The Mad Sailor

Do you remember Battlestar Galactica? Lorne Green leading a rag tag band of humans across the galaxy. Apollo and Starbuck, dripping testosterone, killed cylons and kissed the girls. Now that was good science fiction even if it was a rewrite of Bonanza. The formula for success has long been the same, our hero defeats the bad guys, wins the day, kisses his horse and rides of into the sunset on the girl .

The 2003 sequel with Edward James Olmos turned a perfectly fine sci fi into a FRACKING soap opera. Ever since Miami Vice Olmos has been one of my favorite actors …. ever! But the new Battlestar Galactica dragged on and on ….. and on. I only watched a few episodes before total boredom  kicked in and led me off to other, more interesting entertainment.

And now there’s Caprica! What a great idea! Where did the Cylons come from? What started the war? This could be a great story line. Bzzzzzzzt! Wrong! All we got was another FRACKING soap opera. Another good idea gone bad. Sooooo, I’m outta here. I won’t waste any more time on Caprica.

So boys stand up for real science fiction! Let’s go watch Rodan on flash-candy.com

Aaron Smith, CNNMoney.com staff, wrote: “When dozens of states start selling both Powerball and Mega Millions lottery tickets for the first time ever, winners may take home jackpots that aren’t so mega.”

Please go directly to school. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Dummy! The size of the jackpot is determined by the odds of winning not the number of players this week. It won’t change. But with a choice of lotteries to play you may reduce the number of players for Mega Millions. So it will take longer for anyone to win. The odds of winning are still 1:175,711,538.

It is January first, two thousand and ten. I guess I should say something about the last decade. After all, everyone else has!

Last night on the local news the headlines of the decade were all bad. You know; 9/11, Iraq, Afganistan, George Bush, illegal government wiretaps, waterboarding and everybody who was anybody in the 20th century died last year. This morning the industry websites I visit were all bad news. Housing market, unemployment, stock market and major retailers folding. It’s kind of like that old HeeHaw song, Gloom despair and agony on me.

I should say something, but I’d like to say something good. But what?

Finally, I found it! It took a few days, but I found some good news about the first decade of this century. You see I’ve been concerned for some years that this country was going down hill. We lost our scientific lead. We lost our manufacturing lead and we lost our moral foundation. But now we have a new chance to reconnect with those American values. Internet TV is bringing back the movies of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Stars like John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Gregory Peck are shining again. I believe that this resurgence of early twentieth century ideals could help to revive the spirit that made America great. You know; Mom’s apple pie, truth, justice and the American way. And maybe with a little luck we can shed our feminine side.