The whole New Years' process was such a blur between refurbishing the webpage and dealing with faily/work issues, I didn't have a single second to write down any thoughts on anything and I apologize. I realize it's a little late to start now, but if you'll forgive my tardiness, I do want to mention a few things.
Saddam Hussein
Yes, I realize the PCR 2006 year-ender should've included Hussein's execution, but that happened after PCR was put to bed for the week/year and right as the hysterical weekend was getting underway. Yes, I saw the offical news video of it, and yes, I saw the underground cellphone video (via YouTube) of his actual drop.
While it's the end of an era for a very bad man, I somehow took little satisfaction in the hanging as I knew it wasn't going to change anything in Iraq. Our troops are still there and will be for some time to come. Even Bush seemed reserved about the execution, merely calling it "the end of an era" (but not doing any cartwheels like he'd've done, say, 3 years ago). Hardly surprising in that Bush was finally made aware of the public's disillusionment with the whole Iraq thing in this last election.
The hanging itself looked indistinguishable from a lynching (guess that's how it's done over there), and while Hussein didn't have many fans and won't be missed, the power vacuum left behind is still tearing Iraq to pieces. About all I have to say about that.
UFOs Over O'Hare
The night sighting of three disc-like objects over Chicago's O'Hare Int'l Airport that subsequently shot through the clouds leaving a hole became all the rage of late-night talk radio over the past couple weeks. Of course, I found it fascinating that so many credible witnesses had come forward while the FAA's investigation found nothing on radar to indicate anything had been there. Pretty typical UFO stuff -- rarer, though, since the turn of the millenium.
If I'm reading the reports right, the case actually took place back in November, so this has a lot of legs. All the main witnesses are experienced observers that (allegedly) know the difference between tracking/landing lights reflecting off clouds and "disc-like objects". I find it refreshing we can still have a good 'ol UFO flap from time to time. Was it for real? We'll never know......as usual.
Anyway, this is my favorite paranormal story for the year so far.
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Rocks From The Sky
I never have this kind of luck, but last week a small, silvery object about the size of a golf ball-and-a-half crashed through the roof of an upper class home (whose owners did not want to be indentified) in New Jersey and lodged in their bathroom wall. No one was hurt in the incident. Parts of an airplane and random satellite space debris were ruled out. Finally, the object was indentified as a meteorite. Probably solid iron/nickel from the interior of an asteroid billions of years old. That's pretty cool having an billion-year-old object from outer space plunge into your lap (figuratively speaking). The couple will be able to keep the meteorite as it is not radioactive and poses no threat. The local universities have requested an indefinite loan to examine the object.
Suprisingly, while researching this article, I found out that found meteorites are fairly common and don't command really high prices on the open market (to head off any of you thinking "eBay" like I did). One dealer said the thing that makes them valuable is the back-story....like this couple had....or how big it is.
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Crazed Fanboy's Multi-Media Finds Its Way Back
One of the more significant changes for the website this year was cancelling my Real Server service. It served long and well, but it's time with me has come to an end with so many on broadband connections. For the forseeable future, all videos posted on this website will be encoded as Windows Media 9 video files (WMV). If you click on the Radioactive Television icon at pagetop, a new browser window will launch with an embedded player that should start playing video automatically.
The Tampa Film Review Reminder by Paul Guzzo
The Tampa Film Review will celebrate its THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on Friday, January 12 at 8 p.m. at the International Bazaar, located at 1600 E. Eighth
Ave. in the Centro Ybor Complex. The Tampa Film Review is a monthly showcase of local independent short films. It is held every second Friday of the month at 8 p.m. at the Bazaar and the event is free an open to the public.
The Tampa Film Review was founded in January 2004 by Pete and Paul Guzzo as a way for local filmmakers to have a regular outlet to showcase their works. Film festivals came around just once a year, so what were filmmakers to do with their short films the other 11 months? Originally named the Coffeehouse Film Review, it took place every second Thursday of the month at Studio 1515, an Ybor City coffeehouse run by Walter and Sarah Romeo. After two years of showcasing great films, the coffeehouse shut its doors. International Bazaar welcomed the monthly film series to their venue. The day was changed to the second Friday of every month and the Coffeehouse Film Review was renamed the Tampa Film Review.
In 2004, the first event had a crowd of around 30. Over the next year, the total would swell to around 50 on a good month and deflate to barely 10 on a bad month. Today, the Tampa Film Review is proud to announce that it welcomes over 100 visitors to its event each month. What is most impressive, though, is that three years later the short films continue to roll in. Tampa is not only never short on filmmakers looking to display their new films; Tampa is also never short on QUALITY films.
This three year anniversary is not just about the great lineup of films for the month. Besides showcasing a great lineup of local independent films, the Tampa
Film Review will also make some major announcements regarding the future expansion of the Tampa Film Review and thank those individuals who have supported the event since its inception. We hope everyone can make it out to learn more about how the Tampa Film Review hopes to help lead the Tampa independent film scene into a brighter future and thank those who have made the film scene what it is today.
This month we will be showing the following films:
Not Another Student Film, Produced by the Full Sail School of Film in Winter Park, Florida. Starring Gus Perez, this is a story about three misfits who are convinced that chemistry Professor Ocale and his three students must all be terrorists as they all four have dark skin and work with chemicals.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dumpling by SunkenMedow Films: Kung Fu action! Great
Scenery! A Dumpling! See all of this in an epic battle between two young warriors for possession of a dumpling that leads from a windswept lonely hilltop to the Forbidden City, from the Temple of Heaven to the Great Wall, then back to the hill where it all began.
The Quiet Place directed Damien Kincannon and produced by the Tampa Film Network: A couple looks for their daughter at a runaway home, but while sitting in the waiting room they enter a whole new world of terror.
A recreation of the Hopper-Walkin scene from True Romance by Charlie Ray: The scene summary is that Vincenzo is a mobster looking for son, who unknowingly stole a suitcase full of cocaine from them. Vincenzo begins to interrogate Cliff. Cliff realizes that he is already a dead man and begins a history lesson on the ancestry of the Sicilians and the Moors. Vincenzo gives Cliff the floor and allows him to finish before giving him the kiss of death and then several bullets. (A warning for strong language)
Two International selections from Lithuania:
Ponas Pimpis by Simonas Tarvydas: A man wakes up in the morning and realizes that he lost his "manhood". Shortly after, he meets "him" as a person. A crazy bet about who first will seduce the woman, follows.
And
Parents and Children by Antanas Gluskinas: A film about a strict children's education in a old fashioned, intelligent families, and its influence in their future sexual lives.
1 Day Films feels that there are very few regular outlets in the local area for local independent filmmakers to showcase their films. Hopefully, this monthly event will provide that outlet for everyone, from experienced local independent filmmakers to local college and high school filmmakers experimenting with film production for the first time. 1 Day Films promises your film will be shown!
Yvonne DeCarlo Dead at 84
We here at Crazed Fanboy mourn the loss of TV's "Lily Munster", Yvonne DeCarlo, who died January 8th of natural causes at the age of 84 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. She is survived by two children. Read more about the career of one of the last glamour queens of Hollywood in this week's Mike's Rant.
Post your thoughts on the message board.
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