A frolic in Cambodia

[notcasesensitive]

Apparently the latest in the list of Celebrities Who Have Made Way Too Fucking Big Of A Deal Of Their Weddings, Star Jones, got married this weekend. Reminds me of the wedded bliss that was Liza and her Creepy Ex. Yay!

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Anyone have a cheaper, better (perhaps web-based) alternative to 1 (800)-FLOWERS? Future SIL's birthday today (hi Elisa!).

This is one area where the Internet is not as good as old skool. I usually contact a local florist by phone and order direct. Give us a more specific location, and perhaps someone can suggest something. Otherwise, the yellow pages on Yahoo! is a decent resource. But whether a recommended florist or someplace random, you will almost always get better results (or at least no worse results) if you call them up and order over the phone. Then you're a real person to them and they take more care.

If you're looking for Columbus, Ohio, I've got a great place that I use to send my grandmother flowers. I picked them at random, but I've seen the results, and they're pretty awesome. http://www.amberwillow.com/ (call, though)

Baltimore:
Flowers By Chris
Janda Florists (800) 732-1014

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by leagleaze
Of course, I cannot actually get married, unless we move to Canada.

Go figure.

GWNC any advice on moving to your old stomping grounds?

What happened in MA???

It is my understanding that domestic partnerships in CA will start having pretty much the whole panoply of rights/responsibilities as marriage starting 1/1.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by leagleaze
GWNC any advice on moving to your old stomping grounds?

Read this:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature...ada/index.html

It's a pretty good article, so get the day pass if you don't subscribe to salon.

Also www.canadianalternative.com offers information about immigrating. It is not as easy to get in as it used to be - about a 2-year wait.

If you do go, remember that in Canada, the color (colour) of the Liberal Party is red and the Conservative Party (or whatever they are called these days) is blue.

Apparently Immigration Canada's website was overwhelmed twice in the past week, but you could find out info there.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by baltassoc
This is one area where the Internet is not as good as old skool. I usually contact a local florist by phone and order direct. Give us a more specific location, and perhaps someone can suggest something.

Arlington, Massachusetts.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by leagleaze
We're going to see Polar Express on IMAX later this week. I saw my first IMAX on a proper IMAX screen last week, Forces of Nature. I highly recommend it.

FWIW, the reviews of Polar Express to date have not been kind.

Accurate portrayals of human characters remains one of the few bugaboos of computer animation. If you try to very closely replicate them, they come out looking lifeless and somewhat creepy, like zombies.

Word in the computer animation community is that Polar Express' attempt to overcome this problem did not work out well, and one of the unofficial nicknames for the movie is "Land of the Living Santas" or something similar.

There are also ample criticisms of the movie's plot, which apparently try to stretch about 25 mins of material into a two hour movie.

Agree, though, that The Incredibles was really cool. I'm gonna have to go back and see Brad Bird's other movie, The Iron Giant.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Arlington, Massachusetts.

Best flowers -- Dutch Flower Gardener in Cambridge, MA

Second best -- Winstons Flowers (Boston) or Mahoneys (Winchester). Winstons tends to be a bit artsier, Mahoneys more traditional.

If you're cheap -- The Daisy Shop -- they've been delivering quality carnations for years.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Word in the computer animation community is that Polar Express' attempt to overcome this problem did not work out well, and one of the unofficial nicknames for the movie is "Land of the Living Santas" or something similar.

We were in a bookstore this weekend and haplessly opened a children's book ("children's" book) with a picture in it of Santa's evil brother, a/k/a Bad Santa. Most of the 43 hours since then not taken up with sleeping have revolved around a discussion of whether Bad Santa will be visiting our house this year.

[leagleaze]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
What happened in MA???

It is my understanding that domestic partnerships in CA will start having pretty much the whole panoply of rights/responsibilities as marriage starting 1/1.

No state marriage or civil union is good enough, though they are a start. None can offer federal benefits until the federal goverment decides to allow civil unions/marriage with all of the rights and responsibilities of marriage. I don't see that happening any time soon. How about you?


Thanks GWNC. Actually, New Zealand is sounding nice.

Back to the movies, I have heard mixed things about Polar Express, generally making human beings appear realistic isn't easy. The Incredibles didn't really try to make them look realistic which is why it wasn't a problem. Polar Express is supposed to be a bit freaky.,=

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by leagleaze
No state marriage or civil union is good enough, though they are a start. None can offer federal benefits until the federal goverment decides to allow civil unions/marriage with all of the rights and responsibilities of marriage. I don't see that happening any time soon. How about you?

No, but I don't think the election changed anything in that regard, and your desire to move to Canada seems connected to that -- but I may be reading stuff into it.

I think it's going to be a hell of a long wait to get federal recognition. What CA and MA have done is as close as it will get. The federal side is pretty much just taxes -- most other marital rights/responsibilities are on the state level or can be worked around (e.g., survivor benefits under a qualified plan). States can put in their own laws that mirror FMLA etc.

I'm in no way saying that universal recognition in all states and on the federal level shouldn't happen -- it just isn't in place now, and isn't likely to be in the near future.

[NotFromHere]

So, after seeing Alicia Keyes last night dress at the American Music Awards in what appeared to be shoulder pads, I stand by my prediction that the next natural progression from low rise pants is shoulder pads. And big hair.

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally posted by Gattigap
FWIW, the reviews of Polar Express to date have not been kind.

Accurate portrayals of human characters remains one of the few bugaboos of computer animation. If you try to very closely replicate them, they come out looking lifeless and somewhat creepy, like zombies.

Here I go, kickin' it geek style: This is also referred to (in robotics) as the Valley of the Uncanny, or Uncanny Valley. See
here for details.

Agree, though, that The Incredibles was really cool. I'm gonna have to go back and see Brad Bird's other movie, The Iron Giant.

Iron Giant is a great movie, and arguably Vin Diesel's finest, and most nuanced performance to date. Then again, it wasn't much of a stretch.

Originally posted by Leagleaze
We're going to see Polar Express on IMAX later this week. I saw my first IMAX on a proper IMAX screen last week, Forces of Nature. I highly recommend it.

You are a sick, sick woman.

[leagleaze]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
No, but I don't think the election changed anything in that regard, and your desire to move to Canada seems connected to that -- but I may be reading stuff into it.

I think it's going to be a hell of a long wait to get federal recognition. What CA and MA have done is as close as it will get. The federal side is pretty much just taxes -- most other marital rights/responsibilities are on the state level or can be worked around (e.g., survivor benefits under a qualified plan). States can put in their own laws that mirror FMLA etc.

I'm in no way saying that universal recognition in all states and on the federal level shouldn't happen -- it just isn't in place now, and isn't likely to be in the near future.

If the election did anything it just delayed the process. I wasn't particularly surprised by the 11 states that passed amendments, and I would expect virtually every state to pass one before we are through. Change takes a very long time, people are afraid and unsettled and it will take them time to calm down. They will, but who knows when that will be.

As far as moving, it's the election and not the election, depending on who you ask. For me it is not the election, for Mrs. Eaze it is. I have been considering teaching positions in several other countries for a while now. However, I have mixed feelings about it, despite the fact it would be quite easy for me to feel unwanted here, and sometimes I do, I am rather fond of my homeland.

Leaving the issue of moving aside, there are actually a lot of rights that are at the federal level, many of which are rather important. They cannot be granted by contract nor can they be granted by states. http://www.religioustolerance.org/mar_bene.htm

Not to mention having to stay in a specific state to have your relationship recognized causes a few problems. One being that it makes it hard to move, another being that it means that I would have to keep up-to-date documents that give me the ability to make decisions for Mrs. Eaze for any time we chose to leave one of the so-called gay meccas to visit a less accepting place.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by Flinty_McFlint
Ben Affleck movie

that is what popped into my head first too, Flinty. I think we may be the ones who are sick, though.

[leagleaze]

You are a sick, sick woman.

Thank you. It's amazing what they are putting on IMAX these days, isn't it.