Adventures in My Mind
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Dec 24, 2001
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 1:04 AM
Dec 21, 2001
Wednesday, December 20th. 2:30 a.m.
Just got home from seeing the Fellowship of the ring. I am giving my impression only, not a true movie review. I'll need to see it again before that can happen.
You'd swear by some reviewers that The Fellowship of the Ring is nothing short of the 2nd coming of Christ; I disagree. It's more like the 3rd or 4th or even 5th coming of Christ. You know, it's still pretty cool and all, it is the Son of God after all, but it's no longer all that special. That's the way I feel about The Fellowship in cinematic format. Removed from the incredible world of Tolkien's words, it is nothing more than a well made fantasy epic. The true beauty of The Lord of the Rings has always been the way that Tolkein tells the story not the story itself. His prose is the true hero. The movie, by necessity, reduces the prose to a series of plot points. Dark Lord rises. Dark Lord is defeated. Dark Lord is rising again. Enter the Hero. Hero must destroy talisman so Dark Lord cannot destroy all that is right and good. Dark Lord's minions create problems for Hero. Hero prevails. Talisman is destroyed. Dark Lord is redisposed of.
I have seen this movie before. I saw it in the writings of Robert Jordan, Raymond Feist, Stephen Donaldson, et al. That is to say Tolkein without Tolkein. I say this as no slight to the movie; it was very well made. Jackson cleary lavished all of his time and attention to it. I only say it to make the point that the cinematic format lessened the impact of the narrative. Without the forceful narrative of the book, we truly have been there and done that.
With all of this said, I recommend The Fellowship of the Ring to any fantasy fans. Jordan, Feist and Donaldson may have made this story before, but Tolkein did it first.
I look forward to seeing all three movies back to back in the Director's Cut DVD. It should be pretty cool.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 1:47 PM
Dec 19, 2001
While I won't be in costume tonight--I gave that sort of thing up after the Rocky Horror Picture Show debacle back in '83--I get a kick out of this comic.
So this is it. The night of nights. The show of shows. It will either be a stunning achievement or a colossal failure. I don't think there will be any room for the middle ground on Middle Earth. The hyperbole of the Tolkein faithful won't allow it. Their Precious is too tightly held a treasure to let their opinions be neither high nor low. Hopefully, I will be no different. There is really nothing worse than a mediocre movie--you know, the cinematic equivalant of sorbet: tastey but in the end insubstantial.
Given Peter Jackson's oeuvre, he will either rise past expectations or go down in a fiery heap. Whether you like him or not, he is willing to take risks. This fact alone may turn him into the true hero of the LOTR trilogy.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 10:48 AM
Dec 18, 2001
Still have not been named Blogger's Blog of the Day. What must I do? Write this blog in my own blood? Blogger, why hast thou forsaken me?
Eurotrash hasn't suffered the same fate. They are dedicated to chronicling the historic leap from native Eruopean currencies to the euro. It should make a pretty big impact, mostly bad I suspect, at least in the near term anyway. Check out this blog it is chock full o good info on the euro.
Imagine if that happened here in North America: Canada, the U.S., Mexico, and all seven Central American countries giving up their native currencies for the Amero, or some equally silly nom de guerre. The most important change, of course, would be the movement to one Central Bank for all countries participating. Admittedly, I've not studied up on my international monetary theory for quite some time, but this move sounds disasterous for a sovereign nation's ability to control it's own ecomony, particularly larger more powerful nation who has a lot to lose from an unstable currency. Yes, yes, the whole idea of the European Union is to have one stronger and less factious Europe; but even in this day of super, mega globalization, I can't believe that even the lefties in Europe think that giving up a good chunk of their sovereignty for the sake of something that is essentially no better than increased buying power is a good idea. Sounds a lot like outcome based education. Bring the bottom kids up, but only at the expense of bringing the top kids down. Equality should never be mistaken for mediocrity.
For any number of reasons, though, this type of thing will never happen in the Americas. I just wonder what'll happen to the famed allegiances between the U.S. and Europe if the grand unified theory of Europe successfully comes to pass. Sounds like a good setting for a near-future sci-fi book to me.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 10:30 AM
Dec 17, 2001
What a proud day to be a Cleveland Browns fan. Fortunately, I am not one of them. Before the bitching and the rationalizing start, yes, it was a bungled operation by the officials. No, it may not have been fair. Yes, they could have a chance to win. Yes--now really pay attention here--it was an incomplete pass. Incomplete, do you hear?
And it all really sucks that the Browns are not nearly as good as the faithful would like to believe. Wah! Wah! Fucking Wah! But throwing bottles, shoes, Walkmans, and whatever else drunken, idiotic hands could grasp and heave is beyond the pale. Your damn team should have stayed away. You don't deserve one!
And the rationalization from Policy and Lerner was a piss. I guess you jeopardize the number of Tim Couch jerseys you sell by calling your fans a bunch childish hooligans, which they are. Scotland eat your heart out!
Chris Berman said it best last night: "Browns fans have been prouder." Right on, Boomer.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 9:58 AM
Dec 14, 2001
Please remember to give age appropriate gifts this holiday season.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 11:08 AM
Dec 13, 2001
Today is an uninspired day. I feel much like the weather: dull and gray. What was important yesterday seems very much not so today. Ho hum.
I have no thoughts that I want to share. There are no cool links to post. Nothing is fun today. I have a serious case of the blahs.
If I were at home, I could retire to the couch with a good book and escape my doldrums with some well written chapters. Yes, today is a good day for escapism. Unfortunately, I think the bosses would frown on such behavior. My only hope to get away, at least until 5 p.m. is this friggin blog. And like I said, today is an uninspired day.
I'm not depressed, mind you. I'm just feeling dull and drab.
What do you do when you feel like this? How do you fight blue-tinted days? Do you read? Do you write? Do you sleep it off? Do you sit on the couch like a lump and bitch up a storm?
What should I do? Let me know.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 1:43 PM
Dec 12, 2001
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. If you look out the cabin windows to your right, you'll see the Atlantic ocean."
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 11:07 AM
Dec 11, 2001
If I were a work of art, I would be Vincent Van Gogh's The Starry Night.
I am a tiny village at peace while overhead rages the tumult of the heavens. Objects whirl and flash around me in a fevered haze only partially reflected in reality while I remain grounded and secure in my isolation.
Which work of art would you be? The Art Test
and ...
I am a Grass-Covered Car.
I rival maladjusted shoes with my intense rectangular water. My salty phobias give way to weightless Japanese limestone with walruses. A gifted butter elevates my jazz pickles.
How do wooden desires roll decent foxes? The Utterly Surreal Test
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 3:39 PM
House Majority Leader Mulls Retirement
We should all be so lucky! After 17 years as a top republican bloodhound, Dick Armey wants to call it quits. This has to be good news to dems, moderate republicans, and everyone in between. His brand of Bible Belt fueled conservatism gives all rightward leaning people a bad name.
The article states that he "pushed consistently for tax cuts, less federal spending, elimination of some federal agencies and reduced federal regulation of business." All good things to be sure. But the article fails to mention that he also pushed for legislated Christian Coalition morality, corporate welfare, and intolerance.
Hopefully his mulling turns to doing, although I fear his likely successor, Majority Whip Tom DeLay, even more.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 9:20 AM
Dec 10, 2001
Can you say DSL?
While my service has slowed down considerably, I haven't been screwed nearly as bad as some of AT&T's customers. I have, however, endured interminable waits on the telephone, trying to figure out why my username and password no longer work, only to have untrained and unprepared CSRs accidentally cut me off, while transferring me to yet another CSR who wouldn't be able to answer my question.
I want to tell AT&T to kiss my ass, but it may not happen without serious switcing pains. My first look into DSL, on the Verizon Web site, suggested that I will not be able to get service in my home because we have AT&T digital phone service. We're saving a lot with the broadband phone, but I'll be damned if a company who gets well over $100/month from me is going to continue to treat me like a second class citizen. For that price, they should have a harem of concubines ready to service me when I have a problem.
Corporate Pigs!!
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 9:34 AM
Dec 7, 2001
C'mon dear readers ... I really would like to hear about how and when you found out that there was no Santa. Please add your comments to my 12/4 post. Thanks.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 1:09 PM
I watched a report on CNN this morning that quoted Mullah Omar asking to live a life "of quiet dignity" after the Taliban's surrender of Kandahar. What a peach this guy is! Let's aid in the training and establishment of a world-wide terrorist organization that participated in the deaths of thousands of innocent people, hide that groups leader from justice, declare a holy war calling for the death of America, and when every thing starts to go flooey ask for amnesty. Sadly, though, he'll probably get it.
What a quaint concept for a man who only days ago urged his Taliban fighters to fight to the death. Why do you figure that he didn't live up to his own exhortation? After all, what is good for the uneducated, brainwashed and holy-martyred jihadis should clearly be good enough for their mullahs, right? Alas, no it isn't. Apparently when the shit really starts to fly, the so-called leaders of the Islamic Movement lack the courage of their supporters convictions.
I guess that dying for Allah is to be praised only when someone else is doing the dying.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 1:06 PM
Dec 6, 2001
Chapter 33 of The Tao Te Ching:
Those who know others are intelligent;
those who know themselves are truly wise.
Those who master others are strong;
those who master themselves have true power.
Those who know they have enough are truly wealthy.
Those who persist will reach their goal.
Those who keep their course have a strong will.
Those who embrace death will not perish,
but have life everlasting.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 5:14 PM
Dec 5, 2001
This is simply the most addictive bit of the Web that I've found yet:
I Know Where Bruce Lee Lives (From Boing Boing)
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 11:41 AM
Dec 4, 2001
For many, the day they finally learned that Santa Claus wasn't real was a traumatic one. There was shock, disbelief, and a lot of crying. For me, however, it was rather pleasant.
For many years, my grandfather played Santa at a local social club, the New Brighton S.O.I. Every year there would be a big Christmas party, a pasta dinner, gift bags for the kids--literally brown lunch bags filled with candy, fruit, and a small toy--and cheap draft beer for the adults. All of our friends and family would be there. Of course, the highlight, for the kids anyway, was the arrival of Santa.
Well, back in 1973 or 74, when I was 4 or 5, I jumped up on Santa's lap to tell him all about how good I was and that it would be really great to get a great big Tonka hook and ladder fire truck. We did the whole ritual dance:
"Ho, ho, ho! What's your name, little boy?"
"Teddy Chuck (as I was called back in the day)."
"Have you been a good boy this year?"
"Yes."
"And what would you like for Christmas this year?"
It was right about this time that I noticed his ring and his stylish 1970's ankle-high, zip up, leather, dress boots. You remember them. All of your dads and male teachers had a pair.
"Are you my grandpap?"
"No, I'm Santa Claus."
"But why are wearing my grandpap's ring?"
"Ho, ho, ho! This is Santa's ring."
"Nuh, uh. It's pappy's ring. And those are his boots"
"You still haven't told Santa what you want for Christmas."
"Pappy, are you Santa Claus?"
"Next!"
And that was that. There was no Santa. Or maybe there was, and he was my grandfather, Charles Albertus Beckert. That sounds like a good real name for Santa, doesn't it?
Unfortunately, pap was heartbroken that I got wise to his secret. He never played Santa again. But everyone in my family still considers him to be the best Santa ever.
Pap is gone now, but I still wear Santa's ring every day.
Please leave a comment, good or bad, on how you found out the truth about Santa.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 10:26 AM
Dec 3, 2001
Sensitive readers may want to cover their ears ...
A big giant FUCK YOU to both Excite@Home and AT&T Broadband. Congratulations you greedy, ignorant corporate pigs; you've screwed hundreds of thousands of people out of Internet service, including yours truly.
Of course different types of blame must be placed upon these two high tech robber barons. Imagine running a company where $576 million a year in revenue is not enough and you are forced to declare bankruptcy. Such is the case for Excite@Home. Shame. And shame again for buying the @Home network a couple of years ago for only a couple of billion more than it was actually worth in the first place, thus dooming their ability to ever turn a profit. And triple shame for licensing their network to cable providers at a paltry $12 per subscriber.
As for AT&T Broadband, where do I begin. First, what the hell is the deal with providing phone, internet, and cable services without an integrated call center? Three different telepone numbers? It's stupid. It sucks! Feh! Second, how does the FTC not step in when it is clear that AT&T, the controlling member of the Excite@Home board, clearly steered the company towards bankruptcy in an attempt to buy it back well below market value? How is this legal? Third, even when it was evident that a federal judge wasn't going to let that happen, the good, service-minded folk at AT&T Broadband barely lifted a finger to protect its 850,000 subscribers against service outages that we are now being told will last up to 10 days!
10 days? Yeah, I'll just call up my creditors and tell them that I can't pay my bills until after my Internet service is turned on again. I'm sure they'll understand. What? Go back to paper and checks you say? Well, dear reader, that quaint notion will take nearly as long, if not longer, given that we don't even get bills from many of our creditors anymore.
Ah, yes. The digital day has arrived and my life is easier than I ever imagined.
0 Comments | Link to this post posted by Teddy 9:56 AM
