I'm Baaaaaaack!: First Blog of 2014

Hi Gang!   This is the first blog I've written since the last blog which was April 8th, 2013.   What will some of the topics be?   Here come the headlines.

#1:   Death and religion!   #2:   Water problems!   #3:   Outrageous gas prices!   #4:   Devices in hands!   #5:   Annnnd...Entertainment stuff which will include new TV shows and thoughts about which nominees will (or should) win Oscars on the 2nd of March.

Okay.   Let's get busy!

Headline #1:   Death and religion!

Is it just me, or has it seemed like (to you) that a lot of famous people have died recently?    I knew some of these people.   Not well, but I couldn't help but wonder about a few things.   The famous actor who died just before he got good reviews in a film that was released a few weeks after he died.   The very famous actor who died with a needle in his arm.   The famous actor who died in a car crash.   I could go on and on, but as we all get older, we can't help but wonder when "the end" hits us, what, if anything, happens next?   If we are religious (I am) we are led to believe that after we die we will go to a place called Heaven or Mansion in the Sky, whatever.   I have never forgotten a line in a song that Peggy Lee sang;   "Is that all there is?".   In other words, after we die?!?   We don't really know, do we?   Every preacher in the world can tell us we have an afterlife to look forward to, but that preacher can't know that for sure because he or she has no proof.   Sooo....we are taught to have faith.   

Play along with me here.    When you die (it will happen to all of us), assuming there is indeed an afterlife for us, what would you like to end up doing in this afterlife?   Being in Heaven, Mansion in the Sky, sitting next to St. Peter, what?   Is there something you would like to do in the afterlife, or would you prefer to be in a comfortable chair, bed or a nice soft cloud for the rest of your afterlife?   I'd love to know how you would like to spend your afterlife days.   Write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net   If I wake up after I've died because I'm in an afterlife of some kind, here's what I would like to do;   ANYTHING!   Anything at all.   I wouldn't want to stay on a couch, in a bed or on a cloud.   I would want to do something.   Anything.   And after I've died, I really hope that I don't end up singing Peggy Lee's words;   "Is that all there is?".

Headline #2:   Water problems!

This is serious business, folks.   Because of the "look the other way" by greedy corporations and bought and paid for talk show hosts, despite what they tell us, the primary reason we're having these water shortage problems is because of climate change, global warming, etc.

Headline #3:   Outrageous gas prices!

Speaking of greedy folks....These gasoline multi billion-airs if not trillion-airs jack up prices whenever they feel like it, hide a whole lot of their profits in foreign countries so they don't have to pay taxes etc. on top of etc.   Here in the Los Angeles area, prices went up 28 cents a gallon in less than a week.   And if you live here, you know that there is a state gasoline tax of 71.9 cents per gallon (highest in the country) on top of the federal gas tax (here) of 18.4 cents a gallon.    No wonder I've been thinking about moving back to St. Louis.

Headline #4:   Devices in hands!

I walk 2-5 miles seven days a week.   While walking, I see a lot of people, young and old, who, while walking, have their heads pointed downward so they can look at a device they're carrying in their hands.   At first I didn't think about this at all, but now....I mean, these people seem to be addicted to what they're holding in their hands.   And quite honestly, with their heads being pointed downward, they look like Zombies.   I do my walking so I can keep my weight down.   But you folks with the thing in your hand?   WHY?!?   This inquiring mind wants to know!

Headline(s) #5:   Entertainment Stuff!

Are you getting ready for the Oscar show?   Sunday night, March 2, on ABC.   I've seen all the films that have been nominated and I've seen all the films in which actors were nominated.   I think the voting is going to be close for all the categories.   Here come my thoughts for six of the categories.   And these will be in the same order you'll see on the Oscar show.  

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:   My choice would be June Squibb ("Nebraska") or Jennifer Lawrence ("American Hustle"), but I think Lupita Nyong'o ("12 Years a Slave") will win.  

SUPPORTING ACTOR:   My choice is Jared Leto ("Dallas Buyers Club") and I think he will win.

ACTRESS:   My choice is Cate Blanchett ("Blue Jasmine") and I think she will win.   I won't be disappointed if Amy Adams or Sandra Bullock wins.

ACTOR:   My choice is Bruce Dern ("Nebraska"), but I think Matthew McConaughey will win and he deserves it.   I mean, right now, McConaughey is ON FIRE!   Have you seen him in his TV show with Woody Harrelson, "True Detective" on HBO?   Terrific show.

DIRECTOR:   Alfonso Cuar'on ("Gravity") seems to be the guy who will win this award, but my choices are any of the other four nominees.

PICTURE:   I think the film "Her" was/is big time overrated.   But I would have no problem voting for any of the 8 other films that were nominated.   Gotta pick one, right?   Here it is:   "12 Years a Slave".   In my heart of hearts, I would love it if "Captain Phillips" or "Nebraska" win.

TV shows:

Congrats to Jimmy Fallon....Have you been watching "The Following" on Fox.   Kevin Bacon is the star and the show has a new "bad girl".   Connie Nielsen.   Drop dead gorgeous and you will be very surprised if you find out how old she is.   The show itself?   A lot of violence, but I like it.   A lot.

I highly recommend the shows "Girls" on HBO, "Intelligence" on CBS, "True Detective" on HBO, "Shameless" on Showtime and the 3rd season of "Dallas" will begin on TNT, Monday night, February 24.   If you miss any of these or other episodes, go to "On Demand" and you'll get all caught up.

Have you been watching American Idol?   They have begun their 13th season.   Their ratings are down, but every other show wishes they had the numbers Idol gets.   Love the three judges (especially J-Lo) but so far, I think the singing has been weaker than it should be.

Pretty soon, some shows that have been on hiatus (because of the Olympics) will be back on the air.   Shows like "The Good Wife" "Nashville", "Revenge", "Black List", etc., etc.

Thoughts and or comments?    Please write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net and I will respond to you ASAP.   I respond to everyone unless you identify yourself as "Anonymous".   Those emails are ignored.

BEFORE I END THIS BLOG, I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO SOMETHING.   JACK ROBERTS, THE OWNER OF HOLLYWOOD HILLS, IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.   HE HAS A DAILY COLUMN THAT HAS THOUSANDS ON TOP OF THOUSANDS READERS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF AMERICA.   UNFORTUNATELY, JACK IS IN THE HEALTH FIGHT OF HIS LIFE RIGHT NOW.   IF YOU CAN, PLEASE THINK GOOD THOUGHTS FOR THIS VERY NICE MAN.    HE'S CERTAINLY GETTING A BUNCH OF GOOD THOUGHTS FROM ME!!!

Meanwhile, I hope that all of you are doing well and thank you very much for reading this blog.

Most sincerely,

Scott "The Jammer with the Hammer" St. James