Wildlife and Weather: Two Coyotes were strolling across our lake in the long gray morning before the sun rose above the mist. It was minus 9 degrees (F). I'm sorry to see them or hear them -- very opportunistic predators. We are keeping the cats inside until midday for awhile. (Not that they want to stay outside in this brutal cold.)

New Website: Theater X-Net

Featuring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!

Charity Alert: Cold schmold -- click on The Hunger Site. We went to Costco and bought a load of dog and cat food for the local animal shelter today. I was in a very good mood, unlike last week, but the press of people in the stores still creates situations where someone is always seems to be in someone else's way. Saying Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays are great ways of lifting everybody's spirits.

In The Community: FINALS WEEK at the college -- all slackers emerge from the woodwork and get it over please! Besides that, there's two video students who are finishing their projects tommorrow, and Current Events is behind schedule, so it will be simpler than planned. I have to finish making that shelving in the Hockaday Museum's vaults, and still find time for holiday preparations.

Media Watch: While Christmas shopping, I saw an anthology called The American Pinup from Taschen, a publisher of popular art books. The cover was from a calendar circa 1940. I see these kitchy artifacts from many generations all over the antique stores.
One of many Websites devoted to Pinup Images
Book TV showed a panel discussion from November 15, with Nadine Strossen, Ariel Levy, Kay Hymowitz, Nelson George and moderator Catherine Orenstein at the Center for Communications New School University which was remarkable in the fact that all half-dozen or so participants actually spoke in turn, and listened to one another. The subject was the nature of sexual content in the mass media -- music videos, advertising, and so forth. The featured panelist was a lady named Pamela Paul who authored a book called Pornified; How the Culture of Pornography is Transforming Our Lives, Our Relationships and Our Families, which is starting to make a buzz. She was personable and polite too. Ms. Paul's Website
Everyone generally agreed that sexual imagery had definite effects on society, but they were complex, and censorship often made bad effects worse. MTV Networks also ran a show about sexual harrassment and music videos.
Hmmm -- was something going on today, or am I just looking for these kinds of discussions?
NFL Football -- Pregame Madness was cut short by shopping. Penn & Teller did a bit with MAD-TV's Frank which wasn't particularly funny, considering all that talent on camera. (I should mention that Penn & Teller's series Bullshit on Showtime is mostly that very thing -- don't waste your time.)
I missed Jillian Barbarie's segment. Is that why I sought solace in cheesecake pictures published when my late father was only a young lad?


Classic Pinups by (L to R):
Zoë Mozert, Earl Moran, Alberto Vargas, and George Petty

San Diego handed Indianapolis it's first defeat of the season -- the Colts are going to be sorry if they continue to allow Peyton Manning to take lickings like he did this week and last week. Washington surprised Dallas at every turn, and I mostly did chores in the afternoon rather than watch such a lopsided drubbing. I tuned in to the Chicago game in the evening while also doing other things -- it was near 0 degrees (F) and the Atlanta team was out of it's element. If you like defense, Chicago's your team. They don't have much at the quarterback position, but it's rare when they do. That town just abuses anyone who ever gets the job, and regional rivals like Green Bay, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Detroit hate them --- and well, they can't seem to win, even if they win games -- ask Jim McMahon.