I saw this film last week. It was an odd experience for me for several reasons. First, I saw it on opening day and it's been quite a few years since I've gone to see a movie on opening day. Second, it had Edward Norton in it who I enjoy watching in films, but like the first reason I mentioned it's been awhile since I've seen him in anything-in fact the last two movies I've seen him in would be The Italian Job (2003) and Keeping the Faith (2000) as well as the people vs. Larry Flynt [1996]. And third-as things always happen in threes right? - I saw this movie with my father. All of these occur for me only every few years-wonder what it means when they all happen simultaneously!
The movie stars the afore mentioned Edward Norton, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight. Set in NYC the three are cops in the large world of the NYPD. Most of the movie is set in the 31st precinct and it’s depicted as a gritty and dangerous place for both the cops and the people on the streets.
The tone is set early in the movie as Ed Norton's character is put in the middle of a moral dilemma. He is faced with this throughout the movie and has to decide if his conscience can survive the mental and physical attacks both the job and his fellow officers place him in-to put it simply, he's asked to lie under oath to protect other cops-who just happen to be related to him-as well as to protect himself.
The movie is fast paced and does have good writing and acting, but there are aspects that don’t add up to me. The accent of X sounds like he came from Boston rather than NYC and that would be anywhere in NYC! The scenes where Ed Norton and Colin Farrell have their confrontation seems odd to me, as well as when Farrell allows himself to be killed at the end-not in any quick and easy way like a coward might choose-by the large mob who wants to do him in because him and his boys were collecting protection money from everyone.
Overall this is a very good movie. In the previous two falls there has been an excellent film released that depicted police officers and their work, their culture and their life in very realistic terms--The Departed (2006), We Own the Night (2007).
Pride and Glory is not on the same level of intensity, or quality as these two movies, but it makes a fine effort and is worth seeing.
Imdb-Pride and Glory
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482572/
Pride and Glory-movie web site
http://www.prideandglorymovie.com/
Tuesday 28 October 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
IGOR!! [Oct 2008]
It's Halloween time so why not write about a film that is set in a Halloween style if not a Halloween place called 'Malaria'.
It's a cartoon film that is quite funny and well worth seeing if you've enjoyed such movies in the past-like the Incredibles, Wale, Kung Fu Panda. It has very good voice over characters and you'll have to listen carefully to really pick up some of them-John Cleese has a short lived role-literally!
The plot is simple-evil scientists are the rock stars of this country. The country used to be a simple rural place where people farmed and got married and had children-ok that sounds boring! Sort of like Walton’s mountain or Little Out-House on the Prairie! So when weather disaster struck and the clouds rolled in and storms came and never left the king decided to have the country use its superior genius to create doomsday machines to threaten the world with and in turn the country would blackmail the world. [Sounds like a bad Bush plan to me.] So every year the evil scientists work long and hard to create masterfully evil work and win the yearly competition, except that Igors are not allowed to enter the contest. Igors are seen as simply, helper people and not anyone with a brain. After all-they have a hump!
The stars of the movie are the characters and voices of John Cusack and Steve Buscemi, Sean Hayes and Eddie Izzard. The movie will provide you with plenty to laugh at and I laughed quite frequently at the beginning of the movie. Cusack talks about how if you're born with a hump on your back you don’t have many options for career choices. Plus his choice of major in university-accents and dialects-made me laugh out loud!
This film is not simply about a cartoon Igor with a hump who wants to be more than what society tells him he can be, it's about all of us striving to be whatever it is we want to be in life-from an evil scientist, to an actress on stage-and having that chance. Some of the characters may seem obvious as to their role-whether main or foil-but it’s a very funny movie and offers food for thought and twists and turns that I didn't expect!
I'd go see this movie again!
After all it is Halloween time.
Igor-Imdb.com
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465502/
Igor-movie [2008]
http://igor-movie.com/
Tuesday 27 October 2008
It's a cartoon film that is quite funny and well worth seeing if you've enjoyed such movies in the past-like the Incredibles, Wale, Kung Fu Panda. It has very good voice over characters and you'll have to listen carefully to really pick up some of them-John Cleese has a short lived role-literally!
The plot is simple-evil scientists are the rock stars of this country. The country used to be a simple rural place where people farmed and got married and had children-ok that sounds boring! Sort of like Walton’s mountain or Little Out-House on the Prairie! So when weather disaster struck and the clouds rolled in and storms came and never left the king decided to have the country use its superior genius to create doomsday machines to threaten the world with and in turn the country would blackmail the world. [Sounds like a bad Bush plan to me.] So every year the evil scientists work long and hard to create masterfully evil work and win the yearly competition, except that Igors are not allowed to enter the contest. Igors are seen as simply, helper people and not anyone with a brain. After all-they have a hump!
The stars of the movie are the characters and voices of John Cusack and Steve Buscemi, Sean Hayes and Eddie Izzard. The movie will provide you with plenty to laugh at and I laughed quite frequently at the beginning of the movie. Cusack talks about how if you're born with a hump on your back you don’t have many options for career choices. Plus his choice of major in university-accents and dialects-made me laugh out loud!
This film is not simply about a cartoon Igor with a hump who wants to be more than what society tells him he can be, it's about all of us striving to be whatever it is we want to be in life-from an evil scientist, to an actress on stage-and having that chance. Some of the characters may seem obvious as to their role-whether main or foil-but it’s a very funny movie and offers food for thought and twists and turns that I didn't expect!
I'd go see this movie again!
After all it is Halloween time.
Igor-Imdb.com
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0465502/
Igor-movie [2008]
http://igor-movie.com/
Tuesday 27 October 2008
World Series Game #5 Suspended!
For the first time in baseball history a World Series game has been suspended. With the rain falling like sheets of icy water, the wind blowing and the temp dropping MLB decided to suspend the game in the middle of the 6th inning.
Tampa had just tied the game 2-2 in the top of the inning with a base hit by Carlos Peña giving B.J. Hunt the chance to score from 2nd base and tying the game.
Fox sports announced the game would be restarted Tuesday evening at 8pm if the weather cooperates. And recently-just within the last hour I heard on the national news broadcast that with the weather being so bad in Philadelphia that game #5 would be suspended still and will possibly be re-started tomorrow night at 830pm. So for all you fans waiting to watch the end of game #5 we’ll have to wait until Wednesday night now.
Maybe that’s for the best! After all I saw on the weather channel that it’s snowing in Phillie right now!
World Series game #5 Suspended
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081028&content_id=3650918&vkey=ps2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Monday 27 October 2008
Tampa had just tied the game 2-2 in the top of the inning with a base hit by Carlos Peña giving B.J. Hunt the chance to score from 2nd base and tying the game.
Fox sports announced the game would be restarted Tuesday evening at 8pm if the weather cooperates. And recently-just within the last hour I heard on the national news broadcast that with the weather being so bad in Philadelphia that game #5 would be suspended still and will possibly be re-started tomorrow night at 830pm. So for all you fans waiting to watch the end of game #5 we’ll have to wait until Wednesday night now.
Maybe that’s for the best! After all I saw on the weather channel that it’s snowing in Phillie right now!
World Series game #5 Suspended
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081028&content_id=3650918&vkey=ps2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Monday 27 October 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tropic Thunder [2008]
I saw this film this afternoon-and to be completely honest I went because it was at a discount theater-I only paid $1-and I was really rather tired of reading and while I have several ideas still remaining unfinished for my blog and journal I wanted a break from it. This movie definitely provided a break from my typical day. I was unsure of what to expect from a movie that not only has Ben Stiller starring in it, but directing and producing it as well. However, the cast is well known and is quite diversified.
Ben Stiller plays an odd character-but that is probably to be expected from his past roles. Jack Black has not been one of my favorite actors either, but he plays an interesting support role in the film-as a grunt who later in the film admits to being addicted to heroin! Robert Downey, Jr plays an Ausie actor who has plastic surgery to have his skin color changed so he can play an African American soldier. This is mostly what I knew about the movie prior to viewing it.
What I learned and laughed at was Tom Cruise playing a rich, older, balding, fat guy who wants to run the world. Matthew McConaughey plays Ben Stiller’s agent and appears to be very concerned about losing his client-especially after he gets a call from the “Flaming Dragons” who want 50 million to give him his client back. Why he doesn’t’ see this as a ransom call instead of a blackmail call I don’t understand, but then I’m not living in LA either! There are also several cameo spots with Tobey McGuire-in a preview with Ben Stiller which is hilarious in my opinion, but devout right wing, conservative Catholics should probably skip over that part in the beginning of the movie lest they have a heart attack! Jennifer Love-Hewitt also makes a cameo near the end, as well as; Jon Voight Tyra banks, Alicia Silverstone and Jason Bateman
This film won’t win any Oscars-and neither will the documentary of the making of the film either! You’ll get the reference if you see the movie. But the film did have some amusing parts and parts that made me laugh. It was worth $1 to see, so if you are rather bored and need something to watch you might not have considered, then perhaps renting this to view on a rainy night wouldn’t be so bad.
IMDB-Tropic Thunder [2008]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0942385/
Tropic Thunder Web Site
http://www.tropicthunder.com/
Monday, October 27, 2008
Ben Stiller plays an odd character-but that is probably to be expected from his past roles. Jack Black has not been one of my favorite actors either, but he plays an interesting support role in the film-as a grunt who later in the film admits to being addicted to heroin! Robert Downey, Jr plays an Ausie actor who has plastic surgery to have his skin color changed so he can play an African American soldier. This is mostly what I knew about the movie prior to viewing it.
What I learned and laughed at was Tom Cruise playing a rich, older, balding, fat guy who wants to run the world. Matthew McConaughey plays Ben Stiller’s agent and appears to be very concerned about losing his client-especially after he gets a call from the “Flaming Dragons” who want 50 million to give him his client back. Why he doesn’t’ see this as a ransom call instead of a blackmail call I don’t understand, but then I’m not living in LA either! There are also several cameo spots with Tobey McGuire-in a preview with Ben Stiller which is hilarious in my opinion, but devout right wing, conservative Catholics should probably skip over that part in the beginning of the movie lest they have a heart attack! Jennifer Love-Hewitt also makes a cameo near the end, as well as; Jon Voight Tyra banks, Alicia Silverstone and Jason Bateman
This film won’t win any Oscars-and neither will the documentary of the making of the film either! You’ll get the reference if you see the movie. But the film did have some amusing parts and parts that made me laugh. It was worth $1 to see, so if you are rather bored and need something to watch you might not have considered, then perhaps renting this to view on a rainy night wouldn’t be so bad.
IMDB-Tropic Thunder [2008]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0942385/
Tropic Thunder Web Site
http://www.tropicthunder.com/
Monday, October 27, 2008
Detroit Lions Loose [Is there another word for “Again” I can use?]
The Detroit Lions played the Washington Redskins yesterday afternoon at home. Ford Field has been open for 6 seasons now and we’ve had over 50 sell-outs, but to show the Lions just how pathetic they have become-not simply in the eyes of everyone in the NFL, but in the eyes of their fans-for the first time the game didn’t sell out.
So most of the fans-which includes this writer-only had the radio and the horrid recaps on the local news to see that the Lions once again played well, but not well enough. The lions of old have returned, or maybe they were here all along and they never actually left. It is Halloween season so perhaps they’ve been wearing a costume and trying to fool all of us that they were the new lions!
Whatever costume they’ve been wearing may have fooled the fans for a bit, but it hasn’t fooled the opponents this season!
Lions 17 Washington 25 [Oct 2008]
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?game_id=29634&season=2008&displayPage=tab_gamecenter
Box Score-Summary
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/boxscore?game_id=29634&displayPage=tab_box_score&season=2008&week=REG8&override=true
Monday, October 27, 2008
So most of the fans-which includes this writer-only had the radio and the horrid recaps on the local news to see that the Lions once again played well, but not well enough. The lions of old have returned, or maybe they were here all along and they never actually left. It is Halloween season so perhaps they’ve been wearing a costume and trying to fool all of us that they were the new lions!
Whatever costume they’ve been wearing may have fooled the fans for a bit, but it hasn’t fooled the opponents this season!
Lions 17 Washington 25 [Oct 2008]
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?game_id=29634&season=2008&displayPage=tab_gamecenter
Box Score-Summary
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/boxscore?game_id=29634&displayPage=tab_box_score&season=2008&week=REG8&override=true
Monday, October 27, 2008
PBS Program-NOW on the US Nursing Shortage [Oct 2008]
Nova's program NOW recently broadcast an interesting program on the current nursing shortage. It presented the numbers both current and future of how many nurses this country will be short, but it cannot possibly convey how a nurse feels, and worries at times about their patients and their health and safety.
Shortly after I started working on my current unit we down staffed one nurse on our shift. This meant that half our staff of 8 nurses went from 4 patients to 5. Now this may not sound like a big increase to you, but bear in mind our patients are very sick and typically in and out of the ICU.
Nurses are the eyes and ears for your physician and by increasing our patients you increase the time it takes us to respond to your needs and decreases the likelihood we will pick up on that small change that may mean life and death-your life and death.
We're short nurses and if you think that we will get more just because it's a job opening and there are so many people out there that need a job I heartedly disagree. For two big reasons; first-there are not more nursing school openings than there was a few years ago because despite the need for nurses you cannot train them faster than what we've been getting them trained. An associate degree in nursing takes 3 to 4 years depending on whether you go full or part time, and you do need to take pre-requisite science classes as well as the two straight years of nursing classes. A BSN nurse typically takes 5 years because of the extra classes required. All these things can't be changed or shortened-unless you want to have less qualified nurses. Also, you need faculty to train these students and we'd need more faculty to train more students.
My second point is more to the retention and recruitment of nurses. Once you're done with school, have passed your boards, gotten your license and finished your training so that you're working on your own, then you get to experience life as a real nurse. You get to realize that your entire shift will be to prioritize your night. You'll need to learn not simply how to prioritize but what to prioritize. What can be done by someone else-another nurse or an aid-and what needs to be done by you. You'll learn how to eat your dinner in 2 minutes or less and how to chart while you eat. You'll learn how to hold your urine for 6 or more hours past when you felt like you had to go to the bathroom. You’ll learn how to deal with patients, families, doctors and other nurses who are in bad moods and give you the brunt of their frustration.
You'll find out quickly whether you mind dealing with people's poop, puke, pus and pee-and yes at times that will be all at the same time!
You'll also experience good days, where your patients are stable and seem healthier and you've had a good night. And you'll have nights where you feel like you mad a difference in you patient's life because they thanked you for being there for them.
Nursing is not for everyone. It's not a simple job where all you do is pass meds and write stuff down and then sit. You have to be an intelligent and personable person who likes people and wants to be able to help them as well as someone who has a thicker skin-and yet is sensitive at the same time. Nursing will never pay what it should, as I'll never get paid what my work is worth, but if I was only in it for the money, then I'd have left in the first month.
PBS-NOW on the Nursing shortage [Oct 2008]
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/442/index.html
Sunday 26th October 2008
Shortly after I started working on my current unit we down staffed one nurse on our shift. This meant that half our staff of 8 nurses went from 4 patients to 5. Now this may not sound like a big increase to you, but bear in mind our patients are very sick and typically in and out of the ICU.
Nurses are the eyes and ears for your physician and by increasing our patients you increase the time it takes us to respond to your needs and decreases the likelihood we will pick up on that small change that may mean life and death-your life and death.
We're short nurses and if you think that we will get more just because it's a job opening and there are so many people out there that need a job I heartedly disagree. For two big reasons; first-there are not more nursing school openings than there was a few years ago because despite the need for nurses you cannot train them faster than what we've been getting them trained. An associate degree in nursing takes 3 to 4 years depending on whether you go full or part time, and you do need to take pre-requisite science classes as well as the two straight years of nursing classes. A BSN nurse typically takes 5 years because of the extra classes required. All these things can't be changed or shortened-unless you want to have less qualified nurses. Also, you need faculty to train these students and we'd need more faculty to train more students.
My second point is more to the retention and recruitment of nurses. Once you're done with school, have passed your boards, gotten your license and finished your training so that you're working on your own, then you get to experience life as a real nurse. You get to realize that your entire shift will be to prioritize your night. You'll need to learn not simply how to prioritize but what to prioritize. What can be done by someone else-another nurse or an aid-and what needs to be done by you. You'll learn how to eat your dinner in 2 minutes or less and how to chart while you eat. You'll learn how to hold your urine for 6 or more hours past when you felt like you had to go to the bathroom. You’ll learn how to deal with patients, families, doctors and other nurses who are in bad moods and give you the brunt of their frustration.
You'll find out quickly whether you mind dealing with people's poop, puke, pus and pee-and yes at times that will be all at the same time!
You'll also experience good days, where your patients are stable and seem healthier and you've had a good night. And you'll have nights where you feel like you mad a difference in you patient's life because they thanked you for being there for them.
Nursing is not for everyone. It's not a simple job where all you do is pass meds and write stuff down and then sit. You have to be an intelligent and personable person who likes people and wants to be able to help them as well as someone who has a thicker skin-and yet is sensitive at the same time. Nursing will never pay what it should, as I'll never get paid what my work is worth, but if I was only in it for the money, then I'd have left in the first month.
PBS-NOW on the Nursing shortage [Oct 2008]
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/442/index.html
Sunday 26th October 2008
World Series Game #4
Game #4 of the World Series is over and the Philadelphia Phillies came alive and took a large lead in the game and the series. The Phillies won 10-2 and now have a 3 games to 1 lead in the series.
It started slow and there were several Phillies who had loud bats last night. Ryan Howard had two homers and five RBI's and came out of his hitting slump in the past two games. Jason Werth homered and the Phillies starting pitcher-Blanton- not only had 7 strong innings giving up only 2 earned runs-on solo homers-but also hit the first home run of his career and the first homer by a pitcher in the world series since 1974.
The Phillies now have a chance Monday night to win the series at home.
Sereis Game #4
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_10_26_tbamlb_phimlb_1
Saturday October 26, 2008
It started slow and there were several Phillies who had loud bats last night. Ryan Howard had two homers and five RBI's and came out of his hitting slump in the past two games. Jason Werth homered and the Phillies starting pitcher-Blanton- not only had 7 strong innings giving up only 2 earned runs-on solo homers-but also hit the first home run of his career and the first homer by a pitcher in the world series since 1974.
The Phillies now have a chance Monday night to win the series at home.
Sereis Game #4
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_10_26_tbamlb_phimlb_1
Saturday October 26, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Juno [2007]
I saw Juno at the beginning of the year, a year that was looking bleak, depressing, and cold and just a parody of my life at that point.
Anyone living in the Midwest knows that the middle of January holds no promises for warm days, sunshine or dates! My girlfriend, who I was in love with, had dumped me and broken my heart. I laid in bed all day and night-and long story short-I was depressed and heartbroken. But I had been able to drag myself from my bed a few times to shop for groceries and to see this movie.
Juno is an uplifting and fun movie to experience. It takes on serious subject matter and does not make light of the situation but presents the difficulty of it with humor infused and then offers us the opportunity to laugh at a bad situation.From the music to one-liners, to entire scenes that make me laugh or smile-this movie is well worth watching. I've seen it several times and I'm sure I'll watch it again, and again!
After all who can't laugh at Juno-played by Ellen Page- when she argues with Mark-played by Jason Bateman-about when the heyday of rock and roll was. She says its 1975 and she hadn’t been born yet! Just as good-and funny- is her retort to Mark when he says, “no it was 1993”, her response being, “Hey you weren’t there man! You don't know!” Ok and she WAS there? Don't think so!
Besides all the music and dialogue that makes me laugh my favorite scene is near the end. Juno is standing in the kitchen at home talking with her dad and she is upset because she doesn't know if anyone can stay together forever-couples that is-and her dad tells her that, “All you can do is find someone who accepts you for you. Someone who thinks the sun shines out your ass!”
I love that line, that soliloquy by J.K Simmons. The writers were definitely 'on' when they wrote the screen-play. The actors too portrayed their characters well and very believable and conveyed their emotion to the audience well. This movie is well worth seeing!
Juno [2007]
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/
Juno Official Site
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/juno/
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Anyone living in the Midwest knows that the middle of January holds no promises for warm days, sunshine or dates! My girlfriend, who I was in love with, had dumped me and broken my heart. I laid in bed all day and night-and long story short-I was depressed and heartbroken. But I had been able to drag myself from my bed a few times to shop for groceries and to see this movie.
Juno is an uplifting and fun movie to experience. It takes on serious subject matter and does not make light of the situation but presents the difficulty of it with humor infused and then offers us the opportunity to laugh at a bad situation.From the music to one-liners, to entire scenes that make me laugh or smile-this movie is well worth watching. I've seen it several times and I'm sure I'll watch it again, and again!
After all who can't laugh at Juno-played by Ellen Page- when she argues with Mark-played by Jason Bateman-about when the heyday of rock and roll was. She says its 1975 and she hadn’t been born yet! Just as good-and funny- is her retort to Mark when he says, “no it was 1993”, her response being, “Hey you weren’t there man! You don't know!” Ok and she WAS there? Don't think so!
Besides all the music and dialogue that makes me laugh my favorite scene is near the end. Juno is standing in the kitchen at home talking with her dad and she is upset because she doesn't know if anyone can stay together forever-couples that is-and her dad tells her that, “All you can do is find someone who accepts you for you. Someone who thinks the sun shines out your ass!”
I love that line, that soliloquy by J.K Simmons. The writers were definitely 'on' when they wrote the screen-play. The actors too portrayed their characters well and very believable and conveyed their emotion to the audience well. This movie is well worth seeing!
Juno [2007]
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/
Juno Official Site
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/juno/
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Penn State Beats OSU in Columbus! [Oct 2008]
Penn State Nittany Lions came into Columbus having not won since 1978. Joe Paterno brought a young and energetic team and played hard and well and won 13-6 against the buck-eyes.
It was a low scoring game with both teams trading field goals until late in the 4th quarter, Penn State recovered a fumble in OSU territory with 8 minutes left in the game and moved the ball with authority to the goal line and with a quarter back sneak the Lions took the ball in and took the lead for good.
With this win the Lions are 9-0 and are the dominant team in the Big-Ten conference. With games against Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan State left on the schedule the Lions have a great opportunity to go 12-0 for the season and play for the national championship.
Go Blue and White!
Espn-Penn State Home page
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=213
PSU Bets OSU 13 to 6 in Columbus
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282990194
Sunday, October 26, 2008
It was a low scoring game with both teams trading field goals until late in the 4th quarter, Penn State recovered a fumble in OSU territory with 8 minutes left in the game and moved the ball with authority to the goal line and with a quarter back sneak the Lions took the ball in and took the lead for good.
With this win the Lions are 9-0 and are the dominant team in the Big-Ten conference. With games against Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan State left on the schedule the Lions have a great opportunity to go 12-0 for the season and play for the national championship.
Go Blue and White!
Espn-Penn State Home page
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=213
PSU Bets OSU 13 to 6 in Columbus
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282990194
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Michigan/MSU Game-October 25th, 2008
Michigan lost its 6th game this season and is quickly losing its chance to have a .500 season, and has already lost its chance now of having a winning season.
I cannot remember Michigan ever having a losing season.But while Michigan played well for the first 50 minutes of the game they forgot that it's a 60 minute game. With the game tied 21-21 Michigan gave up a touchdown and then on their next possession they threw an interception. State scored and took a 35-21 lead with just a few minutes left and beat Michigan at the Big House for the first time since 1990.
This is by far the worst Michigan team I’ve ever seen play.
Let's hope Coach Rodriguez has it together next year.
Michigan Looses at Big House
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282990130
Espn-Michigan Home site
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=130
Saturday October 25th, 2008
I cannot remember Michigan ever having a losing season.But while Michigan played well for the first 50 minutes of the game they forgot that it's a 60 minute game. With the game tied 21-21 Michigan gave up a touchdown and then on their next possession they threw an interception. State scored and took a 35-21 lead with just a few minutes left and beat Michigan at the Big House for the first time since 1990.
This is by far the worst Michigan team I’ve ever seen play.
Let's hope Coach Rodriguez has it together next year.
Michigan Looses at Big House
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282990130
Espn-Michigan Home site
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=130
Saturday October 25th, 2008
World Series Game #3
Game #3 started quite a bit late, due to a lengthy two hour rain delay. It had more controversy-as supplied yet again by Buck and McCarver-and was another close game. Overall this was another great series that is starting to remind me of the 1991 series between Atlanta and Minnesota.
The Phillies had great pitching by their starter, Jamie Moyer, through 6 innings. He made a spectacular play in the 7th fielding a grounder but the runner was called safe. On reply-on SLOW motion reply it was shown that the ump had indeed made the wrong call. The runner was out- barely! But even on reply it was difficult to tell, and you could see when it was played frame by frame that the runner was out by perhaps 6 inches-that is his foot easy 6 inches above the bag when the 1st baseman caught the ball. In real time, this may be 0.01 seconds. I challenge anyone to watch that at real time and get it right! The ump made an impossible call, and gave what he may have thought was a tie to the runner. But both Buck and McCarver were all over the ump saying he made the wrong call. I’d like to see either of them make that call.
Despite the controversy-the game was very close throughout and as we went into the bottom of the 9th with a score of 4-4 it was still anyone's game.
But with the lead-off runner being hit putting him on first, a botched bunt attempt that included a wild pitch, a throwing error on the catcher trying to get the runner at 2nd-with the ball going into center field-the runner ended up on 3rd with no outs.
Two intentional walks later we have bases loaded for the Phillies with no one out. Tampa pulled the right fielder in to cover 2nd and hope for a strike out, a pop out or just a simple miracle!
The miracle didn’t arrive for Tampa as a chopped ball-that might have gone foul if it had been left-could not be picked up and Phillies scored and won the game.A nearly 4 hour game-not including the 90 minute rain delay-made the game end at 2am. 18 hours later game #4 will start!
Can't wait!
Series Game #3
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_10_25_tbamlb_phimlb_1#boxscore
Sunday-26 October 2008
The Phillies had great pitching by their starter, Jamie Moyer, through 6 innings. He made a spectacular play in the 7th fielding a grounder but the runner was called safe. On reply-on SLOW motion reply it was shown that the ump had indeed made the wrong call. The runner was out- barely! But even on reply it was difficult to tell, and you could see when it was played frame by frame that the runner was out by perhaps 6 inches-that is his foot easy 6 inches above the bag when the 1st baseman caught the ball. In real time, this may be 0.01 seconds. I challenge anyone to watch that at real time and get it right! The ump made an impossible call, and gave what he may have thought was a tie to the runner. But both Buck and McCarver were all over the ump saying he made the wrong call. I’d like to see either of them make that call.
Despite the controversy-the game was very close throughout and as we went into the bottom of the 9th with a score of 4-4 it was still anyone's game.
But with the lead-off runner being hit putting him on first, a botched bunt attempt that included a wild pitch, a throwing error on the catcher trying to get the runner at 2nd-with the ball going into center field-the runner ended up on 3rd with no outs.
Two intentional walks later we have bases loaded for the Phillies with no one out. Tampa pulled the right fielder in to cover 2nd and hope for a strike out, a pop out or just a simple miracle!
The miracle didn’t arrive for Tampa as a chopped ball-that might have gone foul if it had been left-could not be picked up and Phillies scored and won the game.A nearly 4 hour game-not including the 90 minute rain delay-made the game end at 2am. 18 hours later game #4 will start!
Can't wait!
Series Game #3
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_10_25_tbamlb_phimlb_1#boxscore
Sunday-26 October 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
World Series game #2
Game #2 of the 2008 world series brought us a great game- pitching, defensive plays and good hitting on both sides. Like game #1 there was some questioning-mostly by the announcers though-on a couple of plays.
The Rays did put together a better game last night than in game #1 and started off quickly by putting runs up early in the game. Taking the lead early, and in the 2nd inning there was controversy as to whether Bardeli swung at a pitch or not. Joe Buck and Tim MCarver both were adamant that he swung. Yet on replies it was clear the ump had called the pitch a ball, and that the batter had held his swing. Yet both announcers were obviously upset that the ump had made the wrong call-despite the possibility that the fans watching could make up their own minds based on what was shown. I find it interesting that I can come up with such a different answer from the event after seeing the same video/audio reply as Buck and Mc Carver.
The other incident is one in which the ump must not have seen the phillie batter-Rollins-have his uniform brushed by the pitch in the 9th inning. Either that or he didn't get hit.I waited for Buck to start complaining about how the Phillie's lost because the game had been stolen from them. But thankfully I just heard Buck complain about how the Phillie's should have had two one with the tying run at the plate and one out instead of one on and two out.
Game #2 was fun to watch and was a great experience. It reminded me of past Octobers and past series with great plays and games going back and forth. Tampa won game #2 (4-2) and has tied the series at one game apiece. Game #3 is Saturday night in Philadelphia. I Can't wait!
World Series game #2
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=281023130
Series game #2 Box Score
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=281023130
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Rays did put together a better game last night than in game #1 and started off quickly by putting runs up early in the game. Taking the lead early, and in the 2nd inning there was controversy as to whether Bardeli swung at a pitch or not. Joe Buck and Tim MCarver both were adamant that he swung. Yet on replies it was clear the ump had called the pitch a ball, and that the batter had held his swing. Yet both announcers were obviously upset that the ump had made the wrong call-despite the possibility that the fans watching could make up their own minds based on what was shown. I find it interesting that I can come up with such a different answer from the event after seeing the same video/audio reply as Buck and Mc Carver.
The other incident is one in which the ump must not have seen the phillie batter-Rollins-have his uniform brushed by the pitch in the 9th inning. Either that or he didn't get hit.I waited for Buck to start complaining about how the Phillie's lost because the game had been stolen from them. But thankfully I just heard Buck complain about how the Phillie's should have had two one with the tying run at the plate and one out instead of one on and two out.
Game #2 was fun to watch and was a great experience. It reminded me of past Octobers and past series with great plays and games going back and forth. Tampa won game #2 (4-2) and has tied the series at one game apiece. Game #3 is Saturday night in Philadelphia. I Can't wait!
World Series game #2
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=281023130
Series game #2 Box Score
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=281023130
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Body of Lies [2008]
I viewed this film recently and I admit that I’m beginning to think that Leonardo Dicaprio is actually a much better actor than I had given him credit for in the past. I’ve seen him in the Quick and the Dead with Russell Crowe, Gene Hackman and Sharon Stone in 1995. He played a young upstart gunslinger who thought he was the best. He played a good role in that movie, but the next one I saw him in left me bored, tired and ready to quite watching movies for a while-which was his big role with Kate Winslet in Titanic in 1997. I avoided movies that had him but in the last few years I’ve seen him act in The Departed with Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon and he was excellent in that role. He made the role he played believable. The character he plays in his most recently released movie is just as believable.
Dicaprio plays CIA agent Roger Ferris and his immediate supervisor is Russell Crowe’s character-Ed Hoffmann. They both go around and around each other as if they are jockeying for position on the playing field or on the merry-go-round. The big problem is of course that he’s a US agent working primarily alone in a middle-eastern country. He cannot know who to trust at times and there are several times in the movie when I fully expect that in real life he would have been killed.
Ferris-Dicaprio-discovers through his work that there is a terrorist that lives and operates out of Jordan and he works behind the scenes, in truth behind and then behind some more, in order to try and learn who this terrorist leader is and where he might be. He makes some interesting friends along the way, and at times it appears that he’d be better off if he trusted the people that his supervisor tells him not to trust. Crowe plays what appears to be a high level CIA supervisor, but we never see anyone above him or below him other than Dicaprio so it’s difficult to determine on what level Crowe works on, but that is most likely superficial to the story itself.
We see through the movie that Dicaprio’s character wonders about what he is doing and he is hurting by his work. He seems to come to the realization that people in the Middle-East are people just as people in the US are people. By that I mean we are all worthy of respect and the chance to live. We all deserve the chance to live and to be treated fairly and to be allowed to walk down the street without someone looking at us because we look or don’t look a certain way.
The ending of the movie is much different than I would have expected. Dicaprio’s character seems to change over the course of a few weeks or perhaps a few days in the movie. But he seems to be changed more by seeing life through the eyes of a young woman he’s interested in than by anyone else’s words or deeds to him. He finds out how important life can be when he finds his precious Aisha-a nurse who cares for him after a dog bite and who he wants to see outside of the hospital clinic where she treats him. She shows him an aspect of Jordan and of the Middle-East that he probably had never seen nor contemplated existed.
I think it shows a positive example of how other people and other cultures can influence us in a positive way and help is not only to learn about ourselves but to grow and mature as well.
This movie is full of violence, bloodshed and harsh language, but it also has a positive message that I took away from it. If you enjoy Dicaprio or Crowe as well as drama and violence you probably will enjoy the movie, though the ending might seem a bit obvious. Over all I enjoyed the film especially for the message it appears to convey at the end.
The Quick and the Dead [1995]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114214/
The Departed [2006]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/
Body of Lies [2008]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758774/
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Dicaprio plays CIA agent Roger Ferris and his immediate supervisor is Russell Crowe’s character-Ed Hoffmann. They both go around and around each other as if they are jockeying for position on the playing field or on the merry-go-round. The big problem is of course that he’s a US agent working primarily alone in a middle-eastern country. He cannot know who to trust at times and there are several times in the movie when I fully expect that in real life he would have been killed.
Ferris-Dicaprio-discovers through his work that there is a terrorist that lives and operates out of Jordan and he works behind the scenes, in truth behind and then behind some more, in order to try and learn who this terrorist leader is and where he might be. He makes some interesting friends along the way, and at times it appears that he’d be better off if he trusted the people that his supervisor tells him not to trust. Crowe plays what appears to be a high level CIA supervisor, but we never see anyone above him or below him other than Dicaprio so it’s difficult to determine on what level Crowe works on, but that is most likely superficial to the story itself.
We see through the movie that Dicaprio’s character wonders about what he is doing and he is hurting by his work. He seems to come to the realization that people in the Middle-East are people just as people in the US are people. By that I mean we are all worthy of respect and the chance to live. We all deserve the chance to live and to be treated fairly and to be allowed to walk down the street without someone looking at us because we look or don’t look a certain way.
The ending of the movie is much different than I would have expected. Dicaprio’s character seems to change over the course of a few weeks or perhaps a few days in the movie. But he seems to be changed more by seeing life through the eyes of a young woman he’s interested in than by anyone else’s words or deeds to him. He finds out how important life can be when he finds his precious Aisha-a nurse who cares for him after a dog bite and who he wants to see outside of the hospital clinic where she treats him. She shows him an aspect of Jordan and of the Middle-East that he probably had never seen nor contemplated existed.
I think it shows a positive example of how other people and other cultures can influence us in a positive way and help is not only to learn about ourselves but to grow and mature as well.
This movie is full of violence, bloodshed and harsh language, but it also has a positive message that I took away from it. If you enjoy Dicaprio or Crowe as well as drama and violence you probably will enjoy the movie, though the ending might seem a bit obvious. Over all I enjoyed the film especially for the message it appears to convey at the end.
The Quick and the Dead [1995]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114214/
The Departed [2006]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407887/
Body of Lies [2008]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758774/
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Eagle Eye [2008]
I was looking for a movie that had action and adventure and wouldn’t make me wait too long for it. I got what I paid for in this movie! I also found that it had a bizarre if not interesting plot and an ending that twists to get there which I tend to enjoy. There are several actors in the movie that I had seen before-Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Chiklis and Rosario Dawson-all of whom I’d enjoyed in one film or another. But the title actors-Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan-I’d had not seen nor heard of before this movie.
The plot is that Jerry-played by Shia LaBeouf-is falsely accused of being a terrorist. He is being played and moved around like a pawn in a chess game and knows not who is doing it, where he’s going or why. Shortly after he is “activated” as a pawn he meets up with his counter-part, Michelle Monaghan-who plays Rachel, and they are told in no uncertain terms that they must do as they are told or not only will they die, but others they care about will die as well. The story line seems a bit amazing, but after we learn who the voice on the phone actually belongs too then it puts in your mind whether or not something like this could actually happen.
The master-mind behind making Jerry and Rachel unwilling participants in an attack on the United States is a super-computer that would make a Cray look like an abacus! The computer takes in enormous amounts of information gathered across the globe and instantaneously interprets it and gives real-time feedback and advice on what the US military should do to prevent further terrorist attacks as well as to protect American interests. What I find interesting-looking at the plot after the fact-is that the computer that is responsible for making Jerry and Rachel pseudo-terrorists is acting like a small child. At the beginning of the movie we find the Secretary of Defense making recommendations to the US President based on the recommendations of the computer. The US President ignores the computer’s recommendations and makes his own decision. The computer later analyzes this independent choice as one that caused greater hostility to US forces and US interests abroad. Because of this the computer then believes the US President cannot make intelligent decisions and must be removed.
Not only is it amazing in the story line that this computer can come to that decision, but that it uses the US Constitution as its basis for deciding that the entire congress should be eliminated-this of course conveniently occurs in January right about when we’d be avoiding TV for the night because the President’s State of the Union address would be broadcast! So all of congress as well as the majority of the executive and judicial branches will be in the capitol building and this super-computer has decided to eliminate all of these people, and has devised a plan to do so-which involved more people than just our Jerry and Rachel, but they are the major players!
I watched and wondered how this movie would turn out. How would the computer who was able to so easily help Jerry escape from an FBI holding area be foiled and defeated?
The ending is interesting, and a bit cheesy in my opinion, but if you were with the movie up to the point where Shia LeBeouf entered the capital building because he was using the stolen FBI id and badge of Billy Bob Thornton, then you can probably make the leap to how the movie ends too! This movie won’t win any awards, but it is interesting and does provide what it looks like in the previews-action, some suspense and certainly violence. Thankfully there are very few people who are killed in the film, but the action makes up for what is lacking in that area.
If you enjoy action and suspense as well as any of the actors in the film then I’d say rent this when it comes out.
Eagle Eye [2008]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1059786/
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The plot is that Jerry-played by Shia LaBeouf-is falsely accused of being a terrorist. He is being played and moved around like a pawn in a chess game and knows not who is doing it, where he’s going or why. Shortly after he is “activated” as a pawn he meets up with his counter-part, Michelle Monaghan-who plays Rachel, and they are told in no uncertain terms that they must do as they are told or not only will they die, but others they care about will die as well. The story line seems a bit amazing, but after we learn who the voice on the phone actually belongs too then it puts in your mind whether or not something like this could actually happen.
The master-mind behind making Jerry and Rachel unwilling participants in an attack on the United States is a super-computer that would make a Cray look like an abacus! The computer takes in enormous amounts of information gathered across the globe and instantaneously interprets it and gives real-time feedback and advice on what the US military should do to prevent further terrorist attacks as well as to protect American interests. What I find interesting-looking at the plot after the fact-is that the computer that is responsible for making Jerry and Rachel pseudo-terrorists is acting like a small child. At the beginning of the movie we find the Secretary of Defense making recommendations to the US President based on the recommendations of the computer. The US President ignores the computer’s recommendations and makes his own decision. The computer later analyzes this independent choice as one that caused greater hostility to US forces and US interests abroad. Because of this the computer then believes the US President cannot make intelligent decisions and must be removed.
Not only is it amazing in the story line that this computer can come to that decision, but that it uses the US Constitution as its basis for deciding that the entire congress should be eliminated-this of course conveniently occurs in January right about when we’d be avoiding TV for the night because the President’s State of the Union address would be broadcast! So all of congress as well as the majority of the executive and judicial branches will be in the capitol building and this super-computer has decided to eliminate all of these people, and has devised a plan to do so-which involved more people than just our Jerry and Rachel, but they are the major players!
I watched and wondered how this movie would turn out. How would the computer who was able to so easily help Jerry escape from an FBI holding area be foiled and defeated?
The ending is interesting, and a bit cheesy in my opinion, but if you were with the movie up to the point where Shia LeBeouf entered the capital building because he was using the stolen FBI id and badge of Billy Bob Thornton, then you can probably make the leap to how the movie ends too! This movie won’t win any awards, but it is interesting and does provide what it looks like in the previews-action, some suspense and certainly violence. Thankfully there are very few people who are killed in the film, but the action makes up for what is lacking in that area.
If you enjoy action and suspense as well as any of the actors in the film then I’d say rent this when it comes out.
Eagle Eye [2008]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1059786/
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Penn State Defeats Michigan at State College, PA
Last Saturday-October 18th, 2008-The Wolverines from the University of Michigan came to State College, PA to play the undefeated Nittany Lions. The Wolverines are under new management-as they say-with a new coach and everyone had thought that any difficulties the Wolverines would have in adjusting to the new coaching staff and new plays and attitude would not take long. The tradition at Michigan is a winning one, and no one I knew could think of when Michigan last had a losing season, let alone were simply a bad team.
I grew up watching both Michigan and Penn State play. I had an uncle who loved watching Michigan play and my grandfather who I was close to when I was growing up loved Penn State-probably due to the fact that he grew up in the backyard of State College and went to PSU. I always heard from both sides-uncle and grandfather-that if they ever were to play each other, it would be like worlds colliding, titans battling! Neither side would admit that they could lose. Fortunate for them when I was growing up they played in different divisions-Michigan in the Big Ten and Penn State in the Independent division.
Some 15 years ago though Penn State joined the Big Ten division and Michigan and Penn State have played nearly every year and I’ve seen some very good ball games when they’ve played each other. This year Michigan is simply not playing well-and this is not said to take away anything from the Nittany Lions win last weekend. The Penn State Nittany Lions are playing top ball and are the ones to beat in the Big Ten conference. I believe the Big ten Title is the Nittany Lions to lose. In fact they play OSU this upcoming weekend in Columbus and it should be a very good game. ESPN is making the case that this game will decide who will win the Big ten championship. If Penn State wins then they control their destiny in reference to the Big-ten title. They have three games remaining after playing OSU and all of them are conference games. It’s in the Lions hands.
I’ve watched the Wolverines and the Lions play my entire life and have gotten used to seeing both of them in a bowl game and fighting for the Big ten title or for a National championship. This year though I may find I only have to look for the Nittany Lions playing over the New Year Holiday as Michigan-with a 2-5 record-doesn’t look like they know how to win, or want to win at times. Perhaps this really is a rebuilding year for the Michigan Wolverines. At least I’ll be able to feel confident and secure as long as Joe continues to coach the Lions at State College!
Penn State-espn page
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=213
Michigan-espn web page
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=130
Penn State 46 Michigan 17
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282920213
Thursday, October 23, 2008
I grew up watching both Michigan and Penn State play. I had an uncle who loved watching Michigan play and my grandfather who I was close to when I was growing up loved Penn State-probably due to the fact that he grew up in the backyard of State College and went to PSU. I always heard from both sides-uncle and grandfather-that if they ever were to play each other, it would be like worlds colliding, titans battling! Neither side would admit that they could lose. Fortunate for them when I was growing up they played in different divisions-Michigan in the Big Ten and Penn State in the Independent division.
Some 15 years ago though Penn State joined the Big Ten division and Michigan and Penn State have played nearly every year and I’ve seen some very good ball games when they’ve played each other. This year Michigan is simply not playing well-and this is not said to take away anything from the Nittany Lions win last weekend. The Penn State Nittany Lions are playing top ball and are the ones to beat in the Big Ten conference. I believe the Big ten Title is the Nittany Lions to lose. In fact they play OSU this upcoming weekend in Columbus and it should be a very good game. ESPN is making the case that this game will decide who will win the Big ten championship. If Penn State wins then they control their destiny in reference to the Big-ten title. They have three games remaining after playing OSU and all of them are conference games. It’s in the Lions hands.
I’ve watched the Wolverines and the Lions play my entire life and have gotten used to seeing both of them in a bowl game and fighting for the Big ten title or for a National championship. This year though I may find I only have to look for the Nittany Lions playing over the New Year Holiday as Michigan-with a 2-5 record-doesn’t look like they know how to win, or want to win at times. Perhaps this really is a rebuilding year for the Michigan Wolverines. At least I’ll be able to feel confident and secure as long as Joe continues to coach the Lions at State College!
Penn State-espn page
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=213
Michigan-espn web page
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/clubhouse?teamId=130
Penn State 46 Michigan 17
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=282920213
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Detroit Lions Loose-yet again!
This time on the road in Houston and they didn’t look any better loosing this week than they have in previous weeks. It was after all 21-0 in the 2nd quarter before the Lions even scored. I’m nearly given up hope for this team this year-and yes this is much early than last year or in years past, but it feels like there is nothing that this team does that makes a difference. They recently traded wide receiver Roy Williams to Dallas for draft picks. He was one of their better players, and while he had been here for several years what surprised me the most was the reaction and statement of coach Marinelli when asked by the press about the trade. He made reference to how the trade helps the Lions prepare for the future and helps to build a solid future with new young players. I’ve been a Lions for most if not all of my life and all I’ve ever heard from the coaches and GM’s is that they are rebuilding.
What I’ve come to learn is that EVERY year is a rebuilding year for the Loins. They don’t seem to know how to play for today and win this season. It’s always about how they are looking for the future.
I’m starting to think Lions fans should make their own preparation for the future-and look for a new team to root for-but that is simply frustration coming out on my part-30 years of frustration!
Week#7 Loss to Houston Texans
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/boxscore?game_id=29625&displayPage=tab_box_score&season=2008&week=REG7
NFL.com-Detroit Lions
http://www.nfl.com/teams/detroitlions/profile?team=DET
detroit lions web site
http://www.detroitlions.com/index.cfm
Thursday, October 23, 2008
What I’ve come to learn is that EVERY year is a rebuilding year for the Loins. They don’t seem to know how to play for today and win this season. It’s always about how they are looking for the future.
I’m starting to think Lions fans should make their own preparation for the future-and look for a new team to root for-but that is simply frustration coming out on my part-30 years of frustration!
Week#7 Loss to Houston Texans
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/boxscore?game_id=29625&displayPage=tab_box_score&season=2008&week=REG7
NFL.com-Detroit Lions
http://www.nfl.com/teams/detroitlions/profile?team=DET
detroit lions web site
http://www.detroitlions.com/index.cfm
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tampa Bay in First World Series!
October 22nd, 2008 the Tampa Bay Rays hosted their very first World Series home game at the dome in St.Petersberg! You could see the excitement of the fans in the dome and it must have been incredibly loud in there during the pre-game as well as throughout the game.
What wasn’t seen was any real nervousness or misplay by the Rays despite this being their first series appearance. They played well-like old pros really-and it was a close game that showed pitching and defense to be the key factors that won game one.
I found it hard at first to root or care who was leading through the initial part of the game, but then listening to the announcers make it sound as if the Rays should somehow be playing worse than they were-as if everyone would be nervous playing in the series? And the players on both sides played well, and made mistakes at times. Ryan Howard playing 1st for Philadelphia left much to be desired for his work in the field as well as his lack of batting tonight. He was 0-4 with 3 strike-outs and an error.
Tampa had scoring opportunities in both the 4th and 5th innings and could not produce the needed hits to bring the runners across. As to whether you see this as a lack of run production by the Rays or a superb bit of pitching by the Phillies would be more dependent on who you’re rooting for I think!
Overall it was a very good game and a close game. I look forward to game #2 later tonight!
Now if we could just get rid of joe buck doing the announcing I’d be happy!
Phillies v. Rays Game #1
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_10_22_phimlb_tbamlb_1
Thursday, October 23, 2008
What wasn’t seen was any real nervousness or misplay by the Rays despite this being their first series appearance. They played well-like old pros really-and it was a close game that showed pitching and defense to be the key factors that won game one.
I found it hard at first to root or care who was leading through the initial part of the game, but then listening to the announcers make it sound as if the Rays should somehow be playing worse than they were-as if everyone would be nervous playing in the series? And the players on both sides played well, and made mistakes at times. Ryan Howard playing 1st for Philadelphia left much to be desired for his work in the field as well as his lack of batting tonight. He was 0-4 with 3 strike-outs and an error.
Tampa had scoring opportunities in both the 4th and 5th innings and could not produce the needed hits to bring the runners across. As to whether you see this as a lack of run production by the Rays or a superb bit of pitching by the Phillies would be more dependent on who you’re rooting for I think!
Overall it was a very good game and a close game. I look forward to game #2 later tonight!
Now if we could just get rid of joe buck doing the announcing I’d be happy!
Phillies v. Rays Game #1
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_10_22_phimlb_tbamlb_1
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Nature Thoughts
I walked in the glenn and saw three little trees growing.
I imagined being on a lake. and having a boat for rowing.
The October wind brings me back to reality as it's cold wind is blowing.
But I console myself with the knowledge that at least it's not snowing!
Not yet anyway
Thursday October 23, 2008
I imagined being on a lake. and having a boat for rowing.
The October wind brings me back to reality as it's cold wind is blowing.
But I console myself with the knowledge that at least it's not snowing!
Not yet anyway
Thursday October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Video of Preamble to the US Constitution!
A friend of mine mentioned to me this evening that she was in a video! As I was congratulating her and wondering which music video she was in and if she had been one of the stereo-typed bikini babes! She stopped me in mid-congratulatory yell to tell me it was a much smaller video production that included students and adults who walked around in a high-school gym while wearing white t-shirts with letters on their front and backs.
She went on to explain that it was a friend of hers that produced and directed the video. That she had been in NYC last year and while there she and her sister were invited to be a part of the video where everyone moves around to produce the words to the preamble to the US Constitution.
It’s a very well done video and considering that we are nearing the end of an election season that has seen stupidity, anger and accusations on both sides-with no one apparently having the maturity to admit that they were wrong in making negative accusations-perhaps it would be a good idea to remember that we all have the right to our opinion and that whether you agree with someone or not, it’s still a free country and we all have to fight for it.
We fight everyday for our freedom by talking about our point of view, by comparing and contrasting how what we think is different than what someone else thinks or believes. We have the right, the opportunity and most importantly the responsibility to challenge those that we feel may be wrong or making a mistake. But do not forget that they too have that right and responsibility.
I hope that when our election is over in just two weeks that we will all be respectful of the winner and the looser-whether it’s the people we voted for or not.
Video of Preamble
http://www.vimeo.com/433218
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
She went on to explain that it was a friend of hers that produced and directed the video. That she had been in NYC last year and while there she and her sister were invited to be a part of the video where everyone moves around to produce the words to the preamble to the US Constitution.
It’s a very well done video and considering that we are nearing the end of an election season that has seen stupidity, anger and accusations on both sides-with no one apparently having the maturity to admit that they were wrong in making negative accusations-perhaps it would be a good idea to remember that we all have the right to our opinion and that whether you agree with someone or not, it’s still a free country and we all have to fight for it.
We fight everyday for our freedom by talking about our point of view, by comparing and contrasting how what we think is different than what someone else thinks or believes. We have the right, the opportunity and most importantly the responsibility to challenge those that we feel may be wrong or making a mistake. But do not forget that they too have that right and responsibility.
I hope that when our election is over in just two weeks that we will all be respectful of the winner and the looser-whether it’s the people we voted for or not.
Video of Preamble
http://www.vimeo.com/433218
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Clone Wars on Cartoon Network and StarWars.com!
Well for all of you who haven’t already read about and watched the new Clone Wars Cartoon on Cartoon Network on Friday nights at 9pm [and no I am not getting a fee for advertising this!] for those of you who do not have cable-and there are some of us who don’t- as well as for those of you who may have missed some of the episodes, it’s now available to view online at starwars.com!
Not having cable made me give up ever watching it, but now that they’re going to be put online so we can watch the older episodes makes me think it may be worth downloading or streaming the video to my computer.
Hope this doesn’t make me too much of a geek!
Clone Wars Online
http://www.starwars.com/video/view/0000/0025
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Not having cable made me give up ever watching it, but now that they’re going to be put online so we can watch the older episodes makes me think it may be worth downloading or streaming the video to my computer.
Hope this doesn’t make me too much of a geek!
Clone Wars Online
http://www.starwars.com/video/view/0000/0025
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Bosox Just Won’t Give Up! [Fall 2008]
As I grew up and went to school, even moving away from home and going to college one thing always seemed certain to me-that the Yankees would be in the playoffs and Joe Torre would take them there! So the last few years have been an upheaval of my world of sorts. Boston beat the Yankees in 2004 when they were down 3 games to 1 in the ALCS. In 2007 Boston came back and beat Cleveland down 3 games to 1, and now in 2008 the Bosox are on the verge of going back to the World Series after having been down 3 games to 1!
I’m wondering what’s going on with the world! Torre’s gone out of NY and the Sox are prepping to go back to the world series-perhaps-for the 3rd time in five years. What is the world coming too?
I know that in the world of college football, or the NFL there are always surprised, but this is more like a fluke of nature? An act of God? A sign of the impending Armageddon?
What am I supposed to think?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
I’m wondering what’s going on with the world! Torre’s gone out of NY and the Sox are prepping to go back to the world series-perhaps-for the 3rd time in five years. What is the world coming too?
I know that in the world of college football, or the NFL there are always surprised, but this is more like a fluke of nature? An act of God? A sign of the impending Armageddon?
What am I supposed to think?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Dodgers Win a Playoff Series!
Not since 1988 had the LA Dodgers won a post-season series. Now it was rather big news back in 1988 when they did win, since that was the World Series they won and had beaten Oakland-and no one thought they would that post-season. But the Dodgers behind Orel Hershiser and the former Detroit Tiger Kirk Gibson came from behind and beat Oakland in 5 games.
That was a phenomenal season for the Dodgers, and I’ll be honest I wasn’t’ a huge fan of the dodgers then-nor am I now-but they did have Kirk Gibson and Hershiser to watch and be amazed by that season.
Twenty years later the Dodgers made their first appearance in post season and won their first post-season series since that 1988 World Series. What makes this all unique-at least to me-and worthwhile to mention is that the catalyst for this past season’s post-season play was their new manager-Joe Torre. The Boy from Brooklyn, who wasn’t good enough to lead the Yankees one more season, took the dodgers to the NLCS in his first season as manager.
Way to go Joe! And hopefully he’ll take them back again and again-just as he did with the Yankees for 11 straight seasons!
Dodgers History/timeline
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/history/timeline10.jsp
MLB.com's World Series History
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1988
Sunday, October 19, 2008
That was a phenomenal season for the Dodgers, and I’ll be honest I wasn’t’ a huge fan of the dodgers then-nor am I now-but they did have Kirk Gibson and Hershiser to watch and be amazed by that season.
Twenty years later the Dodgers made their first appearance in post season and won their first post-season series since that 1988 World Series. What makes this all unique-at least to me-and worthwhile to mention is that the catalyst for this past season’s post-season play was their new manager-Joe Torre. The Boy from Brooklyn, who wasn’t good enough to lead the Yankees one more season, took the dodgers to the NLCS in his first season as manager.
Way to go Joe! And hopefully he’ll take them back again and again-just as he did with the Yankees for 11 straight seasons!
Dodgers History/timeline
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/history/timeline10.jsp
MLB.com's World Series History
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1988
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Got Futurama!!??
I recently watched the DVD movie of Futurama’s Bender’s Big Score!
And while it’s probably true that it wouldn’t win any academy awards or Emmy awards, or any other awards it did give me a considerable amount of laughter for over an hour! Anyone who was a fan of Futurama when it was on the Fox network absolutely needs to rent or buy this and watch it!
From the hilarious rude and obnoxious comments that Bender makes throughout the movie-like being greeted by his voice when the DVD opens and hearing him say “Thanks for buying my DVD…chump!” –To watching the clueless Lela being ride to Fry-the one and only man that will ever love her!
The movie has its typical math and physics Futurama-style thrown in for good measure, as well as a couple of twists that are pretty good too!
Be sure to watch for the “BOX” network near the beginning when Professor Farnsworth explains that those moron-idiots had canceled them and they in turn were fired!
Made me laugh-And hope it will give you a laugh too!
And for all those who have seen Futurama on DVD, the web site reports a new DVD to be released at the beginning of November!
Woo Hoo!
[Oh wait-that’s a different TV show!]
Futurama-Bender's Big Score [2007]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0471711/
Futurama Info
http://www.gotfuturama.com/
Sunday, October 19, 2008
And while it’s probably true that it wouldn’t win any academy awards or Emmy awards, or any other awards it did give me a considerable amount of laughter for over an hour! Anyone who was a fan of Futurama when it was on the Fox network absolutely needs to rent or buy this and watch it!
From the hilarious rude and obnoxious comments that Bender makes throughout the movie-like being greeted by his voice when the DVD opens and hearing him say “Thanks for buying my DVD…chump!” –To watching the clueless Lela being ride to Fry-the one and only man that will ever love her!
The movie has its typical math and physics Futurama-style thrown in for good measure, as well as a couple of twists that are pretty good too!
Be sure to watch for the “BOX” network near the beginning when Professor Farnsworth explains that those moron-idiots had canceled them and they in turn were fired!
Made me laugh-And hope it will give you a laugh too!
And for all those who have seen Futurama on DVD, the web site reports a new DVD to be released at the beginning of November!
Woo Hoo!
[Oh wait-that’s a different TV show!]
Futurama-Bender's Big Score [2007]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0471711/
Futurama Info
http://www.gotfuturama.com/
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Sprawl, Gas Prices and Home Foreclosures
I’d not given much if any thought to the idea that the urban sprawl which we’ve all seen and so many have enjoyed could have a negative effect not only on our environment, but on the current financial crisis that is playing out in our daily lives, on the evening news and in Washington DC right now.
People have for the last fifty years moved away from the city and moved farther and farther out into the country to find their own little piece of land and a larger home for a cheaper price. The people that have moved out of the cities and suburbs many times did not look for a new job or a different job, they kept the job they had and simply commuted. Sometimes an hour, sometimes even more, one-way!
These families have been living the semi-good life with their big homes away from the perceived crime and dirt of the city, with their big SUVs and had no thought or care to how they would pay from everything. Most people think of their life as being static. That it will not change until they decide to change it.
Most people also tend to get a very real wakeup call at some point in their life! Whether it’s with a financial wakeup or perhaps with their health. We are all thrown a curve once or twice in our lives. Many people now are living and failing because they’re not able to hit the curve ball that’s been thrown at them over the last few years.
Living a long distance away from where you work means you commute a long ways too. If you have a gas guzzling SUV you have to buy gas a few times a week to commute and get around. If you have an increase in gas prices by two or three fold, then you may very well find yourself in the bottom of the well and not knowing how you are going to get yourself out of it.
With gas prices at $3 to $4 per gallon many people don’t know how to sustain their life style and pay for it all. Something has to be cut if you can’t afford it all. Many people have found they can’t’ afford to pay their mortgages because they can’t afford the gas.
It’s an interesting proposition that PBS’s NOW show has presented. People who are living in the very outskirts of suburbia drive the farthest, and spend the most for gas overall. They also are some of the very people who are losing their homes and being foreclosed upon. They don’t know how they are going to pay for everything, and worry that all they have worked for will be lost when they fall behind in their payments.
Suggestions have been made that Americans need to change their daily habits. They need to live closer to the city-or alternatively they need to live closer to where they work! They need to have smaller more fuel efficient cars-or even better they need to use public transportation and save energy and money in the process.
Most people do not live close enough to a bus or rail line to use it effectively. Also, the public transportation systems of most cities and counties are horrible. I live in a city that has a very good bus system and I endeavor to use it all the time. But I recently moved-all of three miles from I used to live-and there is no bus service anywhere near me. If I want to go anywhere now I’m too far away to walk, and I can’t get to the bus line from where I’m at-and I don’t find it feasible to bike to the grocery store!
I think that people and government need to work together on this problem. We need to be more willing to use public transportation as well as to buy newer fuel efficient, smaller cars. We will have to think more long term-as in 20 to 50 years down the road-as well as think more globally than individually. I hope that America as a whole will act more responsibly. As well as that Americans individually will realize that their actions affect not only them but people across the country and across the globe. We need to wake up and realize this before it’s too late and the next third world country won’t be viewed from a TV, but from out our window.
PBS-NOW-Driven to Despair- Oct 2008
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/440/index.html
Pbs Show-NOW web site
http://www.pbs.org/now/index.html
Friday, October 17, 2008
People have for the last fifty years moved away from the city and moved farther and farther out into the country to find their own little piece of land and a larger home for a cheaper price. The people that have moved out of the cities and suburbs many times did not look for a new job or a different job, they kept the job they had and simply commuted. Sometimes an hour, sometimes even more, one-way!
These families have been living the semi-good life with their big homes away from the perceived crime and dirt of the city, with their big SUVs and had no thought or care to how they would pay from everything. Most people think of their life as being static. That it will not change until they decide to change it.
Most people also tend to get a very real wakeup call at some point in their life! Whether it’s with a financial wakeup or perhaps with their health. We are all thrown a curve once or twice in our lives. Many people now are living and failing because they’re not able to hit the curve ball that’s been thrown at them over the last few years.
Living a long distance away from where you work means you commute a long ways too. If you have a gas guzzling SUV you have to buy gas a few times a week to commute and get around. If you have an increase in gas prices by two or three fold, then you may very well find yourself in the bottom of the well and not knowing how you are going to get yourself out of it.
With gas prices at $3 to $4 per gallon many people don’t know how to sustain their life style and pay for it all. Something has to be cut if you can’t afford it all. Many people have found they can’t’ afford to pay their mortgages because they can’t afford the gas.
It’s an interesting proposition that PBS’s NOW show has presented. People who are living in the very outskirts of suburbia drive the farthest, and spend the most for gas overall. They also are some of the very people who are losing their homes and being foreclosed upon. They don’t know how they are going to pay for everything, and worry that all they have worked for will be lost when they fall behind in their payments.
Suggestions have been made that Americans need to change their daily habits. They need to live closer to the city-or alternatively they need to live closer to where they work! They need to have smaller more fuel efficient cars-or even better they need to use public transportation and save energy and money in the process.
Most people do not live close enough to a bus or rail line to use it effectively. Also, the public transportation systems of most cities and counties are horrible. I live in a city that has a very good bus system and I endeavor to use it all the time. But I recently moved-all of three miles from I used to live-and there is no bus service anywhere near me. If I want to go anywhere now I’m too far away to walk, and I can’t get to the bus line from where I’m at-and I don’t find it feasible to bike to the grocery store!
I think that people and government need to work together on this problem. We need to be more willing to use public transportation as well as to buy newer fuel efficient, smaller cars. We will have to think more long term-as in 20 to 50 years down the road-as well as think more globally than individually. I hope that America as a whole will act more responsibly. As well as that Americans individually will realize that their actions affect not only them but people across the country and across the globe. We need to wake up and realize this before it’s too late and the next third world country won’t be viewed from a TV, but from out our window.
PBS-NOW-Driven to Despair- Oct 2008
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/440/index.html
Pbs Show-NOW web site
http://www.pbs.org/now/index.html
Friday, October 17, 2008
Meat Eating-Aliens versus Human!
So if you’ve read my recent blog about how I believe in the social justice issue argument as a reason to support being vegetarian, and then I’m sure you’d have some type of reaction to it. Maybe you’re pro meat-eater, maybe not. Maybe you’ll in the middle of trying to decide what would the right thing be to do and how to live your life, after all animals have no wear to go and can’t survive in the big world run by humans unless we take care of them really. And after all meat does taste really good!
However, I recall an argument I read in undergrad school many years ago in reference to this very topic. I honestly cannot remember the author who wrote the idea, but I mean to give full credit to him/her. I did not come up with it completely on my own-though I have morphed it somewhat in my own experience.
We’re all living happily here on planet earth-we have dominion over the earth, nature and of all the animals! Some are pleased with this because it shows that humans are the strongest and most dominate species on the planet. Some are content because in the bible is says that God will give control of everything on earth to the humans. And still others have difficulty with this as they wonder if it is right to enslave an entire species simply because we can, and because we can’t determine if they have intelligence.
Along we go for generations-centuries even!-with this same type of mindset. We never really solve or come to any agreement upon the issue because we are not morally or politically resolved as a group-as a species ourselves-to change our behavior or to learn whether we are doing anything really wrong. After all it might be the case that these animals do understand what we are doing to them, and can feel incredible, grotesque pain when we raise them in cramped, dirty, smelly quarters and then literally kill them with no feeling and not concern for their own fear or pain.
After all, why spend money to care for animals or change our own ways when we can simply keep doing what we’ve been doing for all of time!
Then one day, we have visitors arrive from some other planet! Probably some other galaxy as there are countless space ships that are in the sky. So many that it blots out the sun and makes it look like a February Afternoon in Michigan! These creatures are larger than us and appear stronger than us, and don’t appear to be communicating with us at all.
In fact they don’t seem to care about trying to communicate with us. In fact they all appear to be working on setting up different types of work areas-things that look like massive pumps to suck up the water from the lakes. Giant stalls with walls 20 feet high and they lead to a large ship that has landed on the ground.
In fact reports are coming in that this is what the aliens are doing all over the world. No one has been able to talk with them, and when we attempt to they quickly take the people aside and place them in some type of container away from everyone else.
The next say when we go to work there are far fewer people on the street! Fewer cars, fewer people walking, in the stores, just fewer people everywhere!
On the outskirts of the cities the large ships appear to be arriving and then leaving moving out to the oceans. When you get to work you hear a report on the news-radio or TV-that these giants ships that are on the edge of the larger cities are taking people from off the streets and appear to be herding them into the ships. After the ships leave they travel into the middle part of the oceans and are dumping massive amounts of bloody materials.
Upon further investigation that news reports that these carcasses appear to be human bodies-chopped up remains of bodies which include bone and blood and clothing.
People become fearful and scared! They scream for the government to protect them. All the individual governments send the military they have to attack and destroy these ships, but our technology is like a mosquito to these aliens. They swat us with their raid and our soldiers are eliminated.
Meanwhile-the alien ships continue to take humans off the planet. No one appears to be safe. People are making grandiose statements about how this is the end of the world, and that God has sent these aliens to take away the sinners!
After months of the aliens being on earth and taking people away, human society has broken down into smaller groups that hide in the rural and mountainous regions. The aliens appear to be gone, but no one is sure.
One day a family is sitting and eating dinner and a young child comments about the pork they are having for dinner…”Gee daddy, these ribs came from the pig we killed today. We did to the pig just what the aliens did to us.”
Friday, October 17, 2008
However, I recall an argument I read in undergrad school many years ago in reference to this very topic. I honestly cannot remember the author who wrote the idea, but I mean to give full credit to him/her. I did not come up with it completely on my own-though I have morphed it somewhat in my own experience.
We’re all living happily here on planet earth-we have dominion over the earth, nature and of all the animals! Some are pleased with this because it shows that humans are the strongest and most dominate species on the planet. Some are content because in the bible is says that God will give control of everything on earth to the humans. And still others have difficulty with this as they wonder if it is right to enslave an entire species simply because we can, and because we can’t determine if they have intelligence.
Along we go for generations-centuries even!-with this same type of mindset. We never really solve or come to any agreement upon the issue because we are not morally or politically resolved as a group-as a species ourselves-to change our behavior or to learn whether we are doing anything really wrong. After all it might be the case that these animals do understand what we are doing to them, and can feel incredible, grotesque pain when we raise them in cramped, dirty, smelly quarters and then literally kill them with no feeling and not concern for their own fear or pain.
After all, why spend money to care for animals or change our own ways when we can simply keep doing what we’ve been doing for all of time!
Then one day, we have visitors arrive from some other planet! Probably some other galaxy as there are countless space ships that are in the sky. So many that it blots out the sun and makes it look like a February Afternoon in Michigan! These creatures are larger than us and appear stronger than us, and don’t appear to be communicating with us at all.
In fact they don’t seem to care about trying to communicate with us. In fact they all appear to be working on setting up different types of work areas-things that look like massive pumps to suck up the water from the lakes. Giant stalls with walls 20 feet high and they lead to a large ship that has landed on the ground.
In fact reports are coming in that this is what the aliens are doing all over the world. No one has been able to talk with them, and when we attempt to they quickly take the people aside and place them in some type of container away from everyone else.
The next say when we go to work there are far fewer people on the street! Fewer cars, fewer people walking, in the stores, just fewer people everywhere!
On the outskirts of the cities the large ships appear to be arriving and then leaving moving out to the oceans. When you get to work you hear a report on the news-radio or TV-that these giants ships that are on the edge of the larger cities are taking people from off the streets and appear to be herding them into the ships. After the ships leave they travel into the middle part of the oceans and are dumping massive amounts of bloody materials.
Upon further investigation that news reports that these carcasses appear to be human bodies-chopped up remains of bodies which include bone and blood and clothing.
People become fearful and scared! They scream for the government to protect them. All the individual governments send the military they have to attack and destroy these ships, but our technology is like a mosquito to these aliens. They swat us with their raid and our soldiers are eliminated.
Meanwhile-the alien ships continue to take humans off the planet. No one appears to be safe. People are making grandiose statements about how this is the end of the world, and that God has sent these aliens to take away the sinners!
After months of the aliens being on earth and taking people away, human society has broken down into smaller groups that hide in the rural and mountainous regions. The aliens appear to be gone, but no one is sure.
One day a family is sitting and eating dinner and a young child comments about the pork they are having for dinner…”Gee daddy, these ribs came from the pig we killed today. We did to the pig just what the aliens did to us.”
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy [2005]
I’ve seen this movie on several occasions and can never get over despite its inability to convey the entire meaning and theme of the original book and TV series that it’s still a good movie to watch on a rainy afternoon. Especially when you have no desire to get out of bed and think that it’d be so much better if the world were to just end!
How appropriate it is to watch this movie then-since at the beginning we have the earth being destroyed to make way for an intergalactic by-pass. How odd really that the main character [Arthur Dent, played by Martin Freeman] is about to lose his house because of a planned by-pass to go right through his house, and then not but ten minutes later in the movie the earth itself is destroyed all for the same reason!
Ah the irony of those Brits and their humor to boot!
There are plenty of very good supporting actors in this movie that make it worthwhile to watch. Such as; John Malkovich playing the rival political candidate who lost his bid for president of the galaxy-can’t see why anyone who has THAT many legs could lose! Then Zooey Deschanel plays Arthur Dent’s love interest in the movie-Trillian. She has quite a bit of spunk, but doesn’t’ seem to mind at all-nor bat an eyelash-when the current president of the galaxy offers to take her on his space ship, and she is willing to leave poor Arthur at a party for what ought to be a crazed, drunken nut-case! Not sure but most people that tell me they want to show me “Their space-ship” I tend to refer to psych at work! Mos Def plays Arthur’s friend Ford Prefect-who is in reality from another planet and is working on an update for the current addition of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, not to mention he is rather indisposable to Arthur in getting out alive in most of the difficult situations he finds himself in throughout the movie.
If you enjoy dry wit and humor in movies and are not looking for the average shoot them up, kill them with the most destruction possible and spilling the most blood on screen type of movie, then this may offer you a laugh or smile throughout the movie!
It also affords you the chance to think about your role in the universe!
Are humans really the smartest species on this planet? Or do you just think that we are?
It offers some interesting questions, and your answers may tend to be very ego-centric!
Consider kicking your mind open a bit wider than it is now!
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy [2005]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371724/
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Web Site
http://video.movies.go.com/hitchhikersguide/global/index_street.html?countryID=us§ion=undefined&datastr=undefined&pastStreet=1&
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
How appropriate it is to watch this movie then-since at the beginning we have the earth being destroyed to make way for an intergalactic by-pass. How odd really that the main character [Arthur Dent, played by Martin Freeman] is about to lose his house because of a planned by-pass to go right through his house, and then not but ten minutes later in the movie the earth itself is destroyed all for the same reason!
Ah the irony of those Brits and their humor to boot!
There are plenty of very good supporting actors in this movie that make it worthwhile to watch. Such as; John Malkovich playing the rival political candidate who lost his bid for president of the galaxy-can’t see why anyone who has THAT many legs could lose! Then Zooey Deschanel plays Arthur Dent’s love interest in the movie-Trillian. She has quite a bit of spunk, but doesn’t’ seem to mind at all-nor bat an eyelash-when the current president of the galaxy offers to take her on his space ship, and she is willing to leave poor Arthur at a party for what ought to be a crazed, drunken nut-case! Not sure but most people that tell me they want to show me “Their space-ship” I tend to refer to psych at work! Mos Def plays Arthur’s friend Ford Prefect-who is in reality from another planet and is working on an update for the current addition of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, not to mention he is rather indisposable to Arthur in getting out alive in most of the difficult situations he finds himself in throughout the movie.
If you enjoy dry wit and humor in movies and are not looking for the average shoot them up, kill them with the most destruction possible and spilling the most blood on screen type of movie, then this may offer you a laugh or smile throughout the movie!
It also affords you the chance to think about your role in the universe!
Are humans really the smartest species on this planet? Or do you just think that we are?
It offers some interesting questions, and your answers may tend to be very ego-centric!
Consider kicking your mind open a bit wider than it is now!
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy [2005]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371724/
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Web Site
http://video.movies.go.com/hitchhikersguide/global/index_street.html?countryID=us§ion=undefined&datastr=undefined&pastStreet=1&
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Vegetarians! A Social-Justice Issue
I’ve been asked on many occasions why I’m a vegetarian, or at present why I used to be such a strict vegetarian and am today a modified vegetarian.
When I first got to college I had the chance to eat what I wanted and to have more control over my life than I ever felt before! Many people decide to stay up late, go to parties, date multiple people at once, smoke and do many things they may never have considered let alone been able to do because of parental and familial control over their lives while they were living at home.
One of the things I most looked forward to upon entering college was to be able to eat what I wanted-or more specifically to not eat what I’d been forced to eat at home.
I had thought for several years before that eating meat might be wrong, or unethical based on a social justice issue. The thought that most specials of animals that are raised can feel physical pain, and some in fact convey emotion as well, and to eat them didn’t seem right to me. In addition, most animals that are killed are not raised in any humane way; they are also not killed in any humane way. No thought is given to how it affects the animal. No thought is given as to the precedence that is widely played out everyday across this nation.
This is primarily meant as a social justice argument and I do not expect people to change their eating habits simply because of a blog article. However; I would hope that anyone who reads this will seriously consider what their eating habits are and why they eat what they eat. Perhaps they will consider changing their habits based on these arguments and their own conscience!
Animals have no rights, they are considered property. But even for pets there are laws in most states preventing cruelty to them. You cannot simply place your cat or dog in your microwave and heat them up to see what it will do to them. You can’t just kill them and eat them if you decide you want to have dog for dinner.
But cows, chickens, pork et al are all raised in large numbers and in poor conditions for their health-though I can hear the objection now, “why worry about their health, we’re gonna kill them and eat them!” And if this isn’t enough of a thought to make you sick, consider how they are killed. Most are slaughtered by the cruelest method possible. Cows receive a nail to their head, pork is hung up by their butt/legs and then their throats are cut to let the blood run out while they are still alive!
Now I don’t care for any of this-the poor conditions they are raised in, the way they are killed-but even more so than this I think that the raising of entire species of animals simply so they can be killed, and then eaten by us is wrong.
This amounts to genocide, but because it’s not done to humans it’s not genocide. And why is all of this done? Because we think they taste good and we want to eat meat!
I admit I grew up eating meat and I have eaten meat since I became a vegetarian in college. I wish that we were all more socially conscious of what we do to ourselves, each other and our planet. How we treat animals is an example of how we could treat the planet better. We-humans as a whole-disregard what is good for the planet and thus good for ourselves long term, by destroying forests and rain forests so that we have more land to let cattle graze. We use steroids in chickens so that they can take less time to grow and then be killed, processed and sold for us to eat.
How can we continue to do this to our planet and to ourselves?
Our continuing to eat meat seems parallel to our continued over use of oil to power our cars and our economy. I wonder whether just as the oil crisis has caused gas prices to soar and many people to sell their gas guzzling cars, and to use public transportation, car pooling and purchasing green cars for the first time in their lives that our continued consumption of meat will not at some point cause an ever increasing effect on global warming and lead us to change our dietary habits as well. So that we can save ourselves and our planet-simultaneously!
Just think about it!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
When I first got to college I had the chance to eat what I wanted and to have more control over my life than I ever felt before! Many people decide to stay up late, go to parties, date multiple people at once, smoke and do many things they may never have considered let alone been able to do because of parental and familial control over their lives while they were living at home.
One of the things I most looked forward to upon entering college was to be able to eat what I wanted-or more specifically to not eat what I’d been forced to eat at home.
I had thought for several years before that eating meat might be wrong, or unethical based on a social justice issue. The thought that most specials of animals that are raised can feel physical pain, and some in fact convey emotion as well, and to eat them didn’t seem right to me. In addition, most animals that are killed are not raised in any humane way; they are also not killed in any humane way. No thought is given to how it affects the animal. No thought is given as to the precedence that is widely played out everyday across this nation.
This is primarily meant as a social justice argument and I do not expect people to change their eating habits simply because of a blog article. However; I would hope that anyone who reads this will seriously consider what their eating habits are and why they eat what they eat. Perhaps they will consider changing their habits based on these arguments and their own conscience!
Animals have no rights, they are considered property. But even for pets there are laws in most states preventing cruelty to them. You cannot simply place your cat or dog in your microwave and heat them up to see what it will do to them. You can’t just kill them and eat them if you decide you want to have dog for dinner.
But cows, chickens, pork et al are all raised in large numbers and in poor conditions for their health-though I can hear the objection now, “why worry about their health, we’re gonna kill them and eat them!” And if this isn’t enough of a thought to make you sick, consider how they are killed. Most are slaughtered by the cruelest method possible. Cows receive a nail to their head, pork is hung up by their butt/legs and then their throats are cut to let the blood run out while they are still alive!
Now I don’t care for any of this-the poor conditions they are raised in, the way they are killed-but even more so than this I think that the raising of entire species of animals simply so they can be killed, and then eaten by us is wrong.
This amounts to genocide, but because it’s not done to humans it’s not genocide. And why is all of this done? Because we think they taste good and we want to eat meat!
I admit I grew up eating meat and I have eaten meat since I became a vegetarian in college. I wish that we were all more socially conscious of what we do to ourselves, each other and our planet. How we treat animals is an example of how we could treat the planet better. We-humans as a whole-disregard what is good for the planet and thus good for ourselves long term, by destroying forests and rain forests so that we have more land to let cattle graze. We use steroids in chickens so that they can take less time to grow and then be killed, processed and sold for us to eat.
How can we continue to do this to our planet and to ourselves?
Our continuing to eat meat seems parallel to our continued over use of oil to power our cars and our economy. I wonder whether just as the oil crisis has caused gas prices to soar and many people to sell their gas guzzling cars, and to use public transportation, car pooling and purchasing green cars for the first time in their lives that our continued consumption of meat will not at some point cause an ever increasing effect on global warming and lead us to change our dietary habits as well. So that we can save ourselves and our planet-simultaneously!
Just think about it!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Lions Play Well, But Loose Again
It’s not hard to believe that our Detroit Lions lost another game this season. It’s not hard to believe that they are now 0-5 with few games in the near future that could be potential winners! But what is hard to believe is that the Lions played very well-especially in comparison to their miserable performances over the past 5 weeks, and yet they still lost.
The defense was like a Hoover vacuum that sucked up all the loose manure in the Humphrey dome-hey Minnesota is a rather rural state! I know a couple of people from grad school whose families were dairy farmers!
But whether the Lions played well lor not, and despite the defense’s good performance in stopping Minnesota so many times. They lost. The blocked a field goal attempt in the second half and actually gave us some hope that they could win. They were ahead at half-time 3-2 and made me think of tonight’s NLCS game with the score!
They even had Orlovsky playing well despite not being the “regular” starter and in spite of being tackled and sacked on several occasions-including a few hard ones-he played well and kept going.
It’s a disappointing loss. I’m sure nearly every other fan in the league is saying tonight, “the Lions Lost? Dude what else is new?” But I was hoping in the back of my mind and deep down that we’d have a win going in to Houston next weekend.
Now we’ll face the Texans-who are 1-4 and had an awesome come from behind win, which by the way 4 teams came back in the last minute and won from the 1pm start games today! It was like it was scripted! I saw the Vikings kick a field goal. The Texans run in for a TD, Atlanta come back and beat Chicago after Chicago had JUST taken the lead with under a minute left, and the Rams beat Washington with a late field goal. It felt like I was watching a Hollywood scripted football afternoon!
Can’t wait to see if Detroit gets written into the winning end for next week!
Week#6 Scoreboard
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=281012016
espn-scoreboard
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/scoreboard
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The defense was like a Hoover vacuum that sucked up all the loose manure in the Humphrey dome-hey Minnesota is a rather rural state! I know a couple of people from grad school whose families were dairy farmers!
But whether the Lions played well lor not, and despite the defense’s good performance in stopping Minnesota so many times. They lost. The blocked a field goal attempt in the second half and actually gave us some hope that they could win. They were ahead at half-time 3-2 and made me think of tonight’s NLCS game with the score!
They even had Orlovsky playing well despite not being the “regular” starter and in spite of being tackled and sacked on several occasions-including a few hard ones-he played well and kept going.
It’s a disappointing loss. I’m sure nearly every other fan in the league is saying tonight, “the Lions Lost? Dude what else is new?” But I was hoping in the back of my mind and deep down that we’d have a win going in to Houston next weekend.
Now we’ll face the Texans-who are 1-4 and had an awesome come from behind win, which by the way 4 teams came back in the last minute and won from the 1pm start games today! It was like it was scripted! I saw the Vikings kick a field goal. The Texans run in for a TD, Atlanta come back and beat Chicago after Chicago had JUST taken the lead with under a minute left, and the Rams beat Washington with a late field goal. It felt like I was watching a Hollywood scripted football afternoon!
Can’t wait to see if Detroit gets written into the winning end for next week!
Week#6 Scoreboard
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=281012016
espn-scoreboard
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/scoreboard
Sunday, October 12, 2008
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