The Johnny Bacardi Show

Hello and good evening. I've still got that cold, I'm trying to work while I have it, and consequently less energy than usual to think (which takes an incredible amount of my energy, believe me), so I think I'll just post some stuff at random and hope that someone will think it's worth their time. I'm gonna be all over the place, so hold on...

My homeboy Chris Tabor keeps sending me all these links to political editorials and whatnot, and I try to read them all and usually find more than a few interesting. Here's one from the Toronto Star. I think Chris shall be the official anchor for the Bacardi Show Weekend Update section. He also sent me this news item which appears on E! Online's news in brief section that cites the New York Post as saying that video footage exists of a supposed reunion of the three surviving Beatles, and it will be released on DVD next month. I'm a bit skeptical; knowing the vast network of rabid Beatle fans out there, you'd think that this would have leaked out a long time ago. Hell, I'd watch it, though. That's how bad I am when it comes to the Fabs. If I could sit and watch McCartney play with an ourangutan, then I'll have no problem with this.

Mrs. Bacardi's watching the Bachelorette finale as I type. To me, all these shows like this are just sordid and crass, like somewhat more genteel versions of the Springer show. Maybe it's just my notorious anti-social streak displaying itself, I don't know. I don't like or care about any of these people, the Joe Millionaires and Trista whatevers, and have less than no interest in these artificially staged quote unquote reality shows featuring pretty people and their vapid lives. Hmpf. Guess I should learn to lighten up a bit. They would probably think my life's pretty vapid too, and nowhere nearly as interesting.

I've been checking out a film or three here and there. Haven't seen Daredevil yet, probably won't for a while. There used to be a second time around buck-fifty theatre in Bowling Green, where I do everything but live, and it strikes me that DD would have been perfect for that. Bill Sherman, that Pop Culture Gadabout, writes a very well done critique of the film over at his site. Go on, check it out, but come back as soon as you can, I'm not finished yet. Bill has been writing a lot of great stuff over at his place lately, and I always value his occasional notes over here.

He also links to something here on my site that I meant to write about when I first posted it: the Bloginality test. It's a modified version of those personality tests that employers often give prospective employees. In fact, I took one for real when I was hired for the last job I held before my current one, AKA the job from Hell. I'd discuss that place, but that's a whole 'nother blogpiece. These tests are interesting to me as sort of a barometer to see how you measure up to the results that your responses generate. As you can see at right, I am an ISFJ personality type, which says that

As an ISFJ, you are Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging.
This makes your primary focus on Introverted Sensing with Extraverted Feeling.

In blogging, your journal will always be immaculate and have a touch of style. You may also feel overwhelmed because you want to be a part of everything going on. Because of your wonderful memory, other bloggers may come to you to ask about things you posted months before.

Okay, sure, I'll go along with that. It's the still faint, flickering ember of my creativity that manifests itself that way, I suppose. If I was more skilled in writing html code, this little bloggiepoo would look a lot different. I'm still mulling over doing a total redesign anyway using freeway, paying for a domain name, and going that route. If I do, you'll all be the first to know. Those interested in taking the test for themselves are directed to the link at right.

OK, where was I....movies. Right. I watched The Gift recently, the Sam Raimi-directed flick that starred Cate Blanchett, who was very good, as a small town soothsayer who has real psychic flashes of a murder. It was pretty gripping most of the way through, even though they kinda telegraphed the ending. The stunt casting of Keanu Reeves, the Bela Lugosi of the modern screen era, as a trailer-trash wife beating redneck fortunately works very well. Bet Sam & Co. were very relieved. I also caught the Bogart and Bacall version of the Big Sleep Monday, while I was burning up with fever and lying in bed. Kept my attention, though...it's just one of those wonderful old classic films, full of stylisation and archetyping and plain old good scripting. I really love those old James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart films. I also watched Made, a less succesful re-teaming of Swingers Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau which is watchable, but having done so I have no inclination to do so again. It's often funny, often annoying (especially Vaughn's character). I was hoping I could stay up late enough last night to see Dust Be My Destiny, one of the Priscilla Lane films I haven't seen, but I couldn't do it. I fell asleep in the recliner, and woke up well after it was over. Oh well. There's still Arsenic and Old Lace, which I've seen a dozen times but what the heck, on TCM Saturday night at 6 eastern. Speaking of TCM, they're showing one of my all time favorite films on the 25th, the Karloff/Lugosi epic the Black Cat. It's got Karloff the Uncanny, pointy of hair and ear, skinny as a rail, all dressed in black, living in an art deco mansion in which he leads a cult of Satanic worshippers, and the great Bela Lugosi in a rare sympathetic role as a man on a mission of retribution. If you love old, stylish B&W films, and God knows I do, and you haven't seen this yet, then do yourself a favor and check it out. Even if you don't get Turner Classic, rent or buy it. It's that good.

I picked up the below listed comics today on my lunch break; in addition to the ones named below I also picked up Grrl Scouts: Work Sucks by Jim Mahfood, which I was supposed to get last week but my shop got short-shipped on, and The Truth 5, which I just plain old overlooked on the Diamond list. And Image's Jack Staff 1 also came out! This is great news, but unfortunately, like I said before, #12 in the previous run from Dancing Elephant hasn't come out yet! There are all sorts of dangling plot threads that have yet to be resolved! Image's JS 1 is kind of a getting acquainted issue, cleverly done (a given with Paul Grist) with deliberate reenactments of events in the early issues of the Elephant run. I hope that everyone who has been passing on this wonderful book because it's previously been in B&W will give it a chance now that it's in full color. Strangely, I think the color's going to take some getting used to because Grist has such great command of the B&W format. Anyway, I think I'll email Grist (or at least the email address he gives in each issue) and ask him what the heck happened to #12!

Another great Buffy episode last night. The only negatives were yet another troop rallying type speech (and the odd reaction of the Scoobies to it, which struck me as a bit inconsiderate on their part) and another disappearing act by Giles. It was good to see Spike acting like his old self again, although I'm sure this won't bode well for the Buffster. I don't know how many more original episodes are left, but I have no idea where this is all going and I like that very much. While we're on the subject of TV, I've been enjoying watching Futurama reruns on Cartoon Network as well. There are a lot of Futurama episodes I have never seen, owing to the fact that Fox always pre-empted it for football games, and my work schedule, and other stuff. I'm catching up now.

I see the Bachelorette is almost ready to make her choice. If you'll excuse me...


Aw, I was almost done anyway. Whaddaya want from me? Thanks for making it this far though. Oyasumi Nasai.