Sad, Angry, & Pissed

I held off publishing this post until after the Thanksgiving holiday. I was certainly not thankful for this incident. 

This post is partly a vent and a rant. As the title says, I am sad, angry, and pissed off. 

A few days ago I got a text from my son. He was informing me that one of his friends and softball teammates had been shot and killed. This friend, Jared, was also a friend of mine. I have known him for a few years through the softball team. 

The best way I can describe Jared is that he was a good soul. He was almost always in a good mood despite any problems he was having. He seemed to enjoy life. I never once heard a cross word from him. He was funny and fun to be around. From what I know, he was conscientious and hard-working. Everybody liked Jared. Well everybody but maybe the shooter. 

From the news stories and what I have gathered, Jared was shot by his half brother. The original story to the police by the shooter was that Jared was going into the half brother's house through a window. This house is also Jared's mother's house. The cops were suspicious and a couple of days later filed murder charges. I won't go into the specifics since they really don't matter at this point. The bottom line is that a 30-year-old good man is dead and his 19-year-old half brother is charged with his murder. In addition to the tragic death, that family is now doubly devastated. Unless the shooter confesses, we may never know what actually happened. It has all the makings of a family argument. Jared was shot multiple times, like the kind of shootings that occur during a rage. 

Besides being a good soul, Jared leaves behind a wife and two young boys. From all accounts, he was a very devoted father. He was also a gifted athlete so while his boys may inherit his genes, they will be denied his teaching, coaching, and encouragement in their athletic endeavors not to mention their journey through life. 

The last time several of us saw Jared was on October 16th. The last softball game of the fall season. The Broncos had just won the league championship. It was a fun night. 

Broncos Softball - Jared back row right

My son and I attended the visitation and funeral. Both made me more sad and angry. Hearing from those who knew Jared and seeing the photos and videos of his life reinforced my impressions of him. The funeral was a very nice service with a large crowd. Jared had a big family and many friends. Very nice services and big crowds will not bring Jared back or heal the hole in all our hearts and lives. 

Jared Moore 2016

Now the rant part. While I have no knowledge of whether the gun involved in this tragic incident was legally purchased or the shooter was the owner. That doesn't matter to me. The fact is that a loaded lethal weapon was within easy reach when this situation occurred. That made it deadly instead of maybe a pushing match or a fistfight. That might have resulted in some injuries but probably no deaths. There are way too damn many guns in our society. It is estimated that there are more guns than people in the US. I know several people who have no guns, so some folks have a lot of guns. Why do we need all these guns? About 99.99% of the folks in this country don't need to hunt and shoot for their next meal. Many folks don't live in particularly dangerous areas. The neighborhood where this incident took place is middle-class suburban residential. I know the stock phrases like "guns don't kill, people kill". Well, bullshit. People without guns don't shoot and kill. The fact that a gun is within reach when a family or domestic argument occurs instantly makes that event potentially deadly. 

I have no simple solution but I do know that we need fewer deadly weapons in the public domain. Let's make it harder to buy and own a gun. Let's make it easier to take a gun from those who shouldn't have them. Let's fund more and better mental health services. Let's change focus to saving lives rather than maximizing the profits of gun manufacturers. Let's worry about the gun victims and their families instead of NRA head Wayne LaPierre and politician's war chests. At least, let's pass the gun restriction laws that the majority of Americans support like universal background checks and red flag laws.  

Every time I think of this tragic incident, I get a tear in my eye and very angry. 

RIP Jared. We will all miss you. This didn't need to happen. 

Jared's obituary.

wjh

Very Random Thoughts - November 2019

• Some guys and all women should not participate in Movember.
• This clock changing from daylight to standard time is not worth it. Pick one, we'll adjust. 
• Actually, the facts and the procedures matter for bad behavior. But mostly the facts. 
• Would anyone listen to a politician or talking head if they didn't say outrageous and usually untruthful things?
• How long after Trump is out of office will it take to restore confidence in the FBI, CIA, State Department, DOJ, and other agencies? 
• Fortunately, I will not live long enough to read the historian's account of the Boomer years. I suspect it will not be kind. 
• Same deal for the Trump years. Even less kind. 
• There is a rumor that Trump needs reading glasses but doesn't like to be seen wearing them. This is a hoax, Trump doesn't read. 
• Every cell phone service provider has one or more unlimited data plans. None of those plans is actually unlimited. All throttle down your data significantly after a threshold that is far less than infinity. So, unlimited actually means limited. 
• Right or wrong, truth or lie, no longer matters. The only test is someone a member of your tribe (party).
• The word is similar, not simUlar.   
• The word unicorn is vastly overused these days and has multiple meanings.
• When watching a politician being interviewed on TV, I often yell, "just answer the damn question." 
• I think we can all agree that there are way too many members on Congressional committees.  
• The new slur by millenniums "OK Boomer" pisses me off. No, not because it's a putdown but because my generation didn't do better. 
• Reinforced tonight. Dolly Parton is a national treasure.
• My hyperactive upstairs neighbor was especially active today. It's hard to believe a kid can gallop and jump for that long. 
• Writing is fairly easy, it's the rewriting and editing that is a bitch.

wjh

The Irishman

I watched The Irishman on Netflix. It was originally released in the theaters for a couple of weeks before being available on Netflix. I'm glad I waited to watch it at home. The movie is about 3½ hours long. A movie that long requires a pause button for kitchen and bathroom breaks, not to mention a stretch or two. 

No surprise that the cast was good. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Harvey Keitel play guys in or involved with the mob. It is directed by Martin Scorsese. I think those guys have some experience with this genre.

The movie is the story of Frank Sheeran (De Niro), a WWII veteran who is a Teamster and generally shady character who does some low-level jobs for some Philadelphia mob guys. He comes to the attention of Russell Bufalino (Pesci), one of the mob bosses in Philly. Although Sheeran is Irish, he speaks Italian and they hit it off. Sheeran becomes a confidant, enforcer, and hitman for Bufalino who introduces him to Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). Sheeran does some dirty work in Detroit for Hoffa and they become fast friends too. 

Sheeran continues to work for Bufalino and at the same time rises in the Teamster union ranks thanks to Hoffa. He becomes one of the main conduits between Hoffa and the mob. Sometimes working for Hoffa and the union and sometimes working for Bufalino and the mob. Eventually, those two factions get sideways with each other. What will Frank do?

This is one of those time-shifting movies. It is Frank as an old man in a nursing home remembering his past. Scorsese chose to use CGI tricks to depict the players as younger men. This was done instead of hiring different actors to play the younger years. For the most part, the CGI young De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci were believable. There were a few scenes when one or more of the actors' makeup/CGI was a little off. I'm not sure if they used CGI or just makeup for the guys when they got old. Most of the main actors are already in their 70s so making them old is less of a stretch. 

The flashbacks were sometimes confusing as to exactly when they took place. It also made it harder to sort out all the relationships, especially for the peripheral characters. For those of us who were around in the '50s, '60s, and '70s it is fun to see the old cars and other signs of the time. Remember Stuckey's and Howard Johnson's? They did a good job recreating the times. There were also some good tunes in the soundtrack.  

This movie is far from the best work for any of the leads. Still, 75% to 80% of De Niro or Pacino is pretty good.

If you subscribe to Netflix, watching this movie is a no brainer. It's a theater-quality production. The 3½ length also makes home viewing the right choice. 

I'm going to rate this movie a B+. Everybody in it has done better work and it is a little disjointed at times. Definitely worth a look though. 

wjh

The Good Liar

We went to see The Good Liar the other night. It turned out to be a good choice. It stars Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen so we were pretty sure the acting would be good regardless of the script. Turned out the story was OK too. 

On the surface, this is the story of a grifter, Ian McKellen, who preys on older vulnerable women among his other scams. The vulnerable woman, in this case, is Helen Mirren. She is a widow with a substantial bank account. There are a few supporting characters like Helen's grandson and Ian's partner but this is primarily a dance between the two leads. They are more than up to the task.

No spoiler alerts, but all is not as it may first appear. You may figure out some of the plot twists but I'm guessing you won't figure it all out. That is unless you read the novel by the same name. 

This is a very satisfying movie. Those of us of a certain age may enjoy it more than the younger folks. Those watching with us were considerably older than those running around the cinema complex to see Frozen.

The movie is rated R for violence, language, and brief nudity. I found the violence and language to be very minor. The brief nudity was very brief and not part of a sexual nature. 

I rate this movie a B+. Maybe not the best movie of the year but certainly worth the time. 

wjh

Echoes of Laurel Canyon

Echoes of Laurel Canyon is a 2018 documentary about the musicians of the 1960s who congregated in the Laurel Canyon neighborhood of the Hollywood Hills. It is now streaming on Netflix. 

This was the time of The Byrds, The Mommas and the Poppas, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, CSN, and many others.

Jakob Dylan conducts interviews with several of the original musicians from that era and some contemporaries influenced by them. These are mixed with archival footage. There are also some redos of the old songs by Jakob and others mixed in. 

It comes through that there was a lot of cross-pollination and influences among the groups. The fact that many of these folks were neighbors facilitated that. Musicians also moved from one group to another.

One interesting factoid relayed by Brian Wilson is that Rubber Soul begat Pet Sounds. The Beatles say that Pet Sounds begat Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Each pushing the other.  This confirms what I had heard before and have always thought. Three pretty good albums.

This is far from a perfect documentary. Some early influencers and neighbors like Joni Mitchell are completely ignored. The revivals of the old songs by Jakob Dylan and company are not always very good. That opinion may be because I grew up with the originals and they are hard to improve on. I would have preferred more original music and in-depth interviews with those who inhabited Laurel Canyon back in the day. 

Still, if you are a fan of this music, it is a worthwhile look. You will probably learn something plus there is some good music. I rate this documentary a B. 

wjh

Seth Meyers - Lobby Baby

Seth Meyers is the host of the late-night talk show Late Night with Seth Meyers on NBC. He was formally the head writer and Weekend Update anchor for Saturday Night Live. He is a funny, smart, and articulate guy. I'm a fan and usually watch at least the monologue of his nightly show. 

Seth has a new comedy special on Netflix. Although he is very political and critical of Trump in his normal monologues, this special is primarily about his personal life as a husband and father of two young children. The title refers to the fact that his second child was actually born in the lobby of his apartment building. 

There is a rather short section of political jokes in the middle. The twist is that Netflix provides an on-screen button that allows you to skip the political joke segment. That way both Always Trumpers and Never Trumpers can watch and enjoy the program. 

The rest of the special primarily recounts the rather unusual circumstances surrounding the birth of Alexi and Seth's two children plus some other marital challenges. 

Seth usually presents his nightly monologue seated at a desk, Weekend Update style. I can remember when he first started hosting Late Night and did a standup monologue. He was pretty bad. Awkward, uncomfortable, and mostly lost. He has improved tremendously. He certainly doesn't command the stage like a Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, or Robin Williams (who does), but he is certainly adequate.

The material is pretty funny and self-deprecating. It is also mostly non-political. 

I rate this special a B+. Give it a look. Now streaming on Netflix. 

wjh

Very Random Thoughts - October 2019

• "Life is all how you remember it" Admiral William McRaven.
• Many businesses brag about being family owned and operated. That's only a positive if the family actually knows how to run a business. Many don't. 
• Most local TV anchors and reporters are pretty bad when they have to go off-script. Babble. 
• Nobody in movies or TV shows ever has to recharge their cell phones. I must have a bad phone.
• I have decided that I will never learn how to fold a fitted sheet. At my age, it really doesn't matter. 
• You do not want to be the guest star cast as the partner of a star TV cop. Like the Star Trek red shirts, you will not survive. 
• On episodic TV, we are supposed to remember the good characteristics of the ongoing characters but completely forget all the screwups from the last episode. 
• Custom-fit t-shirts are now a thing you can order on the web. I don't feel the need to buy any. 
• At what age should a girlfriend be called a womanfriend? Boyfriend vs manfriend? 
• Consider washing your hands before peeing, not after. Your genitals have been safely tucked in your knickers all day. Your hands have been touching filthy stuff out in the world.
• I recently broke a Pyrex pan and needed a new one. I bought a 14" enamel-covered cast iron roasting pan. Damn, that sucker is heavy. 
• Almost every cop show on TV seems just like all the other ones. Same plotlines, same high tech stuff, same look and feel. 

wjh