Movie Review plus Random Musings

We took Liv to see "Bridge to Terabithia" the other day.  Wow! Not what I expected, I was expecting a "Narnia" type of thing.  Not even close.  You will get misty eyed, I don't care who you are.  Not going to say much about it because it will spoil the movie.  It's one of those "sit down and discuss" movies for kids.  Now on to Random Musings.

 

Heroes.  Holy Crap can this show honestly get any better???  Network TV has a habit of ruining a good premise by dumbing it down too much.  "Jericho" is kind of getting there, although last weeks episode pulled it out of the Soap Opera quagmire it was slowly sinking into.  It still amazes me how a bunch of people still want to cling to the "old" ways when it's obvious the world is screwed.  You saw a mushroom cloud evaporate Wichita Kansas.......saw it!!!  Saw other clouds on TV, then the TV went dead.  You've seen a guy with radiation poisoning come crawling into town....but you still cop the attitude that all will be okay.  NO..it won't.   They need to put a big wall around their town and man the catwalks in shifts.  All food is to be divvyed up and rationed, same with water and other supplies.  Anyway....back to a show that is one of the best shows on Network TV.   Heroes isn't holding back.  They are plunging ahead and advancing their storyline while adding more twists and revelations that will continue to advance the whole show for a good long time.  The alignment (to use a Geek term) of the folks involved is blurring.  You aren't quite sure anymore who is a good guy and who is a bad guy.  The one "villain" ends up showing some humanity, the other is just nuts and an obviously evil man.  Surprises abound.  This is some good story telling. 

 

Books.  I'm almost done with the "Song of Fire and Ice" series that has been written to date.  There are three more books coming and that's it.  So far we have one Mother's stubborn recklessness causing an all out War.  Well it didn't really cause the War per se....it gave certain schemers the go ahead to kill the current King.  A nice hunting "accident" put blame on an evil "wild boar".  The Widowed Queen puts her spoiled, cruel son on the Throne which causes the Son of the Stubborn Mother to declare himself a King.  Then the two Brothers of the former King claim they have a right to the Throne.  A fifth faction makes a claim to the Throne as well, and the world erupts into War.  Meanwhile this Stubborn Mother has lost sight of her two Daughters, it's rumored that her two Younger sons are dead (the one who was the cause of her recklessness) and her son that declared himself King is betrayed and murdered.  As is she.  These books are great!!!  The flow of the storyline is well done to the point that the complicated and intricate plots do not get lost.  You can easily follow all the unraveling threads of the tale so far.  I'm also eagerly awaiting news of when they will start casting and filming the HBO Series based on these books.  Each book will be one season.   Trust me, at 1,000 pages average they will need to do one book per season.   Next on the agenda after "Feast of Crows" is "Storm Front" by Jim Butcher.  It's Book one of the "Dresden Files".  Yep the show that is currently on SciFi Channel.  The show is good, but from what I've been told the Books are far superior (isn't it always that way...).  This Series of books is about Harry Dresden who's office door says "Harry Dresden: Wizard".  He's the only Wizard listed in the Chicago Yellow Pages.  He's a PI who the Police go to when the case is "just too weird".  Can't wait to dive into that one.  I will need to pick up the other 5 books in the series so I can read them all.  After that is "Under the Black Flag" by David Corrdingly.  It is the true history of piracy.  Ah yeah.  Can't wait for that either.

The World We Live in

So we've all heard, ad nauseum, about Anna Nicole Smith. A human being died as a result of a tragic life. That's all the respect I will give. That's all the respect she deserves. NOT 24/7 reports of the "MacBethian" tragedy her life was. What we as human beings can derive from this circus is that we are a greedy, vile lot who often times care naught but for ourselves. Now on to JetBlue. A company that like most corporations is concerned with making a profit. But unlike most corporations who screw up, got down on their corporate hands and knees and begged the Country's forgiveness. They addressed a huge issue, resolved it in a quick fashion, then did the honorable thing and said "We screwed up and we are sorry. You deserve better for the money you pay us." WOW!!!! What's funny is the media should be covering this story 24/7, lauding the efforts of JetBlue.....but they don't. Who cares about that. "We" want to hear about the stripper/playmate who married an Old Oil Tycoon with one foot in the grave and where she's to be buried. Who cares!!!

Words or The Pen is Mightier than the Sword.

So last night on the Grammy Awards the "Dixie Chicks" won a crapload of awards.  Now if you remember correctly, 4 years ago these three Ladies were branded "terrorists", "communists", "traitors" etc all because of one member's political opinions.  Apparently after 9/11 it was deemed "traitorous" to speak ill of the Commander in Chief.  Hmmmm....I thought the First Amendment gave us the right to do that without persecution.  Now all Natalie Maines said was this: "We are embarrassed that the President is from Texas."  Now why she felt the need to say this before a song during their concert I don't know.  There is a time and place for Political Agendas, a concert shouldn't be one of them.  But, oh well.  What was so harsh about what she said?  Hell, I'm embarrassed he's my President.  Should people be making Death threats against me????  The problem with her statement, according to a vocal minority, is that she said it on Foreign Soil and just before we invaded Iraq the second time around.  Apparently it's "bad form" to speak ill of the CIC on Foreign Soil.  Huh??????  This lead to a huge backlash as Country Music fans everywhere were burning their CD's and they were being blackballed because of on stupid statement.  People wanted their heads; literally and figuratively.  Heck a co-worker today was making a comment about it and I looked at him and said "What did they do that was so bad?"  He mentioned "what they said about the troops" and they rank right up there with Hanoi Jane Fonda.  Not likely.  I went to wikipedia to see if they indeed said something about the troops.  They didn't.  Natalie Maine did say something about questioning the need to be Patriotic.  I am patriotic, because I love the Country I was born in; the US, but I always thought Patriotism was taken way too far after 9/11.  All of a sudden people are flying flags and sticking "United We Stand" stickers on their cars, etc.  It became trendy and cool to be Patriotic.  Someone was getting rich off of selling plastic flags and stickers manufactured in China and Mexico while Americans were becoming more paranoid and the Government was taking away more of your Civil Liberties in the name of "National Security" by adopting a "locking the barn door after the horse gets out" attitude.   I did find it very hypocritical to say the least.  There have been a number of 9/11 related movies out.  I've refused to see any of them because I don't think someone, anyone should get rich off of that tragedy.  I have come to the conclusion that Natalie Maine is a loud mouth with "little Chick" syndrome.  She reminds me of that girl that you are dating that gets you into fights at bars because she can't keep her mouth shut.  She loves to stir the crap and does it well.  I do find it amusing that they thought their fans would understand.  These are Country Music fans girls....Hello!!!!  Most true Country Fans come from the South, are Right Wing Conservative Christians and love W.  These are the same people that love Nascar too.  Nascar, where if you aren't from the South you are treated like you have two heads.....  These girls should have known too that in Country Music, if you aren't Texas or the South you are treated like the red headed step-child (just as Dwight Yokum....he's from Bakersfield, CA...).  If you are from those areas of the Country, you are expected to act a certain way. Looks like the Grammy's gave the finger to all the doubters last night.  These girls though should take a hint though.  Unless you are doing some kind of Political Cause concert (Farm Aid, etc) or you are singing at a fund raiser for a candidate, leave your Politics at the door, or put it in a song....at least if it's in a song, then you are expected to voice that opinion.   On that note I will leave you with some food for thought.

 

"People should not be afraid of their Government.  Government should be afraid of their people."

 

(quote from "V: for Vendetta")

 

"Those that would trade liberty for a bit of security deserve neither."

 

Ben Franklin

Movie Reviews

Two new ones.  We rented "Superman Returns" and "Flyboys".  Let's just say I'm pissed at Bryan Singer for deciding to make this movie before making X-Men 3 (which had another director that did okay).  Superman Returns was an okay movie, but I didn't understand why they did the whole "he left to investigate rumors of bits of the Planet Krypton" that still existed.  What the heck was that about?  I read they didn't want to do another "origin" story movie, but the did via flashbacks.  Lois Lane has a son that is Superman's child.  Okay, so let me get this straight.....you've slept with this guy, but yet you still don't see that Clark Kent and Superman are the same guy???????  Oh wait, he's wearing glasses and acting like a clutz....oh that's a good disguise.  That's like my Wife seeing me tripping down the sidewalk not wearing my glasses saying "Who's that guy?".   I did like Kevin Spacey as Luthor.  He was brilliantly cruel and evil.  Good casting job there.  I guess it's that I've never been a big fan of Superman.  I always thought he was kind of boring.  Why even bother to go up against this guy?  You can't kill him.  Lasers, nukes, guns, knives, etc....he can't be hurt by any conventional method.  Oh a "rare" glowing green rock that is a hunk of his planet is the only thing that can stop him.  Yeah, it's so "rare" that every other issue some Villan seems to have a chunk.  "Rare" my butt.  If you really are curious to see how it came out, then go ahead and rent it.  Honestly, this isn't a "must see" movie at all.   Flyboys, now that's a good movie.  You don't see many WWI movies and this one was well done.  Liked the characters and loved Jean Reno as the French Captain.  Great Dogfight scenes and the German Aces epitomized that era of fighter pilot.  Think the Red Baron.  Good movie.

End of an Era

Click on the blog title for the complete article. My friend Laura emailed me an article from the San Fran Examiner that has brought a tear to my eye. Our (me and my friends back home) version of the bar "Cheers" is closing it's doors after 36 years!!!! Yes, the home of the Habanero Hamburger and the Windsor Burger and the home of the best Fish and Chips in the area according to famed Columnist Herb Caen; the Prince of Wales Pub in San Mateo is closing it's doors. Apparently Jack Curry (the Pub's owner) doesn't own the building (I thought he did) and the owner of said property wants to open a bar of his own?????? WTF????? Number 1 it's not in the greatest of locations. The only thing that keeps it running in spite of it's bad location is the fact that the Prince of Wales is a San Mateo institution. The High Tech companies in the area; Oracle, EA, etc often initiate Noobs by bringing them to the POW for a Habanero Hamburger. I've been frequenting this establishment since the early Nineties. We used to have a Fencing class at the College of San Mateo and used to head to the POW afterwards for dinner. Jack knew your name when you walked through the door. I can't imagine someone wanting to throw away guaranteed rental income for the risk of running a business that no one will go to because you just took away their favorite place that was there. It's like closing down the best family run Italian restaurant so you can open your own. Ah well, such is the way of things. Jack will find a new location and this replacement bar will fail. Lot's of memories........

The Attack of the Mooninites!

Has it come to this???? Has our Government got us so scared of the "Terrorist Boogeyman" that people see a black sign that looks like a Lite Brite and think it's a bomb?!?!?!?!? Yes, the above picture is real. These little signs have been up in several major cities for 2-3 weeks now, and some yahoo in Boston yesterday sees one and freaks out. The police shut down interstates and bridges and go into Red Alert panic for the little thing you see the State Trooper holding in his hands. Look closely at it folks. We are a bunch of scared little freaks in this Country. These little signs were up in New York, LA, San Fran, Chicago and Boston. Boston is the only one that freaked out. For those that don't know what the image is, it's a character from the Adult Swim show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force". They are making a movie based on their cartoon and this was an advertising stunt. Of course Boston City officials are getting indignant about the whole situation "This is not amusing" harumph harumph. Basically they are pissed off at themselves for over-frickin-reacting!!!!! What idiots!!! Honestly how can you see a flashing led sign and say "Oh My God....it's a BOMB!!!!!!". I've said it before, the Terrorists don't need to attack us ever again; we've done their work for them.

OH NO IT'S SNOW!!!!!

Having come from a part of the Country where it doesn't snow, I find it hysterical to see and hear people's reactions to the snow we do get here in Tennessee.  In the SF Bay Area, it would sometimes get so cold that there would be frost on the lawn....little icy particles on the tips of your grass......that's it.  Here in Tennessee, we might get an inch or two, but it's usually all melted by the afternoon.  One time last year it hung around for 3 days but by the third day you could start to see it melting.  The slightest hint of "it might snow" out here and folks rush to the grocery store and buy up all the bread and bottled water, etc like it's the end of the world.  It's the attitude of "Oh MY God!!!!  We might be snowed in!!!!".  Yeah, snowed in overnight!!!!  Then in the morning all is well and it's like nothing happened.  I can remember my friend Jeff telling me about when he grew up in Detroit.  Now that's snow!!!!  He said you'd have to go outside and shovel off your car.  Start it up and wait an hour or two while it warmed up.   Meanwhile you were shoveling the driveway.  This three hour process was done so you could drive 25 minutes down the road to the store for food.  Nuts!!!!  The weather people out here always build it up.  "Oh no....look here's a cold front about to hit us!!!!"  It usually misses and goes to the South and all is well.  Yeah it snowed last night, and yeah there was still snow on the ground when I went out this morning.  But it was on the grass, not the sidewalks or my driveway.  It was a normal drive to work, actually a faster drive because of folks freaking out because of the big, ginormous dusting of snow we got.  Bet it's all gone by the time I get home tonight.  BTW, it's supposed to be sunny and almost 40 tomorrow.  So much for our "HUGE" snow storm.