Well, enough fooling around with these cyber-widgets and gee-gaws. How about some actual content?

Today Arnold Schwarzenneger is to be sworn in as governor of California. Over the weekend I rented Pumping Iron, the "docudrama" that first introduced the Austrian Oak to a mass audience. It's a creepy little film, especially if you find bodybuilding a creepy little sport, like I do. Is it even really a sport? Admittedly, it takes an awful lot of exertion and physical stamina and all that, but as far as I can tell, the whole point is to make yourself look like the most bulbous freak imaginable and master the goofiest possible poses to accentuate said bulbosity. Hey, it's a goal, I guess.

Anyway, I'm glad I don't live in California anymore, because I would prefer not to have a governor I've seen in tight shorty-shorts. (True, I did live in Massachusetts under the reign of Michael "The Thong" Dukakis, but he had a certain Greek nobility that made it okay.) The Arnold of yesteryear shares his drive for success with the viewer by relating the story of how he skipped his father's funeral so as not to be distracted from training for an upcoming competition, and taunts his chief rival, soft-spoken hulk Lou Ferrigno, trying to psyche him out before their big showdown.

The DVD includes an interview with the Arnold of today, his face three sizes tighter, explaining that all that was made up for the cameras to "increase der chrama." He does, however, admit that the "choint" he is seen smoking on camera contains real marijuana and that he did in fact inhale.

It's kind of an interesting time capsule, but that bodybuilding shit sure is goofy.