Rosie Vela

Today I got curious about the female singer who is singing with Jeff Lynne in ELO. It turned out to be quite  a story. Roseanne "Rosie" Vela, born in the coastal city of Galveston, Texas,  stayed with her boyfriend Jimmy Roberts, and married him in the hospital before he died of cancer. He sang her a song he wrote on the last night before he slipped into a coma and died. One story says he died in her arms.

Following that tragedy, she landed a modeling job and appeared on the cover of Vogue 14 times before she decided to focus on her music (and a bit of acting).

Her story gives the lyrics to the ELO song "Turn to Stone" (released October 1977)  new meaning.

"Through all I sit here and I wait I TURN TO STONE I TURN TO STONE
You will return again some day TO MY BLUE WORLD"

I had no idea that one of my favorite bands of all times included a red-headed supermodel with heart of gold.

In my band Xenophilia, I had many fun years performing with the super hot and talented Amy Anne, who I'm sure could have been a model if she was so inclined. I believe I took this photo of Amy Anne myself.  I think she'd give Rosie a run for her money, so to speak.  ;-)

Getting an early start on my 2012 New Year's Resolutions: After I finish writing and recording my 100 original songs in 2011 -- I resolve to find my supermodel musician girlfriend, get a fantastic band together, book a bunch of shows, entertain people and enjoy many years of fun!

I like what Rosie said about playing music until you are 100 years old. Yes, I'd like that.

Who can say how long any of us have, really, but I believe in this dream. It feels like what I am supposed to do.  Do you know the feeling?

This is why I've never married.  I'm in love with someone I haven't met yet. I saw her once in a dream. She was at a party on some steps, wearing an over-sized white men's dress shirt.  I'll know her when I see her, or when I hear her sing.

The tragedy--and the comedy--is that I'm one of the most stubborn and idealistic people you'll ever meet and if I can't have what I envision, I will just wait and wait. I'll search forever, passing up so many good things. I already have. Wish me luck.

Xeno's Daily Strange News Awards Blog

Welcome. There are about 10,000 posts here and  7,600 comments. Note: Content in a dotted line box is a quoted excerpt. Click the link to view the entire original article. Click « Previous Entries or browse the calendar.

Birthdays today: Elvis, david bowie, xeno

Happy birthday to us! Anyone else out there have a birthday
today? I'll be back and blogging Monday.

Xenophilia named in a possible future defamation lawsuit

This blog has been named as a defendant in a draft of a complaint that may become a lawsuit in the future. I was contacted by email yesterday by the firm of Stevenson & Smith in Ogden UT. I have been asked to reveal contact information and IP addresses for specific comments and to remove defamatory comments regarding my post here. I do have to comply with the Wordpress.com terms of service which prevents defamatory remarks.

I wrote to people at the addresses used when making the comments. One person replied, but that person had posted a different (critical but not defamatory) comment.

After I had no response from several different email addresses all of which come from the same IP address (seems like an iPhone), I've decided to remove the posts.

 Debbie C        2010/03/18 at 7:17 pm
 Anne Waldon    2010/03/29 at 9:11 pm
 DWE            2010/04/13 at 8:23 pm
 EddieBauer     2010/04/16 at 8:38 pm
 Eduard         2010/05/05 at 9:03 pm
 KNC            2010/05/05 at 9:06 pm
 MarkS          2010/05/31 at 6:02 pm
 Candy          2010/06/22 at 11:30 pm
 CandyJS        2010/06/24 at 10:26 pm.

For other people's future education with regard to defamation claims, Wordpress.com points to the EFF web site which has the following guidelines.

The elements that must be proved to establish defamation are:

1. a publication to one other than the person defamed;


2. a false statement of fact;


3. that is understood as
   
   
   
   • a. being of and concerning the plaintiff; and
   
   
   • b. tending to harm the reputation of plaintiff.
   
   
   
   


4. If the plaintiff is a public figure, he or she must also prove actual malice.

What was missing in the case of the comments on my blog was any evidence to show that the supposed fact was factual.

So it does seem like a valid defamation case. I've removed those comments (possibly from one person pretending to be multiple people) which claimed as fact that James Smith was having an affair, let the lawyers know, and have copied the Wordpress Help department so they are in the loop.

I do not intend at this time to release the IP address unless compelled by law. Would I go to jail to avoid releasing it? Possibly. I still regard your privacy on this blog as something I will fight to preserve.

From now on, I'll have to be sure that people who post potentially defamatory remarks are also posting their evidence that the facts they post are factual?  Even the "factual" defense may be falling away if there is malice according to a past post I just found on my own blog.

Google faced this kind of lawsuit and lost. Google has had to reveal the IP of anonymous bloggers. See this and this. If Google caved, I think the owners of Wordpress--Automattic, Inc.--would too. I think they have the same records I do regarding this blog, but I can't be certain.

CSS hack for "monochrome" theme... what changes will make this theme wider?

/*
Theme Name:monochrome
Theme URI:
Description:This theme supports widget, threaded-comments, theme-options,and translation is ready. Also including page-navigation and multi level dropdown menu.
Author:mono-lab
Author URI:http://www.mono-lab.net
Version:2.6-wpcom
Tags: black, white, three-columns, fixed-width, theme-options, threaded-comments, translation-ready, rtl-language-support, sticky-post
*/

/* ----- basic --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
body { margin:0; padding:0; background:#f2f2f2;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size:12px; color:#666; }
a img { border:none; }
a, a:visited { color:#7f8e91; text-decoration:none; outline:none; }
a:hover { color:#33a8e5; text-decoration:underline; }
p { margin:0 0 1em 0; padding:0; line-height:200%; }
ul { list-style-type:none; margin:0 0 1em 0; padding:0; line-height:0%; }
ul li { margin:0; padding:0; line-height:normal; zoom:1; }
ol { margin:0 0 1em 23px; padding:0; }
* html ol { margin:0 0 1em 23px; padding:0; }
ol li { padding:0 0 5px 0; }
form,table,input,textarea { margin:0; padding:0; }
dt { font-weight:bold; }
dd { margin-bottom:1em; }
table { border-collapse:collapse; width:100%; border:0; }
blockquote { margin:0 0 1em 0; padding:35px 20px 0 20px; border:1px solid #ccc; background:#fafafa url(img/quote1.gif) no-repeat 10px 10px; }
blockquote p { margin:0 0 5px 0; }
.quote_bottom { height:30px; background:#fafafa url(img/quote2.gif) no-repeat right ; margin-right:-10px; }
pre { border:1px solid #ccc; background:#fafafa; padding:10px 20px; margin:0 0 1em 0; overflow:auto; }
object { display:block; margin:0 auto; }
.wp-caption-text { text-align:center; }
.alignright { float:right; }
.alignleft { float:left; }
.aligncenter { display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; }
.centered { display: block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; }
.clear { clear:both; }
embed { display:block; margin:0 auto 1em auto; }
big { font-size:140%; }
hr { background:#ccc; margin:0 0 2em 0; border:none; height:1px; }
fieldset { border:1px solid #ccc; }

/* ----- layout -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
#wrapper { width:930px; margin:0 auto; }
#header { background:url(img/header.gif) no-repeat bottom; }
#contents { background:url(img/side.gif) repeat-y; }
#left_col { float:left; display:inline; width:690px; margin:0 0 0 2px; }
#right_col { float:right; display:inline; width:236px; margin:51px 2px 30px 0; }
#footer { background:url(img/footer.gif) no-repeat top; height:90px; }

/* ----- header -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */

#logo { float:left; display:inline; margin:26px 0 0 5px; }

/*blogtitle*/
#logo a, #logo a:visited { color:#333; font-size:24px; }
#logo a:hover { text-decoration:none; color:#33a8e5; }

/*description*/
#logo h1 { font-weight:normal; line-height:100%; margin:0; padding:0; color:#aaa; font-size:11px; }

/*header menu is at the bottom of this page*/

/* ----- left_col ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ */
.post { background:url(img/post_line.gif) no-repeat left bottom; }
#single_post { background:none; }
.post_even { background:url(img/meta_stripe.gif) repeat-y left; }
.post_content_wrapper { float:right; width:510px; padding:50px 15px; overflow:hidden; }
.post_meta { float:left; display:inline; width:120px; padding:0 15px 35px; margin:35px 0 0 0; }
.content_noside { float:right; width:510px; padding:15px; }

/* post contents */
.post h2, #single_post h2, .page h2 { font-size:16px; margin:0 0 11px 0; font-weight:normal; line-height:120%; background:url(img/stripe1.gif) repeat-x bottom; padding:0 0 13px 0; }
.post h2 a, .post h2 a:visited, #single_post h2 span, .page h2 span { color:#666; line-height:120%; display:inline-block; padding:0 0 13px 0; }
.post h2 a:hover { text-decoration:none; color:#2089cc; }

.post_content {line-height:160%; }
.post_content p { margin:0 0 1em 0; }

.post_content a,.post_content a:visited { color:#2089cc; text-decoration:underline; }
.post_content a:hover { color:#e2415b; }
.post_content a.more-link, .post_content a.more-link:visited
{ display:block; clear:both; color:#666; margin:15px 0 0 0; height:20px; padding:0 0 4px 45px; background:url(img/read_more.gif) no-repeat left top; text-decoration:none; }
.post_content a.more-link:hover { color:#2089cc; background:url(img/read_more.gif) no-repeat left bottom; text-decoration:none; }

.post img, .post a img { border:1px solid #ccc; padding:5px; margin-bottom: 10px; background:#f2f2f2; max-width:98%; }
.post a:hover img { border:1px solid #38a1e5; background:#9cd1e1; }
.post img.centered,div.centered { display:block; margin:0 auto; }
.post img.alignright,div.alignright { margin:4px 0 15px 15px; display:inline; }
.post img.alignleft,div.alignleft { margin:4px 15px 15px 0; display:inline; }
.post img.wp-smiley { border:0px; padding:0px; margin:0px; background:none; }

.post table { margin:0 0 2em 0; }
.post td, .post th { border:1px solid #ccc; padding:15px; }
.post th { background:#eee; font-weight:normal; }

.post_content ul li { margin:0 0 1em 0; line-height:160%; background:url(img/bullet1.gif) no-repeat 3px 7px; padding:0 0 0 18px; }
.post_content ol li { margin:0 0 1em 0; }
.post_content input { margin:5px 0; }

/* post meta */
.post_meta { font-size:11px; text-align:right; line-height:160%; margin:34px 0 0 0; }
.post_meta dd { margin-left:0; }
.post_meta dt { color:#999; margin:20px 0 0 0; padding-top:20px; background:url(img/dot1.gif) repeat-x top; }
.post_meta dt.meta_date { padding:16px 0 5px 0; margin:0; background:none; }
.post_meta a, .post_meta a:visited { color:#666; }
.post_meta a:hover { color:#33a8e5; }
.post_date { font-size:32px; padding:5px 0 0 0; }
.post_date span { color:#666; }

/* odd post color */
.meta_comment a, .meta_comment a:visited, .post_date, .post_meta dt.meta_comment { color:#33a8e5; }

/* even post color */
.post_even .meta_comment a, .post_even .meta_comment a:visited, .post_even .post_date, .post_even .post_meta dt.meta_comment, .post_even .post_meta a:hover
{ color:#75e730; }

/* sticky posts */
.sticky .post_content { background:#FAFAFA; border:1px solid #D9D9D9; padding:2em 2em 1em 2em; }

/* page links */
.page-link { margin:0 0 1em 0; word-spacing:0.5em; }
.page-link a:link, .page-link a:visited { border: 1px solid #999; border-radius: 4px; -moz-border-radius:4px;
-webkit-border-radius: 4px;
color: #999;
padding:0.5em 0.75em;
text-decoration:none;
}
.page-link a:active,
.page-link a:hover {
border-color: #89A9C5;
background: #E6F3F7;
border-color: #B5DDE9;
color:#2089CC;
}

.navigation .alignright {
margin-right: 0;
}
.navigation img {
margin: 0 !important;
}
.post_content img {
height: auto !important;
}

/* ----- right_col ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
.side_box { color:#666; margin:0 15px 25px; font-size:11px; background:url(img/dot1.gif) repeat-x top; clear:both; padding:30px 0 0; }
.first_side_box { background:none; padding:0; }

#right_col h3 { font-size:11px; color:#999; font-weight:normal; text-transform:uppercase; line-height:100%; margin:0 0 1em 0; padding:0; }
#right_col a, #right_col a:visited { color:#7d7d7d; }
#right_col a:hover { color:#f3dc19; }

.side_box ul { margin:0; }
.side_box li { margin:0 0 1em 0; line-height:140%; }
.side_box li li { padding:0 0 0 1em; margin:3px 0; }

#information_area { padding:0 0 0 0; margin:0 0 20px 0; }
#information { color:#7d7d7d; background:url(img/stripe4.gif) left top; padding:10px; border:1px solid #454545; margin:0 15px; line-height:160%; }
#entries_rss { font-size:11px; background:url(img/entries_rss.gif) no-repeat left top; padding:2px 0 0 18px; margin:8px 15px 0 0; float:right; display:inline; }
#entries_rss a:hover { text-decoration:none; }

/* search area */
#search_area { width:206px; height:27px; background:url(img/search.gif) no-repeat left top; margin:0 0 7px 0; }
#search_input { float:left; margin:7px 0 0 10px; border:0px; height:15px; display:inline; width:150px; font-size:12px; color:#999; background:transparent; }
#search_button { float:right; }
#tag_list { margin:0 0 -25px 0; }
.search_tag { float:right; display:block; margin:0 0 5px 0; padding:2px 0 2px 24px; font-size:11px; background:url(img/tag1.gif) no-repeat left top; }
.search_tag:hover { text-decoration:none; }
.active_search_tag { background:url(img/tag2.gif) no-repeat left top; }
#tag_list .wp-tag-cloud { clear:both; margin:0 0 10px 0; border:1px solid #f3dc19; background:#333; padding:6px; display:none; }
#tag_list .wp-tag-cloud li { display:inline; margin:0 5px 0 0; line-height:170%; }

#search_area_top { background:none; padding:0; margin:0 15px 25px; }

/* calendar */
#wp-calendar { margin:0 auto; width:100%; color:#777; }
#wp-calendar th, #wp-calendar td { border:1px solid #444; padding:0; width:14%; line-height:220%; text-align:center; }
#wp-calendar th { line-height:100%; padding:4px 0 2px 0; font-weight:normal; }
#wp-calendar td a, #wp-calendar td a:visited { display:block; text-decoration:none; color:#f3dc19; background:#111; }
#wp-calendar td a:hover { text-decoration:none; background:#444; }
#wp-calendar caption { padding:8px 0; }
#wp-calendar th { background:#111; }
#wp-calendar tfoot td { border:none; padding:5px 0; }
#wp-calendar #prev a, #wp-calendar #prev a:visited, #wp-calendar #next a, #wp-calendar #next a:visited
{ text-decoration:none; background:none; }
#wp-calendar #prev a:hover, #wp-calendar #next a:hover { text-decoration:underline; }
#wp-calendar td#today { background:#111; color:#f3dc19; text-decoration:underline; }

/* recent post date (for non widget user) */
.side_box li.side_date { margin:0; padding:0; }

/* ----- footer ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
#site-info { float:left; display:inline; margin:55px 0 0 13px; color:#777; }
#site-info a, #site-info a:visited { text-decoration:underline; }

#return_top a { position:absolute; position:fixed; right:15px; bottom:15px; width:18px; height:99px;
display:block; background:url(img/return_top.png) no-repeat left top; }
#return_top a:hover { background:url(img/return_top.png) no-repeat right top; }

/* ----- page ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
#page_noside_contents { background:url(img/side_noside.gif) repeat-y; padding:30px 122px 10px; }
#page_noside_header { background:url(img/header_noside.gif) no-repeat top; height:32px; margin:-32px 0 0 0; }
#page_noside_post { padding:0 15px 20px; background:none; }
#footer_noside { background:url(img/footer_noside.gif) no-repeat top; height:90px; }
#page_date { margin:-9px 0 0 0; font-size:11px; }

/* ----- archive/category/tag/search/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
#headline { background:url(img/headline_bottom.gif) no-repeat left bottom; width:510px; margin:0 0 20px 0; }
#headline p { background:url(img/headline_top.gif) no-repeat left top; padding:26px 15px 22px; font-weight:bold; font-size:14px; margin:0; line-height:100%; text-align:center; }
.archive_contents { margin:0 0 20px 0; padding:0 15px 20px; background:url(img/dot1.gif) repeat-x bottom; }
.archive_contents h2 { font-size:14px; margin:0 0 5px 0; padding:0; }
.archive_meta { margin:0 0 5px 0; color:#999; }
.archive_meta a, .archive_meta a:visited { color:#999; }
.archive_meta li { display:inline; font-size:11px; margin:0 10px 0 0; }
.archive_contents p { font-size:11px; margin:0; }
.archive_contents p a, .archive_contents p a:visited { color:#777; }
.archive_contents p a:hover { color:#33a8e5; }

/* ----- page navi ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
.page_navi { margin:0 0 10px 0; padding:20px 0 0 0; }
.page_navi li { line-height:0%; display:inline; padding:0; margin:0; font-size:11px; }
.page_navi a, .page_navi a:visited, .page_navi a:hover, .page_navi span.current,
.page_navi span.pages, .page_navi span.extend, .page_navi span.current, .page_navi span.dots
{ color:#999; width:30px; padding:0; margin:0 3px 0 0; display:block; float:left; text-align:center; line-height:30px; background:url(img/pager1.gif) no-repeat left top; }
.page_navi a:hover { color:#999; background:url(img/pager1.gif) no-repeat left bottom; text-decoration:none; }
.page_navi span.current { background:url(img/pager2.gif) no-repeat left top; color:#fff; }

/* ----- header-menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
#header_menu { float:right; display:inline; margin:20px 0 55px 0; background: url(img/header_menu_right.gif) no-repeat right top; }

#menu { float:left; background: url(img/header_menu_left.gif) no-repeat left top; font-size:11px; margin:0; }
#menu, #menu ul { line-height:1; margin:0; padding:0; }
#menu li { position:relative; float:left; border-left:1px solid #444; height:48px; margin:2px 0 0 0; z-index:10; }
#menu ul li { height:auto; border-left:none; padding:0; left:auto; margin:0; }
#menu a:link, #menu a:visited { color:#999; display:block; padding:19px 30px 14px; position:relative; }
#menu a:hover { color:#f3193d; text-decoration:none; background:#333; }
#menu ul { position:absolute; top:48px; left:0; display:none; opacity:0; width:200px; }
#menu ul ul { margin:0px 0 0 189px; top:0; left: 0px; }

#menu ul a:link, #menu ul a:visited,
#menu .current_page_item ul a:link, #menu .current_page_item ul a:visited,
#menu ul .current_page_item a:link, #menu ul .current_page_item a:visited,
#menu ul .current_page_item ul a:link, #menu ul .current_page_item ul a:visited,
#menu .current-cat ul a:link, #menu .current-cat ul a:visited,
#menu ul .current-cat a:link, #menu ul .current-cat a:visited,
#menu ul .current-cat ul a:link, #menu ul .current-cat ul a:visited
{ color:#999; background:#282828; line-height:140%; padding:9px 28px 7px; border:1px solid #444; width: 132px; margin:-1px 0 0 0; }
#menu ul a:hover, #menu .current_page_item ul a:hover, #menu .current-cat ul a:hover,
#menu .first_menu ul a:hover, #menu .last_menu ul a:hover
{ color:#f3193d; background:#333; }

#menu .current_page_item, #menu .current-cat { background:url(img/stripe2.gif) left top; z-index:9;}
#menu .current_page_item a:link, #menu .current_page_item a:visited,
#menu .current-cat a:link, #menu .current-cat a:visited
{ color:#f3193d; padding-bottom:21px; background:url(img/header_menu_arrow.gif) no-repeat center bottom; }
#menu ul .current_page_item a:link, #menu ul .current_page_item a:visited,
#menu ul .current-cat a:link, #menu ul .current-cat a:visited
{ color:#f3193d; background:#282828 url(img/stripe2.gif) left top; }
#menu ul .current_page_item ul a:link, #menu ul .current_page_item ul a:visited,
#menu ul .current-cat ul a:link, #menu ul .current-cat ul a:visited
{ color:#999; background:#282828; }
#menu ul .current_page_item ul a:hover, #menu ul .current-cat ul a:hover { color:#f3193d; background:#333; z-index: 100; }

#menu .first_menu { border:none; background:none; }
#menu .first_menu_active { background:url(img/header_menu_first_active.gif) no-repeat left top; }
#menu .first_menu a:hover { background:url(img/header_menu_first_hover.gif) no-repeat left top; }
#menu .last_menu { background:none; }
#menu .last_menu_active { background:url(img/header_menu_last_active.gif) no-repeat right top; }
#menu .last_menu a:hover { background:url(img/header_menu_last_hover.gif) no-repeat right top; }

#menu ul .parent_menu > a:link, #menu ul .parent_menu > a:visited { background:#282828 url(img/arrow4.gif) no-repeat right 14px; }
#menu ul .parent_menu > a:hover { background:#333 url(img/arrow4.gif) no-repeat right 14px; }

/* ---------- clearfix hack ---------- */
.clearfix:after { content: "."; display: block; clear: both; height: 0; visibility: hidden; }
.clearfix { display: inline-block; }
/* exlude MacIE5 \*/
* html .clearfix { height: 1% }
.clearfix {display:block;}
/* end MacIE5 */

#comments_wrapper { float:right; width:540px; padding:0 0 15px 0; }

#comment_area, #trackback_area { margin:15px 0 20px 0; padding:0 0 5px 0; border-bottom:1px solid #ccc; }
#trackback_area { display:none; }

/* ------ comment_header ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
#comment_header { border-bottom:1px solid #ccc; font-size:11px; position:relative; }
#comment_header li { display:inline; float:left; padding:5px 10px; }

#comment_header_left { float:left; display:inline; margin:0 0 0 5px; }
#add_comment a { background:url(img/write_comment.gif) no-repeat left center; padding:0 0 0 20px; }
#comment_feed a { background:url(img/comment_rss.gif) no-repeat left center; padding:0 0 0 20px; }

#comment_header_right { clear:left; position:absolute; top:-1px; right:15px; background:#fff; }
#comment_header_right li, #comment_header_right #trackback_closed { border-top:1px solid #fff; border-bottom:1px solid #ccc; }
#comment_header_right li.comment_switch_active,#comment_header_right #comment_closed { border:1px solid #ccc; border-bottom:1px solid #fff; }
.comment_switch_active a { color:#33a8e5; }

/* ------ comment ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ */
.commentlist { list-style-type:none; margin:0; padding:0; }
.comment { border:1px solid #ccc; color:#777; margin:0 15px 15px; padding:15px 0 3px; background:#eee; }
.even_comment, .odd_comment_children { background:#eee; }
.odd_comment, .even_comment_children { background:#fdfdfd; }
.admin-comment { }

/* ----- comment-meta ----- */
.comment-meta { height:56px; position:relative; }

.comment-meta-left { position:absolute; left:15px; top:0; }
.commentlist .avatar { border:1px solid #ccc; background:#fff; width:37px; height:37px; padding:2px; display:inline; float:left; margin:0 15px 0 0; }
.comment-name-date { padding:6px 0 0 0; float:left; }

.commentlist a, .commentlist a:visited, .comment-name { color:#2d96bd; }
.commentlist a:hover { color:#ef3982; }
a.admin-url { text-decoration:underline; }
a.guest-url { text-decoration:underline; }

.comment-date { font-size:11px; color:#757676; margin:0 0 0 0; }

.comment-act { background:url(img/arrow2.gif) no-repeat left 5px; font-size:11px; position:absolute; right:12px; top:5px; padding:0 0 0 13px; }
.comment-act li { display:inline; }
.comment-reply a, .comment-reply a:visited { border-right:1px solid #aaa; padding:0 10px 0 0; margin:0 6px 0 0; }
.comment-edit a, .comment-edit a:visited { border-left:1px solid #aaa; padding:0 0 0 10px; margin:0 0 0 6px; }

/* ----- comment-contents ----- */
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25,000 hits yesterday! Fab four? State fair? Daily Brainstorm?

My daily hits jumped yesterday to 25,000 in one day yesterday, making my quick post about the Fab Four live and opening day of the California Sate Fair a record for the month. (My all time high, however, was a few years ago when I hit over 2 million in one day with my absurd "Secret Finger Trick" page. )

Is this surge yesterday the result of my joining a blog collective known as "The Daily Brainstorm"?

I'm excited about some of the titles I read but haven't had time to read much over there yet.

If you are new this site, browse a bit. Check out the past entries. I guarantee you'll find  some mind blowing stuff.

- Xeno

Taking a break

As you may have noticed the number of posts here has been unusually low. All is well with me but I've been spending every bit of my free time learning some new skills. I'll be back, but posts will be low volume for the next month unless something major happens in the world of the weird. Hope you are all having a great summer. - xeno

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On Vacation

Hi. Few posts until Tuesday as I'm doing some sightseeing. Can you tell where these iPhone photos were taken? ( more to come )

My Short Sale: Everything Worked Out Fine

Now I believe. I did it.  I bought a home, it sank, and now I have successfully abandoned ship.

It was down to the wire: The Short Sale closed days before a foreclosure was due. I was almost taken for $3,000 by some shifty lawyers. In the end, a few hundred dollars to a qualified Real Estate attorney to review my original loan documents to determine if I was open to a deficiency judgment on the first and/or the second loans was the best thing I did. I also had a kick ass real estate agent who negotiated with Green Tree to get them to take 3% to release the lien on my property.

Green Tree ignored me for months after the short sale, then started collection calls again. Rather than pay an attorney to send a "cease and desist letter," I sent Green Tree a letter myself, simply telling them that they are mistaken, and that according to two qualified Real Estate Finance Attorneys I consulted before making the decision to pursue a short sale, I do not, under California law, owe them $58,636 because the HELOC was purchase money debt.  (I recommended that they research California Code of Civil Procedure 580b,  580d, and 726 for starters). I asked that after researching this that they zero out my account and stop all collection activity.

After a series of FAX hurdles, I started calling them every day until I finally was able to get confirmation my letter was "uploaded to their system."  The team at Green Tree reviewed my information and I was told today, that as of tomorrow morning, they will send a letter granting me a full release.

Now my credit will start to repair and also....

It seems almost certain that I will owe no taxes for COD (cancellation of debt)! Yippie Skippy. This was not at all certain until April 12, 2010 when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 401 by Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis).

"Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Monday signed legislation that cancels the tax obligation for home sellers who dispose of their properties via short sales. The term “short sale” means the home is sold for less than the amount of the mortgage. In allowing such sales, the lender agrees to forgive part of the debt. But until the passage of the law, home sellers in California were threatened with a huge tax bill because the state considers that forgiven debt as taxable income." - link

I'm posting this so others may learn from my mistake:  The pay-option ARM I was talked into is what caused this, not the drop in the housing market. If I had gotten the 30-year fixed loan I requested at first (assuming I could really have afforded the payments), I could have stuck it out and held my home until the market recovered.  (Will it? I doubt that now...) Now I'll have to rebuild my credit and I won't be able to buy for a few more years.

I got lucky and learned a hell of a lesson.

Some people go through this as a couple. I'm glad I didn't have to put someone I loved through all the stress this short sale caused. It was my bad decision and I took the full weight of the fall.... without having to sell a kidney!  If they invent time travel, I'd go back and tell my "five years ago" self that everything works out fine.

How to clone yourself.

Here's my uncle George from Steppenwolf playing the bass in this video:



Sometimes I just kick back and think about how cool my life has been. You know, favorite moments.

I feel lucky about getting John McCrea of CAKE on (a few seconds of) my first (and only) CD. I really love his songwriting.

Budding bands take note: naming famous people and/or getting them on your CD does not help sales.

Xenophilia, $8 Cafe of love zero (0) sales, $0 dollars made on CD Baby, despite getting an excellent review from Jason Mraz.

Okay, in truth, exactly one CAKE fan found and bought a Xenophilia CD years ago just for the obscure CAKE collector's angle.  That CD is many years ago. I made a huge investment in it, went to one of the best studios ... and when there was no pay off, spent the next 10 years trying to figure out why.  Time has passed me by, but I don't really care. I've had fun. I'm still working on improving. (Hear my latest efforts on the left.) No illusions of fame any longer, now I'm only trying to make my own ears happy.

Back to reminiscing, another great moment was when Gabe Nelson told me George was a total bad-ass on the bass. I was lucky to get Gabe to sing on one of my tunes.

I've also been excited to record with Anton Barbeau (who also works with Gabe), to share a stage with Jackie Green ( who nearly joined Xenophilia at one point ... good thing for all he didn't! ), and being friends with other musicians I admire such as Amy Anne and Ricky Berger, who got me into Chet Baker and inspired me to buy a trumpet.

Another one of my all time favorite moments:  I'm watching a Star Trek movie, and at a key moment, the thing that makes the entire Star Trek series possible (warp drive!) is almost aborted because its inventor, Zefram Cochrane, can't find  Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" to play when he lifts off:



Then there was the time recently where I got to talk to Sir Patrick Stewart at a film festival. I loved the way he said, "Well, helloooo, Xenoooo." in that amazing voice.

Talking to Zahi Hawass about carbon dating the Great Pyramid, becoming friends with an amazing woman who was 3 blocks away from the towers when they fell on 9/11, having a character named Xenophilius in the last Harry Potter book, and of course playing a few shows with Jason Mraz and having him sing one of my songs back to me with his perfect absolute pitch.

My mind flashes on so many other "thrill" moments: discovering the giant skull face on Mt. Shasta while hunting for the entrance to the underground base there, the romantic submarine ride on Maui, my UFO sighting, attending the wedding of a real Italian ex-mob family, hunting El Chupacabra, hunting Bigfoot, spelunking, water skiing, hang gliding, my accidental discovery of finger butts, being contacted by about the evidence I found while in Roswell, NM investigating the crash, being stopped by men with guns after nosing around Dulce, NM with a reporter from the Sacramento News and Review, being in that jacuzzi in the Luxor on that night with lightning, and years later on the 4th of July.

Just when I think, "How can my life get any better?", it does.  I find out, for example, that I'm related to King Henry I and to William the Conqueror and to Lady Godiva, for example. Yes, there are downers, but they are temporary. The good stuff lasts longer in my memory.

So, yes, I've convinced me. I should definitely clone myself ... as long as I also adopt one or more ordinary kids as well.  Life, would you do it all again? 9 out of 10 dentists surveyed would.

In addition to King Henry I of England, I'm related to Lady Godiva

My mother has been really getting into my family's genealogy. In addition to King Henry I of England, it seems that I am also related to Lady Godiva. Besides knowing that Godiva chocolates are some of the best from back when I used to eat sugar, I didn't know anything about her.  Here is the Wikipedia entry on her:

Lady Godiva (fl. 1040–1080), was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry, in England, in order to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation imposed by her husband on his tenants. The name "Peeping Tom" for a voyeur originates from later versions of this legend in which a man named Tom had watched her ride and was struck blind or dead.

Legend

According to the popular story, Lady Godiva took pity on the people of Coventry, who were suffering grievously under her husband's oppressive taxation. Lady Godiva appealed again and again to her husband, who obstinately refused to remit the tolls. At last, weary of her entreaties, he said he would grant her request if she would strip naked and ride through the streets of the town. Lady Godiva took him at his word and, after issuing a proclamation that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows, she rode through the town, clothed only in her long hair. Only one person in the town, a tailor ever afterwards known as Peeping Tom, disobeyed her proclamation in one of the most famous instances of voyeurism.[16] In the story, Tom bores a hole in his shutters so that he might see Godiva pass, and is struck blind.[17] In the end, Godiva's husband keeps his word and abolishes the onerous taxes.

The oldest form of the legend has Godiva passing through Coventry market from one end to the other while the people were assembled, attended only by two knights.[18] This version is given in Flores Historiarum by Roger of Wendover (died 1236), a somewhat gullible collector of anecdotes, who quoted from an earlier writer. The later story, with its episode of "Peeping Tom," appeared first among 17th century chroniclers.

At the time, it was customary for penitents to make a public procession in only their shift, a sleeveless white garment similar to a slip today and one which was certainly considered "underwear." Thus, some scholars speculate, Godiva may have actually travelled through town as a penitent, in her shift. Godiva's story may have passed into folk history to be recorded in a romanticised version. Another theory has it that Lady Godiva's "nakedness" may refer to her riding through the streets stripped of her jewellery, the trademark of her upper class rank. However, both these attempts to reconcile known facts with legend are weak; there is no known use of the word "naked" in the era of the earliest accounts to mean anything other than "without any clothing whatsoever."^[19]

Moreover, there is no trace of any version of the story in sources contemporary with Godiva, a story that would certainly have been recorded even in its most tame interpretations. Additionally, with the founding of Coventry circa 1043, there was little opportunity for the city to have developed to an extent that would have supported such a noble gesture. Lastly, the only recorded tolls were on horses. Thus, it remains doubtful whether there is any historical basis for the famous ride.

Like the story of Peeping Tom, the claim that Godiva's long hair effectively hid her nakedness from sight is generally believed to have been a later addition (cf. Rapunzel). Certain other thematic elements are familiar in myth and fable: the resistant Lord (cf. Esther and Ahasuerus), the exacted promise, the stringent condition and the test of chastity. Even if Peeping Tom is a late addition, his being struck blind demonstrates the closely knit themes of the violated mystery and the punished intruder (cf. Diana and Actaeon)

via Lady Godiva - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

In the history of Godiva chocolates, I found this entry:

1926 - Lady Godiva

Mass production of chocolate serves to create a universal appetite for the confection, in all its forms. But it also spurs a growing demand for "luxury" chocolates made with the choicest ingredients by expert chocolatiers who blend flavors and textures into formidable, one-of-a-kind taste experiences. The Draps family begins a chocolate-making "atelier" in Brussels, the city that introduced chocolates to the Swiss more than two centuries ago. Some years later, the Draps' son, Joseph, takes over the company and, at his wife's suggestion, names it after Lady Godiva whose legendary exploit made her name synonymous with grace, nobility and flair. Draps' vision is to create the world's most elegant, handcrafted chocolates for discerning consumers.

My ex girlfriend, a graduate of the Berkeley Psychic Institute, once brought home a massive three layer box of Godiva chocolates.  We enjoyed them for days. Still a good memory.  Funny how the dots connect over time.

It seems I'm Descended from Kings of England

Interesting surprise:  If not for King Henry I of England 32 generations ago, I would not exist.  I do partly have his nose ... and his chin according to the Illustration of King Henry I from Cassell's History of England.

I have a new interest in history now.  My line to him is through "Elizabeth, Princess of England" whose father was King Henry I of England, whose father was also a king. I like the fact that King Henry I had scholarly interests and that he managed to curb abuses of power.

Henry I (c. 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I the Conqueror. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106. He was called Beauclerc for his scholarly interests and Lion of Justice for refinements which he brought about in the administrative and legislative machinery of the time.

Henry's reign is noted for its political opportunism. His succession was confirmed while his brother Robert was away on the First Crusade and the beginning of his reign was occupied by wars with Robert for control of England and Normandy. He successfully reunited the two realms again after their separation on his father's death in 1087. Upon his succession he granted the baronage a Charter of Liberties, which formed a basis for subsequent challenges to rights of kings and presaged Magna Carta, which subjected the King to law.

The rest of Henry's reign was filled with judicial and financial reforms. He established the biannual Exchequer to reform the treasury. He used itinerant officials to curb abuses of power at the local and regional level, garnering the praise of the people. The differences between the English and Norman populations began to break down during his reign and he himself married a daughter of the old English royal house. He made peace with the church after the disputes of his brother's reign, but he could not smooth out his succession after the disastrous loss of his eldest son William in the wreck of the White Ship. His will stipulated that he was to be succeeded by his daughter, the Empress Matilda, but his stern rule was followed by a period of civil war known as the Anarchy.

- wikipedia

I'm also related to the last person to ever to conquer England (Henry I's father).

"To press his claim to the English crown, William invaded England in 1066, leading an army of Normans, Bretons, Flemish people, and Frenchmen (from Paris and Île-de-France) to victory over the English forces of King Harold Godwinson (who died in the conflict) at the Battle of Hastings, and suppressed subsequent English revolts in what has become known as the Norman Conquest.^[2]

....William's invasion was the last time that England was successfully conquered by a foreign power."

I wonder if my late grandfather, a 33rd Degree Freemason, ever knew he was descended from kings. He may have known, but he never mentioned it. He also never mentioned being a Freemason. Not once. I only found out after he passed away.  The only thing he ever said was, "If a man tells you the Freemasons asked him to join them, he is lying. If you have to ask join them, you have to go to them." I wasn't even sure why he said it at the time, but it made sense years later.

Please stand by. Alien invasion forces relocation

I won't be posting much over the next few days. Alien invaders (aka molds) in my lungs and in my walls due to a burst water pipe are forcing the immediate relocation of the International Xenophilius headquarters. Survival odds are excellent, but the battle is fierce and bloody and is requiring a tremendous mustering of assets. Out, damned spots!

Coincidence or Precognition?

Image: Maldives, island paradise, by daniel pozo

Sometimes it seems that ripples from the future influence the present.

I once had a vivid lucid dream where I walked through a particular tree. Years later I got a job in a building very close to that tree, and my office is straight through that particular tree in the exact direction I walked in the dream.  Years after I took the job in that office, I went away on vacation to Hawaii with someone I intended to marry. When I returned, that tree was cut down. Now I walk through that tree every day on the way to lunch and back.

There is no way I or anyone else could have known, years before, where I would work, where my office would be or that this tree would be cut down due to disease.

Another strange coincidence has now attached itself to that dream, as if what I call "a quantum strange loop" is acting as a bridge between waking and sleeping, life and death.

I dedicated a blog post about my strange tree dream on Oct 21st to a friend of mine who killed herself.  When a friend told me she'd committed suicide, I did not wish to know the manner. I assumed until yesterday that she took her life with a gun, but I just found out yesterday Jan 27, 2010, that she lept to her death.

Coincidence or Precognition?

On July 25, 2009, three months before she died, I posted a song called "What Have I Done" about leaping. (Click the link for the lyrics.) I was thinking of myself when I wrote it, that love requires a leap of faith. I was expressing a fear of commitment that has kept me single my entire life. Now the song has a new meaning.  I don't think she ever heard it, but if she did, "What have I done" becomes even more self-referential.

My rational mind tells me, as my friend once seemed to do, "ignore conspiracy theories" and "don't be superstitious".  I assume my song and the method of my friend's death are just strange coincidence. Like this one.

Magical thinking--though we may fight it--is a part of each of us. If I help create the world by what I choose to see, my brain says to me, I should fill my thoughts and time with positive things, like nice vacations in the Maldives or things nice equally.

Tomorrow is Elvis' birthday and David Bowie's and Xeno's.

Once a every year I share a birthday with Elvis Presley and David Bowie. Elvis would be 75 years old. David Bowie will be 63.   I'll be over 141 Mercurian years old.

This year I plan on celebrating by visiting Wilbur Hot Springs.

If you are quick, you may be able to book a room and bring a musical instrument and we can rock out. :-) Or just bring a good book and enjoy the evening jam session.

Me

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Happy New Year

Down time

Thanks for visiting the xenophilius blog. Normal posts of the world's most ineresting strange news and science discoveries will resume in a few days. Happy new year!

Blogging from the road - Geocaching and Exploring Portland, OR

The day after Christmas: I'm on the road, visiting Portland, Oregon. News posts will be sporadic, returning in full force in the New Year,  but you are welcome to continue discussing/commenting on stories.

A few minutes ago, after breakfast at a café called "detour," (where I took the photo below), I used an iPhone app to find my first geo-cache. It was a small plastic container attached magnetically to a gate. Retrieving the log from a plastic baggy, I signed the list and returned it. I loved the treasure hunt even when the treasure was some art in someone's yard to view. I was tempted to leave a five dollar bill, so the next person would have added excitement, but I'm still not sure of the rules and etiquette, since this was my first one.