The Popcorn Stand: Attack of Killer Tumbleweeds — and Nicolas Cage

I’ve been making a lot of references to Nicolas Cage lately, but I can’t resist another one. The latest horror movie in which I would like Cage to star in the leading role in which art imitates life is “Attack of the Killer Tumbleweeds.”

The Sons of the Pioneers could even sing the theme song for the movie to the music of “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” but instead of “Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds” they could sing “Attack of the Killer Tumbleweeds.” I see them winning an Oscar for Best Song.

Victorville, Calif., has been invaded by tumbleweeds. The tumbleweeds are all over the place, tumbling down streets and even trapping people inside their homes by stacking two stories high. People are even having to call 911 to deal with these sinister tumbleweeds.

Incredibly, 100 to 150 homes in the area have been affected. And what’s happening in Victorville has gotten national attention as the Washington Post has given the thorny issue coverage.

Victorville is a tumbleweed haven and the conditions in the past week have been the perfect storm, so to speak, for tumbleweeds as dry weather with 60 mph winds have combined to bring the tumbleweed onslaught.

So what Victorville is going through of sorts can be described by this proverb: “Tumbleweed will not enter the mouth of the lying camel.”

Translated, no pain, no gain.

— Charles Whisnand