More From "The Best Of The Nut House"
Check out Bravo Tuesday, July 26. MtAnnie & I will be watching(or TiVo-ing).

FROM: Monday, 18 October 2004

It's Raining Like A Raymond Chandler Novel

I rented The Big Sleep on DVD over the weekend- my 1st full weekend in a few weeks. About 15 minutes in, I heard rain outside my window. Rain is a very unexpected sound in mid-October in southern California.

I love The Big Sleep, I've seen it many times and I wanted to see the "original" cut. I had a bad disc, and the 1945/46 comparison section had been marred on both sides of the disc(PISS!). Anyway, I always thought it was strange that it rained, and rained hard early in the story. I'd never been west of the Mississippi until '78, and never in SoCal except to drive through Needles, CA. Who knew about El Ninos if you didn't live out here?

I think I'll read some Chandler(love those Devil Winds)this month. I've read the Hammett novels a few times, they're great, but not LA based. I wish somebody would shoot a faithful version of Red Harvest.

And so, the following is dedicated to MtAnnie, while we wait to hear from the Bravo network.

A "statement" from Raymond Chandler...
On attending the Academy Awards for the first (and last) time, c. 1941: "If you can get past those awful idiot faces on the bleachers outside the theater without a sense of the collapse of human intelligence; and if you can go out into the night and see half the police force of Los Angeles gathered to protect the golden ones from the mob in the free seats, but not from the awful moaning sound they give out, like destiny whistling through a hollow shell; if you can do these things and still feel the next morning that the picture business is worth the attention of one single, intelligent, artistic mind, then in the picture business you certainly belong because this sort of vulgarity, the very vulgarity from which the Oscars are made, is the inevitable price that Hollywood exacts from each of its serfs."

Ouch.

Tonight's specials(check out The Big Sleep):
Brandy... in a glass
Rye... in a paper cup
Bourbon... water back(watched Out Of Sight too.)

Chinquapin
(tonight's password is... trenchcoat)

***********************************************************
I'm thinking about painting this Chandler jem along the hallway to the patio/pier.

"I'm an occational drinker, the kind of guy who goes out for a beer and wakes up in Singapore with a full beard." --"The King in Yellow"

Wonder where I can get ahold of the Powers Boothe "Philip Marlowe" series? What a great voice over voice. Come-on HBO, or ITC, or who ever.

Chinquapin

The Best Of The Nut House(or- a repeat)
It's just too hot for me to sit at this computer this week, so on these REALLY hot days in The Valley, we will partake in "The Best of The Nut House".

FROM: Monday, 10 January 2005

I Can't Believe I'm Agreeing With Pat Buchanan!

I've been watching The McLaughlin Group for over 20years, and in the beginning I never thought I'd be agreeing with Mr. Patrick Buchanan whole heartedly.

The following is a quote from John McLaughlin's 2004 year end show:
MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Macro prediction, Pat.

MR. BUCHANAN: John, I believe that by the end of 2005, George Bush will be in the low 40s. I think his administration will be afflicted with scandals. I think their deep divisions inside the Republican Party will have surfaced. And I think we will have ourselves a hellish situation that will divide the country on Iraq. It's not good news, but I sense it is coming.
http://www.mclaughlin.com/library/transcript.asp?id=447

And today I heard about "plans" for U.S. Death Squads in Iraq

Forget about teflon, we've got the Flubber President. What's it gonna take?

Boy could I use a drink.

Chinquapin
(Definitely a "Bad Moon Rising" kinda day.)

Let's hope that Hurricane Emily knocks that nasty 4 corners high pressure cell loose, and we can cool down.

Should I Learn How To Dig A Well?
It's REALLY hot here in The Valley with no central air(no laptop, so I'm in the hot room), so please bare with me.

Got home yesterday(really hot too)and whipped up a quick dinner so I wouldn't be trying to sleep on a full stomach, in a hot room, in 3 hours. I checked in with BBC World to get some real news, and the top story was the starving children(and adults, and livestock) of Niger. All I've heard about Niger in the mainstream U.S. media the past 6 days is Valerie Plame and the Yellow Cake(God, it sounds like the Grimm Bros. or Roald Dahl).

Anyway, I'm trying to eat my chicken & rice and watch the story-which runs for what seems like 10 minutes(out of a 25ish minute news program-wow), and the thought that's been rattling around in my head since last week really rings out. I've got to do something that matters. I've got to make a living, make a life that's fulfilling. I've had this inkling way back in my mind for... 25+ years now(8th grade?), but in college prep school, fulfillment wasn't a top priority, not at my school anyway.

For the last 18+/- months, I've been "assisting" someone with a lot of money. She's a good person, but I feel she & her friends haven't a clue what they could be doing with their wealth. I mean, how many pairs of high-end shoes & coordinating handbags does any one person really NEED? You've got to look good for work, I know. But at some point it becomes an obscene number of shoes.

The point is... I have become disgusted with any business(entertainment in my case)that often acts as if because there's a great deal of money involved, some are making the equivalent of Life or Death decisions. Employees are "on-call" 24/7. People are paid ridiculous amounts of money, some as a reward for giving up most of their private life. I guess I shouldn't fault them if they want to trade their lives for shoes & handbags & Lux cars & $1,000,000- 3 bedroom homes(that's the current market).

So, I'm looking for a "career" change(not like I really had a career before). I'm going to try to get a job in the industry('cause that's what I know now) & update my skills- then I'm OUT.

Also(and this is binding), if I win the Mega Millions tonight, after taxes & the split to MrMan(community property state), I'm gonna give a big chunk... let's say 10 million, split to organizations I've linked to at The Nut House. Maybe a annuity(principle stays intact- funded by interest/dividends-right?).

I'd better stop now, before the heat has me giving my car away.

Back to Niger's children, I couldn't find the story on BBC.com yesterday, I think I was on the site before the story was posted, so here it is tonight(linked through The One Campaign, 3rd post down on July 19, 2005). Direct link to BBC.com story if you're really ing a rush.

Chinquapin
(tonight's special... crystal clear, ice cold water)

P.S. Just so we're all clear, the above reads "...organizations I've linked to...", not fellow bloggers I've linked to(sorry guys).

One More Day 'Til The 1st Anniversary...
...of the grand opening of The Nut House(boy I'm beat).

Chinquapin

God Speed Discovery Crew
Anyone else think NASA(or the Government)has been acting... overly cautious lately? Not that every possible precaution shouldn't be taken, but I don't think the U.S. would have made it to the moon with the current attitude.

When did piloting a spacecraft become such a mundane task that we forgot the immense risk and bravery involved? Why are they heros when they don't come back, and get less than 5 minutes on the news when they do make it back safe & sound?

Well, it's getting late & I'm off to bed as soon as I clean the litter box. Talk about mundane.

Chinquapin(make sure you thank your flight crew next time you fly.)

Phasers On The Battlefield... Fascinating
Funny how Reagan's "Star Wars"(sorry Mr. Lucas)always got the press, but phasers ala "Star Trek" could be on the shelf for Christmas.

I like the idea of a stun setting, but what's the word on the Love Bomb?

Chinquapin
(the password is... Corbomite)

A Moment Of Silence
I was going to gear up for the 1st anniversary of The Nut House, but I'll wait a day as we take a moment to pray/send good thoughts/take a moment to pay our respects to the people of London.







Tomorrow we will re-affirm our motto-"Eat, drink & be merry, for tomorrow we fight the good fight".

Chinquapin(trying to live each day fully, 'cause you never know...)

What A Great Movie
3 Days of the Condor, what a great movie!

Please change the banner ads!

C.

Had To Stop On TV Poker
The commentator used the word "bloviate". I won't give the exact quote, it'll affect the ads.

Chinq

PUPPIES, KITTIES & BUNNIES
Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies & Puppies & Kitties & Bunnies &

Chinquapin