Mops

Before you think I've gone all serious and only writing about the items in the news - I'll give you a taste of my latest count. 6. Yes. 6. I own 6 mops and none of them do the job worth a damn.

Maybe my mother had the right idea back in the '60s that you had to get down on your hands and knees twice a year and use a scrub brush on your floors. Yeah, right. I'm mopping because I have to, not to make mother of the year.

I have a commercial mop, great big doodad of a thing that cleans 12 inches of tile in a single swipe. Problem is that I'm developing muscles using it. A major design flaw is that a great big hunking man didn't come with it.

I have a sponge mop with a scrub brush on one side. Problem with it is that I have 2200 feet of tile. Swipe, swipe, scrub, scrub, and then you have to stick it back in the bucket for more water. At that rate, mopping takes me all day.

I have two twisty mops. You know the kind, stick them in the bucket and twist them dry and then mop. They suck too.

I have a small rag mop. It is somewhere in-between the commercial model and the twisties. Have to get my hands wet through to ring it out. It does more tile on a single load of water, though.

And I have a Swiffer Wet Jet. Works okay for those days when the floor needs a lick and a promise. The cleaning cloth falls apart too quickly though; usually after one room. Between the cloth and the solution I am supporting Swiffer. I should buy stock.

I have come to the realization that the best floor is vinyl. Good old-fashioned linoleum. You can give it a swipe, it looks great. You don't need muscles or a bunch of mops. When it looks worn, replace it....it is cheap enough. Just think of the money you'd save not buying Swiffer products.

Retraction on Brokeback Mountain

1/19 - Due to poor press the theatre owners are receiving, and the fact that major awards have been given to Brokeback Mountain, it will be showing in Panama City starting this weekend. Now, my feeling is the same as it is on books...I may not care to read/see it but I defend your right to read/see it. And, I apologize to the Christian right, whoever they may be, as they do not own the local theatres - they just monopolize them.

1/11 - I read an editorial the other day by one of our locals that complained about Brokeback Mountain not playing in our area. So I went to check -- lo and behold, he is absolutely right. The Christian right, left and center are alive and well here in the Panhandle.

I may not have a desire to see this highly-acclaimed movie, but I defend his right to see it. After all, how many movies show gay men as regular guys, not the overly effeminate versions like we see on TV. Now while the Christian right does not want to subject their poor little innocent teenagers to this nasty movie, here is what is playing and to which they sent their kids to with a cherry "have a good time".


Bloodrayne: [R] Strong bloody violence, some sexuality and nudity. Trivia: The half-naked prostitutes in the scene with Leonid (Meat Loaf) are actually real Romanian prostitutes.

Hostel: [R] Three backpackers head to a Slovakian city that promises to meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them. It has old fashioned horror staples of nudity, terror, blood and tension.

Wolf Creek: [R] A chilling, factually-based, story of three road-trippers in remote Australia who are plunged into danger when they accept help from a friendly local. It even gives Tobe Hooper's Texas CHAINSAW MASSACRE a run for it's money.

Grandma's Boy: [R] A 35 year old video game tester has to move in with his grandma and her two old lady roommates. Contains drug use and language throughout, strong crude and sexual humor, and nudity

Yes, these are definitely movies I want my kids to see.