#1001, a movie review

I was five years old in 1939, probably the finest year of  filmmaking ever.  I am only now catching up on some of the interesting work that was produced that year.  Recently, I saw "Five Came Back," and despite the fact that the ending was no surprise, I found it quite entertaining.  One of my favorite character actors, Joseph Calleia, had one of the longer roles, perhaps the longest of his career.  His Maltese swarthiness was perfect for his portrayal of a criminal with morals who eventually became the protagonist.  Never fear, you don't see the head hunters;  it was enough to know they were out there.

Lucille Ball, before she turned loopy, and Chester Morris, before he became Boston Blackie were also in the cast, as well as Sir C. Aubrey Smith and John Carradine, the patriarch.  It was directed by Mia Farrow's dad who, I read, remade it in 1956 as "Back From Eternity," with Robert Ryan, Rod Steiger and a very mediocre supporting cast.

#1000

Because no one claimed the #900 prize, the One Thousandth Post award will be doubly exciting.  In addition, if a leftist can say something that can be considered so logical as to cause me to have second thoughts, I will reward him/her handsomely.  To wit, think about going 18 miles up in a hot air balloon as someone supposedly did just recently.  Then, imagine foolishly jumping out and achieving a downward-hurtling speed of over 500 MPH.  Well, you can enjoy some of that science bullshit.  Just enter now.

Choose your favorite post; comment on it, and I will seriously pretend to care what you think.  Remember, no one who lives in the real world need apply.

As I recently said in emails to my Senators, "I dare you to vote "no."  (Interestingly, Senate Majority Leader, Harry "The Weasel" Reid [D-NV], cancelled the vote on that issue.  Am I intimidating or what?)

Maybe America hasn't Got that much Talent (or proper syntax)

Despite the judges' protestations to the contrary, this year's show is pretty crappy.  In addition, it's going to be gone temporarily because, as the hostess of the pre-empted Fox dance show ruefully noted, "There's some sporting event on every night for the next two weeks."  (Did I say "crappy."  Does anyone say crappy any more?)

After the break, the 16 mediocre finalists will be supplemented by some other crap from UTube, and the judges will return some of the losers we hoped were gone.  For instance, last night Sharon Osborne said she's bringing back the cloggers who had just been rejected.  Cloggers?

The only hope seems to be that one judge will bring back the ventriloquist whose "dummies" are live dogs who "speak" using the same system of wires made famous by Mr. Ed.  I could vote for them, if, in fact, voting means anything.

If you aren't "uncoordinated," as my mother insisted I was, you might enjoy the Olympic machinations. Personally, I'll be watching baseball from the perspective of statistics, in that I have four fantasy teams that aren't yet completely eliminated.

Don't tell anyone, but

Yesterday, I broke the law.  I don't have a driver's license, but I drove 3 1/2 miles round trip to Fred's Automotive to get my truck smogged.  It passed, as usual, with flying colors.  Fred thanked us, even though we don't use him any longer for regular mechanical work because he tends to be a little shoddy.  Besides, we've discovered A & Z who haven't disappointed us yet.

With the truck turning 18 at the end of the month. I have been wondering if I could have him register to vote.  I don't know what kind of paperwork I would file, but I suppose he should have a name (Chevy Truckee?), and have his own P.O. Box.  That seems a little complicated just to point out the folly of letting youngsters vote, and I doubt they will mistake his pink slip for a birth certificate.

Naturally, it would actually be fraud to let him vote, especially since he won't have registered for the draft, and although he's been very reliable, he's as dumb as a liberal.  After all, he calls his pink slip an enTITLEment.

GUESS WHO will be calling President Obama The Great Assassinator in an upcoming newspaper.  Speaking of the men in black appearing, did you happen to see the first "Political Animals" (USA), when it lost all credibility?  He's the former President and Sigourney's character's ex-husband, and she's Secretary of State (the Clintons?)   When two limos arrive at a sleazy motel in broad daylight, she joins him in a rent-by-the-hour room while two Secret Service agents stand at attention outside the door.  Nobody would notice that, would they? .  .  .  .

(Is there another Sigourney somewhere?  Is it a stranger woman's name than Madison or Emery?)

. . . but I have been busy. . .

Be assured I have been published in the E-R at least twice since we last talked.  As usual, I continue to exhort Americans to dismiss President Obama and his henchmen, and elect enough new people to stop the spending and bring back real jobs in the private sector instead of expanding the IRS and wasting money building train tracks from Fresno to Bakersfield.

So, because everyone knows where I stand, and liberals are too brainwashed to open their minds to me, I've been focusing on entertainment.  For instance, I have been watching the misnamed talent show AGAIN, and despite the judges' assertions that it is the best yet, that's only hype.  I have seen no million dollar acts.  Also, the petty squabbling between Howard Stern and Howie Mandel is beginning to look real and extremely childish.  Those who tweet Howie should tell him so.

In my old age I find myself, more and more, enjoying the "family" and "romantic comedy" film categories.  I recently saw "The Magic of Belle Isle" (2012), a new Morgan Freeman cable/satellite offering featuring charming children and a major dog.  No foul language, car chases or gratuitous violence.  Freeman is a real class act; maybe he should run for office.  And yesterday, I watched "Dear Heart" (1964) FOR THE SECOND TIME.  It just goes to prove that "Dr. Strangelove" and the song "We'll Sing in the Sunshine" weren't the only good things to come out that year.

Also, I am discovering that "Gunsmoke" (l955-75) had some nice moments, many of which I have never seen.  On the other hand, "Cybill" (Shepherd) (1995-98), all of which I saw, was badly acted, and I don't know why I liked it.

On one serious note, race relations took a giant step backward this week when the NAACP annual convention invited Willard the Mitt to speak, and then booed him for his stand on Obamacare.  Rudeness and the entitlement mentality ran amok.

Annoyances

I have never taken a course in marketing, but two practices businesses employ really annoy me, and I don't understand why anyone considers them effective sales techniques.

1) The same TV commercial being repeatedly aired convinces me never to purchase the product.  For instance, I have seen the Anthem ad in which "grandpa" plays "Born To Be Wild" at least a hundred times.  Do you suppose they think that when I see Number 101 I'll suddenly be encouraged to call them and buy?

2) Each Sunday, I receive a brochure from each of three stores I regularly patronize.  Why do they change the prices each week for no apparent reason?  For instance, my favorite, Moosehead Lager, fluctuates in price from $9.99 to $10.99 to $11.99 depending upon the whim of some "expert" in the sales department.  What a waste of paper, when I simply wait for the cheapest price.

Next, Anderson Cooper has officially come out of the closet.  Why does anybody care?   Is it because now we can be reminded again that Gloria Vanderbilt is his mother?  Is this part of the love-hate relationship the liberals have with the rich?    I hope he doesn't use his gay public personna to emulate Andy Humm of TV's "Gay USA" (FSTV)  who uses his forum childishly to bad-mouth his betters.  This week, for instance, he had the affrontery to call President Reagan and Winston Churchill insulting names because they died without marching in some "pride" parade.

Finally, the day before the Supreme Court got health care wrong, they legitimized lying.  It is now perfectly legal for any sleazebag to claim he has received a military honor.  Never mind that the Ten Commandments denounce lying, and many churches consider it a sin punishable by damnation, the liberals on the Court emulated their cronies in Congress to contnue the attack on religion, the truth, and the founders' vision.

Tomorrow, on the nation's birthday,  please think about what you can do to assure there will be another one.