Late Justice is Still Justice

TV on the Internet

Taking a break from my Cannuck story for a quick aside....
You all know that I am a huge advocate of the internets and TV/movies streamed and/or downloaded from said internets. That is why I rock the Hulu sidebar, because if you don't Hulu then you're not living. Well, some insightful comedian named Jay Black slapped up a great open letter to the TV industry over on TVsquad.com. It is both insightful and hilarious in its advocacy of embracing piracy (something we here at The Free-Lancer also support.)

Read the Full Article Here.

Cannucked---Part 1

Over four days beginning on Thursday morning and ending at 3am on Monday, I drove around the United States in a van. I was supposed to go to Toronto.
This is the story of how I got Cannucked.

Things went bad from the get-go, and only really got worse. Brandon Thompson, DP and Steadi-cam operator extraordinaire, was in charge of renting the van for our trip.
He, however, made the mistake of telling the rental company that we were bound for Canada. The woman at Budget heard that and promptly gave him an "oh no you didn't" denial. Brandon, feeling awfully stupid, picked me up that next morning and we tried again at another Budget. We changed our story ("Going to Chicago, sir") but unfortunately ole Poopy Pants (that's Brandon) had been flagged in the system. I smooth talked the attendant and got us the van, but the rental agreement had a large warning on the document that read "Strongly Advised Cannot Go To Canada." To remedy this unfortunate situation, Brandon and I used modern technology to our advantage, i.e. photoshop. With our forged copy of the rental agreement in hand, we set out on an 11 hour drive through rain, fog, sleet, and finally snow across the western reaches of the Southern States and through the Devil's backyard of Indiana into Obamaland (Chicago.)

Chicago was frozen solid and the minute we stepped out of the van upon arrival we realized that Yankees must be the stupidest people in the world. In our hotel we met up with the producer, Ole Greasy, and learned the specifics of our task. The next morning we were to pick up the editor, Jared, and drive up across the border at Port Huron, Michigan similar to the last trip I made in September (Jared and Brandon got to fly last time.) Once in Toronto we would film a conference being held by the Canadian Auto Workers union (CAW) wherein the Trotskyites would be screening a dedication film we produced earlier on the life of a Canadian priest who died while advocating a Clergy union. Later we would pick up some interviews, but the main gig was Saturday morning at nine. We were expected to arrive in Toronto sometime the prior evening.
If only things had been that simple.....

To be Continued...

The Story of the Old Canadian Man

My good friend and travel companion, Chris Craft, and I were in downtown Savannah on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. We were walking the cobbled stones of River Street when we learned that Harry O'Donaghue was playing a set at Kevin Barry's Pub and decided to step inside to have a listen. The place was cozy, and there were very few people there for a holiday week, but that suited me just fine. Harry was on the stage with his guitar singing away in his mellow Dublin brogue to the tune of "The Wild Rover." Chris and I clapped along on with the chorus, and enjoyed the warmth of the occasion.

After the song, Harry took a small break and a considerably old looking gentleman sat down next to us to have a chat with the waitress on duty. I couldn't help but over hear the Old Man's slight accent and the last part of his conversation wherein the Old Man mentioned that he was amazed that you could smoke cigarettes indoors in America. Out of curiosity I leaned over and asked,
"Where is it that you are from, if you don't mind me asking?"
The Old Man smiled at me and said,
"Ontario."
"Oh yeah? I was just up there a little while ago. All over, from Toronto to the Lake Huron coast. I actually might be going back next week."
"Oh don't do that. Stay the hell out of Toronto. It's bloody cold and covered in six feet of snow!"
We got to talking more, and I learned that he was originally from England and that I had passed quite close to where he lived in Ontario during my travels. When asked why he was in Savannah he told us for the past few years he had come on holiday.
"For years we went to Florida. Then one day we were down there and I realized....Florida sucks!"
He told us he found Savannah charming and the people genuine. Then we somehow got on the subject of Capones, a local billards joint, and he mentioned that he enjoyed playing pool in a place where he didn't have to worry about being stabbed.
"Is that a big concern in Canada?" I asked, half joking.
He sat up and nodded vigorously.
"Oh yes, very much. Have you never been stabbed then?"
I laughed and shook my head, saying no, of course not.
"What? You've never been stabbed?" He then burst into laughter. "I can't believe it! You've never been stabbed!"
I was laughing now, at the sheer ridiculousness of this Old Man. I pointed out that Chris had never been stabbed either. He stared at us, his eyes and mouth wide in disbelief. He then shook his head and laughed even harder.
"I'm going to go back in there and tell my mates that you lot have never been stabbed, and they're not going to believe it!"
Just then his wife came over and he grabbed her by the shoulder.
"Honey, these boys tell me they've never been stabbed! Can you believe it!"
She joined him laughing and said,
"You're missing out."
"Never been stabbed! Unbelievable!"
At that point Harry returned to playing and the Old Man and his wife bid us adieu and headed on to their next destination. We shook hands and as we parted I promised to work on getting stabbed.

Canadiagain

Supposedly I will be driving back up through those awful non-Southern states to Toronto Canada to crew once more on the documentary that sent me there back in September. I say supposedly because as it stands right now (at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, December 3rd) I have yet to hear back from the producer as to the exact details surrounding my departure and travel other than I am supposed to leave tomorrow with the DP, Brandon, in a van.
Dear Readers, there is a reason that despite being The Free-Lancer I do not actively seek work as a freelancer in the entertainment industry. All the "ifyness" and last minute chicanery gets to me, especially when I have no personal stake in the project at hand other than experience and money. However, the last trip paid well, the people I worked with are good people, and frankly I need the cash.

Indeed, the entire prospect of driving back through Indiana is so dreadful that I would almost be relieved to not be working on the shoot. Yet, once again, I need the cash. In the event that I do leave tomorrow for the dark horizons of Wanna-Be America, I will blog away my misery with more tales of Canadian foppery and horror stories of middle American corn encounters.

Oh Happy Day....Sort of

Thanks to the efforts (I believe) of voters who previously supported the Libertarian Candidate Buckley casting their lot for Saxby Chamblis, the Republicans have secured a vital seat in the senate.

I don't think I need to preach to the choir about the importance of this runoff. Thank you to all of those who I encouraged to vote Libertarian, and did, who now voted for Chamblis. Mayhaps one good day we can vote for a man who truly represents our principles.....JFM 2016!

The Future

There was once a commercial for Comcast featuring Mark Hamill (of Luke Skywalker fame of course) wherein he proceeds to lecture a group of people on his expertise in "The Future." Unfortunately I cannot find a copy of that commercial online, so I will move on.

I trust everyone had a great time celebrating Thanksgiving, and be assured that I did as well. Now, for a few weeks anyway, the Holiday season takes a break and I return to my duties. I've been away from the internets for a few days, and as such have a great deal of "catching up" to accomplish. There are many blogs to read, Cracked articles to peruse, lolcats to chuckle at, news to digest, etc. As I catch up, I will post here on significant finds and/or issues that come to bear as well as jot down some interesting stories I accumulated over my absence. In other words, stay tuned 'cause stuff is comin' down the pipe.

Also, I will know later today (God willing) whether or not I will be bound again for the frozen North to resume work on the documentary "Forsaken." As you long time readers will recall, twas this very documentary that spurred my long drive to Canada wherein I began my blogging as The Free-Lancer. Updates will follow should they arise.
In the mean time, here is a funny picture followed by a poem:

JABBERWOCKY

Lewis Carroll

(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.