kidsmoke

I can happily report that Hi-Rose (Rei) is just fine, as is her family. She emailed me last night and said, "I felt the shake, but my region is safe." She also said that she didn't have any acquaintances in the stricken area. I was so relieved to hear from her! When the earthquake had just happened and the news was calling it a magnitude 7.9, I emailed her to ask whether she and her family were ok. As things got worse and worse, and I watched the tsunamis racing over everything in their path, I kept trying to reassure myself that I was pretty sure Rei was in the south, away from the epicenter

Holy Toledo! This just out from CNN: (CNN) -- The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis. "At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (8 feet), and we have seen a map from GSI (Geospatial Information Authority) in Japan showing the pattern of shift over a large area is consistent with about that much shift of the land mass," said Kenneth Hudnut, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Reports from the National Institute of Geophysics and V

Our VC members Kate (Reni) and Graham, the duck-billed catechist, have brought into this troubled world a perfect little bundle of beauty, just today. Please join me in sending our congratulations and love to Kate and Graham, daughter Emily, and brand new bundle of bliss, Bea. Does somebody have her birth time and length and weight close by? She was a big healthy weight, around 9 lbs, and the one photo I've seen (thanks Jen!) showed a radiant Kate bending over an exquisitely pretty baby. I'm so happy for you, Kate and Graham!

My city, Riverside CA, has been "sister cities" for over 50 years with Sendai, the city closest to the epicenter. I feel such enormous sadness for Japan, and the long, hard road that lies ahead for them. The nuclear plants are a frightening situation! And I hope the Japanese are able to get a handle soon on the huge oil refinery fires. My kids keep saying that the footage coming out of Japan looks like a movie..."The Day After", or something. Surreal.

I thought the exact same thing - I couldn't help pleading with the cars on my monitor, urging them to go, go, go!. One of the big disadvantages of modern technology is how much more real it makes a tragedy like this, how much closer to "home" it becomes. Part of me wants to shut it off and part of me can't. I ache for all the Japanese living through this right now.

I'm not sure where, exactly, Rei (HiRose) and her family live, but I think she's more toward Osaka, in the south. I hope so since that puts her further from the epicenter and the tsunamis.

It's horrible to watch. So fast and so powerful!

Here's the story...it has apparently been upgraded to an 8.8! http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/11/japan.quake/index.html?hpt=T1 My heart goes out to all of Japan and especially to our VC member "HiRose". I hope you are safe, sweetie!

I'm crazy about Craig. For my last birthday, my son Brennan took me to a taping of his show. It was fun & fascinating to see the very serious showman between takes, working to get the tone he wanted. He re-did the ending bit that night because it hadn't quite come off as he wanted...so he went a completely different direction with it, and the second ending was much better. The guy is so quick, and has excellent comedic instincts! Gotta love those puppets!

I get to see her tomorrow night in real life! Yippee!!!

Oh, Rei! I hope you are able to go! Good luck, and congratulations on the birth of your baby!

Hey Solid Sounders, if any of you are still scrambling for lodging, let me know. I have a hotel room in Williamstown that it turns out I won't need, since I got offered a room at a place I prefer. But before I simply cancel my extra room, I thought I'd see first if there was a VCer who needed it. Drop me a line if you do!

That Jason is a smart dude. We should get him a copy of VC Tribute #3 because Merrick Section did such a terrific version of that!

This sounds fun!

AAAaaaarrrgggghhhh! You have successfully caused me to cringe. And wrap my hands up in tight balls. Your poor grandma must've freaked!

Those are some rad bikes, Tom!

Your ticket giveaway looks great, Jorge. If I didn't live a ridiculous distance away (I'm in southern CA) I might try to snag those myself! Good luck to all entrants...I hope someone deserving will win!

Here's the setlist from Pappy & Harriet's, and a few photos. What a terrific little funky venue this place is! 1. Tell Me What You Want 2. Huntington Fair 3. Back Of My Mind 4. Written In The Snow 5. Bluebirds Fall 6. The Swallows Of London Town 7. The Answer 8. Spend Your Life 9. Feel You Now (w/ Jonathan Wilson on guitar) 10. Full 5 Paces 11. Every Day 12. Sun In California 13. Tuesday Morning 14. We Would Never Die 15. Sentimental Lady 16. You Can't Have Me (Big Star, w/ Jonathan Wilson on piano) The script on the wall behind them, covered in glittery hand-painted hearts, reads

Pat struts his stuff during the encore of Big Star's "You Can't Have Me", which rocked the house down!

Here's the setlist from this night, plus a couple of photos...not very good quality, between the action and low light, but you get the idea. Tell Me What You Want Huntington Fair Back of My Mind Written in the Snow Bluebirds Fall The Swallows of London Town The Answer Spend Your Life Feel You Now (w/ Jonathan Wilson on guitar) Full 5 Paces Every Day Sun in California Tuesday Morning We Would Never Die Step Easy Sentimental Lady (Bob Welsh song, w/ Jonathan Wilson on piano) You Can't Have Me (Big Star cover) Jonathan Wilson with guest Jackson Browne on Warren Zevon's "Lawyers, Guns and

Very, very cool, and much deserved!

*sigh*. Well, I tried.

TemplePilot, I see that Laminated Nap is trying to be diplomatic in replying to you, and I appreciate her common sense and supportive words. But here's the thing. I made a judgement call on a post that had the appearance of being spam, and (as is our policy) immediately contacted the member to discuss the action I'd taken. This is a courtesy extended because, being humans and conversing through the internet, sometimes intentions aren't entirely clear. Via Chicago's staff, and myself, bend over backwards to give our members the benefit of the doubt when a problem arises, but when a judgement ca

I know. It must suck to be the average Egyptian right now.

Wild cheering in Egypt. Now maybe things can begin moving in a better direction. http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/11/egypt.protests/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1