I'm beyond words...OK maybe I'm not

I'm going to spend a few minutes on Haiti and the relief efforts there.

I am mortified and humbled by the devastation. My heart aches for the countless number of people who have been injured and killed. Thinking about the newly broken families is enough to make me physically sick.

Applause to the many across America who have donated money in some way to Haiti. It is very encouraging to shop at a store and be asked if I would like to donate by adding on a dollar or more to my current bill. Churches are collecting special offerings and supporting organizations who are there to help. As most of you know, you can even text to donate on your phone. Celebrities and other wealthy corporations and individuals have made substantial donations. Financially America - we have been quick to move and eager to help.

I think on that topic we can all agree.

Let's discuss our Government and Military response. I do not appreciate CNN's negative turn on our response. It angers me when people who have no ties with the Military speak out as if they know. Despite how the Government has decided to send troops, or when the Military are able to get them on the ground our soldiers are still people. They are NOT some robotic tool that we can move and place immediately where we need when needed. This is NOT a movie.

Each soldier sent represents a family back home who says goodbye to their loved one during an already deployment filled life. Some will even leave their families to go help despite facing a deployment later this year. It is not as if our Military has had a lot of free time on their hands.
Snatching up an active, reservist or National Guard unit has consequences that must be weighed. I do not believe for one second that our top Military officials dragged their feet or hindered this process in anyway. Rather that they used caution and prudence while making their plans so as not to go in half-cocked and unable to complete the task.

It is disheartening to think that our news stations are comfortable blasting across the airwaves that they do not believe we are doing enough. Of course it is going to look like that because "enough" is not possible. This is a long term rescue and rebuild not an overnight flash. Long after the media shine fades away our Soldiers, the men and women of this country will still be there helping. The News stations may be the first to arrive but they are also the first to leave. In contrast our military will be there for the duration.

In closing, I guess I should clarify that I have nothing against the media. Much like I am sure they have nothing against the US Soldiers. Yet they still report negatively and here I am merely doing the same. Calling out with my freedom of speech when I see something that doesn't seem right.

I'll shut up now, thanks...

Avatar

Let's see if this gets anyone reading, or thinking, or existing...

I was surprised to still see a line 3o minutes before the movie was even starting! This movie is making a bundle!!!

First review of the movie is a resounding - OK.



Despite the innovative and visually pleasing special effects the storyline itself was thin. Perhaps money would have better been spent making some changes to the script. My humble suggestions:



We ARE human, just so everyone remembers, and as a human I wanted to know just exactly what happened to planet Earth. A short flashback in any one of the key characters could have provided a glimpse into our home that we had to leave behind. This element would have helped me relate to the need to harvest some random black and silver material.



Let's touch on that mysterious rock, unobtanium. We were never told how or why this item was so important. We were told it was worth a lot of money - but without explanation. What made it worth so much? What did it do?



I felt like the references made to medical advances was trite and not important. It was as if we were being pacified. We destroyed the earth but made significant medical advances.... are we to believe the smarter we get the more wasteful we become?

Let's talk about our human infiltration into the tribe. Great - wonderful story line and the part I enjoyed the most. However, tell me then why it was so complicated to go ahead and just ASK them if we could mine the land below them for the element? I mean, they spoke English so where was the barrier there? And continuing on with that line of thinking.... with all of our obvious technical and mechanical advances then why did we have to destroy the tree? What would have been so hard to have tunneled in? Hello - we have been mining here on Earth for years.....oh and doing it without destroying trees.

Politically and artistically I believe a writer can do or say whatever they want. It is their story and I applaud an author that uses their gift to send a message. Whether I agree with that view or not is irrelevant. I'm the one that chooses what book I read and what movie I see, as do all of you. So attacking that part of the movie is not my style.

With regards to the Pope telling people not to go to this movie... that is not his place. He can suggest, he can encourage but ultimately just as God created us with free will it is our choice. If you are catholic and respect the man then your choice is simple. If you are catholic and choose to see the film is it a sin? No. The Pope is NOT the voice of God though God may use him, God also uses people all around in everyday walks of life - the smallest of us sometimes have the most providential words.

My recommendation to those who walk in Christian faith of any kind is to pray about it and decide for yourself. Go into it knowing that it is meant to entertain and with the expectation that there are some Eastern religious ideas flowing throughout. Take it as FICTION.

I should not even open my mouth about the movie's aftermath as it irritates me so.... but I will briefly throw out my opinion. Here is the article link:

www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html

What a travesty. What ignorance. I love that fiction can take us places beyond our wildest imagination but that is all it is. I take offense when they talk about how beautiful their planet was. I think Earth IS beautiful. It doesn't even make any sense to talk about dying to get to their planet unless of course you believe in re-incarnation because the story takes place many many years in the future - not after death. I am saddened by this whole reaction. As I mentioned in a previous blog, we are seekers. These people are seeking and we need to give them the tools to help them see this is a journey to a destination, not the end.

And so, my main complaint are the holes I mentioned above plus a few more. I have skimmed the "book" or rather "survival guide" online and found some but not all the answers that help satisfy my questions.

Will I rent the movie on video? Yes. I want to see it again without the 3-D.

In my humble opinion - this is simply a case of an entertainment movie being elevated beyond its proper place.

I'll shut up now, thanks...

Side Note

Well, I warned you there would be no regularity here. Outside of my morning cup of decaf coffee I have no routine. I simply do what I can do, when I can do it.

Something I failed to mention in my opening blog - grammar is not my strong suit. So yes, if you are one of those who like to get all bent out of shape regarding "its or it's" - you are going to be frustrated. I readily admit you are better than me and have no illusions over this issue!!

I'll shut up now, thanks.....