Slope of Hope Blog Posts

Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.

The Strangest Commercial Ever Made

By -

Just about the only television show I watch is "House", which has a nice cynical edge to it. I was shocked and disappointed on Sunday to witness within the program the most comically absurd product placement when, about a minute in the program, one of the doctors says to the other: "This neat curve control thing – – it automatically slows the car down when it senses I'm making a curve too fast." 

And all during that ridiculous quote, there were cutaway shots to the rear and front of the car prominently showing the Ford and Explorer logos. It was about as subtle as a comment from The Hun.

Coincidentally, I happened to trip across this item from the 1960s showing, of all people, Ms. Jane from the Beverly Hillbillies sucking on a Camel cigarette and singing its praises. Disturbing on so many levels.

Excursus on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

By -

I tend to have strong feelings about things. There's not a lot of grey in my world. Things are very black or very white.

Gene-wilderOne of the many areas in which this is true is the movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This has been a favorite of mine for my entire life. I take great umbrage at the fact that Johnny Depp created a new version of this story – with the notable exception of one cool song. I am loyal to the 1971 version to the bitter end (sort of like how I think the Alastair Sims version of Christmas Carol is the only one worth watching).

(more…)

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (by Gary Tanashian)

By -

Edit 10/23/11 @ 6:09 AM:  The very first feedback I received on this post was from an intelligent and thoughtful reader who notes that "I don't see you talking at all" in response to my "what the eff are we talking about here?" at the end.  The mailer writes that it is all about conversing, asking questions and challenging the status quo and asks a question of his own about what I was hoping to find, the promised land?  He saw me pointing a finger and poking fun.

So here is my answer:  I wanted to find some of history.  I wanted to find something different.  I wanted to find someone talking about money printing and inflationary disenfranchisement.  That is what the whole Fed shtick was about in the video (I admit the helicopters that flew over the Fed had me thinking about making tin foil hat jokes and got me unfocused).  I did not want to find Kumbaya and bongos.  I suppose I wanted to find something more focused on a message of the '99%' being so many of us stuck in the middle of a triad of the Democrat machinery, the Republican machinery and the Corporate machinery.  With a side of Federal Reserve thrown in for good measure.

(more…)

Random Childhood Memory

By -

When I was a kid, in the mid-70s, Saturday morning cartoons were pretty much the highlight of the week. I got to sit in front of the television from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. (which is about the time that Soul Train came on, which drove me outside) and watch all kinds of cartoons and kid shows.

For some reason, one of my favorites was Big John, Little John, which (understandably) lasted only one season. The entire premise was that this 40-year old guy had drank from the Fountain of Youth and had to spend the rest of his life changing unexpectedly to a 12-year old (and, also unexpectedly, back again to 40). One can imagine the hilarious hijinx that could ensue from such a situation. Or not.

Anyway, here's the opening and closing theme. Try not to get too dazzled by the special effects. Apparently shifting ages involves a lot of blinking.