Gettysburg (Movie)

Fate made them soldiers;

War made them brothers;

Courage made them heroes.

"Gettysburg" avoids all of those war movie cliches. This is a film, pure and simple, about the Battle of Gettysburg in the summer of 1863, about the strategies, calculations, mistakes and heroism that turned the tide of the Civil War decisively against the South.

With stars such as Martin Sheen (Robert E. Lee), Jeff Daniels (Joshua Chamberlain), and Sam Elliot (Kentucy-born,Union Calvary General Buford), there's plenty of talent on board to pull it off. Sheen's Lee is surprisingly convincing, and Daniels is outstanding as the principled Chamberlain. Yes, it's long but it's also very engaging.

And most of all, we experience the horrifying reality of battle itself. What Lee called on his men to do was walk a mile across open ground, in the face of withering fire, and engage Union troops who were fortified behind a stone wall. That they would do this - that they still had the will to fight when they got there - is evidence of the deep, almost fanatical conviction that both sides brought into the war.

It has drama, action and character development. An important movie which also happens to entertain! Although it gave me chills with some war scenes, I still highly recommend it for movie-goers.

Noise Violators Sentenced to Listen to Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow's "I Write the Songs" may begin with the line, "I've been alive forever,"' but for noise ordinance violators, listening to Manilow may feel like forever.

Fort Lupton Municipal Judge Paul Sacco says his novel punishment of forcing noise violators to listen to music they don't like for one hour has cut down on the number of repeat offenders in this northwestern Colorado prairie town. About four times a year, those who plead guilty to noise ordinance violations are required to sit in a room and listen to music from the likes of Manilow, Barney the Dinosaur, and The Platters' crooning "Only You".

"These people should have to listen to music they don't like," said Judge Paul Sacco. Sacco began the program years ago when he noticed that many of the repeat offenders simply showed up at his courtroom to pay their fine with cash.

Fantastic idea. Don't you think?

KOST 103.5 FM is in full holiday mode

Need some holiday spirit? If you are like my sweetheart, then you'll love station KOST 103.5 FM. You should see him jumping ups and downs when his expectation of Xmas music finally arrived. They are playing their Christmas Music now 24 hrs 7 days a week. It's great. We both love this time of year!

Next thing I look forward to is the Xmas tree, plus the joy of decorating it. If you think me as a fanatic, think again. Our former neighbors' habit of putting out Xmas lights as early as October each year cheered us.

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. It's the most wonderful time of the year regardless of the economic slow-down!

Chinese Dance Festival 2008

Chinese American Dancing Group presented Bravo! Chinese Dance at San Gabriel Mission Playhouse in November 2008.

I joined the group in March this year after my retirement. This group has the reputation of capturing the beauty of Chinese dance, skillfully combining the rhythms of basic movement and the graceful choreography of Chinese dance. In two performing nights, we showcased some of the best performances in the culture and lifestyles of various Chinese tribes with beauty.

The two programs I danced were From the Yellow River's Plateau (陜西風情) and Dance of the Yi Tribe (彝族的都火與搶親). Both are traditional Chinese folk dances with spectacular costumes and unique tribal music. It was a blast!

To Work With or Against China?

China is stepping up its computer espionage attacks on the American government, on defense contractors and on businesses, according to a report by a congressional advisory panel published Wednesday.

The United States-China Economic and Security Review commission said in its annual report that China’s military modernization and its “impressive but disturbing” space and computer warfare capabilities “suggest China is intent on expanding its sphere of control even at the expense of its Asian neighbors and the United States.”

In addition, Beijing’s “continuing arms sales and military support to rogue regimes, namely Sudan, Burma, and Iran, threaten the stability of fragile regions and hinder U.S. and international efforts to address international crises, such as the genocide in Darfur.”

Champagne Phones in a Beer Economy

The recent release of the Vertu $10,000 Ferrari phone left me wondering who buys these things, and will they still be buying them in the tanking economy?

And of course there has been the pricey Prada Phone, Armani phone, and who knows how many others. “I think a lot of those sales are drying up right now,” said mobile phone analyst Avi Greengart. “From what I am seeing conspicuous consumption is going out of style.” You think?

But perhaps the best reason? You are looking at it. “If you look at the publicity they generate,” said Mr. Greengart, “it’s almost a marketing expense.”

Milarepa: Magician, Murderer, Saint (Movie)

"Milarepa" is the story of a young man in the 11th century whose initial search for vengeance leads him to singular enlightenment as one of Tibet's greatest mystics. "Singing Saint" Milarepa was a sinner in early life, but he began to regret his action and became a Buddhist. Milarepa joined up with a Buddhist wise man called Marpa. The pair founded the Kargyupa school of Buddhism, and Milarepa became Tibet's greatest saint. He wrote down thousands of Buddhist songs and became a teacher of other holy men.

Bhutanese director Neten Chokling's fantastical biopic dramatizes the early years of Milarepa (Gimyan Lodro), the 11th-century man who would become Tibet's preeminent mystic. Born into privilege, Milarepa (Thöpaga) is plunged into a life of darkness when greedy relatives stage a power grab after his father's death. The young man learns black magic to seek vengeance, but some unexpected life lessons along the way steer him onto a more spiritual path. In the end, however, Thöpaga realizes that revenge is a dish best left unserved. His enlightenment guides him toward the path that will make him Tibet's great poet, mystic and cultural hero.

Filmed in India's Spiti valley near the Tibetan border, the movie's spectacular scenery and compelling message counterbalance the somewhat plodding pace and wooden performances by a cast of non actors. Like other aspects of the production, we overlook the problems because of the sincerity and import of the film's message.

If you'd like to learn how Milarepa got enlightened, expect the sequel in 2009.