My Beef: Gas Prices

I hate to be another person complaining about gas prices these days. It's sort of like complaining about the cold weather in Chicago. Asking, "Is it cold enough for you?" may get you shot.

It's interesting how times (and gas) have changed since I first started driving. Going for a ride with friends when I was sixteen was how we spent some of our beautiful spring evenings - choosing the long and scenic route, taking in everything that just sprung to life after a long and grey winter.

Now I calculate every turn, every stop, every errand. I think we are way passed the point of conservation. We have depleted HALF of the world's oil supply, and with the amount of cars on the road now (as opposed to when the first Ford was introduced), I fear we are going to go through the other half before we are able to find an alternative fuel source.

And I will see that in my lifetime.

There's only so much I can do in my home to conserve gas. I really don't use my heat (at this time of year, I don't have to). My appliances are electric... but it doesn't matter if I choose to line-dry of machine-dry my clothes, it doesn't fill my car's gas tank.

If you have yet to see the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" I suggest you rent it.

On a side note. Why, when I do a Google Image search of "gas pumps," I get this as one of my first pictures:

Don't stare at it too long. It might eat your soul.

Sean Patrick Flanery (cont'd)

:(

So Sean Patrick Flanery didn't have the time this morning to call in to the show, but I'm working on getting an interview anyway. I'll keep you posted!

Sean Patrick Flanery

I just received confirmation that actor, and overall BA, Sean Patrick Flanery is going to be a guest on tomorrow's show.

He starred in "Young Indiana Jones" (look for all seasons on DVD).1992-1995

Made tolerance and understanding a hot topic as Jeremy Reed in "Powder." (1995)

Kept us guessing in "Suicide Kings," along with Christopher Walken, Dennis Leary, Henry Thomas, Jay Mohr, Johnny Galecki, and Jeremy Sisto. (1997)

Helped a little movie become an underground cult-classic. (1999)

Check out MORE of the Sean Patrick Flanery goodness here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001218/

My Beef: His name is Christian Bale

With the movie "Public Enemies" being filmed on home turf (in the Columbus, WI/Beaver Dam, WI area), there is so much talk of Johnny Depp.

Sure, Johnny Depp is in the film.

Sure, Johnny Depp is a fine actor - probably one of the best actors to grace the technicolor screen.

But.

An actor of (at LEAST) the same caliber shares the top billing of this film. His name is Christian Bale, and he has managed to remain successfully below the radar since we were first introduced to him compliments of Steven Spielberg in "Empire of the Sun." (1987)

Bale hasn't fallen in to the "bumbling-romantic-comedyesque-hasn't-this-guy-been-in-every-movie-this-year-and-aren't'-we-sick-of-him-yet" hell. Instead, he has chosen his roles very wisely, for example:

• Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho" (2000)

Based on the best seller, Bale portrays a man who is the epitome of all things that I loathe... the murderous tendencies aside. Bateman is snobbish, cruel, self-centered - picture every go-getter from the eighties ready to screw anyone that gets in his way. He pulls it off with a sense of humor, and made me want to see more of what he could do... which brings me to...

• John Preston in "Equilibrium" (2002)

In a futuristic world where human emotion is illegal and anything that can provoke feeling is eradicated, why go on? John Preston, a cleric who's job it is to destroy this "contraband" has decided to stop dosing and start feeling. I was blown away by his performance. If his character touched something for the first time, I felt it for the first time. Moving. Period.

• Trevor Reznik in "The Machinist" (2004)

Should I ever get the chance to interview Bale, my first question would be about the weight he lost to play this role. Normally seen as a very fit person these days, Bale's body transformed in to nothing but skin and bone. His character in this film has a bout of insomnia... a bout that has lasted a year. The cause of his unease is revealed throughout the film, and, since I'm not a spoiler, I won't go further - all I will say is that if you are a fan of mind-bending psychological movies that make you want to discuss the film with everyone you meet, watch it.

Oh yeah. And he's Batman.

There are few actors that will not let me down, and Christian Bale is one of them. I can rely on him to constantly push himself to new limits and take on roles that other actors are too intimidated to try. He hasn't let me down yet.

Well... I'll let "Reign of Fire" go. Everyone deserves a Mulligan.

Check out the amazing career of Christian Bale: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000288/

Must-See Movies

Over the weekend I saw two REALLY great movies.

The first is called "Boy Eats Girl" (rated R), a zombie-comedy (or zombedy) that came over the pond from our friends in Ireland.




Plot synopsis: A boy declares his love for his girlfriend, only to die the same night. He is brought back to life by his mother as a flesh-craving zombie, who sires more teen undead while trying to control his, er, appetite for his beloved.

"Boy Eats Girl" marries Can't Hardly Wait's sense of humor, with the blood and guts of Dead Alive. The comic timing is held fast by every cast member (especially Nathan's two best friends), and for the first time in a zombie movie, everything works out well in the end. It is a comedy after all.

Hilarious. Period. Rent it, watch it, love it.

My rating: B+



The second is "The Orphanage" (rated R), a very terrifying story produced by writer/director Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth"). The tag line says it all; "A tale of love. A story of horror."

Plot synopsis: A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend.

I know! It sounds like every other horror movie you've ever seen where there are children involved, but this film goes WAY beyond any expectations. I'm not easily shaken. "The Orphanage" had me curled up on the couch with a blanket over my face begging for the movie to be over... and yet, to keep going. I can't possibly describe how perfectly executed this film was from start to finish - the script was solid, the camera work was flawless, and the performances were haunting.


I would rate this film an EASY A+.

Won't you reach out?

Most of us are lucky. We go about our daily lives without considering that someone out there has yet to find their way.

For less than the price of a cup of coffee, you can help my cause.

Wow.

I really didn't mean to sound so over dramatic!

As you know, I am a recent transplant from Chicago to the Beaver Dam/Columbus area, and I am looking for something to do!

Where do you go for the best hot wings? Who has the best happy hour? How do you and your friends spend the weekends? What Wisconsin-esque "thing" do I need to do or try?

I want to know!

Below this blog entry, you will see a link that says "comments" - it's a little dark, but it's there. Click on the link and post a comment about what you do for fun, here in Southern Wisconsin.

Maybe I'll see you there...

My Beef: Mobile Phone Use

Ok, so we all know that technology is constantly evolving and that in order to keep with the times, you have to evolve right along with it. But can't we PLEASE remember to bring our common courtesy along for the ride?

Take mobile phone use, for instance. There are many different types of bad mobile phone users out there... all of which I will detail for you now:

The Attachment Person: The guy who can't go FIVE seconds without texting someone, checking his voicemail, checking his email, surfing his MySpace/Facebook/Match.com, or making a quick call.
· How to identify: You would think he has a bionic ear the way he can hear his phone beep from across a crowded bar hosting a live band on St. Patrick’s Day. His face is more tan than the rest of his body thanks to the glow from the menu screen on his phone.
· Why this is annoying: If you have set up time to spend with me, SPEND IT WITH ME! I am a busy person and being interrupted CONSTANTLY so that you can check to see if anyone more important than me has called is rude. Spend the time with me – in person, a real human voice not bounced down from satellite – not on the phone.

The Soccer Mom: While there’s nothing wrong with driving the kids to baseball practice and cello rehearsal, there is something wrong with trying to dig for a phone at the bottom of your purse while navigating six lanes of traffic.
· How to identify: At first glance you would assume the driver in front of you in drunk, but with the presence of children in the car, the window clings proudly displaying that “Skyler” is the cheerleader/Dakota” is the ballerina, and the fact that it’s four in the afternoon, you suddenly realize that the Soccer Mom in front of you has lost her phone somewhere in the depths of her Mary Poppinsesqe bag.
· Why this is annoying: Danger factor aside; this is my inner (and sometimes outer) monologue when following a person like this: “Oh, my God! Pick a lane!”, “You have a green light, you can go now!”, “Wow, thanks for suddenly making that sharp right turn and having me come close to rear-ending you!”, “You know, I’d switch lanes, but she’s sort of taking up both at the moment.” I know that being a full time mom is tough. There are so many things that have to get done and very little time to do it, but, please, for the safety of your family, and the sanity of other drivers, keep your phone handy (with a wireless device). Oh… and stop playing the latest Kidz Bop CD so loud I can hear it in my car. Thanks.

The Foreign Language Speakers: These are the people that choose to hold complete conversations using text shorthand.
· How to identify: English becomes their second language, and they struggle to construct complete sentences in everyday situations.
· Why this is annoying: Why? WHY?!?!?!?! “I.D.K.” is not shorthand for “I don’t know.” You see, making something shorter suggests that you use less syllables, and last I checked, both forms, the English, and the Unintelligible, were both three syllables. When I get texts or EMAILS from people who write like this: “we r @ js c u l8r?”, I have to pull out my trusty Orphan Annie decoder ring and take a half an hour deciphering the message. How hard is it to text, “Drink more Ovaltine”?

Final summation: although we live in a fast-paced world, let's all agree to slow it down a little and have courtesy for one another. Put the phone away when out with friends. Have the decency to tell the person you are talking to to hang on a second while you say hello to the cashier at the grocery store. Keep your hands at ten and two, and get where you are going safely.

It's simple.