Rich people and their hotels
While it seems that everyone in the country was watching Matt
Damon in theatres on the big screen in
”
Bourne Ultimatum,
”
the biggest box office opening ever for a film released in
August, Nancy and I were seeing him in person on Hollywood
Boulevard. Classy speech, a true gentleman with a great sense of
humor who seems to balance his married life and Hollywood life in a
professional, common sense manner. He defies people who say of
Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Nicole Ritchie
that it’s not their fault – they were given too much too soon. When
Damon and his good friend Ben Affleck were young they received
Oscars for their screenplay for
”
Good Will Hunting.
”
Too much too soon? No, because like most of us they had to make
a decision whether to build on our talents or squander our
talents.
Rich people and their hotels
While it seems that everyone in the country was watching Matt Damon in theatres on the big screen in “Bourne Ultimatum,” the biggest box office opening ever for a film released in August, Nancy and I were seeing him in person on Hollywood Boulevard. Classy speech, a true gentleman with a great sense of humor who seems to balance his married life and Hollywood life in a professional, common sense manner. He defies people who say of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Nicole Ritchie that it’s not their fault – they were given too much too soon. When Damon and his good friend Ben Affleck were young they received Oscars for their screenplay for “Good Will Hunting.” Too much too soon? No, because like most of us they had to make a decision whether to build on our talents or squander our talents.
I will always regret squandering my wanting to be a horse jockey. Damned SPCA.
The rich and semi-rich are a funny people, part 69. Rich people, you know who you are, you buy wine in glass containers rather than “just like Burgundy” in the box. Rich people would never stay at a Motel 6. But here is, and I quote from last Sunday’s Los Angeles Times Travel section, a highly recommended review of the Laurel Hotel in the Richmond District of San Francisco. “The sole drawback, this building went up in 1963 and it doesn’t have the best bones. You can hear everything while in the room: footfalls on the creaky floor above, toilet flushes, ice being scooped from a cooler down the hall, conversations beyond your walls.” Did I mention the cost per night? From $139.00 and, oh, if you just happen to bring your car add another $15.00. Pass the wine, the box ‘o wine.
Loved that new resident of Hollister complaining about how all the sign ordinances and building ordinances were being broken. Apparently she doesn’t know the motto over at Hollister City Hall, “It is better to ask forgiveness than ask for permission!” Aye chee waa waa.
And no they are not graffitti artists, they are vandals who cost small businesses a fortune. Guess who they pass the cost of cleanup to?
The Hollister City Council wants to raise your taxes again, but this time I did enjoy assurances from the city manager if you vote yes to new taxes, the money wouldn’t be squandered. A citizen oversight committee would insure the new tax money is spent responsibly. Does that mean all these years without a citizen oversight committee the Hollister City Council has been spending your tax money like Congress? But who will pick this oversight committee? Surely not the city council members as wouldn’t they just pick some dumb friend who has the same fiscal philosophy? As Mayor of Hollister I choose for the oversight committee “Little Me.” Aye chee waa waa. Better than trust ing them again with new tax money just take the little woman on a weekend in Vegas, just don’t tell the wife.
Next week. Why Drew Carey will be a great host for “The Price is Right” and what Carey said about my yellow button. Just keep the kids away from next week’s column.
Okay, had your fill of special effects movies with TDL sound. Too damned loud. Well the next time you’re at a great video store, or Blockbuster, rent for your family film night “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” with Kerwin Matthews, Kathy Crosby (Der Bingles wife) and stop animation by Ray Harryhausen. If the beautiful simplicity doesn’t make your family smile and yearn for a quieter and simpler time, then you should get another family. Kerwin passed away last month. He was a charming actor and more importantly, a nice, gentle human being. I wrote him when we both lived in San Francisco. I wrote him that two great things happened to me in 1958. I got married and “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” was released and my happiness is based not necessarily in that order.
Loved that letter in the 50 cent Lance from Andrew Tully who reams the 50 cent Lance for questioning the District Attorney and Sheriff in the handling of the deputy shooting an unarmed man. Tully claims that the 50 cent Lance has no right to criticize as no one who works for the paper has a law enforcement history. What a brilliant piece of logic. So newspapers have no right to criticize the President of the United States because no one on their writing staff is President? The Lost Angeles Times cannot criticize Cardinal Mahoney and his handling of pervert priests who preyed on our children because no one on the Times is a Cardinal? By Tully’s logic then no one in the Sheriff’s department should ever criticize the newspaper unless they have a degree in journalism. They can criticize me though, as I know you won’t believe this, but I do not have a degree in journalism.
Salinas is in the news here in Los Angeles and Hollywood. No, not the city, but our Mayor’s girlfriend – the reporter who didn’t think she should be fired from Telemundo even though she covered the mayor in more ways than one.
I received a lot of flack almost 20 years ago when I wrote about the stupidity of buying most bottled water. This week the headlines were about most bottled water coming from city tap water. My favorite is Yosemite Water. You can just picture the cool, clean, clear water from the runoff of the pristine mountains of Yosemite. Well not exactly. The name Yosemite comes from the fact that the street where the water department is located is, yep, Yosemite Street. Aye chee waa waa, pass the box wine from Burgundy, Burgundy Street in beautiful downtown Fresno.
