Gran Torino

I've just finished watching Clint Eastwood's latest movie Gran Torino. He acted in and directed the film and they say it is probably his last acting role.

The film is a giant leap from the Clint of old days when Dirty Harry sorted out the hoodlums and crims with his trust 44 magnum or the un-named stranger in the westerns who could outdraw anyone.

Gran Torino is a strange kind of vehicle for Eastwood to finish on as it has a surburban setting and feel and I couldn't help wondering what was the point of it all. Maybe it is his way of saying that we all get old and can't do the things we used to do, like blow away a couple of neighbourhood hoodlums who terrorise him and his new Hmong neighbours.

In the end, Clint confronts the gang and is filled full of lead in a blaze of machinegun fire. His motive was to let them kill him in front of witnesses so they could be arrested and charged with his murder. It doesn't have quite the same impact as "Well punk, do you feel lucky?".... click... boom!

But once again Eastwood has added another phrase to our everyday language... "Having a Torino Moment". I have them all the time!

58 Not Out!

Almost 6 years ago to the day I was in Nepean Hospital being pumped full of drugs in an attempt to stave off a heart attack. Well I survived that one due to the skill of a wonderful cardiac surgeon Dr Mark Cooper and despite some problems in the meantime, diabetes and needing a hip replacement, I made 58 a week ago.

We just had a quiet family lunch at the newly opened Coffee Club down by the Nepean River. As I say, Every Day You Get Vertical Is A Good One!

The Lowest Point in Australian TV History

I hardly know where to start this and I have purposely put off writing this because I have been absolutely filthy over the Chaser stunt involving the Make a Wish Foundation.

If you don't know what I am talking about then it's best you remain ignorant of the issue as it is the lowest point in Australian TV history and that's not just my assessment of the segment which went to air on the ABC a couple of weeks ago.

After the usual TV executive bullshit and spin, the CEO of the ABC Mark Scott has finally demoted... yes demoted but not sacked ... Amanda Duthie, the head of ABC Comedy. In my opinion, and that of thousands of other Australians, she and the whole Chaser team of morons should be sacked and publically shamed at every opportunity. To make kids with terminal illness the subject of a so-called satirical skit is in the worse taste but what amazes me even more are the morons and half-wits who support the Chaser and in particular the skit in question. It really says something of the society we live in today.

I know this sounds cruel but I really hope Duthie and the Chaser idiots contract a terminal illness... then lets see if they think that's funny.

Sanity Prevails after Public Outrage

Well after weeks of public outrage, Nicola Roxon and the bureaucrats in Canberra have finally come up with the measly few bucks to send Pauline to the US for her life-saving operation. It's amazing what a bit of public stirring in the right place can do and I know Alan Jones on Sydney radio station 2GB and some of his colleagues have been serving it up to the government over this issue.

So Pauline now has a chance at life and our thoughts and prayers are with her.

On a sadder note, Jane, a close friend of sister Wendy has been battling ovarian cancer and the latest reports are that it's finally in the terminal stages. We have never met Jane and Peter who hail from New Zealand but our thoughts are with her at this time. Life is cruel sometimes so make the best of it.