Punk Rock Warlord

The Future Is Unwritten tells the rich and kaleidoscopic story of John Graham Mellor, the man who became known as Joe Strummer. The film is filled with information even longtime fans will find new or at the very least retold in a different and interesting way.

The third film to deal with Strummer (the other two being Westway to the World and Let's Rock Again), it was far more personal and broader in scope. Just when it seemed to approaching mere hagiography, it would reveal some of the more sordid pieces of his past.

Ya know, I had started to write a long review detailing what I loved about the movie and what I love about Joe. But I just deleted it. Go see the movie. Joe was a mensch. One of the few people I genuinely think of as a hero. 'Nuff said.

Is There a Downside?

Great news! A new congressional report contends that the wars in Iraq and Afganistan are costing the American taxpayers twice what is currently acknowledged, due to interest payments and the costs of health care and disability for wounded veterans. I would hate to think we were getting a stinker at $800 billion when we can actually pay $1.5 trillion!

Bathtime

I'm in the midst of a divorce. While my wife and I get everything sorted, I'm living at my mother's. It isn't really so bad - my mom still lives in the house of my childhood. Which brings back a lot of fond memories and all, but there is one big problem with this scenario: not one shower in the house. That's right: her gigantic, three story, five-plus bedroom, two bathroom house has no shower. Sub-optimal.

So I bathe every day. Now I happen to think that a bath is just dandy every now and again: a fine, relaxing avenue of supplemental hygenie. As a primary method of cleansing oneself, however, it leaves something to be desired. But here is the real kick in the shorts: my mom insists on having a bath hose connected to the faucet. Which would be ok, except that the hose is really narrow and her water pressure is very strong. Ever see those cartoons where the firehose flails around spraying everything? That's me every fucking morning.

Something To Look Forward To

Sir Ian McKellen has expressed that he would be "very pleased" to reprise his role as Gandalf in the planned film version of The Hobbit. No need for that arsenic yet!

New Day Dawning

The moon, nestled between Saturn, Regulus, and Venus on October 7th, 2007 at 6:39 AM, central daylight time.

Anecdote

So last night I went out with some co-workers for dinner. Affable folks, I have no quarrel with them. Afterward I walked down to another bar to meet some of the lads, as is my wont on Thursday evenings. We had a grand old time, carrying on like fools. Ahh, my people! Love them. Sadly, I had some things to finish at work, and I wanted to get home at a reasonable hour, so we parted company around 9:45 or so.

So I hoofed it back to the office and got my shizot squared. At that point it was like 11:30 or so. I walked over to the bus stop, kind of cursing myself that I didn't stop at the cash machine so I could take a cab home. I was standing on the corner reading City Pages.

After a while, a car stops at the light and some guys start trying to talk to me. "Hi there..." and so on. I ignore them. They keep talking at me. Wait a minute, they are fucking cat-calling me! I finally look up and the one nearest to me says "nice package." WTF? I say, "Sorry, not interested." Then the light turned green and they drove away.

The end.

Mr. Furious

Nothing like a jolt of outrage to spark me to post a quick rant: the headline on the Today show this morning, the headline mind you: poor Britney's tragedy - a judge takes away her two young boys. Ok, WTF! A drug-addled, alcoholic, neglectful, and all-around bad mother gets her kids taken away, and that's TRAGIC?! This is the way it should be! The tragedy is that it doesn't happen as often as it should. And it certainly doesn't qualify as news.