced by or reborrowed from Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French port (French port) harbour, haven (c1050; also in fig. use, esp. in such phrases as estre a mal port to be in a desperate situation (c1165), a bon port happily (c1280), and freq. in religious contexts), town situated near to or around a harbour (1100; cf. port de la mer town situated on the coast and affording shelter to ships (1140)) < classical Latin portus harbour, haven, refuge, mouth of a river, in post-classical Latin also merchants' settlement, trading town (7th cent.) < the same Indo-European base as FORD n.1 Cf. Old Occitan, Occitan port (c1070), Catalan port (13th cent.), Spanish puerto (1085), Portuguese porto (10th cent.), Italian porto (13th cent.), and also Middle Dutch port, Middle High German port, porte. Another interesting fact on port from the OED: The word is barely attested in the early Middle English period. It is uncertain whether place names (in which the word may be either attributive or in the genitive) show continuing awareness of the element as an independent word, as all place names showing this word in this period are app. already attested in the Old English period. In sense 3a app. attested earlier in place names, as Port (c900-50; now Isle of Portland, Dorset), (

India, Singapore...and a student of mine (who was born in Calcutta, but went through various Catholic/British schools, so she now has no accent) and I were talking about this the other day. Even for her it's frustrating to hear this...even she has problems! The worst part is when you ask where they're from: "ooh, I am from [enter middle American state]"...I call BS every time, especially the last couple of times...they said they were from Texas, and had the thickest Indian accent!

When I started college, my class was the first to use phone-in registration...no more standing in lines, hoping you got the course you want. Now you call into the computer, and it works! The woman who was the recorded voice was so incredibly monotone and 'plain' in voice that my friends and I would mimic her...except that we'd substitute. "You have registered for...Spanish....150...Don Quixote...which is of...4....pizzas..." "Your total balance is...one thousand....two hundred...twenty...four...salmon...and...sixty...six...smelt." We figured that anything would be better than this voice...Sure, it's a question of having someone whose voice is not unpleasant...but bored college students and all that. The one I love right now is when I call my cell phone provider...the computer voice is pretty good...but it's hell to get to the operator!

Very well done. Congrats, Maty, on the new book (and the one you're working on), and great interview by all.

*In theory* we're set to get the money in May/June of this year...

I really only have one option: pay off debt. It's either going to student loans (that $600 almost covers one month's payment) or to credit card. It would be great to spend it on something else, but I'm not in a position to do much else with it. What makes me puzzled is when I hear those who admit to being in debt, and say they'll spend the money on frivolous items. Now, if you're in debt and, say, need to fix the car/house or get things for the family, I totally understand using the money for that. Or putting it aside to buy groceries and gas. But if you're up to your eyeballs in debt, and say you are going to spend it on a trip or some other luxury...seriously...is there any wonder why you're in debt? Just give me the money...I'll put it to good use!

As a professor of mine once wrote: One doesn't get into academia to get rich...it's all about the passion to learn!

From Alfonsina Storni, an Argentine poetess of the early 20th century...and she had relationship issues. TU ME QUIERES BLANCA T

*Ahem* *Waves hand* Public school kid here. All the way through the PhD...all public education. Really, I see that there are three main problems: 1) Lack of specific funding...which leads to teachers having to do more with less. There are various school districts which do not have enough money for new textbooks, teachers must buy their own school supplies instead of getting them from the school, etc. Of course, the working benefits are amazing...*rolls eyes*...because the pay sucks. 2) Standardization as it now stands: essentially, everyone is teaching to an exam, and must get all kids above a certain percentile. While in theory this is fine, the result is that students know how to pass the exam (or can't), and general education has been pushed aside. Also, if you have kids who are learning English still (very common) or who are special needs kids (also very common), they must perform at the same minimum-percentile...and this doesn't work. 3) Lack of parent support. This is not going to be a popular issue, but I'm noticing more and more that parents aren't working with their kids as much as before. By that I mean, they expect most of the education to be done at school, and then once the school bell rings, there are so many other activities (or TV time, whatever) that sitting down with the kids to do spelling tests, math tests, and other practice at home is left out. There are plenty of parents who do indeed practice with their kids, and it is those children who tend to be better off. And let's be fair...it's almost a requirement anymore to put your kid in extra-curricular sports, because physical education has been almost cut out completely in many public schools. Same with music and/or art lessons...those are rare in most schools. It's unfathomable that these would be cut out...but it's part of why there are more and more parents who are pulling their kids out of the public schools and either homeschooling them or placing them in the private school of their choice. At least a 'well-rounded education' is mostly there. This only scratches the surface, and indeed is a generalization. But it's part of the problem, at least.

I had Mr. Clemens (the writer, not the cheating pitcher) on my list...and Oscar Wilde is on my list to read. DDickey: I really tried to give James Joyce a try. But I barely got through his stories, and can't remember a lick of them, other than they were dull. Eh, to each their own!