Post Eighty Seven - Merry Xmas

Merry Christmas you all, or Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or any of that jazz.

I got back from my trip last week, but have been crazy busy with people coming into town, and work and the like. But I promise to update very soon on my trip to Florida, and my drinking around the world. It was very fun times and I miss all of my family and friends already.

I hope everyone has a good holiday, and gets everything they want. I know I have already gotten ten times everything I want. So, I am lucky, I guess.

Merry Christmas.

Post Eighty Six - Yo Ho!

Yo Ho, Me 'earties!

Pirates of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, has finally rolled into my DVD collection, thanks to my lovely and dearest June, and her giving me an early birthday gift.

Pirates 2, as I will call it in short, since the names of these movies are always so damn long, was by far and away my favorite movie of 2006, and I even made it to the theatres twice to see it. Something, I do not do very often, the last time was for Revenge of the Sith.

The movie is just non-stop fun times, and a great link from the first film. While sometimes the movies feel a bit slow in pace, due to their length, they always make up for a great movie watching experience in the end. The action scenes are amazing, and yet very cartoonish to boot.

I love how the scenes always take the feel of the classic ride at the Disney Theme parks, and the characters are very on par to that atmosphere. The pirates ride has always been one of my favorites, so movies about it, always peak my interest.

I got the two disc, which I suggest for anyone who loved seeing it in theatres, the extras are awesome, and the DVD transfer is downright brilliant.

Definitely an A+. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!

Movies for the next year, which peak my interest:

Dec 15th - Charolettes Web
Dec 20th - Rocky Balboa
Dec 20th - Leters from Iwo Jima
Dec 25th - Children Of Men
Feb 16th - Ghost Rider
Feb 16th - Bridge to Tarabithia
Feb 23rd - Number 23
Feb 23rd - Reno 911! Miami
Mar 2nd - Zodiac!
Mar 23rd - TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles
Mar 30th - Meet The Robinsons
May 4th - Spider-man 3
May 18th - Shrek the Third
May 25th - Pirates 3 At World's End
Jun 8th - Oceans 13 (hells to the yeah)
Jun 15th - FF: Rise Of The Silver Surfer
Jun 29th - RATATOUILLE
Jun 29th - Live Free Or Die Hard
Jul 4th - Transformers
Jul 27th - Simpsons the Movie
Aug 3rd - Bourne Ultimatum
Aug 3rd - Underdog

I think this is going to be the most fun movie summer ever!

3 days til Florida.
4 til I'm legally able to buy myself a drink.
5 til Epcot.
6 til Magic Kingdom.
13 til Christmas.

god knows how many til Italia.

Post Eighty Five - The Pearl?

It's been billed as a beacon of hope for a long-troubled neighborhood - the glistening seven-screen Pearl Theater near Temple University, the first movie house in North Philadelphia in six decades.

But last night, the only beacons were the floodlights from police helicopters, as a streetside shooting just outside the two-story steel-and-glass theater left a 16-year-old in critical condition, while other people were arrested - police were ordered not to say how many - in a chaotic scene after police cleared out the movie house. The Pearl was not only shut down for the night, but its entrance was surrounded by yellow crime tape for a time.

The violence outside the Pearl came on the second night of a $1-movie promotion to herald the grand opening of the theater, and it was jarring to North Philly moviegoers who had been thrilled to finally have a place to see films.

"It frustrates me that my children and I can't go to a decent movie anywhere within two miles of my home, because people don't show respect," said 35-year-old Genea McCrea of Kensington, who had arrived hoping to see a movie with her two sons, ages 9 and 15.

It was not clear whether the initial shooting had anything to do with the movie theater. Around 7:30 p.m., according to police, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the scrotum on Montgomery Street near 15th, near the theater complex. The teen was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital in critical condition.

As a result of the shooting, about 100 paying customers were evacuated from the theater. Detectives were unsure last night who had decided to evacuate the theater, but they confirmed that it had led to chaos, with numerous fistfights breaking out. "Basically, they all went crazy," said one detective. "We don't really know why, either." (the rest here)

I do not understand this, at all. It is truly saddening, for a community that is already nothing but sadness. Seeing that the theatre is run by Temple, I am sure that it will be taken away from the said community as well, and that is just awful.

Why are people this way, why are they so pent up and angry, besides all the obvious facts, like a crumbling neighborhood and a major major major drug infestation. If my community were poor, and hope brought to it, I would hope that I, as well as everyone else around me could come to peace and celebrate the fact that SOMEONE has in trusted us, as neighbors to be the protectorates of this establishment.

Very sad.

Post Eighty Four - Pearl Harbor

...Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire. FDR - 65 Years Ago, Tomorrow.

Post Eighty Three - 105

Happy 105th Birthday, Uncle Walt.
I never until now, thought about it but,
we are both Sagittarius.

Post Eighty Two - New Video

Interesting...