The aquarium is empty and some boxes are forming.  It must be near moving time...  1 week from tomorrow!

It's weird - J. R. R. Tolkein really did set the groundwork for much of modern fiction!  Just take the recently unearthed deleted scene from The Return of the King:

"Nasty Hobbitses stoles our Precious from us!  Backs to the Matrixes with them!"

Who knew?

When you have a blog, you get all sorts of interesting responses to a post.  Take for instance the following comment by a man called "Bob" in regards to my post about Dean a few days back:

You boys can wish in one hand and shit in the other but I'll guarantee you that Bush will win in 2004. Your liberal representatives have done such a wonderful job of shooting themselves in the foot trying to find blame in Bush for the past 4 years, it would be inconceivable to get a democrat in the white house in 2004. Perhaps when you boys are a little older you'll understand politics a little better. You might not be quite as naive about what's best for the country as well.

Interesting, Bob.  I do try to take to heart political advise from anonymous strangers referring to "wish(ing) in one hand and shit(ing) in the other."  So elaborate for us, Bob, how is anything Bush has done been what's best for the country?  Perhaps it's the hatred felt towards America by even the citizens of countries we considered our closest allies?  Or the relaxing of the anti-emission and anti-pollution laws?  Maybe it's looking the other way on trillions of dollars in corporate fiscal inpropriety, especially with companies ran by Bush friends like "Kenny Boy" Lay.  Or is it the direct deception of our country about the reasons behind going into Iraq?  Oh, I know, it's their stance that Clinton "seems a little obsessed with Osama Bin Laden" in their first several months of office - up until 9/11.

So tell us, Bob.  Teach me and my naive friends with more facts and less colorful phrases.

And to the rest of you out there - I put the comments link on for a reason, so feel free and use it, even if you disagree with me.  But if you're going to make outright negative-spirited comments rather than meaningful debate, then I'd hope you at least have the cajones to put an email address - a *real* email address (ahem, "Bill") - because at least one of the two of us is willing to participate and not hide behind a contactless (and probably false) name.

It's 3:05am and I've just returned home from Trilogy Tuesday.  Yowch, that's a lot of movie!  I didn't fall asleep, which was a plus.  The theatre supplied a dinner (a slice of plain turkey on white bread, some chips and a cookie) between the first and second movie, and then Josh and I ran across the parking lot to Okoboji Grill between the second and third.  We all got "I Survived Trilogy Tuesday" t-shirts from Carmike and New Line gave out these little collectable frames with a piece of film from each of the three movies.

All in all I felt it was a pretty fun experience, kind of like waiting in line hours to see Star Wars when it was re-released - it's the experience of it that's half the fun, plus it's a great audience to see a movie like that with.

What did I think of Return of the King?  Without getting into too many specifics so as not to spoil the movie, it felt like action action action and then a really long conclusion.  By the end of the almost-12-hours, I was pretty ready to leave.  I would say, however, that knowing how the books ended, they needed to keep most of the ending there despite its length to fulfill expectations, and also that it likely would not have seemed so excessive had I not just watched the two extended editions of Fellowship and Towers right beforehand.

Can Jon hear Garfield?

Just saw the movie "Lost in Translation" tonight.  Awesome movie, very funny yet intimate between Bill Murray's and Scarlett Johannson's characters.  It's about a has-been but popular actor in Japan officially to advertise some liquor but unofficially to escape from his wife, his family, his life for a few days, who meets the wife of a photographer struggling with loneliness while her husband is off taking pictures of bands.  Neither can sleep, and by chance encounter in the hotel bar, they become unlikely friends despite their age differences.  I'd recommend checking it out, especially if you like Murray's more recent films like "Rushmore", or if you're into Johannson's down-to-earth yet offbeat presence.

INDIANOLA, IA - The website JasonCross.com shocked the nation today with its announcement that it would be officially endorsing Democratic hopeful Howard Dean in his bid for the office of President of the United States.  Said JasonCross.com chairman Jason Cross, "America can no longer continue down this path to self-destruction it has been put upon by President Cheney - I mean President Rove - oops, I mean President Bush.  Junior.  I believe that Howard Dean represents the hope for America's future."

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Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause for those who fear the path this country is on, and his name is Howard Dean.  Gov. Dean stopped by Indianola today so Misty, Keith and I went down to the Legion Hall to see him speak.  I had been leaning towards Dean for a while, but today's visit really cemented it for me.  Some specifics:

• When some old man started railing on how illegal immigrants are the worst problem facing America and were destroying our country, Dean didn't back peddle to appease him but instead said, "Let me tell you why I disagree with you" followed by a great point on how America has been built on sensible immigration and how most of those who come to America do so for a better future, not because they are criminals looking to stir up trouble.  He then tied this in to his foreign trade plan which boils down to...
  
• He believes that countries allowed easy imports to America should have to abide by the same labor standards that we do.  No longer will manufacturers be able to take advantage of the low cost of labor overseas refinforced by poor and inhumane working conditions.  Yes, it will raise the cost of some of your favorite items at Wal-Mart, but it will also take away a primary reason that companies move labor jobs from America to elsewhere.
  
• While he strongly disagrees with the war in Iraq, he realizes that at this point we would be even worse off immediately pulling all forces as it would leave the country open for an easy takeover by militants.  Instead he'd like to see our troops brought back home and a transition to a multi-national nationbuilding force tied into our efforts at restoring relations with our allies as well.  He also believes we should encourage the use of muslim and arabic troops in Iraq while we are there to better co-exist with the culture.
  
• On the ads being run pointing out that Dean was endorsed as Governor by the NRA:  Vermont had only five homicides one year while he was governor - it's simply such a rural state that violent crime is a non-issue compared to a New York, Chicago or the like.  As such, Vermont enforces national gun control laws but has none on a state level.  Thus the NRA endorsement.  Governor Dean believes that national gun control policies like mandatory background checks even at gun shows and being able to hold those who illegally sell a gun used in crimes accountable should be made and tightened, while allowing states to do further control based on their needs.
  
• He believes that we, as the wealthiest nation in the world, have no legitimate reason to not be able to buckle down and provide universal health insurance.  While there are costs associated with doing so, he points out that the cost of providing healthcare to the uninsured is passed on to the public today anyway through medical expenses, taxes and insurance premiums.
  
• He is socially liberal while fiscally conservative, a combination we need right now.

Dean today is a Democrat's Democrat - I hope he doesn't go too far to the center should he get the nomination.  And to Republicans who are sick and tired to what Bush and his gang are doing to America, I encourage you to look at him as well.  Many Repubs I know claim to be so due to fiscal reasons - well here's your chance to prove it, because who is more conservative - someone spending billions on the war in Iraq while letting his corporate buddies get away with trillions in financial inproprieties (see Kenneth Lay) and gaining billions in no-bid public contracts (see Halliburton - whom VP Cheney still receives money from annually in violation of national ethics statutes), or someone dedicated to bringing in others to help with the Iraq rebuild (other countries, not other companies), repealing Bush's unwise tax cut (a $300 per year loss to us 60% in the middle class in exchange for being able to actually afford to provide government infrastructure), and balancing our budget (which no Republic president has done in 34 years).

Word is that Space Invaders is being re-released to arcades in its original code to celebrate it's 25th anniversary.  But now it costs 50 cents.

Now, I realize that 50 cents isn't much change these days, but still!  It's the original, it's not any better, and it costs 50 cents?  To hit a button shooting little pixel alien ships.  That you can find for free all over the Internet.  Like here for instance.

Thanks.  But no thanks.