It’s Bigger Than NPR’s Katherine Maher
1 week ago
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Rand and Ryan
The NY Observer's look at the influence of Ayn Rand. The usual snarkiness but still worth reading.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Dalton in the spotlight
Another story on Dalton's economic miseries. This now is from a little ol' newspaper named the New York Times. I have to say that next to last paragraph is bullshit. Downtown has a lot more than the writer admits, though its not nearly the wonderland city boosters would have you believe.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Stuart Swanlund, RIP
Marshall Tucker Band guitarist dies. Joined in 1985 when the band revamped under its only surviving founder, singer Doug Gray.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Dan Roundfield, RIP
Former Atlanta Hawk star Dan Roundfield reported drowned in Aruba. Roundfeld was a standout power forward on some very good Hawks teams. With a player like him today, Atlanta would be a serious NBA contender.
I always enjoyed watching him play.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Oops
My Around Dalton may be incorrect. That may well be a Brusters Ice Cream not a Bruegger's Deli. Seems more likely. My source was more confused than me.
Around Dalton
A new place to eat My crack reporting informs me that the building going up in front of Fiddleheads behind the Walgreens will be a Bruegger's Deli. I know they have one in Calhoun but across from Panera Bread seems like a strange place to build. However, that site may well have been lot cheaper than most on the strip. Speaking of delis, the Jersey Mike's next to Kroger is a solid operation, though I still miss the old Lizzi's Deli that was in that location.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
A fine tune
This is the song I chose to dance to at my wedding. From This Moment On by The Seldom Scene.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
High speed hiccups
Californians have second thoughts about bullet train. Gov. Brown and labor unions still big fans, but taxpayers uneasy.
Boortz retiring
'Talkmaster' calls it quits. Boortz refers to himself as a libertarian but he's hardly consistent. He can be very good, but he's insufferably rude and unfair to many of his disagreeable callers. Herman Cain is a weak replacement.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
The robots are coming
Chinese robots. This is why labor intensive industries are dinosaurs. Blame it on foreign labor, illegal aliens, etc, but it is mechanization which is going to end many traditional jobs, as well as create new ones.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Food n' drink
The best barbecue chips. I'm a classic Lays man myself, but I will be seeking out these other picks. I agree on the Utz chips being overrated.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Furman Bisher, RIP
A sportswriting lengend, Furman Bisher was the voice of Atlanta sports for decades. THose of us who grew up reading him were lucky indeed.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
AJC gets new publisher
UGA grad Glennon to take over. Maybe she will ditch that hideous redesign and hire back some of the good reporters they ran off. And maybe she'll expand coverage of the whole state and enlarge the distribution area. And maybe purple monkeys will fly out of my ass.
Book review
I've had "Masters of Horror" lying around the house for years and finally picked it up to read the other day.
It was a good decision.
The book is a collection of nine short stories, including short works by Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and Ray Bradbury. There's not a bad tale in the lot and I judged four of them to be exceptional.
My favorites were "The Were-Wolf" by Clemence Housman, "The Women in the Wood" by A Merritt, "Blind Man's Buff" by H.R. Wakefield and "The Candy Skull" by Bradbury.
Book editor Alden Norton declares "The Were-Wolf" to be the best lycanthrope story of all time and I would certainly put it at the top of a rather small list. "The Candy Skull" is one of Bradbury's stories set in Mexico. a favorite locale for the great author. "Blind Man's Buff" is a nifty ghost story with a lot of tension jammed into five pages. "The Women in the Wood" is an odd fantasy piece with a brutal touch.
"Dracula" author Stoker is represented by the short "Dracula's Guest" which was originally the first chapter of the great novel. It was edited from that book and Stoker salvaged it as a short story.
I see "Masters of Horror" at a lot of used book stores but I am sure it can be had cheaply on-line as well.
It was a good decision.
The book is a collection of nine short stories, including short works by Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and Ray Bradbury. There's not a bad tale in the lot and I judged four of them to be exceptional.
My favorites were "The Were-Wolf" by Clemence Housman, "The Women in the Wood" by A Merritt, "Blind Man's Buff" by H.R. Wakefield and "The Candy Skull" by Bradbury.
Book editor Alden Norton declares "The Were-Wolf" to be the best lycanthrope story of all time and I would certainly put it at the top of a rather small list. "The Candy Skull" is one of Bradbury's stories set in Mexico. a favorite locale for the great author. "Blind Man's Buff" is a nifty ghost story with a lot of tension jammed into five pages. "The Women in the Wood" is an odd fantasy piece with a brutal touch.
"Dracula" author Stoker is represented by the short "Dracula's Guest" which was originally the first chapter of the great novel. It was edited from that book and Stoker salvaged it as a short story.
I see "Masters of Horror" at a lot of used book stores but I am sure it can be had cheaply on-line as well.
At the movies
"The Battle of the River Plate" was helmed by the great director Michael Powell but is far from great film. It is a mildly entertaining and fairly accurate retelling of the destruction of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee.
The fast, powerful German battleship was stationed in the South Atlantic just before the Germans went to war with Britain and France. Within days of the war's beginning it had racked up nine kills of lightly armed merchant vessels.
The British moved quickly to counterattack which they did with three small cruisers, the Exeter, Achilles and Ajax. Although outgunned by the Graf Spee, the trio of British ships attacked and inflicted heavy damage on the German battleship.
However, the British vessels were even more ravaged.
After the battle, the Graf Spee put in to the port of Montevideo, Uruguay, a neutral country but one that favored the British.
British naval intelligence did a superb job of planting false information about a large fleet assembling off the coast to await the Graf Spee, which was forced by international law to move out of the safe harbor in a short time.
Convinced the Brits had been heavily reinforced and unwilling to see his crew slaughtered, the German commander had his ship scuttled.
Today, parts of it can still be seen in its watery grave off the coast of Uruguay.
The movie gets the main facts right but doesn't go much beyond that level. The performances are solid but no one really stands out. Peter Finch is properly grim but little else, as Capt. Langsdorf, the German commander.
That is a very young, very skinny Christopher Lee as a bar owner in Montevideo and yes he looks just like a young Nic Cage.
The battle scenes are particularly disappointing, cheap and repetitive.
A nice bit of detail is the presentation of the carnival-like atmosphere many local people took during the standoff. A crowd of 20,000 looked on as the Graf Spee was destroyed by its own captain and crew.
Also known as "Pursuit of the Graf Spee," this is a watchable but disappointing movie.
It's available at Netflix.
The fast, powerful German battleship was stationed in the South Atlantic just before the Germans went to war with Britain and France. Within days of the war's beginning it had racked up nine kills of lightly armed merchant vessels.
The British moved quickly to counterattack which they did with three small cruisers, the Exeter, Achilles and Ajax. Although outgunned by the Graf Spee, the trio of British ships attacked and inflicted heavy damage on the German battleship.
However, the British vessels were even more ravaged.
After the battle, the Graf Spee put in to the port of Montevideo, Uruguay, a neutral country but one that favored the British.
British naval intelligence did a superb job of planting false information about a large fleet assembling off the coast to await the Graf Spee, which was forced by international law to move out of the safe harbor in a short time.
Convinced the Brits had been heavily reinforced and unwilling to see his crew slaughtered, the German commander had his ship scuttled.
Today, parts of it can still be seen in its watery grave off the coast of Uruguay.
The movie gets the main facts right but doesn't go much beyond that level. The performances are solid but no one really stands out. Peter Finch is properly grim but little else, as Capt. Langsdorf, the German commander.
That is a very young, very skinny Christopher Lee as a bar owner in Montevideo and yes he looks just like a young Nic Cage.
The battle scenes are particularly disappointing, cheap and repetitive.
A nice bit of detail is the presentation of the carnival-like atmosphere many local people took during the standoff. A crowd of 20,000 looked on as the Graf Spee was destroyed by its own captain and crew.
Also known as "Pursuit of the Graf Spee," this is a watchable but disappointing movie.
It's available at Netflix.
Monday, March 5, 2012
News bidness
Digital advertising doesn't cover lost print revenue.
My experience with this is ad staffs I have worked with, particularly Dalton, had little interest in selling digital and very little training. Online advertising is a different beast, but the management at CNHI wanted to sell it the only way they knew how and it has failed miserably.
My experience with this is ad staffs I have worked with, particularly Dalton, had little interest in selling digital and very little training. Online advertising is a different beast, but the management at CNHI wanted to sell it the only way they knew how and it has failed miserably.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Davy Jones, RIP
60's icon passes away in Florida. I loved that old TV show and some of the band's songs still sound terrific. Monkees haters are usually a sad lot and I've already started hearing the jokes about Jones. Too bad. For a lot of us he was a very fun figure.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Reagan's favorite warlord
The Gipper loved Burroughs wonderful creation. Disney has major John Carter film coming out. The books sure were a blast.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Bluegrass barber shop
North Carolina shop a gathering place for pickers and bullshitters. The same thing happens occasionally at Dalton Barber Shop where Chuck and the boys have been known to pick a little between cuttins.
Bumper Crop by Joe Lansdale
This is a fine gathering of short fiction by the talented Texan. Most of the tales can be found elsewhere, but along with the earlier collection "High Cotton," "Bumper Crop" pretty thoroughly represents the early days of Lansdale's career, particularly his work for several national fantasy fiction magazines.
There are 26 stories included, including some as short as 2-3 pages. Twist endings are standard, as are outrageous monsters and charming villains.
Lansdale is a man who enjoys his work and loves to give his readers a good goosing. That often makes for eclectic, punchy and colorful stories. There are a couple of lemons in the package, but most of these pieces hold up really well, thanks to the writer's straight forward style and lack of pretentiousness.
My favorites include "Down by the Sea Near the Great Big Rock," Old Charlie," and the best of them all, the chilling "In the Cold, Dark Time." Also a lot of fun is "Pilots," which was written during the CB radio craze. That one brings back a lot of memories.
Highly recommended.
There are 26 stories included, including some as short as 2-3 pages. Twist endings are standard, as are outrageous monsters and charming villains.
Lansdale is a man who enjoys his work and loves to give his readers a good goosing. That often makes for eclectic, punchy and colorful stories. There are a couple of lemons in the package, but most of these pieces hold up really well, thanks to the writer's straight forward style and lack of pretentiousness.
My favorites include "Down by the Sea Near the Great Big Rock," Old Charlie," and the best of them all, the chilling "In the Cold, Dark Time." Also a lot of fun is "Pilots," which was written during the CB radio craze. That one brings back a lot of memories.
Highly recommended.
The Atlantic Abomination by John Brunner
Brunner was a very competent science fiction writer but like all novelists, he had to start somewhere. In Brunner's case "somewhere" was "The Atlantic Abomination," a short novel that reads very much like a first effort.
The "abomination" in question is a massive alien life form awakened deep in the ocean. The creature has been hibernating for thousands of years, waiting for the chance to resume his domination of mankind.
It winds up in Jacksonville, Fla. -- of course -- and it is there that a multi-nation team of military men and scientists dig in for battle.
Brunner hated this book and it is a very simple, often silly tale. But it's also an easy read and possesses a certain 50ish Bug Eyed Monster feel that some readers will love.
Also some earlier editions have a wonderful cover showing the title monster being carried across a ravine by a wave of human slaves. It's a knockout cover, much better than the book it advertises.
The "abomination" in question is a massive alien life form awakened deep in the ocean. The creature has been hibernating for thousands of years, waiting for the chance to resume his domination of mankind.
It winds up in Jacksonville, Fla. -- of course -- and it is there that a multi-nation team of military men and scientists dig in for battle.
Brunner hated this book and it is a very simple, often silly tale. But it's also an easy read and possesses a certain 50ish Bug Eyed Monster feel that some readers will love.
Also some earlier editions have a wonderful cover showing the title monster being carried across a ravine by a wave of human slaves. It's a knockout cover, much better than the book it advertises.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Braves minor leaguers
Jurrjens, Prado glad to be back in Atlanta. Unless they could have landed a solid every day starter, not a prospect or role player, I did not understand the Braves' desire to move either of these players. Both can add a lot, particularly the versatile Prado.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Trade Center gaga
Watch your wallet. If attendance is up more than 40 percent this year why are all these improvements necessary? Benefits of the trade center are much less than its supporters would have the public believe. One million in losses per year?
'Kearny's March'
In 1846 Gen. Stephen Kearny was ordered to leave Kansas with 2,000 U.S. troops and move west to California. The problem was California was still the property of Mexico, as was much of the "southern route" taken by Kearny's little army. This did not sit well with many Mexicans who also soon found themselves dealing with the U.S. Navy, "Pathfinder John C. Freemont and his small force of mountain men and explorers, Gen. Zachary Taylor's army regulars, Col. Alexander Doniphan's Missouri volunteers, more army regulars under Winfield Scott and a 500-man" Mormon Battalion" on loan from a cash-needy Brigham Young.
Groom incorporates all of this into his book as well as the tragic Donner Party and some early Mormon history.
In a very busy 270-pages Groom also writes about the political machinations of the Polk presidency and the chaotic world that was mid-19th century Mexico.
The book is jam packed with interesting tidbits and encourages further reading on the many subjects it introduces.
It was a momentous time in the history of North America. Th events of 1846-47 left a last impact on both the U.S. (which was doubled in size) and Mexico, which was momentously ill served by its corrupt and incompetent political and military leadership.
"Kearny's March" is a fine read in itself and a springboard to further reading.
Groom incorporates all of this into his book as well as the tragic Donner Party and some early Mormon history.
In a very busy 270-pages Groom also writes about the political machinations of the Polk presidency and the chaotic world that was mid-19th century Mexico.
The book is jam packed with interesting tidbits and encourages further reading on the many subjects it introduces.
It was a momentous time in the history of North America. Th events of 1846-47 left a last impact on both the U.S. (which was doubled in size) and Mexico, which was momentously ill served by its corrupt and incompetent political and military leadership.
"Kearny's March" is a fine read in itself and a springboard to further reading.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The great Basil Gogos
The king of the monsters. Fantasy art doesn't get much better than this. A master.
Editorial for Summerville News
By most accounts "Red Tails" is a very flawed film. However, the World War II action movie produced by George (Star Wars) Lucas deserves high marks for showing black Americans making an important contribution to the nation's military.
With a handful of exceptions, blacks have seldom received the attention of Hollywood filmmakers working on historical features.
That's unfortunate.
Black Americans have played a key role in our country's history, going back as far as the Revolutionary War.
It is estimated that more than 5,000 blacks fought for the Continental Army, despite the existence of slavery throughout the fledgling nation. (Thousands also fought for the British who promised them their freedom.)
Blacks continued to serve in the military in various roles. Often they were used as labor forces, freeing up more whites to serve in combat roles. However many blacks also "saw the elephant," the old phrase for participating in actual combat.
Some black military contributions have become well known. The fine film "Glory" celebrated the accomplishments of the 54th Massachusetts, a minority Union command which participated in several key battles in the Civil War. There are lesser known examples, too. Black soldiers played an important role in Alexander Doniphan's amazing "Chihuahua campaign," which saw a heavily outnumbered and outgunned American force decimate its adversaries and essentially conquer the vast Mexican state.
"Red Tails" is the story of the Tuskegee airmen, the first black aviators in the U.S. military. The Tuskegee men served with distinction, building a sterling reputation for skill and tenacity in their trademark P-51 Mustang fighters with painted red tails.
The movie has plenty of flaws but its very existence goes some ways in addressing an even greater flaw, the lack of recognition for thousands of brave men so long overlooked by our popular culture.
With a handful of exceptions, blacks have seldom received the attention of Hollywood filmmakers working on historical features.
That's unfortunate.
Black Americans have played a key role in our country's history, going back as far as the Revolutionary War.
It is estimated that more than 5,000 blacks fought for the Continental Army, despite the existence of slavery throughout the fledgling nation. (Thousands also fought for the British who promised them their freedom.)
Blacks continued to serve in the military in various roles. Often they were used as labor forces, freeing up more whites to serve in combat roles. However many blacks also "saw the elephant," the old phrase for participating in actual combat.
Some black military contributions have become well known. The fine film "Glory" celebrated the accomplishments of the 54th Massachusetts, a minority Union command which participated in several key battles in the Civil War. There are lesser known examples, too. Black soldiers played an important role in Alexander Doniphan's amazing "Chihuahua campaign," which saw a heavily outnumbered and outgunned American force decimate its adversaries and essentially conquer the vast Mexican state.
"Red Tails" is the story of the Tuskegee airmen, the first black aviators in the U.S. military. The Tuskegee men served with distinction, building a sterling reputation for skill and tenacity in their trademark P-51 Mustang fighters with painted red tails.
The movie has plenty of flaws but its very existence goes some ways in addressing an even greater flaw, the lack of recognition for thousands of brave men so long overlooked by our popular culture.
Middle East
Why is the world silent on Syria?
A couple of reasons come to mind. First, as events in Egypt have shown the outcome of the pro-democracy movements may well not be what many of us hoped for. What happens in Syria if the Assads are toppled?
Second, no one wants to provide anything like the the blood and treasure expended to toss Khaddafi from power in Libya. Certainly the US isn't going to get too involved and the same is true of most of the European nations. They feel like they've done their good deed for the day.
A couple of reasons come to mind. First, as events in Egypt have shown the outcome of the pro-democracy movements may well not be what many of us hoped for. What happens in Syria if the Assads are toppled?
Second, no one wants to provide anything like the the blood and treasure expended to toss Khaddafi from power in Libya. Certainly the US isn't going to get too involved and the same is true of most of the European nations. They feel like they've done their good deed for the day.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
NBA notes
I know Derek Rose is a stud scorer but I watched him against the Heat this weekend and don't think I ever saw him make an effort to run an offense. All he did was look for his shot. His stats are good, but the rest of the team sputtered and they lost. LeBron also seemed happy to make the game a personal shootout with Rose.
I love to check Rickey Rubio's line after every game. His assists to turnovers rate is excellent and he adds free throw shooting and steals to the package. He's a fun player.
Imagine a Laker-Clipper playoff series.
The Magic should trade Dwight Howard for a big man or two and draft picks. The drama has to hurting that team.
Joe Johnson has stepped it up for the Hawks since the injury to Horford, but Atlanta had to add some depth up front. I love Zaza but they need more. I wish they could get Scola from Houston.
I love to check Rickey Rubio's line after every game. His assists to turnovers rate is excellent and he adds free throw shooting and steals to the package. He's a fun player.
Imagine a Laker-Clipper playoff series.
The Magic should trade Dwight Howard for a big man or two and draft picks. The drama has to hurting that team.
Joe Johnson has stepped it up for the Hawks since the injury to Horford, but Atlanta had to add some depth up front. I love Zaza but they need more. I wish they could get Scola from Houston.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Movies
I've seen some real odds and ends of late. The best of the bunch was "JW Coop" starring the fine Cliff Robertson as a just-freed convict determined to return to the top of the rodeo world. Robertson also wrote and directed the film which has a great cast of character actors in key roles.
The movie obviously meant a lot to Robertson who infused it with energy and loving detail. It has a real "60s vibe" with Coop battling the system every step of the way. Definitely worth watching.
Bela Lugosi fans might like the poverty row cheapie "Bowery at Midnight" which is a cut above the usual Sam Katzman-produced crap. Lugosi heads up a Bowery mission which is a cover for a criminal enterprise. There's some real weirdness here and the ragged story and production holds up tolerably.
"I Start Counting" may be the lamest serial killer movie of all time. Artsy-Fartsy look at young English teen (a lovely Jenny Agutter) who has a secret crush on an older man she comes to believe may be the killer of young woman. Dull, dull, dull film directed by David Greene.
"Tucker and Dale Versus Evil" is a gore drenched spoof of slasher movies. It's very funny, with hilarious performances by the two leads. Highly recommended.
The movie obviously meant a lot to Robertson who infused it with energy and loving detail. It has a real "60s vibe" with Coop battling the system every step of the way. Definitely worth watching.
Bela Lugosi fans might like the poverty row cheapie "Bowery at Midnight" which is a cut above the usual Sam Katzman-produced crap. Lugosi heads up a Bowery mission which is a cover for a criminal enterprise. There's some real weirdness here and the ragged story and production holds up tolerably.
"I Start Counting" may be the lamest serial killer movie of all time. Artsy-Fartsy look at young English teen (a lovely Jenny Agutter) who has a secret crush on an older man she comes to believe may be the killer of young woman. Dull, dull, dull film directed by David Greene.
"Tucker and Dale Versus Evil" is a gore drenched spoof of slasher movies. It's very funny, with hilarious performances by the two leads. Highly recommended.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Braves minor leaguers
The reason the Braves can even talk about trading Jair Jurrjens is the logjam of starting pitching talent near ready for the majors. Expect to see super prospect Julio Teheran get a call up this season. He is the best pitching prospect in baseball according to many.
Arodis Vizcaino and Randall Delgado should also pitch in Atlanta this year and lefty Sean Gilmartin has his fans too.
There's less help rising for the offense. Tyler Pastornicky may get the starting shortstop job. He can play defense and get on base some. Don't look for a lot of offense from him.
A possible replacement for Chipper one day may be Edward Salcedo, who I saw at Rome last year. I wasn't blown away but the organization is high on him. The same is true for catcher Christian Bethancourt who can hit for average but needs to develop his power. He has a cannon arm but isn't smooth at all behind the plate. Bethancourt really struggled with bad pitches when I saw him and he needs a ton of work or a position change.
Andreth Simmons is predicted by many to surpass Pastornicky but he is still very raw.
The system has developed several good starters the last few years, including Venters, Kimbrel, Heyward, Freeman and Jurjjens, but an infusion of young hitters is needed. Hopefully if the Braves do move a player or two, they can net a minor league hitter with some thump to the deal.
Look for the young pitchers this year; ?????? on when some bat help will come up.
Arodis Vizcaino and Randall Delgado should also pitch in Atlanta this year and lefty Sean Gilmartin has his fans too.
There's less help rising for the offense. Tyler Pastornicky may get the starting shortstop job. He can play defense and get on base some. Don't look for a lot of offense from him.
A possible replacement for Chipper one day may be Edward Salcedo, who I saw at Rome last year. I wasn't blown away but the organization is high on him. The same is true for catcher Christian Bethancourt who can hit for average but needs to develop his power. He has a cannon arm but isn't smooth at all behind the plate. Bethancourt really struggled with bad pitches when I saw him and he needs a ton of work or a position change.
Andreth Simmons is predicted by many to surpass Pastornicky but he is still very raw.
The system has developed several good starters the last few years, including Venters, Kimbrel, Heyward, Freeman and Jurjjens, but an infusion of young hitters is needed. Hopefully if the Braves do move a player or two, they can net a minor league hitter with some thump to the deal.
Look for the young pitchers this year; ?????? on when some bat help will come up.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Braves should look at Betemit
If they could get him for a reasonable price the Braves would do well to bring back utility infielder Wilson Betemit, who is a free agent. He hits from both sides and can play second and third, though not well.
Team him with Diaz and Hinske and you've got some solid bats on the bench, as well as some needed positional depth.
Betemit has disappeared this offseason. His name rarely comes up, even though he hit well last season.
Team him with Diaz and Hinske and you've got some solid bats on the bench, as well as some needed positional depth.
Betemit has disappeared this offseason. His name rarely comes up, even though he hit well last season.
10 movies you should see
1. John Carpenter's "The Thing" is the director's best work, a thrilling take on the Howard Hawks' "we're in it together so let's work together" storyline. But instead of pulling together as a group in danger, as in the 1951 version produced by Hawks, this modern collection of individuals quickly fractures and falls apart. However, that concept is truer to the original idea of The Thing, which was based on a John Campbell short story.
2. "King Rat" is a dark, cynical World War II prison story with a twist. The hero, played by George Segal, is a louse. It's a great role for Segal and he's up to it and the movie definitely catches the flavor of the James Clavell novel it was based on.
3. "Kanal" is a great war film made in the 1960s in Poland. It's about the final days of the ghetto resistance as the Nazis hunt down the few remaining rebels, most of whom who have fled into Warsaw's sewer system. Tough, brutal filmmaking.
4. Hammer Films was in its death throes n the early 1970s when the company released the atmospheric and exciting "Vampire Circus." It flopped, which is a shame because it's a great looking film with some first rate scare scenes.
5. Michael Caine is at his coolest as Harry Palmer in "The Ipcress File," a mid-1960s espionage thriller made with style and wit. Two sequels followed but neither came close to the sharp edged "File."
6. For a classic film "Night of the Hunter" remains unknown to a lot of fans. Robert Mitchum plays the psychotic "preacher" who terrorizes an old lady and two young kids in the rural South. He's after hidden money and willing to do anything to get it. Charles Laughton directed from a script by James Agee.
7. Director Walter Hill made a string of very cool movies in the late 1970s. One of the best, though least appreciated, was "Southern Comfort." Set in bayou country, the film oozes atmosphere, in part because of the terrific Ry Cooder score. There's a ton of action and Keith Carradine and Powers Booth are great as the "heroes."
8. "The Big Sky" is an old fashioned outdoors adventure with a rollicking Kirk Douglas playing a mountain man on an expedition into the Great West. It's fanciful and larger-than-life and makes for grand adventure. It's the kind of movie that if I saw it as a kid I would immediately set up my tent and plan on camping out. In fact, I still would.
9. 'A Mighty Wind" and "First in Show" are great ensemble comedies, but Chris Guest's "Waiting for Guffman" is just as good. Fred Willard and Parker Posey stand out in a wonderful cast and the laughs come regularly.
10. "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" works on several levels ... as a classic end-of-the-world sci fi tale and as a cool newspaper movie. It's more subtle than you might expect thanks to slick direction by veteran Val Guest. This flick rarely is mentioned by genre fans. Their loss.
2. "King Rat" is a dark, cynical World War II prison story with a twist. The hero, played by George Segal, is a louse. It's a great role for Segal and he's up to it and the movie definitely catches the flavor of the James Clavell novel it was based on.
3. "Kanal" is a great war film made in the 1960s in Poland. It's about the final days of the ghetto resistance as the Nazis hunt down the few remaining rebels, most of whom who have fled into Warsaw's sewer system. Tough, brutal filmmaking.
4. Hammer Films was in its death throes n the early 1970s when the company released the atmospheric and exciting "Vampire Circus." It flopped, which is a shame because it's a great looking film with some first rate scare scenes.
5. Michael Caine is at his coolest as Harry Palmer in "The Ipcress File," a mid-1960s espionage thriller made with style and wit. Two sequels followed but neither came close to the sharp edged "File."
6. For a classic film "Night of the Hunter" remains unknown to a lot of fans. Robert Mitchum plays the psychotic "preacher" who terrorizes an old lady and two young kids in the rural South. He's after hidden money and willing to do anything to get it. Charles Laughton directed from a script by James Agee.
7. Director Walter Hill made a string of very cool movies in the late 1970s. One of the best, though least appreciated, was "Southern Comfort." Set in bayou country, the film oozes atmosphere, in part because of the terrific Ry Cooder score. There's a ton of action and Keith Carradine and Powers Booth are great as the "heroes."
8. "The Big Sky" is an old fashioned outdoors adventure with a rollicking Kirk Douglas playing a mountain man on an expedition into the Great West. It's fanciful and larger-than-life and makes for grand adventure. It's the kind of movie that if I saw it as a kid I would immediately set up my tent and plan on camping out. In fact, I still would.
9. 'A Mighty Wind" and "First in Show" are great ensemble comedies, but Chris Guest's "Waiting for Guffman" is just as good. Fred Willard and Parker Posey stand out in a wonderful cast and the laughs come regularly.
10. "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" works on several levels ... as a classic end-of-the-world sci fi tale and as a cool newspaper movie. It's more subtle than you might expect thanks to slick direction by veteran Val Guest. This flick rarely is mentioned by genre fans. Their loss.
Books
Prolific author Ron Goulart is best known for his work in science fiction, but he's done a lot more than that. I just finished "Groucho Marx, King of the Jungle," one of six Groucho novels chronicling the great comedian's (mythical) side job as an amateur detective. In this one the irrepressible Groucho re-teams with screenwriter pal Frank Denby to figure out who killed Randy Spellman, star of the Ty-Gor (think Tarzan) film series.
As in the other books in the series, the jokes comes fast and furious with the mystery solving serving as a launching pad for Goulart's perpetual wisecracking Groucho.
Goulart has a good feel for old Hollywood and isn't afraid to lay on the sleaze, if in the PG 13 range.
The series holds up pretty well but by "King of the Jungle" the format has grown overly familiar. Still is was fun while it lasted and worth a look for anyone wanting an amusing, easy not-so-thrilling mystery to digest.
As in the other books in the series, the jokes comes fast and furious with the mystery solving serving as a launching pad for Goulart's perpetual wisecracking Groucho.
Goulart has a good feel for old Hollywood and isn't afraid to lay on the sleaze, if in the PG 13 range.
The series holds up pretty well but by "King of the Jungle" the format has grown overly familiar. Still is was fun while it lasted and worth a look for anyone wanting an amusing, easy not-so-thrilling mystery to digest.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Movies
I'll watch anything with Robert Duvall in it and this was proven recently when I suffered through The Lightship, a 1980s piece of German made junk featuring the worst performance of Duvall's career. Channeling Truman Capote, he plays the fey leader of a trio of on-the-run criminals who take over a Coast Guard lightship.
Klaus Brandauer plays the ship captain and changes expressions exactly one time. Michael Lyndon, as his son, does even less emoting in a failed bid to be his generation's James Dean.
The movie is lousy.
Duvall's performance is fascinating in it's laughable wretchedness and the story makes little sense.
Watch at your own risk.
Klaus Brandauer plays the ship captain and changes expressions exactly one time. Michael Lyndon, as his son, does even less emoting in a failed bid to be his generation's James Dean.
The movie is lousy.
Duvall's performance is fascinating in it's laughable wretchedness and the story makes little sense.
Watch at your own risk.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
1781: The Decisive Year of the Revolutionary War
Robert Tonsetic's book (published last year) offers a concise and well written account of the fighting in the American South which eventually led to the siege of Yorktown and the collapse of mainstream support of the war in England.
Tonsetic's hero of the hour is not George Washington. In fact he makes it clear that Washington consistently opposed the shift to a "Southern strategy" which would prove decisive. Only the insistence of French Gen. Rochambeau (and Washington's need for French support) pushed the American commander in chief to link up with the forces of LaFayette and Nathaniel Greene at Yorktown.
It is Greene who reaps the most praise, both for his battlefield tactics and overall strategic sense. Greene's bedraggled army, assisted by the maraudings of Pickens and Marion and the like, bedeviled the arrogant Cornwallis, who seemed to shift strategy at the slightest reversal.
Greene took charge of the Continental Army in South Carolina following the disastrous defeat at Camden. He rebuilt the army as a fighting force and fine tuned his tactics to take into account the relative weakness of the lightly trained militiamen who made-up much of his command.
Examples?
Strategically, Greene brilliantly preyed on the British's reliance on long supply lines back to Savannah and Charlestown and the invaders' need to garrison numerous supply depots, which made fine targets for the mobile Americans.
Tactically, his use of cavalry (often led by the under appreciated William Washington) in both defensive and offensive capacities was superb.
Tonsetic also does a fine job of describing the "end game" at Yorktown, where the gathered American and French forces put Cornwallis' veteran army in a vise they could not escape.
A fascinating subject told well.
Tonsetic's hero of the hour is not George Washington. In fact he makes it clear that Washington consistently opposed the shift to a "Southern strategy" which would prove decisive. Only the insistence of French Gen. Rochambeau (and Washington's need for French support) pushed the American commander in chief to link up with the forces of LaFayette and Nathaniel Greene at Yorktown.
It is Greene who reaps the most praise, both for his battlefield tactics and overall strategic sense. Greene's bedraggled army, assisted by the maraudings of Pickens and Marion and the like, bedeviled the arrogant Cornwallis, who seemed to shift strategy at the slightest reversal.
Greene took charge of the Continental Army in South Carolina following the disastrous defeat at Camden. He rebuilt the army as a fighting force and fine tuned his tactics to take into account the relative weakness of the lightly trained militiamen who made-up much of his command.
Examples?
Strategically, Greene brilliantly preyed on the British's reliance on long supply lines back to Savannah and Charlestown and the invaders' need to garrison numerous supply depots, which made fine targets for the mobile Americans.
Tactically, his use of cavalry (often led by the under appreciated William Washington) in both defensive and offensive capacities was superb.
Tonsetic also does a fine job of describing the "end game" at Yorktown, where the gathered American and French forces put Cornwallis' veteran army in a vise they could not escape.
A fascinating subject told well.
Cracker Barrel founder dies
This man deserves his own national holiday. I'll eat some pancakes in his honor.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Rams needs in free agency
Hiring Jeff Fisher was a solid move but I am very interested in who the franchise brings in as general manager. This team has to get more out of the draft and build its talent base. Making a decision on trading down in the first round for extra picks will be big. Free agency needs to be more productive as well.
Also, the makeup of Fisher's staff is vital.Everyone is looking at coordinators, but I am very interested in who will coach the offensive line. The Rams have a ton of work to do there and reshuffling positions is likely. They have to get better up front and a strong position coach is vital.
It's possible they will draft OT Matt Kalil of USC and install him at LT. That means Saffold moves to right tackle and Jason Smith shifts inside where his pass blocking weaknesses aren't as pronounced.
It's going to be a big job.
Also, the makeup of Fisher's staff is vital.Everyone is looking at coordinators, but I am very interested in who will coach the offensive line. The Rams have a ton of work to do there and reshuffling positions is likely. They have to get better up front and a strong position coach is vital.
It's possible they will draft OT Matt Kalil of USC and install him at LT. That means Saffold moves to right tackle and Jason Smith shifts inside where his pass blocking weaknesses aren't as pronounced.
It's going to be a big job.
Newspaperin'
Georgia journalism icon dies. A man told me one time he had a journalism degree from Georgia; he didn't know who Conrad Fink was. The man was a lousy liar.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Movies
Kill the Irishman is a competently made gangster film that covers absolutely no new ground. Ray Stevenson plays the targeted Irishman, Danny Greene, who rises from a job as a laborer to successful racketeer in 1970s Cleveland. On the way up, he angered much of the local gangster hierarchy, particularly the Sicilian mobsters who had run the town's crime world for many years.
Stevenson is OK in a dull lead role. There's a world of well known actors in key roles, including Christopher Walken (wasted in too small a part), Vincent D'Onofrio, Val Kilmer and Robert Davi.
The movie proceeds about like you would expect. There's enough action to keep you watching but the whole thing seems perfunctory.
Stevenson is OK in a dull lead role. There's a world of well known actors in key roles, including Christopher Walken (wasted in too small a part), Vincent D'Onofrio, Val Kilmer and Robert Davi.
The movie proceeds about like you would expect. There's enough action to keep you watching but the whole thing seems perfunctory.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Mariners, Yanks make major deal
Yankees, Mariners swap young talent. This deal could have long term impact for both teams.
The Yankees got hard throwing Mariner righty Michael Pineda and minor league standout Jose Campos, giving up highly touted catcher Jesus Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi.
Pineda was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA last season in 170 innings for the Mariners. He looks like a solid No. 2 starter for years to come. Campos struck out six batters for every one he walked in a great year in A ball last season. He is a Top 5 Mariner prospect.
Seattle, which needs a lot of help on offense, added No. 1 Yankee prospect Jesus Montero. Montero appears to be a serious major league bat but his defense behind the plate is lousy and he could wind up at first or DHing. Ideally he'll catch for the Mariners who haven't had a good backstop in years. In his brief MLB debut last season Montero showed he may well be ready to make an impact.
Noesi looks like "one of the guys," but he is ready fr the majors now and has an impressive minor league background.
Potentially this is a god deal for both teams, but right now the Yankees adding a fine starter with 17-plus innings experience looks like a particularly deft move. The fact that they have 3-4 highly rated catchers with ability in the system behind Montero is also a plus.
he Mariners were ask encouraged by the fact that they have several very well thought of pitching prospects almost ready to make the big league squad. Keep an eye on Danny Hultzen; he could slide into Pineda's slot this season.
If Montero, Ackley and Smoak can fulfill their potential this could be a very interesting team in the near future.
By the way, the Yankees also added Hiroki Kuroda ( 1 year, $10 million). Suddenly their starting staff looks a lot better.
The Yankees got hard throwing Mariner righty Michael Pineda and minor league standout Jose Campos, giving up highly touted catcher Jesus Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi.
Pineda was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA last season in 170 innings for the Mariners. He looks like a solid No. 2 starter for years to come. Campos struck out six batters for every one he walked in a great year in A ball last season. He is a Top 5 Mariner prospect.
Seattle, which needs a lot of help on offense, added No. 1 Yankee prospect Jesus Montero. Montero appears to be a serious major league bat but his defense behind the plate is lousy and he could wind up at first or DHing. Ideally he'll catch for the Mariners who haven't had a good backstop in years. In his brief MLB debut last season Montero showed he may well be ready to make an impact.
Noesi looks like "one of the guys," but he is ready fr the majors now and has an impressive minor league background.
Potentially this is a god deal for both teams, but right now the Yankees adding a fine starter with 17-plus innings experience looks like a particularly deft move. The fact that they have 3-4 highly rated catchers with ability in the system behind Montero is also a plus.
he Mariners were ask encouraged by the fact that they have several very well thought of pitching prospects almost ready to make the big league squad. Keep an eye on Danny Hultzen; he could slide into Pineda's slot this season.
If Montero, Ackley and Smoak can fulfill their potential this could be a very interesting team in the near future.
By the way, the Yankees also added Hiroki Kuroda ( 1 year, $10 million). Suddenly their starting staff looks a lot better.
Convention center glut
Is there a better example than in Dalton? Too many options swamp the market, but they keep being built. Thanks to Charles Oliver for this link.
Kyle Wingfield
South Georgia plant converts millions of taxpayer dollars to bankruptcy. Remember when they talk 'public-private partnership" that means the private knows it doesn't make business sense.
My absence
I'm going to try and revive this blog after several months of no activity.
As some of you already know, I have a very serious, potentially fatal heart disease. In October I entered St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta for testing. My condition was so poor that I was told I needed to do something quickly. My best option was the insertion of a device known as an lvad (left ventricular assist device) which would assist my failing heart in pumping blood and hopefully extend and enhance the quality of my life. Breathing, I have discovered, is one of life's most underrated pleasures.
Hopefully I will be put-on the list for a heart transplant in the next few months. I may get a heart quickly and do well; I may never get one.
After getting the LVAD installed, a grueling procedure and one that usually takes about five weeks to recover from, it was obvious that I was not getting better adequately. I had a serious problem with a weakened right lung and resulting fluid build up. So, I had a second surgery (also done by the gifted Dr. Jeff Miller) and that added another month to my stay in the hospital.
St. Joseph's treated me like a king and I dearly love the people who cared for me. I owe them my life.
Still, the desire to come home was insatiable until that beautiful, cold drizzly Friday afternoon when my brother-in-law Kip Allen (another hero of mine) brought me back to Dalton.
I am recovering slowly at home now. I am limited in what I can do, mostly by my lack of stamina and strength. The LVAD is powered by large, heavy batteries which I have to be plugged into constantly, unless I am plugged into the wall like a refrigerator.
I weigh about 182 pounds, the lightest I have been since my junior year of high school. I have no muscle mass and tire easily.
But I am getting better and am battling back. My morale rises and falls daily, butI remain determined to get better.
That's one reason I want to get back to blogging.
I also want to get back to work as soon as possible at The Summerville News and as a freelancer.
I need the money and I need the normalcy.
Anyhow, I am pushing on every day and hope to be back in flu swing before too long.
That's it for now; I hope you'll tune back into this blog regularly. I am going to try to write more for it and increase the articles links of local interest, as well as link to the stuff that interests me (sports, politics, movies.)
I hope to talk to you or exchange emails soon.
Espy
As some of you already know, I have a very serious, potentially fatal heart disease. In October I entered St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta for testing. My condition was so poor that I was told I needed to do something quickly. My best option was the insertion of a device known as an lvad (left ventricular assist device) which would assist my failing heart in pumping blood and hopefully extend and enhance the quality of my life. Breathing, I have discovered, is one of life's most underrated pleasures.
Hopefully I will be put-on the list for a heart transplant in the next few months. I may get a heart quickly and do well; I may never get one.
After getting the LVAD installed, a grueling procedure and one that usually takes about five weeks to recover from, it was obvious that I was not getting better adequately. I had a serious problem with a weakened right lung and resulting fluid build up. So, I had a second surgery (also done by the gifted Dr. Jeff Miller) and that added another month to my stay in the hospital.
St. Joseph's treated me like a king and I dearly love the people who cared for me. I owe them my life.
Still, the desire to come home was insatiable until that beautiful, cold drizzly Friday afternoon when my brother-in-law Kip Allen (another hero of mine) brought me back to Dalton.
I am recovering slowly at home now. I am limited in what I can do, mostly by my lack of stamina and strength. The LVAD is powered by large, heavy batteries which I have to be plugged into constantly, unless I am plugged into the wall like a refrigerator.
I weigh about 182 pounds, the lightest I have been since my junior year of high school. I have no muscle mass and tire easily.
But I am getting better and am battling back. My morale rises and falls daily, butI remain determined to get better.
That's one reason I want to get back to blogging.
I also want to get back to work as soon as possible at The Summerville News and as a freelancer.
I need the money and I need the normalcy.
Anyhow, I am pushing on every day and hope to be back in flu swing before too long.
That's it for now; I hope you'll tune back into this blog regularly. I am going to try to write more for it and increase the articles links of local interest, as well as link to the stuff that interests me (sports, politics, movies.)
I hope to talk to you or exchange emails soon.
Espy
Golfer has two heart transplants
All I wanted to do was stay alive. Compton makes PGA tour after surviving a "widow maker."
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