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“Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it.“   —   René Descartes

(This is a great idea, from a real thinking man.  We all think, but too many of us allow our feelings to dictate our thoughts and actions.  Especially, feelings of hurt, shock and disgust.  The corporate media knows this all too well, which is why they force feed us what was once known as police blotter, tabloid fodder, in lieu of serious news, that might actually affect us.  They play to our baser emotions.  Titillation has, in large part, replaced information.  We would all do well to learn to detach ourselves from these baser feelings, when we’re hearing and seeing hurtful and offensive material.  We grow from acting on the intellectual, not by reacting to the visceral.  Do good and be well . . . informed, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  I had such high hopes for the CBS This Morning show, until this morning’s shameless promotion of this week’s episode of Undercover Boss, which is a CBS quasi-reality show, by “anchor/reporter” Gayle King.  Undercover Boss is the most manipulative show on television!  Aw gee, these CEOs and presidents have a heart, after all!  Sniff!  They’re just like me and you!  What a surprise that this show first came on the air following the huge government/taxpayer funded bailouts, and is getting more play in response to the Occupy Movement.  Boy, do these network people know suckers when they see them!   —   YUR

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Visual Description:  Desperation, idolatry and innuendo . . . all at the book store.

AVREB  =  BRAVE,  WIRTL  =  TWIRL,  LOTTUE  =  OUTLET,  YBOSIP  =  BIOPSY   —   Giving us:  AETROLISY

Clue/Question:  The prince signed the book deal so he could get . . .

Answer:  ROYALTIES

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(And some people think that books are boring!?!  Not bad, at all!  One trusty old standby, in “brave”.  The place where my wife and daughter live on the weekends.  And, two new clue words, in “twirl” and “biopsy”.  Boy.  At my age, it seems like every other person I talk to is bringing up the word “biopsy”!  Bummer, dude.  All the clue words were well jumbled, today.  And, the answer letter layout was a thing of beauty!  Atta boy, Dave!  Jeff’s a little over the top, today.  A crown, a cheesy moustache, an ascot and a quill pen?  And, it looks like he’s sitting on a thrown!  LOL!  Be well, do good . . . and try to keep gossip to a bare minimum.)   —   YUR (the KING of Jumble Solvers!)

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“The manner in which one endures what must be endured is more important than the thing that must be endured.“   —   Dean Acheson

(It’s all in how you handle things.  I think that I used to be much better at handling things, than I am today.  I’m sure that there are some things that I do handle better, but overall I just feel like things have gone just a little too far.  And, I don’t seem to have the patience to handle some things the way that I know I could.  I guess no one said that getting older was going to be a piece of cake!  Be well, do good . . . and try to be measured.)   —   YUR

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Visual Description:  Many good reasons for being a Doubting Thomas.

CAMAW  =  MACAW,  HOEUS  =  HOUSE,  ROERRT  =  TERROR,  CSHRCO  =  SCORCH   —   Giving us:  CAUSERORSCH

Clue/Question:  The student driver was leery of this type of driving instruction.

Answer:  A CRASH COURSE

(Pretty good!  Of course, it’s just that much harder when you mis-read a jumbled clue word, and come up with RETORT instead of “terror”!  Psst!  Hey, Dave.  It looks like no one has used RETORT before.  I’m sick of the word “terror” anyway!  It’s probably THE most overused word/excuse – along with *security* – of this young millennium.  The sheeple loves their bogeyman words, though!  Lawd-awmighty, how dey loves dem boogy-man words!  Uh . . . back to the Jumble.  No new clue words today.  I don’t know if Mr. Hoyt was going for a hiding in plain sight ploy, or what, but the first two clue words were terribly jumbled.  The later two were jumbled very well, and the answer letter layout was very good.  Nothing subtle about Jeff’s drawing.  A flat tire, an oil leak, plenty of dents and dings – to say the least – and the instructor’s arm in a sling sets up the answer very nicely.  And, of course, the instructor’s patter is looking to rush the kid into becoming a student.  Again with Wilco?  Well, I guess no other band name fits on a tee-shirt like they do!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  Wow!  There was a lot of Doubting Thomas artwork to choose from!  I thought that the Caravaggio was the most lifelike and powerful.  I like the one by Guercino as well, but I think it’s a little overly dramatic.   —   YUR

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“bORROW TROUBLE FOR YOURSELF, IF THAT’S YOUR NATURE, BUT DON’T LEND IT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.“   —   rUDYARD kIPLING

(tHIS FEELS LIKE A REPEAT, TO ME!  mAYBE IT WAS A RECENT tHOUGHT  FOR tODAY, OR SOMETHING.  wHO KNOWS?  NOT ME.  bE WELL, DO GOOD . . . POUND SAND, PEOPLE!)   —   yur

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visual description:  steve martin shopping for a new stage prop.

zoyow  =  woozy,  wonnk  =  known,  stheck  =  sketch,  chuicp  =  hiccup   —   giving us:  oknecip

clue/question:  he was in the market for a new banjo, so he needed to do this.

answer:  pick one

(great jumbling of the clue words.  the single vowel clue words are more challenging than you might think.  i had no problem with “known”, but “sketch” took a little more thought.  mr. hoyt has given us another new clue word, in “woozy”.  it’s funny, because it’s the kind of word you might say, but seldom write.  the answer letter layout was fair.  the cartoon was a little heavy handed, in my opinion.  seven banjos is an awful lot.  and, the impatience of the salesman/store owner made is a little over the top, and also not that believable.  a famous comedian/musician/actor like steve martin?  the salesman/store owner should have said something more like:  take you time.  i’m a big fan.  that’s it.  i’m bored.  be well and try to do good, today and everyday, friends.)   —   yur

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This morning they announced all the nominees for the 2012 Academy Awards.  All the expected actor, actress (both supporting and leading), director, and picture names came up, as one might expect.  With all the other awards shows, that precede the Oscars, there usually are no noticeable surprises when they read off the list of nominees.  Occasionally, there might be a glaring omission.  A well reviewed movie, with an A-list director and/or cast, that somehow doesn’t make the cut.  But this time, in the Best Picture category, there was a glaring addition.

Somehow, the movie Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close received a Best Picture nod!  From what I’ve heard and read, there were no outright pans or slams of this movie, but merely tepid reviews.  Roger Ebert gave it a 2 and ½ out of 4 stars, and used the word “contrivance” in describing it.  Leonard Maltin also said the story was “contrived”.  Rex Reed called it “labored and muddled” and even used adjectives like preposterous and manipulation in describing the story.  Tim Lammers – I’ve never heard of this reviewer before – gave it a 2 and ½ out of 4 stars, and even the website Rotten Tomatoes gave it only a 5.8 out of a possible 10.  By all accounts, this is the most wishy-washy reviewed movie ever, to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.  So, why put it up for consideration?

It does have an extremely likeable cast, in Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock (arguably America’s Cinematic Sweethearts), John Goodman, Zoe Caldwell and Max von Sydow.  And, apparently a strong performance by newcomer Thomas Horn, as the young son searching for some meaning in his father’s (Tom Hanks) death, at the World Trade Center, on 9/11/2001.  But, only Max von Sydow is nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category.  From what I’ve seen, it received no other nominations.  So, what gives?

The movie doesn’t seem to have any kind of political message.  There’s no controversy, or anything.  And 9/11 is still a very controversial subject, both here and especially abroad, despite the Story Closed attitude, that both the US government and the dutiful corporate media show it.  Could it be that the movie’s blandness fits in with the Let’s get on with it attitude that so many want for the issue?  I don’t know.  I haven’t seen it.  And, based upon the true reviews, the ones that came out prior to this unexpected nomination, it’s unlikely that I will watch it.  Nothing personal.  I’m a fan of all the major actors in it.  It just seems to be a very non-compelling movie.

The movie’s nomination is the surprise of the awards season.  At best, it’s just a puzzling little oddity.  At worst, the “contrivance” and “manipulation” of the situation make it more than a little suspicious.

Keep thinking, friends.

YUR

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“One’s mind has a way of making itself up in the background, and it suddenly becomes clear what one means to do.“   —   A. C. Benson

(A quote selected, no doubt, largely for its length and complexity.  Be well, do good . . . and try to be lucid.)   —   YUR

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Visual Description:  High stakes gambling, in the briny deep!

FHAWR  =  WHARF,  KRICT  =  TRICK,  SLIDEH  =  SHIELD,  PUCRES  =  SPRUCE   —   Giving us:  HFICSHISP

Clue/Question:  The underwater casino featured . . .

Answer:  FISH AND CHIPS

(FANTASTIC!  A fun little pun, with just a hint of misdirection.  I didn’t find any of the clue words difficult, but they were all jumbled well.  And, “shield” is new to the clue word database.  The answer letter layout is good, but with only the two “I”s the answer wasn’t hard to get.  I like the menacing face of the card shark, and the startled expression on the blowfish – aka the puffer fish!  Sponge Bob fans will recognize Patrick Star – the starfish – playing one of the slot machines in the background.  Not a tough Jumble, but a lot of fun.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

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