Here’s a cartoon to start your weekend…
Author Archives: Bob Evans
Punting our Problems
So, a few weeks ago the White House released its official budget proposal and while it offered some cuts it did not take a stand on the most pressing issue on our budget and that is the big three, Entitlements, Defense, and Social Security. Those three areas are huge and no serious attempt at taking on our spending problem can be amassed without addressing those three areas. Obama punted, plan and simple. He may have punted from practical political purposes, let the Republicans take the lead and the heat on these issues, but it is a punt and we need leadership not punting.
While we were in the throes of the nastiest recession in many decades I was willing to wait and let the man handle the crisis before judging him on the long term. Well, we are growing again, sadly very slowly and job growth is beneath anemic, so now it is time to turn to the long term health of our country.
In a few weeks, April I think, the Republican Congress will put forth their budget. They have promised to take on the big problem and I hope that they do. We will see. If they do not seriously address the big three, and I mean in the short term not some plan to fix them with massive changes years and years down the line, then we will know that they are not serious either.
Quick post
Well, today during my lunch hour I took some extra time and had an MRI of my brain performed at my doc’s orders. (He does not feel that there are any serious issues beyond the migraines, but we want to rule out any nasty surprises.)
I started today with a mild headache, after the MRI — yes Brad I know nMRI — I have a severe headache, so severe that even new blu-rays can’t distract me.
Want to experience an MRI without bothering with a pesky doctor? Easy!
First crawl into a discard carpet tube so you’re loaded like a torpedo ready for firing. Make sure your head is exposed, because it goes into an old steel bucket (and just like a real MRI — yeah yeah nMRI– don’t forget your hearing protection). Have someone bring over a tweeting bird that’s just starting a cocaine bender, ’cause for the duration of the event you need the incessant chirping to counterpoint the rest. Now, once your head is fully in the bucket, have your friend go at it with a power-sander to the outside of the bucket. Changing it up every few minutes with whack from a lead pipe and throw in a few alarm klaxons and you’ll have an idea what an MRI is like. Primo for headaches, let me tell you.
I’m off to bed.
Writer’s Group report
So tonight was another meeting of the Mysterious Galaxy Writer’s Group and I have to say we are bonding and coming together nicely. People are much more comfortable reading their prose out loud and the critiques are always in the proper spirit, helpful not snide or snippish. I have really lucked out finding this group.
I read out my experimental piece The Haunted Wood and it was well received. The general opinion seemed to be that this represented a real improvement in my prose style.
Ghods, that made me happy.
Sunday Night Movie: Creature From The Black Lagoon
So last night , after a weekend of science-fiction and horror discussions, I was in the mood for a classic Universal horror film and gravitated instantly towards my all time favorite of those films, Creature From The Black Lagoon. Creature is a marvelous film that still holds up remarkably well today, 56 years after its initial release. (1954) With two enormous chili-dogs I settled in for a pleasant night of chills and entertainment from the classic film.
The story is simple, A scientist find a unique fossil far up the Amazon river. It is incomplete, but suggests a whole new order of amphibian life.He consults with fellow scientists and they launch an expedition to hopefully find the rest of the curious fossil. Of course what they find is so much more than a fossil, a living specimen of the new amphibian order, the Gillman, know to us primarily as The Creature.
So much of this film seems to recall King Kong for me. The isolated locale, the native myths, the somewhat sympathetic portrayal of the monster, the monster’s fascination with a beautiful woman, all echo the themes that we can find on Kong, while exploring them in a different and more personal setting. Continue reading
Weekend wrap-up
Well Condor 2011 has ended and I have to say I had a pretty good time this weekend. There were plenty of interesting panels, presentations, and person throughout the convention. I have come away with any short story idea, this one is a fantasy about water nymphs and spirits and will be another experimentation for me with my new writing style,
My headache seems to have at long last subsided. I saw a specialist on Weds and he advised 2 liters of water everyday to prevent migraines. That’s what I have done and the constant headache from last Sunday finally seems to be on the way out. So there will be a Sunday Night Movie tonight.
Condor update
This will not be much of an update as we are about to leave for the convention. Condor, being a local convention, is one we attend from home rather than staying at the hotel. (My sweetie-wife does like to save the money.)
There were a number of good panels yesterday and I had a blast. We covered everything from why are zombies so popular right now to classic SF cinema such as When Worlds Collide. (Which I am now noticing is a suspensive sentence.)
Off for more fun and frolic, though today in the rain.
Light Blogging
Blogging is likely to be light this weekend as I will be attending Condor here in San Diego. From the programming looks like it will be fun.
Final thought on Wisconsin
Not a big post here. I still feel that Public sector unions are a very different beast from Private Sector unions and there is considerable question as to their ultimate utility to the republic.
That said, I would favor that the governor’s proposal be defeated in Wisconsin.
Since he has excempted politically favorable unions from the legilation this is unequal and appears to be mostly politically motivated. Break all the public sector unions, or none of them, not just the ones who supported the opposition in the last election.
quick post
Got back late from the Mysterious Galaxy Writer’s Meeting. I really like this writers’ group and I think we’re starting to find our stride.
However due ot the late hour this is all the posting I will do.