75 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Oct. 2, 1936 Any hunter or other user of a firearm, who acciden- tally injures or kills another person, can never again carry a firearm of any kind in the state of Oregon, it was made known today through a ruling of Attor- ney General L.H. Van Winkle, requested by C.C. Proebstel, Umatilla county district attorney. Proebstel declared this morning that the Oregon statue which emphatically forbids the possession of a firearm by anyone who has ever in- jured or killed a person with a firearm is codified in the 1930 Oregon Code as 72- 103. This little-publicized section of the Oregon law was noted by Proebstel dur- ing an investigation following the accidental wounding of Arthur LeRoy Bray by one of his deer hunting companions near Tower mountain last week- end. 50 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Oct.2, 1961 Eastern Oregon legisla- tors may meet soon to determine whether they can do anything about a reapportionment plan an- nounced Thursday. There has been some talk about contesting the plan, which would reapportion several veteran Oregon legislators out of the Oregon legisla- ture and pit others against each other. One of those who would be “reappor- tioned” out of the legislature, Sen. Loyd Key, D-Milton-Freewater, re- ported today that Eastern Oregon legislators “may have a meeting very soon to see if something can come out of it (talk about con- testing the plan).” 25 Years Ago From the East Oregonian Oct. 2, 1986 Shannon McLaughlin, a student at Heppner High School, has been selected as one of 50 state semifi- nalists in the “At Issue” essay competition. The competition is part of a statewide program created to increase student interest in the political process. Ten semifinalists have been se- lected from each congressional district. A panel of judges coordinated by the Oregon Department of Education will conduct regional interviews of the students Friday through Wednesday. Judges will then select 10 students, two from each district, to par- ticipate in a live, televised issues forum on Oct. 19 with gubernatorial candidates Norma Paulus and Neil Goldschmidt. Today is the 275th day of 2011. There are 90 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in His- tory: On Oct. 2, 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn as an associate jus- tice of the U.S. Supreme Court as the court opened its new term. Today’s Birthdays: Singer- songwriter Don McLean is 66. Photographer Annie Leibovitz is 62. Singer-actor Sting is 60. Actress-talk show host Kelly Ripa is 41. Page 2C East Oregonian Sunday, October 2, 2011 MILESTONES Style for your windows, savings for you. • Twenty years experience • Free lifetime repairs • Fair prices • Installation included • Complimentary in home consultation 541-624-2333 CCB#94700 Located in La Grande Now Serving Pendleton! Call Deb Allstott Today Jay and Jan Wheelhouse will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Sat- urday, Oct. 15, 2011, beginning with a reception from 2-4 p.m. at the Her- miston Assembly of God Church, 730 East Hurlburt Ave., Hermiston. Jay met Janice Martin July 11, 1959, at a rodeo dance in Heppner when she was a princess to the Morrow County Fair and Rodeo. They married June 18, 1961, at the Methodist church in Heppner, and af- ter a honeymoon to Victoria, B.C., they lived in Arizona at Williams Air Force Base for 3½ years, where Jay was an instructor in pilot training. In January 1965 the fam- ily moved to Heppner to ranch with Jan’s parents, Randall and Marie Martin. The couple also worked with the youth in the church during those years. In Sep- tember 1969 they moved to Hermiston, where Jay worked at C&B Livestock cutting the fat cattle for market for 11 years. They bought a home just outside the city limits and enjoyed farm life for 27 years. Jan was a stay-at-home mom and enjoyed leading 4-H clubs for 12 years and also taught wool tailoring class- es through Blue Mountain Community College. In 1981 Jay began his insurance and investment business. Jan helped as secretary for the business for 18 years, re- tiring in 2001. She also enjoyed waitressing at a Mexican restaurant for five years, and worked for JoAnn Fabrics in Hermis- ton for two years. In 1993-94 Jay and Jan spent a year in Ivanovo, Russia, with CoMission helping put Christian ethics and morality back in the school system of the CIS. Jay was the team leader for the 16 who came from the U.S.A., Canada and New Zealand. They have re- turned twice to Ivanovo to help with ministry. Jay and Jan moved to McKay Creek this summer — not to retire, but to be closer to his work on the ranch yet still be involved with his insurance business. Jay’s activities have in- cluded 35 years with Kiwanis Club and co-chair- ing the Mayor‘s Prayer Breakfast in Hermiston, leading Bible studies at the prison for over 30 years, be- ing a leader and teacher at the Hermiston Assembly of God Church, photography, hunting and helping Jan’s fa- ther at McKay Creek ranch. Jan’s activities included leading 4-H clubs in sewing and cooking, teaching how to sew with wool, leading Bible classes, painting, singing in choir and for weddings and funerals, playing piano, organ and keyboard, reading, and learning to quilt in the last 10 years. Their son, Greg Wheel- house, graduated from BMCC and is now taking his junior year at OSU pursu- ing a degree in engineering. Their daughter Karen Wheelhouse lives on the is- land of Sardegna, Italy, west of Rome. She and her fi- ance’ Carlo Boldrini will be visiting during the celebra- tion. Jan and Jay also have one grandson, Tyler Wheel- house. Wheelhouse Jay and Jan Wheelhouse now and in 1961 ANNIVERSARY Flora and Ron Patterson of Hermiston are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Emily Ann Ebert, to Chase Hager- man. Chase is the son of Lisa and Brad Hagerman, also of Hermiston. The cou- ple resides in Eugene. Emily is a 2003 graduate of Hermiston High School and a 2007 graduate of the University of Oregon, where she earned a bache- lor’s degree in psychology. She works as a producer for Health Care conferences in Eugene. Chase graduated from HHS in 2002. He is cur- rently attending U of O and Embry-Riddle Aeronauti- cal University. He works as a mechanic for Bi-Mart. The couple will ex- change vows Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, at Pendleton Cen- ter for the Arts in Pendleton. Ebert-Hagerman Emily Ann Abert and Chase Hagerman ENGAGEMENT Dear Abby: My mother passed away recently. My sister, who lives in another state, flew in with her 4-year-old daughter, “Nikki,” to at- tend Mom’s wake. When the wake ended, Nikki be- gan to place stickers on Mom’s hands and one on her face. The stickers had been given to her by another guest before the service started. When my 18-year-old daughter saw what her cousin had done, she removed them, and Nikki threw a tantrum and refused to leave the casket. My sister spoke qui- etly to her, trying to get the child to leave, then allowed her to put at least two more stickers on my mother’s hand. Finally, I gently picked Nikki up and took her away from the casket. My father is a mild-man- nered man and, although he frowned in disapproval, he said nothing. This has caused a huge rift between my sister and me. I feel a 4-year-old is too young to attend a wake. Nikki should not have been allowed to put stickers on my mother. My sister says I “undermined” her parenting and had no right to inter- vene. What are your thoughts? — Saddened In New Jersey Dear Saddened: If one defines parent- ing as teaching a child appropriate behavior, your sister wasn’t parenting at all. Although the child was well-inten- tioned, unless the stickers said “Return to Sender,” they had no place at the fu- neral. My condolences to your family. Dear Abby: I’m a 32-year-old single fe- male. I have a child and am currently in a relationship with “Ty,” who has two children of his own from a divorce. This is a very difficult situation for me. I love Ty, but there’s so much drama re- lating to his ex-wife and dealing with the post-divorce behavior problems of his kids, I sometimes don’t know how much more I can handle. The ex constantly throws herself in my face, trying to be friends. And the shuffling of his kids from our house to hers creates issues. I need advice on what to do. I’m unhappy, and it is getting worse. How can I improve the situation before I just give up? — Over- whelmed In Iowa Dear Overwhelmed: Before giv- ing up, let me remind you that as a 32-year-old single mother, you will be encountering more and more men with “baggage” — so you might as well learn to cope with it now. If you’re going to have a future with Ty, it is in YOUR best interest to become a “friend” of his ex-wife. Should you marry him, a cordial and cooperative relationship will be better for everyone. Look at it this way: Because Ty’s chil- dren are acting out — which is to be expected — the most effective way to deal with it is to form a united front. Dear Abby: I recently started dating a wonderful man, but there’s one problem: On several of our dates he was dressed like he was staying home to watch TV — wearing dirty pajama-type shorts, ripped T-shirts, stuff I’d barely wear even if I were home sick. I have gently tried to suggest he wear something else, but he has no concerns about his appearance. Any ideas? — Baf- fled In Baltimore Dear Baffled: The wonderful man you are seeing is either eccentric or a slob. If you have “gently” tried to suggest that he make himself look more presentable when you go out and have gotten nowhere, you have two choices: Accept him just as he is, or look further for male companionship. © 2011 Universal Uclick Niece’s behavior at wake presents a sticky situation DEAR ABBY Advice JEANNE PHILLIPS A crucial aspect of movie cri- tiquing is realizing — and accepting — some movies are simply mediocre. Certain movies just aren’t memorable. It’s not to say they’re awful or not worth seeing, just that they are nothing special. This week- end’s new rom-com “What’s Your Num- ber?” falls neatly into this category. Its biggest accomplish- ment is the continuation of the smutty chick flick, heralded by this summer’s surprise hit, “Bridesmaids.” “What’s Your Number?” stars the oft-underused Anna Faris (“Scary Movie”) as Ally Darling, an unemployed 30-some- thing city girl constantly dropping genital jokes while awkwardly navi- gating through her slow-moving life. After reading a Marie Claire sur- vey regarding the direct correlation being the number of intimate lovers a woman has and the ability to find a husband, Ally worries her free- wheeling ways will leave her unattrac- tive to the “one.” After comparing notes with her friends, she’s shocked to learn she has marked the most notches in her belt: 19. The survey’s dreaded number: 20. (Because Marie Claire is know for its scientific integrity.) Determined to trace her steps and find Mr. Right in her previous en- counters, Ally enlists the help of her hunky, roguish next-door neighbor, Colin Shea (Chris Evans, “Captain America”), to aid her in tracking down her long-ago beaus through whatever means possible. (Face- book has never been so disturbing.) Whether through psychosis or be- cause of the copious amount of liquor flowing through her system at any given moment, she believes one of her previous 19 lovers will pro- pose and rescue her from striking out at 20. By agreeing to help her, Ally allows Colin, a struggling musician, to slink away from the mornings after his one-night stands until they have left his apartment. Despite some clev- erly placed jokes and one-liners, “Number” is underde- veloped and choppy. A strong and raunchy start quickly fizzles into shameless chick-flick sensibility. The bare-strings plot suffers even further from an unsurprising se- quence of events and a finale you could see coming from the moon. And everyone from previous boyfriends to Ally’s ridiculous friends wax idiotic. It gets a bit grit- ty. Even so, Faris still is a riot, show- ing off her comedic timing and stunning the audience with the quips that seamlessly flow from her mouth. She’s zany and quirky, a tour de force who’s able to drag even Evans’ womanizing character along with her. And though her life is near shambles, Ally’s effervescent per- sonality continues to propel her along, one insane adventure after another. “What’s Your Number?” was adapted for the screen by Gabrielle Allan and Jennifer Crittenden and is directed by Mark Mylod. The movie is based on Karyn Bosnak’s 2006 novel, “20 Times a Lady” (which might explain Ally’s strange fascination for Lionel Richie songs). With its adult themes, you would think it would have been more crass, but the movie settles into the doldrums far too quickly. Because, as what always happens in real life, Ally gets to decide between not just one but two desirable men. A major subplot involves the com- ing wedding of Ally’s younger, more ladylike sister, Daisy (Ari Graynor), to yet another good-looking guy (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), and the nev- er-ending disapproval radiating from her Ally’s mother, Ava (Blythe Danner), regarding her wayward be- havior. Then there are her hilarious exes, some more interesting than others. There may be a puppeteer who introduces some ... character ... into the bedroom. In the end, Faris doesn’t get pushed far enough, she and Evans don’t appear together enough (there’s plenty of comedic chemistry there) and there’s not enough raunchy comedy for a movie that ex- plicitly follows in the footsteps of “Bridesmaids.” If it makes you feel better, both Faris and Evans are half-naked for the better part of the movie. Enjoy. Two sexy stars out of five. ■ Dominic Baez is a paginator for the East Oregonian. Contact him at [email protected]. It’s hard to believe “Mon- eyball” ever got made. The book, written in 2003 by Michael Lewis, largely deals with statistical in- equalities in the game of baseball. Bill James, the fa- ther of sabermetrics, is a main character in the book. So is Jeremy Brown, an overweight catcher who, as a minor leaguer, got on base a lot. There are long pas- sages about statistics such as WARP and VORP, and the book revolves around a team that never even played for an Ameri- can League title. It’s really a story better suited for a PowerPoint presentation than a motion picture. I mean no disrespect to the book, which is my favorite on the sport and pretty compelling for any fan of the game. But it really doesn’t have box office appeal. What the film does so well is play as a companion piece rather than a re-telling. The movie centers on Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), the general man- ager of the small market Oakland Athletics trying to keep up with the big spenders in baseball. To do this, he must find undervalued talent and con- vince the manager, Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoff- man) to play the team the way it was built to be played. That means drawing walks, not bunting and not trying to steal bases instead of following the century-old blueprints of the game. He builds the team with Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), a fictional character playing roughly the part of assistant GM Paul DePodesta. Much of the movie’s humor comes from the interplay between the physically opposite, philosophically identical pair. The conflict between Beane and Howe, and Beane and the old guard scouts, and Beane and the team’s owner, is what drives the movie. It’s the underdog-and-his- buddy-against-the-world story you’ll find in any sports movie, written with enough intelligence to explain the relevance of the work- ings of an MLB front office. In the conflicts and the details, there is a great movie. Whether its the A’s trying to beat the miserable Royals to set a baseball record, Beane feverishly working a deal for a middle reliever, or an aging star learning how to draw a walk, you want to see the little guy prove the baseball world wrong. But mostly, you’re rooting for Beane, who is made much more likable in Pitt’s portrayal than in Lewis’ description. There’s a healthy dose of backstory on him, and the pieces of Beane that don’t show up in the book are what make the story work on the screen. Whether or not they are true is another one. And that brings up the movie’s greatest flaw — its problematic in- accuracy. As a retelling of the 2002 season, this movie is a failure. No mention is made of MVP Miguel Tejada or Cy Young winner Barry Zito, for instance. And the time- line is scrambled for dramatic effect. Fortunately, the 2002 Oakland A’s aren’t that important. The movie’s message, especially in the sports world, is. Four stars out of five. ■ Daniel Wattenburger is the news editor at the East Oregonian. He can be reached at dwattenburger@east- oregonian.com. At the movies DANIEL W ATTENBURGER ‘Moneyball’ pits Beane against the baseball world ‘Number’ doesn’t aim high enough for laughs At the movies DOMINIC BAEZ MOVIE REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW “What’s your Number?” ★★★ ★★ ★★ ★ “Moneyball” ★★★★★ ★ DAYS GONE BY 20th Century Fox Anna Fari and Chris Evans star in “What's Your Number?” HISTORY