Woody's Rulin's and Mine

The list of Woody Guthrie’s list of his “New Years Rulin’s” appears around the end of the year, almost every year. I like seeing it every time it rolls around.

Some of Woody’s resolutions I can do and some of them I can’t. Some of them I do and some I don’t. I don’t, for example, take baths anymore. I don’t remember the last time I took a bath. Don’t worry. I do take showers.

While on a road trip a few years ago, I stopped shaving. I read recently that the remaining members of the Grateful Dead are the only aging celebrities who have opted for facial hair rather than plastic surgery, a choice I whole-heartedly endorse. A fine weathered face has character.

Besides the personal hygiene items and domestic chores, Woody’s list makes sense. Of course I should love everybody. Of course I should work more and better. Woody’s list is full of good ideas.

I don’t normally make resolutions. I’m 71 plus years old. I’m in decent health. I don’t smoke anymore. I don’t drink a lot, seldom drunk. I got this far and plan on going on for a few more years. That said, in the spirit of Woody, I suppose I could make a few.

1. Read more
2. Write more
3. Be a good person
4. Be a good husband
5. Be a good father
6. Be a good friend
7. Practice more

That's about it. Yes, I want to do more, accomplish more, go places, see things, meet new people. More than anything I want to go on being with and loving the people in my life.

Film Editing for TV 101

Supposedly part of the deals that filmmakers made when they filmed on property owned by the Tangerine Wankmaggot was that he was to be given an appearance in the film, which explains why a no talent hotelier was given a five second cameo in Home Alone 2.

Now the guy is complaining that his cameo role has been cut from screenings in Canada, saying that it was done for political reasons. His propaganda machine of Fox News and other sycophants are spreading yet another conspiracy theory while totally ignoring the facts that the editing was done in 2014 and that such editing regularly occurs when films hit commercial-filled television screens. We have all seen the blurb at the beginning of films on TV that say "This film has been edited to fit your screen and to fit the time frame scheduled." or similar words.

Worse is that his son is complaining and spreading the conspiracy theory, always trying to be Daddy’s favorite when we all already know that Daddy likes his daughter the most, even to the point of getting her prime concessions and perks like trademarks in foreign countries and giving her no talent husband a job. Meanwhile he leaves his own flesh and blood to run a failing business. Maybe, though, he felt guilty which is why he ordered the RNC and others to buy bulk orders of your book. Mini review of that book, btw: It's drivel.

Listen, Junior. Home Alone 2 will be on AMC in January. They have allotted a 2.5 hour time  for the film. According to IMDB, the adventures of Joe Pesci chasing Macauley Culkin around takes 120 minutes from start to finish. The average time of commercial breaks on an hour of cable tv is 16-17 minutes. That means that they will have to cut about 15 minutes from the original to make it fit.

It’s not political. It’s how AMC and other broadcasters make money. They run as many commercials as possible without diminishing the content of the broadcast. It’s why sitcoms are 22-24 minutes, tops. They film and edit television shows to fit in the time slot. Movies aren’t constrained that way so stations have to do the editing to make it fit. Five seconds of Daddy isn't important to the film’s message. I'll bet AMC knows this and will cut him out, too.

Would that some film editors with a backbone or a set of balls now lived in D.C.