The "Grinch" is alive and well in Vermont

A homeless man who is a paid bell-ringer for The Salvation Army in Barre,VT was kicked out of the homeless shelter he was staying in since May after they learned of his activities during the day.
The Good Samaritan Haven requires its guests to leave the shelter at 7 AM daily to "look for work or a place to live" and the executive director,Paul Mascitti,says that 48 yr old Paul Tucker is in violation of the shelters rules because instead of finding a job and caring for himself,he is helping to raise money for the needy.HUH?WTF?Is that a conondrum or what?The man IS working,as Salvation Army pays him $20 a day for meals.Ask around and I am sure most of the bell ringers here on Delmarva are paid rather than volunteer,so what is this shelters problem?He could leave the shelter everyday and go get a bottle and stay drunk all day or get into trouble a thousand different ways but he chose to help others and work at the same time.If the shelters position is that he should help himself before he helps others,I get it-but have you ever tried finding a job at this time of the year?How about finding a job when you have no address or home phone number to give on the application? On a personal note,I have tried to find a temp job for the holiday season and got dick for my efforts.I have a home address,transportation,a babysitter and prior job experience,not to mention NO criminal record and I cant get a job stocking shelves!I also happened to notice that while I cant get a job,Kmart and other local stores have people employed for the holidays that they end up firing for stealing!
However,I digress-this isnt about me-its about Mr. Tucker and the many people in this country who cant get a fair break!Maybe he got tired of getting turned down for more convential jobs and decided to do the best he could for the time and in the process,help others in need.Captain Louis Patrick,of the local Salvation Army,says that Mr.Tucker is a good man who will do anything for anybody.Mr.Mascitti of the shelter says,and I quote "If you're not doing anything 10 hours a day, whether it's lounging on a beach or working for the Salvation Army or sitting at a Dunkin' Donuts, you're breaking your contract with us," AND "I can't see someone saying, 'I'm going to benefit mankind when I haven't taken care of myself.'"Notice he used the word "WORKING".So if Tucker has a job whats the problem?I think its just because he is working for a nonprofit organization that provides services similar to Good Samaritan,and I think they need to get over it.Like I said he could be off somewhere on a toot all day drinking or getting into trouble but he is working to help others,even when he has so little himself.Isnt that the whole meaning of Christmas?Apparently not in Barre,Vermont.

What came first-the chicken or the ...bracelet?

A Massachussetts man has been reunited with the metal ID bracelet he lost as a child 25 years ago playing in his grandfathers barn...after poultry workers found it in the gizzard of one of the chickens they were processing at Olson Locker.The engraved name,address,and phone number were still legible on it and the workers were able to track down the mans father and have the bracelet returned to him.

Aaron Giles,the owner of the long lost bracelet,recalls losing it somewhere in the barn all those years ago and a few years ago,the barn was dismantled and used to build another barn on a farm 45 miles way,in Elmore,MA.Apparently the bracelet was somehow imbedded into the building materials because the chickens being slaughtered at Olson Locker came from-you guessed it-the farm in Elmore.Mr.Giles says he plans to hold onto it this time and keep it in the family for years to come.That will be one helluva story to tell the grandkids someday,huh?

Kitchen Nightmares

If you havent yet tuned in to Fox on Wednesday night to catch "Kitchen Nightmares",you are missing ALL the drama!If you get a chance,tune in this coming wednesday to see a repeat of the pilot episode,where Chef Gordon Ramsay takes on the task of bringing "Peter's",a family owned Italian eatery,up to par.

Unlike his cooking contest/reality show "Hells Kitchen",which I also love to watch,"Kitchen Nightmares" is the American version of his BBC show"Gordon Ramsays Kitchen Nightmares",where he comes to the aid of failing resturants to get them back on track.The American adaptation has had alot more drama and fanfare than the more basic British original but it is just as good in my opinion.

When you go into someones business and tell them to their face they are "F**king up" as Chef Ramsay does,theres bound to be some bruised egos and wounded pride but what he does for these people is astounding!He gives them ideas on how to more efficiently and safely run their kitchens and how to properly manage the other aspects of being in the business.In fact,he is already being sued by Pumima Restaurant(formerly Dillons) in NY,NY,the eatery that he profiled in the second episode,which made me never want to go out to eat again.He found spoiled meat in the walk in coolers and when he pried the loose gaskets off refrigerators,bugs came swarming out.The owners are NOW saying that Ramsay and his production crew "planted" all the icky stuff but I am not really buying that.C'mon who hasnt seen the news footage of rats running around freely in New York City restaurants.You cant "fake" bugs and rodents that good.

If you havent watched it yet,please tune in next week and catch the pilot again-very dramatic and tense.YOU try telling a huge Italian guy that his restaurant and his management of it sucks!Its a great show-try it out!

This weeks new DVD releases

Todays DVD releases

"Bratz" Based on the popular Bratz dolls,animated

"Waitress" Chick flick starring Keri Russell

"Mr.Beans Holiday"Rowan Atkinson as Mr.Bean

"Namesake"Epic drama of Bengali family life in the US

On DVD for the first time....

"Outland"(1981)

"Soylent Green"1973-one of my favorite movies of all time,starring Charlton Heston and Edward G.Robinson,the futristic sci fi film,Soylent Green.This is one I will defnitely buy now that it is available on DVD

TV on DVD

"Happy Days-Season 3"-HHey!!!The Fonz is back!

"Bleach-Volume 7"- Cartoon Network adult animation hit

"The O.C.-The complete series collection"-The entire series of FOX teen angst drama

Remember,rent a movie this week!

I'm still here!

Hey folks-I am still blogging,just got busy today!My husband is on vacation and we are busy decorating for the holidays and painting,that kind of thing!

RIP Kevin Dubrow-We're all crazzzy now

Frankie Banali,drummer of Quiet Riot,has confirmed news reports that Kevin Dubrow was found dead yesterday in his Las Vegas home of as of yet unknown causes.The band has not made an official statement but bassist Kelly Garni personally appealed to fans via internet to keep their cool and not fuel any rumors at this time and that he will personally relay any information made available to the band to them when he has it.

I went to see them on the "Rock never Stops" Tour in the summer of 2005,and I was most impressed with their set.My husband & his brother(my brother in law goes to at least 2 or 3 rock concerts a week!)once met them in a club in Baltimore after they performed there and got to drink a beer with the band and said they were just like everyday guys.

The band had its share of ups and downs over the years,and Kevin Dubrow was notorious for just saying whatever he wanted about anything,but despite whatever his demons were,he was a hell of showman!I can still remember the first time I heard"Metal Health" to this day,wore the cassette clean out too-QR was right up there with Poison & Motley Crue as the must-have for the 80's aspiring teen metal chicks music collection.

This weekends box office

This past holiday weekend,fairy tales and Christmas stories dominated!the number one movie was "Enchanted",with a total Wednesday to Sunday gross of 50 million-the last Disney opening over Thanksgiving with a larger take was Disney/Pixars "Toy Story 2" back in 1999,with totals of 80 million.
1 Enchanted -50 million-debut
2 This Christmas-18 million-debut
3 Beowulf-16 million-Week 2
4 Hitman-13 million-debut
5 Bee Movie-12 milion-Week 4(and by the way the total take in 4 weeks for this movie is 112 million!)

I was personally disappointed to see "The Mist" only did 9 million its opening week,for those of you who arent familiar with the story,it is one of Stephen Kings short stories and it is quite terrifying.Thomas Jane,who also starred in Stephen Kings "Dreamcatchers" is one of the lead characters,as is Andre Brauer,who appeared in "Homicide:Life on the Street" previously.
Ironically,its the only movie I would have seen had I went to the theaters this weekend.Some family members went Thanksgiving night but they went to see the long-running" 30 Days of Night" while its still playing,another I wish I had seen !We usually save expensive movie trips for stuff you HAVE to see on a big screen,like Spiderman,etc.Movies out for a family of three gets expensive but we do rent and buy alot of DVD's-and we all know the home video market is raking it in as fast as cinemas are.

Purse snatching????

Does anyone out there who might be reading know anything about alleged purse snatchers running thru the Centre at Salisbury on Black Friday?A friend of mine heard it from someone at a bar over the weekend but if its true there hasnt been anything about it in the newspaper-and I dont get local news.Clue me in!

Eli blew it!!!!

What a disappointing game for Giants fans today!With his brother Peyton watching in the stands,Eli Manning totally blew it on the field-letting the Vikings pretty much run him-is he hoping to get traded to them or something?He only gave them the game today,and after last weeks great performance!Final score?An embarassing 41-17 !

A Christmas Story

It never fails-every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve,one of my favorite all time movies,A Christmas Story,will air umpteen times on various channels,and I am watching it as I type-Ralphie just dropped the "F" bomb and his mom flips out and sticks a bar of soap in his mouth!That and those awful hound dogs destroying the family turkey are just hilarious moments.I actually saw a catalog somewhere that sells "leg lamps",what Ralphie Parker referred to as "electric sex" & what a great conversation piece that would be in the home!LOL

There are probably not many people who HAVENT seen this movie,but if you havent you owe it to yourself to take advantage of it being on Tv for the next month and enjoy!Its a modern classic!

Giants to host Vikings today in Meadowlands

Kickoff is at 1pm EST today!If you have Directv you should be able to watch it on Fox.

Prison Break withdrawals...

Its been two weeks since the fall finale of "Prison Break" aired and Monday night just isnt the same!I recently watched the entire 1st season again on DVD because I missed it so much!The 3rd season fall run has been a little weird because the remaining main characters are imprisoned in South America & alot of new villains have been introduced.Rumor has it that Patricia Wettig,who played President Carolyn Reynolds,will not be back which is unfortunate because she was the teflon queen-nothing or no one could touch her it seemed.I dont think Stacy Keach will return either but it would be nice!

For any of you who missed the first 2 seasons,they are both available on DVD!

Roots & channel surfing

I am a night owl by nature and one of my more peculiar habits is I cannot sleep unless the Tv is on,whatever room I am in so I do alot of channel surfing and despite the fact I have satellite Tv its hard to find something good on late at night.

Late last night,as I was settling in,I happened upon the 1977 miniseries "Roots" on TV1.It was based on a book by one of my favorite authors,Alex Haley.This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the epic and thus a DVD set is now available.The allstar cast was was made up of some of the biggest names in acting in the 70's & the story is heartwrenching and horrific but also one of hope.I was too young to watch it when it first aired but I can remember it was aBIG deal back then and is still one of the highest rated TV miniseries in history!

If anyone deserves to be a Us citizen,its this guy!

A recent news story has touched my heart and I wanted to share it with those who may not have heard about it.
On Thanksgiving Day,in Santa Cruz County in the Arizona desert,a woman and her young son were involved in a vehicular accident,and landed in a canyon,pinning her inside the car.Her 9 yr old son managed to crawl out of the wreck,and shortly after was discovered by Jesus Manuel Cordova,age 26,who had just crossed the border into the US illegally south of the accident site.Mr.Cordova attepted to rescue the mother,but could not and she died soon after.Jesus stayed with her child,giving him a coat after the temperatures dropped that night,and building a bonfire to keep them warm.12 hours later,Border Patrol,alerted by passing hunters,arrived at the scene and took Mr.Cordova into federal custody.The child was taken to a nearby hospital but was unharmed.
I dont know about the rest of you,but if anyone from another country deserves to fulfill their dream of becoming an American,this guy is it!He could have so easily decided to cover his own hide and avoid apprehension by not getting involved,and kept on his merry way.He decided that it was more important to stay and comfort a little boy who not only had just lost his mother,but had also lost his father 2 months prior and stay with him,keeping him warm and calm until he was safely rescued.Considering how cold it gets in the desert after sundown,the boy could have succumbed to exposure had he been alone.
I know the man broke the law by crossing the border in the 1st place,but I believe in miracles and who are we to say that he wasnt this boys guardian angel?There are people who are lucky enough to be born in this country who arent that compassionate towards others if it they have anything to lose by getting involved.People who put others before themselves and try to help them in times of crisis are the very definition of the word "hero" & I hope that INS takes his selflessness into consideration.

Back to normal/Albero bashing

I appreciate all the comments but in the future I am sticking to my original blog format because while nobody has been vulgar or obscene in expressing themselves in this forum,I refuse to allow my blog to become another "anti-Albero"rag.If it means that the only people who will read the blog are my friends and family then so be it,but life is too short for me to worry about being put in the middle of some bullsh*t ,that in reality doesnt affect me one way or the other.I made the original post because I was personally outraged by what happened-not for "hits".There is already too much negativity out there,I dont need any of it touching my little corner of the world.I enjoy all the attention the blog has gotten,but it is against everything I believe in to make a name for myself at the expense of others.

Black Friday Blues Part II

While everyone else raced around trying to get the best price on whatever they were looking to buy,I slept in until noon,and then only got up to make brunch for my houseguests(my sister,her husband and their 2 yr old son)and spend some time with them before they headed back to Hampton Roads.I did get up at 4am to see my husband off to work and when he got home this afternoon,he relayed to me that there were people parking as far away as Chilis in Salisbury to shop at Walmart,at 5 am.Traffic heading towards the mall was backed up in the southbound lanes as far North as Barnes & Noble at this hour!Not me!If I absolutely have to take advantage of a Black Friday bargain I will just whip out the Visa card and let my fingers do the walking.I dont need anything bad enough to subject myself to that pandemonium.We had enough conflict at home with two toddlers!
And speaking of toddlers,my daughter doesnt get to see her cousins much because they all live in Virginia and she always wants them to come visit and play with her-then when they get here all they do is bicker-pushing,shoving,slapping and fighting over toys!Then when its time for them to go,she cries and wants them to stay!What is it with kids?My brother in law,who was an only child,doesnt understand it and its funny because as kids,his wife and I were closest in age so we shared a bedroom and we were at each others throats,throwing plates at each other,pulling hair,you name it-but you let someone else pick on either of us and it was ON!Isnt it funny how that works out?LOL
Now I have to tear myself away from the computer and clean up the mess so I can do it again the next holiday!

What was THIS guy thinking?

I was extremely disturbed and outraged when I read Sbynews today and learned of the incident at Joe Alberos' farm in Delmar.Apparently,one Mr.Wayne Barrel,who has butted heads with Joe in the past,was angry because Joe didnt return his phone calls and thought it prudent to show up,uninvited and unannounced,on their doorstep on Thanksgiving Day of all days,to confront him.In the process,Joe and Jennifers grandson was so frightened he hid from this strange man banging on the door.Those people who despise Joe can say all they want about him,but has Joe ever showed up at their homes after they made disgusting comments about HIS family?No!
This type of thing is EXACTLY why I protect my privacy because I can tell you folks,if someone were to beat down our door,on a holiday no less,to confront ANYONE,my big Guido husband would lose his mind-and in our neck of the woods,we have no trespassing signs and we mean it-because we are so far out it would take too long for the police to get here to protect us.It would all be over by the time the Sheriffs Dept pulled into the driveway.And speaking of Sheriffs,he should count himself lucky that it didnt happen in Wicomico County-you just dont trespass and harass a guy who is tight with the County Sheriff!
I give Joe a lot of credit,because things would have been alot different had it been MY home but how did he know this guy didnt have a gun?Anyone irrational enough to act on impulse and emotion and just ambush you at home isnt thinking.Joe would have been perfectly within his legal rights to shoot this man had he not stood down and made a hasty retreat.My husband is still behind me,reading this and shaking his head because he just cant believe it.Joe reacted better than my hubby would have and for that you call him a pussy-but Joe is not stupid-he knows what he is up against and that people are just waiting for him to F- up so they can get in line and sue him.I do not always agree with him but if everything he says is bullsh*t like everyone says it is,why are they so upset by it?What are they afraid of?And why are they going to such lengths to stifle him?

Maryland Murder-Suicide

Last night,in a park in rural Montgomery County,MD,police found 5 family members dead.A mother and her three children were found near the entrance and a subsequent search of the park turned up the body of a man who apparently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.While no victims identities have been made public,people in the small town of Unity are saying it was a family of five.This tragedy is the THIRD such incident in Maryland this year involving children murdered in a domestic dispute,not to mention the well-publicized Chris Benoit murder-suicide some months back,and all I think is WHY?
People get depressed,and sometimes they see no other way out other than the selfish act of suicide and thats unfortaunte,but why did he have to deprive his family of the rest of their lives? There is NOTHING in this world that could convince me to hurt my child,and it is disturbing that there are people capable of such brutality.What were those poor kids and their mother thinking during their last moments,I can only imagine and I do not want to go there.Parents are supposed to protect and cherish their children and shield them from all the boogeymen.They dont expect that the very person(s) they go to for comfort will BE the boogeyman.
All marriages/relationships have struggles,and when you add children to the equation it gets tougher.My husband and I have had our share of difficulties but even if we lost everything we owned,we would still have US.Our daughter,him and I.What makes people lose sight of the most valuable thing we have-our families?

Wizard of Oz munchkins get Star on Walk of Fame

Yesterday,the surviving actors who played "Munchkins" in "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939,were on hand in Hollywood to accept their long overdue Star on Hollywoods Walk of Fame awarded to them collectively.They only made about $125 a week during filming,but made memories that lasted several decades.Joey Luft,the son of the late Judy Garland joined them in their celebration.

And speaking of "The Wizard of Oz",has any of you heard the urban legend about watching it with the volume muted while listening to Pink Floyds "Dark Side of the Moon"?Reportedly if you synchronize the MGM lions 3rd roar at the start of the film with the very beginning of "Dark Side of the Moon",a correlation between the two can be perceived.For example,when the lyric"the lunatic is on the grass" is playing,then the Scarecrow is laughing maniacally and dancing in a field at the same time if you synchronized the CD and DVD properly.There a dozen more similar scenes and I have never tried it but if I get bored-who knows?

Dennis Quaid faces his toughest role ever....

Actor Dennis Quaid and his wife Kimberly welcomed their twins,Thomas Boone & Zoe Grace,into the world on November 8th,via surrogate mother.(they are both the biological parents of the babies)Tragically,both infants are currently in the NICU at Cedars Sinai Hospital after a hospital SNAFU,whereupon they were administered a dangerous amount of Heparin,an anti-clotting drug used to flush IV's.The infants were among several patients endangered by this mistake and were admitted to NICU late Sunday after "bleeding out".

The incident was blamed on improper storage of Heparin causing the nurse to grab the wrong dose.A typical IV flush requires 10 units of the drug and the several patients overdosed were given 10 THOUSAND units of the drug!

The hospital is said to be cooperating with the LA County Health Dept to prevent the same thing from re-occuring,and while mistakes happen,this is deadly.Why not actually READ the dose before using it?Its only somebodys life they are playing with!

The Quaids released a statement on Tuesday thanking fans for their support and for respecting their privacy at this difficult time.I will be among many others praying for "The Rookie" and his family this Thanksgiving weekend.

Black Friday Blues

Every year,around 5am,people by the carloads hit the road and the stores and malls become Bedlam as bargain hunters flood the aisles trying to find a good deal on the Friday after Thanksgiving.I'm sorry but unless Vincent D'onofrio of Law & Order CI is at Sears giving away free mustache rides,I will still be in bed,only getting up to swig Maalox and burp sausage dressing.Even though I wont be cooking at home I will be too full,too tired and too stressed out from TWO family dinners to go anywhere!
In defense of their insanity,alot of shoppers will say"Well,there are such good bargains!" but the very same bargains are also available on the internet!Instead of fighting traffic and trying to find a parking space on a cold dark morning,they could sit right at home in their PJ's with a hot cup of coffee and point their mouse at any of the tons of retailer websites and get the same great deals!Same prices,less headaches!The Pilgrims could have never imagined that Thanksgiving would evolve into this!
While we are at it,why does everyone feel the need now to put up Christmas lights and displays in their yards in October?My 3 yr old has asked me every night since Halloween almost if 'Santa is coming tonight' because she sees all the lights everywhere!
If you must torture yourself and venture out to the stores just be careful because with all the women on the road its downright scary(I AM a woman so I can get away with that statement-we are crazy drivers!)and some of them will fight you in the aisle for the last discounted "hot toy of the season" so try to keep your cool!

Girls Rule!

Alyssa Reese,14,of Crisfield, is the Punt,Pass & Kick 2007 14-15 Yr old girls champion for the Baltimore Ravens.She competed November 11th against other sectional winners from around the state.She scored with a punt of 70'-7" ,a pass of 79'-4" and a kick of 85'-10" to win.She has a chance,once all teams complete championships,to advance to the National Championship,to be held at an AFC Divisional game.Alyssa is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Pat Reese Jr. of Crisfield.
You go girl!Who says a chick cant play football!

Thanksgiving

I probably will not be home long enough tomorrow to blog,as I am blessed to not only not have to cook at home,but to also be invited to two family dinners.My husbands family eats around noon and then its on to my family in the evening.I am looking forward to tomorrow,mainly because one of my younger sisters I rarely get to see is coming with her family to stay at my home over the Holiday!That way they not only save on a hotel but the men get to bond over Playstation & bourbon and the kids get to play together and destroy the house it took 2 days to clean!Although my house is pretty big,we still only have one bathroom so it ought to be interesting!LOL-Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!Be careful on the roads and try to not to overeat!

New today on DVD!

"Hairspray"
Remake of 1988 John Waters film-starring John Travolta-set in Baltimore,MD

"Live free or die hard"
Bruce Willis is back as John McClane in the 4th installment of Die Hard movies.

"The Santa Clause 3 The Escape clause"
Yawn LOL-kids will love it!

Also for Bruce Willis fans,"Die Hard" & "Hudson Hawk"(great movie!) is debuting in DVD format today....

TV on DVD today

"Chappelle Show The series collection" The entire Comedy Central series on 6 discs

"Dr.Katz Professional Therapist The complete series"
Animated series from Comedy Central

"Gene Simmons Family Jewels-Season 2"
Complete 2nd season of A&E reality show starring Gene Simmons of KISS

"Ice road truckers Season 1"
Discovery Channels new hit reality show-one of my favorites-on DVD!

And for you classic movie fans we have today on DVD

"Nosferatu"
Classic 1922 vampire movie 2 disc set

"Walking Tall"
1973 original reformatted in 2 disc DVD set

"Tremors"
1990 giant-worm horror flick starring Kevin Bacon redone in DVD

And for music fans

"Led Zeppelin The song remains the same"
2 disc dvd set of classic rock musical

"Nirvana Unplugged in NY"
On DVD-acoustical MTV sets from Nirvana

Wesley Snipes "whips it out"-the race card,that is.

How can any guy cool enough to play Blade THREE times let his lawyer pull out the race card on his behalf and use being black as a copout for not paying his taxes from 1999 to 2005?Wesley Snipes attorney is claiming that Ocala,FL,is a "hotbed" of KKK activity and that the trial should be heard in NY state because there is no chance he will receive a fair trial in Florida.The trial is scheduled for January as of now.

C'mon,Wesley-be a man and admit it-you cheated on your taxes and got caught,it happens sometimes.Dude,you can afford to pay taxes so count your blessings and just plead your case as you see fit,but don't buckle in to the temptation of the "race card".There are people all over the country without your financial means who are in real trouble and encounter very REAL racism everyday.

Snipes is a terrific actor,one of my favorites and I have alot of respect for any man who will dress as a woman in a movie(Nozema Jackson rules!)but he needs to get over himself.

Slots or not ?

There is a fierce storm of debate brewing on the DT website that started yesterday-and its all about the slots issue-which will be left up to the voters.(which it should have been anyway)
You have one side that is predicting slots will lead to urban decay and more crime,and the other camp feels that slots will solve all our financial problems overnight,including the troubled harness-racing industry.The truth lies somewhere between.
I dont believe that slot machines are any different from state sanctioned gaming like Keno or the Vera Bradley Bingo Tourneys-they are games of chance and I dont see little old bingo ladies robbing people to support their 8 card-a game bingo habit.I DO see alot of people buying lottery tickets in large amounts who I know cannot afford it but no one is suggesting MD Lottery shut down either.It is the compulsive gambler who creates their gambling problem,not the games they wager on themselves.
I WOULD like to see harness-racing survive.With harness racing in my family,and the fact that its a Md tradition,I am very nostalgic about this sport and if drawing more people to the track will benefit the whole enterprise,then its a win-win.Instead of pouring into Delaware and making them richer,people will stay here locally.Give it a chance.People who do not approve of slots have the choice and freewill NOT to gamble or visit the tracks when and if they are passed-so whats the problem?

Dick Wilson,TV icon dies at 91

Dick Wilson,who urged shoppers not to "squeeze the Charmin" has passed away at the age of 91.He became a Tv icon for his role or should I say-"roll" hawking Charmin from 1964 to 1985.He is just as well known and recognized as the Energizer bunny,the Michelin man or the Geico lizard,and will live on forever in Tv history.

Kids gone wild

Down in Acworth,Georgia,three boys are being held for charges stemming from the sexual assault of an 11 yr old girl.How old are these alleged rapists?One of them is EIGHT and the other two boys are NINE years old!According to Captain Wayne Dennard,of the Acworth PD,the incident happened Thursday and was reported by the victims mother.The boys are accused of forcing her into a wooded area while playing outdoors and restraining her while one of the trio raped her.The Cobb County DA has not decided on whether to charge the unnamed juveniles as adults as of yet.
However they are charged,I believe they are all in need of some serious psychological counseling...what the hell has happened to kids?Normal 8 and 9 yr old boys still think girls are "gross" at that age.What happened that is making these "new kids" so violent and deviant?Alot of people like to blame the influences of music,tv and movies but I cant help but think it more than likely they are learning these behaviors at home.One only needs to look at the fact that there are now "resource" police officers in MIDDLE schools and know how much kids have changed.As I parent I check the internet to be sure I do not live near any sex offenders so my daughter can play outside safely but would I ever think her own peers could be capable of such evil?Is it because of family values,what they see on TV or just a sign of the times?I am interested in what people think about it!

Manning leads Giants to 16-10 victory over Lions

Yesterday was a good day in my house-because the Giants pulled off a win against the Detroit Lions yesterday.Manning lead the charge,taking a win for a team currently plagued by injuries.Next week they will play the Vikings,should be an interesting match

I know it is wishful thinking on my part,but it would be great to see the "Big Blue" regain the glory from their "L.T. era".And speaking of L.T.,how many of us still remember that excruciating hit Joe Thiesman of the Redskins took back in the 80's?In L.T.'s autobiography he reveals that he was broken up about it(no pun intended).

Cannot wait until next Sunday!I will be here in my blue jersey,popping popcorn and cursing at the referees....

Box office totals for Weekend of 11-16-2007

"No country for old men", a new Coen brothers film,has done a mere 4.9 million dollars in its two weeks on the big screen,which does not suprise me but history has shown that their movies do very well on home video/DVD sales-and a few are already considered "cult classics".I will be among those waiting to see this on DVD but it doesnt mean I like it any less.
For those of you not familair with the Coen Brothers,they have brought us movies like "The Big Lebowski","O Brother where art thou?" & "Raising Arizona",just to name a mere few of some of the best movies ever made!The soundtrack alone to "O Brother" is award winning-but still alot of people are not familiar with Coen Bros movies.If you have never seen one,do yourself a favor and rent one this weekend-you will not be disappointed.
The following information comes from IMDB.com and is this past weekends movie totals(*) indicates films just debuted this weekend.All others have this weeks and acumulative grosses

1 Beowulf 28.1 Million *
2 Bee Movie 14.3 Million/93.9
3 American Gangster 13.2 Million/101
4 Fred Claus 12 Million/35.8
5 Mr. Magoriums Wonder Emporium 10 Million *
6 Dan in real life 4.51 Million/37.1
7 No country for old men 3.1 Million/4.5
8 Lions for lambs 2.9 Million/11.6
9 Saw IV 2.33 Million/61.9
10 Love in the time of Cholera 1.88 Million *

A day off for my Anniversary!

Tomorrow I may not post because its my wedding anniversary-Hubby and I have been married 6 years tomorrow!Boy,have I learned alot in those years-He is my first(and only!) husband but I am Wife #2 for him,which means I cannot get away with ANYTHING!LOL-Ironically,we dated 20 some years ago,when we were teenagers and I moved away then ended up bumping into him years later-6 months later we were married and 2 years after that we had our daughter!People who knew us both back in the 80's cant believe we are actually married now but its pretty cool.He is a terrific husband and father,and often will bring me home a dozen roses for no reason so he is a keeper!
Have a great weekend!

Check out the rack on that guy!

A couple of weekends ago,two of my friends took one of their many road trips to follow the band Evick on tour,and this particular concert was in Michigan,outside of Detroit.As they rolled down the highway,they rode up on this pickup and his impressive cargo-a Caribou!Can you imagine being half asleep from hours on the road and then rolling up next to something like this?I have never seen a rack that big!A photo credit and big thanks to Kelly for permitting me to post this here!

Correction to Pit Bull Story

It has come to my attention that I erroneously left out some of the fire stations involved in the recent Anchor Motel fire in Parksley....the responding stations were Atlantic,Bloxom,Parksley,Onancock,Onley & last,but definitely not least,the boys from MY hometown-Tasley.I apologize for not including the entire "roster" and want to tell you fine men thanks again because without Sadie May's sniffer and your quick response,people could have been seriously inured or killed.I say Sadie May deserves a ride on the firetruck fellas!

"Sicko"

I finally screened "Sicko" last night and although it was a bit bleak and depressing,it certainly gives you alot to think about....primarily,why our health care system in the US is among the worst in the world.Before anybody brands me as a Socialist,please read on.....
In the film,Michael Moore is interviewing a gentleman in Great Britain who sums up the 1948 conception of their National Health Service in brief but powerful words.He states that before the 2nd World War,people all over GB were out of work,living in poverty.With the War came an economic boom of sorts,and the general consensus was"If we can pull together and raise huge amounts of money killing people in a war,then why can't we also spend money to help the people in our country"?Makes you think....People in Canada,France & Great Britain are dumbfounded when they hear of people in the US,which is supposed to be the "superpower" of the Western World,losing their homes and going into bankruptcy because even though they HAVE health insurance in most cases,they simply cannot afford their staggering medical bills.We also have higher infant mortality rates AND shorter life expectancies in the US than those countries do.And while some Americans call it "socialized medicine",politics dont even come into play in these other countries when it comes to healthcare access.It isnt used as a political ploy.Even Cuba,the "Red Menace",and one of the worlds poorest nations,provides gratis health care to all citizens.Sadly,it seems that the only reason we are lagging behind is because the healthcare giants,who contribute massive amounts of money to our elected representatives,know that the multimillion dollar profits would go out the window.
And for those who cry,"Thats socalized medicine!",heres a news flash-socialized medicine is already HERE!Think about all the people abusing our Social Security System,collecting disability checks for drug addiction(yes its a "disability") or all the people who outright refuse to work and get welfare benefits.They are automatically eligible for Medicaid when they receive SSI or AFDC.Automatically!And on the other end of the spectrum you have our Congressmen,who enjoy taxpayer paid coverage that CANNOT exclude them for pre-existing conditions and offer a mere $250 deductible.Wisconsin Congressman Steve Kagen,a former physician,was amazed and outraged at the generous plans offered to him-you see,he had seen firsthand how many of his patients simply could not afford the medications he prescribed to them.He said and I quote from Readers Digest,"I decline that offer until my constituents,and everyone across America,can have the same option."
While I dont always agree with Michael Moore(after all he IS making money off of his films) I suggest everyone,regardless of politics,watch this documentary and make up their own minds.

Have you checked out K-Rock?

I am probably one of the last people on Earth that do not have XM or Sirius radio in the car so I listen to alot of commercial radio when I am on the road,and do alot of station hopping and one of my new presets is WKHW 106.5 FM.If you haven't heard of it yet,it is a classic rock format and I am really impressed so far!If you like classic rock as well as some 80's hair rock you will enjoy this station too.I still tune into 98.5 FM because I LOVE Bob & Tom Radio but when was the last time you heard Dio on ANY commerical rock station?I was doubly impressed yesterday when they played an oldie from The Doors.Why?Well,while I am a big fan of The Doors,it seems like only the same 2 or 3 of their songs plays on the radio.K-Rock actually dusted off and played "Back Door Man",which I have on the "Doors Live" CD at home and absolutely love!But you never hear it on the radio!Last weekend they actually rolled out some classics from Black Sabbath,Traffic & The Kinks,just to name a few.WOW!If you still listen to commercial radio,try it out!
Speaking of local radio,can anyone tell me which one is it that plays all oldies on Saturday night???I have heard the show once or twice on FM radio and it is AWESOME!Yes,I like oldies too!How many 36 yr olds do you older reader know can sing along with Anthony & Sylvia or Buddy Holly?LOL.I always said I was born 20 years too late......

Ho Ho Ho? No-No-No!

One of my online friends tipped me off to a news story(thanks Stacey!)coming out of Sydney,Australia,where storefront and mall Santas' have been instructed to chortle "Ha-ha-ha" instead of the traditional "Ho-ho-ho" because of the potential for "Ho" to be offensive to someone!WTF????Why not just ban Santa altogether and be done with it?We have already let the PC Patrol take Christ out of Christmas and now they have aimed their sights on Santa Claus!
Reportedly a staffing agency in Sydney recruiting the Santas' have decided that because "Ho" is an American slang term for a hooker or prostitute,it may be offensive to children and parents.
Another of my online buds,Rayne summed it up pretty good.He says that if they want to be truly "PC" then we need to stop letting kids sitting on Santas lap because after all,he is a stranger and we tell our kids not to trust anyone they do not know-the elves have to go to because they are stereotyping "little people" and might offend them too.Oh,and dont forget Rudolph-with a nose that red he has GOT to start drinking 80 proof eggnogg way before noon!And Santa himself is obese,which is another topic all its own.See how ridiculous and out of hand things can get when a select group of people decides what is "correct" for the rest of us????
I personally think that Christmas has become way too commercialized and in the process,its true meaning is lost on alot of people.Sure,not everyone celebrates it and thats fine-our differences are what make us unique-but what happened to tolerance and good sense?I am smart enough to know that if I see Santa in the mall and he says "Ho-ho-ho" he is not calling me a whore...One can only hope this stupidity doesnt catch on here in America but it would not suprise me if it did.I can deal with Christmas displays being put up in stores in September,but to censor Santa is too much!Whoever came up with this bonehead notion in Australia will most certainly be getting lumps of coal this year.....

Sam "The Shucking Man" Fisher places 5th in National Oyster Shucking Championships

Since none of the local papers except for The Crisfield Times has covered this story,I wanted to congratulate Sam "The Shucking Man" Fisher of Westover on his recent 1st place win at Crisfields 2nd Annual Watermans Festival Oyster Shucking contest and his placing 5th in the 2007 US National Oyster Shucking championship held in St.Marys County the very next day.He was the ONLY Marylander to advance from the preliminary rounds and did a great job just getting that far!
Mr. Fisher works for Southern Connection Seafood & Metompkin Bay Oyster Company,both in Crisfield,and he helped organize the 1st Annual Watermans Festival Oyster Shuck Contest last year in Crisfield.During the Nationals,he shucked 24 pre-selected bivalves in 2 minutes,58.62 seconds!
For those of you who might think its not a big deal-it IS.Oysters literally built Crisfield and many of the other waterfront towns on the Eastern Shore.Sadly,over the years,it is a way of life that is gradually slipping away and todays generation just doesnt want to headaches of making a living harvesting and/or processing oysters.Very few packing plants are left on the Shore,and people like Mr.Fisher are doing more than just processing oysters,they are keeping a rich tradition alive!Bravo,Shucking Man!The next time I stop into Southern Connection I want to shake your hand!Well done!

WOW!Thank you all!

As you can probably already tell,I am not a morning person....I am not even remotely human until I get my daily dose of Pepsi so I do not post very early.
I was overwhelmed to see the support I have already gotten from those of you who have checked out the blog and I am determined not to disappoint!Later this afternoon I will be adding more posts,so be sure to check them out!

Matt Damon,World's Sexiest Man-I think not!

Every year,People magazine chooses "World's Sexiest Man" and this year they bestowed the honor upon Matt Damon.I think not!Now before you Matt-loving ladies out there send me hate mail,just read on...
Not that Matt is not sexy,but he is too "vanilla" for my taste.Whatever happened to REAL men,you know,hairy brawny macho guys who have no clue what a "metrosexual" is and only use hair gel when they are overdue for a haircut and need to keep it out of their face.?I am married to one of those "mens men" and while I may be in the minority,there is nothing sexier than a fuzzy hairy chest and rough unmanicured hands!Most of todays "ideal" men have less body hair than I do and lets be realistic,you rarely see leading men with a nice full compliment of chest hair.....at least not since Burt Reynolds heyday.And you NEVER see a guy on TV or the big screen with a hairy back unless he is portrayed as some neanderthal like Albert of WWE Wrestling.
Matt is a brilliant screenwriter and a fine actor,and damn handsome,but the typical man does not look like him.I do not discriminate against the folliclely challenged,but if I wanted a partner with a smooth hairless body I would have just married another chick instead of a man.Thanks to shows like "Queer eye for the Straight Guy",our men are being lead to believe they have to get waxed and "made-over" and all that jazz to be considered sexy.Granted,I do wish my husband would pick up his socks & drawers and put them in the hamper instead of leaving them where he disrobed but I wouldnt change a thing about him-hairy back,calloused hands & obsession with such "mens"movies as "Roadhouse" ,"Animal House" & " Caddyshack"along with his endless movie quotes from such films.
So...with that being said-Long Live Real Men!!!!!

Thank you Joe Albero!

Before I retire for the evening,I just wanted to give a "shout out" to Joe Albero of http://sbynews.blogspot.com/ for inspiring me to start my own blog.If you have been living in cave and havent yet heard of him,he is a local blogger who is most well known for exposing a local government cover-up involving the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Salisbury,MD and mismanagement of the Salisbury Zoo.He is either a hero or a villain,depending on who you ask,but I have always enjoyed his blog and have been a reader since his early days when he posted as "National Joe-a-Graphic" and recently he was lamenting the lack of local bloggers and the fact that so many local blogs that were initially exceptional have faded into obscurity.
I have had a closet desire to start blogging for some time now,but while I am a HUGE fan of Joe and Billy Burkes "in your face-fight the power" blogs,I do not want to open myself up to the many headaches Joe has had to deal with.I would rather leave the serious news blogging to the pros and do a commentary style blog about a variety of topics ranging from issues I face as a parent to my take on local and national news stories that interest me and my favorite-movies and television....and hope people will check it out and like what they read and share their own experiences or opinions and post them here.
So to make a long story short(er) I just want to thank Joe for encouraging me to enter the arena known as the blogosphere,and if my blog is 1/10 the success his blog is,I will be content!

Animal Control that is out of control

I read a news story today that sickened me to no end,and pretty much ensured I will never visit Puerto Rico again until they get their shit together and do something about the way they deal with stray animals.
It seems that taxpayer funded animal control contractors are simply tossing unwanted or seized animals over bridges and into ravines,ALIVE,the same animals that they claim they are either housing in shelters,or humanely euthanizing.In a recent sweep of housing projects,where pets are prohibited,dogs and cats were taken from owners who were promised they would be taken to shelters....shelters that have no record of receiving ANY animals from this company.
Former employees of Animal Control Solutions,the contractor responsible for this outrage,have told the Associated Press that the dogs and cats collected and disposed of run into the thousands and that often,live animals were tossed into gullies and ravines on top of dead ones from previous "missions".When they did not have euthaniasia drugs available,they would simply inject the animals on the roadside with sedative overdoses,and dump them.They were also directed by the owner of this company to toss dirt on top of any animals still breathing and struggling to survive.One dog,whose owner remanded it to a shelter to be euthanized for health problems,was dumped unceremoniously into one of these "death pits" only to survive and find its way home-much to the owners chagrin.16 animal owners have filed a 22.5 million lawsuit against the municipal government involved and the contractor.
Puerto Rico does not have a good reputation when it comes to the humane treatment of animals,and stray animals are a serious problem in this US territory,yet there are absolutely NO spay/neuter programs available in operation-which would significantly decrease the numbers of feral dogs and cats but apparently would not allow these subcontractors to reap huge profits from the government who entrusted them to do their job humanely.There are few relief organizations that are assisting the animals,among them http://www.islanddog.org/ but this situation didnt escalate overnight and it will not be solved overnight either.I believe it was Ghandi who once said a nations civility can be judged by the way in which it treats their animals....and in the case of Puerto Rico,there is no civility left.For more detailed information on this injustice,go to http://home.peoplepc.com/psp/newsstory.asp?cat=TopStories&id=20071114/473a80d0_3421_1334520071114-609936168

Great American Smokeout

Tomorrow,November 15th,is "The Great American Smokeout",where all smokers are encouraged to give up the habit for a day....and hopefully decide to quit for good.As a 20 year smoker,I know I need to quit but I am not ready to yet and we all know that with any addiction,you have to want to stop in order for cessation to actually work.I know that is not good for me,as my non-smoking husband is constantly reminding me,but it just isnt time yet.I may be forced to quit if the price of cigarettes continues to rise,but thats an altogether different motive.
And while we are on the subject,those of us who do choose to smoke really wish people would ease up on us!Everytime there is a budget deficit,lawmakers want to raise taxes on tobacco products,and yet the alcohol tax is rarely increased.Why not?I am willing to bet that alchohol outsells tobacco in most states,and in my opinion is just as harmful to ones health.Again I know smoking is bad for me,but are why is the rest of world so hellbent on making us quit?I am old enough to recall a time when public buildings,including courthouses,had urns in every hallway and ashtrays on every other desktop-nowadays you cant even have a square in your car in the courthouse parking lot it seems.Everyone was forced outside to smoke,in all kinds of weather and now they even want to take that away!There are even-gasp-bars that prohibit smoking....which is a conondrum-its cool to get wasted on booze,but do not light up!
So if you no longer smoke or never did,you are already ahead of the game.Lets hope that anyone who is ready to quit will do so tomorrow,even if just for a day.It isnt like smoking is convenient anymore anyway....but please dont give me a dirty look if you pass me on the road and I have a cigarette hanging out of my mouth!When I am ready to quit I will be able to do so.

A positive pit bull terrier story.....

Todays Daily Times published a heartwarming story of a dog who alerted his owner to fire,waking her up & allowing her to rouse others in the motel complex in which they reside.What kind of dog?A pit bull!!!!
We are so accustomed to hearing only the negative stories about this breed that it is suprising to most of us to hear that they arent all the raving demon-hounds they are portrayed as too often.I have personally owned two pit bull terriers,and let me tell you firsthand that while they are not trouble free,they excel as loving companions and guard dogs if treated and trained properly.I raised one from a sickly pup-she was the runt of the litter and wasnt expected to live,and she survived infancy to become a beautiful,rambuctious dog who loved "her humans" unconditionally until she died at the age of seven due to an unexpected seizure.As a runt,she was rejected by her mother and her fathers owner nursed her to health with hand/bottle feedings until she was robust enough for me to take her home with me.She had alot of health problems,and since we never expected her to make it,I was pleased with the 7 years I had with her-she was like a baby to me.
My male pit came to me as an abused 3 year old,and while he had some passive aggressive issues,he was not a mean dog at all-despite being restricted to a cage by his previous owner.As a single woman living in a sketchy neighborhood some years ago,he was better than Brinks when it came to security.A quiet,serious dog,he NEVER barked unless he had a reason to...so when he did you knew something was hinky.I lived in an apartment for months with this dog and none of the other tenants even realized I HAD a dog upstairs because he was so calm!I am sure they saw me walking him,but until one of the neighbors had a "close encounter" they were oblivious to a dog in the building.My downstairs neighbor happened to get a piece of my mail one day and while I was at work,he decided to bring it upstairs and slip it into my storm door.The minute he opened it,he said that my dog was all over the glass,barking and growling ferociously,and trying like hell to get at him.Needless to say,he fled down the stairs and I didnt get my mail until I pulled into the driveway,at which time my neighbor was incredulous at how well-trained my boy was!This man had lived directly below us for months and never had an inkling there was a dog,let alone such a large one,above him!That was the result of great training and alot of love!
Unfortunately,I was unable to keep him when I moved in with my present husband-he had the better apartment but it did not allow pets-period!Luckily my father was able to "adopt" him and he is still living happily living there at the ripe old age of ten!He has last a tooth or two and getting gray around the muzzle,but he is still the strong silent type.
The hero in todays story,Sadie May,lives with her owner at the Anchorage Motel-more commonly known as the "Owl" on Route 13 near Parksley,Va.I grew up in Accomack county and when I was a kid,the adjoining "Owl Restaurant" was a pretty decent eatery-today it is a Mexican restaurant I believe,and the motel has become a residence hotel-renting units short-term by the week or month,mostly to migrant laborers.
Had Sadie May not woken her owner,Amanda Bowden,this fire could have had deadly consequences.It IS an old structure and no doubt the fire would have spread rapidly,trapping residents as they slept.Thanks to a stellar pit bull and the work of several Accomack County fire stations,the fire was controlled and residents were able to come back to the evacuated motel shortly after.Bloxom,Parksley,Atlantic & Tasley(holla!Tasley people!) fire depts. responded.
Remember this story the next time you read the inevitable negative pit bull story-ANY dog,regardless of breed,is only as good or bad as their owner!

Ira Levin,playwright & novelist,dead at 78

Ira Levin,whose suspenseful novels "Rosemary's Baby" ,"The Boys from Brazil"& "Stepford Wives" just to name a few,were adapted for film,is dead of natural causes at the age of 78.According to his son Nicholas,he died at home in Manhattan,NY.

Technical difficulties

Of course when I decide to immerse myself into the blogosphere,my computer starts having brain farts!I will try to make some posts laster this afternoon,after I tinker with a few things and tweak some others to get my PC normal,or close to it!

Test your TV Trivia Knowledge!!!

If you are like me,there are the occasions when you search the web for a great "timewaster" like free games,but very seldom do you find something that awards you points to redeem for prizes.I would like to share the internets best kept Tv trivia secret-RewardTV.Com
Its very easy to join and you actually select up to five shows you watched the previous day or night and answer trivia questions about the episode as well as any commercials that aired within.You earn "Tv points" and accumulate them to use in online auctions and shopping sprees for a variety of items,including DVD's ,video games, & gift certificates as well as big ticket items and they also offer sweepstakes entries for members for each trivia game they play daily.If you are a Tv junkie like me it doesnt take long to accumulate points either.In the past year I have won several prizes with my points,including SceneIT? DVD TV trivia game,Superman Returns PS2 game,free subscriptions to TV Guide,Entertainment Weekly & People magazines,and various new release movies on DVD.Membership is free and there also many bonus games for earning extra points,for example,your opinions on upcoming movies and TV shows.
I strongly recommend the next time you are surfing the web you click onto http://www.rewardtv.com/ and see what all the fun is about!!!!!

Chlamydia on the rise.....

According to a news release by the Centers for Disease Control,over a million new cases of the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia were reported last year.Think about that for a moment-thats just the cases that are actually diagnosed and reported!Sadly,I suspect many of those cases are younger adults who are not using safe sex practices and while I know abstinence is %100 fool-proof,it is also naive to think that it is the ONLY method of protection.
I am going to put my mother hat on briefly and say that while so many people are preaching abstinence to teens and pre-teens,we need to be a little realistic when approaching this subject with our kids.While my own child is years away from "the talk",I already know what message I want to send and that is that even though I HOPE she will wait until she is older and/or in a long term relationship before she has sex,I also want her to know how to protect herself.
Heres my analogy-if you have a swimming pool you can tell the kiddies not to get in the water unsupervised until you are blue in the face,but you are still going to erect a safety fence AND teach him/her how to swim,arent you?
My own Mother was way ahead of her time and on my 15th birthday she insisted upon my seeing a doctor and getting on the pill.Keep in mind this was before AIDS was really a widespread concern.Although I begged off and swore up and down I would never need the pills,she had the sense to know better than I did at the time and I am so grateful she was so open about it with her kids.Did being on the pill make me go out and start having sex?No-but when I did decide to take the plunge,I didnt become another statistic by having a child before I was ready.In fact,I did not have my child until I was married and in my thirties,at a time when the less fortunate girls my age were dealing with teenagers at home.
I didnt realize how lucky I was until one of my school chums learned I was on the Pill and exclaimed"I could NEVER ask my Mom for birth control pills"Suprisingly to me,most of my peers couldnt even bring up S-E-X to their parents,let alone how to prevent pregnancy,and some of these parents became young unwilling grandparents as a result.My Mother worked in the medical field and had seen her share of teenage mothers and was determined not to let it happen to her children.
Of course now pregnancy is the least of your worries when contemplating unprotected sex,and a "Pill" alone wont cut it anymore.Recent studies have shown that kids are becoming sexually active at much earlier ages than ever and alarmingly,many of them believe as long as they stick to oral sex,they arent "really having sex".THAT is a dangerous misconception-because while it will not cause pregnancy,ALL sexually transmitted diseases can be spread this way and all the sex education in the world will not help unless the parents do their job and be frank and open with their children about sex AT HOME.You can tell your child that you are not condoning or promoting sexual activity,but at the same time they need to know they can come to you if they have questions or concerns or just want to talk.Hopefully,if we parents dont stick our heads in the sand,we can slowly make STD's a thing of the past,like polio.

The Breakfast Club on Bravo channel last night

Yes,I watched this classic movie from my teen years last night on Bravo- I dont know about the rest of you,but in my opinion John Hughes set the tone for the teen angst movies back in the 1980's....they all incorporated the social hierarchy that is so prevalent in high school-the jocks,the prom queens,the nerds,the headbangers,etc etc.John Hughes introduced us to memorable characters like Long Duck Dong & Farmer Ted,and my generation was able to relate to everything that was portrayed in "16 Candles","Weird Science" & "The Breakfast Club".All of us remember the stereotypes from our school days,don't we?
Fast forward to the current decade-if any of you are familiar with Kevin Smiths' "Jay & Silent Bob" characters,you may have seen "Dogma"-it was very much hated by hardline Catholics but it contained alot of Smiths' signature in-jokes,including a reference to John Hughes movies.In "Dogma",Jay(Jason Mewes) tells the main character played by Linda Fiorentino (sp?) that he & Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) cannot make a profit selling drugs in their New Jersey hometown so they figured they would come to Shermer High School in Illinois(the fictional school setting in Hughes films)and "corner" the dope market since all the guys at that school are pussies except for Judd Nelsons character,who they deem "righteous".They are dismayed to learn once they get to Illinois that Shermer High School is not real after all.
My point?When your fictionalized characters become the in-joke of another popular film comedy TWO decades later,you have truly arrived as a director!Feel free to share your favorite Hughes films with me and travel back in time to the 80's again,if only for brief moment.