The O'Zone

Thursday, October 31, 2013

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The Best Thing From Holland Since Tulips

Ken O’Brien

9-year-old Amira Willighagen from Nijmegen is completely self-taught, and used only YouTube tutorials to learn how to sing. So, when she stepped onto the "Holland's Got Talent" stage, no one was expecting such a big voice to come out of such a very little girl.

Her incredible rendition of Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro" from the opera "Gianni Schicchi" earned her a Golden Ticket from the judges that would take her straight to the live show.

She told the judges, "My brother Vincent plays violin, and I also wanted to do something... So I thought, I'm going to sing… and then I heard opera songs, which I found very beautiful and that's when I started singing,".

Watch the video below; it moved me to tears.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

After 95 Years - It's Back Home!!!

1918

2013

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Just One More!

Monday, October 28, 2013

Fukushima Radiation Threatens U.S. West Coast

Ken O’Brien

An ocean current called the North Pacific Gyre is bringing radiation from the Japanese Fukushima nuclear reactor to the West Coast of North America:

Saturday, October 26, 2013

This Cannot End Well - Video: Southbridge School Committee Meeting October 22, 2013

Ken O’Brien

The inauguration of any new political leadership sets the tone for their subsequent tenure.

In this regard, the assumption of the leadership of the Southbridge School Committee by Lauren McLoughlin could not possibly be any less auspicious.

It was characterized in its hallmark moment by what would be generously characterized as ignorance, but more likely as outright deceit.

Most disturbing was the regrettable involvement in this exercise by as distinguished an officer of the court as Demetrios Moschos of the firm Mirick O’Connell. I can only wonder if he will have the integrity to admit his error and thus require those responsible to hit the reset button.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

CNBC Is The Fox News Foothold At NBC

See Part II after the page break.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Ylvis' Tribute (?) To Massachusetts (NSFW)

Norwegian comedy group Ylvis have followed up their awesomely bizarre viral hit The Fox with a heartfelt ode to Massachusetts.

A Viewer’s Guide To Tonight’s Southbridge School Committee Meeting

Ken O’Brien

Tonight’s School Committee meeting has seven action items on its agenda (including a late addendum).

Five of these items are flawed illustrating the members’ lack of knowledge about their own rules and proper procedure as well as vague policies.

The first of these is Item XII. C. Vote to establish an Ad-Hoc Wellness Committee.

This committee is required under 105 CMR of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

It is clear from a reading of the regulation that this is a permanent committee with regular annual duties. As such it is not an ad hoc committee.

“The Law Is A Ass…”

So said Mr. Bumble, the unhappy spouse of a domineering wife, in Charles Dickens Oliver Twist. He was responding to being told in court that "...the law supposes that your wife acts under your direction".

Let it never be said that we in the former colonies have lagged behind our British forebears. Here in Massachusetts for example:

Any person caught eating peanuts in church may be jailed for up to one year

In Boston it is illegal to take a bath unless prescribed by a physician

It is illegal to peep into the windows of automobiles in Milford

Lest we castigate our beloved Bay State alone, here is a sampling of other state laws that justify Mr. Bumble’s complete statement, “...the law is a ass - a idiot".

Rupert Murdoch And Fox News’ Blog Trolls

Ken O’Brien

In Murdoch's World: The Last of the Old Media Empires David Folkenflik, the media correspondent for NPR News, explains how Rupert Murdoch the man behind Britain’s take-no-prisoners tabloids, who reinvigorated Roger Ailes by backing his vision for Fox News, who gave a new swagger to the New York Post and a new style to the Wall Street Journal, survived numerous scandals—and the true cost of this survival. He summarily ended his marriage, alienated much of his family, and split his corporation asunder to protect the source of his vast wealth (on the one side), and the source of his identity (on the other). There were, however, moments when the global news chief panicked.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Hannity's Credibility On Obamacare Attack Shredded

Writing in October 18th's Salon Magazine Eric Stern says:

I happened to turn on the Hannity show on Fox News last Friday evening. “Average Americans are feeling the pain of Obamacare and the healthcare overhaul train wreck,” Hannity announced, “and six of them are here tonight to tell us their stories.” Three married couples were neatly arranged in his studio, the wives seated and the men standing behind them, like game show contestants.