This is the funniest video - please be patient with the breaks in buffering - it is so worth it. I remember watching this the first time on SNL and laughing myself silly over it. Ahhh, how funny when life imitates "art".
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4122944961711350389
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
China, et al.
I feel kind of bad because when I first mentioned boycotting the Olympics because of Tibet, it really wasn't an issue. Things in Tibet hadn't really begun to escalate and I hadn't heard of any Olympians who were actually thinking of boycotting.
I have a childhood friend (Heather Mitchell McLean) who has met the Dali Lama and is one of his disciples, so I don't take the issue in Tibet lightly. But I also didn't mean for my blog to become a great political debate.
Earlene and I going to the Olympics is sort of a joke/ fantasy - okay, it is a total joke/ fantasy, but I want those who are interested to know that we don't take the situation in Tibet lightly or as a joke..... so I just want to separate the two issues here and now and let everyone know that:
1. We aren't going to the Olympics --- unless President Bush intervenes and asks us to represent our country in the event.
2. Personally, I respect the people in Tibet and Taiwan and wish them the best of luck in gaining and maintaining their independence from mainland China.
Love you all, Charlotte
I have a childhood friend (Heather Mitchell McLean) who has met the Dali Lama and is one of his disciples, so I don't take the issue in Tibet lightly. But I also didn't mean for my blog to become a great political debate.
Earlene and I going to the Olympics is sort of a joke/ fantasy - okay, it is a total joke/ fantasy, but I want those who are interested to know that we don't take the situation in Tibet lightly or as a joke..... so I just want to separate the two issues here and now and let everyone know that:
1. We aren't going to the Olympics --- unless President Bush intervenes and asks us to represent our country in the event.
2. Personally, I respect the people in Tibet and Taiwan and wish them the best of luck in gaining and maintaining their independence from mainland China.
Love you all, Charlotte
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Olympic official: athletes mulling Beijing boycott
Olympic official: athletes mulling Beijing boycott
Sun Mar 16, 4:04 PM ET
BERLIN (AFP) - International Olympic Committee vice-president Thomas Bach said a number of top athletes were considering boycotting the games in China over the bloody crackdown on protesters in Tibet.
Bach told Bild am Sonntag newspaper he understood the athletes' concerns about the situation in Tibet but said he was advising them to participate.
"They will realise when they assess the situation that it is better to make an appearance than to stay away. That is a symbol that will be noticed by the public," he said.
Asked if human rights had been a concern when Beijing was selected to host the August Games, Bach said the IOC believed the intense focus on China would have a positive effect.
"We are of the opinion that the Games will help China open up. But we cannot solve the problems that UN secretaries general have not been able to solve for generations," he said.
"The Olympic Games can foster change and be a catalyst for a solution but they are not a panacea."
Sun Mar 16, 4:04 PM ET
BERLIN (AFP) - International Olympic Committee vice-president Thomas Bach said a number of top athletes were considering boycotting the games in China over the bloody crackdown on protesters in Tibet.
Bach told Bild am Sonntag newspaper he understood the athletes' concerns about the situation in Tibet but said he was advising them to participate.
"They will realise when they assess the situation that it is better to make an appearance than to stay away. That is a symbol that will be noticed by the public," he said.
Asked if human rights had been a concern when Beijing was selected to host the August Games, Bach said the IOC believed the intense focus on China would have a positive effect.
"We are of the opinion that the Games will help China open up. But we cannot solve the problems that UN secretaries general have not been able to solve for generations," he said.
"The Olympic Games can foster change and be a catalyst for a solution but they are not a panacea."
Saturday, March 15, 2008
check out our shop
We set up our shop on etsy today. You can find us at : http:// thewindfarm.etsy.com
Friday, March 14, 2008
Charlotte's New hobby
Now that we have DSL, we spent the money to go wireless with the other computers in the house, so I have been using Alicia's computer in the evenings to entertain myself (Brian works nights, remember).
So I was checking blogs, and our friends in Missouri - Ben & Denae Katzoff - have all these links on their blog and I thought it would be fun to go blog jumping and that was really fun and I thought that would be my new hobby - just randomly reading blogs of people I don't know. Then one blog led me to a really interesting blog that led me to another and then to another and i finally ended up at etsy.com
It is the coolest site - all handmade stuff. It is all the rage right now. They have all different categories and it changes, literally, every minute because people are always putting their stuff on there. It only costs 20 cents per item and 3.5 percent when you make a sale, so it is much more reasonable than most galleries or web sites.
So now my new hobby is just spending hours and hours going thru all the stuff on etsy. It is great. We are going to put a bunch of stuff on there really soon. I'll let you all know when. Justin just finished a really beautiful burl bowl today. It is our first official item ready for sale. Check it out. I find it really inspirational. I've made pages and pages of notes of stuff that the entries on the site have inspired me to try to make. Happy Crafting.... Charlotte
So I was checking blogs, and our friends in Missouri - Ben & Denae Katzoff - have all these links on their blog and I thought it would be fun to go blog jumping and that was really fun and I thought that would be my new hobby - just randomly reading blogs of people I don't know. Then one blog led me to a really interesting blog that led me to another and then to another and i finally ended up at etsy.com
It is the coolest site - all handmade stuff. It is all the rage right now. They have all different categories and it changes, literally, every minute because people are always putting their stuff on there. It only costs 20 cents per item and 3.5 percent when you make a sale, so it is much more reasonable than most galleries or web sites.
So now my new hobby is just spending hours and hours going thru all the stuff on etsy. It is great. We are going to put a bunch of stuff on there really soon. I'll let you all know when. Justin just finished a really beautiful burl bowl today. It is our first official item ready for sale. Check it out. I find it really inspirational. I've made pages and pages of notes of stuff that the entries on the site have inspired me to try to make. Happy Crafting.... Charlotte
Rockin' & Rollin'
We have been having swarms of earthquakes for a couple weeks. I have only felt one tiny jiggle - this house is great for that. The only earthquake we ever really felt was that giant one that ripped the state open in 2002. Anyway, if you are interested in earthquakes the site we use is: http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/Seis/recenteqs/index.html
It changes all the time. As the legend on the map says - white squares are within a day, the yellow 12 - 24 hours, orange 1-12 hours and red within the hour. If you click on a square, it shows you just that earthquake, and a closer map that is labeled so you can tell where it is. Then below the map it tells you the details of the quake and below that it tells how far it was from everything. Enjoy.... Charlotte
It changes all the time. As the legend on the map says - white squares are within a day, the yellow 12 - 24 hours, orange 1-12 hours and red within the hour. If you click on a square, it shows you just that earthquake, and a closer map that is labeled so you can tell where it is. Then below the map it tells you the details of the quake and below that it tells how far it was from everything. Enjoy.... Charlotte
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Top Chef & March Madness questions
So Top Chef first: what exactly is chicken piccatta and does Andrew have worms, Tourette's or is he on crack???
Second for March Madness: why are they making those poor Oregon State Beavers play again? Just call it a season and wait for baseball. HEY - Beavs are National Champs in Baseball - not the first Pac-10 team to EVER go in a winless basketball season. Just switch seasons in Corvalis already.....
Little known fact: the first team to win the National Basketball Championship was the Oregon Ducks - in 1939. Charlotte
Second for March Madness: why are they making those poor Oregon State Beavers play again? Just call it a season and wait for baseball. HEY - Beavs are National Champs in Baseball - not the first Pac-10 team to EVER go in a winless basketball season. Just switch seasons in Corvalis already.....
Little known fact: the first team to win the National Basketball Championship was the Oregon Ducks - in 1939. Charlotte
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Leaked Photo
The press leaked this early photo of the routine, thought I would share it with you all. I think they look great. Love AliciaCall for more data
Okay, PEOPLE, I can not make these important decisions without all the data.... I did not know that Laura had already hand-sequined our swim caps and now they have already been sold on e-bay. and Grandma Marilyn had already arranged housing for us all, thru our cousin, Bill (Marriott,of course). And knowing how close we are to that branch of the family, our accomodations were probably really something "special".
Now I find out that Earlene has been working on our choreography. And I found a source for our suits while watching Project Runway - there is a giant "House of Spandex" in New York. Sandy and Susan are headed east for some meetings, perhaps we could impose on them to stop by and get us a couple yards of spandex for our suits.
If I had thought ahead, we could have volunteered to be clients for project runway and they could have designed us new costumes for our show. Does anybody know Heidi Klum??? could you call her and see if they are filming season 5 now, so we could have the costumes before this fall??
Also, I feel bad because Jed and Paul don't have cable tv. How will they see us perform?? Could someone sponsor some cable coverage for them?? Also, does this interfer with Paul competeing in the Olympic Iron Man Triathalon?? Does he want his outfit to match ours?
Also, we will need to arrange transportation. If we go right now, I might be able to ride Justin's snow machine north and hope that the sea ice is still in tact and I could cross the "land bridge" between here and russia and then just zip down the coast to china? ? ? But spring is definitely on the way - it is 40 here today and 25 in Fairbanks, so that ice window is closing REALLY fast.
Also, if I perform in the Olympics, how will this affect my disability status?? Anyway, no concrete decisions have been made. Earlene is still a kid, so has more years ahead of her in the sport than I do, so I can see how she is not ready to hang up the towel. Let's keep the dialogue open and going. I'm hoping to post some pics of Earlene and i performing in past Olympics - if I can get photoshop to work. Keep checking back. Charlotte
Now I find out that Earlene has been working on our choreography. And I found a source for our suits while watching Project Runway - there is a giant "House of Spandex" in New York. Sandy and Susan are headed east for some meetings, perhaps we could impose on them to stop by and get us a couple yards of spandex for our suits.
If I had thought ahead, we could have volunteered to be clients for project runway and they could have designed us new costumes for our show. Does anybody know Heidi Klum??? could you call her and see if they are filming season 5 now, so we could have the costumes before this fall??
Also, I feel bad because Jed and Paul don't have cable tv. How will they see us perform?? Could someone sponsor some cable coverage for them?? Also, does this interfer with Paul competeing in the Olympic Iron Man Triathalon?? Does he want his outfit to match ours?
Also, we will need to arrange transportation. If we go right now, I might be able to ride Justin's snow machine north and hope that the sea ice is still in tact and I could cross the "land bridge" between here and russia and then just zip down the coast to china? ? ? But spring is definitely on the way - it is 40 here today and 25 in Fairbanks, so that ice window is closing REALLY fast.
Also, if I perform in the Olympics, how will this affect my disability status?? Anyway, no concrete decisions have been made. Earlene is still a kid, so has more years ahead of her in the sport than I do, so I can see how she is not ready to hang up the towel. Let's keep the dialogue open and going. I'm hoping to post some pics of Earlene and i performing in past Olympics - if I can get photoshop to work. Keep checking back. Charlotte
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Retinking the decision
Okay, I am willing to reconsider the retirement issue. I just hope the press doesn't dig up that ugly business about the hydraulics :). hheheh nervous laugh, change of subject. Charlotte
Monday, March 03, 2008
Lies, all lies
Brian forgot to sign his name to the comment on the entry below - he claims that the news came as such a blow to him and his eyes were full of tears .
Passing of the torch
I tried to get a picture of the Olympic torch, but I couldn't get it to post.
anyway, I have been thinking a lot lately and with Earlene's busy schedule and with her family of grandkids growing every day, I have decided that it is only fair that I let go of my dream of winning Olympic gold in Synchronized Swimming in the 2008 Olympics. I just feel that I need to look outside myself and be willing to sacrifice my personal goals for the greater good of our extended family.
I personally am not completely comfortable with the whole China / Taiwan / Mongolia political situation. I know that the Olympics is supposed to transcend the whole political issue, but I'm just not big enough to let by-gones be by-gones, I guess.
But I really don't want my political views to be out there in the international Olympic arena, so if any of us are interviewed about why the best team in Synchronized Swimming is (literally) hanging up their towel, please refer them to the position that Earlene is needed by her new and growing grandchildren.
also, there is no truth in the rumors out there that we were caught with illegal hydralic lifts built into our swim suits in the 2004 Games. I think anyone who caught our performances in those games could see that we were running strictly on our own power and have never had to resort to illegal activities to maintain our place in the great history of the Games.
thank you for your continuing support of our endeavors thru the years and please support our privacy during this difficult time as we pass the torch to a younger generation.
The Whisler Girls --- Earlene and Charlotte
anyway, I have been thinking a lot lately and with Earlene's busy schedule and with her family of grandkids growing every day, I have decided that it is only fair that I let go of my dream of winning Olympic gold in Synchronized Swimming in the 2008 Olympics. I just feel that I need to look outside myself and be willing to sacrifice my personal goals for the greater good of our extended family.
I personally am not completely comfortable with the whole China / Taiwan / Mongolia political situation. I know that the Olympics is supposed to transcend the whole political issue, but I'm just not big enough to let by-gones be by-gones, I guess.
But I really don't want my political views to be out there in the international Olympic arena, so if any of us are interviewed about why the best team in Synchronized Swimming is (literally) hanging up their towel, please refer them to the position that Earlene is needed by her new and growing grandchildren.
also, there is no truth in the rumors out there that we were caught with illegal hydralic lifts built into our swim suits in the 2004 Games. I think anyone who caught our performances in those games could see that we were running strictly on our own power and have never had to resort to illegal activities to maintain our place in the great history of the Games.
thank you for your continuing support of our endeavors thru the years and please support our privacy during this difficult time as we pass the torch to a younger generation.
The Whisler Girls --- Earlene and Charlotte
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