Filed under: From Members
'20 Seconds of Joy' Documentary Spotlight
Winner of the Best Film on Mountain Sport and People’s Choice Award
Click on Image to Watch Trailer
Running time: 60 minutes
Director: Jens Hoffmann
Genre: Documentary
"I don't want to die, I want to live. I'm pretty good at running away, and this is my escape." This is how Karina Hollekim describes her dedication to BASE jumping. Documentary filmmaker Jens Hoffman first met the now 30-year-old Norwegian in 2002. He immediately started to film, planning to follow Karina over a long period, trying to understand why a young woman would challenge herself mentally and physically in such an extreme sport. Jens accompanies her through many stages of her BASE-jumping career, until it comes to a sudden stop and changes all aspects of her life.
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Click on Image to Watch Trailer
Running time: 60 minutes
Director: Jens Hoffmann
Genre: Documentary
"I don't want to die, I want to live. I'm pretty good at running away, and this is my escape." This is how Karina Hollekim describes her dedication to BASE jumping. Documentary filmmaker Jens Hoffman first met the now 30-year-old Norwegian in 2002. He immediately started to film, planning to follow Karina over a long period, trying to understand why a young woman would challenge herself mentally and physically in such an extreme sport. Jens accompanies her through many stages of her BASE-jumping career, until it comes to a sudden stop and changes all aspects of her life.
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The $40,000 Funeral
Larry died. His will provided $40,000 for an elaborate funeral.
As the last guests departed the affair, his wife Sarah turned to her oldest and dearest friend. "Well, I'm sure Larry would be pleased," she said.
"I'm sure you're right," replied Jody, who lowered her voice and leaned in close. "How much did this really cost?"
"All of it," said Sarah. "Forty-thousand."
"No!" Jody exclaimed. "I mean, it was very nice, but $40,000?"
Sarah answered, "The funeral was $6,500. I donated $500 to church. The whiskey, wine and snacks were another $500. The rest went for the Memorial Stone."
Jody computed quickly. "$32,500 for a Memorial Stone? My God, how big is it?"
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"I'm sure you're right," replied Jody, who lowered her voice and leaned in close. "How much did this really cost?"
"All of it," said Sarah. "Forty-thousand."
"No!" Jody exclaimed. "I mean, it was very nice, but $40,000?"
Sarah answered, "The funeral was $6,500. I donated $500 to church. The whiskey, wine and snacks were another $500. The rest went for the Memorial Stone."
Jody computed quickly. "$32,500 for a Memorial Stone? My God, how big is it?"
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Filed under: From Members
Asexuality
Revised, August 7, 2009
Not Gay, Not Straight, Not Bisexual. A New Sexual Identity Emerges.
Asexuality. Is it a real thing? If so, what does it actually mean?
In an article by David Jay in American Sexuality Magazine, he explains what asexuality is, and how a person can have a satisfying relationship while identifying as an asexual individual. Jay should know—he’s speaking from first hand experience.
“One of the quirks of being asexual” Jay says, “is that classifying and prioritizing relationships becomes a mite tricky.” In his article, Jay explains how he sees himself as a bit of an ‘intimacy ho’. Unlike some asexuals who prefer a solitary lifestyle, Jay admits to desiring relationships (sans the sex) from many, many different people.
Upon learning early on that a meaningful relationship had to include sex, Jay rebelled. There had to be a way, he thought, to feel what he wanted to feel without the socially inflicted constraints.
“It wasn’t long before my close friendships started to look and act like dating, and it wasn’t much longer until they broke away from that and started to become something else entirely” he writes. “Relationships, I realized, can be fun, in much the same way that I imagine sex is fun for sexual folk. New types of pleasure started popping up all over, and it seemed like there would never be time to explore them all. They ran the gamut—from the intellectual to the physical, from the deeply empowering to the utterly frivolous.”
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Filed under: From Members
Album Review - Paul Simon - "Surprise"
Surprise (Warner Brothers ‘06)
After another long 6-year layoff, during which he again toured with Garfunkel, resulting in the Old Friends Live On Stage CD and DVD, Paul improbably teamed with "sonic landscaper" Brian Eno for the aptly titled Surprise.
It seemed an odd marriage, the two seeming to have little in common beyond their shared love of world music, and I didn't know what to make of this album at first. As with all of his albums, however, this one grew on me with repeat listens, once I got used to the Eno-ized contrasts, as distorted guitars, electronic rhythms, and a highly modernized funkiness aren't the types of things I'm used to hearing on a Paul Simon album. Yet Eno and Simon are smart enough that Simon's melodies are still front and center; they're merely (mostly) enhanced by Eno's moody electronic embellishments in the background. And good melodies they are, accompanied as per usual by a fine batch of lyrics (he asks lots of questions about family, aging, politics, and life in general).
"Outrageous," which has funky, almost rap-like verses (it works better than it sounds) before launching into a light, catchy chorus (undeniable hook: "who's gonna love you when your looks are gone?"), should by all rights be a smash hit, "Wartime Prayers" is a prayerful call for peace that's alternately somberly moving and all out anthemic, and "Father And Daughter" (written for The Wild Thronberrys movie before Eno came on board) is a delightful love song that any parent can easily relate to. I could describe several other songs as well, some of which are quite pretty ("Everything About It Is A Love Song," "Beautiful"), lightly funky ("Sure Don't Feel Like Love," Once Upon A Time There Was An Ocean"), moody ("I Don't Believe," "Another Galaxy"), or simply unlike anything else he's ever done ("How Can You Live In The Northeast," on which Simon laments our lack of sympathy for and understanding of one another).
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After another long 6-year layoff, during which he again toured with Garfunkel, resulting in the Old Friends Live On Stage CD and DVD, Paul improbably teamed with "sonic landscaper" Brian Eno for the aptly titled Surprise.
It seemed an odd marriage, the two seeming to have little in common beyond their shared love of world music, and I didn't know what to make of this album at first. As with all of his albums, however, this one grew on me with repeat listens, once I got used to the Eno-ized contrasts, as distorted guitars, electronic rhythms, and a highly modernized funkiness aren't the types of things I'm used to hearing on a Paul Simon album. Yet Eno and Simon are smart enough that Simon's melodies are still front and center; they're merely (mostly) enhanced by Eno's moody electronic embellishments in the background. And good melodies they are, accompanied as per usual by a fine batch of lyrics (he asks lots of questions about family, aging, politics, and life in general).
Yet Eno and Simon are smart enough that Simon's melodies are still front and center; they're merely (mostly) enhanced by Eno's moody electronic embellishments in the background.”
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BOYS
With the worst premonition he opened the envelope
with trembling hands and read the letter.
Dear Dad:
It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you.
I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice..
But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it' s not only the passion...Dad she's pregnant..
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Filed under: From Members
Charles Manson
A&E Biography - Charles Manson - 5 part documentary
Sources: A&E Biography
Disclaimer: The articles posted in this Blog are the responsibility of every author; The Developer is not responsible for the contents within the article or follow-up comments left by users.
Disclaimer: The articles posted in this Blog are the responsibility of every author; The Developer is not responsible for the contents within the article or follow-up comments left by users.
Filed under: From Members
"X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)" NYT Popular Movie Review
Rated: PG-13
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: 2009-05-01
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, Ryan Reynolds, Lynn Collins, Will.i.Am
Directed by Gavin Hood
Produced by Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, Hugh Jackman, John Palermo
Written by David Benioff and Skip Woods
The first big summer release of 2009 delivers big action, big special effects and big mutants. Unfortunately it doesn’t address some big questions. How are Wolverine and Sabertooth growing up as kids at the beginning of the film, but ageless after the first 20 minutes? How does adamantium change the shape and look of Wolverine’s claws? How many Twinkies did the Blob have to eat to get that big, that quick? And why, every time I say or hear ‘Wolverine”, do I think of Red Dawn. (Which I just learned is set to be remade next year.)
Look, the bottom line is this: if you love comic book movies, you’re going to love Wolverine. If you’re a comic book purist and pick apart every comic book movie, you’re going to be frustrated and complaining about the demise of the franchise. I loved the movie. I thought it was fun and had great pacing to the tension between story and action. It gives you just enough back story to make it worth telling. And it introduced some new (to the movie goer, not the comic reader) characters that were pretty awesome like the well played tough but mysterious Gambit (Taylor Kitsch, Friday Night Lights TV show), an interesting but too quickly disappearing Wraith (Will Am I of Black Eyed Peas band fame) and the makes-the-movie fun, wise-cracking Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds, Adventureland and Van Wilder). But overall it focuses on Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, X-Men 1,2 and 3, and Australia) and his brother/buddy/enemy Sabertooth (Liv Schreiber, Defiance). Here’s hoping that we get to see a future film with a lot more Gambit and Deadpool involved in the story. Wolverine and Sabertooth get top billing and do a great job carrying the movie. But Gambit and Deadpool give it the intrigue that gets a little lost as they focus on one hero.
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Filed under: From Members
Ceiling mural in a new smoking area (Revisited)
You gotta love this one... This is a ceiling mural in a smoker's lounge!
