The Next American Girl Movies

American Girl Molly will follow in the footsteps of Samantha and Felicity and appear in a TV-movie this fall, MOLLY: AN AMERICAN GIRL ON THE HOME FRONT. Unlike the last two movies, which aired on the now-defunct WB network, MOLLY will air on the Disney Channel. Maya Ritter plays Molly; the cast also includes Molly Ringwald.

Particularly interesting news is that the Depression-era story of Kit will be a theatrical film. The production group which made the TV-movies (including actress Julia Roberts) is partnering with Walden Media, producers of THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, to produce the Kit movie. Sounds promising.

The Nanny State Strikes Again

Daniel Weintraub has written an interesting column about the (all-too-familiar) bureaucratic hurdles he had to jump through at his son's school in order to obtain a work permit for his son's summer job.

I recently had to deal with the same issue and couldn't help wondering: why is the public school system even involved with work permits? During the last month of school my daughter obtained a permit to work after graduation; there were a couple of training sessions before the end of the school year, but why was her job the school's business, particularly as she was about to graduate? And why does the school, and not the parent, have the say-so in whether or not a minor can be employed?

It seems to me that whether or not a minor holds a job is a decision that should be made strictly by parents. If the employment leads to any negative academic consequences for children who are in public schools, then at that point that should be between the parents and the school.

Yet one more example of public schools usurping parental authority.

America Online Now Free

The rumors of recent weeks are true...America Online is now going to be a free service for broadband users, relying on advertising rather than subscription income.

I've been a generally satisfied AOL subscriber for roughly a decade now. I'll be happy to have the extra money in my budget, but I'm quite curious about what the future holds. I hope this plan will prove to be successful for AOL and that we truly are going to be able to rely on AOL maintaining important services, such as Favorite Places and Buddy Lists, over the long term.

A Visit to The Black Pearl

Late this afternoon my husband and oldest daughter enjoyed a boating trip to see Captain Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl, made famous in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movies. The ship is currently in San Pedro while being prepared for the filming of the next movie in the series.

Here's a good view:



And a look at the bow of the ship:


Our neighbor, who works in set construction, was one of those who built the ship.

Al Lutz of MiceAge on Disneyland Turnover

I've been waiting for MiceAge's Al Lutz, who seems to have a number of very reliable sources at Disney, to give us the real scoop on why Disneyland President Matt Ouimet suddenly jumped ship.

Today Al comes through with a report on the backstage frustrations which may have led Matt to say yes to an offer too good to refuse.

It's very sad, because as Al writes, "Disneyland just lost a man widely considered to be the best executive leader it had seen in decades. ...when the news was released last week that Ouimet would be leaving not only Disneyland, but the Company, the reaction amongst both the hourly Cast Members out in the park and the salaried management in Anaheim offices was universal sadness and dismay. Compared to the last time Disneyland saw a sudden executive shake-up, and there was actual glee and excitement from the salaried ranks, the news of Matt's departure hit everyone really hard. Matt Ouimet will be very missed, and his replacement has some very, very big shoes to fill."

It's a shame that Disney didn't work harder to keep Ouimet...

On an up note, new Disneyland President Ed Grier's track record of improvements at Tokyo Disneyland is encouraging.

And more good news is that "Club Buzz" is no more; it is now being returned to its traditional Tomorrowland Terrace name. (I don't know how I'm going to keep my eight-year-old son away from the new Jedi Training Academy!)

Congratulations to Rush Limbaugh...

...as today marks the 18th anniversary of the EIB.

A new Pew Survey found that Rush has one of the most educated audiences of any kind of media outlet -- print, TV, or radio. So much for the liberal notion that Rush's listeners are "mind-numbed robots." :)

Deep gratitude to Rush for all he's done for the conservative movement, and good wishes for many more years behind the Golden EIB Microphone.

She's Shocked Readers Are Shocked?

Last week there was an article published in London which caused quite a flap in the blogosphere, because the author baldly asserted she was "bored rigid by her children," and went on about her desire to escape time with her sons in great detail.

I didn't bother to link to it or comment at the time, as I felt that the article was deliberately provocative in order to engender the reaction it received, and also because I felt the author's point of view was so pathetic that it wasn't worth the bandwith to comment. It seemed like yet another case of a newspaper printing something that really should have been between the author and her therapist, rather than shared with the public. Broadcasting her lack of feeling for her sons to the general public is yet one more example of her "me first" behavior.

I do find it rather interesting that the author now claims to be "shocked" by the response engendered by her article, but perhaps it's not all that surprising after all, given her self-centered attitude. (She says that her husband, who refused to be interviewed, was "not happy" about her article. Hmmmm.)

The strange thing about her essay is that she seems to think she's making an argument for women to have their own interests beyond parenting, and that she's making an argument against raising spoiled, overindulged children. Those goals might be acceptable on the surface, but that's not what the article is really about. Rather, she goes to such bizarre extremes, railing about how tedious and boring her children are, that one can only feel very sorry for her unwanted sons...and for her, not realizing the treasures she has in her children. She comes across as spoiled and overindulged -- the very things she claims to be preventing in her children -- and, funnily enough, she sounds rather boring.

She says, "Frankly, as long as you've fed them, sheltered them and told them they are loved, children will be fine."

She may have told them she loves them, but has she showed them? Based on her own words, it appears not.

Wouldn't it be interesting to see how she and her sons relate to one another a couple decades hence...

More commentary in a sidebar at USA TODAY.

Tonight's Movie: Down Argentine Way (1940)

DOWN ARGENTINE WAY is another of Fox's beautiful candy-colored musicals set in an exotic location. Wealthy horse owners Betty Grable and Don Ameche are instantly smitten with each other, but a family feud threatens to keep them apart. This being a happy 1940 musical, there's little chance their problems will last, and in the meantime we get to enjoy Carmen Miranda, playing herself in her U.S. film debut, as well as the Nicholas Brothers, who perform one of their most exciting routines.

The supporting cast also includes Charlotte Greenwood, who would soon thereafter appear with Ameche and Grable in MOON OVER MIAMI, and the marvelous Henry Stephenson, a character actor who was memorable in films such as LITTLE WOMEN (1933) and CAPTAIN BLOOD. As was often the case in Fox movies of this era, the film features gorgeous gowns by Travis Banton; the color, sets, and costumes alone are something to see. The movie is 90 minutes long.

DOWN ARGENTINE WAY is available on DVD. Extras include a commentary track and an episode of BIOGRAPHY. The DVD can be purchased individually or as part of the new four-movie Betty Grable Collection.

This film is also available on VHS.

College Shopping Mania

Light blogging of late, as we are spending lots of time running around collecting things for my daughter's college dorm room. Nothing as excessive as described in the above article...but still, this seems a lot more complicated than when I went off to college. I remember shopping for new bedsheets and getting a plastic plate, bowl, and mug set for snacks. (I still have the bowl!) I received a couple other necessities as graduation gifts.

These days you not only have to pick out a laptop, but all the accessories, including a laptop backpack, a surge protector, and a printer. Bringing sheets from home isn't an option, as the dorms have "XL twin" beds instead of regular twin beds. (I'm told some regular twin sheets will fit the XL beds...we're going to test that rumor out.) The rooms come with microwaves, so you need microwave-safe dishes. And the rooms are much smaller than when I was in school, so "storage solutions" (under the bed and over the door) are issues as well.

We've been spending a lot of time in Bed, Bath & Beyond and Target... Incidentally, did you know Target has fan blogs devoted to it?

We missed "college night" at The Container Store, but we'll probably be checking in there soon as well. Just a couple more weeks till move-in day at USC!

Tonight's Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Although I'm quite a Disney fan, I don't "do" creepy movies very well, so to date have skipped the PIRATES movies, although my husband and two older children have enjoyed them.

After seeing the remodeled Pirates ride at Disneyland twice, curiosity got the better of me, so tonight my teenage daughter showed me a "censored" version of CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, fast-forwarding the DVD past some of the spookiest "skeleton" scenes, particularly in the climactic battle.

I enjoyed what I saw of the film very much. Lots of wit and derring-do, and a nice musical score. Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow is a unique character, with a combination of haplessness and skill, so you never quite know what he'll do and whether or not it will work. Depp, Orlando Bloom (a blacksmith who doesn't know his father was a pirate), and Keira Knightley (a governor's daughter who has a secret fascination with pirates) play well off each other as they find themselves entangled together in a series of adventures.

The scary parts of the film which I did peek at weren't as bad as I expected, especially with a little strategic fast-forwarding , and the best parts of the movie were very good indeed, with the swordplay, humor, and romance calling to mind Errol Flynn movies.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN is available on DVD. Among the many extras are a terrific segment from the WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY showing the opening day of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland in 1967. Pirates jumped off the Sailing Ship Columbia and "broke into" the ride building in order to open it!

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, currently playing in theaters, is rumored to be coming to DVD this December. My family members enjoyed it but I'm warned it's even spookier... The third film in the series is due in theaters in 2007.

Monday Update: A family friend got a look at Captain Jack's ship, the The Black Pearl, in San Pedro Harbor last week, where it is being readied for shooting the next film. My husband and daughter have tentative plans to take a boat ride to see it up close later this week.

Today at Disneyland

Well, actually, we spent most of the afternoon at Disney's California Adventure!

The Southern California weather has cooled somewhat, and we had a wonderful afternoon, including (finally) seeing the stage production of Aladdin at the Hyperion Theater. We loved it! Great performances, music, and special effects -- even though Aladdin and Jasmine didn't ride overhead on the magic carpet as advertised. A delightful production.



I especially enjoy the scenery in the Grizzly Peak area (left and below).




It was a beautiful day at Paradise Pier (above).

We ended the day by going over to Disneyland and taking another ride on the refurbished Pirates of the Caribbean. We wanted to see it a second time to more fully take in the new additions and special effects. A good day was had by all.

Fox News Channel News

Brit Hume was recently asked to throw out the first pitch at a Washington Nationals-New York Mets game. The Fox News Channel website has the video (above).

Incidentally, Real Clear Politics is posting daily transcripts of the Special Report Roundtable discussions. A great resource if you miss your daily fix of Brit and the gang.

Although most of the Fox News Channel website's news coverage is still Associated Press wire stories, the website has been gradually improving with content such as blogs and photo essays. A good example is Rick Leventhal's occasional blog posts from the front lines of Israel.

Interview with FNC's Megyn Kendall

The highly articulate Megyn Kendall, an attorney who serves as legal correspondent on Fox News Channel, has quickly become one of my favorites on Fox newscasts. I particularly enjoy her extended interviews with Brit Hume where they discuss issues in detail.

Media Bistro's "Fishbowl DC" ran a lighthearted Q&A with Kendall on Thursday.

Dershowitz: Bolton "Speaks With Moral Clarity"

The last week has had a couple of "pigs must be flying" moments.

The latest surprise is Alan Dershowitz, a liberal Democrat, publishing an editorial in support of John Bolton in today's Washington Times: "Were he not to be confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations at this crucial juncture it would send a powerful message to the international community that Senate Democrats do not stand behind our policy in the Middle East. It would be seen as undercutting American policy toward Israel."

Dershowitz also writes: "Mr. Bolton is absolutely justified in pushing for reform of the notoriously corrupt and inefficient bureaucratic structure in Turtle Bay."

Those Democrats who are attempting to torpedo Bolton as Ambassador to the United Nations are willfully placing politics ahead of national security and undermining the War on Terror. As Power Line writes, Bolton is "the right man for the job." Now more than ever.

The Weekly Standard on Eminent Domain

Duncan Currie of The Weekly Standard on this week's victory against eminent domain in Norwood, Ohio.

Final Season of West Wing Coming on DVD

The final season of THE WEST WING comes to DVD on November 7th. Great news for those of us anxious to own the complete series. :)

Junk Food Review

Potato chips are usually something I can take or leave; I could go months without eating one and never miss them. (Tortilla chips, on the other hand...)

Today, however, curiosity got the better of me when I noticed some different-looking potato chips in the market: Lay's Sensations Kettle Cooked Potato Chips with Lime and Cracked Black Pepper. I love pepper and have recently acquired a taste for lime, so I thought I'd splurge and try them out since they were on sale.

Yum! Spicy and unusual, not your ordinary potato chip. Check 'em out.

Victory Against Eminent Domain in Ohio

The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled in favor of homeowners in Norwood, Ohio, declaring portions of the state's eminent domain law unconstitutional.

In a unanimous ruling, the court ruled that "economic benefits" to a community do not constitute a valid use of eminent domain.

The court also ruled that "a provision of Ohio's eminent domain law, which prohibits a judge from halting the taking of a government-acquired property before an appeal, is unconstitutional."

More on this story at NewsMax.

Mark Bittman on Tacos

There is nothing I love to eat more than a good taco...this article makes me hungry just reading it. If the accompanying recipes interest you, be sure to print them before they disappear into the N.Y. Times' paid archives!

I started making tacos with skirt steak last year. I use a recipe from the 2005 Summer Grilling issue of Everyday Food and rub the meat with a spice mixture including chili powder and cumin.

My next goal is learning how to make tortillas! To that end, I recently purchased SALSAS AND TACOS. Perhaps a tortilla press will be in my future...

Also, don't miss the companion article on California tacos. One of these days I'm going to make it to La Super Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara.

More on the Changes at Disneyland

The L.A. Times notes that new Disneyland President Ed Grier may find it a challenge replacing Matt Ouimet: "Ouimet was a popular executive who spent hours walking through the park and talking to visitors and employees. He took the reins in late 2003 after a series of cost cuts had hurt park morale."

The Times then quotes Disneyland expert David Koenig: "Everything turned around when he came on board. Disneyland's biggest problem is that it was falling apart...in less than two years, he got the place looking beautiful."

We'll welcome Ed with an open mind and hope he continues Matt's legacy of investing in Disneyland and keeping it polished as the crown jewel of the Disney parks. New Disney animation and Imagineering head John Lasseter is said to have particular interest in Disneyland, so hopefully the park remains in good hands.