Monthly Archives: March 2015

Some people are offended that William Shatner, who had previously committed to a charity event in Florida, could not attend Leonard Nimoy's funeral today in Los Angeles. I'm offended that are are news stories today headlined, "William Shatner defends decision not to attend Leonard Nimoy's funeral" and that the New York Daily News dubbed him "Captain Jerk" in a large cover story. That's the kind of decision no one should ever have to defend in public…or even private.

We've heard lots of tales of Mr. Shatner that might earn him the title of Captain Jerk. As far as I know, we never heard any from Leonard Nimoy. I guess it says something about what Star Trek meant to some people that they're disturbed that the funeral of one of its stars isn't going to go the way they imagine it should. Could they possibly grasp that this is not about them?

And what do you want to bet that if Shatner was there, he'd be criticized because he didn't say precisely the right things or he got too much attention?

Here's another video of this guy singing with himself. I could sing this well if I had that many different-colored t-shirts…

What airlines were like before smoking was banned. I remember a few very uncomfy, nausea-filled flights not because of turbulence but because the person sitting next to me considered it their God-given, enshrined-in-the-U.S.-Constitution right to light up and blow it my way.

Once en route to somewhere or maybe somewhere else, I was seated in the No Smoking section — this was back when they were trying to have it both ways — and a lady next to me lit up a butt. When both I and the flight attendant told her she couldn't do that, she responded with what seemed to her like crystal-clear logic: "I requested a seat in the Smoking section but since they couldn't give me one, I get to smoke here." She seemed like a nice lady but she was quite adamant that she had to smoke and that no one had the right to stop her.

There was much arguing but the flight attendant (they were called stewardesses back then) settled it without violence by arranging for the lady to swap seats with someone who was in the Smoking section and not taking advantage of it.

Happily, those days are behind us. Now, if we could just get them to ban (1) people with booming voices who like to talk politics, (2) travelers who haven't showered since they left home weeks ago and (3) non-sleeping children under the age of 13. I also think people with bladder problems should not be allowed to sit in window seats when I've got the aisle.

It's March and we all know what that means: The Souplantation restaurant chain — also known as Sweet Tomatoes in some areas — is offering my favorite of all their soups, their Classic Creamy Tomato Soup. Guess where I'll be eating many times before the month is out. Check here to find out if one of these places is anywhere near you.

My raving about this soup has caused many people to think I am a connoisseur of all tomato soups. This is not the case. I just like this one. As a matter of fact, I am probably less a fan of other tomato soups because I like this one so much. Since I began posting about it, friends have dragged me to restaurants that serve (they say) a great tomato soup and I am forced to try a bowl. It's never as good. So I will dine repeatedly this month on Souplantation's Classic Creamy Tomato Soup and then not eat tomato soup again until next March. Unless they offer it again for a week in Fall, which they sometimes do.