October 29, 2003
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October 28, 2003
Bubba Ho-Tep
Bruce Campbell as "Elvis" in Bubba Ho-Tep
It's so rare that anybody makes movies I want to see anymore. But Elvis and JFK fighting a Mummy in a retirement home? Hell yeah-I'm in.
October 27, 2003
More on comments...
It's fascinating; I work at home and have a cable connection. I spend more time online than watching TV these days. So I when heard about Elliot Smith's suicide online last week I just typed in exactly what I felt about it at the moment while listening to Needle in the Hay in iTunes. I really appreciate the immediacy of technology sometimes...
Having lived through my brother Bill committing suicide in 1995 I know unerringly, precisely, what's that like: to have to continue with your life even though there is now a huge part missing from it. I feel exceptionally bad for the family and friends of Elliot. They are the ones that have to keep living with his loss. The massive hole he’s left in their lives. Suicide really does suck. It sucks on a daily basis.
Since that post I've gotten a lot more comments on that entry than anything else I've ever blogged about. Most of them heartfelt and somber. Some of them angry. Some of them down right abusive.
It’s been my experience that everyone deals with death in his or her own way. I've had friends and relatives die and it's always like that. Everybody dealing in their own way.
I've received a couple emails asking me to take off some of the negative comments but I'm not going to. I'm just dealing (like everybody else) with another messed up fact of life. I feel like they should be allowed to do the same.
October 26, 2003
October 21, 2003
2 Days In The Valley
I'm not sure if you've ever spent any time in L.A. but it's always mind boggling to me that I live in Orange County these days. Orange County is the basically the best place either one of us has ever lived.
Mary and I just spent two days in the Valley while she was training for her new job as the Director of Pop Culture for LTU.
As it turns out Chatsworth is pretty much the ass end of L.A. The thing is this - it's not really L.A. it's like the unwanted stepchild of L.A. If I never have to go back to Chatsworth it'll be too soon.
On the upside I drove down to Santa Monica on Monday and saw Mystic River. Loved it. Easily the best movie I've seen all year.
October 14, 2003
Union dues...
Mary and I talked about it and decided that the grocery store union was full of crap. We wish we even had health insurance much less a co-pay. We went ahead and crossed the line after spending our Tuesday (our weekly date day) at the beach. Turns out that in doing so we saved $66.00 dollars in groceries.
On top of that Albertson's ended up not only giving us free food but actually owing us money on some of the items. Don't believe us? Check it out.
In all seriousness though this strike is a prime example of the "rising expectations theory" in social revolution. Mary wrote a paper on it- if you are interested view it here.
Hulk's Diary: Another victim to the CA Recall
The Hulk has ceased his mighty diary. Apparently Arnold's leadership has effected more than my DMV registration fees.
Speaking of which; the governor elect said he would repeal the car tax and yet when I went to Stater Brothers last night there was an advocate looking for signatures to add the car tax repeal to the next ballot. When I asked him why that was necessary (seeing that the voters had already been promised that the car tax would be repealed with Arnold's signature)? I was told that "No that's not going happen..." because the governor can't do that. Imagine my dismay at governmental bureaucracy.
Stater Brothers was an interesting trip as well. Mary and I have been going there since we moved back to CA. It's the lowest priced grocery store around. Last night it was packed with people that had obviously never been there before and were pissed off about it. The store was stripped bare. Mary had to buy margarine instead of butter because of it.
So now comes the question- do we cross the picket line? Or just put up with an hour-long wait in the check out line and not being able to purchase what we need?
October 10, 2003
Ghettopoly
Cheap Trick Avenue instead of Boardwalk?
Ghettopoly!
The whole family can join in on the racist fun!
The best part is this is just the first one. There's Ghettopoly! Hoodopoly! and coming soon Hiphopopoly, Thugopoly, and finally Redneckopoly.
I'm glad to see all those civil rights movements finally did some good.
October 08, 2003
Whatever...
So the returns are in. Once again the people have spoken with the characteristic speed and resolve of the uninformed.
It's not that I don't like actors so much as I don't like the idea that they are running things in my state. Or to paraphrase Bukowski; I just feel better when they're not around...
October 07, 2003
Total Recall
California. What a strange state to live in. The vote is on full tilt today. I like voting; it makes me feel involved and privileged. I'm not going to go into who or what I voted for today but I will say it's good to live in interesting times. I will also say that I didn't vote for any pornstars, actors, or magazine publishers.
Maybe I'm finally growing up?
October 05, 2003
Proud to be an American?
Since moving to Orange County I've noticed that a lot of people are very wealthy or at least have the appearance of being very wealthy.
Orange County is also very religious, and very patriotic.
Something I noticed this morning was that unlike Las Vegas (where the patriotic fervor brought about by the terrorist attacks of '01 seemed to have died down about three months after it happened) a lot of extremely expensive cars in the O.C. sport "Proud To Be An American" bumper stickers. What I find interesting is that a good deal of the cars making this claim never seem to be American made cars? I've seen this on a Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen, and a Jaguar just today.
So I was thinking the bumper stickers should read: Proud to be an American (that doesn't support American industry).
October 04, 2003
A Tiger Got 'Em
Isn't this just a weird thing to happen on your birthday? I'm not entirely sure but isn't this one of the signs of the apocalypse?
Best wishes Roy and a speedy recovery.
October 02, 2003
Comments 2
Okay here is the post
"here is a free tip:
if you don't know what you are talking about don't post online.
I'm sorry I don't buy what you said but it's to cheap."
Signed
David Cartrage
Again not sure what it is referring to --perhaps my glib post about the kids wanting groceries?
So angry yet vague...like a student screenplay.
October 01, 2003
Comments
I got this really strange "comments" under the Mallrats entry today. (since removed) It said something along the lines of "If I don't know what I'm talking about I shouldn't post on the web". Then something about how the poster "didn't buy what I was saying-blah, blah, blah...". Of course it contained the usual misspellings and poor grammar associated with the malcontents and the amateurish.
I don't think it was a real email address. The links didn't go anywhere at any rate. I guess that the thing I found disturbing was that I have no idea what the poster was talking about?
Mallrats?
Clocks?
eBay?
Continuity?
Perhaps there should be a rule about not writing on the web in people's weblogs if you can't be at least a tiny bit erudite?
Oh hell maybe Mark was right about the whole comments thing?