I'd think twice before taking out a life insurance policy at the behest of these ladies:

Portrait Emerges of a Baffling Pair
By Paul Pringle and Hemmy So
Los Angeles Times

In early April, the two women dropped by a Sunday lunch for the homeless at Hollywood Presbyterian Church.

They fit the picture of the charity-minded, a pair of kind souls happy to spend the afternoon helping the less fortunate.

They chatted with church volunteers and found themselves being introduced to Pastor Charles Suhayda.

"They seemed like nice ladies," he recalled. "They were like grandmothers."

The memory of the encounter now chills him.

The women, Olga Rutterschmidt and Helen Golay, are the septuagenarian odd couple charged in an alleged life insurance scam involving the hit-and-run deaths of two homeless men. ...

On Tuesday a federal grand jury indicted Golay, 75, and Rutterschmidt, 72, on 10 counts of fraud in connection with more than $2 million in life insurance policies that they took out on Paul Vados and Kenneth McDavid, who were struck and killed by cars in 1999 and 2005. ...

Rutterschmidt and Golay were not related to Vados and McDavid, but allegedly put the homeless men up in apartments and kept track of them for two years. That is the period after which the insurances policies generally could not be voided for misrepresentations, according to court documents.

The women are accused of collecting the insurance money after claiming to be the men's aunts, cousins, business partners or, in Golay's case, a fiancee. They were arrested after being spotted in the company of other indigent men, authorities say.

I guess the big difference between Arsenic and Old Lace would be the absense of a neurotic Cary Grant. Oh, and instead of his crazy, well-meaning aunts being shipped off to the mental institution, they are instead indicted and sent to prison.

Oh, how times have changed.

Today I finished my last Saturday morning training run. It went well. 10 miles is a lot less than what we've been doing the last 2 months, but it still seemed like a lot to me. It's nice to be done with running for the day by 8 a.m. instead of 10.

I am in utter disbelief that I will be running a marathon in a week. I don't know what I was thinking in January, but I saw this to the end and I'm finally going to get what I've been waiting for. This year, so far, has been shaped by one thing: the marathon.

I knew I was going back to visit my friends in Georgia before the marathon. I know that, according to the little sticker on my car window, I won't have to change my oil again until after the marathon. Not having this huge block in the road is going to be dizzying.

I should point out that while I have a marathon to finish in a week, one major hurdle has already been cleared. I am certain I have made my fundraising goal for the event. Believe it or not, in exchange for training with Team in Training and gaining entry to the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on June 4th, I had to raise $2,600 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. That's a huge sum, and after months of stalling I finally got to it and the last week has been very successful.

I brought cupcakes along with hummus and pita bread to work as a friendly reminder that my fundraising deadline was the day following. I got great reception from my co-workers, and because most of them gave cash, I was able to clump all that money together and have the company I work for match the donation. If it weren't for that program, I know I wouldn't have made it.

I have been worried for months that my goal to run the marathon would be soured by my inability to make my fundraising goal. I knew when I signed up and when I went through recommitment that making the goal would mean I would have to learn to do things I am not comfortable with. Asking people for money is not my strong suit, but I swallowed my fear and convinced myself this was a good cause and people really responded. I'm still getting belated donations!

I ran with a woman this morning who is running her third Rock 'n' Roll Marathon next Sunday. Her father died of cancer and she heard that this was a very positive program to get involved with that would make a difference. I am so fortunate to not have a impetus like this. I just want to fulfill my goal of running a marathon. I feel like, though I am not personally affected by cancer, I have made a difference in the lives of people that are affected. That's going to make finishing this endeavor that much more significant.

Thanks to all that have made contributions to my fundraising effort! Please keep in mind that you can still make a contribution by clicking here.

Wish me luck next week! San Diego, here I come!

I guess you could say my love for Humphrey Bogart began with the film noir The Maltese Falcon, one of my favorite movies. I just love film noir. It's so dark and hopeless, it's hard to believe it came out of Hollywood at the same time they were producing The Wizard of Oz and Singing in the Rain.

Anyways, my experience with film noir is restricted to The Maltese Falcon and the film I'm blogging about today, The Big Sleep. I want to venture out, but the thought of leaving Bogie is kind of scary. I watched The Big Sleep a few years ago (on an excellent date, by the way) and I have to say I was not a fan. It's such a convoluted story with many twists and turns and even more plot holes. Like most older movies, you have to pay near perfect attention to understand the story (and the first time I saw it I have to admit my attention was elsewhere).

So when I got this movie the second time around, I was sure to eliminate all distractions. The story follows a set up very similar to The Maltese Falcon: Bogart is Philip Marlowe, a private dick that plays by his own rules. It's great to see Bogart in a cocky role like this, fending off the likes of Lauren Bacall and various other loose women.

That's the thing I love about old movies. The women are so beautiful and they are often legends in their own right, not like nowadays when any flakey teen star gets spotlighted. Bacall plays a conflicted Vivian Rutledge, out to protect her deranged sister and rout out the sly Marlowe. They've got such great chemistry on screen, it's no wonder they hooked up so well off the screen.

I have to say I enjoy The Maltese Falcon better. William Faulkner actually helped write the screenplay, which might explain why the plot is so complex. The Maltese Falcon is so much easier to understand and it's got action throughout. The Big Sleep sort of hits a climax when Marlowe busts Joe Brody for blackmail, but then it sort of meanders as you wonder what the real story is. It took a few years and a second viewing for me to finally get it, but it was a film I really enjoyed in the end.

I'm not sure what's next on my list of film noir. Ever since I got Netflix, I have been watching movies I have always wanted to see: Arsenic and Old Lace, Casablanca, All About Eve, Bringing Up Baby, Rear Window and Singing in the Rain, among others. My favorite classic Hollywood actors would have to be Bogie, of course, Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe. I don't know what it is about Monroe, but when I saw her in Some Like it Hot, I was instantly in love. Also, I haven't seen a Hitchcock film I didn't love.

I'll be sure to share my thoughts on film as they appear to me. This week, I'm watching Metropolis, a silent film from 1927. We'll see how that goes. In the meantime, if you haven't seen a film noir, pick up The Maltese Falcon (or if you're willing, The Big Sleep) and let me know what you think.

"My, my, my! Such a lot of guns around town and so few brains! You know, you're the second guy I've met today that seems to think a gat in the hand means the world by the tail." ~ Humphrey Bogart as Philip Marlowe, The Big Sleep

Ok, I know I'm going to get some flack for this, but I think I have a thing for Michelle Malkin. Yeah, I know, I know. She's positively ghastly. There's not a commentator out that that is more disgustingly neo-con, with the exception of the deplorable Ann Coulter (a blond I could never admire). I'm not saying Michelle Malkin is my ideological match by far, I'm just saying I don't hate her.

If you know anything about me, you should know that I'm a moderate. As a journalist, and as an extension, a citizen of the United States, I refuse to look at one party for all the answers. I believe each issue facing this county deserves a vigorous debate and no party platform provides all the answers (or any in most cases). While some of my favorite blogs are left-leaning, I do find myself treading on the dark side. When I'm playing in the dirt, you're most likely to see me mudding it up with Malkin.

About a month ago, I saw a video blog by John Aravosis over at PoliticsTV. He runs an interesting blog, AmericaBlog, that mostly spits out the day's top stories along with some liberal bitching and moaning. I go to the blog often, but I can only take so much unabashed Bush bashing. His video blog, Monday Morning Blogger, is even more annoying. Actually seeing the guy parading around like some arrogant would-be broadcast journalist is sometimes too much to bear.

Anyways, he pointed out a few weeks ago that commentator Michelle Malkin had copied his brilliant video blogging idea (yeah right, John, you weren't the first one). So I checked out Malkin's video blog, Vent at HotAir.com. And I have to say, aside from abundance of nausiating neo-conservative fumes, it's much more even-tempered and well done. Malkin does the blog daily and she has quite the face for broadcast. You have to admit she is adorable (even if that cute smile hides a devil within).

One Vent I enjoyed was her rant on conservative commencement speakers. I thought she made a good point. It's ok for Jodie Foster to make a political statement when she delivers a graduation speech (and acts like a complete fool singing an Eminem rap), but when conservative speakers come up to bat, they are ridiculed, protested and booed. I'm not a big fan of Condolezza Rice or John McCain, but they are elected officials in our government and they do deserve a little respect. Not much, but just a little.

I don't always agree with Michelle. Sometimes her video blogs can be kind of scary. During her first full week of video blogging, she covered the upcoming United 93 movie release. She discussed the fact that the film came out to mostly decent reviews (though she disturbingly highlighted that Rush Limbaugh called the film "powerful" -- because that's the first guy I go to for movie reviews) She goes on some diatribe against Universal Studios and its Web site for United 93. But the most disturbing thing about the video blog is the ending. After making her point, she says farewell, and adds, "Never, never, never forget," after which she flashes a few disturbing scenes of 9/11. Ok, what is it with neo-conservatives always invoking 9/11 to make their point? America will never forget, but we will certainly move on. We don't know to be reminded of it every five seconds.

So, as I venture for more balance to my blogging, I will always head to Michelle Malkin for a good Vent. I mean, someone needs to balance out the liberal hotheads. (But, just so you don't think I'm really turning to the dark side -- Michelle Malkin is cute but Markos is cuter ;-)

Everyone has goals and resolutions. My new year's resolution is to run a marathon. It's a really dumb idea I got into my head last year after I ran in the Peachtree Road Race. That was an amazing experience, and even though 6.2 miles was well within my abilities at the time, the thought of running 26.2 miles seemed like it was impossible. I don't know why, but at that moment, I knew that at some point in my life I wanted to do it.

While I was looking for a job, I was considering moving someplace completely different than Georgia. When I landed in California, I thought that fulfilling my marathon goal would be a great task to take on that would help me meet other serious runners. On one boring evening back in February, I signed up to train with an organization called Team in Training, which helps train would-be marathoners and raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Not only would I be fulfilling a life-long goal of mine, I would also be fighting for a noble cause.

The training has been grueling. Almost 2 weeks ago we hit our maximum training distance of 20 miles! That was not pleasant, let me tell you. I know that crossing that finish line is going to feel so freaking amazing, but waking up at the crack of dawn every Saturday for the past 4 months has not been a picnic. Oh, to be out on Friday night instead of woofing down carbs and going to bed early :-(

This week, we take on a simple 10 mile run and then we give it a rest before hitting the track in San Diego on Sunday, June 4th. I am so glad this is almost over. You have no idea what a burden training for a marathon is. I can't wait to have a spot of normalcy for a good rest-of-my-life.

Seriously, when people ask if I'm going to do it again, I shutter at the thought. I refuse to say I'm off marathons for good, but I would say if I ran more than eight miles in a two-hour period in the next three years, it would be too soon. We'll see how I feel after the marathon, though.

I have to say, it feel pretty good striking a major life goal from my list as well as fulfilling my New Year's resolution before summer. Isn't that usually a task given up sometime before Thanksgiving? Well, not for me :-)

Marathon training sucks, and hopefully you are spending your Saturdays doing something much more pleasant. If you want to lend a hand, though, my fundraising deadline is this Friday, May 26th! I need all the help I can get, so please, if you haven't already made a contribution, please send one my way. 75% of the funds we raise goes straight to cancer research. It's a great cause and your contribution is an essential part of my goal to complete the marathon. Please, send some love my way!

If you would like to contribute to my fundraising goal, please click here to visit my donation page. Thanks a bunch!

Well, today I have to do some cross-training. Expect some more marathon news very soon!

[For the photo above, that's me and a bunch of walkers out at Yokohl Valley on a chilly Saturday morning. I am in the #3 group, which means every week I run more than everyone! I usually finish second or third out of the entire South Valley team!]

Last Friday morning, while I was still getting over the sniffles, I considered calling in. The day before I was supposed to run 20 miles for my marathon training and I didn't want to feel miserable all day Friday just to wake up the next morning to tackle a tremendous run. As I sat there, reaching for the cell phone, one man was reason enough to jump in the shower and race off to work: Karl Rove.

When I told my co-worker what had got me into work that morning, he told me that it seemed only me and a bunch of Democrats thought that stupid CIA leak story was of any interest. It got me to thinking: why am I so obsessed with the forthcoming indictment of Karl Rove? What did the Pillsbury Doughboy every do to me?

I don't really know. I never really had anything against the guy. I mean, conservatives aren't all that nasty. Granted, we have a few fundamental differences, but that doesn't mean I want all of them busted for perjury.

Every since the whole Judith Miller/Matthew Cooper tug-of-war, most of us news buffs have been trying to make out heads or tails of what's going on in Patrick Fitzgerald's head. What was the motivation to leak Valerie Plame's name to the media? Whodunit? If it really is this neo-con conspiracy to discredit Joe Wilson after he criticized the Bush administration, why would a Bush-controlled Justice Department appoint a special prosecutor to take down, dare I say, the "Architect" himself. It just doesn't make sense to me.

And we've all heard the buzz the last few weeks. After Rove's fifth appearance before the grand jury, everyone was wondering why he did it. The word on the street is his lawyer requested the additional testimony to give Rove one last chance to plead his case. If that's the case, then did Fitzgerald buy it? I want to know!

We are supposed to know very soon what the outcome of the investigation will be for Rove. I guess you could say I'm on the yay-indictment side of thinking. I have a sinking feeling this innocent looking doughboy has gotten himself into some seedy stuff while at the top of the ladder. If he's not going down for Plamegate, what about those Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads back in 2004? Congress doesn't have the balls to take down their beloved Bush, we have to look to the special prosecutors to do it for them.

Basically, I feel Rove has been caught taking too many cookies from the cookie jar and its time for a time out. As we kooky Democrats and other interested parties wait with baited breath for news, I just hope something interesting will come around to take my attention. These NSA stories are just so boring.

Since I have moved out to California, I have to admit a lot of things are different than back east. Many of these are subtle, though.

It took a few months to realize I hadn't seen a Waffle House in a while. IHOP is the trashy breakfast restaurant here. A whole new fast food restaurant, In-N-Out Burger, serves a position on the dining spectrum I had never considered (Kind of a casual Varsity, if you're curious). And Edy's ice cream, a dessert favorite to many, is mysteriously named Dreyer's. Same box, same flavor, it just says Dreyer's instead of Edy's. Weird...

Gone are supermarkets Publix, Kroger and even the Wal-Mart Supercenter (though that scorge is sure to come). I have to deal with stranger psuedonyms like Vons, Save Mart and Foods Co. It takes some getting used to, but at least I'm not shopping at the Piggly Wiggly.

But of all differences from back home, the most distressing would have to be the absense of some of my favorite foods. The most prominant at the moment is absense of Soy Crisps at my supermarket.

Since finally caving into vegetarianism a year and a half ago, I have adopted some peculiar tastes. I have adopted an array of new foods to keep me satisfied. Soy Crisps were first introduced to me by the sweet cashier-lady at 'Tween the Pages at the UGA library. I have been hooked on them every since, especially when my grandmother bought a bag for me each and every week during my short stint in Dayton, Ohio. Thankfully, most of my meat substitutes are served here in the Valley (minus one multi-purpose vegetarian restarant and Athens-staple), but I am down one bag of Soy Crisps.

I have searched high and low for Soy Crisps in California. After wandering around the Castro for four hours on New Year's waiting for a friend to arrive, I stumbled across some at a Safeway. It's nice to know they are in the state, but I'd rather not drive 3 hours just to silence my hunger.

Also missing is my beloved Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Bread. I have been able to get by on just wheat, but sometimes I wonder what kick PB could deliver if it were smashed between two of my expensive little cinnamon buddies.

Above all, my search for Soy Crisps is paramount. I have been getting by on Veggie Crisps (which Vons does stock), but it hasn't been easy. I just ask, if you are lucky enough to find yourself in an area pleniful in Soy Crisps, don't take them for granted. Buy a bag, maybe even two (or three, send one ot me). Enjoy them while you can. You never know when you'll be begging your local grocery manager for more.

He's been the source of jokes since his mysterious disappearance in 1975 -- Jimmy Hoffa. But, of course, you know where he his. He's with that sock you can't find, that jacket you misplaced or that phone number of that guy you just had to lose. Well, if a recent lead in the case comes to fruition, all your misplaced little trinkets will be found!

F.B.I. Searches Michigan Farm for Remains of Hoffa
By Micheline Maynard
New York Times

DETROIT — In the latest effort to solve a mystery that began more than 30 years ago, the Federal Bureau of Investigations said today that it was following a "fairly credible lead" that the remains of James P. Hoffa, the former Teamsters president, could be buried on a horse farm northwest of Detroit.

Using cadaver dogs borrowed from Detroit police, and aided by students and professors from Michigan State University, F.B.I. agents said they were searching an 80-acre horse farm in Milford, Mich.

Daniel D. Roberts, the special agent in charge of the Detroit F.B.I. office, said the search could take weeks.

At a news conference this afternoon on a dirt road at the entrance to the Hidden Dream Farm in Milford, Mr. Roberts said no trace of Mr. Hoffa had yet been discovered. Nor would he give details of the search warrant, which was sealed by a federal judge in Detroit.

But, Mr. Roberts said, "This is probably a fairly credible lead" in Mr. Hoffa's disappearance. Mr. Roberts, who has been in his position for the past two years, added that it was "the best lead I've come across in the Hoffa investigation."

I, for one, can't wait to write the headline. I mean, it practically writes itself! "They found Jimmy Hoffa!" It's a great story.

But, let's think about this. Do we really want to know the answer to all those '70's mysteries? Remember Deep Throat? The endless guessing game? It could have been anyone! Now that we know it's some spacey old man who's out for money, you gotta ask yourself, "Were we better off not knowing?"

If they find Jimmy Hoffa, what are we going to say when we lose something? "Oh, um, it's off with Amelia Earhart." That's just lame. It's going to be forever before a major public figure is killed by organized crime. I, for one, wouldn't mind switching from Hoffa to one of the Olsen twins.

I would have come up with a wittier ending, but it must have been with Ashley Olsen before they pushed her out of that 747. Such a shame...

Greetings, and welcome to my new blog. I am Nick, and though this isn't the first incarnation of my blog (and it's certainly not the last), this is the first blog I have written in quite a while.

Last we left me, on that other Web site I used to manage, I was moving away. Well, for those who may have followed my adventures back then, you should know that I am living happily in California in the Great Central Valley in a city nessled at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I am working for a newspaper as a copy editor and page designer. My life is quite different than when I was living in Georgia and going to school.

I'm writing a blog again because I miss it. I really like having the opportunity to design a Web page and produce content for it. This blog is just a basic one and will probably change a lot over the summer. I hope to make many nifty little design innovations and what not. But for now, this will serve as a place to let out some steam.

Ok then, as I stand here calling out into the vast emptiness of the Internet yelling, "I'm back!" and the few people that actually give a damn slowly return to read my musings, I'm just going to pretend I've just been dropped into the middle of a song. No reason to make a big production out of this.

It feels good to be back :-)

Nick