Monday, May 05, 2008
PHC in Maine
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
4:00 PM
0
comments
Get Your Choo-Choo On!
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
2:52 PM
1 comments
Saturday, April 26, 2008
It's the Economy, Stupid!
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
11:57 AM
0
comments
Friday, April 18, 2008
King Korn

When I saw the coming attractions in my monthly Maine PBS viewing guide that there was going to be an independent film called King Corn shown, I quickly assumed it would be about King Korn trading stamps, those orange and gold flecks of paper that, as a youth, I had spent innumerable hours licking and sticking into trading stamp books. All the rage in 1964, the trading stamps were given away to patrons at grocery stores and gas stations all around America.
But the King Corn here is an independent film about...corn. I strongly encourage everyone to see this film if it comes close to your home or on your TV. It is a real eyeopener.
The film is about two young dudes who, upon learning that their bodies are made mostly of carbon made from corn, decide to move from Boston to Iowa and arrange with a local farmer to grow an acre of corn. After planting and fertilizing, the boys have plenty of time to discover what happens to the corn growing in their field. It is a fascinating discovery.
Not surprisingly, if you Google the words King Corn (or King Korn), you will find a paid ad from the Corn Refiners Association disputing the findings of the film. Geez, you'd think they would be thrilled by all of the free advertising. But Corporate America is obviously paranoid, and well protected by the powers in Washington.
In addition to MPBN, King Corn will be shown in Portland, ME next Friday, April 25th at SPACE
Can't wait, check out King Corn on You Tube.
~j
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
8:06 PM
0
comments
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
My Footprint
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
12:07 AM
0
comments
Friday, March 28, 2008
Where ya been?
I know, I know. I'm a fair weather blogger.
The problem is I am maintaining - or trying to maintain - three blogs and when things get crazy, the blogs suffer.
Anyway, I am sitting in a Marriott Courtyard in Farmington, CT. I'll be attending the memorial service for my Uncle Bob Brandt who died last month in Florida. Uncle Bob - or as we called him - Uncle Bobby - was the youngest in his family of four children and the last of his generation of Brandts. It will be an emotional day.
Anyway, I arrived here around 7:30 and headed over to the local mall, Westfarms, and had dinner at the Ruby Tuesdays.
I guess no one told the people of central Connecticut that there is a national recession and everyone is suppose to be hold up in their depreciating homes waiting for the end of the world. At 9:15 pm the mall is mobbed with people. Folks are still waiting in line to get a table at RT and the parking lot is still filled.
Strange.
~j
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
10:01 PM
0
comments
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Sweet Caroline
I was traveling home from Washington, DC two weeks ago and picked up the Sunday New York Times at Union Station. First, I was a little freaked by having to pay over $5 for a newspaper, but I figured it would keep me occupied for several hours.
I used to read the Sunday Times when I lived in New York. We were initially a Herald Tribune family and only became a Times family when the Trib went out of existance. New York has two kinds of people: Times people and Daily News people. People don't read the Post.
So, there I was, streaming along in the Acela at 130 mph reading the Sunday Times and sipping on some orange juice.
And then I read something that brought tears to my eyes.
"OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they
wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did
when my father was president..."
My mind returned to a time many years ago. Thoughts of two small children on a cold day in late November who had just lost their father. A few years later they would lose an uncle. Both deaths were violent and crushed the nation's spirit. My interest in politics was born with the election of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. My sense of cynicism was born when Bobby was murdered.
Can I/we risk taking a chance on another charasimatic politician.
Caroline ends with, "I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them."
In understand completely.
~j
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
9:54 PM
1 comments
I am a Patriot
I love Bill Belichick. My family in NY hates Bill Belichick for "what he did to the Jets." New Yorkers hold grudges for a long time.
I love Tom Brady. I "dislike" the Mannings, especially Peyton. Tom's all about team, Peyton is all about himself.
It was a great NFL season to be a Pats fan. I watched some of the great football this season. I didn't really care if they went 19-0. In fact, I was hoping the streak would end at 16 or 15. I would have been fine if the Giants had one that game at the end of the season and the Pats entered into the post-season with one loss. It would have sparked something. Had the Giants one that first game in December, I am convinced the Patriots would be the World Champs again.
I am looking forward to next year.
I am a patriot.
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
9:24 PM
0
comments
Where Ya Been?
Posted by
john eric brandt
at
9:16 PM
0
comments








