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Movie: The Lady from Shanghai
As soon as the film started Ann and I both wondered out loud: did the soundtracks of movies made in the late 1940’s all sound the same to people back then, or are we anthropomorphizing? The film gets right down to business shooting Rita Hayworth in soft light, and that’s about all it ever does.…
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Small Site Changes
I’m now running WordPress 1.0. I was enticed mostly by the improvements to categories. There are now descriptions for the categories, and a post can be filed under more than one category. As usual, please comment if anything is broken or simply offensive to your person.
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Wagon Wheel
Ann and I have been cooped up in the house too much, being sick. So we go out to wagon wheel today, in beautiful weather, for a little gentle walking. And we bring the crashpad and shoes just in case. Well, we park at the Little Loaf and start right off doing a bunch of…
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First Virus of the Year, Part 2
My turn now! I didn’t feel too bad this morning, so I went to work even though my throat was getting sore. I know how people love it when you come to work sick. Everybody loves a live virus. So I caught a clue and came home again. I’m still hoping for a lighter case…
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Sake Hog
I picked up this new word from a motorcycle license plate on my way to work this morning. I’ve heard the term rice rocket, but this is my first encounter with sake hog.
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Book: The Future of Life / Edward O. Wilson
Edward O. Wilson, an eminent biologist and conservationist, presents a projection based on current data of what may be in store for humans and all life on the planet in the next century. Thankfully Wilson doesn’t use dire predictions of planetary doom to further his agenda, which opens the book to critical as well as…
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maryblocksma.com
The Author’s Guild has put up a site for my mom, maryblocksma.com. This is a nice complement to her own publishing site, beaverislandarts.com.
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Beware Travelocity/Continental
These guys sold my mom a non-refundable ticket to Brussels that looked fine at first glance. Upon closer examination she saw that they had her landing at JFK airport in New York, then leaving for Brussels from Newark! Their customer service offers no apologies or alternatives – it’s make or break. Her only option is…
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Movie: Texasville
Expecting a sequel to The Last Picture Show, I was taken aback by the weird, slapstick, soap operatic opening scenes of this movie. Then it just keeps going! It’s almost an anti-quel rather than a sequel. Peter Bogdanovich is definitely making fun of himself here, and the chaos is truly hard to follow. But with…
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Movie: Fresh
One of my favorite movies. Fresh is a smart kid in the Chicago projects who is wrapped up in the drug trade. His relationship with his wino father, and eventually his survival, are expressed in his developing chess skills. With first-rate acting, writing, soundtrack by Stewart Copeland, and many places I remember well in Chicago,…