Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Speaking of Hotstuff (In Memory of Mr. Squirrel)

Speaking of the-movie-formerly-known-as-Hotstuff (Catch a Fire), I think it's about time we reflect on the weather.

Sure others might do that by discussing global warming, and you might even be expecting me to give it a film angle, and start discussing An Inconvenient Truth or The Day After Tomorrow but I have some other thoughts in mind.

Rather I want to pay homage to a special friend that I never had a chance to meet...I never knew his name, but he was a happy squirrel I'm sure. My only encounter with him was the other night when my wife and I were walking and there it was, the dead squirrel that had passed out due to presumed heat stroke (although some suspect heat induced suicide).

In honor of that dead squirrel, I wanted to reflect on some thoughts about heat.

I wanted to think about 1988 the year the Super Soaker 50 came out. Granted, The Super Soaker 100 and 200 followed afterwards, among with others, but the world of water guns was never the same again. Once again, the science of pressure is put to use with this genius invention. I loved my Super Soaker 50.

I also remember a good friends Mission: Impossible Birthday Party in College which ended in a giant water balloon fight.

But Mr. Squirrel, I realize your quest, obscene heat can real danger. In fact, my good friend Bennett posted earlier in the year about how peace could be achieved through the implementation of world wide air conditioning. Granted, there are challenges to be overcome but as Bennett put in such patriotic words: "Let's turn down the thermostat on violence. Let's freeze out terror, and blow air not bombs."

Perhaps Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger does not realize the power of temperatures over tempers, as he ordered thermostats to be set to 78 degrees in state buildings. I guess better safe then sorry, loss of power could cause a loss of cool...and we'd hate to see people in California get to hot...remember the LA riots?

Although this could be the year of Vermont riots because there they've been told to keep the thermostat at 80 degrees.

But even though I get the pleasure of air conditioned buildings, Mr. Squirrel, I feel your pain, I drove by the bank in the late afternoon and the thermometer read 108 degrees. How can we stand it.

Well, I encourage us to draw inspiration from possibly my favorite movie, In America. Do you remember the scene where Paddy Considine goes through all the obstacles to get the air conditioner up to the top of his apartment building to help cool down his family. What a great image of love and a true understanding of the power of cool temperatures.

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8 comments:

Sher said...

I'm glad that our regulated temperature at work is 73. They don't let us change it. I'm glad Arnie isn't in control.

Paula said...

I'm glad I live in Canada. For at least six months of the year, you heat things up instead of trying to cool them down.

You can always put on more sweaters if you're cold, but if you're hot, you can only strip to naked, and that's usually not enough.

J.D. said...

Dude, SuperSoakers were the shizzle when I was that age. I remember when they came out. I had a little water pistol, and then my cousin breaks out that big mofo and hoses us all down. Pure evil, and I made sure to get one first thing.

airplanejayne said...

poor Mr. Squirrel.......

But can't you just hear his last words?
"....global warming my ars......"

btw - thanks for the comment on my blog...

:)

Anonymous said...

Ahhh...In America -- one of the finer films of the past decade.

Yes, I can see him pulling it through the New York streets. You're right, a powerful image of love.

KFarmer said...

Loved that movie- I thought I was the only one who saw it until I read your reference.

jasdye said...

LA had riots? no!!!

poor, poor californians. with that big deficit of yours (heck, of ours in IL), the mandate makes perfect sense. now all you need is to circulate that air (seriously, with our two fans blowing high in our li'l apt., i had to turn the a.c. back up to 80. 78 was chilling my body. but not my soul.)

avocadoinparadise said...

Poor squirrel!!! And poor polar bears and penguins living on melting ice! How can people be so selfish not to greenify their climate changing ways when it means that our furry friends are dying? Cute happy polar animals cannot live without the ice. Did anyone see March of the Penguins?