Time Marches On

I noted with some sadness today the passing of Bettie Page. She was 85 and passed after suffering a heart attack.

I’ve always been rather fascinated by her, first, of course, for her vibrant beauty and unabashed nature. But there is something else there for me…this might sound horribly vain, but I loved that, like me, she was a brunette.

I grew up in New Mexico where almost all the girls are brunette, and a blond girl was always the “ooh and aaahs” of the school ground. The boys didn’t care about another brunette girl. We were a dime a dozen. But a blond, aaaaooooohhhhga!

So I’ve always loved seeing a hot brunette make it work. After the Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield media barrage, I *loved* seeing Bettie’s dark locks…and that she took her overt sensuality to new levels. She made people uncomfortable.

And she was just…stunning.

Like the many girls who burst on the scene the way she did, she had a troubled life both before and after her explosive fame. But I don’t want to remember her for the hard times, the mental frailty, the reclusiveness and regret.

I want to remember her as a plain, open, fun kinda gal.

From today’s SFGate article: “…she told Playboy in 1998: ‘I never thought it was shameful. I felt normal. It’s just that it was much better than pounding a typewriter eight hours a day, which gets monotonous.'”

Right!

I know the “behind the scenes” wasn’t always pretty, and the uptight folks hounded her. But to me she is truly an icon. And supportive evidence that brunettes can be just as va-va-voom as our fair-haired counterparts!

I’m posting a fairly well known photo, fully clothed, but brimming with HOOOOOT.

Go easy, now, Bettie. Have fun shaking your money-maker on the other side!

Is that a threat, Mr. Henderson?

quote:

General Motors Corp. said Tuesday it needs $12 billion in government loans to keep operating, telling Congress in a bluntly worded report that its collapse could have “severe, long-term consequences to the U.S. economy.”

“There isn’t a Plan B,” said Chief Operating Officer Fritz Henderson.

———————–

Sounds like a ransom note to me.

And who is going to pay for this rippin’ $12 billion with a capital B? Oh yes, me and you, the taxpayers.

Remember us? The same folks that got robbed by Mr. Jones and the gang of banks? Yeah.

Pony up American minion, it’s all on you now. Food? Feh, you don’t need that. Americans are all too fat anyway.

See, I’m an MBA graduate, fifteen year business woman. I’ve seen a lot of companies do a lot of dumb things. But I have never seen the sheer audacity of these automakers.

You made crappy product that people don’t buy. You made long term contracts with unions thus incurring costs that you couldn’t support with sales of your crappy product.

That there’s what they call supply and demand, tater. Even a hick from New Mexico State’s business program can figure that one out.

I’m curious if GM will get what they ask for. And the other of the “big three” as well. Ugly days, indeed.

Source

Feliz Dia de los Muertos!

A personal high holy day for me.

I think I got deeply into the spirit last night dressed up as Frida.

It is a thoughtful day, remembering my loved ones who have moved on to the next journey.

I’m in a hotel room in Hawaii, so hard to celebrate properly, but I’ll make do.

I’m working on a make-shift ofrenda. If it comes out I’ll post a photo.

Mostly, just a reminder to remember those closest to you, both here and beyond.