Archive for January, 2009

Rush Limbaugh. I kind of like the sound of that.

Kind of reminds me of this movie I once saw…

(A Face in the Crowd - 1957)

I told a friend I might go see Clint Eastwood’s new movie Gran Torino and she told me, “It’s a Clint Eastwood movie.  You can’t go wrong”.  So I reminded her about ‘Every Which Way But Loose”. (Zing!)  But despite Eastwood having the honor of a long career in spaghetti westerns and really bad movies with monkeys, Gran Torino ads to a growing list of Eastwood-redeeming movies such as True Crime, Million Dollar Baby and a good nod for Bridges of Madison County (not mentioning other produced material).  Torino is good.  Not because it’s another “Eastwood saves the day” piece of work but rather the character himself.  Racist and bitter, Eastwood’s character (Walt Kowalski) embodies real and living stereotypes.  The roots of racism are deep.  Set aside a nearly predictable plot (aren’t most movies too predictable these days?), the spilling of racist verbage out of Kowalski’s mouth isn’t all that shocking if you have an old uncle you liberally used the word “zipperhead” or “gook”.  What Eastwood has done in this movie was to bring it front and center in a humorous enough way that while you could get a good laugh, you understood the underlying condition through the character.  Not that it wasn’t a bit over the top, but in order to sustain the bitterness of the character and observe the transformation of Kowalski it almost seemed necessary.  This racism shit dies hard and why should a movie character who embodies that racism pull the punch.  The humor dies a bit but at least the wit was consistent.

There are some weak moments in the movie.  A monologue complete with “I’m going it alone” really should have made the cutting room floor.  Pahllleezzz… But fitted with a pretty good ending and I’d say this movie stands up with the best Eastwood has had to offer.

Go see it and think of your WWII generation Grandfather while you are at it.

Interesting related Link:  Huffington Post

First off, the Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Cities Inauguration Party was nothing less than a complete success.  It was by far more than anyone who was involved in putting it together expected.  Being a potluck sort of event, usually there is quite a bit of food, but you would never believe how much food showed up, or how many people.  Thanks to some emails from local party folks, the Tri-City Herald, our Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Cities mailing list and vigorous word of mouth, easily 300 folks showed up to the event.  People none of us had ever seen.  It was inspiring and for awhile, for me at least, a bit frightening.

Aside from bringing and setting up a projector and sound system, part of my task was to make sure we had a video of Obama’s acceptence speech… you know… the highlight of the event.  And being the tech guy I should have been able to handle it no problem right?  Um… no.  Everything that could go wrong, went wrong and as time was running out, I’m pretty sure I went a little more grey.  In order:

1. DVR on TV - Didn’t capture it.  I must have messed up.  I have no idea, but it’s not there.
2. DVR on Computer - Didn’t capture it.  I must have messed up.  I swear I hit record.
3. I didn’t realize either of those things until 3pm.  I’m setting up in 1 hour.
4. After speech, networks, CSPAN etc… are not playing full Obama speech back.  Just clips and chunks of commentary and inaug ball footage.
5. 4pm, CSPAN plays the speech back.  I hit record on the DVR and head out to go set up.  My only other option so far is a YouTube version with the WORST audio ever (CSPAN, what is wrong with you people).  I’ve looked everywhere else and none are reliable in case there is no wireless to play it over the computer.  iTunes doesn’t have it.  I’m nervous but I go set up hoping my last chance at the DVR works.
6. After setting up at the Shilo, I leave without my computer (and what turns out to be a key cord).  Bad move as the plan was to play back the TV DVR to the Computer DVR and play it back from there.
7. Yeah!!!!  TV DVR captures the whole thing.  Perfect!   Now all I gotta do is get it to the… um… computer that I don’t have.  Shit!  Ok ok… calm down.   We have other options.  My mini-DV recorder… oh yeah, I forgot:
8. Mini-DV function only records through firewire interface.
9. I know, I’ll use the camera (it’s 5:35).  I can record it straight from the TV DVR to the camera with my mini A/V cable that is:
10. At the Shilo with my iPod.
11. Run across street, buy expensive Radio Shack cord.
12. At last, this is going to work!!!  I know it until I realize:
13. Camera battery is dead and Bill Monto lost my charger and:
14. My extra aftermarket charger is broken.
15. More grey hair sprouting, I can feel it.  It hurts.  It is making the veins in my head hurt.  I am a complete failure.
16. Then:  “Oh yeah, Jimmy… remember that old DVD recorder you bought at Big Lots 4 years ago.  Piece of crap but it is your last chance… where is it?” (it’s 6:30 - event started at 6:00pm)
17. Well… fortunately for me it was in the last place I looked.  Plug it in, insert DVD, 20 mins later I’m racing back to the Shilo with an untested DVD.
18. At the Shilo, plug DVD into computer (I brought the DVD player but FORGOT the remote control… ever try to figure out a DVD player by those little buttons with a 200bpm heart rate?
19. Bartender… Jack and Coke… make it a double.
20. 7:30… launch inauguration speech DVD.  Plays all the way through.  Success!
21. Bartender… Jack and Coke… make it a double.

So there you have it.  A personal failure averted… I think the Gods just wanted to mess with me.

And now for your viewing pleasure:

(Best my I could do in the low light)

I would like to send out a special thanks to cheap electronics from Big Lots.