Donations are not always smart - A Piece of Advice

A woman wrote in all angry that some kids she knew who couldn't pay up for their school lunches might be cut off. She found this out while helping them pick up papers they dropped on the sidewalk. She was angry they didn't qualify for aid by a few dollars. She wants people to donate to other soldiers kids who can't afford to pay for school lunches.

While it was so nice of this woman to pay for school lunches, I would refuse any donation asking for these children. If they were near the lunch aid cutoff, then they certainly did not need to buy expensive school lunches!! Buying lunch is always more expensive than making your own at home. It is one of those big cost cutting tips adults are taught during the recession. If you cannot make ends meet, buy a loaf of bread, some peanut butter, cheese, jelly, cold cuts, etc. From the cost of one school lunch you will be able to feed your kids for DAYS. Make some mac and cheese and give it to them in a mini kids thermos. My parents couldn't afford school lunches, so every other Friday (pizza day) mom would give me a dollar ($1= once big slice, chocolate milk, orange, tater tots). That's right a DOLLAR was a lot of money. I took from a 3 or 4 variety selection of sandwiches -- for years. That money you think of donating can be better spent on clothes, school supplies, shoes, and food supplies that are not ready made meals. I would really encourage people who wish to donate money to check out the charities "in house" costs vs how much they give out, and to think whether you can help certain families out by just teaching them better money management. GIVE to those families and children who have no options with their money not those who make stupid decisions with theirs.

I find it hilarious that this woman 'noticed' that the kids were behind on their school lunch bill. If you are helping someone pick up fallen papers, you do not need to look them over, you simply hand the sheets of paper - immediately to the owner. Seeing that someone is behind on their lunch bill takes more than a glance.

Evil Pig woman attacks - A Piece of Advice

Today I read a post that made me really really angry. A grandmother wrote in to say her sons ex-girlfriend had a son that she became "grandmother" to. Her other grandchildren also considered and still consider this boy family. The problem comes in the shape of an evil pig woman who is the current girlfriend of her son. She tells "grandmother" here to break off all relations with the young boy as now her son will become the new grandchild!!!! She feels the young boy is a "threat" to her and her son!!!! How easily this woman speaks! And how does she not know how relationships work?!!!!

What I would say to her::
How can you break a small child's heart based on some stupid and I repeat stupid, immature woman? I have to tell you I could barely type out "woman" in the last sentence, I wanted to say "pig". Your adopted grandson has done no wrong, why even THINK about punishing him? This story shocked me (why??), and makes me want to come down there and shake this woman.

You tell this woman that she is not the boss of you. "You do not control me nor do you tell me how to live MY life. I will live my life, how I choose. I will love as many of gods beautiful children as I wish. If you do not wish for me to have a relationship with your son, I will respect that and not push the issue". And by all means don't. This woman is a bully plain and simple, showing her even an ounce of weakness will make her scrape your innards out all the more faster. You can explain to her there is no "threat" to her or her son. Hearts do not have limits on the number of people they can love. Tell her. And by all means let her refuse to enter your home, until SHE grows up and becomes a human being. In this day and age of marriages and relationships breaking and joining at breakneck speeds, new types of relationships are borne, such as yours and they are a beautiful thing. I applaud your beautiful outlook on relationships, keep strong in your views. YOU are right.

My Hairy Hobbit Friend- A Piece of Advice

A woman wrote in to ask if she should talk to her sandal wearing, hairy toed, uni brow friend, passed up for a promotion and wondering why.

My Advice:: Hell yeah! You call this woman your friend so act like one! You do not need to go up to her and yell, "Hey Hobbit toes, listen up!!". You could take her on a girls day out, go to a lunch, and gently bring up the questions she asked you about (The Hairy Toed lady also wondered why men did not take her bait). Explain gently, "to most men, hair on women is a turn off, maybe you should wax your feet, fix up your brows, it's an easy upkeep. How about we go today, I'll take you?". Make a salon day out of it! Have fun, maybe she's never had a girls day out? Hopefully she will take your suggestions to heart. And it was unfortunate, but I do understand that employees need to put "socially acceptable" looking people out front to represent their companies. And nobody better have words against this.

How many of you slobber over Hollywood's "pretty" stars, how many of you have made fun of "unkempt", hairy, basically not "good looking" people in your lives? Even now, most people will respond a lot better to a handsome guy or pretty woman than someone who burps, farts and has...hairy eyebrows. It is something that is instinctual within us, but we do not have to be mean or rude because of it. Rather now that you know, you should be all the more passionate about being sure the "ugly, not socially accepted" people you look over, are included. I am undecided as to whether this following statement will remain here, but here it is, I too am not "socially accepted". I've had lots of life experience, long lasting memories and horrible pain, there it is. Just the way the world twirls.

Bully Mom or Insecure? -A Piece of Advice

Another column, another day. Today a woman wrote to ask whether her mom, is a bully or not. The mummy is always making disparaging comments about others, calling them stupid or dumb. The daughter claims this woman doesn't know as much about certain subjects herself, yet she openly exclaims as to the stupidity of others. Now the columnist agreed with the daughter, this woman is a bully. I do not.

What I would say:: No, your mother is not a bully, it doesn't even fit the description correctly. Your mother seems to suffer from lack of self-esteem. When she calls someone stupid, it immediately calms her, makes her feel better about herself. She might even live in fear of being called out herself, called dumb, stupid, or worse. In order to stop people from "getting" her first she "attacks" them and lowers them in the eyes of whoever is with her. This she thinks will sabotage any ideas of her stupidity forming in the minds of her friends/family.

I suppose my advice would be, talk to your mother, in private. Tell her that her behavior creates a bad image in front of her grandchildren (the story stated that her granddaughter wondered why Grandma was always so "mean"). Tell her also what her granddaughter said. Hopefully, Grandma will realize that if a ten year old thinks she is a "mean" lady, she might want to be perceived as something kinder If that doesn't work, the direct approach can be used to shock and stun. Tell your mother, "Ma, stop taking out your feelings of insecurity on people you barely know". You'll get a fight from her, duh. But every time she does it, condition her. Stop talking to her for five minutes (tell her what you're doing) . I know, I know, she is not a dog, but it may be one workable method of getting her to stop. You can choose to walk away from the conversations if her behavior does not better itself, but that might open up a can of anger on her part. Try some of these steps, see what you think.

Rude Dude Grandpapa - A Piece of Advice

This column I read about was a woman complaining about the rude behavior of her grandfather. Apparently, he served Grandma with legal papers pertaining to their divorce- during the woman's wedding reception. And he refused to apologize.

I truly think that this is not a black and white type case. Were these just some pieces of paper he handed over to Grandma because he was meeting her there? These papers were not sprung on the old woman as a surprise divorce, not does it seem there were any tears or yelling or disturbing behavior. He simply passed some papers on to his ex-wife. I've been to a lot of receptions, some are boring and you just sit there. The old guy was not disturbing any peace, the bride just wants to have something to feel self righteous about. So hey lady, enjoy your newly married bliss, count your blessings, and forgive old grandpa, you want to keep your last years of knowing him, in anger?

Eggless donuts, eh eh eh eh

After many (MANY) days of pondering.... pondering...about doughnuts and which one exactly would make me the most happiest human on earth, I tried a recipe. And yeah they had to be eggless, as mum is anti-egg. She is so my weight gain preventer; I tempt her tiny body with fatty, sugar filled foods I experiment with and hope she bites. :)

So, first of all, these did not come up the texture of Dunkin doughnuts. And don't kill me for this but the one time I tried a krispy kreme, it was the opposite of "sheer heaven". These were more cake-like, and non spongy. I suppose the recipe creator could have been going for cake doughnuts?

1 c flour, 1/2 c sugar, 1 1/2 ts baking powder, 1/2 ts nutmeg, pinch nutmeg

mix those and in a seperate saucepan warm up 1.2 c milk, 1/2 ts vanilla, 1/2 ts vinegar, 1 energy egg, 4 tb butter

Mix until just combined and bake for 12 min at 350F.

Now mine must have baked for half an hour, plus not having a mini doughnut pan, I used souffle cups, 6 of them. Afterwards, for the topper, I added a mix of choco chips and heavy cream. No measurements- just jumped it. So, these thingies not being fried and having no eggs for those allergic to them, seem to be a nice breakfast or snack. They taste the best the day of, and lose moisture bit by bit the days afterwards. But don't worry you should gobble them up anyway.

P.S I shall post again when I make a yeasty doughnut I am hoping will have more crumb 'spring', than his one.

Chicki Pot Pie Chiki Pot Pie!

What's warm and gooey and spicy and flaky all over? Why it's chiki pot pie! ("No, duh." you say having read the title already.). Well anyway yesterday night I wanted something warm and gooey to ward off the bitter chill that permeated my bones, and since I do not eat meat (and yet still crave it) I realized a "meaty" substitute could be this dish. What I planned and what I ende with were a bit different. I had planned to maybe put in some mock chicken or tofu flavored with chicken. I did neither and simply used chicken soup flavor.
I de-frozified some mixed veggies in the microwave (zappity zap), then sauted them with onions and potatoes. To this I simply added celery soup or mushroom (whatever your little heart desires) added flaked peppers (yes there is more than one kind), salt, any other seasoning and herbs and spices you like. It's fine, what you add in, this ain't no gourmet kitchen. As long as you like the flavor, I'm just giving you the basic idea. I then added cold water to my betty crocker pie dough mix, rolled and layed out (cake pan, casserole dish, muffin tin!), filled, and baked at 350F. Yummy Yummy!

The Majickal show of Merlin

I've always loved knights, honor, battles, chivalry, pretty princesses, dragons, and we most certainly cannot forget, majick. (It IS spelled correctly btw). There is something so achingly beautiful about knights filled with chivalry, riding on gleaming horses, bravely facing their battle. I suppose it has to do with humanoids of now, most, not all I suppose, being selfish, mean, arrogant, prissy, in general the bringers of bad vibes. I really do long for the days of elegant princesses and valiant knights, the regality of it all. And I would be half and half, a knight and princess all in one. Not at the same time, just like in shifts or something.

Anywhoo, Merlin is a BBC show (meaning the American producers cannot ruin it with their predisposed 'rules' of how shows should be). And basically needs no explanation (ok then so why write about it). It portrays a younger Merlin, growing up, still learning his powers, or ahem his craft. His interaction with the young King Arthur are priceless good laughs. He also interacts with Morgana (who in this world is a ward of King Uthor), and Guenevere, a servant. Yeah, so the characters are a bit tossed. I might as well tell you Arthur is the Kings son, not some poor kid who pulls a sword from a rock. So, hmmm, explaining WAS necessary! The show is usually lighthearted, though, as shows pass time, most want to be taken more seriously and the end result of that is portrayed on the show as drama. But it is a good watch for fantasy lovers.

Whole Wheat Ravioli with Pesto Cream

So I have been feeling guilty about eating too much white pasta. We all know (or do we?::eyes person in front of her in a sizing up sort of way) that white pasta is just a bunch of crap. The carbs just turn to sugar, you don't get your fiber and other vital nutrients that wheat can give you just are not there.

Whole wheat just seems to have more taste to it?! The question mark is there because I wonder why most breads on the shelves are white, most breads, most pastas. After you have been feasting on wheat thingies, white just tastes plain BLAND.
Yesterday, I made whole wheat ravioli, mmmm mmmmm mmmm mmmm. Okay at first I was scared for wasting 2 hours of my life making these 'horrible wheat ravioli'. Explain:: Though I like whole wheat stuffs, homemade wheat pasta just didn't turn out for me. Until now!

2 cups of flour
2 eggs
1/4 ts salt
and as many TB of h20 as you need to form a stiff dough
Knead for a while and let rest (a 30min to an hour or more)
Then just roll (or use had cranker) until thin enough for your personal taste buds, and fill your filling.
My filling was ricotta, cheddar (a sprinkle), pepper Jack (a sprinkle), and mozzarella (sprinkle), some fresh oregano, salt, olives, black pepper and red powdered pepper

NOW THE SAUCE!!!! What made the pasta!
I made a roux (of butter and flour). Unfortunately, in my hurry (as usual), I undercooked the flour (and yes you can taste it), so I was forced to cook the sauce itself for a bit.
I added a cube of frozen pesto, added some leftover heavy cream and some milk until the consistency was good enough for me, personally. Make sure you mix constantly. Or use a hand blender, what's it called immersion nowadays? Added more pesto, salt, black pepper, basil, and whatever you want.

I froze the leftover ravioli, hope that is how you do it, raw, cause that's how I did.

Last month I had made a mushroom ravioli with mushroom sauce, aaaaaaaaa (that like when you see angels on tv and the background music goes aaaaaaa).

Chicken Paprikash---without the Chickies

So I finally drove directly into a Chinese supermarket. I was quite upset when my last one pooped out and the next closest one was, alas, not close at all. Longness made short, lo and behold, one right next to a Walmart.
Inside this beautiful place were like 5 types of bok choy, a row (a whole freaking ROW) of dried mushrooms, and more types of soy sauce than I've ever seen before. Well again longness made short, I bought me a bit of vegetarian chicken. Ever since my vegetarianism, some 20 years ago, I've craved chicken like no tommorow (amongst other things).

Chicken Paprikash, I looked up a few recipes and this is what I did.

Some oil and butter, with some garlic and tomatoes until the tomatoes were saucelike.

Added onions, cooked until soft. sprinked some flour and then veggie broth to form sauce.

Added bell peppers, faux chickies (preshredded-all I could find, no juicy legs to bite into....).

Salt, paprika, black pepper, 'chicken' soup flavor salt, basil fresh and dried.

You're supposed to add sour cream too, but I tasted it and it was okay, maybe when I use big meaty chunks of frozen tofu with this recipe, I'll try sour cream. Mock chicken is a bit softer than real.

Well made a pack of wild rice to go with it and hopefully it will all be good! Oh and "garnish" with green scallions. "Garnish"=liberal dose.

Travel in India

If you have ever wanted to experience something that's completely different from your average, "norm" kind of vacation, India would have to be it. Just stepping out of the airport, never having seen the everyday bustle, is enough of a culture shock. Now of course this depends on where you go, this country is big. Some regions are extremly modernized. While others (the fun ones) are getting there, such as Vadodara in Gujarat.
You cannot compare a European travel itinerary in even basics to one in India. For one you cannot rent a car and drive. If you even so much as think so, take a trip (it takes one) in a rikshaw. Don't try the buses (they are diminishing anyway) and do not take a car taxi, you need the tiny little bug-like rikshaws with the open air feel to get the full effect of Vadodara. The rikshaw drivers, fearless-born, will tilt and turn thru cars, bikes, cows, donkeys, motorcycles, pedestrians, trucks, buses and of course other rikshaws (with seemingly even more crazy drivers than the one you're with). At every turn you will be sure you will be crushed or crush some poor street peddler. Oh what fun!
Unfortunately, (but just for me and anyone else interested in architecture), all the beautiful old building are being torn out and redone. If you get lucky you can still see an odd old building stuck in the middle of the boring new boxes. Old carved wooden doors and balconies, rafters, windows, still stuck in time in the middle of tiny little gullies filled with homes and little shops. You have to be carfeul when ogling high up (where most of the older stories seem to be preserved), for myriads of motorcycles and rikshaws will not stop for pedestrians, and they will try to run you over (no, really). Nor are there street lights, and nor do they follow the painted lines of traffic lanes, and nor do they even follow the direction of traffic. Yeah, in case the last one slipped by you, that was one car going the opposite way in a one direction side of extremely busy road.
I don't know if I made India sound nice or not, but my writing is a bit lacking. So there you go.

The Notebook : mini rant

I HATE the Notebook. I hated sitting thru the screaming shrilly voiced girls screamy shrilly shrieks every .5 seconds. And I hated the little "young hercules" man (yeah, check it out, he did some Saturday morning show where HE the tiny little string puppet was actually playing Herc. Hahahah!). I also thought the whole story was dumb, and well really, if you're constantly cringing (from my dazy memory of that waste of a day) during a movie, a WHOLE movie, need you really watch it??

Too Many Husbands

Don't most women wish!! This movie, warn you upfront is in the two beautiful colors of black and white. This movie is based on a book, and when you find out about the movie plot and actual book you wonder why, they even pretended the movie came from the same source.

The movie, is about a woman who loses her husband in a boating accident during their honeymoon. She then remarries her husbands business partner and finds 6 months in, that her first guy is back and kicking. She then lavishes in the attention that both men most obviously give her to make her choose him. The trouble is she seems to like both equally. It is a comedy, and it is not the best black and white film comedy but it is okay as a quick watch.

I need to ask, if Hollywood wants to "use" books and plays' stories for their movies, why then do they change them so dramatically and still have the gall, the audacity to name the movie after the book? It is so different! The absolute worst on which makes my blood boil even now is one based on my favorite book, Cheaper by the dozen. The movie (if you can call it one), was NOTHING (and I do not say this because of my anger) like the movie. Not word or mention of events that happened in the book. The two similarities? One was the book and movie both had families of twelve, and the other, the freakin title!!!!

Now back to Too Many Husbands, in the play, the main woman is selfish and vain. The surprise? NEITHER husband wants her! Both try to pawn her off on the other, both try being the 'noble' one and step aside. Now that would have made a terrifically DIFFERENT movie! Does Hollywood not get that movies with the guys vying for the girl are a dime a dozen and that a movie about guys trying to pawn off the lead female (no less) is something crazy funny and fresh? I would not hope that current Hollywood would remake this film, the book would rollover in its grave. You can just imagine what they'd throw in, talking monkeys and a pack of cheerleaders (no less!).

When in Rome

This Friday, needing to watch a light fluffy romantic comedy, I ventured into "When in Rome". I had been curious about it, having Veronica Mars' Kirsten Bell. Of course, having someone as short as Kirstin Bell paired with Josh Duhammel also whetted my curiosity as to how these two would come of screen. I wondered idly, how many inches were on her boots. Well I give the movie a C+, and this taking into account that I did not expect a moving epic motion picture to begin with.



Bells character is a typical "been hurt before in love, now throwing herself in work" type thing. She takes 4 coins from the fountain of love, thereby making the four men who threw the coins in there, fall magically in love with her. One of them being Danny Devito, a sausage moghul, and horribly underused or over abused, take your pick. The rest are Will Arnett from Arrested Development, a fake artist, John Hedder from Napolean Dynamite as the magician and (the funniest character) and finally Dax Shepard, the male model and real life fiance of Kirsten Bell. Once again she is dwarfed by her life love, real or fake.

Kirsten Bells acting was very off. Her Veronica Mars stuff was great, her Heroes stuff okay. But, her hand in movie acting has to end! It was overacted and lacked any screen presence. Her Veronica Mars costar Amanda Seigfried (Mama mia), on the other hand is the one to watch. Josh Duhamel seems to be okay in the movie, and can act. I had not been sure this would be the case. you can actually, buy him as the guy who is head over heels in love.

If you are craving a romance/comedy, either rewatch something good, or find something else, geez, they could have done so much better.

500 Days of Summer

500 Days of Summer is about Jason Gordon Levitt, (made famous from the half hour side spankin' comedy, Third Rock from the Sun) falling for a girl who is not looking for a partner or boyfriend or anything 'commint-menty'. The movie shows their ways of thinking thru their relationship, the way each sees the other. I guess I'm making it sound boring huh? It's not.

If you've seen the trailer for this movie you may or may not depending on the trailer think this is a lovey dovey romance. In some part it is, many scenes portray a sweet, 'first love' type relationship. During the movie you think you know where it's going, you think you've got some characters figured out, but the best I can describe it is a ," fresh", or" real" type ending.

The movie has some very funny lines/scenes and on the whole and on the end, you feel nice having watched the movie. I must say I disagreed with a cousin who thought Zoey Deschanel's character was 'selfish and mean'. I mean nobody can fortell who they fall for. You can't stay with people based on pity or because they break your heart with puppy dog eyes.

P.S After you've watched the movie (which you might not because my review is pretty lame in comparison to the actual movie), what the hell is up with Autumn?? Blah, snore snore, you could've picked better!

Transformers II

I saw THE movie of the summer, and Lordy Lord was it GOD awesome!!!!! Transformers Revenge of the Fallen, was filled with action BUT it was filled with just enough 'human' parts as well. Sam Witwicky (Shia Labeouf) and his parents created all the human/comedy elements needed. Megan Fox (aka there for eye candy, also did fine in her role. All the Fox haters I suppose went out of their way to scare potential moviewatchers about how horrid her acting is-- it's not. It was an action film people and not "A Beautiful Mind", they did'nt even give the actors lines that would wrench you heart and bring tears to your face. (....my heart wrenched a little when Opti fake died) They did fine with what they got (which was quite good), and conveyed their characters very well.

I was UNHAPPY with the role of Isabel Lucas. The Transformer who can transform into a GIRL??!! WTF??!! Originally I had thought, okay they are uptaking the eye candy quotient, until you see Isabel Lucas turn into a Deceptacon(!!!!) and you exclaim WTF really loudly in the movie theatre. Except nobody notices you because they are all exclaiming the SAME THING!!! Arg. How can a 500 ton (don't quote me on that), robot transform into a skinny little anorexic girl??!! And why didn't she crush Shia Labeouf into mushy paper when she was trying to fake mate with him?? Okay so if we nitpick every little detail in an action flick you will never enjoy it. But Isabel Lucas was just plain gratuitous.

Er, I'm not really going into the storyline here, I mean really how can you not know? Bad robots fight good robots who side with humanoids and fight epic battles filled with beautiful cars, that make your heart ache and think you have a faulty heart. And don't get me started on the freaking pyramids!!!!!!!!!! Okay to Late!!

I have always been into Egypt, the beautiful pyramids the mysteries, the burials, it all makes my heart ache to think I shall never be able to see or feel it. And the dumb snotty actors and actresses of Transformers (whose hearts don't ache just thinking about touching a beautiful pyramid) got inside access to places tourists will never see. As if they don't have fame, fortune, and a grand old time enough making crazy beautiful films like Transformers, they must take/squeeze/throttle the daydream/wishes/deepest desires of commonfolk daydreamers of the pyramids. Yarg. Rant OVER.

Chive Farfalle with Roasted Mushrooms

Okay, so it was either chives blended into a yummy sauce OR grass with lots of lemon. It's not my fault-- my garden beds are weedy. (Okay, so THAT would be my fault, lazy bum). Anyway, this is how I made it.

Roasting mushrooms (first time and not the last). Cut into halved, sprayed with oil, salt and pepper and roasted in the oven for 5 minutes or so at 450 F.

Blended half a cup of chopped chives, salt, oil (the nice fruity green stuff--olive), and pepper (crushed or black). If you don't have enough chives (like me), you can add some basil & a BIT of oregano (both freshy fresh). Add lemon juice to taste, and blend until creamy. I also wanted to use less oil so I added some water as an alternate, still good.

Poured it over Farfalle, added a bit of Asiago cheese and roasted mushrooms on the side. YUMMO (to take a word from Rachel Ray). This recipe is obviously not mine, got it from a mag and messed it up a bit! :)

The Proposal

I recently saw Sandra Bullocks and Ryan Reynolds (Two guys a Girl and A Pizza Place!) much anticipated movie, The Proposal. All the hype, the high box office generating numbers--- hogwash. This movie I would rate "C-", and for a couple of reasons.

Where is the romance? (For that matter where was the comedy?). Ryan and Sandra Bullock barely seem to have scenes together, and when they do it feels they are like two magnets--on their opposing ends, repelling each other off the screen. I honestly felt like Ryan Reynolds had more onscreen chemistry with his 'high school sweetheart', who had a screen time of 5 minutes. I felt they would end up together! There were no scenes in which the two leads would feel closer to each other or even connect. (The 'naked' scene doesn't count-gratuitous nudity, and the two minute 'I like a geeky band and have a tattoo' bit to give Sandy some humanity was like oooo-kay what-ever).

Remember "While he was Sleeping"? You will! This movie had the same 1920's wedding dress bit, the same "I miss what it's like having a family" speech, and the same confession at the alter scene. Oh and the same "Grammy will have a heart attack if she finds out" crap. Geez.

Seriously, it seems like Sandra Bullock has lost her onscreen presence, her mojo, she looked like a spiritless dummy doll walking around the movie, doing totally random scenes devoid of anything to give the movie oomph.

Gay Monkeys.....and birds.....and dolphins and.....

Apparently, monkeys are gay! Or so they can be, a bit. Which means obviuosly that they can be bisexual. I just read an article that says male Bonobo monkeys will actually copulate with each other to calm disagreements. Monkeys will show signs of pleasure (as opposed to all those Wild America programs that show copulating animals that look almost bored with the deed).

There is also a story about penguins. Apparently, 2 male penguins seemed to be getting cozy and trying to raise a 'stone' baby! The zookeepers finnally gave up (after introducing females to them that were ignored) and gave them a rejected egg from another couple. The two male penguins raised a cute little penguin baby.

Star Trek..........The Movie

When I first took my sneak peaks at leaked online trailers, and heard the ominous, "This is not your fathers Trek" type lines, I was mad. I wanted to choke Quinto, Pine, and Abram. Then I went to see the film (well, duh I HAD to see how badly it sucked did I not??) although after Thai food and a glass of wine, so with a grain of salt my freinds. It was good!

I must say though that as soon as the fake Spock (Quinto or Sylar from Heroes) came on I wanted to bum rush the screen and choke the living daylights out of him (my my violent are we not?). He showed way to much emotion for a Vulcan, not to think of the fact he was portraying THE Vulcan. Though he did get better as time went by, I forgave him, and enjoyed the rest of the movie.

Chris Pine as Shatner (hehe, imagine him doing the next gen Priceline ads--can't be done), was fine, he can act, and had charisma and enough skills to pull off the comedy bits. Thumbs up.

The movie itself, the storyline was good. Not overly complex and not dumbed down for the dumb kids of today.

Is it me or is every beautiful 80's cartoon or show being DUMBED down so todays brainless kids can drool their spittle into a tub of mega-corn and laugh like retards? Hey the grownups of the world (as grown up as we sci-fi geeks can be), can dole out money for tickets to movies too. Although, many geekazoids do illegally dload. Is that why everything is dumbed down with Jar Jar Binks and the Will Ferrells (Land of the Lost) of the world?