ATL 2/25/08 - The Oscars

40th Birthday portrait!!!
Juno / Atonement / There Will Be Blood
Between flicks / S isn't sure about this / Michael Clayton"Juno" headband - Check! "Blood" cross & 'stache - Check! "No Country" Sheriff's badge - Check! "M Clayton" black suit - Check! "Atonement" letter to Cecilia - Check! We ARE the movies!

MOVIE/ART/COMPLIANCE/WEB NEWS

MOVIE NEWS - The Oscars! For the first time ever, I've seen all 5 Best Picture nominees prior to the ceremony. I'd already seen "No Country For Old Men", so Saturday, the schedule was:

11:15 - "Juno" (Landmark)
1:00 - Pizza (Mellow Mushroom)
4:00 - "Atonement" (Tara)
6:30 - "There Will Be Blood" (Tara)
9:30 - Publix
10:30 - "Michael Clayton" (DVD)

For what it's worth, we LOVED "Atonement", "Blood" was tough to sit through, and the oversight of "Sweeney Todd" was robbery.

(After the ceremonies - Loved Marion Cotillard's Gautier fish gown! Hated Tilda Swinton's black satin kaftan with missing sleeve! Loved all of Jennifer Garner! Hated all of Jennifer Hudson's gutted snake/sheet wrap around! Loved Katherine Heigl's sassy curly bob and red gown. Love Helen Mirrin, but the silver sleeves on the red dress were way too matador meets Santa Claus.)

ART NEWS -

LOCAL NEWS - PEACHTREE ROAD RACE - The race will now veer from last year's course from 10th onto Juniper, finishing at Juniper & Ponce, with the crowds continuing down North and Piedmont to the Civic Center.

Interesting; in addition to closing Peachtree Street, the Race will now impact traffic on all those roads, too. Did the DOT plan this?

DRINKING SAFELY - In Georgia, we can drive to a restaurant on Sunday to drink, and then drink, and then drive home, but we can't drive to a liquor store to buy beer to consume at home. If you think this is silly, sign the online petition.

GUV'NER PROGNOSTICATOR - "Perdue Expects Delta to Stay in Atlanta". That's a comfort...coming from the guy that "expects" the drought to be solved by prayer.

DRINKING SAFELY 2 - We at Metropolis don't have to worry about that whole drinking/driving thing; prior to opening, the new Taco Mac in my basement has applied for their liquor license (unlike the folks that previously occupied the same Metropolis retail space).

A BOOM IN PIEDMONT PARK CONSTRUCTION - The construction of the parking garage has begun in Piedmont Park (how's that going to affect your precious grass during the drought, you vapid, vacuous, vociferous vultures?!?)

How did I find out? From the newspaper? No. From posted signage? No. A warning letter from the precious Piedmont Park Conservancy? No.

From the Midtown Neighbor's Assoc. newsletter:

"Atlanta Botanical Garden - Rock Blasting Notice Please be advised that the General Contractor constructing the Parking Facility for the Atlanta Botanical Garden is scheduled to begin rock blasting activities as early as Wednesday, February 13, 2008..."

...AND ON THAT NOTE...Debbie McGowen, Princess of the Piedmont Park Conservancy, announced her retirement. Boo-frickin-hoo. -ajc-

COMPLIANCE NEWS - Overheard at the Asian Buffet (you know the place...the sushi buffet... with mac and cheese...and mashed potatoes...and a smoked ham):

Mother leaving restaurant, whose son wandered to a man at another table: "I think he wants to go home with you."
Man: "I've already got 2."
Mother: "We've got 8; you can have him."
Man" "I'd love to have 8...but..."
Mother: "She told you to get off, huh?"
Man: "Naw...we just can't afford them"

In the Taco Bell - "Heh, guess what? I've only got 1 month left on my parole!"
Boss - "Great! What about your meeting?"
"Which one? Oh, yeah, I missed AA last night..."

FRENCH NEWS -Marion Cotillard's Best Actress Oscar...what else? -lemonde-

WEB NEWS -Find local electronics recyclers -here-