Friday, April 08, 2011

Rep. Sean Duffy

He's on CNN right now, talking all fiscal, and I'm trying to take him seriously, but GEEZ! I used to be hooked on The Real World. I remember him as the lumberjack in flannel shirts, smoking cigs while huddled in the bathroom of that Boston firehouse and clashing with Kamelaah and drinking with Sy.

I know he's married to a member of my favorite Real World cast (San Francisco), Rachel, and they have, like, 11,000 kids.

Deja Sonny Bono!

THIS JUST IN! Watch him explain how hard it is for a family to squeak by on $174,000. (Dated 3/20/11).

Because I love movie lists

I am shamelessly stealing this from Kwizgiver. I went back to the American Film Institute and picked up the current Top 100 because I believe this list is a bit different than the one she worked from.

As I watch coverage of the impending government shut down, I find reflecting on classic movies therapeutic.

The ones I've seen are bolded ...


#

MOVIE

YEAR

1

CITIZEN KANE

1941

2

THE GODFATHER

1972

3

CASABLANCA

1942

4

RAGING BULL

1980

5

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

1952

6

GONE WITH THE WIND

1939

7

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

1962

8

SCHINDLER'S LIST

1993

9

VERTIGO

1958

10

THE WIZARD OF OZ

1939

11

CITY LIGHTS

1931

12

THE SEARCHERS

1956

13

STAR WARS

1977

14

PSYCHO

1960

15

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

1968

16

SUNSET BLVD.

1950

17

THE GRADUATE

1967

18

THE GENERAL

1927

19

ON THE WATERFRONT

1954

20

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

1946

21

CHINATOWN

1974

22

SOME LIKE IT HOT

1959

23

THE GRAPES OF WRATH

1940

24

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL

1982

25

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

1962

26

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON

1939

27

HIGH NOON (Never saw the whole thing)

1952

28

ALL ABOUT EVE

1950

29

DOUBLE INDEMNITY

1944

30

APOCALYPSE NOW

1979

31

THE MALTESE FALCON

1941

32

THE GODFATHER PART II

1974

33

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST

1975

34

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS

1937

35

ANNIE HALL

1977

36

THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI

1957

37

THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES

1946

38

THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE

1948

39

DR. STRANGELOVE

1964

40

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

1965

41

KING KONG

1933

42

BONNIE AND CLYDE I think this is the best of all time

1967

43

MIDNIGHT COWBOY

1969

44

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

1940

45

SHANE

1953

46

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT

1934

47

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

1951

48

REAR WINDOW

1954

49

INTOLERANCE

1916

50

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

2001

51

WEST SIDE STORY

1961

52

TAXI DRIVER

1976

53

THE DEER HUNTER

1978

54

M*A*S*H

1970

55

NORTH BY NORTHWEST

1959

56

JAWS

1975

57

ROCKY

1976

58

THE GOLD RUSH

1925

59

NASHVILLE

1975

60

DUCK SOUP

1933

61

SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS

1941

62

AMERICAN GRAFFITI

1973

63

CABARET

1972

64

NETWORK

1976

65

THE AFRICAN QUEEN

1951

66

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

1981

67

WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?

1966

68

UNFORGIVEN

1992

69

TOOTSIE

1982

70

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

1971

71

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

1998

72

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

1994

73

BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID

1969

74

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

1991

75

IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT

1967

76

FORREST GUMP

1994

77

ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN

1976

78

MODERN TIMES

1936

79

THE WILD BUNCH

1969

80

THE APARTMENT

1960

81

SPARTACUS

1960

82

SUNRISE

1927

83

TITANIC

1997

84

EASY RIDER

1969

85

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

1935

86

PLATOON

1986

87

12 ANGRY MEN

1957

88

BRINGING UP BABY

1938

89

THE SIXTH SENSE

1999

90

SWING TIME I've seen all the Fred/Gingers, but can't tell them apart

1936

91

SOPHIE'S CHOICE

1982

92

GOODFELLAS

1990

93

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

1971

94

PULP FICTION

1994

95

THE LAST PICTURE SHOW

1971

96

DO THE RIGHT THING

1989

97

BLADE RUNNER

1982

98

YANKEE DOODLE DANDY

1942

99

TOY STORY

1995

100

BEN-HUR

1959

Is it because I'm a Cub fan?

Reflections on jury duty. It went as well as could be expected today. I got there on time, which was my first big concern. The criminal court house is on California Avenue, a neighborhood I seldom get to (OK, one I only visit when called for jury duty), so I was worried about the commute.

Then my panel was called right away. Even though I don't relish the thought of being responsible for either depriving a fellow citizen of his freedom or letting a criminal go free, sitting in that big drafty jury room all day is cruel and unusual punishment in and of itself.

Of the 40 of us ushered into the court room, 23 of us were called and put in the jury box. Then each of us seated there was questioned. First the judge explained to us that the case was regarding heroin possession and sale. We were introduced to the defendant and the lawyers, and the prosecutor took over.

He was attractive in an overly-muscular, bald-headed, Mr. Clean kinda way. But he wasn't shirtless, he was in a nice gray three-piece suit, and he did his best to be cheery, but I could see how he would be very intimidating.

Here is what he asked me as he reviewed my questionnaire:

Do I rent or own? Own

What does an "associate creative director" do? I work on advertising campaigns

How long have you been in advertising? Your entire career?
Practically

So you have served on a jury before?
Yes. Right here in the criminal court building.

Was a verdict reached in that case?
Yes.

Did anything happen in that case that would have an impact on your ability to be an impartial juror in this case?
No.

You were a victim of a crime in the 1990s. Could you tell us about it?
It was attempted sexual assault.

Oh. Did you have to testify in the case?
No, they never arrested anybody.

Is there anything about that incident that would have an impact on your ability to be an impartial juror in this case?
No.
Do you have any hobbies? I am a Cub fan.

That must be rough.
It's a way of life, sir. (Much laughter.)

Here the judge interrupts with mock solemnity: "Move along, counselor. She's not the only Cub fan in this room." (More laughter.)


Ms. Completely-Mangles-My-Last-Name, if the state proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the
defendant is guilty, could you sign a guilty verdict? Yes.

And if the state fails to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is not guilty, could you sign a not guilty verdict?
Yes.

Thank you.

I do dig it that I'm the only one who cracked up the judge.

Then we retired to the jury room and of the 23 of us questioned, they chose 14. I was not among them. So I grabbed my check for $17.20 and went home.

Getting off the bus at the wrong stop, it took me an extra 15 minutes (in the rain) to get home, so I rewarded myself with a hot dog. Once I got home, I took a long nap. I was exhausted, because emotionally I really didn't want to serve. But I also appreciate that it's my duty.

I mean, I never served in the military. It's my duty as a citizen to be an informed voter (I did that Tuesday) and to show up and take jury duty seriously. So this week I did the least I could do the best I could.

Oh, yes I am

Good at this job, I mean.

We were kicking off some new projects -- revisions of pieces done long ago. Projects like this are great because, if done efficiently and well, we make incremental revenue. One of my account execs (he has the role, but not the personality, of Pete Campbell, for you Mad Men fans), has been leaning on me a lot lately. So much so, that when I reminded everyone I'm not in on Friday (jury duty), my boss teased, "That noise you just heard was Tom's sphincter slamming shut when he realized Gal wasn't going to be here tomorrow." Later in the day, in another, similar meeting, after I kinda took over and explained what should happen and why, Tom pointed at me and said, "That's why I'm in her office all the time."

It felt good.

Assignments like these are not glamorous, not why any of us got into the business, but if done correctly they can make us look like heroes to the client. I'm glad that I know how to get the team focused for projects like this. It feels good to know Tom depends on me.

It feels good to be good at this job.