Illegal aliens
The news this week of Tom Cruise being banned from filming in Germany because of his being a member of the Church of Scientology made me realize that I had no idea what this so-called religion was all about.
Here's the first summary that I found of the beliefs the Scientologists have:
Scientologists believe that 75 million years ago an evil galactic ruler, named Xenu, solved overpopulation by bringing trillions of people to Earth in DC-8 space planes, stacking them around volcanoes and nuking them. Then the souls of these dead space aliens were captured and boxed up and taken to cinemas where they were shown films of what life should be like, false ideas containing God, the devil and Christ...
After that they supposedly clustered together and now inhabit our bodies. Scientologists believe that if they rid themselves of these body thetans then they will be healthier and will gain special powers like mind-over-matter.
Huh? It's a spoof or satire, right? Only it's not! I can't make this stuff up, but the founder of this religion surely did. He was a science fiction writer and was evidently very adept at thinking up stories with aliens; aliens who live inside us.
The above summary comes from an obviously anti-Scientology site, but there are so many of them. They've made a lot of people mad - the kind of mad that comes from being bilked out of money, I'm guessing. If you have time, read the long version of the story of Xenu at the above site. It's quite entertaining and would make a good summer blockbuster movie.
Earth or bust.
It does stop being amusing for me when I read about how many people have died from refusing modern medicines due to their beliefs in Scientology. And then I found out that my DSL provider Earthlink was founded by two Scientologists who possibly could be funneling corporate profits to this crackpot religious organization.
Damn them. I'm off to make a website.
Labels: News
« June 27, 2007 7:49 PM | Post a Comment | 0 comments »
My electric youth
In the great, big checklist of stuff to do during my life, seeing Debbie Gibson in concert was not on it. But, we all get alarming surprises every now and again. Yesterday, I added her to my list just so I could check her off (does that sound a little inappropriate to anyone else?). Done and done. Besides some Broadway musical tunes, I heard all these awesome songs:
- Out Of The Blue - I made an album cover for it in middle school as an art project. It was inspired.
- Only In My Dreams - Not as cool as I remember. I wasn't the only one, right?
- Foolish Beat - I feel like the chorus is missing something because it leaves me hanging. And no, I haven't analyzed this song much. Why do you ask?
- Shake Your Love - Best not to say too much about this one.
- Lost In Your Eyes - So emotional. And true.
What classics. For real, Lost In Your Eyes is one of those songs that gets stuck in my head and I don't mind. Better than stupid Tiffany thinking she's alone now. But I'll admit to liking Could've Been. That's a tearjerker. Oh, you 80s. Radio was so awesome back then.
I'll add a picture later cause I can't find one of the show anywhere. Stupid Internet. But if you close your eyes and think back 20 years to the 16 year old Debbie, just take off her hat. Voilà! That's what she looks like today.
Labels: Music
« June 25, 2007 4:23 PM | Post a Comment | 0 comments »
Paris, je t'aime
I'm fortunate to live within walking distance to not just a movie theatre, but one that shows artsy stuff, including foreign films. Paris, je t'aime, which just started playing there this past weekend, is comprised of 18 vignettes set all over the city with 18 different storylines. I thought it would be disjointing, but it held together well, except for the one about Elijah Wood becoming a vampire. If I ever hear that gross sucking sound of a movie vampire drinking blood again, it'll be too soon.
The glue is obviously the city of Paris, a place I've only seen from a plane. When I was returning from Nice a few months ago, I was able to see the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe as the plane was landing. I got all excited and turned to tell Cylinda. But, of course, she was asleep. Ten seconds after she puts on her seatbelt (car or plane), she turns into a furby.
HOW were these ever popular?
What's the point of all this? Cylinda's a furby? I don't know. Are you still there? If so, go see Paris, je t'aime if it's showing near you. It's mostly in French, but there are a few English vignettes. You might recognize about half of the actors in it.
The high points for me were Fanny Ardant (because she's Fanny Ardant, one of the best things in this world) and the last piece with the American tourist visiting Paris. I greatly identified with her wanting to practice her French, but getting responses in English and thinking about delivering mail in Paris since she's a postal carrier at home. There was an overall sense of sadness to her story, but it wasn't for her or her situation or...
Nevermind. I've really lost all ability to form a coherent thought.
« June 20, 2007 6:55 AM | Post a Comment | 0 comments »
Dr. Crusher!
Earlier this year, when the initial Dragon*Con 2007 guest list announcements were made, they included Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes. I was impressed. Star Trek: TNG actors are still big deals in my time-addled late 80s brain.
Then John de Lancie (Q) was added along with Corin Nemec a few weeks ago. That was a good day. (Any day with Parker Lewis is a good day.) It couldn't get better, could it? Oh yes. Gates McFadden is now coming, too. Holy moley. Dr. Crusher!
If I get to see Patrick Stewart and Michael Dorn one of these years (and if the people mentioned above don't cancel) I'll have seen all the major players from TNG, including Whoopi!
2004: the back of Garrett Wang's head as he judged the Miss Klingon Pageant
2005: LeVar Burton and Marina Sirtis
2006: Denise Crosby (and George Takei!)
Just kidding about Whoopi. I'm sure I've never seen her because I think I'd remember that.
« June 12, 2007 2:36 PM | Post a Comment | 2 comments »
The same lesson
Besides all the other odd, odd issues my cat and I have in common, we both recently learned the same life lesson.
Jonas just had a dental cleaning and had to undergo general anesthesia. They shaved fur from his right arm, I mean, leg, and put this bandage on him with lots of smiley faces. He then had a tooth pulled. If the smiles were meant to distract and/or confuse him from the sheer pain, I'm pretty sure it didn't work. He's running around right now waving his fur-less leg in the air and simultaneously trying to dodge Zekey. It'd be funny if he wasn't my cat.
I'm kidding. It's hilarious.
My own lesson came courtesy of my French teacher who had enough of my smiling after every response I gave her and ran away to France for two months. She actually said to me: Just because you smile doesn't make it right. I've been getting by in this damn language on exactly just that and now what do I have left? My surliness?
Actually, I just received affirmation that I'm getting somewhere with all of this. The teacher of the summer class I'm taking to pass the time until my regular teacher returns to my surly ways suggested to the education director that I should be moved to the advanced class. Advanced! I've never been advanced in anything in my life. Slow? Yes. Confused? Ummm.... Incorrigible? Absolutely. But never advanced.
Crap. Now there'll be expectations for me to actually speak the language. Maybe I'd better off finding a "smiling" language. It's how my mom and Cylinda talk to each other.
Mom: Salinnnna! :-)
Cylinda: Si! Yes! :-) :-)
Mom: Salinnnna! Eat fruit! :-)
Cylinda: Si! Si! :-) :-) :-)
And for them, that's an in-depth conversation.
« June 07, 2007 5:22 PM | Post a Comment | 2 comments »
