Japenese Remake=New American Film?
For decades now, American moviegoers have enjoyed hit new movies by famous directors. But wait-just how 'new' are these movies anyway? Surely great minds can't still be churning out classic hits?
Nope. Well, not for the most part, anyway. Japenese film director Takashi Shimizu, who has directed such movies as "Ju-On" (what we know as Sarah Michelle Gellar starring in "The Grudge") says that, "Hollywood is short of good ideas — across all the genres — and also reluctant to take a chance on a film because if it's a flop, then they lose a lot of money and are hit hard by the critics."
It seems sad to me that Hollywood would rather take a chance on what's out there, then risk making something new. Or at least giving major props to these other countries with the original ideas-maybe it would give the "stupid American" title a little less of an edge.
As a sequel is coming to "Ju-On", so is "The Grudge Two," both set to come out some time next year.
Add a comment April 25, 2006
Czech Impact in Food
My Czech interest has always been a great interest to me. I've had both a friend and a co-worker visit Prague for long stays, and have told me about the vast levels of poverty in the country-side, as well as the beauty of the cities.
This article discusses the new plus in the column for pros on the Czech Republic. Apparently, French-chic is the new cuisine of Prague, giving tourists a multi-cultural experience at a greatly reduced price (for example, a vegetable stir-fry is $4.50 American). Asian food has also made an impact on Prague cuisine.
Basically, the Czech Republic is getting ahead by an emphasis in continental cuisine, for much less money than one would pay in their homeland. Mcdonald's anyone? No? It's kind of sad how a country that can afford cheap food with the surplus of farmers and lack of adequate payment can be such a new tourist attraction. Hopefully, the more visitors that come in to Prague and surrounding cities will bring money in to all areas of the land.
2 comments April 25, 2006
Holocaust Surviviors still making an impact
With the number of years between now and then increasing fast, it's good to know that Holocaust survivors are still alive, and willing to get their story out while they can.
This article details Holocaust survivior Jack Ratz's visit to the South Glens Falls high school. He spoke about the yellow star sewed onto his jacket and the number 281 tatooed on his chest. The article unfortunately does not say what camp Ratz worked at, nor where he was from. It did however get into the feedback of the students, who felt that Ratz's stories taught them to stay positive to make it through difficult life situations. The story also mentioned Ratz's new book, Endless Miracles, which does get into his past.
I am currently taking a class entitled Holocaust: Legends and Legacies, as I have always had an interest in this topic. However, to actually read more than people's stories, to combine them with facts about the lack of help from the world, about the startup of the Nazi regime, and pictures makes everything that much more drab and horrible. Of course, live stories can be the best information. I hope that Ratz didn't spare students of the atrocities he went through-sometimes we need to hear the hard things in order to prevent them from happening again.
3 comments April 5, 2006
Is E-Bay Next?
A new Supreme Court case, e-Bay v MercExchange is being fought based on the patent rights held by the latter for the "buy-it-now" technology. MercExchange has won in an appeals court the right to gain an injunction against e-Bay for the infringement on a MercExchange patent.
This case is similar to the Blackberry case that was recently lost by the plaintiff regarding the e-mailing capabilities of the hand-held device.
It is being claimed that MercExchange is what is known as a patent troll-a group that buys the patent on a product or idea with no intention to use it, but rather to sell it for a much higher price when the time is right. MercExchange claims to not be doing this.
I can certainly understand why everyone involved here wants to be right. E-Bay makes millions of dollars with their online shopping center, and it seems that everyone benefits from it. I feel that since MercExchange was not in the process of developing a way to use their patent that they should not be able to stop e-Bay. Rather, they should have to sell their patent to e-Bay for a price. I realize that legally this may not be feasible, and I also realize that patents are supposed to protect those who develop ideas and products. However, it seems to me that in the technological race where everyone is out to make a buck, more than one company will come out with an idea at a time. As long as these ideas were not stolen from eachother (and how can you really know) then move faster to get your product out there. MercExchange may be a small company, but technological millionaires have been known to develop successfully with the drive of two people.
1 comment March 29, 2006
Cold War Artifacts Found
I find it interesting that although we continually chop down trees and rainforests every year, and that the ocean has become known as “the final frontier,” that every now and again, surprises still lurk in the shadows of our own state.
A Cold War bunker was found inside of the Brooklyn Bridge base this week. Although the place previously had been used for storage, containers were recently found inside of a cache on the third floor, with supplies in case of an emergency. These supplies included crackers that were to be consumed as part of a 10,000 calorie diet, and empty water drums.
The fact that so much history exists under our very noses is fascinating to me. When I was a kid I used to go down to my basement, and play in the small spare room that held all of our storage. I used to wish that somewhere in that room would be an old diary from a former tenant, or a box of toys no one had ever seen before. Okay, so you caught me, I had an active imagination as a kid. Still do, actually.
But the fact is, so much of our past is right in front of our face. We ignore it, trample over it, or preserve it in museums. I only wish we didn’t spend so much time modernizing and adapting. Back in the Cold War era, those items were important. For good reason. Hopefully such findings can help us better understand our past, embrace it, and keep it with us when we move on in life, leaving behind our old keepsakes and storage.
2 comments March 21, 2006
Cold War Artifacts Found
I find it interesting that although we continually chop down trees and rainforests every year, and that the ocean has become known as “the final frontier,” that every now and again, surprises still lurk in the shadows of our own state.
A Cold War bunker was found inside of the Brooklyn Bridge base this week. Although the place previously had been used for storage, containers were recently found inside of a cache on the third floor, with supplies in case of an emergency. These supplies included crackers that were to be consumed as part of a 10,000 calorie diet, and empty water drums.
The fact that so much history exists under our very noses is fascinating to me. When I was a kid I used to go down to my basement, and play in the small spare room that held all of our storage. I used to wish that somewhere in that room would be an old diary from a former tenant, or a box of toys no one had ever seen before. Okay, so you caught me, I had an active imagination as a kid. Still do, actually.
But the fact is, so much of our past is right in front of our face. We ignore it, trample over it, or preserve it in museums. I only wish we didn’t spend so much time modernizing and adapting. Back in the Cold War era, those items were important. For good reason. Hopefully such findings can help us better understand our past, embrace it, and keep it with us when we move on in life, leaving behind our old keepsakes and storage.
Add a comment March 21, 2006
Cold War Artifacts Found
I find it interesting that although we continually chop down trees and rainforests every year, and that the ocean has become known as “the final frontier,” that every now and again, surprises still lurk in the shadows of our own state.
A Cold War bunker was found inside of the Brooklyn Bridge base this week. Although the place previously had been used for storage, containers were recently found inside of a cache on the third floor, with supplies in case of an emergency. These supplies included crackers that were to be consumed as part of a 10,000 calorie diet, and empty water drums.
The fact that so much history exists under our very noses is fascinating to me. When I was a kid I used to go down to my basement, and play in the small spare room that held all of our storage. I used to wish that somewhere in that room would be an old diary from a former tenant, or a box of toys no one had ever seen before. Okay, so you caught me, I had an active imagination as a kid. Still do, actually.
But the fact is, so much of our past is right in front of our face. We ignore it, trample over it, or preserve it in museums. I only wish we didn’t spend so much time modernizing and adapting. Back in the Cold War era, those items were important. For good reason. Hopefully such findings can help us better understand our past, embrace it, and keep it with us when we move on in life, leaving behind our old keepsakes and storage.
Add a comment March 21, 2006
Cold War Artifacts Found
I find it interesting that although we continually chop down trees and rainforests every year, and that the ocean has become known as “the final frontier,” that every now and again, surprises still lurk in the shadows of our own state.
A Cold War bunker was found inside of the Brooklyn Bridge base this week. Although the place previously had been used for storage, containers were recently found inside of a cache on the third floor, with supplies in case of an emergency. These supplies included crackers that were to be consumed as part of a 10,000 calorie diet, and empty water drums.
The fact that so much history exists under our very noses is fascinating to me. When I was a kid I used to go down to my basement, and play in the small spare room that held all of our storage. I used to wish that somewhere in that room would be an old diary from a former tenant, or a box of toys no one had ever seen before. Okay, so you caught me, I had an active imagination as a kid. Still do, actually.
But the fact is, so much of our past is right in front of our face. We ignore it, trample over it, or preserve it in museums. I only wish we didn’t spend so much time modernizing and adapting. Back in the Cold War era, those items were important. For good reason. Hopefully such findings can help us better understand our past, embrace it, and keep it with us when we move on in life, leaving behind our old keepsakes and storage.
Add a comment March 21, 2006
Cold War Artifacts Found
I find it interesting that although we continually chop down trees and rainforests every year, and that the ocean has become known as “the final frontier,” that every now and again, surprises still lurk in the shadows of our own state.
A Cold War bunker was found inside of the Brooklyn Bridge base this week. Although the place previously had been used for storage, containers were recently found inside of a cache on the third floor, with supplies in case of an emergency. These supplies included crackers that were to be consumed as part of a 10,000 calorie diet, and empty water drums.
The fact that so much history exists under our very noses is fascinating to me. When I was a kid I used to go down to my basement, and play in the small spare room that held all of our storage. I used to wish that somewhere in that room would be an old diary from a former tenant, or a box of toys no one had ever seen before. Okay, so you caught me, I had an active imagination as a kid. Still do, actually.
But the fact is, so much of our past is right in front of our face. We ignore it, trample over it, or preserve it in museums. I only wish we didn’t spend so much time modernizing and adapting. Back in the Cold War era, those items were important. For good reason. Hopefully such findings can help us better understand our past, embrace it, and keep it with us when we move on in life, leaving behind our old keepsakes and storage.
Add a comment March 21, 2006
Cold War Artifacts Found
I find it interesting that although we continually chop down trees and rainforests every year, and that the ocean has become known as “the final frontier,” that every now and again, surprises still lurk in the shadows of our own state.
A Cold War bunker was found inside of the Brooklyn Bridge base this week. Although the place previously had been used for storage, containers were recently found inside of a cache on the third floor, with supplies in case of an emergency. These supplies included crackers that were to be consumed as part of a 10,000 calorie diet, and empty water drums.
The fact that so much history exists under our very noses is fascinating to me. When I was a kid I used to go down to my basement, and play in the small spare room that held all of our storage. I used to wish that somewhere in that room would be an old diary from a former tenant, or a box of toys no one had ever seen before. Okay, so you caught me, I had an active imagination as a kid. Still do, actually.
But the fact is, so much of our past is right in front of our face. We ignore it, trample over it, or preserve it in museums. I only wish we didn’t spend so much time modernizing and adapting. Back in the Cold War era, those items were important. For good reason. Hopefully such findings can help us better understand our past, embrace it, and keep it with us when we move on in life, leaving behind our old keepsakes and storage.
Add a comment March 21, 2006
