The Box Movie Trailer

The movie trailer for Richard Kelly’s new film, The Box, looks to be pretty much what I expected when I wrote about the movie poster a few months ago (read that article by clicking HERE).

I still think it seems reminiscent of David Lynch films, but still carries the apocalyptic quality that Richard Kelly is known for.  At first I wasn’t sure how they could make an entire film about pushing a button, but it looks like it ends up going deeper than that.

I’m not sure if this film will live up to Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko quality, but it does look like it could be interesting.  Richard Kelly wrote his other films himself, so basing this new one from another story might change his style a bit, although he still wrote the screenplay.

The Box opens October 30th.

Mind Reading MRI Technology

This week on “60 Minutes,” they showed this segment on new brain scan technology, called Functional MRI.  By watching which parts of the brain are active, they are developing new methods of actually reading someone’s mind.

This sort of technology has been in use for a while now, such as knowing which areas of the brain contain speech, memory, etc.  However, this new method can actually start to understand your intentions and emotions.

Some parts of this video amaze me and other parts scare me.  Such as being able to beam a light onto your forehead and read your mind without you even knowing.  Someone questioning you will know if you’re telling the truth, or a store could use that technology to know what you want to buy and how to sell it to you.  What if we could even scan our friends and family to know if they were being honest with us?  Would we even  be able to live our lives normally anymore?

They also say how they can use this to investigate crimes, which could be an incredible way of proving innocence or guilt, but there are still so many ethical questions we need to ask before we could use something like this.

Apparently this technology could be reading our minds within the next few years, so it will be interesting to see what changes this brings about in society.  Big Brother isn’t just using cameras anymore.

71-Year-Old Madoff to Spend the Next 150 Years in Prison

Madoff, who swindled people out of hundreds of billions of dollars, has received his sentence: 150 years in prison.  So that means he won’t get out until he’s 221 years old.  Good thing they covered all their bases in case he’s a medical mystery and lives that long.

Seriously though, I think this is one of the best examples for why our justice system is flawed.  Madoff did terrible things.  He ruined so many people’s lives, he destroyed families, he stole from basically everyone he dealt with.  So in this country, that means you go to prison for the rest of your life.  That means you sit in a cell and think about what you did for years and years.  You can never make up for what you did, because you’re behind bars.

I agree that prison is a necessary thing.  I wouldn’t want to see murderers or rapists back out on the street.  Prison is a safe way to deal with violent criminals.  But for someone like Madoff, why waste his life away in prison?  I think people like that should have to work off their crime, pay their debt back to society in a positive way.

Send Madoff to a homeless shelter and let him see the effects of poverty on people.  Have him talk to victims of fraud and theft and perhaps start to understand the pain he inflicted on others.  Make him volunteer for the rest of his life and try to help others instead of just having a wasted life that went all wrong.

Is it really fair to anyone to just put these people behind bars forever?  You ruined everything, the end.  There are so many people in our world struggling and hopeless.  There is an endless need for volunteers and assistance for these people.  Why not take people who have helped to put society there and start to reverse it?

Obviously these white collar criminals are intelligent.  Madoff didn’t make billions by being an idiot.  Yes, he used his intelligence for bad instead of good, but why waste that intelligence further by putting him in a cell?  It’s an asset that can be used to make things better.  If we start to change the way these people use their minds, and prove that it can reverse some of the bad in the world, maybe more people will see that and follow their examples.

Everyone loves the story of Scrooge changing his ways after seeing how he made people suffer.  People love to see bad turned to good.  So why not sentence people to be good?  If there’s an option to change things, why do we not take it?  Is vengeance so important to people that they aren’t willing to let positive change happen?  Would people really rather see someone suffer than let them make things right?  I think that’s the case, but I hope I’m wrong.

“Her Last” by Valerie J. Patterson

“Her Last,” the latest short story from Valerie J. Patterson, reads like an episode of your favorite police drama.  The story opens with detectives investigating the death of a young woman in the park, a mysterious crime scene that stumps the best of their staff.  As you continue to read you are taken through the whole process of the investigation and the thought process that goes into solving a crime.

“Her Last” jumps straight into the action from page one and holds your attention to the last sentence. Patterson creates a vivid world within the story that keeps you involved with the action and the characters.

It’s difficult to develop character’s personalities within a few pages, but Patterson’s characters are intelligent and likable, letting the reader form a connection to the story in a short time.  Even though it is a fast-paced crime drama, the reader can imagine the lives of the detectives outside of their work, which makes you root for them even more to solve the case.  Even the minor characters have distinct personalities that help paint a clear picture of the scene.

“Her Last” will release from Eternal Press on July 7th, and can be purchased through their site at www.eternalpress.ca.

You can also visit Patterson’s personal website and check out her other books at www.valeriejpatterson.com.

Valerie J. Patterson blog: valeriejpatterson.wordpress.com

Crazy Cat Ladies

A documentary is being made about the crazy cat ladies of the world.  I don’t think I could ever watch it because I would cry for all these cats forced to live in what should be called a mental institution.  These people even admit that they hoard cats because they’re lonely.  So they claim to love the cats, but they’re really just giving them an awful life in an overcrowded, unsanitary home.

Some of these people say they do it to save the cats if they’re suffering in the outdoors.  That’s great, but there are shelters for those animals where they can get better care and then be adopted out to a loving family.  Taking them all on yourself is not healthy for them or the crazy cat ladies.  Yes, I will probably be a crazy cat lady someday, but only with 1 or 2 cats.

Thank goodness for the animal rescue people who go in and take those cats away.  Now we just need them to go in and deal with the Octomom.

The hour long documentary has already won some awards.  Go to their official site for bios of the cat ladies and more information about the documentary.

http://www.catladiesdoc.com

The Readius Reveals New Technology

A problem many of us have with using our mobile devices for internet, or choosing an e-reader over a book, may be the size of the screen.  We want our devices to be pocket-sized, yet we want a big screen.  With things like the iPhone, the Kindle, and other products making developments in ease of internet browsing and e-reading, we still have to use a relatively small screen.  The Kindle has offered a new larger screen, but it doesn’t make it very portable.

The Readius is the first device that will be made available that is finding a way around these problems.  By using a rollable display, the Readius folds up to a pocket-sized device, yet the screen extends to 5 inches.  There is no creasing and no fold marks, no matter how much you fold and unfold the screen.  It boasts the same quality of screen images as other e-readers, and can even be used in bright sunlight.

The Readius is primarily an e-reader, but also has global wireless connectivity for internet access as well as a mobile phone.  You can check your e-mail, browse the web, call your friends, and download a book.  The battery life is 30 hours, so you won’t have to worry about it cutting out in the middle of a chapter.

This is just the start of the rollable display technology.  The Readius may be the first to offer it, but we can expect to see it on our other devices soon.  Research on flexible and rollable displays has come a long way and this will be the first major test of it’s success.

The Readius will launch in several countries in the fall and although they haven’t released a set price, marketing reps have said that it will be more expensive than the Kindle, which currently sells for $359.

The technology is all pretty amazing to me, but I personally think that it’s just going to get better and better from here, and I wouldn’t buy the first thing that comes out.  The screen is all black and white, which is fine if you just want to use it as an e-reader, but browsing the internet without color seems a little disappointing to me.  It also seems a little slow when you watch the demo, and would be better as a touch screen.  Maybe I’m too picky, but I just know all those things will be improved on as soon as the technology catches on.

Click here to see the Readius website, where you can view product specs and sign up to be notified when Readius launches in your country: www.readius.com

Click Read More to see the video demonstrating the Readius.
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No-Kill Alternatives for Pests

Most people think they have a right to smash, spray, or stomp anything that invades their space.  Believe me, I’m not a fan of bugs either.  If one comes within 100 feet of me I run screaming.  But I don’t believe it’s my place to kill them either.  Just because I don’t like something doesn’t automatically give me the right to kill it.  If that was the case then the population would be going down instead of up.

When pests invade your home, it’s hard to deal with, especially if you have a fear of them.  I usually use the carry it outside method, but when there’s more than one, sometimes you have to take action.  Things like mice, ants, and roaches especially become a problem this time of year.

Alternatives to killing the pests can actually benefit you as well as the creatures.  Natural methods of eliminating pests are usually better for the environment and safer for your home.  Sprays and poisons can be dangerous, especially if you have children or pets who can get into them.  Mouse traps are also dangerous and messy.

When you’re dealing with a specific pest, find out how to make your home a less inviting place for them.  There are natural options for discouraging every creature.  Here are some examples:

Mice – No-kill traps are available at most retail stores.  The Mice Cube has proven to be the most effective, and can be found in the pesticide section of Wal-Mart and also ordered online.  Not only does this save the lives of the mice, but you can reuse them instead of throwing out the traditional traps and buying more.  It’s also safer and has no mess.  Just make sure to release the mouse at least 300 feet away from your home or they will come back in!

Mice also hate peppermint oil.  If you place the oil around the area where the mice seem to be living, they will leave.  You can buy this online or at stores that carry various aromatherapy products or essential oils.

Ants – When you see one ant, there’s always going to be more.  This is probably one of the hardest pests to control, especially in the spring and summer.  By cleaning counters and windowsills with a mixture of 50/50 vinegar and water, you can help to deter the ants from entering.  Sprinkling black pepper along the areas where ants seem to be entering will also help keep them away.

Of course, the most important way to keep ants out is to make sure not to drop any food around the house.  They’re pretty stubborn and might ignore your vinegar and water to go for a big delicious crumb.

Roaches - A natural roach repellent can be made by combining 1 cup water, 1 tsp. salt, 20 drops of peppermint oil, and 10 drops of cypress oil.  Shake the mixture and spread it around the edges of the wall or where you have seen roaches.  You can also soak a cedar chip in the mixture and place them in the roach infested areas.

These are just a few examples of ways you can be nature-friendly and keep your home free of harsh chemicals and pesticides.  There is always a natural option for dealing with unwanted creatures, and it’s worth consideration.  If you’re dealing with a pest, look up natural alternatives online or feel free to send me a message and I will help!

Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland Photos

Tim Burton’s new version of Alice in Wonderland won’t hit theaters until March of 2010, but the first photos of the main characters have surfaced.

Anne Hathaway plays The White Queen, and looks a little bit more like a zombie bride.  Johnny Depp, as the Mad Hatter, looks completely outrageous, which is to be expected.  And Helena Bonham Carter plays The Red Queen, and apparently has some sort of growth disorder.  Australian actress Mia Wasikowska will play Alice.

Of course, all those things I just said about the photos are meant as compliments, because I love this sort of thing.  The stranger the better when it comes to Tim Burton.  He knows his talent and sticks with it. If he was to make a good wholesome film, I think I might actually be disappointed.

Although I hate remakes, I have high hopes for this one.  Especially since there has never really been a great live-action version of Alice.  The 1966 Disney cartoon was the only version deserving of attention, although the film has been made many times.

I’m anxious to see what choices Burton makes with the film, and how he will tell the story.  I hope he puts his own spin on things instead of just following the typical pattern.  Mostly I hope that this isn’t another remake like his retelling of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  That was just the same story told in an awful, nightmare-inducing fashion.

When Alice in Wonderland is released, it will also be available to view in 3-D, following the trend of many of the big films coming out this year.  Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas was one of the first films to make the transition to digital 3-D when the technology became popular a few years ago.

Click Read More to see the other characters’ photos.
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Taco Bell Truck!

I must have been really good lately, because I’ve been rewarded with lots of new Taco Bell stuff.  The iPhone app, lots of new menu items (try the Why Pay More nachos, they’re delicious), and now a truck full of tacos traveling the country and giving away free Taco Bell!

The Taco Bell Truck is hitting cities all over the U.S. handing out free tacos at events.  They kicked off the tour on Friday in Huntington Beach and they’re working their way across the west coast right now.

To follow the truck’s progress, you can check out their Twitter page at http://twitter.com/tacobelltruck.  You can also send them a message and ask them to come to your city.  They’re going to get really sick of me if they don’t get to Cincinnati soon, because I’ve been sending them graphic descriptions of my hunger every day.

Not-So-Smart Mop

The Smart Mop doesn’t look like such a bad product.  But when I saw this commercial I thought it was a joke.  You’ll see what I mean if you watch from about the 20 second mark to the 50 second mark.

Yes, that’s right.  In these tough times, we drink spilled Coke off the floor.  That mop may have been used to clean up sand, ketchup, and mustard, but when times get bad, it’s also useful for recycling spilled drinks.

It’s really convenient because usually when I spill my drink I have to get down on the floor and lap it up, but now with the Smart Mop, I can just put it back in the glass!  I’m ordering them now.