Feckless Piker(FP): It's that time of year again. Lots of food, parties, singing, decorating, gifting and good cheer.
Oddvark Contremundo(OC): Yeah, I love Christmas.
FP: I do too, but I was talking about Eggnog Time.
OC: Don't the two coincide.
FP: Not entirely. Eggnog Time starts just before Thanksgiving and ends on January 2nd.
OC: So, Eggnog Time lasts for over a month.
FP: That's right, Eggnog Time has been expanding for decades (in almost direct proportion to my waste line). It used to be just Christmas week. As the shopping season expanded, so did Eggnog Time.
OC: Do you like to spike your eggnog with spirits?
FP: No, I'm a purist. I like my eggnog straight up. However, I have nothing against a spirit chaser.
OC: I like a little spiced rum in my nog.
FP: You like a little spiced rum in your mouthwash.
OC: Ha!Ha! Very funny. Always making jokes about my hobby.
FP: One good thing about your hobby is that it is easy to find gifts for you and your gifts are easy to wrap. All one needs is a brown paper bag.
OC: I'm sticking to my talking points. Do you have a favorite egg nog?
FP: Oh yeah. Publix egg nog is the thickest, creamiest on the market.
OC: Publix does a lot of things well.
FP: Oddvark, how can a person who lives in a storage unit afford to shop at Publix? I figured you for a Walmart man.
OC: Whenever I have a big night at the poker table, I splurge by scheduling a shopping trip to Publix. Besides, I like to swap out shopping carts from time-to-time. Publix carts are a sort of status symbol on the street. Only the best for my worldly belongings.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
SEND LAWYERS, GUNS & MONEY
Feckless(FP): Oddvark and I just finished watching the documentary film Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. The film was narrated by Johnny Depp and includes interviews with a host of Thompson family, friends, colleagues and contemporaries. I really enjoyed this film; it was very comprehensive and allows the viewer to really get to know Thompson, to the extent that is possible in a two hour film about such a complex man.
Oddvark(OC): I've got to say, except for the obsession with firearms, some of Thompson's exploits reminded me of our old friend Big Moe.
FP: Oh yeah! I don't know if Big Moe was emulating Thompson, but they were definitely kindred spirits. Speaking of spirits, like Big Moe, Thompson consumed large quantities of Wild Turkey bourbon whisky.
OC: Yeah, they were both tall, slim and very interested in politics. Thompson was far more of an activist and advocate than Moe ever was. Moe was more of an observer and raconteur.
FP: For instance, the film reveals that Thompson virtually adopted George McGovern's presidential campaign and did everything he could to promote McGovern and criticize his opponents in the 1972 Democratic primary; Edmund Musky and Herbert Hoover. He recorded his impressions from the campaign trail in the book Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail. It is one of the funiest political books ever written. I didn't read it until I was almost 30 years old.
OC: I prefer Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The book is hilarious from the first page to the last. The Ralph Steadman artwork is also devastatingly humorous.
FP: Oh yeah, Dr. Gonzo could definitely write. His pieces for Rolling Stone magazine during the 60's and 70's are legendary. In fact, most of our readers would probably argue that a good deal of this show is derivative of Dr. Gonzo's work.
OC: What's derivative mean?
FP: It means that we have been heavily influenced by Hunter S. Thompson's body of work.
OC: Well, that's appropriate because we, like Dr. Gonzo, are usually heavily under the influence of adult beverages when we compose our work.
FP: According to the documentary, Dr. Gonzo was under the influence of more than just adult beverages.
OC: Well, times have changed.
FP: Have they? The U.S. is still involved in a long lasting foreign war on the other side of the world. We are still propping up corrupt politicians in countries that our military is occupying. We just experienced eight years of the most insular domestic regime since the Richard Nixon administration. We are still in the midst of a long recession that was, in part, brought upon us by rapacious Wall Street speculators and lax oversight by the aforementioned administration and the Congressional committees charged with oversight responsibilities (Dems included). In many ways, it seems like old times.
OC: Yeah, and just like 1968, I'm glad I'm not living in Detroit right now. There is a lot of flammable materials in my storage unit.
FP: And you accidently given most of those materials a liberal dousing with alcohol over the years.
OC: That's right, if I ever have to go on oxygen it will be like living inside a Molatov cocktail.
FP: I think you have to have health insurance to go on oxygen.
OC: No worries then; at least until I become eligible for Medicare.
FP: See the conservatives are right, government run health care programs can be a danger to our communities and way of life.
Oddvark(OC): I've got to say, except for the obsession with firearms, some of Thompson's exploits reminded me of our old friend Big Moe.
FP: Oh yeah! I don't know if Big Moe was emulating Thompson, but they were definitely kindred spirits. Speaking of spirits, like Big Moe, Thompson consumed large quantities of Wild Turkey bourbon whisky.
OC: Yeah, they were both tall, slim and very interested in politics. Thompson was far more of an activist and advocate than Moe ever was. Moe was more of an observer and raconteur.
FP: For instance, the film reveals that Thompson virtually adopted George McGovern's presidential campaign and did everything he could to promote McGovern and criticize his opponents in the 1972 Democratic primary; Edmund Musky and Herbert Hoover. He recorded his impressions from the campaign trail in the book Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail. It is one of the funiest political books ever written. I didn't read it until I was almost 30 years old.
OC: I prefer Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The book is hilarious from the first page to the last. The Ralph Steadman artwork is also devastatingly humorous.
FP: Oh yeah, Dr. Gonzo could definitely write. His pieces for Rolling Stone magazine during the 60's and 70's are legendary. In fact, most of our readers would probably argue that a good deal of this show is derivative of Dr. Gonzo's work.
OC: What's derivative mean?
FP: It means that we have been heavily influenced by Hunter S. Thompson's body of work.
OC: Well, that's appropriate because we, like Dr. Gonzo, are usually heavily under the influence of adult beverages when we compose our work.
FP: According to the documentary, Dr. Gonzo was under the influence of more than just adult beverages.
OC: Well, times have changed.
FP: Have they? The U.S. is still involved in a long lasting foreign war on the other side of the world. We are still propping up corrupt politicians in countries that our military is occupying. We just experienced eight years of the most insular domestic regime since the Richard Nixon administration. We are still in the midst of a long recession that was, in part, brought upon us by rapacious Wall Street speculators and lax oversight by the aforementioned administration and the Congressional committees charged with oversight responsibilities (Dems included). In many ways, it seems like old times.
OC: Yeah, and just like 1968, I'm glad I'm not living in Detroit right now. There is a lot of flammable materials in my storage unit.
FP: And you accidently given most of those materials a liberal dousing with alcohol over the years.
OC: That's right, if I ever have to go on oxygen it will be like living inside a Molatov cocktail.
FP: I think you have to have health insurance to go on oxygen.
OC: No worries then; at least until I become eligible for Medicare.
FP: See the conservatives are right, government run health care programs can be a danger to our communities and way of life.
Friday, October 16, 2009
SMOKY MOUNTAINS
Feckless(FP):Say Oddvark, did you have a good time up in the Smokies last week?
Oddvark(OC): Oh yeah! The Kamakazee Cocktails were flowing like Talulah Falls.
FP: That's true, but I want to know how you liked Clingman's Dome and Cade's Cove?
OC: Oh, they were cool man. Cade's Cove is beautiful and I really enjoyed seeing those old homesteads. It's hard to believe that people lived so simply back then.
FP: I know, they had to be almost completely self-sufficient because their commerce with the outside world was so limited. How about that climb up Clingman's Dome?
OC: Hell, I probably wouldn't have made it if Mountain Man Tom and The Pater Familias hadn't been with us. They almost had to carry me the last hundred yards.
FP: Yeah, it was almost straight up and down. That trail is pretty darn steep. With the thinner air, it really give the cardiovascular system a workout.
OC: Don't I know it. But the view from the top was worth it. I couldn't believe how far we could see. Top of the world!
FP: Well, top of North Carolina. That Arboretum in Asheville was also pretty nice.
OC: Yeah those Bonzai were fantastic!
FP: That decorative quilt collection and those nature photos were pretty impressive.
OC: The quilt garden was also beautiful. The Smoky Mountains are definitely our kind of place. Similar to Oregon in many ways, but a lot closer to home.
FP: Yeah, even Mountain Man Tom was impressed and he's a dyed in the wool Cascade man.
OC: I still enjoyed the extended cocktail hour at the end of the day. I also enjoyed that homestyle cooking.
FP: Uh, doggie, that Moose Cafe in Asheville was the best. What a value, the food was great and plentiful; the prices extremely reasonable.
OC: Yeah, a good time was had by all. The Pater Familias was mixing his patented Kamakazi Cocktails and the Captain Morgan chasers were going down smooth.
FP: Nothing like taking a soak in the jacuzzi, overlooking the mountain vistas, while sipping Captain Mo to relax a body.
OC: We are the relaxation champions of the world.
FP: We've definitely raised relaxation to an art form.
OC: Yeah, we're the Kamakazi School of Art.
Oddvark(OC): Oh yeah! The Kamakazee Cocktails were flowing like Talulah Falls.
FP: That's true, but I want to know how you liked Clingman's Dome and Cade's Cove?
OC: Oh, they were cool man. Cade's Cove is beautiful and I really enjoyed seeing those old homesteads. It's hard to believe that people lived so simply back then.
FP: I know, they had to be almost completely self-sufficient because their commerce with the outside world was so limited. How about that climb up Clingman's Dome?
OC: Hell, I probably wouldn't have made it if Mountain Man Tom and The Pater Familias hadn't been with us. They almost had to carry me the last hundred yards.
FP: Yeah, it was almost straight up and down. That trail is pretty darn steep. With the thinner air, it really give the cardiovascular system a workout.
OC: Don't I know it. But the view from the top was worth it. I couldn't believe how far we could see. Top of the world!
FP: Well, top of North Carolina. That Arboretum in Asheville was also pretty nice.
OC: Yeah those Bonzai were fantastic!
FP: That decorative quilt collection and those nature photos were pretty impressive.
OC: The quilt garden was also beautiful. The Smoky Mountains are definitely our kind of place. Similar to Oregon in many ways, but a lot closer to home.
FP: Yeah, even Mountain Man Tom was impressed and he's a dyed in the wool Cascade man.
OC: I still enjoyed the extended cocktail hour at the end of the day. I also enjoyed that homestyle cooking.
FP: Uh, doggie, that Moose Cafe in Asheville was the best. What a value, the food was great and plentiful; the prices extremely reasonable.
OC: Yeah, a good time was had by all. The Pater Familias was mixing his patented Kamakazi Cocktails and the Captain Morgan chasers were going down smooth.
FP: Nothing like taking a soak in the jacuzzi, overlooking the mountain vistas, while sipping Captain Mo to relax a body.
OC: We are the relaxation champions of the world.
FP: We've definitely raised relaxation to an art form.
OC: Yeah, we're the Kamakazi School of Art.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL
Feckless(FP): Here we are again, for another season of Los Rhodomontados.
Oddvark(OC): What do you mean another season? We don't have seasons, we write year around.
FP: I know, I'm just using my imagination to explain why we haven't posted in so long.
OC: We haven't posted in so long because we have been too busy trying to make a living.
FP: Oh yeah. But I didn't want to admit to such a banal reason for not posting.
OC: Let's tell our readers about our most recent cinema discovery.
FP: Oddvark and I recently viewed In the Realms of the Unreal, the story of Henry Darger, a reclusive writer, illustrator and painter.
OC: Yes, Darger was a recluse like Feckless and I, only he was about a million times more imaginative than we are and a million times more talented. In addition to an autobiography, Darger wrote and illustrated a 15,000 page fantasy novel.
FP: The book is about a long war of rebellion between seven angelic sisters and a male dominated society that enslaves children. The sisters enlist allies that join their war and rebellion on moral grounds. Darger was a devout Roman Catholic and spent many years working as a janitor in a Catholic school in Chicago. He lived in a small room of a boarding house for most of his adult life. He was very poor.
OC: That's another thing we have in common. We are also very poor.
FP: Not as poor as Darger. He could barely aford to feed himself.
OC: What do you mean not as poor? I live in a storage unit.
FP: You're right, we are as poor, I just don't like admitting it. However, you wouldn't be so poor if you didn't drink so much.
OC: If I didn't drink so much, I couldn't go on living. So, in my case, alcohol is medicinal because it keeps me going.
FP: I see, just like Darger's fantasy world kept him going.
OC: Yes, something like that. When he was no longer able to write, draw and paint freely his health went down hill quickly. He lost the will to live.
FP: That's right! Pass the bottle.
Oddvark(OC): What do you mean another season? We don't have seasons, we write year around.
FP: I know, I'm just using my imagination to explain why we haven't posted in so long.
OC: We haven't posted in so long because we have been too busy trying to make a living.
FP: Oh yeah. But I didn't want to admit to such a banal reason for not posting.
OC: Let's tell our readers about our most recent cinema discovery.
FP: Oddvark and I recently viewed In the Realms of the Unreal, the story of Henry Darger, a reclusive writer, illustrator and painter.
OC: Yes, Darger was a recluse like Feckless and I, only he was about a million times more imaginative than we are and a million times more talented. In addition to an autobiography, Darger wrote and illustrated a 15,000 page fantasy novel.
FP: The book is about a long war of rebellion between seven angelic sisters and a male dominated society that enslaves children. The sisters enlist allies that join their war and rebellion on moral grounds. Darger was a devout Roman Catholic and spent many years working as a janitor in a Catholic school in Chicago. He lived in a small room of a boarding house for most of his adult life. He was very poor.
OC: That's another thing we have in common. We are also very poor.
FP: Not as poor as Darger. He could barely aford to feed himself.
OC: What do you mean not as poor? I live in a storage unit.
FP: You're right, we are as poor, I just don't like admitting it. However, you wouldn't be so poor if you didn't drink so much.
OC: If I didn't drink so much, I couldn't go on living. So, in my case, alcohol is medicinal because it keeps me going.
FP: I see, just like Darger's fantasy world kept him going.
OC: Yes, something like that. When he was no longer able to write, draw and paint freely his health went down hill quickly. He lost the will to live.
FP: That's right! Pass the bottle.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
KAYAKING
Feckless Piker(FP): Oddvark and I just got back from kayaking in the Weeki-Wachee River with Mountain Man Tom (MMT) and The Pater Familias(TPF). We had a terrific time and observed a good deal of wildlife.
Oddvark Contremundo(OC): The water was crystal clear and nice and cool. Just right for these hot summer days.
FP: Yes, and the manatees were out in abundance. They were swimming right by our kayaks.
OC: Those things are huge and gentle. They don't move very fast either. It's no wonder they get hit by motorboats so often.
FP: Yes, it's a shame. They don't harm anyone. They just swim and eat plants.
OC: We also saw lots of mullet, a big, round turtle and many large, blue herrons.
FP: It was tough kayaking towards the springs against the current. Great aerobic exercise. We got a little more than half-way to Weeki-Wachee Springs when the weather started tuning ugly.
OC: Yeah, I was getting a little nervous with all that thunder and lightning. After all, we were just sitting there in the river.
FP: We were too far from home base to make it back without exposing ourselves to the elements. So MMT suggested we get under some trees on the bank and wait out the worst of the storm. As it turned out, this was the best strategy. MMT has a good instinct for that sort of thing.
OC: After the storm passed, MMT & TPF went swimming in a deep, clear water hole that was created in a bend of the river. It looked so refreshing that Feckless and I ended up jumping in too.
FP: There were no gators or snakes because the water is too cold.
OC: I hate snakes!
FP: We saw nary a snake the entire weekend. Just fish, manatees, turtles and birds.
OC: At night we got to see the new James Bond film Casino Royale. I like the new James Bond almost as much as Sean Connery. He's the best since Sean Connery.
FP: I agree, he is the best since Sean Connery. I should explain that the four of us rented a house on the river. It was very convenient because it had a boat ramp for launching our kayaks. Moreover, after a long day of kayaking on the river, we were able to return to all the comforts of home. Oddvark and I enjoy camping, but I have to admit that having air conditioning,refrigeration,hot showers, and cable TV waiting for you after a long day on the river can be very relaxing.
OC: Yeah, that chicken casserole TPF made was fantastic.
FP: I can't complain about all the Kamakazi Cocktails either. They really helped to soothe the sore muscles.
OC: You were putting away the Jim Beam and ginger too.
FP: Yeah, I wasn't feeling any pain, that's for sure.
OC: What was that other movie we saw?
FP: You mean Alone in the Wilderness. The documentary of Richard Proenneke building a cabin by hand next to a remote lake in central Alaska. Now that guy had some outdoors skills. He was a master carpenter. He was a hunter and fisherman. He knew how to plant and grow vegetables. He knew how to cook. On top of everything, he did a great job of making this film using an old-fashioned 8mm motion picture camera. This guy had a thousand skills that he put to work when he moved to Alaska and built his cabin in the wilderness at the age of 50. On top of that, he ended up living in the cabin for 35 years. The cabin is now a national monument in one of Alaska's national parks. A fitting tribute to a man who displayed tremendous resourcefulness and courage.
OC: Oh yeah, that guy is my hero. He had more talent in one of his little fingers than I have displayed in all my life.
FP: Don't get down on yourself Oddvark. You have some talents of your own. After all, how many people can fill up a hot air balloon and float through the air solely with the aid of a case of beer and a few cans of baked beans.
OC: That's true, but I sure would like to be able to build a cabin.
FP: Well, your storage unit is a little like Dick Proennecke's cabin. It's about the same size. It's made with corrugated metal rather than wood. You don't have a proper out-house with a half-moon door, but you do have the public library washroom.
OC: Yeah, I guess I'm an urban survivor rather than a wilderness survivor.
FP: That's right, you have your own qualities.
OC: Still, I'm not half the man Dick Proennecke was.
FP: Who is Oddvark, who is?
Oddvark Contremundo(OC): The water was crystal clear and nice and cool. Just right for these hot summer days.
FP: Yes, and the manatees were out in abundance. They were swimming right by our kayaks.
OC: Those things are huge and gentle. They don't move very fast either. It's no wonder they get hit by motorboats so often.
FP: Yes, it's a shame. They don't harm anyone. They just swim and eat plants.
OC: We also saw lots of mullet, a big, round turtle and many large, blue herrons.
FP: It was tough kayaking towards the springs against the current. Great aerobic exercise. We got a little more than half-way to Weeki-Wachee Springs when the weather started tuning ugly.
OC: Yeah, I was getting a little nervous with all that thunder and lightning. After all, we were just sitting there in the river.
FP: We were too far from home base to make it back without exposing ourselves to the elements. So MMT suggested we get under some trees on the bank and wait out the worst of the storm. As it turned out, this was the best strategy. MMT has a good instinct for that sort of thing.
OC: After the storm passed, MMT & TPF went swimming in a deep, clear water hole that was created in a bend of the river. It looked so refreshing that Feckless and I ended up jumping in too.
FP: There were no gators or snakes because the water is too cold.
OC: I hate snakes!
FP: We saw nary a snake the entire weekend. Just fish, manatees, turtles and birds.
OC: At night we got to see the new James Bond film Casino Royale. I like the new James Bond almost as much as Sean Connery. He's the best since Sean Connery.
FP: I agree, he is the best since Sean Connery. I should explain that the four of us rented a house on the river. It was very convenient because it had a boat ramp for launching our kayaks. Moreover, after a long day of kayaking on the river, we were able to return to all the comforts of home. Oddvark and I enjoy camping, but I have to admit that having air conditioning,refrigeration,hot showers, and cable TV waiting for you after a long day on the river can be very relaxing.
OC: Yeah, that chicken casserole TPF made was fantastic.
FP: I can't complain about all the Kamakazi Cocktails either. They really helped to soothe the sore muscles.
OC: You were putting away the Jim Beam and ginger too.
FP: Yeah, I wasn't feeling any pain, that's for sure.
OC: What was that other movie we saw?
FP: You mean Alone in the Wilderness. The documentary of Richard Proenneke building a cabin by hand next to a remote lake in central Alaska. Now that guy had some outdoors skills. He was a master carpenter. He was a hunter and fisherman. He knew how to plant and grow vegetables. He knew how to cook. On top of everything, he did a great job of making this film using an old-fashioned 8mm motion picture camera. This guy had a thousand skills that he put to work when he moved to Alaska and built his cabin in the wilderness at the age of 50. On top of that, he ended up living in the cabin for 35 years. The cabin is now a national monument in one of Alaska's national parks. A fitting tribute to a man who displayed tremendous resourcefulness and courage.
OC: Oh yeah, that guy is my hero. He had more talent in one of his little fingers than I have displayed in all my life.
FP: Don't get down on yourself Oddvark. You have some talents of your own. After all, how many people can fill up a hot air balloon and float through the air solely with the aid of a case of beer and a few cans of baked beans.
OC: That's true, but I sure would like to be able to build a cabin.
FP: Well, your storage unit is a little like Dick Proennecke's cabin. It's about the same size. It's made with corrugated metal rather than wood. You don't have a proper out-house with a half-moon door, but you do have the public library washroom.
OC: Yeah, I guess I'm an urban survivor rather than a wilderness survivor.
FP: That's right, you have your own qualities.
OC: Still, I'm not half the man Dick Proennecke was.
FP: Who is Oddvark, who is?
Sunday, May 17, 2009
IKEA
Feckless(FP): Oddvark and I went to the new IKEA last night.
Oddvark(OC): I never seen so many beer mugs in one place.
FP: It's not just beer mugs. They have a lot of everything you need to fill your space with stuff.
OC: That place is like a shrine to consumerism.
FP: And the consumers were there in droves. Oddvark and I had to squeeze our way through the crowds. The cafeteria was absolutely packed with people standing in line to eat Swedish meatballs.
OC: Feckless and I prefer Italian meatballs.
FP: I did like the Lingenberry juice I drank.
OC: What was it's alcohol content.
FP: No alcohol content; it was just juice.
OC: I thought with all those beer mugs, Pilsner glasses, wine glasses and high-ball glasses that the alcohol would be flowing in the cafeteria.
FP: It's a family environment. There were lots of kids there. The store even had a section devoted to stuffed toys.
OC: I loved looking at all the various cooking utensils.
FP: IKEA does offer every conceivable cooking utensil. I'm a little confused though; you don't cook.
OC: I know, but I admire the ingenuity and workmanship.
FP: The prices weren't too bad either, for retail. IKEA prices don't compare with the great garage sales we go to, but they're not bad for retail.
OC: Feckless, we almost never buy retail anymore. We can't afford it.
FP: Many of the people in the IKEA last night can't really afford most of what IKEA offers. That won't stop them from buying the stuff. Like all other retail stores, IKEA takes plastic. No need to have cash.
OC: That's fitting, much of what they sell is made out of plastic.
FP: They also offer products made of stainless steel, wood, stonewear, glass, etc.
OC: But no brewskies; I'm not sure I can support that concept.
Oddvark(OC): I never seen so many beer mugs in one place.
FP: It's not just beer mugs. They have a lot of everything you need to fill your space with stuff.
OC: That place is like a shrine to consumerism.
FP: And the consumers were there in droves. Oddvark and I had to squeeze our way through the crowds. The cafeteria was absolutely packed with people standing in line to eat Swedish meatballs.
OC: Feckless and I prefer Italian meatballs.
FP: I did like the Lingenberry juice I drank.
OC: What was it's alcohol content.
FP: No alcohol content; it was just juice.
OC: I thought with all those beer mugs, Pilsner glasses, wine glasses and high-ball glasses that the alcohol would be flowing in the cafeteria.
FP: It's a family environment. There were lots of kids there. The store even had a section devoted to stuffed toys.
OC: I loved looking at all the various cooking utensils.
FP: IKEA does offer every conceivable cooking utensil. I'm a little confused though; you don't cook.
OC: I know, but I admire the ingenuity and workmanship.
FP: The prices weren't too bad either, for retail. IKEA prices don't compare with the great garage sales we go to, but they're not bad for retail.
OC: Feckless, we almost never buy retail anymore. We can't afford it.
FP: Many of the people in the IKEA last night can't really afford most of what IKEA offers. That won't stop them from buying the stuff. Like all other retail stores, IKEA takes plastic. No need to have cash.
OC: That's fitting, much of what they sell is made out of plastic.
FP: They also offer products made of stainless steel, wood, stonewear, glass, etc.
OC: But no brewskies; I'm not sure I can support that concept.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
THE BIG SKY
Feckless(FP): Oddvark and I have just finished the novel The Big Sky by A.B. Guthrie. It is the story of mountain men who explore and hunt around the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers during the 1830's and 1840's.
Oddvark(OC): Those guys were really tough. The only guys that tough now days are serving in the Special Forces of the military. The characters of The Big Sky, Boone and Jim, didn't get any special training like our military does. They just learned by trial and error.
FP: Boone and Jim start out from Kentucky with just the clothes on their backs and make their way up the Missouri River on a flatboat. Their goal is to trade with the Blackfoot Indians and trap beaver for their pelts.
OC: Why were they so interested in beaver pelts Feckless?
FP: Beaver pelts were warm and water proof. In the early 19th century, people living in cold climates used the beaver pelts to make warm hats. Their insulation helped to preserve body heat during cold, wet winters.
OC: They also killed a lot of buffalo.
FP: Yes, buffalo (American Bison) skins were used to make outerwear and blankets. Again, the objective was to keep warm. Furthermore, the buffalo meat provided the hunters with a good supply of protein. The author claims that the hunters suffered from very few health problems due to their high-protein diet.
OC: I couldn't help but notice they drank their share of whiskey.
FP: Yeah, they also killed a large number of Native Americans. The mountain men portrayed in The Big Sky were killers, plain and simple. They did not blanche at taking life or taking scalps. The book does not pull any punches. It was published in 1946 and uses much politically incorrect language. However, Guthrie succeeds in putting the reader on the banks of the Yellowstone, living among the Blackfeet, and living off what the surrounding countryside provides them. It is a portrait of raw and savage beauty.
OC: Reading The Big Sky makes me want to travel to Yellowstone National Park.
FP: Maybe we'll get out there someday Oddvark. It's not easy to get there, even these days. That is probably a good thing. If too many people travelled out there, the Yellowstone would probably be ruined. The remoteness of the park is one of the reasons that it has remained beautiful.
OC: Plus, it gets pretty nasty up there in the winter time.
FP: Oh yeah, it gets darn cold in the Grand Tetons.
OC: When we go, let's remember to take some whiskey to keep warm. Of course we don't need beaver pelts anymore. We can wear goose down instead.
FP: That's good Oddvark, because the last time you saw any beaver Ronald Reagan was in office.
Oddvark(OC): Those guys were really tough. The only guys that tough now days are serving in the Special Forces of the military. The characters of The Big Sky, Boone and Jim, didn't get any special training like our military does. They just learned by trial and error.
FP: Boone and Jim start out from Kentucky with just the clothes on their backs and make their way up the Missouri River on a flatboat. Their goal is to trade with the Blackfoot Indians and trap beaver for their pelts.
OC: Why were they so interested in beaver pelts Feckless?
FP: Beaver pelts were warm and water proof. In the early 19th century, people living in cold climates used the beaver pelts to make warm hats. Their insulation helped to preserve body heat during cold, wet winters.
OC: They also killed a lot of buffalo.
FP: Yes, buffalo (American Bison) skins were used to make outerwear and blankets. Again, the objective was to keep warm. Furthermore, the buffalo meat provided the hunters with a good supply of protein. The author claims that the hunters suffered from very few health problems due to their high-protein diet.
OC: I couldn't help but notice they drank their share of whiskey.
FP: Yeah, they also killed a large number of Native Americans. The mountain men portrayed in The Big Sky were killers, plain and simple. They did not blanche at taking life or taking scalps. The book does not pull any punches. It was published in 1946 and uses much politically incorrect language. However, Guthrie succeeds in putting the reader on the banks of the Yellowstone, living among the Blackfeet, and living off what the surrounding countryside provides them. It is a portrait of raw and savage beauty.
OC: Reading The Big Sky makes me want to travel to Yellowstone National Park.
FP: Maybe we'll get out there someday Oddvark. It's not easy to get there, even these days. That is probably a good thing. If too many people travelled out there, the Yellowstone would probably be ruined. The remoteness of the park is one of the reasons that it has remained beautiful.
OC: Plus, it gets pretty nasty up there in the winter time.
FP: Oh yeah, it gets darn cold in the Grand Tetons.
OC: When we go, let's remember to take some whiskey to keep warm. Of course we don't need beaver pelts anymore. We can wear goose down instead.
FP: That's good Oddvark, because the last time you saw any beaver Ronald Reagan was in office.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
KING CORN
Feckless(FP): What do you think of that documentary we saw last night?
Oddvark(OC): It was a little corny for my taste.
FP: I'm going to try to forget you said that. Oddvark and I watched a documentary last night entitled King Corn. The entire documentary was devoted to the subject of corn.
OC: You never seen so much corn in your life.
FP: I thought King Corn was entertaining, educational and thought provoking.
OC: I liked the part when they filmed the hole in that steer's stomach. The narrator just reached in and started taking the corn meal right out of the cow's stomach. It was fascinating.
FP: That was just one of the amazing scenes in this documentary film. I kind of liked the footage of all the farm machinery and explanation of how each contraption works. The filmakers were able to plant 31,000 seeds on an acre of land in approximately 18 minutes. I think that is incredible.
OC: I bet most people don't realize that a large proportion of their own hair is composed of corn.
FP: That's right. A scientist in a university lab conducted some sort of spectography on a strand of the filmakers hair and showed that the majority of its molecular content was identical to that of corn. The scientist explained that was due to the amount of corn in the average American diet. You see, we don't just eat corn-on-the-cob. Corn gets into our systems in a number of ways: beef, pork, chicken, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, etc. More than half the feed consumed by farm animals is now comprised of corn and corn biproducts.
OC: That's right. In fact, the filmakers point out that beef cattle get a lot of stomach ulcers because the sugar in the corn ferments and turns into acid before the cattle can completely digest it. This is one of the reasons why the cattle have to take so many antibiotics. The other reason is that in feed lots, the cattle are just shuffling around in each other's waste all day long. All they do in the feed lot is eat and poop.
FP: You've got a lot in common with those beef steers Oddvark.
OC: That's true. I really empathized with those beefs. I don't like to be penned up either. I like plenty of room to roam.
FP: Those feed lots didn't look too appetizing.
OC: The expert the filmakers interviewed said those cattle produce a meat that is almost 70% fat.
FP: That is why those steaks and hamburgers are so tasty. If the cattle were grass fed they would only produce a fraction of that fat. The difference is comprised of corn.
OC: I sure would like to go ski-boarding on one of those corn mountains in Iowa.
FP: Yeah, that did look like fun. We don't want to give the whole film away. Our readers will want to check out all the details for themselves.
OC: True. This is one of the most interesting films that I've seen in a long time. Corn-on-the-cob is one of my favorite foods. I will never eat another ear of corn without thinking of this film.
Oddvark(OC): It was a little corny for my taste.
FP: I'm going to try to forget you said that. Oddvark and I watched a documentary last night entitled King Corn. The entire documentary was devoted to the subject of corn.
OC: You never seen so much corn in your life.
FP: I thought King Corn was entertaining, educational and thought provoking.
OC: I liked the part when they filmed the hole in that steer's stomach. The narrator just reached in and started taking the corn meal right out of the cow's stomach. It was fascinating.
FP: That was just one of the amazing scenes in this documentary film. I kind of liked the footage of all the farm machinery and explanation of how each contraption works. The filmakers were able to plant 31,000 seeds on an acre of land in approximately 18 minutes. I think that is incredible.
OC: I bet most people don't realize that a large proportion of their own hair is composed of corn.
FP: That's right. A scientist in a university lab conducted some sort of spectography on a strand of the filmakers hair and showed that the majority of its molecular content was identical to that of corn. The scientist explained that was due to the amount of corn in the average American diet. You see, we don't just eat corn-on-the-cob. Corn gets into our systems in a number of ways: beef, pork, chicken, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, etc. More than half the feed consumed by farm animals is now comprised of corn and corn biproducts.
OC: That's right. In fact, the filmakers point out that beef cattle get a lot of stomach ulcers because the sugar in the corn ferments and turns into acid before the cattle can completely digest it. This is one of the reasons why the cattle have to take so many antibiotics. The other reason is that in feed lots, the cattle are just shuffling around in each other's waste all day long. All they do in the feed lot is eat and poop.
FP: You've got a lot in common with those beef steers Oddvark.
OC: That's true. I really empathized with those beefs. I don't like to be penned up either. I like plenty of room to roam.
FP: Those feed lots didn't look too appetizing.
OC: The expert the filmakers interviewed said those cattle produce a meat that is almost 70% fat.
FP: That is why those steaks and hamburgers are so tasty. If the cattle were grass fed they would only produce a fraction of that fat. The difference is comprised of corn.
OC: I sure would like to go ski-boarding on one of those corn mountains in Iowa.
FP: Yeah, that did look like fun. We don't want to give the whole film away. Our readers will want to check out all the details for themselves.
OC: True. This is one of the most interesting films that I've seen in a long time. Corn-on-the-cob is one of my favorite foods. I will never eat another ear of corn without thinking of this film.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
CAMPING
Feckless(FP): Oddvark and I recently went camping with Mountain Man Tom (MMT) and the Pater Familias (PF). It had been a while since we had been out in nature overnight and Oddvark really enjoyed pretending he was a bear.
Oddvark(OC): That's right, I love pretending I'm a bear and I also love a good campfire. Thanks to Mountain Man Tom, we had a real barn burner.
MMT: The trick to making a good fire is to use as much free wood as possible. That's where the Pater Familias comes in. He is the best wood scrounger in Florida.
PF: I do love to scrounge wood for the fire.
FP: Yeah, Mountain Man Tom and the Pater Familias are the real camping enthusiasts. Oddvark and I are just a couple of amateurs.
OC: That's right, MMT & PF had their tents up in less than fifteen minutes. It took me and Feckless about an hour to set up our tents.
FP: That's because you had five Kamikazi cocktails while we were try to pitch the tents. It didn't help matters any that you were stumbling over the tent stakes while we were trying to secure the rain fly.
OC: I couldn't resist, the Pater Familias makes the best Kamikazi cocktails known to man.
FP: I have to admit he does. It was also nice of him to bring his I-Pod boombox. I enjoy listening to some tunes while relaxing next to a roaring fire.
MMT: Didn't you guys enjoy the nature walk we took?
OC: Oh yeah, we saw some gators, an armadillo, a rabbit, a garr-fish, and lots and lots of trees and bushes.
FP: What is more important is that we didn't see any snakes, spiders or scorpions.
PF: Not a single water macassin; how boring.
OC: Man those things give me the creeps.
MMT: We don't have to worry about water mocassins in Oregon.
FP: No, in Oregon we have to worry about those disgusting drop toilets.
PF: No worries here in Florida, the restrooms were immaculate.
OC: I know, I didn't have any excuse to do my business in the woods.
FP: Good thing Oddvark, you might have run into some nasty critters out there.
MMT: I thought you were going to jump out of your skin when that armadillo walked up to you in camp after we finished our burgers.
OC: He wasn't in the least shy. He just walked right up into the middle of camp.
MMT: In Oregon we had all those deer walk up into the middle of camp.
PF: Yeah, but that was at three in the morning. You slept through the whole thing. That armadillo walked up right after dinner while we were enjoying our postprandial libations.
OC: Exactly, he came in while we were having a postprandial libations and just before we started having our nightcaps.
PF: It's hard to believe you guys can remember any of what happen given your mid-day tipple, afternoon cocktail, aparatif, wine with dinner, post-prandial libation, and nightcap.
FP: We remember every detail. Oddvark and I drink for medicinal purposes. Strong drink actually enhances our memory. For instance, I remember throwing the frisbee around. It has been a long time since I last through a frisbee around.
MMT: The frisbee toss sweated some of the alcohol out of your system.
OC: We made up for that by doubling up afterwards.
PF: You guys are incorrigible.
OC: Thank you!
FP: Oddvark and I enjoyed all that fresh air, sunshine and fellowship. We think its healthy for everyone to get back to nature once in a while. For people who are on a budget, good tents can be purchased at very reasonable prices nowadays. They are easy to assemble and can comfortable sleep up to four people. In our case, each of us has his own tent, but families can all fit in one if need be. Oddvark, Mountain Man Tom, the Pater Familias and I all started out camping when we were very young. We still enjoy it many years later. It is an activity that children enjoy and provides many learning and bonding opportunities. Get your family involved in camping, it will provide a lifetime of memorable experiences.
OC: Plus, your kids can pretend to be bears.
Oddvark(OC): That's right, I love pretending I'm a bear and I also love a good campfire. Thanks to Mountain Man Tom, we had a real barn burner.
MMT: The trick to making a good fire is to use as much free wood as possible. That's where the Pater Familias comes in. He is the best wood scrounger in Florida.
PF: I do love to scrounge wood for the fire.
FP: Yeah, Mountain Man Tom and the Pater Familias are the real camping enthusiasts. Oddvark and I are just a couple of amateurs.
OC: That's right, MMT & PF had their tents up in less than fifteen minutes. It took me and Feckless about an hour to set up our tents.
FP: That's because you had five Kamikazi cocktails while we were try to pitch the tents. It didn't help matters any that you were stumbling over the tent stakes while we were trying to secure the rain fly.
OC: I couldn't resist, the Pater Familias makes the best Kamikazi cocktails known to man.
FP: I have to admit he does. It was also nice of him to bring his I-Pod boombox. I enjoy listening to some tunes while relaxing next to a roaring fire.
MMT: Didn't you guys enjoy the nature walk we took?
OC: Oh yeah, we saw some gators, an armadillo, a rabbit, a garr-fish, and lots and lots of trees and bushes.
FP: What is more important is that we didn't see any snakes, spiders or scorpions.
PF: Not a single water macassin; how boring.
OC: Man those things give me the creeps.
MMT: We don't have to worry about water mocassins in Oregon.
FP: No, in Oregon we have to worry about those disgusting drop toilets.
PF: No worries here in Florida, the restrooms were immaculate.
OC: I know, I didn't have any excuse to do my business in the woods.
FP: Good thing Oddvark, you might have run into some nasty critters out there.
MMT: I thought you were going to jump out of your skin when that armadillo walked up to you in camp after we finished our burgers.
OC: He wasn't in the least shy. He just walked right up into the middle of camp.
MMT: In Oregon we had all those deer walk up into the middle of camp.
PF: Yeah, but that was at three in the morning. You slept through the whole thing. That armadillo walked up right after dinner while we were enjoying our postprandial libations.
OC: Exactly, he came in while we were having a postprandial libations and just before we started having our nightcaps.
PF: It's hard to believe you guys can remember any of what happen given your mid-day tipple, afternoon cocktail, aparatif, wine with dinner, post-prandial libation, and nightcap.
FP: We remember every detail. Oddvark and I drink for medicinal purposes. Strong drink actually enhances our memory. For instance, I remember throwing the frisbee around. It has been a long time since I last through a frisbee around.
MMT: The frisbee toss sweated some of the alcohol out of your system.
OC: We made up for that by doubling up afterwards.
PF: You guys are incorrigible.
OC: Thank you!
FP: Oddvark and I enjoyed all that fresh air, sunshine and fellowship. We think its healthy for everyone to get back to nature once in a while. For people who are on a budget, good tents can be purchased at very reasonable prices nowadays. They are easy to assemble and can comfortable sleep up to four people. In our case, each of us has his own tent, but families can all fit in one if need be. Oddvark, Mountain Man Tom, the Pater Familias and I all started out camping when we were very young. We still enjoy it many years later. It is an activity that children enjoy and provides many learning and bonding opportunities. Get your family involved in camping, it will provide a lifetime of memorable experiences.
OC: Plus, your kids can pretend to be bears.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
ALBRECHT DURER
Feckless(FP): Last week Oddvark and I accompanied our friend Comrade Pinky Kurfuffle to the Albrecht Durer show at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts. It turned out to be one of the best art exhibits I have ever seen. There were over 100 engravings and woodcuts by Albrect Durer.
Oddvark(OC): That's right, most art historians believe Albrecht Durer to be the foremost German Renaissance artist.
FP: I'll go one step further than that. I think Albrecht Durer is the greatest artist that most people have never heard of.
OC: Oh, what have we here? Comrade Pinky Kurfuffle (CPK) is paying us a visit. Is she a beauty or what?
CPK: Thank you Oddvark! You're not so bad yourself, when you've bathed.
FP: So Pinky, what did you think of the Albrecht Durer exhibition?
CPK: Albrecht Durer, Albrecht Durer. You haven't even bothered to mention the tuna fish sandwiches I made for the picnic.
FP: Well most of our readers are not that interested in tuna fish sandwiches. They each probably have their own recipe. Many of them may be interested in learning about an artist they never encountered before. Did you have a favorite?
CPK: They were all very beautiful and the craftsmanship was unparalleled, but my favorite was probably Saint Jerome in his Study.
OC: Why Saint Jerome in his Study?
CPK: Because Saint Jerome is the patron saint of libraries. I just love libraries.
FP: Is that where you get all your socialist literature?
CPK: That's right darling and much, much more. Libraries are full of information, literature, art, and interesting people.
OC: Sounds like you're talking about a Barnes & Noble or a Starbucks.
CPK: Well, libraries were the Barnes & Noble's before Wall Street discovered you could make big bucks off of books.
FP: What was your favorite Durer, Oddvark?
OC: My favorite was The Rhinoceros. I'll bet that animal can pass some gas. Durer created a very lifelike woodcut of a rhino without ever actually seeing one. He just read about a ship carrying a rhino to the King of Portugal and saw some sketches done by local artists. The ship sank and he never got the opportunity to see the real animal. Which was your favorite Feckless?
FP: I liked Melancholia I and Knight, Death and the Devil. Both are allegorical engravings that are full of symbolism. Both engravings have been the subject of much interpretation through the centuries. Durer was not only a great artist and skillful craftsman, he also had a tremendous knowledge of mythology, theology, and symbolism. His subjects are very complex and can be examined for hours at a time without tedium setting in. There are usually many elements depicted in each composition and there is something to catch the eye in every corner of each engraving.
CPK: I enjoyed his Bibiblical works and the works based upon the lives of the saints.
FP: It was a wonderful experience in a wonderful art museum next to a beautiful waterfront. If every day were like our Durer outing, Oddvark and I would probably consume a lot less beer.
Oddvark(OC): That's right, most art historians believe Albrecht Durer to be the foremost German Renaissance artist.
FP: I'll go one step further than that. I think Albrecht Durer is the greatest artist that most people have never heard of.
OC: Oh, what have we here? Comrade Pinky Kurfuffle (CPK) is paying us a visit. Is she a beauty or what?
CPK: Thank you Oddvark! You're not so bad yourself, when you've bathed.
FP: So Pinky, what did you think of the Albrecht Durer exhibition?
CPK: Albrecht Durer, Albrecht Durer. You haven't even bothered to mention the tuna fish sandwiches I made for the picnic.
FP: Well most of our readers are not that interested in tuna fish sandwiches. They each probably have their own recipe. Many of them may be interested in learning about an artist they never encountered before. Did you have a favorite?
CPK: They were all very beautiful and the craftsmanship was unparalleled, but my favorite was probably Saint Jerome in his Study.
OC: Why Saint Jerome in his Study?
CPK: Because Saint Jerome is the patron saint of libraries. I just love libraries.
FP: Is that where you get all your socialist literature?
CPK: That's right darling and much, much more. Libraries are full of information, literature, art, and interesting people.
OC: Sounds like you're talking about a Barnes & Noble or a Starbucks.
CPK: Well, libraries were the Barnes & Noble's before Wall Street discovered you could make big bucks off of books.
FP: What was your favorite Durer, Oddvark?
OC: My favorite was The Rhinoceros. I'll bet that animal can pass some gas. Durer created a very lifelike woodcut of a rhino without ever actually seeing one. He just read about a ship carrying a rhino to the King of Portugal and saw some sketches done by local artists. The ship sank and he never got the opportunity to see the real animal. Which was your favorite Feckless?
FP: I liked Melancholia I and Knight, Death and the Devil. Both are allegorical engravings that are full of symbolism. Both engravings have been the subject of much interpretation through the centuries. Durer was not only a great artist and skillful craftsman, he also had a tremendous knowledge of mythology, theology, and symbolism. His subjects are very complex and can be examined for hours at a time without tedium setting in. There are usually many elements depicted in each composition and there is something to catch the eye in every corner of each engraving.
CPK: I enjoyed his Bibiblical works and the works based upon the lives of the saints.
FP: It was a wonderful experience in a wonderful art museum next to a beautiful waterfront. If every day were like our Durer outing, Oddvark and I would probably consume a lot less beer.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW
Feckless(FP): That movie we saw last night reminds me of a line from another movie titled Body Heat that came out in the '80s.
Oddvark(OC): What line was that Feckless?
FP: Well, the character played by Mickey Rourke is speaking with the character played by William Hurt about committing a crime. I'm paraphrasing, but Rourke tells Hurt that there are about a million ways to screw up when committing a crime and even a genius can only think of about half of them. He then say, "And you're no genius."
OC: Sure, I remember that movie. The William Hurt character ends up going to prison.
FP: That's right. Well the entire premise behind The Woman in the Window is based upon the idea expressed by Rourke in Body Heat. The Edward G. Robinson character kills a man in self-defense. However, he is in a compromising position when he slays his foe. He and the Joan Bennett character then conspire to hide the body and cover up the killing. They are both subsequently blackmailed by the Dan Duryea character.
OC: Dan Duryea! He's great in everything he does.
FP: Yes, he is one of the greatest character actors of all time and almost always deliveres a wonderful performance. Most audiences today don't recognize Dan Duryea; they don't know what they're missing.
OC: So what happens to Eddy G and Joan Bennett?
FP: I'm not going to give that away. However, I will say that this is a movie with two endings. I prefer the first to the second. The plot, dialogue, and acting are all superb. The film is directed by Fritz Lang of silent movie fame. He escaped Nazi Germany and came to the U.S. where he directed a few movies. He never regained the artistic heights that he achieved with silent films like Metropolis, but he did make a couple of solid films like The Woman in the Window. It is a very good piece of flimmaking done in less than 100 minutes.
OC: I couldn't help but notice that Eddy G has a few drinks in the film.
FP: Yes Oddvark, you're not the only one who likes to tipple now and then.
OC: Yeah, but he had his delivered by a butler and drank his sitting in a leather armchair by the fire. Nobody delivers mine as I sit in a rotting old lazyboy in front of a space heater.
FP: Yes, the Edward G. Robinson character was a member of a gentlemen's club. It was a quiet place for men to go to read, smoke a cigar, play billiards and have a glass of port or sherry. There are very few gentlemen's clubs around these days.
OC: There's a gentlemen's club out by the airport Feckless.
FP: That's not the same Oddvark. There was no pole dancing in the old days.
Oddvark(OC): What line was that Feckless?
FP: Well, the character played by Mickey Rourke is speaking with the character played by William Hurt about committing a crime. I'm paraphrasing, but Rourke tells Hurt that there are about a million ways to screw up when committing a crime and even a genius can only think of about half of them. He then say, "And you're no genius."
OC: Sure, I remember that movie. The William Hurt character ends up going to prison.
FP: That's right. Well the entire premise behind The Woman in the Window is based upon the idea expressed by Rourke in Body Heat. The Edward G. Robinson character kills a man in self-defense. However, he is in a compromising position when he slays his foe. He and the Joan Bennett character then conspire to hide the body and cover up the killing. They are both subsequently blackmailed by the Dan Duryea character.
OC: Dan Duryea! He's great in everything he does.
FP: Yes, he is one of the greatest character actors of all time and almost always deliveres a wonderful performance. Most audiences today don't recognize Dan Duryea; they don't know what they're missing.
OC: So what happens to Eddy G and Joan Bennett?
FP: I'm not going to give that away. However, I will say that this is a movie with two endings. I prefer the first to the second. The plot, dialogue, and acting are all superb. The film is directed by Fritz Lang of silent movie fame. He escaped Nazi Germany and came to the U.S. where he directed a few movies. He never regained the artistic heights that he achieved with silent films like Metropolis, but he did make a couple of solid films like The Woman in the Window. It is a very good piece of flimmaking done in less than 100 minutes.
OC: I couldn't help but notice that Eddy G has a few drinks in the film.
FP: Yes Oddvark, you're not the only one who likes to tipple now and then.
OC: Yeah, but he had his delivered by a butler and drank his sitting in a leather armchair by the fire. Nobody delivers mine as I sit in a rotting old lazyboy in front of a space heater.
FP: Yes, the Edward G. Robinson character was a member of a gentlemen's club. It was a quiet place for men to go to read, smoke a cigar, play billiards and have a glass of port or sherry. There are very few gentlemen's clubs around these days.
OC: There's a gentlemen's club out by the airport Feckless.
FP: That's not the same Oddvark. There was no pole dancing in the old days.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
DITTO HEADS
Feckless(FP): What'd you think about that Limbaugh Ditto Head we ran into today?
Oddvark(OC): Those guys are just sore losers. Didn't anyone ever teach them anything about sportsmanship?
FP: Yeah, when their guy was in the driver's seat every thing was hunky-dorry. Now that they are out of power, just two months later, the world is coming to an end. Their children's future is in jeopardy. Of course, no one else in the world knows anything about how the world works or how to run things.
OP: Ditto heads don't really believe in democracy. They just like it when their people get into office. When the opposition gets into office, then the voters are a bunch of dummies. It doesn't seem to matter that many of those dummies voted for their candidate in the previous election.
FP: The voting public made it clear that they were interested in a change. Now the Ditto Heads are acting shocked that anyone wants to change anything.
OC: Plus they are starting to resort to scare tactics. They claim they are afraid of what the far right fringe is going to do if the Democrats continue to pass legislation they don't like. The Ditto Head we talked to today says he doesn't condone violence, but something is going to happen if things continue in the direction they are going now. He said this over and over again. Seems to me that if you say that you fear violence is going to happen over and over again, that can be reasonably construed as a threat, no matter how many times the person claims that they don't condone that sort of thing.
FP: That's right. Sounds like some gumba saying he's afraid something bad is going to happen to you if you don't do what he wants. If this Ditto Head were really interested in pursuading people, he would quietly list some of the issues he is concerned about and cite his authority for those concerns. Futhermore, as authority, I'm going to need something a little more objective than Rush, O'Reilly, Hannaty, and other lesser known right wing idealogues before I'm pursuaded of anything.
OC: You know the left wing has idealogues too.
FP: Sure they do. I don't buy what they're selling hook, link and sinker either. These Ditto Heads just march in lockstep behind their bombastic propaganda ministers. It's hard to get a word in edgewise when "discussing" the issues of the day with them.
OC: Another thing I've noticed is that they tend to start with a conclusion and then selectively choose facts (often out of context)to support their conclusion.
FP: Well, they're not the only ones that do that. Plenty of people on the left do the same thing. What we really need in this country is some objective reportage and analysis. Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to see that any time soon. Our journalism has gone the way of the British, with everyone taking sides and slanting the "news" to fit their editorial agenda.
OC: Without objective reporting, how are we going to know what is really going on?
FP: We aren't ever going to know exactly what's going on. However, all this spin and slant is just creating a fog that is going to blind us all. Even if there are journalists out there who are reporting objectively, how do you know which ones they are? We used to trust Walter Cronkite, The New York Times, The Washington Post, McNeil/Lehrer, and many others. Those institutions of journalism guarded their reputations because their franchises depended upon the public trust. Many of those institutions have fallen from grace in recent years due to lax editorial and ethical standards. The public is going to pay the price for these lapses. Those sources are no longer unimpeachable, therefore there is no paper or broadcast of record. The facts are alway in doubt.
OC: Is there no hope?
FP: There is always hope. Journalists have to stop thinking about their careers and money and start living up to their responsibilities. They have much work to do in repairing the damage done to their collective reputations in the last couple of decades. Whether that kind of reform can be realized in this fractious environment remains to be seen.
Oddvark(OC): Those guys are just sore losers. Didn't anyone ever teach them anything about sportsmanship?
FP: Yeah, when their guy was in the driver's seat every thing was hunky-dorry. Now that they are out of power, just two months later, the world is coming to an end. Their children's future is in jeopardy. Of course, no one else in the world knows anything about how the world works or how to run things.
OP: Ditto heads don't really believe in democracy. They just like it when their people get into office. When the opposition gets into office, then the voters are a bunch of dummies. It doesn't seem to matter that many of those dummies voted for their candidate in the previous election.
FP: The voting public made it clear that they were interested in a change. Now the Ditto Heads are acting shocked that anyone wants to change anything.
OC: Plus they are starting to resort to scare tactics. They claim they are afraid of what the far right fringe is going to do if the Democrats continue to pass legislation they don't like. The Ditto Head we talked to today says he doesn't condone violence, but something is going to happen if things continue in the direction they are going now. He said this over and over again. Seems to me that if you say that you fear violence is going to happen over and over again, that can be reasonably construed as a threat, no matter how many times the person claims that they don't condone that sort of thing.
FP: That's right. Sounds like some gumba saying he's afraid something bad is going to happen to you if you don't do what he wants. If this Ditto Head were really interested in pursuading people, he would quietly list some of the issues he is concerned about and cite his authority for those concerns. Futhermore, as authority, I'm going to need something a little more objective than Rush, O'Reilly, Hannaty, and other lesser known right wing idealogues before I'm pursuaded of anything.
OC: You know the left wing has idealogues too.
FP: Sure they do. I don't buy what they're selling hook, link and sinker either. These Ditto Heads just march in lockstep behind their bombastic propaganda ministers. It's hard to get a word in edgewise when "discussing" the issues of the day with them.
OC: Another thing I've noticed is that they tend to start with a conclusion and then selectively choose facts (often out of context)to support their conclusion.
FP: Well, they're not the only ones that do that. Plenty of people on the left do the same thing. What we really need in this country is some objective reportage and analysis. Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to see that any time soon. Our journalism has gone the way of the British, with everyone taking sides and slanting the "news" to fit their editorial agenda.
OC: Without objective reporting, how are we going to know what is really going on?
FP: We aren't ever going to know exactly what's going on. However, all this spin and slant is just creating a fog that is going to blind us all. Even if there are journalists out there who are reporting objectively, how do you know which ones they are? We used to trust Walter Cronkite, The New York Times, The Washington Post, McNeil/Lehrer, and many others. Those institutions of journalism guarded their reputations because their franchises depended upon the public trust. Many of those institutions have fallen from grace in recent years due to lax editorial and ethical standards. The public is going to pay the price for these lapses. Those sources are no longer unimpeachable, therefore there is no paper or broadcast of record. The facts are alway in doubt.
OC: Is there no hope?
FP: There is always hope. Journalists have to stop thinking about their careers and money and start living up to their responsibilities. They have much work to do in repairing the damage done to their collective reputations in the last couple of decades. Whether that kind of reform can be realized in this fractious environment remains to be seen.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
FORTUNE TELLING
Oddvark(OC): Feckless, where do you think we'll be in ten years? What do you think we will be doing?
Feckless(FP): I used to think that we would be traveling across America towing a small teardrop trailer behind our car or truck. Now, I don't know. Maybe we will still be able to do that, but things are changing so rapidly that it is very hard to plan for the future.
OC: Do you think that we'll be able to support ourselves in our old age?
FP: Heck, we barely support ourselves now. You live in a storage unit and I live in a squalid one room efficiency. As long as we can work a little and do odd jobs we'll probably do alright as long as our health holds out.
OC: What happens if our health doesn't hold out?
FP: If our health doesn't hold out, then we will have to depend upon each other and the kindness of strangers.
OC: That sounds kind of bleak.
FP: Not at all. It's just another phase in the great adventure. Another panel in the rich tapestry of life. We will adapt and make adjustments. We will still cherish all the natural gifts God has given us. We will still have friends and family to comfort us. There will still be books to read, songs to sing, music on the radio, card games, old movies, sports, beer, food, and many other pleasures that make life worth living.
OC: I feel better now Feckless.
FP: I'm glad Oddvark. I forgot to mention, when we get older, no one will even notice that you skip a bath now and then.
OC: Is that right? Maybe I can cut back to twice a week then.
FP: Always look for the silver lining, that's my motto.
Feckless(FP): I used to think that we would be traveling across America towing a small teardrop trailer behind our car or truck. Now, I don't know. Maybe we will still be able to do that, but things are changing so rapidly that it is very hard to plan for the future.
OC: Do you think that we'll be able to support ourselves in our old age?
FP: Heck, we barely support ourselves now. You live in a storage unit and I live in a squalid one room efficiency. As long as we can work a little and do odd jobs we'll probably do alright as long as our health holds out.
OC: What happens if our health doesn't hold out?
FP: If our health doesn't hold out, then we will have to depend upon each other and the kindness of strangers.
OC: That sounds kind of bleak.
FP: Not at all. It's just another phase in the great adventure. Another panel in the rich tapestry of life. We will adapt and make adjustments. We will still cherish all the natural gifts God has given us. We will still have friends and family to comfort us. There will still be books to read, songs to sing, music on the radio, card games, old movies, sports, beer, food, and many other pleasures that make life worth living.
OC: I feel better now Feckless.
FP: I'm glad Oddvark. I forgot to mention, when we get older, no one will even notice that you skip a bath now and then.
OC: Is that right? Maybe I can cut back to twice a week then.
FP: Always look for the silver lining, that's my motto.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK
Feckless(FP): So Oddvark, what did you think of that film we watched tonight?
Oddvark(OC): It was different. Not for every movie buff.
FP: I think it was a colosal exercise in solipsism.
OP: What's solipsism?
FP: Philosophically speaking, it's the theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified. The self is the only reality.
OP: How is that different than narcissim?
FP: Narcissim is the excessive love of oneself. A person can believe that their personal reality is the only reality without being love with themselves. In fact, a solipsist might hate his reality and therefore himself. I'm not sure the character in Synecdoche is in love with himself, though he might be. He definitely fears death and the aging process.
OC: I can relate to that.
FP: We all can. This is one of the poignant elements of the human condition. After we reach adolescence, we all know that we are going to die. We walk around all day, functioning or sometimes not functioning, knowing that someday we are going to lose everything and everyone that ever mattered to us.
OC: Pass the tequila dude.
FP: Yes Oddvark, it can be overwhelming to contemplate. That is one problem with the movie. It is filled with symbolism and it delves into subjects that are difficult to express and examine. I think a person needs to view Synecdoche a number of times before it reveals all its secrets. That becomes a little too much like work and less like entertainment.
OC: Are you saying it makes your head hurt?
FP: Yes, something like that. Philip Seymore Hoffman deliveres a terrific performance. The supporting cast is also terrific. It's just that the material is very dense. It's really hard slogging and much of the material is also depressing.
OC: Can I choose the next film Feckless?
FP: As long as it doesn't make me blush.
Oddvark(OC): It was different. Not for every movie buff.
FP: I think it was a colosal exercise in solipsism.
OP: What's solipsism?
FP: Philosophically speaking, it's the theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified. The self is the only reality.
OP: How is that different than narcissim?
FP: Narcissim is the excessive love of oneself. A person can believe that their personal reality is the only reality without being love with themselves. In fact, a solipsist might hate his reality and therefore himself. I'm not sure the character in Synecdoche is in love with himself, though he might be. He definitely fears death and the aging process.
OC: I can relate to that.
FP: We all can. This is one of the poignant elements of the human condition. After we reach adolescence, we all know that we are going to die. We walk around all day, functioning or sometimes not functioning, knowing that someday we are going to lose everything and everyone that ever mattered to us.
OC: Pass the tequila dude.
FP: Yes Oddvark, it can be overwhelming to contemplate. That is one problem with the movie. It is filled with symbolism and it delves into subjects that are difficult to express and examine. I think a person needs to view Synecdoche a number of times before it reveals all its secrets. That becomes a little too much like work and less like entertainment.
OC: Are you saying it makes your head hurt?
FP: Yes, something like that. Philip Seymore Hoffman deliveres a terrific performance. The supporting cast is also terrific. It's just that the material is very dense. It's really hard slogging and much of the material is also depressing.
OC: Can I choose the next film Feckless?
FP: As long as it doesn't make me blush.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
OIL & RECOVERY
Feckless(FP): Wow Oddvark, did you see what the stock market did yesterday? The Dow rose almost 500 points.
Oddvark(OC): I was concentrating on something else.
FP: A Cuban sandwich and a bottle of Newcastle Ale no doubt.
OC: No, I mean I was concentrating on another part of the financial picture.
FP: You surprise me Oddvark. Why would a person of such modest means be interested in the financial picture.
OC: Ultimately, it effects all of us. If the cost of storage units goes up, where will I sleep?
FP: I see, so what did you notice yesterday?
OC: I noticed that the price of oil rose by nearly 2%. I have been noticing it inching up lately. I think this due primarily to two factors. The first factor is that the price of oil is tied to the U.S. dollar. Because the government has been pumping so many dollars into the financial system lately, the value of the dollar has slipped relative to other world currencies. Consequently, the price of oil must go up in order for it to maintain its intrinsic value relative to the sliding dollar its value is measured in. The second factor is less important now. That factor is worldwide demand, which is still pretty cool at the moment. However, if it should heat up, the rise in the price of oil could accelerate due to basic suppply/demand principles. Combined with the economic bailout, this could make recovery even more difficult than we anticipate. As the world economy begins to recover, the demand for petroleum products is bound to rise. As demand rises, coincident with billions of new dollars flooding into the financial system, the price of oil will rise. Since our economy is so dependent upon petroleum products for energy, materials and transportation, rising oil prices are bound to have a negative impact upon the pace of recovery. It will be like climbing a staircase that gets steeper with every step you take. In addition, as the economy heats up and the price of oil becomes more dear, any interruption in the flow of oil (geopolitical) will have a magnified impact upon the price of oil. Thus any geopolitical instability in oil producing regions during the recovery period could sabotage the recovery.
FP: Oddvark, that is an interesting analysis. Won't our move towards renewable energy sources avoid many of the problems you identified?
OC: Yes, eventually. However, large-scale alternative energy production is still at least 10 years away. The economic crisis is now and will continue for at least another year or two.
FP: Is there anything happening on the methane front?
OC: I'm doing all I can. Break out the beanie weenies and brew.
Oddvark(OC): I was concentrating on something else.
FP: A Cuban sandwich and a bottle of Newcastle Ale no doubt.
OC: No, I mean I was concentrating on another part of the financial picture.
FP: You surprise me Oddvark. Why would a person of such modest means be interested in the financial picture.
OC: Ultimately, it effects all of us. If the cost of storage units goes up, where will I sleep?
FP: I see, so what did you notice yesterday?
OC: I noticed that the price of oil rose by nearly 2%. I have been noticing it inching up lately. I think this due primarily to two factors. The first factor is that the price of oil is tied to the U.S. dollar. Because the government has been pumping so many dollars into the financial system lately, the value of the dollar has slipped relative to other world currencies. Consequently, the price of oil must go up in order for it to maintain its intrinsic value relative to the sliding dollar its value is measured in. The second factor is less important now. That factor is worldwide demand, which is still pretty cool at the moment. However, if it should heat up, the rise in the price of oil could accelerate due to basic suppply/demand principles. Combined with the economic bailout, this could make recovery even more difficult than we anticipate. As the world economy begins to recover, the demand for petroleum products is bound to rise. As demand rises, coincident with billions of new dollars flooding into the financial system, the price of oil will rise. Since our economy is so dependent upon petroleum products for energy, materials and transportation, rising oil prices are bound to have a negative impact upon the pace of recovery. It will be like climbing a staircase that gets steeper with every step you take. In addition, as the economy heats up and the price of oil becomes more dear, any interruption in the flow of oil (geopolitical) will have a magnified impact upon the price of oil. Thus any geopolitical instability in oil producing regions during the recovery period could sabotage the recovery.
FP: Oddvark, that is an interesting analysis. Won't our move towards renewable energy sources avoid many of the problems you identified?
OC: Yes, eventually. However, large-scale alternative energy production is still at least 10 years away. The economic crisis is now and will continue for at least another year or two.
FP: Is there anything happening on the methane front?
OC: I'm doing all I can. Break out the beanie weenies and brew.
Friday, March 20, 2009
RIP BIG MOE
Feckless (FP): I just got a call this morning;Big Mo died.
Oddvark (OC): You're kidding. I thought that guy was indestructible.
FP: Yeah, me too. He was like a force of nature. I didn't always like his behavior, but I envied his sense of freedom. Big Mo seldom did anything he didn't want to do and almost always did the things he wanted to do.
OC: Yeah, we had some great times in Gainesville back in the day.
FP: Gainesville was one of Mo's towns. The other was Atlanta. Big Mo loved Gainesville and Atlanta. He loved the Florida Gators. He loved women. He loved Jack Daniels whiskey.
OC: Yeah, he loved Aerosmith's version of Train Keep A'Rollin and Salty Dog Blues by Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs.
FP: That' right, I can still hear him crooning, "Honey let me be your salty dog."
OC: Oh the stories that we could tell.
FP: Big Mo's exploits were the stuff that novels are made of.
OC: He will be missed.
FP: Let's hoist a glass (double shot of course)of Jack Daniels to Big Mo King, the King of the Chamberlain Rowdys. May he find green grass and high tides where he has gone. Till we meet again at that Gator Growl in the sky.
Oddvark (OC): You're kidding. I thought that guy was indestructible.
FP: Yeah, me too. He was like a force of nature. I didn't always like his behavior, but I envied his sense of freedom. Big Mo seldom did anything he didn't want to do and almost always did the things he wanted to do.
OC: Yeah, we had some great times in Gainesville back in the day.
FP: Gainesville was one of Mo's towns. The other was Atlanta. Big Mo loved Gainesville and Atlanta. He loved the Florida Gators. He loved women. He loved Jack Daniels whiskey.
OC: Yeah, he loved Aerosmith's version of Train Keep A'Rollin and Salty Dog Blues by Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs.
FP: That' right, I can still hear him crooning, "Honey let me be your salty dog."
OC: Oh the stories that we could tell.
FP: Big Mo's exploits were the stuff that novels are made of.
OC: He will be missed.
FP: Let's hoist a glass (double shot of course)of Jack Daniels to Big Mo King, the King of the Chamberlain Rowdys. May he find green grass and high tides where he has gone. Till we meet again at that Gator Growl in the sky.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
OLDIES BUT GOODIES
Feckless(FP): Oddvark and I have been seeing a lot of old movies lately.
Oddvark(OC): That's right Feckless; some of them have been pretty darn good.
FP: We saw a terrific murder mystery called Lured the other night. The lead actress was Lucille Ball of all people. Can you imagine Lucille Ball in a murder mystery?
OC: Remember, that film was made in 1947, before Lucy & Dezi were on television. Wasn't Boris Karloff in that film?
FP: Yes, that's right Oddvark. Lured must have made quite an impression on you. Most of the films we see together disappear from your memory before you have your midnight snack. Unfortunately, Karloff appears for only a brief time in the picture. He plays a wonderful madman. The film also stars the great George Sanders and features a solid performance by Charles Coburn.
OC: Didn't we see that Coburn fellow in something else recently?
FP: Yes, we saw him in The Devil and Miss Jones with Jean Arthur, Robert Cummings and Edmund Gwenn. A charming little film that combines a prince and the pauper plot with a labor relations plot. I thought it unusual in that one of its sub-plots involves a love story between two late middle-aged people. One doesn't often find that sort of plot line in movies released in the early 1940's.
OC: You sure know your movies Feckless.
FP: And you know your adult beverages Oddvark, this world is big enough for us all to indulge our hobbies.
OC: What was that movie we saw about the ships?
FP: Oh, you must mean That Hamilton Woman, starring Vivien Leigh and Lawrence Olivier?
OC: If you say so. I liked those fancy uniforms the sailers were wearing. And that beautiful actress that sached about the whole movie.
FP: That was Vivien Leigh. She was very beautiful. She was perfect for the role of Lady Hamilton, just as she was perfect for the role of Scarlet O'Hara. She had a reputation of being difficult to work with. I'm glad some directors stuck with it because the results are terrific.
OC: What was the title of the film we saw tonight Feckless?
FP: Tonight we saw Separate Tables, a melodrama about lonely people living in a boarding house in England. It is based on a play by Terence Rattigan and directed by Delbert Mann. Even though this film is not played on TV very often, it produced two Oscar winners, David Niven for Best Actor and Wendy Hiller for Best Supporting Actress. It also features Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr (nominated for Best Actress), and Rita Hayworth.
OC: What a blockbuster cast! There wasn't much action though.
FP: No, not much action. It was more of a character study. It exposes the audience to a slice of the human dilemma. It examines the dynamics of several people who are not related, but live in close proximity to each other. What it lacks in cinematographic fireworks it make up for with extremely well written dialogue.
OC: Speaking of character studies, that was a pretty good party we went to this afternoon.
FP: Yes, it was so nice seeing so many of our old friends. We've lost a couple in the last few years. Now we make it a point to see our old friends whenever the opportunity presents itself. We were young together and now we are growing old together. Once there were some rivalries, but now there seems to be nothing but respect, camaraderie and affection.
OC: They had a keg too.
FP: Yes Oddvark, they had a keg too.
Oddvark(OC): That's right Feckless; some of them have been pretty darn good.
FP: We saw a terrific murder mystery called Lured the other night. The lead actress was Lucille Ball of all people. Can you imagine Lucille Ball in a murder mystery?
OC: Remember, that film was made in 1947, before Lucy & Dezi were on television. Wasn't Boris Karloff in that film?
FP: Yes, that's right Oddvark. Lured must have made quite an impression on you. Most of the films we see together disappear from your memory before you have your midnight snack. Unfortunately, Karloff appears for only a brief time in the picture. He plays a wonderful madman. The film also stars the great George Sanders and features a solid performance by Charles Coburn.
OC: Didn't we see that Coburn fellow in something else recently?
FP: Yes, we saw him in The Devil and Miss Jones with Jean Arthur, Robert Cummings and Edmund Gwenn. A charming little film that combines a prince and the pauper plot with a labor relations plot. I thought it unusual in that one of its sub-plots involves a love story between two late middle-aged people. One doesn't often find that sort of plot line in movies released in the early 1940's.
OC: You sure know your movies Feckless.
FP: And you know your adult beverages Oddvark, this world is big enough for us all to indulge our hobbies.
OC: What was that movie we saw about the ships?
FP: Oh, you must mean That Hamilton Woman, starring Vivien Leigh and Lawrence Olivier?
OC: If you say so. I liked those fancy uniforms the sailers were wearing. And that beautiful actress that sached about the whole movie.
FP: That was Vivien Leigh. She was very beautiful. She was perfect for the role of Lady Hamilton, just as she was perfect for the role of Scarlet O'Hara. She had a reputation of being difficult to work with. I'm glad some directors stuck with it because the results are terrific.
OC: What was the title of the film we saw tonight Feckless?
FP: Tonight we saw Separate Tables, a melodrama about lonely people living in a boarding house in England. It is based on a play by Terence Rattigan and directed by Delbert Mann. Even though this film is not played on TV very often, it produced two Oscar winners, David Niven for Best Actor and Wendy Hiller for Best Supporting Actress. It also features Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr (nominated for Best Actress), and Rita Hayworth.
OC: What a blockbuster cast! There wasn't much action though.
FP: No, not much action. It was more of a character study. It exposes the audience to a slice of the human dilemma. It examines the dynamics of several people who are not related, but live in close proximity to each other. What it lacks in cinematographic fireworks it make up for with extremely well written dialogue.
OC: Speaking of character studies, that was a pretty good party we went to this afternoon.
FP: Yes, it was so nice seeing so many of our old friends. We've lost a couple in the last few years. Now we make it a point to see our old friends whenever the opportunity presents itself. We were young together and now we are growing old together. Once there were some rivalries, but now there seems to be nothing but respect, camaraderie and affection.
OC: They had a keg too.
FP: Yes Oddvark, they had a keg too.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
WALK IN THE PARK
Feckless (FP): Oddvark and I took a walk in the park this afternoon. It has been a long time since I was out in nature. The temperature was just right and most of the hiking path was shaded. Say Oddvark, what did you think of that nature trail we walked today?
Oddvark (OC): It was terrific! We saw an eagle, a wild magnolia, and a great looking chick taking a jog around the park.
FP: Yeah, they also had some nice picnicing facilities and even a small campground with several cords of wood stacked up for the fire ring.
OC: That's right, I'd like to pitch my tent out there for a couple of nights before it gets too hot.
FP: We can do that, but you'll have to use those porta-johns when nature calls.
OC: No way, I'll take care of business in the woods.
FP: You used those drop toilets in Oregon last year didn't you.
OC: Hell no! I opened the door to one of those thing and I almost vomited. The fumes coming out of those things would kill a rhino.
FP: You mean to tell me that you went three days without answering the call of nature.
OC: Are you kidding? With all that beer, beenie weenies and beef jerky I was putting down. When I felt the urge I just climbed up the mountain and planted myself behind the biggest tree I could find. There's no way anyone could see me and I didn't have to expose myself to those noxious fumes.
FP: Oddvark, you're a pig. Civilized people don't go in the woods.
OC: In this case I would say I was more like a bear than a pig. Besides, I dig swine. Anyway, how come it's OK for the wild animals to poop all over the place, but if I do it you make it sound nasty.
FP: Well for one thing, there aren't 6.5 billion wild animals in the Oregon woods. Can you imagine what a mess we would have if everyone on earth decided they were going to go au'naturale from now on. Disease would run rampant.
OC: I use the facilities when I'm in town. I just like to make like a bear when I'm in the woods. I bet you couldn't get a bear to set foot in one of those drop toilets.
FC: Oddvark, it is just a convention that has been agreed upon by civilized society. One way that we guage the level of our civilization is how far removed from wild animals we are. Wild animals are not very good at following rules. They are governed by instinct. Since humankind can communicate and understand rules, one way of distancing ourselves from our wild ancestors is by adopting rules and enforcing them. This is one of the origins of morality, religion and the social contract. If we don't adopt and agree to follow rules, we might regress to become more like wild animals. You don't want to live like a wild animal do you Oddvark?
OC: I like pretending I'm a bear when I'm in the woods.
FP: Bears don't brew and distribute oatmeal stout and beef jerky.
OC: You gotta be shitin me!
Oddvark (OC): It was terrific! We saw an eagle, a wild magnolia, and a great looking chick taking a jog around the park.
FP: Yeah, they also had some nice picnicing facilities and even a small campground with several cords of wood stacked up for the fire ring.
OC: That's right, I'd like to pitch my tent out there for a couple of nights before it gets too hot.
FP: We can do that, but you'll have to use those porta-johns when nature calls.
OC: No way, I'll take care of business in the woods.
FP: You used those drop toilets in Oregon last year didn't you.
OC: Hell no! I opened the door to one of those thing and I almost vomited. The fumes coming out of those things would kill a rhino.
FP: You mean to tell me that you went three days without answering the call of nature.
OC: Are you kidding? With all that beer, beenie weenies and beef jerky I was putting down. When I felt the urge I just climbed up the mountain and planted myself behind the biggest tree I could find. There's no way anyone could see me and I didn't have to expose myself to those noxious fumes.
FP: Oddvark, you're a pig. Civilized people don't go in the woods.
OC: In this case I would say I was more like a bear than a pig. Besides, I dig swine. Anyway, how come it's OK for the wild animals to poop all over the place, but if I do it you make it sound nasty.
FP: Well for one thing, there aren't 6.5 billion wild animals in the Oregon woods. Can you imagine what a mess we would have if everyone on earth decided they were going to go au'naturale from now on. Disease would run rampant.
OC: I use the facilities when I'm in town. I just like to make like a bear when I'm in the woods. I bet you couldn't get a bear to set foot in one of those drop toilets.
FC: Oddvark, it is just a convention that has been agreed upon by civilized society. One way that we guage the level of our civilization is how far removed from wild animals we are. Wild animals are not very good at following rules. They are governed by instinct. Since humankind can communicate and understand rules, one way of distancing ourselves from our wild ancestors is by adopting rules and enforcing them. This is one of the origins of morality, religion and the social contract. If we don't adopt and agree to follow rules, we might regress to become more like wild animals. You don't want to live like a wild animal do you Oddvark?
OC: I like pretending I'm a bear when I'm in the woods.
FP: Bears don't brew and distribute oatmeal stout and beef jerky.
OC: You gotta be shitin me!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
BEFORE THE DEVEL KNOWS YOUR DEAD
Feckless(FP): So Oddvark, what did you think about that movie we saw last night?
Oddvark (OC): Man, I thought we were disfunctional. That family in the movie made us look like boy scouts.
FP: Yeah in Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, the audience gets to see what happens to one family when members of that family abandon a purpose driven life and lose their souls to the material world that surrounds them.
OC: Lose their souls is right. All for the love of money. I'd rather be poor and decent than be rich and monstrous.
FP: You're right! Oddvark you're a success. Who'd of thunk it.
OC: A success, nobody has every called me that before. Take it back.
FP: Oddvark, I was complementing you. Now I'll pass out a few more complements. Philip Seymor Hoffman was excellent, as usual, in Devil...Dead. His ability to portray wide ranges of emotion is impressive. There are also some great naughty pictures of Marisa Tomei. She still looks good. Yum,yum! Ethan Hawke and Albert Finney deliver fine supporting performances. Sydney Lumet directs this fascinating crime drama about a jewelry store heist that goes wrong. The twist is that the store is owned by the robbers parents. Marisa Tomei's character brings to mind a line from Hank Williams' Lovesick Blues, "she'll do me, she'll do you, she's got that kind of lovin". I for one was glad to see her in action.
OC: You got a crush on Marisa Tomei.
FP: You got a crush on oatmeal stout.
OC: The finest substance made by the hand of man. As long as I have my oatmeal stout, I'll be a happy man.
Oddvark (OC): Man, I thought we were disfunctional. That family in the movie made us look like boy scouts.
FP: Yeah in Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, the audience gets to see what happens to one family when members of that family abandon a purpose driven life and lose their souls to the material world that surrounds them.
OC: Lose their souls is right. All for the love of money. I'd rather be poor and decent than be rich and monstrous.
FP: You're right! Oddvark you're a success. Who'd of thunk it.
OC: A success, nobody has every called me that before. Take it back.
FP: Oddvark, I was complementing you. Now I'll pass out a few more complements. Philip Seymor Hoffman was excellent, as usual, in Devil...Dead. His ability to portray wide ranges of emotion is impressive. There are also some great naughty pictures of Marisa Tomei. She still looks good. Yum,yum! Ethan Hawke and Albert Finney deliver fine supporting performances. Sydney Lumet directs this fascinating crime drama about a jewelry store heist that goes wrong. The twist is that the store is owned by the robbers parents. Marisa Tomei's character brings to mind a line from Hank Williams' Lovesick Blues, "she'll do me, she'll do you, she's got that kind of lovin". I for one was glad to see her in action.
OC: You got a crush on Marisa Tomei.
FP: You got a crush on oatmeal stout.
OC: The finest substance made by the hand of man. As long as I have my oatmeal stout, I'll be a happy man.
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