Vosges Parisenne Hot Chocolate

We found Vosges chocolate cafe in NYC last October and promised ourselves to return before departing the city. We completely forgot!

Alas, my husband brought a treat home for Valentine's Day he found at Wholefoods: Vosges Parisenne Hot Chocolate.



Wow! This is the best hot chocolate I have had during my quest for hot cocoas. While it's a bit expensive ($20 for 16oz), it's worth the sweet, quiet indulgence for just the two of you.

Character Credit

Run a red light recently? Raleigh is considering to apply a blemish to one's credit report should one employ the 'no cop, no stop' mantra.

Actually, I like that.

While I'm against the institution of big brother, I'm pondering the benefit of the character credit system. This might just deter the hypocrites who believe they're above the law and I bet you can name one or two who are either in your own family, community, or those in the public spotlight.

How would this help those who feel the morals are going to dogs these days? I think this could be an interesting start to forcing folks to account for their lack of character.

Think of the parents who tell children not to smoke or not to swear (or worse), but continue to repress any self-control. The parent gets a citation for smoking in a public place gets a mark on his credit report. Hopefully, Jr will learn from Dad's poor judgment before he makes the same mistake.

If an athlete can be forced to pay a fine for bad behavior during a game, and take a seat on the bench, why shouldn't Jr who has just run a red light? Bad behavior has consequences, but for the wealthy, it's not a big deal. Even if their credit score is questionable, they have enough cash to make large purchases that circumvent the issue.

The FCC has fined networks for unexpected illicit behavior during programming all because parents were expecting something appropriate for children. So, when Congress is in session and Cheney tells a fellow Senator to F*Off, is he above the law? I know this certainly isn't the kind of behavior I was expecting out of an elected official, so shouldn't he be fined by the FCC as well and supply a nick on his character credit? At this point, Cheney's record would be black, but that's another story.

Likewise, any good deed also gets included on the character credit report.

What are your thoughts?

English Fare - A Fair Quote

I'll bet what motivated the British to colonize so much of the world is that they were just looking for a decent meal. - Martha Harrison

I'd agree since I've been to London and have been greatly disappointed in their dishes -even the Italian was poor.

I remember eating at the house of an acquaintence who announced she and her husband were heading to England in a few days for holiday. Because the husband had never been, I insisted he eat well before he go. His wife became immediately indignant as though I had insulted her mother. Additionally, I reminded her that I, too, was English and had visited England, so insult was not intended.

She didn't have a sense of humor and neither did the shepherd's pie she was serving.

Disaster Awaits for Visual Artists - A Must Read

No thanks to our beloved Congress, we as visual artists just may kiss our careers goodbye.

Lisa Shaftel, Graphic Artists Guild National Advocacy Committee Chairperson has just alerted us to a grave possibility that Congress will add a proposed statute that is heavily slanted in favor of users.

Full report from the Copyright Office

Lisa's White Paper: http://198.173.235.195/gag_orphan_comment.pdf

Victor Perlman of the ASMP is traveling to Washington DC tomorrow to meet with the Copyright Office and members of Congress to alert them of the devastating effect this addition to our copyright law will have on the livelihoods of visual creators. Nancy Wolff of the Picture Archive Council of America has asked him to speak on the PACA's behalf, and I asked him to represent the Guild as well.

If you're a visual artist or art enthusiast, please get the letters in the mail ASAP, like this week. We will make a greater impact if the senators receive letters right away to reinforce Victor Perlman's visit. We believe Congress will push this legislation through fast, so don't wait.

Sample Letter Here
Senate Judiciary Committee Members

If you don't have the time to write to them all, write to:

The Chair, Senator Arlen Specter
Senators Hatch and Leahy

Because they ordered the Copyright Office to conduct this study, and to the senator from your home state- if one of them serves on this committee. That's 4 letters minimum.

Hard copy letters are most effective: they are tangible and impossible to ignore.
If you don't want to send snail mail, you may send a fax to each senator. Click on their names and it will take you to their homepage with their contact information.

Emails are least effective because
a) they have no tangible presence
b) a low-level staffer reads them and simply tallies a "yes" or "no" comment for a report to a higher staffer, and then deletes them, and
c) they are easy to ignore altogether.

Please, get writing!

Signs of Katrina

Graffiti and temporary signs as a result of Katrina. Paul Wood provides a photographer's collection of signage warning looters, signs begging for help, signs calmly reporting a death, and signs showing that although we lost everything else, we haven't lost our sense of humor.

Check out Katrina Graffiti