I read recently that George Clooney is still learning Italian. I don't know what was going on with him. I agree that the 'glaring looks' were just part of a gag but he acted so odd on the red carpet. I couldn't decide if he had been drinking, in a bad mood or had a fight with his girlfriend. And I didn't care for his shaggy locks. I don't find Sarah Jessica Parker attractive and it seems she selects her gowns just for their conversation points rather than what might be attractive. Her hairstyle reminded me of an elaborate geisha. Doogie was awful. I fear he's on the verge of over exposure. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin weren't too bad but they certainly weren't all that entertaining either. Miley Cyrus needs a posture lesson and someone to help her select a dress that fits and is becoming. But then I got a glimpse of her mother last night and now I know why she looked the way she did. Many of the women were just lovely and I enjoyed their gowns - Meryl, Helen Mirren, Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz, Sigourney Weaver. I didn't even miss the musical numbers until someone here mentioned them. I loved that UP won. That's going to be one of my all time favorites.

Abused women almost always have been browbeaten emotionally & mentally as well as having been physically tormented & terrorized, sometimes for their whole lives. Many times they return to the abuser, or let the abuser back into the house, because they believe him when he says he's sorry & because they don't realize there's any other choice. One thing that's been said here is that her self-esteem must be low, as though that reflects poorly on her rather than on whatever person/people who treated her badly, maybe starting with a parent or step-parent. That dress is an advertisement for a celebrity, for a star. & that dress served its purpose.

Oh dear. No, it was not a slam to the South. Not at all. It is a common phrase. It was a direct response to Glanda's comment regarding how much the media spent covering this fairytale wedding of a young woman who was once but a mere blip on the radar in the media during her rather cloistered teenage life in the White House, and has been virtually unknown in the public eye in the years since. I should have quoted her so everyone would know. I usually quote when I post so that there is no mix-up like this. Monica got it right. It is a reference to the media circus. And yes, I was drawn in too. A media circus often happens during, or just after a major upheaval of some sort, and provides a distraction for the populace. It is a philosophy that goes way back. Those "in charge" know that by providing some sort of mindless entertainment like bullfights or circuses, the plebians won't engage in intellectual discourse among themselves, and organize a revolt. The literal translation is 'bread and circuses'. You may hear pan y toros in Spanish meaning basically the same thing. I suppose the modern day equivalent in America could be 'Pringles and Jerry Springer' or maybe 'bratwurst and football'. Regarding how people dress in various regions of the country well, people DO dress differently. Nothing wrong with that. I've travelled and found myself feeling very out of place in some cities with my mode of dress. Even here in Wisconsin there is a big difference in what is popular in the rural areas for dressing up, (where most of my relative reside), and what is done in the big city, and even how people dress who live around the Capital. I never meant to imply that Hillary's dress looked like what a circus performer would wear taming zebras, but...........now that image has been put in my mind. Read here for an explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_circuses Here is a link that might be useful: Bread and Circus

I heard on tv somewhere that her dress was silk cotton lace - that sounds soft and lovely to me. I can't get enough of the pictures of the entire wedding party and guests LOL, not sure why it has such a fascination to me. I also remember being entranced with Diana at her wedding and afterwards when her babies were born, I just never got tired of seeing them. I also fondly remember following Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Eisenhower when they were married, and I even took a day off from work to watch Tara and Phillip get married on All My Children (that was pre-vcr recording days)! I'm sure when I put my mind to it I'll remember some more weddings that fascinated me. Oh right, Jenna Bush Hager just popped into my head. And Katie Couric's second wedding looked lovely! I guess I could keep going!