This song is still unutterably sad to me. It was also the first real song I ever sang with my mom. I still remember hearing it when it was on the radio. I was about two. It’s one of my earliest, clearest memories, and one that I will probably have forever.

Say hi to her if you happen to see her, would you, Mary? You guys will probably wind up in the same neighborhood anyway. =)

I wonder how long that terrible, fierce, angry joy at seeing a black First Family in the White House will continue to sneak up on me?

Thank you. For everythink.

Thank you, Dr. King.

Theyre all leaving us, these giants of joyful youth, and I see none rushing in to fill the empty spaces they leave behind. We have some folks who have promise, but it looks like the times ahead will be heavy.

On the other hand, we have incredible things happening with digital media. Perhaps the focus has simply shifted. Still and all, there is nothing quite like old school animation, and it is unutterably sad to me that this art form is slowly dying. Maybe I’m just a dinosaur, but I’ll take that celluloid stuff over CGI any day of the week, man. As beautiful as CGI can be, it lacks the organic flow and beauty, the tactile feel that celluloid animation leaves on your eyes and your soul. Or maybe just my soul.

Either way, Mr. Takamoto, thank you for making my life a brighter place to be. Thanks for making a stoner and his talking dog such a beautiful illustration of what friendship means the world over. Every human being on the planet knows who Shaggy and Scooby are, and they are so beloved that not even Hollywood could tarnish their memory.

And thanks for being the genesis of the idea behind Scooby Snacks. My dog really loved them. :)

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Incidentally, if you can’t see a title for this post, or if there’s just a bunch of boxes there, it’s because it’s written in the Japanese alphabet. The title for this post is what Google Translate came up with for the phrase “rest in peace.” (And many variations thereof, which when translated changed “rest” to some form of “remainder” when put together with “in peace.”) It actually reads “remainder of peace,” which is kind of irritating, but it was all I could find!

This seems like an incredibly inexpensive way to do something really, really good for the planet, as well as the added bonus of saving yourself the aggravation of all that junk mail and never seeming to be able to get off these lists for more than three minutes at a time. The site is right: it takes forever, and just because youre off one mailing list for one month doesnt mean youre not put right back on it almost immediately. Who has the time or inclination to keep hunting these people down and requesting removal from their mailing lists?

Well, these guys at GreenDimes do, and will on your behalf, for one thin dime a day. Three bucks a month (plus credit card fees), $36 a year, or $360 for a lifetime membership.

I’m going to sign up today after work. :)

I give a dime about the planet! Do you?

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