Movies Are Supposed to Provide A Sense of Escapism

Klaatu Looking For Answers in The Day the Earth Stood Still

We find ourselves in some tough economic times. Not only are things tough in the economy, but we’re also in the midst of the Christmas season when people are hoping to buy gifts for loved ones. When faced with tough times, people usually head to the movies. Why do they go to the movies when times are tough?

To escape the reality of what’s going on in the world around them for a couple of hours.

To get their mind off what’s tearing them apart, and slip into some fantasy world where things are fun. To go find a place where they can live happily ever after.

Aside from writing this blog, Just My Two Cents, I also have a movie review blog called Frame by Frame. That’s where you will find my full review of The Day the Earth Stood Still. While I will highlight some aspects of that movie here, this is not a review of the movie. Instead, The Day the Earth Stood Still generated some ideas on the topic of politics in movies.

Read on …

And this just in…on the Global Warming Myth Front…a new report says anyone who’s ever had a kidney stone might want to join the fight against global warming.

Give me a break! It’s bad enough that Al Gore goes around telling everyone he invented the Internet when he was in the White House, now his made up fear-mongering global warming myth has spurred a new report released by urologists which speculates that as temperatures rise, so will the incidence of kidney stones.

No big d’uh there boys. First off, lets remember the key word here is speculate. Reality is this, any scientist worth their weight in education, have all denounced global warming as nothing more than speculation. So, it of course makes sense that this new report about kidney stones falls into the category of speculation too. Secondly, have these urologists being living under a stone of their own somewhere? The incidence of kidney stones rise every summer! Why? Because when the warm weather comes, dehydration sets in. This is simply common sense. Why is it common sense? Because we live in a nation filled with people who simply don’t drink enough water.

So I say again, give me a break. These so-called urologist specialists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center need to be laughed out of their profession and lose their licence to practice medicine. It’s simple common sense, drink more water people and stop making excuses for poor health choices.

By the way, if you want to read a great blog entry about Global Warming, check out Brian Neudorff’s WX-Man’s Perspective Blog!

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Spring officially arrived at 1:48am on March the 20th. It may be spring, but someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. The first day of spring brought snow and below normal temperatures. As a matter of fact throughout most of the day the windchill was around 20 degrees! It’s now the 21st, we still have blowing and drifting snow and this time around the windchill makes it feel like 10 to 15 degrees! Spring? Just where is it?

But wait, could it be this is all a figment of our imagination? After all, didn’t Al Gore, the man who claims he invented the Internet and the man who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his made up global warming theory, tell us the earth is in a warming trend? Hey Mr. Gore, are you sure you don’t want to re-think this whole warming trend idea?

But wait, there’s more…

Suddenly it’s all the rage to push the global warming agenda just because Al Gore says it’s real. So, as we find ourselves in the midst of below-normal temperatures in upper New York State, some scientists are doing all the can to push the scare tactis of global warming fear. An Associated Press story, entitled Spring in the Northeast is Getting Earlier, says scientists have noted signs in nearly every state that global warming is affecting plants and animals at springtime across the country. As a matter of fact, they further say that spring “green up” is arriving eight hours earlier every year on average since 1982 north of the Mason-Dixon line.

Yeah, right. As I sit here today looking out my window I see blowing snow, brown grass, and absolutely no signs of any kind of spring flowers. I think the only one warming up is Al Gore who should be blushing with embarrassment as the world is discovering he’s a hoax and a sham.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Global warming…just what is it?

Al Gore’s concept of global warming is nothing more than fear mongering in a world looking to be scared about anything and everything. Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t be kind to the environment, but Al Gore’s global warming platform is nothing more than a bunch of hot air. Some 40 years ago I was taught in school that we needed to be afraid of global cooling. That theory told us that by now the earth would be covered by ice as another ice age was on the way. We would have no food and we’d all be living in igloos. Hmmm…I think we’re still waiting on that one.

Now it’s global warming. Al Gore, the self-proclaimed hot-air expert, even won a Nobel Prize for his full-of-holes-theory about the warming trend of the earth. When he was named a winner many wondered what in the world was going on. Those in the know realize it’s nothing more than a pat on the back from a group of people pretty much out of touch with reality. But, others jumped on the fear mongering global warming bandwagon.

So, is global warming having an effect on weather conditions as we make our way through another winter. According to Al Gore, it should be warm with no snow to speak of. After all, if it’s warming up, why would we have snow. Well, lets briefly re-cap here. More places that haven’t had snow, are having snow this year! Yup, that sounds like global warming.

But wait…there’s more…

There’s been so much snow in the Great Lakes region that water levels are expected to rise in the lakes this summer after one of the snowiest winters in years! Water levels on Lakes Ontario and Erie are expected to be at or above average levels for the next six months. As a matter of fact, all of the lakes, with the exception of Superior, rose in February, a time when they normally fall. Why are the lake levels rising? Because we’ve had an exceptionally hard winter.

Yup, that sounds like global warming to me.

Al Gore, take a bow. Once again the world has discovered a scholar you are not. You thought we’d all forgotten how you tried to take credit for inventing the Internet didn’t you.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

It’s like something out of a sci-fi movie!

NASA is waiting for the space shuttle Atlantis to return to earth Wednesday, so they can then start shooting down some space junk that’s in a degrading orbit and getting ready to plummet to earth. They do have some concerns about shooting down the junk though. Some NASA experts fear the debris from the junk could hit the space station.

The whole scenario reminds me of an old Star Trek movie where the Klingons are flying around looking for space junk to use as target practice. The feared warriors of the Klingon Empire shooting at space junk. How degrading is that for a Klingon! There’s no honor there. In the movie, boredom turns to excitement when the Klingons see another ship drifting aimlessly in space, and it turns out to be the Enterprise, captained by non other than James T. Kirk! Wow! What a find for the Klingon warrior in charge of the photon torpedoes.

Maybe NASA should look for some Klingons to help them with the space junk. But then again, maybe NASA should have thought about this earlier. Years ago, during the days of Skylab falling to earth, I remember discussions about all the junk floating around in space and what might happen if it re-entered the atmosphere and didn’t totally burn up. The thought back then was the junk will either burn up, or fall into the ocean. Apparently someone has changed their mind about the satellite ready to come down because they’re talking of shooting it down.

Our friend Al Gore generates fear about global warming saying it’s a “planetary emergency.” Reality is, if Gore checked his history books, he would discover that 30 to 35 years ago the concern was about “global cooling.” In other words, everyone thought by this time we’d be covered in ice with no food. I guess that didn’t quite pan out, or should I say freeze out, like planned.

Talk about a “planetary emergency” Mr. Gore - lets look at all the space junk that’s going ’round and ’round the earth just waiting to fall to the ground. Now there’s something to be concerned about. Especially in light of the fact NASA is talking about shooting at the pieces of junk!

Hmmm…I have an idea, maybe I should apply for a job at NASA. I hear they’re looking for some photon torpedo specialists.

Quick Scotty, give me full warp speed and all remaining power to the photon torpedo banks!

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

The Simpsons are in their 19th season on TV. Now I must admit I pretty much avoided the show for the first 18 seasons. I just couldn’t get into watching a show about a dysfunctional dad picking on his brat son. How in the world was this going to be a good influence on what’s really going on in families. Especially when many families are dysfunctional.

But, that all changed this summer when I watched The Simpsons Movie. I must admit I went in with low expectations. After all, it’s The Simpson’s and I just didn’t think I would enjoy close to two hours of poor behavior depicted on the big screen. However, I was wrong. The movie ended up with some great messages about family and really shows Homer and Bart discovering a somewhat better relationship as father and son. Okay, so the way they discovered the better relationship is not the best, but it is humor and satire. At least the writers of The Simpsons are pointing out the importance of a good father/son relationship.

After my summer experience with The Simpsons I’ve started watching the Sunday night show too. I’m always amazed at how relevant, and amazinging topical, the show is. A few weeks ago the show addressed the whole craziness of the primary election mania. Then last night they addressed global warming! In a very funny opening to the show Homer, Marge and the kids are all trying to stay warm inside their house. Apparently Homer decided to not pay the gas bill or get the furnace fixed. Marge scolds him for not taking care of the heat situation and Homer exclaims — “I thought global warming would take care of it! Al Gore can’t get anything right!”

I have to admit, I about fell off my chair laughing over that one. Here we have the writers of a half hour cartoon sitcom addressing the made up terror tactics of a man who wants everyone to believe he invited the internet! Global warming - give me a break. When I was a kid in school we were told we were facing something called global cooling and by this time we were supposed to be covered by ice bergs.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

A famous line from Al Gore as he continues to push his global warming agenda. It’s true, we do have a planetary emergency on our hands. But, it has nothing to do with global warming. Instead, the emergency revolves around the fact that for some reason the Nobel Peace Prize people decided to award Al Gore the prize for his work on global warming!

What? Come on folks, lets get real here. His so-called Inconvenient Truth movie is nothing more than a movie filled with inaccuracies which recognized scientist around the world laugh at. Why is there such a fascination with a man who still says the election was stolen from him. The Nobel Peace prize used to be a well recognized, and well sought after acknowledgment. But now it’s nothing more than a joke.

All I can say is this, when I was a kid growing up I was taught that by the year 2010 we’d all be dead from starvation as the earth would be covered in ice and snow. Why? Because we were heading for an ice age. The inconvenient truth put forth by Al Gore revolves around the fact that he’s a man with a little bit of knowledge about many topics. He then proof texts what he wants to believe and because of who he is, people listen.

In response to that there are two things we need to remember. First, when you proof text, sooner or later your proof text becomes a poof text as it all goes up in smoke. Secondly, Al Gore is no E.F. Hutton, so it’s time we stop listening when he speaks.

Just my two cents;
Dr. Rus

As a movie critic, I must admit I’m often surprised by some of the promotional hype surrounding various movie releases. I’ve wondered about the wisdom of promoting a movie such as Evan Almighty so early before it’s release, as a family-friendly, fun movie. Obviously those accepting the ads knew little to nothing about the movie, except for the Hollywood hype. But, they chose to take the word of the advertiser that it would be a good movie. Reality is, Evan Almighty is a great movie, and it’s nothing like its predecessor, Bruce Almighty.