Sunny - Hi 91 Lo 69 for Baghdad, Iraq Sunny - Hi 82 Lo 49 for Qandahar, Afghanistan Sunny - Hi 81 Lo 56 for Northern KY, USA (Unreal!! We still have crickets!)
Song of the week: Sympathy for the Devil, The Rolling Stones
Halloween is just a couple of weeks away... so, I've been listening to stuff like this on my iPod. I was sent one of those chain emails by my niece... one of the questions was... Beatles or Stones? My short answer was *yes*. Of course, it depends on my mood... Even when John Paul George and Ringo were into all the hippy stuff and mysticism... they still came off as the good boys... The Rolling Stones were always the bad boys and the music was always dark... always...
Ramble:
Herk commented last week that he wanted to see some of my photos... Well, I took some a couple of weekends ago when we were visiting Rob and Jo... They live year round at a resort... It's beautiful... Michael and I invite ourselves out there as much as possible.
Anyway, it's not wabbit season... but ummmm... it is deer season... err...uhh... everywhere but where they live... the deer that share this resort with Rob and Jo and their neighbors are off limits to hunters... cameras are okay.
The one thing you quickly realize is that these creatures have personality... lots of personality...
For a better more detailed view, please click on each photo. I have not modified any of these photos... these were downloaded from my camera to my computer... One slight modification is mentioned below.
We were tossing apples at the deer.
Pretty girl.
This is one of two favorite shots from that evening.
We were all amused because the deer were all congregating at this house.... we were surmising they heard there was a party...
This girl seemed to have no fear... was very curious and wanted some more apple.
Look at those long eyelashes!
This guy was huge!
I used a flash and had to doctor this photo to minimize the red eye.
My most favorite...
Before playing the cartoon--- please stop the Sunday song.
Sunny - Hi 113 Lo 87 for Baghdad, Iraq Mostly Sunny - Hi 105 Lo 77 for Qandahar, Afghanistan Scattered Thunderstorms (I hope) - Hi 90 Lo 71 for Northern KY, USA
I am still not up to writing or dealing with anything of a personal persuasion and I am certainly not up to facing the realities of our current government. When did the Republicans Jump the Shark?? Have I stepped into some sort of Twilight Zone episode where black is white, right is wrong, and 2 + 2 = 5?
So Rod Serling speaks...
"You walk into this room at your own risk, because it leads to the future, not a future that will be but, one that might be. This is not a new world, it is simply an extension of what began in the old one. It has patterned itself after every dictator who has ever planted the ripping imprint of a boot on the pages of history since the beginning of time. It has refinements, technological advancements, and a more sophisticated approach to the destruction of human freedom. But like every one of the superstates that preceded it, it has one iron rule: logic is an enemy and truth is a menace..."
-The Obsolete Man, Season 2 from The Twilight Zone
-- If you are a Twilight Zone fan, that came from the introduction to an episode starring Burgess Meredith as a librarian. GREAT EPISODE!
Where was I? OH yes-- I am not facing reality. Instead, I am going to take a look at some of my favorite movies that allow me to escape into another time, another place be it a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away or into some demented twisted dark vision of the future. I'm going to escape into a world of science fiction... Please join me.
sci'ence-fic'tion (sī'əns-fĭk'shən) n. A literary or cinematic genre in which fantasy, typically based on speculative scientific discoveries or developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on other planets, forms part of the plot or background. - American Heritage Dictionary
If you watch the trailers, be sure to turn off the Sunday Song.
In no particular order:
The Empire Strikes Back, 1980 - This is my favorite of the three six movies. By far it is the darkest of them all. No need to explore it any further, if you haven't seen it, you aren't interested. Right?
Lord of the Rings - the entire trilogy Fellowship of the Ring, 2001 The Two Towers, 2002 The Return of the King, 2003 - Peter Jackson hit the mark on every count.
Star Wars, 1977 - This movie captivated all of us. It was a new world that George Lucas created. It wasn't just about the special effects, which were amazing. It was about all of us walking into a theater and experiencing a world none of us had ever seen. It was about good overcoming evil. It was about heroes. It was about the imperfections found in heroes. It was about all of us cheering at the end when the Death Star was blown to bits. We bought into all of it and we loved it.
Brazil, 1985 -Terry Gilliam, best known for his animation for Monty Python created this world that is set in the future but somehow is so very familiar. This is a look at bureaucracy when a simple typographical error is made. If you have never seen this before, it's fun, it's dark. Robert DeNiro is great as Harry Tuttle. Great score.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1977 - Writer/Director Steven Spielberg nailed it. John Williams created the perfect score which in this case was also an integral character - again. WE ARE NOT ALONE.
Young Frankenstein, 1974 - Gene Wilder wrote it, Mel Brooks directed it and scary mad scientist was never more hysterical. One of my all time favorite movies.
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, 1954 - Back when I was a kid when there were only 3 channels, 4 if you counted UHF (and could get it), there was a Sunday show called Creature Feature on Channel 19 WXIX tv. It was great. I have only seen the original Japanese version once (and Raymond Burr isn't in that version). Terrific fun.
Blade Runner, 1982 - I did not realize that Ridley Scott directed this movie. It is one of my favorites and I typically don't like his work... Crap, what if I'm a replicant?
Metropolis, 1927 - I haven't seen this movie in a very long time (I have never replaced my VHS tape). Visually, it is stunning and a great example of German Expressionism. If you are unclear on what communism is, check out this movie.
The Terminator, 1984 - Before The Titanic, James Cameron wrote and directed this little movie. I have to wonder if he wrote in Arnold's accent. Can you change the future by changing the past? "Arr yu Sa-rah Conna?"
Alien, 1979 - Another one directed by Ridley Scott. Maybe I don't dislike him as much as I thought.
Soylent Green, 1973 - One summer while at my grandparents I stayed up and watched the late late show and this was the movie. Oh My Gawd! I decided I would never live in New York City because of this movie. "Soylent Green is made from ____!!!!"
Logan's Run, 1976 - This movie scared the crap out of me when I first saw it. I think by today's standards it will appear dated and hokey. I don't care. I still love it.
King Kong, 1933 - A classic.
The Day the Earth Stood Still, 1951 - Cold War inspired.
The Blob, 1958 - OK this was another Creature Feature movie... BUT besides the Blob, this starred the forever cool Steve McQueen. It doesn't get any better than that. There are others-- E.T. The Extraterrestrial, Men In Black I and II, The Abyss, Sleeper, Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Omega Man, and Planet of the Apes.
And I do realize I do not have Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey listed. Just not crazy about it... Did I miss any of your favorites?
I am riveted by NBC's television series, Heroes. For those of you that believe this show to be a rip off of X-Men... I would say that some of the powers the characters in Heroes have been given are from X-Men, but that is where the similarities end. The characters in Heroes come from all walks of life and they are faced with the daily struggles all us mere mortals must face... from money issues to marital woes to to teenage angst to parenting issues- they are flawed...
Stan Lee, the man behind X-Men, Fantastic 4, Spider-man, The Incredible Hulk and others has stated that super-heroes have the ability to do great things with super human powers, but like all humans, super-heroes are flawed in some way. These characters must overcome their flaws and decide what to do... use their power for good or for evil. And that is what makes this show so enjoyable to watch. This is a group of individuals (with a list that continues to grow) that find themselves with super powers. As each character learns about their ability, they struggle with themselves and what to do with that power- With power comes great responsibility.
If you are not a sci-fi fan, I doubt this post will convince you, but I find the show to be exhilarating and yes... an escape... a place where I can go and get lost in their universe. I hope you give it a shot. Heroes will resume with new episodes on Monday, April 23. You can catch previous episodes on the Sci Fi Channel on Fridays at 7 o'clock in the evening. Or you can catch all the episodes on line.
Heroes are part of our American fabric. Heroes make us believe we are capable of doing anything we set our minds to accomplish. A man doesn't wake up in the morning and decide... "I'm going to be a hero." No, the guy wakes up in the morning and lives his life... making decisions and trying to do the right thing. And when in the sight of danger, despite what can be lost... he still does the right thing... that is what makes him a hero. We have monuments all over this great nation recognizing our heroes- from our neighborhood police and firemen to war heroes like Audie Murphy. Most recently, the man that comes to mind is Wesley Autry--- the guy that jumped down in the subway to save another man while onlookers and his two little girls stood there and watched. I can't imagine what was going through his mind... Mr. Autry did the right thing. Despite danger to himself, he would not allow someone to get hurt while he was "on watch". That message will be one that his daughters will always remember... and they will be better for it- always do the right thing.
Heroes can't do it by themselves... they need our support. They need to know that we stand behind them when they do the right thing. This weekend there were protesters in our nations capital.... they were there to do the usual talking points... "Bush lied, people died... Haliburton Haliburton... 9/11 was an inside job... blah blah blah... !" A.N.S.W.E.R. and the others continue to try and divide this nation and demoralize our military.
In response to this protest... Americans on the other side came together to meet and protect our memorials in a Gathering of Eagles--- To stand silent guard over our nation's memorials, in honor of our fallen, and in solidarity with our armed forces in harm's way today.
Go visit Gunn Nutt, Michelle Malkin, and Mark Levin Fan to see some inspiring photos. Patriot Guard Riders were there. It is estimated that 30,000 folks showed up to show support compared to the 10,000 that fell on the other side...
Everyone that went to stand and protect --Thank You! More importantly, thank you for showing our troops in harms way that we do care about them... that we support them and their mission...
One of my favorite places to visit when I need to be inspired is GCS Distributing. If you only click on one of my links from today's post, I ask that it be this one. Please take 4 minutes to be inspired and to remember that we have men and women in harms way protecting us. The folks there have put together some of the most heartfelt passionate tributes I have ever seen. So, please visit GCS Distributing's Tribute - Honor, Sacrifice, Duty. Please bookmark GCS... and visit them and become a patron if you can.
The most dangerous time for our service men and women is when their minds are distracted from the task at hand by concerns at home or a lack of support from those of us whom they protect.
We can help them keep their focus through our show of support and by assisting the families they leave behind.
Housekeeping:
The reason that my post is late is because I did not click "save"... and then naturally as I was finishing up this post.... I had a server "issue". The resurrection of this post isn't the best, but I'm ticked and this is the best I have to offer on this spectacularly beautiful morning.
Resolve by Foo Fighters Something that I felt today, something that I heard Swingin' from the chandeliers, hanging on your word I remember watchin' you, once upon a time Dancing from across the room, in another life
A little bit of resolve is what I need now Pin me down, show me how A little bit of resolve is what I need now Pin me down, show me how
Lookin' back to find my way, never seemed so hard Yesterday's been laid to rest, change another guard I would never change a thing, even if I could All the songs we used to sing, everything was good
A little bit of resolve is what I need now Pin me down, show me how A little bit of resolve is what I need now Pin me down, show me how
One more year that you're not here has gone and passed you by What happened to you, what happened to you? One more tear that you won't hear has gone and passed you by What happened to you, what happened to you?
A little bit of resolve is what I need now Pin me down, show me how A little bit of resolve is what I need now Pin me down, show me how
A little bit of resolve One more year that you're not here Has gone and passed you by (A little bit of resolve) A little bit of resolve One more year that you're not here Has gone and passed you by (A little bit of resolve) Have a great week everyone!
I have a confession... I love the show Reno 911. It is trashy. It is raunchy. It is sophomoric. It is definitely humor as in Married with Children... you know, guy humor. I love it...Watch the movie trailer, but it may be offensive to some.
Movie trailer-
and from the show... this is just stupid funny-- not offensive... DUI stop
Rain - Hi 44 Lo 39 for Baghdad, Iraq Snow - Hi 37 Lo 33 for Northern KY, USA--- woke up to about 3 inches of the white stuff and it is still falling. abosolutely beautiful.
Song of the week: Respectable Street,XTC- The video clip is from a movie called Urgh! A Music War. I have it on Beta.... would love to get it on DVD, but I don't think you can get it on DVD... The song is off XTC's 1980 ablbumBlack Sea... I still have it... would love to get it on CD so I can download it to my iPod...
Ramble:
Earlier this week like everyone else, I read/heard about this:
"A morning radio show has been pulled off the air and 10 employees have been fired after a woman died last week after trying to win a Nintendo Wii video game console in a water-drinking contest at the show’s studios. The woman, Jennifer Lea Strange, 28, was one of about 18 participants who tried to win the video-game system on Friday by seeing how much water they could drink without going to the bathroom. Ms. Strange drank nearly two gallons over two hours, according to a contestant. She was found dead several hours later. Preliminary autopsy findings indicated the cause was water intoxication."
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: January 17, 2007
OK... so this woman, mother of a couple of kids, loving wife, blah blah blah decides that the only way she can get a Wii for her family is to enter this contest. OK.... fine. The woman like the other contestants signs a release form... relieving the station and it's employees of any liability... OK...fine. She dies from water intoxication.... sad and stupid waste, but OK... fine... The family intends to sue... OK... fine. My question is not "Why was this woman so stupid?" (I am assuming she was informed of the risks involved with drinking so much water without any potty breaks) My question is not "Who made the executive decision at the radio station that this was a good idea?" My question is, "When and why did this become entertainment??" Have we become so fat and lazy as a society that shows such as Jackass became part of our pop culture? I have even caught a couple episodes of recent America's Funniest Home Videos and folks falling down or seemingly getting hurt in one way or another seems to be a main staple. How did we get from Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan to bloody wrestling matches using chairs and ladders and simulated sex acts in a ring????What about the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships)? You are in a caged ring and fight until you give up or the rare occasion when the referee calls it because you have been beaten to a bloody pulp. Why is it that we give a rat's behind over the likes of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohen, and Britney God Help Us Spears -- Celebrity for the sake of celebrity. The list of what is construed as entertainment today is endless and mindless.... I do not exempt myself as a holier than thou on this topic either... the only part of American Idol that I watch are the opening weeks of the season with the auditions... why am I compelled to watch folks embarass themselves and then watch judges be mean, nasty, and rude? Why do I find that entertaining?
Or what about this?"A prostitute presents a creation from the Daspu Fall/Winter 2007-2008 collection in Rio de Janeiro January 19, 2007. Daspu is a fashion house founded and run by prostitutes whose designs have become the talk of Brazil's fashion industry nine months after its start. Its success has surprised its founders, who see its sudden prominence as a revolutionary moment for a country long ambivalent about its world-famous sex industry." Reuters
"The Roman satirist Juvenal, writing in the first century AD, lamented that "the people that once bestowed commands, consulships, legions, and all else, now meddles no more and longs eagerly for just two things, 'bread and circuses'. Juvenal had the misfortune of living in a time when the civic virtues of the early Roman republic were a distant memory, when the moral dry rot, which eventually destroyed Rome from within, was already far advanced. Juvenal saw that the Roman citizenry had become so addicted to entertainment and pleasure that they had lost the capability of governing themselves. Juvenal's scornful term 'panem et circenses or bread and circuses'has become synonymous with mindless self-gratification."
Steve Bonta
I would love to say I'm optimistic for our country and our collective soul, but I'd be lying... Someone please reassure me...please!!!
"Ben Franklin warned that 'only a virtuous people are capable of freedom'. Great republics die like aging trees, from the inside out. By the time of Juvenal, Rome was at the height of her imperial splendor, seen from the outside. But within, the Rome that had produced men like Cicero and Scipio was already gone. The hollow shell of empire persisted for centuries thereafter, but its demise had already been largely determined, because the Roman citizenry had come to prefer diversion over virtue."
Song of the week: Sympathy for the Devil, The Rolling Stones
We were tossing apples at the deer.
Pretty girl.
This is one of two favorite shots from that evening.
We were all amused because the deer were all congregating at this house.... we were surmising they heard there was a party...
This girl seemed to have no fear... was very curious and wanted some more apple.
Look at those long eyelashes!
This guy was huge!
My most favorite...
