The Truth You Don't Admit ~ Gotcha!

Some "Old Hippie" observations are funny, some are sad, some are perplexing, and some are the simple truth you DON'T want to admit. Here are a few from this Old Hippie ~ ha-ha-ha...

There is nowhere left to go! For tens of thousands of years, people in the minority, those persecuted and those who just didn't like the way things were left. They went somewhere else. They were the fuel of human expansion. They spread to all corners of the globe. No more! There is nowhere on Earth left to go, except up and out. I think that this is one reason there is so much war and conflict in the world today. People can't get away, so they fight. If we want to get away, the only choice for us is "Space". Are you ready for that, ready to spend the money it will take, ready for such a drastic move?

Women's groups have long accused men of being interested in only one thing, SEX! If you listen to them, they are pure of heart and mind, the only possible salvation for mankind. But, if women aren't interested in sex, why do they spend a BILLION dollars a year on diet products? Why do they want a new wardrobe every year? Why do they spend hundreds of millions on makeup and hair color? Why do they all wear bikinis when so many of them don't look good in them? Sounds like one of those statements made by politicians, you know, "Two cars in every driveway and a chicken in every pot.", and we all know that you can't believe a politician.

Money can not buy you happiness. We have been told this crap for forever. Sounds to me like some trite saying created by rich people to keep the poor pacified. If money isn't able to buy you happiness, you are just one of those people with mental problems, sorry. If your money doesn't bring you happiness, give it to me! I'd love to accept your burden of money. See what a kind and generous person I am?

You DON'T need a new car every year or two! Today's cars last longer than ever before, so you don't need a new one. The truth is that you WANT one. Admit it, you have bought into the marketing hype that has infected mankind! Think about it, you spend $500 a month for your car payment, that's $6k a year, and you do it for 50 years! That is $300k! Any way you cut that, you bought a really expensive car.

Everyone eats Fast Food! Admit it, you eat fast food, that guy over there eats fast food, and I eat fast food. And we all know how BAD it is for us. It makes us fat, it causes heart problems, and it is so much easier when you don't have to clean the kitchen after a meal! Sure, we all know how bad it is for us, but it tastes good and we are basically a very lazy species.

Good for you, you got through this little post. I'm sure that you have things to add, so shoot me your comments. Let me know what you see and think. After all, I'm just an Old Hippie. Have A Great Day,

The Old Hippie

My Pres. Campaign News ~ & Other Mysteries

Time for an update on my Presidential Campaign. Candidates are announcing their bids, others are saying "No Way". The budget, seems to be the hot topic, but both sides are focusing on Social Security. So sad, but what can you expect from the same old people with the same old ideas and the same old special interests driving the tour bus. None of them wants to invite me to speak, none want to debate me and my ideas, none of them want to look at what Americans really want and really need. Not very surprising. So, I appear to be left out of the national focus, but not out of the hearts and minds of those committed to change.

They constantly tell you that America MUST remain strong, which really translates to more military spending. They constantly tell you that America can't afford to go on like it has in the past, and they advocate cuts in spending that hurt average Americans. They all tell you that America needs more jobs as their largest contributors move more jobs overseas. They all tell you that the war on drugs is a good thing for all of us, while it has never worked. They all tell you that America MUST help it's foreign friends around the world, but to do this they want to CUT budget items that help Americans. As far as I can see, nothing has changed, it is the same old song and dance.

My campaign is a simple one.

1. Remove the military from foreign countries.
2. Stop the wars in the Middle East.
3. Stop getting involved with the internal politics of other countries.
4. Penalize corporations who move jobs out of America.
5. Tax equality for ALL Americans.
6. Redesign education in America.
7. Organize government agencies for efficiency, thus saving billions of dollars every year.
8. Spend American tax dollars on Americans.
9. Develop a real and workable health care system in America.
10. Truth in politics and with politicians, or face CRIMINAL consequences.

This is not a perfect solution, but it is a start.It will not get done quickly, but as Grandpa said, "If you don't start to do something, you have decided to do NOTHING!" Think about this.

Now, on to some other mysteries.

I am seeing more and more ads for Hybrid and electric cars. I'm sure this is in part due to the astronomic gas prices we have been seeing, but think about it, the development of a "New Model" of auto takes YEARS to come to fruition.  But having a new car that is powered by electricity, natural gas or hydrogen is only have the solution. Infrastructure has to be developed to fuel these new products! With this move toward alternative fuels also lead to the implementation of this infrastructure? Without a convenient way to refuel your new car, this much needed move toward alternative powered vehicles will die quickly.

More and more I see TV ads from lawyers telling you to jump on the band wagon for this class action suit or that one. This presented me with a very perplexing question. Are we now a society who is pushing the idea that taking money is preferred to learning how to make money? Kids watch a lot of TV. What are we teaching them?

At the same time, I see so many ads for debt relief and bankruptcy on the TV. Americans used to be able to live within their means. Now it appears that they want to live like the infamous 1%. The American people seem not to be listening to the political rhetoric of family values. Instead of doing good and living good, they appear to place more value on "Looking Good". I don't know where this will lead us as a nation, but it can't be a good place.

We have announced that the new aircraft carrier to be built will be named the John F. Kennedy. Like we need another aircraft carrier. My question is simply this: Did you know that to deploy an aircraft carrier requires DOZENS of other ships to be built to support it? Fleet oilers to supply the jet fuel, supply ships to supply food and equipment, munitions carriers to supply the bombs and missiles, radar ships, war ships to provide perimeter protection and on and on. Will there ever be an end to all of this madness?

Recently a poll was conducted. The stunning result was that nearly HALF of the high school kids could NOT locate North Dakota on the map. What does that tell you about education in this country? It tells me that North Dakota should declare itself an independent nation. Then you would have the opportunity to do things right, and since nobody knows where you are, no one will rush there to tell you how to do things!

Well, these are a few of my thoughts, but I am a simple Old Hippie. What about you? Have A Great Day,

The Old Hippie

Intelligence in America ~ Not So Intelligent

Like that obnoxious TV ad says, "It's your money, what are YOU going to do about it"? What now you Old Hippie? What are you talking about? Simple, this is a list of the Intelligence agencies an the national level, here, in America. There are 15 of them! All of them funded by our tax dollars! In this time of record deficit spending which has brought this country to the brink of collapse, the highest deficit in history, there is a clamor in the nations capitol to reduce spending and reduce the national debt. But, as usual, the political system has the WRONG idea. One side wants to cut government programs, programs that help Americans. The other side wants to cut what they see as entitlements, but these are also programs that help Americans. BOTH sides want HEADLINES and their pictures in the news.

Below is the list I took from "Wikipedia" that lists the intelligence agencies in the federal government. You don't have to look at this list too closely to see that there are overlaps and redundancies here. Take a look! You don't have to have an advanced degree to see this!

• Independent agencies
  • Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• United States Department of Defense
  • Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency (AFISRA)
  • Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM)
  • Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
  • Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA)
  • National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
  • National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
  • National Security Agency (NSA)
  • Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)
• United States Department of Energy
  • Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (OICI)
• United States Department of Homeland Security
  • Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A)
  • Coast Guard Intelligence (CGI)
• United States Department of Justice
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• United States Department of State
  • Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR)
• United States Department of the Treasury
  • Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI)^[6]

The U.S. Coast Guard has an intelligence agency? Why? Being no expert, I can't tell you, but being reasonably intelligent, I suspect that this is in large part because of drug shipments. Intercepting drug shipments into the US is part of their charter. But if you look, the DEA, whose primary responsibility is drugs, also has an intelligence agency. Isn't it just possible that there is a tiny bit of overlap here? I think that if this were a private business, they MIGHT try to install a phone line connecting these two, and ask that they call and talk to each other. And look here, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps each have their own intelligence agencies! So, if each branch of the military needs it's own intelligence agency, what is the purpose of the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency)?  And all are part of the DOD (Department of Defense). But the beat goes on....

The DOD also has NSA (National Security Agency). Homeland Security has I&A (Office of Intelligence and Analysis), and of all places for it, the Treasury Department has the TIF (Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence). Add into this fiasco the usual cast of clowns, the FBI and the CIA, and you have more built in redundancy than the Space Shuttle. And with this redundancy, you create turf wars, and turf wars create massive inefficiency. If ever there was an example of inefficiency, it is government at any level, but this is really too much.

Few would argue the value on intelligence agencies. We need them. But anyone with any common sense could look at the current structure and see government waste. How about cleaning this mess up, save the taxpayer some money and do a better job in the process! Here is a news flash for you in government, groups with the same responsibilities become competitive, they don't work together! Clean your own house before you attack Social Security and health care. And don't think for a minute that this is only a problem in the federal government, oh no! State, county and city governments need to do their own house cleaning before they cry for more money.

I could go on about this for hours, but you would quit reading, and I'd only get more angry. And there is a storm starting, so my Internet connection will be gone shortly. Lucky you. But I am only an Old Hippie, and this is only my opinion. What is yours? Have A Great Day,

The Old Hippie

You May Be A Hippie At Heart ~ A Test

I know that I am getting older because I realize that those Hippies of my time become fewer each year. Most of you were not around during the "Summer of Love", "Woodstock" or the inception of  "4:20". Perhaps you weren't a Hippie then, but is it possible that you are a Hippie of today? Possible that you have the soul of a Hippie and don't know it? Maybe, possibly. Can something such as this be proved? You see, I think that it is possible that some of you really are Hippies, but you don't know it, because you weren't there 45 years ago. Maybe the day of the Hippie was over before you were born, and since you never really saw them, you don't recognize traits within yourself. So I have come up with a little test, simple, and surely never to be mentioned in the "Harvard Medical Journal", but quite possibly self-revealing. Take it, I promise that it won't hurt. But try to be honest. No one but you will ever know how you answered. But, beware, you may learn something about yourself ~ ha-ha-ha...

1. Do you care more about Big Business, or the health of the environment.

A. Big Business, we need jobs.
B. Not my problem, I just want to live my life.
C. Nature is all of our Mother. Help her!

2. Do you think Love is a personal freedom because you have the right to show Love to whomever you choose? (Remember, there is a difference between love and sex.)

A. Love is NOT a freedom, it is an emotion.
B. Love is something you should be very careful with, very selective about.
C. Love is in endless supply, the more I give, the more I have to give again!

3. When you see a stranger, do you smile and say hello?

A. Absolutely not! You can't afford to encourage people you don't know in today's world.
B. Sometimes, if they look OK, but I am skeptical of some people I see.
C. Yes, a smile given results in a smile returned. Such a nice and simple human gesture.

4. Would you prefer to be seen with your friends, or be seen by your friends.

A. By my friends if I am being seen with cool people doing cool things.
B. Who cares, as long as I am seen, that's cool.
C. With my friends, because that is when I am happiest.

5. Do you see people of a different race or religion as things to be suspicious of, or as people you would be interested in talking with and learning about.

A. Absolutely, it is best if people stay with their own kind!
B. Sometimes because I don't trust the motives of others. They may subvert me!
C. I want to talk with them, learn about their culture, learn about their problems and joys.

6. Do you think that real learning comes from text books, or through life and the interactions you experience.

A. Real education can only come from school.
B. Real education means college, and finding a mentor in the world after graduation.
C. School is great, but real life, real experiences, meeting real people is required to understand what you have been taught.

7. Do you see the rich, famous and powerful as role models, or do you see people working hard to and trying to do the right thing as role models?

A. Rich, powerful and famous people drive the world. That is what I want to be, a driver!
B. I want more out of my life than simply surviving, I want to have the good things.
C. People who work hard and do the right thing are the backbone of society. They keep it together. They are the unsung hero's.

8. Do you think meals together are a time of enjoyment, or something to avoid and rush through?

A. I am always busy, I eat when and where I can.
B. Eating together is nice, but first things first.
C. Eating together is the highlight of my day, it is so much more than just a meal, it is a time of joy and interaction I relish.

9. When you look at a country scene, do you see the beauty of nature or the potential for resources and a new housing development?

A. I am always looking for opportunity. When you see it, you can't allow it to pass.
B. I don't think about it one way or another. It is simply there, and if it changes, it isn't because of me.
C. Natures wonders must be preserved for all time. The beauty of nature is something to be protected.

10. Do you believe that all people have the same basic needs, or that they need only what someone else wants them to have?

A. People need to be taught the right religion and the right political and economic way of life.
B. We need to help those less fortunate than ourselves. We need to give them missionaries, political advisers and industrial assistance to raise them up.
C. All people have the right to their own lives, to their own choices of religion and societal structure. We should help only when the people ask for our help.

Now you see, that wasn't too difficult or painful. As I said, it was very simple. So, what do you think? Do you think that you possibly have a little Hippie in you? That obviously depends upon your answers. Here is the "Hippie Index". There were 10 simple questions, designed with absolutely no scientific process, and with no real purpose, except to look at yourself.

If you answered "C" to questions, you have answered like a Hippie. Answering "C" in:

0 answers means you are not a Hippie and you never will be.

1 to 3 times means you have a bit of Hippie in you, and you understand partially what Hippies really are.

4 to 6 times that you have some real Hippie tendencies, and you should try to learn a little more about yourself.

7 to 9 times means you have inherited the "Hippie Gene". You understand that people are really the same the world around and that truth lies in understanding, not in believing what others tell you.

10 ~ If you answered "C" to all 10 questions, welcome to the world of love, peace and the pursuit of understanding. I suggest that you quickly get online and buy some tie-dye kits, a few peace signs and go on Auto Trader to search for a good used VW van and some really bright and colorful paint to decorate it with.

So, what was all of this foolishness about. It is about you, all of you. It is about us, everyone in the world. If you were really honest with yourself about what you feel, you will see that you sometimes do not act with the convictions of your heart, but with the conventions of your peers. Now it is up to you. You have to make a decision for yourself to do what you feel is the right thing, or to do only as you are expected and told to do. World change comes from changing attitudes, and it is a slow process. And as with everything, that change begins with you.

But remember this, Hippies are NON-VIOLENT! We engaged in social protests and civil disobedience, but we were never violent. Violence is a way to force change, and forced change is never good, and never lasting. Real peace and real love come from within. Change the world by changing hearts and minds, and your changes will be real and lasting. Change attitudes, and watch good in this world flourish as evil withers. But, what do I know? I am only one man, and an Old Hippie. The time of my generation is coming to an end, and your time is here. What are you going to do with it? Have A Great Day,

The Old Hippie

Guns ~ An American Right or Wrong!

Here is a controversial subject if ever there was one. The second amendment to the constitution gives us the "Right to keep and bear arms", and I am a very strong supporter of this right. But the truth is that it was written 235 years ago, and a lot has changed in that time. The world has changed, and more to the point, "Arms" have changed. Our forebears had no idea that weapons would change as they have. If they had gazed into their crystal ball, maybe they would have been a little more specific. When this was adopted, guns were guns. There was no real difference between military guns and civilian guns. And the fact was that at that time, people needed guns to survive. A large part of the average American diet came from hunting for game. People living in the major cities didn't need to hunt deer, but those in rural areas depended on wild game. There was real justification for people to have the right to have guns. And in times of conflict, they took the same gun they used for hunting deer to war with them. But we all know that things change as time marches forward.

You can make a very good argument that the advances in military technology have exceeded all other technological advancement. I'm not stating this as absolute, but I do contend that advancements in military technology have been astronomical. Too great in my opinion, but that is a different subject. When the second amendment was written, guns were single shot, muzzle loaded weapons. Today, we have guns that are fully automatic, fire 600 rounds a second and are computer assisted and aimed! I think most of you will agree that the right of the people to have and bear this type of gun is not what the writers of the second amendment had in mind when they wrote it. And allowing average people to have such a gun is NOT in the best interest of the people. Are you following me so far?

There are very legitimate reasons for owning guns. People have hunted since the beginning of mankind. They hunt today and I am very opposed to taking that right away from Americans. People have used guns as a recreational activity since they were invented. Today thousands enjoy trap and skeet shooting. They enjoy target clay competition and sharpshooting competitions across America, and I am also opposed to taking this right away from Americans. But there are those in society today who want to take all guns away! Why? Well it is not to stop the average American from shooting a "Clay Pigeon"! It is because of crime, public safety! And as typical with people, they don't want to take the time or expend the effort to look for the best way to combat crime, they want a blanket solution.

But making guns illegal will NOT solve the problem of crime. Suppose you wanted to eliminate traffic fatalities. Using this approach, the obvious choice is to outlaw cars! I propose that we look at the root of the problem, and design solutions that work. First, we have to define the problem that we want to solve. And I see that problem as the ever hated idea of "Gun Control". But, but, but.... The problem is not so simple as you might first assume. If we are truly going to seek workable solutions to this, we must go to the root. And, the root is the second amendment to the Constitution. The problem is that it lacks definition.

So, I see the first step as giving the second amendment some definition. Define what "arms" people have the right to own. Some work has been done in this area, but more is needed. I don't want guns that are designed for hunting and sport to be made illegal. And I want to see the people have the right to protect their homes and families. But, at the same time, I don't want to see everyone have the right to have ALL ARMS! Not to sound too ridiculous, I don't want people to have a "Cruise Missile" simply because they have the money to buy one. For the sake of argument, let's assume that acceptable definition to the second amendment is adopted. Is that all there is to the problem? I don't think so. Simply making a thing illegal to own will not stop people from obtaining it.

Next we need to look at where these weapons come from, and how they get into the hands of people in America. This is what I see as the real problem. Arms manufactures and arms dealers. Arms manufactures only make products they can sell. Profit is the bottom line. When a gun maker sells guns to a sporting goods store, they are not selling automatic military weapons. They are selling sporting weapons. But the weapons that we want out of the public's hands are these military grade weapons! Where do they come from? The answer is from arms dealers. People who buy them outside of the US, and smuggle them into the country. America is the worlds LARGEST arms dealer. We sell to foreign countries, and our government GIVS arms to other governments and to factions it supports around the world. You and I both know that many of these governments and factions are as corrupt and crooked as a dog's hind leg. Weapons and arms come into a foreign country and are diverted immediately to someone who will sell them somewhere else, the money going into the pockets of some corrupt official. Some of these make their way back into the US illegally, and are sold on the streets. But America does not bear the sole responsibility for this.

Russia, Germany, Israel and China also sell arms. Hell, the whole world is either a seller of arms or a buyer of arms. Our country has to accept more responsibility for the arms that it distributes around the world. Crack down on the source! Here is something to think about. KEEP TRACK OF THE WEAPONS YOU SELL OR GIVE AWAY! This is what I am saying. If the police in L.A. arrest someone who has some automatic, military grade weapon in their possession, the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT should have the capability to take the serial number of that gun, trace it to a specific sale to a foreign nation, and go after those responsible for allowing it to go into the illegal arms market. Go after those corrupt people who sold these weapons to arms dealers. And suspend sales of weapons to them. Hold the responsible parties responsible.

But, that is too simple. The solutions always proposed are to make the innocent pay the price for the guilty. The governments job is to protect the RIGHTS of the citizens, not take them away because it is the simplest thing to do. Americans have the right to bear arms. Figure out how to protect that right. Doing the right thing is not synonymous with doing the easy thing, but doing the right thing is always best. Elected officials are supposed to do the best thing for us. Don't allow them to take the easy way out. But this is only how this Old Hippie sees this problem. Give me your comments. Have A Great Day,

The Old Hippie

Learn to Read ~ Read to Learn

Sounds so trite, but young people today aren't reading. And I have asked myself why so many times it has nearly driven me mad. Sure, there are options today that never existed when I was growing up. Today, kids have computers, electronic game devices, like "Game Boy" and "Play Station", DVD and MP3 players, and the dreaded cell phone with "Texting". Texting, there is another phenomena to write about one day. Will this lead to people not talking in future generations? Ah well, back to what I was talking about. But, are these new products of technology the reason people don't read? It sounds good, but I'm not convinced. It seems to me that this argument is really a "Cop Out", too simple, to pat. But there are some undeniable parallels that support this theory.

About 120 years ago, the automobile came into existence. At that time, people rode horses or used wagons and carriages to get around. The older generation of that time stuck to their horses, but the younger generation flocked to this new technology like ants to sugar. Within 30 years, horse ownership fell to almost nothing in populated areas. Then, about 65 years ago, the TV became the greatest new thing. Before that, people used to huddle around their radios and listen to their favorite programs at night. Now they were watching "Amos and Andy" on the TV. Music also went through technological changes, from vinyl records, to tape, then the CD and now, what is the newest thing, the "iPod"? As you see, a technology GURU I am not. I really miss not having a 12 year old around the house to keep me current on all of this new stuff. So, does this make the case for the drop off in reading today?

I have to admit that this is part of it. Today people have more choices, and easier ways of entertaining themselves than ever before. And, there is truth in the mantra, "Why read the book when you can watch the movie?", after all, human beings are really a lazy species. Look, maybe 1 in 100 people under the age of 30 has read "Cinderella", but every one of them has seen the movie. How many young people have read "Gulliver's Travels" or "Alice Through the Looking Glass"? How many have seen the movie? Yea, I know, a stupid question. Movies and TV have made it easy, but not necessarily better.

I can't speak for you, but when I read "Gulliver's Travels", I never pictured Gulliver as Jack Black! Not in a million years! Which is one of my points, reading provokes your imagination. When you read, each character is created in your mind, each scene is painted by your imagination. Yes, you read the book, but your mind creates a virtual movie, your own personal and private movie. When you see it on the big screen, you get someone else's vision, some one else's interpretation. And I see this as the real reason people need to learn how to read! Reading stimulates your imagination, exercises your mind, and that is just as important to good health as physical exercise! But, this is a result of not reading, not the reason people don't read.

I think that the primary reasons run deeper than all of this. I hate to sound like a broken record, I really do, but the reason people don't read today lies in education. Sorry, but I had to say it. Back in the "Stone Age", when I was in school, my teacher would read a book to us. One chapter every day. As I got a little older, the students would do the reading, taking turns. We read "The Hardy Boys", "Nancy Drew", some of the classics made for young people like "Alice in Wonderland". We looked forward to this time of day so much, that teachers would use this as a tool to make the class behave! If someone got out of line, the teacher would take away this reading period and force us to do something despicable, like take another math quiz. After school, the class would demonstrate their collective displeasure with the offending student, and this usually solved the situation in the future. My point is that reading was emphasized when I was in school, and I am not too sure that it is today, and I don't know why.

Today, books are beginning to go through a technological change. It seems that everything is, so I see no reason why books should be immune. Though they have been around for a few years, "Ebook Readers" are gaining in popularity. Truth be said, I like this! I plan on getting one and I'm looking at a few now trying to make a decision on which to buy. Not that this is important, but if you have suggestions, drop me a comment. I still like the feeling of being in a room filled with books on shelves, comfortable overstuffed chairs to sit in while you escape into the pages of a good book while enjoying a good brandy and a fine cigar, but who can afford such luxury in today's world? Certainly not an Old Hippie who lives a scant existence, on Social Security. But I don't need the room. I can create the room in my mind with my imagination. something I learned by reading.

Look, there are books for everybody. No matter what your passion or interest, there are books written for you. I don't think what you read is as important as the fact that you do read. The more you read, the more you will learn, it is that simple. Read for entertainment, read for information, read for passion, read for yourself. You will learn and you will be a better person. But this is only the opinion of an Old Hippie, just an archaic remnant of days gone by, what do I know? Have A Great Day,

The Old Hippie

Entertainment ~ Yesterday and Today

As noted many times here, I am indeed an Old Hippie, the key for this post is "Old". I am also a disabled American Vet, and that, plus Social Security constitute my income. Modest to say the least, but I get through life OK. Better than a lot of people these days. Of course, it wouldn't hurt if this BLOG were able to produce a little extra income, but since I can't seem to be able to figure out how to implement AdSense ads into it, I see little hope for that to happen. But, I do enjoy writing this. And I really enjoy reading and admittedly, I watch FAR to much TV. For the past two years, I have been renting movies through NETFLIX. No, this is not a promo piece for NETFLIX as you will see. Living here in the Ozark mountains in a community of less than 10,000 has certain limitations, like the quality and variety of restaurants, having only two places to buy groceries and movie rentals.

There is one place here to rent movies, and I mean only one, but as you might imagine, it is limited. This being in the heart of the "Bible Belt", you won't find many of the "R" rated movies on the shelf, and never will you find an "X" rated movie, neither of which bother me to any degree. But, being a small town, the rental selection is limited to the current movies and the MOST popular of older movies. Enter NETFLIX. I am able to rent movies by mail that I otherwise have no access to. Through this outlet, I have been renting some of the older movies I enjoyed in my youth, and I have to admit, I really enjoy them.

Last night I watched "Paint Your Wagon". For those of you who are younger, it is a musical set in a gold mining camp during the California Gold Rush period. It is FUNNY and fast paced, and most of you under the age of 40 would probably enjoy seeing it. Come on, give it a try. But what caught my attention was the performance of the two stars, Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood. I had really forgotten how masterful these two men were, how truly talented they were and most surprising, how versatile they were.

When you think of Lee Marvin, you usually picture a "Silver Screen Tough Hero" type. War movies from WWII, Westerns and hard nosed crime drams. He was in so many of these that it is easy to forget that he was in this musical. Not only in it, he was spectacular! His character was usually drunk, despicable by nature and always so very funny. But he had a heart of gold. He sang, danced, and in the end, he literally destroyed the town of "No-Name", all in the quest for gold. And for you Clint Eastwood fans, watch this and see what a truly gifted actor this man is. Yes, Clint sings, dances and is great in every scene he is in. Imagine, "Dirty Harry" singing a love song! Both of these men exemplify what actors call Range, the ability to do a variety of different things, and do them well.

I'm not here to drum up customers for any particular movie rental business, but I am trying to tell you that if you enjoy movies, try looking for some of these older ones. Watching current movies is good, and I enjoy them, but sometimes I feel that there is a certain sameness to them. It is refreshing to go back and re-look at some of the really great movies from the past. And if my recommendation means anything, I suggest that you give "Paint Your Wagon" a look one night. You will be surprised. Have A Great Day.

The Old Hippie