• The best movie requiring a co-pay**

    There are different kinds of comedy. Some are obvious and some are subtle. Some have a punch line and others are visual. Some comedy has wide appeal and some does not.

    Cheryl and I just finished watching “Little Miss Sunshine,” and I simply must tell you that I’ve never laughed harder. There’s a scene in this movie where at least two human organ systems went critical (for those of you at home keeping score, it was cardiovascular and respiratory). Having said that, I must warn you that this movie undoubtedly DID NOT enjoy wide appeal; although I have almost no basis to make this claim… other than personal suspicion… knowing how my personal favorites usually hold up to public scrutiny. I won’t discuss any of the details, just in case you aren’t scared off by my endorsement, but I will say I thought it was the best anti-establishment movie I’ve ever seen (based on what I perceive to be “the establishment,” or at least some of our society’s “established norms”).

    In any case, I’m feeling much better now… in case you were worried. Normal blood flow has returned to my face and I’m breathing regularly.

    **The advise of a health related service professional was not sought prior to the posting of this entry.

  • My first race

    The first Presidential election after my inclusion in the self-awareness club occurred in 1976. It was Gerald Ford’s shot at being elected, and the contest between the appointed incumbent and the unlikely brainiac, peanut-farmer and governor-come-lately challenger from Georgia (of all places) was all over the news. At the tender age of five I was a newcomer to politics, and the lexicon of the process had my mind tied in knots… a condition that would come to be quite familiar in the coming years.

    One night I was riding in the car with my father and the news was on the radio. I finally had to ask the question that had been on my mind for some time. “Dad, why do you have to be fast to be president?”

    – – –

    There’s sure to be lots of talk about the 25th amendment, presidential pardons, airplane stairs, and political hindsight; but I don’t have anything intelligent to add. My biggest concerns when Gerald Ford took office (as President) were a soon to be born rival for my parent’s affection and my next meal. Still, it’s news in this country when a former president dies, even a one term president. While not known for opening China to the western world or winning the cold war, President Ford was known as a decent man. It’s my hope that he’s remembered just as warmly – if not more so – than the more flawed men that came and left before him.

  • Yelling at the tube

    For the second time this NFL season I cheered out loud in response to a Bucs performance. In a play right out of the Gators’ national championship game, Ike Hilliard broke free for a long catch-and-run touchdown to complete the Bucs improbable comeback… and the walls erected around my cynicism fell down.

    It lasted about thirty minutes.

    About ten minutes into the overtime period, the Bears completed what initially looked like a controversial play… a long pass putting them in field goal range (and that much closer to the Bucs losing a game in sudden-death overtime). Immediately after the play, Tampa Twin Ronde jumped up wildly gesturing that the ball hit the ground, thus voiding the play. The officials on the field didn’t agree. The one replay shown by Fox at least gave the impression that it deserved another look, from another (TV) angle. It appeared that the Bucs only hope was that the NFL’s instant replay rule would come to the rescue. However, the crafty Bears ran up to the line to run the next play, giving the replay officials less time to look at the play and call time out (by rule, a play can not be stopped for a replay review once the ball is snapped on the ensuing play). As the Bears ran up to the line I was yelling at my TV (again)… “JON, CALL THE TIME OUT!!! YOU’VE GOT ONE LEFT!!! WHAT ARE YOU SAVING IT FOR!!! PLEASE GOD… CALL THE TIME OUT!!! GIVE THE REFS MORE TIME!!! IT’S OUR ONLY HOPE!!!”

    As you can well imagine, he didn’t hear me. He didn’t call time out. The replay officials didn’t stop the game for a review. The Bears scored, the game ended, and the Bucs lost… again. I have no idea whether the replay officials would have taken another look if Gruden called time out… but it has happened. I think it might have happened in a Bucs game earlier this year (initiated by the other coach, of course).

    Oh well, it looks like we may be two games away from clinching (at least) the number three pick in the next entry draft. There’s always next year. Maybe they’ll draft more bait for the backfield…
    –ig sEXTENDED BODY: