The Backwash

There are always secondary effects of technological advances.  For example, the advent of SUV’s gave rise to the larger-than-18″-rim.  The innovation of the iPod led to the development of an entire line of portable media device accessories.

For phones, smart phones in particular, we get the “butt-dial.”  You may have been on the receiving “end” of one of these mishaps.  You lean a little too hard against a wall or stuff in a particularly large wallet, and viola! – you have just dialed the last number dialed on your phone – or something in your speed dial list.  Most likely, you have left a lengthy voice message of ambient conversation and sounds.

Let’s all rise up and try to minimize butt-dialing.  I’m not sure it will do much for the environment, but it will certainly help us avoid something potentially embarrassing.

-MH

Some hits, some misses, and a lot of fun. The Summer of A Hundred Movies came to a close yesterday for the Hodges family, and we hit the target. It was no small feat – watching 100 movies between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Below is the final listing. We were reminded of a lot of good movies that we had simply forgotten, and there were several times I walked out of a theater thinking “somebody actually got paid to write that screenplay…how weak.”

It was fun, though, and it gave our family a bit of a goal and some fun to work with during the summer. Farewell, SO1M. It’s been fun.

-MH

Grab your singles…we’re close to the Arkansas Lottery going live.

I have pretty defined opinions about a lottery, but I also don’t have near as hard a line as others. Here are two thoughts – one from a pure financial standpoint, one from a moral one.

Financially, I respect and agree with the position held by my professor of Advanced Corporate Finance from my MBA days. His definition of a lottery was “A self-imposed tax for stupid people.” If you think about it, it really is. A lottery is, by its very nature, an elective tax…as if we already don’t pay enough and won’t be able to work ourselves out of the hole we are free-falling into right now. The odds are very much against us.

Morally, I do not hold the view of my mother (or others for that matter) who tried to teach me that buying a lottery ticket was like buying a subway ticket to hell. Let’s face it – there is as much chance in a lottery as there is betting on certain stocks in the Dow right now. I think this is like anything else. If you want to throw a few bucks at the chance, so be it. If you start depriving yourself of food and stop paying your bills because you think this is your week to win the Powerball, you’re probably stepping into the wrong area. I am presuming that those who tried to teach me otherwise years ago would likely still accept a tithe of any winnings.

And please…don’t tell me that the proceeds of any lottery are going to make better roads or better schools. Look at Mississippi. End of argument. Casinos and lottery galore – worst roads and schools in the nation. No, the lottery is a money factory for someone – the problem is that very few can actually find where the money goes.

So, to me, the lottery is a non-issue. Yes, I have bought about four lottery tickets in my lifetime. No, I have not won anything. Will I buy an Arkansas lottery ticket? Probably – but not on a regular basis and only when I think I have a couple of bucks to burn. And, literally, burning the bills for momentary warmth will probably give me more enjoyment.

-MH

Gotta love this one.  It’s all over the web, but still good.

Several have asked me about the status of the “Summer of 100 Movies.”  We have until Labor Day, and we’re 10 away.  Got a bit of work to do the rest of the week.  I’m hitting a flick tonight and tomorrow night and am working through one during my elliptical time.  Incidentally – if it ever goes into wide release (or if you are in NYC / Chicago / etc.), do yourself a favor and see “It Might Get Loud.”  You can’t go wrong when Jimmy Page and The Edge get together with guitars.

Here is where we stand right now:

7am this morning.  A FLASH emergency run to Wal Mark (which I love) to get vegetable oil.  This is critical.

Of course – only one lane is open…but no line.

I zip in.  The lady checking me out does the finger lick-open the bag thing (disgusting) and while waiting for my transaction to complete proceeds to use the wadded-up kleenex in her hand used to handle my merchandise and DAB HER RUNNY EYE.

One transaction – multiple points of potential DNA transfer for which I did not ask.

Moral of the story?  I’m better off not knowing about your oozing whatever – especially if you are making my food or checking out my groceries.  Take the sick day.  It’s better for all of us!

-MH

Summer of a hundred movies update – approaching 50% complete!

Yes, it’s mindless for this forum…but I’m working on another writing project right now that is siphoning my time.

Progress to-date is below.

The Hodges family has embarked on a mission.  Since we are doing more of a “staycation” this summer, we decided we needed a quest as a family – so we have declared the summer of 2009 the “Summer of a Hundred Movies.”  I will update progress here, but below are the rules and the progress so far.  Might be interesting…

RULES:

• We are going to fill the list with a hundred TITLES, so all four of us seeing the same movie only counts as one movie.
• If we get real industrious, each person can watch a different movie on the same day and that counts as four movies. The rules are pretty simple – a family member needs to see the movie for it to count. (NOTE – No, we didn’t let the kids see all of these!)
• Dates of eligibility are May 1^st – Labor Day.

PROGRESS:

Below is the chart of our movies watched so-far.  We have a bit of work to do.

Ahhhh…..some of my favorite things! It’s old, but I had forgotten about it until tonight. Enjoy!