“Human Speed-Bumps”
Okay I am all for freedom of speech, and protesting something or cute little catchy chants. But there is a fine line between making a statement and just becoming royal pain in the ass.
A few days ago there were many local students college and high school that decided to walk out and protest the pending (possible) war with Iraq. That’s fine and dandy, although I’m sure several students simply did it in order to make the absentee total high enough to merit class being cancelled. Heck I walked one time in grade school once for some reason that I don’t recall. All I knew was the person who lead the revolt was Sharon Hiley, the kind of girl (10 years ago anyway) that got all the guys out of their seat. I think it had something to do with her getting detention or something. Who knows, but I doubt half of them actually believed in the cause.
Anyway a few days ago some smart-asses came up with the idea of laying in front cars in the city of brotherly love. I guess this was a cheap ploy to get on TV (it worked most local network affiliates got footage of the event), but when they are causing traffic snarls that’s simply just interfering with other peoples daily life. Christ I am not sure an Anti-War protest needs anymore coverage I have seen more articles and seen enough footage to fill a small museum. Now before you jump all over my pasty white back of course its important for them to get coverage! I am just saying it’s not like its something we are unaware of, anyone that cares about the future of the country is aware of this.
Now if some dude was laying in front of the tempo and I was late for a job interview it would have gotten ugly. After politely telling him to pick his ass off the pavement and not getting a response I would resort to yelling. Than I would result to kicking him in the ribs repeatly at least he would look like a hypocrite if he came swinging. I even saw a poor woman yelling at the people that she agreed with them and she just wanted to get through. I don’t know what Joe Public is going to do due anyway to please the protester. Why don’t they just engulf the White House and sing folks songs holding hands.
Now we have an incident where highschoolers turned a walk-out protest into a miniature looting fest. They broke windows and shelves in a Mobil gas station and stole merchandise. The event also disrupted traffic like in Philly. I am not saying protesters are all going to start trouble, but you have to figure kids are going to be protesting just to protest. It’s the teenager code in many aspects. Okay, you won’t stand of violence or a WAR FOR OIL, but you do stand for destruction and stealing snickers? Anyone that can manage such a complicated issue to NO BLOOD FOR OIL is certainly over simplifying. Are things going to get out of hand again? Are we going to have water hoses being aimed at protestors again?
Say what you want to say, but don’t put others in danger or jump in the faces of other students on a college campus screaming stuff at them. Give them literature if you desire its about educating not forcefully shouting silly catch phrases or causing destruction for attention. I haven’t decided what side of the fence I have fallen in, but I guess I should soon so I know what to pain on my chest for CNN. Speaking of painting chests, does anyone know what happened to Sharon Hilly?
Friday, March 07, 2003
Thursday, March 06, 2003
"It Is On"
For those of you wondering Ryan is playing at Damico's Friday night. He plays from about 6ish to 9ish. You usually don't have to make reservations. The food is pretty damn good, and they give you (with most platters) a plentiful size. You get a salad and soup too so its a sweet deal!
However the best part of the night is Ryan, Chris Arter, and dude named dave playing jazz type music. Oh yeah and the boss of the establishment Vinny just might stop by your table and say hello. Maybe even if your lucky you can get a seat near Ryan's parents.
For those of you wondering Ryan is playing at Damico's Friday night. He plays from about 6ish to 9ish. You usually don't have to make reservations. The food is pretty damn good, and they give you (with most platters) a plentiful size. You get a salad and soup too so its a sweet deal!
However the best part of the night is Ryan, Chris Arter, and dude named dave playing jazz type music. Oh yeah and the boss of the establishment Vinny just might stop by your table and say hello. Maybe even if your lucky you can get a seat near Ryan's parents.
Wednesday, March 05, 2003
"Can You Smell That Smell?"
Earlier today I stopped by my friend Ricks house who lives just down the White Horse Pike from me. I was there to pick up money I had left behind in his car. Something I am famous for, and luckily Rick didn't pocket the loot. Anyway when I got to Rick's house his car was there (both of them actually) and I knew he had to be home.
So as I am knocking on his door and calling his home on my cell phone to get him to come to the door. As I did this I smelled a strong ordor of gas. It was so intensely strong that I started to wonder if it was actually coming from Rick's house. He still wasn't opening the door. Perhaps he had enough of Boscovs and shoved his head in the oven to OFT himself. Perhaps it was the silent killer and slowly killed him leaking from somewhere while he was listening to Pink Floyd. Perhaps his rooting corpse would greet his mother upon her return home. So I figured I'd try to open the door, but it was locked.
I thought either im jumping to conclusions or he is already dead anyway. So I opted not to bloody my hand or break his a window for no reason. I could have tried the back door but there was too much snow out there, and like I said I figured if that gas was leaking he was dead already. Im sure I would have felt bad when I heard of a grisly discovery on the 10 O'clock news.
Than I got home to continue my job search (IT STINKS). I noticed he was online and well. Finally I went back over his house and while I was there I voiced my concern of the strong gas smell. He told me they called the gas company out a month ago, and they just shrugged over the strong odor and told him not to worry about it. Not that they found the source of the odor. Odd since its so strong and their the gas company and all.
So if you see a block of Laruel Springs engulfed in flames you will know why. Thanks for reading this and wasting precious seconds of your worthless life.
Earlier today I stopped by my friend Ricks house who lives just down the White Horse Pike from me. I was there to pick up money I had left behind in his car. Something I am famous for, and luckily Rick didn't pocket the loot. Anyway when I got to Rick's house his car was there (both of them actually) and I knew he had to be home.
So as I am knocking on his door and calling his home on my cell phone to get him to come to the door. As I did this I smelled a strong ordor of gas. It was so intensely strong that I started to wonder if it was actually coming from Rick's house. He still wasn't opening the door. Perhaps he had enough of Boscovs and shoved his head in the oven to OFT himself. Perhaps it was the silent killer and slowly killed him leaking from somewhere while he was listening to Pink Floyd. Perhaps his rooting corpse would greet his mother upon her return home. So I figured I'd try to open the door, but it was locked.
I thought either im jumping to conclusions or he is already dead anyway. So I opted not to bloody my hand or break his a window for no reason. I could have tried the back door but there was too much snow out there, and like I said I figured if that gas was leaking he was dead already. Im sure I would have felt bad when I heard of a grisly discovery on the 10 O'clock news.
Than I got home to continue my job search (IT STINKS). I noticed he was online and well. Finally I went back over his house and while I was there I voiced my concern of the strong gas smell. He told me they called the gas company out a month ago, and they just shrugged over the strong odor and told him not to worry about it. Not that they found the source of the odor. Odd since its so strong and their the gas company and all.
So if you see a block of Laruel Springs engulfed in flames you will know why. Thanks for reading this and wasting precious seconds of your worthless life.
Sunday, March 02, 2003
“Back to the Trilogy”
Not that anyone asked, but since I got the Back to the Future Trilogy for Valentines Day on DVD I was able to revisit one of my favorite movie franchises of all time. Hey Drew does this with bond movies. I hadn’t watched any of the movies in well over a year which for me was a long time to not view these films that were high on my annual rotation of films. (I am a loser). Here some useless facts and comments about the films:
Back to the Future
One of the original scripts of the movie had Marty McCfly in need of a nuclear explosion to teleport him from 1955 back to 1985. Thankfully that would have cost too much money, and we get a more plausible scenario and the classic sequence with the lightning hitting the clock tower. This also enables the early scenes to serve as foreshadowing.
The first film in still remains the favorite of the 3 among most film fans (that’s the case most of time though). Despite the fact that it will always be known as an “80s’” film, the movie almost twenty years later still holds up quite nicely. The movie magic and the pure fun of it the film makes it seem as though its destined to become a timeless classic.
The movie although about time travel is more about people and relationships. As repeated more times on the DVD special features than Jenna blogs about her love for Jay (lima beanz) the premise was based on validating your parents always telling you how they never drank, fooled around or misbehaved. As Marty finds out its pretty much all lies, and his mother “parked” several in a car several times and in a deleted scene sees her cheat on a test.
Did You Ever Notice ?
In the scene late in the film when Doc is getting ready for his “science experiment” a person in some what outlandish (at least to anyone from 1985 on) drive past on a bike in the back ground. In Part II Doc Brown tries to disguise himself while riding around on a bike, and wears a somewhat similar outfit. In the movie he ends up riding behind Doc from the first film, and actually engaging in a brief conversation. I am no longer sure this was intentional though since I can’t find mention of it on any of the special features.
Cool Deleted Scene:
When Marty goes to freak out his father (in 1955) he talks to him more. He specifically tells him to take out his would be mother to the dance. After this he gives him chloroform to knock him out, than hopes out the window, slides down the house and hops in the Docs car. This makes more sense since I was wondered how George (Marty’s Dad) would let Marty (disguised) awkwardly just exist his bedroom after it would likely become clear he was just a wired-o in a costume.
Point to Ponder:
When Marty finally returns to 1985, his life quality has drastically improved. However we are to be happy that everything has returned to “normal”. Once Marty spends time with the new McCfly family ( he doesn’t for several weeks due to time traveling) I’m sure he will find that his relationships with his family is much different. For example his brother now wears a suit to work, and his parents seemingly have a different outlook on life and likely a different parenting style (providing Marty with the 4x4, liking his girlfriend).
Back to the Future Part II
Painted in a bit of a corner since the first films ending was just originally ment to be amusing, and not a introduction to a sequel, the movie plays out in break neck speed. Some people were turned off by the 3 different acts in different time eras, however I thought it worked quite well, especially for the middle installment of the films. Certainly the darkest of the 3.
Of course when dealing with time travel, things get confusing. Luckily we have Doc there to not only explain stuff to Marty, but to the audience. It might take a 2nd viewing to completely understand all the concepts of the film. What is really unique is a chance to literally relive the ending of the first film with the characters in Part II walking through the events of the first one. Something no filmmaker could have passed up chance to do. Too my knowledge it has never been done before or since.
The movie’s look for the future (2015) might be dated in a few years since we don’t seem to be on the verge of having hovering cars. However some things like the multi-picture flat screen TV are a common site these days. The main reason for the at times silly Future outlook is because the makers wanted for once to make the future look fun. Id have to admit Id rather live in this future rather than Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, or Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. Not to mention the fact we get to experience the dark side of time travel in the alternate 1985 in the middle of the movie. This world is done quite well and is the ying to the yang of the first 30 mins of the movie.
Did You Notice?
That the paper that shows Doc being committed also has headline about Richard Nixon seeking a fourth term, when the future is reinstated to that of the end of part I, it blends into saying Regan seeks 2nd term. Also many soon to be bigger names were in this movie for brief appearances, including Billy Zane and Elijah Wood (the little kid in the Café 80s).
Missing Cast Members:
Cripsin Glover who played Marty’s dad did not return for any of the sequels. Apperently his agent wanted more cash. I have read reports that he wanted more money than Michael J Fox to return. The decided to decline his greed, and pretty much write his character off. Although he does appear in the future they cleverly diverted the audiences attention while putting another actor in the role. In the future he is covered in makeup and hovering upside down due to a back injury. Because of the make up and the absurdness ( and laughs im sure it generated) of him being upside down the audience was to distracted to realize it was another actor, and most people actually thought (and still think) that it was actually Cripsin Glover. He does appear at the end of the film, but only in footage from the first film. He isn't in III either, but some other dude shows up in a far away shot as the 1985 verision. Look for Glover in a movie where he is creepy (as usual) and controlling rats for some reason due out in theaters in a few weeks.
Meanwhile Elizabeth Shue was quietly slipped into the role of Marty’s girlfriend. Apparently the actress who had played her ( Jennifer Grey more known for Dirty Dancing and Ferris Buller’s Day Off) had a mental break down. She was with Mathew Broderick when he accidentally killed a mother and daughter driving on the wrong side of the road in England. Broderick broke his leg, but recovered but Jennifer Grey had serious issues for years after (combined with success at an early age). Thankfully Marty’s girlfriend was written off early in Part II also, although it seemed a little awkward it would have been twice as much of she was a main player in the remainder of the movies.
Back to the Future Part III
Maybe my least favorite (I hate to rate these movies tough), but I still really enjoy the movie which means they did a really good job. The film starts in 1955, but spends most of the time in 1855, when Marty has to go save the Doc who had been accidentally warped (and trapped) in the old west at the end of the previous film. I did enjoy the set for this movie, and the slower pace worked with the movies’ plot. We get to see Marty interact with his ancestors and Fox puts in a good performance as his great grand father.
The whole movie has a sense of building to it that the others don’t because you know the films are drawling to a close, so not only do we get movie climax (some people felt cheated at the end of II, but I thought it was an awesome ending) but a finale to the movie series. Although destruction of the deloran at the end of film still hits really hard after all these viewings, I was never fully satisfied with the final minutes of the trilogy. The exchange between the Doc and the kids was nice, telling them how their futures have already but written, however I would have liked to know what the heck Doc was doing other than stopping by to say goodbye. Well Id imagine he went back to 2015 or so to get a hover conversion on his train engine, and get his dog. But wouldn’t having kids who could very easily steal anther guys chick (like Marty almost accidentally did) and disturb the natural course of events? Were these kids being raised in the late 1800’s early 1900’s? Id assume so since he said he wasn’t going to the future. Even Marty seemed confused. It was nice of Doc to say goodbye and all, but shouldn’t it been more practical for him to set up shop in 1985? Than again those crazy terrorists might still be a bit miffed. I would just have liked the final scene to be perhaps two minutes longer, because it seemed too rushed to me. I mean Marty and Doc went through some serious shit together.
If you do watch them all with in a few days, you do sort of feel like you just got back from a vacation when the third installment ends. Which is a huge compliment to the makes of the film. I am glad they are refusing to ever do another film so they go out on high note.
Did You Notice?
That Marty gets the idea in the high-noon fight from a Clint Eastwood flick that Biff was watching in the evil 1985? Also that ZZ top showed up for a spell.
Useless Trivia:
Michael J Fox mentioned he loved making the movies, cause he go to learn how to skateboard, ride a horse, and shoot a gun. Mostly all the skills he has lost. In fact he forgot how to skateboard in the 4 years between the first two films which resulted in the invention of the hover board. Which was cool, because that thing is cool as hell, and despite what you have heard they are not real.
My Cousin had a deloran for a few years, but recently sold it. When he took it to car shows he would have a plat that either say. M McFly or Outtatime, it sat in display at an interior place on the pike(in somderdale) for a whole summer. Somewhere there is a picture of me in it. I should have taken more and posed like Fox looking at my watch ! DAMNIT!
Pretty Cool: I loved every credit sequence that they did. The first film was classic with all of Doc's clocks going at once. Part II had the famous ( awesome) music theme playing while we simply saw shots of clouds that the time travelers were going through. Now this might seem lame, but think about waiting for these sequel for 4 years. They show you the final scene fromt he first film (re-shot), than you just when you think you will get clue to what was going to happen, you are hyped up more by hearing the theme. I bet audiences minds were racing having just a few more minutes to try to predict where the story was going to go. In Part III the credits play over Doc and Marty resting after the wild adventures from the first two films. Its a nice touch and is kind of sentimental of the films drawling to a close.
These films are the perfect protype of what a FUN movie can be. They do require some thinking, and they prove blockbuster movies can be good films at the same time if the are done right. Students of film should be required to watch these films to see if what its like to catch lightening in a bottle.
Not that anyone asked, but since I got the Back to the Future Trilogy for Valentines Day on DVD I was able to revisit one of my favorite movie franchises of all time. Hey Drew does this with bond movies. I hadn’t watched any of the movies in well over a year which for me was a long time to not view these films that were high on my annual rotation of films. (I am a loser). Here some useless facts and comments about the films:
Back to the Future
One of the original scripts of the movie had Marty McCfly in need of a nuclear explosion to teleport him from 1955 back to 1985. Thankfully that would have cost too much money, and we get a more plausible scenario and the classic sequence with the lightning hitting the clock tower. This also enables the early scenes to serve as foreshadowing.
The first film in still remains the favorite of the 3 among most film fans (that’s the case most of time though). Despite the fact that it will always be known as an “80s’” film, the movie almost twenty years later still holds up quite nicely. The movie magic and the pure fun of it the film makes it seem as though its destined to become a timeless classic.
The movie although about time travel is more about people and relationships. As repeated more times on the DVD special features than Jenna blogs about her love for Jay (lima beanz) the premise was based on validating your parents always telling you how they never drank, fooled around or misbehaved. As Marty finds out its pretty much all lies, and his mother “parked” several in a car several times and in a deleted scene sees her cheat on a test.
Did You Ever Notice ?
In the scene late in the film when Doc is getting ready for his “science experiment” a person in some what outlandish (at least to anyone from 1985 on) drive past on a bike in the back ground. In Part II Doc Brown tries to disguise himself while riding around on a bike, and wears a somewhat similar outfit. In the movie he ends up riding behind Doc from the first film, and actually engaging in a brief conversation. I am no longer sure this was intentional though since I can’t find mention of it on any of the special features.
Cool Deleted Scene:
When Marty goes to freak out his father (in 1955) he talks to him more. He specifically tells him to take out his would be mother to the dance. After this he gives him chloroform to knock him out, than hopes out the window, slides down the house and hops in the Docs car. This makes more sense since I was wondered how George (Marty’s Dad) would let Marty (disguised) awkwardly just exist his bedroom after it would likely become clear he was just a wired-o in a costume.
Point to Ponder:
When Marty finally returns to 1985, his life quality has drastically improved. However we are to be happy that everything has returned to “normal”. Once Marty spends time with the new McCfly family ( he doesn’t for several weeks due to time traveling) I’m sure he will find that his relationships with his family is much different. For example his brother now wears a suit to work, and his parents seemingly have a different outlook on life and likely a different parenting style (providing Marty with the 4x4, liking his girlfriend).
Back to the Future Part II
Painted in a bit of a corner since the first films ending was just originally ment to be amusing, and not a introduction to a sequel, the movie plays out in break neck speed. Some people were turned off by the 3 different acts in different time eras, however I thought it worked quite well, especially for the middle installment of the films. Certainly the darkest of the 3.
Of course when dealing with time travel, things get confusing. Luckily we have Doc there to not only explain stuff to Marty, but to the audience. It might take a 2nd viewing to completely understand all the concepts of the film. What is really unique is a chance to literally relive the ending of the first film with the characters in Part II walking through the events of the first one. Something no filmmaker could have passed up chance to do. Too my knowledge it has never been done before or since.
The movie’s look for the future (2015) might be dated in a few years since we don’t seem to be on the verge of having hovering cars. However some things like the multi-picture flat screen TV are a common site these days. The main reason for the at times silly Future outlook is because the makers wanted for once to make the future look fun. Id have to admit Id rather live in this future rather than Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, or Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. Not to mention the fact we get to experience the dark side of time travel in the alternate 1985 in the middle of the movie. This world is done quite well and is the ying to the yang of the first 30 mins of the movie.
Did You Notice?
That the paper that shows Doc being committed also has headline about Richard Nixon seeking a fourth term, when the future is reinstated to that of the end of part I, it blends into saying Regan seeks 2nd term. Also many soon to be bigger names were in this movie for brief appearances, including Billy Zane and Elijah Wood (the little kid in the Café 80s).
Missing Cast Members:
Cripsin Glover who played Marty’s dad did not return for any of the sequels. Apperently his agent wanted more cash. I have read reports that he wanted more money than Michael J Fox to return. The decided to decline his greed, and pretty much write his character off. Although he does appear in the future they cleverly diverted the audiences attention while putting another actor in the role. In the future he is covered in makeup and hovering upside down due to a back injury. Because of the make up and the absurdness ( and laughs im sure it generated) of him being upside down the audience was to distracted to realize it was another actor, and most people actually thought (and still think) that it was actually Cripsin Glover. He does appear at the end of the film, but only in footage from the first film. He isn't in III either, but some other dude shows up in a far away shot as the 1985 verision. Look for Glover in a movie where he is creepy (as usual) and controlling rats for some reason due out in theaters in a few weeks.
Meanwhile Elizabeth Shue was quietly slipped into the role of Marty’s girlfriend. Apparently the actress who had played her ( Jennifer Grey more known for Dirty Dancing and Ferris Buller’s Day Off) had a mental break down. She was with Mathew Broderick when he accidentally killed a mother and daughter driving on the wrong side of the road in England. Broderick broke his leg, but recovered but Jennifer Grey had serious issues for years after (combined with success at an early age). Thankfully Marty’s girlfriend was written off early in Part II also, although it seemed a little awkward it would have been twice as much of she was a main player in the remainder of the movies.
Back to the Future Part III
Maybe my least favorite (I hate to rate these movies tough), but I still really enjoy the movie which means they did a really good job. The film starts in 1955, but spends most of the time in 1855, when Marty has to go save the Doc who had been accidentally warped (and trapped) in the old west at the end of the previous film. I did enjoy the set for this movie, and the slower pace worked with the movies’ plot. We get to see Marty interact with his ancestors and Fox puts in a good performance as his great grand father.
The whole movie has a sense of building to it that the others don’t because you know the films are drawling to a close, so not only do we get movie climax (some people felt cheated at the end of II, but I thought it was an awesome ending) but a finale to the movie series. Although destruction of the deloran at the end of film still hits really hard after all these viewings, I was never fully satisfied with the final minutes of the trilogy. The exchange between the Doc and the kids was nice, telling them how their futures have already but written, however I would have liked to know what the heck Doc was doing other than stopping by to say goodbye. Well Id imagine he went back to 2015 or so to get a hover conversion on his train engine, and get his dog. But wouldn’t having kids who could very easily steal anther guys chick (like Marty almost accidentally did) and disturb the natural course of events? Were these kids being raised in the late 1800’s early 1900’s? Id assume so since he said he wasn’t going to the future. Even Marty seemed confused. It was nice of Doc to say goodbye and all, but shouldn’t it been more practical for him to set up shop in 1985? Than again those crazy terrorists might still be a bit miffed. I would just have liked the final scene to be perhaps two minutes longer, because it seemed too rushed to me. I mean Marty and Doc went through some serious shit together.
If you do watch them all with in a few days, you do sort of feel like you just got back from a vacation when the third installment ends. Which is a huge compliment to the makes of the film. I am glad they are refusing to ever do another film so they go out on high note.
Did You Notice?
That Marty gets the idea in the high-noon fight from a Clint Eastwood flick that Biff was watching in the evil 1985? Also that ZZ top showed up for a spell.
Useless Trivia:
Michael J Fox mentioned he loved making the movies, cause he go to learn how to skateboard, ride a horse, and shoot a gun. Mostly all the skills he has lost. In fact he forgot how to skateboard in the 4 years between the first two films which resulted in the invention of the hover board. Which was cool, because that thing is cool as hell, and despite what you have heard they are not real.
My Cousin had a deloran for a few years, but recently sold it. When he took it to car shows he would have a plat that either say. M McFly or Outtatime, it sat in display at an interior place on the pike(in somderdale) for a whole summer. Somewhere there is a picture of me in it. I should have taken more and posed like Fox looking at my watch ! DAMNIT!
Pretty Cool: I loved every credit sequence that they did. The first film was classic with all of Doc's clocks going at once. Part II had the famous ( awesome) music theme playing while we simply saw shots of clouds that the time travelers were going through. Now this might seem lame, but think about waiting for these sequel for 4 years. They show you the final scene fromt he first film (re-shot), than you just when you think you will get clue to what was going to happen, you are hyped up more by hearing the theme. I bet audiences minds were racing having just a few more minutes to try to predict where the story was going to go. In Part III the credits play over Doc and Marty resting after the wild adventures from the first two films. Its a nice touch and is kind of sentimental of the films drawling to a close.
These films are the perfect protype of what a FUN movie can be. They do require some thinking, and they prove blockbuster movies can be good films at the same time if the are done right. Students of film should be required to watch these films to see if what its like to catch lightening in a bottle.
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