Waging WAR on Ignorance, Intolerance & Injustice!
According to the WordPress gurus, today is the thirteenth anniversary of Uncle Rave’s Wordy Weblog! The traditional gift is lace, but I’ll gladly accept cash, stocks, beer, bourbon, and any illicit . . . LOL! Stay well and do some good, friends! — YUR
Image courtesy of Google
Enjoy your holiday, or just your day, with friends and family! Today’s spoilers will be posted either later this evening, or some time tomorrow. Be well and do good, friends. — YUR
PS. Keep the good people of Sri Lanka in your thoughts and prayers! — YUR
“One of the things the Empire taught: that apart from citizenship, the synonymous inheritance of the citizenship was the literature.” — Derek Walcott
(Our very first Derek Walcott quotation, since I’ve been posting these spoilers. Ironically, the esteemed gentleman passed away only about three months ago. It looks like he lived a very full and rewarding life though. Good for him. I drew a blank on his first name. I wrote out all the unused consonants, and considered a few losing combinations, before my V-8 moment! My son’s name is Derek. Mama said there’d be days like this. Be well and do well, friends.) — YUR
English: The food court of the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack. Taken on September 6, 2007 by Nightscream. Category:Images of Rockland County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A few years ago, I was affiliated with a film production company that made commercials, infomercials, and corporate films. I was on their list of extras. They’d pay between $50 and $100 for a few hours of “work”. I never had any speaking roles, it was just extra work.
It was a pretty good gig, for a few years. I’d get 2 or 3 jobs a year. The funny thing was they seldom told us what the filming was for, and I never saw anything that I was part of, on television. They would usually just give you what industry it was for, but not the specific company. No one seemed to mind.
On one occasion they filmed us at the Palisades Center Mall, at the food court. Another time it was at a little strip mall by the water below Nyack, NY. I was a businessman in that one. Another time it was at some huge church hall. That was for an audience scene for some kind of infomercial. A lot of clapping, and smiling, and trying to look impressed with whatever they were hawking. Simple stuff.
But, the last one I was involved with was the killer. It was being shot on the streets of White Plains, NY. I believe it was for some kind of health care insurer. Anyway, they were filming a lot of scenes where they didn’t need me, so I manly spent time in the trailer, flirting with the makeup girl, and eating whatever they had at the canteen. There was always plenty to eat. But, this has nothing to do with the flirting, nor the food.
My scene was the final one of the day, and we were starting to lose the sun. They paired me with a lady about my age, and put us in these tee shirts with the health care company name on them, and all we were supposed to do was walk from a bout half a block away, right up to the camera. Sounded simple enough. Right? Well, here’s where it got hinky for me. The Assistant Director said that we were a *vibrant* couple taking a walk, blah, blah, blah. Well, you know me and words. I latched on to the word *vibrant* and I decided we were going to go at a brisk pace. The Director says to do it again, but slower. He just didn’t say how much slower, and I was still going by the Assistant Director’s *vibrant*. So, we did it again, but still too fast. I think my co-star realized what the Director wanted before me, but I was in the *vibrant* zone! We did it I think two more times, before I realized that the Assistant Director either didn’t know what the word *vibrant* meant, or he didn’t know what the Director wanted. Finally, we did it at a nice leisurely stroll – nothing *vibrant* about it – and the director was all smiles. But, for some strange reason, right as we ended that nice leisurely stroll, I looked . . . straight into the camera. That is a huge no-no, and I generally know better than to do that. I think I was just tired. Well, I think that the Director took that as some kind of an F U on my part, and that was it. I got paid . . . but they never called me back for another gig.
I think he went to his producers and said I was a wise guy, or I couldn’t take direction, or something, and not to call me again. So, yer good old uncle is on their blacklist! Just don’t expect to see me with James Spader anytime soon!
— YUR
English: Created by Phil Scoville on June 25, 2005 Downloaded from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/philscoville/21528732/ This picture is free to share and remix with proper attribution under the following license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This is possibly the very best reason to get married. And, once you’ve achieved this, probably the strongest argument for staying married. — YUR
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“Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure…
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English: Will Rogers Monument at the western terminus of Route 66 in Santa Monica, CA, at the intersection of Ocean and Santa Monica. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” — Will Rogers
(Another great insight into the perils of complacency. We shouldn’t ever feel like we’ve “arrived”. We’ve all heard that life is not a destination, but a journey. Well, it’s also a bit of a moving target . . . that sometimes shoots back! Don’t be lulled into being a sitting duck, people. Keep moving. And, be prepared to zig when others are expecting you to zag. Be well and do good, friends.) — YUR
PS. I chose this pic because the wife is attending a reunion in L.A. this weekend. She spent a night at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel – a real treat – before switching to the hotel where the festivities are taking place. Miss you, babe. Have fun though! — YUR
Image via Wikipedia
From today’s Spam File:
“Good day I was luck to seek your subject in yahoo
your Topics is quality
I obtain much in your theme really thanks very much
btw the theme of you site is really wonderful
where can find it“
(Do y’all think I should accept this, as a legitimate Comment? Or, should I hold off until he/she completes his/her ESL class??? Ho, ho, ho!!! You just can’t make this stuff up! Better luck next time, bucko!) — YUR
Image via Wikipedia
A hearty congratulations to the San Francisco Giants, and all of their loyal fans, for winning the 2010 World Series! They did it decisively, beating the Texas Rangers 3 to 1, to take the series in only 5 games. For a team that was in first place for only 30 some games throughout the entire season, and didn’t clinch the division until the final day of the regular season, they surprised all the experts and odds-makers, to the delight of all the fans of the underdog!
And, they did it with 4 players that they picked up during the course of last and this season. Castoff from other teams, Aubrey Huff and Edgar Renteria (Tigers), Cody Ross (Marlins), and Freddy Sanchez (Pirates), they all made significant contributions to the Giants winning their first World Series in 56 years, and their first since leaving New York and heading west. Ross ended up being the NLCS MVP and Renteria was named Series MVP. Not bad for a rag-tag bunch.
But, what carried them, into the playoffs and all the way through the World Series, was their stellar rotation of homegrown pitchers. Buoyed by the brilliant pitching of 2 time NL Cy Young Award winner, Tim Lincecum, the Giants made winning this World Series look like child’s play. Lincecum was undefeated in postseason play this year. And a lot of the credit has to go to Brian Wilson. No, not the enigmatic song writer from the Beach Boys! I’m talking about the bearded wonder, San Fran’s dominant closer, who made it fun to be a Giants fan again. Watching so many fans sporting fake black beards, and carrying “Fear The Beard” signs was the stuff that makes for great baseball memories.
Throw in the very impressive play of rookie catcher, Buster Posey – a great baseball name – and the masterful managing of Bruce Bochy, and you got a series that you kind of hoped might go seven games. But, all good things must come to an end. In the end, the Rangers’ youth and inexperience really showed, but they made great strides this year and they have nothing to be ashamed of. They’ll be back. I feel confident of that. Good going, Giants! You deserve it.
YUR
PS. I’d like to offer my apologies for the shoddy coverage of my local newspaper, The Journal News. They saw fit to feature high school tennis and soccer stories on the front page of their Sports (read Yankee) Page, along with more griping about Sunday’s Jets loss to the Packers, and just about every other banal local sports tidbit. They did work in one small picture of Lincecum holding the trophy, in the lower right hand corner of the page, but that was it. And then, when they were covered, the World Series Champion Giants got to share the page (Page 3) with Suffern High School boys volleyball, more girls’ high school tennis, and a gripping story about the – who else? – Yankees, addressing their offseason plans. I guess the Championship of America’s Pastime only really matters when it involves pinstripes. Do the Steinbrenners own The Journal News? Just joking. Pathetic display of homerism. Real sports fan notice these things.
OK! Maybe NOT the greatest actor in the world, but the guy has certainly carved out a niche for himself in the voice-over industry. Plus, he was in one of THE greatest sports movies of ALL time: “Slap Shot”! (Dave “Killer” Carlson)
He somehow had an early shot, as a toddler, in an episode of “I Married Joan”. Then had a normal childhood until the age of 18-19 when he landed the role of Oscy in “Summer of ’42”. After that he’s had very steady work in both the movies and especially in television. Lacking in leading man looks, he has been *gifted* with a fairly high-pitched voice, which allows him to sound, very convincingly, like the perpetual teenager. He has also been the voice of one of the Keebler Elves (not Ernie) since 1980. AND, the lucky stiff got to marry the girl of my (and millions of other guys) dreams, Marcia Brady! Not too shabby!
Here’s to you, bro!
Additional birthday wishes go out to Stan Shaw (“The Boys in Company C”) and Eric Laneuville (“The Omega Man”). Both of these guys ARE very good actors, and have had very steady careers. They both had some recurring roles on one of my favorite television shows “Hill Street Blues”. Eric is actually enjoying a second career, and is in great demand, as a television director.
And, how about Chris Cross of Ultravox!?!? (“Reap the Wild Wind” and “The Voice”)
All these cats are 58 years old today! I wonder what was going on around Thanksgiving 1951???
YUR
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Unclerave's Wordy Weblog 
Human Population . . . again!
Published April 10, 2022 Commentary , Current Events , Education , History , Life , Observations 7 CommentsTags: human population, Marilyn Vos Savant
On occasion, some of you haven’t exactly supported/subscribed to my assertion that the world is quickly being overpopulated by human beings, who are resulting in climate change, aka: global warming. Granted, I’m much more of a wiseacre . . . wise guy . . . wise ass – take yer pick – than an actual wise man, but I am certainly not alone in my contention.
A reader of Parade Magazine, a Mr. Don Vollmer, posed to “Ask Marilyn” if the growing human population was enough to cause climate change. The noted genius, Marilyn vos Savant, pointed out what I’ve said numerous times. It took around 100,000 years for us to get to a population of 2 billion by the year 1900 – or so – which was just as the Industrial Revolution was getting into full swing, but since then we’ve skyrocketed to nearly 8 BILLION souls! In a mere 122 years we’ve quadrupled what took us 99,878 years (998 CENTURIES) to *achieve*! A lot of the growth is because we’ve solved smallpox and many other major killer diseases, but also it’s because of how of our modern conveniences have increased our standard of living. Until a few hundred years ago human life expectancy averaged around 28.5 – 32 years. By the 1950s it had grown to an average of 45.7 – 48 years. Now, the world average is up to 72.6 – 73.2 years. And, it’s even higher in first-world countries, like the U.S. and Canada.
Marilyn pointed out that if we lived the simpler agrarian lives, of days gone by, the population increase would be sustainable, but because of how we now live – our increased standard of living – the continued growth cannot be sustained. She didn’t go into detail, but one can infer she meant we’ve all become such huge consumers, and a lot of that consumption comes in the form of burning fossil fuels, both in the generation of electricity, and in powering our automobiles. And, also the petroleum we use to create all the plastics, that so much is made of these days, and the rare earth metals that our electronics use. And, all of our single use paper products – like toilet paper, napkins and paper towels – are contributing to the global deforestation, just as the reliance on palm oil – in the foods that we eat – is causing deforestation in the rain forests of the world. We’re spoiling too much of our ground water, and we’re running out of places to put our trash. The genie is out of the bottle, folks!
Marilyn vos Savant has the highest recorded I.Q. in the Guinness Book of Records. She has served on numerous boards of directors, and was the Chief Financial Officer for Jarvik Heart, Inc., as well as authoring “Ask Marilyn”. No one is saying that she’s the smartest human on the planet, or anything, but she is a very respected thinker. Dismiss my diatribes if you will, but don’t mess with Marilyn! Be well and do good, friends. — YUR
Image courtesy of DeviantArt