Icewind's Ramblings

When we were younger there used to be a distinction between the movies & television .  The movies at the theater were called the Big Screen while television seen at home was the Small Screen .  Today, it would be a misnomer to say that.  From the big screen analog to the flat screen High Definition TV’s of today, the television of today is also the Big Screen. I would probably like to say . . . my name is Icewind and I'm a TV addict.  I've only recently admitted this, and I probably would still be in denial except for the fact that we just brought into the house a fourth HDTV cable box (digital video recorders).  Mind you they are not all for my watching as I travel somewhat but when I am home like to see my favorite programs.  We've got the big (42”) flat screen TV in the living room, and there is an older television in the bedroom (20”) for my wife to get away from all of the chaos from the grandkids.  She will fall asleep with that one on...

Have you seen this yet? Ray Stevens . . . still going strong after so many years. You Betcha! Ice

A friend of mine had sent me a couple of CD’s of music and video’s from a concert reunion of some old friends I used to hang out with almost every night when I lived in Atlanta Georgia . They played in many clubs all over the south east and I flew them up to Louisville Kentucky during Derby week for concerts there. The group was called ‘Cullowhee’ named from a small town in the mountains of western North Carolina where most of the members went to college. The guys played together for over 10 years and sadly for many of their friends and fans finally decided to give it up as a full time endeavor in 1985. Friendship lasts forever and from time to time since the group went their different ways the guys have gotten together for several reunion concerts in Atlanta and in North Carolina . The last concert was during the fall at Western Carolina University on September 27, 2008. They have posted some of the songs on YouTube which is great since they ...

We have had our share of cold temperatures this season but sometimes it just does not make much sense to me. About a month ago we spent almost three weeks well below zero in the mornings some days over minus twenty five. We have been over that now and the last several weeks it has jumped around from the twenties to back down around zero. A few days ago my icemaker quit working and as I watched the ice container slowly dwindle to nothing I figured it might be time to give it a look. I went into my handyman mode after doing plumbing work for many years so I decided to go through the logical steps to figure out why it was not making ice cubes. I looked underneath the kick plate by the floor to see if there was any buildup of dust that might make things work efficiently as far as it maintaining the proper temperature. It wasn’t too dirty so I next pulled the refrigerator so I could get to things on the back. I checked out the tubing going from the water valve up t...

This guy is an idiot! I have not been a big fan of his over the last couple of years after seeing a disappointing remake of an old western “3:10 to Yuma ”. “The Prestige” was another one that while entertaining left me wondering why I spent the time at that movie a totally different reaction than I had enjoying another called, “The Illusionist”. I don't usually criticize anyone but this guy is just a jerk. When I have seen him in interviews he always seems so serious and very standoffish and apparently he's not a joy to work with either. When the director of photography Shane Hurlbut of the upcoming movie T erminator Salvation crossed the set within Bales sight line he ended up getting cussed out with 36 F- Bombs during the 4 minute tirade. The incident took place in July on the set at Kirkland Air Force Base in New Mexico , days before Bale would face assault allegations from his mother and sister in London . Charges were never filed b...

Everyday it's a-gettin' closer Goin' faster than a roller coaster . . . I fear that the Don McLean song “American Pie” is the only reason young people know of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, but the music is worth revisiting. I hope that you've been wearin' yer horn-rimmed glasses in honor of "The Day the Music Died" . That's right February 3 marks the 50th anniversary of the plane crash in the frozen tundra of Clear Lake Iowa that killed the three rock 'n rollers along with the pilot, Roger Peterson. In 16 months (Sept. 1957-Feb. 1959), Holly created a body of work that influenced The Beatles, Stones, Eric Clapton, Elton John and countless others. After the crash, Lennon and McCartney changed their bands name from Johnny and the Moondogs to The Beatles. Today, our rock 'n roll ‘way back machine’ have no plans on theorizing the "what if’s" . . . from that snowy day. While here...

I returned home tonight for an odd mixture of things. Anchorage opened its first Target store in Alaska today so there was this mad rush of people heading to see everything that wasn’t available in the far north until today. The store is 172,000 square feet (about four acres) and the ‘official’ opening is not until Sunday but they opened a few days early so everyone could get a brief look and bargains before the weekend. The mad house today was like the opening of the Golden Corral restaurant a few months back . . . packed house with a full parking lot overflowing into the spaces of the soon to open Kohl’s, Lowe’s, and several other stores. I think Target’s red bull’s eye found its mark in Alaska . I sat down and flipping through the channels came across the movie ‘Transformers’ thinking it would be a stupid silly movie. I started watching and could not turn it to another channel. It was fun, witty, and sci-fi entertainment. As I sat there watching thinking ab...