BlogPodge

Amazing

2008-08-20T22:17:00.000-07:00

Orphaned in Africa

2008-07-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

Kids are the future and the kids of South Africa can bring a great change to the community despite their shattered upbringing. You don’t know the story behind most of the kids, but you do know it is mostly tragic. A lot of these kids were left orphaned as a result of AIDS. Some were pulled from alcoholic and abusive parents. Whatever the case, they are without parents in one of the weakest economic areas in all of South Africa.

Our goal here is to end that trend. AIDS leaves more and more victims every day. As a result, the number of orphaned children only increases. We believe we have the tools to bring that devastation to an end. Education is the future.

These kids are so beautiful and each has his or her own story. Nane loves books and wristwatches. Sya loves frisbee and rocks. Colin loves handshakes, music and basketball. Syando loves cards and sugar cane. Mandla loves dribbling the soccer ball. Mfundo loves to teach me words in Zulu. Raah loves geometry textbooks.

All of these kids are innocent products of a broken or dysfunctional upbringing. They have more love than I have ever seen. I thought I would come out here to Africa and love on some kids. I have, but nothing can compare with the love they bestow on me. Their love is unconditional and innocent and pure and beautiful.

Nothing brightens up my day more than a kid who comes up and smiles and gives me a big hug. This program can help these kids rise above their affliction and pain. With a few people to get things running and spread some love, this community can become one that is not affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

These kids have given me more love than I can give to them. I feel so blessed by these kids. They have done more for me in these first few weeks than I can explain or even comprehend.

Love someone and you will change their life as well as your own.

Movie Madness

2008-06-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

My second attempt at movie madness went off without a hitch and I broke my previous record of five movies at AMC in one day. Friday, I managed six. However, I think the original movie madness was better because the movies were simply better. That first one included “The Kite Runner,” my favorite movie of the year.

I took my mom to see “The Incredible Hulk” at 11:50 for AMC’s early bird special (still five bucks). We both really enjoyed it. The action and story were much quicker than the previous Hulk. They told the back story in about 2 minutes, while the previous took an hour.

Didn’t care much for Liv Tyler or Tim Roth, but William Hurt and Edward Norton were good. They really chose the perfect director to revive the series. Louis Leterrier (The Transporter) brought a fast-paced, explosive action style to this one and the special effects are the best of the summer.

My mom left me her bag of popcorn, so I grabbed a refill and plexed into “Son of Rambow,” which was a cute, funny story of these British kids with big imaginations. It was imaginative and artsy. It was pretty good, but failed to live up to Kite Runner caliber of which I was hoping.

On my way out of the theater, I found a large drink, so I grabbed a refill of Barq’s root beer and hopped into “The Happening” at 4:05. It was pretty crowded. I was completely ashamed to have seen this movie because the acting is so terrible.

This is easily M. Night Shyamalan’s worst movie. I just don’t think he will ever live up to “The Sixth Sense.” His story this time around is weak and flat-out boring. He put together some kind of lame story warning us that we are killing ourselves by how we treat the earth. Bunch of bull crap. Didn’t buy it for a second.

Night turned to more disturbing content than previous films as he searched for many different ways to portray suicides. Quite violent, though even with the R-rating, it is not even near as creepy as the PG-13 “Sixth Sense.” I don’t know what happened, but the suspense was not there for Night in this one. I laughed out loud at the role he gave himself (might even be more arrogant than “Lady in the Water”). He “plays” a character with no screen time or voice. He is only mentioned in the movie, yet there Night is in the credits as Writer, Director, Producer and Actor.

I angrily walked into “Kung Fu Panda,” which greatly lifted my spirits. It was a delightful, action-packed adventure. Jack Black basically played himself, which was hilarious. Great cast in this one.

Next, I checked out “Before the Rains.” It was about an Englishman building a road in India in the 1930’s who commits adultery and must answer to the tribe in the neighboring village. The drama unfolds nicely and the scenery is beautiful. I felt that it climaxed a little too soon, though.

For the sixth and final film of the day, I found “The Strangers” at 9:45. It was the second Liv Tyler movie of the day (though I didn’t realize it was her until I got home). This used some creepy long shots as opposed to jump cuts and loud music to evoke scariness, which I greatly appreciated. Other than that, definitely nothing special.

All in all, it was a great movie day that lasted about 12 hours. I know it is possible to do 7 and I think 8 might be possible. Next time, I’ll shoot for 7 flicks, hopefully better than this set.

Hulk (2003)

2008-06-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

With the return of "The Incredible Hulk" this week, I decided to sit down and watch the most recent "Hulk" directed by oscar winner Ang Lee of "Brokeback Mountain." I thought this movie was pretty good when I saw it the first time in theaters.

Rewatching it, I have decided it has the best comic book feel of all these Marvel movies. The reason: the editing. It was very interesting how the filmmakers used clips to give it that comic feel. There were tons of crazy cuts, zooms and edits. It must have been a laborious task.

Picture the movie screen as a three dimensional cube. On almost every movie, we only see the one side of the cube and therefore never know it is actually a cube. "Hulk" defies the standard technique. Many times the cube rotates to a different side and we see a new clip. Very interesting. Just used to give it that comic feel.

This film was panned by critics as being too serious and dramatic for a super hero movie. I guess that is kind of true, but I enjoyed the change of pace compared to X-Men and Spiderman.

I love Eric Bana in the Bruce Banner role. He really was a terrific cast and he plays the part beautifully (I don't know if I can say the same of Edward Norton). You also have to love Jennifer Connelly (she is just downright gorgeous) and Nick Nolte was a good cast.

The acting wasn't the best and at times I thought I was watching a day time soap. The action was amazing despite the Hulk looking "too fake" according to die hards. The dog fight and the escape in the desert were visually terrific.

My big question: What was with the final battle? It seemed a bit too extreme and over the top? I guess that is what all super hero movies are.

The Hulk is one of my favorite characters because I wish I could turn into something huge and terrifying (and green) when I get angry. I get angry far too often so I'm sure I would be a permanent Hulk.

This movie's ending leaves it open for a sequel, but the lackluster box office performance led to scrapping the project. They, however, decided to resurrect the project just five years later. Quite a bold move because people still remember this one. They claim it to be a sequel/remake.

No Connelly, no Bana and no Nolte. O, and no Ang Lee (who, yes, is a great director). I don't know. We'll see. The action better be too die for.

"You're making me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

3.5 of 5

Lady in the Water

2008-06-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

Love him or loathe him, M Night Shyamalan quickly rose to fame with the enormous success of the Sixth Sense and has since established himself as a household name. Night a great storyteller. Each movie is so imaginative he nearly deserves enough acclaim to attach his name to the front of all his movies.

"Lady in the Water" was directed, written, produced and acted by Night. Many called Night arrogant after casting himself in the role of a visionary writer who will change the world, if they didn't think that already.

I think Night is a little high on his horse because of the Sixth Sense's great success and inclusion on AFI's top 100 movie list. Night felt he could do anything and people would subscribe to it because his name was at the top.

"Lady in the Water" is a derivation from Night's usual style. There are no big twists in the end. It is a fairy tale. A bed time story for adults. The puzzle does fit together nicely in the end as we were all guessing (or looking for a twist) of how it would culminate.

Night is a bit arrogant and full of himself, but hopefully the massive rejection of this movie will bring him back down to earth. Though not many like this, I found enjoyment and symbolism throughout the strange tale.

Paul Giamatti is the perfect cast in this role and I love him to death. He makes this story world more believable. I do wish that Night would have delved a bit more into the suspicion of the roles of each of the characters. It seemed to go a little too quickly. It tried to get to the end too quickly instead of naturally flowing.

Night takes a shot at critics in this one for their pan of "The Village" by killing off the arrogant and cynical film critic. Maybe this is why so many dislike this movie.

The tree monkeys are some of the coolest things I've seen. They are awesome with their roots and limbs growing on their backs. They were frightening as well.

A thing I have noticed about Night's films is his ridiculously long shots. He will hold a shot until the cows come home. This puts more pressure on the actors, but they perform well. Long shots are not the staple of horror/suspense films in which Night specializes in.

It was pretty cool to see everyone in the apartment come together for the sake of Story and her protection. She came so that man would listen. She inspired change and intellect. She was to pass the "seeds of change."

If we stop and listen, we can find the inspiration for change. We have forgotten how to listen.

Lady is a well-told strikingly original fairy tale, but never establishes itself as something more, something deeper and more meaningful. The suspense is not as well developed as previous Night films. It seems that Night can't live down "The Sixth Sense"

3.5 of 5

The Blessings of Priorities | Metro Family Magazine

2008-06-04T16:47:00.000-07:00

The Blessings of Priorities | Metro Family Magazine

Sydney Pollack, You Will Be Missed

2008-06-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Sydney Pollack passed away last week from a short-lived cancer battle. I was not even aware that he had cancer. I thought he was still on top of his game after seeing him in "Michael Clayton" and that he was in the new "Made of Honor."

Pollack was the genius behind "Tootsie" and "Out of Africa" (for which he won Best Picture and Best Director oscars). Pollack was the master of dialogue. He scenes between Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in "Africa" are legendary.

Pollack really knew how to capture the drama in his movies by using intense dialogue and terrific actors. Pollack is also won of the few who championed acting and directing.

He established his name as a director and separately as an actor. He believed his acting ability helped his directing tremendously. In recent years, Pollack turned to producing and was a very effective producer.

I remember a commercial he did for AT&T or something like that for a movie theater. I think it was one of those "turn off your cell phones" things. That was a few years ago.

Pollack was a genius in the film industry and he will greatly be missed. He did so many things for film and clearly left a lasting mark. Pollack's death was a true tragedy and devastating for film. His efforts in directing, acting and producing will never be matched again.

Director
The Interpreter
Sabrina
The Firm
Out of Africa
Tootsie

Producer
Leatherheads
Michael Clayton
Breaking and Entering
Cold Mountain
The Talented Mr. Ripley

Actor
Changing Lanes
Random Hearts
Eyes Wide Shut
Husbands and Wives
The Player

Paparazzi

2008-06-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Paparazzi stars Cole Hauser as Bo Larami who is affected by a gang of slimy paparazzi's. Realistically, it is a revenge film from Mel Gibson against the paparazzi who have annoyed many celebrities and politicians.

Larami is a small town guy from Montana who is thrust into stardom with his first action movie, "Adrenaline Force" (what a lame title). At first, he digs the attention, but then the flashing bulbs blind him and he becomes distraught.

He eventually punches a PAP for taking pictures of his son at a soccer game and is forced to attend anger management. He thinks it's over, but when the paparazzi surround his family and cause an horrific accident that leaves his son in a coma, Larami loses it.

Through a series of events, Laramie begins picking off the four PAP's who caused the wreck. One by one they all go down.

The movie rises a severe moral question as Laramie kills these guys for injuring his family. "You don't mess with a man's family." He refuses to turn in his small town values for the values of the new Hollywood culture. He is fed up with these guys trying to ruin his life, so he takes matters into his own hands.

At best, this is one of those bad 80's revenge B-movies that Mel Gibson made a living with. He should have played the part. Though he does have a cameo as an anger management patient outside the doctor's office. Probably the truth.

This movie does a really lame job at projecting family love and unity as well as the small town homeyness of the grocery store. This director is a hack and I will not bother posting his name. This is his only motion picture. The rest of his work is dedicated solely to TV shows.

This movie surely ruined any career he may have had (though I doubt he would have had one anyway). His direction of the acting is so poor. Cole Hauser is a joke. This was supposed to be his break out role to establish him among the elite. So much for that. This probably ruined his future as well.

Gibson got a bad rapt for this and he was hated for months for it, but he always comes back.

Tom Sizemore plays Rex Harper, the lowest, foulest paparazzi of the whole bunch. Sizemore is as slimy and greasy as ever. Daniel Baldwin is his buddy who is just as dirty. The movie projects the paparazzi as the lowest of the low. The dirt on the bottom of the shoe. The scum of society. They cause a wreck and then they take pictures of the mangled bodies in the car. All the while, the other driver died.

One could consider this movie a good look at the invasion of privacy and how it affects people's lives. Do they deserve the right to take pictures of your life? Question, question. Of course, this movie is biased against them, but are they right?

One thing I could not figure out was the random cameos. Gibson was understandable, but Vince Vaughn? Chris Rock? Matthew McConaughey? What is this? Just for kicks?

A short running time (1:21) is about the best part of this movie aside from the ridiculous revenge murders (that he gets away with). If you like those kind of movies, you may get a kick out of this, but the poor direction will make you run for higher ground.

4 of 10

Hand-held Beauty

2008-05-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about making a movie for the past couple weeks and last night I finally got the chance thanks to some big help from some friends and my brother. They had to think I was crazy, but they helped out a lot.

Lately, I have become obsessed with hand-held camera movement. I just love the chaos from using a hand-held. It is amazing how camera movement can make the situation that much more intense.

The hand-held camera does not have to increase intensity as it can be used to showcase the lifestyle of a another culture of a different culture. I write this about my new found love: Mexican filmmaking. Directors like Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro Inarritu and Guillermo del Toro.

These guys can create amazing worlds through the use of the hand-held camera. It really is beautiful how they can create these lifestyles. I cite Cuaron's "Children of Men" (such a great movie) and "Y Tu Mama Tambien" (despite the subject material, Cuaron's Mexico is delicious), del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" and Inarritu's "Amores Perros."

These guys really know how to make movies. I had been wanting to test out my own use of the hand-held camera, so I came up with a quick, lame plot just to test out different methods. I also love nighttime in an empty downtown, so I decided to shoot the movie in an empty downtown at night.

The car shots in the movie are great, but I got into some trouble when I sent my characters down an alley. I knew I would have some trouble with the lighting, but my goodness, I didn't expect the lighting to be that bad.

I was shooting with a crap, Wal-mart camera that refuses to pick up night time shots. So my run down the alley is really dark. I was kinda disappointed in this, but we'll see how it turns out when we edit it.

We also have a major sound problem that I can't seem to figure out at the moment. Luckily, there isn't much sound to be used in the movie other than screams and hits.

My hand-held work is decent, but I think at times I was too aggressive. My problem was I shook the camera and ran with it, so I had double the shake. If I had just let it flow naturally and tried to maintain a steady balance while I ran, it would have been better and not as drastic.

There is definitely an art to this form of cinematography and I commend anyone who has mastered it. Each movement is planned to a T and they really know what they are doing. Their presentation is so beautiful, whereas mine is sub par.

I need a lot of practice.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-05-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

DuhDuhDuhDuh DuhTaDuh duhduhduhduh DuhTaDuh

Indy's back! He is back to save the world again. As I walked throughout the theater waiting for the movie to start, I heard the glory of the theme song playing throughout the theater. At first, I thought it was coming from one of the screens, but I quickly learned it was set up on the PA system. Doesn't get much more awesome than that. I was also glad they used the same poster design as the original series.

Indy returns in 1957 in search for a skull to unlock El Dorado, the city of gold. New and old characters abound for the latest adventure. Indy is reunited with old flame Miriam (Karen Allen) from Raiders of the Lost Ark. He quickly finds out that the kid who took him to save his mom is his son. His son is played by Shia LaBeouf.

Skull is loaded with action and adventure as one might expect. Ford is old, but he can still pull off some of the stunts. They even make several jokes about how old Ford is throughout the movie.

The movie remains true to the originals in the fact that they use great stunt work as opposed to CGI for people. The stunt work is perfect and manages to capture Ford as an able, athletic fighting machine.

My first problem with this movie is all the car chases. There were like 3 huge car chases that took up a bulk of the action. Don't get me wrong, they were good, but they gave Indy a more stationary role in this one (cause he is so old). I know car chases and fights are an Indiana Jones stigma, but this one is a bit overboard. It seems the only fighting takes place on vehicles.

To praise the sound effects, I was so glad they used the same awesome, ridiculously loud punches. They are so awesome and just like the originals.

More criticism. I don't like the 50's world as much as I like the 30's world of the old movies. The 30's just seemed like the perfect time to be an adventurer and treasure hunter. The 50's is just a gross hair world. I much prefer the 30's.

Why o why Cate Blanchett? She tries so hard to make me hate her. I don't know why she is in this role, but I can't stand it. I think she is a good actor, but the roles she takes are starting to make me angry. She is showboating her skills.

In this movie, she is ugly with a disgusting outfit and haircut. There is no reason they could not have gotten some random Russian to play the part. It wasn't that essential to have star power in this role. She is really getting on my nerves.

Final criticism. What is this ending? The whole movie is adventurous and great up to the point when they walk into the room with alien skulls and skeletons. I knew it was going to turn weird. Course we can't have a George Lucas movie without some kind of ridiculous alien plot.

This really disappointed me. Sure the first three movies had supernatural happenings with religious artifacts, but never aliens with spaceships. I just found this hard to swallow. It just turned ridiculous and strayed so far from the Indy we all know and love. What was Spielberg thinking?

Despite the aliens and the sub par special effects, I still enjoyed the movie and I still love my hero, Indy. He will always remain one of the greatest characters of all time and definitely the best action hero. Indy is the bomb. I don't need any more Indy's because the originals never get stale.

4 of 5 stars

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

2008-05-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

Now, to the one I didn't remember all too well, the Last Crusade. This one was actually made when I was alive! Made four years after Doom, the Last Crusade takes place in 1936 and reincorporates the Nazis as bad guys.

I don't know why I didn't remember this one very well. I guess it is because I did not watch it as much as the other two.

Looking back at this movie, I was in for many surprises and it was just as entertaining as the first time I watched it. This one is loaded with action and adventure.

The introduction of Sean Connery as Indy's father was perfect. I really enjoyed him in this. This movie seems to have a ton of explosions and significantly less hand to hand battles. Maybe it is because of the massive tank battle that lasted half the movie.

This could be Indy's biggest adventure yet. He travels all over the world in search for the legendary Holy Grail, the mecca of all treasures.

This movie is littered with more humor than the previous movies. I just love Indy's countenance throughout the whole movie.

Spielberg claims this to be his favorite of the three and I can see why. The movie is great for the adventurer's spirit.

Crusade starts in 1912 with Indy as a Boy Scout who tries to steal a cross from jewel thieves. He thinks it belongs in a museum. The scenes as a kid explain a lot about Indy in the future, his hatred of snakes, his use of the bull whip and his hat.

Crusade is not only about a search for the Holy Grail but also about a search for reconciliation between a father and son. Dr. Jones Sr. neglected his son and his son left. Indy saves his life multiple times and they are united in the end. We will see how the last twenty years played out in the Kingdom of the Crystall Skull.

I'm interested to learn what Indy has been doing for the past 20 years. Ya, 20 years from Crusade to the newest sequel. What is the deal with resurrecting franchises from the 80's?

4.5 of 5 stars

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

2008-05-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

Moving on to my brother's favorite and possibly the darkest of the series, the Temple of Doom. Everything Spielberg couldn't get into Raiders he stuffed into this one. Escape the bad guys behind a rolling gong, use an inflatable raft as a parachute and safety blanket as he flies from a burning plane and a mine cart chase.

This movie has it all. Indie is back in the prequel to Raiders that is set in 1931 a few years earlier than Raiders. Doom was released in 1984 and was so violent, it helped garner a new system than introduced a PG-13 rating. The violence includes Molorom ripping a dude's heart out.

Doom centers on rural Indian villages that have been robbed of sacred stones. Indie must save the day. Doom has a lot of cult mysticism, child slavery and bizarre customs. Loaded with critters as opposed to snakes this time, Doom is sure to make even the strong squirm.

What my brother and I enjoyed so much about this movie was the character of little Shortie as Indie's sidekick. How we wished we could have been him as kids. To be our hero's sidekick would have been glorious. We always pretended we were Shortie and that we could save Dr. Jones whenever he needed help.

For the second time, this series won best visual effects at the Academy Awards. John Williams adds the typical awesome score. This movie is loaded with great action and is equally as entertaining as the first, but the darkness and weird spirituality are kind of a turn off in the series. I tend to think this is the weakest of the trilogy.

The thing I love about rewatching these movies is the old school sound effects. The punches sound so ridiculous and way over the top violent, which makes the movie even more exciting. I wonder if the new Indie will use the same? Probably not...

Thank you for #2 in the series which was equally as entertaining and thrilling. The adventures of Indie will stand the test of time and any kid will always think of Indie as the greatest hero of all time. Much better than today's "super"-heroes.

These movies are so well-developed and clearly thought out. It really is one of the best ideas for a hero ever. Thank you Lucas for that but not for Star Wars. I prefer the possible (haha, yeah Indie is very believable).

Harrison Ford gets more and more injured with each movie. In this one, he hurt his back. The previous, his ribs. He is probably in a wheelchair after Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

4 of 5 stars

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

2008-05-21T09:32:00.000-07:00

As the newest installment of Indy approaches, I felt the need to watch the original trilogy, which began in 1981. Can you believe that 27 years have passed and yet here comes another with Harrison Ford on his death bed?

The story of Indiana Jones is legendary and was one of my favorite movies as a kid. The adventure and daring escapades of Indy are incredible to a kid. Indy was easily the greatest character ever.

Harrison Ford was the perfect choice in this epic Spielberg film. His guise as a professor/archaeologist hides the truth that he is a treasure hunter. He is a handsome, rough teacher that his students greatly love.

Set in the 1930's, Indy is hired on by the government to beat the Nazi's to finding the Ark of the Covenant that is supposedly in Egypt. The thing with Indy is that he does all the grunt work - finding legendary treasures by passing all the traps - and some bad guy jerks it out of his hand and leaves him for dead.

The bad guy in this one is some Hitler cronie with an ugly face and a disgusting laugh. I really hate that guy.

The Ark is ripped from Indy and he and Marion (his girl) must get it back to discover the secrets within and to ensure it does not make the Nazi army invincible. The movie turns sci-fi (true to Spielberg and buddy and story writer George Lucas form) when the Nazis open the ark.

The Ark is legendary from Biblical times when the Hebrews carried it around at God's instruction as they wandered the wilderness. Anyone who touched it instantly died. It has spiritual power of some kind and has never been found.

The great thing about this epic movie is all the adventure as I previously stated. It still has some of the best fight scenes and action sequences of all time. This movie really stands the test of time. The movie is loaded with good humor as well.

Indiana Jones is one of the greatest characters/heroes ever made and I love him to death. I am so glad they made more than one movie and I can't wait for the next one. Ark is the best of the trilogy and likely the best of the series.

I didn't realize how well this movie was received back in the day. It was nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, which I find kinda hard to believe. O well, awesome. It won 4 - Best Art Direction, Best Effects, Best Editing, Best Sound.

Congrats Spielberg on one of your best movies and series ever. I could watch this every day forever.

4.5 of 5 stars

Shotgun!

2008-05-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

I saw this picture and almost busted a gut laughing. Not to take away from all that Rosa Parks accomplished, but this is just a funny picture. No doubt it was tough what she went through, but if you can't laugh in life then you're screwed.

Rosa Parks did much with her life as an activist who essentially began the Civil Rights Movement. Her refusal to give up her seat for a white person on December 1, 1955, led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which is one of the largest movements against racial segregation in U.S. history. This single event propelled Parks into a leadership role within the Civil Rights movement and forever garnered her notoriety.

Martin Luther King, Jr. rose up from the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Therefore, Parks is seen as the Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement. She helped ensure equality and the end of segregation. She did help change the world.

So, you have to laugh at the picture because Parks definitely deserves shotgun. Regretfully, she died like three years ago.

Call the picture offensive, call it in bad taste. But I call it hilarious. It does not change my view of her at all but rather emphasizes it. I probably respect her more. She was a great person.

Hopefully she followed all of the rules of shotgun.
1. Everyone has to be outside
2. You have to be able to see the car
3. Everyone has to hear you, especially the driver (so they can defend you if it turns nasty).
4. It's rude to take shotgun twice in a row (but for Rosa Parks, it wouldn't be).

Can I Graduate?

2008-05-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

My broseph walked across the stage for graduation from high school this past weekend. Wow, time really flies. As this school year came to an end, I realized, "Crap, I'm a junior." The first two years of college really flew by.

So, my kid brother is not a kid anymore. He is an 18-year-old college boy. Never thought the day would actually happen. I still picture him as the little boy playing with his "mans" all over the house and riding his bike all over the neighborhood.

If he is getting old, then surely I am turning into a codger. I've been looking back at my life and searching for what I have done to make a difference, what I have accomplished as a 20-year-old.

I only wish I had done more in high school, then I would be so much farther along than I am today. Now, I have to go back and do those things I didn't do in high school, like find my passions and all those things I enjoy.

I feel I have done a lot and have a ton more to do. I believe I have done more than the average 20-year-old. I only hope to do more as the year progresses. I need to do so much in the next two years before I graduate.

Dub will be going to college soon with his new laptop, which is so much better than mine (and at half the price, my how technology changes in two years!). He is going to UCO, which is a good choice for him. UCO is a great school and it has tons of possibilities. Plus, he can live at home for free.

My biggest advice from where I screwed up is to try to find something you really like before you get there. That way you can explore all the avenues of the major with a maximum amount of time instead of wasting the first two years doing almost nothing.

College is a great place to not only gain a degree but to establish contacts, create change and enjoy yourself before the real world comes crashing down.

Good luck, Pube.

Happy Gilmore

2008-05-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Gilmore is one of the best iconic examples of the comedy genre from the 1990's. I would venture to place it on my Top 10 Comedy list of my favorite comedies of all time, maybe Top 5.

Why Gilmore sticks out so much is the strikingly original storyline that Adam Sandler created. Sandler was really one of the top guys of comedy during the decade. He was a young genius. His movies were second only to Jim Carrey during that time period.

Happy Gilmore follows the extremely successful "Billy Madison" in 1996. This movie is 12 years old and yet it still makes me laugh out loud despite the immense number of times I've seen it.

The story is genius and Sandler cronie Dennis Dugan catches the best of the story in his direction of Gilmore. They collaborated well in showing the change in crowd at golf events once bad boy Gilmore comes to town. They took a raging character that is everything golf isn't and made him bring in a new crowd.

The thing I like most about this movie is there isn't a big lull like most movies today. Most modern comedies try to mean too much or make some kind of point and usually spend about 30 painful minutes establishing that point.

Gilmore doesn't have this. It does have it's moments of meaning, but there is never a period of more than five minutes that doesn't generate a laugh.

Possibly my favorite character of the movie is Ben Stiller as the orderly at the nursing home. He is hilarious. He forces the old people to make quilts as part of "arts and crafts" and then turns and sells the quilts. There is also the mention of landscaping duty. Haha. So amazing. "You could trouble me for a glass of shut the hell up."

Bob Barker was pretty good and their fight was fantastic. The comedic violence is amazing.

This movie meant so much to my generation. How many kids tried to swing like Gilmore after this movie? I know I did. This developed a youth interest in golf though a fleeting interest.

There are countless lines from this movie that we have repeated over the years. Lines that we always said and never realized where they came from. Lines that are still used in daily conversation that our brains remember based on certain circumstances.

"Gold jacket, green jacket, who gives a -?"
"My fingers hurt."

I absolutely love this movie. The comedy is so perfect and Sandler delivers the punch throughout (literally and comically). This will always be one of my favorite movies. I could watch this movie every day for the rest of my life and laugh just the same. Gilmore is one of those movies that, although you have it memorized, is still hilarious with every viewing.

So much better than today's comedy. I was disappointed to find that Sandler and Apatow are good buddies. I think Sandler is a whole lot funnier. His 90's movies lack the Apatow-life-lesson-lull of today. They also lack the vulgarity of an Apatow movie. Whoever decided extreme vulgarity was funny is beyond me.

Gilmore is hands down Sandler's best movie to date. It is loaded with unrivaled comedy and definitely has a timeless appeal. This is slapstick at it's best.

4.5 of 5 stars

Generation Rx

2008-05-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

Today's youth addiction is prescription medication. This has affected suburbia greatly for the past several years. I have not personally known anyone to be addicted to prescription pills, but there are many in my town.

I never understood the obsession with pills. I remember back in high school a kid would rave about having extra pain pills after surgery recovery. Everyone would be like, "Oh, that's awesome."

I would just sit there and be like, "OK."

This particular kid would mention it all the time, I guess looking for some kind of reaction. No matter how many times he said it, people would be jealous and wish they had some pain pills to get through the day. They would swap (more than likely fictional stories) about different meds they had taken while in the hospital or for some kind of sickness.

I'm pretty sure he never actually took them, he just liked to say that he had them. Again, I never saw what the big deal was. I guess the kids I knew liked to pretend they knew all about meds because it was the big thing to be in the know and the addiction to prescription medication.

I can't tell you how many movies I've seen that involve characters who ingest pills on a regular basis "to heal the pain." I think many look to medication as a type of crutch because they feel they can't do it on their own.

Those that lean on medication to get them through the day are more than likely delusional. I think a lot of people make excuses for their behavior so they take pills to help them "calm down." I think people become crazy because of their dependence on prescription meds.

I believe this is a total farce and used as a lame excuse. But whatever, I don't know everything.

So, whenever someone tells me about what kind of meds they have stashed at home or I see some movie with some addict, I just try to ignore the insanity. Today's society has become too dependent on medication to solve our problems, which instead tends to cause more.

Watch "The Chumscrubber" for a good commentary on suburbia and the kids that take pills for the "high."

Whoever Finds God, Finds Life

2008-05-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

I've grown weary of the incessant insults directed at the methods of teaching at Life Church. Too many complain about how Life Church does business. "I couldn't watch the teacher on the screen." "Life Church is too mainstream."

Please. There is a certain point when you need to step back and look at just exactly what the church does before ripping it.

A lot of naysayers from the traditional church background would even go as far as calling Life Church immoral for it's use of rock music, televisions and videos. "That kind of thing does not belong in a church."

We've heard these whiners enough over the past 10 years. Contemporary church goers say Life Church is too commercial and tries to hard to gain membership and does not actually focus on the message.

These people are just searching for something to dis because they do not want to admit that Life Church's methods are successful. Some deep Christians claim Life Church has no room for growth, which I will agree with to a certain extent.

You must understand the mission of Life Church before you decide to insult it. Life Church's main goal is to bring in people, which I greatly applaud. We need all kinds of churches in this world to accomplish everything we can for God.

We need churches that can plug deep and drag in the unlikely. We need churches that can train future church leaders. We need churches that work solely with missions and helping others.

Life Church is a church that focuses on bringing in as many people as possible and sharing God's love with them. Life Church can do this on such an extreme level. They can market and spread the word about the church with it's 4,000 weekly attenders.

Life Church has also spread throughout the country in an effort to reach more people. Their goal is huge but attainable because of great leading from the top. Life Church does work like a corporation, but a corporation the world has never seen. A corporation that builds believers not revenue. A corporation set to change the world.

I wholeheartedly agree with Life Church's approach and greatly commend them for it. To me it's all about spreading His Word and Life Church does that very effectively. Life Church is able to reach thousands of new believers or non-Christians in a single week through multiple campuses and the Internet ("o no, a church cannot have a Web site, it's evil. We should never use the Internet to promote God's Word, I do not think God would approve.").

For those looking to grow more intimate with Him, Life Church is probably not the place for you. But don't knock Life Church for being too commercial or mainstream. That is their mission and goal. They have succeeded and will continue to succeed as long as there are unbelievers in the world. Life Church is doing it's part to change the world.

Blood Diamond

2008-05-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

At the turn of the century, Sierra Leone, a small, coastal country in northwestern Africa, was stripped apart by civil war. The conflict was started by rebel forces who wanted to overthrow the government. Though there were many reasons for their attempt to overthrow, a big reason was the profitable diamond mines. Caught in the middle of the strife were the local people of Sierra Leone. Also, the country has the lowest life expectancy in the world at 30 years old.

The rebels and the government purged villages and towns of innocent people in their attempts to get at one another and to possess diamond mines. Most of the diamonds were never seen by the people of Sierra Leone. The government wanted them to have enough money to move into exile and the rebels wanted the diamonds to fuel their overthrow.

Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) is a fishermen caught by the rebel R.U.F. group. Throughout the movie, Solomon has a sense of innocence. He wants to be with his family and he wants his son to get a good education. He finds it difficult to lie even to save his own life. He also doesn't like the ease with which some kill people. He perfectly represents the locals.

While in the possession of the R.U.F., Solomon finds one of the biggest diamonds they've ever seen in the diamond mines. He buries it as the government attacks and arrests the rebels and their captives.

Insert Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio). The ex-South African military/mercenary hired by South African hit men to find and sell conflict diamonds on the black market. He trades arms for conflict diamonds with the rebels and the government alike. He funds the war. Archer convinces Vandy that he can save his family and that the diamond is his ticket out of the country. Archer has his own selfish desires for getting the diamond.

With help from American journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), the two find a way back to the diamond mine to find that massive diamond Solomon found. They run into Solomon's son who has been trained (aka brainwashed) by the R.U.F. to kill. They are armed with an AK-47 and told to kill the resistance. The R.U.F. uses drugs and alcohol to brainwash the kids. Eventually, they become completely different people. Solomon's son would have killed his father if he had the chance. He refuses to recognize his father.

They find the diamond and escape. Solomon carries Archer to safety, which reinforces the "carry" metaphor. Whether Archer had a change of heart or just couldn't make it, he did not steal the diamond from Solomon. Solomon escaped the country determined to bring down the fictional Van de Kaap jewelers who purchase the conflict diamonds regularly. Solomon is the hope to save his country and let the world know of the atrocities that happen in the small country.

"Blood Diamond" is a compelling story loaded with action and meaning. This is one of the best stories to come from Hollywood in the past five years. Director Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai, Legends of the Fall) presents us with a startling truth about the displeasing state of Sierra Leone.

The treatment of the locals is quite sad and discomforting. Connelley is there to document exactly what is happening. DiCaprio is the negative outsider who hates the continent but remains to steal and sell diamonds. "I used to wonder, 'Will God ever forgive us for what we've done to each other. But then I realized that God left this place a long time ago."

DiCaprio is the cynical mercenary who sees the strife and atrocities in the country but chooses to do his own work instead of helping. He believes there is no way to help the people. In the end, he helps Hounsou and Connelley expose the truth about conflict diamonds.

This movie was nominated for 5 Oscars but won none. Djimon Hounsou was ripped off for supporting actor. He was terrific and well-deserving. Probably the biggest snub of all time.

Anytime anything of value is found in Africa the locals are killed. It happened with ivory, rubber, gold and oil. And now it is happening with diamonds.

-The United States accounts for 2/3 of diamond purchases.
-Conflict diamonds represent 15% of all diamonds.
-Rather than an export for the country, the diamonds are smuggled out and traded for arms to fund the civil war.
-Neighboring country Liberia has $2 billion in diamond exports but no diamonds to speak of in the country.
-The earth is red from the spilt blood.
-As a result from this story, the Kimberley Process began which is a more in depth effort to eliminate conflict diamonds.
-Up to the consumer to ensure the diamond they buy is not a conflict diamond.
-Now, Sierra Leone is at peace.
-There are 200,000 child soldiers in Africa.

To affirm the state of Africa, Archer lives the credo "TIA." Expect everything because Africa's state is poor and anything can and will happen. What happens there is just part of the country.

This Is Africa

4.5 of 5 stars

STOP

2008-05-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

Something is happening. There has been a revolution of messages expressed by way of stop signs. I have noticed this in the past couple of years and it has apparently become the thing to do.

The first one I saw confused me because I had no idea what it meant. I pulled up to a stop sign and saw that someone had spray painted "BUSH" on the sign beneath the word "STOP."

It took me a minute to figure out what was meant by this. But of course, it is a message that says, "Stop Bush." Regardless of whether I agreed with the message, I thought it was a pretty good idea (apart from the whole vandalizing public property thing).

Since then, I have been on the lookout for more messages on signs. I hear it has become a recreational activity to go out for a night on the town with a group of friends spray painting different things on stop signs.

This one I found in Stillwater and is one of my favorites. "Stop buying so much." Could it be more true? This is great social commentary from some faceless vandal. We do buy too much. It seems people feel that fulfillment comes with the more possessions they acquire.

Anyway, the stop sign revolution is going to change the world. Be sure to follow only the best advice from signs. I wonder who started this or where the idea came from.

If I ever spray painted a stop sign, it would say "Stop Lying."

Favorites:

"Stop cheating"
"Stop eating"
"Stop running away"
"Stop chasing dreams" - haha don't follow this one
"Stop thinking about yourself"
"Stop stealing oil"
"Stop doing what you're told" - kind of ironic, right
"Stop following the rules"
"Don't Stop"
"Stop vandalizing" - haha I hope to see this one some day

Doesn't have to be a stop sign
"One way to heaven"
"Yield your life"

Hope to see more or think of some better ones.

NFL Draft 2008

2008-05-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

So, I realize the draft was more than a week ago, but I have been busy with finals and moving that I have not been able to blog about the draft.

I thought the Steelers cleaned house. I had not heard of their first round pick before (Mendenhall RB from Illinois), but I was very impressed with his tapes. On NFL.com, Sterling Sharpe said he would likely win rookie of the year. That would be incredible.

I'm glad they picked up another runner because Parker won't last long with 40 carries a game and his injury last season was devastating to the team's success. Mendenhall is a big, between the tackles runner and that is just what the Steelers need to complement Willie Parker's outside speed.

The best pick of the draft was the second round selection of Limas Sweed. I love this guy. He was a four year starter at Texas and Vince Young's favorite target. I can't tell you how many times he caught the jump ball in the end zone over some lame Oklahoma State cornerback.

Sweed is a playmaker and at 6'4" exactly what the Steelers need to fill the receiver vacancy. Ya, the Steelers dropped my boy Cedrick Wilson for some reason. So, prior to the draft, they had the aging Hines Ward and the ever-improving Nate Washington.

The Steelers' need for a big receiver is great. Ben has never had much to work with but has still found ways to get it done. I think if the Steelers still had ol' Plaxico, they would have won multiple Super Bowls.

I was hoping the Steelers would go after Sweed, OU's Malcolm Kelly, or OSU's Adarius Bowman. So, I was pumped they got Sweed, the best of the group.

The Steelers also picked up a couple linebackers, an offensive tackle and a safety in the draft. In the fifth round, they took Oregon's versatile quarterback Dennis Dixon.

I love this move. Of course, he won't be a quarterback in Pittsburgh. Many have compared Dixon to a new "Slash" as Kordell Stewart was back in the day. I love having Dixon. He is a replacement for Randle El. Dixon is fast and elusive. He is heady on the field and he knows how to avoid pressure.

He will make a great little receiver to execute those special plays. I see it now. Dixon to Sweed to win the Super Bowl. It is going to be awesome. I couldn't be more excited.

Now, to the disappointment. No one from Oklahoma State was drafted. How depressing is that. That is the first time I can remember that no one was drafted. I have now officially self-boycotted the media of this state. Everyone said Bowman was a for sure second or third round pick. Savage would go no later than the fifth round.

Ha, the Sports Animal lies yet again. Not only was Bowman not drafted, but he was not even picked up as a free agent. Sure, his stock went throug the toilet when he was arrested for marijuana, but come on, they are all screw-ups. I thought he was for sure. He is a very talented receiver and holds many Oklahoma State records in his two short years.

The only two Cowboys picked up were FB Julius Crosslin who went to the Dallas Cowboys and my boy Donovan Woods to the Steelers, baby!

I always liked Woods. I thought he could make a great player with a little coaching help. He always had a great eye for the field. I think he could make the team because he does have skill and the Steelers are thin at linebacker. As a linebacker, is there a better team to play for?

The Steelers are legendary for producing excellent linebackers. Let's hope for the same for D Woods.

Sorority Boys

2008-04-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

According to IMDB.com, Sorority Boys lies in the bottom percentile with an average user rating of 4.9. Haha, that is pretty pathetic.

I, however, beg to differ. Sorority Boys is one of those movies that goes unnoticed and quickly shoved under the couch. People could argue that this movie is entirely profane (it is) and unworthy of watching. All this is true (it is a nasty movie), but it pales in comparison to today's Apatow comedies (which suck).

This is quality comedy at its best. OK, maybe crappy comedy at its worst. Same thing, right. Here is what I love about this movie: Harland Williams. He is hilarious and no one knows who he is.

Williams was the biker cop with "killer boots" in Dumb and Dumber. And he was also Rocketman, which stands as one of the funniest slapsticks of the modern era (and you can quote me on that).

He character, Doofer, is a bumbling, drunk fool who provides raucous laughter throughout.

The second best part of the movie is the violent attack between the two frat brothers as they engage in a romantic relationship (one is a guy dressed as a girl).

O yeah, plot outline. Three guys get kicked out of their frat for stealing the frat's money (they didn't). With the tempting offer of free room and board at the laughed at, ugly sorority, the boys decide to cross dress until they can prove their innocence.

The movie runs into a major problem about halfway through, it tries to be a real movie. Instead of maintaining goofy comedy, it turns dramatic and tries way to hard to teach valuable life lessons.

Let's just say this part failed. I did not learn anything from watching this movie and in fact, I am probably dumber from having watched it.

O well, it was worth a watch for those fleeting moments of hilarity and ridiculousness. Doofer might be my favorite frat character ever however few and far between his glory shines.

By the way, I'm pretty sure this movie ruined the careers of every actor involved.

I do not recommend this one to the weak as it is profoundly disgusting, but if you would like to be dumbed down for awhile watch it. But turn it off after the first half hour or so because nothing happens for the rest of the movie. The end is actually pretty boring and unfulfilling.

5.2 of 10 (for doofer)

3's and 8's

2008-04-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

Why is the world run by such morons? Well, maybe the gas station attendants don't run the world, but you know what I mean. Why is everyone such a fool?

I have begun to realize why the people that work at gas stations do, in fact, work at gas stations. I'm speaking on pure generalizations and yes, I am stereotyping the worker at such establishments.

But come on, how dumb must you be to put the 3's and the 8's upside down.

Rereading that sentence makes me sound like a fool. Who notices a three or eight upside down? If they were backwards, that would be an obvious problem. But I didn't even notice a difference between the top circle and the bottom circle.

You may not have noticed, but I did and that's the only thing that matters. It is just a simple little thing that can easily be fixed by flipping the number the right side up on the gas sign.

It has become an increasing problem in today's world as gas prices have soared into the three dollar range. Half the stations in town have this problem. The put the three's and eight's upside down just to make me angry.

I almost yelled at a worker who was changing the sign when I drove by the other day. Use your brain and flip the sign so that the fatter circle of half circle is at the bottom.

What does it take to fix this problem? I suggest an IQ test with questions about symmetry of numbers. Either that or burn down those gas stations.

Yes, that's all.

*Note the first two three's compared to the third.

Burn It Down

2008-04-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

My latest pet peeve lies with the bless-ed computer labs on campus here at Oklahoma State in Stillwater. This past week has been a struggle that has led me to burn down one of the buildings on campus.

These things are so ridiculous, I can hardly see straight. I tried the Kerr-Drummond Lab (the closest computer lab to my room) and was met with disappointment. More than half of the computers do not work. They are stuck on the loading screen and apparently the university cares too little to try to fix them.

Eight of the 40 computers were taken, so I had to go elsewhere to complete my assignment that requires a special program (yeah, I'm getting screwed twice). The university screws me over by giving me assignments that can only be completed on their systems and then their computers are more ghetto than the projects (I'm not even going to get into the massive problem of "entire-campus-wireless-internet" OSU claims).

So, I had to find another lab where I could do my stupid Astronomy lab project. I went to the lab in the Math Science building. It is a catastrophe before I even get into the lab. The lab has four doors, but get this, only one of them works. What is that? How does a door not work? And why the freak haven't they fixed it? It is a simple swinging door that should require little maintenance, but OSU couldn't care less.

I manage to get into the godforsaken place to search for a working computer. I find one and decide, "Hey, why not time how long it takes to log on to this stupid thing."

Here we go:
Type in my name and password to log on - 3 minutes later the computer has finally booted and logged me on.
Now, give it another minute to load the shotty anti-virus program.
Double click Internet Explorer - 3o seconds later the browser pops up
Give it another 30 seconds to load and now I'm ready.

We're talking about five minutes just to get on to the Internet. These things are such pieces of crap. They are Dell computers from 1998 that barely load XP without frying.

Also, the inconvenience of typing my name and password for everything I have to print is greatly annoying.

The problem isn't just with a couple labs, it is the majority of the campus. I have found one lab I can handle and that is the lab I'm in right now. The Mac Lab in the JB building is cooperative and quick and I much prefer it over anywhere else on campus.

Thank you for being so "convenient" OSU with your little computer labs to "benefit" the students. "We have strategically placed computer labs throughout the campus for students to use with convenient printers all available free of charge."

Haha, that is ridiculous.

You would think with as much as I pay for this crap, it would be decent. They can't even manage to make a door open and close. I even pay a "Technology Fee." What is that for? Where does that go? To the little guy in the orange vest who sits there and does his homework. What a piece of junk.

Get it together, people.

Minority Report

2008-04-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

2002's "Minority Report" is one of Steven Spielberg's darker action flicks. The film was "bleech-bypassed" during post production to give it a dark feel that made the movie look almost black and white. It is considered very unique and paints a bleak view of the future.

The colors in the movie are very desaturated which gives it a dark bluish tint that resonates throughout the movie. The futuristic world created by Spielberg is an example of a mix of utopia and dystopia.

The year is 2054 and Tom Cruise is Pre-Crime agent John Anderton, who arrests people of murders before they are committed thanks to the three "pre-cogs" (kids of drug abusers, who are "blessed" with visions of murder in the future).

The world created in 2054 is high-tech, but not too preposterous. People still live as they do only with more technology. They do not drastically change their lifestyles as we see a lot in sci-fi movies.

The Pre-Crime division has eliminated murder in Washington D.C. in it's six years of service. The division is on the brink of going national and is therefore scrutinized by Department of Justice agent Danny Witwer (Colin Farrell).

Anderton is soon accused of murder three days into the future. He must go on the run and figure out how to clear his name. He does not even know the man he is supposed to kill.

The movie raises interesting questions about predetermination and destiny. If he had not been accused of murder, would he have actually committed it? The likelihood is that he wouldn't considering he did not know the guy.

The question is that of free will. Do we have a choice to change our "destiny?" Simply accusing Anderton leads him into a situation where he is forced to choice whether to murder this man (a very emotional choice at that).

All those that Anderton arrested did not actually do anything, yet they have been arrested. Could the pre-cogs be wrong or tampered with?

This movie ponders many questions and leaves you wondering in the end about free will and how we can alter the future by decisions we make. I love futuristic movies that ponder questions of reality, so this is right down my ally.

As for the content of the movie, it is loaded with action and futuristic violence involving jet packs and a freakin' awesome shock wave gun (coolest part of the movie). The technology is stunning and believable for what is nearly 50 years away.

I did not like the score created for this movie. It felt like a lot of the music did not apply or fit too well. It was done by the legend John Williams, but it simply did not add much to the film. The music was too opera-ish. It should have been the music of a classic film set in 1700's England. I was not pleased with this and felt like the movie would have been that much better with an average action movie score.

Another problem I have with this movie was the 30 minute lull at the end. This seems to be a common thing with Spielberg's latest movies (cough, cough "Munich" - that thing lasted forever). I thought the movie could have ended about five minutes after Anderton's confrontation with the guy he was to murder. Speilberg could have shortened this ending because in 30 minutes we don't learn that much.

It could have been squeezed into five minutes. The movie seems to take a boring turn at this point and fails to answer any questions we hadn't figured out already. Other than that and the music, I would say this is one of my favorite Spielberg movies, especially in recent years.

The action and futuristic world are spot on and Cruise is great as always. Throughout the movie, I tried to gather an evaluation on Farrell, but I still can't pinpoint it. I was looking for something to make him not live up to his negative reputation. I don't know. I still can't figure out if he is that great of an actor. Hard to tell in this one.

"Everybody runs."

4 of 5 stars

Goldmember

2008-03-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

“How bout no, you crazy Dutch bastard.” This is hands down my favorite line from the 2002 comedy “Goldmember.”

The third installment of the Austin Powers trilogy was a triumphant end to a series that so completely defines my sense of humor. Sometimes I wish the series would have continued, but after watching “Goldmember” again I’m glad that it’s over.

“Goldmember” seems to emphasize the same jokes as the first series yet with weaker delivery. The jokes seem tireless and never-ending. The plot is crap, but that’s typical for a comedy movie.

The humor is still dimwitted and riotous, but it just lacks the certain humph from the previous two movies. The addition of the new character, Goldmember, saves the movie. Had it not been for him (played of course by Mike Myers) or Nigel Powers (hahaha, Michael Caine is so awesome), this movie would have been awful and albeit unbearable.

The thing that stands out most about this movie compared with the first two is Austin’s character. He does not have the same charisma or “mojo” should I say. It lacks his shallow relationship with women. Also, what’s the deal with Beyonce as the girl? That doesn’t work, she is no Bond girl. I guess it is a play on Halle Berry from “Die Another Day.”

Also, I noticed, more in this movie than the others, pointless scenes that add nothing to the plot. They are just there for laughs, but they really do nothing for the movie. It just seems like random little segments that were funny but improvised and eventually included.

This is obvious in the scenes in the submarine. There is one point when Dr. Evil was standing at the front of the ship dancing to “Beyond the Sea.” WTF. Where did that come from? Anyway, it was still hilarious.

I would much rather watch a comedy like this than the crap they pass off as comedy these days (which includes anything Seth Rogen or Jud Apatow touches). This is so much more humorous and drastically less vulgar.

Mike Myers is a comedic genius, but he is just not in enough. I would like to see him in a preposterous comedy a year. His next one, “The Love Guru,” appears to be a fourth Austin Powers in that he plays more than likely the same exact character (maybe just a combination of Dr. Evil, Goldmember, Fat Bastard and Austin Powers – which would be awesome). I’m not too optimistic though.

So with the end of Austin Powers comes the dawn of shotty, vulgar comedy that has no place being in the real world. I miss movies like this one even though the humor is at times tired and recycled.

But to continue the series would have been overkill and would have left a bad rap on the whole shebang. It just would not have worked with Scott as the evil guy taking over the world. It was a sweet ending.
I will throw it 4 out of 5 stars because of Mike Myers’ relentless humor and because of the extreme randomness and absurdity of the scene in which Dr. Evil (in a trucker hat) walkie talkies Goldmember trucker-style.

“Whew, son of a bitch, pile of monkey nuts!”

Godzilla 1998

2008-03-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

Fell back on one of my favorite movies as a kid from the 90's. I used to think this movie was so awesome. It was one of those I got (on VHS mind you) and watched every day of the summer as a kid.

"Godzilla" was awesome and I thought it was the best special effects I had ever seen. The movie took great pride in the amount of time and the collaborative effort in special effects for this movie and in 1998 they were pretty good.

In 1998, they were pretty good. Now, holy crap, they are awful. This movie does not even come close to standing the test of time, which can be said about a lot of high-budget special effects movies. Fifteen years from now, I think I will prefer showing my kids "Jurassic Park" simply because it was better made and included a more profound and realistic look at dinosaurs.

Apart from the special effects looking criminal now, "Godzilla" contains some of the worst acting, directing and story development of all time. Sure, it was a good idea to make an American remake of the Japanese classic, but good Lord, couldn't we have done a better job?

It makes American cinema look like a kid trying to dunk on Shaq. It is pathetic. I cannot for the life of me figure out director Roland Emmerich. Somehow this guy made classics such as "Independence Day" and "Patriot." But for every good movie, he has three bad ones. Emmerich's slate includes "The Day After Tomorrow," "Eight Legged Freaks" and yet another disappointment "10,000 B.C."

This guy just straight up cares very little for the quality of his film. He stresses too much on his special effects and puts forth little effort in the plot or storyline. "Godzilla" is no exception.

The creature was a result of nuclear testing in the French Polynesian islands, which, OK, the story is somewhat reasonable so far. After attacking ships in the Pacific, Gojira ends up at New York for some unexplained reason. They later showed his path from the island to NYC and apparently he travelled through the Panama Canal then up the east coast. He never attacked anything between the Pacific and NYC. This was a "simple" detail that the filmmakers decided not to explain.

The military unloads countless amounts of explosives on the creature destroying half of New York and never manage to inflict any damages on the creature. The smartest guy that the military talks to is the "worm guy" who is forced to make common sense calls that some babies couldn't think of.

Matthew Broderick is a nerd and loser who specializes in conducting experiments on worms that were affected by the nuclear testing. He is Dr. Nick Tatapolous and he is the only hope. That is so sad and I would never want a guy like this to be the last resort to save mankind. What a joke. Hank Azaria cannot even save the cast as the “Animal” WIDF cameraman who takes Broderick’s ex-girlfriend into the tunnels to get the exclusive story. I don’t know who that girl is or care to be honest.

Jean Reno is the French secret service agent sent to America to save the world from the bad things the French had done. So, why not litter the movie with poor foreign jokes. “Godzilla” is chalked full of poor, ill-scripted jokes about coffee, America and France. I did not quite understand the need for so many dadgum coffee jokes. What is the deal here?

OK, so Jean Reno and Matthew Broderick save the world and no one ever knows of the French involvement in the bringing down of the monster. The dimwitted American military attributes their successes on Tatapolous and looks no deeper into the situation. Long live stupidity.

The final scene where they actually kill the monster (rather than assume he is dead, which they did like eight times) was ridiculous (not to mention the previous 30 seconds where they destroyed Madison Square Garden). Godzilla gets trapped on the Brooklyn Bridge and is shot 48 times by F-18’s.

The one perk from this movie has to be the soundtrack, which is awesome and which at one point I did own. The lead track is a Puff Daddy “Come With Me” remix of the good ole’ Zeppelin “Kashmir.” Whoever thought of meshing P. Diddy with Zeppelin is a genius. Haha. The soundtrack also featured a Rage Against the Machine original titled “No Shelter.” Rounding out the movie was a David Bowie remake of “Heroes” performed by The Wallflowers.

The soundtrack was the best thing about this sad movie. The idea was good, but the story was atrocious. I have yet to see a poorly developed movie from a decent idea. Emmerich is a fool. The movie did have serious potential and at one point was connected with Tim Burton. My, what could have been. The project was in works for about six years and the end result was lackluster. I don’t know of which I am more ashamed, the fact that I enjoyed this movie as a kid or the fact that it exists at all.

The production of the movie was so massive, yet it only broke even. Was slated to have two sequels, but the reception of the movie was so negative they decided to not continue the series.

I will leave you with these useless facts:

Enough lumber was used for the sets to build 50 homes.

Over 1,000 4'x8'x16' Styrofoam blocks were used to build portions of the sets, including the subway tunnels.

35 tons of steel were used to build the sets.

Over 1,000 soft architectural pieces were created for falling debris.

There was enough paint used on the film to paint the entire Golden Gate Bridge.

2.4 million gallons (~321,000 cubic feet), of water was used to create rain for the film.

2,000 foam fish were made to create the fish pile.

Enough non-toxic smoke was created on the film to completely fill the Los Angeles Coliseum 24 hours a day for one week.

There were a total of 16 different cabs used to create the entire cab sequence.

20 car thumpers were built to lift cars on the street as Godzilla walked.

O and it rained the entire movie nonstop.

We Destroyed the World

2008-03-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

Popped in "Syriana" last night for the first time. I'm glad I finally did because I have heard so much about this movie for the last couple of years. I just never sat down and watched it.

This movie was tremendous and deserves to be thrown in the same league as "Crash" and "Babel." I think it wasn't because it is somewhat boring and slow. The story doesn't move very quickly, but the message is powerful and the final emotion is beautifully done.

I tend to think that this movie is not too far from the truth. The movie doesn't delve into the reason for being at war in a country far away, but it does tell of the government's role in securing oil for the United States.

The lies from the White House about finding weapons of mass destruction are just that: lies. As a former oil man from Texas (wow, I finally see it), our President clearly has an ulterior motive for our continued presence in the middle east.

It is not about securing the freedoms of the Iraqi people or whatever we call it. It is about obtaining their oil and siding with Saudi royalty in order to get that.

This movie addresses this problem very well. In the movie, the CIA assassinates the one man that could save Iran and bring the country out of turmoil instead of letting outside agencies come in and steal their oil with high priced buyouts.

The CIA is protecting an oil company's agenda to win over the newly appointed king so they can get the most untapped oil region in the world. The former dying king gives his blessing to the wrong son - the son that will not save the country but ruin it. The CIA then kills the other brother who could have fixed the problems all because they want American oil men to get rich.

Of course, this is not a true story, but it very well could be happening there right now. The point of this movie is to show that the greedy oil men in this country are destroying foreign nations to earn a buck. It is a look at the corrupt business practices that exist today in our oil market.

Who is right here? The CIA and the oil companies or those that actually live in those countries. The man they murdered was an intelligent, highly-educated prince who knew exactly how to fix his country but because of outside influence was unable to do so (oil dicks poisoned his father's mind).

Why do we so desperately try to run other countries when we have enough to deal with at home? Why are we, as a country, so fixed on making money that we don't care how many wars we start, how many lives we ruin or how many countries are destroyed? Our foreign policy needs to be significantly reevaluated. We need to leave other countries the hell alone and worry about our own affairs. If we desperately need oil, spend the extra buck and drill Alaska.

I am disappointed in our foreign affairs. The excuse is always that we are trying to help people. Our intentions are not even right because that is not even the real reason we are there. This country could care less what happens to the locals as long as we get our money. The people in charge of these countries can run it as they wish. They don't need our "help."

Thank you "Syriana" for exposing the truth.

Leechsucker

2008-03-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

Ever experience an apartment rat? A leech that just one stop sucking out your guts? We seem to have run into this problem lately, and I cannot figure out how to fix it.

It just seems to crawl around all the time. It shows up and doesn't leave. It used to be really bad where the leech would get out of class and show up and then maybe leave when we all went to bed. Now, it's not as bad but still annoying.

I don't think I would hate the leech so much if it wasn't around all the time, but I guess that's what a leech does. It attaches and sucks the life and happiness out of you. O and eats all your food.

The leech has gotten to a point where I really hate to go home because I know I will see it sucking on the couch watching TV.

What am I to do? I have dropped hints of poison throughout the room hoping it either dies or leaves for good. I have done everything short of hitting it with a baseball bat, but every day it crawls out of the vent to annoy and destroy.

Where did all the happiness go? I guess it would better be described as a dementor that sucks everything happy from an area. It makes you live your worst memory, it is terrible.

This time pouring salt on the wound may solve the problem.

Woody Allen

2008-03-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

I've fallen into a Woody Allen phase lately as I watched three films in two days. The first of which, "Small Time Crooks," was a funny romp about a trying and unsuccessful crook played by Allen who eventually becomes a millionaire when his front for a bank robbery actually brings in the dough.

His wife runs the cookie shop upstairs while Allen and his dysfunctional buddies try to tunnel to a nearby bank downstairs. The cookies become enormously popular and they eventually turn into a large corporation.

The movie is pretty funny, but definitely not my favorite Woody film. It seemed to lack the humor and flow of most of his other movies.

Next, I popped in "Annie Hall," a movie that I should have seen a long time ago but never did. Let me tell you, this movie is definitely worth all of the hype. It won four oscars including Best Picture in 1977.

The thing I love about Allen movies is that they stand the test of time. You can watch Annie Hall and not even know it was from the 70's. The subject material and filmmaking seem ahead of its time.

The free flow of conversation is incredible in all of Allen's movies but especially in Annie Hall. Each shot is something like 17 seconds long, which is truly amazing. Allen uses long takes to give the movie a stronger realism and to make the editing process take less time. This way he can easily make at least one movie a year, which he does these days.

Annie Hall is a great look at life and relationships. This movie particularly makes me want to move to New York City and grow old. This is one of the most realistic movies I have seen. You just feel each conversation isn't staged or scripted, but rather something that was caught on film accidentally.

Coincidentally, many have claimed that this movie is sort of autobiographical about Allen and his real-life relationship with Diane Keaton. I can see it and I believe it.

Next, I turned to "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion," a 2001 movie about two people in 1940 that become hypnotized to steal jewels for a hypnotist. It was pretty good and may be the best of Allen's films this decade. Funny and smart all the way through.

One thing I love about Allen's movies is his incredible casts. "Small Time Crooks" featured Hugh Grant and Jon Lovitz. "Annie Hall" featured Diane Keaton, Christopher Walken, Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Goldblum in what can be considered for all a start to their careers: this was their first big movie. "The Curse of Jade Scorpion" featured Helen Hunt, Charlize Theron and Dan Aykroyd.

The thing that is most amazing about these casts is that Allen's movies are low budget films that no one ever sees or hears about. Most common people have no idea such movies exist. I just think it is amazing to host such casts and hardly anyone knows about it. When I say anyone, I refer to the massive mainstream audience.

This guy really is amazing. He churns out new screenplays every year that are always original and terrific. Sometimes his movies seem underdeveloped and rushed, but that's OK. I applaud a new movie every year.

He does receive a great recognition from critics and the Academy especially. He has been nominated for 14, yes fourteen, Academy Awards for best original screenplay winning the award twice and another for Best Director.

He is phenomenal and it truly is amazing the screenplays he continues to write even as he ages.

One thing I do not necessarily enjoy is the fact that he casts himself in all his movies in the role of the main character that always gets the girl. That has gotten a little annoying. The fact that some old man gets the young, hot girl is not very realistic and eventually he will see that. Don't get me wrong, I think he is a great actor and I do enjoy watching him on screen, but the young romances have to stop.

Anyway, other than that and his life off screen (including the marrying of his girlfriend's adopted daughter), I totally respect Allen and his screenplays and movies.

A list of those I have seen starting with most recent release date:
"Scoop" - Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman - pretty good romantic comedy
"Match Point" - Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Rhys Meyers - Allen claims this is his best film
"Melinda and Melinda" - Will Ferrell, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor - really good and incredibly original
"Hollywood Ending" - Tea Leoni and Debra Messing - didn't like this one too much
"The Curse of Jade Scorpion" - Helen Hunt and Charlize Theron - good, one of his best goofy movies.
"Small Time Crooks" - Hugh Grant and Jon Lovitz - pretty funny, but turned weak toward the middle of the movie.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" - Michael Caine and Mia Farrow - my favorite Allen film and probably his best work. Won for best screenplay.
"Annie Hall" - Diane Keaton, Christopher Walken - great and an award winner

On the queue:
"Anything Else"
"Sweet and Lowdown"
"Manhattan Murder Mystery"
"Manhattan"
"Interiors"
"Sleeper"
"Bananas"

The Lemon Parade

2008-03-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

I spent the past week in Colorado basking in the winter snow and true elegance of Creation. The mountains truly are fantastic and mind-blowing. I enjoyed the vastness that surrounded me in the mountains of Colorado.

It was an eye-opening experience being far away from the day to day life I live. It was such a blessing to be away from society and that which consumes every day.

Life sometimes seems too difficult. Sometimes I feel like there is too much on my plate and I cannot manage to balance everything. We all feel this and it is good to just get away and breathe. Get away and breathe the fresh mountain air. Get away from all your responsibilities and just relax.

It feels so good to escape and relax the mind as well. Sometimes I am overburdened by my own mind. I feel the pressures of my thoughts on a regular basis. Constantly, I have something that completely takes over my mind.

Last year, I could not think about anything but reality and how I reacted inside that reality. It was something that consumed me so much that I had forgot how to just live.

Eventually, I escaped the cage of my own thoughts and finally got some sleep and rest and peace of mind. Lately, my mind has trapped itself in the thoughts of my miscommunication.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about how jacked up some of my relationships with people have been. I constantly thought of how my lack of communication skills led me to a depressed life.

Instead of working at correcting what is wrong, I simply delved into the world of depression and self pity.

Now, I know how important it is to stop thinking and live. I need to not think so much and just live and fix things instead of thinking of ways to fix things.

The revelations bestowed upon me on my spiritual journey through Colorado will greatly affect the rest of my life. For some strange reason, I have developed a desire to become "socially responsible" and I feel the need to find a path for my future.

This is radically different from where I stood weeks ago. I wanted more than anything to have nothing to do with society or the world.

I guess I still feel that way, but now I just have to concentrate on what my future holds. I want to make a difference in this world. I want to travel and find my true self and discover all that this world has to offer, but I also want to contribute to society.

It is all very confusing and I'm sure it will rape my brain for the next few months as I make decisions about my future.

All my thoughts and outside influences have led me to realize that life is irrational. You never know what you are going to get. The only thing I can do is go out there and live it. I need not shy away from the unfamiliar or the uncomfortable. I need to get out there and feel. Things will get you down, but you must move on.
That's my realization. Live through the worst.

Letter to State Representative Jason Murphey

2008-03-11T12:32:00.000-07:00

I decided I would write a letter about what concerns me in the legislation of the state of Oklahoma. Back in November, the state of Oklahoma passed a law that deals with immigration and illegal aliens. As I am sure you are well aware, HB 1804 passed to establish new laws against illegal workers in Oklahoma. I am sure you know all about the bill as it has received national attention as being strict and very straightforward.

My main problem with the bill and, in effect, law is that I was unaware that state’s had a right to do such a thing. I was under the impression that immigration laws were a federal issue and therefore not a state problem. My big question is what do the lawmakers want to get out of passing this law? Is it simply because they want the illegal workers to pay taxes? Are they trying to improve the well-being of the state? If that is the case, then they have made a drastic mistake.

This cannot be. Deporting illegal immigrants will absolutely destroy the state’s economy. This law has already greatly affected many businesses in the state and will continue to make an impact on all areas of the state economy. The state lost over 50,000 workers within the first month of the passing of this law. What happens to ethnic neighborhoods where people are forced to move to other states or return home? This destroys businesses in the area, not just ethnic businesses. The illegal immigrants worked and spent money at places and therefore were essential to what we know the economy to be. Undocumented workers fled the state and left many businesses such as contractors, builders and roofers. These companies are forced to somehow find a complete new labor force, one that is apparently supposed to come from nowhere. The lawmakers think that new workers are supposed to spring up from the ground. The companies are supposed to be expected to pay high dollar workers. This will destroy their company. When you have such an immediate flux in payment, things will fail.

I just don’t understand where these new workers are supposed to come from. Undocumented workers accounted for over 50,000 workers in the labor force. How are we supposed to replace that many people in the labor force and not face problems of shutting down businesses? Isn’t the whole duty of small government to let the common man build a work force and a company? When you strip a hard working man of all his capital he will fail every time.

That is my concern for this bill and I was just curious of your thoughts on it. I know that there is no way to reverse a law as big as this, but I am just looking for some understanding as to why such a bill was passed.

Enid, We Never Really Knew Each Other Anyway

2008-03-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

First day of March!!!!!!! Woooooo!!!!!! Get excited people!

On Friday, we decided we would take a trip to good ole Enid, Oklahoma, to hit up some disc golf and find a sweet diner. I really didn't realize Enid was so far from Stillwater, but o well, it was an experience.

We got to Enid at about 2 o'clock to look for a good, country diner. We really couldn't find anything after driving around for about 20 minutes. We were about to settle for a somewhat-unique barbecue joint when we came across "Family Style Restaurant." It looked dinerish enough for us.

The place turned out to be called Sue's Place (terrific name, by the way) and Sue was there to wait on us hand and foot. She was the bomb and she gave us directions to the park where the disc golf course was.

The food was not the best and was not worth driving all the way to Enid solely for it. I got the lasagna special (even though I don't really like lasagna. I got the special for the three sides. So, the meal wasn't the best, but it was all worth it for Sue's farewell.

"You're all right." (in the best old lady country voice you can muster)

Glorious, so we found the disc golf course and right away I could tell it was going to suck. The pins were falling apart and looked like trash. We could not tell where the freaking thing started.

The entire course had maybe five or six plaques to mark the tee box. So, we basically had no direction and I think we only played like 15 holes. I dunno. It was a pretty short course though and I'm pretty sure I would have been under par had we figured it out.

The highlight of the trip had to be the mound of dirt on the course that I insisted on playing on like an 8-year-old. It was so awesome. At first I just wanted to stand on top and take a picture, but when I got up there I wanted to jump off the side because it looked awesome.

I was not disappointed. I jumped off about 20 times and got a bunch of sweet pics and videos. It was so awesome. It reminded me of the childish days of youth (or now). Amazing!!!

So, that was about all Enid had to offer and I was pretty much disappointed (except for that dirt mound).

Don't go to Enid.

The Day I Joined the Track Team

2008-02-28T18:12:00.000-08:00

Got a great story that I was reminded of the other day. I find this so funny, but I dunno, you might not.

Last year, Sean, Kevin and I went to Norman for the bedlam basketball game (in which we lost, unfortunately). We stopped at our favorite barbecue spot in Oklahoma City, Leo's. It is straight up the best barbecue you will ever put in your mouth.

So, we downing our brisket sandwiches and huge plate of fries and we start a casual talk with the people next to us. Right off the bat, I could tell these jokers were strange.

They strike up small talk and we pretend to care (sorry, that sounds bad, but it was lame). We told them we were going down to Norman for the bedlam game and somehow the one hick drastically misunderstood us.

He says something and Sean was the only one kind enough to give a response. He just keeps nodding his head and we just kind of tune them out. After Sean nods at what he says, he asks, "So what events do you guys do?"

We were completely confused. "Events?" "Ya, what do you guys run in track?"

Hahaha. I just started laughing at how ridiculous this question was. Apparently, through Sean's head nods, the guy had decided we ran track for Oklahoma State (I guess track runners eat big barbecue meals before events where he's from, I dunno).

We just sat there and laughed for a few seconds thinking it was some sort of strange joke. The response was something like. "Haha, uh... We don't run track." This made the whole conversation even more amusing because we clearly told the guy we ran track with our head nods only to verbally tell him that he was crazy.

So, we basically just told him that he did nothing with track and he stopped talking to us.

Anyway, I thought it was hilarious and it still gets me chuckling to this day at how preposterous the whole situation was.

Hahaha, I don't know who the bigger fools were: us or these schmoes.

O and Leo's has the best cake you will ever eat. It is strawberry banana and it is worth a trip for the cake alone.

That's the Problem with Angry People

2008-02-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

Jumping aboard to talk about something that has really made me laugh as of late. It really is hilarious in my opinion.

So, I went through most of high school (actually most of my life) not worrying about what other people think about me or what I do. Mainly, I acted crazy and wore crazy clothes or costumes on a regular basis.

I am very interested in people's reactions, so I find myself in seemingly awkward situations just to see what kind of reaction I can get. There is nothing better than acting like a fool in some kind of costume and looking at someone's facial response. All people react to differently to an idiot running around screaming in a clown costume.

My favorite reaction is the one I have gotten since arriving at college. It seems that most people in college are unhappy or depressed. Though some things I wear (like my basketball costume the other night - which consisted of really short gym shorts, tall socks, throwback shoes, an afro and headband) generate laughs and jests, sometimes people get angry.

Can you believe that?

They are actually angry with what I am wearing. It is like my presence ruined their day, which just makes dressing up and acting like a fool all the more enjoyable. What causes them to react like this? Does my strange hat really elicit a response as if their dog just died?

Hahaha.

I would hate for something I wore to cause someone to feel miserable or to ruin their perfect day. Do you see the humor in all of this?

People are legitimately hacked off because I look like an idiot. Instead of laughing at how stupid I am or just simply ignoring me, people turn and stare and get pissed off and hate the rest of their day.

The only thing I can figure is that people are upset with my immaturity. Possibly, they are mad that a college student is acting like an immature 6th grader. Still, I don't see why that would upset anyone. It is all just a laughable situation.

My advice to you is to laugh next time you see a fool and not get angry at his weirdness. Maybe he actually thinks it's cool or maybe he is looking for that angry reaction.

Sean and I joke about this, that some guy looks at me in my lamp shade hat and points and angrily says, "Look at that hat. I'm beating that kid up." Haha.

The sad thing is there are people that do think like that. They beat up what's different just because they don't like it. That hasn't happened to me, yet.

Results on That

2008-02-26T17:39:00.000-08:00

How did I do? I'd say I did golden. They ought to put me on the Academy because I'm so good.

First, the actual awards show sucked majorly. Jon Stewart is nowhere near funny and his jokes stalled like no one's business. He has never been funny and he pretty much ruined the show. O well, I hate all that crap anyway. The only thing I care about is the victors.

Daniel Day-Lewis brought it home just like everyone thought he would. What a champion. "My name is Daniel Plainview and I'm an oil man."

My boy Javier Bardem may have shocked a few, but he is definitely well-deserving. His role is going to go down in history as one of the creepiest of all time. Marion Cotillard won for "La Vie En Rose" the actress in a leading role, a category that I got wrong mainly because I had no idea.

Tilda Swinton took home the oscar for best supporting actress. I checked out "Michael Clayton" yesterday and I was highly confused as to why Swinton deserved a win. She really did not do anything. She sat there and looked in the mirror and said a few things. Clayton is a terrific movie, but I do not agree with Swinton's victory.

Ratatouille wins and no surprise there. There Will Be Blood grabs the Cinematography.

My Coen brother boys brought home the full ship Sunday night. They swept it to say the least. They won directing, best picture and adapted screenplay. Geniuses.

The Bourne Ultimatum won the three editing awards in which I am pleased.

Two atrocities littered the oscars this year. First, as we all know I hate Juno so I was completely disappointed when Cody won the original screenplay award. What a loser. The biggest pratfall of the night was the fact that Golden Compass won special effects. I don't know when I have been more upset. Sure, the polar bears were awesome, but we must have seen different movies. Transformers is, like I said, the greatest display of special effects of all time. Screw the Academy.

So, I was 6 for 11 in my prediction which isn't too bad considering the ones I lost in where because I hadn't seen any of those movies (and because the Academy sucks).

Can't wait to catch up on those I missed especially There Will Be Blood.

That One Day Oscar Came to Town

2008-02-24T09:57:00.000-08:00

OSCARS tonight and I am so freaking thrilled, more excited than ever before (mainly because I have become gradually more and more obsessed with movies as the year has gone on). So, I thought I would hop on here before the show tonight and throw out some predictions.

Actor in a Leading Role: This one is far too easy. Since this movie was put into production, he was a guaranteed winner. They have been talking about this performance for over a year and have called it the best performance in 10 years (still can't believe I haven't seen it). The oscar goes to Daniel Day-Lewis.

Actor in a Supporting Role: This category may be a little harder to peg (at least for me because I have only seen "No Country" and "Charlie Wilson"). I would put my money on either Javier Bardem or Phillip Seymour Hoffman (who is incredible in Wilson), though I am worried because I think "Michael Clayton" is going to steal some back door wins. Still, gotta go with the best from the best movie of the year. The oscar goes to Javier Bardem.

Actress in a Leading Role: I'm just going to come out and say I have no idea. The only movie I saw in this category was "Juno" and if Ellen Page wins I will kill someone. Most talked about is either Julie Christie in "Away from Her" or Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth." And the oscar goes to Julie Christie.

Actress in a Supporting Role: Here's another difficult one that I think could go to anyone. I hear good things about Amy Ryan from "Gone Baby Gone." Saoirse Ronan gives one of the best young performances I've seen to date in "Atonement," so I'm glad she gets a nod, but I doubt she wins. And the oscar goes to Cate Blanchett for her portrayal of Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There."

Cinematography: Both "No Country" and "Atonement" have terrific cinematography. "Atonement" has one of the best segments I've seen next to "Children of Men." And the oscar goes to Atonement.

Directing: In my opinion, I would love to see the Coen brothers nab this one, but I am afraid they won't even though they made the best movie. Paul Thomas Anderson is a genius, so he could get it, but I think there might be too much focus on Day-Lewis for people to pay attention to the rest of the film. The oscar goes to Joel and Ethan Coen just cause I want them to win.

Music (Score): Jeez, "The Kite Runner" was such a terrific movie and the music is so beautiful and melodic, but I'm afraid this is an easy pick in the other direction. And the oscar goes to Atonement.

Best Picture: The biggie in a year of pretty good movies. Aside from the horrible nomination of "Juno," this is a stacked category. The top three are "Atonement," "Michael Clayton" and "No Country for Old Men." In my opinion, no other movie could eclipse the brothers' latest social commentary. And the oscar goes to No Country for Old Men.

Visual Effects: No movie has ever come close to the ridiculousness of "Transformers." It is hands down the greatest display of visual effects ever created. There was no need to even nominate anything else. Michael Bay is incredible. And the oscar goes to Transformers.

Adapted Screenplay: Honestly, I thought you knew me by now, why are you still reading. Because I have no clue, I'm going to give it to my favorite. And the oscar goes to No Country for Old Men.

Original Screenplay: The outcome of this category could lead me to forever hate the Academy. If "Juno" wins I will never watch the Awards again. I like "The Savages" for this.

But the oscar goes to Michael Clayton (please oh please do this for me Academy).

There it is. Relish on it and watch the Awards show tonight at 8/7c p.m. And watch "No Country for Old Men" because it is so very good.

I win.

The Truman Show

2008-02-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

I popped in "The Truman Show" the other evening as it's one of my all time favorites and I was definitely not disappointed.

There is so much about this movie that I absolutely love. It really is one of the better movies of the past 10 years. This is really Jim Carrey's breakthrough role to another level previously unseen.

The movie focuses on the life of Truman Burbank (Carrey) and his day to day rituals. All of America tunes in to watch Truman live his life, but the jokes on him for he has no idea he is in a false world.

The producers of "The Truman Show" built the largest set ever constructed for TV to house the world of Sea Haven and Truman Burbank. Truman lives his entire life in this falsified existence with no hint of contact from the outside world.

Eventually, Truman sees several signs that something is not quite right in his world. When he cannot escape the town, he knows he must find a way to discover the truth. He winds up facing his fears and attacking the high seas to find his answers.

This movie presents a true tragedy of a man that is lied to his entire life. He finds the means for escape to find the true reality that we live in.

It poses many questions about how we live our reality. "We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented." This is so true. It makes you wonder if we live in the real reality or one fabricated for other's viewing pleasure. How do we know what is real? Who do we look to for guidance? Great questions from a great movie.

This is truly my favorite subject material and a fantastic presentation in this medium. Carrey is so great in the end and makes it work so well. Find it, love it, live it...

Production for "Dig"

2008-02-17T16:49:00.000-08:00

Goodness. It has been so long since I have jumped on here and it disappoints me greatly. The last couple weeks have been really busy and exciting, but I wish I could have kept up with the posts.

For a while, I thought I had slipped into a trance of writer's block. It was awful. I tried to log on several times and even wrote entire posts, but I was at a point where I felt that every writing needed to be better than the previous one, so I deleted the posts.

Anyway, I'm back now and I am not going to kill myself if my writings are not the best ever, every time.

The last two weeks have been incredibly crazy and amazing. My roommates and I had been working on a short film script for the past couple of months. The movie finally came to fruition over the weekend of Feb. 8 and 9.

It was an incredible process that I will surely never forget. We loaded up in Brad's two 4-runners (and looked totally ridiculous driving around in near identical vehicles) and drove to the salt plains in Jet, Okla. early Saturday morning.

We couldn't figure out the directions, but eventually we got on the right track. We came across the perfect gas station for filming our station sequence. This took us a couple hours, so we had to load up and book it to the salt plains (we hadn't planned on the station).

We found the state park and shot the scene of the two characters walking across the sign with their shovels (they were going to dig for crystals). We got in the cars and headed to the dig site only to find it closed for the season. Apparently, there is a certain season in which you can dig for crystals. We got on the flats anyway to shoot our film.

This place was absolutely incredible and wonderfully majestic. I was blown away by the sheer vastness and total whiteness. We hurried through our scenes (and they were really hastily and crappily made).

Hopped in the car and sprinted to the Gloss Mountains (pronounced "glass") to shoot our scene of the guys going off the cliff on their homemade hang glider. We got there just in time; I was afraid we were running out of daylight. We shot our scenes incredibly quickly and finished just as the sun set.

We hit a diner in Longdale on the way home (it was the best meal of my life, maybe because I hadn't eaten all day). We wrapped that evening and got back to Stillwater at 10:30. It was a long freaking day and we planned on starting even earlier on Sunday so we could get everything done.

Left Stillwater at about 8 a.m. Sunday to shoot our opening scene and various drive shots around Stillwater. We limited our filming to Stillwater and Guthrie. The first scene went great and may be our best of the film.

The drive shots were good and then we luckily got into a junkyard for our scene with the two characters and the homeless "Marshmallow." We had to severely jerry-rig our hang glider and barely got it to work.

Then, we proceeded to drive around Stillwater looking for a broken mailbox for one of our scenes, and we eventually found one. We shot that quickly and filmed our final scene inside a gas station as the sun disappeared over the horizon.

Wow! What an incredible weekend of shooting. I have never experience something quite like that. The process was so fast-paced and exhilarating. It was incredible. We all seemed so professional. We had a sound bag filled with everything we needed to adjust the recording of sound. We had a camera, tripod, two professional lights and umbrellas to diffuse them. I also built a homemade dolly on a scooter that kind of worked (I guess). We looked incredible!

Our appearance seemed legit enough for an amateur production, but our quality was not the best. Basically, the first movie is an experiment and now we know what we can do differently. We know how to fix our problems and the best approach for certain shots. It was great experience just getting out there and doing it.

Had the time of my life and could easily see myself getting into this kind of business. It would be incredible to make movies either as an amateur or professional in Hollywood. I would love that so much. I need to figure out a way to do that for the rest of my life. Such a great joy.

Rambo Rampage

2008-01-28T14:54:00.000-08:00

With "Rambo" coming out, I decided to check out the first Rambo's as I had never seen them. To say the least, I was in for a pleasant surprise. I do not know why I had never seen these or why they are rarely on TV, but they are well worth the infamy and hype surrounding the movies.

The series starts with "First Blood" (1982) (one of the reasons I had trouble finding this movie was that it is not actually called "Rambo" as I had thought). "First Blood" is a romp, but drastically different than what I had imagined.

Ex-green beret and Vietnam war hero John Rambo returns home to find that there is a small war in his own country with those dissenting about the U.S. involvement in the war. He is arrested on bogus reasons and beaten severely. He breaks free and escapes to the wilderness. He sets up jungle traps to take down the police. He quickly seeks his revenge by destroying the entire town with a side strapped M60.

It really was amazing and actually a pretty good action flick. Not a lot of back drop to Rambo's character and the series does little to develop him other than a semi-compassionate raging animal. There is also little explanation of what happens to Rambo between the movies.

Next, comes "First Blood II: Rambo" (1985). By now, the world is well aware of Rambo and everyone tunes in for this sequel. He is removed from prison on orders of a general who wants him to rescue American POW's in Vietnam.

This movie is more along the lines of what I thought Rambo was all about. A wild man in the jungle with a huge knife and awesome explosives. I was not disappointed. The action rages as he manages to hi-jack a helicopter to save his fellow countrymen from the Vietcong.

The ending to the initial trilogy was appropriately titled "Rambo III" (1988). This time around Rambo must rescue his general and friend from the Russians occupying Afghanistan. This movie has terrific action and Guinness Book of World Records labels it as the most violent movie ever made. It was awesome and the hanging of the Russian and then blowing him up with grenades was incredible.

All of these movies were made before I was born, so I missed out on the Rambo craze. But I tell you, that craze is back. The most recent "Rambo" is as extraordinary as the previous three. The action is terrific and the violence is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen.

Rambo mows down the entire Burmese army with a gun turret and the bodies just explode. It was extremely graphic and gory.

Rambo must rescue a group of missionaries from the Burmese army. He handily destroys anyone in a 50 mile radius. The action is great and even more violent than it's counterparts because of the improvement of special effects.

Certain trends were lacking, however, in "Rambo." He did have his bow, but he had no explosive arrows. His knife was machete forged of steel rather than the large hunting knife in the first three (that noticeably got bigger with each movie). He also did not run around with his shirt off. I guess that is because Stallone is 62 and not as ripped as he used to be. There were no scenes with him holstering a meant-to-be stationary gun.

Something strange to note about the Rambo series is his obsession of hammering. In each movie, he is hammering on something. Peculiar.

In this most recent Rambo, Stone proves he is a battle axe and he gets better with time. Though his movement and stunts is supremely limited in this one, he is still a huge bamf. He kills everything in site. Pretty stunning actually. The drama in this one is probably better than all but the first one.

To sum it up, Rambo is one of the greatest action series ever. The great thing about Stallone in these, is that he does not use the stupid Schwarzenegger quips and puns. It is just straight up murderous action. You have to love it. If anyone has not seen any of these movies, then get up and go see them. It will be awesome.

Oscalujah

2008-01-24T23:36:00.000-08:00

Kinda getting a late run at this, but I've been supremely busy.

Oscar noms came out last weekend and there were some screw-overs and some unexpected nominations.

The first thing I noticed was the ridiculous amount of nominations for "Juno" (Actress: Ellen Page, Director: Jason Reitman, Best Picture, and Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody). This really makes me angry. Unfortunately, it will probably win best screenplay (I think the director made the movie work, not the screenplay, so I would not be too upset if Reitman wins, but he won't). But come on. Best Picture? Really? This is totally ridiculous. Did they see the same movie I did? Because I have already expressed my hatred for this movie for ruining the indie genre, I will just leave it at that.

Back to my world. A huge surprise to me is this hype on "Michael Clayton" (which was recently re-released in theaters, so maybe I will get a chance to see it). Clayton picked up seven noms right behind "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood." (Nominations for actor and supporting actor, supporting actress, direction, original score, best picture and original screenplay). I really can't wait to see this one. Very confusing to see this get so many because when it came out, it got mixed reviews.

Another out of nowhere nomination is Tommy Lee Jones for best actor not for No Country, but rather for "In the Valley of Elah." Another movie we did not hear much about. "The Savages" seem to come out of nowhere as well (I guess because it wasn't released anywhere near me). Laura Linney gets her third Oscar nom in 7 years, which is pretty impressive (maybe she will win this one). Savages also picks up original screenplay (pray it beats out Juno).

I was glad to see 'The Bourne Ultimatum" get a few nominations even if its for the really technical stuff (which is very important for a film's success). Matt Damon's third installment picks up sound editing, sound mixing and film editing. Usually a movie that gets nominated for both mixing and editing will one of the two.

I was pretty disappointed "The Kite Runner" did not get more nominations. It was nominated for original score which was beautiful. I thought it should have gotten a shot at best foreign language film or best adapted screenplay. It really was a delight.

Another screw-over is leaving Eddie Vedder out of the list for best original song for his song "Guaranteed" in "Into the Wild." That's alright though.

"Lars and the Real Girl" and "Ratatouille" somehow get best original screenplays (may show how far movies have sunk).

By far the biggest letdown in all of the Academy Award nominations was the complete snub of "American Gangster." I thought this was a sure lock for best picture when it came out, but no, we have to have Juno. I thought Russell Crowe would have been perfect with a supporting actor nod. Aside from a couple nominations, it is almost as if the movie never existed. I think the movie came out too early and it lost its hype and was forgotten in the season (though that did not seem to hurt Clayton which came out a month earlier).

Family Manner

2008-01-21T22:24:00.000-08:00

Because I now have a family following, I thought I would post about this past weekend.

Saturday we had Grammy's 75th Surprise Elvis Birthday Extravaganza Party Surprise Thingy. To say the least, it was a very impressive party. The collaborative effort my mom and her sisters had was extraordinary. They had this thing planned down to a T. It was very awesome!

They had to organize catering, location rental, food, drinks, decorations, invites and also put up with old codgers. It was definitely an incredible undertaking and it was well worth it for the look on Grammy's face. She was thoroughly surprised and enthralled with the party.

Ha, and the party featured an Elvis impersonator, who was straight up awesome. I think Grammy really enjoyed that and seeing all the people that showed up. It truly was a great celebration for a much-loved mother, grandmother and friend.

We all have wonderful memories with Grammy over the years and there are many more to come. As kids, Ethan and I loved spending time out at Grammy's as we went on adventures and ate all of her food. That truly was a childhood joy.

Congrats on hitting the milestone Grams (I know you are gonna go at least another 75 because you just hit your midlife crisis)!

This weekend saw another big event in the fam. The Williams moved on to the brighter side in Albuquerque. We have shared many special times as a big family and that will continue as the years grow, but there is a pain in the side when some of us move away.

There will be that feeling that they are no longer across the street when we need to borrow milk or just hang out and talk. But the Williams have found a new home that they need to make their own. Plus, it is really not that bad. They will still be around for all the good times and holiday get-togethers.

I really think this could be a great opportunity for the whole family to thrive. Because it is a large Spanish community, I strongly urge the girls to learn Spanish and be able to fluently communicate to a growing number of people in the United States. If you are fluent, the job opportunities triple. And cultural awareness can help change the world and bring unity.

This really could be a great opportunity and I strongly urge the family to make the best out of it. You will find that if you accept the changes and immerse yourself in a new society, the rewards will be great. The benefits of your new experiences will outweigh the costs of moving away from the family.

To Grammy and to the Williams, who will be greatly missed. May you find all that life has to give.

Evolution of a Fight Scene

2008-01-19T22:48:00.000-08:00

The other night, I went over to the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts to see Tony Woolf speak about his use of fight styles in film, theater and the opera. I had never been to this place, but it has a nice, cozy theater complete with a pet bat named "Kirby" that flies around as it pleases.

Anyway, on to Tony Woolf, the reason for the show. He gave his life story about his travels all around the world beginning with his childhood in New Zealand. He got his start as a stuntman and professional wrestler.

He said his most dangerous stunt involved jumping from six stories into an indoor Olympic swimming pool. The guy that was supposed to break the surface tension by turning on the bubble machine did not realize you had to hold down the button. So, Tony saw the bubbles and jumped down, but by the time he reached the water, the water had settled and he smashed into it at free fall. The next day, he had bruises all over his body. Sounds really painful!

Tony has worked all over the world choreographing fight scenes for theater and film. His most notable work in America was working with Peter Jackson on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. From the way Tony described it, the trilogy was the most exhausting thing he had ever done.

His main duty for the movies was to create cultural fighting styles for each of the different creatures. He had to create unique styles for the elves, orcs, hobbits, wizards, etc. He had to figure out how each character moved and walked. Then, he had to train the actors.

Tony's unique approach to choreographing fight scenes involves directing the movement first as opposed to the actual combat. He wants to make sure that his actors have the movement down before incorporating the actual fighting. The man is very smart and definitely knows what he is doing.

He was done work on almost every continent as he spends time traveling and conducting workshops to teach his fight styles. He also continues to work with film and theater. Tony claims that theater is his favorite, especially Shakespeare.

From what I can tell, his job is pretty sweet. He said he spent a period of time in Japan where he worked one day a week choreographing a 37 second fight scene, and the rest of the time he explored Japan. Sounds awesome!

Tony is at Oklahoma State teaching some students his styles and collaborating on a book about his approach. He was a great speaker and with so many questions, the presentation dragged on for over 2 hours.

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals

2008-01-19T21:45:00.000-08:00

So I went to Ryan Adams and the Cardinals concert the other night and it was pretty good. I love Ryan Adams, but I have a few problems with the Cardinals.

Before the start of the show, Adams was out there playing acoustic songs claiming to be someone else. He wore glasses to "disguise" his identity. Technically, Ryan Adams opened for Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. Pretty good stuff.

The show started heavy with some thick riffs to drown out the country slide guitar the Cardinals use. The second song they played was amazing (though I can't seem to find that song now). They played all of the greats including "When the Stars Go Blue", "Rescue Blues" and "Sweet Carolina."

The long set got rather repetitive with the annoying country slide predominantly featured throughout most of the songs. They played many from the latest album, "Easy Tiger", including "Goodnight Rose", "Two", and an alternate version of "Halloweenhead."

They left after about an hour and a half, but came back for an encore after about 5 minutes. The encore was the longest I've ever seen as it drove on for more than an hour. The encore was good, but they did not play his best songs. I typically think of encores that include the best work. I was slightly annoyed with a few of the songs.

Also, amazing how Adams managed to smoke like eight packs of cigs. He even smoke and sang at the same time (also had a cig in hand while strumming). I was kind of upset he did not play more harmonica. He only featured it on two songs and with that he did not use it much. I love his harmonica work especially on "Heartbreaker."

I will say one thing about the show, and that is that the songs sounded even better than their counterpart on the albums. I think that because Adams tries his best to make the most music he possibly can, some of his music is not as good as it could be. By the time the touring comes around and he and his band are clicking, the music actually takes form. Some of the songs mature to a state much above that which are seen on the album. For the most part, it really does sound better than his albums.

I do have one major complaint about the show, which was at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, and that was the crappy crowd. They were terrible! First of all, there were chairs set up in the space, which sucked majorly. Next, I looked around and realized the crowd consisted of a lot of older people (I guess that could be attributed to Adams' music as being accepted by a large variety of people). The worst part was the chit-chat going on during the concert.

Yes, people were chatting about unrelated events while Ryan Adams was performing!

I could not believe it. It was like we were at a bar, and there happened to be a crappy bar band playing. People all over the place were talking and laughing and hardly paying attention to the show that they dropped 40 bucks on. Ridiculous! I have never been to a concert where people sat around and talked and ruined the show for others.

I was peeved, but I tried to not let it ruin the show. This was my first time at Cain's, so it did tarnish my view on the place. Ryan Adams "fans" need to get with it and stop talking and start listening. Then, there were the country fans that danced. I think they were there solely to make me mad.

Ok concert, but not worth the $40 ticket, $20 T-shirt and hour and a half drive.

Writers Screw over Golden Globes

2008-01-16T14:24:00.000-08:00

Instead of crying like a little child, I decided to crawl on here and take time out of my busy schedule to chat about this past weekend's Golden Globes. I, unlike the Writers Guild of America, found time and for no money jumped on here to simply write.

Because the writers are such cry babies about being paid 2.5 million instead of 2.4 million, the Golden Globes were cancelled. Writers and actors joined in boycotting the event, so they just cancelled it and announced the winners at a press conference.

Now to the part that matters, the winners (definitely not the writers).

Let's dive right into the big category, which is best picture - drama. "Atonement" took the award away from "There Will Be Blood","American Gangster","The Great Debaters","Eastern Promises","Michael Clayton" and "No Country for Old Men." The Globes usually screw this one up and the Academy tends to get this one right. I was not surprised at all by this. The Globes never pick movies along the lines of No Country, Clayton, Gangster, or Blood. From looking at the list of nominees, I knew it would be Atonement or Debaters (gladly it went to the better of the two). I did not see Blood, Clayton, or Promises. No question though that the best movie of this list is No Country.

I was shocked that "Sweeny Todd" won best picture - comedy or musical (though I cannot attest for the quality of the film). I figured "Charlie Wilson's War" was a sure lock. Thankfully "Juno" did not win - as it did not deserve to. Gotta admit, kind of a lame group of movies this year.

Daniel Day-Lewis got the victory that was determined from the initial preview months ago. No surprise there. The only shock will be if he does not win an Oscar. No one cares about the lame performances from the women this year. Johnny Depp finally gets him a win for best actor in a musical or comedy. He is well-deserving (so I'm told). Too bad, he still won't get that Oscar win.

Javier Bardem gets the supporting for No Country and he is definitely deserving. Cate Blanchett wins supporting for playing a man (pretty awesome).

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" nabs best foreign language film and best director. I definitely need to see that one.

"Atonement" grabbed the best score, which was terrific throughout.

And my favorite award, best screenplay, went to the Coen brothers for No Country. Not only was I excited that they won, but the fact that Juno lost was awesome. Seriously though, No Country is so good. The Coen brothers are geniuses and the movie is so multi-layered and figurative it is ridiculous. They should win solely on the ridiculous amounts of metaphors.

Good picks. And I hate the event, so I like that they just released them.

The Life of Riley

2008-01-13T23:41:00.000-08:00

The weekend was surely a busy one, but with having no class on Friday, it was long and enjoyable. Saturday was a crazy day in sports as Oklahoma State had home games in both men's and women's basketball.

The general consensus about the men's team chance for success in the Big XII was that they would have little chance to actually win a conference game. They were ranked eighth in preseason polls, but due to poor performances, there was much speculation at whether or not OSU could live up to an eighth place finish.

If there was a chance to win a conference game, many said, that chance was the home opener against struggling Texas Tech. The first half was physical and tight and Oklahoma State took a four point lead by halftime. The second half, OSU came out gunning. Obi Muonelo hit 4 straight threes and James Anderson added another to give the Cowboys a huge lead.

The Cowboys went on a 33-6 run to start the second half. They would not look back as they pummelled Tech by 19. They held Tech to under 60 points. The best part was that Tech coach Bob Knight left Stillwater without his 900th win. Haha Bobby!

This was not even the best basketball game of the day. That happened in the evening as the No. 25 Oklahoma State Cowgirls took on the No. 6 Sooners in Gallagher-Iba. The bedlam match up usually brings the most attendance of the year for the Cowgirls with half the crowd being from Norman.

This night would turn out to be very special. Not only was the attendance record broken, but it was shattered by over 7,000 people. The gym was sold out at 13,611 people. The previous record had been around 6,000 people. The attendance was more than doubled the previous record. It was absolutely incredible. It was also a record for the most attendees of a girls basketball game in the state of Oklahoma.

There were more at this game than the previous men's game. For most of the girls, this was the most people they had ever played in front of. And for all those that came, they were in for a serious treat. Sophomore point guard Andrea Riley went off on a scoring rampage.

45 points!!!!!

That is simply unbelievable. I am still in shock about her performance. I have never heard of such a thing (after the game she claimed to have scored 52 points in a game when she was 13). This kid is amazing! She has a great attitude and loves competing. Very competitive and very tough. I have never seen anyone as fast as her on the court.

On one special play, she traversed coast to coast for a sweet layup in 9 seconds. She started from under her own basket with 9 seconds on the shot clock, put a move on every Oklahoma defender (including a sweet behind-the-back crossover to break a girl's ankles at mid court) and layed the ball in as the shot clock buzzer went off.

She was terrific. Congrats to Riley and the Cowgirls for their first win against Oklahoma in 10 years.

Interesting Note: Ben Roethlisberger's sister is a freshman forward for Oklahoma. I scanned the crowd, but no B-Roeth. O, and Hakeem Olajuwon's daughter plays for Oklahoma as well. Celebrity status does not seem to generate wins.

Perfect Senses

2008-01-10T23:54:00.000-08:00

He found himself draped over the remains of a skinned deer. He did not remember anything from the preceding week. He remembered everything before that, but for some reason, he could not remember what had happened in the last week.

As he staggered to his feet, he became aware of his senses. He had is sense of touch, smell, taste, and sight. His vision seemed blurred, however, maybe it was the low light and eerie darkness. Total silence. He stood transfixed, a being that had little conviction or fortitude. It was all he could do to just stand there as the sun began to creep up through the trees of the vast forest.

He did not know whether or not there was no sound or that he had lost his sense of hearing. He could now see more clearly as time seemed to age quickly. Unknown to him, but he had stood there staring into the distance for 4 hours. What happened next did not give him any answers to his unexplainable predicament.

The skinned deer rose from the cold earth floor right behind him and ran into the distance. He could not discern reality from fantasy. Just as he had thought he had clearly seen the deer rise and run into the distance, he looked back to the ground only to find the deer still lying there.

Within a matter of moments, the world around him changed drastically. From out of nowhere, animals came from every direction. He saw and smelled the animals, but still either they made no noise stomping through the forest, or he had gone deaf.

At first, he saw what you would expect to see in a forest: birds, deer, wolves, rabbits, and bears. He turned a out of the corner of his eye saw a giant creature splashing down to earth. He dove aside just in time. What looked like a building falling to the ground was actually a humpback whale moving through the forest. It seemed that every creature in the animal kingdom was parading through this forest.

Absolute silence. He feared for his life as creatures big and small landed around him in every direction. Still no sound. His dodged left, right, hid under a rock, and hid behind a tree. He furiously worked his remaining senses to avoid the seemingly crazed animals.

However, he was too late as he did not notice several elephants sneak up behind him and he was easily trampled. He woke again in a bright room. Actually, it might not have been a room, but rather just an area of complete whiteness. He thought that maybe his vision was now distorted. He looked for signs of animals, but saw none. All he could see was whiteness.

A voice rang out and he jumped out of his skin out of fear and excitement for his sudden return of his sense of hearing. The voice said, "You have seen the effects of chaos and the dangers of being ill-equipped. This is the kind of world you would find yourself in had the world not been created through perfection. Everything of this world has been created in absolute perfection. Down to every blade of grass. Everything has a purpose and follows the will of the Creator."

The voice continued, "Had you not been given the essentials necessary to protect yourself, you would find a world of chaos and death. Without even one sense, you are doomed. This is the Creator's will. Perfection not disorder."

He awoke and rolled himself off of the remains of a skinned deer. He stood to face the darkness and heard the sound of a stream trickling. As the light became brighter, he found the stream and followed it to a river. There he found people boarding a boat. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing flowed out of his mouth.

Get Out and Vote

2008-01-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

To all those hesitant about stepping off of your porch and voting, hear this: Those who don't vote extinguish their very right to life.

Where do you come from? Not city, not state, what is your lineage? The truth is we all come from the same place. We are all here because of the brave men who stood up to tyranny and set up their own country that promised life, liberty, and the pursuit of not just happiness, but the pursuit of whatever you please.

The sacrifice these heroes laid down is something that should not go unnoticed. Many fought and died for the freedom of their children and their grandchildren and their grandchildren. Too many have fought and died to maintain a free country for today's society to not participate in the voting process.

The idea of free election and democracy is the most fundamental form of freedom. The forefathers set up a nation that could run itself and maintain the greatest right of people, to be free. As people, we deserve to be free and America has provided it for its people and for those that seek shelter.

So, not as a challenge from me but as a challenge from those that died to preserve your freedom, go vote. It is the single most American thing that you could possibly partake in. As a debt to your forefathers, it is your obligation to partake in the voting process.

Saying you are tired of political dissension or that you just don't care is foolish. You should care what happens around you. Whether you like it or not, the policies of office-holders directly affect your everyday life. Do not be lazy and do not exert apathy. It does nothing for you.

Search the candidates, pick the one YOU like most, and vote. Don't pick a candidate that the news says is best or the one that is favored. Pick the one with the best policies and ideals.

Challenge the political leaders and change the world. If you don't like the views of any candidates, then work your way into a position to change the United States and change the world. Thanks to those before us, we enjoy a free society.

It is your God-given right and your obligation to vote.

Return to Glory with "American Gladiators"

2008-01-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

The world has yet again been (gladly) subjected to American Gladiators. The show made its return to NBC on Sunday and has already aired three "episodes."

As a kid, this show was the greatest thing on TV. My brother and I made it a point to watch the show at all times possible. It was great and we loved every competition especially the final obstacle course.

The show was so 80s, it's disgusting. Looking back at the reruns, you see the awful, mulleted announcers and big eyeglasses. The competitors were usually untrained, out of shape, middle-aged losers. That was the big attraction for the show. To watch the buff and toned gladiators destroy these everyday people was extremely exciting.

Now, the show and all of its glory is back with new hosts, Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali. It is still very intense and still very cheesy. The show accentuates the competitors and their life stories. I love to laugh in the face of their life stories when the gladiators pummel them to the ground.

It is just a good laugh to be enjoyed with a bunch of people as everyone laughs at the competitors and makes jokes about the steroid-induced (and disgusting and unattractive in the case of the women) gladiators.

The crowd favorite is Wolf, a crazed man with repulsive facial hair and long hair that howls at every possible moment. He destroys every competitor with ease.

American Gladiators - Monday 8/7 central on NBC.

The Great American Plex

2008-01-05T09:07:00.001-08:00

So, I was too tired to put out a post yesterday because of my experience. This is how it went down.

I went out to the movie theater (AMC) with the ambition to see several movies. I got to the mall around 10am and purchased a ticket for "The Kite Runner" at 1020am.

"The Kite Runner" was terrific and is quite possibly my favorite movie of the year. It is a drama about two young boys who fly kites in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1978. The kids remind me much of my brother and I when we were younger. The little boy actually looks a lot like my brother. Anyway, terrific movie and I strongly recommend it.

Next, I had a 30 minute break before "Juno." So, I hung out for awhile waiting for it to begin. I was slightly annoyed with the movie and the character of Juno. She was an annoying, wannabe cool pregnant 16 year old. The whole I listen to old-school indie rock and watch old crappy horror movies is a really lame attempt by the writer to make Juno seem "cool." So she thinks she is all that and a plate of waffles. The drama and comedy do come together well, and it has a sweet ending.

When I left this theater, I grabbed some girl's large popcorn and drink to go get a free refill. So with my newly acquired refreshments, I went straight into "The Golden Compass." I was not very impressed with this one. It was one of those kid book adaptation in the spirit of Narnia. Whatever. Not that great, but I went to see it for the polar bears. And they were awesome in their fighting, so that might have been worth it.

O no, I am not done. Three movies would not be a record. Then, I went into "National Treasure" expecting only the most ridiculous situations and schemes. I was not disappointed. From kidnapping the President to breaking in to the oval office. It was good entertainment and achieved it's goal. I do not understand why Ed Harris was in this. Not the greatest career move. O well, his loss.

Four is quite a bit, but five is more than four. So, I went into "Atonement" expecting to see the greatest movie of all time (kidding, but it did get 7 golden globe nominations). It was a pretty good story and not entirely romance. It was more about the younger sister seeking forgiveness for what she had done. Keira Knightley does not deserve an award, but James McAvoy is good. The cinematography is terrific and will get a nom at the Academy Awards maybe even win. There is a 4.5 minute shot on the beach showing all the soldiers waiting for ships to take them home that is just terrific. The music is really good as well.

So, that's it 5 movies in one day. This is the greatest plex (walking into another movie, but only paying the initial ticket) I have ever done and I have not heard of someone doing more. I had a great time and there was not alot of downtime, so I was never bored and the day went very quick. I left the mall around 10pm, so I was there about 12 hours.

Ya, that sounds ridiculous, but I had a blast. It was something I had always wanted to do, so I am glad I have finally done it. I probably won't do that again for awhile.

Cheers

To Spain

2008-01-03T20:46:00.000-08:00

January 3rd

The early departure was indeed tiresome and sad as we flew from Madrid to Frankfurt, Germany, and then to Dallas and then OKC. The flight seemed to take forever as we were all anxious to get home and get a good night's sleep in our own beds before school the next day.

I spent the trip sleeping, listening to my iPod, watching movies, chatting, and thinking about how much I would miss Spain. I wanted to stay for another month, our trip was just not long enough.

Today, I think about some of the little things about traveling to a different country and all the experiences that go with it. I remember the Swiss chocolate (Milka) that I bought on the airplane. It is still the best chocolate ever (and luckily I found some at Disney World 5 months later).

I think about the street performers and the exotic things they did. I think about the late night hot chocolate and churro treats. I reminisce on such things as the chapel in Barcelona where Christopher Columbus first announced his discovery.

The amazing streets and alleys and shops and the black market selling knock off Luis Vutton purses and Polo cologne. I think about our great guide Antonio and all the sponsors that helped make the trip possible. A big thank you to them for making the trip one of the best vacations and experiences I have ever had.

I think about the food and how we did not like most of it. I remember Ben Britton eating corn nuts at 3am and that still makes me chuckle. Ben was eccentric, but cool. All the people that went were just really great people and I love them all.

Los Conquistadors was so amazing that I cannot even describe the joy and happiness I had when hanging out with these guys. To Mitch Cook for his tireless preparation and flawless execution. To all my fears of being robbed (I never felt remotely threatened or in danger). To VIPS for showing us a true Texas burger unlike any burger I have ever had. To the idea that they serve tap beer at Burger King. To Magnum for opening my eyes.

To the greatest New Year's Eve I have ever seen. To the long and boring plane flights, for without them we would have never made it. To all the museums and Dali and Picasso, now I appreciate you more fully. To the Spanish people for being so interesting and beautiful. To Barcelona for being so glorious and beautiful and to Madrid for enlightening my mind.

To Spain for changing my life.

Last Day in Espana

2008-01-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

January 2nd

The last full day in Spain and we are all a little sad. This day was an interesting case and I think this might have been one of the coolest days.

This was to be a free day that we could spend doing as we wished (with a sponsor of course). Some of us followed our fearless leader on a day of adventure through some of the historic stops in Madrid.

We subwayed and walked for hours as we moved in between the hot spots. We went to see the soccer stadium of Real Madrid and that was very impressive. We then went to Retiro Park and looked at the gardens and statues on the river. The gate in the city was also interesting.

This group we had (very strange- Tara, Kevin, Pratt, Dani, Parker, some sponsors - just a weird combo, but we all had a great time) walked to the Hard Rock for shirts and we saw a great view of the Spanish flag.

We visited the statue of legend Don Quixote and ate at VIPS. All in all it was a great day walking around enjoying the history (I had to coaxed into not buying a sword at an awesome store). After dinner, Mitch took the Conquistadors out to a local pub that was airing one of the college bowl games and we enjoyed each other's company until well after midnight.

We stayed up all night because we had to leave the next morning at 3am. So, we fashioned our own hot tub (in the bath tub) and build a fort with sheets. After less than 40 minutes of sleep, we went to get on the bus to go to the airport in Madrid.

Start of Something Fresh... In Spain of Course

2008-01-01T22:46:00.001-08:00

New Year's Day

We rose early for a trip to the Royal Palace of Madrid where the Spanish king and queen reside for important state functions. It was so magnificent and the interior was very lavish. I thought the outside was impressive, until I went in and saw the ancient carpets, chandeliers, paintings, and thrones. It was all well worth it.

Next, we broke into small group and Los Conquistadors went out to see Madrid (this is what we called our group as we determined that we were the conquerors of Spain). We subwayed over to the museum that houses the infamous Picasso work "Guernica." I am ashamed to admit that I did not actually go in and look at it (I was tired of art museums and I did not want to fork over the 6 euro admission fee). So, Kevin and I looked at it in the gift shop.

We grabbed our new favorite treat, Magnum, a chocolate-coated ice cream bar, and went to look at the Atocha Train Station, which is infamous. We watched street performers and even purchased tiles that were painted on the spot.

Los conquistadors spent the rest of the day taking in the sights and enjoying each other's company as we stopped at various interesting shops and stores along the way. We enjoyed dinner at our new favorite place, VIPS. Though where near authentic Spanish food, we loved ol' VIPS (my companions were fed up with the strange Spanish dishes, so we ate here and Burger King for the remainder of the trip). I was upset with this because I wanted to try new things and get the full Madrid experience. But I couldn't complain because the "Texas Burger" treated me well.

After dinner, we caught a movie across the street from our hotel. The movie was King Kong and it was a terrific experience inside the theater (the movie was in English with Spanish subtitles). Next, we hit nightlife and enjoyed a hot chocolate, churros, and Tapas at the local cafes.

We hit the bed hard and we began to get the feeling of homesickness and also the feeling that the next day was to be our last day in Spain.

Los Conquistadors

From left to right: Jonathan Pratt, Me, Kevin Pojezny, DH Dilbeck, Mitch Cook

Holiday in Spain

2007-12-31T22:56:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve

As I recollect on past New Years Celebrations, only one stands out in my mind. That one was the celebration that took place in Madrid.

We wake up the morning of the last day of 2005, and we cannot wait for the fabled celebration that night in downtown Madrid. We got in the bus and went out on a tour. This time we go down to the entrance to the city as they call it. Two towers line the road as we look out on the largest city in Spain.

We spend the day walking, tour busing, subwaying, and running through the streets of Madrid as we take in the grandest of sights. A simply marvelous action-packed day.

We get back around 8 for a dinner at the hotel (one of the better meals of the trip). We then rest before going back out for the New Years Celebration. We partake in most of the festivities, but it is mostly too crowded to even move.

The Spanish have a tradition for bringing in the New Year that involves the eating of 12 grapes in certain time increments as the clock counts down. The celebration was a mere 2 blocks from our hotel. The downtown square has huge screens set up for the countdown.

Right at midnight, flames fill the sky as the fireworks burst in every direction. Everyone is screaming and cheering and I could not be happier. As I look around at all of the smiles, I know that this year is going to be great and no way to kick it off better than a Holiday in Spain.

During the flight to Spain, our whole group chanted the words to the Counting Crows song "Holiday in Spain." We knew what we were doing and that night was so spectacular that the song still resonates in all our heads. There could be no more applicable song for us that new year and we knew it.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, while others went to pubs and bars to bring the new year in their tummies, we paraded back to the hotel singing the words to the lasting song. We had done exactly what the Counting Crows did, we caught a plane to Barcelona because our city was a drag.

That was the best New Years celebration ever, and I hope everyone gets to experience a great celebration at least once in their lifetime. I wish everyone a very happy New Year, and may all your goals and wishes come true.

Trainspotting

2007-12-30T22:50:00.000-08:00

December 30th

Still on the Spain trip and still absolutely loving it.

Today, we arise early for travel from Barcelona to Madrid. If I recall correctly, it was about a six hour train ride. The train was nice though as it was spacious and comfortable with TV's and a restaurant. Not too bad, but we were all sad to leave Barcelona because it was so amazing.

The train station was wonderful and if I am not mistaken it can be seen in one of the backdrop shots in The Bourne Ultimatum. We left the station and took a bus to our hotel.

This hotel was quite different than the Barcelona hotel. This time we had a four person room that included the student members of our small group - DH, Kevin, JP, and I. Also, this hotel was situated right in the middle of downtown. We were less than 2 blocks from the cultural heart of Madrid and the town square. O, and right across the street was a movie theater.

The hotel was nice and we almost succumbed to the temptation of rest in the comfy beds after a long day's travel, but we knew that Madrid night-life would be calling our names. We had a nice dinner at the hotel and then hit the streets for a look at shops and malls in the area surrounding the town square. It was amazing! And there were so many people everywhere!

After an incredible look at night-time Madrid, we headed back to the hotel after stopping for a Tapas treat and some more great hot chocolate. The spacious room was more than adequate for four exhausted guys. We went to bed with great anticipation for the next day as we would be experiencing New Year's Eve at one of the best parties in Europe and even the whole world.

The Thick of Things

2007-12-29T19:50:00.000-08:00

December 29th

We rose early for another great day in Barcelona. This was the day of museums and more sightseeing. We visited the Museo D'Arte, which was an incredible sight. The museum holds some of the works of the greatest European artists including the homegrown Pablo Picasso.

After a very insightful and well-guided experience at the museum, we hopped on the bus for a destination for lunch. We had many disappointing meals so far, but the lunch we had that day was terrific. It consisted of soups and breads.

The Spanish have a very different eating schedule than Americans. Instead of the three meals, Spain starts the day with a pastry breakfast or frequently a brunch, then lunch at midday, then an afternoon snack, a late dinner around 8 o'clock, and finally a trip around the local bars enjoying tapas and elegant deserts. It is very fascinating!

After lunch we spent the day in our small group touring more of Barcelona. We visited Government buildings (in which I almost got arrested for walking into an open building, pretty scary when you can't understand the security guards...), an artifact museum, more shops, and another dinner at the hotel. After dinner, we went back out to do more exploring.

We visited the Pablo Picasso Museo devoted entirely the Picasso and his life works. It was extremely amazing! We then broke back into small group for a night on the town. We visited the Salvador Dali museum, which was very unique. We went into the church, where we saw the most magnificent night view.

We went to the local coffee shop and got the thickest hot chocolate you could ever imagine. We also enjoyed fresh-squeezed orange juice. (Actually we went to this place every night). We also went to Hard Rock Barcelona to get T-shirts.

We went back to the hotel for check-in and supposed curfew. However, our trip leader thought it would be awesome to take his little group out after curfew. We caught a cab and rode to downtown to see a jazz concert. When we got to the little pub, he decided it was too shady and smokey. We then hiked back the twelve blocks stopping for knickknacks and treats along the way.

The Day I Discovered the World

2007-12-28T23:24:00.000-08:00

December 28th

This was quite possibly the most intriguing day of the trip as we began the day with a strange pastry-driven breakfast. We then boarded a bus to be ferried around the best locales in Barcelona.

We drove through the beautiful and historic city and "ooed and awed" over all the amazing buildings. The first stop was the beautiful Sagrada Familia which is seen in the picture. It is adorned with sculptures, statues, and spires that have been under construction for the better part of 2 centuries.

We drove to see the infamous world's largest bench that wraps around the deck and provides a great view of the city. This including a nice collection of palm trees and one of Pablo Picasso's former houses.

Next, we drove out to the Olympic Park, the home of the 1992 Olympics. We only briefly saw the park as we drove by in the tour bus. We continued to a park near the Port of Barcelona. We were able to look out onto the Mediterranean and turn and see the large, bustling city. It was my favorite view of the whole trip as I had never seen a city like that before. It was breathtaking and something I hope to see again someday.

The bus drove us to the middle of downtown and dropped us off to spend the rest of the day on an adventure. We split into groups and spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the crevices and inner workings of the incomparable Barcelona. This day began the day we formed not just a trip group, but a life-long group as we each experienced a life-changing trip. The group consisted of classmates and buddies Kevin Pojezny, Jonathan Pratt, DH Dilbeck, our Spanish teacher and trip leader Mitch Cook, and me.

We explored downtown Barcelona that afternoon and worked our way through various shops and a modern art museum. That evening we had dinner at the hotel (strange food that none of us liked very much). Then we turned in after a long day that including a whole lot of walking. We fell asleep quickly with the anticipation brewing for another day in Barcelona.

The End of Travel

2007-12-27T23:15:00.000-08:00

On December 27th, we finally reached our destination of Barcelona, Spain. After the many long hours of traveling, we spent a few hours getting acclimated, had dinner, and then made up our rooms to prepare for a night of much needed sleep.

Upon arrival at the airport by way of Germany, we got into a bus that took us to the hotel. I do not know what I was expecting, but the area around the airport was I guess you could say, "shocking." It appeared underdeveloped but a closer look revealed heavy construction in every direction.

So, the drive to the hotel was indeed very interesting as we took in the sights and enjoyed the atmosphere (once we got outside the airport area, it was amazing!!). The bus trip was very exciting, but we were all very tired.

We explored the hotel and had dinner and then fell victim to the comfortable beds in our 3 person rooms. Classmate and buddy Kevin Pojezny, underclassman weirdo Ben Britton, and I shared a cozy room with a lookout over the hustling town of Barcelona.

We went out early as we knew we would rise early to explore this intriguing foreign country.

The Best Trip Ever

2007-12-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

As I reminisce on Christmas and all it has to offer, I can't help but think about Christmases of the past. The Christmas I am thinking about is the Christmas from two years ago during my senior year in high school.

That was a wonderful Christmas, everything was in order, from the lasting traditions of Christmas Eve and Christmas day to the family celebrations. Everything was absolutely perfect. We all gave and received the best gifts and we did it with sincerity in our hearts.

Then I think of the day after Christmas, the 26th of December, and I think about what happened and I remember that that was the day I embarked on the greatest trip of my life.

That day, me and a group of people from school boarded a plane to Spain. So the 26th was a day of pure travel as we flew from Oklahoma City to Chicago to Munich to Barcelona. Talk about a long flight. The portion from Chicago to Germany was like 14 hours and was easily the longest I had ever been in a plane. I tried to sleep in the plane, but was just too excited about the coming trip, plus I never sleep in any kind of transportation (I was also enamored with the movie channel - unlike anything I had ever seen before).

So, as I reminisce on the 26th of December both in past and present, I remember how awful that day of traveling was, but I assure you the traveling was well worth it.

Today, I count my blessings and I think about how much I love my family. I think about how awesome of a Christmas gift a trip to Spain was. My only regret is I wish I could have taken my family on that trip because I know they would have loved it.

Someday, when we are all rich I will take my family on a trip of a lifetime. And it truly will be.

To all, count your blessings and love on your family.

Christmas Eve for All

2007-12-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas comes but once a year, so enjoy the festivities this year. Remember the important things of Christmas. Of course, Christmas is not about the presents or the gifts, but it is about the family and the love and joy of coming together.

So enjoy this short post and enjoy Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!!

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-12-20T09:54:00.000-08:00

Whew! It's been a week since I made it on here. I came down with the big flu/influenza. For the past week. It came at perfect timing too, right as I start my Christmas break. I woke up last Friday feeling like I was going to die, and unfortunately I had two finals that day (I ended the semester with 4 B's and 1 A: not bad, I guess).

So, I'm back.

I watched "Good Morning Vietnam" last night for the first time ever and I simply loved it. Aside from being downright hilarious, the movie touches the censorship of radio during war. Robin Williams gives a terrific performance in a role that at one point was based on an actual character, but turns out to be a complete mockery of the military and the real guy's life.

Forest Whittaker plays a great supporting member as the radio station coordinator/helper. He also provides some comedy as the radio hosts continue to rebel against their superiors.

Just a downright awesome movie and this is a short post because I am exhausted.

GOODBYE VIETNAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baseball Players are a Bunch of Cheaters

2007-12-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

As I am sure you all have heard by now, the investigation into Major League Baseball's "steroid problem" is officially concluded. Fomer Senator George Mitchell conducted the investigation into steroid abuse in the MLB over the past 20 months.

His list is frightening.

It includes players from every team in the MLB including Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, Miguel Tejada, and Eric Gagne. Every team in baseball abuses steroids.

Barry Bonds, of course, was the first one on the list. Is there any doubt that his record should be stripped? Mark Ecko branded the record-setting ball with an asterisk and sent it to Cooperstown. Hilarious.

So what next for baseball? Some are calling this the saddest day in baseball history. This report is a direct slap in the face of MLB and I commend it. It must have taken a lot of guts to make this report and I applaud Mitchell's efforts.

This is a clear sign that it is time for the MLB to step up and set up some kind of steroid reviewing company.

Either that or give everyone steroids that way we can all be super-human freaks with huge heads. Maybe the government should develop steroids to give us the ability to fly through the clouds as one BIG happy family.

Check out the article here http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/13/steroid.report/index.html

The Weight of Water

2007-12-12T08:31:00.000-08:00

Do you ever sit there and think about ridiculous things? How about not getting sleep because you just thought about something crazy? My brain refuses to shut down when I try to go to sleep especially during this finals week.

What if the land and water switched places on the earth instantly? Imagine just hangin' out in your favorite state, and all of a sudden the oceans and continents switched places. North America turns into the Atlantic and the Atlantic turns into North America.

How ridiculous would that be? What about the people on the shore? How weird would it be to be standing on the beach looking out at the ocean, and then you blink your eyes and the ocean is now land and the beach and land behind you is now water.

What about the people out in the middle of the ocean? If the water switched to land, they could end up on top of a skyscraper or mountain. Strange...

Living so far inland in Oklahoma, I would probably be dead. Unless I could swim to the nearest lake. Still it would be so shocking and confusing that most people would panic and end up drowning. Wow, this turned really morbid, o well...

Be careful, it could happen. Always keep a boat near you just in case.

Diving in Head First

2007-12-11T20:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, so after much deliberation (and mainly procrastination) I have decided to try out this blog thing to "get the creative juices flowing" as they say. Regardless of whether or not anyone reads this, I feel it will be a good exercise for transcribing my thoughts into the world outside. Hopefully, this endeavor will increase my writing skills as well.

So, I thought to get my first post started, I would talk about that which I love most, and that is definitely movies.

I won a 52" plasma HDTV last week and I have been watching movies ever since. Lately, we popped in blockbuster action flicks such as Live Free or Die Hard, Mission Impossible 3, I, Robot, and Armageddon. And let me tell you, the picture is scrumptuous. I love it. The sucky thing, however, is that regular cable is weak unless you get a HD box. So, I might have to get a new deal with the cable man.

Anyway, I just finished Mystic River, the captivating story brought to the big screen by none other than Clint Eastwood. The 2003 movie is an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's 2001 novel of the same name. After seeing the movie, I feel I should read the book. The movie is about three childhood friends that are brought back together in the wake of a tragedy. The characters had grown apart at a young age because one of the boys was sexually abducted by some local freak in the Boston area.

They grow apart and we fast forward to the characters as grown men with families and careers. Jimmy Markum's (Sean Penn) world is rocked when his daughter is brutally murdered on the way home one night. Jimmy's childhood buddy, Sean Devine (Kevin Bacon), is now a homicide detective and is called to the crime scene to investigate the murder. Accompanied by his partner, Sgt. Whitey Powers (Lawrence Fishburne), Sean's investigation leads right into the lap of his abducted childhood friend, Dave Boyle (Tim Robbins).

Dave quickly turns into the prime suspect through mysterious evidence that clearly links him to the crime. Sean must quickly find the murderer before ex-convict Jimmy takes matters into his own hands.

When it boils down, each character must solve his own problems and wash their sins clean in the Mystic River. The theme of the movie is responsibility and overcoming life's curveballs. Sean learns that it is his move to apologize to win his wife back. Jimmy must learn to let go and understand that he must take care of his other two daughters and wife. Dave has to come to grips with his childhood encounter and somehow put it behind him.

Clint Eastwood is a terrific storyteller and his acclaimed direction starts with Mystic River. It is truly amazing how well Eastwood tells stories. He has become one of the most dependable directors in Hollywood today with his ability to consistently tell exquisite stories and it doesn't hurt that he nabs one of the best casts in modern cinema that includes Penn, Robbins, Bacon, Fishburne, Laura Linney, and Marcia Gay Harden

Time-tested Tim Robbins and Sean Penn both grab Oscars for this movie and they are well-deserving indeed. Tim Robbins is spectacular as the troubled and warped father and husband. Sean Penn is good, but not great. I was surprised he won the Oscar for Best Actor. He was going up a pretty lame set of nominees in 2003, so that ensured him the victory.

Again, this movie is so terrific because Eastwood is a sheer genious. In addition to direction, Eastwood lends his hand as the music superviser and performer. The shots in this movie are beautiful and the music takes it to another level. Daytime Boston looks gorgeous. Love Eastwood and watch this movie.

Eastwood may kill you...Punk!