Thursday, December 09, 2004

Wildlife: Eagles are haunting and hunting around Middle Foy's Lake. The aereator is keeping a central pond area ice-free again, and all the birds love it.

Weather: Ice and snow -- starting to look like winter, even though most of the action has been south of Montana -- in Utah and Colorado.

Charity Alert: Animal Rescue Site -- Click once, help a lot!

In the Community: Sick as HELL during the Art Walk -- missed it this year.

Media Watch: While I was waking up from the fog of a fever, I saw some closely-fought battles on NFL Football Sunday and Monday nights. I also dozed in and out of a nice interview with Tom Wolfe on CSPAN.
TCM showed most of the movies Buster Keaton made at MGM. Not only was he sinking into alcoholism in the early sound era, but his failing marriage and an ill-advised contract with control-obsessed MGM also helped grease the skids for him.
The Cameraman was an alright film, although it may have been a touch too long, but Spite Marriage (silent) and Bedroom, Parlor, & Bath (sound) both look pretty misguided so far, except that the latter co-stars the wonderful Charlotte Greenwood. I gave up on Free and Easy (sound) -- it was TOO pathetic, and Keaton's Mr. Butz character was too much of a loser to be really funny, except in very short bursts.
Time eventually vindicated Buster Keaton the artist, and that's all that matters now.
Just for showing these films warts-and-all, and the none-too-flattering documentary Buster Keaton; So Funny It Hurts: Turner Classic Movies
Here's a Web Site with many Buster Keaton links: Juha's Buster Keaton Site
Oh yeah, while I was recovering, I was able to read a book about the city of Athens through the ages -- from village, to ruinous empire, to Roman "college town," to medieval backwater, to emotional capitol of post-Ottoman Greece -- amazing story -- amazing place.

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