Opinion
ED GALLO SPEAKS
Welcome back from Easter Week either vacation, spring break or finding things to do for the kiddies. At this point in my life almost every week is the same except a week that has a major family holiday to celebrate.
Of course, this past week was Easter Sunday when the extended family gathers to catch up on just about everything then give thanks before enjoying a delicious bounty.
For me, there were a few of my favorite movies showing on TV. Actually, for the past couple of weeks I have watched again “The Godfather,” “Goodfellas,” “My Cousin Vinny,” “Top Gun,” “Forrest Gump” and numerous times in past years. Then one of my top five “To Kill A Mockingbird.” It was hard to believe that the movie premiered in 1962, sixty one years ago.
I don’t know why, but I read the book when it was published in 1960 and it is one of those “can’t put it down” kinds of books—so when the movie came out I had to go see it mostly to see how closely the movie followed the book. Very, very close. And the cast? How can you go wrong with Gregory Peck. It was one of Robert Duvall’s early appearances on the big screen and I think my favorite character was Scout played by Mary Badham. Gosh darn that was a great movie!
However, these past two weeks were devoid in what used to be yearly movie presentations at this time of year. I’m talking about the films “The Ten Commandments,” “Ben Hur,” “The Robe,” “Quo Vadis,” “The Greatest Story Ever Told” and a host of non-religious themes depicting Charlie Brown and others. Perhaps these films where shown on all the pay-per-view channels and other premium sites to which I do not subscribe which brings to mind hooking up to cable TV when I first moved here.
I believe I mentioned this a few years ago but it’s worth repeating: After moving into our first home I hooked up the TV and voila about 8 channels? Not as much as I had in NJ but enough. Thirty days later I come home and the kids tell me the TV is not working. Hmmm, I checked and nothing so I called Escondido Cable (we had our own cable company) and was told that as a courtesy to new home owners they leave the cable on for 30 days.
Then this nice lady told me the monthly fee to which I responded, “I have never paid to watch TV before and I ain’t starting now.” Well, after a few weeks of rabbit ears and tin foil I called the cable company and said “You win hook me up.” If I had known then what I found out some years later from a TV guy I could have installed about a 30 foot antenna and received San Diego and LA channels.
Due to the curvature of the SoCal coast almost all of the area to transmit from LA is over water and all we have to do in central and southern Escondido is get the antenna high enough. Escondido Hills does not work as the hill to the north blocks the signal and you would need a much higher antenna. Not feasible. Anyway, that’s my story and yadda yadda yadda.
Have you been keeping up with all this AI business? Recently I read where AI may someday take over many work functions—making many occupations obsolete. This reminded me of a TV movie I saw decades ago where a family purchased a robot and programmed it to do menial chores such as cleaning. Of course, now we have that robotic floor sweeper. Anyway, at the end of the movie that robot had become so self-sustaining that it took over the household and held the family hostage. Omen?
And speaking of the current technology, you may recall last week my minor screed on junk email. You may also recall me a couple weeks ago of my first visit to a Dollar General store. Understand this, I paid for my purchase in cash, no electronic card—nor did I have to give my zip code but alas I have received now for the first time ever emails from Dollar General asking me to complete a questionnaire. I don’t know about you but I find this a bit disconcerting. How do they do that? Big Brother?
Oh happy day occurred on April 7, 1933. That was the date that ended the beer drought brought on by Prohibition since 1920 and we all know the chaos that was created during those 13 years. So, April 7 is National Beer Day and appropriately celebrated raising a stein of craft IPA. Salute.
Suggestion to the SD Padres. Ditch the clown uniforms.
J. Paul Getty sent the following to a magazine requesting a short article explaining his success. “Some people find oil. Others don’t.”
They just keep coming. SIERRA, SNDG 12, TIMPN 1, SOSABE1, (heart)FILUS, YH2SAN, WRXTASY, JEDI 4X. Stay well folks and enjoy the sun.