Okay, it's a bit of a 'me day' today. I'm just goofing around, and having some 'me time', and might even have a nap. Never thought I'd see the day when the highlight of my day was a nap, but it appears to be heading that way. I have finalised all the corrections on my manuscript, and I am confident to submit it to my publishers. I'm actually just waiting to hear back from them as to whether they want me to submit some random chapters and a synopsis, or just the novella in its entirety and a synopsis. Yes, it's really only novella length, so if it is accepted for publication, you have no excuse to not read it because it won't take long. All going well, it will be out some time next year.
On this, my 'me day', I've been thinking about 'Back to the Future', yesterday (21 October 2015) being THE day. I love those movies. They are rare in that they are movies from the Eighties that didn't totally suck donkeys' balls. The Eighties movies I hate the most feature cheesy homo-erotic montages, Kenny Loggins in the soundtrack, and Steve Gutenberg. I saw the first one when I was nineteen, and loved it. I remember thinking when Marty was to pay for something, it was lucky he was in the US; had the movie been set in Australia he would have been totally screwed because in 1955 people were using the pounds, shillings, and pence, and he'd have had a wallet full of decimal currency. Yeah, I'm probably the only person who thought about that. Please try and find it a more charming aspect of my otherwise eccentric personality.
The scene where Marty's future mother tries to kiss him made me go 'ick', but it was important for the integrity of the movie. Love the part where he's playing 'Johnny B Goode' and the band's lead singer, Marvin Berry, rings his cousin Chuck to tell him about this great new sound. And of course, everyone loves it when Marty's future father George McFly gives Biff a bloody good, well, biff in the jaw and knocks the overbearing prick unconscious. I think Crispin Glover (George McFly) was fantastic in this movie - he's very underrated.
So, what's going to happen with the pokies now, folks? I've heard about a proposed class action that will claim by their very nature, they breach consumer law. They are designed to keep the player transfixed with their noises, graphics, and lights. I guess they're similar tricks used by hypnotists, perhaps. I'm intrigued by this proposed class action because of my legal background. It seems interesting. But as an Everyday Joe (or Josephine, in my case), I just want to respond to the criticism that the machines are designed to keep people mesmerised with a reverberating, 'Well, duuur-URRRRRRR!'
I will say this: I fucking hate the things. I used to go and watch bands years ago, but that dried up when the pokies were installed in the band's area. Also, there is nothing more dull than being on a night out with friends who ignore you and play the pokies. But the same argument can be applied to friends who look at their phones all night, and ignore their physical company as they indulge in their cyber alternative. Yes, gambling addiction destroys families and lives. So too does alcoholism. I see no call for booze to be banned.
Some people enjoy a light flutter. Let them do it. If people have problems with poker machine addiction, ask you be banned from the area, or premises. Or alternatively, take up line dancing somewhere where the poker machines are not. I know the draw of addiction is powerful, and my suggestions are probably too simplistic, but maybe they're a start.
Another thing: clubs often rely very heavily on the revenue generated by the poker machines to continue their operation as a business. This business provides employment, and a flow on effect regarding employment (deliveries, suppliers, chefs, wait staff, cleaners et al). Clubs provide community services and support, too. Without their poker machine revenue, this would all stop.
I admit the legal aspect of this law suit interests me, as abovementioned. But can people also take some responsibility? I recall an interview with Danny Bonaduce, whom you might recall was a child actor in 'The Partridge Family'. I personally find him very engaging and funny, but I had total respect when he spoke about his addictions. When it was put to him whether his former child stardom had contributed to these, he said words to the effect, 'I'm an alcoholic because of a flaw in my genetic make-up. When I was in rehab, there were also lawyers, accountants, and dentists, but only one former child actor, and that was ME. You wouldn't go up to someone in rehab and say, 'You must have been child dentist', would you?' Good points.
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