What does a sore arm have to do with the movie Poseidon? Let me tell
you….
Lynn was grabbing my arm and squeezing pretty much throughout the
whole movie. The movie was a blast…a heart pounding ride that doesn’t
quit till the end. Awesome special effects and it was obvious they used
the actual actors as much as possible for the stunts.
Richard Dreyfuss again shows his incredible acting as a man tormented by a
breakup who struggles between suicide and survival. Kurt Russell and Josh
Lucas also do good as the men who attempt to lead their small group to safety.
The effects are also cool especially the water sequences. You get a feel
for being on a sinking ship: cramped escape areas, dead ends, fires, obstacles,
along with that wonderful sense of doom around every turn.
We’ll be renting the original to see the differences, but either way it’s a real
ride.
Remember I have sore arm to prove it!
This is not really a "must see in the theater" as it’s just a must see. (more…)
I intend to see the Da Vinci Code at my Cineplex, though not on opening
weekend <smile>. I have read the book (actually I’ve read much of Dan
Brown’s work on the crapper as his childishly simple plots makes for quick
reading making these books really easy to put down), and my faith is not shaken. I have
not become scared of the Priory of Sion, the Knights Templar, or Opus Dei.
As a educated Christian, I am not frightened that people believe my beliefs are
a fallacy. So many have come and gone before me that I simply pray for
their ultimate salvation. I actually enjoy dialoging with them, as I have
found their conversations interesting and challenging and I hope I have done the
same for them as well.
Maybe it’s because of the people I used to work with in my government days, but
has no one thought that the Da Vinci Code itself may be a conspiracy?
Walk with me slowly on this one….and witness the miracle of the
Da Vinci Code.
Imagine a church facing oblivion (n. the state of being
disregarded or forgotten) in western culture. Partially because of it’s
own shortcomings (priests abusing children, inability to follow the social
changes of the current culture) it’s become "counter-culture." People are
not coming to church, even on the two holidays it could count on for
participation.
Men and women are not following or ignoring the calling to serve the church.
Even it’s primary leader is not being regarded with the power and respect he once
commanded. He is not welcomed by other world leaders, nor his own parishioners as before.
How do you fix this problem?
Have a man write a novel…have him use well known "conspiracy" theories about
said church. Using real locations and supposition, vilify yourself to
become a victim rather than a villain. Help the author tie it together so convincingly that it causes a stirring within the religious community at
large. Those who are "straddling the fence" are energized to return to
their church. Those who never left are now energized to fight, helping to
recruit those who were leaving.
Pass this information to the very people who oppose you! Have them take
the information presented and run with it. Have them write additional
"companion" books, do TV specials, even watch it become a highly anticipated
blockbuster movie.
Spend countless hours and $$$ to counter theses assertions (making it seem VERY
convincing since you have no knowledge of the book’s content before
opposing it).
Since the Da Vinci Code became a best seller, the Westminster Abbey, Vatican
City, Master of Temple (resting place of the Order of the Knights Templar),
Rosslyn Chapel, and Lincoln Cathedral (where they now sell the books in their
gift shop) have all seen a veritable tourist boom increasing these Church’s
coffers as the dedicated Da Vinci fans pop in and pay CASH to glimpse
the locations that the book describes in such detail.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm…maybe I need to reread the book to see if I might be
right! After all, we KNOW the church is EVIL (sorry Mom). (more…)
In the morning before I roll to work I watch the news followed by the today
show. The Today show isn’t what I really consider "news" but it has a news
segment and they do get good interviews from time to time (most recently Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice).
So here I am watching the Today show and what’s the top item this am?
Iran’s nuclear enrichment dilemma?
The President’s appointment of a military leader to be Director of the
CIA?
The just released report that NSA has a domestic phone record database?
Nope…
It’s the horrific fact that Chris Daughtry was
voted off American Idol <gasp>! Even Matt Laurer was shocked.
Have we forgotten we’ve been at war abroad? We’re acting like we have:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/05/02/geog.test/index.html. We,
the people, seem to enjoy fooling ourselves when news items include the fact
that it could take weeks to get your hybrid!
It’s like the new movie Flight 93. It’s a total speculation that even the
director and screenwriters tell us is designed to show no passengers being
scared or against the action to take the plane. Simply, like the movie Open
Water it’s speculation on what happened.
However it’s being hailed with “reviews of the picture as absorbing, accurate in
almost a documentary fashion and devoid of Hollywood histrionics†and getting
sweeping approvals from the relatives.
Why wouldn’t it get approvals from the relatives? It’s provides closure that
makes the victims of a terrible tragedy into legendary heroes, worthy to be
named amongst patriotic legends like Paul Revere (BTW…don’t get me started on
Paul and how he’s just hype also).
Thanks to things like Claritin, Cialis, Lipitor, Nexium, and Prilosec we are becoming the world of
Fahrenheit 451 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451),
where TV and drugs reign supreme. (more…)
I was having a conversation with a nice young lady yesterday evening. Smart,
charming…but enough about me <LOL>.
She stated that she had friends in college that were vehemently against these
immigration demonstrations. She was confused as to why they were upset since
they were both immigrants themselves. I laid it out for her and decided I should
lay it out for you also.
My parents and I are immigrants, I remember sitting in the BOAC (now British
Airways) aircraft and leaving my home of 6+ years to meet my father in New York
City. The trip was a whirlwind which ended up with me taking my first step onto
(at that time) foreign soil before my 7th birthday.
My father had spent two years working in the U.S. to get us here. We had not
seen him till that day at JFK Airport. We left our home, a nice 3 bedroom house
with a roof garden for my Mother for a one bedroom apartment.
My dad metered out a miniscule living for us. To make ends meet my Mother, an
uneducated woman from a small third world nation, took maid service jobs and
eventually worked her way up to being a Nurse’s Aid for the elderly.
Not the American Dream? The times I’ve been back to Jamaica has reminded me that
it is so.
My father was the only one who became a citizen, as he needed to become one to
sponsor his wife and son to the U.S.
I joined the U.S. Army when I turned 17 (yes, you can join the military at 17
and not be a U.S. Citizen), and a few years later, for my required
security clearance I had to be a U.S. citizen.
It isn’t as easy as it seems. I had to study American history, politics, and
government as I would be taking a written and oral test.
Written and oral to be sure I understood and am able
to speak the language of the country I was applying to be a citizen of.
The test was fairly extensive and the oral part was also tedious…I had to know
how many congressman are from my district (assuming I actually KNEW my
congressional district) and their names. I had to know at least one of my Senator’s
name. One of the lines from the Declaration of Independence (thank you School
House Rock!) and one amendment to the constitution and what it was for.
Needless to say, when I passed I had a great sense of pride and when I was asked
to lead the Pledge of Allegiance (since I was in my dress greens) I was glad to
do it. It fostered my desire to continue to defend this wonderful land and has
shaped me in my continuing desire to help the American people realize how good
they actually have it here.
That being said I know how the friends of this young lady feel when we are
pushing legislation that takes illegal (sorry…but undocumented still boils
down to the fact that they are here illegally) immigrants and by
being here long enough they simply become citizens is an insult to all of us who
worked to be here under the system.
The people who praise this as a "civil rights" moment are just plain stupid and
are disgracing those who fought so valiantly for civil rights.
If the drug dealers held a protest rally with "Today we march, tomorrow we’ll
vote." banners, most people would call it stupid because it’s a CRIME to sell
drugs.
Well sports fans, it’s a CRIME to enter the U.S. illegally.
Besides, one simple question…exactly HOW are we going to document
"undocumented" immigrants?!? Call out "come out, come out wherever you are"?
I understand the plight of people wanting to make a better life for themselves, MY FATHER AND MOTHER DID IT.
If we are going to allow this, lets just take drug dealers who have been selling
more than 10 years and if they turn themselves and their stashes in they’re
absolved of their crime! Think of it…less people in prison! More people back
in the legitimate economy (whatever that is) being productive.
Posting from Twitter...Correct date for Karl's Celebration of Life is June 23, not July. All times previously posted are correct. http://twitter.com/hogbiker2011/06/21
Karl was not actually around a corner from anyone at time of death, according to an eyewitness. http://twitter.com/hogbiker2011/06/20
Karl was on foot in Haines, went around the side of a building for some privacy and never came back. He was found on the ground. http://twitter.com/hogbiker2011/06/16
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.leray.us/nukem/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.leray.us/nukem/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Google]](http://www.leray.us/nukem/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[LinkedIn]](http://www.leray.us/nukem/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.leray.us/nukem/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Windows Live]](http://www.leray.us/nukem/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/windowslive.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://www.leray.us/nukem/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://www.leray.us/nukem/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
I intend to see the Da Vinci Code at my Cineplex, though not on opening
