Well, this is an interesting rarity: for the first time since I can remember, I received everything I asked for for Christmas. Of course, you could argue that I had a short list, which I did.

One thing I didn't ask for, but probably should've in hindsight: boxer shorts. Then again, maybe I was better off keeping this to myself. I mean, if the genders were reversed, that would've made for uncomfortablity on a number of levels.

Dominic Frontiere (1931-2017)

Another composer has left us, and while I'm willing to own up to the fact that I don't know as much about Dominic Frontiere as I did Daniel Licht or Terry Plumeri, it's always a sad day when a composer passes on.

I really liked his theme for the TV series "Vegas" and his music for the made-for-TV horror movie Don't Go to Sleep seemed to come from the 'score the movie they should've made instead of the one they did' school (and I'm still miffed that I've misplaced the track listings I made for this).

On the film side, I'm most aware of two of his collaborations with director Richard Rush: his slinky music for Color of Night (which I hope gets a full release, someday) and his delightful circusy music for The Stunt Man. The latter also featured a touching, pseudo-Bondian love theme, "Bits and Pieces" performed by Dusty Springfield.

He will be missed.

P.S. It is truly weird to think that his theme for "The Rat Patrol" was sampled for Black Eye Peas' "Fergilicious".

Based on only a cursory understanding of the justice system, I'd like to think that, in the reboot of Shaft, Carla Howard was found not guilty. Let's look at the facts: Walter Wade Jr. killed her son, Trey, and was found not guilty. Right away, that should create sympathy for her (after all, who knows how many people in her neighborhood and the five boroughs have been killed by assholes thinking they could get away with it?), but then, Wade gets off throughout the movie (but for his run-ins with Shaft and Peoples). A trial is set up, but every juror they bring in is biased (the sympathy angle), so, if she doesn't get away with it, she's facing - at most - a slap on the wrist.

Again, this is a cursory understanding of the justice system. I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again.

Sgt. Bilko: In the scene where Bilko collapses in bed ("I'm paralyzed. I have no feeling from the hair down."), the camera focuses on an autographed picture on his nightstand. I couldn't make out the message, but the signature (and subjects of the picture) was clear as day: "From Donald and Marla".

Bilko was supposed to be the good guy, yes?

Apparently, this dish (known as 'hotdish') is all the rage in the Midwest, but a mixture of Chicken Pot Pie and Tater Tots should definitely be a thing all over America. Hell, it should be a thing in my house.

Chicken Pot Tot Hotdish