edmcgon

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Posts posted by edmcgon

  1. Posted

    This was THE best Trek film ever, for four reasons:

     

    First, the acting was top-notch across the entire cast. I'll take Pine over Shatner any day of the week and Sunday, and Quinto was at the very least equal to the role of Spock (although I thought he was a tiny bit better than Nimoy in TOS).

     

    Second, the humor in this movie worked perfectly. While it did include some inside jokes for Trek fans, it also included humor that anyone could get.

     

    Third, the movie didn't let up from beginning to end. Even the exposition parts were entertaining.

     

    Fourth, this was not JUST a Trek movie. This was a movie anyone can enjoy. Too often in the past, Trek films have gotten bogged down in trying to go out of their way to appeal to a mainstream audience. This one just flowed.

     

    The old good movie review cliche, "I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me", applies perfectly to this movie. I give it 5 stars, 2 thumbs up, and my money to see Star Trek 12. :superhappy:

  2. Posted

    One intriguing thing about this episode: Other than the Q and some of the more "supernatural" races presented within Star Trek canon, the Voth race is arguably the most technologically advanced race ever presented in Trek lore. :b-day:

  3. Posted

    there will be a lot that will say that no one can ever replace Nimoy and Shatner. That's fine, but at lot of the time it is due to being stubborn

     

    Stephen, that may be true. However, I grew up on TOS, and I plan to keep an open mind to this. If the movie is good, and if the actors do a good job, I can accept they aren't the originals.

     

    Although I personally think Zachary Quinto was born to play Spock. :b-day:

  5. Posted

    First, Quincy is a boob, and has been since his days at UGA. All the talent in the world but severely lacking above the neck.

     

    Second, kudos to Bill Parcells. This sends the right message to the team. No matter who you are, if you screw up big two times, and you're gone. :thumbs:

     

    Third, kudos to Jerry Jones. He had a lot of pride invested in his Quincy Carter pick of several years ago. For those of you who don't remember, Jones drafted Carter in the 2nd round, even though many experts and league personnel people had expected Carter to go much later in the draft. For Jones to swallow his pride and drop Carter is an incredible act for him. And the right thing to do. :laugh:

     

    More teams should follow the Cowboys' example on this one.

  6. Posted

    I'm psyched! :)

     

    I can officially be called a football "fanatic". How many people do you know who have built a database for fantasy football? :laugh:

     

    While I don't have any Super Bowl predictions yet, some teams to watch in the upcoming season:

     

    Cardinals: While still missing a defense, I expect Dennis Green will turn their offense around. I would be surprised to see them make the playoffs, but a .500 season is not out of the question.

     

    Bengals: This team will make the playoffs. Marvin Lewis is one of the finest coaches in the NFL. If Carson Palmer turns out to be a half-decent QB, a Super Bowl run is possible.

     

    Texans: This team looks playoff-bound. All the pieces are in place. Considering Dom Capers' history with Carolina, this could be a very good year for Houston.

     

    Falcons: The only question mark here is Michael Vick. If he stays healthy, this team will go far.

     

    Patriots: Just a gut feeling, but I don't see this team repeating the success of last year. On paper, there is no reason they can't, but it is just too hard to repeat a Super Bowl victory.

     

    Raiders: My favorite team is doomed by Norv Turner. I would love to see him turn them around, but I am NOT betting on it. :)

     

    Lions: Boom or bust. Bill Walsh has said the 3rd year is the one where you can tell if a QB is going to learn the West Coast offense, and this is Joey Harrington's 3rd year. With Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, and Tai Streets, Harrington has all the tools to make this offense go. However, the running game is a question mark with rookie Kevin Jones (although considering Bill Walsh won his first Super Bowl with a starting RB by the name of Ricky Patton, the West Coast offense can win without a stellar RB).

     

    Seahawks: If Koren Robinson can get his head on straight and give Matt Hasselbeck another good WR, this team could be destined for greatness. Otherwise, expect a playoff appearance and not much else.

     

    Chiefs: Never underestimate (Please stop me from cursing) Vermeil, although I don't see how they have improved from last year. A lot of offense, not much defense.

     

    Cowboys: Bill Parcells is THE best coach in the NFL. Period. This team will do very well. Adding Eddie George (who may have the best work ethic of any RB in the NFL) should help rookie RB Julius Jones in the long run.

     

    Eagles: I may be wrong, but I just cannot see TO improving this offense that much. He is a cancer in the locker room. Another loss in the NFC Championship looms. (sorry VBG)

     

    Redskins: Joe Gibbs. Clinton Portis. Now all they need is an offensive line. BTW, I also think Gibbs is making a mistake not starting Patrick Ramsey. I thought Ramsey was poised for greatness last year. Mark Brunell, who I have tons of respect for, is near the bottom of the hill on the downside of his career.

     

    Panthers: No major upgrades over last year, but they are still good. If they stay healthy, they should still do well.

     

    Jaguars: Watch Byron Leftwich. Last year, he was the best starting rookie QB I have seen in many years. This guy is going to be a GREAT QB for many years to come. :)

  7. Posted

    From SI.com:

    Ricky runs away

    Report: Williams tells Dolphins he will retire

    Posted: Sunday July 25, 2004 1:51AM; Updated: Sunday July 25, 2004 2:02AM

     

    MIAMI (AP) -- Ricky Williams has told the Miami Dolphins that he's retiring after just five years in the NFL, The Miami Herald reported on its Web site Sunday.

     

    Williams said he was overjoyed by his decision.

     

    "You can't understand how free I feel," Williams told the Herald in a cell phone interview Saturday before boarding a plane in Hawaii and heading to Asia to begin several months of travel.

     

    The 27-year-old running back, who started his career with the New Orleans Saints, said he plans to file his retirement papers with the NFL on Monday or Tuesday.

     

    Williams told Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt of his decision Friday and said Wannstedt tried to persuade him to reconsider. Miami opens training camp Friday.

     

    The Dolphins acquired Williams from New Orleans for two first-round draft picks in 2002, and he led the NFL in rushing that year.

     

    Phone messages left early Sunday with two Dolphins officials and Williams' agent, Leigh Steinberg, weren't immediately returned.

     

    "I have no comment," Wannstedt told the Herald when asked about Williams' retiring. "Players report Friday. Right now, it's a 10-day dead period. We'll get everybody started on Friday."

     

    Wannstedt acknowledged talking with Williams but declined to give details of their conversation.

     

    Williams said there was no chance he would change his mind.

     

    He said he has already told his mother Sandy, Steinberg, backup running back Travis Minor and friends and family of his decision.

     

    In May, three South Florida newspapers reported that Williams tested positive for marijuana and faced a fine of at least $650,000 for violating the league's substance-abuse policy for a second time since joining the Dolphins.

     

    But his attorney, Gary Ostrow, told The Associated Press: "As far as I'm concerned, there is no violation."

     

    Williams told the Herald his failed marijuana tests had a minor influence on his decision to retire, but was only one of many factors. It didn't cause him to retire, he said, as much as reinforce his reasons for wanting to do so.

     

    Williams' two seasons with the Dolphins have been the best of his career. He set a team record with 1,853 yards rushing in 2002. He followed that with 1,372 yards last season.

     

    Can anyone say they are truly surprised by this? :)

     

    The Dolphins' season has just officially ended. I wonder if Dave Wannstadt has his resume updated yet? :laugh:

  9. Posted

    I agree with Jeanway and TUH that the internet is a big cause of the decline in reading books. However, that is NOT necessarily a bad thing.

     

    Do you realize how many great works of literature can be found on the internet? For example, you could read the entire works of Mark Twain without ever cracking open a book.

     

    In addition, have you ever read any of the other fictional literature available on the internet? I am not talking about famous authors, just stories from regular people who write. While there is plenty of "trash", there are also some surprisingly good stories. And the stories are available in ANY genre you might want to read.

     

    For those of you not into fiction, there is plenty of excellent non-fiction. There are news sites, editorial sites, and plenty of informational sites on every topic under the sun (and some beyond the sun :rofl: ).

     

    IMO, the internet is the best thing to happen to our culture since the invention of the printing press. If the internet makes books obsolete, I will not shed a tear.

  11. Posted

    I saw it Thusday night. I would give it :spidy: :spidy: :spidy: :spidy: (out of 4).

     

    It is a classic.

     

    I agree with Roger Ebert's comment about it being the best superhero film of all time. This film has action, depth, emotion, a message, and even some humor.

     

    If you have not seen it, do NOT read the spoiler:

     

    Click for Spoiler:

    Random thoughts about the movie:

     

    The train scene is a classic. I literally found myself getting a little dizzy watching it. And the end of it was just heartwarming. :clap:

     

    Speaking of heartwarming, so was the speech by Aunt May to Peter where she tells him why we need heros. THIS was the true message of the movie, reinforced later by the train scene.

     

    The relationship between Peter and MJ was played perfectly. I loved the resolution at the end. :theforce:

     

    Doc Ock (Alfred Molina) was a tremendous villain. VERY believable and NOT 2-dimensional.

     

    The battles between Spidey and Doc Ock are quite original and fun to watch.

     

    Actually, part of the beauty of this film is how much depth the characters do have. Tobey Maguire is a master of the "awkward silence". Kirsten Dunst builds on the character she built in the first movie. You can even sense that MJ will eventually have problems with Parker's dedication to his "calling", no matter what she says.

     

    Even Aunt May's character gets fleshed out. The funny thing is I never liked her character in the comic books. In this movie, she's great. I loved her "action" scene. :P

     

    The only 2-dimensional character is J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons), but it is fun to watch him "chew the scenery". He provides some good comic relief. I especially loved the part where he is "mourning" Spiderman's retirement, and then changes his tune when Spidey steals his costume.

     

    The Harry Osborne subplot builds well to the next movie.

     

    While I can't relate to Harry, he does remind me of people I have known. On the other hand, I can relate to Peter Parker. Watching him, I think "If I had super powers, my life would be just as screwed up as his." :P

     

    BTW, is there anyone left in New York who does NOT know Spiderman's secret identity? :hug:

     

    Sam Raimi continues to earn my respect as a director.

     

    Some good cameos by Cliff Robertson and William Dafoe. An especially good cameo by Bruce Campbell (does Raimi ever make a movie without Campbell?) as the usher at MJ's play. Did everyone else catch the cameo by Stan Lee?

  12. Posted

    -"In the comics, Peter Parker designed and made Spider-Man's synthetic spider web and the mechanical wrist guns that fire it. In the movie he shoots the web from his own body. Director Sam Raimi answered the protests of comic book fans saying that it was more credible to have Peter shoot web this way than for a high school boy to be able to produce a wonder adhesive in his spare time that 3M could not make."

    I would respectfully disagree with Mr. Raimi on this. Part of the comic's premise was that Peter Parker was a scientific genius. If anyone was smart enough, they could come up with something which may not occur to 3M. :spidy:

  14. Posted

    One thing I would like to add that seems to have been forgotten in many tributes to Reagan was the events leading up to his presidency. Many of these events had caused a great distrust in the government and the office of the president. Consider:

     

    1. JFK's assassination followed by the Warren Commission. The assassination itself raised quite a few questions, but the Warren Commission Report, with its' "magic bullet" theory, raised even more questions about a possible government coverup.

    2. The Vietnam War. Whether you approve of the war or not, it was so poorly handled that it certainly brought into question our government's ability to run a war.

    3. Watergate. I cannot stress enough how much this hurt the credibility of the presidency. Following this scandal with the Ford and Carter administrations did not help at all.

    4. Economic problems of the 70's. Inflation was out of control and everything the Ford and Carter administrations did failed. The oil embargo of '73 left a pall over the economy for many years afterwards.

    5. Iranian hostage crisis. This was the last nail in the Carter administration's coffin. Just further evidence of ineffectiveness from the presidency.

     

    I am not trying to debate any of these issues. I am just pointing out their impact on the American collective psyche. We were very "down" on the government and, by extension, ourselves. In a democracy/republic, if our government fails, who is there to blame but ourselves?

     

    When Reagan came into office, there was great skepticism of him. Even the conservatives were skeptical, although they were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

     

    Two things were critical in Reagan's first term:

    First, the war in Grenada (1983) was successful. Granted, it was a "baby step" militarily speaking. But the fact it was successful restored confidence in our military. The later bombing of Libya (1986) helped to reinforce our confidence.

    Second, it took awhile, but Reagan finally got the economy humming by '84. After years of economic malaise, it was like a breath of fresh air.

     

    During the '84 election, when he asked if we were better off than 4 years ago, we all knew the answer was yes. And we were grateful to him for it.

     

    When he left office in '89, our confidence in government and the presidency had been restored. By extension, so was our confidence in ourselves.

  15. Posted

    It was very clearly described, VBG. It makes the reader feel that they were also their (except we can't actually FEEL the heat and humidity...).

    MJ,

    Speak for yourself. I am in Georgia. I feel the heat and humidity quite well. :laugh:

     

    VBG,

    Seriously, thanks for sharing with us. For those of us who could not make it up to D.C. to pay our respects, it makes us feel like we did.

     

    BTW, very well written. :blink:

  19. Posted

    In the Wall Street Journal today, there was a good tribute to Reagan from Lech Walesa (for those of you who were not around, he was the leader of the Polish "Solidarity" movement in the 80's):

     

    In Solidarity

     

    June 11, 2004

     

    GDANSK, Poland -- When talking about Ronald Reagan, I have to be personal. We in Poland took him so personally. Why? Because we owe him our liberty. This can't be said often enough by people who lived under oppression for half a century, until communism fell in 1989. Poles fought for their freedom for so many years that they hold in special esteem those who backed them in their struggle. Support was the test of friendship. President Reagan was such a friend. His policy of aiding democratic movements in Central and Eastern Europe in the dark days of the Cold War meant a lot to us. We knew he believed in a few simple principles such as human rights, democracy and civil society. He was someone who was convinced that the citizen is not for the state, but vice-versa, and that freedom is an innate right.

     

    I often wondered why Ronald Reagan did this, taking the risks he did, in supporting us at Solidarity, as well as dissident movements in other countries behind the Iron Curtain, while pushing a defense buildup that pushed the Soviet economy over the brink. Let's remember that it was a time of recession in the U.S. and a time when the American public was more interested in their own domestic affairs. It took a leader with a vision to convince them that there are greater things worth fighting for. Did he seek any profit in such a policy? Though our freedom movements were in line with the foreign policy of the United States, I doubt it.

     

    I distinguish between two kinds of politicians. There are those who view politics as a tactical game, a game in which they do not reveal any individuality, in which they lose their own face. There are, however, leaders for whom politics is a means of defending and furthering values. For them, it is a moral pursuit. They do so because the values they cherish are endangered. They're convinced that there are values worth living for, and even values worth dying for. Otherwise they would consider their life and work pointless. Only such politicians are great politicians and Ronald Reagan was one of them.

     

    The 1980s were a curious time -- a time of realization that a new age was upon us. Communism was coming to an end. It had used up its means and possibilities. The ground was set for change. But this change needed the cooperation, or unspoken understanding, of different political players. Now, from the perspective of our time, it is obvious that like the pieces of a global chain of events, Ronald Reagan, John Paul II, Margaret Thatcher and even Mikhail Gorbachev helped bring about this new age in Europe. We at Solidarity like to claim more than a little credit, too, for bringing about the end of the Cold War.

     

    In the Europe of the 1980s, Ronald Reagan presented a vision. For us in Central and Eastern Europe, that meant freedom from the Soviets. Mr. Reagan was no ostrich who hoped that problems might just go away. He thought that problems are there to be faced. This is exactly what he did.

     

    Every time I met President Reagan, at his private estate in California or at the Lenin shipyard here in Gdansk, I was amazed by his modesty and even temper. He didn't fit the stereotype of the world leader that he was. Privately, we were like opposite sides of a magnet: He was always composed; I was a raging tower of emotions eager to act. We were so different yet we never had a problem with understanding one another. I respected his honesty and good humor. It gave me confidence in his policies and his resolve. He supported my struggle, but what unified us, unmistakably, were our similar values and shared goals.

     

    ---

     

    I have often been asked in the United States to sign the poster that many Americans consider very significant. Prepared for the first almost-free parliamentary elections in Poland in 1989, the poster shows Gary Cooper as the lonely sheriff in the American Western, "High Noon." Under the headline "At High Noon" runs the red Solidarity banner and the date -- June 4, 1989 -- of the poll. It was a simple but effective gimmick that, at the time, was misunderstood by the Communists. They, in fact, tried to ridicule the freedom movement in Poland as an invention of the "Wild" West, especially the U.S.

     

    But the poster had the opposite impact: Cowboys in Western clothes had become a powerful symbol for Poles. Cowboys fight for justice, fight against evil, and fight for freedom, both physical and spiritual. Solidarity trounced the Communists in that election, paving the way for a democratic government in Poland. It is always so touching when people bring this poster up to me to autograph it. They have cherished it for so many years and it has become the emblem of the battle that we all fought together.

     

    As I say repeatedly, we owe so much to all those who supported us. Perhaps in the early years, we didn't express enough gratitude. We were so busy introducing all the necessary economic and political reforms in our reborn country. Yet President Ronald Reagan must have realized what remarkable changes he brought to Poland, and indeed the rest of the world. And I hope he felt gratified. He should have.

     

    If you choose not to read this article, I would like to point out the following paragraph, which is probably the best tribute to Reagan I have heard so far:

    I distinguish between two kinds of politicians. There are those who view politics as a tactical game, a game in which they do not reveal any individuality, in which they lose their own face. There are, however, leaders for whom politics is a means of defending and furthering values. For them, it is a moral pursuit. They do so because the values they cherish are endangered. They're convinced that there are values worth living for, and even values worth dying for. Otherwise they would consider their life and work pointless. Only such politicians are great politicians and Ronald Reagan was one of them.

     

    :laugh:

  21. Posted · Edited by edmcgon

    In one sense, I am glad that his suffering has ended. In another sense, his death marks the passing of an era.

     

    An era when honest politicians stood by their beliefs, regardless of what it might cost them in public opinion.

     

    Reagan was the definition of leadership.

     

    He showed us how great America could be.

     

    The only time I was ever sad to see a president step down was when Reagan left office. Now I am saddened again as he leaves this world.

     

    God bless Ronald Reagan! America will miss him! :(

     

    "The government's view of the economy can be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

     

    Welfare's purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence.

     

    Ronald Reagan - Los Angeles Times, January 7, 1970

     

     

    It is not my intention to do away with government. It is rather to make it work -- work with us, not over us; stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.

     

    Ronald Reagan -First Inaugural Address, January 20, 1981

     

     

    We who live in free market societies believe that growth, prosperity and ultimately human fulfillment, are created from the bottom up, not the government down. Only when the human spirit is allowed to invent and create, only when individuals are given a personal stake in deciding economic policies and benefiting from their success -- only then can societies remain economically alive, dynamic, progressive, and free. Trust the people. This is the one irrefutable lesson of the entire postwar period contradicting the notion that rigid government controls are essential to economic development.

     

    Ronald Reagan -September 29, 1981

     

     

    We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much.

     

    Ronald Reagan -Address to National Association of Realtors, March 28, 1982

     

     

    How do you tell a Communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin.

     

    Ronald Reagan -Remarks in Arlington, Virginia, September 25, 1987

     

     

    Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

     

    Ronald Reagan -Speech near the Berlin Wall, 1987

     

     

    Are you willing to spend time studying the issues, making yourself aware, and then conveying that information to family and friends? Will you resist the temptation to get a government handout for your community? Realize that the doctor's fight against socialized medicine is your fight. We can't socialize the doctors without socializing the patients. Recognize that government invasion of public power is eventually an assault upon your own business. If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals from customers, clients, or even government, recognize that you are just feeding the crocodile hoping he'll eat you last.

     

    Ronald Reagan -October 27, 1964

     

     

    "However, our task is far from over. Our friends in the other party will never forgive us for our success, and are doing everything in their power to rewrite history. Listening to the liberals, you'd think that the 1980's were the worst period since the Great Depression, filled with suffering and despair. I don't know about you, but I'm getting awfully tired of the whining voices from the White House these days. They're claiming there was a decade of greed and neglect, but you and I know better than that. We were there."

     

    Ronald Reagan -RNC Annual Gala, Feb. 3, 1994

     

     

    It's time we asked ourselves if we still know the freedoms intended for us by the Founding Fathers. James Madison said, "We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government." This idea that government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power, is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man's relation to man. This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.

     

    Ronald Reagan -October 27, 1964

     

     

    Public servants say, always with the best of intentions, "What greater service we could render if only we had a little more money and a little more power." But the truth is that outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector.

     

    October 27, 1964

     

     

    The Founding Fathers knew a government can't control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing.

     

    Ronald Reagan -October 27, 1964

     

     

    Yet any time you and I question the schemes of the do-gooders, we're denounced as being opposed to their humanitarian goals. It seems impossible to legitimately debate their solutions with the assumption that all of us share the desire to help the less fortunate. They tell us we're always "against," never "for" anything.

     

    Ronald Reagan -October 27, 1964

     

     

    You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man's age-old dream -- the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order -- or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path. Plutarch warned, "The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits."

     

    Ronald Reagan -October 27, 1964

     

    :tear: