Happy Halloween!!

Stay away from the clown...

By Cole Scott Photography

Rally to Restore Sanity An Orderly Success

Colbert & Stewart kicking off the Rally
courtesy Huffington Post

I watched the "Rally to Restore Sanity" today on Comedy Central. What?  You don't know what it is, you say?  Where have you been?  Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have been touting it since September but even if you don't watch them, the concept made the  national news media sit up and take notice without anyone really knowing the agenda. 

How was it?  I missed the first hour so I'll have to refer to Huff Post for details like approximate number of attendees, etc. but all it sounds as though they were able to accomplish their goals of proving large numbers of people can assemble, whether they agree politically, religiously or in any other way, without inciting a riot or a stomping of heads or any other extreme reaction to those with whom they disagree.  Point of fact, Stewart's main issue is the American people are not as extreme or crazy or reactionary or ridiculous as we are portrayed by main stream media of any political persuasion.

Some of it was draggy for a television viewer, rather like watching a telethon without the money raising. They had excellent entertainment from singers Sheryl Crow, Tony Bennett, John Legend, Yusuf Islam better known to Americans as Cat Stevens, Ozzie Osbourne, Mavis Staples, Kid Rock, the O'Jays.  They did comedy and the correspondents did bits. 

The highlight came at the end when Jon Stewart thanked everyone for coming and explained his goal for the rally.  It was heartfelt and serious and I liked it alot.  Please take a few minutes to watch.  If you want the transposed speech, go here.




Kudos to Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Comedy Central for organizing and broadcasting the event.
Kudos to Arianna Huffington for bussing over 10,000 people from New York to to the rally in D.C. and back again.  That is some serious cooperation.

Just relax...

There are so many things I could blog about today:   first game of the World Series begins tonight; it's only six days til the Mid-Term elections; President Obama guests on "The Daily Show" tonight;  I am in the process of installing a new kitchen...

Instead, I think I'll post a beautiful new painting by Laura Trevey.  She just posted to her web site and it grabbed me and made me feel good.  Fall colors have passed in New England but down in Virginia, I'm remembering they're probably still pretty this time of year.  So sit back, relax and take it all in.

Country Lane

by Laura Trevey

  

Geezers

 

 

Obama The Musical (thank you Gilbert & Sullivan)

Enjoyed this new post on Ad Broad and she'd posted this under the title, "If only real political ads were this engaging".   Too good not to re-post.  

Return of the Pumpkin People 2010

Every year, the quaint village of Jackson, N.H. distinguishes itself with the leaf peepers by displaying the "Pumpkin People".  As you can see, it's a creative venture designed for visitors and locals and we love it.  Photos taken by someone at the Jackson Chamber and I'm posting the best photos, not necessarily the best vignette.  Enjoy!



Nightmare Before Christmas

Cheshire Cat

Off to See the Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Where's Waldo?

Peanuts

Stop Look Listen

Anybody remember this short? It was made in the Sixties by former Disney animators Chuck Menville and Len Jansen. I just saw it on TCM today and was spellbound. The process used is called stop-motion pixilation. I remember seeing this back in the day.   What strikes me is how clever it is as were a number of  special effects pre-computerized animation.

Random Humor

A pastor's wife was expecting a baby, so he stood before the congregation and asked for a raise. After much discussion, they passed a rule that whenever the preacher's family expanded, so would his paycheck.

After 6 children, this started to get expensive and the congregation decided to hold another meeting to discuss the preacher's expanding salary.  A great deal of yelling and inner bickering ensued, as to how much the clergyman's additional children were costing the church, and how much more it could potentially cost.

After listening to them for about an hour, the pastor rose from his chair and spoke,

'Children are a gift from God, and we will take as many gifts as He gives us."

Silence fell on the congregation. In the back pew, a little old lady struggled to stand, and finally said in her frail voice, "Rain is also a gift from God, but when we get too much of it, we wear rubbers.'"

The entire congregation said, "Amen."

 

October, Halloween and The Ghoullog

I work for a small niche network of television stations serving resort areas throughout the U.S.  There are thirty five stations so far.  Of all my broadcast sales jobs, this is, by far, the best.  It's in a lovely area, Mt. Washington Valley, filled with national forest, ski mountains, great fly fishing, lakes galore, all manner of summer and winter sports and glorious Fall foliage.

October is a fun month because the area gears up for leaf peepers and Halloween.  The most talked-about attraction around is The Ghoullog, put on by Cranmore Mountain Resort.  It is a haunting experience taking the visitor through some extremely unexpected, frightening, fun and laugh out loud scenarios.  It lasts about 45 minutes and includes a trip from the haunted set up at the base of the mountain, up a chair lift to the mountain top haunt.  It is the brain child of a Boston man, Lance Davis, and everyone loves it.  We love Lance. 

This is the 2010 video my station produced for Lance this year. 

Squeamer/Screamer alert:  not for the faint of heart!  We even have a disclaimer on our YouTube page.



Do we have fun or what?  

Can anyone guess whose voice is on the recording?