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  • LA Foliage & Mid America

     

    America can be divided in many ways.  There are red states and blue states, there’s north and south, there’s east vs. west, and then there’s the good ole’ Midwest, which is where I’m from.  I hail from Chicago, the 3rd biggest city in the country.  The Midwest is traditionally considered our nation’s “heartland“, and the people consider themselves “middle of the road” Americans.  While the east coast is considered “uptight” and the west coast is considered “too liberal”, Wikipedia points out that:

    Midwesterners are alternately viewed as open, friendly, and straightforward, or sometimes stereotyped as unsophisticated and stubborn. Factors that probably affected the shaping of Midwest values include the religious heritage of the abolitionist, pro-education Congregationalists to the stalwart Calvinist heritage of the Midwestern Protestants, as well as the agricultural values inculcated by the hardy pioneers who settled the area. The Midwest remains a melting pot of Protestantism and Calvinism, mistrustful of authority and power.

    The rural heritage of the land in the Midwest remains widely held, even if industrialization and suburbanization have overtaken the states in the original Northwest Territory. Given the rural, antebellum associations with the Midwest, further rural states like Kansas have become icons of Midwesternism, most directly with the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

    This is the time of year I really miss being from the Midwest.  At the beginning of the summer, I harked back to locusts and lightning bugs.  But it’s this time of the year that I miss waking up to the first frost and walking to the bus stop in mittens.  I miss jumping into piles of brightly colored leaves and the smell of leaves burning in the air on a cool fall night (though that rarely occurs any more, even in the Midwest).  No frost or leaves in LA however.  Here are some examples of a typical day in West Hollywood, and the things I see on an 8 block walk with Garbo & Ruby around my neighborhood.  I present to you, Autumn in LA:

    chateau

    The famous Chateau Marmont on Sunset where Britney just got booted.

    nudefusion

    What more could you want?

    rainbowflag

    The flag of West Hollywood, now there’s some fall color!

    sunsetmarquis

    The lovely Sunset Marquis Hotel, a few blocks from the infamous Hotel Careyfornia

    sweetzer

    The Sunset Strip.  I live 2 blocks east and 1 block south of here.

    pinklimo

    The closest thing we have to pretty fall leaves.

    As for what I miss about autumn in the Midwest, my Dad took these pictures yesterday:

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    Speaking of leaves, this is one of my favorite pictures of my niece Nicole, also taken by my Dad:

    fallsmile

    Happy Fall, wherever you may be!

     

  • The Rest of the Weekend Photos

     

    Sorry I’ve been so lax about responding and commenting these past few days.  I’ll catch up after Daniel & Tori leave. 

     

  • 5000 & Bestiality :-)

    Link to all weekend photos.

     tysoncarey


    Now that I’ve got your attention (see subject) I wanted to point out that today I will reach a milestone of sorts.  Sometime in the next few hours I will welcome the 5000th visitor to my website.  I started this site back in December as a creative outlet for my writing and photography.  Since then I have learned many things about this close knit community known as Xanga.  A year ago I would have never dreamed of publicizing my life in this manner.  I think we all benefit from sharing our collective human experiences.  What’s nice about this community is that it allows us to connect with a worldwide audience and highlight our similarities as well as our differences, thus realizing the one common denominator; love for our families and friends, and wanting what’s best for them.  I have always strived to emphasize this in my international travels and with my friends from other countries.  Blogging allows me to expand that concept.  Just look at my last 100 hits, and a few of the places they came from:

     map

    legend

     countries

    A sidenote here, the visitor shown above from Romania, came to my site as a result of this Google search: 

    Referring URLhttp://www.google.ro…&hl=ro&start=20&sa=N
    Search Enginegoogle.ro
    Search Wordsveterinary dog masturbation  (and yes, I’m the #1 Google result)

     So, aside from kinky Romanian bestiality fetishists, I hope that this site and indeed all of our blogs, help in some minute way to ease tensions in our conflicted world.  I recognize that the U.S. is not really looked upon as favorably as it used to be in the rest of the world.  Much of that is warranted, but some of it is not.  We are not all a reflection of our leaders or our mass media.  We are individuals that make up a greater good.  Thus we need to band together and recognize the dangers in our post cold war world, so that we don’t all get annihilated.  I just ordered a book on Amazon called “Atomic Bazaar” which I heard about on NPR today:

    The Rise Of The Nuclear Poor
    [ Listen ]
    In his new book Atomic Bazaar, author William Langewiesche explains why nuclear bombs are the weapons of choice for poor and poorly governed nations. He also reveals how “the new stateless guerillas” acquire the components of a nuclear bomb and how these groups will eventually produce and implement nuclear weapons of their own. Acclaimed journalist William Langewiesche joins Larry Mantle to offer an informative and critical framework for understanding the burgeoning global threat of nuclear terrorism.

    So….4970 down….countless to go.  If you’re my 5000th visitor, and you live in LA, I’d be glad to buy you lunch.  If you don’t live here, I’ll buy you lunch when you come or when I’m in your city.  It’s a small world after all!


    h_golczynski

    You are the man of the family now.  You are the man.


    On a much “lighter” note, I snapped this photo of Maria Menounos (a tabloid reporter) the other night at that movie premiere we attended.  We all noticed how much of a pig she was, grabbing handfuls of pizza rolls and stuffing her face with other appetizers that waiters were walking around handing out on silver trays.  I wondered how the hell she could be so thin.  Turns out she “used to be” a compulsive eater.  Newsflash: she still is….she’s probably just bulimic now.  LOL.

    IMG_1036 

    Welcome to Access Hollywood “Weight Loss Week”


    ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
    “Astronomers now say they have discovered the existence of an earth-like planet, with an atmosphere that could sustain life, nearly 120 trillion miles away from us out in deep space. Here’s the amazing part: It already has three Starbucks.” — Jay Leno

  • Hooray for Hollywood

    HollywoodSign

    As most of you probably know, Saturday is The National Day of Climate Action. If any of you are interested in hiking up to the Hollywood Sign, let me know.  There will be some great photo opps.   If not, there are events all over.  You can check www.stepitup2007.org  for more info.

    On this one spring day, there will be hundreds and hundreds of rallies all across the country.  There are gatherings in every state, and in many of America’s most iconic places:  on the levees in New Orleans, on top of melting glaciers on Mt. Rainier, even underwater on the endangered coral reefs off Key West.  In Florida they’re hoisting a huge boat up in the air to show people where  the water levels will be in 50 years!

    There will be rallies outside churches, along the tide lines in our coastal cities, in cornfields and forests and on statehouse steps. Every group will be saying the same thing: “Step it up, Congress! Cut Carbon 80% by 2050.” As people gather, pictures will be linked in real time via the web–before the weekend is out, it will be the largest protest the country has ever seen. Here in Hollywood the peaceful demonstration will take place at:

    ***THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN***

    April 14, 2007 01:00PM to 03:00PM

    Event Description:  Take a hike to the Hollywood Sign!
    Location:  Hike up there through Bronson Canyon, from Canyon Drive in Hollywood.
    Directions:  Drive north up Bronson Avenue until it becomes Canyon Drive. Continue up Canyon Drive until it becomes Brush Canyon Trail. At the end, the road enters the gates to the park which is at the bottom of Bronson Canyon. Either park up here, or keep driving on Brush Canyon Trail until you reach the car parks on the right or later on the left. Now it’s time to take a hike up the dirt trail until we’re all underneath the Hollywood Sign.
     
    If you need a ride, call me or email me at careygly@gmail.com  –Carey

    IMG_0710a
    I certainly hope you guys aren’t getting tired of dogs and babies, because you’re going to be seeing a LOT of them on this blog.  Babysitting and dogsitting are two of my favorite things to do.  Do you know that some professional dog-walkers in this crazy town make 6 figures??  Only in Hollyweird!
     
    Today, Seth and Jessica dropped off their dogs, Garbo & Ruby (I did a blog for the dogs last year, before I started this one, LOL), for a mini-vacation at the luxurious Hotel Careyfornia.   They brought their 16 month old daughter Hannah (the genius child….she’s working on the Rubik’s Cube, watch out Tyson….she loves it!) and I snapped some shots.  (Mind you, this is in between phone calls from the Ford Child Modeling Agency and Toyota, who needs a precocious red head for their latest commercial.  Two words:  Danny Bonaduce!!)  j/k (Don’t freak out Jessica!) LOL
     
    Hannah really is smart though, she’s got the vocabulary of a six year old, and man can she sing!  She makes Sanjaya sound like William Hung!   Anyway, I’ve got the dogs until Wednesday.  It’s funny, whenever they stay with me they need a vacation afterwards.  I walk them for miles every evening, all around West Hollywood.  They attract a lot of attention.  At home they’re used to going to bed at 8 or 9 with Hannah, and when they’re here, we sometimes go for walks at 3 AM, when I’m done writing this thing!  So, needless to say, their schedules get all out of whack, but they certainly have fun!  Have a good evening everyone.  Hope to see some of you at the rally tomorrow!
     
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    Look Daddy, there’s so much to break in Carey’s house!! I can even play in the Zen Garden!
     
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    Hannah in Garbo’s bed


    God Love Google & Sanjaya, but not Imus

     google

    New York to Paris  – Pay special attention to #23

    Thanks to zealousalien for finding this one – Google 411  FREE Directory Assistance. Screw Cingular!

    And finally thanks to Bhavin for another reason to love the elitists at Google. Free Wireless Broadband!

    googletisp

    And don’t forget GoogleFight.  Let’s try Sanjaya vs. Clay Aiken

    claystraight  gloves sanjaystraight

    sanjaya_besame_mucho

    Deconstructing Sanjaya

    Now they’re saying he can win.  And apparently it’s national news!?

    nbcsanjaya 


    imus

    First of all, I’m aware that Sanjaya came before the serious stuff, but I swear every other Google search that comes to my site from anywhere in the world, comes for Sanjaya.  It’s crazy!  Anyway, like a lot of Americans, I’m troubled by the racist remarks of Don Imus.  I’ve never listened to or watched the guy.  Frankly every time I see his face on TV, I cringe.  He makes Howard Stern look like Brad Pitt!  What he said was indeed racist and stupid, though I’m not sure why there’s such a big stink now.  From what I read, this guy has been a hate monger for years.  I wonder why there wasn’t such a public outcry when Mel Gibson or Michael Richards spewed their rants?  I don’t remember this kind of uproar in those two cases.  I live literally a block away from The Comedy Store where “Kramer” went crazy.  There were reporters and of course Jesse Jackson out in front of that place for about 3 days, and then it miraculously subsided.  What’s up with that?

    I do believe however, that it is a slippery slope when corporations encroach upon freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution to every American citizen.  Let’s face it; Don Imus has been spewing this hateful nonsense for years.  Why is it news now?  How ironic is it that the 3 year saga of the Duke lacrosse “rape” case was dismissed this week?  Two examples of disenfranchised black women vs. admittedly privileged white males.  I really don’t know what to make of it.  Do you?  There’s certainly enough hate to go around with conservatives though, and they all stand behind the Patriot Act, until it’s their ass on the line.  Take a look:

    Limbaugh: Gonzales is “under fire by white liberal racists in the Senate”

    Beck continues attacks on ABC colleague O’Donnell

    CNN’s, ABC’s Beck on Clinton: “She’s the stereotypical bitch”

    Limbaugh suggested Edwards camp “leak[ed]” false information to Politico reporter “to jump-start the campaign”

    Beck said “I’m a little ashamed” for calling O’Donnell “a fat witch” — then added, “But she’s so fat”

    Beck smeared ABC colleague Rosie, claimed “I never said that Hillary Clinton was a bitch”

    These people all think WAY too much of themselves.  Rush Limbaugh this morning was saying that the Imus situation could actually help the troops in Iraq.  I like to listen to Rush sometimes, just because of the whole, keep your friends close and your enemies closer rule.  But this morning, I had to turn him off.

    Meanwhile, in Washington, President Bush is still searching for a brain.

    bushcrow 

    God, November 2008 cannot come soon enough!!  Lord help us.


    thehill

    And last, but certainly not least, thanks to Marc (mdrezz) for this “pointed assessment” of the Fox News networks place in our media megamix. Mellman of course, was Clinton’s chief pollster.  xo


    I had dinner down in Laguna with Dar & Dave, and Jenn & Tressa:

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    Carey & Tressa

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    Crazy Spaghetti Girl

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    Tressa in a rare “normal” smile

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    Good ghetti!

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    Dar, Jenn & Tressa

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    My “Asian” chicken salad (they don’t say Chinese anymore.  LOL)

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    The best thing in this restaurant: PIZZOOKIES!!

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    This is from the top of my hill next to my house. That’s downtown Los Angeles

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    I live next door to the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip. Not sure who was playing tonight.

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    A relatively clear night in LaLa Land


  • Nuclear Bomb Detonated in Los Angeles

      nuclearbombla

    OK, I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.  If you notice the “President Palmer” part, you know that this is a scene from the new season of “24“.  People here in LA are talking about it though.  It hits a little close to “home”.  Ever since 9/11 I’ve assumed that LA is a target.  It makes perfect sense.  The ridiculously obscene gluttony of pop culture merged with vapid “stars” like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, is one of the reasons why “they hate us so much”.  It’s not that other countries don’t have similar situations, but LA is the epicenter of it all.  “Everybody comes to Hollywood, they want to make it in the neighborhood…”

    Today was actually a very strange day here in LA.  It’s unseasonably cool (Arnold is still directing state agencies to activate extreme temperature protocols, LOL)  When I walked home from lunch the sky was eerily dark in the north but shining bright in the south.  I took these pictures with my cell phone from the top of my street (at 1 PM mind you).  They’re not great, but you kind of get the idea.  The sky looked like it does in the midwest before a huge storm.  Then I heard on the radio that there were “unconfirmed” reports of SNOW on Sunset Blvd. Even though my camera is still broken, I would have bought a new one just to take pictures of that!

    ATT00007 (2)

    ATT00004 

    Apparently it did snow in Malibu, but I swear the temperature was 20 degrees (F) above freezing, so I can’t imagine it stayed on the ground for more than a few minutes.  Weird though.  We all know the planet’s weather patterns are changing.  If you haven’t seen “An Inconvenient Truth” yet, it really is required viewing.

     

    I’ve got the heat on tonight, and I’m watching a tragic American Idol, while typing this on my laptop. So…maybe it is the “End of the World As We Know It” (but I feel fine)