The boy who never grew up: Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

by Roger Ebert

Michael Jackson was so gifted, so lonely, so confused, so sad. He lost happiness somewhere in his childhood, and spent his life trying to go back there and find it. When he played the Scarecrow in “The Wiz” (1978), I think that is how he felt, and Oz was where he wanted to live. It was his most truly autobiographical role. He could understand a character who felt stuffed with straw, but could wonderfully sing and dance, and could cheer up the little girl Dorothy.

We have all spent years in the morbid psychoanalysis of this strange man-child. Now that he has died we will hear it all repeated again: The great fame from an early age, the gold records, the world tours, the needy friendships, the painful childhood, Neverland, the eccentric behavior, plastic surgery, charges of child molestation, the fortunes won and lost, the generosity, the secrecy, the inexplicable marriage to Elvis’s daughter, the disguises, the puzzling sexuality, the jokes, and on and on.

I never met him. My wife Chaz did, a long time ago when she was part of a dance troupe that opened some shows for the Jackson Five. What she remembers is that he was — a kid. Talented, hard-working, but not like other kids. That’s what he was, and that’s what he remained. His father Joseph was known even then as a hard-driving taskmaster, and was later described by family members as physically and mentally abusive, beating the child, once holding him by a leg and banging his head on the floor. Michael confided to Oprah that sometimes he would vomit at the sight of the man.

Families are important to everyone, and to African-Americans they are the center of the universe. A census is maintained that radiates out to great-nieces and nephews, distant cousins, former spouses, honorary relatives, all the generations. Communication is maintained, birthdays remembered, occasions celebrated. Important above all are parents and grandparents. Family was a support system from a time when slave-owning America refused to recognize black families. Family was the rock.

Michael Jackson doesn’t seem to have had that rock. His father seems to have driven him to create an alternate universe for himself, in which somewhere, over the rainbow, he could have another childhood. He named his ranch Neverland, after the magical land where Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up, enacted his fantasies with the Lost Boys. I wonder if we ever really understood how central that vision was to Jackson, or how literally he tried to create it. I have no idea whether Michael abused the children he “adopted.” It is possible those relationships were without sex; he seemed frozen at a time before puberty. Whether he touched them criminally or not, it is easy to see what he sought: To create, with and for these Lost Boys, a Neverland where they could imagine together the childhood he never had. Mixed with that was perhaps a lifelong feeling of inadequacy, burned in by the cruelty of his father. That might help explain the compulsive plastic surgery, the relentless rehearsal, the exhausting tours, the purchase of expensive toys, the giving of gifts.

The scene everyone remembers from “The Wiz” is Dorothy and the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion dancing and singing down the Yellow Brick Road. They were off to see the Wizard, and a wonderful Wizard he was, because of the wonderful things he does. In the story, the Wizard is a lonely little man hiding behind a curtain, using his power to create a wonderland. Now Michael Jackson will never be able to tell us what he was hiding behind his curtain. But because of his music, we danced and sang.

Zooped.com – 3134 Unbelievable Facts

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By Thomas G. Plummer

BYU TODAY September 1989

(Excerpt…)

“S.I. Hayakawa describes symptoms of the Ophelia Syndrome in his essay, “What Does It Mean to Be Creative?”:

Most people don’t know the answer to the question, “How are you? How do you feel?” The reason why they don’t know is that they are so busy feeling what they are supposed feel, thinking what they are supposed to think, that they never get down to examining their own deepest feelings. “How did you like the play?” “0h, it was a fine play. It was well reviewed in The New Yorker.” With authority figures like drama critics and book reviewers and teachers and professors telling us what to think and how to feel, many of us are busy playing roles, fulfilling other people’s expectations. As Republicans, we think what other Republicans think. As Catholics, we think what other Catholics think. And so on. Not many of us ask ourselves, “How do I feel? What do I think?” – and wait for an answer. (S.I. Hayakawa, “What Does It Mean to Be Creative?,” Through the Communication Barrier. ed. Arthur Chandler [New York: Harper & Row, 1979], 104-105)

Charles Schulz characterized the Ophelia Syndrome more succinctly in this “Peanuts” cartoon: (Charlie Brown’s little sister says: “We’ve been reading poems in school, but I never understand any of them.. How am I supposed to know which poems to like?” Charlie Brown answers: “Somebody tells you.”)

Psychologist Carl Jung describes this dependence on others for one’s thoughts in the context of his discussion of “individuation.” Individuation is the process of learning to differentiate oneself from others. It is a psychological “growing up.” It means to discover those aspects of the self that distinguish one person from another. Failure to achieve individuation leaves people dependent on other, stronger personalities for their identity. They fail to understand their uniqueness. (Carl G. Jung, Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious [New York: Pantheon Books, 1959])

I have a friend who is fond of saying, “If we both think the same way, one of us is unnecessary…”

For the entire article, go here:
http://www.usu.edu/account/faculty/nelson/ophelia.htm

Humble voters returned incumbent Mayor Donald McMannes to office in the city’s municipal election held May 9 to a count of 300-211 over challenger Rick Dickson. This will be McMannes’ third term as mayor of Humble. He summarized this year’s mayoral race as one of those small town political contests that can and do sometimes divide communities.

“This was a tough race,” he said. “There were a lot of people working in this that wanted me back in and I have to thank all of them.”

McMannes is proud of the city’s accomplishments during his first two terms as mayor including the construction of a new court facility, improved pay and parity for city police officers and firefighters, street and paving improvements and a top-notch public works department. He said he wants to build on those accomplishments in his next term. With the race now behind him, McMannes has several priorities in mind for the coming term. One major priority is addressing drainage issues in the city.

“The main thing now is drainage,” he said. “Drainage is going to be in the forefront. We’re looking at places for retention ponds. We’ve already started seeking out some grant money that we would have to match.”

McMannes noted that Humble cannot solve all drainage issues alone though. Harris County must also take steps to improve drainage. While the city has made a number of improvements to reduce flooding problems, it cannot solve all such problems on its own. The areas surrounding the city also influence flooding events within the city itself, he said.

“It’s the same thing for Harris County,” he said. “Not only do we have to do our part in Humble for our people, but as a whole, Harris County needs to get busy on drainage.”

Drainage work is costly and time-consuming for communities, but McMannes said his intent is that the city will accomplish this work while keeping the same tax rate and senior discount programs that have remained in place for many years, even as the city has completed street improvements and other capital projects over the previous four years. Humble offers senior citizen discounts on water and sewer fees along with a senior exemption on property taxes.

“Everything we’ve been able to do since I’ve been there, we’ve done it while keeping the tax rate at the same 20 cents (per $100 in taxable value),” McMannes said.

Two other priority issues for the returning mayor are the completion of improvements to Will Clayton Parkway and dealing with the Houston Airport System as decisions are made regarding new runways and other improvements at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The Will Clayton Parkway project is set to go to bid in August, he said. This is a county project, but the city is participating as a partner in it and will oversee much of the work. Airport planners have begun a 30-month environmental impact study on the proposed improvement projects at the airport which is one of the first steps in the process.

“They haven’t made up their minds about the runways they are going to build and we will be dealing with that,” said McMannes.

The mayoral race was the election’s only contested race out of three positions. Position 1 incumbent Councilman Bill Conner received 405 votes and Position 2 incumbent Councilman Andy Curry received 424 votes in their unopposed bids for re-election.

My father’s running for re-election this year and has an opponent (And that is a great compliment in itself for this guy!). Now, this is not an opponent that’s saying things which are fair or right, it’s an opponent that feels the need to take personal shots, make blatantly provocative remarks sprinkled with veiled insults. For another man to say that he’ll beat my father “…60-40 in any election” is just not a man in their right mind…and I’m not even talking about his personal psychiatric treatment from his past. I’m talking about a man who walks up to a Mexican man in Kroger and decides to make a joke about how he has a picture of his naked wife with him and did that guy want it? And this man is running for City Mayor? Wow!

The two were interviewed last week about their vision for the future of Humble. If you know my dad, can vote for my dad, or just have an opinion about this interview, I’d love to hear it and pass it along to him. I’m pretty sure the election will turn out in his favor because he told me he has some really great people working hard on his campaign. I guess it’s kind of weird though if you think about it from a national standpoint. I couldn’t imagine having someone say so many negative things about a family member on that scale. Wow!

Also, many of you know that my mouth can run a little wild at times…no, it’s true…no really, it’s true….. but I’m really hoping that this man’s campaign, and I’ve known this guy and his family my entire life, well…I just hope he doesn’t make his way to our tent. I don’t want the ‘dark mood’ to show up – it can be a little much at times. Anyway, here’s the short interview from each candidate:

Humble mayoral candidates set to square off

Monday, April 27, 2009

Robert Kleeman

– Early voting begins this week –

Humble Mayor Donnie McMannes will face a confident challenger in his bid for a third term, to say the least. Opponent Rick Dickson told a group of 15 supporters at the Humble City Cafe Thursday night he would win the election “60/40.”

“I can say emphatically, ‘it’s a 60/40 election,’” Dickson said. “I realize that I will be in city hall because of the citizens.”

Early voting for the May 9 election began Monday morning and continues all week. Voters can cast ballots from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Humble’s City Hall, 114 West Higgins. Early voting on May 4-5 and on Election Day will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. McMannes spent 30 years as a narcotics officer and seeks his third term as mayor. Dickson has worked as a Houston government liaison, and a real estate and insurance agent. To help voters make a decision, The Tribune asked both candidates a series of questions about their platforms, philosophies and inspirations for public service. Here are their responses.

DONNIE McMANNES

1. What inspired your interest in public service?
I’m not so sure there was a single moment where I actually decided to pursue public service. I don’t like people being treated unfairly, I know that. So, for 37 years as a police officer and deputy constable, I was able to really entrench myself in understanding what public service is. Working with high-ranking, elected officials, as well as being elected to the board of directors for the Houston Police Officers Associations were all wonderful things in my life. But my city, my home has always been Humble, Texas and that’s where I wanted to get involved and make a difference. And so I did.

2. Why do you want to be the City of Humble’s mayor again?
If you look back over the last several years, the leaders of this city have come together to do some fantastic things. We all put Humble first. Again, as a public servant, I do this for the city not for myself. The city council, city workers, police, fire, EMS – we all work very well together. They love this city as much as I do, and that’s why we’re able to get so many things done that benefit the people who live here. Plus, there are several fantastic projects that we just started that I’m excited to see finished.

3. Is there a particular quality you feel has best suited you for the job?
I’m a problem solver. My job for most of my life has been to listen to people and help them find solutions. I’ve always been good at understanding people, but what I do best is solve problems. It’s a basic approach – identify the problem and then use the best resources and as much common sense as possible to fix that problem.

4. What is the greatest life lesson you have learned?
I could give you some philosophical answer, but the first answer that came to my mind was “trust the lord God with all your heart, soul and mind.” I think when you do that, along with treating other people the way that you would like to be treated, I believe that you’ll have made a difference in someone’s day. Just being kind to other people does a lot more than you think.

5. If you had to describe your platform/philosophy in one paragraph, how would you do it?
The city employees are the backbone of the city – period. Without these people, a city can crumble. I’m going to tell you that Humble, Texas, is blessed to have the finest quality of city personnel that you’re going to find anywhere. Our city workers know their job and how to do it right. They’re experts in what they do and they love this city. My number one concern, along with the city council, is to see that their pay and benefits are always kept at a level where they can maintain a good quality of life, not only now but in retirement, as well.

6. If re-elected, what would be your first three priorities?
(1) After re-election, I’ll be back working on some of our top projects. First up is obtaining several millions dollars to improve the drainage citywide so the water will move out of the city faster.
(2) Secondly, if crime increases, I’ll be dealing with issues regarding the number of arrests made by our officers, as well as ways to add to and improve our city jail.
(3) Another important item I’ll be addressing after I’m re-elected is to continue seeking an extension to our Metro agreement regarding the sales tax rebate. This is a huge and complex deal that will benefit our city in great ways. Also, I’ll be meeting with the FAA to discuss issues at hand and then working with them to do what is best for the entire City of Humble.

April 28, 2009

How to Write an Immoral Character

The best novels and short stories are not made up of a cast of saints and heroes. And the best modern novels and stories don’t have black-and-white villains and knights in shining armor. In fact, the characters we love best and that stay with us are almost always a shade of grey, with some good impulses but many bad ones, with both light and dark in their psyches. Increasingly, good writers are expected to make even decidedly immoral characters sympathetic to readers. But how do you portray an immoral character without losing the reader?

First, it’s important to remember that even bad guys (or girls) don’t behave randomly. For the vast majority of people, evil isn’t something to be enjoyed; randomness and chaos for its own sake isn’t the goal. I’m getting really tired of movies nowadays that have random baddies that put a gun to someone’s head without any reason except that the moviemakers want the character to look badass. It doesn’t make sense and it makes the entire world of the story feel false.

After the jump: what to do instead to make your character real.

Instead, you’ve got to respect the complexity of a world that inspires immoral behavior. What situation arose that made the character think it was his only choice to steal, to kill, to lie or deceive? Was he actually doing it because he was thinking he was protecting someone else? Was she really just short-sighted, thinking this was the best course of action for a better future? Was he being selfish, not deliberately cruel? These are real human motivations, and what I find far more poignant than pure human villainy is that so often, simple, honest wants and goals can go awry and have bad outcomes. That’s where the humanity of an immoral character lies.

Second, as a writer it’s important for you to withhold judgment. It’s not up to you to point the condemning finger; instead, you present your character as realistically, as humanistically, as possible, and let your readers decide where his/her behavior is worthy of contempt. Let your character act, speak, and move on the page without being hampered by a haughty narratorial voice, explaining why such-and-such is wrong. Give the reader the benefit of the doubt and let her decide for herself.

Third, how about a little sympathy and compassion? No one is all bad. That doesn’t mean you have to be an apologist for truly heinous actions. Take Humbert Humbert from Nabokov’s Lolita, for example. The man is the worst kind of person you can find on the planet — an incestuous child rapist. Nabokov doesn’t sugar-coat this terrible, repeated crime, and he doesn’t apologize for Humbert by making him out to be a tortured soul who really wants to do the right thing. No, he lets Humbert stand on the page and speak for himself. He is a human being — a weak, cowardly, shamefully lustful human being who has a desperate need to validate his own desires. This does not lessen the evil of the act, but it makes the character far more complex and interesting than a cartoonish villain. Give your immoral character motivation and psychological complexity. It will make your villains ones that are hard to forget.

Star Trek and Saliva – The Trek Universe set to ‘Ladies and Gentlemen!’ The McMannes version of the new Star Trek trailer!

A story on Trek XI, aired on the night of the film’s world premiere in Sydney. Apologies for the multiple mispronounciations by the journo, I have no idea who ‘Zach Pinto’ or ‘Eric Baaana’ is eith…

The Irish surname McManus is an anglicized form of the Gaelic MacMaghnuis. The prefix ‘mac’ means ’son of’ and indicates that the name is of patronymic origin – that is, it is derived from a father or ancestor. The first name Manus is derived from the Latin Magnus and came to Ireland from Northern Europe and simply means ‘great’. Thus the surname denotes the son of Manus. Collins Guide To First Names has this to say about the first name Magnus:

‘This is the Latin adjective meaning ‘great’. The spread of this name was due to the Emperor Charlemagne, Carolus Magnus. Some of his admirers took Magnus for a personal name, and among those who christened their sons after him was St. Olaf of Norway. The name spread from Scandinavia to Shetland and Ireland. From Shetland the name became well established in Scotland. In Ireland it became Manus, hence the common Irish surname McManus.’

So, who was this Charlemagne from whom we seem to have taken our name? The name derives from Charles the Great, King of the Franks (Germanic nation or coalition which conquered France in the 6th. century) from 768-814 and Holy Roman Emperor from 800-814. As ruler of Western Christendom, he introduced legal reforms, standardised coinage and weights and measures; organised and reformed the church; and after his death became the hero of a cycle of medieval romances.

It is a popularly held belief that there are two distinct McManus families – one emanating from the Maguires’ in Fermanagh and the other from the O’Connors of Roscommon. This fact and other facts relating to the antiquity of these families is clearly proved again and again in the text of ‘The Annals of the Four Masters’, held in Dublin Castle and which is full of entries relating to the McManus’. However, it must not be accepted without challenge that members of the McManus Clan only originated from these two areas of Ireland. That the name denotes son of the once popular Norse Christian name Magnus or Manus clearly indicates the name was more widespread than just these two Irish regions.

Looking back along the hard road of our local history in North Roscommon, one is struck by the changes in fortune suffered by the MacManuses, and so many other families who once enjoyed property, power and privilege. Of the Gaelic families still with authenticated lineage, only one, the senior MacDermot branch, is still represented in the area. The MacManuses, and other leading Gaelic families of the region, have not been able to preserve their pedigree beyond the eighteenth century. What follows is a very brief historical insight into the demise of these noble and ancient clans, with particular reference to the MacManuses. But demise is hardly an appropriate word to use in this story – for the word may only be appropriate to describe property, power and privilege. In no way does it portray those other irremovable concepts of family which lie deep and impenetrable in the human soul – honour, dignity and pride.

The McManuses of North Roscommon were descended from Manus Miogharan, the ninth son of Turlough More O’Connor, monarch of all Ireland.(The Book of Lecan: fol 72, b, col.4). Tir-Tuathail gets its name from Tir-Tuathail-Maoilgairbh, i.e. ‘the country of Tuathal Maelgarbh’ who was monarch of Ireland from the year 533 to 544. (O’Faherty’s Ogygia part 3 c93). This territory was later subordinate to MacDermot of Moylurg. The pedigree of the McManuses of Tir-Tuathail has not been preserved beyond the eighteenth century (Southeran, 1871:73) and after their decay the land fell into the possession of MacDermot Roe who held it under MacDermot of Moylurg.

• The Irish are very fair people; they never speak well for one another.
• God invented whiskey to keep the Irish from ruling the world.
• Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat.
• The Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scotts as a joke, but the Scotts haven’t seen the joke yet.
• The Irish ignore anything they can’t drink or punch.
• When anyone asks me about the Irish character, I say look at the trees. Maimed, stark and misshapen, but ferociously tenacious.
• He is bad that will not take advice, but he is a thousand times worse that takes every advice.
• One of the worst things that can happen in life is to win a bet on a horse at an early age.
• A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.
• Every St. Patrick’s Day every Irishman goes out to find another Irishman to make a speech to.
• An Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hold onto one blade of grass to keep from falling off the earth.
• As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction!
• If it was raining soup, the Irish would go out with forks.
• Here’s to our wives and girlfriends: May they never meet
• I can resist everything except temptation.
• My mother’s menu consisted of two choices: Take it or leave it.
• The Irish don’t know what they want and are prepared to fight to the death to get it.
• God is good to the Irish, but no one else is; not even the Irish.
• If one could only teach the English how to talk, and the Irish how to listen, society here would be quite civilized.
• The Irish forgive their great men once they are safely buried.
• Irish Alzheimer’s: you forget everything except the grudges.
• Other people have a nationality. The Irish and the Jews have a psychosis.

For days rumors have circulated that Michael Jackson was startin’ somethin’. And Thursday afternoon, before a couple of thousand screaming fans at London’s 02 arena, the King of Pop revealed what has been referred to as “the worst kept secret in the world”….a 10-concert residency beginning July 8 — his first full tour in 12 years.

GoAnimate.com: Mike and Shayne fly the Enterprise!

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It’s free and fun!

Former Humble Mayor Wilson Archer, 73, died Jan. 28 after suffering from leukemia for several years. Those close to him said the past four years had been particularly difficult. 

“Wilson and I went to high school together,” said Humble Mayor Donnie McMannes. “He was a grade behind me, but we were friends. He was a life-long, pure ‘Humble man.’ He loved the city and he spent 25 years serving its residents.”

Archer was elected mayor on May 9, 1995 and retired on May 17, 2005. He had served as city councilman for 15 years prior to that.

“He was tough, but always honest in his political positions,” said McMannes. 

Prior to Humble City Council, Archer owned five convenience stores. He sold the last “Wilson Superette” in 1984. The stores provided jobs in the community and were able to support local Little League baseball teams, football teams and the Humble ISD Livestock Show and Rodeo. Archer made numerous charitable contributions to area organizations and individuals.Archer based his business on loyalty and trust. He often extended credit to his neighbors, something unheard of from a convenience store.

“I worked with Wilson for 25 years,” said James Baker, former Humble city manager. “Wilson was in office before Deerbrook Mall opened. He knew Humble would grow and was a big part of building the infrastructure to support the growth. He was born, served and died in Humble. ”

McMannes said it was Archer’s vision to build the Humble Civic Center and he was one of the first to see the need for the conference facility and community center. Today, the center is used by businesses for meetings, conferences and seminars and has become a showpiece for the Humble area. It has become the home of the annual Humble ISD Livestock Show and Rodeo and other community events.

McMannes also gave credit to Archer for his role in negotiating with the Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority to bring dollars back to Humble.

It is estimated that the 10-year agreement with METRO brought approximately $50,000,000 in rebate dollars into the city. The funds are based on a portion of sales tax revenue and are used for roadway improvement, infrastructure and other transportation expenses.

Many of Archer’s pet projects involved practical items, such as providing adequate utilities, drainage, roadways, emergency services, improvements to public parks, a library, and police and criminal justice facilities.

Other projects were strictly from the heart. Archer, who was an avid gardener, often said his favorite program was the seniors’ gardening program affectionately known as “Archer’s Acre.”

“He felt seniors needed a place to gather and stay active,” said Baker.

Seniors are allowed to plant and cultivate vegetables for their own use at the Senior Activity Center on South Houston Avenue. The surplus from the garden is donated to local food banks. After the addition of a greenhouse, seniors began to grow flowers to sell at Humble’s Good Oil Days and poinsettias to sell during the holidays. Archer’s seniors’ gardening program was spotlighted twice on Channel 11 News.

Archer also provided leadership and assistance to the Boy Scouts of America, the Northeast Medical Center Hospital, the Humble Area Assistance Ministries, the FamilyTime Foundation, the Door, the Humble Lions Club, the Humble Area Chamber of Commerce and Humble ISD. He held leadership positions in many state-wide municipal organizations.

“Wilson Archer was born in Humble. He graduated from Charles Bender High School in 1954,” said Nancy Coker, board president of the Humble Museum. “I considered him a good friend. Citizens of Humble were lucky to have him as mayor. I will miss him. We will all miss him.”

Community members gathered for visitation at Rosewood Funeral Home Friday, Jan. 30, and for his funeral Saturday, Jan. 31, at the First United Methodist Church in Humble.

Archer is survived by his sons Curtis and Craig; his daughter-in-law, Regina of Humble; and his granddaughter, Cassie; brother Haden Archer; and sister Jan Lou Bar. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar and Alma Archer, and eight brothers and sisters. A reception at Humble Civic Center followed the funeral. The family suggested contributions to the St. Luke’s Blood Bank in lieu of flowers.

© 2008 Ourtribune.com

Bone Growth Accelerated With Nanotubes And Stem Cells
ScienceDaily (2009-02-01) — Engineers have come up with a way to help accelerate bone growth through the use of nanotubes and stem cells. … > read full article

Quantum Teleportation Between Distant Matter Qubits: First Between Atoms
ScienceDaily (2009-01-23) — For the first time, scientists have successfully teleported information between two separate atoms in unconnected enclosures a meter apart – a significant milestone in the global quest for practical quantum information processing. Teleportation may be nature’s most mysterious form of transport: Quantum information, such as the spin of a particle or the polarization of a photon, is transferred from one place to another, without traveling through any physical medium. … > read full article

Monday, December 29, 2008
Mary Kelly Bumbaugh

New possibilities ahead every day!

The new year is a beginning, another chance to do better than the year before. I’m always excited about this time of year because it’s kind of like a present. I’m thankful for it…open it up and see what it is,” said Georgia McMannes, Humble’s first lady and wife of Mayor Donnie McMannes. “I’ve always loved Humble and am thankful for living here.”
A friendly, effervescent spirit, she is the original “hometown girl,” who enjoys the quality of life in this small town, is passionate about collecting antique furniture and china, and is dedicated to her Texas family’s roots. Since her Southern hospitality has won her many friends, and being an explorer of all things she can make or fix by hand, her life is often “lights, camera, action.” With her many interests and enduring sense of humor, there’s no shortage of activity in her life.

“If I had longer to live, I would do this or that, but at 72 I don’t branch out quite as much. Except I want to tear down our old garage and replace and decorate it. I drew the house plans when we built our present house in 1999 and now all I want to do is change it!” she said. “I basically want to remain healthy, so I bicycle every day and make sure Donnie feeds us well, since he loves to cook and does all the cooking. I can’t cook.”

The couple met at Humble High School, married in the ‘50s, and moved to Humble in the ‘60s, where they have built and lived in several homes, owing their longevity to working side-by-side on many projects. They turned a weeded lot into a home, doing all the tile work, kitchen cupboards, trim and painting in the house themselves.

As antique dealers, they had many years of fun together going to garage sales, weekly auctions and monthly trade shows to collect and sell furniture treasures. They prospected in Western states and on Texas byways in search of pieces that had withstood the test of time, then Donnie stripped and refinished them into compelling pieces for sale, and use in their homes.

With an eye for detail and beauty, she acquired a taste for Hull pottery, collected 340 pieces, then sold them within 10 months. She collects and uses Port Meirion, gets “carried away” with Moss Rose china and has a very large collection of head vases in a living room showcase; but currently is not as interested in collecting as she is in giving what she already has to their adult child Michael. The McMannes’ have another child who is deceased.

“My eyes light up about my genealogy search and the detailed documentation it requires. I’m continuing to gather it and have tentatively gone back 16 generations on my mother’s side; and nine on Donnie’s mother’s side. I’ll keep looking back farther. It never stops. We have DNA records to use for future discoveries,” she said.

“Since I was born in Houston and am inspired that I’ve found several generations were also native Texan, including several who served in the Texas 13th Calvary, I’ve started taking notes on my own life when something jogs my memory. Like, my mother was born in a log cabin. Growing up we had a pet raccoon, wild as a billy goat, found in a deserted nest, gorgeous. Mother fed him scrambled eggs and potatoes which was more than I was getting when Donnie and I were stationed in Germany in the U. S. Army during the Korean conflict,” McMannes explained.

Along with her travels, collections and writing, McMannes keeps up on her sewing and calligraphy, always finds time to spend with her brother, George, who is housebound, serves on the Thanksgiving feast committee and in her church, and graduated from the Humble Citizen’s Police Academy. An accomplished oil painter, two classic paintings grace her living room. She regrets she sold two of her best pictures.

“My friends of 50 years and I get together monthly to talk all day or take trips. We’re the lady bugs, a ‘sister group,’ of 10 women who went to HHS together. This means a lot to me since I was the only female in my family. We have airtight relationships that I’ve thought may not be as frequent in large communities. I also get together with the council members’ wives, but we stay completely separate from city politics and our husbands’ work,” said McMannes.

“Overall, my life has taught me that you don’t have to have a lot of stuff as long as you’re happy, and I’ve had a sweet family and a wonderful life with memorable years while Donnie has been mayor,” she said. “I get up every day to see what the future may bring, to ‘keep going,’ and find life is always open for new discoveries.”

Photo by Mary Kelly Bumbaugh

© 2008 Ourtribune.com

The Real Culprits In This Meltdown

By INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Monday, September 15, 2008

Big Government: Barack Obama and Democrats blame the historic financial turmoil on the market. But if it’s dysfunctional, Democrats during the Clinton years are a prime reason for it.

Obama in a statement yesterday blamed the shocking new round of subprime-related bankruptcies on the free-market system, and specifically the “trickle-down” economics of the Bush administration, which he tried to gig opponent John McCain for wanting to extend.

But it was the Clinton administration, obsessed with multiculturalism, that dictated where mortgage lenders could lend, and originally helped create the market for the high-risk subprime loans now infecting like a retrovirus the balance sheets of many of Wall Street’s most revered institutions.

Tough new regulations forced lenders into high-risk areas where they had no choice but to lower lending standards to make the loans that sound business practices had previously guarded against making. It was either that or face stiff government penalties.

The untold story in this whole national crisis is that President Clinton put on steroids the Community Reinvestment Act*, a well-intended Carter-era law designed to encourage minority homeownership. And in so doing, he helped create the market for the risky subprime loans that he and Democrats now decry as not only greedy but “predatory.”

Yes, the market was fueled by greed and overleveraging in the secondary market for subprimes, vis-a-vis mortgaged-backed securities traded on Wall Street. But the seed was planted in the ’90s by Clinton and his social engineers. They were the political catalyst behind this slow-motion financial train wreck.

And it was the Clinton administration that mismanaged the quasi-governmental agencies that over the decades have come to manage the real estate market in America.

As soon as Clinton crony Franklin Delano Raines took the helm in 1999 at Fannie Mae, for example, he used it as his personal piggy bank, looting it for a total of almost $100 million in compensation by the time he left in early 2005 under an ethical cloud.

Other Clinton cronies, including Janet Reno aide Jamie Gorelick, padded their pockets to the tune of another $75 million.

Raines was accused of overstating earnings and shifting losses so he and other senior executives could earn big bonuses.

In the end, Fannie had to pay a record $400 million civil fine for SEC and other violations, while also agreeing as part of a settlement to make changes in its accounting procedures and ways of managing risk.

But it was too little, too late. Raines had reportedly steered Fannie Mae business to subprime giant Countrywide Financial, which was saved from bankruptcy by Bank of America.

At the same time, the Clinton administration was pushing Fannie and her brother Freddie Mac to buy more mortgages from low-income households.

The Clinton-era corruption, combined with unprecedented catering to affordable-housing lobbyists, resulted in today’s nationalization of both Fannie and Freddie, a move that is expected to cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.

And the worst is far from over. By the time it is, we’ll all be paying for Clinton’s social experiment, one that Obama hopes to trump with a whole new round of meddling in the housing and jobs markets. In fact, the social experiment Obama has planned could dwarf both the Great Society and New Deal in size and scope.

There’s a political root cause to this mess that we ignore at our peril. If we blame the wrong culprits, we’ll learn the wrong lessons. And taxpayers will be on the hook for even larger bailouts down the road.

But the government-can-do-no-wrong crowd just doesn’t get it. They won’t acknowledge the law of unintended consequences from well-meaning, if misguided, acts.

Obama and Democrats on the Hill think even more regulation and more interference in the market will solve the problem their policies helped cause. For now, unarmed by the historic record, conventional wisdom is buying into their blame-business-first rhetoric and bigger-government solutions.

While government arguably has a role in helping low-income folks buy a home, Clinton went overboard by strong-arming lenders with tougher and tougher regulations, which only led to lenders taking on hundreds of billions in subprime bilge.

Market failure? Hardly. Once again, this crisis has government’s fingerprints all over it.

Make no mistake – this is NOT a Republican/Democrat issue. You can go back to Bill Clinton and find where this took hold in 1995, if you’d like. If the banks didn’t offer subprime mortgages to inner city families, poor, and low income families, they would be fined millions of dollars. But the only way these families could afford their ‘$200,000′ home on an income of $25,000 was to take the ARM, the low mortgage, negotiate a way to lower payments, etc… and then the house can’t repay the original loan and thus, the house forecloses and the bank has a house they can’t sell for a price high enough to get their loan back.

But hey, thanks to the Democrats philosophy of ‘everyone deserves good things and nice lives and college educations, etc….’ we have this conversation:

No money? Fine. No down payment.
No money? Fine. Subprime interest rate.
No money? Fine. No credit check.
You’re a poor family and can’t afford this $200,000 house? You really should only be financing a $100,000 house but YOU REALLY WANT THIS HOUSE? Fine!!!!

Greed! The bankers AS WELL AS THE people of this country, the people who live past their means are to blame for this. You can’t just blame the nearest Republican – that’s silly!

Here it is……
Fannie Mae tells the banks to make whatever loan they want and that they’ll be guaranteed. Home ownership shot up as did home prices. But then interest rates rose, gas prices shot up, so people got laid off and were on a tighter budget. Borrowers couldn’t pay and so then the banks stopped loaning money. The subprime lending created actually BY DEMOCRATS so people could afford the giant houses and beuatiful homes on their $30,000 salary DRIED UP COMPLETELY. Guess what came next, boys and girls, FORECLOSURES!!!! What does that mean? Few buyers and a CRAP LOAD of sellers (Banks and homeowners). Guess what? All the homeprices started to drop through the floor and guess what? People stopped paying their notes EVEN MORE than before and Fannie Mae had a bunch of ‘guarantees’ that were now completely worthless. Banks collapsed because the govt. couldn’t back up the loans anymore and people started losing jobs then we arrive at Sept. 28, 6:45pm and we’re in trouble with no hope in sight……(Anybody here heard of BAILOUT?) Yeah, well this bailout isn’t going to fix it. It’s made to increase confidence – it’s psychological. These banks can request $200,000,000 dollars in less than a month. You say it’s Republicans? The Democrats expanded the ‘Community ReInvestment Act’ instead of letting home prices increase with inflation. Is it their fault completely? No. But this whole ‘IT’S GEORGE BUSH’S FAULT!’ is just silly. Whose fault? HUMANS! WHY? GREED!! And I hate to break it to y’all but Democrats are greedy too.

We all want everyone to own a home. BUT IF YOU MAKE $30,000 – YOU CAN NOT BUY A $250,000 HOME BECAUSE IT’S NO MONEY DOWN–and THAT is Democratic prinicpal. Regulation is shot to hell and NEEDS AN OVERHAUL – that stupidity falls on the Republicans. What does this mean – The taxpayers will flip the bill – as always. Why am I mad? BECAUSE I DONT LIKE THE GOVT. RUNNING ANYTHING! This is what happens when they do.

LESS FED. GOVT—MORE CITY/STATE GOVT – period,

“Obama… like JESUS!!”

The declaration came straight from the mouth of Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen. He followed it with, AND I QUOTE, “…Pontius Pilate was a governor.” So, let me get this straight – Obama is JESUS and Palin is Pontius Pilate, the man who KILLED JESUS! In a year where the Democratic Party should be walking away with an election, they stumble on their feet yet again (See Howard Dean).

Cohen’s remarks also play into the ideal that Obama fancies himself a celebrity-like or messianic figure in the 2008 race. They also come on the heels of Obama’s comment Tuesday that “you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.”

Obama, the presidential candidate, aka JESUS within Democratic circles, just called Sarah Palin a pig. I would’ve never predicted the Dem. party falling this HARD or this FAST but wow, they are imploding like never before seen in politics.

Obama has never implemented a single change at any level at any time in any aspect of his political career. Obama for change? The race for President gets even funnier. The Republicans are absolutely LAUGHING at the Democrats. I’ve never seen a party handle themselves with any more stupidity than I’m seeing right now. Keep it up, boys – it’s a helluva show!

She blasted Democractic rival Barack Obama, saying he “wants to forfeit” while victory is “finally in sight.”

“It’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state Senate,” she said of Obama at the Republican National Convention.

The crowd erupted with chants of “Zero!” and some delegates made zeroes with their fingers.

Palin continued, “This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word ‘victory’ except when he’s talking about his own campaign.

“What exactly is our opponent’s plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make the government bigger and take more of your money.”

She told the jubilant crowd earlier in the speech that she accepts the Republican Party’s nomination for vice president following a lengthy standing ovation. It marked the first time in history that a woman has taken the stage as the GOP vice president pick.

“I accept the challenge of a tough fight,” she said.

She praised McCain as a “true profile in courage.”

“In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change,” she said.

Palin, whose youngest child has Down syndrome, also promised families of special needs children will have “a friend and advocate in the White House.”

As she took the stage, the crowd waved banners reading “Hockey moms for Palin” and shouted, “We love you, Sarah.”

“I love those hockey moms,” she said.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani warmed up the crowd by continuing the barrage on Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama on Wednesday night, calling him a “celebrity senator” with no leadership experience.

“He’s never had to lead people in crisis,” Giuliani told the Republican National Convention. “This is not a personal attack; it’s a statement of fact. Barack Obama has never led anything. Nothing. Nada.

“The choice in this election comes down to substance over style. John McCain has been tested. Barack Obama has not. Tough times require strong leadership, and this is no time for on-the-job training.”

His speech was the third of the evening by former GOP presidential candidates who pumped up the Republican faithful ahead of the evening’s much-anticipated speech by McCain’s vice presidential pick, Sarah Palin.

Many in attendance chanted “USA! USA!” during key passages.

Earlier, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee got the crowd cheering when he ripped Obama for looking to Europe for ways to change America.

“Barack Obama’s excellent adventure to Europe took his campaign for change to hundreds of thousands of people who don’t even vote or pay taxes here,” he said.

“The fact is, most Americans don’t want more government; they want a lot less.”

Actor and former Sen. Fred Thompson led the charge, berating “Washington pundits and media big shots” who have questioned her experience as a first-term governor and former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.

“Let’s be clear. … The selection of Gov. Palin has the other side and their friends in the media in a state of panic. She is a courageous, successful reformer who is not afraid to take on the establishment.”

“She’s taken on the special interests and the political power brokers in Alaska and reached across party lines to get things done,” Lieberman said.

As I type this, the news media begins it’s all-out assault on Sen. McCain’s pick for VP, Gov. Sarah Palin. The argument that has moved swiftly to the forefront has been the issue of Palin’s experience. Failing mention in their assault is the proper focus on the fact that she IS the Governor of a state, commands the Alaskan guard, has reformed her own party of corruption, denied money from the federal govt. for silly projects, and is an ENERGY EXPERT! Without the slightest question, she has more experience than the Democratic nominee for President.

They chastise her now for her experience yet she has MORE EXPERIENCE THAN BARACK OBAMA in every aspect of government. I like Obama, I really do, but the day he arrived to his Senate office, he began campaigning for the Presidency. He’s been absent from senate office more than he’s been present. In all fairness to Gov. Palin, exactly what experience does Barack have? Foreign Affairs? None. A national economy? None. So, let’s understand that her nomination has reaffirmed John McCain’s status as ‘maverick.’ This is the John McCain that we all liked before he drifted so far right.

Also, the selection of Sarah Palin as McCain’s running mate has electrified conservative activists, providing a boost of energy to the GOP nominee. By tapping the anti-abortion and pro-gun Alaska governor, McCain hasn’t just won over the skeptical Republican base, he’s ignited a wave of emotion that has led some grass-roots activists ‘to weep with joy.’

“I woke up and my e-mail was just going crazy,” said Charmaine Yoest, head of the legislative arm of Americans United for Life and a former top official in Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign. “And then when it was announced — it was like you couldn’t breathe.” The media elite — as well as elite members of the GOP consulting community — have all but mocked Palin as a former small-town mayor with zero Washington experience. But that view of her totally misses what she brings to the Republican power centers and leaves out the jubilation felt among true believers that one of their own is on the ticket. Palin, say conservative activists, has instantly changed how they feel about McCain’s campaign and spurred them to go to work for the Republican ticket.

First, though, they’re expressing their newfound fondness for McCain with their checkbooks – the campaign has raised nearly $7 million online. Republicans say the primary source for the passion can be found in Palin’s example and authenticity.

Not only is the 44-year-old governor opposed to abortion rights — but she carried and gave birth to a child with Down syndrome earlier this year, a profound and powerful motivating force to both opponents of abortion rights and the parents and relatives of special needs children.

And not only is she a supporter of the right to bear arms — but she’s a lifetime member of the NRA and an avid hunter and fisherman whose gubernatorial office couch is adorned with a massive grizzly bear pelt.

“She’s lived it!” exulted Yoest. “It’s so satisfying as a conservative woman. When she walked out on that stage there was just this moment. It was really emotional for a lot of us.”

After hearing the news, Yoest, who was in St. Paul preparing for the convention, said she and other Republican women here “were grabbing each other and jumping up and down.” Steve Duprey, a former New Hampshire GOP chairman and top McCain backer who hails from the moderate wing of the party, was also in the Twin Cities when the news broke.

“I was in the Rules Committee with about 150 people in the room. They had TVs set up and we took a break to watch the announcement. For a second after she came out, it was silent. Then there was a gasp and everybody stood up and started cheering and clapping. We stayed standing the whole speech.”

After Palin finished, he said, the emotion set in.

“There were 10 or 12 women, party stalwarts, in tears, using napkins and handkerchiefs.”

“There is an electricity going through the social conservative crowd right now; it’s unbelievable,” said James Muffett, head of Michigan’s Citizens for Traditional Values, who had met with McCain in the weeks leading up to his selection of a running mate. “Especially given all the set-ups and head fakes — it’s amazing. A lot of people were sure he was going to show his more moderate colors.”

Muffett said the effect on his conservative comrades in arms has been immediate and visceral.

“My wife and I watched an MSNBC special on her last night,” he said. “My wife knew nothing about this woman. But she was in tears listening to her articulate the views she had.” Since the pick, Muffett said, he’s gotten “dozens of e-mails and the phones have been ringing off the hook” from other social conservatives who had assumed McCain would spurn them.

“They were taunting me, saying ‘McCain’s going to disappoint you,’” he said of the sentiment before the pick.

Sportsmen are also overjoyed at the addition of one of their own, and can’t get enough of video and pictures showing Palin firing a weapon.

“She’s one of us,” wrote Michael Bane, a prominent Colorado-based gun enthusiast who has a show on the Outdoor Channel, on his blog. “FINALLY, we can get 100 percent behind the Republican ticket … change we can believe in!”

“You know I’ve had my problems with McCain, but he has reached out a hand to us both at the NRA Annual Meeting [earlier this year] and with the amazing selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate,” Bane added.

And then there is the contrast: “While [Barack Obama] wants to ban AR-15s, Palin shoots AR-15s, and apparently pretty well.”

“Every shooter, every hunter, every gun owner, every competitor needs to understand that it is time to, in the words of Bruce Willis, ‘cowboy the ‘f…’ up.’ ”

Chris Cox, the top political aide at the NRA, suggested that his job just got a whole lot easier, not just with a pro-gun Republican vice presidential nominee but a Democratic number two — Delaware Sen. Joe Biden — who is anathema to the Second Amendment community

“We’ll be able to have some fun contrasting not just McCain and Obama, but Biden and Palin,” said Cox, whose organization is giving “I’m a Bitter Gun Owner and I Vote!” signs and T-shirts to its members. “She’s great on our issues and [Biden’s] been terrible for 35 years.”

Her image as a pistol-packin’ mama could prove especially key in the hunter-filled Rust Belt, said Paul Erhardt, a longtime political strategist who specializes on gun issues.

“Palin could play strong in the sporting states like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, depending on how they use her,” he said. “Most pundits will underestimate her appeal in these key areas because they don’t know her and they are unfamiliar with the sporting scene. But among sportsmen, authenticity counts and Palin’s got that and then some.”

The sense of rejuvenation is not just limited to party activists, though. Conservative elites, among the most disdainful of McCain, are also coming around.

James Dobson, long a McCain skeptic, said after the announcement Friday that he’d support Palin.

And he’s not alone.

“I’ve talked to two prominent social conservative leaders in the past 24 hours who told me they had previously not planned to attend the convention, but were now coming to Minneapolis after the Palin pick,” wrote Ralph Reed, a Christian conservative leader who has tangled with McCain, in an e-mail. “One scrambled to find a hotel room and is coming tomorrow; the other rearranged his schedule and is flying in Wednesday. I got a call this afternoon from an evangelical business leader who told me he was contacting the McCain campaign and offering to host a fundraiser with his friends for McCain (sans the candidate) before the Thursday deadline [when McCain shifts to the public financing system]. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a veep pick energize the grass roots like this.”

“Palin=Guns, Babies, Jesus,” he wrote in an e-mail. “Contrast that to Obama’s bitter clingers. Obama just lost blue-collar, white Democratic voters in Pennsylvania and other states.” And, he said, the line that the pick was aimed at picking off Democratic women who backed Hillary Rodham Clinton doesn’t get it right.

“[The] choice is to shore up the conservative, pro-drilling base,” he said. “This is an aggressive, on-offense pick, not a defensive pick.”

Rush Limbaugh, who exulted on the air this week, summed up the response he’s gotten from his loyal listeners: “Home f***ing run.”

My friend – R.I.P.

Joe Foy
JOE FOY, born June 1, 1937, passed away August 11, 2008. Services will be held Saturday, August 16, 2008, @ Willing Workers Baptist Church- 6900 Weaver Rd. Visitation will be held from 11:30 – 1:30p.m. Funeral Service will begin @ 1:30p.m. Interment-Cemetery Beautiful. Www.legacy.com

Pausch died at his home in Chesapeake, Va., said Jeffrey Zaslow, a Wall Street Journal writer who co-wrote Pausch’s book. Pausch and his family had moved there last fall to be closer to his wife’s relatives. Pausch was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer in September 2006. His popular last lecture at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007 garnered international attention and was viewed by millions on the Internet. In it, Pausch celebrated living the life he had always dreamed of instead of concentrating on impending death.

“The lecture was for my kids, but if others are finding value in it, that is wonderful,” Pausch wrote on his Web site. “But rest assured; I’m hardly unique.”

The book “The Last Lecture” leaped to the top of the nonfiction best-seller lists after its publication in April and remains there this week. The book deal was reported to be worth more than $6 million. Pausch said he dictated the book to Zaslow by cell phone, and Zaslow recalled Friday that he was “strong and funny” during their collaboration.

“It was the most fun 53 days of my life because it was like a performance,” Zaslow told The Associated Press. “It was like getting 53 extra lectures.” He recalled that Pausch became emotional when they worked on the last chapter, though, because that to him was the “end of the lecture, the book, his life.”

At Carnegie Mellon, Pausch was a professor of computer science, human-computer interaction and design, and was recognized as a pioneer of virtual reality research. On campus, he became known for his flamboyance and showmanship as a teacher and mentor. The speech last fall was part of a series Carnegie Mellon called “The Last Lecture,” where professors were asked to think about what matters to them most and give a hypothetical final talk. The name of the lecture series was changed to “Journeys” before Pausch spoke, something he joked about in his lecture.

“I thought, damn, I finally nailed the venue and they renamed it,” he said.

He told the packed auditorium he fulfilled almost all his childhood dreams — being in zero gravity, writing an article in the World Book Encyclopedia and working with the Walt Disney Co. The one that eluded him? Playing in the National Football League.

“If I don’t seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to disappoint you,” Pausch said.

He then joked about his quirky hobby of winning stuffed animals at amusement parks — another of his childhood dreams — and how his mother introduced him to people to keep him humble: “This is my son. He’s a doctor, but not the kind that helps people.” Pausch said he was embarrassed and flattered by the popularity of his message. Millions viewed the complete or abridged version of the lecture, titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” online.

“I don’t know how to not have fun,” he said in the lecture. “I’m dying and I’m having fun. And I’m going to keep having fun every day I have left. Because there’s no other way to play it.”

Pausch lobbied Congress for more federal funding for pancreatic cancer research and appeared on “Oprah” and other TV shows. In what he called “a truly magical experience,” he was even invited to appear as an extra in the upcoming “Star Trek” movie. He had one line of dialogue, got to keep his costume and donated his $217.06 paycheck to charity.

Pausch blogged regularly about his medical treatment. On Feb. 15, exactly six months after he was told he had three to six months of healthy living left, Pausch posted a photo of himself to show he was “still alive & healthy.”

“We don’t beat the reaper by living longer, we beat the reaper by living well and living fully,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Ramesh Santanam contributed to this report.

Well, the reviews are in and the label has been set: Epic. The new Batman movie-The Dark Knight begins at midnight tonight, most likely showing on 47 screens PER theater for the next few months. The new release has been called ‘chilling,’ ‘dark,’ ‘not for kids,’ and ‘mysterious and brooding.’ Even The History Channel got in on the action but from a different perspective: they aired a serious documentary which featured top writers and psychologists all of whom ‘psycho-analyzed’ the Batman and the Joker and the symbiotic relationship that has existed between these two characters throughout the years. If there was never a Joker, there couldn’t be a Batman.

Right vs. Wrong, the individual vs. society, action vs. reaction, the Joker vs. Batman. I wonder, could there be a ‘two-faced’ reason for me to go see “The Dark Knight?” Personally, I’ve always been a big fan of ‘The Batman.’ Maybe it’s his dark side, his moody temperment, his time spent in solitary, figuring things out or maybe because he teeters back and forth on what’s right and wrong, or at least what he perceives to be right and wrong. I’ve always wanted to be Superman but methinks there’s no escaping the Batman DNA.

Anyway, I’m considering seeing the midnight showing tonight just for fun. I mean, it is summer and I don’t really HAVE to get up tomorrow morning.  It’s really supposed to be great!

“Christopher Nolan and his collaborators have delivered an elegant, urgent epic that doesn’t just extend the franchise, but deepens it into a film noir morality tale. Even as it upholds ideals of law and order it shrewdly questions the queasy morality of vigilantism, the mob mentality of a society facing terrorist anarchy, and the fine line between idealism and madness.” Me loves the way that sounds – idealism and madness? Hmm…you mean there IS a difference?

Here’s to, what I hope is, a helluva movie and another medium, another installment, another something that validates that deep pocket in the soul: the dark mood.