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Showing posts from November, 2020

What Is The Utah Monolith?

 Most people know that I am a huge fan of unexplained phenomena ... and this one is a doozy. Most of you may or may not be aware of the discovery of an eleven-foot-tall metal monolith in a remote canyon in the Utah desert by a group of wildlife biologists evaluating the population of big horn sheep. The structure, which looks like one of the alien 'monoliths' from the 1968 Stanley Kubrick film '2001: A Space Odyssey', was apparently placed in the canyon sometime in 2016, a fact that was ascertained by a review of Google Earth images taken of the area.  Now here is the weird part, now only ten days after it was first discovered it has mysteriously disappeared.  The object has been linked to similar sculptures by artist John McCraken who passed away in 2011. Though the monolith in Utah resembles his sculpture 'Fair' the artists contemporaries have ruled out McCraken as the source.  Let us not forget that the object was placed in the desert five years after his dea...

The Cost of Grace

"Imagine it's your birthday. Your friend comes by and gives you a beautifully wrapped gift. When you open it, it's something you've always wanted! After the party, you walk your friend to the door and just before he leaves, he says, "Oh, by the way, here's the receipt. Your gift costs $500. I'll take cash or a check" Could you really call what you received a gift? The same principle applies to salvation. You don't have to buy it. Salvation is a gift. It depends wholly on God's grace. Ephesians 2:8-9 reads, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Jesus paid the costs in full for our salvation. Acts 4:12 says, ". . . there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven . . . by which we must be saved." - Tony Evans Romans 10:9-13 New International Version 9 If you declare with yo...

Friday Night Videos: Styx - Too Much Time On My Hands

  Happy Friday everyone. I hope that you didn't eat yourself into some sort of food coma because if you did you may be missing this weeks installment of the ultimate retro music video feature I call Friday Night Videos a homage to the weekly television show that introduced my generation a ton of great tunes.  This weeks song is in honor of everyone who: Are ...sitting on this bar stool, Talking like a damn fool Got the twelve o'clock news blues And given up hope for the afternoon soaps And a bottle of cold brew. Yes, I'm talking about Styx and their song 'Too Much Time On My Hands'. An anthem for the rich trust fund babies in Newport Beach who have too much money and time to deal with and just plain old lazy slackers everywhere. I think the song says it all:    History:   "Too Much Time on My Hands" is the second single released from Styx's 1981 triple-platinum album Paradise Theatre. It was written and sung by Tommy Shaw, who also plays the lead gui...

A Christmas Story - I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!

One of our family's most sacred Thanksgiving traditions is watching 'A Christmas Story'. The holiday viewing schedule goes as follows: the Macy's parade, The National Dog Show, A Christmas Story, and A Christmas Carol (The 1984 version with George C Scott). After eating as much food as possible a nap is necessary, so I try to fit that in during the dog show. This can be difficult because my wife reacts to dogs being paraded around like I react to football. It can get really wild, especially if a terrier gets to the finals. If I catch a break and some other kind of dog makes it I should be good and rested for the movie. We live the wild life. History: A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author and raconteur Jean Shepherd, based on his book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, with some elements derived from Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories. It was directed by Bob Clark. The fi...

40% Off Black Friday Sale At Atomic Robot Comics & Toys!

Atomic Robot Comics & Toys , the number one rated retailer for comic books, toys and memorabilia on Etsy, is proud to announce our annual Easter. This sale applies to every single item in our catalog so hurry before the items you love are gone! We have been busy of late adding issues from the Silver and Bronze Age including The Avengers, Spider-Man , Fantastic Four , X-Men , Batman , Superman , The Flash , Wonder Woman , and The Justice League . - All 40% Off! Now is the time to fill holes in your comic book collection! Atomic Robot has thousands of back issues to choose from ranging all the way back to the 1940s. If you are looking for any book, and can't find it in our store, don't be afraid to drop us a line. We have tons of back stock! Looking For some real steals? We are all penny-pinchers at heart and we have comics for just that, mere pennies. Check out our $1 comic bin for comics that may be less-than-perfect, but still full of exciting stories to thrill the imag...

The Soggy Bottom Gang's secret weapon... wait till you get wind of it!

The 1981 movie 'Soggy Bottom U.S.A.' holds a special distinction in my life. It is the only movie that I have ever walked out of. As a movie fan who generally enjoys bad movies it should be noted that I sat through such cinema classics as 'Robot Jox' and 'The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik Yak', yet about fifteen minutes into this 'turkey' my best friend and I looked at each other and headed for the exit. Just how bad could this film be? Well let's just say that when a comedy relies on dog flatulence  to get laughs you know your in trouble. Yes, indeed the running joke of 'Soggy Bottom' is a hound dog farting, a gimmick that the film makers would go to every time the plot would start to lag. Since the plot of this one was thin to start with that hound must of let loose at least five times before I reached the parking lot. The plot ... minus the gas: Commotion and trouble abound in Soggy Bottom when the sheriff’s plans...

Rams Defense, Passing Attack, Enough To Outlast Brady

 For the second week in a row the Rams defense showed just how dominant it can be by shutting down one of the league's best offenses. No one would argue that Tom Brady is one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game and this year the future hall of famer is surrounded by the most talented weapons that he has ever had in hi long career. On Monday night the Rams defense was able to keep Brady off balance with constant pressure forcing the veteran to make costly mistakes, throwing two interceptions to rookie safety Jordan Fuller. The last of which sealed the victory for Los Angeles. On offense the Rams relied on their quarterback Jared Goff and the passing game to effectively move the ball on Tampa's touted defense. Surprisingly head coach Sean McVay all but abandoned the ground game and the balanced offense that had been so successful this season and put the game exclusively in the hands of his fifth year signal caller. Goff responded with a 39/51, 376 yard, 2 touchdown...

Little Birdy from A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

 I have heard the song 'Little Birdy' once a year during the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving yet I never knew who performed it. So I went online this morning to find out.    "Little Birdie" is a song from the 1973 animated TV special A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. It was written by Vince Guaraldi who sings the song in the special. Although unnamed in the lyrics, the "little birdie" of the title refers to Woodstock. - From Peanuts Wiki   Lyrics: Little birdie, Why do you fly upside down? It's amazing, That the way you get around. Little birdie, Why do you worry like you do? Don't you worry, Just do what you can do. Little birdie, Things just fascinate you so. And your friend there, Likes to show you what he knows. Little birdie, He don't mind the way he should. He needs watchin', That's when you know he'll be good. Little birdie, Can't your friend do nothin' right? It just seems now, All he wants to do is fight. Little Birdie, Loo...

Checking In With My Media Contacts: Tom & Jerry, Wonder Woman 84 and The Mandalorian

As many of you know I keep in touch with many of my media contacts from back in the day and today I checked in with a couple of them. The fine folks at Warner Bros provided me with some images, production notes and a trailer for their upcoming Tom & Jerry movie along with a new image and updated production notes for Wonder Woman 84. Meanwhile the media people at Disney provided some high re images from last nights episode of The Mandalorian. TOM & JERRY One of the most beloved rivalries in history is reignited when Jerry moves into New York City’s finest hotel on the eve of “the wedding of the century,” forcing the event’s desperate planner to hire Tom to get rid of him, in director Tim Story’s “Tom and Jerry.” The ensuing cat and mouse battle threatens to destroy her career, the wedding and possibly the hotel itself. But soon, an even bigger problem arises: a diabolically ambitious staffer conspiring against all three of them.  An eye-popping blend of classic animation and...

Ladies and gentlemen - welcome to violence!

Written By Terri Hulsey Russ Meyer is a filmmaker who has made some 25 successful independent movies and has managed to keep control over every aspect of his film making from editing to distribution. He even owns all of his negatives. Although he hasn’t made a movie in over 25 years, he apparently starts and stops projects all the time, and is supposedly working on a mysterious and lengthy autobiography. His best movie, ‘Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!’ (1965) still makes the midnight rounds, reminding us of what an energetic and fearless filmmaker he is.    In ‘Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!’ Tura Satana is racing her Porsche in the desert against cars driven by her female lover (Haji) and another go-go dancer (Lori Williams). Following the race, they kill a young car enthusiast, (Satana breaking the back of the boyfriend with one swift karate move) and kidnap his perky girlfriend (Playboy centerfold, December 1966, Sue Bernard). They hit the road and discover a run-down ranch...

The Man Called Flintstone (1966)(Hanna-Barbera Productions)

 Immediately after The Flintstones ended its seven-year run (1960-1966) as the first animated show on American prime-time television, work began on "The Man Called Flintstone" the first and only big screen appearance of “The Modern Stone Age Family.” Alan Reed (Fred), Mel Blanc (Barney), Jean vanDer Pyl (Wilma) and Gerry Johnson (Betty) were all brought back to reprise their TV roles for the motion picture, which was written, by Ray Allen and Harvey Bullock. The film was aimed at capitalizing on the success of the original show and to be a spoof of the popular James Bond films. The film was part musical, part Flintstones and a good chunk 007. The film was released in August of 1966 and was minor success at the box office. The film did however have a second life as a matinee feature following its initial release.    In the film Fred Flintstone is persuaded to take over for an injured secret agent Rock Slag, to whom he is an exact double, by the Stone Age Secret Service. ...