Suns Rise

I'm so sick of Charles Barkley and the rest of the NBA announcing team putting down the Phoenix Suns! All they have done, without there out of this world player, Amare Stoudamire, is have the 3rd best record in the Western conference, and win two best of seven series (one of them coming down from a 3 games -1 deficit) and have won game 1 against the "predicted" Western conference finalist, Dallas Mavericks. I know it is too early in the series to say Phoenix will win this one, but at least give them their props!!!!!!!! You bastards! Just because TNT didn't like a small guard being the NBA MVP (2 consecutive years), they don't think they can win. Oh yeah, who hit the 3 to go ahead with 8 seconds left? Hmmph! Grit and determination remind me of my Celtics pre-1987! You don't have to be big in the NBA to win, how about smart, ala Jordan, Johnson, Bird? All of them were under 6'9"! Not 7', or weighing 300 pounds! Nash took a team that lost two, let me repeat, three major parts, no wait 4, including Stoudamire, Kurt Thomas, Joe Johnson, and Quentin Richardson. They got Boris Diaw and Raja Bell, castoffs from other teams. How come now they are so good? They get layups, because of a little Canadian guy, who has balls as hard as hockey pucks! Even if the Suns lost this series, or next, they have shown determination beyond their abilities, and persevered through injury and cold shooting. when the Suns shoot 43%, they are always in the game, but they shoot better than that in their sleep! Since Sir Charles has left the NBA. all he does is dog the Suns. I think he doesn't want them to succeed where his teams failed. He should know, being the smallest, toughest rebound leader in the world! He should know how much harder it is for the little guy to make it, especially in a league that is built on giants. Wait until next year, when the Suns have Amare, and oh yeah Kurt Thomas! Defense, size, skill ....Wahoo! How will they be stopped then? We even get the poor Atlanta Hawks number 1 pick in the next two years too!

DaVinci De-Coder Ring

I remember when I was a kid and sent away for a Cap'n Crunch de-coder, man if I knew then that such deciphering could lead to such a controversial film, I wouldn't have focused on writing my sister codes about what was for lunch! I saw the DaVinci code and wanted to share my thoughts. First off it's a frickin story. People think because they see something or hear it, it has truth. The man who wrote it is a man! He has no insight into any other truths than you or I, only supposition and research and than embelishing on that, the possibility. I can see how the Catholic church wouldn't like this, but they have been corrupt enough without a story that includes them. I think the whole issue is not any different than watching "The National Treasure" with Nicholas Cage. I won't get into it's premise, because I liked the story and it kept me guessing. It is clever, but it won't change my faith or belief system. Churches may not like it because it may entice weak minded people to veer from their truths. Man can choose, good or evil, as I said in my earlier review of church, that church isn't about shiny objects, or standing, sitting, kneeling, etc... It is about practicing every thought to make good, honorable, honest and even right choices. It isn't about a shiny cathedral or awesome art work. Think how much churches have spent on structures and property that could solve some of the issues we pray about! Does God care about a shiny cross? He didn't when Moses' followers made that sacred golden cow. God, as I believe, wants us to practice what we preach. WE can talk about doing good, but we need to do it! The movie is one of the better one's I've seen lately in general. I think the fact people might choose to believe it as an awakening of truths, probably also believe in other bizarre philosophies. Maybe Bigfoot or Martians. I used to have an opinion about Jesus' "doubting Thomas", but now I think it makes sense, that all he wanted was to find out truths. Maybe that's what a lot of us are looking for... but then if we knew it all, life would not have it's value, we wouldn't need faith and that's what God + Jesus have asked of us. Faith is believing that not all power is seen. Life's journey is finding the right paths to take and correcting them when we go astray. As far as bloodlines, aren't we all originally from the same bloodlines? Something to ponder I guess!? Enjoy it for what it's worth, a good suspense movie, that may stimulate you to think and find your own answers. Thanks, Mike

Ringer is a Stinger in my ass!

Just watched the movie Ringer. It had a storyline of a guy trying to get money by competing against Special Olympians. Great premise... Not! First off, Special Olympics even endorsed this shit to make people feel "empathy" for it's participants. Bullshit! How much money did they get out of this? The Farrelly Brothers, who have some really funny movies, stepped off the moving bus on this one. They say in the "special" section that they wanted people to appreciate and respect people with disabilities. I'm not stupid! Secondly, most of the speaking parts were fricking bad actors! Not even Special Olympians. The Olympians in there are good in their roles, but I spotted the difference mostly right off. Another thing was how they portrayed people with disabilities. There were parts where a group of them acted mean spirited and some of their quips were plain dumb! There is a difference between having a mental disability and being plain dumb. Dumbness is laziness and an easy cop-out, much like ignorance! I really do believe this could have been better. Do not buy this! Watch Simon Birch or even I Am Sam, but this has two funny parts and that's it! And by the way "As Life Goes On" the TV show, just released in a box set, was ridiculous! Sure it had a high functioning person with Down's Syndrome, but the crap he dealt with and his responses are not typical. It bothers me because realism is truth and when he is saved by a wolf, that kicked it for me. That assumes the Wolf knew he needed help because he was disabled? Aaargh!! That never happens to many "normal" people. If a movie is made to promote a certain population than it shouldn't do so by exploiting it!

Mother's Day 2006

Happy Mother's Day!
I know most of us have had a good Mother's Day, but today was exceptionally hard for me. My Mom passed away two weeks ago and we will have a service for her in Phoenix on May 20th. It's not so hard knowing that my Mom is in a better place, it's knowing I can't hold her in this physical world. When last I saw her, in March, she really was hanging on to see us. From what I understand, she went to bed the next day and never got up. All I can think about is how peaceful she was. She was meek, humble and relaxed, which is totally contradictory to what we knew her to be. My mom's greatest strength was doing things on her own. I cannot remember a time when she wasn't fighting to survive. We never lacked for love and always knew where she stood. I miss hearing her loud laugh and her eyes would smile when her mouth did. I know that it will be okay through time, but I don't have to like it. I love my Mom and hope everyone cherishes their Mom, today and everyday! Love all ways, Mike