Ice Station Zebra, a Place to Chill

Well hello there, umm, Mr Brown Shoes! How about that local sports team? Now that you've read my non-descriptive opener line, I'll do my typical brain dump. Feel free to depart the train early as there's nothing new here. Okay, so there I am for what seems like the ten thousandth and fifty sixth time sending out an ice breaker message to an interesting girl I discovered on a dating site. I know better but I keep banging me head against that brick wall because attempting to find a date (or GF...

Remember the old “I was a Teenage (fill-in-the-blank-monster)” movies? Well, I do because I'm middle-aged. Now, one might ask, where the heck is he going with this? I'll tell ya where – straight into the dumpster I call my mind. Deep down in all those numerous thoughts about scantly clad women, over-indulgent consumption of top notch food, and even a finished bath, a kid is hiding away. One that's been suppressed by self-appointed responsibility. “Oh wait,” you say, “but isn't responsibility a good thing?” Sure, responsibility in reasonable levels shows maturity and ...

Ever see a movie that's so bad that it's good? Well neither have I - sort of. In this case, I've only seen part of the movie so it's a partial review. Ah, but before I reveal the good, the bad, and the ugly in regards to what I have seen and read about the movie title, I need to reiterate a point we all know - “so bad that it's good” is entirely subjective. With that said, when it comes to bad movies, the Sci-Fi genre comes to mind immediately. And in this case, the seemingly campy style of “Mutant Chronicles” tries hard as it oozes with not only over-the-top violence, but with ...

Every night as the moon rises, the sound of cursing can be heard echoing from the darkest corner of my house. As I swear and grumble from within those shadows of a seriously dated 60's style bathroom that's a mere step above the less than sheik style of a stereotypical truck stop dumper, I ponder, “Who cast this foul hex upon me?” Shoot, the only thing missing is a vending machine on the wall that sells caffeine pills, condoms, and dehydrated tuna salad sandwiches otherwise it really would be on par with a truck stop dumper. As a result of the hex, I slave for hours to remove that ...

Don't ya just love life? For some of us, when we were young everything was crystal clear. We knew it all and there wasn't a thing that didn't make sense. Our wits were quick, our senses were razor sharp, and we were going to change the world. Never mind all those old fogeys around us, Those old duffers were simply bitter when they laughed and said we had illusions of grandeur. We'd show them a thing or two. Then as life moved on, things changed around us. Not everything was what we thought it...

In our daily lives, we frequently encounter situations requiring us to make decisions about the information we present to people around us. When we function in society, either in our close-knit circle of family and friends, or in the work environment, we must make choices about the information we share. Sometimes keeping information closely guarded fits the old saying, “knowledge is power.” One doesn't always want to reveal their cards as others may use it against us. Would Superman tell his...

So you've decided you want to make a movie. You'll need to obtain equipment, write a script, and find a handful of actors who will work for nothing. Then you'll need to find a location. Sound challenging? Wait until you start adding up the costs associated with each of these tasks. To further add to the doom and gloom, one might falter when reading some of the mainstream opinions from those in the business. After reading a few box office reviews, one can easily recognize how serious financial...

Let's talk about criticism today. I've broached the subject in the past but this time I'd like to flip the tables and talk about how we as individuals, relay criticisms to others. Over the past month, I've had a number of conversations with others about highly subjective matters. Some people provide positive criticism when discussing a subject they dislike. Even though their views might conflict with others in the discussion, they state clear and concise reasons that won't be confused with...

Like a coin, perspectives during conflict tend to polarize and take one of two sides, enemy or ally. Depending upon which side a person aligns with, the concept of enemy and ally will be inverted. In the past, when large scale conflict reached a conclusion, the victor frequently portrayed themselves as being in the right by recording history to suit their viewpoint. The history textbooks used by schools during my generation stand testament to such practices. I'll skirt around the issue of how...

It's interesting how our expression of style can vary dramatically, ranging from one extreme of simplicity dominating above all else to the opposite end of the spectrum where extravagance reigns supreme. What might be one person's concept of aesthetic beauty might be another person's interpretation of a nightmare. While there are common principles that guide our sense of what is pleasing to the eye, there are a myriad of smaller influences that are harder to quantify. But for all the...

What's better than a drunken, brawling Lee Marvin? Lee Marvin having a chip on his shoulder while trapped on an island with an equally irate Toshiro Mifune, that's what. As the fight announcer would say, “Let's get ready to rumble!” Let's backtrack to the point when I stumbled across this little film nugget. Several weeks ago I was researching background about James Cameron after having a conversation with one of my friends over his latest film “Avatar”. As I dove deeper into the subject, I...

… spoil the worker. Okay, today's post is a cynical jab at a common event I've watched repeat over and over in various business environments. Watching this drama unfold is like hearing a record album skip back a few grooves when it encounters a scratch, resulting in an endless loop. The scenario occurs in far too many companies and the sad, yet typical reaction from above is a slap in the face to anyone who carries out their duties in a professional manner. Memo Subject: Mistakes To : All...

Ever notice how people have agendas to nearly everything we do? Those who pose as would-be movie critics are no exception. For some, their personal goals influence their view in such a profound way that they fail to see anything beyond what they intend to see. My case in point revolves around a Seattle minister who made the local news by going medieval on the movie Avatar with his comments about the film's intent. The minister dished out harsh negative commentary about the movie promoting...

Throughout the week, the subject of facehuggers and amorous alien queens vied for my attention on several occasions. To have the particular topic come up once isn't a surprise considering I research film making in general. But to have it come up twice under totally different circumstances caught my attention. The subject first surfaced while I read a series of discussions pointing out how the movie Avatar is viewed by some as carrying negative undertones about advanced societies....

But someone sure as heck destroyed it! Here's a photo of the building formerly known as City Hall: It's monster truck night so you kids get up good and close now for a look at the total destruction! I shall carefully pick my words, but I know more than a few community members who see an ironic symbolism in stonewalls crumbling down. Ah, but life is rarely so kind or giving as to truly bring down stonewalls. Back to harsh reality. The City Council, while flinging statements about of “out of...