drawing to an inside straight...

Great film....but oh lordy... reading the book when I was in high school and I kept falling asleep. James Fenimore Cooper's writing style ain't like Mark Twain or Jack London. Kind of dry for me.

There was also another Grindhouse film in the '70s called "Switchblade Sisters" (1975) --also sometimes released as "The Jezebels" that had a female character with an eye patch. The character actually called "Patch". Classic teenage exploitation bad girl gang film shot here in SoCal. Tarantino is a big fan of this film.

close to the spot where...

under the pillow at the...

My grandfather was born in Wheeling West Virginia. Worked in a steel mill starting at age 12 making barrel hoops and fence wire until he moved to the midwest to buy a farm when he was in his 20s. He could dance like that old Hillbilly in Deliverance. Best people on Earth. Who's says white folks can't dance?

Cool! I ordered some of these on Amazon. Thought I'd try wearing one to the store to see have I can trigger someone to go ape shit and end up as a Youtube star. Sign says "must wear a mask".... it's a mask. 😝

to where you left your...

Cool retro dance steps! See lots of "shuffle dancing" in there reminiscent of M.C. Hammer and the '80s. Shuffle dancing reminds me a lot of Appalachian "flatfooting" ...... footwork way more apt to my people..... well, that or marching LOL. This gal actually from England---not bad for across the pond.

Member of The 27 club Jimi Hendrix Robert Johnson Janis Joplin Jim Morrison Kurt Cobain Alan "Blind Owl' Wilson (Canned Heat) Brian Jones Amy Winehouse Pete Ham (Badfinger)

you're broke and haven't got..

To hell with global warming, these machines were COOL!!!! Check this out. You can't just fire these awesome machines up by turning a key and putting them into gear. It takes HOURS to fire a steam locomotive and get it ready to roll out. This video is just an edited down taste of the process.

never trust a Greek bearing...

My father said the M1903 Springfield rifle was still being used in the Navy into the '50s for drilling (during basic training) and then also onboard ship as one of several weapons stowed for possible security needs. While on watch in port (Europe) they carried the M1911 (.45ACP) "condition 4" (magazine not loaded, empty chamber). If something came up and they needed to secure the ship, he was issued the Springfield rifle. My assumption is that being the Navy, they didn't feel your average sailor was trained to be a rifleman the way Army infantry or Marines were, so a .30-06 bolt action would be sufficient for that purpose. Pop said they also had the BARs just like as seen in Sandpebbles. The ship already had a few M2 Brownings (.50cal 'Ma Duece) but those were only to support beach landings or anti aircraft. The BAR was still the best choice on board ship to repel boarders up close or dissuade smaller boats coming too close---especially in a port. Can't be wringing out a .50 cal with other ships moored nearby. But none of that ever happened anyway. In Italy sometimes some women (prostitutes) would want to try to sneak on board (with some help) and service the sailors for a few packs of smokes, but I think even that was just some legend stuff. So at sea they would get to practice with the BARs, .50s, and if he was lucky one of the 20 or 40mm guns too.

Imagine getting to choose between Tuesday Weld, a brown eyed blonde, or Ann Margret, a green eyed brunet? That's like having to choose between Betty or Veronica, or Ginger or Maryann. You know you want both for different reasons. Both are like a Christmas gift under the tree, but Weld is wrapped and you have to "unwrap" to see what your are getting. While Marget you know what the gift is, it doesn't need to be unwrapped. I always looked at Tuesday Weld like a cross between Grace Kelly and Sandra Dee. I really dug her. So if I were McQueen and they offered me the choice of Sandpebbles or Bullitt--- and I could only choose one---I think most actors would pick Sandpebbles. There were already lots of crime drama action films in Hollywood starring many great actors of McQueen's stature. But Sandpebbles stands out as film that digs down into themes like racism, blind patriotism, nationalism, religious idealism, colonialism vs independence and revolution... and of course man's in humanity to man. All with Jake Holeman at the center, just a guy who wants to run a steam engine to the best of his ability without being drawn into the madness around him--- but has no chance of that, and never did. A Huckleberry Finn style of anti-hero going down a river and headed to point of certain reckoning, one way or another. The Great Escape and The Magnificent 7 both great films, but ensemble casts where McQueen shared the stage, so I don't think of those as McQueen movies the way I do Sandpebbles or Cincinnati Kid. I suppose we could mention The Getaway too, but I though that film was better role for MacGraw, McQueens part could have been equally satisfied with Bronson, Eastwood, or Newman. But I don't think any other actor in Hollywood at the time could have brought to the Jake Holeman character what McQueen brought other than maybe a much younger Henry Fonda. Something about the eyes makes a difference there. Maybe Newman, but his shining star was Cool Hand Luke. DAMN I wish Hollywood made films like those again! Speaking of gambling genre films. Which of these do you think were better? Cincinnati Kid or The Hustler? I would pick Cincinnati Kid for the reason of Edward G. Robinson. Gleason was "the great one" but that was more of his comedy genius too me. In the '60s if you are Bronson, Eastwood, McQueen, Heston, Hoffman, or Newman, and you get a role starring opposite of Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Alan Ladd, Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart, or the great James Cagney..... WOW! That had to be something special. Given that all of those were still living at the time to have been in the film. Heston got to star in Edward G. Robinson's last film "Soylent Green". I loved the Heston sci-fi films, but Soylent Green stands worlds apart from the rest and it is all about Edward G. Robinson's role bringing a touch of humanity to it my opinion. Insert any other older actor there in that role and I would be hard pressed to find one equally as heavy unless it could have been Spencer Tracy maybe. That would have been great too.

I agree. And the scary thing about these fires as seen in the current dry conditions in the west, when combined with months of drought, long periods of low humidity, days of record heat, and then if strong winds are added to the mix and there is an ignition..... it isn't just the areas surrounded by trees or in mountains that will go up in huge flames. I remember the fire up near Santa Rosa in California (wine country). While not too far from hills and grasslands, many areas that burned were in the town where homes and buildings were considerable distances from any wild land fuel sources. When the winds get to 70mph the burning embers can travel long distances and then embed themselves in showers of sparks into wood siding on homes. It is like holding a torch to your eves and siding, and with the heat it all goes up.

That is a lot, and still only 3/4ths through the year.

I know, I know. But I watched the author when he was on the Joe Rogan podcast and I got hooked in. Rogan is sort of like an Alex Jones type, of sorts, and sort of sold me on the book with his enthusiasm. I read Helter Skelter when it came out, and Bugliosi's tale of the events and the official story in pretty believable. But later on in life I started listening to Vincent Bugliosi and he just go more and more weird, angry, egotistical, and all of that. Now I think Bugliosi could have layered on some extra shit to the story too. Huge ego that man had, I wouldn't put it past him. I bought the book because there is something there to the whole CIA LSD thing. The CIA tried to destroy all traces of their program, they lied to us, and if not by chance that program was uncovered by a congressional investigation. What remains is if there was any connection to the CIA and free clinic where we now know the CIA was giving LSD to hippies in SF during the time Manson and the girls were living there. The whole Manson event is so fucked up. These young girls turned into ruthless nazi like killers. But LSD was a big thing with the Manson family, but Manson himself rarely used it. Did he learn how to mind fuck people and control them the same way the CIA was experimenting on soldiers and such with? That is what bothers me. I haven't started reading it yet. Still re reading Helter Skelter first as a baseline. I'll post my take on this book after I read it. I do not easily buy conspiracy stuff. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald could have made that shot, and I don't believe in UFOs.

Not sure if anyone mentioned the passing of Trini Lopez last month. Apparently he died of complications from covid-19 at age 83.

OMG! She was hotter than her sister. RIP Wish I had had the chance to know you,

Great article! It describes the quagmire this state is in over fire suppression and forest management. Not trying to get into politics, but right now two sides are just talking at each other. The administration saying it is all about forest management and not climate, and then the state government saying it is about climate, and management is a Federal issue. And on the sidelines are fire fighter unions and others including power companies and liability lawyers all sticking their dicks into the pot too. Key things to clean from the article is that during pre historic times, long before California was settled by any number of people. Wild fires burned each season and scotched many more millions of acres than now.... with nobody starting them, and long before industrial emissions could affect climate. So what do we do? Prescribed burns? Or just let stuff burn when it does start only attempting to save lives ---and any fools who build homes in indefensible zones too bad. Problem is politicians, lawyers, unions--- try doing any of that. So nothing changes. And how do you tell thousands of communities that allowed development in wildfire zones, too bad, we are redlining your home, won't try to save it. What may change the thing with that are insurance companies. Right now many insurance companies WILL NOT write policies in some areas that they used to write. No fire insurance and no bank will write a mortgage. Then any sale must be cash buyers only. There are too many people in California, and at some point lawmakers need to STOP permitting more development in wild land areas. But undoing that is difficult, too much money in housing development.

Shit! I need to buy the DVD on ebay with the commentary. Haven't heard that one yet! Strider won't like this, but now I buy most of my DVDs and CD on ebay (buy it now). Get good used stuff for a steal. Many sellers will do buy 2 get and 3rd free. Only had one bad DVD from ebay--- Notified ebay and they credited me instantly. McQueen's best film.... hmmm. Many would say Bullet, but that isn't going deep enough. Great action film, but not better than other McQueen roles in my view. If I had to choose right now I would say "The Sand Pebbles" because it is such multi faceted and compelling story with such a tragic ending. Tragic endings are the better stories.... poetry actually. Happy endings are for kids. But on another day I would say "The Cincinnati Kid" Love that film. Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malden, Ann Margret, the BEAUTIFUL Tuesday Weld, Cab Calloway, Joan Blondale, Rip fucking Torn!!!! Yeah, a toss up between the two. What do you think Strider, Jake Holeman or "the Kid"? Which character was the better role for McQueen?

Thank you thank you thank you!!