SPOTD #140

I've been out of town, and it's been a while, but I have some good stuff for you.

Today's phrase:
One of those idioms that doesn't translate exactly.

Actual:
Con el dinero baila el perro.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Cone ail dee-nair-oh by-lah ell pay-roe.

Translation:
With money the dog dances.

It is an idiom, and the English meaning would be "With money anything is possible." You may not agree, but its a cool idiom.

Still Running
This is a great story about an Iraq vet who continues to play lacrosse despite losing his leg in the war.

Pirate?
This is a great story about a woman who is fighting back against the RIAA's efforts to prosecute music sharers.

So Hot
This is one of my all-time favorite cars, the McLaren F1. I saw one in London when I was 12 years old and it remains unique to this day.

Donate
High School blood donors are more likely to face complications, but they are also among the best source for donated blood in a time when more and more people are getting tattoos and piercings that can inhibit your eligibility to donate.

Jet Packs!
Who doesn't love jet packs? Honestly!

Link of the Day
This is a really fascinating story about an untouched Indian tribe in the Amazon.

SPOTD #139

This is a long edition. I had some time to do some music reviews and other things that I wanted to share. As always I encourage you to visit the blog. I've been focusing on Latin American issues to a greater degree, which has been relatively easy considering the amount of attention being given to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

I also posted a video from the set of Twilight, a movie that I know some of you are eagerly aniticipating.

Today's phrase:
From Plato:

Actual:
La música es para el alma lo que es la gimnasia para el cuerpo.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Lah moo-see-kah ess pah-rah ell ahl-mah low kay ess lah heem-nah-syah pah-rah ell cware-poe.

Translation:
Music is for the soul what gymnastics is for the body.

Música
I've purchased some new music lately that I wanted to share. Some of these were actually bought several months ago, so I'm playing catch-up.
-Wyclef Jean's new CD has some good numbers. Nothing will compare to The Carnival for me. That was one of my most frequently listened-to CD's during my freshman year in college, as the guys who knew me then can attest. To some extent, I think the inclusion of guest performers on almost every song has actually weakened the quality of the music, which I thought was best served by Wyclef's own abilities. Then again, I'm not a millionaire singer/songwriter/producer. I can't vouch for the disc as family-friendly, as I haven't listened to the whole thing. One nice track to download would be Any Other Day with Norah Jones.
-Gnarls Barkley released a new CD, and with little fanfare considering the success of their first album. The new one is also pretty great. Cee-lo has such a distinctive voice.
-Paolo Nutini showed up as a recommendation on iTunes. I downloaded one of his songs, New Shoes, and really liked it so I decided to buy the rest. New Shoes is the peppiest song on the album, but I like the whole thing. It's a good set to have on in the background and just listen to while you're hanging out, driving, whatever.
-Bossa N Roses is one of the best finds I've made lately. It is a cover album consisting of electro-bossa nova versions of Guns N Roses' most well-known songs. My favorite is definitely Patience, but Sweet Child of Mine is pretty good as well. It helps you appreciate the excellent melodies of GNR's songs, and is another album that can be in the background without overpowering your ears or freaking out the kids. Can't necessarily say the same of the originals. I'm not saying these are better, but they're enjoyable like the Easy All Stars.
-Radiohead released their latest, In Rainbows, quite a while ago. I was late to the show on this one, which is silly because I've enjoyed everything that they've done, even if it took a little work to "get." I think it's a strong effort, a nice mix of electronic and more traditional instruments.

Travel Notes
-I ate at a restaurant that I'd never tried before, J Alexander. I met my friend, the recently engaged Lisa Chau, and her fiance. The portions are enormous and quite good. Even better than that, J Alexander surprised me in another impressive way. I have long felt that the best restaurants are those that have the Sports section affixed to bulletin boards over the urinals. You guys will understand. J Alexander has small LCD televisions over each station! Fantastic!
-Atlanta Hartsfield International airport has never been a favorite of mine. 90% of the flights that I have taken since moving to Gainesville in 1989 have gone through Atlanta. I had one of the longest nights of my life there in 2001, spending 8 hours in a plane that never left the ground due to bad weather. Well, this last trip that I took was the first where Atlanta was actually my final destination. Knowing Atlanta's reputation as one of the busiest airports in the U.S. I was prepared for the worst. I was wrong. Painless bag retrieval. Painless transport from the airport. Painless check in and very fast security lines.

Nostalgia Corner
-I saw a huge Indiana Jones poster at the Atlanta airport. Less than one month. This movie will be outstanding, I can feel it. When is the last time that Spielberg made a "fun" movie? The last one I can think of is probably The Lost World, although that film was not his best effort. Harrison Ford has always been a favorite actor of mine, so I'll be there opening night, the 7:15 showing.
-Transformers was one of the most enjoyable movies of last summer for me. It wasn't the best movie, not by a longshot, but I enjoyed every moment. This trip I borrowed my brother's DVD to watch it again. The film's flaws became more apparent, but I enjoyed it just as much.
-GI Joe is currently in production. This WAS my favorite cartoon as a child, with Transformers being second and He-Man third. I'm sure I'll post more info in the future.

Wow
David Blaine held his breath for 17 minutes. Have you ever seen some of the stuff this guy can do? I think he has a deal with the devil.

Link of the Day
I admire elite-level athletes, but this story is one of the special ones.

SPOTD #138

Howdy folks. I hope all is well.

Today's phrase:
Whatever we're going through, chances are we've been there before. From Lord Byron.

Actual:
El mejor profeta del futuro es el pasado.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Ell may-hore pro-fay-tah dale foo-too-row ess ell pah-sah-doh.

Translation:
The best prophet of the future is the past.

Perfection
Only 4 more months until the college football begins. This is a very positive article about the BYU Cougars and the resurgence of the program as led by Coach Bronco Mendenhall. It's been fun.

Music
This is a very interesting transcript from a short segment on NPR.

Bruta
This is a great review of the Porsche GT2. It is blazing fast. It never ceases to amaze me what Porsche can do with a 6 cylinder engine.

Eric's Bad Movies
Eric Snider is my favorite movie critic. A few weeks ago he began a feature where he reviews bad movies. This one is for Superman IV, a movie I enjoyed a great deal as a kid but now find mostly unwatchable. It's a good review.

Infrastructure
Popular Mechanics has pointed out several aspects of US Infrastructure that need attention. Soon.

Dad's No Dummy
Advertisements portraying fathers as stupid are neither effective nor creative.

Link of the Day
Speed Racer looks crazy, and I think it will be awesome. Here's a little clip.

SPOTD #137

It has been a long while since the last SPOTD, although I have posted here at the blog (http://blog.spotd.net) regularly. The blog is less dependent on my laptop, which was un poco enfermo until last week. It is a short one, but I hope you enjoy.

Today's phrase:
We were invited to the house of some friends for dinner last Sunday. They made a fantastic meal of authentic mexican food- rice, refried beans, and best of all- tamales. Real, homemade tamales. These take hours to make. It was a treat, and gives rise to this thought:

Actual:
Panza llena, corazón contento

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Pawn-zah yay-nah core-ah-sewn cone-tain-toe.

Translation:
Full stomach, happy heart.

Películas
I enjoyed this Spanish-language film Ladrón que roba a ladrón (Thiefs steals from thief). It is an Oceans 11 style film about some thieves who plan a major heist using immigrants. It's short, humorous, and clever. It should be available at your local Blockbuster. It's nothing groundbreaking, but it was entertaining.
We took Joseph to see Horton Hears a Who and it was surprisingly (to me) enjoyable. I recommend it.

Golf
I haven't played golf in months, and have little time to do so as it is, but this article makes me want to keep at it. It's a nice story about that beautiful game.

Moses
I was saddened by the passing of Charlton Heston. This is a nice interview with him done by Entertainment Weekly in 1999.

Arthur Clarke
I'm a lifelong fan of Science Fiction, and Arthur Clarke was one of the pioneers of that genre. What is so interesting about writers like him is the tremendous impact that they've had on actual science and technological development. Get a sense for his life here.

Link of the Day
I thought this was a pretty great advertisement for BMW. I found it through Instapundit, who provides some interesting technical background into how they shot it.

SPOTD #136

It has been far too long since the last SPOTD, so I bring you this short edition to get me back on track.

Today's phrase:
This will be a short edition. I have been busy on the SPOTD blog and In Rare Form. Be sure to check them out.
This is from Shakespeare:

Actual:
Brevedad es el alma de la agudeza

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Bray-vay-dahd ess ell al-mah day lah ah-goo-day-zah

Translation:
Brevity is the soul of wit.

Lamenting your Lambo
This is an interesting piece on the drawbacks of supercar ownership.

Obeying the Law
I really enjoyed this interview from the Tygrrrr Express with Dr. Walter Williams. Dr. Williams is a prominent conservative economist. His views on the role of government and strict adherence to the constitution are very interesing.

Into Africa
President Bush is quite popular in several African countries. The policies that have made him so popular are in opposition to the conservative principles espoused by Dr. Williams above, but I'm not going to fault the Pres for them right now, and neither does Live Aid honcho Bob Geldof.

Link of the Day
If you were old enough to watch movies in the 1980's, you will not regret following this link.

SPOTD #135

I have some resolutions for the Spanish Phrase of the Day. I resolve to send it more frequently, and actually focus more on Spanish. I will continue to update the blog with all manner of eclectic news, views, and entertainment. Occasionally the SPOTD e-mail will contain personal anecdotes and recommendations as well, but for the most part I will try to make it more "spanishy."

Therefore the SPOTD will be shorter, and I will refer my readers to the blog for more fresh SPOTD goodness. So visit the blog, si quieren (if you want). Onto the phrase:

Today's phrase:
In keeping with the New Year-inspired feeling, tu frase (your phrase):

Actual:
Es bueno fijar metas.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Ess bway-no fee-har may-tahs.

Translation:
It is good to set goals.

It is, trust me. Now you can seem wise and multicultural the next time that your boss or supervisor wants to know your plan for the future.

Holiday Greetings
Check out my family Christmas Card:
http://blog.spotd.net/2007/12/happy-new-year.html
I think you'll like it.

Link of the Day
An interesting website made by an artist named J.A. Sierra, The History of Cuba. I can't vouch for its total accuracy, but it seems well-researched and has an interesting focus on the period between the mid-1700's and the turn of the last century, when Cuba earned its independence from Spain.

SPOTD #134

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I've had this half-completed for almost a month. Finally I have time to get it out.

As the first matter of business I would direct you to this post from the SPOTD blog, some great videos of the kids being kids. In the first one Joseph decides to feed Millie her dinner. In the second Millie doesn't know what to decide. It is amazing to watch these kids grow. I also have written some interesting things on the blog and at In Rare Form.

Today's phrase:
I've used this one before, but if it fits, it fits:

Actual:
¡Felíz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo!

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
¡Fay-lease nah-vee-dahd ee prose-pear-oh ahn-yo nway-voe.

Translation:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Stem Cells
This is a fantastic article about how one man decided to find an alternative to embryonic stem cells for research. He appears to have succeeded.

Buy, buy, buy
There is an interesting new retailer that wants your business:
http://www.buynlarge.com/
Actually, this is a site set up to promote Pixar's new film, Wall-E. I linked to the new trailer in last Saturday's AweVidSat.

Football & Loyalty
This is the time of year for the college and NFL coaching carousel to enter full swing. Bobby Petrino's exit from Atlanta is a key example of when this is handlef poorly.

Beedle
A very rare book was sold bY Sotheby's, with the proceeds going to charity. Read more about it here.

Polar Bears
Are they really that bad off due to climate change?

Trip Quiz
This website promises to provide, based on the results of a quiz, the perfect destination for your next trip.
http://www.besttripchoices.com/
Where will you be going?

Featuritis
What happens when bad features happen to good concepts? An epidemic.

Serving
This is a great article about the serving Miss Utah. She is a combat veteran and serving member of the Utah National Guard. This is a nice article about what kind of person she is.

Link of the Day
This is the link for the 2 minute preview to the next season of Lost. Shortened or not, I'll be watching when it comes back on the area in a few weeks.

SPOTD #133

I tried to get this edition out before the weekend was over. When I wrote this I was in the Oakland airport preparing to return to San Diego. We arrived in SD on Wednesday, a very long trip with 2 sick little kids. Less than 12 hours after I got to SD, I returned to the airport so I could travel to NoCal for business. This SPOTD will discuss my travels.

It is now Thanksgiving evening. I hope everyone enjoyed their turkey.

Today's phrase:
Inspired by actual events:

Actual:
El pavo me da sueño.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Ell pah-voe may dah swayn-yo.

Translation:
Turkey makes me tired.

Motorola Q
I bought my Q a few months ago. I've been very pleased with it, happy to ditch my separate PDA and phone in favor of a single unit. What I most enjoyed on THIS trip is having Google Maps on it. It is free to download and works as long as I can get a minimal date connection.
The only glitch was when I received a call when I was following a map. It took me out of the program and I missed my exit. No big tragedy though.

Rental Cars
This go-round I had a Chrysler 300. Chryslers are perenially underpowered, and this one was no exception as it lacked the V8 of the pricier model. GM cars have always seemed to have more punch when you really need it, like passing or entering the freeway. My Honda and most Toyotas I have driven also deliver confidence-inducing thrust, often with engines that are less-powerful on paper.
Not a bad ride, but not enough for me to consider for my personal transportation.

Food
BJ's Restaurant and Brewery: Not a bad entry in the brewery/restaurant genre. I had some really tasty Panko-encrusted fish tacos. I always try to get my fill of fish tacos when I am in California.
Tlaloc: I had lunch with my friends Maret Mitchell and Tim Jacobsen. Maret only had tome to say hi, so Tim and I went to this place Tlaloc for a tasty San Fran burrito. The food was good, fast, and the weather was great. It's always good to see old friends.
CPK ASAP: Always my favorite choice for airport food. Always busy too. Makes the wait a little more bearable.

Cities
It was my first visit to San Francisco in a long time. I will definitely return. Crazy hilly, but fun to see. I look forward to seeing it with more time.
Sacramento was nice, exceeding my ignorant expectations. I wasn't expecting it to be so green.

Airlines
We flew Delta out. It went fine considering the kid's situation. We were lucky to have a less-filled flight from Atlanta to San Diego. The portable DVD player saved our life.as well.
I was on Southwest for my NoCal trip and it was one of my better travel experiences. Never had a bad run on Southwest.

Link of the Day
More of a fact this time, from National Geographic:
What nation has the highest per capita consumption of turkey?
Israel, easily number one with more than twice the amount per Israeli, over 30 pounds of turkey a year. This seems logical given the geographic constraints and dietary restrictions of Judaism.

SPOTD #132

Scroll down the SPOTD blog for excellent stuff.

Today's phrase:
Today's quote is from Hippocrates. It demonstrates that there have always been things to be pessimistic about. It shows that adults have always worried about the inclinations and acitivites of the young. Sometimes they have been right, sometimes not.

Actual:
Los jóvenes de hoy no parecen tener respeto alguno por el pasado ni esperanza alguna para el porvenir.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Lows ho-vay-nase day oy no pah-ray-sane tay-nare ray-spay-toe ahl-goo-no poor ell pah-sah-doe nee ace-pay-rahn-sah pa-rah ell pro-vane-ear.

Translation:
The youth of today do not appear to have any respect for the past nor any hope for the future.

The Wilhem Scream
This is a fun article, featuring common misquotes of classic movie lines. It also addresses the phenomenon of the Wilhelm Scream. You can see examples of it on the SPOTD blog.

Testaverde
Peter King writes for Sports Illustrated. He can be very longwinded, but I like this bit about Vinny Testaverde's return to the NFL. As a kid I was a big fan during his days at Miami.

Warming Warning
Al Gore's movie now requires a special warning before being shown to school kids in Great Britain.

Crazy Allergies
This kid is allergic to almost every food. Bummer.

Repairing Sports
Chuck Klosterman has some ideas about how to repair sports coverage. I agree.

Link of the Day
An interesting article about Hillary Clinton and her former cat Socks.If she discarded Socks upon leaving the White House, will she discard some of her supporters upon returning?

SPOTD #131

Almost another month has passed. Time flies by.

Today's phrase:
From Benjamin Franklin:

Actual:
¿Amas la vida? Pues no malgastes el tiempo que es la tela de la vida.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
¿Ah-mahs lah vee-dah? Pways no mal-gas-tays ell tyem-poe kay ess lah tay-lah day lah vee-dah.

Translation:
But dost thou love life ? then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of

The Blog
Here are some highlights. Scroll down to check it out.
-Mormon Anarchists
-Police Beat
-Clay Aiken looks like the Donald
-My kids are awesome
-The Republican party need to cleanse itself
-And much more!

Randy Shannon
He is the new coach of the Miami Hurricanes, but not new to the program. This is a very interesting article about how he came to be the coach, and the many challenges that he has experienced in his life.

Butlers
This is a great story about a man who came from nothing and became a butler for several households in New Orleans. He learned to read and write while in his twenties. He was selected as butler of the year. The link may not be available to people who are not subscribers of the Wall Street Journal.

Religion
This is an entertaining quiz that identifies your religion. It worked for me.

Humor
Eric Snider is writing for Film.com. This is a funny article about bad movie promos.
This is a great article, also by Snider, about fatness in America.

Thoughtless
You may have heard about the young MIT student that thought it would be a good art statement if she walked into Boston's Logan airport with a fake bomb strapped to her chest. As they said, she is lucky to be alive. Unfortunately she is probably still an idiot.

Pina Coladas
I think this is a pretty funny story about a couple that decided to explore the personals, only to find that they had matched up with each other. Unfortunately they did not reconcile while getting caught in the rain.

Link of the Day
This is old news by now, but Mark Ecko, a fashion designer, had a pretty cool idea about what he should do with Barry Bonds' record breaking 756th homerun ball.

SPOTD #130

I have allowed quite a long time to pass since the last SPOTD (over a month) and I have also been less active (though still posting) on the blog. My family is doing great and watching these kids grow is such a treat. I hope everyone else is doing well.

Today's phrase:
Today's quote is from Gaius (or Publius) Cornelius Tacitus. I'm in one of those moods.

Actual:
Una mala paz es todavía peor que la guerra.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Oo-nah mah-lah pahs ess toe-dah-vee-ah pay-ore kay lah gay-rrah

Translation:
A bad peace is even worse than war.

Blog Recap
Scroll down to see what I've been up to for the last month.

Spaceport Reality
This is a pretty cool report on the planned U.S. Spaceport. It will be used by private firms in space travel.

Movies
Ever want to know how accurate the science is in some well-known films? Look no farther.
It was British movie time in our house, so we watched the following two films and enjoyed them quite a bit:
Miss Potter: A biopic about Beatrix Potter. Very enjoyable, family friendly. It was released earlier this year.
Remains of the Day: An older film, released in 1992 or 1993. The acting is really top-notch and the story is excruciatingly real.

iTunes future?
The time could come when music is delivered to the listener in a very different way than it is now, This will be critical for the slow-to-adapt music industry.

Lost
This one is for my sister. She and I were both fans of the shortlived series, The Marshall. Adding Jeff Fahey to a great cast is a good move.

Kind of Cold
When efforts to highlight global warming end like this, you can't help but smile:
British yachtsman Adrian Flanagan is trying to prove global warming by sailing along the Northern Sea route, which sailors have pursued for centuries.He’s run into the same problem that sailors have run into for centuries: Ice...It gets better. While he is waiting for the ice to melt, old Adrian is running into polar bears, who apparently 1.) are not nearing extinction and 2.) can swim. This may come as a shock to devout followers of the New York Times.

Colbert
Some good commentary on the unseemly melding of politics and entertainment.

King
This article is great for the intro, where a player from the NFL writes about the end of his career.

Link of the Day
This is one listing of the best surprise endings of all times.

SPOTD #129

I wanted to cover some things quickly in today's SPOTD. Fantasy Football is due to start soon. We may have a slot or two open and I will send an e-mail if that is the case.

Today's phrase:
From Aristotle.

Actual:
En las adversidades sale a la luz la virtud.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Enn lahs add-ver-see-dah-days sah-lay ah lah loose lah veer-tude.

Translation:
In adversity virtue comes to life.

From the Blog
It's been a slow few weeks.
-It was my birthday and Lacy made me a very nice video. I'm a lucky guy.
-We can win the war.

Close Call
My friend and old roommate Dave Carlson didn't realize that a quick trip to his neighborhood Supercuts would lead to him being forced to the floor and locked in a room in the course of a burglary. Read the article for more.

Petraeus
Peggy Noonan has a nice feature on General David Petraeus, the very effective U.S. Commander in the Middle East.

Hold the Cheese
If you don't, I'll sue you for $10 million! So says a man who supposedly had a severe allegic reaction to the cheese on his burgers. This story is ridiculous.

Iran & Terror
Only the terror they are inflicting this time is on their own citizens.

17...and counting!
There is a couple in Arkansas that just had their 17th (17TH!) child. And they may have more.

'Look, you didn't kill me. You'll never win.'
This is a great story about a young man from Gainesville who was badly injured while deployed in Afghanistan. What he has done since then is an example of determination trumping adversity.
Link of the Day
Shane Lewis is an artist with a video game developer. He shares some of his art on his blog along with various thoughts. I like the art.

SPOTD #128

The big news is the arrival of Evan Brian Joseph Palmer. He was adopted by Justin and Kira Palmer last Sunday, after being born in Gainesville on the 15th of July. He weighed 7lbs 2oz and was 21 inches in length. The little family is doing great, happy to be together.

Today's phrase:
From José Martí, patron saint of the SPOTD

Actual:
Los niños son la esperanza del mundo.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Lows neen-yoes sown lah ace-pay-rahn-sah dale moon-doe.

Translation:
The children are the hope of the world.

Incredible
Watch this video. It is an incredible display of technological innovation.

Innerspace
This is a review of a book that looks pretty cool. It is about the weird creatures that live deep in the sea.

Indy
Another video from the set of the new Indiana Jones movie. Not much there, but still fun to see. This movie should have a huge open.

Potter
I finished the seventh Harry Potter book the other day. I thought it was fantastic and a fitting end to the series. Stephen King wrote about it here. I posted some funny Simpsons videos on the series here.

Submarines
I've mentioned personal submarines in a previous SPOTD. This is an article that talks about their implications for security, especially the danger posed by terrorism and the drug trade. I'd still like to own one.

Edwards
John Edwards is an insincere and pompous blowhard. This article from The Onion (a satirical website) is an excellent send-up of Edwards-style campaign promises.

Link of the Day
This is a weird one. I remember seeing this when I was a kid, although I don't remember this portion. This is today's Awesome Video Saturday entry. It's about Mark Twain and some of his characters and a freaky devil.

SPOTD #127

Happy Independence Day! We've got some new videos of the kids below.

Today's phrase:
From Mark Twain:

Actual:
Un hombre con una nueva idea es un loco hasta que la idea triunfa.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Oon ohm-bray cone oo-nah nway-vah ee-day-ah ess oon low-coe ahs-tah kay lah ee-day-ah tree-un-fa.

Translation:
A man with a new idea is a crank until he succeeds.

For a long time the United States was considered a crank in the international community. Sometimes that is the case today. I don't think that's a bad thing.

Blog Recap
Some highlights since SPOTD #126:
-Al Gore is a windbag.
-Michael Moore has a new propraganda film. Surprise, surprise! He isn't exactly truthful.
-Indiana Jones IV is in production.
-Journalists tend to favor Democratic candidates by a wide margin.
More on the blog.

Dragon
It seems like this movie is on every time I am in Marco Island, but I just watched Dragon, the Bruce Lee biopic. I am no Bruce Lee expert, but I love this movie. Just thought I'd mention that.

Which is next?
Entertainment Weekly pitches some ideas for the next big '80's toy revival a la Transformers.

Rat
An interview with Ratatouille director Brad Bird. I watched a 9 minute video on the Disney website and found it very enjoyable. It's gotten good reviews and good box office.

Fountain
Lacy and I watched The Fountain. It is visually stunning and well-executed, if difficult to understand. Eric Snider's review is a good one. This Wired article talks about some of the technology involved in making the film. That aspect of the film made it worth watching to me.

Bridges
An interesting celebrity website, actually done by the celebrity, Jeff Bridges.

Storing Food
We like to cook, and this is a very helpful listing of how long food stays fresh.

Link of the Day
Have you ever watched the Discovery Channel show The Deadliest Catch? If not you should. It is a fascinating and enthralling show, where the men involved work in extraordinarily difficult conditions for a prized catch. This is an interview with one of the ships' skippers.

SPOTD E-mail #126

Life is good. We have received abundant and welcome rain today, which means my sprinkler bill will decline that much more. Always good news. I have been busy on the blog and will recap below. More additions to the website have and will come, focusing on photos of the kids and their happenings.

Today's phrase:
From Jose Martí, patron saint of the SPOTD.

Actual:
La confianza en uno mismo y la rápida decisión son el preludio del éxito.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Lah cone-fee-ahn-sah enn oo-no mees-moe ee lah rah-pee-dah day-see-syown sown ell pray-loo-dee-oh dell ex-ee-toe.

Translation:
Confidence in one self and in quick decision are the preludes to success.

Blog Recap
Some highlights since SPOTD #125:
-Embryonic Stem Cell Research may not be necessary.
-I still believe in the war in Iraq.
-Americans love immigrants while disliking illegal immigration.
-The car for Speed Racer (the movie) is looking just right.
-Hugo Chavez continues to clamp down, and "liberals" help him.
-Some great friends visited, I recommended a book, and Mr. Wizard died.
-Awesome Video Saturday remains Awesome.

Legend
This is the trailer for a new film starring Will Smith. The basic premise is that Will Smith is the only human being left (in the world?). The catch? Vampires or zombies or something like that. Sign me up!

5 Second Rule
It now appears that this rule can be liberalized substantially. I don't know if my mom is ready for this.

Wheelchair
This is a fantastic story that would not have been so awesome had it ended differently. This guy was pushed by a semi at 50 mph, while in his wheelchair!

Cool Roof
This is a pretty cool, but seemingly obvious idea for reducing energy consumption. Despite my skepticism about Global Warming hysteria, I am in favor of reducing energy consumption when reasonable. This fits.

Link of the Day
Jet Packs. It does bring to mind a funny episode of Arrested Development.

SPOTD E-mail #125

I've finally put some new pictures of the kids up on the SPOTD website. Some of them were taken by our friend Lisa Emmerich, who has a local photography business.

As always, check the blog.

Today's phrase:
Good words, from a German proverb:

Actual:
El aburrimiento es consecuencia de la pereza.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Ell ah-buurr-ee-myen-toe ess cone-see-kwen-see-ah day lah pay-ray-zah.

Translation:
Boredom is a consequence of laziness.

Blog Recap
I've been very active on the blog, more so than in any other month. See below:
-Bo Jackson
-Venezuela continues to become less free under Chavez
-A great memorial day article
-The introduction of Awesome Video Saturday
-America IS the best country on EARTH (American Exceptionalism)
-LOST!
-Cuban Independence (or lack)
-Warming Shwarming
-The new Transformers trailer
I've been busy. Have you been keeping up?

HarryPotterLand
There are plans to renovate an area of Universal Studios Islands of Adventure Theme Park in order to create a Harry Potter-themed "land." Sounds like a great idea, and I'm all for visiting it, but read the comments on this blog and see some people who are REALLY excited, and in the nerdiest sense.

Loch Ness
Did you know that Loch Ness is over 750 ft deep at its mas profundo? That's deeper than the North Sea! The Loch's purported monster is in the news again as a man claims to have captured footage of Nessie in action.

Enchanted
I really like the look of this movie. I think it is a smart choice by Disney. Watch the trailer.

Freakish
I don't know why this site surprised me. Anyone who has visited Ripley's Believe it or Not has seen his "mermaid." These are other bits of high-priced creative taxidermy. Animal-lovers beware.

HD
Popular Mechanic has a really helpful article about the biggest myths about High-Def TV. I have been watching HD at home now for a few months and I love it.

Conversion at the Point of a Gun
This is a story about a man whose views on gun ownership changed when he was the victim of violent crime. It's especially interesting because he is a politician.
These are some helpful facts and insights from Michael Barone about how gun ownership affects a community.

Link of the Day
Flight of the Bumblebee on the accordion:

SPOTD E-mail #124

Life is hectic in my house, but I can't really complain. We are having fun with our new arrival. Besides what I've included on the blog, you can visit http://www.spotd.net/ to see more pictures and read more about the kids. I will update it soon.

The blog continues to be eclectic and updated frequently.

Today's phrase:
From an unknown author

Actual:
El humor es el resplandor de la mente.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Ell oo-morr ess ell rays-plahn-dorr day lah main-tay.

Translation:
Humor is the brilliance of the mind.

Blog Recap
Scroll down the blog for these recent entries:
-Standout BYU quarterback John Beck was drafted by the Miami Dolphins.
-Liberal law professors are helping change precedent on gun ownership.
-Gainesville may be the best place to live, IN THE WORLD!
-Al Sharpton makes a mistake. No surprise.
-More on Global Warming
-I recommended music from Arcade Fire, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Killers.
-Mother's Day.
-Our close relationship with an improving Colombia may be in peril.
-Read an entertaining Disneyworld travelogue.

Movies
Spider-Man 3: Saw it. Enjoyed it quite a bit. It has received mixed reviews, but as a fan of the genre and the series, I was very pleased.
The Queen: A mesmerizing film. It covers the death of Princess Diana and it aftermath for the Royal Family and Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Monster-in-Law: Amusing, but not necessarily worth your time. Wanda Sykes is the only real reason to watch this movie.

Tough One
Ever heard of a "baby hatch?" This article introduced the concept to me. I don't like the idea of people anonymously leaving their unwanted babies in a hospital. It makes it wasy for people to abandon responsibility for their actions. BUT, if it leads to fewer abortions or completely abandoned babies I can't completely reject it. I just don't think people should be able to ignore the outcome of their decisions and the hatch seems too easy.

Major Coin
Canada has broken the record for the largest pure gold coin. They've minted one that weighs 224 lbs and is worth $1 million:
It takes about six weeks to make and has a face value of 1 million Canadian dollars ($903,628), though it sells for approximately $2.7 million depending on the market value of gold.The coins will give the mint a higher international profile.“We wanted to raise the bar so that we could say the government of Canada, or the Royal Canadian Mint, produced the purest gold coins in the world,” said David Madge, the mint’s director of bullion and refinery services.
Those crazy Canucks!

Funny Google Trick
1. go to http://www.google.com/
2. click on "maps"
3. click on "get directions"
4. type "New York" in the first box (the "from" box)
5. type "London" in the second box (the "to" box) (hit get directions)
6. scroll down to step #23

Link of the Day
Bruce Campbell is fairly well-known, though not many know him by name. He has starred in various B-movies, most notably the Evil Dead series, and has amusing cameos in each of the Spider-Man films. Both of those franchises have been directed by Sam Raimi. Now Campbell is in an Old Spice ad that I find very amusing. Enjoy.

SPOTD E-mail #123

I'm going for brevity today. Lacy gave birth to a little girl last Thursday, Camilla Jane Lowry. We are calling her Millie, and she was 9lbs 14 oz and 22 inches long. Everything went well, and I've posted some pictures on the blog, so check out my new little lady.

Today's phrase:
From José Martí, the patron saint of the SPOTD.

Actual:
Deben cultivarse en la infancia preferentemente los sentimientos de independencia y dignidad.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Day-bane cool-tee-var-say ain lah een-fahn-see-ah pray-fay-rain-tah-main-tay lows sain-tee-myen-toes day een-dee-pain-dain-see-ah ee deeg-nee-dahd.

Translation:
The feelings of independence and dignity must be cultivated preferredly during childhood.

Good advice for any parent.

SPOTD
Blog Scroll down to check out the latest updates.

Link of the Day
No video today. I've reworked the SPOTD website in an effort to simplify. Hopefully it means I will update stuff about the kids more consistently. Check it out at http://www.spotd.net/ for more.

SPOTD E-mail #122

A lot is changing here at SPOTD headquarters. In conjunction with the impending arrival of the SPOTDaughter I am going to redesign the Spanish Phrase of the Day website. All of my blogging, picture posting, and other internetry will take place at that site. I have already moved the SPOTD blog to this new address: http://blog.spotd.net/, although the old address will still get you to the right place. What does this mean for you? Maybe nothing, but maybe its the most important and exciting news that you've heard all day!

Speaking of important, I've made a new video of Joseph. One day he was playing with markers and by the end of it the mess evoked a certain iconic hero, so I went with that inspiration and made this cheesy salute. Check it out.

Today's phrase:
From Tolstoi

Actual:
Todos quieren cambiar el mundo, pero nadie piensa en cambiarse así mismo.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Toe-dose kyay-rain cahm-bee-arr ell moon-doe, pay-rwo nah-dyay pyain-sah ain cahm-bee-arr-say ah-see mees-moe.

Translation:
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.

I'm changing my website.


It's Miller Time
My old friend Joseph D. Miller is going to contribute to a blog written by some other friends, including SPOTD-reader and fellow conservative Maret Mitchell. His piece is called "Miller Monday," but I encourage you to check the whole thing out. I'm impressed with their rate of posting. Nothing like enthusiasm in the birth of a blog.
http://inrareform.wordpress.com/

Whitlock
The Imus kerfuffle is largely ended, but this is a great piece by Kansas City Star sportswriter Jason Whitlock on what the mess told us, as well as what it didn't.
http://www.kansascity.com/159/story/66339.html

Gators
For the Gator fans, I liked this interview with the wife of Urban Meyer, the football coach.
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070411/SUNFRONT/704110348

Movie Stuff
Lacy and I watched Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. It is an interesting story about a man trying to heal the rift between him and his dying son. It is a small story, in the sense that it is the kind of thing that happens every day, all over the world, and largely hidden from view. It has some beautiful images and shows the decency of normal people. I enjoyed it very much. It was directed by the man who made Hero and The House of Flying Daggers.
This is from Eric Snider's film review of Halle Berry's new film. I thought it was funny because it mirrored my first impression of that movie's title:
Why would you call your film "Perfect Stranger" if you didn't want people making jokes about Balki and Cousin Larry? What's next? "Growing Pain"? "Family Tie"? Any of those would probably be better (though not funnier) than the deadly serious thriller "Perfect Stranger," starring Halle Berry as Rowena, an investigative reporter who thinks a philandering advertising tycoon named Harrison Hill (Bruce Willis) may have killed her friend. To get more dirt, she takes a job as a temp at Hill's agency, cozying up to him so her tech-savvy colleague Miles (Giovanni Ribisi) -- who has a secret crush on Rowena -- can pry into Hill's e-mail accounts and look for clues. Directed by James Foley ("Glengarry Glen Ross," "The Chamber"), the film wants to be "Basic Instinct," but it has neither the trashiness nor the boldness to come even close. Most of its thrills are on the order of "Will the JPG get e-mailed in time?" and "Can Rowena juggle several different IM conversations at once?," resulting in a film that's polished and smooth without ever being interesting. And the finale? As Balki would say, don't be ree-dee-culous.

Goonies
I can't think of a place or time where this would not be good news: there is serious activity with the purpose of created a Goonies Broadway musical. It could be awesome.

Trailers:
Oceans 13: It looks promising, and perhaps more focused than the 2nd installment.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/oceans13/trailer2a/
A few years ago we saw a foreign film entitled Mostly Martha. It was an enjoyable movie, and I was pleased to hear they were making a US version. I hope it portrays the warmth of the original.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/noreservations/trailer1/
A lot, or all, of this film was shot in Gainesville. I don't know that it appeals to me as a film, but it sure looks like G-ville.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/thehawkisdying/trailer/

Just Click
It might only matter if you agree with the latest Miller Monday (see above)
http://gethimabodybag.ytmnd.com/

Hook-ups
This article frightens me. I don't think this is a good development culturally, and it makes me wary of the expectations that it places in the minds of men toward women.

Link of the Day
I think Indian cinema and media is very entertaining. It can also be downright weird. This video is no exception to either adjective. I give you...Indian Thriller:

SPOTD E-mail on the Web (#121)

Hola. I hope that everyone is doing well. First and foremost I would point your attention to the Spanish Phrase of the Day blog, where you will find, not one, but TWO excellent videos of Joseph III. The first is my favorite, but I happen to like them both.

This is a good edition. ¡Mucha información!

Today's phrase:
From Confucious

Actual:
Algún dinero evita preocupaciones; mucho, las atrae.

Phonetic with emphasis on bold syllable:
Ahl-goon dee-nair-oh ay-vee-tah pray-ah-coo-pah-syown-ace; moo-choe lahs ah-tra-ay.

Translation:
Some money limits worries; much attracts it.

Good quote, but I'll still take the dinero.


Blog Recap
Just a review of some of the things that I have talked about lately on the Spanish Phrase of the Day blog.
-I showed some photos of my new house and praised the film Open Range.
-I attacked the Gore version of Global Warming as a dangerous ideology
-I posted a very funny, short video on the Walkie-Talkie
-Elliot Yamin of American Idol has a new album out. The video can be seen on the blog. It really is a good CD.
-Cuba's leaders are hypocrites- Go figure.
There are also new posts on Right Wing Pundit to please (or enrage) the politically minded.

Entretenimiento
The cover art for the next and final Harry Potter book has been released. It will be a big seller (no surprise) and with each of the principal stars signed through the seventh film, it will be a big movie too.
American Idol: I don't know what the deal is with Sanjaya. It's time for him to go home, but we must suffer through another week.
Lacy and I watched Fun with Dick & Jane. It was amusing and it helped that we had low expectations for it.

Funny Tax Deductions
Why not? The deadline is around the corner- maybe you can incorporate some of these nifty ideas.

Gym Class Heroes
I'm always a fan of the insertion of rap in a "non-rap" song (see my appearance in the 2002 smash hit Poision by Anonymous) and the song Cupid's Chokehold by the above-named band is pretty catchy. The lyrics are interesting (you can see and hear the video on their MySpace page) and I think it is saying that his girlfirend really isn't that great? If you can clarify, let me know. Catchy little ditty.

Sweep the Leg
This is the video of a song by that title, and it actually stars a lot of the cast of the original Karate Kid, including Ralph Macchio and Billy Zabka and the body bag guy. As an added bonus, Mr. Belding makes an appearance. It's an interesting bit of work, but I'd skip it if you're not a fan or if you're offended by a speedo-wearing rollerblader and an exploding Cobra.

Snide
This is one of the funniest columns by Eric Snider that I have ever read. Remember, it's satire.

Link of the Day
I think that 30 Rock is one of the funniest shows on TV. It is excellent satire, and although there is sometimes a liberal bent to it, it is so funny that I don't mind.
That is pretty direct humor.