My Sick Mind

NEW YORK - Sylvester Stallone says he used human growth hormone to get buff for the new "Rambo" movie, and defends its use. "HGH (human growth hormone) is nothing," the 61-year-old actor tells Time magazine in its Feb. 4 issue. "Anyone who calls it a steroid is grossly misinformed." As is anyone who calls Stallone an "actor". What's odd is that he took a growth hormone, but clearly hasn't grown much. His last two films were sequels to 30-year old concepts that were long ago worn out. Grow, will ya? --------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON (AP) -- Most taxpayers could expect a rebate of up to $600 starting in mid-May under the economic aid plan set to go through Congress within weeks. Couples could get twice as much, with even more for most families with children. All that, however, depends on smooth sailing at the Internal Revenue Service, and the agency already is up to its eyeballs in filings and refunds. ...

That should be good for the Google searchers. I see that my pals at the Whole Foods Market have shunned the whole plastic shopping bag deal in favor of the canvas ones. It's about time. Last night, I picked up three more at the local Shop Rite, and damned if the kid cashier didn't try to put my stuff in one of those plastic things. I suppose it's some sort of "learned" response, but I'm thinking that the higher-up's at our local supermarkets need to start training the cashiers in the beauty of the re-usable bag. It's a minor struggle to take them into the market. First, they want to know if they're mine or if I'm buying them. What's the point of selling them in the store if it's only going to make the employees think you're stealing them? Second, it's another minor struggle to get the groceries on the conveyor and throw the canvas bags at the bagger at the end of the line before they can start with the crinkly plastic. " N...

With the recent Dr. Martin Luther King holiday , I’m reminded that there aren’t any real activists left in the world. That era passed in the 60s, and I’m thinking that the fate of people like King, Lenny Bruce and Robert Kennedy convinced the more rational thinkers that being a loudmouth and challenging authority can lead to one’s demise. That pretty much puts an end to their activism. The “go along to get along” methodology works in modern culture to the extent that people can make a nice living off it. Conversely, people like Bono made their fortune and now roam the world with fistfuls of money, and have nothing to lose by being moralistic. If they fall, they fall on a pile of money big enough to cushion it. But they won’t, because they don’t take a risky enough stance on anything to put their lucrative career in jeopardy and, God forbid, be unpopular. I don't mean to pick on him , but he's generally front and center so he's an easy target. Choose your favorite celebrit...

I think we have some money coming to us. At least that's what the guys in the big domed building are saying. They wouldn't lie, would they? They're busy cooking up a rebate scheme to help our struggling American economy because money fixes everything. In the great tradition of the federal government, they think that the best way to solve a problem is to throw money at it, and who better to throw money at than the American people? We're supposed to spend it on junk that we wouldn't spend it on otherwise in order to -- anyone? -- stimulate -- anyone? -- stimulate the economy. Yes, the economy. The one that's in such horrible shape that economists are using the "R" word, recession and the one that's in such bad shape that the rest of the world followed in line and their stock markets dropped like stones in sympathy. Then, earlier this morning, the Federal Reserve (not a branch of the Federal government) cut interest rates by the biggest margin s...

Run , don't walk to see "Cloverfield". Forget all that crap you've heard about the so-called shaky camera work and the vagaries of the monster and its unexplained purpose. What you need to do is put yourself in the point of history in which the film places us and allow it to flow over you. You can make the mistake of demanding to know what the thing is and where it comes from or you can play along. I suggest you play along. That's what movies are for. If a real monster showed up, I doubt that it would pause to tell us why it was here. If you must know who or what the monster is, do the research (called Viral-marketing ) and read-up on the Japanese company that Rob (Michael Stahl-David) is being transferred from New York to work for. Watch what happens early in the film when the monster appears and think about it. It's not the focal point of the film, so don't allow it to spoil the fun. It is fun, trust me. I'm usually the first one to scream at bad...

A visit to the A & W web site revealed that they do indeed have burgers and all sorts of food other than the hot dog. Who'd a thunk? Maybe the next time I'm at the food court I might have to try a Papa Burger. While listening to the radio this morning, I heard an ad for priests. Yep, a radio ad for people to think about giving the priesthood a shot. Right after the ad for truck drivers and before the one for the strip club. The ad featured current priests telling us that they found their life's calling by becoming a priest. That's nice, but I'd like to think that a career as a priest would come as some sort of revelation divined by a spiritual force - not an ad on the radio. Doesn't the Army advertise the same way? For the record , the new mattress is an absolute dream. It was more money than I wanted to spend, but in the end, it was worth every penny. There's nothing like a good night's sleep, and I had been on that old lumpy thing for so long I ...

Overheard at the Deptford Mall food court on Saturday night. A father and his two sons, ages 7 and 9 (probably). The father had gone to fetch dinner for himself and the kids: KID: You got me a hot dog. I didn't ask for a hot dog. FATHER: You said you wanted A & W. KID: But I don't like hot dogs. FATHER: Too bad. That's what you got. KID: But that's my opinion! FATHER: My opinion is that you're going to eat it. I'm thinking, "Dude, you're losing an argument with a child." Meanwhile , the wife had gone off someplace in search of her own food. Obviously smarter than the husband. The husband starts wandering the food court aimlessly looking for her, cell phone in hand. FATHER: Didn't you get my message? WIFE: No. The guy had called her on her cell phone to try to figure out where she was. In a food court in a mall. I'm trying to figure out how these phone companies lose money. Life in modern America.