Ervolino

Past the crisis?

Things appear to have improved somewhat for Elizabeth Taylor, who was put on life support last week after suffering congestive heart failure.

Through the years, Taylor has survived so many casualties and health scares, it's hard to believe she won't pull through this one, too. But, at 76, the acclaimed child star turned screen goddess, remains frail and doesn't appear to have the fight in her that she once did.

While we're thinking about her today, any opinions on her best films? Offhand, I would have to say that my two favorite performances are in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Suddenly, Last Summer" although her Oscar-winning turn in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is so powerful and caustic you could use it to peel the paint off your walls.

I wasn't much into her juvenile performances, but practically everything she did in the late 50s and 60s is fun to watch.

Fact checkin'

The latest McCain ad attacks Barack Obama as a 'celebrity' (the spot is even called 'Celeb') and charges that Obama wants to raise taxes on 'dirty energy.'

Newsweek offers THIS ANALYSIS of the spot and finds it inaccurate.

For me, one of the most interesting aspects of this campaign will be watching to see how these two "good men" (as I have often referred to them) can smear each other without getting their hands dirty.

One would assume that the Obama camp would have an easier time of this, since McCain has been on the scene longer and has more dirty laundry to sort through. But, as the Newsweek analysis shows us, even an offhand remark (in this case by Obama), can be taken out of context, blown up and used in a campaign advertisement.

Negative ads, particularly those which are found to be misleading, are a hot button for many voters.

It would be oh-so-nice if these two candidates spent their time and money on positive ads about themselves. Or, at least concentrated their negativity on matters of real substance. But, I guess even in a year that purports to focus on CHANGE, some things never do.

Bananas countdown

I'm looking forward to Saturday's show and hope to see you guys there!!

The deets: 283 Route 17 South, Hasbrouck Heights, 201-727-1090.

Tix are $17.50. Also on the bill are Sunda Croonquist and Dave Andrews. I've worked with both of them before and they're terrific.

Fiesta re-do

The Leader reports today that the owners of the Fiesta on Route 17 are in the process of a total makeover of the property, which would include a Comfort Inn Suites Hotel on the premises.

In THE STORY by Bernadette Marciniak residents express concern about how the changes will impact their homes, noise and skyline views.

I'm kinda curious how all of that is going to work out, too.

I've played the Fiesta on several occasions and its a nice big space, although it has always seemed to me to be on an odd corner for a facility of its type.

I hope this works out without too many problems for the neighboring homeowners.

It's always nasty when politicians and builders promise you one thing and you wake up next to something else.

(Art: Elkin/Solbota Architects.)

Some backyard DIY

Bennigan's: Misery & Co.

The parent company of the Bennigan's restaurant chain entered bankruptcy this week, closing its Bennigan and Steak & Ale franchise operations.

Cause: This crazy economy.

Saying it that way almost makes it sound cute, but it isn't. Down deep, I almost wish someone would go on TV and LIE and tell us everything is going to be OK.

But, there is nothing good about this economy or where it is heading.

Folks, for the first time in a long time I am worried about the immediate future. I know our economy has to right itself eventually. It always does.

But I am angry by what has happened to it under this administration, and I don't think any changes made during the next one are going to come along fast enough to stave off the many pending disasters to all sorts of businesses here and across the country.

I'm guessing some of you will say that the administration had nothing to do with it. I can't believe that. After all, if the economy had thrived in the last eight years they would have taken full credit for it.

The buck has to stop somewhere.

5.4

OK, so I take a little nap -- still sleeping off that 9:50 p.m. showing of "The Dark Knight" - and wake up to the news of an earthquake registering 5.4 that hitting Los Angeles a couple of hours ago.

Things aren't too bad, according to the reports I've heard thus far. Although, like some of you, I'm looking forward to hearing from mikeymike to see how his family made out during the quakeyquake.

I'm guessing that there has to be some bad news connected to this event, but so far, everyone seems to be saying the quake was "moderate" with minimal damage and injuries.

The big fear is that this was a foreshock (as in: worse to come) but no evidence of that right now.

The governator is supposed to hold a press conference in about an hour.

Phone service has been disrupted throughout California, so don't worry too much if you haven't heard from loved ones. It's also been requested that those with phone service not make too many calls since it could affect the 911 service.

Let's wait and watch and hope there isn't another one waiting in the wings.

Turn down the Heath

Much as I loved "Batman Begins," I couldn't quite get into "The Dark Knight," which I finally caught a screening of last night.

Although it's big, loud and meticulously tossed together, the movie was -- for me -- not very involving.

I sometimes have this problem in movie theaters. I prefer watching most flicks at home. And, once you get used to that, theaters are kind of a drag.

Beyond that, though, was the performance of Heath Ledger, which is effectively creepy but either pulls you in or locks you out.

His Joker reminded me of a demented Andy Rooney. And, whenever he was onscreen, I found myself wishing he wasn't.

Nice, wet and busy

So far, so good. A nice long weekend, a little too wet -- it came down in buckets on Sunday morning and early afternoon -- and I have a nice full stomach.

Last night, my friend John invited me to the house he shares with his room mate Carol in some town or other. (Wait it'll come to me.) We ate rotisserie chicken with Basmati rice, some veggies and a monster apple pie.

Tonight, Louise T. invited me to dinner at her place in Greenlawn. A really nice old house, very comfortable, and I was reunited with her sons who I haven't seen since they were around 6 or 7 years old.

Louise made a great spread of sauteed mushrooms, roaster peppers, mashed potatoes, skirt steaks on the BBQ (son Evan made those) and then, a big surprise: Our former co-worker Janet (who came with her husband Chuck) brought a couple of her PIES.

Mmm.

In a flash, Janet was mesmerizing us with her pie chronicles -- which sounded a lot like the Diane Keaton movie "Baby Boom." She went into an upscale grocer near where she lives and offered to bake some pies and breads.

A few months later, she had a thriving business going on in her kitchen.

Janet's Pies! Everyone wants one!

Her blueberry pie was dee-lish, but I really flipped over her peach & mixed berry pie. I'm not a big dessert person, I hardly ever buy pies or cakes for myself, but I'd buy hers. They sell in the store for about $18 or so, and that's about the going rate for pies made the old fashioned way.

Later, as were sitting around having coffee and chit-chatting, we had to know what Janet plans on doing next. Her little at-home business is at the point where it can GROW, or she can keep it tiny for as long as she enjoys doing it that way.

Of course, Louise and I cant believe she doesn't want to take this business to the next step. But, when you're 50-something, it's kind of daunting to think about a new career that will take up so much of your life and time.

So...should she or shouldn't she?

I think we've all had a fantasy at one time or another of turning some special interest or talent we have into a cottage industry.

Have you ever wondered if you could do something like this? Did you ever regret not doing it?

One one level I would love to have a restaurant/club in New Jersey, but it's not a business I know very much about. (Well, at least not from the OTHER side of the menu.)

I know businesses are time consuming and can drive you crazy. But...it's fun thinking about them, isn't it?

SCRAB heap

The Scrabble/Scrabulous brouhaha had me signing up for the latter on Facebook, before it's too late. I've never played either game online. Of course, they're not all that different, which is why there's a problem in the first place.

Are you a Scrabulous person? Are you worried about your favorite pastime disappearing into the ether?

I have my registration info in my AOL mailbox. I haven't had time to register yet or play my first game.

Hope I don't wait too long.

Incidentally, what do I miss most about my NJ-LI commute? My Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle. Wah-wah.

I know I should wake up every Sunday and go get the paper. I had to cancel my home delivery because my schedule is too weird and I don't like coming home to accumulated newspapers. Actually, I liked started the puzzle on Saturday -- which you can only do with home delivery.

I've sometimes gone to the store after 6 p.m. for the paper, when I've remembered. On other Sundays I'm sitting around thinking, 'I forgot to get the puzzle!'

Scrabulosity notwithstanding, I have no interest in doing a crossword puzzle on my computer.