Mark L. Van Name's Blog, page 29

Yes, I ate that

Char-Grill is a Raleigh institution, a mini-chain that grew from a single location in 1959 based on its ability to serve reliably tasty burgers and very good steak fries.  I grab a burger there from time to time, but the fries are the main attraction, because for my taste, the burgers tend to be over-cooked and dry.  I have never, though, eaten one of their hot dogs.

Today, on the way to the grocery store and rather hungry, I decided to stop there and eat a hot dog so I wouldn't enter the Whole Foods hungry.  (I've learned that doing so can hurt my wallet far more than the price of a tube steak.)  I chose a hot dog with cheese.

This is what awaited me inside the very cheerful "Hot Dogs! Enjoy" wrapping paper.

Click the image to see a larger version--if you dare.
I'm not sure which red dye this dog was, but I'm pretty confident that dye was one of the tube steak's major components.  The bun was white and soft, a full commitment to 1959, and the "cheese" seemed to be some sort of mini-slice of cheese food, though it's possible this cheese was just a very weak real cheese.

Of course, I ate it.  It wasn't bad.  I've had far worse hot dogs--which, unfortunately, tells you way more about me than about this particular dog.

On balance, though, in future Char-Grill visits I'll be sticking to the fries, maybe even a burger, but I won't be ordering another hot dog.

In tonight's UFC Light Heavyweight Championship match

the champ, Daniel Cormier, faces a man he's beaten once before but who is on a fearsome knock-out streak, Anthony "Rumble" Johnson.  The match-up is particularly interesting because Cormier is smaller and older than Johnson, and now on the wrong side of 35, while Johnson seems to have improved a great deal in the two years since their last match.

Nonetheless, I'm going with Cormier--and writing it here to put myself on record with the choice.  I think Cormier will smother Johnson and stay on him and be smart enough to avoid the knock-out in the early rounds when Johnson still has energy.  I don't expect it to be pretty, but I do expect Cormier to win a decision against an exhausted Johnson.

In four or five hours, we'll find out if I'm right.

A birthday present we'll be watching soon

Check it out, and you'll know we have to.  We really do.



Yes, it's time to get in the cage for some seriously odd craziness as only Nicolas Cage can deliver it.

How is it possible

that in today's highly interconnected world there is no way for me to legally watch the 10-minute sequel to Love Actually, Red Nose Day, Actually?  I'd pony up a few pounds/dollars/whatever to see it, but alas, I cannot.  Now, the news is that the U.S. version will be different from the UK one, which makes this travesty even more intolerable.

I am not amused.

I'm almost certainly going to be disappointed

by this film, but there's no way I'm going to miss it.



After all, who can resist Tom Cruise being used by a mummy--at least for much of the film?

Not I.

Holden spurns Fur Holden

What cruel rejection is this, that Fur Holden, a creature born of the mighty dog himself, should suffer such willful inattention at the hands of his creator.


Fur Holden, lacking legs, could only hold his ground until breezes or grasping arms or Swiffers hastened his departure from this short, cold life.

Holden says

All your remotes are mine.


He is correct.

If you want to enjoy Ghost in the Shell

the most important thing you need to do is decide to watch it on its own merits and not compare it to the original anime movie (or subsequent films and series).  If you approach this live-action film as part of the Ghost in the Shell canon, then you'll probably be disappointed, in part because the emotional heart of this one is rather different than that of the anime offerings, and in part because the powers of Major are definitely not consistent with those she has in the anime pieces.

As always, I walked into the theater hoping to enjoy the movie, and I'm happy to say that I did.  Visually, it was gorgeous--not as pretty as the anime film, but for a live-action movie, quite lovely. The lead actors, notably Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, and "Beat" Takeshi Kitano, turned in solid performances, with Kitano particularly fun in his role as the head of their agency.

If you don't know the anime predecessors, of course, then just go and have a good time.

Even if you do, I recommend the film, provided you can allow it to be its own thing.  It's far from a perfect movie, but it's beautiful to watch and does have a heart, something many action films lack.

Yes, I am watching you

and, yes, I am everywhere, so don't you start doing anything bad.


Don't make me come there and shut down your party.

Highlights from a day of travel

If you think business travel is romantic, you haven't done much of it.  Today's mission was to check out, drive to the airport, and be home by four--easy enough with on-time flights.

The route to the airport was a new one, with lots of slow-downs, insane drivers, and plenty of construction.

The first plane was so late that the second was set to take off seven minutes after I exited the first.  Nothing says fun like dashing through an airport to try to turn a ten-minute walk into a three-minute sprint.

Fortunately, that second plane was late, so I made the connection--where I then sat on the tarmac for a bit over two and a half hours.

I made it home about two hours late.

At least I am home now, and glad of it.