It’s hard not to think of “Saint” Angelina when one sees photos like this one.
Regardless of what she did when in her twenties, adult, responsible Angelina continues doing good works. I think those that criticize her have every right but how many of us even if we could afford it would travel to a place like “war-torn Afghanistan?”
This is far from the first time she’s ventured into places with questionable safety. And I don’t think she’s acting when she sits and listens to the people of these countries with pad and pen in hand. Just that simple act of traveling there and showing that someone cares–what is that worth? Impossible to measure. Most of us assuage our guilt about our plenty by giving to charity. Jolie actually gives of herself as well as giving substantially monetary donations.
Before surprising Clint Eastwood this week at the Hollywood Film Festival Awards Gala, Angelina Jolie traveled to the other side of the world for her first trip to war-torn Afghanistan.
Jolie, a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency, met refugees who have returned to their post-Taliban homeland to rebuild their lives after fleeing in 2001. She also visited projects by Afghan Hands, an organization helping women and children, inspired by her work with refugees. “After seeing real suffering,” she tells PEOPLE, “you never complain anymore.”
What’s the first thing she did after returning home? “Hug the kids.” – Mary Green
Truth be told I have not but I do send out Christmas cards each year and so I receive Christmas cards in return. I genuinely enjoy receiving personalized cards like those you can get by clicking the link and arriving at the VistaPrint site.
When you get there you have many choices starting with hundreds of holiday designs. It’s fun going through them so take some time and make sure you find the design that is perfect for you.
Photo holiday cards are always fun to receive with the reactions often going along the lines of, “Look how big little Johnny is getting!” or something in the the same vein. I remember as a kid my family would receive a photo card from the same family every year with a new photo of course, and though they lived a thousand miles from us we literally watched their children grow up. It was pretty cool.
I also really enjoy foil-accented cards. To me, Christmas involves sparkly things and a foil-accented Christmas card really fits that bill nicely.
Personalized Christmas Cards
Beside the types of holiday Christmas cards that I’ve mentioned you can find folded cards, 4×8″ cards, postcards and caricatures–which sound quite whimsical to me.
All the cards you find are easy to design and order from the VistaPrint website. They can be created in a jiffy and you can look for them in your mailbox in as little as three days. Check ‘em out as well as the vast array of other products on the site including business cards, stationary, marketing materials, calendars and much more.
This Post Secret made me chuckle as I too went through an unfortunate time in my life when I had to shill things on eBay. Let’s just say that I broke even. There will always be some very difficult people in the world and they unfortunately buy off of eBay, too.
So, though I did not say an actual prayer before sending off my packages I did make a silent wish that the item–a book usually–1. would get into the buyer’s hands, 2. safely, 3. in the agreed upon time frame.
Hoping for good feedback was pie-in-the sky though I always left it for the buyer. There were a couple of neutral and one negative rating in possibly a thousand transactions there and through other book suppliers over the years. I left with a 99 percent I think or 98 point almost 99. Whatever.
I can totally understand the need to pray over sending out a package you’ve sold through eBay.
In closing, the seller feedback from the customer counts towards the seller’s worth. The buyer feedback does nothing to their rating therefore there can be no bad buyers on eBay. Only bad sellers. So sayeth eBay, who I rarely bought from and now, never would buy from. You are a sap if you do. Surf the ‘net–find another reputable seller. They are out there.
(Just look at how eBay’s Paypal–the owned-by-eBay financial entity, works. <eyeroll>)
One more Post Secret from this week. Be sure to check out the rest of the Post Secret’s at their site.
SURVIVOR: GABON - EARTH’S LAST EDEN, October 23rd, 2008
“He’s A Snake, But He’s My Snake” - In the wake of a tough loss, an emotional outburst causes one castaway to become a target. Meanwhile, large appetites combined with dwindling rations create an air of resentment at one camp.
Promo Transcript~
Sugar: I gave Ace the Idol.
I gave Ace the idol.
Ken: What?
You did what???
Perfect strategy?…
Sugar and her Snake
Sugar: Ace is kind of a snake but he’s my snake.
Announcer: …or biggest blunder in Survivor history? (Nah. That still belongs to Ozzie.)
Ace (to Sugar): Trust me.
Call him "Snake"
Announcer: And will the most losing Survivor tribe ever finally break their streak?
Crystal, Ace in Immunity Challenge
Crystal: Don’t mistake my tears as a sign of weakness. ( They weren’t. They were tears of exasperation and frustration.)
This show is getting so hard to watch. Fang came so close to winning immunity due to Kenny and Matty’s efforts:
Matty and Ken: they almost had it
But at the end of the challenge a flagpole had to be assembled and “Ass” insisted on doing it himself ( control freak much?). Kota overtook them with what looked like a lot of help from Physics teacher Bob and Fang blew it–again. It was the most heartbreaking loss yet.
The showrunners are teasing a big shake-up next episode but I wish they’d done it this time.
Most losing-est team ever is what Fang now is. Sad.
Next time on Survivor: Gabon
It all depends on the Pin-Up girl
Sugar
“Tensions rise at Fang when one castaway is careless with the tribe’s rice supply. Paranoia prompts one castaway to scramble for an alliance, alienating his tribe in the process. The tribes compete in a cutthroat round of a childhood game in an effort to win a lavish reward. Surprise letters from home bring even the toughest castaways to tears. A shocking twist is revealed that gives one castaway the chance to change the game for the opposing tribe. A nail-biting challenge ensues when the tribes learn that they’ll be battling for individual immunity and will both vote out one of their own at two separate Tribal Councils.”
We have Internet again. It is noticeably slower than what we had–but it is said to be much more reliable. By “slower” I mean a bit laggy. <eyeroll> Might be able to be tweaked and it may not be as big an issue with my notebook. I’ll find out later, fingers crossed.
Because I am again able to freely bop around the Internet, I found a headline from Kristin Dos Santos of E! about LOST most intriguing and so clicked through for a ABC promo for Lost, Season Five . Some of the scenes are new(!)and they answered a question or two about the immediate aftermath of the escape of the Oceanic Six and what happened to the rest of the Losties, The Freighter people (Dan especially seemed a concern–he’s in the promo), assorted Others, Ben’s people, et al.
A running comment that seems to be exciting some folks is that during the promo at about the time when Jack and Ben are at the funeral home talking, the words Dharma Initiative and the Dharma symbol flash by quickly.
Where have we seen those before? (A: Everywhere.)
Big Battlestar Galactica news which I will be updating, though I usually cover BSG here.
“UPDATE posted Oct. 17:The show’s finale will indeed air on March 20. Sci Fi’s Oct. 16 press release about the show’s final episodes is at the end of this item.
“Battlestar Galactica” finally returns with its last setof episodes 9 p.m. Central Time Jan. 16, Michael Ausiello reports.
He calculates that the show’s series finale (which executive producer Ron Moore talked about here) would likely air March 20. I don’t even want to think about the show ending, but as long as we’re on the topic, it’s still a little unclear as to how things will play out with the show’s final group of episodes.
At this stage, based on earlier “Battlestar” dispatches, we know there will be 10 episodes that will be at least 11 hours long. But it’s not clear whether show’s final episodes may end up extending beyond the 11 hours that have been allotted thus far. No doubt Sci Fi Channel’s supercomputers are at work on this situation as we speak. (There will also be a “Battlestar” movie that will air after the series ends. OK, now click on that “supercomputer” link you just passed over. Seriously.)”
Sci Fi’s press release about the last set of “Battlestar” episodes is below.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA RETURNS ON SCI FI
JOURNEY’S END DRAWS NEAR FOR ACCLAIMED SERIES
Final Episodes to Begin January 16, 2009
New York, NY – October 16, 2008 – On Friday, January 16, 2009 at 10PM ET/PT, SCI FI’s critically acclaimed drama series Battlestar Galactica will return with the remaining episodes of its 4th and final season. The 10-week run will culminate with the series finale on March 20th.
Picking up from last June’s jarring cliffhanger – the Colonial fleet and their new Cylon allies led by Admiral Adama and the Galactica crew discover Earth to find it a barren nuclear wasteland – the finale season promises to be rife with drama, action and revelation.
Battlestar Galactica is the gripping saga of humanity’s last remnants and their struggle to find a new home while fleeing from their deadly Cylon enemies. Redefining the space opera with its gritty realism, Galactica’s intensity, issues-driven topicality, and command performances have garnered it numerous awards, including three Emmys and the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award. The show was twice recognized by the American Film Institute (AFI) as one of the most outstanding programs of the year. The series is executive produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick, and the outstanding ensemble cast is led by Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Grace Park.
“Apparently, all those worries about Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles being on the verge of cancellation were unfounded. FOX made it official today: Terminator has been picked up for an entire second season.”
John Connor (Thomas Dekker)
The good news besides the “back nine” episodes being picked up by Fox (!) is that Thomas Dekker was not at all annoying as John in this episode. The plot put him on psychiatrist Dr. Sherman’s (Dorian Harewood) couch. The good doctor’s name was in blood on the wall, part of “the list” of humans that Terminators have been sent to uh, terminate–they think. John, Sarah, and Cameron went in for family therapy but after the session the doc asked to see them individually. John went first but because Cam had planted a bug (they were trying to figure out if he was a good or bad guy) in the office, John didn’t spill what has been nagging at him which was this:
T:SCC SE2EP6 Sarkassian Death
I hadn’t realized that this was John’s first kill; seems kind of incredible if it is. Maybe it’s the first time he’s killed without a gun?
Later, John removed the bug and told the doc about a guy breaking in his house with he and his mother there and they were bound and there was stealing of “computer equipment” but not too much more.
I dunno. I do know that when John uttered the line that he (John) is “just a teenager” to the good doc it was unconvincing both as a lie to the doc and to the audience. Dekker, especially with the shorter hair, in no way seems 16 years old. We need another time jump–when the back nine episodes get made have it be 2 years in the future, closer even to Judgment Day. Make him at least 18. That’s still pretty young and green and would be more in line with Dekker who is at least 20 years old.
Cool stuff! Watch the above video for the first ever female/female Terminator fight. The neat thing is that the actress, Bonnie Morgan, who played the ”Red Haired Female Terminator” is a contortionist! Almost all the bendy stuff was real! That makes the scene even more fun than it was!
(Summer Glau is “Cameron”)
At least Sarah had more dialog in this eppy. Still, she should be given more but with Stephanie Jacobsen as Jesse joining the cast it really makes me wonder. I love Brian Austin Greene as Derek Connor but would’ve preferred that they killed two birds with one stone and have it be him and Sarah getting closer, not a future-past babe–with whom he has had an intimate future past. Perhaps if the series can stay afloat and after we come to know Jesse’s true motivations, there may still be hope for a Connor-Connor hook-up.
Guest cast:
(Stephanie Jacobsen) as Jesse
(Dorian Harewood) as
Dr. Sherman
(Shane Edelman)as Matt Murch
(MacKenzie Smith) as
MacKenzie Smith as Savannah, the T1001's "daughter"
Savannah
(Christopher Demaci) as
Photographer.
(Jennifer Cheng) as
Receptionist
(Kit Pongetti) as Victoria
(Derek Riddell) as Lachlan Weaver
Bonnie Morgan - Red Haired Female Terminator
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, ON FOX
“TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES” The Connors find themselves on high alert and in odd company after their house is robbed. Elsewhere, one Terminator terrorizes Ellison, while another gets dangerously close to John Connor. Meanwhile, Derek and Jesse continue to get reacquainted in the “Brothers of Nablus” episode of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES airing Monday, Nov. 3 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Cast: Lena Headey as Sarah Connor; Thomas Dekker as John Connor; Summer Glau as Cameron; Brian Austin Green as Derek Reese; Richard T. Jones as James Ellison; Garret Dillahunt as Cromartie; Shirley Manson as Catherine Weaver; Leven Rambin as Riley
I’m not sure that “favourite” is the right word for this Post Secret postcard.
It certainly is the one that resonated with me in the most intense way.
Regardless of your politics, if something as terrible as this post card implies were to happen, it would be an earthshaking event.
I’m from Illinois and because of this I’ve had my eye on Barack Obama’s ascent perhaps a bit more than folks for whom he is not their state senator.
I’ve articulated this fear–that someone would be so fearful and hateful as to do great bodily harm to him. I can only imagine what it must be like for those that love him, knowing that it is a possibility not only now in the heat of the last few weeks of the campaign, but if he becomes our 44th president. The danger will remain. Sadly, there is a precedent for both candidates and sitting presidents to be assassinated. This postcard illustrates an ever-lingering fear that I hope never becomes a reality.
On a much lighter note: Here are a couple more Post Secrets that I thought were fun. Please visit the Post Secret website to see many more.
LOL. I can just imagine someone doing this.
When i first started to read the text of this Post Secret I thought it would end on a (justafiably) bitter note.
Instead she ended with a little laugh–completely unexpected–that’s why it’s fun.
I am the world’s worst typist. No, truly I am and I am willing to admit it. Though I did learn to type many years ago, it didn’t really take.
I skated through and it really shows when I’m at the keyboard trying to compose and I spend more time fooling around with the keys and correcting my errors than I do spending time actually thinking about what I’m composing. Or I end up spending 12 or 14 hours in a day on doing both– putting a lot of time into my composition, then more time doing the corrections. This obviously was frustrating for me, but I hadn’t really thought of an alternative to just putting up with it. However, what I’m doing at the moment is usingDragon Naturally Speaking, Edition10 and I’m getting to really like it, in fact, maybe even lovin’ it. Sorry, couldn’t resist. This software frees me from the keyboard and that’s truly liberating. I’m not all hunched over– my shoulders are not tense. My mind is able to focus on the subject at hand, which is composing and relaying that to the screen. So I can publish it and it’s really that simple, though I was making it very complicated for myself. I’m totally jazzed to be able to make my life more simple and make blogging much more enjoyable!
I read the NYTimes.com each day and that was where I first heard of Dragon 10th Edition. This New York Times Review is quite entertaining.
I have spent quite a bit of time with Dragon and I can vouch for the fact that it can be quite fun. Take the test. You know you want to!
I have to go with what the general Internet consensus seems to be– that so far, Survivor: Gabon is dragging. It’s not compelling at all.
The horribly lopsided teams take the mystery and anticipation out of who is going to win the challenges.
Day 15~ Ace and Dan
Though Ace’s reactions to Dan hitting him in the face with a watermelon and shield in the challenges were pretty amusing. Ace: you are a terrible actor in addition to pandering to the camera (camera whore).
The lack of interesting team members (with only a couple of exceptions) makes for dull convos and confessionals.
And frankly, I don’t’ find the men or women to be very attractive and I hadn’t realized how important that is until the other elements are noticeably missing and we have nothing to fall back on.
I also hate it when a tribe is so terribly starved this early on so they are gaunt and sickly-looking. Who wants to watch people who look as if they are about to pass out at any moment?
Matty and Sugar
Tribal
Oh yeah, GCizzle wanted to go home so he got himself voted out.
Crystal picks through Sugar's bag
Matty is Crystal's lookout
Next Week:
Jeff Probst: Next time on Survivor… ( Episode 6)
Ace : I just don’t know who would be my potential Benedict Arnold.
Ace : Until the merge, you are on your word that you aren’t going to stab me in the back?
Matty : I’ve made a pact with Ace.
Ace: Deal?
Matty: Deal.
Sugar: Should I give you the idol?
Ace: If you want to give me the Idol that’s up to you.
Ace : This is going to be the start of a great run for me. I have complete supremacy.
