My Secret Garden

Worst Celebrity Baby Names?

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:46:45 -0500

50 craziest celebrity baby names (in alphabetical order)

Aanisah: Macy Gray (also mother to Tahmel)

Apple: Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow

Astrella Celeste: Donovan and Linda Lawrence (also parents to Oriole Nebula)

Atherton Grace: Don Johnson and Kelley Phleger

Audio Science: Shannyn Sossamon

Aurelius Cy: Elle Macpherson and Arpad Busson

Blue Angel: U2's The Edge and Aislinn O'Sullivan

Bluebell Madonna: Geri Halliwell

Brooklyn: David and Victoria Beckham (also parents to Romeo and Cruz)

Calico: Alice and Sheryl Cooper (also parents to Sonora Rose)

Camera: Arthur Ashe and Jeanne Moutoussamy

Destry: Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw

Diezel Ky: Toni Braxton and Keri Lewis (also parents to Denim Cole)

Fifi Trixibell: Bob Geldof and Paula Yates (also parents to Peaches and Pixie)

Fuchsia: Sting and Frances Tomelty

Gaia: Emma Thompson and Greg Wise

Gulliver: Gary Oldman and Donya Fiorentino

Heaven: Lil' Mo (also mother to God'Iss Love Stone)

Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily: Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence

Hopper: Sean Penn and Robin Wright

Ireland: Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger

Jaz: Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi

Jazz Domino: Joe Strummer

Jermajesty: Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza (previously married to Jermaine's brother Randy)

Kal-El Coppola: Nicholas Cage (Kal-El is Superman’s original birth name)

Kyd: David Duchovny and Tea Leoni

Lark Song: Mia Farrow and André Previn

Lennon: Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit

Liberty: Ryan Giggs

London Emilio: Slash

Luna Coco Patricia: Frank Lampard and Elen Rive

Marquise: 50 Cent

Memphis Eve: Bono

Moon Unit: Frank Zappa, also father to Dweezil and Diva Muffin

Moxie CrimeFighter: Penn Jillette (also father to Zolten)

Ocean: Forest Whitaker (also father to Sonnet and True)

Pilot Inspektor: Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf

Poppy Honey: Jamie and Jules Oliver (also parents to Daisy Boo)

Rocket: Robert Rodriguez (also father to Racer, Rebel and Rogue)

Rufus Tiger: Roger Taylor also father to Tiger Lily and Lola Daisy

Saffron Sahara: Simon and Yasmin Le Bon (also parents to Amber Rose and Tallulah Pine)

Sage Moonblood: Sylvester Stallone and Sasha Czack (also parents to Seargeoh)

Satchel: Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee

Seven Sirius: Andre Benjamin and Erykah Badu

Shiloh Nouvel: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Sosie: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick

Suri: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

Tallulah: Bruce Willis and Demi Moore (also parents to Scout and Rumer)

Willow Camille Reign: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith

Zola Ivy: Eddie Murphy and Nicole Mitchell

(not sure whose list this is)

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Fourth Of July Fireworks, Hoffman Estates, IL~2008/ Raven boating

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:26:53 -0500

Spouse took this approx. 2-minute video of the 2008 Hoffman Estates Fireworks show on July 4. We go to see them every year, spreading out a blanket on the grass on a sort-of hill, but our dog Raven had been stressed out for days by our densely-populated area's residents celebrating pre-Fourth of July. So I stayed home with her as I wasn't feeling tip-top, either. As it turned out Raven was even spooked going for her nightly walk on July 5 'cos well, you never can get enough fireworks, right?
The truth is that I love a live fireworks show, emphasis on "a". Once a year. On the Fourth.

The returns diminish as everyone seems to have illegally brought fireworks back from our neighbour to the north, Wisconsin. I'm not singling the States out as in Ontario too for their July 1 Canada Day, the fireworks are blasting away on many days not Canada Day. I would very much appreciate it if everyone would grow up now 'cos I know it isn't ten-year-old's hauling the big bangin' stuff back here. The video was shot with our Canon Powershot, which isn't fancy but is functional enough for our needs.

Here's Raven when she's in a happier place--Maple Lake:

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As Web Traffic Grows, Crashes Take Bigger Toll

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:59:55 -0500

As Web Traffic Grows, Crashes Take Bigger Toll

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/tec...

SAN FRANCISCO — Alex Payne, a 24-year-old Internet engineer here, has devised a way to answer a commonly asked question of the digital age: Is my favorite Web site working today? Alex Payne created a way to tell if Web sites are working. In March, Mr. Payne created downforeveryoneorjustme.com, as in, “Down for everyone, or just me?” It lets visitors type in a Web address and see whether a site is generally inaccessible or whether the problem is with their own connection. “I had seen that question posed so often,” said Mr. Payne, who perhaps not coincidentally works at Twitter, a Web messaging and social networking site that is itself known for frequent downtime. “Technology companies have branded the Internet as a place that is always on and where information is always available. People are disappointed and looking for answers when it turns out not to be true.” There is plenty of disappointment to go around these days. Such technology stalwarts as Yahoo, Amazon.com and Research in Motion, the company behind the BlackBerry, have all suffered embarrassing technical problems in the last few months. About a month ago, a sudden surge of visitors to Mr. Payne’s site began asking about the normally impervious Amazon. That site was ultimately down for several hours over two business days, and Amazon, by some estimates, lost more than a million dollars an hour in sales. The Web, like any technology or medium, has always been susceptible to unforeseen hiccups. Particularly in the early days of the Web, sites like eBay and Schwab.com regularly went dark. But since fewer people used the Internet back then, the stakes were much lower. Now the Web is an irreplaceable part of daily life, and Internet companies have plans to make us even more dependent on it. Companies like Google want us to store not just e-mail online but also spreadsheets, photo albums, sales data and nearly every other piece of personal and professional information. That data i...

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In honor of Independence Day, show us something patriotic.

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:21:59 -0500

Canada Day Cake from http://yogi.vox.com/

There’s no way I could have gotten that giant maple leaf to look like The Maple Leaf. Maple-leaf shapes are notoriously difficult to render. Believe me, I’ve tried!

I commend the cake decorator–same as the cake maker, perhaps?
Looks very yummy!

Vox Hunt: Red, White and Blue

http://yogi.vox.com/library/post/vox-...

In honor of Independence Day, show us something patriotic.

Yogi has taken some really awesome photos.

For balance:***

Sorry, had to kill the Indy Day widget. It went blank. Plus I fear Papi Chulo's wrath.

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How did/do you spend your summer vacations?

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:51:31 -0500

Always at Maple Lake though depending if it's every other year sometimes only for Labour Day weekend or maybe a week, when we have big trips (Disneyland, D.C.) in the spring or summer or, like this year, we stay much longer.

Maple Lake because we have a cottage there and because unless you like the really cold weather and LOTS of snow--the best time to go is later summer.

I live in a condo, we have a pool which I almost no one else uses. A kid my kid had in last year's math class works there full time as well as another guy his age. So I guess I sort of hang by the pool a bit. Went today with spouse before dinner. Swim as much as I can.

This summer during the day. I'm the "adult driver" whilst my kid learns to be the teen driver. Spouse and I "debrief" one another afterwards and we rate How It Was by how scared he made us! LOL.

You really want to know about my summers as a kid? My summertime Bio:

Maple Lake Ontario --all summer, every summer from age 6 -13.

( Maple Lake Slideshow follows)

Downtown Haliburton, Ontario closest town to our cottage~ 07.03.08~ All webshots taken today July 3, 2008~

(The fake neon green car way up in theright upper part of the shot is at the very sharp leftward turn in the road as you enter town coming from Maple Lake on Hwy 35.)

From July 3, around South Central Ontario NOT Maple Lake

(Post cont. below)

I can hear the “bombs bursting in air,” or at least the simulated suburban version of them as the United States begins celebrating Independence Day, 2008.

All I can really think of is: I’d rather be at the cottage. I’m pretty sure our little dog, Raven would rather be there too because the number of “bombs” going off at Maple Lake right now is probably pretty few despite the fact that just two days ago Canadians celebrated “Canada Day.” They have shown that they can be every bit as celebratory as the Americans when conducting fireworks shows whether they be in a backyard or in a town park.

Mountain Trout House, Dorset~

I have felt like up and leaving to go north any number of times, just because why hang around here? I have an appointment next week but I’d really like to clear out of here a day or two later.

Reach Harbour~

The guys can follow me up a week after that. Can’t go any sooner because youngest son’s Driver’s Education class does not finish until the 3rd week of July, plus his monthly blood test monitoring liver function due to taking Accutane and the very small window every thirty days that the blood test can be done.

Anyway. There have been some lovely new additions to the Webcams Across Ontario site and it appears that the Haliburton cam is now working a bit better. I still had to do crazy things with the contrast but at least I was able to do something.

Kincardine Harbour Lighthouse~

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Entertainment QotW: Movie Prices

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:43:24 -0500

How much does a ticket cost at your usual movie theater? Does the price affect the number of movies you see at the theater?

Walle_movie_reviews_oscars

I go to the Barrington 30 (So. Barrington, IL) cos' they are the most comfy and there's a nice, sort of country drive to get there. Nice in the summer, especially. Plus the theatre is tricked out pretty well. Lots to ogle. No expense spared on the coming features paraphernalia. (That Chimps in Outer Space movie looks stupid.)

We saw Wall-E last Sunday evening. Almost ten bucks US. Nine-seventy-five, full admission, $7.75 for matinées. Spouse likes to buy discount tickets from Costco. Using them makes it possible to see movies anytime for the matinée price, which to answer the question, wouldn't keep me away from a film that I want to see on the big screen.

Next must-see should be The Dark Knight unless there's a Depp movie or something on impulse.

Christianbalebatman

Johnny%20Depp

Gratuitous JD pic:

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Vox Hunt: Oh Canada!

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:24:02 -0500

In honor of Canada Day, show us your favorite Canadian.

Dad

Wow! There could be so many choices!

The obvious one is this one.

He was a great dad, an excellent human being, subset, Canadian.

Ist2_5228465_3d_canada_with_flag

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Halfway Through Driver's Education And Still Alive To Tell Of It

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:27:11 -0500

This is one of the videos the kids watched today in summer school elective driver's education class.

The kids are about halfway through the course, after which here in Illinois there is another 6-7 months before they/my son can be licensed with the heaviest restrictions in the country for new driver's. Go Illinois. It's funny, because if I may get tangential a bit, some surrounding states have some of the loosest laws on the books for various people-controlling situations. Some state laws have left me slack-jawed with how little they seem to worry about kids driving a lethal weapon with a truncated amount of driver's training. It's a situation by situation call but sheesh, the Chicago area is strict! I'm completely happy however, to have non-farm living kids defer driving as long as they need to. A couple years driving experience is what is required here in Illinois before a kid under the age of 18 can drive on an unrestricted license. Age 18 is when they have full freedom behind the wheel. In fact, at age 18 one needs no driver's training whatsoever to obtain an Illinois driver's license--just take the easy written and basic driving test test and voilà! no matter how bad of a driver you are--you too can get around on four fast wheels!

I'm glad my kid is low-key by nature because he's very serious about driving--but doesn't seem nervous at all--just very focused. Being so new at this, he's slipping up here and there, making too abrupt a lane change, sometimes forgetting his signal that he is changing lanes but I must admit it's kind of fun to be side by side when he drives at night for the very first time as we did coming home from Wall-E Sunday night. Overall, I know he's doing tonnes better than his unfortunate driver's ed. partner, a young lady who has a strong chance of not passing the course (though it makes no difference to the state if she passes or fails--she proceeds the same way my son will).

Son says the scariest thing his driving partner does is make turns into oncoming traffic (!) The driving instructor has grabbed the wheel a couple of times due to that. Son also reports that the young lady doesn't seem to be a good judge of knowing when to stop in time before hitting the car in front of her so the instructor has used his passenger -side brake numerous times. My son says hs "can always tell when he's using his brake because his leg jumps and it (the stopping) feels different." I just am a bit flabbergasted that my son has gone for multiple drives with this girl and had to sit in the back seat with no power what.so .ever. to correct what must be a pretty intense situation. :/

One last thing. The video above is graphic by US standards. In fact, outside of driver's training class I've never seen such a public advertisement. My feeling is that the United States government is too cozy with the American automakers to put out something so blatantly a warning about how dangerous operating a passenger vehicle is. Service to the public interest? That's to be chuckled at. The video is not, however-- you've been warned.

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Purple Dinosaurs and Ruby Slippers...

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 05:05:53 -0500

...are a couple of things that are suggested as packing items to be added to the bags you intend to kiss goodbye to check in with the airline when you next travel by airplane.

Chances are good that bags are going to get lost--so that is the advice being doled out by the Big Three airlines and travel experts. Plus, in the words of another airline representative,
If you fly, "ask a million questions" but "don't tax the system" or things may turn ugly.

Flying was scary enough without veiled threats and directives to put "unusual objects like purple dinosaurs or ruby slippers" in each of your checked bags because when the inevitable happens you'll have a better shot at getting your bags back.
Last new bit of advice for airline passengers that I learned today: Make multiple copies of your itinerary and laminate one for each checked bag. That way when they lose your luggage it will help them in maybe getting it back for you.

I feel travel plans being canceled and road trips coming on.

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Happy Birthday, Roger! I <3 U!

nobody@vox.com(Caprica) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:07:35 -0500

Happy Birthday, Spouse! I <3 U!

Went to Texas de Brazil which he enjoyed very much. I wouldn't recommend it for heart patients-though. Even though there is meat not loaded with extra salt, which I found out after a ton of salty stuff had come 'round meat itself is pretty heavy with sodium. Though we were warned,"we covered the meat with salt," I couldn't get away from waaay too much salt. My heart pills (it could be psychological, I suppose) really make me feel unwell if I go off low salt completely--even in just one meal. In other words salt makes me sick. That's a big part of the reason I'm not a fan of meat, really. Too salty. Tonight the "salad bar" was not labeled. It's upscale, changes, and is written out so I had no idea what much of what was on my plate when we went there. Some of it was tasty but again with the salt--lots of fresh cheeses which I don't dislike--just paired with maybe 15 different hunks of meat walking around wearing gaucho pants--it was a lot. Dessert was good. Spouse got a huge, yummy, whipped fresh fruit sorbet which he really liked--on the house. Younger son and I had flan which I just wanted and was on his "list of things to try."

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