To Live and Die in L.A. February 28, 2009
Posted by Michael in Movies.comments closed
This is another one of my rare movie reviews. As I’ve said before, I don’t really know how to do reviewing in a stylistically meaningful way, so I’ll just stick with basic information.
For starters, this movie is 25 years old, so you need to understand that it is a product of the 1980s.
Acting: B+. Good effort by serious stars.
Directing: OK. I guess this gets a C.
Plot: C. Average, shopworn plot. Cop breaks the law to avenge fallen partner. Lots of moral ambiguity.
Action: B-. Entertaining gun fights and physical combat, but the car chase scene falls way short of French Connection quality.
Tits and Ass: C+. Both present, slightly above average quality and quantity. It probably was better than a C+ in the 1980s, but hey, we’ve gotten jaded since then.
Cinematography: A++. This is the strong point of this movie. It’s pretty. It has a period piece Miami Vice vibe with extra grit, appropriate for LA.
Overall, this is worth putting on your Netflix queue if you have not already seen it.
Here’s a vintage song by 2Pac that has nothing to do with the movie, other than the name. I don’t like much rap, but this is good.
2Pac is making a key point about LA’s cultural importance, but you have to listen for it. It begins and ends the song in an easily ignored background refrain, which the video images emphasize, where he says this:
West side . . .
I don’t doubt that he is right about this. These days, Hollywood is less important than Compton.
IBMMP&GS Roll Call February 28, 2009
Posted by Michael in News.comments closed
Off the top of my head, the confirmed attendees so far at the Innocent Bystanders March Madness Party & Gun Show™ (April 4-6) are:
Eddiebear
Daughter Eddiebear
Wickedpinto
Lipstick
Patty Ann
Bandit
Somebody with Bandit (?)
Mrs. Peel
Geoff
Mrs. Geoff
Dave in Texas
Cathy
Michael
Am I missing anyone?
Greatest TV Interviews Ever February 27, 2009
Posted by Edward von Bear in Crime, Ducks, Entertainment, Family, Gardening, Heroes, History, Humor, Law, Man Laws, News, Personal Experiences, Politics.Tags: crap, rasslin is real hockey is fixed, videos
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The recent buzz surrounding the weapons grade awesomeness that was Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman caused these guys to rate the greatest TV interviews ever.
Not surprisingly, this one is number one:
And Batman and Rassler Jerry Lawler made a booze-fueled apperance on the list.
Sadly, I have the feeling Sobek may fall asleep before the end of one of these. The rest of you, however, may enjoy with my best wishes.
Quiz: What is This? February 27, 2009
Posted by Lipstick in Ducks.comments closed
Update: Joan guessed it, so here is the whole thing:
The Reagan Library February 26, 2009
Posted by Lipstick in Heroes, History, Personal Experiences.comments closed
Last weekend I went to California and stopped at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley.
They have a temporary loan of an actual copy of the Magna Carta, the Air Force One and Marine One Reagan flew on, and many other interesting things for Reaganites, such as the booth from Chasen’s in which Ron proposed to Nancy.
Here was the most moving part of my tour, his grave site:
Update: The inscription reads:
I know in my heart that man is good
That what is right will always eventually triumph
And there is a purpose and worth to each and every life
Cold, Dead Hands February 26, 2009
Posted by skinbad in Crime, Heroes, Man Laws, Personal Experiences, Religion, Terrorist Hemorrhoids.comments closed
So Lauraw cracked me up at the big kids’ pool today.
Economy Tanks: Crown Princes Hardest Hit February 26, 2009
Posted by skinbad in Economics.Tags: So I couldn't embed the effin' video
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Actually, they seem to be hanging in there. Sales of armored, tricked out Hummers for “falcon hunting” seem to be doing OK. For around 200K you get an elevator rear seat that puts you up through the sunroof so you can feel the wind through your shoe-polished goatee.
The company’s website gives the down low on ballistic protection levels.
Yea, that’s a Suburban, not a Hummer. The website says they’ll do anything from a Camry to an Escalade.
Some Unexpected Fallout From The Ponzi Schemes That Aren’t Called Freddie Mac February 25, 2009
Posted by Edward von Bear in Commenting Tips, Crime, Ducks, Economics, Entertainment, Family, Food, History, Humor, Law, Man Laws, Movies, News, Philosophy, Politics, Sports.Tags: baseball stuff, is this post Sobek approved?, legal stuff, money scam stuff, sports stuff, stuff stuff
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Yeah, I know. Calling a pro athlete a “victim” of anything is a risky proposition. But Scott Eyre of the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies is drawing attention for his situation.
Todd Zolecki reports that each of the players has had his assets frozen while the government investigates an $8 billion fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Stanford Financial Group. So unless these players—and all the others who have been defrauded—have a stockpile of cash around, things are going to be lean until the investigation is over, which hopefully won’t be long.
“I can’t pay my bills right now,” Eyre said. “My wife just wrote all these checks to pay bills, and they’re all going to bounce. If it takes a week or two to get my money back, I’m going to have to ask my teammates for some money. Seriously, I’m going to have to ask them that. I can’t get any money out.”
And so a man making $2 million on his new 1-year contract has just $13 in his wallet right now. We’re sure his fellow WFCs will pitch in to help the Eyres out in their time of need, but what grown man wants to even entertain the notion of asking to borrow money. Here’s hoping the defrauders get theirs in this life and the next.
I have difficulty reaching into my pocket for any athlete. But this is a case of what happens when you let other people handle your money.
Because I Can Never Get Enough Videos Of Fools Hurting Themselves Foolishly February 25, 2009
Posted by Edward von Bear in Blogroll, Commenting Tips, Crime, Ducks, Economics, Entertainment, Family, Food, Gardening, Handblogging, Humor, Lurkers, Man Laws, Music, News, Personal Experiences, Sex, Sports.Tags: Masturbation is safer, Proof Of Darwinian Selection, Wii is safer
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Man, I Never get tired of this, and I hope I never do. And thanks to the seemingly endless supply of stupid teenagers, I will never run out of material.
In fact, please shoot me if this no longer amuses me.
Sobek: Is this short enough for you?
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Please Tell Me The Wii Won’t Be At The IBMMP! February 25, 2009
Posted by Edward von Bear in Commenting Tips, Ducks, Family, Food, Gardening, Handblogging, Heroes, History, Law, Lurkers, Man Laws, Movies, Personal Experiences, Philosophy, Religion, Sex.Tags: Geezer?, Stick to wiffle ball!, Wii problems
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Seriously, I don’t want to end up like these fools.
And since the weather is supposed to be nice, why not just play Wiffle Ball? I mean, it’s outdoors and all.
What’s The Frequency Kenneth? February 24, 2009
Posted by daveintexas in Commenting Tips, Crime, Gardening, History, Man Laws.comments closed
Did you know you can easily double the range of the transmitter in your electronic car door unlocker thingy by holding it up against the side of your head when you press the button? Supposedly this uses all that inter-cranial fluid type stuff you got floatin between your ears as a gigantical antenna or something.
Either that or you’re just holding the transmitter up higher. For whichever reason, it does work.
Of course, you look like a dork doing it. But that doesn’t bother me.
Innocent Bystanders 
Science+YouTube+Cute=Awww!!1!1!11!eleventy! February 26, 2009
Posted by Edward von Bear in Commenting Tips, Ducks, Economics, Family, Food, Gardening, Heroes, History, Humor, Law, Literature, Lurkers, Man Laws, News, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Science, Sex.Tags: Cuteness, my Jewish ancestry, Orange scones
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It’s science, so it has to be good, right?
Hey, it’s either this, or me trying to justify eating that orange scone on Ash Wednesday. I mean, when your daughter wants it, and you pay $3 for it, that damn thing is going to get eaten, even if she only took three bites and then said she didn’t want any more.
I just hope the “hey, I have Jewish Ancestry, your Son is a Jewish Carpenter” works. It’s either that or going to Confession this weekend.