Damn Straight!

Lots to cover today...

First of all, praise to be God, Allah, Buddha, Vishnu, trees, rocks, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan, it's football season again. Look here for a preview of tonight's game against South Carolina. Injuries be damned. I think we make a decent showing tonight.

Secondly, has anyone seen this? I don't necessarily think this is a bad idea, I just think I need to be the one deciding who stays and who goes. You know, like that dumbass in front of you that can't work the ATM. Or that no-driving fool you always encounter on your way to work. Or that slobbering idiot member of the Wal-Mart Legion of Carolina fans. Those people could go away and life would dramatically improve for the rest of us. It's just that I need to be in charge. On to the #1 Sci-Fi Movie:

#1--Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Jim and I finally agree on one. This is one of the few sequels to out-do its predecessor. It tells the story of Luke Skywalker learning who he is, and more importantly, what he has to become. It follows him through his intial Jedi training with Yoda and his first face-to-face encounter with Darth Vader. I like it because it's well written and serves as a fantastically superior middle piece to the trilogy. Jim likes it because the bad guys appear to be winning. Great moments include killing the Wampa ice creature, Yoda's raising the X-Wing from the swamp, the first appearance of Boba Fett (an homage to the Man With No Name. His name is never used in this movie and when he first enters, you can hear the clink of spurs, even though the character doesn't wear them), and Vader's revelation to Luke. Thumbs way the hell up...

Memorable Quote:
Darth Vader: If you only knew the power of the Dark Side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.
Luke: He told me enough! He told me *you* killed him!
Darth Vader: No. *I* am your father.

Today's Musical Selection:
CCR--Bad Moon Rising

Goodbye to a friend...

I went on Sunday to North Catawba Baptist Church to the family receiving for one of the best people I ever met. Curtis Jessen died last Thursday while fighting a fire in Saluda, NC. He fell off of a 50-foot waterfall and died of his injuries. Curtis is one of the few people people from my high school class that I genuinely liked and admired. He died doing an important job and trying to save lives and I can say positively that there's no other way he would have wanted to go out. Curtis and I played Little League Baseball together and went to middle school, high school, and NC State University together. See you on the other side, big guy. May the Lord bless and keep thee; May the Lord find favor with thee and be gracious unto thee; May the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

RIP Curtis Jessen, 1976-2008. SCHS Class of 1994.

Check this out...

Does this guy look like an unrepentant terrorist? Well, as of 2001, he was.

You are looking Dr. William Ayers, currently Professor of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, founder of the terrorist Weather Underground, and fairly close personal and business acquaintance of Democratic Presidential Nominee-Presumptive, Barack Obama.

Now, far be it from me to tell anyone who they're allowed to hang out with, but to maintain the personal and business relationship that Obama apparently has with this guy, makes him look even more left-wing than he already does. Also, I'm not sure, in a post-9/11/01 world, that I'm doing myself any political favors by associating with a man who believes his terrorist group "didn't do enough" in setting bombs at the US Capitol, the Washington DC Police Headquarters, and the Pentagon. Anyway, on to the #2 Sci-Fi Movie

#2--Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Best Star Trek movie ever. Also, most over-acting ever experienced in any single movie anywhere. Plot is like this: James T. Kirk, feeling old, has been tapped by Starfleet to investigate the strange goings-on witht he USS Reliant in orbit around Ceti Alpha VI. It turns out that Khan Noonien Singh, genetically enhanced supercriminal from the Original Series episode "Space Seed" has taken Reliant and is intending to use it to exact his revenge on Kirk for marooning him 15 years earlier. Toss in the super-secret Genesis project and you have a movie that truly keeps the viewer riveted for over two hours. Watch for the film debut of the Kobayashi Maru, the tremendous cat-and-mouse sequence in the nebula and the one-and-only appearance of the infamous "warp bong". Thumbs way up for this one

Memorable Quote:
Khan: From hell's heart I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee...

Today's musical selection:
Hank Williams, Sr.--Jambalaya

Back in class...

...and everything's going well so far. My NC history is going to be especially good, I think. On to Sci-Fi Movie #3

#3--Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
This is #3 and just barely misses #2. It's a cultural icon and one of the top-grossing movies of all time, but it started out as a throwaway project for George Lucas. Billions of dollars later, George is laughing all the way to the bank. This movie introduces us to the Force and incorporates all kinds of archetypes (the novice who becomes a hero, the wise master, the bad-boy antihero, the loyal and faithful sidekick) from all other sorts of movies. Long story short, the kid learns what he needs to know, rescues the girl (who turns out to be his sister) with the help of the wise master, the antihero and the loyal sidekick and avoids being killed by the bad guy (who turns out to be his dad) just in time to save the rest of the good guys from total annihilation. Great flick.

Memorable Quote:
Princess Leia: [in a holo message] General Kenobi: Years ago, you served my father in the Clone Wars; now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person; but my ship has fallen under attack and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I've placed information vital to the survival of the rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi; you're my only hope.

Today's Musical Selection
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band--Against the Wind

A rare Saturday post.

I am required to be at work today, so I thought I'd entertain myself by posting s few things. I'm teaching a DVD class in American History to 1877 and I have to be here to orientate some students. Yee-haw. In other news, Michaels Phelps rules, even if it's only by .01 seconds.
Also, Droopy has joined the blogroll, as has Caviness. So, our online influence is growing. God help everyone else. On to the #4 Sci-Fi Movie.

#4--The Terminator (1984)
Yet more time travel in the movie that made James Cameron a star director. It goes like this: On August 29, 1997, Skynet, the DOD Defense Network Computer became self-aware and tried to exterminate humanity by starting a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. The surviving humans were led to a grueling victory over the machines by John Connor, leader of the resistance. In order to stop Connor, Skynet sends back to 1984 a Terminator, a cyborg dedicating to killing Connor's mother before he can be born. Connor then seizes the time machine and sends back a human protector for his mother, man named Kyle Reese. The battle to save the fate of humanity occurs between the wile and guile of Reese and the emotionless, seemingly unstoppable power of the Terminator. Michael Biehn is great as Reese and Arnold Schwarzenegger became a star largely because of his role as the Terminator. Also, for time-travel junkies, look for a major predestination paradox.

Memorable Quote:
The Terminator: I'm a friend of Sarah Connor. I was told she was here. Could I see her please?
Desk Sergeant: No, you can't see her. She's making a statement.
The Terminator: Where is she?
Desk Sergeant: It may take a while. Want to wait? There's a bench over there.
[points to bench]
The Terminator: [looks around then looks back at him] I'll be back.

Today's Musical Selection:
Lynyrd Skynyrd--Four Walls of Raiford

The Walking Turnover...

...is gone

Here's number 5 on the Sci-Fi Movies List:

#5--Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

If you haven't figured it out, I love a time-travel story. In this one, the Next Generation-Enterprise Crew (with the brand new Enterprise-E) battles the Borg in the Terran Solar system, only to have to pursue them backwards through time. The Borg are trying to prevent the first human-built warp-powered vessel from taking off in the 2063 AD. This would prevent the historical event of First Contact (which is explained very neatly at the end of the movie) and the formation of the Federation, thus allowing the Borg to conquer the Alpha Quadrant and the rest of the galaxy. Parallel stories with part of the crew trying to make sure the Warp Flight happens and the other part trying to defend the Enterprise from the Borg make this movie work. Patrick Stewart is excellent here as is James Cromwell as Zephram Cochrane, human inventor of Warp Drive. Look out for Magic Carpet Ride and a surprise at the end.

Memorable Quote:
Dr. Zefram Cochrane: A group of cybernetic creatures from the future have traveled back through time to enslave the human race... and you're here to stop them?
Cmdr. William Riker: That's right.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane: Hot damn! You're heroic.

Today's Musical Selection:
Georgia Satellites--Keep Your Hands to Yourself

The Dark Knight and #6

The Dark Knight was great. Certainly a worthy successor to Batman Begins. Most of the cast did their usual good job, but Heath Ledger was awesome as the Joker. He managed to really convey the character as being someone with absolutely no regard for human life, not even his own. Being immeresed in that kind of psychosis for long periods of time would undoubtedly affect someone's mind. It's no wonder, after all that, that he took too many sleeping pills. On to #6 in Sci-Fi movies

#6--Independence Day (1996)

If the measure of a good story is how long it lasts, then The War of the Worlds must be a great one. It began as a novel in the late 1800's and has since been a radio drama, a television drama, and several times made into a movie. I feel that Independence Day is the best of those screen adaptations. You have a pretty solid ensemble cast, but the special effects really steal the show. It was just Amazing to be able to see alien spaceships destroying the White House and the Empire State Building. As I said, solid performances all around, with Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith leading the way. And, for all those Spaceballs fans out there, Lonestar finally made it. Also, look for the brief appearance of Brent Spiner as Dr. Okun, Director of Area 51.

Memorable Quote:
Captain Steven Hiller: [after crashing the alien spaceship by the Grand Canyon] *That's* what you get! Ha Ha! Look at you! Ya ship's all banged up!
Captain Steven Hiller: Who's the man? Huh? Who's the man? Wait till I get another plane! I'm a line ya friends up right beside you! Where ya at, huh? Where ya at? [Hiller opens the spaceship, the alien screams, Hiller smacks him in the head]
Captain Steven Hiller: Welcome to earth.

Today's Musical Selection:
Johnny Cash--Ring of Fire