Saints Report #2 - September 20, 2009

When you arrive in Philadelphia and you order that first genuine Philly cheese steak sandwich, you can’t believe that they ladle cheese whiz on it.

Yesterday, the Saints went to Philly and gave them a taste of Brees whiz.

Too corny? Well, these are heady times for Saints fans, so forgive us. For three years the Saints offense has shown spurts of brilliance, but rarely got the wins you’d expect. This year, not only are there a multitude of weapons on offense, there seems to be an emerging maturity. There’s just a certainty and a confidence to this offense. It's impressive.

Sunday Drew Brees and the offense got the special teams help that was lacking in week 1, as they pummeled the Eagles 48-22. The defense, while nowhere close to dominating, appears significantly improved over the porous past editions. Darren Sharper has proven to be the fastest dividend-paying free agent pickup ever, as he picked off his 3rd pass of the year, returning it 97 yards to cap the scoring.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to play the Eagles again. Donovan McNabb would’ve made a difference. But right now the Saints have the momentum.

Next week we shuffle off to Buffalo to get some wings and a win.
Corny. Get used to it.

Saints Report #1 - September 13, 2009

The report from Section 116 - We watched the game with soaking wet socks and shoes. The rain storm going into the dome insured that the victory (at least for the crowd) was in the building of this wonderful dome.

Within the climate controlled confines, the Saints put a W up, and in the end that’s what matters.
Drew Brees was humming that ball.
Mike Bell was running that ball.
Darren Sharper was hawking that ball.
The receivers were catching that ball.
Reggie Bush was bobbling that ball.

Drew Brees tied the Saint's team record with 6 touchdown passes, but let up on the throttle at the end, or he would have certainly chipped in another one to tie the NFL mark. For him, it was that easy.

The special teams had it a little tougher, giving up too many yards, dropping punts (Reggie), not blocking, etc. Not a good day – they’ll need to get better. Where was Rod Harper?

The defense showed some promise. Darren Sharper was the high point, playing the ball hawking safety – a role we haven’t seen in a long time, if ever.

Mike Bell had a great day running the football, except for a fumble that the Lions took all the way back. There’s one obvious question: When Pierre Thomas comes back, with 2 running backs that can hit the hole and get positive yardage, will Reggie Bush (who can’t hit the hole) get any more carries? Same old problems – as likely to lose 7 as he is to gain 7, and now too loose with the football – laying it down 3 times by my count in this game. Reggie needs to be a slot receiver – period. This magical offense doesn’t need him to be magical – just reliable.

Next up – a trip to Philly for a Cheesesteak.

Music Mission Impossible

Entertainment Weekly, covering the hoopla surrounding the 9/9/09 release of Beatles products, named the top 50 Beatle Songs of all time. Couldn't resist making my own list below. Well, someone had to do it!

Here's their list:

A Hard Days Night
A Day in The Life
Yesterday
Strawberry Fields Forever
Something
She Loves You
Let It Be
Tomorrow Never Knows
Norwegian Wood
Across the Universe
Eleanor Rigby
Penny Lane
Help
Hey Jude
In My Life
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
Blackbird
Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight
Can't Buy Me Love
Revolution
If I Fell
We Can Work It Out
I'm Only Sleeping
I'm a Loser
Paperback Writer
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Rain
I Saw Her Standing There
I Want You (She's so Heavy)
All My Loving
I Am the Walrus
I Should Have Known Better
I've Got a Feeling
Nowhere Man
Dear Prudence
She Said She Said
You Won't See Me
Taxman
With a Little Help from My Friends
Day Tripper
I'm Down
I Want to Hold Your Hand
Come Together
Lovely Rita
Ticket to Ride
Helter Skelter
Here Comes the Sun
I'm So Tired
All You Need Is Lovef


Here's mine:

Yesterday
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
A Day in the Life
All My Loving
I Saw Her Standing There
Hey Jude
Eleanor Rigby
In My Life
Let It Be
Here Comes the Sun
Here There and Everywhere
Norwegian Wood
I've Just Seen A Face
Nowhere Man
Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight
We Can Work It Out
I Want to Hold Your Hand
Revolution
Strawberry Fields Forever
Something
She Loves You
I Should Have Known Better
Two of Us
Come Together
Ticket To Ride
Blackbird
She's Leaving Home
Good Day Sunshine
Because
A Hard Day's Night
I Will
Help
Across the Universe
Rocky Raccoon
Back in the USSR
Dear Prudence
Got to Get You Into My Life
When I'm 64
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Twist and Shout
Love Me Do
Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds
With a Little Help From My Friends
Martha My Dear
If I Fell
Can't Buy Me Love
All You Need Is Love
For You Blue
Julia
Anna

Saints Report # 20 February 2010

BOURBON STREET EXPLODES

Roman Harper recovered Ladainian Tomlinson’s fumble at the 5 yard line with 32 seconds to play to preserve the New Orleans Saints improbable first ever victory in the highest scoring Super Bowl ever Sunday night in Miami.

Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees led his team to a 42 – 38 victory, rallying his team from a 4th quarter 10 point deficit, culminating in a 32 yard scoring strike to Marquis Colston with 2:32 remaining. The Saints offense then had to stew on the sidelines as NFL MVP Phillip Rivers guided the San Diego Chargers to the doorstep of victory, only to have Tomlinson cough up his 2nd fumble of the game, this time on a jarring Jonathan Vilma tackle.

Coach Sean Payton of the victorious Saints, went back to his roots, completely abandoning the running game that had been so dominant in the Saints 14 -2 regular season, allowing Brees (42/60 482 yards) to gunsling it out with his former teammate Rivers (28/40 312 yards). Both teams scored at will, but it was ultimately Brees and his incredible corps of receivers (Colston 8 catches for 112 yards, Moore 9/101, Shockey 7/77, Meachum 4/32, Bush 6/62, Thomas 5/65, Henderson 3/33) that triumphed. Brees set records in every passing category, but neither team could pull away. When the Chargers took a 10 point lead with 11 minutes to go after returning a Bush fumble 88 yards, it looked like Bree’s heroics would go for naught. But he wasn’t finished.

The Saints, division winners who handily beat the Seahawks and Packers en route to Miami, had a much easier path than did the Chargers, who despite their wild card record of 9 – 7 beat the Jets, the Colts, and finally the Patriots, all in overtime. In the end it was the Saints relatively fresh offense that finally wore down the Chargers.

Thus ends the long drought of the New Orleans faithful, who saw more playoff victories this year than in the previous 40 years combined. Bourbon street was reported to be in near-riot condition.


So, that’s how it will end. How will it begin?

It will begin this week with a harder than expected victory over the Lions. Watch for the Lions to pull out all the stops (Remember Payton and Haslett in their first year – coaches don’t get conservative until their 2nd year.)

This year, the most important Saint is Pierre Thomas – If he can carry the load to the tune of 1000 to 1200 yards (despite the fact it looks like he’ll miss the first game), the running game will keep the defenses honest.

While I’m still not sold on the Saints outside linebackers (when are they going to give Dunbar a real shot?) it looks like the secondary is deeper and presumably Jason David is on a couch somewhere enjoying the millions he didn’t earn. If Gregg Williams can pressure the QB (particularly Matt Ryan and Jake Delhomme) the Saints will go a long way.

Watch for our home-viewing parties to begin on Sunday September 20th when the Saints travel to Philly. Ain't it great to be undefeated?

At The Cinema - August 2009

District 9 – 0 out of 10

Now comes the review that will apparently kill my credibility with an entire nation of moviegoers. But, I’m dumbfounded. I read the rave reviews and couldn’t wait. I should have. This was the worst movie I’ve spent money to see since The Black Dahlia.
Ted Williams, Drew Brees, Bill Mazeroski and all the other 9-wearers should even be insulted. Couldn’t it have been District 4?
I guess I just completely missed it. I don’t usually laugh out loud at a movie – but this one is so ridiculous in almost every way, that I just couldn’t help myself.

6 Reasons I couldn’t help laughing at the screen:
First, the movie is subtitled. When the aliens speak, you get subtitles. When they are talking, the main character seems to understand them only part of the time. So, who subtitled the movie? Think about it.
Second, same old aliens. Why is it that every alien on screen is a dressed up 2 eyed, 2 armed, 2 legged creature. These are just dressed up grosser than most. Just once wouldn’t you like to see a round ball alien with eyes all over, so it could see in all directions, rolling through the streets? Go back over all the movie aliens – why 2 eyes? Think about it.
Third, (spoiler alert) the main character gets some alien fuel splashed in his face and begins to become an alien. So if I pour gas on a turtle, it will become a man? Ridiculous. Think about it.
Fourth, I’ll take my allegory a little lighter please. The social references, apartheid, man’s inhumanity to man, is layered on so thick it’s laughable. I get it – we suck. I’ll think about it.
Fifth, the action is laughable. I’m serious, every time a body exploded I laughed. Out loud. I kept thinking, “so this is what it was like to experience Planet 9 from Outer Space in a theater.” Think about it.
Last, the “coming attractions” before the movie were horrible. Now, this may be quibbling, but when every preview is basically the same slasher movie, and the previews go on for 15 minutes, you realize you are being targeted as a lowest-common-denominator audience. The previews were actually insulting, and so repetitive they put me in doze-land. Think about it.

So, go see this if you want to. Reviewers and audiences seem to love it, so I could be wrong. Maybe it will go down as a classic. That seems to be the consensus. I’m short, so it’s not hard for things to go over my head. I’ll chalk this up in the “am I that out of touch?” column. I’d have rather spent my money on cookies.


500 Days of Summer – 8 out of 10.

This is a good movie. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should see it. You’ve lived it.
Hasn’t everybody?

You know the story. Boy gets girl. One of them thinks the other is the “one.” One little problem – the vote is tied 1 – 1. Heartbreak ensues.

This movie is a natural descendant of Annie Hall. I looked on line at the Metacritic scores (my favorite web site) and 3 of 15 reviews mentioned Annie Hall in the first sentence. But, I watched this movie thinking the same thing. Let me make this perfectly clear – I knew Annie Hall, and you’re no Annie Hall.

In other words, 500 Days of Summer isn’t quite that good, despite what the guy who was sitting behind me thought. Laughing that loud should be reserved for someone watching Congress. Nevertheless, while it’s not Annie Hall, what it is, is a multi-media presentation of the natural progression of that doomed relationship where one participant is more convinced than the other that “this is it.”

Joseph Gordon-Leavitt wonderfully plays the likeable guy who wrongfully believes he’s hit the love jackpot. The great Zooey Deschanel plays the girl – you know the one – the blood sucking tramp who rips your heart out, shreds it to little pieces, then boils it in a pot of heated spit, takes it out and stomps on it, while she screws with your head, makes you spend money you don’t have in a doomed-to-failure attempt to impress her or even make her happy or convince her you’ll do anything for her, while she’s seducing you like you’re the only one at the same time she’s plotting her escape in such a way that it will devastate you and make you not to ever want to see a woman again, except she teases you to keep you hanging by a fingernail while your last shred of dignity slips away and you wish she’d just go ahead and kill you by hanging you from your toes off the tallest building in town and beat you with a bat til you fall and split your head open so that your brains flow all over the sidewalk and she tromps through your blood with her new boyfriend, whom she used to make fun of, off to that commitment she said she’d never want to make, when what she meant was she would never make any commitment with you because she wanted to just be friends which was the farthest thing from your mind and the very thought of “just being friends” made you want to take a blow torch to her hair and toast her like a marshmallow until she came to her senses, and her hair grew back and she took you back.

You know, that girl.

So see this movie if you want to be entertained, or if you want to see some really inventive movie-making, or if you want to re-live that time the blood sucker told you “I think we need to take a break….”

You know, that girl

Speaking of having been at the first screening of Planet 9 From Outer Space, as I was in my first review, here are my Time Travel 10, the 10 Entertainment things I’d really like to travel back and see live:

The Beatles in Concert
Woodstock
Camelot on Broadway starring Julie Andrews, Richard Burton and Robert Goulet.
Al Jolson
The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman
Billie Holiday
My Fair Lady on Broadway with Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison
Louis Armstrong
Buddy Holly
Monterey Pop

What’s your time travel 10?

Do I Really Want to Discuss Health Care Reform?

Well, I’ve been sitting back and watching with amusement the chaos surrounding the health care reform issues – from the crazy town hall meetings, to the yapping on talk shows, to the Congress which looks more lost than ever, to tea-baggers, to the President who seems to be losing ground.

Let me start by admitting I’m fundamentally predisposed to be in favor of Universal Healthcare, because I just believe that if we’re going to be the greatest nation on earth, we need to take care of our citizens. I even thought so when Hillary Clinton first brought it up. Unfortunately, her pictures could have been labeled “polarizing figure” the way Brett Favre’s could today be labeled “wearing out his welcome.”

In retrospect, in the 90’s it would have been easy. We’d be down the road. It’s way more complicated today. In fact, it’s a virtual inferno, a minefield in a terribly divided America.

Let’s start with “How the hell would we pay for it?”

I received this not long ago in an email:

”The inheritance tax, Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, CDL license Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Excise Taxes, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline At x (44.75 cents per gallon) Gross Receipts Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges, IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Taxes, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Personal Property Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service Charge Tax, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax, Sales Tax, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Taxes, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.”

That’s the exact email I received, and I thought “Man, that’s a lot of taxes.” The writer almost had me.

Except for one thing.

100 Years. Wait a minute, 100 years! That would be 1909. Who wants to go back and live in 1909 except for a Chicago Cubs fan?
And wait a minute – in 1909 were we really the most prosperous nation in the world? Could you consider anyone prosperous except for a few famous rich railroad, steel, or bank barons back then? And middle class? I thought the middle class (as a rather mysterious concept) started in the 1950’s.

So, let’s look at the difference between 1909 and 2009 and see what the taxes have bought us: Roads coast to coast, an interstate highway system that is phenomenal, bridges, schools, airports, army, navy, air force, marines, coast guard, parks, monuments, city and county buildings, police departments, fire departments, post offices, social services, prisons, welfare, medicare, medicaid, sewer systems, clean drinking water, regulatory agencies, the GI Bill, the Veterans Administration, Nuclear plants, Nuclear weapons, homeland security, FEMA, FCC, CIA, FBI, SBA, Foreign Embassies - I could go on and on.

Hell, in 1909 they were still getting water out of streams. (Check out the movie “There Will Be Blood.”) Sorry, I use a lot of movie references.

Today, new industries, often requiring government rules and regulations, are born every day. During the past 100 years we’ve fought 6 major wars against opponents who could not keep up with our technology – funded by taxes. We won the cold war by just threatening Star Wars. We’ve weathered a depression, and numerous recessions. Tax revenue has been there for the government to use to bail us out when we needed it, even though I realize “bailout” is a dirty word. Sometimes the collection falls behind the expenditures and that’s called a deficit – but we’re always able to borrow, because our tax base is there. It’s not pretty, and it’s not ideal, but so far we’ve made it work. I consider myself a fiscal conservative, so I hate the deficit. But, that ship has sailed.

The fuel to all this has undoubtedly been an economic engine unlike anything the world has ever seen. The incredible wealth that has been produced in this economic juggernaut and the monumental advances of the last 100 years will undoubtedly go down in the history books with a name of its own – maybe “The Economic Revolution.” Like the Industrial Revolution it has totally changed the way the world operates.

So, my question is, “why didn’t every nation do what America did?” Did they not have the mind power? The will power? The natural resources? The brains? The guts?
What set this nation apart?

Well, many factors. We all know what they are. But I can’t discount the role of this government. Let's give them a little credit - just a little. Remember most countries during this period were dictatorships. With one man at the helm, who could compete with our democracy and our capitalism? We sometimes forget what an incredible creation our 3 branch system of government is. I just toured the Library of Congress and I read again about the battles of the thinkers of the Continental Congress to devise a government that would work. We don’t appreciate it and its role in our lives. Many of us think of it as a nuisance – an intrusion. And sometimes it is.

Our government isn’t perfect and has made an incredible number of mistakes. It’s bloated and there is a lot of waste. There are boondoggles, bridges to nowhere, and earmarks that make any reasonable person sick – outside of the area receiving the largess.

And during this incredible period, two things have remained certain – death and taxes. I hate paying taxes as much as anybody. I would rather keep the money so I could spend it on the next technological breakthrough – like the 85” laser TV that is coming. Hell, I’m still paying taxes from a business that I closed 3 years ago. It hurts.

But, could it be the taxes that have made this country into what it is today? The government has never been shy about sticking their nose into our business and paving it, or telling us what the rules were to make things fair. You may not like seat belts, but we’ve come to accept them.

Maybe the fact that we are so prosperous, even in a downturn, and can afford taxes that make things even better (usually) is what continues to separate us from the rest of the world. Don’t believe me? – watch Slumdog Millionaire again, and realize what could have been. Then, when you go to the pump, and you pay those 44 cents extra per gallon, ask yourself if that interstate you just got off of is worth it. Let’s do the math. If you’re getting 22 miles to the gallon, you’re paying a whopping 2 cents per mile of road you drive for the privilege. Those bastards.

Which brings me to Health Care Reform.
Nope, don’t want to pay for it.
Can’t afford one more tax dollar – which we all know it will eventually come to.
Bad idea. Like it the way it is.

Right? That’s the way most of us, especially the ones with Health Insurance already feel.
I work hard – why should I have to pay for someone else’s Health care? (Even though I know I already do with higher premiums and charges to cover those who don’t pay.)

But, here’s our pesky government, thinking long term again. What could they be thinking?

Like it or not, the world is catching up to us. We don’t have wealth and prosperity and innovation all to ourselves anymore. Every government decision now has huge economic and competitive ramifications. Don’t want stem cell research? Fine – but understand that somewhere out there in another country it’s going on, and they will develop stuff that we will have to pay them for later. So, don’t complain when we have to buy it from Norway.
Think global warming is bunk and we don’t need to encourage energy innovation? Fine – but when we have to pay some Indonesian company for exciting new technology that they beat us to, don’t complain. Or should we all plan vacations to Japan and China to visit our money?

And so it goes. And like it or not, we’re way behind the rest of the modern world in how we handle health care. Does it work perfectly in England or Canada or any of the other countries that have it? Of course not. We’re supposedly ranked 37th in the quality of our health care. Not sure if I believe that. But, I do believe this: Those foreign economies are better off, because the cost is spread and efficiency, bargaining power, and lack of profit motivation hold the cost down.

Here, we’re content to let companies that can afford it absorb the high cost and pass it along to the consumer. But, that’s one of the reasons we don’t manufacture anything in America anymore. Think of all the industries that we’ve lost overseas. The disproportionate way we allocate health care costs is one contributing factor and is one reason business is draining away from our shores. Foreign labor is cheap. Blame it on those unions that built the middle class - blame it on anyone you want, but our labor is expensive and the world's isn't. When American auto companies have $2200 worth of health care cost built into each vehicle, they put themselves at a huge disadvantage to foreign competition that not only doesn’t have those costs, but has their home government assisting them in many other ways. Here – it’s hands off. We have established a certain set of business rules of the game. They're great. Now if we could just get the rest of the world to play by our rules.

So, health care is a long term business issue that’s vital to the continued progress of our economy, and our dominant position. I’m sure I haven’t adequately explained it, but this is a worldwide competitive issue. I’m not naïve enough to believe any of the cost-saving hype that the proponents are touting. I also don’t even believe that taxes won’t go up. They will. They can pretend they won’t but I never buy the government’s fuzzy math. That’s why my first hurdle was accepting that some day I’d pay. We’ll address the funding way too late, just as we’re going to wait until the last minute before we address medicare (even though the solution is obvious – no one wants to say it.) But, we have to look beyond the noses on our face. The future is going to be way more competitive for America in the world economy. If you did not like the government bailing out GM, you’ll like them bailing out hundreds of companies even less. We can’t wait to catch up – we must act now.

So, go back over those taxes at the beginning and think of the services that come along with each of them. Hate taxes all you want, but admit that maybe, just maybe, it’s another reason why America is the greatest nation the world has ever seen. We created wealth, and we didn’t hoard it – we took part of it (by taxing) and built some incredible things, and we reap the benefits every day.

Government run health care is scary – and we can put scary labels (socialism, etc) on it. Revamping health care is going to get ugly. Then it will get uglier. Many mistakes lie ahead, and we’ll screw it up beyond belief. But somewhere down the road, probably long after I’m gone, it will payoff and we’ll have leveled the playing field. This is just the business part of it. Going beyond the business part of it, we will have also proven that we care about all our citizens, because you know the deal – all men are created equal.

So, I don’t look at it as a Race issue, like many are saying. I don’t look at is a deficit spending issue, as many are saying. I don’t look at it as the beginning of socialism as many are saying.

I look at it as a “Business of America” issue, and we need calm heads to predict the next 100 years of competition in the global economy and figure out what we have to do to keep America on top. If this is something that we have to do, then I can live with it. I’ll probably have to wait a year or two longer for that TV upgrade.

If we don’t get started sooner rather than later, we’ll pay by losing.
Don’t know about you, but I like to win.

Sometimes the Good Die Young

It was a heavy heart day. The world lost Kelly Pates last night. We lost him way too soon.

Kelly, his wife Jean, and son Andrew performed together in the Jackson area for many years and the last time I saw Kelly I told him I had just seen Crosby Stills and Nash, and I thought the Pates were doing CSN music better than CSN is these days. I told Kelly if there was any justice in the world, The Pates would be famous. It didn’t happen in Kelly’s lifetime. But Kelly’s talent is just part of the story. It was his genuine love for his music, fans, and performing that made him special. When you watched Kelly work the crowd between sets and saw the love flow both ways, you knew you were in the presence of something very special.

I recently told someone that there ought to be a roving music TV show going from city to city highlighting great local bands. It was The Pates first and foremost that made me think of that.

I have many memories of my 5 years in the restaurant business in Jackson, but my very best memories were the nights that The Pates played. It was by far, my favorite time in that business. They played at my 50th birthday party. When we needed a big crowd, we knew The Pates would pack them in. To think I’ll never hear them sing “Can’t Find My Way Home” the way The Pates performed it is very sad, but to think of this family having to deal with this is devastating.

Our thoughts are with the Pates family tonight as they try to cope. It can’t be easy. Kelly was a very special man. Gone way too young.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090813/NEWS/90813015/-1/Nletter03/Jackson-singer/songwriter-Pates--55--dead?source=nletter-news

I Got 25 Words To Go Now

Was never quite able to do the 25 Random Facts about me that Facebookers often ask for, but I came up with 25 Words I Like:

1. Care. About Family, Friends, and strangers, even when they don’t care about you. Sometimes, it’s a one way street and that’s ok.
2. Employ. Each of your senses and enjoy them. Compose your own soundtrack.
3. Recognize. The difference between Belief and Knowledge. They each have a place, but don’t confuse them.
4. Choice. It’s everything. Choose to feel good about yourself. Choose how you react to things. Choose to achieve and be proud of your accomplishments.
5. Greatness. You’ve got it. You just have to find it and unbridle your enthusiasm.
6. Question. The logic whenever possible. Mr. Spock was just as important as Dr. Spock.
7. Understand. The culture we live in is just one of many worldwide. Respect them all. - that could be you.
8. Think. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Use your brain. Think for yourself. Decide for yourself. Don’t be a robot. Don’t just drink someone’s kool-aid.
9. Resist. A mind is a terrible thing to baste. Watch the chemicals. Dare to feel great unenhanced, uninfluenced, and unencumbered.
10. Education. It’s usually the answer, no matter what the problem.
11. Maturity. Birthdays are an unfortunate requirement of gaining perspective.
12. Reward. Pay is unfortunately often in inverse proportion to contribution to society. The reward is in the doing.
13. Strive. Never settle for less than you deserve, in anything.
14. Legacy. You probably will be remembered mostly for your passion, much less for your clothes, hair, and looks.
15. Memory. Unpredictable -There really is no accounting for what people, especially kids, remember.
16. Absorb. Don’t be afraid to do nothing but take it all in
17. Give. Don’t let your gift giving be dictated by just holidays and invitations.
18. Receive. Don’t be afraid to appreciate without reciprocating.
19. Control. Your activity and your attitude. It’s about all we can control. Don’t worry about what you can’t control.
20. Celebrate. Whatever and whenever you fell like it. Cut loose.
21. Unanimity. When everyone is absolutely sure – Beware, danger ahead. Stand as a contrarian to rile the passion and stimulate discussion.
22. Enjoy. Do what you enjoy even if everyone thinks you’re crazy.
23. Vision. See the USA, see the world, see the wonder, see the future.
24. Energy. Diminishes with age and is most wasted on prejudice, anger, and hatred.
25. Share. If at all possible, share your life with the love of your life – that’s the ultimate.

At the Cinema - July 09

The Hurt Locker – 10 out of 10
Can you hold your breath for 2 hours?
You’ll feel like that’s what you’ve been doing when the credits finally roll on The Hurt Locker. Now this is movie-making! Real characters – ones you care about and ones that you watch evolve during the course of the movie. Real Action – not CGI. Real Emotion that you can feel as the characters cope with each other.

Where do I begin? Let’s start with Kathryn Bigelow, the director. She and her partners financed this on their own. The Army famously didn’t cooperate in the filming (too busy with Transformers I guess.) I’ll admit I’ve always liked her movies, and Point Break is one of my guilty pleasures. I love the fact that the action in her movies is real and visible – not blurry.

Let’s talk about Jeremy Renner in a star making performance as Staff Sgt William James, a bomb-defuser in Iraq. I hope the word of mouth grows throughout the year so Bigelow and Renner aren’t forgotten when the awards presentations begin.

The movie revolves around a crew of three who specialize in defusing road side bombs. I honestly don’t want to tell you much more except that the movie crackles with the kind of real tension most movies only dream of. When it comes to your town – go see it. More than just a great war movie, it’s a study in how war is a drug for some.

I’m by no means a war-movie fanatic, but this is the best war movie since Saving Private Ryan. I always look at the D-day scene in Ryan as one of the greatest 20 minutes in movie history and I’ve always thought that the 2 bookends of heart-tugging that Spielberg framed this movie with greatly distracted from its greatness. I thought he should have not let people in the theatre after the movie started, like Hitchcock did with Psycho, and assaulted us with the beach scene right from the beginning. Think how stunning it would have been! Just my 2 cents.


Whatever Works – 8
The latest Woody Allen movie is going to be purely a matter of taste. If you like Woody’s humorous take on the relationship arc, and you like Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) you’ll probably like this. The fact that three of the four main characters are from Mississippi and are fairly realistic is a plus.
But, what elevated this movie for me is Evan Rachel Wood who is stunning as the Mississippi runaway who lands in New York and in crotchety Larry’s lap. I first noticed her in “Across the Universe” where her singing stood out, liked her in “The Wrestler” but here she lifts her game to a new level. She’s wonderful here and she’s the number one reason to see this movie. This is a pass at the greatness of “Annie Hall” and while it doesn’t get there, let’s just say Evan Rachell Wood reaches Mira Sorvino status.


Bruno -7
I went to this expecting a vile piece of excrement and I was only partially disappointed.
I had heard that this was the official end of civilization and that there would never be another NC-17 rating if this movie didn’t get it.
Sorry to disappoint you. Maybe I’ve hardened along with my arteries but I just didn’t think it was that racy. Way out there yes, but maybe I’m just used to what passes for movie humor these days, and I’m just not easily shocked anymore.
Tasteless and often hilarious, I only had to look away once or twice, and I was only grossed out once or twice. The movie never comes together into anything great, but I don’t think it was meant to do anything but entertain the target audience. If that’s you, go see it.

The Answer Man – 6
Mildly Interesting, and very gentle love story that didn’t really demonstrate a compelling reason for being made other than as a vehicle for Jeff Daniels.

Public Enemies – 5
Here is proof positive that a movie can be glitzy, well written, well acted, well directed, historically accurate, and still be totally bland and boring. Sometimes you just sit there, and you never buy in. You aren’t engaged. The movie just sits on the screen, going through the motions and so are you, trying to stay awake through all the gunfire.
I’m thinking this movie will go away rather quickly, and rightfully so.

Now, I’ll admit I’m not that crazy about mob/mafia/gangster movies, so I’m not the best one to judge, but one of my favorite old movies is shown in this one. John Dillinger went to see Manhattan Melodrama the night he was gunned down coming out of a Chicago Theatre, and they show several pieces of it here. I couldn’t help but wish as I watched Public Enemies that I was watching Manhattan Melodrama instead. So, rent it instead of this one – great old movie.

The McCartney Curse

I love the guy, but it's beginning to look like Paul McCartney isn't the greatest person to sing with if you're worried about your longevity. Am I the only one who has noticed?

Linda McCartney
John Lennon
George Harrison
Billy Preston
Michael Jackson

Who am I missing?

I'm not trying to be cruel here, but if I'm Stevie Wonder, I'm going on high alert.

Remember the "Paul is dead" rumor? Doesn't that seem a little ironic at this point?
I'm just saying....

This is like the "Gone with the Wind" curse. Did you know that almost everyone who was in that movie has died now? Makes you think, doesn't it?